Man tho' not the sole Favorite My Lord seemed averse Sir Humphry then told him in plain terms That he was sent by the King to advise it and that Villers would come to him to cast himself into his Protection to take his Rise under the shaddow of his Wings Sir Humphry May was not parted from my Lord half an hour but in comes Sir George Villers and used these very words My Lord I desire to be your Servant and your Creature and shall desire to take my Court-Preferment under your Favour and your Lordship shall find me as faithful a Servant unto you as ever did Serve you My Lord returned this quick and short Answer I will none of your Service nor you shall none of my Favour I will if I can break your Neck and of that be confident This was but a harsh Complement and favoured more of Spirit than Wisdom and since that time breaking each others Necks was their aims And it is verily believed had Somerset complyed with Villers Overbury's Death had still lain reaked up in his own Ashes but God who will never suffer Murther to go unpunished will have what He will maugre all the Wisdom of the World To Windsor doth the King return to end his Progress from thence to Hampton-Court then to White-Hall and shortly after to Royston to begin his Winter-Journey And now begins the Game to be plaid in which Somerset must be the Loser the Cards being shuffled cut and dealt between the King and Sir Edward Coke Chief Justice whose Daughter Purbeck Villers had Married and therefore a fit Instrument to ruine Somerset and Secretary Wynwood These all play'd the Stake Somerset's Life and his Ladie 's their Fortunes and the Family of Suffolk some of them played Booty and in truth the Game was not played above-board The Day the King went from White-Hall to Theobalds and so to Royston He sent for all the Judges his Lords and Servants encircling him where kneeling down in the midst he used these Words My Lords the Judges It is lately come to my hearing that you have now in examination a business of Poysoning Lord in what a most miserable Condition shall this Kingdom be the only famous Nation for Hospitality in the World if our Tables should become such a Snare as none could eat without danger of Life and the Italian Custom should be introduced among us Therefore my Lords I charge you as you will answer it at the great and dreadful Day of Judgment that you examine it strickly without Favour Affection or Partiality and if you shall spare any guilty of this Crime God's Curse light on you and your Posterity And if I spare any that are found guilty God's Curse light on Me and my Posterity for ever But how this dreadful Thunder-Curse or Imprecation was performed shall be shewed hereafter The King with this took his Farewel for a time of London and was accompanied with Somerset to Royston where no sooner he brought him but instantly took leave little imagining what Viper lay amongst the Herbs Nor must I forget to let you know how perfect the King was in the Art of Dissimulation or to give it his own Phrase King-Craft The Earl of Somerset never parted from him with more seeming Affection than at this time when he knew Somerset should never see him more The Earl when he kissed his Hand the King hang'd about his Neck flabbering his Cheeks saying When shall I see you again On my Soul I shall neither eat nor sleep until youâ— come again The Earl told him on Monday this being on the Friday For God's-sake let me said the King Shall I shall I Then lolled about his Neck Then for God's-sake give thy Lady this Kiss for me In the same manner at the Stairs-head at the middle of the Stairs and at the Stairs-foot the Earl was scarcely in his Coach when the King used these very words in the hearing of four Servants of whom one was Somerset's great Creature and of the Bed-Chamber who reported it afterwards to many about the Court I shall never see his Face more I appeal to the Reader whether this Motto of Qui nescit dissimulare nescit regnare was not as well performed in this Passage as his Beati Pacifici in the whole course of his Life and his Love to the latter made him be beaten with his own Weapon in the other by all Princes and States that had to do with him But before Somerset's Approach to London his Countess was apprehended at his Arrival himself And the King being that Night at Supper said to Sir Thomas Morson My Lord Chief Justice hath sent for you He asked the King when he should wait on him again who replyed You may come when you can And as in the Story of Byron and many others there have been many foolish Observations as presage so was there in this Gentleman who was the King's Master Faulconer and in truth for his extraordinary Dexterity and Skill no Prince in Christendom ever had the like So that you see the Plot was so well laid as they could be all within the Toil at one instant not knowing of each other Now are in Hold the Earl his Countess Sir Thomas Monson Mistress Turner a very lewd and infamous Woman of life Weston and Franklin with some others of less Note of which one Simon a Servant of Sir Thomas Monson's who was employed in carrying Jelly and Tart to the Tower who upon his Examination for his pleasant Answer was instantly dismissed My Lord told him Simon you have had a hand in this Poysoning Business No my good Lord I had but one Finger in it which almost cost me my Life and at the best cost me all my Hair and Nails for the truth was Simon was somewhat liquorish and finding the Syrrup swim from the top of a Tart as he carried it he did with his Finger skim it off and it was to be believed had he known what it had been he would not have been his Taster at so dear a Rate And now poor Mrs. Turner Weston and Franklin began the Tragedy Mrs. Turner's Day of Mourning being better than the Day of her Birth for she died very penitently and shewed much modesty in her last Act which is to be hoped was accepted of with God after that died Weston then was Franklin Arraigned who confessed that Overbury was smoothered to Death not poysoned to Death though he had Poyson given him In the next place came the Countess to her Tryal at whose Arraignment as also at Mrs. Turner's before were shewed many Pictures poppeâ—â— with some Exrocism and Magiâ—â— Spells which made them appear more odious as being known to converse with Witches and Wizards The next that came on the Stage was Sir Thomas Monson but the Night before he was to come to his Tryal the King being at the Game of Maw said To Morrow comes Tom Monson to his Tryal Yea said the King's Card-holder where if he do
together and tells them That he had staid in Scotland longer than He expected yet not fruitlesly for He had given full Satisfaction to the Nation but cannot choose but take Notice of and Wonder at the unexpected Distractions He finds at Home and then Commends to them the State of Ireland After which the Commons Ordered a Select Committee to draw up a Petition and Remonstrance to the King The One was against the Bishops and Oppressions in Church-Government and for Punishing the Authors of it In the Other was Contained all the Miscarriages and Misfortunes since the beginning of His Majesty's Reign The King Issued out a Declaration in Answer to the Remonstrance the Summ of which was That He thought He had given sufficient Satisfaction to his People's Fears and Jealousies concerning Religion Liberties and Civil Interests by the Bills which He hath Passed this Parliament Desiring the Misunderstandings might be removed on either Side and that the Bleeding Condition of Ireland might perswade them to Unity for the Relief of that Unhappy Kingdom Not long after happened the Insolent Tumults of the London Apprentices at White-Hall and Westminster December 28. the King sends a Message to the Lords That He would raise ten Thousand Volunteers for Ireland if the Commons would undertake to Pay them Sometime after the King upon Information that the Lord Kimbolton and Five of the House of Commons viz. Hollis Sir Arthur Haslerig Mr. Pim Mr. Hambden and Mr. Stroud had Correspondence with the Scots and Countenanced the late City-Tumults He thereupon Ordered their Trunks Studies and Chambers to be Sealed up and their Persons Seized the Former of which was done but having timely Notice they went aside Upon which the Commons the same Day Voted high against these Actions of the King Hereupon the King Charges the Lord Kimbolton and the Five Members with several Articles and Acquaints both Houses That He did intend to Prosecute them for High-Treason and required that their Persons might be Secured And the next Day the King Attended with His Guard of Pensioners and some Hundreds of Gentlemen went to the House of Commons and the Guard staying without the King with the Palsgrave entred the House at whose Entrance the Speaker rises out of the Chair and the King sitting down therein views the Houses round and perceives the Birds He aimed at were flown whereupon He tells them That He came to look for those Five Members whom He had Accused of High-Treason and was resolved to have them where-ever He found them and expected to have them sent to Him as soon as they should come to the House but would not have them think that this Act of His was any Violation of Parliament This Act of the King 's was so highly resented by the House that the next day Jan. 5. the Commons Voted it a Breach of Priviledge And Reports were raised in the City That He intended Violence against the House of Commons and came thither with Force to Murther several Members and used threatning Speeches against the Parliament with which the City was so possessed that the Guards and Watches were Set as if some desperate Assault were to be made upon the City And Both Houses Adjourned till the Tuesday following appointing a Committee in the mean time to sit at Guild-Hall to consider of the most effectual Means for their Security And then they Published a Declaration That whosoever shall Arrest any Member of Parliament by Warrant from the King only is guilty of the Breach of Priviledges of Parliament And likewise That all those who Attended the King when He came to Demand the Five Members were guilty of a Traiterous Design against the King and Parliament That the Proclamation for Apprehending and Imprisoning the said Members was False Scandalous and Illegal and not of Validity enough to hinder them from Attending the House Wherefore They intreat His Majesty to discover the Names of those Informers and Evil Councellors declaring all such Persons to be Publick Enemies to the State In the mean time the Londoners came thronging to Westminster with Petitions inveighing Bitterly against some of the Peers but especially the Bishops whom they Affronted as they went to the House Upon which they were so affrighted that Twelve Bishops absent themselves from the House of Lords drawing up a Protestation against all Laws Orders Votes Resolutions and Determinations as in themselves Null and of none Effect which had Passed or should Pass during their forced Absence Presently after which at a Conference between Both Houses it was agreed That this Protestation of the Twelve Bishops did extend to the deep intrenching on the Fundamental Priviledges and Being of Parliaments And in a short time they were Accused of High-Treason Seized and brought on their Knees at the Lords-Bar Ten of whom were Committed to the Tower and the other Two in regard of their Age to the Black-Rod The King at this Time thinking Himself unsafe without a Guard accepted of the offer of some Gentlemen of the Inns of Court to be a Guard to Him which instead of Security was by Subtil Men made more prejudicial to the King by taking this occasion to raise the Rage and Jealousie of the City against Him For at Midnight there were cries made in the Streets of London That all the People should rise to their Defence for the King with His Papists were come to Fire the City and Cut their Throats in their Beds The People by often receiving such Alarms being terrified from Sleep the Impressions of those Night-fears lay long upon their Spirits in the Day and filled them almost with Madness of which the King Complained to the Common-Council of London But the Commons to obviate this upon Suspicion of some Design upon their Persons Petition the King for a Guard to be Commanded by the Earl of Essex of whose Fidelity to the King and State no question was ever made This Petition was denied by the King as not willing to have them too strong yet promised to take such Care for their Security from Violence as He would for the Preservation of Himself and Children This Answer being unsatisfactory the City joyns with them and in their Common-Council drew up a Petition complaining That the Trade of the City was decayed to the utter Ruine of the Protestant Religion and the Lives and Liberties of the Subjects by the Design of Papists Foreigners and Domesticks more particularly their fomenting the Irish Rebellion by changing the Constable of the Tower and making Preparation there by the Fortifying of White-Hall and the King 's late Invasion of the House of Commons Whereupon they Pray That by the Parliament's Advice the Protestants in Ireland may be Relieved The Tower to be put into the Hands of Persons of Trust A Guard appointed for the Safety of the Parliament And that the Five Members may not be Restrained nor Proceeded against but by the Priviledges of Parliament To their Petition the King returned Answer That He could not
Express a greater sence of Ireland than He had done That meerly to satisfie the City He had removed a Worthy Person from the Charge of the Tower And that the Tumults had caused Him to Fortifie White-Hall for the Security of His own Person That His going to the House of Commons was to Apprehend those Five Members for Treason to which the Priviledges of Parliament could not extend and that He would proceed against them no otherwise than Legally And now such numbers of ordinary People daily gathered about Westminster and White-Hall that the King doubting of their Intentions thought fit to withdraw to Hampton-Court taking with Him the Queen Prince and Duke of York where He and his Retinue and Guard quickly encreased by accession of divers of the Gentry But the next day the Five Members were Triumphantly Guarded to Westminster by a great number of Citizens and Sea-men with Hundreds of Boats and Barges with Guns in them shouting and hallowing as they passed by White-Hall and making large Protestations at Westminster of their constant Adherence and Fidelity to the Parliament About this time the Parliament had notice that the Lord Digby and Col. Lunsford were raising Troops of Horse at Kingston where the County Magazine was lodged Whereupon they order That the County Sheriffs Justices of Peace and the Trained-Bands shall take care to secure the Countries and their Magazines Lunsford was Seized and sent to the Tower but Digby escaped beyond Sea The King removed to Royston at which time Sir E. Herbert Attorny-General is questioned at the Lords-Bar to Answer concerning the Articles against the Five Members where it had gone hard with him if the King at his earnest Supplication had not taken him off by a Letter to the Lord-Keeper Littleton wherein the King clears the Attorny-General and takes the whole Business upon Himself yet concludes That finding Cause wholly to desist from Proceeding against the Persons Accused He had Commanded his Attorny-General to proceed no farther therein nor to produce nor discover any Proof concerning the same Jan. 20. The King sends a Message to the Parliament proposing the Security of his own just Rights and Royal Authority and That since particular Grievances and Distractions were too many and would be too great to be Presented by themselves that They would Comprize and Digest them into one entire Body and send them to Him And it should then appear how ready He would be to equal or exceed the greatest Examples of the most Indulgent Princes in their Acts of Grace and Favour to the People After this the Commons move the Lords to joyn with them in Petitioning for the Militia and the Command of the Tower but They not complying the House of Commons singly of themselves importune the King to put those things into the Hands of the Parliament as the only available Means for the removal of their Fears and Jealousies But the King not willing to part with the Principal Jewels of his Crown signified to them That He thought the Militia to be lawfully subject to no Commâ—nd but his Own and therefore would not let it go out of his Hands That he had preferred to the Lieutenancy of the Tower a Person of known Fortune and unquestionable Reputation and that he would Prefer none but such to the Command of his Forts and Castles Yet would not intrust the Power of Conferring those Places and Dignities from Himself it being derived to Him from his Ancestors by the Fundamental Laws of the Kingdom Yet the Commons would not desist but again Petitioned and were again refused Soon after divers Petitions were delivered to the Parliament against the Votes of Popish Lords and Bishops in the House of Peers as One from Suffolk with 1500 Hands Another from London with 2000 Hands and a Third from the City-Dames To all which were Answered That the Commons had already endeavoured Relief from the Lords in their Requests and should so continue till Redress were obtained And shortly after the Lords Passed the Bill For disabling all Persons in Holy-Orders to have any place or Vote in Parliament or to exercise any Temporal Jurisdiction At the same time they Petition the King again for the Militia and for clearing Kimbolton and the Five Members By his Answer to Both they understood his Resolution Not to trust the Militia out of Himself nor to clear the Members but only by a general Pardon which was unsatisfactory The King now at Hampton-Court thought fit to send for all his Domestick Servants of either Houses of Parliament and particularly the Earls of Essex and Holland but they refused to come In the mean time Mr. Pym at a Conference complaining of the general flocking of Papists into Ireland affirmed That since the Lieutenant had ordered a stop upon the Ports against all Irish Papists many of the chief Commanders now in the head of the Rebels had been licensed to pass thither by his Majesty's immediate Warrant The King was highly offended at this Speech which He signified to the House who in their Answer to his Message justifie Mr. Pym's words to be the Sense of the House and that they had yet in safe Custody the Lord Delvin Sir G. Hamilton Col. Butler Brother to the Lord Miniard now in Rebellion and one of the Lord Nettervil's Sons To which the King replies That he thought Mr. Pym's Speech was not so well grounded as it ought to have been and that the aforementioned Persons had their Passages granted before he knew of the Parliaments Order of Restraint and therefore expected their Declaration for his Vindication from that odious Calumny of Conniving or underhand Favouring that Horrid Rebellion But the King's Desire proved fruitless for they next moved to have Sir J. Byron turned out from being Lieutenant of the Tower and at their nomination Sir J. Coniers Succeeded They then proceeded to Name fit Persons for Trust of the Militia of the several Counties And by Act of Parliament disabled all Clergy-Men from exercising Temporal Jurisdiction The Commons then drew up a Petition for Vindicating their Five Members wherein they desire the King to send them the Informers against the said Members or otherwise to desert their Prosecution would not suffice because the whole Parliament was concerned in the Charge And then they proceeded to settle the Militia for the defence of the Parliament Tower and City of London under the Command of Maj. General Skipton who had formerly been an experienced Soldier in the Low Countries The King had deferred His Answer to their Petition for settling the Militia of the Counties according to their nomination till His Return from Dover where He took leave of his Wife and Daughter and so returned to Greenwich from whence He sent to Hampton-Court for his Two Eldest Sons to come to him though contrary to the Mind of the Parliament who would have disswaded Him from it The King being now at Greenwich sends this Answer to the Petition about the Militia That he is