Doctrine many faire approaches made towards Rome as he that pleaseth to search may finde in the Books of Bishop LAUD MOUNTAGUE HELYN POCKLINGTON and the rest or in briefe collected by a Scottish Minister Master BAILY And as their friendship to Rome encreased so did their scorne to the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas whom instead of lending that reliefe and succour to them which God had enabled this rich Island to do they failed in their greatest extremities and in stead of harbours became rocks to split them Archbishop LAUD who was now growne into great favour with the King made use of it especially to adâ—vnce the pompe and temporall honour of the Clergy procuring the Lord Treasurers place for Doctor JUCKSON Bishop of London and indeavouring as the generall report went to fix the greatest temporall preferments upon others of that Coat insomuch as the people merrily when they saw that Treasurer with the other Bishops riding to Westminster called it the Church Triumphant Doctors and Parsons of Parishes were made every where Justices of Peace to the great grievance of the Country in civill affaires and depriving them of their spirituall edification The Archbishop by the same meanes which he used to preserve his Clergy from contempt exposed them to envy and as the wisest could then prophecy to a more then probability of losing all As we reade of some men who being fore-doomed by an Oracle to a bad fortune have runne into it by the same meanes they used to prevent it The like unhappy course did the Clergy then take to depresse Puritanisme which was to set up irreligion it selfe against it the worst weapon which they could have chosen to beat it downe which appeared especially in point of keeping the Lords day when not only books were written to shake the morality of it as that of Sunday no Sabbath but sports and pastims of jollity and lightnesse permitted to the Country people upon that day by publike Authority and the Warrant commanded to be read in Churches which in stead of producing the intended effect may credibly be thought to have been one motive to a stricter observance of that day in that part of the Kingdome which before had been well devoted And many men who had before been loose and carelesse began upon that occasion to enter into a more serious consideration of it and were ashamed to be invited by the authority of Church-men to that which themselves at the best could but have pardoned in themselves as a thing of infirmity The example of the Court where Playes were usually presented on Sundaies did not so much draw the Country to imitation as reflect with disadvantage upon the Court it selfe and sowre those other Court pastims and jollities which would have relished better without that in the eyes of all the people as things ever allowed to the delights of great Princes The countenancing of loosenesse and irreligion was no doubt a good preparative to the introducing of another Religion And the power of godlinesse being beaten downe Popery might more easily by degrees enter men quickly leave that of which they never took fast hold And though it were questionable whether the Bishops and great Clergy of England aimed at Popery it is too apparent such was the designe of Romish Agents and the English Clergy if they did not their owne worke did theirs A stranger of that Religion a Venetian Gentleman out of his owne observations in England will tell you how farre they were going in this kinde his words are THe Vniversities Bishops and Divines of England do daily imbrace Catholike opinions though they professe it not with open mouth for feare of the Puritans For example They hold that the Church of Rome is a true Church That the Pope is superiour to all Bishops That to him it appertaines to call generall Counsels That it is lawfull to pray for soules departed That Altars ought to be erected in summe they believe all that is taught by the Church but not by the Court of Rome The Archbishop of Canterbury was much against the Court of Rome though not against that Church in so high a kinde For the Doctrine of the Roman Church was no enemy to the pompe of Prelacy but the Doctrine of the Court of Rome would have swallowed up all under the Popes Supremacy and have made all greatnesse dependant upon him Which the Archbishop conceived would derogate too much from the King in Temporalls and therefore hardly to be accepted by the Court as it would from himselfe in Spiritualls and make his Metropoliticall power subordinate which he desired to hold absolute and independent within the Realme of England It is certaine that the Archbishop of Canterbury as an English Gentleman observes would often professe against those Tridentine Papists whom only he hated as Papists properly so called For at the Councell of Trent all matters concerning the Court of Rome which are of themselves but disputable were determined as points of faith to be believed upon paine of damnation But matters of faith indeed concerning the Church of Rome were left disputable and no Anathema annexed to them But that Venetian Gentleman whom before we cited declares in what state for matter of Religion England at that time stood and how divided namely into Papists Protestants and Puritans Papists are well knowne The Protestant party saith he consists of the King the Court Lords and Gentlemen with all that are raised by favour to any honour Besides almost all the Prelates and both the Vniversities What the Protestants are he farther declares viz. They hate Puritans more then they hate Papists That they easily combine with Papists to extirpate Puritans and are not so farre engaged to the Reformed Religion but that they can reduce themselves againe to the old practise of their fore-fathers That they are very opinionative in excluding the Popes Supremacy He speaks then concerning the Puritans and saies That they consist of some Bishops of almost all the Gentry and Communalty and therefore are far the most potent party And further declares what they are viz. They are such as received the Discipline of the French and Netherlanders and hold not the English Reformation to be so perfect as that which CALVIN instituted at Geneva That they hate Papists far more then they hate Protestants c. Thus farre of this strangers observation concerning England CHAP. III. The condition of the Scottish State and Clergy when the new Booke of Lyturgy was sent unto them how it was received with some effects which followed The Kings Proclamation sent by the Earle of TRAQUARE against which the Lords make a Protestation IN this condition stood the Kingdome of England about the yeare 1636. when the first coale was blowne which kindled since into so great a combustion as to deface and almost ruine three flourishing Kingdomes Neither was this coale blowne by the grieved party of England the Communalty and those religious men that prayed for Reformation but by
The effect of that Protestation was for we cannot here insert it at large That the Service Booke was full of Superstition and Idolatry and ought not to be obtruded upon them without consent of a Nationall Synod which in such cases should judge That it was unjust to deny them liberty to accuse the Bishops being guilty of high crimes of which till they were cleered they did reject the Bishops as Judges or Governours of them They protested also against the High Commission Court and justified their owne meetings and superscriptions to Petitions as being to defend the glory of God the Kings Honour and Liberties of the Realme This Protestation was read in the Market place at Sterlin and the Copy hung up in publike CHAP. IV. The Scots enter into a Covenant The Marquesse HAMILTON is sent thither from the King A Nationall Synod is granted to them but dissolved within few daies by the Marquesse as Commissioner from the King The King declares against the Covenanters and raises an Army to subdue them FRom Sterlin the Commissioners resorted to Edenburgh whither many from all parts met to consult of the present businesse and concluded there to renew solemnly among them that Covenant which was commonly called The lesser confession of the Church of Scotland or The confession of the Kings family which was made and sealed under King JAMES his hand in the yeare 1580. afterwards confirmed by all the Estates of the Kingdome and Decree of the Nationall Synod 1581. Which Confession was againe subscribed by all sorts of persons in Scotland 1590. by authority of Councell and Nationall Synod and a Covenant added to it for defence of true Religion and the Kings Majesty which Covenant the aforesaid Lords Citizens and Pastours in the yeare 1638. did renew and tooke another according to the present occasion The Covenant it selfe expressed at large in the Records of that Kingdome consisted of three principall parts The first was a re-taking word for word of that old Covenant 1580. confirmed by Royall Authority and two Nationall Synods for defence of the purity of Religion and the Kings Person and Rights against the Church of Rome The second part contained an enumeration of all the Acts of Parliament made in Scotland in defence of the reformed Religion both in Doctrine and Discipline against Popery The third was an application of that old Covenant to the present state of things where as in that all Popery so in this all innovations in those Bookes of Lyturgy unlawfully obtruded upon them are abjured and a preservation of the Kings Person and Authority as likewise a mutuall defence of each other in this Covenant are sworne unto Against this Covenant the King much displeased made these foure principall objections First By what authority they entred into this Covenant or presumed to exact any Oath from their fellow Subjects Secondly if they had power to command the new taking of this Oath yet what power had they to interpret it to their present occasion it being a received Maxime That no lesse authority can interpret a Law then that which made it or the Judges appointed by that Authority to give sentence upon it Thirdly What power they had to adde any thing to it and interpose a new Covenant of mutuall assistance to each other against any other power that should oppose them none excepted And fourthly That all Leagues of Subjects among themselves without the privity and approbation of the King are declared to be seditious by two Parliaments in Scotland one of the tenth Parliament of JAMES the sixth Act the twelfth and the other the fifteenth Act of the ninth Parliament of Queene MARY What answer the Covenanters made to these objections and what arguments the King used to enforce the contrary are largely expressed in many writings being such indeed as not onely then but since in the sad calamities of England have been discoursed of in whole volumes containing all that can be said concerning the true Rights and Priviledges of Princes and People The Covenant notwithstanding was generally subscribed by all there present at Edenburgh in February 1638. and Copies of it sent abroad to those who were absent and so fast subscribed by them also that before the end of Aprill he was scarce accounted one of the Reformed Religion that had not subscribed to this Covenant And the Church and State were divided into two names of Covenanters and Non-Covenanters the Non-Covenanters consisting â—irst of Papists whose number was thought small in Scotland scarce exceeding six hundred Secondly some Statesmen in Office and favour at that time Thirdly someâ— who though they were of the Reformed Religion were greatly affected to the Ceremonies of England and Booke of Common-Prayer Many Bishops at that time came from thence to the Court of England and three Lords of the Councell of Scotland whom the King had sent for to advise about the affaires of that Kingdome where after many debates what course to take whether of reducing the Covenanters by Armes or using more gentle meanes The King at last sent the Marquesse HAMILTON together with those three Lords into Scotland The Marquesse arrived at Dulketh and within few daies entred Edenburgh in Iune being met and conducted into the City by a great multitude of all ranks in which number were seven hundred Pastors of Churches The Marquesse by the Kings Command dealt with the Covenanters to renounce their Covenant or else told them there was no hope to obtaine a Nationall Synod which they so much desired for setling of the Church which they affirmed could not be done without manifest perjury and profanation of Gods Name But when nothing was agreed upon they besought the Marquesse at his returne into England to present their humble desire to the King But before his departure in Iuly he published the Kings Proclamation wherein his Majesty protests to defend the Protestant Religion and that he would no more presse upon them the Booke of Canons or Service Booke but by lawfull Mediums That he would rectifie the High Commission and was resolved to take a speedy opportunity of calling both a Parliament and Synod When the Proclamation was ended the Covenanters read their Protestation of which the heads were That they never questioned his Majesties sincerity in the Protestant Religion That these grants of his were not large enough to cure the present distempers for he doth not utterly abolish that Service-Booke nor the High Commission being both obtruded against all Law upon them That their meetings are not to be condemned in opprobrious words being lawfull and such as they would not forsake untill the purity of Religion and peace might be fully setled by a free and Nationall Synod The Marquesse went into England to returne at a prefixed day the twelfth of August In the meane time the Scots keepe a solemne Fast and the Covenanters not hoping from the King so quick a call of a Nationall Synod as the present malady required published a writing wherein
King goeth toward York and is followed with a Petition from the Lords and Commons to Theobalds and another Declaration to Newmarket The King is denyed entrance into Hull by Sir John Hotham 38 CHAP. IV. Many Members of both Houses leave the Parliament and repaire to the King Nine of the Lords who first went away are impeached by the Commons and censured by the Peers The Great Seal is carried away from London to York Some Votes of Parliament concerning the Kings Proceedings A Petition with nineteen Propositions sent from the Parliament to the King 58 CHAP. V. An Order for bringing in of Plate and Money into Guild-Hall The Kings Declaration to the Lords about him Their Profession and Protestation to him The King layeth Siege to Hull but raiseth it again The Earl of Warwick taketh possession of the Navy as Lord Admirall The Earl of Essex is voted in Parliament to be Lord Generall of all their Forces 83 CHAP. VI. A brief Relation of the condition of divers Counties in England when the Parliaments Ordinance for the Militia and the Kings Commission of Array were put in execution With a mention of some Lords and otherswho were actors on either side The Lord Mayor of London committed to the Tower and sentenced by the Parliament A mention of some Declarations Messages and Answers that passed between the King and the two Houses of Parliament 99 BOOK III. CHAP. I. PRince Rupert and Prince Maurice arrive in England The Earl of Essex taking leave of the Parliament goeth to his Command The King increaseth in strength at Shrewsbury A Skirmish at Worcester The great Battell of Keynton is fought 1 CHAP. II. The Parliament send to the King concerning an Accommodation A fight at Brainford Another Treaty with the King begun and broken of Reading besieged by the Lord Generall Essex and surrendred to him A Conspiracy to betray Bristoll A treacherous Plot against the Parliament and City of London discovered and prevented 29 CHAP. III. Matters of State trans-acted in Parliament touching the Assembly of Divines The making of a new Great Seale Impeaching the Queen of High Treason and other things The Lord Generall Essex after some Marches returneth to quarter his wasted and sick Army about Kingston The Kings Forces Masters of the West The Earl of Newcastle his greatnesse in the North. Some mention of the Earle of Cumberland and the Lord FAIRFAX 47 CHAP. IV. Some Actions of Sir Thomas Fairfax in the North. The Queen lands in England The revolt of Sir Hugh Cholmley and the two Hothams The state of this Warre in the Westerne parts The condition of the Associated Counties A short relation of Sir William Waller his Actions of Colonell Cromwell Sir William Brereton and Sir John Gell. 63 CHAP. V. The death of the Lord Brooke and of the Earle of Northampton A short mention of some Actions in divers Counties The low condition of the Parliament at that time The Siege of Gloucester 85 CHAP. VI. The Expedition of the Lord Generall Essex for reliefe of Gloucester The great Battell of Newbury described 101 THE HISTORY OF THE PARLIAMENT OF England CHAP. I. Wherein is a short mention of Queene ELIZABETH King JAMES and the beginning of King CHARLES his Reigne his two first Parliaments Of the Warre with Spaine and France The death of the Duke of BUCKINGHAM And the third Parliament of King CHARLES QUeene ELIZABETH of glorious Memory together with that great Stock of Wealth and Honour which her prudent and just Government had brought to the English Nation had enriched them besides with a greater Treasure which we may justly account the cause of all the rest Religion reformed from Popish Superstition That Reformation engaged the Queene in a new Interest of State to side with the Protestants against those Potent Monarchs of the other Religion which seemed at the beginning as much danger and disadvantage to her as it proved in conclusion security and Honour so impossible it is for any disadvantage to prevaile over them that helpe the Lord against the Mighty That Storme from France which so much threatned the weake beginnings of her Reigne was suddenly blowne over by the death of HENRY the second and some few Moneths after of his Sonne FRANCIS who had married the Queene of Scotland the danger which remained greatest was from Spaine where PHILIP the second then reigned a Prince not greater in Dominion Treasure and Armies then deeply engaged against the Protestant Religion by the instigation and assistance of the Jesuites an Order which in the Age before had beene highly counrenanced by Pope PAUL the third in opposition to the Gospell-Doctrine that then began to spread apace in Germany and other parts The whole Order of Iesuites as endeavouring to set up one Temporall Kingdome of Christendome suitable to the Papall Hierarchy applyed their service altogether to the Monarchy of Spaine as being then far the greatest in Europe and fittest for their purpose by the late uniting of so many Kingdomes and Dutchies under the person of CHARLES the Emperour who by a fortunate birthright inherited together with Casule and Arragon and all the great Acquisitions of his Grandfather FERDINAND in Italy and the West Indies the rich and usefull patrimony of his Father PHILIP Burgundy and the Netherlands all these he had left intirely to his Sonne PHILIP who to so large a Territory had made that strong addition of the Kingdome of Portugall and might seeme an Enemy too mighty for England and all the Protestants of Europe to oppose But Queene ELIZABETH had woven the interest of her own State so inseparably into the cause of Religion it selfe that it was hard to overthrow one without the ruine of the other And God who had given her so much grace and courage as to rely wholly upon him did with that Almighty hand not onely hold her up from sinking but lift her above the heads of all her enemies By what degrees and means she atchieved the great Actions of her reigne and brought so much prosperity to her Nation it is not the scope of this discourse to relate at large for her History is not the worke in hand but only in briefe to declare that before her death she was the happy instrument of God to promote the Protestant Religion in all parts She curbed the Spanish greatnesse by supporting France from ruine to give some balance to the other as she preserved Scotland from being swallowed up by the French before She protected the Hollanders against him vanquished his Armies both by Land and Sea with many other such things as might seeme too much to be the atchievements of one Reigne And last of all she reduced Ireland wholly to obedience notwithstanding all the subtill machinations of Spain and open assistance given in Armes to her Irish Rebels All which she accomplished by the justice and prudence of her government by making the right use of her Subjects hearts hands and Purses in a Parliamentary way as also securing
of the Nation though a number considerable enough to make a Reformation hard compared with those Gentlemen who were sensible of their birth-rights and the true interest of the Kingdome on which side the common people in the generality and Country Freeholders stood who would rationally argue of their owne Rights and those oppressions that were layed upon them But the sins of the English Nation were too great to let them hope for an easie or speedy redresse of such grievances and the manners of the people so much corrupted as by degrees they became of that temper which the Historian speakes of his Romans ut nec mala nec remedia ferre possent they could neither suffer those pressures patiently nor quietly endure the cure of them Prophannesse too much abounded every where and which is most strange where there was no Religion yet there was Superstition Luxury in diet and excesse both in meat and drinke was crept into the Kingdome in an high degree not only in the quantity but in the wanton curiosity And in abuse of those good creatures which God had bestowed upon this plentifull Land they mixed the vices of divers Nations catching at every thing that was new and forraigne Non vulgo not a placebant Petronius Gaudia non usu plebejo trita voluptas Old knowne delight They scorne and vulgar bare-worne pleasure sleight As much pride and excesse was in Apparell almost among all degrees of people in new fangled and various fashioned attire they not only imitated but excelled their forraigne patternes and in fantasticall gestures and behaviour the petulancy of most Nations in Europe Et laxi crines tot nova nomina vestis Petr. Loose haire and many new found names of clothes The serious men groaned for a Parliament but the great Statesmen plyed it the harder to compleat that worke they had begun of setting up Prerogative above all Lawes The Lord WENTWORTH afterward created Earle of STRAFFORD for his service in that kinde was then labouring to oppresse Ireland of which he was Deputy and to begin that worke in a conquered Kingdome which was intended to be afterward wrought by degrees in England And indeed he had gone very farre and prosperously in those waies of Tyranny though very much to the end ammaging and setting backe of that newly established Kingdome He was a man of great parts of a deepe reach subtle wit of spirit and industry to carry on his businesse and such a conscience as was fit for that worke he was designed to He understood the right way and the Liberty of his Country as well as any man for which in former Parliaments he stood up stiffely and seemed an excellent Patriot For those abilities he was soone taken off by the King and raised in honour to be imployed in a contrary way for inslaving of his Country which his ambition easily drew him to undertake To this man in my opinion that character which LUCAN bestowes upon the Roman Curio in some sort may suit Haud alium tauta civem tulit indole Roma Aut â— ui plus Leges deberent recta sequenâ—i Perdita tune urbi nocuerunt secula postquam Ambitus Luxus opum metuenda facultas Transverso mentem dubiam Torrente tulerunt Momentumque fuit mutatus curio rerum A man of abler parts Rome never bore Nor one to whom whilest right the Lawes ow'd more Our State it selfe then suffer'd when the tide Of Avarice Ambition factious pride To turne his wavering minde quite crosse began Of such high moment was one changed man The Court of England during this long vacancy of Parliaments enjoyed it selfe in as much pleasure and splendour as ever any Court did The Revels Triumphs and Princely Pastims were for those many yeares kept up at so great a height that any stranger which travelled into England would verily believe a Kingdom that looked so cheerefully in the face could not be sick in any part The Queene was fruitfull and now growne of such an age as might seeme to give her priviledge of a farther society with the King then bed and board and make her a partner of his affaires and businesse which his extreme affection did more encourage her to challenge That conjugall love as an extraordinary vertue of a King in midst of so many temptations the people did admire and honour But the Queenes power did by degrees give priviledge to Papists and among them the most witty and Jesuited to converse under the name of civility and Courtship not only with inferiour Courtiers but the King himselfe and to sowe their seed in what ground they thought best and by degrees as in complement to the Queene Nuntio's from the Pope were received in the Court of England PANZANI CON and ROSETTI the King himselfe maintaining in discourse That he saw no reason why he might not receive an Embassadour from the Pope being a Temporall Prince But those Nuntio's were not entertained with publike Ceremony so that the people in generall tooke no great notice of them and the Courtiers were confident of the Kings Religion by his due frequenting Prayers and Sermons The Clergy whose dependance was meerely upon the King were wholly taken up in admiration of his happy Government which they never concealed from himselfe as often as the Pulpit gave them accesse to his eare and not onely there but at all meetings they discoursed with joy upon that Theam affirming confidently that no Prince in Europe was so great a friend to the Church as King CHARLES That Religion flourished no where but in England and no reformed Church retained the face and dignity of a Church but that Many of them used to deliver their opinion That God had therefore so severely punished the Palatinate because their Sacriledge had beene so great in taking away the endowments of Bishopricks Queene ELIZABETH her selfe who had reformed Religion was but coldly praised and all her vertues forgotten when they remembred how she cut short the Bishoprick of Ely HENRY the eight was much condemned by them for seizing upon the Abbies and taking so much out of the severall Bishopricksâ— as he did in the 37 yeer of his Reigne To maintaine therefore that splendour of a Church which so much pleased them was become their highest endeavour especially after they had gotten in the yeare 1633. an Archbishop after their owne heart Doctor LAUD who had before for divers yeares ruled the Clergy in the secession of Archbishop ABBOT a man of better temper and discretion which discretion or vertue to conceale would be an injury to that Archbishop he was a man who wholly followed the true interest of England and that of the Reformed Churches in Europe so farre as that in his time the Clergy was not much envied here in England nor the Government of Episcopacy much dis-favoured by Protestants beyond the Seas Not onely the pompe of Ceremonies were daily increased and innovations of great scandall brought into the Church but in point of
they endeavour to prove That the Church in such a condition may provide for it selfe That the power of calling a Synod in case the Prince be an enemy to the truth or negligent in promoting the Churches good is in the Church it selfe And that the State of the Church of Scotland at that time was necessitated to such a course which they endeavour to prove by reciting all their particular grievances and by answering all arguments of the contrary side for the Right of Princes howsoever affected to Religion as appeares at large in their Tractate concerning the necessity of Synods The Marquesse returned into Scotland before the appointed day and brought Articles from the King to which the Covenanters if they would have either Parliament or Synod were required to consent But they utterly rejected those Articles as too invalid for their purpose of setling things so that the Marquesse fearing least the Covenanters weary of delayes would call a Synod without staying the Kings consent earnestly perswaded them to forbeare it onely till his next returne from Court whither he would presently go to perswade the King Which request of his with much a do was granted by them and the day for his returne appointed the 22 of September by which time unlesse the Marquesse returned it was free for the Covenanters to provide for their owne affaires But the Marquesse with singular diligence prevented his day and published the Kings Proclamation of which the chiefe heads were First The King did abrogate all Decrees of Councell for the Booke of Canons and Common-Prayer and abrogate the High Commission Secondly That none should be pressed to the five Articles of Perth Thirdly That Bishops should be subject to the censure of a Synod Fourthly That no Oath should be given at Ordination of Pastors but by Law of Parliament Fifthly that the lesser Confession of 1580. should be subscribed to by all the Kingdome Sixtly That the King called a Nationall Synod to begin at Glasco the 21 of November 1638. and a Parliament at Edenburgh the 15. of May 1639. Lastly for peace sake he would forget all their offences past The Covenanters at the first hearing of this peacefull Message were much joyed but looking neerely into the words they found as they affirme That their precedent actions were tacitly condemned and the just freedome of a Nationall Synod taken away Therefore loath to be deceived they frame a Protestation not as they alledged mis-doubting the candor of the King but not trusting those in favour with him by whose destructive Councell they supposed it was that the King had not shewed this clemency at first The chiefe heads of their Protestation were these First after humble thanks to God and the King they conceived this grant no sufficient remedy for their sores For His Majesty calls that a panick feare in them which was upon no imaginary but just grounds as a reall mutation both of Religion and Lawes by obtrusion of those Bookes directly popish Secondly whereas the King in his former Mandates so highly extolled those Bookes as most religious and fit for the Church they could not be satisfied with a bare remission of the exercise of them unlesse he would utterly abrogate and condemne them or else itching Innovators would not be wanting hereafter to raise new troubles to the Church about them Thirdly the just liberty of Nationall Synods is diminished and Episcopacy set up they being allowed as Bishops though not deputed by the Churches to give their voices in a Synod Fourthly the subscribing againe of that old Covenant could not be admitted for many reasons there at large expressed of which some are That it would frustrate their late Covenant and make it narrower then before and not able to suit to the redresse of present grievances and be a needlesse multiplying of Oathes and taking the Name of God in vaine with many other objections which cannot be fully here inserted That Covenant notwithstanding was solemnly taken at Edenburgh by the Marquesse of HAMILTON the Kings Commissioner and all the Privy Councell The Marquesse then gave Order for the Synod fearing least the Covenanters if he delayed to call it would do it themselves and on the 16. of November came to Glasco in great state Where after many meetings for preparation to the businesse on the 21 of the same Moneth according to the Kings Edict the Nationall Synod began But within seven daies that Synod was dissolved by the Marquesse HAMILTON in the Kings Name and they commanded to sit no more The Marquesse alleadging for reason of it that they had broken the Lawes of a free Synod in many proceedings not onely in those few daies of their sitting but before it began in their manner of Elections with other such like matters But they protested against that dissolution and continued the Synod when the Marquesse was gone What were the Acts of that Synod what proceedings it had and what impediments it met withall you may reade in two large descriptions the one published by the King the other by the Synod how the Bishops protested against the Synod how the Synod answered their Protestation how the Synod wrote to the King how they proceeded against the Bishops deposing them all from their Dignities how of all fourteene Bishops eight were excommunicated foure excluded from all Ministeriall Function and two onely allowed to oâ—â—icâ—ate as Pastours how the five Articles of Perth the Booke of Lyturgy the Booke of Canons and Ordination were all condemned the High Commission taken away and whatsoever else had crept into the Church since the yeare 1580. when that Nationall Covenant was first established The Scots Covenanters when themselves broke up the Synod wrote a Letter of thanks to the King and immediately after published a Declaration dated the fourth of February 1638. from Edenburgh and directed To all the sincere and good Christians in England to vindicate their actions and intentions from those aspersions which enemies might throw upon them That Declaration was welcome to the people of England in generall and especially to those who stood best affected to Religion and the Lawes and Liberties of their Country But by the Kings Authority it was suppressed as all other papers that might be sent from the Scots and a Proclamation soone after bearing date the 27. of February 1638. was published by the King and commanded to be read in all Churches of England the Title of it was A Proclamation and Declaration to informe our loving Subjects of England concerning the seditious Actions of some in Scotland who under false pretence of Religion endeavour the utter subversion of our Royall Authority The Declaration was â—illed with sharpe invectives and execrations against the Scottish Covenanters but the truth is it wrought little upon the hearts of the English People who conceived a good opinion of the Scots and were more confirmed in it because the King had carried the whole businesse so closely from the English Nation as not onely not
long as they have an Army that do invade us although I am under Treaty with them and under my Great Seale doe call them Subjects for so they are too His desire to have them out was sweetned with that reason That he was sensible how much his English Subjects of the North would suffer otherwise All which with more particulars was set forth in a long Oration by the Lord Keeper FINCH who likewise justified the Kings intention of calling this Parliament before the Peeres petitioned him at Yorke Though the King were thanked for his Grace toward his English Parliament yet that motion of expelling the Scots was otherwise considered of by the Houses as will appeare in the particulars of it For about a weeke after it was ordered by the House of Commons That 100000 l. should be paid to the two Armies to be levied rateably upon all the Counties of England except the Northerne Counties which were then charged and till it could be leavied the Money to be taken up at Interest And Scottish Commissioners were allowed to come and exhibite their complaints and dispute the businesse at London who accordingly came thither about the nineteenth day of the same Moneth for the businesse was not yet ended but still in Treaty which Treaty as the King said in his Speech was but transported from Kippon to London Before the great cure which was expected from this Parliament could go on it was necessary that some time should be spent in searching and declaring the wounds which in divers elegant and judicious Speeches was done by some Members of both Houses The abuses which of late yeares had been committed about Religion and the manifold violations of Lawes and Liberties were upon the first day after the House of Commons was setled being the ninth of November enumerated and discoursed upon by Master GRIMSTON Sir BENJAMIN RUDIERD Master PYM and Master BAGSHAW and the abuses of Ireland reflecting much upon the Earle of Strafford were opened by Sir JOHN CLOTWORTHY of Devon but living in Ireland The like Speeches for many daies following were made by divers Gentlemen of great quality where in the midst of their complaints the King was never mentioned but with great Honour They alwaies mixing thanks for the present hope of redresse with their complaints of former grievances The first of which they rendred to the King and threw the other upon his Ministers of which if the Reader would see a perfect exemplar Sir BENJAMIN RUDYERD his Speech the second that was delivered in the House will best discover the present state of grievances and the way of sparing the King a Religious Learned and Judicious Gentleman Cujus erant mores qualis facundia Whose Speech I shall wholly insert that the condition of the State may the better bee understood Master Speaker WEE are here assembled to doe Gods businesse and the Kings in which our owne is included as we are Christians as we are Subjects Let us first feare God then shall we honour the King the more for I am afraid we have beene the lesse prosperous in Parliaments because we have preferred other matters before him Let Religion be our Primum quaerite for all things else are but Et caetera's to it yet we may have them too sooner and surer if we give God his precedence We well know what disturbance hath been brought upon the Church for vaine petty trifles How the whole Church the whole Kingdome hath been troubled where to place a Metaphor an Altar We have seene Ministers their wives children and families undone against Law against conscience against all bowels of compassion about not dancing upon Sundaies What do these sort of men thinke will become of themselves when the Master of the House shall come and finde them thus beating their fellow Servants These inventions were but sives made of purpose to winnow the best men and that is the Devills occupation They have a minde to worry preaching for I never yet heard of any but diligent Preachers that were vext with these and the like devices They despise Prophecy and as one said they would faine be at something were like the Masse that will not bite a muzzled Religion They would evaporate and dis-spirit the power and vigour of Religion by drawing it out into solemne and specious formalities into obsolete antiquated Ceremonies new furbish'd up And this belike is that good worke in hand which Doctor HEYLIN hath so celebrated in bis bold Pamphlets All their acts and actions are so full of mixtures involutions and complications as nothing is cleare nothing sincere in any of their proceedings Let them not say That these are the porverse suspitions malicious interpretations of some factious spirits amongst us when a Romanist hath bragged and congratulated in print That the face of our Church begins to alter the Language of our Religion to change And SANCTA CLARA hath published That if a Synod were held Non intermixtis Puritanis setting Puritans aside our Articles and their Religion would soone be agreed They have so brought it to passe that under the name of Puritans all our Religion is branded and under a few hard words against Iesuites all Popery is countenanced Whosoever squares his actions by any rule either divine or humane he is a Puritan Whosoever would be governed by the Kings Lawes he is a Puritan He that will not do whatsoever other men would have him do he is a Puritan Their great worke their Masterpiece now is to make all those of the Religion to be the suspected party of the Kingdome Let us further reflect upon the ill effect these courses have wrought what by a defection from us on the one side a separation on the other some imagining whether we are tending made hast to turne or declare themselves Papists before hand thereby hoping to render themselves the more gracious the more acceptable A great company of the Kings Subjects striving to hold communion with us but seeing how farre we were gone and fearing how much further we would go were forc'd to fly the Land some into other inhabited Countries very many into savage Wildernesses because the Land would not beare them Do not they that cause this cast a reproach upon the Government Master Speaker Let it be our principall care that these waies neither continue nor returne upon us if we secure our Religion we shall cut off and defeat many plots that are now on foot by them and others Beleeve it Sir Religion hath been for a long time and still is the great designe upon this Kingdome It is a knowne and practised principle That they who would introduce another Religion into the Church must first trouble and disorder the Government of the State that so they may worke their ends in a confusion which now lies at the doore I come next Master Speaker to the Kings businesse more particularly which indeed is the Kingdomes for one hath no existence no being without the other their relation is so
innovations about Altars and other Ceremonies and therefore most gracious and flourishing in the State were then questioned and committed insomuch as the change and the suddennesse of it seemed wonderfull to men and may worthily serve as a document to all posterity Quam fragili loco starent superbi In what fraile places stand the proudest men Among divers others of this kinde and the most remarkable of all was that reliefe which the Parliament immediately upon their first sitting gave to three persecuted Gentlemen Doctor BASTWICK a Phisitian Master PRYNNE a Lawyer and Master BURTON a Minister The whole passage of whose Story we will here insert in one continued discourse that it may not hereafter interrupt any other Relations of businesse These three men for the same offence or very little differing in substance as those that read their extant Bookes may perceive not being able to containe themselves in such a cause had written against the manner of English Episcopacy and those inconveniencies or extravagancies which as they conceived flowed from it to the prejudice of purity in Religion For which offence they were all three heavily censured in the High Commission Court at severall times and committed to severall Prisons where they long remained in durance till afterward their cause was brought into the Starre-Chamber where they received a sad doome and the same day stood all three upon Pillories in Westminster Pallace yard where their eares were likewise cut off It seemed I remember to many Gentlemen and was accordingly discoursed of a spectacle no lesse strange then sad to see three of severall Professions the noblest in the Kingdome Divinity Law and Phisick exposed at one time to such an ignominious punishment and condemned to it by Protestant Magistrates for such Tenents in Religion as the greatest part of Protestants in England held and all the Reformed Churches in Europe maintained But the Court of Starre-Chamber seemed to take cognizance onely of their unlawfull publishing those Tenents and disobedience to the Authority then in being This was but the beginning of their punishment they were afterward banished to remote places of the Kingdom and there kept in close and solitary consinement not allowed pen and paper nor the sight of any friends no not so much for two of them were married as of their owne wives Their imprisonments at severall removes were in the Castles of Lanceston Lancaster Carnarvon and Isles of Sylly Garnsey and Iersey These three within five daies after the Parliament began to sit were sent for home from their banishment and accordingly Master PRYNNE and Master BURTON upon the 28. of November came into London Doctor BASTWICK within few daies after in the same manner being met upon the way some few miles from London and brought into the City by five thousand persons both men and women on horseback who all of them wore in their hats Rosemary and Bayes in token of Joy and Triumph The discourses of men upon this action were very different some both of the Clergy of the Court and other Gentlemen besides did not conceale their dislike of it affirming that it was a bold and tumultuous affront to Courts of Justice and the Kings Authority Others who pittied the former sufferings of those men and they that wished Reformation in matters of Justice were pleased with it hoping that it would worke good effects in the Kings minde and make him sensible how his people stood dis-affected to the rigour of such proceedings and esteemed it as a good presage of the ruine of those two Courts the High Commission and Star-Chamber Which proved true within halfe a yeare after How it wrought at that present upon the King is not knowne But actions of that nature where the people of their owne accords in a seeming tumultuous manner do expresse their liking or dislike of matters in Government cannot have alwaies the same successe but worke according to the disposition of the Prince or Governour either to a sense causing Reformation or to an hatred of them as upbraiders of his actions aut corrigunt aut irritant Within a moneth after the businesse of these three men was by Order of the Parliament referred to Committees to examine and report Upon which reports not two Moneths after it was voted by the House of Commons That those Judgements so given against them but severally for every one of the three were illegall unjust and against the liberty of the Subject and within a month after voted that they should receive damages for their great sufferings and satisfaction should be made them in money to be paid by the Archbishop of Canterbury the High Commissioners and those Lords who had voted against them in the Star-Chamber That they should be againe restored to their callings and receive Master BURTON 6000. l. and Master PRYNNE 5000. l. Doctor BASTWICK in a vote by himself was given the like summe As these were comforted after their sufferings so other Divines for the beginning of this Parliament seemed a little Doomesday after a short pleasure were brought to their torment A Committee was made to enquire of scandalous Ministers which appeared in two kindes and were accordingly censured either loose livers and men of a debauched behaviour for many such were gotten into good preferments and countenanced to affront the Puritans or else offendours in way of Superstition of the former sort many were in short time accused by degrees censured and turned out of their livings Of the latter sort there was no small number of offendors nor in likelihood could that which had beene the way to all high preferments want walkers in it Among all the men of his ranke Dr. COOSENS Master of Saint Peters Colledge in Cambridge was most noted for superstitious and curious observations in many kindes a man not noted for any great depth of learning nor yet scandalous for ill living but onely forward to shew himselfe in formalities and outward Ceremonies concerning Religion many of which were such as a Protestant State might not well suffer This man was questioned upon many Articles some by himselfe some where other Divines were joyned with him imprisoned he was afterwards bayled and though deprived of some preferments yet escaped without any great punishment and was one of them in that crowd of offendors who might rejoyce that the Parliament had so much businesse But greater Clergymen then Doctor COOSENS were then to come upon the Stage Bishop WRENNE a man guilty of the same crime in Superstition that COOSENS was as farre as concerned his owne person but farre more guilty as a Magistrate and able to impose it upon others was upon the 19. of December accused of Treason and entred into a recognizance of 30000 l. to appeare with three sureties ingaged each of them in bonds of 10000. l. This WRENNE being Bishop of Norwich a Diocesse in which there were as many strict Professors of Religion commonly called Puritans as in any part of England had there violently pressed
superstitious Ceremonies or such as they conceived so upon them put downe accustomed Lectures and deprived many Ministers much beloved and reverenced among them By which rigour he grew accidentally guilty of a wonderfull crime against the wealth and prosperity of the State For many Tradesmen with whom those parts abounded were so afflicted and troubled with his Ecclesiasticall censures and vexations that in great numbers to avoid misery they departed the Kingdome some into new England and other parts of America others into Holland whether they transported their Manufactures of Cloth not onely a losse by diminishing the present stock of the Kingdome but a great mischiefe by impairing and indangering the losse of that peculiar Trade of Clothing which hath been a plentifull fountaine of Wealth and Honour to the Kingdome of England as it was expressed in the Parliament Remonstrance but more particular crimes were laid against the Bishop which there may be occasion to discourse of hereafter in the proccedings against him The day before Bishop WRENNE was accused being the 18. of December a greater man both in Church and State WILLIAM LAUD Archbishop of Canterbury was voted in the House of Commons guilty of High Treason Master DENZILL HOLLIS a Member of that House was sent up to the Lords to appeach him there upon which he was sequestred and confined to the Black Rod. He was also charged by the Scottish Commissioners together with the Earle of Strafford as a chiefe Incendiary in the late Warre betweene both Nations and divers Articles laid against him which to examine and discusse further a Committee was appointed Upon the 23. of February Master PYMME made report to the House of Commons what hainous and capitall crimes were objected against him Upon which the House fell into a serious debate and a Charge of High Treason in fourteene Articles was drawne up against him which Charge two daies after was sent from the House of Commons by Master PYMME up to the Lords The Archbishop was that day brought before the Lords to heare that Charge read and it was there voted That he should immediately be sent to the Tower but upon his earnest suit for some speciall reasons he was two daies longer suffered to abide under the Black Rod and then accordingly sent to the Tower where we will leave himâ— till the course of this Narration bring him to further triall upon those Articles Civill offendors as well as Ecclesiasticall must needs be many in so long a corruption of Government of whom one as he was first in time and soone leâ—t the Stage besides his chiefe Crime concerning matters of Church and Religion so he shall first be named Sir FRANCIS WINDEBANKE Principall Secretary of Estate a great Favourite and friend to the Archbishop of Canterbury and by his friendship as was thought advanced to that place of Honour was upon the 12 of November questioned in an high kinde concerning Popish Priests of whom in that seven or eight yeares that he had been Secretary he had bayled a great number and released many by his power contrary to the Lawes made and then in force against them which being examined by a Committee and certaine to prove foule against him as it did afterward for upon examination there were proved against him 74. Letters of grace to Recusants within foure yeares signed with his owne hand 64 Priests discharged from the Gate-House 29 discharged by a verball Warrant from him he thought it his best course before triall to fly the Land so that upon the fourth of December newes was brought to the House that Secretary WINDEBANKE with Master READ his chiefe Clarke was fled and soone after notice was given that he arrived in France where he long continued About that time came the great businesse of Ship-Money into debate in Parliament and was voted by both Houses to be a most illegall Taxation and unsufferable grievance in reference to which case almost all the Judges were made Delinquents for their extrajudiciall opinions in it as more particularly will afterward appeare As for other petty grievances such as were the multitude of Monopolies upon all things and Commodities of greatest and most familiar use the House daily condemned them and the Delinquents of meaner note in that kinde were examined and censured too many to be here named Nay so impartiall was the House of Commons in that case that many of their owne Members who had been guilty of such Monopolies were daily turned out of the House for that offence But the businesse of Ship-money did reflect with a deeper staine of guilt upon the then Lord Keeper FINCH then upon any of the other Judges whatsoever for his great activity and labouring in it by threats and promises working upon the other Judges as we finde alleadged against him Sir JOHN FINCH in the yeare 1636. when that Taxation of Ship-money was first plotted and set on foot was newly made Lord Chiefe Justice of the Common Pleas a man in favour with the King and many of the greatest Lords in Court having before been the Queenes Attorney a Gentleman of good birth of an high and Imperious spirit eloquent in speech though in the knowledge of the Law not very deepe Upon the death of the Lord Keeper COVENTRY about December 1639. the King was pleased to conferre that high Trust of keeping the Great Seale upon him which Office at this time he held Upon the seventh of December when Ship-money was fully debated and absolutely damned by the House of Commons and the offence of the Judges began to be scanned sixteene Gentlemen of that House were chosen to examine those Judges that had given their extrajudiciall opinions for it for three gave their opinions otherwise The arguments of two Judge CROOKE and Judge HUTTON were very famous Baron DENHAM by reason of sicknesse could not declare his opinion in so large a manner what threats or promises had been used to them and by what persons Upon which examination and further light given the next day a Committee was named to draw up Charges against the Judges and against the Lord FINCH then Lord Keeper a Charge of High Treason He not many daies after became an humble Suâ—tor to the House of Commons That before the Charge of High Treason were delivered against him they would be pleased to heare him Ore Tenus in their owne House His suit was granted and the next day save one in a long Oration he endeavoured to cleare himselfe but all in vaine was that endeavour though his deportment were very humble and submissive and his Speech full of perswasive Rhetorick it could not prevaile to divert the Judgement though many in the House were moved to a kinde of Compassion He either secretly informed by friends or himself perceiving by evident signes how things were likely to go with him conceived it best to use a timely prevention and the next day disguised fled and soone crossed the Seas into Holland After his flight he was voted
the people tired with expectation of such a cure do usually by degrees forget the sharpnesse of those diseases which before required it or else in the redressing of many and long disorders and to secure them for the future there being for the most part a necessity of laying heavy Taxes and draining of much Money from the people they grow extreamly sensible of that present smart feeling more paine by the Cure for a time then they did by the lingring disease before not considering that the causes of all which they now indure were precedent and their present suffering is for their future security It was the generall opinion of all Gentlemen at that time That a Parliament so much and long desired as this was after so great and constant a violation of the Lawes and Liberties of England in the Kings former Government could scarce in possibility ever grow into the dislike of the people or at least so great a part of the people as might be able which within one yeare was after seene to make a Warre against it and indanger the utter ruine and subversion of it But I have spoken before of some causes which might seeme strong enough to ingage a part of the people against the Parliament whose particular interests and livelihoods were neerely touched how farre any proceeding might distaste others who were uninterested in their private fortunes or callings I cannot tell any certaine reason But I remember within the compasse of a yeare after when this Civill Warre began to breake out over all the Kingdom and men in all companies began to vent their opinions in an argumentative way either opposing or defending the Parliament Cause and Treatises were printed on both sides Many Gentlemen who forsooke the Parliament were very bitter against it for the proceedings in Religion in countenancing or not suppressing the rudenesse of people in Churches which I related before acting those things which seemed to be against the Discipline of the English Church and might introduce all kindes of Sects and Schismes Neither did those of the Parliament side agree in opinions concerning that point some said it was wisely done of the Parliament not to proceed against any such persons for feare of losing a considerable party as is said before Others thought and said That by so doing they would lose a farre more considerable party of Gentlemen then could be gained of the other They also affirmed That Lawes and Liberties having been so much violated by the King if the Parliament had not so farre drawne Religion also into their cause it might have sped better for the Parliament frequently at that time in all their expressions whensoever they charged the corrupt Statesmen of injustice and Tyranny would put Popery or a suspition of it into the first place against them I remember when the Warre was begun among those little Treatises which were then published as many there were without any names to them I found one in which the case is thus expressed to recite the words of it Perchance saith he too much insisting upon Religion and taxing the King for affecting Popery hath by accident weakened the Parliament and brought Parties to the King It may seeme a great Paradox that the best and onely necessary of all things Religion being added into the scale of Lawes and Liberties should make the scale lighter then before Neither can it be true but by accident as thus The strange intercourse betwixt Rome and the English Court The Kings owne Letters to the Pope His favouring of Priests and such things though they may give a State just cause of susspition that their Religion is undermining Yet because it cannot be so absolutely proved to the sight of all the people that the King favoured Popery as that he violated the Lawes and Liberties of the Kingdome which latter was visible to all the former concerning Religion remaines in the peoples reason as a controverted question the King still protesting for Religion and the disputes about that amusing the People make them by degrees forget that crime of the Kings which was without controversie and evident the violation of Lawes and Liberties And more then so for some supposing that the Parliament unjustly taxed him in Religion did in time believe that he was not so guilty of the other as they would make him which I have heard some of late maintaine From whence may follow a strange conclusion That the Kings dealing so much with Rome to the disadvantage of the Protestant Religion should now turne to his owne advantage in a Protestant Kingdome And we may make this as paradoxicall a supposition That if the King had never done any thing prejudiciall to the Protestant Religion he would have found fewer Protestants this Parliament to take his part For then there being no dispute at all about Religion the crimes of his State mis-government had plainly and inexcusably appeared to all as we have seene that some of our former Kings for the like violation of Lawes and Liberties when there was but one Religion and therefore no dispute about it have been heavily censured in Parliament no man appearing in their justification And why should not a Parliament thinke that such things are cause enough to be stood upon and to justifie their quarrell before God as if the Almighty did not adhorre Injustice Oppression Tyranny and the like in any Kingdome unlesse the prâ—fession of Religion were also depraved Nay he abhorreth it more in that place where the purest profession of Religion is Besides that frequent naming of Religion as if it were the onely quarrell hath caused a great mistake of the question in some by reason of ignorance in others of subtilty whilest they wilfully mistake to abuse the Parliaments Cause writing whole Volumes in a wrong stated case as instead of disputing whether the Parliament of England lawfully assembled where the King virtually is may by Armes defend the Religion established by the same power together with the Lawes and Liberties of the Nation against Delinquents detaining with them the Kings seduced Person They make it the question Whether Subjects taken in a generall notion may make Warre against their King for Religions sake Such was the sense of many Gentlemen at that time which adhered to the Parliament But to proceed in the Narration The Parliament had been of late sensible of the losse of some from them and having detected divers Conspiracies and Machinations of dis-affected people against them and fearing more had in May last â—ramed a Protestation which was solemnly taken by all the Members of both Houses and sent thorow England to be taken by the people the forme of it was in these words I A.B. in the presence of Almighty God promise vow and protest to maintaine and desend as farre as lawfully I may with my life power and estate the true Reformed Protestant Religion expressed in the Doctrine of the Church of England against all Popery and Popish Innovotions within this
the Lord MANDEVILL and the forenamed five Members by Sir WILLIAM KILLIGREW Sir WILLIAM FLEMEN and others in the Innes of Court and else where in the Kings name was an high breach of the priviledge of Parliament a great scandall to his Majesty and his Government a seditious act manifestly tending to the subversion of the Peace of the Kingdome and an injury and dishonour to the said Members there being no legall charge or accusation against them Whereas there is mention made in the late recited words of this Declaration concerning the Innes of Court we cannot omit that about the same time so unhappy a Genius of division reigned among all sorts there wanted not some men dis-affected to the Parliament who went up and down perswading the young Gentlemen of the Innes of Court to make offer of their service to the King as a guard of defence if any danger threatned his Person Upon which divers of those young Gentlemen to ingratiate themselves repaired to the Court and were kindly received by the King and Queen The Parliament at that time further declared That the Priviledges of Parliament and the Liberties of the Subject so violated and broken could not be fully and sufficiently vindicated unlesse his Majesty would be pâ—eased to discover the names of those persons who advised his Majesty to issue out such Warrants for sealing of the Chambers and Studies of the said five Members to send a Sergeant at Armes to the house of Commons to demand those members to issue out Warrants for their apprehension to come thither himself in Person to publish Articles in the forme of a Proclamation against the said Members in the fore-declared manner to the end that all such persons who advised him to these actions might receive condigne punishment According to this the Houses humbly desired his Majesty that he would so far satisfie their just and legall request as to let them know those informers for the Law in two severall Statutes provides that satisfaction that if in time of Parliament the King accuse a Member of the same of what crime soever he ought to signifie to the Parliament who were the informers but the King refused to do it Upon which the House of Commons examined his Atturny General Sir EDWARD HERBERT who had preferred the aforesaid Articles he confessed nothing to them concerning any other Person or informer but only that he received the Command from the King himself and knew nothing further of it The same the King testified concerning his said Attourny in a Letter to the Lord Keeper wherein he justifieth the Atturny his action as being no otherwise then the duty of a servant required But the Parliament made another judgement of it as namely that Sir EDWARD HERBERT had broken the Priviledge of Parliament in preferring the said Articles and done an illegal act upon which he was committed to prison These actions of the King did exceedingly afflict all honest Protestants especially at such a time when the affairs of bleeding Ireland did so much and so speedily require the assistance of England which must needs by these unhappy distractions be retarded and the totall losse of the Protestant Cause there much endangered But the City of London was not the least sensible of it who in a deep and sorrowfull apprehension of this designe Petitioned the King with an expression of all the fears and dangers which they conceived themselves in at that time The things which they enumerate in their Petition are That his Majesty had put out a Person of Honor and Trust from being Lieutenant of the Tower That he had lately fortified White-hall with men and munition in an unusuall manner Some of which men had abused with provoking language and with drawn swords wounded divers unarmed Citizens passing by To explain this branch of their Petition the Reader must be informed That the King the very next day after he had entred the House of Commons as aforesaid went in his Coach into the City of London whither he had heard that those five Members had retired themselves and was every where humbly entreated by the Citizens in flocks about his Coach That he would be pleased to agree with his Parliament and not infringe the Priviledge thereof The King perceiving which way the affections of the City went returned again to White-hall where he staid about a week after During which time by what advice or to what intention I cannot tell he built there a little Court of Guard and entertained some Gentlemen and others who as the Petition declares gave those affronts to divers Citizens that passed by They complain likewise in the Petition of the late endeavours used to the Innes of Court the calling in divers Canoniers and other assistants into the Tower the late discovery of divers Fire-works in the hands of a Papist But most of all say they our feares are encreased by your Majesties late going into the House of Commons attended with a great number of armed men besides your ordinary Guard for apprehending divers Members of that House to the endangering of your sacred Person and of the Persons and Priviledges of that Honorable Assembly The effects of all which fears tend not only to the overthrow of the whole trade of this City and Kingdom which your Petitioners already feel in a deep measure but also to the utter ruine of the Protestant Religion and the Lives and Liberties of all your loyall Subjects The Petitioners therefore most humbly pray your sacred Majesty that by the advice of your great Councell in Parliament the Protestants in Ireland may be speedily relieved the Tower put into the hands of Persons of Trust that by removall of doubtfull and unknown Persons from about White-hall and Westminster a known and approved Guard may be appointed for the safety of your Majesty and Parliament and that the Lord MANDEVILL and the five Members of the House of Commons lately accused may not be restrained of Liberty or proceeded against otherwise then according to the Priviledges of Parliament The King though he conceived this Petition as himself expressed of an unusuall nature yet willing to give content to the City returned a Gracious Answer to their particulars That for Ireland he conceived he had expressed as much care on his part as possibly he could and would not faâ—l for the future What he had done concerning the Tower had been to satisfie their fearâ— before in displacing one or good Trust and putting in another of unquestionable Reputation and what preparation of strength soever he made there was with as great an eye of safety and advantage to the City as to his own Person For his Guard entertained at White-hall he alleadged the disorderly and tumultuous conflux of people to Westminster to the danger of his Royall Person not punished at all by course of Law and if any Citizens were wounded he was assured it happened by their own ill demeanours that he knew no other endeavours to the Innes of
in the House of Lords concerning a Bill for pressing of Souldiers had broken the fundamental Priviledge of Parliament which is that he ought not to take notice of any matter in agitation or debate in either House but by their information and agreement and that he ought not to propound any condition or limitation to a Bill in debate and preparation or to manifest his approbation or dislike of the same until it be presented to his Majestie in due course of Parliament and that every particular Member of either House hath free liberty of speech to propound or debate matters according to Order of Parliament and that the King ought not to conceive displeasure against him for such opinions or propositions They intreated likewise a reparation for that great breach of Priviledge and for prevention of the like that the King would make known who they were by whose mis-information and evil counsel he had done it that they might receive conding punishment This businesse took up some time and was one unhappie impediment to the sudden relief of Ireland notwithstanding the high necessities of that Kingdom and the affections of England in general to it and so heavily went on all preparations that it was long before the House of Commons could finde means to enable the Lord Lieutenant to send over so much as one Regiment for defence of the Castle and City of Dublin which was commanded by a worthy Gentleman Sir SIMON HARCOUT who being designed Governour of the City of Dublin was sent away by Order of Parliament with his Regiment and landed there on the last day of December 1641 to the great comfort of that City being much distressed and terrified by the neer approach of the Irish Rebels Another obstruction of the relief of Ireland happened about three weeks after when the Scots delivered eight Propositions to the English Parliament touching the sending over of Two thousand five hundred Scots which were then in readinesse into the north of Ireland Both Houses of Parliament consented to all the Propositions but the King excepted against one of them being the third which was That the Scots desired to have the keeping of the Town and Castle of Carricksergus with power to remain there or enlarge their Quarters at discretion and if any Regiments or Troops in that Province should joyn with them that they receive Orders from the chief Commander of the Scotish Forces Against this Article the King took exceptions and desired the Houses to take it again into consideration as a thing of importance which he doubted might be prejudicial to England But if the House desired it should be so himself would speak with the Scotish Commissioners to see what satisfaction he could give them therein The Scots told his Majestie that since it was agreed â—pon by both Houses of Parliament and that the strength of his Majesties argument was That Article implied too great a Trust for Auxiliary Forces they were in good hope that his Majestie being their native King would not shew lesse trust in them then their neighbour-Nation had freely done Upon which the King at last was content to admit the Article and the advice of his Parliament This fatal obstruction of Ireland's relief did but second another immediately before For at the first the Commissioners of Scotland had not power given them from the State there to treat for sending over a lesse number then ten thousand men which the Lords were unwilling to yeeld to But that obstacle seemed to be removed by the zealous affection of the House of Commons who according to those Instructions of the State of Scotland to their Commissioners voted the sending over of ten thoâ—sand Scots But the House of Lords after long debate would not yeeld unto it unlesse the House of Commons would give assurance that ten thousand English might be as speedily sent over which the Commons as much desired and promised their endeavour in it but that the English then could not be so soon raised much lesse transported as the Scots every man understood There was no other reason given that ever I understood but onely That it was dishonorable for England that Ireland should be reduced by the Scots and this was the discourse of Papists and other persons disaffected to the Cause among the people every where Though it were much wondered at by all good Protestants that so nice a point of Honour should be stood upon when their Religion and Cause lay bleeding in Ireland after so sad and deplorable a kinde which began to deject the spirits of the poor Protestants in Ireland and make them suspect some secret workings under-hand against the good affections expressed by the House of Commons and those Lords who were well-affected to the State for they by the greater number were over-voted so many Popish and ill-affected Lords besides four and twenty Bishops for the Bishops voices in Parliament were not then taken away sitting in that House It was then also generally talked and much complained of among the well-affected people that the King had been so backward in proclaiming those barbarous Irish Rebels and not onely talked among the people but alleadged by the Parliament it self in their own Declaration afterward when the breach between King and Parliament grew greater as a signe that those inhumane Rebels had been countenanced by the Court of England in that the Proclamation whereby they were declared Traitors was so long with held as till the first of January though the Rebellion broke forth in October before and then no more then fourty Copies were appointed to be printed with a special command from His Majestie not to exceed that number and that none of them should be published till the Kings pleasure were further signified as by the Warrant appears a true copie whereof was printed so that a few onely could take notice of it And this say they was made more observable by the late contrary proceedings against the Scots who were in a very quick and sharp manner proclaimed and those Proclamations forthwith dispersed with as much diligence as might he thorow all the Kingdom and ordered to be read in every Church accompanied with publike Prayers and Execrations That Declaration of the Lords and Commons in which this is expressed concerning the Kings slowe proclaiming of the Irish Rebels was published when the King was gone to York at which he was much distasted in many particulars and returned Answer to them Among others because that of Ireland seemed to lie heavie upon his reputation it is just that the Reader should see the King 's own Answer to that point that he may the more fairly judge which shall be therefore inserted in the very words of the Kings Declaration To countenance those unhandsome expressions whereby usually they have implied Our connivence at or want of zeal against the Rebellion of Ireland so odious to to all good men they have found a new way of exprobation That the Proclamation against those bloodie
young Princes arrived in England were soone put into imployment and Command under the King their Uncle in which they shewed themselves very forward and active as will appeare afterward and if more hot and furious then the tender beginnings of a Civill Warre would seeme to require it may be imputed to the fervour of their youth and great desire which they had to ingratiate themselves to the King upon whom as being no more then Souldiers of fortune their hopes of advancement wholly depended Prince RUPERT the elder brother and most furious of the two within a fortnight after his arrivall commanded a small party of those Forces which the King had at that time gathered together which were not of so great a body as to be tearmed an Army with which he marched into divers Counties to roll himselfe like a snow ball into a larger bulke by the accession of Forces in every place Through divers parts of Warwick-shire Nottingham-shire Leicestershire Worcester-shire and Cheshire did this young Prince fly with those Troops which he had not inviting the people so much by faire demeanour for such was the report to the Houses of Parliament as compelling them by extreme rigour to follow that side which he had taken Many Townes and Villages he plundered which is to say robb'd for at that time first was the word plunder used in England being borne in Germany when that stately Country was so miserably wasted and pillaged by forraigne Armies and committed other outrages upon those who stood affected to the Parliament executing some and hanging up servants at their Masters doores for not discovering of their Masters Upon which newes the Houses of Parliament fell into a serious debate and agreed that a Charge of High Treason should be drawne up against him for indeavouring the destruction of this State which was voted a great breach of the Kingdoms Lawes and breach of the priviledge of that great Councell representing the whole state of it Let it not seeme amisse in this place to insert a passage happening at the same time which cannot be omitted by reason of the eminence of that person whom it concernes in the succeeding Warres Colonell GORING who was before spoken of to keepe the Towne of Portsmouth against the Parliament being now no longer able to hold it out was permitted by Captaine MERRICK not without allowance from the Earle of Warwick to leave the place and to be conveyed to the Brill in Holland according to his owne desire This the Parliament were contented with because the Captaine was necessitated to agree to it for preservation of that Towne and many persons therein well affected to the Parliament for GORING had threatned to destroy the Towne with wilde-fire if he might not preserve his owne life by a peaceable surrender Whilest Prince RUPERT was thus active with a flying Party the King himselfe was moving with those Forces which he had but in a gentler and calmer way for the reverence which the people bare to his Person made him finde lesse resistance as windes lose their fury when they meet no opposition but howsoever the King desired to go in such a way as to be taken for a Father of his Country and a Prince injur'd by the Parliament professions of love perswasions and Protestations of his affection to the people were the chiefe instruments which he used to raise himselfe a strength and complaints against the proceedings and actions of the Parliament as when he was marching toward Shrewsbury where he intended to make his chiefe Rendezvouze being a place convenient to receive and entertaine such Forces as should come to him out of Wales Which place as will appeare afterward failed not his expectation though it were more then the Parliament could suspect As he was marching thither with a small Army he made a Speech betweene Stafford and Wellington on the 19. of September and caused his Protestation to be then also read in the head of his Army wherein among other things he tells them for their comfort and hope to prevaile that they should meet no Enemies but Traytors most of them Brownists Anabaptists and Atheists who would destroy both Church and Common-wealth And in this Protestation with deepe vowes and imprecations upon himselfe and his posterity he declares his whole care and intentions to be for the maintenance of the Protestant Religion the Lawes and property of the Subject together with the Priviledge of Parliament as he was accustomed to do in his former Speeches But the King not many daies before had taken a more harsh and coercive way for marching thorow Derbyshire Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire he commanded the Trayned Bands of those Counties to attend and guard his Person and when they were met disarmed the greatest part of them taking as many Armes as served for 2000. men besides good summes of Money which not without some constraint he borrowed from them But to leave the Kings proceedings for a while it is time to returne to the Lord Generall for the Parliament and the Army raised under his conduct which at that time when Prince RUPERT began to march was growne to a considerable body consisting of about â—4 thousand Horse and Foot their generall Rendezvouze was at Northampton where many of the chiefe Commanders as the Lord BROOKE Lord ROBERTS Colonell HAMDEN and others stayed with them expecting the presence of his Excellence who on the ninth of September taking his leave of the Parliament and City of London bent his journey toward Northampton and was waited on by the Trayned Bands and a great number of armed Gentlemen from Essex House to the end of the City with great solemnity But the love and wishes of the people that did attend him were farre greater then any outward signification could expresse To whom he seemed at that time though going to a Civill Warre as much an English man and as true a Patriot as if he had gone against a forraigne Enemy Great was the love and honour which the people in generall bore to his Person in regard of his owne vertue and honourable demeanour and much increased by the Memory of his noble Father the highest example that ever I yet read of a Favourite both to Prince and people of whom that was most true which VELLEIUS PATERCULUS speaks with flattery and falshood of SEJANUS In quo cum judicio Principis certabant studia populi The peoples love strived to match the Prince his judgement That Cause wherein the Earle of ESSEX had ingaged himselfe seemed to them religious enough to require their prayers for the successe of it For the Parliament though they raised an Army expressed much humility and reverence to the Kings Person for not many daies after the departure of the Lord Generall by consent of both Houses a Petition to the King was drawne up to be carried by Sir PHILIP STAPLETON a Member of the House of Commons often spoken of before and at this time a Colonell in the Lord Generals
slaine That Commission of Array was directed from the King to Sir NICHOLAS CRISPE Sir GEORGE STROUD Knights to Sir THOMAS GARDINER Knight Recorder of London Sir GEORGE BINION Knight RICHARD EDES and MARMADUKE ROYDEN Esquires THOMAS BROWNE PETER PAGGON CHARLES GENNINGS EDWARD CARLETON ROBERT ABBOT ANDREW KING WILLIAM WHITE STEVEN BOLTON ROBERT ALDEM EDMUND FOSTER THOMAS BLINKHORNE of London Gentlemen and to all such other persons as according to the true intent and purport of that Commission should be nominated and appointed to be Generals Colonels Lieutenant Colonels Serjeant Majors or other Officers of that Councell of Warre The Commission it selfe is to be read at large in the Parliament Records But this Conspiracy was prevented and proved fatall to some of the Contrivers being detected upon the last day of May which happened at that time to be the day of the Monethly Fast and Master WALLER Master TOMKINS with other of the forenamed Conspirators being apprehended were that night examined by divers grave Members of the Parliament of whom Master PYM was one and afterwards reserved in custody for a Tryall They were arraigned in Guild-Hall and Master WALLER Master TOMKINS Master CHALLONER Master HASELL Master WHITE and Master BLINKHORNE were all condemned none were executed but Master TOMKINS and Master CHALLONER being both hanged Master TOMKINS in Holborne and Master CHALLONER in Cornhill both within sight of their own dwelling houses Master HASELL dyed in Prison BLINKHORNE and the other were by the mercy of the Parliament and the Lord Generall Essex reprived and saved afterwards Master WALLER the chiefe of them was long detained Prisoner in the Tower and about a yeare after upon payment of a Fine of ten thousand pounds was pardoned and released to go travell abroad It was much wondered at and accordingly discoursed of by many at that time what the reason should be why Master WALLER being the principall Agent in that Conspiracy where Master TOMKINS and Master CHALLONER who had been drawne in by him as their own Confessions even at their deaths expressed were both executed did escape with life The onely reason which I could ever heare given for it was That Master WALLER had been so free in his Confessions at the first without which the Plot could not have been clearly detected That Master PYM and other of the Examiners had ingaged their promise to do whatever they could to preserve his life He seemed also much smitten in conscience and desired the comfort of godly Minister being extremely penitent for that soule offence and afterwards in his Speech to the House when he came to be put out of it much be wailed his offence thanking God that so mischievous and bloody a Conspiracy was discovered before it could take effect CHAP. III. Matters of State trans-acted in Parliament touching the Assembly of Divines The making of a new Great Seale Impeaching the Queene of High Treason and other things The Lord Generall Essex after some Marches returneth to quarter his wasted and sick Army about Kingston The Kings Forces Masters of the West The Earl of Newcastle his greatnesse in the North. Some mention of the Earle of Cumberland and the Lord FAIRFAX AT the same time that these Conspiracies were closely working to undermine the Parliament and Warre was raging in highest fury throughout the Kingdome many State-businesses of an unusuall nature had been trans-acted in the Parliament sitting For things were growne beyond any president of former ages and the very foundations of Government were shaken according to the sense of that Vote which the Lords and Commons had passed a yeare before That whensoever the King maketh Warre against the Parliament it tendeth to the dissolution of this Government Three things of that unusuall nature fell into debate in one moneth which was May 1643. and were then or soone after fully passed one was at the beginning of that moneth concerning the Assembly of Divines at Westminster Among other Bils which had passed both Houses and wanted onely the Royall Assent that was one That a Synod of Divines should be chosen and established for the good and right settlement of Religion with a fit Government for the Church of England This Bill was oft tendred to the King to passe but utterly refused by him The matter therefore was fully argued what in such cases might be done by Authority of Parliament when the Kingdomes good is so much concerned when a King refuseth and wholly absenteth himselfe from the Parliament And at last it was brought to this conclusion That an Ordinance of Parliament where the King is so absent and refusing is by the Lawes of the Land of as good Authority to binde the people for the time present as an Act of Parliament it selfe can be It was therefore Voted by the Lords and Commons That the Act for an Assembly of Divines to settle Religion and a forme of Government for the Church of England which the King had oft refused to passe should forthwith be turned into an Ordinance of Parliament and the Assembly thereby called debate such things for the settlement of Religion as should be propounded to them by both Houses which not long after was accordingly put in execution The case seemed of the same nature with that of Scotland in the yeare 1639. when the Scottish Covenanters as is before mentioned in this History upon the Kings delay in calling their Nationall Synod published a writing to that purpose That the power of calling a Synod in case the Prince be an Enemy to the truth or negligent in promoting the Churches good is in the Church it selfe In the same moneth and within few daies after another businesse of great consequence was by the Lords and Commons taken into consideration which was the making of a new Great Seale to supply the place of that which had been carried away from the Parliament as before is mentioned This businesse had been fully debated in the House of Commons and the Moneth following at a Conference between both Houses the Commons declared to the Lords what great prejudice the Parliament and whole Kingdome suffered by the absence of the Great Seale and thereupon desired their speedy compliance in Votes for the making of a new one The matter was debated in the House of Peeres put to Votes and carried for the negative The onely reason which they alleadged against the making of a new Seale was this That they have hitherto dispatched all business since the absence of the Seale by vertue of Ordinances of Parliament and they conceived that the same course might still be kept in what matters soever were necessary to be expedited for the good of the Kingdome without a Seale Yet the Lords gave a respective answer That if the House of Commons would informe them in any particular cases wherein the Kingdomes prejudice by absence of the Great Seale could not be remedied by vertue of an Ordinance they would take it into further consideration to induce complyance accordingly Neither was