thrown down or some such like ominous accident had happened and with abundance of earnestness renewed the motion for calling the Duke to the Bar but there were too many Lords between for that motion to succeed and advice was brought every moment from the House of Commons that the things was yet in agitation among them which gave his Lordship an opportunity to appear with extraordinary vigour in defence of the Duke's Person and his Proposal so that the Earl seem'd more properly another Principle than the Duke's Second Whereupon the Lord Chancellor therefore undertook on the contrary to make the Prorogation look very formidable laying the best colour upon it and the worst upon his Opponants Thus for five or six hours it grew to be a fixed Debate many arguing it on both sides in a regular method until they received the welcome News that the Commons were risen without doing any thing whereupon the greater number called for the Question and had it in the affirmative that the Debate should be laid aside And thus being flasht but not satisfied with their Victory they fell desperately upon them who had affirmed the dissolution the same night and the next day voted his Lordship with the Duke of Buckingham the Earl of Salisbury and the Lord Wharton to be commited to the Tower under the Notion of Contempt during his Majesties and the Houses pleasures The Contempt for which they were committed was their refusing to recant their Opinions and ask pardon of the King and the House of Lords notwithstanding the liberty and freedom of Speech which His Majesty verbally and of course allows them at the opening of every Parliament The Warrant for the committing his Lordship together with the Earl of Salisbury and the Lord Wharton ran Thus ORdered by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament Assembled That the Constable of his Majesties Tower of London his Deputies shall reserve the Bodies of James Earl of Salisbury Anthony Earl of Shaftsbury and Philip Lord Wharton Members of this House and keep them in safe Custody within the said Tower during his Majesties Pleasure and the Pleasure of this House for their high Contempts committed against this House And this shall be your sufficient Warrant on that behalf J. Brown Cler. Par. To the Constable of the Tower THE four Lords continued in the Tower so long that the Parliament was several times Adjourned during their Confinement which his Lordship bore with abundance of patience and incredible chearfulness considering the many weaknesses and infirmities of Body he then laboured under They expected to have been Released at least of course by Prorogation but Adjournments was so much in use at that time that it made them despair of being releived that way wherefore finding no end of their Captivity they looked upon the procuring their Liberty to deserve as much care as others took to retain them in durance to which end they each of them chose the method he judged most proper The Duke of Buckingham the Earl of Salisbury and the Lord Wharton upon their application to His Majesty by a Petition were enlarged But Shaftsbury could not come off so for having made his Addresses to His Majesty in an humble Petition to be restored to his Liberty and the Favour of his Majesty he found the Royal Earl deaf to his Sute and no relief to be obtained that way Whereupon his Lordship applied himself to the Court of Kings-Bench the constant Residence of His Majesties Justice whether he was brought Wednesday Jan. 27. 1677. upon the Return of an Alias Habeas Corpus directed to the Constable of the Tower and there being some dispute about the sufficiency of the Return his Council prays to have the Return filled and Friday appointed to debate the sufficiency of it which being granted the Earl was re-manded back again unto the Tower On Friday morning his Lordship was brought up again and then the Case was strongly and learnedly argued on both sides and after the discussing the Point about the sufficiency of the Return then Mr. Williams Mr. Wallop and Mr. Smith who were Council for his Lordship gave divers weighty Reasons in the Earls behalf that the Court might and ought to relieve him The Attorney and Solicitor Generals argued the contrary shewing divers Causes why that Court could not relieve a person committed by Parliament So soon as they had done the Earl stood up and in an Elegant Speech spake for himself and directing him self to the Court delivered himself to this Effect MY LORDS I Did not intend to have spoken one word in this business but something hath been objected and laid to my charge by the Kings Council Mr. Attorney and Mr. Solicitor that inforces me to say something for your better satisfaction They have told you that my Council in their Arguments said That this Court was greater than the House of Peers which I dare to appeal to your Lordships and the whole Court that it was never spoken by them I am sure it was not spoken by any direction of mine What is done by my Council and by me is That this Court is the most proper place to resort unto in those Cases where the Liberty of the Subject is concerned The Lords House is the Supream Court of Judicature in the Kingdom but yet there is a Jurisdiction which the Lords House do not meddle with The Kings Council mentioned as a wonder that a Member of the Lords House should come hither and thereby diminish the Jurisdiction of that Court I acknowledg them to be superiour to this or any Court in England To whom all Appeals and Writs of Error are brought and yet there is a Jurisdiction that they do not challenge and which is not natural to them or proper for them They claim not to meddle in Original Cases and so I might mention in other things And I do not think it a kindness to any Power or Body of Men to give them a Power or Jurisdiction which is not natural or proper to their Constitutions I do not think it would be any kindness to the Lords to make them absolute and above the Law for so I humbly conceive this must do if it be adjudged that they by a general Warrant or without any particular Cause assigned do commit me or any man to a perpetual and indefinite Imprisonment And my Lords I am not so inconsiderable a person but what you do in my Case must be Law for every man in England Mr. Attorney is pleased to say I am a Member of the Lords House and to lay wait on the word Member It 's true I am one of them and no man hath a greater reverence and esteem for the Lords than my self But I hope my being a Peer or a Member of either House shall not lose my priviledg of being an English-man or make me to have the less Title to Magna Charta or the other Laws of English Liberty My Opinion is not with one of my
and Affection Duty and Loyalty to His Majesty's Person and Government humbly requesting that the Parliament summoned to meet at Oxford might be Graciously permitted to meet and sit at Westminster It was presented to His Majesty by the Earl of Essex who acquainted the King with the design and intent of their Petition in the following words May it please Your Majesty THe Lords here present together with divers other Peers of the Realm taking notice that by your late Proclamation Your Majesty hath Declared an Intention of calling a Parliament at Oxford and observing from Histories and Records how unfortunate many such Assemblies have been when called at a place remote from the Capital City as particularly the Congress in Henry the Seconds time at Clarendon Three several Parliaments at Oxford in Henry the Thirds time and at Coventry in Henry the Sixths time with divers others which have proved very fatal to those Kings and have been followed with great mischief to the whole Kingdom And considering the present posture of Affairs the many Jealousies and Discontents which are among the People we have great cause to apprehend that the Consequences of the sitting of a Parliament now at Oxford may be as fatal to Your Majesty and the Nation as those others mentioned have been to the then Reigning Kings and therefore we do conceive that we cannot answer it to God to Your Majesty or to the People if we being Peers of the Realm should not on so important an occasion humbly offer our Advise to Your Majesty that if possible Your Majesty may be prevailed with to alter this as we apprehend unseasonable Resolution The Grounds and Reasons of our Opinion are contained in this our Petition which we humbly present to Your Majesty To the Kings most excellent Majesty The humble Petition and Advice of the Lords undernamed Peers of the Realm Humbly sheweth THat whereas Your Majesty hath been pleased by divers Spechees and Messages to Your Houses of Parliament rightly to present to them the dangers that threaten Your Majesties Person and the whole Kingdom from the mischievous and wicked Plots of the Papists and the suddain growth of a forreign Power unto which no stop or remedy could be provided unless it were by Parliament and an Vnion of Your Majesties Protestant Subjects in one Mind and one Interest And the Lord Chancellor in pursuance of Your Majesties Commands having more at large demonstrated the said dangers to be as great as we in the midst of our fears could imagine them and so pressing that our Liberties Religion Lives and the whole Kingdom would certainly be lost if a speedy provision was not made against them And Your Majesty on the 21st of April 1679. having called unto Your Council many Honourable and Worthy Persons and Declared to them and to the whole Kingdom That being sensible of the Evil Effects of a single Ministry or private Advice or forreign Committee for the general Direction of Your Affairs Your Majesty would for the future refer all things unto that Council and by the constant Advice of them together with the frequent use of Your great Council the Parliament Your Majesty was hereafter resolved to govern the Kingdom We began to hope we should see an end of our Miseries But to our unspeakable grief and sorrow we soon found our expectations frustrated the Parliament then subsisting was Prorogued and Dissolved before it could perfect what was intended for our relief and security And tho' another was thereupon called yet by many Prorogations it was put off till the 21st of October past and notwithstanding Your Majesty was then again pleased to acknowledge that neither your Person nor your Kingdom could be safe till the Matter of the Plot was gone through It was unexpectedly Prorogued on the 10th of this Month before any sufficient Order could be taken therein All their just and pious endeavours to save the Nation were overthrown the good Bills they had been industriously preparing to Vnite Your Majesties Protestant Subjects brought to nought The discovery of the Irish Plots stifled The Witnesses that came in frequently more fully to Declare that both of England and Ireland discouraged Those forreign Kingdoms and States who by a happy Conjunction with us might give a check to the French Powers disheartned even to such a despair of their own security against the growing greatness of that Monarch as we fear may enduce them to take New Resolutions and perhaps such as may be fatal to Vs the Strength and Courage of our Enemies both at home and abroad encreased and our selves left in the utmost danger of seeing our Country brought into utter desolation In these extremities we had nothing under God to comfort us but the hopes that Your Majesty being touched with the groans of your perishing People would have suffered Your Parliament to meet at the day unto which it was Prorogued and that no further interruption should have been given to their proceedings in order to their saving of the Nation But that failed us too so then we heard that Your Majesty had been prevailed with to Dissolve it and to call another to meet at Oxford where neither Lords nor Commons can be in safety but will be dayly exposed to the Swords of the Papists and their Adherents of whom too many are crept into Your Majesties Guards The Liberty of speaking according to their Consciences will be thereby destroyed and the validity of all their Acts and Proceedings consisting in it left disputable The straitness of the place no way admits of such a concourse of persons as now follows every Parliament The Witnesses which are necessary to give Evidence against the Popish Lords such Judges or others whom the Commons have impeached or had resolved to impeach can neither bear the charge of going thither nor trust themselves under the Protection of a Parliament that is it self evidently under the power of Guards and Souldiers The Premises considered We Your Majesties Petitioners out of a just abhorrence of such a dangerous and pernicious Council which the Authors have not dared to avow and the direful apprehensions of the calamities and miseries that may ensue thereupon do make it our most humble Prayer and Advice that the Parliament may not sit at a place where it will not be able to Act with that freedom which is necessary and especially to give unto their Acts and Proceedings that Authority which they ought to have amongst the people and have ever had unless impaired by some Awe upon them of which there wants not presidents and that Your Majesty would be Graciously pleased to order it to sit at Westminster it being the usual place and where they may consult with Safety and Freedom And Your Petitioners c. Monmouth Kent Huntingdon Bedford Salisbury Clare Stamford Essex Shaftsbury Mordent Ewers Paget Grey Herbert Howard Delamer BUt His Majesty resolving not to alter His Resolution for the Parliaments setting at Oxford and the time of their metting
But therein the mercenary wretch reckoned without his Hoasts and found himself wofully deceived in the idle immagination that every Mans Conscience was as much viciated and depraved as his own and would adventure upon the most vile and abominable practices whatsoever in hope thereby to free themselves from those pinching necessities which they were involved in and by failing in that enterprize learned the true difference between being impoverished by the want of success in Trade or Merchandice and the being undone by Profuseness and Debauchery Before he adventured to Address himself to the Captain about the business he sent others to brake the Matter to him relating the particular Circumstan ces the Captain was at that time underand instructing them how to behave themselves towards him Being thus instructed October 8th 1681. Bains visited the Captain in the Kings-Bench where after some Complements and Preparitary Discourse to make way for and dispose the Captain to comply with what he had to osser he proceeded to tell him that he must needs know something of the Earl of Shaftsbury's Design against the King and perswading him to discover it to him and promised if he would do so he would procure him a Pardon and a great Reward The Captain answered He knew nothing by his Lordship but that he was a very Loyal Person So soon as he was gone the Captain acquainted Major James with what Bains had offered and the Major presently took his Pen and Ink and wrote it down in his Pocket Book Two or Three days after Booth adventured to try his own Fortune and that he might prove more successful than his fore-runner procured leave for the Captain to go out of the Prison to Booth's Lodging at Mr. Waver's in the Rules where they entertained him with a Noble and Splendid Treat and assured him if he would be an Evidence against the Earl he should have 500 l. per. ann settled upon him and his Heirs as a Reward or if he liked a 1000 l. in ready Mony better he should have so much paid him down and finding him still untractable they perswaded his Wife to use her Interest with him and endeavour to prevail with him and work him to a compliance with what they desired telling her she might thereby be made for ever But when all this and many other contrivancies failed them they gave in an Information of High Treason against him to the King and Council by whose order he was brought before them and straitly examined concerning what he knew of a Plot against the King and to have seized on His Person at Oxford The Captain persisted in his own Innocency and affirmed he knew no such thing by the Lord Shaftsbury or any other Then Booth swore High Treason against him and deposed that Wilkinson was to have been Captain of a Troop of Horse consisting of Fifty Men which were to be employed in seizing the King at Oxford when the Parliament sat there and to gain the greater Credit to his Oath and make the thing more probable he affirmed himself was Listed under him as one of them although to my knowledge and the knowledge of many more The Getleman at that very time when the Parliament met at Oxford and this was pretended to be done was busily employed in the aforesaid Affair of providing for his Voyage to Carolina The Captain upon this Deposition was committed back again to the Kings-Bench Prison where he acquainted the Major with what had passed at the Council and he Writ that down likewise as he had done the rest and the Captain willing to expose the Villany and prevent the mischief of his mercinary Breath published an account of the whole Matter to the World to which I refer the Reader for further satisfaction His Lordship having continued in the Tower from July till the latter end of November without obtaing a Tryal His Majesty then issued out a Commission of Oyer and Terminer to be held at the Old-Bayly on the 24th of that Month when an Indictment of High Treason against his Lordship was preferred to the Grand Jury summoned upon that occasion which was the most substantial of any that had been known for a long time before The Court being set and the Jury sworn the Witnesses gave in the like Evidence to the Court as they had formerly done to the Council They generally swore much to the same purposes and Booth was one of the chief Evidences who declared upon Oath that the Earl told him That he and others had considered with themselves it was necessary for them to have Guards at Oxford and that he had for that reason provided Fifty Gentlemen and had intrusted Captain Wilkinson with the command and management of them that he himself was Listed as one of them yet could name none of the rest and that he had thereupon bought himself a very good Stone-horse with other Accoutrements for the said Service And that Captain Wilkinson promised to furnish his Man with a Horse Now that the World may the better judge of the truth or falseness of what this Man swore in the face of so great an Assembly and from thence argue the validity of the other Evidences I have transcribed Verbatim an Advertisement which was thereupon published the next Week in Janeway's Intelligence Number 65. WHereas upon Thursday last an Indictment was preferred to the Grand Jury at the Old-Bayly against the Right Honourable the Earl of Shaftsbury and whereas Mr. Booth was produced as one of the Evidences who swore in open Court That Captain Wilkinson was engaged with the said Earl against His Majesty and the Government and that the said Captain was to command a Troop of Horse to be mounted with Fifty Gentlemen and that the said Mr. Booth had Listed himself as one of the Troop Also the said Mr. Booth made Oath that he had bought himself a good Stone-horse and other Accoutrements for the said Service and Captain Wilkinson was to furnish his Man with a Horse This is therefore to give Notice That if any one can make it appear that Mr. Booth bought any such Horse with his Marks and Colour and who he bought him of about March last or that he had any such Horse within that time and what Stable he was kept at shall have upon good proof made thereof to the said Captain Wilkinson Five Guinneys paid him for a Reward of his pains Also if any person can make appear That the said Captain Wilkinson hath bought or had any Horse Gelding or Mare for these Two Years last past or ever hath been upon the back of any for the same space of time saving one Gelding which he borrowed to Ride to Wickam when the Members of the last Parliament went to Oxford Or that ever Captain Wilkinson hath been nearer Oxford these Twenty Years than the said Town of Wickam upon proof thereof he shall have Five Guinneys for his Reward Henry Wilkinson IT 's worthy of every Mans consideration that this
and make no haste into the Boat they called to him to come away Gentlemen said he I intreat you to excuse my going with you for I now call to mind some extraordinary business which obliges me to stay in Town But his company was too pleasant to be so easily relinquish'd wherefore one of them stepping out of the Boat endeavoured by his importunity to alter his resolution and perswade him to go with them according to his first intention but being not able to prevail he protested he would carry him into the Boat if he would not go willingly so that being unwilling to disoblige them he adventur'd to go although with much reluctancy As they were shooting the Bridge it being low Water the force of the Ebb carried their Boat with such violence against a Loyter that was just gone through before them that she sunk but several Boats presently making towards them they were all sav'd however their design for Bowling at Greenwich was spoiled for that day Having spent some considerable time in the Inns of Court his Relations began to think of disposing of him in Marriage and a suitable Match was enquired after that might answer the largeness of his Fortune At length a Marriage is agreed by the consent of both Families between him and Margaret Daughter to Thomas Lord Coventry sometime Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England whose agreeable Conversation render'd his Life the more pleasant and delightful He had no Issue by this Wife His second Wife was the Lady Frances Daughter to the Earl of Exeter by whom he had Issue his only Son and Heir Anthony Lord Ashly now Earl of Shaftesbury who married the virtuous and ingenious Lady the Lady Dorothy Daughter to John Earl of Rutland by whom he hath Issue two Sons Anthony a Youth of about Twelve years of Age extreamly like his Grandfather both for Person and Parts for which reason he was so dear to him that his Life seemed to be bound up in this Grandsons as Jacobs was said to be in his Son Benjamin's His last Wife was Margaret Daughter to William Lord Spencer a most accomplished and Virtuous Lady whose exemplary Piety is so extraordinary that she may very well be proposed as a pattern for other Noble Personages to imitate her constant custom being to rise by Five of the Clock in the Morning and she usually spends two or three hours there in her private Devotions No sooner did the Fame of his great Abilities reach the Royal Ear but his late Majesty cast a favourable Eye upon him employing him in several eminent Services which he performed with an exact Loyalty to the satisfaction of his Majesty from whose Interest he never departed otherwise then as Hushai from King David when the Tribes of Israel revolted from him in order to the using his Interest for the Service of his Prince and endeavour by his Wisdom and Counsel so to order and influence the Councils and Designs of the Conspirators that they might be the less hurtful to his Soveraign and tend to the overthrow of themselves And it is admirable to contemplate with what dexterous Skill and exquisite Policy he so managed all their Councils as to make them run directly towards and naturally tend to swell the Royal Stream which immediately upon their Ebb flowed so suddenly and swiftly that like a swelling Sea it easily overflowed all those Banks which were cast up to impede its Flux and by its irresistable force bore down all before it until at last it terminated in the full Tide of his Majesties Restoration Like the Generous Hushai never resting until he saw his Ejected Soveraign like the glorious Sun newly escaped from a total Eclipse return to the possession of his Crown and Kingdom His Majesty having December 5. 1639. upon the advice of the Earl of Strafford and Marquess of Hamilton and Doctor Land Archbishop of Canterbury declared his resolution for the calling a Parliament After 11 years interval he was by the unanimous consent of the Inhabitants of the Borough of Tewkesbury in Gloucester-shire chosen to serve as Burgess for that Town Sir Edward Alford being chosen for the other On Monday April 13. 1640. this Parliament opened and were acquainted by his Majesty That he thought never any King had greater cause to call his People together nor more weighty Affairs to confer with them about then himself the particulars whereof he referred to the Lord Keeper By whom they were recommended to the Parliament in an elegant Speech The Parliament sate in debate of those things recommended to them till the fifth of May when his Majesty concluding they were too slow in giving those Supplies he demanded Dissolved them publishing a Declaration thereupon containing an account of his Reasons for that Dissolution This was the fourth Parliament which had been Dissolved by his Majesty In the beginning of our unhappy Troubles he raised a Regiment for the Service of his Majesty and was by him upon the Rupture with the Parliament made Governour of Waymouth being at the same time High Sheriff of the County of Dorset And when he saw that the War would unavoidably break out he summoned by virtue of his Pesse Contitatus the whole County from sixteen years old to meet at Dorchester which is the County Town thereby to engage them to stand by his Majesty But before that day appointed for their Meeting his Majesty sent down Colonel William Ashburnham with a Commission to be Governour of the County of Dorset whereupon he repaired presently to Dorchester and shewed his Commission to the High Sheriff At which time the Sheriff acquainted the Colonel with what he had done in reference to his Majesties Interest by summoning the County wherewith the Colonel was very well pleased But Sir Anthony concluding that the Colonel's being sent to command as Governour of the County notwithstanding his being Governour of Weymouth and high Sheriff of Dorset-shire proceeded from some secret suspition which his Majesty had conceiv'd of his Fidelity perhaps occasioned by the malicious whisperings of some about the King who grew Jealous of him lest the greatness of his Parts should in time have raised him higher in his Majesties Favour and good Opinion then would have consisted with their Interest took Horse the next Morning and went to his own House about 20 Miles from thence the next day he went to his Brothers and from thence to London The day being come for the Counties Meeting they flocked in vast numbers to Dorchester there being scarce a Man in the whole County wanting whereupon the Colonel being informed that the High Sheriff was not in Town went up to the Guild-Hall being accompanied with several of the chief of the Town and told the People That he was glad to see so great an appearance and that they yielded so ready Obedience to the Summons of their Sheriff who was at that time absent telling them that the occasioning of Summoning of them was to engage them to
his Majesties Interest asking them If those unhappy differences that were arisen between the King and his Parliament could not be composed but should break out into a War who they would stand by his Majesty or the Parliament Whereupon they all cried out with one consent By the King We will stand by the King against all Opposers whatsoever Gentlemen said the Colonel I thank you for this Declaration which you have now made of your Loyal Intentions I hope your Hearts have gone with your Words therein and that you will make good your Promises when his Majesties Occasions shall require it Whereupon they were dismist and sent home In October 1645. he was chosen Sheriff of Norfolk which choice was November the first approved of and confirmed by the Parliament And the next year 1646. he was chosen Sheriff of the County of Wilts discharging the Offices both years with abundance of Candour and Generosity And in the year 1651. the Parliament out of a deep sense of his profound Wisdom appointed him January 20. with twenty persons more to sit as a Committee to consider of the inconveniencies which were in the Law and the Mischiefs which frequently arise from the Delays and other Irregularities in the Administration thereof and ordered them to report their Opinion therein to the House Not long after this the Scene of Affairs alter'd and Cromwell's Ambitious Designs for Usurping the Supream Power being now ripe he resolved to put them into execution and as the first Essay took upon him to Dissolve that remnant of a Parliament To which purpose on the 20th of April 1653. he entred the House attended by some of his principal Officers and delivered several Reasons why they ought to be Dissolved and a period put to their Sitting which was immediately done The Speaker with all the rest of the Members some through fear and others by force presently departed the House all the Nation rejoycing thereat and scarce any man grieved for their Dissolution but themselves every one affirmed that although probably the Nation could not be much better'd by this change yet worse could not possibly befall it However Cromwell did not think it time as yet to take the Government absolutely into his own hands wherefore he summoned another Convention somewhat like the former to which he gave the name of a Parliament Whereupon Sir A. being looked upon by his Country-men as the fittest person to oppose and baffle any extravagant motions or designs that should be proposed to or carried on by them was returned to serve therein for his Native County of Wilts This Convention had several strange things under debate that would have been very dangerous and prejudicial to the Nation and he acted the part of a Wise Politician and a true English Man in rendring their Debates ineffectual and to no purpose as well by his ingenious Arguments drawn from Scripture and Reason as the Interest he had in the Gentlemen of the Country whereby he engaged them to appear also against the Designs which were then carrying on Whereat the contrary Faction being strangely exasperated stormed exceedingly and pushed forward their Designs with the greater fury Whereupon the rest although the Majority fearing to be undermin'd by their laying hold of an opportunity to Assemble themselves in their absence any Forty being a Quorum and thereby accomplish their Designs resolved to Dissolve themselves which they did accordingly and so by that means quash'd those mischievous Designs upon which they were Brooding However Cromwell resolved that whoever lost he would be no loser by this Dissolution wherefore he by a strange way of Reasoning pretended that by this means the whole Supream Power and Authority of the three Nations both Civil and Military was of course devolved into his hands and thereupon called a Council of Officers to consult about setling the Government who after several Debates resolved to have a Commonwealth in a single Person which Person should be Oliver Cromwell by the name of Lord Protector c. Whereupon Cromwell calls a Parliament which met September 3. 1654. whereof Sir A. was chosen a Member the Country supposing him to be the fittest Man they could choose to obviate and undermine Cromwells Tyrannical Designs Cromwell makes a Politick smooth Speech to them endeavouring to perswade them to embrace his Interest promising for their encouragement to do strange things for the good of the Nation if they would but afford him their Assistance in order thereunto But although some of the Members were Men for his turn and were resolved to serve him in his ambitious Designs to the uttermost of their power although themselves and their Posterity suffered for it yet Sir Anthony and abundance of others were too Wise to be imposed upon and too couragious to be hector'd into a compliance So that being the Majority they over-number'd those who were for complying with the Usurpers Interest and render'd his hopes in that Parliament vain and ineffectual Whereat the Tyrant being inraged to see his expectations so frustrated Dissolved them lest if he had suffered them to sit any longer they might have overthrown his new acquired Usurpations But the Protector being extreamly necessitated for Money and having a longing desire to have his Power confirmed to him by the consent of the People hoping that a second Representative would grant him that which the first refused Issues out his Writs for the Election of another Parliament Yet remembring the Speeches and Carriage of Sir Anthony and some other Members of the late Parliament he gave secret directions to the Sheriffs of the several Counties to use their utmost endeavour to prevent if possible their being chosen or returned to serve in that Parliament However the Countries striving to please themselves rather then the Protector and preferring their own Interest before Cromwells Returned Sir Anthony and most of the other Members that opposed the Protectors Designs in the late Parliament to serve in this whereby this Stratagem failed of producing its desired effects which forced him to take new Measures and invent the following Shifts viz. That every Member before he was to sit in the House was imposed upon solemnly to engage himself by promise not to act any thing prejudicial to the present Government But fearing lest this device should not keep out enough to make the Parliament pliable and fit for his purpose he gave special directions not to admit of any into the House but those only that produced a Certificate or Warrant in the following form Com' Bucks These are to certifie that W.E. c. is returned to serve in this present Parliament for the said County and approved of by his Highnesses Council Sept. 17. 1656. Nath. Taylor Clerk of the Commonwealth in Chancery September 17. 1656. being the day appointed for the Meeting of this Parliament he went to the Parliament House at Westminster expecting to Sit there as a Member of that Parliament But found Entrance not only denied to himself but
industry noise and clamour served to no other purpose than the exposing there own folly and wickedness and the making His Loyalty and Justice shine with the more brightness and splendour and the giving him a fresh provocation as well as future opportunity to pry more narrowly into and with the greater vigour oppose their Machivilian Designs against His Soveraign the Protestant Religion the interest of Brittain and thereby sadly frustrate their BVDDING HOPS Nor was it long before their pregnant and groaning Designs gave him an occasion to demonstrate his Zeal therein for about April or May 1675. an odd kind of a Bill was unexpectedly offered one Morning in the House of Lords whereby all such as enjoyed any beneficial Offices or Imployments Ecclesiastical Civil or Military to which was added Privy-Councellor Justices of the Peace and Members of Parliament were under a penalty to take the Oath and make the Declaration and Abhorrence ensuing I A. B. Do Declare That it is not lawful upon any pretence whatsoever to take up Arms against the King And that I do abhor that Trayterous position of taking Arms by His Authority against His Person or those that are Commission'd by Him in pursuance of such Commission And I do Swear That I will not at any time endeavour any alteration of Government either in Church or State So help me God The same Oath was brought in the House of Commons in the Plague Year at Oxford and great endeavours used to have it imposed upon the Nation but was strenuously opposed by the very same persons that now introduced it into the House of Lords and by their assistance thrown out as a pernicious thing tending to the general infecting the Vitals of the Kingdom And although it then passed in a particular Bill commonly known by the Name of the Five Mile Act because it only concerned the Nonconformist Preachers yet even in that it was mightily opposed by that faithful Friend to the Crown the late Earl of Southampton whose sentiments and judgment in an Affair of that Nature might certainly have been accounted the Platform and Standard of Prudence and Loyalty This Oath they said was but a little thing being only a moderate security to the Church and Crown Yet their so stifly defending it when opposed by His Lordship and others together with their fierce and united endeavours to have it pass the House made all thinking men suspect that there was some extraordinary Design wrapt up in it and therefore contended for by them not as a triffle but a thing of that weight that the whole stress of Affairs depended thereon And indeed the Word Commission as it was there to be taken was of an extraordinary Extent and Latitude for if it should have been for taking away Estate or Life by force or if the perion Commissionated were under never so many disabilities by Acts of Parliament yet the taking that Oath would have removed all those Incapacities or his Commission would have ended the despute So that it came at last to be one of the greatest Contest perhaps that ever happened in Parliament wherein his Lordship and divers other Illustrous Peers being assured of their own Loyalty and Merit stood up against the Oath and pleaded for the Antient English Liberties with the same Pious Vertue and Heroick Courage and Resolution wherewith their Noble Ancestors had formerly defended the great 〈◊〉 of England only they deserved far greater Commendation and Honour in regard they grapled with far greater difficulties and had not so fair a Field to engage in but fought it out under all the disadvantages imaginable being overlaid by numbers and the noise of the House like the wind baring hard upon them nor being so few could they as their Adversaries withdraw to refresh themselves in a whole days engagement yet never was there a fuller demonstration How dull a thing humane loquence is and how small and inconsiderable The most towering and insulting greatness when bright Truth discovers all things in their proper colours and dementions and like the Sun shoots its enlightning Rayes through all their fallacies The Dispute lasted many days with much eagerness on both sides and was so warmly opposed that the Parliament was Prorogued before the Lords came to any Resolution about it but in the next Sessions they ordered it to be burnt It might be injurious to the rest of the Noble Lords who took part with him therein to attribute the whole success to him yet the Promoters accused him of having first opposed it and that he and the Duke of Buckingham stirred up and influenced the rest And therefore the Popish Party who it 's probable hop'd to have reaped the greatest advantage by that Oath banded against him with as much fierceness as ever and although they had failed of Murthering his Person yet resolved to accomplish the ruine of his Reputation influencing several Protestants as well Clergy as Laiety to lend their helping hand to this great Work The former were to bespatter him in their Pulpits as if they were Conjuring down the Devil instead of commending the Blessed Jesus in the Tenders of the Gospel The other were to bespatter him with their Pens thereby to procure him the hatred of the Vulgar who commonly take up things upon Trust and believe every thing they read to be true and because they could procure no better they employed Needham a mercenary Wretch who had with an audacious impudence and unparalell'd virulency Writ against two Kings Viz. Our present Soveraign and His Royal Father and therefore the more fit for such an undertaking His first Essay was in a Libellous Pamphlet called Advice to the Men of Shaftsbury wherein he falsely charged him with many fictitious Crimes and imaginary Designs against the Government And thus having prepared the way to his ruine as they imagined they hoped to accomplish by it an accident which happened quickly after in the ensuing Parliament which met February 15th 1676. after 15 months Prorogation upon this occasion As soon as the King had finished his Speech the Commons withdrew and the Lords had taken their Respective Seats The Duke of Buckingham who usually says what he thinks stood up and argued with great strength of reason that according to the Laws and Constitution of Parliaments that unpresidented Prorogation was null and the Parliament consequently Dissolved offering moreover to maintain it to all the Judges and desiring as hath been usual in such Cases That they might give their Opinions but a certain Lord fancying himself a better Judg of that weighty Point in Law moved that the Duke of Buckingham might be called to the Bar whereupon his Lordship stood up and opposed it as an extravagant motion and ascertain'd the validity of Buckingham's Proposals with all the Cicilian height of Courage and Reason Whereupon another Lord of no less consideration than the former who had called the Duke to the Bar stood up in as great pet as if the Salt had been
Council who argued very learnedly that the passing an Act by the Kings Royal Assent can not make a Session because the usual Promise was not in it It was without any instruction of mine that he mentioned that Point The Kings Council tells your Lordships of the Laws and Customs of Parliaments and if this were so I should submit but this Case of mine is primae impressionis and is a new way such as neither Mr. Attorney nor Mr. Solicitor can shew any President of and I have no other remedy or place to apply my self to than the way I take Mr. Attorney confesseth that the Kings Pleasure may Release me without the Lords if so this Court is Coram Rege This is the proper place to determine the Kings Pleasure This Court will and ought to judge of an Act of Parliament null and void if it be against Magna Charta much more may judge an order of the House that is put in Execution to deprive any Subject of his Liberty And if this Order or Commitment be a Judgment as the King's Council affirms then it is out of the Lords hands and properly before your Lordships as much as the Acts which were lately passed which I presume you will not refuse to Judge of notwithstanding Mr. Attorney General saith this Parliament is yet in being yet I take it something ill that he tells me I might have applied elsewhere My Lords they speak much of the custom of Parliament but I do affirm there is no custom of Parliament that ever their own Members should be put out of their own power and the inconveniences will be endless Mr. Attorney was pleased easily to ansiver the Objection of one of my Council if a great Minister be so committed he hath the Cure of a Pardon a Prorogation or a Dissolution But if the Case should be put why forty Members or a greater number may not as well be taken away without Remedy in any of the King's Courts he will not so easily answer And if there can be no relief in this Case no Man can foresee what will be hereafter I desire your Lordships well to consider what Rule you make in my Case for it will be a president that may in future Ages concern every Man in England My Lord Mr. Attorney saith you either can release or remand me I differ from him in that Opinion I do not insist upon a Release I have been a Prisoner above five Months already and came hither of necessity having no other way to get my Liberty and therefore am very willing to tender your Lordship Bail which are in or near the Court as good as any are in England either for their Estate or Quality and I am ready to give any sum or member My Lords this Court being now possest of this business I am now your Prisoner The Court having heard all that could be said pro and con on both sides delivered their Opinions Seriatim one of the Judges indeed was not there in Person but he adventured hower to shew the exactness of his Justice to depute Judge Jones to speak for him when it came to his turn and declare although he had not heard what his Lordships Council or himself could say that it was his Opinion his Lordship ought to be remanded and the rest of the Court unanimously concurring with the Opinion of their absent Brother he was by them remanded back again to the Tower according And thus his Lordship being denied redress in the Court of Kings-Bench remained a Prisoner in the Tower until the February following and then on the fourteenth of that Month the Parliament being then sitting he presented a Petition to the House of Lords wherein he makes a very humble submission both to His Majesty and the House of Peers but they objecting against the Petitions he had presented to His Majesty as not having made a satisfactory acknowledgment of his Crimes after some debate rejected this Petition Whereupon the weak condition he was then brought into by his confinement requiring speedy enlargement he presented another Petition to His Majesty and likewise to the House of Lords in both which he renued his Supplication to be released from his imprisonment And not only acknowledged with all humble submission That his endeavouring to maintain the Parliaments being Dissolv'd was an ill advised Action and so must every Man acknowledg who will strive in vain to sail against Wind and Tide but in the most submissive Terms assured them that he was ready to make what further acknowledgment and submission they should require and that in the way and manner too which they should please to direct yet unfortunate Earl he could not obtain his Liberty upon these Terms neither another pretence being then laid hold on for the prolonging his Imprisonment Which was the horrid Crime of endeavouring his enlargment by applying himself to the Court of Kings-Bench in order to his being admitted to Bail And yet a certain Gentleman in the World who had at that time a mighty influence upon Affairs and improved this imaginary fault as much as possible to the prejudice of the Earl hath since that time been himself guilty of the supposed Crime And not only so but hath rendred himself also more pertinacious therein by his reiterated applications to that Court to take Bail for him His Lordships Second Petition to the House of Lords was as follows To the Right Honourable the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament Assembled The humble Petition of Anthony Earl of SHAFTSBVRY Sheweth THat your Petitioner on the 16th of February 1676. was committed Prisoner to the Tower of London by your Lordships because he did not obey your Lordships Order where he hath continued in close confinement to the great decay of his Health and danger of his Life as well as prejudice of his Estate and Family In all humble Obedience therefore unto your Lordships he doth acknowledge That his endeavouring to maintain that this Parliament is Dissolved was an ill advised Action for which he humbly begs the Pardon of the King's Majesty and of this most Honourable House and doth in all humble Duty and Observance to your Lordships beseech you to believe that he would not do any thing willingly to incur your displeasure Wherefore your Petitioner in all humble Duty and Obedience both to His Majesty and your Lordships hath made his humble submission and acknowledgment in his most humble Petition unto the Kings most Sacred Majesty and is ready to make his further submission to His Majesty and this Honourable House according to the direction thereof And he doth most humbly implore your Lordships that you will be pleased to restore him to your favour and discharge him from his Imprisonment And your Petitioner c. SHAFTSBVRY THis Petition being read the Lord Chancellor acquainted the House that His Majesty had received a Third Petition from the Earl of Shaftsbury more submissive than the two former But His Majesty understanding
to kill the Earl of Shaftsbury as being the great encourager and influencer of the rest not long after which Matteson pull'd a Pistol out of his Pocket in Mr. Prance's Shop affirming he would therewith do Shaftsbury's business having provided the same for that purpose several others also assures Mr. Prance that he would speedily be destroyed But after this their rage was heigthned and they supposed themselves obliged to a greater vigilancy in accomplishing his ruine upon the account of a Speech which was said to be spoken by him in the House of Lords March 25. 1679. upon occasion of the Houses Resolving it self into State of England which was to the following Effect MY LORDS YOV are now appointing the consideration of the State of England to be taken up in a Committee of the whole House some day the next Week I do not know how well what I have to say may be received for I never study either to make my Court well or to be popular I alwaies speak what I am commanded by the dictates of the Spirit within me There are some other considerations that concern England so nearly that without them you will come far short of Safety and Quiet at home We have a little Sister and she hath no Breasts what shall we do for our Sister in the day when she shall be spoken for If she be a Wall we will build on her a Palace of Silver if she be a Door we will inclose her with Boards of Caedar We have several little Sisters without Breasts the French Protestant Churches the two Kingdoms of Ireland and Scotland the forraign Protestants are a Wall the only Wall and Defence to England upon it you may build Palaces of Silver glorious Palaces The protection of the Protestants abroad is the greatest power and security the Crown of England can attain to and which can only help us to give check to the growing greatness of France Scotland and Ireland are two Doors either to let in good or mischief upon us they are much weakned by the Artifice of our cunning Enemies and we ought to enclose them with Boards of Caedar Popery and Slavery like two Sisters go hand in hand sometimes the one goes first sometimes the other but wherever the one enters the other is always following close at the Heels In England Popery was to have brought in Slavery in Scotland Slavery went before and Popery was to follow I do not think your Lordships or the Parliament have Jurisdiction there It is a Noble and Ancient Kingdom they have an Illustrious Nobility a Gallant Gentry a Learned Clergy and an understanding worthy People but yet we cannot think of England as we ought without reflecting on the condition thereof They are under the same Prince and the influence of the same Favourites and Councils When they are hardly dealt with can we that are Richer expect better usuage For 't is certain that in all absolute Governments the poorest Countries are most favourably dealt with When the Ancient Nobility there cannot enjoy their Royalties their Shrievaldoms and their Stewardies which they and their Ancestors have possessed for several hundred of years but that now they are enjoyn'd by the Lords of the Council to make Deputations of their Authorities to such as are their known Enemies can we expect to enjoy our Magna Charta long under the same persons and Administration of Affairs If the Council-Table there can imprison any Nobleman or Gentleman for several years without bringing him to Tryal or giving the least Reason for what they do can we expect the same men will preserve the Liberty of the Subject here My Lords I will confess that I am not very well vers'd in the particular Laws of Scotland but this I do know that all the Northern Countries have by their Laws an undoubted and inviolable Right to their Liberties and Properties yet Scotland hath out-done all the Eastern and Southern Countries in having their Lives Liberties and Estates subjected to the Arbitrary Will and Pleasure of those that govern They have lately plundered and harassed the richest and wealthiest Countries of that Kingdom and brought down the barbarous Highlanders to devour them and all this almost without a colourable pretence to do it Nor can there be found a Reason of State for what they have done but that those wicked Ministers designed to procure a Rebellion at any Rate which as they managed it was only prevented by the miraculous hand of God or otherwise all the Papists in England would have been armed and the fairest opportunity given in the nick of time for the execution of that wicked and bloody Design the Papists had and it is not possible for any man that duly considers it to think other but that those Ministers that acted that were as guilty of the Plot as any of the Lords that are in Question for it My Lords I am forced to speak this the plainer because till the pressure be fully and clearly taken off from Scotland 't is not possible for me or any thinking man to believe that good is meant us here We must still be upon our guard apprehending that the Principle is not changed at Court and that those men that are still in place and Authority have that influence upon the mind of Our Excellent Prince that he is not nor cannot be that to us that his own Nature and Goodness would incline him to I know your Lordships can order nothing in this but there are those that hear me which can put a perfect cure to it until that be done the Scottish Weed is like Death in the pot Mors in Olla But there is something too now I consider that most immediately concerns us their Act of Twenty two Thousand Men to be ready to invade us upon all occasions This I hear that the Lords of the Council there have treated as they do all other Laws and expounded it into a standing Army of Six Thousand Men. I am sure we have Reason and Right to beseech the King that that Act may be better considered in the next Parliament there I shall say no more for Scotland at this time I am afraid your Lordships will think I have said too much having no concern there but if a French Nobleman should come to dwell in my House and Family I should think it concerned me to ask what he did in France for if we were there a Felon a Rogue a Plunderer I should desire him to live elsewhere and I hope your Lordships will do the same thing for the Nation if you find Cause My Lords Give me leave to speak two or three words concerning our other Sister Ireland Thither I hear is sent Douglas's Regiment to secure us against the French Besides I am credibly informed that the Papists have their Arms restor'd and the Protestants are not many of them yet recovered from being the suspected Party The Sea-Towns as well as the In-land are full of Papists That Kingdom
drawing near the Members from all parts repaired thither and apprehending themselves in danger of being exposed in a place so remote from London to the Insolency of the Papists upon the account of that Vigilency and Courage wherewith they had prosecuted the Popish Plot in former Parliaments they appeared there with a Guard some of them being accompanied thither by their Tenants and Neighbours some by the Freeholders by whom they were chosen and many of them only by their own Domisticks And to say the Truth the whole number was so inconsiderable that it served rather for Ornament than Strength and could have afforded but little assistance if the Papists had made an assault upon them as was feared Going thus attended to Parliaments holden at places remote from the Royal City hath alwaies been usual and customary and accounted not only honest but desent and honourable too especially in times of difficulty and danger when not only a Suspition but unquestionable Evidence and undeniable Proof of a design to destroy the King murther His Subjects and subvert the Government renders it foolish and unsafe to do otherwise least thereby the innocent and unwary expose themselves to the insolence and fury of their stronger Adversaries But notwithstanding this antient and laudable Custom it was looked upon at this time as an ill thing and great improvement made thereof towards the effecting what had been formerly so often unsuccessfully attempted as will appear by the sequel of this History The King having made preparations for His Journey to Oxford went first to Windsor and from thence to the University being met upon the Border of the County by the High Sherift and his Attendance and at Wbateby by the Lord Norris Lord Lieutenant of the County with a great Train of Gentry and the two Troops of the County Militia who conducted him to the East-Gate of the City where he was received by the Mayor and the rest of the Magistrates and welcomed by the Recorder in an elegant and florid Oration Then the Mayor presented him with the Mace Sword which being return'd again the Mayor attended with the Aldermen and Recorder carried the Mace before His Majesty to Christ Colledge-Gate from whence the King passing to His Lodgings which were prepared for him in the Colledge was received by the Bishop and welcomed in a Latin Speech which he made on his Knees And the next morning His Majesty was attended by the Vice-Chancellor the Orator and the rest of the Officers belonging to the University The Orator making a Speech to the King in Latin and to the Queen in English His Lordship and divers other persons imitated those of other parts and went to Oxford accompanied likewise with several persons of their Neighbours and Acquaintance who Innocently offered to wait on them some part of the way and others throughout to Oxford On the 21st the Parliament met at the Convocation House The King told them he had not parted with His last House of Commons had it not been for their unwarrantable proceedings he commended to them the prosecution of the Plot c. Having ended his Speech the Commons returned to their House to chuse themselves a Speaker and unanimously made choice of Mr. Williams who had been Speaker of the former Parliament the choise being over they presented him to His Majesty and the Speaker Addressing himself to the King acquainted Him That the Commons according to His Majesties command had proceeded to choose them a Speaker and to shew that they were not given to change they had chosen him and that he did according to their command prostrate himself at His Majesties Feet to receive his pleasure with a Head and Heart full of Loyalty to His Sacred Person Armed with a settled Resolution never to depart from His antient and well settled Government The King having approved of the choice and confirmed him for Speaker the Commons withdrew and repaired to their own House and settled Elections c. On the 25th they entered upon the consideration of the Matter relating to the Bill which had passed both Houses in the last Parliament for repeal of the Act of the 35th of Elizabeth but was not tendred to His Majesty for the Royal Assent and resolved that a Messenger should be sent to the Lords to desire a Conference thereupon Another Message was also ordered to be sent to the Lords to put them in mind that they had formerly by their Speaker demanded judgment of High Treason at their Bar against the Earl of Danby and therefore desired them to appoint a day to give judgment against him upon their Impeachment The Impeachment of Fitz-Harris was next entered upon in order whereunto his Examination being-read in the House they ordered it to be Printed and that Fitz-Harris should be impeached at the Lords Bar and a Committee appointed to draw up Articles against him The House ordered Sir Lionel Jenkins to carry up the Impeachment to the Lords which he at first refused but perceiving the Commons were ready to proceed against him for that Contempt he complied and went up and impeached Fitz-Harris at the Bar of the Lords House in the Name of the Commons and People of England The Impeachment of Fitz-Harris being thus delivered to the Lords they rejected it whereupon his Lordship and Eighteen Peers entered their Proestation against their throwing of it out The Commons likewise Voted it to be illegal and the next Morning March 28th His Majesty sent for them into the House of Lords and told them that their beginnings had been such that he could expect no good of this Parliament and therefore thought fit to Dissolve them and accordingly the Chancellor by the Kings Command Declared the Parliament Dissolv'd By this unexpected and suddain Dissolution a final conclusion was put to all their Debates and all their further examinations of and prosecuting the Popish Plot was terminated by a full Point The Parliament being thus Dissolv'd the King took Coach immediately and departed to Windsor the same day and after a few hoursstay returned to Whitehall and the Earl likewise returned to London having first left as a mark of his magnificence and bounty a piece of Plate to Baliol Colledge With this Parliament we may conclude the Active part of his Lordships Life for about that time the Scene alter'd and he becomes only passive in the remainder of his Life in relating the Storms whereof I am fallen into such a Laborinth of Plots Sham-Plots misterious Intreagues Subornations and Perjuries and confident Affirmations of moral Impossibilities as no Age ever produced or History can parallel so that it cannot be expected I should Write an exact History thereof but the Reader must be content to let it remain as a considerable part of the Mystery of Iniquity until such time as he to whom all things are open and naked shall bless the World with a full and clear discovery of the secret But as a commical Prologue to the intended Tragedy
to above an Hundred more who had been Members of the former Parliament and had render'd themselves obnoxious to the Usurper by Opposing and Acting in contradiction to his Designs of Establishing his Tyranny They being all Excluded for want of the aforesaid Certificate or Warrant Whereupon after having consulted together they applied themselves for Redress to that part of the Parliament which was admitted to Sit. Acquainting them by way of complaint that above an Hundred of the Members which were chosen by the Country and sent up to serve in the Parliament were not able to obtain admittance into the House being kept out by order of the Protector But those within the House being all of them Cromwells Creatures upon the Questions being put Resolved That those persons ought to make their Application to the Council for Acceptance and Approbation Whereupon finding that they could obtain no relief against those Arbitrary and Illegal Practices of the Usurper they unanimously consented to draw up and publish a Remonstrance wherein they claimed the priviledge of the Ancient Fundamental Laws and their Birth-right as Free-men of England But the Remonstrance being much too large to be here inserted I shall only present you with one or two Paragraphs as a Specimen of those brave Heroes Resolutions against a Protectorian Invasion And the greatness of their Courage and brave English Gallantry will be the more conspicuous if we consider this was done when the then Protector was in his Zenith when he had made almost all Europe tremble before him ahd gave Laws to his Neighbouring Princes and held that Thunder in his Fist wherewith he shook the Nation off her very Foundations And the House too filled with those who either were or seemed to be his Creatures Yet in a general Defiance of this so Potent a Conquerour did those Noble Patriots amongst other things Remonstrate When our Worthy Ancestors have been met in Parliaments and have found Oppression and Tyranny supported by such strong hands that they could not prevail to secure their Countries Lives and Liberties by wholsome Laws they have often made their Protestations against Injustice and Oppression and forewarned the People of their danger In like manner we who have been duly chosen by the People to be Members of the Parliament that should now have met and have an undoubted Right to meet Sit and Vote in Parliament although we are Oppressed by Force of Arms and shut out of the usual place of Parliament Sitting yet having Hearts sensible of that highest Trust reposed in us and being filled with Cares for the Church and Common-wealth which with grief of heart we behold bleeding we do hold our selves bound in duty to God and our Country to declare unto the People of England their and our woful condition and the most evident danger of the utter Subversion of Religion Liberty Right and Property We believe the Rumour is now gone through the Nation that Armed Men employed by the L. P. have prevented the free Meeting and Sitting of the intended Parliament and have forcibly shut out of doors such Members as he and his Council supposed would not be frighted or flattered to betray their Country and give up their Religion Lives and Estates to be at his Will to selve his Lawless Ambition But we fear that the Slavery Rapines Oppressions Cruelties Murthers and Confusions that are comprehended in this horrid Fact are not so sensibly discerned or so much laid to heart as the case requires and we doubt not but as the common practice of the Man hath been the Name of God and Religion and formal Fasts and Prayers will be made use of to colour over the Blackness of the Fact We do therefore in faithfulness to God and our Country hereby Remonstrate First That whereas by the Fundamental Laws of this Nation the People ought not to be bound by any Laws but such as are freely consented unto by their chosen Deputies in Parliament and it is a most wicked Usurpation even against the very Laws of Nature for any man to impose his Will or Discretion upon another as a Rule unless there be some compact or Agreement between the parties for that intent And whereas by the Mercy of God only in preserving this Fundamental Law and Liberty the good People of England have beyond memory of any Record preserved their Estates Families and Lives which had otherwise been destroyed at the will of every wicked Tyrant and by keeping this only as their undoubted Right they have been kept from being brutish Slaves to the lusts of their Kings who would otherwise have despoiled them of their Persons Lives and Estates by their Proclamations and the Orders of themselves and their Council Now the L. P. hath by force of Arms invaded this Fundamental Right and Liberty and violently prevented the meeting of the peoples chosen Deputies in Parliament and he and his Council boldly declare That none of the Peoples Deputies shall meet in Parliament unless they agree to the measure of their Fantasies Humours and Lusts They now render the people such Fools or Beasts as know not who are fit to be trusted by them with their Lives Estates and Families But he and his Council that daily devour their Estates and Liberties will judge who are fit to counsel and advise about Laws to preserve their Estates and Liberties Thus doth he now openly assume a power to pack an Assembly of his Confidents Parasites and Confederates and to call them a Parliament that he may from thence pretend that the People have consented to become his Slaves and to have their persons and Estates at his Diseretion And if the people shall tamely submit to such a Power who can doubt but he may pack such a Number as will obey all his Commands and consent to his taking what part of our Estates he pleaseth and to impose what Yoaks he thinks fit to make us draw in They know it to be the undoubted Right of the People to trust whom they think fit and as much the Right of every man duly chosen and trusted to meet and Vote in Parliament without asking their leave or begging their Tickets And although there have been frequent Secret Designs for many years to subvert Religion Liberty and Property in this Nation and to that end the Designs of Tyranny have attempted to destroy sometimes the Being sometimes the Power Priviledges and Freedom of Parliaments yet the Mercy of God hath almost miraculously preserved the Being Priviledges and Authority of Parliaments and therein Religion Liberty and Property until the time of the Lord Protector But now he hath assumed an absolute Arbitrary Soveraignty as if he came down from the Throne of God to create to himself and his Confederates such Powers and Authorities as must not be under the cognizance of the Peoples Parliaments His Proclamations he declares shall be binding Laws to Parliaments themselves he takes upon him to be above the whole Body and every Member of it
by no other Rule or Law than his pleasure as if he were their Absolute Lord and had bought all the People of England for his Slaves Doubtless he would pretend only to have Conquered England at his own Expence and were there as much Truth as there is Falshood in that pretence yet he could not but know that the Right of the Peoples Deputies to their Antient Powers and Priviledges would remain good against him as against their publick capital Enemy Whom every man ought to destroy until by some agreement with the Body of the People in Parliament some sort of governing Power in him were submitted unto that hereby he might cease to be a publick Enemy and Destroyer and become a King or Governour according to the conditions accepted by the People and if he would so pretend he could not be so discharged from his publick Enmity by any Condition or Agreement made with a part of the Peoples chosen Deputies whilst he shut out the other part for no part of the Representatives Body are trusted to consent to any thing in the Nations behalf if the whole have not their free Liberty of Debating and Voting in the Matters propounded If he would pretend no higher than to be our Conquerour who for Peace and his own safeties sake was content to cease from being a publick Enemy and to be admitted a Governour he would not compass those ends by forcibly excluding as now he does whom he pleases of the Representative Body of People who were to submit to him on the Peoples behalf therefore he either takes upon him to be such a Conqueror as scorris the Peoples acceptance of him by their Representative as their Governour and fears not to remain a publick Enemy or else he takes himself to be such an unheard of Soveraign that against him the People have no claim of Property or Right in themselves or any thing else for he hath now declared that the Peoples choice cannot give any man a Right to sit in Parliament but the Right must be derived from his gracious Will and Pleasure with that of his Councellors and his Clerks Ticket only must be their evidence for it Thus hath he exalted himself to a Throne like unto God's as if he were of himself and his power from himself and we were all made for him to be commanded and disposed of by him to work for him and serve his Pleasure and Ambition A little after there is an Instance of Chief-Justice Tresilian who was executed at Tyburn in the time of Richard the Second for advising the King that he might at any time dissolve the Parliament and command the Members to depart under the penalty of Treason Divers other Protestations were contained in that Instrument against the Arbitrariness and Tyranny of that proceeding and in conclusion they declare they will pour out their complaints before the Lord against their powerful Oppressors hoping he will redeem his People out of the hands of wicked and deceitful Men. This Protestation was Signed by One hundred and seventeen persons whereof Sir Anthony Ashley Cooper was chief and many others of great Loyalty and Integrity some whereof are since dead but many yet survive and as a reward of their Loyalty enjoy Places of Honour and Profit under his present Majesty By this we may easily discern the Opinion he had of the Illegal and Arbitrary proceedings of Cromwell and how much of the sufferings of the Loyal Party would have been prevented had that point of a free Parliament been then gained and consequently His Majesties Restauration must have happened sooner than it did This Remonstrance had not power enough however to work their present admission into the House so that that part of a Parliament which was suffered to sit did every thing to the desire of Cromwell answering both those ends for which they were Convened viz. the raising Money and confirming his Title which was no sooner done but he Prorogued them until he had occasion to Fleece them again which interval was laid hold on by this true English Gentleman as a fit opportunity to engage them when they met again to do themselves and the Nation Justice by admitting him and the rest of the Members that were kept out by the Protector to take their place in Parliament and so managed some of the Members who were moderate men that they resolved not to be so basely trampled on by the Tyrant any longer The Prorogation being expired the Parliament make their appearance at Westminster where the Protector makes a fair Speech to them promising them strange things if they would go on and prosecute his Designs But notwithstanding this Speech the Commons were no sooner retired to their House than Cromwell discovered to his no small perplexity that the Face of his beloved Parliament from whose tractableness and compliance he had promised himself the greatest happiness imaginable was strangely altered For they presently fell to Voting That no Member legally Chosen and Returned could be excluded from performing their Duty but by consent of Parliament and thereupon immediately proceeded to the calling over their House and admitted Sir Anthony and the rest who had subscribed the Remonstrance to the no good liking of the Protector who were no sooner in and the House full but they so influenced the rest that they soon became the majority and began to undo what the others had done in their absence and presumed so far as to question the Tyrants Power Wherefore finding them so bold he concluded it would not be convenient to let a business of so high a nature run too far lest it should if neglected put a period to all his ambitious Designs Wherefore going to his Pageant House of Lords he sent for them and after having made a large Speech to them in the conclusion told them That it did concern his Interest as well as the publick Peace and Tranquility of the Nation to terminate that Parliament and therefore he did then dissolve them and put an end to their Sitting The constant correspondence he alwaies maintained with the Royal Party and that almost to the hazard of his Life and Family are sufficient Testimonies of his sincerity to his Masters Interest and Service his House was a Sanctuary for distressed Royalists and his correspondence with the Kings Friends though closely managed as the necessities of those times required are not unknown to those that were the principal managers of his Majesties Affairs at that time This made Cromwell so apprehensive of this great Assertor of his Countries Rights and Opposer of Arbitrary Government and Enthusiasm that though his vast Abilities were known at least to equal the ablest Pilot of the State which was the only motive that induced the Usurper in the infancy of his Usurpation to nominate him for one of his Council in hope thereby to allure him to his Interest and wheadle and Wire-draw him into a compliance with his ambitious and mischievous designs yet we cannot
delightful view of the languishing Spectators wherein they plainly law the happy Issue of those Policies and Councils that were before Riddles too mysterious for vulgar understandings to unfold or once imagine whither they tended or where they would terminate by the following Resolves of both Houses Resolved by the House of Peers That they do own and declare That according to the Ancient and Fundamental Laws of this Kingdom the Government is and ought to be by King Lords and Commons Resolved That a Committee of Eight Lords do joyn with a Committee of the House of Commons to consider of an Answer to His Majesties gracious Letter and Declaration Resolved by the House of Commons That a Committee be appointed to prepare an Answer to His Majesties Letter expressing the Great and Joyfid sense of this House for his Gracious Offers and their humble and hearty Thanks to His Majesty for the same and with professions of their Loyalty and Duty to His Majesty And that this House will give a speedy Answer to His Majesties Gracious Proposals Resolved That the sum of 50000 1. be Presented His Majesty from this House The receiving those Letters and the Parliaments compliance therewith was no sooner reported to the City but the Citizens were almost overwhelmed with Joy the harmony of the Bells and the flaming Piles which inlightened every Street surrounded with incredible Shouts and Acclamations of Joy were sufficient demonstrations of the infinite pleasure and satisfaction they took in this no less wonderful then happy Revolution and the several Counties taking the Alarm from London contended which should out-vie each other in expressions of Loyalty and Joy Then the Parliament proceeded to draw up a Letter in Answer to His Majesties subscribing it to the Kings most Excellent Majesty desiring him speedily to return to the Exercises of his Kingly Office appointing Commissioners to go over to Holland and attend His Majesty during the remainder of his stay there and in his return to England Of these Commissioners there were six for the House of Lords for the House of Commons Twelve whereof our great Patriot was one and Twenty for the City of London Instructions being delivered to the Commissioners they set Sail for Holland in several Frigats appointed by the Parliament to attend them and after some danger by bad Weather they Landed at the Hague whither His Majesty was then removed from Breda where he had resided some time before as being a place nearer and more convenient for his Shipping the disposal whereof and of the whole Fleet was remitted to His Majesties pleasure General Montague having received Orders from the Parliament to Obey His Majesties Orders and Directions therein The Commissioners were no sooner arrived but they went and waited on His Majesty and with all imaginable Respect and Veneration delivered their respective Messages and behaved themselves according to the Instructions they received from their Principals beseeching His Majesty in the name of his Parliament and People to return and re-assume the Scepter assuring him That he should be infinitely welcome without any terms They were received by his Majesty with a Port and Grace like himself and entertain'd with extraordinary Favour and Magnificence In the mean time the Parliament Proclaim'd the King which was perform'd with all the Joy Splendour and Magnificence that Love or Loyalty could inspire The chief Lords of the House of Peers and the most eminent of the House of Commons the Lord General together with the Lord Mayor and Aldermen all in their Coaches attended by the whole Militia of the City waited upon and assisted in the Ceremony and the Shouts and Acclamations of the crouding Multitudes was so extraordinary that although all the Bells throughout the City and Suburbs were at that time Ringing yet their noise was not to be heard The King preparing for his Return was magnisicently Treated by the Dutch and highly Complimented by all the Forraign Ambassadours And the Dutch knowing that they should thereby very much please the King enlarg'd their Civilities to our great Patriot and the rest of the Commissioners from the Parliament and City treating them by their Deputies to their great content and satisfaction Whilst this great Adventurer for the Royal Cause continued in Holland one day as he was doing his Duty in waiting on his Soveraign had the unhappiness to be overthrown in a Carravan whereby he received an unfortunate Wound in his side between the Ribs which in time came to an Exulceration and was in the year 1672. when he was Lord Chancellour forc'd to be opened The Operation was performed by Mr. Knolls the Chyrurgeon by the Advice and Direction of the famous Doctor Willis and supposed to be the greatest Cure that ever was done upon the Body of Man From whence we may learn the hard Fate which sometimes attend the most commendable Actions since this which was the greatest mark and ensign of Loyalty should be made the matter of the greatest Obloquy and Reproach most of those malicious Pamphlets that have been written against him being filled with Invectives grounded upon the Story of the Tap. Oh monstrous Ingratitude His Majesty having prepared all things in readiness Embarqued for England the Royal Charles being appointed for that purpose And was attended by the Commissioners and a numerous Company of English Gentry and waited on by General Mountague with the whole Fleet and having a fair and gentle Gale Landed at Dover May 25. where he was met by the General and chief Nobility and so conducted to Canterbury Rochester and Darkford and from thence to London where His Majesty found the Lord Mayor and Aldermen ready in a Tent which was pitcht in St. Georges Fields to receive him the several Regiments being there placed in Order made a Lane for his Majesty to pass through the Sword being delivered him according to Custom he re-delivered it and after a splendid Treat proceeded into London by Southwark from the Bridge to Temple-Bar the Streets were Railed on one side with Standings for the Liveries and on the other with the Train'd Bands and sevefal Companies of Gentlemen Volunteers in White Doublets under the Command of Sir John Staywell through which His Majesty passed in a Splendid and Triumphant manner being bravely attended by Sir Anthony and the rest of the Commissioners of the Parliament and City together with all the principal Nobility and Gentry of England with innumerable others and so he passed to White-hall where both Houses of Parliament waited his Arrival whose Speakers in elegant Speeches acquainted him with the Felicity and Happiness they conceiv'd in this happy Revolution The Friday following His Majesty went the private way to the House of Lords and after having made a short Speech signed those Acts which were ready for the Royal Assent And not long after proceeded to the choice of his Privy-Council and in consideration of the great Esteem he had for Sir Anthony Ashly Cooper nominated him for one of them Wisely considering
French hands for Caution The next day news came that France and Holland were agreed Then the obloquy was turned from treachery to folly The Ministers were now Fools that some days before were Villains And indeed the Coffee-houses were not to be blamed for their last apprehensions since if that Conjunction had taken effect then England had been in a far worse case then now it is and the War had been turned upon us But both Kings knowing their Interests resolved to Joyn against them who were the Common Enemies to all Monarchies and I may say especially to ours their only Competitor for Trade and Power at Sea and who only stand in their way to an universal Empire as great as Rome This the States understood so well and had swallowed so deep that under all their present distress and danger they are so intoxicated with that vast ambition that they slight a Treaty and refuse a Cessation All this you and the whole Nation saw before the last War but it could not then be so well timed or our Alliances so well made But you judged aright that at any rate Delenda est Carthago That Government was to be brought down And therefore the King may well say to you 'T is your War He took his measures from you and they were just and right ones and He expects a suitable assistance to so necessary and expensive an Action which He has hitherto maintained at His own charge and was unwilling either to trouble you or burden the Country until it came to an inevitable necessity And His Majesty commands me to tell you that unless it be a certain Sum and speedily raised it can never answer the Occasion My Lords and Gentlemen Reputation is the great support of War or Peace This War had never begun nor had the States ever slighted the King or ever refused Him Satisfaction neither had this War continued to this day or subsisted now but that the States were deceived in their measures and apprehended His Majesty in that great want of money that He must sit down under any Affronts and was not able to begin or carry on a War Nay at this day the States support themselves amongst their People by this only falshood that they are assured of the temper of England and of the parliament and that you will not supply the King in this War And that if they can hold out till your meeting they will have new life and may take new measures There are lately taken two of their principal Agents with their Credentials and Instructions to this purpose who are now in the Tower and shall be proceeded against according to the Law of Nations But the King is sufficiently assured of His people Knows you better and can never doubt His Parliament This had not been mentioned but to shew you of what importance the frankness and seasonableness of this Supply is as well as the fulness of it Let me say the King has brought the States to that condition that your hearty conjunction at this time in supplying His Majesty will make them never more formidable to Kings or dangerous to England And if after this you suffer them to get up let this be remembred The States of Holland are Englands eternal Enemy both by Interest and Inclination In the next place to the supply for the carrying on of the War His Majesty recommends to you the taking care of His Debts What you gave the last Session did not near answer your own expectation Besides another confiderable Aid you designed His Majesty was unfortunately lost in the birth so that the King was forced for the carrying on of His affairs much against His will to put a stop to the payments out of the Exchequer He saw the pressures upon himself and growing inconveniencies to His People by great Interest and the difference through all His Business between Ready money and Orders This gave the King the necessity of that proceeding to make use of His own Revenue which hath been of so great effect in this War But though he hath put a stop to the trade and gain of the Bankers yet he would be unwilling to ruine them and oppress so many Families as are concerned in those Debts Besides it were too disprortionable a burden upon many of His good Subjects But neither the Bankers nor they have reason to complain if you now take them into your care and they have paid them what was due to them when the Stop was made with Six per Cent. Interest from that time The King is very much concern'd both in Honour and Interest to see this done And yet he desires you not to mis-time it but that it may have only the second place and that you will first settle what you intend about the Supply His Majesty has so fully vindicated His Declaration from that Calumny concerning the Papists that no reasonable scruple can be made by any good man He has sufficiently justified it by the time it was published in and the effects He hath had from it and might have done it more from the agreeableness of it to His own natural disposition which no good English man can wish other then it is He loves not bloud or rigorous severities but where mild or gentle ways may be used by a wise Prince He is certain to choose them The Church of England and all good Protestants have reason to rejoyce in such a Head and such a Defender His Majesty doth declare His care and Concerns for the Church and will maintain them in all their Rights and Priviledges equal if not beyond any of His Predecessors He was born and bred up in it It was that his Father died for We all know how great temptations and offers He resisted abroad when He was in His lowest condition And He thinks it the Honour of His Reign that He hath been the Restorer of the Church 'T is that He will ever maintain and hopes to leave to posterity in greater lustre and upon surer grounds then our Ancestors ever saw it But His Majesty is not convinc'd that violent ways are the Interest of Religion or the Church There is one thing more which I am commanded to speak to you of Which is the jealousie that hath been foolishly spread abroad of the Forces the King hath raised in this War Wherein the King hath opened himself freely to you and confessed the fault on the other hand For if this last Summer had not proved a miracle of Storms and Tempests such as secured their East-India Fleet and protected their Sea-coast from a discent nothing but the true reason want of Money could have justified the defect in the number of our Forces 'T is that His Majesty is providing for against the next Spring having given out Orders for the raising of seven or eight Regiments more of Foot under the Command of Persons of the greatest Fortunes and Quality And I am earnestly to recommend to you that in your Supplies
you will take into your consideration this necessary addition of charge And after His Majesties conclusion of His Speech let me conclude nay let us all conclude with blessing God and the King Let us bless God that he hath given us such a King to be the Repairer of our Breaches both in Church and State and the restorer of our paths to dwell in That in the midst of War and Misery which rages in our Neighbour Countries our Garners are full and there is no complaining in our Streets And a Man can hardly know that there is a War Let us bless God that hath given this King signally the hearts of His People and most particularly of this Parliament who in their Affection and Loyalty to their Prince have exceeded all their Predecessors A Parliament with whom the King hath many years lived with all the Caresses of a happy Marriage Has the King had a concern You have wedded it Has His Majesty wanted Supplies You have readily chearfully and fully provided for them You have relied upon the Wisdom and Conduct of His Majesty in all His affairs so that you have never attempted to exceed your bounds or to impose upon Him whilest the King on the other hand hath made your Counsels the foundations of all His proceedings and hath been so tender of you that he hath upon His own Revenue and Credit endeavoured to support even Foreign Wars that he might be least uneasie to you or burdensom to His People And let me say that tho' this Marriage be according to Moses's Law where the Husband can give a Bill of Divorce put her away and take another Yet I can assure you it is as impossible for the King to part with this Parliament as it is for you to depart from that Loyalty Affection and Dutiful Beha viour you have hitherto shewed towards Him Let us bless the King for taking away all our Fears and leaving no room for Jealousies For those Assurances and Promises He hath made us Let us bless God and the King that our Religion is safe That the Church of England is the care of our Prince That Parliaments are safe That our Properties and Liberties are safe What more hath a good English man to ask but that this King may long Reign and that this Triple-Alliance of King Parliament and People may never be dissolved The King having about that time made Si Edward Turner Speaker of the House of Commons Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer the Lord Chancellor acquainted them therewith and recommended to them His Majesties Pleasure for their Electing a new Speaker in the following Speech My Lords and you the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the House of Commons HIs Majesty hath commanded me to tell you That he hath many things to say to you but he thinks not this a proper time but will defer it till the House of Commons be compleated with a new Speaker For His Majesty hath since the last Session as a mark of His Favour to His House of Commons and that he might reward so good a Servant taken their late Speaker Sir Edward Turner to be Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer and called him by Writ to be an Assistant to this House I am therefore commanded to acquaint you Gentlemen of the House of Commons That it is the Kings Pleasure you repair to your House and Elect a Discreet Wise and Learned man who after he hath been by you Presented and that Presentation by His Majesty admitted shall then possess the Office of your common Mouth and Speaker And the King is pleased to be here to Morrow in the Afternoon to receive the Presentment of him accordingly The Commons having Elected Sir Job Charlton to be their Speaker who being by them Presented to the King Addressed himself to His Majesty in the following words Most Gracious Sovereign THe Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the House of Commons in Obedience to your Royal Command have proceeded to the Choice of a Speaker They have among them many worthy Persons eminently qualified for so great a Trust yet with too favourable an Eye have cast it upon me who am really conscious to my self of so many infirmities rendring me much unsit for so great an Imployment And although my endeavours of excusing my self before them have not been successful yet they have been so Indulgent as to permit me to continue my endeavours therein before Your Majesties most piercing and discerning Judgment The Veneration due to Majesty which lodgeth in every Loyal Breast makes it not an easie matter to speak before Your Majesty at any time or in any capacity But to speak before Your Majesty in Your Exaltation thus gloriously supported and attended and that as Speaker of Your House of Commons requires greater Abilities then I can pretend to own I am not also without fear That the Publick Affairs wherein Your Majesty and Your Kingdom in this Juncture of time are so highly concern'd may receive detriment through my weakness I therefore with a plain humble heart prostrate at Your Royal feet beseech That You will Command them to review what they have done and to proceed to another Election To which the Lord Chancellour made the following Answer Mr. Serjeant Charlton THe King hath very attentively heard your discreet and handsome Discourse whereby you endeavour to excuse and disable your self for the place of Speaker In answer whereof His Majesty hath commanded me to say to you That he doth in no sort admit of the same For his Majesty hath had long experience of your Abilities good Affection Integrity and Resolution in several employments of great Trust and Weight He knows you have been long a Parliament-man and therefore every way fitted and qualified for the Employment Besides he cannot disapprove the Election of this House of Commons especially where they have expressed so much Duty in choosing one Worthy and Acceptable to him And therefore the King doth allow of the Election and admits you for Speaker Sir Job Charlton seeing his excuse could not be admitted but that notwithstanding his Majesty had confirmed the Commons Choice by his Royal Approbation spake as follows Great SIR SInce it is Your Gracious Pleasure not to accept of my humble Excuse but by Your Royal Approbation to six me under this Great though Honourable Weight and to think me sit to be invested with a Trust of so high a nature as this is I take it in the first place to be incumbent upon me that I render Your Majesty all possible thanks which I now humbly do with a heart full of all Duty and affected with a deeper sense of Gratitude then I can find words to express Next from Your Royal Determination in this Affair whereby you have imprinted a new Character upon me I take courage against my own diffidence and chearfully bend my self with such strength and abilities as God shall give to the Service so graciously designed me no way doubting that Your Majesty
will please to pardon my Frailties to accept of my faithful Endeavours and always to look favourably on the Work of Your own hands And now Sir my first Entrance upon this Service obliges me to make a few necessary but humble Petitions on the behalf of Your most Loyal and Dutiful House of Commons 1. That for our better Attendance on the Publick Service we and our Servants may be free in our Persons and Estates from Arrests and other Disturbances 2. That in our Debates Liberty and Freedom of Speech be allowed us 3. That as occasions shall require Your Majesty upon our humble Suit and at such times as Your Majesty shall judge seasonable will vouchsafe us access to Your Royal Person 4. That all our Proceedings may receive a favourable Construction That God who hath brought You back to the Throne of Your Fathers and with You all our Comforts grant You a long and a prosperous Reign and send you Victory over all Your Enemies and every good mans heart will say Amen To which the Lord Chancellour reply'd Mr. Speaker THe Kings Majesty hath heard and well weighed your short and Eloquent Oration And in the first place much approves that you have with so much advantage introduced a shorter way of speaking upon this occasion His Majesty doth well accept of all those dutiful and affectionate Expressions in which you have delivered your Submission to his Royal Pleasure And looks upon it as a good Omen to his Affairs and as an Evidence that the House of Commons have still the same Heart that have chosen such a Mouth The conjuncture of time and the King and Kingdoms Affairs require such a House of Commons such a Speaker for with Reverence to the holy Scripture upon this occasion the King may say He that is not with me is against me for he that doth not now put his Hand and Heart to support the King in the common cause of this Kingdom can hardly ever hope for such another opportunity or find a time to make satisfaction for the Omission of this Next I am commanded by his Majesty to answer your four Petitions whereof the first being The freedom of you and your Servants in your Persons and Estates without Arrest or other disturbance the King is graciously pleased to grant it as full as to any of your Predecessors The Second for Liberty and Freedom of Speech the Third for Access to his Royal Person And the Fourth That your proceedings may receive a Favourable construction are all freely and fully granted by his Majesty During the time of his Chancellourship he lived at Exeter-House in the Strand and managed and maintained all things with a Port and Bravery suitable to the Greatness and Dignity of his place exceeding therein all who have enjoyed that Honour in his Majesties Raign as will appear by the manner of his proceeding from his House to Westminster-hall the first day of Hilary Term January 23. being the first Term after his receiving the Seal In the Morning the Twelve Judges and the several Officers of the High Court of Chancery together with the whole Body of the Law repaired to Exeter-house where they were entertain'd at a splendid and magnificent Treat by his Lordship which being ended he proceeded according to the ancient and laudable Custom to Westminster in the following Order First went The Beadles The Constables The High Constable The Tipstaffes The Cryer of the Court The Gentlemen Clerks The Sixty Clerks of the Chancery The Master of the Subpoena Office The Master of the Affidavit The Students of the Inns of Court The Cursitors The Clerk of the Patents The Registers The Barristers at Law The Clerks of the Hanaper The Prothonotary The Clerk of the Crown The Examiners The Clerks of the Petty Bag. The Six Clerks Then proceeded the following Officers being all of them bare The Sealer to the Great Seal The Chafe Wax to the Great Seal The Usher of the Court The Master of the Rolls's Gentlemen The Lord Chancellors Gentlemen The Secretaries The Steward of the House and Warden of the Fleet The Gentleman Usher The Seal-bearer carrying the Purse wherein was the Great Seal The Serjeant at Arms attending the Great Seal carrying the Mace After whom came the Lord High Chancellor himself on Horse-back being richly Array'd The Gentleman of his Horse attended by a Page a Groom and Six Footmen walking along by his Stirrup Next to the Lord High Chancellor followed The Lord Chief Justice The Master of the Rolls The Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer and the rest of the Judges according to their Seigniority And last of all came The Kings Serjeant at Law The Kings Attorny-General The Kings Solicitor-General The Kings Council The Duke of Yorks Attorny and his Solicitor together with the several Masters of Chancery In which Order they passed all along the Strand by White-hall through Kings-street and so to Westminster-hall the Streets being Lined with abundance of crouding Spectators who were exceedingly pleased with the Decency and Gallantry thereof All the time he enjoyed the Chancellorship he managed it with as much Honour and Advantage to his Majesty as any that ever did or will enjoy it And that not only upon the Bench but in the Senate too wherein he endeavoured to the uttermost of his Power to vindicate his Majesties Actions and by his admirable Eloquence labour'd to prevent or remove any Misunderstandings and Jealousies between the King and his Parliament as appears by the many excellent Speeches he made to the Two Houses when he was the mouth of the King to his People and had the Honour to be more successful therein then any who have succeeded him in that Honourable Station His sentiments of and veneration for his Soveraign and the smooth and charming Eloquence wherewith he fluently expressed himself upon all occasions sufficiently appear in that Speech which he made to the Lord Treasurer December the 5th 1672. upon his taking his Oath before him in the Exchequer My Lord Treasurer THe Kings most Excellent Majesty knowing your Integrity Abilities and Experience in his Affairs and particularly those of his Treasury hath thought fit to make choice of you to be his Lord High Treasurer of England and what necessarily accompanies that place hath by his Letters Patents under the Great Seal made you Treasurer of his Exchequer The Lord High Treasurer of Englands Office is held by the Kings delivery of the White-Staff The Treasurers of the Exchequer hath ever been held by Letters Patents And is that by which your Lordship is more immediately intituled to be a Chief Judge of this Court It were too nice and tedious and peradventure too formal to give an account of the several distinct Powers of these two Offices Reason and the length of time hath now so woven them together But as they are both in your Lordship I may justly say you are in a place of the first Rank as to Dignity Power Trust and Influence of Affairs