Papist and by foreign Alliances and Assistance they may be able to succeed in their wicked and villanous designes And forasmuch as the Parliaments of England according to the Laws and Statutes thereof have heretofore for great and weighty reasons of State and for the publick good and common interest of this Kingdom directed and limited the Succession of the Crown in other manner than of course it would otherwise have gone but never had such important and urgent Reasons as at this time press and require their using their extraordinary power in that behalf Be it therefore enacted by the Kings most excellent Majesty by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by the Authority of the same and it is hereby enacted accordingly That James Duke of York Albany and Ulster having departed openly from the Church of England and having publickly professed and owned the Popish Religion which hath notoriously given birth and life to the most damnable and hellish Plot by the most gracious providence of God lately brought to light shall be excluded and disabled and is hereby excluded and disabled for ever from possessing having holding inheriting or enjoying the Imperial Crowns and Governments of this Realm and these Kingdoms and of all Territories Countries and Dominions now or which shall hereafter be under his Majesties subjection and off and from all Titles Rights Prerogatives and Revenues with the said Crowns now or hereafter to be enjoyed And that upon the demise or death of his Majesty without Heirs of his body whom God long preserve the Crowns and Governments of this Kingdom and all Territories Countries and Dominions now or which shall hereafter be under his Majesties subjection with all the Rights Prerogatives and Revenues therewith of right enjoyed and to be enjoyed shall devolve and come upon such person who shall be next lawful Heir of the same and who shall have always been truly and professedly of the Protestant Religion now established by Law within this Kingdom as if the said Duke of York were actually dead And that whatever acts of soveraign power the said Duke of York shall at any time exert or exercise shall be taken deemed and adjudged and are hereby declared and enacted High-Treason and to be punished accordingly And forasmuch as the peace safety and well being of these Kingdoms do so intirely depend upon the due execution of and obedience to this Law Be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That if any person shall in any-wise at any time during the King's life which God long preserve or after his demise or decease aid assist counsel or hold correspondence with the said Duke of York who is and ought to be esteemed a perpetual Enemy to these Kingdoms and Governments either within these Kingdoms or out of them or shall endeavour or contrive his return into either of them or into any of the Territories or Dominions of the same or shall during the King's life publish or declare him to be the lawful or rightful Successor apparent presumptive or other Heir to the Crown of England or shall after the demise or decease of the King that now is proclaim publish or declare the said Duke of York to be King or to have right or title to the Crown or Government of England or Ireland or shall by word writing or printing maintain or assert that he hath any manner of right or title to the Crown or Government of these Kingdoms and shall be therefore convict upon the evidence of two or more lawful and credible Witnesses shall be adjudged guilty of High-Treason and shall suffer and forfeit as in cases of High-Treason And forasmuch as the Duke's return and coming into any of the foresaid Kingdoms Countries Territories or Dominions will naturally conduce to bring vast mischiefs and all the evils hereby provided against upon them in War and Slaughter and unspeakable Calamity which therefore the said Duke must be presumed to designe by such his return or coming into any the foresaid Kingdoms c. Be it therefore likewise enacted and it is hereby enacted by the Authority aforesaid That if the said Duke do at any time hereafter return or come into any of the foresaid Kingdoms c. he shall be and hereby is thereupon attainted of High-Treason And all manner of persons whatsoever are authorised and required to apprehend secure and imprison his person and in case of resistance made by him or any of his Complices to subdue c. imprison him or them by force of Arms. Now let any considering man judge whereto these violent proceedings tended when the King 's necessary Guards be thought a grievance and the executing the penal Laws on Dissenters be made a grievance of the Subjects an encouragement to Popery and dangerous to the Peace of the Kingdom when the King may not raise moneys on his own Revenues and his People will give him none nay they shall be accounted Enemies to the Peace of the Nation that assist him when his Customs shall be taken from him and the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy dispensed with the Bill for excluding the lawful Successor resolutely insisted on and a War threatned by some if it did not pass when the D. of M. must be restored to his Offices and all that should oppose the Bill of Exclusion shall be dealt with as Betrayers of the King the Protestant Religion and the Kingdom of England and Pensioners of France and it must be taken as a favour that the D. of Y. was onely to be excluded and another would perswade him to destroy himself and another threatneth in print that rather than not exclude him they would exclude the whole glorious Family of the Stuarts when seditious Petitions were counted part of the Liberty of the People and no Addresses to the King by the Loyal Party to be tolerated and publicâ— thanks given to a seditious Party of the City for their manifest Loyalty to the King their care charge and vigilancy for the preservation of his Majesties person and the Protestant Religion and the King's Prerogative to call or dismiss his Great Council questioned and they who infused fears and groundless jealousies of the Kings ruling by an Arbitrary power did in an arbitrary manner fine and imprison divers loyal Subjects And when it was published That if the King should die a violent death they would avenge it on the Papists when the chief Ministers of State the Bishops the Lord Mayor and Magistrates and all that were eminent for their Loyalty were already condemned as being Popishly affected and the Clergie branded as Projectors for the Church of Rome Hereupon a Discovery being made by one of the Conspirators the Kings Majesty issueth his Declaration 27 of July 1683. to inform his Subjects of a Plot contrived by persons of several Perswasions to make a general Insurrection in this Kingdom and Scotland And that while this Designe
must die as well as others and they have not alway the choice of their Successors He had intimated what one such man as Felton could do and that some great men might be dealt with as Cardinal Beton was The King must be delivered from evil Counsellors and the House purged of Pensioners Petitions are procured from the City and thanks given the Petitioners for their care c. Appeals are made to them and the people who are encouraged to joyn Tumults with their Petitions Mr. Hunt p. 30. of his Preface says So strong is the tye of duty on him i. e. the King from his Office to prevent publick calamities as no respect whatsoever no not of the right Line can discharge nor will he himself ever think if duly addressed that it can And p. 34. At this time if ever the applications of an active prudence are required from all honest men If any loyal persons make their Addresses and publish their dislike of such Seditious Petitioners they are branded as Abhorrers as if the Votes for No more Addresses to the King in 1648. were still in force The lawfulness of Resistance is publickly printed and even to this day defended by several Writers Page 22. of Mr. Hunt The Nation says he begins to be impatient by the delays of publick Justice against the Popish Plot That the dissolution of Parliaments gives us cause to fear that the King hath no more business for Parliaments p. 27. That the number of the Addressers may be reduced to the Dukes Pensioners That the Addresses were obtained by application and the designe was to make Voites for discontinuance of Parliaments and for a Popish Successor And p. 12. That such as plead for the established Government are a hired sort of Scaramouchy Zanies Merry Andrews and Jack Puddings That the Succession to the Crown is the Peoples Right And to this end Doleman or Parsons the Jesuit's Tract of Succession is reprinted and recommended to the People And p. 172. the King is told if he will follow the counsel of that excellent Bill he may live long and see good days as if he were in danger if it pass'd not and so he expresseth p. 171. If this Bill do not pass they will take him for a wicked King too viz. as they took his Father and will say he hath no lawful Issue to succeed him for his own sins and many other remarks of wickedness will they make on him And as to the Duke he adds p. 193. Let him attempt the Crown notwithstanding an Act of Parliament for his Exclusion he is all that while but attempting to make us miserable If he be not excluded he doth it certainly and we will not entail a War upon the Nation though for the sake and interest of the glorious Family of the Stuarts And to effect this he tells the People That the Original and Rise of Government is in the People and that as they gave so they may take it away as they see occasion That Government is the perfect creature of men in society made by pact and consent and not otherwise most certainly not otherwise and therefore most certainly ordainable by the whole Community for the safety and preservation of the whole The active men of the Fanatick Party had with great industry and cost got in many Members to serve in Parliament of whom they had a very great confidence that they would promote their designes Those men that had been actually in Arms against the Royal Martyr are now esteemed the Patriots of their Country and such as acted loyally are branded fined and imprisoned The Earl of Sh. who had caused the Exchequer to be shut up broken the Triple League and advised a Delenda Carthago being now discontented by reason of a Pique between his Royal Highness and himself is made the Head of the Faction and either he or the Duke must fall and no consideration is had whether the King and Kingdom fall with the Duke or not Certain it is that by the intended Association whereof I shall here give you a Copy it was intended to reduce the Government to a Commonwealth WE the Knights c. finding to the great grief of our hearts the Popish Priests and Jesuits with the Papists and their Adherents and Abettors have for several years last past pursued a most pernicious and hellish Plot to root out the true Protestant Religion as a pestilent Heresie to take away the Life of our gracious King to subvert our Laws and Liberties and to set up Arbitrary Power and Popery And it being notorious that they have been highly encouraged by the countenance and protection given and procured for them by J. D. of Y. and by their expectations of his succeeding to the Crown and that through crafty Popish Counsels his Designes have so far prevailed that he hath created many and great Dependents upon him by his bestowing Offices and Preferments both in Church and State It appearing also to us That by his influence mercenary Forces have been levied and kept on foot for his secret Designes contrary to our Laws the Officers thereof having been named and appointed by him to the apparent hazard of his Majesties Person our Religion and Government if the danger had not been timely foreseen by several Parliaments and part of those Forces with great difficulty caused by them to be disbanded at the Kingdoms great Expence And it being evident that notwithstanding all the continual endeavours of the Parliament to deliver his Majesty from the counsels and out of the power of the said D. yet his Interest in the Ministers of State and others have been so prevalent that Parliaments have been unreasonably prorogued and dissolved when they have been in hot pursuit of the Popish Conspiracies and ill Ministers of State their Assistants And that the said D. in order to reduce all into his own power hath procured the Garisons the Arms and Ammunition and all the power of the Seas and Souldiery and Lands belonging to these three Kingdoms to be put into the hands of his Party and their Adherents even in opposition to the Advice and Order of the last Parliament And as we considering with heavy hearts how greatly the Strength Reputation and Treasure of the Kingdom both at Sea and Land is wasted and consumed and lost by the intricate expensive management of these wicked destructive Designes and finding the same Councils after exemplary Justice upon some of the Conspirators to be still pursued with the utmost devillish Malice and desire of Revenge whereby his Majesty is in continual hazard of being murdered to make way for the said D.'s advancement to the Crown and the whole Kingdom in such case is destitute of all security of their Religion Laws Estates and Liberty sad experience in the case Queen Mary having proved the wisest Laws to be of little force to keep out Popery and Tyranny under a Popish Prince We have therefore endeavoured in a Parliamentary way by a
to maintain it against all the Arguments of Papists and Fanaticks whereby it will also appear how impotent and malicious their Accusations have been in that they have declaimed most vehemently against those as Papists that have most learnedly and successfully defended the established Church against Popery and Fanaticism which have been equally pernicious to it Insomuch that if any loyal Clergie-man or other hath in a time of need written for Loyalty or Conformity they have been marked out for Papists which is a plain Argument that the Popery and Tyranny which they decry is Christian Loyalty and Conformity And to manifest to all sober men how little of good nature as well as of Christian Piety and Charity these men have I have given many undeniable instances of their acting on the same Principles and in the like Practices as the most dangerous Papists sometimes in actual confederacy with them for the ruine of the Government For however they seem opposite to each other they are agreed to do the Government a mischief and Duo quum faciunt idem non sunt Duo They that agree in Treason are all Traytors Facinus quos inquinat aequat And of this take the following instance On October 3. 1643. there was a Letter sent from Dublin to a Member of the House of Commons which shews by what example they acted as followeth There was a Fryar taken the last Expedition into Conaught about whom was found a Collection of all your Votes Ordinances and Declarations carefully marked with short marginal Notes out of which he composed a large Manuscript intituled An Apology of the Catholicks of Ireland or a Justification of their defensive Arms for the preservation of their Religion the maintenance of his Majesties Rights and Prerogatives the natural and just defence of their Lives and Estates and the Liberty of their Country by the practice of the State of England and the Judgment and Authority of both Houses of Parliament It was penned with so little variation of Language that the name of Ireland being changed for England and the chief Actors there for those under the Parliament your own Clerk would scarce know it from one of your own Declarations All that they do is for the good of the King and Kingdom he is intrusted with all for the good of the People if he dischargeth not his trust but is advised by evil Counsellors and persons they cannot confide in 't is their duty to see this Trust discharged according to the condition and true intent thereof That they saw their Religion and Liberty in danger of extirpation and therefore had reason to put themselves in a posture of Defence but are ready to lay down their Arms as soon as the great Offices of the Kingdom are put into such hands as they can confide in c. Mutato nomine de te Anglia narratur There is lately printed an excellent Treatise vindicating the Church of England from the imputation of Popery in Doctrine Worship and Discipline to which I refer my Reader as to those points That which I designe is to vindicate our Governours in Church and State principally those who have been most accused from the like Aspersions and to retort the calumny of their Accusers by shewing their Harmony and Intrigues with the Papists both in Principles and Practices that the mouth of such Slanderers may be stopped The following Collections may serve to convince all well-affected persons that both the Papists and Fanaticks how contrary soever to each other are well agreed to attempt the Ruine of our Church as it is now established the Papists under the pretence that we are Hereticks and the Fanaticks that we are Papists but the true reason is that the Papists may regain those Profits and Dignities which for a long time they usurped in this Nation which was the most fruitful Garden that ever the Pope claimed as belonging to his Palace and the Fanaticks that they may retrieve their former sacrilegious Purchases of Crown and Church-lands and divide them among themselves Of the first we have this evidence That the Pope fills up the places of our Bishops Deans and other Dignitaries to encourage his Emissaries of which we have this Specimen in print BISHOPS CANTERBURY Cardinal Howard YORK Perrot Superior of Secular Priests LONDON Corker President of Benedictine Monks WINCHESTER White alias Whitebread DURHAM Strange late Provincial of Jesuits SALISBURY Dr. Godden NORWICH Nappier a Franciscan ELI Vincent Provincial of Dominican Monks EXETER Wolfe one of the Sorbone PETERBOROUGH Gifford a Dominican Fryar LINCOLN Sir Jo. Warner Baronet a Jesuit CHICHESTER Morgan a Jesuit BATH and WELLS Dr. Armstrong a Franciscan CARLISLE Wilmot alias Quarterman CHESTER Thimbleby a Secular Priest HEREFORD Sir Tho. Preston a Jesuit BRISTOL Mundson a Dominican OXFORD Williams Rector of Watton in Flanders St. DAVIDS Belson a Secular Priest St. ASAPH Jones a Secular Priest BANGOR Joseph David Kemash a Dominican ABBOTS WESTMINSTER Dr. Seldon a Benedictine Monk SION-HOUSE Skinner a Benedictine Monk DEANS CANTERBURY Belton a Sorbonist St. PAULS Libourne a Secular Secretary to Cardinal Howard WINDSOR Howard with twelve Benedictine Canons CHICHESTER Morgan a Secular WINTON Dr. Watkinson President of the English Colledge at Lisbone Many other Dignities are by the Popes Bull disposed of to Foreigners but these being of our Kings Dominions have been many of them diligent Promoters of our Wars that they might kill and take possession Judge now what temptation our present Bishops have to bring in Popery when the coming in of that will turn them out of their Dignities and Livelihoods if not out of the World too as in the Marian days And that the Fanaticks aim at the same end is demonstrable not onely from the unlimited power which some of their Ministers exercised over their Brethren far beyond any of the Bishops but their dividing the most profitable Benefices among themselves sequestring those loyal Clergie-men that were legally possessed of them As also from a late Proposal of Baxter Humfrys and Lob in the name of other Nonconformists who would still retain the name of Bishops so they might have the power and profit for they would have some chosen out of the several Parties of Presbyterians Independents and Anabaptists onely they desire that the Bishops should be declared Ecclesiastical Officers under the King acting Circa Sacra onely by vertue of his Commission and Authority upon which account if any of the eminent among the Nonconformists were chosen Bishops they could not refuse it as they say And indeed at the time of making this Proposal these wise men like the wise Ladies of Sisera's Mother had divided the Spoil to every man a prey of two or three Dignities besides the Garments of divers colours Judg. 5.30 Now I desire all rational men to consider that as it is a great folly and meer fascination in some to serve the lusts of those that are the Slaves of him that stiles himself the Servum Servorum Domini so it
duty of such an injured Prince for the common good to resigne his Government and if he will not the People ought to judge him as made uncapable by Providence and not to seek his restitution to the apparent ruine of the Commonwealth Thes 147. If therefore the rightful Governour be so long dispossessed that the Commonwealth can be no longer without but to the apparent hazard of its ruine we i. e. the people that dispossessed him are to judge that Providence hath dispossessed the former and presently consent to another Thes 149. If a People that by Oath and Duty are obliged to a Soveraign shall sinfully dispossess him and contrary to their Covenants chuse and covenant with another they may be obliged by their later Covenant notwithstanding their former Thes 181. If a Nation injuriously deprive themselves of a worthy Prince the hurt will be their own and they punish themselves but if it â— necessary to their welfare it is no injury to him but a King that by War will seek Reparation from the Body of the People doth put himself into a Hostile state and tells them actually that he looks to his own good more than theirs and bids them take him for their Enemy and defend themselves if they can p. 424. Though a Nation wrong their King and so quoad men tum Cauiae they are on the worse side yet maâ—â— he not lawfully war against the common good oâ—â— that account nor any help him in such a War because propter finem he hath the worse Cause Thes 352. And p. 476. we were to believe the Parliaments Declarations and Professions that the War which they raised was nâ—â— against the King either in respect of his Authority or his Person but onely against Delinquent Subjects And yet they actually fought against the King's Person and Authority And We are to believe saith Mr. Baxter p. 422. That men would kill them whom the fight against Quam bene conveniunt Mr. Baxter never followed any Text that he preached on so closely as he hath done the Text of this Jesuit in the Commentary of his Holy Commonwealth John Milton printed a Book very well like this of Mr. White called The Tenure of King and Magistrates driving on this Maxime That it is lawful for any that have power to call to account depose and put to death wicked Kings and Tyrants after due conviction if the ordinary Magistrate neglect it We have lately had a Fanatical Lawyer following the Divine Mr. Baxter transcribing out of the same Book of Mr. White to the same end I shall observe onely this Note among others in Mr. White p. 158. where he answers some Objections of Divines concerning the Authority of Princes and Non-resistance Vp steps the Divine saith he to preach us out of Scripture the Duty we owe to Kings no less than Death and Damnation being the Guerdons of Disobedience and Rebellion And p. 159. They will speak reason too telling us that God by nature is high Lord and Master of all That whoever is in power receiveth his right from him That Obedience consists in doing the Will of him that commandeth and concludes that his Will ought to be obeyed till God taketh away the obligation i. e. till he who is to be obeyed himself releaseth the right And p. 160. They alleadge that God by his special command transferred the Kingdom from Saul to David from Rehoboam to Jeroboam so that in fine all that is brought out of Scripture falleth short of proving that no time can make void the right of a King once given him by the hand of God Now mark what Mr. White says to overthrow the sence of Scripture The reason saith he 〈◊〉 this weak way of alleadging Scripture is that when they read that God commandeth or doth this they look not into Nature to know what this commanding or doing is but presently imagine God commands it by express and direct words and doth it by an immediate Position of the things said to be done whereas in Nature the commands are nothing but the natural light God hath bestowed on mankind and which is therefore frequently called the Law of Nature Likewise Gods doing a thing is many times onely the course of natural second causes to which because God gives the direction and motion he both doth and is said to do all that is done by them These things are transcribed by Mr. Hunt to the same ends that Mr. White urged them p. 144. of his Postscript The nature of Government and its Original saith he hath been prejudiced by men that understanding nothing but words and Grammar-Divines without contemplating Gods Attributes or the nature of man or the reasonableness of moral Precepts have undertaken to declare the sence of Scripture and infer that Soveraign power is not of humane institution but of divine appointment because they find it there written that by him Kings raign imagining that when the Scripture saith God commands or doth this that God commanded it by express words or doth it by an immediate position of the thing done whereas in Nature his commands are nothing but the natural light God hath bestowed on mankind likewise Gods doing a thing is onely the course of natural and second causes to which because God gives direction and motion he doth both and is said to do all that is done After this Mr. Hunt rails against our Divines in the Jesuits Mr. White 's Language also White calls them Grammar-Divines verbal and wind-blown Divines p. 162. and Mr. Hunt calls them men that understand nothing but words and Grammar-Divines who saith Mr. White without Logick Philosophy or Morality undertake to be Interpreters of the sacred Bible Who saith Mr. Hunt without contemplating Gods Attributes or the nature of man or the reasonableness of moral Precepts have undertaken to declare the sence of Scripture From the Premises we may draw this Conclusion That the Papists and Fanaticks do agree and mutually lend and borrow Arguments to resist Kings elude the Scriptures defame the English Clergie and overthrow the Government in Church and State As 1. That to conclude from the sence of Scripture is a weak way of arguing 2. That Non obstante what the Scripture says of Divine right of Soveraign power it is not of Divine but Humane institution 3. That Providence and the effects of second causes being influenced by God are of equal authority with the Precepts injoyned by the Word of God 4. That the Soveraign power being but of humane institution may be resisted and is alterable 5. That having cast off their Loyalty to the King and his Laws they are in a fair way to cast off God and his Laws 6. That the worst of Papists and their Atheistical Arguments are made use of by some that call themselves true Protestants against the express commands of God for Obedience to the Higher Powers There was printed 1650 an Answer to Dr. Ferne's Exercitation concerning usurped Powers in which the Answerer
forced from him before but it was with such restrictions that they liked it not but took it on their own terms And indeed the King told them by one of his Secretaries You insist on something in Religion more than formerly you were contented with I am therefore commanded to let you know that were His Majesties condition much lower you shall never force him to any further Concessions to the prejudice of his Conscience and of the Protestant Religion in which he is resolved to live and for which he is ready to dye and that he will joyn with any Protestant Prince nay with his Rebels at home rather than yield the least to you in this particular And this was the joynt opinion of the Papists in England and Ireland that the King would give them all up as a Sacrifice to compass a Peace with his Parliament though they had been Loyal to him in his extremity The Marquess of Ormond and those that acted for the King under his Lieutenancy in Ireland was so prosperous in his endeavours to reduce that Kingdom to the obedience of the Crown that a Peace was made with the most considerable of the Confederate Irish But they being otherwise tampered with by the Parliament-party contrary to their Faith and promise the Popes Nuntio and some Irish Clergy prevailed with the Vlster-Irish under Owen Roe Oneale to refuse to come under the Kings Authority Of which the Author of the History of Independency p. 150. of the Second part tells us in the Margent that the Council of Officers endeavour to joyn interests with the Papists in England and Ireland And then says The King had offended the Papists in the last Treaty in granting so much to the Parliament for their suppression The Independents perceiving it and willing to joyn with any interest to make good their design it was proposed at the Council of Officers that the Papists should raise and pay Ten thousand additional Forces for the Army in recompence whereof all penal Laws concerning them should be repealed all Taxes and Contributions taken off and they to have the protection of the Parliament and Army Vnder the same notion they endeavoured to joyn interests with Owen Roe Oneale who commanded that bloody party of Massacring Irish with which they had formerly taxed the King They supplyed him with Ammunition and admitted O Rely the Popes Irish Nuntio to a Treaty here in England Sir John Winter was taken into imployment and the arrears of his Rent gathered for him by Souldiers to the regret of the Country Sir Kenelme Digby had a Pass to come into England and came as he was foretold by a Letter by an Independent Agent for the Army from Paris to an Independent Member of the House of Commons a creature of the Army dated 28 November 1648 and printed at the later end of The true and full relation of the Officers and Armies forcible seizing of divers eminent Members Walter Mountague was let forth on bail What becomes of this Negotiation whether those that played fast and loose with all interests in the Kingdom have not done the like with the Papists this Author shews in the following relation for p. 198. he says the under-hand combination between the Independent party and Owen Roe Oncale is now openly declared and avowed by their own licensed News books Owen Roe and Colonel M. are joyned says the modest Narrative Our party have permitted Three hundred of Onealâ— own Regiment to quarter in our parts among the Creats within two miles of Dundalk saith the Scout Owen Roe and Berne are come towardâ— Colonel Jones and Colonel M. 's quartersâ— he is so fair as to pay Contribution his quarters are to the Scots side of Dublin to prevent their giving aid to Ormond in his attempt up on Dublin Who can blame necessity Nor dâ— our Grandees now deny this Confederacy with the bloody Popish Massacring Rebels although they had the impudence to make the only supposition thereof one of the principal charges against the late King and to raise a great outcry against the Marquess of Ormond and Lord Inchiquine for their cessation with Preston which was to prevent the Cromwellists who offered to associate with him on conditions much more prejudicial to the Protestant Religion and English interest than the Marquess gave them they offered Oneale all the Lands in Ulster forfeited by his Grandfather Tyrone Shan Oneale and others attainted thereby destroying the British Planters there c. P. 2â—â— He refers to a paper called The Association between Oneale c. And another called The true state of the Transactions with Owen Roe Oneale as it was reported to the Parliament by the Council of State printed by Edw. Husbands 15 Aug. 1649. This was so abhorred by the English Souldiery that many there took occasion to forsake the English Parliament and many here disbanded rather than they would accompany Cromwel in so wicked an Expedition and I doubt not but the imposing on some of the Independent Officers such a vile drudgery did so much dissatisfie them as to make them after they had extricated themselves from their toyls to bethink themselves how they might serve a better Master I shall therefore beg pardon for transcribing the progress of this affair referring the Reader to the former Quotations Cromwel writes Letters to his Creatures of the Council of State complaining how much the miscarriage of that agreement had retarded his voyage desiring them for satisfaction of the Souldiery and people to treat with some body to take the whole business on himself and to clear the Council of State the Parliament and Cromwel himself from having any hand in it And to carry on the Scene this Agreement was with much heat of zeal complained of in the House of Commons by a Brother who had his Cue before-hand and by the Juncto was referred to the Council of State as was forelaid where after some private conference with him whom they had intrusted to accommodate the business they publickly voted their dislike of it Bradshaw reprehending him for it and at last they ordered that the whole business with the reasons for his justification should be reported by Tho Scot to the House of Commons which was done on Friday Aug. 10. whereupon their Commissioner was called to the Bar where the Speaker asked him What persons he meant in his Letter to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland wherein he saith he made the agreement with Oneale with the advice of some others He answered That he did it on his own score for so he was instructed and cautioned before and his life had been in danger if he had done otherwise without advice of any only having discourse with Colonel Jones he told him if he could keep Owen Roe and Ormond from joyning iâ— would be a good Service This Answer was taken for satisfactory The next demand was Whether he had any advice or directions from the Parliament Council of State Lord Lieutenant of
Ireland or any other person 〈◊〉 do the same which he expresly denyed saying He did it on his own score Whereupon the House Voted Resolved c. That the House doth utterly disapprove of the proceedings of Colonel M. in the Treaty and Cessation as they called it made between him and Owen Roe Oneale and that this House doth detest thoughts of any closing with any Party of Popish Rebels there who have had their hands in shedding English Bloud Nevertheless the House being satisfied that what the said Colonel did therein was in his apprehension necessary for the preservation of the Parliaments interest the House is content that the farther consideration thereof as to him be laid aside and shall not at any time hereafter be called in question Upon these proceedings the Author notes 1. The Armies Doctrine and Vse of apprehended necessity and good intentions to justifie evil actions approved of by this Parliament 2. This Agreement though it were twelve weeks before publickly known in England and divulged in licensed News-books was never scrupled until that first the said Agreement was expired And 3. That Oneale was so beaten by the Lord Inchiquine that as their News-books said he was inconsiderable and must suddenly joyn with Ormond or be destroyed 4. That these Votes call this Agreement but a Treaty and Cessation which was a League offensive and defensive against Ormond Inchiquine and all that upheld Monarchy For which the Author gives these Reasons Because the second Article says That on all occasions both Parties be ready to assist one another till a more absolute Agreement be made by the Parliament of England And the third Article saith That the Creats of Ulster residing in the Quarters of the Parliaments Army shall pay Contribution to General Owen Oneale which is a granting of Taxes against Law and it seems Oneale became a Mercenary being taken into pay Article the fourth saith That if Oneale shall happen to fight against the Forces under Ormond Inchiquine or other Enemies of the Parliament and thereby spend his Ammunition if he be near to their Quarters and want Ammunition they shall then furnish him This was actually performed when Inchiquine besieged Dundalk The fifth Article allowed Oneale the use of any Harbours within their liberty By which Premises we may rationally conclude that the Factions are not so averse from the most bloudy Papists but if occasion require they are ready to joyn interest with them to maintain their Good Old Cause against the Crown and Church of England which will farther appear by the Correspondency and Agents which the successive Parties that were uppermost maintained in foreign parts to betray the present Kings Counsels while he was in banishment for which Manning a Papist was executed for whom many Dirgies were sung in several Churches And when his Majesty was invited into Scotland the Marquess of Huntly and other Lords and Heads of the Popish Faction made a great Party to oppose his Reception unless he would grant a Toleration of their Religion But the Presbyterian Party having then the greatest power admitted him on such terms as they thought fit and served him no longer than they could serve their own designes For the clearer manifestation of the ASSOCIATION between Oneale and the Parliament there are lately come to the Council of State saith the Author of the Hist of Independ p. 245. two Letters out of Conaught from Sir Charles Coote dated the 14th and 15th of August 49 informing them with how much zeal to the Parliaments interest Owen Oneale had freely raised the Siege of London-derry On which Letters and the Votes and Proceedings of Pride 's Parliament I commend to the Readers observation these particulars First the 15th of August the Letters inform them that Oneale freely offered his assistance to Coote professing much affection to the Parliament of England and an earnest desire to maintain their interest He had formerly stiled the Parliament Monstrosum Parliamentum but now the case is altered 〈◊〉 calls them the Honourable Parliament as driving his interest against Monarchy and Protestancy In the Letter of the 14th he informs the Parliament that he hath found Oneale and his Army very punctual and faithful in all their promises and ingagements and make◠no doubt but they will continue so to the end The 16th of August he says that Oneale i◠his Express to Coote inclosed some Letters received from Col. M. and among the rest 〈◊〉 Copy of a Letter in answer to a Letter of the Lord Inchiquine charging the Colonel for joyning with Oneale and his party wherein the Colonel insinuated as if Oneale 's submission to use the Parliaments power were already accepted by them In that of the 15th Coote hath this expression in his Letter Calling to mind that it is no new thing for the most wise God to make use of wicked Instruments to bring about a good designe Aug. 15. the Letter says that Coote called a Council of War and resolved it was better to accept of the Assistance of those who proclaimed themselves Friends to us and our interest we fight for The same Letter says that we added to the Article this proviso Not use their Assistance longer than the approbation of the State of England should go along with us therein In that of the 14th Coote says Oneale was pleased to communicate to him certain proposals which were long since transmitted to the Parliament and though for his part and the prime Officers with him they do not doubt but the proposals are already yielded to by the State yet in regard their Army and party in all other parts of the Kingdom cannot be satisfied therewith till the Parliament declare more publickly therein he hath therefore desired me humbly to intreat your Lordships to declare your Resolutions therein with as much speed as may be And in a Vote of Parliament it 's said The House is well satisfied of the diligence faithfulness and integrity of Sir Charles Coote in preserving the Garison of London-derry Which says my Author was preserved by the conjunction of Oneale who raised the Siege But to return to England where though the Jesuits and Priests did not appear so visibly as in the Wars of Ireland yet that they had great influence on the Councils and Armies of the Fanaticks from the beginning to the end of the War is industriously proved by Mr. Prynne in several books especially in his Introduction to the Archbishop's Tryal and in Romes Master-piece Works of Darkness brought to light The Royal Favourite c. The first War begun with the clamour of Popery That it was admitted not onely at the Court but into the Church particularly that the King was a great favourer of Papists and the House of Commons instance in one Goodman a Romish Priest who was condemned at the Sessions in the Old-baily Whereupon the House remonstrates That it was more necessary to put the Laws in execution at that time than in any before That at
that time divers Petitions from several parts of the Kingdom complained of the great increase of Popery and Superstition and the people call earnestly to have the Laws put in execution When these Petitions were promoted by their own Members and that Decency which was used in the Church the Superstition and Popery which they remonstrated against but not one word of putting the Laws in execution against the Separatists 2. That Priests and Jesuits swarmed in great numbers That of late years about the City of London Priests and Jesuits have been discharged out of prison That the Pope had then a Nuntio in the City The great resort to Mass at Demark-house That on the reprieve of Goodman the City of London refused the advance of Money for supply of his Majesties Army for that reason Therefore they desire that Goodman may be left to Justice To this the King answered Concerning Goodman that he being found guilty onely as being a Priest on which account neither King James nor Queen Elizabeth put any to death be did reprieve him desiring them to consider the inconvenience that may fall on his Subjects and other Protestants abroad by executing of such severity That he will put the Laws in execution against Popery and Superstition the increase whereof was much against his mind That he would speedily issue out a Proclamation for all Priests and Jesuits to depart the Kingdom within one month or to be proceeded against according to Law As for Rosetti the Popes Nuntio that he had no commission but was onely to correspond between the Queen and the Pope which was warranted by Articles of Marriage yet he had perswaded her to dismiss him within a time to take away the offence That he would restrain the resort of Papists to Denmark-house and the Chappels of Embassadours But instead of being satisfied with these Answers four Members of Parliament acquaint the Lords of a monstrous designe of the Papists an Army of fifteen thousand in Lancashire eight thousand Irish Papists under the Earl of Strafford and many thousands in divers other places well armed and payed by the Earl of Worcester Of which Sanderson in the Life of King Charles says p. 360. After-Ages will think these Hyperboles there being no such Armies possible by them nor no such fears in others Yet this Message was carried from the Lower to the Vpper House and gave occasion to a multitude of people to frame Petitions sutable to Plots Fears and Jealousies for the Parliaments purpose And Alderman Pennington with some hundredâ— of the Rabble presents a Petition in the name of fifteen thousand Citizens against Bishops and their Jurisdiction How little they cared for Religion though their actions sufficiently declared yet their expressions were not wanting A Great Creature of theirs said modestly That they haâ— power enough to take the Crown from the King if the Gospel did not hinder them but theâ— did it with a Non Obstante Mr. Hambdeâ— being asked by a Minister in the beginning of the War Why Religion was made a cause 〈◊〉 it answered Because the people would not stâ—â— else But H. Martyn told them in the House They need not lye for a good Cause it was nâ—â— Religion but Liberty they fought for And so little did some of them value their Religion that as Col. Morley and others with hiâ— said They would cast themselves upon any Nation even the Turk rather than let the King subdue them Mr. B.'s Key for Catholicks mentioneth several of the Popish designes which saith he are grounded on this Maxime That their foundation must be Mutation which will cause a Relaxation and serve as so many violent Diseases as Stone or Gout to a speedy Destruction p. 318. Upon which he adds this Consultation of the Jesuits We shall necessitate the Puritan Protestants to keep the King as Prisoner or else to put him to death If they keep him as a Prisoner his diligence and friends and their own divisions will either work his deliverance and give him the day again by our help or at least will keep the State in a perpetual unsetledness and will bring an odium on them or if they cut him off which we will rather promote lest they should make use of his extremities to any advantage then first we shall procure the odium of King killing to fall on them which they are wont to cast upon us and so shall be able to disburthen our selves Secondly And we shall have them all to pieces in Distractions for they will either set up a new King or the Parliament will keep the power changing the Government into a Democracy The first cannot be done without great Concussions and new Wars and we shall have an opportunity to have a hand in all and if it be done it may be much to our advantage The second will apparently by Factions and Distractions give us footing for continual attempts But to make all sure we will have our footing among the Puritans too that we may be sure to maintain our interest which way soever the world goes This was the Frame of the Papists Plot. In the next page he tells us of the Letters of the Agents of the Agitators in France published in the weekly News-books commending the Jesuits for good men and how agreeable they were to them in their Principles for a Democracy and what meet Materials for such a Commonwealth the Jesuits would be The Agencies of particular men with Jesuits he says I purposely omit p. 321. Mr. Baxter doubtless knew more than 〈◊〉 mentions he had an Idea of all their Plots and Principles in 's own brain And p. 329 saith It is opened by many in print how far thâ— Jesuits crept into all Societies under the name of Independents He tells us a story of onâ— that came from Scotland pretending himself a Jew who gave the Anabaptists the glory oâ— his Conversion and was rebaptized at Heâ—ham but was discovered at Newcastle to be â— Jesuit The whole story is in print And p. 321. he acquaints us that Sexby and otherâ— of the Army did confederate with Spain tâ— murther Cromwel when they found that hâ— attempted to make himself a King And hereupon it was that Cromwel took distaste aâ— the Papists and prevailed to make an Acâ— with this Preamble Anno 1656. Forasmuâ—â— as there is a great increase of Popish Recusants within this Commonwealth by reason whereof great danger may follow to the Commonwealth they being persons very active in mischievous Plots and Conspiracies c. This doubtless was well known by Cromwel who had made great use of them to effect his mischievous designes Peter du Moulin in his Answer to Philanax Anglicus p. 59. observes that a year before the Kings death a select number of English Jesuits were sent from their Party in England first to Paris to consult with the Faculty of Sorbone who were then wholly Jesuited about this Question Whether seeing the State of England was in a likely posture
and Darts both of Jesuits and Fanaticks were aimed that by their fall they might more easily destroy the King as it afterward hapned and notwithstanding their serious and succesful endeavours to suppress Popery in Ireland they are reputed and accused for Papists in England but the true reason was the Earl of Strafford and the Archbishop being two of the most faithful Ministers of State that the King had the Scots endeavour in the first place to take them out of the way For A Parliament being called on Novemb. 3. 1640. the Scots under pretence of Religion got a considerable Party in both Houses to help on their designe To which end at their entrance into England they made a Remonstrance That their just desires so necessary for the good of both Kingdoms could find no access to the ears of their gracious King by reason of the powerful diversion of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Deputy of Ireland who being strengthened with a mighty Faction of Papists near the King did rule in all matters both Temporal and Ecclesiastical making the necessity of their service to his Majesty to appear in being the onely fit Instruments under a pretext of vindicating his Majesties Honour is oppress the Liberties of his free Subjects and the true reformed Religion And this Remonstrance they seconded with another Libel called The Intention of the Army signifying to the People of England That they had no designe to waste their Goods or spoil their Country but onely to petition his Majesty to call a Parliament and to bring the Archbishop and Deputy to condign punishment At this time they set forth a Book against the Archbishop called Laudensium Autocatacrisis endeavouring to prove out of the Archbishop's Writings that he designed to bring in Superstition Popery and Arminianism There comes also a Petition from some Lords complaining of the great increase of Popery and of many inconveniencies drawn on the Kingdom by engaging against the Scots This was signed by the Earls of Essex Hartford Rutland Bedford Exeter Warwick Mulgrave and Bullingbrooke the Lords Say Mandevil Brook and Howard And this was seconded by another from London The day for the sitting of the Parliament being appointed on the third of November the Archbishop was advised that the Parliament in the 20 of Hen. 8. which began in the fall of Cardinal Wolsey and the diminution of the power and priviledges of the Clergie and ended in the dissolution of Religious houses was begun on the same day and therefore he should move the King to respite their sitting for a day or two The event proved too sadly ominous for this begun with the fall of the Archbishop the Rites and Priviledges of the English Clergie Bishops Deans and Chapters and the Cathedrals left without any means to repair them But there were other strange accidents observed by Dr. Heylen in the Life of the Archshop p. 450. On Friday-night Jan. 24. 1639. he dreamt that his Father came to him and askt him what he did there and he asked his Father how long he would stay there who replied He would stay till he had him along with him This Dream he noted in his Breviate In December that year the Boats that were drawn on land neer Lambeth were by a violent tempest dasht against one another and broken in pieces And the tops of two Chimneys were blown down and beat through the Lead and Rafters on the Bed in which he was wont to lie but the roughness of the water kept him that night at his Chamber in White-hall The same night at Croyden one of the Pinacles fell from the Steeple and beat down the Lead and Roof of the Church twenty foot square The same night at the Metropolitical Church in Canterbury one of the Pinacles which carried a Vane with the Archbishop's Arms upon it was blown down and carried a good distance off falling on the Roof of a Cloyster where the Arms of the See of Canterbury were ingraven in Stone which by the fall of the Pinacle were broken in pieces whereat some did conjecture that he should not onely fall himself but the Archiepiscopal Dignity should fall with him But the Archbishop took most notice of anotheer Accident on St. Simon and Jude's Eve a week before the sitting of the Parliament when going into his upper Study where his Picture in full length was wont to hang he found it fallen on the ground and lying flat on its face On Saturday May 9. 1640. a Paper was posted on the Exchange animating the Apprentices to sack his House at Lambeth the Munday following he therefore so fortified his Palace that though five hundred persons attempted it they could do nothing but they broke open the Prisons in Southwark and freed their Comrades for which actions one Bensteed a Leader of the Rabble was condemned and executed The great cry was That he endeavoured to bring in Popery Mr. Prynne says he was at least a Cassandrian Papist and endeavoured a reconciliation between us and Rome A Book written against him called The English Pope printed 1643. tells us how far the King and Pope had agreed The King saith he required a Dispensation from the Pope that the English Catholicks might resort to the Protestant Churches take the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy and that the Popes Supremacy was to be changed into a Priority and that marriage should be permitted to the Priests the Communion administred under both kinds and the Liturgie in the English Tongue But though these Concessions were more than the Pope would grant yet another Libel says There were general Propositions made for this agreement and that the Archbishop had made some Innovations in order thereto Popes Nuncio p. 11. But what the Archbishop did was not with a respect to peace with Rome but to the setling of the Church of England on the first Principles of Reformation and to make it more amiable even to the Papists whom he aimed to win over first by Conferences and then by an external Decency in the publick Service the Catholicks being much offended at the slovenly keeping of our Churches and the irreverence of the People at their Devotion And though some accounted the Archbishop's actions in renewing ancient Rites to give advantage to Popery yet others more knowing said that it would tend to the honour and advantage of the Church of England for Dr. Heylin reports that he heard from a person of known Nobility that being with a Father of the English Colledge at Rome one of the Novices told him with great joy that the English were about to set up Altars and officiate in Copes to adorn their Churches and paint their Windows and were returning to the Church of Rome To whom the Father replied with some indignation That he talked like an ignorant Novice and that these proceedings rather tended to the ruine than advancement of the Catholick Cause because the Church of England coming nearer to the ancient Vsages the Catholicks there
was forming some Villains were carrying on that horrid and execrable Plot of Assassinating his Majesties person and his dearest Brother And a Massacre was to follow wherein they principally designed for slaughter the Officers of State the present Lord Mayor and Sheriffs of London and others that had been most eminent for Loyalty Upon which Discovery James Duke of Monmouth the Lord Melvin Sir Jo. Cockrane Sir Thomas Armstrong Robert Ferguson Richard Goodenough Francis Goodenough Richard Rumbold William Rumbold Richard Nelthorp Nathaniel Wade William Tompson James Burton Joseph Elby Samuel Gibbs Francis Charleton Joseph Tyley Casteers and Lobb two Nonconformist-preachers Edward Norton John Row John Ayloff and John Atherton fled from Justice Ford Lord Grey made his escape Arthur Earl of Essex killed himself in the Tower William Lord Russel Thomas Walcot William Hone and John Rous were on their Tryals convicted and executed And it is observable that each of them confessed enough to clear the Justice of the Nation The most that they could plead for themselves was that their Crime could amount onely to misprision of Treason Algernoon Sidney another of the Conspirators was tryed condemned and executed afterward who professed to die for the Old Cause wherein he had been engaged from his youth And indeed he was so far engaged that being named for one of the Royal Martyr's Judges he often appeared at his Tryal And Manus haec inimica Tyrannis was his Motto The Earl of Shaftsbury had been indicted of High-Treason 24 Novemb. 1681. for endeavouring to depose and put to death the King and levy war within the Kingdom he having declared That in a short time the Parliament was to sit at Oxford and that he had inspected the Elections and was satisfied that the Parliament would insist on three matters viz. The Bill of Exclusion against the Duke of York The abolishing the Act of Parliament of the 35 of Queen Elizabeth and a new Bill for uniting Protestant Dissenters which he was confident the King would not consent to and if so that he and other Lords had provided strength to compel him under the command of Captain Wilkinson and John Booth he declared the King to be a man of no faith and there was no trust in him That he deserved to be deposed as well as King Richard the second And the said Earl further declared That 〈◊〉 would not desist till he brought this Kingdom 〈◊〉 a Commonwealth as Holland was That the King was a man of an unfaithful heart not fâ—â— to rule and govern being false unjust and crueâ— to his people and if he would not be governed they would depose him Though the Witnesseâ— swore positively to the particulars yet there was such a Jury provided as brought in an Ignoramus Sir Sam. Bernardiston being their Foreman who hath since been found guilty of Misdemeanors of a high nature During the late seditious Stirs and Tumults none was more active than one Stephen Colledge a Joyner of London a pragmatical person that pleased himself with the title of The Protestant Joyner he had been busie for a long time sowing Sedition and talking Treason so openly that his Friends advised him to forbear lest he came to the Gallows He made it his business to serve some dissenting Lords boasting of his acquaintance with the Earl of Shaftsbury Lords Gray Howard Clare Huntington Pagit Lovelace c. He had fitted his Raree Show and scandalous Songs and Pictures reflecting on the Royal Family The sole pretence for his treasonable actions was his zeal against Papists who he said had feigned seventeen or eighteen Sham-plots against the Protestants he affirmed that London was to be seized by the Papists and that they had a designe against the Parliament at Oxford and therefore he with some others whom he had perswaded came well armed thither Divers Ribbons were provided as a mark of distinction bearing this Motto NO POPERY NO SLAVERY one of which he gave to Turbervil and it was proved as the Lord Chief Justice said at the close of the Tryal whom he called Papists The King was a Papist the Bishops and the Church of England were Papists He was indicted for High-Treason the 17 and 18 of August 1681 it being proved that he said That nothing of good was to be expected from the King That he minded nothing but beastliness and the destruction of the people That he endeavoured to establish Arbitrary Government and Popery Dugdale Smith and Turbervil who had been Witnesses against the Lord Stafford were of the Evidence against him though there were enough if these had been laid aside to have proved him guilty Mr. Masters testified against him p. 31. That he said The Parliament in 1640. was as good a Parliament as ever was chosen To which Mr. Masters answered I wonder how you have the impudence to justifie their proceedings that raised the Rebellion against the King and cut off his head To which Colledge replied They did nothing but what they had just cause for and the Parliament at Westminster was of their Opinion p. 31. And being demanded what he had to say against this testimony he answers That Mr. Masters had said nothing material and that it was but a jocose discourse p. 39. To which Mr. Justice Jones replied Do you make mirth of the blackest Tragedy that ever was that horrid Rebellion and the murther of the late King Colledge answered I never justified that Parliament in any thing that they did contrary to Law One Mr. Jennings who was another Witness testified that on the bleeding of Colledge's Nose he said It was the first bloud that he lost in the Cause but it will not be long ere more be lost He saw him sell the Ribbons with NO POPERY NO SLAVERY to a Parliament-man as he supposed who tyed it on his Sword c. p. 32. It is observed in the Tryal that there was not one Papist that gave evidence against him and that they were such of whom Colledge had formerly given a good Character though now the case was altered The Jury were so well satisfied with the Evidence that they quickly agreed and brought him in guilty and so he was condemned and executed at Oxford on Wednesday 31 of August 1681. Captain Tho. Walcot was indicted for High-Treason at the Old-Baily July 12 c. 1683. for endeavouring to move and stir up War and Rebellion against the King to deprive the King of his Crown and to put him to death for which he conspired with divers other Traytors and had several meetings and consults to those ends and provided Blunderbusses Carbines and Pistols c. Which being proved by Col. Rumsey Mr. Keeling Mr. Bourne Mr. West and Captain Richardson he was found guilty sentenced and executed Then was William Hone arraigned on the like Indictment the Evidence against him were Mr. Keeling Mr. West Sir Nicholas Butler and Capt. Richardson upon whose testimonies he was found guilty and executed also July 13. the Lord Russel was tryed for
was such another Fast as those that were kept in the days of their Q Mary of which she was wont to say That she was as much afraid of a Fast of the Ministers as of an Army of Souldiers And yet if you will believe themselves or some Advocates of theirs nearer home there are not a more innocent peaceable and harmless people in the world as the Author of Naphtali said of the Rebellion of Pentland hills There hath not been in Britain such a company of men in Arms for the Covenant and Cause of God for sound Judgment true Piety Integrity and fervent Zeal and undaunted Courage But all this Zeal and Courage was still directed against the King and the established Government and Worship of God For in the year 1679. the Convention of Estates gave the King a Tax of 30000 l. to maintain a Regiment of Foot three Companies of Dragoons and three Troops of Horse to suppress the Field-Conventicles which met in Arms against which their Leaders preached saying It was given by the enemies of Christ to drive him out of his Kingdom and it would be as great a fin to pay it as it was in Judas to betray Christ and that now was the time to try them whether they would have Christ for their King or no. And the same Ruffians that murdered the Archbishop did several times lay wait for the Collectors of this Tax and they so perplexed the peoples Consciences that a Servant of the Earl of Dondonald fell distracted through trouble of mind for having assisted his Master in laying the Tax on Renscot This is that little Sister for whom the Noble Peer pleaded that having no Breasts she might like the Amazons have liberty to take up Arms and once more enter our Nation and rent us in pieces as formerly And it were easie to shew from the Writings of some of our own Nation that the same Principles have been preached to the people of this Land who have greedily swallowed and digested the same and think themselves under the same obligation of Covenant as those barbarous people Dr. Lake in a Sermon before the Lord Mayor says That discoursing some Rebels that were then in Goal in Scotland who did openly avow the Rebellion and refused to pray for the King He told them they were variously reported to be Jesuits or Jesuitically affected or to be Fifth-Monarchy-men wild arrant Fanaticks They told him they were neither one nor other but true Presbyterians according to the Covenant He replying That we had Presbyterians in our own Kingdom who yet did not obstinately maintain such King-deposing and murthering Doctrines They told him he did not understand them for they believed the same Doctrines but onely wanted Power and Courage to act them And at their execution they desired the people to take notice That they died true Presbyterians according to the Covenant It is another Artifice of these People agreeable to the practice of the Papists that they keep their People in ignorance and under the power of an implicit Faith and blind Obedience as the Papists do and bring them up in strong prejudices against their Governors Some have been so mad as to baptize their Children into the National Covenant which they are not ashamed to compare with The Covenant of Grace Mr. Alexander Gibson Clerk of his Majesties Privy-Council certified May 13. 1678. that one David Ferguson taken at a Field-Conventicle being asked why he kept not to his Parish-Church answered That he had sworn the Covenant whereby he was obliged not to hear Bishops Deans or Curats and that others being asked why they kept Conventicles answered To hear Gods truth and being demanded what that was they answered They could not tell And upon examination they could not say the Creed the Lords Prayer or ten Commandments Mr. Jo. Dickson preached to them That all the Bishops and their Clergie never did nor ever will convert one Soul They believe without farther enquiry being forbid to read the Books written for Obedience and Conformity that Episcopacy is Antichristian and Presbytery is Christs own institution They hold with the Papists That the actions of their Kirk and Teachers in Field-Conventicles and armed and fighting men is not Rebellion because the Presbytery is not subject to the Secular Power That the Subjects may enter into Solemn Leagues and Covenants without and against the Prince That Kings may be excommunicate and deposed which some of them have practised against his present Majesty That not the King in some cases but the Kirk have power to convocate and dissolve Assemblies and that they may make Laws without the King That Salvation is not to be had but in their Communion They injoyn new Articles of belief as That Episcopacy is an Antichristian Order and so are the Church-Festivals and Ceremonies That the Oath of Supremacy is an unlawful Oath and the People are absolved from it That the Power of the King is originally in the People and that there is a mutual obligation between them and if the King perform not his part the People are free from performing theirs That for the good of the Kirk and Gods Cause they may rebel against their Prince That the Prince nor any Secular Power can silence or deprive a Minister who is subject to none but Christ That Passive Obedience to the unjust commands of a Prince is as great a sin as Active Obedience to the same That a private person may kill a Magistrate by impulse of the Spirit after the Example of Phinees to deliver the Kirk from Oppression That it is lawful to kill Protestant Bishops and their Curates as enemies to true Godliness and such as would bring the Kirk to a slavish dependance on the King James Mitchel who was executed for attempting the murther of the Archbishop said in his dying Speech They are all blessed that shall take the proud Prelates and dash their brains against the stones as afterward some Ruffians did by the Archbishop These are their Principles and all these they have practised when they had opportunities They come little behind the Papists for equivocation and persisting in falsehood where they think their lives or the good of the Kirk concerned Jo. King being charged for bearing Arms against the King in the late Rebellion denied it until one that apprehended him swore that he had both Sword and Pistols To which he answered he did it not in an hostile manner which was a Jesuitical Equivocation He bore testimony against that woful Supremacy so much applauded and universally owned of such of whom better things might be expected as usurping on Christs Royal Authority spoiling him of his Royal Crown Scepter Sword and Royal Robe by taking those Princely Ornaments to invest a man whose breath is in his nostrils And both Kid and King bore their Testimonies against the Oath of Allegiance and Bond of Peace of which to satisfie the Reader I give him a Copy I A. B. for testification of my faithful
disowned him and the men of his practices whether inferiour Magistrates or others as enemies to our Lord and his Crown and the True Protestant and Presbyterian interest in their hands Therefore although we be for Government and Governours such as the Word of God and our Covenants allows yet we for our selves and all that will adhere to us as the Representatives of the true Presbyterian-Church and covenanted Nation of Scotland considering the great hazard of lying under such a sin do by these Presents disown Charles Stuart who hath been reigning or rather we may say tyrannizing on the Throne of Scotland forefaulted several years since by his Perjury and breach of Covenant with God and his Church and usurpation of his Crown and Royal Prerogatives therein and by his Tyranny and breach of the very leges regnandi in matters Civil for which reasons we declare that several years since he should have been denuded of being King As also being under the Standard of Christ we declare War against such a Tyrant and Usurper and all the men of his practices as enemies to our Lord Jesus Christ his Cause and Covenants and against all such as have strengthened him sided with him or any-wise acknowledged him in his Usurpation and Tyranny Civil and Ecclesiastical yea and against all such as shall strengthen side with or anywise acknowledge any other in the like Usurpation and Tyranny c. Given at Sanquair 22 June 1680. Collected out of the true Copies collated with the Originals kept among the Records of his Majesties Privy-Council Al. Gibson Will. Paterson But that the hand of Joab i.e. the Jesuits was in all these Tumults and Rebellions will thus appear Dr. Oates whose Testimony ad homines is very creditable assures us That the Jesuits creep in among Dissenters under the disguise of Nonconforming Ministers to divide and exasperate to blow up Animosities and Calumnies into actual Rebellion against the Civil Government under a pretence of the dislike of the Ecclesiastical Thus in his printed Narrative part 1. he says That Rich. Strange Provincial John Keins Basil Langworth John Fenwick and Harcourt Jesuits did write a treasonable Letter to one Father Suiman an Irish Jesuit at Madrid in Spain in which was contained the plotting and contriving a Rebellion of the Presbyterians in Scotland against the Episcopal Government in order to which they employed Matthew Wright Will. Morgan and one Ireland to go and preach under the notion of Presbyterians and give the disaffected Scots a true understanding of their sad estate and condition by Episcopal Tyranny and to tell them they had now a fair opportunity to vindicate their Liberty and Religion and that it could be done no other way but by the Sword Paragr 18. That the Fathers of the Society in Ireland were very vigilant to prepare the people to rise for their Liberty and Religion and to recover their Estates Parag. 35. That the Jesuits by order of their Provincial were to send new Messengers into Scotland to promote the Commotions there and to inform the people of the great Tyranny they lay under by being denied liberty of Conscience and that not being to be procured but by the Sword they must take that course to purchase their liberty Parag. 43. That two new Ministers were sent into Scotland on the fifth of Aug. 78. one by the name of Father Moore the other of Sanders alias Brown with instructions to carry themselves like Nonconformist-Ministers and to preach to the disaffected Scots the necessity of taking up the Sword for defence of liberty of Conscience These Dr. Oates saw dispatched Parag. 150. The Doctor saw a Letter from Father Ireland Aug. 7. 1678. where he intimates the joy he had that the disaffected Scots would not lay aside their endeavours for liberty of Religion and that the Catholicks of Scotland had promised to use their utmost interest to keep up the Commotions there And a good Author observes what fell out in the tragical end of the Lord Forester in Scotland who after the defeat of the Rebels at Bothwel-bridge took occasion on the Indulgence granted by his Majesty to erect a house within two miles of Edinburgh for a publick Conventicle of Nonconformists and for building this â—â—â—agogue he went for a zealous man among them but not long after he was murthered by a woman-relation with whom he had lived incestuously many years After his death a Dispensation was found in his Closet from the Pope to marry her which he delaying to do she took his life in reparation of her abused Honour Which shews that the Supporters of the Nonconformists may be secret Papists Parag. 51. John Keins told the Doctor That the Provincial had taken care of keeping alive the Differences between the disaffected Scots and Duke Lauderdale that Mum and Chocolet should be put down and the Order of the Magpies should be turned to their primitive institution and habit by Mum and Chocolet meaning the Protestant Peers and by Magpies the Bishops Paragr 67. n. 7. One means he says they were to use to bring in Popery was by Seditious Preachers and Catechists set up and maintained and directed what to preach in their own or other private or publick Conventicles and Field-meetings And my Author says I have heard Mr. Prance affirm that both Gauan and White-bread used to preach frequently in Conventicles in Southwark and other places and that he was able to prove Whitebread the Provincial of the Jesuits who was executed for the Plot did not many months before the discovery preach in a Conventicle as a Nonconformist at Spaldwick within five miles of Huntingdon and that he had several times done the like before as was attested by several of the Congregation before divers Gentlemen in the County of Huntingdon But to return for England where we are told by a marvelous cunning man That the next Scene that opened would be Rome or Paris But the Prophet saw nothing of Geneva or Scotland which was also so nearly conjoyned in the Intrigue that I scarce know how to separate them For as I believe there was is and will be a Popish Designe to overthrow the Government as long as the Jesuits retain their Principles and avowed Obedience to the See of Rome so I am confident there was is and will be a Fanatick Plot against the Church and State as long as so many Factious and Seditious persons retain their Antimonarchical and Separating Principles As for the Papists they thought their work was sufficiently carried on by the Divisions which they had increased among our selves by the Toleration and therefore for a while they contented themselves with working as so many Moles under ground heaving at the Foundations of our Government But through the mercy of God Parturiunt Montes their intended Babel proved but a Mole-hill which was easily scattered For Die Lunoe 1678. it was Resolved Nemine Contradicente in the Parliament That there was is and for several years last past hath been a
horrid and treasonable Plot and Conspiracy contrived and carried on by those of the Popish Religion for murthering of his Majesties sacred Person and for subverting the Protestant Religion and the ancient and well-established Government of this Kingdom Of which Coleman by several Evidences and his own Letters was found guilty in conspiring the death of the King and endeavouring to subvert the Protestant Religion and to bring in Popery by the aid of foreign Powers for which he was executed December 3. 1678. Ireland Pickering and Grove were executed for the like Treasons Jan. 24. Green Berry and Hill were condemned Feb. 10. for the Murther of Sir Edmond-bury Godfrey Whitebread Harcourt Fenwick Gauan and Turner were condemned on the 14th of June 1679. And Richard Langhorne was condemned the same day And the Lord Stafford was also executed for the same Plot and Conspiracy It is true that all these Coleman onely excepted whose Letters then produced were so plain that they admitted of no evasion denied their guiltiness to the last breath but it was a practice allowed to men under their circumstances and had been practised by other of their Perswasion in the like case for Garnet Whitebread's Predecessor a Principal of the Jesuits being accused for the Gunpowder-treason as holding correspondence with one Hall then in the Tower utterly denied it with horrid Imprecations which when Hall confessed he beg'd pardon and confessed he had offended if Equivocation did not help him Tresham another of the Conspirators had confessed that Garnet was privy to the Treason but afterward by the importunity of his Wife he protested a little before his death that his former Confession was false and that he had not seen Garnet in sixteen years before Which Protestation of his was afterward proved to be false and Garnet himself confessed that he had seen him many times within that space And in a Book called The Jesuits Catechism penned as is said by some Secular Priests Anno 1602 they say That a Jesuit being condemned to die after he hath made his Confession to a Priest he is not tyed to reveal his guilt to the Judge but it is lawful for him to stand in a stiff denial of it at the time of Execution as being clear before God although he persist in a Lye after he hath discharged his Conscience to his Confessor p. 166 167. The Author of Remarks on the Debates of the House at Oxford tells us That those Debates were as great a Witness for the King as any he had For R. M. says he said That the King 's telling them in his Speech that he would stick to his Resolutions as to the Succession and his proposing an Expedient is arbitrary and French and that it was the Kings designe to cow the Parliament to bring them to Oxford And that neither Bishops nor Counsellors nor Ministers of State nor those of the Gospel have endeavoured to preserve Religion or Safety T. B. says plainly They must let bloud Sir N. C. says As I understand it is proposed the Government shall be in Regency during the Duke's life I would be satisfied if the D. will not submit to that whether those that fight against him are not Traytors in Law H. B. says The same interest that passeth the Bill here will do it in Scotland Another insists That all about the King should be removed and that though Ministers have been altered yet the Government hath been in such hands as that the same Principles remain Sir W. C. says That the weight of England is the people and the more they know the heavier they will be and that in all Ages they have sunk ill Ministers of State And doubtless good ones too R. H. looks on the slipping the Bill for Repealing the Act of 35 of Eliz. to be a breach of the Constitution of the Government which if it had been moved in Queen Elizabeth 's days that motion would certainly have been so thought B. W. says of the King's Speech That it was none of his that it had nothing of his in it that it is flat and short That his Majesty was a better man and a better Protestant than to make it himself and that they who advised it must answer for it And yet to shew on whom he meant to throw this Dirt he says afterward The King hath gone on in a resolution as far as this in his Speech in his Declaration formerly Sir W. J. observes That no man knowing in Laws or History but can tell us that to Bills grateful and popular the King gives his consent L. G. is dissatisfied with these hands in which the Government is and fears the Kings being Absolute And therefore Sir F. W. says The same Authority that can make a descent of the Crown can modifie it All their Votes and Speeches must be Printed to shew they are not ashamed of what they do Col. M. hopes that his Posterity will do as he among the rest hath that Meeting and the former done This Bill of Exclusion to alter the Succession and modifie the Crown and the Repeal of the Act 35 Eliz. is the means used to secure the King's Person and the Protestant Religion Though the King and the established Church are of a quite contrary judgment And the Act 13 Car. 2. 1660 which says That by the undoubted fundamental Laws of this Kingdom neither the Peers of this Kingdom nor the Commons nor both together in Parliament nor any other person whatsoever ever had hath or ought to have any Coercive power over the persons of the Kings of this Realm And by the person of the King is meant all such persons to whom the Crown legally descends The mischiefs of altering the Succession hath cost too dear already to attempt another Experiment The Dispute between the Houses of York and Lancaster cost the Nation the lives of Eight Kings and Princes Forty Dukes Marquesses and Earls Two hundred thousand of the People besides Barons and Gentlemen and so much Money and Spoil as cannot be valued So that it is sufficiently evident that these irregular and violent Proceedings were a Prologue to some intended Tragedy There were hot Irons on the Forge we heard the blows throughout the Nation and sparks of fire flew about our ears But God be thanked none of those Weapons which were forged against the King or the Church have prospered Hitherto the Lord hath helped us The Fanatick Party carried on their designes more openly than the Papists insomuch that they thought to bear down all before them by the numbers and strength of their Party The Pulpits and Presses do not onely sound Alarms but cry Victoria Their Peaceable designe had divided the Bishopricks between Presbyterian Independent and Anabaptist They promise the true Protestant Peacemakers more favour than they had from their Conforming Brethren because they joyned in a Complaint of Persecution Mr. Baxter in his Book of Obedience and Patience p. 265. tells us That Persecutors are not immortal but