Selected quad for the lemma: parliament_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
parliament_n council_n king_n writ_n 3,088 5 9.2496 4 false
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A62356 Observations historical and genealogical in which the originals of the emperor, kings, electors, and other the sovereign princes of Europe, with a series of their births, matches, more remarkable actions, and deaths, as also the augmentations, decreasings, and pretences of each family, are drawn down to the year MDCXC / written in Latin by Anthony William Schowart ... ; and now made English, with some enlargements relating to England.; Observationes historico-genealogicae. English Schowart, Anton Wilhelm.; C. B. 1693 (1693) Wing S892; ESTC R12594 215,513 512

There are 6 snippets containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

Daughter Elizabeth who afterwards was Queen Septemb 10. following And lastly after a like Divorce beheaded with a Sword May 19. 1536. Three days after whose death some say sooner he married the Lady Jane Seimour Daughter of Sir John Seimour who brought him a Son Prince Edward who succeeded him October the 12th 1537. and died two days after During this ●ime the Cardinal with the King's leave was on his Journey for York but arrested of High-Treason by the way and died at Leicester Abbey Nov. 30. 1530. ere he could reach London To him succeeded in Favour and Power his Servant Cromwell the occasion thus The Cardinal had by the Pope's License suppress'd some small Religious Houses for the Endowment of his Colleges of Christ's Church in Oxford and Ipswich which the King made use of as a Wimble to let in the greater Augre and Cromwell his Instrument for suppressing the rest If they voluntarily surrender'd they went off with Pensions if otherwise and that they defended their Possessions they ran Whiting the Abbot of Glastenbury's Fate to be hang'd for taking Arms against the King From which Beginnings there were first and last dissolved Monasteries 645. whereof 26 had Place and Voice among the Peers Colleges 90. Chauntries and Free-Chappels 2374. Hospitals 110. Nor was the King wanting to give him a Figure suitable to the Undertaking for in the compass of three Years he made him Master of the Jewel-House a Privy Councellor Secretary Master of the Rolls Lord Privy-Seal and Baron Cromwell July 10. 1536. Vicegerent in Spiritualibus the 18th of the same Month Knight of the Garter April 23. 1538. Earl of Essex and Lord High Chamberlain of England April 18. 1540. And his Son Gregory Baron of Okeham which Title remain'd in his Family 'till by the death of Vere Cromwell late Earl of Ardglas in Ireland without Issue Male it was extinct 1686. The King had now been a Widower two Years when Cromwell thinking to rivet himself in the King's Favour by a Queen of his making negotiated a Match for him with Anne Sister of William Duke of Cleve c. who was married to him Jan 6. 1540. But the King not liking her they were divorc'd by Act of Parliament upon her own Consent she renouncing the Title of Queen for that of the King 's adopted Sister And with this Match fell Cromwell for it brought him into the King's disfavour Nor wanted he Enemies to load him by whose procurement he was committed to the Tower July 9. 1540. and the King having No More need of him attainted in Parliament of High Treason and Heresie without so much as being call'd to answer and thereupon beheaded the 19th of the same Month. His FIFTH Wife was the Lady Catharine Howard Daughter of Edmond third Son of Thomas first Duke of Norfolk whom also he attainted in Parliament and beheaded Feb. 13. 1541. The Year following the Title of Lord of Ireland was by the respective Parliaments of both Kingdoms alter'd into that of King of Ireland And to encourage such of the Irish Nobility as came in to him he created O Brian Earl of Thoumond June 3. 1543. And Mac-William a-Burgh Earl of Clanricart July 1. following and 12th of the same Month married the Lady Catharine Parr Widow of the Lord Latimer who had the luck to survive him and was afterwards married to the Lord Admiral Seimour Nor had he after that Year the opportunity of doing much saving that he landed an Army in Scotland under the Conduct of the Lord Admiral Dudley who burnt Lieth to the ground forc'd Edinburgh and having fir'd it as also Thirty other Towns and Villages came back for England by Berwick 1544. And to close the last Scene of his Life he made a Royal Voyage into France and besieg'd Boloigne which by the Personal Courage and Conduct of the said Lord Admiral was surrender'd and the King rode triumphantly into it Sept. 8. the same Year and made him Governour thereof For the recovery of this the French made several attempts but all unsuccessful Whereupon it was at last concluded between the two Kings That if the King of France paid the King of England 800000 Crowns in eight Years he should have Boloigne restor'd to him and that in the mean time it should remain in the King of England's hands as a Security for the Money June 7. 1547. After which falling into a Dropsie he died Jan. 28. following being the Fifty fifth Year of his Age and Thirty seventh of his Reign He had the Soul of a Prince Magnificent and Liberal and whatever may be said of King-Craft understood what it was to be a King Nor were the Popes Julius II. and Leo X. less sensible of it which made them so forward to have engag'd him to their Interest For the former having by a Decree of the Council of Lateran depriv'd the King of France of the Title of Christianissimus transferr'd it to him but died before the Bull was sent over 1514. and the latter granted to him Poster is suis the Title of Defensor Fidei 1521. His Wives as hath been said were SIX but he had Issue only by the Three first viz. By Queen Catharine 1. Henry Tudor born Jan. 1. 1509. and died Feb. 22. following 2. Another not Named born 1514. but liv'd not long 3. Mary Tudor born Feb. 18. 1518. and afterwards came to be Queen of England By Queen Anne Bullen 1. Elizabeth Tudor born Septemb. 10. 1533. who succeeded her Half Sister Mary in the Crown 2. A Male-Child still-born Feb. 29. 1535. By Queen Jane Edward born as before made Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwal and Earl of Chester Octob. 18. 1537. His Natural Issue Henry surnam'd Fitz Roy begotten on the Lady Elizabeth Talbois Daughter of Sir John Blount Kt. and Widow of Sir Gilbert Talbois created Earl of Nottingham June 18. 1525. and the same day Duke of Richmond and Somerset Died without Issue his Father living 1536. XXI To his Father succeeded his only Son Prince Edward VI. a Protestant to whom being yet but Nine Years of Age his Mother's Brother Sir Edward Seimour created Viscount Beauchamp 1536. Earl of Hertford 1538. was appointed Governour proclaimed Lord Protector Feb. 1. 1547. and made Duke of Somerset the 17th of the same Month At which time also his younger Brother Sir Thomas Seimour was made Lord Sudley and High Admiral of England the late Lord Admiral Dudley Earl of Warwick the Lord Chancellor Wriothsley Earl of Southampton and the King Crown'd the 25th following Whereupon the REFORMATION began but the Lord Chancellor seeming averse to it was remov'd from the privy-Privy-Council discharg'd of all his Offices and Sir William Pawlett Lord St. John made Chancellor in his room In which Year the Parliament having given the King Free-Chappels c. he set out the Free-Chappel of St. Stephen founded by King Stephen for a place of Sitting for the House of Commons which before that time had been in the Chapter House of the
Abbot of Westminster And now Commissioners being appointed for matter of Religion not yet disannull'd by Parliament it came into the Protector 's and Council's mind of a Match that upon the death of King James V. King of Scotland had been treated and concluded by the Parliament of that Kingdom with King Henry VIII for the Prince his Son now King with the Lady Mary their young Queen sole Daughter and Heir of the said James and which by the Contrivance of Cardinal Beaton Archbishop of St. Andrew's was now obstructed to the intent of marrying her to Francis Dauphin of France as it afterwards took effect April 24. 1558. To have prevented this an Army is rais'd and Scotland invaded by Sea and Land where after several Skirmishes the Protector engag'd them at Fauxside and Musleborough whence after a great Slaughter and having secur'd a Footing in the Country he return'd for England the September following But as to the young Queen did so little good that it was doubted Whether this Army and that too for a great part Foreigners was rather rais'd to force a Princess out of her own Country to the Marriage of a Prince not yet ripe for her than to secure himself at home During this and his Brother the Lord Admiral 's absence in Scotland whether it were that the Protector 's Wife could not brook the Queen Dowager Parr her Husband 's the Admiral 's younger Brother's Wife to take place of her or that the Admiral kept not thorough-pace with him there grew such a feud between the Brothers that cost them both their Heads For within a Year and half after their return the Admiral was sent to the Tower and without Trial attainted in Parliament and thereupon beheaded March 20. 1549. Nor had he recover'd this false Step before he made another in slipping an Opportunity that play'd into his hand for the Commissioners having thrown all Images and what thereunto appertain'd out of the Churches and the Parliament abolish'd the Missal and enjoyn'd a New Book of Common-Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments in its room the Cornish Men first and after them Oxfordshire Bucking hamshire Norfolk York and others ran into Rebellion which he fortunately suppress'd and thereby became Master of an Army which he might have wrought to any thing at least crush'd his disguis'd Friend but secret Enemy the Earl of Warwick who had stola the Lords of the Council from him and now jointly impeach'd him as the occasion of the late Tumults and at the same time pray the City and the Commons to aid them to take him from the King Whereupon he is committed to the Tower Octob. 14 following and having not Interest enough to hinder the said Earl from being made Lord High-Chamberlain he tamely submitted to a Marriage between the Earl's eldest Son and his eldest Daughter and got his Liberty for that time But this patch'd Friendship lasted not above two Years for the Earl of Warwick being made Duke of Northumberland and the Lord Henry Gray Marquess of Dorset his Consident Duke of Suffolk Octob. 11. 1551. and now Governing all the late Protector was within five days after again committed to the Tower and convicted of Felony upon a Statute of his own making viz. For purposing and attempting the Lives of the said Northumberland and Suffolk two of the King's Privy-Council which by that Statute was made Felony On which he was beheaded Jan. 22. following And the King left so unguarded by any but themselves and their Creatures that it seem'd no difficulty to bring the Crown into their own Families To this purpose a Marriage is contriv'd between the Lord Guilford Dudley Fourth Son of the said Duke of Northumberland and the Lady Jane Gray eldest Daughter of the said Duke of Suffolk by Frances Daughter of Mary Sister of King Henry VIII of whom before and that so cover'd under the specious Pretence of securing the Protestant Religion against the Lady Mary the King's Sister a Catholick that the King not only further'd it but being in a sickly condition did by his last Will and Testament declare the said Lady Jane Gray to be Rightful Heir in Succession to the Crown of England To which also besides the Lords of the Council all the Judges subscrib'd their Names excepting only Sir James Hales one of the Justices of the Common-Pleas who would neither by Word nor Writing give his Assent to the disherison of Queen Mary Not long after which the King died to wit July 6. 1553. in the Seventeenth Year of his Age and Seventh of his Reign but unmarried and Childless and might perhaps have liv'd longer if he had not been a King Three days after the Lady Jane Gray was proclaimed Queen and the same day the Lady Mary Sister of the last King Edward and eldest Daughter of King Henry VIII sent a Letter to the Lords of the Council thereby claiming the Crown by Right of Succession and requiring them upon their Allegiance to have her proclaim'd Queen Which being sleighted by them she withdrew to her Castle of Fremingham whither several of the Nobility and Gentry repair to her The Council on the other hand dispatch the Duke of Northumberland after her but the Men of Suffolk first and after them those of Oxfordshire Northampton and Norfolk came in so thick to her and six Ships of War declaring for her the Council at London proclaim her Queen the 19th of the same Month left the Duke of Northumberland to shift for himself and secur'd the Lady Jane and her Husband in the Tower XXII Queen Mary a Catholick being thus proclaim'd the Duke of Northumberland was arrested at Cambridge and brought to the Tower and together with the Marquess of Northampton and the Earl of Warwick Son and Heir of the said Duke arraign'd of High-Treason before Thomas Duke of Norfolk Lord High-Steward of England where praying the Opinion of the Court Whether a Man doing an Act by Authority of the Prince's Council and by Warrant of the Great Seal of England and doing nothing without the same may be charg'd with Treason for any thing done by virtue of the same And being answer'd That the Great Seal which he laid for his Warrant was not the Seal of the Lawful Queen of the Realm but the Seal of an Usurper and therefore no Warrant to him he confess'd the Indictment as also did the other two and had Judgment as in Cases of High-Treason Aug. 18. the same Year On which the said Duke was beheaded the 22d and Queen Mary Crown'd Octob. 1. following At which time also she publish'd a General Pardon in which notwithstanding were excepted by Name the Archbishops of Canterbury and York the Bishop of London and others of the Clergy and the two Chief Justices Sir Edward Montacute and Sir Roger Cholmley with other Men of the Law for counselling or at least consenting to the Deprivation of Queen Mary and aiding the aforesaid Duke of Northumberland in the pretended Right of
any thing The King of Denmark to whom the King had sent born Men and Monies for the recovery of the Polatinate was routed by Tilly the Emperour's General and without a present Supply the Sound was in danger to be lost and the English East-land Trade and Staple at Hamburgh almost given up for gone And now what wonder if the King 's extraordinary Wants put him upon extraordinary Courses He borrows 120000 l. of the City of London for which they had Lands of 21000 l. yearly value assur'd to them and 30000 l. of the East-India Company And for the rest made use of Privy-Seals Loans as such other ways as might enforce a less necessitated Prince to However that a last Extremity might not run him beyond his Natural Inclination he calls a Parliament which open'd March 17. 1627. where he so pathetically laid before them the cause of their meeting which was The Common Danger a Supply proportionable to it The Exigence of Time the just Desence of Friends and Allies And lastly clos'd all with his Hopes of their following that Advice of maintaining the Unity of the Spirit in the Band of Peace that the Commons unanimously voted him Five Subsidies On which the King by his Secretary let them know He would deny them nothing of their Liberties which any of his Predecessors had granted But while the Bill for these Subsidies was preparing the old Leven fermented anew Loans Privy Seals Billeting of Soldiers even in cases of Necessity and Martial Law for keeping them in order was question'd as contrary to Magna Charta which terminated in this That the King gave his Royal Assent to that so-much-talk'd of Petition of Right wherein yet he granted no New Liberties but confirmed the Old with this Declaration concerning the true Intent thereof That the Profession of both Houses in the hammering of the Petition was no ways to entrench upon his Prerogative saying They had neither Intention nor Power to hurt it Of which Intent and Meaning of his in granting the said Petition he commanded all to take notice Especially said the King you my Lords the Judges for to you only under Me belongs the Interpretation of the Laws For none of the Houses of Parlement joint or separate whatever New Doctrine may be rais'd have any Power to make or declare a Law without My Consent And yet this did not so quiet some turbulent Heads of the Commons who would be satisfed with nothing but the Kingdom also bet that they yet remonstrated against several late Miscarriages in Government and concluded with the Duke of Buckingham as the Common Grievance of the Kingdom and tack'd it to the Bill of Subsidies which the King took notice of and withal hearing they were preparing another against Tonnage and Poundage prorogu'd them from June 26. to Octob. 20. 1628. Between which and the said next Meeting the Duke was slain at Portsmouth in the Thirty sixth Year of his Age as he was fetting fail for the Relief of Rochel by one John Felton a discontented Officer of the last Year's Army and the Parliament put of to the 20th of January At what time the Debates running so high against the pretended encrease of Popery and Arminianism and the levying Tonnage and Poundage not yet granted by Parliament The King by Warrant of the privy-Privy-Council sent for several of the Principal Authors of those Disorders Four of which appearing and refusing to answer out of Parliament what they had said and done in Parliament they were committed to the Tower the Parliament dissolv'd March to and such as had not appear'd were apprehended and committed to several other Pri●●ns and an Information preferr'd against ●hem in the Star-Chamber to which they de●urr'd And in Michaelmas 1629. brought their Habeas Corpus's in the King's Bench and ●●ov'd to be Bail'd which the Judges allow'd with this That they ought to find Sureties for ●●e Good Behaviour in that it is a prevention of Damages to the Commonwealth and an Act of Government and Jurisdiction not ●f Law Which being refus'd by them they were remanded And the King waving his Proceedings in the Star-Chamber an Information was exhibited in the King's Bench against Three of them for Words spoken by them in ●he foregoing Parliament falsly maliciously ●nd seditiously as well against the King the Peers of the Realm c. as to raise a Tumult and Sedition subvert the Government and to the intent all the King 's Loving Subjects ●hould withdraw their Affections from Him To this the Defendants pleaded That forasmuch as the Offences are supposed to have been done in Parliament they ought not to be punish'd in any other Court but in Parliament and demurr'd to the Jurisdiction of the Court Which after full Argument on both sides was over-rul'd by the Court and a Day given them to plead further which they not doing Judgment was given against them upon a Nihil dicit That they should be imprison'd during the King's Pleasure not to be de●iver'd 'till Security given in Court for the Good-Behaviour and acknowledgment of the Offence and each of them respectively final according to his Condition it being further said by the Judges That Plowden in Queen Mary's time was fined for Words spoken in Parliament against the Dignity of the Queen And it was the Opinion of the Justices i● 8. Eliz. That Offences committed in Parliament are punishable out of Parliament The Scots during this time were not idle at home but blew those Coals of Discontent among the People which afterwards fired the three Kingdoms nor wanted there an opportunity at present The Lands of Cathedrals and Religious Houses with the Superiorities and Tithes belonging to them had been by Act of Parliament setled on the Crown but by the Contrivance of Murray and other Regents during the Minority of King James parcell'd among the Lords and Great Men of the Kingdom thereby to make a Party to themseves And King Charles coming to the Crown engag'd in a War and having no Aid from them took a legal course to resume them On which those Occupants that well knew they had no other Title than the Usurpation of their Ancestors combine together to oppose the King in every thing that should be offer'd in Parliament relating to Church-Affairs and because Religion was the best Bait to hook in the People and conceal themselves they centre on that and only wait the Occasion which fell thus King James from his first coming to the Crown of England though he fail'd in his Design of making the English and them into one People had proceeded so far 〈◊〉 bringing the Kirk of Scotland to an Uniformity to the Church of England that he not only setled Episcopacy among them but in the General Assembly of Aberdeen 1616. procured ●n Act for composing a Liturgy or Common-Prayer to be first presented to the King and after his Approbation universally receiv'd through the Kingdom And a Book of Canons which also was further improv'd by that other
1648. in the Forty eighth Year of his Age and Twenty fourth of his Reign And thus fell this oppress'd King than whom many have worn a Crown longer no one left it with so much Resolution His Queen and Relict was Henrietta Maria as hath been before said by whom he had Four Sons and as many Daughters 1. Charles Stuart born Christen'd and died the same Day March 18. 1628. 2. Charles Stuart Prince of Wales born May 29. 1630. who after a Twelve Years subversion of the Government was restor'd 1660. 3. James Stuart Duke of York born Octob. 14. 1633. who his Brother dying without Issue succeeded him in the Crown 4. Henry Stuart Duke of Gloucester born July 8. 1640. died after the Restauration Septemb. 13. 1660. His Daughters 1. Mary Stuart born Novemb. 4. 1631. married to William of Nassau Prince of Orange May 2. 1641. by whom she had one Son Henry William born nine Days after the Death of his Father Crown'd King of England April 11. 1689. She died Decemb 24. 1660. 2. Elizabeth Stuart born Decemb. 28. 1635. died Septemb. 8. 1650. 3. Anne Stuart born March 17. 1636. died Decemb. 8. 1640. 4. Henrietta Maria Stuart born June 16. 1644 at Exeter from whence she was convey'd into France and married to Philip Duke of Orleans Brother to Lewis XIV the present King of France She died 1670. King Charles I. being thus dead and that whatever it were of a Parliament according to the known Laws of England thereby dissolv'd they that had kill'd the Father knew they could not be secure 'till they had done as much by the Son and therefore immediately abolish the Monarchy and turn the Name Style Title and Test of the King into that of The Keepers of the Liberty of England by Authority of Parliament and make it High-Treason to proclaim or any ways to promote Charles Stuart commonly call'd Prince of Wales or any other Person to be King c. Yet this hindred not but that several printed Declarations in the Name of the Nobility Judges Gentry and other the Freemen of England were scattered about London thereby recognizing the Prince's Hereditary Birth-right to the Crown c. and their Resolutions of defending it to the last Man Dated Feb. 1. in the First Year of the Reign of King Charles II. XXVI The House of Lords was yet sitting and sent to the Commons for a Conference touching these matters who instead of vouchsafing them an Answer by their Votes Feb. 6. declare the Kingly Office to be unnecessary and burthensome and the Lords House dangerous and useless and therefore to be laid aside Against these Proceedings the Lords protest and the Army set a Guard upon their House to prevent their assembling And the Commons wholly took it away and their Privilege of Peerage with it unless being duly Qualified they shall be elected to sit in Parliament And thereupon enacted themselves The Supreme Authority of the Nation A Commonwealth and Free State without any King or House of Lords And committed the Executive Part of the Government to A Council of State erected by them of whom Forty were principal Officers in the Army And having obliterated the very Prints of Monarchy they proceeded to the Sale of King's Queen's Prince's Bishops Dean and Chapters and Delinquents Lands of which themselves were for the most part Purchasers and that at easie Rates During this time the Parliament of Scotland that they might at least seem not wanting to their Duty recognize the King's undoubted Right of Succession to the Crowns of these Kingdoms But with this Clause in it That he be not admitted to the Exercise of it 'till he had given Satisfaction to the Kingdom touching the Security of Religion and the Unity betwixt the Kingdoms according to the National Covenant and the Solemn League and Covenant Middleton on the other hand and several of the Scots Nobility that were for having the King admitted without previous Conditions take Arms in the Highlands but were dispers'd before the Marquess of Montross who with Men and Arms was just landed in the Isles of Orkney could come up to join them However this nothing daunted his Magnanimity but that with the Assistance of some few that came in to him he successfully made good the King's Interest against the Covenanters as he had formerly done his Royal Father's in 1645. And now they at home finding no great danger to be yet fear'd from Scotland cast an eye upon Ireland where the Irish had generally submitted to the King's Authority and with the Assistance of several of the English that had serv'd his Father had in a manner reduc'd the whole Kingdom excepting Dublin and the more remote parts of Ulster And having laid a new Tax of 90000 l. a Month for the maintenance of the Army they order Seven Regiments of Foot Four of Horse and One of Dragoons to be sent thither and appoint Cromwel General and his Son Ireton Lieutenant-General for the Expedition who with all the haste that could be transported their Forces and landed in Dublin Aug. 5. 1649. whence after a little refreshment Cromwel marches them for Drogedah and after several repulses takes it by storm puts all to the sword with out respecting either Age Sex or Condition and in less than a Year subdues the most part of the Kingdom to the Power of the New Commonwealth and returns for England leaving Iretan to finish the rest which he liv'd not to effect but died of the Plague at Limerick and was succeeded by Ludiour While things went thus in Ireland the Estates of Scotland had spun out a lingering Treaty with the King at Breda during which the Kirk-Party having surpriz'd Mentrosa defeated his Forces and gotten himself betray'd into their hands they bring him to Edinburgh hang him on a Gallows Thirty Foot high and quarter him May 21. 1650. at what time yet his Resolution was so great and his Deportment so winning that he won more from them by his manner of Dying than he could have vanquish'd in the Field by Arms. However the Treaty took effect at last and the King lands in Scotland and was proclaim'd at Edinburgh July 15. And now the Men at Westminster better known by the Name of The Rump think it high time to look about them and form an Army to be sent thither Fairfax should have commanded it but whether it were that the Covenant had bewitch'd him or Cromwel out-witted him he declin'd the Charge and Cromwel is made Generalissimo and with 16000 effective Men enters Scotland and has a Fleet on the Coasts to attend his motions Nor was it long ere he engag'd the Scots Army and gave them 6000 Horse and Dragoons and 15000 Foot a Defeat at Musleburgh and a total Rout at Dunbar Septemb. 3. the same Year On which they quit Edinburgh and retiring to St. Johnsteun for new Recruits Crown the King at Scoon Jan. 1. following Nor was Cromwel idle all this time but having Edinburgh-Castle surrender'd
Fifty eighth Year of his Age and of his Reign of England the Twenty second and of Scotland the Fifty sixth He had but one Wife viz. Queen Anne of whom before and by her 1. Henry Friderick Stuart Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwal and Rothsey and Earl of Chester born in Scotland Feb. 19. 1593. died Nov. 6. 1612. 2. Robert Stuart born and died very young in Scotland 3. Elizabeth Stuart Queen of Bohemia and Princess Palatine of the Rhine born Aug. 19. 1596. in Scotland died Feb. 13. 1661. 4. Margaret Stuart born in Scotland Decemb 24. 1598. died young 5. Charles Stuart Duke of York and Albany born Novemb. 19. 1600. succeeded his Father 6. Mary Stuart born in England March-1605 died two Years after And 7. Sophia Stuart born in England June 21. 1606. died two days after XXV To his Father his elder Brother being dead succeeded Charles the First of that Name about the Age of Twenty five Years and was proclaim'd King the same Day his Father died The Solemnity of whose Funerals being over the first thing he did was to hasten the coming over of the Queen to whom he was married by Proxy at Paris May 1. and consummated at Canterbury June 13. following Of this Prince it may be truly said He was a Man of Sorrows And yet if there be any thing in History to be named before him it is not that He was less able but their Times better Therefore for the truer understanding of both it is the least Justice we can do His MEMORY to consider under what ill Circumstances He came to the Crown There had follow'd his Father out of Scotland Two Sorts of People the One purely for the Loaves the Other to double the Interest of that Doctrine that had forc'd his Mother out of Her Kingdom who kept himself so long in Pupillage and to which England was not so altogether a Stranger but that they found the Lump leven'd to their hand Some like them calling also themselves the Lord's Ambassadours and pretending a Right from God to Govern every one his Parish and their Assembly the whole Nation Others and those different in Opinions among themselves that would have all Congregations free and independent upon one another Others That held Christ's Personal Reign was at this time to begin upon Earth and therefore would have no other King but King Jesus Besides several others from the first Litter yet every of them desending its Sect by Scripture according to the narrow scantling of their own Interpretations These again meeting with a Purse-proud City a poor Crown and a Gentry that no less affected a Popular Government in the State than themselves did in the Church Both cry up Liberty and inveigh against Tyranny that is whatever they were not themselves And so what wonder of those Consequents that embroil'd the King's Reign The ill Effects of which too many have seen and may perhaps be felt the next Century However the King having summon'd his Parliament to meet at Westminster June 18. aforesaid he told them That at their earnest Entreaty in March 1623. his Father had taken Arms for the recovery of the Palatinate which with the Crown was now devolv'd upon Himself That the Supplies already given held no proportion with the Charge of the Enterprize That the Eyes of all Europe were upon him and a Failure in this his first Attempt would be a Blemish to his futare Honour And therefore desired them if not for His for their Own Reputation to deliver him fairly out of that War wherewith themselves had incumbred him by an expeditious Supply On which the Commons gave Two Subsidies and the Clergy Three and the Parliament by reason of the Plague was adjourn'd to Oxford to be held there Aug. 1. following where the King briefly acquaints them with his Wants in order to the design 's Expedition They on the other hand petition against Popish Recusants and receive from him a satisfactory Answer but instead of a Supply debate a Remonstrance of Grievances to be first redress'd before a Supply given So that not agreeing who should be first trusted the King or Themselves the Parliament was dissolv'd and another summon'd to meet at Westminster the next 6th of February The Candlemas Day before which the King was solemnly Crown'd But here also the King met no better success than he had in his first For the Commons began where they left at Oxford with Religion and Grievances And to add to it it fell unfortunately that the Earl of Bristal being under restraint the King had sent him no Writ of Summons to the Parliament whereupon he petitions the Peers That being a Peer of the Realm he had not receiv'd a Writ of Summons and therefore pray'd the Benefit of his Peerage and that if any Charge were against him he might be Tried in Parliament Upon which and the Request of the Peers his Writ was sent him with a Letter from the Lord Keeper That though his Majesty had awarded him the Writ yet 〈◊〉 was his Pleasure that his Personal Attendance should be forborn This Letter the Earl sent to the Lords with a second Petition beseeching to be heard both as to his wrongful Restraint and what he had to say Against the Duke of Buckingham This alarm'd the Duke whom the Commons already beheld with no good Eye and therefore to begin with him first the Duke prevails with the King to command the Attorney-General to Common him to the Lord's Barr as a Delinquent where he appear'd May 1. and was by Mr. Attorney charg'd with Eleven Articles of High-Treason But before they were read the Earl said My Lords I am a Free-man and a Peer of the Realm unattainted I have somewhat of high Consequence to his Majesty's Service and beseech your Lordships to give me leave to speak The Lords bade him go on Then said he I accuse that Man the Duke of Buckingham of High-Treason And immediately presented Twelve Articles against him After which the Articles against the Earl being read and himself committed to the Black-Rod the House order'd That the King's Charge against the Earl should be first proceeded on before that of the Earl against the Duke And now the Ice thus broken the Common by eight of their own Members sent up Thirteen Articles of high Offences and Misdemeanours against the Duke which he answer'd with so much modesty that it much abated the Heat that many had against him And in regard the matters charged had been transcted in King James's time he claim'd the Benefit of the Pardon of the Twenty first of King James and the present King's Coronation Pardon On which the Commons thus d●●appointed having prepared a Declaration of the same nature with their Impeachment the Parliament was dissolv'd by Commission June 14. 1626. and no Supply given By which means the Relief then setting forth for Rochel staid so late in the Year that they were dispers'd with ill Weather and forc'd to return without doing
'till the point were decided it came to a more bloody Trial in which besides their Admiral Van Trump slain they lost Vice-Admiral Evertson and Thirty two others sunk himself and four Captains and twelve hundred common Men taken up after the Fight and made what sail they could for the Texel Nor did Monck think it fit to pursue them as having bought the Victory with the loss of eight Captains and about five hundred common Men slain five other Captains and seven thousand private Men wounded and one Ship The Oak sunk While matters were thus at Sea the Army as well as the Nation were become so sick of our New Commonwealth on Shoar that they urge them to dissolve themselves which they not daring to refuse nor yet willing to yield determine it to Nov. 5. 1654. but trifled so much time about Qualifications for their Successors that Cromwel not meaning to stay so long and the Army declaring against them as a Party of Carnal Men and not to be trusted with the Choice of their Representatives turn'd them out of the House and set a Guard upon it April 23. 1653. This done Cromwel and his Officers constitute A Council of State made up of themselves and their Confederates of the late House and place the Supreme Authority in them 'till a Representative could be chosen which not long after was patch'd together of an hundred forty two known Persons as the Cant was Men fearing God and of approv'd Integrity but so ridiculous as to Man that it was thought Cromwel got them together to no other end than to bring Parliaments into contempt However they met July 4. and having declar'd themselves a Parliament the Council of State resign their Supremacy to them and they appoint a New Council of State consisting of Cromwel and his Officers with Power to transact all Publick Affairs treat with Ambassadours c. But in that five Months time that they sate they had so unhing'd every thing and done nothing but to the worse that even their Masters who brought them together were asham'd of them and most of themselves so sensible of it that their Speaker Rous with the Mace before him and a major part of them following him came to Whitehall and surrender'd to Cromwel the Instrument he had deliver'd to them at their first sitting and in four Days after the Officers of the Army having form'd a New Instrument of Government they entreat him to accept it under the Name of Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England Scotland and Ireland which at first he seemingly refus'd 'till at last persuaded into what he had so long design'd he submits to the Exigence of Time and Affairs and was the same Afternoon viz. Decemb. 16. 1653. accordingly inaugurated in Westminster-Hall The Dutch by this time had made a truer Estimate of the English Force than they did when they began the War and having underhand tamper'd with Cromwel for a Peace and finding they might have easier Terms from him than the Rump would even hear of they sent over Ambassadours to him Nor was he so well setled as to refuse a fair Proffer and Money to boot whereupon a Peace was concluded between them and proclaim'd April 5. 1654. in which the King of Denmark was included And near the same time he made another with Queen Christina of Sweden Spain also France and Portugal seek his Friendship but Spain could not obtain it And so this first jobb being over he return'd Monck back into Scotland though with all his Art he could never get him back again and sent his second Son Henry Lord Deputy into Ireland and call'd a Parliament which met Septemb. 3. 1654. Nor had they searce taken their Seats ere they fell to disputing the Power by which they were call'd whereupon a Recognition of the Government as it was then setled in a single Person was sent them to subscribe with an Inhibition to any one of their entring the House 'till he had done it In which though most of them complied the whole was dissolv'd within the first five Months which was contrary to the said New Instrument In 1655. he made an attempt upon Hispaniola but miscarried in it and took Jamaica with little or no opposition And to cover at least secure against the Slurr at home he decimated all the Royalists i. e. took a Tenth part of their Estates and set up Eleven Major-Generals to Tax it and keep them in awe The Year following he call'd another Parliament which met Septemb. 3. and they perhaps guessing what he would be at present him an Humble Petition and Advice to take the Title of KING which he refus'd twice but being press'd to a more positive Answer he had the very Morning that he made the Third Denial resolv'd to accept it But whatever it was that made him change his Mind does not appear though if his Secretary Thurloe may be believ'd it was not that he fear'd the General Officers for there were New Commissions actually drawn for others who had accepted their Commands Where upon the Word King in the said Petition and Advice was expung'd and he in a more solemn manner invested with all the Regal Ornaments the Crown only excepted June 26. 1657. and proclaim'd by the Name of Oliver Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England Scotland and Ireland After which the Parliament being adjourn'd to Jan. 20. he in the mean time in Imitation of the old Constitution created a New House of Lords by the Name of The Other House Of which the Commons taking no more notice than to ridicule it and then falling to dispute the Government he thought it high time to put an end to their sitting and dissolv'd them Not long after which having escap'd several Attempts of as well Commonwealths Men Fifth-Monarchy-Men as Royalists he at last to the wonder of Mankind died in his Bed on his twice-Auspicious Third of September 1658. having according to the Power given him by the said Humble Petition and Advice first declar'd his eldest Son Richard his Successor who contrary to the expectation of Fleetwood and Lambert whom Cromwel had severally cajol'd with the Promise of the Succession was the next Morning solemnly proclaim'd Lord Protector c. But he lasted not above three Quarters of a Year and in him ended the Protectorship And yet before we come to the Restauration it may not be amiss to remark the several Turns of Government that from the 30th of January 1648. befel the Nation 'till that happen'd For 1. The Monarchy was subverted and turn'd to a Republick under the Name of The Keepers of the Liberty of England by Authority of Parliament or for brevity sake The Rump and they lasted 'till April 1653. 2. Cromwel turn'd them out and plac'd the Supreme Power in A Council of State constituted by himself and they held it 'till July the same Year 3. From them he turn'd it into the hands of his Men of Integrity and made them a Parliament