were to be free-men of the Citie if these inconveniences continued They also hereupon took the courage and resolution to exhibite their Petition to the Parliament for speedy and timely redresse of these encroaching and growing evils Which act of theirs was so modestly and orderly managed by them that the Parliament received their petition most courteously and returned them a very fair and favourable answer in brief for the present with promise of a more full and satisfactorie answer in convenient time After whom also the Porters of London pinched with extreme povertie by reason of the decay of trading were thereby necessitated and by Gods providence thousands of them stirred up and stimulated to petition the Parliament for speedie redresse of their present pressures whose Petition also was very lovingly received by the Parliament and they received a well-pleasing replie for the present Now what an admirable and rare effect these Petitions produced to adde most justly to this catalogue of our parliamentarie mercies this subsequent passage shall clearly demonstrate to the godly Reader viz. Not long after a certain convenient number of Apprentises being very modest in carriage and well-spoken young men went very civilly and peaceably to Westminster to the Parliament for a further satisfactorie answer to their Petition as was promised to them But it pleased the Lord it so fell out that that desperate and furious Collonel Lunsford and very many ruffian-like fellows with him being at that time in Westminster-hall and there walking up and down at last took occasion by uncivill and provoking words to the said Apprentises and Citizens at that time also walking there to make a great disturbance and hubbub among them and from mocking and jeering of them and quarreling about Bishops whom the Apprentises and Citizens had indeed petitioned against in all their Petitions threatning those that durst once speak against their reverend Bishops at last they drew out their swords and the said Collonel Lunsford and his quarrelling comrades flew in the faces of the Citizens and furiously beat them out of Westminster-hall before them being all unweaponed and coming onely in a fair and unoffensive manner as aforesaid to receive an answer to their petition and as they departed home from Westminster by Whitehall they were there again most grosly abused and beaten by the Courtiers and such like so that divers of them were sorely wounded and some thereby killed by them Whereupon the next day these things falling-out about Newyeers-tyde or in Christmas-holy-dayes very many Citizens and apprentises went again to Westminster armed and better prepared than the day before for such affronts if any were offered to them But now see how it pleased the Lord it should come to passe some of the Apprentises and Citizens were again affronted about Westminster-Abbey and a great noise and hubbub fell out thereabouts othersome of them watched as it seems by the sequell the Bishops coming to the Parliament who considering the great noise and disquiet which was by land all about Westminster durst not come to the Parliament that way for fear of the Apprentises and therefore intended to have come to the Parliament by water in barges but the apprentises watched them that way also and as they thought to have come to land were so pelted with stones and frighted at the sight of such a company of them that they durst not land but were rowed back and went away to their places Now see herein good Reader a most notable over-powering impression of divine providence on this businesse and learn hence so much wisdom as not to despise seeming contemptible things and small beginnings as I have formerly touched on a like occasion These lordly and loftie Prelates among whom and a prime one too it seemed was that supercilious Arch-prelate of York Bishop Williams took foul scorn and high indignation at this affront by Boyes and prentises thus to be debarred from the Parliament especially fearing lest any thing might passe in the House against them touching their lordly dignities by their absence on which they had great cause to keep continuall jealouseyes and vigilant watch they now standing on very ticklish terms with the State and being so perpetually and universally petitioned against from all parts of the Kingdom as a prime branch of the malignant partie and speciall perturbers of all good for Church or Common-wealth therefore I say being ve xt to the heart and deeply stung with discontent they vowed revenge and thereupon gathered together into their secret Conclave full fraught with Stygian-rancour and rage and assisted no doubt with some Jesuiticall influence of Romish spirits they contrived and contracted a peice of mischief or mischievous petition to the King and House of Peers which they wholly intended against the happy and successefull proceedings of the Parliament but our good God diverted it to their own further ruine and destruction Now that you may see their own act and deed attested and avouched under their own hands I have thought fit here to insert it verbatim as they themselves penned and exhibited it to the King To the Kings most excellent Majesty and the Lords and Peers now assembled in Parliament The humble Petition and Protestation of all the Bishops and Prelates now called by His Majesties Writs to attend the Parliament and present about London and Westminster for that Service THat whereas the Petitioners are called-up by severall and respective Writs and under great penalties to attend the Parliament and have a clear and indubitable right to vote in Bils and other matters whatsoever debateable in Parliament by the ancient customes Laws and Statutes of this Realm and ought to be protected by your Majestie quietly to attend and prosecute that great Service They humbly remonstrate and protest before God your Majestie and the noble Lords and Peers now assembled in Parliament that as they have an indubitate right to sit and vote in the House of the Lords so are they if they may be protected from force and violence most ready and willing to perform their duties accordingly And that they do abhominate all actions or opinions tending to Poperie and the maintenance thereof as also all propension and inclination to any malignant partie or any other side or partie whatsoever to the which their own reasons and conscience shall not move them to adhere But whereas they have been at severall times violently menaced affronted and assaulted by multitudes of people in their coming to perform their services in that Honourable House and lately chased away and put in danger of their lives and can find no redresse or protection upon sundrie complaints made to both Houses in these particulars They likewise humbly protest before your Majestie and the noble House of Peers that saving unto themselves all their rights and interests of sitting and voting in that House at other times they dare not sit or vote in the House of
book of Ratâ—s inhansed to an high proportion A new and unheard of yet most heavie taxation over the whole Kingdom by Ship-money Both these under a colour of guarding the Seas by which there was charged on the Subject neer upon 700000 li. some yeers and yet Merchants constantly left naked to the violent robberies of Turkish-pirates to the great losâ—e of many fair Ships and much goods and imprisonment of their bodies in most miserable bonds of Turkish-slaverie The enlargement of Forrests contrary to Magna Charta The exaction of Coat and Conduct-money The forcible taking away of the Train'd-band Arms. The desperate designe of Gunpowder engrossed into their hands and kept from the Subject in the Tower of London and not to be had thence but at excessive rates and prices The destruction of the Forrest of Dean that famous timber-Magazine or Store-house of the whole Kingdom sold to Papists The canker-eating Monopolies of Sope Salt Wine Leather Sea-cole and almost all things in the Kingdom of most necessarie and common use Restraint of Subjects liberties in their habitations and trades and other just interests together with many other intolerable burthens which poore Isachars shoulders were not able to bear but grievously to groan under and which for brevities sake I desire to passe over as not being my main intention to insist on but to hasten to our most happie deliverance from them for refusall of which fore-said heavie pressures O what great numbers of his Majesties loyall Subjects have been vext with long and languishing suits some fined and confined to prisons to the losse of health in many of life in some some having their houses broke-open and their goods seized on some interrupted in their Sea voyages and their ships taken in an hostile manner by Projectors as by a common enemie The Court of Star-Chamber having chiefly fomented and encreased these such like most extravagant censures most unjust suits both for the improvement of devouring Monopolies and of divers other causes wherein hath been none or very small offences yea sometimes for meer pretences and surmises without any proofs yet punisht as severely as foulest malefactors yea and that in matters of Religion and spirituall cases of conscience for which the good Subject hath been grievously oppressed by Fines Imprisonments stigmatizings mutilations whippings pillories gaggs confinements banishments yea and that into perpetuall close-imprisonments in the most desolate remote and as they hoped and intended â—emorslesse parts of the Kingdom and that also in such rough and rigid manner as hath not onely deprived them of the societie of neer and dear friends exercise of their professions comfort of books use of poper or ink but even violating that neerest-union which God hath establisht twixt men and their wives by forced and constrained separation Judges also put out of their places for refusing to do ought against their oaths and consciences others so over-awed that they durst not do their duties Lawyers checkt for faithfulnesse to their Clients and threatned yea punished for honestly following lawfull suits The Privie Councill also a mightie maintainer and prosecuter of illegall-suits against the Subject The Court of Honour Chancery Exchequer-Chamber Court of Wards and almost all other English-Courts have been exceeding grievous in their excessive iurisdictions Titles of Honour places of Judicature Serieant-ships at Law and other offices of trust have been sold for great summes of money and they that buy must needs sell And thereby also occasion hath been given too frequently of bribâ—rie extortion and partiality it being indeed seldome seen that places ill-gotten should be well-used These and such like Land-devouring enormities have been countenanced and practised in our long-languishing Common-wealth And if we look into the course and carriage of things in the Church also O how many impieties and irregularities have we there long beheld abounding and surrounding us to the high dishonour of God and disgrace of true Religion The Bishops and the rest of the Pontifician or rotten-hearted Clergie and Arminian-faction under a pretence forsooth of peace uniformitie and conformitie have like so many siâ—ly Cesars triumphed in the chariots of their Spirituall Courts by their suspensions Excommunications Deprivations and Degradations of divers painfull learned and pious Pastors of our Church and in the vexatious and grievous grinding oppressions of great numbers of his Majesties good Subjects In which cases the high Commission-Courts pragmaticall pranks have been unsufferable the sharpnesse and severity whereof grew to such an unlimited monstrous growth heighth and strength as was not much unlike and very little inferiour to the Romish or Spanish-Inquisition yea and in many cases by the Archbishops super-superlative power it was made much heavier it being as often as they pleased assisted and strengthened both by the furious power and authoritie of the Star-Chamber and Councill-Table when the wrath and rage of their own-Courts could not reach as high as their hatred extended to the utter wracking and worrying of the innocent and holy lambes of Christ whom indeed the world was not worthie of This they did both in Cities and countreys extremely vexing and perplexing those of the meaner sort Tradesmen and Artificers even to the deep impoverishing of many thousands of them and so afflicting and troubling others with threats and expensive suits that great numbers to avoid these miseries and mischievous molestations departed out of the Kingdom some into Holland some into New-England and other desert and uninhabited parts of America thereby exposing themselves their wives children and estates to the great danger of windes and waves by Sea and many other inevitable hazards by Land Those onely were held fittest for preferments at home and obtained them soonest who were most officious and sedulous to promote and propagate idolatrie superstition innovations and profanenesse and were most violent and virulent sons of Belial in railing against and reviling godlinesse and honestie Now all this while also the most publike and solemn sermons at Court before the King were nothing else for the most part but either to advance the Kings prerogative above Laws and to beat-down the Subiects just propriety in their estate and goods or full of such like frothie kind of invectives the onely way in those dayes to get fat morsels rich benefices and Ecclesiasticall preferments the onely-prey they sought after And thus also labouring as the second main part of their play to make those men odious to the King and State who conscientiously sought to maintain Religion Laws and liberties of the Kingdom and such men were sure still to be wrung and wrested out of their livings if Ministers And out of the Commission of peace if of the gentrie and all other places of imployment and power in the government of the Common-wealth Yea and those few godly and religious Noble personages which were of the privy-Councill though Councellors in name yet not
of their wearing clothes searched for Letters and writings another of them not long after close-imprisoned for not delivering to them some Petitions which he received by authority of that House in time of Parliament A false and scandalous Declaration was then published against the House of Commons in the Kings name which yet by Gods mercie took no effect in the hearts of the people but contrariwise made the impudencie of the suspected authors of it more odious to them A forced loan of money was then attempted in the City of London to be made a president if it prevailed for the whole Kingdom but some Aldermen refusing it were sorely thrâ—atned and committed to prison About which time there fell out a mighty and tumultuous rising of Apprentisâ—s and young-men in Southwark and Lambeth side with clubs and other such weapons especially at the Arch-prelates house in Lambeth which put him into such a fright and perplexitie as made him hide his head and flie from place to place from Lambeth to Croydon and from Croydon to convey himself to some more private and remote hiding place for fear of their fuâ—y So that we might have said of him as the Prophet Jeremie did of Pashur that false prophet Jer. 20. 3. The Lord hath not called thy name Pashur but Magor-missabib even fear and terrour and trembling round about thee Which as 't was probably beleeved was the cause that the farther and more furious execution of their violent courses to get money from the Subject was not prosecuted Now though Pharaoh's Magicians were so wise and honest that at the sight of the dust of the earth turn'd into 〈◊〉 they cried out it was the finger of God yet this loftie Levite of Canterburies heart was as hard as Pharaoh's himself and would not with any remorse or penitencie of spirit acknowledge the hand of God against him but just like Pharaoh I say grew more and more out-rageous hereby For in all this interim he and the rest of the Bishops and Clergie contâ—nued their Convocation though the Parliament was dissolved and by a new-Commission turn'd it into a Provinciall-Synod in which they audaciously contrived new Canons containing many matters contrary to the Kings prerogative which they so deceitfully pretend to uphold the fundamentall Laws of the Realm Parliament priviledges and Subiects liberties and mainly tending to dangerous sedition upholding their uniust usurpations and as impudently as impiously justifying their Popish innovations idolatries and superstitious worship of God Among which their accursed Canons they had forged a new and strange Oath for the establishing of their Antichristian tyrannie with a most prodigious and monstrous Et caetera in it thereby to have deeply ensnared and grosly abused both Ecclesiasticks and Lay-men as they distinguish them Which Oath for its craft and labyrinthick intricacie and no lesse hellish crueltie so to captivate mens consciences I have thought fit here to insert The Oath I A. B. do swear that I approve the doctrine and discipline or government established in the Church of England as containing all things necessarie to salvation and that I will not endeavour by my self or any other directly or indirectly to bring in any Popish doctrine contrary to that which is so established nor will I ever give my consent to alter the government of this Church by Archbishops Bishops Deans Arch-deacons c. as it stands now established and as by right it ought to stand nor yet ever to subject it to the usurpations and superstition of the See of Rome And all these things I do plainly and sincerely acknowledge and swear according to the plain and common sense and understanding of the same words without any equivocation or mentall evasion or secret reservation whatsoever And this I do heartily willingly and truly upon the faith of a Christian So help me God in Jesus Christ Which Oath whosoever refused to take must be most severely punished with suspensions deprivations and excommunications or forced by other vexations to flie out of the Land that so the Kingdom being cleared of these squemish and nice-conscienced fellows as they call and count tender conscienc'd men a fairer and wider way might be made for the advancing of that grandâ—signe namely the Reconciliation of our English Church to the Church of Rome Now here me thinks I cannot pretermit to let the Reader see and take notice how properly this plot of theirs may be parallel'd with that of Pharaoh against the Israelites in Egypt who though kept-under with great and grievous thraldom and most heavie burthens yet grew to such a numerous multitude that Pharaoh being afraid of their number and still-increasing strength spake thus to his Lords and Counsellours Come-on my Lords let us deal wisely and endeavour timely to cure this growing Gangrene let 's keep the children of Israel under with vehement vexations and destroy all their male children in their birth lest they grow too strong for us and either forcibly get from us or joyn in battell with our enemies against us But God crossed this his craft and crueltie and made this very plot of theirs the ground-work of the greatest harm even to their whole land by Moses preservation whom God used as the main instrument of the Egyptians destruction Thus even thus I say it fared with our Prelates and Pontificians who by reason of our Scottish brâ—threns expulsion of their pernicious Prelates out of Scotland not unjustly fearing that the English Puritans would endeavour the like supplantation of their English hierarchie by the Scots example Come therefore saies the Archbishop of Canterbury to his Pontifician crew let us now deal wisely lest too late we repent it let us curâ— the courage of that encreasing Puritanicall-sect which so hates our apostolicall-Prelacie let us vex and perplex them with the heavie and hard loads of cerâ—monies superstitious innovations and new-east Canons with an c. Oath right muddie bricks straw and stable of Romish Egypt which I hope shall prove the very Quintessence of all our former plots and projects and the onely way to fix our selves fast and rivet our selves so firmly into the aposâ—olicall chair of this Kingdom by swearing the Puritans both Clergie and Laicks to our Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction as that no power either of Prince or Parliament shall ever be able to set us hereafter beside the sadle But see I pray how the Lords over-powring wisdom and goodnesse defeated their so high-built hopes crost this their deep craft and made this Oath and book of Canons the ground of their greatest overthrow So that all that see with the right-eye of a true understanding may justly say with Jethro Moses father in law Now I know that the Lord is greater than all Romes idoll gods for in the very thing wherein they dealâ— proudly the Lord was above them For after this their courage began to quail for this present Parliament was resolved on shortly after those Canons
Now this Remora thus happily though very hardly removed this clinging-clyver I mean the foresaid Earl of Straford which was ready to over-top and choak the good corn of the Kingdom thus blessedly eradicated together with the impeachment and imprisonment of Judge Bartlet and divers other Judges and Bishops t was most strange to say and see what a sudden and generall serenitie and calmnesse from late former fears and affrights shon upon the hearts and minds of most men a long time after even all over the Kingdom Especially also when that Lamb-skin'd Woolf the Arch-prelate of Canterbury who had so long and so craftily and cruelly woorryâ—d Christs innocent lambs was also impeached of high treason and thereupon forthwith put into safe custodie under the Black-rod and afterward lockt-up fast in the Tower of London for his suture safe forth-coming and thus all his former huge and hyperbolicall puffe of ayrie honour and false windie reputation among his clawing Pontificians now at last tumbled into the dust yea besmeard with the dirt of due disgrace contempt and ignominie O then t was mâ—rry with harmlesse lambs when ravening wolves were shut up fâ—st and lambs at libertie As it is recorded to be the speech of that blessed Queen Elizabeth of ever-rarest memorie upon the Lords delivering her from all her uniust great troubles by the happie decease of her fierie-Sister Queen Marie when the Romish bloodie Bishops of her time were clapt-up into prison in her stead and she delivered from their divillâ—sh thraldom Yea then I say the former thick-clouds and foggiâ—-mists of manifold fears began to be cleared and the fair sunshine of chearfull hopes to arise in the hearts of Gods people and contrariwise a stonishment and fear began to surprise the spirits of traiterous proiectors especially at Court. For much about these times or not long before and after also Sir John Finch Secretarie Windibank Mr. Jermin and since of late also the bold and waspish young Lord Digbie in the depth of the guilt of their consciences being impeached also of high treason trusting more to their heels celerity than their hearts sinceritie which it seems was none at all posted away in private like most unworthie fugitives being thus spued-out as I may say of their own native countrey like nauseous clods on the stomach of the State which could not be at any ease or content till it had by some means disgorged them Or rather as it is reported of that hatefull vermine Rats and Mice who by instinct of nature observing an old barn or rotten-house ready to fall or be puld-down they skip and scud and creep away apace to some more remote and secure place thus to save themselves from that otherwise inevitable destruction So I say did this traiterous vermine of our Kingdom those devouring rats of rapine and mice of mischief who would have gnawn and eaten into the bowels of Religion to the ruine of Church and State finding the rotten-house of their long-plotted mischiefs readie to fall on their own heads to their unavoidable destruction thought it now hâ—gh time to skip and scud and run away for their lives and to get themselves far enough beyond Sea out of the reach of Justice strong and long-reaching arm at home By which means namely justice thus cone on some of them and the said stroke of justice thus terrifying and affrighting others away out of the Kingdom the Church and State are like by Gods mercie to reap this double benefit to wit ease and freedom from fears for the present time and also most hopefull long preservation for the time to come And was not here a rare parliamentarie mercie indeed to the Kingdom to be rid any way of such Catelines of their Countrey And ought we not to be as thankfull to our God for his privative as positive favours toward us as well for the absence of evill things as the present possession of good things as well to see Gods enemies flie before us as to see his faithfull servants and dear saints returning-home unto us Yes doubtlesse and to triumph in their terrour and to laugh and reioyce when their fear comes upon them yea when it comes upon them like a fierce armed-man For so saies Solomon and the kingly Prophet David When the wicked spring as the grasse and when all the workers of iniquitie do flourish it is that they may be destroyed for ever Yea sayes he also Certainly thou O Lord didst set them in slipperie places and thou castedst them down into destruction O how suddenly do they fall into desolation and are utterly consumed with fear and terrour And then he sweetly concludes fully to our purpose The righteous shall reioyce when he seeth the vengeance he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked So that a man shall say verily there is a reward for the righteous verily it is God that iudgeth the earth Now whereas for these many yeers heretofore the discontinuance and unhappie dissolution of Parliaments hath most like the want of soveraign healing-salvâ—s to dangerous sores occasioned extreme preiudice by long fâ—stering and pâ—stering enormities in Church and State and mightily encouraged the audacious and most ungracious workers of iniquitie through strong hopes thereby of impunity Our good God hath by this blessed Parliament provided a cordiall preservative and soveraign antidote against such future pestilentiall diseases and mortiferous growing gangrenes namely in that our renowned Worthies have by a firm Act of Parliament setled a Trienniall-Parliament to be for the time to come duely called among us And yet farther since the frequent and abrupt dissolution of Parliaments hath also been no small supportation to the wicked intentions of traiterous active spirits among us It hath pleased the Lord to put into the hearts of the King and Parliament with an unanimous consent to passe a Bill for the most happie and blessed continuation of this present Parliament so as that it shall neither be dissolved nor adiourned without the consent of both Houses Which two Laws well and seriously considered especially the last of the two the incomparable happinesse whereof I am not able to relate for the present but time to come may may justly be thought more advantageous to the Kingdom than all the former because they secure a full operation of present remedie like a constant course of wholsome physick to a very crazie bodie full of encreasing and growing infirmities affording I say a perpetuall spring of remedies to Church and Common-wealths future growing griefs and maladies And because according to that old adagie a threefold knot is not easily untied or a three-fold cord not easily broken the more strongly to corroborate all our hopes and ensuing comfortâ— and to make them as constant as cordiall see how yet farther it pleased the Lord our good God to enlarge his hand of bountie and benignitie toward us to leave no means
fume and smoak now readie to break out into a most combustuous and furious flame by the perverse and most pernicious counsell of the malignant partie about the King as the Parliament had often enformed his Majestie in severall Messages if the Lords over-powering providence had not cast on the water of opâ—rtune qualification and timely quenching of the same by the admirable wisdom and singular moderation of this pious and prudent Parliament hindring the boysterous breaking-out thereof both by their modest grave and gracious Declarations their most humble Petitions their prudent and provident Votes and Orders and their patient and most submisse Messages to his Majestie at York especially by those two Declarations or Remonstrances of Both Houses March 12. and March 23. their most humble wise and moderate Petition March 26. About which time also it pleased the Lord to stir up the hearts of the Nobles and gentrie estated in Ireland but then residing in London to petition his Majesties return to London and gracious agreement with his great and highest Court of Parliament Together with the Gentrie and Commons of the County of Lincoln Staffordshire and Munmouth in Wales as also a most excellent and patheticall Petition from those of Cheshire and another cut of Lancashire all of them with an unanimous concurrence of Votes and suffrages beseeching and imploring his Majesties speedie and propitious affection and return to his Parliament Yea our ever to be honoured and intimately to be loved Brethren of Scotland also were not wanting in their love and loyaltie to send their faithfull Commissioners and among them the noble and renowned pious and prudent Lord Louthen to advise and beseech his Majestie to return and listen to his loyall and faithfull Subjects in Parliament The Gentrie also and Commons of the County of York most humbly and earnestly besought and petitioned his Majestie April the 30 th to reflect his favourable and princely affections on his great Councell at London and to cohere and adhere to their wholesome and honourable advise for his Majesties honour and welfare Together with the Knights Gentlemen and others of the County of Yorks wise and modest answer to his Majesties demands of them not long after in these words May it please your most excellent Majestie VVE shall all be ready to defend your royall Person from violence by all such wayes and means as the Law and our dutie bind us And as for the means to vindicate your Majesties honour and to put you into possession of your own we conceive that the best advise that we can offer to your Majestie is humbly to desire you to hearken to the counsell of your Parliament who we assure our selves will be carefull of your Majesties person and honour and to whom your Majestie hath already been pleased to direct a Message to that purpose Again a full and fair Declaration or Remonstrance was sent to his Majestie from Both Houses of Parliament and to the whole Kingdom bearing date May the 19 th wherein were expressed the severall Depositions of divers about the bringing in of the Armie formerly in the North and then intended against ouâ— Brethren of Scotland to London against this Parliament And since that another Declaration or Remonstrance bearing date May 26 th 1642 in answer to one under his Majesties name concerning the businesse of Hull sent in a message to Both Houses of Parliament May 21. In which Remonstrance was fully set forth the Kings of Englands deep tye of regall stipulation to rule the Kingdom according to the fundamentall Laws made by the Commons thereof or people of the Kingdom and ratifying and maintaining the Subjects immunities and freedoms to the reciprocall and harmonious happinesse of King and Subject Therein also fully and fairly clearing Sir John Hotham from the imputation of treason in his holding the town of Hull to his Majesties and the Kingdoms just use and welfare The safe transportation and removall of that great Magazine of warlike ammunition from Hull to London notwithstanding the Kings interdiction of the same The timely and happie discoverie of that dangerous plot against Hull by one Thomas Beckwith gentleman a Popish-recusant and an inhabitant of Beverly in Yorkeshire and others his confederates signified most fully and exactly by Sir John Hothams own letter to a worthy Member of the House of Commons and published in print June 3 1642. Both Houses of Parliament ratifying and confirming by their Orders unto York Lancas and all the whole Kingdom the exercise of the Militia for the better securitie and safeguard thereof both against homebred conspiring Popish recusants and forrein confederating Romish invaders of the land The Parliaments clearing of that most worthie and pious gentleman Captain Phillip Skippon from any legall disobedience to his Majesties command in not tender ng his personall attendance on him at York which was confirmed by 3. severall Votes in Parliament which for the Readers more full satisfaction I have here inserted May 17 th 1642. 1. THat this command of his Majestie to call Captain Phillip Skippon Serjeant Major generall of the Forces of London to attend his Majesties person at York is against the Law of the Land and the liberties of the Subject 2. That this command of his Majestie to call Captain Phillip Skippon Serjeant Major generall of the Forces of London to attend his Majesties person being employed by Both Houses to attend their service without their consent is against the priviledge of Parliament 3. That Captain Phillip Skippon Serjeant Major generall of the Forces of London shall continue to attend the service of Both Houses according to their former commands The same day also which was May 17 1642. It having been rumoured that Midsommer-Term should be adjourned to York and the Parliament understanding thereof the Lord Keeper was required to declare whether he had 〈…〉 any command from his Majestie to that purpose which being answered and satisfied by him to the Lords that he had such a command and the Lords conceiving how inconsistent the same was to a Parliament sitting at Westminster not to be dissolved or adjourned without their consent the Records being carried to York whereof Both Houses were to have daily use and that the Judges whose advise and assistance the House of Peers daily required should be so remote from them They therefore voted That the Kings removeall of the Term from Westminster to York the Parliament sitting at Westminster is illegall And therefore further ordered That the said Lord Keeper should not issue-out any Writs or seal any Proclamation for adjourning the said Term from Westminster to York as aforesaid About the 20. or 21. of May 1642. a Committee of Both Houses was nominated to consider how they should bring to con dign punishment those parties who are Delinquents and yet â—protected against proceedings in Parliament At which tim also the House took into consideration his Majesties
summons of the 14. of May commanding the gentrie to appear before him in their equipage And thereupon voted 1. That it appeared that his Majestie seduced by wicked Counseâ—â— intends to make war against the Parliament who in all their consultations and actions have proposed no other end unto themselves but the care of his Kingdom and the performance of all dutie and loyaltie to his person 3. That whensoever the King maketh war upon the Parliament it is a breach of the trust reposed in him contrary to his Oath and tending to the dissolution of this government 3. That whosoever shall serve or assist him in such wars are traitors to the fundamentall Laws of this Kingdom and have been so adjudged in two Acts of Parliament namely 11 of Ric. 2. and 1 of Hen. 4. and ought to suffer as traitors Which said two Acts taken out oâ— the Records in the Tower of London containing divers Articles 〈◊〉 treason then exhibited in the Parliament against the Archbishop of York Michael de la Pool and others in the time of Ric. 2. most exquisitely and punctually depainting the present state of things with us now were by Both Houses of Parliament voted to be printed and published in French English and Latine on May 26 1642. Since this about May the 25 a dispatch was made from the Parliament to their Committee at York with an Ordinance of Parliament to be published in all Market-towns over that whole Countie declaring that the Train'd-bands ought not to be raised by his Majesties personall command as the affairs of the Kingdom now stand And on May 27. and 28. 1642. two Orders from both Houses were printed and published The one to all high Sheriffs and all other Officers within the Countie of Lancaster and in generall to all the Counties of England and dominion of Wales Both of them to this effect that In regard of their just jealousies and grounded-fears that his Majestie seduced by wicked Counsell intended to make war against the Parliament therefore no Arms and Ammunition should be conveyed toward York And for keeping a strict watch within their severall limits and jurisdictions and to search for and seize on all such arms and ammunition and to apprehend all such persons going to York with any such and to suppresse and hinder the raising and coming together of any Souldiers horse or foot by any Warrant or Commission from his Majestie alone without the advise and consent of his Parliament By this and all other fore-mentioned means to stop and hinder the breaking out of civill broils and dissentions in the Kingdom and to maintain and propagate the blessed and happie peace thereof yea the care and providence of this Parliament continually contriving and casting about for the welfare of the King and Kingdom gave order that the severall Societies of Sadlers Aâ—mourers and Gun-smiths should forthwith certifie to the Houses of Parliament what numbers of Arms and Sadles they were to provide weekly and for whom And have been most vigilant and circumspect to cause their Ordinance for the Militia of the Kingdom for the better strengthening of it to be put into execution in Lincolnshire which his Majestie had opposed by a Proclamation which Ordinance of Parliament was notwithstanding obediently observed and exercised in Buckinghamshire Middlesex Essex Leicestershire and other Counties And about the 29. or 30. of May 1642. It having been enformed to the Parliament that an Ancient of Sir John Hothams was apprehended and imprisoned at York the Parliament presently sent to the Committee there to know the ground of his detenor and if for being in the service of both Houses then they hold it an act of hostilitie against the Parliament and are likewise to return the names of all such Members of the House as are at York their presence there tending to countenance the war intended against the Parliament And about June the second this most pious and prudent Parliament sent a most submissive Petition with 19 Propositions from Both Houses of Parliament all of them containing matters of high concernment for the singular good as they providently conceived both of Church and Common-wealth which in their most religious and prudent aymes might extraordinarily tend to a most blessed happie and deeply desired accommodation and reconciliation of differences and misunderstandings betwixt his Majestie and them protesting and seriously assuring his Majestie that if he would vouchsafe to grant those their most humble and behoofefull requests they would with all alacrity of mind and celerity of endeavour apply themselves so to regulate his Majesties revenues and to settle such an extraordinarie and constant increase of it as should be abundantly sufficient to support his royall dignitie in majesticall honour and princely plentie beyond the proportion of any of his Subjects grants to any of his Majesties predecessours But this so humble submission these fair propositions and this so loyall a protestation of fidelity and integritie toward his Majestie conceived and brought forth shortly after a very harsh and unpleasing replie unto them to theirs and our no small sorrow and continued yea and aggravated grief and discontent Now the summe of all these premised particulars so summarily mentioned together comes to thus much that all these many weightie and various premises seriously considered and impartially preponderated cannot but most copiously discover and lay open to the eyes of all that are not wilfully and obstinately blind and too extremly incredulous even against clearest sight sense and most resplendent demonstrations on the one side the most sturdie and untyred though hitherto blessed be the Lord most fruitlesse projects plots and craftie contrivements of the malignant partie under a specious colour and pernicious pretence of advancing regall authority prerogative and the Kings prosperitie and yet all of these by them most egregiously injured and abused to the slie subversion of both King and Kingdom First as a most eminent worthie and pious Member of the House of Commons lately related it most pithily and pertinently by weakning and invalidating the proceedings and power of the Parliament and making way for the utter subversion of it Secondly for this end by gathering forces together at York under a pretence of a guard for his Majesties person but purposely to make opposition against the Parliament and thereby also to support Delinquents to slight and scorn the power and orders of the Parliament and to make them of no esteem or reputation Thirdly to send out bitter invectives and unjust aspersions in his Majesties name as Declarations and messages from him onely to perplex the Parliament with â—edious expense of their precious time to answer them and thereby also by false colours and glosses to make the people disaffect the Parliament yea and if possibly to stir them up to destroy it and all Parliaments for ever and with it themselves their wives and children Fourthly and lastly to draw the