most famous Prince have polished with Learning and Arts of Prudence would assent to the Father of lights illuminating the Christian world We easily apprehend how much it would conduce to the Publick peace that being King of Scotland you should join in one Kingdom those Nations and Islands divided either by the bars of the Mountains or by the depths of the Ocean For your Majesty seems for that very reason to be made Lord of so many Provinces that they might more easily and quickly receive healing and salvation from him whom they obey Wherefore we even then besought God by continual â—rayers who gives salvation to Kings that so many blessings by his grace conferred upon you by which you are admirable in the sight of Potentates might bring safety to Britain and joy to the Church A blessed hope from above not long ago shined upon us when we understood that you were desirous of a Catholick alliance and that the â—ssue which should succeed in the inheritance and government of those Nations might be begotten of a Catholick mother We can scarcely express how much joy Gregory the Fifteenth of blessed memory our Predecessor brought us when he made us one of the Congregation of those Cardinals whom he would have to take cognisance of the English Match While we discoursed of a matter of so great importance we expressed a singular propension of mind towards your Majesty and were both tender of your praises and desirous to provide for your happiness And now being by the consent of the Apostolical Senate advanced to this station where we are to watch and ward for all earthly Monarchs we cannot sufficiently declare what a care and desire we have of Great Britain and the honor of so great a King It seems to have been a special providence of God that the first Letters which we received reigning in the seat of S. Peter were those which the most noble Charls Prince of Wales wrote to our Predecessor as a testimony of his affection to the Popes of Rome And since we now desire that this venerable Marriage should by the blessing of God be perfected we resolved to write unto you without expecting Letters first from you for Charity is the honor of the Papal Empire and although most powerful Kings do homage to us in this seat yet we account it glorious charity so perswading to descend to humble prayers so that we may gain souls to Christ. First therefore we desire you to perswade your self that there is no Prince in the Christian world from whom you can expect more evidence of fatherly affection then from the Pope who desires to embrace you a most desired Son with the arms of Apostolical charity We know with what a Letter Gregory the Fifteenth excited you to obtain so great a glory And since we have succeeded him we will not only imitate his inclinations towards you but will exceed them We hope we shall shortly have news out of England that your Majesty is favorable to the Catholick interest and that the Catholicks who live there whom the Father of mercies hath vindicated into the liberty of the sons of God being freed from the fear of punishment enjoy your Royal protection He who is rich in mercy will reward such a purpose with some signal happiness The Kingdoms of the Earth will applaud your Majesty and the Host of Heaven will wage war for you Though sinners gnash their teeth and Impiety powerful to raise sedition threaten yet Europe hopes she shall see King James triumphing in the Roman Church and increasing the example of his Ancestors by new works of Piety We do not distrust that the time of Gods good pleasure is now at hand when they who recommend to History the praises of the British Religion shall not always speak of the deeds of another Age but may be able to propose the present Government as a pattern of imitation to the Ages following Your Ancestors call upon you who have left you so powerful and so famous an inheritance who believed that the gates of the kingdom of Heaven were opened to mankind with the Popes keyes Certainly it cannot be that your Majesty should dare either to contemn or condemn the belief of so many Ages and the judgment of so many Kings who have deserved well of you Do you not see that by your Majesties opinion they are deprived of Heaven who left you a Kingdom while you contend that they erred in the worship of their Religion By this means it would be that whom the Universal Church believes to be Citizens of Heaven and to reign as Coheirs with Christ in that everlasting Country you who are descended of them should snatch them out of Heaven and thrust them into the bottomless pit of Error and the prison of hellish torments Do you not perceive your bowels yearn at the thought of so ungrateful an offence Are not such deliberations repugnant to your Royal temper which nevertheless so many Nations of Europe are forced to reprehend while it dissents from the Seat of the Apostles Let the splendor of so great glory allure your eyes which looks out of Heaven upon you and reaches you out a hand ready to reduce by your means the Kingdom of Britain into the Sanctuary of God with the conduct of Angels and acclamations of men A long time ago Christian religion lay all along in the world squalid and deformed with anguish affrighted with the threats of Tyrants But that Emperor whom we owe to Great Britain Constantine the Great the Defender of the Popes authority and the Avoucher of the Roman Faith did not only bring her out of her lurking places but called her to an Empire He is a fit pattern of imitation for your Majesty not those Kings who have transgressed and dissipated the Everlasting Covenant We call you O most wished for Son from this Watch-Tower of the World into the Society of his Glory Adde one day to your past years which all posterity may celebrate with a grateful memory Put a Mitre of Eternal Glory upon your head that in the time of your Reign we may say with the Holy Apostle I have seen a new Heaven in Britain and a new City descending from Heaven and a guard of Angels upon her Walls If that should come to pass we shall make reckoning that our Reign hath been happy to mankinde This our Sollicitude we believe will be so grateful unto you That we verily hope upon the receipt of our Letter you will forthwith increase the advantage of the Catholicks which live there Which if you shall do you will exceedingly oblige us and we shall consign to you the King of Kings debtor of so great benefit who so long as he shall preserve your Royal Family in eminent Happiness shall second the wishes of the Roman Church and bring ioy to the holy Prelates Dated at Rome at St. Peters sub annulo Piscatoris 15 Octob. 1623. The first year of our Reign Nobilissimo
declared for War he pursued Peace and resolved to close with Spain hoping to heal the Breach by that Alliance The House of Commons before they granted Subsides resolved to try the Kings Spirit by this Petition and Remonstrance which laid open the distempers of those times with their causes and cures Most Gratious and Dread Soveraign WE Your Majesties most Humble and Loyal Subjects the Knights Citizens and Burgesses now Assembled in Parliament who represent the Commons of Your Realm full of hearty sorrow to be deprived of the Comfort of Your Royal Presence the rather for that it proceeds from the want of Your health wherein we all unfeignedly do suffer In all humble manner calling to minde Your Gracious Answer to our former Petition concerning Religion which notwithstanding Your Majesties Pious and Princely intentions hath not produced that good effect which the danger of these times doth séem to us to require And finding how ill Your Majesties goodness hath béen requited by Princes of different Religion who even in time of Treaty have taken opportunity to advance their own ends tending to the subversion of Religion and disadvantage of Your Affairs and the Estate of Your Children By reason whereof Your ill affected Subjects at home the Popish Recusants have taken too much encouragement and are dangerously increased in their number and in 〈◊〉 insolencies We cannot but be sensible thereof and therefore humbly represent what we conceive to be the causes of so great and growing Mischeifs and what be the Remedies I. The Uigilancy and Ambition of the Pope of Rome and his dearest Son the one aiming at as large a Temporal Monarchy as the other at a Spiritual Supremacy II. The Devillish Positions and Doctrines whereon Popery is built and taught with Authority to their Followers for advancement of their Temporal ends III. The distressed and miserable estate of the Professors of true Religion in Foreign parts IV. The Disasterous accidents to Your Majesties Children abroad expressed with rejoycing and even with contempt of their persons V. The strange Confederacy of the Princes of thâ— Popish Religion aiming mainly at the advancement of theirs and subverting of ours and taking the advantages conducing to that end upon all occasions VI. The great and many 〈◊〉 raised and maintained at the charge of the King of Spain the 〈◊〉 of that League VII The expectation of the Popish Recusants of the Match with Spain and féeding themselves with great hopes of the consequences thereof VIII The interposing of Forein Princes and their Agents in the behalf of Popish Recusants for connivance and favor unto them IX Their open and usual resort to the Houses and which is worse to the Chappels of Foreign Ambassadors X. Their more then usual concourse to the City and their frequent Conventicles and Conferences there XI The education of their Children in many several Seminaries and Houses of their Religion in Forein parts appropriated to the English Fugitives XII The Grants of their just Forfeitures intended by Your Majesty as a Reward of Service to the Grantees but beyond Your Majesties intention transferred or compounded for at such mean rates as will amount to little less then a Toleration XIII The Licentious Printing and dispersing of Popish and Seditious Books even in the time of Parliament XIV The swarms of Priests and Iesuits the Common Incendiaries of all Christendom dispersed in all parts of your Kingdom And from these causes as bitter Roots we humbly offer to Your Majesty That we foresée and fear there will necessarily follow very dangerous effects both to Church and State For I. The Popish Religion is incompatible with ours in respect of their Positions II. It draweth with it an unavoidable dependency on Forein Princes III. It openeth too wide a gap for Popularity to any who shall draw too great a party IV. It hath a restless spirit and will strive by these Gradations if it once get but a connivancy it will press for a Toleration if that should be obtained they must have an equality from thence they will aspire to Superiority and will never rest till they get a Subversion of the true Religion The Remedies against these growing Evils which in all Humility we offer unto Your most Excellent Majesty are these I. That séeing this inevitable necessity is faln upon Your Majesty which no Wisdom or Providence of a peaceable and pious King can 〈◊〉 Your Majesty would not omit this just occasion spéedily and eâ—â—ectually to take Your Sword into Your hand II. That once undertaken upon so honorable and just grounds Your Majesty would resolve to pursue and more publickly avow the aiding of those of our Religion in Forein parts which doubtless would reunite the Princes and States of the Union by these disasters disheartned and disbanded III. That Your Majesty would propose to Your Self to manage this War with the best advantage by a diversion or otherwise as in Your déep judgment shall be found fittest and not to rest upon a War in these parts onely which will consume Your Treasure and discourage Your People IV. That the bent of this 〈◊〉 and point of Your Sâ—â—â—d may be against that Prince whatsoever opinion of potency he hath whose Armies and Treasures have first diverted and since maintained the War in the Palatinate V. That for securing of our Peace at home Your Majesty will be pleased to review the parts of our Petition formerly delivered unto Your Majesty and hereunto annexed and to put in execution by the care of choice Commissioners to be thereunto especially appointed the Laws already and hereafter to be made for preventing of dangers by Popish Recusants and their wonted evasions VI. That to frustrate their hopes for a future age our most Noble Prince may be timely and happily married to one of our own Religion VII That the Children of the Nobility and Gentry of this Kingdom and of others ill-affected and suspected in their Religion now beyond the Seas may be forthwith called home by your means and at the charge of their Parents or Governors VIII That the Children of Popish Recusants or such whose Wives are Popish Recusants be brought up during their Minority with Protestant Schoolmasters and Teachers who may sow in their tender years the Séeds of true Religion IX That Your Majesty will be pleased spéedily to revoke all former Licences for such Children and Youth to travel beyond the Seas and not grant any such Licence hereafter X. That Your Majesties Learned Council may receive Commandment from Your Highness carefully to look into former Grants of Recusants Lands and to avoid them if by Law they can and that Your Majesty will stay Your Hand from passing any such Grants hereafter This is the sum and effect of our humble Declaration which we no ways intending to press upon Your Majesties undoubted and Regal Prerogative do with the fulness of our Duty and Obedience humbly submit to Your most Princely consideration The glory of God whose cause it is
points of Grace to the people but also by the labor we took for the satisfaction of both Houses in those three Articles recommended unto us in both their names by the Right Reverend Father in God the Archbishop of Canterbury and likewise for the good Government of Ireland we are now in hand with at your request but not onely have we heard no news of all this but contrary great complaints of the danger of Religion within this Kingdom tacitely implying our ill Government in this point And we leave you to judge whether it be your duties that are the Representative Body of our people so to distaste them with our Government whereas by the contrary it is your duty with all your endeavors to kindle more and more a dutiful and thankful love in the peoples hearts towards us for our just and gratious Government Now whereas in the very beginning of this your Apology you tax us in fair terms of trusting uncertain Reports and partial Informations concerning your proceedings we wish you to remember that we are an old and experienced King needing no such Lessons being in our Conscience freest of any King alive from hearing or trusting idle Reports which so many of your House as are nearest us can bear witness unto you if you would give as good ear to them as you do to some Tribunitial Orators among you And for proof in this particular we have made your own Messengers confer your other Petitions sent by you with the Copy thereof which was sent us before Between which there is no difference at all but that since our receiving the first Copy you added a conclusion unto it which could not come to our hands till it was done by you and your Messengers sent which was all at one time And if we had had no Copy of it before-hand we must have received your first Petition to our great dishonor before we had known what it contained which would have enforced us to return you a far worse Answer then now we do for then your Messengers had returned with nothing but that we have judged your Petition unlawful and unworthy of an Answer For as to your conclusion thereof it is nothing but Protestatio contraria facto for in the Body of your Petition you usurpe upon our Prerogative Royal and meddle with things far above your reach and then in the conclusion you protest the contrary As if a Robber would take a mans purse and then protest he meant not to rob him For first you presume to give us your advice concerning the Match of our dearest Son with some Proâ—â—stant we cannot say Princess for we know none of these fit for hâ—m and disswade us from his Match with Spain urging us to a presenâ— War with that King and yet in the conclusion forsooth ye protest ye intend not to press upon our most undoubted and Regal Prerogative as if the Petitioning of us in matters that your selves confess ye ought not to meddle with were not a meddling with them And whereas ye pretend That ye were invited to this course by the Speeches of Three honorable Lords yet by so much as your selves repeat of the Speeches nothing can be concluded but that we were resolved by War to regain the Palatinate if otherwise we could not attain unto it And you were invited to advise forthwith upon a Supply for keeping the forces in the Palatinate from disbanding and to foresee the means for the raising and maintenance of the Body of an Army for that War against the Spring Now what inference can be made upon this that therefore we must presently denounce War against the King of Spain break our dearest Sons match and match him to one of our Religion let the World judge The difference is no greater than if we would tell a Merchant that we had great need to borrow Money from him for raising an Army that thereupon it should follow that we were bound to follow his advice in the direction of the War and all things depending thereupon But yet not contenting your selves with this excuse of yours which indeed cannot hold water ye come after to a direct contradiction to the conclusion of your former Petition saying That the honor and safety of us and our Posterity and the Patrimony of Our Children invaded and possessed by their enemies the Welfare of Religion and State of our Kingdom are matters at any time not unfit for your deepest considerations in Parliament To this generality we answer with the Logicians That where all things are contained nothing is omitted So as this Plenipotency of yours invests you in all power upon Earth lacking nothing but the Popes to have the Keys also both of Heaven and Purgatory And to this vast generality of yours we can give no other answer for it will trouble all the best Lawyers in the House to make a good Commentary upon it For so did the Puritan Ministers in Scotland bring all kinde of causes within the compass of their jurisdiction saying That it was the Churches office to judge of slander and there could no kinde of crime or fault be committed but there was a slander in it either against God the King or their Neighbor and by this means they hooked into themselves the cognisance of all causes Or like Bellarmines distinction of the Popes power over Kings in Ordine ad Spiritualia whereby he gives them all Temporal Jurisdiction over them But to give you a direct Answer to the matter of War for which you are so earnest We confess we rather expected you should have given us thanks for the so long maintaining a setled Peace in all our Dominions when as all our Neighbors about are in miserable combustion of War but dulce bellum inexpertis And we indeed finde by experience that a number of our Subjects are so pampered with Peace as they are desirous of change though they knew not what It is true that we have ever professed and in that minde with Gods grace we will live and die that we will labor by all means possible either by Treaty or by force to restore our Children to their ancient Dignity and Inheritance And whatsoever Christian Princes or Potentates will set themselves against it we will not spare any lawful means to bring our so just and honorable purpose to a good end neither shall the match of our Son or â—ny other worldly respect be preferred to this our resolution For by our credit and intervention with the King of Spain and the Arch-Dutches and her Husband now with God we preserved the Lower Palatinate one whole year from any further conquering in it which in eight days space in that time might have easily been swallowed up by Spinola's Army without any resistance And in no better case was it now at our Ambassador the Lord Digbies coming through Heidelburgh if he had not extraordinarily succored it But because we conceive that ye couple this War of the Palatinate with
Letter quickned the Pope whereupon there ensued a Congregation of Cardinals to determine the matter and afterwards the Popes assent And then the Court of Spain declared such an intire Agreement for the Alliance with England that King Iames was satisfied and could expect no further difficulty But his intelligence from Bruxels and all other parts of the World did quickly cool and almost quench his hopes Sir Richard Weston was a man approved by Gondomar who commended the Kings wisdom in the Election of so fit a Minister for the Treaty at Bruxels yet the man so well disposed and suited to the Kings designs wrote desperate Letters of the Infanta's cold and unworthy manner of Treating in that important business of restoring the Palsgrave Whilest the King of Englands proceedings were so just and clear the Count Palatine was retired to Sedan and there sojourned with his Uncle the Duke of Bouillon and his Partizans Duke Christian of Brunswick and Count Mansfield the pretended obstacles of the Treaty were removed and had taken another course Mansfield went for Holland where the States intended to use him for the raising of the siege of Bergen by cutting off the Convoys between Antwerp and the Spanish Leagure And King Iames had lately offered That in case the forces of Mansfield and Brunswick would not rest but still perturb the Treaty he would joyn with the Emperor and the Arch-Dutchess to quiet them And the English Companies in the Palatinate being penned up in Garrisons could not cause disturbance In the mean while that miserable Countrey was burnt and sacked in the sight of the English Ambassador And now the Imperial and Bavarian forces fall to the besieging of Heidelburgh When the Ambassador at Bruxels complained of these proceedings he received frivolous Answers mixed with Recriminations All that Weston obtained was onely Letters of intreaty from the Infanta to the Emperors Generals to proceed no further though she had before acknowledged a full power from the Emperor to conclude the desired Cessation But they pretended that they would restore all when all was taken For this cause Sir Richard Weston acquainted the Marquess of Buckingham that he could not discern how the weak Hopes given him at Bruxels could agree with those strong Assurances given by the Lord Digby from the Court of Spain Moreover to protract the Palsgraves business the Emperor takes occasion to appoint a Dyet at Ratisbone contrary to his own promise as himself acknowledged Mr. Gage returned from Rome with no better fruit of his Agency for the Dispensation cannot pass till the King give satisfaction to a number of new Conditions which before were never dreamed of and had this mischief in them to bring the King in jealousie with the greatest part of his Subjects A peece of Juggling was observed in this Negotiation For some points of larger Indulgence whereunto King Iames had yielded were concealed from the Pope by the Ministers of the King of Spain The Court then devised to put a good face upon an ill Game and good Sawce to an unsavory Dish For all the World expecting that Gage should bring the Dispensation at his first arival they made him give out That it was passed in Rome and sent from thence to Spain But the King made a close pursuit and resolved they should not escape him The Popes Demands superadded to the Articles of Marriage were taken in hand and Resolutions were given upon them in manner following To the Demand of a Publick Church in London besides a Domestick Chappel assigned to the Infanta and her Family the King made Reply That it was more then was assumed by himself or his Son the Prince That the Chappel allowed was not a private Oratory but in effect a Church where the World might take notice of the Religion which the Infanta professed in publick manner To another Demand That the Superior Minister having Ecclesiastical Authority be in Ordine Episcopali he answered That he would leave it to the King of Spain to appoint as he shall judge expedient But whereas the Pope required That the Ecclesiasticks be subject to no Laws but of their own Ecclesiastical Superiors his answer was That exemption seemed strange as not allowed in all States and Countreys that were of the Roman Religion As for the Education of the Children under the Mothers government Let the King of Spain judge indifferently said the King how unfit it were for us to declare to the World That we engaged our self to permit our Grand-children to be brought up unto years of Marriage in a Religion which we profess not and which is not publickly professed in our Kingdom And further then we have already assented in general to leave the Children under the Mothers tuition for a longer or shorter time according to their constitution and health which may possibly reach unto the time required by the Pope We can by no means condiscend unless the King of Spain think it fit to limit the time to a certainty And whereas the Pope expected some larger offers for the general good of the Roman Church the King shewed That the Articles of Religion agreed upon between himself and the late King of Spain were accounted so satisfactory in the judgment of the Learnedst and greatest Clergy of Spain That they declared their opinion that upon the offer of such Conditions the Pope ought not to withhold the Dispensation And he said further That the Pope was satisfied that he of his own Authority could not grant a general Liberty of exercising the Roman Religion And what is it that they would have For setting that aside he had in a manner done already all that was desired as all the Roman Catholicks have found out of his gratious Clemency towards them and will no doubt acknowledge This Resolution the King sent into Spain for he would not seem to Treat with Rome and therewith this Letter to the Lord Digby now made Earl of Bristol Right Trusty and Welbeloved OUr pleasure is that immediately you crave Audience of that King and represent unto him the merit that we may justly chalenge to our self for our sincere proceedings with the Emperor and him Notwithstanding the many Invitations and Temptations we have had to engage our self on our Son in Laws part That we have both from the Emperor and from him hopes given us from time to time of extraordinary respect howsoever our Son in Law had deserved which we have attended and expected even to the last with much patience and in despight as it were of all opposition which might shake our Resolution in that behalf If now when all impediments are removed and the way is so prepared as that the Emperor may give an end unto the War and make some present Demonstration of his respect towards us in leaving us the honor of holding those poor places which yet remain quietly and peaceably until the general Accommodation the same shall nevertheless be violently taken
danger of death for want of water to quench his thirst more desired water then I thirst and desire the good and comfortable success of this Parliament and blessing upon your Counsels that the good issue of this may expiate and acquit the fruitless issue of the former And I pray God your Counsels may advance Religion and the Publick weal and the good of me and my Children Feb. 21. The Commons presented Sir Thomas Crew for their Speaker who prayed an Excuse which being denied he made this Speech SInce I cannot bring an Olive-branch in my mouth as a sign of my peace and that God in whose hands are the hearts of Kings without whose providence a sparrow doth not fall to the ground whom no man can resist hath inclined your Majesty to cast your eye of grace on me and to confirm me in this place I am taught in the best School that Obedience is better then Sacrifice And will only say with a learned Father Da Domine quod jubes jube quod vis Otherwise I have great cause to be afraid of such a Charge to be executed before so great a Majesty and in so great an Assembly but that I hope your Majesty will extend your Scepter of grace as Ahashuerus did to sustain me in my fainting Your Majesty is Princeps Haereditarius descended from both the Roses and hath united both the Kingdoms At your first entrance you wrought a wonder in the Tumult of our Cares and Cloud of our Fears happening upon the death of the late Queen by the bright beams of your Sunshine which a Poet elegantly expressed Mira cano sol occubuit nox nulla secuta est There was a David in Hebron and no Ishbosheth to disturb your peaceable entrance but the Acclamations of all your Subjects and Commons concurring to express their great contentment This was no sudden flash of joy but a constant blessing by the continuance of the Gospel and true Religion maugre the malice and hellish invention of those who would have blown up all at once but God laughed them to scorn and they fell into their own trap These things I leave to your Majesties Royal remembrance as a duty to be practised and to be expressed by our thankfulness to our holy God for it is a good thing to be thankfull Non est dignus dandis qui non agit gratias pro datis Since my designment to this place I called to mind these Statutes of late times and find two of especial note The first of 32 H. 8. which was called Parlamentum doctum for the many good Laws made for the setling of Possessions The other 39 Eliz. which by a reverend Divine was called Parlamentum pium because the Subjects thereby were enabled to found Hospitals without Licence of Mortmain or Ad quod damnum And other charitable Laws which I omit being not perpetual And I likewise called to mind many glorious offers made by your Majesty and other good Provisions at the two last Meetings Now your Majesty hath stretch'd forth your Scepter to call us to you again and hath made a Declaration that all jealousies and distractions might be removed and the memory of Parliament-Nullities might be buried And my desire is that your Majesties influence may distill upon us and you proceed in such a sweet harmony and conjunction that Righteousness and Peace may kiss each other and that Mercy and Truth may meet and the World may say Ecce quà m bonum quà m jucundum Regem Populum convenire in unum And for perfecting of this work the good Bills against Monopolies Informers and Concealers may now pass and receive strength with a general liberal and Royal Pardon according to the bounty of the late Queen That so this Parliament may be called Felix Doctum Pium which will be good to your Subjects and no diminution to your Revenue or derogation to your Prerogative which in your Majesties hands is as a Scepter of gold but in others hands is a Rod of iron I need not speak in the praise of the Fundamental Common-Laws Veritas temporis filia Time hath sufficiently justified them Monarchy is the best Government and of Monarchies those which are hereditary The best supply of your Majesties wants is in Parliament where the Subject is bound by his own consent other courses of Benevolence come heavily The Subjects enjoy the Gospel freely by your protection and your Majesty may be safe in their Loyalty Other safeties are but as Ajax his Shield a weight rather then a defence Their desire is that the good Laws for Religion may be confirmed and that the generation of Locusts the Jesuites and Seminary-Priests which were wont to creep in corners and do now come abroad may be by the execution of these good Laws as with an East-wind blown over the Sea Our late Queen Elizabeth lived and died in peace the Pope cursed her but God blessed her And so shall your Majesty having God to your Friend find safety in the Ark of true Religion and when you are old and full of days land you in Heaven And then our hopeful Prince which sprang out of your own loins shall sway that Scepter which you must leave to enjoy a Crown celestial And God in his due time will restore the distressed Princess her Husband and Royal Issue to that Inheritance which is now possessed by the usurping sword of their Enemies Whereof we are the more confident because that Country was heretofore a Sanctuary in our distress when Religion was here persecuted Cato was wont to say Hoc sentio Carthago destruenda est But I say Hoc sentio Palatinatus recuperandus est The question was put to a Lacedemonian Why their City wanted Walls Who answered Concord was their Walls Your Majesty under God is a sole and entire Monarch whose Walls are the Ocean without and fortified within with a Wall of Brass the bond of Unity and Religion And happy is that place of which it may be said as of Ierusalem It is a City at unity within it self Neither is your Government confined within the limits of this Kingdom but extends it self to Ireland where your Majesties care and pains in our late Imploiment gave divers provident Directions for the setting forth of Religion the reforming of Courts of Justice and inflicting punishment on the Disturbers of the Publick peace And I was Ocularis testis that you have made these ample Endowments of Churches out of your own Excheated Revenue as will be to your honor in all posterity But my desire is as well in the beginning as in all other our proceedings our words may be vera pauca ponderosa Therefore with your Gratious Favor according to antient Presidents we are humble Suitors That you would be pleased to allow our antient Priviledges And that for our better Attendance our Persons Goods and necessary Attendants may be free from Arrests and that we may have liberty of free Speech
concerning Religion and that his Answer be Inrolled with the force of an Act of Parliament Also that the House consider of the new prepared Fleet and Army and whither intended no Enemy being yet declared That great Sums of Money were given for places to the value of an Hundred and forty thousand pounds at least that the King should contribute to help the Palatinates Cause with his own Estate that the time of the year was too far spent for the Fleet to go forth in Service that inquiry be made whether the Duke brake not the Match with Spain out of Spleen and Malice to Conde Olivares whether he made not the Match with France upon harder terms and whether the Ships lent against Rochel were not maintained with the Subsidies given for the relief of the Palatinate that an Advised Counsel for the Government of the present Affairs and to look into the Kings Estate is necessary that his Majesty be desired to give his Answer concerning the Imposition on Wines and Select Committees draw out these Heads at large to be presented to the King The doing whereof they said was no Capitulation with his Majesty but an ordinary Parliamentary course Without which the Commonwealth could never supply the King nor indeed subsist Soon after the Commons had a Conference with the Lords desiring their Concurrence in presenting to the King these Matters following That notwithstanding the Lords and Commons at their last Meeting this Session did Petition his Majesty for the advancing of Gods true Religion and the suppressing of Popery unto which his Majesty vouchsafed as well from his own Mouth as by the Lord Keeper to return such Answer as assured them of his Royal performance yet at this Meeting they finde That on the 12 of Iuly last his Majesty granted a Pardon unto Alexander Baker a Jesuite and unto Ten other Papists which as the Commons have been informed was gotten by the importunity of some Foreign Ambassador and passed by immediate Warrant and was recommended by the Principal Secretary of State without the payment of the ordinary Fees And further That divers Copies of Letters and other Papers being found in the house of one Mary Estmonds in Dorsetshire by two Justices of Peace who thereupon tendred her the Oath of Alleagiance and upon her refusal committed her to the Constable from whom she made an escape and complained to the King The Principal Secretary did write to those two Justices in favor of her Upon these Passages the Commons made Observations first upon the date of the Pardon which was the next day after his Majesties Answer by the Lord Keeper to their Petition concerning Religion secondly That the Pardon dispenced with several Laws as of the 21 and 27 of Queen Elizabeth and of the Third of King Iames provided to keep the Subjects in due obedience thirdly That the Pardon was signed by the Principal Secretary of State and therefore the Commons declared that these actings tended to the prejudice of true Religion his Majesties dishonor the discountenancing of the Ministers of Justice the grief of the good people the animating of the Popish party who by such examples grew more proud and insolent and to the discouragement of the High Court of Parliament All which they humbly desire his Majesty to take into due consideration and to give effectual and speedy Redress therein The Lord Conway principal Secretary of State being called to give an Accompt of this business answered That he ever hated the Popish Religion That the Pardon was granted before the King answered their Petition though it bore not date till afterwards That the King commanded the doing thereof and that no Fees should be taken That he was commanded by the King to write a Letter in favor of the Woman in Dorset-shire and what he did therein was to take off all scandal from the King though it lighted upon himself This Conference no sooner ended but both Houses were ordered to meet at christ-Christ-Church to receive an Answer to their Petition concerning Religion To every Clause whereof his Majesty answered in a Parliamentary way The Petition Remedies and the Kings Answer we give you intermixt for the better understanding the Answer to every respective Clause distinctly To the Kings most Excellent Majesty Most Gracious Soveraign IT being infallibly true that nothing can more establish the Throne and assure the peace and prosperity of the people then the unity and sincerity of Religion We your most humble and loyal Subjects the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons of this present Parliament assembled hold our selves bound in conscience and duty to represent the same to your Sacred Majesty together with the dangerous Consequences of the increase of Popery in this Land and what we conceive to be the principal Causes thereof and what may be the Remedies The Dangers appear in these particulars I. In their desperate ends being both the subversion of Church and State and the restlesness of their spirits to attain these ends the Doctrine of their Teachers and Leaders perswading them that therein they do God good service II. Their evident and strict dependencie upon such Forein Princes as no way affect the good of your Majesty and this State III. The opening a way of Popularity to the Ambition of any who shall adventure to make himself Head of so great a Party The principal Cause of the Increase of Papists I. The want of the due execution of Laws against Iesuites Seminary Priests and Popish Recusants occasioned partly by the connivencie oâ— the State partly by defects in the Laws themselves and partly by the manifold acuse of Officers II. The interposing of Foreign Princes by their Ambassadors and agents in favor of them III. Their great Concourse to the City and frequent Conferences and Conventicles there IV. The open and usual resort to the Houses and Chappels of Forein Ambassadors V. The Education of their Children in Seminaries and Houses of their Religion in Foreign parts which of late have been greatly multiplied and enlarged for entertaining of the English VI. That in some places of your Realm your people be not sufficiently instructed in the knowledge of true Religion VII The licentious printing and dispersing of Popish and Seditious Books VIII The imployment of men ill-affected in Religion in places of Government who do shall or may countenance the Popish party The Remedies against this outragious and dangerous disease We conceive to be these ensuing I. That the Youth of this Realm be carefully educated by able and Religious Schoolmasters and they to be enjoined to Catechise and instruct their Scholars in the grounds and principles of true Religion And whereas by many Complaints from divers parts of the Kingdom it doth plainly appear That sundry Popish Scholars dissembling their Religion have craftily crept in and obtained the places of Teaching in divers Counties and thereby infected and perverted their Scholars and so fitted them to be transported to the Popish Seminaries beyond
Citizens and Burgesses of the House of Commons you are here assembled by his Majesties Writs and Royal Authority to hold a new Parliament the general Antient and Powerful Councel of this Renowned Kingdom whereof if we consider aright and think of that incomparable distance between the Supream height and majesty of a Mighty Monarch and the submissive aw and lowliness of a Loyal Subject We cannot but receive exceeding comfort and contentment in the frame and constitution of this Highest Court wherein not onely the Prelates Nobles and Grandees but the Commons of all degrees have their part and wherein that high Majesty doth descend to admit or rather to invite the humblest of his Subjects to Conference and Council with him of the great weighty and difficult Affairs of the King and Kingdom A benefit and favor whereof we cannot be too sensible and thankful for sure I am that all good hearts would be both sensible and sorrowful if we did want it And therefore it behooveth all with united hearts and mindes free from distraction and diversion to fix their thoughts upon Counsels and Consultations worthy of such an Assembly remembring That in it is presented the Majesty and Greatneâ—s the Authority and Power the Wisdom and Knowledge of this great and famous Nation and it behooveth us to magnifie and bless God that hath put the power of Assembling Parliaments in the hands of him the vertue of whose person doth strive with the greatness of his Princely Lineage and Descent whether he should be accounted Major or Melior a greater King or a better Man and of whom you have had so much tryal and experience That he doth as affectionately love as he doth exactly know and understand the true use of Parliaments witness his daily and unwearied Access to this House before his Access to the Crown his gratious readiness to all Conferences of Importance his frequent and effectual Intercession to his Blessed Father of never dying Memory for the good of the Kingdom with so happy success That both this and future generations shall feel it and have cause to rejoyce at the success of his Majesties Intercession And when the Royal Diadem descended upon himself presently in the midst of his Tears and Sighs for the departure of his most Dear and Royal Father in the very first Consultation with his Privy Council was resolved to meet his People in Parliament And no sooner did the heavy hand of that Destroying Angel forbear those deadly strokes which for some time did make this place inaccessible but his Majesty presently resolved to recal it and hath now brought you together and in a happy time I trust to treat and consult with uniform Desires and united Affections of those things that concern the general good And now being thus Assembled his Majesty hath commanded me to let you know that his Love and Affection to the Publick moved him to call this Parliament and looking into the danger and the spreading of that late Mortality and weighing the multitude of his Majesties pressing occasions and urging affairs of State both at home and abroad much importing the safety and state of this Kingdom the same affection that moved him to call it doth forbid him to prolong the sitting of this Parliament And therefore his Majesty resolving to confine this meeting to a short time hath confined me to a short Errand and that is That as a thing most agreeable to the Kingly Office to the example of the best times and to the frame of Modern Affairs his Majesty hath called you together to consult and to advise of provident and good Laws profitable for the Publick and fitting for the present times and actions for upon such depends the assurance of Religion and of Justice which are the surest Pillars and Buttresses of all good Government in a Kingdom For his Majesty doth consider that the Royal Throne on which God out of his Mercy to us hath set him is the Fountain of all Justice and that good Laws are the Streams and Quits by which the benefit and use of this Fountain is dispersed to his people And it is his Majesties care and study that his people may see with comfort and joy of heart that this Fountain is not dry but they and their Posterity may rest assured and confident in his time to receive as ample benefit from this Fountain by his Majesties Mercy and Justice as ever Subjects did in the time of the most eminent Princes amongst his Noble Progenitors wherein as his Majesty shews himself most sensible of the good of the Publick so were it an injury to this great and honorable Assembly if it should be but doubted that they shall not be as sensible of any thing that may adde to his Majesties honor which cannot but receive a high degree of Love and Affection if his Majesty succeeding so many Religious Wise and Renowned Princes should begin his Reign with some Additions unto those good Laws which their happy and glorious times have afforded And this his Majesty hath caused me to desire at this time especially above others for his Majesty having at his Royal Coronation lately solemnized the Sacred Rites of that Blessed Marriage between his people and him and therein by a most holy Oath vowed the Protection of the Laws and Maintenance of Peace both to Church and People no time can be so fit for his Majesty to advise and consult at large with his people as this present time wherein so lately his Majesty hath vowed Protection to his People and they have protested their Alleagiance and Service to him This is the sum of that charge which I have received from his Majesty to deliver unto you wherein you see his Majesties intent to the Publick And therefore his desire is That according to that conveniency of time which his Affairs may afford you will apply your selves to dispatch the business of this Parliament The Wednesday following the Commons presented Sir Hennage Finch Knight Serjeant at Law and Recorder of London for their Speaker who having made the accustomed Excuses and acknowledged his Majesties Approbation made this Speech SInce it hath pleased your Majesty not to admit my humble Excuse but by your Royal Approbation to crown this Election after my heart and hands first lifted up to God that hath thus inclined your Royal Heart I do render my humblest thanks to your Majesty who are pleased to cast so gratious an eye upon so mean a Subject and to descend so low as in a service of this Importance to take me into your Princely Thoughts And since we all stand for Hundreds and Thousands for Figures and Cyphers as your Majesty the Supream and Soveraign Auditor shall please to place and value us and like Coyn to pass are made currant by your Royal Stamp and Impression onely I shall neither disable nor under-value my self but with a faithful and chearful heart apply my self with the best of my strength and abilities
That Images may be used for the instruction of the Ignorant and excitation of Devotion V. That in the same Homily it is plainly expressed That the attributing the defence of certain Countries to Saints is a spoiling God of his honor and that such Saints are but Dii tutelares of the Gentiles Idolators The said Richard Montague hath notwithstanding in his said Book Entituled A Treatise concerning the Invocation of Saints affirmed and maintained That Saints have not onely a Memory but a more peculiar Charge of their Friends and that it may be admitted That some Saints have a peculiar Patronage Custody Protection and Power as Angels also have over certain Persons and Countries by special deputation and that it is no impiety so to believe Whereas in the seventeenth of the said Articles it is resolved That God hath certianly Decreed by his Counsel secret to us to deliver from Curse and Damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankinde and to bring them by Christ to everlasting Salvation wherefore they which be endued with so excellent a benefit of God be called according to Gods purpose working in due season they through Grace obey the Calling they be justified freely walk Religiously in good works and at length by Gods mercy attain to everlasting felicity He the said Richard Montague in the said Book called The Appeal doth maintain and affirm That men justified may fall away and depart from the state which once they had they may arise Again and become new men possibly but not certainly nor necessarily and the better to countenance this his opinion he hath in the same Book wilfully added falsified and charged divers words of the sixteenth of the Articles before mentioned and divers other words both in the Book of Homilies and in the Book of Common-Prayer and so misrecited and changed the said places he doth alleadge in the said Book called The Appeal endeavouring thereby to lay a most wicked and malicious scandal upon the Church of England as if he did herein differ from the Reformed Churches of England and from the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas and did consent to those pernitious Errors which are commonly called Arminianism and which the late famous Queen Elizabeth and King Iames of happy memory did so piously and diligently labour to suppress That the said Richard Montague contrary to his Duty and Allegiance hath endeavored to raise great Factions and Divisions in this Common-wealth by casting the odious and scandalous name of Puritans upon such his Majesties loving Subjects as conform themselves to the Doctrine and Ceremony of the Church of England under that name laying upon them divers false and malicious Imputations so to bring them into jealousie and displeasure with his most Excellent Majesty and into reproach and ignominy with the rest of the people to the great danger of Sedition and Disturbance in the State if it be not timely prevented That the Scope and end of the said Richard Montague in the Books before mentioned is to give encouragement to Popery and to withdraw his Majesties Subjects from the true Religion established to the Roman Superstition and consequently to be reconciled to the Sea of Rome All which he laboreth by subtile and cunning ways whereby Gods True Religion hath been much scandalized those Mischiefs introduced which the wisdom of many Laws hath endeavored to prevent the Devices and Practices of his Majesties Enemies have been furthered and advanced to the great peril and hazard of our Soveraign Lord the King and of all his Dominions and loving Subjects That the said Richard Montague hath inserted into the said Book called The Appeal divers passages dishonorable to the late King his Majesties Father of famous memory full of bitterness railing and injurious Speeches to other persons disgracefull and contemptible to many worthy Divines both of this Kingdom and of other Reformed Churches beyond the Seas impious and profane in scoffing at preaching meditating and conferring Pulpits Lectures Bible and all shew of Religion all which do aggravate his former Offences having proceeded from malicious and envenomed heat against the Peace of the Church and the sincerity of the Reformed Religion publickly professed and by Law established in this Kingdom All which Offences being to the dishonor of God and of most mischievous effect and consequence against the good of this Church and Commonwealth of England and of other his Majesties Realms and Dominions The Commons assembled in Parliament do hereby pray That the said Richard Montague may be punished according to his Demerits in such exemplary manner as may deter others from attempting so presumptuously to disturb the Peace of Church and State and that the Book aforesaid may be suppressed and Burnt Whether an Answer was made to these Articles by Mr Montague we cannot tell for upon search we can finde none About the same time his Majesty being informed that there was great liberty taken by divers of his Subjects to resort to the hearing of Masse at Durham-house in the Lodgings of a Foraign Ambassodor the Privy Council taking notice thereof and accounting it scandalous to this Church and of ill example to be suffered at any time but much more in this time of Parliament required the Bishop of Durham to apprehend such of his Majesties Subjects as should be present at the Masse and to commit them to Prison There was also a Letter sent from the Attorney-General to the Judges of the Circuits to direct their Proceedings against Recusants to this effect THat their Lordships will not omit to publish the Kings Gracious and Religious Determination to go on really and constantly in this way and that out of his bounty and goodness he hath published his Resolution under the Great Seal of England That whatsoever Revenue or Benefit shall arise hereby from Purses of Popish Recusants shall be set apart from his own Treasure and be wholly imployed for the Service of the Commonwealth and shall not be dispensed with to any of what degree soever nor diverted by any the Suits of his Servants or Subjects 2. That their Lordships will be pleased at their first coming into every County within their Circuit to command the Clerk of Assise and Clerk of the Peace to be carefull for the Indictment of Popish Recusants without respect of Persons of what Degree of Honor or Office soever and that they neither make nor suffer to be made any omission or mistaking in their Indictment or other proceedings and that the next Term within ten dayes of the beginning of the Term they give or send to him viz. the Attorney a note in writing who stand indicted of new and that they fail not to certifie the Recusants convicted into the Exchequer by that time That at their Lordships first coming into the County they call the Iustices of Peace then present and the Grand-Iury men to give their Lordships true Information of the Recusants of any Note or Name in that Country and that
Spain did really fully and effectually intend the said Marriage between the said Lady his Sister and the said Prince our now Soveraign Lord according to Articles formerly propounded between the said Kings Whereas in truth the said Emperor and King of Spain or either of them never really intended such restitution as aforesaid And whereas the said King of Spain never really intended the Marriage according to those Articles propounded but the said Emperor and King of Spain intended onely by those Treaties to gain time to compass their own ends and purposes to the detriment of this Kingdom of all which the said Earl of Bristol neither was nor could be ignorant The said late King Iames by entertaining those Treaties and continuing them upon those false Assurances given unto him by the said Earl as aforesaid was made secure and lost the opportunity of time and thereby the said Dominions Territories and Possessions of the said Count Palatine and the Electoral Dignity became utterly lost and some parts thereof were taken out of the actual possession of the said King Iames unto whose protection and safe keeping they were put and committed by the said Count Palatine and the most Excellent Lady Elizabeth his Wife and their Children are now utterly dispossessed and bereaved thereof to the high dishonor of our said late Soveraign Lord King Iames to the disherison of the said late Kings Children and their Posterity of their Antient Patrimony and to the disadvantage and discouraging of the rest of the Princes of Germany and other Kings and Princes in Amity and League with his Majesty II. That the said Earl of Bristol being Ambassador for his late Majesty King Iames as aforesaid in Annis supradictis and having received perfect plain and particular Instructions and Directions from his said late Majesty That he should put the King of Spain to a speedy and punctual Answer touching the Treaties aforesaid And the said Earl well understanding the effect of those Instructions and Directions so given unto him and taking precise knowledge thereof and also knowing how much it concerned his late Majesty in honor and safety as his great Affairs then stood to put these Treaties to a speedy conclusion Yet nevertheless he the said Earl falsly willingly and traiterously contrary to his Alleagiance and contrary to the trust and duty of an Ambassador did continue those Treaties upon Generalities without effectual pressing the said King of Spain unto particular Conclusions according to his Majesties Directions as aforesaid and so the said Earl intended to have continued the said Treaties upon Generalities and without reducing them to Certainties and to direct Conclusions To the high dishonor of his said late Majesty and to the extream danger and detriment of his Majesties person his Crown and Dominions Confederates and Allies III. That the said Earl of Bristol being Ambassador for his said late Majesty as aforesaid in the years aforesaid to the intent to discourage the said late King Iames for the taking up of Arms entring into Hostility with the said King of Spain and for resisting him and his Forces from attempting the Invasion of his said late Majesties Dominions and the Dominions of his said late Majesties Confederates Friends and Allies the said King of Spain having long thirsted after an Universal Monarchy in these Western parts of the World hath many times both by words and Letters to the said late King and his Ministers extolled and magnified the greatness and power of the said King of Spain and represented unto his said late Majesty the supposed dangers which would ensue unto him if a War should happen between them and affirmed and insinuated unto his said late Majesty That if such a War should ensue his said late Majesty during the rest of his life must expect neither to Hunt nor Hawk nor eat his Meat in quiet Whereby the said Earl of Bristol did cunningly and traiterously strive to retard the Resolutions of the said late King to declare himself an enemy to the said King of Spain who under colour of Treaties and Alliances had so much abused him and to resist his Arms and Forces to the loss of opportunity of time which cannot be recalled or regained and to the extream danger dishonor and detriment of this Kingdom IV. The said Earl of Bristol upon his dispatch out of this Realm of England in his Ambassage aforesaid having communication with divers persons in London within this Realm of England before his going into Spain in and about his Ambassage concerning the said Treaty For the Negotiating whereof the said Earl purposely was sent and he the said Earl being then told That there was little probability that these Treaties would or could have any good success he the said Earl acknowledged as much and yet nevertheless contrary to his duty and alleagiance and to the faith and truth of an Ambassador he the said Earl said and affirmed That he cared not what the success thereof would be for he would take care to have his Instructions and to pursue them punctually and howsoever the business went he would make his Fortune thereby or used words at that time to such effect whereby it plainly appeareth That the said Earl from the beginning herein intended not the Service or Honor of his late Majesty but his own corrupt and sinister ends and for his own advancement V. That from the beginning of his Negotiation and throughout the whole managing thereof by the said Earl of Bristol and during his said Ambassage He the said Earl contrary to his faith and duty to God the true Religion professed by the Church of England and the Peace of this Church and State did intend and resolve that if the said Marriage so treated of as aforesaid should by his Ministry be effected that thereby the Romish Religion and Professors thereof should be advanced within this Realm and other his Majesties Realms and Dominions and the true Religion and Professors thereof discouraged and discountenanced And to that end and purpose the said Earl during the time aforesaid by Letters unto his late Majesty and otherwise often counselled and perswaded his said late Majesty to set at liberty the Jesuites and Priests of the Romish Religion which according to the good Religious and Politick Laws of this Kingdom were imprisoned or restrained and to grant and to allow unto the Papists and Professors of the Romish Religion free Toleration and silencing of all the Laws made and standing in force against them VI. That by the false Informations and Intelligence of the said Earl of Bristol during the time aforesaid unto his said late Majesty and to his Majesty that now is being then Prince concerning the said Treaties and by the Assurances aforesaid given by the said Earl his said late Majesty and the Prince his now Majesty being put into hopes and by the said long delay used without producing any effect their Majesties being put into jealousies and just suspition that there was no such sincerity
in the chief Court of Admiralty in the name of the said late King and of the Lord Admiral against them for Fifteen thousand pound taken Piratically by some Captains of the said Merchants ships and pretended to be in the hands of the East India Company and thereupon the Kings Advocate in the name of Advocate for the then King and the said Lord Admiral moved and obtained one Attachment which by the Serjeant of the said Court of Admiralty was served on the said Merchants in their Court the sixteenth day of March following whereupon the said Merchants though there was no cause for their molestation by the Lord Admiral yet the next day they were urged in the said Court of Admiralty to bring in the Fifteen thousand pounds or go to prison wherefore immediately the Company of the said Merchants did again send the Deputy aforesaid and some others to make new suit unto the said Duke for the release of the said Ships and Pinaces who unjustly endeavoring to extort money from the said Merchants protested that the Ships should not go except they compounded with him and when they urged many more reasons for the release of the said Ships and Pinaces the Answer of the said Duke was That the then Parliament must first be moved The said Merchants therefore being in this perplexity and in their consultation the three and twentieth of that moneth even ready to give over that Trade yet considering that they should lose more then was demanded by unlading their ships besides their voyage they resolved to give the said Duke Ten thousand pounds for his unjust demands And he the said Duke by the undue means aforesaid and under colour of his Office and upon false pretence of Rights unjustly did exact and extort from the said Merchants the said Ten thousand pounds and received the same about the 28. of April following the discharge of those Ships which were not released by him till they the said Merchants had yielded to give him the said Duke the said Ten thousand pounds for the said Release and for the false pretence of Rights made by the said Duke as aforesaid VII Whereas the Ships of our Soveraign Lord the King and of his Kingdoms aforesaid are the principal strength and defence of the said Kingdoms and ought therefore to be always preserved and safely kept under the command and for the service of our Soveraign Lord the King no less then any the Fortresses and Castles of the said Kingdoms And whereas no Subject of this Realm ought to be dispossessed of any his Goods or Chattels without order of Justice or his own consent first duly had and obtained The said Duke being Great Admiral of England Governor-General and Keeper of the said Ships and Seas and thereof ought to have and take a special and continual care and diligence how to preserve the same The said Duke in or about the end of Iuly last in the first year of our Soveraign Lord the King did under the colour of the said Office of Great Admiral of England and by indirect and subtile means and practices procure one of the principal Ships of his Majesties Navy-Royal called the Vantguard then under the Command of Captain Iohn Pennington and six other Merchants Ships of great burden and value belonging to several Persons inhabiting in London the Natural Subjects of his Majesty to be conveyed over with all their Ordnance Munition Tackle and Apparel into the parts of the Kingdom of France to the end that being there they might the more easily be put into the hands of the French King his Ministers and Subjects and taken into their possession command and power And accordingly the said Duke by his Ministers and Agents with menaces and other ill means and practices did there without order of Justice and without the consent of the said Masters and Owners unduly compel and inforce the said Masters and Owners of the said six Merchants Ships to deliver their said Ships into the said possession command and power of the said French King his Ministers and Subjects and by reason of his compulsion and under the pretext of his power as aforesaid and by his indirect practices as aforesaid the said Ships aforesaid as well the said Ship Royal of his Majesty as the others belonging to the said Merchants were there delivered into the hands and command of the said French King his Ministers and Subjects without either sufficient security or assurance for redelivery or other necessary caution in that behalf taken or provided either by the said Duke himself or otherwise by his direction contrary to the duty of the said Offices of Great Admiral Governor-General and Keeper of the said Ships and Seas and to the faith and trust in that behalf reposed and contrary to the duty which he oweth to our Soveraign Lord the King in his place of Privy-Counsellor to the apparent weakening of the Naval strength of this Kingdom to the great loss and prejudice of the said Merchants and against the liberty of those Subjects of our Soveraign Lord the King that are under the Jurisdiction of the Admiralty VIII The said Duke contrary to the purpose of our Soveraign Lord the King and his Majesties known zeal for the maintenance and advancement of the true Religion established in the Church of England knowing that the said Ships were intended to be imployed by the said French King against those of the same Religion at Rochel and elswhere in the Kingdom of France did procure the said Ship Royal and compel as aforesaid the said six other Ships to be delivered unto the said French King his Ministers and Subjects as aforesaid to the end the said Ships might be used and imployed by the said French King in his intended War against those of the said Religion in the said Town of Rochel and elswhere within the Kingdom of France And the said Ships were and have been since so used and imployed by the said French King his Ministers and Subjects against them And this the said Duke did as aforesaid in great and most apparent prejudice of the said Religion contrary to the purpose and intention of our Soveraign Lord the King and against his duty in that behalf being a sworne Counsellor to his Majesty and to the great scandal and dishonor of this Nation And notwithstanding the delivery of the said Ships by his procurement and compulsion as aforesaid to be imployed as aforesaid the said Duke in cunning and cautelous manner to mask his ill intentions did at the Parliament held at Oxford in August last before the Committee of both Houses of Parliament intimate and declare that the said Ships were not nor should they be so used and imployed against those of the said Religion as aforesaid in contempt of our Soveraign Lord the King and in abuse of the said Houses of Parliament and in violation of that Truth which every man should profess These three Articles were aggravated by Mr. Glanvile
gracious Pardon of his now Majesty granted to the said Duke and vouchsafed in like manner to all his Subjects at the time of his most happy Inauguration and Coronation Which said Pardon under the Great Seal of England granted the said Duke beareth date the 10. day of February now last past and here is shewn forth unto your Lordships on which he doth most humbly rely And yet he hopeth your Lordships in your Justice and Honor upon which with confidence he puts himself will acquit him of and from those misdemeanors offences misprisions and crimes wherewith he hath been charged And he hopeth and will daily pray that for the future he shall by Gods grace so watch over his actions both publick and private that he shall not give any just offence to any The Duke having put in this Answer earnestly moved the Lords to send to the Commons to expedite their Reply and the Commons did as earnestly desire a Copy of his Answer The next day his Majesty wrote this Letter to the Speaker TRusty and Welbeloved We greet you well Our House of Commons cannot forget how often and how earnestly we have called upon them for the speeding of that Aid which they intended us for our great and weighty affairs concerning the safety and honor of us and our Kingdoms And now the time being so far spent that unless it be presently concluded it can neither bring us Money nor Credit by the time which themselves have prefixed which is the last of this Moneth and being further deferred would be of little use we being daily advertised from all parts of the great preparations of the Enemy ready to assail us We hold it necessary by these our Letters to give them our last and final admonition and to let them know that we shall account all further delays and excuses to be express denials And therefore we will and require you to signifie unto them that we do expect that they forthwith bring in their Bill of Subsidy to be passed without delay or Condition so as it may fully pass the House by the end of the next week at the furthest Which if they do not it will force us to take other resolutions But let them know if they finish this according to our desire that we are resolved to let them sit together for the dispatch of their other affairs so long as the season will permit and after their recess to bring them together again the next Winter And if by their denial or delay any thing of ill consequence shall fall out either at home or abroad We call God and man to witness that We have done our part to prevent it by calling our People together to advise with us by opening the weight of our occasions unto them and by requiring their timely help and assistance in these Actions wherein we stand engaged by their own Councels And we will and command you that this Letter be publickly read in the House About this time there happened at three a clock in the afternoon a terrible storm of Rain and Hail in and about the City of London and with it a very great Thunder and Lightening The graves were laid open in S. Andrews Church-yard in Holborn by the sudden fall of the Wall which brought away the Earth with it whereby many Coffins and the Corps therein were exposed to open view and the ruder sort would ordinarily lift up the lids of the Coffins to see the posture of the dead Corps lying therein who had been buried of the Plague but the year before At the same instant of time there was a terrible Storm and strange Spectacle upon Thames by the turbulencie of the waters and a Mist that arose out of the same which appeared in a round Circle of a good bigness above the waters The fierceness of the Storm bent it self towards York-House the then habitation of the Duke of Buckingham beating against the stairs and wall thereof And at last this round Circle thus elevated all this while above the water dispersed it self by degrees like the smoke issuing out of a Furnace and ascended higher and higher till it quite vanished away to the great admiration of the beholders This occasioned the more discourse among the Vulgar in that Doctor Lamb appeared then upon Thames to whose Art of Conjuring they attributed that which had happened The Parliament was then sitting and this Spectacle was seen by many of the Members out of the windows of the House The Commons agreed upon this ensuing Petition to his Majesty concerning Recusants To the Kings most Excellent Majesty YOur Majesties most obedient and loyal Subjects the Commons in this present Parliament assembled do with great comfort remember the many Testimonies which your Majesty hath given of your sincerity and zeal of the true Religion established in this Kingdom and in particular your gracious Answer to both Houses of Parliament at Oxford upon their Petition concerning the Causes and Remedies of the Increase of Popery That your Majesty thought fit and would give order to remove from all Places of Authority and Government all such persons as are either Popish Recusants or according to direction of former Acts of State justly to be suspected which was then presented as a great and principal cause of that mischief But not having received so full redress herein as may conduce to the peace of this Church and safety of this Regal State They hold it their duty once more to resort to your Sacred Majesty humbly to inform you that upon examination they find the persons underwritten to be either Recusants Papists or justly suspected according to the former Acts of State who now do or since the first sitting of the Parliament did remain in places of Government and Authority and Trust in your several Counties of this your Realm of England and Dominion of Wales The Right Honorable Francis Earl of Rutland Lieutenant of the County of Lincoln Rutland Northampton Nottingham and a Commissioner of the Peace and of Oyer and Terminer in the County of York and Justice of Oyer from Trent Northwards His Lordship is presented to be a Popish Recusant and to have affronted all the Commissioners of the Peace within the North-Riding of Yorkshire by sending a Licence under his Hand and Seal unto his Tenant Thomas Fisher dwelling in his Lordships Mannor of Helmsley in the said North-Riding of the said County of York to keep an Alehouse soon after he was by an Order made at the Quarter-Sessions discharged from keeping an Alehouse because he was a Popish convict Recusant and to have procured a Popish Schoolmaster namely Roger Conyers to teach Schollers within the said Mannor of Helmsley that formerly had his Licence to teach Schollers taken from him for teaching Schollers that were the children of Popish Recusants and because he suffered these children to absent themselves from the Church whilest they were his Schollers for which the said Conyers was formerly complained of
bring in Popery and the professors of those opinions the common disturbers of the Protestant Churches and incendiaries in those States wherein they have gotten any head being Protestants in shew but Iesuites in opinion which caused your Royal Father with so much pious wisdom and ardent zeale to endeavour the suppressing of them as well at home as in the neighbour Countreys And your gracious Majesty imitating his most worthy example hath openly and by your Proclamation declared your mislike of those persons and of their opinions who notwithstanding are much favoured and advanced not wanting friends even of the Clergy near to your Majesty namely Doctor Neale Bishop of Winchester and Doctor Lawd Bishop of Bath and Wells who are justly suspected to be unsound in their opinions that way And it being now generally held the way to preferment and promotion in the Church many Schollars do bend the course of their Studies to maintain those Errors Their Books and opinions are suffered to be printed and published and â—n the other side the imprinting of such as are written against them and in defence of the Orthodox Church are hindred and prohibited and which is a boldnesse almost incredible this restraint of Orthodox Books is made under colour of your Majesties formerly mentioned Proclamation the intent and meaning wherof we know was quite contrary And further to encrease our feares concerning Innovation of Religion we finde that there hath been no smal laboring to remove that which is the most powerful means to strengthen and encrease our own Relgion and to oppose both those which is the diligent teaching and instruction of the people in the true knowledge and worship of Almighty God And therefore means have been sought out to depresse and discountenance pious and painful and Orthodox Preachers and how conformable soever and peaceable in their disposition and carriage they be yet the preferment of such is opposed and instead of being encouraged they are molested with vexatious courses and pursuits and hardly permitted to Lecture And in those places where are no constant preaching Ministers whereby many of your good people whose souls in this case we beseech your Majesty to commiserate are kept in ignorance and are apt to be easily seduced to error and superstition It doth not a little also encrease our dangers and fears this way to understand the miserable condition of your Kingdome of Ireland where without controll the Popish Religion is openly confessed and practised in every part thereof Popish Iurisdiction being there generally exercised and avowed Monasteries Nunneries and other superstitious Houses newly erected re-edified and replenished with men and women of several Orders and in a plentiful manner maintained at Dublyn and most of the great Towns and divers other places of the Kingdome which of what ill consequence it may prove if not seasonably repressed we leave to your Majesties wisdome to Iudge But most humbly beseech you as we assure our selves you will to lay the serious consideration thereof to your royal and pious heart and that some speedy course may be taken for redresse therein And if now to all these your Majesty will be pleased to adde the consideration of the circumstances of time wherein these courses tending to the destruction of true Religion within these your Kingdomes have been taken here even then when the same is with open force and violence prosecuted in other Countreys and all the reformed Churches in Christendome either depressed or miserably distressed We do humbly appeal unto your Majesties Princely Iudgement whether there be not just ground of feare that there is some secret and strong co-operating here with the enemies of our Religion abroad for the utter extirpation thereof and whether if those courses be not speedily redressed and the profession of true Religion more encouraged we can expect any other but misery and ruine speedily to fall upon us especially if besides the visible and apparent dangers wherewith we are compassed about You would be pleased to remember the displeasure of Almighty God always bent against the neglect of his holy Religion the stroaks of whose divine Iustice we have already felt and do still feele with smart and sorrow in great measure And besides this feare of Innovation in Religion we do in like faithful of charge of our duties most humbly declare to your Majesty that the hearts of your people are full of feare of Innovation and change of Government and accordingly possessed with extreame griefe and sorrow Yet in this point by your Majesties late Answer to our Petition of Right touching our Liberties much comforted and raised againe out of that sadnesse and discontent which they generally had conceived throughout the whole Kingdome for the undue courses which were the last year taken for raising of moneys by loanes then which whatever your Majesty hath been informed to the contrary there were never any moneys demanded nor paid with greater grief and general dislike of all your faithful Subjects though many partly out of feare and partly out of other respects yet most unwillingly were drawn to yeeld to what was required The Billeting of Souldiers did much augment both their fears and grief wherein likewise they finde much comfort upon your gracious Answer to our petition of Right and to that we presented to your Majesty concerning this particular Yet we most humbly beseech your Majesty that we may informe you that the still continuance and late re-enforcing of those Souldiers the conditions of their persons many of them not being Natives of this Kingdome nor of the same but of an opposite Religion the placing of them upon the Sea Coast where making head amongst themselves they may unite with the Popish party at home if occasion serve and joyne with an invading enemy to do extreame mischief and that they are not yet dismissed doth still minister cause of Iealousie in your loving Subjects For that the Souldiers cannot be continued without exceeding great danger of the peace and safety of your Kingdom The report of the strange and dangerous purpose of bringing in German Horse and Riders would have turned our doubts into despaire and our feares into a certainty of confusion had not your Majesties gracious message for which we humbly give you thanks comforted us by the assurance of your Royal word that they neither are nor were intended by your Majesty for any service in England but that they were designed for some other forreigne employment Yet the sight of the Privy Seale by which it seemeth they were to be leavied the great summe of money which upon examinations we found to be paid for that purpose gave us just cause of feare That much about the same time there was a Commission under the Great Seal granted unto the Lords and others of the Privy Councel to consider of other ways for raising of moneys so particularly by impositions gave as just cause to suspect that whatsoever was your Majesties gracious intention yet there wanted not those
that under some colourable pretence might secretly by this as by other wayes contrive to change the frame both of Religion and Government and thereby undermine the frame both of Religion and Government and thereby undermine the safety of your Majesty and your Kingdomes These men could not be ignorant that the bringing in of Strangers for aid hath been pernitious to most States where they have been admitted but to England fatal We do blesse God that hath given your Majesty a wise understanding heart to discern of those courses and that such power produceth nothing but weaknesse and calamity And we beseech your Majesty to pardon the vehemencie of our expression if in the Loyal and zealous affections we bear to your Majesty and your service we are bold to declare to your Majesty and the whole world that we hold it far beneath the heart of any free English man to think that this victorious Nation should now stand in need of German Souldiers to defend their own King and kingdom But when we consider the course formerly mentioned and these things tending to an apparent change of Government the often breaches of Parliament whereby your Majesty hath been deprived of the faithful Councel and free Aids of your people by taking off Tonnage and poundage without graunt thereof by Act of Parliament ever since the beginning of your Majesties Reigne to this present The standing Commission granted to the Duke of Buckingham to be general of an Army in the Land in the time of peace the discharging of faithful and sufficient Officers and Ministers some from Iudicial places and others from the Offices and authorities which they formerly held in the Common-wealth We cannot but at the sight of such an apparant desolation as must necessarily follow these courses out of the depth of sorrow lift up our cryes to heaven for help and next under God apply our selves unto your sacred Majesty who if you could hear so many thousands speaking together do joyntly implore speedie help and Reformation And if your Majesty would be pleased to take a further view of the present state of your Realme We do humbly pray you to consider whether the miserable disasters and ill successe that hath accompanied all your late designes and actions particularly those of Cales and the Isle of Ree and the last expedition to Rochel have not extreamlie wasted that stock of Honor that was left unto this kingdome sometimes terrible to all other Nations and now declining to contempt beneath the meanest Together with our Honours we there lost those and that not a few who had they lived we might have some better hope of recovering it again our valiant and expert Collonels Captaines and Commanders and many thousand common Souldiers and Marriners Though we have some cause to think that your Majesty is not as yet rightly informed thereof and that of six or seven thousand of your Subjects lost at the Isle of Ree Your Majesty received information but of a few hundreds And this dishonour and losse hath been purchased with the consumption of above a million of Treasure Many of the Forts are exceeding weak and decayed and want both men and Munition And here we cannot but with grief consider and complaine of a strange improvidence we think your Majesty will rather call it treacherie That your store of powder which by order of your Privy Councel dated the tenth of December 1626. should be constantly three hundred Last besides a continual supply of twenty Last a month for ordinary expences and were now fit as we conceive to be double the proportion is at this time in the Tower the present Warrants being served but nine Lasts and forty eight pounds in all which we tremble to think of And that notwithstanding this extreame scarcity of powder great quantities have been permitted to be sold out of your Majesties Store to particular persons for private Gain Whereof we have seen a certificate six Last sold sithence the 14th of January last and your Majesties store being unfurnished of powder which by a contract made with Mr. Evelyn by advise of your Lords in Parliament ought to be supplyed monthly with twenty last at the rate of three pound ten shillings ten pence a Barrel Your Majesty hath been forced to pay above seven pound a Barrel for powder to be brought in from beyond Seas for which purpose twelve thousand foure hundred pounds was impressed to Mr. Burlemack the last year and that powder not so good as that by Contract your Maiesty should have by one third part All which are most fearful and dangerous abuses But what the poverty weaknesse and misery of your kingdome is now grown unto by decay of Trade and destruction and losse of Ships and Marriners within these three years we are almost afraid to declare And could we by any other means have been sure that your Majesty should any other way have had a true Information thereof We should have been doubtful to have made our weaknesse and extreamity of misfortune in this kinde to appear But the importunate and most pitiful complaints from all the parts of the kingdome near adjoyning to the Sea in this kinde would rend as we think the stoniest heart in the world with sorrow and the sense we have of the miserable condition your Kingdome is in by reason thereof especially for that we see no possible means being now shortly to end this Session how to help the same adds such a weight of grief unto our sad thoughts as we have not words to expresse it But for your Majesties more exact information therein We beseech you be pleased to peruse the Kalender of particulars which with the Remonstrance we most humblie present unto your Majestie One reason amongst many of this decay of Trade and losse of ships and Marriners is the not guarding of the narrow Seas the regality whereof your Majestie hath now in a manner wholly lost being that wherein a principal part of the Honor and safety of this Kingdome heretofore consisted And now having absolutely neglected it the Town of Dunkirk doth so contiually rob and spoile your Subjects that we can assure your Majesty if some present and effectuall remedy be not forthwith provided the whole Trade of this Kingdome the shipping marriners and all belonging thereunto will be utterly lost and consumed The principal cause of which evils and dangers we conceive to be the excessive power of the Duke of Buckingham and the abuse of that power And we humbly submit unto your Majesties excellent Wisdome whether it be safe for your self or your Kingdoms that so great power as rests in him by Sea and Land should be in the hands of any one Subject whatsoever And as it is not safe so sure we are it cannot be for your service it being impossible for one man to mannage so manie and weightie affaires of the Kingdome as he hath undertaken besides the ordinary duties of those offices which he holds some of which
Religion the precedency of Tunnage and poundage And in the Commitee Mr. Pymme spake as followeth TWo diseases there be said he the one old the other new the old Popery the new Arminianism there be three things to be inquired after concerning Popery 1. The cessation of the Execution of Laws against Papists 2. How the Papists have been imployed and countenanced 3. The Law violated in bringing in of superstitious ceremonies amongst us especially at Durham by Mr. Cozens as Angels Crucifixes Saints Altars Candles on Candlemas day burnt in the Church after the Popish manner For Arminianisme let it be advised 1. That a way be open for the truth 2. That whereas by the Articles set forth 1562. and by the Catechism set forth in King Edward the sixths days and by the writing of Martin Bucer and Peter Martyr who were employed in making our Articles and by the constant professions sealed by the blood of so many Martyrs as Cranmer Ridley and others and by the 36. Articles in Queen Elizabeths time and by the Articles agreed upon at Lambeth as the Doctrine of the Church of England which King Iames sent to Dort and to Ireland and were avowed by us and our State his Majesty hath expressed himself in preserving unity in Religion established though his royal intention notwithstanding hath been perverted by some to suppresse the truth Let us shew wherein these late opinions are contrary to those setled truths and what men have been since preferred that have professed these Heresies what pardons they have had for false doctrine what prohibiting of Books and writings against their doctrine and permitting of such books as have been for them Let us inquire after the Abettors Let us enquire also after the pardons granted of late to some of these and the presumption of some that dare preach the contrary to truth before his Majesty It belongs to the duty of Parliament to establish true Religion and to punish false we must know what Parliaments have done formerly in Religion Our Parliaments have confirmed general Councels In the time of King Henry 8. the Earl of Essex was condemned for countenancing books of Heresie For the convocation it is but a Provincial Sinod of Canturbury and cannot bind the whole Kingdom As for York that is distant and cannot do any thing to bind us or the Laws For the High-Commission it was derived from Parliament Wednesday 28. Secretary Cook delivered another message to the House concerning the precedency of Tunnage and Poundage declaring that his Majesty intends not thereby to interrupt them as to Religion so that they do not intrench on that which belongs not to them which message was seconded by Sir Thomas Edmonds in these words I am sorry the House hath given cause to so many messages about Tunnage and Poundage after his Majesty hath given us so much satisfaction you may perceive his Majesty is sensible of the neglect of his businesse we that know this should not discharge our duties to you if we should not perswade you to that course which should procure his Majesties good opinion of you You your selves are witnesses how industrious his Majesty was to procure you gracious Laws in his fathers time and since what inlargement he hath made of our Liberties and still we give him cause to repent him of the good he hath done Consider how dangerous it is to alienate his Majesties heart from Parliaments Master Corriton replied WHen men speak here of neglect of duty to his Majesty let them know we know no such thing nor what they mean And I see not how we do neglect the same I see it is in all our hearts to expedite the Bill of Tunnage and Poundage in due time our businesse is still put back by these Messages and the businesse in hand is of God and his Majesties affairs are certainly amisse and every one sees it and woe be to us if we present them not to his Majesty The House resolved to send an answer to the King that these messages are inconvenient and breed debates and losse of time and did further resolve that Tunnage and Poundage arising naturally from this House they would in fit time take such a course therein as they hoped would be to his Majesties satisfaction and honour and so again agreed to proceed at present in matters of Religion Sir Iohn Eliot upon this occasion spake to this purpose I have always observed said he that in the proceedings of this House our best advantage is order and I was very glad when that noble Gentleman my Country-man gave occasion to state our proceedings for I fear it would have carried us into a Sea of confusion and disorder and having now occasion to present my thoughts in this great and weighty businesse of Religion I shall be bold to speak a few words There is a jealousie conceived as if we meant to dispute in matters of faith it is our profession this is not to be disputed it is not in the Parliament to make a new Religion nor I hope shall it be in any to alter the body of the truth which we now professe I must confess amongst all those fears we have contracted there ariseth to me not one of the least dangers in the Declaration that is made and publisht in his Majesties name concerning disputing and preaching let not this my saying bear the least suspition or jealousie of his Majesty for if there be any misprision or Error I hope it is those Ministers about him which not only he but all Princes are subject unto and Princes no doubt are subject to mis-informations and many actions may be intitled to their Names when it is not done by themselves Antiochus King of Asia sent his Letters and missives to several Provinces that if they received any dispatches in his name not agreeable to justice Ignoto se litteras esse scriptas ideoque iis non parerent and the reason of it is given by Gratian because that oftentimes by the importunity of Ministers Principes saepe constringuntur ut non concedenda concedant are drawn to grant things by them not to be granted and as it was in that age so it may be in this And now to the particular in the Declaration we see what is said of Popery and Arminianism our Faith and Religion is in danger by it for like an Inundation it doth break in at once upon us It is said if there be any difference in Opinion concerning the seasonable interpretation of the 39. Articles the Bishops and the Clergy in the Convocation have power to dispute it and to order which way they please and for ought I know Popery and Arminianism may be introduced by them and then it must be received by all a slight thing that the power of Religion should be left to the persons of these men I honour their profession there are among our Bishops such as are fit to be made examples for
Protestation was published in the House viz. Whosoever shall bring in Innovation of Religion or by favour or countenance seek to extend or introduce Popery or Arminianism or other opinion disagreeing from the Truth and Orthodox Church shall be reputed a Capital Enemy to this Kingdom and Commonwealth 2. Whosoever shall counsel or advise the taking and levying of the Subsidies of Tunnage and Poundage not being granted by Parliament or shall be an Actor or Instrument therein shall be likewise reputed an Innovator in the Government and Capital Enemy to the Kingdom and Commonwealth 3. If any Merchant or Person whatsoever shall voluntarily yeeld or pay the said Subsidies of Tunnage and Poundage not being granted by Parliament he shall likewise be reputed a Betrayer of the Liberties of England and an Enemy to the same Hereupon the King sent for the Sergeant of the House but he was detained the Door being lockt then he sent the Gentleman Usher of the Lords House with a Message and he was refused admittance till the said Votes were read and then in much confusion the House was adjourned to the tenth of March according as it was intimated from his Majesty Nevertheless his Majesty by Proclamation dated the second of March declares the Parliament to be dissolved The passages of this day and the preceding day in Parliament are hereafter more fully related in the proceedings in the Kings Bench. By the King A Proclamation about the dissolving of the Parliament WHereas We for the general good of our Kingdom caused our high Court of Parliament to assemble and meet by prorogation the 20 day of January last past sithence which time the same hath been continued And although in this time by the malevolent dispositions of some ill affected persons of the House of Commons We have had sundry Iust Causes of offence and dislike of their proceedings yet We resolved with patience to trie the uttermost which we the rather did for that We found in that House a great number of sober and grave Persons well-affected to Religion and Government and desirous to preserve unity and peace in all parts of Our Kingdom And therefore having on the five and twentieth day of February last by the uniform advice of our Privy-Council caused both Houses to be adiourned until this present day hoping in the mean time that a better and more right understanding might be begotten between Us and the Members of that House whereby this Parliament might have a happy end and issue And for the same intent We did again this day command the like Adiournment to be made until the tenth day of this Month It hath so happened by the disobedient and seditious carriage of those said ill affected persons of the House of Commons That We and Our Regal Authority and Commandment have been so highly contemned as our Kingly Office cannot bear nor any former age can paralel And therefore it is Our full and absolute resolution to dissolve the same Parliament whereof We thought good to give notice unto all the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and to the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of this present Parliament to all others whom it may concern That they may depart about their needful affairs without attending any longer here Nevertheless We will that they and all others shall take notice that We do and ever will distinguish between those who have shewed good affection to Religion and Government and those that have given themselves over to faction and to work disturbance to the peace and good order of Our Kingdom Given at our Court at Whitehal this second day of March in the fourth yeer of Our Reign of Great Britan France and Ireland This Proclamation was not published till after the tenth of March. The day following Warrants were directed from the Council to Denzil Holles Esq Sir Miles Hobert Sir Iohn Elliot Sir Peter Hayman John Selden Esq William Coriton Walter Long William Stroud Benjamin Valentine commanding their personal appearance on the morrow At which time Mr. Holles Sir Iohn Elliot Mr. Corriton Mr. Valentine appearing and refusing to answer out of Parliament what was said and done in Parliament were committed close prisoners to the Tower and Warrants were given the Parliament being still in being for the sealing up of the studies of Mr. Holles Mr. Selden and Sir Iohn Elliot Mr. Long and Mr. Stroud not then nor of some time after appearing a Proclamation issued out for the apprehending of them On the tenth of March being six days after the commitment of the said Members his Majesty being set in his Royal Throne with his Crown on his head and in his Robes and the Lords in their Robes also and divers of the Commons below the Bar but not their Speaker neither were they called his Majesty spake as followeth My Lords I Never came here upon so unpleasant an occasion it being the dissolution of a Parliament therefore men may have some cause to wonder why I should not rather chuse to do this by Commission it being a general maxime of Kings to leave harsh Commands to their Ministers themselves only executing pleasing things yet considering that Iustice as well consists in reward and praise of vertue as punishing of vice I thought it necessary to come here to day and to declare to you and all the world that it was meerly the undutiful and seditious carriage in the Lower House that hath made the dissolution of this Parliament and you My Lords are so far from being any causers of it that I take as much comfort in your dutiful demeanour as I am justly distasted with their proceedings yet to avoyd their mistakings let me tell you that it is so far from me to adjudge all the House alike guilty that I knâ—w that there are many there as dutiful Subjects as any in the world it being but some few Vipers among them that did cast this mist of undutifulness over most of their eys yet to say truth there was a good number there that could not be infected with this contagion insomuch that some did express their duties in speaking which was the general fault of the House the last day To conclude as those Vipers must look for their reward of punishment so you My Lords must justly expect from me that favour and protection that a good King oweth to his loving and faithful Nobility And now my Lord Keeper Do what I have commanded you Then the Lord Keeper said My Lords and Gentlemen of the House of Commons the Kings Majesty doth dissolve this Parliament Whilst the King is preparing a Declaration of the causes and motives which induced him to dissolve this Parliament let us see what followed hereupon The discontents of the common people upon this Dissolution were heightned against the powerful men at Court and the Kings most inward Counsellors for some few days after two Libels were found in the Dean of Pauls yard one against Bishop Laud to this effect
not all but it is extended to some others who I fear in guilt of Conscience of their own desert do joyn their power with that Bishop and the rest to draw his Majesty into a jealousie of the Parliament amongst them I shall not fear to name the great Lord Treasurer in whose person I fear is contracted all that which we suffer If we look into Religion or Policy I find him building upon the ground laid by the Duke of Buckingham his great Master from him I fear came those ill Counsels which contracted that unhappy conclusion of the last session of Parliament I find that not only in the affections of his heart but also in relation to him and I doubt not to fix it indubitably upon him and so from the power and greatness of him comes the danger of our Religion For Policy in that great Question of Tunnage and Poundage the interest which is pretended to be the Kings is but the interest of that person to undermine the Policy of this Government and thereby to weaken the Kingdom while he invites strangers to come in to drive out Trade or at least our Merchants to trade in strangers bottoms which is as dangerous Therefore it is fit to be declared by us that all that we suffer is the effect of new counsels to the ruine of the Government of the State and to make a protestation against all those men whether greater or subordinate that they shall all be declared as Capital Enemies to the King and Kingdom that will perswade the King to take Tunnage and Poundage without grant of Parliament and that if any Merchants shall willingly pay those Duties without consent of Parliament they shall be declared as Accessaries to the rest Which Words of the said Sir Iohn Elliot were by him uttered as aforesaid falsly and malitiously and seditiously out of the wickedness of his own affections towards your Majesty and your gratious and religious Government and by the Confederacie Agreement and Privity of the â—aid other Confederates and to lay a slander and scandal thereupon and not with a purpose or in way to rectifie any thing which he conceiâ—ed to be amiss but to traduce and blast those persons against whom he â—ad conceived malice for so himself the same day in that house said and laid down as a ground for that he intended to say That no man was ever blasted in that house but a curse fell upon him And further so it is may it please your most excellent Majesty That when the said Sir Iohn Elliot had thus vented that malice and wickedness which lay in his heart and as appeareth by his own words were expressed in the said paper which was prepared as aforesaid the said Walter Longe out of his inveterate malice to your Majesty and to your Affairs and by the confederacy aforesaid then and there said That man who shall give away my Liberty and Inheritance I speak of the Merchants I note them for Capital Enemies to the Kingdome And lest the hearers should forget these wicked desperate Positions laid down as aforesaid and to the end the same might have the deeper impression and be the more divulged abroad to the prejudice of your Majesty and of your great Affairs and to the scandal of your Government the said Denzil Holles collected into several heads what the said Sir Iohn Elliot had before delivered out of that paper and then said Whosoever shall counsel the taking up of Tunnage and Poundage without an Act of Parliament let him be accompted a capital Enemy to the King and Kingdom And further What Merchant soever shall pay Tunnage and Poundage without an Act of Parliament let him be counted a Betrayer of the Liberty of the Subjects and a Capital Enemy of the King and Kingdom Which Positions thus laid the said Denzil Holles neither being Speaker nor sitting in the Chair as in a Committee by direction of the House but in an irregular way and contrary to all course of orderly proceedings in Parliament offered to put these things so delivered by him as aforesaid to the Question and drew from his confederates aforesaid an applause and assent as if these things had been voted by the house And further so it is may it please your most excellent Majesty That the disobedience of the said Confederates was then grown to that height that when Edward Grimston the Serjeant at Arms then attending the Speaker of that house was sent for by your Majestie personally to attend your Highness and the same was made known in the said house the said Confederates notwithstanding at that time forcibly and unlawfully kept the said Edward Grimston locked up in the said house and would not suffer him to go out of the house to attend your Majesty and when also on the same day Iames Maxwel Esquire the Gentleman-Usher of the Black Rod was sent from your Majesty to the said Commons house with a message immediately from your Majesties own person they the said Confederates utterly refused to open the door of the house and to admit the said Iames Maxwel to go to deliver his message After all which the said house was then adjourned until the said tenth day of March then following and on the said tenth day of March the said Parliament was dissolved and ended In consideration of all which premises And for as much as the contempt and disobedience of the said Sir John Ellyot and other the confederates aforesaid were so great and so many and unwarranted by the priviledge and due proceeding of Parliament and were committed with so high a hand and are of so ill example and so dangerous consequence and remain all unpardoned Therefore they pray'd a process against them to answer their contempts in the high Court of Star-Chamber Memorandum That the 29. of May Anno quinto Car. Reg. these words viz. After all which the said House was then adjourned until the said tenth day of March and on the said tenth day of March the said Parliament was dissolved and ended were added and inserted by order of the Court immediately before In tender consideration c. At the same time Sir Robert Heath the Kings Atturny General preferr'd an Information in the Star-Chamber against Richard Chambers of the City of London Merchant wherein first he did set forth the gracious Government of the King and the great Priviledges which the Merchants have in their Trading by paying moderate duties for the goods and merchandises exported and imported and setting forth that the raising and publishing of undutiful and false speeches which may tend to the dishonour of the King or the State or to the discouragement or discontentment of the subject or to set discord or variance between his Majesty and his good People are offences of dangerous consequence and by the Law prohibited and condemned under several penalties and punishments That nevertheless the said Richard Chambers the 28. day of September last being amongst some other merchants
sufficient to raise a jealousie against our proceedings in such as were not well acquainted with the sincerity and clearnesse of them There followed another of no lesse skill for although Our proceeding before the Parliament about matters of Religion might have satisfied any moderate men of Our zealous care thereof as we are sure it did the most yet as bad stomachs turn the best things into their own nature for want of good digestion so those distempered persons have done the like of Our good intents by a bad and sinister interpretation For when they did observe that many honest and religious minds in that House did complain of those dangers that did threaten the Church they likewise took the same word in their mouth and their cry likewise was Templum Domini Templum Domini when the true care of the Church never came into their hearts and what the one did out of zeal unto Religion the other took up as a plausible Theam to deprave Our Government as if We Our Clergy and Councill were either senslesse or carelesse of Religion And this wicked practise hath been to make Us seem to walk before Our people as if We halted before God Having by these artifices made a jealous impression in the hearts of many and a day being appointed to treat of the Grant of Tunnage and Poundage at the time prefixed all expresse great willingnesse to grant it But a new strain is found out that it could not be done without great perill to the right of the Subject unlesse We should disclaim any right therein but by grant in Parliament and should cause all those Goods to be restored which upon commandment from Us or Our Councill were stayed by our Officers untill those Duties were paid and consequently should put Our Selves out of the possession of the Tunnage and Poundage before they were granted for else it was pretended the Subject stood not in fit case to grant it A fancy and cavill raised of purpose to trouble the businesse it being evident that all the Kings before named did receive that Duty and were in actuall possession of it before and at the very time when it was granted to them by Parliament And although We to remove all difficulties did from Our Own Mouth in those clear and open tearms that might have satisfied any moderate and well-disposed minds declare That it was Our meaning by the gift of Our people to enjoy it and that we did not challenge it of right but took it de bene esse shewing thereby not the right but the necessity by which We were to take it wherein We descended for their satisfaction so far beneath Our self as We are confident never any of Our Predecessors did the like nor was the like ever required or expected from Them Yet for all this the Bill of Tunnage and Poundage was laid aside upon pretence they must first clear the right of the Subject therein under colour whereof they entertain the complaints not onely of Iohn Rolles a Member of their House but also of Richard Chambers John Fowkes and Bartholomew Gilman against the Officers of Our Customs for detaining their goods upon refusall to pay the ordinary Duty accustomed to be paid for the same And upon these complaints they send for the Officers of the Customes enforcing them to attend day after day by the space of a month together they cause them to produce their Letters Patents under Our Great Seal and the Warrants made by Our Privy Councill for levying of those Duties They examine the Officers upon what questions they please thereby to entrap them for doing Our service and commandment In these and other their proceedings because We would not give the least shew of interruption We endured long with much patience both these and sundry other strange and exorbitant incroachments and usurpations such as were never before attempted in that House We are not ignorant how much that House hath of late years endeavoured to extend their priviledges by setting up generall Committees for Religion for Courts of Justice for Trade and the like a course never heard of untill of late So as where in former timos the Knights and Burgesses were wont to communicate to the House such businesse as they brought from their Countries now there are so many Chairs erected to make enquirie upon all sorts of men where complaints of all sorts are entertained to the unsufferable disturbance and scandall of Justice and Government which having been tolerated a while by Our Father and Our Self hath daily grown to more and more height insomuch that young Lawyers sitting there take upon them to decry the opinions of the Judges and some have not doubted to maintain That the Resolutions of that House must bind the Judges a thing never heard of in Ages past But in this last assembly of Parliament they have taken on them much more then ever before They sent messengers to examine Our Atturney Generall who is an Officer of trust and secrecy touching the execution of some commandements of Ours of which without Our leave first obtained he was not to give account to any but Our Self They sent a captious and directory message to the Lord Treasurer Chancellor and Barrons of the Exchequer touching some judiciall proceedings of theirs in Our Court of Exchequer They sent messengers to examine upon sundry questions Our two Chief Justices and three other of Our Judges touching their judiciall proceedings at the Gaol-Delivery at Newgate of which they are not accountable to the House of Commons And whereas Suits were commenced in Our Court of Star-Chamber against Richard Chambers John Fowks Bartholomew Gilman and Richard Phillips by Our Atturney Generall for great misdemeanours they resolved that they were to have priviledge of Parliament against us for their persons for no other cause but because they had Petitions depending in that House and which is more strange they resolved that a Signification should be made from that House by a Letter to issue under the hand of their Speaker unto the Lord Keeper of Our Great Seal that no attachments should be granted out against the said Chambers Fowks Gilman or Phillips during their said priviledge of Parliament Whereas it is far above the power of that House to give direction to any of Our Courts at Westminster to stop Attatchments against any man though never so strongly priviledged the breach of Priviledge being not in the Court that grants but in the Party or Minister that puts in execution such Attachments And therefore if any such Letter had come to the Lord Keeper as it did not he should have highly offended Us if he had obeyed it Nay they went so far as they spared not the honour of Our Councill-board but examined their proceedings in the case of Our Customers interrogating what this or that man of Our Councill said in direction of them in the businesse committed to their charge And when one of the Members of that House speaking of our
which your self shall discover And you shall advertise me of whatsoever you shall understand the learn governing your self in all occurrents with that wariness and discretion as your zeal to my service doth assure me of These were the Arts of Spain to corrupt divers in the Court of England Buckingham and his Dependants followed the Kings inclinations The Duke of Lenox Marquis Hamilton and William Earl of Pembroke disliking the Kings course did not contest with him but only intimated their dissent It was said of Gondomar That when he returned into Spain he gave in his Account of Disbursments for Pensions given in England amongst others To Sir Robert Cotton 1000 l. a person of great Integrity and one who was ever averse to the House of Austria Which Sir Robert getting notice of by the English Agent then in Spain demanded reparation which was obtained but with a salvo to the Ambassadors honor the error being said to be committed by a Dependent upon the Ambassador and not by himself The King being jealous of uncomptrolled Soveraignty and impatient of his Peoples intermedling with the Mysteries of State had fallen into a great dislike of Parliaments and for many years before had given way to Projects and Monopolies And many of his Ministers perhaps fearing an enquiry into their own actions might suggest to him that he might better furnish himself by those ways and the Match now in treaty then by Subsidies usually accompanied with the redress of Grievances Nevertheless he was now minded to call a Parliament conceiving it might be of special use For he observed the affections of the People to be raised for the Recovery of the Palatinate and then concluded that those affections would open their purses to the supply of his wants and the Treaty with Spain would effect the business without the expence and troubles of War and the good accord between him and his people would quicken the Spaniard to conclude the Match And accordingly Writs were issued forth to assemble them the 30. of Ianuary In the calling of this Parliament he recommended to his Subjects the choice of such Members as were of the wisest gravest and best affected people neither superstitious nor turbulent but obedient Children to this their Mother-Church In the mean while in Germany the Protestant Union continually declined by the gradual falling away of the several partakers The Elector of Saxony reduced the remainder of Lusatia The Province of Moravia upon the approach of Buquoy seeing the Count de Latiere came not in to their succor prayed that they might enjoy their Priviledges in matter of Religion and be received into the Emperors grace and favor which submission was well received at Vienna Likewise the States of Silesia failing of assistance from the Elector Palatine were constrained to make their peace Then the Palatine propounded to the Elector of Saxony an Overture of Peace declaring That he took the Crown upon him to preserve the Protestants in the free exercise of their Religion The Saxon replied That he had no way to make his Peace but to renounce the Kingdom of Bohemia and the Provinces Incorporate and to beg the Emperors pardon Afterwards the Elector Palatine goeth to Brandenburgh and then to Segenburgh where there was an Assembly of Princes and States Protestant to oppose the exploits of Spinola In the mean while Count Mansfield stirs in Bohemia pillages several Towns and the Goods of all those that cryed God save King Ferdinand The relation of England to these affairs of Foreign States had caused a general liberty of discourse concerning matters of State which King Iames could not bear but by Proclamation commanded all from the highest to the lowest not to intermeddle by Pen or Speech with State-concerments and secrets of Empire either at home or abroad which were no fit Themes or Subjects for Vulgar persons or Common meetings On the Thirtieth day of Ianuary the Parliament began to sit and the King came in person and made this Speech MY Lords Spiritual and Temporal and you the Commons Cui multiloquio non deest peccatum In the last Parliament I made long discourses especially to them of the Lower House I did open the true thoughts of my heart but I may say with our Saviour I have piped to you and you have not danced I have mourned and you have not lamented Yet as no mans actions can be free so in me God found some spices of vanity and so all my sayings turned to me again without any success And now to tell the reasons of your calling and this meeting apply it to your selves and spend not the time in long Speeches Consider that the Parliament is a thing composed of a Head and a Body The Monarch and the Two Estates It was first a Monarchy then after a Parliament There are no Parliaments but in Monarchical Governments For in Venice the Netherlands and other Free Governments there are none The Head is to call the Body together And for the Clergy the Bishops are chief for Shires their Knights and for Towns and Cities their Burgesses and Citizens These are to treat of difficult matters and to counsel their King with their best advice to make Laws for the Commonweal And the Lower House is also to petition their King and acquaint him with their Grievances and not to meddle with their Kings Prerogative They are to offer supply for his Necessity and he to distribute in recompence thereof Justice and Mercy As in all Parliaments it is the Kings office to make good Laws whose fundamental cause is the Peoples ill manners so at this time that we may meet with the new Abuses and the incroaching Craft of the times Particulars shall be read hereafter As touching Religion Laws enough are made already It stands in two points Perswasion and Compulsion Men may perswade but God must give the blessing Iesuites Priests Puritans and Sectaries erring both on the right hand and left hand are forward to perswade unto their own ends and so ought you the Bishops in your example and preaching But Compulsion to obey is to bind the Conscience There is talk of the Match with Spain But if it shall not prove a Furtherance to Religion I am not worthy to be your King I will never proceed but to the glory of God and content of my Subjects For a Supply to my Necessities I have reigned Eighteen years in which time you have had Peace and I have received far less supply than hath been given to any King since the Conquest The last Queen of famous memory had one year with another above a Hundred thousand pounds per annum in Subsidies And in all my time I have had but Four Subsidies and Six Fifteens It is Ten years since I had a Subsidy in all which time I have been sparing to trouble you I have turned my self as nearly to save expences as I may I have abated much in my Household expences in my
Navies in the charge of my Munition I made not choice of an old beaten Soldier for my Admiral but rather chose a Young man whose honesty and integrity I knew whose care hath been to appoint under him sufficient men to lessen my Charges which he hath done Touching the miserable dissentions in Christendom I was not the cause thereof For the appeasing whereof I sent my Lord of Doncaster whose journey cost me Three thousand five hundred pounds My Son in law sent to me for Advice but within three days after accepted of the Crown which I did never approve of for three Reasons First for Religion's sake as not holding with the Jesuites disposing of Kingdoms rather learning of our Saviour to uphold not to overthrow them Secondly I was not Iudge between them neither acquainted with the Laws of Bohemia Quis me Judicem fecit Thirdly I have treated a Peace and therefore will not be a Party Yet I left not to preserve my Childrens Patrimony For I had a Contribution of my Lords and Subjects which amounted to a great sum I borrowed of my Brother of Denmark Seven thousand five hundred pounds to help him and sent as much to him as made it up Ten thousand and Thirty thousand I sent to the Princes of the Union to hearten them I have lost no time Had the Princes of the Union done their parts that handful of men I sent had done theirs I intend to send by way of Perswasion which in this Age will little avail unless a strong hand assist Wherefore I purpose to provide an Army the next Summer and desire you to consider of my Necessities as you have done to my Predecessors Qui cito dat bis dat I will engage my Crown my Blood and my Soul in that Recovery You may be informed of me in things in course of Justice but I never sent to any of my Iudges to give sentence contrary to Law Consider the Trade for the making thereof better and shew me the reason why my Mint for these eight or nine years hath not gone I confess I have been liberal in my Grants but if I be informed I will amend all hurtful Grievances But who shall hasten after Grievances and desire to make himself popular he hath the spirit of Satan If I may know my Errors I will reform them I was in my first Parliament a Novice and in my last there was a kind of beasts called Undertakers a dozen of whom undertook to govern the last Parliament and they led me I shall thank you for your good office and desire that the World may say well of our agreement In this Parliament the Commons presented Sir Tho. Richardson for their Speaker The King minded his former engagements and in the beginning of the Parliament sends Sir Iohn Digby now made Lord Digby into Flanders to the Archduke Albertus to gain a present Cessation from War and to make way for a Treaty of Peace with the Emperor And also about the same time he sent Mr. George Gage to Rome to join with Padre Maestre the Spanish Agent in negotiating the Popes Dispensation The Archduke at Bruxels assented to a Reconciliation in favor of our King and obtained from Marquis Spinola a suspension of all hostility against the Country and Subjects of the Elector Palatine which continued till the death of Archduke Albert who died 17º Iulii following So the Lord Digby returned into England bringing the Cessation of Arms about the same time that Sir Edward Villers brought the Palsgrave's Submission But the Twelve years Peace between Spain and the United Provinces at this time expiring Spinola returned into Flanders and left the Palatinate to the Imperial Forces After the Assembly at Segenburgh the Palatine and his Princess took their journey into Holland where they found a refuge and noble entertainment with the Prince of Orange who gave a high testimony of honor to the Electress at her first arrival for her magnanimous carriage in Bohemia The Ambassage of Weston and Conway prevailed little The Emperor went on in a severe Reformation and frequent Executions among that vanquished people He destroyed most of their antient Laws and made new Ordinances declaring a soveraignty over them not as an Elected King but as a Lord by right of Conquest More Princes of the Union reconcile themselves to the Emperor The Imperial Protestant Towns Strasburgh Worms and Nuremburgh subscribe to Conditions of Peace The reconciled Princes and States intercede for the Elector Palatine but their motion displeased the Emperor who alleadged that the Palatine did not acknowledge his faults nor sue for Pardon but made Levies in Holland and elswhere to renew the War in the Empire For the King of Denmark the United Provinces and divers German Princes did adhere to the Palsgrave's cause and stickle for him But the Princes Confederates being already scattered and the heart of the Union broken Those counsels and enterprises of War on his behalf in stead of repressing the progress of the Austrian party did minister occasion of their more absolute and plenary Conquest But to return to the Parliament in England They petition the King for the due execution of Laws against Jesuites Seminary Priests and Popish Recusants Likewise they take in hand to redress the Peoples Grievances by illegal Patents and Projects and chiefly that of Inns and Alehouses for which there was a great Fine and an Annual Revenue throughout the Kingdom and the Monopoly of Gold and Silver-thread whereby the People were abused with base and counterfeit Wares But the examination of these Abuses was accompanied with the grant of Two Subsidies which was very acceptable to the King Sir Giles Mompesson was convented before the House of Commons for many heinous offences and misdemeanors in this kind to the intolerable grievance of the Subject the great dishonor of the King and the scandal of his Government This Delinquent was committed to prison but he escaped thence and got beyond sea and was pursued by the Kings Proclamation The Commons at a Conference with the Lords offered to prove That the Patents of Gold and Silver-Thread of Inns and Alehouses and of power to Compound for obsolete Laws of the Price of Horse-meat Starch Cords Tobacco-pipes Salt Train-oil and the rest were all illegal Howbeit they touch'd not the tender point of Prerogative but in restoring the Subjects liberty were careful to preserve the Kings honor The Lords resolved to admit no other business till this were ended Hereupon the King came to the House of Lords and there made a Speech MY Lords The last time I came hither my errand was to inform you as well as my memory could serve me of things so long past of the verity of my proceedings and the caution used by me in passing those Letters-Patents which are now in question before you to the effect that they might not be abused in the execution And this I did by way of
the Ambassadors person as some are said to have done yet for using railing speeches against him calling him Divel or words to that purpose it was His Majesties pleasure that that fellow without any further delay on the morrow in the forenoon be publickly and sharply whipt thorow London beginning at Algate and so through the streets along by the place where the affront was offered towards Fleetstreet and so to Temple-Bar without any manner of favor The people were enraged at Gondomar through a perswasion that he abused the King and State to advance the designs of Spain By means of his power with the King he had transported Ordinance and other warlike Provisions to furnish the Spanish Arsenals and it was believed that he underhand wrought the sending of Sir Rob. Mansel into the Mediterranean Sea to fall upon the Pirates of Algier The Merchants of this Kingdom by them much infested being also induced to move for this Expedition wherein the English fleet performed gallantly and advancing within the reach of Cannon and small shot which from the Land showred like Hail upon them fired the Pirates ships within their own Harbor Nevertheless hereby our Strength was diverted our Treasure exhausted and the Spanish fleet and Merchants secured from those Robbers and Spain left at liberty to assist in subduing the Palatinate In the mean while our Kings Affairs in Germany notwithstanding the many Complaints grew more and more desperate In Bohemia the Emperor having well nigh subdued and setled the Country proceeded to the Tryal and Execution of the Authors of the late Commotions some were condemned to perpetual imprisonment and others to death and the Heads of many eminent persons were fixt on the Towers in Prague and their bodies quartered After this the Emperor began both in Austria and Hungaria to imprison divers that assisted the Bohemians and caused Proces to be made against them The Marquess of Iagerndorfe who stirred in the County of Glatsburgh and raised forces by Commission from the Elector Palatine published Letters against the Executions in Bohemia as cruel and barbarous The Emperor put forth an Answer and said That the Marquess published those things maliciously forasmuch as in Bohemia was the Original sedition and the head that infected the members That some few persons Authors of the troubles not in hatred of their Religion but for their Rebellion have been punished by the hand of Justice And he declared further That the like exemplary Justice should not be done in other places but that the Articles of the Peace should be observed By this time the Parliament having sate about four moneths King Iames was desirous to give them a time of vacancie The Lord Treasurer by the Kings command declared unto the Houses That his Majesty by the advice of his Privy Council thought fit to adjourn the Parliament lest the season of the year by the continual concourse of people should cause Infection Also that the Lieutenans and Justices might be in the Country And the Adjournment keeping the Parliament still in being was better then Proroguing That his Majesty had already redressed corruption in Courts of Justice and by his Proclamation called in the Patents of Inns of Osteries and of Gold and Silver-Thread and cherished the Bill against Informers and Monopolies The Commons were troubled at this Message and desired a Conference with the Lords and moved them to petition the King to forbear the Adjournment The King takes notice of it and the Treasurer acquainted the Lords that a Petition of this nature could not be pleasing to his Majesty it seeming to derogate from his Prerogative who alone hath power to call adjourn and determine Parliaments The Commons at a further Conference declared their hearty sorrow and passionate grief at the Kings resolution which they said cut off the performance of what they had consulted and promised for the Publique weal. The Lords sitting in their Robes the King came and made a Speech takes notice of his Message to both Houses and gave their Lordships thanks for obeying the same and acknowledging his power to call adjourn and dissolve Parliaments and for refusing to join with the Commons in the Petition for Non-adjournment And whereas some had given out that no good had been done this Parliament He put them in mind that the two Patents grievous to the Commonwealth were called in and that the Parliament had censured the Offenders for an example to all ages And if they desired it he offered them eight or ten days longer sitting to expedite Bills but said that at the request of the Commons he would not grant it The Lords had a Conference with the Commons after which they moved the King to continue their sitting for fourteen days which was granted and the Commons were satisfied with the resolution of Adjournment A Committee of both Houses afterwards attending the King he told them how ill he took it that the Commons should dispute his reasons of Adjournment all power being in him alone to call adjourn prorogue and dissolve Parliaments And on Iune 4. he declared for an Adjournment till November following And that he will in the mean time of his own authority redress Grievances And his Majesty as General Bishop of the Land did offer his prayers to God for both the Houses and admonished them That when they go into the Country they give his people a good accompt and satisfaction both as to the Proceedings and to the Adjournment of the Parliament The House of Commons immediately before their recess taking to heart the miseries of the Palatinate resolved that the drawing back in so good a Cause should not be charged on their slackness And thereupon drew up this following Declaration with an universal consent THe Commons assembled in Parliament taking into most serious consideration the present state of the Kings Children abroad and the generally afflicted estate of the true Professors of the same Christian Religion professed by the Church of England in Foreign parts And being touched with a true sense and fellow féeling of their distresses as Members of the same Body do with unanimous consent in the name of themselves and the whole body of the Kingdom whom they represent declare unto his most excellent Majesty and to the whole World their hearty grief and sorrow for the same and do not only join with them in their humble and devout prayers unto Almighty God 〈◊〉 protect his true Church and to avert the dangers now threatned but also with one heart and voice do solemnly protest That if His Maiesâ—â—â— pious endeavors by Treaty to procure their peace and safety shall not take that good effect which is desired in Treaty Wherefore they humbly beseech His Majesty not to suffer any longer delay That then upon signification of His Majesties pleasure in Parliament they shall be ready to the utmost of their powers both with their lives and fortunes to assist him so as that by the Divine
of thrée honorable Lords to impart unto us the weighty occasions moving your Majesty thereunto and from them we did understand these particulars That notwithstanding your Princely and pious endeavors to procure peace the time is now come that Janus Temple must be opened That the voice of Bellona must be heard and not the voice of the Turtle That there was no hope of peace nor any truce to be obtained no not for a few days That your Majesty must either abandon your own Children or engage your self in a War wherein consideration is to be had what Foot what Horse what Money will be sufficient That the Lower Palatinate was seised upon by the Army of the King of Spain as Executor of the Ban there in quality of Duke of Burgundy as the Upper Palatinate was by the Duke of Bavaria That the King of Spain at his own charge had now at least five Armies on foot That the Princes of the Union were disbanded but the Catholick League remained firm whereby those Princes so dissevered were in danger one by one to be ruined That the estate of those of the Religion in Foreign parts was miserable and that out of these considerations we were called to a War and forthwith to advise for a supply for kéeping the forces in the Palatinate from disbanding and to foresee the means for raising and maintaining the Body of an Army for the War against the Spring We therefore out of our zeal to your Maiesty and your Posterity with more alacrity and celerity than ever was presidented in Parliament did Address our selves to the service commended unto us And although we cannot conceive That the honor and safety of your Maiesty and your Posterity the Patrimony of your Children invaded and possessed by their enemies the welfare of Religion and State of your Kingdom are matters at any time unfit for our déepest consideration in time of Parliament And though before this time we were in some of these points silent yet being now invited thereunto and led on by so iust an occasion we thought it our duties to provide for the present supply thereof and not onely to turn our eyes on a War abroad but to take care for the securing of our peace at home which the dangerous increase and insolency of Popish Recusants apparently visibly and sensibly did lead us unto The consideration whereof did necessarily draw us truly to represent unto your Maiesty what we conceive to be the causes what we feared would be the effects and what we hoped might be the remedies of these growing Evils among which as incident and unavoidable we fell upon some things which séem to touch upon the King of Spain as they have relation to Popish Recusants at home to the Wars by him maintained in the Palatinate against your Maiesties Children and to his several Armies now on foot yet as we conceived without touch of dishonor to that King or any other Prince your Maiesties Confederate In the Discourse whereof we did not assume to our selves any power to determine of any part thereof nor intend to incroach or intrude upon the Sacred Bounds of Your Royal Authority to whom and to whom onely we acknowledge it doth belong to resolve of Peace and War and of the Marriage of the most Noble Prince your Son But as your most loyal and humble Subjects and Servants representing the whole Commons of your Kingdom who have a large Interest in the happy and prosperous estate of your Majesty and your Royal Posterity and of the flourishing estate of our Church and Commonwealth did resolve out of our Cares and Fears truly and plainly to demonstrate these things to your Majesty which we were not assured could otherwise come so fully and clearly to your knowledge and that being done to lay the same down at your Majesties féet without expectation of any other Answer of your Majesty touching these higher points then what at your good pleasure and in your own time should be held fit This being the effect of that we had formerly resolved upon and these the Occasions and Reasons inducing the same Our humble suit to your Majesty and confidence is That your Majesty will be gratiously pleased to receive at the hands of these our Messengers our former humble Declaration and Petition and vouchsafe to read and favorably to interpret the same and that to so much thereof as containeth our humble Petition concerning Iesuits Priests and Popish Recusants the Passage of Bills and Granting your Royal Pardon you will vouchsafe an Answer unto us And whereas your Majesty by the general words of your Letter séemeth to restrain us from intermedling with Matters of Government or Particulars which have their motion in the Courts of Iustice the generality of which words in the largeness of the extent thereof as we hope beyond your Majesties intention might involve those things which are the proper Subjects of Parliamentary occasions and discourse And whereas your Majesty doth séem to abridge us of the Antient Liberty of Parliament for Fréedom of Spéech Iurisdiction and Iust Censure of the House and other procéedings there wherein we trust in God we shall never transgress the bounds of Loyal and Dutiful Subjects a Liberty which we assure our selves so Wise and so Iust a King will not infringe the same being our antient and undoubted Right and an Inheritance received from our Ancestors without which we cannot fréely debate nor clearly discern of things in question before us nor truly inform your Majesty In which we have béen confirmed by your Maiesties most gratious former Spéeches and Messages We are therefore now again inforced in all humbleness to pray your Maiesty to allow the same and thereby to take away the Doubts and Scruples your Maiesties late Letter to our Speaker hath wrought upon us So shall we your loyal and loving Subiects ever acknowledge your Maiesties Iustice Grace and Goodness and be ready to perform that service to your Maiesty which in the true affection of our hearts we profess and pour out our daily and devout Prayers to the Almighty for your Maiesties long life happy and religious Reign and prosperous Estate and for your Royal Posterity after you for ever The King having rejected the first Petition gave to the later this Answer following WE must here begin in the same fashion that we would have done if the first Petition had come to our hands before we had made a stay thereof which is to repeat the first words of the late Queen of famous memory used by her in answer to an Insolent Proposition made by a Polonian Ambassador unto her that is Legatum expectabamus Heraldum accipimus For we had great reason to expect that the first Message from your House should have been a Message of Thanksgiving for our continued gratious behavior towards our people since your last Recess not onely by our Proclamation of Grace wherein were contained Six or seven and thirty Articles all of several
most loving Kinsman C. P. Given at Our Palace of Saint Iames 14 Martii 1621. To the Right Honorable the Lord Balthazar of Zuniga Right Honorable and Wel-beloved Friend BEcause we have divers times been informed by your Friends of your singular propension and zeal towards our Affairs we neither will nor ought to leave you unsaluted at this time you have so well deserved of us But it will be no small accession of your good will if you continue as you have begun to promote by your assistance our concernments with his Majesty our Welbeloved Brother which by what way it may best be done our Ambassador the Baron John Digby will be able to direct you to whom we have intrusted the residue of that matter And if during his residence there he may make use of your singular Humanity and Favor with the King in his Negotiation it will be most acceptable to us and render us who were by your deservings already forward to oblige you most forward for the future to deserve well of you which we shall most willingly testifie as occasion offers not onely in word but in deed J. R. Given at our Palace of Theobalds March 14. 1621. Sir Walter Aston the Leiger Ambassador had managed that Treaty by directions received from Digby and now Digby remained at large in it and had communication of the Passages from him The Spaniards proceed in the Match with a very formal appearance for at this very time the Emperors Ambassador in Spain had discoursed of a Marriage between his Masters Son and the Infanta but was presently answered That the Kings hands were tied by a Treaty on foot with the King of Great Brittain and in this particular they seemed as said the English Agent to deal above board In the mean time the Privy Council by the Kings Commandment consulted about the raising of Moneys to defend the Palatinate They appointed the Keeper of the Records in the Tower to search for all such writings as concerned the Levies of Men at the Publick charge of the Countrey from the time of King Edward the Third until this present Likewise they directed Letters of the tenor following to the Justices of the Courts at Westminster and to the Barons of the Exchequer WHat endeavors his Majesty hath used by Treaty and by all fair and amiable ways to recover the patrimony of his Children in Germany now for the most part withholden from them by force is not unknown unto all his loving â—ubjects since his Majesty was pleased to communicate to them in Parliament his whole proceedings in that business Of which Treaty being of late frustrate he was inforced to take other resolutions namely to recover that by the Sword which by other means he saw no likelihood to compass For which purpose it was expected by his Majesty that his people in Parliament would in a cause so nearly concerning his and his Childrens interest have chearfully contributed thereunto But the same unfortunately failing his Maâ—esty 〈◊〉 constrained in a case of so great necessity to try the dutiful affections of his â—â—ing Subjects in another way as his Predecessors have done in former times by propounding unto them a voluntary contribution And therefore as your selves have already given a liberal and worthy example which his Majesty doth take in very gratious part so his pleasure is and we do accordingly hereby authorise and require your Lordships as well to countenance and assist the service by your best means in your next Circuits in the several Counties where you hold General Assizes as also now presently with all convenient expedition to call before you all the Officers and Attorneys belonging to any his Majesties Courts of Iustice and also all such others of the Houses and Societies of Court or that otherwise have dependence upon the Law as are meet to be treated withal in this kinde and have not already contributed and to move them to joyn willingly in this contribution in some good measure answerable to that your selves and others have done before us according to their means and fortunes Wherein his Majesty doubteth not but beside the interest of his Children and his own Crown and Dignity the Religion professed by his Majesty and happily flourishing under him within this Kingdom having a great part in the success of this business will be a special motive to incite and perswade them thereunto Nevertheless if any persons shall out of obstinacy or disaffection refuse to contribute herein proportionably to their Estates and Means you are to certifie their names unto this Board And so recommending this service to your best care and endeavor and praying you to return unto us Notes of the names of such as shall contribute and of the sums offered by them We bid c. Letters to the same effect were directed to the High Sheriffs and Justices of Peace of the several Counties and to the Majors and Bailiffs of every City and Town-Corporate within the Kingdom requiring them to summon all of known Abilities within their Jurisdictions and to move them to a chearful contribution according to their Means and Fortunes in some good measure answerable to what others well-affected had done before them And to make choice of meet Collectors of the Moneys and to return a Schedule of the names of such as shall contribute and the sums that are offered by them that his Majesty may take notice of the good inclinations of his Subjects to a cause of such importance as likewise of such others if any such be as out of obstinacy or disaffection shall refuse to contribute About this time George Abbot Archbishop of Canterbury began to fall into disgrace at Court his enemies taking the advantage of a late sad misfortune for shooting at a Deer with a Cross-bow in Bramzil Park he casually killed the Keeper Upon this unhappy accident it was suggested to the King who already disgusted him for opposing the Match with Spain That in regard of his eminent rank in the Church it might administer matter of Scandal which was aggravated by such as aspired unto his place and dignity The Bishop of Lincoln then Lord Keeper informed the Marquess of Buckingham That by the Common Law of England the Archbishops whole estate was forfeited to the King and by the Common Law which is still in force he is made irregular ipso facto and so suspended from all Ecclesiastical Function until he be restored by his Superior which was the Kings Majesty in this rank and order of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction To adde affliction to the afflicted said he will be against his Majesties nature yet to leave a man of Blood Primate and Patriark of all his Churches is a thing that sounds very harsh in the Old Councils and Cannons and the Papists will not spare to censure it The King made choice of the Lord Keeper the Bishops of London Winton Rochester St. Davids and Exeter Sir Henry Hobart Justice Doderidge Sir Henry Martin
and Doctor Stuart to inform him of the nature of this cause and the scandal that might arise thereupon and to certifie what the same may amount unto whither to an irregularity or otherwise and what means may be found for redress However this consultation was managed the Archbishop was not deprived but a Plant was growing up that over-topped him whilst he lived and after his decease obtained the Primacy Doctor Laud who was first chosen to the Bishoprick of St. Davids by the Mediation of the Lord Keeper Williams and was consecrated by the Bishops of London Worcester Chichester Ely Landaff and Oxon the Archbishop in the mean time was not thought irregular for the Casual Homicide This Bishop Doctor Laud was looked upon in those times as an Arminian and a fierce opposer of Puritans and while he lived in Oxford suspected to incline to Popish Tenents as may appear by his Letter of Complaint sent to his Patron Doctor Neal then Bishop of Lincoln against a Sermon preached by Robert Abbot Doctor of the Chair in Oxford in which Letter he inclosed this amongst other Passages of the Doctors Sermon viz. That men under pretence of Truth and Preaching against the Puritans strike at the heart and root of Faith and Religion now established among us That this Preaching against the Puritans was but the practice of Parsons and Campions counsel when they came into England to seduce yong Students And when many of them were afraid to lose their places if they should professedly be thus the counsel they then gave them was That they should speak freely against the Puritans and that should suffice And they cannot intend that they are accounted Papists because they speak against the Puritans But because they indeed are Papists they speak nothing against them If they do at any time speak against the Papists they do beat a little upon the Bush and that softly too for fear of troubling or disquieting the Birds that are in it I Came time enough saith Mr. Laud to be at the rehearsal of this Sermon upon much perswasion where I was fain to sit patiently and hear my self abused almost an hour together being pointed at as I sate For this present abuse I would have taken no notice of it but that the whole University apply it to me and my own Friends tell me I shall sink my credit if I answer not Dr. Abbot in his own Nevertheless in a business of this kinde I will not be swayed from a patient course onely I desire your Lordship to vouchsafe me some direction what to do c. The Arminian Sect opposed by King Iames and by his special concurrence lately broken in the Netherlands by the beheading of Barnevalt the cheif of them began in his latter times to spring up in England and was countenanced by the said Prelate who had newly obtained the opinion and favor of the Marquess of Buckingham The Kings main design then not suffering the suppressing of that way which in common judgment was inclined to Popery or he thought to recover all his losses and to salve all misfortunes by the Spanish Match And for this cause he released multitudes of Priests and Popish Recusants then imprisoned which the Spaniards professed to be a great demonstration of the Kings sincere affection to confirm the correspondence and amity between the Crowns And that this enlargement might be the more expedite and less chargeable the King gave directions to the Lord Keeper Williams Bishop of Lincoln THat whereas he had formerly given order for the release of Recusants by removing them from the several Goals of this Kingdom to be bailed before the Justices of his Bench And finding that this course will be troublesome to the poorer sort of them he doth now require that Writs be directed to the Justices of Assizes enabling and requiring them to enlarge such Recusants as they shall finde in their several Goals upon such conditions and securities as were required by the Judges of his Bench. Accordingly the Writs were issued forth under the Great Seal and the Lord Keeper wrote to the Judges on this manner THat the King having upon deep Reasons of State and in expectation of the like correspondence from Forein Princes to the Professors of our Religion resolved to grant some Grace to the imprisoned Papists had commanded him to pass some Writs under the Broad Seal for that purpose Wherefore it is his Majesties pleasure that they make no niceness or difficulty to extend his Princely favor to all such as they shall finde prisoners in the Gaols of their Circuits for any Church Recusancy or refusing the Oath of Supremacy or dispersing of Popish Books or any other point of Recusancy that shall concern Religion onely and not matters of State But a general offence was taken at this Indulgence to Papists and the Lord Keepers Letter to the Judges which how the Keeper endevored to renounce may be seen in his Letter written to a Person of Honor. AS the Sun in the Firmament appears unto us no bigger then a Platter and the Stars are but as so many Nails in the Pummel of a Saddle because of the enlargement and disproportion between our eye and the object So is there such an unmeasurable distance between the deep resolution of a Prince and the shallow apprehensions of common and ordinary people That as they will ever be judging and censuring so they must needs be obnoxious to error and mistaking The King is now a most Zealous Intercessor for some case and refreshment to all the Protestants in Europe which were unreasonable if he did now execute the rigor of his Laws against the Roman Catholicks Our Viperous Countrymen the English Iesuites in France had many moneths before this favor granted invited the French King by writing a malicious Book to put all the Statutes in execution against the Protestants in those parts which were Enacted in England against the Papists and as they falsly informed severely executed Besides these Papists are no otherwise out of prison then with their shackles about their heels sufficient Sureties and good Recognizances to present themselves at the next Assizes and their own demeanor and the success of his Majesties Negotiations must determine whether they shall continue in this Grace But to conclude from the favor done to the English Papists that the King savors the Romish Religion is a composition of Folly and Malice little deserved by a gratious Prince who by Word Writing Exercise of Religion and Acts of Parliament hath demonstrated himself so resolved a Protestant As for his own Letter to the Iudges he said it recited onely four kindes of Recusancy capable of the Kings clemency not so much to include them as to exclude many other Crimes bearing the name of Recusancy as using the Function of a Romish Priest seducing the Kings Leige-people from the established Religion aspersing the King Church or State or the present Government All which Offences being
kept a footing in his ruined Country The Imperialists laughed to think that the English Garrison should expect Relief by the Orders sent from Spain to Bruxels And when the King had made an offer to sequester the Town of Frankendale into the Infanta's hands upon the same assurance from her which herself had offered before the loss of Manheim which was to restore the place whether a peace with the Emperor or a rupture followed she was fallen away from that proposition and would accept the sequestration only upon a simple trust to render it again at the expiration of eighteen moneths In this state of affairs the King wrote thus to his Ambassador in the Spanish Court. Concerning the unfortunate knotty affair of the Palatinate to say the truth as things now stand we cannot tell what you could have done more then you have already done Moreover he shewed That the reason of his late peremptory Instructions concerning a direct Promise of Restitution was the gross delay at Bruxels while Heidelburgh was taken and Manheim beleaguered As also Gages coming from Rome and in stead of the Dispensation presenting him with new demands to engage him in a Dispute or Treaty with the Pope which he said he never intended Wherefore at the instance and perswasion of his Council he was moved to urge the matter so as to bring it to a sudden period Not but that the precisest of them were always of opinion That if the Match were once concluded the other business would be accommodated to his satisfaction Then was the Ambassador required to stir up that King to use all effectual means for diverting the Translation of the Electorate in the present Diet Likewise to make him an offer of Frankendale by way of sequestration upon condition of restoring it in the case as now it stands whether the Peace succeed or not But in the Diet held at Ratisbone the Emperor declared the Palatine to be the Cause and groundwork of all those Wars and miseries and that the Electorate of this proscribed Enemy being devolved into his hands he had conferred it upon the Duke of Bavaria who in this Cause and service had spent his Treasure and hazarded his blood against his own Nephew the Palsgrave The Protestant Princes desired the Emperor to consider That in so high a Cause as the disposing of an Electorate and so principal a Person in the Colledge of Electors who uncited unheard and without all knowledge of the Cause hath been condemned and against all Equity oppressed by the Publication of the Ban His Imperial Majesty should not have proceeded so rigorously without the advice and consent of the other Electors as was agreed upon in the Capitulation Royal and Fundamental Law of the Empire And since the Diet was called for restoring the Peace of the Empire it were necessary in the first place ro remove the Obstacles those extreme Executions in Bohemia which may make that people desperate and which the Lutheran States following the Augustane Confession have their eyes upon And though it be given out that the severity there exercised is merely for private Justice yet it is so linked with the Publique Cause that unless it be speedily ended and the two Churches in Prague again opened and the free exercise of Religion permitted they can see no sure Peace but desolation and ruine like to follow And for the Prince Palatine seeing he is already sufficiently punished it were commendable in his Imperial Majesty to restore him upon submission to his Lands and Dignities otherwise there is no likelihood of restoring Peace And in transferring the Electorate if it must be so this main thing were to be considered Whether the exclusion of the Palsgrave's person doth exclude his Children who by the providence of their Ancestors before this act of their Father had an hereditary right thereunto Or whether that Prince's Brother or other of the Kindred who have no way offended should be in this case neglected This will be ill resented by the other Electors and Princes allied to the Palatine who have been quiet hitherto upon confidence of the Emperors clemencie But perceiving all hopes of recovering the Electoral Dignity to their Family taken away must needs have recourse to Arms. They further added That the Palatine was young and abused by evil Counsels and no way the Author of the stirrs in Bohemia Wherefore they give their advice That his restoring will quiet the otherwise endless troubles of the Empire and for ever engage him and all his Allies and the whole Electoral Colledge to his Imperial Majesty The Catholick Princes answered That the Palatinate being devolved upon the Emperor he may bestow it according to his own pleasure And that he cannot safely hold any terms of Amity with the Palatine That the impunity of so great an Offender will encourage others to offend And as for by-past sufferings there hath been little difference between his and the Emperors though the Cause were far different And that Mansfeld his General is yet in the Field and prosecutes his Cause by force of Arms. The other Party replied That the security of the Imperial Dignity and the safety of the Empire consisted in the Concord between the Emperor and the Princes Electors And if his Imperial Majesty shall use this rigor the Princes of Lower Saxony are of opinion that there can be no Peace established But this desired Reconciliation will give the Emperor a quiet possession of the Provinces recovered by the aid of the Electors and Princes otherwise there is a fair pretension left for the renewing of the War for that the Palatines Sons and Brother are passed by in the translation of the Electorate and the King of Great Britain cannot but take it ill to see his endeavors produce no better effect but that his onely Daughter and her Children are left in Exile The Emperor takes up the debate and sheweth That before the Ban was published he desired nothing more then that a Diet might be convoked which being impeded by the prosecution of the War he could do no less then publish this Proscription to repress the Palatine which some that now dispute it did then declare to be legal and necessary And this proscribed Enemy he will not restore to the Electoral Dignity nor yet defer to compleat the number of Electors Thus have we good words from Spain and miserable usage from all the rest of the House of Austria Sir Dudley Carlton Ambassador Resident at the Hague assured the Marquis of Buckingham That though the Spanish Ambassador D' Ognat in publique opposed the Emperor in transferring the Electorate yet the judgment generally made upon it was this That it was a meer Patelinage with a secret understanding to abuse King Iames his goodness Likewise the Emperor not content to have chased the Palsgrave out of Germany in the Propositions of the former Diet made this an Article to make War upon the United
by the King and Prince was as followeth WE Ratifying and confirming the aforesaid Treaty and all and every Capitulation contained and specified in the same do approve applaud confirm and ratifie of our certain knowledge all and every of these things in as much as they concern our Selves our Heirs or our Successors And we promise by these presents in the word of a King to kéep fulfil and observe the same and to cause them to be kept fulfilled and observed inviolably firmly well and faithfully effectually Bona fide without all exception and contradiction And we confirm the same with an Oath upon the Holy Evangelists in the presence of the Illustrious and Noble John de Mendoza Charls de Colona Ambassadors of the most Gratious Catholick â—ing residing in our Court. In Testimony and Witness of all and every the premises we have caused our Great Seal to be put to those Articles subscribed by our Hands there in the presence of the most Reverend Father in Christ George Archbishop of Canterbury Primate of all England and the Reverend Father in Christ John Bishop of Lincoln Lord Kéeper of the Great Seal of England Lionel Cranfield Cheif Treasurer of England Henry Uiscount Mandevil President of our Council Edward Earl of Worcester Kéeper of the Privy Seal Lewis Duke of Richmond and Lenox Lord Steward of our Houshold James Marquess Hamilton James Earl of Carlisle Thomas Earl of Kelly Oliver Uiscount Grandeson c. and George Calvert Knight one of our Cheif Secretaries of State and all of our Privy Council Given at our Palace of Westminster c. JACOBUS Rex After this the King did swear to certain private Articles in favor of Papists and for the advancement of the Roman Religion JAMES by the grace of God of Great Britain King Defender of the Faith c. To all to whom this present-writing shall come gréeting Inasmuch as among many other things which are contained within the Treaty of Marriage betwéen our most dear Son Charls Prince of Wales and the most renowned Lady Donna Maria Sister of the most renowned Prince and our welbeloved Brother Philip the Fourth King of Spain It is agréed That we by our Oath shall approve the Articles under-expressed to a word 1. That particular Laws made against Roman Catholicks under which other Vassals of our Realms are not comprehended and to whose observation all generally are not obliged as likewise general Laws under which all are equally comprised if so be they are such which are repugnant to the Romish religion shall not at any time hereafter by any means or chance whatsoever directly or indirectly be commanded to be put in execution against the said Roman Catholicks and we wil cause that our Council shall take the same Oath as far as it pertains to them and belongs to the execution which by the hands of them their Ministers is to be exercised 2. That no other Laws shall hereafter be made anew against the said Roman Catholicks but that there shall be a perpetual Toleration of the Roman Catholick Religion within private houses throughout all our Realms and Dominions which we will have to be understood as well of our Kingdoms of Scotland and Ireland as in England which shall be granted to them in manner and form as is capitulated decreed granted in the Article of the Treaty concerning the Marriage 3. That neither by us nor by any other interposed person whatsoever directly or indirectly privately or publikely will we treat or attempt any thing with the most renowned Lady Infanta Donna Maria which shall be repugnant to the Romish Catholick religion Neither will we by any means perswade her that she should ever renounce or relinquish the same in substance or form or that she should do any thing repugnant or contrary to those things which are contained in the Treaty of Matrimony 4. That We and the Prince of Wales will interpose our authority and will do as much as in us shall lie that the Parliament shall approve confirm and ratifie all and singular Articles in favor of the Roman Catholicks capitulated between the most renowned Kings by reason of this Marriage And that the said Parliament shall revoke and abrogate particular Laws made against the said Roman Catholicks to whose observance also the rest of our Subjects and Vassals are not obliged as likewise the general Laws under which all are equally comprehended to wit as to the Roman Catholicks if they be such as is aforesaid which are repugnant to the Roman Catholick Religion And that hereafter we will not consent that the said Parliament should ever at any time enact or write any other new Laws against Roman Catholicks MOreover I Charls Prince of Wales engage my self and promise that the most Illustrious King of Great Britain my most honored Lord and Father shall do the same both by word and writing That all those things which are contained in the foregoing Articles and concern as well the suspension as the abrogation of all Laws made against the Roman Catholicks shall within thrée years infallibly take effect and sooner if it be possible which we will have to lie upon our Conscience and Royal honor That I will intercede with the most illustrious King of G. Britain my father that the ten years of the education of the children which shall be born of this marriage with the most illustrious Lady Infanta their mother accorded in the 23 Art which term the Pope of Rome desires to have prorogued to twelve years may be lengthened to the said term And I promise fréely and of my own accord and swear That if it so happen that the entire power of disposing of this matter be dâ—volved to me I will also grant and approve the said term Furthermore I Prince of Wales oblige my self upon my faith to the Catholick King That as often as the most illustrious Lady Infanta shall require that I should give ear to Divines or others whom her Highness shall be pleased to employ in matter of the Roman Catholick religion I will hearken to them willingly without all difficulty and laying aside all excuse And for further caution in point of the frée exercise of the Catholick religion and the suspension of the Law above-named I Charls Prince of Wales promise and take upon me in the word of a King that the things above promised and treated concerning those matters shall take effect and be put in execution as well in the Kingdoms of Scotland and Ireland as of England The Privy-Councellors Oath was this I A.B. do swear That I will truly and fully observe as much as belongeth to me all and every of the Articles which are contained in the Treaty of Marriage betwéen the most gracious Charls Prince of Wales and the most gracious Lady Donna Maria Infanta of Spain Likewise I swear that I will neither commit to execution nor cause to be executed either by my self or by any inferior Officer serving me any
Laws made against any Roman Catholick whatsoever nor will execute any punishment inflicted by any of those Laws but in all things which belong to me will faithfully observe his Majesties word given in that behalf But in the taking of the solemn Publick Oath it is said there arose a difficulty between the King and the Spanish Ambassadors concerning the Popes title Most holy which the King refused to pronounce openly in the Chappel at Whitehall alleadging that it was repugnant to his Religion and might be an impeachment to his honor But the Ambassadors would proceed no further till the King had yielded to give him that Title There was another rub which the King soon removed The Ambassadors had heard that in the Kings Chappel when they should come to see the swearing of the Articles they should be present at such Prayers and Singing as were used in the Protestant Church whereunto they declared that they could not yield since the end of their coming thither was to maintain and warrant the Catholick Apostolical and Roman Church Whereupon the King commanded that nothing should then be sung but what was chanted when the Constable of Castile did swear the Peace between the two Crowns which was a Hymn of Joy in praise of Peace At that time England had swarms of Priests and Jesuites who were busie in drawing the people from the Protestant religion And a titular Bishop of Calcedon privately came to London to exercise Episcopal jurisdiction over the Catholicks of this Kingdom 'T is said that King Iames had now so much confidence of the Match as to say openly in the Court That now all the Devils in hell could not break it In Spain the Infanta was stiled the Princess of England and was kept no longer in her Virgin-retirements In England a Chappel was building for her at S. James and Don Carlos de Colona laid the first stone Her Picture was every-where to be seen and a Fleet was prepared for her passage And the greatest Enemies to this Alliance submitted to the Kings will But in all this Capitulation between the two Crowns hitherto the Restitution of the Palatinate was laid aside the King conceiving that the Consummation of the Match would overrule and settle that affair to his entire satisfaction In the height of the Spanish Treaty there was a notable Letter writ from Mr. Alured to the Duke perswading him not only to endeavor the breaking off the Match with Spain but also the preventing of any Match with a Princess of a different Religion THe Parable in the Gospel said he tells of a great King that married his Son and bade many thereunto yea upon the excusal of some and reâ—usal of others all of whatsoever condition as well out of the high-ways as the high-places were called and invited As every true Christian hath an interest in the Marriage of that Kings Son of Heaven so every good Subject as well as every great Subject hath an interest in the Marriage and welfare of the Kings Son here on Earth Which occasions so many and me the meanest of those many to wish that it may bring with it glory to Him on high good will and peace to those on earth Which is much doubted cannot be from Spain since the motioning of that Match makes a general fear that it can neither be safe for the Kings person nor good for his Church and Commonwealth because that thereby there may be an inlet to the Romish Locusts who like the Cankerworm may in an instant smite our Gourd under whose shadow we sit safe To address this poor discourse to your Lordships more particular Kings have almost ever used to have their Favorites Alexander had long since his Ephestion and Henry the Third of France of late his Espernon and Philip of Spain had since his Lermas Yea the best Princes have not wanted them For after the reckoning of David's great Officers Hushai the Archyte is called the Kings Friend and Ira the Iarite is set down to have been Chief about David Which stands to Reason and agrees with Nature For every private man is left to affect as he likes neither can Affection be forced Now to disallow or confine that in a King which is left at liberty in the meanest Subject were preposterous and injurious For though they command Nations as they are Kings yet they are subject to their Passions as they are men And if I may alleadge it without misinterpretation of others as I am free from ill meaning my self Who knows but Christ the rather to shew himself a Natural man expressed so much â—he more his Passion in his often weeping and his Affection to divers particulars but especially to S. John if I may not say his Favorite certainly the Disciple whom Iesus loved more then any of the rest It is Gods blessing and your happiness if you account it so to be the Kings Favorite As Peter therefore not presuming to ask Christ who it was he spake of beckoned to the Disciple whom Iesus loved on whose breast he leaned to ask for him so since most men neither may or ought to be so bold to ask or advise the King in this business so much spoken of yet they point at you who the higher you are in the Kings favor the more you are in the Peoples eye and observation and they expect you will not be wanting in the duty of a Subject a Councellor and a Favorite We do not read of any servant almost better respected of his Lord and Master then Eliezar of Damascus whom Abraham had meant had he died childless to have made his heir and we read not of any service he did Abraham more at least greater then in choice of a Wife for his son Isaac Among the Servants of our Patriarch the Defender of our Faith we observe none better respected then your self For the King hath manifested he loves not your person only but takes care for your soul and labors to make you as good as great and as happy in another world as high in this Yet we know not wherein you can do him better service then with Eliezar to help to choose a Rebeccah for our hopeful Prince We have not heard said he of any Protestant King that ever married with a contrary Religion save the last Henry of Navar with the last Margaret of France which Marriage so unfortunate to the parties having never Issue and being afterwards divorced was also so fatal to our Religion that there was more Blood spilt at those Nuptials then Wine spent For while the Protestants dreamed of the glory and security they should have by the Match they were most miserably massacred And who doubts but what the French Papists committed in their own Country upon that colour and occasion the Spanish Papists would be glad to see done in this Kingdom upon the like For without breach of charity we may doubt of their sincere meaning though there be
against the Countrey or Dominion which of right appertain and are in truth the just and lawful possession of the King of Spain or the Lady Infanta Isabella And in case any such Hostility shall be acted contrary to this his Majesties intention all such Commissions which shall be granted to that purpose by the said Count Mansfield his Majesty doth declare to be void and that all payments shall cease That on the contrary if Obedience be given hereunto the King wisheth the Count all good success for the recovery of the Palatinate and reestablishment of the Peace in Germany against the Duke of Bavaria and those that are the troublers of the Peace And for the performance hereof the King caused Count Mansfield to take an Oath That he would conform according to the Contents of the said Commission and Declaration of his Majesty which Oath was almost in Terminis of what is before expressed This Army consisting of Twelve Regiments was intended to Land in France but being ready for Transport the French notwithstanding their Promise and the Treaty of Marriage demurred yet not plainly denied their passage Nevertheless the whole Army was shipped and put over to Calice and after a tedious stay in hope yet to land and pass through the Countrey they were forced to set sail for Zealand Neither were they suffered to land there coming so unexpectedly upon the States and in a hard Season for Provision of Victuals Thus they were long pent up in the Ships and suffered the want of all Necessaries by which means a Pestilence came among them and raged extreamly so that they were thrown into the Sea by Multitudes insomuch that scarce a Third part of the men were landed the which also afterward mouldred away and the Design came to nothing The Papist formerly danted by the Breach of the Spanish Match was now again revived by the Marriage-Treaty with France And at this time upon the Death of William Titular Bishop of Calcedon most of the English Secular Priests did Petition the Pope that another Bishop might be sent over into England there to Ordain Priests give Confirmation and exercise Episcopal Jurisdiction Among others Matthew Kellison and Richard Smith were presented And though the Regulars were opposite to the Seculars in this matter yet those of the Order of St. Benedict joyned with the Seculars and Rudesin Barlo President of the English Benedictines at Doway wrote a Letter in their behalf to the Congregation at Rome named of the Propagation of the Faith Dated the Twelfth of December One thousand six hundred twenty and four In which Letter was this passage That there were above Sixty Benedictine Monks in England and that it is not to be doubted said he For that it is already seen the good success under the First Bishop That another Bishop being Constituted there would be more joyful fruits within one two years in the English Mission then hitherto hath been for Sixty years now elapsed But not long after the Episcopal party prevailing Pope Urban the Eight created Richard Smith Bishop of Calcedon and sent him into England with Episcopal Authority over the Priests within the English Dominions King Iames after he had been troubled with a Tertian Fevor four Weeks finding himself near the end of his days called unto him Charles Prince of Wales his onely Son to whom he recommended the Protection of the Church of England advised him to love his Wife but not her Religion and exhorted him to take special care of his Grand-Children the Children of the Elector Palatine by his Daughter and to employ the power he left him to reestablish them in the Estate and Dignities of their Father And lastly he recommended to him his Officers who had faithfully served him and on the Seven and twentieth of March gave up the ghost And shortly after Bishop Laud delivered to the hands of the Duke of Buckingham brief Annotations or Memorables of the Life and Death of King Iames viz. I. HE was a King almost from his Birth II. His great Clemency that he should Reign so long and so moderately that knew nothing else but to Reign III. The difficult times in Scotland during his Minority as much perplexed with Church as State Factions IV. His admirable Patience in those yonger times and his Wisdom to go by those many and great difficulties till God opened him the ways to his just Inheritance of this Crown V. His peaceable Entry into this Kingdom contrary to the fears at home and the hopes abroad not without Gods great blessing both on him and us VI. His Ability as strong in Grace as Nature to forgive some Occurrences VII The continuance of full Two and twenty years reign all in Peace without War from Foreign Enemy or Rebellion at home VIII The infinite advantage which people of all sorts might have brought to themselves and the enriching of the State if they would have used such a Government with answerable care and not made the worst use of peace IX Gods great mercy over him in many deliverances from private Conspirators and above the rest that which would have blown up his Posterity and the State by Gun-powder X. That in all this time of his Reign of England he took away the life of no one Nobleman but restored many XI That the sweetness of his nature was scarce to be paralleld by any other XII It is little less then a Miracle that so much sweetness should be found in so great a heart as besides other things sickness and death it self shewed to be in him XIII Clemency Mercy Justice and holding the State in Peace have ever been accounted the great Vertues of Kings and they were all eminent in him XIV He was not onely a preserver of Peace at home but the great Peace-maker abroad to settle Christendom against the common enemy the Turk which might have been a glorious work if others had been as true to him as he was to the common good XV. He was in private to his Servants the best Master that ever was and the most free XVI He was the justest Man that could sit between parties and as patient to hear XVII He was bountiful to the highest pitch of a King XVIII He was the greatest Patron to the Church which hath been in many Ages XIX The most Learned Prince that his Kingdom hath ever known for matters of Religion XX. His integrity and soundness in Religion to write and speak believe and do live and die one and the same and all Orthodox XXI His tender love to the King his Son our most gratious Soveraign that now is and his constant Reverence in performance of all duties to his Father the greatest Blessing and greatest Example of this and many Ages XXII The Education of his Majesty whom we now enjoy and I hope and pray we may long and in happiness enjoy to be an able King as Christendom hath any the very first day of his Reign the benefit whereof is
was done to this effect THat our Soveraign Lord King Iames of Famous Memory at the Suit of both Houses of Parliament and by the powerful operation of his Majesty that now is gave consent to break off the Two Treaties with Spain touching the Match and the Palatinate and to vindicate the many wrongs and scorns done unto his Majesty and his Royal Children Besides if the King of Spain were suffered to proceed in his Conquests under pretence of the Catholick Cause he would become the Catholick Monarch which he so much affects and aspires unto Also amidst these Necessities our late King considered That he might run a hazard with his people who being so long inured to Peace were unapt to War that the uniting with other Provinces in this undertaking was a Matter of exceeding Difficulty This drew him to new Treaties for regaining his Children right which were expulsed by the Friends and Agents of Spain and wherein his Majesty proceeded as far as the wisest Prince could go and suffered himself to be won unto that which otherwise was impossible for his Royal Nature to endure He considered also the many Difficulties abroad the Duke of Bavaria by Force and Contract had the Palatinate in his own possession most of the Electors and Princes of Germany were joyned with him The Estates of the other Princes most likely to joyn in a War of Recovery were seized and secured and all by a Conquering Army Besides the Emperor had called a Diet in which he would take away all possibility of recovering the Honor and Inheritance of the Palatinate thus it stood in Germany And in France the King there chose to sheath his Sword in the Bowels of his own Subjects rather then to declare against the Catholick Cause In the Low-Countreys the Sect of the Arminians prevailed much who inclined to the Papists rather then to their own safety notwithstanding that the Enemy had a great and powerful Army near them so that his Majesty was inforced to Protect and Countenance them with an Army of Six thousand from hence with a Caution of the like Supply from thence if required Moreover he sought Alliance with France by a Match for his Royal Majesty that now is thereby to have Interest in that King and to make him a Party The last consideration was his Majesties own Honor who had labored with the two Kings of Denmark and Sweden and the German Princes from whom he received but cold Answers they refusing to joyn unless they first saw his Majesty in the Field But of this he was very tender unless the League were broken or he first warred upon The Forces of an Army were considered and the way of proceeding whether by Invasion or Diversion The Charges thereof appeared in Parliament to be Seven hundred thousand pounds a year besides Ireland was to be fortified the Forts here repaired and a Navy prepared he thought it feasible to enter into a League with the French King and the Duke of Savoy and Venice Hereupon an Army was committed to Count Mansfield the charge whereof came to Seventy thousand pounds a Moneth for his Majesties part also he commanded the preparing of this great Fleet All which so heartned the Princes of Germany that they sent Ambassadors to the Kings of Denmark and Sweden and those two Kings offered a greater Army both of Horse and Foot to which his Majesty was to pay a proportion Count Mansfields Army though disastrous produced these happy effects First It prevented the Diet intended by the Emperor Secondly The German Princes gained new courage to defend themselves and oppose their Enemies Thirdly The King of Denmark hath raised an Army with which he is marched in person as far as Minden Moreover the Confederates of France and Italy have prosecuted a War in Milan and Peace is now made by the French King with his own Subjects so that by this means breath is given to our Affairs This Parliament is not called in meer Formality upon his Majesties first coming to the Crown but upon these Real Occasions to consult with the Lords and Commons Two Subsidies are already given and gratiously accepted but the Moneys thereof and much more are already disbursed A Fleet is now at Sea and hastning to their Rendezvous the Army is ready at Plimouth expecting their Commanders His Majesties Honor Religion and the Kingdomes safety is here engaged besides he is certainly advised of Designs to infest his Dominions in Ireland and upon our own Coasts and of the Enemies increase of Shipping in all parts These things have called the Parliament hither and the present Charge of all amounts to above Four hundred thousand pounds the further prosecution whereof the King being unable to bear hath left it to their Consultations His Majesty is verily perswaded That there is no King that loves his Subjects Religion and the Laws of the Land better then himself and likewise that there is no people that better loves their King which he will cherish to the uttermost It was thought that this place had been safe for this Assembly yet since the Sickness hath brought some fear thereof his Majesty willeth the Lords and Commons to put into the Ballance with the fear of the Sickness his and their great and weighty occasions Then the Lord Treasurer added That the late King when he died was indebted to the City of London 120000 l. besides Interest and indebted for Denmark and the Palatinate 150000 l. and indebted for his Wardrobe 40000 l. That these debts lie upon his Majesty that now is who is indebted upon London 70000 l. That he hath laid out for his Navy 20000 l. and 20000 l. for Count Mansfield And for Mourning and Funeral expences for his Father 42000 l. For expences concerning the Queen 40000. The Navy will require to set it forth in that Equipage as is requisit for the great Design his Majesty hath in hand and to pay them for the time intended for this Expedition 300000 l. After this Conference the Commons fell into high Debates alleaging That the Treasury was mis-employed that evil Councels guided the Kings Designs that our Necessities arose through Improvidence that they had need to Petition the King for a strait hand and better Counsel to Manage his Affairs And though a former Parliament did engage the King in a War yet if things were managed by contrary Designs and the Treasure misemployed This Parliament is not bound by another Parliament to be carried blindfold in Designs not guided by sound Counsel and that it is was not usual to grant Subsidies upon Subsidies in one Parliament and no Grievances redressed There were many Reflections upon the Dukes miscarriages likewise they reassumed the Debate concerning Montague and they resolved That Religion should have the first place in their Debates and next unto it the Kingdoms Safety and then Supplies Other particulars were likewise insisted on That the King be desired to Answer in full Parliament to the Petition
Majesty will be likewise pleased strictly to command all your Iudges and Ministers of Iustice Ecclesiastical and Temporal to sée the Laws of this Realm against Popish Recusants to be duly executed And namely that the Censure of Excommunication be declared and certified against them and that they be not absolved but upon publick satisfaction by yielding to Conformity Answ. His Majesty leaves the Lawes to their Course and will order in the point of Excommunication as is desired X. That your Majesty will be pleased to remove from places of Authority and Government all such persons as are either Popish Recusants or according to direction of former Acts of State to be justly suspected Answ. This his Majesty thinks fit and will give order for it XI That present order be taken for disarming all Popish Recusants legally convicted or justly suspected according to the Laws in that behalf and the Orders taken by his late Majesties Privy-Council upon reason of State Answ. The Laws and Acts in this Case shall be followed and put in due execution XII That your Majesty be also pleased in respect of the great resort of Recusants to and about London to command forthwith upon pain of your indignation and severe execution of the Laws that they retire themselves to their several Countries there to remain confined within Five miles of their places Answ. For this the Laws in force shall be forthwith executed XIII And whereas your Majesty hath strictly commanded and taken order that none of the natural born Subjects repair to the hearing of Masses or other Superstitious Service at the Chappels or Houses of Foreign Ambassadors or in any other places whatsoever we give your Majesty most humble thanks and desire that your Order and Commandment therein may be continued and observed and that the Offenders herein may be punished according to the Laws Answ. The King gives assent thereto and will see that observed which herein hath been commanded by him XIV That all such Insolencies as any that are Popishly affected have lately committed or shall hereafter commit to the dishonor of our Religion or to the wrong of the true Professors thereof be exemplarily punished Answ. This shall be done as is desired XV. That the Statute of 1 Eliz. for the payment of Twelve-pence every Sunday by such as shall be absent from Divine service in the Church without a lawfull excuse may be put in due execution the rather for that the penalty by Law is given to the poor and therefore not to be dispenced withal Answ. It is fit that this Statute be executed and the Penalties shall not be dispenced withal XVI Lastly That your Majesty would be pleased to extend your Princely care also over the Kingdom of Ireland that the like courses may be there taken for the restoring and establishing of true Religion Answ. His Majesties cares are and shall be extended over the Kingdom of Ireland and he will do all that a Religious King should do for the restoring and establishing of true Religion there And thus most gracious Soveraign according to our duty and zeal to God and Religion to your Majesty and your safety to the Church and Common-wealth and their peace and prosperity we have made a faithfull Declaration of the present Estate the causes and remedies of this increasing disease of Popery humbly offering the same to your Princely care and wisdom The Answer of your Majesties Father our late Soveraign of famous memory upon the like Petition did give us great comfort of Reformation but your Majesties most gracious promises made in that kinde do give us confidence and assurance of the continual performance thereof In which comfort and confidence reposing our selves we most humbly pray for your Majesties long continuance in all Princely felicity The Petition and Answer being read it was further intimated to the Commons That as his Majesty took well their minding him of the care of Religion so he would have done and granted the same things though they had never petitioned him neither doth he place his Answer to this Petition as a wheel to draw on other affairs and designs but he leaves them to move in their own Sphere and what he hath done in this particular comes from these two Fountains Conscience and Duty to his Father who in his last speech recommended unto him the Person but not the Religion of his Queen At the same time the Duke signified to both Houses that by the Kings command he was to give an account of the Fleet and the preparations thereof and said that the first and last time he had the happiness to speak in that Auditory it was of the Spanish Treaty and then he was so happy as to be honored and applauded by both Houses of Parliament and he made no question but speaking now with the same heart he should be no less acceptable to them And he made this request to the House of Commons to believe that if any hath spoken or shall speak in discharge of his conscience his zeal of Reformation any thing which may seem to reflect upon some particular persons he shall be the last man that will apply this to himself because he is confidently assured of two things first that they are just not to fall upon him without cause and secondly that himself shall do nothing that unbecomes a faithfull Englishman And for the Method of his ensuing Discourse he chose rather to speak by way of Objection and Answer then in one continued Speech as a speedier means to give the Commons satisfaction Object 1. By what Counsel those Designs and Actions of War were carried and enterprised Answ. By the Counsel of the Parliament appointed according to the Act of both Houses the 23. of March 1623. by those Counsels his Majesty was guided and applied himself accordingly for the defence of the Realm the securing of Ireland the assisting of our Neighbors and others our Friends and Allies and for the setting forth the Navy-Royal His Majesty looking into his purse saw enough to do all the former Actions but not this latter For when he came to consider of the Navy there was neither money nor preparations yet looking upon the Affairs of Christendom he found that of most necessity Hereupon his Majesty of famous memory did him viz. the Duke the honor as to write from Newmarket to him at London a Letter to this effect That looking into the Affairs of Christendom he found it necessary that a Royal-Fleet shouâ—d be prepared and set in readiness but that he had no Money wherefore himself meaning the Duke and his Friends must begin to lay it out and no doubt but others would follow and by this means the King might lie the longer concealed and undiscovered in the Enterprise as bearing the name of the Subject onely and other Princes in hope to draw him on would sooner come to the business Upon this Letter the Duke said he leaped into the Action with all alacrity and
and he will improve it to your honor and the good of Religion as you issue nothing that is loss so you will bring home something that is gain and henceforward maintain the War by the perquisites thereof make but once an Entrance it may afterwards be maintained with profit when the Enemy is declared you may have Letters of Mart none shall be denied I have not been so idle but I shall make Propositions of advantage whither your selves may go and shall have the honey of the business August 9. 1625. After the Commons returned from the House of Lords they made Report of this Business unto the House which occasioned variety of Opinions Some were for giving the King present Supply who had made so gracious an Answer to the Petition for Religion and given direction that the same should be Inrolled pressing further That this Supply was not for the Kings own particular Wants but for the Honor and Defence of the Kingdom and that it might prove dangerous not to comply with the King in a modest and just desire Others were of a contrary minde and said It was requisite to present to his Majesty the means how he may live glorious at home and how he may be feared abroad by having his Designs better mannaged and an Enemy Declared Then may spurs be added to the Sea-horse and the King of Spain infested at a lesser charge and we better secured from Papists at home whose hearts are knit with the Spaniard and whose Estates may liberally contribute to the War and the great Sums given for Honors and Offices would go far in setting forth a Fleet at Sea and the Subject not be always importuned for Supply But the further Debate of this Business was put off till the next day being Wednesday the Tenth of August The next day the King sends a Message to the Commons wherein he takes notice that the House intended to enter into Consideration of divers heads concerning the King and the Common-wealth that he was pleased with their good intentions but desired them to consider his Affairs which require a speedy dispatch the season of the year was far spent yet the time not unseasonable for the Design that if the Plague should happen in the Navy the Action would be lost that if any of the House should be touched with the sickness much inconvenience would ensue by an abrupt breaking up therefore desires a present Answer about Supply if not he will take more care of the Commons then they will of themselves and will make as good a shift for himself as he can to go through with this present occasion and offereth that the Parliament shall meet again in Winter at what time they please upon his Royal word and hold together till they have perfected all things for the good of the Common-wealth and the King which are now in conception and desires them to consider it was the first Request that ever he made unto them Hereupon some earnestly pressed the giving of two Subsidies and two Fifteens his Majesties honor and the Necessity of his Affairs requiring it as it appeared out of Considerations already frequently represented Others replied that Necessity is a dangerous Counsellor and is a continual Argument of Supplies in all Parliaments that those Counsellors who have put the King and Kingdom into such a Necessity and hazard ought to answer for it whosoever they be that if the State of things will not admit a Redress of Grievances surely there is not so much necessity for money to give Subsidy upon Subsidy in one Parliament is not usual in the Eighteenth year of Henry the third there was one punished for pressing of more Subsidies when Subsidies had been granted before in that Parliament In the end it was proposed that a Report be made to the King that they have regard to his Honor Necessity and Safety and the safety of the Kingdom and that they will assist his Majesty in any honorable Action grounded upon sound Councils and that something be drawn up in writing to that purpose accordingly the House agreed upon a short Declaration which was assented unto without a Negative WE the Knights Cittzens and Burgesses of the Commons House of Parliament being the Representative body of the whole Commons of this Realm abundantly comforted in his Majesties late gracious Answer touching Religion and his Message for the care of our health do Solemnly protest and vow before God and the world with one heart and voice that we are all resolved and do hereby declare that we will ever continue most Loyal and obedient Subjects to our most gracious Soveraign Lord King Charles and that we will be ready in convenient time and in a Parliamentary way freely and dutifully to do our utmost endeavors to discover and reform the Abuses and Grievances of the Realm and State and in like sort of afford all necessary Supply to his most Excellent Majesty upon his present and all other his just Occasions and Designs most humbly beseeching our said Dear and Dread Soveraign in his Princely wisdom and goodness to rest assured of the true and hearty affections of his poor Commons and to esteem the same to be as we conceive it is indeed the greatest worldly reputation and security that a just King can have and to accompt all such as slanderers of the peoples affections and Enemies to the Common-wealth that shall dare to say the contrary This Declaration was sent to the King by such of the Privy-Council as were Members of the House Notwithstanding the King perceiving the House resolved against Supply without Redress of Grievances and in their Debates to reflect upon some great Persons near unto him the 12th of August sent to the House of Peers a Commission directed to several Lords for the Dissolution of the Parliament whereupon the Gentleman-Usher was commanded to signifie to the Speaker of the House of Commons that the Lords had received his Majesties Commission which was read unto both Houses whereupon the Commons with their Speaker went up presently to the Lords heard the Commission read and the Parliament declared to be dissolved At this Parliament begun and holden by Prorogation at Westminster the 18th day of Iune Anno Regis Caroli Primo 1625. these Acts were passed 1. AN Act for the punishing of divers Abuses committed on the Lords-Day commonly called Sunday 2. An Act to enable the King to make Leases of Lands parcel of the Dutchy of Cornwal 3. An Act for the ease of obtaining Licenses of Alienation and in the pleading of Alienations with licence or of Pardons of Alienations without licence in the Court of Exchequer or elsewhere 4. An Act to restrain Tipling in Inns and Ale-houses 5. An Act for the Subsidy of the Clergy 6. An Act for the two Subsidies of the Temporalty 7. An Act that this Session of Parliament shall not determine by his Majesties assent to this and some other Acts. 8. An Act
Lordships according to the unanimous Advice of all the Iudges of England and his Majesties pleasure signified therein That the First Article propounded viz. You shall do all your pain and diligence to destroy and make to cease all manner of Heresies and Errors commonly called Lollaries within in your Bayliwick from time to time to all your power and assist and be helping to all Ordinaries and Commissioners of the Holy Church and favor and maintain them as oftentimes as you shall be required shall be left out in the Oath to be given to Sir Edward Cook and shall ever hereafter be left out in all Oaths to be given to the High Sheriffs of Counties hereafter And their Lordships do likewise Order according to the unanimous Advice of all the Iudges of England That the other thrée Articles doubted of shall stand in the said Oath to be ministred to the said Sir Edward Cook and to all other High Sheriffs as heretofore hath béen accustomed and that the Lord Keeper do give order to such Officers and Clerks in the Court of Chancery to whom it appertained to make out the Oath for the time to come according to present Order The expectation of a Parliament gave encouragement to the Bishop of Lincoln who yet retained the name of Lord Keeper notwithstanding his Sequestration several moneths before from the presence of the King the Council Table and the custody of the Seal to make an Address to his Majesty for a favorable interpretation of his actions But his carriage towards the Duke at the Parliament at Oxford was fresh in memory where the Bishop told the Duke in Christ-Church upon the Dukes rebuking him for siding against him That he was engaged with William Earl of Pembroke to labor the Redress of the Peoples Grievances and was resolved to stand upon his own Legs If that be your resolution said the Duke Look you stand fast and so they parted and shortly after that he was sequestred though the Seal was not disposed from him till the Thirtieth of October at which time it was given to Sir Thomas Coventry at Hampton-Court who was that day sworn of the Privy Council and sate there and sealed some Writs and afterwards came to the Term at Reading and sate there as Lord Keeper and heard Causes The King being pressed with his own Necessities and the Cry of the Nation against the Fruitless Voyage of Cadiz summoned a Parliament to meet in February and before the time of meeting his Majesty enjoyned the Archbishops and Bishops in both Provinces to proceed against Popish Recusants by Excommunication and other Censures of the Church and not to omit any lawful means of bringing them to Publick Justice especially he recommended to their vigilant care the unmasking and repressing of those who were not professed Papists yet disaffected to the true Religion and kept close their evil and dangerous affection and by secret means and slights did encourage and advance the growth of Popery This Command was seconded by a Proclamation requiring That all Convicted Papists should according to the Laws of this Realm remain confined to their dwelling places or within five miles thereof unless upon special Licences first obtained in Cases necessary Immediately before the Parliament Bishop Laud procured the Duke of Buckingham to sound the King concerning the Cause Books and Tenets of Mr. Richard Montague and understanding by what the Duke collected That the King had determined within himself to leave him to a Tryal in Parliament he said I seem to see a Cloud arising and threatning the Church of England God for his Mercy dissipate it About the same time the King declared his purpose to celebrate the Solemnity of his Coronation on Candlemas-day at the Palace of Westminster and required all persons who by reason of their Offices and Tenures were bound to perform any Duties at the Solemnitie to give their attendance and to be furnished in all respects answerable to an action of so high State according to their places and dignities Wherefore by a Commission under the Great Seal of England Sir Thomas Coventry Lord Keeper of the Great Seal Iames Lord Say High Treasurer of England Edward Earl of Worcester Keeper of the Privy Seal Thomas Earl of Arundel and Surrey Earl Marshal of England William Earl of Pembroke Lord High Chamberlain Edward Earl of Dorset and Sir Randol Crew Cheif Justice of the Common Pleas were authorised to receive and determine the Claims exhibited by any Person concerning Services to be performed at the approaching Coronation And the more to credit the Solemnity the King resolving to make certain of his Servants and other Subjects in regard of their Birth good Service and other Qualities Knights of the Bath Authorised Thomas Earl of Arundel and Surrey and Earl Marshal of England William Earl of Pembroke Lord Chamberlain to perform in his Majesties Name and behalf all the Rites and Ceremonies belonging thereto At the same time Writs were directed to all Sheriffs in the Realm of England and Dominions of Wales commanding them to make Proclamation That all such as had Forty pounds a year or more of Lands or Revenues in their own hands or the hands of Feoffees for their use for the space of Three years and are not yet Knights do at their perils prepare to present themselves in his Majesties Presence by the One and thirtieth of Ianuary to receive the Order of Knighthood Upon the asswaging of the great Pestilence through the Mercy and Goodness of God in withdrawing and almost removing the Scourge the King by His Royal Authority ordained a Publick and General Thanksgiving to be celebrated upon the Nine and twentieth of Ianuary being the Lords day in the Cities of London and Westminster and the places adjacent and on the Nineteenth of February in all other places of the Kingdom the manner and form whereof was prescribed by a Book composed by the Bishops according to his Majesties special Direction The Contagion ceasing the restraint enjoyned to the Citizens of London from resorting to Fairs for a time was taken off The number of those that died this year within and without the Walls of the City of London and in the Liberties and Nine out Parishes from the Sixteenth of December 24. to the Fifteenth of December 25. Was in Total Fifty four thousand two hundred sixty and five whereof of the Plague Thirty five thousand four hundred and seventeen On Candlemas-day King Charls was Crowned Bishop Laud had the cheif hand in compiling the Form of the Coronation and had the honor to perform this Solemnity instead of the late Lord Keeper Williams who through the Kings disfavor was sequestred from this Service which belonged to his place as he was Dean of Westminster Mr. Iohn Cosens as Master of the Ecclesiastical Ceremonies kneeled behinde the Bishop when the Prayers were read and directed the Quire when to answer The Ceremony in going to and all the
to the performance of this weighty and publick Charge wherein as I do and shall to the end most humbly desire your gratious acceptance of my good intentions and endeavors So I could not but gather some confidence to my self that your Majesty will look favorably upon the works of your own hands And in truth besides this particular these publick things which are obvious to every Understanding are so many Arguments of Comfort and Encouragement where I contemplate and take a view of those great and inestimable blessings which by the goodness of God we do enjoy under your Majesties most pious and prudent Government If we behold the frame and the face of the Government in general we live under a Monarchy the best of Governments the nearest resemblance unto the Divine Majesty which the Earth affords the most agreeable to Nature and that in which other States and Republicks do easily fall and reverse into the Ocean and are naturally dissolved as into their Primam Materiam The Laws by which we are governed are above any value my words can set upon them time hath refined and approved them they are equal at least to any Laws Humane and so curiously framed and fitted that as we live under a temperate climate so the Laws are temperate yielding a due observance to the Prerogative Royal and yet preserving the Right and Liberty of the Subject That which Tacitus saith of two of the best Emperors Res olim insociabiles miscuerunt imperium libertas and so far is this from the least diminution of Soveraigns that in this your Majesty is truly stiled Pater Patriae and the greatest King in the World that is King of such and so many Free-born Subjects whose persons you have not onely power over but which is above the greatest of Kings to command their hearts If time or corruption of manners breed any Mists or Grievance or discover any defects in the Law they are soon reformed by Parliament the greatest Court of Justice and the greatest Council of the Kingdom to which all other Courts and Councils are subordinate Here your Royal Person sits inthroned in the Seat of Majesty attended by a Reverend and Learned Prelacy a great and full Nobility inthroned like Stars in the Firmament some of a greater some of a lesser magnitude full of light and beauty and acknowledging to whom they owe their lustre and by a choise number of worthy Knights and Gentlemen that represent the whole body of your Commons But to leave generals We live not under a Monarchy only the best of Goverments and under a Government the best of Monarchies but under a King the best of Monarchs Your Royal Person and those eminent graces and vertues which are inherent in your Person in whom Greatness and Goodness contend for superiority it were presumption in me to touch though with never so good a meaning they will not be bounded within the narrow compass of my discourse And such Pictures of such a King are not to be made in Limning but for Publick things and actions which the least eye may see and discern and in them obliquely and by reflexion cheerfully and with comfort behold your Person What Age shall not record and eternise your Princely magnanimities in that Heroick action or venturous Journey into Spain or hazarding your Person to preserve the Kingdom Fathers will tell it to their children in succession After-ages will then think it a Fable Your piety to the Memory of your dear Father in following and bedewing his Herse with your tears is full in every mans memory The Publick Humiliation when Gods hand lay heavy upon us and the late Publick Thanksgiving to Almighty God for removing his hand both commanded and performed in person by your Majesty is a work in piety not to be forgotten and I trust the Lord will remember them and reward them with mercy and blessing to your Majesty and the whole Kingdom Your love to Justice and your care in the administration of Justice we all behold with comfort and rejoice to see it The great Courts of Justice from the highest to the lowest furnished with Judges of that wisdom and gravity learning and integrity The Thrones of Kings are established by Justice and may it establish and I doubt not but it will establish the Throne of your Majesty in your Person and in your Royal Line to the end of time But above all and indeed it is above all as far as Heaven is distant from Earth your care and zeal for the advancement of Gods true Religion and Worship are cleerly and fully exprest and do appear both in your Person and by your many Publick Acts and Edicts It is true that is said of Princes Quod faciunt praecipiunt Of your Majesty both are true and a Proposition made convertible We have received a most gracious Answer from your Majesty to all our late Petitions concerning Religion seconded with a Publick Declaration under the Great Seal and Inrolled in all the Courts of Justice for your Royal pleasure and direction to awaken and put life into these Laws by a careful Execution with provision that the Penalties be not converted to your Private Coffers and yet the Coffers of Kings are not Private Coffers but by your express direction set apart to Publick uses such as concern the immediate Defence of the Kingdom wherein we all have our share and interest Your Royal Proclamation hath commanded those Romish Priests and Jesuites to Banishment those Incendiaries that infect the State of this Church and Commonwealth Their very entrance into this Kingdom is by a just and provident Law made Treason their aims being in truth how specious soever their pretences be nothing else but to plot and contrive Treason against the State and to seduce your Natural born Subjects from their true obedience nourishing in their posterities Factions and Seditions Witness those many Treasons and Conspiracies against the person of that glorious Lady whose memory will never die and that horrible matchless Conspiracie the Powder-Treason the Master-piece of the Devil But God that preserved her and your Royal Father against all their treacherous Conspiracies and hath given you a heart to honor him will honor and preserve you Religion will more truly keep your Kingdoms then the Seas do compass them It is the joy of heart to your Majesties loyal and well-affected Subjects and will ever be the honor of your Regal Diadem and the Crown of your Crown The Spanish Invasion in Eighty Eight I hope will ever be remembred in England with thankful acknowledgment to God for so great a deliverance And I assura my self it is remembred in Spain but with another mind a mind of Revenge they are too constant to their Counsels to acquit their Resolutions and Purposes that drew on that Attempt It was long before discovered and since printed not without their liking That they affect an Universal Monarchy Videor mihi vidore saith Lipsius of their State Solem
State when they were none Recovered Henry the Fourth of France his Kingdom when he had nothing left but the Town of Diep Conquered the Invincible Navy of Spain in Anno 1588. Took Towns in Portugal the Year following and marched One hundred miles upon the Firm ground Fired or brought away the Spanish Navy before Cadiz and sack'd the Town took the Spanish ships daily and spoiled the Port-Towns of the West-Indies never losing but one ship during the Spanish War reducing the Condition of that King from a Fifth Monarchy to so low an Ebb that in one Year he paid Two thousand five hundred Millions of Duckets for Interest so as after he was enforced to beg Treaties of Peace and low Terms at the last Queen-Regents hands III. The Cause of the good Success then A Carriage and readiness to assist their Soveraign in purse and person A Wisdom and Gravity of Council who ordered nothing but by publick Debate and then assisted with the Military Professors either by Land or Sea of the best repute and such only imployed IV. In what Condition we now stand By the loss of Reputation by the ill success in the Voyage for Algier in the Palatinate in the Expedition with Mansfield in the last to Cadiz The Reasons are The uncheerfulness we have either to adventure our purses or persons occasioned by a distrust we have of the success the want of the like Courses and Councils that were formerly used It was wished that for every of the Four Heads there were a particular Committee to examine and prepare a Report for the Houses and the House upon every Report to put it self into a Committee of the whole Assembly and after a full and deliberate Debate to order a Model or Form for a Conference with the Lords and so together humbly to present to his Majesty a Remonstrance of their Labor offering withall a second Consultation and Debate amongst themselves for finding out the fittest means both for the defence of the State and our Allies Reformation of the Errors and a constant way to raise such Supplies as may enable his Majesty to proceed cheerfully and as they hoped assuredly in this his glorious Action not only for himself and State but all that profess the same Religion and are like to be overwhelmed in the Ambition of the Spanish Monarchy Also a Committee was named concerning Religion and the Growth oâ— Popery and Montague's Appeal to Caesar was again brought in question This Book the Commons referred to the Committee for Religion from whom Mr. Pym Reported to the House the several Erroneous Opâ—nions therein contained and the House passed their Votes thereupon That Mr. Montague endeavored to reconcile England to Rome and to alienate the Kings affections from his well-affected Subjects The Articles exhibited against him were these Articles exhibited by the Commons against Richard Montague Clerk THat he the said Richard Montague in or about the 21. year of the Reign of our late Soveraign Lord King Iames of famous memory hath caused to be Printed and in his name to be Published one Book called An Answer to the late Gagg of Protestants and in or about Anno 22. of the same King he caused to be Printed and Published one other Book Entituled A Treatise of the Invocations of Saints and likewise in the First year of his Majesties Reign that now is he procured to be Printed and in his name to be Published another Book Entituled An Appeal to Caesar In every of which Books he hath maintained and confirmed some Doctrine contrary or repugnant to the Articles agreed by the Archbishops and Bishops of both Provinces and the whole Clergy holden in the Convocation at London Anno Domini 1562. according to the computation of the Church of England for avoiding Diversity of Opinions and for establishing Consent touching true Religion All which appears in the places hereafter mentioned and in divers other places and passages of the same Books And by his so doing hath broken the Laws and Statutes of this Realm in that Case provided and very much disturbed both the Peace of Church and Commonwealth I. Whereas in the Five and thirtieth Article of the Articles aforementioned it is declared That the Second Book of Homilies doth contain a Godly and wholesom Doctrine in the sixteenth Homily of which Book it is determined That the Church of Rome as it is at present and hath been for the space of Nine hundred years and odd is so far wide from the nature of a True Church that nothing can be more He the said Richard Montague in several places of his said Book called The Answer to the Gagg and in his other Book called The Appeal doth advisedly maintain and affirm That the Church of Rome is and ever was a True Church since it was a Church II. Whereas in the same Homily it is likewise declared That the Church of Rome is not built upon the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles and in the Eight and twentieth Article of the said Articles That Transubstantiation overthroweth the nature of a Sacrament and in the Five and twentieth of the same Article That five other reputed Sacraments of the Church of Rome are not to be accounted Sacraments yet contrary and repugnant hereunto he the said Richard Montague doth maintain and affirm in his Book aforesaid called The Answer to the Gagg That the Church of Rome hath ever remained firm upon the same Foundation of Sacraments and Doctrine instituted by God III. In the nineteenth of the same Article it is further determined That the Church of Rome hath erred not onely in their living and matters of Ceremony but also in matters of Faith He the said Richard Montague speaking of those Points which belong to Faith and good manners Hope and Charity doth in the said Book called The Gagg affirm and maintain That none of these are controverted in their Points meaning the Protestants and Papists and notwithstanding that in the One and thirtieth Article it is resolved That the Sacrifice of Masses in which as it is commonly said the Priest did offer Christ for the Quick and the Dead to have remission of Pain and Guilt too is a Blasphemous Fable and dangerous Deceit this being one of the Points controverted between the Church of England and the Church of Rome The said Richard Montague in his Book called The Gagg doth affirm and maintain That the controverted Points are of a lesser and inferior nature of which a man may be ignorant without any danger of his Soul at all a man may resolve to oppose this or that without peril of perishing for ever IV. Whereas in the second Homily Entituled Against Peril of Idolatry contained in the aforesaid Book of Homilies approved by the Seven and thirtieth mrticle aforementioned It is declared That Images teach no good Lesson neither of God nor Godliness but all Error and Wickedness He the said Richard Montague in the Book of Gagg aforesaid doth affirm and maintain
the Clink But I am of opinion that if you had curiously enquired upon the Gentleman who gave the Information you should have found him to be a Disciple of the Iesuites for they do nothing but put tricks on these poor men who do live more miserable lives then if they were in the Inquisition in many parts beyond the Seas By taking the Oath of Allegiance and writing in defence of it and opening some points of high consequence they have so displeased the Pope that if by any cunning they could catch them they are sure to be burnt or strangled for it And once there was a plot to have taken Preston as he passed the Thames and to have shipt him into a bigger Vessel and so to have transported him into Flanders there to have made a Martyr of him In respect of these things King James always gave his protection to Preston and Warrington as may be easily shewed Cannon is an old man well-affected to the Cause but medleth not with any Factions or Seditions as far as I can learn They complain their Books were taken from them and a Crucifix of Gold with some other things which I hope are not carried out of the house but may be restored again unto them For it is in vain to think that Priests will be without their Beads or Pictures Models of their Saints and it is not improbable that before a Crucifix they do often say their prayers I leave the things to your best consideration and hope that this Deed of yours together with my Word will restrain them for giving offence hereafter if so be that lately they did give any I heartily commend me unto you and so rest Your very loving Friend G. Canterbury By this time the Commons had prepared an Humble Remonstrance to the King in Answer to his Majestie 's and the Lord Keeper's Speech Most Gracious Soveraign WHereas your Majesty hath béen pleased of late at sundry times and by several means to impart unto us your Royal pleasure touching some passages and procéedings in this present Parliament We do first with unspeakable joy and comfort acknowledge your Majesties grace and favor in that it hath pleased you to cause it to be delivered unto us by the Lord Kéeper of your Great Seal in your own Royal presence and before both Houses of Parliament That never King was more loving to his people nor better affected to the right use of Parliaments withal professing your most gracious resolution to hear and redress our just Grievances And with like comfort we acknowledge your Majesties goodness shining at the very entrance of your glorious Reign in commanding the Execution of the Laws established to preserve the true Religion of Almighty God in whose service consisteth the happiness of all Kings and Kingdoms Yet let it not displease your Majesty that we also express some sense of just Grief intermixed with that great Ioy to sée the careful procéedings of our sincere Intentions so misreported as to have wrought effects unexpected and we hope undeserved First touching the Charge against us in the matter concerning Mr. Cook We all sincerely protest That neither the words mentioned in your Maiesties Message nor any other of seditious effect were spoken by him as hath béen resolved by the House without one Negative voice Howsoever in a Spéech occasionally uttered he let fall some few words which might admit an ill construction whereat the House being displeased at the delivery of them as was expressed by a general and instant Check he forthwith so explained himself and his intention that for the present we did forbear to take them into consideration which since we have done And the effect thereof had before this appeared if by important businesses of your Maiesties service we had not béen interrupted The like interruption did also befall us in the Case of Doctor Turner wherein the Question being formerly stated a Resolution was ordered to have béen taken that very day on which we received your Maiesties command to attend you But for our own procéedings We humbly beséech your Maiesty to be truly informed That before that Overture from Doctor Turner out of our great and necessary care for your honor and welfare of your Realm We had taken into serious Consideration the Evils which now afflict your people and the Causes of them that we might apply our selves unto the fittest remedies In the pursuit whereof our Committées whatsoever they might have done have in no particular proceeded otherwise then either upon ground of knowledge in themselves or proof by examination of Witnesses or other Evidence In which course of service for the publick good as we have not swerved from the Parliamentary ways of our Predecessors so we conceive that the discovery and reforming of Errors is so far from laying an aspersion upon the present Time and Government that it is rather a great honor and happiness to both yielding matter to great Princes wherein to exercise and illustrate their noblest vertues And although the grievous Complaints of the Merchants from all parts together with the Common service of the Subiects well-affected to those who profess our Religion gave us occasion to debate some businesses that were partly Forein and had relation to affairs of State yet we beseech your Maiesty to rest assured it was exceeding far from our intention either to traduce your Counsellors or disadvantage your Negotiations And though some examples of great and potent Ministers of Princes heretofore questioned in Parliament have been alleadged yet was it without paralleling your Maiesties Government or Councils to any Times at all much less to Times of Exception Touching the Letter of Your Majesties Secretary it was first alleaged by your Advocate for his own Iustification and after by direction of the Committée produced to make good his Allegation And for the search at the Signet Office the Copy of a Letter being divulged as in your Majesties Name with pregnant cause of suspition both in the Body and Direction thereof to be supposititious the Committée out of desire to be cléered therein did by their Order send some of themselves to the Signet Office to search whither there were any Records of Letters of that nature without Warrant to the Officer for any much less for a general search But touching Publick Records we have not forborn as often as our businesses have required to make search into them wherein we have done nothing unwarranted by the Laws of your Realm and the constant usage of Parliaments And if for the ease of their Labors any of our Committées have desired the help of the Officers Repertories or Breviats of Direction We conceive it is no more then any Subject in his own affairs might have obtained for ordinary Fées Now concerning Your Majesties Servants and namely the Duke of Buckingham We humbly beséech Your Majesty to be informed by us your Faithful Commons who can have no private end but your Majesties Service and the good of
his the said Ambassadors last return into Spain in the Summer An. 1622. To carry his Majesty then Prince into Spain to the end he might be informed and instructed in the Roman Religion and thereby have perverted the Prince and subverted the true Religion established in England From which misery this Kingdom next under Gods mercy hath by the wise religious and constant carriage of his Majesty been almost miraculously delivered considering the many bold and subtile attempts of the said Duke in that kind II. That Mr. Porter was made acquainted therewith and sent into Spain and such Messages at his return framed as might serve for a ground to set on foot this Conspiracie The which was done accordingly and thereby the King and Prince highly abused and their Consents thereby first gotten to the said Journey that is to say after the return of the said Mr. Porter which was about the end of December or the beginning of Ianuary 1622. whereas the said Duke had plotted it many moneths before III. That the said Duke at his arrival in Spain nourished the Spanish Ministers not only in the belief of his own being Popishly affected but did both by absenting himself from all Exercises of Religion constantly used in the Earl of Bristols house and frequented by all other Protestant English and by conforming himself to please the Spaniards in divers Rites of their Religion even so far as to kneel and adore their Sacrament from time to time give the Spaniards hope of the Prince his Conversion The which Conversion he endeavored to procure by all means possible and thereby caused the Spanish Ministers to propound far worse Conditions for Religion then had been formerly by the Earl of Bristol and Sir Walter Aston setled and signed under their Majesties hands with a Clause in the King of Spain's Answer of Decemb. 12. 1622. That they held the Articles agreed upon sufficient and such as ought to induce the Pope to the granting of the Dispensation IV. That the Duke of Buckingham having several times in the presence of the Earl of Bristol moved and pressed his late Majesty at the instance of the Conde of Gondomar to write a Letter unto the Pope and to that purpose having once brought a Letter ready drawn wherewith the Earl of Bristol by his Majesty being made acquainted did so strongly oppose the writing of any such Letter that during the abode of the said Earl of Bristol in England the said Duke could not obtain it yet not long after the Earl was gone he procured such a Letter to be written from his late Majesty unto the Pope and to have him stiled Sanctissime Pater V. That the Pope being informed of the Duke of Buckingham's inclination and intention in point of Religion sent unto the said Duke a particular Bull in parchment for to perswade and encourage him in the perversion of his Majesty then Prince VI. That the said Dukes behaviour in Spain was such that he thereby so incensed the King of Spain and his Ministers as they would admit of no reconciliation nor further dealing with him Whereupon the said Duke seeing that the Match would be now to his disadvantage he endeavored to break it not for any service to the Kingdom nor dislike of the Match in it self nor for that he found as since he hath pretended that the Spaniards did not really intend the said Match but out of his particular ends and his indignation VII That after he intended to cross the Marriage he put in practice divers undue courses as namely making use of the Letters of his Majesty then Prince to his own ends and not to what they were intended as likewise concealing divers things of high importance from his late Majesty and thereby overthrew his Majesties purposes and advanced his own ends VIII That the said Duke as he had with his skill and artifices formerly abused their Majesties so to the same end he afterwards abused both Houses of Parliament by his sinister Relation of the carriage of Affairs as shall be made appear almost in every particular that he spake unto the said Houses IX As for scandal given by his personal behaviour as also the imploying of his power with the King of Spain for the procuring of Favors and Offices which he bestowed upon base and unworthy persons for the recompence and hire of his Lust These things as neither fit for the Earl of Bristol to speak nor indeed for the House to hear he leaveth to your Lordships wisdom how far you will be pleased to have them examined It having been indeed a great infamy and dishonor to this Nation that a Person of the Dukes great quality and imployments a Privy-Counsellor an Ambassador eminent in his Masters favor and solely trusted with the Person of the Prince should leave behind him in a Forein Court so much scandal as he did by his ill behaviour X. That the Duke hath been in great part the Cause of the ruine and misfortune of the Prince Palatine and his Estates in as much as those Affairs had relation unto this Kingdom XI That the Duke of Buckingham hath in his Relations to both Houses of Parliament wronged the Earl of Bristol in point of his Honor by many sinister aspersions which he hath laid upon him and in point of his Liberty by many undue Courses through his power and practices XII That the Earl of Bristol did reveal unto his late Majesty both by word and letter in what sort the said Duke had disserved him and abused his trust And that the King by several ways sent him word That he should rest assured he would hear the said Earl but that he should leave it to him to take his own time And thereupon few days before his sickness he sent the Earl word that he would hear him against the said Duke as well as he had heard the said Duke against him Which the Duke himself heard And not long after his blessed Majesty sickned and died having been in the interim much vexed and pressed by the said Duke Articles of the Earl of Bristol against the Lord Conway bearing Date 1 Maii 1626. I. THat the Lord Conway is so great a Servant of the Duke of Buckingham's that he hath not stuck to send the Earl of Bristol plain word That if businesses could not be accommodated betwixt him and the Duke he must then adhere and declare himself for the said Duke and therefore unfit to be a Judge in any thing that concerneth the Duke or the Earl II. That the said Lord Conway professeth himself to be a Secretary of the Duke of Buckingham's creation and so acknowledgeth it under his own hand And although that he be the Kings Secretary of State and a Privy-Counsellor he usually beginneth his Letters to the Duke Most gracious Patron III. That as a Creature of the said Dukes the said Lord Conway hath been made the Instrument of keeping the Earl of Bristol from the Kings presence and
What the said Earl saw in his Majesty that he should think him so unworthy as to change his Religion for a Wife or any earthly respect whatsoever So why should it be thought that being more fit to undertake great actions in the world being a meer moral and temporal respect should be an argument to perswade in conscience so religious and wise a Prince and so well instructed as his Majesty is as though the soul of a Christian Prince was to be wrought upon in point of Truth and Belief by temporal and worldly respects of Conveniencies and Greatness It were necessary for the proving that the said Earl perswaded his Majesty touching Religion to produce some arguments that he used out of Scripture to satisfie him in point of Conscience in some Tenents of the Roman Church or that he produced any Conference with Learned men for his satisfaction in point of Religion Otherwise the Articles used in this against the said Earl do as he conceiveth caâ—ry little strength to prove the Charge of perswading his Majesty either in regard of it self or in regard of his Majesties piety IX To the Ninth Article the said Earl saith That there was a Discourse in Spain of the way of accommodating the Prince Palatine his affairs and by way of discourse it was moved That the Marriage of his eldest Son with a Daughter of the Emperor and his Son to be bred in the Emperors Court would be the fairest way for the pacifying of and accommodating those businesses And the Earl by way of discourse and not otherwise did say That he thought his late Majesty could not be adverse either to the said Match or to the breeding of the Prince Palatine his Son with the Emperor so as thereby the whole Patrimonial Estate of the Prince Palatine and the Dignity Electoral might be fully restored and that his Son might be bred in his own Religion and have such Preceptors and such a Family as his late Majesty and his Father meaning the Prince Palatine should appoint and they to have free exercise of Religion For so his late Majesty hath often declared himself to the said Earl and wished him to lay hold on any occasion for the entertaining of any such Proposition And otherwise then so and upon the terms aforesaid and by that way of Conference and discourse only he delivered not any Opinion to his Majesty at his Majesties being in Spain For the said Earl is very confident that his Majesty was returned out of Spain before any Proposition was made for the said Marriage other then by way of discourse as aforesaid The same as the said Earl believeth being first moved and debated on by way of Proposition between Mr. Secretary Calvert and the Ambassador of the King of Spain Octob. 2. 1628. His late Majesty upon a relation made unto him by a Letter of Mr. Secretary Calvert approved of the said Proposition and declared the same to be the onely way as he conceived to accommodate with honor those great businesses And wrote to that purpose to his Son-in-law the Prince Palatine by his Letters dated 9 Novemb. 1623. A Copy of which he together with Mr. Secretary Calverts Relation and the Lord Conway by his late Majesties commandment sent unto the said Earl the Tenor of which translated out of French is as followeth WE have thought good that we may provide best and most soundly for your Affairs not only to procure but also to assure your Peace were to cut up by the very roots that Evil which hath been setled in the heart of the Emperor by the great displeasure and enmity he hath conceived against you For the removing and quite extinguishing of which it seemeth to us no better or more powerful means can be used then a good Alliance which may be proposed by us between your eldest Son and the Daughter of the said Emperor upon the assurance we have we shall not be refused in this nature if you on your part will give your consent And for the more surety of the good success thereof we are determined before any such Proposition be made to the Emperor to interess the King of Spain with us in the business who we trust will lend us his helping hand as well for the effecting of it and bringing it to a good conclusion as in procuring likewise that the Conditions be duly observed Amongst which Conditions if it happen that the Emperor should demand that your Son during his minority should be brought up in his Court We shall tell you that we for our own part see no reason why you should stick at it upon such Conditions as he might be tied unto to wit That the young Prince should have with him such Governor as you should please to appoint him although he be no Roman Catholick And that neither he nor any of his should be any way forced in matter of their Conscience And our meaning is so to order our proceeding in this Treaty that before your said Son be put into the hands of the Emperor we will have a clear and certain assurance of an honorable entire and punctual restitution of all whatsoever belonging to you As also we will take care to provide accordingly as fully and exactly for the Assurances requisite for the Liberty of Conscience for him and his Domesticks as they have done here with us touching those that have been granted them for the Infanta And therefore seeing there is no Inconvenience at all that may cause your aversness or backwardness in this business which we for our parts think to be the best shortest and most honorable way that you can take for the compassing of the entire Restitution and making your Peace sure with the Emperor We hope your opinion will concur with us herein and shall intreat you by the first to send us your Answer By which Letter after his Majesties coming out of Spain it appeareth to your Lordships that there was no Proposition of the Marriage betwixt the Son of the Prince Palatine and the Emperors Daughter when that Letter was written For therein his Majesty saith he was determined to interess the King of Spain in the business before any such Proposition should be made to the Emperor And it will also thereby appear that his late Majesties opinion was of the Conveniencie thereof which the said Earl hopeth will acquit him if by way of discourse only he declared what his Majesties inclination was which with honesty he could not have concealed And the said Earl saith he doth not remember what answer Sir Walter Aston made upon that discourse which he then delivered nor what replies the said Earl made but sure he is whatsoever the said Earl said or what answer or reply soever was made as it was by way of discourse and not otherwise so it was according to that which he truly conceived to be the best and easiest way to accommodate the business and to be his Majesties pleasure which the
their Lordships as followeth YOur Lordships may have observed how in handling the former Articles I have in my Discourse used the method of time which I hold to be best for the discovery of the truth I shall therefore by your Lordships patience whereof now I have had some good experience use the like order in my enlargment upon these later Articles touching which that which I have to say is thus In or about the Two and twentieth year of the reign of our late dear Soveraign Lord King Iames of famous memory there being then a Treaty between our said late Soveraign and the French King for a Marriage to be had between our then most Noble Prince now our most gratious King and the French Kings Sister our now Queen and for entring into an Active War against the King of Spain and his Allies in Italy and the Valtoline Our said late Soveraign passed some promise to the French Kings Ambassador here the Marquess D' Effiat for procuring or lending some Ships to be employed by the French in that Service upon reasonable conditions but without thought or intent that they should be employed against the Rochellers or any others of our Religion in France For it was pretended by the French Kings Ministers to our King That the said Ships should be employed particularly against Genoa and not otherwise But afterwards some matter of Suspition breaking forth from those of our Religion in France that the Design for Italy was but a pretence to make the Body of an Army fall upon the Rochellers or other of our Religion in that Kingdom the King grew so cautious in his Conditions that as he would perform his promise to lend his Ships so to preserve those of our Religion he contracted or gave directions that the greater part of the Men in the same Ships should be English whereby the power of them should be ever in his hands And the Duke of Buckingham then and yet Lord Great Admiral of England well knowing all this to be true pretended he was and would be very careful and proceed with art to keep the said Ships in the hands of our King and upon our own Coasts and yet nevertheless under hand he unduly intended practised and endeavored the contrary For afterwards by his direction or procurement in or about the Two and twentieth year aforesaid a Ship of his Majesties called the Vantguard being of his Majesties Royal Navy was allotted and appointed to be made ready for the service of the French King and seven other Merchants Ships of great burthen and strength belonging to several persons Natural Subjects of our said late Soveraign Lord were by the Dukes direction impressed as for the service of his said late Majesty and willed to make themselves ready accordingly The Names and Tunage of the said Seven Merchants Ships were as followeth 1. The Great Neptune whereof Sir Ferdinando Gorge was Captain 2. The Industry of the burthen of Four hundred and fifty Tuns whereof Iames Moyer was Captain 3. The Pearl of Five and forty Tuns Anthony Tench was Captain 4. The Marigold of Three hundred Tuns Thomas Davies Captain 5. The Loyalty of Three hundred Tuns Iasper Dare Captain 6. The Peter and Iohn of Three hundred and fifty Tuns Iohn Davies Captain 7. The Gift of God of Three hundred Tuns Henry Lewen Captain Also about the same time a Contract was made by and between Sir Iohn Cooke and other the Commissioners of his Majesties Navy as on behalf of his Majesty for his said Ship the Vantguard and on behalf of the Captains Masters and Owners of the said Seven Merchants Ships but without their privity or direction for the service of the French King upon conditions to be safe and reasonable for our King this Realm and State as also for the said Captains Masters and Owners of the said seven Merchants Ships and for the Companies For Sir Iohn Cooke drew the Instructions for the Direction of the said Contract which Instructions passed and were allowed by the King and such of the Council as were made acquainted therewith and used in this business In which Instructions as Sir Iohn Cooke hath since alleaged in the House of Commons there was care taken for provision to be made that the said Ship of his Majesty called Vantguard should not serve against the City or Inhabitants of Rochel or those of the Religion in France nor take into her more men of the French then she could from time to time be well able to command and master But whether the Instructions for the Merchants Ships and the Kings said Ship were all one is not yet cleared unto the Commons howbeit it appeareth not but that the intent of our King and State was to be a like careful for both Nevertheless a Form of Articles dated the Five and twentieth day of March in the Three and twentieth year of his said late Majesties raign was prepared ingrossed and made ready to be sealed without the knowledge of the Captains Masters and Owners of the said Merchants Ships between the said Marquess D' Effiat the Ambassador on the one part and the several Owners of the said Merchants Ships respectively on the other part viz. A several Writing or Instrument for every of the said Ships respectively whereby amongst other things as by the same appeareth it was covenanted and agreed by and on the part and behalf of the owners to and with the said Marquess D' Effiat to this effect namely 1. That their said Ships respectively with a certain number of men for every of them limitted with Ordnance Munition and other necessaries should be ready for the French Kings service the Thirteenth of April then next following 2. That they should go on in that Service under a French General to be as Captain in every of the said Merchants Ships respectively of the appointment of the French King or his Ambassador 3. That they should serve the French King against any whomsoever but the King of Great Britain 4. That they should take in as many Soldiers into their said several Ships as they could stow or carry besides their Victual and Apparel 5. That they should continue six moneths or longer in the Service so that the whole time did not exceed eighteen moneths 6. That they should permit the French to have the absolute Command of their Ships for Fights and Voyages And it was amongst the said Articles besides other things Covenanted and agreed by the said Marquess D' Effiat as for and on the behalf of the French King to this effectly namely I. That there should be paid to every owner a moneths freight in hand after the rate agreed on and freight for two moneths more after the same rate within Fifteen days after the date of the Articles the computation of the moneths to begin from the 28 of March II. And that the Ships should be ready in a certain form prescribed at the end of the Service When all things were in a
then to believe That the said ships were never meant or any way in danger to be imployed against the Rochellors or those of our Religion in France and herein he did great injury and disservice to his Majesty to the great scandal and prejudice of our Religion and Affairs and highly abused both the Lords and Commons by this cautelous and subtile Speech and Insinuation and thereby gave both Houses occasion to forbear Petitioning or suing to his Majesty for Redress in this Business while the time was not then passed for the ships were not as then actually imployed against the Rochellors albeit in truth they were then delivered into the French Kings power And the same time before the Parliament was dissolved Captain Pennington who could have opened the whole truth of the business for the Service of the King and the Realm came to Oxford but was there drawn to conceal himself by means of the Duke and not to publish in due time his knowledge of the Premisses as was there shortly after reported The truth whereof the Lords in this Parliament may be pleased to examine as they shall see cause the Parliament at Oxford being shortly after viz. Aug. 12. unhappily dissolved In or about September 1625. The said ships were actually imployed against the Rochellors and their Friends to their exceeding great prejudice and almost utter ruine It hath been said by some of the French that the Vantguard she mowed them down like grass To the great dishonor of our Nation and the scandal of our Religion and to the disadvantage of the great affairs of this Kingdom and all Christendom Also the Ships themselves were in eminent peril to be utterly lost for lack of sufficient Cautions If they be come home since this Parliament sate down long after the matter was here expounded and taken into examination It may be well presumed that it is by some underhand procuring of the Duke and the secret complying of the French with him to colour out the matter which the Lords may examine as they see cause The one and onely English-man that presumed to stay in one of the Ships and serve against the poor Rochellors of our Religion at his return was slain in charging a Peece of Ordnance not by him well sponged In February last 1625. Monsieur de la Touche having speech with Master Thomas Sherwell a Member of the Commons House of Parliament at Salisbury as he was coming up to the Parliament and Monsieur de la Touche going down into Somerset-shire to Master John Pawlets to Monsieur Sobysa He told Master Sherwell in the hearing also of one Master Iohn Clements of Plymouth who is now in Town the words that the Duke had spoken to him the last Summer touching these Ships and thereupon used these words Ce Duque est un meshant homme Upon this whole Narration of the Fact touching the manner of Delivery of the Ships to the French divers things may be observed wherein the Dukes offences do consist As In betraying a Ship of the Kings Royal Navy unto a Foreign Princes hand without good Warrant for the same The dispossessing the Subjects of this Realm of their Ships and Goods by many artifices and subtilties and in conclusion with high hand and open violence against the good will of the Owners In breaking the duty of Lord Admiral and Guardian of the Ships and Seas of this Kingdom In varying from the original good Instructions and presuming to give others of his own head in matters of State In violating the duty of a sworne Privy-Counsellor to his Majesty In abusing both Houses of Parliament by a cautelous Misinformation under a colour of a Message from his Majesty And in disadvantaging the Affairs of those of our Religion in Foreign parts Offences of an high and grievous nature For the proof of some parts thereof which are not the least I offer to your Lordships consideration the Statute of the 2 3 E. 6. touching the Duke of Somerset wherein is recited That amongst other things he did not suffer the Piers called the Newhaven and Blackerst in the parts beyond the Seas to be furnished with victuals and money whereby the French were encouraged to invade and win the same Aud for this offence amongst others it was Enacted That a great part of his Land should be taken from him And if Non-feazance in a matter tending to lose a fixed Castle belonging to the King be an high offence then the actual putting of a Ship Royal of the Kings into the hand of a Foreign Prince which is a moveable and more useful Castle and Fortress of the Realm must needs be held a greater offence I will forbear to cite any more Presidents of this kind because some of those who have gone before me have touched at divers Presidents of this nature which may be applied to this my part Only because the abuse of the Parliament which is the chiefest Council of State and Court of Judicature in the Realm is not the least offence in this business I shall desire your Lordships to take into consideration the Statute of Westm. 1. cap. 30. whereby such as seem to beguile Courts of Justice are to be sore judged in the same Courts and punished as by that Statute appeareth So he concluded and left the Duke to their Lordships equal Justice The Ninth and Tenth Articles were read next IX Whereas the Titles of Honor of this Kingdom of England were wont to be conferred as great Rewards upon such vertuous and industrious Persons as had merited them by their faithful service The said Duke by his importunate and subtile procurement hath not only perverted that antient and most honorable way but also unduly for his own particular gain he hath enforced some that were rich though unwilling to purchase Honor As the Lord R. Baron of T. who by practice of the said Duke and his Agents was drawn up to London in or about October in the Two and twentieth year of Reign of the late King Iames of famous memory and there so threatened and dealt withall that by reason thereof he yielded to give and accordingly did pay the sum of Ten thousand pounds to the said Duke and to his use For which said sum the said Duke in the moneth of Ianuary in the Two and twentieth year of the said lake King procured the Title of Baron R. of T. to the said Lord R. In which practice as the said Lord R. was much wronged in his particular so the Example thereof tendeth to the prejudice of the Gentry and dishonor of the Nobility of this Kingdom X. Whereas no Places of Judicature in the Courts of Justice of our Soveraign Lord the King nor other like Preferments given by the Kings of this Realm ought to be procured by any Subject whatsoever for any Reward Bribe or Gift He the said Duke in or about the moneth of December in the Eighteenth year of the Reign of the late King Iames of famous
Non-resident his wife and son Recusants Sir George Hennage Knight Sir Francis Metcalf Knight Robert Thorall Esquire Anthony Mounson Esquire William Dallison Esquire in Commissioner of the Sewers and are justly suspected for Popish Recusants Sir Henry Spiller Knight in Commission of Peace for Middlesex and Westminster and Deputy Lieutenant Valentine Saunders Esquire one of the six Clerks both which are justly suspected to be ill-affected in Religion according to the Acts of State Charles Jones Knight Deputy Lieutenant and Justice of Peace George Milburne Esquire Justice of Peace Edward Morgan Esquire their wives are all Popish Recusants William Jones Deputy Lieutenant Justice of Peace his wife suspected to be a Popish Recusant Iohn Vaughan Captain of the Horse suspected for Recusancy Benedict Hall Receiver and Steward of the Dutchy of Lancaster he and his wife are Popish Recusants Sir Thomas Brudenel Knight and Baronet Deputy Lieutenant a Popish Recusant Cuthbert Herone Esquire now Sheriff of Northumberland Justice of the Peace his wife a Recusant Sir William Selby Junior Knight Justice of Peace his wife a Recusant Sir Iohn Canning Knight Justice of the Peace his wife a suspected Recusant Sir Ephraim Widdrington Knight Justice of Peace suspected to be a Recusant Sir Thomas Riddall Knight Justice of Peace his wife and eldest son are Recusants Iohn Widdrington Esquire who came out of the same County before his Majesties Proclamation was published and is now at London attending the Council Table by Commandment and yet not dismist Sir Robert Pierpoint Esquire Justice of Peace his wife a Recusant Sir Anthony Brown Knight Justice of Peace thought to be a Recusant but not convict Sir Henry Beddingfield Knight Deputy Lieutenant and Justice in Oyer and Terminer and in Commission of Sewers Justice of Peace and Captain of a foot Company his wife nor any of his children as is informed come to the Church Thomas Sayer Captain of the Horse his wife comes not to Church Sir William Yelverton Baronet and Justice of Peace not suspected himself but his eldest son and one of his daughters are known Recusants Sir Henry Minne Knight Justice of Peace and Quorum neither he his wife or daughters can be known to have received the Communion and have been presented at the Sessions for Non-conformity Robert Warren Clerk a Justice of Peace justly suspected and that for these Reasons 1. He being in trust for one Ratcliff of Bury deceased for the educating of his son he took him from the School at Twelve years old and sent him beyond the Seas to be brought up there in a Popish Seminary where he hath remained six or seven years as was generally reported 2. One of his Parishioners doubted in some points of Religion being sick and desired to be satisfied by him who confirmed him in the Religion of the Church of Rome which he told to his brothers before his death who are ready to affirm the same but this was divers years since 3. There being Letters directed to four Knights of that County to call the Ministers and other officers before them and to cause them to present all such as absented themselves from the Church and were Popishly affected he was desired to present those within his Parish Church of Welford which he accordingly did but left out at the least one half and being asked why he did so he answered that he was no Informer And being asked of some particulars whether they came to the Church or not his Answer was they did not and why then did he not present them he said they might be Anabaptists or Brownists and would not present them and this certified by three Members of the House 4. He having a brother dwelling in Sudbury that was presented for not coming to the Church he came to one of the Ministers and told him that he took it ill they presented his brother who answered he did it not but if he had known of it he would whereupon he replied He was glad he had a brother of any Religion 5 One of his Parish named Fage having intelligence that there was one in the said Parish that could inform of a Private place where Arms were in a Recusants House in the Parish came to some of the Deputy Lieutenants in Commission for a Warrant to bring the same in form before them to be examined concerning the same and the said Fage delivered the Warrant to the Constable he carried him before the said Mr Warren who rated the said Fage for that he did not come to him first telling him that he was a factious fellow and laid him by the heels for two hours which the said Fage is ready to affirm Sir Benjamin Titchburne Knight and Baronet Justice of Oyer and Terminer Justice of Peace and Deputy Lieutenant and in Commission for the Subsidue his wife children and servants indicted for popish Recusancy Sir Richard Tichburne Knight Justice of Peace his wife presented the last Sessions for having absented her self from the Church for the space of two moneths Sir Henry Compton Knight Deputy Lieutenant Justice of Peace and Commissioner for the Sewers Sir Iohn Shelly Knight and Baronet himself and his Lady Recusants Sir Iohn Gage Knight and Baronet a Papist Recusant Sir Iohn Guilfor Knight Their Ladies come not to Church Sir Edward Francis Knight Their Ladies come not to Church Sir Genet Kempe Knight some of his children come not to Church Edward Gage Esq a Recusant Papist Commissioners of the Sewers Tho Middlemore comes not to Church Commissioners of the Sewers Iames Rolls William Scot Commissioners of Sewers both Recusants Papists Robert Spiller comes not to Church Sir Henry Guilford in Commission for Piracies and for the Sewers and Iohn Thatcher Esquire Commissioner for the Sewers they are either persons convicted or justly suspected Sir Richard Sandford Knight Richard Brewthwait Esquire Gawen Brewthwait Esquire their wives are Recusants Sir William Ambrey Knight Justice of Peace a Recusant Rees Williams a Justice of Peace his wife a convict Recusant and his children Popishly bred as is informed Sir Iohn Coney Knight a Justice of Peace and Deputy Lieutenant his wife a Popish Recusant Morgan Voyle Esquire Justice of Peace his wife presented for not coming to Church but whether she is a Popish Recusant is not known Iohn Warren Captain of the Trained-band one of his sons suspected to be Popishly affected Wherefore they humbly beseech your Majesty not to suffer your loving Subjects to continue any longer discouraged by the apparent sence of that increase both in number and power which by the favor and countenance of such like ill-affected Governors accreweth to the Popish Party but that according to your own wisdom goodness and piety whereof they rest assured you will be graciously pleased to command that Answer of your Majesties to be effectally observed and the Parties above named and all such others to be put out of such Commissions and Places of Authority wherein they now are in your Majesties Realm of England contrary
a manner to engross to himself the administration of your Affairs of the Kingdom which by that means is drawn into a Condition most miserable and hazardous Give us then leave most dear Soveraign in the name of all the Commons of this your Kingdom prostrate at the féet of your Sacred Majesty most humbly to beséech you even for the Honor of Almighty God whose Religion is directly undermined by the practice of that Party whom this Duke supports For your Honor which will be much advanced in the relieving of your people in this their great and general grievance For the honor safety and welfare of your Kingdom which by this means is threatned with almost unavoidable dangers And for the love which your Majesty as a good and loving Father bears unto your good people to whom we profess in the presence of Almighty God the Searcher of all hearts you are as highly estéemed and beloved as ever any of your Predecessors were That you would be graciously pleased to remove this Person from access to your sacred presence and that you will not ballance this one man with all these things and with the Affairs of the Christian world which do all suffer so far as they have relation to this Kingdom chiefly by his means For we protest to your Majesty and to the whole world That until this Great person be removed from intermedling with the Great Affairs of State we are out of hope of any good success and do fear that any money we shall or can give will through his misimploiment be turned rather to the hurt and prejudice of this your Kingdom then otherwise as by lamentable experience we have found in those large Supplies we have formerly and lately given But no sooner shall we receive redress and relief in this which of all others is our most insupportable grievance but we shall forthwith proceed to accomplish your Majesties own desire for Supply and likewise with all cheerfulness apply our selves to the perfecting of divers other great things such as we think no one Parliament in any Age can parallel tending to the stability wealth and strength and honor of this your Kingdom and the support of your Friends and Allies abroad And we doubt not but through Gods blessing as you are the best so shall you ever be the best beloved and greatest Monarch that ever sate in the Royal Throne of this famous Kingdom The Grounds and Causes which the King held forth for dissolving of this and the former Parliament appear in the ensuing Declaration THe Kings most Excellent Majesty since his happy access to the Imperial Crown of this Realm having by his Royal Authority summoned and assembled two several Parliaments the first whereof was in August last by Adjournment held at Oxford and there dissolved and the other begun in February last and continued until the Fiftéenth day of this present moneth of June and then to the unspeakable grief of himself and as he believeth of all his good and well-affected Subjects dissolved also Although he well knoweth that the Calling Adjourning Proroguing and Dissolving of Parliaments being his great Council of the Kingdom do peculiarly belong unto himself by an undoubted Prerogative inseparably united to his Imperial Crown of which as of his other Regal actions he is not bound to give an Accompt to any but to God only whose immediate Lieutenant and Uicegerent he is in these his Realms and Dominions by the Divine providence committed to his charge and government Yet forasmuch as by the assistance of the Almighty his purpose is so to order himself and all his Actions especially the great and publck Actions of State concerning the weal of his Kingdoms as may justifie themselves not only to his own Conscience and to his own People but to the whole World His Majesty hath thought it fit and necessary as the Affairs now stand both at home and abroad to make a true plain clear Declaration of the Causes which moved his Majesty to assemble and after enforced him to dissolve these Parliaments That so the mouth of malice it self may be stopped and the doubts and fears of his own good Subjects at home and of his Friends and Allies abroad may be satisfied and the deserved blame of so unhappy Accidents may justly light upon the Authors thereof When his Majesty by the death of his dear and Royal Father of ever blessed memory first came to the Crown he found himself engaged in a War with a potent Enemy not undertaken rashly nor without just and honorable grounds but enforced for the necessary defence of himself and his Dominions for the support of his Friends and Allies for the redéeming of the antient Honor of this Nation for the recovering of the Patrimony of his dear Sister her Confort and their Children injuriously and under colour of Treaties and Friendship taken from them and for the maintenance of the true Religion and invited thereunto and encouraged therein by the humble Advice of both the Houses of Parliament and by their large promises and protestations to his late Majesty to give him full and real assistance in those Enterprises which were of so great importance to this Realm and to the general peace and safety of all his Friends and Allies But when his Majesty entred into a view of his Treasure he found how ill provided he was to proceed effectually with so great an Action unless he might be assured to receive such Supplies from his loving Subjects as might enable him to manage the same Hereupon his Majesty being willing to tread in the steps of his Royal Progenitors for the making of good and wholsom Laws for the better Government of his people for the right understanding of their true Grievances and for the Supply of monies to be imployed for those publick services he did resolve to summon a Parliament with all convenient spéed he might And finding a former Parliament already called in the life of his Father he was desirous for the the spéedier dispatch of his weighty affairs and gaining of time to have continued the same without any alteration of the Members thereof had he not beacute en advised to the contrary by his Iudges and Council at Law for that it had béene subject to question in Law which he desired to avoid But as soon as possibly he could he summoned a new Parliament which he did with much confidence and assurance of the love of his people that those who not long before had with some importunity won his Father to break off his former Treaties with Spain and to effect it had used the mediation of his now Majesty being then Prince and a Member of the Parliament and had promised in Parliament their uttermost assistance for the enabling of his late Majesty to undergo the War which they then foresaw might follow would assuredly have performed it to his now Majesty and would not have suffered him in his first Enterprise of so great an
Scepter and Sword into his hand and not expose the persons of the people committed to his charge to the unsatiable desires of the King of Spain who hath long thirsted after an Universal Monarchy nor their Consciences to the yoke of the Pope of Rome And that at home he will take that care to redress the just grievances of his good Subjects as shall be every way fit for a good King And in the mean time his Majesty doth publish this to all his loving Subjects that they may know what to think with truth and speak with duty of his Majesties actions and proceedings in these two last dissolved Parliaments Given at his Majesties Palace at Whitehall this Thirtieth day of June in the second year of his Majesties Reign of Great-Britain France and Ireland Moreover the King published a Proclamation taking notice of a Remonstrance drawn by a Committee of the late Commons House and by them intended to have been presented to him wherein he said are many things contained to the dishonor of himself and his Royal Father of blessed memory and whereby through the sides of a Peer of this Realm they wound their Soveraigns honor as also that some Members of that House ill-affected to his service to vent their own passions against that Peer and to prepossess the world with an ill opinion of him before his Cause were heard in a Judicial way have beforehand scattered Copies of that intended Declaration thereby to detract from their Soveraign Wherefore his Majesty for the suppressing of this insufferable wrong to himself doth command upon pain of his indignation and high displeasure all persons of whatsoever quality who have or shall have hereafter any Copies or Notes of the said Remonstrance or shall come to the view thereof forthwith to burn the same that the memory thereof may be utterly abolished and may never give occasion to his Majesty to renew the remembrance of that which out of his grace and goodness he would gladly forget In another Proclamation the King declaring his Religious care of the Peace of this Church and Commonwealth of England and other his Dominions and taking notice that in all ages great disturbances both to Church and State have ensued out of small beginnings when the seeds of contention were not timely prevented and finding that of late some Questions and Opinions seem to have been broached in matters of Doctrine and Tenents of our Religion at first onely intended against Papists have afterwards by the sharp and indiscreet handling of some of either party given much offence to the sober and well grounded Readers and raised some hopes in the Roman Catholicks that by degrees the Professors of our Religion may be drawn first to Schism and afterwards to plain Popery His Majesty in the integrity of his own heart and singular providence for the peaceable Government of that people which God hath committed to his charge hath thought fit by the advice of his reverend Bishops to declare and publish not onely to his own people but also to the whole world his utter dislike of all those who to shew the subtilty of their Wits or to please their own humors or vent their own passions shall adventure to start any new opinions not onely contrary to but differing from the sound and Orthodox grounds of true Religigion established in the Church of England and also to declare his full and constant resolution that neither in Doctrine nor Discipline of the Church nor in the Government of the State he will admit of the least innovation but by Gods assistance will so guide the Scepter of these Kingdoms as shall be most for the comfort and assurance of his sober religious and well-affected Subjects and for the repressing and severe punishing of the insolencies of such as out of any sinister respects or disaffection to his Majesties Person or Government shall dare either in Church or State to disturbe the Peace thereof wherefore he doth straitly charge and command all his Subjects of his Realms of England and Ireland of what degree soever especially thes◠who are Church-men from hence-forth to carry themselves so wisely warily and conscionably that neither by Writing Preaching Printing Conferences or otherwise they raise publish or maintain any other Opinions concerning Religion then such as are clearly warranted by the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England 〈◊〉 by Authority And enjoyneth his reverend Archbishops and Bishops in their several Diocesses speedily to reclaim and repress all such spirits as shall in the least degree attempt to violate this bond of Peace And all the Ministers of Justice were required to execute his Majesties pious and royal pleasure herein expressed and if any shall take the boldness to neglect this gracious Admonition his Majesty will proceed against such offenders with that severity as their contempt shall deserve that by their exemplary punishment others may be warned and that those that be studious of the peace and prosperity of this Church and Commonwealth may bless God for his Majesties pious religious wise just and gracious Government The effects of this Proclamation how equally soever intended became the stopping of the Puritans Mouths and an uncontrouled Liberty to the Tongues and Pens of the Arminian party Shortly after an Information was preferred by the Kings special command in the Star-Chamber against the Duke of Buckingham for high Offences and Misdemeanors wherein he was charged amongst other things with the particulars mentioned in the last Article exhibited against him by the House of Commons concerning the Plaister applied to King Iames. To which the Duke put in his Answer and divers Witnesses were examined But the cause came not to a judicial hearing in the Court as it is afterwards expressed And now the King taking into consideration the present streights and inconveniencies into which the Revenue of the Crown was faln and the pressing necessity of his Affairs did by the advice and instance of his Council resolve and declare That all men of what quality and condition soever shall from henceforth upon pain of his displeasure forbear for two years space to present or solicite any Suit for any thing prohibited in the Book of Bounty published in King Iames his time or any other things that shall import the Diminution of his Majesties Revenue And for the advancement of the said Revenue arising by Customs Subsidies and Imposts upon all Goods and Merchandizes exported and and imported The Privy Council declared That it hath been constantly continued for many ages and is a principal and most necessary part of the Revenue of the Crown and that in the two last Parliaments it hath been thought upon but could not be setled by their Authority by reason of their dissolution before the matters therein treated could be brought to perfection Nevertheless that it was then intended to have been confirmed by Parliament as it hath been from time to time by many Descents and Ages Whereupon
propriety in my own house and not liberty in my person Perspicuè vera non sunt probanda The King hath distributed his Judicial power to Courts of Justice and to Ministers of Justice it is too low for so great a Monarch as the King is to commit men to Prison and it is against Law that men should be committed and no cause shewed I would not speak this but that I hope my Gracious King will hear of it yet it is not I Edw. Cook that speaks it but the Records that speak it we have a National appropriate Law to this Nation diversis ab orbe Brittannis I will conclude with the Acts of the Apostles chap. 25. It is against reason to send a man to Prison and not to shew the cause It is now time to go to the Question Resolved upon the Question Nemine contradicente I. That no Freeman ought to be detained or kept in Prison or otherwise restrained by the command of the King or the Privy-Council or any other unless some cause of the commitment detainer or restraint be expressed for which by Law he ought to be committed detained or restrained II. That the Writ of Habeas Corpus may not be denied but ought to be granted to every man that is committed or detained in Prison or otherwise restrained though it be by the command of the King the Privy-Council or any other he praying the same III. That if a Freeman be committed or detained in prison or otherwise restrained by the Command of the King the Privy-Council or any other no cause of such Commitment Detainer or Restraint being expressed for which by Law he ought to be committed detained or restrained and the same be returned upon a Habeas Corpus granted for the said Party then he ought to be delivered or bailed And then taking into consideration the Property of the Subject in his Goods they came to this Resolution to which there was not a Negative viz. That it is the antient and undubitable right of every Freeman That he hath a full and absolute Property in his Goods and Estate that no Tax Tallage Loan benevolence or other like charge ought to be commanded or levied by the King or any of his Ministers without common consent by Act of Parliament Wednesday March 26. The Propositions tendred the day before by Secretary Cook from his Majesty were now received and read but the Debate thereof was referred to another day The Propositions were these viz. 1. To furnish with men and Victuals 30 ships to guard the narrow Seas and along the Coasts 2. To set out ten other ships for the relief of the Town of Rochel 3. To set out ten other ships for the preservation of the Elbe the Sound and Baltick-Sea 4. To leavy Arms Cloth Victual pay and transport an Army of 1000. Horse and 10000. Foot for Forein Service 5. To pay and supply 6000 l. more for the service of Denmark 6. To supply the Forts of the Office of Ordnance 7. To supply the Stores of the Navy 8. To build 20 ships yearly for the increase of the Navy 9. To repair the Forts within the Land 10. To pay the arrears of the Office of Ordnance 11. To pay the arrears of the Victuallers Office 12. To pay the Arrear of the Treasure of the Navy 13. To pay the Arrears due for the freight of divers Merchants ships imployed in his Majesties Service 14. To provide a Magazine for Victuals for Land and Sea-service And the Commons having a Conference with the Lords about the Petition against Recusants Secretary Cook was appointed to manage the said Conference In the first place he said we acknowledge all due honor both unto the reverend Fathers of the Church and to our Noble Lords in that ye have shined before us as worthy Lights in the encouragement and maintenance of true Religion being the true support of all Dignities and Honors And this forwardness of you is the more remarkable when that viperous Generation as your Lordships justly stiled them do at ease with tooth and nail essay to rend the Bowels of their Mother Give me leave to tell you what I know that these now both vaunt at home and write to their friends abroad They hope all will be well and doubt not to prevail and to win ground upon us And a little to awake the Zeal and Care of our learned and grave Fathers it is fit that they take notice of that Hierarchy which is already established in competition with their Lordships for they have a Bishop consecrated by the Pope This Bishop hath his Subalternate Officers of all kindes as Vicars-General Arch-Deacons Rural-Deans Apparators and such like neither are these nominal or titular Officers alone but they all execute their Jurisdictions and make their ordinary Visitations through the Kingdom keep Courts and determine Ecclesiastical Causes And which is an Argument of more consequence they keep ordinary intelligence by their Agents in Rome and hold correspondence with the Nuntio's and Cardinals both at Bruxels and in France Neither are the Seculars alone grown to this height but the Regulars are more active and dangerous and have taken deep root they have already planted their Societies and Colledges of both Sexes they have setled Revenues Houses Libraries Vestments and all other necessary provisions to travel or stay at home nay even at this time they intend to hold a concurrent Assembly with this Parliament But now since his Sacred Majesty hath extended his Royal arm and since the Lords of his Council have by their Authority caused this nest of Wasps to be digged out of the Earth and their Convocations to be scattered And since your Lordships joyn in courage and resolution at least to reduce this people to their lawfull restraint that they may do no more hurt we conceive great hope and comfort that the Almighty God will from henceforth prosper our endeavors both at home and aboad But now my Lords to come to the chief Errand of this our meeting which is to make known to you the Approbation of our House of that Petition to his Majesty wherein you are pleased to request our concurrence The House hath taken it into serious consideration and from the beginning to the end approve of every word and much commend your happy pen onely we are required to present unto you a few Additions whereby we conceive the Petition may be made more agreeable to the Statutes which are desired to be put in execution and to a former * Petition granted by his Majesty Recorded in both Houses confirmed under the Broad-Seal of England and published in all our Courts of ordinary Justice But these things we propound not as our Resolutions or as matters to raise debate or dispute but commend them onely as our advice and desire being ready notwithstanding to joyn with your Lordships in the Petition as now it is if your Lordships shall not finde this Reason to be of weight This
Bill shew and declare against Roger Manwaring Clerk Dr. in Divinity That whereas by the Laws and Statutes of this Realm the free Subiects of England do undoubtedly inherit this Right and Liberty not to be compelled to contribute any Tax Tollage Aid or to make any Loans not set or imposed by common consent by Act of Parliament And divers of his Majesties loving Subjects relying upon the said Laws and Customes did in all humility refuse to lend such sums of Moneys without Authority of Parliament as were lately required of them Nevertheless he the said Roger Manwaring in contempt and contrarâ— to the Laws of this Realm hath lately preached in his Majesties presence two several Sermons That is to say the fourth day of July last one of the said Sermons and upon the 29. day of the same Moneth the other of the said Sermons both which Sermons he hath since published in print in a Book intituled Religion and Allegiance and with a wicked and malitious intention to seduce and misguide the Conscience of the Kings most excellent Majesty touching the observation of the Laws and Customes of this Kingdom and of the Rights and Liberties of the Subjects to incense his Royal displeasure against his good Subjects so refusing to scandalize subvert and impeach the good Laws and Government of this Realm and the Authority of the High Court of Parliament to alienate his Royal heart from his People and to cause jealousies sedition and division in the Kingdom He the said Roger Manwaring doth in the said Sermons and Book perswade the Kings most excellent Majesty First that his Majesty is not bound to keep and observe the good Laws and Customes of this Realm concerning the Rights and Liberties of the Subjects aforementioned And that his Royal Will and Command in imposing Loans Taxes and other Aids upon his people without common consent in Parliament doth so far binde the Consciences of the Subjects of this Kingdom that they cannot refuse the same without peril of eternal damnation Secondly that those of his Majesties loving Subjects which refused the Loan aforementioned in such manner as is before recited did therein offend against the Law of God against his Majesties Supreme Authority and by so doing became guilty of Impiety Dissoialty Rebellion and Disobedience and liable to many other Taxes and Censures which he in the several parts of his Book doth most falsly and malitiously lay upon them Thirdly that authority of Parliaments is not necessary for the raising of Aids and Subsidies that the slow proceedings of such Assemblies are not fit for the supply of the urgent necessities of the State but rather apt to produce sundry impediments to the just designs of Princes and to give them occasion of displeasure and discontent All which the Commons are ready to prove not only by the general scope of the same Sermons and Book but likewise by several Clauses Assertions and Sentences therein contained and that he the said Roger Manwaring by preaching and publishing the Sermons and Book aforementioned did most unlawfully abuse his holy function instituted by God in his Church for the guiding of the Consciences of all his Servants and chiefly of Soveraign Princes and Magistrates and for the maintenance of the peace and concord betwixt all men especially betwixt the King and his People and hath thereby most grievously offended against the Crown and Dignity of his Majesty and against the Prosperity and good Government of this State and Common-wealth And the said Commons by protestation saving to themselves the Liberty of exhibiting at any time hereafter any other occasion or impeachment against the said Roger Manwaring and also of replying to the answers which he the said Roger shall make unto any of the matters contained in this present Bill of Complaint and of offering further proof of the premises or of any of them as the Cause according to the Course of Parliament shall require do pray that the said Roger Manwaring may be put to answer to all and every the premises and that such proceeding examination trial judgement and exemplary punishment may be thereupon had and executed as is agreeable to Law and Iustice. This Declaration ingrossed in Parliament being read Mr. Pym addressed himself to the Lords in this manner THat he should speak to this Cause with more confidence because he saw nothing out of himself that might discourage him If he considered the matter the Offences were of an high nature of easie proof if he considered their Lordships who were the Judges of their own interest their own honour the example of their Ancestors the care of their Posterity would all be Advocates with him in this Cause on the behalf of the Commonwealth if he considered the King our Soveraign the pretence of whose Service and Prerogative might perchance be sought unto as a Defence and Shelter for this Delinquent he could not but remember that part of his Majesties Answer to the Petition of Right of both Houses that he held himself bound in conscience to preserve those Liberties which this man would perswade him to impeach He said further that he could not but remember his Majesties love to Piety and Justice manifested upon all occasions and he knew love to be the root and spring of all other passions and affections A man therefore hates because he sees somewhat in that which he hates contrary to that which he loves a man therefore is angry because he sees somewhat in that wherewith 〈◊〉 â—ngry that gives impediment and interruption to the accomplishment of that which he loves If this be so by the same act of his Apprehension by which he believes his Majesties love to Piety and Justice he must needs believe his hate and detestation of this man who went about to withdraw him from the exercise of both Then he proceeded to that which he said was the Task enjoyned him to make good every Clause of that which had been read unto them which that he might the more clearly perform he prepounded to observe that order of parts unto which the said Declaration was naturally dissolved 1. Of the Preamble 2. The Body of the Charge 3. The Conclusion or Prayer of the Commons The preamble consisted altogether of recital first of the Inducements upon which the Commons undertook this complaint The second of those Laws and Liberties against which the offence was committed The third of the violation of those Laws which have relation to that offence From the connexion of all those recitals he said there did result three Positions which he was to maintain as the ground-work and foundation of the whole Cause The first that the form of Government in any State could not be altered without apparent danger of ruine to that State The second the Law of England whereby the Subjects was exempted from Taxes and Loans not granted by common consent of Parliament was not introduced by any Statute or by any Charter or Sanction of Princes but was
being stopped and stopped in such maner as we are enjoyned so we must now leave to be a Councel I hear this with that grief as the saddest Message of the greatest loss in the world but let us still be wise be humble let us make a fair Declaration to the King OUr sins are so exceeding great said Sir Iohn Elliot that unless we speedily return to God God will remove himself further from us ye know with what affection and integrity we have proceeded hitherto to have gained his Majesties heart and out of a necessity of our duty were brought to that course we were in I doubt a misrepresentation to his Majesty hath drawn this mark of his displeasure upon us I observe in the Message amongst other sad particulars it is conceived that we were about to lay some aspersions on the Government give me leave to protest That so clear were our intentions that we desire onely to vindicate those dishonors to our King and Countrey c. It is said also as if we cast some aspersions on his Majesties Ministers I am confident no Minister how dear soever can Here the Speaker started up from the seat of the Chair apprehending Sir Iohn Elliot intended to fall upon the Duke and some of the Ministers of State said There is a command laid upon me that I must command you not to proceed whereupon Sir Iohn Elliot sat down I Am as much grieved as ever said Sir Dudley Diggs Must we not proceed let us sit in silence we are miserable we know not what to do Hereupon there was a sad silence in the House for a while which was broken by Sir Nathaniel Rich in these words WE must now speak or for ever hold our peace for us to be silent when King and Kingdom are in this calamity is not fit The question is Whether we shall secure our selves by silence yea or no I know it is more for our own security but it is not for the security of those for whom we serve let us think on them some instruments desire a change we fear his Majesties safety and the safety of the Kingdom I do not say we now see it and shall we now sit still and do nothing and so be scattered Let us go together to the Lords and shew our dangers that we may then go to the King together Others said That the Speech lately spoken by Sir Iohn Elliot had given offence as they feared to his Majesty WHereupon the House declared That every Member of the House is free from any undutiful Speech from the beginning of the Parliament to that day and Ordered That the House be turned into a Committee to consider what is fit to be done for the safety of the Kingdom and that no man go out upon pain of going to the Tower But before the Speaker left the Chair he desired leave to go forth and the House ordered that he may go forth if he please And the House was hereupon turned into a grand Committee Mr. Whitby in the Chair I Am as full of grief as others said Mr. Wandesford let us recollect our English hearts and not sit still but do our duties two ways are propounded To go to the Lords or to the King I think it is fit we go to the King for this doth concern our Liberties and let us not fear to make a Remonstrance of our rights we are his Counsellors there are some men which call evill good and good evil and bitter sweet Justice is now called Popularity and Faction THen Sir Edw. Cook spake freely We have dealt with that duty and moderation that never was the like Rebus sic stantibus after such a violation of the Liberties of the Subject let us take this to heart In 30. E. 3. were they then in doubt in Parliament to name men that misled the King they accused Iohn de Gaunt the Kings Son and Lord Latimer and Lord Nevel for misadvising the King and they went to the Tower for it now when there is such a downfal of the State shall we hold our tongues how shall we answer our duties to God and men 7. H. 4. Parl. Rot. numb 31 32.11 H. 4. numb 13. there the Councel are complained of and are removed from the King they mewed up the King and disswaded him from the Common Good and why are we now retrived from that way we were in why may we not name those that are the Cause of all our evils In 4. H. 3. 27. E. 3. 13. R. 2. the Parliament moderateth the Kings prerogative and nothing grows to abuse but this House hath power to treat of it What shall we do let us palliate no longer if we do God will not prosper us I think the Duke of Buckingham is the cause of all our miseries and till the King be informed thereof we shall never go out with honour or sit with honour here that man is the Grievance of Grievances let us set down the causes of all our dysasters and all will reflect upon him As for going to the Lords that is not via Regia our Liberties are now impeached we are concerned it is not via Regia the Lords are not participant with our Liberties Mr. Selden advised that a Declaration be drawn under four heads 1. To express the Houses dutiful carriage towards his Majesty 2. To tender their Liberties that are violated 3. To present what the purpose of the House was to have dealt in 4. That that great Person viz. the Duke fearing himself to be questioned did interpose and cause this distraction All this time said he we have cast a mantle on what was done last Parliament but now being driven again to look on that man let us proceed with that which was then well begun and let the Charge be renewed that was last Parliament against him to which he made an Answer but the particulars were sufficient that we might demand judgement on that Answer onely IN conclusion the House agreed upon several heads concerning innovation in Religion the safety of the King and Kingdom misgovernment misfortune of our late designs with the causes of them And whilest it was moving to be put to the question that the Duke of Buckingham shall be instanced to be the chief and principal cause of all those evils the Speaker who after he had leave to go forth went privately to the King brought this Message THat his Majesty commands for the present they adjourn the House till to morrow morning and that all Committees cease in the mean time And the House was accordingly adjourned AT the same time the King sent for the Lord Keeper to attend him presently the House of Lords was adjourned ad libitum the Lord Keeper being returned and the House resumed his Lordship signified his Majesties desire that the House and all Committees be adjourned till to morrow morning AFter this Message was delivered the Lords
and other Lands to the said Title of Earl of Arundel 11. An Act to assure the Joynture of the Lady Francis Nevil and to enable the Lord Abergavenny to sell Lands 12. An Act concerning the Lands of William Earl of Devon 13. An Act to confirm the Estates of the Lord Morlies Tenants in Tatham and Gressingham 14. An Act for reestating of Lands of William Morgan Esq and discharging the trust concerning them 15. A Declararation of the Commons against Doctor Manwaring 16. An Act to enable Dutton Lord Gerrard to make a Joynture to any Wife that he shall hereafter marry and to provide for younger children and the securing of Portions for Alice Frances and Eliz. Gerrard sisters of the said Lord Gerrard 17. An Act for restitution in blood of Carew Rawleigh Esq and to confirm Letters Patents made to the Earl of Bristol by King James 18. An Act for the Naturalizing of Isaac Ashley Henry Ashley Thomas Ashley and Bernard Ashley sons of Sir Jacob Ashley Knight 19. An Act for Naturalizing of Samuel Powel 20. An Act for the naturalizing of Alexander Levingston Gent. 21. An Act for the naturalizing of John Trumbal and of William Beere Edward Beer and Sidney Beere and Samuel Wentworth 22. An Act for the amendment of a word miswritten in an Act made An. 21. Iac. R. to enable Vincent Lowe Esq. to sell Lands c. 23. An Act for naturalizing of Sir Robert Ayton Knight 24. An Act for confirmation of Letters Patents made by King James to John Earl of Bristol 25. An Act for naturalizing of John Aldersey Mary Aldersey Anne Aldersey Eliz. Aldersey and Margaret Aldersey c. 26. An Act for the naturalizing of Daniel Delingue Knight 27. An Act for the naturalizing of Sir Robert Dyel Kt. and George Kirk Esquire 28. An Act for the naturalizing of James Freese In the Interval between the two Sessions there happened many remarkable passages DOctor Manwarings Sermons intituled Religion and Allegiance were suppressed by Proclamation the King declaring that though the grounds thereof were rightly laid to perswade obedience from Subjects to their Sovereign and that for conscience sake yet in divers passages inferences and applications thereof trenching upon the Laws of this Land and proceedings of Parliaments whereof he was ignorant he so far erred that he had drawn upon himself the just censure and sentence of the High Court of Parliament by whose judgement also that Book stands condemned Wherefore being desirous to remove occasions of scandal he thought fit that those Sermons in regard of their influences and applications be totally suppressed Then a Proclamation came forth declaring the Kings pleasure for proceedings with Popish Recusants and directions to his Commissioners for making compositions for two parts of three of their Estates which by Law were due to his Majesty neverthelesse for the most part they got off upon easie tearms by reason of compositions at undervalues and by Letters of Grace and protection granted from time to time to most of the wealthiest of them This was seconded with another Proclamation commanding that diligent search be made for all Priests and Jesuites particularly the Bishop Calcedon and others that have taken Orders by authority from the See of Rome that they be apprehended and committed to the Goale of that County where they shall be found there to remaine without Bayle or Mainprize till they be tryed by due course of Law and if upon trial and conviction there shall be cause to respit the execution of any of them they shall not lie in the Common Goals much lesse wander about at large but according to the example of former times be sent to the Castle of Wisbitch or some other safe prison where they shall remain under strait and close custody and be wholly restrained from exercising their function and spreading their superstitious and dangerous doctrines Hereupon the Privy Councel wrote to the Bishop of Ely a Letter of the tenour following WHereas his Majestie hath beene informed that the Romish Priests Jesuites and Seminaries lurking in this Kingdome do obstinately and maliciously continue their wonted practises to supplant the true Religion established and to seduce his people from obedience stirre up sedition and subvert the State and Government so far as it lieth in their power his Majesty hath therefore commanded us to signifie unto your Lordship that it is his expresse will and pleasure according to his Declaration in Parliament and his Royal Proclamation since published you shall forthwith prepare and make ready the Castle of Wisbitch in the Isle of Ely to receive and lodge all such Priests Jesuites and Seminaries and other prisoners as shall be hereafter sent thither and there treat and governe them according to such instructions and directions as shall be prescribed by this board The Jesuites taken in Clarken-well being then in several prisons it was ordered by the Councel they should all be removed to Newgate and such of them as were not as yet convicted and condemned should be proceeded against untill they were condemned and then that they all should be sent to the Castle of VVisbitch according to the Proclamation in that behalf and the Attorney General was required to take course to entitle the King to the goods taken in the house which was designed for a Colledge and accordingly they were proceeded against and but onely one convicted which proceeding was questioned in the ensuing Session of Parliament And upon Information that there was a greater concourse of Recusants in or near London then had been usual at other times the Privy Councel sent to the Lord Mayor to require him to cause diligent search to be made within the City and Liberties thereof and to finde out what Recusants did inhabit or remaine there as House-keepers Inmates or Lodgers or in any manner and to return a certificate to the board both of their names and qualities distinguishing which were Trades-men that were there by occasion of their Trades according to to the Statute in that behalf and which were of no Trade but resorted thither from other parts of the Kingdom Iuly 15. being St. Swithins day Sir Richard VVeston Chancellor of the Exchequer was made Lord Treasurer of England and the same day was Bishop Laud translated to the Bishoprick of London About the same time Master Montague formerly mentioned was designed to the Bishoprick of Chichester upon the decease of Bishop Carleton Neverthelesse his Appello Caesarem was thought fit to be called in the King declaring that out of his care to maintain the Church in the unity of true Religion and the bond of peace to prevent unnecessary disputes he had lately caused the Articles of Relgion to be reprinted as a rule for avoiding diversities of opinions and considering that a Book written by Richard Montague now Bishop of Chichester intituled Apello Caesarem was the first cause of those disputes and differences which since have much troubled the quiet
this Session beginning with confidence one towards another it may end with a perfect good understanding between us Which God grant Munday the 26. of Ianuary MR. Secretary Cook delivered a Message from the King to the House of Commons that the Bill for Tunnage and Poundage might be speedily taken into consideration and that time might not be slipt and did very much press in his Majesties nâ—me the reading thereof as a matter of weight and importance and said that he spake it for their service and that moderation in their proceedings would be of great advantage to them But the House being troubled to have the Bill imposed upon them which ought naturally to arise from themselves did at that time forbear to speak their minds freely and resolved to husband their time and did accordingly further impower the Committee to examine violation of Libertie and property since the last Session of Parliament and resolved to proceed in the next place with matters of Religion and particularly against the Sect of Arminians upon which occasion Mr. Rous spake to this purpose Mr. Speaker we have of late entered into consideration of the Petition of Right and the violation of it and upon good reason for it concerns our Goods Liberties and Laws but there is a right of higher nature that preserves for us far greater things Eternal life our souls yea our God himself a Religion derived to us from the King of Kings confirmed upon us by the Kings of this Kingdom Enacted by Laws in this place streaming down to us in the blood of Martyrs witnessed from Heaven by miracles even miraculous deliverances and this Right in the name of this Nation I this day require and claim that there may be a deep and serious consideration of the violation of it I desire it may be considered whâ—t new paintings are laid on the old face of the whore of Babylon to make her shew more lovely and to draw so many suitors to her I desire that it may be considered how the See of Rome doth eat into our Religion and fret into the Banks and walls of it the Laws and Statutes of this Realm especially since those Laws have been made in a manner by themselves even by their own Treasons and bloody Designs And since that Popery is a confused heap of Errors casting down Kings before Popes the Precepts of God before the Traditions of men living and reasonable men before dead and sensless stocks and stones I desire that we may consider the increase of Arminianism an Error that makes the Grace of God lackey it after the will of man that makes the sheep to keep the Shepherd and makes a mortal seed of an Immortal God Yea I desire that we may look into the very belly and bowells of this Trojan Horse to see if there be not men in it ready to open the Gates to Romish Tyranny and Spanish Monarchy for an Arminian is the Spawn of a Papist and if there come the warmth of favour upon him you shall see him turn into one of those Froggs that rise out of the bottomless pit And if you mark it well you shall see an Arminian reaching out his hand to a Papist a Papist to a Jesuite a Jesuite gives one hand to the Pope and another to the King of Spaine and these men having kindled a fire in our neighbour Country now they have brought over some of it hither to set on flame this Kingdom also Yea let us further search and consider whether these be not the men that break in upon the goods and Liberties of this Common-wealth for by this means they make way for the taking away of our Religion it was an old trick of the Devil when he meant to take away Iobs Religion he begun at his goods saying lay thy hand on all he hath and he will curse thee to thy face either they think thereby to set a distaste between Prince and People or else to finde some other way of supply to avoid or break Parliaments that so they may break in upon our Religion and bring in their errours But let us do as Iob did who being constant against temptation held fast his Religion and his goods were restored to him with advantage so if we hold fast God and our Religion these things shall be added unto us Let us consider the times past how this Nation flourished in honour and abundance when Religion flourished amongst us but as Religion decayed so the honour and strength of this Nation decayed also when the soul of a Common-wealth is dead the body cannot longer overlive it If a man meet a dogg alone the dogg is fearful though never so fierce by nature but if that dogg have his Master by him he will set upon that man from whence he fled before This shews that lower natures being backt with the higher increase in courage and strength and certainly man being backt with omnipotency is a kind of omnipotency all things are possible to him that believeth and where all things are possible there is a kind of omnipotence wherefore let us now by the unanimous consent and resolution of us all make a vow and covenant henceforth to hold fast I say to hold fast our God and our Religion And then may we from henceforth certainly expect prosperity on this Kingdom and Nation and to this Covenant let every man say Amen Tuesday the 27. of Ianuary A Report was made to the House from the Committee for Religion of matters concerning Religion which passed the last Session and were since that time delivered by the Clerk by Command from the King to some whom his Majesty had sent for the same for want whereof the Committee could not proceed hereupon Master Secretary Cook brings this message from the King that his Majesty understanding the Râ—monstrance concerning Religion was called for was pleased to take away all Question to command him to deliver it unto them hoping never the lesse that they will proceed with the Bill for Tunnage and Poundage and give precedency to that business and so put an end to a further dispute between some of his Subjects meaning the Customers and Merchants whose goods were seized by the Customers for Tunnage and Poundage or else he shall think his speech which was with good applause accepted had not that good effect which he expected But the House thought fit to prefer Religion and to give it the first place in their debates saying if Popery and Arminianisme joyne hand in hand together it would by degrees bring in Spanish tyranny under which these Laws and Liberties must Cease Besides that it was fit time to enquire what persons have been advanced to Ecclesiastical preferments and to whom pardons have been granted since the last Session That Religion concerns the King as well as the Subjects and the work of the Lord must not be done negligently whereupon the House was Disolved into a Commitee and gave
all Ages who shine in vertue and are firm for our Religion but the contrary Faction I like not I remember a character I have seen in a Diary of E. 6. that young Prince of famous memory where he doth expresse the condition of the Bishops of that time under his own hand writing That some for sloath some for age some for ignorance some for luxury and some for Popery were unfit for Discipline and Government We see there are some among our Bishops who are not Orthodox nor sound in Religion as they should be witness the two Bishops complained of the last meeting of the Parliament I apprehend such a feare that should we be in their power we may be in danger to have our Religion overthrown some of these are Masters of Ceremonies and they labour to introduce new Ceremonies into the Church Yet some Ceremonies are useful give me leave to joyn that I hold it necessary and commendable that at the repetition of the Creed we should stand up to testifie the resolution of our hearts that we will defend the Religion which we profess and in some Churches it is added they did not only stand upright with their bodies but with their Swords drawn Let us go to the ground of our Religion and lay down a Rule on which all others may rest then when that is done it will be time to take into consideration the breakers and offendors of that Rule Hereupon after some Debate the Commons entered into this Vow The Vow of the House of Commons in Parliament WEE the Commons in Parliament Assembled do Claim Protest and Avow for truth the sence of the Articles of Religion which were established by Parliament in the thirteenth year of our late Queen Elizabeth which by the publique Act of the Church of England and by the generall and currant Expositions of the Writers of our Church have been delivered unto us And we reject the sence of the Jesuites and Arminians and all others wherein they differ from us Friday the thirtieth of January 1628. Both Houses joyn in Petitioning the King for a Fast. MOst Gracious Soveraign It is the very earnest desire of us your most dutiful Subjects the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons in this Parliament Assembled that this meeting may be abundantly blessed with all happy successe in the great affairs of Church and State upon which we are to consult and that by a cleare understanding both of your Majesties goodness unto us and of our ever faithfull and Loyal hearts to your Majesties Royal Person and service all jealousies and distractions which are apparent signs of Gods displeasure and of ensuing mischief being removed there may this Session and for ever be a perfect and most happy union and agreement between your Majesty and all the Estates of this Realm But acknowledging that neither this nor any other blessing can be expected without the especiall favour of Almighty God upon the observation of the continued increasing miseries of the Reformed Churches abroad whose cases with bleeding hearts we compassionate as likewise of those punishments already inflicted And which are like in great measure to fall upon our selves we have just cause to conceive that the Divine Majesty is for our sins exceedingly offended against us wherefore we do in these and all other pious respects most Dread Soveraign humbly beseech your most excellent Majesty by your Royal consent and Commandment that not only our selves but all people of your Kingdom may be speedily enjoyned upon some certain day by your Majesty to be prefixed by publique Fasting and Prayer to seek reconciliation at the merciful hands of Almighty God So that the prayers of the whole Kingdom joyned with your Majesties most Princely care and the faithful hearts and endeavours of this great Councel assembled may procure honour to Almighty God in the preservation of his true Religion much honour to your Majesty prosperity to your people and comfort to your Majesties Friends and Allies The Kings Answer to the Petition MY Lords and Gentlemen The chief Motive of your Petition being the deplorable Condition of the Reformed Churches abroad is too true And our duty is so much as in us lieth to give them all possible help But certainly fighting will doe them more good then fasting though I doe not wholly disallow of the latter yet I must tell you that the custome of fasting every Session is but lately begun and I confesse I am not fully satisfied with the necessity of it at this time Yet to shew you how smoothly I desire your businesse to go on eschewing as much as I can Questions or jealousies I doe willingly grant your request herein but with this Note That this shall not hereafter be brought into president for frequent Fasts except upon great occasions And for form and time I will advise with my Lords the Bishops and then send you a particular Answer Soon after the House of Commons presented a Declaration to the King touching their resolutions to give precedency to Religion MOst Gracious Sovereign We have within these three dayes received from your Majesty a Message putting us in minde of our present entring upon the consideration of a Grant of Tunnage and Poundage but the manner of possessing the House therewith being disagreeable to our Orders and Priviledges that we could not proceed therein And finding our selves in your Majesties name pressed in that businesse and that we should give precedency thereunto we cannot but expresse some sence of sorrow fearing that the most hearty and forward affections wherewith we desire to serve your Majesty are not clearly represented unto you besides such is the solicitous care we have in preserving our selves in your Majesties most gracious and good opinion that it cannot but breed much trouble in us when ever we find our selves as now we are enforced to spend that time in making our humble Apologies from whence doe usually arise long Debates which we conceive might very profitably be applyed in the greater Services of your Majesty and the Common-wealth which we did with all humble diligence apply our selves unto and finding the extream dangers wherewith our Religion is threatned clearly presenting it unto our thoughts and considerations We thought and we think we cannot without impiety to God disloyalty to your Majesty and unthankfulnesse to those from whom we are put in trust retard our proceedings until something be done to secure us in this maine point which we prefer above our lives and all earthly things whatsoever And here we do with all humble thankfulnesse acknowledge your Majesties most pious care and Princely Intentions to suppresse both Popery and Arminianism the Professor of the one being an open enemy 〈◊〉 the maintainer of the other a subtil and more dangerous underminer of the Religion of Almighty God established within your Realmes and Dominions The truth of which our whole Religion or any part thereof as being sufficiently known and received generally here
of all the Members of our Church except onely of some schismatical persons who have of late years taken the boldnesse to broach their contrary corrupt opinions we desire should not be called in question or doubt But howsoever it hath pleased your Majesty to our exceeding great comfort by many Testimonies to declare your own constant resolution to maintain the said Religion yet we see how your gracious purposes are therin crost and into what a miserable condition your whole Kingdom is likely by that means to be reduced we shall earnestlie endeavour as that which doth nearly concerne us the safety and prosperitie of your Majestie and people which are in such sort disordered that ruine thereby threatned to both may by Gods blessing be prevented being most heartilie sorrie that these occasions are offered which did thus hinder our proceedings And therefore as well for dignity and necessitie of the matter as for that we conceive it to be the most speedy and effectual way by uniting of all our hearts and endeavours to dispatch all other businesse of importance particularlie those which may seem more immediatlie to respect your Majesties profit We pray that our resolutions of preferring this businesse before all others may be acceptable to your Majestie to whom both in the matter and manner of our proceedings we desire to give all possible satisfaction Whereunto the King thus Answered GEntlemen this Answer being somewhat long may in reason require some time to reply unto it since as most of you cannot but judge this giveth no satisfaction Therefore I shall give you some short notes upon it I cannot think that whereas you alledge that the Bill of Tunnage and Poundage was brought in against the priviledge of your House That you will offer to take so much priviledge from every one of your members as not to allow them the liberty to bring in any Bill whatsoever although it be in your power when it is brought in to do with it what you think good And I cannot imagine you coming together by my power and to treat of things that I propound unto you can deny me that Prerogative to commend or offer my Bill unto you though in this particular I must confess that this Bill was not to have been offered to you in my Name as that Member of your House can bear witness As for the cause of delay in my businesse being Religion there is none of you shall have a greater care for the true preservation of it then my self which since it is confessed by your Answer You must either think I want power which cannot be or that I am very ill councelled if it be in so much danger as you affirm Though I may say much of this I will say no more but that for all this I shall not stop mine ears to you upon this subject so that in form and matter you transgresse not your limits as for Tunnage and Poundage I do not so much desire it out of greediness of the thing being perswaded you will make no stop in it when you once take it in hand as out of a desire to put an end to those Questions that do arise between me and some of my Subjects thinking it a strange thing if you should give Ear to those complaints and not to take the sure and speedy way to decide them Besides I must think it strange that this business of Religion should only be a hinderer of my Affaires whereas I am certainly informed all other things go according to their ordinary course therefore I must still be instant with you that you proceed with Tunnage and Poundage with diligence not looking to be denied in so just a desire and you must not think it strange i◠I finding you slack give you such further quickning as I shall find cause Hereupon Secretary Cook did acknowledge that at the presenting of the Bill of Tunnage to be read he said his Majesty much desired it but it was a mistake that his Majesty commanded it Wednesday the 4. of February THe House fell into debate of the Kings Declaration published in print to prohibite dispute or preaching one way or other concerning the matters mentioned in the Declaration alledging in the debate that the main end thereof was to suppress the Puritan party and yet to give liberty to the contrary side and they conceived that Bishop Laud and Bishop Montague mentioned in the last Remonstrance had advised the King to that Declaration Bishop Laud being advanced since the last Session of Parliament to be Bishop of London and Mr. Montague since that time made Bishop of Chichester And a Warrant was grantted to the Attourney General to draw up a pardon for him but whereas the Warrant was but for one the Attourney put four into the pardon viz. Bishop Montague Doctor Cosens Doctor Sibthorp and Doctor Manwaring Tuesday the 10. of February WHilst the House was in debate touching matters of Religion the Ware-house of Mr. Rolls Merchant and Member of the House then sitting in Parliament was locked up by a Pursuevant and himself called forth from the Committee and served with a Subpoenâ This gave occasion of smart debates in the House some said they were made the subject of scorn and contempt others conceived this to be a bone thrown in by them that have drawn a cloud on the true Religion to divert or interrupt them in the prosecution of that matter and they desired the messenger might be sent for and be examined by what procurement this Subpoenâ was taken forth Sir Humphrey May Chancellor of the Duchy and one of the Privy Councel assured the House that this neither proceeded from King nor Councel and therefore desired it might be searched into the bottome And it was afterwards cleared by Master Atturney General by his writing a Letter to Mr. Rolls that the serving a Subpoenâ upon him was a mistake and prayed that a favourable interpretation might be given of that matter Upon report from the Committee for Tunnage and Poundage Sir Iohn Wolstenholme Mr. Dawes and Mr. Carmarthan were ordered to appear at the Barr on Friday next and report was made to the House that Master Atturney notwithstanding his Letter did give order for the processe against Mr. Rolls and that in the Bill preferred in the Exchequer it was expressed the Merchants did plot practice and combine against the peace of the Kingdome This business being a matter of weight the further consideration thereof was appointed for another day and no member might go out of Town without Licence Thursday the 12. of February THe House was turned into a Committee concerning the business of Tunnage and Poundage and several Merchants did Petition that their goods were not only seized but informations preferred in Star-Chamber against them The Committee in their debate inclined that the Merchants might have their goods before they enter upon the Bill for Tunnage and Mr. Noy expressed himself
commitment was for notable contempts by him committed against Our Self and Our Government and for stirring up sedition against Us for which you are to detain him in your custody and to keep him close prisoner until Our pleasure be further known concerning his deliverance Given at Greenwich the 7 of May 1629. in the 5 yeer of Our Reign The direction being To the Marshal of Our Bench for the time being hae sunt causae captionis detentionis praedicti Gulielmi Stroud And upon another Habeas Corpus to the Marshal of the Houshold to have the Body of Walter Long Esq in Court it was returned according as the Return of Mr. Stroud was Mr. Ask of the Inner-Temple of Counsel for Mr. Stroud and Mr. Mason of Lincolns-Inn of Counsel for Mr. Long argued against the insufficiency of the Return which with the Arguments of the Kings Counsel we here forbear to mention lest it be too great a diversion to the Reader from the Historical part yet those and other Arguments we have nevertheless postponed at the end of this first Volume for the benefit of the Students of the Law which course as to Arguments in Law wherein the Prerogative of the one hand and Liberty and Propertie of the other hand are concerned we purpose to observe in our next and other Volumes as matter of that nature falls out in series of Time The seventh of May an Information was exâ—ibited in the Star-Chamber which because it is a remarkable Proceeding we give you here at large Iovis Septimo die Maii Anno Quinto Ca. R. To the Kings most excellent Majesty HUmbly sheweth and informeth unto Your most excellent Majesty Sir Robert Heath Knight Your Majesties Attorney General for and on Your Majesties behalf That whereas by the Ancient and Fundamental Laws of this Kingdom the high Court of Parliament consisteth of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in the Lords House and of the Knights Citizens and Burgesses in the Commons House of Parliament and those two Houses thus composed do together make up that great and honourable Body whereof Your most excellent Majesty as the supreme Soveraign is the head and whereas the Power of summoning and assembling of Parliaments and of continuing proroguing adjourning and dissolving thereof within this Realm at Your good pleasure is the undoubted Right of your Majesty and the Liberty and Freedom of Speech which the Members of the said Houses of Parliament have according to the Priviledges of those several Houses to debate consult and determine of those things which are propounded amongst them is and ever hath been and ought to be limited and regulated within the bounds of Moderation and Modesty and of that Duty which Subjects owe to their Soveraign and whereas Your Majesty for many weighty Causes and for the general Good and Defence of the Church and State of this Your Kingdom lately summoned a Parliament to be holden at Your City of Westminster the seventeenth day of March in the third year of Your Majesties Reign which continued from thence by prorogation until the twentieth day of Ianuary last from which day until the twenty fifth day of February following the said Houses continued sitting And although the great part of the House of Commons being zealous of the Common Good did endeavour to have effected those good things for which they were called thither yet between the said twentieth day of Ianuary and the said twenty fifth day of February by the malevolent Disposition of some ill-affected Members of the said House sundry Diversions and Interruptions were there made and many Jealousies there unjustly raised and nourished to the disturbance of those orderly and Parliament proceedings which ought to have been in so grave a Council During which time of the said last meeting in Parliament as aforesaid so it is may it please your most excellent Majesty that Sir Iohn Elliot Knight then and all the time of the said Parliament being one of the Members of the said Commons House wickedly and malitiously intending under a feigned Colour and Pretence of debating the necessary Affairs of the present estate to lay a scandal and unjust Aspersion upon the right honorable the Lords and others of your Majesties most honourable Privy-Council and upon the reverend Judges and your Counsel learned and as much as in him lay to bring them into the hatred and ill opinion of the people after the said twentieth day of Ianuary and before the said twenty fifth day of February last did openly and publickly in the said House of Commons falsly and malitiously affirm That your Majesties Privy-Council all your Judges and your Counsel learned had conspired together to trample under their feet the Liberties of the said Subjects of this Realm and the priviledges of that House And further so it is may it please your most excellent Majesty that when your Majesty upon the twenty fifth day of February had by Sir Iohn Finch Knight then Speaker of the said house of Commons signified your Royal pleasure to the said house that the said house of Commons should be instantly adjourned until the second day of March then following he the said Sir Iohn Elliot and Denzil Holles Esquire Benjamin Valantine Gent. Walter Longe Esquire William Corriton Esquire William Strode Esquire Iohn Selden Esquire Sir Miles Hobert and Sir Peter Hayman Knights all Members at that time of the said Commons house conceiving with themselves that your Majesty being justly provoked thereto would speedily dissolve that Parliament They the said Sir Iohn Elliot Denzil Holles Benjamin Valentine Walter Longe William Corriton William Strode Iohn Selden Sir Miles Hobert and Sir Peter Hayman and every of them by unlawful Confederacie and Combination between them in that behalf before had did malitiously resolve agree and conspire how and by what means before that Parliament should be dissolved they might raise such false and scandalous rumours against your Majesties Government and your Counsellours of Estate attending your person that thereby as much as in them lyeth they might disturb the happy Government of this Kingdom by and under your Majesty interrupt the course of traffique and trade discourage your Merchants and raise Jealousies and Suspitions in the hearts of your people that the Sincerity of the true Religion professed and established in this Kingdom was neglected and in pursuance of this their Resolution and Confidence aforesaid the said Sir Iohn Elliot with the privitie and consent of the said Denzil Holles and all other the said confederates did prepare a paper or writing wherein he had written or caused to be written divers false and scandalous Assertions touching your Majesties Government and touching the persons of divers of your Privy-Council which he and they resolved and conspired and agreed should be delivered into the said house of Commons and there publickly read to the wicked and seditious intents and purposes aforesaid and not with any purpose or opinion that those things that were therein contained if
of the opinion of Mr. Atturney General that the word proditore would have made this Treason And for the other matters he agreed with the Judges Therefore by the Court the Defendants were ruled to plead further and Mr. Lenthal of Lincolns-Inn was assigned of Counsel for them Inasmuch as the Defendants would not put in other Plea the last day of the Term judgment was given against them upon a nihil dicit which judgment was pronounced by Iones to this effect The matter of the Information now by the confession of the Defendants is admitted to be true and we think their Plea to the jurisdiction insufficient for the matter and manner of it And we hereby will not draw the true Liberties of Parliament-men into Question to wit for such matters which they do or speak in Parliamentary manner But in this case there was a conspiracy between the Defendants to slander the State and to raise sedition and discord between the King his Peers and People and this was not a Parliamentary course All the Iudges of England except one have Resolved the Statute of 4 Hen. 8. to be a private Act and to extend to Strood only But every Member of the Parliament shall have such Priviledges as are there mentioned but they have no Priviledge to speak at their pleasure The Parliament is an high Court therefore it ought not to be disorderly but ought to give good example to other Courts If a Judg of our Court shall rayl upon the State or Clergy he is punishable for it A Member of the Parliament may charge any great Officer of the State with any particular offence but this was a malevolous accusation in the generality of all the Officers of State therefore the matter contained within the Information is a great offence and punishable in this Court 2. For the punishment although the offence be great yet that shall be with a light hand and shall be in this manner 1. That every of the Defendants shall be imprisoned during the Kings pleasure Sir John Elliot to be imprisoned in the Tower of London and the other Defendants in other Prisons 2. That none of them shall be delivered out of Prison until he give security in this Court for his good behaviour and have made submission and acknowledgment of his offence 3. Sir John Elliot inasmuch as we think him the greatest offender and the ringleader shall pay a fine to the King of 2000 l. and Mr. Holles a fine of 1000 marks and Mr. Valentine because he is of less ability then the rest shall pay a fine of 500 l. And to all this all the other Justices with one voice accorded FINIS APPENDIX His Majesties Declaration to all his Loving Subjects of the Causes which moved him to dissolve the last Parliament March 10. 1628. HOwsoever Princes are not bound to give accompt of their Actions but to God alone yet for the satisfaction of the minds and affections of Our Loving Subjects We have thought good to set down thus much by way of Declaration that We may appeare to the world in the truth and sincerity of Our Actions and not in those Colours in which We know some turbulent and ill-affected spirits to masque and disguise their wicked intentions dangerous to the State would represent Us to the publick view We assembled our Parliament the 17th day of March in the third yeer of Our Reigne for the safety of Religion for securing Our Kingdoms and Subjects at home and Our friends and Allies abroad And therefore at the first sitting down of it We declared the miserable afflicted estate of those of the reformed Religion in Germany France and other parts of Christendome the distressed extremities of Our dearest Uncle the King of Denmark chased out of a great part of his Dominions the strength of that Party which was united against Us That besides the Pope and the house of Austria and their antient confederates the French King professed the rooting out of the Protestant Religion That of the Princes and States on Our party some were over-run others diverted and some disabled to give assistance For which and other important motives We propounded a speedy supply of Treasure answerable to the necessity of the Cause These things in the beginning were well resented by the House of Commons and with much alacrity and readinesse they agreed to grant a liberall aid But before it was brought to any perfection they were diverted by a multitude of Questions raised amongst them touching their Liberties and Priviledges and by other long disputes that the Bill did not passe in a long time and by that delay Our affairs were put into a far worse case then at the first Our Foraigne Actions then in hand being thereby disgraced and ruined for want of timely help In this as We are not willing to derogate from the merit and good intentions of those wise and moderate men of that House to whose forwardnesse We attribute it that it was Propounded and Resolved so soon so We must needs say that the delay of passing it when it was resolved occasioned by causlesse jealousies stirred up by men of another temper did much lessen both the reputation and reality of that Supply And their spirit infused into many of the Commissioners and Assessors in the Country hath returned up the Subsidies in such a scanty proportion as is infinitely short not onely of Our great occasâ—ons but of the presidents of former Subsidies and of the intentions of all well-affected men in that House In those large Disputes as We permitted many of Our high prerogatives to be debated which in the best times of Our Predecessors had never been questioned without punishment or sharp reproof so We did endeavour to have shortned those debates for winning of time which would have much advantaged Our great affairs both at home and abroad And therefore both by speeches and messages We did often declare Our gratious and clear resolution to maintain not onely the Parliament but all our People in their antient and just liberties without either violation or diminution and in the end for their full satisfaction and security did by an Answer framed in the form by themselves desired to their Parliamentary Petition confirm their antient and just Liberties and Rights which We resolve with all constancy and justice to maintain This Parliament howsoever besides the setling Our necessary supply and their own liberties they wasted much time in such proceedings blasting Our Government as We are unwilling to remember yet We suffered them to sit untill themselves desired Us to appoint a time for their Recesse not naming either Adjournment or Prorogation Whereupon by advice of Our Councill We resolved to prorogue and make a Session and to that end prefixed a day by which they might as was meet in so long a Sitting finish some profitable and good Lawes and withall gave order for a gratious Pardon to all Our Subjects which according to the use
some of them without reverence or respect to the honour and dignity of that Presence behaved themselves with such boldnesse and insolency of speech as was not to be endured by a far meaner Assembly much lesse to be countenanced by a House of Parliament against the Body of Our Privy Councill And as in this We did what in reason and honour was fit for the present so Our Thoughts were daily intentive upon the re-assembling of Our Parliament with full intention on Our part to take away all ill-understanding between Us and Our people whose loves as We desired to continue and preserve so We used Our best endeavours to prepare and facilitate the way to it And to this end having taken a strict and exact survey of Our Government both in the Church and Common-wealth and what things were most fit and necessary to be reformed We found in the first place that much exception had been taken at a Book entituled Appello Caesarem or An Appeal to Cesar and published in the year 1625. by Richard Montague then Batchelor of Divinity and now Bishop of Chichester and because it did open the way to those schisms and divisions which have since ensued in the Church We did for remedy and redresse thereof and for the satisfaction of the consciences of Our good people not onely by Our publick Proclamation call in that Book which ministred matter of offence but to prevent the like danger for hereafter re-printed the Articles of Religion established in the time of Queen Elizabeth of famous memory and by a Declaration before those Articles We did tie and restrain all opinions to the sense of those Articles that nothing might be left for private fancies and innovations For We call God to record before whom We stand that it is and alwaies hath been Our hearts desire to be found worthy of that Title which We account the most glorious in all our Crown Defender of the Faith Neither shall We ever give way to the authorising of any thing whereby any Innovation may steal or creep into the Church but to preserve that unity of Doctrine and Discipline established in the time of Queen Elizabeth whereby the Church of England hath stood and flourished ever since And as we were carefull to make up all breaches and rents in Religion at home so did We by Our Proclamation and Commandment for the execution of Lawes against Priests and Popish Recusants fortifie all waies and approaches against that forraigne Enemy which if it have not succeeded according to Our intention We must lay the fault where it is in the subordinate Officers and Ministers in the Country by whose remisnesse Jesuites and Priests escape without apprehension and Recusants from those convictions and penalties which the Law and Our Commandment would have inflicted on them For We do professe That as it is Our duty so it shall be our care to command and direct well but it is the part of others to perform the ministeriall office And when We have done Our office We shall account Our Self and all charitable men will account Us innocent both to God and men And those that are negligent We will esteem as culpable both to God and Us and therefore will expect that hereafter they give Us a better account And as We have been careful for the setling of Religion and quieting the Church so were We not unmindfull of the preservation of the just and antient Liberties of Our Subjects which we secured to them by our gratious Answer to the Petition in Parliament having not since that time done any act whereby to infringe them But Our care is and hereafter shall be to keep them entire and inviolable as We would do Our Own Right and Soveraignty having for that purpose enrolled the Petition and Answer in our Courts of Justice Next to the care of Religion and of Our Subjects Rights We did Our best for the provident and well-ordering of that aid and supply which was granted us the last Session whereof no part hath been wastefully spent nor put to any other use than those for which it was desired and granted as upon payment of Our Fleet and Army wherein Our care hath been such as We chose rather to discontent Our dearest Friends and Allies and Our nearest Servants than to leave Our Souldiers and Marriners unsatisfied whereby any vexation or disquiet might arise to our People We have also with part of those monies begun to supply our Magazines and stores of Munition and to put Our Navy into a constant form and order Our Fleet likwise is fitting and almost in a readinesse whereby the Narrow Seas may be guarded Commerce maintained and Our Kingdome secured from all forraign attempts These acts of Ours might have made this impression in all good minds that We were carefull to direct Our counsells and dispose Our actions as might most conduce to the maintenance of Religion honour of Our Government and safety of Our People But with mischievous men once ill-affected seu bene seu male facta premunt and whatsoever once seemed amisse is ever remembered but good endeavours are never regarded Now all these things that were the chief complaints the last Session being by Our Princely care so seriously reformed the Parliament reassembled the 20th of Ianuary last We expected according to the candor and sincerity of our own thoughts that men would have framed themselves for the effecting of a right understanding between Us and Our People But some few malevolent persons like Empericks and lewd Artists did strive to make new work and to have some disease on foot to keep themselves in request and to be employed and entertained in the cure And yet to manifest how much offences have been diminished The Committees for Grievances Committees for Courts of Justice and Committees for Trade have since the sitting down of the Parliament received few Complaints and those such as they themselves have not thought to be of that moment or importance with which Our Ears should be acquainted No sooner therefore was the Parliament set down but these ill affected men began to sow and disperse their jealousies by casting out some glances and doubtfull speeches as if the Subject had not been so clearly and well dealt with touching their liberties and touching the Petition answered the last Parliament This being a plausible Theam thought on for an ill purpose easily took hold on the minds of many that knew not the practice And thereupon the second day of the Parliament a Committee was appointed to search whether the Petition and our Answer thereunto were enrolled in the Parliament Role and in the Courts at Westminster and in what manner the same was done And a day also was then appointed on which the House being resolved into a Committee should take into consideration those things wherein the liberty of the Subject had been invaded against the Petition of Right This though it produced no other effect of moment or importance yet was
Voyages and Land Travels by Englishmen and others By Samuel Purchas in Four Volumes Folio The History of the Parliament of England which began November the Third 1640. With a short and necessary view of some precedent years By Thomas May Esq Folio The Text of the New Testament of Jesus Christ Translated out of the Vulgar Latine by the Papists of the Traiterous Seminary of Rhemes Whereunto is added the Translation out of the Original Greek commonly used in the Church of England c. By W. Fulke D. D. and sometimes Master of Pembroke-Hall in Cambridge Folio The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland containing Five Books together with some Treatises conducing to the History By Iohn Knox. Folio Two Treatises In the one of which the Nature of Bodies in the other the Nature of Mans Soul is looked into In way of discovery of the Immortality of Reasonable Souls By Sir Kenelme Digby Folio Histoire de l'entre de la Reyne Mere du Roy tres Chrestien danâ— les Provinces Vnies des pays has avec des Figures Histoire de l'entre de la Reyne Mere du Roy tres Chrestien dans la Grande Britaigne avec des Figures par le Sieur de la Serre Historiographe Folio Ad Serenissimum Jacobâ—m primum Britanniarum Monarcham Ecclesiae Scoticanae libellus supplex Authore Jacobo Melvino Quarto Polycarpi Ignatii Epistolae unà cum vetere vulgata interpretatione Latina ex trium Manuscriptorum codicum collatione integritati suae restitutae quibus praefixa est Iacobi Vsserii Archiepiscopi Armachani dissertatio Quarto Appendix Ignatiana in qua continentur 1. Ignatii Epistolae Genuinae 2. Ignatii Martyriam à Philone Agathopode aliis descriptum 3. Tiberiani Plinii Secundi Trajani imp de Constantia Martyrum illius temporis Epistolae 4. Smyrnensis Ecclesiae de Polycarpi Martyrio Epistola 5. In Ignatii Polycarpi Acta atque in Epistolas etiam Ignatio perperà m adscriptas Annotationes Iacobi Vsserii Armachani Quarto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clementis ad Corinthios Epistola Prior. Patritius Junius ex lateris Reliquiis vetustissimi examplaris Bibliotherae Regiae eruit Quarto Purchas his Pilgrim Microcosmus or the History of Man relating the wonders of his Generation Vanities in his Degeneration necessity of his Regeneration meditated on the words of David Psal. 39.5 By Samuel Purchas Octavo Saint Augustine his Enchyridion to Laurence or the cheif and principal Heads of all Christian Religion the Second Edition Twelves Theologia Naturalis sive liber Creaturarum Specialiter de homine de Natura ejus in quantum homo de his quae sunt ei necessaria ad cognoscendum Deum seipsum omne debitum ad quod homo tenetur obligatur tam Deo quà m proximo Authore Raymundo de Sabunde Octavo Frederici Spanhemii Epistola ad Nobilisstmum Virum Davidem Buchananum super controversiis quibusdam quae in Ecclesiis Anglicâ—nis agitantur Octavo The Works of Edward Reynolds D. D. containing three Treatises of the Vanity of the Creature Sinfulness of Sin the Life of Christ. An Explication of Psal. C X. Meditations on the Sacrament of the Lords Supper An Explication of the Fourteenth Chapter of Hosea A Treatise of the Passions and Faculties of the Soul Collected in Folio Divers Sermons Preached upon several occasions by Edward Reynolds D. D. Quarto A Treatise touching the Peace of the Church or an Apostolical Rule how to judge aright in differences which concern Religion Published by Authority Quarto A Treatise of Use and Custome By Mer. Causabon D. D. Quarto Deus Natura Gratia sive tractatus de Praedestinatione de meritis peccatorum Remissione sen de Justificatione denique de sanctorum invocatione reliquiarum imaginum veneratione de indulgentiis Purgatorio sub finem de Excommunicatione Accessit Paraphrastica Expositio reliquorum Articulorum confessionis Anglicae Per Fr. Franciscum Sancta Clara. Octavo Apologia Episcoporum seu Sacri Magistratus Propugnatio Multa multorum vocibus ventilantur mendacia adversus sacerdotes Dei de Diaboli ore prolata ad rumpendam Catholicae unitatis concordiam ubique jactantur Authore Francisco à Sancta Clara. Octavo King Iames much desired to match his Son Henry with a daughter of Spain After Prince Henry's death the King propounded a match with France In this interim the Spaniard gives the overture of a match Sir Digby's advice to the King in that matter Gondomar mannages the Treaty on the Spaniards part The English Navie neglected The Cautionary Towns rendred to the Hollander The Spaniard proceeds not sincerely in the Treaty Articles of Religion agreed upon between the Kings of England and Spain The people of England averse from the march The Catholicks desirous of it Gondomar contrives the death of Sir Walter Rawleigh an enemy to Spain A War begins in Germany Both parties Protestant and Catholicks grow jealous and each enter into League The Emperor Matthias Adopts his Cousin-German Ferdinand For joy of this Adoption the Catholicks keep a Jubilee and the Protestants another in memory of Luther An Assembly of the Protestants and States of Bohemia at Prague The first occasion of the troubles of Bohemia A Ryot committed by the Protestants in the Castle of Prague The Protestants put forth a Declaration The Emperor disgusted with the Declaration He publishes a Manifesto Both Parties Arm. A Comet appears at this time King Iames ingages not in these troubles flattering himself with the Spaniards seeming forwardness to effect the Match A Letter from a great Minister of State to Mr. Cottington Nov. 17. Queen Anne dieth Matthias the Emperor dies A Cessation of Arms proposed by Ferdinand is refused King Iames interposes by his Ambassador the Viscount Doncaster The Elector Palatine sends an Ambassador to oppose the Election of Ferdinand The Bohemians chuse the Palatine for their King Bethlem Gabor makes a union with the Protestants The Palatine craves the advice of King Iames touching his accepting the Crown Before answer came he had accepted it King Iames disavows the Act and â—â—â—ars himself of it to the King of Spainâ— The King of Spain testifies his resentment of Viscount Doncasters proceedings in Germany The King of Poland aids the Emperor Ferdinand publishes a Proscription against the Palatine Prince Anhalt Generalissimo of the Bohemians Marquess Ansbach commands the forces of the Princes of the Union Kings Iames will not engage in the War sends Sir Walter Aston Ambassador into Spain to negotiate the March and Gondomar returns Great immunities promised by King Iames to the Catholicks 18 Iacob 1620. A great Army levied in Flanders under the command of Spinola A Regiment under the command of Sir Horatiâ— Vere sent from England The Protestant States of Austria renounce the confederacy of the Bohemians The Elector of Saxony assists the Emperor and executes the Ban against the Palatine Spinola prevails much in the Palatinate The Armies
favor of Roman Catholicks A difficulty concerning the Popes title on the Kings part Another on the Ambassadors part concerning prayers in the Kings Chappel A titular Bishop of Calcedon sent into England Preparations for conducting the Infanta into England No mention made in the Capitulations of restoring the Palatine Mr. Allured his Letter to the Duke The French jealous of this conjunction Pope Vrban to K. Iames. Pope Vrbans Letter to Prince Charls The Treaty begins to tend to a rupture The Prohibition to the Judges and Bishops in behalf of the Catholicks suspended Some of the English in Spain dislike the Match and Religion The Duke disgusted in Spain Buckingham and Bristol run different ways The Palatine by his Secretary labors to engage the Prince against the Marriage The Spaniard continues new delays The English Papists perplexed The Prince ready to depart from the Court of Spain leaves a Proxy with the Earl of Bristâ—l The Duke and Olivares part not Friends The Prince universally â—steemed His departure solemn The Prince feasted the Dons aboard his Ship and bringing them back again to the shore a storm surprises them Expressions of joy for the Princes safe return into England Private Instructions delivered to Bristol contrary to the Proxy Bristol in a Letter gives the Prince a good account of the business King Iames falls off and for a Condition of the Mariage demands the Restitution of the Palatinate Bristol and Asâ—â—n demur upon the new Instructions Sir Walter Aston endeavors to reconcile the Dâ—ke to Spain Advice to the King touching the Duke The Earl of Bristol is commanded by the King to follow the new Instructions King Iames puts the Palatine in hope by Proposal of new terms The Palatines Answer to those Terms proposed by the King The Netherlands appear ready to embrace the antient Union with England The Ratifiâ—â—â—ication come from the new Popâ— and when all is ready for the E 〈◊〉 ls thâ—n is the Maâ—ch dasht by order from England Bristol sends his Apology to K. Iames for having demurred upon the new Instructions Olivares offers Bristol large Preferments in the Kings name when he was to take his leave Bristols Answer to those Profers The Spaniards prepare for a War with England The L. Kensington sent Ambassador into France to feel the pulse of that Court touching a Match renders an account of his acceptance The King advised to call a Parliament The Kings Speech to the Parliament The King approves Sir Tho. Crew for Speaker who made this Speech The Dukes Narrative Both Houses of Parliament justifie the Duke in his Narrative His Majesties Answer to that Justification Both Houses of Parliament concur that the King may not honorably proceed in tâ—e Treaty of the Prince's Marriage and the Palatinate The Kings Speech 〈◊〉 Parliament perswaâ—â—â—â— him to break off the two Treaties of the Match and of the Palatinate Sir Edw. Sackvile's Speech Sir Edw. Sackvile's Speech The Parliaments Answer to the Kings Speech The Parliament offers his Majesty Three Subsidies and Three Fifteens if he break off both Treaties His Majesties Reply The King declares his Resolution to dissolve the Treaties The King accepts the aid proffered him King Iames his Letter to Secretary Conway touching a Petition against the Papists The Petition His Majesties Answer to the Petition The Spanish Ambassadors accuse Buckingham to the King of matters of high concernment The issue of those Accusations The Earl of Bristol protests against the Dukes Narration is imprisoned in the Tower The Speakers and the Kings Speech at the Adjournment of the Parliament Kings Iames demands the Town of Frankendal deposited in the Archducâ—hess hands Spinola marches out of the Town and immediately Re-enters King Iames very desirous of a Match with France The Match with France concluded Count Mansfield arrrives in England 12000 Foot and 200 horse raised to go under his command Scarce the third part of Count Mansfields Army came safe to Land Richard Smith made Bishop of Calcedon and sent into England with Episcopal Jurisdiction * The Duke of Buckingham Instructions to Mr Drummond The Privy-Counsellors present themselves to King Charles King Charles proclaimed at Theobalds At Whitehall In London The old Privy-Council new sworn The Councils advice to the King Proclamation concerning Persons in Office c. Proclamation of Government Resolution taken by the King concerning King Iames Funeral and his own Marriage A Parlamenâ— summoned King Iames Funeral Duke of Buckingham continues Favorite to King Charles Religion considered A general Muster Souldiers levied for the Palatinate Proclamation against disorders committed by Souldiers Articles of the marriage with France signed by the King Private Articles in favor of the Catholicks The Marriage solemnized in France The Duke sent into France for the Queen A Royal Navy sent to Bolâ—ign to transport the Queen The Marriage consummated at Canterbury The Trained Bands of Kent commanded to attend the Queen The King and Queen come to London A Chappel built at Somerset-house for the Queen A great Plague in London The Parliament opened The Kings Speech in Parliament The Lord Keepers Speech in Parliament Sir Tho. Crew Speaker Debates in the House of Commons A Fast. Committees chosen Message to the King touching Religion and his Answer Mr. Montague brought to the Bar. The Arminian party assert his cause The King takes Montagues businâ—â—â— into his own hand Two Subsidies presented to the King The King accepts them and desires more A short Answer to the Petition touching Religion The Parliament adjourned to Oxford The Exchequer removed to Richmond The Vantguard and seven other Ships employed against Rochel The Parliament meets again at Oxford Grievances Mr. Montague Summoned to appear His Cause recommended by the Bishops to the Duke The Appeal to Caesar disputed The Kings Speech in christ-Christ-Church Lord Conway and Secretary Cook by the Kings Command declare the present slate of Affairs Lord Treasurer proceeds in that subject Debates in the House of Commons touching the present state of Affairs Complaints against Papists favored notwithstanding the Kings Answer to the Petition against them The Petition concerning Religion together with his 〈…〉 The Duke renders an account to both Houses of the Fleet. He speaks by way of Objection and Answer * The Earl of Bristol The Dukes Relation accasioned variety of Opinions in Parliament The Kings Message to the Commons Debates upon the Kings Message The Commons Declaration The Parliament dissolved The King follows his Design of War The Kings Proclamation to recal home children of Recusants The Kings Letter to the Lieutenants for the Loan of Money upon Privy-Seals Privy-Seals issued forth to certain Persons Warrants for disarming Recusants Letters directed to Lords Recusants Concourse of Papists prevented Viscount Wimbleton Commander in Chief in the Voyage to Cadez Lord Cromwels Letter to the Duke touching the Fleet. The Earl of Warwick secures Langer-Point in Essex English and Dutch Fleet before Dunkirk dispersed by a storm The General examined before the Council The
Frankendale if they be taken That within the said term of seventy days a Suspension of Arms in the Palatinate be concluded upon the Conditions last propounded by Sir Richard Weston at Bruxels and that a general Treaty shall be again set on foot upon such honorable terms as were tendered to the Emperor in November last But if these particulars be refused or delayed by the Emperor that the King of Spain shall joyn forces with the King of Great Britain for the recovery of his Childrens Honors and Patrimony And if he cannot give assistance that he will at least allow him a free and friendly passage through his Territories for the forces to be employed in that service Of these points distinctly if the Ambassador should not receive a direct assurance he was to take his leave of that King and to return into his Masters presence But the King annexed this private Instruction That in case a Rupture happened it might be managed to the best advantage Wherefore he should not instantly come away but send him secret intelligence and in publick give out the contrary Immediately upon these Demands an Order was sent from Spain to Bruxels for the relief of Manheim but it came too late for before the arival thereof the Town was yielded into the hands of Tilly But had it come in season the effect thereof might be guessed by Tilly's Reasons presented to the Arch-Dutchess against raising the siege of Manheim and the restoring of Heidelburgh to this purpose That he could not do it without the Emperors express consent and that the winning of Manheim was to be hastned to prevent the machinations of evil Neighbors who were plotting new Commotions in favor of the Count Palatine and especially to obviate the designs of Count Mansfield And lastly That the Emperor and the Catholick League having setled all Germany might give the Law to their Opposites and settle a peace upon their own terms How little the Emperor attributed to the Kings Humanity and upright dealing which he applauded in shew might be discerned by sure Advertisements of his purpose to propound in the Dyet at Ratisbone his promise of translating the Palatine Electorate to the Duke of Bavaria as a thing irrevocable Moreover the King of Spain the Fifth of November 1622. in the height of those Professions made to the English Ambassador touching the Marriage wrote on this manner to his Grand Favorite the Conde Olivares THe King my Father declared at his Death That his intent never was to marry my Sister the Infanta Donna Maria with the Prince of Wales which your Uncle Don Balthazar understood and so treated this Match ever with intention to delay it notwithstanding it is now so far advanced that considering all the aversness unto it of the Infanta it is time to seek some means to divert the Treaty which I would have you finde out and I will make it good whatsoever it be But in all other things procure the satisfaction of the King of Great Britain who hath deserved much and it shall content me so that it be not in the Match Olivares wrote a Letter deliberative the Eighth of November 1622. and propounded an Expedient to the King of Spain in these words SIR Considering in what estate we finde the Treaty of Marriage between Spain and England and knowing certainly how the Ministers did understand this business that Treated it in the time of Philip the Third that is in Heaven that their meaning was never to effect it but by enlarging the Treaties and Points of the said Marriage to make use of the Friendship of the King of Great Britain as well in matters of Germany as those of Flanders And imagining likewise that your Majesty is of the same opinion though the Demonstrations do not shew so joyning to these Suppositions that it is certain the Infanta Donna Maria is resolved to put her self into a Monastery the same day that your Majesty shall press her to this Marriage I have thought fit to represent unto your Majesty that which my good zeal hath offered me in this occasion thinking it a good time to acquaint your Majesty withal to the end you may resolve of that which you shall finde most convenient with the advice of those Ministers you shall think fit to make choice of The King of Great Britain doth finde himself at this time equally engaged in two businesses the one is this Marriage to which he is moved by the conveniencies he findes in your Majesties friendship by making an Agreement with those Catholicks that he thinks are secretly in his Kingdom and by this to assure himself of them as likewise to marry his Son to one of the House of Austria knowing that the Infanta Donna Maria is the best born Lady in the World The other business is the restitution of the Palatinate in which he is more engaged for beside that his Reputation is at stake there is added the love and interest of his Grand-children Sons of his onely Daughter So that both by the Law of Nature and Reason of State he ought to put that forward whatever inconveniencies might follow by dissembling what they suffer I do not dispute whither the King of Great Britain be governed in this business of the Palatinate by Act or Friendship I think a man might say he used both but as a thing not precisely necessary to this Discourse I omit it I hold it for a Maxim that these two Engagements in which he findes himself are inseparable for although the Marriage be made we must fail of that which in my way of understanding is most necessary the restitution of the Palatinate This being supposed Having made this Marriage in that form as it is Treated your Majesty shall finde your self together with the King of Great Britain engaged in a War against the Emperor and the Catholick League A thing which to hear will offend your godly ears or declaring your self for the Emperor and the Catholick League as certainly your Majesty will do then you will finde your self engaged in a War against the King of England and your Sister married with his Son with the which all whatsoever reasons of Conveniency that were thought upon in this Marriage do cease If your Majesty shall shew your self Neutral as it may be some will propound That first will cause very great scandal and with just reason since in matters of less opposition then of Catholicks against Hereticks the Arms of this Crown have taken the godly part against the contrary party and at this time the Frenchmen fomenting the Hollanders against your Majesty your Piety hath been such that you have sent your Arms against the Rebels of that Crown leaving all the great considerations of State onely because these men are Enemies to the Faith and the Church It will oblige your Majesty and give occasion to those of the League to make use of the King of France and of other Catholick Princes ill-affected
to this Crown for it will be a thing necessary for them to do so And those even against their own Religion will foment and assist the Hereticks for hatred to us Without doubt they will follow the other party onely to leave your Majesty with that blemish which never hath beâ—aln any King of these Dominions The King of England will remain offended and enraged seeing that neither interest nor helps do follow the Alliance with this Crown as likewise with Pretext of particular resentment for having suffered his Daughter and Grand-children to be ruined for respect of the said Alliance The Emperor though he be well-affected and obliged to us in making the Translation at this time as businesses now stands the Duke of Bavaria being possessed of all the Dominions although he would dispose all according to our Conveniencies it will not be in his power to do it as your Majesty and every body may judge and the Memorial that the Emperors Ambassador gave your Majesty yesterday makes it certain since in the List of the Soldiers that every one of our League is to pay he sheweth your Majesty that Bavaria for himself alone will pay more then all the rest joyned together the which doth shew his power and intention which is not to accommodate matters but to keep to himself the Superiority of all in this broken time the Emperor is now in the Dyet and the Translation is to be made in it The Proposition in this estate is by considering the means for a Conference which your Majesties Ministers will do with their Capacities Zeal and Wisdom and it is certain they will herein have enough to do For the difficulty consists to finde a way to make the present estate of affairs straight again which with lingring as it is said Both the power and time will be lost I suppose the Emperor as your Majesty knoweth by his Ambassador desires to marry his Daughter with the King of Englands Son I do not doubt but he will be likewise glad to marry his Second Daughter with the Palatines Son Then I propound that these two Marriages be made and that they be set on foot presently giving the King of England full satisfaction in all his Propositions for the more strict Union and Correspondency that he may agree to it I hold for certain that all the Conveniences that would have followed the Alliance with us will be as full in this and the Conveniencies in the great Engagement are more by this for it doth accommodate the matter of the Palatinate and Succession of his Grand-children with Honor and without drawing a Sword and wasting Treasure With this Interest the Emperor with the Conveniencies of the King of England and the Palatinate the onely means in my way of understanding to hinder those great dangers that do threaten may accommodate the business and not sever himself from the Conveniencies and Engagements of Bavaria and after I would reduce the Prince Elector that was an enemy to the obedience of the Church by breeding his Sons in the Emperors Court with Catholick Doctrine The Business is great the Difficulties greater perchance then have been in any other case I have found my self obliged to present this unto your Majesty and shall shew if you command me what I think fit for the disposing of the things and of the great Ministers which your Majesty hath I hope with the particular Notes of these things and all being helped with the good zeal of the Conde Gondomar it may be God will open a way to it a thing so much for his and your Majesties service Such Consultations had the Catholick King in his Cabinet-Council whilst he pretended so much zeal to a Closure with England Insomuch that King Iames professed to have taken great contentment in the Dispatches of the Earl of Bristol as full and satisfactory And though the Order sent to the Archduchess for the Relief of Anheim arrived too late yet he acknowledged it to be an argument of that Kings sincere intentions But the Kings hopes were still deferred and these Delays were palliated by the stop of the Dispensation till the Pope were further satisfied in the time of the Childrens education under the Mothers government and the exemption of Ecclesiastical persons from all Secular jurisdiction And the Spaniards did not spare to stretch the Kings ductile spirit For he was willing to stand obliged by a private Letter that the Children should be kept under the Mothers wing till the age of Nine years but he desired for Honors sake that no more then Seven might be exprest in the Publique Articles But this Enlargement would not satisfie He must come up to the allowance of Ten years which was the lowest of all to be expected and so he was brought at length to wave his Honor and to insure this Concession by a Publique Ratification And for the Exemption of Ecclesiasticks from the Secular power thus far he yielded That the Ecclesiastical Superior do take notice of the offence that shall be committed and according to the merit thereof either by Degradation deliver him to Secular Justice or banish him the Kingdom Bristol's importunate Negotiation procured this Answer from the King of Spain First touching the Marriage being desirous to overcome all difficulties that might hinder this union he had endeavoured to conform himself with the Resolutions given by the King of Great Britain to the Popes Propositions and had dispatched a Post to Rome that his Holiness judging what hath been here concluded and held sufficient might grant the Dispensation which he engageth to procure within three or four moneths at the farthest And in the interim that no time be lost the remaining Temporal Articles shall be treated and concluded As touching the Palatinate by his late Dispatches into Flanders due course is taken to settle all things as may be desired But until it be known what effects the same hath wrought and what the Emperor will reply no Answer can be given in writing to the Particulars contained in the Ambassadors Memorial Moreover the Popes Demands to which King Iames took exceptions being now accommodated by the King of Spain were sent into England and presently signed by the King and Prince without the change of a word King Iames having strong assurance that the Dispensation must needs be granted speedily appointed his Agent Gage who was now again at Rome to present to the Pope and certain Cardinals those Letters which lay in his hand to be delivered at a fit season The Kings Letter to the Pope gave him the stile of Most Holy Father Likewise he directed the Earl of Bristol to proceed to the Temporal Articles and to consummate the whole business But while the King had so much zeal and confidence in his Applications to Spain and Rome the Palatinate is left at random upon the Spaniards loose and general promises For Colonel Papenheim had block'd up Frankendale the onely Hold whereby the Palsgrave