Thomas May Esq Aetatis Sua. 55. A BREVIARY OF THE HISTORY Of the Parliament Of ENGLAND Expressed in three PARTS 1. The Causes and Beginnings of the Civil War of England 2. A short mention of the Progress of that Civil War 3. A compendious Relation of the Original and Progress of the Second Civil War First written in Latine after done into English By Thomas May Esq The Second Edition LONDON Printed by J. Cottrel for Thomas Brewster at the three Bibles neer the West-end of Pauls 1655. The Causes and Beginnings OF The Civil War of England OF the Parliament of England and beginning of that sad War which for so many yeers raged within the bowels of a distressed Kingdom whosoever will write though never so briefly must of necessity premise somewhat touching the Causes according to the state of the affairs and times of assembling that Parliament And though the condition of Scotland and Ireland were during that time no whit happier which being subject to the same King were exposed to the same Calamity our discourse especially shall be of England as the noblest Kingdom and the Royal Seat from whence the distemper might first arise and be derived to the rest And wonderful it may seem how great the distemper of that Government was which ingendered so great a disease how great the malignity of that disease to which a Parliament was not sufficient Medicine Fourty yeers old was King Charles and fifteen yeers had he reigned when this Parliament was called so long had the Laws been violated more then under any King the Liberties of the people invaded and the authority of Parliament by which Laws and Liberties are supported trodden under foot which had by degrees much discontented the English Nation For the King within the first four yeers of his Reign had called three Parliaments and soon dissolved them all before they could any way benefit the Commonwealth or redress the least grievance of the People In the second he granted and signed the Petition of Right but suddenly breaking up that Parliament he acted the same things in violation of Laws which he had done before So that it was manifest that the Peoples Liberties by grant of that Petition were not fortified but utterly overthrown and it appeared neither Laws themselves could give protection nor the Kings Faith security to the People After the dissolution of the third Parliament men were forbidden by Proclamation to speak any more of Parliaments In this Interval the people at home were fleeced by Monopolies and many ways exacted upon by illegal Taxes abroad scarce any Negotiations were made but such as were destructive to Religion and the Commonwealth In the beginning of his Reign an unhappie and dishonorable Expedition was made against the Spaniard to surprise Cales another more sad then that against the French in the following yeer at the Isle of Rhee but that of all other was most destructive to the Protestant Religion that King Charles not long before that time had lent a strong Navie to the King of France by whose force the Protestants Ships through all France were vanquished and scattered and the miserable Town of Rochel subdued by Famine the worst of all Enemies The King in the mean time by many illegal ways raised money through England large sums of money were exacted throughout the whole Kingdom default of Knighthood under the shadow of an absolute Law Tunnage and Poundage were received without the ordinary course of Law and though they were taken under pretence of guarding the Seas yet that great Tax of Ship-money was set on foot under the same colour c. These things were accompanied with the enlargement of Forests contrary to Magna Charta the forcing of Coat and Conduct-money taking away the Arms of the Trained Bands in many Counties c. Nor was there any remedy left for no Courts of Judicature could give redress to the people for these Illegal sufferings whilst Judges were displaced by the King for not complying with his will and so awed that they durst not do their duties for to hold a Rod over them a clause was altered in their Patents By this time all thoughts of ever having a Parliament were quite banished so many Oppressions set on foot so many illegal actions done that the onely way to justifie all was to do that one greater To take away the means which was ordained to redress them the lawful Government of England by Parliaments Whilst the Kingdom was in this condition the serious and just men of England who were not interessed in these Oppressions could not but entertain sad thoughts of what mischief must needs follow so great an injustice But another sort of men especially Lords and Gentlemen by whom the pressures of Government were not much felt did nothing but applaud the happiness of England calling those ingrateful and factious spirits who complained of the breach of Laws and Liberties that the Kingdom abounded with wealth plenty and all kinde of elegancies more then ever and that it was the honour of a people that their Monarch should live splendidly and not be curbed at all in his Prerogative c. The Courtiers would begin to dispute against Parliaments in their ordinary discourse That they were too injurious to the Kings Prerogative some of the greatest States-men and Privie Councellors would ordinarily laugh at the ancient language of England when the word Liberty of the Subject was named Though the Kingdoms Liberties were thus oppressed yet Peace continued and England seemed happie in that tranquillity until the fatal Coal which afterwards was blown into so great a fire through the three Kingdoms began to be kindled in the yeer 1637. by a designe which the King had upon Scotland which was as pretended to make a Conformity of Church-Worship and Ecclesiastical Government between the two Kingdoms of England and Scotland The dignity and pomp of Prelacie had been much of late promoted in England in pursuance whereof many temporal Offices and Honours were conferred upon persons Ecclesiastical many Ceremonies and Innovations brought into the Church and too neer approaches made in some points of Doctrine to the Romish Church and a great contempt thrown upon the other Reformed Churches in Europe Popery seemed to be much countenanced in the Court and by reason of the Queens great power with the King several Nuncio's from the Pope as Panzani Conn and Rosetti had been received with great honour in the Court of England The King had made great preparations for that work in Scotland and bestowed many temporal offices and dignities upon Bishops in that Kingdom In particular 11 of the Scotish Bishops being in all but 14 were made Privie Councellors But this displeased the Scots to whom Episcopacie it self was not acceptable and having been once thrown out of that Kingdom was not restored but by great endeavour and policie of King James A book of Lyturgie was sent by the King into Scotland in the year 1637. with an
been committed to the Tower six months before was beheaded Of this man of the crimes laid to his charge as likewise of his Pompous and remarkable trial we cannot but make some mention About the end of January a charge was read against him in the House of Commons consisting of nine Articles out of which by subdivision were branched many more which though too tedious to be verbally here set down I shall deliver by expressing the contents He was accused for ruling Ireland and the North of England in an arbitrary way against the Laws For retaining the Kings revenue without account For encreasing and encouraging Popery For maliciously striving to stir up and continue enmity betwixt England and Scotland of which some particulars are exprest For laboring to subvert Parliaments and incense the King against them Upon which occasion Mr. Pym a Member of the House of Commons in his Speech and Declaration to the Lords shewing the quality of the offence spake as followeth It is an offence comprehending all other offences in that he governed contrary to Law the Law is that which puts a difference between good and evil It is the Law that doth intitle the King to the Allegeance and service of his people it intitles the people to the protection and justice of the King It is God alone who subsists by himself all other things subsist in a mutual dependence and relation He was a wise man that said That the King subsisted by the field that is tilled it is the labor of the people that supports the Crown If you take away the protection of the King the vigor and cheerfulness of Allegeance will be taken away though the obligation remain The Law is the Boundary the Measure betwixt the Kings Prerogative and the peoples Liberty Whiles these move in their own Orb they are a support and security to one another The Prerogative a cover and defence to the Liberty of the people and the people by their Liberty are enabled to be a foundation to the Prerogative but if these bounds be so removed that they enter into contestation and conflict one of these mischiefs must needs ensue If the Prerogative of the King overwhelm the Liberty of the People it will be turned into Tyranny If Liberty undermine the Prerogative it will grow into Anarchy The Law is the safeguard the custody of all private interest Your Honors your Lives your Liberties and Estates are all in the keeping of the Law without this every man hath a like right to any thing and this is the condition into which the Irish were brought by the Earl of Strafford And the reason which he gave for it hath more mischief in it than the thing it self THEY WERE A CONQUERED NATION There cannot be a word more pregnant and fruitful in Treason than that word is There are few Nations in the world that have not been Conquered and no doubt but the Conqueror may give what Laws he please to those that are Conquered But if the succeeding Pacts and Agreements do not limit and restrain that right what people can be secure England hath been Conquered and Wales hath been Conquered and by this reason will be in little better case than Ireland If the King by the Right of a Conqueror gives Laws to his people shall not the people by the same reason be restored to the right of the Conquered to recover their Liberty if they can What can be more hurtful more pernitious to both than such Propositions as these A little after Such arbitrary power is inconsistent with the peace the wealth the prosperity of a Nation to industry to valor c. For who will take pains for that which when he hath gotten is not his own Or who will fight for that wherein he hath no other Interest but such as is subject to the will of another The ancient encouragement for men to defend their Countries was this That they were to hazard their persons in defence of their Religion and their Houses but by such arbitrary wayes as were practised in Ireland and counselled here no man had any certainty of either or of any thing else c. Such arbitrary courses have an ill operation on the courage of a Nation by embasing the hearts of the people a servil condition doth beget in men a slaves temper and disposition shall it be Treason to embase the Kings Coyn though but a piece and must it not needs be the effect of a greater Treason to embase the spirits of his Subjects c. A little further As it is a Crime odious in the nature of it so it is odious in the judgment and estimation of the Law to alter the settled frame and constitution of government is Treason in any estate The Laws whereby all other parts of a Kingdom are preserved should be very vain and defective if they had not a power to secure and preserve themselves The forfeitures inflicted for Treason by our Law are of Life Honor and Estate even all that can be forfeited and this prisoner having committed so many Treasons although he should pay all these forfeitures will be still a Debtor to the Common-wealth Nothing can be more equal then that he should perish by the Justice of that Law which he would have subverted Neither will this be a new way of blood There are marks enough to trace this Law to the very original of this Kingdom And if it hath not been put in execution as he allegeth this 240 yeers it was not for want of Law but that all that time hath not bred a man bold enough to commit such Crimes as these which is a circumstance much aggravating his offence and making him no whit less liable to purishment because he is the only man that in so long a time hath ventured upon such a Treason as this The Commissioners of Scotland then resident at London had a charge also against this Earl for matters done against their Nation which were notwithstanding implied in the Parliaments Charge To this Charge the Earl gave in his Answer in the House of Lords where the King himself was present at the reading of it upon the 23 day of February but his trial in Westminster Hall began on the 22 day of March following and was a most memorable fight The Hall was Scaffolded on both sides to contain the whole House of Commons sitting there in a Committee the Peers sate all there besides the Commissioners from Scotland and besides other spectators and auditors and a great number of the Lords of Ireland The Earl of Arundel was Lord high Steward and the Earl of Lindsey Lord high Constable the King himself sate privately in a close Gallery every day taking Notes in writing of what passed in the tryal Fifteen dayes the Earl answered personally from the 22 of March with few dayes intermission till the 16 of April Misdemeanors in an high degree were proved against him but that which the Earl labored to maintain
express Command that they should read it publikely in their Churches The Scots complained that a thing of so great concernment having not been allowed by their Church in a National Synod should be imposed upon them they complained likewise that it was not the same with the book of England but alterations were made some of them they confessed were for the better but more for the worse Lastly they affirmed that wheresoever that book varies from the English Lyturgie it approaches directly to the Romane Missal and all the parts of Popery are there But the King seemed to excuse those alterations in his great Declaration These are his words which were not satisfactory to the Scots We supposing that they might have taken some offence if We should have tendered them the English Service-book totidem verbis and that some factious spirits would have endeavoured to have misconstrued it as a badge of dependencie of that Church upon this of England which We had put upon them to the prejudice of their Laws and Liberties We held it fitter that a new Book should be composed by their own Bishops in substance not differing from that of England that so the Romane party might not upbraid us with any weighty or material differences in our Lyturgies and yet in some few insensible alterations differing from that it might truely and justly be reputed a Book of that Churches own composing and established by Our Royal authority as King of Scotland This Book of Lyturgie was read as the King commanded in the great Church at Edinburgh but not without a great uproar in which the Bishop that read it hardly escaped The Plebeians first stirred but presently after the Nobility and Ministers publikely avowed their detestation of that Book some therefore were sent to the King to intreat him that he would recal his command concerning it But the King was immoveable and sent another peremptory command for reading of the Book and that all people who came as Petitioners against it should depart from Edinburgh which did but increase the number of Petitioners who intreated the Councel once more to send to the King concerning it in the mean time they much accused their Bishops as the causers of this Innovation The King commanded his Councel to receive no more Petitions from them and sent the Earl of Traquare into Scotland with a Proclamation which was published at Sterlin wherein he declared That the Bishops were wrongfully accused about the Prayer-book that he himself was the Author of it and all done by his Command he condemned their proceedings as tumultuous and denounced the punishment of high-Treason to those who persisted Against this Proclamation the Lords of the Commission protested and so did the Ministers and others justifying their assembly to be lawful as tending to Gods glory the Kings honour and Liberty of the Nation Immediately after they entered into a Solemn Covenant for defence of their Religion and Liberties This Covenant was subscribed not onely by the Nobles but all sorts of men that their number within few months was many thousands the King enraged did by many Messengers condemn that Covenant the Scots defended it What was alleadged on both sides is more largely expressed in that book intituled Tumultus Scotici In June the Marquess Hamilton as Commissioner from the King came to Edinburgh who in vain dealt with the Covenanters to renounce their Covenant but published a Proclamation of the Kings wherein he forbears to press the reading of that Prayer-book upon them and resolved to call both a Parliament and Synod but the Covenanters in their Protestation declare that the Kings grants were not large enough to cure their present distempers and offer some particular Exceptions So great grew the differences and alterations upon several points that the Marquess Hamilton was enforced that yeer to make two journeys into England to the King and at last by the Kings command called a National Synod which accordingly began at Glasco Novemb. 1. but within seven days the Marquess dissolved that Synod alleadging for reasons that they had broken the Laws of a free Synod both in the maner of their Elections and in other businesses during their sitting But they protested against that dissolution and continued their Synod after that the Marquess was gone away and proceeded in such Laws and Decrees as they judged fit for the present State after which they dissolved the Synod and published a Declaration from Edinburgh to all sincere and good Christians in England concerning their innocencie and intentions The King after a sharp Proclamation against the Scots which he commanded to be read in all English Churches raised an Army to subdue them by force in which the Nobles and all Gentlemen his servants were commanded to attend him at York the first of April with Horse and Arms sutable to their degree the Earl of Arundel was made General and a rich and well-appointed Army at that time and place attended the King But the people of England in general abhorred that wicked War as a designe to enslave both Nations and loved the Scots as brethren persecuted by the same power which had long oppressed themselves they likewise hoped that such an occasion might necessitate the King to call a Parliament in England so long wanted there But the King while he could make any other shift how lowe soever and dishonourable would not endure to think of a Parliament The Covenanting Lords of Scotland published a Remonstrance in answer to the Kings Proclamation and wisely provided against all Invasions that might be made upon them on any side they seized the considerable Forts and disarmed all suspected persons without any great trouble electing Sir Alexander Lesly an old Souldier for their General to whom all the Noble men were content to give obedience at which time the King commanded the Parliament of Scotland to dissolve and his command was obeyed But the threatned War did not proceed it pleased God that by the happie mediation of some honest Lords of both Nations and upon a Conference granted that the Pacification was made and solemnly declared on the 18 of June 1639. and both Armies were disbanded within eight and fourty hours The King granted to the Scots a National Synod to begin upon the first of August following and a Parliament to begin on the 24 day of the same month so that both sides peaceably retreated home But when the King had been but a little time at London his heart was again estranged from the Scots and thoughts of peace He commanded by Proclamation that Paper which the Scots avowed to contain the true conditions of the Pacification to be disavowed and burnt by the hands of the Hangman and the honest people of both Nations began to fear another War The King about the beginning of December told the Lords of his Council that he intended to call a Parliament in England to begin in April following which being spread among the people made them almost amazed so
firm in appearance Voted with them and gave his Voice for setling of the Militia by Ordinance of Parliament But about the end of June one Master Eliot a Courtier was sent closely from York to him who having gotten privacy with the Lord Keeper so far prevailed at last that he got the Great Seal into his hands and rid away with it to the King at York The Lord Keeper Littleton after some serious thoughts with himself not being able to answer it to the Parliament rode away himself next day to the King also The reason which he gave to some friends of his afterwards for so parting with the Seal was this The King when he made him Lord Keeper gave him an Oath in private which he took That whensoever the King should send to him for the Great Seal he should forthwith deliver it This Oath he said he could not dispence with in Conscience but was sorry he had taken the Office with such an Oath The Seal was given him since this Parliament sate which made it appear what intentions the King even then had to the Parliament The King having now gotten the Great Seal issued forth many Proclamations and among other one That no man should obey the Parliaments Warrants about setling the Militia and they on the other side by Ordinances forbad any man to raise Arms by Warrant from the King without the authority of Parliament The Parliament being then intent upon setling the Militia by Land they took care also to seize the Navy into their hands for security of the Kingdom against forreign invasions To that purpose the Earl of Warwick a Nobleman of good experience in Sea-affairs and undoubted fidelity to his Countrey was by an Ordinance of both Houses chosen to be Lord Admiral But the King had chosen Sir John Penington to that place in the room of the Earl of Northumberland and sent a Command to the Earl of Warwick to resign the place to him But the Earl-chose rather to obey the Ordinance of Parliament and with great courage and policy got the Fleet into his hands though many of the Captains stood out against him alleaging they had the Kings Command to obey Sir John Penington but the Earl deprived them of their Commands and possessed himself of the Ships taking shortly after another Ship called the Lion of great import coming out of Holland and laden with Gunpowder which proved a great addition to his strength All men at this time began to despair of the Kings return to his Parliament and therefore on the 10 of June was an Order made in Parliament for bringing in money and plate to raise Arms for the Cause the publick Faith for repayment to them that brought it in was engaged by the Parliament and interest of eight in the hundred Which was accordingly brought in in great abundance by well-affected people as also Horses and Arms for that service The King at that time had received Money and Arms with Ammunition out of Holland upon the pawning of the Crown-Jewels which the Queen had carried over in February before He then sent out his Commissions of Array to Arm the people into all Counties wherein he used the Parliaments own words as in a Jeer of them For the Parliament professed that their receiving of plate and money and levying of Forces was To maintain the Protestant Religion the Kings Person dignity and authority the Laws of the Land the peace of the Kingdom and priviledge of Parliament The Kings words were the same namely To maintain the Protestant Religion his own person and authority the Laws Kingdoms Peace and priviledge of Parliament And whereas the Parliament in their Declarations both then and afterward used to say That they did arm against a malignant party by whom the Kings person was in danger he in his said the like and that for the safety of his own person and people there was an inevitable necessity of putting the Kingdom into a posture of defence using those very words in his Commission of Array which they did in their Ordinance for the Militia And invited people to bring plate and money to him in that language which the Parliament did nor did it prove less effectual for many Lords Gentlemen and others very freely brought in Money and plate to serve the King within a short space In all this heat of preparations the King before those Lords that were with him in the North made a solemn Protestation as before God that he would not engage them in any War against the Parliament but only for his necessary defence that his desire was to maintain the Protestant Religion the liberties of the Subject and priviledge of Parliament Upon which those Lords made a solemn Protestation as before God and subscribed their Names to it That they did believe the Kings intention to be as he said namely That he had no purpose to Levy War against the Parliament and that he endeavored only to maintain the Protestant Religion the Laws Liberties of the Subject and just priviledge of Parliament The King immediately after this took a progress about the Countries adjacent and at divers places made speeches to the Gentlemen and inhabitants full of gracious promises and declaring his intentions to preserve the peoples Liberties and priviledge of Parliament after which he returned to York and having raised an Army of three thousand Foot and one thousand Horse went to Beverly with an intention to besiege Hull making Proclamation beforehand That no man should presume to assist Hull against him or bring any force thither The Parliament on the other side published a Declaration for the preservation and safety of the Kingdom and of the town of Hull with assurance of satisfaction to all those who sustained any loss by their service for the safety of that Town or by overflowing of water upon the grounds there The King was within two hours march of Hull when Sir John Hotham calling a Councel of War by whom it was thought so fit drowned the Countrey about Hull drawing up the Sluce giving the Owners time to remove their Cattel and Goods the Parliament being to satisfie their damages upon the publick Faith Sir John Meldrum an old Souldier was assistant to Hotham who sallying bravely out of the Town with five hundred Townsmen made the Kings party retreat to Beverly some being slain and taken in the Chase Within a short time after when five hundred men sent from London arrived at Hull Sir John Meldrum made a fiercer Sally and forced most of the Leaguer to retire disorderly one and twenty of them being slain and fifteen taken prisoners and following his good success came to Aulby where the Kings Magazine of Arms Ammunition and Fire-balls were kept in a Barn all which he took and fired the Barn Upon which the King calling a Councel of War upon their advice broke up the siege before Hull On the twelfth of July the Parliament Voted that an Army should be raised for the
disorderly fellows came into them they remained all night in a whole body filling the City with fears so that the Lord Major a man cordial to the Parliament was enforced to escape privily out of his House and flye into the Tower In the morning General Fairfax to crush this mischief in the beginning before the wound were grown incurable by the concourse of wicked men sent a part of his Army into the City who vanquishing the Seditious and driving them into Leaden Hall of whom some they carried away Prisoners with great valour and no less prudence quieted the Tumult For delivering the City from so horrid a danger thanks were given to the General both by the Parliament and the honest sober Citizens and a thousand pounds in money given as a gratuity to the Souldiers In the very Petitions also at that Malignant time nothing but sedition War was contained as appeared in those of Surrey and Kent From Surrey about three hundred came to Westminster on the twenty sixth of May bringing a Petition to the Parliament in which they did not so much entreat as command in high words That the King should presently be restored to his former dignity and come to Westminster with Honour Freedom and safety to treat personally there about all Controversies that the Army should presently be disbanded and the free people of England be governed by their known Laws and Statutes with other things of this nature Nor would these Surrey-men that brought the Petition endure any delay no not so much as till the Parliament could debate about it but being extream insolent cursing and railing openly at the Parliament they set upon the Souldiers who were their guard of whom some they hurt and one they killed Upon which a troop of Horse from the Mews and some Foot were sent to help their Fellows who soon vanquished and scattered those Country Fellows and slew some of them This was the end of that seditious Petition of Surrey At that time the Kentish-men were coming with a Petition of that nature who being in number of a good Army seemed afar off to threaten the Parliament They had been the more stirred by reason of a severe punishment of some of their Country-men who had lately raised a sedition about Canterbury against these Kentish-men the Parliament provided no smaller defence then the General Fairfax himself who with seven Regiments marched away to Black Heath neer Greenwich of whose success we shall speak afterwards The Parliament had before designed that General Fairfax should march into the North to defend those parts but nearer dangers detained him in the South For at this time scarce any part of England was quiet in every place tumults insurrections and Wars were threatned To quell all these which was wonderful one onely Army sufficed by the great blessing of God upon it Which Army as when it was conjoyned in one year Anno Dom. 1646. it quite vanquished and broke all the Kings flourishing strength and reduced the Kingdom to the obedience of Parliament so at this time with no less fortitude and felicity being divided into parts in all corners of the Kingdom it continued Victorious so that fortitude and fortune might seeme in that Army as the soul in an humane body to be all in the whole and all in every part For besides those light and soon-suppressed insurrections of Suffolke in the East and of Stamford in the mid-land part by Col. Wait and others and of Cornwal in the West by Sir Hardresse Waller more great and formidable insurrections happened in the Northern parts and in Wales In the beginning of May the North was infested by some of the Kings Commanders Sir Thomas Glenham who had before governed so many Garisons of the Kings as Carlisle York and Oxford and lost them all had now with no better success seized upon Carlisle And at the same time Sir Marmaduke Langdale of whom we spake before had seized upon Berwick and fortified it The strong Castle also of Pomfret was then taken by the Royalists who by treachery had slain the Governour thereof To manage these Wars in the North Lambert a stout Commander and Major-General of those Counties was left with some Regiments of the Fairfaxian Army But dangers of a more horrid degree seemed to threaten the Parliament in Wales not onely from ancient and formerly-vanquished Enemies but those who had before been Parliament-Commanders and had now forsaken their side and cause namely the Colonels Poyer and Powel and him that had so often so well deserved of the Parliament Laughorn himself Poyer who had hitherto kept the Town and strong Castle of Pembrook for the Parliament now strengthned by the concourse of malignant people with great animosity maintained it against them Laughorn a Commander of great esteem in those parts had raised a gallant Army under whom Colonel Powel served In a small time the Welch coming in apace to him Laughorns Army was so increased that he mustered 8000. Both Laughorn Poyer as it afterward appeared entred into this War by a Commission received from Prince Charles whose Auspicy proved no better then his Fathers Colonel Horton with a small part of the Fairfaxian Army and some other raised forces went against them with three thousand men But it pleased God the giver of all Victories that the success was not according to the number for Horton on the eighth day of May between the two Towns of Fagans and. Peterstone encountring with Laughorn totally routed and put to flight his whole Army consisting of eight thousand Horse and Foot A great slaughter was made upon the place and the number of Prisoners being three thousand equalled the number of the Victorious Army among whom were taken about an hundred and fifty Officers a great number of Colours and quantity of Arms with all their Ordnance There was scarce a more happy Victory as the condition of things then stood to the Parliament then this of Hortons for which by order of Parliament a publike thanksgiving to God was celebrated Laughorn and Powel escaping by flight got to Poyer into Pembrook Castle Cromwell himself about the beginning of May was sent into Wales with some Regiments who on the eleventh day of that moneth came to Chepstow Castle which he resolved to besiege but hastening to Pembrook he left Colonel Ewer at Chepstow who within fifteen days took that Castle and killed Kemish to whom before the place had been betrayed and Cromwel on the twentieth of May came to Pembrook Poyer relying on the strength of the place refused all conditions knowing besides that time was now pretious to the Parliament being then entangled in so many difficulties at once But Cromwel not being accustomed to despair of any thing prepared for the Siege being much furthered in his work from the Sea by the great industry of Sir George Ayscough who commanded there a squadron of the Navy Sir George Ayscough with much care and diligence from time to time
the happie cause which necessitated the King to call a Parliament in England whereby their just Liberties might by the blessing of God be vindicated and more ascertained for the future Great was the expectation of this English Parliament on which the hopes of the people were wholly fixed as a certain cure of all their long sufferings to which they thought the King having so much transgressed could not deny any thing or make the least opposition That was the cause for which they extremely loved the Scots as the instruments of that happiness to them who by resisting the Kings intrusions upon themselves had enforced him to this visible means of a cure for England which made the King more hate the Scots as the stoppers of his general design which hatred he could not conceal in his first Speech that he made in this Parliament in which promising all favour and concurrence to any thing that might procure the happiness of England and promising to put himself freely and wholly upon the love and affections of his English Subjects in this Parliament he inveighed against the Scots as Rebels and desired that by force of Arms they might be chased out of England but the English Parliament was of another affection towards the Scots as will appear more hereafter The Parliament shewed a great and wonderful respect to the King and in many expressions gave him humble thanks for Calling them together without any reflection upon his Person for what had passed in former misgovernment but since no cure could be made without searching wounds and that grievances must be recited they resolved so to name them as to cast the envy of them upon evil Counsel and still mention the King with all honour reverence possible as will appear to any that read the printed Speeches which at the beginning of that Session were made in the House by men of Eminency Great was the business and of various natures were the crimes which this Parliament were to examine and finde out Delinquents whom so long a misgovernment had made so Many Committees were made by the House to ease them in this business they began with matters of Religion Divers Ministers who had been of good lives and conversations conscientious in their wayes and diligent in Preaching and had by the Bishops and those in authority been molested deprived or imprisoned for not conforming to some ceremonies which were imposed on them were now by the Parliament relieved and recompensed for their sufferings Others on the Contrary that had been scandalous either for loose and wicked living or else offenders in way of superstition both which to discountenance the Puritains had been frequently preferred were censured and removed The Earl of Strafford Leiutenant of Ireland was impeached of high Treason and sent prisoner to the Tower of London and on the eighteenth day of December William Laud Archbishop of Canterbury impeached of the same crime was committed to the same custody The next day after the Archbishop was impeached Dr. Wren Bishop of Norwich was accused of many misdemeanors in matter of superstition in his Ecclesiastical Government which tending to the detriment of the Civil State he was also accused of Treason and entred into a recognizance of thirty thousand pounds to appear with three sureties bound each of them in obligations of ten thousand pounds Sir Francis Windebank Principal Secretary of State a man neerly in friendship with Laud the Archbishop who was thought to be a means of his preferment was about that time accused of extraordinary connivence toward Popish Priests or rather of favor to them and that contrary to the Laws in force against them he had bailed and released a great number a Committee was appointed to examine his offence but he conscious of the crime objected and fearing the consequence about the begining of December fled in a disguise and went into France Immediately after his flight the Lord Keeper Finch was constrained to take the same course and fled out of the Kingdom into Holland the crimes objected against him were of a various nature The first committed when he was Speaker of Parliament in the House of Commons in the fourth year of King Charles which was for that he disobeyed the House in refusing to speak when he was commanded by them 2. The second was for giving illegal and cruel judgements in the Forrest-business when he was Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas. 3. The third was for threatning of some of the Judges at that time to give their extrajudicial opinions for Ship-mony The last was for drawing an injurious Declaration after the dissolution of the last Parliament for which Offences he was Voted by the House of Commons guilty of high Treason a Charge drawn up against him and carried up to the Lords upon the 14 of January three weeks after his flight Upon the 15 of February 1640. a Bill for the Triennial Parliament was presented to the King and by him signed which Act being of such great importance to the security of the peoples Liberties by Parliaments Take the substance thereof as followeth BE it Enacted That in case there be not a Parliament summoned by Writ under the Great Seal of England and assembled and held before the tenth day of September which shall be in the third yeer next after the last day of the last meetting and sitting in this present Parliament the beginning of the first year to be accompted from the said last day of the last meeting and sitting in Parliament and so from time to time and in all times hereafter if there shall not be a Parliament assembled and held before the tenth day of September which shall be in the third year next after the last day of the last meeting and sitting in Parliament before that time assembled and held the beginning of the first year to be accounted from the said last day of the last meeting and sitting in Parliament That then in every such case as aforesaid the Parliament shall assemble and be held in the usual place at VVestminster in such manner and by such means only as is hereafter in this present Act declared and enacted and not otherwise on the second Monday which shall be in the month of November then next ensuing And the Lord Chancellor of England the Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England and every Commissioner and Commissioners for the keeping of the Great Seal of England for the time being shall within six dayes after the said tenth day of September in every such third year as aforesaid in due form of Law and without any further Warrant or Direction from his Majesty His Heirs or Successors Seal issue forth and send abroad several and respective Writs to the several and respective Sheriffs of the several and respective Counties Cities and Boroughs of England and Wales and to the Constable of the Castle of Dover Lord Warden of the Cinque-ports or his Lieutenant for the time being and to the Major
and censures as by the rest of the Knights citizens and burgesses assembled in the Commons house of Parl. c. And the Sheriffs and other Officers and Persons to whom it appertaineth shall make returns and accept and receive the returns of such elections in like manner as if Writs of Summons had issued and been executed as hath been used and accustomed And in default of the Sheriffs and other Officers respectively in not accepting or making return of such elections it shall and may be lawful to and for the several Freeholders and other persons that have elected to make returns of the Knights c. which shall be as good and effectual to all intents and purposes as if the Sheriff or other Officers had received a Writ of summons for a Parliament and had made such returns any Writ c. to the contrary notwithstanding And in case any person shall be so hardy as to advise or put in execution any such Writs c. then he or they so offending shall incur the penalties contained in the Statute of Premunire made in the 16 year of Rich. the 2d. and be deprived of the benefit of the Law in any case c. And if any Sheriff Constable of the Castle of Dover or Lord Warden of the Cinque-Ports shall not perform his duty enjoyned by this Act then he shall lose and forfeit the sum of one thousand pounds and every county city cinque-port and borough that shall not make election of their knights citizens barons and burgesses respectively shall incur the penalties following that is to say every County the sum of one thousand pounds and every City which is no County two hundred pounds and every Cinque-Port and Borough the sum of one hundred pounds All and every of which several forfeitures and all other forfeitures in this Act mentioned shall and may be recovered in any of the Kings Courts of Record at Westminster by and in the Name of the Lord Major of the City of London for the time being by action of Debt Bill Plaint c. wherein no Essoin Protection c. shall be in any wise prayed granted or allowed And if any person after notice given that the Action depending is grounded or prosecuted upon or by vertue of this Statute shall cause or procure any such Action to be staid or delayed before judgment that then the said persons so offending shall incur and sustain all and every the pains penalties and forfeitures as aforesaid The fifth part of all and every the forfeitures in this Act mentioned shall go and be to and for the use and behoof of the City of London and the other four parts and residue to be employed and disposed to and for such only uses intents and purposes as by the Knights Citizens and Burgesses in Parliament assembled shall be declared and appointed And be it further Enacted That the said Knights Citizens and Burgesses to be assembled at any Parliament by vertue of this Act shall and may from time to time at any time during such their assembly in Parliament choose and declare one of themselves to be Speaker for the said Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the House of Commons assembled in the said Parliament as they shall think fit And it is further enacted That all Parliaments hereafter to be assembled by authority of this Act and every Member thereof shall have and enjoy all Rights Priviledges Jurisdictions and Immunities as any Parliament summoned by Writ under the great Seal of England or any Member thereof might or ought to have and have voices in such Parliament before and without the taking of the several Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance or either of them any Law or Statute to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding For Signing of this Bill thanks were given to the King at White-hall the same afternoon by both Houses of Parliament By this time being the end of December that Cessation of Arms which was spoken of before between the English and Scotish Armies was expired and by the Parliament now renewed for a month longer for the Paliament although the King as is said before called them Rebels and desired to have them driven out of England had a better opinion of them and at this time of renewing the Cessation ordered that the Scots should be recompensed for all their charges and losses by that mischievous war which the King had raised against them and within few dayes after examination of those losses and charges the Parliament ordered that the Scotish Ships taken since that war should be restored to them and 4000. l. in money given them to rig those ships it was further resolved by both Houses that the full sum of 300000 l. should be given to them in these words Towards a supply of the losses and necessities of our brethren of Scotland And that the Parliament would in due time take into consideration the manner of raising daies of Paiment for which three daies after the Scotish Commissioners then Resident at London gave thanks to the Parliament not only for that great Sum of 300000. l. but for the stile of Brethren which so kindly they had used towards them The Parliament of England as a further strengthning of the Nations amity Ordained at that time That all Books Libels and Proclamations against the Scots should be called in and a thanksgiving to God should be in all Churches of England for that happy Peace The payment of two Armies for so long a time was a great charge to the poor people of England which they without any grudging or repining at the King as cause of that great burden in hope to gain him for the future bore with exceeding patience they willingly parted with six Subsidies and were content with the taxation of Poll-money a personal assessment of the whole Kingdom wherein every Duke was assessed at 100. l. a Marquess at 80. l. Earls at 60. l. Viscounts and Barons at 40. l. Knights of the Bath at 30. l. Other Knights at 20. l. Esquires at 10. l. Men of 100. l. per annum at 5. l. every common head at six pence The King in February had declared to the Houses his intention concerning a marriage for his eldest Daughter the Princess Mary who was then betwixt 9 and 10 yeers of age the husband appointed for her was the yong Prince William of Nassau Son to Henry Prince of Orange a youth about 16 yeers of age the matter was then in agitation and fair Propositions made upon it to the King by the Ambassadors of the States General The Parliament were pleased with the marriage and not long after the yong Prince arived in England and was by the King and Queen with all the Court joyfully received and entertained at London After convenient time spent in the English Court he was upon the second day of May with great solemnity Married at White-hall to the Princess Mary On the tenth day of May Thomas Earl of Strafford who had
go in person over to Ireland against those bloody Rebels and therefore intended to raise by his Commission neer Westchester a Guard for his Person when he should come into Ireland of 2000 Foot and 200 Horse whom he would arm from his Magazine at Hull But the Parliament suspecting as well by my Lord Digby his intercepted Letter as by other presumptions That the Kings chief end of going Northward was to seize the Magazine of Hull and arm himself from thence against them sent a Petition to him for leave to remove that Magazine to the Tower of London and accordingly had sent Sir John Hotham thither who prevented the King and kept out the Earl of Newcastle whom the King had sent thither also for the same purpose at which action of theirs the King was much moved On the three and twentieth day of April 1642. the King attended by some Noblemen Gentlemen and Souldiers came at the Wals of Hull and demanded entrance but the Gates were shut and Sir John Hotham appeared upon the Wall and kneeling there entreated the King not to command that which he without breach of Trust could not obey in conclusion the King not getting entrance proclaimed Hotham Traytor and sent a complaining Message to the Parliament concerning that affront The Parliament labored to appease him but justified Hothams act and Declared That proclaiming Sir John Hotham Traytor without due process of Law was against the Liberty of the Subject and Laws of the Land Upon this business of Hull passed in 〈◊〉 short time many Declarations on both sides with Arguments drawn from the Statutes and Laws of England and many commands contrary to each other the Parliament authorizing Sir John Hotham to issue out Warrants to the Constables and other Officers to come with Arms to the defence of Hull and the King on the other side forbiding any such Warrants or Training without authority under his hand The King while the Parliament let him alone in the North daily Summoned the Gentry of those Counties to attend him at York and daily gained some to his party whose proceedings there in every particular are too tedious for this Relation but his frequent Orations to them were in substance That he was in danger of the Parliament and desired a Guard for his person and when the King made Proclamation for all Gentlemen and others to attend him in Arms as a Guard the Parliament at London only declared That such Arming of men to the disturbance of the Kingdoms peace was against the Laws and Liberties of the Kingdoms Thus did Proclamations and Declarations for a long time encounter each other But nothing made the Kingdom fear a War until that great defection of Parliament Members who left their Seats and went to the King at York Which happened about the end of April and continued a great part of May following in which space a great number of the Lords some sent for by the King others for their own discontents fears or ambition quitted their Seats in Parliament and went to him one after another The Lords that left the Parliament were these Duke of Richmond Marquess Hartford the Earls of Lindsey Cumberland Huntington Bath Southampton Dorset Northampton Devonshire Bristol Westmerland Barkshire Monmoth Rivers Newcastle Dover Carnarvan Newport the Lords Matrevers Willoughby of Eresby Rich Howard of Charleton Newark Paget Chandois Falconbridge Paulet Lovelace Savil Coventry Mohun Dunsmore Seymour Gray of Ruthen Capel Within that time also many of the House of Commons did so far break their Trust as to forsake their Seats in Parliament and go to the King This Revolt of so many Members of both Houses was generally looked upon as a thing of most sad consequence and likely to produce no effects but lamentable and wicked as to nourish and encrease the Kings dis-affection to Parliaments to encourage his distance from it and attempts against it to secure the Irish Rebels to subvert the dignity of that high Court and make the King by this diminution of their number as he did in his following Declarations call them a Faction a pretended Parliament and such like names The Parliament continued still Petitioning the King and on the twentieth of May sent to entreat him that he would Disband his Forces and rely for his security as his Predecessors had done upon the Laws and Affections of his people contenting himself with his ordinary Guards declaring that else they held themselves bound in duty to God and the trust reposed in them by the people and by the fundamental Laws to employ their utmost care and power for securing the Parliament and preserving the Kingdoms Peace Upon which these Votes were made in Parliament That it appears that the King seduced by wicked Councel intends to make a War against the Parliament who in all their consultations and actions have proposed no other end to themselves but the care of his Kingdoms and the performance of all duty and loyaltie to his person It was likewise Resolved upon the Question That Whensoever the King maketh War upon the Parliament it is a breach of the Trust reposed in him by his people contrary to his Oath and tending to the dissolution of this Government As also That whosoever shall serve or assist him in such Wars are Traitors by the fundamental Laws of this Kingdom and have been so adjudged in two Acts of Parliament II Richard 2 and 1 Henry 4 and that such Persons ought to suffer as Traitors But those Lords who had forsaken the Parliament continued still with the King in the North wherefore the Parliament by an Order of the thirtieth of May Summoned nine of them who first had gone away to appear at Westminster viz. The Earls of Northampton Devonshire Dover and Monmoth the Lords Howard of Charleton Rich Grey of Ruthen Covenâ—ry and Capel But they refused to come away returning an Answer in writing which the Parliament judged to be a slighting and scornful Letter upon which a Vote was passed against them in the House of Commons and presented on the 15 of June to the Lords by Master Hollis with an Oration concerning the importance of the business Upon the impeachment of the nine Lords the House of Peers about a month after being in their Robes entred into debate of the said impeachment and after divers Speeches made setting forth the greatness of their offence they were Censured 1 Never to sit more as Members of that House 2 To be incapable of the Benefit or Priviledge of Parliament 3 To suffer imprisonment during their pleasure After which Censure it was concluded That the said Lords should be demanded in the behalf of both Houses of Parliament to submit to the said Censure After this another wound was given to the Parliament encouraging the King in his Designs the Great Seal of England was carried away from the Parliament at London to the King at York by the Lord Keeper Littleton a man that had continued some time after the rest were gone
notwithstanding the War in England without strangers help went on with rage and bloud enough In midst of these calamities of War some hope of peace began to appear though it soon vanished again and conditions were proposed both by King and Parliament upon which in the following February as hereafter shall be said they both treated The end of this year and beginning of the next were notably tragical in the punishment and death of eminent men the two Hothams Father and Son having been condemned for Treason for breaking the trust of Parliament and conspiring with the enemy to betray Hull with other crimes after they had been imprisoned above a whole year in the Tower of London were this December both beheaded and Sir Alexander Carew not many dayes before who was condemned for the same crime suffered the same punishment Famous also at that time was the death of William Laud Archbishop of Canterbury the crimes objected against him were too many and of too various a nature to be here related four years almost had this unhappy old man been a prisoner yet not enjoyed so much as the quiet of a prison for oftentimes about fourscore several dayes he was carried from the Tower to Westminster and there arraigned in the House of Lords so the Fates were pleased in a sad compensation to equal his adversity even in time with his prosperity This January he was beheaded his life being spun out so long till he might see which was the observation of many some few daies before his death the book of Liturgy abolished and the Directory composed by the Sinod at Westminster established Though the King and Parliament were both thinking of a Treaty for Peace yet the care of War was not neglected the King being solicitous about getting of forreign aid and the Parliament about new modelling their own Army About this business which seemed of the highest concern there was some debate between the Lords and Commons the Lords were against that Change alleagïng that there was no need of new Commanders where the old ones could be accused of no fault that men of the noblest rank were fittest to command Armies the contrary whereof might breed confusion in the Common-wealth The House of Commons on the other side though they made a noble mention of the Earl of Essex and those other Peers which commanded in the Armies alleaged notwithstanding that the Parliament forces had been often distracted through the emulation of Commanders from whence it proceeded that some things very well designed had not had a prosperous issue that the Army would be better disciplined under one sole Commander At last when they were agreed a General was chosen to command the new Army which was Sir Thomas Fairfax a man of eminent valour and as much modesty who was then absent in the North but so great a business could not suddainly be finished and now the time approached for the Treaty of Vxbridge in which three heads were to be debated 1. Of Religion and Church government 2. Of the Militia of England 3. Concerning the business of Ireland But the King before this Treaty began used all meanes to assure himself of forreign aid by Letters he urged the Queen who was then in France to solicite that King and other Catholikes to assist him and that the Queen Regent would detain the Parliaments Ships in France He was very earnest likewise for assistance from the Duke of Lorraign that he might get into England that wicked Army of his so notorious through Germany and Flanders for all Villany of which Army as of that of Marius when the entred Rome it may be said Nulli gestanda dabantur Signa Ducis nisi qui scelerum jam fecerat usum Attuleratque in Castra nefas No man his Ensigns bore But who the badge of some known mischeif wore And brought guilt to the Camp At last hope was given him from the Duke of Lorraign of ten thousand men and for bringing of these Souldiers into England Goffe was sent into Holland to negotiate for shipping and other necessaries The King likewise desired assistance at that time from the bloudy Irish Rebels and by his Letters commanded Ormond to make a peace with those Rebels and to promise and grant to them a free exercise of their popish Religion and to assure them that if by their assistance he could but finish his War in England he would abrogate all those Laws heretofore made against the Papists there he gave thanks likewise to Muskery Plunket and other of those Rebels promising a pardon for all that was past But they were much troubled at the Treaty for peace with the Parliament not being ignorant that one necessary condition of such a peace must be that the War in Ireland against them should be continued and prosecuted The King therefore to remove this their scrupulous fear wrote to Ormond to this effect That he could not refuse to make a peace with his Parliament onely in favour of those Irish yet notwithstanding from that very consideration if Ormund handled the matter wisely he might raise an advantage to hasten a peace with those Irish in letting them know their own danger how they were excluded from all hope of pardon by the Parliament For saith he if we agree upon all other conditions it will not be convenient for me to disagree onely concerning those Irish therefore let them take what I offer while time is and hasten the Peace and when once my faith is passed no humane force shall make me break it The Queen also remaining in France writing to her husband seemed to grieve much that at Vxbridge they were to treat of Religion in the first place affirming That if any thing severe against the Catholikes should be concluded and yet a peace not be made the King could not hope hereafter for any assistance from the Catholike Princes or from the Irish who must needs think that after they had done their best they should at last be forsaken She often entreats the King that he would never forsake the Bishops the Catholikes nor those faithful friends of his that served him in his Wars the King promiseth her that he would never forsake his friends for a peace onely perswades her to hasten as much as she can the aides from France saying That whilest London is distracted between the Presbiterians and Independents both may be ruined In February the Commissioners on both sides met at Vxbridge to treat for peace For the King came the Duke of Richmond the Marquess of Hartford the Earls of Southampton Dorset and Chichester the Lords Dunsmore and Capel with Seimour Culpeper Gardiner Hide Lane Bridgman Palmer and others For the Parliament the Earls of Northumberland Pembrooke Salisbury and Denbigh of the House of Commons Wainmar Vane Perpoint Hollis Prideaux Saint John Whitlock and Crew and besides these six Commissioners of the Nobility and Gentry of Scotland But nothing at all was concluded at that Treaty The King would