those two Court Parasites and Ear-Wiggs Mountague and Manwaring who poysoned the Ears of King Charles the First with such infectious Doctrine that proved to be fatal to the King and Kingdoms 'T is true indeed both Montague and Manwaring were doom'd and condemn'd for the same in open Parliament Sentenced and Fined and made incapable of all Ecclesiastical Benefices and Promotions But King Charles was so much in Love with these two wicked Levites and their Doctrines that soon after the Parliament was dissolved he punished them with two Fat Bishopricks That the World may know for what Manwaring was thus Rewarded by the King I shall produce three of his pernicious Assertions out of his two Sermons before the King Printed under the Title of Religion ond Allegiance 1. That the King is not bound to observe the Laws concerning the Subjects Rights but that his Will in Imposing Loans and Taxes without consent in Parliament doth oblige the Subjects Conscience Upon Pain of Eternal Damnation 2. That they who refused the Loan did offend against the Law of God and against the Kings Supreme Authority and thereby became Guilty of Impiety Disloyalty Rebellion c. 3. That Authority of Parliament is not necessary for the raising of Aids and Subsidies and Dr. Sibthorp Vicar of Brackley printed a Sermon which he Preached at the Assizes at Northampton and Dedicated to the King wherein he Poysons his Country with these vile Positions 1. That it is the Prince's Duty to direct and make Laws his Text by the way was Rom. 13. 7. Render therefore to all their Dues he justified this by that Opposite Proof Eccles. 8. 3 4. He doth whatsoever pleases him Who may say unto him what doest thou 2. That all Antiquity is absolutely for absolute Obedience to Princes in all Civil and Temporal Things 3. That if Princes command any thing which Subjects may not perform because against the Laws of God of Nature or Impossible yet they are bound to undergo the Punishment without Resistance and so to yield a Passive Obedience where they cannot Exhibit an Active One. P g Sh k and others have largely since that time obliged the World with these Enslaving Doctrines As this King took great care to Reward such Ministers as these so he was resolved to make Examples of those Pious and Worthy Clergy-men that stood up against the Oppressions of those Times for Brevities Sake I shall instance but two of the many that might be Named The first was that Good Man Dr. Abbot Archbishop of Canterbury because he could not in Conscience comply with the King who with Menaces required him to License that abominable Sermon of Siâ—throps before mention'd and thereby make that Good by Divinity which had been done against the Laws And when the Lord Conway Secretary of State was sent with a threatning Message from the King to him this good Old Man persisted in his Refusal saying with the Psalmist I shall not be affraid of any Evil Tydings for my heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. The King instantly Suspended this Archbishop and also confined him and committed the Archiepiscopal Jurisdictionâ— to five Bishops all of the New Church of England and Sibthorp's Patrons viz. London Durham Rochester and Oxford and honest Laud of Bath and Wells The second was Dr. Williams Bishop of Lincoln who also felt the heavy Oppression of this Protestant King In the first Year of his Reign he was Lord Keeper of the reat Seal but upon his appearing in Parliament against the Kingdoms great Grievance the Duke of Buckingham he was Disgraced und-Sequestred from the King's Presence and Council Table In his second Year he was accused for speaking publickly against the Loan and also for refusing to give way to proceedings in his Courts against the Puritans The King Imprison'd him in the Tower but this good Bishop out-living his Imprisonment upon the King 's throwing the Gauntlet he came to a Tryal of Skill for the Old English Liberties and he resolutely said Nolumus Leges Anglia Mutari and took Command in the Parliament's Army and bravely asserted his Country's Liberties with his Sword If I should proceed to relate how this King dealt by the Nobility and Gentry both Lawyers and others that stood up for the Laws of the Land and Liberties of the People this Tragical Story would swell to too great a Bulk for a Preface I shall therefore give a short Account of the matters contained in the following Treatise viz. that He Favoured Protected and was Ruled by the worst of Men both Clergy and Laity Secondly That He highly favoured Papists Thirdly That He Govern'd by an Arbitrary Power and raised Money upon his Subjects without Act of Parliament which is directly against the Constitution of the Government of England and of a most dangerous Consequence to the People of England for when ever such a Power is Established in these Kingdoms the People may bid a sad farewell to all their Felicity for they would soon undergood the same Miserable Fate the poor People of France have done ever since that King violated their Magna Charta call'd the Edict of Nants c. which is to be Taxed according to that Prince's Will and Pleasure Fourthly That he was not that Pious Prince the mad World without reason would represent him to be of all these you have too many Instances in the following Treatise which for the satisfaction of Mankind contains not onely 26â— Articles or Charges against this King but also the following Tracts all of which were never Printed at large in any one Book before viz. The Popes Letter to King Charles I. and King Charles his Letter in Answer thereunto calling the Pope Most Holy Father c. The Articles of Marriage made in Favour of Papists with France King Charle ' s Commission to the Irish Rebels and Philem Oneles and Rorie Macquire ' s Declaration thereupon King Charles II's Letter to the Court of Claims of Ireland in behalf of that great Rebel the Marquess of Antrim to restore him to his Estate for that the said Marquess had made it appear that what he acted in that Rebellion was done by the Express Orders and Commands of Charles I. His Father King Charles I's Warrant by Secretary Nicholas to the King's Printer Commanding him to Print no more thâ—n Forty Proclamations that Proclaimed the Irish Rebels An Abstract of those Strange Articles of Peace that King Charles the First made with the Irish Rebells The two Letters he writ to assure the Rochellers of his relieving them and the miserable and deplorable Remonstrance those poor People made to him upon his Sacrificing them to the Mercy of the French King The Earl of Anglesey ' s Memorandum Dr. Anthony Walker and Mrs. Gauden ' s Proofs that Eicon Basilice was not Writ by King Charles but by Dr. Gauden Bishop of Exeter That Copy of the Kings and Pamelia ' s Prayers taken out of Eicon Basilice and Sir Philip Sydneys Arcadia
him and if afterwards there should be no Peace he could never expect succours from Ireland or any other Catholick Prince In another of her Letters we find her writing thus January 17. 1644. It comforts me much to see the Treaty shall be at Uxbridge I received Yesterday Letters from the Duke of Lorrain who sends me word if his service be agreeable to you he will bring 10000 Men. Above all have a care not to abandon those who have served you as well the Bishops as the poor Catholicks By the King's Letters to the Queen in February when the Treaty at Uxbridge was depending He Stiles the Parliament Unreasonable Stubborn Perfidious Rebels presses her to hasten all possible Assistance to him particularly that of the Duke of Lorrain He tells her That the limitted days for treating are now almost expired without the least Agreement upon any one Article wherefore I send for enlargement of days That the whole Treaty may be laid open to the whole World and I assure thee thou needst not doubt the Issue of this Treaty for my Commissioners are so well chosen though I say it that they will neither be Threatned nor Disputed from the Grounds I have given them which upon my Word Is according to the little Note thou so well remembers Be confident that in making Peace I shall ever shew my Constancy in adhereing to Bishops and all our Friends which could be meant of no other than the Catholicks for the Queen in her Letter before mentioned had given him Charge of both together and not forget to put a short Period to this perpetual Parliament We find in another Letter Dated the 5th of March expressing himself in these Words I have thought of one means more to furnish Thee with my assistance than hitherto thou hast had it is That I give Thee power to promise in my Name that I will take away all the Penal Laws against the Roman Catholicks in England as soon as God shall enable me to do it In relation to Ireland he wrote to the Marquess of Ormond to this Effect Jan. 7. The Rebells here have agreed to Treat and most assuredly one of the first and chiefest Articles they will insist on will be To continue the Irish War which is a Point 〈◊〉 popular for me to break on of which you are to make a double use First To hasten with all possible diligence the Peace there the timely conclusion of which will take off that Inconvenience which otherwise I may be subject to by the Refufal of that Article upon any other Reason Secondly By dexterous conveying to the Irish the danger there may be of their Total Exclusion from those Favours I intend them in case the Rebells here clap up a Peace Not doubting of a Peace I must again remember you to press the Irish for their speedy Assistance to Me here and their Friends in Scotland I desire that the Irish would send as great a Body as they can to Land about Cumberland which will put those Northern Counties in a brave Condition Upon the 14th Ianuary he Writes thus to the Queen As for the Peace of Ireland to shew Thee the Care I have had of it and Fruits I hope to receive from it I have sent Thee the last Dispatches I have sent concerning it For God's sake let none know the particulars of my Dispatches Some secret piece of Villany against his Protestant Subjects no Doubt that he was so affraid of having it Discovered Another Letter to Her of the 20th of March hath this Expression I find that thou much mistakes me concerning Ireland I desire nothing more than a Peace there and ever forbid thy Commerce there By another Letter he commanded Ormond to Dispatch the Irish Peace out of hand and thereby promises that the Penal Laws against the Roman Catholicks Shall not be put in Execution The Peace being made and that when the Irish give him that Assistance which they have promised for the suppression of this Rebellion then he would consent to the Repeal of them by a Law and Concludes Recommending to him again the speedy dispatch of the Peace of Ireland Another Letter to Ormond upon the 27th of February 1644. was That he thought himself bound in Conscience not to lose that assistance which he might hope from his Irish Subjects for such scruples as in a less pressing condition might reasonably be struck at by him and therefore Commanded him to conclude a Peace with the Irish whatever it cost so that his Protestant Subjects there might be secured and his Regal Authority preserved If the present taking away the Penal Laws against Papists will do it said he I shall not think it a hard Bargin so that freely and vigourously they engage themselves in my Assistance against my Rebells of England and Scotland for which no Conditions can be too hard not being against Conscience or Honour By another Letter to the Marquess of Ormond in the same Month he Writes thus Now again I cannot but mention the necessity of hastning the Irish Peace for which I hope you are already furnished by Me with Materials sufficient But in case against all Expectation and Reason Peace cannot be had upon those Terms you must not by any means fall to a New Rupture with them but continue the Cessation He wrote to the Duke of Richmond one of his Commissioners for the Uxbridge Treaty To remember to Cajole well the Independants and the Scots nay he instructed Secretary Nicholas to bribe the Commissioners for the Parliament with the promise of Security Rewards and Places Now upon the whole matter let any impartial and unbyassed Person tell me whether he doth not in his Conscience believe that the Parliament were far more sincere in making an Honourable Peace for poor England than this apparently False Popish and tricking King whom the wicked part of Mankind so madly cry up for a Martyr 26. That for many Reasons it was concluded That King Charles had no small share in the abominable Act of Poysoning his own Father King James I. and that Good Man Prince Henry his Son It being very plain divers Parliaments were but short lived if they did but mutter that an Enquiry should be made of their untimely Ends and that the Duke of Buckingham was protected for that and other Villanies And that I may Demonstrate to the World more fully than I have already done in the 6th Articles That King Charles I. did most Dishonourably and Persidiously Betray the poor Protestants of the Isle of Rhee and Rochel I shall produce Copies of two of his Letters to them LETTER I. The King of England's Letter Directed to the Mayor Sheriffs Peers Burghers and Inhabitants of the City of Rochell dated 19th of May Old Stile 1628. Gentlemen BE not Discomforted though my Fleet be return'd hold out unto the last for I am resolved that all my Fleet shall Perish rather than you shall not be Relieved and to this end I
will agree almost in every Word Twenty Articles against that wicked Prelate Land and to give a clear Demonstration of this Holy Martyrs Religion and Piety His Declaration for the lawfulness of Sports and Pastimes on the Lord's Day is printed in this Book at Large To conclude If all these and many more sad matters of Fact already in this and other Books produced to the World will not be of force enough to satisfie the generality of Mankind that they have been most notoriously imposed upon by the Clergy and some of the Laity in their Defence of King Charles I. against the Parliament of 1640. and People of England I shall conclude that nothing but the coming down of an Angel from Heaven will be able to convince them of their Error I shall therefore leave them to God and end all with this hearty Prayer That he would be pleased so to open their Eyes that they might see what will make for the Peace and Happiness of these Kingdoms and no longer promote and keep up those Unhappy Divisions that are yet amongst us after above 40 Years Controversie on this Melancholly Subject ERRATA PAge 2. line 5. read Immerited p. 4. l. 11. r. Gorges p. 4. l. 15. r. Desert f. Defect p. 4. last line r. Coat p. 5. l. 24. r. that p. 6. l. 12. r the King p. 6. l. 25. r. Bath p. 9. l. 13. r. Prins p. 10. l. 25. Dele and also King Charles II's Declaration after his Restoration p. 12. l. 23. r. Papists p. 14. l. 10. r. things f. time p. 15. l. 10 r. proportion p. 18. l. 5. dele it p. 18. l. 9. incert to after Relations p. 21. l. 21. r. Wentworth p. 21. l. 28. r. Suspiria p. 23. l. 3. r. dismiss p. 27. l. 25. r. have done p. 28. l. 27 r. Zyons p. 37. l. 18. r. alia p. 39. l. 21. after imaginable 〈◊〉 to enslave his people p. 44. l. 25. r. Article p. 46. l. 12. r. therein p. 48. l. 12. r. irreconcilable p. 50. l. 29. r. have p. 51. l. 34. dele not p. 54. l. 19. r. cordially f. Cardinals ENGLANDS Black List OR A short Account of some of the many Illegal Arbitrary Popish and Tyrannical Actions of King Charles I. falsely and unjustly call'd the Pious Martyr of ever Blessed Memory I shall not pretend to describe them Gradually or Annually but as they Occur 1. HE took in the Duke of Buckingham to be one of the chief Conductors of all his Affairs notwithstanding the said Duke was impeached for a very suspicious Playster and Portion administred to King James the First See the Earl of Bristols and Sir Dudley Digg's Speeches against him in Rushworth The Duke's Mother and many near about him were Papists and advanced Men popishly Devoted to places of the chief Command in the Court and Camp Three Parliaments in the beginning of this Reign found and declared this Duke the cause of all their Miseries and Disasters the Grievance of Grievances yet King Charles would against all Justice protect him 2. He made that wicked Bishop Laud who was afterwards deservedly beheaded another of his Favourites by whose precious Councils poor England hath notoriously suffered to write his Life according to his Actions would sufficiently darken the Lustre of those immerite and impious Encomiums given by that Notorious Jacobite Mr. Wharton The Pious Dr. Abbatt then Arch Bishop of Canterbury hath in his Writings given a sad account of him 'T is said that Archbishop Sancroft had a great hand in putting forth this Book 3. His Marrying Heneretta Maria of France a violent Papist and agreeing to private Articles in favour of Papists viz. That those who had been Imprisoned as well Ecclesiastical as Temporal should be Released That Papists should be no more molested for their Religion by which means the Papists grew impudent and Scoff'd at Parliaments and Law Read the Articles at large in this Book 4. That received a Letter from the Pope and writ him an Answer saluting Antichrist with the Title of Sanctissime Pater Most Holy Father That Procured the Pope's Dispensation for his Marriage which was solemnized by Proxy according to the Ceremonies of the Romish Church See the Pope's and King's Letter at large in this Book 5. That pursuant to his Private Article with France immediately Granted a special Pardon to twenty Popish Priests for all the Offences they had Committed against the Laws and Built a Chapel at Somerset-House with Conveniencies for Fryars which were permitted to walk abroad in their Habits Baker the Jesuit was one of many that was Pardoned after the Lords and Commons had sent a Petition to him for advancing the True Religion and suppressing of Papery He made Weston who died a Papist his Lord Treasurer and preferred so many Papists to places of great Trust as Lord Lieutenants Deputy Lieutenants Justices of the Peace c. That the Commons of England complain'd by their Petition of near One Hundred of all Ranks he restrain'd the Ecclesiastical and Temporal Courts from intermedling with Papists which was little less then a Tolleration He not only Schreened but Pardoned Mountague his Chaplain whom the Commons had Voted had endeavoured to Reconcile England to Rome and instanced that he maintain'd these Positions That the Church of Rome is and ever was a True Church That Images might be used for the instructions of the Ignorant and for Exortation of Devotion That Saints have a Memory and a more peculiar charge of their Friends and that it may be admitted that some Saints have a peculiar Patronage Custody Protection and Power as Angels also have over certain Persons and Countrys by special Deputation That impiously and prophanely scoffed at Preaching Lectures Bibles and all shew of Religion and though the Commons prayed that for these and other matters Mountague might be Punished and his Books Burnt yet the King would do neither but Pardon'd him as aforesaid being incensed at the Commons prosecuting a Man after his own Heart 6. That to the great Dishonour of England the Scandal of the Protestant Religion and the great Weakening of the Protestant Interest abroad Did lend Eight Ships Equip'd with the subsidies given for the relief of his distressed Protestant Sister the Electress Palatine and the poor oppressed Protestants of the Palatinate to the French King to fight against the miserable Protestants of Rochel Captain Peâ—nington in the Vantguard went Admiral the Commanders and Mariners protested against the Service though tempted with Chains of Gold c. Declaring they would sink rather then fight against their own Religion The Duke of Rohan and the French Protestants sollicited the King not to let the Ships go again and had good Words and Hopes Nevertheless Ordered Pennington by Letter Dated the 28th of July 1625. without Delay to Consign the Vantguard into the Hands of the Marquess de Effiat for the French King's Service and to require the seven other Ships in his Name to put themselves into the
prosecute his Petition in that Parliament he could neither Go See nor Hear This Dismal Story will be an Eternal Blot not only on Laud who was the chief Instrument in that sad Oppression but also upon the pretended Martyr King Charles for permitting such Barbarous and inhumane Cruelties to be exercised on his Subjects I shall shew you something more of this Bloody Villains Barbarity viz. That upon the first of February 1632. Laud procured Mr. Prin to be sent close Prisoner to the Tower there he lay till the 21st of June 1633. when an Information without mentioning any particular Passages in his Book was exhibited against him in the Star Chamber Court for Publishing a Book concerning Interludes intitled Histriomastix which was Licensed by a Chaplain of Dr. Abbatts Archbishop of Canterbury Upon the 17th of February 1633. notwithstanding his Book was Licensed yet he had this heavy Sentence passed upon him viz. To be Imprisoned for Life pay Five Thousand Pounds Fine be Expelled Lincolns-Inn Disabled to Exercise the Profession of a Barrister Degraded by the University of Oxford of his Degrees there taken and that done to be set in the Pillory at Westminster and have one of his Ears there cut off and at another time to be set in the Pillory in Cheap-side and there to have his other Ear cut off Though many of the Lords never dreamt of the Execution of this Horrid Judgment nay though Queen Henrietta Maria which deserves an Honourable Mention and she shall have it for She was the present King 's Royal Grandmother earnestly interceded with the Biggotted Cruel and Merciless King who was an abominable T to remit its Execution yet on the 7th and 10th of May it was fully Executed with great Rigour and Mr. Prin remain'd Sundry Years in the Tower upon this censure Mr. Burton and Dr. Bastwrick were also without the least just cause violently prosecuted after the same manner it will be too tedious to relate theirs and others unchristian uses when Tyranny and Arbitrary Power were Rampant 23. That against the Law of Nature against the Rules of Iustice falsely charged those Innocent Men the Noble Lord Mandeville Mr. Hollis Mr. Strode and others with Treason for which in the Face of the Highest Iudicature in the Kingdom they were most unjustly Imprisoned the King denying them the Names of their Accusers and which was an Act of Tyranny beyond Parrallel He accused them and yet would produce no Witness he confessed them clear in his own Iudgment yet they must not profess their own Innocency for fear of wounding his Honour 24. That was not satisfied with Imprisoning and Oppressing some of the Parliament Men but tempted and incouraged his English Army with no less than the Spoil of the City of London to come up and destroy the Parliament He in an Hostile and inexcusable manner made a most high Invasion upon the Priviledges of both Houses Hereupon many Citizens unarm'd resorted to Westminster to present their Petitions and express their stedfastness to the Parliament whose Lives and Safety by more than slight Rumours they doubted to be in Danger the King having fortified White-Hall and entertained Armed Men not a few planted them at the Gate of his Palace 'T is remarkable the first Blood that was drawn in this Cause was in that very place where the King 's own Blood was afterwards shed 1 K. 21. 19. where they Reviled Menaced and with drawn Swords actually Wounded many of the Citizens as they passed by in a peaceable manner whereof some dyed Nay they went farther and were come to that height of Boldness as to give out Insolent and Menacing Speeches against the Parliament it self and to imbrue their hands in the Blood of the King's Subjects in Westminster-Hall and at the Doors of the Parliament as well as at his own Gate And when the Parliament and People complain'd and demanded Justice for those Assaults the King justified and abetted his own Crew in what they did Nor can the passing by of a multitude of the King's Subjects armed with no other Weapons then Petitions be justly call'd Tumults neither could the Parliament have forbid them without the Breach of the Peoples Freedom Unarmed Petitioners surely could not le formidable to any and it must not be forgotten that a very short time before His Majesty pretended to dread these Tumultuary Citizens the City Entertained Feasted and Conducted him to White-Hall with as pompous Sollemnity and costly Expressions of Love and Duty as ever had been known Nay after he had highly exasperated the People by his Irruption with the House of Commons he went in his Coach unguarded into the City He received not the lest Affront much less Violence in any of the Streets but rather humble Demeanours and Supplications He knew the People so full of Awe and Reverence to his Person as to commit himself single amongst the thickest of them at a time when had mostâ— provoked them This shews beyond doubt That all his fear of Tumults was but a meer pretence and occasions taken for his resolved Absence from the Parliament that he might turn his slashing at the Court Gate to slaughtering in the Field In order thereunto the King retires first to Hampton Court commanding his Servants who were then Members of Parliament to leave their service there and to give their Attendance upon his Person Soon after his Popish Queen passes into Holland carrying with her all or the the greatest part of the Crown Jewels which she immediately Pawn'd and with the Money bought Arms and Ammunition for the War which was not yet begun Upon the 1st of March 1641. Both Houses called upon His Majesty by their Petition presented at Theobalds That for the Dispatch of the great Affairs of the Kingdoâ— the safety of his Person the Protection and Comfort of his Subjects he would be pleased to continue his abode near the Parliament and not to with-draw himself to any of the remoter Parts which if he should do must needs be a cause of great danger and distraction and they pray'd him to accept this humble Counsel as the Effect of that Duty and Allegiance which they ow'd unto him and which would not suffer them to admit of any thoughts intentions or endeavours but such as were necessary and advantagious for His Majesties Greatness and Honour and the Safety and Prosperity of the Kingdom These are Expressions surely that did not in the least favour of that Sedition and Rebellion with which our wicked Clergymen charge the Memory of this Great and Noble Parliament The King willingly giving himself up to the Conduct of Evil Counsellors was deaf to the importunate supplication of the Lords and Commons for his Return they therefore called again upon him more earnestly and sent after him a Declaration to New-Market by the Earls of Pembrook and Holland and a Committee of the Commons wherein they laid before him the Causes of their own Fears and Jealousies in these particulars 1.
That the design of altering Religion had been potently carried on by those in greatest Authority about him the Queen's Agent at Rome the Pope's Nuncio here are not only Evidences of this Design but have been great Actors in it 2. That the War with Scotland was procured to make way for this Intent and chiefly fomented by the Papists and others Popishly affected whereof we have many Evidences 3. That the Rebellion in Ireland was framed and contrived here in England and that the English Papists should have risen about the same time We have several Testimonies c. The Irish Rebels affirm That they do nothing but by Authority from the King they call themselves the Queen's Army the Booty which they take from the English they mark with the Queen's mark and it is proved that their purpose was to come to England after they had done in Ireland 4. The labouring to infuse into Your Majesties Subjects an evil Opinion of the Parliament and other Symptons of a disposition of raising Arms and dividing your People by a Civil War in which Combustion Ireland must needs be lost and this Kingdom miserably wasted and consumed if not wholly ruined and destroyed 5. That Your Majesty sent away the Lord Digby by your own Warrant beyond Sea after a Vote had passed in the House of Commons Declaring That he had appear'd in a Warlike manner at Kingston upon Thames to the terror of your Majesties good Subjects that he being so got beyond Sea he vented his traiterous Conceptions that Your Majesty should declare your Self and retire to a place of Strength and intimated some service which he might do in those parts whereby in probability he intended the procuring of some Foreign Force to strengthen Your Majesty in that Condition into which he would have brought you which malicious Counsel we have great cause to doubt made too deep an Impression in Your Majesty considering the course you are pleased to take of absenting your Self from that Parliament and carrying the Prince with you which seems to express a purpose in Your Majesty to keep your Self in a readiness for the Acting of it 6. The manifold Advertisements which we have had from Rome Venice Paris and other parts That they still expect that Your Majesty has some great design in hand for the altering of Religion the breaking the Neck of your Parliament and that you will yet find means to compass that design that the Pope's Nuncio hath sollicited the Kings of France and Spain to lend Your Majesty 4000 Men a piece to help to maintain your Royalty against the Parliament These are some of the grounds of our Fears and Jealousies which made us so earnestly to implore your Royal Authority and Protection for our Defence and security in all the ways of Humility and Submission which being denyed by Your Majesty We do with sorrow apply our selves to the use of that Power viz. the Militia which by the Fundamental Laws of this Kingdom resides in us yet still resolving to keep our selves within the Bounds of Faithfullness and Allegiance to your Sacred Person and your Crown And as to the Fears and Iealousies which His Majesty seem'd to have Entertained of them The Lords and Commons thus Answered We have according to Your Majesties desires laid our hands upon our Hearts we have asked our selves in the strictest Examination of our Consciences we have searched our Affections our Thoughts considered our Actions and can find none that can give Your Majesty any just Occasion to absent your self from White-Hall and the Parliament but that you may with more Honour and Safety continue there than in any other place Your Majesty lays a great Charge upon Us if you will graciously be pleased to let us know the Particulars we shall give a clear and satisfactory Answer But what hope can we have of ever giving Your Majesty satisfaction when those particulars which you have been made believe were true yet being produced and made known to us appeared to be false and Your Majesty notwithstanding will neither Punish nor Produce the Authors But go on to contract new Iealousies and Fears upon general and uncertain Grounds affording Us no means or possibility of particular Answer to the clearing of our selves We beseech Your Majesty to consider in what state you are how easie and fair a way You have to Happiness Honour and Greatness Plenty and Security if you will joyn with the Parliament in the Defence of the Religion and publick good of the Kingdom this is all we expect from you And for this we return to you our Lives Fortunes and utmost Endeavours to support Your Majesty Your just Power and Soveraignty over us but it is not Words that can secure us in these our humble Desires We cannot but too well and sorrowfully remember what Gracious Messages we had from You this Summer when with your Privity the bringing up the Army was in Agitation We cannot but with the like Affections recall to our Minds how not two days before your own coming to the Commons House You sent a Gracious Message that You would always have a care of their Priviledges as of your own Prerogative of the safety of their Persons as of your own Children That which we expect which will give us Assurance that you have no thought but of Peace and Justice to your People must be some real effect of your Goodness to them in granting those things which your present necessity of the Kingdom do inforce us to desire and that you will be Graciously pleased to put from you those Mischievous Counsellors which have caused all these Dangers and Distractions and to continue your own Residence and the Princes near London and the Parliament which we hope will be an happy beginning of Contentment and Confidence betwixt Your Majesty and People and be followed with many succeeding Blessings of Honour and Greatness to Your Majesty and of Security and Prosperity to them These are brief Heads of the Declaration to which the King Answered Have I violated your Laws To which both Houses made this pertinent Reply We are heartily sorry We have such plentiful Matter of an Answer to that Question Have I violated your Laws I must also take Notice that in the beginning of the Year 1642. a time when the King was in appearance transacting matters amicably with the two Houses and we seemed to be in a deep Peace a time when he Declared That he had received no other Carriage from his Parliament than what he professed himself satisfied with and that if the Bills he had past were again to be offered he should cheerfully and readily Assent unto them Even then he dispatch'd away Letters and an Agent to the King of Denmark complaing of the Parliament and asking Supplies from thence AD PROPUL SANDOS HOSTES you know the English of that is to Subdue his Enemies and declared himself in these Words Ad allia Consilia Animum Convertendum Duximus We resolve to
be excusable if seeing the Effects thereof crossed by all these Delays We entertain Iealousies that Your Majesty is not well served and that there is some secret Hand which clandestingly obstructs that which the Zeal of others endeavours to advance It is ordinary for Men in misery to be suspicious and possibly here we are not injuriously so indeed we do not know any Person on whom to determine our Diffidence nor have we any intention to call to mind any thing that is past may that Sir remain buried in Eternal Oblivion and for the future at least let those to whom Your Majesty shall give your Commands answer so well your kindness to us with their Affection and Diligence that without any farther delay your Fleet may put to Sea and deliver us yet out of the Cruel Arms of Death If Sir upon this occasion you will please to Discern those who serve you Faithfully from other Men if there be any such let Your Majesty be pleased to hold it indubitable that all those who under any pretext whatsoever shall Counsel the least Delayings do it from an ill Intention there being none can pretend ignorance of the dreadful Necessities to which our City is reduced and that one single days delay more may be the cause of its ruine Have therefore some consideration of it we beseech You by the Tears and pitiful Cries of more than Twelve Thousand poor languishing Souls whom Hunger devours and who are all ready to Perish by the Interest of above a Million of others who without doubt will see themselves Buried under our Ruins and who will find the Knife at their Throats the very next day after we are lost By the Glory of your Scepter under the Sanctuary of which we are come to put our selves and which it hath pleased you to tender us for our Security by the Magnificent Title of Defender of the Faith which obligeth Your Majesty to relieve those that are Oppressed for that very Reason in short by the Faith and Word of a King which it hath pleased You of your Grace to Engage us permit not Sir our Innocent Blood to reflect upon your Crown to stain it to Ages that shall succeed us and at present to cry against Your Majesty before God and Man This is that Sir which our Consciences and the Duty we owe to our Afflicted Fellow Citizens oblige us to come and represent a new to Your Majesty in whose Charity Magnanimity Piety and inviolable Fidelity we hawe such Confidence That we assure our selves God will take this in good part and in convenient Consideration And since that all our Supplications tend to make You be pleased to cause your Fleet to set Sail with all possible Diligence and to afford your Presence at Portsmouth where it is so absolutely necessary that without it we can scaree hope for any success We therefore do in all Humility supplicate Your Majesty immediately to put in Execution the Resolution you have taken of going thither and here Sir we fall upon our Knees before Your Majesty with most Ardent Prayer to God that it will please him to make us find more and more Favour in your Sight that even we who now Supplicate You may come again to render to You our most humble and grateful Acknowledgments as to our Great Deliverer from whom next to God we shall hold our Estates Honours and Lives and the memory of so signal a Deliverance we may leave to our Children to the end that they may Celebrate it after us Yet all these Sufferings and the lamentable Estate of the Rochellers nor the sad and pressing Remonstrance of their Deputies enough to melt the Heart of any One but a Cruel faithless Tyrant were Efficatious enough to oblige that Wicked Court to let this third Fleet set sail before September following under the Command of the Earl of Lindsey who arrived before Rochell towards the latter end of the said Month but instead of succouring the City breaking the Digue and opening the Passage to get in Provisions which the King had made them to expect and which they had already almost swallowed in their hopes That Commander had set on Shore the Lord 〈◊〉 unknown to the Deputies that were on Board and to the Duke of Soubize who went straight to the French King's Camp where after some Conferences with the Cardinal with whom as was then reported he had concerted the Delivery of the City to the King which was very far from giving it any Succour He went Post for England to give an Account of it to his Master After the English Fleet had been a Month in the Road without doing any thing and without sending the Besieged Army any manner of Victuals which were on Board Then the poor Rochellers who were not able to hold out no longer saw plainly how they were Abused and Betrayed so hereupon they resolved no more to expect the Illusory Succours of the English and the vain Hopes of assistance from them to deliver up the City and whilst the Lord Montague was going for England and to return to the French King with the Effects of his Negotiation they resolve to throw themselves into the Arms of the King their Sovereign in hopes after all by their Repentance for their so long Obstinancy to obtain his Grace and Favour And about the end of October their Agreement was made among themselves and Signed And the first of November the King made Entrance into Rochell where he found the Inhabitants more like Skeletons than Men and Women And this King had more compassion than the hard-hearted Oppressor of England for he was so sensibly touched with that sad Sight that he could not refrain letting fall some Tears On the 5th of November the English Fleet after having been a Month and six days in the Road and seen from thence the Reductien of Rochell to the Obedience of the King set sail carrying a long with them a great party of French as well as Victuals they had brought from England 27. That was an Exorbitant and Outragious T upon the People of Scotland as appears in many particulars to recount some of them Briefly 1. In overturning their Church Government Established by many Acts of Parliament and obtruding upon them Laud's Liturgy and Popish Ceremonies after that wicked Bishop had sent his Liturgy to Rome to be approved there 2. In denying them the undoubted Right of all Subjects to Petition for Redress of their Grievances 3. In dissolving their Synod and Parliament Burning the Pacification made with them by the Hangman's hands and Imprisoning the Lord 's sent by them to Petition him to perform his Sollemn Promises and Redress their Grievances 4. In levying Doctrines against them and raising a Civil War to justify himself in the Violation of their Laws A Civil War it was said the Great Lord Digby seeing we are of the same Religion and under the same King And 5. In attempting to make use of the Love and