service of his Majesty and the common good of the Kingdome The Petitions which I am directed to communicate to your Lordships are four from London Middlesex Essex and Hertfordshire We have received many more but it would take up too much time and be too great a trouble to peruse all in these four you may perceive the Effect and Sense of all First I am to desire your Lordships to heare them read and then I shall pursue my Instructions in propounding some Observations out of them To the Honorable the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the House of Commons assembled in Parliament The humble Petition and Answer of the Major Aldermen and the rest of the Common Councill of the Citie of LONDON Sheweth THat the Committee of this Honourable House upon Saturday the two and twentieth of this instant Ianuary sent a Message to the Petitioners for the loane of one hundred thousand pounds or so much thereof as could conveniently be forthwith raysed for levying of forces to suppresse the Rebels in Ireland To which Message something was then answered and a further Answer in writing promised In performance whereof they humbly present the Answer following together with the reasons thereof desiring that the same being the best that for the present they are able to give may favourably be accepted And they shall ever pray c The Answer THe Petitioners are duly and deeply sensible of the great miseries of their Brethren in Ireland and or the imminent danger not only of the totall losse of that Kingdome but of the ruine of this also if that of Ireland should which God forbid be lost And as they have hitherto shewed themselves ready even beyond their abilities to serve the King and Parliament so shall they ever continue to the utmost of their power with all cheerfulnesse and duty But at the present they are compelled to repeat their former Answer That they have no power to rayse any summes by way of Tax for any forraigne use and do further answer that they have no means to do it otherwise then by the immediate personall Consent of every particular Lender which they cannot hope to obtaine in regard of these obstructions following Which the Petitioners humbly present together with this their further Answer as the Reasons thereof 1 THat immediatly before the Parliament and sithence divers great Summes for the service of the King and Kingdome have been already lent by the Citizens of London besides fifty thousand pounds for the supply of Ireland in particular a great part whereof some of the Lenders were compelled to borrow and cannot to this day repay 2 That such part of those moneys as are already due to the Citizens from the Parliament and should have been repayed out of the Pole-moneys and Subsidies is not yet done because there is not any considerable Summe come in from the Countrey as was expected to satisfie the same 3 That the said fifty thousand pounds lent for Ireland was hastened and speedily paid within neere about two thousand pounds upon this ground then urged by the Parliament that if it were forthwith lent it might be of more use to preserve that Kingdome then the lone of two hundred thousand pound could be if deferred but six Weeks yee no considerable Forces are sent thither to this day And wee find that men will not be willing to lend any thing till they be assured that a good strength be sent thither with full Commission to relieve London Derry and other parts of that Kingdome 4 The generall with-holding of very great Sums of money from the Petitioners and many others which moneys have been long due not only from Chapmen and other debtors in England but from very many in Ireland who owe many hundred thousands of pounds to the Citizens of London doth render divers persons of good Estates and credit hardly able to go on with Trade or to pay their debts and maintayne their charge 5 The brotherly offer of Scotland to send ten thousand men into Ireland nor yet so accepted as to produce any reliefe to that bleeding Kingdome while yet our Brethren are daily massacred there discourageth most men from lending any Money were they never so able 6 The not passing the Bill for pressing of Souldiers here whereby such forces as are requisite might be timely sent from hence into Ireland puts many men into feares that there may be some designe rather to lose that Kingdome and to consume this in the losing of Ireland than to preserve either the one or the other for that it cannot be conceived that the Rebels being grown so powerfull will be suppressed by Volunteires 7 The slow issuing of Commissions to those who being in Ireland or going thither are willing to enter the field against the Rebels disables them from doing any effectuall execution upon the enemy unlesse in their own defence and so all the moneys that have bin or may be sent thiâ—her are exhausted to mayntain our forces to do little or nothing worthy of them rather then employed to chastise the Rebels and to reduce them to obedience by meanes whereof the number and power of the Rebels are greatly increased divers Castles and Townes are by them taken much Protestant bloud is daily spilt many thousand Families destroyed the malignant part of papists and their adherents here are encouraged and those Rebels so much imboldned that they boast they will extirpate the British Nation there and then make England the seat of war 8 The not disarming of papists here in England after many Discoveries of their Treacheries and bloudy Designes upon the Parliament and Kingdome the great decays of Fortifications Blockhouses and other Sea-forts the not managing of them nor furnishing them with Ordnance and Ammunition the not placing all of them in such hands in whom the Parliament may confide and the not setling this Kingdome in a posture of defence in times of so many feares and jealousies of forreigne invasions and intestine conspiracies the not removing the present Lievtenant of the Towre and putting such a person into that place as may be well approved by the Parliament notwithstanding the earnest petitions exhibited to this Honorable House for that purpose which hath produced a forbearance to bring Bullion into the Towre in this time of scarcity of moneys all which cannot but overthrow trading more and more and make moneys yet more scarce in the City and Kingdome 9 The Kings Ships which ought to be a wall of Defence to this Kingdome and a convay to the Merchants for which Tonnage and Poundage was granted are not fitted and employed as the present condition of this Kingdom and Ireland requires but some of them for the conveying away of Delinquents who durst not abide the test of the Parliament to the great incouragement of the rest of the malignant party here who when their Designes and themselves be detected know how to escape the hand of Justice through the abuse of a Royall
meaning in the proposition now made to settle and restore the right according to law and not to diminish the Kings profit but to establish iâ— by a free grant in Parliament New burdens since the last Parliaments Since the breach of the last Parliament his Majesty hath by a new book of Rates very much increased the burden upon Merchandize and now Tonnage and Poundage old and new impositions Divers mischiefes from these grievances are all taken by Prerogative without any grant in Parliament or authority of law as we conceive from whence divers inconveniences and mischiefes are produced 1 The danger of the president that a judgement in one Court The Kingdom bound by one private case and in one case is made binding to all the Kingdome 2 Mens goods are seized their legall suits are stopped and justice Interruptiod of Iustice denied to those that desire to take the benefit of the Law 3 The great summes of money received upon these impositions Misimployment of the summes received intended for the guard of the Seas claimed and defended upon no ground but of publike trust for protection of Merchants and defence of the ports are dispersed to other uses and a new taxe raised for the same purposes 4 These burdens are so excessive that trade is thereby very much The burdens excessive hindered the commodities of our owne groweth extreamly abased and those imported much inhaunsed all which lies not upon the Merchant alone but upon the generality of the subject and by this meanes the stocke of the Kingdom is much diminisht our exportation being lesse prositable and our importation more chargeable And if the warres and troubles in the neighbour parts had not brought almost the whole streame of Trade into this Kingdom we should have found many more prejudicial effects of these impositions long before this time than yet we have done especially they To the American plantations especiall have been insupportable to the poore plantations whither many of his Majesties subjects have been transported in divers parts of the Continent and Istands of America being a designe tending to the honout of the Kingdome and the inlargement of his Majesties dominions The adventurers in this noble worke have for the most part no other support but Tobacco upon which such a heavy rate is set that the King receives twice as much as the true value of the commoditie to the owner 5 Whereas these great burdens have caused divers Merchants Impositions upon trade intercoursory to apply themselves to a way of trassique abroad by transporting goods from one Country to another without bringing them home into England It hath been lately endeavoured to set an Imposition upon this trade so as the King will have a duty out of those commodities which never came within his dominions to the great discouragement of such active and industrious men The next generall head of Civill grievances was inforcing men Compositions for Knighthood to compound for Knighthood which though it may seeme past because it is divers years since it was used yet upon the same grounds the King may renew it as often as he pleaseth for the composition lookes backward and the offence continuing is subiect to a new fine The state of that businesle he layed downe thus Heretofore when the services due by tenure were taken in kind The Originall ground of the charg it were fit there should be some way of tryall and approbation of those that were bound to such services Therefore it was ordained that such as were to do Knights service after they came of age and had possession of their lands and should be made Knights that is publikely declared to be fit for that service divers ceremonies and solemnities were in use for this purpose and if by the parties neglect this was not done he was punishable by Fine there being in those times an ordinary and open way to get Knighthood for those who were borne to it Alâ—hough the use of this hath for divers ages been discontinued yet there have past very few Kings under whom there hath not bin An old grievance in the kind a general Summons requiring those who had lands of such value as the Law prescribes to appeare at the Coronation or some other great solemnity and to be Knighted and yet nothing intended but New in the manner and excesse the getting of some small fines so as this grievance is not altogether new in the kind though it be new in the manner and in the excesse of it and that in divers respects 1 First It hath been extended beyond all intention of and colour of law not only Inne-holders but likewise Lease-holders Copy-holders Merchants and others scarce any man free from it Respect of 2 The Fiâ—es have beene immoderate far beyond the proportion The generality of former times 3 The proceedings have been without any example president or rule of justice for though those that were summoned did appeare Greatnesse of fines Multiplication of distresses and issues yet distresses infinite were made out against them and issues increased and mulâ—iplied and no way open to discharge those issues by plea or otherwise but only by compounding with the commissioners at their own pleasure 3 The third was the great Inundation of Monopolies whereby heavy burthens are laid not only upon forraigne but also native Monopolies introduced by the sope patent undertaken by papists commodities These began in the Sope-Patent the principall undertakers in this were divâ—rs popish Recusants men of estate and quality such as in likelyhood did not only aime at their private gaine but that by this open breach of Law the King and his people might be more fully divided the wayes of Parliament men more throughly obstructed Amongst the infinite inconveniences and Full of mischeife mischiefes which this did produce these few may be observed 1 The impairing the goodnesse and inhancing the price of most 1 the price of commodities increast and goodnesse abated Restraint of trade of the Commodities and Manufactures of the Realme yea of those who are of most necessary and common use as Salt Sope Beere Coles and infinite others 2 That under colour of Licences Trades and Manufactures are restrained to a few hands and many of the Subjects deprived of their ordinary way of livelyhood 3 That upon such illegal grants a great number of persons had bin unjustly vexed by Pursevants Imprisonments attendance upon Illegall imprisonments vexations Shipmony the Councell Table seisure of goods and many other wayes 4 The fourth that great and unparalleld grievance of the Shipmoney which though it may seeme to have more warrant of Law than the rest because there hath a judgement past for it yet in truth it is thereby aggravated if it be considered that Aggravated not supported by the Iudgement Which is not grounded upon any law custom president or authorâ—ty of law bookes that
conduct 10 The not questioning those many thousands of unknown persons who are sheltered in Covengarden and there abouts which do not imploy themselves in any lawfull calling and it s very probable lye in a readines to adventure upon some desperiue attempt to the indangering of the welfare peace and safety of the Kings Majestyâ— Parliament and City 11 The misunderstanding betweene the King and Parliament the not vindicating the privileges of Parliament the not suppressing of Protections the not punishing of Delinquents and the not executing of all Priests and Jesuits legally condemned while others contrary to privilege of Parliament have bin illegally as the Petitioners conceive charged wiâ—h Treason to the deferring of worthy Members from discharging their duties and to the destroying of the very being of Parliaments do exceedingly fill the minds of men well affected to the publike with many feares and discouragements throughout the Kingdom and so disable them from that cheerfull assistance which they would be glad to afford 12 By means of the premisses there is such decay of Trading and such scarciâ—y of Money neither of which can be cured till the former Evils be removed as iâ— is lâ—kely in very short time to cast innumerable mulâ—itudes of poore Artifiâ—ers into such a depth of poverty and extremity as may enforce them upon some dangerous and desperate attempts not fiâ— to be expressed much lesse to be justified Which they leave to the wisdome of this House speedily to consider and prevent THese are the Evils under which the Petitioners doe exceedingly labour and languish which they humbly conceive to have sprung from the employing of ill affected persons in places of Trust and Honour in the State and neere to the sacred person of his Majesty and that these Evils are still continued by meanes of the Votes of Bishops and Popish Lords in the House of Peeres And now that the Petitioners have faithfully represented the true Reasons which doe really enforce them to return this Answer most of which have beene formerly The Copy of Middlesex Petition was never printed and therefore not inserted offered to this Honorable House in sundry Petitions and that they have done all that in them lyes even beyond all president to serve the King Parliament and Kingdome They humbly crave leave to protest before God and the High Court of Parliament that if any further miseries befall their deare Brethren in Ireland or if any mischiefe shall breake in upon this Kingdome to the endangering or disturbing thereof it ought not to be imputed to the Petitioners but only to such as shall endevour to hinder the effectuall and speedy cure of the evils before recited that so much disable and discourage the Petitioners from doing that which by this Honorable House is desired To the Honorable the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the House of Commons assembled in Parliament The humble Petition of the Knights Gentlemen Free-holders and other the Inhabitants of the County of Hertford Sheweth THat this Church and Kingdome being by the Prelates those multitudes of corrupt and scandalous Ministers their Creatures and the Popish party concurring with them on the one hand and by wicked Counsellors evill Ministers of State and great swarms of Projectors and others ill affected to the peace of this Realme on the other hand brought to a sad and almost desperate condition and thereby the splendour of his Majesties Crowne and Dignitie dangerously weakned and eclypsed It pleased his Majesty having repect to the Petitions of Nobles and people in that behalfe to call this present Parliament the only able means under God to reforme the many pressures and grievances of the Church and Kingdome and to remove the causes thereof In which Parliament to the honour of his Majesty and comfort of his good Subjects exemplary Justice hath beene executed Arbitrary Courts Ship-money Monopolies and other illegall Impositions removed the shedding of much bloud prevented by the late union betweene the two Kingdomes of England and Scotland and further hopes given us of perfecting what remayns by the happy continuance and much desired progresse of this Parliament And although that malignant party of Prelats and Papists and their adherents whose present standings and the happy successe of this Parliament as the Petitioners humbly conceive are inconsistent have by their manifold wicked practices and designes endevoured to hinder all thorow Reformation in Church and Common-wealth to stifle in the birth and progresse all those good Bils and other preparations made by this Honorable Assembly for that purpose and especially for the reliefe of the Kingdome of Ireland the ruine whereof will endanger this Kingdome also To stop the insluence of his Majesties Royall favour in giving life thereto to divide betweene his Majestie and this Honorable Assembly and to render you not onely contemptible but also burthensome to the people yet the Petitioners and as they verily believe all well affected to his Majestly and the peace and prosperity of this Kingdom have and still shall continue an high and honorable esteem of this worthy Assembly and of your great and unwearied endevours and do with the utmost expressions of their thankfulnes acknowledge the same and the progresse and perfecting therof to be of great consequence and deepe necessity to the peace and welfare of this Church and Kingdom and such as without which not onely a refluxe of the former calamities but even utter ruine and desolation like that being too long continued in sad and much lamented Ireland will apparently ensue From the sense whereof and of the great and unheard of breaches lately made upon â—he privileges of Parliament even to the endangering of the being thereof wherein your Petitioners and their poste itie are much concerned The Petitioners take upon them the humble boldnesse â—o declare their readinesse and great engagements according to their Protestation to stand to and defend to the utmost perill of their lives and Estates the Kings Majesty and high Court of Parliament withall the power and privileges of the same and all your Honorable proceedings for the common good against all Popish and other malignant opposers who endevour either by evill Counsell secret Plots or open force to hurt or prejudice the same or to make divisions between his Majesty and the Parliament And the said Petitioners humbly pray that the Papists may be fully disarmed the Laws against them executed the Kingdome and especially this County according to their late Petition in that behalfe put into a posture of war for their defence the Forts and strength of this Kingdome put into safe hands which the Parliament may conside and trust in the privileges of Parliament repaired and throughly vindicated and that this Honorable Assembly as hath been lately desired of you by the Citizens of London will be a means unto his Majesty and House of Peeres that life may be speedily given to your good endevours by their concurrence with you in taking away of the Votes of Popish
propounded in handling these three great liberties first place in our care because the end cannot be obtained without the means if we do not preserve this we cannot long hope to enjoy either of the other Therefore he said being to speak of those grievances which lye upon the kingdome he would observe this order 1. To mention those which were against the priviledge of Parliaments 2. Those which were prejudiciall to the Religion established in the Kingdome 3. Those which did interrupt the justice of the Realme in the liberty of our persons and propriety of our estates The priviledges of Parliament were not given for the ornament The necessitie importance of the priviledge of Parliament or advantage of those who are the members of Parliament they have a reall use and efficacy towards that which is the end of Parliaments we are free from suits that we may the more intirely addict our selves to the publike services we have therfore liberty of speech that our Counsels may not bee corrupted with feare or our judgements perverted with selfe respects those three great faculties and functions of Parliament the Legislative Judiciary and Consiliary power can not be well exercised without such priviledges as these The wisdome of our Lawes the faithfulnesse of our Counsels the righteousnesse of our judgments can hardly be kept pure and untainted if they proceed from distracted and restramed mindes It is a good Rule of the Morall Philosopher Et non laed as mentem gubernatricem omnium actionum These powers of Parliament are to the body politike as the rationall faculties of the soule to a man That which keepes all the parts of the Common-wealth in frame and temper ought to be most carefully preserved in that freedome vigour and activity which belongs to it selfe Our predecessors in this house have ever bin most carefull in the first place to settle and secure their priviledges and he said he hoped that we having had greater breaches made upon us than heretofore would bee no lesse tender of them and forward in seeking reparation for that which is past and prevention of the like for the time to come Then he propounded diverse particular points wherein the Priviledge Particular breaches of priviledge 1 Restraint of speech 2 Interdict of questions of Parliament had bin broken First in restraiaing the members of the House from speaking Secondly in forbidding the Speaker to put any Question These two were practised the last day of the last Parliament and as was alledged by his Majesties command and both of them trench upon the very life and being of Parliaments for if such a restraining power as this should take root and be admitted it will be impossible for us to bring any resolution to perfection in such matters as shall displease those about the King Thirdly by imprisoning diverse Members of the House for matters Imprisonment of members Iudiciall proceedings Order to be bound to the good behaviour done in Paâ—liament Fourthly by indictments informations and judgments in ordinary inferiour courts for speeches proceedings in Parliaments Fifthly the disâ—racefull order of the Kings Bench whereby some members of this House were injoyned to put in security of the good behaviour and for refusall thereof they were continued in prison diverse yeares without any particular allegation against them one of them was freed by death others not dismissed till his Majestie had declared his intention to summon this Parliament And this he noted not onely as a breach of priviledge but as a violation of the common justice of the Kingdome Sixthly by the sudden and abrupt dissolution of Parliaments contrary Abrupt dissolutions of Parliament to the Law and custome It hath bin often declared in Parliaments that the Parliament should not be dissolved till the petitions bee answered This hee said was a great grievance because it doth prevent the redresse of other grievances It were a hard case that a private man should bee put to death without being heard As this representative body of the Commons receives a being by the summons so it receives a civill death by the dissolution Is it not a much more heavie doome by which we lose our being and have this civill death inflicted on us in displeasure and not to be allowed time and liberty to answer for our selves that we should not only dye but have this marke of infamy laid upon us to be made Intestabiles disabled to make our wils to dispose of our busines as this House hath alwayes used to do before Adjournments or dissolutions yet this hath often bin our case we have not bin permitted to powre out our last sighes and groanes into the bosome of our deare Soveraigne the words of dying men are full of piercing affections if we might be heard to speak no doubt we shold so fully expresse our love faith fulnes to our Prince as might take off the false suggestions aspersions of others at least we should in our humble supplications recommend some such things to him in the name of his people as would make for his honour and the publike good of his Kingdome Thus he concluded the first sort of grievances being such as were Grievances concerning Religion against the priviledge of Parliament and passed on to the next concerning Religion all which he conveyed under the foure heads 1 The first was the great incouragement given to popery of Incouragement of popery Suspension of Lawes which he produced these particular evidences 1 A suspension of all Lawes against Papists whereby they enjoy a free and almost publike exercise of that Relâ—gion and those good Statutes which were made for restraint of Idolatry and superstition are now a ground of security to them in the practice of both being used to no other end but to get money into the Kings purse which as it is clearely against the intentions of the Law so it is full of mischiefe to the Kingdome By this means a dangerous partie is cherished and increased who are ready to close with any opportunitie or disturbing the peace and safety of the State Yet he said he did not desire any new lawes against popery or any rigorous courses in the execution of those already in force he was far from seeking the ruine of their persons or estates onely hee wisht they might bee kept in such a condition as should restraine them from doing hurt It may be objected there are moderate and discreet men amongst There can be no security from papists them men of estates such as have an interest in the peace and prosperity of the Kingdome as well as we These he said were not to be considered according to their owne disposition but according to but In their disability the nature of the body whereof they are parties The Planets have severall and particular motions of their owne yet they are all rapt and transported into a contrary course by the superior Orbe which comprehends them all
House to begin with those who were of most importance as being now in execution and very much pressing and exhausting the Common-Wealth He began with the Tonnage and poundage and other impositions Tonnage Poundage impositions not warranted by Law and because these burdens had long lyen upon us and the principles which produced them are the same from whence diverse others are derived he thought it necessary to promise a short narrative and relation of the grounds and proceedâ—ngs of the power of imposing herein practised It was he said a fundamentall Not to be taken but by consent in Parliament truth essentiall to the constitution and government oâ— this kingdome an hereditary liberty and priviledge of all the free borne subjects of the Land that no tax tallage or other charge might be laid upon us without common consent in Parliament this was acknowledged by the Conqueror ratified in that contract which hee made Acknowledged by the Conqueror Sometimes broken by other Kings but never denyed Those breaches repaired by succeeding Parliaments with this Nation upon his admittance to the Kingdome declared and confirmed in the Lawes which he published This hath never bin denyed to any of our Kings though broken and interrupted by some of them especially by K. Iohn and Hen. 3. then againe confirmed by Mag. Chart. and other succeeding lawes yet not so well setled but that it was sometime attempted by the two succeeding Edwards in whose times the subjects were very sensible of all the breaches made upon the common libertie and by the opportunitie of frequent Parliaments pursued them with fresh complaints and for the most part found redresse and procured the right of the subject to be fortified by new Statutes He observed that those Kings even in the Acts whereby they did Some mixture of evidence for the subject in these very breaches break the Law did really affirme the subjects liberty and disclaime that right of imposing which is nowchaleÌ„ged for they did usually procure the Merchants consent to such taxes as were laid therby to put a colour of justice upon their proceeding and ordinarily they were limited to a short time and then propounded to the ratification of the Parliament where they were cancell'd or confirmed as the necessity and state of the Kingdome did require But for the most part such charges upon merchandize were taken The grant by Parliament most usuall by authority of Parliament and granted for some short time in a greater or lesser proportion as was requisite for supply of the publike occasions 6 or 12 in the pound for one two or three yeers as they saw cause to be imployed for the defence of the Sea and it was acknowledged so clearly to be in the power of arliament that they At first variously limited in respect of time and persons Afterwards Confirmed to the King for life No contrary practise between Ed. 3 and Q Mary have sometimes bin granted to Noble men sometimes to Merchants to be disposed for that use Afterward they were granted to the King for life and so continued for divers descents yet still as a gift and grant of the Commons Betwixt the time of Ed. the third and Q. Mary never Prince that he could remember offered to demand any imposition but by graÌ„t in Parliament Q. Mary laid a charge upon cloth by the equity of the Statute of Tunnage Poundage because the rate set upon wool was much more than upon cloth there being little wool carried Pretended equity for the Custome upon cloth out of the Kingdom unwrought the Q. thought she had reason to lay somwhat more yet not ful so much as brought them to an equallity but that there stil continued a lesse charge upon wool wrought The grounds of the pretermitted Custome into cloth than upon wool carried out unwrought until K. Jame's times when upon Nicholsons project there was a further addition of charge but still upon pretence of the Statute which is that we call the pretermitted custome In Q. Eliz. time one or two litle impositions crept in the general Bates Case prosperity of her raign overshadowing small errours and innovations one of these was upon Currans by occasion of the Merchants complaints that the Venetians had laid a charge upon the English cloth that so we might be even with them and force them the sooner to take it off this being demanded by K. Iames was denied by one Bates a Merchant and upon a suit in the Exchequer was The judgement therein for the King adjudged for the King The manner of which judgement was thus There were then but three Indges in that Court all differing from one another in the grounds of their sentences The first was of opinion the King might impose upon such commodities as were forraigne and supersluous Resulting from different opinions of the Iudges as Currans were but not upon such as were native and to be transported or necessary and to be imported for the use of the kingdom The second Iudge was of opinion he might impose upon all forraign Merchandise whether supersluous orno but not upon native The third that for as much as the King had the custody of the Ports and the guard of the Seas and that he might open and shut up the ports as he pleased he had a prerogative to impose upon all Merchandise both exported and imported This single distracted divided judgement is the foundation of The only foundation of the power of imposing all the impositions now in practice for after this K. Iam. laid new charges upon all commodities outward and inward not limited to a certaine time and occasion but reserved to himselfe his heires and successors for ever the first impositions in fee simple that were followed with complaints and preserved by breaches of Parliaments ever heard of in this kingdome This judgement and the right of imposing thereupon aslumed was a question in septimo duodecimo of that King and was the cause of the breach of both those Parliaments In 18. and 21. Jacobi it was declined by this House that they might preserve the favour of the K. for the dispatch of some other great businesses upon which they were more especially attentive In 1. of his Majesty It necessarily came to be remembred upon the The redresse desired without diminution of the Kings profit proposition on the Kings part for renewing the bill of Tonnage and Poundage but so moderate was that Parliament that they thought rather to confirme the impositions already set by a law to be made than to abolish them by a judgement in Parliament but that and divers insuing Parliaments have been unhappily broken before that endeavour could be accomplished only at the last meeting a Remonstrance was made concerning the liberty of the Subject in this point and it hath alwayes been exprest to be the meaning of the House and so it was as hee said his owne
particular relation And as if this were not enough this Court haâ—h lately intermedled with the Ship money diverse Sheriffes have beene questioned for not levying and collecting such sums as their Coâ—nties have beene charged with and if this beginning be not prevented the Star-Chamber will become a Court of Revenue and it shall be made crime not to collect or pay such taxes as To the recovery of ship money the State shall require The Eleventh He said he was gone very high yet hee must The Kings edicts and Proclamations goe a little higher that great and most eminent power of the King of making Edicts and Proclamations which are said to bee Leges Temporis with whom our Princes have used to encounter with sudden and unexpected danger as would not indure so much delay as assembling the great Councell of the Kingdome This which is one of the most Glorious beames of Majestie rigorous in commanding Reverence and subjection to our unspeakeable griefe hath been often exercised for the enjoyning and maintaining For the erecting of Monopolies sundry Monopolies and other grants exceeding burdensome and prejudiciall to the people The Twelfth Although hee was come as high as he could upon The word and truth of God on earth yet the presumption of evill men did leade him one step higher even as high as Heaven as high as the Throne of God It was now hee said growne common for ambitious and corrupt men of the Clergie to abuse the truth of God and the bond of Conscience preaching downe the Lawes and liberties of the kingdome pretending Divine authority for an absolute power in the King to doe what he would with our persons and goods this hath Pretended for the absolute power of Kings been often published in Sermons and Printed books and is now the high way to preferment The last Parliament we had a sentence for an offence of this kinde against one Mannering then a Doctor now a Bishop concerning whom hee said hee would say no more but this that when he saw him at his Barre in the most humble dejected posture The offence of D. Mannering that ever hee observed hee thought hee would not so soone have leapt into a Bishops Chaire but his successe hath emboldened others therefore hee said this may well bee noted as a double Now practised by others To the great hurt and grievance of the people grievance that such doctrine should bee allowed that such men should be preferred yea as a roote of grievances whereby they indeavour to corrupt the Kings Conscience and as much as in them lyes to deprive the people of that Royall protection to which his Majestie is bound by the fundamentall Lawes of the Kingdom and his own personall Oath The thirteenth The long intermission of the Parliaments contrary The Intermission of Parliaments to the two statutes yet in force whereby it is appointed there should bee Parliaments once a yeare at the least and most contrary to the publike good of the Kingdome for this being well remedied would produce remedies for all the rest Having put through the severall heads of grievances hee came The subjects grievances hurtfull to the King to the second maine branch propounded in the beginning That the disorders from whence these grievances issued were as hurtfull to the King as to the people of which hee gave diverse reasons 1 The interruption of the sweet communion which ought to B. interrupt their communion bee betwixt the King and His People in matters of grace and supply They have need of him by His generall pardon to bee secured from projectors and informers to bee freed from obsolete Lawes from the subtle devices of such as seeke to restraine the Prerogative to their own private advantage and the publike hurt and he hath need of them for counsell and support in great and extraordinary occasions This mutuall entercourse would so weane the affections and interests of His Subjects into his actions and designes that their wealth and their persons would bee his his owne estate would bee managed to most advantage and publike undertakings would bee prosecuted at the charge and adventure of the Subject The Victorious attempts in Queene ELIZABETHS time upon Portugall Spaine and the Indies were for the greatest part made upon the poore Subjects purses and not upon the Queenes though the Honour and profit of the successe did most accrew to her 2 Those often breaches and discontentments betwixt the King By domestical breaches discontents and the people are very apt to diminish his reputation abroad and disadvantage his treaties and alliances 3 The apprehension of the favour and incouragement given to By weakning his partie abroad Popery hath much weakned his Majesties party beyond the Sea and impared that advantage which Queen Elizabeth and His Royall Father hath heretofore made of being heaâ—s of the Protestant union 4 The innovations in Religion and rigour of Ecclesiasticall Courts have forced a great many of his Majesties Subjects to forsake By forcing his subjects to leave the kingdome the Land whereby not only their persons and their posterity but their wealth and their industry are lost to this Kingdome much to the demolishing of His Majesties Customes and Subsidies Amoâ—gst other inconveniences this was especially to bee observed that diverse Clothiers driven out of the Countrey had set up the manufacture of Cloth beyond the Seas whereby this State is like to suffer much by abatement of the price of Woolls and by want of imployment for the poore both which likewise tend to his Majesties particular losse 5 It puts the King upon unproper wayes of supply which being By unproper wayes of supply not warranted by Law are much more burdensome to the subject than advantagious to hâ—s Majesty In France not long since upon a survey of the Kings Revenue it was found that two parts in three never came to the Kings purse but were diverted to the profit of the officers or Ministers of the Crowne and it was thought a very good service and reformation to reduce two parts to the King leaving still a third part to the Instruments as were imployed about getting it iâ— It may well be doubted that the King may have the like or worse successe in England which appeares already in some particulars The King hath reserved upon this Monopoly of Wines 30 thousand Pound Rent a yeere the Vintner pales 40. Shillings a Tun which comes to Ninty thousand pounds the price upon the Subject by retaile is increased Two pence a Quart which comes to Eight pound a Tunne and for 45000. Tunne brought in yeerely amounts to 3. hundred 60. thousand pounds which is 3. hundred and 30. thousand pounds losse to the Kingdome above the Kings Rent other Monopolies as that of Soape have been very chargeable to the kingdome and brought very little Treasure into his Majesties Coffers The Law provides for that revenue of the Crowne which is
Naturall and proper that it may be safely collected and brought to Account but this illegall Revenue being without any such provision is left to hazard and much uncertainty either not to be retained or not duly accounted of 6 It is apt to weaken the Industry and Courage of the Subject if By weakning the industry and courage of the subject they be left uncertain whether they shall reap the benefit of their own paines and hazard those who are brought into the Condition of slaves will easily grow to a slavish disposition who having nothing to lose doe commonly shew more boldnesse in disturbing than in defending a kingdome 7 These irregular Courses do give opportunity to ill Instruments By introducing ill Instruments into the Kings service to insinuate themselves into the Kings service for wee cannot but observe that if a man bee officious in furthering their inordinate burdens of Ship money Monopolies and the like it varnisheth over all other faults and makes him fit both for Imployment and preferment So that out of their offices they are furnisht for vast expences purchases Buildings and the King loseth often more in desperate debts at their deaths than he got by them all their lives whether this were not lately verified in a Westerne man much imployed while he lived he leaves to the Knowledge of those who wâ—re acquainted with his Course and hee doubted not but others might be found in the like case Those that are affected to Popery to prophanesse and to superstitious innovations in matters of Religion All kinde of Spies and intelligencers have meanes to be countenanced and trusted if they will be but zealous in these kinde of services which how much it detracts from His Majestie in honour in profit and prosperity of publike affaires lyes open to every mans apprehension and from these reasons or some of them hee thought it proceeded that through the whole course of the English story it might be observed that those Kings who had bin most respectfull of the Lawes had bin most eminent in greatnesse in Glory and successe both at home and abroad and that othâ—rs who thought to subsist by the violation of them did often fall into a state of weaknesse poverty and Infortunitie 8 The differences and discontents betwixt his Majestie and the By diverting the KINGS thoughts from divers great and hopeful enterprises people at home have in all likely-hood diverted his Royal thoughts and Councells from those great opportunities which hee might have not only to weaken the House of Austria to restore the Palatinate but to gaine to himself a higher pitch of power and greatnesse than any of his Ancestors It is not unknown how weak how distracted how discontented the Spanish Colonies are in the West Indies There are now in those parts in New England Virginia and the Caribe-Islands and in the Barmudos at least 60000 able persons of this Nation many of them well armed and their bodies seasoned to that Climate which with a very small charge might bee set down in some advantagious parts of these pleasant rich and fruitfull Countreys and easily make his Majestie Master of all that treasure which not only foments the war but is the great support of Popery in all parts of Christendom 9 Lastly Those courses are apt to produce such distempers in the By producing many chargeable distempers state as may not be setled without great charge and losse by which means more may be consumed in a few moneths than shall be gotten by such wayes in many yeeres Having past through the two first generall Branches he was now come to the third wherein he was to set downe the wayes of healing The wayes of remedying their grievances and removing those grievances which consisted of two maine Branches first in declaring the Law where it was doubtfull The second in better provision for the execution of Law where it is cleere But he said because hee had already spent much time and began to find some confusion in his Memory he would refer the particulars to another opportunity and for the present only move that which was generall to all and would give waight and advantage to all the particular wayes of redresse that is that we should speedily desire a Conference with the Lords and acquaint them with the Miserable condition wherein we find the Church and State and as wee have already resolved to joyn in a religious seeking of God in a day of fast and humiliation so to intreat them to concur with us in a Parliamentary course of petitioning the King as there should bee occasion and in searching out the causes and remedies of these many insupportable grievances under which we lye that so by the united wisdome and authority of both Houses such courses may bee taken as through Gods blessing may advance the honour and greatnesse of His Majâ—sty and restore and establish the peace and prosperity of the Kingdome This hee said Wee might undertake with comfort and hope of successe for though there bee a darknesse upon the Land a thicke and palpable darknesse like that of Egypt yet as in that the Sunne had not lost his light nor the Aegyptians their sight the interruption was onely in the Medium so with us there is still God bee thanked light in the Suâ—ne Wisdome and Justice in Hâ—s Majestie to dispell this darknesse and in us there remaines a visuall faculty whereby wee are inabled to apprehend and moved to desire light and when wee shall be blessed in the enjoying of it we shall thereby be incited to returne His Majesty such thankes as may make it shine more cleerely in the world to His owne glory and in the hearts of his people to their joy and contentment FINIS JANUARY 25. 1641. At a Conference betwixt both Houses concerning divers Petitions presented to the House of Commons Master PYM appointed to manage that Conference My LORDS J Am commanded by the Knights Citizens and Burgesses assembled for the Commons in Parliament to present to your Lordships divers Petitions which they have received from severall parts concerning the state of the Kingdome whereunto they are chiefly moved by that constant affection which they have always exprest of mayntaining a firme union and good correspondence with your Lordships wherein they have ever found much advantage and contentment but never held it more important and necessary then at this time wherein the Wisdome and Resolution of Parliament have as many great Dangers and Difficulties to passe through as heretofore We are united in the publike trust which is derived from the Common-wealth in the common Duty and Obligation whereby God doth bind us to the discharge of that trust and the Commons desire to impart to your Lordships whatsoever information or intelligence whatsoever incouragement or assistance they have received from those severall Countries which they present that so likewise wee may be united in the same intentions and endevours of improving all to the
and to the Court they want no opportunities to consult together they have the same or greater incouragements from above and from about them then ever in respect of the example and successe of the Rebels in Ireland and the great confusions and divisions which by their cunning and subtill practises are raised and fomented amongst our selves at home 3. A third danger is of Tumults and Insurrections of the meaner sort of people by reason of their ill vent of Cloth and other Manufactures whereby great multitudes are set on work who live for the most part by their daily gettings will in a very short time be brought to great extremity if not imployed nothing is more sharp and pressing then necessity and want what they cannot buy they will take and from them the like necessity will quickly be derived to the Farmours and Husbandmen and so grow higher involve all in an equality of misery and distresse if it be not prevented And at this time such Tumults will be dangerous because the Kingdom is full of disbanded Souldiers and Officers which will be ready to head and to animate the Multitude to commit violence with more strength and advantage and if they once grow into a Body it will be much more difficult to reduce them into order again because necessity and want which are the Causes of this disturbance will still encrease as the effects doe encrease 4. A fourth danger is from the Rebels in Ireland not only in respect of that Kingdom but in respect of this They have seized upon the Body of that Kingdom already they abound in men of very able bodies they encrease in Armes and Munition they have great hopes of supplies from abroad of encouragement here and are sure of good entertainment from the Popish party so that they begin to speak already of the transporting themselves hither and making this Kingdom the seat of the warre The distemper which hath produced these dangers is various and 2 The distemper procuring the former dangers exceeding violent Whensoever nature is hindred in her proper operations and faculties distempers will necessarily follow The obstructions which have brought us into this distemper are very many so that we cannot wonder at the strength and malignity of it Some of the chiefest of these obstructions I shall endeavour to remember 1. The obstruction of Reformation in matters of Religion No grievances are sharper then those that presse upon the tender consciences of men and that there was never Church or State afflicted with more grievances of this kind then we have bin And though they are by the wisedom of this Parliament partly cased and diminished yet many still remaine and as long as the Bishops and the corrupt part of the Clergie continue in their Power there will be little hope of freedome either from the sence of those which continue or the feare of those which are removed And of this obstruction my Lords I must clear the Commons we are in no part guilty of it some good Bils have past us and others are in preparation which had bin past before this if wee had not found such ill successe in the other Whatsoever mischiefe this obstruction shall produce we are free from it wee may have our part of the Miserie we can have no part in the guilt or dishonour 2. An obstruction in Trade It is the Trade that brings food and nourishment to the Kingdom It is that which preserves encreaseth the stock of the whole and distributes a convenient Portion of maintenance to every part of it therefore such an obstruction as this must be dangerous the Freedom of Trades being so necessary the benefit so important as that it gives life strength and beauty to the whole Body of the Common-wealth but I must protest the House of Commons hath given no Cause to this obstruction wee have cas'd Trade of many Burdens and heavy Taxes which are taken off we have freed it from many hard restraints by Pattents and Monopolies we have bin willing to part with our own Priviledges to give it encouragement We have sought to put the Merchants into security and confidence in respect of the Tower of London that so they might be invited to bring in their Bullion to the Mint as heretofore they have done and wee are no way guilty of the Troubles the feares and publique dangers which make men withdraw their Stocks and to keep their money by them to be ready for such sudden Exigents as in these great distractions we have too much Cause to expect 3. The obstruction in the Reliefe of Ireland It must needs be accompted a great shame and dishonour to this Kingdom that our Neighbours have shewed themselves more forward to supply the Rebels then we have bin to relieve our distressed brethren and follow-Subjects But I must declare that we are altogether innocent of any neglect herein As soon as the first newes of the Rebellion came over we undertook the War not by way of Supply and Ayd as in former Rebellions the Subjects have used to doe but we undertook the whole charge of it and we suffered not foure and twenty houres to passe before we agreed to a great Leavy of Money and Men to be imployed against the Rebells even in a larger proportion then the Lord Justices and Councell there did desire and from time to time we have done all for the furtherance thereof though in the midst of many distractions and diversions but the want of Commissions for leavying Men for issuing Armes and divers other Impediments have bin the Causes of that obstruction and I wish we had not only found Impediments to our selves but also Incouragements to them Many of the chiefe Commanders now in the Head of the Rebels after we had with your Lordships Concurrence stopt the Ports against all Irish Papists have beene suffered to passe by his Majesties immediate Warrant much to the discouragement of the Lord justices and the Councell there and this procured as we beleeve by some evill Instruments too neere his Regall Person without his Majesties knowledge and intention 4. The obstruction in prosecution of Delinquents many wee have already brought up to your Lordships divers others we have bin discouraged to transmit such difficult proceedings have we met withall such terrors and discountenance have beene cast upon our selves and our witnesses and those who have shewed themselves their friends and Patrons have found it the most ready way to preferment yea his Majesties own hand hath bin obtained his Majesties Ships imployed for the transporting of divers of those who have fled from the Justice of the Parliament 5. A generall obstruction interruption of the proceedings of Parliament by those manifold designes of violence which through Gods mercy we have escaped by the great and frequent breaches of Priviledge by the subtill endevours to raise parties in our House and jealousies betwixt the two Houses 6. The obstruction in providing for the Defence of
the Kingdom that we might be inabled to resist a forraign Enemy to suppresse all Civill Insurrections and what a pressing necessity there is of this the exceeding great decayes in the Novie in the Forts in the Power of ordering the Militia of the Kingdom and Means of furnishing them with Munition are sufficient evidences known to none better then to your Lordships and what endeavour we have used to remove them but hitherto without that successe and concurrence which we expected and where the stop hath bin and upon what good grounds we may claime our own innocency and faithfulnesse in this we desire no other Witnesses but your selves Lastly I come to the evill Influences which have caused this distemper and I shall content my selfe to mention some few of those which are most Apparent and Important 1. In the first place I shall remember the evill Councells about 3 The Influences that have caused so great Distemper the King whereof wee have often complained Diseases of the Braine are most dangerous because from thence Sence and Motion are derived to the whole Body The malignity of evill Councells will quickly be infused into all parts of the State None can doubt but we have exceedingly laboured under most dangerous and mischievous Councells This evill Influence hath bin the cause of the preparation of Warre with Scotland of the procuring a Rebellion in Ireland of corrupting Religion suppressing the Liberty of this Kingdome and of many fearefull and horrid Attempts to the subverting the very being of Parliament which was the only hopefull Meanes of opposing and preventing all the rest And this doth appeare to be a most predominant evill of the Time whereat we need not wonder when wee consider how Counsellours have beene preferred and prepared And I appeale to your Lordships owne Consciences whether the giving and the countenancing of evill Councell hath not beene almost the only way to favour and advancement 2. The discouragement of good Councell divers honest and approved Counsellours have bin put from their places others so discountenanced as that the way of favour hath bin shut against them and that of danger and destruction only open to them 3. The great Power that an interressed factious Party hath in the Parliament by the continuance of the Votes of the Bishops and Popish Lords in your Lordships House and the taking in of others both out of the House of Commons and otherwise to encâ—ease their strength 4. The fomenting and cherishing of a malignant Party throughout the whole Kingdom 5. The manifold jealousies betwixt the King his Parliament and good Subjects whereby his protection and favour hath in a great measure bin with-held from them their inclination and resolution to serve and assist him hath beene very much hindred and interrupted We have often suffer'd under the mis-interpretation of good actions false imputation of evill which we never intended So that we may justly purge our selves from all guilt of being Authors of this jealousie and misunderstanding Wee have bin and are still ready to serve his Majesty with our lives and fortunes with as much cheerefulnesse and earnestnesse of affection as ever any Subjects were and we doubt not but our proceedings will so manifest this that we shall be as cleare in the apprehension of the world as we are in the testimony of our own consciences I am now come to a conclusion and I have nothing to propound to your Lordships by way of Request or desire from the House of Commons I doubt not but your judgements will tell you what is to be done your Consciences your Honours your Interests will call upon you for the doing of it The Commons will be glad to have your help and concurrence in saving of the Kingdome but if they should faile of it it should not discourage them in doing their duty And whether the Kingdom be lost or saved as through Gods blessing I hope it will be they shall be sorry that the story of this present Parliament should tell Posterity that in so great a Danger and Extremity the House of Commons should be enforced to save the Kingdome alone and that the House of Peeres should have no part in the honour of the preservation of it you having so great an Interest in the good successe of those endeavours in respect of your great Estates and high degrees of Nobility MY Lords consider what the present necessities and dangers of the Common-wealth require what the Commons have reason to expect to what endeavours and counsels the concurrent desires of all the people doe invite you so that applying your selves to the preservation of the King and Kingdom I may be bold to assure you in the name of all the Commons of England that you shall be bravely seconded FINIS Die Martis 25. January 1641. IT is this day ordered by the Commons House of Parliament that M. Speaker in the name of the House shall give thanks unto M. Pym for his so well performing the service he was imployed in by the Commons of this House at this Conference And it is further ordered that M. Pym be desired to put the Speech he made at this Conference into writing and to deliver it into the House to the end it may be printed H. Elsynge Cler. Parl. D. Com.