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A66541 The history of Great Britain being the life and reign of King James the First, relating to what passed from his first access to the crown, till his death / by Arthur Wilson. Wilson, Arthur, 1595-1652. 1653 (1653) Wing W2888; ESTC R38664 278,410 409

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the Common Laws divers contrary Reports and Precedents and divers Statutes and Acts of Parliament that do cross one another being so penned that they may be taken in divers senses therefore he could wish they might be reviewed and reconciled And whereas he is thought an Enemy to Prohibitions he saith he is not ignorant of the necessity of them if every stream might run in its own chanel but the overflowing and super-abundance of them in every Court striving to bring most grist to their own Mill was a distemper fit to be cured therefore he did not disallow the Use but the Abuse Then he closes with the House of Commons and not only thanks them for the Bonefire they made of certain Papers which were presented Grievances from some discontented murmuring spirits but he instructs them how to receive Grievances hereafter In which he would have them careful to avoid three things The first That they meddle not with the main points of Government that is his craft Tractent fabrilia fabri To meddle with that were to lessen him who hath been thirty years at the Trade in Scotland and served an Apprentiship of seven years here therefore here needs no Phormios to teach Hannibal Secondly He would not have such ancient Rights as he hath received from his Predecessors accounted Grievances that were to judg him unworthy to injoy what they left him And lastly That they should be careful not to present that for a Grievance which is established by a Law for it is very undutiful in Subjects to press their King wherein they are sure to be denyed Complaints may be made unto them of the High-Commissioners let the abuse appear then and spare not there may be errors among them but to take away the Commission is to derogate from him and it is now in his thoughts to rectifie it in a good proportion Then he shews the emergent cause of his great expences since his coming to the Crown which makes him desire a supply from them confirming what the Lords formerly delivered wherein he said when they opened his necessities unto them his purse only labour'd now his desires are taken notice of both at home and abroad his Reputation labours as well as his Purse for the World will think it want of love in them or merit in him that both lessen'd their hearts and tied up their hands towards him Thus the King expressed himself to the Parliament desiring their assistance assuring them he had no intention to alter the Government though he wished the Laws might be rectified But his King-craft as he calls it failed in striking at the Common Law and he was convinced in it how dangerous it was to give too much knowledg to the people the two great Hammers of the State the Church-man and Lawyer that work the people to obedience upon the two Anvils of Conscience and Policy beat him to the understanding of it so that ever after he joyned with them and that three-fold Cord was not easily dissolved But the times not being ripe yet to produce any thing but the fruits of obedience they after this Lesson setled themselves to make divers good Laws which they purchased at the rate of a Subsidie and a Fifteen DURHAM HOUSE SALISBURY HOUSE WORCESTER HOUSE ILLUSTRISS PRINC IOHAN GUILIELMUS DUX IULIAE CLIVIAE BERG COMES MARCH RAVENSBERG MEURS DOMINUS IN RAVESTEYN IN DEO REFUGIUM MEUM Natus a o 1562 28 Maÿ obÿt a o 1609 25 Martÿ aetatis suae ann o 46. mens 9. die 25. This year 1609. begot a Truce betwixt the King of Spain and the Low Countries yet by the death of the Duke of Cleve the War was like to revive again For while two petty Princes Brandenburgh and Newburgh strove for the inheritance Spain like the Vulture in the Fable attempted to catch it from both seizing upon Iuliers one of the chief Strengths of the Country which the States of the Netherlands by the help of our King and Henry the Fourth of France besieged and recovered again Sir Edward Cecil Brother to the Earl of Salisburg commanded four thousand English at that Siege whose Conduct gave Life to his Soldiers Valour and that advanced the Glory of his Conduct But where such fiery Spirits are congregated into a Body there will be often violent and thundring eruptions Sir Hatton Cheek was next Commander to Sir Edward Cecil a Man of a gallant and daring courage in the difficultest enterprises who speaking to Sir Thomas Dutton one of the Captains under his Command somewhat hastily Dutton disdaining to be snapt up being a man of a crabbed temper returned as hot an answer which broke into a flame But Dutton quenched it by telling Sir Hatton Cheek He knew he was his Officer which tied him in the Army to a strict Obedience but he would break that Bond and vindicate himself in another place And instantly quitting his Command he went for England Some small time after the taking of Iuliers Cheek fell sick and his distemper was the greater because he had heard Dutton strove to defame him both in Court and City for being full with passion he vented it with freedom enough in every place Cheek being recovered and heart-whole would not give time to his decayed limbs to suck in their old vigor but sends to Dutton that threatned him to give an account of the large expence of his tongue against him Dutton that waited for such a reckoning willingly accepted the Summons Cheek took Pigot one of his Captains to be his Second Dutton took Captain Gosnald both Men of well-spread fame and they four met on Calais Sands On which dreadful Stage at first meeting Dutton began to expostulate his injuries as if a Tongue-Combate might decide the Controversie but Cheek would dispute it otherwise Then their Seconds searching and stripping them to their Shirts in a cold morning they ran with that sury on each others Sword as if they did not mean to kill each other but strive who should first die Their Weapons were Rapier and Dagger a fit Banquet for Death At the first course Cheek ran Dutton into the neck with his Rapier and stab'd him in the neck backward with his Dagger miraculously missing his wind-pipe And at the same instant like one motion Dutton ran Cheek through the Body and stab'd him into the back with his left hand locking themselves together thus with four bloody keys which the Seconds fairly opened and would sain have closed up the bleeding difference but Cheeks wounds were deadly which he finding grew the violenter against his Enemy and Dutton seeing him begin to stagger went back from his fury only defending himself till the others rage weakned with loss of blood without any more hurt fell at his feet Dutton with much difficulty recovered his dangerous wounds but Cheek by his Servants had a sad Funeral which is the bitter fruit of fiery passions HENRY IIII ROY DE FRANCE ET DE NAVARRE The venom of
up to three hundred pounds a piece But now again the poor Courtiers were so indigent that sixty pounds would purchase a Knighthood the King wanting other means to gratifie his Servants Yet he was of so free a Nature and careless of Money when he had it though solicitous to get it that he batled in his own bounty For being one day in the Gallery at White-hall and none with him but Sir Henry Rich who was second Son to the Earl of Warwick afterwards Earl of Holland a Gentleman of excellent Natural Parts but youthfully expensive and Iames Maxwel one of his Bed Chamber some Porters past by them with three thousand pounds going to the Privy Purse Sir Henry Rich whispering Maxwel the King turned upon them and asked Maxwel what says he what says he Maxwel told him he wisht he had so much money Marry shalt thou Harry saith the King and presently commanded the Porters to carry it to his Lodging with this Expression You think now you have a great Purchase but I am more delighted to think how much I have pleasured you in giving this money than you can be in receiving it This Story intervenes to shew the Temper of his Mind About this time also Gold was raised to two shillings in the pound occasioned from the high value set upon it abroad which made the Merchant transport it But the first Inhancers can make their Markets by ingrossing great Sums especially the Payments of those times and all this Kings Reign being for the most part in Gold so that it might be called the Golden Age that it is a wonder now what gulf hath swallowed those great sums if their golden wings be not flown to the Sun-rising But these little projects will bring in but small store of money to maintain the Work many such Materials must go to make up a Royal Building and little Streams will not easily fill a Cistern that hath many Issues A Parliament can furnish all but who dare venture on such Refractory Spirits Yet there was a generation about the Court that to please and humour Greatness undertook a Parliament as men presuming to have Friends in every County and Borough who by their Power among the People would make Election of such Members for Knights and Burgesses as should comply solely to the Kings desires and Somerset is the Head and Chief of these Vndertakers But this was but an Embrion and became an Abortive The English Freedom cannot be lost by a few base and tame spirits that would unmake themselves and their Posterity to ingrandize one Man For the Parliament meeting according to their Summons such Faces appeared there as made the Court droop who instead of Contributing to the Kings wants lay open his wasts especially upon the Scots with whom they desire medietatem linguae a share of favour The Bread by our Saviours rule properly belonging to the Children of the Kingdom And they beseech His Majesty to stop the Current of future access of that Nation to make residence here having enough to eat up their own Crums They enquire into the Causes of the unexpected increase of Popish Recusants since the Gun-Powder Plot the detestation whereof they thought should have utterly extinguished them and they find it to the Admission of Popish Nobility into his Counsels the silencing of many watchful and diligent Ministers the divers Treaties his Majesty hath entertained not only for the Marriage of the deceased Prince Henry but for Prince Charles that now liveth with the Daughters of Popish Princes which dis-heartneth the Protestant and encourageth the Recusant laying open with these many other miscarriages in Government which the King willing to have concealed stopt them in their Course dissolving the Parliament and committing to the Tower and other Princes the beginning of incroachment upon the publick liberties such as were most active for the Common good These fair Blossoms not producing the hoped-for fruit they find out new Projects to manure the People different much in name and nature a Benevolence extorted a Free-gift against their wills was urged upon them and they that did not give in their money must give in their names which carried a kind of fright with it But the most knowing men like so many Pillars to the Kingdoms liberties supported their Neighbours tottering Resolutions with assuring them that these kind of Benevolences were against Law Reason and Religion First against Law being prohibited by divers Acts of Parliament and a Curse pronounced against the infringers of them Secondly against Reason that a particular man should oppose his judgment and discretion to the wisdom and judgment of the King assembled in Parliament who have there denyed any such aid Thirdly against Religion That a King violating his Oath taken at his Coronation for maintaining the Laws Liberties and Customs of the Realm should be assisted by the people in an Act of so much Injustice and Impiety These and many other Arguments instilled into the people by some good Patriots were great impediments to the Benevolence So that they got but little money and lost a great deal of love For no Levies do so much decline and abase the love and spirits of the people as unjust Levies Subsidies get more of their money but Exactions enslave the mind for they either raise them above or depress them beneath their sufferings which are equally mischievous and to be avoided This Summer the King of Denmark revisited his Sister the Queen of England with some forty Lords Gentlemen and others in his Train landing at Yarmouth and passing directly to London took up his Lodging in our Common Inns and was not known but for some Outlandish Nobleman till he came to the Queens Palace in the Strand where she was surprized with the unexpected joy of a Brothers company distanced from her by the interest of his people the great Bar that hinders Princes the common civilities and happiness of their Inferiors But the joy continued not long for after some fourteen days interview they parted again But those days had such a plenitude of all those delights that contend to satisfaction as if a great deal of more time had been involved and contracted in them VERA EFFIGIES FRANCISCAE COMITISSAE SOMERSETIAE VICECOM ROFFEN ETc The lively portraict of the Lady Francis Countesse of Somerset Sir Ralph Winwood who had been Lieger-Ambassador with the States in the Netherlands for his abilities and good service had merited so much from the King that he made him Secretary of State The Queen closes with him the better to discover Somersets miscarriages and he was ready enough to oblige her for Somerset made him but an Vnderling grasping all Publick imployments into his own hand not caring whom he disobliged or what Malice he pulled upon himself for like a Coloss he stood the brunt of all the Tempests of Envy making those that carried the greatest sail to strike and come under him Nor would he suffer any
pay him with his Spanish Sarcasms and Scoffs saying My Lord I wish you a good Easter And you my Lord replied the Chancellor a good Passover For he could neither close with his English Buffoonry nor his Spanish Treaty which Gondemar knew though he was so wise as publickly to oppose neither In fine he was a fit Iewel to have beautified and adorned a flourishing Kingdom if his flaws had not disgraced the lustre that should have set him off William Viscount Sayand Sealem of the Court of Wardes etc Are to be sould by Iohn Hinde In this very time of Parliament when the King carried all things with a full sail the Pilots of the Commonwealth had an eye to the dangers that lay in the way for in both Houses the King had a strong Party especially in the House of Lords All the Courtiers and most of the Bishops steer'd by his Compass and the Princes presence who was a constant Member did cast an awe among many of them yet there were some gallant Spirits that aimed at the publick Liberty more then their own interest If any thing were spoken in the House that did in the least reflect upon the Government or touch as the Courtiers thought that Noli me tangere the Prerogative those that moved in it were snapt up by them though many times they met with stout encounters at their own Weapon among which the Principal were Henry Earl of Oxford Henry Earl of Southampton Robert Earl of Essex Robert Earl of Warwick the Lord Say the Lord Spencer and divers others that supported the Old English Honour and would not let it fall to the ground Oxford was of no reputation in his youth being very debauched and riotous and having no means maintained it by fordid and unworthy ways for his Father hopeless of Heirs in discontent with his Wife squandred away a Princely Estate but when she and his great Fortune were both gone he married a young Lady of the ancient family of the Trenthams by whom he had this young Lord and two Daughters she having a fortune of her own and industry with it after her Husband's death married her Daughters into two noble Families the Earl of Mountgomery married the one and the Lord Norris after Earl of Berk-shire married the other And finding her Son hopeless let him run his swing till he grew weary of it and thinking he could not be worse in other Countries than he had been in his own she sent him to travel to try if change of Air would change his Humour He was not abroad in France and Italy above three years and the freedoms and extravagancies there that are able to betray and insnare the greatest modesties put such a Bridle upon his inordinateness that look how much before he was decried for a mean and poor spirit so much had his noble and gallant comportment there gained that he came over refined in every esteem and such a Valuation was set upon his parts and merit that he married the Lady Diana Cecil Daughter to the Earl of Exeter one of the most eminent Beauties and Fortunes of the time Southampton though he were one of the King 's Privy Councel yet was he no great Courtier Salisbury kept him at a bay pinched him so by reason of his relation to old Essex that he never flourished much in his time nor was his spirit after him so smooth shod as to go always the Court pace but that now and then he would make a Carrier that was not very acceptable to them for he carried his business closely and slily and was rather an Adviser than an Actor Essex had ever an honest Heart and though Nature had not given him Eloquence he had a strong reason that did express him better his Countenance to those that knew him not appeared somewhat stern and solemn to intimates affable and gentle to the Females obligingly courteous and though unfortunate in some yet highly respected of most happily to vindicate the Vertue of the Sex The King never affected him whether from the bent of his Natural inclination to effeminate faces or whether from that instinct or secret Prediction that Divine fate often imprints in the apprehension whereby he did fore-see in him as it were a hand raised up against his Posterity may be a Notation not a determination But the King never liked him nor could he close with the Court. Warwick though he had all those excellent indowments of Body and fortune that gives splendor to a glorious Court yet he used it but as his Recreation for his Spirit aimed at more publick adventures planting Colonies in the Western World rather than himself in the King's favour his Brother Sir Henry Rich about this time made Ba●on of Kensington and he had been in their youths two emulous Corrivals in the publick affections the one's browness being accounted a lovely sweetness transcending most men the other 's features and pleasant aspect equalled the most beautiful Women the younger having all the Dimensions of a Courtier laid all the Stock of his Fortune upon that Soil which after some years Patience came up with increase but the Elder could not so stoop to observances and thereby became his own Supporter Saye and Seale was a seriously subtil Peece and always averse to the Court ways something out of pertinaciousness his Temper and Constitution ballancing him altogether on that Side which was contrary to the Wind so that he seldom tackt about or went upright though he kept his Course steady in his own way a long time yet it appeared afterwards when the harshness of the humour was a little allayed by the sweet Refreshments of Court favours that those stern Comportments supposed natural might be mitigated and that indomitable Spirits by gentle usage may be tamed and brought to obedience Robert Earle of Warwicke and Lord Rich of Leeze etc. Henry Earle of Holland Baron of Kensington etc. ●●ul● by Ru●●●● P●ake There were many other noble Patriots concentrique with these which like Jewels should be preserved and kept in the Cabinet of every man's memory being Ornaments for Posterity to put on but their Characters would make the line too long and the Bracelet too big to adorn this Story About this time Spencer was speaking something in the House that their great Ancestors did which displeased Arundel and he cuts him off short saying My Lord when these things you speak of were doing your Ancestors were keeping sheep twitting him with his Flocks which he took delight in Spencer instantly replied When my Ancestors as you say were keeping sheep your Ancestors were plotting Treason This hit Arundel home and it grew to some heat in the House whereupon they were separated and commanded both out of the House and the Lords began to consider of the offence There was much bandying by the Court Party to excuse the Earl of Arundel but the heat and rash part of it beginning with him laying such a brand upon a
Parliament 165 166. Sent Extraordinary Ambassador into Spain 192. where slighted and coursly entertained ibid. Made Earl of Bristol 210. vid. Bristol Disputation at Sir Humphrey Linds house 240 Doncaster sent Extraordinary Ambassador into Germany 132. his expensive Ambassy 154. Feasted by the Prince of Orange 154. sent again into France 171. his short Character ib. Dorset Lord Treasurer dies suddenly 43 Duel between Sir Halton Cheek and Sir Thomas Dutton 50. Lord Bruse and Sir Edward Sackvil 60. Sir Iames Stuart Sir George Wharton 61. Sir Thomas Compton and Bird 147 Duncome a sad story of him 140 E Queen Elizabeth breaks into passion mention being made of her Successor 2. yet bequeaths one in her last Will as a Legacy to this Nation 1 The Lady Elizabeth married 64. presented with a chain of Pearl by the Mayor and Aldermen of London ib. Ellowis made Lieutenant of the Tower 67. consenting to the poisoning of Sir Thomas Overbury 70. Executed on Tower-Hill 82 Earl of Essex his Character 2 Young Earl of Essex restored to the right of Blood and Inheritance 6. marries the Lady Frances Howard 55. Travels into France and Germany 56. demands his Wife is suspected to be poison'd ib. Attended with a number of Gallant Gentlemen accompanies Sir Horatio Vere into the Palatinate 136. His Character 162 March of the English into the Palatinate 136. Spinola endeavours to intercept them 137. they joyn with the Princes of the Union ibid. and prepare for a Charge 138 Countess of Essex in love with the Viscount Rochester 56. She is slighted by Prince Henry ibid. consults with Mr. Turner and Foreman 57. whom she writes to 58. seeks by the aid of Northampton to be divorced from the Earl of Essex 67. searched by a Jury of Matrons and found a Virgin 68. divorced 69. married to Rochester now made Earl of Somerset 72. and both Feasted at Merchant-Tailers Hall ib. vid. Somerset F Fairfax racked and tormented to death in France the occasion 172 Lady Finch Viscountess of Maidstone 279 France in combustion 102. their troubles now and those thirty three years ago running all in one parallel 103 G Gage sent to Rome 195 Garnet Provincial of the Jesuits in England arraigned and executed 33 Gib a Scotchman a passage 'twixt him and King Iames 219 Gold raised 77 Gondemar by Letters into Spain makes known Sir Raleigh's design 113. incenses our King against him 115. lulls the King asleep with his windy promises 144. His power 145. and several effects thereof ib. prevails with both Sexes 146. a Passage 'twixt him and the Lady Iacob ib. He writes merrily into Spain concerning the Countess of Buckingham 149 Germany stirs there and the causes thereof 131 H Hamilton dies 285 Harman's Story 279 Lord Hays sent into France 92. rides in state to Court 93. made Viscount Doncaster and married to the Lady Lucy younger Daughter to Henry Earl of Northumberland 130. sent into Germany to mediate a reconciliation betwixt the Emperor and the Bohemians 132. Vid. Doncaster Henry 4th of France stab'd by Raviliac 50 Prince Henry installed Knight of the Garter 6. created Prince of Wales 52 Hicks and Fairfax their story 172 August the fifth made Holy-day 12 November the fifth made Holy-day 33 Thomas and Henry Lord Howards made Earls of Suffolk and Northampton their characters 3 I Iames the sixth of Scotland proclaimed King of England 1 2. Thirty six years of age when he comes to the Crown 1. Posts are sent in hast after the death of Queen Elizabeth into Scotland 2. coming through the North toward London great was the applause and concourse of people which he politickly inhabites 3. at Theo●alds he is met by divers of the Nobility ib. went at his first entrance a smooth way betwixt the Bishops and Non-conformists not leaving out the Papists whom he seemeth to close withal ib. conspired against by Cobham Grey Rawleigh c. 4. A Censure on the Conspiracy ib. Crowned at Westminster 5. Gives way to a Conference a Hampton-Court 7. and determines the matters in controversie 8. Rides with the Queen and Prince thorough the City 12. His first Speech he made to the Parliament Anno 1603. 13. Proclaimed King of Great Britain 25. Rumor of his Death how taken 32. His Speech to the Parliament concerning an Union of Scotland and England 38. His wants laid open to the House of Parliament 44. his Speech to both Houses an 1609. 46. His bounty 76. comes to the Star-Chamber 99. his Speech there 100. Goes into Scotland 104. Several Messages of his to the States concerning Vorstius 119. whose Books he caus'd to be burnt 120. writes against him 124. Prohibits his Subjects to send their Children to Leyden 125. dislikes the Palatin's acceptation of the Crown of Bohemia 133. yet at last sends a Gallant Regiment to joyn with the United Princes in Germany 135. and assents to the raising of two Regiments more 136. Intends to match the Prince of Wales with the Infanta of Spain 143. Incouraged therein by Gondemar and Digby 144. Calls a Parliament An. 1620. 150. His Speech to both Houses 153. to the Lords 155. is not pleased with the House of Commons Remonstrance 171. writes to the Speaker of the House of Commons 173. The Parliament Petition him 174. His Answer thereunto 178. The Nobility Petition him 187. He is angry thereat ib. His expression to Essex 188. dissolves the Parliament 190. Punishes some and prefers others that were active in the House 191. is dishonoured abroad 192. persues the Match with Spain ibid. Sends Digby thither as Extraordinary Ambassador ib. Gage to Rome 195. Commands Lincoln to write to the Judges that all Recusants be released out of Prison 196. His Letter to the Archbishop with directions concerning Preachers 199. Active in the Treaty of Marriage with Spain 202. Disclaims any Treaty with the Pope 203. his Letter to Digby 204. his second Letter to Digby 207. A third Letter to Digby 210. writes to Buckingham to bring home the Prince speedily or to come away leave him there 249 Demands restitution of the Palatinate or else the Treaty of marriage to proceed no further 256. Summons a Parliament An. 1623. 257. His Speech to the Parliament 259. writes to Secretary Conwey 265. A second Speech 266. his Answer to the Parliaments Petition against Recusants 274. His Death 285. more of him 287. his description 289 Iesuits commanded to avoid the Realm 51 Iesuits swarm 151. Iesuitrices 152. K King of France stabb'd by Raviliac 50 Knighted many 5 Prince Henry installed Knight of the Garter 6 L Lamb a Witch 287 Laud gets into Favour 201 Lieutenant of the Tower consenting to the poisoning of Sir Thomas Overbury 70. Executed 82 Lincoln made Keeper of the Great Seal 196. his Letter to the Judges for setting Recusants at liberty ib. His preferment Character and part of his story ib. his short Harangue 262 M Lord Mayor his Piety 106 Mansfieldt with an Army opposes the Emperor 135. Vexeth him after Anhalt's
was fit to be opened and aired before She saw it which reason meeting with her disaffection to ill Scents hindred her smelling out his underhand Contrivances But now he may do it openly for he was the first that publickly read and proclaimed the late Queens Will Posts are sent in hast yet in so calm and quiet a manner as if the loss of so pretious a Mistriss had stupified the people And now the Great-ones strive who shall be most Obsequious and Court their Happy Hopes That Party that had been Opposite to the late Earl of Essex whose death as some thought shortned the Queens life strove to ingratiate themselves by suppressing them that had any Relation to him assuring the King that always counted him his Martyr that he aimed at the Crown himself and Princes apt to be jealous soon take such impressions And now I have stirr'd the Ashes of great Essex I must revive his memory with this short Character for Reports flying upon the Airy wing of the Times have variously exalted or depressed him as the Serene for him or the cloudy fancy against him waved up and down He had a Gallant and Noble Spirit full of Vrbanity and innate Courtesie which too much took the Popular Eye and being a great ingrosser of Fame it procured him many Enemies which made his Spirit boil into passion and that was more suitable to his Enemies Designs than his own for they lighted their candle by his fire and this heat being blown by some fiery Spirits about him gave to the goodness of his Nature a tincture of Revenge which his Enemies made reflect upon the Queen so 1 1 2 OVID RETRIBVAM DOMINO PRO OMNIBVS QVAE TRIBVIT MIHI 3 Jacobus 〈◊〉 Mag Brit Fra Hib Rex 3 IACOBVS DEI GRATIA MAGNAE BRITANNIAE FRANCIAE ET HYBERNIAE REX HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE BEATI PACIFICI 4 ✚ IACOBVS DG MAG BRITA FR ET HI REX 5 MAG BRIT FRA ET HI VX ELIZABETHA FILIAR● 5 NOBILIS SPE FIDE VERITATE FRAN-PERRY DEL-ET SCVLP that the Coal he strove to bring to burn his Enemies Nests kindled his own Funeral Pile But our King coming through the North Banquetting and Feasting by the way the applause of the people in so obsequious and submissive a manner still admiring Change was checkt by an honest plain Scotsman unused to hear such humble Acclamations with a Prophetical expression This people will spoil a gud King The King as unused so tired with Multitudes especially in his Hunting which he did as he went caused an inhibition to be published to restrain the people from hunting him Happily being fearful of so great a Concourse as this Novelty produced the old Hatred betwixt the Borderers not yet forgotten might make him apprehend it to be of a greater extent though it was generally imputed to a desire of enjoying his Recreations without interruption At Theobalds Secretary Cecil's House the Lord Chancellor Egerton the Lord Buckhurst Treasurer the Earl of Notingham Admiral and others of the Council to the deceased Queen met him and they with him found the Duke of Lenox the Earl of Marr the Lord Hume and the Lord Kinloss These with others were made of his Privy-Council The Bishops forgot not to strengthen themselves and their Party against their opposites the Non-Conformists who had gotten new courage upon their hopes of the Kings compliance with them and the King to please both sides went in a smooth way betwixt them at first not leaving out the third Party the Popish the most dangerous whom he closed with also by entertaining into his Councils the Lord Thomas Howard and the Lord Henry Howard the one Son the other Brother to the late Duke of Norfolk who would have been his Father but became a Sufferer for his Mother The one a plain-hearted man the other of a subtile and fine Wit of great Reading and Knowledg excellent for outward Courtship famous for secret Insinuation and cunning Flattery the first a suspected though it was otherwise the last a known Papist bred up so from his Infancy yet then converted as he pretended by the King being the closest way to work his own ends On these he heaped Honours making the Son Earl of Suffolk and the Brother Earl of Northampton And this Gentleness of the King to the Popish party was so pleasant to them that they suckt in the sweet hopes of alteration in Religion and drunk so deep thereof that they were almost intoxicated Now every man that had but a Spark of Hope struck fire to light himself in the way to Advancement though it were to the Consumption both of his Estate and Being The Court being a kind of Lottery where men that venture much may draw a Blank and such as have little may get the Prize Those whose Hopes were almost quenched like Water cast upon Lime burn inward till it breaks out into Flame so hard it is for uncomposed Spirits missing their aims to settle upon the Basis of solid Reason The Earl of Southampton covered long with the Ashes of great Essex his Ruins was sent for from the Tower and the King lookt upon him with a smiling countenance though displeasing happily to the new Baron of Essingden Sir Robert Cecil yet it was much more to the Lords Cobham and Grey and Sir Walter Rawleigh who were forbidden their attendance This damp upon them being Spirits full of acrimony made them break into Murmur then into Conspiracy associating themselves with two Romish Priests men that could not live upon lingring Hopes and other discontented persons which every Change produces The ground of the Design was to set up the Lady Arabella a Branch sprung from the same Stem by another Line and to alter Religion and Government disposing already to themselves the principal places of Honour and Profit The Lord Grey should get leave to transport two thousand men into Holland with whom he should seise upon the King and Prince Sir Walter Rawleigh was to treat with Count Arembergh for procuring of Moneys and Cobham to go to the Arch-Duke and the King of Spain to perswade their Assistance This Embrion proved abortive and they brought their Plea to excuse their attempting it as compleat a One That the King was not yet crowned The Arraignment was at Winchester where strong proofs meeting weak denyals they with others were found guilty of High Treason George Brook the Lord Cobham's Brother and the two Priests suffered for it the rest found Mercy the King being loth to soil the first steps to his Crown with more blood But their Pardon carried them to the Tower where the Lord Grey some years after dyed and in his Death extinguished his Family The Lord Cobham Sir Griffin Markham and others discharged of imprisonment lived miserable and poor Cobham at home and the rest abroad And Rawleigh while he was a Prisoner having the Idea of the World in his contemplation brought it to some
Boutefeus for so desperate an Enterprize was notwithstanding father'd upon the Puritans as Nero did the burning of Rome upon the Christians by some impudent and cunning Iesuits whose practice is to deceive if not quite to clear their party yet by stirring this muddy water to make that which is in it to appear the less perspicuous and it is like the rest of their Figments fit baits for Ignorance to nibble on Which some years after I had opportunity at Bruges in Flanders to make Weston an old Iesuit active in the Powder-plot ingenuously to confess This preceded the second Sessions of the first Parliament prorogued till the fifth of November and upon the ninth they met where with Hearts full of Fears and Jealousies they ripped up the ground of the Machination for discovery of the Complotters and laid such a Foundation of good Laws against Papists as might serve for a Bulwark in the time to come The King was not unmindful of the Lord Monteagle the first Discoverer of this Treason for he gave to him and his Heirs for ever two hundred pounds a year in Fee-farm Rents and five hundred pounds a year besides during his life as a reward for this good service Si quid patimini propter iustitiam beati i petri● Henricus Garnetus anglus e societate IESV passus 3 May 1606 Henry Lord Mordant and Edward Lord Stu●ton not coming to the Parliament according to their Writ of Summons were suspected to have knowledg of the Conspiracy and so was the Earl of Northumberland from some presumptions and all three were committed to the Tower The two Barons after some imprisonment were redeemed by Fine in Star-chamber but the Earl continued a Prisoner there for many years after In Iuly this year the King of Denmark Brother to the Queen came in Person as a visitor where he found their Shakings somewhat setled their Terrors abated and met with not only all those varieties that Riches Power and Plenty are capable to produce for satisfaction where will and affection are the dispensers but he beheld with admiration the stately Theatre whereon the Danes for many hundred of years had acted their bloody parts But how he resented their Exit or the last Act of that black Tragaedy wherein his Country lost their interest some Divine Power that searches the capacious hearts of Princes can only discover This short Month of his stay carryed with it as pleasing a countenance on every side and of their Recreations and Pastimes flew as high a flight as Love mounted upon the wings of art and fancy the sutable nature of the season or Times swift foot could possibly arrive at The Court City and some parts of the Country with Banquetings Masks Dancings Tilting Barriers and other Gallantry besides the manly Sports of Wrestling and the brutish Sports of bayting Wild-beasts swelled to such a greatness as if there were an intention in every particular man this way to have blown up himself The seven and twentieth of May last the Parliament was prorogued to the eighteenth of November following but before they parted having hearts full of affection for Gods great deliverance of the whole Kingdom from ruin and destruction they made an Act to have the fifth of November for ever solemnized with publick Thanksgiving Imputing the Discovery of the Treason to Gods inspiring the King with a Divine Spirit to interpret some dark phrases of the Letter above and beyond all ordinary construction They attainted the blood of those Traitors that were Executed as also those that were slain in the field or dyed in Prison They made many good Laws for the discovering and suppressing of Popish Recusants And gave the King three intire Subsidies and six Fifteens Besides four Subsidies of four shillings in the pound granted by the Clergy But they put off the Treaty of Vnion by an Act that referred it to be done as well any other Session of Parliament so willing they were to keep close to the Kings affections and not to start from him But the next Session the King being loth to be longer delayed the business of the Vnion was much pressed again by some that knew the Kings mind among whom Sir Francis Bacon now the Kings Solicitor was a principal Instrument who came prepared for it and first moved the House of Commons that the Scots might be Naturalized by Act of Parliament which was opposed by divers strong and modest Arguments Among which they brought in the comparison of Abraham and Lot whose Families joyning they grew to difference and to those words Vade tu ad dextram ego ad sinistram It was answered That Speech brought the captivity of the one they having dis-joyned their strength The Party opposing said If we admit them into our Liberties we shall be over-run with them as Cattle naturally pent up by a slight Hedg will over it into a better soyl and a Tree taken from a barren place will thrive to excessive and exuberant Branches in a better witness the multiplicities of the Scots in Polonia To which it was answer'd That if they had not means place custom and imployment not like Beasts but Men they would starve in a plentiful soyl though they came into it and what spring-tide and confluence of that Nation have housed and familied themselves among us these four years of the Kings reign And they will never live so meanly here as they do in Polonia for they had rather discover their poverty abroad than at home Besides there is a question whether England be fully peopled witness the drowned Grounds and Common-wasts the ruins and decays of ancient Towns in this Realm Witness how many serve in the Parliament for desolate Burroughs Witness our Wasts by Sea as well as by Land suffering the Flemings to carry away all our Fishing the sinews of our industry being slackned we want active spirits to corroborate them by their example Besides the planting Ireland fully abounding with Rivers Havens Woods Quarries good Soyl and temperate Climate No surcharge of people hath been prejudicial to Countreys the worst will be an honourable War to recover our ancient Rights or revenge our Injuries or to attain to the honour of our Ancestors We should not forget the consideration of Amplitude and Greatness and fall at variance about Profit and Recknings fitter for private persons than Kingdoms The other side objected That the Fundamental Laws of both Kingdoms are divers and it is declared they shall so continue and therefore it would not be reasonable to proceed to this Naturalization whereby to indow them with our Rights except they should receive and submit to our Laws EdwardusI DG Rex Ang Dux Aqui ete Dom Hib sould by Robt Peake It was answered That in the Administration of the World under God the great Monarch his Laws are divers one Law in Spirits another in Bodies one Law in Regions Celestial another in Elementary and yet the Creatures are all one mass
this blow reached presently into England and came somewhat near our Kings Heart therefore he took the best way to prevent his Fears by striving to prevent his Dangers having no other end but his own For when he considered the horridness of the Powder Plot and by it the irreconcileable malice of that Party he thought it the safest policy not to stir those Ashes where so much Fire was covered which gave way to a flux of that Iesuitical humour to infest the Body of the Kingdom But now being startled with this poysoned knife he ventures upon a Proclamation strictly commanding all Iesuits and Priests out of the Kingdom and all Recusants to their own Houses not to come within ten miles of the Court and secures all the rest of his Subjects to him by an universal taking of the Oath of Allegiance which the Parliament both Lords and Commons then sitting began and the rest of the People followed to the Kings great contentment For the last Session the Parliament was prorogued till the sixteenth of October this year and meeting now they were willing to secure their Allegiance to the King out of Piety yet they were so stout even in those youthful days which he term'd Obstinacy that they would not obey him in his incroachments upon the Publick Liberty which he began then to practise For being now season'd with seven years knowledg in his profession here he thought he might set up for himself and not be still journy-man to the lavish tongue of men that pryed too narrowly into the secrets of his Prerogative which are mysteries too high for them being Arcana imperii fitter to be admired than questioned But the Parliament were apprehensive enough that those hidden mysteries made many dark steps into the Peoples Liberties and they were willing by the light of Law and Reason to discover what was the Kings what theirs Which the King unwilling to have searched into after five Sessions in six years time dissolved the Parliament by Proclamation HENRICUS Princeps Walliae etc a. Reverendissimus in Christo Pater D.D. RICHARDUS BANCROFT Archiepiscopus Cantuariensis About this time Richard Bancroft Arch-Bishop of Canterbury died a person severe enough whose roughness gained little upon those that deserted the Ceremonies One work of his shewed his spirit better than the ruggedest Pen can depaint it For it was he that first brought the King to begin a new Colledg by Chelsey wherein the choice and abiest Scholars of the Kingdom and the most pregnant Wits in matters of Controversies were to be associated under a Provost with a fair and ample allowance not exceeding three thousand pounds a year whose design was to answer all Popish Books or others that vented their malignant spirits against the Protestant Religion either the Heresies of the Papists or the Errors of those that strook at Hierarchy so that they should be two-edged Fellows that would make old cutting and flashing and this he forwarded with all industry during his time and there is yet a formal Act of Parliament in being for the establishment of it But after his death the King wisely considered that nothing begets more contention than opposition and such Fuellers would be apt to inslame rather than quench the heat that would arise from those embors For Controversies are often or for the most part the exuberancies of Passion and the Philosopher saith men are drunk with disputes and in that inordinateness take the next thing that comes to hand to throw at one anothers faces so that the design fell to the ground with him and there is only so much Building standing by the Thames-side as to shew that what he intended to Plant he meant should be well Watered and yet it withered in the bud I can lay nothing to the charge of this great man but from common fame yet this I may truly say That for his Predecessor Whitgift and his Successor Abbot I never heard nor read any thing tending to their disparagement But on him some unhappy Wit vented this Pasquin Here lies his Grace in cold Earth slad Who died with want of what he had The Queen was Mistress of Somerset-house as well as the Prince was Master of St. Iames and she would fain have given it the name of Denmark-house which name continued her time among her people but it was afterwards left out of the common Calender like the dead Emperors new named Month. She was not without some Grandees to attend her for outward glory The Court being a continued Maskarado where she and her Ladies like so many Sea-Nymphs or Nereides appeared often in various dresses to the ravishment of the beholders The King himself being not a little delighted with such fluent Elegancies as made the nights more glorious than the days But the latitude that these high-flying fancies and more speaking Actions gave to the lower World to judg and censure even the greatest with reproaches shall not provoke me so much as to stain the innocent Paper I shall only say in general That Princes by how much they are greater than others are looked upon with a more severe eye if their Vertues be not suitable to their Greatness they lose much of their value For it is too great an allay to such resinedness to fall under the common cognizance Philip Earle of Pemb Mong Lord Chamberlaine to the King etc. Now all addresses are made to Sir Robert Car he is the Favourit in Ordinary no sute nor no reward but comes by him his hand distributes and his hand restrains our Supreme Power works by second Causes the Lords themselves can scarce have a smile without him And to give the greater lustre to his power about this time the Earl of Dunbar the Kings old trusty Servant the Cabinet of his secret Counsels died so that he solely now took the most intimate of them into his charge and the Officer of Lord high Treasurer of Scotland which staff the other left behind him and though it could be no great Supporter yet the credit of it carried some reputation in his own Country where it was his happiness to be magnified as well as in England for he had Treasure enough here where the Fountain was And to ingrandize all the King created him Baron of Brandspech and Viscount Rochester and soon after Knight of the Garter Thus was he drawn up by the Beams of Majesty to shine in the highest Glory grapling often with the Prince himself in his own Sphear in divers Conteslations For the Prince being a high born Spirit and meeting a young Competitor in his Fathers Affections that was a Mushrom of yesterday thought the venom would grow too near him and therefore he gave no countenance but opposition to it which was aggravated by some little scintils of Love as well as Hatred Rivals in passion being both amorous and in youthful blood fixing by accident upon one object who was a third mans in which the Viscount
cannot be asserted being above our Sphere yet as Mathematicians do propose to themselves imaginary Circles for the several motions in the Heavens and though there be none discovered yet they find the effects of what they apprehend So the sudden stopping of Monsons Tryal put strange imaginations into mens heads and those seconded by Reports too high for private discovery their operation only falling under the common notion But the Lord Chief Justice was blamed for flying out of his way that having enough to prosecute the business he would grasp after more till he lost all For this Crime was thought second to none but the Gunpowder-plot that would have blown up all indeed at a blow a merciful cruelty this would have done the same by degrees a lingring but as sure a way one by one might have been culled out till all opposers had been removed Besides the other Plot was scandalous to Rome making Popery odious this was scandalous to the Gospel ever since the first Nullity The Devil could not have invented a more mischievous practice to Church and State William Seymour Marquis and Earle of Hartford and Baron Beauchamp GRAUE PONDUS ILLA MAXIMA NOBILITAS PREMIT Anno 1619. And now the Temples of Ianus being shut Warlike Abilliaments grew rusty and Bellona put on Masking-attire for Scotland bought her Peace at a good rate and Ireland found the fruits of hers growing up to her hand Those Irish that had great Estates though rude enough the King suppled and tamed with Honours and they that had little were content calmly to suck in what they had and battel'd by it so that they wanted nothing but moderation to make them happy These Halcion days shined round about us The influence of our Kings peaceable mind had almost an universal operation Spains ambition was contented to be bounded by the Pirene Hills and the Atlantick Ocean sucking in the fruits of Italy and Sicily and hoarding up the Treasures of the Indies willingly singing a Requiem to the Netherlands France wanting Exercise surfeited with diseases at home which by fits broke out into Tumors among themselves The Germans swelled into a Dropsie of Voluptuousness by Plenty and the sweets of Peace Politick Bodies are like Natural Full feeding contracts gross humors which will have vent Only such Exercise as may refine and keep the spirits active and digest the grosser and fulginous matter strengthens the Nerves of a Kingdom or Republick Nothing now but bravery and feasting the Parents of Debauchery and Riot flourished among us There is no Theam for History when men spill more drink than blood when plots and contrivances for Lust acted in dark corners are more practised than Stratagems in War and when the Stages with silken Pageants and Poppets that slacken the sinews are more frequented than those Theaters of Honor where Industry brawns and hardens the Arms Peace is a great Blessing if it bring not a Curse with it but War is more happy in its effects than it especially if it takes away the distemper that grows by long surfets without destroying the Body But since these buskind ornaments are wanting we must imbellish our Discourses with such passages as paced up and down in the sock of Peace There had been in Prince Henries time a Treaty of Marriage betwixt him and a Daughter of Spain which took no effect Our King was real in his intentions not willing to have his Sons Beams to display themselves but in a Royal Horizon The Spanish policy clouded the business with delays whether from the old grudg that was betwixt Queen Katharine and Henry the eighth or the difference between the Nations in Religion But the Spanish Courtesie being loth directly and point blank to tell our King he liked not the Conjunction went with a slow-paced Gravity such as he thought befitted the Civility of Princes and gave a little light to hope that it might be accomplished But Salisbury and others that managed those great affairs then did at this chink discover that their formalities were but Spanish Complements which like the air that gave them being soon vanished away After this our Kings thoughts cast about how he might provide a fit match for Prince Charles who shined in the same sphere of Honor that his Brother left for a better but not so much inlightned with the peoples love being less active and splendid and that I may not call it sullenness more reserved The German Dames were discoursed on where his Sister shined in her Glory as being of the same Religion and more suitable in Christian Policy but they were in a manner Subjects to the Emperor and that would give an allay to the Super-elementary extraction of Kings which should be of a higher Origine to amuse and that they might be the more admired by their people and therefore not so fitting in State-Policy And seeing there were small hopes expected from Spain a Daughter to Henry the great late King of France was aimed at and Sir Thomas Edmonds our Kings Lieger Ambassador had long before this time made his little addresses superficially and founded the Chanel but he met some Rocks and Remoras in the way so that he could not discover clearly their intentions and the King was loth to express himself plainly lest he should receive an affront And now sending as he thought it civilly necessary an Extraordinary Ambassador to congratulate the King of France his Marriage with Anna the Infanta of Spain he thought it good policy to take this occasion to make a stricter scrutiny whether there were any ground to rest upon for matching his Son And who is fitter for that employment being only for Courtship and Bravery than the Lord Hayes a Gentleman whose Composition of mind tended that way He was born in Scotland where bravery was in no superfluity bred up in France where he could not have it in extravagancy but he found it in England and made it his vanity The King had a large hand and he had a large heart and though he were no great Favourite ever yet he was never but in favour He with a great Train of young Noblemen and other Courtiers of eminency suited themselves with all those ornaments that could give lustre to so dazelling an appearance as Love and the Congratulation of it carried with it All the study was who should be most glorious and he had the happiest fancy whose invention could express something Novel neat and unusual that others might admire So that Huntingtons Prophecy was fulfilled here when speaking of the time of the Scots Conquest of England he said Multimoda variatione vestium indumentorum designaretur I remember I saw one of the Lord Ambassadors Suits and pardon me that I take notice of such petty things the Cloak and Hose were made of very fine white Beaver imbroidered richly all over with Gold and Silver the Cloak almost to the Cape within and without having no lining but imbroidery The
and laid such Foundation for the future that Posterity may for ever build on So his passions and pride so were predominant that boyling over he lost by them much of his own fulness which extinguished not only the valuation but respect to his merit So often is that heat that gives life to noble Parts by a circular motion the ruin of them Yet to cool his distemper and to bring him to himself he is within a short time called to the Council Table the King being loth to lose his abilities The Lord Chancellor Ellesmer also about this time weary of his publick imployment and weakned with age desired the Kings leave to retire that he might make use of the short time left him to cast up his accounts for another World The King gave the Seal and the place of Lord Chancellor to Sir Francis Bacon his Attorney Ceneral and the old Lord Ellesmer wore out the remnant of his life in quiet dying in a good old age and full of virtuous fame leaving a Noble Posterity who enjoy a great Estate with the Title of Earl of Bridgwater Time and Age had also worn out Sir Ralph Winwood the Kings able faithful and honest Servant and Secretary who dying Sir Robert Nanton and Sir George Calvert were made Secretaries men of contrary Religions and Factions as they were then stiled Calvert being an Hispaniolized Papist the King matching them together like contrary Elements to find a medium betwixt them But the greatest remove was the Lord Treasurers staff which was broken by Somersets fall the way being now made plain and laid open that discovered the Treasurers imperfections and his Wives corruptions The Lady keeping the Shop and Sir Iohn Binglie her Officer crying What d' ye lack as the new Lord Chancellor Bacon was pleased to express himself in the Star-Chamber whither the business being brought the sore was open'd and all the bad humours flow to the ill-affected part Bribery and Extortion is the matter that appears which is squeez'd out and aggravated by Sir Edward Cook newly perkt up such is the Worlds bucket who very learnedly cited many Precedents of Treasurers in former Kings Reigns that miscarried and their several punishments He begins with Randulphus de Britton Treasurer to King Henry the third who had mis-imployed the Kings Treasure deceived the King in his Office for which he was questioned his Lands and Goods seized into the Kings hands and sent prisoner to the Tower where he submitted himself to the King confest his fault gave up his place pro Gratia habenda saith the Record obtained Restitution of his Goods and Lands paying only three thousand pounds Fine This was a piece of Wisdom saith he as well as Humility alluding to the present Lord Treasurers stout heart that would not submit The second was Petrus de Rivallis who was Treasurer of Ireland and Chamberlain of England in Edward the firsts time who had taken Bribes in his Office Tam de Religiosis quam de Laicis Of which being convicted he lost his place and was put to his Fine and Ransom And in the same Kings Reign The Abbot of Westminster and his virtuous Monks took out of the Kings Treasure at Westminster many thousand pounds Ad inastimabile damnum Regis Regni The Abbot being sent to the Tower and the Monks disposed to several prisons and notwithstanding they pleaded Priviledg of Clergy-men for their Tryal yet in the Case of imbezelling the Kings Treasure they had no Priviledg but the Temporalities of the Abby were seized for satisfaction In King Edward the seconds time Walter de Langton a Bishop was Treasurer to the King He did take of the Earl of Montealto to be a friend to him in agendis negotiis versus dominum Regem a hundred pounds the said Earl being a prisoner to let him go free to do his business And this was given as the Record speaks De spontanea voluntate for a Gratuity ex curialitate sua for his courtesie yet this was adjudged Extortion and Bribery Again Iohn de Engam was indicted of Trespass by this Bishop for the Mannor of Fisbie whereunto the King pretended Title and was by the Bishop imprisoned for the Trespass But afterwards another Mannor was conveyed to this Bishop ob diversas curialitates for courtesies that he had done and so Engam was discharged of his Indictment and though that the Bishop pleaded that Voluntas Regis potius ad imprisonamentam quam ad sinem because it was the Kings pleasure rather to punish by Imprisonment than Fine yet this was adjudged Bribery Again the Bayliff of Oxford was committed for Arrerages of a hundred pounds in his Account and thereupon the Mannor of Calcot was conveyed unto the Bishop and the Bishop of his pure devotion did discharge him of that Imprisonment But these were Pleas and Flourishes of guilty men as the Record saith but they were all three judged Extortion and Bribery and for these the Bishop was put from his place fined and committed to the Tower William Lord Latimer in Edward the thirds time being appointed to pay the Kings debts did buy in some of them at lower rates than was due as eighty pounds for a hundred and thirty pounds for forty By which course he made the King a Bankrupt Compounder and for this he was fined and lost all his Offices In like case was the Lord Nevil who was trusted to pay the Army but he bought the debt of them and justified that they gave him the remainder of their free gift but for this he was fined and committed to the Tower These and many other precedents and examples armed with Authority and Antiquity were mustered up and the Lord Treasurers miscarriages exasperated especially for embezelling those Moneys the King lately received of the State of the Netherlands for the redemption of the cautionary Towns Flushing and Brill which the King was forced to relinquish again to the States because he had no money to pay the Soldiers there and that money being designed for the lrish Army which was also in great Want it was thought the more heinous and a double miscarriage being it was so dearly bought and so unduly spent But the Earl himself being a man of a noble disposition though too indulgent to his too active Wife had retained the Kings favour if he had taken Sir Edward Cooks counsel and submitted and not strove to justifie his own integrity which he maintained with a great deal of confidence till it was too late for then his submission did him little good But his Wives faults being imputed to him he was fined thirty thousand pounds and imprisonment in the Tower Sir Iohn Bingly fined two thousand pounds and imprisonment in the Fleet For it was thought the Lord and Lady could not have found the way into these obscure low and dark contrivances without the light of his help Which Sentence was pronounced by the Lord Chancellor Bacon who though he
the Ears of the Princes of the Union quailed their courage made them look back into their own condition and having not so much faith as to depend upon our King for assistance before the Spring they submitted themselves to the Emperor leaving the almost-ruined Palatinate as a Prey to an insulting Enemy the English only giving Spirits to the Vital parts of it conveyed by the Conduct of those Instruments Vere Herbert and Burrowes Men fitter to command Armies than to be confined within the Walls of Towns Benssheim Grundtriss vnd Entwurff etlicher ohrt der ChurPfaltz vnd wie die Spanier nach etliche treffē endtlich gar dar auss geschalē word Mansfeldt only that was rejected and slighted by Anhalt makes good his fidelity by bearing up against the power of the Emperor not that he was able to grapple with his whole Force but being an active spritely man and having a nimble moving Army of fourteen or fifteen thousand men he did harasse the Countries force Contribution from the Cities and when any greater power came against him he got from them into another Country and harrowed that to their perpetual vexation So that he was as goads in their sides and thorns in their eyes And thus he continued in despight of the Emperor and the Duke of Bavaria for almost two years after till they were constrained to purchase their peace of him at a dear rate to which Mansfeldt was also inforced not finding assistance nor Supplies to support him As soon as the Princes in the Palatinate were retired to their Quarters before the great loss at Prague came to their knowledge the Earl of Essex with a Convoy of Horse to Swibruken passed into Lorain and through France posted for England to solicit the King to send those Regiments promised and other Supplies if possible that the English there and the whole Countrey might not be exposed to ruine But when he came into England he found the Court Air of another temper and not as he left it for it was much more inclined to the Spanish Meridian And though Gondemar the King of Spain's Ambassador at the departure of one of his Agents into Spain facetiously bad him commend him to the Sun for he had seen none here a long while yet we had the Spanish influence hot among us the King himself warmed with it then what will not the Court be The King and his Ministers of State had several ends and drive different designs His was for the matching of his Son with some great Princess aiming at no other glory though he debased himself to purchase it For presently after he received a Denial in France he sent to Sir Iohn Digby his Leidger Ambassador in Spain to treat of a Marriage betwixt the Prince of Wales and the Infanta Maria Sister to that King which was in 1617. No blood but blood Royal can be a propitiatory Offering for his Son yet the best Sacrifice is an humble spirit No matter what Religion what Piety that is not the Question When Kings have earthly aims without consideration of God God looks to his own Glory without respect of man The little foundation of hope they built upon at that time was now raised to a formal building by the cunning practices of Gondemar who assured the King it was his Master's real intention the Prince should marry the Infanta And he wished the King his Master had all the Palatinate in his power to present it as a donative to the Prince with his fair Mistris The King that now heard all was lost in Bohemia saw little possibility of injoying the Palatinate quietly but by the Treaty of a Marriage was lulled asleep with Gondemar's windy promises which Sir Iohn Digby seconded being lately made Vice-Chamberlain to the King Baron of Sherborn and a great manager of the affairs at Court Sir Walter Aston being sent Leidger Ambassador into Spain for the general correspondence And the King anchoring his hopes upon these shallow promises made himself unable to prevent the Tempest of War that fell on the Palatinate tying up his own hands and suffering none to quench the Fire that devoured his Childrens Patrimony WILLIAM HERBERT Earl of PEMBROKE c It was thought the Papists did much contribute to Gondemar's liberali●y for they began to flourish in the Kingdom he having procured many Immunities for them and they used all their industry to further the Match hoping that if the Prince did not adhere to Rome yet his Offspring might and at present looked for little less than a Toleration No stubborn piece of either Sex stood in Gondemar's way but he had an Engin to remove them or screw them up to him None that complied with him but found the effects of his friendship many Iesuits fared the better for his intercession he releasing numbers among the rest one Bauldwin an arch-Priest accused to have had a hand in the Gunpowder-Treason and had been seven years in the Tower a man of a dangerous and mischievous spirit who was after his release made Rector of the Iesuits College at St. Omers By his Artifices and Negotiations having been time enough Ambassador in England to gain credit with the King he got Sir Robert Mansel the Vice-Admiral to go into the Mediterranean sea with a Fleet of Ships to fight against the Turks at Algier who were grown too strong and formidable for the Spaniard most of the King of Spain's Gallions attending the Indian Trade as Convoys for his Treasures which he wanted to supply his Armies and he transported Ordnance and other Warlike Provisions to furnish the Spanish Arsenals even while the Armies of Spain were battering the English in the Palatinate so open were the King's ears to him so deaf to others For Sir Robert Nanton one of his Secretaries a Gentleman of known honesty and integrity shewed but a little dislike of those proceedings and he was commanded from Court and Conwey was put in his place And Gondemar had as free access to the King as any Courtier of them all Buckingham excepted and the King took delight to talk with him for he was full of Conceits and would speak false Latin a purpose in his merry fits to please the King telling the King plainly He spoke Latin like a Pedant but I speak it like a Gentleman And he wrought himself so by subtilty into the King's good affections that he did not only work his own will but the King 's into a belief that the Treaties in agitation were though slow real and effectual So easily may wise men be drawn to those things their desires with violence tend to And he cast out his Baits not only for men but if he found an Atalanta whose tongue went nimbler than her feet he would throw out his golden Balls to catch them also And in these times there were some Ladies pretending to be Wits as they called them or had fair Neices or Daughters which drew great Resort to
their houses and where company meet the discourse is commonly of the times for every man will vent his passion these Ladies he sweetned with Presents that they might allay such as were two sower in their expression to stop them in the course if they ran on too fast and bring them to a gentler pace He lived at Ely-House in Holborn his passage to the Court was ordinarily through Drury-lane the Covent-Garden being then an inclosed field and that Lane and the Strand were the places where most of the Gentry lived and the Ladies as he went knowing his times would not be wanting to appear in their Balconies or Windows to present him their Civilities and he would watch for it and as he was carried in his Litter or bottomless Chair the easiest seat for his Fistula he would strain himself as much as an old man could to the humblest posture of Respect One day passing by the Lady Iacob's house in Drury-lane she exposing her self for a Salutation he was not wanting to her but she moved nothing but her mouth gaping wide open upon him He wondred at the Ladie 's incivility but thought that it might be happily a yawning fit took her at that time for trial whereof the next day he finds her in the same place and his Courtesies were again accosted with no better expressions than an extended mouth Whereupon he sent a Gentleman to her to let her know that the Ladies of England were more gracious to him than to incounter his Respects with such Affronts She answered it was true that he had purchased some of their favours at a dear rate And she had a mouth to be stopt as well as others Gondemar finding the cause of the emotion of her mouth sent her a Present as an Antidote which cured her of that distemper ELY HOUSE Engrav'd from an original Drawing The Earl of Buckingham as great in Title as in Favour was now grown a Marquess and lying all this while in the King's bosom every man paid tribute to his smiles As the King bought off Worcester to make him Master of the Horse so he bought off Nottingham to make him Admiral What may not he have that is not only Master of his Horse and Ships but his Heart also His Mother is created a Countess by Patent and her second Husband Sir Thomas Compton had no other Title but an unworthy one which the People either out of their anger or her misdemeanour imposed upon him Her eldest Son first made Sir Iohn Villiers after Viscount Purbeck married to the Daughter and Heir of the Lady Elizabeth Hatton by Sir Edward Cook a Lady of transcending beauty but accused for wantonness Purbeck not well able to look down from these great heights got a giddiness in his head which confined him to a dark room Her other Son first made Sir Christopher Villiers was after created Earl of Anglesey whose honour mixt with a weak brain could not buoy him up from sinking into that distemper that drowns the best Wits Her Daughter presently after also shined in the same Sphere with her her Husband being from a private Gentleman made Earl of Denbigh Happy is he can get a Kinswoman it is the next way to a thriving Office or some new swelling Title The King that never much cared for Women had his Court swarming with the Marquesses kindred so that little ones would dance up and down the privy Lodgings like Pharies and it was no small sap would maintain all those suckers And now we have named Sir Thomas Compton there will follow a Story of his youthful Actions which though done long since will not be uncomly to croud in here He had the remark of a slow-spirited man when he was young and truly his Wife made him retain it to the last But such as found him so in those vigorous days of Duelling would trample on his easiness and there could not a worse Character be imprinted on any man than to be termed a Coward Among the rest one Bird a roaring Captain was the more bold and in●olent against him because he found him slow and backward which is a baseness of an over-daring nature and his provocations were so great that some of Compton's Friends taking notice of it told him It were better to die nobly ●nce than to live infamously ever and wrought so upon his cold temper that the next alfront that this bold Bird put upon him he was heartned into the Courage to send him a Challenge Bird a massy great Fellow confident of his own strength disdaining Compton being le●s both in Stature and Courage told the Second that brought the Challenge in a vapouring manner That he would not stir a foot to incounter Compton unless he would meet him in a Saw-pit where he might be sure Compton could not run away from him The Second that looked upon this as a Rodomontado fancy told him That if he would appoint the Place Compton should not fail to meet him Bird making choice b●th of the Place and Weapon which in the vain formality of Fighters was in the election of the Challenged he chose a Saw-pit and a single Sword where according to the time appointed they met Being both together in the Pit with swords drawn and stript ready for the encounter Now Compton said Bird thou shalt not escape from me aand hovering his sword over his head in a disdainful manner said Come Compton let 's see what you can do now Compton attending his business with a watchful eye seeing Bird's Sword hovering over him ran under it in upon him and in a moment run him through the body so that his pride fell to the ground and there did spraul out its last vanity Which should teach us that strong presumption is the greatest weakness and it is far from wisdom in the most arrogant Strength to slight and disdain the meanest Adversary There is yet in bleeding memory even in these Times of just severity against this impious Duelling one of the same Family of the Compton's in some part guilty of Bird's Crime for the Provoker to such horrid Encounters seldom escapes the Divine Iustice permitting such violent madness to tend to its own destruction But to return to our Story Prenobilis Henrici Comi Manchester Dnū Custodio Privati Sigil An●●ete But though the Marquess of Buckingham in appearance acted all these Removes and Advancements yet his Mother the Countess wrought them in effect for her hand was in all Transactions both in Church and State and she must needs know the disposition of all things when she had a feeling of every man's pulse for most Addresses were made to her first and by her conveyed to her Son for he looked after his pleasure more than his profit which made Gondemar who was well skilled in Court Holy-Water among other his witty pranks write merrily in his Dispatches into Spain That there was never more hope of England's Conversion to Rome than now for there are
Body of the Kingdom that they might not break out to disgrace the Physician For he looked upon himself as an able Director and yet he found he might be deceived And therefore he brings the Lords into a Wood comparatively to tell them that they appeared to him well grown and fair but searching into them he found them otherwise But he that pretended to the knowledge of all things as give him his due he was well known in most could not be ignorant that the Patents he granted were against the Liberties of the people but whether the execution of them to that extremity came within his Cognizance cannot be determined his damning of them shews his dislike at present condemning that which he knew would be done to his hand if he had not done it and this must not be known only at Westminster and left upon Record to Posterity there but he commanded his Speech to be printed that all his people might know how willing and forward he was to abolish any Act of his that tended to a grievance And though he did not accuse the Marquess of Buckingham for giving way to Informers yet he was much troubled with them till the Parliament began and in that numerous crowd those that brought profit were doubtless admitted with the first These considerations upon the King's Speech buzzed up and down and many of the Parliament men looked upon the Marquess as the first mover of this great Machine but the Wisdom of the House did not rise so high as to strike at the uppermost branches but they pruned those roundly they could reach Buckingham though he were well grown had not yet sap enough to make himself swell into exuberancy as he did afterwards nor was the peoples malice now against him so fertile as to make every little weed a dangerous and poysonous plant being subtile enough yet to crop off any that might appear venomous in relation to himself that the mischievous operations might work upon others For all the world knew Mompesson was his creature and that notwithstanding the King's Proclamation for his interception he got out of the Kingdom by his Key For Buckingham ruled as a Lord Paramount and those that complied with him found as much refuge as his power could secure unto them those that opposed him as much mischief as malice could pour upon them Sir Henry Yelverton the King's Attorney had found the effects of his Anger by not closing with his desires in such Patents as he required so that all his Actions being anatomized some miscarriages are made criminal he is committed to the Tower and another put in his place that should be more observant The King now lays upon him a Warrant Dormant which did not much startle him for he was not long after released and made a Iudge carrying with him this character of honesty That he was willing to lay down his preferment at the King's feet and be trod upon by the growing power of Buckingham rather than prosecute his Patron Somerset that had advanced him as his Predecessor Bacon had spitefully done his But whether that Dialogue betwixt Buckingham and Yelverton in the Tower mentioned in our King's Court have any thing of Truth cannot be asserted here Buckingham being not arrived yet to the Meridian height of his Greatness though the King afterwards had cause enough to be jealous of his Actions But now comes the old Iustice Sir Francis Michell to his Censure and the crime he had committed arguing a base spirit he is fitted with as suitable a punishment First he is degraded with all the ceremonies of debasement but that being most proper to his nature he was but eased of a burthen his mind suffered not but then his kecksie carkass was made to ride Renvers with his face to the horse tail with a p●per on his breast and back that pointed at the foulness of the cause through the whole City suffering under the scorn and contempt of Boys and rabble of the people besides the squeezing of him by fine and confinement to prison that he might never be more capable of mischief The same sentence had Sir Giles Mompesson but he was so provident as not to be found to pay it in his person though he paid it in his purse Some others also their Instruments though not so sharply dealt with had great mulcts laid upon them according to their demerit and so this Gangrene was healed up 〈…〉 QVI POSTQVAM OMNIA NATVRALIS SAPIENTIAE ET CIVILIS ARCANA EVOLVISSET NATVRAE DECRETVM EXPLEVIT COMPOSITA SOLVANTVR AN DNI M.D C. XXVI AETAT LXVI TANTI VIRI MEM THOMAS MEAVTYS SVPERSTITIS CVLTOR DEFVNCTI ADMIRATOR H. P. This poor Gentleman mounted above pity fell down below it His Tongue that was the glory of his time for Eloquence that tuned so many sweet Harrangues was like a forsaken Harp hung upon the Willows whilst the waters of affliction overflowed the banks And now his high-flying Orations are humbled to Supplications and thus he throws himself and Cause at the feet of his Iudges before he was condemned To the Right Honourable the Lords of the Parliament in the Upper House assembled The humble Submission and Supplication of the Lord Chancellor May it please your Lordships I Shall humbly crave at your hands a benign interpretation of that which I shall now write for words that come from wasted spirits and oppressed minds are more safe in being deposited to a noble construction than being circled with any reserved caution This being moved and as I hope obtained of your Lordships as a protection to all that I shall say I shall go on but with a very strange Entrance as may seem to your Lordships at first for in the midst of a State of as great affliction as I think a mortal man can endure Honour being above Life I shall begin with the professing of gladness in somethings The first is That hereafter the greatness of a Iudge or Magistrate shall be no sanctuary or protection to him against guiltiness which is the beginning of a golden work The next That after this Example it is like that Iudges will fly from any thing in the likeness of Corruption though it were at a great distance as from a Serpent Which tends to the purging of the Courts of Iustice and reducing them to their true honour and splendor And in these two Points God is my witness though it be my fortune to be the Anvil upon which these two effects are broken and wrought I take no small comfort But to pass from the motions of my heart whereof of God is my Iudge to the merits of my cause whereof your Lordships are Iudges under God and his Lieutenant I do understand there hath been heretofore expected from me some justification and therefore I have chosen one only justification instead of all others out of the justification of Iob. For after the clear submission and confession which I shall now make
hot and intemperate Region to soom cool Considerations If he should yield by Silence or Connivence to this Protestation it would remain as an impregnable Bulwark for the people to Posterity And what is this terrible thing their just Liberties If he should oppose it with Rigor it might produce such an intestine Division at home as with all industry he strove to prevent abroad Break the Treaty with Spain he would not his Heart was too much set upon it for he could find no Protestant Princess good enough the high and elated Extraction of Kings will raise the people up to a kind of Adoration as the old Heathens did the Race of their Gods and Heroes Whereas true Honesty and piety finds out such matches as may as well bring Glory to God as to man not worldly Blessings only but heavenly also Lose the love of the people he was loth for he thought his peaceable Reign gained upon them and that no King had ever deserved better of a People than he But Peace is a kind of Soft Rayment or Masking-dress not always to be worn Standing lakes beget Corruption The Pool of Bethesda had no Virtue till it was stirred War is necessary as Physick for unsound Bodies Iustum id bellum quibus necessarium When the King had weighed every particular scruple by the Ballance of his own Reason and Councel about him he took a Resolution to dissolve the Parliament which he did by Proclamation the sixth of Ianuary being fifteen days after the Protestation was made so much time he measured out by the Scale of consideration before he would pull down such a Structure of Love as never was built by the people for any of his Predecessors which he implies in his Proclamation laying there all the blame upon the House of Commons and not on them in general but on some ill-tempered Spirits as he called them that sowed Tares among the Corn and frustrated the Hopes of a plentiful Harvest Striving by these imputations to take away the Odium that such a Dissolution might produce The Parliament and consequently the Union between the King and People being thus dissolved every man's tongue is let loose to run Riot And though the King loved Hunting above all other exercises and had many good Hunters about him yet all those and the Strength of a Proclamation put out to forbid talking of State Affairs could not restrain them from mouthing out That Great Britain was become less than little England that they had lost strength by changing Sexes and that he was no King but a Fidler's Son otherwise he would not suffer such disorders at home and so much dishonour abroad So dangerous it is for Princes by a stegmatick remisseness to slacken the ligaments of the peoples tongues for such an overflux of bad Humor may bring their obedience to a Paralytick And the Story of David Ricius written by the King 's own Tutor Buchanan had died in every English Opinion if it had not had a new Impression by these miscarriages Edward Herbert Lord Herbert of Castle ●Land and Lord H●rbert of C●●erbery in England The Earl of Oxford was betrayed and accused by one White a Papist who was vulgarly called after in derision by the Name of Oxford-White to have spoken some words to the Dishonour of the King and disparagement of his Government and was committed to the Tower The Earl of Southampton was also committed to the Dean of Westminster Oxford lay by it a great while and being an Active man the King sent him at last to Sea to be one of Buckingham's Vice-Admirals for the English Coast while Sir Robert Mansell guarded the Coasts of Spain from being infested with the Turks of Algier and Sally Sir Edward Cook that was looked upon as one of the great incendiaries in the House of Commons is put from the Council Table with disgrace The King saying he was the fittest instrument for a Tyrant that ever was in England And yet in the House he called the King's Prerogative a great Over-grown Monster And how can these agree Unless because the King would not take his counsel he hanged himself on the other side But whether the King had cause to say the one I know not but he it seems found cause enough to say the other Sir Thomas Crew Sir Dudly Digges Sir Nathaniel Rich and Sir Iames Perrot men of great Repute and knowledge active in the House were sent into Ireland and joyned with others in commission to inquire into Misdemeanors committed there but it was thought as a punishment for what they had committed here for they were long detained from their own occasions under the colour of an honorable imployment And Sir Peter Hammon of Kent and others were sent into the Palatinate This kind of punishment beginning now to be in fashion and not long after this Sir Iohn Savile the Knight of York-shire that carried all the Country at a Beck and a powerful Man in the House is taken off by the King made Comptroler of his Household a Privy Councellor and not long after a Baron so the King found out two ways of silencing those that were able to do him mischief Active Spirits that come too near him must either come nearer to him or be sent further from him which he doubts not will take off the edge and bate the sharpness of the Humor another time And these preferments and punishments were also practised by his successor with this Experiment in both that the most popular men as soon as they wore the Court Livery lost the love of the people but those that suffered for them were the more beloved and admired by them The Commons of England having more than an ordinary Genius to support and strengthen the pillars of their Liberties And as these Troubles bred disturbance at home so they begot discredit abroad for now by this Breach they undervalued the King's power as much as they did before his Spirit yea even in the King of Spain's own Towns whilst this beloved Treaty was in heat they in their Comedies presented Messengers bringing News in haste That the Palatinate was like to have a very formidable Army shortly on foot For the King of Denmark would furnish him with a hundred thousand picked Herrings the Hollanders with a hundred thousand Butter-boxes and England with a hundred thousand Ambassadors And they picture the King in one place with a Scabberd without a Sword In another place with a Sword that no body could draw out though divers stand pulling at it At Bruxels they painted him with his pockets hanging out and never a penny in them nor in his purse turned upside down In Antwer● they pictured the Queen of Bohemia like a poor Irish Mantler with her hair hanging about her ears and her child at her back with the King her father carrying the Cradle after her and every one of these Pictures had several Motto's expressing their Malice Such
money from the people or for what other intention is unknown But the very next day he sends this further Direction by Endimion Porter RIght Trusty c. We have given you certain Instructions signed with Our hand to direct you how to express unto the King of Spain the feeling We have of the Dishonour put upon Us by the Emperour through Our Trust and Confidence in that King's Promises wherein you have Order to come away without further delay in case you receive not Satisfaction to your Demands in such sort as We have Commanded you to propound them Nevertheless We are to put you in remembrance of that which We have heretofore told you in case a Rupture happen between the King of Spain and Us that We would be glad to manage it at Our best advantage And therefore however you do not find the Satisfaction which We in those Instructions crave from the King of Spain and have Reason to expect yet would We not have your instantly come away upon it but advertise Us first letting Us know privately if you find such cause that there is no good to be done nor no Satisfaction as you judge intended Us though Publikely and Outwardly you give out the contrary that We may make use thereof with Our People in Parliament as We shall hold best for Our Service And this se● you do notwithstanding any thing in your other Instructions to the contrary Dated 4. Octob. 1622. The right Honorable John Digby Earle of Bristol Baron of Shirborne Vice Chamberlaine to his Mar. and one of the Lords of his Maiesties most Honorable privy Counsell and Embassador extraordinary to the high and Mightie Philip the fourth king of Spaine Are to be Souto by William Peake IOANNES THERCLAES Comes de Tilli While they were thus Wire-drawing time spun out Manheim the chief Strength and Fortress in the Palatinate was taken by Tilly the Emperour's General whereof Sir Horatio Vere was Commander surrendred upon honourable Conditions having neither strength of Men or means to resist an Enemy Heidelberg before it as the King expressed was taken by Assault Sir Gerard Herbert the Commander of the Castle slain after he had repulsed the Enemy from the Assault breaking six Pikes upon them with his own hand And now Tilly Winter comeing on greedy to finish his work sits down before Frankendale whereof Major Barrowes had the Command a man of as much valour and experience as Time the Director and Spirit the Actor could make a man capable of But all this and the Strength of the Town to boot could not have protected them their Wants being stronger than their Enemy if Tilly had not been drowned up in his Trenches which forced his remove And though Our King said in his last Answer to the Parliament's Petition That the Enemy would have swallowed up his Forces in the Palatinate in eight daies if my Lord Digby had not succoured it yet the weakest of the three Places which is Heidelberg was not taken in a moment for Tilly in Iune last set down before it and was constrained to raise his Siege being not strong enough and coming again with a greater Power in the end of Iuly following he was there above two moneths before he took so much as any of their Out-Works And Manheim and Frankendale are two such strong Holds that if they had been well furnished with Men and Provisions they might have stood out against Tilly nay the great Turk as well if not better than Vienna the Imperial City As soon as the King had notice of the taking of Manheim he gives Bristol intimation of it and was very well satisfied of the King of Spain's good intentions for the Relief of it though Order sent to the Infanta arrived not there till the Town was surrendred Which was the old Spanish plot of Philip the Second to get Portugal into his hand wherein he cheated the Pope himself delaying his solicitations by his Legate Cardinal Riario for Don Antonio Bastard of Portugal with specious and pleasing entertainments till he had gotten the Castle of St. Iulians the greatest strength of the Kingdom then besieged by him into his power And yet our King looked upon this Apparition as Real and thanked the King of Spain for the good he never intended And now the Articles of Marriage that had been long hatching flew up and down from hand to hand The French Historians mention them so doth Mr. Pryn in his hidden Works of darkness as they were found among the Lord Cottington's Papers These came to me from the Nest and I have kept them till this time and comparing them with other Copies there is scarce a feather amiss Nor should they have pestered this paper but to shew what great pains was taken to little purpose what Huge pretences shouldred in to make way for the Spanish Designs which at last dwindled to nothing The Articles are these 1. THat the Marriage be made by Dispensation of the Pope but that to be procured by the endeavour of the King of Spain 2. That the Marriage be once celebrated in Spain and Ratified in England in form following In the morning after the most gracious Infanta hath ended her Devotions in the Chappel She and the most excellent Prince Charles shall meet in the King's Chappel or in some other Room of the Palace where it shall seem most expedient and there shall be read all the Procurations by Virtue whereof the Marriage was celebrated in Spain And as well the most excellent Prince as the most excellent Infanta shall ratifie the said Marriage celebrated in Spain with all Solemnity necessary to such an Act so as no Ceremony or other thing intervene which shall be contrary to the Roman-Catholik-Apostolik-Religion 3. That the Gracious Infanta shall take with Her such Servants and Family as are convenient for her service which Family and all Persons to her belonging shall be chosen and nominated by the Catholik King so as he nominate no Servant which is Vassail to the King of Great Britain without his will and consent 4. That as well the most gracious Lady Infanta as all her Servants and Family shall have free use and publique exercise of the Roman Catholike Religion in manner and form as is beneath Capitulated 5. That she shall have an Oratory and decent Chappel in her Palace where at the pleasure of the most Gracious Infanta Masses may be celebrated which Oratory or Chappel shall be adorned with such decencie as shall seem convenient for the most gracious Infanta with a publike Church in London c. 6. That the Men-servants and Maid-servants of the most Gracious Infanta and their Servants Children and Descendents and all their Families of what sort soever serving her Highness may be freely Catholiks 7. That the most gracious Infanta her Servants and Family may be freely Catholiks in form following 8. That the most gracious Infanta may have in her Palace her Oratory and Chappel
the Infanta Maria sister to the King To which end he had sent his Son into Spain to treat and conclude the match together with George Duke of Buckingham Iohn Earl of Bristol Sir Walter Astone and Sir Francis Cottington Baronets Commissioners on his part for the said Treaty And on the behalf of the King of Spain Iohn de Mendoza and Luna Marquess of Monstes Claros Didacus Sarmiento de Acuna Earl of Gondemar and Iohn de Cirica Secretary to the Secret Council Which Commissioners for both parts qualified by a Dispensation from his Holiness after long and deliberate Dispute in so serious a matter Communi consensu atque judicio in aliqout Capitulationes conditiones ad rem terminandam absolvendam accommodata quae sic se habent convenerunt by one consent and judgment had determined and concluded the same Then followed the before recited Articles after which this long Postscript attesting them Effigies eximÿ viri Dn̄i Didaci Salmienti de Acuna Comitis de Gondomaere EQuitis nobli ordinis Calatravae This Train of Witnesses are set down to shew who were then of Our King's Council though some of them set their hands to it much against their wills and swore with as little zeal to observe and keep as much as in them lay all the aforesaid Articles Such Power have Kings over mens Reasons and Consciences There was some little Contest betwixt our King and the King of Spains Ambassadours about some particular Ceremonies observed in swearing of these Articles For our King having written and spoken against the Popes Holiness would not admit him to be so styled in his Oath But the Ambassadours refused to proceed further unless that Title were consented unto so that Our King affecting ever to be accounted a Peace-maker though he where Defender of the Faith was forced to lay by his Shield admitting him to be holy who was most unholy and so the strife ended Some other little things were stood upon by the Ambassadours but the King's Patience surmounted all their Demands And in the Close of the Businesse he invited the Ambassadours to a Royall Feast at Whitehal where after dinner retiring into the Council-Chamber The King took another private Oath to observe certain Articles in favour of Roman Catholicks for a free exercise of their Religion in all his Dominions Wherein he protested to do what in him lay that the Parliament should confirm the same And thus was the great Business accomplished which gave Our King so much content that being transported with an assurance of the Match he was heard to say Now all the Devils in Hell cannot hinder it So secure was he of it in his own Opinion But one that heard him said to others standing by That there was never a Devil now left in Hell for they were now all gone into Spain to make up the Match This forwardness of the Union with Spain and indulgence to Papists made Iesuits and Priests swarm in every corner setting up their subtile Traps to catch wavering Spirits And they could not hear of a man of estate that was sick for persons of Quality were only aimed at but they would tamper with his weak conscience and persuade him to the Charity of their Religion whereby his Soul that was tainted with earthly corruptions and must needs be purged by Fire before it can come to God should escape the pains of Purgatory or if it went thither their Prayers could redeem them thence with such stuff as this deceiving many poor Soules But their most specious jugling Argument which did catch many ignorant persons was the Visibility of their Church in all Ages as they pretended and their great Question Where the Protestant Church was before Luther Among the rest one Edward Buggs Esquire living in London aged seventy years and an old professed Protestant was seduced by them in his Sickness and after his recovery being troubled in mind at his request and desire there was a publick conference and dispute appointed at Sir Lind's House Lind being a friend to Buggs and a Gentleman of great knowledge and integrity who was able to grapple with the Iesuits himself yet he modestly desired Doctor White and Doctor Featly Protestants to encounter with Father Fisher and Father Sweet Jesuits Where Featly laid their jugling tricks at their Doores protesting to acknowledg himself overcome by them if they could prove out of any good Author let them brag what they would of the Visibility of their Church in all ages that in City Parish or Hamlet within five Hundred years next after Christ there was any visible assembly of Christians to to be named maintaining or defending either the Council of Trent in general or these Points of Popery in special 1. That there is a Treasury of Saints Merits and super abundant Satisfactions at the Pope's disposing 2. That the Laity are not commanded by Christ's Institution to receive the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper in both kinds 3. That the Publick Service of God in the Church ought or may be celebrated in an unknown tongue 4. That Private Masses wherein the Priest saith Edite bibite ex hoc omnes and yet eateth and drinketh himself only are according to Christ's Institution 5. That the Pope's Pardons are requisite or useful to release Souls out of Purgatory 6. That the effect of the Sacrament dependeth upon the Intention of the Minister Here Mr. Sweet interrupted him saying These were Scholastical Points not Fundamental To which Doctor White replied Those things which are defined in your Council of Trent are to you matters Fundamental And whatsoever Article denied makes a Man an Heretick is Fundamental But the denyal of any of these make a Man an Heretick Ergo Every one of these Articles is Fundamental To which Argument nothing being answered Doctor Featly proceeded 7. That extream Unction is a Sacrament properly so called 8. That we may worship God by an Image 9. That the Sacred Host ought to be elevated or carried in solemn Procession 10. That Infidels and impious persons yea Rats and Mice may eat the Body of Christ. 11. That all Ecclesiastical Power dependeth on the Pope 12. That he cannot err in matters of Faith 13. That he hath Power to Canonize Saints to dispose of Kings and Kingdomes at his pleasure c. But the Iesuits not being able to prove that any of these things were in practice in the Primitive Times of Christianity but that they wene fobb'd in by several Popes and Councils in latter times to serve their own turns waved the Argument and insisted upon other particulars not material to the Point striving to confound one thing with another as their manner is that they might complicate and wrap up in obscurity all that was spoken Which Mr. Buggs perceiving rested fully satisfied and confirmed in the Truth But thus the Iesuits ranged up and down seeking whom they might devour and their Insolency being greater and more notorious at this
the violence of foul weather split in pieces Mansfeldt and some of his followers with difficulty escaping in her long Boat got aboard a Pink that brought him into England the Captain and the rest of the company attending the Ships fate were swallowed up in the Sea While Mansfeldt remained in England after some few nights he was lodged at Saint Iames's the Prince's house served and attended in great State by some of the King's Officers and feasted by divers of the Nobility with much magnificence In which time a Press went through the Kingdom for raising twelve thousand foot which with some Cavalry that Mansfeldt expected in Germany and France would make up the Body of a considerable Mansfeldt's design was to go into Germany through France and he had fair Promises from thence not only of admission to pass through the Country but assistance from it These 12000 were digested into Six Regiments The Collonels were the Earl of Lincoln The Lord Doncaster eldest Son to the Earl of Carlile The Lord Cromwel Sir Charles Rich Sir Iohn Burrows late Governour of Frankendale and Collonel Grey a Scotchman that had been an old German Commander one that affected Buff in the time of Peace and wore it in the face of the Court which the King seeing him in and a case of Pistols at his girdle which he never well liked of he told him merrily He was now so fortified that if he were but well victualled he would be impregnable Two Troops of Horse were also raised for this service the Earl of Lincoln had the command of the one and one Gunter an ordinary Horse-Rider was thought the fittest man to command the other as if none could command Horse but such as could make them curvet in a Riding-House And the Ignorance of these times shews that unpractical Reason cannot put forth itself to the height being bound up for want of Exercise for we set a Valuation and esteem upon German and French Horse when like them we knew not our own strength for there are not in the World a more gallant Cavalry both for the Activity of the Riders and Ability of the Horses than may be formed in England as experience hath lately demonstrated These being already in Kent for Transport about the beginning of February and Shipping provided the French began to falter in their Promises notwithstanding Our intimate Correspondence by the Treaty of Marriage agreed on pleading many inconveniencies in the passing of an Army through the Country and the more because Our Men were so unruly in Kent where some of them were tryed by Marshal-Law what would they be then in a strange Country These being but demurs not denials the whole Army is Shipped and put over to Callais to wait the French leisure but the charge of Shipping being above a hundred Sail that attended that service required more speed than their faint and sickly Promises did expedite for the French dallying with them and delaying them happily upon Design the Queen of France being then more affected to the Spanish and a less enemy to her blood and kindred than they have found her since after a long stay Mansfeldt was forced to leave the hopes of his French Horse and sail with his Army into Zealand There the Soldiers lay at the Ramkins a long time in their Ships not suffered to land for the States not dreaming of such a Body of men could not determine suddenly what to do with them besides the Inland waters being frozen Provisions would grow short for their own Army much more for them After some stay in Zealand they sailed up to Guertenberg in Brabant which Town being not well provided with Victuals they were not suffered to land but continuing on Shipboard the Ships stuffed and pestred with men wanting Meat and all manner of Necessaries such a Stench and Pestilence grew among them that they were thrown into the Sea by multitudes so that many hundreds if I may not say thousands beaten upon Shores had their bowels eaten out with Dogs and Swine to the Horror of the Beholders Those bodies that drive up near those Towns where the English were had great pits made for them wherein being thrown by heaps they were cover'd with earth but upon those shores where they were neglected as they were in many parts of Holland a great Contagion followed And of Mansfeldt's twelve thousand men scarce the moity landed This Winter Quarter at Rosendale was also fatal to the Earl of Southampton and the Lord Wriothsley his Son Being both sick there together of burning Feavers the violence of which distemper wrought most vigorously upon the heat of youth overcoming the Son first and the drooping Father having overcome the feaver departed from Rosendale with an intention to bring his Son's body into England but at Berghen ap Zome he dyed of a Lethargy in the view and presence of the Relator and were both in one small bark brought to Southampton PRAENOBIL Dꝰ HENRIC VRIOTHESLEY COMI SOUTHAMPTON BAR TITCHFEILDIAE ETC. Right Honourable and most noble HENRY Wriothsley Earle of Southampton Baron of Titchfeild Knight of the most nob Ord of the Garter The Marquess Hamilton died before Our King suspected to be poisoned the Symptoms being very presumptuous his head and body swelling to an excessive greatness the body being all over full of great blisters with variety of Colours the hair of his Head Eye-brows and Beard came off being touched and brought the Skin with them and there was a great Clamor of it about the Court so that Doctors were sent to view the Body but the matter was hudled up and little spoken of it only Doctor Eglisham a Scotch-man was something bitter against the Duke as if he had been the Author of it The Marquesses Son had a little before married the Earl of Denbigh's Daughter who was the Duke of Buckingham's Neece and yet this Tie could not oblige a friendship betwixt them because thee Marquess was averse to the Marriage This Distance and other Discontents occasioned some tumorous Discourses which reflected much upon the Duke but they never broke out in this King's time being bound up close as it was thought more by the Duke's Power than his Innocency And not long after him whether our King's care for his Grand-children or the hazard and danger of his own Person at home being ever full of fears or his ingagement in a War abroad being contrary to his very Nature or whether his full feeding and continual use of sweet Wines which he abundantly affected set the gross Humors a work or what other Accident caused his Distemper is uncertain but he fell sick of a Tertian Ague which is not dangerous in the Spring if we believe the Proverb and had some few fits of it After which he fell into a Feaver which was too violent for him A little before his Death he called for the Prince his Son who rising out of his bed something before day and
so some things are not to be concealed for it derogates from the glory of God to have his Justice obscured his remarkable Dispensations smothered as if We were angry with what the Divne Power hath done who can debase the Spirits of Princes and is mighty among the Kings of the earth And though the Priests lips should keep knowledge yet as the Prophet saith he can make them contemptible and base before all the people And therefore why should we grudge and repine at God's Actions for his thoughts are not as our thoughts nor his wayes as our wayes His Judgments should teach us Wisdom and his glorious proceedings should learn us Righteousness that his Anger may be turned away from us And let them that stand take heed lest they fall For though God rewarded Jehu with the Kingdom for the good service he did him yet because he walked not with him God visited the house of Jehu and laid the blood of Jezreel which he was commanded to shed upon the head of his Posterity But all the Arguments of Men and Angels will neither penetrate nor make impression in some ill-composed Tempers till they are softned with the fire of Love and that holy Flame is best kindled with Patience by willingly submitting to the al-disposing Providence that orders every thing Before whose Altar waiting for the Season of Grace I will ever bring the best fruits of my Labours But if that which I intend should not come to Perfection the day of man's life being but as a Dawning and his time as a Span I will never be displeased with my Master in long and dangerous Labours for calling me away to rest before my work is done FINIS The Table An Index exactly pointing to the most material Passages in this HISTORY A CRuelty at Amboyna 281 Queen Ann an Enemy to Somerset 78 80. Her Death 129. and Character ibid. Anhalt the Prince thereof intimate with the Count Palatine persuades him to accept of the Crown of Bohemia 132. Is made General of the Bohemian Forces 135. His good Success at first in routing of Bucquoy's Army 140. Is overthrown afterwards by the Duke of Bavaria 141. Fli●s so doth Helloc his Lieutenant General ibid. and afterwards submits to the Emperor 142 Ansbach the Marquess thereof Commander in Chief of the Forces raised by the Protestant Princes of Germany in defence of the Palatinate 135. for slowes a fair advantage over Spinola 138. His Answer to the Earl of Essex ib. with Sir Vere's Reply thereunto 139 Lady Arabella dies 90 Arch-bishop Whitgift's Saying concerning King Iames at Hampton-Court Conference 8. his Character Dies when ibid. Arch-bishop Bancroft succeeds Whitgift in the See of Canterbury 8. Dies his Character 53 Arch-bishop Abbot accidentally kills a K●eper 198. his Letter to the King against a Toleration in Religion 236. yet sets his hand as a Witness to the Articles of Marriage with the Infanta 237 Arch-b●shop of Spalato comes into England his Preferment here relapses to the Roman Church dies at Rome His manner of Burial 102 Arguments about the Union of England and Scotland 34. for and against a Toleration 237 Articles agreed on concerning the Marriage of the Infanta 212. Preamble and Post-script to the Articles 238. Private Article sworn to by the King 240 Arundel and Lord Spencer quarrel 163. Arundel thereupon commited to the Tower his Submission ibid. August the fifth made Holy-day 12. B Bacon's Speech in Star-Chamber against Hollis Wentworth and Lumsden 84 He is made Lord Chancellour 97. is questioned 158. His humble Submission and Supplication 159. His Censure 160. The Misery he was brought to his Description and his Character ibid. Bancroft succeeds Whitgift in the Archbishoprick of Canterbury 8. dies Character 53 Barnevelt opposes the Prince of Orange 125. Is seized on together with his Complices 127. his Sentence and Death ib. His imployments 128 Baronets a new order made 76 Battail of Fleury 217 Benevolence required but opposed 78 Bishops in Scotland to injoy their temporal Estates 8 Black-Friers the downful there 241 Blazing-Star 128 Bounty of King Iames 76 Boy of Bilson his Impostures discovery very and confession 107 c. Bristol forbid to deliver the Procuration for Espousals 254. Hath Instructions to demand the Palatinate and Electoral dignity 155. without the restitution of which the Treaty for the Match should proceed no further 256. Bristol sent to the Tower but gains his liberty by submission 272 Brunswick loses his Arm 217. raises a gallant Army 142. and is defeated 145 Buckingham made Marquess Master o the Horse and High Admiral 147. Rules all ibid. His Kindred advanced ib. A lover of Ladies 149. Marries the Earl of Rutland's Daughter ib. over-ruled by his Mother ibid. Gondemar writes merrily concerning her into Spain ib. Buckingham's Medicine to cure the King 's Melancholy 218. made Duke 229. He and Olivarez quarrel 249. Goes to the Fleet sent from England to attend the Prince home 250. His Relation to the Parliament of the transactions in Spain 263. He is highly commended by the People 264. accused of Treason by the Spanish Ambassadour 272 New Buildings within two mile of the City of London forbid by Proclamation 48 Bergben ap Zome besieged 216. The Siege raised 218 Breda besieged 28 Butler a Mountebank his story 287 C Car. a Favourite and the occasion thereof 54. made Viscount Rochester and soon after Knight of the Garter 55. opposed by Prince Henry ib. rules all after the death of Prince Henry and Salisbury 65. Is assisted by Overbury 66. with Northampton plots Overbury's death and why ib. created Earl of Somerset and married to the Divorced Countess of Essex 72. both Feasted at Merchant-Tailors Hall ib. Vid. Somerset Cecil holds correspondence with the King of Scotland 2. His put-off to the Queen his secret conveyances being like to be discovered ib. proclaims the late Queens Will ibid. made Earl of Salisbury 7. vid. Salisbury Ceremonie Sermon against them 11 Chelsey College 53 Commissioners for an Union betwixt England and Scotland 27 High-Commission a Grievance 46 House of Commons their Declaration 164. Their Remonstrance 167. House of Commons discontent 188 their Protestation ibid. Conference at Hampton-Court 7. where the King puts an end to the business 8 Conwey and Weston sent Ambassadors into Bohemia 133. Their Characters ib. Their Return 142 Cook Lord Chief Justice blamed 89 90. a breach betwixt him and the Lord Chancellor why 74. brought on his Knees at the Council-Table 95. his Censure 96. his faults ib. his Character 97. Is again in disgrace 191 D Denmark's King comes into England his Entertainment 33. His second coming 76 Diet at Ratisbone where an agitation concerning the Electoral Dignity 220. The result thereof 224 Digby sent Leidger Ambassador into Spain to Treat of a Marriage between the Prince of Wales and the Infanta of Spain 143. made Baron of Sherborn 144. Sent to the Emperor for a punctual answer concerning the Palatinate 154. His Return and Relation to the
defeat for the space of 2 years 143. and constrains him and the Duke of Bavaria to purchase their peace at a dear rate ib. comes into Brabant 216. his Souldiers mutiny by the way 217. comes into England 283. Forces raised for him ib. his design ruined ib. Masks in great este●m 53 King of Spain intends not to conclude the Match betwixt the Prince of Wales and the Infanta of Spain 116 Match between the Prince of Wales and the Infanta of Spain treated of 143. who of the Nobility favourers thereof and who not 144 Match with Spain concluded in England 238. as likewise in Spain 247. Marriage Preparations in Spain for it 255. yet the Treaty dissolved Match with France thought of 257 A Treaty of Marriage with France 276 Michael and Mompesson questioned 155. their offence ibid. Mompesson flies Michael censured 158 Monjoy created Earl of Devonshire 6 Monson arraigned but his Trial laid aside 89 Lord Monteagle the Discoverer of the Powder-Treason rewarded 32 Montague Lord Treasurer 148. made Lord Treasurer Viscount Mandevile and Earl of Manchester afterwards Lord Privy Seal 149 N New-England describ'd 75. when first planted and by whom ib. Noblemen created 6 7 Nobility Petition the King 187 Northampton made Lord Privy Seal 43 He and Rochester plot Overburie's death why 66. assists the Countess of Essex in suing out a Divorce 67. engages the Lieutenant of the Tower in poysoning Overbury 70. reviles Overbury after his death 73. touched at heart and dies 74 Northumberland with others committed to the Tower 33. why 130. his marriage and Issue ib. is released out of Prison by intercession of his Son-in-law Viscount Doncaster ib. hardly drawn to take a Release from his hand ib. Rides through London in a Coach drawn by Eight horses ib. O Oath of Allegiance 51 Prince of Orange made Knight of the Garter 64. Death of Maurice Prince of Orange 286. Different carriage of two Princes of Orange ib. Overbury a great assistant of Viscount Rochester 66. opposes his marriage with the Countess of Essex ibid. Rochester and Northampton plot his death ibid. is betray'd by Rochester how 67. committed to the Tower ibid. Mistriss Turner imployed to poison him 70. Weston and Franklin imployed by her therein ib. the Lieutenant of the Tower like ingaged therein ibid. The poison set a work but the operation retarded and by what means 71. Overbury writes to Somerset 72. is betrayed by the Lieutenant of the Tower 73. dies and is scandaliz'd after death by Northampton ibid. Oxford gallantly accompanied goes to the Palatinate 136. his character 161. is committed to the Tower 191. his death 286. P Parliament declines the Union with Scotland 41 Parliament undertaken by Somerset 77. dissolved ibid. Parliament called An. 1620. 150. complies with the King 153 Parties in Parliament 161. Parliament adjourned 164. re-assembled 165. their Petition to the King 174. dissolved by Proclamation 190. Parliament summon'd An. 1623. 257. advises the King to break off the Trea●y with Spain 265. their Declaration 269. Petition against Recusants 272. a Catalogue of them taken notice of by it 276 Prince Elector Palatine comes into England 62. is made Knight of the Gart●r 64. married to the Lady Elizabeth ib. with whom he returns home 65. is Elected and Crowned King of Bohemia 132. s●nds to our King to excuse the suddenness of the acceptation of that Kingdom ib. is proscribed ib. is overcome in his General the Prince of Anbalt 141. Flies with his Queen ib. is censured ib. loss of his Son ib. His Character 142 March of the English into the Palatinate 136. Restitution of the Palatinate demanded by the Lord Digby 154 Piety of the Lord Mayor 106 Prince Henry installed Knight of the Garter 6. created Prince of Wales 52. slights the Countess of Essex 56 his death 62. and funeral 63 Prince of Spain his disaster 62 Prince Charles his Journey into Spain 225. His Attendants ib. He and Buckingham disguise themselves and change their names 225. questioned by the Mayor of Dover 225. pass through France where they have a view of the Princess Henrietta Mari● 226. Arrive at Madrid 227. The Prince rides in State to Court 228. His Royal Entertainment 129 Many of the English Nobility flock thither unto him 229. The Spaniards strive to pervert the Prince 229. So doth the Pope by his Letter 231. The Prince's Answer 233. A Dispensation thereupon dispatched to Madrid 235. Articles sworn to by the Prince the Match is concluded in Spain 247. New delaies sought out by the Spaniards 248. The Prince takes a resolution to return home 249. but takes a solemn Oath to solemnize the Marriage 251. After Gifts and Preseots on both sides leaves Madrid and comes to the Esourial ibid. The Description of it 252. The Prince is Feasted there 253. The King and Prince's Complements at parting 253. The Prince in danger by a Tempest 254 Proclamation against Jesuits 51. for uniformity in Religion 11. against New Buildings 48. Proclamation against talking sets peoples tongues a work 190 Protestant Religion in danger 171 Protestants in France providentially relieved by one that hated their Religion 247 Q Queen of Scots translated to Westminster 71 Queen Ann opposes Somerset why 78. Her Death her Character 129 R Rawleigh his Treason 4. his West-Indian Voyage 112. his Design discovered to Gondemar 113. The King by Gondemar incens'd against him 115. He is committed to the Tower 116. beheaded 117. His Character and description ibid. Recusants confin'd to their houses 51 Reformation in the Church fought after 7 Four Regiments sent into Holland 280 Duke of Richmond dies suddenly 257 Dutchess of Richmond her legend 258 Rochester rules all after the death of Prince Henry and Salisbury 65. with Northampton plots Overburie's death 66 S Earl of Salisbury made Lord Treasurer 43. not pleased with Rochester's greatness 91. Obstructs Five thousand pound given him by the King ibid. Lord Sanquir murders Turner a Fencer 59. for which he is hanged 60 Duke of Saxony executes the Imperial Ban 135 Satyrical Sermon 152 Say and Seal his Character 161 Sermon against Ceremonies 11 Somerset devises to get Money 76. undertakes a Parliament 80. opposed by the Queen 78 80. begins to decline 80. The King deserts him ib. He and his Countess seized 81. and Arraigned 82 Somerset's description in his life The Countess in her death 83 Southampton released out of the Tower 4. Restored to the right of Blood and Inheritance 6. His Character 161. Committed 191. He and his Son dies 284 King's Speech to the Parliament Anno 1603. 13. In the Star-Chamber 100. To the Parliament An. 1620. 153. Second Speech to the Lords 155. To the Parliament An. 1623. 259. Bacon's Speech in Star-Chamber 84 Spencer his Character 162. He and Arundel quarrel 163 Spinola forms an Army in Flanders 135. Strives to intercept the English in their March towards the Palatinate 137. Besieges Berghen ap Zome 216. Raises his Siege 218. Besieges Breda 280 Book of Sports
obtruded 105 3 Subsidies and 6 Fifteens granted 33. Subsidy and Fifteen granted Anno 1609. 84. Two Subsidies granted Anno 1620. 155. Synod at Dort 128 T Tirone comes over is pardon'd and civilly intreated 6 Gunpowder-Treason 38. Discovered by a Letter to the Lord Monteagle 30. The principal actors 28. The Traitors Executed 31. The Lord Monteagle the Discoverer of the Treason rewarded 3 Earl of Dorset Lord Treasurer dies suddenly 43. Earl of Salisbury made Lord Treasurer 43 Lord Treasurer question'd in Star Chamber 97. and fined 99 Two Lord Treasurers in one year 148 Lord Treasurer Cra●fi●ld questioned in Parliament 278. His punishment 279 Turner murder'd by the Lord Sanquir 59 Mrs. Turner intimate with the Countess of Essex 57. In Love with Sir Arthur Manwaring ibid. Executed 82 U Sir Horatio Vere Commander of a Regiment sent to joyn with the United Princes in Germany 135. His Answer to the Marquess of Ansbach 139 Villers a Favourite 79. highly advanced 104. Rules all made Marquess of Buckingham Admiral and Master of the Horse 147. His Kindred advanced ibid. Commissioners for an Union betwixt England and Scotland appointed 27 Arguments pro and con about the Union Dis-union in the United Provinces by reason of Schism and Faction 118. the Authors thereof ib. forewarn'd of it by our King 119 Vorstius his Books burnt by the King 120 W Warwick his Character 162 Weston imployed in the poysoning of Sir Thomas Overbury 70 Tried and Executed 81 Weston and Conwey sent Ambassadors into Bohemia 133. Their Characters ib. Their Return 142 Arch-bishop Whitgift's Saying concerning King Iames at Hampton-Court Conference 8. His Character Dies when ibid. Sir Winwood's Remonstrance 120. and Protestation The End An. Reg. 1. An. Christi 1603 Secretary Cecil Proclaimed King Iames. The King comes to Theobalds Changes beget hopes A Conspiracy against the King A censure upon it The King and Queen Crowned Prince Henry made Knight of the Garter Reformation in the Church sought for Conference at Hampton Court Arch-Bishop Whitgift dies A Proclamation against Jesuits A Proclamation for Uniformity A Sermon against Ceremonies The fifth of August made Holyday The King and Queen ride through the City The Kings Speech to the Parliament Tobie Matthew The King proclaimed King of great Britain Commiss for an Union Roaring Boys The Gun-powder Treason Principal Actors 1604. An. Reg. 3. An. Christi 1605. A Letter to my Lord Monteagle The Parliament meet the 9. of Novemb. The King of Denmarks first coming The fifth of Novemb. made Holy-day Arguments about a Union An. Reg. 5. An. Christi 1607. The Kings Speech to the Parliament about the Union The Parliament declined the Union An. Reg. 6. An. Christi 1608. An. Reg. 7. An. Christi 1609. The death of the Earl of Dorset suddenly The Earl of Salisbury made Treasurer Salisbury and Northampton Sticklers for the King The High-Commission a grievance The Kings Speech to both Houses The Siege of Iuliers An. Reg. 8. An. Christi 1610. A Duel betwixt Sir Hatton Cheek and Sir Thomas Dutton A Proclamation against Jesuits Bancroft Arch-Bishop of Canterbury dies 7 Regis Masks in great esteem An. Reg. 9. An. Christi 1611. 1612. Made Viscount The Earl of Essex marries the Lady Frances Howard The Countess of Essex in love with Rochester She consults with Mistriss Turner And Forman about it The Earl of Essex gets his Wife to Chartley She comes again to Court The Lord Sanquir murthered a Fencer Is hanged Salisbury not pleased with the Viscounts greatness The Queen of Scots translated to Westminster The Palatints arrival 16. Octob. Prince Henry's death 6. Nov. His gallant spirit His Funeral Mourning laid aside Knights of the Garter made The Prince Palatine married to the Lady Elizabeth The Prince Palatine returns home with the Princess Rochester betrays Overbury The Countesses designs Northampton joyns with her Rob. Iohnstons Hist. of Scotland 〈…〉 The Countess divorsed from her Husband Mrs. Turner imployed to poyson Overbury Their poysons set a work Rochester made Earl of Somerset 4. Nov. married 5 Dec. following Feasted in London Overbury hears of the Marriage Writes to Somerset Somerset sends poysons in his Answers The Lieutenant betrays Overbury Overbury dies Northampton reviles him A. Reg. 12. An. Christi 1614. Northampton dies New-England described Planted first 1606. Somersets devices to get Money The Kings Bounty Gold raised A Parliament undertaken A Benevolence required The King of Denmarks second coming George Villers a favourite A. Reg. 13. An. Christi 1615. Somersets decline 1615. Weston and the rest tried Weston executed Mrs. Turner Sir Ierv Ellowis And Franklin The Countesses description in her death Somersets in his life A. Reg. 14. An. Christi 1616. Sir Francis Bacons Speech in Star-chamber Sir Thomas Monson arraigned The Lord Chief Justice blamed Peace every where The King think of a match for his Son Prince Charles The Lord Hays sent into France 6 lib. H. Hunt The Lord Hayes rides in state to the Court. The Chief Justice is humbled And short Character The Lord Chancellor retires Sir Ralph Winwood dies The Lord Treasurer questioned in Star-Chamber Cov. Lichf The King comes to the Star-Chamber A. Reg. 15. An. Christi 1617. Unstable spirits mutable The Arch-Bishop of Spalato comes into England Dies at Rome The King goes into Scotland The Book of Sports obtruded * His House in Edenburg so called Piety of the Lord Mayor of London Juggling of the Jesuits The Boy of Bilson Accuses a Woman to be a Witch She is condemned Bishop Morton gets her Reprieve The Bishop troubled for the Boy The Impostor discovered The King discovers many Impostors Sir Walter Rawleighs West-Indian Voyage The Design discovered to Gondemar Raleigh troubled Kemish kills himself Gondemar incenses the King against Raleigh 1618. He is committed to the Tower And Beheaded His character and description Disunion in the United Provinces Our King forewarns them of it An. 1611. The States answer Vorstius's Books burned by the King The States answer Sir Winwood's Protestation Our King writes to the States in 1613. And now in 1618. Barnevelt opposes the Pr. of Orange The Prince of Orange goes to Utrecht 25 Iuly Barnevelt's Sentence and death His Imployments A Synod at Dort A blazing Star The death of Queen Anne A short Character of the Queen An. Reg. 17. An. Christi 1619. Northumberland set at Liberty Stirs in Germany Anno 1617. 18 Aug. Doncaster Ambassador Weston and Conwey sent Amb. into Bohemia 1620. The Palatine proscribed An. Reg. 17. An. Christi 1619. Preparations for War An. Christi 1620. The march of the English into the Palatinate Spinola attempts to intercept the English The English joyn with the Princes Spinola and the Princes hunt one another A sad Fate upon Germany A sad story of Mr. Duncomb Bad success in Bohemia The King censu●ed The loss of his Son The King's Character Weston and Conwey return home The Princes of the Union submit to Ferdinand Mansfeldt vexeth the Emperor still Essex solicits our King for
more Forces Obstructed by Gondemar Papists flourish Gondemar's power Prevails with both Sexes Buckingham rules all A Duel betwixt Compton and Bird. The Countess of Buck. rules her Son Buckingham a lover of Ladies The King calls a Parliament Sir Rob. Cotton Hen. 3. Jesuits swarm A Satyrical Sermon The Parliament meet the 20 Ian. The King's Speech to the Parliament The Parliament comply with the King Doncaster's Ambassy expensive He is feasted by the Pr. of Orange His short character Digby goes into Germ. The peoples grievances Mompesson and Michel actors in them The Parliaments goodness The King's Speech discanted on Buckingham Master of the Work Michel censured His Supplication Extortion and Bribery the Vices of the Times His censure His description and character Parties in Parliament Spencer and Arundel quarrel Arundel committed His Submission The Parliament adjourned The Commons Declaration The King pleased with it Dighie's return His Relation to the Parliament Seconded The King prevails not abroad nor at home The People and Parliament against the Match A Remonstrance of the House of Commons The King vext at it The Protestant Religion in danger Hicks and Fairfax The King's Letter to the Speaker The Parliaments Petition An humble Parliament And a Pious The King wanted money not advice An. Christi 1621. The King's Answer False play justly rewarded Wars good to prevent wars The King and People Competitors Discourses upon the Kings Answer The Parliament the Kings Merchants The higher House offended They Petition The King angry The Commons discontent Their Protestation The King's trouble increases The Parliament is dissolved A Proclamation against talking Oxford and Southampton committed Sir Ed. Cook in disgrace Some punished some preferred The King dishonoured abroad Car. Bandino Car. Lod●visio An. Reg. 20. An. Christi 1622. Lord Keeper's Letter to the Judges His Preferment Character and part of his Story Archbishop Abbat kills a Keeper Arminianisin flourished The King's Letter for regulating the Ministery Observations upon the Directions Papists the fomenters Regians and Republicans The King active in the Treaty The Articles of marriage long a setling Quo semel est imbuta Recens servabit odorem Testa diu Our King's Resolution Sent to Digby in Spain Spanish jugling Austrian jugling An. Reg. 20. An. Christi 1622. The King abused Digby faulty 2. Letter to Digby Gondemar 's Master-piece 3. Letter to Digby The Palat. lost The Palatinate a strong Countrey Our King satisfied of Spaines● good intentions Articles of Marriage The Pope extended this Article Habeat exiam Ecclesiam publicam Londini c. Holy Roman Ch. Spanish delusion The King of Spain's letter to Olivares Bergen besieged by Spinola The Battail of Fleury Brunswick's Arm shot off Spinola raises his Siege Buckingham's Medicine to cure the King 's melancholy The King's Choler His sanguine His Flegmatick Humor A Diet at Ratisbone 7 Ian. The opinion of the Protestant Princes The opinion of the Popish Princes The Reply of the Protestant Princes The Emperour's Reply The Elector of Saxony The Protestants answer Result of all The Prince's journey into Spain By Dover Paris Burdeaux At Madrid His Royal entertainment The English Nobility flock into Spain The Spanish strive to pervert the Prince So doth the Pope By his Letters The Pope's cunning The Prince's answer A fatal Letter The Dispensation comes to Madrid The Archbishops letter to the King against a Toleration Arguments for and against a Toleration An. Reg. 21. An. Christ. 1623. The Match concluded in England The Preamble to the Articles Private Articles sworn to Jesuits swarm Dispute publickly An. Reg. 20. An. chisti 1623. A great judgment or an unfortunate mishap Brunswick raises an Army Thier Order in Marching The General of the Horse falters So doth the Sergeant Major General Brunswick's Army defeated The condition of France The Match concluded in Spain The Palatine affairs waved New Resolutions on both sides Buckingham angry The Duke and Olivares quartel Gifts and presents on both sides The Prince leaves Madrid The Prince feasted there The King 's Prince's compliments parting The Prince in danger by a Tempest A demur upon the espousals The Prince comes to Court cold in his Spanish affections Preparation in Spain for the Marriage Spanish delaies retaliated Thoughts of a Match with France A Parliament Summoned The Duke of Richmond dies suddenly Of her Visitants The King's Speech to the Parliament The Bishop of Lincolns short Harangue Feb. 24. Buckinghams Relation to the Parliament The Duke highly esteemed Little deserved An. Reg. 21. An. Christi 1624. The Parliament advise the King to break the Treaties with Spain The King's Letter to Secretary Conway Conjectures on the King's Letter The King 's 2. speech to both Houses An. Reg. 22. An. Christi 1624. The Parliament close with the King Their Declaration The Treaties with Spain dissolved The Spanish Ambassadour accuses Buckingham of Treason Bristol sent to● the Tower The Parliaments Petition against Recusants The King prepared for it The Kings answers to the Parliaments Petitions 23. Apt. The King promises much performs little a swarm of Popery Herba mimosa The Lord Treasurer questioned in Parliament Harman's story The Lady Finch Viscountess of Maidstone Cruelty at Amboina The English accused of Treason The improbability of the Attempt by the English 1619 Mansfeldt goes into England Forces raised for him The design ruined The death of the Earl of Southampton and his son The death of the Marquess Hamilton The death of the King An. Christi 1625. The Death of Maurice Prince of Orange 23. Apr. 1625. The death of the Earl of Oxford The King patient in sickness Lamb a Witch Butler a Mountebank The Description of King Iames.
perfection in his excellent and incomparable History but when Liberty turned it to Action it taught him to roam so as the event proved fatal to him This Conspiracy put on such a face that few or none could discover or know what to make of it That the muddy waters were stirr'd was apparent but it was with such a mixture that little could be visible in it The Lord Grey Cobham and Sir Walter Rawleigh were Protestants why should they strive to alter Religion though the Priests Markham Bainham and others might But it seems they joyned together in a Politick way every one intending his own ends Discontent being the Ground-work upon which they built this slight Superstructure A great mischiefe intended to the Kings Majestie at his first entrance into the Kingdome of England before his Coronation Watson Clark Priests administring Oaths of secresie and applanding the project It came to nothing by Gods mercy The Kings Majesties clemency towards the Conspiratours after judgment past upon them No treason in England attempted but had a Romish Priest in the practise Watson Seducing Noblemen that being hudled together could not stand long Rawleigh's greatest Accuser was a Letter of Cobhams which some say after he denyed to be his hand Some of the Conspirators it may be desired to seem formidable venting their Anger so for being slighted others strove to make themselves so that they might have the glory of enlarging the Roman Power and they joyned together thinking their single strength would not prevail In this Cloud looking for Iuno they begot a Monster which having neither head nor foot some part lived the other dyed While these were provoked with Neglects others were incouraged with Favours Many of the Gentry that came out of Scotland with the King were advanced to Honours as well as those he found here to shew the Northern soyl as fruitful that way as the Southern But Knights swarmed in every corner the Sword ranged about and men bowed in obedience to it more in Peace than in War this Airy Title blew up many a fair Estate The Scots naturally by long converse affecting the French Vanity drew on a Garb of Gallantry meeting with a plentiful soyl and an open-handed Prince The English excellent for imitation loth to be exceeded in their own Country maintained their follies at their own charge All this came accompanied with a great Plague which hapned this year in London whereof above thirty thousand dyed Yet who will not venture for a Crown For in the heat of it on the five and twentieth of Iuly being the day dedicated to Saint Iames the King with his Wife Queen Anne were both crowned at Westminster fulfilling that old Prophecy or rather Fancy current among the Scots as they report before Edward the first brought the Royal Chair out of Scotland with the Stone in it and placed it at Westminster to Crown our Kings in Which Stone some old Saws deliver to be the same that Iacob rested his head on Ni fallat Fatum Scoti hunc quocunque locatum Inveniunt lapidem Regnare tenentur ibidem Englished Fate hath design'd That wheresoe'r this Stone The Scots shall find There they shall hold the Throne But how the Stream of Time runs through the Chanel of these Prophetical Fancies experience shews For 't is true if the Scots came so near the Throne as to enjoy the Stone or Chair where the English Kings are Inaugurated they may hold the Crown But being only grounded upon Conjecture these Conceits are commonly made up before they are half moulded or like Abortives are shaped after they are born When these Ceremonies were past the King retired from this croud of Infection gave some admission to Ambassadors that from all the neighbouring Princes and States came to congratulate his happy Inauguration For besides the ordinary Ceremony among Princes their Reason might tell them that if his Predecessors were able to graple with the growing Monarchy of him that coveted to be Vniversal and to assist and relieve her Neighbours and Confederates from his oppression He would be much more formidable bringing with him if nothing else Bodies of men Warlike and industrious hardned with cold and labour and active in the difficultest attempts however of late by what Divine Judgment I know not utterly disheartned to be Helpers who were formerly Hinderers to all the English Expeditions so that in him they courted their own Conveniences For certainly if ever the English Monarchy were in its true Glory and Greatness it was by this Union But there is a Period set to all Empires The Prince a little before this was installed Knight of the Garter the Earl of Southampton and the young Earl of Essex were restored to the right of Blood and Inheritance and Honours were conferred so thick as if the King intended a new kind of Conquest by a proceeding that tended to their and his own Ruin For to subdue the greatness of the Nobility who formerly could sweep such a Party of People to them with their long trains and dependencies that they were able to graple with Kings He by a multiplicity of them made them cheap and invalid in the Vulgar opinion For nothing is more destructive to Monarchy than lessening the Nobility upon their decline the Commons rise and Anarchy increases HONORAT Do CAROL BLVNT CO DEVON BA R MOVNTIOY The RIght honourable CHARLES BLVNT Earle of Deuon Baron Mountioy and Knight of the Garter As the Papist was different from the Protestant Religion on one side so was the Puritan as they then called pious and good men on the other both which were active to attain their own ends and the King had the command of himself not bitterly to oppose but gently to sweeten their hopes for His thinking himself unsecure betwixt them The latter were now solicitous for a more clear Reformation This the Bishops opposed as trenching too much upon them and the King listen'd to having experience of it in Scotland how much it had incroached upon Him For He thought their dissenting from the established Government of the Church was but to get that Power into a great many mens hands which was now but in one and that one had dependance upon him with whom He might better grapple The Prelates distilling this Maxim into the King No Bishop no Monarch so strengthning the Miter by the same Power that upholds the Crown Yet to satisfie the importunity a Conference is appointed at Hampton-Court where the Bishops Opponents Doctor Reynolds Doctor Sparks Mr. Knewstubs and Mr. Chadderton men eminent in Learning and Piety in themselves as well as in the opinion of the people did desire in the name of the rest of their party That the Doctrine of the Church might be preserved in Purity That good and faithful Pastors might be planted in all Churches That Church-Government might be sincerely administred That the Book of Common-Prayer might be fitted to more increase of Godliness Out
providence to prevent the perils otherwise inevitable Considering their absolute submission to Foreign Iurisdiction at their first taking Orders doth leave so conditional an authority to Kings over their Subjects as the same Power by which they were made may dispense at pleasure with the strictest Bond of Loyalty and Love between a King his People Among which Foreign Powers though We acknowledg Our self personally so much beholden to the now Bishop of Rome for his kind Offices and private temporal Carriages towards Us in many things as We shall be ever ready to requite the same towards him as Bishop of Rome in state and condition of a Secular Prince Yet when we consider and observe the course and Clame of that See We have no reason to imagine that Princes of Our Religion and Profession can expect any assurance long to continue unless it might be assented by mediation of other Christian Princes that some good course might be taken by a general Council free and lawfully called to pluck up those Roots of Dangers and Iealousies which arise about Religion as well between Prince and Prince as between them and their Subjects and to make it manifest that no State or Potentate either hath or can challenge power to dispose of earthly Kingdoms or Monarchies or to dispense with Subjects obedience to their natural Soveraigns In which charitable Action there is no Prince living that will be readier than We shall be to concur even to the uttermost of Our Power not only out of particular disposition to live peaceably with all States and Princes of Christendom but because such a setled Amity might by an Union in Religion be established among Christian Princes as might enable Us all to resist the common Enemy Given at Our Palace at Westminster the two and twentieth day of February in the first year of Our Reign c. This did something allay the heat and hopes of the Iesuits and their correspondents but it made way for dark and more secret Contrivances which afterwards they put in practice On the contrary another Proclamation came out for Vniformity in Religion according to the Law established to reduce those to Conformity that had not received satisfaction at the last Conference The Bishops thought themselves unsecure while so many opposites unblameable in their conversations by their Pens and Preaching gained upon the people striking at the very Root of Hierarchy that it was a hard Question whether the Iesuits whose Principles would advance their Greatness or these that would pluck it down were most odious to them And now Proclamations are the activest Agents some go abroad to please the people some the King All Monopolies like diseases that crept in when the good old Queen had not strength enough to keep them out must be purged away and such protections as licentious liberty had granted to hinder proceedings in Law must be taken off Saltpeter-men that will dig up any mans house by authority where they are not well fee'd must be restrained and Purveyors Cart-takers and such insolent Officers as were grievances to the people must be cryed down by Proclamation A Prince that is invited or comes newly to a Kingdom must have his Chariot wheels smooth shod And yet the liberty of Hunting must be forbidden the Kings Game preserved and a strict Proclamation threatens the disobeyers Indeed take this Kings Reign from the beginning to the end and you shall find Proclamations current Coin and the people took them for good payment a great while till the multitude of them lessened their valuation The Bishops could not be so wary but some Courtier or other would commend a Preacher to the King if they knew any of excellent parts so that some preached before him that were averse to the Bishops ways Among the rest one Mr. Burges an excellent Preacher and a pious man moderately touching upon the Ceremonies said They were like the Roman Senators Glasses which were not worth a mans life or livelihood For saith he this Senator invited Augustus Caesar to a Dinner and as he was coming to the Feast he heard a horrid Out-cry and saw some company drawing a man after them that made that noise the Emperor demanded the cause of that violence it was answered their Master had condemned this man to the Fish-ponds for breaking a Glass which he set a high value and esteem upon Caesar commanded a stay of the Execution and when he came to the House he asked the Senator whether he had Glasses worth a mans life Who answered being a great lover of such things that he had Glasses he valued at the price of a Province Let me see them saith Augustus and he brought him up to a room well furnished The Emperor saw them beautiful to the eye but knew withal they might be the cause of much mischief therefore he broke them all with this expression Better all these perish than one man I will leave it saith he to your Majesty to apply But the Bishops got this and some other things against him by the end and silenced him for venting any more such comparisons So that for many years after he practised Physick and grew an excellent Physician Put upon second considerations he was admitted again to Preach retaining both his Piety and Integrity though he writ a book for the moderate use of the Ceremonies ending his days in a good old age at Sutton Cofeld in Warwick-shire after a journey into the Palatinate as shall be exprest in its time The fifth of August this year had a new title given to it The Kings Deliveries in the North must resound here Whether the Gowries attempted upon the Kings person or the King on theirs is variously reported It may be he retained something of his Predecessor and great Parent Henry the seventh that made Religion give way to Policy oftentimes cursing and thundring out the Churches fulminations against his own Ministers that they might be received with the more intimate familiarity with his Foreign Enemies for the better discovery of their designs I will not say the celebration of this Holy-day had so much Prophaneness for Fame may be a slanderer But where there is a strength of Policy there is often a power of worldly wisdom that manages and sways it The King forgot not the services there done him or the secret contrivances acted for him for Erskin and Ramsey two of his then deliverers were not long after rewarded with wealth and honour the one made Earl of Kellie the other Earl of Holderness the first prime Gentleman of the Bed-Chamber to the King and second got to his Bedfellow one of the prime Beauties of the Kingdom daughter to Robert Earl of Sussex and both of them had their Masters purse at command yet in our time the one died poor with many children the other poor and childless The Kings first going abroad was privately to visit some of his houses for naturally he did not love to be looked on
for at my hands Thus the Beams of Majesty had an influence upon every branch and leaf of the Kingdom by reflecting upon the Root their Representative Body every particular expecting what fruit this Sun-shine would produce striving as much to insinuate into him as he did into the general so that there was a Reciprocal Harmony between the King and the People because they courted one another But when the Kings Bounty contracted it self into private Favourites as it did afterwards bestowing the affection he promised the whole people upon one man when the golden showers they gaped for dropt into some few chanels their passions flew higher than their hopes The Kings aims were to unite the two Kingdoms so that the one might corroborate the other to make good that part of his Speech by this intermixtion wherein he divides England and Scotland into halves But the English stumbled at that partition thinking it an unequal division and fearing that the Scots creeping into English Lordships and English Ladies Beds in both which already they began to be active might quickly make their least half the predominant part But he was Proclaimed King of Great Britain England must be no more a Name the Scotish Coyns are made currant and our Ships must have Saint Georges and Saint Andrews Crosses quartered together in their Flags all outward Ensigns of Amity But those English that had suckt in none of the sweets of this pleasant Stream of Bounty repined to see the Scots advanced from blew Bonnets to costly Beavers wearing instead of Wadmeal Velvet and Satin as divers Pasquils written in that Age Satyrically taunted at Which is not set down here to vilifie the Scots being most of them Gentlemen that had deserved well of their Master but to shew how cross to the publick Appetite the Hony-comb is that another man eats But the King like a wise Pilot guided the Helm with so even an hand that these small gusts were not felt It behoved him to play his Master-prize in the Beginning which he did to the life for he had divers opinions humours and affections to grapple with as well as Nations and 't is a very calm Sea when no billow rises The Romanists bogled that he said in his Speech They were unsufferable in the Kingdom as long as they maintained the Pope to be their Spiritual Head and He to have power to dethrone Princes The Separatists as the King called them were offended at that Expression wherein he professed willingly if the Papists would lay down King-killing and some other gross errors he would be content to meet them half way So that every one grounded his hopes or his fears upon the shallows of his own fancy not knowng yet what course the King would steer But these sores being tenderly dealt with did not suddenly fester but were skinned over The King desirous of the Title Pacificus did not only close with his own Subjects but healed up also that old wound that had bled long in the sides of England and Spain both being weary of the pain both willing to be cured The King of Spain sent the Constable of Castile with a mighty Train of smooth-handed Spaniards to close up the wound on this side where the old Enmity being well mortified they were received with singular Respect and Civility The King of England sent his High Admiral the Earl of Notingham with as splendid a Retinue of English to close it on that Who being Personages of Quality accoutred with all Ornaments suitable were the more admired by the Spaniards for beauty and excellency by how much the Iesuits had made impressions in the vulgar opinion That since the English left the Roman Religion they were transformed into strange horrid shapes with Heads and Tails like Beasts and Monsters So easie it is for those Iuglers when they have once bound up the Conscience to tye up the Vnderstanding also EARL OF NOTTINGHAM GEORGE CAREW EARL OF TOTNES And to satisfie the Kings desires about an Vnion betwixt England and Scotland the Parliament made an Act to authorise certain Commissioners viz. Thomas Lord Ellesmere Lord Chancellor of England Thomas Earl of Dorset Lord Treasurer of England Charles Earl of Notingham Lord High Admiral of England Henry Earl of Southampton William Earl of Pembroke Henry Earl of Northampton Richard Bishop of London Tobie Bishop of Duresme Anthony Bishop of Saint Davids Robert Lord Cecil Principal Secretary Edward Lord Zouch Lord President of Wales William Lord Mounteagle Ralph Lord Eure Edmund Lord Sheffeild Lord President of the Council in the North Lords of the Higher House of Parliament And Thomas Lord Clinton Robert Lord Buckhurst Sir Francis Hastings Knight Sir Iohn Stanhope Knight Vice-Chamberlain to his Majesty Sir Iohn Herbert Knight second Secretary to his Majesty Sir George Carew Knight Vice-Chamberlain to the Queen Sir Thomas Strickland Knight Sir Edward Stafford Knight Sir Henry Nevill of Berk-shire Knight Sir Richard Bukley Knight Sir Henry Billingsley Knight Sir Daniel Dun Knight Dean of the Arches Sir Edward Hobby Knight Sir Iohn Savile Knight Sir Robert Wroth Knight Sir Thomas Chaloner Knight Sir Robert Maunsel Knight Sir Thomas Ridgeway Knight Sir Thomas Holcroft Knight Sir Thomas Hesketh Knight Atturney of the Court of Wards Sir Francis Bacon Knight Sir Lawrence Tanfield Knight Serjeant at Law Sir Henry Hubberd Knight Serjeant at Law Sir Iohn Bennet Doctor of the Laws Sir Henry Withrington Sir Ralph Grey and Sir Thomas Lake Knights Robert Askwith Thomas Iames and Henry Chapman Merchants Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the House of Commons or any eight of the said Lords and twenty of the said Commons Which Commissioners shall have power to assemble meet treat and consult with certain select Commissioners to be nominated and authorised by Authority of the Parliament of Scotland concerning such Matters Causes and things as they in their Wisdoms shall think and deem convenient and necessary for the honour of the King and common good of both Kingdoms Yet the good intentions of this Vnion took no effect as will follow in the sequel of this History But there were a great many good Laws made which are too voluminous for this place having a proper Sphere of their own to move in Thus the King sate triumphing as it were upon a Throne of his Peoples Affections and his beginnings had some settlement for being loth to be troubled he sought Peace every-where But our inbred distempers lay upon the Lee intermixt with other gross dregs that the Princes lenity and the Peoples luxury produced For the King minding his sports many riotous demeanours crept into the Kingdom the Sun-shine of Peace being apt for such a production upon the slime of the late War The Sword and Buckler trade being now out of date one corruption producing another the City of London being always a fit Receptacle for such whose prodigalities and wastes made them Instruments of Debaucheries divers Sects of vitious Persons going under the
pounds subsidies due to the late Queen besides what the Parliament had given him And fearing that Proclamations who were indeed very active Ministers would now become Laws ushering in the Kings will with large strides upon the peoples Liberties who lay down while they stept over them The ingenious sort sensible of this incroaching Monarchy brake out into private murmur which by degrees being of a light nature carried a Cloud with it by which the wise Pilots of the State foreseeing a Storm gathering strive to dissipate it the next Session of Parliament which was held the nineteenth of February in the seventh year of our Kings Reign Thomas Sackville Earl of Dorset Not long after this the Earl of Dorset Lord High Treasurer died suddenly as he sate at the Council Table which gave occasion to some persons disaffected to him as what eminent Officer that hath the managing of Moneys can please all to speak many things to his Dishonour But they considered not that besides the Black worm and the White day and night as the Riddle is that are gnawing constantly at the root of this tree of Life there are many insensible Diseases as Apoplexies whose Vapors suddenly extinguish the Animal Spirits and Apostems both in the upper and middle Region of Man that often drown and suffocate both Animal and Vital who are like imbodyed Twins the one cannot live without the other if the Animal Spirits fail the Vital cannot subsist if the Vitals perish the Animal give over their operations And He that judges ill of such an Act of Providence may have the same hand at the same time writing within the Palace walls of his own Body the same Period to his Lives earthly Empire The Earl of Salisbury succeeded him a man nourished with the milk of Policy under his father the Lord Burley famous for Wisdom in his Generation a Courtier from his infancy Batteld by Art and Industry under the late Queen mother of her Country Though Nature was not propitious to his Outside being Crooked backt She supplied that want with admirable indowments within This man the King found Secretary and Master of the Wards and to these he added the Treasurers staff knowing him to be the staff of his Treasury For he had knowledg enough to pry into other Mens Offices aswell as his own and knew the ways of disbursing the Kings moneys The Earl of Northhampton he made Lord Privy Seal and these were the two prime wheels of his triumphant Chariot The Earl of Suffolk was made Lord Chamberlain before but he came far behind in the management of the Kings affairs being a Spirit of a more Grosser Temper fitter to part a fray and Compose the differences of a disordered Court than a Kingdom Upon the Shoulders of the two first the King laid the Burthen of his business For though he had many Lords his Creatures some by Creation and some by insinuation for Kings will never want supple-hand Courtiers and the Bishops being his Dependents the most of them tending by direct Lines towards him as the Center of their advancement so that He like the Supreme Power moved this upper Region for the most part and that had an influence upon the lower in inferior Orbs yet these two noble Men were the two great Lights that were to discover the Kings mind to the Parliament and by whose Heat and Vigor the blessed fruits of Peace and Plenty should be produced The Lord Treasurer by a Command from the King instructs both Houses in their business and what they shall do well to insist upon this Session First To supply his Majesties wants Secondly To ease the people of their Grievances They go commonly yoakt together for the peoples Grievances are the Kings Wants and the Kings Wants are the peoples Grievances How can they be separated If the King will always want the people will always suffer For Kings when they do want lay commonly lawless impositions on the people which they must take off again with a sum of money and then they want again to a continued vicissitude These two Propositions are sweetned by him with a third Which is to make the Parliament witnesses of those great favours and honours that his Majesty intended his Royal Son Prince Henry in creating him Prince of Wales Which though the King might do without a Parliament and that divers Kings his Predecessors had done so as by many precedents was manifested yet being desirous to have a happy Vnion betwixt him and his People he would have nothing resound ill in their ears from so eminent an instrument to the Kingdoms good as his Son Then they excuse the Kings necessities proceeding from his great disbursements For the three hundred and fifty thousand pounds Subsidies due in the late Queens time he received with one hand and paid her Debts with another redeeming the Crown Lands which she had morgaged to the City He kept an Army of nineteen thousand men in Ireland for some time a foot wherein a great many of the Nobility were Commanders and other deserving Soldiers that would have been exposed to want and penury if not supplied And it was not safe for the King to trust the inveterate malice of a new reconciled Enemy without the Sword in his hand The late Queens Funeral Charges were reckon'd up which they hoped the Parliament would not repine at Nor was it fit the King should come in as a private Person bringing in one Crown on his head and finding another here or his Royal Consort with our future Hopes like so many precious Ienels exposed to Robbers without a Guard and Retinue How fit was the Magnificence at the King of Denmarks being here And how just that Ambassadors from Foreign Princes more than ever this Crown received should find those Entertainments and Gratuities the want whereof would put a dim lustre abroad upon the most sparkling Jewels of the Crown Besides the necessary Charge of sending Ambassadors to others being concurrent and mutual Civilities among Princes That these are the causes of the Kings wants and not his irregular Bounty though a magnificent mind is inseparable from the Majesty of a King If he did not give his subjects and servants would live in a miserable Climate And for his Bounty to those that were not born among us it must be remembred he was born among them and not to have them taste of the blessing he hath attained were to have him change his Vertue with his Fortune Therefore they desire the Kings wants may be supplied a thing easie to be granted and not to be valued by Wise-men nor spoken of without contempt Philosophy saith that all Riches are but food and rayment the rest is nugatorium quiddam And that it is but purior pars terrae and therefore but crassior pars aquae a thing unworthy the denial to such a King who is not only the wisest of Kings but the very Image of an Angel that hath brought good
the delights she suckt in there made his condition again known to her Father The old man being troubled with his Daughters disobedience imbitter'd her being near him with wearisome and continual chidings to wean her from the sweets she doted on and with much ado forced her into the Country But how harsh was the parting being rent away from the place where she grew and flourished Yet she left all her Engines and Imps behind her the old Doctor and his Confederate Mrs. Turner must be her two supporters She blazons all her miseries to them at her depart and moystens the way with her tears Chartley was an hundred miles from her happiness and a little time thus lost is her eternity When she came thither though in the pleasantest time of Summer she shut herself up in her Chamber not suffering a beam of light to peep upon her dark thoughts If she stirred out of her Chamber it was in the dead of Night when sleep had taken possession of all others but those about her In this implacable sad discontented humour she continued some moneths always murmuring against but never giving the least civil respect to her Husband which the good man suffered patiently being loth to be the divulger of his own misery yet having a manly courage he would sometimes break into a little passion to see himself sleighted and neglected by himself but having never found better from her it was the easier to bear with her Robert Earle of Essex his Excellence Generall of the Army etc For coming to London next Winter with this full sail loaden with lust she found the Viscount much prepared for her who being at first fastned on the Object absence and all those little Artifices that mischievous Women and cunning Impostures could devise had advanced him as much in his desires as they had hindred the other We could dispute the Nature of these Operations how far they are Contingent and how the fancy works with them though ignorant of them making their impulsions more active being the sparks that kindle this combustible matter for we will never allow there was any other Diabolical means used Nature being strong enough for such a production but being not pertinent to the Story will leave it and follow them that found the effects of it and had affections suitable to it which they made use of with an unbridled appetite yet meeting closely in corners Sin being at first shamefaced but afterwards they grew more bold and every hour that the Viscount could steal from his Royal Master he dedicated it to his Disloyal Mistris being caught in this Net of Adulation he becomes a willing Prisoner Lust only getting liberty to all looseness and licentiousness Places of frequent Meetings are daily renewed Persons fitted for such practices are employed and when Nature was exhausted Art her subtil Imitator brought in her store to contribute new Spirits purchased at any rate All outward Adornment to present Beauty in her full Glory were not wanting on both sides being Lusts fuel which tended to the Consumption of all Reason And among the rest yellow starch the invention and foyl of Iaundice Complexions with great Cut-work Bands and Piccadillies a thing that hath since lost the name crouded in and flourished among us Mrs. Turner being nominoted to be the first Contriver happily in England but the Original came out of France which fashion and colour did set off their lean sallow countenances Thus did the Viscount get the Conquest of two the King and this Lady but could not subdue his own lustful Appetite The Wheel of Fortune running towards the Scots turned by the Viscount Rochester was unhappily diverted upon the Lord Sanquir a Baron of that Nation and married to a good Family in England who some years before meeting with a sturdy Fencer one Iohn Turner who was a Master of the Weapon-Trade in his own School the young Lord strove to put some affront upon him making it no little Conquest to disgrace a Master in the Art as they termed it and the man apprehensive of the Attempt with a bold rudeness prest so hard upon him that he thrust out one of the Barons eyes This business was much regretted by Turner and the Baron being conscious to himself that he meant his Adversary some ill took the Accident with as much patience as men that lose one eye by their own default use to do for the preservation of the other Some time after being in the Court of the late great Henry of France and the King courteous to Strangers entertaining discourse with him askt him how he lost his eye he cloathing his answer in a better shrowd than a plain Fencers told him it was done with a Sword The King replies Doth the man live And that question gave an end to the Discourse but was the beginner of a strange Confusion in his working Fancy which neither Time nor Distance could compose carrying it in his breast some years after till he came into England where he hired two of his Country-men Gray and Carlile men of low and mercenary spirits to murther him which they did with a Case of Pistols in his own House in White-Fryars many years after the loss of his bodily eye thus the Baron lost the eye of his Reason This bold nefarious Act was very deeply resented at Court and the Kings Commands were so active for apprehension of the murderers that they were all three taken one upon the Borders of Scotland so far had his fears carried him another in a Ship bound for Hamburgh who scaping in a Storm the Seas delivered up and the Lord himself being obscured in this Tempest of his Soul hearing a thousand pound was offered to bring his Head so liberal was the King for Iustice threw himself into the Arms of his Mercy by the mediation of the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury to whom he presented himself an Object of pity but no intercession could prevail their lives satisfied the Law the Baron not having the honour of a Noble death Edward Earle of Dorset Lord Chamberlaine to the Queene etc. The Kings affections were not so monopolized but that his crafty Servant the Earl of Salisbury had a good hole as well in his Councils as Treasure And being not well pleased to see himself bearded by a Youth new started into the affairs of the World and mounted by the wing of love not of merit he cast out many mists before him to hinder and damp his passage so that the Viscount could not rise to that pitch during his life that he afterwards arrived at And one thing among the rest he obstructed was five thousand pounds the King had given him to maintain his Riot Which sum the Treasurer thought too great a bulk to be carried lightly away and therefore he desired the King might see what he did And having layd the money in Silver upon Tables in his Gallery at Salisbury-house he invited the King to dinner making
that came out of Germany with the prince Elector that must see the Glory of the English Court which was presented with so much eminency in gorgeous Apparel that the precedent mourning was but as a sable foyl the better to illustrute it The Prince Elector Palatine and Maurice Prince of Orange were made Knights of the Garter Lodowick Count of Orange being Maurice's Deputy and Prince Maurice took it as a great honour to be admitted into the fraternity of that Order and wore it constantly Till afterwards some Villains at the Hague that met the Reward of their Demerit one of them a French man being Groom of the Princes Chamber robbed a Ieweller of Amsterdam that brought Iewels to the Prince this Groom tempting him into his Chamber to see some Iewelr and there with his Confederates they strangled the man with one of the Princes blew Ribonds which being after discovered the Prince would never suffer so fatal an Instrument to come about his Neck In February following the Prince Palatine and that lovely Princess the Lady Elizabeth were married on Bishop Valentines Day in all the Pomp and Glory that so much Grandure could express Her Vestments were white the Emblem of Innocency her hair dishevil'd hanging down her back at length an Ornament of Virginity a Crown of pure Gold upon her head the Cognizance of Majesty being all over beset with pretious gems shining like a Constellation her Train supported by twelve young Ladies in white Garments so adorned with Iewels that her Passage looked like a milky way She was led to Church by her Brother Prince Charles and the Earl of Northampton the Young Batchelor on the right hand and the Old on the left And while the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury was solemnizing the Marriage some eruscations and lightnings of joy appeared in her Countenance that expressed more than an ordinary smile being almost elated to a laughter which could not clear the Air of her Fate but was rather a fore-runner of more sad and dire Events Which shews how slippery Nature is to tole us along to those things that bring danger yea sometimes destruction with them She returned from the Chappel between the Duke of Lenox and the Earl of Notingham Lord High Admiral two married Men. The Feastings Maskings and other Royal Formalities were as troublesome 't is presum'd to the Lovers as the Relation of them here may be to the Readers For such splendor and gayety are fitter to appear in Princes Courts than in Histories GUILIELMUS LUDOVIC COMES A NASSAU CATZENELNB VIANDEN ET DIE But tired with Feasting and Jollity about the middle of April when the beauties of the Spring were enticing enough to beguile the tediousness of the way the Prince Elector willing to review and the Princess to see what she was to injoy After all the caresses and sweet embraces that could be between the King Queen and Princes that were to be separated so long and at such a distance And after all the Shews Pastimes Fire-works and other Artifices that could be devised and manifested they parted at Rochester The Lord Admiral being ready with a Royal Navy in the Downs for their passage and conduct The season smiled on them and they arrived the nine and twentieth of the Moneth in Flushing The Duke of Lenox the Earl of Arundel the Viscount Lisle and the Lord Harington with divers Ladies and persons of Quality attended them to Heydelburgh Their entertainment was great and magnificent in the Low-Countries not only suitable to the Persons but the place from whence they came The English having been ever a Bulwark to the Netherlands and now they were in full peace with Spain which gave the better rellish to their Banquetings And in every eminent Town in Germany as they passed they found that welcom which prolonged their time but made their travel the less so that with much ado they reached Heydelburgh And after some time spent there to see the beauties and delights of that Court and Country which were extended and put forth to the uttermost the Nobility and Ladies of England returned home only they left the Lord Harington behind them who dyed by the way A Gentleman much lamented in his own person but much more in his Sons who not long after survived him with whom were buried not only those excellent indowments that make Noble-men great indeed but the memory of a noble Posterity which makes them little or indeed nothing at all HENRY HOWARD End of Northampton From an Original Picture in the Collection of Mr. Harding The liuely Portraiture of the worthy Knight Sir William Wadd late Lieutenant of the Tower c. About the same time the King thinking fit to send an Ambassador into Flanders to the Arch-Duke some say into France the Viscount recommended Sir Thomas Overbury to the King for that Service extolling his abilities and fitness for the same publickly that more notice might be taken of the affront and the King made choice of him for that Imployment Which done the Viscount under the shadow of friendship imparts to Overbury what intentions the King had towards him but he thought it would not be so convenient for him to accept of it because he should not only lose his converse and company by such an alienation which he highly valued but many a fair opportunity of improving his respects to him in some better way of advancement Overbury had not been so little a Courtier or a man of so mean Reason but that he was sensible what displeasure he should pull upon himself by refusing the Kings Commands And therefore he told the Viscount that betwixt the Kings favours and his friendship he had a great conflict in his spirit being willing to retain both but how he should refuse the Kings commands with safety he knew not But the Viscount with fair promises prevailed with him to set up his rest at home upon higher expectations such a sweet bait is Ambition protesting to take off the asperity of the Kings anger from him and smooth his way so as should be for his better advantage When he had wrought Overbury in this forge he goes to the King and blows the fire incensing him with all the aggravations he could so that the poor Gentleman for his contempt was forthwith committed to the Tower And to prepare all things for his reception there Sir William Wade the late Lieutenant was removed and Sir Iervis Ellowis a Person more ambitious than indigent having made his way by money the common merit was admitted to the place Now the Countess like another Alecto drove furiously her Chariot having two wheels which ran over all impediments One was to sue a Divorce betwixt her and her Husband that she might marry the Viscount The other was to take away Overbury the blemish in her Eye and that laid such a stain upon her that nothing but his blood could expiate For these she hath several Engins the one must be
acted Overtly the other Covertly in dark Corners and she and her Agents find fit Ministers for both The Earl of Northampton resenting his Nieces grievances makes the King acquainted with her Maiden bashfulness how loth she is to divulge her Husbands infirmities and how long it is since her Marriage and yet she hath not enjoyed the happiness of a Wife that her Husbands inability must needs be an unnatural conjunction such as neither Law nor Reason can admit of and that there was a great affection betwixt the Viscount and her so as there seemed to be a more excellent sympathy and sweet composition of Soul in them more suitable Reason and Nature than in the state she was in Which was seconded by the Viscounts humble submissions to the Kings great wisdom who he acknowledged had not only raised him to what he is but may yet make him more happy by uniting him to a Lady of so much honour and vertue The King that took delight to compleat the happiness of them he loved commanded the Bishops to sue out a Divorce between the Earl of Essex and his Lady that the Viscount might marry her For he had been practised formerly in Scotland in his minority with the like experiment Elizabeth Daughter to the Earl of Athol being married to the Earl of March under pretence of impotency but meerly for lust as the Author reports was Divorsed from her Husband and married to the Earl of Arran the Kings Favourite who had been before a Partner in her Adulterous Sheets so current is the Parallel and so equally are lust and ambition yoked together that they both with full violence draw one and the same way The Bishops and others having a Commission under the great Seal of England to convent the Earl of Essex and his Countess before them sent out their Summons and they made their appearance accordingly But before they proceeded they caused a Iury of twelve discreet Matrons to be impannelled to search the Countess whether she were as she pretended to be and was reputed a Maid still for if she were a Maid they could fasten upon a Nullity and so separate them for the more honour of her Virginity The Countess being ashamed and bashful to come to such a Tryal would not expose her face to the light but being to appear before the Matrons under a Veil another young Gentlewoman that had less offended was fobbed into the place and she passed in the opinion both of Iury and Iudges to be a Virgin Then the Articles were drawn up where she accused her Husband of impotency and that he was hindred with a perpetual and incurable impediment whereby he is unable to have carnal copulation with her with frigiditas quoad h●nc often reiterated c. The good Earl willing to be rid of so horrid a mischief did acknowledge he had attempted to enjoy her many times but he never did nor could carnally know her and believed he never should Upon these Grounds the Iudges proceed to a Divorce Declaring That Robert Earl of Essex and the Lady Frances Howard contracted by shew of Marriage did cohabit in one House and lie together in one Bed Nudum cum Nuda Solus cum Sola and that the said Lady Frances did shew her self prompt and ready to be known of him and that the said Earl neither did nor could have knowledg of her although he did think himself able to have knowledg of other Women And that the said Lady Frances by inspection of her Body by Midwives expert in matter of Marriage was proved to be apt for carnal copulation with Man and yet a Virgin Therefore we the said Iudges deputed in the Cause first invocating the Name of Christ and setting God before our eye do pronounce decree and declare That the Earl of Essex for some secret incurable binding impediment did never carnally know or was or is able carnally to know the Lady Frances Howard And therefore we do pronounce have decreed and do declare the pretended Marriage so contracted and solemnized de facto between them to have been and to be utterly void and to no effect and that they did want and ought to want the strength of the Law And that the Lady Frances was and is and so ought to be free and at liberty from any Bond of such pretended Marriage de facto contracted and solemnized And we do pronounce that she ought to be Divorsed and so we do free and Divorce her leaving them as touching other Marriages to their Conscience in the Lord. Which our Definitive Sentence and Decree we ratifie and publish Thomas Wint. Lancel Elie. Rich. Coven Lichfield Iohn Roffe Bishops Iulius Caesar Thomas Parry Daniel Dun Knights These Bishops and the rest of the Judges could not be ignorant what scandalous reports of this Ladies actions flew up and down from lip to lip which however sweetned by the Partakers carried an ill savour with them in every honest understanding who were not blinded with wilfulness or deafned with prejudice which made the Bishops of Canterbury and London decline the business though nominated in the Patent But Kings will never want fit Ministers in corrupted Times both in Church and Common-wealth as long as there are Degrees and Places of Ascent to clime to And though these things floated awhile upon the Stream of Greatness yet there is One above that moves the Waters who did not only see what passed in the Bishops Palace but in the closest Prison which he discovered to the shame and ruin of the Actors For while this Wheel was turning at Lambeth the other Wheel had its motion in the Tower Mrs. Turner the Mistriss of the Work had lost both her supporters Forman her first prop dropt away suddenly by death and Gresham another rotten Engin that succeeded him did not hold long She must now bear up all her self But she wrought in a Mine of inexhaustible Treasure therefore she may buy instruments at any rate One Weston is thought on for this Vnder-work who was sometime Doctor Turners her Husbands man and hath a little experience in the nature of poysonous Drugs This venomous Plant is sent for out of the Country to be transplanted here and two hundred pounds promised to disperse his Venom so as it may be killing Sir Thomas Monson is made by the Countess to recommend him to Sir Iervis Ellowis and he to Sir Thomas Overbury to wait on him where he goes under the character of a right honest man making it good with a sober and fair outside the true vizard of Hypocrisie a fit Pipe for such corrupted Waters to run through which must be provided by one Franklin a swarthy sallow crooked-backt fellow who was to be the Fountain whence these bitter waters came THE Portracture of Sir THOMAS OVERBURY Knight AETAT 32 But these lingring operations do not suit with the Countesses implacable humor Weston is chid by Mrs. Turner for being so
place in Court or dignity in State to be bestowed which was not sweetned with his smile that gave it or their bounty that injoyed it so that it was thought he ingrossed a mass of Coin as if his soul intended to take her ease This Pride and Covetousness added to his other miscarriages such a number of Vnderminers that he stood upon a tottering foundation having no support but the Kings favour which whether by Providence from above or purposes below both ever concurring from the Will to the Means was soon removed For about this time the King cast his eye upon a young Gentleman so rarely moulded that he meant to make him a Master-piece His name was George Villers he was second Son to Sir George Villers a Knight of Leicester-shire by a second Venter For the old man coming to Colehorton in that County to visit his Kinswoman the Lady Beaumont found a young Gentlewoman of that name allyed and yet a servant to the Lady who being of a handsom presence and countenance took his affections and he married her This was the soil where the glorious Cedar grew who having only the breeding and portion of a younger Brother with the Mothers help and travel got the addition of a French garb which brought him to the Court in no greater a condition than fifty pounds a year is able to maintain The King strucken with this new object would not expose him to so much hazard as the malice of a jealous Competitor nor him self to so much censure as to be thought changeable and taken again with a sudden affection therefore he instructs some of his Confidents to bring him in by degrees who intimated the Kings pleasure to him that he should wait Cup bearer at large being so at too strait a distance of place to have any mark of favour for suspition to level at And if the King had not received a new Impression thus the old Character of Somerset that was imprinted in his soul could not so soon as many men thought have been blotted out But Courts that are the wisest though not the most vertuous Schools do teach their Scholars to observe the Seasons and by the Astronomy of the Princes eye to calculate what Fortune such Aspects and such Conjunctions may happily produce And they found so much as gave them incouragement to hear and boldness to discover that which pulled down the one and set up the other But Somerset that had the pulse of his Conscience always beating at Overburies door was as active to preserve himself as his Enemies were to ruin him and finding himself shaking though there was nothing yet laid to his Charge but the imbezelling some of the Crown Iewels he throws himself at the Kings feet acknowledging the great Trust his Majesty had reposed in him and the weight of business lying on him might make him incounter him with some miscarriages through youth and ignorance great imployments often meeting with envy that jossels them in the way he therefore humbly besought his Majesty to grant him a general Pardon for what was past that he might not be exposed to the malice of those that would wrest all his Actions to the worst meaning The King that raised this fair Edifice being loth to have it quite pulled down again gave order for the drawing up of a general Pardon in so ample and full a manner that it might rather exceed than take rise from any former precedent This the King signed and sent to the Great Seal But the Queen having notice of it and using her Power with the Lord Chancellor gave stop to the Seal till the Kings coming to Town who was on his Progress in the West and then what was mutter'd in corners before rung openly in the Streets For the Apothecaries boy that gave Sir Thomas Overbury the Glister falling sick at Flushing revealed the whole matter which Sir Ralph Winwood by his Correspondents had a full Relation of and a small breach being made his Enemies like the noise of many Waters rise up against him following the Stream VERA EFFIG REVER●●●… DOMINI IOHAN̄IS KING EPISCOPI LONDIN●… Lo here his shade whose substāce is divine Like God in all that may his Angell fitt Whose light before men like a lampe doth shyne The Oyle of Grace and learning feeding it Yet like a lampe that others light doth gieve Still wast's the Oyle by which him self doth lieve See thy true shadowe Nature and suppose How much thy Substance is belov'd of Harts O Cunning if thy Mirror could diclose His heavenly Formes of Zeale Religion Arts This picture might exactllie shewe in Hym. Each vertue done to Life for each dead Lym. For a little before this Weston was taken and examined but like a stubborn piece unmoulded for impression nothing could be drawn from him but God by the means and persuasion of the Bishop of London Doctor King a man eminent for piety in his time so wrought upon his heart that the eye of his soul being opened to the foulness of his sin he discovered all so that the whole Confederacy were laid hold on Who falling into the hands of the Lord Chief Justice Cook a Spirit of a fiery exhalation as subtil as active he left no stone unturned till he had ript up the very foundation But in the mean time between Westons standing mute and his Trial one Lumsden a Scotchman took upon him to make a false and libellous Relation of the business and delivers it to Henry Gib of the Bed-Chamber to be put into the Kings hand in which Writing he falsifies and perverts all that was done the first day of Westons Arraignment turning the edg of his imputations upon the Lord Chief Justice Cook which Bolt was boldly shot by him but it was thought not to come out of his own Quiver and it lighted into an ill hand for him for the King discovered it and left him an open Mark to that Iustice he had traduced Weston was the first that suffered by the hand of the Law which Sir Iohn Hollis after Earl of Clare out of friendship to Somerset and Sir Iohn Wentworth a Person debauched and riotous hoping from the beams of of Somersets favour to increase his wanting fortunes strove to blast in the spring for they rod to Tyburn and urged him at his Execution to deny all hoping that way to prevent the Autumn that followed but Westons Soul being prepared for Death resisted their temptations sealing penitently the Truth of his Confession with his last And this attempt of Hollu Wentworth and Lumsden to pervert Iustice being aggravated against them in the Star-Chamber by the Kings Atturney Sir Francis Bacon they were sentenced there and found the reward of their Presumption Mistris Turner followed next A Pattern of Pride and Lust who having always given a loose Rein to her life she ran this carreer at last into the jaws of death Sir Iervis Ellowis Lieutenant of the Tower
and compunction asked him forgiveness and afterwards again of his own motion desired to have his like prayer of forgiveness recommended to his Mother who was absent And at both times out of the abundance of his heart confessed that he was to die justly and that he was worthy of death And after again at his Execution which is a kind of sealing time of Confessions even at the point of death though there were Tempers about him he did again confirm publickly that his Examinations were true and that he had been justly and honourably dealt with So here is a period of this man which was the subject of this calumny or affront of Iustice. Wherein Mr. Lumsden plays his part first who in the time between Westons standing mute and his Tryal frames a most odious and libellous Relation containing as many untruths as lines sets it down in writing with his own hand and delivers it to one of the Bedchamber to be put into the Kings hands falsifying all that was done the first day of Westons Arraignment turning the pike and point of his imputations upon the Lord Chief Justice of England whose name thus occurring I cannot pass by and yet I cannot skill of this same Flattery or vulgar Attribute but this I will say of him and I would say as much to Ages That never mans person and his place were better met in a business than my Lord Cook and my Lord Chief Iustice in the Cause of Overbury Now for the person of Master Lumsden I know he is a Scotch Gentleman and thereby more ignorant of our Laws but I cannot tell whether this doth extenuate his fault or increase it for as it may extenuate it in respect of ignorance so it doth aggravate it much in respect of presumption to meddle in that he understood not unless some other mans cunning wrought upon this mans boldness The infusion of a slander into a Kings ear is of all forms of Libels and Slanders the worst It is true that Kings may keep secret their information and then no man can enquire after them while they are shrined in their Breast but where a King is pleased that a man shall answer for his false information divers precedents of slanderous Petitions have been as severly punished as slanderous Libels For the Offence of Sir Iohn Wentworth and Sir Iohn Hollis which was to scandalize the Iustice already past or to cut off the thread of something that is to come these two Gentlemen came mounted on Horseback and in a ruffling and facing manner presumed to Examin Weston whether he did poyson Overbury or no directly cross to that which had been tried and judged For what was the Point tried That Weston had poysoned Overbury And Sir Wentworth's question was whether he did poyson him A direct Contradictory Whereupon Weston answered that he did him wrong and turning to the Sheriff said You promised me I should not be troubled at this time and yet nevertheless Wentworth prest him to answer that he might pray with him l know not that Sir Iohn Wentworth is an Ecclesiastick that he should cut any man from communion of Prayer and for all this vexing of the spirit of a poor man now in the gate of death Weston stood constant and said I die not unworthily my Lord Chief Iustice hath my mind under his hand and he is an honourable and just Iudg. Sir Iohn Hollis was not so much a Questionist but wrought upon the other Questions and like a Counsellor wisht him to discharge his Conscience and to satisfie the World What World I marvel It was the World at Tyburn For the World at Guildhall and the World at London were satisfied before Teste the Bels that rang every where But men have got a fashion now a-days that two or three busie bodies will take upon them the name of the World and broach their own conceit as if it were a general opinion Well what more When they could not work upon Weston Sir Iohn Hollis in an indignation turned about his horse as the other was turning to his death and said he was sorry of such a Conclusion That was to have the State honoured or justified Sir Iohn Hollis offence hath another Appendix before this in time which was at the day of the Tryal He presumed to give his Verdict openly That if he were of the Iury he would not doubt what to do Marry he saith he cannot well tell whether he spoke this before the Iury had given up their Verdict or after Wherein there is little gained for whether he were a Praejuror or a Postjuror the one was to prejudice the Iury the other was to attaint them The offence of these Gentlemen is greater and more dangerous than is conceived We have no Spanish Inquisition no Iustice in a corner no gagging of mens mouths at their death but they may speak freely to the last but then it must come from the free motion of the party not by tempting of Questions The Questions that are asked ought to tend to further revealing of their own or others guiltiness But to use a Question in the nature of a cross interrogatory to falsifie that which is Res judicata is intolerable That were to erect a Court or Commission of review at Tyburn against the Court of Westminster For if the Answer be according to the Judgment past it adds credit to Iustice if it be contrary it derogateth nothing yet it subjecteth the Majesty of Iustice to a popular vulgar talk and opinion My Lords these are great and dangerous offences for if we do not maintain Iustice Iustice will not maintain us Then the Examinations being read and further aggravated against these three Gentlemen there passed Judgment upon them of Fine and lmprisonment Sir Thomas Monson another of the Countesses Agents in this poysoning contrivance had past one days Tryal at Guildhall But the Lord Chief Justice Cook in his Rhetorical Flourishes at his Arraignment vented some expressions which he either deduced from Northamptons assuring the Lieutenant of the Tower that the making away of Sir Thomas Overbury would be acceptable to the King or from some other secret hint received as if he could discover more than the death of a private person intimating though not plainly that Overburies untimely remove had something in it of retaliation as if he had been guilty of the same Crime against Prince Henry blessing himself with admiration at the horror of such actions In which he flew so high a pitch that he was taken down by a Court Lure Sir Thomas Monsons Tryal laid aside and he soon after set at liberty and the Lord Chief Justices wings were clipt for it ever after And it was rumor'd that the King heightned to so much passion by this eruption of Sir Edward Cooks went to the Council Table and kneeling down there desired God to lay a Curse upon him and his posterity for ever if he were consenting to Overburies death But this
teach us how to steer our brittle Bark in this Worlds Tempest that we bear not too much sail but keep a moderate and even course betwixt the rocks of pride and shallows of contempt both which are equally dangerous Our King dedicated this Summer to the Northern Climate it is now fourteen years Revolution since the beams of Majesty appeared in Scotland He begins his Journey with the Spring warming the Country as he went with the Glories of the Court Taking such Recreations by the way as might best beguile the days and cut them shorter but lengthen the nights contrary to the Seasons For what with Hawking Hunting and Horse-racing the days quickly ran away and the nights with Feasting Masking and Dancing were the more extended And the King had fit Instruments for these Sports about his Person as Sir George Goring Sir Edward Zouch Sir Iohn Finnit and others that could fit and obtemperate the Kings Humour For he loved such Representations and Disguises in their Maskaradoe● as were witty and sudden the more ridiculous the more pleasant Edward Somerset Earl of Worcester But among all the Dances that these Times were guilty of none of the Maskaradoes presented so horrid a Vizard as the Churchmans For some of the Bishops pretending Recreations and liberty to servants and the common people of which they carved to themselves too much already procured the King to put out a Book to permit dancing about May-poles Church-ales and such debauched Exercises upon the Sabbath day after Evening Prayer being a specious way to make the King and them acceptable to the Rout which Book came out with a command injoyning all Ministers to read it to their Parishioners and to approve of it and those that did not were brought into the High Commission imprisoned and suspended This Book being only a trap to catch some conscientious men that they could not otherwise with all their cunning insnare For they would preach the Gospel in a Fools-coat as some of them exprest rather than be silenced for a Surplis And their Conjuring of them with the Cross in Baptism and the Circle of the Ring in Marriage could not make a well-composed Reason and a sound Conscience then start at it But when so frightful an Apparition as the dancing Book appeared some of the Ministers left all for fear others by force they were so terrified with it These and such like Machinations of the Bishops to maintain their Temporal Greatness Ease and Plenty made the stones in the Walls of their Palaces and the beam in the timber afterwards cry out moulder away and come to nothing Whereas if those in most Authority had not been so pragmatical but holy prudent and godly men as some others of the Function were their light might have shined still upon the Mount and not have gone out as it did offensive to the nostrils of the rubbish of the people The King in his return from Scotland made his Progress through the Hunting-countries his Hounds and Hunters meeting him Sherwood-Forrest Need wood and all the Parks and Forrests in his way were ransacked for his Recreation And every night begat a new day of delight till he brought Holyrood-day not Holyrood-house to White-hall This new incroachment upon the Sabbath gave both King and people more liberty to prophane the day with authority For if the Court were to remove on Monday the Kings Carriages must go out the day before All times were alike and the Court being to remove to Theobalds the next day the Carriages went through the City of London on the Sabbath with a great deal of clatter and noise in the time of Divine service The Lord Mayor hearing of it commanded them to be stopt and this carried the Officers of the Carriages with a great deal of violence to the Court and the business being presented to the King with as much asperity as men in authority crossed in their humors could express it It put the King into a great Rage Swearing he thought there had been no more Kings in England but himself yet after he was a little cooled he sent a Warrant to the Lord Mayor commanding him to let them pass which he obeyed with this Answer while it was in my power I did my duty but that being taken away by a higher power it is my duty to obey Which the King upon second thoughts took well and thanked him for it As Prophaneness crept in on one side so did Idolatry and Superstition on the other for there was more enmity against Ministers of the Gospel than Popish Priests they swarmed over the Kingdom working miraculous Projects in every corner One pack of them got into Stafford-shire among some of the Giffords in that County Gentlemen of good Estates where they practised their Artifices to seduce the people There must be a Ground-work Estates to keep them being like the Gout never troubling the poor and then there must be materials Correspondents to act for them Holiness and Piety must be confirmed by Miracle and these Miracles must be visible to the Peoples eyes that they may convey belief better to the heart If the Priests be holy and can subdue Satan the Religion they profess must be heavenly that triumphs over principalities and powers and spiritual wickedness bringing all to obedience These are finesses and subtilties of Mastring Wits calling them Piae Fraudes godly deceits Worms to bring Fish to the Net and this kind of frippery they are ever fraught with For about this time there was a Boy born at Bilson in that County whose father mother neighbours and many other people with admiration did absolutely think possest with a Devil for he had strange sudden violent distorting fits that appeared to all the beholders contrary to Nature and being not full fifteen years old it could not be imagined that any thing of Impostory could result from him and therefore the same of it was the more remarkable The Iesuits that are the best Physicians in such Distempers hearing of it visited the Boy prayed by him and used such other Charms and Exorcisms as are fit to make them to be admired giving his Parents good hope of dispossessing him of that foul spirit by which might palpably be discerned how much Gods power was exprest in their weakness and difference the truth and holiness betwixt the Catholick Religion and the Heresie professed among Protestants So that they that heard them as many resorted to the place must needs take them for very holy men by whom such Wonders were to be accomplished The Iesuits visited him often sometimes in private sometimes in Company but this kind of Spirit would not be commanded by them so that they grew almost desperate of the Cure The Boy in his fits would rave against an old woman dwelling near to his Father intimating by signs and ghastly behaviour that she had sent a Spirit to torment him and in plain terms when he was out of his fits
and run home again from the Granadoes With these five Ships they daily attended the Armada of Spain and had they set upon them their Force divided one half being in Orinoque a hundred and fifty miles from them they in Trinidado had not only been indangered but all those in the River had also perished And though these five Ships with the General were but of little Defence against so strong a power as the King of Spain's Gallions yet they would have given them their hands full for they were all resolved to have burned and died by their sides But the Armada staid for them at Margarita by which Island they expected them to pass towards the Indies For the King unwilling to displease his Brother of Spain commanded Sir Walter Raleigh upon his Allegiance before he went out to set down under his hand the Country and the River which he was to enter the compleat number of his Men the burthen of his Ships and what Ordnance every Ship carried which being made known to the Count Gondemar the Spanish Ambassador here and by him in Post to the King of Spain A Dispatch was made by that King to the Indies and his Letters sent from Madrid before Sir Walter Raleigh with his Fleet departed out of the River Thames For the first Letter sent by a Bark of Advice was dated the 19th of March 1617. at Madrid The second Letter was sent by a Carvell to Diego de Palomeque at Trinidado The third Letter by the Bishop of Puerto Rico and the fourth was sent by the Farmer and Secretary of the Customs at the same time By that of the King's hand there was also a Commission for the speedy leavying of three thousand men and ten pieces of Ordnance to be sent from Puerto Rico for the defence of Guiana These Provisions were made to entertain the English and had they met them they would have found a harsh Banquet But the Spaniards at Saint Thome their Supplies being not come were not so numerous as to defend both the Town and the Passages to the Mines therefore they quitted the Town and fortified the way to the Mines near the Town But the Passages leading to the Mine that Kemish had in his Eye were Aspera fragosa as Sir Walter Raleigh exprest them and Kemish found the River so low that he could not approach the banks in most places near the Mine by a mile and where he found an ascent a Volley of Musquets came from the Woods and at one time slew two of the Rowers hurt six others and shot a valiant Gentleman Captain Thornhurst in the head of which he with great difficulty recovered Kemish seeing so much hazard in attempting to find the Mine the Passage to it being full of thick and impassable Woods and thinking the English that were left in the Town of Saint Thome would not be able to defend it especially if the Enemy should be recruited the Country being all in Alarum he gave over the Enterprise and returned For if he should have discovered the Mine he had no men as he pretended to work in it and being a great way up into the Land men would have been got thither with much danger and difficulty And that was true The Spaniards themselves complain for want of Negroes to work in their Mines for the Indians cannot be constrained by a Law of Charles the Fifth and the Spaniards will not neither can they endure the labour But this was ill advised to take so much pains and run so much hazard to get and possess that which when they had it they could not make use of it so that which Kemish pleaded when he returned for an excuse reflected upon him as a great miscarriage As soon as he came to Saint Thome the English pillaged the Town carried away the best and most portable things and the Enemy not daring to appear for the Redemption of it they set it a-fire leaving behind them an infinite masse of Treasure which either for want of knowledge or power they could not attain to For there were two Gold Mines near the Town the one possessed by Roderigo de Parama the other by Herman Frontino and a Silver Mine by Francisco Fashardo to preserve and fortifie which they imployed all their strength and industry so that they needed not have gone so far up the River to find a new Mine when they had so many nearer them that either ignorance or want of strength made them neglect The General with the news of the death of his Son and Kemishe's return without effecting his work was perplexed to the very soul telling Kemish he had undone him and wounded his credit with the King past recovery but he must think he told him to bear the weight of the King's anger as well as himself for he must a vow that Kemish knew the Mine and that with little loss he might have possessed it Kemish much troubled in his mind retires to his Cabin which he had in the General s Ship and presently after his being there he shot himself with a Pistol the General hearing the noise askt what Pistol it was Answer was made that Captain Kemish shot it off in his Cabin to cleanse it but Kemishe's man going into the Cabin found his Master lying in his own blood the Pistol having a little bullet did only crack the rib which being too slow for his fury he desperately thrust a knife in after it up to the haft and with him the Glory of the Voyage expired For the Design being thus broken the Ships leaky Victuals failing and missing of those golden showers they gaped after that Radical moisture which fills the veins of the affections and gives life and vigor to all actions some of the men began to mutiny against the General others were for him some would have him go home others would have him stay the major part forced him to swear not to go home but by their allowance and yet his Ships dwindled away one after another his strength was best discovered by his weakness ten Ships being reduced to four and those would do what they list Some would go for Italy some for France few for England fearing the Spanish Power there more than they did in the Indies Thus they were shatter'd in judgment with a greater Tempest than the Seas or Winds could produce Miserable is that Government where the Multitude is Master At last he is brought to Kinsale in Ireland The news of taking and burning St. Thome coming to Gondemar he besieges and as it were assaults the King with importunity for Reparation For he was a man not only of an insinuating and glosing spirit but of a violent and fiery temper when any cross accident blew up the humor The matter is aggravated with the highest circumstances by those of the Spanish Faction as if this irruption of Raleigh's not only tended to the breach of the Treaty of Marriage betwixt Prince Charles
and the Infanta of Spain that was then in motion but to the infringement of the Peace and Amity established betwixt the two Crowns The King's fears being heightned to Anger he disavows the Action and lest others of his Subjects should by this example take the boldness to attempt the like Hostility against the King of Spain he puts out a Proclamation wherein he shews his detestation of such proceedings and threatens severe punishment to the enterprisers thereby to deter them Which gave Gondemar some satisfaction whose design being only to get Sir Walter Raleigh home after this brush vented little passion but so cunningly skinned over his malice that when Raleigh was in Ireland he found nor heard of no such great difficulties Dangers often flying upon the wings of rumor but that he might appear in England and the men not willing to be banished their own Country though some of them had France in their eye put in at Plimouth Raleigh was no sooner ashore but he had private intimation which gave him cause to suspect the smoothness of this beginning would have a rough end therefore he attempted an escape from ●hence in a bark of Rochel But being apprehended by Sir Lewis Stukly his Kinsman who had private warrant and instructions to that purpose so unnatural and servile is the spirit when it hath an allay of baseness there being many others sitter for that employment he is brought to London and recommitted to the Tower He was no sooner in the Tower but all his Transactions in this business are put to the Rack and tenter'd by his Adversaries They say he knew of no Mine nor did Kemish know that the Mine he aimed at was Gold but Kemish bringing him a piece of Ore into the Tower he fobb'd a piece of Gold into it in dissolving making the poor man believe the Ore was right that by these golden degrees he might ascend to Liberty promising the King to fetch it where never Spaniard had been But when Kemish found by better experience he was couzen'd by Raleigh he came back from the Mine And Raleigh knowing that none but Kemish could accuse him made him away This Vizard was put upon the face of the Action and all the weight of the Miscarriage was laid upon Raleigh's shoulders Gonaemar that looked upon him as a man that had not only high Abilities but Animosity enough to do his Master mischief being one of those Scourges which that old Virago the late Queen as he called her used to afflict the Spaniards with having gotten him into this Trap laid now his baits about the King There is a strange virtue in this spirit of Sol the intenseness makes men firm the ductilness brings them to be active French Crowns are not so pure not so piercing as Spanish Pistols Auri sacra fames quid non mortalia pectora cogis The King that loved his Peace is incensed by them that loved their Profit and the poor Gentleman must lay down the price of his life upon the old Reckoning Raleigh answered That he was told by his Council that Iudgment was void by the Commission his Majesty was pleased to give him since under the Great Seal for his last Employment which did give him a new vigour and life to that service The Lord chief Justice replyed that he was deceived and that the opinion of the Court was to the contrary Then he desired that some reasonable time might be allowed him to prepare for Death but it was answered That the time appointed was the next morning and it was not to be doubted but he had prepared himself for death long since Raleigh having a courageous spirit finding the bent of the King's mind and knowing Disputes to be in vain where Controversies are determined acquiesc'd was conveyed to the Gatehouse and the day following was brought to the Old Palace yard at Westminster and upon a Scaffold there erected lost his head He had in the outward man a good presence in a handsom and well-compacted person a strong natural wit and a better judgment with a bold and plausible tongue whereby he could set off his parts to the best advantage And to these he had the Adjuncts of general Learning which by Diligence and Experience those two great Tutors being now threescore years of age was augmented to a great perfection being an indefatigable Reader and having a very retentive memory At his Arraignment at Winchester his carriage to his Judges was with great discretion humble yet not prostrate dutiful yet not dejected Towards the Iury affable but not fawning not in despair nor believing but hoping in them carefully perswading them with Reasons not distemperately importuning them with Conjurations rather shewing love of life than fear of death Towards the King's Council patient but not insensible neglecting nor yielding to Imputations laid against him in words which Sir Edward Cook then the King's Attorney belched out freely and it was wondred a man of his high spirit could be so humble in suffering not being much overtaken in passion And now at his last when Deeth was presented before him he looked upon it without affrightment striving to vindicate his Actions by taking off the veil that false Reports had cast upon them especially the Imputation of his glorying and rejoycing in the fall at the death of the la●e E. of Essex which had stuck so many years in his breast this new miscarriage of Kemish's of a later date imputed to him for having provided himself privately for heaven clearing his Accounts with God before he came to the Scaffold He publickly at last reckon'd with man being to quit all soores and so made an end Times of Peace are accounted the happiest times and though they are great Blessings proceeding from the influence of supreme Mercy and the showers of Grace yet the branches of the Tree of Knowledge growing by this Sun shine for want of due pruning do often become so exuberant that their very fruits are not only their burthen but sometimes their ruin Prosperity is of an Airy constitution carried about with the breath of strange fancies which mount sometimes as high as Omnipotency but there finding-resistance they come down amain and beat the lower Region with a Tempest of Strife and Malice When the Romans wanted Enemies they digged them out of their own bowels Active Spirits will be set on work Our Neighbours of the Netherlands that had so long bounded the Spanish Power humbled their Pride so far as to acknowledg them a Free-State before they would so much as listen to an Overture of Peace had a fire kindled in their own bosomes It is now some time since the 12 years Truce betwixt Spain them began being in the Wain last Quarter While they had their hands full of business they had not their heads full of old Curiosities Now like Plethorique bodies that want letting blood they break out into distemper A Schism in the Church
and a Faction in the State The first Author of the Schism was Arminius of the Faction Barnevelt Persons of great parts and power though of different natures The one had been Divinity-Professor at Leyden the other the Manager of all the great affairs of the State Distempers in Kingdoms and States are like madness in bodies which doth not break out till some accident doth stir the humor Arminius dyed just upon the beginning of the Treaty which was in the year 1609. Leaving behind him the seeds of this Pelagian Heresie which though it were cherished much by some in whose bosomes he had sown it yet happily it might never have taken root had not Peace and Ease manured it and made it fruitful The Mysteries of Predestination and the ineffable Essence of God Quaetremenda admiranda sunt sed non scrutanda to use our King 's own words which are to be trembled at and admired not pried into are the great Theme Such intuitions are too high for flesh and blood Yet what will not Pragmatical spirits do when they proudly look into Divine things with the Eye of Reason not humbly with the Eye of Faith Rombout Hogerbeets pensionaris der Stad Leyden But long before this time our King saw the Storm coming upon them For in the year 1611 he forewarns the State telling them that by the unhappy succession of two such Prodigies in one Sphere as Arminius and Vorstius some dreadful mischief would succeed For Arminius was no sooner dead but those that drew on the Design had an eye on Vorstius his Disciple to make him Divinity-Professor in his place which the King hearing of and having read some of Vorstius blasphemous Writings sends to his then Ambassador Sir Ralph Winwood Resident there to let the State know that Vorstius rather deserved punishment than promotion that the head of such a Viper should be trod upon and crushed that was likely to eat his way through the bowels of the State And if they nevertheless would persist to prefer him he would make known to the World publickly in Print how much he detested such abominable Heresies and all allowers and tolerators of them The Ambassador urging the King's desires they returned a long Answer in justification of Vorstius First That the Curators of the University of Leyden according to their duty and the ancient custom ever since the foundation of that University having diligently made inquiry for some Doctor to be chosen in the place of Divinity-Professor there at that time void after mature deliberation they made election of Conradus Vorstius to that place Which Election and Calling was countermined presently after by certain persons to whose Office or Disposal the business did nothing at all belong who charged the said Vorstius with unsoundness of Doctrine whereupon the Curators thought fit with the good liking of Vorstius himself that both at Leyden and at the Hague he should appear in his own justification to answer all Accusers which he did and there came none to charge him But not long after six Ministers undertook to prove That Vorstius had published false Doctrine who being heard in a full Assembly of the States of Holland and Westfrizeland they could by their Arguments find no reason why the Execution of what was done by the Curators lawfully ought to be hindred or impeached And they do assuredly believe that if his Majesty of Great Britain were well informed of the true Circumstances of this business he would according to his high wisdom and prudence conceive favourably of them they proceeding in this business with all reverence care and respect to his Majestie 's serious admonition Dated at the Hague 1 Octob. 1611. The King seeing which way the States went by the print of the footing that Vorstius had set among them caused his Books publickly to be burned in Paul's Church-yard and both the Universities And not giving it over writes to them again to be mindful of the glory of God and not suffer such scan dalous members to remain in the body of the true Reformed Church that maintain such execrable Blasphemies as to deny the Eternity and Omnipotency of God Therefore he desires them so much to mind the glory of God and their own honour and safety as to extirpate such Atheisms and Heresies But if they suffer such pestilent Hereticks to nestle among them who dare take upon them the licentious liberty to fetch again from Hell ancient Heresies long since condemned and invent new ones of their own to the depravation of the true Catholick Church he should be constrained publickly to protest against them Dated at Theobalds 6 Octob. 1611. Sir Ralph Winwood represented this Letter to the States and finding them cold and backward in proceeding any further against Vorstius according to the King's Directions to him he made this Remonstrance to them My Lords JACOBUS ARMINIUS S. S. TH. DOCT. ET PROFESS NATUS OUDEWATRIAE MDLX DENAT LUGD. BATAV MDCIX AETAT XLIX Qui nunc per altas aurei caeli domos Regnat beatus et suo junctus Deo Humana celsus spernit ac nescit simul Sic. Hospes ora magnus ARMINIUS tulit Caelare mores atque dotes ingeni Doctumque pectus quod fuit sed heu Fuit Manus nequivit artifax et quid manus Effere cum non lingua non stylus queant These are in part the opinions of that great Divine who is chosen to domineer in the Chair at Leyden In opposition whereunto I mean not to say any thing but that which the Roman Orator did once pronounce in the like Case Mala est impia consuetudo contra Deum disputandi sive serio id fit sive simulaté It is an evil and wicked Custom to dispute against God whether it be in earnest or in jest Now my Lords I address my self unto you and according to the Charge which I have received from the King my Master I conjure you by the amity that is betwixt his Kingdoms and your Provinces to awaken your Spirits and to have a careful eye at this Assembly of Holland which is already begun ne quid Respublica detrimenti capiat that the Commonwealth take no harm which undoubtedly at one time or other will be turned upside down if you suffer such a dangerous Contagion to harbour so near you and not remove it as soon as possibly you may The Disciples of Socinus with whose Doctrine Vorstius hath been suckled in his Childhood do seek him for their Master and are ready to embrace him Let him go he is a Bird of their own feather Et dignum sanè patellâ operculum A fit Cover for such a Dish On the other side the Students in Divinity at Leyden to the number of six and fifty by a dutiful Remonstrance presented unto the States of Holland the sixteenth of October the last year being 1610. did most humbly beseech the said States not to use their authority in compelling them to receive a Professor
who both by the attestations of the Divinity-Colleges at Basil and Heydelberg as also by manifest evidence out of his own Writings is convinced of a number of manifest Heresies These Reasons therefore namely the many enormous and horrible Heresies maintained by him the Instance of his Majesty grounded upon the welfare and honour of this Country the Requests either of all or of the most part of your Provinces the Petitions of all the Ministers excepting those only which are of Arminius's Sect should methinks prevail so far with my Lords the States of Holland as they will at the last apply themselves to the performance of that which both the sincerity of Religion and the service of their Country requireth at their hands Furthermore I have Commandment from his Majesty to move you in his name to set down some certain Reglement in matters of Religion throughout your Provinces that this licentious Freedom of Disputation may be restrained which breeds factions and part-takings and that you would absolutely take away the Liberty of Prophesying which Vorstius doth so much recommend unto you in the Dedicatory Epistle of his Anti-Bellarmine the book whereof his Patrons do boast so much And his Majesty doth exhort you seeing you have heretofore taken Arms for the Liberty of your Consciences and have endured a violent and bloody War the space of forty years for the Profession of the Gospel that now having gotten the upper hand of your miseries you would not suffer the Followers of Arminius to make your actions an example for them to proclaim throughout the World that wicked Doctrine of the Apostacy of the Saints The account which his Majesty doth make of your amity appears sufficiently by the Treaties which he made with your Lordships by the succours which your Provinces have received from his Crowns by the deluge of blood which his Subjects have spent in your Wars Religion is the only solder of this Amity For his Majesty being by the grace of God Defender of the Faith doth hold himself obliged to defend all those who prosess the same Faith and Religion with him But if once your zeal begins to grow cold therein his Majesty will then straightways imagin that your friendship towards him and his Subjects will likewise freeze by little and little The Right Honourable Sr. RALPH WINWOOD Kn. t This was the effect of Sir Winwood's Remonstrance to which after six weeks delay he received this cold and ambiguous Answer THat the States General had deliberated upon his Majestie 's Proposition and Letter dated the 6 Oct. 1611. and do give him humble Thanks for the continuance of his Royal affection towards the welfare of their Country and preservation of Religion And that they had entred into Consultation concerning the Articles charged against Vorstius and the Curators of Leyden did thereupon make an Order provisional that Vorstius should not be admitted to the Exercise of his Place but remain in Leyden only as an Inhabitant and Citizen And in case Vorstius should not be able to clear himself from those Accusations which were laid to his Charge at or before the next Assembly which was to be holden in Feb. following that then they would decide the Matter with good contentment to his Majesty But this Answer still savouring of delays could not in effect be esteemed less than an absolute refusal to yield to the King's desires besides the specious Separation of Vortius as a Citizen was only to satisfie the King at present for he after notwithstanding exercised his Place of Professor Whereupon Sir Ralph Winwood knowing the King's mind made this Protestation in their Publick Assembly My Lords THere is not any one of you I suppose in this Assembly that will not acknowledge the brotherly love wherewith the King my Master hath always affected the good of your Provinces and the fatherly care which he hath ever had to procure the establishment of your State In which respect his Majesty having understood that Vorstius was elected Divinity-Professor of Leyden a Person attainted by many Witnesses Iuris facti of a number of Heresies is therewith exceedingly offended And for the timely prevention of an infinite of evils did give me in charge to exhort you which I did the 21 of September last to wash your hands from that Man and not suffer him to come within your Country To this Exhortation your Answer was That all due observance and regard should be had unto his Majesty But his Majesty hath received so little respect herein that instead of debarring Vorstius from coming into the Country which even by the Laws of Friendship his Majesty might have required the Proceedings have been clean contrary for he is permitted to come to Leyden hath been received there with all honour taken up his habitation treated and lodged in the quality of a publick Professor His Majesty perceiving his first motion had so little prevailed writ a Letter to you to the same purpose full of zeal and affection persuading you by many Reasons not to stain your own honor and the honor of the Reformed Churches by calling unto you that wretched and wicked Atheist These Letters were presented to this Assembly the fifth of November last at which time by his Majesties command I used some speech my self to the same effect Some six weeks after I received an answer but so confused ambiguous and impertinent that I have reason to conceive there is no meaning at all to send Vortius away who is at present in Leyden received acknowledged respected and treated as publick Professor whether it be to grace that University instead of the deceased Ioseph Scaliger or whether to give him means to do more mischief in secret which perhaps for shame he durst not in publick I cannot tell For these reasons according to that charge which I have received from the King my Master I do in his name and on his behalf protest in this Assembly against the wrong injury and scandal done unto the Reformed Religion by receiving and retaining Conradus Vorstius in the University of Leyden and against the violence offered unto that Alliance which is betwixt his Majesty and your Provinces which being founded upon the preservation and maintenance of the Reformed Religion you have not omitted to violate in the proceeding of this cause Of which enormous indignities committed against the Church of God and against his Majestie 's person in preferring the presence of Vorstius before his amity and alliance the King my Master holds himself bound to be sensible and if Reparation be not made and that speedily which cannot be by any other means than by sending Vorstius away his Majesty will make it appear unto the World by some Declaration which he will cause to be printed and published how much he detests the Atheisms and Heresies of Vorstius and all those that maintain favour and cherish them To this the States promised a better Answer at their next Assembly but that producing no good
effect the King writes a Declaration against Vorstius which is extant in his own Works collected by Doctor Iames Montague son to Sir Edward Montague of Bowghton in the County of Northampton Knight then Bishop of Winchester and Dean of his Majestie 's Chappel in which Volume is depainted the King's excellent spirit and many Royal Graces tending to Religion and Piety IOSEPHVS SCALIGER And after in the year 1613. there were many Discords among them which our King hearing of he incited the States by Letters again so willing he was to have Unity among them that this War of the Tongue might be pacified rather by publick Authority than School Disputations and by his Mediation for a good time the Humor was abated or rested as in the interpolate Fits of Agnes but the Rancor broke out again more than ever For this year 1618. as formerly expressed the Distemper came to the State or height and had ever after a decline Our King hearing of the Disorders and Tumults among them looked upon them now as so many ill Omens portending not only the ruin of the Netherlands but the Tempest growing greater might beat too soon upon the British-shores To stay therefore the swelling progress of this Gangrene humor he prohibits his Subjects by Proclamation to send their children to Leyden and solicits the States by Letters again not only to forbid the preaching of these Controversies the Pulpits being made but the Bellows of Dissention but commands his Ambassador Sir Dudley Carleton to shew them their Disease and then prescribes them the Cure Their Disease was this Schism in the Church which usher'd in a Faction in the State jealousie and disaffection among the Magistrates hatred and heart-burning among the Common people contempt of the Orders and Decrees of the chiefest Courts of Iustice distraction among the Souldiers being tyed to several forms of Oaths insurrections commotions among the Companies new levied not well disciplin'd as likewise among the common people which have extended to blood to the affrightment fear and trouble of all the Provinces at which the Enemy smiles who happily have a hand in the design and their friends lament to see it so To cure which Malady there is no other way than to call a National Council where these Waters of strife being kept in due bound the asperous edge of Opinion might be taken off by grave and weighty Reason to abate the Passion both in Church and State The Remonstrants which the Arminians called themselves carrying on their Resolutions with a full sail would by no means alter their course or consent to the calling of a Council either fearing their party in Council would prove the weakest or knowing their partakers in Action would be the strongest for most of the States and Governours of Provinces had tasted of this infected Cup. And Barnevelt the Head of them being an active person and having a nimble tongue distilling into them a Iealousie that Maurice Prince of Orange who had the command of all their Garrisons as General or their Army affected to make himself by his power sole Lord and Monarch over them that the Freedom which they had purchased with their bloods was now ready to be trampled on he that was their Servant aspiring to become their Master having all power both by Sea and Land in his own hand all Governments and Offices at his dispose so that he wanted nothing but the Title to make him absolute These sparks took fire with many and yet they could not well see by that light because Barnevelt drew these pretences as a Curtain to get as much power in the Militia as he had in their Councils the better to bring his ends about Whereupon to ballance the Prince of Orange's power new Companies are levied in some of the Provinces secretly specially in Utrecht meaning to make that the Stage to act their bloody parts on Which Town being much corrupted with the Leaven of bad Doctrine they soon closed with the corruption of as bad manners The Prince of Orange and some others affected to him did cut out their time to the length of the others endeavours proportioning their Prevention suitable to the others Action so the advance of the one party ran upon the same Parallel with the other being ready to tread on their heels for hast And now the time being ripe The Prince goes to Utrecht accompanied with some of the States his intimates Count Ernest of Nassau and some other Commanders of the Army to seise upon or disband those new raised Forces in which he was opposed by Leydenburgh and other States of the Town who incited the Governour Sir Iohn Ogle our Countryman to deny the Prince entrance but he was too much a friend to the Honor of his Name and Nation to falsifie his trust So that the Prince encountred only with those whose unwillingness had power enough if they had had hearts to oppose him But he finding it would be an ill Precedent to the rest of the Towns to meet a Repulse here had ordered five Hundred foot from Arnham and the next Garrisons to meet him there who entred the Town that evening peaceably and the next morning about four a clock disbanded the new levied Companies before the Towns-men were well awake IOHAN VAN OLDENBARNEVELD Binnen s'Gravenhage Onthalst Den 13. May 1619. This giving some stop to the carreir of the Remonstrants in Utrecht the rest of the Towns took up though they had run long uncurbed And now the Prince and State thought of nothing more than of composing the Disorders of the Church by a National Council which Barnevelt and his Faction opposing they resolved to take away those impediments that hindered the Peace and Tranquility of the Provinces So that on the 19th of August the prime Ring-leaders of the Sedition Barnevelt Hogenberts and Grotius were seised on at the Hague as they were entring the Senate and committed to several Prisons This cast a general damp upon the spirits of the Remonstrants as if they had been crushed in the head And some few days after Leydenburgh was sent from Utrecht with a strong Guard These being the four chief Pillars whereupon this confused Building stood they being taken away it fell to the ground Leydenburgh to prevent their mercy stabbed himself in Prison with a knife that opened a passage to let out his life Hogenberts and Grotius found something of mercy by waiting for it but they were condemned to perpetual Imprisonment in the Castle of Lovestien And the latter of them Grotius after some time of Imprisonment made an escape in a Trunk which his Wife pretended to the Soldiers of the Castle to be full of Arminian Books which she would send away because they should not trouble her Husband's head But the Capital Offender Barnevelt was Beheaded at the Hague the fourteenth of May following being 1619. His Sentence of death was this That for so much he had endeavoured to disturb
design Weston being a kind of Papist and Conwey a Protestant the better to close up the breach between the Emperor and the King of Bohemia But Ferdinand being startled with the flaring Glory of this new King to cast a damp upon it and to terrifie him and his Adherents he caused this Proscription to be published against them WE Ferdinand c. To all Electors Princes c. but especially to the Subjects of Frederick Count Palatine of the Rhine Elector c. send greeting Because it is not known unto you how that Frederick Count Palatine of the Rhine c. hath made himself head of that persidious and rebellious crew of our Kingdom of Bohemia Wherefore we proclaim the said Frederick Count Palatine c. Guilty of High Treason and iterate Proscription and of all the Penalties which by Law and Custom are depending thereon We conclude him out of Our and the Imperial Peace and are firmly resolved solved to execute the said Penalties against the said Frederick which calleth himself Count Palatine of the Rhine as against one publickly proscribed an Enemy and Adversary to us and to the Empire and as one which hath suffered himself to be made a Head of our disobedient and perfidious Rebels who is a Contemner and Oppugner of our Imperial Authority and Majesty who is an Infringer of Publick Peace and Tranquillity and of other Ordinances and Laws of the Empire Commanding you under pain of Life that in no way you give any aid succour assistance neither in Money Provision Munition nor any way else neither openly nor covertly under what colour or pretext soever to the said Frederick who calleth himself Count Palatine of the Rhine And if one or more of you should serve or be in pay of the said Frederick his Complices or Helpers We command him or them to forsake the Service of the said proscribed Frederick and of his Helpers And we command you the Estates Dependents Alliances Subjects and Vassals of the said proscribed Frederick that henceforth you yield unto him no obedience help nor aid in assisting him any further nor partake of his Rebellion Disobedience and Crime but utterly to forsake him in it and to assist us with true and faithful aid and succour to reduce the disobedient disloyal rebellious proscribed Frederick and his Helpers to due Obedience any Treaty Confederacy Amity and Alliance notwithstanding And we absolve you that are Vassals of the said proscribed Frederick or which are in his Protection or which are his Natural Subjects or Strangers from all your Oaths and Duties promising to all those which shall be obedient unto this our Mandate all Imperial favour grace and security We will likewise that none shall protect defend or secure the said banished Frederick and his Helpers and Assistants in nothing that may be profitable to them For we exclude the said banished Frederick together with his Adherents from all favour liberties promises security publick peace confederacies alliances laws privileges immunities and customs heretofore given unto him and them by our Ancestors the Roman Emperors But he that shall be disobedient unto this our Will and Command and shall assist take part or aid in any sort either privately or publickly under what colour soever the said Frederick who calleth himself Count Palatine of the Rhine and Duke of Bavaria We declare by these Presents guilty of high Troason and iterate Proscription no less than himself And this let every one take notice of to keep themselves from danger Given in our City of Vienna c. CHRISTIANVS II. DVX SAXONIAE ETC. SEPTEMVIRATVS CAES. CREAN HAERES ANNO MDCIX VIRTVTE CHRISTI ANA While they were thus grappling in Bohemia the Marquess Spinola was forming an Army in Flanders and the Protestant Princes of Germany Consederates to the Palatine calling themselves the Princes of the Union raised Forces for the defence of the Palatinate and their own Interest under the Command of the Marquess of Ansbach But our King made no Preparations yet he sent to his Ambassador at Bruxels commanding him to enquire for what purpose Spinola's Army was called together the Truce continuing betwixt Spain and the Low-Countries but the Ambassador could receive little satisfaction the Spanish subtilty having sealed up Spinola's Commission which he was not to open till the Army were ready to march But men of ordinary understanding might apprehend that an Army of six and twenty thousand Foot and four thousand Horse with all Military Provisions were not to lye still and though our King had divers Arguments presented to him that did assure him that Army was intended for the Palatinate yet would not his Spirit be set on work to preserve his Childrens Patrimony So odious was the name of War to him But at length with much ado one Regiment of Foot to joyn with the Princes of the Union and make a little noise and bustle was extorted from him by importunities This Regiment was the gallantest for the Persons and outward presence of men that in many Ages I think hath appeared either at home or abroad It consisted of two and twenty hundred compleat the chief Commander Sir Horatio Vere who was after Baron of Tilbery a Person bred up in the School of War and a known Master in the Art of Victory He was accompanied with the Earls of Oxford and Essex young and daring Spirits whose honour not only descended from a long Series of Noble Progenitors but they made it their own And out of respect to them as well as love to the Service this Regiment was almost furnished with Gentlemen who went to make themselves capable of better imployment the English for many years having been truants in that Art The two Earls had two hundred and fifty men apiece piece in each Company and so many flocked to Essex out of love and he loth to put them off that he carried 300 men into the Palatinate paying fifty of them with his own Money The King being drawn to consent that two Regiments more should follow for these two Noblemen which gave the more encouragement to this petty Enterprize The English followed Spinola but at a distance for he being nearer to the Palatinate got much the start of them though they went out of England before he presented the Arch-Dukes with the civilities of his Departure which was upon the eighth of August And upon the last of the same month by the Assistance of Maurice Prince of Orange and the benefit of a Bridge of boats a little below Weasel they past the Rhine under the Conduct of Prince Henry of Nassau who with two thousand Horse and four hundred Musqueteers taken out of Gulick and the adjacent Garrisons cleared the Countrey before them marching through Gulickland and the barren Mountains of Collenland till they came near to Coblentz which Town stands upon the Center of two Rivers the Rhine and Mosell Giving out in the march as if the Army intended to pass
those how few went God's way So that he concluded the Devil to be a great Monarch having so many Kingdoms under his command and no doubt he had his Vice Roys Council of State Treasurers Secretaries and many other Officers to manage and order his affairs for there was order in hell it self which after he had mustered together he gives a character of every particular Officer who were fit to be the Devil's servants running through the body of the Court discovering the correspondencies with Iesuits secret Pensions from Foreign Princes betraying their Masters Counsels to deserve their Rewards working and combining to the prejudice of God's people And when he came to describe the Devil's Treasurers exactions and gripings to get mony he fixt his eye upon Cranfield then Lord Treasurer whose marriage into the house of Fortune and Title of Earl could not keep him from being odious to the people and pointing at him with his hand said with an Emphasis That man reiterating it That man that makes himself rich and his Master poor he is a fit Treasurer for the Devil This the Author heard and saw whilst Cranfield sat with his hat pulled down over his eyes ashamed to look up lest he should find all mens eyes fixt upon him the King who sat just over him smiling at the quaint Satyr so handsomly coloured over It seems Neile the Bishop of Lincoln was not by him then for when any man preached that had the Renown of Piety unwilling the King should hear him he would in the Sermon time entertain the King with a merry Tale that I may give it no worse title which the King would after laugh at and tell those near him he could not hear the Preacher for the old B. Bishop We must confess this Relation smells too rank but it was too true and hope the modest Reader will excuse it We having had divers hammerings and conflicts within us to leave it out seeing it proceeds not from any rancour of spirit against the Prelacy but to vindicate God's Iustice to Posterity who never punishes without a Cause and such like practices as these were doubtless put upon the score which after gave a period to that Hierarchy This man's hand helped to close up the Countess of Essex's Virginity when he was Coventry and Litchfield his heart had this kind of vanity when he was Lincoln and when he was Arch-bishop of York his head was so filled with Arminian impiety that in the next King's Reign he was looked upon by the Parliament to be one of the great Grievances of the Kingdom as will follow in the Tract of this Story Lionell Craufield Earle of Middlesex Baron Cranfield of Cranfield The King that either thought these instruments were not so active or that they would not be discovered was resolved upon a Parliament for the former Reasons which began the twentieth of Ianuary this year yet not being ignorant of some miscarriages that passed by his allowance he strives to palliate them and gives the Parliament some little touches of them by the way that when they should find them they might by his Anticipation appear the less And being loth to have the breach between him and his people made wider he thus strives to stop the gap MY Lords Spiritual and Temporal and you the Commons cui multiloquio non deest peccatum In the last Parliament ● made long Discourses especially to them of the Lower House I did open the true thought of my heart But I may say with our Saviour I have piped to you and you have not danced I have mourned and you have not lamented Yet as no man's Actions can be free so in me God found some spices of Vanity and so all my sayings turned to me again without any success And now to tell the Reasons of your Calling and this Meeting apply it to your selves and spend not the time in long Speeches Consider That the Parliament is a thing composed of a Head and a Body the Monarch and the two Estates It was first a Monarchy then after a Parliament there are no Parliaments but in Monarchical Governments for in Venice the Netherlands and other Free-Governments there are none The Head is to call the Body together and for the Clergy the Bishops are chief for Shires their Knights and for Towns and Cities their Burgesses and Citizens These are to treat of difficult matters and to counsel their King with their best advice to make Laws for the Commonweal and the Lower-House is also to petition the King and acquaint him with their grievances and not to meddle with their King's Prerogative They are to offer supply for his necessity and he to distribute in recompence thereof Iustice and Mercy As in all Parliaments it is the King's office to make good Laws whose Fundamental Cause is the peoples ill manners so at this time That we may meet with the new Abuses and the incroaching craft of the times particulars shall be read hereafter As touching Religion Laws enough are made already it stands in two points Persuasion and Compulsion Men may persuade but God must give the blessing Iesuits Priests Puritans and Sectaries erring both on the right-hand and left-hand are forward to persuade unto their own ends and so ought you the Bishops in your example and preaching but compulsion to obey is to bind the Conscience There is talk of the Match with Spain But if it shall not prove a furtherance to Religion I am not worthy to be your King I will never proceed but to the Glory of God and content of my Subjects For a supply to my necessities I have reigned eighteen years in which time you have had Peace and I have received far less supply than hath been given to any King since the Conquest The last Queen of famous memory had one year with another above a hundred thousand pounds per annum in Subsidies And in all my time I had but four Subsidies and six Fifteens It is ten years since I had a Subsidy in all which time I have been sparing to trouble you I have turned my self as nearly to save expence as I may I have abated much in my Houshold-expences in my Navies in the charge of my Munition I made not choice of an old beaten Soldier for my Admiral but rather chose a young man whose honesty and integrity I knew whose care hath been to appoint under him sufficient men to lessen my charges which he hath done Touching the miserable dissentions in Christendom I was not the cause thereof for the appeasing whereof I sent my Lord of Doncaster whose journey cost me three thousand five hundred pounds My Son-in-law sent to me for advice but within three days after accepted of the Crown which I did never approve of for three Reasons First for Religion sake as not holding with the Iesuits disposing of Kingdoms rather learning of our Saviour to uphold not to overthrow them Secondly I was no Judg between them
neither acquainted with the Laws of Bohemia Quis me judicem fecit ROTTERDAM You may be informed of me in things in course of justice but I never sent to any of my Iudges to give Sentence contrary to the Law Consider the Trade for the making thereof better and shew me the Reason why my Mint for these eight or nine years hath not gone I confess I have been liberal in my Grants but if I be informed I will amend all hurtful grievances But who shall hasten after grievances and desire to make himself popular he hath the Spirit of Satan If I may know my errors I will reform them I was in my first Parliament a Novice and in my last there was a kind of Beasts called Undertakers a dozen of whom undertook to govern the last Parliament and they led me I shall thank you for your good Office and desire that the World may say well of our Agreement Physicians have an Aphorism Si caput infirmum caetera mem brum dolent This Head is not a weak one but subtil enough for the Body The Parliament knew well whom they had to deal with and managed their business in the beginning that they were the readier to grapple with him in the end They would not stir a Stone of that foundation his Prerogative rested on but those men that had wrought themselves in to supplant and undermine the Common Liberties they fell sore upon them The King was modest and almost ashamed to tell the Parliament how much Money the Viscount Doncaster's J●urney cost therefore he minces it into a small proportion But this we know when he landed at Roterdam the first night and morning before he went to the Hague his Expences those two meals in the Inn where he lay came to above a Thousand Gilders which is a Hundred pounds Sterling And the Inn-keeper at the Peacock at Dort hoping he would make that his way into Germany made great Provisions for him upon no other Order but a bare Fancy and the Ambassador taking his way by Utricht the Inn-keeper of Dort followed him complaining that he was much prejudiced by his baulking that Town For hearing of a great Ambassador's coming and what he had expended at Ro●erdam I made saith he Preparations suitable and now they will lye on my hands Which coming to Doncaster's ear he commanded his Steward to give him Thirty pounds sterling and never tasted of his Cup. And we have been assured by some of his Train that his very Carriages could not cost so little as Threescore pounds a day for he had with him a great many Noblemens Sons and other Personages of quality that the Germans might admire the glory of the English as well as the French did in his last Ambassage And he was out so long following the Emperor in his Progresses from City to Camp and from Camp to City a poor humble Solicitor if not Petitioner that his Expence could not amount to less than fifty or threescore thousand pounds When he was at the Hague had made his visits and filled the Town with the admiration of his bravery and feasts Some intimates to Maurice Prince of Orange advised him to feast the great English Ambassador Yes yes saith the Prince bid him come When the Prince's Steward had notice of the invitation from other hand for the Prince gave no order in it he comes to the Prince and tells him there will be great preparations expected for the Ambassador's ordinary meals were Feasts and he had an numerous and splendid Train of Nobles and Gentry that did accompany him Well said the Prince fit me a dinner such as I use to have and let me see the bill of fare When the Steward brought the Bill the Prince liked it well but the Steward said Sir This is but your ordinary diet now you should have some thing extraordinary because this is an extraordinary Ambassador The Prince thinking some reason in the Steward's Arguments and finding but one Pig nominated in the Bill commanded him to put down another Pig and that was all the additions he would make Which Dish as it is not very pleasing and acceptable to the Scots Nation for the most part so we know not whether it were by accident or on purpose to displease him But this is well known there could be nothing more contemptible to the morose and severe temper of the Princes spirit than this comportment of Doncaster's which most men interpreted to be pride and prodigality But truly set those vanities of Grandure aside for the honor though not profit of his Master He was a Gentleman every way compleat His Bounty was adorned with Courtesie his Courtesie not affected but resulting from a natural Civility in him His Humbleness set him below the Envy of most and his Bounty brought him into esteem with many A true Courtier for complying and one that had Language enough to be real as well as formal for he could personate both to the height of expression So that he was very fit for his imployment though it were purchased at a dear rate But to leave this digression Some small time after the Parliament began the King according to his intentions and expressions in his Speech to them dispatched away the Lord Digby Ambassador to the Emperor where he was to press for a punctual Answer whether the Palatinate might be recovered by Peace or War Sir Robert Cotton From an Original by P. Van Somer His Autograph from the Original in the Possession of John Thane The main things which the Parliament insisted on though many others came by the by were the three great Patents for Inns Ale-houses and Gold and Silver thred Upon every Inn and Ale-house there was a great Fine and Annual Revenue set throughout the Kingdom and they that would not pay so much as the Patentees assest them at their goods and persons were seised on till they gave them satisfaction according to their voraginous humours And they found out a new Alchimistical way to make Gold and Silver Lace with Copper and other sophisticate materials to couzen and deceive the people and no man must make or vent any but such Factors as they imployed so that they ingrossed all the whole trade of that Ages vanity which was enough and gave them counterfeit ware for their money And if any man were found to make any other Lace than what was allowed by them they were made to know to their dear experience the power of these Ingrossers And so poisonous were the Drugs that made up this deceitful Composition that they rotted the hands and arms and brought lameness upon those that wrought it some losing their eyes and many their lives by the venom of the vapours that came from it The chief Actors in this Pestilent business were Sir Giles Mompesson and Sir Francis Michel These two moved all the under-wheels Mompesson had fortune enough in the Country to make him happy if
that sphere could have contained him but the vulgar and universal error of satiety with present injoyments made him too big for a rustical condition and when he came at Court he was too little for that So that some Novelty must be taken up to set him if he knew his own mind in Aequilibrio to the place he was in no matter what it was let it be never so pestilent and mischievous to others he cared not so he found benefit by it To him Michel is made Compartner a poor sneaking Justice that lived among the Brothels near Clerken-well whose Clark and he pickt a livelyhood out of those corners giving Warrants for what they did besides anniversary ●●ipends the frequent Revenue of some Justices of those times for connivency I know how necessary and how splendent it is for men of publick minds to flourish in the execution of Iustice for weeding out and extirpating vitious habits radicated in every corner but this thing was a poisonous Plant in its own nature and the fitter to be an Ingredient to such a Composition Therefore he is brought to Court Knighted and corroborated by these Letters Patents whereby he took liberty to be more ravenous upon poor people to the grating of the bones and sucking out the very marrow of their substance These oppressions were throughly ripped up and laid open by the House of Commons But together with these proceedings they took notice of the King's wants and thought fit something to sweeten his temper that they might not take from him the little profit he had by those Patents but they would m●ke it up some other way therefore they gave him two intire Subsidles which were very acceptable unto him For those Contributions that flow from the peoples love come freely like a Spring-tide But illegal Taxes racked from their bowels coming through so many Promoters and Catchpoles hands run very low and the King hath the least share The King hearing these Patents were anatomized in the House of Commons and willing to comply with his people whom he found so bountiful unto him he comes to the House of Lords to close gently with them and excuse the granting of those Patents shewing some reasons why he did them and the instructions he gave for the execution of them by which he hoped to take off that sharp reflexion that might light upon him But the modesty of Parliaments seldom impute any of these miscarriages to the Prince but the Actors under him must bear the burthen of it And the time drawing near that the Lords assigned for judging the Malefactors the King comes again to the House upon the 26 of March and thus passed his sentence upon the Patents before the Lords should pass theirs upon the executioners of them My Lords Thomas Earle of Arundell Surrey Earle Marshall Lord high Steward of Englaud etc. Two reasons move me to be earnest in the execution of what ye are to sentence at this time First That duty I owe to God who hath made me a King and tied me to the care of Government by that politick Marriage betwixt me and my people For I do assure you in the Heart of an honest man and by the Faith of a Christian King which both ye and all the World know me to be had these things been complained of to me before the Parliament I would have done the office of a just King and out of Parliament have punished them as severely and peradventure more than ye now intend to do But now that they are discovered to me in Parliament I shall be as ready in this way as I should have been in the other For I confess I am ashamed these things proving so as they are generally reported to be that it was not my good fortune to be the only Author of the Reformation and punishment of them by some ordinary Courts of Justice Nevertheless since these things are now discovered by Parliament which before I knew not of nor could so well have discovered otherwise in regard of that Representative Body of the Kingdom which comes from all parts of the Country I will be never a-whit the slower to do my part for the execution For as many of you that are here have heard me often say and so I will still say So precious unto me is the publick good that no private person whatsoever were he never so dear unto me shall be respected by me by many degrees as the publick good not only of the whole Common-wealth but even of a particular Corporation that is a Member of it And I hope that ye my Lords will do me that right to publish to my people this my heart and purpose The second Reason is That I intend not to derogate or infringe any of the Liberties or Privileges of this House but rather to fortifie and strengthen them For never any King hath done so much for the Nobility of England as I have done and will ever be ready to do And whatsoever I shall say and deliver unto you as my thought yet when I have said what I think I will afterwards freely leave the Judgment wholly to your House I know you will do nothing but what the like hath been done before and I pray you be not jealous that I will abridge you of any thing that hath been used For whatsoever the Precedents in times of good Government can warrant I will allow For I acknowledge this to be the supreme Court of Iustice wherein I am ever present by Representation And in this ye may be the better satisfied by my own presence coming divers times among you Neither can I give you any greater assurance or better pledge of this my purpose than that I have done you the honor to set my only Son among you and hope that ye with him shall have the means to make this the happiest Parliament that ever was in England This I profess and take comfort in that the House of Commons at this time have shewed greater love and used me with more respect in all their proceedings than ever any House of Commons have heretofore done to me or I think to any of my Predecessors As for this House of yours I have always found it respective to me and accordingly do I and ever did favour you as you well deserved And I hope it will be accounted a happiness for you that my Son doth now sit among you who when it shall please God to set him in my place will then remember that he was once a Member of your House and so be bound to maintain all your Lawful Privileges and like the better of you all the days of his life But because the World at this time talks so much of Bribes I have just cause to fear the whole Body of this House hath bribed him to be a good Instrument for you upon all occasions He doth so good Offices in all his Reports to me both for the House in general and every
command me to give you an account of my last Foreign Negotiation with the Emperour who you know being much exasperated with the invasion of Bohemia to which the King never gave incouragement in the attempt nor countenance in the Prosecution hath upon the advantage of his fortunate success there invaded into the inheritance of his Son the Palatine Whereupon I was directed by his Majestie 's Commission to treat if Peace might be compassed with fair endeavours to which the Emperour seemed very inclinable Albeit slow in giving Audience by reason that the Diet in Germany was deferred and he depended upon some answer from the Princes But in conclusion I received such satisfaction as promised Restitution of the Palatinate which only was granted by Commission to the Duke of Bavaria until it was setled by absolute Peace or further War And being addressed by the Emperour with Letters to the Duke of Bavaria wherein he wished his tractable condescent to all good Terms of Peace Upon which occasion I urged that I had Authority from the Count Palatin●e to cause the Count Mansfield to desist from War and likewise from the King to his Body of War under the Government of Sir Horatio Vere The Duke of Bavaria replied That he had becalmed Mansfield with great sums of money and when he is quiet my Peace is made To which scornful and slight reply somthing I answered and departed to the Infanta to Bruxels who seemed to understand by the Emperour's Letters that he did rather prepare for War then Peace and would give no direct answer till she heard from the King of Spain who I must ingenuously confess hath stood clear a Neutral according to his promise Yet is he now so strong prepared for War having at this instant five great Armies in motion that it will not mis-become the wisdom of the State to fear the worst And to conclude such hath been the care of the King for his own Honour and Son 's Right that he presumes you will cheerfully apply your selves to the necessity of the Times and this occasion and not only afford him aid for his present support but such further supply as may help to re-invest his Son into his inheritance Which Relation of Digbie's being seconded by some of the King 's great Minister of State who had instructions suitable to their Errand they let the Parliament know how justly and necessary it was and how forward the King would be to accomplish that by War which he could not recover by Peace and they set it off with all the slippery Oratory they could to draw in money for that being the main ingredient if that were provided the rest of the simples would easily be purchased to make up the Composition Thus the Kings suits and intreaties were slighted and disregarded abroad and his intentions suspected and feared at home Princes that do grasp Possessions with iron hands will not be smoothed out of them by fair words the Sword as it is the best determiner so it is the most honourable Treater And though the King incited the Parliament by these his Ministers to contribute towards a War yet they found his inclination bent towards Peace both in respect of Gondemar's power with him upon whose sandy promises he built a good Foundation of Hope and in regard of some Letters which the King had lately written to the King of Spain wherein great indulgencies were promised to the Papists whereby they saw he was too much transported with a desire to the Match And the King finding Digbie's indeavours fruitless in Germany intended to send him into Spain extraordinary Ambassador to that King whom he looked upon as the great Wheel that moved the others which way he pleased For he was resolved to close some way with the House of Austria either by Marriage or intreaty to peece and make up the Breach the War had made But the King had to do with cunning Gamesters that smiled to see how earnest he was at it for they had the sign given out of his hand and saw all the Game he played so faithless was the Councel about him The English in general except Papists were averse to this Match as boding some evil event because the Papists did prune themselves flutter up and down and spread their Trains so publickly This almost universal aversation of the people had a natural influence upon the Representative the Parliament who considering that the King by Digby and others did inform them how formidable the King of Spain was and did require them to apply themselves to the necessity of the Times and further him with help to re-invest his Son in his Inheritance thought there was no better means to be used than to try effectually the King's Spirit and stir him up to a war for so they should know which way their Money went at leastwise his mind before they tamely parted with it And therefore like wise Physicians that never prescribe letting blood but when it tends to the health of the Body first they shew the Causes of the Distempers and Evils that were to be feared Secondly what effects they were likely to produce And lastly the Remedies to prevent them in this Petition and Remonstrance Most Gracious and dread Soveraign VVE your Majestie 's most humble and loyal Subjects the Knights Citizens and Burgesses now assembled in Parliament who represent the Commons of your Realm full of hearty sorrow to be deprived of the Comfort of your Royal Presence the rather for that it proceeds from the want of your health wherein We all unfainedly do suffer In all humble manner calling to mind your gracious answer to our former Petition concerning Religion which notwithstanding your Majesties pious and princely intentions hath not produced that good effect which the danger of these Times doth seem to us to require And finding how ill your Majesties goodness hath been requited by Princes of different Religion who even in time of Treaty have taken opportunity to advance their own Ends tending to the Subversion of Religion and disadvantage of your affairs and the Estate of your Children By reason whereof your ill-affected Subjects at home the Popish Recusants have taken too much incouragement and are dangerously increased in their Number and in their insolencies We cannot but be sensible thereof And thereof humbly represent what we conceive to be the Causes of so great and growing Mischiefs and what be the Remedies 1. The Vigilancy and Ambition of the Pope of Rome and his dearest Son the one aiming at as large a Temporal Monarchy as the other at a Spiritual Supremacy 2. The Devillish Positions and Doctrines whereon Popery is built and taught with authority to their Followers for advancement of their Temporal Ends. 3. The distressed and miserable Estate of the Professors of true Religion in Foreign parts 4. The disastrous Accidents to your Majesties Children abroad expressed with rejoycing and even with contempt of their Persons 5.
Kings shall contend for a blessing upon our endeavours and for your Majesties long and happy Reign over Us And for your Childrens children after you for many and many Generations The King hearing that the House of Commons were hammering upon this Remonstrance went to Newmarket a cold and bleak Air in as cold and bleak a season pretending his Health but indeed to be further from the sound of that noise which perpetually possessed his Ears of the discontent of the Commons for the intended Match with Spain And as the Business grew up he had intimation of it from his creatures in the House for it vext his Popish Secretary Sir George Calvert Weston and others to find the House so bitter against their Profession though they were cunning Underminers and put on a smooth face there yet they aggravated the matter to the King with all the Acrimony they could so far as to reflect upon particular persons that were the most Active instruments in it And what is there in this Remonstrance at such a time when the Protestant Religion was in danger of being extirpated that put on so horrid a Vizard as to affright or exasperate the King The Emperor had prevailed in Germany the Protestant Princes either subdued or acquiesced and laid down their necks to the Yoak The Protestants were persecuted in France besieged and ruined by the youthful fury of Lewis the 13. And notwithstanding Our King's solicitations by Sir Edward Herbert since Baron of Cherbery his Resident Ambassador there who after his conflict with Luynes the youthful Constable of France and Favourite to that King being sent for home the Viscount Doncaster was sent again into France upon one of his mediating imployments who also followed that King from Camp to City and from City to Camp with as little success this being no journey of Bravery for it almost cost him his life there by a tedious sickness Rochel and Montaban were besieged at one time this very year Rochel by the Count of Soissons and the Duke of Guise and Montaban by the King a great distance one from another but Doncaster could prevail for neither yet the French King did not do his work When man hath vented all his malice he can go no further than the line God hath set him One sad story intervenes which had a various Countenance mixt with Bravery and Baseness so that it was doubtful which was most prevalent One Hicks an English-man undertook to carry a Letter from Rochel to Montaban through both Armies to let them know the good State and Condition of the Rochellers were in maugre the fury and violence of their Enemies that those of Montaban might be encouraged to hold out against the King's assaults Hicks makes a clear passage through the Army before Rochell and came to Thoulouse where the Viscount Doncaster was there he consorted with the English insinuating with a young Gentlemen one Fairfax of that noble Family in York-shire who was for that journey one of the Lord Ambassador's Train and Hicks finding him willing being a young and gallant Spirit to see the Kings Leagure at Montaban they rode thither together and under the notion of being of the Ambassador's retinue they had free admittance to view all the Works and Avenues Hicks whose eye was fixt upon his opportunity to fly into the Town made use of Fairfax to take his advantage with the least Suspicion and in the instant of time puts Spurs to his Horse and got into the Town through a Shower of Bullets leaving Fairfax astonish'd at the attempt to be wrackt and tormented to death as he was by the French fury to confess what he never knew so that Hicks his Brave●y deserves a Brand of Infamy and Fairfax his Innocency a memorial of pity A noble Spirit must not dare to do a gallant action an unworthy way UIUA EFFIGIES GENEROS I s siMI GULIELMI FAIRFAX PREFECTI To Frankenthal when seige Cordoua loyde Soe ●as our Britishe King craft ouerknau'd By Gondome● as in it Martix made This honorable Cadet 3 and soe stau'd Of all re●reuts that Burroughs there comander Our glorious Burroug●s was compell'd to render THOVLOVSE But when this Remonstrance was brought to perfection the King had a Copy of it before the House had time to send their Messengers with it in which something so highly displeased him that he instantly dispatched a Letter to the Speaker of the House of Commons to forbid the sending of it To Our Trusty and Wellbeloved Sir Thomas Richardson Knight Speaker of the House of Commons Mr. Speaker WE have heard by divers Reports to our great grief that Our distance from the Houses of Parliament caused by Our indisposition of health hath imboldned some fiery and Popular Spirits of some of the House of Commons to argue and debate publickly of Matters far above their reach and capacity tending to Our high dishonour and breach of Prerogative Royal. These are therefore to command you to make known in Our Name unto the House that none therein shall presume henceforth to meddle with any thing concerning Our Government or deep Matters of State and namely not to deal with our dearest Son's Match with the Daughter of Spain nor to touch the Honour of that King or any other our Friends or Confederates And also not to meddle with any mans particulars which have their due motion in our ordinary Courts of Justice And whereas we hear they have sent a Message to Sir Edwin Sandis to know the Reasons of his late restraint you shall in Our Name resolve them that it was not for any misdemeanor of his in Parliament But to put them out of doubt of any question of that Nature that may arise among them hereafter you shall resolve them in Our Name That We think Our self very free and able to punish any man's misdemeanors in Parliament as well during their sitting as after which we mean not to spare hereafter upon any occasion of any man's insolent Behaviour there that shall be ministred unto Us. And if they have already touched any of these points which We have here forbidden in any Petition of theirs which is to be sent unto Us it is our pleasure that you shall tell them that except they reform it before it come to our hands We will not deign the hearing nor answering of it This was the effect of the Letter Dated at Newmarket Decem. 3. 1621. When the House had duly and weightily considered the just Reasons they had to draw up this Remonstrance in discharge of their Consciences and duties to God and the King and found how fruitless their labours were Having as it were cast out one Anchor in a tempestuous season which would take no hold they were forced to cast out another that both together might better fasten on the King 's good affections Therefore they framed this following Petition and sent the Remonstrance with it hoping yet to save the beaten Bark of the
but what is their great Errand to get Money If they touch upon miscarriage in Government it disparages him to his people for now the inside of his Copses are well grown again If upon Religion he knows well enough how to order that if the Treaty with Spain goes on And for the affairs of State he seems to imply as if there were some hidden and secret Art in those Mysteries of King-craft that the Parliaments apprehension cannot reach For who can have wisdom saith he to judge of things CAESAR BORGIA VALENtiorum Dux Cum pater ad summos Romae esset vectus honores Borgaei toto Praesulvt orbe foret Purpuraei donat gnato huic insigne galèri Quod tamen hoc tantum respuit ille decus Cum ferabella sequi mallet Venerem● nefandam Et sratr●m è ●edi● tolleret suum of that Nature but those that are traded in them Every man in his Profession So the Priests by their old Oracles did strive to keep the World in ignorance as the Romish Factors do now Whereas the true way of Treaties is with Christian not Machiavelian policy This we require this answer we expect you shall have this Retribution from Us. If you go about to cozen and cheat Us by delays and spin out time for ends such Syrens must not be listened after Every State must stand upon the foundation of its own Reason and Power and not build Castles of paper Hopes upon deceitful promises unless there be such redundant Causes of dependency upon them as it is impossible to subsist without them It was observed by Comines that in all Treaties betwixt the English and the French the English ever had the worst but in all Wars and Conflicts the English had the better intimating that Subtil●y may deceive but plain down-right Honesty is best and will prevail Falsness is fit for such spirits as Pope Alexander or his Nephew Caesar Borgia Scipio though a Heathen in his pactions with Spain and Carthage scorned it and the old Roman Senate were so Gallant as to rebuke Lucius Marcius their Ambassador and General because in the managing of his Wars and Treaties with Perseus King of Macedon he went about by subtilties to circumvent him And now an Ambassador as one saith lyes abroad Reipublicae causa for the good of his Countrey which tends rather to the hurt of it But now they find that the King would only make Merchandize of the Common-wealth yet Merchants look for their Money again with advantage and therefore their Counsel in disposing it may be well spared But the Parliament it they raise Money from the People which is never to be repayed there is good reason they should know not only to what purpose it is levied but how prudently and sitly laid out otherwise as the King tells them in the comparison of the Robber though in relation to his Prerogative if they should be summoned to levy Money of the people without consideration of what it is for or how it shall be disposed for the good of the Kingdom they may very well say and protest That they meant not to take it from them so that is not to rob them of it But the King's necessities must come under the Common Emergencies which he would not have known and what will one Subsidy without fifteens do The Protestants want in the Palatinate so doth he in England But he had lately a great assistance from his People never King of England found greater love as he saith of himself yet he wants still and would have supply for it under the notion of a War They must consider what Money is fit what Foot what Horse necessary but they must not know for what All that they can imagine is that the King wants Money for his Favourite Buckingham and his kindred to furnish them against Christmas for feasting gaming and bravery the three main pillars of the Times licentiousness raised up to a stupendious and excessive height or to send out his Ambassadors or help his indigent and expensive Courtiers and then the Wars are ended for Want is a great War But if the good of the Kingdom the establishment of Religion the happiness of the King and his Posterity be not fit Themes for them to discourse of why are they called The late Queen whose memory will be for ever famous by the King 's own relation liked the Parliaments Petition well when they humbly besought her to marry because they did not prescribe her place and person but left that to her Election if they had done otherwise She would have thought it presumption in them The King thinks it presumption in the Parliament humbly to beseech him for the good of Religion to permit his Son to marry with a Protestant Princess if they had fixt upon place or person he would have thought it High Treason So many degrees high was the King's spirit mounted above a Woman's to humble Subjects and so many degrees lower then Hers was his Spirit to daring Enemies Some of these things were publickly discoursed of among them in the House and other-some muttered and talkt of in private for full breasts will find vent but the main business that the Commons insisted on was the King's incroachment upon their Liberties debarring them freedom of speech in Parliament which was a Natural Reasonable and uncontroul'd immunity as long as they kept themselves within the limits of their duty which the House was to be the sole judge of And who can tax any particular Member with miscarriages that way that the house hath not Censured hitherto for now the heat is but new broke in among them and this liberty of speech stuck most with them for if any man should speak any thing to displease the King though it tended never so much to the good of the Kingdom it might be termed insolent behaviour and be liable to punishment after Parliament if not then as the King threatens in his Letter which carried such a Terror and over-awing with it that they resolved to give over all business left they should offend Which the King hearing of writes again to his Secretary Calvert and the Speaker to take off the edge of those sharp expressions he used in his Letters thinking to cool the heat among them But before this heat was in the House of Commons the Lords began to consider how cheap they were made by the multitude of Irish and Scotch Earls and Viscounts the King had accumulated not the Natives of those Kingdoms but private English Gentlemen who had procured and assumed those Titles to perch above the English Baronry to their great regret and dishonour And after some debate and canvassing in it they resolved That though they could not debar the King from making such swarms of Nobles with Outlandish Titles yet they would let him know what prejudice it was to them and if it produced no other good effect the King might at least see they took offence and
Error theirs Therefore he plied it by his Ambassadors and Agents and all indulgences to Recusants were admitted to sweeten their Addresses The Lord Vaux a Papist had freedom to transport four thousand English to reinforce the King of Spain's Armies both against our King's Confederates of Holland under whose protection his banished Children had refuge and against their Country it self the Palatinate which the King so much endeavoured to preserve The Articles of Marriage had taken up much time in debate between the Commissioners of the two Kings before they could be brought to any form and the principal Articles that concerned Religion had many various shapes put upon them till they were drest to their minds And when they were fitted and fashioned by them the Pope stript them naked and put upon them what Garment they pleased He hath his Index expurgatorius in every thing And to dead our King's hopes the Pope urges Quod Ecclesiastici nullis legibus subjaceant nisi sourum superiorum Ecclesiasticorum That the Ecclesiasticks should be subject to no Laws but what they brought along with them which gave liberty to do what they pleased and to be punished for their ill doing how they pleased That the children of the Infanta might be brought up in the Popish Religion Usque ad Annos nubiles till it be well rooted in them And that she might have a publick Church in the City for all comers besides her Chappel in the Court which extended to little less than an open Toleration Some other Rubs the Pope threw in the way which the King stumbled at not being in the Articles treated on betwixt him and the King of Spain which He insists on to that King disclaims any Treaty with the Pope though his Agent Gage made daily addresses to him by Cardinal Bandino with whom Our King held correspondence And He requires the Lord Digby in Spain to press that King to a final Resolution that he might provide some other Match for his Son if this should not succeed For saith He We have in a manner already done that which is desired as all the Roman Catholicks have found which if the Pope had known it is to be presumed he would not so much have insisted upon these points And the sending and resending betwixt Spain and Rome and Rome and Spain spends time and may serve for a colour to draw the Treaty in infinitum But yet willing he was to have some Anchor-hold for his hopes for in the same Letter he saith Nevertheless if you find it a thing impossible for them to resolve without a reply to Rome and that they do earnestly desire it We are contented that you shall yield them two months time after your Audience and longer we cannot expect These Resolutions were sent Post into Spain inclosed in this following Letter which is very necessary to be inserted here though taken from Mr. Prin's Collection who had this and others among the Lord Cottington's Papers a great Agent afterwards in the Spanish Affairs and are the bitter Kernel preserved by Cottington when the Shell of the Treaty was broken RIght Trusty c. Your dispatch of the ninth of August gave Us so much Contentment and so great Hopes of Satisfaction in all those Business which you have there to Treat with that King as we could not expect any further Difficulties Notwithstanding by that which hath come to Our hands immediately after as well by George Gage from Rome as by our Ambassador Sir Richard Weston at Bruxels and Our Ministers in the Palatinate We find that neither the Dispensation is granted for the Match nor the Treaty of Cessation so near a conclusion as We conceived it would have been now that the Auxiliaries and all other Obstacles are removed But on the contrary side that new delays and excuses are invented Our Garisons in the Palatinate in the mean time blocked up Heidelburg it self Actually besieged Which proceeding though Our Ambassador hath expostulated with the Infanta and the Commissioners as injurious to Us and ill beseeming their Professions hitherto yet is there not that readiness shewed to give Us such contentment therein as We might justly expect but Answers still protracted and put off for advantage whilst Our Forces there remain in great Distress and the Town and Castle of Heidelburg likely in a few Daies to be lost for it cannot hold out long as We are informed This dealing seems the more strange unto Us for that the late Dispatch of the King of Spain was before the news of the Siege and that Our Ambassador had propounded any thing concerning it come unto the Infanta But because you shall be particularly informed of the whole carriage of the business We have given order that copies shall be sent you of all the Dispatch and then you shall see how these proceedings agree with the Hopes and Promises which are given Us from thence Hereupon therefore Our pleasure is That you shall immediately and with as much speed as you may crave Audience of that King and represent unto him the merit which We may justly challenge unto Our self for Our sincere proceedings with the Emperor and Him in all the course of this business notwithstanding the many invitations and temptations which We have had to engage Our self on Our Son-in-law's part That We have had both from the Emperor and him hopes given Us from time to time of extraordinary Respect howsoever Our Son-in-law had deserved which We have attended and expected even to the very last with much Patience and in despight as it were of all the opposition that hath All flesh is grass the best men vanity This but a shadow here before thine eye Of him whose wondrous changes clearly show That GOD not men swayes all things here below been made to shake our Resolution in that behalf If now when all impediments are removed and that the way is so prepared as that the Emperor may give an end unto the War and make some present demonstration of his Respects towards us in leaving Us the Honour of holding those poor places which yet remain quietly and peaceably until the general accommodation the same shall nevertheless be violently taken from Us what can We look for when the whole shall be in his hands and possession who amusing Us with a Treaty of Cessation and protracting it industriously as We have reason to believe doth in the mean time seize himself of the whole Country which being done Our Ambassador shall return with Scorn and We remain with Dishonour I shall not need to furnish you with Arguments for the unfolding and laying open this unfriendly Dealing more plainly unto them your own Reason and observation will find enough out of the Dispatches whereof Copies are sent unto you as namely the withdrawing of the Spanish forces and leaving the business wholly in the hands of the Emperor and the Duke of Bavaria The Style of the Infanta in answering Our Ambassador
that he should not know what he had done with them being things so material and of such conoernment And calling his Memory to a strict account at last he discharged it upon Iohn Gib a Scotchman who was of his Bedchamber and had been an old Servant to him Gib is called for in haste and the King asks him for the Papers he gave him Gib collecting himself answered the King he received no papers from him The King broke into extream Rage as he would often when the Humor of Choler began to boil in him protesting he had them and reviling him exceedingly for denying them Gib threw himself at the King's feet protesting his innocency that he never received any and desired his life might make satisfaction for his fault if he were guilty This could not calm the King's Spirit tossed in this tempest of Passion and overcharged with it as he passed by Gib kneeling threw some of it upon him giving him a kick with his foot Which kick infected Gib and turned his humility into Anger for rising instantly he said Sir I have served you from my youth and you never found me unfaithful I have not deserved this from you nor can I live longer with you with this disgrace Fare ye well Sir I will never see your face more and away he goes from the King's presence took Horse and rode towards London Those about the King put on a sad countenance to see him displeased and every man was inquisitive to know the cause some said the King and Gib were faln out but about what some papers of the Spanish Treaty the King had given him cannot be found Endimion Porter hearing it said The King gave me those Papers went presently and brought them to the King who being becalmed and finding his Error called instantly for Gib Answer was made he was gone to London The King hearing it commanded with all expedition to send post after him to bring him back protesting never to Eat Drink or Sleep till he saw Gib's face The Messenger overtook him before he got to London and Gib hearing the Papers were found and that the King sent for him with much earnestness returned to the Court. And as he came into the King's Chamber the King kneeled down upon his Knees before Gib intreating his pardon with a sober and grave aspect protesting he would never rise till Gib had forgiven him and though Gibs modestly declined it with some humble excuses yet it would not satisfie the King till he heard the words of absolution pronounced So ingenious was he in this piece of Passion Which had its suddain variation from a stern and furious anger to a soft and melting affection which made Gib no loser by the bargain Thus the King 's Melancholy Cholerick and Sanguine constitution appeared But of all the Humors Flegm was now the most predominant which made him so tamely swallow those raw fruits of Spain that all his Exercise could not well digest In Ianuary this year the Diet which the Emperor had summoned contrary to his promise as our King intimates met at Ratisbone where the Electors and divers other Princes of Germany assembled either in their own persons or by their Deputies The Imperial design was to take off the edge of the Princes dissatisfaction for his harsh proceedings against the Prince Palatine wherein he makes him the ground work and cause of all the Wars and miseries that have hapned in the Empire And thinking no man as he said would take the boldness to mediate the Restitution of the proscribed Palatine into the Electoral College he could do no less than dispose of the Electorate now plenojure devolved unto him as Emperor which he had bestowed on the Duke of Bavaria for spending his Treasure and hazarding his Blood in his service against his own Nephew the expulsed Palatine Wherefore he requests the illustrious presence of Electors and Princes to give their opinions how the peace of the Empire may be established to prevent all commotions for the future The Princes took this Proposition of the Emperor into debate and the Protestant Princes desired Caesar to consider the importance of the Business That though his Imperial Majesty in his own judgment may have had Cause enough to publish the Ban against the Prince Palatine yet they are of Opinion that in his particular Cause which so neerly concerned the disposing of an Electorate of the Empire and so principal a Person of the Electoral College the suddain doing whereof might occasion long and tedious Wars dangerous to the Roman Empire that Caesar should not of himself have proceeded so rigorously nor without the advice and consent of all the rest of the Electors according as it was agreed upon in the Capitulation Royal which is holden for a fundamental Law of the Empire Which course of Caesar's even for the manner of proceeding in it was distasted by Divers because the Prince Palatinate had never been legally summoned but uncited and unheard without all knowledge of his Cause and contrary to all ordinary Course had been condemned and against all Equity oppressed by the Publication of that Imperial Ban. We purpose not to call the Power Imperial into question yet we cannot but remember your Majesty of that Promise made in your Capitulation unto the Electors and humbly We admonish Caesar to stand unto his own word and not to intermit the performance of it And as for the disposing of the Electorate we desire nothing more than that We could gratifie Caesar with Our Suffrages But perceiving so many and so great Difficulties in it We cannot but admonish your Majesty of the danger of it This being the Opinion of Our Electors that seeing your Majesty hath graciously called the Diet for restoring Peace in the Empire that it were altogether necessary first to remove the Obstacles of Peace And seeing that all the stirs began in Bohemia Caesar should do well to labour first for the quieting of that Kingdom and command a stay to be made of the severe Reformation and frequent Executions there That so the Hearts of your Subjects being overcome with Grace and Mercy might be sweetly joyned to you and all fear and distrust utterly taken away without which we see no hope either how your Majesty can sit sure upon your Imperial Throne or how the Electors and Princes can be freed of their fears being evident that the Bohemians and others made desperate by the Extremity of their sufferings will take any occasion to begin new troubles and to involve the Empire with new Dangers All the Lutheran States of the Empire likewise which follow the Augustan Confession have their Eyes upon this Bohemian Reformation which though it were given out to be for private Iustice yet it is so linkt with the publick cause that unless it be speedily ended and the two Churches at Prague granted by Rodolphus the second not in favour of some private men alone but of Christian Elector of
Pyrenes had bounded it towards Spain And the French Activity being loath to be cooped up thought it better to endure a little inconvenience at home than so much prejudice abroad and therefore to oppose Him they closed with the Protestants And what was it brought them in Obedience The re-edifying of their ruined Temples the restoring and maintaining their banished Ministers and Security in their Religion and Consciences So that it was not their Rebellion that was cause of the War but the War made against their Religion caused it to be called a Rebellion Thus when all other means failed their worst enemies though much against their wills proved to be their best Friends But to return to the Spanish Treaty all this while in Agitation As soon as the Articles Our King had sealed and sworn to observe were come into Spain and the Prince had ratified and comfirmed them and had sworn to another Article there wherein he ties up his own hands and gave leave to Satan and all his complices to buffet him which was To permit at all times that any should freely propose to him the Arguments of the Catholick Religion without giving any impediment and that he would never directly nor indirectly permit any to speak to the Infanta against the same the two Kingdoms of England and Spain as it were shook hands to the Agreement Preparations were made in England to entertain the Infanta a new Church built up at Saint Iames the Prince's house the Foundation stone with much Ceremony laid by Don Carlos a Coloma the Spanish Ambassadour for the publick exercise of her Religion Her very Shadows are courted in every Corner Painters being set a work to take the Height and Dimensions of this new Star that was to rise in the North before it appeared Such as hoped to flourish by her influence grew up to exuberancy what would they do then when they found the effects of it Why be drowned in their own redundancy For the Moderate Spirit did foresee what bad Omens this Apparition did threaten On the other side in Spain the Substance is as much courted as the Shadow is here with the Title of Princess of England her Maiden Restraints are taken off and she may come abroad to publick Meetings where now their Eyes may prattle loving Stories though the great Courtier Olivares gave it no better Title than The Prince watches the Infanta as a Cat doth a Mouse too gross 〈◊〉 Expression for a Master of those Ceremonies And in fine there was such an Union betwixt the two Crowns that it might well be said Philip and Iacob made one Holy-day But this closing betwixt England and Spain made the breach the wider in the House of the Palatine the Restitution of the Palatinate and the Electorate to the Queen of Bohemia and her Children being waved in the Treaty and a great sum of Money proposed as a Dowry which was also lessen'd after the first Proposition and some part of it promised to be sent with Her in Iewels which as one said might be Counterfeit as the rest of their Actions yet Our King accepted of all so eager was He and greedy of the Match that no Obstacle could stand in his way which he did not remove But there was some under-hand promise that the Infanta among the Courte-Complements should work that feat in presenting the Restorative of that Dignity and Country for a break-fast to ingratiate her Self with the Prince her Husband and as a pawn of her good Will and Affection to the English Nation And these Promises with the Spanish stamp were taken in England for current Payment so that all things tended to a Conclusion But time in Spain came too swift upon them they were willing the Infanta should winter there but knew not well how to delay the Prince longer And as they were in this plunge ruminating upon and striving to find out some new Remora to help them Pope Gregory the fifteenth that had granted the Dispensation dies and then their Subtilties flew upon that accident to make-the Dispensation invalid yet with a Reserve to keep up our Prince's Spirit that it should be no hinderance to the Match for the new Pope would instantly do it if not it should be dispatched by the Dean of the Cardinals and the King of Spain assured the Prince That if he would stay till Christmas the Marriage should be really celebrated then These delayes coming one on the neck of another and the Duke of Buckingham having taken some disgust 〈◊〉 Spain presented all things to our King in the worst habit he could put upon them For there had been some jarrs betwixt him and Olivares Two great Favourites though of different Kingdoms could not well squat in one form Olivares hunted Buckingham so close that he had almost caught him in his own Burrow but instead of his Game he incountered some Vermin which darkness could not distinguish who bit him shreudly and whether it were by this Common Hunt I know not but I am sure it was by the Common-Cry that he was so displeased with the Spanish for it that he afterwards much inclined to the French I acknowledge the Gravity and Dignity of History should not appear in such Metaphorical Habiliments but that we now live in an Age where Truth is forced to shroud her self in such Attire lest she should have imprinted on her face a Mark of Malice against Greatness which if it be not ballanced with Goodness and Piety is but an empty and frothy Title But it was said this Tetrical Humour made Buckingham dislike all the Spanish proceedings and just in the nick when it was on him the Queen of Bohemia by a private message gave him some intimation that She and her Children were to be thought on inviting him to be a Witnesse to the Christning of one of them which came fit to his acceptation not so much out of affection to the one Party as in opposition to the other And what disrelished with him gave an ill Savour to Our King who having cause enough to dislike the Spanish delates and finding the Hearts of the People bent against the Match and some neer him as the Duke of Lenox made Duke of Richmond when Buckingham had his Title that the Scots might still precede the English and the Marquess Hamilton made Earl of Cambridge to intitle him a Peer the last Parliament a man of a gallant and stately presence one whom the King much listened to and others having as little affection to it The hopes of a Daughter of France left to give life yet to a Royal Race did bate something of Our King 's keen edge so that he wrote to Buckingham That he could not expect after so long a stay in Spain and so little done that they had any cordial intention to perfect the Treaty and therefore conjured him to bring his Son back with all speed but if his Sonnes youthful follies should tye him to a
long expectation he chargeth him by his allegiance to come away and leave him there This letter the Duke shewed to the Prince and it wrought so upon him that he took a suddain resolution to go home The Grandees of Spain having notice thereof were much troubled for their Design was to detain the Prince there all Winter not only hoping thereby to turn him to their Religion but to marry him to the Infanta that there might have been a Co-union between them that she being with Child before the Spring they might keep her there till she were delivered that so the Child might be bred up and naturalized a Spaniard both in affection and Religion which this suddain Resolution hindring it somewhat startled them Olivares told Buckingham that he had promised the Prince should admit of Communion with some Iesuits of theirs in Matters of Religion And the Duke answered there had been some already with him but the Prince he said was so well setled in Religion that he was not to be further altered Olivares replied You gave me some assurance and hope of the Prince's turning Catholick The Duke told him it was false The Conde in a great rage broke from him with so much impatience that he was scarce able to contain himself went to the Prince and told him how unworthily Buckingham had served him And after his complaints to him he found out the Baron Kensington whom he looked on with an eye of good respect his Civilities and Carriage obliging every where venting his passion to him telling him that Buckingham had given him the Ly and that there was nothing a man of Honour could be more sensible of That it bred a great distraction in him betwixt his affection to his Master's Honour and his own For if any evil did redound to Buckingham by his hand being a Person so near the Prince who had honoured the Court of Spain with his presence and run through great and dangerous hazards out of affection to his Master's Sister upon whose actions now all the Christian World are gazing it would reflect upon the Honour of his Master and when his own Honour comes in competition with his Master's the least must give way to the greatest therefore he desired the Lord of Kensington to tell the Duke That he had so much of a Gentleman as to be sensible of the injury and so much Power and Courage as to revenge himself but rather than his Master's Honour should suffer he would be the sufferer The Duke sent the Conde word again by the said Lord That he laid a thing to his charge that would not admit of a less sharp answer for when his Honour comes in competition with the Conde's he had rather that should suffer than his own His Passion was quick but not durable hot but not revengful And he held so high an esteem of the Conde that he was more willing to venture upon his Sword than his Malice NOVILISSꝰ Dꝰ FRANCISCUS MANNORES COMES RVTLANDIAE BARO ROSS ET cetera The right Honorabell FRAVNCIS MANNERS Earle of Rutl and Baron Ross of Ham lake Beluoire and Trusbutt and Knight of the Honorable order of the Garter Among the Specious Ceremonies indented betwixt these two great Princes the richness of the Gifts and Presents that past among them were highly remarkable The King of Spain presented the Prince and all his Noble Train and the Prince filled the Court of Spain as it were with Iewels no Person of Quality or Merit but his name was recorded in the Inventory of the Princes Bounty as if England had disfurnished and made bare her own Neck to adorn the Breasts of Spain The Pirnce presenting his Mistris with such a Neck-lace of Pearl that all Spain could not Parallel Pearls that had been long pluckt from their Watry Beds and had left few fellows there For the Eastern and Western Divers throughout the Catholic Empire could never yet find the like But these upon the Breach were returned again though it be now indifferent whether the French or the Spanish have them The Duke of Buckingham was not close handed in distributing his Iewels to the Beauties of Spain though his farewel was private his Bounty was public More suitable to his Masters Honor than his Own which the Lord Treasurer Middlesex found and repined at The Prince took leave of the Queen of Spain and the Infanta prepared for it in their greatest Magnificence attended with all their train of Grandees and Ladies The Queen spoke her own Adieu in French which the Prince returned in the same Language But the Earl of Bristol was the Medium betwixt the Prince and his Mistris who if he may be believed set her Heart to make Her self Grateful and therefore this parting could not be acceptable to her one of her Arguments being If the Prince loved me he would stay for me but now the Time of parting approaching those Arguments were laid aside and the Superficial Ornaments of public Interview like a Cloud interposed it self betwixt them so that what was darkly lodged in their thoughts could only find light by the Eyes Their Tongues the Common Orator could tell what was fit to say when there were so many by to hear and if the Eyes had learn'd the Language of the Heart they quickly forgot it because they never met again to practise it PHILIPPVS II. HISPANIAE REX XLIII BRABANTIAE FRANCOIS de Moncada Marquis d Aytone General de L'armee du Roy dcspaigne B. moncornet exc●● Here the Prince being feasted sealed the Proxie and swore to perform the Marriage as aforesaid And the day of Departure being come there was a Stagg lodged in the way whose Chace gave the King and Prince some Recreation The Prince was attended by the Lord Kensington and the Earl of Bristol who was the Prince's Interpreter the King of Spain by intention only with Olivares and the Marquess D'avila Olivares was grand Master of the Horse to the King of Spain and neerest Attendant to his Person but to shew the Spanish Civility he always waited on the Prince and the Marquess D'avila his brother-in-Law attended on the King of Spain After the Ceremonies of the Staggs death were performed the King and Prince with their Train declining into a little Wood adjoining found a Table spread with Variety of Meats and excellent Wines provided for them which entertained them as well with wonder how it came there as with Refreshment after the Serenity of the Air and their exercise had quickened their appetites concluding Merrily as if the Stagg had been in the Plot and had yielded himself to Death purposely there because the Prince's necessary accommodations were so neer After the Repast the parting Minute approaching to perfect all they gave leave to the exercise of Complements The King expressing extraordinary Respects to the Prince setting a high valuation upon his Merit telling him Nothing in the World could more oblige him than the confidence he had of
him to put himself into his hands being unusual with Princes But he that valued his Honor above all earthly things was the more indeared to him in that he gave him by this access an opportunity to express it and protested That he earnestly desired a neerer conjunction of Brotherly affection with him for the more intire Unity betwixt them The Prince repaying his Noble expressions with the like Civilities le ts him know how Sensible he was of those high Favours he had found during his abode in his Court and presence which had set such an estimation upon his worth that he knew not how to value it but he would leave a Mediatrix that should make good his defects if he would do him the honour and make him so happy as to preserve him in the good opinion of her his most fair his most dear Mistris And so imbracing each other they parted This kind Farewell was upon the twelvth of September the King leaving the Prince to be attended to the Sea-side by a numerous train of Spanish Courtiers whereof the Principal were Cardinal Zapata the Marquess Aytone the Earl of Gondemar the Earl of Monterie the Earl of Baraias who was Steward of the King's houshold but now the Manager of the Prince's Domestical Affairs These Grandees and others had at Saint Andero a fair opportunity to see some of the Navy Royal of England and were feasted aboard the Prince's Ship But at their return towards the shore the Prince being with them in the Barge a Tempest overtook them with that Fury that they could neither fetch the Land nor make to the Ships again and night and darkness joining with the Storm the Rowers fainting with labour because they thought themselves at the end of their Work their horror and fear almost heightned to Despair In this Calamity yeilding themselves to the Mercy of the Seas they spied a light from a Ship neer which the wind had driven them that gave new life to Hope and plucking up their Spirits to fetch that Ship with the danger of being broken to peeces by the Ships side at last they got aboard This cooled the heat of their Ceremonies so much so that when the Tempest was over they parted And the Prince arrived safely at Portsmouth upon the fifth of October following and the next day at London where the Peoples joy elevated above Bonfire-expressions might teach misguided Princes that LOVE is the firmest foundation of security and Happiness When the Prince and Buckingham met at Saint Andero the Spanish entertainments did not take them off from minding their Business The Duke had time in his Recess to mature his Conceptions And whether his adverseness to the Spanish in affection wrought upon the Prince or whether the Prince's affection that was wrought upon in the Spanish Court lost the Vigor and Virtue by losing the Object or whether the united Operations of both cannot be determined But one Clark a Creature of the Dukes was posted back to Madrid to the Earl of Bristol to command him not to deliver the Procuration for the Espousals which the Prince had sealed and sworn to perform till he had further Order from England pretending the Infanta might after the Espousals betake her self to a Cloister and defraud him of a Wife Bristol was much troubled at this Restriction That a public Act of such Eminency betwixt two such great Princes highly obliging should be smothered up by a private Command from one of the Parties that had not power to do it having in true Justice tyed up his own hands and when the Dishonour of it would so much reflect upon the other Party and therefore he resolved notwithstanding the Prince's command if the Dispensation came to make the Espousals within ten days according to the agreement And he would bear himself up from the authority he had under the great Seal of England to perfect this Work if he had not within the limited time a Command from Our King to the contrary CHARLES BY THE GRACE OF GOD PRINce of Wales Duke of Cornwell etc. The Duke being jealous of Bristol from some particular Discontents and ill Resentments betwixt them and the Prince fearing he would be too forward in the Espousals assoon as they landed in England posted towards the King who was then at Roiston where they gave him a fair and plausible Narration of their Proceedings laying the load upon the Spanish Delaies and Bristol's miscarriages Which the King as a Father to his Son and as a friend to his Favourite indulged to taking their Account without examination as good and just payment And his good Brother of Spain must now be dallied with by Talion Law not falling off in a direct line but obliquely that the King might thereby measure out to himself a way to his Ends. And these two great Opposites to Spain the Prince and Duke must prepare it by closing with those of the Council about the King and others of the Nobility whose judgment not prejudice made them averse to the Spanish Superciliousness cementing their Power with that strength that a Parliament must be called and the People consulted with That they discovering to the King the fraudulent proceedings of the Spaniard the King's Integrity and Justice in breaking the Treaty might the more appear to the People and by that means they should be mounted upon the Wings of the Peoples affections as Enemies to that which was so contrary to them The News of a Parliament to break the Spanish match was quickly carried about and according to their thoughts it took much with the People and gained them much respect and Honour But the first thing they did was to procure an absolute Command from the King to the Earl of Bristol to suspend the delivery of the Proxie till Christmas though the Dispensation came which they effected and sent away with all speed In which Letter Bristol had instructions to demand the Restitution of the Pala●inate and Electoral Dignity which were both waved and neglected in the Conclusion of the Treaty but now are set a foot again to let the King of Spain see the Edge of their Eargerness was taken off For saith the Letter It would be a great disproportion for me to receive one Daughter with joy and contentment and leave another in tears and sighs But Bristol's power of deferring the Espousals till Christmas was to be reserved to himself and not made publick till the Dispensation should come to discover it And there was a Clause in the Procuration left by the Prince that the Power of that should be in force but till Christmas and then to expire so that the Execution of it was to be respited till it were altogether invalid And the Spaniard for his greater affront must make all Provision ready for accomplishing so glorious a work that all the Eyes of the Christian World looked upon either with dislike or affection The King of Spain to be his own
free Trumpet sending into England with the Prince Don Mendosa de Alcorcana to our King to congratulate the Princes happy Voyage into Spain and his safe return into England And from thence he had instructions to go into Flanders Germany and Italy to make known to all Princes and Potentates Allies to the King of Spain how neer the Treaty of Marriage betwixt the Prince of England and the Infanta of Spain was to be consummated And the Polonian Ambassadour at Madrid that solicited to have the Infanta for the Prince of Poland when he saw such preparations for the Match with England fainted in his Hopes and returned home For as soon as the Dispensation came from the new Pope which was in the Beginning of December Bonefires were made throughout all Spain for joy and the great Ordnance every where thundred out the noise of it The ninth of the month was prefixt for the Mariage day a Tarras being erected betwixt the Court and the next Church almost a quarter of a mile in length covered with Tapestry for the more magnificence and all things appointed in the highest State for so great a Solemnity Presents were providing in the Court of Spain for Our King and Prince the Infantas family to take into England was setled and established She had used her best skill among the Sweets of Spain as one of the Principal of them to cloth her Lord and Husband with some suits of perfumed Amber leather some imbroidered with Pearl and some with gold she had practiced long the English tongue to make it natural by the help of her two Iesuit Tutors Wadsworth and Boniface and began to draw the letters which she intended to have written the day of her Espousals to the Prince her Husband and the King her Father-in-law Her journeyinto England being resolved on about the Beginning of March In this State and perfection were the affairs of Spain when Our King's commands like a Cloud overshadowed the Brightness of them For Bristol had now Order to declare positively to the King of Spain that without the Restitution of the Palatinate and the Electoral Dignity the Treaty should proceed no further Four Messengers viz. Mr. Killigrew Gresly Wood and Davies followed each other at the heels which raised such a dust of Discontentment among the people at Madrid that as some report they wished they had broken their necks by the way so highly were the Commonalty of Spain affected with the Match And if they felt the Influence of this cloudy Message what did the Lady Infanta and the King do The one to lose her Lover the other to lose his Honour She whose Heart was affected and He who found himself affronted But his answer to Bristol was The Palatinate was none of his to give and the Electorate was in the Power of another but if the Emperor and the Duke of Bavaria would not yield to reason he would Arm himself on our King's part against them But this would not satisfie fair Promises having now lost their Virtue and the King of Spain discerning a Breach towards by this Various Motion sent to the Earl of Bristol to demand no more Audience of him to deliver no more Letters to the Infanta and gave command that none should call her hereafter Princess of England This was the end of seven years Treaty Wherein the King of England a King of Peace in spight of all the Spanish Armadoes got the Victory and Spain for many years did not receive so great an overthrow Yet they were paid in their own Coin For at the first and in the highest Progress of the Treaty when Our King was so eager for the Match in all likelyhood they never intended it But the Prince's Presence gaining much with both Sexes his Journey into Spain being esteemed among them so glorious an action and the hopes they had now by this Marriage to propagate the Catholick Cause finding the Prince as they thought something inclined that way better digested their first intentions and brought it to the state from whence it declined The Duke of Buckingham by the insinuation of a long converse having brought the Prince up to his own Humor taught him to look back to the Beauty he had seen in France which was neerer to him that he might remember the Spanish no more now esloigned from him But the Treaty with Spain must be first dissolved to give a tincture of Honor to a proceeding with the other and nothing but a Parliament shall do that which th●y had fore-determined For a Parliament taking away the cause which was a Treaty of Peace were best able to make good the effect which would be a War that must follow it Therefore a Parliament was summoned to meet the 12 th of February but a sad accident intervened which made it to be deferred for some few daies That morning the Parliament was to begin the King missed the Duke of Richmond's attendance who being a constant observer of him at all times the King as it were wanted one of his Limbs to support the Grandure of Majesty at the first solemn meeting of a Parliament and calling for him with earnestness a Messenger was dispatched to his Lodgings in Hast where the King's Commands and the Messenger Importunity made the Dutchess his wife somewhat unwillingly go to the Duke's Bed-side to awake him who drawing the Curtain found him dead in his Bed The suddenness of the affright struck her with so much Consternation that she was scarce sensible of the Horror of it and it was carried with that violence to the King that he would not adorn himself that day to ride in his Glories to the Parliament but put it off to the nineteenth of February following dedicating some part of that time to the Memory of his dead Servant who might serve as a fore-runner to the King and an Emblem to all his People That in the dark caverns of Man's Body Death often lurkes which no Humane Prudence or Providence is able to discover For the Dutchess to some of her intimates confessed afterwards that She found the effects of his full Veines that night that he was found dead the next Morning The portraiture of the illustreous Princesse Frances Duchess of Richmond and Lenox daughter of Thomas LD. Howard of Bindon sonne of Thomas Duke of Norfok. whose mother was Elisabeth daughter of Edward Duke of Buckingham Anno 1623. When She was Countess of Hertford and found admirers about her She would often discourse of her two Grand-Fathers the Dukes of Norfolk and Buckingham recounting the time since one of her Grand-Fathers did this the other did that But if the Earl her Husband came in presence she would quickly desist for when he found her in those Exaltations to take her down he would say Frank Frank How long is it since thou wert Married to Prannel which would damp the Wings of her Spirit and make her look after her feet as well as gawdy Plumes One
good Gardiners you pluck up the weeds that will choak your labours and the greatest weeds among you are jealousies root them out for my Actions I dare avow them before God but jealousies are of a strange depth I am the husband and you the wife and it is subject to the wife to be jealous of her husband Let this be far from you It hath been talked of my remisness in maintainance of Religion and suspicion of a toleration but as God shall judge me I never thought nor meant or ever in word expressed any thing that savored of it It is true that at times best known to my self I did not so fully put those lawes in execution but did wink and Connive at some things which might have hindred more weighty Affaires But I never in all my Treaties agreed to any thing to the overthrow or disagreeing of those Lawes But in all I had a chief regard to the preservation of that Truth which I have ever professed And in that respect as I have a Charitable conceit of you I would have you have the like of me also in which I did not transgress For it is a good Horseman's part not alwayes to use the Spur nor keep streight the Reign but sometimes to use the Spur and sometimes to suffer the Reign more remiss So it is the part of a Wise King and my Age and experience have informed me sometimes to quicken the Laws with strict Execution and at other times upon just Occasion to be more remiss And I would also remove from your thoughts all jealousies that I might or ever did question or infringe any of your lawful liberties or privileges But I protest before God I ever intended you should injoy the fulness of all those that from antient times give good Warrant and Testimony of which if need be I will inlarge and amplifie Therefore I would have you as I have in this place heretofore told you as Saint Paul did Timothy avoid Genealogies and curious questions and quirks and jerks of Law and idle innovations and if you minister me no just Occasion I never yet was nor ever will be curious or captious to quarrel with you But I desire you to avoid all doubts and hindrances and to compose your selves speedily and quietly to this weighty affair Carry your selves modestly and my Prayers shall be to God for you and my love shall be alwayes with you that a happy Conclusion may attend this Parliament God is my Judge I speak it as a Christian King never any way faring Man in the burning drie and sandy Desarts more thirsted for water to quench his thirst than I thirst and long for the happy success of this Parliament that the good issue of this may expiate and a●quit the fruitless issue of the former And I pray God your Counsels may advance Religion the publick weal and the good of me and my Children When the King had thus ended the Lord Keeper Williams Bishop of Lincoln and Speaker to the House of Peers who uses always to make the King's mind further known if there because told the Parliament That after the Eloquent speech of his Majesty he would not say anything for as one of the Spartan Kings being asked whether he would not willingly hear a man that counterfeited the voice of the Nightingale to the life made answer He had heard the Nightingale So for him to repeat or rehearse what the King had said was according to the Latine Proverb to enamel a Golden Ring with studs of iron He doubted not but that the King's Speech had like Aeschines Orations left in their minds a sting And as an Historian said of Nerva that having adopted Trajan he was immediately taken away Nepost divinum et immortale factum aliquid mortale faceret So he would not dare after his Majesties Divinum et immortale dictum mortale aliquid addere HONORATISS et REUERENDISS Dꝰ IOHANES WILIAMES EPISC. LINC et MAG SIGILL ANG 〈◊〉 The right Honourable and right-reverend father in god Iohn Lorde Bishop of Lincolne Lord keeper of the greate Seale of England and one of his Ma.ties most hon ble princes Counsell But the Parliament though they knew there was an intention of a Toleration of Popery upon the close of the Spanish match sealed up as it were their lips and would not see the light that discovered it self through this cloud that the King cast before it though some of the Commons had much ado to hold which he takes notice of at the next Interview and thanks them for but they went on directly to his Business making it their own forgetting all former miscarriages And upon the 24. of this moneth the Duke of Buckingham accompanied with the Prince as his Remembrancer made a long Relation of all the transactions in Spain to both Houses with all the advantage he could to make good his own Actions some of the Particulars whereof are already related And he took the first Discovery of the intention of the King of Spain not to deal fairly with Our King touching the Restitution of the Palatinate from the Arch-dutchess jugling in the Treaty at Bruxels which was managed by Sir Richard Weston our King's Ambassadour there who urged for a Cessation of Armes in the Palatinate the Arch-Dutchess pretending Power to draw off the Spanish Forces if Our King would first draw off his it came to an Agreement but in the close after some Delayes she confessed she had no Power to admit of a Cessation till she had more particular warrant for it out of Spain That these shufflings made Our King send Porter into Spain for a more resolute answer in relation to the Match and the Palatinate and assigned him but ten dayes to stay there In which time Bristol fed him with Hopes which he found very Empty ones whereupon Porter went boldly to Olivares who in an open-hearted way told him plainly that Spain meant neither the Match nor Restitution of the Palatinate Bristol seeing Porter would return with this answer persuaded him to speak with Olivares again who coming to Olivares found him much incensed for relating the private intimation he gave him to Bristol the Publick minister and denyed to speak with Porter anymore Bristol still puffs up Our King with an assurance both of the Match and restitution of the Palatinate but they proceeding slowly the Prince desired that he might go himself into Spain which Buckingham first broke to the King who with Reasons laid down for it was drawn to it When the Prince came there the Match at first was absolutely denied unless he would be converted which Bristol perswaded the Prince unto at least in shew to expedite his Business Then the Spanish Ministers urged for a Toleration of Religion in England which they hoped as some of them expressed would cause a Rebellion and they offered the Prince an Army to Assist him for the Suppression of the same But the Prince finding the Spanish did
put by her Government to say nothing of Prince Henry but the violence of it did not work because the Operation was somewhat mitigated by the Duke's Protestation of his Innocency For the King at the next Interview saying to him Ah Stenny Stenny which was the Familiar name he alwayes used to him Wilt thou kill me The Duke struck into an Astonishment with the Expression after some little Pause collected himself and with many asseverations strove to justify his Integrity which the good King was willing enough to Believe and Buckingham finding by some discourse that Padre Macestria the Spanish Iesuit had been with the King he had then a large Theme for his Vindication turning all upon the Spanish Iesuitical Malice which proceeded from the ruins of their quashed Hopes And the King knowing Inoiosa and all that Party very bitter against Buckingham and though he did not directly accuse the Prince to be in the Conspiracy with Buckingham yet he reflected upon him for such an attempt could never have been effected without his Privity therefore out of the Bowels of good Nature he did unbelieve it and after Examinations of some Persons the Duke's Intimates and their constant denyal upon oath which they had no good Cause to confess the King was content being loth to think such an Enterprize could be fostred so neer his own Bosom to have the Brat strangled in the Womb. And he presently sent into Spain to desire Iustice of that King against the Ambassadours false Accusation which he said wounded his Son's Honour through Buckingham's side which Sir Walter Aston represented to the King of Spain for Bristol was coming over to justifie his Actions to the Parliament But the Duke of Buckinghams reputation there procured no other Satisfaction than some little check of formality for when Inoiosa was recalled home he was not lessen'd in esteem Thus was this Information waved though there might be some cause to suspect that the great intimacy and Dearness betwixt the Prince and Duke like the conjunction of two dreadful planets could not but portend the production of some very dangerous effect to the old King But the Duke's Reputation though it failed in Spain held firm footing in England for Bristol no sooner appeared but he is clapt up in the Tower Their jugling practices whereof they were Both guilty enough must not yet come to light to disturb the Proceedings in Parliament Bristol had too much of the King's Commission for what he did though he might overshoot himself in what he said which was not now to be discovered Yet the Rigor of that imprisonment would have sounded too loud if he had not had a suddain Release who finding the Duke high mounted yet in power and himself in no Degree to grapple with him was content with Submission to gain his liberty and retire himself to a Country privacy The Lords being now at leisure began to consider of that stinging petition as the King called it against Papists how necessary it was to joyn with the Commons to supplicate the King to take down the pride of their high-flying Hopes that had been long upon the Wing watching for their prey and now they are made to stoop without it And after some Conferences betwixt both Houses about it the Petition was reduced to these two Propositions and presented to the King as two Petitions We your Majestie 's most humble and loyal Subjects the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament do in all humbleness offer unto your Sacred Majesty these two Petitions following 1. That for the more safety of your Realms and better keeping your Subjects in Obedience and other important Reasons of State your Majesty would be pleased by some such course as you shall think fit to give present Order that all the Laws be put in due execution which have been made and do stand in force against Jesuits Seminary Priests and others having taken Orders by authority derived from the See of Rome and generally against all Popish Recusants And as for disarming that it may be according to the Laws and according to former Acts and Directions of State in that Case And yet that it may appear to all the World the Favour and Clemency your Majesty useth towards all your Subjects of what Condition soever And to the intent the Jesuits and Priests now in the Realm may not pretend to be surprized that a speedy and certain may be prefixed by your Majesties Proclamation before which day they shall depart out of this Kingdom and all other your Highness Dominions and neither they nor any other to return or come hither again upon peril of the severest Penalties of the Laws now in force against them And that all your Majesties Subjects may thereby also be admonished not to receive entertain or conceal any of them upon the Penalties and Forfeitures which by the Laws may be imposed on them 2. Seeing We are thus happily delivered from that danger which those Treaties now dissolved and that use which your ill-affected Subjects made thereof would certainly have drawn upon us and yet cannot but foresee and fear lest the like may hereafter happen which would inevitably bring much peril upon your Majesties Kingdoms We are most humble Suters unto your Gracious Majesty to secure the Hearts of your good Subjects by the ingagement of your Royal Word unto them that upon no occasion of Marriage or Treaty or other request in that behalf from any forein Prince or State whatsoever you will take away or slacken the Execution of your Laws against Jesuits Priests and Popish Recusants To which Our humble Petitions proceeding from Our most Loyal and Dutiful affections towards your Majesty Our Care of Our Countries good and our own confident persuasion that these will much advance the Glory of Almighty God the everlasting Honour of your Majesty the Safety of your Kingdoms and the incouragement of all your good Subjects We do most humbly beseech your Majesty to vouchsafe a gracious Answer The King was prepared for the Petition having given his own Resolution the Check at present that whatsoever he might do hereafter yet now he would comply and therefore he sends for both Houses to Whitehall to sweeten them with a gentle answer to this Petition that might take off those sour aspersions that this miscarriage in Government might happily cast upon him And we will not say but his intentions might rove towards the End though he gave too much liberty through a Natural easiness in himself to those that He trusted with Management of the great affairs by evil means to pervert that end which made him guilty of their Actions For where true Piety is not the Director Carelesness as often as Wilfulness carries men out of the way But he had this Principle and made often use of it like ill Tenants when they let things run to ruin to daub all up again when forced to it and find no other Remedy This was the effect of
Philip Knevit Sir Iohn Tasborough Sir William Selbie Sir Richard Titchborn Sir Iohn Hall Sir George Perkins Sir Thomas Penrodduck Sir Nicholas Sanders Knights Besides divers Esquires Popishly addicted either in their own Persons or by means of their Wives too tedious to be expressed here And these were dispersed and seated in every County who were not only in Office and Commission but had Countenance from Court by which they grew up and flourished so that their exuberancie hindered the growth of any Goodness or Piety their Malice pleased to drop upon These men being now touched began to shrink in their Branches like the new-found Indian Plants but they quickly put out again for though this Disturbance or Movement came upon them by the Dissolution of one Treaty yet they presently got heart and spread again by the other which was in Agitation Carolus D. G. Rex Ang Sco Fran et Hib Henreta Maria D. G. Reg Ang Sco Fran et Hib But the Iesuitical Party both here and there were incessantly laborious for a greater Liberty and the King 's chief Agent in the Treaty Monsieur de Vieuxvill having pulled on him the Odium of the people through some miscarriages being committed Prisoner by the King to protect him from their Rage the Cardinal Richelieu entring then into his Infancy of Favour being preferred by the Queen-Mother to be a manager of the Treaty whose Intimate he was and more Stubborn for promoting the Catholique Cause yet all this could give no stop to the Career but that the Match would be made up upon very easie Terms But when the King of France understood by his Ministers and Agents in England how eager our King was for the Match for he desired it above all Earthly Blessings as one near him said of him for besides the Reproach he thought would fall upon him by another Breach he should lose the Glory of a Conjunction with Kings which he highly wound up his Opinion to to Sublime and as it were Deifie his Posterity in the esteem of the people so that he would almost submit to any thing rather than the Match should not go forward which the King of France finding he bated his Humour of earnestness for it and descended by the same Steps and Degrees that he found his Brother King advanced to it and got several great Immunities for the Papists by it notwithstanding all Our King 's fair Promises to the Parliament as may be seen by those Articles seal'd and sworn to by Our King some few Months before his Death But a little before this when the Hopes of the Match with France began to bud the Earl of Carlile was sent over to mature and Ripen the proceedings with the Earl of Holland to bring the Treaty to some perfection yet with private instructions That if they could find by their Spanish Correspondencies as the Earl of Carlile was a little Hispanioliz'd that the Match there had any Probability of taking effect with the new Propositions that then they should proceed no further in the French Treaty so earnest was the King for the one so Violent for the other The Sophisticate Drugs of the Spanish Restitution of the Palatinate having not yet lost their Operation Thus the Ambition of Princes that devolve all their Happiness upon glorious Extractions doth choak and smother those Considerations that Religion like a clear light discovers to be but gross and cloudy Policy which vanishes often and comes to nothing The Duke of Buckingham swoln with Grandure having two great Props to support him doubted not to Crush any thing that stood in his way so that he fell very heavily upon his Cousen the Earl of Middlesex Lord Treasurer for he remembred how he repined at the Moneys that were spent in Spain and his Comportment to him since his coming over Middlesex being naturally of a Sullen and proud Humor was not such as he thought did become his Creature Therefore he Resolved to bring him down from that Height he had placed him in and quickly sound the means to do it For great Officers that dig deep in Worldly Treasures have many Underminers under them and those that are not just to themselves or others must make use of such as will not be so just to them so that a flaw may easily be found whereby a great Breach may be made And as Middlesex had not Innocency to Iustifie himself so he wanted Humility whereby others might Iustifie him which made him fall unpitied The Prince that was Buckingham's right hand took part against him in the House of Lords where he was Questioned which the King hearing of writes to the Prince from New-Market whither he often retired to be free and at ease from comber and noise of Business That he should not take part with any Faction in Parliament against the Earl of Middlesex but to reserve himself so that both sides might seek him for if he bandied to take away his Servants the time would come that others would do as much for him This wise Advice speaks Buckingham a little declining from the Meridian of the King's Favour or the King from his For if the King did know that Buckingham was his chief Persecutor it could not but relish ill with the Duke to have the King plead for him if the King did not 〈◊〉 know there was not then that intimacy betwixt them that used to be But the Treasurer's Actions being throughly canvased though he had not had such great Enemies he was found guilty of such misdemeanors as were not fit for a Man of Honour to commit so that the Parliament thought to Degrade him but that they looked on as an ill Precedent But though they took not away his Titles of Honour in Relation to his Posterity who had not offended yet they made him utterly uncapable of sitting in the House of Lords as a Peer And for his fine it was so great that the Duke by Report got Chelsie House out of him for his part of it There was an odd accident hapned in Northampton-shire while this Treasurer was in his Greatness One Harman a rich man that knew not well how to make use of his Riches having some bad Tenants and being informed that one of them which Owed him money had furnished himself to go to a Fair to buy some Provisions for his accommodation Harman walks as by accident to meet him in the way to the Market when he saw his Tenant he askt him for his Rent the man that was willing otherwise to dispose of his money denied he had any Yes I know thou hast money said Harman calling him by his Name I prithee let me have my Rent and with much importunity the man pulled out his money and gave all or the most part of it to his Landlord This coming to some Pragmatical knowledg the poor Man was advised to indict his Landlord for Robbing him and taking his Money from him in the High-way which he
did and Harman for his Sordid and base carriage being ill beloved in the Countrey was found guilty but reprieved by the Iudges And Harman hearing the Lord Treasurer had a Secretary of his Name he applied himself to him promising to give him all his Estate having no Children if his Lord would bring him out of the Danger he was in which the Lord Treasurer by his power with the King did effect and Harman his Man within a short time after by the other's death injoyed an ample estate The King being a good Master did by his Bounty much indear his Servants unto him and seldom denied any man a Reasonable Sute This Treasurer by his Greatness also procured the King by Patent after the example of the Countess of Buckingham to create Elizabeth the Widow of Sir Moyle Fynch of Kent Viscountess of Maidstone A Lady of a great Fortune and having a Mind suitable to it she laid the Foundation of a Noble Family intailing not onely this Title but in the next King's Reign the Earldom of Winchelsey upon her now flourishing Posterity But it is thought this Treasurer got well by laying the ground-work to this great Structure For Copt-Hall a Noble Seat in Essex came to his hand from this Lady at a small value which is the principal House he left to his Family MAURITS Prins van Oranje While these things were in Motion Truth that comes often with a leaden-foot brought News out of the East-Indies that the year 1622. gave Birth to a Mischief of so horrid a countenance for a private one that no Time or Age could Parallel The Dutch while the English their great Supporters were fighting for them at their own doors grasping at all the Treasures and Spices of the Eastern World had not only wormed out the Spaniards and Portugals from many Islands and Colonies there but unbounded with Covetousnes and Ambition strove to hinder their Neighbours and best friends the English from that free Commerce with the Natives they ever enjoyed so that many Bickerings hapned among them till the Controversie was taken up by publick Treaty and Stipulation agreed on betwixt Our King and the States of the Netherlands in the year one thousand six hundred and nineteen And according to this agreement the English being as they thought secure planted their Factories among them where after they had reaped the fruit of their great danger and hazard for some two years with much grumbling and repining the Dutch began to practise their utter Extirpation Not by a Massacre for that had been a merciful Mischief but by torture to make their Cruelty Iustice in so horrid and savage a manner as if they had sucked their Rage from Indian Tigers Amboina was the bloody Stage where they acted this black Tragedie and Fire and Water were their Engins which are ever cruel Masters when they get Power For pretending the chief Agent Captain Gabriel Towerson and the rest of the English Factory had an intention by the assistance of some few poor Iaponeses to possess themselves of the Castle and expel the Dutch out of the Island they seized upon them and set their bloody Engins a work having no other Accusers but them The racks extending their Sinews drew them out at length and the waters which they subtilly forced into their Mouths by their own respiration and breathing swelled all their Bodies to a huge Proportion making their very eyes ready to bolt out of their Heads and such whose sturdy innocence would not be compelled to accuse themselves they burned the soles of their feet with candles till the moisture which dropt from them extinguished the flame and with those burning instruments made such holes in their sides that they might see their entrails yet would not see their innocence So exquisite were they in their Devillish Cruelty as will be gastly to express what was it then to suffer Thus having tired the poor Men with Tortures and they being willing to the quickly confest whatsoever their cruel Tormentors would have them say The Dutch having in this furnace wrought them to accuse themselves with their pestilent formality got their Confessions under their hands and so concluded their Barbarism with cutting off some of their heads There were not twenty Englishmen nor above thirty Iaponeses in the whole Island with whom they were said to machinate this Conspiracy and the Castle had in it two hundred Dutch Souldiers and eight Ships riding before it well manned whereof two of them were above twelve hundred tuns a peece Besides the Dutch had two other Castles in the same Island and what Probability could there be if the Plot were as plain as their Malicious tongues could make it that so weak a force should attempt upon so many having Men enough in the Ships and Castles to have devoured the Attempters And if they had effected their work what would the end have been but ruin to their Estates and everlasting Infamy to their Memories knowing the Dutch were by the last agreements to have that Castle confirmed by the King who hated Treason in any Man with his very Soul Whereas the Men were of well-known upright conversation loathing such baseness and every man of them with Christian impressions sealed the last Gasp of his life with a Protestation of his Innocency Ten of the English lost their lives whereof Captain Towerson was one the rest with racked burnt and Macerated Bodies were sent out of the Island to other English Plantations and so the whole Factory was destroyed The Dutch seizing into their hands greedily which they only gaped after the whole Trade which they have eversince injoyed And to put a fairer Gloss upon this mad mischief nine Iaponeses and one Portugal that they would needs have to be Complotters with the English were racked poor men to the same Confession and then executed there being more Horror in the examination of the fault than in the Punishment of it This Cruelty had made an incurable wound betwixt the two Nations the noise of it giving Animosity enough but that it was new skin'd over the bloody Garment taken off by Dutch Apologies and presented at the Court with a face of Iustice. For nothing must come thither but in such attire as the great Ones about the King will please to put upon it who might be wrought to any temper by that Forge that could frame such flagitious Actions for they that had Babarism enough to perpetrate the one had Baseness enough to practice the other But leaving their Consciences besmeared with this Gore which they cannot wipe off but may stick to them yet Proceed to the Story All this while count Mansfeldt wanted imployment and having prepared his way both in France and England for gathering an Army he shipt himself in Zealand in the Speedwel a ship of King 's commanded by Sir Iohn Chidley that was sent expressly for his transport which in going out run upon the Sands and was with
presenting himself before him the King rowsed up his Spirits and raised himself up as if he meant to speak to him but Nature being exhausted he had not Strength to express his Intentions but soon after expired Being upon Sunday morning the 27. of March 1625. at Theobalds in the nine and fiftieth year of his Age and the two and twentieth year compleat of his Reign And was buried at Westminster with great Solemnity the 7. of May following Not long after our King's Death as if the Time and Season as well as the Disease were Epidemical to Princes old Maurice the Prince of Orange died And his Brother Prince Henry being made General of the States Army put his Fortune into an unhappy Ballance which lost much of the Weight For either valuing his Soldiers lives less than his Brother or the loss of so brave a Town as Breda more or thinking to spring up with more Glory Phoenix-like from the ashes of his Brothers funerals being recruited with the Relicks of Mansfeldt's Army he set upon one of Spinola's strong Works at Terheiden either to relieve the Town or beat the Enemy out of his Trenches but he failed in both and lost many gallant Men especially English in the Enterprise The Earl of Oxford having the leading of the Van being a man Corpulent and heavy got such a sweltring heat in the service that though he came off without hurt from the enemy yet he brought Death along with him for he fell sick presently after went to the Hague and there dyed The other two gallant Collonels Essex and Willoughby survived to command two English Armies in a Civil-War Essex being General for the Paliament and Willoughby for the King in Kinton-field in Warwick-shire where Essex remained Victor the King being there in Person and leaving him the Honour of the Field his General Willoughby then Earl of Lindsey being slain in the Battel But there will be a long Tract of Time and Discourse before these Armies incounter being the first Cloud of that fiery exhalation which broke out in the next King's Reign and could not be quenched without the blood of many thousands of the Nation But Our King that was very much impatient in his Health was patient in his Sickness and Death Whether he had receibed any thing that extorted his Aguish Fits into a Feaver which might the sooner stupifie the Spirits and hasten his end cannot be asserted but the Countess of Buckingham who trafficked much with Mountebanks and whose Fame had no great savour had been tampering with him in the absence of the Docto●s and had given him a Medicine to drink and laid a Plaster to his side which the King much complained of and they did rather exasperate his Distemper than allay it and these things were admitted by the insinuating persuasions of the Duke her Son who told the King they were appoved Medicines and would do him much good And though the Duke after strove to purge himself for this Application as having received both Medicine and Plaster from Doctor Remington at Dunmow in Essex who had often cured Agues and such Distempers with the same yet they were Arguments of a complicated kind not easie to unfold considering that whatsoever he received from the Doctor in the Countrey he might apply to the King what he pleased in the Court besides the Act it self though it had been the best Medicine in the World was a Daring not justisiable and some of the King's Physicians mutter'd against it others made a great noise and were forced to fly for it and though the still voice was quickly silenced by the Duke's power yet the Clamorous made so deep impressions that his Innocence could never wear them out And one of Buckingham's great provocations was thought to be his fear that the King being how weary of his too much greatness and power would set up Bristol his deadly enemy against him to pull him down And this Medicine was one of those 13 Articles that after were laid to his Charge in Parliament who may be misinformed but seldom accuse any upon false Rumor or bare Suggestion and therefore it will be a hard task for any man to excuse the King his Successor for dissolving that Parliament to preserve one thar was accused by them for poisoning his Father For Doctor Lamb a man of an infamous conversation having been arraigned for a Witch and found guilty of it at Worcester and arraigned for a Rape and found guilty of it at the Kings-Bench-Bar at Westminster yet escaped the stroak of Iustice for both by his favour in Court was much imployed by the Mother and the Son which generally the people took notice of and were so incensed against Lamb that finding him in the Streets in London in the year 1628. they ro●e against him and with stones and slaves knockt out his Brains as may be more particularly ●elated in its due time And besides Lamb there was one Butler an Irishman which vaunted himself to be of the house of Ormond who was a kind of Montebank which the Duke and his Mother much consided in This Butler was first an Apprentice to a Cutler in London and before his time expired quitted his Master having a running head and went to the Barmudoes where he lived some time as a Servant in the Island and walking by the Sea-side with another of his Companions they found a great Mass of Ambergreece that the Seas bounty had cast up to them which they willingly concealed meaning to make their best Markets of it Butler being a subtle Snap wrought so with his Companion with promises of a share that he got the possession of it and in the next Dutch ship that arrived at the Barmudoes he shipt himself and his Commodities for Amsterdam where having sold his Bargain at a good Rate and made his credit with his fellow Venturer cheap enough ingrossing all to himself he came into England lived in a gallant and noble Equipage kept a great and free Table at his lodgings in the Strand which were furnished suitable to his Mind and had his Coach with six Horses and many footmen attending on him with as much State and Grandure as if his Greatness had been real But though his means lasted not to support this long yet it brought him into great acquaintance and being Pragmatical in tongue and having an active pate he fell to some Distillations and other odd extracting practices which kept him a float and some men thought he had gotten the long-dreamed-after Philosopher's Stone but the best Recipe which he had to maintain his Greatness after his Amber money fumed and vapoured away was suspected to come from his friends at White-Hall And the Story of his Death if it be true is one great Evidence of some secret Machination betwixt the Duke and him that the Duke was willing to be rid of him For Mischief being an ingrosser is Unsecure and Unsatisfyed When their Wares are to
Canterbury knowing that a Toleration was to be admitted though he stood tottering in the King's Favour and had the Badg of a Puritan clapt upon him thought it better to discharge his Conscience though he hazarded all rather than be silent in such a Cause where the Glory of God and the Good of the Kingdom were so higly concerned Therefore he writes this letter to the King May it please your Majesty I Have been too long silent and am afraid by my Silence I have neglected the Duty of the Place it hath pleased God to call me unto and your Majesty to place me in And now I humbly crave leave I may discharge my Conscience towards God and my Duty to your Majesty And therefore I beseech your Majesty give me leave freely to deliver my self and then let your Majesty do with me what you please Your Majesty hath propounded a Toleration of Religion I beseech you Sir take into your consideration what the Act is next what the consequence may be By your Act you labour to set up that most Damnable and Heretical Doctrine of the Church of Rome the Whore of Babylon How Hateful will it be to God and grievous unto your good Subjects the true Professors of the Gospel that your Majesty who hath often disputed and learnedly written against those wicked Heresies should now shew your self a Patron of those Doctrines which your Pen hath told the World and your Conscience tels your Self are Superstitious Idolatrous and Detestable Add hereunto what you have done in sending the Prince into Spain without the consent of your Council the Privity and Approbation of your People And though Sir you have a large Interest in the Prince as the Son of your Flesh yet hath the people a greater as the Son of the Kingdom upon whom next after your Majesty their Eyes are fixed and Welfare depends And so tenderly is his going apprehended as believe it Sir however his return may be safe yet the drawers of him to that Action so dangerous to himself to desperate to the Kingdom will not pass away unquestioned and unpunished Besides this Toleration which you endeavour to set up by Proclamation cannot be done without a Parliament unless your Majesty would let your Subjects see That you will take unto your self a liberty to throw down the Laws of the Land at your Pleasure What dreadful Consequence these things may draw after them I beseech your Majesty to consider And above all lest by this Toleration and discontinuance of the true profession of the Gospel whereby God hath blessed us and under which this Kingdom hath for many years flourished your Majesty do not draw upon the Kingdom in general and your Self in particular God's heavy Wrath and Indignation Thus in discharge of my Duty towards God to your Majesty and the place of my Calling I have taken humble Boldness to deliver my Conscience And now Sir do with me what you please Thus did our Solomon in his latter time though he had fought with the Beasts at Ephesus as one saith of him incline a little too much to the Beast Yet he made his tale so good to the Archbishop of Canterbury what reservations soever he had that he wrought upon the good old man afterwards in the Conclusion of the work to set his Hand as a Witness to the Articles And his desires were so heightned to the Heats of Spain which boyl'd him to such a Distemper that he would listen to nothing and almost yield to any thing rather than not to enjoy his own Humour Divers of his intimate Council affecting Popery were not slack to urge him to a Toleration and many Arguments were used inciting to it As that Catholicks were the King 's best and most peaceable Subjects the Puritans being the only Sticklers and the greatest Disturbers of the Royal peace trenching too boldly upon the Prerogative and striving to lessen the Kingly power But if the King had occasion to make use of the Catholicks he should find them more faithful to him than those that are ever contesting with him And why should not Catholicks with as much safety be permitted in England as the Protestants are in France That their Religion was full of Love and Charity where they could enjoy it with freedom and where Charity layes the Foundation the upper Building must needs be spiritual But these Arguments were answered and many reasons alledged against them proving the Nature of the Protestant Religion to be Compatible with the Nature of the Politick Laws of any State of what Religion soever Because it teacheth that the Government of any State whether Monarchial or Aristocratical is Supream within it self and not subordinate to any power without so that the Knot of Allegiance thereunto is so firmly tied that no Humane power can unloose or dissolve it Whereas on the contrary the Roman Religion acknowledging a Supremacy in another above that power which swayeth the State whereof they are Members must consequently hold that one stroke of that Supreme power is able to unsinew and cut in sunder all the Bonds which ty them to the Subordinate and Dependent Authority And therefore can ill accord with the Allegiance which Subjects owe to a Prince of their own Religion which makes Papists intolerable in a Protestant Common-wealth For what Faith can a Prince or People expect from them whose Tenet is That no Faith is to be held with Hereticks That the Protestants in France had merited better there than the Papists had done in England the one by their Loyalties to their lawful King having ransomed that Kingdom with their Bloods in the Pangs of her desperate Agonies from the Yoak of an Usurper within and the Tyranny of a Forain Scepter without The other seeking to write their Disloyalties in the Heart-Blood of the Princes and best Subjects of this Kingdom That the Number and Quality of the Professors of these different Religions in either Kingdom is to be observed For in France the Number of the Protestants were so great that a Toleration did not make them but found them a Considerable Party so strong as they could not have been suppressed without endangering the Kingdom But a Toleration in England would not find but form the Papists to be a considerable party witness their encrease by this late Connivency a thing which ought mainly to be avoided For the distraction of a State into several powerfull parties is alwaies weakning and often proveth the utter ruine thereof These thing were laid open to the King but all were waved by the King of Spain's Offering His engagement to the Pope by oath That he and the Prince his son should observe and keep the Articles stipulated betwixt them did exceedingly affect him And the Articles now coming to close up all they were ingrossed with a long preamble Declaring to all the World the much desired Union betwixt him and the King of Spain by the marriage of his son to