Laws and Liberty of the Subject to establish Popery and to set up an arbitrary Government for prevention whereof both Houses and the whole Realm should enter into a solemn Covenant never to lay down Arms so long as the Popish-party for so they called the King's forces were on foot and Papists and Delinquents protected from the Justice of the Parliament but to assist the Forces rais'd by authority of the two Houses of Parliament against the Forces rais'd by the King Which solemn Oath and Covenant thus drawn up was then taken by both Houses and within ten days following throughout all the Parishes of London And because the poor Country-people might throughout England be all caught upon one day they passed an Order of both Houses that a Public Thanksgiving should be made throughout the whole Kingdom on Thursday the thirteenth of Iuly following for the discovery of the late Plot at which time this Oath and Covenant should be tendred to every man in the several Parishes Also to secure the Pulpit-men the more cordially to them and to make them the more active in stirring up the people upon all occasions they made an Ordinance for calling an Assembly of Divines in order to the setting up of the Presbyterian Government Which Assembly was to consist of ten of the House of Lords and twenty of the House of Commons whose names are therein express'd and the rest Ministers all of the Presbyterian gang excepting three or four whom though for the more credit of that Convention they nominated there was little reason to expect any of their company The Preamble of which Ordinance runs thus Whereas amongst the infinite blessings of Almighty God upon this Nation none is or can be more dear unto us then the purity of our Religion And for that as yet many things remain in the Liturgy Discipline and Government of the Church which do necessarily require a farther and more perfect Reformation than as yet hath been attained And whereas it hath been declared and resolved by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament that the present church-Church-government by Arch-Bishops Bishops their Chancellours Commissaries Deans Deans and Chapters Arch-Deacons and other Eccleastical Officers depending upon the Hierarchy is justly offensive and burthensome to the Kingdom a great impediment to Reformation and growth of Religion and very prejudicial to the State and Government of this Kingdom and that therefore they are resolved that the same shall be taken away and that such a Government shall be setled in the Church as may be most agreeable to God's holy word and most apt to procure and preserve the peace of the Church at home and neerer agreement with the Church of Scotland and other reformed Churches abroad c. be it ordained c. 'T was no marvail indeed that they at Westminster bestir'd themselves so hard for by this time the success of his Majesties Armies was such that he had by God's blessing regained the greatest part of the North and West parts of this Realm and did daily so increase in strength that to uphold their Cause they bethought themselves of calling in their Brethren the Scots for aid Wherefore having prepared a Declaration to discover another dangerous Plot to extirpate the Protestant Religion in England Ireland and Scotland they agreed that some of their Members viz. the Lork Grey of Wark Sir William Ayrmia and Mr. Darley should go into Scotland to desire help from thence and prepare Instructions for them with Letters of Credence with promise that they should have allowance for the charge of such forces as they should send and that the debts they already owed them should be paid out of the lands of the Papists and Prelatical party in Northumberland Cumberland and Bishoprick of Durham Which Commissioners did accordingly set forwards upon the xxith of Iuly But about this time the Earl of Essex their General made complaint to them by Letters for want of Horse Arms c. and proposed to them a Treaty for peace Whereunto answer was soon made by the resolution of their House of Commons who debated the same that by their late Vow and Covenant they had bound themselves never to lay down Arms so long as the Papists for so they call'd the King's forces which were then in Arms against them should have protection from the Justice of the Parliament sending him word that they would recruit his Troops according to his desire And to complement their Western General Sir William Waller whose heartiness to the Cause suted so well with theirs they ordered five thousand pounds to be sent down to him and given as a Largess to his Souldiers the more to encourage them in that service But the certain charge of their Rebellious Armies did so vastly increase as was truly foretold by Mr. Green Chairman to their Committee for the Navy upon the sixth of December before viz. that the maintenance of the Lord General 's Army would for the ensuing year amount to above a million of Money that of the Navy having been two hundred and forty thousand pounds for the year passed and that without delay they must of necessity settle a round and constant Tax for maintenance thereof they therefore passed an Ordinance for Excise or new Impost upon Wine Beer Ale Cider Perry Raisins Figs Currans Sugar Spices wrought and raw Silks Furrs Hats Laces Lether Linnen of all sorts Thread Wier c. and for sweetning its relish with the people gave it out that part of its income should pay Debts for which the Public faith was engaged Moreover to raise men as well as money their Western-Army being then destroy'd at Round-way-down the Citizens had a meeting at Grocer's Hall where they made new Subscriptions to set up Sir William Waller again For the better furthering whereof there were new Petitions framed from London Westminster and Southwark and presented to the House of Commons that all the Kingdom might rise as one man against the Common Enemy and that the Parliament would give power to a Committee to list so many of the Petitioners as were willing to go out in their own persons as also to take the Subscriptions of others for the raising a considerable Body of Horse and Foot and that the like course might be taken throughout the Kingdom by a confiding Committee In pursuance whereof both Houses made an Ordinance for raising seven thousand Horse in London Middlesex and the Counties adjacent to be commanded by the Lord Kymbolton afterwards Earl of Manchester and of Eleven hundred Horse in the Counties of Bedford Buckingham Northampton and Hertford to be commanded by Sir Iohn Norwich In Norfolk and Suffolk Eleven hundred by Sir Miles Hobart in Surrey Sussex Southampton and Berkshire fourteen hundred by Colonel Richard Norton And all these thus to be rais'd to resist the Insolencies of the King's Army Certain it is
cleared and those difficulties explained to him which he then conceived to be destructive to his just regal power in case he should give a full consent to those Propositions as they then stood Engaging himself to give his chearful assent to all such Bills as should be really to the good and peace of his people and to prefer the happiness of this Kingdome before his own particular And as a farther means to work a confidence in them of his own sincerity in these things he offered again to trust them with his own person conjuring them as they were Christians and Subjects and as they were men who desired to leave a good name behind them so to receive and make use of that his Answer that all issues of bloud might be stopped and those unhappy distractions peaceably setled But as his former gracious and frequent offers so this could not then find any acceptance at all with them by reason that it tended to the composure of those lamentable distractions which tended to the utter ruine of the King and Realm their aims at first and continued resolutions still being to share the spoyl which by their strength and power they had most unjustly got Nay in stead of any kindness or comfort which he might rationally expect from their many and most solemn promises and protestations they perpetually tormented his pious Soul with incessant importunities to take their hypocritical Covenant and sent for several of their most rigid Preachers to terrify him with their Kirk-censures upon his refusal thereof In which sad and disconsolate condition I shall for a while leave him and take a short view of the transactions betwixt the Members sitting at Westminster and those at Edenborough with their respective Commissioners The principal work being now done here in England by the help of the Scots the Grandees here as well as others began to be weary of their dear Brethren and for the sooner riddance of them passed a Vote that a Message should be sent to the Scottish Army that in regard they were not usefull in this Kingdome for the present and that the payment thereof would be a great burthen thereto they should with all convenient speed return into their Country But the Scots never intending to be loosers by their journey hither knowing full well how to make the best use of those advantages they then had gave their dear Brethren very good words telling them in their answer to the demands made in pursuance of that Vote that their earnest desires were the setling of Religion and Church Government which as it was the principal ground of their engagement in this Cause so would the perfecting of it be their chiefest joy and Glory of both Kingdomes it being the constant resolution of that Kingdome against all opposition to strengthen and cherish the Brotherly kindness between the Kingdomes and Peace setled with Truth and those things performed by the Honourable Houses which by Treaty they were obliged unto to recall their Army with as great alacrity as they were ready to send the same into England for the assistance of their Brethren And in another Letter speaking of the Arrears due to their Army they had these words This Kingdome lyeth under the burthen of great and vast expence in raising and entertaining of Armies and hath with the lives of many precious men set their own Houses on fire to quench the flame of yours And seeing by the seasonable assistance afforded by this Kingdome to you and by the late successes wherewith God hath blessed your Armies you are in a great measure freed of your troubles and are in a far better capacity to pay the moneys due to our Armies in England and Ireland than you were at any time since the beginning of these Wars we demand of the honourable houses to make payment of the summs of money duly owing to this Kingdome ¶ The state of things standing thus made the Game now to be play'd betwixt these great Masters not a little difficult to each the chief business of the then predominant party at Westminster being to gain the person of the King into their own hands and in case he should not upon the matter totally quit his Regal power to them by taking their Covenant and assenting to those their destructive propositions before-mentioned then to keep him close prisoner and exercise the same power without him And the design of the Scots not onely to use the like Regal-power in Scotland but to get a large sum of mony to boot considering that having the King in their hands the Grandees there were able to make their own terms on the behalf of themselves as to Riches and Honours There was therefore no means unessayed by each for accomplishing their respective ends But the Arguments and debates about this business continuing no less than six months before all things were fully agree'd I shall reserve my observations upon them till then and in the mean time take notice of what else did occur that is most remarkable in order to the carrying on their main work and divide the same into two parts the one touching their attempts upon the King in relation to the Covenant and Propositions the other towards the advancement of the Scepter of Iesus Christ for by that title they called their Presbyterean Doctrine and Discipline As to the first About the beginning of September Iames Duke Hamilton Lindsey Earl of Craford the Earl of Cassiles and some others from the Estates of Scotland came to Newcastle to the King and there earnestly solicited him to take the Covenant and sign the Propositions To second which motion there was a petition presented to His Majesty from the general Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland for Reformation of Religion according to the Covenant and uniformity of Church government denouncing God's anger upon him and the hazard to lose the Hearts of his good subjects in case he assented not thereto Soon after which Mr. Andrew Cant Mr. Robert Blayre and Mr. Iames Douglass came thither also to press him to the same purpose To torment him likewise yet more one of these violent men I mean a rigid Presbyterean-preacher besides many rude and uncivil expressions in his Sermon there before the King called for the 52. Psalm to be sung by the congregation which beginneth thus Why do'st thou Tyrant boast abroad thy wicked works to praise Whereupon His Majesty instantly stood up and called for the 56. Psalm beginning thus Have mercy Lord on me I pray for men would me devour Which the people readily sung waving the other Nay the fierceness of these Scottish-presbyters against His Sacred Majesty was such as that upon certain Proposals made to those of them who were Commissioners from the general Assembly viz. If the King shall come into Scotland and that the Kingdome of England shall exclude him of the Government there for his leaving them without granting the Propositions Whether or not
next following landed at Dover Whence attended by most of the Loyal Nobility and Gentry of this Realm he came to London upon the 29th of that Month being the Anniversary of his Birth where with stately Arches of Triumph costly Pageants Bells various sorts of excellent Musick Bonefires and joy inexpressible he was received and proceeded in State through that great City to his Royal Palace at White-Hall the chief and happy Instrument of this His Majesties most miraculous Restauration without blood-shed being the above-mentioned Colonel George Monke a Devonshire Gentleman of an Antient and Worthy Family lineally descended from King Edward the IV by the Lady Frances Daughter and Coheir to Arthur Plantagenet Vicount Lisle his Natural Son Who having put himself in Arms for the King at the Commencement of this grand defection and so continuing till by a second Invasion of the Scots the Rebels prevailed in sundry parts by taking divers Garrisons and many of His Majesties Loyal Subjects Prisoners amongst which it was his hap to be one he thought it better to gain his Liberty by receiving entertainment in their Army until he could discern a proper opportunity to do His Majesty service than by so suffering Which at last with no less Prudence than Courage he most faithfully performed as hath been observed and for which he hath since that time been deservedly remunerated not only with several great and honourable Titles viz. Baron Monke of Powtheridge Earl of Torington Duke of Albemarle and Knight of the most Noble Order of the Garter as also made Captain General of all his Forces Horse and Foot throughout his whole Dominions but with ample Possessions for the better support of those high Dignities A SHORT VIEVV OF THE LATE TROUBLES IN ENGLAND CHAP. XLIII HAving now finished this Narrative with as much brevity as I well could do whereby it hath been fully made evident by what Artifices this seeming-Godly Generation did at first get power into their cruel hands that is to say their many specious Declarations and solemn promises for the Defence of the Protestant Religion the Laws of the Land the Liberties of the Subject and Priviledges of Parliament I shall now crave leave to make some short Observations thereon and give most ample instances of their contrary Actings in every of these even in those very times in which their Dagon of Presbytery was visibly Triumphant And first as to the Protestant Religion After they had under pretence of great danger by a Jesuitical-party of destroying the Protestant Religion fram'd a protestation for preserving the same as it was exprest in the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England Which protestation the farther to satisfy the People of their own integrity was solemnly taken by all the Members and Ordered to be Printed and sent down into the several Counties within few days after they made an Explanation thereof viz. That by the true reformed Protestant Religion was meant so far as it was opposite to Popery and that the said words were not to be extended to the maintenance of any Form Discipline or Government nor of any Rules or Ceremonies of the said Church of England And having given themselves such Latitude by that their After-explanation viz. not to desend the Protestant Religion as it stood establisht by Law and was exprest in the XXXIX Articles but as it was repugnant to Popery and taught perhaps by all Brownists Anabaptists Familists and other Sectaries which made way for all that brood to joyn with them They then Ordered that no Minister should take any Oath at his Induction but what should be warranted by Scripture And soon after fell into debate for the Extirpation of Episcopacie Then Ordered that no Service should be Read nor Psalm sung in going pâ—ocession Next Voted that the Government of the Church of England by Archbishops Bishops c. had been found by long experience to be a great impediment to the perfect reformation and growth of Religion and very prejudical to the civil Government of this Kingdom As also that Archiepiscopal and Episcopal Iurisdiction should be exercised by themselves And brought in a Bill for abolishing the Cross in Baptism Surpliss Bowing at the name of Iesus standing up at the Gospel c. Nevertheless to set up Lectures Likewise that whosoever should refuse to take the Protestation should be held unfit to bear Office in the Church or Common-Wealth conceiving it to be a true testimony for that was their expression to distinguish the Ephramites from the Gileadites And within four days after Voted Thirteen Bishops Delinquents with desire that they might be impeached as Authors of Sedition for having a hand in the later Canons What private Conferences they had about this time in order to the Extirpation of Episcopacy whereby for want of Government in the Church they might the sooner bring all to confusion take their own Testimony At an assembly of about an hundred Priests at Mr. Calamie's a London Priest about a Petition against the Bishops it being insisted on that Heresies would farther spread if Bishops were put down the Priests thereupon sent for Mr. Green and Mr. Spenser of the seperate Congregations to desire them for a time they would suspend their open meetings and be more private in their practise in regard that their publique meeting was an obstacle to the suppression of the Bishops but afterwards they might have free libertie of their practise The words were uttered by Mr. Calamine who was afterwards to violent against their toleration And to hasten this universal Confusion they appointed the pulling down of Rayles about Communion Tables and the removing of such Tables giving liberty by a special Order to the Inhabitants any where throughout the Kingdom to erect Lectures whereby Mechanicks and Illiterate-men were set up to the infinite scandal of Religion and increase of Schisme And when the House of Lords discerning these licentious and irreverent courses made a publique Order injoying the due observation of the Book of Common Prayer in all Churches without alteration the House of Commons by means of the prevalent Partie therein in opposition thereto and extenuation thereof declared that but Eleven of the Lords assented to that Order and that Nine refused ordering that their Declaration therein should be dispersed and Read throughout all the Churches in England It can hardly be imagined what strange effects these their practises in the House of Commons did in a short time produce one of their own partie then acknowledging in Print That all Government and Discipline of the Church was lay'd in her Grave and all the putredinous Vermine of bold Schismaticks and frantick Sectaries glory in her Ashes making the fall thereof their own rising to mount the Pulpits c. And another of them crying out in these words Alas your poor Church is oppressed and who layeth hand to help the
my knowledge in the words of my Authors most of which I have quoted the rest being taken from the common Mercuries and other public-licensed Narratives of the chiefest occurrences in those times If the Reader think it disproportionat that so particular an account is given of the counsels and proceedings leading to the Rebellion but one more brief of the transactions in it He may be pleas'd to know that the Author being not a military man was more enabled to relate what past in counsel than in the field The Diary part until the year 1646 was compos'd at Oxford in the time of the late troubles before that Garrison of his Majestie was rendred up to General Fairfax as the Original copy will apparently shew which hath bin seen and read by several persons of great honour and credit many years since who are yet living and upon occasion if need be will assert the same Which original was a good while since with little variation transcrib'd for the Press and has now for many months been out of the Author's hands and far distant from him in order to the publishing thereof so that he has wanted opportunity to review piece by piece what he had written or correct the errors which in so long a work must needs escape for which the Readers candor is desir'd If the Reflections on what is past are sometimes severe let it be imputed to the just indignation conceiv'd against those men who under specious pretences mask'd the most black designs and an abhorrence of those proceedings which embroil'd the nation in a civil war perfidious in its rise bloody in its prosecution fatal in its end and which to this day proves mischievous in its consequents When the subjects of this miserable Kingdom had murder'd the defender both of us and of our faith and driven away his children Princes and Nobles into strange lands bidding them as David speaks on a like occasion go serve other Gods the divine vengeance gave us the natural product of this sin of ours several of our Princes and great men returning back corrupted in their principles and tainted with the religion wherewith they long converst And in like manner when men had for a long time falsely cried out of the intentions to bring in Popery thereby the more easily to destroy the Protestant Religion by Law establish'd the same divine justice has permitted the whole Protestant Religion to be now under the greatest danger imaginable by the real plots and execrable machinations of Papists among us at this day who both in this and our sister Kingdoms by Combinations among themselves and by fomenting divisions among us have gone very far towards the ruine of our Church and subversion of the State and say of both there there so would we have it down with them down with them even to the ground But that alpowerful God who by miracle so lately restored unto us our Religion and our Laws will as we hope and earnestly pray preserve them still against the joint attemts of Popery on the one hand and Fanaticism on the other and make his Jerusalem a praise in the earth In which prayer all true Protestants and what is commensurat thereto all loyal Subjects will joyn their suffrage and say Amen A Short View of the Late Troubles IN ENGLAND CHAP. I. THE chief design of this ensuing Discourse being to shew the mischievous fruits of Hypocrisy which is under the colour of Sanctity to act any sort of wickedness And that these great pretenders to Godliness were they who have been the chief disturbers of our blessed peace I shall observe that upon the departure long since of most of the Subjects of this Realm from the Church of Rome by reason of its apparent corruptions there were some who did unhappily infuse into sundry well meaning people a bad opinion of our Reformation These were men of proud and peevish Spirits who had not light enough in themselves to discern the truth because they wanted learning to search into Antiquities nor knowledg to trace those of that Church in the paths by which they had deviated from the Doctrine of Christ and his holy Apostles and so by reason thereof ran from one extremity to another Thus sleighting the authority of the learned and pious Reformers who shew'd the Errors of the Romish Church such a liberty to the private Spirit was at that time by them allow'd as at last when the giddy multitude became in that sort deluded by those their false Teachers every Brain-sick person stampt the Seal of God's Spirit upon his own false and erroneous conceits Which false Teachers among other their Artifices to captivate the Vulgar and to beget a disaffection in them to that reverend Ecclesiastical Discipline which was then establish'd have cunningly suggested to them that all the Reformed Churches in forreign parts do utterly dislike thereof as too much favouring of the Romish polutions And by this subtle insinuation tho most notoriously false have so far prevail'd upon their Proselytes that they do not only refuse to communicate with us in our Divine Offices but in that and whatever else their own vain fancies do prompt them are become disobedient and refractory to the superior powers which God hath ordain'd They who would know more of these things may repair unto the Relations of such learned men as have written of our Reformation and make their own observations thereon as also upon what I shall further say in this Historical Work whereunto I refer them beginning with the Anabaptists of Germany from an Author of good credit They had always in their mouths says he those great things Charity Faith the true Fear of God the Cross the Mortification of the Flesh. All their exhortations were to set light of the things in this world to account Riches and Honours vanity They were solicitous of men of Fasts and to often meditations on Heavenly things Wherever they found men in Diet Attire Furniture of House or any other way observers of Civility and decent Order such they reported as being carnally and earthly minded They so much affected to cross the ordinary custom in every thing that when other men used to put on better attire they would be sure openly to shew themselves abroad in worse The ordinary names of the days of the week they thought it a kind of prophaneness to use and therefore accustomed themselves to make no other distinction than by numbers From this they proceeded unto public Reformation first Ecclesiastical and then Civil Touching the former they boldly vouched that themselves only had the Truth which thing upon peril of their lives they would at all times defend and that since the Apostles lived the same was never before in all points sincerely taught Wherefore that things might be brought again to that integrity which Jesus Christ by his word requireth they began to controll the Ministers of the Gospel for attributing so much force and virtue unto
the Ecclesiastical and Civil Laws of his Kingdom of Scotland he did not only agree to the same but should always protect them to the utmost of his power they yielding him in the mean time such civil and temporal obedience as could be justly required of loyal Subjects Upon this Petition therefore Articles of Pacification were concluded on at Barwick whereby his Majesty was contented not only to confirm whatsoever his Commissioner had promised in his name but that all Ecclesiastical matters should be determined by the Assemblies of the Kirk Likewise matters Civil by the Parliament and other inferior Judicatories establish'd by Law Moreover that for setling the distractions of that Kingdom he was willing to grant a free general Assembly to be kept at Edenborough the sixth of August ensuing and after that a Parliament the twentieth of August for ratifying what should be concluded in the Assembly being graciously pleased to declare that upon disbanding of their Forces dissolving all their pretended Tables restoring his Forts Castles and Amunition c. To his good Subjects their Liberties Lands Goods c. detained since the late pretended general Assembly he would recall his Fleet retire his Land-forces and make restitution to them of their Ships and Goods arrested c. Which Agreement was entertained by them with so much outward acceptance that by the Subscriptions of the chiefest of them it was promised they would ever in all things carry themselves like humble loyal and obedient Subjects But instead of performance of their parts at the very publishing the Articles in their Camp a Protestation was made dishonourable to his Majesties Government to the further encouraging of the People in their disobedient and mutinous ways And at the same time they delivered into the hands of some of the English Nobility and spread among others a scandalous Paper intituled Some conditions of his Majesties Treaty with his Subjects of Scotland wherein were contained such untruths and seditious positions and so contrary to what was concluded in the Articles of Pacification that howsoever they pretended a desire of peace yet they intended nothing less and instead of disbanding their Forces within forty eight hours after publication of those Articles they kept great parts of them together and held in pay almost all their Officers continuing their unlawful meetings and conventicles to the great vexation and trouble of all such his Majesties good Subjects as did not adhere to their rebellious Covenant and Act of the pretended Assembly at Glasgow keeping up all their Fortifications Yea such was the fury of the People animated by that Protestation with divers scandalous Papers and seditious Sermons that they deterred his Majesties good Subjects from going to their dwellings threatning them with loss of their lives if they repaired to their own Houses labouring also to pervert them in the choice of the Commissioners for the general Assembly appointed by anticipating their voices in making them swear to and subscribe the approbation of the same Assembly at Glasgow and Acts thereof deterring others from repairing thereto So that by these new disorders the peace and quiet of his Subjects was greatly disturbed great Insolencies being offer'd to the Earl of Kinnowl his Majesties high Treasurer as also to Sir Iames Hamilton Justice-general and other his Majesties Councellors and good Subjects so that the King sorbore to come to Edenborough such of his Loyal Subjects as attended his Person and adhered to him being branded by them with the vile aspersion of Traitors to God and their Country and threatned to be proceeded against with censures accordingly And lastly shaking off all respect due to sacred Majesty protested that all members of the Colleges of Iustice and Leiges were not to attend the Session and that all Acts Decrees and Sentences therein past against any of them should be null void and ineffectual contrary to the King 's express Warrant for the down-sitting thereof and the heavy damage of his good Subjects who were thereby frustrated of Justice And having laid these insolent and seditious foundations for a Parliament it could not be expected but that the structure must be full of confusion as indeed it proved their Actions and demands favouring of nothing but undutifulness and disloyalty for they stuck not to deny to his Majesty the most essential and inherent Prerogatives of his Crown striving by all means to change and alter the constitutions of the Parliament and frame of Government Likewise to restrain his power in point of coinage custody of Castles grants of Honour and Commissions-Justiciary or Lieutenancy And his Majesty by his Commission having allow'd them the liberty of convening and meeting until a certain day for distributing of their pretended charges amongst such as should willingly condescend thereunto they did not only without Warrant continue their Conventicles and Tables since that Commission expired contrary to the positive Laws of that Kingdom the Act of Pacification and their own acknowledgment in petitioning for the aforesaid Commission but urged that all those his good Subjects who adhered to him in defence of his Royal authority against their rebellious commotions should be made equal if not more liable to the defraying of their pretended charges Which might imply his Majesties countenance and justification of all their Rebellions and Treasons The King therefore discerning their persistance in such unsufferable demands return'd to England signifying to the Earl of Traquier his Commissioner that it did evidently appear unto him that their aim was not now for Religion as they always pretended but rather the alteration of the Government of that Kingdom and withall the total overthrow of Royal authority commanding his said Commissioner to prorogate the parliament till the second of Iune next following Notwithstanding which Prorogation they continued their sitting at Edenborough and sent their Deputies over into this Kingdom to make Remonstrance of their doing without knowledg of his Commissioner Whereupon his Majesties Commissioner came over and acquainting him with those Insolencies also by his command relating them at his Council-board the King there proposed to the consideration of the Lords then present whether it were not more sit to reduce them to their duty by force than give way to their demands so much prejudicial to his Honour and safety Which being unanimously voted in the affirmative his Majesty resolved to call a Parliament soon after In which Interim the Scots lost no time but making fair pretences by their Remonstrance protested against this Act of Prorogation and declared that the same was contrary to the Constitutions and practise of all precedent Parliaments contrary to the liberties of that Kingdom and repugnant to the Articles of the late Pacification and that it was ineffectual and of no force to hinder their proceedings professing that it was never their intention to deny his Majesty any part of that civil and temporal obedience which is due
that though the Committee which were sent to bring in the Scots went but lately thither yet the Brethren there having had former advertisements how great a necessity here was of them to the end their Friends should not faint hasted over a Declaration hither whereby they signified that whereas the Kingdom of England had a long time suffered by the Popish and malignant Counsels about his Majesty and that the miseries in England were but preparations to theirs they therefore did resolve to assist the Parliament of England And high time it was for their forces in most parts going by the worst it put them upon new contrivances every day So that Sir William Waller was fain to come again to the House and take the Covenant a second time to encourage some that had not taken it before And though the Committee which met at Merchant-Taylor's-Hall for raising the people of the land as one man did give direction to the Aldermen and their Deputies in every Ward with the Ministers Common-Council-men and others to promote the work as being the last Refuge of the people for so they express'd and no vain bait or allurement yet saw they so little fruit of this great endeavour that they were constrain'd to effect that by their power which they could not do by perswasion and therefore ordered the raising of two thousand men in Norfolk Suffolk and Cambridgshire every man to have a months pay in his pocket And for a speedy supply of more they passed two Ordinances One that the Committee for the Militia of London with the Deputy-Lieutenant's and Committees of Parliament in every County throughout the Kingdom should have power to raise levy and impress such numbers of Souldiers as should be appointed by both Houses of Parliament The other for pressing no less than twenty thousand men with so many Gunners Trumpets and Chirurgeons as should be thought fit for the six associated Counties of Norfolk Suffolk Essex Cambridg Hertford and Huntington with the City of Norwich and Isle of Ely to be rais'd within the said Counties for the service of the Kingdom and Parliament And notwithstanding all this being in a declining condition by reason that their moneys were spent their men wore out and no small discontents amongst themselves in order to some recruit they made an explanation of their old Ordinance for Sequestration of Delinquents with certain enlargements wherein is set forth who were to be reputed Delinquents over and besides such as were described in the former Ordinance with power to examine upon Oath for discovery as also Rewards to Discoverers And likewise passed another Ordinance relating to a former for the speedy raising of a body of Horse for the Preservation Peace and Safety of the Kingdom to resist the Insolencies and outrages committed by the Souldiers of the King's Army those being the words thereof By which they farther ordained that Tenants should pay the Assesments out of their Landlords estates and defalk them out of their Rents But that which they then chiefly look'd on being the assistance of the Scots whereon they principally depended as their last refuge to keep up the hearts of their then drooping party they made it their business therefore to cry up loudly the aid of these their dear Brethren For which respect it will not I suppose be impertinent to make here a short digression in shewing by what means they were dealt with in order to this their second Invasion CHAP. XVI AFter the English Committee was arriv'd in Scotland and had made large promises to the Brethren of an advantagious journey viz. the lands of the Church by the extirpation of Episcopacy the Scots well resenting so beneficial an offer did set forth a Proclamation whereby pretending the King's Person their Religion and Priviledges of Parliament to be in no small danger for preservation of these they required that all persons in that Realm of what sort quality or degree soever between sixteen and sixty years of age should forthwith fit themselves with fourty days Victual Amunition Arms and all other warlike Provision under penalty of confiscation of their whole Estates and to be punished as Enemies to Religion King and Kingdoms And having set forth a plausible Declaration shewing the reasons of such their intended assistance to the Parliament of England against the Papists and Prelatical party as they therein express'd they passed an Act in their convention of Estates for putting that Kingdom into a Posture of Defence naming therein the principal Colonels and Officers for that purpose To accomplish likewise their cheif design of enjoying the Church-Lands they fram'd a new Oath called the solemn League and Covenant Which was forthwith sent over into England and read in the House of Commons at Westminster thence to be transmitted to the Assembly of Divines for their approbation and being by them approved was remitted to the House of Commons And that the grand Contrivers at Westminster might the more ingratiate themselves with those their Brethren of Scotland they passed an Ordinance for demolishing all Monuments of Superstition and Idolatry as they intituled it In which was particularized the removal of all Communion-Tables from the East end of the Chancels in every Church as also for taking away the Rails which defended them levying the Chancels where the East part was higher with removing of Tapers Candlesticks and Basins For the speedy raising of more Moneys they likewise passed another Ordinance for fourteen thousand pounds to furnish one or more Magazines of Arms and Amunition and for raising of Horse c. Which sum was to be levied within the Hamlets of the Tower City of Westminster Burrough of Southwark and other places of Middlesex and Surrey within the lines of Communication Hitherto it was only pretended that those new Regiments of Voluntiers rais'd by the Ordinance of April the xiith for the better security of the City of London should not go out of the Lines of Communication But as Mr. Pym in his Epistle to Sir Iohn Hotham concerning Excise wrote that they must be used to it by little and little so now they began to shew them what they must trust to and passed another Ordinance to enable the Committee for the Militia of London to command forth one or more Regiments of the Trained-Bands or Auxiliaries within the Liberties of London and Westminster to go forth under the command of Sir William Waller and upon occasion to be assistant to the Lord General And herein I cannot but observe an excellent expression made to the House of Commons by Mr. Oliver St. Iohn sometime his Majesties Sollicitor General but then a dear Member and special Contriver in this great work in answer to Mr. Iohn Pym who seemed to stand strict for observing the Ordinance of April the xiith alleaged that though those men by that Ordinance raised only for the defence of the City were not to
it would be lawful to that Kingdome to assist him for the recovery of the Government he not granting the Propositions concerning Religion and the Covenant and not giving a satisfactory answer to the remanent Propositions Their Answer The Quaere presupposeth the King's coming into this Kingdome which case for the reasons expressed in our late warning we humbly conceive should not be put into the Question and therefore desire your Lordships to go about all means for the present preventing of it as a matter of most dangerous consequence to Religion this Kirk and Kingdome and to the King himself and his posterity But if the Question be stated simply without supposing such a case in these termes If the King be excluded from Government in England for not granting the propositions concerning Religion and the Covenant and for not giving a satisfactory Answer to the remanent propositions whether in that case it be lawfull for this Kingdome to assist him for the Recovery of the Government Or if it be not lawfull being put to it we cannot but answere in regard of the Engagement of this Kingdome by Covenant and Treaty Negative 1. Resolv'd upon the Question That the Kingdome of Scotland shall be governed as it hath been these five years last past all means being used that the King may take the Covenant and pass the Propositions 2. Resolv'd that the taking of the Scottish Covenant and passing some of the Propositions doth not give warrant to assist him against England 3. Resolv'd that upon bare taking the National Covenant we may not receive him 4. Resolv'd that the Clause in the Covenant for defence of the King's Person is to be understood in defence and safety of the Kingdomes 5. Resolv'd that the King shall not execute any power in the Kingdome of Scotland untill such time as he hath granted the Propositions concerning Religion and the Covenant and given satisfactory answer to both Kingdomes in the rest of the Propositions presented to him by both Kingdomes at Newcastle 6. Resolv'd that if His Majestie refuse to pass the Propositions he shall be disposed of according to the Covenant and Treaty 7. Resolv'd that the union be friendly kept between the Kingdomes according to the Covenant and Treaty By what hath last been instanc'd t is easy enough to be discern'd that bargain so long in driving on was by this time concluded in reference to the person of the King I mean the certain price for which the Scots did sell him which prompted them so eagerly and frequently to press his taking their Covenant and consent to those destructive Propositions which they well knew he could never do without apparent hazard to his Soul and that he had manifestly confuted the Arguments of Mr. Alexander Henderson whom they brought to convince him therein I shall therefore need to say no more of that matter then to set down the Quaeres which His Majestie delivered to the Commissioners of Scotland upon their last importuning him thereto when they threatned to deliver him up to the Parliament of England as they then called those Members at Westminster in case of his refusal It is a receiv'd opinion by many that Engagements Acts or Promises of a restrained person are neither valid nor obligatory How true or false this is I will not now dispute but I am sure if I be not free I am not fit to answer any of your Propositions wherefore you should first resolve me in what state I stand as in relation to freedome before I can give you any other Answer The Reason of this my Question the Governour can best resolve you But if you object the loss of time and urgency of it certainly in one respect it presses none so much as my self which makes me also think it necessary that I be not to seek what to do when this Garrison shall be surrendred up to demand of you in case I go into Scotland if I shall be there with Honour Freedome and Safety or How being ready to give you a farther and more particular Answer so soon as you shall have resolv'd these two Quaeres Whereunto they give this insignificant Answer 1. To the first in what state you stand as in relation to Freedome the Parliaments of both Kingdomes have given such orders and directions as they have thought fittest for the safety of your Majesty and the Kingdomes to the General and Governour 2. To your second Quaere of your going into Scotland we shall humbly desire that we may not be put to give an Answer but if your Majesty shall either deny or delay your assent to the Propositions we are in that case to represent to your Majesty the resolutions of the Parliament of England ¶ Having now done with their attempts upon His Majesty in reference to the Covenant and Propositions I come to their farther Progress for the establishing of Presbytery Wherein I am to look back a little About the latter end of August a Bill for Ordination of Ministers being the third time read in the House of Commons at Westminster and thence transmitted to the Lords not long after they received a Petition from the County of Lancaster subscribed by twelve thousand hands for setling of the Classes in those parts with the names of such as they had made choyse of and presented to the House for ordering thereof Nor were the Assembly of Divines sitting at Westminster less active who having fram'd a new Confession of Faith were hard at work in adding quotations of Scripture in the Margent of their Copies for justification thereof And that this blessed Presbytereal Government might be the more secure from danger the Houses at Westminster passed an Ordinance not onely for abolishing the name title and dignity of Arch-Bishops Bishops c. but nominated Trustees in whom their Lands should be setled Likewise for the fitter moulding this new Confession of Faith Copies thereof purposely printed were delivered to each Member of both Houses at Westminster to the end they might consider of the same and advise the better therein But notwithstanding all this holy Reformation there were some who had not onely the Conscience to adhere unto the Liturgy establisht by Law in the Church of England in their publick service of God but the Courage to prosecute those by Indictment which neglected the reading thereof in their Parish-Churches In so much as upon notice of this high presumption from Buckinghamshire an Ordinance was forthwith voted to be brought in for repealing the Statute which enjoyn'd it At which time the House also ordered that all Malignant Ministers for so were the Orthodox called should be disabled from Preaching and an Ordinance to be brought in for that purpose And though by an Order of the House of Commons Mr. Sydrach Sympson one of their Assembly of Divines and an eminent stickler for the Cause was for some opinions and expressions savouring of Independencie to have been
authority before consideration should be had thereupon in a Treaty might afterwards hazard the security it self 3. That these Bills did not onely contain the devesting himself of all Sovereignty and that without possibility of recovering it either to Himself or his Successors except by Repeal of them but also making his Concessions guilty of the greatest Pressures that could be upon his Subjects as in other particulars so by giving an arbitrary and unlimited Power to the two Houses for ever to raise and levy Forces for land or sea service of what persons without distinction of quality and to what numbers they should please and likewise for levying money for their Pay So that these their Proposals being thus destructive to Himself and his Successors he in that his Answer declared That neither the desire of being freed from that tedious and irksome condition of life he had so long suffered nor the apprehension of what might befall him in case they would not afford him a personal Treaty should make him change his resolution of not consenting to any Act till the whole Peace were concluded still earnestly pressing for a personal Treaty with them It being now visible enough that Independency grew up every day more and more the Brethren of Scotland became so sensible thereof that the Assembly of Divines of that Kirk wrote to those sitting at Westminster passionately desiring them to adhere unto the Covenant and constantly to endeavour the extirpation of Heresie and Schism in the Church of England And to second that came another Letter to the Members of both Houses sitting at Westminster from the Scotish-Commissioners wherein was inclosed a large Declaration in which are these Expressions There be some things which properly concern the Kingdom of England their Rights Laws and Liberties But there be other matters which in their own nature as being common to both or by Covenant or Treaty concern both Kingdoms wherein unless we should forget our duty to God to the King's Majesty to our native Kingdom and to this Nation our common Concernment and Interest cannot be denyed For as Scotland was invited and engaged in this War upon grounds and reasons of common Interest so we trust it will not be offensive that in making Peace we claim from the Houses an improvement of the very same principles and a performance of the Treaties they have made with us that the same measure of conjunction of Interest be given to us which was had of us and promised unto us wherein the very Law of Nations and the Rules of common Equity doth plead for us Yet in the application of this Rule we shall not stretch our selves beyond our lines the express condition of our Solemn League and Covenant the duty of our Allegeance and the Treaties and Declarations between the Kingdoms which are so many strong Obligations as all who have Honour or Conscience must acknowledge should be inviolably observed Having laid this as a most just and solid ground of our proceedings we shall speak of the best and most probable means to procure a good agreement with the King for setling Religion and a lasting peace and next to the Propositions which are to be the foundation of the peace and safety of both Kingdoms And it is still our opinion and judgment that the most equal fairest and just way to obtain a well-grounded Peace is by a personal Treaty with the King and that his Majesty for that end be invited to come to London with Honour Freedom and Safety And as it is far from our thoughts and intentions in expressing our differences upon the Propositions to provoke or give offence so we trust that our freedom in discharge of the trust committed to us proceeding from our Zeal to Religion Loyalty to the King and Love to Peace shall receive a candid interpretation from the honourable Houses and that they will in their Wisedoms not slight the desires of a Kingdom who in the time of England's greatest danger esteemed no hazard too hard for their assistance and are now seeking nothing but the performance of the mutual Obligations Declarations and Treaties between the two Kingdomes and to prevent the danger which may ensue upon the violation and breach of so solemn Engagements The Houses of Parliament have frequently professed that the cheif end of their wars was the Reformation and Establishment of Religion according to the Covenant and they have often promised and declared to the King and to all the world not without deep attestations of the name of God that no trouble or success should ever make them wrong or diminish the power of the Crown which were the chief motives and arguments that induced Scotland to engage with them in this war Let therefore that be given to God which is God's and to Caesar that which is Caesar's whereby it may be evident that you are not unmindfull of the solemn Vows you made to God in the time of distress for Reformation of Religion and it may also really appear that the advantages and power which success hath put into your hands hath not lessened your loyalty to the King And according to our many professions and near relations let us really and cordially cherish and strengthen the union between the two Kingdomes under His Majesty by all pledges of reciprocal kindness that so Religion and Righteousness may flourish and both Kingdomes languishing under the heavy pressures and calamities of an unnatural war may live in peace and plenty As we cannot agree to this way of sending those four Bills to His Majesty for his assent before any Treaty upon the rest of the Propositions so we are extremely unsatisfied with the matter of those new Propositions lately communicated unto us for the reasons expressed in our answer unto them which we do herewith deliver unto your Lordships to be presented to both Houses of Parliament And we do desire that they would take the whole business into their farther consideration and that there be a personal Treaty with His Majesty here at London upon such Propositions as shall be agreed upon with advice and consent of both Kingdomes according to the Treaty This in general was their Declaration but the particular desires which they exhibited were these viz. that the honourable Houses would establish the solemn League and Covenant and that His Majesty be desired to give his royal assent for confirming the same by Act of Parliament That the setling of Reformation and an uniformity in Religion in the Kingdomes of England and Ireland be inserted in the new Propositions And in particular that the Confession the Directory for worship form of church-Church-Government and Catechisme agreed upon by the Assembly of Divines be established That effectual course be taken by Act of Parliament for the suppressing of Blasphemy Heresy and Schisme and all scandalous Doctrines and practises as are contrary to the light of Nature or to the known principles of Christianity or the power of Godliness or which may
Plague of heresie is amongst you and you have no power to keep the sick from the whole The wolves that were wont to lie in the woods are come into your Sheep-fold and roare in the Holy Congregation O thou Shepherd of Israel why hast thou broken down the Hedge of this thy Vineyard which thy right hand hath planted the Boare of the wood and the Wilde-beast of the forest do devour Whereupon many good People beginning to whisper their Fears of that which shortly after hapned these subtile Foxes to drive their great work with the less suspition in their grand Remonstrance of the 15th of December cryed out against certain Malignants as they term'd them who had infused into the People that they meant to abolish all Church-Government and leave every Man to his own fancie for the Service and Worship of God absolving them of that obedience which they owe under God unto His Majesty acknowledging him to be intrusted with the Eclesiastical Law as well as with the Temporal to Regulate all the Members of the Church of England by such Rules of Order and Discipline as are established by Parliament And in the same Remonstrance declared That it was far from their purpose or desire to let loose the golden Reynes of Discipline and Government in the Church and leave private Persons or particular Congregations to take up what forme of Divine-service they pleased holding it requisite that there should be through the whole Realm a conformity to that Order which the Law enjoyns But to the end they might bring the work to pass by others in which they did not then think fit to shew themselves openly as their Brethren of Scotland had done the Tumultuous rabble of Sectaries were by their contrivance brought to Westminster and there violently assaulted the great Church threatning to pull down the Organs and Popish Reliques for so they called those stately Monuments of the Kings and others And after His Majesty was driven from London and that they had got his Navy Forts Magazine c. into their hands they ordered that an Assembly of Divines should meet with whom they might consult for setling of the Church-Government and Liturgy Shortly after which a Petition pretended to have been brought from Cornwall was Read in the House of Commons amongst other things desiring that the Ceremonies and Service of the Church might be abolished But notwithstanding all this left any jealousy of their intentions should so far prevail as to stagger the People whom they had hitherto deluded with their specious pretences especially being then about to raise their Rebellious Forces they declared That their prepararations of Arms was for security of Religion the safety of His Majesties Person c. And having thus form'd an Army the first work wherewith they began was to Deface the most Antient and Chief Cathedral of this Kingdom Soon after which some of their Forces in their first march from London towards Worcester broke open the Church at Aâ—ton four miles from London defaced whatsoever was decent therein tore the Bible and Book of Common-Prayer sticking the leaves of them upon the walls with their Excrements And when their whole Army under the Command of the Earl of Essex came to Worcester the first thing they there did was the Prophanation of the Cathedral destroying the Organ breaking in pieces divers beautiful Windows wherein the Foundation of that Church was lively Historified with Painted Glass and barbarously Defacing divers fair Monuments of the Dead And as if this were not enough they brought their Horses into the body of the Church keeping fires and Courts of Guard therein making the Quire and side-isles with the Font the common places wherein they did their easements of Nature Also to make their wickedness the more compleat they rifled the Library with the Records and Evidences of the Church tore in pieces the Bibles and Service-books pertaining to the Quire putting the Surplices and other Vestments upon their Dragooners who rode about the streets with them Which shameful outrages done by the Souldiers thus early being much taken notice of and observation made of the liberty given to their seditious Preachers caused thereupon a general murmur by most People To cast a mist therefore before their Eyes for a while the Members fitting at Westminster publisht a Declaration wherein they exprest that though they had Voted the utter eradication of Episcopacy yet they intended not to extirpate the Liturgy and Common Prayer but so far to Regulate the same as might agree with the Truth of Gods word To which purpose and that it might bear a fair semblance of Reformation they brought in a Bill for an Assembly of Divines wherein they say that the Parliament doth not intend wholly to abrogate the Book of Common-Prayer and Liturgy But notwithstanding all these fine shews they gave daily Countenance to divers libellous Pamphlets and to all such Schismatical Preachers as endeavoured to deprave the same commanding Dr. Duek by an Order of the House dated Aug. 3. that he should not put by a Minister from Institution and Induction though he had scandalized the Liturgy of the Church calling the Book of Common-Prayer a great Idol After which it was not long e're they went on towards the suppressing thereof shutting up the Cathedral of St. Paul in London upon Sundays Yet that they might not be suspected in their well-wishes to the Protestant Religion they Voted that it was the design of the King's Army to destroy the Protestant Religion and to bring in Popery All which fair pretences and Votes were made by the Members at Westminster whilst their Forces in divers parts went on with such horrid practises as the like hath not been seen in this Realm since the Pagan-Danes upon their Invasions exercised their Heathenish Cruelties here Sr. William Waller their Western-General about this time entring Winchester where his Souldiers Committed the like barbarous outrages in that Cathedral as was done by the E. of Essex's Men at Worcester tearing likewise in pieces those Chests of Lead wherein were enshrin'd the Bones of divers Saxon Kings Queens devout Bishops and Confessors with which they broke in pieces the Costly Historical Windows there Besides this they battered and Defaced the Brazen Statua's of the King and that of His Royal Father K. Iames which His Majesty as a pledge of his Princely favour had given to that Church hack't and hew'd the Crown on his Head swearing that they would bring him back to the Parliament And having so done seized upon the Rich Hangings Cusheons Pulpit-Clothes and Communion-Plate spoiling or carrying away whatsoever else was of Ornament or worth The like for the most part they did soon after in the Cathedral at Chichester Nor was there any place they came to where they made not the like devastation At Sudeley in Gloucestershire the Seat of the Antient and Noble Familes of the Lords Sudley
us and another as bad is come in the room Yea this last extremity into which we are fallen is far more high violent and dangerous in many respects c. Have we not a deformation and worse things come in upon us than ever we had before were any of those Monsters heard of heretofore which are now Common among us and denying the Scriptures c. You have broken down the Images of the Trinity Virgin Mary Apostles and we have those who overthrow the Doctrine of the Trinity oppose the Divinity of Christ speak evil of the Virgin Mary and slight the Apostles You have cast out the Bishops and their Officers and we have many that cast down to the ground all Ministers in all the Reformed Churches You have cast out Ceremonies in the Sacraments as the Cross kneeling at the Lords Supper And we have many who cast out the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lords Supper You have put down Saints Days and we have many who make nothing at all of the Lords Day and Fast-days You have taken away the superfluous excessive maintenance of Bishops and Deans and we have many that take away and cry down the necessary maintenance of Ministers In the Bishops Days we had singing of Psalms taken away in some places conceived Prayer and Preaching and in their room Anthems stinted forms and Reading brought in And now we have singing of Psalms spoken against and cast out of some Churches Yea all publick Prayer questioned and all Ministerial Preaching denied In the Bishops time Popish Innovations were introduced as bowing at Altars c. And now we have Anointing the Sick with Oyl Then we had Bishopping of Children now we have Bishopping of Men and Women by strange laying on of Hands In the Bishops days we had many unleaâ—ned Ministers and have we not now a company of Jerobam's Priests In the Bishops days we had the fourth Commandement taken away but now we have all the Ten Commandements at once by the Antinomians yea all â—aith and the Gospel denyed The worst of the Prelaâ—es in the midst of many Popish Arminian-Tenets and Popish Innovations held many sound Doctrines and had many commendable practises yea the very Papists hold and keep to many Articles of faith and truths of God have some order amongst them encourage Learning have certain fixed principles of truth with practises of Devotion and good Works but many of the Sect and Sectaries in our days deny all Principles of Religion are enemies to all holy-duties Order Learning overthrowing all being vertiginosi Spiritus whâ—lgigg-Spirits And the great opinion of an universal Toleration tends to the laying all wast and dissolution of all Religion and good manners c. What swarms are there of all sorts of illiterate mechanick Preachers yea of Women and Boy-Preachers What liberty of Preaching Printing of all Errors or for a Toleration of all and against the Directory Covenant Monthly-fast Presbyterial Government and all Ordinances of Parliament in reference to Religion These Sectaries have been growing upon us ever since the first year of our sitting and have every year increased more and more And in his Book from pag. 18. to pag. 36. he instances no less than one hundred seventy six Heretical and Blasphemous Tenets broacht by the Sectaries the Off-spring of the Presbyterian within the compass of the four years next and immediately insuing the Convention of that Long-Parliament But to draw towards the end of this point touching their Preservation and Defence of the Protestant Religion exprest in the Doctrine and Discipline Establisht by Law in the Church of England so much protested declared and voted for at the first I shall be bold to observe after all these Barbarous and Blasphemous Practises That having by their Malitious and Causless Impeachment of that worthy Pillar of our Church the late Arch Bishop of Canterbury kept him a Prisoner for above four Years and had nothing against him by the Law of the Land worthy of Imprisonment much less of Death these Blood-thirsty Harpyes by their own usurped Legislative Power Condemn'd him to Death And the very same day to accompany that Horrid Fact damn'd the Reverend Liturgy of the Church of England Establishing a thing called a Directory instead thereof and within six days following Executed that Bloudy Sentence upon that worthy Prelate whole Memory and Martyrdom for the Protestant Religion as it stood here Establish't by Law will be precious with the best of Men to all Succeeding Ages And having done this they sent Commissioners Scottish and English to treat at Uxbridge with others from his Majesty concerning Peace Where the very first day of their Meeting they countenanced a Bold and Scandalous Person to Preach to the People that they had no Enemy but the King adding that if they had no truth with their Peace they should have God to be their Enemy Bidding them not dote upon that Treaty saying that there was as much distance between that Treaty and Peace as between Heaven and Hell And How can ye hope for truth since there are so many Prophane Lords such an Un-preaching and un-gifted Clergy so many Erroneous Papists perverse Bishops so many Irish Rebels who are the chief Assistants at Oxford I tell you these Lords come hither with Hearts full of Bloud Towards which Blessed Peace as they call'd it a mongst other things to the absolute Ruine of Monarchy they there demanded no less than the utter Extirpation of the Protestant Religion as it stood Establish't by Law with the Patrimony of the Church to boot as a Prey to themselves and the Scotts who would serve God if I may fitly call it a Service in Barnes or Stables at a cheaper Rate which makes me call to mind that Expression of Sir Walter Raleigh in his History of the World Where making mention of the Care which Moses had of all things that concern'd the Worship and Service of God which Care of his all Ages have in some Degrees imitated Says thus it is now so forgotten and cast away in this Superfine Age by those of the Family by the Anabaptists Brownists and other Sectaries as all Cost and Care bestowed and had of the Church wherein God is to be Served and Worshipped is accounted a kind of Popery and as proceeding from an Idolatrous Disposition in so much as time would soon bring to pass if it were not resisted that God would be turned out of Churches into Barnes and from thence again into the Fields and Mountains and under the Hedges and the Offices of the Ministery Rob'd of all Dignity and Respect be as contemptible as those places All order Discipline and Church Government left to newness of Opinion and Mens Fancies Yea and soon after as many kinds of Religion would spring up as there are Parish-Churches within England every Contentious and Ignorant Person Cloathing his Fancy with the Spirit of God and his Imagination with the Gift of Revelation In so much
Rebellion That the first Seeds of it were sown in Queen Elizabeth's time grew up in K. Iames and came to perfect ripeness in K. Charles his Reign is proportionably true of the Holy-League The first Platform of that was laid in the time of K. Charles the Ninth soon after the Reformation of Religion got footing in France It broke out in K. Henry the third's time and was at last suppressed by K. Henry the Fourth So that it infested the Reigns of three Kings no less than this of ours The cheif pretended occasion of it was the defence of Religion which the Ring-Leaders of that Faction did if not conceive themselves yet labour to perswade the People to be in danger of utter Ruine and Extirpation And that by reason of some Indulgence and Toleration granted by Charles the ninth and the Queen Mother and continued by Henry the third unto the Huguenots or Protestants who were as odious to them as Papists were with our Men though the truth was those Princes did as intirely detest the Religion of Protestants as the most zealous among ours can do the Papists And what they did in favour of them was meerly to preserve the Peace of the Kingdom Before the League was fully hatch't the State of that Kingdom was not much unlike this of ours before the late Troubles Some Grievances there were which waited upon it into the World For besides the Toleration of the Huguenots which distasted the Zealots the greatness of some new Men at Court bred an high discontent in divers of the Nobility And the heavy Taxes and Impositions upon the Common-People made them generally dissaffected with the present Government And this Variety of Malignant Humors rising from several Springs all met in the same Stream and bent their course to the same common end Innovation and Subversion of the Establish't Government A Parliament for so I shall take leave to call the general Assembly of the three Estates in France not according to the modern use of the Word in that Country from whence this Kingdom borrowed at first the name and thing but in compliance with our own Language was thought to be a sure Remedy at a pinch for â—etling the publick Distractions And though such Assemblies had been long intermitted in that Realm and the Kings of later time were grown out of love with them as conceiving that while they who represent the whole Nation are convened together with such Supream Power the Royal Authority in the mean time remained little better than suspended Yet upon a consultation had with a Council of Peers like that of ours at York and a motion from them to that purpose Francis the second was content to call a Parliament at Drleans which was quietly Dissolved by his Death before the States had done any thing but only shew'd their Teeth against the Protestants taking a solemn Protestation for Defence of their Religion and by that excluding all others from any Vote in that Assembly By the like exigence was Henry the third driven to have recourse to the like Remedy which proved indeed worse than the Disease For after his Intimation of a Parliament to Commence at Bloys the Duke of Guise and his Allies laid the Foundation of the League who being the most Popular and Powerful Subjects in the Kingdome sought by that means to augment their own greatness and secure the State of Religion which was so straitly twisted with their Interests This Duke besides his Ambition which prompted him sufficiently to those Turbulent Undertakings has formerly received some disgust at Court not much unlike that of Philip Earl of Pembroke for the Keys of the Pallace were taken from him and bestow'd upon the King of Navarr With which disgrace he was extreamly vexed and his Brother the Cardinal much more though they cunningly Dissembled and made a shew as if nothing troubled them but the Toleration of and connivence at Calvinisme by that means veiling their own Passions and Private Interests with an honest Cloak and colour of Religion So by little and little the Factious among the great ones were confounded with the differences in Religion and instead of Male-Contents and Guisards they put on the name of Catholicks and Huguenots Parties which under colour of Piety ministred so much the more Pernicious Fewel to all the Succeeding Combustions and Troubles The League was ushered in with Declarations Remonstrances and Protestations to the same effect and much in the same Language with this of our Covenanters We the Princes Noblemen Gentlemen and Commons Parties to that League profest that nothing but pure Zeal and Sincere Devotion which we bear to the Honour of God his Majesties Service the Publick Peace and Preservation of our Lives and Estates together with the Apprehension of our utter Ruine and Destruction hath necessitated us to this Resolution which we are constrained to put on for which we cannot any way be taxed or traduced for Suspition of Disloyalty Our Councils and Intentions having no other Design but meerly the Maintenance and Advancement of the Service of God Obedience to his Majesty and Preservation of his Estate And perceiving by what is past that our Enemies have not nor ever had any other aim but to Establish their Errors in the Kingdom to extirpate Religion and by little and little to undermine the King's Authority and totally alter the Government we can do no less in discharge of our Honours and Consciences than withstand the Sinister Designs of the Supream Enemies of God and his Majesty by a common Covenant and Association it being no more than time to divert and hinder their Plots and Conspiracies for all Faithful and Loyal Subjects to enter into a Holy Union and Conjunction which is now the true and only means left in our Hands by God for restoring of his own Service and Obedience to his Majesty The chief Heads of the League to which they swore were either altogether or in Proportion the same with those in our English Covenants viz. 1. To Establish Religion the Law and Service of God in its Pristine State according to the form and usage of the Catholick roman-Roman-Church there as of the Protestant reformed-Reformed-Church here 2. As our Covenanters swore in the second Article to extirpate all Popery Heresy c. So did the Leaugers Renounce and abjure all Errors contrary to their Religion 3. As our Men in the third Article swore to preserve the Rights and Priviledges of the Parliament and Liberties of the Kingdom and to preserve the King's Person and Authority but with a Reservation in the Preservation and Defence of the true Religion and Liberties of the Kingdon So did they to preserve Henry the third of that Name and his Successors the Most Christian Kings in the State Splendour Authority Right Service and Obedience which are due unto him from his Subjects but with this Abatement according as is contained in
that they had all sworn and religiously promised to stand upon their Guard that the Church of God might be restored to her Honour the true Christian Catholick Religion Established the Nobility enjoy their Liberty entirely as they ought the People relieved and all new Impositions abolished And that these were the occasions of their taking up Arms for rescuing the Kingdom of France from ruine the preservation of good Men and punishment of bad and for the security of their own persons there being no other means left to preserve themselves and turn away the Knife from their own Throats which yet they would not make use of if their Estates only were in danger and the Subversion of Religion and State of the Kingdom were not inseparably joined with their own for the preservation of which they should not fear any hazard concluding that they could not choose a more Honourable Grave than to spend their Lives in so Holy a Cause so just a Quarrel in discharge of that Duty and Obligation which they owed as good Christians to the Service of God and as good and Loyal Subjects to oppose the Subuersion of which the State must naturally follow the alteration of Religion Protesting that they did not take up Arms against the King their Soveraign Lord but for the guard and just defence of his Person his Life and State for whom they had promised and sworn to hazard their own Lives and Fortunes to the last drop of their Bloud and to lay down Arms so soon as it should please his Majesty to remove the danger which threatned the ruine of the Service of God and so many good Men Intreating all that were not Confederate with them to favour their Designs and to assist them by their Power in the Execution of that good and Holy Work Exhorting all Towns and Corporations as they tendred their own preservation to judge uprightly of their Intentions and to consider what benefit and repose would accrue unto them and so doing to put their hands to that good work Declaring that they would not use any act of Violence but against such as should oppose them and by other undue means favour their Adversaries which sought to ruine the Church and Subvert the State Assuring every Man that their Holy-Armies should do no Man any wrong or oppression whether in passing or staying in any place but should live orderly and pay for all they took Protesting never to lay down Arms till they had fully Executed all the Premisses but rather die with a willing Heart desiring to be Intombed in a Monument Consecrated to the last of French-Men who died in Arms for the Service of God and their Country At which time they were so high in their own Opinions and their Conceits of the Peoples Inclinations that in this Declaration as an argument to win every Man to their Party they Invited all to put to their helping hands to their good Design which by the Grace of God as they said could not choose but prosper Sutable whereunto our Men to affright such from their Loyalty as they could not perswade told them that they had brought their work to such an height and degree of Success that nothing seemed to be left in their way able to hinder the full accomplishment of their desires unless God in his Iustice should send a grievous Curse upon them And as the Leaguers backing the words of their Remonstrance with Actions of no less efficacy began immediately upon it to impatronize themselves of many Cities and Strong-holds partly by underhand Practises and partly by open force Such were Lull and Uerdune the first Citties in France that cast out the Kings Officers and received the Leaguers so did ours possess themselves of Hull and Plymmouch and other places of Strength which tended so much to the advancement of their Design When therefore the Leaguers had by these Subtilties wrought the People out of Opinion with the King and him out of his Power over his Subjects When he could not with satisfaction to himself neither joyn with the Huguenots nor give content to the Leaguers waiting to make use of such Council as time should Minister unto him his Affairs going on but a slow pace he stood rather to justify himself than to stop the Progress of the Confederates And when he was assured from all parts at the same time of raising Forces and frequent meetings of Men in Arms he did no more than set forth an Edict wherein after the usual Preamble he protested his earnest desire of the Publick Tranquility and by all good means to provide for the ease of his People In which perceiving that some who were Enemies of their Peace did labour to oppose him He therefore straitly prohibited all Levies and gathering together of Souldiers Commanding that their Leaders should be Apprehended and Prosecuted according to Law By which he gained no more but this viz. That by the continuing of their Levies it did then sufficiently appear who were his Enemies Thus did the Leaguers get the Start of the King in their warlike Prepations and it was long before he could perswade himself to prepare for his Defence But being at last necessitated to make other Provisions than Proclamations more sutable to the exigency of the times after much doubting and deliberation he resolved to resist the force and practises of the League as well as he could without any Intelligence or Assistance from the Huguenots hoping that he should be able of himself to curb them But scarcely had he begun to put this deliberation in Execution than that he discovered the weakness of his Councils in that of his Forces The Lord of Truery had raised for him Ten Thousand Switzers But the Counties of Burgundy Champaine and Lyouns being all possess'd by them of League there was no passing for them that way The Count of Scomberg was sent to hire some German-Horse but in his passage thither through those Counties he was seized on and Committed to Prison by the Duke of Lorrain Nor did the Kings business go on much better at home than abroad The Nobility divided partly by reason of their Religion and partly by antient Feuds newly divided by these Dissentions came but slowly in to the King The People generally dissaffected did not concur to the relief of his wants The Revenues of the Crown not only stopt by noise of War but purposely Interrupted and seized upon bp the Heads of the Faction were utterly decayed so as the Sinews of War were wanting on all sides to the Kings Party Those of the League therefore perceiving with what difficulties the King wrestled began with great earnestness to gather Forces and to put in Execution the Plot they had laid long before The King having as yet nothing to oppose them but his Pen was necessitated to imploy it in vindication of himself from those Imputations which were thrown upon
A SHORT VIEW OF THE Late Troubles IN ENGLAND Briefly setting forth Their RISE GROWTH and TRAGICAL CONCLUSION As also some Parallel thereof with the BARONS-WARS in the time of King HENRY III. But chiefly with that in France called the HOLY LEAGUE in the Reign of HENRY III. and HENRY IV. late Kings of that Realm To which is added A Perfect Narrative of the Treaty at Uxbridge in an 1644. OXFORD Printed at the THEATER for MOSES PITT at the Angel in St. Paul's Church-Yard London MDCLXXXI Carolus Primus D. G. Anglia Scotia Francia et Hibernia Rex F. D. THE PREFACE THat all Rebellions did ever begin with the fairest Pretences for Reforming of somewhat amiss in the Government is a Truth so clear that there needs no manifestation thereof from Examples Nor were they ever observed to have greater success than when the Colours for Religion did openly appear in the Van of their armed Forces most men being desirous to have it really thought how bad and vile soever their practises are that zeal to God's glory is no small part of their aim Which guilded bait hath been usually held forth to allure the Vulgar by those whose ends and designs were nothing else than to get into power and so to possess themselves of the Estates and Fortunes of their more opulent Neighbours Should I look far backwards for discovery of the first source and fountain whence that viperous brood which not long since hath so miserably infested these Kingdoms did spring of whose unparallel'd practises the ensuing Narrative doth specially take notice I must ascend to the times of Moses and Aaron the one the supreme Magistrate the other the chief Priest Corah Dathan and Abiran then rising up and taking upon themselves an authority equal with those chosen servants of God and saying that all the Congregation was Holy In like manner afterward when Absolom the rebellious son of David rose up against his father there was a demure face of Godliness put on of a solemn vow to be performed to God at Hebron and large promises of reformation of all abuses in Government were made by the unnatural usurper This sort of practice continued in the Iewish Church till the time of the Gospel as is conspicuous enough from the words of our blessed Saviour where he speaks of the Scribes and Pharisees that they did outwardly appear righteous unto men but within were full of Hypocrisy and Guile devouring Widows houses and for a pretence making long Prayers Our Lord in the xith and xvith Chapter of St. Luke making likewise a farther Description of them St. Paul also in his Epistle to Timothy plainly foretelling us that such should again spring up in the last times Men saith he who shall be Lovers of themselves covetous boasters proud c. Traiterous heady high-minded c. having a form of Godliness but denying the power thereof Now that the offspring of these did more or less infest the world throughout all after-times would be no difficult thing to manifest were it here necessary or convenient In the time of heathen persecution of Christianity rose up Novatian the father of the Cathari or Puritans to whom may be added Donatus and his followers who confin'd Godliness to themselves and religion to Africa their country After the settlement of the Church in Christian Emperors appear'd Aerius the first inventor of Presbytery which tho it seem'd a long time dead has been of late raked out of its ashes and made to trouble and set on fire the Western Church As to the usual practises of the men of this sect there is nothing more clear than that Religion nay the Reformation thereof to its purity hath bin the thing which they have ever cryed up and that meekness sanctity and the power of Godliness are the Cloaks in which they have alway at first shew'd themselves by which plausible devices they have captivated thousands But it is no less evident that having by this means got power into their hands destruction of civil Government Rapine Spoil and the greatest mischeifs imaginable have bin the woful effects of those their Specious pretences whereby they have really verified that expression of our Saviour viz. that they were of their father the Devil and the Works of him they should do But to come nearer my present business That the Actions of our late times chiefly from the year 1637 till 1660 can be easily forgotten or that there is any need of reviving the memory of them to this present Age 't is not to be imagin'd Nevertheless for their sakes who are ignorant of the means and preparations made in order to those grand Exploits then done and that Posterity may have a short view thereof I have adventured upon the publishing of this Discourse which was long since compiled Wherein I first deduce our late Troubles in England and other his Majesties Realms from the principles of those persons who about an hundred and fifty years before under the same Hypocritical pretences did greivously infest Germany And having finished that Narrative as particularly and fully as I may afterwards manifest that the original project of our chief Contrivers here was to reduce the King to Necessities and thereby to expose him to the use of such extraordinary ways of Supply as might most conduce to the raising of discontent amongst all his good Subjects Which they did by engaging first his father in a war for the Palatinate and their failing to assist him notwithstanding their most solemn promises As also by planting Schismatical Lectures in most corporateTowns and populous places throughout the Realm so to poison the people with Antimonarchical principles In the next place I shall take notice of the rise and progress of the late troubles in Scotland which were the Prologue to these of ours Then of the Scottish Invasion which occasioned the unhappy long Parliament and likewise of some proceedings in that Parliament before the predominant party therein did put themselves in Arms. After this I shall point at the dissolution of the Presbyterian power and growth of the Independent whereupon ensued the nefarious murther of King Charles the first and after that such confusions as made way for the happy Restoration of our present Soveraign King Charles the second Which being done I shall make some observations upon their first fair and smooth pretences set forth in several Declarations and Remonstrances by which the too credulous people were miserably deluded and drawn from their due Allegiance And lastly give some brief Account of those Actings by the Rebellious Barons here in the time of King Henry the third which had most resemblance with the practises of these our pretended Reformers As also shew how exact a parallel these great Masters in mischief have held with those of the Holy League in France whose Rebellion terminated in some sort as ours did in the Murther of their King What falleth within my own cognisance I deliver with mine own words what is beyond
having form'd sundry congregations as at Francfort Strasburg Geneva and other places they devised such new models of Discipline but all of them more or less favouring of those Tenets as upon their return after the death of that Queen not a few both of the Clergy and Laity were unhappily tainted therewith And at length through the countenance of some chief Ministers of State who then seemed to favour them for certain private respects became dangerous Enemies not only to the Doctrine and Discipline of this Church but to the very temporal Government of the Realm as by their heterodox opinions which they boldly promoted and spread under the specious Title and name of the Gospel will evidently appear of which I have here thought fit out of their own Books and Writings to give a Taste Lay men may teach to get Faith Lay men may preach to Congregations to exercise their abilities Every member of the Church hath power to examine the manner of administring the Sacrament That to have a Liturgy or form of prayer is to have another Gospel Some Protestants are of opinion that Ordinances cannot be performed but by a Prelate or at least by Ministers only without whose Imposition of Hands it were no Ordination as if it did confer such an order whereas the prime and proper conferring of this Order is by Christ himself inwardly calling and gifting a man for the work of the Ministry To the people belongeth the laying on of Hands as a token of their approbation and confirmation of him that is chosen Arch-Bishops and Bishops are superfluous members of the Body of Christ. They are unlawful false and bastardly Governours of the Church they are the ordinances of the Devil yea they are petty-Popes petty-Antichrists Bishops of the Devil and incarnate Devils If the Hierarchy be not removed and the Scepter of Christ's Kingdom namely his own Discipline advanced there can be no healing of the sore If the Parliament do not abrogate the government of Bishops they shall betray God the Truth and the whole Kingdom Though the Parliament be for Bishops yet all the Godly and Religious will be against them If the Brethren cannot obtain their wills by Suit nor Dispute the multitude and people must work the feat Reformation of Religion belongs to the Commonalty Christian Sovereigns ought not to be called Heads under Christ of the particular invisible Churches within their dominion They ought not to meddle with the making of Laws Orders and Ceremonies for the Church The people may well enough be without Kings for there was none till Cain's days These therefore being their Principles that their continued Practises have been sutable thereto is not unknown to many viz. to subject all Princes and Governours to their own Rule and Authority and in ordine ad Spiritualia to determine in temporal matters Hence I shall proceed a little farther and out of their own Writings make manifest what a noise they have made that their Discipline founded on these Principles might be firmly setled The establishing the Presbytery saith T. Cartwright is the full placing of Christ in his Kingdom The Presbyterian Discipline is the Scepter of Christ swaying his own House according to his hearts desire the Soul the Cheif Commander in the Camp Royal. Huic Disciplinae omnes orbis Principes Monarchas fasces suas submittere parere necesse est There is a necessity that all Princes and Monarchs should submit their Scepters and obey this Discipline This Discipline ought to be set up and all Princes ought to submit themselves under the yoke of it Yea what Prince King or Emperor shall disanul the same he is to be reputed God's Enemy and to be held unworthy to reign above the people This Discipline is no small part of the Gospel it is the substance of it This Discipline is the Gospel of the kingdom of God They that reject this Discipline refuse to have Christ reign over them and deny him in effect to be their King or their Lord. This Discipline is the eternal Council of God If any refuse to have the Lord Jesus set up as Lord i. e. to submit to this Discipline let him be Anathema Maranatha Aut hoc aut nihil is their Ensign They who hinder Discipline bring the Estate at length to an extreamly desperate point None but Enemies to Christ are Enemies to this Government Strike neither at great nor small but at those troublers of Israel Smite that Hazael in the fifth rib Yea if Father or Mother stand in the way away with them Down with the colours of the Dragon Advance the standard of Christ. Those mine Enemies who would not that I should reign over them bring hither and slay them before me Strike the Basilic vein Nothing but this will cure the Pleurisy of our State And Gibson threatned King Iames that as Ieroboam he should be rooted out and conclude his race if he maintained Bishops Which dangerous positions being thus maintained by this sort of men occasioned Mr. Perkins an eminent Divine of those times thus to express There is in England saith he a Schismatical and indiscreet Company that would seem to cry out for Discipline Their whole talk is of it and yet they neither know it nor will be reformed by it They are full of pride thinking themselves to be full when they are empty to have all knowledg when they are ignorant and had need to be catechised The poison of aspes is under their Lips They refuse not to speak evil of the blessed servants of God And as the German Sectaries upon the Principles before mention'd did act in those parts so did the Scots upon those Documents they had received chiesly from Iohn Knox who told his Countrymen in print that the Nobility and Commonalty ought to reform Religion and in that case might remove from Honours and punish such as God hath commanded of what estate condition or honour what soever Hereupon taking an Oath of confederacy and Subscription under hands to some agreement for a Reformation much strength was added thereunto by the Sacrilegious hoping thereby to swallow up the Church-Revenues Next without the authority of Sovereignty or knowledg of it those Confederates prescribed orders for Reformation of Religion to be observed and practised throughout the whole Kingdom Then preach'd against the Queen-Regent and Parliament and wrote to the Bishops and Clergy that except they did desist from dealing against them they would with all force and power execute just vengeance and punishment upon them likewise begin the same war which God commanded Israel to execute against the Cananites And lastly arriving at the highest pitch of Rebellion they deposed their Queen By that which hath been said it is no less apparent what those Disciplinarians in Queen Elizabeth's days did also aim at had their
Power been answerable to their Wills Whereof she was not ignorant as may appear by her Speech at the dissolving that Parliament an 1585 the 27 th of her reign wherein taking notice of them she pronounc'd them dangerous to Kingly rule every man according to his own censure making a doom of the validity and privity of his Princes Government with a common veil and cover of God's word Whereunto I shall add what Serjeant Puckering being Speaker of the House of Commons in the Parliament held the next ensuing year viz. 28. Eliz. did by that Queen's direction then express And specially you are commanded by her Majesty saith he to take heed that none ear be given or time afforded to the wearysome solicitations of those that commonly be called Puritans wherewithall the late Parliaments have been exceedingly importuned Which sort of men whilst in the giddiness of their Spirits they labour and strive to advance a new Eldership they do nothing else but disturb the good people of the Church and Common-wealth which is as well grounded for the body of Religion it self and as well guided for the Discipline as any Realm that professeth the Truth And the same thing is already made good to the World by many the Writings of Godly and Learned men neither answered nor answerable by any of these new fangled Resiners And as the present case standeth it may be doubted whether they or the Jesuits do offer more danger or be more speedily to be repressed For albeit the Jesuits do impoyson the hearts of her Majesty's Subjects under a pretext of Conscience to withdraw them from the obedience due to her Majesty yet do they the same but closely and only in privy corners But these men do both publish in their printed Books and teach in all their Conventicles sundry opinions not only dangerous to the well setled Estate and policy of this Realm by putting a pyke between the Clergy and the Laity but also much derogatory to her sacred Majesty and her Crown as well by the diminution of her antient and lawful Revenues and by denying her Highnesses Prerogative and Supremacy as by offering peril to her Majesty's safety in her own Kingdom In all which things howsoever in many other points they pretend to be at war with the Popish-Jesuits yet by this Separation of themselves from the unity of their fellow-Subjects and by abasing the sacred Authority and Majesty of their Prince they do but joyn and concur with the Jusuits in opening the door and preparing the way to the Spanish Invasion that is threatned against the Realm And shall conclude with what is most judiciously observed by the worthy Author of the History of the sometime Famous and Reverend Hooker's life So that these very men saith he speaking of the Puritans in that Queen's time that began with tender and meek Petitions proceeded to Admonitions then to satyrical Remonstrances and at last having numbred who was not and who was for their Cause they got a supposed certainty of so great a party that they durst threaten first the Bishops then the Queen and Parliament To all which they were secretly encouraged by the Earl of Leicester then in great favour with her Majesty and the reputed Cherisher and Patron-General of these pretenders to tenderness of conscience his design being by their means to bring such an odium upon the Bishops as to prooure an alienation of their Lands and a large portion of them for himself Which avaritious desire had so blinded his reason that his ambition and greedy hopes had almost put him into a present possession of Lambeth House That Queen therefore had not only a vigilant Eye upon them but a strict hand as these seditious Pamphleters Vdall Barrow Greenwood Studley Billots Bowdler Copping Thacker Penri and others deservedly felt But upon the coming in of King Iames they began to raise unto themselves better hopes of countenance and favour being so confident of his Indulgence that within few weeks after his entrance here they took the boldness to present him with a Petition against the Government and Liturgy establish'd in the Church of England Whereupon his Majesty who well knew the temper of that Sect though he was abundantly satisfyed with what he found here setled did with great prudence by his Royal Proclamation appoint an Assembly of divers select Divines such as could best represent the desires of these dissenting men as others to meet at Hampton-Court upon the twelfth of Ianuary following where Dr. Reynolds and Dr. Sparkes of Oxford and Mr. Knewstubs and Mr. Chaderton of Cambridge appear'd on their behalfs and freely hearing whatsoever could be objected by the weak Brethren as they were then modesty stiled he clearly discern'd that all the Exceptions which they made were no other than frivolous scruples of indiscreet men and so convinced every one of them thereupon that they went away amply satisfyed promising thenceforth not only full obedience to the Government and Liturgy but Dr. Sparkes wrote a Book to perswade all others thereunto Nevertheless notwithstanding this the Mystery of Iniquity work'd on still in the Hearts of other busy-headed Disciplinarians many of which though they received Ordination from the Bishops Subscribed took Oaths and outwardly seemed to conform stuck not underhand to use all the arts and devices of cunning Impostors to bring the people by degrees into an utter dislike of the Ecclesiastical Government the better to sit them for some desperate Rebellion whensoever there should be any fair opportunity To which end their practise was in their officiating ever to omit some portions of the Liturgy and to read the remainder with but little reverence all whereby they might by degrees beget an opinion in their auditory that the service of God did consist meerly in the Sermon and those long-winded prayers immediately preceding and following it which be expresly opposite to a special Canon establish'd by Act of Parliament in 1. Iac. Which Prayers if they be worthy of that name they are not asham'd to say are uttered by the immediate direction of Gods Holy Spirit though therein they have oftimes not only taken the liberty to deprave the Goverment in Church and State by divers subâ—l expressions but made such a seeming shew of Zeal therein by altering their Countenances and changing their Voices into an affected tone using therein many absurd and unmannerly expressions that one of their own Fraternity after he became farther reformed by an Independentlight could not forbear but cryed out against them in a certain Book intituled The Clergy in their Colours printed at London an 1651. pag. 33. l. 17. in these words I cannot let pass one observation and that is the strange posture these men put themselves into when they begin their Prayers before their Sermons Whether the Fools and Knaves in Stage-plays took their pattern from these men or these from them I cannot determine c. What wrye Mouths Squint
Eyes and Screw'd faces do they make And pag. 41. l. 3. Again how like a company of Conjurers do they mumble cut the beginning of their Prayers that the people may not bear them and when artificially they have raised their voices what a pulling do they make But that which afforded them no little advantage was that horrid Gun-powder Plot which happened in the third year of King Iames being hatch'd by those fiery-spirited men of the Romish-perswasion whom the bloudy-minded Jesuits had influenc'd for that most wicked practise For after this to terrify the people with the Church of Rome their Sermons were little less than Declamations against the Papists aiming thereby to represent them formidable and odious insinuating to the world that all the fear of danger was from those of that Religion whilst they themselves in the mean time did insensibly poyson the people with such other unfound Doctrines as became at length the fountain of this late unparallel'd Rebellion which terminated in the execrable Murther of our late gracious King and would have put a Period to this famous and long flourishing Monarchy had not almighty God of his great mercy miraculously prevented it But how far the Principles of these Holy Reformers do differ from the most rigid of the Romish profession against whom they have so long and loudly clamoured these ensuing observations will briefly manifest The Jesuits Tenets In Regnis Hominum potestas Regis est a populo quia populus facit Regem In the Kingdoms of men the power of the King is from the People Potestas immediate est tanquam in subjecto in tota multitudine si causa legitima adsit potest multitudo mutare Regnum in Aristocratiam Democratiam The power is immediately as in the subject in the multitude and if there be lawful cause the multitude may change the Kingdom into an Aristocracy or Democracy De side certum est quemcunque Principem Christianum si a Religione Catholica de flexerit alios avocare voluerit excidere statim omni potestate dignitate idque ante prolatam Papae sententiam posseque debere subditos si vires habeant istiusmodi Haereticum Hominum Christianorum dominatu ejicere It is certainly a matter of Faith that whatsoever Christian Prince shall depart from the Catholic Religion and shall withdraw others doth immediately fall from all power and dignity even before the Popes sentence given and that the Subjects may and should if they have strength cast forth such an Heretick from the dominion of Christian men Talis consensu omnium potest imo debet privari suo dominio Si hoc priscis temporibus minus factum sit causa est quia deerant vires Such a King by the consent of all may yea ought to be deprived of his dominion If this in old time was not done the cause was for that they had not strength Non dissimulandum esse c. This is not to be dissembled that it is the most expedient and safe way if a public meeting may be granted to deliberate what shall be done by common consent First of all the Prince is to be admonished and to be brought to his wits again c. If he reject the Medicine and no hope of his recovery be lest when the Sentence is passed upon him the Common-wealth may first refuse his command And because of necessity there will be a stirring up for war they may unfold their Councils for defence thereof and shew that it is expedient to have weapons and to command the people to advance moneys for the charge of the Wars And if the matter will suffer and the Common-wealth cannot otherwise defend it self with the same right of defence but with a better authority and peculiar of their own Principem publice Hostem declaratum ferro perimere They may kill the Prince he being publickly declared an Enemy The Presbyterian Tenets Populo jus est ut Imperium cui velit deferat The people may confer the Government on whom they please Without the Prince the people may reform and must not tarry for the Magistrate Not Kings and Magistrates only ought to punish crimes against God but the whole body of the people and every member of the same to his ability must revenge the injury done to God If Princes be Tyrants against God and his Truth their Subjects are free from their Oath of Obedience Subjects do promise obedience that the Magistrate might help them which if he do not they are discharged of obedience Evil Princes ought to be deposed and inferior Magistrates ought chiefly to do it Subjects must withstand wicked Princes they must take up Arms against them God hath appointed the Nobility to bridle the inordinate appetite of Princes and in so doing they cannot be accused as Resisters of Authority Judges ought to summon Princes before them for their crimes and proceed against them as against all other offenders When Magistrates cease to do their duties God giveth the Sword into the peoples hands Let every Soul be subject to Superiors Paul says he wrote this in the Infancy of the Church There were but few Christians then not many of them rich or of ability so as they were not ripe for such a purpose As if a man should write to such Christians as are under the Turk in substance poor in courage feeble in strength unarm'd in number few and generally subject to all kinds of injuries would not he write as Paul did So as the Apostle did respect the men he wrote unto and his words ought not to be extended to the body or people of a Common-wealth or whole City If Paul were alive and did see wicked Kings reigning in Christian Common-wealths Paul would say that he accounted no such for Magistrates he would forbid all men for speaking to them and from keeping them company He would leave them to their Subjects to be punished neither would he blame them if they accounted no such longer for their Kings They may kill wicked Princes as Monsters and cruel beasts And if neither the Magistrate nor the people do their office in deposing or killing them then the Minister must excommunicate such a King Any Minister may do it against the greatest Prince A private man having some special inward notion may kill a Tyrant In other things also were it not for brevity the like parallel might be made in what those of the Romish Perswasion and the Presbyterians do hold as that the Office of Priests and Bishops is one and the same as is judiciously observed by the learned Author of the History of the Reformation of the Church of England printed at London 1679 pag. 366 whereunto I refer my Reader CHAP. III. And having thus demonstrated that the Principles by which this sort of men be unhappily guided are most dangerous and destructive to
speech to both Houses did again put them in mind of their engaging his Father in that war for recovery of the Palatinate upon promise of their assistance in a Parliamentary-way and that they themselves then appointed a Council of war and Treasurers He also acquainted them with the expence of the three Subsidies and three Fifteens then given And further expressed that he had thus reassembled them upon the death of his royal Father to receive their farther advice and aid for proceeding in that wherein by their Councils his Father was engaged as also that they had granted unto him two Subsidies then ungathered which were far short of setting forth the Navy at that time preparing And the Lord Conway and Secretary Cook did then more particularly declare unto the House of Commons the state of Affairs as they at that time stood manifesting that much more then the two Subsidies already given though not paid had been disbursed Moreover that the Fleet was then at Sea hastening to their Rendezvouz the Army at Plymouth expecting their Commanders his Majesties Honour Religion and the Kingdoms safety engaged That the King had certain advice of his Enemies intentions to infest his dominions in Ireland and the English Coasts and of their increase of Shipping in all parts as also that the present charge of his Army and Navy did amount to above four hundred thousand Pounds The Lord Treasurer likewise representing to them the late Kings debts Viz. To the City of London 120000l besides Interest For Denmark and the Palatinate 150000l For his Wardrobe 40000 l. All which did then lye upon his Majesty And that his then Majesty was indebted to the City of London 20000l That he had laid out upon his Navy 20000 l. For Count Mansfeild 20000l For Mourning and his Father's Funeral Expences 42000 l. For Expences concerning the Queen 40000 l. And that the pay of the Navy during the time intended for that present Expedition with the setting forth thereof would amount to 300000 l. But the Commons instead of that calm and temperate Consideration of the present Exigencies which his Majesty expected fell into very high debates and alledg'd that the Treasure was misimploy'd that evil Councils guided the King's designs that his Necessities grew by improvidence that they had need to petition the King for a straight hand and better Council to manage his affairs and that though a former Parliament did engage the King in a war yet if things were managed by contrary designs and the Treasure misimploy'd that Parliament was not bound by another Parliament to be carried blindfold in designs not guided by second Councils Adding that it was not usual to grant Subsidies upon Subsidies in one Parliament and no grievance redressed Notwithstanding which objections it was earnestly pressed by some Members of the House that two Subsidies and two Fifteens might be given his Majesties Honour and the Necessity of Affairs requiring it as it then appeared out of Considerations which had been frequently represented But these motives little avail'd for instead of hearkening thereto the Commons then publish'd a plausible Declaration wherein they solemnly protested and vowed before God and the world with one Heart and Voice that they were all resolv'd and did thereby declare that they would ever continue most loyal and obedient Subjects to their most gracious Sovereign Lord King Charles and that they would be ready in convenient time and in a Parliamentary-way freely and dutifully to do their utmost endeavours to discover and reform the Abuses and Grievances of the Realm and State and in like sort to afford all necessary Supply to his most excellent Majesty upon his present and all other his just Occasions and Designs The King therefore plainly perceiving that the House did not incline to any Supply and that in their debates they reflected upon some great persons near unto him dissolved that Parliament upon the twelfth of August Which done he resolved that the Fleet should speedily put to Sea and entred forthwith into a League with the United Provinces against the Emperour and King of Spain for restoring of the Liberties of Germany But being in great and present Want of moneys he issued out Letters under his Privy-Seal for borrowing to supply those Necessities and summon'd another Parliament to meet upon the sixth of February ensuing which was four days after his solemn Coronation Soon after the sitting of which Parliament the Earl of Pembroke at a Conference of both Houses represented how the affairs of Christendome stood before the breach of the Treaties with Spain and how at that present as also the condition of the Palatinate and likewise the King of Denmark's engagement in the quarrel with the forwardness of the Swedes and contract with the Hollander and that the Fruits of all these would be lost unless a speedy Supply were resolved on But notwithstanding all this the Commons still delay'd the giving of any Supply which occasion'd the King by a Letter to the Speaker to press them again thereunto and to remind them of their promises withall assuring them that he would willingly apply fit and seasonable remedies to such just Grievances as they should present unto him in a dutiful and mannerly way without throwing an ill odour upon the present Government or upon the Government of his Father Unto which Letter they made a specious general answer intimateing that they really intended him Supply and accordingly voted three Subsidies and three Fifteens but gave them not Not long after this His Majesty by the mouth of the Lord Keeper took notice to the House of Commons of a seditious expression made by Mr. Clement Coke one of their members as also of Dr. Turner's unparliamentary carriage in reference to the Duke of Buckingham likewise of suffering his Council of State to be censured and traduced in their House by persons whose Years and Education could not judge of things that forreign business had been entertain'd in the House to the hindrance and disadvantage of his Majesties Negotiations yea that upon the first day of his Inauguration they suffered his Council Governours and Servants to be parallel'd with the times of most Exception that their Committees had also presumed to examine the Letters of his Secretaries of State nay his Majesties own Letters and sent a general Warrant to his Signet Office commanding his Officers there not only to produce and shew the Records but their Books and private Notes which they made for his Majesties service Next he told them that they had been made acquainted with the greatness of his Majesties affairs both at home and abroad with the strong preparations of the Enemy with the Importance of upholding his Allies strengthening and securing both England and Ireland besides the encountring and annoying the Enemy by a powerful Fleet at Sea and the charge of all And that this being calculated unto them they had professed unto his Majesty by the
of England having not only been invaded by the Dutch but their bold usupation therein openly justifyed by certain public Writings the King with the advice of his Council-learned did about the same time issue out certain Writs directed as well to all the Inland Counties as to the respective Port-Towns according to the example of his Royal Progenitors to set out a certain number of Ships furnish'd with Mariners Amunition Victual and all other necessaries for defence of the Realm By which means he did not only assert and recover that dominion on the Sea which really belong'd to this Kingdom but much improved Trade and Commerce whereby the generality of his Subjects were not a little enrich'd But this just and rational practise some of the malevolent Members of his former Parliaments and others of that stamp under pretence of standing up for the Rights and Properties of the Subjects did stubbornly oppose though his Majesty had the clear and unanimous opinion of all the grave and learned Judges of his Courts in Westminster-Hall under their hands to justify those his Proceedings Nevertheless waving any arbitrary power he freely gave leave that the Case should be solemnly debated in the Exchequer-Chamber Which being publikly done after divers solid Arguments thereon no less then ten of those twelve Judges fully declared their opinion for the Legality thereof Sr. George Crook and Sr. Richard Hulton only dissenting though they had formerly subscribed thereto This as to the Civil Liberties and what as hath been before observed of the great noise made every where touching the fear of Popery was it whereof not only the factious people here took great advantage but those of that leven in Scotland who thereupon began to set on foot a contrivance whereby they might have the colour of Religion* to help on their work Whereunto the rise they took was a pretended apprehension that the Liturgy sent to them in an 1637 was a meer Popish Service-book and purposely design'd to introduce the Romish worship into both Kingdoms From the ground of which seeming jealousies they fell foul upon the Bishops under colour that they were the framers thereof and the chief Instruments for obtruding it upon them To clear them therefore of this most impious scandal I shall here breifly represent to the world what that so much defam'd Liturgy was and on what occasion it was sent into that Realm King Iames after he came to enjoy the Crown of England well observing the Decency and Uniformity of God's worship here and the Deformity thereof in his own native Kingdom where no set or public form of Prayer was used but oftimes seditious expressions girding at Sovereignty and Authority and stuft with false Reports upon his Progress into Scotland an 1616 an Assembly being then held at Aberdene he proposed to that Convention a public Liturgy to be used in that Realm Which pious motion being then and there well approved of a Liturgy was accordingly framed and in all points properly fitted for that Kirk and after his return into England convey'd to him where it was viewed by some of his Scottish Subjects yet not sent thither whilst that King lived Being thus composed his Son and Successor K. Charles after a review thereof finding it in substance the same with the English Liturgy which his Majesty in point of prudence declin'd to recommend unto them lest they might cavil thereat under colour that it would be look'd upon as a badge of Dependency upon the Church of England then sent it to the Lords of the Privy-Council of that Realm by their advice to be publicly read without the least suspition of any dislike thereof in regard it did so little differ from the English Liturgy wherewith his Scottish Subjects of all sorts were well acquainted by reason of their frequent resort to his Majesties own Chappel and many other Churches in this Realm where it was constantly used as also in his Royal Chappel at Haly-Rood-House whereunto the Nobility Bishops Judges Gentry and people of all degrees did usually come Cathedrals of Scotland and University of St. Andrews and not only so but commended in the Sermons of some of their after principal Covenanters especially Mr. Rollock But Rebellion being the close and underhand design of these great Pretenders to Godliness whereby in case they did prosper they might swallow up the Possessions of the Crown and Church with the Estates of all his Majesties loyal Subjects the contrivance was so laid that the Common people should be possess'd with an opinion that the King having married a Popish Queen did resolve to introduce the Romish Religion first into Scotland and afterwards into the rest of his dominions and to that end first to settle this Liturgy there it being privately whispered that it was the very Mass translated into their Language Which so far incensed the vulgar that upon the reading thereof in the great Church at Edenborough upon the 23 d of Iuly the same year 1637 they made such a tumult as that the Dean who read it and many other persons of note had much adoe to escape thence with their lives Which uproar was so barbarous that the day following the Lords of the Council there set forth a Proclamation* in dislike thereof And the Magistrates of Edenborough to make up the Pageant sent Letters into England to the Archbishop of Canterbury desiring him to recommend to the King's Majesty their zeal and forwardness for setling the peaceable practise thereof Neither would any man of note then seem to own that Tumult but attributed it to the Rogues and base multitude except the zealous Kirkmen who cryed it up in their Pulpits and magnifyed them for the most heroical Sparks that ever God inspired and raised up in this last age of the world and for their happy Mouths and Hands which God was pleas'd to honour that day with the beginning of their new Blessed Reformation and occasioning their celestial Covenant as they call'd it that their memorial should be eternal and all succeeding generations should call them blessed After this about the end of Harvest began a tumultuous conflux of the Nobility Gentry Ministers and others at Edenborough from all parts of the Kingdom howbeit as yet the principal persons in authority there seemed to stand right enough in their loyalty so that his Majesty the less feared the ensuing mischeifs the more to prevent any suspition thereof set forth three Proclamations First that nothing should be treated of at the Council-Table there about Church-business till they saw the times and meeting of his Majesties Subjects more quiet and peaceable The Second for removing the Session or Term from Edenborough to Lithgow for fear of present danger The third for burning a seditious Book dispersed in derogation of the Ecclesiastical Government in England But these Proclamations were for little else then shew the Tumults increasing so that the next day
the Bishop of Galoway and the Lord chief Justice of that Kingdom were assaulted by the multitude and the Lords beset in the Council-house the people in their clamorous noises crying God defend all those who will defend God's cause and God confound the Service-book and all the maintainers thereof And so great were their outrages that they pull'd down the Lord Treasurer took his Hat Cloak and White-Staff from him and set upon the Provost as he was entring his own House These with the like were the beginnings to their intended glorious work of Reformation as they call'd it which they 〈◊〉 God even to a miracle had so graciously prospered in their Hands In which last Tumults none were more forward than two of those who were lately Bayliffs of Edenborough and had subscribed the before-mention'd Letters to the Arch-bishop of Canterbury Subsequent to which Tumults two Petitions were presented to the Lord Chancellour and Council against the Service-book the first in the name of all the Men Women Children and Servants of Edenborough the second by the Noblemen Gentlemen Ministers and Burgesses suggestions being made to the people of the King's inclination to Popery Of which stirs in Scotland the King having advertisement he sent over the Earl of Roxborough Lord Privy-Seal into that Kingdom Whereupon a Proclamation was set forth there by his Majesties appointment for dispersing of the dangerous multitudes got together at Sterlyn But against this Proclamation the Earl of Hume and Lord Lindsey with many others of all ranks made a Protestation which Protestation they published at Lithgow and afterwards at Edenborough forcing the Heraulds that proclaim'd the same to stay and hear the Protestation against it So that 't is observable that the first Tumult was by the name of Rascals and Scum of the people The second by the best sort of Citizens and the third by the Nobility Gentry and Magistrates After which Protestation they erected public Tables of Advice and Council for ordering the affairs of that Kingdom in contempt of his Majesties authority entring into a formal Combination which they call'd a Covenant against all that should oppose them Which Covenant Mr. Andrew Cant in his Sermon at Galsgow told the people he was sent to them with by a Commission from Christ to bid them Subscribe it being Christ's contract and that he himself came as a wooer to them for the Bridegroom and call'd upon them to come to be hand-fasted by subscribing that contract Adding that he would not depart the Town till he got all the names of those who should refuse to subscribe that Contract of whom he promised to complain to his Master The King therefore hearing of the increase of those troubles sent over the Marquess of Hamilton with Commission for composure of them Who on the sixth of Iune following arrived at Dalkeith where the Lords of his Majesties Council of that Kingdom were then assembled for safety as 't was pretended in regard of the combustions at Edenborough which daily increased But the cheif of the Covenanters grew daily more violent in their courses increased the meetings of their Tables subdivided them into several Committees augmented their Provisions of Armes and infusing fears and jealousies into the people by seditious Sermons caused Edenborough-Castle to be girt with strong Guards hindred all persons to go to the Marquess to treat or speak with him in the business for which he was sent giving out that there was a Plot to blow them up with Gunpowder if they should go to Dalkeith and received in two Ships-lading with Armes and Amunition at that time Whereupon at the request of the Citizens of Edenborough the Marquess took his journey from Dalkeith to Haly-Rood-House But before he got thither the Covenanters meeting him on the way with multitudes that made great Exclamations against Popery and Bishops required a General Assembly of the Church and then a Parliament justifying their Covenant as being more available and usefull to them as they said than all the Laws and Acts of Parliament which had been enacted in that Kingdom since the time of Fergus the first King thereof The Peoples fury also growing more hot than ever new Guards were clap'd upon the Castle of Edenborough the Pulpits rung of Libellous Sermons and Prayers yea so insolent they were that they sent a Prohibition against reading the English-Service in the King 's peculiar Chappel where the Marquess his Majesties Commissioner and the Council were to be Which Tumults as 't was said occasioning the Marquess to go back to Dalkeith the Covenanters sent Letters to every one of his Majesties Council requiring their Subscription to the Covenant And understanding that the Marquess did resolve to publish a Declaration of his Majesties forwardness to maintain the Religion professed in that Kingdom and his aversness to Popery disswaded him as he tendred the King's honour his own safety and peace of the Publick from doing it But not withstanding these arguments the Marquess did cause his Majesties Proclamation to be publish'd by Heraulds at the Market-Cross in Edenborough declaring his resolution to maintain the true Protestant-Christian-Religion And for farther clearing of scruples assured them that he would neither then nor thenceforth press the practise of the Canons and Service-Book otherwise than in such a fair and legal way as should satisfy his loving Subjects that he neither intended Innovation in Religion or Laws warning all his good people to beware of disobedience But all this no whit sufficed them for in open affront thereto they caused multitudes of people to fill the streets especially near the Cross in an hostile equipage with Pistols and Swords out of their Belts giving out that if this Proclamation were hearkned unto it would bring undoubted ruine to their Religion Laws and Liberties and upon a Scaffold erected for that purpose they mounted with a Rebellious Protestation in defence of their Covenant which they published openly concluding that if his Majesty would not allow their proceedings they themselves would call a General Assembly justifying all their doings to be most necessary and an orderly means agreeable to the Laws and practise of that Church and Kingdom Whereupon the Marquess returning into England to acquaint the King with what had passed resolving to be back again before the Fifth of August with new instructions they in his absence inform'd the People that he was well satisfied with their Covenant Against which calumny upon his return he publish'd a Manifesto in Print And having direction from his Majesty to indict an Assembly sent to divers of the principal Covenanters concerning some Propositions to be resolv'd upon before the meeting thereof But this Message was receiv'd with so much choler and contempt that they blazed it abroad for a proposition tending to the utter ruine of the Laws and Liberties of that Church and Kingdom Which much startling the Marquess he told them of his resolution to go
to all Kings from their Subjects and from them to their dread Soveraign after a more special manner but meerly to preserve their Religion and Liberties of the Kingdom and that whatsoever course they should take it should be no imputation to them being constrain'd thereto for best securing that Kirk and Kingdom from the Extremity of confusion and misery taking God and man to witness that they would be free of all outrages and Insolencies that should be committed in the mean time And then they began again to levy and raise Forces in several parts of the Realm in great numbers excercised train'd and assign'd them a Rendezvouz as also a day to be in readiness to march making Provisions of Artillery Amunition and Armes in great quantities from forreign parts laying Taxes and Impositions of ten marks in every hundred upon all the Subjects of that Kingdom according to their several Revenues for support of their Rebellion exacting the same with the greatest rigour that could be imagined spreading sundry Papers and Pamphlets scandalous to the King's proceedings block'd up the Castle of Edenborough and fortified divers places imprisoned the Earl of Southeske one of his Majesties Privy-Council there and sundry others of quality for not adhering to them in their Rebellious courses endeavouring to settle Intelligencers in parts beyond-Sea and practising to let in forreign power inclining rather to prostitute themselves to a forreign Government and different in Religion than yield obedience and conformity to his Majesty their natural Soveraign as appears by their Addresses and Letter to the French King By what hath been said it appearing that the first glimpse of this grand and destructive Rebellion shew'd it self at Edenborough upon the three and twentieth of Iuly an 1637 the scum of the people then taking fire at thâ— reading of that Service-book which was sent over by his late Majesty of blessed memory as a proper Liturgy for the Church of Scotland and most nearly suting with this of England Forasmuch therefore as from those Sparks the ensuing flames arose which from and after that time continued burning for the space of many years until they had overspread and much wasted the cheif parts of this great Isle to make the Bishops of both Kingdoms odious there are not a few who either out of malice to their sacred function or ignorance as to matter of fact have imputed the original of all this mischeif unto them as the first Authors or procurers of that Book which they would have believed to be the first rise thereof To the end therefore that those reverend persons soon after ruin'd and since dead may be fully vindicated from being primarily instrumental therein though had they so been no person of upright judgment could justly have blamed them from endeavouring an uniformity in the service of God in both Kingdoms I shall desire my Reader to cast his eye upon that faithful Narrative written by the command of our late Soveraign King Charles the first and corrected throughout with his own hand as many yet living can testify whereby he will clearly discern that the then Lords of the Privy-Council of Scotland were the men who advised the King to commend a Service-Book to be received and used in all the Churches of that Realm of which there was no little want every man being left to his own giddy fancy Now whether this advice of those Lords was not with purpose to trepan his Majesty to do that which as they resolv'd to order the business should occasion a tumultuous Insurrection by the rabble whence their grand Design of raising a general flame of war might ensue let the Reader judge when he looks back upon their discontents upon his Majesties Revocation of such things as had been passed away in prejudice of that Crown especially by some of his Progenitors in their minorities though not without advice of those who were then his Privy-Councellors in that Realm as hath been already observed And withall consider what combinations were driven on divers years before betwixt the most considerable persons of the Puritan-party in England and the Grand-Contrivers there Mr. Knightley's house in Northampton-shire being the chief place where that restless faction had their frequent meetings whence a Gentleman of quality was sent into Scotland afterwards a great Parliament-man here who residing there for some time before the troubles broke out represented to those which had the chief Interest there that the business of the Ship-money and Habeas Corpus with divers other things whereof there was much noise made afterwards had so irritated the greatest part of the English Nation that if they made sure work at home they needed not to fear any thing from England Moreover how earnestly and eagerly after that Tumult at Edenborough was so raised all sorts of people took advantage thereof the Kirkmen laying about them in their Pulpits so that the Citizens Gentry and Nobles speedily put themselves in Armes entring into a rebellious Confederacy called the Covenant And lastly that when his Majesty most gratiously offered to recall the Service-Book which was the great business at which they seem'd to take offence they were no whit lenified It will be visible enough to any person of judgment who doth not wilfully shut his Eyes that the hatching of this Rebellion was of a much elder date than that Service-Book But I now return to England CHAP. VI. HIs Majesty thus seeing his danger from Scotland and hoping of help from his English Subjects resolv'd of calling a Parliament here But no sooner were Writs out for that purpose than that the Schismatical Party used all possible endeavour to strengthen their side by choosing of their own faction for Knights and Burgesses And to accomplish the same spared for no pains in packing of Voices and making parties wherein their Seditious Pulpit-men bestir'd themselves to purpose such being then their fury that those meetings for Elections appeared more like riotous tumults than orderly conventions nevertheless the Nation was not then so generally tainted but that many good men were chosen Which Parliament began at Westminster upon the thirteenth day of April wherein his Majesty declared to both Houses the indignities receiv'd from his Scotish Subjects and to suppress their Rebellion proposed a Supply of twelve Subsidies in lieu whereof he was content to forbear Ship-money than which nothing seem'd so grievous Had not that Parliament been broke by the subtile artifices of the Grand-Contrivers in the immediate Rebellion no doubt but all those miseries which were thereby soon after brought upon this Realm might have been easily prevented and that the breach thereof was wrought by them is plain enough For Sir Henry Vane Senior a member of the House of Commons at that time and one of his Majesties principal Secretaries of State having by the King's appointment moved for a Supply of twelve Subsidies yet with power to stoop to eight when he saw an inclination
being too strong But no sooner was the King gone than that the turbulent Spirits in the House of Commons set to work in framing a bitter Remonstrance of the general Grievances of the Kingdom to make his Majesties Government seem odious to his Subjects which was ordered to be brought into the House Whereupon grew great debates and disputes which lasted from three of the clock afternoon the whole night following and till ten of the Clock on the morrow But at length many who disliked and opposed it partly by reason of their age of infirmity of Body being wearied out and departing others through sloth or timorousness leaving the House it was voted by some few voices divers of the factious party being fetcht out of their Beds to assist This Remonstrance being a compendium of all the mistakes and misfortunes that had hapned since the beginning of his Majesties reign to that hour objected to him the Actions of some and the Thoughts of others reproacht him with such things of which he never knew and reviled him to his people complained also of the House of Peers and ascribed all the Acts of Grace already passed in that Parliament to their own wisdom in procuring with intimation of their despair in setling the distractions of the Kingdom by reason of the power of a malignant-party and want of concurrence by the House of Peers wherein so many Bishops and malignant Lords then sat This being done their next work was to get the whole command of the Militia which being had nothing afterwards could be difficult to them For the better effecting thereof they therefore had again recourse to those shadows of Conspiracies and Plots which had stood them in good stead before The first of them being a new pretended Treason by the Earl of Craford and others against the Marquess of Hamilton then in Scotland and other Peers of that Realm this being signified by Letters from their Committee in Scotland dated 14 Oct. Whereupon that the like here might be prevented orders were directed to the Sheriffs of London Middlesex and Surrey for setling strong Guards of armed-men in places of moment Likewise the whole Trayned-Band of Westminster was brought into the Palace-Yard on the morrow and there attended all that day giving this reason for that order viz. Because the mischeivous designs and conspiracies lately discovered in Scotland against some principal and great men there by some of the Popish-faction gives just occasion to suspect that they may maintain correspondency here and practise the like in this Realm In like manner the same Trayn-Band of Westminster was brought into the Palace-Yard on the morrow and attended all that day until the Houses rose And the next day following Mr. Pym made a large Speech at a conference to lay open the Conspiracy Neither wanted they the Pulpits to advance their designs their Lecturers in several parts being men neither of learning nor conscience insinuating to the People all those falshoods and scandals which might work in them a dislike towards his Majesty depraving the conformable-Clergy charging them with Revolt from the Protestant Religion with purpose to introduce Popery one of them preaching to the Brotherhood in the Artillery-Garden expressing that for the defence of Religion and Reformation of the Church it was lawful to take up Arms against the King As a preparative whereunto a Bill was brought into the House for putting all the Forts and Castles and the whole Militia of the Kingdom into such hands as they might confide in CHAP. VIII IN this time the Rebellion in Ireland breaking forth it will not be improper to say somewhat thereof wherein though I shall not charge our grand Conspirators here with having any hand as to matter of council or contrivance with the Ring-leaders of that barbarous Insurrection yet can I not at all excuse them from giving great occasion for it and not without suspicion of Design if all be true that I have seen in a brief discourse thereof publish'd in print in an 1644. Which I shall leave to the better judgment of such as then lived and well observed the Actions of those times The substance of which Narrative is this viz. That the Irish being a people born and bred in the Romish Religion which they did glory to have derived from their Ancestors for no less than Thirteen hundred years and wherein they had connivence ever since the Reformation it could not be imagined when they saw such a Storm approach them by the harsh proceedings of the Parliament then sitting at Westminster against those of their profession in England who were daily cavill'd withall charg'd with sundry forged Conspiracies and Plots to render them odious and distastful to the world the wardship and education of their children voted to the disposal of others their votes as Peers in Parliament endangered and the large Progress made in England and Scotland towards the extirpation of the Protestant Religion as it then stood establish'd by Law in both Realms under which they had enjoyed their estates though upon certain penalties with the charge whereof they were well acquainted but they had cause enough to fear that their own misery was not far off especially discerning that the Insolency of the Scots did daily increase toward them whose large footing in their Kingdom having an inveterate hatred towards the Natives might endanger their shouldring them out Considering likewise the frequent Reports given out in that Kingdom to extirpate their Religion and Nation as also that Orders were made by the Houses of Parliament in England incroaching upon their priviledges of Parliament in Ireland and that their Committee after nine months attendance on his Majesty who was graciously pleased to hear their grievances being referr'd to the Houses of Parliament here upon his departure from London towards Scotland 10 Aug. 1641 was constrain'd to return without any redress through the prevalency of some leading Members who before had all they could misinterpreted to his Majesty the proceedings and Actions of the Parliament in Ireland It was therefore not a little fear'd by some that those provocations were purposely exercised to exasperate the Irish to take up Arms that so under colour of suppressing them as Rebels they might be utterly destroyed and eradicated Nor was it without suspicion by others considering how eagerly that Act for confiscation of their Lands was prosecuted by those Members at Westminiter at the very beginning of that Insurrection Also how his Majesties going over in person after the same brake out was hinder'd which in probability might have quencht that flame Moreover how they ingrossed that war into their own hands thereby to have the power to employ any forces raised or levied for it to assist in pursuance of their design upon this Kingdom as they should see cause as was evident by those under the command of the Lord Wharton and others which were in the Battel of
whose endeavours were to kindle that combustion in England which they had in so great a measure effected in Ireland and which nothing could do as they said but the granting that Petition Which Petition together with an Ordinance of both Houses setting forth a most dangerous and desperate design upon the House of Commons and many discoveries importing fears of rebellious Insurrections by Papists and other ill affected persons in this Kingdom they then exhibited Whose answer thereunto being that for the City of London and other Corporations which by any antient Charters had power of ordering the Militia he conceiv'd it unfit to alter their government but that he could not consent to the indefinite time propounded for this Posture Whereupon they forthwith voted this Answer to be a flat denial and that his Majesties advisers thereto were Enemies to the State and mischeivous Projectors against the defence of the Kingdom Also that this denial was of such dangerous consequence that it would hazard the peace and safety of all his Kingdoms unless some speedy remedy were applyed by the Parliament And immediately dispatch'd another Petition to his Majesty then at Theobalds wherein they protested that if he did not speedily pass his assent to the satisfaction of their desires they should be inforced by authority of both Houses to dispose thereof and that they did accordingly so resolve to do Farther voting that the Kingdom should be forthwith put into a Posture of defence by Authority of both Houses that the Navy should be speedily rigg'd and a Declaration of their just Fears and Jealousies speedily drawn up with the grounds of their former votes for putting the Kingdom into a Posture by authority of both Houses to clear the Parliament of all mistrusts And to carry out all this under colour of the Peoples desires New Petitions were brought from several Counties viz. one from Staffordsh pretending such dread of the Papists rising there that every man was constrain'd to stand upon his Guard not daring to go to Church unarm'd Others from Worcestersh Berksh Norfolk Norwich Lynne Royston Salop all of them earnestly desiring this Posture of Defence And the very next day the Ordinance for ordering the Militia of the Kingdom by authority of both Houses sent to his Majesty 22 Febr. was assented to by the Lords and thereupon new Lieutenants were assign'd throughout all England and Wales And having in a grand Committee at Merchant-Taylers Hall contrived the Declaration mention'd in their Votes of March the second wherein they made a very great noise of a design to alter Religion in this Kingdom and that the wars with Scotland and Ireland were framed to that end they presented the same to his Majesty at Newmarket within few days after voting the King's Commissions of Lieutenancies in the several Counties illegal as also that there was an urgent and inevitable Necessity for putting his Majesties Subjects into a Posture of Defence and that the Ordinances of both Houses for the Militia being obliging to the People ought to be obeyed by the Fundamental Laws of this Kingdom And lastly that the Earl of Warwick should be appointed Vice-Admiral of his Majesties Ships And having now by these their exorbitant courses together with the Tumults so much endangered his Majesties Royal person that he was forced for safety of himself and the Prince to retire into the North they voted that they would go on with their former Votes concerning the Militia Also that when the Lords and Commons in Parliament should declare what the Laws of the Land be to Question it was a high breach of the Privilege of Parliament After this within few days they sent a Petition to York which was there presented to his Majesty by the Lord Willoughby of Parham and others wherein they alledged that his Majesties denial to their petition for disposing the Militia was a great hinderance to their other proceedings and justified the Tumults at Westminster by taxing his Majesty with denial of such a Guard to them as they might confide in aspersing his Government for many continued Acts of violation of Laws c. And to keep the people still awake by allarming them with new dangers they caused Letters to be read in the House which were said to come from Amsterdam intimating intelligence from Denmark of a great Army ready prepared there to be transported for England and to land at Hull upon some dangerous enterprize The like Letter pretended to come from Newmarket then produced and another from France Whereupon having receiv'd a Petition from the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Common-Council of London in which great Thanks was given to the House for ordering the Militia of the City as they had done with their resolutions therein signified to obey the same As also another from the Cinque-Ports desiring that those places might be strongly guarded and fortified and the Kingdom put into a Posture they ordered that every of his Majesties Forts and Castles should be presently fortified with an Hundred men of the Trained Bands next adjoining to them and ten pieces of Ordinance to each place Also that no Forces should be admitted into Hull without the consent of the Lords and Commons and that Instructions should be sent thither for the farther fortifying of that place Likewise upon another pretended discovery made by one Mr. Cartwright and the Speaker of the House of Commons that they were advertised by Letters from France of an Army preparing there to come for England or Ireland the Lords sent a message to the Commons to let them know that they had designed the Earl of Warwick Vice-Admiral of the Fleet. Whereupon both Houses joyn'd in a Message to the King to inform him of the grounds and reasons of their sending out that Earl as Vice-Admiral without his Majesties consent The King therefore discerning that they had got the Royal Navy into their hands thought it high time to make sure of his Magazine which had been laid up at Hull about two years before part for the service of Ireland and the rest for the security of the North and accordingly rode from York thither for the disposal thereof But when he came to the Gates of that Town Sir Iohn Hotham a member of the House of Commons being a confiding man with the factious party there and by their contrivance got privately thither with Souldiers refused him entrance affirming that in so doing he had the authority of Parliament to bear him out For which insolent act he was declared traiterous by his Majesty and by a special Message so signifyed to both Houses with demand of Justice against him according to the Laws But instead thereof they forthwith not only publish'd a bold Declaration with Votes and order of assistance in the name of both Houses of Parliament justifying Hotham therein
and Sconces at Graves-end and Chatham together with Dover-Castle Into Leicestershire they sent the Earl of Stanford with Horse Foot and Canon Into Warwickshire the Lord Brooke and others with six thousand Horse and Foot and into Dorsetshire the Earl of Bedford with seven thousand Foot six hundred Horse and fourteen pieces of Canon and special direction into other parts that their Lieutenants and Deputy-Lieutenants should speedily execute their Ordinance for the Militia and declare to all men that it had been and should be the endeavour of both Houses of Parliament to provide for his Majesties safety c. But the more to incense the people they issued out other Declaration in the name of the Lords and Commons in Parliament scandalizing the King with laying the foundation of an arbitrary and tyrannical Government and that notwithstanding all his Vows and Protestations to govern by Law which had been dispersed throughout the Kingdom to blind and deceive the people as they alleaged the most mischievous principles of Tyranny had been exercised that ever were invented with promise to all well affected persons as they term'd them that should be prejudiced by the Cavaliers that they should have full reparation of their damages out of the Estates of all such persons as had withdrawn themselves to York to serve his Majesty The King therefore seriously weighing the perillous condition in which himself and the whole Realm were thus miserably plunged through the rage and malice of these desperate men that he might leave nothing unattemted for preventing of those great calamities which he clearly saw approaching after he had thus erected his royal Standard sent a Message from Notingham to those Houses at Westminister by the Earls of Southampton Dorset and others whereby he propounded that for composure of those unhappy differences some fit persons might be enabled to treat on both sides in such manner and with such freedome as might best tend to an happy conclusion of them But this gracious offer was receiv'd by them with so much scorn and insolence they then having a powerful Army on foot with plenty of Money and other accommodations and his Majesty destitute of all these that the substance of their Answer was that if his Majesty would forsake all his Loyal Subjects then with him and return to his Parliament he should find such expressions of their fidelities and duty as might assure him that his safety Honour and Greatness was only to be found in their affections And immediately publish'd a Declaration setting forth that the Arms which they had taken up c. should not be laid down until his Majesty should withdraw his protection from such as had been voted by both Houses to be Delinquents or that should be so voted and should leave them to the justice of the Parliament Things being brought to this height it will not be improper now to take notice how the Scots did behave themselves towards the King in this unhappy Juncture whose gracious condescensions to them had been such as hardly any age can parallel Wherein it is to be considered that they could not but discern what breaches had been made upon his Majesty and his just Rights by those here who sat at Westminister and call'd themselves the Parliament as also to what degree of strength and power they were grown with the artifices whereby they attain'd thereto Moreover that though by a Petition exhibited to the Lords of his Majesties Privy-Council of that Realm upon the last of May an 1642 they had intimated a desire to shun any just occasion that might give offence to their gracious Soveraign as they then call'd him or of Iealousy to their Brethen of England and so seemed to stand only as Spectators yet when they heard that their Friends in England had put themselves in Arms and were so powerful in strength every way and his Majesty so weak they then not only shew'd themselves more open but sent a Form of their Kirk-Government to the Parliament at Westminster as a Pattern for Reformation with desire from the Assembly of that Kirk that the same might be establish'd here and a Declaration of their affections to the Reformation in Kirk and State Wherein they signified their expectation that England would now bestir themselves and extirpate the Prelatical Hierarchy that the remainder of the work might be the more easy offering their assistance for furthering thereof Of which more anon That there was nothing wanting in his Majesty that could be expected from a most pious and gracious Prince for prevention of those miseries which this turbulent Generation afterwards brought upon these Realms doth sufficiently appear by his sundry pathetick Messages to them formerly sent Nevertheless to acquit himself farther to God and the world by another Message of Sept. the eleventh he manifested to them what endeavours he had used by his many offers but could not obtain any Treaty And therefore now declared that being thus left to his necessary defence relying only on the Providence of God the justness of his Cause and the affections of his good people he should yet piously remember the blood that was to be spilt in this Quarrel and chearfully embrace a Treaty when ever they should desire it But to this was returned a most scornful and scandalous Answer taxing him with committing by his Souldiers oppressions rapines and murthers upon his good Subjects saying that they had offered him all Security Honour Service Obedience Support c. and sought nothing but that their Religion Liberty Peace of the Kingdom and Safety of the Parliament might be secured from the open violence and cunning practises of a wicked party who had long plotted their destruction upbraiding him that Irish Traitors and Rebels were admitted to his presence grace and favour and telling him that if he would return to his Parliament without his forces they would secure his royal Person Crown and Dignity Being thus driven to these great Extremities which was either to submit to their mercy and forsake all those his loyal Subjects who had faithfully adhered to him or to expose his royal Person with that small part of an Army he then had to the uncertain chance of war and hearing that the Earl of Essex the Rebell 's General was gone out of London in great State upon the tenth of September the cheif part of his Army being advanced to Northampton before he march'd from Notingham towards Shrewsbury upon the thirteenth of that month with what forces he then had and at the Head of them near Wellington made a solemn Protestation to defend the Protestant Religion establish'd in the Church of England to govern by the known Laws of the Land that the Liberty and Property of the Subject might be by them preserved with the same care as his own just rights Also to maintain the just Priviledges of Parliament And that he would expect no
aid from any man nor protection from Heaven when he willingly should fail in these particulars Which pious intentions of his thus declared were of no small advantage to him at that time his Army increasing daily beyond expectation The Rebels therefore hearing which way the King moved beâ—t their course speedily towards him making their Head-quarter in and about Worcester from the four and twentieth of September till the nineteenth of October following Near to which place upon their approach some few Troops of his Majesties under the command of Prince Rupert most happily defeated a far greater number of the Rebel 's principal Cavalry Colonel Sandys Major Douglas and other Commanders with divers other being there slain six Cornets of Horse taken and all this with the loss but of one man Which being the first notable encounter that his Majesties forces had with them and so successful did not a little amaze most of the Rebels party Lest therefore the truth thereof being divulged should dishearten their friends in London and other remote parts they not only caused divers printed Papers to be spread about bragging of it for a special victory but that it might gain the more credit ordain'd a public Thanksgiving in London for the same And to hinder his Majesty from the assistance of his good Subjects under one pretence or other though they had cryed out against his raising an Army by the help of Papists to destroy the Protestant Religion they were not ashamed to make a public Order that if any Papist would bring in considerable sums to them upon the Propositions it should be accepted of As by these subtile devices they had rais'd the flames of Rebellion to this height and deprived the King of all visible means here for the quenching thereof so did they use their utmost endeavours to prevent any help that might be obtained for him from forreign parts as appears by their negotiation with the States of the Vnited Provinces wherein they imploy'd one Walter Strickland with a special Declaration to them complaining of the Prince of Aurange for countenancing the Lord Digby in his making warlike Provisions in those parts for the King's use and in favour of that Lord and other wicked Counsellers and Incendiaries to have licensed experienced Officers and Souldiers to resort into this Kingdom in aid of his Majesty against the Parliament Scandalizing the King also that his Councils were corrupted by a Jesuitical faction and that he had drawn his sword for the destruction of his people desiring therefore that his Majesty might have no manner of Supplies from thence and withall insinuating how near a relation there was betwixt that model into which they aimed to cast this Government and the State of those Provinces and that therefore they expected assistance from them Nor did they rest here as is evident from those Instructions which were brought up by a Committee to be sent into Holland for this Mr. Strickland upon the 29th of February an 1643 by which he was to represent to the States of those Provinces that the Parliament of England did only strive for Reformation of that Religion and State they live in and therefore desired those States that they would now afford them their Brotherly assistance as they had formerly assisted them As also that they would enlarge their union to other Princes and lend them some money upon the public faith of both Kingdoms and the rather because they made Reformed Churches the pattern of their endeavours Neither could they be silent at home but the more to stir up the people inculcated to them that the King had raised an Army by the help of Papists the corrupt part of the Clergy the Delinquent Nobility and Gentry and some notable Traitors beyond-Sea that they had liberty to rob and spoil all sorts of people as also to exact Money and Plate from Corporations by threatning Fire and Sword to the refusers that he had hired a Scotchman to murther Sir Iohn Hotham that by violent oppressions he had exhausted the parts about Shrewsbury and that the Cavaliers were hungry for the wealth of London and the fruitful Counties adjacent that if he should prevail there was no expectation but that all would be exposed to the malice and rapine of his ravenous Souldiers and all honest and religious mens throats cut And therefore that the means of curing and preventing these dangers must be by Loan and contribution to the Earl of Essex's Army which was not inferior in number to the King 's besides better armed full pay'd c. but above all well encouraged and instructed in the Cause by the labour of many Godly and painful Divines and therefore that all Trained Bands Voluntiers c. in all places should assist the Lord General c. Whereunto they added these ensuing Votes viz. 1. That such persons as should not contribute to the charge of the Common-wealth in this time of Necessity should be held sit to be secured and disarmed 2. That the Fines Rents c. of Arch-Bishops Bishops Deans c. and of such notorious Delinquents who had taken up Arms against the Parliament or had been active in the Commission of Array should be sequestred for the use and service of the Common-wealth 3. That the King's revenues should be brought into the several Courts and other places where they ought to be paid in and not issued out until farther order was taken by both Houses of Parliament And to sum up all they set forth another Declaration and Protestation wherein they did in the presence of Almighty God protest and declare to this Kingdom and the whole World that no private passion or respect nor evil intention to his Majesties person no design to the prejudice of his just Honour and Authority had engaged them to raise Forces and take up Arms c. that they had professed their Loyalty by several Remonstrances that they had passed by ignominious Slanders c. that for the avoiding of blood they had directed the Earl of Essex by himself or others to cause an humble Petition to be delivered to his Majesty to return in peace to his Parliament that his Majesty had refused to yield safe conduct for the delivery thereof that he was engaged to the Popish-party for suppression and extirpation of the true Religion and exposing the wealth of this Kingdom to be plundered and spoil'd by Cavaliers c. contrary to his solemn Oaths Protestations and Execrations and therefore that they resolved to enter a solemn Oath and Covenant to defend this Cause with the hazard of their lives against the King's Army And that they expected help from the Brethren of Scotland herein His Majesty therefore having in a very short time and beyond expectation raised an indifferent Army though his wants of many accomodations were very great finding no means of Peace or Safety but by the hazard of Battel which the Rebels eagerly sought casting himself wholly upon
go out of the line of Communication yet now that they were rais'd they meaning the Parliament might dispose of them whether they pleased without asking their consents And whereas the first Ordinance for Excise was but only for maintenance of the Army and paiment of Debts due by the Common-wealth they passed another wherein was a consideration added for securing of Trade which occasioned the enlargement thereof upon such Commodities as had not been formerly tax'd besides an alteration of the rates Which Commodities were Strong-waters Medicinal-Drugs Haberdashers-ware Vpholsters ware Salt Sallets Sope all sorts of Woollen-cloth Paper Skins and Glasses Having also thus taught the new Auxiliaries the force of an Ordinance of Parliament they passed another for the pressing of five thousand men in the Cities of London and Westminster with the Counties adjacent to go under the command of Sir William Waller And to hasten on the march of their Brethren the Scots to their aid and assistance the Members of the House of Commons with great formality and no less seeming devotion entred into that unhappy Combination called the solemn League and Covenant so fram'd in Scotland in St. Margarets-Church at Westminster Which under the specious veil of Reformation was that fatal Engine whereby not only the Hierarchy in the Church was by them soon after destroyed and the patrimony thereof with the Lands and Revenues of the Crown swallow'd up by those pretenders to Godliness but the sacred Person of the King most inhumanly murthered and this ancient and long flourishing Monarchy so far as 't was in their power wholly subverted and destroy'd as to the whole world is most notorious In the Preamble whereunto they had the confidence to say that this their League and Covenant was according to the commendable practise of these Kingdoms and the Example of God's people in other Nations Whereas there is not only no mention of any such things by our Historiographers nor in the History of any other Realm that I have ever seen excepting that of the Holy League in France whereof I shall take farther notice ere I finish this work but Mr. Philip Nye one of their mighty Champions for the Cause and an especial assertor of this Covenant hath expresly affirmed in print that it is such an Oath as for matter persons and other circumstances the like hath not been in any age or Oath we read of in sacred or humane stories And it is also observable that whereas in the Preamble they farther affirm that they did it to preserve themselves and their Religion which must needs be intended the known Religion publickly profess'd and by Law establish'd in the Church of England from ruine and destruction they immediatly vow to reform Religion here in England according to the pattern of the Kirk of Scotland and to extirpate Episcopacy and all Ecclesiastical Offices depending thereon Notwithstanding they knew full well First that the King was by his Coronation Oath sworn to maintain and defend the Bishops and the Churches under their charge Secondly that all the Clergy of England had testified their approbation of Episcopal Government by personal Subscriptions thereto and thirdly that by a solemn Protestation made and framed by themselves in that very Parliament and recommended by them to be taken by all the people of England they had oblig'd themselves neither for hope nor fear or other respect to relinquish the true Protestant Religion express'd in the Doctrine of the Church of England But all this Pageantry in their thus taking of that solemn League and Covenant could not allay the loud clamours of the people occasion'd by the great pressures and daily exactions under which they miserably groaned the Members therefore were constrain'd to betake themselves to another way for the easing them at least in shew and this was by an Ordinance for selling the King's Queen's and Princes revenues and the arrearages thereof as also to another for felling and cutting down Woods within sixty miles of London in all Forests Chases and Parks belonging to the King or Queen or any Arch-bishop Bishop Dean and Chapter c. Papist Delinquent Malignant c. to be disposed of for supply of the City of London Which seeming favour was for no other purpose than that they might afterwards bring the greater load upon them as they did ere long For within few days upon a jugling Report made to the House of a Pope's Bull translated into English with a Declaration upon it which was pretended to be newly sent into England for the more effectual prosecuting of the Catholic war here a Committee of the House of Commons and of the Assembly of Divines came to a Common-Hall in London to consult with the Citizens for the speedy raising of an hundred thousand pounds for the advance of the Scottish Army to be lent for that service and repay'd when moneys were procured from forreign parts upon the public faith of both Kingdoms And to obtain more men as well as money there issued out another Order that the Committee for the Militia or London should have power to appoint six Regiments of their Trained-Bands and one of their Auxiliaries as also one Regiment of Horse and Dragoons to march out with their Commanders and joyn with the Earl of Essex's Forces Likewise an Ordinance for the pressing of five thousand Souldiers more to be sent to the Islands of Ieresey and Garnsey under the command of the Earl of Warwick those Trained-Bands being appointed to meet in St. Iames Fields and from thence to march unto such place as the Earl of Essex or his Officers should appoint and in default thereof their Shops to be shut up themselves depriv'd of Trade and liable to expulsion out of the lines of Communication And about the same time they passed another Ordinance for assessing the Twenty fifth part upon all Members of Parliament who then were either in the King's Army or otherwise absent their estates to be let in case of not paiment And having lately sped so well upon credit of the public faith they adventured again upon the same security recommending to the Counties of Norfolk Suffolk Essex and Lincoln with the City of Norwich the aid of the Lord Fairfax in Men Money Plate Horse and Amunition passing an Ordinance for repaiment of what should be lent for the speedy bringing in of the Scots to their assistance and securing it in the mean time by the before-mention'd public faith But the reputation of the public faith was now grown so low that moneys came not in either quick enough or in such large sums as were expected it being left arbitrary to the Creditors what they would lend another Ordinance therefore was passed for raising the full sum of sixty six thousand six hundred sixty six pounds thirteen shillings four pence within the Cities of London and Westminster with the Counties of Hertford Bedferd Middlesex Essex Suffolk
Majesties Garrisons In the same month of May Dudley castle in Staffordshire was delivered up to Sir William Brereton by Colonel Leveson and soon after Carnarvon Town and Castle to Major General Mitton and Major General Langhorn the Lord Byron being then Governour there Likewise Ludlow in Shropshire to Sir William Brereton and Borstall house near Oxford Oxford it self also soon followed Sir Thomas Glemham being then Governour As also Farringdon in Berkshire Sir George L'isle being Governour Next Lichfield close in Staffordshire Then the City of Worcester besieg'd by Colonel Whalley and Colonel Raynsborough Colonel Washington being Governour Also Wallingford castle Colonel Blague being Governour Gotherich Castle likewise in Hereford shire and Pendennis-castle in Cornwall whereof Iohn Arrundel of Trerise was Governour Conway Castle in Flintshire being storm'd by Major General Mitton In the next month after a long siege by General Fairfax Sir Trevor Williams and Colonel Langhorn Ragland castle in Monmouth shire was yielded to them And soon after the Isles and Castle of Scilly were given up As also the Castles of Denbigh and Holt Whereupon Generall Fairfax advanced triumphantly towards London And on the first of February next following the Scots having effectually received the whole Sum of two hundred thousand pounds for which they sold the King they marcht over Twede into Scotland His Majestie having thus cast himself upon the loyalty of those touching whose large professions and protestations to him I have already taken notice let us now behold the blessed Fruits of Presbytery by the subsequent Practises of these Zelots which doth amply make good what King Iames long since declared of that Sect viz. that no deserts could oblige nor Oaths or Promises bind them For notwithstanding those their solemn Oaths and Protestations they most perfidiously acted contrary to them hastning thereby that farther ruin which soon afterwards befel the Church of England and at length terminated in the wofull murther of their native Sovereign as is notoriously known to the World carrying on all this under the colour and veile of their Solemn League and Covenant In order whereunto the first thing observable is a plausible Letter directed to the Committee of Estates at that time residing with the Scotch Army wherein they tell them that their earnest desire being to keep a right understanding between the two Kigndomes did move them to acquaint them with that strange providence wherewith they were then surprised together with their carriage and desires thereupon and to endeavour to improve his Majesties being there to the best advantage for promoting the work of Vniformity for setling of Religion and Righteousness and attaining of Peace according to the League and Covenant and Treaty c. affirming that they had a Witness from Heaven and that there was nothing more in their desires than in all their resolutions and proceedings to adhere to the Covenant and Treaty ¶ What hopes this specious Letter might give his Majestie for promoting his earnest endeavours for such an happy peace as he desired is hard to say considering what relation it had to the Solemn League and Covenant but his former assurances in order to his coming to them as I have already observed being such as they were he became so confident thereupon as that shortly after he sent unto the two Houses at Westminster his xi th Message whereby because they had made so great a noyse of setling Religion That together with the Militia and the War of Ireland being the chief things insisted on in their former Propositions he recomended to them the advice therein of those Divines in both Kingdomes whom they had assembled at Westminster And for the Militia offred that he would be content to settle it as they themselves proposed in the Treaty at Uxbridge viz. that all persons who should be trusted therewith might be named by the two Houses of Parliament for the space of seven years and after that time to be regulated as should be agreed on by his Majestie and his two Houses of Parliament And touching Ireland that he would do whatsoever was possible for him to give full satisfaction to them And that if those his free offers would not serve then he desired that al such of their Propositions as were then by them agree'd on might be speedily sent to him he being resolved to comply with them in every thing that might conduce to the happiness of his subjects and removing all unhappy differences which had produced so many sad effects Farther offring that all his forces should be forthwith disbanded and Oxford with the remainder of his other Garrisons rendred into their hands upon honourable conditions and dismantled But to this gracious Message as to his former they turn'd a deaf ear there being then another Game to be play'd which was the getting of the King's person out of the Hands of the Scots suspecting as they had cause that those their dear Brethren would make no little advantage thereof Notwithstanding the Votes at Westminster that he should be disposed of as they should desire and direct Concerning which Votes at Westminster and debates of both Houses thereupon it will not be amiss here to take notice how they alledg'd that the Scottish Army in England was theirs id est under their pay Also that the King ought to be near to his Parliament whereby they might have recourse to him and obtain such things as should be most necessary for the Kingdomes Likewise that by Covenant they were sworn to preserve the Rights and Priviledges of Parliament but to detein the King from his Parliament was altogether inconsistent with the Covenant Of which Votes the Scots seem'd to take little notice but in stead thereof and for diversion amused the Members at Westminster with several Letters which they caused to be written to them one from the general assembly of the Kingdome of Scotland wherein they told them that their success against the Enemy id est the King's Forces did lay a strong obligation upon them to improve the power put into their Hands for the advancement of the Kingdome of Christ and bringing forth the head-stone of his House And therefore did earnestly intreat and beseech them in the Bowels of Christ to give unto him the glory due to his name by a timeous establishment of all his Ordinances in full integrity and power according to the Covenant c. Saying that the Searcher of Hearts knew how they desired to keep their Covenant c. concluding with their desires to the Parliament to endeavour all the ends of the Covenant The other to the Assembly of Divines sitting at Westminster wherein they expressed their Thanks for their constant endeavours and labours in the work of setting up the Ordinances of Christ desiring that they would go on in the sedulous promoting of that blessed work The third was to the Lord Mayor
each differing from other in divers material points but all centring in opposition to Presbyterie which strange opinions no less absurd than various were so inconsistent with the zealous Disciplinarians who termed them Heretical and Blasphemous that they spared for no pains in endeavouring to suppress them As to the Tenets and practices of these Independent Libertines let this one instance serve for a Tast one Mr. Gregory of Colonel Rich his Regiment preaching at a Widows house near Northampton told his Auditors that he thought he was obliged to unfold the Scripture as it was revealed to him Likewise that he hoped to see the Shop-windows open on the Lord's day Also that the Psalms were no Scripture and that the Parson of that Parish was a Minister of Antichrist But notwithstanding this apparent danger to the Disciplinarians from this blessed brood of their own hatching some confidence they yet had of putting a stop to their farther growth to that end therefore as to their former notable pranks they frequently did by a special Ordinance they caused a day to be set a part for humbling themselves and seeking of God as they term'd it by fasting and prayer the preamble whereof I have thought fit here to insert We the Lords and Commons assembled in the Parliament of England having entred into a solemn Covenant to endeavour sincerely really and constantly the Reformation of Religion in Doctrine Discipline and Worship and the extirpation of Popery Superstition Heresie Schism Prophaneness and whatsoever shall be found contrary to sound Doctrine and the power of Godlyness And having found the presence of God wonderfully assisting us in this Cause especially since our Engagement in pursuance of the said Covenant have thought fit lest we partake in other mens sins and thereby be in danger to receive of their plagues to set forth this our deep sense of the great dishonour of God and perillous Condition that this Kingdome is in through the abominable Blasphemies and damnable Heresies vented and spread abroad therein tending to the subversion of the Faith contempt of the Ministry and Ordinance of Iesus Christ. And as we are resolved to imploy and improve the utmost of our power that nothing be said or done against the Truth but for the Truth So we desire that both our selves and the whole Kingdome may be deeply humbled before the Lord for that great reproach and contempt which hath been cast upon his name and saving Truths and for that swift destruction which we may justly fear will fall upon the immortal Souls of such who are or may be drawn away by giving heed to seducing Spirits In the hearty and tender compassion whereof we the said Lords and Commons do order and ordain that Wednesday being the tenth day of March next be set apart for a day of publick Humiliation c. And to back this their Godly Exercise forasmuch as their solemn League and Covenant had effected such great matters otherwise the House of Peers soon after voted an Ordinance to be brought in for disabling every person whatsoever from bearing any office Civil or Military that should refuse to take the Covenant But that which they deemed above all not onely to get a hand over this many-headed-Monster Independencie but to establish to themselves a lasting dominion over the persons and Estates of all other people was to gain the King's person into their power concerning whom they had been trucking with the Scots for the space of six months at the least his Majestie being all that while at Newcastle upon Tine and their Army quartered in the Adjacent Counties not without some Heart-burnings towards those their dear Brethren for keeping him so long and continuing their Army in this Realm at so vast a charge and intollerable a burthen to those Northern parts having had no use thereof at all after the render of Newark Nor did this deteiner pass without some quick disputes betwixt them the Grandees here affirming and insisting stiffly upon it that the Kingdome of Scotland had no right of joynt exercise of interest in disposing the person of the King in the Kingdome of England urging likewise that forasmuch as he had deserted his Parliament and People entred into and continued in a bloudy and dangerous war against them had not granted those Propositions which by both Kingdomes were sent unto him as a means of a safe and well-grounded peace he was not therefore at present in a condition to exercise the duties of his place or be left to go or reside where and when himself pleased Farther objecting that the Commissioners of Scotland at a conference with theirs had declared that it would be prejudicial to both Kingdomes for the King to go into Scotland But after much dispute the Scots in brief told them that their Army by the Oath of Allegiance their Committee of Estates by their Commission and their Officers by their Military Oath ought to defend the King from harms and prejudices Often affirming that the King came to their Army for shelter and defence Adding that it was the Law and common practise of all Nations not to deliver the meanest subject fled to them though for the greatest crimes and that if the meanest were not to be delivered how would the world abroad condemn them for so base and dishonourable an act the King having cast himself into their hands They likewise said if it be considered that the Scottish Army was invited and called into this Kingdome by both Houses of Parliament in a Treaty for prosecuting the ends of a solemn League and Covenant whereof one Article is to preserve and defend his Majestie 's person there can remain no doubt concerning this exercise of that Right and Interest in this Kingdome And therefore said it seemed very strange that when upon invitation they were come into England as for other ends so to defend his Majestie 's person their being in England should be made use of as an Argument why they should deliver up the person of the King to be disposed of as both Houses should think fit Whereunto the English Commissioners replyed that the Scotch-Army came in hither as Auxiliaries under pay and therefore they ought not to capitulate herein at all And that whereas the Scots did so much urge their Obligation by the Covenant to preserve and defend the King's person and Authority they told them that they left out the principal Clause which was relative viz. in the preservation and defence of the true Religion and Liberties of the Kingdomes without which the other part ought never to be mention'd But the plain truth is that all this fencing with Arguments came at last to a meer Money-business For whereas the Grandees at Westminster by stipulation with the Scots for their Expedition into England had promised to pay them after the rate of thirty thousand pounds per mensem so long as they should have occasion to make use of their
make him increase his plagues upon us and to punish us seven times more because we continue to walk contrary unto him 2. That the Lord's hand is still stretched out against us in the Iudgment of the Pestilence which spreads not onely in several parts of the Country but continueth and increaseth in many of the most eminent Cities of the Kingdome 3. The great danger that threatens Religion and the work of Reformation in these Kingdomes for the number power and policy of the Secretaries in England which are like not onely to interupt the progress of uniformity and the establishment of the Ordinances of God in their beauty and perfection but to overturn the foundation already laid and all that hath been built thereupon with the expence of so much bloud and pains And therefore we are earnestly to pray to the Lord that the solemn League and Covenant may be kept fast and inviolable notwithstanding all the purposes and endeavours of open Enemies and secret underminigs to the contrary We are to intreat the Lord on the behalf of the King's Majesty that he may be reconcil'd to God and that he may be now furnished with wisdome and councill from above that he be not involved in new snares to the endangering of himself and these Kingdomes but that his Heart may incline to such resolutions as will contribute for setling of Religion and Righteousness We are also to intreat the Lord on the behalf of the Parliament of England of the Synod of Divines and of all such in that Land as do unfeignedly mind the work of God that they may not be discouraged nor swerve in the day of temptation but that every of them in their Stations and according to their places and callings may be furnished with Light and Strength from Heaven for doing of their duty with faithfulness and zeal We are to supplicate for direction to our Committee of Estates that they may discern the times and know what is fitting to be done for securing our selves and encouraging our Brethren We are to pray for a Spirit of Light of Love unto our Assembly that they may be instrumental in preserving Truth and advancing Holiness amongst our selves and for carrying on the work of God amongst our Neighbours That the Lord would pour out upon all sorts of persons in these Kingdomes a Spirit of Grace and Supplication that it may repent us of all our Iniquities and that we may be reconcil'd unto the Lord that so all tokens of his wrath may be removed from amongst us and he may bless us with the sweet fruits of Truth and Peace It cannot easily be thought but that the Scots did somewhat more than fast and pray considering the desperate condition wherein their Covenanting-Brethren especially at Westminster and in London then stood and that the great work of Reformation as they call'd it lay in such hazard But at such a distance what more could soon be expected than that they should by the help of the zealous Preachers earnestly incite the Covenanters in London to bestir themselves and put more courage into those drooping Members who after the late purge were then left in the House which for certain they under-hand in some sort did and were like enough above board to have done much more considering that by an Ordinance of May the 4th then past the Militia of that great City was established in the hands of such persons as were nominated by the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Common-Council there To secure themselves therefore against this iminent danger the Army were necessitated by picking a quarrel with the City to wrest the Militia out of their hands and then totally to cleanse the House at Westminster of the remaining Presbyterean-humour by a stronger purge then it formerly had In order whereunto there was a Letter forthwith sent from General Fairfax and the Army together with a Remonstrance to the Houses at Westminster demanding the Militia of the City to be put into their Hands Whereupon the House of Commons tamely and readily voted the repealing of that Ordinance of May the 4th and presently passed a new Ordinance for reviving the old Militia and transmitted it to the Lords Which unexpected change caused the City to meet in Common-Council and to resolve of Petitioning the Parliament again therein within two days following And so they did by their Sheriffs and some of the Common-Council But to second this Petition there followed them within three hours some thousands of Apprentices and other stout fellows with another Petition whereby they claim'd the Militia as the Citie 's Birthright by sundry Charters confirm'd in former Parliaments for defence whereof they alledg'd that they had adventured their Lives as far as the Army and thereupon desired that the Militia might be put again into the same Hands in which it was put with the Parliament and Citie 's consent upon the 4th of May. And this they did in so tumultuous a fashion that the Lords who were then but seven in number presently granted it And having so done and sent it to the Commons slipping out by a postern went themselves away by water But the Commons having no mind to displease the Army refus'd to do the like and angrily bad the Apprentices to be gone intending to rise and adjourn themselves Which purpose of theirs being discern'd by those youngsters was by them soon prevented by shutting up their doors and peremptorily requiring their complyance with the Lords The Commons therefore seeing themselves in this streight did at length with much unwillingness yeild to the importunity of these their bold Suitors and not onely so but were by them forc't to pass a farther vote which was that the King should be admitted to come to London to treat But this uproar being made known to the Grandees of the Army the greatest advantage imaginable was made thereof For the confiding Members being thereupon sent for to the Army fled to the Head-Quarters at Windsore within three days after the Speaker also bearing them Company who having cousened the State of vast sums of Money was threatned with an Impeachment if he did not come with them Of the House of Commons that so fled to the Army the number was said to be above fourty and of the Lords which came after the names were these viz. the Earls of Northumberland Warwick Manchester Salisbury Kent Moulgrave the Viscount Say and Sele the Lords Grey of Warke Wharton and Howard of Escrick Of the House of Lords that stay'd the Lord Willoughby of Parham was made Speaker But of the Commons there was about one hundred and fourty who coming to the House and missing their old Speaker and the Serjeant at Mace which usually attended chose Mr. Henry Pelham to be their new Speaker and another Serjeant to attend him Which number being all of the old Covenanting flock and yet not further illuminated proceeded to doe and act as a Parliament first
voting in their old companions called the Eleven impeached Members Next setting up a Committee of Safety enabling them to joyne with the Committee of the restored City-Militia and giving them power to list and raise forces appoint Commanders and Officers and issue forth Arms and Amunition for defence of both Houses and the City against all that should invade them And in the neck of these Votes came out a Declaration of the City which the Lords and Commons then sitting at Westminster ordered to be published throughout all England and Wales wherein after a large preamble they went on thus We do in the presence of Almighty-God profess that there is nothing in the world that we more desire than that His Majesty may be put and left free in such an honourable condition and capacity as his person may appear to be at Liberty to receive and treat upon such Propositions as shall be presented unto him from the Parliaments of both Kingdomes for our Consciences tell us that whilst his royal person is environ'd by an Army and remains under the power thereof we cannot expect that either His Majestie 's Princely Heart can give that free assent unto those things which shall be propounded unto him as is requisite or if he do cannot hope with good reason that we and our posterity shall without alteration enjoy the same And therefore we are resolved earnestly yet with humility to apply our selves to the Parliament to this purpose and hope that all good Subjects who are touched with any sense of that duty and allegiance which by the Law of God and man they owe unto the King will unanimously joyn with us therein We cannot omit also to declare unto the Kingdome how we have sadly observed since the Eleven accused Members withdrew themselves and that the Army hath daily grown upon the Parliament that a great and considerable number of other Members of the House of Commons have also retired themselves to the endangering of the Kingdom which never more needed a full Council And therefore we shall make our speedy address to the honourable House of Commons to call in all the Members of their House residing in the Army or retired to their dwellings by leave of the House or otherwise And we shall particularly insist upon the readmission of the Eleven Members lately driven out of the House of Commons by the violent pursuit of the Army contrary to the sense of the same House the Law of the Land and the Priviledges of Parliament wherein also we are confident all good English-men and Lovers of their Country will adhere unto them and us c. And we declare that we sincerely desire an happy and speedy Peace by the settlement of true Religion in this Kingdome by re-establishing His Majesty in his just Rights and Authority by upholding all lawful Priviledges of a free Parliament by maintaining the Fundamental Laws of the Land by restoring and securing the Subject unto and in his just liberty and property and by freeing the long oppressed Kingdome of all Taxes and enforced free Quarter towards the maintenance of an Army which of a long time hath had no visible Enemy to encounter And from this Resolution by the blessing of God we shall never recede for any earthly consideration or advantage whatsoever But whilst the Citizens were thus Declaring and the Members very busy at Westminster the Fugitives for so they then call'd them that were fled to the Army were not idle at Windsor for there they sate in consultation with the Council of War and signed an Engagement to live and dye with General Fairfax and the Army under his Command as also a Remonstrance shewing the grounds of their intended advance towards London Declaring against the choyce of the new Speaker at Westminster and that as things then stood there was no free-Parliament sitting being through the violence done on the twenty sixth of Iuly before wholy suspended as also that whatsoever Orders or Votes had passed since that time they should be null and void and not at all submitted unto With the Army thus marching towards the City also joyned the Trayned Bands of some Countries viz. Kent Essex and Surrey which put the Covenanting Brethren into such dreadful apprehensions and pannick fears as that they often sent Commissioners to mediate for peace but could obtain no other terms than that they must desert the Members sitting at Westminster as also the Eleven formerly impeached Moreover that they should call in their Declaration then newly printed and published Relinquish the Militia Deliver up all their Forts and Line of Communication to the Army together with the Tower of London and all the Magazines of Armes therein Disband all their Forces Turn all the Reformados out of the Line withdraw all their Guards from the Houses Receive such Guards of Horse and Foot within the Line as the Army should appoint to guard the Houses Demolish their works and suffer the whole Army to march in triumph through the City Unto all which they forthwith tamely yielded as may seem from those poor pittiful abject and slavish Expressions made by the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Common-Council then sent to General Fairfax in these words And forasmuch as we observe that the chief cause which hath drawn you Excellency and your Army thus near the City is to bring home those noble and honourable Memebers of both Houses who because of the Tumults at Westminster the twenty sixth past have retired themselves to the end they may by you be placed in safety and in a free-Parliament at Westminster we chearfully and heartily joyne with your Excellency therein and according as we shall find directions from your Excellency they shall find all ports and passes open to receive you and them and also such Guards of two or three Regiments as you Excellency shall think fitting for their conduct to the two Houses of Parliament And the Parliament being set with Peace and Safety we shall humbly submit to their direction what forces of yours and ours to continue for their future Guard in which service we humbly offer the whole strength of this City Whereupon on Hounslow Heath the Army drew up in Batalia there being present the Earls of Northumberland Salisbury Kent and Moulgrave the Viscount Say and Sele the Lord Gray of Werke the Lord Howard of Escrick and Lord Wharton the Speaker also of the House of Commons and about one hundred Members of that House Where the Common-Souldiers were taught to make great Shouts and cry Lords and Commons and a free-Parliament From whence upon the sixth of August the General brought the fugitive Members with a strong party to the Parliament House the two Pallace-yards being filled with armed Guards and double Files placed throughout Westminster-Hall to the stairs of the House of Commons and so through the Court of Requests to the Lords House put the Speakers in their respective chayrs and set
be destructive to order and Government or to the peace of the Church or Kingdome That the Ordinances concerning the calling and sitting of the Assembly of Divines be desired to be confirmed by Act of Parliament That the Proposition for the confirmation of the Treaties betwixt the two Kingdomes and the proceedings betwixt them be expressed And that Treaty for the return of the Scots Army of the date of Decem. 23. 1646. be inserted amongst the rest That His Majestie 's assent be desired to what the two Kingdomes shall agree in the prosecution of the Articles of the large Treaty which are not yet finished and that all other things be inserted concerning the joynt Interest of both Kingdomes or the Kingdome of Scotland in particular That the Armies in both Kingdomes which were raised for the preservation of Religion and defence of the King's person may be disbanded now the war is ended and have due satisfaction for their arrears That speedy releif may be sent to Ireland and that an Act of Oblivion may be agreed upon to be passed in the Parliaments of both Kingdomes That His Majesty be restored to His Rights and that in the Propositions a conclusion may be added promising all real endeavour that His Majesty may live in the splendor and glory of his royal progenitors as beseemeth his royal place that so all differences and troubles may end in a mutual confidence and rejoycing Upon debate of which Message from His Majesty Nov. 16. and of that Declaration and those Proposals by the Scottish-Commissioners the House of Commons passed these following Votes 1. That no more addresses be made from the Parliament to the King nor any Letters or Message received from him 2. That it should be Treason for any person whatsoever to deliver any Message to the King or receive any Letter or Message from him without leave from both Houses of Parliament 3. That the Members of both Houses and the Committee of both Kingdomes had power to sit and act alone asformerly the Committee of both Kingdomes had for the safety of the Kingdom 4. And that a Committee should be nominated to draw up a Declaration to be published to satisfy the Kingdome of the reasons of passing these Votes To back which Votes the General and Council of the Army did put forth a Declaration signifying their Resolutions to adhere to the Houses for setling and securing the Parliament and Kingdome without the King and against him or any other that should thereafter partake with him And sent Thanks to the House of Commons for those Votes To shew the people likewise the Reasons of those four Votes the Grandees at Westminster appointed a Committee to search into the King's conversation and errors of his Government and to publish them in a Declaration to the World wherein they objected as high crimes against him his father's death the loss of Rochell and the Massacre and Rebellion in Ireland Which Declaration being printed by their authority was afterwards ordered to be dispersed throughout the whole Kingdome by the several Members of the House of Commons in those Countries and places for which they did serve CHAP. XXVIII THE King therefore seeing himself thus layd aside penned a Declaration with his own hand for the satisfaction of all his people which soon after was made publick by the Press Whereby representing his sad and most disconsolate condition through a long and strict Imprisonment together with his earnest endeavours to have composed all things by an happy peace whereunto he added most just cleer and undeniable Reasons why he could not assent to pass those four dethroning Bills before-mentioned farther shewed what usage he had endured by Colonel Hamond the Governour in whose custody he then was most of his servants being by him discharg'd the Guards redoubled and himself restrain'd of that Liberty which before he had been allowed Appealing also to the world how he had deserved that dealing from his subjects having sacrificed to them for the peace of the Kingdome all but what was much more dear to him than his life viz. his Conscience and Honour and desiring nothing more than to perform it in the most proper and usual way viz. by a personal Treaty Taking notice likewise of the often repeated professions and Engagements made to him by the Army at Newmarket and St. Albans for asserting his just Rights in General by their voted and revoted Proposals which he had reason to understand should be the utmost that would be expected from him yea that in some things he should be eased And conlcuded that if it were peace they desired he had shewed the way thereto being both willing and desirous to perform his part in it by a just complyance with all cheif Interests Was it plenty and Happiness Those were the inseperable effects of peace Was it security His Majesty who wisht that all men would forgive and forget like him did offer the Militia for his own time Was it Liberty of Conscience He who wanted it was most ready to give it Was it right administration of Iustice Officers of Trust were referred to the choyse of the two Houses Was it frequent Parliaments He had legally and fully concurred therewith Was it the Arrears of the Army Upon a settlement he told them that they would be certainly payd with much ease but before that there would be found much difficulty if not impossibility in it But all this was then to no purpose for having got the power of the Sword into their hands the Voice of an Angel from Heaven could have been nothing regarded for on they went with their great worke In order whereunto a Pamphlet was publisht by authority that is to say licensed by a publick Imprimatur where the Prophet Ezekiel was produced to discover what they intended Thus saith the Lord God concerning the prophane wicked Prince whose day is come when Iniquity shall end Remove the Diadem Take off the Crown This shall not be the same Exalt him that is low and abase him that is high And to cajole the Presbyterean having formerly secured themselves from the reach of their Holy Discipline they passed an Ordinance for the speedy dividing and setling the several Counties of this Kingdome into distinct Classical-Presbyteries and Congregational Elderships And desiring to seem men of the greatest Sanctity imaginable they constituted a Committee for the enumeration of great crying sins appointing that they should daily meet and do their utmost endeavour to suppress them And passed another Ordinance for suppressing of Stage-plays and demolishing Play-Houses But all these devices were meerly circumstantial those which more immediately tended to the carrying on their grand work being the chief viz. the approbation which the people then had or seem'd to have of their Votes for no more Addresses to the King Towards the obtaining whereof having been not a little sollicitous they imploy'd their most busy Emissaries and
confiding-friends in all parts of the Realm Who acted for them so vigourously as that from Launton a populous corporation in Somersetshire they had very great Thanks for the same So likewise from the Godly-party in Buckinghamshire who also made large promises to adhere to and stand by them in the farther prosecution thereof to the utmost of their abilities against all opposers desiring that they would proceed to a speedy setling of the civil Government in such a way as might best conduce to the freedome and happiness of this Nation and that they would put forth their power for promoting of Religion according to the word of God to give due encouragement to all Godly and able Ministers to cast out such as were scandalous and unfit for the work of the Ministry and to be tender of the Consciences of such whose conversations were as becometh the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For which the Petitioners had not onely thanks thereupon rendred unto them for their constant affections to the Parliament but an order was forthwith made that the Petition should be printed to the end that the world might take notice of the singular affections of the Petitioners and that they might be an example for other Counties of the Kingdome Which transactions here so awakened the Brethren of Scotland that seeing no good could be effected by words they resolv'd to dispute the business otherwise and therefore agreed of raysing an Army But the general Assembly of that Kirk endeavouring to oppose them therein the estates of Parliament there declared that the breaches of the Covenant and Treaties should be represented and reparations sought for the same Next that the War which they were to make with England should be for strengthning the Union betwixt the two Kingdomes and encouraging the Presbytereans and well affected there Moreover that they would declare His Majestie 's concessions concerning Religion not to be satisfactory And that whereas Religion had been and they trusted should be the principal end of all their undertakings so they would be carefull that the then present question to be stated should contain security and assurance to be had from His Majesty by his solemn Oath under his hand and Seal that he should for himself and for his successors give his royal assent to pass Acts of Parliament injoyning the League and Covenant establishing Presbytreal Government the Directory for Worship and Confession of Faith in all his Dominions and that he should never make opposition to any of these nor endeavour any change thereof As also that this security should be had from him before his restitution to the exercise of his royal power All this notwithstanding the Kirk was not one jot satisfied but earnestly urged that the Parliament should declare against His Majestie 's concessions positively without any condition and presently without delay they being as they exprest so prejudicial to the Cause and Covenant And when they discerned that Forces were levying throughout that Kingdome they so much feared that His Majesty and his good Subjects might receive any benefit thereby that they did put up a large Petition to the Parliament there wherein they earnestly desired the Lords as they would answer the contrary at the great day of Judgment that they would not proceed so as to give any encouragement unto the prelatical or malignant party in England nor be any grief to the Presbyterean Party nor to restore the King untill he had resolved the settlement of Presbytery and that what they intended on the King's behalf might be with subordination to those ends exprest in the Covenant Whereupon the Parliament there declared that they would be so far from joyning or associating with the popish prelatical or malignant-party if they should again rise in Arms either to oppose or obstruct all or any of the ends of the Covenant that on the contrary they would oppose and endeavour to suppress them as Enemies to the Cause and Covenant on the other side Likewise that in regard His Majestie 's late concessions and offers concerning Religion were not satisfactory and that the principal ends of all the undertakings of that Nation had been and they hoped should be to see Religion in the first place setled and that as they should endeavour the rescuing of His Majesty from those who malitiously carryed him away from Holdenby-House against his own will and the declared resolutions of both Kingdomes and did still detein him close prisoner to the end he might come with honour freedome and safety to some of his Houses in or about London where both Kingdomes might make their application to him for setling of Religion and a well grounded Peace So they did resolve not to put in His Majestie 's hands or in any other whatsoever such power whereby the ends of the Covenant or any one of them might be obstructed or opposed Religion or Presbyterean-Government endangered but on the contrary that before any Agreement should be made His Majesty should give assurance under his solemn Oath and under his Hand and Seal that he should for himself and his successors give his Royal assent and agreement to such Act or Acts of Parliament of both and either Kingdomes respectively for enjoyning the League and Covenant and fully establishing Presbyterean-Government Directory for Worship and Confession of Faith in all his Dominions and that he should never make opposition to any of these nor endeavour any thing thereof Moreover that if any war should be made as it should be on just and necessary grounds so did they resolve to give the trust and charge of their Armies and Committees to none but such as should be and were of known integrity and against whom there was no just cause of exception Also that the Parliament was willing to subscribe for the grounds of their undertaking an Oath wherein both in the framing of it and otherwise they were willing the Church should have interest as had been in the like case And that the resolutions of the Parliament thereupon might be the more effectual and in regard of the then present condition of affairs it was their opinion that the Kingdome of Scotland should be put in a Posture of Defence as it was in the year 1643. And like as they had drawn that Act of Posture which being allow'd in Parliament and sent to the Shires they thought it fit time to send their demands to the Parliament of England and that some descreet man should be sent with the same and a limited time appointed for his return with answer ¶ I shall not stand here to give instance of such particulars as further happened betwixt the Grandees at Westminster and the Scots upon this business for all those passages were to no other end than by thus fencing with each other to prevent any censure in their respective Actings and consequently to obtain the peoples assistance upon occasion For in short the state of the business stood thus the
falling off again as hath already been observed He became so strangely elated that nothing then to be done could give satisfaction to his ambitious and unlimited desires But here I shall also observe that notwithstanding the strong factions into which these men were then divided had begot a perfect hatred of each to other as the many printed pamphlets then spread abroad do sufficiently shew Nevertheless for the utter eradicating of the Religion by Law establish'd in the Church of England which themselves had at first 3. May 1641. solemnly protested to maintain about this time they all agree'd together in framing an Ordinance for the establishing of Presbytery containing a particular form and order of Church-government in their congregational Classical Provincial and National Assemblies In which the Lay Elders constituted at that time in all the Parishes throughout the City of London are expresly nominated with direction for the setling of all others throughout England and Wales and limitation of their powers unto the sharp and rigorous penalties whereof all conscientious and orthodox Protestants of the Church of England were to be subject but the Independent brood consisting of all sorts of Schismaticks and Sectaries under the notion of Godly-men and tender conscienced to be at liberty ¶ And now to proceed As I have already taken notice that a personal Treaty with the King was voted by the Members at Westminster I shall here observe that all things being prepared for the same it began at Newport in the Isle of Wight upon the 18th of September the chief persons permitted to attend his Majesty there being these the Duke of Richmond the Marquess of Hertford the Earl of Lindsey and Earl of Southampton Gentlemen of his Bedchamber the Bishops of London and Salisbury Dr. Sheldon Dr. Hamond Dr. Oldsworth Dr. Sanderson Dr. Turner and Dr. Heywood Chaplains Sir Thomas Gardner Sir Orlando Bridgman Sir Robert Holburne Mr. Gessrey Palmer Mr. Thomas Cooke and Mr. Iohn Vaughan Lawyers The Members at Westminster imploying these the Earls of Northumberland Salisbury Middlesex the Viscount Say the Lord Wenman Denzil Holles and William Pierpont Esquires Sir Henry Vane junior Sir Harbotle Grymston Mr. Samuel Brown Sir Iohn Potts Mr. Crew Serjeant Glyn and Mr. Bulkley These other Divines for the King being afterwards added viz. Dr. Iames Vsher Archbishop of Armagh in Ireland and Dr. Ferne And for the Parliament Mr. Stephen Marshal Mr. Richard Vines Mr. Lazarus Seaman and Mr. Ioseph Caryll But withall as it is now most evident to the world that there was never any real purpose on the part of the Grandees at Westminster that the Treaty formerly at Uxbridge should take any good effect so was there less expectation here the King being then their prisoner and all his forces come to nothing for though they then gave way to this Treaty they were at that very time contriving and framing the formality of his absolute destruction of which the symptoms were visible enough during the whole continuance of that Treaty by sundry Petitions to the Members at Westminster all declaming bitterly against it Which Petitions as 't is well known were first fram'd by the Grandees themselves and then sent amongst the people to be subscribed according to their usual practice In most whereof it was desired that all Delinquents without exception might be brought to condigne punishment one whereof concluding thus from Psalm 149. ver 6 7 8 and 9. Let the high prayses of God be in the mouths of his Saints and a twofold Sword in their Hands to execute vengeance upon the Heathen and punishment upon the people to bind their Kings with chains and their Nobles with fetters of iron to execute upon them the Iudgments written This Honour have all his Saints Besides it is farther to be observ'd that after the destruction of this Scottish-Army at Preston and the reducing of Colchester Cromwell went into Scotland where he not onely laid the plot with the Marquess of Argyle for the destruction of the King and extirpation of Monarchy but by his help in the contrivance of that unparalel'd murther agree'd in the formalities conducing thereto ¶ And now as to this Treaty in the Isle of Wight 't is sufficiently known that it was on His Majestie 's part totally and singly managed by himself against all those subtile persons above-mentioned the Houses at Westminster not permitting him to have any assistant therein either Divines or others Also that it was perform'd by him with so much judgment gravity meekness and curtesie as not onely much astonisht but made converts of some that had been his greatest Enemies and were then his Antagonists there Wherein to manifest his earnest desires for the peace of those distracted Realms he was contented to devest himself totally in effect of his own Regal power for life and to trust those insatiable men with the exercise thereof as is apparently to be seen by the particular Articles then assented to by him viz. 1. As to the Militia he consented thereto as 't was required by their Proposition 2. For Episcopacy though he could not consent to the utter abolishing thereof yet he offered that it might be regulated and reduced to the primative usage and so setled and continued in the Church And in order thereto that it might be enacted that the Bishops should not act without the Council and assistance of the Presbyters in the exercises of Ordination and Iurisdiction and therefore desired the consent of the Houses in the one that he might the more freely give his assent unto the other Offering to lessen the extent or multiply the number of the Diocesses as should be agreed upon by both Houses 3. As to Bishops lands that he could not consent to the alienation of them but offred what he had done before for satisfaction of the Purchasers and Contracters which was for the enjoyment of them for a certain time being therein seconded by the opinion of many Divines who differ in other things that the alienation of them would be no less than Sacriledge 4. That he would confirm their Ordinance for the calling and sitting of the Assembly of Divines 5. That he would confirm the form of Church-government presented to him with the Directory and repeal those Statutes which enjoyn'd the use of Common Prayer and all this for three years provided that a consultation should be had between the Assembly of Divines and twenty of His Majestie 's nomination added to them in the mean time for the farther setling of the Church at the end of those three years and that Himself and His might have the use of the Comâ—â—prayer But for the new Articles of Religion His Majesty haveing not had time sufficient as yet for consideration of so weighty matters as concern Faith and Doctrine desired that that part of the Proposition might for the present be omitted 6. That he would confirm the Ordinance for â—wordsâ— better observation of the Lord's day provided that
â—wordsâ— this Ordinance and others likewise presented to hiâ— alterations should be made of some expressions in them which did reflect on former establisht Laws it being therefore necessary that they should be penned in other termes 7. That he would pass an Act for prevention of saying Mass in Court or other places provided onely that his Queen might have free exercise of her Religion for her self and her ordinary servants according to the Articles of Marriage made between the two Crowns France and England 8. Lastly that for the Covenant he could not in Conscience take it himself nor impose it upon others therefore hoped that it should not be insisted on in regard the imposing thereof could not tend to peace a great part even of the Parliaments-party being utterly persuaded against it And further because all the ends of the Covenant would be obtained if an agreement were made in the rest of the Propositions These were the chief referring the rest untill his coming to Westminster where he might personally advise with his two Houses and deliver his opinion with the reasons thereof which done he would leave the whole matter of those remayning Propositions to the determination of his two Houses But as His Majesty had formerly well observed the humours of these impious men to be restless ever altering and changing their Principles with their success So did he then find the greatest and most wofull experiment thereof For having by the defeat of D. Hamilton's Army the reducing of Colchester and subduing the Welch in Pembrokeshire cleared all opposition which any could make against them they then did openly manifest to the world that nothing should suffice but the absolute destruction of the King and utter extirpation of Monarchy Towards the accomplishing of which execrable designe a prodigious Remonstrance was contrived by Cromwel and his son Ireton with some other venemous-minded officers in the Army then at St. Albans and presented to the House of Commons by Colonel Evre and seaven other Officers of the Army whereby they fiercely declaymed against any peace at all with the King and likewise against his Restauration demanding that he should by a Tryal be brought to Iustice. So likewise against those Members of Parliament as had been impeached the year before and all others that sate when the Speaker and Members fled to the Army that they might be excluded the House Requiring that the Souldiers arrears should be paid out of the King 's and Dean and Chapters lands Moreover that a certain terme should be prefixed to that present Long-Parliament as also a more equal number of persons as Representatives of the People to be thenceforth elected in whom the supreme power should thereafter reside In which Remonstrance it is not unworthy observation that they said whereas it might be objected that by the Covenant they were obliged to the preservation of His Majestie 's person and authority it was with this restriction viz. in the preservation of the true Religion and Liberties of the Kingdome So that considering Religion and the publick Interest were to be understood the principal and supream matters engaged for and of the King's person and authority as inferiour and subordinate thereto As also whereas the preservation of his person and authority was not consistent with the preservation of Religion and the publick Interest they were therefore by the Covenant obliged against it And the better to illustrate this they instanced the practice of the Parliament all along the late wars which not onely opposed his Majesty and his authority but really endeavoured to kill and destroy both his person and authority by Bullets and otherwise in order to the preservation of Religion and Liberties of the Kingdome Which Remonstrance was soon after presented to the House of Commons and tendred to the consideration of the whole Kingdome But three days after they Treaty having continued fourty days whereunto they limited it ended And here it is not improper to take notice that as they had frequently used to procure Petitions from sundry places to countenance the carrying on of any notable design which they had in hand So now having publisht this wicked Remonstrance they obteined Congratulations from those called the Well-affected in several parts to the end that others might be the more danted from any opposition thereto CHAP. XXX THIS business of the Treaty being therefore thus over I come now to the last Act of this afflicted King's life A Scene indeed of much sorrow and which cannot well be represented without great lamentation and the deepest expressions of sadness wherein I shall be as brief as well may be pointing chiefly at the times of the most notable passages therein but leaving the larger Narrative thereof to such of our Historians as have already or shall hereafter set forth the Life and Sufferings of this incomparable Prince As an Introduction whereunto it may be sit enough to observe that though the Parliament had been garbled as before is shewed whereby the Remnant of the Presbyterians was totally disheartened Yet did the Invasion from Scotland and Risings in other Parts about that time put so much Life and Courage into the drooping Spirits of that Party as that having with no little difficulty carryed the Vote for a Treaty they strugled to their utmost for such an issue thereof that the King might be at some better Liberty than he was at that time and the Administration of his Authority in the Two Houses as formerly And then though the Army stood not right to them at present the Majority of Votes might some time or other so alter the case as that the sweetness of Dominion might return to them again To second therefore what they had so vigorously begun discerning that the Army in pursuance of their late Remonstrance were on their March towards London they Voted a Letter to the General forbidding his nearer approach Which Vote so irritated the Souldiary that immediately they publisht a sharp Declaration therein accusing the Parliament with Breach of Trust Inconstancy and Indiscretion saying that they would appeal from them to the People threatning forthwith to advance up to Westminster and there to do what God should enable them and accordingly came up to the corner of Hide-park Where upon it was put to the Question in the House whether that approach of the Army were not prejudicial to the Freedom of Parliament But into such a terror were the Presbyterian Members then 〈◊〉 that they durst not hold up their Heads to give their Votes therein Nevertheless within two days following they took better heart and set on foot a debate touching the satisfactoriness of His Majesties Answer to the Propositions in the late Treaty And though the same day the General entred Westminster with Four Regiments of Foot and Six of Horse taking up his Head Quarters at White-hall and that soon after the King was seized on in his Bed-chamber and carryed to Hurst-Castle
Parliament in case they were elected ¶ The next thing of Note that hapned was the Proclaiming of Prince Charles at Edenborough in Scotland to be King of Great Britain France and Ireland his Royal Father being thus destroy'd But 't is to be noted that this Proclamation ran thus Whom all the Subjects of his Kingdom are bound humbly to obey maintain and defend according to the National Covenant betwixt the Two Kingdoms with their Lives and Goods against all deadly And that before he should be admitted to the exercise of His Royal Power he was to give satisfaction to that Kingdom in those things that concern'd the security of Religion the Union betwixt the Kingdoms and the Good and Peace of that Kingdom according to the National Covenant and the Solemn League and Covenant And for Establishing the Dominion of these Bloody Regicides at Weâ—tminâ—â—er the Members there Sitting went on Vigorously First Voting the absolute abolition of the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy Next in devising and appointing A new Stamp for Coyne And by Erecting a Council of State consisting of Thirty Persons viz. the Earles of Densigh Mulgrave Pembroke Salisbury Lord Grey of Warke Lord General Fairfax Lord Grey of Groby Lord L'isle Son to the Earl of Leicester Lord Chief Justice Rolls Lord Chief Justice St. Iohn Lord Chief Baron Wylde Lord President Bradshaw Lord General Cromwell Major General Skippon Sir Gilbert Pickering Sir William Masham Sir Arthur Haselrig Sir Iames Harrington Sir Henry Vane Jun. Sir Iohn Davers Sir William Armyn Sir Henry Mildmay Sir William Constable Alderman Penington Alderman Wilson Bulstrode Whitlock Esq Henry Martin Esq Colonel Ludlow Anthony Stepeley Esq William Heveningham Esq Robert Wallop Esq Iohn Hutchinson Esq Dennis Bond Esq Alexander Popham Esq Valentine Walton Esq Thomas Scot Esq William Purefey Esq Iohn Iones Esq But the Lord Grey of Warke waving that employment Mr. Iohn L'isle of Hantshire Cornelius Holand and Luke Robinson were added to this Number who were called the Committee of Estates appointed by Parliament ¶ It is not unworthy of Observation that as the Scots and this unhappy Long Parliament at the beginning of their desperate Practises against the King did declare that their whole Proceedings then were according to the Fundamental Laws So these wicked Regicides after their Bloody Murther of the King in answer to an Embassy from the Dutch expressed that these their Proceedings against the King were consistent with the Fundamental Laws of this Nation of England which were best known to themselves Nor was the project for their new Church-Discipline less notable as may seem by this following Petition and Advice which was presented to the General of their Army and the Council of War by many Christians as they call'd themselves dispersed abroad throughout the County of Norfolk and City of Norwich in these words That your Petitioners acknowledge themselves unspeakably engaged to the God of Heaven and Earth for his great Mercy to us in giving you Hearts to offer your selves so willingly among the People in the late Great undertaking of the Nation against the Enemies of the Peace thereof and Blessing your Faithful endeavours with such Glorious and wonderful successes whereby as the Lord hath put great Honour upon you Crowning your Valour with Victory and making you the War-like Glory of the World so hath be no less put great Obligations upon you all to exalt him that hath exalted you and to lift up his Glory in the World where he hath given you a name so Great and Glorious c. Therefore our dayly Prayers shall be for your selves and your Noble Army that you may never stumble at the stumbling-stone nor take the honour to your selves that is due to Christ nor be Instrumental for setting up of a meer Natural and Worldly Government like that of Heathen Rome Athens c. To which end we humbly pray that your selves would enter into Serious and Grave consideration and debate the Particulars in the Papers here humbly offered to you and also present them to the Honourably Parliament that they may be improved so far as shall be found agreeable to the will and word of God Which done we doubt not but God shall have much Glory the Godly Party shall be comforted Natural men enjoying their Estates will be at rest also and much satisfied and this Common-wealth will be exalted to be both an Habitation of Iustice and Mountain of Holiness even such a People as God shall Bless An humble Advice concerning the Government of the Kingdom according to the former Platform or Model 1. That you would stir up Godly Ministers and People throughout the Kingdom to Associate or incorporate into Church-Societies and grant them your special Favour Provision and Protection so shall you be Saints Nursing Fathers 2. That you would please to satisfie the Godly-dissenting Brethren both of Presbytery and Independency by such ways and means as your Wisdoms shall think fit how both their Interests may meet herein that so they may concur with one heart in the work 3. That Sister-Churches over-see such Incorporations and Imbodyings that only such as be of approved Godliness may have the Right-hand of Fellowship given to them 4. That such Churches where more of them are thus Collected and imbodyed in any Division Circuit Province c. may choose and send out some Delegates Members and Officers to Meet in one Sessions Lesser-Parliament Presbytery or Assembly for ordering of all such affaires as there occur according to the word if appertaining alone to that division 5. That all such Churches and the Members thereof have voices in Elections of such as are to sit in General Assemblies or Church-Parliaments so often as occasion is and those Elected to Sit there as Christ's Officers and the Churches Representatives and to determine all things by the word as that Law which God will exalt alone and make honourable 6. That you take special care to send out and encourage Godly Preachers that may go into the rest of the Kingdom to Preach the Gospel that so when others are converted and the Son of God makes them Free they may enjoy the former Freedom with the rest of the Saints And in father order to the utter abolishing of Kingly Government they appointed all those Antick and most Venerable Regalia conserved in the Treasury at Westminster and chiefly made use of at the Magnificent Coronations of the Kings of the Realm and solemn Proceedings to Parliament And also the costly Hangings precious Jewels with other of the Kings Goods and rich Furniture for his several Princely Palaces to be sold. And within few days following caused the Heads of Iames Duke of Hamilton Henry Earl of Holand with that truly Noble Arthur Lord Capel to be cut off Touching whose actings against them having already made some brief mention I shall only take notice of their dealing with Duke Hamilton a little before his Execution which was that in order to his discovery
his person by the Rabble animated by some enraged Papists for thus disappointing them of making a Proselite of him as they boasted they had done and given publick thanks in divers Churches But his Lordship assured him that as he had spent the greatest part of his life and fortune in the Service of his Highnesses Royal Family and defence of the Protestant Religion he would willingly Sacrifice the remainder of both on so honourable an occasion as this With which hearty invitation his Highness was so pleased that he took no farther thoughts whither to go but remained with his Lordship Being thus gone from the Pallace-Royal the Queen Mother of France came immediately thither to try again as 't was thought if she could prevail with him to change his Religion And as soon as she came sent her Son the Duke of Anjou afterwards of Orleans to visit him who return'd with the news that he was not to be found But as soon as it was known that he was at the Lord Hatton's House she sent the then Marquess since Duke of Plessis a Person of such famed parts and abilities that in consideration thereof he was made Governour to the Duke of Anjou to perswade with him to comply with his Mothers advise for effecting whereof he exercised all his parts and elocution with great earnestness urging that since the Death of his Father the Queen his Mother had the sole Power and Authority over him Disputing whether the King his Brother as his Sovereign had equal Authority to dispose of him And the discourse growing somewhat publick the Marquess of Ormund and the Lord Hatton then present arguing in the Dukes defence the French Marquess finding himself overmatch't in great passion return'd without the success expected at the Pallace-Royal where the French Queen staid very late till he came back Whose report when both Queen 's heard they were then fully satisfied in the Dukes firmness to his Religion so that after that no considerable attempt was made on him though he continued for near two months very nobly entertained by the Lord Hatton until through the Marquess of Ormund's and his Lordships Interest Necessaries could be provided for his going into Germany CHAP. XXXVIII IT is not to be doubted but that the Convening of these persons from all parts of the Nation considering that divers of them being Members of the Old Long Parliament and eagerly thirsted to obtain their wonted power again having to that end corrupted a great part of the Army did not a little endanger his new-raised Dominion But such was his vigilancy that their Plots took no effect Seeing therefore both how and by whom his Authority had been thus affronted lest others in time by such examples might be swayed his next business was to gain some shadow of being owned by the generality of the people throughout the three Kingdoms which by the help of his Emissaries in short time he accomplisht first from Scotland by Gratulatory Petitions and next from the Counties and chief Places throughout England and Ireland Which being effected he then put on the Mask of a most tender and zealous Patriot earnestly promoting the performance of Justice encouraging Virtue and discountenancing Vice And to gain those of the Clergy who might be most serviceable to his purpose he made no small shews of his favours unto them yet with a check to the insolency of the Presbyterian and depressing the Episcopal and Orthodox To those also of the Romish persuasion though he seemed severe 't is certain enough that he did somwhat favour them there being not any sort of men to whom he carried not some shew of respect having an excellent faculty of courting them with some appearance of kidness But to captivate those who were seemingly Religious he had a singular art of discoursing with them most Divinely and not only so but Praying Sighing Groaning and somtimes shedding Tears in their presence yet having a special vigilancy upon all Parties and Interests which possibly might disturb his quiet So that the Royalists whose generous and active Spirits were ever prompting 〈…〉 our the Kings Restauration and to 〈…〉 a Rising in the West were soon 〈…〉 some of them were brought to Tryal amd 〈◊〉 death for the same But the lives of these Loyal 〈…〉 this subtle Tyrant for he took advantage thereby to cause the Estates of all others of that 〈◊〉 sate quiet to be decimated except such as by mony could free themselves from that great exaction And for the strict Levying of that most oppressive Tax he constituted fourteen select Major-Generals each of which had several Counties under his Jurisdiction who not only exercised their Authority in an Arbitrary and unlimited manner but at length grew so insolent that he thought it not fit to continue them in that power And now looking upon himself as an absolure Monarch he exercised the Authority of conferring the Honour of Knighthood first upon the Lord Mayor of 〈◊〉 And having soon after concluded a League 〈◊〉 France he went on and Knighted two of his Colonies Pride and Barksted the one who had been a Dray-man the other a seller of Thimbles and Bodkins of Silver And having throughout all parts of England by underhand practices those of his Preaching-Clergy serving him therein to some purpose made way for an Election of such Members for another Parliament as might best advance his future ambitious designs he sent out Writs of Summons for Convening of them accordingly At which meeting none were permitted to enter the House which refused to acknowledg and subscribe to his Authority Whereupon some being excluded went back to their Countries But those which sate went stoutly on with the work having made choice of Sir Thomas Widdrington to be their Speaker That the chief end whereat this proud and subtle Tyrant at that time drove was by the help of this Convention to be invested with the Title of King few there were to whom it was not evident enough though he cunningly seemed to look another way That there might therefore be the less suspicion thereof the design was so laid that the work should be brought about by degrees and in a Collateral way To which end in the first place as a preparation thereto they passed an Act whereby the Knights Citizens and Burgesses there assembled for so are the words did in the name of all the people of that Common-Wealth fully clearly and absolutely and for ever disclaim and renounce all Fealty Homage or Allegiance pretended to be due unto Charles Stuart Eldest Son of the late King Charles Iames Stuart c. or any other Issue or Posterity of the said King or any person or persons pretending or which should pretend Title by from or under them or any of them And soon after that another Act for security of the person of his Highness the Lord Protector and continuance of the Nation in Peace and Safety the
ground And that no Surplisses Hoods or other superstitious Vestments shall be any more used within the Realm c. In accomplishment of which Ordinance Sir Robert Harley who sate in the chair of their Committee for Reformation pull'd down that curious and Rich Sereen of Copper gilt belonging to that incomparable Mâ—nument of K. Henry the Seventh at Westminster and sold it to Brasiers and Mettal-men entred the King's Chappel at White-Hall dasht in pieces the Windows broke down the Communion-Table pull'd up the Rails c. And to prevent the future cost on God's House about that time six thousand pounds which had been Collected for the Rebuilding of St. Andrews Church in Holborn was seized on by these great Reformers and four hundred pounds taken out of the Hospital at Guilford in Surrey which was the whole stock of their Treasure and imploy'd to promote the Rebellion After all which to ingratiate themselves with their Brethren the Scots they entred into a most strict combination which they call'd the National League and Covenant devised and sent from Edenborough though absolutely repugnant to their own Declarations and Votes to extirpate and overthrow the Religion and Discipline by Law establisht in the Church of England which was done with the greatest formality and outward shew of sanctity that could be devised by the Members at Westminster in the Church of St Margaret at Westminster that is to say with groaning sighing singing of Psalms c. Mr. White of Dorchester Mr. Nye Alexander Henderson and others of that seditious Tribe then exercising their gifts in extemporary Prayers and Preaching And that there might be nothing wanting to make odious the Orthodox Glergy of the Realm and to enrage the People against them as heretofore the Enemies of the Gospel did those holy Martyrs whom they clothed in the Skins of Wild-beasts to animate Dogs to worry them they caused a most Libellous Pamphlet against divers Divines which endeavoured to oppose their wicked practises to be Printed and Published by special Order Intituled the first Century of scandalous malignant Priests having in Order thereto shortly after the beginning of that Parliament founded a Committee to enquire after scandalous Ministers under which Title few of the reverend and Orthodox Clergy did escape Which Committee made so speedy a Progress in their work that in short time as their Chairman Mr. Corbet reported they had got in nine hundred Petitions against such Ministers I do here omit to make mention of the particular Imprisonments Plundrings and other oppressions exercised by them towards most of our greatest and most able Divines it being so notorious to the World by reason whereof they being constrain'd to fly from place to place to save themselves the service of God in most Churches of this Kingdom was totally neglected And shall now descend to a short view of the Doctrine and Practise of their own Levites notorious Schismaticks and of so many different Sects almost as Congregations but patronized by these Men to advance their Cause as was acknowledged by the Lords Say and Brooke and justified by the Committee of Northampton Ian. 16. 1643. who stuck not to declare That if the Country would not make better discharge of their Duty in the defence of Religion Laws and Liberties for so they term'd this unparallell'd Rebellion the Parliament would call in foreign Nations to assist them In Testimony whereof certain Troopers of Popish Walloons lying about Putney and Kingston and entertain'd in the Rebels service being asked the reason why they would serve against the King answered that it was all one for Point of Religion but only if they served the King they could not be permitted an open excercise of their devotions according to the Church of Rome which the two Houses gave them leave to do But as to this Point of assistance from those Walloons and others of the romish-Romish-Religion let us hearken to a witness without exception viz. Robert Mentet de Salmonet by Birth a Scotchman of good extraction and a secular Priest of the Church of Rome who hath in French written a well esteem'd History of our late civil Wars and Intituled L'Historie des troubles de la grand Bretagne Where in pag. 165. after he hath given an Accompt of Edge-Hill-Fight he saith thus Ce qui surprit le plus tout le monde ce fut qu'on trouua quelques prestres par my les morts du coste des Estats Car encore que dans lours Manifestes ils appellassent l' Armée du Roy le Armée des Papistes pour la vendre odieuse au peuple ils avoient neantmoins deux Compaynies de Walloons d'autres Catholiques dans leur Armée outre qu' ils n' avoient rien oublie pour tascher d' engager en leur party le chevalier Arthur Aston Colonel-Catholique de grand reputation Il est uray que le Roy avoit aussi souffret dans son Armée quelques officiers Catholiques hommes de grande suffisance tres bien intentionnez pour le bien de l'estat ainsi les appellat il dans la Declaration qu'il fit publier apres la Bataille That which did the most surprize every body was that they found amongst the dead of those which were slain on the Parliament side several Popish-Priests For although in their Declarations they called the King's Army a Popish-Army thereby to render it odious to the People yet they had in their Army two Companies of Walloons and other Roman-Catholicks Besides they omitted no endeavours to engage to their party Sr. Ar. Aston K t an eminent Roman Catholick Commander True it is that the King had permitted to serve him in his Army some Roman Catholick Officers Persons of great Abilities and not factiously inclined as His Majesty expresseth in that Manifesto which he published after the Battail So far this French Author whose Abstract I shall not farther follow but rather go on in the very words of the Declaration it self Where his Majesty answering the Paâ—liaments urging and pressing that false and groundless imputation of his favouring and imploying many of that Religion in his Army saith thus For our affection to that Religion our continual practise our constant profession and several protestations will satisfy all the World against which Malice and Treason it self cannot find the least probable objection We wish from our heart the Zeal and affection of these Men to the true Protestant Religion were as apparent as ours For the imploying Men of that Religion in our present service in the Army whosoever considers the hardness and straights the malice and fury of these Men have driven us to their stopping all passages and ways that neither Men or Money might come to us their declaring all such to be Traytors who shall assist us their entertaining Men of all Countries all Religions to serve against us would not wonder if we had been very well
Debate resolv'd against In the Case of the Bishops the Lords first Voted that they should retain their Voices in Parliament For taking the Protestation throughout the Kingdom the Lords first cast out the Order And notwithstanding their Order and Declaration for the due Observance of the Book of Common-Prayer the Commons made and set forth a contrary Order thereto appointing it to be dispersed and published in all the Churches throughout the Kingdom Likewise though the Lords refused to joyn with the Commons for Petitioning his Majesty that the Cinque-Ports might be secured Yet were they afterwards by terror constrain'd thereto So Likewise though they refused to join with them in their consent for removing the King's Magazine from Hull yet afterwards through over-awing did it And though they concurr'd not with them in that case of the Militia the House of Commons Voted that they did agree therein Thus we plainly see that the Breach of those antient Priviledges for Freedom of Debate and Vote in Parliament was not made without some difficulty But these subtile Men having by the help of those Tumults from the Londoners opened the gap went afterwards smoothly through with all their unjustifiable Practises which in the end brought Confusion both of Parliament and Kingdome So that by these Devices having effected whatsoever they had a mind to they stuck not to deliver it for a Breach of Priviledge that the Lords should dissent to any thing they had Voted as is manifest from that of the New great Scal wherein the Lords had the same measure put upon themselves as they had offered to the King in joyning with the Commons to Vote his Majesties Dissent to the Bills they tendred to him a Breach of their Priviledges CHAP. XLV BY what hath been already said I doubt not but it is apparent enough that these great pretended Champions for the Protestant-Religion the Laws of the Land the Liberty of the Subject and Priviledges of Parliament made use of those specious pretences for no other end than to Captivate the People and by that means get the Power of the Sword into their Mercyless Hands Now forasmuch as they were not asham'd in the midst of all their Vile Practises to cry out that they sought nothing but that Religion Liberty and Peace of the Kingdom should be preserved Having already shewed how well they regarded Religion and the Peoples Liberties let us see how much they endeavoured that generally wished for Peace Did they not order that the King's Proclamation of Pardon to all that would lay down Arms and return to their Obedience should not be Proclaim'd in London and Westminster And when divers Cittizens met at Guild-Hall to frame a Petition to present to the Members at Westminster for Peace was not there a Troop of Horse sent amongst them which with their Swords drawn and terrible Menaces caused them to Disperse for safeguard of their Lives And afterwards when a Committee of the Petitioners were by appointment attending the Court of Aldermen and Common Council at Guild-Hall did not more than Twenty Souldiers rush in amongst them with drawn Swords Crying On on strike now or never Let us destroy these Malignant Doggs that would have Peace Let us cut the Throats of these Popish Rogues And accordingly fell upon the Petitioners in a cruel manner beating and wounding divers of them And when the Petitioners being many disarm'd those Souldiers and shut up the Hall Doors was not there then a Troop of Horse which Discharg'd their Pistols in at them threatning to kill any that issued out And did they not presently bring two great Guns and plant them against the Doors so that the Petitioners were constrain'd to fly up to the Common-Council Chamber for Protection and beg for their Lives to be dismissed with safety Which being granted and they let out did not many lye in wait for them with drawn Swords who pursued them with bitter Execrations the Multitude kicking and striking at them in their Passage crying Hang them cut their Throats Whereupon divers of them were sore hurt and some drag'd to Prison Did not their House of Lords refuse a Petition for Peace from the Inhabitants of Westminster and the Suburbs And was not there a Constable in Westminster Committed for having a hand in that Petition And when His Majesties Commissioners of Array in Cheshire and the Parliaments Committee in that County for Exercising the Militia out of an earnest regard to prevent the Miseries of War in those parts had made an Agreement against any farther Hostility and to preserve the Peace of the Country did not they at Westminster make a publick Declaration against the same whereby they Renounced that Agreement as prejudicial and dangerous to the whole Kingdom and declared it void And was not Sir William Brereton thereupon sent down in all hast with a Troop of Horse a Regiment of Dragoons and four Field Pieces for raising new Forces in that County to serve the Parliament And was not the like Revocation and Disclaymer made by those Members at Westminster against the Agreement in York-shire by the Earl of Cumberland and others the Commissioners of Array there for His Majesty and the Lord Fairfax and others for the Militia Was not Mr. Nicholls and Prideaux two of their Members ordered to go down to break the like Pacification made by the Gentry and others in the Counties of Devon and Cornwail notwithstanding that the Commissioners had taken a Solemn Prorestation and received the Sacrament for Observation thereof And when His Majesty had sent a Gracious Letter and Declaration to the Sheriffs and City of London with Direction that it should be read in their Common Hall was not there an Order in the Name of both Houses to forbid their meeting for to hear it Read And divâ—â—s Discharg'd by Order of the Houses who met accordingly Likewise when His Majesty sent a Message to them for a Treaty with free Trade did not the Members in the House of Commons signify to the Lords at a Conference that it would prove destructive to the Liberty of the Subject and to the Kingdom And when the Women came in great Numbers to Westminster to cry for Peace were they not beaten and abused and three of them killed Were not there certain Propositions read in their House of Commons which were found in Mr. Salâ—marsh his Trunk near Hull First that all means should be used to keep the King and his People from a suddain Union Secondly to cherish the War under the notion of Popery as the surest means to engage the People Thirdly if the King would not grant their demands then to root him out of the Royal Line and collate the Crown upon some body else How hard a matter it was like to be to obtain Peace from these Men therefore let Stephen Marshall tell you whom Mr. Case
certain Articles which shall be presented unto him in the Parliament which at his Coronation be swears to observe with Protestation to do nothing contrary to what shall be proposed unto him and ordained by the States As also they swear to Reestablish in all the Counties of the Kingdom their Ancient Priviledges Preheminencies and Liberties 4. As in the fourth Article of the Covenant our Men Swear the discovery of all such as have been or shall be Incendiaries Malignants or evil Instruments by hinding the Reformation c. That they may receive condign Punishment not in any ordinary way of Justice according to the Law of the Land but as the Degrees of their Offences shall require or deserve Or in case they neither require not deserve as the Supream Iudicatories of both Kingdoms or others having Power from them shall think convenient Just so the Leaguers Swear in case there shall be any hindrance or Opposition in the fore-mentioned Particulars preservation of Religion c. by whomsoever it be made all the Confederates shall imploy their Lives and Fortunes for the bringing of all such to Punishment and that either by way of Iustice or of Arms without any respect of Persons 5. The like mutual defence of all that enter into their Covenant and their constant Perseverance in it all the Days of their Lives not to suffer themselves directly nor indirectly to be withdrawn by whatsoever Combination Perswasion or terror c. The promoting of it against all Impediments and revealing of all Designes to the contrary Which our Men Swear in the first Article Just so the Leaguers protest thaâ— if any of their Confederates shall be molested or troubled all the rest shall be bound to Revenge his Cause against any Person whatsoever and to discover whatsoever they shall know Prejudicial to their Association they Swear by Almighty God and promise upon their Lives and Honours to continue in this League even to their last drop of Bloud and not to depart from it or go against it upon any Command Pretence Excuse or Occasion whatsoever 6. As ours profess in each Article to take the Covenant Sincerely c. So each of them Swears that he enters into this Holy League Loyally and Sincerely 7. As our Men in the close of the Covenant did make a general Confession of their Sins and Profeâ—s and Declare before God and the World their unfeigned desire to be bumbled for them and to amend their Lives in all Duties they owe to God and Man and each one to go before another in the example of a real Conuersation and likewise invite other Christian-Churches to joyn in the same or like Association and Covenant with them So did the Leaguers in the close of their Declaration intreat all Persons of what condition soever not yet confederate with them that they would fauour them and to their Power assist them in the Execution of so good and holy a work Professing they will receive into their Association all good Men that have a Zeal to the Honour of God and his Church and to the Welfare and Reputation of Religion Concluding thus Seeing of necessity all our help must come from God we intreat all good Catholicks to put themselves in good condition to God-wards and be Reconciled to his Divine Majesty by a thorough Reformation of their Lives so to appease the Wrath of God and to call upon him with an upright Conscience both in publick and private Prayers and Devotions to the end that all our Actions may be referred to the Honour of God and his Glory who is the Lord of Hosts and from whom alone we look for strength and certain deliverance And the Parliament at Bloys though at the first meeting it seem'd to concurr in the same intentions with the King yet the effect was nothing less For it was an Assembly packt up of Persons dissaffected to the present Government the greatest part of the Commissioners of Shires being such as had underhand Subscribed the League and had given themselves up to be guided by the Councils of the Duke of Guise Besides the Knights or Commissioners of divers Counties and the Burgesses of several Cities were either not returned or neglected to come or were departed And therefore the Prince of Conde when certain of their Members were sent unto him with a Message in Writing as from the States-general or Parliament he refused to open the Letters or to acknowledge them to be a Parliament affirming that such a Congregation as that where the Commissioners of so many Cities Shires and Counties were wanting in which they went about to force Mens Consciences to Oppress and Extirpate the Total Line and Violate the Prerogative of the Crown of France to comply with the Humours of some Strangers whose Hearts were set on Fire with an unsupportable and Pernicious Ambition could by no means be call'd a Parliament being indeed nothing else but a Conventicle of a few Suborned Persons corrupted by the Disturbers of the publick Peace If we consider the quality of the Persons engaged in that League we shall find them much of the same make with these of ours They were principally of two much different sorts the first for the most part consisted of Noblemen and Persons of Quality such as were ill satisfied with the Power and greatness of the King's Dominion and could not endure to see themselves past by in the disposal of Preferments and Court-Favours and therefore sided with the Faction partly out of discontent and partly out of hopes of Innovation thinking that by putting down the present that they should raise their private Fortunes to a better condition and at last arrive to the height of their Desires The second sort whereof the League was Composed were Persons who for Quality seemed to be much inferior to the former but for use and profit were not a whit below them For these were they that won the Cities the common People and the Tradesmen generally over all the Kingdom These for the most part were Men of a free and good nature passionately affected to the Catholick Faith and most intestine haters of the Huguenots Some of them believing in good earnest that their Religion was in danger of utter Ruine Other desirous to see the destruction of Heresy did not only readily engage themselves in the League in their own Persons but contributed their utmost endeavours to draw on the common People and to win others to the Faction With these fell on as a third sort some of the long Robe Preachers and Lawyers who under colour of Religion did hide either their fickle and inconstant nature or their Ambitious or Covetous Desires of their own Greatness and Preferment To which we may add a fourth sort of Men which were moved either out of private Spleen against some Court-Favourites or were drawn in to side with the League meerly upon their fair Pretences never dreaming that their aimes were against
occasion'd by the fears of the People without any consent of his That his Intentions were ever most Inclin'd to Loyalty and all due Obedience desiring nothing but that Evil Councillers might be removed and due care taken for the securing of Religion And though says my Author his Actions were for the most part quite contrary to his Professions yet the colour of Religion was so lively and plausible he knowing so well how to demean himself that the People generally believed him still a Loyal Subject to the King and that all he did was only out of Zeal to Religion and an Ardent desire for promoting the publick good of the Kingdom When things were in this State there followed the face of an accommodation betwixt the King and the Leaguers and for the composing of all differences another Parliament was convened at Bloys 16. Oct. 1588. In the Election of Members to assist at it though both parts laboured to have such chosen as were their own dependents yet those of the League prevailed by much above the Kings Party For the Commons being vexed with their pressing Grievances their end being mainly to shake off that Burthen did willingly adhere to the Kings Enemies who promised and professed an earnest desire of easing the People of their unsupportable burthen by Taxes and Contributions In this Parliament all the States took a Solemn Oath or Protestation for defence of Religion with the Kings Person and Authority Which Oath they ordered to be taken by all the Subjects of the Kingdom Notwithstanding all which Obligations whereby the Leaguers bound themselves to abandon their former Practises and to apply themselves to a sincere obedience of the King yet did they not remit any thing of their former Machinations For not only the Duke of Guise aspired to obtain the express Title of Lieutenant General which he could not before accomplish though he had the Power but the rest ceased not to tamper with the States that the Government migt be reformed in such a manner as that the King should have no share left him in it but the bare name and shadow of a Prince the whole Power to be transferred to this Duke and his Dependents of the League Nay the very number of the States which equaliz'd ours in the House of Commons engaging themselves in the Interests of the Faction did contend and squable for the same ends with them without any regard of their so many and Solemn Oaths in evident contempt of the Person Name and Majesty of the King The Commons in this Parliament notwithstanding they had resolv'd upon a War with the Huguenots which must needs be expensive Yet demanded from the King a moderation of Taxes and diminution of new Impositions which like that of Ship-money amounted to two Millions of Crowns yearly as also the Reformation of many Offices erected about the Customes and the total abolishing of some other Grievances They declared the King of Navarr who was next Heir to the Crown incapable of Inheriting and Sollicited the King to make a new Decree upon it unto which they would have him swear as a Fundamental Law After many other Plots and Practises in this Factious Parliament when business was now fully ripe and the Duke of Guise having sufficiently canvassed and prepared the States both in general and particular Grown now secure and bold upon confidence of former Experience he began to bring his Plot upon the Stage of being made Lieutenant-general at the Request and by the Authority of the Parliament which was the last end of his present hopes But those hopes were quickly frustrate by His untimely Death After which his Brother the Duke of Maine took up Arms to Prosecute that design of the League And though the King wrote kind Letters to him yet were they of no force to make him hearken to any Concord For making himself Head of the Holy Union he was by the Parisians declared Lieutenant General of the State and Crown of France with the same authority and power wich is naturally inherent in the King abating only the name which Power was intended to continue until the States-General should think fit to alter it Upon the possession whereof he entred 22. Febr. 1589 Having taken a Solemn Oath to Protect and defend the Catholick Religion against all Persons whatsoever to preserve the Estate belonging to the Crown of France to defend the Priviledges of the three Estates of Parliament the Clergy Nobility and Commons to cause the Laws and Constitutions of the Realm to be observed and the Authority and Power of the Courts of Justice Having done this he chose and setled the Council of the Union like a close Committee consisting of fourty the chief and most eminent Persons of the League to manage all the most Important Affairs with his Assistance leaving still the Government of the City of Paris with the Sixteen And as our Men had their Committies in several Counties which received Directions from and sent Informations to their great Council So did these of the League ordain that there should be six eight twelve or more of them nominated in several places of the Kingdom to propose what was fitting to the Council and having received Directions from them to act accordingly Nor hath scarce any act of Insolence been Commited by our Men in which they might not urge these for an Example What hath been done to Justice Mallet taken off the Bench and Committed to the Tower the like was done in Paris For they in a Tumultuous manner beset the Hall of the Pallace where the Judges than sate seiz'd upon Harle and others whom they deem'd to be well affected to the King and Committed them Prisoners to the Bastile The King upon like Motives as his Majesty Adjourn'd the Term from London to Oxford adjourn'd the Courts of Justice the Parliament of Paris to Towrs that of Roan to Cane that of Dijon to Chalon And that nothing might be wanting in this Rebellion which was in that As our Men took upon them to make a new great Seal ransackt the Kings Pallace at White-hall seiz'd all his Revenues Forts and Magazine into their own hands usurped his Authority and called in a Forreign-Nation the Scots to their Assistance their Parliament Voting it and their Preachers being the Trumpeters of War against the King So our own Camden tells us the Leaguers of France did Populus ubique Magistratibus parere dedignatus Regias aedes Lutetiae diripuit Conjurati novo consilio instituto novo Sigillo ad res administrandas confecto Regiam sibi authoritatem arrogarunt munitissima quaeque loca immo integras Provincias sibi raptarunt Regni redditus interceperunt Auxiliares Hispanos è Belgio evocarunt Parliamentis suffragantibus Ecclesiasticis Bellum in Regem ubique buccinantibus The King after all this being straitned for Money and entertaining no Thoughts but of Peace and Accommodation procured the Popes Legate to Interpose
more than they can and leave the Triumph and Conquest of Souls to the Wisdom of God who only forms and Reforms the Hearts of Men as he pleasech and gives the signal to many wandring Souls to bring them into the way of Salvation it being not possible for Men to impose a necessity upon that which God hath left at Liberty the Conscience which should be as free in a State as Thought Where going on he shews by the continued Practice of former times that such Princes as were well advised never killed their Subjects to Convert them nor wasted their Dominions by War to inform their Consciences by the Sword knowing that Religion is an Act of Union and Concord and must be planted by Instruction whereas Wars are all for Division and Destruction And those who in these later times have mingled Heaven and Earth together to compell the Consciences of their Subjects to an Unity in Religion have at last been fayn to give over and let them alone and to reject the advise of those unskilful Physitians who prescribe nothing but Antimony and Letting Bloud for all Diseases Then he proves that the accord made with the Protestants was both just necessary and profitable The whole Discourse is not unworthy the consideration of our times but I shall not trouble the Reader with Transcribing farther Having now dispatch't the Holy-League and made good I hope so much as I undertook that it was for the most part parallel to this of ours One thing only I have not insisted on not knowing whether it be convenient to particularize in it namely the strange Disasters and Unfortunate ends which befell many Eminent Persons of that League Like to which our own Story hath afforded us some Examples already and Posterity may be able to observe more To say nothing of any that were Kill'd in those Wars on either Party nor much of the Tragical ends of many of that Family who were the first Authors and constant Upholders of that League it cannot be forgot that the Duke of Guise and his Brother the Cardinal were both of them suddainly taken away by Trechery when their hopes were at highest And the Duke of Nemure their Brother by the Mother Betray'd by one whom he most trusted Dyed in Despair in the declining of the League Likewise That one of the Duke of Guise his Sons a Person of special note for his Valour was some Years after the Peace miserably torn in peices by a Canon at Arles which burst when he gave Fire to it Shooting at a Mark. The chief of the Duke of Lorreynes Family who thought to have gained the Kingdom of France to his Son from the Father that Son lost all his own Dukedom to the Son The Duke of Merceur who aimed to have had Brittany at least for his share Dyed of the Plague in a Forrein Countrey left no Heir Male so that his whole Estate came to the Duke of Vendosine with his Daughter much against her Will. The Count of St. Paul who had been advanced by the Duke of Mayne to the Title of Mareschal of France was in the time of the League Stab'd by the young Duke of Guise as he came forth of the Church at Remes Villiers the Admiral was basely Kill'd by a Spanish-Souldier in cold Bloud and his Finger cut off by another for his Ring Brisson the Primier President of the Parliament at Paris who had been first most Violent against the King upon suspicion of complying afterwards was with some others Strangled by the Tumultuous Citizens of Paris And the Lord Gomeron Governour of Han in Picardy who sold that place to the Spaniard was Beheaded before the Walls of the same Town a Reward not much Inferior to that of the two Hothums I take no pleasure in reckoning up many of these Instances He that will seek may find more in France and he that will observe I do not wish but fear it in time may discover as many in England One Observation more I shall Intreat the Reader to carry home with him and then I have done with the Holy-League It hath already been shew'd at full that when the Leaguers first took up Armes and bound themselves by Oathes against their King the pretended grounds of the one and the Subject of the other were nothing but the Defence of the true Religion the Laws and Liberties and Property of the Subject with many fair Promises to make the King a Glorious King Where I cannot chuse but observe how the Hand of God by a strange Providence turned all their Vows into Prophecies and their Promises into Predictions by fulfilling them all though in far different sence from what they intended By setling the True Religion they meant the Roman but God fulfilled it of the Protestant And those Armes which they Vowed to the Ruine God Converted to the Advancement of it the Protestants of that Kingdom having upon that occasion obtain'd and ever since enjoyed greater Immunities and a more free and setled course of the Profession of their Religion than ever they had before As to the Laws the Fundamental Laws of France to speak with the French-Man the Salique-Laws touching the Succession of the Crown and Prerogative of the King which they intended to alter they did in the event confirm And as Henry the third was Advanced to a State of Glory by the cruel Hands of Iaques Clement an Instrument of the League and Henry the fourth by Ravilliac one Trained up in the same Principles So was King Charles the first by his bloudy Murtherers here But as it fell out consider what a purchase the Glorious Nobility the Gallant Gentry the Rich Citizens and the Secure Farmer had when by siding with the Leaguers they Exchanged their Loyalty and present Peace which they enjoyed under the King's Protection for the aiery hopes of a greater Liberty and if not bettering at least securing their Estates Did not the long continuance of those Wars so inure the Souldiers to a Military course of Life and the People to Patience under Contributions and Impositions that the former could never since be won to lay the Sword out of his Hands nor the latter get the Yoke shaken off their Shoulders Only the Scene is somewhat altered for whereas before their own Countrey was the Stage of the War they have now removed it to their Neighbours And the Crown of France by reason of their many Victories and Successes is now become justly formidable to a great part of Europe whereby the promise of the Leaguers is fully verified the King is made Glorious but how far they so intended is easy to imagine And how the Liberty of the Subject in general is enhaunted and their Property Establisht by these Glorious Atchievements of the King when their Yearly Taxes for support of his Wars amount almost if not altogether to the value of their Lands let the French if they have any cause make their boast And
31 Aug. * 4 Sept. * 6 Sept. * 11 Sept. Scob. Coll. p. 54. * 13 Sept. * 25 Sept. The solemn League and Covenant fram'd in Scotland taken by the Members at Westminster Archbishop Laud's life p. 510. * See the Remonstrance of the Army in order to the King's Trial dated at St. Albans 16 Nov. 1648. * Covenant with Narrative p. 12. * 21 Sept. Scob. Coll. p. 54. * 2 Oct. * 5 Oct. * 6 Oct. * 7 Oct. * 18 Oct. * 9 Oct. Scob. Coll. p. 57. * 18 Oct. * Articles of the Treaty at Edenborough for bringing in the Scots Army * 29 Nov. * 20 Nov. * 28 Nov. Scob. Coll. p. 59. * 13 Dec. * 25 Dec. Scob. Coll. p. 60. * 9 Jan. Scob. Coll. p. 60. * See the Letter to his Majesty from the Lord Chancelour and divers Lords of that Realm â—ated at Edenâ—â—rough 1 Julii 1643. wherein they promise not 〈◊〉 raise any â—orces without special warrant from the King * His Majesties Declaration to all his Subjects of Scotland â— Jan. 1643. The Scots second Invasion See the Supplication of the Noblemen Barrons Burgesses c. exhibited to the Marquess of Hamilton his Majesties Commissioner an 1638. Wherein by way of Explication of their National Covenant they acknowledge that the quietness and stability of their Religion and Kirk depends upon the safety of the King's Majesty as God's vice-gerent See the Supplication of the general Assembly at Edenborough 12 Aug. 1639. Whereby it appeareth that the whole Kingdom was sworn with their means and lives to stand to the defence of their dread Sovereign his person and authority in every cause which may concern his Majesties Honour with their friends and followers in quiet manner or in Arms as they shall be required by his Majesty See Act 5. of the second Parliament of King Charles concerning the ratification of the Covenant by which their universal Protestation and promise under a solemn Oath and Hand-writing upon fearful pains and execrations is apparent viz. to defend the King's person and authority with their goods bodies and lives against all Enemies within the Realm or without as they desire God to be a merciful defender to them in the day of their death and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. See the Petition presented to his Majesty Jan. 1642 manifesting the promise of the whole Clergy in their National Assembly to keep the people under their charge in obedience to his Majesty and to his Laws confessing it a duty well-beseeming the Preachers of the Gospel See the Petition of the Nobility Gentry Burroughs Ministers and Commons to the Lords of his Majesties Privy-Council of that Kingdom wherein they acknowledged his Majesties zeal for maintaining the true Religion and that to call in question the same after so many reiterated professions and asseverations could not be but an unchristian distrustfulness and in them the height of disloyalty and ingratitude confessing themselves bound in duty to God by whose great name they had sworn to defend and maintain the person greatness and authority of their dread Soveraign as God's Vicegerent to the utmost of their power with their means and lives in every cause which might concern his Honour professing themselves fully satisfied and perswaded of his Majesties royal zeal and resolution and that malice and detraction could not prevail to make the least impression in their loyal hearts of jealousy and distrust or their intending any thing to the prejudice of that Brotherly and blessed conjunction of the two Nations attesting God the searcher of all hearts of their dutiful intentions towards his Majesty their dread and native King strictly bound thereto by all the ties of Nature Christianity and Gratitude 22 Jan. 27 Jan. * Dated 30 Jan. 3 Martii 9 Martii * 22 Jan. Scob. Coll. p. 61. * 20 Febr. Scob. Coll. ut supra Anno 1643. a 26. March b 29. March c 3. April d 6. May. * 16. May. f 18. June g 22. June h 30. June i 1. July k 2. July l 5. July m 13. July n 24. July o 26. July p 2. Aug. q 5. Aug. r 10. Aug. †20. Aug. t 28. Aug. v 1. 3. Sept. x 4. Sept. y 6. Sept. z 17. Sept. a 20. Sept. b 6. Oct. c 4. Decem. d 9. Decem. * 12. Decem. f 21. Decem. g 25. Decem. h 28. Decem. i 25. Jan. k 13. Feb. l 18. Feb. m 21. Mar. n 21. Mar. o 23. March p 16. April q 26. April r 8. May. †21. May. t 5. June v 6. July x 30. July y 2. Aug. z 10. Septem a 16. Septem b 20. Octob. c 3. Jan. d 22. Jan. The Scots Invasion Anno 1644. * 26. March Scab coll p. 65. f 8. July Ibid. p. 73 g 2. July The Battle at Marston-moore h 13. July i 4. July The King's Message from Evesham k 1. Septemb. l 5. Septemb. from Tavestoke m 23. Nov. f 26. Nov. g 2. Decem. Scob. Coll. p. 75. h 9. Decem. The self-denying Ordinance The Book of Common Prayer Abolisht The Directory Establisht i 4. Jan. k 10. Jan. Arch. Bp. of Canterb. beheaded Treaty at Vxbridge l Impr. Oxon. 1645. m Ibid. p. 31. n Ibid. p. 144. 145. o 3. Apr. p 6. Apr. q 25. May r 27. May †28. May t 12 Iune u 20. June x 30. June y 3. July z 15. August * 1. Septem a 14. Sept. b 25. Octob. c 7. Novem. d 17. Nov. * 23 Febr. f 1. March g 29. March h 2. July i 23. July k 19. Octob. l 27. Octob. The second Battel of Newbery * 9. Decemb. The self-denying Ordinance m 31. Dec. n 31. Dec. o Heath's Chron. p. 68. p Ibid. 23. Decemb. q Ibid. p. 18. * cap. 8. r 1. Jan. See the King's observation thereon in his Eikâ—n Basilike cap. †10. Jan. Anno 1645. a 22. April b 31. May. c 25. March d 24. April * 22. May. f 23. May. g 26. May. h 1. June i 14. June k 18. June l 27. June m 28. June n 21. July o 23. July p 25. July q 31. July r 15. August †17. Aug. t 21. Aug. v 22. Sept. x 26. Sept. y 1. Oct. z 14. Oct. a 15. Octob. b 5. Nov. c 16. Nov. d 4. Decem. * 17. Decem. f 17. Jan. g 19. Jan. h 2. Feb. i 3. Feb. k 16. Feb. l 25. Feb. m 28. Feb. n 29. Feb. o 3. March p 14. March q 21. March p 23. Aug. Scob. Col. p. 97. Message from the King for peace q 5. Decem. r 15. Decem. †26. Decem. t 29. Decem. u 15. Jan. x 17. Jan. y 24. Jan. z 29. Jan. a 26. Feb. b 23. March c 22. Octob. Anno 1642. Anno 1646. d 7. Apr. * 8. Apr. f 13. April g 15. April h 25. April i 26. April d The King's Letter to the Marquess
designs The Marquess therefore shewing a dislike to those their sinister dealings departed from the Assembly at Glasgow Whereupon the Covenanters protested against all that he had said and done there as his Majesties Commissioner And at the same instant the Lord Areskyn and three other mean persons came and beg'd to be admitted into their blessed Covenant Which offer though of purpose contrived was made so good use of by the Moderator that he desired it might be admired as God's approbation and Sealing of their proceedings And it being put to the question whether they should adhere to their Protestation and continue the Assembly notwithstanding the King's Commissioners departure it was voted by most affirmatively Secondly whether the Assembly though dissolv'd by his Majesties Commissioner was competent judge against the Bishops and whether they would go on in their Tryal it passed also affirmatively nemine contradicente And now no sooner was the Marquess thus departed having caused his Majesties Proclamation to be publish'd by Heraulds at the Market-Cross in Glasgow for dissolving the Assembly but that Mr. Archibald Iohnston the then Clerk to the Assembly made a scandalous Protestation against it After which all things were transacted by some few pack'd Committees of the most fierce Covenanters which sate till the thirtieth of December following Which Committees amongst other of their Acts declared six general Assemblies to be Null and void whereof two were then in force by several Acts of Parliament and divers Acts of the other four confirm'd by Parliament They condemned likewise all the Arminian Tenets as they call'd them without defining what those Tenets were They also deprived all the Arch-Bishops and Bishops of that Realm excommunicating many of them without examining any one witness to prove no nor offering to produce any to testify ought against them And next declared Episcopal Government to be inconsistent with the Laws of that Church and Kingdom abolishing it for ever though it then stood confirm'd by many Acts both of Parliament and Assemblies They also depriv'd divers Ministers for Arminianisme without ever questioning them for what Tenets or opinions they held Moreover towards the end of their Assembly they divided themselves into several Committees which after their rising should see all their Acts put in execution And at the conclusion of all the Moderator gave God thanks for their good success congratulating the Nobility for their great pains giving thanks also to the Earl of Argyle for his Presence and Council Which Earl in a long Speech then excused his late declaring himself yet protesting that he was always set that way though he delay'd to profess it so long as he found his close carriage might advantage their Cause but now he must openly adjoyn himself to their Society or prove a Knave as he said Hereupon the Marquess his Majesties Commissioner resolving to ask the King's leave to return for England came first to Edenborough where he found strong Guards put upon the Castle and the people much abused by false Reports viz. that his Majesty had made good nothing at all which was contained in his Declaration at Edenborough upon the two and twentieth of September last whereupon he caused a Proclamation to be published in his Majesties name at the Market-cross there containing the sum of his whole proceedings at Glasgow Which being encountered with a blustering and undutiful Protestation in the name of the general Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland and published at the same time and place he return'd into England Then the Faction proceeded to levy Soldiers impose Taxes and requiring obedience to their Acts menac'd the Refusers raised divers Fortifications in that Kingdom block'd up his Majesties Castles and Forts and took the Castle of Edenborough procuring their Preachers seditiously to teach the People that there was a Necessity of bearing Arms against his Majesty under pain of Perjury and Damnation and caused such an infamous Ballad to be sung up and down against the Bishops as that in hatred of them the people called a Dog with black and white spots a Bishop as he went in the Streets Moreover they procured divers Libels to be scattered in England for justification of their rebellious courses and defamation of Ecclesiastical Government inciting his Majesties Subjects in this Realm to attemt the like Rebellion here refusing to admit such to the Communion who had not subscribed their Covenant and preaching that the Non-subscribers were Atheists Nay one of them in his Sermon exhorted the people never to give over till they had the King in their power and then he should see what good Subjects they were Others preach'd that the Service-Book was fram'd at fome These and many other groundless scandals and falshoods to amuse the People they published in their Pulpits which they call'd the Chairs of truth And to hasten on the Peoples Insurrection endeavoured to perswade them that his Majesty intended an Invasion of that Kingdom and to make it a Province as also to despoil them of their Laws and Liberties and to give them new Laws as if they were a conquer'd Nation And having thus prepared the People and fitted themselves with all Provisions for war they put themselves in Armes and march'd to the Frontiers of England pretending they came as Petitioners The King therefore discerning the danger raised a gallant Army whereof he made Thomas Earl of Arundel his General and on the seven and twentieth of March set forwards towards Scotland having with him the flower of his English-Nobility and Gentry whose cheerfulness then to serve him was very great Yet was the Earl of Essex at that time his Lieutenant-General and the Earl of Holland General of the Horse so much was his Majesty then mistaken in their affections to him who did afterwards sufficiently discover themselves And advancing with his Army encamp'd four miles West from Barwick What correspondence was then held betwixt the Scots and divers of the great ones then in his Majesties Camp considering also who were of his Bed-chamber may easily be guest by the consequences Certain it is that divers of them grew cool in the business so that after the Scots had by a formal Petition expressed that they falling down at his Majesties feet did most humbly supplicate him to appoint some of the Kingdom of England to hear by some of them their humble desires his Majesty assented thereunto and after several meetings thereupon and their demands presented in writing professed that it was their greif that his Majesty had been provoked to wrath against them his most humble and loving Subjects and that it should be their delight upon his gracious assurance of the preservation of their Religion and Laws to give example to all others of all civil and temporal obedience which could be required of loyal Subjects To which his Majesty answered that if their desires were only the enjoying of their Religion and Liberties according to