People freely to Elect their Representatives In the Year 1634. The Design of Ship-Money was first set on Foot and Attorney General Noâ— being consulted about he pretends out of some Musty Records to find an Ancient President of raising a Tax on the Nation by the Authority of the King alone for setting out a Navy in case of danger which was thereupon put in Execution though noâ— without great Discontent both among the Clergy and Laiety Discontents in Scotland likewise began to increase and a Book was Printed and Published charging the King with indirect Proceedings and having a tendency to the Rtmish Belief And now to blow up these Scotch Sparks to a Flame C. Richeliâ— sent over his Chaplain and another Gentleman to heighten their Differences And some time aâ—ter viz. the latter end of the Year 1653. great Differences arose about Church-Matters in England chiefly occasioned by A. B. Laud's strict enjoyning many new Ceremonies not formerly insisted on and now vehemently opposed by those called Puritans to whom adhered many of the Episcopal Party Several Gentlemen of Quality had refused to pay the Ship-Money and among the rest Esquire Hambden of Bucks upon which the King refers the whole Business to the Twelve Judges in Michdelmas Term 1636. Ten of whom gave their Judgments against Hambden but Hutton and Cook refused it The King 1637. Issuing out a Proclamation in Scotland Commanding the Use of the Liturgy Surplice Altar c. There occasioned great Disorders and Tumults among the Common People who sometime after with the Genâ—ry entred into a Solemn League and Covenant to preserve the Religion then profest The Covenant the Scots were resolved to maintain and to that purpose they sent privately for General Lesley and other great Officers from beyond Sea providing themselves likewise with Arms c. After this they Elect Commissioners for the general Assembly whom they cite to move the Arch Bishops and Bishops to appear there as guilty Persons which being refused the People present a Bill of Complaint against them to the Presbitery at Edenburg who accordingly warned them to appear at the next General Assembly At their Meeting the Bishops sent in a Protestation against their Assembly which the Covenanters thought not fit to Read And soon after they abolished Episcopacy and then prepared for a War On which the King prepares an Army against them with which Anno. 1639. He Marches in Person into the North but by the Mediation of some Persons a Treaâ—ise of Peace was begun but soon broken off The King therefore confiders how to make Provisions for Men and Money and calling a Secret Cabinet Council consisting only of Lauâ— Strafford and Hamilton it was concluded That for the Kingâ—s Supply a Parliament must be Called in England and another in Ireland The Scots fore-seeing the Storm prepared for their own Defence making Treaties in Swedeâ— Denmark Holland and Poland And the Jesuits who are never â—dle endeavoured to Foment In the Year 1640. and the Sixteenth of the Kings Reign a Parliament was Called in which the King prâ—sses theâ—â—or a speedy Supply to Suppress what he calls the Violences of the Scots buâ— this Parliament not complying with the Kings desire were by the advice of the Iuncto Dissolved having only sate Twenty Two Days Laud by his violent Proceedings against those called Puritans and by his strict enjoyning of old un-observed Ceremonies which by many were thought Popish procured to himself much Hatred from the generality of People That upon May 9. 1640. a Paper was fixt on the Royal Exchange inciting the Prentices to go and Sack his House at Lambeth the Monday aâ—ter but the Arch-Bishop had notice of their Design and provided accordingly that at the time when they came endeavouring to enter his House they were repulsed The King calls a select Juncto to consult about the Scots where the Earl of Strafford delivered his Mind in such terms as afterwards proved his ruine War against them was resolved on and Money was to be procured one way or other The City was invited to Lend but absolutely reâ—used Some of the Gentry contributed indifferent freely So that with their assistance the Army was compleated the King himself being Generalissimo marches his Army into the North where was some Action in which the Scots had the better A Treaty is then set on foot and at last concluded the chief Conditions for the calling a Parliament in England who accordingly Met Nov. 3. 1640. And the King in his Speech tells them That the Scotish Troubles were the cause of their Meetingâ— and therefore requires them to consider of the most expedient means for câ—sting them out and desired a Supply from them for maintaining of his Army The Commons began with the Voting down all Monopolies and all such Members as had any benefit by them were voted out of the House They then voted down Ship-Money with the Opinion of the Judges thereupon to be Illegal and a charge of High Treason was ordered to be drawn up against Eight of them and they begun with the Keeper Finch Decemb. 11. Alderman Pennington and some Hundreds of Citizens presented a Petition subscribed by 15000 Hands against Church Discipline and Ceremonies and then the Commons Voted That the Clergy in a Convocation have no power to make Canons or Laws without Parliaments and that the Canons are against the Fundamental Laws of the Realm the King's Prerogative and the Property of the Subject the Right of Parliaments and tend to Faâ—tion and Sedition In pursuance hereof a Charge was ordered to be drawn up against Arch-Bishop Laud and others and after voted Guilty of High Treason and sent to the Tower The Scâ—ts likewise preferred a Charge against the Arch-Bishop and the Earl of Strafford requiring Justice against them both as the great Incendiaries and Disturbers both of Church and Stâ—te On Monday March 25. 1640. the Earl of Sâ—rafford's Tryal began in Westminâ—ter Hall the King Queen and Prince being present and the Commons being there likewise as a Committee at the managing their Accusation the chief of whom was Pym. The Earl made a long defence but the Commons were resolved to prosecute him to Death and to proceed against him by Bill of Attainder which they proceeded to dispatch And upon the 25th of Apâ—il they passed the Bill and a few days after the Lords did likewise The Bill being finished and the King willing to save the Earl May 21. makes a Speech to both Houses in the Earl's behalf and so Dismissed them to their great Discontent Which was propagated so far that May 23. weâ—e 1000. Citizens most of them Armed came thronging to Westminster crying out for Justice against the Earl of Strafford On Sunday following the King consulted the Judges and several Bishops Mâ—nday May 10. The King gives Commission to several Lords to Pass Two Billsâ— One the Bill of Attainder against Strafford the Other for continuing the Parliament during the Pleasure of Both Houses The next
and White-Hall that the King fearing their Intentions thought fit to withdraw to Hampton-Court The next day the Five Members were Triumphantly guarded to Westminster by a great number of Citizens and Sea-men with Hundreds of Boats and Barques About this time the Parliament had notice that the Lord Digby and Coll. Lunsford were raising Troops of Horse at Kingston where the Country Magazine was lodged Whereupon they Order That the Country Sheriffs Justices of the Peace and the Trained Bands shall take care to Secure the Countries and their Magazines Lunsford was Seised and sent to the Tower but Digby escaped beyond Sea The King removed to Royston and Ianuary 20. He sends a Message to the Parliament proposing the Securiâ—y of his own Rights and Prerogative and as to matter of their Grievances He would equal or excâ—ed the most Indulgent Princes in Compliance with them After this the House of Commons importune the King to put the Militia and Command of the Tower inâ—o their Hands as the only available Means for the removal of their Fears and Jealousies But the King not willing to Comply with their desire signified to them that He thought the Militia to be lawfully subject to no Command but his own and therefore would not let it go out of his Hands it being derived to Him from his Ancestors by the Fundamental Laws of the Kingdom The King bâ—ing now at Hamptonâ—Câ—urt sent for the Earl of Essex aâ—d Holland and other Membâ—rs of both Houses that were his Domesticks but they refused to come In the mean time Mr. Pym at a Conferâ—nce complaining of the general sâ—ocking of Papists into Iâ—elâ—nd affirmed That since the Lieutenant had ordeâ—ed a stop upon the Ports against all Irish Papists many of the chiâ—f Commanders now at the Hâ—â—d of the Râ—bels had been Licensed to pass thither by the King 's immediate Warrant The King was highlyâ— offended at this Speech which he signified to thâ— House wâ—o in their Answâ—r to his Messageâ— justifie Mr. Pym's words to be the sence of the Houseâ— and that they had yet in safe Custody the Lord Delvin Sir G. Hamilton Collonel Butler and Mr. Nettervil To which the King replys That the afore-mentioned Persons had their Passages granted before He knew of the Parliaments Order of Restraint therefore expected their Declaration for his Vindication from that odious Calumny of Conniving or under-hand Favouring that horrid Rebellion But the King's Desire proved fruitless for they next moved to have Sir I. Byron tnrned out from being Lieutenant of the Tower and at their nomination Sir I. Coniers succeeded They then proceed to Name fit Persons sor Trust of the Militia of the several Counties particularly that for the Defence of the City of London the Parliament the Tower to be Commanded by Major General Skipton The King had deferred His Answer to their Petition for settling the Miâ—itia of the Counties according to the Nomination till his Return from Dover where he took leave of his Wife and Daughter and so returned to Greenwich where he being Arrived sends his Answer to the Petition about the Militia That He was willing to divest Himself of the Power of the County Militia for a limited time but not of London and other Cities and Corporations This Answer did not in the least satisfie so that the Breach growing every day wider the King declined these Parts and the Parliament and moved to Theobald's About the beginning of March He receives a Petition from the Parliament wherein they require the Militia more fervently than before affirming That in ease of denial the eminent dangers would câ—nstrain them to dispose of it by the Authority of Parliament desiring also That He wnuld make his Abode near London and the Parliament for the better carrying on of Affairs and preventing the Peoples Jealousies and Fears All which being refused they presently oâ—der That the Nation be put into a posture of Defence in such a way as was agreed upon by Parliament and a Committee to prepare a publick Declaration from these Heads 1. The just Causes of the Fears and Jealousies given to the Parliamentâ— at the same time clearing themselves from any Jealousies conceived against Himself 2. To consider of all Matters arising from His Majesties Message and what was fit to be done And now began our Troubles and all the Miseries of a Civil War The Parliament every day entertaining new Jealousies and Suspitions of the King's Actions They now proceed on a sudden to make great Preparations both by Sea and Land And the Earl of Northumberland Admiral of England is commanded to Rig the Kings Ships and fit them for Sea And likewise all Masters and Owners of Ships were perswaded to do the like The Beacons were prepared Sea-marks set up and extraordinary Postings up and down with Pacquets All sad Prognosticks of the Calamities ensuing August 22. 1642. The King comes to Nottingham and there erects his Standard to which some Numbers resorted but â—ar shot of what was expected And three days after the King sends a Message to the Parliament to propose a Treaty which was accepted but quickly broke off again The War being now begun the New raised Soldiers committed many Outrages upon the Country People which both King and Parliament upon complaint began to Rectifie The King himself was now Generalissimo over his own and the Earl of Essex for the Parliament The King's Forces received the first Repulse at Hull by Sir I. Hotham and Sir I. Meldram and the King takes up his Quarters at Shrewsbury Portsmouth was next Surrendered to the Parliament and presently after Sir I. Biron takes Worcester for the King In September the two Princes Palatines Rupert and Maurice Arrived in England who were presently Entertained and put into Command by the King This uncivil Civil-War was carried on in general with all the Ruines and Desolations immaginable wherein all Bonds of Religion Alliance and Friendship were utterly destroyed Wherein Fathers and Children Kindred and Acquaintances became unnatural Enemies to each other In which miserable Condition this Nation continued for near Four Years viz. From August the 22. 1642. the time the King set up his Standrrd at Nottingham to May the 6. 1646. the time when the King quitting all Hopes put himself into the Protection of the Scotch Army at Newark During this Process of time several Mâ—ssagâ—s past divers Treaties set on Foot and other Overtures of Accommodation but all came to no effect The War in England being now aâ—ter so much Bloodshed and â—uine brought to some end the Parliament were at leisure to dispute with the Scots concerning the keeping of the King who fâ—aring least Fairfax should fall upon them and compel them to deliver him up Retreated further Noâ—thwaâ—dâ— towards New-Castle The Parliament sent an Invitation to the Prince of Wales to come to â—ondon with Promise of Honour and Safety but he did not think fiâ— to venture The King sends from New-Casâ—le to the Army about a Treaty
Sovereign Igniâ— fatuus to misguide them into all the Snares of Ruine and Perdition Execrable Oathes were the chief Court-Acknowledgments of a Deity Fornications and Adulteriâ—â— the Principal Tests of the Peoples Loyalty and Obedience Certain it is That the Kingdom was never in a better Posture for the King to work upon it than at the time of his return into England For such were the Contests for Superioriâ—y among those who had taken upon them the Government after the Death of Oliver such the Confusions and Disorders that from thence arose that no body could probably see where would be the end of the general Distraction unless it were by reducing all things to their primitive Condition under a Prince whose Title was so fair to the Crown For which all Parties were the more inflamed by the King 's reiterated Oathes Promises and Declaâ—ations to those of the Church of England to maintain the Protestant Religion to the Dissenters That he would Indulge their Tender Consciences with all the Liberty they could rationally desire And so inâ—atuated they were with these Ingratiating Wheedles that should all that knew him beyond-Sea both at Colen and in Flanders have spoken their Discoveries with the Voices of Angels nay should the Letter which he Wrote with his own Hand in the Year Sixty Two to the Pope have been shewn them in Capital Letters they would have been all looked upon but as Fictious and Inventions to obstruct the Happiness of the Nation The king was not ignorant that in order to bring his intended Designs about he was furnished already with a Stock of Gâ—ntlâ—men who being forced to share the misfortunes of his Exiles and consequently no less imbitteted against those whom they looked upon as their Oppressors he had moulded many of them to his own Religion and Interest by Corrupting them in their Banishment with them insomuch that a certain Gentleman offered to prove one day in the Pensionary House of Commons That of all tâ—e Pâ—râ—ons yet Persons of all Ranks and Qualities who sojourned with the King Abroad there were scarce any then alive except Prince Rupert Lord M. and Mr. H. Coventry who had not been prevailed upon by His Majesty to Nor could their being restored to their â—states at his Return separate them from their Master's Interest for that besides the future expectations with which the King continually fed them they had bound themselves by all the Oaths and Promises that could be expected from them to assist and co-operate with him in all his Dâ—signs though they were dispensed with from appearing bare-fac'd So soon therefore as the Parliament that gave him Admittance into the the Kingdom was Dissolved the King call another the first of his own Calling and so ordered the matter that the greatest part of the Masked Revolters got in among the real Protestants By which means all things went Trim and Trixy on the King's sideâ— They restored him the Milltia which the Long Parliament took from his Fatherâ— They Sacrificed the Treasure of the Nation to his Profuseness and Prodigality They offered up the Righâ—s and Liberties of the People by advancing â—is Prâ—rogative and what was most conducing to the King's P. Designs they made him by private Instructions those Penal Statutes which divided the Two prevailing Protestant Parties and set them together by the Ears by Arming one Party of the Protestants against the rest such a darl-advantage to the Papists and upon the obtaining of which he set so high a value that neither the necessity of his Aâ—â—airs at any time afterwards nor the Application and Interposure of several Parliaments for removing the Grounds of our Differences and Animosities by an Indulgence to be past into Law could prevail upon him to forego the Advantages he had got of keeping the Protestants at mutual Enemy one with another and making them useful to his own Designs Nor was this all But that he might carry on his Popish Designs the more saâ—ely and covertly under the cursed Masque of Hypocrisie he procured the passing of an Act in his Pensionary Parliament 1662. whereby it was made Forfeiture of Estate and Imprisonment for any to say The King was a Papist or An Introducer to Pâ—pery Nevertheless notwithstanding he was thus become a Protestant by the Law of the Laâ—d to repeat how he exerted the Power given him by the Parliament how he Persecuted and Prosecuted the Protestant Nonconformists throughout the Kingdom how he caused to be Excommunicated Imprisoned and Harrased when not a Papist in the Three Kingdoms was so much as Troubled or Moleâ—ted is a thing that would be altogether needless as being so well known to the World I had almost forgot another great kindness which the Parliament did him which was at the private Instance of the King to Abrogate the Trienial Act by which the Sitting of a Parliament once in Three Years was infallibly secured to the Kingdom So well did this Monarch know where the Shoe pinched him and so crafty was he to take his Advantage from the Delirium and Frensâ—e the Nation was in upon his Restoration to obtain the repealing of the Principal Laws by which his wrigling into Arbitrary Government would have often been curbed and restrained But whether it were that the prodigall Zeal of those Members began to cool conscious perhaps that they had already opened too large a Gap to Tyrannous Invasion upon the Liberties of the People which they had so Treacherously laid at the King's Mercy or whether it were that the King resolved to quicken his to Arbitrary Rule to the end he might see Popery flourish in his own days certain it is that the next attempt was to make Parliaments themselves the Ministers and Instruments of his own Popish Ambition and our Slavery In order hereunto He falls a Buying and Purchasing at certain and Annual Rates the Vote of the Members at what time the greatness of the Number of those that stood ready for Sale as well as their Indigencies and Lusts made the Price at which they were to be bought so much the easier Now being thus hired by His Majesty with their own free Offerings of the Nations Money How many Bills did they pass into Acts for Enslâ—ving and Ruining a Third part of the Kingdom under the Notion of Phanaticks and Dissenters And all this in graritude of their Sallaries and to accomplish the Will and Pleasure of their Lord and Master the King whose Bought and Purchas'd Vassals and Slaves they were All this while what can we say or think other but that the Purchaser as well as the Sellers were guilty of betraying the People who had intrusted them And then to make a President by Law for Tyranny these Hirelings empowered the Justices of the Peace to disleize Men of their Estates without being Convicted and found Guilty by Legal Juries of the Transgressions whereof they stood Accused By which they not only overthrew all the Commons and Stature Law of the Land but they
justifies the Duke of Buckingham The Commons in Answer present an high Remonstrance and justifie themselves To which the King sends them Answer by Finch their Speaker That if they did not pass the Bill of Subsidy by the end of the week following it would enforce him to take other Resolutions c. Before the Commons sent an Answer they Petitioned His Majesty That he would be pleased to remove from all Places of Trust and Authority all such Persons as were either Recusants or suspected to be such And the Commons then drew up another Declaration of Grievances against the Duke of Buckingham who being thereat Incensed Dissolved the Parliament the very next day Iune 15. 1626. Then the King's Cabal Council resolved on several ways for advancing the King's Revenue First Levying of Customs and Imposts on all Merchandize Privy Seals were Issued out and Benevolences proposed and at length a Commission for a general Loan was resolved on But the Assessment of the Loan was generally opposed whereupon the People of the lower Rank were ordered to appear in the Military-Yard next St. Martins in the Fields before the Lieutenant of the Tower to be Listed for Soldiers it being then thought necessary for the better security of the Liberty of the Subject That those which refused to assist with their Purses should be forced to Serve in their Persons Others of betteâ— Quality were committed Prisoners to the Fleet Marshalsea Gate-House c. And among others Sir I. Elliot who Petitioned his Majesty and repeated many Precedents That all manner of Taxes in former Kings Reigns were never Levied but by consent of Parliament However he was Committed and Sir P. Hayman was forced to serve the King in the Palatinate Dr. Sybthorp and Maynwaring Two Court Preacâ—ers about this time preached up the Necessity and Duty of the Loan one of them asserting That the Prince had Power to direct his Council and make Laws himself The other affirmed That the King 's Royal Command in imposing of Laws and Taxes though without consâ—nt in Parliament did oblige the Subjects Conscience upon pain of Eternal Damnation Which Position was entertained with such great Aâ—plause aâ— Court that Abbot was suspended his Archiâ—piscopal Sea for refusing to License the Sermon wherein it was contained In 1627â— being the Third Year of the King's Reign the Exchequer being very low and several late Enterprises having miscarried a Parliament was called and on the 27th of March they Aâ—sembled and the King and Lord Kâ—epers in Two Speeches earnestly pressed them to consider of some speedy wâ—y for supplying his Majesties Necessities The first thing taken into Coâ—sidâ—ration by the Commons was the Grievances of the Kingdom And the firâ—t thing insisted on was the Case of those Gentlmeâ—n for refusing the Loan and who notwithstanding their Habeas Corpus were remâ—nded to Prison and it was Resolved in the House Nemine Contradicente That no man ought to be Bâ—strained by the King or Privy-Council without some Cause of the Commitment Secondly That the Wâ—it of Habeas Corpus ought to be granted to every Man upon Request that is Restrained on which he ought to be Bayled if cause of Commitment be not Declaâ—ed Then the Parliament petitioned against Popish Recusants to which the King gave them a satisfactory Answer Afâ—â—r which five Subsidies were granted to the King which gave him so great Satisfaction that he sent them word He would deny them nothing of their Liberties which any of his Predecessâ—rs had Granted Whereupon the Commons fâ—ll upon the Memorable Petition of Right And when it was prâ—sented the Answer the King gave to it was not judged Satisfactory by the Commonsâ— and therefore upon their Petition the King gave them this short but full Answer Let it be done according to your desire Which Answer mightily pleased both Houses And his Majesty for further Satisfaction suffered the Commission for Loan and Excise to be Cancelled and received Abbot and Williams into his Favour again so thâ—t all Discontents on every side seemed to be banished In 1628. the Fourth year of the King's Reign the Parliament drew up a Remonstrance against Buckingham Bishop Neal and Laud which they presented to the King with the Bill of Subsidies His Majesty told them That he expected not such a Return for his favourable Answer to the Petition of Right and as for the Grievances he would take time to Consider An Information being likewise Exhibited against the Duke in the Star-Chamber The King by his express Will and Pleasure Ordered that it should be taken off the File and the King resolving to hold up the Duke Adjâ—urned the Parliament to the 20 th of October following But soon after the Duke was summoned to Answer at a Higher Tribunal by the means of one Felton a Lieutenant who stabbed him to the Heart with a Dagger The Parliament were further Adjourned to Ianuary 20. in which time the Merchants refusing to pay Custom had their Goods seized Complaints thereof being made to the Parliament the King requires them to pass the promis'd Bill for Tunnage and Poundage but the Commons answered That God's Cause was to be preferred before the King 's and that they would therefore in the first place Consult about Religion One Committee being for Religion and another for Civil Matters At the last was a Complaint about the Customs and the Farmers of the Customs were Challenged But the King vindicated them and the Parliament being upon proceeding against them as Delinquents the King Adjourned them till the 10 th of March The Commons enraged thereat blamed their Speaker for admitting the Mesâ—age and Ordered Sir I. Elliot to draw up their Remonstrance which was in very high Terms about Tunnage and Poundage c. The substance was as followeth I. VVhosoever shall indeavour to Introduce Popery Arminiauism or other than Orthodox Opinion shall be reputed a Capital Enemy to the Kingdom II. VVhosoever shall Counsel the taking of Tunnage and Poundage or shall yield Voluntary or pay the same without being granted by Parliament shall be deemed a Betrayer of and Enemy to the Liberties of England These things were so much disliked by the King that he sent the Usher of the Black Rod to Dissolve them who was not admitted in Whereupon the King with his Guard of Pensioners were resolv'd to force their Entrance which the Commons having notice of it they suddenly went out of the House And this was the end of that Parliament Some considering that neither this nor the Two former Parliaments complied with the Humour of the King or Ministers of State advised the King never to Call another And to that end the Famous Book of Protects was Published and Addrest to the King proposing some Methods to prevent the Impertinency of Parliaments as he calls them from time to time by the Example of Lewis XI of France who pretending that the Commons did encroach too much on the Nobility and Clergy Dissolv'd it and never after suffered the
day the King writes a Letâ—er to the House to excuse his not Signing Strafford's Execution But the Commons would not be satisfied until the Bill was signed The Fall of this great Mâ—n startled many other Officers of State and occasioned the resigning their Places August 6. Both the English and Scotâ—h Armiâ—s were Disbanded and Four Days after the King went towards Scotland and was entertained with great Demonstrations of Affection by that Nation and conferred several Places of Honour and Power upon divers of them He confirm'd likewise the Treaty between the Two Nations by Act of Parliament Octob. 23. 1641. The Horrid and Notorious Massacre and Reâ—â—llion broke out in Ireland At which time the Irish to dishearten the English from any Resistance asserted That the Queen was with their A mâ— That the King would come amongst them also anâ— assist them That they did but maintain his Câ—use agaiâ—st the Puritans That they had the King's Commâ—ssiâ—n for what they did Whether these Assertions wâ—re true or falseâ— we shall not pretend to determine but leave it to the Readers own Senâ—imentsâ— only we beg leâ—ve to incert here by way of Parenthesis a Letter sent to the Popâ— by order of Charles the II. when he had taken the Câ—venâ—nt and was professing the Presbyterian Religion in Scotland it was carried thither and pressed forward by one Dallie an Irish Priest and Confessor to the then Queen â—f Portugal under the Title of Propositions and Motives for and on the behalf of the most iâ—vincible King of Great Britain France and Ireland to Pope Innocent the X. in the Year of Jubilee 1650. which Dallie taking France in his way spake with the Queen Mother and received her Directions for the better management of the Affair Most Blessed Father OUR Agent at present Residing at Rome with all Humility shews your Holiness That the principal Cause and Occasion of that Regicide Tyranically perpetrated upon the Person of Charles the First Father of the aforesaid Charles the Second by his Rebels and cruel Subjects the like whereof was never heard of â—rom the beginning of the World not only among Civil Nations but even among the most Barbarous themselves have been the Graces Favours and Concessions so often and so many ways extended to the Catholick Religion and the Asserters and Professors thereof in the Kingdom both of England and Ireland The Truth of which appears in that the aforesaid Charles the First gave Authority to the Marquiss of Ormond by several Commissions for the Establishing and Perfecting all Conditions with the Confederate Catholicks of the Kingdom of Ireland of sufficient Security for the Catholick Faith Furthermore the said Charles the First fearing lest the said Ormond being an Heretick should not satisfie the said Confederates in all things He sent thither the Marquiss of Worcester a Man truly and wholly Catholick with a more ample Commission in which Commission the said Marquiss of VVorcester had fâ—ll Authority of concluding a Peace with the said Confederate Catholicks and of giving them Conditions altogether satisfactory as well concerning Liberty of Religion as also as to other Injuries that had been done unto them which the said Marquiss of VVorcester making with them an abâ—olute Peace did abuâ—dantly fulfil Further This appeareth in that the said Charles the First even in England it self did by Commissions set the Catholicks namely the said Marquiss of VVorcester Sir Arthur Ashton and many others over his Armies and made them Governours of Cities Castles and Strong Holds notwithstanding the Clamour of the People against it and which was not a slight motive of the Regicide committed upon him wheâ—eby it appears that although the said King Charles the First dyed not a Catholick yet he died for them Again most Blessed Father the same Agent most humbly â—epresents That the present King Charles II. the true and undoubted Heir of the foresâ—id Charles I. and of all his Kingdoms to whom the said Kingdoms belong of Right according to that of Christ Give to Caesar the thing that are Caesars while his Father yet lived was known to have good and true Inclinations to the Cathâ—lick Faith following which and going on in his Fathers steps he did not only râ—commend it to the Marquiss of Ormond but gave it him in Express Command to satisfie in all things the Confederate Caâ—holicks in Ireland namely That he shouâ—d grant them the â—ree Exercise of their Religion That he should abrogate the Penal Laws made against them and that he should restore to the said â—atholicks whether Laicks or Ecclesiâ—sticks their Lands Estates Possessions or what other Rights did at any time belong unto them and by the said Laws had been unjustly taken away In Obedience to which Commands the said Marquiss in the Name and by the Authority of the said two Kings namely Charles the First and Second made and concluded a firm Peace with the said Confederate Catholicks By the Conclusion of which Peace the said present Kingâ— and all his Dominions hath involved himself with the Catholicks in an irreconcileable War against the Parliamentarâ—an Regicides of England whose Blood therefore the said Cruel Tyranâ—s insatiably thirst after as they did after his Fathers The said Agent further offers to your Holiness That the inhumane Regicides do wickedly Usurp to themselves in the Dominions aforementioned all the Authority of the King do most cruelly Persecute all the Catholicks both in England and Ireland pâ—rtly by condemning them to Banishment partly by putting them into Prisons and otherwise corporally punishing them and lastly by putting them to Death a Witness of the Truth hereof is that great Slaughter made by Cromwel in the taking of the two Cities of Droghedah and VVexâ—oâ—d and other Places where all the Catholicks without Distinction of either Sex or Age were Slaughtered Witness hereof also the raging Persecution and Death of Catholicks in England by all which and by their Parliamentarian Decrees themselves and their Covenant with God as they call it it is evident even beyond the clearness of the light of the shining Sun That these Tyrannical Regicides do ultimately intend and put forth all their Power for the utter Destruction of all Catholicks and to â—xtirpate by the Root and wholly to extinguish the Catholick Faith throughout the World openly asserting and boasting with great Glory that these things being once finished in those Dominions they will then invade France and after that run through Germany Italy and all Europe throwing down Kings and Monarchs whose very Titles are most odious and abhorrent unto them Briefly they have no other thing in their Aim than these Two Namely The extirpation of the Catholick Religion and the destruction of Monarchy To which wicked Machination of theirs forasmuch as it could never have any the least Hopes that either the King or his Father should at any time in the least Assent they have put the one to Death and the other to Exile And these Rebels now with a neâ—arious boldness
and the House of Commons Vote That the Kings Person should be dâ—manded of the Scots and that their whole Army return home upon Receiâ—â— of part of thâ—ir Arrears the rest to be sent after them And a Committee is appointed to Treat with the Scotch Commissioners about drawing up Propositions to be sent to the King wherein much time was spent in wrangling whilst the English deny the Scots to have any Right in the Disposal of the King of England and the Scots as stifly alledged He was their King as much as of the English and they had as good Right to dispose of the King in England as the English could Challenge in Scotland But at last they agreed on Sixteen General Propositions which were presented to the King at New-Castle Iuly 27. 1646. But these Propositions were such that the King did not think fit to comply withal The Scots general Assembly sent a Remonstrance to the King desiring him to settle Matters in England according to the Covenants c. But all this did not do and therefore the Scots who had hiâ—herto so sharply disputed about the Disposal of the Kings Person are content upon the Receipt of Two Hundred Thousand Pounds to depart home and leave the King in the Power of the Parliament who Voted him to Holmby-House and sent their Commissioners to receive him from the Scots at New-Castle to whom Feb. 8. 1646. He was accordingly delivered and the Scots returned home Some Petitions from Essex and other Places are presented to the Parliament inveighing against the Proceedings of the Army which much vexed the Soldiers who sharply Apologize for themselves And now the Army to the great Terror of the Parliament march towards London and came as far as St. Alban's notwiâ—hstanding a Message from Both Houses not to come within Twenty Five Miles of the City which the General excused saying That he Army was come thither before they received the Parliaments Desire And here he obtains a Months Pay The Parliament then drew up Propositions of Peace to be sent to the King at Hampton-Court the same in substance with those offered at New Castle and had the like effect The Business of Episcopacy being always the main Objection which the Parliament were resolved to Abolish And the King preferring that before all other Respects would rather loose All than consent thereunto The Scots Commissioners send a Letter Novemb. 6. 1647. to the Speaker of the House of Commons aâ—d require That the King may be admitted to a Personal Treaty or at least That he should not be carried from Hampton-Court violently but that Commissioners of both Parliaments may â—reely pass to and from Him to Treat for the Settlement of the Kingdom After which divers Mesâ—ages past between the King and the Parliament and several Conferrences were set on Foot particularly that of Henderson's but they proving â—ruitless the Parliament with most of the Officers of the Army that joyned with them brought the King to a Tryal by a Judicature of their own setting up which proved his Ruine THE SECRET HISTORY OF King CHARLES II. WHEN Charles the Second was restored to the Thrones of England Scotland and Iroland never any Monarch in the World came to the Possession of so large a Dominion with more Advantages to have done good sor Himself to his Subjects at Home and to his Allies Abroad The People all experienced in Maâ—tial Discipline as having but newly sheathed the Sword of Civil War and Foreign Conquest so that their Valour was dreaded abroad where-ever he should have menaced an Enlargement of his Territories Besides all this he had the Love of his Subjects Equal if not Superior to any Prince that ever Reigned before him And he had the Affection of his Parliament to the highest degree But after all this he was no sooner settled in his Throne but through the Influence of Evil Counsellors upon a Disposition naturally Vitious and easily corrupted with Esseminate Pleasures he abandoned himself to all manner of Softness and Voluptuous Enjoyments and harbouring in his â—osome the worst of Vices base ingratitude betraâ—ed Himself that he might betray his People for where the Constitution of a Nation is such That the Laws of the Land are the Measures both of the Soveraign's Commands and the Obedience of the Subjects whereby it is provided That as the one is not to invade what by Concessions and Stipulâ—tions is granted to the Ruler so the other is not to deprive them of their lawful and determined Rights and Liberties There the Prince who strives to Subvert the Fundamental Laws of the Society is the Traytor and the Rebel and not the People who endeavour to Preserve and Defend their own Nor must we ascribe the Miscarriages of his Reign altogether to the Remissness of his Nature but to a Principle of Revenge which his Mother had infused into him not so much for the loss of her Hâ—sband but out of her inbred Malice to the Protestant Religion which no where flourished in that Splendor as in England fostered and cherished by the vow'd Enemy of this Nation his Brother the Duke of York who had been openly heard to declare in his Bed-Chamber at St. Iames's That he was resolved to be revenged upon the English Nation for the Death of his Father and what an Ascendant this Brother had over over him the whole Kingdom has felt by sad and woful Experience For indeed the King had all along an Affection for him so entire and baneful to the Nation that he could only be said to Reign while his Brother Ruled With all these Royal Vertues and imbred and fomented Animosisies to render him at his Return a Gracious Soveraign to this Kingdom let us trace him from his Cradle to find out those Princely Endowments which invisibly encreasing with him as he grew in Years dazzled in such a manner the Eyes of doâ—ing Politicians of that Age to recal him against that known and vulgar Maxim of Common Prudence Regnabit sanguine multo Ad Regâ—um quisquis unit â—b eilioâ— When he was but very young he had a very strange and unaccountable Fondness to a Wooden Biâ—let without which in his Arms he would never go abroad nor lie down in his Bed From which the more observing sort of People gathered that when he came to years of Maturity either Oppresâ—ors and Blockheads would be his greatest Favourites or else that when he came to Reign he would either be like Iupiter's Log for every Body to deride and contemn or that he would rather chuse to command his People with a Club than Rule them with a Scepter And indeed They that made the first and last conjectures found in due time they were not altogether in the wrong For the Throne was no sooner empty by the Death of his Father before he could be permitted to sâ—at himself in it but he gave the World a plain Discovery what sort of People they were who when he came to Reign were most
Bull. And this iâ— is plain Thâ—t the Tâ—iâ—ple Leaâ—ue was 〈…〉 to the Ends of the French King to ruine the Dutch and to bring the Three Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland under the Yokes of Arâ—itrary Power and Roman Catholick Idolatry after a Total Abolition of the Name of Parliaments and Subversion of the Fundamental Laws Gratias tibi piissime atque invictissime Rex Carole Secunde And that he might not as much as in him lay meet with after rubs Mr. H. C. was dispatched into Sweeden to dissolve the Tripple League in that Kingdom which he did so effectually by co-operating with the French Ministers in that Court that the Swede aâ—ter it came to Rupture never assisâ—ed to any purpose â—r prosecuted the â—nds of the said Alliance only by Arming himsâ—lf at the expence of the League first under a disguised Mediation acted the French Interest and at last threw off his Vizard and drew his Sword on the French side in the Quarreâ— And at home when the Project repined and grew hopeful the Lord-Keeper was discharged from his Office and both he the Duke of Ormâ—nd Prinâ—e Rupert and Secretary Trevor were discarded out of the Committee for Forreign Affairs as being too honest to comply with the Intreagues thâ—n on Foot The Exchequer for some Years bâ—fore by the Bâ—it of more than ordinary Gain hâ—d deâ—â—y'd in the greatest part of the most Weaâ—thy Goldsmiths and they the rest of the Money'd Peâ—ple of the Nâ—tion by the due Payment of Interest till the King was run in Debt upon what Account no Bodâ— knew above Two Millions Stâ—rling which served for one of the Pretences in the Lord-Keepâ—rs Speech at the opening of tâ—e Parliamenâ— to demand and obtain a Grant of the fore-menâ—ioned Supplies and might plentifully have sufficed to dis-engage the King with Peace and any tolerable good Husbandry But as if it had been perfidious to have applied them to any of the Purpâ—ses declared instead of Payment it was privately resolvâ—d upon to shat up the Exchequer lest any pâ—rt of the Money should have been legally expâ—nded but that all might be appropriated to the Holy War in prospect and those fâ—r more Pious uses to which the â—ing had Dedicated it This Affair was carried on with â—â—l the Secresie imaginable lest the unseasonble venting of it should â—ave spoiled the Wit and Mâ—lice of the Design So that all on a sudden uâ—â— the first of Iaâ—uary 1671. to the great Astonishment Ruin and Despair of so many Interest Peâ—sons and to the Terror of the whole Nation by so Arbitrary a Fact the Proclamation Issued forth in the midst of the Confluence of so many vast Aids and so great a Revenue whereby the Crown published it self Bankrupt made Prize of the Subject and broke all Faith and Contract at Home in order to the breaking of both Abroad with more Advantage What was this but a Robbery committed upon the People under the Bond and Security of the Royal Faith By which many Hundreds were as really impoverished and undone as if he had violently broken into their Houses and taken their Money out of their Coffers Nay that would have lookâ—d Generous and Great whereas the other was Base and Sneaking Only it seem'd more agreeable to His Majesty's Temper to Rob his Subjects by a Tâ—ick than to Plunder them by direct and open Force There remained nothing now but that the King after this Famous â—xploit upon his own Subjâ—cts should manifest his Impartiality to Foreigâ—ers and assert the Justice of his intended Quarrel with the Hâ—llanders Thereupon the Dispute about the Flag upon occasion of the Fansan Yatch was started a fresh and a great noise was made of Infamous Libels horrid Pictures Pillars set up and Medals Coined to the infinite dishonour of his Majesty's Peâ—son his Crown and Dignity though not one of the Libels or Pictures could be produced and as for the Pillars they never had any Being but in the imagination of those that made it their business to raise Jealousies between the Two Nations 'T is true there was a Medal coin'd which might have been spared but so soon as it was known in Holland that Exceptions were takâ—â— as it the Stamp was broken to pâ—eces Some time after the French King seeing the English after the Affair of Sir R. H. on the Smirna Fleet engaged past all Retreaâ— comes in with his Fleet not to Fight but only to sound our Seas to spy our Ports to learn our Building to learn our way of Fighting and to consume ours â—and preserve his own Navy For no sooner had the Duke of York as the Design was laid suâ—â—ered himself to be shamefully surprized but the Vice-Admiral â— the Earl oâ— Sandwich was Sacrificed and the rest of the Eâ—glish Fleet so torn â—nd mangled that the English Honour was laid not in the Dust buâ— in the Mud while his Royal Highness did all that was expectâ—d from him and Monsieur D' Estreâ—s who Commanded the French did all that he was sent for There was Three other several Engagemâ—nts oâ— ours with the Dutch the next Summer But while nothing was tenable at Land against the Fâ—ench so it seem'd that to the English every thing was impregnable at Sea which was not to be arâ—riâ—â—ted to the want of Courage or Conduct oâ— the then Commanders but rather to the unlucky Conjuâ—ction of the Engiâ—sh to the French like the Disasters that happen to Men by being in â—ll Company In the mean time the hopes of the Spanish and Smâ—rna Fleet being vanished the slender Allowance from the French not sufficing to defray farther Charges and the ordinary Revenue of His Majesty with all the former Aids being in less than one Years time exhausted the Parliament with the King 's most Gracious leave was permitted to Siâ— again at the time appointed At what time at the King 's and the Lord-Keepers usual daubing way the War was first Communicated to them and the Causes the Necessity and Danger so well pointed out that upon the King 's earnest Suit the Commons though in a War begun without their Advice readily Voâ—ed no less than One Million Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Pounds Steoling though they would not say it was â—or the War but for the King 's extraordinary Occasions And now the King having got the Money into his Hâ—nds a new Project was set on â—ooâ— to set up an Army in â—ngland for the introducing of Slavery and Poperâ— under the pretence of Landing in Holland which was raised with all the expedition imaginable over which was Coll. Fitz Geâ—ald an Irish Papist made Major-General so were the greatest number of the Captains and otâ—er Officers of the same stamp And because that pretence was soon blown over it was afterwards still continued on foot undâ—r the more plausible Colour of a War wiâ—h France But after all these cunning Contrivances to do with them what he pleased whereas before theâ— hâ—d Power to Aâ—semble every Three Years
For which Reason it was thought best to Assault him by way of Surprise and to hurry him to Prison upon a pretended Conspiracy which People would be astonished at but not have time â—â— unravel For the King and his Brother were assured That the Convicting of the Earl of Shaâ—tsâ—ury upon a Charge of Levying War and Conspiring to seize his Person would be a kind of Moral proof against every other Person whom they had a mind to accuse of the same Crime Since People would be easily persuaded That a Person of his Prudence and Câ—nduct would not easily embark himself in such a dangerous Enâ—erprise without a proportionable number of Persons who by their Power Quality and Interest might be supposed to be able to carry it on So that all the Noblemen and Gentlemen of England that ever had any converse or acquaintance with the Earl supposing them to be Persons obnoxious to the Court were involved in his Ruine But it will remain an eternal Monument of Reproach upon R. Subordination That after all the Industry of the Court and their obsâ—quious Instruments after all their layiâ—g their Heads together to form cohering and probable Proofs of the Charge intended to be laid against him after an illegal Trick devised to have tryed him within their own Jurisdiction on the Verge which was so contrary to Law that it was exploded by their own Bene placito Lambskin Men that at length he was acquitted by a Grand Jury the most Substantial for Estates Integrity and soundness of Judgment that had been returned for many Years in the City to the never dying praise of the Two Sheriffs Mr. Pilkinton and Mr. Shuâ—e A Disappointment which so inceâ—sed the King and his dear Brother That they resolved to make an Istington Village oâ— the chief Metropolis of the whole Nation and what they could not do by Fire to effect by wresting from them their Franchises and Priviledges â—ar more ancient than the descent of those that wrested them for a time out of their Hands For this reason the Attorney General was ordered to bâ—ing a Quo Warranto against the City Charter under the pretence of their petitioning for the Sitting of the Parliament a thing so far from being a Crime that it was the undoubted Right of the Nation And yet such was the awe which the antiquity and legality of the Charter had upon the Judge that the Fountain of Justice was forced to shift his Chief Justice till he could fix upon one that durst to adventure to pronounce Sentence against it Which as it was the greatest Invasion that could be against the ancient and fundamental Constitution of the Kingdom so it plainly laid open the King`s pious Intentions of Governing by Law which according to the new Interpretation of the Court was the downright subverting of all that was most Sacred and Valuable in the Nation to the end the King might have it in his Power to violate the electing of a Parliamâ—nt and nominate and obtrude upon all Persons of the Kingdom his own Slaves and Creatures Papists and Traytors to their Country so by reducing one of the most ancient Corporations and levelling it with one of the meanest Villages in the Kingdom that he might command the Mayor and Sheriffs and by their means the Juries of the City on purpose to have the Lives of all his Protestant Subjects at his Mercy And that this was his end was apparent by the Consequences for when once the King by the overthrow of the Charter had made sure of his own Sheriffs and Juries Heavens How were the Laws of God and the Kingdom wrested by misinterpretation How were the Precepts even of Morality it self transversed The Wiâ—nesses for the King caressed and countenanced in their known Subordination The Testimonies for their pretended Criminals brow-beaten and all the Arguments of Law and Reaâ—on urged by the most Learned Council of the Nation over-ruled by Hectoring and Swaggering Judges to take away the Lives of the L. Russel Col. Sidney Armstrong and several others meerly to gratifie the Rage of Popish Revenge Such were the Violences of the Court at that time in defiance of Justice as if all fear of giving account to future Parliaments had been thrown off or that they never intended to be troubled with them more till they had framed the Nation into such a posture as to chuse such Members as would not only forgive such Villanies but go sharers with them in the spoil of the Kingdom But then followed the Barbarous and Horrid Murther of the Earl of Essex which how far it could be laid to the King's Charge we shall not here pretend to determine tho it seem somewhat strange that the King could find no other Morning to accompany his Brother to the Tower but that very Morning that the Earl was Murthered will no doubt very much augment the Suspition of future Ages and it will be as odly looked upon that when Letters and Proposals were sent to some great Persons near the King That if his Majesty would but grant a Pardon to Two or Three Men that shyuld be named when the Favour was granted the whole Mystery of the Contrivance should be discovered and the Contrivers and Actors be particularly derected such a Proposal should be slighted and neglected Now after all these Tricks and Stratagems of the King to introduce Tyranny and Slavery to stifle the Popish Plot by throwing it upon his Protestant Subjects after such an obstinate and stedfast Conjunction with the Sworn Enemy of the Nation the French King for the Subversion of our Laws Liberties and Religion after so many Slights and Contempts to put upon the grand Council of the Kingdom which he never assembled but to empty and drain the Purses of the Nation But to shut the Door against all Objections that can be made in his behalf there is one proof yet remaining behind which must be an undeniable convincement to all the World of the Truth of what has been hitherto said as standing still recorded under his own Hand if the Original of the Instructions be extant and that is the following Memorial of his Ambassador to the King of Poland in the Year 1667. Most Illustrious Prince THE King my Master has Commanded me to let Your Majesty know the Resolutions he has taken in All Points to concur with the mosâ— Christian King in giving your Majesty all possible Assistance for the Establishing your Majesty's Title in such â—ays as your Majesty shall think most Effectual for the sâ—curing your Crown and Digâ—iâ—y and further Honâ—ur of your Queen and Royal Issue The King my Master being truly sensâ—ble of tâ—e great Misfortuneâ— of those Pâ—inces whose Powâ—r must be bouâ—ded and Reason regulated by the Fantastick Humour of their Subjects Till Prince can be â—reed from these Inconveniencies The King my Master sees no possiblâ— prospect of establishing the Roman Catholick Religion If thiâ— be not enough to discover his Inclinations and the whole drift of
or Write any other new Laws agaonst Roman Catholicks The great Concessions of King Iames towards the Roman Catholicks brought great swarms of Priests and Jesuits into England who were busie in drawing the People from the Protestant Religion And a titular Bishop of Calcedon privately came to London to Exercise Episcopal Jurisdiction over the Roman Catholicks of this Kingdom 'T is said that the King had now so much confidence of the Match as to say openly in the Courâ— That now all the Devils in Hell could not break it The Spaniards the better to cover their Designs ordered that the Infanta should be stiled the Princess of England and she was kept no longer in her Virgin Retirements The Spanish Match having been long in Treaty and it being suspected now that the Spaniard did juggle with the States in this as they formerly did in a Match with that brave Prince Henry Whether the King suspected any such matter or any whimsie came into the Brains of the great Favourite and Prince to imitate the old Stories of the Knights Errand but agreed it was it should seem that the Prince must go himself very privately into Spain with his Favourite Buckingham under the borrowed Names of Iack and Tom Smith and they had the Ports laid so that none should follow them to give any Notice to the French Court through which they must pass And now many Lords and other Servants flock over that he might appear the Prince of Great Britain Many Treaties were soâ—etimes Hope sometimes Fear sometimes great Assurance then all dasht again At last after many Heats and Cools the Prince wrote a Letter to his Father of a desperate Despair not only of not enjoying his Lady but of never more rerurning Now the folly of this Voyage began to appear many smiling at the Follies that were concerned in it and however the King was a cunning Dissembler and shewed much outward Sorrow as he did for Prince Henry's Death yet the Court believed little Grief came near his Heart for that secret Hatred he had of late bore to Buckingham as being satiated with him and his Adorning the Rising Sun made it generally thought that he would not value the losing his Son so that Buckingham might be lost also Yet Buckingham had so much awe over the King that he durst not make shew to affect any other One great Reason of the King 's Hating of Buckingham was a large Information that he privately received from one Inniosa an Extraordinary Ambassador from Spain of Buckingham's Design on his Person whether by Poyson Pistol Dagger c. he could not tell Buckingham being fully satisfied on several Accounts of the great Hatred the King now bore unto him He turned as great a Hater of the King and though the King had more power to Revenge He had less Courage And however the World did believe the King's Inclinations was out of a Religious ground that he might not Revenge yet it was no other but a Cowardly Disposition that durst not adventure But altho the King lost his opportunity on Buckingham yet the black Plaister and Powder did shew Buckingham lost not his on the King and that it was no Fiction but a Reality that Padro Macestria had formerly told the King And now the Prince returns from Spain and all the fault of the Match not succeeding is laid on Bristol who was Ambassador there And Buckingham from an Accused Man in the former Parliament came to be the Darling of this Parliament And in the Banquetting-House before both Houses of Parliament does Buckingham give an Account at large of his Spanish Voyage and to every full point as a further Aâ—testation he saith How say you Sir To which the Prince answered I Yea or Yes Bristol having some Friends that sent Advice of All into Spain He immediately posts into England makes Buckingham's Relation and Accusation wholly False and Scandalous and becomes a great Favourite to King Iames. I shall now bring the Secret Story of this King's Life to an end He now goes his last Hunting Journey I mean the last of the Year as well as his Life which he ever ended in Lent and was seised on by an extraordinary Tertian Ague yet 't was not the Ague as himself confessed to many of his Servants one of which câ—ying Courage Sir this is but a small Fit the next will be none at all At which he most earnestly looked and said Ah! It is not the Ague afflicteth me but the black Plaister and Powder given me and laid to my Stomach Nor was it fair Dealing if he had fair Play which himself suspected often saying to the Earl of Montgomery whom he trusted above all Men in his Sickness For God's sake look I â—ave fair Play to bring in an Emperick to apply any Medicines whilst those Physicians appointed to attend him were at Dinner nor could any but Buckingham answer it with less than his Life Buckingham visiting the King just as he was at the point of Deathâ— who mournfully fixâ— his Eyes on him as who would have said You are the Man that has ruined me It were worth the knowledge what his Confessions was or what other Expressions he made of himself or any other but that was only known to the Dead Arch-Bishop Abbot and the then living Bishop Williams and the Lord-keeper and it was thought Williams had blabbed something which incensed the King's Anger and Buckingham's Hatred so much against him that the loss of his Place could not be explatory sufficient but his utter ruine must be determined Now have we brought this King who stiled himself the King of Peace and put on Mortality the 27 th of March to rest in all Peace We shall conclude his Remarks with an Appendix shâ—â—ing the particulars of a great manâ— Millions of good English Money even to an almost incredible Sum this King Expended on his Fruitless Embâ—ssies B ng Favourites Beggarly Scots Ant-Suppers Masqueradoes and other Buffoons even to a far greater Sum than his Predecessor Queen Elizabeth of Happy Memory Expended in all Her Wars in Ireland and with Spain c. during her Forty Four Years Reign King IAMES's LETTER TO Pope CLEMENT Most Holy Father HAVING understood by several Reports how diligent the Rivals of our Condition have been that the Sword of your Authority should he unsheathed against us and with what constancy your Prudence hath hitherto refused it we could do no less than return Thanks for such a good turn received especially upon so fair an Occasion when the Bearer of these a Scotch Man by Nation but a Roman by Adoption was returning unto your Dominion We recommend him to your Holiness to whom for his good Parts you have been already Beneficial that you would attentively bear him in those things which he shall deliver in our Name And because we know there is no better Remedy against the Calumnies of Ill Willers who by commemorating our Injuries done to Catholicks procure Envy to
us and Thanks to themselves then that some of our Countrey-Men Zealous of the Truth though differing from the Religiin which we have sucked from our Infancy should have an Hâ—nourable Occasion of making their abode in the Court of Rome from whom your Holiness may be certainly insormed of the state of our Affairs In this regard We recommend to you the Bishop of Vazion who as he dâ—th impute whatsoever increase of his condition to your Holyness alone so We are earnest Suitors that for our sake especially the Hâ—nour of the Cardinals Cap may be added to his former Advantages By this means the Calumny of our Enemies will cease when such are present with you who may be able to assert the truth of our doing We do not desire any of our Actions should be concealed from just Arbitrators for though We have been bred up in the Truth of that Religion which we now profess yet We have always determined That there is nothing better and safer than piously and without ostentation to endeavour the promoting of those things which really belong to the Gloâ—y of God's Name and laying aside the Goads of Envy and applying the warmth and fomentation of Charity diligently to consider what belongeth not to the empty Name of Religion but to the Holy Symbol of true Piety But because we have discoursed more at large of these things with the Bearer hereof a Man not Vnlâ—arned and indifferently well conversant in our Affairs We have thought best to be no more tedious by a long Letter From Holy Rood Septemb. 24. 1599. Your Holiness's Most Dutiful Son James Rex This Letter was conveyed by Edward Drummond the Lawyer whom the King sent to the Pope the Duke of Tuskany the Duke of Savoy and other Princes and Cardinals First You shall most respectively Salute in Our Namâ— the Pope and those other Prinâ—es and Cardinals and having delivered our Letters of Credence shall signifie That we exceedingly desire to reserve with them the measure of Love and Good VVill which is fitting to remove not only all suspicion but any thing that may be the cause of suspicion That altho we persist in the Religion which we sucked from our Iâ—fancy yet we are not so void of Charity but to think well of all Christians if so be they continue in their Duty first towards God and then towards the Magistrate whose Sâ—bjects they are That we never exercised any Cruelâ—y against the Catholicks for their Religion And because it doth very much concern us that we may be able to assert the Truth by our Friends and Subjects with the same diligence that Slanderers Lye therefore you shall endeavour to the utmost to perswade the Pope aâ— well at our Entreaty as for the desire of thâ—se mâ—st illustrious Princes whom in our Letters we have solicited on our behalf to make the Bishop of Vazion Cardinal wherein if you be successful as soâ—n as we shall be certified thereof we will proceed further You must be cautious not to proceed any farther in this businessâ— either with the Pope or thâ— most Illustrious Cardinals â—â—less there be a certain hope of our wished event THE SECRET HISTORY OF King CHARLES I. THE Misfortunes of this Monarch Son to King Iames with the uncouth dismal and unexpressable Calamities that happened thereupon was in a great measure caused by the imprudent Commissions and voluntary Omissions of King Iames As it may justly be said He like Adam by bringing the Crown into so great a Necessity through profuse Prodigality became the Original of his Sons Fall who was in a manner compell'd to stretch out his Hands towards such Gatherings and Taxes as were contrary to Law by which He fell from the Paradice of a Prince to wit The Hearts of his People though thâ— best Politicians exâ—ant might Miscarry in their Calculation of a Civil-War immediately to follow upon the Death of Queen Elizabeth in Vindication of the numerous Titles and Opinions then current Yet the Beggarly Rabble attending King Iames not only at his first coming out of Scotland but through his whole Reign like a fluent Spring found still câ—ossing the River Tweed did so far justifie the former conjecture as it was only thought mistaken in relation to time The fiâ—st thing this King did after the performing his Father's Funeral Rights was the consummating the Marriâ—ge withâ— Henrietta Maria a Daughter of Fâ—ance whom he had formerly seen in his Journey through that Countrey into Spain The King then call'd a Parliament who met the 11th of Iune following to whom he represented in a short Speech The urgent necessity of raising a Subsidy to â—aâ—ry on the VVar with Spain But the Parliament presented first their Two Petitions concerning Reasâ—ns of Religion and Complaint of their Suffâ—rings which points had been offered to his Father King Iames In both which they at present received Satiâ—faction Upon which the King obtained two Subsidies to be paid by Protestants and four by Papist Laiety and three from the Clergy On the 11th of Iuly 1629. the Parliament was Adjourned â—ill August the 1st when the King declared to them the necessity of setting forâ—h a Fleet for the Recovery of the Palatinate The Lord Treasurer insâ—anced the several Sums of Money King Iames died Indebted to the City of London this occasioned very warm Debates in the House of Commons who alleadged That Evil Councils guided the King's Designs That the Treasury was misimployed That it would be necessary to Petition the King for Honester and Abler Councilâ— Thaâ— it was not usual to grant Subsidies upon Suâ—sidies in one Parliament and no Grievances Redressed with many other of the like nature And being incensed against the Duke of Buckingham they began to think of divesting him â—f his Office and to require an account of the publick Money c. To prevent whichâ— the King Dissolved the Parliament And now the King 's put upon taking up Money upon Loan of such Persons as were thought of Ability to Lend To whom Letters were Issued out in the King's Name to exâ—ite them to it But this not answering the King Summons a Parliament to Siâ— Feb. 6. and being Meâ— they â—ell immediately â—pon Debate of the publick Grievances much the same as the former Then the House of Commons were very busie in searching the Signet Office for the Original of a Leâ—ter under the Signet written to the Mayor of York for Reprieving divers Priests and Jesuits This was Reported by Pim Chair-Man to the Committee for Religion but the King immediately demanded a supply for the English and Irish Forces This was highly resented by the Commons and several sharp Speeches were made in the House But notwiâ—hâ—â—anding the Commons aâ— last Voted Three Subsidies and Three Fifteenâ— and the Bill shall be brought in as soon as the Grievances which were Represented were Redressed But the King observing they did not make the hasâ—e he expectâ—d sends a sharp Message to them complains against their Grievances and
have lately called themselves a Common-wealth To meet with and prevent the infernal Endeavours of such Rebels our Agent most humbly offers to your Holiness the following Propositions 1. That your Holiness would make an annual Supply out of your own Treasury unto the said Charles the Second of considerable Sums of Money suitable to the maintaining the War against those Rebels against God the Church and Monarchy 2. That you would cause and compel the whole Beneficed Clergy in the World of whatsoever Dignity Degree State and Conditions soever to contribute the Third or the Fourth part of all their Fruits Rents Revenues or Emoluments to the said War as being Universal and Catholick And that the said Contribution may be paid every three Months or otherwise as shall seem most expedient to your Holyness 3. That by your Apostolick Nuncio's your Holyness would most insâ—antly endeavour with all Princes Common-wealths and Catholick States that the said Princes Common-wealths and States may be admonished in the Bowels of Jesus Christ and induced to enter into and conclude an Universal Peace and that they will unitedly supply the said King And that they will by no means acknowledge the said Regicides and Tyrants for a Common-wealth or State nor enter into or have any Commerce with them 4. That by the said Nuncio's or any other way all and every the Monarchs of all Europe may be timely admonished and made sensible in this Cause wherein beside the detriment of the Faith their own proper Interest is concerned The foresaid Tyrants being Sworn Enemies to all Monarchy as they themselves do openly assert both by Word and Writing and to that end both in Germany Spain France Poland â— c. and in the very Dominions of the great Turk they have raised dangerous Insurrections being raised they foment them and to that purpose they supply the Charge and make large Contributions to it 5. That yoâ—r Holyness would Command under pain of Excommunication Ipso facto all and singular Catholicks that neither they nor anâ— of them directly nor indirectly by Land or by Sea do serve them in Arms or assist them by any Counsel or to help to favour or supply them any way under whatsoever pretext Holy Father the premised Remedies are timely to be applied by which the Catholick Faith now exposed to extream and eminent Hazzard may be conserved and infinite number of Catholicks may be preserved from Destruction Monarchy may be established and the most invincible King of Great Britain restor'd to his Rights All which things will bear your Holyness to Heaven with their Praises whom God long conserve in safety c. The Propositions and Motives abovesaid if occasion be our Agent will more largely set forth Viva voce This Letter as it seems to clear a great portion of Doubts and Suspitions of Charles the Second's Integrity to the Protâ—stant Religion so it is a shrewd Argument that all that glistered in this King and his Father was not Gold But I must beg the Readers Pardon for this long digression The Lords Justices sent Sir H. Spotswood from Dublin to the King then in Scotland with an Account of all that happened He dispatched Sir I. Stuart with Inâ—tructions to the Lords of the Privy Council in Ireland He applied himself to the Parliament of Scotland as being near for their Assistance And an Express was sent to the Parliament of England The King being returned out of Scotland December 2 d. Summoned both Houses together and tells them That he had staid in Scotland longer than he expected yet not fruitlessly for he had given full Satisfaction to the Nation but cannot chuse but take Notice of and wonder at the unexpected Distractions he finds at Home and then Commends to them the State of Ireland After which the Commons ordered a Select Committee to draw up a Petition and Remonstrance to the King The one was against Bishops and Oppressures in Church Government and for Punishing the Authors of it And the other contained all the Miscarriages and Misfortunes since the beginning of the King's Reign Not long after happened the Tumults of the London Apprentices at Whitehall and Westminster December 28. The King sends a Message to the Lords That he would raise Ten Thousand Voluntiers for Ireland provided the Commons would pay them Some time after the King upon Information that the Lord Kimbolton and five of the House of Commons viz. Hollis Sir A. Hasâ—erig Mr. Pym Hambden and Stroud had Correspondence with the Scots and Countenanced the late City Tumults He thereupon ordered their Trunks Studies and Chambers to be Sealed up and their Persons seized the former of which was done but they having timely Notice they went aside Upon which the Commons the same day Voted high against these Actions of the King Hereupon the King Charges Kimbolton and the five Members with several Articles and â—cquaints both Houses That he did intend to Prosecute them for High Treason and required that their Persons might be secured And the next day the King attendâ—d with his Guard of Pensioners and some Hundreds of Gentleman went to the House of Commons and the Guard staying without the King with the Palsgrave entred the House at whose Entrance the Speaker rises out of the Chair aâ—d the King sitting down therein views the Housesâ—round and perceives the Birds he aimed at were flown whereupon He tells them That he came to look for those five Members whom he had Accused of High Treason and was râ—solved to have them where ever He found them and expected to have them sent to Him as soon as they should come to the House but would not have them think that this Act of His was any Violation of Parliament This Act of the King was highly Resented by the House that the next day Ianuary 5. the Commons Voted it a Breach of Priviledge And it it was said in the City that the King intended Violence against the House of Commons and came thither with Force to Murther several Members and used threatning Speeches against the Parliament The next day the Londoners came thronging to Westminster with Petitions envying bitterly against some of the Peers but especially the Bishops as the Authors of all these Disturbances Upon which they were so affrighted that Twelve Bishops absented themselves from the House of Lords drawing up a Protestation against all Laws Orders Votes Resolutions and Determinations as in themselves Null and of none Effect which had Passed or should Pass during their Absence Presently after which at a Conference between both Houses it was agreed That this Protestation of the Twelve Bishops did extend to the deep intrenching on the Fundamental Priviledges and Being of Parliaments And in a short time they were Accused of High Treason Seised and brought on their Knees at the Lord's Bar Ten of whom were Comitted to the Tower and the other Twoâ— in regard of their Age to the Blackâ—Rod And now such Numbers of ordinary People daily gathered about Westminster
likely to have the principal Room in his Favour and Trust and by whose Assistance he was in hopes to Tyrannize oâ—er his Eâ—glish and Scotch â— Subjectâ— particularly those of the latter For when the Parliament of Scotland sent for him as he was then Cruising about Guernsey to treat about receiving him to be their King he would not so much as transact with them till he had first sent into Ireland to assure himself whether those Rebels who had murthered no less than Two Hundred Thousand Protestants were in a Condition or no for him to cast himself upon their Assistance But those hopes failing in regard they were in a fair way to be subdued themselves he was at length inclined to entertain the Overture made him by the Scots And yet even then was his Mind so full fraught with the thoughts of Despotical Dominion and purposes of introducing Popery inâ—o his Territories that had it not been for the Prince of Orange he would never have complyed with the Terms which the Scots had ordered to propose though no other than what were necessary for the Security of the Lives Liberties Laws and Religion of his People And how he employed his Wooden â—illet afterwards may easily be understood by his many Acts of Barbarous Tyranny` over those poor People This Prince began early in Hypocrisie and Breach of Promise For the Confirmation of which to be a certain Truth there needs no more than to lay the Foundation of the Proof upon his own Words and solemn Engagements For in the King's Letter to the Speaker of the House of Commons just before his Restauration he has these Words We assure you upon ourâ— Royal Word That none of our Predecessors have had a greater Esteem for Parliaments than We have as well in Our Judgment as from our Obligation We do believe them to be so Vital a part of the Constitution of the Kingdom and so necessary for the Government of it that We well know neither Prince nor People can be in any tollerable degree happy without them and therefore you may be confident That We shall always look upon their Counsels as the best We can receive aud shall be as tender of their Peiviledges and as careful to Preserve and Protect them as of that which is most near to Our self and most necessary for Our own Preservation This in part demonstrates his Prevarication with Man Now for his Prevarication with Heaven we must produce another Paragraph of the same Letter wherein he uses these flattering Expressionsâ— If you desire the Advancement and Propagation of the Protestant Religion We have by Our constant Profession of it given sufficient Testimony to the World That neither the Unkindness of those of the same Faith towards Us noâ— the Civilities and Obligations from those of a contrary profession could in the least startle Us or make Us swerve from it and nothing can be proposed to manifest Our Zeal and Affection for it to which We will not readily assent And we hope in due time Our self to propose something to you for the Propagation of it that will satisfie the World that We have always made it â—oth Our Care and Study and have enouâ—h observed what is most like to bring Disadvantage to it Now as for his Veneration of Parliaments or his Zeal for the Reformed or truly any Religion the Succeeding transactions of his Reign which are to be related will plainly make it appear how far those words were from his Heart when dictated by his Lips To shew that this Prince was a great Lover of Comedies and Enterludes and could act his part with e're a Moon or Lacy of them all there is a Story must not be omitted which may serve to light us into the occasion how he came to gain the addition of Pious Otherwise as it is impossible for us to give any Account why Virgil so often gives the Epithet of Pious to his Hero AEâ—eas after he had so dishonourably cheated and broke his Faith with Queen Dido so it is as little to be expected that we should afford a reason why Charles the Second should be so universally dignified with the name of Pious after such a prank of Hypocrisie as we are going to relate This Story is this While he lay at Breda daily expecting the English Navy for his Transportation the Dissenting Party fearing the worst thought it but reasonable to send a select number of most eminent Divines to wait upan his Majesty in Holland in order to get the most advantageous Promises from him they could for the Liberty of their Consciences Of the number of these Divines Mr. Case was one who with the rest of his Brethren coming where the King lay and desiring to be admitted into the King's Presence were carried up into the Chamber next or very near the King's Closet but told withal That the King was busie at his Devotions and that till he had done they must be contented to stay Being thus left alone by contrivance no doubt and hearing a sound of groaning Pietâ— such was the curiosity of Mr Case that he would needs go and lay his Ear to the Closet Door But Heavens How was the good old Man ravish'd to hear the Pious Ejaculations that fell from the King's Lips Lord Since thou art pleas'd to restore me to the Throne of my Ancestors grant me a Heart constant in the Exercise and Protection of Thy true Protestant Religion Never may I seek the Oppression of those who out of his tenderâ—ess of their Consciences are not free to conform to outwarâ— and indifferent Ceremonies With a great deal more of the same Cant which Mr. Case having over-heard full of Joy and Transport returning to his Brethren with Hands and Eyes to Heaven up-lifted fell a Congratulating the Happiness of Three Nations over which the Lord had now placed a Saint of Paradice for their Prince After which the King coming out of the Closet the deluded Ministers were to Prostitute themselves at his Feet and then it was that the King gave them those Promises of his Favour and Indulgence which how well he after performed they felt to their Sorrow Soon after he arrived into England where he was received with all the Pomp Splendor and Joy that a Nation could express but then as if he had left all his Piety behind him in Holland care was taken against the very first Night that his Sacred was to lie at White-Hall to have the Lady Castlemain seduced from her Loyalty to her Husband and enticed into the Aâ—ms of the happily restored Prinâ—e Thus from the first hour of his Arrival into these Kingdoms he sat himself too much by his own Pâ—rswasion and Influence to withdraw both Men and Women from the Laws of Nature and Morality and to Pollute and Infect the People with Debauchery and Wickedness He that ought to have shown like the North-Star in the Firmament of Royalty to direct his Subjects in the Paths of Vertue was the
Subverted and altered the Fundamental Constitution in making English Men liable to be turned at the Arbitrary Pleasure of the King And as an addiâ—ion to this those Mercinary Members by the Orders and Directions of their most Pious and Protestant Pay-Master the King past another Law which was styled The Act for Corporations by which Men of Principles and Integrity were debarred all Offices of Magistracy in Cities and Corporate Towns the woful effects of which the Kingdom not long after both saw and felt in the Surrender of Charters and Betraying of Franchises by Persons upon whom the Government of â—he Corporations came to be delivered by Vertue of that Act which excluded so many Honest Able and Vertuous Men the Persons whom the King for his by-ends nominated for fit and Loyal Men would never have risen above the Offices of Scavengers Headboroughs or Constables at the highest To this as mainly contributed to the King's Design of Enslaving us we may subjoyn their passing an Act whereby they did boâ—h limit and confine those that were to present Petitions to the King not to exceed Ten Persons Let the Matter to be represented be ne're so Important or the Grievance to be redress'd never so Illegal or Oppressive yet it was made no less than a Riot if above Ten Persons Address'd themselves to the King to crave the bâ—nefit of the Law A Trouble which the King câ—reâ—ully provided against knowing how many Laâ—s he had to break and how Burthensome and Oppressive he must be to the People bâ—fore â—e could compleat the Fabrick of Slavery and â—â—pâ—ry which he was Erecting Nor was this all For the King being Conscious â—f his own saâ—â—ing and finding that through his own 〈◊〉 and the Importunities of his consuming Misâ—es he could not depend on any definiâ—e Suâ—m for accomplishing his Promises to his Holy Father the Pope and his Trusty Confederate the French King got Two Bills prepared and carried into the House the passing of which had compleated the Nations Misery and made him Absolute The one was To Empower His Majesty upon extraordinary Occasions of which he would not have failed to have been the Judge as often as he pleased to raise Money without a Parliament And the other was For settling an Vniversal Excise upon the Crown The Passing either of which the King well knew would have been soon enabled him to have Govern'd by Basha's and Ianizaries and redeem'd him from having any further need of Parliaments But what the King had so finely projected to enslave the Nation and obtain whatever he had a mind to prov'd the Ground of their Disappointment and the occasion oâ— the Nations escape from the snare that was laid for it For the Mercenary Members fore-seeing That the passing these Bills would have put an end to these Pensions by rendring them useless for the time to come consulting their Gain and preferring it above what the Court called their Loyalty fell in with the honest Party and so became assistant in throwing out the Bills However Piouâ— AEneas finding the Nation grew sensible of his covert Intentions and Encroachments upon their Laws and Liberties and desparing of getting any more Acts passed in Parliament toward the promoting his Desings resolved to Husband the Laws he had already obtain'd as much as he could to the Ruin of the Nâ—tion and where they failed of being Serviceable to his Ends to betake himself to other Methods and Means And therefore besides the daily Impoverishing Confining and destroying of infinite numbers of Honest and Peaceable People Under pretence of Executing the Laws he made it his business to invent new Projects to tear up the Rights and Liberties of the People by ways and means which had not the least shadow of a Law to countenance them Having made this fair Progress towards the enslaving both the Souls and Bodies of his own Subjects at home let us take a view of his Zeal to the Protestant Religion abroad And first for the Protestants of France When Monsieur Rohan came into England to acquaint his Pious Majesty with the Resolutions taken at Paris to persecute and if possible to root out the Reformed in France and proposed Overtures to the King as would have been greatly for his Glory and Interest yet no way contrary to the Allegiance of that poor People he remitted the Monsieur to his Brother the D. of York who not only inform'd the French Ambassador of the Gentleman's Errand but placed him behind the Hangings to hear what Monsieur Rohan had to represent and propose to him Which although the Ambassador to could not but abhor in the Two â—rothers and was asham'd of in himself yet he could do no less than inform his Master of what he had seen and heard Upon which the poor Gentleman on his Return out of England was so narrowly watched that being Apprehended upon the Borders of Switzerland he was carried back to Paris and there broken upon the Wheel Nor did it satisfie â—he King and his dear Brother the Duke to have thus Betray'd as well as Abandoned the Protestants in France but with the utmost Malice that Popery could inspire into them they sought the Destruction of the Seven Uniâ—ed Provinces upon no other Account but their being Protestant States and for giving Shelter to those who being Persecuted by himself and his Confederate the French Tyrant for their Religion fled thither for Protection and Safety For knowing what in due time they intended to bring upon the Protestants at home they thought it most requisite to destroy those Protestant States in the first place that there might remain no Sanctuary for their Persecuted Subâ—ects And indeed abaring this and one more Ground of their Quarrel with those Stateâ— never was a War undertaken upon more â—rivilous Pretences than those Two which the King engaged in against the Seven Provinces in the Year 1667. and 1672. Nor can any thing justifie the Discretion and Wisdom of the Wars had they not been undertaken meerly in Subserviency to the promoting Popery and Slavery seeing that upon all other Grounds that Reason and Prudence can suggest it was the Interest of England as still it is to preserve the Government of Holland entire Nor can we have a true Account of the Grounds upon which the Two Monarchs of England and France agreed the War against Holland in the Year 1672. than by the Representation which the French Ambassador made of it both at Rome and Vienna For tho' his Publick Declaration pretended no more but that it was to seek Reparation for the Diminution of his Glory yet the Account he gave to the Pope of his Masters and consequently of our Protestant Monâ—rch his first Confederate undertaking that War was That he did it in order to the extirpation of Heresie And in the same manner they sought to justifie the Piety of that Enterprize to his Imperial Majesty by alledging That the Hollanders were a People that had forsaken God â— and were
Hereticks and that all good Christians were bound to Associate and Unite for their Extirpation Upon which Account it seems our King and the Duke thought fit to exchange the Appellation of of Gâ—od Protestants for that of Good Christians However from hence it was plain what sort of Good Christians they were since it was evident that their Uniting with France in that War was to desâ—roy the Pâ—otestant Dutch Hereticks These being the real Grounds and Motives that induced the King of England to begin that Impolitick War agâ—inst the Dutch in the year 1665. whatever was openly and publickly pretended How strangely was the Parliament deluded and blinded by the King's Oaths and Protestations of his Zeal for the Protestant Religion What Sums of the Subjects Money they gave this Monarch to defray the Expences of that nnnecessary and baneful War is too well known and yet after all saving one brisk Engagement ill manag'd tho' with some losâ— to the Dutch at length no Fleet was set out and the choicest of their Royal Navy either Burnt or taken in Harbour to save Charges And though the French at lengâ—h joyn'd themselves in assistance with the Dutch against us yet by the Credit he had with the Queen-Mother he so far imposed upon that upon assurance which no Mâ—n of Prudence and Foresight would have believed That the Dutch would have no Fleet at Sea that Year he forbore to make ready and so incurred that ignominious Disgrace at Chatham the like to which the English never suffered since they claim'd the Dominion of the Sea And now we come to the best Act that ever he did in his Life had he pursued it which shewed how happy a Prince he might have been had he been ever faithful to his own and the Interests of his People and that Religion which he outwardly profest For upon Conclusion of that Peace having leisure to look about him and to observe how the French had in the Year 1667. taken their opportunity and while we were embroyled and weakned by the late War had in Violation of all the most Sacred and Solemn Oaths and Treaties Invaded and Taken a great part of the Spanish Netherlands which had always been considered as the natural Frontier oâ— England the King then prompted more by his own Fears then out of any kindness he had for the Nation judg'd it necessary to interpose before the Flames that consumed next Neighbour should throw the Sparks over the Water Thereupon he sent Sir William Temple then his Resident at Brussels to propose a nearer Alliance with the Hollanders and to take joynt Measures against the French which Proposals of Sir William Temple's being entertained with all Compliance by the Dutch within Five days after Two several Treaties were concluded between the King and the States The one a Defensive and stricter Leagâ—e than before between the Two Nations and the other a joynt and reciprocal Engagement to oppose the Conquest of Flandâ—rs and â—o procure either by way of Meditation or by â—orce of Arms a speedy Peace between France and Spain upon the Tâ—rms therein mentioned And because Sweeden came into the same Treaty within a very little while after â—rom the Three Parties concern'd and engag'd it was called the Tripple League In pursuance of which the Treaty of â—ix la Chapelle was also forc'd upon the French and in some measure upon the Spaniards who were unwilling to part with so great a part of their Country by a Solemn Treaty The King of France thus stopped in his Career by the Tripple League and by the Peace of Aix la Chapelle soon after concluded tho' for a while he dissembled his dissatisfaction yet resolved to untye the Tripple League whatsoever it cost him and therefore set his Counsels to work to try all the ways he could possibly think on in order to compass his sad Design To which purpose and as it 's generally thought that which aâ—â—ected it the Dutchess of Orleance was sent over to Dover where if common Fame say true several Chamber Secrets were performed This Treaty was for a long time a work of Darkness and lay long concealed till the King of France to the end the King of England being truly set forth in his Colours out of a despair of ever being trusted or forgiven by his People hereafter might be push'd to go on bare faced and follow his steps in Government most Treacherously and Unking like cauâ—ed it to be printed at Paris though upon Complaint made at the French Court and the Author though he had his Instructions from Colbert to humour the King committed to the Bastile for a short time and then let out again However the Book being Printed some few Copies lit into safe Hands from whence take the Substance of the Mystery of Iniquity as followeth After that Monsieur de Croisy the French Embassador at London had laid before the Eyes of the King of England all the Grounds which his Majesty had of Complaint against Holland c. He told him That the time was come to revenge himself of a Nation that had so little Respect for Kings and that the occasion was never more favourable seeing many of the â—rinces of Germany were already entred into the League and that the King of France was powerful enough to be able to promise to his Allies in the Issue of that War for satisfaction both as to their Honour and Interests whereby he prevailed with that Prince to enter into Secret Alliance with France And for his greater Assurance and the more to confirm him Henrietta Dutchess of Orleance went for England and proposed to her Brother in the Name of the most Christian King that he would assure him an absâ—lute Authority over his Parliament and â—ull power to establish the Cathoâ—ick Religion in his Kingdoms oâ— England Scotland and Ireland But withal she told him that to compass this before all things else iâ— would bâ— necessary to abate the Pride and Power of the Dutch and to reduce them to the sole Province oâ— Holland and that by this means the King of England shâ—â—ld haâ—e Zealâ—nd â—or a Retreat in case of necessity and that the rest of the Law-Countries should remain to the King of France if he could render himself Master of it This is the Sum of that Famous Leage concluded at Dâ—vâ—r framed and entred into on purpose for the Subjugaâ—ion of these Three Nations to Popery and Slâ—very Soon â—fter this the Emperor oâ— Germany the Duke of Lâ—rrain and several other Gâ—rman Princes desired to be admitted into the Tripple League but it was absolutely refused them Nay So soon as the Two Consâ—derate Monarcâ—s haâ— thus made a shift to cut the Gordian Knot the now pitiful but formerly vaunted Trippâ—e Leaguâ— was trampled under foot turned into Ridiâ—niâ— and less valuâ—d than a Ballad Insomuch that to talk of admiâ—ting others into the Tripple League was apprâ—hended in Print as a kind of Fiâ—â—â— of Speech commâ—nly called a
by an Enacted Law And no leâ—s frankly they Surrendred the Power of the Militia into his Hands of both which Acts being done in haste they had leisure enough afâ—erwards to repent But notwithstanding all the great Kindness of this Parliament and their more than extraordinary Liberality to the King of several Millioâ—s of the Peoples Money which was with the same Profusion wasted upon his Pleasures and the carrying on his Designs for the Introducing of Popery and French not a Penty hardly to the good of the Nation while â—hâ— Sâ—amen were sed with a Bit and a Knock and the Merchants that supplied the Stores of the Navy were Cheated of their Money and never paid to this day with what Scorn and Contempt he â—sed them and how far from that Esteem and Veneration he profesâ—ed to have for them while he was wheedling for his Restauration is apparent to all the Kingdom 'T is true the King continued them till all Men of impartial Knowledge and Judgment thought them Dissolved by Law and â—ill that they were Dissolv'd by himself the 25th of Ianuary 1678. not that they Sat so long but were discontinued and contemptuously spared from Meeting to Meeting many times by the inâ—imated Ordeâ—s and to promote the Designs of the French King and â—ever suffered them to Sir but when the King was in extreâ—m necessity of Money Among the rest oâ— those Prorogaâ—ions there was one at a time when the greatest urgency in Affairs the greaâ—est danger that threatned the Eâ—glish Nation required their Sittlng when they were diving into the Bottom of the Popish Plot and endeavâ—uring to bring to condign Punishment the chief Instruments which the King had made use oâ—â—o compâ—ss his Arbitrary and Popish Design Very remarkable is the Actions of the Preceding Night which was follow'd by the Morning Prorogations the relation of which is so gross that we think to draw a Curtain over it lest common Fame should lead us into an Error in any particular However this is certain that Prince Rupert the next Morning understanding what Resolutions were taken pressed the King with all the vehemency imaginable that Argument and Reason could enforce but at the same time the Duke of York stuck close to his Proâ—her telling him That his Cousin Rav'd c. so that the Duke that advised for the Ruine of the Nation was believed but the Priâ—ce that spoke his Mind freely for the Good of the Kingdom was dismisled for a Mad-man So well did the King Act his Part that when his well-meaning Counsellors lent their assisting hands to prevent the Consequences of French and Popish Dictates they were mistaken in the Man and gave their wholsome Advice to him that was not â—ound to take it During this Sessions of Parliament many foul things came to light for while the King had raised an Army and prâ—ssed the Parliament for Money to maintain them under pretence of making a War with France which was the earnest desire of all the Protestant pâ—rt of the Kingdom The Parliamenâ— were â—ully informed that while the King boasted of the Alliaâ—ces which he had made for the Preservation of Flanders and the Protestant Religion both at home and abroad he was secrâ—tly entred into Treatiâ—s and Alliâ—ncâ—s at the same time with the French King and Mr. Garroway of the House of Commons had gotten a Copy of the private Treâ—ty between the King of England and the French King at the same Instâ—nt that the Secretary and the others of the Court Parâ—y cried out a War iâ—somuch that several that were then in the House of Commons began to blush when they saw the Cheat so palpably discerned It was farther discovered That a great Favoueite of the Dukes had been sent over into France under a pretence oâ— Expostulating and requiring Satisfaction for the Injuries which the English had received from the French but in reality to carry the Project of Articles for the Peace and to the setâ—le and confirm all things fasâ— about the Money that was to come from France and to agree the Methods for Shamming the Conâ—ederates about their expected Alliances They found themselves cheated of all the Pole Bill Money which they had given so little a while before upon the Assurance of a War intended against France â— the greatest part of which they perceiv'd was immediately tho appropriated to the French War only converted to other Uses as the paying of old Debts so that very little was left for paying any Necessaries bought or to be bought towards the pretended War with France Nor were they ignorant of the real Design for which the King had raised his Army and what care the King and his Brother took that there should be no other Officers in that Army than what were fit for the Work in Hand which was to introduce Popery and French Government by main force The greater part being downright Papists or else such as resolved so to be upon the first Inâ—imation The Duke recommending all such as he knew â—it for the Turn and no less than an hundred Commissions were Signed to Irish Papists to raise Forces noâ—withstanding the Act by which means both the Land and Naval Forces were in safe Hands And to compleat the Work hardly a Judge Justice of the Peace or any Officer in England but what was of the Dukes promotion Nor were they ignorant of the private Negotiations of the Duke carried on by the Kings Connivance with the Pope and Cardinal Norfolk who had undertaken to raise Money from the Church sufficient to supply the King's Wants till the Work werd done in case the Parliament should smoke their Design and refuse to give any more Nor was the Parliament ignoranâ— what great Rejoicing there was in Rome it self to hear in what a posture His Majesty was and how well provided of an Army and Money to begin the Business The Parliament also understood while they were labouring the War with France and to resist â—he growth of Popery and Arbitrary Power That the King underthand assisted the French with Mâ—n and Ammunition of all sorts and soon after that a Câ—ssation was concluded both at Nimeguen and Paris That the King had got some Money from France for that Job by which the French King was now sure to hold all his Conquests â—broâ—d which had England been real to the Coâ—â—edâ—rates might have been easily wrested out of his Hands But it seems it was not so muâ—h Money as our King expected which made him Angry so that he began to threaten That if the Fâ—ench King did not perform his Promise of 300000 l. Annuity for Three Years he would undo all thaâ— he had done against the next Parliament But the French King derided those vain Threatâ— menacing in his turn That if the King of England would not be content with his Tâ—rms and do and say to the Parliament according to his Directions he would discover both him and hiâ— Correspondents in betrayiâ—g the Nâ—tion and discover all
but their pity and compassion â—o thâ— King which would not permit them to expose him so black tho it was as certain that they frequently imported their knowledge to their Friends Noâ— did it a litâ—le add to confirm the Truth of what is here related That Emislariâ—s should be sâ—nt from the Court to deal under-hand with the Coroner and the Jury to have gotten a Verdict of Felo de se â— But the Proofs of his being murthered were so apparent such as his Neck being broke and the cleanness of his Shoâ—s that nothing could corrupt the Jury from bringing it in otherwise than it was Under these distresses did the King and Duke labour terribly afraid of the approaching Parliament for the sake of their Popish Minions and Instruments whose utmost Care and Industry could not prevent itâ— but that several of Coleman's Letters and Papers were found which detected the Negotiations of the King and Duke for all the World can never separate them by maintaining that the Duke durst ever have transacted such Treasons abroad being then no more than another Subject without his Brother's consent so that they were in an extraordinary quandary whether the Parliament should Sit or not But the King 's extream necessity for Money prevailed upon him to let them Sit Besides that the King who had all along acted under his Protestant Mask was sensible that the Kingdom would have cry'd out Shameâ— had he put off the Parliament at such a conjuncture of Combuâ—tion and Distraction as that was But when the Parliament met according to the usual wont how many Stories and Shams was there endeavoured to be put upon them For in the interval of the Session notwithstanding that the Parliament had givâ—n him Money to Disband the New-raised Army He to try an Experiment how the Nation would brook his wrigling iâ—to that Arbitrary Power which he aimed at all along had spent the Money upon his other Occasions and kept up the Army still Nevertheless to excuse the Fraud which he had put upon the disgusted Nâ—tion he tells the Parliament That he had been obliged â—o keep up his Troops to keep his Neighbours from absolute Despair and that he had bâ—en sollicitâ—d from abroad not to Disband them Now was ever such a Story told by a Prince and vouched in the Face of the Nation by a bred Lawyer viz. his Chancellor to justifie the Breach of a Law of the Three Estaâ—es of the Kingdom as soon as made and then to â—â—im the Parliament off with Christendom and the Worlds commending us for the breaking our own Laws to patch up a Peace which tended to nothing but the ruine of those for whom it was made The Sum of which was in short that the King to serve his own Arbitrary Ends had run himself into an Inconvenience by defrauding the Nation however the Parliament was to be contented with it and to pay for it to boot that is to pay double for the keeping up a Popish Army to secure the Protestant Religion But the Parliament taking little notice of these fine Stories fell to the main Business which was to sound the depth of the Plot. Upon Examination of which notwithstanding that many Papers of great Importance had with a more than ordinary Industry been conveyed away â—et by those that were sound so much appeared that the House Voâ—â—d it to be a Damnable Plot to root up and desâ—â—â—y the Religion and Government of the Kingdom and privately got the Lord Chief Justice Scroggs to Sign Warrants for the Apprehending the Popish Lords which was done accordingly Anâ— for their further Security they prepared a Bill for putting the Nation into a posture of Defence and for raising the Miâ—iâ—ia throuâ— hour the Kingdom to be in Aâ—ms for so many days which passed both Houses without â—ny difficulty but the King out of his Zeal to the Protestant Religion refused to Pass it And then it was that the Parliament found too late the Complement which they had pasâ—ed upon him in returning him the Power of the Militia which he made use of keeping up standing Armies for their Destruction but refused for the Security of the Nation This therefore not prevailing they began to provide against Papists Sitting in either House and â—ram'd a Bill with a Test to be taken by every Member of both Houses â— or else to losse thâ—ir Seat This though his Protestant Majesty did not openly oppose himself yet after a close Consulâ—ation held at St. Iames's He ordered all his Instruments in the Lords House to witâ—stand the passing of it thereâ— which though â—hey could not Effect yet they prevailed so far that they got a Proviso in it â—or the D. of York whereby they did him the kindness as to declare him a Papist to all the World After this the Parliament proceeded to the Impeachâ—ng of such Persons as they had found to be dâ—epest in the Contrivance of all our Mischiefs but That his Majesty lookt upon 't as a Business that so â—early concerned his own Honour that like his Father when the Duke oâ— Bâ—ckingham was accused of poysoning Iames I he would not endâ—re the Parliament in such a Iehu-like Chase after the Popish Conspirators but Foot baâ—â—ed them again with a Prorogation for several Months So careful was his Proâ—estant Majesty to stiâ—e as much as in him lay and to prevent the Prosecution of an Inâ—ernal Plot which he knew was so deeply laid like the Axe of Popary to the Root of all his Protestant Dominions Nor was this all for so soon as he had dismissed the Parliament and had secured his Accomplices he took all the Care imaginable to discredit Oates and Bedlow's Evidence Forty One was again inculcâ—ted into all the ignorant Paâ—es about the Town and Merry â— Andrew Roger had his Pension out of the Gazette coutinued to ridicule the Plot which he did in a most leud and shameless manner and Money given to set up a new Divinity Academy in a publick Coffee-House to Act the Protestant Whore of Babylon and give about his Revelation Cup to the Raw Inferior Clergy and instract them in beâ—â—er Doctrine than ever they learnt in the University Nor did he stop at the endeavouring to discredit the Testimonies of those Witnesses but sent his Head Emissaâ—ies to corrupt them to a denial and retracting what they had discovered and when that would not do Knâ—x and Lane were sub-armed to accuse Oates of Buggery thereby to have taken him Add to this his Dissolving of this Enquiring Parliament at the Solicitation of the Duke and the extraordinary diligence of his Protestant Majesty to get the next Parliament fit for his Turn which was suddenly to be called to stop the Mouths of the People To which purpose all the Money that could possibly be spared out of the Exchequer was Issued out to divers Persons to manage the Elections all ovâ—r the Kingdom under the old notion of Secreâ— Service in one Article 1500 l. in another
2000 l. and the Guineas flew about the Country far and near to the Corporations to Hire Places and get fit Men the Heads of the Counties and Corporations were sent for and told what Men would be serviceable and acceptable to the Kingâ— and particularly the Gentlemen of Eâ—sex were sent to by the Chief Justice Scroggs and Cauâ—ions that they should not chuse Mildmay whatever they did And new Charters were obtained for some Corporations with new Priviledges and sent them down to be hung out at the Windows to animate the People to chuse such Men as they were directed What more could have been done by a Protestant Prince to destroy his Protestant Subjects and advance the Roman Catholick Cause When this Parliament Sate the King pursued his old Method of Speaking with his Lips what was farthest from his Heart and being in the House of Lords he there tells Both Houses a plausible Story how he had consented to the Exclusion of the Popish Lords from their Seats in Parliament to the Execution of several Criminals both upon the Score of the Ploâ— and the Murder of Sir Edmundbury Godfrey but above all how he had Commanded his Brother to absent himself from him because he would not leave the most Malicious Men room to say he had not removed all Causes which could be pretended to Influence him to Popish Counsels In all which there was not one word of Truth as to the Motives that engaged him to do what he did For as to the Exclusion of the Popish Lords he knew it was what he could not avoid unless he would have absolutely thrown off his Protestant Mask which he was sensible it was not seasonable for him so to do As for the Jesuits that were Hanged for the Plot he pleased himself as well as the People by Sacrificing a few Inconsiderable Miscreants to his own Revenge for ungrateâ—ully Plotting against his Life who had all along been so faithful to their Cause and indeed it was but â—ust they should dye like Knaves and Traytors who â—ad been such Fools to mistrust so true a Protestant Prince As to the Murther of Sir Edmundbury Godfrey what could he have done less except he would have exposâ—d himself to the Clamour of the whole Nation That would have been the greatest Folly in the World for a Prince that loved to Sleep in a whole Skin as he did for the Preservation of Three or Four Rascals Convicted of a Bloody Murther to have Sacrificed His Honour and His Safety to Publickâ—Scandal and Resentment And then as for the Removal of his dear Brother it was done after a long and deep Consultation upon these Considerations First That the Duke being out of the way might stop the â—arther Examination of the Plot in Relation to himself and thereby one of the chiâ—f Conspirators be preserved safe And Secondly For a shew that the King was such an Enemy to Popery and Popish Counsels that he would not suffer so much as the Breath of a Brother near him for fear oâ— Infection For in these Gracious Protestant Acts lay all his hopes of making the Parliament give Credit to his Words and getting Money from them at a time when the French King most Treacherously failed him Notwithstanding these things the Parliament not being to be deluded by all those seeming Acts of Protestant Grace took little notice of those Gâ—â—dy Trappings of the Kings Discourse but fell briskly to work upon the Plot and the Murther of Sir Edmundbury Godfrey â— to which purpose they made choice of a Secret Committee to pursue that Business and laid all other Considerations aside but those of securing the Nation against Popery and Arbitrary Government in order whereunto they began to think of bringing the Lords and others in the Tower to their Tryals And upon a Report of their Committee of the Duke of York's Letters wherein it appeared what great Joy had been conceived at Rome for the Dukes Conversion even to draw Tears from his Holynesses Eyes with several other Papers discovering much of the Court Intreague with Rome They Voted the Hopes of his coming to the Crown to be one of the chief Causes of the Popish Plot and ordered a Bill to disinable him to Inherit the Imperial Crown of the Realm These Proceedings were of so high a Nature and so directly tending to the overthrow of that Structure which the King and the Duke had been so long erecting that it was thought requisite to Treat them wiâ—h all the Art and Subtilty imaginable which produced Two of the greatest Master pieces that ever were acted by the Conspirators ever since their first designing Popery and French Tyranny The first was To blind and couzen the House of Commons by seeming to shew an utter dislike of all former Councils that had brought the Nation to the Condition it was in In pursuance of which the old Council was Dissolved and the greatast Sticklers against the Plot and for the Protestant Religion chosen in their room to the end that if any Miscarriages happened they might be all laid to their Charge or thâ—t Miscarriages might receive a more Candid Interpretation as being done by such good Men against whose Fidelity the Nation had no exception The next Device was To turn the whole Plot and the Odium of it upon the Protestants under the Notion of Presbyterian and Phanaticks which is so well known needs no repeating But in the midst of thâ—se Court Intrigues to run down the Plot the House of Commons went on vigorously boâ—â— against the Plot and Popish Delinquents which grated so hard upon the Popish Party and was such an Obstruction to their Designs That the King compassionating their Grievances more than those of his Protestant Subje As give way to the Dissolution of the Parliament yet with promise of another to meet towards the latter end of the Year under pretence of frequent Parliaments but in reality to try if he could get another fitter for his turn Ane now the King having laid aside the Parliament and freed his Instruments â—rom the Terror of it was so far from not permitting himself to be influenced by Popish Counsellors that he began to play the Old Game and first of all the popular Protestant Lords of the Council were by degrees decently laid aside and the Duke was sent for home The Lord Shaftsbury for opposing it was severely Reprimanded in Council with a Wonder How any Person that sate at that Board durst so bolply affront his Royol Highness For the Face of Affairs was changed and the King was now swimming in his own Element again Only it was strange that he was no more concerned to see the strain of the whole Kingdom run against him For notwithstanding all his Industry to have brought in his Band of Pensioners again it was found the new Chosen Parliament which was by this timâ— ready to Sir was likely to prove woâ—se for his turn than any of the former which made him have recourse
to his old Shifts of Proroguing which was done by Proclamation to gain a little time for the acquitting of Sir Geâ—rge Wakeman So kind was his Protestant Majesty to help out his desponding Friends at a dead lift in order to the Shaâ— Plot which he was afterwards designing For now the Parliament being cut off He was at leisure to advise with his Popish Instruments who were no less sedulous to give their Advice to the utmost that their active Brainsâ— could reach By this sedulity it was That the Meal Tub Anti-Plot was contrived and hatched Only Tools were wanâ—ing to manage and carry on the Treachâ—rous Design Therefore not knowing where else to find Miscreaâ—ts fit for such Diabolical Enterprises all the Goals about the Town were raked for needy Profligates It will be needless to give Hâ—stery of that which has been so sufficiently discovered for an abominable Imposture The Miscarriage of this Blessed Design caused a second Prorogation of the Parliament upon hopes of 200000 l. from France which was dexterously prevented by the Duke of Buckingham which the King so ill resented That his Attorney General had Orders in Council to Indict him of Buggery with a design to have taken away his Life and repair the French Disapointment by the Confiscation of his Estate had the Project taken Never so much Villany in Contrivance never so much Money ill spent and never worse luck The like Success happened in that damned Sham Plot Intrigue between Fitz Harris Nell Wall with the French Dutchess c. Nor must it be omitted aâ— an Argument of His Maâ—esties great Zeal for the Protestâ—â—â— Reâ—igion That when one Sâ—rgeant a Priestâ— made a Discovery of the Popish Plot from Hâ—lland wâ—ich he caused to be transmitted to the Court with an Intention to have discovered sâ—veral othersâ— he was first bribed off and then sent fór into England slightly and slily examined had his Pardon given him and sent back with Five pound a Week to say no moreâ— Nor was it a thing less astonishing to the Nation to see the Parliament prorogued from time to time to less than seven timeâ— before permitted to Siâ— on purpose to get time for the Popish Duke to settle the Protestant Religion in Scotland and to the end the Conspirators might get heart and footing again and retrieve their Losses in England and in this Interval it was That Messâ—ngers were sent to their Friends at Rome and others their Associates for Money to strike while the Iron was hot in regard that Scotland by this time was secured and all things in such a forwardness that now or never was the time but the Pope had such an ill Opinion of our Sovereigns Fidelity that he slipt his Neck out of the Collarâ— and in imitation of him the rest excused themselves upon the Score of their poverty Thus missiâ—g Money from Rome and the rest of their Popish Associates and the King of France refusing to part with any more Cash there was no way but one at a forc'd put which was to let â—he Parliament Sit and to make them more willing to give Money to undo the Nation The King in a framed Speech told them of the wonderful advantagious Alliances for the Kingdoms good he had made with Foreign Princes and particularly with Holland and how necessary it was to preserve Tangâ—er which had already run him in Debt Upon which Considerations the Burthen of his Song wasâ— Mâ—re Money But the Parliament Incensed at the frequent prâ—râ—gations fell upon Considerations more profiâ—able for the Kingdom such as were the bringing to condign punishment the Obstructers of their Sitting The Impeachment of North for drawing the Proclamation against petitioning and Three of the Judges for dismissing the Grand Jury before whom the Duke was Indicted of Recusancy before they could make their presenâ—ments the prosecution of the Popish Plot and the Examination of the Meal Tub Sham all which they looked upon to be of greater Moment than the Kings Arguments for his Want For it was well known That by his perâ—idious Dealings abroad he had so impared his Credit with all the Foreign Princes to whom he sent that they slighted his Applications as one upon whose Word they could never Rely And as for the preservation of Tangier there was nothing less in his Thoughts A fine Credit for a Prince and an excellent Character to recommend him to poâ—terity That he had no other than his own sinister Ends upon the Grand Council of his Kingdom nor no other way to work them to those Ends unless by forging Untruths to make him accessary to the betraying of the people that had entrusted them The Parliament therefore bent all their Cares to secure the Kingdom from Popery concluding that the Dâ—kes Apostaâ—izing from his Religion was the sole Evil under which the Nations in a more particular manner groâ—medâ— and consequently that he was to be Disinherited But the King being resolved not to forsake his Brother whatever became of the Kingdom took such a high Resentment against these honest and just procâ—edings of the Houses that after he had Sacrificed the Lord Stafford to his hopes of obtaining Money upon the Dukes uâ—dertaking to furnish him he Dissolved this Parliament too with promise of another at Oxford to sweeten the bitter pill which he had made the Nation to swallow In the mean time all the Care imaginable waâ— taken to bring the Protestant Plot to perfection preparative to which Judges were selected with Dispositions Thoughts and Minds as Scarlet as their Gowns And the choice of Sheriffs was wrested by force from the people that they might pick out Juries without Conscience or Honesty A Plot contrived by perfidiousness and treachery beyoâ—d the parallel of History A Plot with Parisian Massacre in the Belly of it designing no less an Innundation of Innocent Protestant Blood under the colour and forms of Justice and yet who but he who in his last wheedling Speech to pick the Nations pocket had promised to consent to any Laws against Popery And the better to carry on this damned Design What a Crew of Devils in the Shape of Men a Regiment of Miscreâ—nts in whom all the Transgressions of the Law and Morality were mustered together I say what a Band of such Caâ—tiffs were Rendezvouzed and with that Money which Parliaments give to promote the Security of the Kingdom caressed and pampered even to Excess for the destruction of the Innocent And all this at the Expence of him that bore the Stile and Character of our Gracious Sovereign For full proofs of which there needs no more than to look into the Tryal of Fitz Harris himself therefore to recite the particulars of a Design already so well known and publickly exposed to all the World would be a repetition altogether needless This however was observable That we were come to the height of Tyberius's Reign when informers and false Accusers a sort of Men found out for the Ruine of the publick And
for the punishment of which no Laws can be too severe were encouraged and courted with Rewards Nullus a pâ—na â—â—minum cessariâ— dies dicreta accusaâ—oâ—ibius praâ—â—â—â—â— premia nemine delatorum sides abrogata omne Câ—imen pro Capitali receptum etiam paucorum simpliciumque Verborum No day passed without some Punishment inflicted great Rewards given to Informers no Informer but what was beliâ—v'd all Crimes were adjudged Capital tho' meerly a few idle Words Such a harmony there was between these Times and pernicious Reign of that Master in Cruelty and Dissimulation Tiberius But the Roguery being discovered while Fitz Haris thought to have put Everard upon this Dilemma either to Hang or fix the Libel upon others he came to run himself into the Noose Lord into what an Agony it put the King the Duke his dear Brother and their then Jugling Instruments that the King who a little before was so overjoyed with the accoâ—nt of the contrivance which was given him at Whitehall that he could hardly contain himself from displaying the Raptures of his Soul was now so highly incensed against Fitz Harris that he was heard to say That he should Die if there were no more Men in England But his Confession to the Recorder Sir George Treby so enraged his Employers that he was presently lockt up in the Tower out of the reach of all Men but the Lieâ—tâ— to damn him for spoiling so good a Design But above all things there was such a dread amongst the Conspirators lest the Parliament should come to the knowledge of the depth of the Design that their resolute insisting to have the Cognizance of the Crime within their own Jurisdiction was the occasion of the sudden Dissolution After which a Chief Justice was Exalted on purpose to Hang Fitz-Harris out of the way to prevent his farther Discovery for no sooner was the Parliament Dissolved but Fitz-Harris was Hanged and by that means many a Mystery of Iniquity concealed The Dissolution of this and the forgoing Parliament was justified by a Declaration in the King's Name which being published with all the Severity and Reproach that could be cast upon those Worthy Patriots verified the Report of what the King had been heard to say That he would make the name of Parliaments to be forgotten in England However the Parliament being blown up and the King running away in a pretended pannick Fear from Oxford to colour the ensuing Projects of Plotting and Subordination no sooner was he settled again at London and Fitz-Harris hang'd to the great Joy of those thâ—t Adored him before but the Gazette was cram'd with Addresses from all Parts of the Nation to thank the King for his Expressions and Promises to Govern by Law which was no more than his Duty But those Addresses were only Signed by the unthinking loose and rascally part of the People who were not sensible of the Mischief which was thereby intended which was to make the Nation out of Love with Parliaments thereby to unhinge the Government and to introduce Tyranny and Arbitrary Power And that the Addressors were only the Câ—â—â—ile of the Kingdom with only a Tool of Quality at the Head of them the Con well kâ—ew Some time aâ—â—â—â— Fitz-â—â—â—â—â—â— was Executed a Paper was Published in the name of his Reâ—â—â—â—tion which his Wiâ—â— hearing â—râ—ed 〈…〉 and viewing â—â— â—â—ked 〈…〉 those were her Hâ—â—bands Papers 〈…〉 her They were To whic◠〈…〉 band wâ— Dâ—â—â—ed for tâ—â—t she 〈◊〉 all thâ—◠〈◊〉 to be false However upon the Groâ—â—d-work of this Reâ—â—ntation a Committee of Subordination wâ—sâ—â—ected by whose Directions Tuâ—bervil Dugdale and all the Irish Evidence who had been most conversant with the Earl of Shaftsbury upon the Account of the Irish Plot together with one Booth by whom a full Detection of the whole Villany has since â—een made with a full disclosure of all the Artifices made use of to have corrupted the Integrity of that honest Gentleman Captain Wilkinson And all those Varlets were now lisâ—ed and received into Pay by the said Committee of Subornation and a swearing School being set up according to the directions of the Committee they receive every one their distinct Cues and Lessons to con and get by Heart against occasion should serve by the Settlement of the Committee which was approved as was every thing else they did by his Protestant Majesty Colledge's Tryal is too well known to be here repeated but after Ages will observe how he was removed from London where he had been acquitted to another remote Countrey where his Prosecutors were assured of his Destruction by deluded Ignorance and partial Knavery how he was accused and testified against by Nabâ—â—h's â—vidence the Scandal and Reproach of all Mankind whose Memories stink upon the Eâ—rtâ— and would soon be forgotten but that their Names are made use of to transmit the Infamy of their Employerâ— to Posterity All the severiâ—es used at his Tryal wereâ— palpable Demonstrations of that Innocent Man's being determined to Destruction right or wrong on purpose to lay the Foundation of farther Butcheries so that being fâ—eâ—hed by this Success the next attempt of the King's Justice was upon the â—arl of Shaftsbury for the same preâ—ended Treason for which Colledge had suffered And here Posterity will make the same Observations and Concluâ—ionâ— in general as in Colâ—â—dge's Case But more particularly will after Ages easily conclude from hence That it was not for any contrivance of his Lordship but by a Project of Court and Popish Revenge to destroy a Person who by his Courage Wisdom and good Intelligence had Opposed and Defeated so many of their Designs against the Religion and Welfare of the Nation For that this Plot upon his Lordship was so early communicated to Rome and other Foreign Parts That it was talked of at Paris and in Flanders sometime before his Lordship was imprisoned in England They will observe the Injustice done his Lordship in refusing to let him see or know the Persons that deposed against him which was not denied either to Coleman or the Jesuits and which being so contrary to Law was a plain Demonstration That either the Witnesses were not thought of Credit sufficient to support the Confinement of so great a Peer or else that it was not convenient to trust the general course of their Lives to be scrutined too soon The Motives that induced the Court to begin with this great and eminent Peer will be easily discernable to suâ—ceeding Ages For to what Man of Sense and Reason is it not apparent That it was the Policy of the Court That their Revenge against this Earl should not be Adjourned till they had tryed the Credit of their Witnesses upon other considerable Persons for fear lest by his Lordships Industry and Abilities he should not only have detected and exposed the whole Intrigue but have broken the Engine by which the Two Brothers thought to have made themselves absolute Lords of the Religion Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom
case he succeeded to the Crown And being told of the Terms that the King had offered to the Parliament of England tho` much harder and more dishonourable than any which they required he replied That the King never intended any such Limitations should pass nor did he offer them but when he knew they would not be accepted And farther to demonstrate his imbitter`d hatred of the Protesâ—ants and with what Rage and Fury he intended to prosecure them he told several Members of the Parliament when they were endeavouring to get some Bills to pass for the Security of their Religion in case of a Popish Successor That whatever they intended or prepared against the Papists should light upon others Which tho` it stopt him from taking the Advantage of any new Bills yet he was so just to his Word in behalf of the Papists that he pour`d all the Rigour of the Penal Laws against the Papists upon the Protestants in that Kingdom under the Name of Dissenters whom he Persecuted with that insatiable Violence as if according to his own Expression he had fully concluded That it would never be well with Scotland till all the South-side of Ferth were made a Hunting Field For indeed that was the true intent and drift of all his envenom`d Prosecutions of those People as well in England as in Scotland in hopes by so severe an Exasperation they would have broken out into open Rebellion and so have given him a fair opportunity to have rooted them from the Earth by the Sword Which was evident from another Saying of his for that having one day given his Opinion of sober Dissenters and setting them forth as he thought in their Colours he concluded That if he might have his VVish he would have them all turn Rebels and betake themselves to Arms. Which tho` it shewed his good Will yet whether it were so prudently spoken by a Person that had so little either of Courage or Conduct as himself is a question unless he thought he cou'd subdue them with the Spiritual Weapons of the Popes Excommunications and Curses Nor did he at the same time remember that the heavy Oppressions of the Spanish Inquisition tore from the Dominions of the Spaniard all the Seven United Provinces notwithstanding all that D` Aâ—va Parma and Spinola could do thoâ—gh their Military Fame far exceeded his Thus we have seen the extent of his Christianity which we find cooped up within the narrow bounds of Popery Nów for his Morality which if it signalize it self in my Virtue that celebrates a Great and Glorious Prince it must be in those two of Justice and Mercy which God appropriates most nearly to himself as the brightest Ornaments of his Divinity But whether the Duke were either Just or Merciful to the E. of Argyle will be the Questionâ— This Gentleman was one of the most Ancient and one of the most eminent Noble-men in Scotland and a Person of extraordinary Endowments and as such a one had â—erved the King with his Parts his Person and Estate beyond what most Men of any Degree in the Nation either had done or were able to pâ—rform but because he would not so far comply with and oblige the Duke as to fall in with his Councils for the Establishment of Popery and yield himself an Instrument to carry on his Designs of Popery and Arbitrary Power his Head must be brought to the Block the antient Honour of his Family must be attainted and his ample Fortunes be confiscated To which purpose a certain Test being fram`d for all the Nobility and Gentry of Scotland to take not excepting all others who were capable of any Office or Employment in the Kingdom easie enough for the Papists to swallow as being Calculated for their peculiar Advantage but difficult for the Protestants as being thaâ— which strangely confused and intangled their Consciences However the Earl was not so scrupulous neither to avoid all Occasions possible of incurring his Highness's Displeasure but offered to take it with this Proviso That he might declare in what sence he was willing to be Sworn Accordingly he did draw up an Explanation of his own meaning and tho` he were allow`d to take the Oath according to that Explanation which was also conformable to an Explâ—nation which themselves were forced to make for the satisfaction of the greatest pâ—rt of the Kiâ—gdom that was dissatisfied in the Oath as well as the Earl nay tho` his Lordship did take it according to his own allowed Interpretation which was so far accepted that he was admitted to take his place in the Council yet upon a Caprico of the Duke`s Justice the matter was call`d in question again but then such a horrid Treasons were pick`d out of the Earl`s Interpretation that he was Arraign'd and Condemn'd to lose his Head and Execution had been certainly done had he not made his escape in his Sister 's Habiâ— but a â—ew hours before the Express Arrived from England â— with Orders for his immediate Executionâ— Nevertheless his whole Estate was seiz`d he was divested of all his Titles and Dignities and contrary to the Custom of the Kingdom his Coat of Arms was despitefully torn at the Publick Market Cross of Eâ—inburgh and his Person hunted afâ—er in all places whether they thought he might be withdrawn even as far as Hamburgh And yet aftâ—r all the scrutinies which sober Men have made the chiefest of the Scâ—ts Lawyers that were of unbiassed Principles could never find any thing in the Earlâ—s Interpretation but whaâ— his indispensible Duty obliged him to both as a Christian a Subject of Scotland and a Privy-Coâ—nsellor to the King But the D. was resolved to destroy him right or wrong And therefore being told whaâ— the E. of Argyle had said or done which could 〈◊〉 made a Crime by the â—aw of the Land his Highnâ—ss out of the grâ—â—t Affâ—ction which he boâ—e â—o so true a Protestaâ—t Peer was pleas'd to reply But may it not be wrested to Treason Which was such an Incouragement that when his Mind was once understood he wanted not Instruments that labour'd Day and Night to make the Question subservient to the D.'s impatient Thrist of Revenge and their own Advantage or else it might be to signalize his Resolution to overâ—rule the Lawyers in Scotland had they denied their Submission to his good Will and Pleasure By the same Justice it was that Blackwood was Condemn`d upon a pretence of having entertain'd upon his Ground certain Persons who were reported and said to have beâ—n at Bothwell-Bridge â— Aâ—d this although there had been no notice given of their beiâ—g Criminals or any ways Offenders nor any Proclamations were issued out against them by which Blackwood could be obliged to take Cognizance of the Circumstances they lay undâ—r and that which aggravated the Iâ—justice was this That the Gentleman suffered after a General Act of Indemnity granted and that it was after the Council themselves had for Four Years pass'd them by that
either â—he Peâ—sons whom he had reliev'd came to be accus'd or he to be prosecuted upon this account And by the same Justice it was that Mr. Robert Bailzie of Ierismond was Hanged and Quartered for a Crime of which he had been Impeached and Tryed befâ—re the Council and fined Six Thousand Pounds Sterling And all this his Highness did by over-ruling the Lawyers of Scotland by which means he had made the Judges and Jury as malicious against the Protestants and is Revengeful against the Asserters of the Liberâ—ies of Seotland as himself Such Exorbitancies of Injustice and Arbitrary Power that his Brother could never have eâ—dured in a Subject had they not been aâ—â—ed all along with his Knowledge and Consent Otherwise had not the King been strangely infatuated to beliâ—ve that whatever his Brother dâ—d was for the Advancemenâ— of that Cause to which he was so well effected himself he could never have been so un-apprehensive of the Danger he was in from a Brother so actually in a Conspiracy against his Life For which Reason he was by the E. of Shaftsbury said to be a Prince nâ—t to be paralell`d in Histâ—ry For certainly bâ—sides the early Tryal which the King had of his Ambition beyond Sea he hâ—d a fair warning of the hasty Advances which he made to his Throne in a sâ—ort time after his Marriage to the Queen For no sooner was it discovered the Queen was unlikely â—o have any Issue by the King but he and his Partâ— made Proclamâ—tion of it to the World and that he was the certain Heir He takes his Seat in Parliament as Prince of Wales with his Guards about him He assumes the Princes Lodgings at White-Hall his Guards upon the same place without any intermission between him and the King so that the King was in his Hands and Power every Night All Offices and Preferments are bestowed upon him and at his Disposition not a Bishop made without him After this he changes his Religion to make a Party and such a Party that his Brother must besure to die and be made away` to make room for him And for the undeniable Proof of all this aâ— length the Plot breaks out headed by the Duke his Interest vnd Design Plain it was that where-ever he came he endeavour'd to remove all Obstacles to his intended Designs out of the way And therefore some there are who attribute the Extremity of the Duke`s rigour towards the Earl of Argyle to the great Authority which the Earl had in some part of the High-Lands and the Awe which he had over the Papiâ—ts as being Lord Justiciary in those parts and his being able upon any occâ—sion to check and bridle the Marq. of Huntly now Duke of Gourdon fâ—â—m attempting the Distâ—rbance of the Publick Peace or the prejudice of the Protestants However this is observable That notwitstanding the height of severity which was extended to him there was as much favour shewn the Lord Macdonald whose invading the Shire of Argyle with an Armed Force meerly because he was required by the said Earl as being given him for what he did though when the Council sent a Herald to him to require him to diâ—band his Forces he caused his Coat to be torn from his Back and sent him back to Edinburgh with all the Marks both of Contempt of themselves and Disgrace to the Publick Officer But his Religion was sufficient to attone at that time for his Treason And now the Duke having a standing Army of Five Thousand Foot and Five Hundred Horse in Scotland at his Devotion as well as in England and the Parliament the main Object of his Hatred and his Fear being dissolved back he returns into England where under the shelter of his Brother`s Authority he began in a short time to exert his Tyrannous Disposition and play the same unjust and Arbitrary Pranks as he had done in Scotland and because it was not seasonable yet to make use of Armed Forces he set his Westminster-Hall Red-Coats like Pioneers before a Marching Army to level the way for Popery and Arbitrary Controul to march in over the ruined Estates and murder'd Bodies of their Opposers The Iudges were his Slaves the Iuries at his beâ—k nothing could withstand him the Law it self grows lawless and Iefferies ridden plâ—ys the Debaushee like himself Justice or something in her likeness Swaggers Hectors Whips Imprisons Fines Draws Hangs and Quâ—rtersâ— and Beheads all that come near her under the Duke's displeasure Alderman Pilkington the Late Honourable Lord Mayor for standing up for the Rights and Liberties of the City and for refusing to pack a Jury to take away the Earl of Shaftsbury's Life is Prosecuted upon a Scandaluâ— Magnatum at the Suiâ— of the Duke Convicted and Condemned in a Verdict of an Hundred Thousand Pounds And Sir Patience Waâ—d for offering to confront the â—uborn'd Witnesses is Indicted of Perjury for which he wâ—s forced to fly to Vtretcht to avoid the Infamy of the Pillory though in all his Dealings so well known to be a Person of that Justice and Integrity that for all the hopes of the Duke he would not have told an untruth Sir Samuel Bernardiston for two or three treacherously intercepted Letters to his Friends in the Countrey fin'd ten thousand pounds which he was not sufferâ—d to discharge by Quarterly Payments but the Estaâ—e seized by the Duke's Sollicitors to the end he might have an opportunity to be the more prodigal in the wake oâ— it But this hunting after the Lives as well as the Estates of others was more intollerable and that be the prostituted Testimony of subâ—rn'd Iâ—ish â— Rogues and Vagabonds and when that would not take the desired Effect by the â—orced Evidence of Persons ensnared and shackled under the Terrors of Death till the drudgery of Swearing was over Men so fond of Life that they bought the uncertain prolongation of a wicked Mortality at the unhollowed price of certain and immortal Infamy And therefore not knowing how to die when they knew not how to live accounted it a more gainful Happiness to quit the Pardon of Heaven's Tribunal for the Broad Seal of England By this means fell the Vertuous Lord Russell a Sacrifice to the Bill of â—xclusion and the Duke's Reveege and yet of that Integriâ—y to his Country and untainted course of Life of whom never any spoke evil but those that knew no evil in him only because he was one of those who sought to exclude the Duke from the hopes of Tyranny and Oppression the Duke was resolv'd to exclude him from the Earth But then comes the Murther of the Earl of Essex for that it was a most Barbarous and Inhumane Murther committed by Bravo`s and bloody Ruffians set on hired and encouraged by potent Malice and Cruelty the preguant Circumstances no less corroborated by Testimonies wanting only the confirmation of Legal Judicature has been already so clearly made out that there is no place left for a hesitating belief
who eat his last Meal with the Duke and wrote the same on his Death Bed as it seems to be confirmed by this Saying of Iefferies so it was by many concluded to be the occasion of hastning the King`s Death Concerning which the Opinions of the World are various and some severe and bearing hard enough upon his Successor But in regard it is a Mystery as the Embrio of Conjâ—cture which is only to be matur`d in the Womb of Time and to be Midwiv`d into the World by future Discovery we leave it to higher Scrutiny The Justice of Heaven perhaps not minding a present Revenge of his Death who had not only prevented the Prosecution of Noble and Innocent Essex`s Blood but so severely punished the Industrious Enquiry after it only this is further to be mark`d that the Irish Papists could for some time before fix upon the utmost Period of his Reign and the Duke was sent for in haste out of Scotland without any apparent Reason for it besides that the King's Permission was obtain'd with some difficulty However by the violent and tremendous Death of his â—rotâ—er he at length arrived at the long long wished â—â—r Heaven of his Ambitious Desires and beholds himself mounted upon the Pinicle of Roâ—alty only that his Fall might be more conspicuous He was no sooner Proclaimed but he declâ—red his Religion openly to his Privy Council however he began with a mild and caressing Declaration which he afterwards broke in every Line of it A meer Trap baited with Indulgence to Tender Consciences on purpose to catch the Dissenting Mice to deliver them when caught into the Paws of his ravenous Popish Cats but no sooner was he Crown`d but as if his Coronation-Oath and all his Promises so lately made had been no more â—han so many Pills of Opium and believing himself environed with Power sufficient to maintain his Tyranny and Oprâ—ssion he invades Property by Expulsion of the right Owners tramples upon the Laws by his pretended Prerogative of suspending Power and goes about to pull down the stately Structure of the Protestant Religion by the Suspension of one and imprisoning and Arraigning at his Criminal Bar no less than seven of the most Eminent Fathers of the English Church And by a strange alteration of the Face of Government Treason over-rules the Law and Traytors impeached are fetch'd out of Jayl to sit Triumphantly domineering at the Helm of State and Iefferies the Daniel that in some measure might be said to be taken out of the Lyons Dens for the Cruelty of his Nature is advanced in open Hostility to Justice to wage War with the Fundamental Constitutions of the Kingdom A mean Spirit insulting over his Inferiors but a Spaniel to his Superiors who though he knew himself no more than a Tool in the Hand of a Popish Artificer the Shadow of Grandieur lofty under Contempt and domineering only in Publick yet having pawn'd his Soul for the hopes of an Embroidered Purse rather than decoil to Goodness careers on in Mischief and as if his Robes had not been Scarlet enough dies them deep in Innocent Blood and becomes his Master's Vassal to enâ—lave the Nation Such Counsellors as these hurried on the new Crowned King with such a Rapidness to accomplish the great Work of introducing Tyranny and Popery to which his own Fears of leaving the Papists worse than he found them as furiously carried him that he threw his Brother into his Grave as if he had not had leisure to Bury him or as if he had deem'd him not worth a Funeral whom he thought not worth a longer Life Unless perhaps he thought the Hypocrisie of pompous Obsequies would have but provoked his Brother`s injur`d Manes with which as common Fame had spread it he was already too much pestred I will not here dispute the Truth of Apparitions nor insist upon the vulgar Censures about the Town upon the Priests for not detaining him in the half-way-Prison but singing him out of Purgatory to make his Brother melancholy by facing him several times and giving him an astonishing stâ—oke upon the back as he was going down a pair of Staiâ—s in White-Hall yet this may be asserted That Guilt accompanied with Terror forms thoâ—e Apparitions in the Mind which work the same effect and obtain the same belief when once divulg'd among the Credulous as if they were real However it were it shewed he thought himself but little beholding to him for living so long and consequently no way oblig'd to retaliate a Succession so late in the year with so much loss of time And now the first influences of his Tyranny and Fury against the Protestants flew into Scotland where whatever Indulgence he shewed in England he issued forth a dreadful Proclamation against the Dissenters under the Notion of Enemies to the King and Government and Destroyers of the British Monarchy sufficient to have given a more early Alarm to the Dissenters in England had they not been â—ulâ—ed asleep by the softness of a present Repose and the Charms of their Decoy-Duke Penn the effect rather of their Simplicity than their Policy But the first Act of his Revenge in England brake forth uâ—on Dr. Oates He could not forget the Doctor 's Detecâ—ion of his Conspiracies against the Kingdom And because he could not â—ind ouâ— a way to hang him his Chief-Justice Iefferies found out a punishment to gratifie his Royal Fury worse than Death it self and till then unknown among Châ—istians in Imâ—tation of the Roman â—â—stuarium by whiâ—h the Roman Soldiers were often drubb'd to death or if they escap'd sent into perpetual Banishment As the Doctor was first of all Scourged by the common Executioner beyond all Precedent and then Condemn'd to perpetual Imprisonment A Sentence of void of all Christian Compassion that only a Iefferies could have invented A goodly sight to see Protestant Judges condemning a Protestant and the Deâ—ector of a most horrid Popish Plot upon the Evidence of known Papists and some of them nearly related to the Executed Traytors and this for Perâ—ury too upon the Testimony of Witnesses already â—alsified As if Justice were a thing that never had been Naturaliz'd in Heaven but only depended upon the Will of the Prince a kind of Tool to â—e used by his Bene-placito Slaves at his or their Discretion or the grand Poppet of the World to be shewed in various Dresâ—es and Disguises as the force of Judicature requiredâ— But as for Dangerfield he had been once â—is Darling frequently admitted to kiss his Hand while he was in Conspiracy with him to suck the Blood of the Innocent But there was no Attonement for his Revolting and Revealing the hidden Mystery of Iniquity Therefore he must dance the same Dance that Oates had done only the King did the World this small piece of Justice to throw away an inconsiderable Roman Cathotlick to satisfie the general Discontent upon his being Murder'd In the next place he calls a Parliament and renews
his Aâ—â—urances and Promises to preserve the Government both in Church and State as by Law establish'd and vows to hazzaâ—d his own Person as he had formerly done in dâ—fence of the just Liberties and Properties of the Nation But still the Burden of his Song was More Money Which the Parliament willing to engage him if possible by all the Testimonies of their Duty and Loyalty or at least to shâ—w that nothing should â—e wanting on their part readily granted And in regard that Aâ—gyle was said to be Landed under the Notion of a Rebel in Scotland they declareâ— their Resolutions to â—â—anâ— by and assist him wiâ—â— their Lives and Forâ—â—â—es agâ—inst all his Enâ—mies wâ—aâ—ever No less quick were they to gratifâ—e than he to make thâ—â—e Promises which he nâ—vâ—r intended to perform And indeed under the Constâ—rnation the King was then in upon the Landing of Argâ—le in Scotland and the Duke of Monmouth in Englaâ—d both at the same timâ— pâ—â—haps the Parliament might have bound him uâ—â—o what Conditions they pleased had they no 〈◊〉 their Opportunity But those two Storms bâ—â—â— fortunâ—tely blown over the one by ill Coâ—duâ—â— the other by the Treachery of pretended Friendship and both Argyle and the Duke of Monmouâ—h safe in their Graves the King was so puâ—â— up with a petty Victory over a few Club-Men and so wrapt up with a Conceit That he had now Conquer'd the whole Nation that afâ—er he had got as much as he thought he could in Mâ—desty desire or they part withal unless they saw greatâ—r Occasions than they did which neverthelâ—ss were no small Sums in the heat of their obliging Generosity at the Commencement of a Reign he turn`d them off after he had sold them two or three inconsiderable Acts for all their Money And now being freed from any further thoughts of Parliamâ—nts believing himself Impregnableâ— he resolves to be reveng`d upon the Western People for siding with his Capital Enâ—my Monmouth anâ— to that purpoâ—e sendâ— down his Exâ—cutioner in Oâ—dinary Iefferies not to decimate according to the Heathen way of Mercy but with the Bâ—â—o◠〈◊〉 his Cruelties to sweep the Country before 〈◊〉 and to depopulate instead of Punishment At what time acquaintance or Relation of any thatâ— sell in the Field with a slender Circumstance tack`d to either was a Crime sufficient for the Extirpacion of the Family And Young and Old were hangd in Clusters as if the Chief Justice had designâ—d to raise the Price of Halâ—ers besides the great number of those that upon the bare Suspicion were transported beyond Sea and there sold â—or â—laves anâ— the Purchase-Money given away to satisfie the Hunger of needy Papists After Agâ—s will read with Astonishment the barbarous Usage of those poor people of which among many Instances this one may seem sufficient whereby to take the Dimensions of all the rest That when the Sistâ—r of the two Hewlands hung upon the Chief Iusticâ—`s Coach imploring Mercy on the behalf oâ—â—er Brothers the Merciless Judge to make her let go câ—â—sed his Câ—ach-man to cut her Hands and â—â—â—gers with the lash of his Whip Nor would he â—llâ—w the Respite of the Execution but for two Days though the Sister wiâ—h Tears in her Eyes offered a Hundred Pound for so small a Favâ—ur Aâ—d whoever sheltered any of those sorlorn Creâ—tures were hurried to the Slâ—ughtâ—r-House with the same inâ—xorable ouâ—râ—ge without any Consideration of either Age or Sex Witnâ—ss the Execution of the Lady Lisle at Winchester As for Argy'e and the Duke tho' they might die piâ—ied yet could they not be said to be unjustly put to death in regard they had dâ—clared open â—ostiliâ—y and therefore it was no more than they were to expect upon ill Success However since they were betray'd into the Victor's hands before any great harm was done the Crime was not so great that nothing but a Massâ—cre could atone for it more esecially considering what great Advantage the King made of these Rebellions For it gave him a fair Oppertunity â—o encrease the Numebr of his Standing-Forces under pretence That the Militia was not to be depended upon and of the Reputation he had lost of being so miserably unprovided against so wretched an Attempt as Monmouth's was For which Reason he was resolv'd to be better provided henceforward for the Security of the Nation and to croud in his Popish Officers into Commands under the Notion of Persons of Loyalty and therefore such whose Persons he was neither to expose to Disgrace by a Removal nor himself to suffer the want of Cautions and wary of Removing his Popish Commanders but minding not at all to remove the Fears and Jelousies of the Nation However his plausible Promises and this important Nccessity of augmenting his Standing Forces were urg'd upon the Parliament as undeniable Reasons for more Mony So great a Confidence the King had either in the Awe which he had upon the Parliament or that they were so Blind that they could not see through his Cobweb Pretencâ—s But he soon found that he was deceived in his Expectations and therefore perceiving his gilded Hooks could not take they were decently Dismiss'd after ten Days siâ—ting with a Prorogation from October till February ensâ—ing But it seems King Iames was so confidently assur'd That the Bands of Friendship and Alliance between him and the French King were so Indissoluble That whaâ—ever Assistance the Parliament deny`d him in England he should not sail of from his Dear Friend and Confederate in France That the Parliament being call`d for no other Intent or Purpose than to betray the Nation by Furnishing the King to accomplish his Designs of Popery and Arbitrary Government when they refused to be subservient to those Wicked Designs and thought it more Honourable to be true to the Nation whom they Represented than Serviceable to the Encroachment of his Tyranny he laid them aside as things no longer useful for him And therefore like a man cased with their just demial of his Demands he resolves the utter Subversion of English Parliaments the only Remora`s of his ungodly Projects by compleating the Disfranchising of all the Cities and Corporations throughout the Nation so fairly begun in his Brother`s Reign to make way for the Introduction of a French Parliament That should at once have surrender`d all the Ancient Liberty of the Kingdom and the whole Power of the Government into his hands And this to terrifie men into flavish Complyance with his Tyrannical Will and Pleasure the Names of all such Persons as out of Honour and Conscience refused to Coâ—operate with his Popish Ministers towards the Publick Ruin of Liberty and Religion and prostitute their own and the Freedoms of their Posterity to his Arbitrary subiection were Threatned to be return`d up to the Attorney-General to the end of their Persons and Estates might be undone by Illegal Prosecutions In the next place to set himself Paramoumt above all the Controul of Law out of a vain Opinion
to Iean Nimport of Brest or to such other Persons as shall have Authority from Us to receive the same Signed Melsort Given at Our Court at the Castle of St. Germans Feb. 22. 1691 2. Here you find instead of a more warrantable Ambition of recovering Three Kingdoms he poorly descends to grant his Commissions to Privateers to Rifle and Spoil all the Subjects of England Scotland and Ireland indifferently to Burn Sink and Fire their Vessels c. and all this without respect of Persons Interests or Religion The severest Roâ—anists or most violent Iacobiâ—e without exception is to be swept in the common Doom So that instead of pretending all his former promised Impurity and Tenderness to the People of England or instead of Bravely grappling at his Royal Rival in the Imperial Seat he vilely assumes little less than a common Pyrat Authorizes the Depredations of the Eâ—glish Merchants even by the very Hands of English Men. This last poor Spirited Meanness must either plainly tell us that he has utterly renounced all Hopes of Recovery of his Kingdoms and so under that Despair he resolves to play at a small Game rather than stand out which indeed is the best Title I can give it and consequently like the famous Dyonisius sumed Pedagogue when he can scourge Kingdoms no longer he prepares his lesser Rods for a more Tyrannick Lash or else that forgetting that he ever was a Monarch and therefore blushing at nothing though never so Unprincely he contents himself with being under-Secretary to the French King whilest the little Iames is bâ—t a Subscription to the Great Lewis The French King deputes him as his Emanuensis to Copy Commissions for him and the contented Receiver of that high Favour is paid to officiate in the Trust. It was Remarkt of him that at his first Departure from England upon his Transport from Feversham he uttered this Expression That he had rather be a Captain of Light Horse under the French King than Reign King of England udder the Lâ—sh and Countroul of Parliaments A Captain of a Troop of Horse is no over-high Post But truly of the two 't is much the more Honourable than the Granting of such Commissions But indeed all these tend to the aggradizing of the French King the Poorer the Subjects of England the stronger the Grand Lewis his inviolable Zeal and Fidelity therefore to the most Christinn so titled Nero supercedes all other Considerations and fas aut nesas Right or Wrong Honourably or Infamous nothing comes amiss that carries the least Shadow of Service to that darling Idol One thing is very remarkable in the Ianus Faces of King Iames's Preâ—ences This very Commission found on Board a Prize taken on the West of England the last Summer was dated at St. Germans the 22 th of Febr. 1691 2 which pray observe bearing date before his intended Invasion impowers this Privateer to enter into any Port or River of England Scotland or Ireland and commit all those Hostilities of Fireing Sinking Burning â— Aâ—l Trâ—ders Vessels whatever at the same time that this Declaration prepared for his Reception in England intimated all the Affection and Tenderness imaginable to the Interests Property and what not of his Subjects of England viz. That he was coming only to recover his own Right Establish and Restore their Laws and Liberties and yet at the same time he gave out Commissions to Wastâ—e Ruin and Destroy the most innocent Traders of the Kingdom possibly no wayâ— interested in the Titles and Disputes of Princes in Parties or Causes but on the contrary only endeavouring a peaceable Acquisition of their Bread by their honest Commerce and Industry To conclude From all this Prince's Actions in the whole Series of his Life it is no difficult matter to make a Judgment of what we may justly expect from him if ever Divine Judgment as the Reward of our Ingratitude for so great a Deliverance should permit us to fall again under the heavy Yoke of a Popish Prince whom we have so justly and happily thrown off King Iames is of a Religion that has infamous Council decreed That no Faith is to be kept with Hereticks much less with Subjects that he looks upon us as so many and will not miss to treat them as such when-ever they give him the Opportunity of doing it For his greatest Admirers do not run to the heighth of Idolatry to imagine him so much Angel as norâ— to take all Methods to revenge such an Affront and secure himself at our Cost from such Treatment for the future The Apprehensions of which Resentmentâ— would strike such a Terror in Mens Mind that nothing would be capable to divert them offering up All for an Attonement and Popery and Slavery will be thought a good Bargain if they can but save theâ—r Lives Then we might lament our Miseries when it would be out of our Power to help them for a Prince of Orange is not always ready to rescue us with so vast Expence and hazard of his Person And I must say if ever our Madness should hurry us thus far we should become rather the Objects of Laughter than of Pity In short if there be any of the Prostant Perswasion so strangely infaâ—uated as but to wish his Return I shall entertain them with no other Answer but the recommending to theâ— the Ninth of Ezra v. 13 14. And after all that is come upon us for our evil Deeds and for our great Trespass seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our Iniquiâ—ies deserve and hast given us such a Deliverance as this Should we again break thy Commandments and jâ—â—n in affinity with the People of these Abominations wouldst not thou be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us so that there should be no Remnant nor escaping FINIS