of the Nation though a number considerable enough to make a Reformation hard compared with those Gentlemen who were sensible of their birth-rights and the true interest of the Kingdome on which side the common people in the generality and Country Freeholders stood who would rationally argue of their owne Rights and those oppressions that were layed upon them But the sins of the English Nation were too great to let them hope for an easie or speedy redresse of such grievances and the manners of the people so much corrupted as by degrees they became of that temper which the Historian speakes of his Romans ut nec mala nec remedia ferre possent they could neither suffer those pressures patiently nor quietly endure the cure of them Prophannesse too much abounded every where and which is most strange where there was no Religion yet there was Superstition Luxury in diet and excesse both in meat and drinke was crept into the Kingdome in an high degree not only in the quantity but in the wanton curiosity And in abuse of those good creatures which God had bestowed upon this plentifull Land they mixed the vices of divers Nations catching at every thing that was new and forraigne Non vulgo not a placebant Petronius Gaudia non usu plebejo trita voluptas Old knowne delight They scorne and vulgar bare-worne pleasure sleight As much pride and excesse was in Apparell almost among all degrees of people in new fangled and various fashioned attire they not only imitated but excelled their forraigne patternes and in fantasticall gestures and behaviour the petulancy of most Nations in Europe Et laxi crines tot nova nomina vestis Petr. Loose haire and many new found names of clothes The serious men groaned for a Parliament but the great Statesmen plyed it the harder to compleat that worke they had begun of setting up Prerogative above all Lawes The Lord WENTWORTH afterward created Earle of STRAFFORD for his service in that kinde was then labouring to oppresse Ireland of which he was Deputy and to begin that worke in a conquered Kingdome which was intended to be afterward wrought by degrees in England And indeed he had gone very farre and prosperously in those waies of Tyranny though very much to the end ammaging and setting backe of that newly established Kingdome He was a man of great parts of a deepe reach subtle wit of spirit and industry to carry on his businesse and such a conscience as was fit for that worke he was designed to He understood the right way and the Liberty of his Country as well as any man for which in former Parliaments he stood up stiffely and seemed an excellent Patriot For those abilities he was soone taken off by the King and raised in honour to be imployed in a contrary way for inslaving of his Country which his ambition easily drew him to undertake To this man in my opinion that character which LUCAN bestowes upon the Roman Curio in some sort may suit Haud alium tauta civem tulit indole Roma Aut â— ui plus Leges deberent recta sequenâ—i Perdita tune urbi nocuerunt secula postquam Ambitus Luxus opum metuenda facultas Transverso mentem dubiam Torrente tulerunt Momentumque fuit mutatus curio rerum A man of abler parts Rome never bore Nor one to whom whilest right the Lawes ow'd more Our State it selfe then suffer'd when the tide Of Avarice Ambition factious pride To turne his wavering minde quite crosse began Of such high moment was one changed man The Court of England during this long vacancy of Parliaments enjoyed it selfe in as much pleasure and splendour as ever any Court did The Revels Triumphs and Princely Pastims were for those many yeares kept up at so great a height that any stranger which travelled into England would verily believe a Kingdom that looked so cheerefully in the face could not be sick in any part The Queene was fruitfull and now growne of such an age as might seeme to give her priviledge of a farther society with the King then bed and board and make her a partner of his affaires and businesse which his extreme affection did more encourage her to challenge That conjugall love as an extraordinary vertue of a King in midst of so many temptations the people did admire and honour But the Queenes power did by degrees give priviledge to Papists and among them the most witty and Jesuited to converse under the name of civility and Courtship not only with inferiour Courtiers but the King himselfe and to sowe their seed in what ground they thought best and by degrees as in complement to the Queene Nuntio's from the Pope were received in the Court of England PANZANI CON and ROSETTI the King himselfe maintaining in discourse That he saw no reason why he might not receive an Embassadour from the Pope being a Temporall Prince But those Nuntio's were not entertained with publike Ceremony so that the people in generall tooke no great notice of them and the Courtiers were confident of the Kings Religion by his due frequenting Prayers and Sermons The Clergy whose dependance was meerely upon the King were wholly taken up in admiration of his happy Government which they never concealed from himselfe as often as the Pulpit gave them accesse to his eare and not onely there but at all meetings they discoursed with joy upon that Theam affirming confidently that no Prince in Europe was so great a friend to the Church as King CHARLES That Religion flourished no where but in England and no reformed Church retained the face and dignity of a Church but that Many of them used to deliver their opinion That God had therefore so severely punished the Palatinate because their Sacriledge had beene so great in taking away the endowments of Bishopricks Queene ELIZABETH her selfe who had reformed Religion was but coldly praised and all her vertues forgotten when they remembred how she cut short the Bishoprick of Ely HENRY the eight was much condemned by them for seizing upon the Abbies and taking so much out of the severall Bishopricksâ— as he did in the 37 yeer of his Reigne To maintaine therefore that splendour of a Church which so much pleased them was become their highest endeavour especially after they had gotten in the yeare 1633. an Archbishop after their owne heart Doctor LAUD who had before for divers yeares ruled the Clergy in the secession of Archbishop ABBOT a man of better temper and discretion which discretion or vertue to conceale would be an injury to that Archbishop he was a man who wholly followed the true interest of England and that of the Reformed Churches in Europe so farre as that in his time the Clergy was not much envied here in England nor the Government of Episcopacy much dis-favoured by Protestants beyond the Seas Not onely the pompe of Ceremonies were daily increased and innovations of great scandall brought into the Church but in point of
long as they have an Army that do invade us although I am under Treaty with them and under my Great Seale doe call them Subjects for so they are too His desire to have them out was sweetned with that reason That he was sensible how much his English Subjects of the North would suffer otherwise All which with more particulars was set forth in a long Oration by the Lord Keeper FINCH who likewise justified the Kings intention of calling this Parliament before the Peeres petitioned him at Yorke Though the King were thanked for his Grace toward his English Parliament yet that motion of expelling the Scots was otherwise considered of by the Houses as will appeare in the particulars of it For about a weeke after it was ordered by the House of Commons That 100000 l. should be paid to the two Armies to be levied rateably upon all the Counties of England except the Northerne Counties which were then charged and till it could be leavied the Money to be taken up at Interest And Scottish Commissioners were allowed to come and exhibite their complaints and dispute the businesse at London who accordingly came thither about the nineteenth day of the same Moneth for the businesse was not yet ended but still in Treaty which Treaty as the King said in his Speech was but transported from Kippon to London Before the great cure which was expected from this Parliament could go on it was necessary that some time should be spent in searching and declaring the wounds which in divers elegant and judicious Speeches was done by some Members of both Houses The abuses which of late yeares had been committed about Religion and the manifold violations of Lawes and Liberties were upon the first day after the House of Commons was setled being the ninth of November enumerated and discoursed upon by Master GRIMSTON Sir BENJAMIN RUDIERD Master PYM and Master BAGSHAW and the abuses of Ireland reflecting much upon the Earle of Strafford were opened by Sir JOHN CLOTWORTHY of Devon but living in Ireland The like Speeches for many daies following were made by divers Gentlemen of great quality where in the midst of their complaints the King was never mentioned but with great Honour They alwaies mixing thanks for the present hope of redresse with their complaints of former grievances The first of which they rendred to the King and threw the other upon his Ministers of which if the Reader would see a perfect exemplar Sir BENJAMIN RUDYERD his Speech the second that was delivered in the House will best discover the present state of grievances and the way of sparing the King a Religious Learned and Judicious Gentleman Cujus erant mores qualis facundia Whose Speech I shall wholly insert that the condition of the State may the better bee understood Master Speaker WEE are here assembled to doe Gods businesse and the Kings in which our owne is included as we are Christians as we are Subjects Let us first feare God then shall we honour the King the more for I am afraid we have beene the lesse prosperous in Parliaments because we have preferred other matters before him Let Religion be our Primum quaerite for all things else are but Et caetera's to it yet we may have them too sooner and surer if we give God his precedence We well know what disturbance hath been brought upon the Church for vaine petty trifles How the whole Church the whole Kingdome hath been troubled where to place a Metaphor an Altar We have seene Ministers their wives children and families undone against Law against conscience against all bowels of compassion about not dancing upon Sundaies What do these sort of men thinke will become of themselves when the Master of the House shall come and finde them thus beating their fellow Servants These inventions were but sives made of purpose to winnow the best men and that is the Devills occupation They have a minde to worry preaching for I never yet heard of any but diligent Preachers that were vext with these and the like devices They despise Prophecy and as one said they would faine be at something were like the Masse that will not bite a muzzled Religion They would evaporate and dis-spirit the power and vigour of Religion by drawing it out into solemne and specious formalities into obsolete antiquated Ceremonies new furbish'd up And this belike is that good worke in hand which Doctor HEYLIN hath so celebrated in bis bold Pamphlets All their acts and actions are so full of mixtures involutions and complications as nothing is cleare nothing sincere in any of their proceedings Let them not say That these are the porverse suspitions malicious interpretations of some factious spirits amongst us when a Romanist hath bragged and congratulated in print That the face of our Church begins to alter the Language of our Religion to change And SANCTA CLARA hath published That if a Synod were held Non intermixtis Puritanis setting Puritans aside our Articles and their Religion would soone be agreed They have so brought it to passe that under the name of Puritans all our Religion is branded and under a few hard words against Iesuites all Popery is countenanced Whosoever squares his actions by any rule either divine or humane he is a Puritan Whosoever would be governed by the Kings Lawes he is a Puritan He that will not do whatsoever other men would have him do he is a Puritan Their great worke their Masterpiece now is to make all those of the Religion to be the suspected party of the Kingdome Let us further reflect upon the ill effect these courses have wrought what by a defection from us on the one side a separation on the other some imagining whether we are tending made hast to turne or declare themselves Papists before hand thereby hoping to render themselves the more gracious the more acceptable A great company of the Kings Subjects striving to hold communion with us but seeing how farre we were gone and fearing how much further we would go were forc'd to fly the Land some into other inhabited Countries very many into savage Wildernesses because the Land would not beare them Do not they that cause this cast a reproach upon the Government Master Speaker Let it be our principall care that these waies neither continue nor returne upon us if we secure our Religion we shall cut off and defeat many plots that are now on foot by them and others Beleeve it Sir Religion hath been for a long time and still is the great designe upon this Kingdome It is a knowne and practised principle That they who would introduce another Religion into the Church must first trouble and disorder the Government of the State that so they may worke their ends in a confusion which now lies at the doore I come next Master Speaker to the Kings businesse more particularly which indeed is the Kingdomes for one hath no existence no being without the other their relation is so
slaine That Commission of Array was directed from the King to Sir NICHOLAS CRISPE Sir GEORGE STROUD Knights to Sir THOMAS GARDINER Knight Recorder of London Sir GEORGE BINION Knight RICHARD EDES and MARMADUKE ROYDEN Esquires THOMAS BROWNE PETER PAGGON CHARLES GENNINGS EDWARD CARLETON ROBERT ABBOT ANDREW KING WILLIAM WHITE STEVEN BOLTON ROBERT ALDEM EDMUND FOSTER THOMAS BLINKHORNE of London Gentlemen and to all such other persons as according to the true intent and purport of that Commission should be nominated and appointed to be Generals Colonels Lieutenant Colonels Serjeant Majors or other Officers of that Councell of Warre The Commission it selfe is to be read at large in the Parliament Records But this Conspiracy was prevented and proved fatall to some of the Contrivers being detected upon the last day of May which happened at that time to be the day of the Monethly Fast and Master WALLER Master TOMKINS with other of the forenamed Conspirators being apprehended were that night examined by divers grave Members of the Parliament of whom Master PYM was one and afterwards reserved in custody for a Tryall They were arraigned in Guild-Hall and Master WALLER Master TOMKINS Master CHALLONER Master HASELL Master WHITE and Master BLINKHORNE were all condemned none were executed but Master TOMKINS and Master CHALLONER being both hanged Master TOMKINS in Holborne and Master CHALLONER in Cornhill both within sight of their own dwelling houses Master HASELL dyed in Prison BLINKHORNE and the other were by the mercy of the Parliament and the Lord Generall Essex reprived and saved afterwards Master WALLER the chiefe of them was long detained Prisoner in the Tower and about a yeare after upon payment of a Fine of ten thousand pounds was pardoned and released to go travell abroad It was much wondered at and accordingly discoursed of by many at that time what the reason should be why Master WALLER being the principall Agent in that Conspiracy where Master TOMKINS and Master CHALLONER who had been drawne in by him as their own Confessions even at their deaths expressed were both executed did escape with life The onely reason which I could ever heare given for it was That Master WALLER had been so free in his Confessions at the first without which the Plot could not have been clearly detected That Master PYM and other of the Examiners had ingaged their promise to do whatever they could to preserve his life He seemed also much smitten in conscience and desired the comfort of godly Minister being extremely penitent for that soule offence and afterwards in his Speech to the House when he came to be put out of it much be wailed his offence thanking God that so mischievous and bloody a Conspiracy was discovered before it could take effect CHAP. III. Matters of State trans-acted in Parliament touching the Assembly of Divines The making of a new Great Seale Impeaching the Queene of High Treason and other things The Lord Generall Essex after some Marches returneth to quarter his wasted and sick Army about Kingston The Kings Forces Masters of the West The Earl of Newcastle his greatnesse in the North. Some mention of the Earle of Cumberland and the Lord FAIRFAX AT the same time that these Conspiracies were closely working to undermine the Parliament and Warre was raging in highest fury throughout the Kingdome many State-businesses of an unusuall nature had been trans-acted in the Parliament sitting For things were growne beyond any president of former ages and the very foundations of Government were shaken according to the sense of that Vote which the Lords and Commons had passed a yeare before That whensoever the King maketh Warre against the Parliament it tendeth to the dissolution of this Government Three things of that unusuall nature fell into debate in one moneth which was May 1643. and were then or soone after fully passed one was at the beginning of that moneth concerning the Assembly of Divines at Westminster Among other Bils which had passed both Houses and wanted onely the Royall Assent that was one That a Synod of Divines should be chosen and established for the good and right settlement of Religion with a fit Government for the Church of England This Bill was oft tendred to the King to passe but utterly refused by him The matter therefore was fully argued what in such cases might be done by Authority of Parliament when the Kingdomes good is so much concerned when a King refuseth and wholly absenteth himselfe from the Parliament And at last it was brought to this conclusion That an Ordinance of Parliament where the King is so absent and refusing is by the Lawes of the Land of as good Authority to binde the people for the time present as an Act of Parliament it selfe can be It was therefore Voted by the Lords and Commons That the Act for an Assembly of Divines to settle Religion and a forme of Government for the Church of England which the King had oft refused to passe should forthwith be turned into an Ordinance of Parliament and the Assembly thereby called debate such things for the settlement of Religion as should be propounded to them by both Houses which not long after was accordingly put in execution The case seemed of the same nature with that of Scotland in the yeare 1639. when the Scottish Covenanters as is before mentioned in this History upon the Kings delay in calling their Nationall Synod published a writing to that purpose That the power of calling a Synod in case the Prince be an Enemy to the truth or negligent in promoting the Churches good is in the Church it selfe In the same moneth and within few daies after another businesse of great consequence was by the Lords and Commons taken into consideration which was the making of a new Great Seale to supply the place of that which had been carried away from the Parliament as before is mentioned This businesse had been fully debated in the House of Commons and the Moneth following at a Conference between both Houses the Commons declared to the Lords what great prejudice the Parliament and whole Kingdome suffered by the absence of the Great Seale and thereupon desired their speedy compliance in Votes for the making of a new one The matter was debated in the House of Peeres put to Votes and carried for the negative The onely reason which they alleadged against the making of a new Seale was this That they have hitherto dispatched all business since the absence of the Seale by vertue of Ordinances of Parliament and they conceived that the same course might still be kept in what matters soever were necessary to be expedited for the good of the Kingdome without a Seale Yet the Lords gave a respective answer That if the House of Commons would informe them in any particular cases wherein the Kingdomes prejudice by absence of the Great Seale could not be remedied by vertue of an Ordinance they would take it into further consideration to induce complyance accordingly Neither was
The effect of that Protestation was for we cannot here insert it at large That the Service Booke was full of Superstition and Idolatry and ought not to be obtruded upon them without consent of a Nationall Synod which in such cases should judge That it was unjust to deny them liberty to accuse the Bishops being guilty of high crimes of which till they were cleered they did reject the Bishops as Judges or Governours of them They protested also against the High Commission Court and justified their owne meetings and superscriptions to Petitions as being to defend the glory of God the Kings Honour and Liberties of the Realme This Protestation was read in the Market place at Sterlin and the Copy hung up in publike CHAP. IV. The Scots enter into a Covenant The Marquesse HAMILTON is sent thither from the King A Nationall Synod is granted to them but dissolved within few daies by the Marquesse as Commissioner from the King The King declares against the Covenanters and raises an Army to subdue them FRom Sterlin the Commissioners resorted to Edenburgh whither many from all parts met to consult of the present businesse and concluded there to renew solemnly among them that Covenant which was commonly called The lesser confession of the Church of Scotland or The confession of the Kings family which was made and sealed under King JAMES his hand in the yeare 1580. afterwards confirmed by all the Estates of the Kingdome and Decree of the Nationall Synod 1581. Which Confession was againe subscribed by all sorts of persons in Scotland 1590. by authority of Councell and Nationall Synod and a Covenant added to it for defence of true Religion and the Kings Majesty which Covenant the aforesaid Lords Citizens and Pastours in the yeare 1638. did renew and tooke another according to the present occasion The Covenant it selfe expressed at large in the Records of that Kingdome consisted of three principall parts The first was a re-taking word for word of that old Covenant 1580. confirmed by Royall Authority and two Nationall Synods for defence of the purity of Religion and the Kings Person and Rights against the Church of Rome The second part contained an enumeration of all the Acts of Parliament made in Scotland in defence of the reformed Religion both in Doctrine and Discipline against Popery The third was an application of that old Covenant to the present state of things where as in that all Popery so in this all innovations in those Bookes of Lyturgy unlawfully obtruded upon them are abjured and a preservation of the Kings Person and Authority as likewise a mutuall defence of each other in this Covenant are sworne unto Against this Covenant the King much displeased made these foure principall objections First By what authority they entred into this Covenant or presumed to exact any Oath from their fellow Subjects Secondly if they had power to command the new taking of this Oath yet what power had they to interpret it to their present occasion it being a received Maxime That no lesse authority can interpret a Law then that which made it or the Judges appointed by that Authority to give sentence upon it Thirdly What power they had to adde any thing to it and interpose a new Covenant of mutuall assistance to each other against any other power that should oppose them none excepted And fourthly That all Leagues of Subjects among themselves without the privity and approbation of the King are declared to be seditious by two Parliaments in Scotland one of the tenth Parliament of JAMES the sixth Act the twelfth and the other the fifteenth Act of the ninth Parliament of Queene MARY What answer the Covenanters made to these objections and what arguments the King used to enforce the contrary are largely expressed in many writings being such indeed as not onely then but since in the sad calamities of England have been discoursed of in whole volumes containing all that can be said concerning the true Rights and Priviledges of Princes and People The Covenant notwithstanding was generally subscribed by all there present at Edenburgh in February 1638. and Copies of it sent abroad to those who were absent and so fast subscribed by them also that before the end of Aprill he was scarce accounted one of the Reformed Religion that had not subscribed to this Covenant And the Church and State were divided into two names of Covenanters and Non-Covenanters the Non-Covenanters consisting â—irst of Papists whose number was thought small in Scotland scarce exceeding six hundred Secondly some Statesmen in Office and favour at that time Thirdly someâ— who though they were of the Reformed Religion were greatly affected to the Ceremonies of England and Booke of Common-Prayer Many Bishops at that time came from thence to the Court of England and three Lords of the Councell of Scotland whom the King had sent for to advise about the affaires of that Kingdome where after many debates what course to take whether of reducing the Covenanters by Armes or using more gentle meanes The King at last sent the Marquesse HAMILTON together with those three Lords into Scotland The Marquesse arrived at Dulketh and within few daies entred Edenburgh in Iune being met and conducted into the City by a great multitude of all ranks in which number were seven hundred Pastors of Churches The Marquesse by the Kings Command dealt with the Covenanters to renounce their Covenant or else told them there was no hope to obtaine a Nationall Synod which they so much desired for setling of the Church which they affirmed could not be done without manifest perjury and profanation of Gods Name But when nothing was agreed upon they besought the Marquesse at his returne into England to present their humble desire to the King But before his departure in Iuly he published the Kings Proclamation wherein his Majesty protests to defend the Protestant Religion and that he would no more presse upon them the Booke of Canons or Service Booke but by lawfull Mediums That he would rectifie the High Commission and was resolved to take a speedy opportunity of calling both a Parliament and Synod When the Proclamation was ended the Covenanters read their Protestation of which the heads were That they never questioned his Majesties sincerity in the Protestant Religion That these grants of his were not large enough to cure the present distempers for he doth not utterly abolish that Service-Booke nor the High Commission being both obtruded against all Law upon them That their meetings are not to be condemned in opprobrious words being lawfull and such as they would not forsake untill the purity of Religion and peace might be fully setled by a free and Nationall Synod The Marquesse went into England to returne at a prefixed day the twelfth of August In the meane time the Scots keepe a solemne Fast and the Covenanters not hoping from the King so quick a call of a Nationall Synod as the present malady required published a writing wherein
superstitious Ceremonies or such as they conceived so upon them put downe accustomed Lectures and deprived many Ministers much beloved and reverenced among them By which rigour he grew accidentally guilty of a wonderfull crime against the wealth and prosperity of the State For many Tradesmen with whom those parts abounded were so afflicted and troubled with his Ecclesiasticall censures and vexations that in great numbers to avoid misery they departed the Kingdome some into new England and other parts of America others into Holland whether they transported their Manufactures of Cloth not onely a losse by diminishing the present stock of the Kingdome but a great mischiefe by impairing and indangering the losse of that peculiar Trade of Clothing which hath been a plentifull fountaine of Wealth and Honour to the Kingdome of England as it was expressed in the Parliament Remonstrance but more particular crimes were laid against the Bishop which there may be occasion to discourse of hereafter in the proccedings against him The day before Bishop WRENNE was accused being the 18. of December a greater man both in Church and State WILLIAM LAUD Archbishop of Canterbury was voted in the House of Commons guilty of High Treason Master DENZILL HOLLIS a Member of that House was sent up to the Lords to appeach him there upon which he was sequestred and confined to the Black Rod. He was also charged by the Scottish Commissioners together with the Earle of Strafford as a chiefe Incendiary in the late Warre betweene both Nations and divers Articles laid against him which to examine and discusse further a Committee was appointed Upon the 23. of February Master PYMME made report to the House of Commons what hainous and capitall crimes were objected against him Upon which the House fell into a serious debate and a Charge of High Treason in fourteene Articles was drawne up against him which Charge two daies after was sent from the House of Commons by Master PYMME up to the Lords The Archbishop was that day brought before the Lords to heare that Charge read and it was there voted That he should immediately be sent to the Tower but upon his earnest suit for some speciall reasons he was two daies longer suffered to abide under the Black Rod and then accordingly sent to the Tower where we will leave himâ— till the course of this Narration bring him to further triall upon those Articles Civill offendors as well as Ecclesiasticall must needs be many in so long a corruption of Government of whom one as he was first in time and soone leâ—t the Stage besides his chiefe Crime concerning matters of Church and Religion so he shall first be named Sir FRANCIS WINDEBANKE Principall Secretary of Estate a great Favourite and friend to the Archbishop of Canterbury and by his friendship as was thought advanced to that place of Honour was upon the 12 of November questioned in an high kinde concerning Popish Priests of whom in that seven or eight yeares that he had been Secretary he had bayled a great number and released many by his power contrary to the Lawes made and then in force against them which being examined by a Committee and certaine to prove foule against him as it did afterward for upon examination there were proved against him 74. Letters of grace to Recusants within foure yeares signed with his owne hand 64 Priests discharged from the Gate-House 29 discharged by a verball Warrant from him he thought it his best course before triall to fly the Land so that upon the fourth of December newes was brought to the House that Secretary WINDEBANKE with Master READ his chiefe Clarke was fled and soone after notice was given that he arrived in France where he long continued About that time came the great businesse of Ship-Money into debate in Parliament and was voted by both Houses to be a most illegall Taxation and unsufferable grievance in reference to which case almost all the Judges were made Delinquents for their extrajudiciall opinions in it as more particularly will afterward appeare As for other petty grievances such as were the multitude of Monopolies upon all things and Commodities of greatest and most familiar use the House daily condemned them and the Delinquents of meaner note in that kinde were examined and censured too many to be here named Nay so impartiall was the House of Commons in that case that many of their owne Members who had been guilty of such Monopolies were daily turned out of the House for that offence But the businesse of Ship-money did reflect with a deeper staine of guilt upon the then Lord Keeper FINCH then upon any of the other Judges whatsoever for his great activity and labouring in it by threats and promises working upon the other Judges as we finde alleadged against him Sir JOHN FINCH in the yeare 1636. when that Taxation of Ship-money was first plotted and set on foot was newly made Lord Chiefe Justice of the Common Pleas a man in favour with the King and many of the greatest Lords in Court having before been the Queenes Attorney a Gentleman of good birth of an high and Imperious spirit eloquent in speech though in the knowledge of the Law not very deepe Upon the death of the Lord Keeper COVENTRY about December 1639. the King was pleased to conferre that high Trust of keeping the Great Seale upon him which Office at this time he held Upon the seventh of December when Ship-money was fully debated and absolutely damned by the House of Commons and the offence of the Judges began to be scanned sixteene Gentlemen of that House were chosen to examine those Judges that had given their extrajudiciall opinions for it for three gave their opinions otherwise The arguments of two Judge CROOKE and Judge HUTTON were very famous Baron DENHAM by reason of sicknesse could not declare his opinion in so large a manner what threats or promises had been used to them and by what persons Upon which examination and further light given the next day a Committee was named to draw up Charges against the Judges and against the Lord FINCH then Lord Keeper a Charge of High Treason He not many daies after became an humble Suâ—tor to the House of Commons That before the Charge of High Treason were delivered against him they would be pleased to heare him Ore Tenus in their owne House His suit was granted and the next day save one in a long Oration he endeavoured to cleare himselfe but all in vaine was that endeavour though his deportment were very humble and submissive and his Speech full of perswasive Rhetorick it could not prevaile to divert the Judgement though many in the House were moved to a kinde of Compassion He either secretly informed by friends or himself perceiving by evident signes how things were likely to go with him conceived it best to use a timely prevention and the next day disguised fled and soone crossed the Seas into Holland After his flight he was voted
Franciscus Haraeus compiled Annals of the bloody and fierce Warres in the Netherlands when some of those Provinces fell from the obedience of Philip the second King of Spaine Which businesse he relates in such a way as must in probability lead a Reader to believe that the King and his Officers were altogether innocent and the people of those Countries the only causers of their own Calamity Meteranus wrote the History of those very times which who so reads must needs make a contrary censure concerning the occasion of that Warre The like discrepancy hath been found in Historians of all ages and Nations and therefore not to be much wondred at if it now happen But that which of all other is most likely to be differently related because informations will not agree in such a distance is concerning the actions of Warre and Souldiery and in the time of this Warre it is a thing of extreme difficulty I might say of impossibility for those of one Party to be truly informed of all the Councels or the very Performances and Actions of Commanders and Souldiers on the other side How much valour the English Nation on both sides have been guilty of in this unnaturall Warre the World must needs know in the generall fame But for particulars how much Worth Vertue and Courage some particular Lords Gentlemen and others have shewed unlesse both sides do write will never perfectly be known My residence hath bin during these Wars in the quarters and under the protection of the Parliament and whatsoever is briefly related of the Souldiery being toward the end of this Book is according to that light which I discerned there For whatsoever I have missed concerning the other Party I can make no other Apology then such as Meteranus whom I named before doth in the Preface to his History De Belguis tumultibus Whose words are thus Quòd plura de Reformatorum patriae defensorum quà m de Partis adversaere bus gestis exposuerìm mirum haudquaquam est quoniam plus Commercii familiaritatis mihi cum ipsis major indagandi opportunitas furt Si Pars adversaidem tali probitate praestiterit ediderit Posteritas gesta omnia legere liquido cognoscere magno cum fructu poterit In like manner may I averre that if in this discourse more particulars are set down concerning the actions of those men who defended the Parliament then of them that warred against it it was because my conversation gave me more light on that side to whom as I have indeavoured to give no more then what is due so I have cast no blemishes on the other nor bestowed any more characters then what the truth of Story must require If those that write on the other side will use the same candour there is no feare but that posterity may receive a full information concerning the unhappy distractions of these Kingdoms This I must adde that to inform the world of the right nature causes and growth of these Distractions it will require that the Discourse begin from precedent times which I shall indeavour to deduce down to the present with as much brevity as the necessity of unfolding truth can possibly admit Neither is it needful to begin the Story from times of any great distance or to mention the Government of our most ancient Princes but from that Prince fresh in the memory of some yet living who first established the Reformed Religion in this Kingdome and according to that 〈◊〉 a new interest in the State which was most behoofefull and requisite for her Successors to follow and much conducing besides the glory of Almighty God to their own Honour Power and Greatnesse THE CONTENTS BOOK I. CHAP. I. WHerein is a short mention of Queene Elizabeth King James and the beginning of King Charles his Reign His two first Parliaments Of the War with Spaine and France The death of the Duke of Buckingham And the third Parliament of King Charles 1 CHAP. II. A briefe Relation of some grievances of the Kingdome The various opinions of men concerning the present Government The condition of the Court and Clergy of England Some observations of a stranger concerning the Religion of the English people 15 CHAP. III. The condition of the Scottish State and Clergy when the new Booke of Lyturgy was sent unto them how it was received with some effects which followed The Kings Proclamation sent by the Earle of Traquare against which the Lords make a Protestation 27 CHAP. IV. The Scots enter into a Covenant The Marquesse Hamilton is sent thither from the King A Nationall Synod is granted to them but dissolved within few daies by the Marquesse as Commissioner from the King The King declares against the Covenanters and raises an Army to subdue them 38 CHAP. V. The 〈◊〉 of the English People from this Warre with Scotland 〈◊〉 King advanceth to Yorke with his Army The prepaâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 the Scottish Covenanters A Pacification is made and 〈◊〉 Armies disbanded Another Preparation for Warre with â—â—â—â—land A Parliament called to begin in England on the 13 of 〈◊〉 The Parliament of Scotland is broken off by command of 〈◊〉 to the Earle of Traquare 46 CHAP. VI. The Parliament beginneth in England but is soone dissolved The Clergy continue their Convocation The Scots enter into England Some passages of the War A Parliament is called to begin on the third of November A Truce between the Armies for two Moneths 58 CHAP. VII The beginning of the English Parliament Grievances examined Sufferers relieved Delinquents questioned The Archbishop of Canterbury committed to the Tower The flight of Secretary WINDEBANKE and of the Lord Keeper FINCH 70 CHAP. VIII The Tryall and death of the Earle of Strafford Conspiracies detected during the agitation of it An Act for continuance of this present Parliament With a mention of that Grant of the Trienniall Parliament in February before 87 CHAP. IX Allowance of money from the English Parliament to the Scots The vast Charge of disbanding the two Armies The great Taxations for that purpose and the manner of Poll Money The people take a Protestation An Act for putting down the High Commission Court and Starre-Chamber with other occurrences of that time The Queene Mother departeth England The King goeth into Scotland 103 BOOK II. CHAP. I. A Standing Committee during the Recesse of both Houses of Parliament The Rebellion of the Irish and Massacre of the â—testants there Some indeavours of the English Parliament 〈◊〉 relief of that Kingdom 1 CHAP. II. The King returneth out of Scotland and is pompoushly entertained by the City of London The Remonstrance is published by the Parliament The King entreth into the House of Commons The 〈◊〉 of the 12. Bishops and how it was censured by the Lords and Commons Divers unhappy obstructions of the relief of Ireland 16 CHAP. III. The Queen passeth into Holland with her Daughter the Princesse Mary Difference between the King and Parliament concerning the Militia The
those licentious extravagances which unto that age and foâ—tune are not only incident but almost thought excusable But some men suspended their hopes as doubting what to finde of a Prince so much and so long reserved for he had never declared himselfe of any Faction or scarse interposed in any State affaires though some things had been managed in his fathers Reigne with much detriment to his owne present and future fortunes Yet that by the people in generall was well censured as an effect of his piety and obedience to the King his father and happy presages gathered from it That so good an obeyer would prove a just Ruler They wondered also to see him suddenly linked in such an intire friendship with the Duke of BUCKINGHAM for extraordinary Favourites do usually eclipse and much depresse the Heire apparent of a Crowne or else they are conceived so to do and upon that reason hated and ruined by the succeeding Prince in which kinde all ancient and moderne Stories are full of examples In the beginning of King CHARLES his Reigne a Parliament was called and adjourned to Oxford the plague raging extremely at London where the Duke of BUCKINGHAM was highly questioned but by the King not without the griefe and sad presage of many people that private affections would too much prevaile in him against the publike he was protected against the Parliament which for that onely purpose was dissolved after two Subsidies had been given and before the Kingdome received reliefe in any one grievance as is expressed in the first and generall Remonstrance of this present Parliament where many other unhappy passages of those times are briefly touched as that the King immediately after the dissolution of that Parliament contrived a Warre against Spaine in which the designe was unhappily laid and contrary to the advice which at that time had been given by wise men who perswaded him to invade the West Indies a way no doubt farre more easie and hopefull for England to prevaile against Spaine then any other instead of that the King with great expence of Treasure raised an Army and Fleet to assault Cales the Duke of BUCKINGHAM bearing the Title both of Admirall and Generall though he went not himselfe in person but the matter was so ordered that the expedition proved altogether successelesse and as dishonourable as expensive They complained likewise of another designe which indeed was much lamented by the people of England in generall about that time put in practice a thing destructive to the highest interest of the Nation the maintenance of Protestant Religion a Fleet of English Ships were set forth and delivered over to the French by whose strength all the Sea forces of Rochell were scattered and destroyed a losse to them irrecoverable and the first step to their ruine Neither was this loane of Ships from England for such was the peoples complaint and suspition against those who at that time stood at the Helme supposed to proceed so much from friendship to the State of France as from designe against Religion for immediately upon it the King by what advice the people understood not made a breach with France by taking their Ships to a great value without making any recompence to the English whose Goods were thereupon imbarr'd and confiscate in that Kingdome In revenge of this a brave Army was raised in England and commanded by the Duke of BUCKINGHAM in person who landing at the Isle of Rhea was at the first encounter victorious against the French but after few Moneths stay there the matter was so unhappily carried the Generall being unexperienced in Warlike affaires that the French prevailed and gave a great defeat where many gallant Gentlemen lost their lives and the Nation much of their ancient Honour From thence proceeded another step to the ruine of Rochell the sick and wounded English were sent into that City and relieved by the besieged Rochellers out of that little provision which they then had upon faithfull promise of supplies from England in the same kinde The provisions of Rochell were little enough for their owne reliefe at that time if we consider what ability the French King had to continue that siege when to the proper wealth and greatnesse of his Crowne was added that reputation and strength which his late successe against all the other Protestant Garrisons in France had brought The besieged Rochellers not doubting at all of the due and necessary supply of Victuall from England sent their Ships thither for that purpose but those Ships whose returne with bread was so earnestly expected were stayed in England by an Imbargo and so long stayed till that unhappy Towne was enforced to yeeld by famine the sharpest of all Enemies But in the meane time whilest these Ships with Victuall were detained a great Army was raised in England for reliefe of Rochell but too great was the delay of those preparations till time was past and that Army in the end disbanded by the sad death of the Duke of BUCKINGHAM their Generall who was stabbed at Portsmouth by a private Gentleman JOHN FELTON This FELTON was a Souldier of a low stature and no promising aspect of disposition serious and melancholly but religious in the whole course of his life and conversation which last I do not mention out of purpose to countenance his unlawfull act as supposing him to have had as some did then talke any inspiration or calling of God to it His confessions to his friends both publike and private were That he had often secret motions to that purpose which he had resisted and prayed against and had almost overcome untill he was at last confirmed in it by reading the late dissolved Parliaments Remonstrance against the Duke That then his conscience told him it was just and laudable to be the executioner of that man whom the highest Court of Judicature the representative body of the Kingdome had condemned as a Traytor But let Posterity censure it as they please certain it is that FELTON did much repent him of the unlawfulnesse of the fact out of no feare of death or punishment here for he wished his hand cut off before the execution which his Jugdes could not doome by the Lawes of England The King had not long before broken off another Parliament called in the second yeare of his Reigne in which the Petition of Right was granted to the great rejoycing of the people But it proved immediately to be no reliefe at all to them for the Parliament presently dissolved the King acted over the same things which formerly he had done and that grant instead of fortifying the Kingdomes Liberty made it appeare to be more defencelesse then before that Lawes themselves were no barre against the Kings will The Parliament in hope of gracious Acts had declared an intent to give his Majesty five Subsidies the full proportion of which five Subsidies was after the dissolution of that Parliament exacted by Commission of Loane from the people and those
imprisoned which refused the payment of that Loane Great summes of money were required and raised by privy Scales A Commission for squeezing the Subject by way of Excize Souldiers were billited upon them And a designe laid to inslave the Nation by a force of German Horse with many other things of that nature Those affaires of State which concerned Conâ—ederates abroad had been managed with as much disadvantage and infelicity to them as dishonour to the English Nation and prejudice to the Cause of Religion it selfe Peace was made with Spaine without consent of Parliament by which all hope was utterly lost of re-establishing the Kings neerest kinred in their just Dominion and the Protestant Religion much weakened in Germany What Counsells had then influence upon the Court of England might be the amazement of a wise man to consider and the plaine truth must needs seeme a paradox to posterity as that the Protestant Religion both at home and abroad should suffer much by the Government of two Kings of whom the former in his own person wrote more learnedly in defence of it and the latter in his owne person lived more conformably to the Rules of it then any of their Contemporary Princes in Europe But the Civill Affaires of State were too ill managed to protect or at least to propagate true Religion or else the neglect of Religion was the cause that Civill Affaires were blessed with no more honour and prosperity The right waies of Queen ELIZABETH who advanced both had been long ago forsaken and the deviation grew daily farther and more fatall to the Kingdom Which appeared in a direct contrariety to all particulars of her Reigne Titles of Honour were made more honourable by her in being conferred sparingly and therefore probably upon great desert which afterwards were become of lesse esteem by being not onely too frequently conferred but put to open sale and made too often the purchase of Mechannicks or the reward of vitious persons At the death of that Duke the people were possessed with an unusuall joy which they openly testified by such expressions as indeed were not thought fit nor decent by wise men upon so tragicall and sad an accident which in a christian consideration might move compassion whatsoever the offences of the man were To such people that distick of Seneca might give answer Res est sacra miser noli mea tangere fata Sacrilegae Bustis abstinuere manus Sacred is woe touch not my death with scorne Even sacrilegious hands have Tombs forborne And it may be that God was offended at the excesse of their joy in that he quickly let them see the benefit was not so great to them as they expected by it but his judgements are too high for men to search True it is that the people in generall loving the Kings Person and very unwilling to harbour the least opinion of ill in him looked upon the Duke as the onely hinderance of the Kingdomes happinesse supposing that though other Statesmen might afterwards arise of as bad or worse intentions then the Duke yet none would have so great a power for execution of them nor any other Genius be ever found to have so great a mastery over the Kings Genius But it is certaine that men did much therefore rejoyce at the death of this Duke because they did before much feare what mischiefe might befall a Kingdome where that man who knew himselfe extreamly hated by the people had all the keyes of the Kingdome in his hand as being Lord Admirall and Warden of the Cinque-Ports having the command of all the Souldiers and the onely power to reward and raise them These joyes and hopes of men lasted not long for in the same yeer being the fourth of King CHARLES and after the death of the Duke of BUCKINGHAM another Parliament was dissolved and then the Priviledges of that high Court more broken then ever before Six Members of the House of Commons who had been forward in vindicating the Priviledges of Parliament were committed close Prisoners for many moneths together without the liberty of using books pen inke and paper while they were detained in this condition and not admitted Bayle according to Law They were also vexed with informations in inferiour Courts where they were sentenced and fined for matters done in Parliament and the payment of such Fines extorted from them Some were enforced to put in security of good behaviour before they could be released The rest who refused to be bound were detained divers yeares after in custody of whom one Sir JOHN ELLIOT a Gentleman of able parts that had been forwardest in expression of himselfe for the freedome of his Country and taxing the unjust actions of the Duke of BUCKINGHAM while that Duke lived though the truth be that the 〈◊〉 of his were no other then what carried 〈◊〉 consent in them dyed by the harshnesse of his imprisonment which would admit of no relaxation though for healths sake he petitioned for it often and his Physitian gave in testimony to the same purpose The freedome that Sir JOHN Eâ—â—OT used in Parliament was by the people in generall applauded though much taxed by the Courtiers and censur'd by some of a more politike reserve considering the times in that kind that TACITUS censures THRASEAS POETUS as thinking such freedom a needlesse and therefore a foolish thing where no cure could be hoped by it Sibi periculum nec aliis libertatem After the breaking off this Parliament as the Historian speaketh of Roman liberty after the battell of PHILIPPI nunquam post hoc praelium c. the people of England for many years never looked back to their ancient liberty A Declaration was published by the king wherein aspertions were laid upon some Members but indeed the Court of Parliament it selfe was declared against All which the dejected people were forced to read with patience and allow against the dictate of their own reason The people of England from that time were deprived of the hope of Parliaments and all things so managed by publike Officers as if never such a day of account were to come I shall for methods sake first of all make a short enumeration of some of the chiefe grievances of the Subjects which shall be truly and plainly related as likewise some vices of the Nation in generall that the Reader may the better judge of the causes of succeeding troubles during the space of seven or eight yeares after the dissolution of that Parliament and then give some account concerning the severall dispositions of the people of ENGLAND and their different censures of the Kings government during those years touching by thâ—â—â—â—â—mewhat of 〈◊〉 manners and customs of the 〈◊〉 ENGLAND and then briefly of the condition of Ecclesiasticall affaires and the censures of men concerning that CHAP. II. A briefe Relation of some grievances of the Kingdome The various opinions of men concerning the present Government The condition of the Court and Clergy of England Some
Doctrine many faire approaches made towards Rome as he that pleaseth to search may finde in the Books of Bishop LAUD MOUNTAGUE HELYN POCKLINGTON and the rest or in briefe collected by a Scottish Minister Master BAILY And as their friendship to Rome encreased so did their scorne to the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas whom instead of lending that reliefe and succour to them which God had enabled this rich Island to do they failed in their greatest extremities and in stead of harbours became rocks to split them Archbishop LAUD who was now growne into great favour with the King made use of it especially to adâ—vnce the pompe and temporall honour of the Clergy procuring the Lord Treasurers place for Doctor JUCKSON Bishop of London and indeavouring as the generall report went to fix the greatest temporall preferments upon others of that Coat insomuch as the people merrily when they saw that Treasurer with the other Bishops riding to Westminster called it the Church Triumphant Doctors and Parsons of Parishes were made every where Justices of Peace to the great grievance of the Country in civill affaires and depriving them of their spirituall edification The Archbishop by the same meanes which he used to preserve his Clergy from contempt exposed them to envy and as the wisest could then prophecy to a more then probability of losing all As we reade of some men who being fore-doomed by an Oracle to a bad fortune have runne into it by the same meanes they used to prevent it The like unhappy course did the Clergy then take to depresse Puritanisme which was to set up irreligion it selfe against it the worst weapon which they could have chosen to beat it downe which appeared especially in point of keeping the Lords day when not only books were written to shake the morality of it as that of Sunday no Sabbath but sports and pastims of jollity and lightnesse permitted to the Country people upon that day by publike Authority and the Warrant commanded to be read in Churches which in stead of producing the intended effect may credibly be thought to have been one motive to a stricter observance of that day in that part of the Kingdome which before had been well devoted And many men who had before been loose and carelesse began upon that occasion to enter into a more serious consideration of it and were ashamed to be invited by the authority of Church-men to that which themselves at the best could but have pardoned in themselves as a thing of infirmity The example of the Court where Playes were usually presented on Sundaies did not so much draw the Country to imitation as reflect with disadvantage upon the Court it selfe and sowre those other Court pastims and jollities which would have relished better without that in the eyes of all the people as things ever allowed to the delights of great Princes The countenancing of loosenesse and irreligion was no doubt a good preparative to the introducing of another Religion And the power of godlinesse being beaten downe Popery might more easily by degrees enter men quickly leave that of which they never took fast hold And though it were questionable whether the Bishops and great Clergy of England aimed at Popery it is too apparent such was the designe of Romish Agents and the English Clergy if they did not their owne worke did theirs A stranger of that Religion a Venetian Gentleman out of his owne observations in England will tell you how farre they were going in this kinde his words are THe Vniversities Bishops and Divines of England do daily imbrace Catholike opinions though they professe it not with open mouth for feare of the Puritans For example They hold that the Church of Rome is a true Church That the Pope is superiour to all Bishops That to him it appertaines to call generall Counsels That it is lawfull to pray for soules departed That Altars ought to be erected in summe they believe all that is taught by the Church but not by the Court of Rome The Archbishop of Canterbury was much against the Court of Rome though not against that Church in so high a kinde For the Doctrine of the Roman Church was no enemy to the pompe of Prelacy but the Doctrine of the Court of Rome would have swallowed up all under the Popes Supremacy and have made all greatnesse dependant upon him Which the Archbishop conceived would derogate too much from the King in Temporalls and therefore hardly to be accepted by the Court as it would from himselfe in Spiritualls and make his Metropoliticall power subordinate which he desired to hold absolute and independent within the Realme of England It is certaine that the Archbishop of Canterbury as an English Gentleman observes would often professe against those Tridentine Papists whom only he hated as Papists properly so called For at the Councell of Trent all matters concerning the Court of Rome which are of themselves but disputable were determined as points of faith to be believed upon paine of damnation But matters of faith indeed concerning the Church of Rome were left disputable and no Anathema annexed to them But that Venetian Gentleman whom before we cited declares in what state for matter of Religion England at that time stood and how divided namely into Papists Protestants and Puritans Papists are well knowne The Protestant party saith he consists of the King the Court Lords and Gentlemen with all that are raised by favour to any honour Besides almost all the Prelates and both the Vniversities What the Protestants are he farther declares viz. They hate Puritans more then they hate Papists That they easily combine with Papists to extirpate Puritans and are not so farre engaged to the Reformed Religion but that they can reduce themselves againe to the old practise of their fore-fathers That they are very opinionative in excluding the Popes Supremacy He speaks then concerning the Puritans and saies That they consist of some Bishops of almost all the Gentry and Communalty and therefore are far the most potent party And further declares what they are viz. They are such as received the Discipline of the French and Netherlanders and hold not the English Reformation to be so perfect as that which CALVIN instituted at Geneva That they hate Papists far more then they hate Protestants c. Thus farre of this strangers observation concerning England CHAP. III. The condition of the Scottish State and Clergy when the new Booke of Lyturgy was sent unto them how it was received with some effects which followed The Kings Proclamation sent by the Earle of TRAQUARE against which the Lords make a Protestation IN this condition stood the Kingdome of England about the yeare 1636. when the first coale was blowne which kindled since into so great a combustion as to deface and almost ruine three flourishing Kingdomes Neither was this coale blowne by the grieved party of England the Communalty and those religious men that prayed for Reformation but by
they endeavour to prove That the Church in such a condition may provide for it selfe That the power of calling a Synod in case the Prince be an enemy to the truth or negligent in promoting the Churches good is in the Church it selfe And that the State of the Church of Scotland at that time was necessitated to such a course which they endeavour to prove by reciting all their particular grievances and by answering all arguments of the contrary side for the Right of Princes howsoever affected to Religion as appeares at large in their Tractate concerning the necessity of Synods The Marquesse returned into Scotland before the appointed day and brought Articles from the King to which the Covenanters if they would have either Parliament or Synod were required to consent But they utterly rejected those Articles as too invalid for their purpose of setling things so that the Marquesse fearing least the Covenanters weary of delayes would call a Synod without staying the Kings consent earnestly perswaded them to forbeare it onely till his next returne from Court whither he would presently go to perswade the King Which request of his with much a do was granted by them and the day for his returne appointed the 22 of September by which time unlesse the Marquesse returned it was free for the Covenanters to provide for their owne affaires But the Marquesse with singular diligence prevented his day and published the Kings Proclamation of which the chiefe heads were First The King did abrogate all Decrees of Councell for the Booke of Canons and Common-Prayer and abrogate the High Commission Secondly That none should be pressed to the five Articles of Perth Thirdly That Bishops should be subject to the censure of a Synod Fourthly That no Oath should be given at Ordination of Pastors but by Law of Parliament Fifthly that the lesser Confession of 1580. should be subscribed to by all the Kingdome Sixtly That the King called a Nationall Synod to begin at Glasco the 21 of November 1638. and a Parliament at Edenburgh the 15. of May 1639. Lastly for peace sake he would forget all their offences past The Covenanters at the first hearing of this peacefull Message were much joyed but looking neerely into the words they found as they affirme That their precedent actions were tacitly condemned and the just freedome of a Nationall Synod taken away Therefore loath to be deceived they frame a Protestation not as they alledged mis-doubting the candor of the King but not trusting those in favour with him by whose destructive Councell they supposed it was that the King had not shewed this clemency at first The chiefe heads of their Protestation were these First after humble thanks to God and the King they conceived this grant no sufficient remedy for their sores For His Majesty calls that a panick feare in them which was upon no imaginary but just grounds as a reall mutation both of Religion and Lawes by obtrusion of those Bookes directly popish Secondly whereas the King in his former Mandates so highly extolled those Bookes as most religious and fit for the Church they could not be satisfied with a bare remission of the exercise of them unlesse he would utterly abrogate and condemne them or else itching Innovators would not be wanting hereafter to raise new troubles to the Church about them Thirdly the just liberty of Nationall Synods is diminished and Episcopacy set up they being allowed as Bishops though not deputed by the Churches to give their voices in a Synod Fourthly the subscribing againe of that old Covenant could not be admitted for many reasons there at large expressed of which some are That it would frustrate their late Covenant and make it narrower then before and not able to suit to the redresse of present grievances and be a needlesse multiplying of Oathes and taking the Name of God in vaine with many other objections which cannot be fully here inserted That Covenant notwithstanding was solemnly taken at Edenburgh by the Marquesse of HAMILTON the Kings Commissioner and all the Privy Councell The Marquesse then gave Order for the Synod fearing least the Covenanters if he delayed to call it would do it themselves and on the 16. of November came to Glasco in great state Where after many meetings for preparation to the businesse on the 21 of the same Moneth according to the Kings Edict the Nationall Synod began But within seven daies that Synod was dissolved by the Marquesse HAMILTON in the Kings Name and they commanded to sit no more The Marquesse alleadging for reason of it that they had broken the Lawes of a free Synod in many proceedings not onely in those few daies of their sitting but before it began in their manner of Elections with other such like matters But they protested against that dissolution and continued the Synod when the Marquesse was gone What were the Acts of that Synod what proceedings it had and what impediments it met withall you may reade in two large descriptions the one published by the King the other by the Synod how the Bishops protested against the Synod how the Synod answered their Protestation how the Synod wrote to the King how they proceeded against the Bishops deposing them all from their Dignities how of all fourteene Bishops eight were excommunicated foure excluded from all Ministeriall Function and two onely allowed to oâ—â—icâ—ate as Pastours how the five Articles of Perth the Booke of Lyturgy the Booke of Canons and Ordination were all condemned the High Commission taken away and whatsoever else had crept into the Church since the yeare 1580. when that Nationall Covenant was first established The Scots Covenanters when themselves broke up the Synod wrote a Letter of thanks to the King and immediately after published a Declaration dated the fourth of February 1638. from Edenburgh and directed To all the sincere and good Christians in England to vindicate their actions and intentions from those aspersions which enemies might throw upon them That Declaration was welcome to the people of England in generall and especially to those who stood best affected to Religion and the Lawes and Liberties of their Country But by the Kings Authority it was suppressed as all other papers that might be sent from the Scots and a Proclamation soone after bearing date the 27. of February 1638. was published by the King and commanded to be read in all Churches of England the Title of it was A Proclamation and Declaration to informe our loving Subjects of England concerning the seditious Actions of some in Scotland who under false pretence of Religion endeavour the utter subversion of our Royall Authority The Declaration was â—illed with sharpe invectives and execrations against the Scottish Covenanters but the truth is it wrought little upon the hearts of the English People who conceived a good opinion of the Scots and were more confirmed in it because the King had carried the whole businesse so closely from the English Nation as not onely not
in that obey his Command for many reasons expressed at large in their Commentaries In the meane time the King commanded the Parliament to dissolve which immediately obeyed And being threatned with Warre on every side elected Sir ALEXANDER LESLEY an experienced Commander in the German Warres to be their great Generall to whom all the greatest Earles and Lords of the Covenant swore obedience in all warlike Commands taking an Oath of him for performance of his duty and immediately betooke themselves every man to his charge throughout all parts of the Kingdome according as they were commanded by LESLEY Whilest the Armies on both sides advanced forward and no decision of this difference seemed with reason to be hoped for but such as the stroke of Warre must allow The Scottish Covenanters did neverthelesse continue their first course of petitioning the King and by many addresses to him protested their loyalty to his Crowne and Person and did not omit by Letters and Messages to solicite as Advocates those English Noblemen whom they esteemed best and truest Patriots as the Earles of ESSEX PEMBROOKE and HOLLAND as supposing that this Warre was not approved of by any that were firme to the Cause of Religion and Liberties of both Kingdomes for so themselves expresse it The Earle of DUMFERLING having free passage about that time to the English Army assured his fellow-Covenanters that those Noble fore-named Earles and almost all the English Nobility were much averse from this Warre and â—avourers of their suit to the King Which did so much encourage the Covenanters to continue their humble Petitions to the King and God being pleased to give his blessing that after some few Messages to and fro the King was pleased to give leave that six of them should come and personally treat at the Earle of ARUNDELL his Tent upon the tenth of Iune with some of the English Nobility at which Discourses some few daies after the King himselfe vouchsafed to be present At last after many humble expressions of the Covenanters and some expostulations of the King with them by the happy mediation of wise and noble Councellors a Pacification was solemnly made upon such Articles as gave full satisfaction to all parties save onely that the Scottish Covenanters were not pleased with some expressions which the King had used in the Preface to the Pacificatory Edict as calling their late Synod Pseudo Synodus Glasquensis and aspersing their proceedings in Armes with such Epithites as tumultuous illegall and rebellious Which notwithstanding at the humble suit of them the King was pleased to moderate to expunge some of those harsh phrases as likewise to explaine more cleerely other ambiguous sentences to take away all suspitions from peoples hearts the Copies of which were delivered to divers of the English Nobility who had taken faithfull paines in procuring that happy peace that if any doubts should afterwards happen their judgements might be taken concerning the intention of the writing The King also declared for satisfaction of the Scots That though his expressions at some places might seeme harsh yet his meaning to them was never the worse That care must be taken of his owne reputation in forraigne parts and that litigation about words was vaine when the matter was cleere and their suit wholly granted The King granted them a free Nationall Synod to be holden upon the sixth of August following and a Parliament to begin upon the 20. day of the same Moneth to confirme and ratifie what the Synod should decree which the Scots thankfully receive esteeming that to be the onely proper and efficatious way to settle a firme peace both in Church and State They were also joyfull that the King had promised to be there himselfe in person but that hope afterwards failed them for the King excused himselfe affirming that urgent and weighty affaires at London as he was certified by Letters from his Queen and Councell required his presence there but that he would send a Deputy thither with full power to make good whatsoever he had promised which was the Earle of TRAQUARE This Pacification to the great joy of good men was solemnly concluded on the 18. of Iune 1639. and both Armies within eight and forty houres to be disbanded which was accordingly done and both the English and Scots returned home praising God who without any effusion of blood had compounded this difference and prevented a Warre so wickedly designed But that joy lasted not long for the Earle of TRAQUARE the Kings Commissioner could not agree with the Scottish Parliament the Scots complaining that nothing was seriously performed which the King had promised at the Pacification as shall more appeare afterward But however it were within a little time after that the King had been at London that Paper which the Scots avowed to containe the true Conditions of that Pacification was by the King disavowed and commanded by Proclamation to be burned by the hands of the hangman though the Contents of that Paper were not named at all in the Proclamation nor the people of England acquainted with any of them Which put the English in great feare that the former Councells of divisions yet prevailed in the Court especially discerning a shew of preparation for Warre againe But leaving the Scots at their Parliament a while In the meane time the Lord WENTWORTH Deputy of Ireland arrived in England and was received by the King with great expressions of grace and favour dignified with a higher Title and created Earle of Strafford Great was the expectation of all the English what might be the effect of his coming over great was the opinion which men in generall had conceived of his ability and parts looking at him as the onely hinge upon which the State was now likely to turne But very different and various were the conjectures of Gentlemen at that time in their ordinary discourses for I will relate the truth what use this great Statesman would make of his ability and favour Some as they wished did seeme to hope when they considered his first right Principles that whatsoever he had acted since his greatnesse was but to ingratiate himselfe perfectly with the King that so at last by his wisdome and favour he might happily prevaile both upon the Kings judgement and affection and carry him from those evill Councells which he had long beene nurtured in to such waies as should render him most honourable and happy That the Earle was so wise as to understand what most became a wise man and would make greatnesse beloved and permanent But others durst not hope so much from him when they considered his Government in Ireland and the ambition of the man They feared that neither his vertue was great enough to venture his owne fortunes by opposing any evill Councells about the King nor his favour great enough to prevaile in over-ruling That he was sent for onely to compleat that bad worke which others of lesse braine then he had begun Which he would
pounds and the rest of the Clergy according to their abilities proportionably to make up the summe Certaine it is it was not in any substantiall way advantagious to the King but onely to give them time and opportunity to taxe the Clergy in Money for supplying his Majesty in the Warre then on foot against the Scots The King must needs be driven to a great exigent at that time having so expensive a Warre in hand and wanting the assistance of Parliament The courses that were then taken by the King to supply that defect were partly the contribution of the Clergy to whom that Warre was lesse displeasing then to the Laity Collections were made among the Papists Writs of Ship-money were issued out againe in a greater proportion then before great Loanes were attempted to be drawne from the City of London to which purpose the names of the richest Citizens were by command returned to the Councell Boord But these waies being not sufficient some other were made use of which were of a nature more unusuall as the seizing of Bolloine in the Tower the Lord COTTINGTON also for the Kings use tooke up a great Commodity of Pepper at the Exchange to be sold againe at an under rate A consultation was also had of coyning 400000. l. of base Money upon allegation that Queen ELIZABETH had done the like for her Irish Warres but the King waved that upon reasons which the Merchants gave of the inconveniencies of it The Scots hearing of the breach of this English Parliament thought it high time to provide for their owne safety and being restrained in their Trade and impoverished by losse of Ships seized in divers parts resolve to enter England with a sword in one hand and a Petition in the other signifying in the meane time to the people of England in two large Remonstrances what their intentions were to that Nation and the reasons of their entrance which who so pleases may reade at large in their printed Booke When the King had notice of the Scots intentions a Fleet was forthwith sent to annoy the Maritime Coasts of Scotland and a Land Army to meet at Yorke where the Earle of STRAFFORD as President of the North commanded in Chief though the Earle of NORTHUMBERLAND at the time of raising the Army was named Generalissimo but for want of health could not be present A great Magazine of Ammunition had been sent to Hull Newcastle and Berwick the Castle of Edenburgh being kept by RIVEN a firme man to the Kings side But in the Expedition of the Kings Army towards the North it was a marvellous thing to observe in divers places the aversenesse of the Common Souldiers from this Warre Though Commanders and Gentlemen of great quality in pure obedience to the King seemed not at all to dispute the cause or consequence of this Warre the Common Souldiers would not be satisfied questioning in a mutinous manner Whether their Captaines were Papists or not and in many places were not appeased till they saw them receive the Sacrament laying violent hands on divers of their Commanders and killing some uttering in bold speeches their distaste of the Cause to the astonishment of many that common people should be sensible of publike Interest and Religion when Lords and Gentlemen seemed not to be By this backwardnesse of the English Common Souldiers it came to passe that the Warre proved not so sharpe and fatall to both Nations as it might otherwise have done Some blood was shed but very little first at Newburne a Towne five miles distant from Newcastle where part of the English Army encamped to intercept the passage of the Scots as they marched toward Newcastle But many of the English Souldiers forsooke their Commanders and â—led sooner then the use of that Nation is to do in Warre But the English Horse made good a fight and with great courage and resolution charged upon the Scots but all in vaine their number being too small In this Skirmish which happened upon the 28. of August the number of men slaine on both sides is not related either by the English or Scottish Relation but certaine it is that it was not great Three valiant and active Commanders of the English Army were taken Prisoners Colonell WILMOT Sir JOHN DIGBY and ONEALE the two latter being Papists and both Captaines of Horse This fight opened that rich Towne of Newcastle to the Scots and within few daies after they put a Garrison into Durham commanded by the Earle of Dumferling and taking that Fort of Newcastle upon Tine intercepted some Ships which were newly arrived there with Provision of Corne for the Kings Army Some blood was also shed about the same time when part of the English Garrison at Berwick hearing that some Ammunition was layed up in a little Towne of Scotland Dunsian made an attempt upon it but found it better fortified then was expected and were repelled with some slaughter from whence hearing that a greater power of Scots was making toward them under the command of the Lord HADINTON who unfortunately perished afterward blowne up with powder at Dunglasse they returned to Berwick The King during these Skirmishes had by Proclamation warned all the English Nobility with their followers and Forces to attend his Standard at Yorke against the Scots the 20. of September where whilest himselfe in Person resided he received an humble Petition from the Scots containing an expression of their loyalty to him and the innocence of their intentions toward England But their expressions were in such generall termes that the King returned answer to the Earle of LANURICK Secretary for Scotland Commanding them to specifie their demands more particularly Which whilest the Scots prepared to do it pleased God to open the hearts of many English Lords who considering and bewailing the great calamity and dishonour which England was then throwne into by these unhappy proceedings of the King framed an humble Letter subscribed by all their hands and sent it to His Majesty wherein they represent to him the miserable condition of the Kingdome and mischiefes attending that wicked Warre as the danger of his Person the waste of his Revenue the burden of his Subjects the rapines committed by that Army which he had raised wherein Papists and others ill-affected to Religion are armed in Commands who are not by the Lawes permitted to have Armes in their owne houses The great mischiefe which may fall upon the Kingdome if his intentions which are reported of bringing in Irish and forraigne Forces should take effect The urging of Ship-money The multitude of Monopolies and other Patents to the great and universall grievance of his people The great griefe of the Subjects for the long intermission of Parliaments for dissolving of the last and former dissolutions of such as have been called without any good effect For remedy whereof and for prevention of future dangers to his owne Royall Person and the whole State they humbly intreat his Majesty That he would be pleased
the people tired with expectation of such a cure do usually by degrees forget the sharpnesse of those diseases which before required it or else in the redressing of many and long disorders and to secure them for the future there being for the most part a necessity of laying heavy Taxes and draining of much Money from the people they grow extreamly sensible of that present smart feeling more paine by the Cure for a time then they did by the lingring disease before not considering that the causes of all which they now indure were precedent and their present suffering is for their future security It was the generall opinion of all Gentlemen at that time That a Parliament so much and long desired as this was after so great and constant a violation of the Lawes and Liberties of England in the Kings former Government could scarce in possibility ever grow into the dislike of the people or at least so great a part of the people as might be able which within one yeare was after seene to make a Warre against it and indanger the utter ruine and subversion of it But I have spoken before of some causes which might seeme strong enough to ingage a part of the people against the Parliament whose particular interests and livelihoods were neerely touched how farre any proceeding might distaste others who were uninterested in their private fortunes or callings I cannot tell any certaine reason But I remember within the compasse of a yeare after when this Civill Warre began to breake out over all the Kingdom and men in all companies began to vent their opinions in an argumentative way either opposing or defending the Parliament Cause and Treatises were printed on both sides Many Gentlemen who forsooke the Parliament were very bitter against it for the proceedings in Religion in countenancing or not suppressing the rudenesse of people in Churches which I related before acting those things which seemed to be against the Discipline of the English Church and might introduce all kindes of Sects and Schismes Neither did those of the Parliament side agree in opinions concerning that point some said it was wisely done of the Parliament not to proceed against any such persons for feare of losing a considerable party as is said before Others thought and said That by so doing they would lose a farre more considerable party of Gentlemen then could be gained of the other They also affirmed That Lawes and Liberties having been so much violated by the King if the Parliament had not so farre drawne Religion also into their cause it might have sped better for the Parliament frequently at that time in all their expressions whensoever they charged the corrupt Statesmen of injustice and Tyranny would put Popery or a suspition of it into the first place against them I remember when the Warre was begun among those little Treatises which were then published as many there were without any names to them I found one in which the case is thus expressed to recite the words of it Perchance saith he too much insisting upon Religion and taxing the King for affecting Popery hath by accident weakened the Parliament and brought Parties to the King It may seeme a great Paradox that the best and onely necessary of all things Religion being added into the scale of Lawes and Liberties should make the scale lighter then before Neither can it be true but by accident as thus The strange intercourse betwixt Rome and the English Court The Kings owne Letters to the Pope His favouring of Priests and such things though they may give a State just cause of susspition that their Religion is undermining Yet because it cannot be so absolutely proved to the sight of all the people that the King favoured Popery as that he violated the Lawes and Liberties of the Kingdome which latter was visible to all the former concerning Religion remaines in the peoples reason as a controverted question the King still protesting for Religion and the disputes about that amusing the People make them by degrees forget that crime of the Kings which was without controversie and evident the violation of Lawes and Liberties And more then so for some supposing that the Parliament unjustly taxed him in Religion did in time believe that he was not so guilty of the other as they would make him which I have heard some of late maintaine From whence may follow a strange conclusion That the Kings dealing so much with Rome to the disadvantage of the Protestant Religion should now turne to his owne advantage in a Protestant Kingdome And we may make this as paradoxicall a supposition That if the King had never done any thing prejudiciall to the Protestant Religion he would have found fewer Protestants this Parliament to take his part For then there being no dispute at all about Religion the crimes of his State mis-government had plainly and inexcusably appeared to all as we have seene that some of our former Kings for the like violation of Lawes and Liberties when there was but one Religion and therefore no dispute about it have been heavily censured in Parliament no man appearing in their justification And why should not a Parliament thinke that such things are cause enough to be stood upon and to justifie their quarrell before God as if the Almighty did not adhorre Injustice Oppression Tyranny and the like in any Kingdome unlesse the prâ—fession of Religion were also depraved Nay he abhorreth it more in that place where the purest profession of Religion is Besides that frequent naming of Religion as if it were the onely quarrell hath caused a great mistake of the question in some by reason of ignorance in others of subtilty whilest they wilfully mistake to abuse the Parliaments Cause writing whole Volumes in a wrong stated case as instead of disputing whether the Parliament of England lawfully assembled where the King virtually is may by Armes defend the Religion established by the same power together with the Lawes and Liberties of the Nation against Delinquents detaining with them the Kings seduced Person They make it the question Whether Subjects taken in a generall notion may make Warre against their King for Religions sake Such was the sense of many Gentlemen at that time which adhered to the Parliament But to proceed in the Narration The Parliament had been of late sensible of the losse of some from them and having detected divers Conspiracies and Machinations of dis-affected people against them and fearing more had in May last â—ramed a Protestation which was solemnly taken by all the Members of both Houses and sent thorow England to be taken by the people the forme of it was in these words I A.B. in the presence of Almighty God promise vow and protest to maintaine and desend as farre as lawfully I may with my life power and estate the true Reformed Protestant Religion expressed in the Doctrine of the Church of England against all Popery and Popish Innovotions within this
grant those demands and to make himself of a King of England a Duke of Venice The several Answers that the King made and Arguments that he used to each several branch of those Propositions are too large to be here inserted and may be read by those that would be further informed in the printed Book of Parliament-Declarations and Ordinances CHAP. V. An Order for the bringing in of Plate and Money into Guild-hall The King's Declaration to the Lords about him Their Profession and Protestation to him The King layeth Siege to Hull but raiseth it again The Earl of Warwick taketh possession of the Navie as Lord Admiral The Earl of Essex is voted in Parliament to be Lord General of all their Forces ON the tenth day of Iune following an Order was made by both Houses of Parliament for bringing in of Money and Plate to maintain Horse Horse-men and Arms for Preservation of the Publike Peace and defence of the King's Person for that the Parliament in their expressions always joyned together with their own safety and both Houses of Parliament Wherein it was expressed that whosoever should bring in any Money or Plate or furnish any Horse-men and Arms for that purpose should have their Money repayed with Interest according to eight in the hundred for which both Houses of Parliament did engage the Publike Faith Four Treasurers were ordained whose Acquittances for the receipt of any Sum should be a sufficient ground to the Lenders to demand their Money and Plate again with the Interest belonging thereunto The Treasurers were Sir JOHN WOLLASTON Knight and Alderman of London Alderman TOWES Alderman WARNER and Alderman ANDREWES Commissaries also were appointed to value the Horse and Arms which should be furnished for that service It was desired in that Order that all men resident in or about London or within 80 miles would bring in their money Plate or Horse within a fortnight after notice and they that dwell farther off within three weeks and that those who intended to contribute within the time limited but were not for the present provided of money or Horse should subscribe that it might be soon known what provision would be for effecting of that great and important Service And in conclusion it was declared that whatsoever was brought in should be imployed to no other purposes but those before mentioned the maintenance of the Protestant Religion the King's Person dignity and authority the Laws of the Land the Peace of the Kingdom and Priviledges of Parliament Whilest this Order was drawing up advertisement by Letters was given to the Parliament that the Crown-Jewels were pawned at Amsteldam and other places of the Netherlands upon which money was taken up and Warlike Ammunition provided in those Parts as Battering-pieces Culverins Field-pieces Morter-pieces Granadoes with great store of powder pistols carabines great saddles and such like Whereby the Parliament thought they could not otherwise judge then that the King did plainly intend a War against them and had designed it long before They received intelligence at the same time that the King had sent a Commission of Array into Leicestershire directed to the Earl of Huntington the Earl of Devonshire and Mr HENRY HASTINGS second son to the Earl of Huntington for the Lord HASTINGS eldest son to that Earl did then adhere to the Parliament which three were chief in the Commission but many other Knights and Gentlemen of that County were named in it Together with this Commission of Array the King sent a Letter also containing the reasons of it wherein he complaineth that the Parliament by their Ordinance for the Militia would devest him of that power which is properly inherent in his Crown And for the occasion and reason of that Commission he urgeth a Declaration of their own using their very expressions and words in his Letter that whereas it hath been declared by Votes of both Houses of Parliament the fifteenth of March last that the Kingdom hath of late been and still is in evident and imminent danger both from enemies abroad and a Popish disconted party at home he concludes that for the safeguard both of his own Person and People there is an urgent and inevitable necessity of putting his people into a posture of defence c. Thus did the Parliaments Prologue to their Ordinance of Militia serve the King's turn for his Commission of Array totidem verbis The copie of which Commission and Letter coming into the hands of the Parliament it was resolved upon the Question by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament that this Commission of Array for Leicester is against Law and against the Liberty and Property of the Subject and resolved again upon the Question within two days after That all those that are actours in putting the Commission of Array in execution shall be esteemed as disturbers of the Kingdoms Peace and betrayers of the Liberty of the Subject It was also ordered by both Houses that this Commission of Array and the forementioned Votes should be forthwith printed and published thorow the Kingdom The King was not wanting to his own designe in the mean time and whatsoever might give countenance to the businesse he had in hand but made a short Declaration to the Lords who then attended him at York and others his Privie Councel there in these words We do declare that We will require no obedience from you but what is warranted by the known Laws as We expect that you shall not yeeld to any Commands not legally grounded or imposed by any other We will defend all you and all such as shall refuse any such Commands whether they proceed from Votes and Orders of both Houses or any other way from all danger whatsoever We will defend the true Protestant Religion established by the Laws the lawful Liberties of the Subjects of England and just Priviledges of all the three Estates of Parliament and shall require no further obedience from you then as We accordingly shall perform the same We will not as is falsely pretended engage you in any War against the Parliament except it be for Our necessary defence against such as do insolently invade or attempt against Vs and Our Adherents Upon this Declaration of the King those Lords and others of his Councel made a Promise to him and subscribed it with their hands as followeth We do engage our selves not to obey any Orders or Commands whatsoever not warranted by the known Laws of the Land We engage our selves to defend Your Majesties Person Crown and Dignity with Your just and legal Prerogative against all Persons and Power whatsoever We will defend the true Protestant Religion established by the Law of the land the lawful Liberties of the Subjects of England and just Priviledges of Your Majestie and both Houses of Parliament Lastly we engage our selves not to obey any Rule Order or Ordinance whatsoever concerning any Militia that hath not the Royal Assent Subscribed by L. Keeper D. of Richmond Ma. Hertford E.
of Linsey E. of Cumberland E. of Huntington E. of Bath E. of Southampton E of Dorset E. of Salisbury E. of Northampton E. of Devonshire E. of Bristol E. of Westmerland E of Barkeshire E. of Monmouth E. of Rivers E. of Newcastle E. of Dover E. of Carnarvan E. of Newport L. MOWBRAY and MATREVERS L. WILLOUGHBY of Eresby L. RICH L. CHARLES HOWARD of Charleton L. NEWARK L. PAGET L. CHANDOYS L. FALCONBRIDGE L. PAULET L. LOVELACE L. COVENTRY L. SAVILE L. MOHUN L. DUNSMORE L. SEYMOUR L. GREY of Ruthen L. FAWLKLAND the Controller Secretary NICHOLAS Sir JOHN CULPEPER Lord Chief Justice BANKS The King immediately wrote a Letter to the Lord Maior of London the Aldermen and Sheriffs forbidding by expresse Command any Contribution of Money or Plate toward the raising of any Arms whatsover for the Parliament and that they should lend no Money unlesse toward the relief of Ireland or payment of the Scots He published then a Declaration to all his Subjects inveighing bitterly against the Parliament for laying a false and scandalous imputation upon him of raising War against the Parliament or levying Forces to that end in which he invites all his loving Subjects to prevent his own danger and the danger of the Kingdom from a malignant party taking up the Parliaments language to contribute Money or Plate to him and they shall be repayed with consideration of eight in the hundred And immediately upon it made a Profession before those forementioned Lords and Councellours about him calling God to witnesse in it disavowing any preparations or intentions to levie War against the Parliament upon which those forementioned Lords and others then present at York made this Declaration and Profession subscribed under their hands We whose names are under-written in obedience to His Majesties Desire and out of the Duty which we owe to His Majesties Honour and to Truth being here upon the place and witnesses of His Majesties frequent and earnest Declarations and Professions of His abhorring all designes of making War upon the Parliament and not seeing any colour of Preparations or Counsels that might reasonably beget the belief of any such Designe do professe before God and testifie to all the world that we are fully perswaded that His Majestie hath no such intention but that all his endeavours tend to the firm and constant settlement of the true Protestant Religion and the just Priviledges of Parliament the liberty of the Subject the Law Peace and Prosperity of this Kingdom The King strengthned with Arms and Ammunition from Holland and more strengthened for as yet he wanted hands to weild those Arms by this Protestation of Lords in his behalf concerning his intention of not making War against the Parliament whereby the people might more easily be drawn to side with him proceeded in his businesse with great policie and indefatigable industry His Pen was quick in giving answer to all Petitions or Declarations which came from the Parliament and with many sharp expostulations in a well-compiled Discourse on the 17 of Iune answered a Petition of the Parliament which Petition was to this effect that he would not disjoyn his Subjects in their duty to himself and Parliament destroying the Essence of that high Court which was presented to him at York by the Lord HOWARD Sir HUGH CHOLMELY and Sir PHILIP STAPLETON And within three weeks both in his own Person and by his Messengers with Speeches Proclamations and Declarations advanced his businesse in a wonderful manner At Newark he made a Speech to the Gentry of Nottinghamshire in a loving and winning way commending their affections toward him which was a great part of perswasion for the future coming from a King himself Another Speech he made at Lincoln to the Gentry of that County full of Protestations concerning his good intentions not onely to them but to the whole Kingdom the Laws and Liberties of it In that short time also by the help of many subtil Lawyers whom he had about him he returned a very long and particular Answer with arguing the case in all points to a Declaration which the Parliament had before made against the Commission of Array expounding that Statute 5 HEN. 4 whereupon that Commission was supposed to be warranted The proofs and arguments on both sides are to be read at large in the Records or in the printed Book of Ordinances and Declarations where a Reader may satisfie his own judgement Within that time also the King sent out a Proclamation against levying Forces without his Command urging Laws and Statutes for it And another long Proclamation to inform the people of the legality of his Commissions of Array and to command obedience to them Another he sent forth against the forcible seizing or removing any Magazine of Ammunition of any County and another forbidding all relieving or succouring of Hull against him Upon which the Parliament declared that those Proclamations without their assent were illegal and forbade all Sheriffs Maiors c. to proclaim them and all Parsons and Curates to or publish them From York the King removed to Beverley from whence he sent a Message to both Houses and a Proclamation concerning his going to Hull to take it in requiring before his journey that it might be delivered up to him But that Message of his came to the House of Peers after they had agreed upon a Petition which was drawn up to move the King to a good accord with his Parliament to prevent a Civil War to be carried to him and presented at Beverley by the Earl of Holland Sir JOHN HOLLAND and Sir PHILIP STAPLETON That very Petition seemed to them so full an answer to the King's Message that both Houses resolved to give no other answer to that Message but the said Petition But immediately after a Declaration was published by both Houses of Parliament for the preservation and safety of the Kingdom and the Town of Hull with assurance of both Houses to satisfie all losse sustained by any service done for the safety of the said Town by reason of overflowing of water upon the grounds there to all persons who should be found faithful in their several services The King continued resoluâ—e in his intention of gaining Hull By what means he attempted it and how those attempts proved to be frustrate is now the subject of a short Discourse The Town of Hull was not more considerable to the Kingdom as a Maritime and strong place then it was now made remarkable to the world in many high and famous circumstances of this Civil War for which cause I shall the more particularly insist upon it Hull was the place which being intrusted with so rich a Magazine of Ammunition did probably allure the King to forsake a Parliament sitting at London and visite the North. Hull was the place where the King in person did first finde his Commands denied and his attempts resisted in an actual way which proved the subject of so many Declarations and Disputations
hath since been confirmed if I mistake not by his example and Your Majesties Chief Iustice Sir JOHN BANKS both in accepting their Ordinance and nominating their Deputy-Lieutenants how much further they proceeded I know not But Sir if the opinions of those great Lawyers drew me into an act unsutable to Your Majesties liking I hope the want of yeers will excuse my want of judgement And since by the Command of the Parliament I am now so far engaged in their Service as the sending out Warrants to summon the County to meet me this day at Lincoln and afterwards in other places I do most humbly beseech Your Majestie not to impose that Command on me which must needs render me false to those that relie on me and so make me more unhappie then any other misery that can fall upon me These things Sir I once more humbly beseech Your Majestie may be taken into Your Gracious consideration and that You would never be pleased to harbour any misconceit of me or of this Action since nothing hath yet passed by my Commands here or ever shall but what shall tend to the honour and safety of Your Majesties Person to the preservation of the Peace of Your Kingdoms and to the content I hope of all Your Majesties Subjects in these parts amongst whom I remain Your Majesties most humble and most dutiful Subject and Servant FRA. WILLOUGHBY Upon the receipt of these Letters the Lords sent a Message to the House of Commons in which they expressed how much they did value and approve the endeavours of this Lord in a service so much importing the safety of this Kingdom not doubting of their readinesse to concur with them upon all occasions to manifest the sense they have and shall retain of his deservings which appear the greater by how much the difficulties appearing by the circumstances of those Letters have been greater The Lords therefore as they resolved to make his Interest their own in this Service for the publike good and safety of the Kingdom so they desired the Commons to joyn with them in so just and necessary a work To this the House of Commons consented and resolved to joyn with the Lords in this Vote making the like resolution also for the Deputy-Lieutenants for the County of Lincoln and desired the Lords concurrence therein Upon which it was ordered by the Lords in Parliament that they agree with the House of Commons for the resolution concerning the Deputy-Lieutenants of the County of Lincoln In Essex also which proved a most unanimous County and by that means continued in peace and happinesse the Earl of Warwick whose care and action was not confined onely to the Sea chosen Lord Lieutenant by the Parliament when he went down to muster and exercise the Country was received with great applause The Trained Bands were not onely compleat but increased by Voluntiers to unusual numbers and so affectionate to that Cause they were in general that they presented a Petition to the Earl of Warwick and the Deputy-Lieutenants in the name of all the Captains and Lieutenants of the several Companies and in the name of all persons belonging to the Trained Bands To which Petition when it was read in the field they expressed a full consent by their general acclamations and applause in every Company The Earl of Warwick therefore sent the Petition to the Parliament to let them see the extraordinary alacrity and affection of that County of Essex to them which was in these words which follow To the Right Honourable ROBERT Earl of Warwick Lord-Lieutenant of the County of Essex and to the worthy Gentlemen the Deputy-Lieutenants of the same County confided in by the most Honourable the high Court of Parliament We the Captains and Lieutenants with the full consent of the Trained Bands and Voluntiers of the County now assembled having before the accesse of this present Parliament seen our Religion our Laws and Liberties brought to the brink of ruine and subversion by the results of most desperate and wicked Counsels could not but with exâ—â—ding joy behold the assembling and continuance of so great and faithful a Councel the Representative Body of this Kingdom and with most certain confidence commit thereto all that was dear unto us And having also seen the late hellish designes and actings of a malignant party in this Kingdom and the bloody Rebellion in Ireland all working to retard the progresse or subvert the being of this worthy Parliament and therein to bereave us of all our hopes of Reformation or future peace and happinesse to this Church or State we cannot but ascribe all glory praise unto the Lord of lords expresse most hearty thankfulnes to his blessed Instruments that great Assembly for their undaunted resolutions unparallell'd endeavours and happie proceedings for the common good And herein as not the least means of our safety for the most necessary and seasonable Ordinance of theirs touching the Militia whereby we are put under the Command and Guidance of so noble a Lord and such worthy Gentlemen whereunto we humbly desire this present day and meeting may be an evidence and pledge of our free and willing obedience Having intrusted our Religion our Laws and all into the hands of that great and most faithful Councel the Parliament whose care and fidelity we have so abundantly found we even bleed to see the heart and actions of our Royal King contrary to his own Royal expressions declining from the Counsels of his Parliament carried after other Counsels whom as the Laws and Constitutions of this Land have not known nor reposed upon so we for our own parts neither will nor dare intrust with our Religion or Laws and whom we verily believe could they prevail against that highest Court under God our chiefest Bulwark and Defence would soon deprive us both of Religion and Law and notwithstanding all their specious pretences reduce us to a condition no lesse miserable then slavish From the deep apprehensions of all which we do freely and heartily promise and tender our persons and estates to assist and defend to the uttermost the high Court of Parliament now assembled the Members Power and Priviledges thereof and therein his Majesties Person and Authority and the Kingdoms Peace according to our late Protestation against all contrary Counsels Power or force of Arms whatsoever which shall be reared up or attempted against them And this our humble Acknowledgement and Resolution which we doubt not will be accorded unto by all good Subjects we humbly desire your Honour and Worships to tender on our behalf to that most honourable Assembly of Parliament for whose happie progresse and successe we shall daily pray Subscribed J. KITELEY HENRY FARRE JOHN BALLET JOHN FLEMMING WILLIAM MARSHAM ROBERT BARRINGTON Captains THO. HARPER JOHN WOODCOCK RICH. LAWRENCE GEORGE COLWEL THO. CLARK WIMLIAM BURLS Lieutenants The Parliament were very forward to expresse their approbation of this most affectionate Declaration of the Essex men and returned
his to them is an high breach of the Priviledge of Parliament and upon that occasion they call to remembrance and declare many particulars of their care for the relief of Ireland and the King 's hindering of it Those particulars there expressed are as followeth They declare that this bloodie Rebellion was first raised by the same Counsels that had before brought two Armies within the bowels of this Kingdom and two Protestant Nations ready to welter in each others blood which were both defrayed a long time at the charge of the poor Commons of England and quietly at last disbanded by Gods blessing upon the Parliaments endeavours That this designe failing the same wicked Councels who had caused that impious War raised this barbarous Rebellion in Ireland and recommended the suppressing thereof for the better colour to the Parliaments care who out of a fellow-feeling of the unspeakable miseries of their Protestant Brethren there not suspecting this horrid Plot now too apparent did cheerfully undertake that great work and do really intend and endeavour to settle the Protestant Religion and a permanent Peace in that Realm to the glory of God the honour and profit of his Majestie and security of his three Kingdoms But how they have been discouraged retarded diverted in and from this pious and glorious Work by those traiterous Counsels about his Majestie will appear by many particulars They there mention the sending over at first of twenty thousand pounds by the Parliament and that good way found out to reduce Ireland by the Adventure of private men without charging the Subject in general which would probably have brought in a Million of money had the King continued in or neer London and not by leaving his Parliament and making War upon it so intimidated and discouraged the Adventurers and others who would have adventured that that good Bill is rendered in a manner ineffectual They mention that when at the sole charge of the Adventurers five thousand Foot and five hundred Horse were designed for the relief of Munster under the command of the Lord WHARTON and nothing was wanting but a Commission to enable that Lord for the Service such was the power of wicked Counsel that no Commission could be obtained from the King by reason whereof Lymrick was wholly lost and the Province of Munster since in very great distresse That when well-affected persons at their own charge by way of Adventure had prepared twelve Ships and six Pinnaces with a thousand Land-forces for the service of Ireland desiring nothing but a Commission from his Majestie that Commission after twice sending to York for it and the Ships lying ready to set Sail three weeks together at the charge of neer three hundred pounds a day was likewise denied And those Adventurers rather then lose their Expedition were constrained to go by vertue of an Ordinance of both Houses of Parliament That though the Lords Justices of Ireland earnestly desired to have two Pieces of Battery sent over as necessary for that Service yet such commands were given to the Officers of the Tower that none of the King's Ordnance must be sent to save his Kingdom That CHARLES FLOYD Engineer and Quartermaster-General of the Army in Ireland and in actual employment there against the Rebels was called away from that important Service by expresse command of the King That Captain GREEN Controller of the Artillery a man in Pay and principally employed and trusted here by the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland for providing and ordering the Train of Artillery which was to be sent to Dublin and who had received great sums of money for that purpose was commanded from that employment and trust to serve the King in this unnatural War against his Parliament And when the Parliament had provided six hundred suits of Clothes for present relief of the poor Souldiers in Ireland and sent them towards Chester WILLIAM WHITAKER that undertook the carriage of them was assaulted by the King's souldiers lying about Coventry who took away the six hundred suits of Clothes and the poor man his Waggon and Horses though they were told that the Clothes were for the souldiers in Ireland and though the poor Carrier was five times with the Earl of Northampton to beg a release of his Waggon That three hundred suits of Clothes sent likewise by the Parliament for Ireland with a Chirurgion's Chest of Medicaments towards Chester were taken all away by the King's Troopers under command of one Captain MIDDLETON together with the poor Carrier's Horses and Waggon for the King's service As likewise that a great number of Draught-horses prepared by the Parliament for the Artillery and Baggage of the Irish Army and sent to Chester for that purpose being there attending a passage are now required by the King for his present service in England whose forces are so quartered about the Roads to Ireland that no Provision can passe thither by Land with any safety That Captain KETTLEBY and Sir HENRY STRADLING the Admiral and Vice-Admiral of the Ships appointed to lie upon the coast of Ireland to annoy the Rebels and to prevent the bringing of Ammunition and relief from forraign parts are both called away from that employment by the King's command and by reason of their departure from the coast of Munster to which they were designed the Rebels there have received Powder Ammunition and other relief from forraign parts By which particulars say they it may seem that those Rebels are countenanced there upon designe to assist the enemies of the Parliament here especially considering that those confident Rebels have presumed very lately to send a Petition to the King intituling themselves his Majesties Catholike Subjects of Ireland and complaining of the Puritan Parliament of England and desiring that since his Majestie comes not thither according to their expectation they may come into England to his Majestie The Parliament therefore finding what danger both Kingdoms are in by the designes of cruel enemies thought fit to provide for the safety of both by preparing a competent Army for the defence of King and Kingdom But in regard that the Plate brought in by so many well-affected men could not be coâ—â—ed to suddenly as the service required and well knowing that one hundred thousand pounds might for a short time be borrowed out of the Adventurers money for Ireland without any prejudice to the affairs of that Kingdom whose Subsistence depends upon the Welfare of this and resolving to make a speedie repayment of that money made this Order which that it may appear say they to all the world to be neither mischievous illegal nor unjust as the King calls it the House of Commons thought fit to recite it in haec verba and instead of retracting the Order to repay that money with all possible speed The Order Iuly 30. It is this day Ordered by the Commons House of Parliament That the Treasurers appointed to receive the Moneys come in upon the Subscriptions for Ireland do forthwith
did declare nor ever intended to declare both Our Houses of Parliament Traitours or set up Our Standard against them and much lesse to put them and this Kingdom out of Our protection We utterly professe against it before God and the world And further to remove all possible Scruples which may hinder the Treaty so much desired by Vs We hereby promise so that a day be appointed by you for the revoking of your Declarations against all persons as Traitours or otherwise for assisting Vs We shall with all cheerfulnesse upon the same day recal our Proclamations and Declarations and take down Our Standard In which Treaty We shall be ready to grant any thing that shall be really for the good of Our subjects conjuring you to consider the bleeding condition of Ireland and the dangerous condition of England in as high a degree as by these Our Offers We have declared Our Self to do and assuring you that Our chief desire in the world is to beget a good understanding and mutual confidence betwixt Vs and Our two Houses of Parliament To the Kings most Excellent Majestie The humble Answer and Petition of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament to the King 's last Message May it please Your Majestie If we the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled should repeat all the ways we have taken the endeavours we have used and the expressions we have made unto Your Majestie to prevent those distractions and dangers Your Majestie speaks of we should too much enlarge this Reply therefore as we Humbly so shall we Onely let Your Majestie know that we cannot recede from our former Answer for the reasons therein expressed for that Your Majestie hath not taken down Your Standard recalled Your Proclamations and Declarations whereby You have declared the Actions of both Houses of Parliament to be Treasonable and their Persons Traitors And You have published the same since Your Message the 25 of August by Your late Instructions to Your Commissioners of Array Which Standard being taken down and the Declarations Proclamations and Instructions recalled if Your Majestie shall then upon this our humble Petition leaving your Forces return unto Your Parliament and receive their faithful advice Your Majestie shall finde such expressions of our fidelities and duties as shall assure You that Your Safety Honour and Greatnesse can onely be found in the affections of Your People and the sincere Counsels of Your Parliament whose constant and undiscouraged endeavours and consultations have passed thorow difficulties unheard of onely to secure Your Kingdoms from the violent mischiefs and dangers now ready to fall upon them who deserve better of Your Majestie and can never allow themselveâ— representing likewise Your whole Kingdom to be balanced with those persons whose desperate dispositions and counsels prevail still so to interrupt all our endeavours for the relieving of bleeding Ireland as we may fear our labours and vast expences will be fruitlesse to that distressed Kingdom As Your Presence is thus humbly desired by us so it is in our hopes that Your Majestie will in Your Reason believe There is no other way then this to make Your Majesties Self happie and Your Kingdoms safe The Parliament immediately after published a Declaration that the Arms which they were enforced to take up for the preservation of the Kingdom Laws and Liberties could not be laid down until the King should withdraw his Protection from such persons as had been voted Delinquents by both Houses and leave them to the Justice of Parliament The King within few days after made another Reply to the last Answer of the Parliament The substance of it was that he could neither do nor offer any more then he had already and that he should think himself clear and innocent from any blood that might be spilt in this Quarrel praying God so to deal with him and his posterity as he desired to preserve Religion Law and Liberty of the Subjects and Priviledge of Parliament The Parliament returned Answer that while the King thinks himself bound in Honour to protect such Delinquents in whose preservation the Kingdom cannot be safe nor the Rights of Parliament at all maintained but must needs fall into utter contempt they must needs think he hath not done what he can oâ— ought to do They tell him it is impossible that any reasonable man should believe him to be so tender of bleeding Ireland when at the same time divers of the Irish Traitours the known favourers of them and agents for them are admitted into his Presence with grace and favour and some of them employed in his service THE HISTORY OF THE PARLIAMENT OF England The third Booke CHAP. I. Prince RUPERT and Prince MAURICE arrive in England The Earle of ESSEX taking leave of the Parliament goeth to his Command The King increaseth in strength at Shrewsbury A Skirmish at Worcester The great Battell of Keynton is fought ABout the beginning of this September Prince RUPERT second Sonne to FREDERICK Prince Elector Palatine of the Rhene who had long beene detained Prisoner of Warre by the Emperour and newly released arrived in England to offer his Service to the King his Uncle in those Warres which were now visibly begun in this unhappy Kingdome together with him came his younger Brother Prince MAURICE an addition rather of Gallantry then strength to the Kings side being both young and unexperienced Souldiers Neither indeed though they were neere in birth to the Crowne of England were they neere enough to adde any security to the King by purchasing the Peoples hatred to themselves though that were imagined and talked of by many as the cause why they were sent for Their elder Brother CHARLES Prince Elector might have served more fitly to play that part But he having long remained in the Court of England had lately left the King not above two Moneths before the arrivall of his Brothers The reasons why he went away were partly expressed by himselfe afterward in a Message which he sent out of Holland to the Houses of Parliament wherein he professed sorrow for these distractions and protested that whilest he was in the Court of England he had by all meanes indeavoured to bring the King into a good opinion of his Parliament acknowledging that his owne interest and that of the Protestant Religion in Germany did more depend upon the happinesse of the English Parliament then upon any thing else under God True it is that this Prince left not the King untill he saw the rent betweene him and his Parliament too great to close and having before been exposed by the King to some probability of envy as when he attended his Majesty to the House of Commons for surprizall of the five Members and with him afterwards when some things unpleasing to the people had been done he might in likelihood being of that opinion that he was of this cause thinke it the wisest way to take a faire leave in time of the King These two
young Princes arrived in England were soone put into imployment and Command under the King their Uncle in which they shewed themselves very forward and active as will appeare afterward and if more hot and furious then the tender beginnings of a Civill Warre would seeme to require it may be imputed to the fervour of their youth and great desire which they had to ingratiate themselves to the King upon whom as being no more then Souldiers of fortune their hopes of advancement wholly depended Prince RUPERT the elder brother and most furious of the two within a fortnight after his arrivall commanded a small party of those Forces which the King had at that time gathered together which were not of so great a body as to be tearmed an Army with which he marched into divers Counties to roll himselfe like a snow ball into a larger bulke by the accession of Forces in every place Through divers parts of Warwick-shire Nottingham-shire Leicestershire Worcester-shire and Cheshire did this young Prince fly with those Troops which he had not inviting the people so much by faire demeanour for such was the report to the Houses of Parliament as compelling them by extreme rigour to follow that side which he had taken Many Townes and Villages he plundered which is to say robb'd for at that time first was the word plunder used in England being borne in Germany when that stately Country was so miserably wasted and pillaged by forraigne Armies and committed other outrages upon those who stood affected to the Parliament executing some and hanging up servants at their Masters doores for not discovering of their Masters Upon which newes the Houses of Parliament fell into a serious debate and agreed that a Charge of High Treason should be drawne up against him for indeavouring the destruction of this State which was voted a great breach of the Kingdoms Lawes and breach of the priviledge of that great Councell representing the whole state of it Let it not seeme amisse in this place to insert a passage happening at the same time which cannot be omitted by reason of the eminence of that person whom it concernes in the succeeding Warres Colonell GORING who was before spoken of to keepe the Towne of Portsmouth against the Parliament being now no longer able to hold it out was permitted by Captaine MERRICK not without allowance from the Earle of Warwick to leave the place and to be conveyed to the Brill in Holland according to his owne desire This the Parliament were contented with because the Captaine was necessitated to agree to it for preservation of that Towne and many persons therein well affected to the Parliament for GORING had threatned to destroy the Towne with wilde-fire if he might not preserve his owne life by a peaceable surrender Whilest Prince RUPERT was thus active with a flying Party the King himselfe was moving with those Forces which he had but in a gentler and calmer way for the reverence which the people bare to his Person made him finde lesse resistance as windes lose their fury when they meet no opposition but howsoever the King desired to go in such a way as to be taken for a Father of his Country and a Prince injur'd by the Parliament professions of love perswasions and Protestations of his affection to the people were the chiefe instruments which he used to raise himselfe a strength and complaints against the proceedings and actions of the Parliament as when he was marching toward Shrewsbury where he intended to make his chiefe Rendezvouze being a place convenient to receive and entertaine such Forces as should come to him out of Wales Which place as will appeare afterward failed not his expectation though it were more then the Parliament could suspect As he was marching thither with a small Army he made a Speech betweene Stafford and Wellington on the 19. of September and caused his Protestation to be then also read in the head of his Army wherein among other things he tells them for their comfort and hope to prevaile that they should meet no Enemies but Traytors most of them Brownists Anabaptists and Atheists who would destroy both Church and Common-wealth And in this Protestation with deepe vowes and imprecations upon himselfe and his posterity he declares his whole care and intentions to be for the maintenance of the Protestant Religion the Lawes and property of the Subject together with the Priviledge of Parliament as he was accustomed to do in his former Speeches But the King not many daies before had taken a more harsh and coercive way for marching thorow Derbyshire Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire he commanded the Trayned Bands of those Counties to attend and guard his Person and when they were met disarmed the greatest part of them taking as many Armes as served for 2000. men besides good summes of Money which not without some constraint he borrowed from them But to leave the Kings proceedings for a while it is time to returne to the Lord Generall for the Parliament and the Army raised under his conduct which at that time when Prince RUPERT began to march was growne to a considerable body consisting of about â—4 thousand Horse and Foot their generall Rendezvouze was at Northampton where many of the chiefe Commanders as the Lord BROOKE Lord ROBERTS Colonell HAMDEN and others stayed with them expecting the presence of his Excellence who on the ninth of September taking his leave of the Parliament and City of London bent his journey toward Northampton and was waited on by the Trayned Bands and a great number of armed Gentlemen from Essex House to the end of the City with great solemnity But the love and wishes of the people that did attend him were farre greater then any outward signification could expresse To whom he seemed at that time though going to a Civill Warre as much an English man and as true a Patriot as if he had gone against a forraigne Enemy Great was the love and honour which the people in generall bore to his Person in regard of his owne vertue and honourable demeanour and much increased by the Memory of his noble Father the highest example that ever I yet read of a Favourite both to Prince and people of whom that was most true which VELLEIUS PATERCULUS speaks with flattery and falshood of SEJANUS In quo cum judicio Principis certabant studia populi The peoples love strived to match the Prince his judgement That Cause wherein the Earle of ESSEX had ingaged himselfe seemed to them religious enough to require their prayers for the successe of it For the Parliament though they raised an Army expressed much humility and reverence to the Kings Person for not many daies after the departure of the Lord Generall by consent of both Houses a Petition to the King was drawne up to be carried by Sir PHILIP STAPLETON a Member of the House of Commons often spoken of before and at this time a Colonell in the Lord Generals
Army This Petition he carried to Northampton to the Generall to be by him presented according to the Parliaments desire to His Majesty in a safe and honourable way In which Petition nothing at all according to their former Declarations is charged upon the King himselfe but only upon his wicked Councell and the former mis-governments briefly mentioned and that this wicked Councell have raised an horrid Rebellion and Massacre in Ireland and ever since by opposition against the Parliament hindered the reliefe of that Kingdom and at last drawne his Majesty to make a War upon his Parliament leading an Army in Person to the destruction of his people depriving his good Subjects of his Majesties protection and protecting those Traytors against the Justice and Authority of Parliament WE the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament have for these are the words of the Petition for the just and necessary defence of the Protestant Religion of your Majesties Person Crowne and Dignity of the Lawes and Liberties of the Kingdome and the Priviledges and power of Parliaments taken up Armes appointed and authorized ROBERT Earle of ESSEX to be Captaine Generall of all the Forces by us raised to conduct the same against those Rebels and Traytors to subdue and bring them to condigne punishment And we do most humbly beseech your Majesty to withdraw your Royall Presence and Countenance from these wicked persons and if they shall stand out in defence of their rebellious and unlawfull attempts that your Majesty will leave them to be supprest by that Power which we have sent against them And that your Majesty will not mix your owne dangers with theirs but in peace and safety without your Forces forthwith returne to your Parliament and by their faithfull advice compose the present distempers and confusions abounding in both your Kingdomes and provide for the security and honour of your selfe and Royall Posterity and the prosperous estate of all your Subjects Wherein if your Majesty please to yeeld to our most humble and earnest desires We do in the presence of Almighty God professe That we will receive your Majesty with all Honour yeeld you all due obedience and subjection and faithfully indeavour to secure your Person and Estate from all dangers and to the uttermost of our Power to procure and establish to your selfe and to your People all the blessings of a glorious and happy Reigne According to this Petition were those Directions from the Parliament to the Lord Generall sent at the same time wherein the Lord Generall is required by the Houses to use his utmost indeavour by Battell or otherwise to rescue the Kings Person the Persons of the Prince and Duke of Yorke out of the hands of those desperate persons now about them Another Direction was That if his Majesty upon this humble Petition should be pleased to withdraw himselfe from the persons now about him and returne to the Parliament that then the Lord Generall should disband and should serve and defend his Majesty with a sufficient strength in his returne Another Direction was That his Excellency should proclaime pardon to all those who were at that time seduced against their Parliament and Country if within ten daies after that Proclamation they would returne to their duty doing no hostile act within the time limited Provided that this should not extend to admit any man into either House of Parliament who stands suspended without giving satisfaction to that House whereof he was a Member and excepting all persons impeached for Delinquency by either House and those persons who have been eminent Actors in these Treasons and therefore impeached in Parliament of High Treason such as were at that time declared and there named the Earles of Bristoll Cumberland Newcastle and Rivers Secretary NICHOLAS Master ENDYMION PORTER Master EDWARD HIDE the Duke of Richmond the Earle of Carnarvan Viscount Newarke and Viscount Fawkland These were the persons at that time voted against and declared Traytors though afterwards others were added to the number of them and many of these left out as occasions altered Such Directions and others for the advantage of the Army and behoose of the Countries thorow which he was to march were given by the Parliament to his Excellency but above all things to restraine carefully all impieties prophannesse and disorders in his Army The Generall arriving at Northampton was there possessed of a great and gallant Army well furnished at all points consisting of about twenty thousand with those that within few daies were to come thither An Army too great to finde resistance at that time from any Forces a foot in England for the Kings side had then small strength What they had consisted of Horse who in small Parties roved up and downe to make Provision and force Contribution in severall places Prince RUPERT especially like a perpetuall motion with those Horse which he commanded was in short time heard of at many places of great distance The care therefore which his Excellency especially tooke was so to divide his great Army as to make the severall parts of it usefull both to annoy the stragling Troops of the Enemy and ptotect those Counties that stood affected to the Parliament as also to possesse himselfe either in his owne Person or by his Lieutenants of such Towns as he thought might be of best import if this sad War should happen to continue From Northampton he marched to Coventry to make that considerable City a Garrison for the Parliament and from thence to Warwick and having fortified that Towne marched away towards Worcester upon intelligence that the King himselfe intended to come thither with his Forces for his desire was to finde out the King and the Parliament to whom he imparted his designe by Letter approved well of his advance towards Worcester The City of Worcester as well as the whole County had beene in great distractions by reason not only of the dissenting affections of the Inhabitants but the frequent invitations from both sides if we may call that an invitation which is made by armed force Sir JOHN BYRON had first entred Worcester for the Kings side whom Master FIENNES Sonne to the Lord SAY had opposed for the Parliament and afterward Prince RUPERT with five hundred Horse not farre from the City was encountred by Master FIENNES who commanded another Body about that number the skirmish was but small and not above twelve men slaine as the report was made at London But before the Lord Generall could arrive at Worcester who was marching thither from Warwick as was before expressed there happened a fight there not to be omitted in regard of the persons that were there slaine or wounded though the number of men in generall that fell were small Prince RUPERT was then at Worcester with twelve Troops of Horse when about that City divers of the Parliaments Forces were though not joyned in one Body but dispersed The Prince marched out of the City into a greene Meadow and there set his
Musketeers of his Regiment on the right hand before the two Demy-Culverings that were placed at the end of the Lane on the top of the Hill and the red Auxiliaries he placed on the left hand of those Peeces which before were slenderly guarded The Artillery was well ordered that day by the skill and care of Sir JOHN MERRICK While this was acting two Peeces which belonged to the Major Generals Regiment and one Drake of Sir WILLIAM BROOKES were by the Generals Regiment under the Command of Major BOTELER with the assistance of 200. Musketeers recovered and the Enemy drew away from their Pikes which with their Colours kept standing with many great Bodies of Horse to guard them five or six hundred Musketeers besides Dragoones to encompasse our men on the right hand among the hedges just at which time his Excellency sent to have 300. Musketeers of the Forlorne Hope to go to the reliefe of Colonell BARCLAY and Colonell HOLBORNES Souldiers But then the Enemy falling on upon our right hand diverted them who with other of our Musketeers thereabouts beat the Enemy off who else had done us great mischief This was about foure a clock in the afternoone when all our whole Army of Foot was ingaged in the Fight But then he also caused some of the red Auxiliary Regiment to draw neerer to Colonell BARCLAYS Post as he himselfe required At length night drew on when the Enemy both Horse and Foot stood in good order on the further side of the Greene where we expected their stay till next morning and that they were working as was reported to place their Canon to make use of them against us when day should breake Against which supposed encounter we encouraged our Souldiers before hand and resolved by Gods help the next day to force our way thorow them or dye But it pleased God to make our passage without blows for the Enemy was gone by night so that the next morning we marched quietly over the same ground where the Battell was fought and where the Enemy stood for on Thursday early his Excellency gave Command for the Armies March towards Reading to which purpose it was all drawne up upon the Heath where the Battell was fought and after that his Excellency had given order for burying the dead about ten a clock we began to march Colonell MIDDLETON with his owne and three Regiments more Lord GREY SHEFFIELD MELDRUM and 400. commanded Musketeers under Colonell BARCLAY had the Reere-guard During which March the Enemy at a great distance shot from severall hedges but troubled us not When we came to a long Heath we drew up the whole Army severall times and no Enemy appeared But at the entrance of a narrow Lane toward the evening the Enemy fell upon us with 800. commanded Musketeers and most of their Horse who caused our Horse then in the Reare to make a very disorderly and confused retreat But when Colonell MIDDLETON with the rest of the Commanders in the Reare hasted to charge the Enemy with our Foot he made them retreat with as much confusion over the Heath as they had us before the losse not great on either side Lieutenant BROWNE was taken Prisoner After this the same evening the Lord Generall drew up the Army to Theale and taking some refreshment there marched the next morning being Fryday with the whole Army to Reading where he stayed till the Sabbath was past and gave publike thanks for the great Victory This was a Victory not denyed to the Parliament nor at all disputed although the Lord Generall Essex for want of Victuals marched away to the necessary reliefe of his Army and could not stay to pursue the Victory which he had gotten The number of slaine in that Battell were judged to be by those who speak most moderately foure times as many of the Kings Party as of the Parliaments but others have spoken of a farre greater difference Divers Captains as Captaine MASSY and Captaine HUNT with others were slaine on the Parliament side but scarce any of higher ranke Three of the Nobility fell on the Kings side the Earle of Carnarvan the Lord SPENCER newly made by the King Earle of Sunderland and the Lord Viscount Fawlkland After this Victory the Lord Generall was received at London with great joy and Honour The Trayned Bands and Auxiliaries of London marched home in full Companies and were welcomed by their friends and met by the Lord May or and Aldermen at Temple Barre And now the face of things seemed much to change and the reputation of the Parliament rise higher At the time of this Expedition for reliefe of Gloucester a Cessation of Arms was made by the King with the Irish Rebels of which together with the great Victories which small numbers of the English Forces obtained over great multitudes of those Irish Rebels before the time of that Cessation which was here omitted as not to interupt the Relation of proceedings in the English Warres there may be a larger Discourse in the continuation of this History as also of the Covenant which the Parliament and that part of the Nation which adhered to them about this time entred into with their Brethren of Scotland for maintenance of the Religion Lawes and Liberties of both Kingdomes FINIS In the English Pope Sir Ioh. Temple