Mr. Serjeant Ashley the other day told your Lordships of the Embleme of a King but by his leave made wrong use of it For a King bears in one hand the Globe and in the other the golden Scepter the tipes of Soveraignty and mercie but the Sword of Justice is ever carried before him by a Minister of Justice which shews Subjects may have their remedies for unjustice done and appeals done to higher powers for the Laws of England are so favourable to their Princes as they can do no unjustice Therefore I will conclude as all disputes I hold do Magna est veritas praevalebit so I make no doubt we living under so good a Prince as we do when this is represented unto him he will answer us Magna est Carta praevalebit The ARCH-BISHOPS of CANTERBURIES Speech at the Conference of both Houses 25. April 1628. GEntlemen of the House of Commons the service of the King and safety of the Kingdom do call on us my Lords to give all convenient expedition to dispatch some of those great and weighty businesses for the better effecting whereof my Lords have thought fit to let you know that they do in general agree with you and doubt not but you will agree with us to the best of your power to maintain and support the fundamental Laws of the Kingdom and the fundamental Liberties of the Subject for the particulers which may hereafter fall in debate they have given me in charge to let you know that what hath been presented by you to their Lordships they have laid nothing of it by they are not out of love with any thing you have tendered to them they have voted nothing neither are they in love with any thing proceeding from themselves for that which we shall say and propose unto you is out of an intendment to invite you to a mutual and free conference that you with confidence may come to us and we with confidence may speak to you so that we may come to a conclusion of those things which we both unanimously desire we have resolved of nothing defined or determined nothing but desire to take you with us praying help of you as you have done of us My Lords have thought upon some Propositions which they have ordered to be read here and then left with you in writing that if it seem good to you we may uniformly concur for the substance and if you differ that you may be pleased to put out or add or alter or diminish as you shall think fit that so we the better come to the end that we do both so desireously embrace Then the 5. Propositions were read by the Lord BISHOP of NORVVHICH The 5. Propositions 25. April 1628. 1. THat his Majesty would be pleased gratiously to declare that the good old Law called Magna Charta and the 6. Statutes conceived to be Declarations or Explanations of that Law do stand still in Force to all intents and purposes 2. That his Majesty would be pleased gratiously to declare that according to Magna Charta and the Statutes aforesaid as also according to the most ancient Customes and Laws of this Land every free Subject of this Realm hath a fundamental propriety in his goods and a fundamental Liberty of his Person 3. That his Majesty would be pleased gratiously to declare that it is his Royal pleasure to ratifie and confirm unto all and every his faithfull and Loyal Subjects all their antient several just Liberties Priviledges and Rights in as ample and beneficial manner to all intents and purposes as their Ancestors did enjoy the same under the Government of the best of his most Noble Progenitors 4. That his Majesty would be pleased gratiously to declare for the good contentment of his Loyal Subjects and for the secureing them from future fears that in all causes within the Cognizance of the Common-Law and concerning the Liberty of his Subjects his Majesty would proceed according to the Laws established in the Kingdom and in no other manner or wise 5. And as touching his Majesties Royal Prerogative intrincical to his Soveraignty and intrusted him from God ad communem totius populi salutem non ad destructionem his Majesty would resolve not to use or divert the same to the prejudice of any his loyal People in the propriety of their goods and liberty of their Persons And in case for the security of his Majesties Royal Person the Common safety of his People or the peaceable Government of his Kingdom his Majesty shall finde just cause of State to imprison or restrain any mans Person his Majesty would gratiously declare that within a convenient time he shall and will express the cause of his commitment or restraint either general or special and upon a cause so expressed will leave him immediatly to be tried according to the Common Justice of the Kingdom Then S r. DUDLEY DIGGS in the behalf of the Commons saith MY Lords it hath pleased Almighty God many wayes to bless the Knights Cittizens and Burgesses now assembled in Parliamen with great comforts and strong hopes that this will prove as happy a Parliament as ever was in England and in their Consultations for the service of his Majesty and the safety of this Kingdom one especial comfort and strong hope hath risen from the continued good respects which your Lordships so nobly from time to time have been pleased to shew unto them particulerly at this present in your so Honourable profession to agree with them in general in desire to maintain and support the fundamental Laws and Liberties of England The Commons have commanded me in like fort they have been are and will be as ready to propugne the just Prerogatives of his Majesty of which in all their Arguments searches of Records and resolutions they have been most carefull according to that which formerly was and now again is protested by them Another Noble Argument of your Honourable disposition towards them is exprest in this that you are pleased to expect no present answer from them who are as your Lordships in your general wisdoms they doubt not have considered a great body that must advise upon all new Propositions and resolve upon them before they can give answer according to the ancient usage of our House but is manifest in general God be thanked for it there is a great concurrence of affection to the same end in both Houses and such a good Harmony that I intreat your Lordships leave to borrow a comparison from nature or natural Philosophy as two Lutes well strung and tun'd brought together if one be plaid on little straws or sticks will stir upon the other though it lye still so though we have no power to reply yet these things said and proposed cannot but work in our hearts and we will faithfully report these passages to our House from whence in due time we hope your Lordships shall receive a contentfull Answer S r. BENJAMIN RUDDIERDS Speech 28.
doth Dissolve this Parliament wherefore you have all free leave to depart to your Residences c. His MAIESTIES Letter with Queres concerning Ship-money and the Answer thereunto To Our trustie and welbeloved Sir Iohn Bramston Knight Chief Justices of our Bench Sir Iohn Finch Knight Chief Justice of our Court of Common-pleas Sir Humphrey Davenport Knight Chief Baron of Our Court of Exchequer and to the rest of the Judges of Our Courts of Kings Bench Common-pleas and the Barons of our Court of Exchequer CHARLES R. TRustie and welbeloved We greet you well Taking into Our Princely consideration that the Honor and Safetie of this our Realm of England the preservation whereof is onely intrusted to Our care was and is now more dearly concerned than in late former times as well by diverse Counsels and attempts to take from Us the Dominion of the Seas of which We are sole Lord and rightfull Owner or Propriator and the loss whereof would be of greatest danger and peril to this Kingdom and other our Dominions and many other wayes We for the avoiding of these and the like dangers well weighing with Our self that where the good and safety of the Kingdom in general is concerned and the whole Kingdom in danger there the charge and defence ought to be born by all the Realm in general did for preventing so publick a mischief resolve with Our self to have a Royal Navie provided that might be of force and power with Almightie Gods blessing and assistance to protect and defend this our Realm and our Subjects therein from all such perils and dangers and for that purpose We issued forth Writs under Our Great Seal of England directed to all Our Sheriffs of Our several Counties of England and Wales Commanding thereby all Our said Subjects in every Citie Town and Village to provide such a number of Ships well furnished as might serve for this Royal purpose and which might be done with the greatest equallitie that could be In performance whereof though generally throughout all the Counties of this Our Realm We have found in Our Subjects great chearfulness and alacritie which We graciously interpret as a testimonie as well of their dutifull affections to Us and Our service as of the respest they have to the publick which well becometh every good Subject nevertheless finding that some few happily out of ignorance what the Laws and Customs of this Realm are or out of a desire to be eased and freed in their particulars how general soever the charge be or ought to be have not yet paid and contributed the several Rates and Assesments that were set upon them foreseeing in our Princely wisdom that from hence diverse Suits and Actions are not unlikely to be commenced and prosecuted in Our several Courts at Westminster We desireous to avoid such inconveniences and out of Our Princely love and affection to all our people being willing to prevent such errors as any of Our loving Subjects may happen to run into have thought fit in a Case of this nature to advise with you Our Iudges who we doubt not are all well studied and informed in the rights of Our Sovereigntie And because the Trials in Our several Courts by the formalities in pleading will require a long protraction We have thought fit by this Letter directed to you all to require your Iudgements in the Case as it is set down in the inclosed Paper which will not onely gain time but also be of more Authoritie to over-rule any prejudicate opinions of others in the point Given under Our Signet at Our Court of White-hall the Second day of Febr. in the Twelfth Year of our Reign 1636. CHARLES R. WHen the good and safetie of the Kingdom in general is concerned and the whole Kingdom in danger Whether may not the KING by Writ under the Great Seal of England Command all the Subjects of this Kingdom at their charge to provide and furnish such number of Ships with Men Victuals and Munition and for such time as he shall think fit for the defence and safeguard of the Kingdom from such danger and peril and by Law compel the doing thereof in case of refusal or refractoriness And whether in such case is not the KING the sole Judge both of the danger and when and how the same is to be prevented and avoided CHARLES REX Answer MAy it please Your most excellent Majestie We have according to Your Majesties Command severally every man by himself and all of us together taken into serious consideration the Case and Questions signed by your Majestie and inclosed in your Royal Letter and we are of opinion that when the good and safetie of the Kingdom in general is concerned and the whole Kingdom in danger Your Majestie may by Writ under the Great Seal of England Command all the Subjects of this Your Kingdom at their charge to provide and furnish such number of Ships with Men Victual and Munition and for such time as Your Majestie shall think fit for the defence and safeguard of the Kingdom from such danger and peril and that by Law Your Majestie may compel the doing thereof in Case of refusal or refractoriness And we are also of opinion That in such Case Your Majestie is the sole Iudge both of the danger and when and how the same is to be prevented and avoided John Bramston John Finch Humfrey Davenport John Denham Richard Hutton William Jones George Crook Thomas Trevor George Vernon Robert Barkley Francis Crawley Richard Weston FINIS
in generall and to the grievous and insupportable vexation and detriment of many Countreys and persons in particular a new and heretofore almost unheard of way hath been invented and put in practise to lay Souldiers upon them scattered in Companies here and there even in the heart and bowels of this Kingdome and to compell many of your Majesties Subjects to receive and lodge them in their own houses and both themselves and others to contribute towards the maintenance of them to the exceeding great disservice of your Majesty to the generall terrour of all and utter undoing of many of your poor people Insomuch that we cannot sufficiently nor in any sort proportionable to the lively sense that we have of our miserie herein are we able to represent unto your Majesty the innumerable mischiefs and continuall vexations that by this meanes alone we do now suffer whereof we will not presume to trouble your sacred eares with particular instances Only most gracious Sovereign we beg leave to offer unto your gracious view and compassionate Consideration a few of them in generall First The service of almighty God is hereby greatly hindred the people in many places not daring to repair to the Churches least the Souldiers in the mean time should rifle their houses 2. The ancient and good government of the Countrey is hereby neglected and contemned 3. Your Officers of Justice in performance of their duties have been resisted and indangered 4. The rents and revenues of your Gentrie greatly and generally diminished Farmers to secure themselves from the Souldiers insolencie being by the clamours and solicitation of their fearfull and injured wives and children inforced to give up their wonted dwellings and to retire themselves into places of more secure habitation 5. Husbandmen that are as it were the hands of the Countrey corrupted by ill example of the Souldiers and incouraged to idle life give over work and rather seek to live idly at another mans charge then by their own labours 6. Tradesmen and Artificers almost discouraged being inforced to leave their trades and to imploy their time in preserving themselves and their families from violence and cruelty 7. Markets unfrequented and our wayes grown so dangerous that your people dare not passe to and fro upon their usuall occasions 8. Frequent robberies assaults batteries burglaries rapes rapines murthers barbarous cruelties and other most abominable vices and outrages are generally complained of from all parts where these Companies have been and had their abode few of which insolencies have been so much as questioned and fewer according to their demerits punished These and many other lamentable effects most dread and dear Sovereign have by this billetting of Souldiers fallen upon your loyall Subjects tending no lesse to the disservice of your Majesty then to their own impoverishing and destruction so that they are thereby exceedingly disabled to yield your Majesty those supplies for your urgent occasions which they heartily desire And yet they are further perplexed with apprehension of more approching dangers one in regard of your Subjects at home and the other from Enemies abroad In both which respects it seems to threaten no small Calamitie For the first the meaner sort of your people being exceeding poor whereof in many places be great multitudes and therefore in times of most settled and constant administration of Justice not easily ruled are most apt upon this occasion to cast off the reines of government and by joyning themselves with these disordred Souldiers are very likely to fall into mutinie and rebellion which in faithfull discharge of our duties we cannot forbear most humblie to present to your high and excellent Wisdome being prest with probable feares that some such mischief will shortly ensue if an effectuall and speedie course be not taken to remove out of the land or else otherwise to disband those unruly Companies For the second we do most humbly beseech your Majesty to take into your Princely consideration that many of these Companies besides their dissolute dispositions and carriages are such as do openly professe themselves to be Papists and therefore to be suspected that if occasion serve they will rather adhere to a forreign Enemy of that Religion then to your Majestie their liege Lord and Sovereign especially some of their Captaines and Commanders being as Popishlie affected as themselves and having served in the warres in the behalf of the King of Spain and the Arch-Dutchesse against your Majesties Allyes which of what pernicious consequence it may prove and how prejudiciall to the safety of all your Kingdome we humblie leave to your Majesties high and Princely Wisdome And now upon this and many more which might be alledged most weightie and important reasons grounded upon the maintenance of the worship and service of almightie God the continuance and advancement of your Majesties high honour and profit the preservation of the ancient and undoubted Liberties of your people and therein of Justice and Industrie and Valour which clearly concernes the glorie and happinesse of your Majestie and all your Subjects and the preventing of imminent calamities and ruine both of Church and Common-wealth we your Majesties most humble and loyall Subjects the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of your House of Commons in the name of all the Commonaltie of the Kingdome who are upon this occasion most miserable disconsolate and afflicted prostrate at the throne of your Grace and Justice do most humbly and ardently beg a present remove of this insupportable burthen and that your Majesty would be graciously pleased to secure us from the like pressure for time to come The nine Heads of the House of Commons to the Speaker 1. THat it is the ancient right of Parliament to dispose of matters there debated in their own method 2. That it is their ancient custome to consider of Grievances before matters of Supplie 3. That yet neverthelesse in this Parliament to expresse our affection to his Majesty contrarie to ordinarie proceedings we have proceeded in the Supply as farre as we could in that Committee 4. That we have been so farre from delaying that post-posing the common and pressing grievances we have given precedencie to the supply joyning with it only the fundamentall and vitall Liberties of the Kingdome that give substance to the Subjects 5. Further to expresse the fulnesse of our affections we have exceeded our order in that particular concerning the supplie which though later in proposition yet hath been first made readie for conclusion in the Committee 6. No person or Councell can be greater lovers of or more carefull to maintain the sacred Rights and Prerogatives of the Crown then we and we do conceive that the maintaining of the fundamentall Rights and Liberties of the Subject is an especiall meanes to establish the glory of a Monarch and that by it his Subjects are the better enabled to do him service which hath been the cause of many glorious victories wone by this Nation above other Kingdomes of larger
Majestie thereof and with bleeding hearts and bended knees to crave such speedy redress therein as to your own wisdom unto which we humbly submit our selves and our desires shall seem most meet and convenient what the multitude and potency of your Majesties Enemies are abroad what be their malitious and ambitious ends and how vigilant and constantly industrious they are in pursuing the same is well known to your Majesty Together with the dangers threatned thereby to your sacred Person and your Kingdoms and the calamity which hath already fallen and doth dayly increase upon your Friends and Allies of which we are all well assured your Majesty is most sensible and will accordingly in your own great wisdom and with the gravest and most mature Councel according to the exigency of the times and occasions provide by all means to prevent and help the same To which end we most humbly intreat your Majesty first and especially to cast your eyes upon the miserable condition of this your own Kingdom of late so strangely weakned impoverished dishonoured and dejected That unless through your Majesties most gracious wisdom goodness and Justice it be speedily raised to a better condition it is in no little danger to become a sudden prey to the Enemies thereof And of the most happy and flourishing to be the most miserable and contemptible Nation in the World In the discovery of which dangers mischiefs and inconveniences lying upon us we do freely protest that it is far from our thoughts to lay the least aspercion upon your Majesties sacred Person or the least scandal upon your Government for we do in all sincerity and with all joyfulness of heart not onely for our selves but in the name of the whole Commons of England whom we represent ascribe as much honour to your Majesty and acknowledge as much duty as a most loyal and affectionate people can do unto the best King for so you are and so you have been pleased abundantly to express your self this present Parliament by your Majesties clear and satisfactory answer to our Petition of Right for which both we our selves and our posterities shall bless God for you and ever preserve a thankfull memory of your great goodness and Justice therein and we do verily believe that all or most of those things which we shall now present unto your Majesty are either unknown unto your Majesty or else by some of your Majesties Ministers offered under such specious pretences as may hide their own bad intentions ill consequence of them from your Majesty But we assure our selves that according to the good example of your most noble Predecessors nothing can make your Majesty being a Wise and Judicious Prince and above all things desirous of the welfare of your people more in love with Parliaments then this which is one of the principal ends of calling them that therein you may be truely informed of the State of all the several parts of your Kingdom and how your Officers and Ministers do behave themselves in discharge of the trust reposed in them by your Majesty which is scarce possible to be made known unto you but in Parliament as was declared by your blessed Father when he was pleased to put the Commons in Parliament assembled in minde that it would be the greatest unfaithfulness and breach of duty to his Majesty and of the trust committed to them by their Countrey that could be if in setting forth the grievances of the people and the condition of all the parts of this Kingdom from whence they came they did not deal clearly with him without sparing any how near and deer soever they were unto him if they were hurtfull or dangerous to the Common-wealth In confidence therefore of your Majesties gracious acceptation in a matter of so high importance and in faithfull discharge of our duties we do first of all most humbly beseech your Majesty to take notice that howsoever we know your Majesty doth with your Soul abhor that any such thing should be imagined or attempted yet there is a general fear conceived in your people of some secret working and combination to introduce into this your Kingdom innovacion and change of our holy Religion more precious to us then our lives and what ever this World can affoard Our fears and jealousies herein are not meerly conjectural but arising out of such certain and visible effects as may demonstrate a true and real cause For notwithstanding the many good and wholsom Laws and provisions made to prevent the increase of Popery within this Kingdom and notwithstanding your Majesties gracious and satisfactorie answer to the Petition of both Houses in that behalf presented unto your Majestie at Oxford we finde there hath followed no good execution or effect but on the contrary at which your Majestie out of the quick sence of your own Religious heart cannot but be in the highest measure displeased those of that Religion do finde extraordinarie favours and respects in Court from Persons of great quality and power there unto whom they continually resort and in particuler to the Countess of Buckingham who her self openly professing that Religion is a known favourer and supporter of them that do the same which we well hoped upon your Majesties answer to the aforesaid Petition of Oxford should not have been permitted nor that any of your Majesties Subjects of that Religion or justly to be suspected should be entertained in the service of your Majesty or of your Royal consort the Queen some likewise of that Religion have had Honours Offices and places of Command and Authority lately conferred upon them But that which striketh the greatest terrour into the hearts of your Loyal Subjects concerning this point is That Letters of stay of Legal proceedings against them have been procured from your Majesty by what indirect means we know not and Commissions under the great Seal granted and executed for compositions to be made with Popish Recusants with inhibitions and restraints both to the Ecclesiastical and Temporal Courts and Officers to intermeddle with them which is conceived to amount to no less then a toleration odious to God full of dishonour and extream disprofit to your Majestie of great scandal and grief to your good people and of apparent danger to the present estate of your Majestie and of this Kingdom their numbers power and insolencies dayly increasing in all parts of your Kingdom and in special about London and the Suburbs thereof where exceeding many families of them do make their aboad and publickly frequent Mass at Denmark House and other places and by their often meetings and conferences have opportunities of combining their counsels and strength together to the hazard of your Majesties safety and the State and especially in these doubtfull and calamitous times And as our fear concerning change or subversion of Religion is grounded upon the dayly increase of Papists the open and professed enemies thereof for the reasons formerly mentioned so are the hearts of your
sea and land should be in the hands of any one Subject whatsoever And as it is not safe so sure we are it cannot be for your service it being impossible for any one man to mannage so many and so weightie affairs of the Kingdom as he hath undertaken besides the ordinary duties of those great offices which he holds some of which well performed would require the time and industrie of the ablest man both for Councel and action that your whole Kingdom could afford especially in these times of common danger And our humble desire further is that your most Excellent Majestie would be pleased to take it into your Princely consideration whether in respect the same Duke hath so abused his power it be safe for your Majestie and your Kingdoms to continue him either in his great offices of trust or in his place of nearness and Councel about your sacred person And thus in all humility aiming at nothing but the honour of Almightie God the maintenance of his true Religion the safetie and happiness of your most Excellent Majestie and the preservation and prosperitie of this Church and Common-Wealth we have endeavoured with faithfull hearts and intentions and in discharge of the dutie we owe to your Majestie and our Countrey to give your Majestie a true representation of our present dangers and pressing calamities which we humbly beseech your Majestie gratiously to accept and to take the same to heart acccompting the safety and prosperity of your people your greatest happiness and their love your richest treasure A rufull and lamentable spectacle we confess it must needs be to behold these ruines in so fair a house so many diseases and almost every one of them deadly in so strong and well tempered a bodie as this Kingdom latelie was yet we will not doubt but that God hath reserved this honour for your Majestie to restore the safety and happiness thereof again as a work worthy so Excellent a Prince For whose long life and true felicity we dayly pray and that your fame and never dying glory may be continued to all succeeding generations A Kallender or Schedule of the shipping of this Kingdom which have been taken by the enemy and lost at sea within the space of three years last past Taken by the Enemy Ships of the burthen of 100. Tun and upwards belonging to London The ships 77 and furniture vallued at 62000. l. Ipswich The ships 77 and furniture vallued at 62000. l. Newcastle The ships 77 and furniture vallued at 62000. l. Hull The ships 77 and furniture vallued at 62000. l. Yarmouth The ships 77 and furniture vallued at 62000. l. Aldborough The ships 77 and furniture vallued at 62000. l. Cast away Ships of the same burthen belonging to the same places 133 The ships and furniture vallued at 100000. l. Taken and cast away Ships of the like burthen belonging to Lynne 50 The ships and furniture vallued at 35000. l. Bristol 50 The ships and furniture vallued at 35000. l. Dartmouth 50 The ships and furniture vallued at 35000. l. Portsmouth 50 The ships and furniture vallued at 35000. l. Southampton 50 The ships and furniture vallued at 35000. l. Waymouth 50 The ships and furniture vallued at 35000. l. Exceter 50 The ships and furniture vallued at 35000. l. Shoram 50 The ships and furniture vallued at 35000. l. Harwich 50 The ships and furniture vallued at 35000. l. Dover 50 The ships and furniture vallued at 35000. l. Woodbridge 50 The ships and furniture vallued at 35000. l. Sandwich 50 The ships and furniture vallued at 35000. l. Some 260 ships vallued at 197000. l. Taken by the Enemy Ships of 100 Tonne belonging to London 130 The vallued not certified Newcastle 130 The vallued not certified Hull 130 The vallued not certified Boston 130 The vallued not certified Yarmouth 130 The vallued not certified Lynne 130 The vallued not certified Aldborough 130 The vallued not certified Dover 130 The vallued not certified The County of Sussex 130 The vallued not certified Pool 130 The vallued not certified Southampton 130 The vallued not certified Weymouth 130 The vallued not certified Exceter 130 The vallued not certified Dartmouth 130 The vallued not certified Bristol 130 The vallued not certified Iersey 130 The vallued not certified Scarbrough 130 The vallued not certified Soul and 130 The vallued not certified Dunwich 130 The vallued not certified Touching the Ports and Towns of Portsmouth great losses whereof no particular is given Westchester great losses whereof no particular is given Milfordhaven great losses whereof no particular is given Bridgwater great losses whereof no particular is given Bastable great losses whereof no particular is given Faymouth great losses whereof no particular is given Foy. great losses whereof no particular is given Lynne Regis great losses whereof no particular is given Isle of Whight great losses whereof no particular is given Colchester great losses whereof no particular is given Iersey great losses whereof no particular is given Low great losses whereof no particular is given Whitby great losses whereof no particular is given Bridlington great losses whereof no particular is given Blackney great losses whereof no particular is given Wels. great losses whereof no particular is given Orford great losses whereof no particular is given Brightling-sea great losses whereof no particular is given Rochester great losses whereof no particular is given and divers other small Ports great losses whereof no particular is given The goods and Merchandizes lost in the shipping aforesaid and in Flemish bottoms fraighted by English Merchants to be imported into this Kingdom are of exceeding great vallue the certainty whereof cannot now be expressed Onely one company of Merchants Trading to the Eastwards from London Ipswich Hull and New-castle in half this space of time have lost one hundred thousand pounds taken by the Enemy A Great Number of Marriners also proportionable to this loss of shipping have been taken and destroyed by the Enemy and cast away through disorderly pressing and forcing upon Winter voyages besides many more by reason of their discouragements and want of pay have either run away to the Enemy or betaken themselves to forraign service or to any other Trade rather then to lead a Sea-mans life to the inestimable loss and danger of the Kingdom The Kings Answer to the Remonstrance the 17 of June 1626. Gentlemen UPon my Answer to your Petition of Right I expected no such declaration from you which conteineth divers points of State touching the Church and Common-Wealth And I do conceive you do believe that I understood them better then your selves but since the reading thereof I perceive you understand these things less then I imagined notwithstanding I will take them into my consideration as they deserve The Kings Speech at the end of the Session June 26. IT may seem strange that I came so suddenly to end this Session therefore before I give any assent to the Bills I will tell you the cause though I must avow that I owe
an accompt of my actions to none but to God alone It is known to every one that a while ago the House of Commons gave me a Remonstrance how acceptable every man may judge and for the merrit of it I will not call that in question for I am sure no wise man can justifie it Now since I am truely informed that a second Remonstrance is preparing for me to take away the profit of my Tonnage and Poundage one of the chief maintenances of the Crown by alleadging that I have given away my right thereof by my answer to your Petition This is so prejudiciall to me that I am forced to end this Session some few hours before I meant it being not willing to receive any more Remonstrances to which I must give an harsh answer And since I see to that end the House of Commons beginneth already to make false constructions of what I granted in your Petition least it be worse interpreted in the Countrey I will now make a Declaration concerning the true intent thereof The profession of both Houses in the time of hammering this Petition was no was to trench upon my prerogative saying they had neither intention nor power to hurt it Therefore it must needs be conceived that I have granted no new but confirmed the ancient Liberties of my Subjects yet to shew the clearness of my intentions that I neither repent nor mean to recede from any thing I have promised you I do here declare that those things which have been done whereby many had some cause to suspect the libertie of the Subject to be trenched upon which indeed was the first and true ground of the Petition shall not hereafter be drawn in example for your prejudice and in time to come in the word of a King you shall not have like cause to complain But as for Tonnage and Poundage it is a thing I cannot want and was never intended by you to ask never meant I am sure by me to grant To conclude I command you all that are here to take notice of what I have spoken at this time to be the true intent and meaning of what I granted in your Petition but especially you my Lords the Judges for to you onely under me belongs the interpretation of Laws for none of the Houses of Parliament either joynt or separate what new doctrine soever may be raised have any power either to make or declare a Law without my consent The Second Remonstrance Most Gratious Soveraign YOur Majesties most Loyall and Dutifull Subjects the Commons in this present Parliament Assembled being in nothing more carefull then of the Honour and prosperity of your Majesty and the Kingdom which they know doth much depend upon your happy Union and relation betwixt your Majestie and your people do with much sorrow apprehend that by reason the incertainty of their continuance together the unexpected interruptions which have been cast upon them and the shortness of time in which your Majestie hath determined to end this Session they cannot bring to maturity and perfection diverse businesses of waight which they have taken into consideration and resolution as most important for the common good Amongst diverse other things they have taken in especial care for preparing a Bill for the granting to your Majestie such a subsedy of Tonnage and Poundage as might uphold your profit and revenew in as ample manner as their just care and respect of Trade wherein not onely the prosperity but even the life of the Kingdom would permit but being a work which will require much time and preparation by conference with your Majesties Officers and with the Merchants not onely of London but also of other remote parts they finde it not possible to be accomplished at this time wherefore considering it will be much more prejudiciall to the right of the Subject if your Majestie should continue to receive the same without Authority of Law after the determination of a Session then if there had been a recess by adjournment onely in which case that intended grant would have related to the first day of the Parliament and assuring themselves your Majesty is resolved to observe that your Royall answer which you have lately made to the Petition of Right of both Houses of Parliament Yet doubting lest your Majesty may be misinformed concerning the particular case as if you might continue to take those subsedies of Tonnage and Poundage and other impositions upon Merchants without breaking that answer they are forced by that dutie which they owe to your Majestie and to those whom they represent to declare that there ought not any imposition to be laid upon the goods of Merchants exported or imported without common consent by Act of Parliament which is the right and inheritance of your Subjects founded not onely upon the most ancient and Original constitution of this Kingdom but often confirmed and declared in divers Statute Laws And for the better manifestation thereof may it please your Majestie to understand that although your Royall predecessors the Kings of this Realm have often had such subsedies and impositions granted unto them upon diverse occasions especially for the guarding of the Seas and safe-guard of Merchants yet the Subjects have been ever carefull to use such cautions and limmitations in those grants as might prevent any claim to be made That such subsedies do proceed from duty not of free gift of the Subject and that they have heretofore used to limmit a time in such grants and for the most part but short as for a year or two and if it were continued longer they have sometimes directed a certain space of cessation and intermission that so the right of the Subject might be more evident At other times it hath been granted upon occasions of War for a certain number of years with proviso that if the War were ended in the mean time then the grant should cease And of course it hath been sequestred into the hands of some Subjects to be imployed for the guarding of the coasts and it is acknowledged by the ordinary answers of your Majesties predecessors in their assent to the Bills of subsedy of Tonnage and Poundage That it is of the nature of other subsedies proceeding from the good will of the Subject Very few of your predecessors had it for life until the raign of Hen. 7. who was so far from conceiving he had any right thereunto that although he granted commissions for collecting certain duties and customes due by Law yet he made no commissions for receiving the subsedy of Tonnage and Poundage untill the same was granted unto him in Parliament Since his time all the Kings and Queens of England have had the like grants for life by the free love and good will of the Subject And whensoever the people have been grieved by laying any imposition or other charges upon their goods or Merchandizes without Authority of Law which hath been very seldom yet upon complaint in Parliament
judging of a Parliament to be the antient speediest best way in this time of common Danger to give such supply as to secure our selves and to save our Friends from imminent ruine have called you together Every man must do according to his conscience Wherefore if you which God forbid should not doe your duties in contributing what the State at this time needs I must in discharge of my conscience use those other meanes which God hath put into my hands to save that which the follies of particular men may hazard to loose Take not this as a threatning for I scorn to threaten any but my equals but an admonition from him that both out of nature and dutie have most care of your preservations and prosperities and though I thus speak I hope that your endeavours at this time will be such as shall not onely make me approve your former Counsels but lay on me such obligations as shall binde me by way of thankfulness to meet often for be assured that nothing can be more pleasing to me then to keep a good correspondence with you I will onely adde one thing more and then leave my Lord Keeper to make a short paraphrase upon the Text I have delivered you which is to remember a thing to the end we may forget it You may imagine that I came here with a doubt of success of what I desire remembring the distractions at the last meeting but I assure you that I shall very easily and gladly forget and forgive what is past so that you will at this present time leave the former waies of distractions and follow the counsell late given you to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace The Lord Keeper Coventry's Speech 17. March 1627. My Lords and you the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the House of Commons IF I had been delighted in long speaking yet the example and commandment of his Majestie hath been more then enough to refraine the superfluitie of that humour but here is yet more For that short and excellent compacted Speech which you have heard from his Majestie begins with a reason It is a time for action and not for speech Examples and Command master the VVill and Reason the Understanding and therefore you may expect nothing from me but brevity You have heard the matter already and I doubt not but with reverence as the weight and authority requires you have imprinted it in your mindes and the matter being known long speeches from me were but babling to beat the aire Yee are here in Parliament by his Majesties writ and royall command to consult and conclude of the weightie and urgent businesse of this Kingdome VVeighty it is and great as great as the honour safety and protection of Religion King and Country and what can be greater Urgent it is It is little pleasure to tell or think how urgent and to tell it with circumstances were a long work I will but touch the summe of it in few words The Pope and House of Austria have long affected the one a Spiritual the other a Temporal Monarchie and to effect their ends to serve each others turn the House of Austria besides the rich and vast Territories of both the Indies and in Africa joined together are become Masters of Spain and Italy and the great country of Germany And although France be not under their subjection yet they have endeavoured all about him the very bowells of the Kingdome swaied by the Popish faction they have gotten such a part and such interest in the Government that under pretence of Religion to root out the Protestants and our Religion they have drawn the King to their adherence so farre that albeit upon his Majesties interposition by his Ambassadours and his engagement of his royall word there was between the King and his Subjects Articles of agreement and the Subjects were quiet whereby his Majestie interessed in that great Treaty was bound to see a true accomplishment yet against that strict alliance that Treaty hath been broken and those of the Religion have been put to all extremity and undoubtedly will be ruinated without present help so as that King is not onely diverted from assisting the common Cause but hath been misled to engage himself in hostile acts against our King or other Princes making way thereby for the House of Austria to the ruine of his own and other Kingdomes Other Potentates that in former times did ballance and interrupt the growing greatnesse of the House of Austria are now removed and diverted The Turk hath made peace with the Emperour and turned himself wholly into warrs with Asia the King of Sweden is embroiled in a warre with Poland which is invented by Spanish practices to keep that King from succouring our part the King of Denmark is chased out of his Kingdome on this and on that side the Sound so as the house of Austria is on the point to command all the Sea-coasts from Danâ—zick to Emden and all the Rivers falling into the Sea in that great extent so as besides their power by Land they beginne to threaten our part by Sea to the subversion of all our State In the Baltique Sea they are providing and arming all the ships they can build or hire and have at this time their Ambassadours threatning at Lubeck to draw into their service the Hans-Townes whereby taking from us and our neighbours the East-land trade by which our Shipping is supplied they expect without any blow given to make themselves masters of the Sea In those Western parts by the Dunkerkers and by the now French and Spanish Admirall to the ruine of Fishing of infinite consequence both to us and the Low Countries they infest all our coast so as wee passe not safely from port to port And that Fleet which lately assisted the French at the Isle of Ree is now preparing at St. Andrea with other ships built in the coast of Biscai to re-inforce it and a greater Fleet is making ready at Lisbon where besides their own they do serve themselves upon all strangers bottoms coming to that coast for trade And these great preparations are no doubt to assault us in England or Ireland as they shall finde advantage and a place fit for their turn Our friends of the Netherlands besides the feare that justly troubles them lest the whole force of the Emperour may fall down upon them are distracted by their Voyages into the East which hath carried both men and money into another world and almost divided them at home Thus are we even ready on all sides to be swallowed up the Emperour France and Spain being in open warr against us Germany over-run the King of Denmark distressed the King of Sweden diverted and the Low-Countrey-men disabled to give us assistance I speak not this to increase fear unworthy of English courages but to presse to provision worthy the wisdome of a Parliament And for that cause his Majestie hath called you
Throne sit the Lights of Justice your grave Iudges and Sages of the Law learned and just as many Ages have known and learning justice by your example Our Lawes as excellent as they are I am sure no humane Lawes excell them nor could so well suite with the constitution of this People were they in the power of corrupt or ignorant men I know not which were worse for one will perhaps oftner erre then the other bribe Justice could never keep her right chanel nor runne cleare as in your Majestie 's reigne it ever hath I must not forget the other Lights the Knights Citizens and Burgesses the Representative of their Estate who although they move lower and at more distance from your royall Person yet I am confident will ever be found constant to the Poles of Love and Loyaltie 'T is a gracious Favour of your Majestie and our former Kings I have often thought on that when both these Houses are humble suitors for any thing they are never denyed Le Roy s'aviserà The King will advise of it is the greatest denyall And I assure my self your Majestie shall finde all your Subjects so full of dutie to your Crown and of true and loyall affection to your royall Person that you shall never have cause to think your gracious Favours ill bestowed on them The Union of Hearts Sir is a greatnesse beyond that of the Kingdome to which you are Heire Et penitus toto divisos orbe Britannos it is a Name of advantage to this Island if the Division be not amongst our selves which the God of Unitie for his mercies sake forbid and so knit our Hearts in love one to another and all of us in duty and loyalty to your most excellent Majestie that this renowned Island perish not by our Distractions but may ever flourish and be like Ierusalem the Citie of God where his Name may be for ever honoured Great and glorious have been the Actions of your royal Predecessours yet greater remaine for your Majestie and most of theirs attend you for their perfection The first Christian King of Europe the first that abated the swelling pride of Rome by banishing his usurped power and God's true Vice-gerent the first that established the true Religion now profest were all Kings of England and the last a young one Queen Elizabeth was a woman yet Spaine hath cause to remember her the Protestants of France and the Low-Countries will never forget her And were Henry the Great alive he would say That in requitall of the love of this Kingdome shewed him he hath sent us one of his owne Loynes your royall Consort our most gracious Queen to propagate these blessings to us and our posteritie for ever Your royall Father of ever blessed and famous memorie had a Reigne like Solomon's for Religion no man knew more a lustre or advantage to him this Age shall deliver it to the next and all Ages shall see it in his Kingly Workes But while under his glorious Reigne we abode in peace and plenty our hands had forgot to warre and our fingers to fight till at last by your Princely mediation upon the humble suite of both these Houses the two Treaties were dissolved and a foundation laid for your Majestie to restore us to our antient and Military honour which I doubt not will quickly be Eritis sicut Dii was the Serpent's Counsell and ruined Mankinde nor is it fit for private men much lesse for me to search into the Counsells or Actions of Kings Onely Sir give me leave from an heart full of zeale to your glorie and greatnesse to say to your Majestie the Times require you Religion calls upon you to goe on with that Kingly Courage you have begune till the state of Christendome be settled in the right Balance again We see how the Eagle spreads his wings in Germany reaching with his talons as farre as the Sound and Baltick sea Denmark and Sweden in danger of utter ruine by seizing the Electorates the choice of the Empire invested in a manner solely in the House of Austria Our Religion in France and every where never so neare a period And we know who it is for whom all this works he of whom the boast is made Allà qui Monarqui nasciendo d'el monendo who by the ruine of us and our Religion will make a new Zodiack and draw an Ecliptick line through the East and West Indies But he that sits on high will in his good time laugh them to scorne and as that wife Woman said to King David God will make to my Lord the King a sure house if my Lord shall continue to fight the battels of Iehovah and let all England say Amen I have presumed too farre upon your royall Patience and therefore I will conclude with a few words for them that sent me who are humble suitours to your excellent Majestie First for our better attending the publick and important services that our selves and our necessary Attendants may be free both in our persons and goods from all arrests and troubles according to our ancient priviledge and immunities Next that since that in all great Councells where difference of opinion is truth is best discovered by free debates your Majestie according to our like ancient use and priviledge will be graciously pleased to allow us liberty and freedome of speech and I assure my self we shall not passe the latitude of duty and discretion That upon all occurrences of moment fit for resort to your owne person your Majestie upon humble suit at your best leisure will vouchsafe us accesse to your royall person And lastly that all our proceedings being lodged in your royall heart with belief of our zeal and loyalty we may reap the fruits of it by your Majestie 's gracious and favourable interpretation One word more I humbly begg for myself That though it be the beginning of a Parliament I may now and ever enjoy your Majestie 's most gracious and generall free Pardon The Lord Keeper Coventry's second Reply M r. Speaker HIs Majestie with no lesse content then attention hath heard your learned Discourse he observes your beginning with his gracious incouragement and advice not forsaking your humble modestie but adding to it thankfulnesse alacrity and joy of heart a just and right temper He observes you derive these aright first from the Throne in heaven he lookes thither with you and joynes in prayer that both you and all this Assemblie by that Divine hand and power be moulded and procured for the honour safety and good of the Church and Kingdome Next you apply your self to the Throne on earth his Majestie doth graciously accept your protestations of the truth of your heart the fulnesse of your zeale and duty to his Majestie and the Publick he believes it and that not in you alone but in all this Assembly so that you are secure not onely from wilfull and pregnant errours but from doubt of sinister interpretation My Lord the
King is as an Angel of God of a quick of a noble and just apprehension he straines not at gnats he will easily distinguish between a vapour and a fogg between a mist of errour and a cloud of evill right he knowes if the heart be right Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speakes You proceed to a survey of the lustre of this great and glorious Assemblie and in that as in a curious Crystall you observe the true happinesse which we all here enjoy You have distributed and divided aright and whosoever sees it otherwise hath an evill eye or a false glasse We have enjoyed it long through the happy meanes of gracious and good Princes and the way to enjoy it still is to know and heartily to acknowledge it and that God hath not done so to any other Nation It is a prime cause or meanes of this our happinesse You mention the forme of Government under which we live a Monarchie and the best of Monarchies where Sovereignty is hereditarie no Inter-Regnum nor competition for a Crown Descent and Succession are all one The Spirit of God by the mouth of the wisest of Kings long since proclaimed this happinesse Blessed art thou O Land where thy King is the son of Nobles The frames of other States are subject some to inconstant Levitie some to Faction some to Emulation and Ambition and all to manifold Distempers in which the People go to wrack The Monarchie is most naturall and in it Unity is the best cement of all government principally in respect of the unity of the Head which commands the rest And therefore other States when they have tryed a while doe for the most part resolve into this as into the best for Peace for Strength and for Continuance But formes of other governments though never so exact move not of themselves but are moved of their governours And therefore our Monarchie as you have truly said this glorious Assemblie the lively image and representation of our Monarchie is made happy and perfect by the Royall Presence that sits here in his highest Royal Throne the Throne of the Law-giver glorious in it selfe glorious by those happy Lawes and Oracles which have issued from it and most glorious by them that sit on it his Majestie and his Royall Progenitours incomparable Kings that with so much honour have swayed the Sceptre of this Kingdome so many successions of Ages In the next place after the Throne of Majestie you look into the Chaire of Doctrine the reverend Prelates and upon the state of Religion their proper charge This is the blessing of all blessings the priviledge and assurance that secures us of all the rest that as our Religion is most sincere and orthodoxe so our Clergie is eminent both for purity of Doctrine and integritie of Life our Priests are clothed with righteousnesse and their lips preserve knowledge and therefore God's Saints may and doe sing with joyfulnesse I must joyn with you in attributing this transcendent blessing to us as in the first place to God's goodnesse so in the second to his Majestie 's piety who following the steps of his ever-blessed Father is carefull that all the Lamps of the Church may be furnished with Oyle and especially those which are set on golden Candle-sticks with the purest and best oyle The Schools also and nurceries of Learning never so replenished especially with Divinity as in this last Age as they all shew his Majestie 's Piety so are they infallible Arguments of his Constancy The triall which you call the fierie triall undergone by his Majestie in the place of danger and again the power and policie of Rome and Spaine hath approved his resolution inimitable and his own remarkable example in his closet and his chamber his strict over-sight of and command to his Houshold servants and his charge to his Bishops and Judges his Edicts his Proclamations and Commissions and the like for the execution of the Lawes and his general care to preserve the fountain pure both from Schisme and Superstition are faire fruits and effects of a pious and zealous resolution From the chaire of Doctrine you turn to the state of Honour unto the Nobles and Barons of England These are Robâ—r belli who for the service of the King and Kingdome are to make good with their Swords what the Church-men must hallow and blesse by their Prayers And therefore as the Prelates are the great Lights of the Church so the Nobility are the Starres of the State and you know that the starres have fought and fought powerfully against the enemies of God From the state of Honour you come to the state of Justice and to the twelve Lyons under Solomon's Throne the Iudges and Sages of the Law and as their peculiar charge intrusted to them by our Sovereigne the Lawes of the Kingdome Lawes undoubtedly fitted to the constitution of this people for Leges Angliae and Consuetudines Angliae are Synonyma and Consuetudo est altera natura so as besides the justnesse and rightnesse of the Lawes they are become naturall to our people and that is one of the powerfullest meanes which begetteth obedience and such Lawes in the mouthes of learned and upright Judges are like waters in a pure chanel which the fairer it runs the clearer they run and produce that whereof Solomon speaks Prov. 29.2 When the righteous are in authority the People rejoyce From the Law you passe to the Knights Citizens and Burgesses and the third Estate who represent the Commons of England in whom the Scripture is verified In the multitude of People is the Kings honour and therefore you may be sure that distance of place and order breeds no distance in affection for wise Kings ever lay their honour next to their hearts Kings are Pastores populi and the Shepherds care is nothing lesse to the furthest then to the next part of his Flock and it is asmuch towards the least of his Lambs as towards the greatest Cattel And as in the Natural bodie no member is so remote but it is still within the care of the head so in this great Politick bodie of the Kingdome no ranck or order of People so low is at such distance from the Throne but it dayly feeles the influence and benefit of the Kings care and protection And to say the truth in a well-governed Kingdome the superiour rancks of Nobles of Judges and of Magistrates are not ordained for themselves but as conduits for the Kings justice protection and goodnesse to the lower rancks of his People And as the People are so its just cause they should be constant to the Poles of Love and Loyalty And thus having perused both Houses by divided parts joyn them together and in that juncture you believe truly and materially that the greatest denyal of their joynt requests is The King will advise A note very remarkable It shewes the indulgence of Kings it shews also the wisdom and judgement of the Houses the
King not willing to deny his People People not willing to presse their King to a deniall the one wise and modest in their requests and the other moderate and sweet in the answer This is the ancient and right way of union in Parliament The God of unity keep it in this and all insuing Parliaments This union you rightly call the union of Hearts and a greatnesse beyond the Kingdomes which the King inherits so then its a present fit for a wise people to offer to their gracious King Wise and magnanimous Kings are a speciall gift from God having hearts capable of greatnesse union of hearts is greatest and greatnesse was never unwelcome to Kings and therefore present and offer it to your King you cannot doubt of acceptance Having spoken of union you fall presently into a memoriall of the great and glorious actions of his Majestie 's Predecessours and into the height and contemplation of greater that remain If I mistake not your meaning you would have it understood that the union of Prince and people make way to those remarkable acts of former times and that we that wish the like successe in our time should look back upon our Forefathers Wisdome requires it Honour and the Time requires it that we should shew our selves the sonnes of our Auncestours at least in holding that which they left us The pride of Rome abated as you say by England now lifts up her horns against Religion Gods vine planted and deeply rooted here overspread into our neighbour Countreys hath of late lost many of her goodly branches The Austrian Eagle that wanted feathers till of late now soares and preys at will over all Spain so often foiled by us hath by disguised treaties dispoiled of their patrimonie those princely Branches of our royall Cedar and posts apace to his universall Monarchy to the ruine of us our Friends and Religion God hath his time and I trust a time to stop thier course I know not but we may expect it as well now as ever There is a resolution in our King and there is I trust for I am sure there was a resolution in our Parliament for great actions Our king as he hath a Solomon so hath he many Davids in the glorious catalogue of his royall Descent and hath linked himself in the House of Henry the Great and he bears a glorious and auspicious name sutable to his thoughts and desires and therefore since Honour and Religion call for it and since you have incouraged him to fight Iehovah's battels let all put to their hands that our King and Nation may have the honour to set Christendome in her right Balance And now to come to the petitions you have made for the House his Majestie most graciously and readily grants them all according to your true and ancient Rights and Priviledges of Parliament which his Majestie trusts you will have care not to exceed or transgresse and therefore you may go chearfully together and speedily settle about the publick affairs And the almighty God prosper the works of your hands I say the almighty God prosper your handy-work M r. Goodwin's Speech March 22. 1627. Mr. Speaker IT hath pleased his Majestie in his last Speech to intimate unto us the cause of our meeting which is supply against the great and common dangers that threaten the ruine of this Kingdome and the time of our sitting cannot be long and therefore he wisheth to avoid tedious resolutions In conformity whereunto I propound that laying aside all other matters we addresse our selves to that for which we were called hither wherein as in the first place we have well begun in our pious humiliation towards almighty God so let us now proceed to serve and to supply the king yet so as we satisfie our Countrey that sent us hither and preserve our Rights and Priviledges which have as surely been broken and infringed as undoubtedly they belong to us S r. Francis Seymour's Speech March 22. 1627. THis is the great Councel of the Kingdome and here if not here alone his Majestie may see as in a true glasse the state of the Kingdome We are all called hither by his Majestie 's writs to give him faithfull counsel such as may stand with his honour but that we must do without flatterie and chosen by the Commons to deliver up their just grievances and this we must do without fear Let us not be like Cambyses Judges who being demanded of him concerning something unlawfull said Though there were no written Law the Persian Kings might do what they list This was base flatterie fitter for reproof then imitation and as flatterie so fear taketh away the judgement For mine own part I shall shun both these and speak my conscience with as much duty to his Majestie as any man not neglecting the Publick But how can we speak our affections while we retein our fears or speak of giving till we know whether we have any thing to give or not For if his Majestie shall be perswaded to take what he will what need we to give That this hath been done appeareth by the billetting of Souldiers a thing no way advantageous to his service and a burthen to the Common-wealth the imprisonment of Gentlemen for the Loane who if they had done the contrary for fear their faults had been as great as theirs who were Projectours in it To countenance these proceedings hath it not been preached in the pulpit or rather prated All we have is the Kings But when they forsake their own calling and turn ignorant States-men we see how willing they will be to change a good conscience for a Bishoprick It is too apparent the people suffer more now then ever will you know the true reason we shall find those Princes have been in greatest wants and necessities that have exacted most from their Subjects The reason is plain A Prince is strongest by faithful and wise Counsel I would I could truly say such had been imployed abroad I speak this to this end to shew the defect proceeded not from this House I must confesse he is no good Subject that would not willingly and freely lay down his life when the End may be the service of his Majestie and the good of the Common-wealth But he is no good Subject but a slave that will have his goods taken from him against his will and his Liberty against the Laws of the Kingdome In doing this we shall but tread the steps of our Fore-fathers who still preferred the publick interest before their own rights nay before their own lives It will be a wrong to Us to our Posterities to our Consciences if we shall forgo this This we shall do well to present to his Majestie I offer this in the generall thinking the particulars fitting for Committees What I may now say or shall then I submit to better Judgements S r. Thomas VVentworth's Speech March 22. 1627. MAy this dayes resolution be as happy as I conceive the Proposition
That divisions have weakned our party and our attempts united the two greatest Princes of Christendome against us whom we have provoked That the State is desperately diseased and this Parliament the way that it may yet be recovered if soveraigne and proper remedies be speedily applyed 1. To trust the King whose Kingly nature is to yield it prevails 2. To supply the King and that without condition which is fewel of Jealousie 3. To present our grievances to his Majesty personall and reall humbly moderately and briefly 4. To do all this speedily and in order whereby the King may be strengthened the Kingdome recovered our Allies relieved and the Laws and Liberties of the Subject preserved in a legall propriety for he that is not master of his goods dwells not at home Sir Robert Philips his Speech March 22. 1627. Mr. Speaker I Reade of a custome amongst the old Romans that once every year they had a solemn Feast for their Slaves at which they had liberty without exception to speak what they would thereby to ease their afflicted minds which being finished they severally returned to their former Servitude This may with some resemblance and distinction well set forth our present state where now after the revolution of some time and grievous sufferance of many violent oppressions we have as those Slaves had a day of liberty of speech but shall not I trust be hereafter slaves for we are free yet what new illegall proceedings our states and persons have suffered under my heart yearns to think my tongue falters to utter They have been well represented by divers worthy Gentlemen before me yet one and the maine as I conceive hath not been touched which is our Religion Religion M r. Speaker made vendible by Commission and men for pecuniary annuall rates dispenced withall whereby Papists may without feare of Law practice Idolatry For the Oppressions under which we grone I draw them into two heads Acts of Power against Law and Judgements of Law against our Liberty Of the first sort are strange instructions violent exactions of money thereupon imprisonment of the persons of such who to deliver over to posteritie the liberty they have received from their Fore-fathers and lawfully were in possession of refused so to lend and this aggravated by reason of the remedilesse continuance and length thereof and chiefly the strange vast and unlimited power of our Lieutenants and their Deputies in billetting of Souldiers in making rates in granting warrants for taxes as their discretions shall guide them and all against the Law These last are the most insupportable burthens that at this present afflict our poor Country and the most cruel oppression that ever yet the Kingdome of England endured These upstart Lieutenants of whom perhaps in some cases and times there may be good use being regulated by Law are the worst of grievances and the most forward and zealous executioners of those violent and unlawfull courses which have been commended unto them Of whose proceedings and for the qualifying of whose unruly power it is more then time to consult and determine Judgements of Law against our Liberty have been three each latter stepping forwarder then the former upon the right of the Subject aiming in the end to tread and trample under foot our Law and that in the form of Law The first was the Judgement of the Post-nati whereby a Nation which I heartily love for their singular zeal in our Religion and their spirit to preserve our Liberties far beyond many of us is made capable in any the like favours priviledges and immunities as our selves enjoy and this specially argued in the Exchequer Chamber by all the Judges of England The second was the Judgement upon the impositions in the Exchequer Court by the Barons which hath been the source and fountain of many bitter waters of affliction unto our Merchants The third was that fatall late Judgement against the Liberty of the Subject imprisoned by the King argued and pronounced but by one alone I can live although another without title be put to live with me nay I can live although I pay excises and impositions more then I doe but to have my Liberty which is the soul of my life taken from me by power and to have my body pent up in a gaole without remedy by Law and to be so adjudged Oh improvident Ancestors Oh unwise Fore-fathers to be so curious in providing for the quiet possession of our Laws and the Liberties of Parliament and to neglect our Persons and Bodies and to let them ly in prison and that durante bâ—neplacito remedilesse If this be Law what do we talk of Liberties why do we trouble our selves with the dispute of Law franchises propriety of goods and the like What may any man call his if not Liberty I am weary in treading these waies and conclude to have a select Committee deputed to frame a Petition to his Majestie for redress of these things which being read examined and approved by the House may be delivered to the King of whose gracious answer we have no cause to doubt our desires being so reasonable our intentions so loyall and the manner so humble Neither need we feare this to be the Critical Parliament as was insinuated or this a way to distraction but assure our selves of a happie issue Then shall the King as he calls us his great Councell find us his true Councell and owne us his good Councell Which God grant c. The Kings Propositions March 28 1628. 1. TO furnish man and victuall 30. ships to guard the Narrow seas and along the Coasts 2. To set out 10. other ships for the preservation of the Elve and the Baltick sea 3. To set out 10. other ships for the relief of the Town of Rochel 4. To leavy arme cloth victuall pay and transport an army of 1000. horse and 10000. foot for forrain service 5. To pay and supply 6000. men for the assistance of the King of Denmark 6. To supply the stores of the Office of the Ordinance 7. To supply the stores of the Navy 8. To build 20. ships yearly for the increase of the Navy 9. To repair the Forts within the Land 10. To pay the Arriers of the Office of the Ordinance 11. To pay the Arriers of the Victuallers Office 12. To pay the Arriers of the Treasurer of the Navy 13. To pay the Arriers due for the fraight of divers Merchants ships imployed in his Majestie 's service 14. To provide a Magazine of Victualls for Land and Sea-service Three grand Questions 1. NO Free-man ought to be committed or detained in prison or otherwise restrained by the command of the King of the Privy Councel or any else unlesse some cause of the commitment detainment or restraint be expressed for which by law he ought to be committed detained or restrained 2. A Writ of habeas corpus may not be denyed but ought to be granted to every man that is committed or detained in prison
to be set at liberty upon Baile and are in the nature of Objections out of Record I shall deliver them summarily to your Lordships with all faith as also the true Copies of them Out of which it shall appear cleerly to your Lordships that of those of the first kind there are no lesse then twelve most full and directly in the point to prove that persons so committed are to be delivered upon baile and among those of the other kind there is not so much as one that proves at all any thing to the contrary I shall first my Lords go through them of the first kind and so observe them to your Lordships that such scruples as have been made upon them by some that have excepted against them shall be cleered also according as I shall open them severally The first of this first kind is of Edw. 3. time It is in Pasche 18. E. 3. Rot. 33. Rex The case was thus King E. 3. had committed by Writ that under his Great Seal as most of the Kings Commands in that time were one Iohn de Bidleston a Clergie-man to the prison of the Tower without any cause shewed of the commitment The Lieutenant of the Tower is commanded to bring him into the Kings Bench where he is committed to the Marshall But the Court asked of the Lieutenant if there were any cause to keep this Bidleston in prison besides that commitment of the King He answered No. Whereupon as the Roll saith Quia videtur Curiae breve predictum that is the Kings Command sufficientem non esse causam predictum Johannem de Bidleston in prisona Marr. Regis hic detinend idem Johannes dimittitur per manucaptionem Will. de Wakefield and some others Where the Judgement of the Court is fully declared in the very point The second of this first kind of Presidents of Record is in the time of H. the 8. One Iohn Parker was committed to the Sheriffs of London pro securitate pacis at the Suit of one Brinton ac pro suspicione fellonie committed by him at Cowall in Glocestershire ac per mandatum Dni Regis he is committed to the Marshall of the Kings Bench postea isto eodem Termino traditur in Ballium There were other causes of the commitment but plainly one was a Command of the King signified to the Sheriff of London of which they took notice But some have interpreted this as if the commitment here had been for suspicion of fellony by command of the King in which case it is agreed of all hands that the Prisoner is bailable But no man can think so of this President that observes the Contents and understands the Grammar of it wherein most plainly ac per mandatum Regis hath no reference to any other cause whatsoever but is a single cause enumerated in the Return by it self as the Record cleerly shewes It is in the 22. H. 8. Rot. 37. The third is of the same time It is 35. H. 8. Rot. 33. Iohn Bincks case He was committed by the Lords of the Councell pro suspicione fellonie ac pro aliis causis illos moventibus Qui committitur Marescallo c. et immediate ex gratia curiae special traditur in ballium They commit him for suspicion of fellony and other causes them thereunto moving wherein there might be matter of State or whatsoever else can be supposed and plainly the cause of the commitment is not expressed yet the Court bailed him without having regard to those other unknown causes that moved the Lords of the Councell But it is indeed somewhat different from either of those other two that precede and from the other nine that follow For it is agreed That if a cause be expressed in the return insomuch as the Court can know why he is committed that then he may be bailed but not if they know not the cause Now when a man is committed for a cause expressed pro aliis causis Dominos de Concilio moventibus certainly the Court can no more know in such a case what the cause is then in any other The fourth of these is in the time of Queen Mary It is Pasche 2. and 3. Phil. and Mar. Rot. 58. Overtons case Richard Overton was returned upon a habeas Corpus directed to the Sheriffs of London to have been committed to them and detained per mandatum prenobilium virorum honorabilis Concilii Dominorum Regis Reginae Qui committitur Marescallo c. immediate traditur in ballium In answer to this President or by way of objection against the force of it hath been said that this Overton stood at that time indicted of Treason It is true he was so indeed but that appeares in another Roll that hath no reference to the Return as the Return hath no reference to that Roll. Yet they that object this against the force of this President say That because he was indicted of Treason therefore though he was committed by the command of the Lords of the Councell without cause shewed yet he was bailable for the Treason and upon that was here bailed Then which Objection nothing can be or is more contrarie to Law or common Reason It is most contrarie to Law for that cleerly every Return is to be adjudged by the Court out of the body of the Writ it self not by any other collaterall or forrain Record whatsoever Therefore the matter of Indictment here cannot in Law be cause of the bailing of the Prisoner And it is so adverse to all common Reason that if the objection be admitted it must of necessity follow that whosoever shall be committed by the King or the Privie Councell without cause shewed and be not indicted of Treason or some other offence may not be inlarged by reason of the supposition of matter of State But that whosoever is so committed and withall stands so indicted though in another Record may be inlarged whatsoever the matter of State be for which he was committed The absurdity of which assertion needs not a word for further confutation as if any of the Gent. in the last Judgement ought to have been the sooner delivered if he had been also indicted of Treason Certainly if so Traitours and Fellons had the highest priviledges of personall Liberty and that above all other Subjects of the Kingdome The first of this first kind is of Queen Marie's time also It is Pasche 4. 5. P. M. Rot. 45. the Case of Edward Newport He was brought into the Kings Bench by habeas Corpus out of the Tower of London cum causa viz. Quod commissus fuit per mandatum Conciliorum Dominae Reginae Qui committitur Marr. c. et immediate traditur in ballium To this the like kind of answer hath been made as in that other Case of Overton next before cited They say that in another Roll of another Terme of the same year it appears he was in question for suspicion of Coyning And it
at which time the Earle seemed full of that which he delivered 3. That S r. Iohn Strangwayes instantly after his discourse with the Earle of Suffolk went to the Earle of Hartford and delivered him the passages betwixt them being the same related in the house 4. From the unwillingness of S r. Iohn Strangwayes though called upon by the House to testifie against the Earle till it was resolved by question he should do it from a probability that had not these words been spoken to himself it is like he would have produced Sr. Christopher Nevill from whom he also heard the same 5. From the worth of the Gentleman and his ingenious protestation in the House That he was ready to justifie the truth of what he said in any course the House should thinck meet or was fit for a Gentleman of Honour Hereupon the House resolved by question 1. That the Earle of Suffolk notwithstanding his denial had laid a most unjust and scandalous imputation upon M r. Selden a Member of the House being imployed in the service of the House and therein upon the whole House of Commons 2. That this House upon due examination is fully satisfied that S r. Iohn Strangwayes notwithstanding the Earle of Suffolks denial hath affirmed nothing but what is most true and certain 3. That these particulers and additions be again presented to the Lords and the Earle of Suffolk newly charged at the Bar and the Lords desired to proceed in Justice against the Earle and to inflict such punishment upon him as an offence of so high a nature being against the House of Commons doth deserve Sr. Iohn Elliot was partly sent with the Message to the Lords who after a while returned this answer That they had taken the Message into consideration and would further take it into due consultation and in convenient time would return an answer by Messengers of their own Several Speeches made at the debates concerning the KINGS Propositions for supply M r. ALFORD THat to answer punctually to every Article was but to discover the Kings wants which is neither safe nor fit as the world now goes nor is it good for him to ask more then we can give nor for us to offer disproportionably withall it might draw to a president for the Subjects to make and maintain Wars Sr. ROBERT MAUNSELL IT had been much better for us to have taken care for these provisions 3. years since His desire is not to have the Commons over-burthened That 7. of these Propositions are not to be neglected viz. The safe guarding of the Coasts The defence of the Elve The defence of Rochell The increasing of the Navy The repairing of the Forts The discharge of the Arrears of Merchants ships and the defence of the King of Denmark the other to be delayed to our next meeting at Michalmas S r. FRANCIS SEYMOUR THat as supply is desired so are we met for that purpose but if by those late courses we be disabled then he is not to expect it from us our greatest grievances being his Majesties pressing wants two subsedies formerly given and five forcibly and unadvisedly taken are great motives not to be too forward That we have too hastily drawn two great Enemies upon us and all this done by men of small or no judgement S r. PETER HAYMAN THat vast Propositions are delivered to us in shew which he desires he may give an Estimate of that first brought them in M r. PYMM. THat in no Case it is fit to examine the Propositions especially of the Arrearages of the Merchant ships and for preparation of the forreign Wars Secretary COKE THat three things especially are to be taken into consideration the defence of Rochell the Elve and the Forts He perswades to give bountifully and though the people do not presently pay it yet it gives the King credit abroad and much advanceth his affairs We have already by our carriage and temper taken the Kings heart which he adviseth we make good use of S r. DUDLY DIGGS FOr to try and examine faithfully the Propositions he refers it to the Judgement of the House whether it be fit to handle the business in order or to give in gross considering that the Bill of Tonnage and Poundage is now brought into the House which he thinks they conceive to be given for the safe-guarding of the Seas Mr. SPENCER IN no Case to enter into particulars That formerly hath been given 5. Subsedies for the repairing of the Forts and no penny bestowed on them but the money wasted in dishonour Mr. IOHN ELLIOT THat our late disasters at Calis Reez might discourage us from thinking of forreign attempts At Calis when we neglected the taking of the Spanish Fleet in the Harbour nothing attempted at our landing but drincking and disorder no good account given at the return Concerning service at S. Martins the whole account carried against the Judgement of the best Commanders which makes all the World despise and condemne us besides the inriching of the Enemy with kindenesses and parling with the Forts with presents which time will bring to light Sr. EDWARD COKE THat when England stood alone without friends and addition of Kingdoms as 42. E. 3. the King wholly guided by his Parliament-Councel brought alwayes home Victories both against France and Scotland his 4. reasons of it were 1. Good Councel 2. Valiant Leaders 3. Timely provision 4. Good imployment and fore-cast And likewise in Ric. 2. Hen. 4. Hen. 5. He desires to give plentifully and that in gross not to examine the particulers alleadging Solomon's rule qui repetit separat for said he if we rip them up we sever them for ever And in that Proposition for setting forth 30. ships shall we both pay Tonnage and Subsedies for them This will draw a dangerous President Likewise that other in setting forth God knows whether a 1000. Horse and 10000. Foot being not able to set them forth how shall we look to maintain them abroad That in an Iland the defensive War is best and most proper To conclude our guift in gross will serve best with these times for by that course we shall seem to allow all the Propositions and except against none Sr. THOMAS WENTWORTH THat he will look after the Iland of England and no further except our Fortunes were better That as he is bound in duty to the King so in faithfull love to his Countrey That our freedom and Liberty being known and granted we then may proportion our guift His conclusion was that the final debate of this question may be laid aside untill Friday and in the mean time go on with our grievances S r. HENRY MARTIN NOt to dash the Ship of the Common-wealth twice upon one Rock The disease that we are now sick of is the Kings Evil which none but himself can cure and Iacob's example is our best Predent who wrestling with the Angel would not give over till he got the blessing That our often repetition of
have been imprisoned for suing ordinary Actions and Statutes at the Common-Law untill they have been constrained to leave the same against their wills and put the same to order albeit Judgement and Execution have been had therein to their great losses and griefs for the aid of which Persons her Majesties Writs have sundry times been directed to divers Persons having the custody of such Persons unlawfully imprisoned upon which Writs no good or Lawfull cause of imprisonment hath been returned or certified whereupon according to the Laws they have been again committed to Prison in secret places and not to any common ordinary Prison or Lawfull Officer as Shrieff or other lawfully authorized to have or keep a Goal so that upon Lawfull complaint made for their delivery the Queens Courts cannot learn to whom to direct her Majesties Writs and by this means Justice cannot be done and moreover divers Officers and Serjeants of London have been many times committed to Prison for Lawfull executing of her Majesties Writ sued forth of her Majesties Courts at West-minster and thereby her Majesties Subjects and Officers are so terrified that they dare not sue or execute her Majesties Laws her Writs and Commandments Divers others have been sent for by Pursevants and brought to London from their dwellings by unlawfull imprisonment have been constrained not onely to withdraw their Lawfull Suits but have also been compelled to pay the Pursevants for bringing such Persons great summes of money All which upon complaint the Judges are bound by Office and Oath to relieve and help by and according to her Majesties Laws And when it pleaseth your Lordships to will divers of us to set down in what cases a Prisoner sent to custody by her Majesty her Councel some one or other or two are to be detained in Prison and not to be delivered by her Majesties Court or Judges we thinck that if any Person be committed by her Majesties Command from her Person or by order from the Councel board or if any one or two of her Councel commit one for high Treason such Persons so in the cases before committed may not be delivered by any of her Courts without due Trial had Nevertheless the Judges may Award the Queens Writ to bring the bodies of such Persons before them and if upon return thereof the causes of their commitment be certified to the Judges as it ought to be then the Judges in the cases before ought not to deliver him but to remaund the Prisoner to the place from whence he came Which cannot conveniently be done unless notice of the cause in general or else special be known to the Keeper or Goaler that shall have the custody of such Prisoner All the Judges and Barons did subscribe their names to these Articles Termino Pascha 34. Eliz. and sent one to the Lord Chancellor and another to the Lord Treasurer after which time there did follow more quietness then before in the cause afore mentioned The KINGS Message the 2. May 1628. by Secretary COKE HIs Majesty hath commanded me to make known to this House that howsoever we proceed with the business we have in hand which he will not doubt but to be according to our constant professions and so as he may have cause to give us thanks yet his resolution is that both his royal care and his harty and true affection towards all his loving Subjects shall appear to the whole Kingdom and to all the World that he will govern us according to the Laws and Customes of the Realm that he will maintain us in the Liberties of our Persons and propriety of our goods so as we may enjoy as much happiness as our Forefathers in their best times and that he will rectifie what hath been or may be amiss amongst us so that there may be hereafter no just cause to complain wherein as his Majesty will ranck himself amongst the best of our Kings and shew he hath no intention to invade or impeach our Lawfull Liberties or Rights so he will have us to match our selves with the best Subjects by not incroaching upon that Soveraignty and Prerogative which God hath put into his hands for our good and by containing our selves within the bounds and Laws of our Forefathers without streining or inlarging them by new Explanations Interpretations Expositions or Additions in any sort which he clearly telleth us he will not give way unto That the weight of the affairs of Christendom do press him more and more and the time is now grown to that point of maturity that it cannot indure long debate or delay so as this Session of Parliament must continue no longer then Tuesday come sevenight at the furthest within which time his Majesty for his part will be ready to perform what he hath promised to us and if we be not as forward to do that is fit for us it shall be our own faults Lastly upon the assurance of our good dispatch and correspondency his Majesty declareth that his Royal intention is to have another Session at Michalmass next for the perfecting of such things as cannot now be done M r. MASONS speech 2. May 1628. I Am of opinion with the Gentleman that spake first that in our proceedings in the matter now in debate we should have use of the Title of the Statute called circumspecte agatis for it concerns the Liberty of our Persons without which we do not enjoy our lives The Question is WHether in this Bill for the explanation of Magna Charta and the rest of the Satutes we shall provide that the cause of the commitment must be expressed upon the commitment or upon the Return of the Habeas Corpus Before I speak to the question it self I shall propose some observations in my conceit necessarily conduceing to the debate of the Matter 1. That we ought to take care and to provide for posterity as our Predecessors have done for us and that this provident care cannot be expounded to be any distrust of the performance of his Majesties gracious Declaration this Act providing for perpetuity to which his Highness promise unless it were by Act of Parliament cannot extend 2. That we having long debated and solemnly resolved our Rights and Priviledges by virtue of these Statutes and if now we shall reduce those Declarations and those resolutions into an Act we must ever hereafter expect to be confined within the bounds of that Act being made at our Suit and to be the limmits of the Prerogative in in that respect and it being an Act of explanation which shall receive no further explanation then it self contains 3. That by this Act we must provide a remedy against the Persons which detain us in Prison for as to the Commander there can be no certain Concerning the Question it self IT hath been solemnly and clearly resolved by the House that the commitment of a Freeman without expressing the cause at the time of the commitment is against the Law If by this Act
means left of refuge or defence for if we have these Enemies at home how can we strive with those that are abroad If we be free from these no other can impeach us our antient English virtue that old Sparton valour cleared from these disorders being in sincerity of Religion once made friends with Heaven having maturity of Councels sufficency of Generals Incorruption of Officers opulency in the King Liberty in the People repletion in Treasures restitution of Provisions reparation of Ships preservation of Men. Our Antient English virtue thus rectefied I say will secure us and unless there be a speedy reformation in these I know not what hopes or expectations we may have These things Sir I shall desire to have taken into consideration That as we are the great Councel of the Kingdom and have the apprehension of these dangers we may truely represent them unto the King wherein I conceive we are bound by a treble Obligation of duty unto God of duty to his Majesty and of duty to our Countrey And therefore I wish it may so stand with the wisdom and Judgement of the House that they may be drawn into the body of a Remonstrance and therein all humbly expressed with a prayer unto his Majesty for the safety of himself and for the safetie of the Kingdom and for the safety of Religion That he will be pleased to give us time to make perfect inquisition thereof or to take them into his own wisdom and there give them such timely reformation as the necessity of the cause and his Justice doth import And thus Sr. with a large affection and Loyalty to his Majesty and with a firm duty and service to my Countrey I have suddenly and it may be with some disorder expressed the weak apprehension I have wherein if I have erred I humbly crave your Pardon and so submit to the censure of the House A Report from the COMMITTEE for Trade 4. June 1628. IN all other parts of Christendom there is great care with much cost to raise Forts and walled Towns onely for defence in time of War and great charge to make Engines and Weapons to offend the Enemy of little or no use in time of Peace Whereas in England the Rampires the Bulwarks and Ships and those also for offence of the Enemy our best Weapons are Engines And this also in time of Peace best instruments of our Wealth even as usefull as the Plough or Cart. But our shipping and our strength of Marriners within these three years is much decayed in general But the decay of Trade through disturbance of the Merchant by new Impositions and troubles for want of a certain and well established book of Rate and Bill of Tonnage and Poundage used heretofore to be given for guarding of the Seas By reason that the Seas are not guarded so That our Coasts are infested Our Fishermen driven from their Trade And all our Coasting smaller shipping so disturbed or taken that in all parts of the Kingdom Sea-faring men give over and the Seas are forsaken More particularly THat of our shipping of countenance of 100. Tuns or upwards in the last three years there have been decayed cast away and taken by the Enemy between Dover and New-Castle 248. great ships and with them proportionable number of Marriners besides great and inestimable losses in less Vessels The causes whereof are diverse disorders in the late mannaging of Sea Affairs before the imployment of Ships and Men in his Majesties service FIrst By pressing and taking up Merchants ships laden and bound out upon Voyages Secondly By too frequent and general imbarques of shipping Thirdly By taking out of ships unseasonably and and unreasonable numbers their best men so forcing them ill Mann'd to Winter Voyages c. Fourthly By giving too little allowance of Wages and 2. shill. per Tun for Fraight of ships so taken being but half that which Marchants allow Fifthly By faults of inferior Ministers men and ships discharged after presses or imbarques are put to such charge that all decline not onely the service but the Trade of fishing and Sea-fareing Those that are really prest come far from the West or the North to Chatham early in the year and so with few Cloaths at the end of the Summer nasty and weak infect themselves and others And in the imployment FIrst Are Commanders weak young ignorant Captains c. Secondly Are not provided of good Chirurgeons and extraordinaries necessary for sick men Thirdly Both ships and men contrary to the wisdom of former times are set out in Winter Voyages long and dark nights and in our Northern Seas upon our dangerous Coasts which have consumed a World of our Marriners and discouraged others After the imployment FIrst If the Marriners come home sick no Hospitals or Guest-Houses as in other Countreys to relieve them Secondly If after all their miseries they return well they are forced to sue for their due Wages till all they have is spent Opportunity of new imployment is lost and themselves so discouraged or put out of heart that they either run away to the Enemy or put themselves in forraign service or betake themselves to any thing rather then the Sea life And those whose ships have been taken up 36. Moneths some 30. some 20. some more some less still complain they are not paid the small fraight of 2. shill. per Tun at first promised By this means they have neither Money nor will to repair their ships and none build new almost in any part by reason of their discouragements and those that do build take care to build them unserviceable to avoid pressing or taking up The Remedies proposed in general FIrst That the State would be pleased to give all possible countenance and comfort to all sorts of Merchants and Fishermen both by better guarding of the Seas by settling of the Book of Rates and Customes and duties and by orderly regulating the many affairs according to the wisdom of former times imploying of skilfull and experienced men and more particulerly in allowing the old 5. shill. per Tun to all such as shall build new serviceable ships of 150. Tuns or upwards upon a Certificate made before the Judge of the Admiralty to be duly paid by some Collectors of the Customes without further trouble Secondly To increase the fraight from 2. shill. to 3. shill. per Tun and Tonnage to agree of the measure of Tonnage before the ships go into service that upon return speedy payment may be made by some setled and published assignment Thirdly That all arrearages due to owners of ships and Marriners that have served may be paid out of the subsedies and that a certain course of payment for the future may be established and published His Majesties Message to the House of Commons by the SPEAKER 6. June 1628. WHereas his Majesty understanding that you did conceive his last Message to restrain you in your just Priviledges These are to declare his intention that he had
hereby will and command you out of our Treasury remaining in the receipt of the said Exchequer forthwith to pay or cause to be paid unto Phillip Burlamachi of London Merchant the summ of 30000 l. to be paid by him over by Bill of Exchange unto the Low-Countries and Germany unto our trustie and well be loved Sir William Balfoore Knight and Iohn Dalber Esquire or either of them for levying and providing certain numbers of Horse with Arms for Horse and Foot to be brought over into this Kingdom for our service viz. For the levying and transporting of a 1000 Horse 15000 l. for 5000 Muskets 5000 Corslets 5000 Pikes 10500 l. and for 1000 Curasiers compleat 200 Corslets and 200 Carbines 4500 l. Amounting in the whole to the said summ of 30000 l. And this our Letter shall be your sufficient warrant and discharge in this behalf Given under our privy Seal at our Palace of Westminster 30. of Ianuary in the third year of our raign The Commission to the Lords and others of the privy Councel concerning the present raising of money CHARLES by the grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland defender of the faith c. To Sir Thomas Coventry Lord Keeper of the great Seal of England Iames Earl of Marlburgh Lord Treasurer Henry Earl of Manchester Lord President of the Councel Edward Earl of Worcester Lord Keeper of the privy Seal George Duke of Buckingham our high Admiral of England William Earl of Pembroke Lord Steward of our Houshould Phillip Earl of Mongommery Lord Chamberlain of our Houshould Theophilus Earl of Suffolk Edward Earl of Dorcet William Earl of Salisbury Thomas Earl of Exceter Iohn Earl of Bridgwater Iames Earl of Carlile Henry Earl of Holland William Earl of D. George Earl of Totnes Sir George Hay Knight Lord Chaunceller of Scotland William Earl of Morton Thomas Earl of Kelly Thomas Earl of Melros Edward Viscount Conway one of our principall Secritaries of State Edward Viscount Wimbleton Oliver Viscount Grandison Henry Viscount Falkland Lord Deputy of Ireland To the Lord Bishop of Winchester William Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells Fulk Lord Brook Dudly Lord Carleton vice Camberlain of our Houshould Sir Thomas Edmonds Treasurer of our Houshould Sir Iohn Savill Comptroller of our Houshould Sir Robert Nawton Master of our Court of Wards Sir Iohn Cooke one of the principal Secritaries of our State Sir Richard Weston Chancellor and under Treasurer of our Exchequer Sir Iulius Caesar Master of the Roll. Sir Humfry May Knight Chancellor of our Dutchy of Lancaster GREETING WHereas the present Conjuncture of the pressing affairs of Christendom and our own particular interest in giving assistance to our oppressed Allies and for the providing for the defence and safety of our own dominions And people do call upon us to neglect nothing that may conduce to those good ends And because monies the principall sinews of War and one of the first and chiefest in all great preparations and actions necessary to be provided in the first place and we are carefull the same may be raised by such ways as may best stand with the State of our Kingdoms and Subjects and yet may answer the pressing occasions of the present times We therefore out of the experience we have had and for the trust we repose in your wisdoms fidelities and dutifull care of your services and for the experience you have of all great causes concerning us and our State both as they have relation to forraign parts abroad and as to our Common-Wealth and People at home Ye being Persons called by us to be of our privy Councel have thought fit amongst those great and important matters which so much concern us in the first and chiefest place to recommend this to your speciall care and dilligence And we do hereby authorize and appoint and stricktly will and require you speedily and seriously to enter into consideration of all the best and speediest ways and means yee can for raising of money for the most important occasions aforesaid which without extreamest hazard to us our dominions and people and to our friends and Allies can admit of no long delay The same to be done by imposition or otherwise as in your wisdom and best Judgments ye shall finde to be most convenient in a case of this inevitable necessity wherein form and circumstance must be dispensed with rather then the substance be lost or hazarded And herein our will and pleasure is that you or as many of you as from time to time can be spared from attendant upon our Person or other our necessary services do use all dilligence by your frequent meetings and serious consultations and when you have brought any thing to maturity ye make report thereof unto us and advertise us of those things ye shall either resolve upon or thinck fit to represent unto us for the advancement of this great service which with the greatest affection we can we recommend to your best care and Iudgement Whereof you must not fail as you tender our honour and the honour and safety of our Dominions and People and for the doing hereof these presents shall be to you and every of you a sufficient warrant In witness whereof we have caused these our Letters to be made Letters Patents Witnes our selfe at Westminster the last day of February in the third yeare of our Raigne Per ipsum Regem Articles to be propounded to the Captains and Masters as well English as French touching the service in hand at ROCHEL 4. May 1628. the ships rideing before the Town 1. WHether in your opnion and judgments by the means and strength we have the Floates and Pallizadoes may be forced and the entrance into the Town may be thereby made for the victuallers 2. If you shall think it fit what in your opinions will be the best and readiest way to open the same 3. Whether you hold it fit to send in the victuallers at the same instant together with the fire ships and barks considering that if it should not take effect instead of relieving the Town we relieve the Enemy 4. If in this attempt part shall get through and the greater part be taken by the Enemies whether the service or dishonour will be greater 5. If in case you think it fit to give the attempt whether you hold it likewise necessary that the Merchant ships should second or follow them and how far you hold it safe for them to go 6. Whether the more to countenance the service you hold it fit for the Kings ships to put themselves under sail being they are to be exposed to shallow water and a narrow Channel and to lye under command of many of the Enemies Forts where by an unlucky accident many of them may be brought on ground and miscarry 7. You are here to deliver your opinions upon your allegiance the rather because the onely service the Kings ships there can do is to cause the Enemies Fleet which rides