they say That the Kings offers are not fit for them to accept in that certainly they declare the truth if they make their own unlimited aimes and ambitions the measure of what is fit for them for they will no wayes content themselves with such a narrow and unlimited Soveraignty as our former Kings have had restrained in our Laws in our liberties in our proprieties but they pro arbitrio wil levy what forces they please without limitation of number or distinction of persons or quality raise what moneys they please for the support of this their military dominion and make what lawes they list without any other assent but their own and remain everlastingly a representative of the people whether they will or not so that really making their aimes and intentions the measure of what is fit for them to accept no offers or conditions can be fit for them that shall not establish them in a more absolute power and dominion then ever any King of England had or any King of Christendome hath or the Grand Seignior himselfe doth practice They then say They cannot see how it should be expected that a new engagement could prevaile on Him or engage Him more then the solemn Oath at His Coronation with severall other vowes protestations and imprecations so frequently broken by Him during His whole Reign Let it be calmly considered of whether this be a modest and decent way of a House of Commons thus upon generals to charge their King as a perjured man whom they have ever professed they would make a glorious King especially when their said charge is as false in the matter as shamefull in the manner for they are not able to fix upon the King any one particular wherein He hath broken His Oath or Protestation when the truth of the fact and circumstances shall be truly set down on the behalfe of the King as well as their false relations of the said fact with their inferences strains and malitious glosses thereupon and doubtlesse if the King were not highly punctuall religious in the observance of the said Oath He would not suffer those miseries hazards which He doth rather then infringe it But let the breaking of Oaths Protestations be with equality looked upon let the obligation of their naturall Allegiance the Oathes of Supremacy and Allegeance without taking whereof they cannot be Members of their House Let the solemn Protestation taken by them at the beginning of this Parliament in which they did promise vow and protest in the presence of God with their life power estate according to the duty of their Allegeance to maintain and defend His Majesties Royall Person Honour Estate which how well it hath been performed let their own consciences tell them Let their Solemne League and Covenant taken with their hands lifted up to God never to depart from that blessed union conjunction as they shall answer it in the presence of God the Searcher of all hearts at the dreadfull day of judgement how they have kept it let their brethren of Scotland tell them M. Martin who stiles it an Almanack of the last year out of date and the Answer of the Scots Declaration that termeth it absurd hypocriticall humane so alterable Let them remember all these and their often repeated Protestations of making the King a glorious King and consider their present usage of His Person their endeavours by this Declaration of rendring Him infamous to the world and to all posterity Let them likewise consider that their present animosity against the King is cheifly because they cannot make Him consent to be perjured He hath sworn to maintain the Laws to protect His Subjects to defend the Church to maintain the Religion established by the Laws to uphold the just rights inherent in the Crown or legally thereunto annexed and because He will not consent to be perjured in them all which He must be if He should consent to their demands He must be declared unworthy to governe and as hath been said by some among them not worthy to live be close imprisoned and debarred of all comforts of life God in his due time will be Judge between them and the King and so will be all sober and disinterested men Then they say That the King in His publick Speeches and Declarations hath laid a fit foundation for all tiranny by this most destructive maxime or principle which He saith He must avow That HE OWETH AN ACCOUNT OF HIS ACTIONS TO NONE BUT GOD ALONE AND THAT THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT JOYNT OR SEPARATR HAVE NO POWER TO MAKE OR DECLARE ANY LAW For the first part of this Maxime the King avoweth but that which the Law of God and the Law of England avoweth and what all the Monarchs and States of Christendom that have Soveraign Supream power will avow and would punish as high and capitall offenders any that should avow the contrary As for the second clause the King hath often declared That He doth not pretend to the making of Laws singly of Himselfe but by the advice and consent of the two Houses neither can the Houses joynt or separate nor He with the consent of either House alone make a Law but there must be a concurrence of all three The two Houses first to consent and pray and then the King maketh it a Law by his declaring the Royall assent by Le Roy le veut As for the declaring of the Law that it is the interpreting of the Law in dubiis obscuris vel si aliqua dictio duos contineat intellectus If the words of the Law be doubtfull and obscure or may bear two senses the Iudges in their Courts may interpret and declare the meaning of the Law and the same is done in Parliament upon Writs of Error but that is in the high Court of Parliament before the King and the Lords and not before the Commons who are no Court But this Declaration must not be understood of plain and cleer cases nor to the overthrowing of the literall sense nor of the equity of the Law otherwise to declare and to make a Law were all one in effect But not to enter upon any moot Case or contestation of a Law point Let it be judged whether upon this Maxime it be a sober or dutifull expression that the King hath laid a foundation for all tiranny but especially whether from this charge any just or colourable ground may be laid for the justifying of their Votes or their present proceeding with the King They then speak of the Articles for the intended match with Spain which were treated of 25 yeers since by King James And likewise of the Articles of the match with France which certainly should be without their cognizance for the Houses of Parliament have declared often the the making of peace and war and the marriage of the Kings Children belong wholy to the King And it is well known that Queen
party that first gave the houses notice of this busines hath often sworn that all he said concerning the King in this businesse was in relation to the said petition but that the King could never have nor had notice of the proposition of bringing up the Northern Amy for that being his own motion he presently seeing it disapproved especially his having the cheif Command and Conduct of the Action revealed it before the King could possibly have knowledge of it which party is yet living and certainly will avow as much But presupposing the King should have gotten knowledge of the motion which doth in nothing appear the King seeing the great tumults the great hazard that his own person was in as well as the freedom of Parliament might He not have reason by His own Army raised by Himselfe and payed by His own moneys as it had bin for many moneths endeavored to have secured His own safety and the freedom of Parliament without cōmitting any such crime as meriteth to be deposed or used as now He is Let it be compared with that which the now prevalent Party in the houses have don who seeing themselves like to be over-awed by the presbyterian party finding no other means not to be overborne thought it fit to have recourse unto the present Army of Independents although the then house of Cōmons had voted a petition of the said Army to be burnt such to be enemies of the State as should adhere thereunto yet the army was drawn up towards London the house forced to sequester eleven of their most eminent members when the City or Apprentices had restored the said 11 Members as they had in former times don the five Members the Speaker all such as had deserted the parliament had fled to the army were by force again reestablished the new Speaker M. Pelham was unchaired and all that party were driven away some forced to fly others were impeached the now prevalent party possessed themselves again of the houses the power they now have of deposing the King keeping of Him Prisoner There is a great dfference betwixt what they have really don by this army for the turning upside down the Parliament and what was ever spoken of of the Northern Army But Successe and Power will make the same things though acted commendable in those that prevail which they will have capitall in those who never passed further then discourse They then begin to speak of the tyrany towards Scotl. Ireland c. For that of Scotland which is formerly answered I shall only ad the ful satisfaction which the Kingdome of Scotland received by their own acknowledgment expressed by a petition made since the Kings last coming from Scotl. viz. That Whereas The Kings most sacred Majesty's royall zeal constant resolution of maintaining the true Religion preserving the laws liberties of these kingdoms is so undoubted that to call it in que c. could not be construed in any but an unchristian distrustfulnes in us his Ma. Subjests of this His aucient native kingdom the height of disloyalty ingratitude if we should harbor any scruple or thought to the contrary having so many real recent evidences of his Royall goodnes justice Wisdom in setling establishing the trne Religion the Laws Liberties of this His kingdom to the full satisfaction of all his good subjects And nevertheles prerceiving by his Ma' Declarations other printed papers that foul malicious aspersions are cast on his Ma. tending to be and his sacred person deprave his royal Govern ' c. we conceive our selves bound in duty to almighty God by whom we have sworn to defeud maintain the person greatnes authority of our dread Soveraign Gods vicegerent to the utmost with our means lives in every cause which may concern his honor as may apear by that which by the warrant of the Act of the generall Assembly we have all sworn signed to our king country and to that we ow to our honor reputation to represent to your Lps. the desires we have to expresse make known to his Ma. all the world that we are fully satisfied and perswaded of his Majesties royal zeal resolution that malice detraction cannot prevail to make the least impression in our loyal hearts of jealousie or distrust And therfore we have taken the boldnes humbly to petition your Lps. That as his Majesty hath graciously condescended in his letter to your Lps. printed by your warrant for satisfaction of his good subjects to expresse his Royal goodnes desire that all grounds of jealousy may be kept and removed out of the hearts of his good Subjects of this Kingdom So it may please your Lordships to think vpon some course that his Majesty reciprocally may be cleered and assured of our constant affection c. and that we are not so unthankefull to God or to his Vice-gerent nor so little tender of our own honor and credit as to forget so soone that duty incumbent to us by so many obligations and so often promised by us in our foresaid solemn Oathes which are published to the view of the whole World c. As for the Rebellion in Ireland they make use of this to the same end they do of all things else in their Declaration That knowing that horrid rebellion to be so detestable to all men as it justly deserveth they would fain draw part of the hatred of it on the king although it be with never so improbable or false pretext And they think in the meane time that it will serve the present turn of making the king odious till He may have means to cleer it by His answer which they never intend to afford Him untill they have established their tyranny and then they will not care to be fought against with papers But their Declaration in this point of Ingland besides that the points conteined in it have been so often answered in print doth so confound all times all actions either in the War or whilest there was a Cessation and all the circumstances and reasons which may justify such actions at one time as might be blameable at another that the answere must be applyed to the generall Scope of the Declaration which is to insinuate unto the world that the King did abet and favour the Rebellion which not only the Kings many Declarations but his reall and effectuall actions do evince of falsehood and detestable malice For He did wholy put the Irish businesse and the prosecution of the businesse into the hands management of the two Houses and consented to an act of parliament giving them power to raise men mony and all other necessary provision for that war notwithstanding that they had subtilly inserted into the preamble of the said Act a clause debatring Him and His successors from the power
much as one Company of Foot or Troup of Horse of forreigners that He hath called in but they hope by this great noise of reciting so many Nations to fill the ears of the People and to abuse them as they did by the speaking of the death of His Father of the reproaching of His Mother of His bloudy Cruelties His oppressions and Tyranny His breach of Trust of Oaths and Protestations and with those odious names and a bold Accusation to which He should not have means to answer to make something stick with the people whereby to alienate their Hearts from Him and to allay the detestablenesse of their most inhumane and barbarous proceeding with Him They then say neither do we wonder He should forget His Vows and Protestations that He would never consent to a toleration of the Popish Religion or abolition of the Laws then in force against Recusants yet about the same time He wrote Letters to the Queen and the E. of Ormond that He would consent to the taking away of all penall Laws against Papists both in England and Ireland Touching the Letters to the Queen and the Marquesse of Ormond they are all printed by their Order and according to the information I have credibly received by those Letters it will appear that the penall Lawes touching Recusants were not to be taken away and the favours intended to the Papists were with such limitation as they think fit to conceal Besides there is a wide difference betwixt a toleration of Popery and the not putting in execution the penall Lawes and so there is betwixt the abolishing of the penall Lawes and a temporary forbearance of the rigour of them which hath been practised by Queen Eliz. King James and His Majesty but never in so high a degree as by themselves toward the Sectaries and Separatists who by the Law are Recusants as well as Papists yet they have made use of them in their service without distinction of any Sect Schisme or Heresie insomuch that at Plymouth they made use of some Turks in their service out of the Gaole that had been condemned as Pyrats And let them remember of what a composition their new model'd Army is by whom they have carried through their Rebellion and how carefull they are now to uphold the liberty and freedom of them under the name of tender Consciences Yet it must be a Crime in the King for the saving of His Crown to encourage His own Subjects to be loyall unto Him and to assist Him against his Rebels by promising them some favour against the rigour and extremity of the Lawes There is no Religion or Nation English Welch Irish Scottish French Hollanders Dutch Germans Turks whose service they have not used to depose their Soveraign as it is now apparent although at first they all fought for the King and Parliament And if He should have made use of them for His just defence or shall do for His just restitution His doing so would be much more justifiable before God and man then what they have done They then say that notwithstanding that both Houses and the Scotch Commissioners did declare that they did hold a personall Treaty was not safe yet the Houses now yeelded to that that is to a personall Treaty They might have remembred that the Scots in their Papers do set down why at that time they held a personall Treaty at London not safe viz. because the King had several Armies on foot many strong garrisons then neither was it known what party or correspondency He might have in London all which considerations were now ceased and that therefore at present they held a personal Treaty and that to be with the Houses themselves and at Westminster most necessary And thus with their Art in confounding of Times they labour to abuse the World and to make shew as if they had yeilded to all that which the Scots now desired whereas they would not treat with the King but in the Isle of Wight and not with the Houses as the Scots Commissioners desired but with their Commissioners And whereas the Scots desired that the King might be free and at liberty they would have Him still their Prisoner They further say that all this was yeilded unto upon condition that the King would sign but four Bils which they judged not only just and honourable but necessary even for the present Peace and Safety during such a Treaty Hereby they would insinuate that they desired the four Bils but for security during the Treaty whereas they know that those Bils were to be made Acts of Parliament and so perpetuall Laws unlesse they intended that the Treaty should be everlasting As for the justness honourableness and necessity of the said four Bils If they have vouchsafed to read the Kings Answer which was not of such importance whether they did or no their resolution being taken before that if the King would not undo Himselfe they must undo Him which is said to have been the speech of a Member of that House if they had read the Kings Answers they would have found that the King had convincingly made it appear that this their way of proceeding besides the unreasonablenesse of the Bils themselves was irrationall impossible and must be ineffectuall to the making of Peace for which this Treaty was pretended to be To which might be added that it would have been invalid It was irrationall for that it is contrary to the nature of a Treaty that the chief Subject matters of the Treaty should be first assumed It was impossible because the King was desired to passe these Acts by Commission under the great Seale and not by His presence in Parliament whereas there is no such thing as a great Seale but a mock-Seale of their owne making of which Sir Edw. Cooke Mr. Sollicitor and the above-named reverent Judge as well as three Statutes have likewise delivered their opinion It must of necessity be ineffectuall for no Peace could be concluded without the Consent of the Scots and they in the name of that Kingdome protested against their Bils and manner of proceeding and like rationall men they declared that they could not but wonder that it could be supposed that the King having so often refused the said Bils for the procuring of a Peace should now condescend unto them only for the procuring of a Treaty Invalid it must needs be for it is well known that imprison'd Princes especially by their own Subjects can do no valid Act to the prejudice of themselves much lesse of their Successors besides it is well known what the doctrine of the above specified Authors and the Law is touching constraining of the King by force There shall no more be said of the manner of their condescending to such a condition'd Treaty which they insinuate to have been a gracious proceeding only I will set down what a sober man said of it then speak to the matter of the Bils by them desired That the King
Certainly they have done ill to passe by their many reasons for these few have been much too weak to support so great a weight as the wickedness of their deposing their King and the using of Him as they do and it is to be beleived that they would make use of the best of those reasons having so great store out of which to make their choice In the next place they say They will notwithstanding indeavour to settle the present Government as may best stand with the Peace of the Kingdome It is likely indeed to be a righteous Government and to last long that a prevalent party in the House of Commons shall settle without the King and against all Law WHAT hath been hitherto said hath been to shew how free the King is from the Aspersions endeavoured to be cast upon him by this Declaration together with the great malice and falshood of it First many things in matter of fact are most untrue as that the King should have a hand in the Irish Rebellion That there was a Designe of a generall Massacre of all the Protestants in England That the Spanish fleet that came into the Downes 1629. was to enslave the Subjects c. with many more such ridiculous falshoods Other things are perverted by false application of the facts as that the Horse that were spoken to be raised in Germany were for the enslaving of England whereas the truth is that if that designe had gone forward as it did not it had been to recover the Palatinate In other things were the facts untrue by concealing part of the truth and the circumstances which do clearly justifie the said fact The Malice and Fraud of the Declaration is made most apparent as when they speak of slitting of noses branding of faces cutting off eares the facts were true But they conceal that all these things were done by course of Justice against notorious Malefactors And so that which they should have called Justice they now bring for an instance of Cruelty Fourthly it is remarkable that all the greivances complained of throughout the Kings whole Reigne though wholy redressed according to their own desires yet they are recharged and the redresses not spoken of So likewise are all the Objections which they have formerly made either of the passages of the War or concerning the Treaties although they have by the King been formerly fully answered yet they obtrude upon the people all the said objections and conceale from them the Kings satisfactory Answers and all this in so venomous and spitefull a language that it is plainly to be seen that their end is to make differences irreconcileable and the King odious that they may have the more colour to destroy Him It will now be necessary to speak a few words of their other Proposition viz. that a King that should be culpable of those Crimes suggested in this their Declaration may be proceeded against as they do now proceed with the King for to that end they have written this Declaration as conteining the reason of their Resolutions and Proceedings This position is worse and more dangerous then their present Rebellion for that by Gods goodnesse may soon have an end but this Position is a source a seed-plot and nurcery of perpetuall Rebellions So much hath been written by all sorts of Christians against this damned Maxime that here it shall be very briefly spoken of and onely shewed that it is full of Impiety Perjury and Treason Impiety towards God who hath in his holy word so often commanded obedience to the Powers by him ordained over us and hath prohibited Resistance upon pain of Damnation and that to Heathens Tyrants and Persecutors of his Church even to that monster of mankind Nero Perjury by breaking so many Oathes Protestations and Covenants of bearing unto the King true faith and allegeance of defending His Person and Honour with all His just Rights and Dignities Treason the levying War against the King the adhering to His enemies the indeavouring to alienate the hearts of the Subject from the King to remove the King from the Government or to imprison His Person to subvert the Lawes to indeavour to change the government either Ecclesiasticall or Civill to reforme the King by force and many other things are by the Lawes and Acts of Parliament and not by Ordinances declared to be Treason and most of them so confessed by themselves this Parliament to be so and for the pretence of some of them the Arch-bishop of Canterbury and the Earle of Strafford lost their lives And here I shall leave that damned Position that Subjects may depose their lawfull hereditary King for so the King is in effect upon suggestions of His failings or any other cause whatsoever It remains yet to speak something of the Scope of their so bitter railing and reviling of the King with so foul a pen as Tyranny Cruelty betraying breach of Oaths c. which is to make Him odious for answer whereunto there shal be only offered unto the world and them such truths of the King and his Deportments as the fiercest of His enemies shall not deny He is known to be a Prince of a most pious life which He daily sheweth by His constant practice of all Acts of devotion as Prayers Sermons and frequent receiving of the holy Sacrament No blood hath been drawn by his Anger or Revenge no noble Family dishonoured by His Lust no Debauchery or Excesse hath received encouragement by His Example no Oathes or Profanesse have been heard to come out of His mouth His prudence ability invincible courage and industry are not unknown to themselves nor His patience and composedness of minde in the highest afflictions and wrongs that have ever almost befallen any King and lastly his goodnesse and clemency in desiring to put all by-past Injuries into perpetuall oblivion Let these His known and undenyable vertues besides His Royal Deâ—â—â—â— and undoubted Title for six hundred years in England and of 108 Kings in Scotland be put into the ballance against all those malicious and 〈◊〉 Aspersions that have been raked together against Him and then let it be judged whether it will not be an ill change for the people to leave the subjection and Government of such a Prince to put themselves under the Tyrannie and Arbitrary Power of such a Parliament and such an Army One thing more shall onely be offered to the consideration of the People whether if the Houses should condescend to a Peace upon no more then what the King offereth besides all the Concessions He hath granted this Parliament and what He hath offered from Holdenby from Hampton Court and Carisbrook Castle before cited the English Nation should not be the freest and happiest Subjects in Europe And whether if they continue under the present usurped Power of the House of Commons and the Army for the Lords serve now onely to be subservient unto them they shall not be the most miserable of all people by having their Religion Lives Liberties and Lawes changed and to be disposed of by the Wils and Arbitrary Power of their fellow-fellow-Subjects It is againe desired as it hath been in the beginning of this Answer that what is herein set down may onely stay mens judgements and put them into a deliberation untill the King who hath perfect knowledge and information of all the particulars which in many things are wanting to the Writer hereof shall Himselfe set forth His full Answer which is not likely to be long for that those who have the worst opinion of the Proceedings of the House of Commons cannot suppose them to be so irrationall and barbarous as not to let the King have a sight of this their Declaration and to afford Him all necessary means of making and publishing His Answer FINIS
The Royall Apologie OR AN ANSWER TO THE DECLARATION OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS the 11. of February 1647. In which they expresse the Reasons for their Resolutions for making no more Addresses nor receiving any from HIS MAJESTY AT PARIS Imprinted in the Yeere 1648. TO MY GOOD COUNTRY-MEN of ENGLAND and fellow-Subjects of SCOTLAND IRELAND I Shall not in this Epistle tell you that by the Word of God he that resisteth the Powers ordained over us shall receive to himselfe Damnation nor that by the Law of the Land it is High Treason to levy War against the King to depose Him from the Government to imprison Him to adhere to His Enemies to reforme Him by force or to doe any thing with intention to alienate the Hearts and affections of the People from Him neither shall I tell you that it is Perjury and against our solemne Oathes and Protestations not to beare unto the King true Faith and Allegeance and not to defend His Person and Honour and not to maintaine all His just Rights I shall onely put you in mind of that which if we were no Christians but Heathens if we had no regard of Lawes or Oathes yet as Men would bind us which is the Law of Nature by which we are taught to doe as we would be done unto Let every man in his owne particular consider that if he were accused of Tyranny and Oppression of all sorts of cruelties of intending bloody Massacres of mercylesse Torturings of Perjury of a continued Track of Falshood and breach of Vowes and Promises through his whole life of conniving at his Fathers death and dishonouring of his Mother and in them all not one word of truth would he not think it a most barbarous irrationall and inhumane proceeding that he should not onely be used as if he were guilty of them all but that he should be rendred odious to the world and infamous to posterity without ever being heard or admitted to the means of making any Answer whereby to cleare his Innocency and Honour This is your Kings case who notwithstanding this libellous Declaration and His great misfortunes is one of the most pious temperate couragious and just Princes that our Nation ever had If He may be afforded no other right let Him not be denyed that naturall Justice which every man would think due unto himselfe of not being condemned unheard and undefended for whatsoever is set downe in this Answer is but one private mans knowledg and information But when you shall see the Kings owne perfect Answer I am most confident your hearts will be on fire to see so good a King so ill used IN regard that some particulars relating to the same matter are spoken of in severall places of this Declaration for the avoyding of confusion in the Answer they are answered together so that in some things the place of them is not exactly kept but sometimes that which is before in the Declaration is after in the Answer therefore in this Index each particular is set down and in what page the answer to it shall be found THe Introduction Page 1 2 That their former Addresses to the King have been fruitlesse 3 They could have no confidence that words should be more perswasive with the King then sighs and groanes c. 4 That they have made seven Addresses to the King ibid. In what sort the Scotch Commissioners joyned with them and the Reasons why they conceal the Scots present dissent from them 5 6 That the King never made any offer fit for them to accept 7 They say they cannot expect that new ingagements should prevaile more with the King then His Oath of Coronation and severall other Vowes which He hath frequently broken 8 That the King in His Speeches and Declarations hath laid a fit maxime for all Tiranny by avowing that He oweth account of His Actions to none but God 9 The match with Spain 10 The Kings having an Agent at Rome ibid. The passages concerning the death of King James 10 11 12 13 Touching the betraying of Rochell 13 14 The bringing in of German Horse 15 Torturing of our bodies with rackes and pillories c. 15 16 The Lording over mens souls 17 Searching of Cabinets ibid. Monopolies and Ship-money 18 The Kings summoning this present Parliament to have assistance against the Scots 19 The King so passionately affected to His malignant Counsellors that He would rather desert His Parliament and Kingdome then deliver them to Law and Justice 19 20 21 The bringing up of the Northern Army 21 22 The Rebellion of Ireland answered together 23 24 25 26 The Kings denying of Commissions to the Lord Wharton Lord Brook 26 They say they need not tell the world how the Scots entred the Kingdom ib. The Lord Digby's attempting the Country with armed Troops 26 The Lord Digby's man hiring a Skipper to be Pilot to a Fleet preparing in Denmarke 27 The Kings Letters to the K. of Denmark touching the Queen his Mother ib. That the King sent away with the Qu. the ancient Jewels of the Crown ib. The King sent a specious Message of renewing a Treaty but His Messenger was to have managed a bloody Massacre pag. 27 28 Touching the Kings march to Brainford pag. 28 The Kings denying to receive their Petitions ibid. All things concerning the Queen answered together pag. 28 29 Touching the Letters written to the Pope pag. 30 The Kings offer of the plunder of London and foure Northerne Counties to the Scots pag. 30 31 Fire works found in Papists houses pag. 31 Of putting the Tower into such hands at the City could not confide in ib. The Track of open force begun in the Kings coming to the House and charging some Members of Treason 32 That the King entred into the Councel-booke that the calling of them a Parliament did not make them so 33 Their standing amazed at the Kings solemne Protestation of having no thought to make War against his Parliament c. ibid. That the King endeavoured to get Powder and Cannon out of Hull ib. That the King proclaimed them Traitors and Rebels and set up his Standard against his Parliament 34 That the King called a Mock-Parliament at Oxford ib. The Kings breach of Trust with the Protestants of France Scotland Ireland c. and His endeavours to enslave them by German Spanish French Danish c. 35 That the King having protested that He would never consent to a Toleration of the Popish Religion nor taking away the Lawes against Recusants did yet by His Letters signifie His consent to the taking of them away ib. That notwithstanding that the Houses and Scotch Commissioners did declare that they held a Personall Treaty not safe yet the Houses yeelded to it 36 That they intimate that the signing of the foure Bils was onely for their security during the Treaty ib. Of the justnesse honourablenesse and necessity of the foure Bils 37 38 That in refusing this their last Application the
that made not for their purpose If the Answer had been weak and impertinent doubtlesse they would not have passed by that which would have added strength to their own suggestion but finding the Answer such as formerly had discouraged them any further to stir in the businesse they have judged it fitter to passe it by for it must be known that after the Parliament which they speak of to be dissolved in which this impeachment was exhibited against the Duke there was before the Duke was slain another Parliament in the which the Duke fat in the House of Peers but the House having seen the Dukes Answer thought it not fit to revive their former accusation but have let it lie asleep almost this 20. yeers untill their malice and desire to blast their King hath awakened it In all their Declaration there is not one word reflecting upon the King but that He caused not as they say the Dukes presupposed misdemeanor which they to make the story seeme more odious call the Kings death to be legally persecuted in which many amongst them must needs conceal their knowledge that upon the breaking up of the Parliament there was by the Kings then Atturney Generall a Bill exhibited in the Star-chamber which is the supream Court where all high crimes and misdemeanors are judged and that at the instance of the said Duke who said he would not have that cause which so highly concerned him to lie buried but that he would acquit himself of that foul Aspersion though it should be with hazard of his life But his imployments to the Isle of Re and death following not long after gave an end to any further prosecution So that having in their own Declaration not charged any thing against the Duke of Buckingham more then misdemeanor and high presumption nor the least reflection upon the King but only of not causing the said misdemeanor of the Duke to have been legally prosecuted which was hindred by the Dukes death and the impediments formerly set down the sole end and scope of inserting this particular in their Declaration is evident to be to make the King odious as judging that nothing could more incense the world against Him or make His sufferings lesse commiserable then to have it insinuated unto the people that among many Articles against Him one is concerning the death of His Father which how groundlesse soever yet they think that it may in the interim amuse the people and possesse them with prejudice against the King and not make them have that sense and compassion of Him detestation of His wicked usage as otherwise they would have And certainly amongst all those artifices which have been used against Him to alienate the hearts of His people from Him to render Him odious to the world this is one of the most false malitious and subtle which can have no other drift but by the detestableness of this aspersion to allay the detestablenesse of their proceeding towards Him which certainly no age can parrallel of Subjects towards their King Touching the businesse of Rochell it is true that the King was perswaded to lend some of His Ships to the French King He was newly Married unto that Kings Sister and entred into a new strict League and Allyance with that Crown being then at difference with Spain and certainly there might be many secret reasons of State for the Kings obliging the French King at that time which may be altogether unknown unto the Houses of Parliament for that it was the doctrine of those times that all things belonging to peace or warre or the marriage of his Childdren did solely and singly belong unto the King neither neede He consult with His people therein unlesse He craved their assistance in Parliament by way of Subsidy or supply and it is strange they should now interpose by way of charge in businesse passed more then 20. years since but that they leave no corner unsought from whence it may be conceived any think may be raked to make the King odious as the aime in this particular is to do in two kinds first by adding strength unto that false wicked aspersion of the Kings unfirmnesse in the Protestant Religion secondly by nourishing that distast which they have with great industry artifice raised in those of the Reformed Religion in France other places against Him It is true that Counsell pleased not many the use that was made of those ships was distastfull which the King and the Duke of Buckingham on whom the councell of that action and the blame was chiefly cast to shew that there was no intention by the loan of those ships to lend a hand to the destruction of the Protestants endeavoured to redeem that mishap by actually entering into a war with the Crown of France for which one of the cheif reasons was although there were likewise other distasts the wrong imploying of those Ships which the King had lent contrary to the Kings intention and the intimation of the French how they intended to make use of the said Ships it is fit likewise to be known that this businesse was first treated in King James his time And that it was contrary to the Kings intention may appear by his subsequent actions for He avowedly sent a fleet and an Army to the Isle of Re under the command of the Duke of Buckingham and to be advised by Mr. de Soubize how those forces might be best imployed for the releif of Rochell those of the Reformed Religion And although the expedition to the Isle of Re proved not successefull yet the intention and not the successe is to be looked upon the Duke of Buckingham pursued this intention of relieving Rochell and the Protestants to that end a new Army and a new Fleet was prepared he in person was gone to Portsmouth ready to set sail for the said enterprise when by the hands of Felton he was suddainly slain thereby those succours were retarded whereby leasure was given to the French so to fortifie block up all the accesses to Rochell that the relief thereof was rendred impossible which yet notwithstanding was attempted by the Kings said Fleet and Army under the Conduct of the Earl of Lindsey though without successe So that certainly no good argument can be drawn from hence either of the Kings disaffection to those of the Reformed Religion or to have willingly intended their hurt much less can there well be drawn from hence any thing to justifie them in their present proceedings against the King which they themselves set down to be the scope and intent of this their Declaration Let it be judged of by any sober man if it be not an audacious expression of Subjects towards their King to say we can fully shew how by Him Rochell was betrayed besides that it is most false for how could the King betray Rochell which was not in His Power Or can it be
this Declaration concerning her Majesty they shall in this Answer be set down here together that the cleerer Judgement may be made of them They say first That by that time the queenes pious Designe to advance Popery was ready for the Byrth That Designe was most industriously examined by them and they had before them in the House of Commons Sir Kenelme Digby Mr. Montague and divers others and upon the narrowest sifting of that Businesse they thought it then fit to proceede no farther in it But now they make use of it to cast Aspersions upon the king and queene when they could finde no cause to punish the chiefe Actors in the said Businesse Secondly they say That there was a great Designe amongst the Papists for a generall massacre in Ireland and England and that a great Royall Person had a hand in it It is to be wondered at that they should on a suddain become so modest as not in plain words to name the Queen whom they had formerly impeached by name with all Her titles of high Treason and sought Her life And now they would slily insinuate into the people that she had a hand in so execrable a Designe as to massacre all the Protestants of two Kingdoms And that upon information given unto the late Lord of Canterbury without a telling by whom the said information was given or when neither set they down by whom the said massacre should have bin acted or by what Plot It is to be thought that it should have bin performed by the same hands that so many of the Peers and of the House of Commons should have bin slain had it not bin prevented by the Tailors discovery in Moorefeilds Thirdly they say That the king confesseth He had sent the Queen to Holland It seemeth that she was an obedient Wife and He a carefull Husband of Her when He saw that most barbarous and inhumane usage of Her that Her very Bed-chamber could not be priviledged but her Nurse and her Confessor must be examined against Her They adde That with the Queen He sent the Jewels of the Crown In whose hands could He better trust His own goods which He saw likely to be taken from him as his Houses Furniture and whole Revenue and that of the Queen and Prince had bin by them Neither could He expect that His Jewels should have bin safer then his liveries for His Guards have bin of late And certainly his Jewels were better disposed of if they were pawned for Powder and Ammunition then His Guard's Coats that are ordered to be sold outright for fire and candles for Souldiers at Whitehall Then they say the Queen many moneths before Her voyage to Holland was going beyond the Seas had not their Motion to the King stayed Her It seemeth then that the King was willing to gratify them although it were with the crossing of the queen's desires and that the King's sending of Her afterward into Holland was not untill she could not remain any longer amongst them with Safety or Honour For they themselves doe beleive that the King could have bin very well pleased to have enjoyed Her Company These are the particulars that they set downe concerning the queene in which there is little remarkable but their detestable malice for were it to bee expected that the queene bred up a Roman Catholick and by Capitulations and the Kings Oath to enjoy the use of her Religion in such sort as was agreed should not looke to enjoy it Especially her carriage ever since her coming into England having beene with that Prudence and Moderation that the great Officers of her Court and most of the Ladies of her Bed-chamber have beene Protestants enjoying daily the use of their Religion in Her Court without beeing pressed by her to the least Act in waiting upon Her or otherwise that might offend or strain their Consciences But that a Princesse of so high Extraction as the blood of France Daughter of the great Henry the fourth and their Kings Wife that never had done any person wrong but obliged all whensoever it was in Her way should finde such usage from Subjects as to have all malicious false Libels countenanced against Her to be questioned for Her life only for the assisting of Her husband to be forced to fly the Kingdom to have all Her Revenue taken from Her and now as though she had intended a generall massacre to be rendred odious by this malicious Libell authorized by the name of the House of Commons it cannot but be held a most inhumane and barbarous proceeding as indeed it is by all the World but themselves Touching the Letters written to the Pope King James sent His Sonne then Prince into Spain being about 20. years of age and instructed Him and the Duke of Buckingham that waited upon Him in all things touching the Negotiation of the Prince's marriage which was then in Treaty for a Daughter of Spain And of all that passed the Prince gave the King His Father almost daily advertisment by expresses and He received from Him likewise directions upon all emergent occasion neither sent He any Letter to the Pope without His Fathers privity and allowance King James likewise Himselfe at the same time did write Letters to the Pope which He publiquely avowed saying The Pope was a Temporall Prince and He would write unto Him upon any occasion in secular Affairs as freely as He did to the great Magor or to the great Turke when He wrote against him in point of controversies in Religion He would then He said give him those Appellations that the Cause required but in His letters missive He would give Him those Respects and Civilities that befitted one temporall Prince towards another And certainly King James was no Papist although He were no freind to Sectaries and Separatists but had written more in the defence of the Reformed Religion and to the displeasing of the Pope then all the Princes of Christendom had done since the Reformation and when He dyed scarcely left a wiser man behinde Him But they are brought to great streights when they are driven to take in the Fathers grave dead 25. years past to finde matters for their malice against the Sonne For the Letters spoken of to be written to the Pope on the behalfe of the Duke of Lorraign I must confesse I want Information in the point of the fact But if it were so He could not have written for a Prince that was nearer allyed to Him And whereas it is said that in requitall an Army to invade England must be raised by Him It is a very unlikely Story that the Duke of Lorraign should be in condition to raise an Army to invade England But if He could afford His Kinsman Auxiliaries or any other supplyes He should he much to blame if He did it not For the Kings offer to the Scots of the plunder of London if they would advance or of 300000. pounds and foure Northern Counties only to stand