all retired to Bugden where he lived very Hospitably and in manner and order of the good Bishops not without an eye and ear over him of such as were Intelligencers of Court And at Westminster Hall the Ceremony begun towards the Abbey Church in order thus 1. The Aldermen of London by couples ushered by an Herauld 2. Eighty Knights of the Bath in their Robes each one having an Esquire to support and a Page to attend him 3. The Kings Serjeants at Law Solicitor Atturney Masters of Request and Iudges 4. Privy Councellors that were Knights and the chief Officers of the Kings Houshold 5. Barons of the Kingdome bare-headed in their Parliament Robes with Swords by their sides 6. The Bishops with Scarlet Gowns and Lawn sleeves bare-headed 7. The Vice-Counts and Earls not in their Parliament but in their Coronation Robes with coronetted Caps on their Heads 8. The Officers of State for the day whereof these are the Principal Sir Richard Winn Sir George Goring The Lord Privy Seal The Archbishop of Canterbury The Earl of Dorset carrying the first Sword The Earl of Essex carrying the second Sword The Earl of Kent carrying the third Sword The Earl of Mountgomery carrying the Spurs The Earl of Sussex carrying the Globe and Cross upon it The Bishop of London carrying the Golden Cup for the Communion The Bishop of Winchester carrying the Golden Plate for the Communion The Earl of Rutland carrying the Scepter The Marquess Hamilton carrying the Sword of State naked The Earl of Pembroke carrying the Crown The Lord Maior in a Crimson Velvet Gown carried a Short Scepter before the King amongst the Serjeants The Earl of Arundel as Earl Marshall of England and the Duke of Buckingham as Lord High Constable of England for that day went next before his Majesty The King entred at the West Gate of the Church under a rich Canopy carried by the Barons of the Cinque Ports His own Person supported by Doctor Neil Bishop of Durham on the one hand and Doctorâ— Lake Bishop of Bath and Wells on the other His train six yards long of Purpleâ—Velvet held up by the Lord Compton Master of the Robes and the Lord Viscount Doncaster Master of the Wardrobe Here he was met by the Prebends of Westminster Bishop Lawd supplying the Deans Place in their rich Copes who delivered into the Kings hands the Staff of King Edward the Confessor with which he walked up to the Throne Which was framed from the Quire to the Altar the King mounted upon it none under the degree of a Baron standing therein save only the Prebends of Westminster who attended on the Altar Three Chairs for the King in several places first of Repose the second the antient Chair of Coronation and the third placed on an high square of five steps ascent being the Chair of State All settled and reposed the Arch-bishop of Canterbury presented his Majesty to the Lords and Commons East West North and South asking them if they did consent to the Coronation of K. Charles their lawful Soveraign The King in the mean time presented himself bareheaded the consent being given four times with great acclamation the King took his Chair of Repose The Sermon being done the Arch-Bishop invested in a rich Cope goeth to the King kneeling upon Cushions at the Communion Table and askes his willingness to take the Oath usually taken by his Predecessors The King is willing ariseth and goeth to the Altar and is interrogated and thus answereth Coronation Oath Sir Sayes the Arch-bishop will you grant and keep and by your Oath confirm to the People of England the Laws and Customes to them granted by the Kings of England your lawful and Religious Predecessours and namely the Laws Customs and Franchises granted to the Clergy by the glorious King St. Edward your Predecessor according to the Lawes of God the true profession of the Gospel established in this Kingdome agreeable to the Prerogative of the Kings thereof and the antient Customes of the Realm The Kings answer I grant and promise to keep them Sir Will you keep Peace and Godly agreement according to your power both to God the holy Church the Clergy and the people I will keep it Sir Will you to your power cause Law Iustice and discretion to mercy and truth to be executed to your Iudgement I will Sir will you grant to hold and keep the Laws and Rightfull Customes which the Comminalty of this your Kingdome have and will you defend and uphold them to the honour of God so much as in you lieth I grant and promise so to do Then one of the Bishops read this Admonition to the King before the people with a lowd voice Our Lord and King wee beseech you to pardon and to grant and to preserve unto Vs and to the Churches committed to your charge all Canonical privileges and do Law and Iustice and that you would protect and defend Vs as every good King to his Kingdomes ought to be Protector and Defendor of the Bishops and the Churches under their Government The King answereth With a willing and devout heart I promise and grant my Pardon and that I will preserve and maintain to you and the Churches committed to your charge all Canonical privileges and due Law and Iustice and that I will be your Protector and Defender to my Power by the Assistance of God as every good King in his Kingdom in right ought to protect and defend the Bishops and Churches under their Government Then the King ariseth and is led to the Communion Table where he makes a solemn Oath in sight of all the people to observe the premisses and laying his hand upon the Bible saith The Oath The things which I have here promised I shall perform and keep So help me God and the Contents of this Book Then were his Robes taken off and were offered at the Altar He stood a while stripped to his Doublet and Hose of White Sattin Then led by the Arch Bishop and Doctor Lawd the Bishopâ—of St. Davids he was placed in the Chair of Coronation a Close Canopy spread over him the Arch-bishop anointing his Head Shoulders Arms and Hands with a costly ointment the Quire singing an Anthem of these words Zadook the Priest anointed King Solomon Hence he was led up in his Doublet and Hose with a White Coife on his head to the Communion Table where the Bishop of St. Davids Deputy for the Dean brought forth the antient Abiliments of King Edward the Confessor and put them upon him Then brought back to the Chair of Coronation he received the Crown of King Edward presented by the Bishop of Saint Davids and put on his Head by the Archâ— Bishop of Canterbury the Quire singing an Anthem Thou shalt put a Crown of pure Gold upon his head whereupon the Earls and Viscounts put on their Crimson Velvet Caps with Coronets about them the
Deputy Magistrate Seeing therein their Title bears evidence against them for in their three first subscriptions is exprest either King Iames his own act or an ordinance of the secret Councel equivalent to regality or at the desire of the General Assembly to intreat it If they had power to command the new taking of an old Oath as they had not what authority had they to interpret it concerning the five Articles of Perth the Service Boâ—k the Book of Canons and high Commission their Predecessours abjuring onely those Romish corruptions of that time near sixty years since but what could not be more evident was taken upon trust with Jesuitical Equivocation to many such Objections The former Confession and Band annexed heretofore was mâ—de in defence of the King his Authority and Person with their bodies and lives in defence of the Gospel of Christ and Liberties of that Kingdom To which they now have added a mutual defence of one another against all opposers the King not exâ—epted nor any for him Nay by two Acts of their own Parliaments Declare all leagâ—es of subjects amongst themselves without the King to be seditious and punishable The Oath of Iames the sixth and ninth Parliament of Queen Mary the Kings consent never granted nor ever asked The fire of this seditious Covenant flaming throughout the corners of that Kingdom the King to appease those passages sends the Marquesse of Hamilton with power of High Commissioner to conclude and determine for the peace of the Kingdom But why a peace-maker Commissioner and not a war-like Commander And if by a fair Imparlance why Hamilton so much reason to be distrusted as before observed unlesse rather to be deceived than to distrust against the advice of some Scotish Lords the Earl of Sterling Secretary of State the Bishops of Rosse and Broken Privy Counsâ—llours Sr. Robert Spotswood Lord President of the Colledge of Justice and Sr Iohn Hay Master of the Robes who came post hither to disswade the King from him and to present the Marquesse Huntley for that service one utterly in Enmity against Covenanters where the other was suspected But the King carried on by fate suffered the weak contribution of the Duke of Lenox his advise though the old Enemy of his house than that a County Lord Huntley should carry it from them both And indeed it was a Royal deputation fitted for King Hamiltons ambition who having lost the Scotish army for the King of Swedes ayd He fell upon secret designes for his own ends obliging all Scots at Court his dependants and by his authority in Scotland he had the means to alien any from the King to himself as he did in his trust cosen the King by granting what the Covenanters desired even to his Crown by degrees To suspend and after to suppresse the Common Prayer and Canons the five Articles of Perth got by Inches from his Father to be confirmed by Parliament and the Covenant authorized with the calling of General Assemblies for votes of Covenanters to censure and Excommunicate the Bishops and to abolish Episcopacy and all the Royal Clergy to be ruined making himself the greatest figure in Scotland and the King his cypher He acting all in the after Warre as the story proceeds to shew in particular But in Iune the sixth day his Commission was read at Dalkieth four miles from Edinburgh where the Covenanters increased devising because some powder landing at the Fryth for supply of the provision of Edinburgh Castle that assuredly the plot was to blow away the Covenant by destroying the Covenanters And in earnest they were to disdain any notice of the Commissioner or his arrand unlesse he came to them where they were fixed with better force than to adventure out of Edinburgh they having openly landed two good ships loaded with Arms and Amunition and then invited him to come thither which he did Being met with the Nobility and Gentry Covenanters and all sides making a lane of the looser sort who were made believe that Popery and Bishops were One with bitter cursings against both and therefore He being setled at Haly-rood House desired the Covenanters to dismisse their Multitude which they did to be eased of the charge And then He demanded first What they would expect from him Secondly What might be expected from them in duty to the King To the first That nothing but a General Assembly and Parliament would please them and so in both they would be their own Judges and for return to any former obedience they acknowledge no dissertion in the least degree from justifying their actions and rather renounce Baptism than loose one Article of their Covenant or rebate one syllable of the literal rigour of it Religion and Laws be at stake They double their guards of the city the Ministers libel the pulpits and send to the Commissioner the Sunday Eve that whosoever should read the English service though in the Kings Chappel should die the death where they were observed and increasing Insolency they send several letters to each of the secret Councel to require them to take the Covenant Therein expressing the comfortable experience they have already of the wonderfull favour of God upon renewing their Confession of their Faith and Covenant their resolution and beginnings of Universal Reformation to God his great glory contentment of his Majesty blessing to the Kingdom and joy of all good subjects And doubt not that your Lordship will both subscribe to the Covenant and be promover to it in the duty of a good Patriot the Office and trust of a Privy Councellour this the time of trial of your affection to Religion the respect of your fame the eyes of men and Angels being upon your carriage the Lord Iesus a secret witnesse to observe and a Iudge hereafter to reward and confesse such men before his Father that take his part before men All and each of these call and cry to God and your Lordship in a cause of so great and singular necessity as you expect at the hour of death to be free of the terrour of God and to be refreshed with the comfortable remembrance of Christ Iesus King of Kings and Lord of Lords The Marquesse now findes this place too hot for him and removes to Dalkieth without adventuring upon the English Divine Service formerly continually used there for twenty years in audience of the Councel Nobility and Judges and here he Proclames his Maiest es gracious Declaration for relieving of their grievances and satisfying of good people in his forwardnesse for maintenance of the Religion professed in that Kingdom His aversnesse from Popery Not to presse the practise of the Service-Book and Canons but in a legal way of proceeding and had ordered the discharge of all acts and Councels concerning them and to indict a General Assembly or Convocation and Parliament to agitate the welfare of the Church and Kingdom The Covenanters afraid that this Justice and clemency might
their practices provoking Aspersions upon the most gracious and best of Kings that he levels at none in particular let the faults lead to the men not to be exposed to irregular prejudices nor with-held from orderly justice Bodies natural to be effectually purged of Humours must be made moveable and fluid so of the Politick to be cleared of their Maladies by loosening and unsettling the evil Ministers and to be drawn into a Remonstrance and presented to a gracious Masters clear and excellent judgment And so he sat down This was held too courtly and which was suddenly laid hold on A forward young man well made up with Learning and by his Fathers fate kept aloof from the Beam of Sovereignty a little Sun-shine would enliven him some Marks of Majesty fell from the Queen which taken up tainted him presently after and in him his Father also now made Friends whom the King took also into favour The King to keep the City from Tumult and to prevent the Insolencies of busie and loose People had established a Constable of the Tower of London Supreme to the Lieutenant under command of the Lord Cottington enabling it with a Garrison also of four hundred Souldiers and with some shew of Fortification thereof at this very time when some publick notice was given to the Parliament of an extraordinary confluence of Popish Recusants in and about the City of London and Westminster and therefore to take away all Jealousies of conniving with them or other Fears of over-mastering the City he was pleased to send a Message to the Parliament that by Proclamation the Papists shall be instantly removed to their places of abode with prosecution also against their persons disarming their power according to Law And as for the Tower he erected the Government by a Constable and Garrison in favour to the peace of the City but is now resolved to leave the Tower to the command of a Lieutenant onely as hath been heretofore And in the afternoon came out an Order of the Commons House that all Projectours and unlawfull Monopolists that have or had lately any benefit from Monopolies or countenanced or issued out any Warrants in favour of them against Non-conformists to Proclamations or Commands concerning their Interests shall be disabled to sit in the House and Master Speaker is to issue out new Warrants for electing other Members in their places Whereupon it was notoriously observed how vacant their Rooms were upon the self-accusation of their own guilt who but lately framed speeches against others abroad who lodged under the Parliament lash for such Crimes The next day complaint was made to the Lords that their Privileges were infringed by the search of the Earl of Warwick and the Lord Brooks their Pockets Cabinets and Studies upon the Dissolution of the last Parliament And Sir William Beecher one of the Clerks of the Council being the Instrument alleged for his Excuse the command of the two Secretaries of State which could not protect him from Commitment to the Fleet Prison The Commons House intent upon publick justice sent Master Pym to the Lords with a Message the Impeachment of Thomas Earl of Strafford Lord Lieutenant of Ireland as guilty of High Treason Whereupon he was sequestred from the House and committed to the Usher of the Black Rod and Sir George Ratcliff his Confederate and supposed Criminary with him was two days after sent for out of Ireland by a Serjeant at Arms. And here we cannot pass by many wise mens opinions whether the Earl assumed his wonted judgment and courage when he came from the Army to this Parliament His wisdom could not chuse but know that the Scots and Scotizing English had infallibly resolved his destruction his innocency to be no Armour of Proof against Malice and Power why did he not rather keep under safeguard of the English Army at his command from which he had got much affection or have passed over into Ireland the Army there also at his devotion or in plain terms have taken Sanctuary into some foreign parts till fair weather might have invited him home whether it had been a betraying of his Innocency to decline the Trial where Partiality held the Beam of the Scales and self-ends backedâ— with power and made blinde with prejudice were like to over-ballance Justice that if Sentence should have passed against him for Non-appearance yet had he kept his Freedom till better times and have done his Master better service abroad than in Council at White-hall But on the other side it was said that all these Considerations had been pondered before he came from the Army even by the way where met him a Iunto of his confident Friends and then it was averred that he had gained in the North certain evidence that the Scots Army came in by Invitation a Confederacy between the Heads of the Covenanters and some of the English Parliament-members of both Houses his most deadly Enemies to subvert the Government of the Church and to innovate in that of the Civil State that therefore he himself had digested his Intelligence into the Form of an Impeachment which he intended to have offered to the House of Peers so soon as he had taken his place there There were his Reasons which he might have from Example of the Earl of Bristow who yet came too late to begin upon his grand Enemy the Duke of Buckingham in the like charge but then Bristow was ready at the instant to recriminate upon the Duke by an Impeachment of High Treason against him which took off the Dukes edg ever after But here Strafford was not so nimble as Master Pym who got the start and it seems the Earl failed of his former purpose which had he seconded by an after timely stroke and impeached them and prosecuted it in a reasonable pace and method as was afforded him it might have happened not so fatal to his utter ruine And the Commons speeding thus far it encouraged them no doubt to fall upon others in the same track with the Arch-bishop few Moneths after In this time the two Armies were heavy charge to the Counties where they quartered therefore the twelfth of November the Parliament borrow of the City of London an hundred thousand pounds upon interest and ingagement of the credit of some of the Members untill the Moneys might be levied upon Subsidies and so to repay them Munday the sixteenth of November upon the humble suit of the House of Lords to his Majesty the Lord Bishop of Lincoln was released out of the Tower and the next Day being assigned for Humiliation he was brought into the Abbey Church by four Bishops and did his Office as Dean of Westminster before the Lords Never wise-man so gulled into the false shew of true affection from Lords and Commons and so continued till their turns were served upon the Earl of Strafford and the Arch Bishop of Canterbury he became the spectacle of
fourteen days 5. That according to such his Declarations and Speeches the said Earl of Strafford did use and exercise a Power above and against and to the subversion of the Fundamental Laws and stablished Government of the said Realm of Ireland extending such his Power to the Goods Free-holds Inheritances Liberties and Lives of his Majesties Subjects of the said Realm viz. the said Earl of Strafford the twelfth day of December Anno Domini 1635. in the time of full peace did in the said Realm of Ireland give and procure to be given against the Lord Mount Norris then and yet a Peer of Ireland and then Vice-Treasurer and Receiver-general of the Realm of Ireland and one of the principal Secretaries of State and Keeper of the Privy Signet of the said Kingdom a Sentence of Death by a Council of War called together by the said Earl of Strafford without any warrant or authority of Law or offence deserving any such punishment And he the said Earl did also at Dublin within the said Realm of Ireland in the Moneth of March in the fourteenth Year of his Majesties Reign without any legal or due proceedings or trial give or cause to be given a Sentence of Death against one other of his Majesties Subjects whose name is yet unknown and caused him to be put to death in execution of the said Sentence The Earls Reply That there was then a standing Army in Ireland and Armies cannot be governed but by Martial Law that it hath been put in constant practice with former Deputies that had the Sentence been unjustly given by him the Crime could amount but to Felony at most for which he hoped he might as well expect Pardon from his Majesty as the Lord Conway and Sir Iacob Astley had for doing the like in the late Northern Army That he neither gave Sentence nor procured it against the Lord Mount Norris but onely desired justice against the Lord for some Affront done to him as he was Deputy of Ireland That the said Lord was judged by a Council of War wherein he sate bare all the time and gave no Suffrage against him that also to evidence himself a Party he caused his Brother Sir George Wentworth in regard of the nearness of Bloud to decline all acting in the Process Lastly though the Lord Mount Norris justly deserved to dy yet he obtained his Pardon from the King 6. That the said Earl of Strafford without any lâ—gal proceedings and upon a Paper-petition of Richard Rolstone did cause the said Lord Mount Norris to be disseised and put out of possession of his Free-hold and Inheritance of his Manour of Tymore in the County of Armagh in the Kingdom of Ireland the said Lord Mount Norris having been two Years before in quiet possession thereof The Earls Reply That he conceived the Lord Mount Norris was legally divested of his Possessions there being a Suit long depending in Chancery and the Plaintiff complaining of Delay he upon the Complainants Petition called unto him the Master of the Rolls Lord Chancellour and Lord Chief Justice of the Common-Pleas and upon Proofs in Chancery decreed for the Plaintiff Wherein he said he did no more than what other Deputies had done before him 7. That the said Earl of Strafford in the Term of Holy Trinity in the thirteenth Year of his now Majesties Reign did cause a case commonly called the Case of Tenures upon defective Tiâ—les to be made and drawn up without any Iury or Trial or other legal Process and without the consent of Parties and did then procure the Iudges of the said Realm of Ireland to deliver their Opinions and Resolutions to that Case and by colour of such Opinions did without any legal proceeding cause Thomas Lord Dillon a Peer of the said Realm of Ireland to be put out of possession of divers Lands and Tenements being his Free-hold in the County of Mago and Rosecomen in the said Kingdom and divers others of his Majesties Subjects to be also put out of possession and disseised of their Free-hold by colour of the same resolution without legal proceedings whereby many hundreds of his Majesties Subjects were undone and their Families â—tterly rained The Earls Reply That the Lord Dillon with others producing his Patent according to a Proclamation on the behalf of his Majesty the said Patent was questionable upon which a Case was drawn and argued by Council and the Judges delivered their Opinions But the Lord Dillon or any other was not bound thereby nor put out of their Possessions but might have traverst the Office or otherwise have legally proceeded notwithstanding the said Opinion 8. That the said Earl of Strafford upon a Petition exhibited in October 1635. by Thomas Hibbots against Dame Mary Hibbots widow to him the said Earl of Strafford recommended the said Petition to the Counsel Table of Ireland where the most part of the Counsel gave their vote and opinion for the said Lady but the said Earl finding fault herewith caused an order to be entered against the said Lady and threatned her that if she refused to submit thereunto he would imprison her and fine her five hundred pound that if she continued obstinate he would continue her imprisonment and double her fine every month by month whereof she was enforced to relinquish her estate in the Land questioned in the said Petition which shortly was conveyed to Sir Robert Meredeth to the use of the said Earl of Strafford And the said Earl in like manner did imprison divers others of his Majesties subjects upon pretence of disobedience to his orders and decrees and other illegal commands by him made for pretended debts titles of Lands and other causes in an arbitrary and extrajudicial course upon paper Petitions to him preferred and no other cause legally depending The Earls Reply That true it is he had voted against the Lady Hibbots and thought he had reason so to do the said Lady being discovered by Fraud and Circumvention to have bargained for Lands of a great value for a small Sum. And he denied that the said Lands were after sold to his use or that the major part of the Council-board voted for the Lady the contrary appearing by the Sentence under the Hand of the Clerk of the Council which being true he might well threaten her with Commitment in case she disobeyed the said Order Lastly were it true that he were criminal therein yet were the Offeâ—ce but a Misdemeanour no Treason 9. That the said Earl of Strafford the 16. day of Feb. in the 12. year of his now Majesties reign assuming to himself a power above and against Law took upon him by a general Warrant under his hand to give power to the Lord Bishop of Down and Connor his Chancellor or Chancellors and their several officers thereto to be appointed to attach and arrest the Bodies of all such of the meaner and poorer sort who after citation should either refuse to appear before them or appearing should
and Figures within the Churches and afterwards from without suppressing the very Signs and Sign-posts and this curiosity of Imployment was conferred upon such as had least to do and could intend to be busied abroad Sir Robert Harloe was found out to be the fittest person which makes me remember Chaucer's Character of such another A busier man there never was Yet seemed busier than he was The King had given knowledg of his Resolution to journey to Scotland and to set out the tenth of August to which the Houses had agreed but now thus near they desire the King to put it off a Fortnight longer the great affairs of State necessarily requiring his presence and instanced in some Bills yet to be passed and some settlement for the Government of the Kingdom in his absence he told them the warning was so long since as that they might have hastened their business to that purpose And so the same day passed some Bills for Knighthood free making of Gun-pouder and Saltpeter and signed a Commission for passing Bills in his absence unto the Lord Keeper the Lord Privy-Seal the Earl of Lindsey Earl of Essex Marquess Hartford the Earl of Bath and the Earl of Dorset And signed to another Bill for the Earl of Essex General of all his Forces on this side Trent by which he had power to raise Forces in case of necessity but to that request that the Earl of Pembroke should be made Lord high Steward in the place of the Earl of Arundel now absent and the Earl of Salisbury to be Lord Treasurer he had no minde to either of them But the day before the King's Journey into Scotland and the Parliament serious in some sudden affairs of importance they were forced to lay aside the solemnity of this Day being Sunday and to sit from Morning till Night but not to bring it into President they publish in Print That for many urgent occasions they thought it necessary to sit and do declare so much that no inferiour Court or Council or any person may draw this into Example for their encouragement in neglecting the due observation of the Sabbath Sunday August 8. And then they adjourned untill the twentieth of October and a standing Committee of the House of Commons consisting of fifty Members appointed during the Recess But the King gone to Scotland the Parliament at leisure to frame business against his return such a Freedom and Liberty was taken up of the People and such connivance from the Parliament as somewhat like the late Comedy The World turn'd up side down Many Jealousies in the hearts of the People many Divisions and Differences in Opinion which little favour the Parliaments proceedings The Prelatical party utterly discountenanced and Learning discouraged the Universities neglected Orthodox men slighted A wonderfull liberty and licence afforded to the Communalty of a long time had now taken root and Riots too Every one as his fancy increased took upon him by connivance of several Members of several Opinions to countenance such who without other authority order or decency rudely and riotously disturbing Church-service in time of Prayers tearing the Book of Liturgy the Surplices and such things which the Parliament onely connived at being to use such a considerable party in time of need Ridiculous Conventicles and Preachings in Conventicles nay openly in corners of the Streets by Trades-men Tub-preachers to the general scandal of all good men In earnest to wise men and religious these courses were offensive and thereby grew disaffected to Parliaments but there were ways invented some were taken off by Preferments others deterred and most men distracted with these varieties exprest a Mutation and change of Church and State which after followed Insolencies and Disorders in the Populacy uncorrected or connived at grow up to Insurrections and Rebellions as with the late Actions of the Scots after whose Example the Irish Nation resolve of the like Freedom the one of Reformation the other of old ancient Popery National pretence either had but the effects of the former were soon smothered and pacified for the present but this other taking fire in time of our English Distractions which afforded them means and boldness to contrive the most horrid Rebellion in Ireland that after-ages will not easily believe It fell out in the Kings absence at Scotland and so we shall take up that time to enter the Reader in the former part of that miserable story and first of all to give some account of the Grounds and their rebellious pretences Somewhat we have said concerning the State of Ireland from the first Conquest of the English to these times of King Charls who highly indulged his Subjects there in this last Year 1640. upon their late Complaints and their general Remonstrance to him from the Parliament sitting at Dublin by a Committee of four Temporal Lords of the Upper House and twelve Members of the House of Commons instructed to represent the heavy pressures which they pretended to have suffered under the Government of the Earl of Strafford The King took their Grievances into his royal consideration heard them himself and presently provided for their redress And upon the decease of Master Wansford Master of the Rolls in Ireland and then Lord Deputy under the Earl of Strafford who still continued Lord Lieutenant of that Kingdom though then accused of high Treason and imprisoned in the Tower of London the King sent a Commission of Government to the Lord Dillon of Kilkenny West and Sir William Parsons Knight and Baronet Master of the Wards there but finding his choice of Dillon to be much disgusted by the Irish Committee that Commission was forthwith cancelled with their approbation he placed the Government upon Sir William Parsons and Sir John Burlace Knight Master of the Ordnance both of them persons of great integrity who took the Sword the ninth of February 1640. who applied them selves with all possible content to the People In abating the Subsidies there being given in the time of the Earl of Strafford from fourty thousand pounds each Subsidy to twelve thousand pounds a piece so low were they reduced and drew up two Acts in Parliament most impetuously desired by the Natives The one was the Act of Limitations which settled all Estates of Land there for sixty years preceding The other Act for the relinquishment of the Kings Right and Title to the four Counties in Conaught legally found for him by several Inquisitions and ready to be disposed of to Brittish Undertakers as also to some Territories in Munster and Clare upon the same Title And that the King might testifie his own settled resolution for his future grace and favours to them he did about the end of May 1641. declare the Earl of Leicester Lord Lieutenant General of Ireland perhaps upon the former score as Heir to his Uncle Sir Philip Sidney as to Sir Henry Sidney his Grand-father who had been Governour of Ireland in time
of Queen Elizabeth and himself a person not engaged in any publick pressures of the Common-wealth and therefore most likely to prove just and acceptable to the People The Papists likewise permitted privately to enjoy their Religion and a general good agreement between the Natives and the English in all parts In August the Popish party in Parliament grown high and incompatible with the present Government the Parliament was adjourned for three Moneths and then the Committee returned out of England and arrived at the end of August desiring that all the Acts of that Parliament might be proclaimed and sent down to the several Counties and so they retired to their places of abode In this great serenity and security the late Irish Army raised for the assistance of the Kings service against the Scots was disbanded and all their Army brought into Dublin Then there brake out upon the three and twentieth of October 1641. a desperate Rebellion universal defection and general Revolt of the Natives together which almost all the old English that were Popish totally involved A Rebellion so execrable as no Age no Nation can parallell the abominable Murders without number or mercy upon the Brittish Inhabitants of what sexes age or quality soever they were and this to be contrived with that secrecy amongst themselves that not one English man received any notice thereof before the very Evening of their intended Execution But though there were no direct appearance of the first Contrivers of this Rebellion yet I finde the Romish Clergy and the the Popish Lawyers great Instruments of the Fundamentals whereupon their bloudy Superstructions were reared The Lawyers standing up in Parliament as great Patriots for the Liberties of the Subject and Redress of Grievances boldly obtruding their pernicious speculations as undoubted Maxims of Law which though apparent to wise men yet so strangely were many of the very Protestants and others wel-meaning men blinded with an apprehension of case and redress and so stupified with their bold accusations of the Government as discouraged others to stand up to oppose them And then it was that the Parliament having impeached Sir Robert Bolton Lord Chancellour of Ireland of high Treason with other prime Officers of State that were of English birth and done their worst also against the Earl of Strafford in England Some of these great Masters and pretended Patriots took upon them impudently to declare the Law as they pleased to make new Expositions of their own upon that Text to frame Queries against Government Presidents they had enough of former proceedings in England they disdained the moderate qualifications of such as replied to them but those would not serve their turn New Model of Government they would have drawing it wholly into the hands of the Natives which they knew could not be compassed in a Parliamentary way they onely made preparatives there by desperate Maxims which being diffused would fit and dispose the people to a change Some of their Maxims they declared for Law that any one being killed in Rebellion though found by matter of Record would give the King no Forfeiture of Estate That though many thousands stood up in Arms working all manner of destruction yet if they professed not to rise against the King that it was no Rebellion That if a man were cuâ—lawed for Treason and his Land rested in the Crown or given away by the King his Heir might come afterwards and be admitted to reverse the Outlawry and recover his Ancestours Estate And many such were published this Session nay they presumed to attempt a suspension of Poyning ' s Act and at last the very abrogation of the Statute the best Monument of the English intire dominion over the Irish Nation and the annexion of that Kingdom to the Imperial Crown of England assuming a power of Iudicature to the Parliament in criminal and capital offences which no former age could presidence And so carried on their Session begun in May till the breaking out of the Rebellion and yet then they would hardly adjourn These and many other such which wise men fore-saw and since came to pass that Fools may run and read them They made the whole Body of State corrupt and ill-affected that the evil humours and distempers of the Kingdom required Cauteries This was the Disease as appears by all the Symptoms and the joint concurrence in opinion of all the pretended Patriots that held themselves wise enough to propose Remedies to so desperate a Malady But indeed although but pretences yet the King had condescended to their present relief giving much more satisfaction to their Agents lately in England than ever they could in any other time expect to receive or hope to enjoy but presently upon their return to Ireland this Conspiracy brake out Certainly the late successes of the Scots in their Insurrections gave encouragement to these they having happily succeeded in their affairs obtained signal Immunities from the King by their last Eruptions Our domestick garboils also might indulge them liberty to perplex the English the more and not the least advantage by the death of the late Deputy the Earl of Strafford whom the Irish equally pursued with the Zelots of Parliament in England and thereupon the unseasonable disbanding of the Irish Army eight thousand raised for the Scotish Expedition All these together added to them for their Design four thousand whereof were granted to Don Alonso de â—ardenes the Spanish Ambassadour to be transported from the danger of Innovation at home and the Officers and Colonels put out by the Parliaments commands might depart with their Regiments whither they pleased These were their Incitements and their Deceits followed they boast that the Queen was in the Head of their Forces that the King was coming with an Army that the Scots had concluded a League with them and to get credit therein they altogether caress the Scots that they were authorised by the Kings Commission which they counterâ—eited and produced at Farnham Abbey from one Colonel Plunket as appeared afterwards by several Confessions that they asserted the Kings cause against the Puritans of England And to their own Countrey-men they scatter Letters and Advertisements out of England that there was a Statute very lately made to compell all the Irish to be present at the Protestant worship under penalty of loss of their Goods for the first neglect the loss of their Inheritances for the second and their Lives for the third They gave there great hopes of recovering their Liberties and regaining their ancient Customes and to shake off the English yokâ— to elect to themselves a King of their own Nation and to distribute the Goods and Possessions of the English These Inducements made the Irish mad to perpetrate such hideous Attempts as no leading Age hath heard of They published also these Motives in print that our royal King and Queen are by the Puritans curbed and abused and their Prerogatives restrained diminished and almost wholly abolished
without the Kings consent were to introduce an Arbitrary Government to which he will never permit The King therefore having by his Proclamation the seven and twentieth of May last prohibited all persons upon their Allegeance to Muster Levy or summon without his consent by warrant or writ from his great seal And that antiently by Statute 5 H. 4. and by subsequent Records his Predecessors have exercised the power of the Militia by Commissions of Array therefore He thinks fit so to do Authorizing you or any three or more of you to Array and Train his people whereof you the Earl of Huntington and in youâ— absence William Earl of Devon or Henry Hastings Esq to be one That for the present you cause to be mustered all the ancient Trained Bands and Freehold Bands of the County and over them to appoint Colonels Captains and Officers Issue warrants for Assembling the people for discharge of that service of all which He expects a plenary accompt The Commission was directed to the Earls of Huntington and Devon Henry Hastings his son Henry Berkley George Villierâ— Thomas Burton Baronets Henry Skipwith Iohn Shepington and Richard Halford Knights and Baronets Wolston Dixey Richard Roberts Iohn Bole Thomas Harlop Erasmus De la fountain and William Iones Knights Henry Hastings George Ashley and Iohn Hate Esqs and to the Sheriff of Leicester-Shire to the same effect as aforesaid the twelfth of Ianuary 18 Car. per ipsum Regem Willis The Parliament ponder hereupon and after serious debate for it much concerned They resolved upon the Question That this Commission was against Law the liberty and property of the Subject And that the Actors therein shall be esteemed disturbers of the Peace and betrayers of the Subjects Lâ—bertie The twentieth of January The King goes on Summons his Lords and his Privy Council attending him at York and declares That He will not require any obedience from them but by the Law of the Land Nor that they yield to any Commands not legally imposed by any other That he will defend them and all others from such Commands and from Votes and Orders of Parliament and defend the true protestant Religion the Lawful liberty of the subject and the just priviledges of the three Estates of Parliament and according as he performs so he expects further Obedience That He will not â—ngage them in any war against the Parliament except for necessary defence against such as invade him or them On which they ingage to him their duty Allegeance in the like answer subscribed by all present which we shall record to posterity for their Loyalty then and of some of their defection after Lord Keeper Littleton Duke of Richmond Marquess Harford The Earls of Lindsey Cumberland Huntington Bath Southampton Dorset Salisbury Northampton Devonshire Cambridge Bristol Westmerland Barkshire Monmouth Rivers Newcastle Dover Carnarvan Newport The Lords of Mowbray and Matravers Willoughby of Ersby Richard Howard of Charlton Newark Paget Chandos Fawconbridge Pawlet Lovâ—lace Savile Coventry Mohun Duâ—smore Saymour Grey of Ruthen Capel Falkland Master controller Secretary Nicholas the Chancellor of the Exchequer Chief Justice Banks The King sends his Letters to the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Sheriffs of London Commanding them not to levy Arms nor raise mony upon pretâ—nce of a Guard to the Parliament But if they shall lend money towards the relief of Ireland as he hath don however the mony be disposed or towards the paiment of his Scots Subjects he shall esteem it an acceptable service if otherwise he shall take it as contempt to him and his authority and shall be compelled â—o question their Chartâ— therein And publishes a General Declaration That having these last seven Moneths met with so many several encounters of strange and unusual Declarations of Parliament He is not amazed with any new Prodigy of that kind and their last of the six and twentieth of May gave warning that they having spent their stock of reproachful language upon Him He was to expect they should now break out into disloyal actions for by that they divested Him of his Authority and assumed it to themselves and now they put forth the fruits of that supream power by their propositions for raising forces under pretence of preserving peace for defence of the King deceiving the People as if the danger were great and he consulted therein Sums up the Parliaments ridiculous devised fears and Jelousies Protests his former and still unshaken Resolutions for Peace for Religion for the Laws and for the Subjects Liberties Advising them not to contribute their power and assistance to ruine Him and themselves satisfies them in all the causeless and groundless scandalous Rumors and Reputations raised against his person and Honour And so excites all his loving Subjects according to their Oaths of Allegeance and Supremacy their Vow and Protestation to contribute their best assistance for the opposing and suppressing of the Trayteâ—ous attempts of such persons as would destroy his Person Honour and Estate and engage the Kingdom in a Civil war He declaring that whoever shall bring into him Money or Ammunition Horse or Arms for his or the publique defence shall receive 8. 1. per cent consideration and shall receive good assurance of the principal and interest upon his Forest Lands Parks and Houses better he saith than the security of the onely name Publique faith All the said Lords subsigning to a Profession disavowing any Preparations or Intentions of war against the Parliament but only endeavouring the firm and constant Parliament of Religion and Laws of peace and prosperity of this Kingdom And by publique Proclamation forbids all Levies of forces without his express pleasure and all contributions or assistance to any such Levies These statutes in force impowring the King and no other to raâ—se Arms as 7 Edw. 1. The statute of Northampton 2 Edw. 3. That in the 11 of Rich. 2. He being under age the Duke of Glocester and other Lords upon pretence for the King raised forces and subdued their adversaries they procured a special Act of pardon for it In the Reign of H. 8. the Earl of Shrewsbury to suppress a suddain Rebellion did without the Kings warrant raise Arms and Mastered the Traytors yet was forced to obtain his Pardon By the Statute 25 of Edw. 3. It is Treason to Levy war against the King in his Realm It was the case of the Earl of Essex upon pretence of but removing some ill Councellors about Queen Elizabeth and adjudged Treason It is the present excuse of the Irish Rebels for defence of the Kings authority and of his Kingdome Wat Tyler Iack Cade and Kit the Tayler wanted not such publique pretences which were perhaps just causes of complaints though not of raising Men. Then to the Parliaments distinction betwixt the Kings person and his authority and so his person at York but his Authority in Parliament See Cook 7 Rep. Coloins case The Oath of allegeance by the Common
which was assessed in Money proportionable to the condition of the Family The Scots are come and great care taken at Westminster for pay of that Army the twentieth part over all the North they have power to assess for themselves and all Malignants Estates that they can seize within their reach Nay several Counties and Associations are assessed for them Against whom the Marquess of Newcastle marched Northwards and to attack him in Yorkshire follows Sir Thomas Fairfax who was guided by his Father as the Father is by the grand Committee at Westminster as the Committee is by the Scots This dependency being very necessary to assure them good Welcome for so says their Letter to the Lord Fairfax My Lord VVe have taken into consideration the opportunity offered for reducing of Yorkshire whilest the Marquess of Newcastle hath drawn his Forces towards the North to oppose the Scots and how necessary it is to hinder his further Levies that Sir Thomas your Son march into the VVest Riding with all his Horse with two Regiments of Foot out of Lancashire and that your self take the Field with what Forâ—es you can and joyn with your Son for effecting these ends to hold a continual Intelligence with the Scots Army by drawing near Tees March 2. Northumberland Jo Maitland And here we see the great Earl of Northumberland invites the ancient Enemies of England into his own County and the Lord Fairfax into Yorkshire Cambridg University lay under the ordering of the Earl of Manchester Serjeant Major General of the Association where these Heads of Houses were turned out Dr. Beal Dr. Martin Dr. Stern in whose places were put in Masters of the Colleges Mr. Palmer Mr. Arrowsmith Mr. Vines as men more fit indeed such others as these were changed into the like I know not how more fit I am sure some of them are famous for false Latine Sir William Waller forward on his way to finde out the Lord Hopton who was drawn out of Winchester with sufficient Horse to oppose Sir William Balfore whom Waller had sent before to possess Alresford but came last for his Lordship was there first and forced Waller into small Villages in the morning Hopton drew down to Bramdean Heath and found Waller on a fair Hill and would not be forced thence till a long Dispute the Hill thus gained Colonel Lisle with his commanded Men kept it all night in this time of darkness Waller had mastered another Hill of greater advantage by the covert of Trees and Hedges which Colonel Appleford was to repossess and found it a hard Task to mount up against the powring shot of such as lined the Hedges not seen from whence it came Volleys well performed which yet were fain to give way to force which cost them dear enough for they paid a good price for it Here was a pretty breathing if Waller went off Hopton would follow to his undoing if they came on they would undo themselves but the Allarm was given by a mistaking Corporal of Hopton's who took his Enemies for Friends and so were engaged too far to seek throughout within their Ambuscadoes who now play their parts by this Advantage and put Hopton to a Retreat and neither parts had cause to cry Victoria for both sides were soundly beaten I intitle the Fight to the Lord Hopton but General Forth was there upon the other score he came in with the Lord Iohn Stuart sore wounded but I know not how concluded for dead yet Sir Arthâ—r Hasâ—erig called it A safe Deliverance though at London it was cried up for a Victory on this side Sir William Balfore in his Letter to his General â—ssex numbers then to be eight Commanders killed by him the Lord Stuart indeed and Sir Iohn Smith died afterwards of their wounds two gallant Gentlemen so did Colonel Sandys and Colonel Manning and Colonâ—l Scot Colonel Appleyard and Captain Pierson Sir Edward Stowel and Sir Henry Bard these were hurt and deserve honourable mention But at London they mention three Lords killed Stuart is confessed but not the General who they make a double one for his two Titles Forth and Ruthen And so they are described to be Gebal Moab and Ammon and to be utterly vanquished by the Servant of God Sir VVilliam VValler And the Parliament had some of theirs slain Dalbier wounded and Colonel Thomson had his Leg shot off by a Cannon Bullet And this happened upon a Friday March 29. The Cavaliers in disorder drew their Cannon off towards VVinchester but wheeled off unseen to Basing House VValler marches to VVinchester which was rendered to him upon Summons and Hopton is now at Oxford But a solemn Thanksgiving was ordered in London for this Victory and some Members sent to the City to encourage them for Supplies The Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery told them That the City Auxiliaries had done their part and if they went but once more they would rid the Kingdoms of these Rogues the occasion of all our miseries And upon these preparations and success of the Parliament the King draws all his Forces to a Rendezvouz to oppose his Adversaries And as VValler had done such Encouragements heightened others to undertake Mountains Colonel Griffith commonly called Prince Griffith had the confidence to propose to the House of Commons That if he might have a Commission to command in chief of all North Wales next under General Essex and to have Delinquents Estates there by him to be discovered and the Income of such as he should conquer in North Wales not exceeding the Sum of fifteen thousand pounds he would engage his Life and Estate to raise such Forces as should reduce Wales to obedience Which was referred to the Committee of both Kingdoms And he set out in all magnificence with his Silver Trumpets and guarded Coats But at his first Encounter with some of Prince Rupert's Forces whom he sought out for a single Duel Prince Griffith was totally routed which occasioned a merry Lady to tell him He looked sadly ever since he lost his Silver Trumpets And so cashiered he became debaucht and abused the Lady Herbert for which he was imprisoned but her honour much concerned he was released and so having spent a reasonable Fortune he was necessitated to travel beyond Seas where at Paris he was killed in a Tavern the end of his impudency We may enter this Spring with the setting out of General Essex and his Army to be recruited to seven complete Regiments of Foot and six Regiments of Horse and a constant Pay of thirty thousand five hundred and four pounds a Moneth for four Moneths And the Parliaments Navy to be complete for this Summer with addition of twelve Merchants Ships in the places of nine others unserviceable and fifteen small Catches to be added to the Fleet. And a new way of Contribution was devised for getting Moneys towards the charge of arming the Auxiliary Forces now raising within the City of London That all Inhabitants
my Religion The Earl replying desired the Prince to pardon him if he had offended him saying It was but out of his desire to serve him Whereas it had been the duty of a faithful servant to God and his Master to have disswaded the Prince from it had he found him staggering in his Religion Eighthly That he afterward having Conference with the Prince about the Romish Religion trayterously endeavoured to perswade him to turn Romish Catholique using an Argument to that end That the State of England never did nor could possibly do any great thing but when obedient to the Pope of Rome Ninthly That during the time aforesaid the Prince advising with the Earl about a new Offer by the King of Spain That the Prince Palatine should marry the Emperours Daughter â—e brought up in his Court and so should be restored to the Palatinate The Earl said It was a reasonable Proposition And when the danger of changing his Religion was objected the Earl replyed That without some such great Act the peace of Christendom could never be procured Tenthly That the Prince departing from Spain and leaving the Powers of Disposorios with the said Earl to be delivered upon the return of his Dispensation from Rome the Prince fearing lest after the Dispensation the Infanta might be put into a Monastery wrote a Letter back to the Earl commanding him not to make use of those Powers untill he could give him assurance that a Monastery should not rob him of his Wife which Letter the Earl receiving returned an answer disswading that Direction Shortly after which the Prince sent another Letter discharging him of his former Command But his late Majesty by the same Messenger sent him a more express Direction Not to deliver the Disposorios until a full conclusion had concerning the Palatinate adding this expression That he would never joy to marry his Son and to leave his onely Daughter weeping In which Dispatch though there was some mistake yet in the next following it was corrected and the Earl tied to his former Restrictions which he promised punctually to observe Neverthelesse contrary to his Duty and Allegiance he after set a day for the Disposorios without any assurance or so much as treating of those things to which he was restrained and that so short a day that if extraordinary diligence with good successe in the Journey had not concurred the Princes hands might have been bound up and yet he never sure of a Wife nor the Prince Palatine of Restitution Lastly That in an high an contemptuous manner he hath preferred a scandalous Petition to this Honourable House to the dishonour of the late King and his now Majesty especially one Article of that Petition wherein he gives his now Majesty the Lye by denying and offering to falsifie what his Majesty had affirmed There needs no strain of partiality to implead the difference of these charges assuredly if the Earls charge against the Duke could have served the turn It might have spared the Commons Impeachment the other comming far short of the designe which was to do it to the purpose And therefore This weighty Cause was managed by six Members Mr. Glanvil Mr. Herbert Ma. Selden Mr. Pim Mr. Wans ford Mr. Sherland to them was added Sr. Dudly Diggs as Prolocutor and Sr. Iohn Elliot brought up the Rear And so though the matter of the Prologue may be spared being made up with Elegancy yet rather then it shall be lost you may please to read it at this length My Lords THere are so many things of great importance to be said in very little time this day that I conceive it will not be unacceptable to your Lordships if setting by all Rhetorical affectations I onely in plain Country language humbly pray your Lordships favour to include many excuses necessary to my manifold infirmities in this one word I am commanded by the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the Commons house to present unto your Lordships their most affectionate thanks for your ready condescending to this Conference which out of confidence in your great wisdoms and approved Justice for the service of his Majesty and the welfare of this Realm they desired upâ—â— this occasion The House of Commons by a fatal and universal concurrence of complaints from all the Sea-bordering parts of this Kingdom did find a great and griâ—vous interruption and stop of Trade and Traffique The base Pirats of Sally ignominiously infesting our Coasts taking our ships and goods and leading away the Subjects of this Kingdom into barbarous Captivity while to our shame and hinderance of Commerce our enemies did as it were besiege our Ports and block up our best Rivers mouths 〈◊〉 Friends on flight pretences made embargoes of our Merchants goods and every Nation upon the least occasion was ready to contemn and slight us So great was the apparent diminution of the ancient honour of this Crown and once strong reputation of our Nation Wherewith the Commons were more troubled calling to remembrance how formerly in France in Spain in Holland and every where by Sea and Land the Valours of this Kingdom had been better valued and even in latter times within remembrance when we had no Alliance with France none in Denmark none in Germany no Friend in Italy Scotland to say no more ununited Ireland not setled in peace and much less security at home when Spain was as ambitious as it is now under a King Philip the second they called their wisest the House of Austria as great and potent and both strengthened with a malitious League in France of persons ill-affected when the Low-countreys had no being yet by constant counsels and old English wayes even then that Spanish pride was cool'd that greatness of the house of Austria so formidable to us now was well resisted and to the United Provinces of the Low countreys such a beginning growth and strength was given as gave us honour over all the Christian World The Commons therefore wondring at the Evils which they suffered debating of the causes of them found they were many drawn like one Line to one Circumference of decay of Trade and strength of Honour and of Reputation in this kingdom which as in one Centre met in one great man the Cause of all whom I am here to name the Duke of Buckingham Here Sir Dudly Diggs made a stand as wondring to see the Duke present Yet he took the Roll and read the Preamble to the charge with the Dukes long Titles and then went on My Lords This lofty Title of this mighty Man me thinks doth raise my spirits to speak with a Paulo majora canamus and let it not displease your Lordships if for foundation I compare the beautiful Structure and fair composition of this Monarchy wherein we live to the great work of God the World it self in which the solid body of incorporated Earth and Sea as I conceive in regard of our Husbandry Manufactures and Commerce by Land and Sea may
Ships richly laden in their usual course of Trade the Duke moved the Lords then assembled in Parliament to know whether he should make stay of those Ships for the Service of the State which motion being approved by the Lords the Duke accordingly did stay those ships and after procured a joynt Action to be entred in the Court of Admiralty in the name of the late King and himself as Lord Admirall against 15000 lib. pretended to be Pyratically taken by some Captains of the said Merchants ships and in the hands of the said Captains and accordingly an Attachment was served upon the said Merchants Whereupon the said Merchants being urged to bring in the 15000 lib. or to go to Prison made new suit to the Duke for the release of their ships who pretending that the Parliament must be moved therein the Merchants much perplexed and considering that they should lose much by unlading their ships and the losse of their voyage resolved to tender to the said Duke ten thousand pounds for his unjust demand who by colour of his Office extorted and exacted from them the said ten thousand pounds and upon receipt thereof and not before released the said ships That the motion in Parliament about the stay of the East-India ships was onely upon apprehension that they might be serviceable for the defence of the Realm That the Action entred in the Court of Admiralty against the East-India Company was not after as is suggested but divers moneths before that motion in Parliament yea before the Parliament began That the composition mentioned in this Article was not moved by the Duke but made by the late King and that the Company without any menaces or compulsion agreed to the Composition as willing to give so much rather then to abide the hazzard of the suit That of the said sum all but two hundred pounds was imployed by his late Majesties Officers for the benefit of the Navie And lastly that those ships were not discharged upon payment of the said sum of ten thousand pounds but upon an accommodation allowed that they should prepare other ships for his Majesties service whilest they went on their Voyage which accordingly they did VII Reply 7. That the Duke being great Admirall of England did by colour of the said Office procure one of the principall ships of the Navy-Royal called the Vant-guard and six other Merchants ships of great burthen to be conveyed over with all their Ordnance Ammunition and apparel into the Kingdom of France and did compell the said Masters and Owners of the said ships to deliver the said ships into the possession and command of the French King and his Ministers without either sufficient security for their redelivery or necessary caution in that behalf contrary to the duty of his Office and to the apparent weakening of the Navall strength of this Kingdom That those Ships were lent to the French King without his privity that when he knew thereof he did what appertained to his Office That he did not by menace nor any undue practice by himself or any other deliver those ships into the hands of the French that what errour hath since happened was not in the intention any way injurious to the State nor prejudicial to the interest of any private man VIII Reply 8. That the Duke knowing the said ships were intended to be imployed against the Rochellers and the Protestants else-where did compel them as aforesaid to be delivered unto the said French King and his Ministers to the end that they might be imployed against those of the Reformed Religion as accordingly they were to the prejudice of the said Religion contrary to the intention of our Soveraigne Lord the King and to his former promise at Oxford and to the great scandal of our Nation That understanding a discovery that those ships should be imployed against Rochel he endevoured to divert the course of such imployment and whereas it is alledged that he promised at Oxford that those ships should not be so imployed he under favour saith he was mis-understood for he onely said that the event would shew it being confident in the promises of the French King and that he would have really performed what was agreed upon IX Reply 9. That he hath enforced some who were rich though unwilling to purchase honours as the Lord Roberts Baron of Trure who was by menaces wrought to pay the summe of Ten thousand pounds to the said Duke and to his use for his said Barony He denyeth any such compulsion of the Lord Roberts to buy his honour and that he can prove that as the said Lord did then obtain it by the solicitations of others so was he willing formerly to have given a great sum for it X. Reply 10. That in the 18. year of the late King he did procure of the late King the Office of High Treasurer of England to the Viscount Mandevil now Earl of Manchester for which Office he received of the said Viâ—count to his own use the sum of 20000 l. of money and also did procure in the 20. year of the late King the Office of Master of the Wards and Liveries for Sir Lionel Cranfield afterward Earl of Middlesex and as a reward for the said procurement he had to his own use of the said Sir Lionel Cranfield the sum of 6000 l. contrary to the dignity of his late Majesty That he had not nor did receive any penny of the said sums to his own use that the Lord Mandevil was made Lord Treasurer by his late Majesty without any Contract for it and though his Majesty did after borrow of the said Lord 20000. pounds yet was it upon proviso of repayment for which the Duke at first past his word and after entred him security by Land which stood ingaged untill his late Majesty during the Dukes being in Spain gave the Lord satisfaction by Land in Fee-farm of a considerable value whereupon the Dukes security was returned back And that the 6000 l. disbursed by the Earl of Middlesex was bestowed upon Sir Henry Mildmay by his late Majesty without the Dukes privity who had and enjoyed it all entire XI Reply 11. That he hath procured divers Honours for his kindred and Allies to the prejudice of the antient Nobility and disabling the Crown from rewarding extraordinary virtues in future times That he believeth he were rather worthily to be condemned in the opinion of all generous minds if being in such favour with his Majesty he had minded only his own advancement and had neglected those whom the Law of Nature had obliged him to hold most dear XII Reply 12. That he procured and obtained of the late King divers Mannors parcels of the Revenues of the Crown to an exceeding greâ—â— value and hath received and â—o his own use disbursed great sums of money that did properly belong unto the late King and the better to colour his doings hath obtained severall privie Seals from
and separate the Members whose indisposition to his quiet might disperse and spit out malignities against the Kings honour to excuse themselves therefore he did no doubt take President from his Fathers dissolving his Parliament Anno. And by his Example a Declaration is published by the King to all his loving Subjects setting forth his Reasons and Motives for dissolving the Parliament with Breviats of all Transactions of both Sessions closing all with mention of the late Duke of Buckingham as the onely man of mishap to all foregoing Events of Parliament and mischief to the People and yet the Evils increased so he was mistaken not being the cause which was then and still continues in some few of the Members of the Parliament We have ingeniously set down the narrative part not so particular neither that should seem to exasperate for the King but certainly we have not read nor heard of higher Provocations Indignities disorderly offered to a Power by whose dispensation any Meeting Convocation Assembly have their Indulgence and therefore now in likelihood to be the last adventure to hazzard another Parliament for oft have they for many years before been unwildy the latter times of Queen Elizabeth the most of King Iames and hitherto of this King yet it was his fate to adventure forward towards a fatal end of all Whether malignity of those Members gave Examples to others their Effects flew over Seas and infected the French Parliaments about this time where that King discontinued the Assemblies of the three Estates upon far less provocations for from the antient Assembly it continued to the year 1614. when first the third Estate representing as ours their Commons encroached too busily upon their Clergy and some preheminency of the Nobility enjoyed by favour of their former Kings so offended the Royalty that he resolved to dissolve them and with good counsel never admit the like The future Kings following that President yet with some regret of the former manneâ— it was there devised to communicate with his People in another manner called La Assemble des Notables some selected persons out of each order of Estate of his own election or naming and to them were added some Counsellour out of every particular Court of Parliament there being eight of them in all France through that Kingdom and so being fewer in number would not heed such a confusion as the General Assembly of States had done before Their Acts are as obliging to all sorts of Subjects as the others were onely from Controulers they are become good Counsellours still And with this course the Estates and People are as yet content It being no shame to submit to this Power whom it will be sin to overcome But the King finding his Declaration to take the effect of satisfying his well-affected Subjects took a resonable time to question those whose punishments he had referred till now and therefore the eighteenth Day he sends for some the most refractory Members to the Council Table Master Hollis of honourable extraction Sir Io Eliot Sir Miles Hobart Sir Peter Hayman Sir Io Barington Master Selden Master Stroud Master Correton Master Valentine Master Long Master Kirton Hollis was asked wherefore the Day of Dissolving he placed himself by the Chair above divers of the Privy Council He said That he had seated himself there some other times before and took it his due there as in any place whatsoever unless at the Council-Board to sit above those Privy-counsellours That he came into the House with as much zeal as any other to serve his Majesty yet finding his Majesty offended he humbly desired to be the subject rather of his Mercy than of his Power The Lord Treasurer replied You mean rather of his Majesties Mercy than of his Iustice. I say answered Hollis of his Majesties Power my Lord. Hobart's offence was for locking the Parliament Door and putting the Key in his Pocket was excused to be the Command of the House All the other Gentlemen were questioned for reproving the Speaker not permitting him to do the Kings Commands to â—â—â—ch they pleaded Privilege of Parliament But Eliot was charged for words he spake in Parliament and for producing the last Remonstrance His answer was more peremptory Whatsoever was said or done by him in that place and at that time was in the capacity as a publick man and a Member of that House and that he was and ever will be ready to give an account of his sayings and doings there whensoever he should be called unto it by that House where he conceives he is onely to be questioned and in the mean time he being now but a private man he would not now trouble himself to remember what he said or did there as a publique Person But they were all Ten committed to several Prisons the Tower Gatehouse Fleet and the first of May the Attorney general Noy sent Processe out against them to appear in the Star-Chamber and answer his Information there They refused to appear denying the power of that Court their offences being done in Parliament which created a large controversie in law concerning the Jurisdiction of either Court As for Eliots Doctrine It is said to be the first seed which after took root in Parliament It was indeed a new Tenet Liberty like the Popes Conclave or rather the Scots Kirk Assemblies such religious doctrines they had nay every Minister made it up in his Pulpit never to be questioned for speeches though treasonable there but by themselves in their Assemblies We have sundry examples that our English Soveraigns did not suffer contempts upon their Person or Estate by any Member of Parliament without due punishment inflicted on the offenders and it was law and Justice heretofore It seemed not so now the Judges conniving declared the whole House of Commons under an Arrest when Diggs and Eliot had been restrained And therefore the King suspecting their further positive opinions in Eliots case at this time put them to the question in private which they seemed to resent with thâ—â— House But when they afterwards sat in the seat of Judgement at the Kings Bench Bar they could sentence them with Law and reason also to several sines which were paid by some others dying under restraint and those not able were released upon petition submission and conditions to forbear the Court Ten miles compasse under 2000 l. bond for their good behaviour and that was Mr. Stroud being a younger Son of Sr. Iohn his Father then living and had no means to pay but was after well paid for his pains and for that suffering To begin this year comes to the Court of England the old Marquesse Huntley that zealous Romane Catholique from Scotlaâ—â— fled from thence with the Earls of Arol Athol Nidsdale 〈◊〉 and some others of that Nobility The Marquess had been too favourable to them in the cast of his office hereditary Sheriff of the North of Scotland concerning their connivance
habit and with a great Train wherewith they are disguised from notice yet are Jesuits and Members of the Conspiracy All the Papists of England contribute to this Assembly lest any thing should be wanting to promote the Enterprise upon whose Treasury a Widow Owner of the Houses where now Secretary Windebank dwelleth and dead above three years since conferred forty thousand pounds and for the driving on of the business others contribute as they are able Besides the foresaid Houses there are also other close Conventicles kept but very distrustfull of themselves lest they should be discovered First every of them one not knowing of the other are directed to certain Inns and thence led by Spies to the place of meeting being otherwise ignorant of the place for fear of surprise The Countess of Arundel a strenuous she-champion of the Romish Faith bends all her powers for this Universal Reformation nothing is done secretly or openly at Court but she imparts it to the Legate with whom she meets thrice a day sometimes at Arundel's house now at Court or at Tart-Hall The Earl himself being called about three years since this year must go to Rome without doubt to consult there of matters pertinent to the Design At Greenwich at the Earls cost a feminine School is erected which is but a Monastery of Nuns for the young Girls therein are sent forth hither and thither into foreign Monasteries beyond the Seas Master Porter of the Kings Bed-chamber most addicted to the Popish Religion is an utter Enemy of the Kings revealing all his Secrets to the Legate by his Wife for he rarely meets with him himself In all his actions he is nothing inferiour to Toby Matthew it is unexpressible how diligently he intends this business His Sons are secretly principled in the Romish Belief but open Professours of the Reformed the Eldest is now to receive his Fathers Place under the future King A Cardinals Hat is provided for the other if the Plot takes Three years since Master Porter was to be sent away by the King to Morocco but was prohibited by the Society lest the business should suffer delay He is a Patron of the Jesuits providing Chappels for them to exercise their Religion in both at home and abroad Secretary Windebank a fierce Papist is the greatest Traitour to the King of all He not onely revealeth the Kings greatest Secrets but also communicates Counsels by which the Design may be best advanced He at least thrice every Week converseth with the Legate in the Nocturnal Conventicles and revealeth what is â—it to be known to which end he hireth an House near to the Popes Legate to whom he often resorts through the Garden-door for by this vicinity the Meeting is facilitated He is bribed with Gifts to be a Partner in the Conspiracy by whom he is sustained that he may more sedulously attend his Charge His son is sent expresly to Rome on purpose to insinuate himself into his holinesse Digby and Winter Knights Mr. Mountague who hath been at Rome the Lord Sterlin a Kinsman of the Earl of Arundel a Knight the Countesse of New-port the Dutchesse of Buckingham and many others who hath sworn to this Conspiracy are all most vigilant in the plot Some are enticed with hope of Court others of Political Offices others attended to the sixteen Cardinals caps vacant which are detained so to feed with vain hopes those who expect them The president of the said Society was the Lord Gage a Jesuited Priest dead some three years since He had a palace adorned with wanton pictures as pretending to profaneness but palliating thereby a Monastery wherein fourty Nunns were maintained concealed in so spacious a Palace It is situated in Queens street The Jesuits have bought all this street and have reduced it to a quadrangle where a Jesuiticall Colledge is tacitely built with this hope that it might be openly finisht assoon as the General Reformation was accomplisht The Popes Legate useth a threefold Character one common to all Nuncio's Another peculiar to himself and Cardinal Barbarino A third wherewith he covers some greater secrets to be imparted Whatsoever things he receiveth from the Society or spies he packeth up in one bundle with this addresse To Monsieur Stravio Archdeacon of Cambrai from whom they are sent to Rome These particulars considered it will be evident to all 1. That the Conspiracy against the King and Lord Archbishop is detected and the means threatning ruin to them both is demonstrated 2. The imminent Dangers to both Kingdoms is declared 3. The Rise and Progress of the Scotish Fire is related 4. Means are suggested whereby their Troubles may be appeased for after the Scots shall see by whom and to what intents their Spirits are provoked they will speedily look to themselves neither will they suffer the Forces of both Kingdoms to be subdued lest a middle party interpose which seek the ruine of both 5. With what Sword the Kings Throat is assaulted even when these Stirs shall be ended Con's Confession and visible Demonstration sheweth 6. The place of Assembly in Captain Read's House is named 7. The eight Days Dispatch by Read and the Legate is described 8. How the names of the Conspiratours may be known 9. Where this whole Congregation may be circumvented 10. Some of the principal unfaithfull ones of the Kings party are notified by name and many whose Names occur not yet their Habitations being known their Names may be easily extorted from Read If these things be warily proceeded in the strength of the whole business will be brought to light so the Arrow being foreseen the Danger shall be avoided which that it may prosperously succeed the Almighty Creatour grant The matter of this Information is conform to their old practices in all former Times and in some respects to be likely enough but truly far from any wise mans faith to give it too much credit in the particulars which is so notoriously mistaken as it marrs the story And for that Objection and Result thereon that the Arch-bishop of Canterbury had too much favoured the Romish Faction not their Faith is his own opinion the Information says quite contrary But his Observatour and others have shewed how and upon what account King Iames and King Charls too had Reasons and in what manner to connive at the Popish Faction in reference to the favours afforded the foreign Reformed Churches And so the great Ministers and Officers in State doing but their duty therein might be thought to favour their Faith See History complete Mary Queen of Scots and King Iames. And to ballance the Puritan Non-conformist the ancient usefull Ceremonies of the Primitive Church were fuller restored in this Arch-bishops Time than of late before but not so thereby for the Arch-bishop to be forthwith cried up by the Romanists for their Proselyte for they know that this Reformation did in Ceremonies rather undo them No Sir it was the Scots first and Presbytery
scorn and the most hated man of all the Hierarchy where his turn came to be last devoured after he had eaten up some of his brethren The Earl of Strafford though in durance yet found friends abroad very active to serve him and accordingly it was the nineteenth day moved First That he might be bailed by divers Lords who offered caution But it was answered by the Lord Paget that it was against the Laws of the Land and the priviledge of the House and so passed the Major votes not to be admitted But was assigned Council and a solicitor in reguard of his restraint The one and twentieth one Iohn Iames son of Sir Henry Iames of Feversham in Kent a Romish Catholique stabbed Mr. Howard a Justice of peace of Westminster in Westminster-hall not unto death which was attempted because Mr. Howard had drawn a Catalogue of such Recusants as were within the Liberties of Westminster which he was to deliver up to the Committee of Religion for which fact Iames was secretly punished The eight and twentieth Mr. Pryn and Mr. Burton were conducted into London from their several Prisons in great pomp by many thousands of horse and foot with Rosemary and Bayes in their caps in despight and defiance of the course of Justice which had sentenced them and the third of December they presented their Petitions to the House of Commons for dammage against their Prosecutors This Parliament of Inquisition began to appear terrible to all that lodged but under suspition of guilt but insufferable to the conscience condemning which Sir Francis Windebank Secretary of State not able to bear having been questioned and mainly convinced for reprieving Iesuites and Priests and of worse matters suspected guilty got over into France where he remained to his death a professed Roman Catholique The seventh day unanimously in the Commons House was voted 1. That the Charge imposed upon the Subject for the providing and furnishing of Ships and the Assessments for raising moneys for that purpose commonly called Ship-mony are against the Laws of the Realm the Subjects right and property contrary to former resolutions in Parliament and the Petition of Right 2. That the extrajudicial opinion of the Iudges published in the Star-chamber and enrolled in the Courts of Westminster are in the whole and every part of them against the Laws of the Realm c. ut prius 3. That the writs commonly called Ship writs are against the Laws of the Realm c. ut pius 4. That the Iudgment in the Exchequer in Mr. Hamdens case is as to the matter and substance thereof against the Laws of the Realm c. ut prius And so was it voted in the House of Lords And the next day a Committe was appointed to draw up a charge of High Treason against such as had been abetters therein the Lord Keeper Finch and the rest of the Iudges But though the Parliament was thus severe against the legality of Ship-mony yet it is observed that amongst the best Lawyers the matter was justifiable ascribing much to the Judgment of that learned Lawer Mr. Noy who first preferred it Secondly All the Judges subscribing to it in time of danger of which danger the King was declared to be Judge Thirdly And being argued in the Courts of Justice and by all the Judges in the Exchequers Chamber it was definitively sentenced for the King 4. Nor was it voted down by Parliament but in a meer arbitrary way without review or Council heard as the Judges reason of their opinion so much as required 5. And yet the arguments of the two Justices Crock and Hutton for the Illegallity was by vote of the house of Commons put in print but the opinion of the other eight Judges which were for the legality of it continue suppressed which gave most men occasion to conceive the greater reason in those arguments which were kept in the dark 6. And in all this design to vote it down the Parliament was fain to have recourse to the King and to crave an act of Parliament to secure them from it for the future and to countenance their cause the Judges were impeached in order to the pretext not merit of punishment And now the eleventh of December Alderman Lack-land or Pennington with some hundred at his heels a rable of petty Shop-keepers and Prentices presented their Citizens Petition subscribed by fifteen thousand pittifully perplexed at the Ecclesiastical Discipline and sundry Ceremonies of the Church of England which was wholly debarred but was transmitted till a cooler time And because it was thought sit to strike while the Iron was hot this Petition ushering in much worke of Reformation It was thought convenient to condemn the illegallity of the proceedings in the late Convocation and their Canons which being canvased on both sides the houses and all of one party few Arguments need to be urged where the prevailing sence of the House opposed and so resolved the fifteenth of December That the Clergy in a synod or Convocation hath no power to make Canons Constitutions or Laws to bind either Layity or Clergie without a Parliament And first next day that the Canons are against the fundamental Laws of this Realm against the Kings Prerogative Propriety of the Subject the Right of Parliaments and do tend to Faction and Sedition This Parliamentary Doctrine was but now newly known Convocations never before depending on Parliaments but either in calling or dissolving confirming or authorising the Acts thereof but onely on the King himself not in Parliament neither but in his Palace and this seems to be proved by the Statute 26 Henry 8. and the constant practice ever since And for the Canons before they were subscribed they were imparted to the King and by him communicated to the Lords of the Privy Council the Iudges the learned Council then attending and were read and approved without any thing therein tending to Faction and Sedition or to the prejudice of the Subjects propriety or the Kings Prerogative or the Laws of the Land yet the Parliament frame a Bill for fining all the Clergie of that Convocation keeping them in such aw as none did appear in maintenance of their Authority or in opposing those Incroachments and Innovations which daily were introduced upon them And as to the Civil Iudges for case of Ship-money so the Parliament proceed with the Ecclesiastick Arch-bishop of Canterbury against whom they form a Committee to draw up a Charge against him as the Framer of these Canons and for other supposed Delinquencies aggravated by the Scots adjoyning him with the Earl of Strafford in their grand Accusation as an Incendiary in this National Difference promising to bring in their Complaint but in the mean time Master Hollis on Friday is sent up with the Impeachment and is seconded the same day with the Charge of the Scots Commissioners upon the reading whereof he was committed to the custody of the Black Rod
do not through me wound the interest of the Common-wealth And howsoever these Gentlemen say they speak for the Common-wealth yet in this particular I indeed speak for it and shew the inconveniencies and mischiefs which will fall upon it For as it is said in the Statute 1. of Henry 4. No man will know what to doe or say for fear of such penalties Doe not put my Lords such difficulties upon Ministers of State that men of wisedome of Honour of Fortune may not with cheerfulness and safety be imployed for the publique if you weigh and measure them by graines and scruples the publique affaires of the Kingdome will lie waste no man will meddle with them who has any thing to lose My Lords I have troubled you longer than I should have done were it not for the interest of these dear pledges a Saint in heaven hath left me At this he stopt a while offering up some tears to her ashes what I forfeit my self is nothing but that my indiscretion should extend to my posterity it woundeth me to the very soul. You will pardon my infirmity something I should have added but am not able therefore let it pass And now my Lords for my self I have been by the blessing of almighty God taught that the afflictions of this present life are not to be compared to the eternal weight of Glory which shall be revealed hereafter And so my Lords even so with all tranquillity of mind I freely submit my self to your judgment and whether that judgment be of life or death Te Deum laudamus When he had done two of the Members Mr. Glyn and Mr. Pym endeavouring to render him as odious as it is usually observed from Declamatours satisfying the Ear of the Auditours but not their judicial Censure for the point came to be this the Commons are to justifie their Charge by Law upon the matters of Fact as yet not appearing under the Letter of any Statute of Treason As for that of the 25 of Edward 3. it came short but yet it is supplied with this Proviso annexed that because all particular Treasons could not be then defined therefore what the Parliament should declare to be Treason â—n time to come should be punished as Treason within which compass they intend to bring him and that by Bill of Attainder The Earl put upon a point of Law desires Council which by no means the Commons would assent unto and notwithstanding all the reason in the world it was canvased three Days and at last concluded that his Council should plead such matters as they should be restrained unto Saturday the seventeenth of April the Earl appears with his Council Master Lane the Prince's Attourney Master Gardner Recorder of London Master Loe and Master Lightfoot Lane argued that the said Statute of 25 Edward 3. was a Declarative Law and so not to be interpreted as of consequence equity or construction but by the express Letter onely that it was a penal Law and so not to admit of any Constructions or Inferences for the true nature of penalties enforce the keeping of known Laws not of conjectural and dubious And for the Salvo he affirmed that in the sixth of Henry 4. the Nobility petitioned the Parliament to limit all Treasons by Statute in which Parliament Chapter 10. an Act passed thereupon that the Salvo should be holden repealed in all times to come nothing to be esteemed Treason but what was literally contained in the Statute of 25. Edward the third nor could the rest of the Council speak more then what had been said by Mr. Lane being so sufficient for matters of Law unless their Lordships would state any other questions to which they were ready to answer upon which the Court adjourned without prefixing any time of meeting The Commons meant it not to meet any more the Earl had satisfied all curious observations of his defence and the Commons knew it well enough but they resolved to attaint him by Bill which was debated by the Commons the nineteenth day and the Earl voted by them guilty of high Treason meerly upon the evidence of Secretary Vane and his notes but upon reading the Bill engrossed in their house the one and twentieth day It was hardly canvassed by the Poll the dissenters being fifty nine and my Lord Digby the most eminent that urged for him and yet it passed That afternoone with all expedition it was brought to the Lords and the four and twentieth day they were put in minde to fix a day for reading of it to which they returned answer that on Munday and Tuesday after they would not fail being not over harty to do it then for it was debated by the Lords to be a business of very high concernments and so perplext as necessarily required a conference with the Common who put it upon Mr. St. Iohn the Kings Solicitor to satisfie them and to justifie the Bill by Law upon Thursday the nine and twentieth and to offer reasons enforcing them to this way of proceeding against the Earl who was ordered to be there present And the Commons to shadow the violence of this proceeding with the Earl they bethought themselves of some publique affair and so petition the King 1. For removing of all Papists from Court. 2. For disarming of them generally throughout the Kingdome 3. For disbanding the Irish Army To which they had Answer the eight and twentieth 1. They all knew what legal trust the Crown hath in that particular therefore he shall not need to say any thing to assure them that he shall use it so as there shall be no just cause of scandal 2. He is content it shall be done by Law 3. And for the last he had entered into consultation about it finding many difficulties therein and he doth so wish the disbanding of all Armies as he did conjure them speedily and heartily to joyn with him in disbanding those two here Scots and English I am now come to the point to consider of the Differences between two Writers our Historian and his Observatour concerning the Death of the Earl of Strafford and reflecting upon the late Arch-bishop of Armagh Primate of all Ireland whilest he was living and so pursued since his Death I being intrusted by him when time and occasion should happen to offer in publick what I had in charge under his own hand-writing and others also not to quarrel it any further but to rectifie mis-understandings if it may be done without malice on any side and so I shall handle it as a Moderatour We begin from the Bill of Attainder which was read in presence of the Earl at the Bar. Whereas the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the House of Commons in this present Parliament assembled have in the name of themselves and of all the Commons of England impeached Thomas Earl of Strafford of High-treason for endeavouring to subvert the ancient and fundamental Laws and Government of his Majesties Realms
the Kings Answers unsatisfactory And that the Kingdom be put into a posture of Defence in such a way as is agreed upon by Parliament and a Committee to prepare a publick Declaration from these two Heads 1. The just causes of the Fears and Iealousies given to the Parliament and to clear them from any Iealousies conceived against them 2. To consider of all matters arising from his Majesties Message and what is fit to be done A man would wonder upon what grounds they should arm by Sea and Land specially so hastily resolved as the next day March 2. Advertisements they say of extraordinary preparations by the neighbouring Princes both by Land and Sea the intentions whereof are so represented as to raise a just apprehension of sudden Danger to the King and his Kingdoms unless the wisdom of Parliament prevent it And therefore the Earl of Northumberland Admiral of England is commanded with all speed to order the Rigging of the Kings Ships and fit them immediately for the Sea And to frighten us into fear all Masters and Owners of Ships are perswaded to do the like for the emergent occasions of publick Defence In order to these the Beacons were new made up Sea-marks set up such riding posting with Pacquets whispering and Tales telling as put the people in fear of they knew not what wise men onely told the Truth discovering the Enemy wholly at home I have been as brief as may be in the business of this year and yet to satisfie the curious I cannot omit all the occasions of this miserable Eruption which follows presuming yet that this Declaration designed may be spared the recording for certainly no new matter can be invented and what hither to hath been the cause the Reader has leave to judg But not to amuse your imaginations it self must satisfie the Declaration was born to Roiston by the Earls of Pembroke and Holland He who read it to the King this Lord being raised and created to become his most secret Counsellour the most intimate in affection the first of his Bed-chamber his constant companion in all his sports and recreations even in that place and to this hour At the sight of him the Kings countenance me thought mixed into compassion and disdain as who should as Caesar did Et tu mi fili But on he went to this effect March 9. The manifold Attempts to provoke your Majesties late Armie and the Scots Armie and to raise a Faction in London and other parts the Actours having their dependence countenance and encouragement from the Court witness Jermin's Treason who was transported beyond Sea by your Majesties Warrant and that dangerous Petition delivered to Captain Leg by your Majesties own Hand with a Direction signed C. R. The false and scandalous Accusation against the Lord Kimbolton and the five Members Plotting and designing a Guard about your person labouring to infuse into the people an ill opinion of the Parliament as if to raise Arms for a Civil War in which Combustion Ireland would be lost That the Lord Digby was sent to Sir John Pennington to be landed beyond Sea to vent his traiterous conceptions for the King to retire to some place of strength offering to correspond by cyphers with the Queen as if to procure some forreign Forces to assist your Majestie answerable to your remove with the Prince as in a readiness for the acting of it Manifold Advertisements which they have from Rome Venice Paris and other parts expecting the effects of the Kings Design to alter Religion and ruine the Parliament That the Popes Nuntio hath solicited the Kings of France and Spain to lend his Majesty four thousand Men a plece to help to maintain his Royalty against the Parliament And this foreign Force the most pernicious and malignant Design of all the rest so they hope it is from his thoughts Because no man will easily believe you will give up your People and Kingdom to be spoiled by strangers if you did not likewise intend to change both your own profession in Religion and the publick profession of the Kingdom that so you might be more assured of these foreign States of the Popish Religion for the future support and defence They â—eseech his Majesty to consider how fair a way he hath to happiness honour greatness plenty security if he would but joyn with his Parliament and people in defence of the Religion and Kingdom This is all they expect from him and for which they shall return their Lives Fortunes and utmost Endeavours to support him and Sovereignty And for the present have but onely this to desire To turn away his wicked Counsellours and put his trust in Parliament At the reading of that part which mentioned Master Iermin's transportation by his Majesties Warrant the King interrupted him and said That 's false And at the business of Captain Leg he told him 'T is a Lie And at the end of all he said He was confident the Parliament had worse information than he had Councils What have I denied you The Militia said Holland That 's no Bill The other replied It was necessary Which I have not denied but in the manner His Lordship would perswade the King to come near the Parliament Have you given me cause said the King This Declaration is not the way to it and in all Aristotle's Rhetoricks there is no such Argument of perswasion Pembroke that he might say something said it over again The Parliament prays him to come to them The King told him Words were not sufficient What would you have Sir said he The King replied To whip a Boy in Westminster School that could not tell that by my Answer Then the Lord asked him to grant the Militia for a time Not an hour this was never asked of any King with which I will not trust my Wife and Children But his Majesties Answer to all was this That to their Fears and Iealousies he would take time to satisfie all the World hoping that God would in his good time discover the secrets and bottoms of all Plots and Treasons to set him upright with his people For his Fears and Doubts are not trivial while so many scandalous Pamphlets seditious Sermons sundry Tumults publick are uninquired into and unpunished He must confess his Fears calling God to witness they are the greater for the Religion for his people and for their Laws than for his own Rights or safetie of himself and yet he tells them none of these are free from Danger What would you have said he Have I violated your Laws Have I denied any one Bill What have ye done for me Have my people been transported with Fears and Apprehensions I have I offer a free pardon as your selves can devise There is a Iudgment from Heaven upon this Nation if these Distractions continue God so deal with me and mine as all my thoughts and intentions are right for the maintenance of the true Protestant profession the observation and preservation of
on to Warwick and there refreshed fell upon Strafford Avon commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Wagstaff Colonel Croker and Trist a Dutchman and some Companies of Foot with these they made good the Bridg faced the Enemy but not able to endure the Ordnance made a safe Retreat and left the Town to the Enemy who in fear of some stratagem made a hasty plunder and retreated to Warwick and so to Staffordshire where his Lordship by his Reputation and presence sought to dissolve the Association of the Gentry there and reduce the County to the Parliament Being come to Lichfield he gets into the Town indefencible and unarmed but those Forces that were there under the Earl of Chesterfield retired to the precincts of the Cathedral called A Close a place more tenable Brook being Master of the Town gave on upon the Enemy and whilest they fought he was got up into a chamber-window and peeping at a loop-hole of the Window received a fatal Shot upon the Ey-ball of which he instantly sunk down and died The remarkable passage is that the Lord Brook was shot in the eye on Saint Chad's day the first Bishop of the Mercians of that Church and that by the Son of a Clergy man the Enemy of the Church was killed The Assailants having lost their Leader retired for a while but came on again and took the Church together with the Earl of Chesterfield and all his Souldiers being many and some good Ordnance The Report was constant that the Lord Brook had ordered his Chaplain at his setting forth to this Encounter to preach upon this Text If I perish I perish Hest. c. 4. And himself prayed and used this Execration upon himself and Souldiers That if the cause he followed were not right and just he might be presently cut off and that he hoped to live to see the day when one stone of Saint Paul 's Church in London should not be left upon another Should be killed in the Eye and not the Lid touched He that disliked the Letany for the Prayer against sudden Death should die stone-dead But on Sunday afterwards March 22. the Commanders of the Kings Forces besiege Lichfield received intelligence that Sir Iohn Gell and Sir William Brereton for the Parliament with a Body of three thousand were coming to the Relief of the Besieged they drew out eight hundred Horse and three hundred Dragoons and came upon them unexpected and the Parliaments Horse not able to endure the Charge were put to flight and the Foot seeing themselves deserted forsook the Field leaving the Victory intire to the Kings party many killed and Prisoners taken with Ammunition and Baggage some Ordnance and four Drakes but all these were full dearly bought for though the King lost but few men he had it at no less price than the Earl of Northampton's life a gallant faithfull Lord who charging in the Head of his Troop was so-ingaged that his own Saddle-horse being shot and failing he was unfortunately slain and though he lost his life yet Victory attended him to his grave vanquishing those by whom he suffered and died a Protestant professour contrary to the feigned Report devised on him But afterwards Lichfield Close was gotten for the King by Prince Rupert the one and twentieth of April who having sprung his Mine made a reasonable Breach which assailing and at the same time others scaled the Walls both which failing and he sent for to Court gave them a fresh Attempt as a Farewell at which they yielded Lieutenant Colonel Russel commanding in chief to depart with fourscore Horse Men and Arms as many Musquetiers with Colours flying a free Pass and eleven Carts for their Baggage to Coventry and all Prisoners taken on either side since the Lord Brook came into the Countrey should be released It was on Saturday April 17. that the General Essex sate down before Reading and the next day made an Attempt thereon but was beaten off by Sir Arthur Aston the Governour an old Souldier bred up in the Wars of Germany from his youth A second Onset followed and entered upon one of the Out-works and repulsed with loss and for that good service the King sent them thanks with a Supply of seven hundred Musquetiers and sufficient Ammunition which was conveyed to Dorchester and so by a considerable strength of Horse to the water-side just against the Town by break of day and by Boats got in the Besiegers seeing it done but far off to hinder it But the place not able to indure the several Attempts of so great an Army daily supplied with fresh men the City of London Trained Bands and plenty of all provisions the last Encounter of the Besiegers with their great Ordnance shooting into the Town the Governour got a dangerous Bruise on the Head by the fall of some Brick-bats and in much danger the command devolved on Colonel Fielding and by him the Town was delivered up to their Enemy upon noble Conditions All the Forces to march out in warlike manner with free passage to Oxford with fifty Carts for Carriage the Town not to be plundered and such as will may remove from thence within six weeks and this was done on May day Of which sudden Surrender Fielding was questioned and committed at Oxford and by a Council of War sentenced to lose his head but left to the Kings mercy and by importunity of his Kindred the Villiers he had pardon And Sir Arthur Aston recovered of his Mischance to do the King good service for many years after In May the Overseers for demolishing all Pictures Crosses and what not that were so idolatrous abominable concluded their Reformation in that Monument of Adornment to the City Cheapside the great Cross after the Multitude had defaced the excellent Statues thereon of former Kings and Queens they pulled down the whole Fabrick to the ground in hate to Idolatry as was pretended but more certainly they made good use of the Gold and Lead which the pride of the City formerly had set out with much cost and now as forward to pull it down for the benefit of the State service And the next good Act they voted the Queen a Traitor for taking part with her Husband for now she was ready to march with good Forces towards the King Captain Hotham the Son being imprisoned by the Parliament made his Escape and sent to the Earl of Newcastle that he would cast himself into his arms and that Hull and Lincoln should be rendered to him and is now gone to his Father at Hull and both of them stand upon their guard The Queen now at Newark with some Forces intends to lie at Werton and thence to Ashby and there resolve what to do the Enemies Forces from Nottingham being gone to Leicester and Derby to intercept the Queens passage The Queen before she departed left for the safety of Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire two thousand Foot and Arms for five hundred more and twenty
in London and Westminster and Lines of Communication shall pay upon each Tuesday the value of one ordinary Meal for himself and Family according to his quality and condition to be assessed by fitting persons in each VVard and to continue for six Moneths from 2. of April next The forwardness of the Citizens heretofore for VValler onely now draws it into an Ordinance which continued for many years Colonel Oliver Cromwell was by Ordinance of Parliament appointed Governour of the Garison and Isle of Ely in Cambridgshire of seven hundred Foot and three Troops of Horse with power to put in execution the several Ordinances of raising Moneys within the Isle of Ely also for support of that Garison I mention him not till now his great actions come together The Earl of Holland made his humble Request to the House of Commons That he might have leave to wait upon the General Essex in this his Expedition which both Houses assented unto but admiting afterwards some debate by the Commons the Negative was voted not a Member contradicting and sent word to the General of the whole sense of the House therein and so he did not go It was a handsome Exploit of Colonel Fox for the Parliament who with a single Troop of seventy Horse marched the third of May from Tamworth to Bewdley a strong Garison of the Cavaliers and coming late at night bold and confident demanded entrance at the first Guard under pretence of one of Prince Rupert's Troops the Chain was presently drawn up and they were welcome in this Guard he forthwith secures and passes to the next and so to the third with like success and with little noise went up to the Main Guard in the middle of the Town upon the Bridg over Severn killed the Centinels and seized the Guard without loss of a Man and so passed on and mastered the whole Town took Sir Thomas Littleton Prisoner with divers other Gentlemen about fifty Horse and carried all away with him returning home by dayâ— break The Lord Fairfax and his Son Sir Thomas joyning Forces had many several Successes in Yorkshire and the tenth of April drew near to the Kings Garison of Fairfax's Forlorn of Horse beat in the other and the next morning beset the Town in three Divisions and after a very hot Encounter entered the Town slew many and took the rest few escaping a thousand Prisoners sundry Commanders and other Officers and much Amunition Another like Success at Hemtough near Selby so that Fairfax was fain to desire the Parliaments Order how to dispose of the Prisoners by his own Letters he hoped very shortly utterly to roâ—t the Earl of Newcastle for now he was Master of the Field And upon all such like Successes so monstrously set forth in Pamphlets a Thanksgiving and a Play-day published with which the people were well pleased But the main business General Essex was not so well recruited as that he would march and therefore all possible means were made to raise Money A great Debate there was to borrow a hundred thousand pounds of the States Netherlands and a Committee came to the City to send their Agent thither to procure it and to offer their Security But it ended in this way That the City must do it themselves upon Publick Faith That is so much Money for levying of a Guard for the City Another Sum for Men for the Lord General and a Brigade in readiness as a Reserve and to pay them six Moneths provided some Taxes might be spared and no more laid upon them And evermore the necessity was urged upon some excellent Design which would give enâ— to the VVar and settle Peace for ever more And this in private was onely whispered To catch the King from his Cavaliers And because he had made proclamation for the assistance of all the neighbour Counties to come in with Provisions to Oxford the Parliament thereupon set out their Declaration observing therein That the same Councils now predominate in Oxford which have contrived and effected the destruction of Ireland by force and Sword do further labour to bring the same desolation in England therefore the Parliament declare that they will use their hearty endeavours with the hazzard of their Lives and Fortunes to prevent these Miseries and have ordered that considerable Forces shall speedily advance for defence and protection of the poor harressed people of England April 22. The Parliament Members assembled at Oxford had sate â—â—nce the 〈◊〉 of Ianuary last and with little business and to less purpose themselves were willing to recede which caused the King to come to them on Tuesday 16. April and tells them My Lords and Gentlemen I am brought to you by your selveâ— you desiring I shoâ—ld part with you the same zeal and affection which brought yoâ— hither and staid you here seeks this Recess so by distributing your selves into several Counties we all may reap the fruit of our Consultations I heartily thank you for what you have done and fully approve of what you desire To you that have charge in my Armies I recommend your Example and Discipline against License and Disorders To these engaged in civil affairs to expedite the Supplies of Money being the Nerves of War And be sure to inform all my Subjects of the odiousness of this Rebellion how solicitous I have been for Peace how insolently rejected that my Armies are raised and kept for defence of Religion Laws and Liberties and God who hath blessed this Meeting with unanimity bring us safe together again the eighth of October next But by Proclammation bearing date at Exeter Septemb. 21. prorogued the Assembly till Novemb. 9. The Parliament at Westminster having news of the intended Assembly of the Parliament in Scotland resolved to be timely fitted with Letters congratulatory to their Meeting Expressing therein the great obligation they have to that Kingdom for their effectual engaging in this common cause and their brotherly assistance in their greatest straits which hath mightily abated the violence of the Enemy already and are confident will be a powerfâ—ll means for setling of his Majesties Dominions for effecting thereof it is desired that they be as well joyned in their Councils as Armies and that there be a just correspondency between the two Kingdoms which as it hath been already the care of the Convention of Estates there and the general Assembly of Scotland to which end the Parliament of England hath appointed a Committee to reside with their Army and have setled a Committee of both Kingdoms at Westminster with return of thanks to the Kingdom of Scotland for their care and charge of their Armie in Ireland That therefore the Parliament of England hath thirty thousâ—nd pounds to be sent with speed to that Army and have already sent twenty thousand pounds to the Scotish Army in England and desire the Kingdom of Scotland to take in good part their Endeavours though not answerable to their deserts and