hear my Lord Orrery's Account of it in his forementioned Book p. 10 11. where he saith E. of Orrery's Answer to Peter Walsh The Wisest of Men thought the Irish Papists fastned to his Majestie in the Year 1641 by the best of Governments and to the English Protestants by the strictest ties of Interest Friendship Marriage and which is more in their Esteem Gossipping and Fostering to the Publique Peace by their as flourishing so free Condition and to all by those Royal Graces which his Sacred Majesty at that time indulged their Commissioners such as themselves desired 't was but then ask and have Yet all this Honey was turned into Gall for at that very time wherein the King was Exercising such high Acts of Grace to them the Irish Papists plotted and soon after perpetrated the Worst of Rebellion the Worst Extensivè Exulcerating generally and Intensivè breaking forth with more Persidie Barbarism and Cruelty than can be parallel'd in any History The great motive at least in pretence was Religion For whereas Dr. Borlase in his Preface saith It is Evident they never had so free Exercise of their Religion as when the Rebellion began It is Evident that he is mistaken even by the Testimony of the Person of whose Book he saith p. 7th of his Hist Sir John Temple Irish Reb. P. 26.27 in the Margin It was a Piece of that Integrity few can Equal none Exceed who could have informed him that this free Exercise of Religion was only clancular and in private But they evidently saw that the Calumnies cast upon the late King as a Favourer of Popery was one of the principal Engines by which the Factious part of the Parliament of England alienated the affections of all his Majesties English and Scotch Protestant Subjects from him besides the Severities which the Parliament provoked the King upon his peril to inflict upon the Papists in England and Scotland was made Use of by the Popish Clergy to drive them into a Rebellion by insinuating That if the Parliament could bring the King under their Government there was nothing to be Expected but the total suppression of their Religion and the Eradication of their Nation In confirmation whereof it was confidently averr'd to them That a * Sir John Clotworthy Member of Parliament concern'd in Ireland did in the House of Commons declare in a Speech That the Conversion of the Papists in Ireland was only to be Effected by the Bible in one hand and the Sword in the other And I have been told by a Person of Honour and Worth that Mr. Pym gave out That they would not leave a Priest in Ireland Nor could their Committees who were here be ignorant of these Passages or being many of them Papists not communicate it to the Irish Papists Another Encouragement to this Rebellion was the Example of Scotland as appears plainly by Connelly's Deposition who was told by Mac-Mahon that they did this to imitate Scotland who got a Priviledg by that Course And the Confession of the Lord Mac-guire which the Reader shall presently see does not obscurely hint That the Earl of Argyle the Head of the Covenanting Rebellious Scotch Presbyterians was under-hand working the Irish into some Conspiracy against the King probably that his hands being full they might procure better Terms for themselves and divert the Storm of the English Arms which then were impending upon them Nor was the taking off the Earl of Strafford that Great Wise and Valiant Man a little contributing to this Irish Tragedy for besides that it is visible that the Irish Committees who were many of them Papists were highly instrumental in furnishing the English Parliament with matters of Complaint and Accusation against that Noble Lord for which they were mightily at that time thô known Papists caressed by the Earl's Enemies in the Commons House so it is no less Visible that this Design of theirs though it had been long contriving advanced more in half a Year after his Vigilant Eye was taken off their Actions and his Hand from the Reins of the Government then it had in all the time before as will plainly appear by Mac-guire's Confession And in Confirmation of this I think it a Debt due to the Illustrious Memory of that Great Man the Earl of Strafford whom I cannot name without and Pity Wonder to insert part of a Letter of his to his Dear and Intimate Friend Mr. Wandesford then Master of the Rolls and one of the Lords Justices in 1636 wherein he acquaints him with the account which he had given in to the King and Council of the state of Affairs in Ireland which he doth in these Words I Informed them That the Army was well Clad reasonably well Armed The State of the Army in the Earl of Strafford's Time 1636. but should be better well Exercised and well Paid which they had never been before That I had visited the whole Army seen every single man my self as well in his own person as in his Exercising where other Generals that had continued that Charge longer then my self had not taken a view so much as of one Company that in the Removes and Marches of the Army they pay'd justly for what they took and passed along with Civility and Modesty as other Subjects without Burden to the Country through which they went whereas formerly they took the Victuals and paid nothing for it as if it had been in an Enemies Country whence it was that the Soldier was now welcom in every place where before they were in abomination to the Inhabitants That by this means the Army in true account might be said to be double the Strength as it had been That this was so apprehended by the ill-disposed as there is neither Courage nor Hope left for opposition the good Subjects secured the bad kept in humility and fear by it That they were worthy of the Kings Entertainment and when they shall be seen will appear with a Company of gallant Gentlemen their Officers fit to serve a Great and Wise King whereas not much of this before but rather quite the Contrary That for my self I had a dead Stock in Horses Furniture and Arms for my Troop that stood me in 6000 l that so I was in readiness upon an hours warning to march nor did I this out of Vanity but really in regard I did conceive it became me not to represent so great a Monarch as his Majesty meanly in the sight of that People and that it was of mighty Reputation to the Service of the Crown when they saw me in such a Posture that I was upon an hours Warning able to put my self on Horseback and that the Soldiers should see I would not Exact so much duty from any private Captain as I did impose upon my self being their General Lastly it was my humble Advice That the Army as of absolute Necessity to the Government was rather to be reinforced then at all diminished as being an
Time The Parliament indeed had one sent over from the Lords Justices in Ireland and I find in the Journal of the Lords that it was read in their House but in regard though it had some Scandalous Reflections upon the King as being willing to favour their Religion which in due time we shall prove utterly false and that in this common Calumny they agreed with the English Rebels yet in regard it seemed and that not without great probability to charge the Rebellion upon the Parliament and their present Proceedings and future Intentions the thing was at that time smothered for it is neither Entred in the Journal as usually Papers of that Importance were wont to be nor can I find any Order for the Printing or Publishing of it or for any Answer to take off the Charge of the Rebels against the Parliament Take it however as I find it in Print The Remonstrance of the Rebels in Ireland WHEREAS we the Roman Catholicks of this Kingdom of Ireland The Remonstrance of the Irish Rebels Oct. 23. 1641. have been continual Loving and Faithful Subjects to his Sacred Majesty and notwithstanding the General and Hard Oppressions suffered by Subordinate Governors to the Ruine of our Lives Honors and Estates Yet having some Liberty of Religion from his Majesty out of the Effluence of his Princely Love unto Vs We weighing no Corporal Loss in respect of that great Immunity of the Soul are inviolably resolved to infix our Selves in an immutable and pure Allegiance for ever to his said Royal Majesty and his Successors Now so it is That the Parliament of England Maligning and Envying any Graces received from his Majesty by our Nation and knowing none so desired by us as that of Religion And likewise perceiving his Majesty to be inclining to give us the Liberty of the same drew his Majesties Prerogative out of his Hands thereby largely pretending the General Good of his Majesties Kingdoms But We the said Catholicks and Loyal Subjects to his Majesty do probably find as well by some Acts to pass by them the said Parliament touching our Religion in which the Catholicks of England and Scotland did suffer as also by Threat to send over the Scottish Army with the Sword and Bible in Hand against us that this whole and studied Plot was and is not only to extinguish Religion by which we altogether live Happy but likewise to supplant us and raze the Name of Catholick Irish out of the whole Kingdom And seeing this Surprize so dangerous tending absolutely to the overthrow of the Liberty of our Consciences and Country and also our Gracious King's Power forced from him in which and in whose prudent Care over us our sole Quiet and Comfort consisted and without the which the Fear of our present Ruines did prescribe the Opinion and premonish us to save our Selves We therefore as well to regain his Excellent Majesties said Prerogative being only due to him and his Successors and being the Essence and Life of Monarchy hoping thereby to Confirme a Strong and Invincible Vnity between his Royal and ever happy Love unto us and our faithful Duty and Loyalty to his incomparable Majesty have taken Arms and possessed our Selves of the best and strongest Forts of this Kingdom to enable us to serve his Majesty and defend us from the Tyrannous Resolutions of our Enemies Thus our Consciences as we wish the Peace of the same to our selves and our Posterity is the Pretence and true Cause of our present Rising in Arms by which we are resolved to perfect the Advancement of the Truth and the Safety of our King and Country Thus much we thought in General fitting to publish unto the World to set forth our Innocent and just Cause the particular whereof shall be speedily declared Dated 23 October 1641. We do declare unto God and the World That what we do or have done is for the Maintenance of the Kings and our Religion and for fear these our Doings should be misconstrued We thought good to make known unto the World by this our Declaration and Remonstrance 1 The several private Meetings of Factious and Ill-disposed People unto our Government and Common-Wealth at several Places Plotting and Devising our utter Ruine and the Extirpation of our Religion 2 Several Men imployed by them with Instruments ready drawn for to get Hands thereunto to be preferred to the Parliament of England whereby they would have the Papists as they call them and the Protestant Bishops of the Kingdom whom they joyn with the Papists and hate as they hate the Papists the Bishops to be deposed and the Papists banished or otherwise rooted out of this Kingdom 3 The Government of this Kingdom successively put into the hands of so many Needy and Poor Ministers who for raising of themselves have by scruing Inventions Poll'd the Gentry and Commons of this Kingdom that no Man was secured of any thing he had 4 We saw his Majesty to whom we thought to Address our selves was so oppressed by the Arrogancy of such Faithless and Disloyal Subjects and as it were cut off from all Prerogative that we could not expect any Redress as long as they ruled in his Kingdom as now they do All which we taking into our serious Consideration did fear we should be circumvented on the suddain and for our Security did think fit to arm our Selves for our own Defence and Safety of his Majesty from such wicked Perturbers of all Common-Wealths where they get any Superiority that they will not admit either of the Kings or Bishops as well Witness Germany and for the Places we have taken we will yield them up when his Majesty pleaseth to Command us and takes a Course for Securing of us and the Protestants of this Kingdom who are only his true and obedient Subjects against such Factious and Seditious Puritanes the Disturbers of all States as had brought the like Misery on Queen Elizabeth and King James had they not been by them and their wise Councels prevented which we thought fit to intimate unto the good Subjects that they may the more willingly assist us until we be at better leisure to make our great Grievances known unto his Majesty and he have more power to relieve us And because they nor any others shall have any reason to accuse me with Partiality I here present the Reader with a Narrative which I find Printed in P. W.'s Answer to the Lord Orrery as follows THey therefore meaning the English Nation and the whole World A Narrative of some things done in the beginning of the Rebellion which Irish Papists plead in mitigation of their taking Arms. may be pleased to know That We speaking of the Irish are so far from justifying any horrid Actions perpetrated at that time when but a few of any Quality raised a Rebellion in the North as we have and still make it our request That those Crimes and all Massacres and Murthers then or after committed whoever shall be
rid three Stages more as before is mentioned in order to the Royal Assent The Petition of the Inhabitants of Bucks which was delivered to his Majesty at Windsor was in these Words To the Kings most Excellent Majesty The humble Petition of the Inhabitants of the County of Buckinghamshire Sheweth THat your Petitioners having by vertue of your Highness Writ chosen John Hampden Knight for our Shire Bucks Petition to the King concerning Hampden in whose Loyalty we his Countrymen and Neighbours have ever had good cause to confide However of late to our no less amazement then grief we find him with other Members of Parliament accused of Treason And having taken to our serious consideration the manner of their Impeachment we cannot but under your Majesties favour conceive that it doth so oppugne the Rights of Parliament to the maintenance whereof our Protestation binds us that we believe it is the malice which their zeal to your Majesties Service and the State hath contracted in the enemies to your Majesty the Church and Common-wealth hath occasioned this foul Accusation rather then any deserts of theirs who do likewise through their sides wound the Judgment and Care of us your Petitioners and others by whose choice they were presented to the House Your Petitioners therefore most humbly pray that Master Hampden and the rest that lye under the burden of that Accusation may enjoy the just Priviledges of Parliament And your Petitioners shall ever pray c. To which his Majesty returned this Answer Windsor 13 Jan. 1641. HIs Majesty being graciously pleased to let his Subjects understand his care not knowingly to violate in the least degree any of the Priviledges of Parliament hath therefore lately by a Message sent by the Lord Keeper signified That he is pleased because of the doubt that hath been raised of the manner to Wave his former proceedings against Master Hampden and the rest mentioned in this Petition concerning whom his Majesty intends to proceed in an unquestionable way And then his Majesty saith It will appear that he had so sufficient Grounds to question them as he might not in Justice to the Kingdom and honour to himself have forborn and yet his Majesty had much rather that the said Persons should prove Innocent then be found guilty However he cannot conceive that their Crimes can in any sort reflect upon those his good Subjects who elected them to serve in Parliament It is Incredible what Advantages the Faction made of this Action of his Majesties in going to the Commons House in Person it shocked even many of his best Friends to that degree that they knew not what Construction to make of it insomuch that the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Common-Council Men Many of which were Loyal Men yet in this Epidemical Petitioning time they were also seized with the Petitioning Disease for however warrantable modest Petitioning may be yet this sort of it was really the Effect of a distempered and crazy State and did extremely promote all the insuing Mischiefs and that State Calenture for which England was forced to bleed so severely The Petition together with his Majesties most excellent Answer were as follows To the Kings most Excellent Majesty The humble Petition of the Mayor Aldermen and Common Councel of the City of London MAy it please your most excellent Majesty The Petition of the Lord Mayor c. of the City of London concerning the Kings going to the House of Commons the often expressions of your most gracious acceptance of the manifestation of the Petitioners duty and loyalty and the frequent Declarations of your Majesties great care of the good and welfare of this City and of the true Protestant Religion and of protecting and preserving the Persons and Priviledges of your great Councel assembled in the high Court of Parliament Each encouraged the Petitioners to represent the great Dangers Fears and Distractions wherein the City now is by reason of the prevailing progress of the bloudy Rebels in Ireland fomented and acted by the Papists and their Adherents and want of Aid to suppress them and the several intimations they have had both Forreign and at Home of the driving on of their Designs tending to the utter ruin of the Protestant Religion and of the Lives and Liberties of your Majesties loyal Subjects the Putting out of Persons of Honour and Trust from being Constable and Lieutenant of the Tower especially in these times and the Preparations there lately made the fortifying of Whitehall with men and Munition in an unusual manner Some of which men with provoking language and violence abused divers Citizens Passing by and the drawing divers swords and therewith wounding sundry other Citizens in Westminster-hall that were unarmed the late endeavours used to the Inns of Court the calling in divers Canonneers and other assistance into the Tower the late Discovery of divers Fire-works in the hands of a Papist and the mis-understanding betwixt your Majesty and Parliament by reason of misinformation as they humbly conceive Besides all which the Petitioners fears are exceedingly encreased by your Majesties late going into the House of Commons attended with a great multitude of armed men besides your ordinary Guard for the apprehending of divers Members of that House to the endangering of your Sacred person and of the persons and Priviledges of that Honourable Assembly The effects of all which Fears do tend not only to the overthrow of the whole Trade of this City and Kingdom which the Petitioners already feel in a deep measure but also threatens the utter ruine of the Protestant Religion and the Lives and Liberties of all your loyal Subjects The Petitioners therefore most humbly pray your Sacred Majesty That by the advice of your great Councel in Parliament the Protestants in Ireland may be speedily relieved The Tower put into the hands of persons of trust That by removal of doubtful 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 And the Petitioners as in all duty bound shall pray for Your Majesties most long and happy Reign c. His Majesties Answer to the Petition of the Mayor Aldermen and Common-Councel of the City of London His Majesty having fully considered the matter of this Petition is graciously pleased to declare that being unalterably resolved to make good all his Expressions and Declarations of his care of this City Of the true Protestant Religion and of the privileges of Parliament His Majesty takes in good part the intimation given by the Petitioners of the fears and distractions wherein the City now seems to be And though He conceives He did on Wednesday at the Guild-hall satisfie most of those particulars is pleased to add this further Answer
Authors of our miseries is the Bishops and their Adherents favourers of the Romish and Arminian faction that have with a high hand and stretched out Arm in their several places of Power and Jurisdiction both spiritual and temporal exercised crueâ—â—â— and tyranny over the Children and Saints of God binding the Consciences of free Subjects only to their opinions and commands in the Exercise of their Religion with extremity and greatest severity inflicting punishment upon those of tender Consciences that shall refuse the same enjoyning all of the Clergy under their Authority to teach only such things as may serve only to the defence and maintenance of their devised doctrines and Tenents of their superiours preaching the same out of Fear not Conscience these corrupt Bishops Lords over their brethren and fellow servants in the Administration of the Mysteries of Salvation have been the prime Authors of all the troubles we are now incumbred withal I speak not Master Speaker altogether against their persons but even their Offices and Places of authority as now they are used contrary to the true intent of the Apostles in the first admitting of the ordination of Bishops in these particulars as I under favour conceive First their denomination and style Lord Bishops we find not any where allowed nay not named in Scripture Secondly they joyn not with their authority teaching and constant preaching of the word of God warranted by the same but separated contrary thereto Thirdly joyning with their Spiritual Power temporal Jurisdiction usurping to themselves the only Office of the Magistrate Fourthly procuring to themselves places of Judicature chief Judges in great Courts as their High Commission late Star-Chamber and the like which are all contrary to the rules and ordinances of Divine-Writ We cannot otherwise conceive or expect as long as their Offices thus corrupted remain without limitation or correction that ever there will be true Religion setled in this Land or any peace or unity of hearts and affections in this Kingdom being too apparent to all the world that from age to age since the Prelates have had such power and command in the Common-Wealth they have bin either the roots and founders or Actors and Competitors with others of all the divisions and dissentions that have ever been in this Kingdom either between the Prince and his People or between the Prince and his Parliaments and still such persons of perverse Spirits possess such Offices Secondly I come to shew you these their practises how they have and still endeavour to bring to pass their wicked designs they are known already I verily believe both to you and almost all men that is * * Most notorious falshood by Innovating Religion joyning with the Church of Rome approving as well of the Doctrine as Ceremonies thereof endeavouring to bring all others into the same opinion with them especially the Lords and Grandees of this Kingdom to perfect this they raise divisions between the King and his Subjects between King and Parliament between Lords and Commons and between the Commons themselves to raise Mutinies Insurrections Rebellions amongst his Majesties good Subjects open Wars between his Majesties Kingdomes one against another and all under pretence of the Religion to defend the Office Power and Jurisdiction of Bishops above all others yea that their Spiritual power is above the Kings in Ecclesiastical causes and the like all which we have had woeful experience of Thirdly and lastly the means whereby we may remedy these evils is First to regulate and rectifie their unlawful and usurped Power and Jurisdictio and settle such a form of Government in Religion as shall seem to the Wisdom of this House to come nearest the Word of God And Secondly with all speed as we possibly can upon Triall bring to deserved punishment these Prelates and Bishops that have been the only Authors of all our miseries Thus did these Vultures and Harpies accuse the innocent Doves upon whom they intended to prey and Quarry but God be praised We have found though by woful Experience who were the Occasions of all those dreadful Miseries those Wars and Bloodshed that Tyranny and Usurpation under which the Nation so long groaned which from the Day that it saw the Bishops excluded from the Execution of their Function and from their Right never saw one happy Day till by the Miracle of Providence they were by the Restauration of the Illustrious Son of the Glorious Martyr repossessed of their Office and Rights Then Sir Philip Stapleton Reported the Paper of Thanks to be returned to the Scots Commissioners which was in these Words The House of Commons having considered The Thanks of the House of Commons to the Scots Commissioners for their Papers to the King and Parligment both that Paper given in to them from the Scottish Commissioners upon Saturday last as likewise their Advice lately given to his Majesty by occasion of the present Troubles which at the intreaty of the said House they have communicated to them and finding therein a large Testimony of their Fidelity to the King of Affection to this State and of Wisdom for the Honor Security and Peace of his Majesty and Kingdoms doth hereby declare That they have herein done that which is not only acceptable to this House but likewise that which is of great Advantage to both Nations and therefore have Ordered That Sir Philip Stapleton Mr. Hampden Mr. Fiennes Mr. Pym Mr. Arthur Goodwin Sir Henry Vane ju or any three of them shall return them very hearty and affectionate Thanks in the Name of this House and this House doth further desire them That according to their Affections already expressed they will continue their Care and Indeavors to remove the present Distractions among us as also to preserve and confirm the Vnion between the two Nations so happily begun And that this might appear to be not only a verbal Acknowledgment It was this day Ordered That the Citizens that serve for the City of London do take Care that the Scots Commissioners do pay nothing for their House Rent and Furniture belonging unto the same and this House will undertake to see the same satisfied After this one Ralph Hope being at the Bar informed the House of Commons That 4th Jan. instant Serjeant Dendy came to Mr. Weekes his House at the Gate-House Information against Serjeant Dendy and required of him if Mr. Hollis lay there whereupon he asked the Serjeant What his Business was the Serjeant bid him tell him his Name he answered if he would tell him his Business he would tell him his Name whereupon he said I charge you upon your Life to tell me where Mr. Hollis is for he is a Traitor how dares Mr. Weekes lodg a Traitor in his House he said he must have him and would have him for he was a Traitor Whereupon it was Resolved c. That Mr. Dendy Serjeant at Arms shall be forthwith sent for as a Delinquent by the Serjeant at Arms attending
and Subdivisions made under them The first Head concerning the Disbanding of the Army First Head that is in the Forefront because it is first to be done and to make way for all the rest And of this four several Branches 1. The House of Commons desires the five Regiments to be first Disbanded according to the former Order agreed upon by both Houses 2. The Commissioners for the Scots to be desired to retire some of their Troops from the Teeze 3. That their Lordships would joyn with the House of Commons in an humble motion to his Majesty to declare these Five Regiments to be Disbanded and the rest of the Army as soon as Mony may be provided and for the punishment of those that shall refuse to Disband if any such should be 4. That the Lord General should be intreated forthwith to repair to the Army upon Saturday at the furthest at which time the Mony will be there And that the Lord Newport Master of the Ordnance may likewise be there to take care of the Ordnance and all things under his Charge The Second Head was Second Head That his Majesty will be pleased to allow a convenient time before his journey into Scotland that so the Army may first be Disbanded and that some of the important Affairs now depending in Parliament some in both Houses and other some in the House of Commons may be dispatched before his Majesties Journey This Proposition he backs with these Four Reasons 1. The Safety of his Majesties Person 2. The Removing of the Jealousies of his good Subjects 3. The Cutting off the hopes of those which are ill affected and have any Design of disturbing the Kingdom by means of the Armies 4. The great advantage in his Majesties own Affairs and contentment of his People if before his going the Royal Assent may pass to divers Bills concerning the Reformation of the Church and State whereof some are already sent up and others in Preparation as the Bill intended for further Grant of Tonnage and Poundage and other Customs That some time may be employed to Regulate the King's Estate and Revenue to free them of unnecessary Burthens and to employ them for the good of the Commonwealth All which require his presence in Parliament The Third Head was about his Majesties Councels Third Head 1. That his Majesty may be humbly Petitioned to remove such evil Counsellors against whom there shall be any just Exceptions And for the Committing of his own Business and the Affairs of the King to such Counsellors and Officers as the Parliament may have cause to conside in The Reasons Because all those ill effects we feel were produced by those ill Counsels in all the three Fundamentals before spoken of 1. In matters of Religion 2. In the King 's private Estate 3. In the good of the whole Kingdom All these Three have decayed but those of another Kind and Allay have much prospered of late amongst us as matters of Monopolies matters of Projects and new Inventions Here he told your Lordships a Tale of a Gardner who being demanded why the Weeds grew so fast and the Flowers so thin in his Ground-Plot answered That the Weeds were the true Children but the Flowers were but so many Slips and Bastards So saith he it is written That Kings should be our Nursing-Fathers and Queens our Nursing-Mothers but we have found here of late by reason of bad Counsellors no Nurses but Hirelings of the Publick State these therefore are especially to be removed for the reducing of the Kingdom to a better Condition and Posture Howbeit this Request is by the Commons recommended but in general for the present without pointing out or designing of particulars in hope the King will find them out himself Otherwise it will cause the House of Commons to reduce this Petition to Names of Particulars and therefore they desire your Lordships so to commend it to his Majesty that he would put the Affairs of his own and the Kingdom into such hands as his Majesty and the Parliament may confide in The Fourth Head concerns the Queens Majesty Fourth Head and consists of several Branches 1. That his Majesty will be graciouslyy pleased by Advice of his Parliament to persuade the Queen to take some of the Nobility and others of Trust into her Service in such Places as are now of her disposing Reason She shewed her self ready to do any thing for the Common good of the Kingdom and this is of that kind 2. That no Jesuit be entertained into Her Majesties Service nor any Priests Natives of his Majesties Dominions The Reasons of this First Because Banished in all other Courts of Catholique Princes Secondly Against the Laws of our Nation that Native Priests should be here 3. That the Colledg of Capuchins at Denmark House may be dissolved and the Persons sent away out of the Kingdom for these Four Reasons 1. Their being here is a Scandal to our Religion and a Danger to our Peace 2. Disaffection to the State manifested in Two Letters dated May 6. whereby many Slanders are cast upon the Parliament and the good Subjects under the Name of Puritans as disaffected and injurious to the Queens Person and thereupon the Cardinal excited to some Design against England 3. The Letter of Nathanael Phillips wherein by way of Reproach unto the Parliament he writes That the Protestation taken in both Houses is like the Scottish Covenant but somewhat worse 4ly That divers Informations are given of great quantity of Gold Transported by these Priests 4. The Fourth Branch concerning the Queen is upon the special Occasion of his Majesties absence That your Lordships would joyn with the House of Commons to Advise the King That some of the Nobility and others of Quality with a competent Guard may be appointed to attend the Queen for the Security of her Royal Person against all Designs of the Papists and others ill-affected to the Peace of the Kingdom The Reasons for this First To secure Her from Popish Attempts Secondly By the Watchfulness of those Worthy Persons Priests and Jesuits may be kept from the Court. He protested That herein they intended nothing of Disrespect he said it was a blessed thing to be kept from Temptation and to be rid of those Flies would gain the Queen the Love of the People in his Majesties Absence The Fifth Head concerning the Prince Fifth Head and the rest of the Royal Issue That some Person of Publique Trust and well-affected in Religion may by Advice of the Parliament be placed about the Prince and may take Care of his Education Especially in matters of Religion and the like Care to be taken of the rest of his Majesties Children The Sixth Head concerning Papists coming to Court Sixth Head consisted of Four Branches 1. Humbly desired by the Commons who desire your Lordships to Joyn with them in that Petition That his Majesty would be sparing in Licensing Papists to come to
wonder and your Policy to be admired amongst the Nations After which his Majesty commanded the Clerk of the Parliament to pronounce the Royal Assent which he did in these words viz. Le Roy Remerciant ses bons Subjects accepte leur Benevolence ainsi le veult For the other two Bills his Majesty said Inregard he had not considered of them being Bills of great Consequence he would inform himself concerning the particulars and return an answer within few days After which the Commons with their Speaker returned to their House highly discontented that his Majesty had not passed the other two Bills for they presently after in some disorder adjourned themselves till Monday This day also Commissary Willmot Petitioned the House Commissary Wilmot's Petition rejected that he might have liberty upon Bail to go into the Country for the Recovery of his Health which was very much impaired by reason of his Imprisonment but the House being already in a great Ferment it was in an ill minute for him for whatever they might have done in a better humor his Petition was now utterly rejected The House of Commons met this Morning Monday July 5. but being highly discontented at the King 's delaying to pass the two Bills for abolishing the Court of Star-Chamber and the High-Commission Court they did not fall upon any business but within an hour the Gentleman-Usher of the Black-Rod came to the House to acquaint them that the King was come to the House of Lords and expected their attendance Upon their coming up his Majesty spake as followeth My Lords and Gentlemen I Come to do the Office which I did on Saturday last The King's Speech at Passing the Bills against the Star-Chamber and High-Commission Court July 5. 1641. to give determination to these Two Bills but before I do it I must tell you that I cannot but be very sensible of those reports of discontent that I hear some have taken for not giving my consent on Saturday Methinks it seems strange that any one should think I could pass two Bills of that Importance as these were without taking some fit time to consider of them for it is no less than to alter in a great measure those Fundamental Laws Ecclesiastical and Civil which many of my Predecessors have established c. If you consider what I have done this Parliament discontent will not sit in your hearts for I hope you remember that I have granted That the Judges hereafter shall hold their places quam diu benè se gesserint I have bounded the Forrest not according to My right but according to late Customes I have established the Property of the Subjects as witness the free-giving not taking away the Ship-mony I have established by Act in Parliament the Property of the Subject in Tonnage and Poundage which never was done in any My Predecessors time I have granted a Law for a Triennial Parliament and given way to an Act for the securing of moneys advanced for the disbanding of the Armies I have given free course of Justice against Delinquents I have put the Law in execution against Papists Nay I have given way to every thing that you have asked of me and therefore methinks you should not wonder if in some things I begin to refuse But I hope it shall not hinder your progress in your great Affairs and I will not stick upon trivial matters to give you content I hope you are sensible of these beneficial favours bestowed on you at this time To conclude You know by your consent there is a prefixed time set for my going into Scotland and there is an absolute necessity for it I do not know but that things may so fall out that it may be shortened therefore I hope you will hasten the dispatching of those great businesses that now are necessary to be done and leave trivial and superficial matters to another meeting For my part I shall omit nothing that may give you just contentment and study nothing more then your happiness and therefore I hope you shall see a very good Testimony of it by passing these two Bills Le Roy le veult This being done His Majesty said as followeth I have one word more to speak unto you and take now an occasion to present unto both Houses that thereby I hope all the World shall see that there is a good understanding between me and my people It is concerning my Nephew the Prince Elector Palatine who having desired Me and the King of Denmark to give way to a writing concerning the Dyet at Ratisbone with the Emperor I could not but send my Ambassador to Assist him though I am afraid I shall not have so good an answer as I expect which my Nephew fore-seeing hath desired me for the better countenancing of the same to make a Manifesto in my Name which is a thing of great Consequence And if I should do it alone without the advice of my Parliament it would rather be a scorn then otherwise Therefore I do propose it unto you that if you will advise me to it I do think it were very fit to be published in my name Mr. Rossetti the Popes Nuncio leaves England Treasurer after the House was returned acquaints them that Rossetti the Pope's Nuncio had left England WHereas William Shepherd now a Prisoner in the Fleet by the Sentence of this House Shepherd one of the Rioters at St. Saviours Southwark released for pressing in with others into the Church of St. Saviour's Southwark and violently breaking and pulling down of the Rails about the Communion Table which Sentence he the said William Shepherd acknowledging to be just and honourable It is Ordered That the said William Shepherd shall be released from his said Imprisonment for this Offence and set at Liberty In compliance with his Majesties Speech the House of Commons took the Prince Elector's condition into consideration the Manifesto was read and a Debate had upon it at which Sir Benjamin Rudyard made this Speech Mr. Speaker THis great Affair of the Palatinate concerneth this Kingdom in Nature Sir Benjamin Rudiard's Speech concerning the Palatinate in Honour in Reason of State in Religion We all know how near in Blood the Prince Elector is to his Majesty Many of us here know what solemn Protestations have been made in this place for the Recovery of the Palatinate by which we are bound in Honour to pursue it with our best Assistance God hath so framed the powers of Man and so ordered the course of things in this World as that in all Actions Right Reason and true Religion may well hold and go together If we consider Religion according to Reason of State we shall find that Christendom divides it self into two sides with the Pope against the Pope His Majesty is the greatest King of the Religion and therefore fittest to be the Head of that Party which will add a greater greatness to him then can be gotten any
Vote in favour of Mr. Small a Minister in Lincoln Shire The House then took into Consideration the Case of one Small a Minister in Lincolnshire sometime ago deprived of his Living by the Sentence of the High-Commission Court Conference about the Tower c. upon which it was Resolved c. That the deprivation of Edmond Small from his Living of Holm in Com. Lincoln by Sentence of the High Commission Court was Illegal and he shall be restored to his Living There was a Conference with the Lords about putting the Kingdom into a Posture of Defence as also about the Tower of London the Lieutenant Sir William Belfour being gone with the King into Scotland about some private Affairs of his own so that it was necessary that the Earl of Newport the Lord Constable of the Tower should take Care of it himself It was also there moved That Care might be taken of the Isles of Jersey Wight and Guernsey Which was agreed by the Lords and 50 men of the Hamlets to guard by Day and 50 by Night and 40 or 50 more to be added upon Emergent Occasion The Bill for Tonnage and Poundage for two Months longer was this day passed by Commission in the usual form and manner Monday August 16. Bill for Tonnage and Poundage for two Months passed by Commission * Incendiaries to be prosecuted and who those were After this the Interrogatories were delivered in to the Lords and read upon which the Scots Commissioners desire Witnesses may be Examined concerning the Earl of Traquayr Sir John Hayes Clerk Register in Scotland Sir Robert Spotswood and Dr. Walter Balcanquell and Mr. John Maxwell sometime Bishop of Ross who are pursued as Incendiaries The Interrogatories being approved of It was Ordered That the Lord Privy Seal E. Warwick E. Dover Viscount Say and Seal L. Wharton are appointed by this House to be Committees for the taking of the Examination of Witnesses in this Business and their Lordships or any Three or more to meet when they please to appoint Then the Lord Privy Seal E. Pembroke and L. Goring were sworn at the Clerks Table the Lord Keeper reading the Oath and are to be Examined concerning the Incendiaries Ordered also That John E. of Sterling Robert Young Printer William Warnor Corrector and Robert Chapman Compofer shall attend the Lords Committees this Afternoon and be Sworn and Examined in the business concerning the Incendiaries This was in order to the discovery of the Writer of the King 's large Declaration which was generally supposed to be Dr. Bellcanquel Dean of Durham which had so much Mordacis Veritatis of sharp and cutting Truth in it that the Scots thought there was no other Way to undo the Reputation of the Book but by ruining the Reputation of the Author and no way so Effectual for that as the Brand of an Incendiary burnt upon the forehead of his fame by this Publique Procedure which yet could not but even then be liable to suspition his Enemies being his Accusers and the Majority of these Lords Committees who were to report and in Effect therefore to be his Judges being apparently of the Scottish Party and Interest A Message was brought from the Commons by Mr. Strode Message about the Desperate Estate of the Kingdom and Hull to let their Lordships know That they have taken into Consideration the desperate Estate the Kingdom now stands in in the time of Disbanding the Army and they have Considered of the Danger the King's Ammunition at Hull is in if there should be any design upon it Therefore they desire their Lordships would joyn with them in some Course that the Ammunition there be not stirred nor removed from thence without the Order of both Houses of Parliament Hereupon it was Ordered That a Letter be sent to the Lord General to give Order That no Munition or Artillery of the Kings at Hull be removed or sent from thence but by Order from both Houses Mr. Pym reports from the Committee about the Commission for the Commissioners of both Houses who are to attend the King in Scotland Difficulty about the Commission for the Commissioners to go into Scotland That the first thing they took into Consideration was the Commission to give Power to these Commissioners and the doubt is Whether such a Commission may be granted or no the King being now out of the Kingdom so that the Royal Assent cannot now be had and it would be of much danger if such a Power may not be had and therefore they desire the Opinion of the House in this Point Upon which a Conference was desired with the Lords upon this Subject After which Mr. Pym Reported it to the House That the Lords were doubtful The Opinion of the Lords at a Conference about it and therefore propounded to have a Messenger sent to procure his Majesties Warrant and the Commissioners to stay here till the Messenger returned and that in the mean time they would consider of their Instructions This day the Earl of Dorset signified to the Lords House That he hath Waited on the Queen and hath acquainted her Majesty with the Humble Desires of this House touching restraining of the Capuchin Friers in Sommerset House from tampering and withdrawing the Kings People Her Majestie sayes The Queens Answer about the Capuchin Friers at Denmark-House Aug. 17. 1641. It is much against her Will that they have gone abroad or have endeavoured to pervert any from their Religion and her Majestie is also very unwilling that any English People should resort there to Chappel but her Majesty will give Order to prevent these for the future And the Earl of Dorset said He would obey their Lordships Command and send for the Chief of the Capuchins and give him a strait Command not to suffer any of the Friers to go abroad nor any English People to come to them or to hear Mass there The Impeachment brought up from the House of Commons against the 13 Bishops was read Votes in the House of Lords about the Impeachment of the 13 Bishops and the House fell into Debate what time they should have to Answer and whether in this Debate they should be present in the House And it was Resolved upon the Question That the Lords the Bishops that are Impeached may Sit in this House without Voting when it is in Debate whether they shall have further time to Answer or not Resolved c. That such of the Bishops as are Impeached shall not Sit here in this House when the Merits of the Cause is in Debate Resolved c. That when the disposing of the manner of the Proceedings of the Cause is in Debate the Bishops may Sit in this House but not Vote The Letter drawn by the Committees of both Houses to the Lord General concerning Hull The Letter to the Lord General concerning Hull was read as follows May it please your Excellency I Am commanded by the House of Peers
the performance hereof their Pleasure is That you should continue there to wait upon his Majesty till you receive further direction or that his Majesty be pleased to come away for England Instructions of the Lords and Commons in Parliament to the Committees of both Houses now Attending his Royal Majesty in Scotland I. YOU shall acquaint his Majesty Additional Instructions to the Committee in Scotland That by your Advertisement both Houses have taken Notice of the Examinations and Confessions taken in the Parliament of Scotland concerning a malicious design affirmed to be undertaken by the Earl of Craford and others against the Persons of the Marquiss of Hamilton the Earls of Argyle and Lannerick having taken the same into Consideration they have good Cause to doubt That such ill-affected persons as would disturb the Peace of that Kingdom are not without some malicious Correspondence here which if those wicked Purposes had taken Effect in Scotland would have been ready to attempt some such mischievous Practices as might produce Distempers and Confusions in this Kingdom to the Hazard of the Publique Peace for prevention whereof they have given Order for strong Guards in the Cities of London and Westminster * The Debate about the Remonstrance of the State of the Kingdom in order to their possessing themselves of the Militia was many Weeks before in the House only this was a fair occasion for the attempt and have resolved to take into their Care the Security of the rest of the Kingdom II. You shall further declare to his most Excellent Majesty That the States of his Parliament here do hold it a matter of great Importance to this Kingdom That the Religion Liberty and Peace of Scotland be preserved according to the Treaty and Articles agreed by his Majesty and confirmed by Act of Parliament of which they are bound to be careful not only by Publique Faith in that Treaty but by their Duty which they ow to his Majesty and this Kingdom because they hold it will be a great means of preserving Religion Liberty and Peace in England Ireland and his Majesty 's other Dominions and the Union of all his Loyal Subjects in maintaining the Common good of all will be a sure Foundation of Honor Greatness and Security to his Royal Person Crown and Dignity wherefore they have resolved to Employ their Humble and Faithful Advice to his Majesty the Power and Authority of Parliament and of this Kingdom for Suppressing of all such as by any Conspiracy Practice or other Attempts shall endeavour to disturb the Peace of Scotland and to infringe the Articles and the Treaty made betwixt the Two Kingdoms III. You shall likewise inform the King That whereas Orders have been given by his Majesty with the Consent of Parliament for the Disbanding the Garrisons of Carlisle and Berwick the first whereof is already wholly disbanded and all the House and Eight Companies of Foot sent out of Berwick and only Five Companies remaining which likewise should have been disbanded at or before the 15th of this Month if they had not been stayed by his Majesties Command signified to Sir Michael Ernley Lieutenant Governor according to direction in that behalf and whereas by Order of Parliament Ships have been sent for the Transporting his Majesties Munition Ordnance and other Provisions in that Town and the Holy Island all which have been of very great Charge to the Commonwealth the Commons now Assembled in Parliament have declared That they intend to be at no further Charge for the longer stay and Entertainment of those Men or for the Demurrage of the Ships if by occasion of this direction they be kept out longer than was agreed upon Ordered That Mr. Speaker do write a Letter to Mr. Secretary Vane that in case the Committee of both Houses be come out of Scotland before the Letter and Instructions now to be sent can be delivered there unto them that then he shall he desired by this House to present the same unto his Majesty Saturday Octob. 23. Order for the Bishops impeached to have Councel This day upon the humble Request of the Bishop of Rochester on his own behalf and the rest of the Bishops which are impeached by the House of Commons before their Lordships concerning the late Canons c. It is Ordered That Mr. Serjeant Jerman Mr. Herne Mr. Chute and Mr. Hales being publiquely named in this House by the said Bishop and approved of by the House shall be assigned to be of Counsel with the Bishops that are impeached With this Proviso nevertheless That if any of the said Counsel shall upon just Cause desire to be Excused here and the House approve of the said Excuse That then he or they shall not be compelled to be of the said Bishops Councel as aforesaid The Commons being met there was a Report made of certain Troopers who had made a disturbance about a Tavern-Reckoning and the Guard in the Pallace-Yard being called to quiet them they fell upon them and cut the Drum but being taken and committed to Custody and one of them saying in Bravado That there were a thousand of them about the Town who if they were there would help them and make the Pallace too hot for the Guards they were Ordered to be sent to the Lords Bar to receive their Censure for this Misdemeanor But it struck such a fear into some of the Members of the Commons House that they immediately Voted what they had so often denied the King though his Word and Honor were engaged to the Spanish Ambassador to let him have some of the disbanded Troops for it was Votes to let the disbanded Soldiers past beyond Sea Resolved c. That the House is of Opinion and holds fit that Orders should be sent to the Officers of the several Ports requiring them to permit all such Soldiers of the late disbanded Army as shall desire it to pass beyond the Seas provided that they take such Oaths and perform such other Duties as are usually required according to the Laws Resolved c. That this House is further of Opinion and holds it fit That such other Soldiers of the late disbanded Army as are Strangers and not Subjects or Natives of this Kingdom shall have liberty to pass out of this Kingdom and to receive Entertainment of any Forreign Prince Sir Gilbert Gerrard carries up the Bill for dissabling all Persons in Holy Orders to exercise any temporal Jurisdiction or Authority and acquainted the Lords That the House of Commons desired there might be all speed in the passing of it for it much concerns the good of the Common-Wealth The Lord General Thanks given to the L. General by the House of Lords the Earl of Holland being now returned and having at a Conference given an Account of the disbanding of the Army It was Ordered by the Lords That this House gives Thanks to the Earl of Holland late Lord General of his Majesties Army in the North for
before been said concerning the beginning of this Execrable and Unparallel'd Rebellion take the Words of an * Excellent and Noble Author upon that Subject THe Irish Nation A M. S. S. in the custody of his Grace the Duke of Ormond written by the Right Honourable the Earl of Clarendon saith he was possessed of the most blessed and happy Condition before their own to say no worse unskilful Rage and Fury brought this War upon them and they have since had leisure enough thoroughly to consider and value the wonderful Plenty Peace and security which they enjoyed till the year 1641 when they wantonly and disdainfully flung those Blessings from them They were arrived to a mighty increase of Traffick Improvement of Land Erection of Buildings and whatever else might be profitable or pleasant to any People and these desirable Advantages and Ornaments the Policy and Industry of that Nation was utterly unacquainted with till they were brought to them by the skill and labour of the English planting and living Charitably Friendly and Hospitably among them Taxes and Tillages and other Contributions were things hardly known to them so much as by their Names whatever their Lands Labour or Industry produced was their own and they were not only free from the fear of having it taken from them by the King upon any pretence whatsoever without their own consents but also so secured against Thieves and Robbers by the Execution of good Laws that Men might and did Travel over all Parts of the Kingdom with considerable Sums of Money unguarded and unconcealed If this happy posture of Affairs It were well if our English Non-conformists would look in this Glass they would see their own pourtaict exactly and may by timely consideration avoid the same destiny was undervalued under the Notion of being but Temporal Blessings and the want of Freedom be alledged as to the Exercise of the Romish Religion to which that Nation was generally addicted it cannot be denied but that though by the Laws and Constitutions of that Kingdom the Power and Authority of the Bishop of Rome is not in any degree allowed or submitted to by the Government yet by connivance the whole Catholique Body of that Nation enjoyed an undisturbed Exercise of that Religion and even at Dublin where the Seat of the King 's chief Governour was such was the indulgence of Authority then towards them that they went as uninterruptedly to their Devotions as the Governor did to his Bishops Priests and all Degrees and Orders of the Secular and Regular Clergy lived and exercised their Functions among them And though there were some Laws against them still in force which the Necessity and Wisdom of former Ages had caused to be Enacted to suppress those acts of Treason and Rebellion which that People frequently fell into and the Policy of the present Times kept unrepealed to prevent the like Distempers and Designs yet the Edge of those Laws was so totally rebated by the Clemency and Compassion of the King that no Man could say he had suffered prejudice or disturbance in or for his Religion which is another kind of indulgence then the Subjects professing a faith contrary to that which is Established by the Laws of the Land can boast of in any other Kingdom in the World When in the Year 1640 they discerned some Distempers arising in England upon the Scots Invasion and perceived the Support and Countenance that People then found in both Houses of Parliament in England they would likewise bear a part and bring in their Contribution to the work in hand then they began to Transplant those dangerous humors of Jealousies and Discontents which they found springing up Seditiously in the Parliament at Westminster into Ireland and with the same Passion and Distemper cherished them in the Parliament at Dublin They fell to Accusing upon general and unreasonable Imputations the principal Councellors and Ministers of State who were intrusted by the Crown in that Kingdom impeaching them of High Treason and thereby according to the Rule unjustly then prescribed at Westminster they removed those Persons from any Power in Publick Affairs there whose wisdom might probably otherwise have prevented the mischiefs which have since ensued Then did they most weakly and childishly concur with the greatest Enemies their Nation or Religion had in the Conspiracy against the life of the Earl of Strafford Lord Lieutenant of that Kingdom by whose Wisdom and most prudent Government that Nation had reaped great advantages and was daily receiving greater and sent a Committee from Dublin to Westminster to join in the Prosecution of him and having in the end procured the miserable and never enough lamented Ruin of that great Person they powerfully opposed and hindred the conferring of that charge upon any of those His Majesty had designed to undertake it and at the last by their repeated importunities they got it devolved into such hands as were most unlike to grapple with the difficulties which they were sure to meet with and having thus to their uttermost power fomented the divisions in England and discountenanced and weakened the Regal Power in Ireland by raising the same Factions against it there on the sudden upon the 23d day of October 1641 without the least pretence of Quarrel or Hostility so much as apprehended by the Protestants great multitudes of Irish Roman Catholicks in the Province of Vlster and shortly after in other Provinces and parts of the Kingdom Tumultuously assembled together put themselves in Arms seised upon the Forts Castles Towns and Houses belonging to the Protestants which by their force they could possess themselves of and with most Barbarous Circumstances of Cruelty within the space of a few days murthered an incredible number of Protestants Men Women and Children promiscuously and without distinction of Age or Sex and of all those who were within the reach of their Power they who escaped best were robbed of all that they had to their very skins and so turned naked to indure the sharpness of that Season and by that means and for want of Relief many thousands of them perished by hunger and cold the Design which was at the same time laid for the surprise of the Castle of Dublin the Residence of the King 's chief Governors and His Majesties principal Magazine of Arms and Ammunition wherewith it was then plentifully stored being discovered by a person trusted and thereby disappointed that place was left singly to consult of the best means to oppose the Torrent which was like to overwhelm the whole Kingdom and for a Refuge to the poor Protestants who from all parts of the Kingdom flocked thither Despoiled Robbed and Stripped with the sad Relations of the most inhumane Cruelties and Murthers exercised upon their Friends Kindred and Neighbours which have been ever heard of amongst Christians It is not All the Irish not Guilty of the Rebellion adds he the purpose of this Discourse to lay any imputations of this Rebellion and
Garrisons there and that a convenient Number of Men shall be sent from the North Parts of England for the better Guard and Defence of those Forts and Countries adjoyning and that a large proportion of Arms and other Munition shall be speedily conveyed out of his Majesties Stores to West-Chester to be disposed of according to the Direction of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland for arming the Men to be sent from England and such other of his Majesties Loyal Subjects as may be raised in Ireland 5. And because we understand That the Rebels are like with great strength to attempt the ruin and destruction of the Brittish Plantation in Ulster we humbly Advise his Majesty by the Council and Authority of his Parliament in Scotland to provide that one Regiment consisting if 1000 men furnish't and accomplish't with all necessary Arms and Munition as shall seem best to their Great Wisdoms and Experience may with all possible speed be Transported into Ireland under the Command of some Worthy Person well affected to the Reformed Religion and the Peace of both Kingdoms and well Enabled with Skill Judgment and Reputation for such an Employment which Forces we desire may be Quartered in those Northern Parts for the Opposing the Rebels and Comfort and Assistance of his Majesties good Subjects there with Instructions from his Majesty and the Parliament of Scotland that they shall upon all Occasions pursue and observe the Directions of the Lord Lieutenant his Lieutenant General or the Governor of Ireland according to their Authority derived from his Majesty and the Crown of England 6. And as touching the Wages and other Charges needful which this Assistance will require We would have You in our Name to beseech His Majesty to commend it to our Brethren the Estates of the Parliament of Scotland to take it into their Care on the behalf of His Majesty and this Kingdom to make such agreements with all the Commanders and Soldiers to be imployed as they would do in the like Case for themselves and to let them know For Our parts We do wholly rely upon their Honorable and Friendly dealing with us and will take Care that Satisfaction be made accordingly 7. You shall represent to his most Excellent Majesty this our Humble and Faithful Declaration that we cannot without much grief remember the great Miseries Burthens and Distempers which have for divers Years afflicted all his Kingdoms and Dominions and brought them to the last point of Ruine and Destruction all which have issued from the Cunning False and Malicious Practices of some of those who have been admitted into very near Places of Council and Authority about him who have been Favourers of Popery Superstition and Innovation Subverters of Religion Honor and Justice Factors for promoting the Designs of Forreign Princes and States to the great and apparent danger of His Royal Person Crown and Dignity and of all his People Authors of False Scandals and Jealousies betwixt his Majesty and his Loyal Subjects Enemies to the Peace Vnion and Confidence betwixt Him and his Parliament which is the surest Foundation of Prosperity and Greatness to his Majesty and of Comfort and Hope to them That by their Councils and Endeavours those great Sums which have been lately drawn from the People have been either consumed unprofitably or in the maintenance of such Designs as have been Mischievous and Destructive to the State and whilest we have been labouring to Support his Majesty to purge out the Corruptions and restore the Decayes both of Church and State others of their Faction and Party have been contriving by Violence and Force to suppress the Liberty of Parliament and indanger the Safety of those who have opposed such wicked and pernicious Courses 8. That we have just Cause to believe That those Conspiracies and Commotions in Ireland are but the Effects of the same Councils and if persons of such Aims and Conditions shall still continue in Credit Authority and Imployment the great Aids which we shall be inforced to draw from his People for subduing the Rebellion in Ireland will be applied to the Fomenting and Cherishing of it there and Encouraging some such like attempt by the Papists and ill-affected Subjects in England and in the End to the Subversion of Religion and destruction of his Loyal Subjects in both Kingdoms And do therefore most humbly beseech his Majesty to change those Councils from which such ill Courses have proceeded and which have Caused so many Miseries and Dangers to himself and all his Dominions and that he will be graciously pleased to imploy such Councils and Ministers as shall be approved of by his Parliament who are his greatest and most Faithful Council that so his People may with Courage and Confidence undergo the Charge and Hazard of this War and by their Bounty and Faithful Endeavours with Gods Blessing restore to his Majesty and this Kingdom that Honor Peace Safety and Prosperity which they have Enjoyed in former times And if herein his Majesty shall not vouchsafe to condescend to our humble Supplication although we shall always continue with Reverence and Faithfulness to his Person and to his Crown to perform those Duties of Service and Obedience to which by the Laws of God and this Kingdom we are Obliged Yet we shall be forced in discharge of the Trust which we ow to the State and to those whom we represent to Resolve upon some such way of defending Ireland from the Rebels as may concur to the Securing our selves from such Mischievous Councils and Designs as have lately been and still are in practice and agitation against us as we have just cause to believe and to commend those Aids and Contributions which this great Necessity shall require to the Custody and Disposing of such Persons of Honor and Fidelity as we have Cause to confide in The Faction as the Reader may before have observed had upon all Occasions indeavoured to lay hold upon the Soveraign Power of the Sword and indeed nothing less could Protect them from their own Fears of a future Reckoning which they were affraid they must make if ever the King's Affairs came into a prosperous Condition and setled Posture But certainly next to the Execrable Rebellion in Ireland it was one of the most barbarous Outrages to a most Excellent Prince whose Indulgence was his greatest Crime not only to charge him with the Fomenting and in a manner Contriving this most wicked Rebellion as is evident by these Venemous Reflections they intended to do but to take this advantage of the Misfortune of his Affairs to wrest from him that little remainder of Power and Regal Authority which he had not hitherto divested himself of But this was the Resolution of these Ingrateful and Ungenerous Subjects whose unbounded Ambition all the Streams of Royal Bounty were not able to satisfie so long as the King was the Fountain of them and they were determined to make use of his Majesties extreme Necessity as they had
Law and immediately sent down to the Commons by Serjeant Finch and Serjeant Glanvile A Message was sent to the Commons to let them know That the Queen hath desired the Inlargement of Phillips the Priest and that the Lords being satisfied with his Submission and having nothing against him further depending in their House are inclinable to release him but resolved according to their Engagement to let the House of Commons be first acquainted with it Upon which the Commons made this Answer That they desire he may be continued still in his Restraint in regard he is a Priest and complained of for seducing his Majesties Subjects Several Bills were sent up to the Lords two private ones a third for the laying down of the Privilege of Parliament concerning Protections in some Cases c. a fourth for the Forfeiture of the Lands of John James who stabbed Justice Heywood at White-Hall and for his further Punishment c. An Ordinance was also brought into the House of Commons for reimbursing the City the 50000 l. last borrowed and the 50000 l. formerly lent to the Peers in the Northern Expedition The Commissioners being now returned from Scotland Wednesday Novemb. 24. The Commissioners return from Scotland the Lord Keeper was commanded in the Name of the House of Lords to let the Lord Howard of Eskrik know That the House doth acknowledg that his Lordship hath very carefully and faithfully discharged that Trust which this House reposed in him in his Imployment in Scotland as a Committee for this House for which the House gives his Lordship Thanks and will be ready upon all Occasions for his Good to Recommend him to the King The House of Lords being Yesterday adjourned in regard they were informed of his Majesties coming from Scotland Thursday Novemb. 25. sate not till Friday and that it may a little recreate the Reader who may well be tired with so much Tragedy and the repeated Troubles of Rebellions Plots and Conspiracies of which this unhappy Age was so Fertile I will present him with the short Sun-shine of that Days Solemnity which hath so often been resembled to the Treacherous Hosannas which preceded the Crucifixion of the Glorious Redeemer of the World and not without Reason for while he made that short Ovation in London the Scribes and Pharisees of the Faction at Westminster were in Consultation of that Remonstrance which was to crucify his Reputation and was the first bold Step to the taking away his Crown and Life Notice having been given of his Majesties Return this day to White-Hall the Nobility Gentry Lord Mayor Aldermen and Recorder The King returns from Scotland and the-manner of his Reception by the City with many of the Principal Citizens went to attend his Majesty and Conduct him to the City So soon as they met him Mr. Recorder of London Addressed himself with all due Respects to his Majesty in this congratulatory Speech May it please Your Majesty THis is a day of Exceeding great Joy to your Citizens of London Mr. Recorder of London's Speech to the King at his return from Scotland joy exalted to the highest degree to see you return in safety after a long absence and to see this happy meeting with your Dearest Consort our good and gracious Queen and with these blessed Children that are the Fruits of your Loves and Pledges to us of a fruitful and hopeful Succession I can truly say this from the Representative Body of your City from whence I have my Warrant they meet Your Majesty with as much Love and Affection as ever Citizens of London met with any of Your Royal Progenitors King or Queen of this Kingdom and with as hearty a desire to shew it self fully Pardon their failers where you meet with any We tender unto You no formal Present it would but lessen us whatever it were I am sure it would be far short of our meaning but we present unto You our hearts and affections hearts of true Subjects full of Loyalty to You our King and Sovereign 'T is true in this we offer Your Majesty but your own they were by just right Yours before but upon this new and enlivening occasion be pleased to take them as a new gift we offer them chearfully vouchsafe to accept them graciously and with the Influence of those Excellent and Princely Vertues which we know by great assurance to be eminent in Your Royal Person we doubt not but Your Majesty will continue the defence of our Establisht Religion and the clear Current of Justice through all the Streams of which Your Majesty is the Royal Fountain Vouchsafe likewise to uphold and countenance that Ancient Form and Frame of Government which hath been long Established in the City that Power and Authority of Yours which You have committed to Your Lord Mayor your true and faithful Subject and Servant and the fit reverence and respect due to the Aldermen his Brethren who are to assist him in his Government we shall be thereby the better enabled to serve Your Majesty and constantly to render to You the Fruits of a true Obedience And as our Duty binds us we shall never cease to Bless You and Pray for You and Your Dearest Consort our gracious Queen and for this Your Royal and Princely Off-spring for Your Majesties long Life and prosperous Reign over us in Peace and Glory and with full contentment And I doubt not but every true Subject will joyn with us in this and say Amen These Expressions of Joy of Love of Loyalty and these hearty wishes and desires which I have mentioned I meet with every where from your Citizens of London they are the soft and still Musick prepared for Your Majesties Welcom and Entertainment this Day The joyful Acclamations of Your People upon the sight of your Royal Person will make it louder and all chearfully bearing their agreeing parts together shall I hope this Day make up to Your Majesty a full and pleasing Harmony To which His Majesty immediately returned this Gracious Answer Mr. Recorder I Must desire you The King's Answer to the Recorder of London's Speech because My Voice cannot reach to all those that I desire should hear Me to give most hearty thanks to all the good Citizens of London for their hearty Expressions of their Love to Me this Day And indeed I cannot sufficiently express the contentment I have received therein For now I see that all these former Tumults and Disorders have only risen from the meaner sort of People and that the Affections of the better and main part of the City have ever been Loyal and Affectionate to My Person and Government And likewise it comforts Me to see That all those misreports that have been made of Me in My absence have not the least power to do Me prejudice in your Opinions as may easily be seen by this days Expressions of Joy And now I think it fit for Me to assure you That I am returned with as
sway in all their determinations and if they be not prevented are likely to devour the rest or to turn them into their own nature In the beginning of his Majesties Reign the Party begun to revive and flourish again having been somewhat dampt by the breach with Spain in the last year of King James and by his Majesties Marriage with France the Interest and Counsels of that State being not so contrary to the good of Religion and the Prosperity of this Kingdom as those of Spain and the Papists of England having been ever more addicted to Spain then France yet they still retained a Purpose and Resolution to weaken the Protestant Parties in all Parts and even in France whereby to make way for the Change of Religion which they intended at Home The first Effect and Evidence of their Recovery and Strength was the dissolution of the Parliament at Oxford after there had been given two Subsidies to his Majesty and before they received Relief in any one Grievance many other more miserable Effects followed The loss of the Rochel Fleet by the help of our Shipping set forth and delivered over to the French in opposition to the Advice of Parliament which left that Town without Defence by Sea and made way not only to the loss of that important Place but likewise to the loss of all the Strength and Security of the Protestant Religion in France The diverting of his Majesties course of Wars from the West-Indies which was the most facile and hopeful way for this Kingdom to prevail against the Spaniard to an expenceful and unsuccessful Attempt upon Cales which was so ordered as if it had rather bin intended to make us weary of War then to prosper in it The precipitate breach with France by taking their Ships to a great value without making recompence to the English whose Goods were thereupon imbar'd and confiscate in that Kingdom The Peace with Spain without Consent of Parliament contrary to the promise of King James to both Houses whereby the Palatine Cause was deserted and left to Chargeable and Hopeless Treaties which for the most part were Managed by those who might justly be suspected to be no Friends to that Cause The charging of the Kingdom with Billeted Soldiers in all Parts of it and that Concomitant Design of German Horse that the Land might either submit with Fear or be inforced with Rigour to such Arbitrary Contributions as should be required of them The dissolving of the Parliament in the second Year of his Majesties Reign after a Declaration of their Intent to grant five Subsidies The exacting of the like proportion of five Subsidies after the Parliament dissolved by Commission of Loan and divers Gentlemen and others imprisoned for not yeilding to pay that Loan whereby many of them contracted such sicknesses as cost them their Lives Great Summs of Money required and raised by Privy Seals An unjust and pernicious attempt to extort great Payments from the Subject by way of Excise and a Commission issued under Seal to that purpose The Petition of Right which was granted in full Parliament blasted with an illegal Declaration to make it destructive to it self to the Power of Parliament to the Liberty of the Subject and to that purpose printed with it and the Petition made of no use but to shew the bold and presumptuous injustice of such Ministers as durst break the Laws and suppress the Liberties of the Kingdom after they had been so Solemnly and evidently declared Another Parliament dissolved 4 Car. the Privilege of Parliament broken by imprisoning divers Members of the House detaining them close Prisoners for many Months together without the Liberty of using Books Pen Ink or Paper denying them all the Comforts of Life all Means of preservation of Health not permitting their Wives to come unto them even in time of their Sickness And for the compleating of that Cruelty after Years spent in such miserable durance depriving them of the necessary means of Spiritual Consolation not suffering them to go abroad to enjoy God's Ordinances in God's House or God's Ministers to come to them to administer Comfort unto them in their private Chambers and to keep them still in this oppressed Condition not admitting them to be bailed according to Law yet vexing them with Informations in inferior Courts Sentencing and Fining some of them for Matters done in Parliament and Extorting the Payments of those Fines from them inforcing others to put in Security of good Behaviour before they could be released The Imprisonment of the rest which refused to be bound still continued which might have been perpetual if necessity had not the last year brought another Parliament to relieve them of whom one died by the cruelty and harshness of his Imprisonment which would admit of no relaxation notwithstanding the Imminent Danger of his Life did sufficiently appear by the Declaration of his Physician And his release or at least his refreshment was sought by many humble Petitions And his Blood still cryes either for Vengeance or Repentance of those Ministers of State who have at once obstructed the course both of his Majesties Justice and Mercy Upon the Dissolution of both these Parliaments untrue and scandalous Declarations Published to asperse their Proceedings and some of their Members unjustly to make them odious and colour the Violence which was used against them Proclamations set out to the same purpose and to the great dejecting of the hearts of the People forbidding them to speak of Parliaments After the Breach of Parliament in the fourth year of his Majesty Injustice Oppression and Violence broke in upon us without any restraint or moderation and yet the first project was the great Sums exacted thorough the whole Kingdom for default of Knighthood which seemed to have some colour and shadow of a Law yet if it be rightly examined by that obsolete Law which was pretended for it it would be found to be against all the Rules of Justice both in respect of the persons charged the proportion of the Fines demanded and the absurd and unreasonable manner of their Proceedings Tonnage and Poundage hath been received without colour or pretence of Law many other heavy impositions continued against Law and some so unreasonable that the sum of the Charge exceeds the value of the Goods The Book of Rates lately inhansed to a high proportion and such Merchants as would not submit to their Illegal and unreasonable Payments were vexed and oppressed above measure and the ordinary course of Justice the common Birth-right of the Subject of England wholly obstructed unto them And although all this was taken upon pretence of Guarding the Sea yet a new and unheard of Tax of Ship-money was devised upon the same pretence By both which there was charged upon the Subject near 700000 Pounds some years and yet the Merchants have been left so naked to the violence of the Turkish Pirates that many great Ships of value and thousands of his Majesties Subjects
and Burdensom and must be cried out upon as great and insupportable Grievances yea though the things in themselves be never so indifferent of never so long continuance in Use and Practice and never so much desired and affected by others so that where three or four of them be in a Parish though 500 others desire the use and continuance of things long used all must be altered or taken away as Scandals and Grievances for these three or four though to the Offence of many others and what ever they will have introduced must be imposed upon all others and must by all be admitted without Scandal or Offence whereby multitudes of Godly People and well affected are in some things deprived or abridged of what they desire and take comfort in and have had so long and lawful Use and Practise of and other things imposed upon them against their Wills and Liking as if no account were to be made of them or no Liberty of Conscience left unto them Which bold Attempts of some few to arrogate to themselves and to exercise over all others what high Presumptionis it and how great a T yranny may it prove over the Minds and Consciences of Men The great increase of late of Schismaticks and Sectaries and of Persons not only separating and sequestring themselves from the Publick Assembly at Common Prayers and Divine Service but also opposing and tumultuously interrupting others in the performance thereof in the Publick Congregation the frequent and many Conventicles held amongst them and their often Meetings at all publick Conventions of Assizes Sessions Fairs Markets and other publick Assemblies their earnest labouring to sollicit and draw the People to them and the general Correspondence held among them to advance their Ends herein Of these things we cannot but take Notice and must needs express our just Fears that their Desires and Endeavors are to work some great Change and Mutation in the present State of the Church Government and in the Form of the Publick Worship of God and Divine Service and Common Prayers Of the common Grievances of the Kingdom we as others have been and are sensible and do profess that we have just Cause with Joy and Comfort to remember and with thankfulness to acknowledg the pious Care which is already taken for the Suppressing of the Growth of Popery the better supply of able and painful Ministers and the removing of all Innovations and we doubt not but in your great Wisdoms you will regulate the Rigor and Exorbitancy of the Ecclesiastical Courts to suit with the Temper of our Common Laws and the Nature and Condition of Freemen and we hope and humbly Pray that the present Form of Church Government and of Church Service and Common Prayers now Established by the Statutes of this Kingdom shall be setled and that all such as shall oppose themselves against the same or shall do or speak any thing in derogation or depraving of the said Divine Service or Book of Common Prayer may without any further Tolleration or Connivence undergo the Pains Punishment and Forfeitures due therefore and that such Care shall be taken for placing of Orthodox and Peaceable Men Lecturers in all Places whose Doctrine may tend rather to sound Instructions and Edification than lead to Schism and Faction All which We humbly Submit to your great Judgments and shall pray to God to assist and direct you from above with his heavenly Wisdom to guide and bring all your Consultations to happy Conclusions In the Commons House the Message concerning the Priests was delivered by Sir John Culpeper A Committee was appointed to prepare an Order to be presented to the House of Lords whereby the Commissioners for the Treasury may be enjoyned not to dispose of the Money received or to be received upon the Bill of Tonnage and Poundage till provision be made out of the same for the defence of the Narrow Sea Thus did they by the late Bill of Tonnage and Poundage make such a Present to His Majesty as the Biscainers do to the King of Spain when he comes into that Province who present him with a Bag of Money upon the Top of a Lance but withal inform him that he must not meddle with it The Committee which was appointed to draw up the Instructions for the Commissioners to Treat with the Scottish Lords were also Ordered To prepare Heads for a Conference with Reasons to be delivered to the Lords to induce them to joyn with this House to move His Majesty to declare that a Toleration of Religion may not be granted to the Rebels in Ireland nor in any of His Majesties Dominions This was another of those invidious Insinuations by which under a pretence of great Zeal to the Protestant Religion they did not only secretly Calumniate His Majesty as a favourer of Popery but by putting the Rebels out of all hopes of Liberty or Connivence for their Religion was one of the things which contributed to render them more desperate and to drive on the Rebellion to the utmost Extremity Thursday Decemb. 9. Message of Commons to the Lords concerning Instructions to treat with Scots for Ireland Lords Resolution upon it to acquaint the King A Message was this day brought from the House of Commons by Mr. Pym to let their Lordships know That the Commons do agree to the Addition which their Lordships made to the Instructions sent down to them Yesterday and they desire this Addition and those Instructions brought up Yesterday from the House of Commons may be annexed to the Commission Upon this the House of Lords agreed That all the Instructions shall be presented to the King and to this purpose the Earl of Bedford and the Lord Howard of Escrick were appointed presently to attend the King with them for his approbation The Earl of Bedford Returning Reported The King approves them That he had acquainted the King with the Instructions to be given to the Commissioners of both Houses who are to Treat with the Scots Commissioners and that the King after he had read them approved of them and said He would send by His Secretary to the Lord Keeper with Directions that they may be annexed to the Commission After which it was Ordered Committee for Scandalous Pamphlets revived That the Committee appointed to consider of the Printing of unlawful Books and Pamphlets shall meet on Monday next at Eleven of the Clock and that the Lord Privy Seal Lord Wharton and Lord Bruce be added to the said Committee for Printing It was this day Ordered That James Watts License to several Persons to raise Recruits for the English Captains in the Dutch Service Ensign unto the Company of Captain Francis Gregory shall have Power by Virtue of this Order to Entertain and Transport into the Low Countries for the Service of the States of Holland the number of 300 Men by way of Recruits according to former Liberty granted by His Majesty for the supplying of the said
enter into the hearts of this Wise and Honorable Assembly We will not presume to dispute the Right of Episcopacy whether it be Divine or not it sufficeth us to know That the Church Government by Bishops is ancient even near to the Apostles Days and that it hath pleased God from time to time to make them most Glorious Instruments for the Propagation and Preservation of Christian Religion which with their Blood they have frequently sealed to Posterity And how much this Kingdom in particular is indebted to them for their Piety their Wisdoms and Sufferings we trust shall never be forgotten Our Hearts desire therefore is That the Precious may be separated from the Vile that the Bad may be rejected and the Good retained Furthermore having heard that our Common Prayer hath been interrupted and despised of some mis-understanding or mis-led People to the Great Scandal of the Religion professed in our Church We humbly beseech you to take into your Care the Redress thereof as of an Impiety not to be endured as also to take Order for the severe punishment of those Men if they may be discovered who frequently publish Pamphlets under a Veil of Religion yet conducing to Confusion and Rebellion All which we humbly offer to your Wisdoms as the thoughts and desires of this County and as we are persuaded of multitudes of sound Members of the Church of England and his Sacred Majesties most Loyal Subjects Beseeching God to direct and prosper your Counsels and ye to pardon our Errors we rest At your Commands Knights Esquires Divines Gentlemen Free-holders Inhabitants of the County of Somerset none of them Papists but all Protestants of the Church of England and his Majesties Loyal Subjects 14350. Whereof Knights Esquires and Gentlemen 200 Divines 221 Jo. BrowneCler Parliament After which the Huntingtonshire Petition to the same Effect which had been tendred to the House upon Wednesday the 8th of December but then laid aside was also read This being done the High Constable The High Constable and Sheriff questioned concerning the Guards who was sent for to attend the House was brought in and asked by what Authority he gave Order for the Watchmen to Guard this House Who answered That he received Order from the Justices of the Peace Then the Under-Sheriff of Middlesex was called in and demanded by what Warrant the Watch-men are here he said he had received a Warrant from the Justices of Peace of Middlesex which they sent forth by virtue of the Kings Writ directed to them for preventing of Riots Routs and unlawful Assemblies according to the Statute of 2 H. 5. Whereupon the House appointed the Lord Chamberlain Lord Wharton Lord Brook and Lord Roberts to go into Westminster-Hall and other places near this House to see what Company there is whether any unlawful Assemblies or Routs there and these Lords Reported That there was no Face of any Routs or Assemblies nor any greater Number of People then Vsually Whereupon the House discharged the Guards in the King's Name And in regard it appeared that it was the precipitation of the Justices that Caused these Men to come by virtue of their Warrants It was Ordered That those Justices of the Peace for Middlesex and Westminster that subscribed the Warrant be sent for to attend the House to morrow to give a Reason why they sent forth those Warrants and what induced them to believe That there would be a Tumult this day in Westminster This day Inigo Jones Esq appeared before the Lords according to an Order of their Lordships to hear the Declaration read which was brought up against him from the House of Commons which was read in his presence in haec verba The Declaration of the Commons upon the Complaint and in thebehalf of the Parishioners of St. Gregories London against Inigo Jones Esquire THE Parish Church of St. Gregories The Declaration of the Commons against Inigo Jones concerning St. Gregories Church by St. Pauls adjoyning to the Cathedral Church of St. Paul's in London aforesaid is and from the time whereof the Memory of Man is not to the contrary hath been the Parish Church for the Inhabitants of that Parish lately computed to be 3000 persons for the administration of Divine Service and Sacraments The said Inigo Jones being Surveyor of His Majesties Works and particularly those to be designed for the re-edifying of the said Church of St. Pauls would not undertake the Work unless he might be as he termed it the Sole Monarch or might have the Principality thereof conceiving that the Work would not well be done without pulling down the said Church of St. Gregories presented a Plott to his Majesty accordingly The said Inigo Jones having presented the said Plott his Majesty hereupon signified his Pleasure and in pursuance thereof several Orders also were made at the Council-Board That the said Church should be taken down by the Parishioners for the more convenient Repairing of the Cathedral Church of St. Pauls which the Parishioners refusing to obey as was lawful for them to do the said Inigo Jones in Execution of the Plot and Design by him presented as aforesaid and of his Majesties signification and the Orders at the Council-Board thereupon had in or about March 1639 did pull down and caused to be pulled down part of the said Church and did also threaten That if the Parishioners would not take down the rest of it then the Galleries should be sawed down and with Skrews the Materials of the said Church should be thrown down into the Street And the said Inigo Jones did further threaten the Parishioners That if they did not take down the said Church they should be laid by the Heels Whereby the Parishioners being thus affrighted and to save the Materials which not long before had cost them 1500 l. were inforced to take down some part of the said Church insomuch as it thereby was made altogether useless and the said Parishoners to that great number have been wholly destitute of any Place within their own Parish for the Publick exercising of Religion The Damages the Parishioners have hereby sustained is very great and the Charge of Re-edifying the said Church and restoring it to as good plight as it was in before it was so wrongfully taken down will amount at the least to 3000 l. all which the said Parishioners are ready to prove and Maintain For Remedy therefore and Redress herein and chiefly to the end that the said Church of St. Gregories may be fully repaired and restored to the Plight and Condition wherein it formerly was by and at the Charge of him and them by whose undue Means it was in part taken down or caused to be taken down as aforesaid It is desired That such Proceedings may be used and had against the Offenders herein as to Right and Justice doth appertain This being read the said Inigo Jones desired That he might have some time to answer by his Councel Whereupon It was Ordered That he
have a Copy of the Declaration against him and shall put in his Answer thereunto on Tuesday come seven Night The Commons were also in an extraordinary heat about the Halberdeers who were set to prevent Tumults and Riots Routs and unlawful Assemblies which now frequently resorted to Westminster to cry out against the Bishops and their Votes in Parliament some of the Halberdeers were called to the Bar and Examined and they giving the same Account as was before given to the Lords the Bailiff of Westminster the Constable of St. Clement Danes and the Under-Sheriff of Middlesex were ordered to be sent for to give an Account of the Reason of placing those Guards about the Parliament House And thereupon it was Voted Resolved c. That the setting of any Guards about this House Vote of the Commons concerning the Guard of Halberdeers set about the Parliament House without the Consent of the House is a breach of the Privilege of this House and that therefore such Guards ought to be dismissed And thereupon the Serjeant at Armes attending the House was appointed to Command them to depart which was done accordingly The House then sell into Debate concerning the treating with the Scottish Commissioners concerning raising Men for the relief of Ireland and upon the Question it was Resolved c. That this House doth Approve and Consent that his Majesties Commissioners named by the House and appointed to treat with the Scotch Commissioners shall treat with them for the raising of 10000 Scots for the Occasions of Ireland Sir Walter Earl then gave Information to the House of some dangerous Words spoken by several Persons but did not Name them whereupon it was Ordered That Mr. Speaker should issue out a Warrant to apprehend such Persons as Sir Walter Earl shall nominate to him for speaking Words of a dangerous Consequence This was one of the common Arts which they used to restrain those who were able from informing the People of the dangerous Consequences of their own Proceedings and Liberty of Speech seemed now to be wholly confined within the Walls of St. Stephen's Chappel or if any of that common Privilege of Mankind was indulged it was only to the Favourites of the Faction the Sectaries and Schismaticks who they were assured would be very serviceable to them in imploying that Liberty to traduce and Calumniate the King the Bishops the Government of the Church and whatever was either Orthodox or Loyal but for others if they once dared to Intrench upon the Privilege of the Pretended Sects or to correct those Liberties they took to defame the King and his Ministers the Church and her Governors or to arraign any of the violent Proceedings of the Faction these Religious Spies and Setters immediately gave Informations against them to some of the Members of the Commons and these Men had a certain devise to punish Men who had transgressed no known Law for Crimes which would not bear an Indictment or the Test of a Jury of their Peers by bringing them under the Rod of the Commons House for Words of dangerous Consequence for which constructive Offences their Persons were imprisoned and their Purses fleeced by the Serjeant and his Officers as if they had been the most notorious Malefactors Such precious beginnings had this Dawning of the glorious Day which they promised the People should be nothing but one continued Sun-shine of Liberty and Property without the least Cloud of Arbitrary or Exorbitant Government But as a great Man said upon another Occasion in this present Parliament Misera est servitus ubi jus est vagum et incertum Where known Law ends there Slavery begins And where our Law knows not how to lay an Indictment it must certainly be something Arbitrary that inflicts a Punishment But this was the Case of Loyalty Men were not only made Offenders for a Word but for such Words as were justifiable by the Laws of God and Man His Majesty whose Zeal for the Church was as Eminent as his Piety and Devotion were singular and most extraordinary observing what an Inundation of Schisme and Errors were flowing in upon the Church the Pretence of Reformation letting loose all the Schismaticks who pretended to be the great Reformers issued out a most Excellent Proclamation to prevent that Disorder Division and Separation which he too Prophetically foresaw would indanger the Subversion of the very Essence and Substance of Religion The Proclamation was as follows A Proclamation for Obedience to the Laws Ordained for Establishing of the True Religion in this Kingdom of England HIs Majesty considering that it is a Duty most beseeming A Proclamation for Obedience to the Laws for Establishing the true Religion in England Dec. 11. 1641. and that most obligeth Soveraign Authority in a Christian King to be careful above all other Things of preserving and advancing the Honor and Service of Almighty God and the peace and tranquility of the Church to which end His Majesty with his Parliament hath it under Consideration how all just Scruples might be removed And being in the mean time sensible that the present Division Separation and Disorder about the Worship and Service of God as it is Established by the Laws and Statutes of this Kingdom in the Church of England tendeth to great Distraction and Confusion and may endanger the Subversion of the very Essence and Substance of true Religion hath resolved for the preservation of Vnity and Peace which is most necessary at this time for the Church of England to require Obedience to the Laws and Statutes Ordained for establishing of the True Religion in this Kingdom whereby the Honor of God may be advanced to the great Comfort and Happiness both of His Majesty and his good Subjects His Majesty doth therefore Charge and Command That Divine Service be performed in this His Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales as is appointed by the Laws and Statutes Estadlished in this Realm and that Obedience be given by all His Subjects Ecclesiastical and Temporal to the said Laws and Statutes concerning the same And that all Iudges Officers and Ministers Ecclesiastical and Temporal according to Iustice and their respective Duties do put the said Acts of Parliament in due Execution against all willfull Contemners and Disturbers of Divine Service contrary to the said Laws and Statutes His Majesty doth further Command That no Parsons Vicars or Curates in their several Parishes shall presume to introduce any Rite or Ceremonies other then those which are Established by the Laws and Statutes of the Land Given at His Majesties Palace of White-Hall the tenth Day of December in the Seventeenth Year of His Majesties Reign God save the KING But the Root of the Schism lay too deep to be Cured by a Proclamation and the Separatists knew where to take Sanctuary not only for their Disobedience to the Laws made in favor of the Church but of the Crown too or otherwise they would not in such riotous and Tumultuous Manner
Sollicitors to promote mischief that ever the Sun saw and used the utmost diligence to set such Petitions on foot and by all the Arts imaginable but more particularly by threatening the Timerous with the Parliaments displeasure so procure hands to such Petitions which were to be presented to the Houses as the Sense of the Nation by which way of procedure they endeavoured to put a fair Countenance upon their Actions as being the Results of the Desires of the People when as in reality they were their own Contrivances and those Petitions were most of them framed by a Juncto of the Faction at London and then by their Agents sent down and set afoot in the Country It was also Ordered That Sir Robert Cooke do repair to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and to desire him for the Expediting of the Service of that Kingdom to issue forth Commissions for the Raising of two Regiments in Ulster and also to hasten all other Commissions for the Raising of Men for that Kingdom and to acquaint him with the Two Orders for the Impressing of 3000 l. for the Raising Conducting and Transporting 2 Regiments of 1500 Men and to the Master of the Ordnance to deliver unto him such quantities of Powder as shall be thought necessary for the present Expedition to be sent into Munster in Ireland The Arch-Bishop of York Reports Friday Decemb. 17. That the Committee of this House met with the Select Committee of the House of Commons and waited on the King at White-Hall and delivered unto his Majesty the Petition and Remonstrance of both Houses touching the Priviledge of Parliament and his Majesty returns this Answer That he will send an Answer in convenient time in Writing The House of Lords then fell into debate about several Amendments to the Declaration to be offered to the King not to Tolerate the Popish Religion in Ireland or any other of His Majesties Dominions and it being moved That a Clause might be added That no Religion might be Tolerated but what is Established by the Laws of this Kingdom The Lords of the Faction being aware of the Consequence and being as much resolved to destroy the Religion by Law Established as the Papists could be for the hearts of them therefore stoutly opposed it and after a long Debate It was Ordered That this House approves of and confirms the Report with the Amendments and Alterations and that the Clause against Tolleration of Popish Religion shall go singly as it is and that the Amendments and Alterations be communicated to the House of Commons And it was further Ordered That the Earl of Bristol do draw a Declaration to this Effect That no Religion shall be Tolerated in his Majesties Dominions of England and Ireland but what is or shall be Established by the Laws of this Kingdom and present the same to the Committee for Religion who are to meet on Tuesday next at such time and Place as the House shall appoint on Monday A Message was brought from the House of Commons by Sir Arthur Hazlerigg The Fast for Ireland to let their Lordship know That the Commons do fully agree to the three Days appointed for the Fast The Days were Wednesday next for both Houses of Parliament and London Thursday next for the City of Westminster and Thursday come Month for the whole Kingdom Then the House appointed the Lord Arch-Bishop of York to Preach the Fast Sermon in the Abby before the Lords in the Morning and the Lord Primate of Armagh to Preach in the Afternoon and Tuesday was appointed to be the day for gathering the Collection of the Lords towards the Relief of the poor distressed English who had been stripped and despoiled by the Rebels The Commons fell upon the Revived Affair of the Plot of the Army Mr. Daniel O Neal and Mr. Jermyn and Mr. Percy to be Impeached of High Treason and first the Impeachment of the Commons House of Parliament against Daniel O Neal Esq for High Treason was this Day read and Re-Committed to the same Committee to prepare it in such a way as that all the Evidence may be brought in Then it was Resolved c. That Mr. Jermyn Mr. Percy and Sir John Suckling shall be Accused by this House for the present and Impeached of High Treason The Question was propounded Whether Sir John Berkley shall be bailed upon the tender of such Bail as this House shall allow of and then the Question was put Whether this Question should be now put the House was divided the Yeas went forth with the Yeas 104 with the No. 98 so it passed in the Affirmative then the Question was put Whether Sir John Berkley should be bailed the House was divided again and the Yeas went out with the Yeas 122 with the No 84. Sir John Berkley ordered to be Bailed Whereupon it was Ordered That Sir John Berkely should be bailed A Petition from the County of Surrey was read and such Gentlemen as did attend were called in and did avow it and Mr. Speaker told them That this House did accept it in good Part and did not doubt of the Truth of it that they might get more Hands as is alledged in the Petition they are satisfied with those already gotten and for the procuring of more the House referred it to their Judgment Mr. Pym's report of the delivery of the Petition to his Majesty Mr. Pym Reported That the Committee who attended his Majesty had a suddain admittance and a gracious acceptance that the Lord Arch-bishop of York read the Petition and his Majesty said That as it had taken some time to prepare so he would take some time to answer it and that lest there might be some Mistakes in Words he would give his Aswer in Writing Then the House fell upon the Business of Ireland Votes concerning Ireland and it was Resolved c. That the Pay to the Officers of the new Levies shall continue for six Months according to the proportions formerly resolved upon if the Wars shall so long continue Resolved c. That the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland shall be directed to pay 562 l. 17. s. 4 d. according to the Rate agreed upon being a Months Pay for the Officers of his own Regiment Resolved That the Lord Dungaruan 's Troop shall have a Months Pay according to the Rate agreed upon Resolved c. That 114 l. 16 s. o. being a Months Pay shall be paid to the Officers of the four hundred Fire-locks consisting of two Companies Resolved c. That 800 l. shall be imprested for the Raising Conducting and Transporting into Ireland the said 400 Fire-locks and keeping them there till the first Muster Resolved c. That the Sum of 214 l. 13 s. 4 d. shall be paid to the Officers of the 500 Men in five Companies which are to go to Knockfergus for a Months Pay Resolved c. That the Sum of 1000 l. shall be paid for the Levying Conducting and Transporting
but by Authority of Parliament and that a free Synod of this Nation * * That is from the Law which appoints it and gives the Members equal Privilege and Protection with the Members of the H. of Commons differing in the whole Constitution from the present Convocations of the Clergy now in Vse among us might be as the Petitioners apprehend of great Vse for that purpose and that not only this but all other your great Consultations might be much furthered by a more earnest and assiduous seeking of God by the joint and publick Fasting and Prayers of the whole Kingdom in these sad times so full of distractions and Hellish Conspiracies at home and bloody Cruelties of those Popish Rebels against our own Flesh and our Bones in Ireland The Petitioners humbly pray That you would vouchsafe to lay hold upon the first opportunity that your important Affairs will permit of reassuming into your further consideration their former Petition and to proceed thereupon as you shall find cause either by committing the same to the Debate and Disquisition of a free Synod or otherwise and in the mean time to become Mediators to His Gracious Majesty who could not take notice of their former Petition to this Honourable House for some relaxation in matters of Ceremonies and of reading of the whole Liturgy which as the Petitioners verily believe and hope to prove have been of late times urged further then ever the Law intended And a free Synod of Grave Learned and Judicious Divines of this Kingdom the Dominion of Wales and the Islands adjacent may be by the Authority of Parliament Indicted for the more through and fruitful Debate of the Premisses to expedite a full Reformation by the High Court of Parliament for the setling of a Godly and Religious Order and Government in this Church as your Wisdom shall find convenient And that a publick Fast may be Commanded and Religiously observed throughout the Kingdom once in every Month during your sitting in Parliament for the more effectual procuring of Gods protection of your Persons and of his blessing upon your proceedings and till the miseries of our Brethren in Ireland be happily put to an end And the Petitioners shall be ready further to attend the pleasure of this House with their Reasons of their present Suit for a free Synod of this Nation and of a new Constitution thereof differing from those now in Being when they shall be required and to pray without ceasing c. Were I to give Instructions to draw the Exact Pourtraicture of a Non-Conforming-Conforming Church Hypocrite with Peace in one hand and Fire and Sword in the other with a Conscience like a Cockle-shell that can shut so close when he is under the fear of the Law or losing his Living that you cannot Croud the smallest Scruple into it but when a tide of liberty wets him can lay himself open and display all his resentments against that Government in the Church to whose Laws he had sworn obedience and by that horrid sin of Perjury must confess himself a Villain of no manner of Conscience to Swear without due Consideration and to break his Oath without a lawful Determination that it was unlawful I would recommend this Petition as a rare Original to Copy after I cannot tell how it will relish with the Readers Palate but I must profess my self so tyred with this miserable Crambe that I am under the irresistable temptation of refreshing my self with laying aside for one moment the Gravity of an Historian and Burlesquing the intolerable Flatteries of this Petition and these Hypocritical Petitioners by making them speak Truth for in their Courtship to the Faction for whose Goust this delicate Petition was Cook't and Spiced when they recount their wonderful Atchievments in the Work of Reformation there is still I find a Supplement of some material Truth in matter of plain Fact wanting which I will make bold to add They acknowledge the Pains and Piety of the Faction manfested in many things of high concernment for the Glory of God by affronting his Solemn-publick Established Worship the Honor of the King by indeavouring to degrade him and divert him of the Beams of Majesty his Royal Prerogative the purging of the Church by purging it quite out of the Kingdom they commend their Zeal and Courage for the true Religion against all Popish Idolatry and Superstitious Innovations manifested by letting in a whole Flood of Errors Heresies Sects and Schisms at the Breach of the Banks of the Church-Government by tender Conscience in encouraging Preaching of Sedition and Disobedience to Laws Government and Governors and justling out all Praying out of the Church except the Wild Extravagant Dangerous Libelling Extempory Enthusiasms of bold and presumptuous Men who called their own acquired Art of Impudent Non-sence a gift of the Spirit as doubtless it was of that Spirit which rules in the Children of Disobedience in encouraging painful godly Ministers formerly set aside and justly for Preaching Sedition Schism and Faction for good Divinity in discountenancing bold and unmeet Men that darst Preach the Doctrine of rendring to Caesar the things of Caesar and to God the things of God that without sufficient calling presumptuously intruded into that Holy Office by only gently reproving them for the present and afterwards permitting Tagg and Ragg Godly Coblers and Gifted Tinkers Zealous Taylors and the most sordid illiterate Mechanicks to invade the Pulpit to vilifie the Petitioners with the Title of Hirelings dumb Dogs Baal 's Priests c. by Adonibezeck 's Law without Controul or Animadversion from the Honorable Faction for taking away the Tyranny of the High-Commission and Ecclesiastical Courts and setting Mens Tongues at liberty to Rail without Reason to Quarrel with their Superiors without Cause to affront them with impunity and in conclusion to Murther them Religiously and in the Fear of the Lord for their worthy Orders for removing illegal Rites and Ceremonies Superstitious and Scandalous Pictures and other Innovations and setting up in their stead the Bell and Dragon of these Mens Inventions and for bringing in the greatest Innovations a Church without a Bishop a Religion without Divine Service a Minister without Lawful Ordination a Christian without Baptism a Sacrament without Consecration and at last a Heaven without Repentance of any or all these horrid Sins and Incapacities For their Care to suppress the Irish Rebellion and Butcheries of the bloody Papists by imploying the Men and Money raised for that Service to butcher the Loyal Protestants in England who held the Popish and Malignant Doctrine that they ought to Fear God and Honor the King and die at the Feet of their Sacred Sovereign in defence of his Person Crown and Dignity against these Religious Rebels But Manum de Tabulâ I will not Tire my self and the Reader with Epitomizing their Villanies which are able to fill Volumes and with which he will find these stow'd Tuesday Decemb. 21. Message from the
Soams Alderman Pennington and Mr. Venn do repair to the Common-Council of the City of London when they are sitting and to acquaint them with the Information this House received what Practices have been used to the Inns of Court and those other Informations of the like Nature that have been given to this House of the Preparations of Armed Men about White-Hall and those other Preparations at the Tower And to inform them in what danger the Parliament the Kingdom and the City is in It was also Ordered That Mr. Whittaker Sir Robert Pye and Mr. Pury do presently repair to the House of the Marquess de Neuf-ville and see if his House be furnished with Warlike Ammunition as the House is informed Memorandum Mr. Hollis Mr. Pym Sir Arthur Haslerigg Mr. The 5 Members appearance Entred in the Journal Hampden and Mr. Strode appeared to day according to the Injunction of the House And I find among the Prints of that time a Speech of Mr. Hampden's upon the occasion of his Impeachment which confirms this Memorandum which was as followeth Mr. Speaker IT is a true Saying of the Wise Man That all things happen alike to all Men Mr. Hampden's Speech in Vindication of himself against his Impeachment Jan. 4. 1641. as well to the good Man as to the bad There is no state or condition whatsoever either of Prosperity or Adversity but all sorts of Men are sharers in the same no man can be discerned truly by the outward appearance whether he be a good Subject either to his God his Prince or his Country until he be tryed by the Touchstone of Loyalty Give me leave I beseech you to parallel the Lives of either sort that we may in some measure discern Truth from Falshood and in speaking I shall similize their Lives 1. In Religion towards God 2. In Loyalty and due Subjection to their Soveraign in their Affection towards the Safety of their Country 1. Concerning Religion the best means to discern between the True and False Religion is by searching the Sacred Writings of the Old and New Testament which is of it self pure indited by the Spirit of God and written by Holy Men unspotted in their Lives and Conversations and by this Sacred Word may we prove whether our Religion be of God or no and by looking in this Glass we may discern whether we are in the Right Way or no. And looking into the same I find that by this Truth of God that there is but one God one Christ one Faith one Religion which is the Gospel of Christ and the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles In these two Testaments is contained all things necessary to Salvation if that our Religion doth hang upon this Doctrine and no other secondary Means then it is true to which comes nearest the Protestant Religion which we profess as I really and verily believe and consequently that Religion which joyneth with this Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles the Traditions and Inventions of Men Prayers to the Virgin Mary Angels Saints that are Used in the Exercise of their Religion strange and Superstitious Worshipping cringing bowing creeping to the Altar using Pictures Dirges and such like cannot be true but Erroneous nay devillish and all this is used and maintained in the Church of Rome as necessary as the Scripture to Salvation therefore is a false and Erroneous Church both in Doctrine and Discipline and all other Sects and Schisms that leans not only on the Scripture though never so contrary to the Church of Rome is a false worshipping of God and not the true Religion And thus much concerning Religion to discern the truth and falshood thereof 2 I come now Mr. Speaker to the second thing intimated unto you which was how to discern in a state between good Subjects and bad by their Loyalty and due Subjection to their Lawful Sovereign in which I shall under favour observe two things 1. Lawful Subjection to a King in his own Person and the Commands Edicts and Proclamations of the Prince and his Privy Council 2. Lawful Obedience to the Laws Statutes and Ordinances made Enacted by the King and the Lords with the Free Consent of his Great Council of State assembled in Parliament For the First To deny a willing and dutiful Obedience to a Lawful Soveraign and his Privy Council for as Cambden truly saith The Commands of the Lords Privy Councellors and the Edicts of the Prince is all one for they are inseparable the one never without the other either to defend his Royal Person and Kingdoms against the Enemies of the same either publique or private or to defend the Antient Priviledges and Prerogatives of the King pertaining and belonging of Right to his Royal Crown and the maintenance of his Honor and Dignity or to defend and maintain true Religion Established in the Land according to the truth of God is one sign of an Evil and Bad Subject Secondly To yield Obedience to the Commands of a King if against the true Religion against the Ancient and Fundamental Laws of the Land is another sign of an ill Subject Thirdly To resist the Lawful Power of the King to raise Insurrection against the King admit him adverse in his Religion to Conspire against his Sacred Person or any wayes to Rebel thô Commanding things against our Consciences in Exercising Religion or against the Rights and Priviledges of the Subject is an absolute sign of a Disaffected and Trayterous Subject And now having given the Signs of discerning Evil and Disloyal Subjects I shall only give you in a word or two the Signs of discerning which are Loyal and Good Subjects only by turning these Three Signs already shewed on the contrary side 1. He that willingly and chearfully endeavoureth himself to obey his Soveraign's Commands for the Defence of his own Person and Kingdoms for the Defence of True Religion for the Defence of the Laws of his Country is a Loyal and good Subject 2. To deny Obedience to a King commanding any thing against Gods true Worship and Religion against the Ancient and Fundamental Laws of the Land in endeavouring to perform the same is a good Subject 3. Not to resist the Lawful and Royal Power of the King to raise Sedition or Insurrection against his Person or to set Division between the King and his good Subjects by Rebellion although commanding things against Conscience in the Exercise of Religion or against the Rights and Priviledges of the Subject but patiently for the same to undergo his Prince's Displeasure whether it be to his Imprisonment Confiscation of Goods Banishment or any other Punishment whatsoever without Murmuring Grudging or Reviling against his Soveraign or his Proceedings but submitting willingly and chearfully himself and his Cause to Almighty God is the only sign of an Obedient and Loyal Subject I come now to the Second Means to know the difference between a good Subject and a bad by their Obedience to the Laws Statutes and Ordinances made
Arrest or Trouble any of them for so doing he doth thereby break the Priviledges of Parliament violate the Liberty of the Subject and is hereby declared an Enemy of the Common-wealth Which Vote was carried up to the Lords by Sir Philip Stapleton for their Concurrence to it which they not only readily gave but also their thanks to the Citizens as this rude Multitude out of the Suburbs and adjacent Countries had the honour to be stiled for the acceptable Service of this day Sergeant Major General Skippon and the other Captains of the City of London were also called in to whom Mr. Speaker declared as followeth Thanks given to Skippon and the Captains That this House did take special notice of the great Care and Affection expressed by them both in the safeguard of the Committee while they sate in London and for the performance of that great Service of theirs this day to the House and Common-wealth for which he was Commanded by the House to give them thanks and further to acquaint them that for their better satisfaction that the House had Voted that the actions of themselves and other the Citizens of London in preserving the Priviledges of Parliament and the Members thereof were done according to the Law and their Duty and Protestation It is one of the most Elegant Expressions of the Royal and Divine Poet when he couples so significantly the Raging of the Sea with the Madness of the People and certainly never was there raised a more violent Storm then this which was blown up by the Tempestuous Breath of the Faction and such was the Ambition of the Populacy to signalize themselves upon this occasion that they looked upon it and lamented it as a misfortune not to have the principal part in the Actions of this days Tumultuous Solemnity as appears by the following Petition which as a favour to their good intentions was by Vote of the House entred upon the Commons Journal in these Terms To the Honourable the House of Commons in Parliament Assembled The Humble Petition of the Trained Bands and other Inhabitants of the City of Westminster Sheweth THat your Petitioners to their great and unexpressible Grief Westminster Trained Bands Petition lying under many heavy Pressures and Distractions but especially for that there have been some Doubts and Jealousies raised of your Petitioners Duty and Affections to this Honourable House your Petitioners though the last yet not the least either in Love or Obedience have thought fit hereby humbly to desire your protection in these great Dangers and to assure this Honourable House that as there are none who do more affectionately Love so there shall not be any who shall more readily Obey and Observe the Commands of the same nor more willingly expose both their Persons and Estates for defence of the Rights and Priviledges of Parliament wherein your Petitioners humbly conceive do consist the Security of Reigion the Safety of His Majesties Royal Person and the due Execution of the Laws In real Testimony whereof your Petitioners humbly offer their Service to this Honourable House when it shall please them to Command it And humbly pray almighty God to Crown your unwearyed endeavours with happy and good success A Petition was also delivered in the Name of the Inhabitants of the County of Bucks by divers Gentlemen at the Bar which was also by the Vote of the House Ordered to be Entred as followeth To the Honourable the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the House of Commons now Assembled in Parliament The Humble Petition of the Inhabitants of the County of Bucks Sheweth THat whereas for many Years past we have been under very great pressures Bucks Petition Jan. 11. 1641. which are clearly set forth in the late Remonstrance of the House of Commons the Redress whereof which hath for a long time been by you indeavoured with unwearied Pains though not with answerable Success having still your Indeavors frustated or retarded and we deprived of the Fruit thereof by a Malignant Faction of Popish Lords Bishops and others And now of late to take from us all that little hope was left of a future Reformation the very being of the Parliament shaken and by the mischievous Practises of most wicked Counsellors the Priviledges thereof broken in an unexampled manner and the Members thereof unassured of their Lives in whose safety the safety of us and our Posterity is involved we held it our Duties according to our late Protestation to defend and maintain the same Persons and Priviledges to the uttermost expence of our Lives and Estates to which purpose we are now come to make the humble tender of our Service and remain in Expectation of your Commands and Orders to the Execution whereof we shall with all alacrity Address our selves ready to live by you or Die at your Feet * * The King not excepted against whomsoever shall in any sort illegally Attempt upon you May it therefore please this Honourable Assembly to assist the Ardent Prayer of your Petitioners that the Popish Lords and Bishops may be forthwith outed the House of Peers That all Privileges of Parliament yours and our Posterities Inheritance may be confirmed to you And that all evil Counsellors the Achans of the Common-Wealth may be given up to the Hand of Justice without all which your Petitioners have not the least hopes of the Kingdoms Peace or to reap those glorious Advantages which the 14 Months Seed time of your unparalell'd indeavors hath given to their unsatisfied Expectations So your Petitioners shall be bound to pray c. The Petitioners being called in Thanks to the Bucks Petitioners Mr. Speaker acquainted them That this House had read their Petition and finds in it an Expression of great Affection for the maintenance of the Priviledges of Parliament with their Lives and Fortunes and that the House hath commanded him to return this Assurance from them That they shall also spend their Lives and Fortunes in maintenance of Religion the Priviledges and Liberties of the Subjects of those Counties Cities and Burroughs for which they serve ond for the Petition it self they will take it speedily into Consideration Then they desired leave to speak a Word more which being granted they said They had a Petition to deliver to his Majesty which they humbly desired this House to present for them or to direct them the best way and manner how to present it Which Petition being received and read and they called in again Mr. Speaker said that the House had commanded him to acquaint them That their Demeanor and Carriage hath been so fair in this Business and their Judgment and Discretion are such as this House makes no doubt but they know how to present it to his Majesty If 10 or 12 go with it it is conceived it will be most convenient The galloping Bill to enable the two Houses to adjourn themselves was thrice read and then posted up to the Lords where it
means to prevent this great and threat'ning danger to his Majesties Royal Person and to our Religion Lives Liberties and Fortunes have thought good to give a timely Advertisement thereof to all his Majesties Subjects of the Reformed Protestant Religion declaring hereby That they hold it necessary and adviseable that with all Expeditithey put themselves into a good posture of Defence to provide fit Arms and Ammunition and be ready upon all occasions to defend the several Counties from Domestick Insurrections and Foreign Invasions and that the Sheriffs Justices of Peace Majors and Head-Officers within their several Limits do take Care that their Magazines of Powder Arms and other Ammunition be compleatly furnished and that they cause strong Guards and Watches to be set in convenient places for the Securing themselves and for the apprehending of such Persons who they shall have just cause to suspect and if upon Examination any grounds of danger shall appear to give notice thereof unto the Parliament and that all Officers take special care that no Soldiers Arms or Ammunition be raised or levyed nor any Castles Forts or Magazines delivered up without his Majesties Authority signified by both Houses of Parliament This hopeful Declaration had the misfortune to become only an Abortive for when it came up to the House of Lords how prevalent soever the Faction was there yet they were ashamed to own that for a Child of Parliamentary Authority which carried so many notorious Falshoods and Calumnies most easie to be detected in the Front of it and yet this thing which was to be imposed upon the Nation for so great a Truth was compiled out of 3 or 4 Parcels of the same kind of Stuff but much Coarser which were drawn up by the Committees at Guild-Hall and Grocers-Hall and out of which the Committee for this Declaration were by the appointment of the House Ordered to frame it and they accordingly licked those Monstrous and Deformed Cubbs into this Bear which begins with the Papists but flies directly at the Throat of his Sacred Majesty the best Protestant in all his Dominions And this was one of the greatest Artifices of the Faction to Sail with this Side-wind as if they intended to fall furiously upon the Papists but then to make a sudden Tack and pour in all their Broad-sides of Calumnies Plots and Conspiracies upon the King himself and the Loyal and Orthodox Protestants whom under the Notion of Malignants Popishly-affected and Adherents to the Papists they still drew into the Designs which they said were laid against the Parliament Kingdom and the King himself against whom the Bolt of their Thunder was always directly levell'd though the Noise and Crack sounded nothing but Papist There are two or three Passages very remarkable that I cannot but turn them upon themselves For when they charge these Plotters and Papists that they had a Design To make a Division of the Body of this Common-wealth from the Head thereof they themselves it seems were in that Design afterwards putting that horrid Plot in Execution by cutting off not only in a Political but Literal Sense that Illustrious Head of their Sovereign both from his own and the Body of the Common-wealth And whereas afterwards they Charge this Malignant Party with a Design by intestine Wars here amongst our selves to wast the Wealth and Substance and Totally to Annihilate the True Protestant Religion and the whole frame of Government in all his Majesties Dominions There certainly never was in so few words so true a Character of their own subequent Actions and had they sitten for their Picture in Miniature to the fam'd Appelles who used to boast of his Art that he painted for Eternity it had been impossible for him to draw them more exactly to the life with his Pencil then in these words they have drawn themselves with their own Ink the blackness of which though intended for the King and the Loyal Party will with an Ex ore tuo stick to their Memories so long as there remain any Records of time and Posterity will easily discern who were the Plotters to Subvert the Government not by the Charge but the Execution and may from hence draw this serviceable Aphorism That no Persons are more likely to design against a Government or to bring the People into Slavery then such Subjects as Arraign their Sovereign with Designs of Erecting Arbitrary Power and introducing Popery Which were the two main Engines by which this Rebellious Faction undermined and overthrew the best Church and Government in the Christian World and rendred the Freest People of Europe the most Abject Slaves in Christendom to the Arbitrary Usurpations of their fellow Subjects and Servants in every thing that Men esteem valuable whether Life Liberty Fortune or Religion But whether the Lords would consent or not the materials out of which this Declaration was drawn being the results of several Debates of the Committee at Guild-Hall and Grocers-Hall got immediately into the Press and from that Mint of mischief flew like Lightning through the Nation to the intolerable Scandal of his Majesty And yet the very chief Aggravation of this Action of his Majesties of the Insolence of the Soldiers is by one of the News-writers of the Party and Times before mentioned taken off from the King and his Retinue Who he saith demeaned themselves Civilly though this Declaration takes no notice of that And in truth who considers how ill the Parliament had treated the Soldiers both during their being in Arms and after the Disbanding will not think it strange for such a sort of Men who have Mars predominant should be apt to vent their private Resentments against those Persons whom the King had Impeached of Treason and to whom they owed all their Sufferings But to put this to the King's Score was a Barbarous injustice which none but such Men as had shaken hands with all Respect as well as Loyalty to the King could be guilty of But see the Paper it self A Declaration of the House of Commons The Debates at Guild-hall and Grocers-hall Drawn into a Declaration concerning Breach of Priviledge c. Mr. Glyn Reports from Guild-hall Jan. 6th 1641. Touching a late Breach of their Priviledges And for the Vindication thereof and of divers Members of the said House WHereas the Chambers Studies and Trunks of Mr. Denzill Hollis Sir Arthur Haslerig Mr John Pym Master John Hampden and Mr. William Strode Esquires Members of the House of Commons upon Munday the third of this instant January by colour of His Majesties Warrant have been sealed up by Sir William Killigrew and Sir William Flemen and others which is not only against the Priviledge of Parliament but the common liberty of every Subject Which said Members afterwards the same day were under the like colour by Serjeant Francis one of His Majesties Serjeants at Arms contrary to all former Presidents demanded of the Speaker sitting in the House of Commons to be delivered unto him that
Faithful endeavours may be any way useful we shall be most ready at all occasions to contribute the same 15th of Jan. 1641. Ja. Primrose The very same Paper Verbatim was 〈◊〉 their request presented to the Lords by the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland After the reading of this Paper Sir Philip Stapleton Mr. Long and Mr. Arthur Goodwin were Ordered to return thanks from the House of Commons to the Scotch Commissioners for their good Affections Exprest to this State and Parliament and likewise to desire to know of them what it is that they have sent unto his Majesty by way of Advice To which Sir Philip Stapelton brought this answer That most of the Commissioners were gone from the place of Meeting not expecting any Message from this House besides they have not as yet sent the Paper to the King by reason they could not get Post-Horses and till such time as his Majesty hath first received the same they conceive it not so fit it should be made known But upon Monday morning they make no doubt to give this House full satisfaction I know no reason I have to make the Reader stay till Monday whose Expectation may be as willing to be gratified with a sight of this Paper as the House of Commons were and therefore I present him with it as followeth To the King 's most Excellent Majesty The Humble desires of the Commissioners of his Majesties Kingdom of SCOTLAND WE your Majesties humble and faithful Subjects The Petition and advice of the Commissioners of Scotland to the King by way of Mediation considering that the Mutual Relation betwixt your Majesties Kingdoms of Scotland and England is such as they must stand or fall together and the disturbance of the one must needs disquiet and distemper the Peace of the other as has been often acknowledged by them both and especially in the late Treaty which is ratified in Parliament and confirmed by the publick Faith of the Estates of your Majesties ancient and Native Kingdom of Scotland so that they are bound to maintain the Peace and Liberties of one another being highly concerned therein as the assured means of the safety and preservation of their own And finding our selves Warranted and obliged by all means to labour to keep a right Vnderstanding betwixt your Majesty and your People to confirm that Brotherly Affection betwixt the two Nations to advance their Vnity by all such ways as may tend to the Glory of God and Peace of the Church and State of both Kingdoms and aykways to proffer our service for removing all Jealousies and mistakes which may arise betwixt your Majesty and this Kingdom and our best endeavours for the better Establishment of the Affairs and quiet of the same that both your Majesties Kingdoms of Scotland and England may be Vnited in the enjoying of their Liberties in Peace under your Majesties Scepter which is the most assured Foundation of your Majesties Honour and Greatness and of the security of your Royal Person Crown and Dignity We have taken the Boldness to shew your Majesty that we are heartily sorry and grieved to behold these Distractions which increase daily betwixt your Majesty and your People and which we conceive are entertained by the wicked Plots and Practices of Papists Prelates and their Adherents whose aim in all these Troubles has not been only to prevent all further Reformation but also to subvert the Purity and Truth of Religion within all your Majesties Kingdoms for which end their constant Endeavours have been to stir up Divisions betwixt your Majesty and your People by their Questioning the Authority of Parliaments the lawful Liberties of the Subjects and real Weakning your Majesties Power and Authority nay all upon pretence of Extending the same whereof by Gods Providence being disappointed in your Majesties Kingdom of Scotland these have now converted thir Mischievous Councels Conspiracies and Attempts to produce these distempers in your Majesties Kingdoms of England and Ireland And therefore according to our Duty to your Majesty to testifie our Brotherly Affection to this Kingdom and acquit our selves of the trust Imposed in us We do make offer of our humble Endeavours for composing of these differences And to that purpose do beseech your Majesty in these Extremities to have Recourse to the sound and faithful advice of the Honourable Houses of Parliament and to repose thereupon as the only assured and happy means to Establish the Prosperity and quiet of this Kingdom And in the depth of your Royal Wisdom to consider and prevent these Apprehensions of Fear which may possess the Hearts of your Majesties Subjects in your other Kingdoms if they shall conceive the Authority of Parliament and the Rights and Liberties of the Subject to be here called in Question And we are confident that if your Majesty shall be graciously pleased to take in good part and give Eare to these our humble and faithful Desires that the success of your Majesties Affairs howsoever perplexed shall be happy to your Majesty and joyful to all your People over whom that your Majesty may long and prosperously Reign is the Fervent and Constant Prayer of us your Majesties Faithful Subjects and Servants It was likely to come to a hopeful issue for his Majesty and all his Loyal Friends when those who had by Rebellion wrested from him so great a share of his Sovereignity and Regal Authority undertook to be Umpires and Mediators in a difference to which they were Principal Parties and to compose those differences which the Faction following their Example were resolved should be determined by no other terms of Accommodation then his Majesties parting with the Sword which Guarded his Septer and which they were resolved either to have or to force it from him by the down-right strength of a most deep rooted and formidable Rebellion But what thanks soever they had for this officious diligence from the King they received many thanks from both Houses for the affection expressed to the Kingdom in the advice which they gave the King in this Paper which was mightily to the Grace of the Faction and Tuned to the humor of the Times which charged all the Miseries and Distractions upon the King 's refusing the sound advice of his great Council the Parliament This day an Order was made in the Lords House Munday January 17. The Lo. Nettervile's Son ordered to be brought before the Lords for the bringing up to the Lords in Parliament Mr. Thomas Netterville Son to the Lord Neterville who was stayed in Chester by the Mayor of the place upon Suspicion and the Lord Admiral was Ordered to write to the Mayor thanks from the House of Lords for his care in staying the said Mr. Netterville Then the Lord Duke of Richmond Reported the King's Answer to the Message delivered to him Jan. 15th The King's Answer to the Bill for adjournment Hull c. 1. Concerning his Majesties Assent to be given to the Bill for the Adjourning of the Parliament
fruition of your future favours The fixion our Confidence in you before any other of the Peers and privy Councellors of the Kingdom doubleth this Obligation Your Lordship may therefore be pleased to acquaint the Lords Justices and Councel to be imparted unto his Sacred Majesty with our Grievances and the causes thereof the reading of which we most humbly pray and the manner of it First the Papists in the neighbouring Counties are severely puniâ—â—ed and their miseries might serve as Beacons unto us to look unto our own when our Neighbours Houses are on fire And we and other Papists are and ever will be as loyal Subjects as any in the King's Dominions For manifestation whereof we send herein inclosed an Oath solemnly taken by us which as it received indelible Impression in our hearts shall be sign'd with our hand and seal'd with our Blood Secondly There is an incapacity in the Papists of Honour and the Immunities of true Subjects the royal Marks of distributive Justice and a disfavour in the Commutative which rais'd Strangers and Forreigners whose valour and vertue was invincible when the old Families of the English and the Major part of us the meer Irish ddi swim in blood to serve the Crown of England and when Offices should call Men of worth Men without Worth and merit obtain them Thirdly The Statute of the 2 Eliz. of force in this Kingdom against us and they of our Religion doth a little disanimate us and the rest Fourthly The avoidance of Grants of our Lands and Liberties by Quirks and Quiddities of the Law without reflecting upon the Kings Royal and real Intention for confirming our Estates his Broad Seal being the pawn betwâ—â—t his Majesty and his people Fifthly The restraint of purchase in the meer Irish of Lands in the Escheated Counties and the taint and blemish of them and their posterities doth more discontent them than that plantation Rule for they are brought to that Exigent of poverty in these late times that they must be sellers and not buyers of Land And we conceive and humbly offer to your Lordships consideration Principiis obsta that in the beginning of this Commotion Your Lordship as it is hereditary for you will be a Physitian to cure this Disease in us and by our Examples it will doubtless beget the like auspicious scucess in all other parts of the Kingdom For we are of opinion it is one sickness and one pharmach will suffice Sublata causa tollitur Effectus And it will be recorded that you will do service unto God King and Countrey And for salving every the aforsaid Soars your Lordship is to be an humble Suitor in our behalf and of the rest of the Papists that out of the abundance of his Majesties Clemency there may be an Act of Oblivion and general pardon without restitution or Account of Goods taken in the time of this Commotion a liberty of our Religion a repeal of all Statutes formerly made to the contrary and not by Proclamation but Parliamentary way A Charter free Denizen in ample manner for meer Irish All which in succeeding Ages will prove an Union in all his Majesties Dominions instead of Division a Comfort in Desolation and a Happiness in perpetnity for an eminent Calamity And this being granted there will be all things Quae sunt Caesaris Caesari and Quae sunt Dei Deo And it was by the Poet written though he be prophane in other matters yet in this prophetically Divisum Imperium cum Jove Caesar habet All which for this present we to leave your Honourable Care And we will as we ever did and do remain Your very humble and assured ever to be Commanded Hugh mac Gillernow Farrall James Farrall Bryan Farrall Readagh Farrall Edmond mac Cael Farrall John Farrall in Carbuy Garret Farrall Lisagh mac Conel Farrall Bryan mac William Farrall James mac Trig Farrall his Mark Morgan mac Carbry Farrall Donnagh mac Carbry Farrall Richard mac Conel Farrall William Mac James Farrall James Farrall Taghna mac Rory Farral Cormack mac Rory Farrall Conock mac Bryne Farrall John mac Edmund Farrall John Farrall Roger mac Bryne Farrall Barnaby Farrall Redeagh mac Lisagh Farrall Connor Oge mac Connor Farrall Edmond mac Connor Farrall Cahel mac Bryne Farrall Before the Parliament broke up the Popish Lords deputed the Lord Dillon to go into England to carry over their Desires to the King and to represent the Means which they thought fittest for the suppressing of the Rebellion and he with the Lord Taaf imbarqued for England but by stress of Weather the Vessel was driven into Scotland and they took their way by Land for London But the Parliament having notice of their coming they were by Order of the Commons seized upon and brought up in safe Custody and all their Papers searched and Examined So unwilling it seems was the Faction that any Address should be made to the King or that any Steps should be made towards the reducing that Kingdom to his Majesties Obedience by any sort of Treaty or Accommodation By this procedure though they gained upon the good Opinion of the People whose favor they most industriously courted and to whom nothing sounded more pleasant then what seemed to express a Hatred and Detestation of the Irish Rebellion and Religion yet certainly was it a means of running the Rebels into such Extremities as dispair of Mercy are wont to produce in those who have transgressed the Bounds of Law and Duty and know their Lives and Estates without it to be forfeited to Justice But for the better understanding of this and some other Particulars the Reader may peruse the following Extracts of some Letters from the Board in Ireland which I found among the old Papers of the Clerk of the Parliaments Office Extract of a Letter of the Lords Justices and Council of Ireland to the Lord Lieutenant dated the 25th of November 1641. THe Rebels in the County of Wexford increasing daily Extract of divers Letters of the Lords Justices Council of Ireland to the Lord Lieutenant received the 6 of December by Mr. Fitz-Girald read Dec. 10. 1641. have taken the Castles of Arickloe Limbrick the Lord Esmond 's House and Fort-Chichester places of good Strength and Importance The Rebels also in the County of Wickloe have laid Siege to his Majesties Castle of Wickloe those in that Castle were in fight with them Yesterday what the issue is we yet hear not and some of those Rebels in the County of Wickloe have dared to come within four Miles of this City and swept away great droves of Cattle And in both Counties as well Wickloe as Wexford all the Castles and Houses of the English with all their substance are come into the hands of the Rebels and the English with their Wives and Children strip'd naked and banished thence by their fury and rage The Rebels in the County of Longford do still increase also as well in their Numbers as in their
open Rebels of mere Irish but the Natives Men Women and Children joyn together and fall on their Neighbours that are English or Protestants and Rob and Spoil them of all they have nor can we help it for want of Men Arms and Money being fearful to separate too farr the little Strength we have here in Dublin lest we be besieged and yet we have bin necessitated this Day to send some of those we could hardly spare to deliver some of the King's Subjects in the County of Wickloe likewise to send some to Drogheda for addition of Strength so as in the mean time we must indure those publick Affronts to be put upon us Yet if the 10000 Foot and 2000 Horse which are to come from England and the 10000 Men which are to come from Scotland be sent us immediately with 200 thousand Pounds in Money and Arms to arm more Men here we conceive some hope to overcome even this next Summer this Rebellion with Honor to his Majesty and future safety to the Kingdom but if those Succors be not totally sent but lessened then the War will be drawn out into a length of time which will be more troublesom and chargeable to England and less comfortable to the good Subjects here We beseech your Lordship to send some Ingineer hither as soon as conveniently may be we being here in great want of such We also pray That the Shipping intended for guarding these Coasts may be hastned away we finding great Cause of Doubt by several Examinations taken that the Rebels expect Aids from Forraign Parts both of Men and Arms. And lastly We beseech your Lordship that all Noblemen and Gentlemen who have Estates in this Kingdom and are now in England may be commanded away hither to partake in the labor of Keeping as they have hitherto injoyed the Fruit of having those Estates After the Prorogation of the Parliament several Members of both Houses were deputed by Commission under the great Seal and accordingly had Instructions from the Lords Justices to treat with the Rebels but their little Successes and the ill Destiny which hung over their Heads rendred them so Insolent that those Indeavors proved fruitless and ineffectual to that Degree that in Contempt and Disdain of the Offers of Peace they tore the Order of Parliament and the Letter that was sent unto them Matters growing every day more desperate the Lords Justices and Council addressed themselves to the Speaker of the Commons House in England to press the performance of the necessary Relief which had been so often promised from thence The Letter was in these Terms SIR THe Advertisements we have from the Lord Lieutenant of this Kingdom A Letter from the Lords Justices and Council to the Speaker of the Commons House in England 27 Nov. 1641. and from you of the continued Care expressed by that Honorable House for the deliverance of this Kingdom and his Majesties faithful Subjects therein from the present Calamities under which we now groan have brought unto us great Comfort and inward Contentment And therefore we crave leave to acknowledg with all Thankfulness the great Wisdom and Piety therein manifested by that Honorable House to the preservation of God's true Religion the Glory of his Sacred Majesty the Honor of that Nation and the prepetual Comfort of all his Majesties faithful Subjects It yet remains that all possible Speed be used in hastning unto us the Succors designed for us lest otherwise they come too late to derive to this Kingdom the benefit intended them by that Honorable House and so We remain From his Majesties Castle of Dublin 27 November 1641. Your very assured loving Friends William Parsons La. Dublin J. Dillon Adam Loftus Ja. Ware Ormond Ossory Ant. Midensis Go. Shurley John Borlase R. Dillon Cha. Lambert J. Temple Robert Meredith Whilest the Rebels thus daily increased in Success and consequently in strength and Numbers and that Supplies were very slowly advanced in England Earl of Ormond made Lieutenant General of the Army in Ireland and the Earl of Leicester designed by his Majesty for that Government made no great hast the slowness of the Parliaments Preparations indeed not permitting him to repair to that important and now dangerous and now troublesome Charge he by the King's Approbation made the Earl of Ormond Lieutenant General of the Army and accordingly sent him a Commission to that purpose And doubtless both his Quality and great Interest in that Nation and a Fidelity to the Crown of England drawn down from so long a discent of Illustrious Ancestors of most approved Loyalty as well as the particular esteem which the Wise and Noble Earl of Strafford had entertained of his promising Merits gave his Majesty a full Assurance and Satisfaction in that Choice which as afterwards those greater Trusts which his Majesty was pleased to confer upon him he discharged with that extraordinary Prudence Courage and matchless Loyalty as will for ever set his Reputation and Honor among the Chief of those great Names who have been transmitted to Posterity both for their brave and Generous Actions and admirable Constancy in suffering all the Miseries of an adverse Fortune rather than comply with such terms as might blemish and fully their Memories with the least stain of disloyalty or infidelity to their Religion Prince and Country as the Part which his Lordship had both in the better and more sinister Fortune of his King and Country will in the Ensuing History make most evident His Lordship being vested in this Command made all the application he was capable of and the narrow Circumstances of Affairs would then admit to put things into a Posture to oppose the Rebels and accordingly Levies of Men were made at Dublin and divers of the poor people who from all Parts came flocking thither for Sanctuary being dispoiled by the Rebels were formed into Companies and Regiments but they were a sort of raw unexperienced and dispirited Men and not likely to prove good Souldiers in so short a time as the Event justified For the Rebels under the Command of Sir Phelim O Neal drawing down towards Tredagh upon which Place they had fixed their chief Design the Lords Justices upon Information from Sir Henry Tichburn the Governor there resolved to send a re-inforcement to that Garrison which was a Place of such Importance as that upon the preservation or loss thereof depended in a great measure the Fate of the whole Kingdom Accordingly 600 Foot under the Command of Major Roper and a Troop of Horse under the command of Sir Patrick Weames were immediately ordered to March for Tredagh the very day that they parted from Dublin there was an Advertisement brought to the Board that some of the Rebels Army was passed over the River Boine with an Intention to intercept them in their Passage whereupon the Earl of Ormond by Direction from the Council dispatched an Express to advertise them thereof and from thence to pass on to Tredagh and
and Goodness My Lords they are the Beauty of the Soul they are the Perfection of all created Natures they are the Image and Character of God upon the Creatures This Beauty Evil Spirits and Evil Men have lost but yet there are none so wicked but they desire to march under the shew and shadow of it though they hate the reality of it This unhappy Earl now the Object of your Lordships Justice hath taken as much care hath used as much cunning to set a face and countenance of Honesty and Justice upon his Actions as he hath been negligent to observe the Rules of Honesty in the Performance of all these Actions My Lords it is the greatest baseness of Wickedness that it dares not look in his own Colours nor be seen in its natural Countenance But Virtue as it is amiable in all respects so the least is not this That it puts a Nobleness it puts a Bravery upon the Mind and lifts it above Hopes and Fears above Favour and Displeasure it makes it always uniform and constant to it self The Service Commanded me and my Colleagues here is to take off those Vizards of Truth and Vprightness which hath been sought to be put upon this Cause and to shew you his Actions and his Intentions in their own natural Blackness and Deformity My Lords He hath put on a Vizard of Truth in these words wherein he says That he should be in his Defence more careful to observe Truth than to gain Advantage to himself He says He would endure any thing rather than be saved by Falshood It was a noble and brave Expression if it were really true My Lords He hath likewise put on the Vizard of Goodness on his Actions when he desires to recite his Services in a great many Particulars as if they were Beneficial to the Common-wealth and State whereas we shall prove them Mischievous and Dangerous It is left upon me My Lords to take off these Vizards and Appearances of Truth and Goodness in that part of his Answer which is the Preamble And that I shall do with as much Faithfulness and Brevity as I can 1. The First thing My Lords that I shall observe in the Preamble is this That having recited all those great and honourable Offices which he hath done under his Majesty he is bold to affirm That he hath been Careful and Faithful in the Execution of them all My Lords If he might be his own Witness and his own Judge I doubt not but he would be Acquitted It is said in the Proverbs of the Adulterous Woman That she wipes her mouth and says she had done no Evil. Here is a wiping of the mouth here is a verbal expression of Honesty But My Lords the foulness and unjustness will never be wiped off neither from his Heart nor from his Actions I mean for the time past God may change him for the time to come That is the first thing I observe 2. My Lords In the second place out of his Apologetical Preamble I shall observe this He doth magnifie his own Endeavours in five particulars 1. That he hath Endeavoured the maintenance of Religion I may miss in words I shall not miss in sense 2. That he hath Endeavoured the Honour of the King 3. The Encrease of his Revenue 4. The Peace and Honour and Safety of the Kingdom 5. The Quiet and Peace of the People These are his five particulars and I shall give a short Answer to every one of them 1. For Religion My Lords we say and we shall prove that he hath been diligent indeed to favour Innovations to favour Superstitions to favour the Incroachments and Vsurpations of the Clergy But for Religion it never received any advantage by him nay a great deal of hurt 2. For the Honour of the King My Lords We say it is the Honour of the King that He is the Father of His People that He is the Fountain of Justice and it cannot stand with His Honour and Justice to have His Government Stain'd and Polluted with Tyranny and Oppression 3. For the Encrease of His Revenue It is true there may be some Addition of Sums but we say There is no Addition of Strength nor Wealth because in those parts where it hath been increased this Earl hath taken the greatest share himself And when he hath spoiled and ravined on the People he hath been content to yield up some part to the King that he might with more security enjoy the rest 4. For the Strength and Honour and Safety of the Kingdom My Lords In a time of Peace he hath let in upon us the Calamities of War Weakness Shame and Confusion 5. And for the Quiet of the Subjects he hath been an Incendiary he hath Armed us amongst our selves and made us weak and naked to all the World besides This is that I shall answer to the second Head of his Apology 3. The Third is this My Lords That by his means many good and wholesome Laws have been made since his Government in Ireland Truly My Lords if we should consider the particulars of these Laws some of them will not be found without great Exception But I shall make another Answer good Laws nay the best Laws are no advantage when Will is set above Law when the Laws have force to bind and restrain the Subject but no force to Relieve and Comfort him 4. He says in the Fourth place He was a means of calling a Parliament not long after he came to his Government My Lords Parliaments without Parliamentary Liberties are but a fair and plausible way into Bondage That Parliament had not the Liberties of a Parliament Sir Pierce Crosby for speaking against a Bill in the Commons House was sequestred from the Council-Table and Committed to Prison Sir John Clotworthy for the same Cause was threatned that he should lose a Lease that he had Mr. Barnewell and two other Gentlemen were threatned they should have Troops of Horse put upon them for speaking in the House Proxies by dozens were given by some of his Favourites And My Lords Parliaments coming in with these Circumstances they be Grievances Mischiefs and Miseries no works of Thanks or Honour 5. The Fifth is That he hath been a means to put off Monopolies and other Projects that would have been Grievous and Burdensome to the Subjects if he had hated the Injustice of a Monopoly or the Mischief of a Monopoly he would have hated it in himself he himself would have been no Monopolist Certainly My Lords It was not the love of Justice nor the Common Good that moved him And if he were moved by any thing else he had his Reward It may be it was because he would have no man gripe them in the Kingdom but himself his own Harvest-Crop would have been less if he had had sharers It may be it was because Monopolies hinder Trade he had the Customs and the benefit of the Customs would have been less when we know the
accordingly yea their Houses broke open and their Goods taken away and brought to my Lord of Strafford 's House where they were employed in his works The like we shall instance in Tobacco 15. Next we shall shew to Your Lordships how he hath levied War upon the King's Subjects We opened in the beginning what an Arbitrary Jurisdiction he set up here we shall shew how he used it by a meer course of Enmity and Hostility For My Lords this was the course If a Decree or Order were made by him and not obeyed he issues a Warrant to the Serjeant at Arms to go to the next Garrison and take Soldiers with an Officer and carry them to the House of the party in question it is no matter where it was but to the House of them that were pretended to be disobedient they were to go If the Decree had been to raise so much money or to put parties in possession In plain terms the Soldiers were to lye like Free-booters and Enemies on the King's People to eat them up They have killed their Sheep their Oxen and they have lain not on the parties only but on their Tenants till the party comes in and renders himself They have burnt their Houses taken their Wives and Friends and carried them away till Obedience was rendered and this is a levying of War upon the King For the King and the People are both so united in Affection and Right of Law that there cannot be Violence offered to the King but it redounds to the People nor can any Oppress the People in this sort but it redounds to His Majesty Besides it is contrary to a Law of that Kingdom whereby it is Enacted That if any person shall assess Horse or Foot on any of the King's People without their consent it is High Treason The next thing we shall go to is the Favour he shewed to the Papists in their Compositions and Exemptions from all penalties of Law for they were expresly not to be proceeded against nor to be Convicted and so that which hath influence into Religion and Reformation is quite taken away and nothing but matter of Profit is left The next Article is that that concerns the Kingdom of Scotland First he begins with them in Ireland contrives an Oath which is set forth in the Articles That they shall obey the King's Royal Commands without exception This he enforceth by Fining and Imprisoning them that disobeyed him And so in all the other particulars when his Proclamations were broken his course was by Fine and Imprisonment to enforce an Obedience My Lords He doth not only press them in their Estates but strives to infuse into His Majesty an ill Opinion of them he provokes and incites Him by all his Arguments to lay down his Mercy and Goodness and Justice and to fall into an offensive War against that Kingdom He gives out that the Nation of them not this or that man are Rebels and Traytors And if it please the King to bring him back to the Sword indeed he is fit for that it is a violent weapon he will root out the Scottish Nation Branch and Root some few excepted of those that had taken the Oath When he comes into England he finds that His Majesty with great Wisdom had pacified those Storms and Troubles that threatned us there Yet he doth incense the King still to follow this to an Offensive War and prevails He plots to call a Parliament but with an intention if it furnished not his design it should be broken and he would set up other ways of force to raise Moneys of the Kingdom and this fell out unhappily For thus far his project took the Parliament was broken and broken at the very time when the Subject was in debate and consideration how to have yielded Supply to His Majesty But that he might break it he falsly informs the King That the Parliament had denied to Supply him there is his Counsel that the Parliament had forsaken the King and now the King having tryed his People might use all other ways for the procuring and raising of moneys and the same day wherein that Parliament was unhappily Dissolved he gives his further Counsel to His Majesty which because no man can put such a Spirit of Malice into the words besides himself I shall take the boldness to read That having tryed the Affections of his People he was loose and absolved from all Rules of Government and he was to do every thing that Power would admit And that His Majesty had tryed all ways and was refused and should be acquitted both of God and Man And that His Majesty had an Army in Ireland which he might employ to reduce this Kingdom It is added in the printed Book to reduce them to Obedience I know not who Printed it but the Charge is only to reduce this Kingdom And My Lords you may please to consider what a sad time this man took to reflect upon these bad Councels when our Hearts were swoln with Sorrow for that unhappy breach of the last Parliament And what doth he advise the King what positions offers he That he was absolved from all Rules of Government If there be no Rule of Government My Lords where is the Rule of Obedience for how shall the People know to obey when there is no Rule to direct them what to obey He tells the King he was refused which was untrue for he was not refused to the last breath we had in Parliament but we spake in that point how to supply the King and to prefer it at that time before the Complaints of our just Grievances But what doth he fall into that which in another Article we charge him with a Plot and Conspiracy betwixt him and Sir George Ratcliffe to bring in the Irish Army for our Confusion to root out our Laws and Government a pernicious Counsel He says not you shall do it but he that perswades it doth as much as if in express terms he had counselled the acting of it Doth he mean that we should be to his Irish Pattern for speaking of the Irish Army consisting of Papists and his Adherents he said that he would make it a Pattern for all the Kingdoms did he mean to reduce us to the Pattern that he hath placed in Ireland Surely he meant to reduce us to a Chaos and Confusion He would have us without all Rules of Government and these be the means wicked and cruel Councels and the Cruelty of an Army inspired with his Spirit and consisting of Papists Enemies of our Religion And what Mercy could we of this Religion expect from Popish Enemies with Swords in their hands That cannot but strike all English Hearts with Horrour and Dread that an Irish Army should be brought into England to reduce the Subjects of England I hope we never were so far gone in any thing as that we should need an Army to reduce us I cannot but say here is the Counsel of
greater for drawing others to joyn with him in it That the Oath injoyned in England seems to have followed the Precedent of Ireland that though Salmon mistakes the time he does not mistake the substance and that though my Lord Strafford 's Witnesses do not remember the Words about the Scots it is no impeachment of the Witnesses against him that do Concluding That this administring an Oath was assuming a Power above Regal for this is not penes Potestatem Ministri Mr. Maynard added That though the King injoyned him to administer an Oath yet not to punish the Refusers Upon Monday April 5. the Commons proceeded to the 20 21 22 Munday April 5. Artic. 20 21 22 23 24. 23 and 24 Articles but before they began the Lord High Steward informed them That upon my Lord's Petition the Earl of Northumberland had been Examined but being late could not be Cross Examined by the Commons Mr. Whitlock desired he might be reserved and some other Witnesses My Lord opposed Supplemental Evidence and desired he might Cross Examine my Lord of Canterbury They answered My Lord of Canterbury was Impeached but they did not intend to make use of his Evidence and the other Witnesses were such as were to speak vivâ voce instancing in Serjeant Glanvil Mr. Whitlock then begun to open the foresaid Articles in gross which the Earl desired the Lords might not be acquainting them his Memory could not serve him to make replyes if they inverted the Method That any other person in his Circumstances would think as long time as he had been favoured with to recollect and put his Notes in Order no more than necessary though a far abler man than himself Mr. Glyn said he never knew a Prisoner prescribe a Method especially in case of High Treason My Lord then desired he might have time till to morrow for his Answer which being offered with all humility for his Defence he hoped their Lordships might grant without Offence But he was over-ruled and they proceeded Mr. Whitlock proceeded in the Charge That he advised the King that the Scots Demands were a sufficient ground of War that they struck at the Root of Monarchy and were not only matters of Religion That he seized their Ships in Ireland procured the Parliament in Ireland to give assistance and supply for a War against Scotland That his design was the same against England That Sir George Ratcliff told Sir Robert King The King had 30000 men and 400000 l. in his Purse and his Sword by side and if he wants money who will pity him he may make peace when he will though that be the worst of Evils that if the Parliament did not supply him he might use his Prerogative and would be acquitted before God and Man if he took other Courses to supply himself and he would be ready to serve him in any other way that he advised the Dissolving of the Parliament and said that they having denied the King Supplies he might provide for the Kingdom by such wayes as he thought fit and not suffer himself to be mastered by the wilfulness or frowardness of his People That having tried all wayes he was to do all that Power would admit being absolved from all Rules of Government and acquitted before God and Man that he had an Army in Ireland which he might Employ to reduce his Kingdoms For proof Earl of Traquair the Earl of Traquair deposed That the Earl said that the Vnreasonable demands of Subjects in Parliament was a ground for the King to put himself into a posture of War and that at the Council-Board the Earl with the rest concluded That if the Commissioners from Scotland to whom the King had given leave to come up to represent their demands did not give good satisfaction touching them the Council would be assistant to his Majesty to put him into a posture of War to reduce them to their Obedience but who spoke first at the Board he remembers not After some debate about reading the Examinations of Witnesses not present Earl of Morton the Lord High Steward ruling it the Examination of the Earl of Morton was read he being sick That the Earl had said as before for the Ground of War and that the Examinate told his Majesty he had given the Scots leave to Petition in Parliament for Redress and without hearing their Reasons there was not sufficient Ground for War to which his Majesty said he spoke reason howbeit the Lord Strafford said there was ground enough for War Whence Mr. Whitlock observed That though he knew not the Reasons nor was versed in Republica aliena yet he repeats his advice That these Demands c. That the Scots Commissioners by his Majestie 's leave being on their way to give Reasons yet the Earl of Strafford said the demands were not matters of Religion but strook at the Root of Government and such as he thought were fit for his Majesty to punnish Sir Henry Vane deposes Sir Hen. Vane That after the breaking up of the Parliament some thing was proposed and he himself proposed a Defensive War the Earl of Strafford an Offensive The Earl of Northumberland's Examination read Earl of Northumberland was to the same Effect The Bishop of London Lord Treasurer of England Bishop of London deposed That among others my Lord Strafford gave advice That his Majesty should prepare himself to reduce them by Force his Majesty having acquainted them upon the Earl of Traquair 's Relation That some of their Demands were prejudicial to the Crown and which he could not grant That the War being at ancther meeting resolved upon whether Offensive or Defensive there were divers opinions but believes my Lord Strafford inclined to an Offensive War Nicholas Barnwell deposed Mr. Nicholas Barnwell That Sir Robert Loftus seized several Scotch Ships and Boats and that others hearing fled away and that Sir George Ratcliff was displeased with Sir Robert for making it publick by which means they Escaped Then the Lord Primate of Ireland's Examination was read Archbishop of Armagh That discoursing about levying of money the Earl of Strafford declared that he agreed with those of England who thought in Case of imminent necessity the King might make use of his Prerogative to Levy what he pleased adding That His Majesty was first to try his Parliament and if they supplied him not then he might make use of his Prerogative as he pleased himself The Lord Conway deposed Lord Conway That in private discourse about the 12 Subsidies the Lord Strafford said words to this Effect That the King had need and if the Parliament would not supply the King though he hoped they would the cause being just and lawful the King was justified before God and man if he sought means to help himself though it were against their Wills Sir Henry Vane deposed that the Lord Strafford said Sir Hen. Vane In case the Parliament did not succeed he would be
ready to assist His Majesty in any other way Sir Robert King deposed to Sir George Ratcliff's words about 30000 men and 400000 l and that the King could not want Money Sir Rob. King he had an Army The Lord Ranulagh deposed to the same Effect concerning Sir George Radcliff Lord Ranulagh Sir Tho. Barrington deposed Sir Thomas Barrington That on private discourse about the Parliament Sir George Wentworth said The Commonwealth was sick of Peace and will not be well till it be Conquered again Sir Robert King further said That the Lord Ranulagh was displeased at Sir George Ratcliff 's words conceiving it was an intention to raise Money forcibly in England and that they must turn their Swords upon them from whom they were descended and cut their Throats for their own Safety which the Earl confirmed by offering to sell the said Lord his Estate in Ireland though he thought they would be quieter there than in England From whence the Managers inferred his Design was against England To prove this Design Sir Tho. Jermin deposed Sir Thomas Jermin That he heard my Lord Strafford say something of the Parliaments forsaking the King The Earl of Bristol deposed The Earl of Bristol That discoursing of the Distractions of the Times the Mutiny of the Soldiers and Danger of a War with Scotland he proposed the Summoning a new Parliament as the best way to prevent those Desperate Vndertakings which discourse and his Reasons my Lord Strafford seemed not to dislike but said He thought it not counselable at that time in regard of the slow Proceedings of Parliaments and the real and pressing Dangers and that the Parliament had refused Supplies and therefore the King was to provide for the Safety of the Kingdom Salus Reipublicae being Suprema Lex and that the King must not suffer himself to be mastered by the stubborness and undutifulness of his people or rather Stubberness and disaffection of some particular men meaning some Members of Parliament as he conceives being discoursing of the Parliament The Lord Newborough deposed That he heard words to this Effect Lord Newborough That seeing the Parliament had not supplyed the King His Majesty might take other courses for Defence of the Kingdom But thô he cannot swear the Earl spake these words Earl of Holland he verily believes he heard him speak something to that purpose The Earl of Holland deposed much to the same Purport Then they proceeded to the 23. Article and the Examination of the Earl of Northumberland was read That in case of Necessity for Defence of the Kingdom if the People refuse to Supply the King the King is absolved from Rules of Government and that every thing is to be done for the Preservation of the King and his People and that by some discourses to His Majesty he believes if the King was not supplyed by Parliament some Course was intended to raise Money by Extraordinary wayes but that the Irish Army was to land in the West of Scotland and he hath not heard that these Forces were to be imployed in England to compel or awe the Subjects to pay Taxes imposed Sir Henry Vane deposed Sir Hen. Vane That upon debate of the Question Whether Offensive or Defensive War the Earl said Your Majesty having tryed all wayes and being refused in case of Extream Necessity for the Safety of the Kingdom you are loose and absolved from all Rules of Government you are acquitted before God and Man You have an Army in Ireland you may imploy it to reduce this Kingdom But he will not interpret whether my Lord meant England or Scotland but afterwards he said positively to reduce this Kingdom applying it to England Mr. Whitlock summed up the Evidence That it was clear my Lord of Strafford had a strong Design and Endeavour to Subvert the Fundamental Laws and Government of England and to bring in an Army upon us to force this Kingdom to submit to an Arbitrary Power That he would not aggravate these words which were to allay them having in them more Bitterness and Horror than he is able to Express After some little pause The Earl's Defence the Earl made his Defence And first to the Earl of Traquair's Deposition the said Earl sayes That it was the Resolution of the Council-Board and that he gave his Vote among the other Lords That if the Commissioners of Scotland gave not Satisfaction the King might put himself into a posture of War So that his Opinion was the same with the rest and he thinks himself in great Safety having the Concomitant Opinion of so many wiser Persons than himself And for the Earl of Moreton 's Deposition he hopes when the Council of England had resolved it it was no great Crime for him to say That the unreasonable Demands of Subjects in Parliament was a good ground for the King to put himself into a posture of Defence and for his saying it was not Religion but the Root of Government they strook at that he thinks he and every man that thought so had reason to say as he did As to Sir H. Vane the War being resolved and whether Offensive or Defensive the Question he hopes it is not Treasonable for a Privy Councellor to give his Opinion according to his Conscience to do so being their Duty and according to their Oaths and that he was as free to give his Reasons one way as any other person another As to the seizing the Ships Barnwell 's Testimony is only by hearsay but he will inform their Lordships by proof that the Scots Ships were stayed by the Lord Admiral 's Warrant which Mr. Slingsby attested so that the Earl said it might appear he was no such Stirrer or Incendiary between the King and his Subjects as he was represented To the 21 Article and the Lord Primate's Examination about the King 's using his Prerogative it is but singularis testis and only in way of Argument but that the words fairly construed and clearly understood have no ill sence for the King may use his Prerogative as he pleases because the King's Pleasure is always just and to think the King will use his Prerogative otherwise were a high Offence or to think he will use his Prerogative otherwise then as befits a Christian and Pious King To my Lord Conway 's Testimony That the King might help himself though it were against their Will He answered That to help a man's self is Natural for Self is the last Creature that leaves any person and what is natural to every man is so to the King who is accountable not only for Himself but his People To Mr. Secretary Vane 's Testimony That if the Parliament should not succeed he would be ready to assist His Majesty any other way He sees not where the heynousness or venom of the words is to endanger his Life and Honor and he conceives Mr. Treasurer said as much and the Wayes the King could command
I remember Lastly in farther taking away of this Testimony I have proved it by a great many Witnesses beyond all exception that there was never any such intendment of the bringing this Army into England nay that the Design was quite otherwise and this hath been apparently cleared before your Lordships By the Testimony of my Lord of Northumberland Marquess of Hamilton Sir Thomas Lucas and Mr. Slingsby And might have been further justifi'd by the Testimony of my Lord of Ormond President of Munster and Sir John Burlace Master of the Ordnance in Ireland if they had been here to have been produced So that all these laid together the strong and clear proof on my part the producing of a single Witness which by the Proviso of 1 Edw. 6. cannot rise in Judgment against any man for High-Treason I trust all these laid together I shall appear to your Lordships clear and free from these two points whereupon they enforce me to be within the compass of Treason by the Statute alleadged The Third Treason that is laid to my Charge is upon the 27th Article where Four Musquettiers being sent to Egton by Sergeant Major Yaworth to call for their Eight pence a day is prest upon me as a Levying of War upon the King and His People and to be High-Treason upon the Statute of 25 E. 3. These be wonderful Wars if we have no greater Wars then such as four men are able to raise by the Grace of God we shall not sleep very unquietly But How do they prove this to be done by me they produce to your Lordships the Warrant of Sir William Pennyman but had no Warrant at all of mine to shew Sir William Pennyman doth not alledge any Warrant of mine to that purpose he speaks of a General Warrant wherein I and the Deputy-Lieutenants joyn for the paying of the Fortnights pay as they call it and that is very true but that I should give Warrant to Levy by Soldiers no such thing is proved no such thing is shewed no such thing is alleadged by Sir William Pennyman that best knew it and should do it in his own Justification if there were such a thing but on the other side I must humbly beseech your Lordships to mind you what a clear and full proof I made thereof to you till you were weary though I think I I could have continued it a year longer if need had been that there was nothing done by me in the Levying of the first Months pay or the second Fortnights pay but with full consent of the Country nothing being of Constraint nothing being of force put upon them The Second Point was a Warrant shewed to your Lordships or at least pretended from Sir Edward Osborne the Vice-President wherein he charges them to obey and persue the substance and direction of his Warrant on pain of Death and this must likewise be laid to me My Lords I confess I have faults enough more than a good many though I trust neither so crying nor grievous as some would pretend them to be but Faults I have more then too many I need not take nor add to my self other Mens but whether this be a Fault or no I cannot undertake to Judge But certainly I am in no Fault for I was at when this Warrant issued from Mr. Vice-President and I dare say he is a Gentleman so worthy and noble and so great a Lover of Truth that let him be examined upon Oath if he shall not absolutely clear me from Privity or Direction of it I so much rely on him that I will be thought Guilty before your Lordships for this Charge Now my Lords having gone over all that first part which I thought fit to apply my self to and that is Statute-Treason There is no Statute-Treasons in the whole Charge nor colour or pretence thereof save onely that of Newcastle which was waved In these my Lords I hope I am clear before your Lordships and sure I am they give me little disquiet for in good faith I am clear in my own poor Judgment Then comes in the second Condition of Treason in the Charge and that is Constructive Treason and it is laid down in the first Article of the General Charge For my Lords I must tell you the First Articles exhibited are Grounds and Foundations whereupon the rest are gathered and to which they resort and apply themselves severally I do conceive my self in a manner by themselves clear of seven of these for they have in a manner relinquished Five of them So that the First Article is the main Article whereupon I must be touched and that is laid in the Charge thus That I have Trayterously endeavoured to subvert the Fundamental Laws and Government of the Realms of England and Ireland and have by Trayterous Words Councils and Actions declared the same and have advised His Majesty to Compel his Subjects to submit thereunto by force My Lords I must confess I have many times with my self considered with wonder at the Wisdom of our Ancestors that set the Pillars of this Monarchy with that singular Judgment and Providence that I have ever observed that so oft as either the Prerogative of the Crown or Liberty of the Subject Ecclesiastical or Temporal Powers exceed those modest bounds set and appointed for them by the sobriety and moderation of former times the exercise of it over-turn'd to the Prejudice and to the Detriment of the Publick Weale all the Strings of this Government and Monarchy have been so perfectly tuned through the skill and attention of our Fore-Fathers that if you wind any of them any thing higher or let them lower you shall infallibly interrupt the sweet accord that ought to be entertained of King and People With this Opinion I had the honour to sit many years in the Commons House and this Opinion I have carry'd along with me exactly and intirely for Fourteen Years in the King's Service ever Resolving in my heart Stare super vias antiquas to promote with equal care the Prerogative of the Crown and the Liberty of the Subject to Introduce the Laws of England into Ireland ever setting before my self a Joynt and Individual well-being of King and People for either they must be both or neither which made my Misfortune the greater to be now in my Gray Hairs charged as an under-worker against that Government a Subverter of that Law I wost affected and a Contriver against that Religion to the truth whereof I would Witness by the Sealing of it with my Blood My Lords As to the latter part concerning my Religion they have quitted me and I have nothing to answer to that because it is waved and I trust my Lords I shall clear my self in the first part concerning my being a Subverter of the Fundamental Laws that I shall stand clear to your Lordships Judgments in that Case My Lords This Subversion must be by Words by Councils and by Actions in Ireland and in England My Lords
operation upon the courage of a Nation by embasing the hearts of the People A servile condition does for the most part beget in men a slavish temper and disposition Those that live so much under the Whip and the Pillory and such servile Engines as were frequently used by the Earl of Strafford they may have the dregs of Valour Sullenness and Stubborness which may make them prone to mutinies and discontents But those Noble and Gallant affections which put men to brave designs and attempts for the preservation or enlargement of a Kingdom they are hardly capable of Shall it be Treason to embase the King's Coin though but a piece of Twelve-pence or Six-pence and must it not needs be the effect of a greater Treason to embase the Spirits of his Subjects and to set a Stamp and character of Servitude upon them whereby they shall be disabled to do any thing for the Service of the King and Commonwealth The Fifth Consideration is this that the exercise of this Arbitrary Government in times of suddain danger by the invasion of an enemy will disable His Majesty to preserve himself and His Subjects from that danger This is the only pretence by which the Earl of Strafford and such other mischievous Counsellors would induce his Majesty to make use of it and if it be unfit for such an occasion I know nothing that can be alledged in maintainance of it When War threatens a Kingdom by the coming of a Forraign Enemy it is no time then to discontent the people to make them weary of the present Government and more inclinable to a change The supplies which are to come in this way will be unready uncertain there can be no assurance of them no dependance upon them either for time or proportion And if some Money be gotten in such a way the distractions divisions distempers which this course is apt to produce will be more prejudicial to the publique safety than the Supply can be advantagious to it and of this we have had sufficient experience the last Summer The Sixth That this crime of Subverting the Laws and introducing an Arbitrary and Tyrannical Government is contrary to the Pact and Covenant betwixt the King and his People that which was spoken of before was the legal union of Allegiance and Protection this is a personal union by mutual agreement and stipulation confirmed by Oath on both sides The King and his People are obliged to one another in the nearest relations he is a Father and a Child is called in Law pars patris He is the Husband of the Commonwealth they have the same interests they are inseparable in their condition be it good or evil he is the Head they are the Body there is such an incorporation as cannot be dissolved without the destruction of both When Justice Thorp in Edward the III. time was by the Parliament condemned to death for bribery the reason of that Judgment is given because he had broke the King's Oath not that he had broke his own Oath but he had broken the King's Oath that solemn and great Obligation which is the security of the whole Kingdom If for a Judge to take a small summ in a private Cause was adjudged capital how much greater was this offence whereby the Earl of Strafford hath broken the King's Oath in the whole course of his Government in Ireland to the prejudice of so many of his Majesties Subjects in their Lives Liberties and Estates and to the danger of all the rest The Doctrine of the Papists Fides non est servanda cum Haereticis is an abominable Doctrine yet that other Tenet more peculiar to the Jesuits is more pernicious whereby Subjects are discharged from their Oath of Allegiance to their Prince whensoever the Pope pleaseth This may be added to make the third no less mischievous and destructive to humane Society than either of the rest That the King is not bound by that Oath which he hath taken to observe the Laws of the Kingdom but may when he sees cause lay Taxes and Burthens upon them without their consent contrary to the Laws and Liberties if the Kingdom This hath been Preached and published by divers And this is that which bath been practised in Ireland by the Earl of Strafford in his Government there and endeavoured to be brought into England by his Counsel here The Seventh is this It is an offence that is contrary to the end of Government The end of Government was to prevent oppressions to limit and restrain the excessive power and violence of great men to open the passages of Justice with indifferency towards all This Arbitrary Power is apt to induce and encourage all kind of insolencies Another end of the Government is to preserve men in their Estates to secure them in their Lives and Liberties but if this design had taken effect and could have been setled in England as it was practised in Ireland no man would have had more certainty in his own then Power would have allowed him but these two have been spoken of before there are two behind more important which have not yet been touched It is the end of Government that Vertue should be cherish'd Vice supprest but where this Arbitrary and unlimited Power is set up a way is open not only for the security but for the advancement and encouragement of evil such men as are apt for the execution and maintenance of this Power are only capable of preferment and others who will not be instruments of any unjust commands who make a conscience to do nothing against the Laws of the Kingdom and Liberties of the Subject are not only not passable for employment but subject to much jealousie and danger It is the end of Government that all Accidents and Events all Counfels and Designs should be improved to the publique good But this Arbitrary Power is apt to dispose all to the maintainance of it self The wisdom of the Council-Table The authority of the Courts of Justice The industry of all the Officers of the Crown have been most carefully exercised in this the Learning of our Divines the Jurisdiction of our Bishops have been moulded and disposed to the same effect which though it were begun before the Earl of Strafford's imployment yet it hath been exceedingly furthered and advanced by him Under this colour and pretence of maintaining the King's Power and Prerogative many dangerous practises against the peace and safety of the Kingdom have been undertaken and promoted The increase of Popery and the favours and encouragement of papists have been and still are a great grievance and danger to the Kingdom The innovation in matters of Religion the Usurpations of the Clergy the manifold burthens and taxations upon the people have been a great cause of our present distempers and disorders and yet those who have been chief furtherers and actors of such mischiefs have had their Credit and Authority from this that they were forward to maintain this
counterfeit Coin was Treason and Justice Stamford fol. 331. 44. is of opinion that this or the conspiring to counterfeit the Great Seal is Treason The Statute is If any shall counterfeit the Great Seal conspiring to do it by the Book is Treason if a man take the Broad Seal from one Patent and put it to another here is no counterfeiting it 's tantamount and therefore Treason as is adjudged in 2 Hen. 4. fol. 25. and by the opinion of Stamford If Machination or Plotting a War be not within that clause of the Statute of Levying of War yet is within the first of compassing the death of the King as that which necessarily tends to the destruction both of King and People upon whose safety and protection he is to engage himself That this is Treason hath been adjudged both after the Statutes of 1 Hen. 4. Cap. 10. and 1 Queen Mary so much insisted upon on the other side In the Third year of King Henry 4th one Balshal coming from London found one Bernard at Plough in the Parish of Osley in the County of Hertford Bernard asked Balshal what news he told him that the news was That Richard the Second was alive in Scotland which was false for he was dead and that by Midsummer next he would come into England Bernard asked him What were best to be done Balshal answered Get Men and go to King Richard In Michaelmas Term in the Third year of Hen. 4th in the Kings-Bench Rot. 4. This advice of War adjudged Treason In Queen Mary's time Sir Nicholas Throckmorton conspired with Sir Thomas Wyat to Levy War within this Realm for alteration in Religion he joyned not with him in the execution This conspiracy alone declared to be Treason by all the Judges this was after the Statute of Queen Mary so much insisted upon That Parliament ended in October this opinion was delivered the Easter Term following and is reported by Justice Dyer fol 98. It 's true Sir Thomas Wyat afterwards did Levy War Sir Nicholas Throckmorton he only conspired This adjudged Treason One Story in Queen Elizabeths time practised with Foreigners to Levy War within this Kingdom nothing done in pursuance of the practice The intent without any adhering to enemies of the Queen or other cause adjudged Treason and he executed thereupon It 's true my Lords that year 13 Eliz. by Act of Parliament it 's made Treason to intend the levying of War this Case was adjudged before the Parliament The Case was adjudged in Hillary Term the Parliament begun not till the April following This my Lords is a Case judged in point that the practising to Levy War though nothing be done in execution of it is Treason Object It may be objected That in these Cases Object the Conspiring being against the whole Kingdom included the Queen and was a Compassing Her destruction as well as of the Kingdoms here the advice was to the King Answ The Answer is first That the Warrant was unknown to His Majesty Answ that was a Machination of War against the People and Laws wherein His Majesties Person was engaged for protection Secondly That the advice was to his Majesty aggravates the Offence it was an Attempt which was the Offence it was an Attempt not only upon the Kingdom but upon the Sacred Person and His Office too himself was hostis patriae he would have made the Father of it so to Nothing more unnatural nor more dangerous than to offer the King Poyson to drink telling him that it is a Cordial is a passing of his death the Poyson was repelled there was an Antidote within the Malice of the giver beyond expression The perswading of Foreigners to invade the Kingdom hold no proportion with this Machination of War against the Law or Kingdom is against the King they cannot be severed My Lords If no actual War within the Statute if the Counselling of War if neither of these single Acts be Treason within the Statute The Commons in the next place have taken it into consideration what the addition of his other Words Counsels and Actions do operate in the Case and have conceived that with this Addition all being put together that he is brought within the Statute of 25 E. 3. The words of the Statute are If any Man shall Compass or Imagine the death of the King the words are not If any Man shall Plot or Counsel the Death of the King No my Lords they go further than to such things as are intended immediately directly and determinatively against the Life and Person of the King they are of a larger extent to compass is to do by Circuit to Consult or Practise another thing directly which being done may necessarily produce this effect However it be in the other Treasons within this Statute yet in this by the very words there is room left for constructions for necessary inferences and consequences What hath been the Judgment and Practice of former times concerning these words of compassing the Kings Death will appear to your Lordships by some Cases of Attainders upon these words One Owen Owen's Case of Sandwich in Kent in King James His time in the 13th year of His Reign at Sandwich in Kent spake these words That King James being Excommunicated by the Pope may be killed by any Man which killing is no Murther Being asked by those he spake to how he durst maintain so Bloody an Assertion Answered That the matter was not so heinous as was supposed for the King who is the Lesser is concluded by the Pope who is the Greater and as a Malefactor being Condemned before a Temporal Judge may be delivered over to be Executed So the King standing Convicted by the Popes Sentence of Excommunication may justly be slaughtered without fault for the Killing of the King is the Execution of the Popes Supream Sentence as the other is the Execution of the Law For this Judgment of High Treason was given against him and Execution done My Lords there is no clear intent appearing that Owen desired the thing should be done only Arguments that it might be done this is a Compassing there is a clear Endeavour to corrupt the Judgment to take off the Bonds of Conscience the greatest security of the Kings Life God forbid saith one of better Judgment then he that I should stretch out my hand against the Lords Anointed No saith he the Lord doth not forbid it you may for these Reasons lawfully kill the King He that denies the Title to the Crown and plots the means of setting it upon anothers head may do this without any direct or immediate desiring the death of Him that wears it yet this is Treason as was adjudged in the 10 of Hen. 7 in these of Burton and in the Duke of Norfolk's Case 13 Eliz. This is a compassing of His Death for there can no more be two Kings in one Kingdom then two Suns in the Firmament he that conceives a Title counts it worth venturing
but I confess this unfortunate thing forth of the way towards that blessed agreement which God I trust shall ever establish between You and Your Subjects Sir My Consent shall more acquit you herein to God than all the World can do besides To a willing man there is no injury done and as by Gods Grace I forgive all the World with a calmness and meekness of infinite contentment to my dislodging Soul So Sir to you I can give the life of this world with all the chearfulness imaginable in the just acknowledgment of your exceeding favours and only beg that in Your Goodness You would vouchsafe to cast Your Gracious regard upon my poor Son and his Three Sisters less or more and no otherwise than as their in present unfortunate Father may hereafter appear more or less guilty of this death God long preserve Your Majesty Tower May 4. 1641. Your Majesties most Faithful And Humble Subject And Servant STRAFFORD And for suppressing the Tumults the Commons Ordered Dr. Burgess to read the Protestation to the People and to tell them The Parliament desired them to return home which he did and thereupon they departed by which it is Evident who raised influenced and Governed the Tumults Upon Wednesday May the 5th Wednesday May 5. there happened a strange hubbub in the City which was now wholy set upon Tumults and Disorders which was upon this ridiculous occasion Sir Walter Erle was making a Report of a Design to blow up the House of Commons whereupon Mr. Middleton and Mr. Moyle two corpulent men and some others standing up to hear the Report a board in the Gallery broke and gave such a Crack that some apprehended the House was blown up indeed and Sir John Wray crying out He smelt Gun-Powder they hurried out of the House and frighted the People in the Lobby who ran into the Hall crying out The Parliament House was falling and the Members slain and the People running in confusion through the Hall Sir Robert Mansel drew his Sword and bid them stand for shame he saw no Enemy to hurt the Parliament and that there was no danger but some of the Zealots by water gave the alarm so that the Drums beat and a Regiment of Train Bands marched as far as Covent-Garden and the Rabble of Volunteers down to the House to save the Parliament which ridiculous Accident though at present it occasioned no other effect but laughter yet did strangely embolden the Factious who now plainly discovered the Influence they had over the Multitude and that they were perfectly at their Devotion Things being in this Distraction and few of the Lords daring to appear at the House Judges Opinion about the Earl of Strafford yet the Bill went on but slowly but in conclusion the Judges to give the better Countenance to the Matter being demanded their opinion and the Lord Chief Justice of the King's-Bench delivering it as their Unanimous Opinion That upon all that which their Lordships have Voted to be proved the Earl of Strafford doth deserve to undergo the pains and forfeitures of High-Treason and the Bill for perpetuating the Parliament which was brought up from the Commons the day before being quickly dispatched read and passed the next being Saturday May the 8th Saturday May 8. The Bill of Attainder was also passed the House of Lords but yet not without Opposition for all the Lords except 45 being absent of those is was carried but by 7 Votes 19 giving their Not-content to 26 that gave their content to the passing of this Fatal Bill The great Difficulty after all was to be yet overcome in procuring the Royal assent and for this purpose both the Houses attended his Majesty in the Banquetting-House to move him to it to which they received Answer That upon Monday they should know His Majesties Resolution All Sunday the King struggled with himself what to do in this Affair and certainly never was any Poor Prince so harrased between the Importunities of pretended necessity of State and the doubts of his own Conscience which told him the Earl was Innocent of what he was to die for the Lord-Chamberlain told him he acted like David and cited 2 Chron. 19. from Vers the 5 to 8. and that should he deny this it would be construed that he loved his Enemies and hated his Friends and that if he did not speak comfortably to the People they would desert him which would be worse then all the Evils that had befallen him in his life The King sent for the Judges and the Bishops to assist him the Bishops referred him to the Judges yet told him That in his Conscience he found not the Earl guilty in matter of Fact he ought not to pass the Bill but for matter of Law what was Treason they referred him to the Judges who according to their Oath ought to carry themselves indifferently between him and his Subjects only Doctor Juxon resolutely told him that if he were not satisfied in his Conscience he ought not to do it whatsoever happened the King complained of the Judges that they had not satisfied him nor indeed durst they give their Opinions freely for the satisfaction of his Conscience their own Consciences being over-awed and terrified their very Courage and Reason having deserted them in this Common Extremity and by their dubious answers abusing him as he said not easing him of his Scruples The general advice was to submit to the present necessity but how dearly both the King and they paid for making Religion truckle to reason of State hear him speak himself in his own Book concerning the Death of this Great Man I Looked upon my Lord of Strafford as a Gentleman 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the Earl of Straffords Death whose great abilities might make a Prince rather afraid than ashamed to imploy him in the greatest affairs of State For those were prone to create in him great confidence of undertakings and this was like enough to betray him to great Errors and many Enemies whereof he could not but contract good store while moving in so high a Sphear and with so vigorous a Luster he must needs as the Sun raise many envious exhalations which condensed by a Popular odium were capable to cast a cloud upon the brightest merit and integrity Though I cannot in my Judgment approve all he did driven it may be by the necessities of times and the temper of that people more than led by his own disposition to any height and rigor of Actions yet I could never be convinced of any such criminousness in him as willingly to expose his life to the stroke of Justice and Malice of his enemies I never met with a more unhappy conjuncture of affairs than in the business of that unfortunate Earl when between my own unsatisfiedness in Conscience and a necessity as some told me of satisfying the importunities of some people I was perswaded by those that I think wished me well to chuse
Protestation I hope Gentlemen you do think that neither the fear of Loss nor love of Reputation will suffer me to belye God and mine own Conscience at this time I am now in the very door going out and my next step must be from time to Eternity either of Peace or Pain To clear my self before you all I do here solemnly call God to witness I am not Guilty so far as I can understand of the great Crime laid to my Charge nor have ever had the least inclination or Intention to damnifie or prejudice the King the State the Laws or the Religion of this Kingdom but with my best endeavours to serve all and to support all So may God be merciful to my Soul Then rising up he said He desired to speak something to the People but was affraid he should be heard by few in regard of the Noise but having first fitted himself to the Block and rising again he thus addressed himself to the Spectators MY Lord Primate of Ireland and my Lords The Earl of Strafford's Speech upon the Scaffold May 12. and the rest of these Noble Gentlemen It is a great Comfort to me to have your Lordships by me this day because I have been known to you a long time and I now desire to be heard a few words I come here my Lords to pay my last Debt to Sin which is Death And through the Mercies of God to rise again to Eternal Glory My Lords If I may use a few words I shall take it as a great Courtesie from you I come here to submit to the Judgment that is passed against me I do it with a very quiet and contented Mind I do freely forgive all the World a forgiveness not from the Teeth outward as they say but from my heart I speak in the presence of Almighty God before whom I stand that there is not a displeasing thought that ariseth in me against any Man I thank God I say truly my Conscience bears me Witness that in all the Honour I had to serve His Majesty I had not any Intention in my heart but what did aim at the Joynt and Individual prosperity of the King and His People although it be my ill hap to be misconstrued I am not the first Man that hath suffered in this kind It is a Common Portion that befals men in this Life Righteous Judgment shall be hereafter here we are subject to Error and Misjudging one another One thing I desire to be heard in and do hope that for Christian Charities sake I shall be believed I was so far from being against Parliaments that I did always think Parliaments in England to be the happy Constitution of the Kingdom and Nation and the best means under God to make the King and his People happy As for my death I do here acquit all the World and beseech God to forgive them In particular I am very glad His Majesty conceives me not meriting so severe and heavy a punishment as the utmost Execution of this Sentence I do infinitely rejoyce in it and in that Mercy of His and do beseech God to Return Him the same that he may find Mercy when he hath most need of it I wish this Kingdom all prosperity and happiness in the World I did it Living and now Dying it is my Wish I profess heartily my apprehension and do humbly recommend it to you and wish that every Man would lay his hand on his heart and consider seriously Whether the beginning of the Peoples happiness should be written in Letters of Blood I fear they are in a Wrong Way I desire Almighty God that no one drop of my Blood rise up in Judgment against them I have but one word more and that is for my Religion My Lord of Armagh I do profess my self seriously faithfully and truly to be an obedient Son of the Church of England In that Church I was born and bred in that Religion I have lived and now in that I dye Prosperity and Happiness be ever to it It hath been said I was inclined to Popery if it be an Objection worth the answering let me say truly from my heart That since I was Twenty one years of age unto this day going on 49 years I never had thought or doubt of the truth of this Religion nor had ever any the boldness to suggest to me the contrary to my best remembrance And so being reconciled to the Mercies of Jesus Christ my Saviour into whose bosom I hope shortly to be gathered to enjoy Eternal Happiness which shall never have an end I desire heartily to be forgiven of every Man if any rash or unadvised Words or Deeds have passed from me and desire all your Prayers and so my Lord Farewel and farewel all things in this World The Lord strengthen my Faith and give me Confidence and Assurance in the Merits of Christ Jesus I trust in God we shall all meet to live Eternally in Heaven and receive the accomplishment of all Happiness where every Tear shall be wiped from our Eyes and sad thoughts from our Hearts and so God bless this Kingdom and Jesus have Mercy on my Soul Then turning himself about he saluted all the Noblemen and took a solemn leave of all considerable persons on the Scaffold giving them his Hand And after that he said Gentlemen I would say my Prayers and I intreat you all to pray with me and for me Then his Chaplain laid the Book of Common-Prayer upon the Chair before him as he kneeled down on which he prayed almost a quarter of an hour then he prayed as long or longer without a Book and ended with the Lords Prayer then standing up he spyed his Brother Sir George Wentworth and call'd him to him and said Brother We must part remember me to my Sister and to my Wife and carry my Blessing to my Eldest Son and charge him from me That he fear God and continue an Obedient Son of the Church of England and that he approve himself a Faithful Subject to the King and tell him That he should not have any private Grudge or Revenge towards any concerning Me and bid him beware to meddle not with Church Livings for that will prove a Moth and Canker to him in his Estate and wish him to content himself to be a Servant to his Countrey as a Justice of Peace in his County not aiming at higher Preferments Carry my Blessing also to my Daughter Ann and Arrabella charge them to fear and serve God and he will bless them not forgetting my little Infant that knows neither good nor evil and cannot speak for it self God speak for it and bless it Then said he I have nigh done One stroke will make my Wife Husbandless my dear Children Fatherless and my poor Servants Masterless and seperate me from my dear Brother and all my Friends but let God be to you and them all in all After that going to take off his Doublet and to make
But Obedience due to Kings is only for certain Respects of Order and Policy 11. 11. Ibidem That those very Church-men that are Born and Inhabit in Soveraign Princes Countries are notwithstanding not their Subjects and cannot be Judged by them although they may Judge them 12. 12. Ibidem And that the Obedience that Church-men give to Princes even in the meanest and meer Temporal Things is not by way of any necessary Subjection but only out of Discretion and for Observation of good Order and Custom Here we find what base Estimation Prelates had of Princes may we not then justly except against their delivery as it is by them urged No Bishop No King Whoever will have the Patience to read over this long and tedious Speech and compare it with the Histories of those Authors which he has gleaned it from may possibly find the matters of Fact either mistaken or falsly represented nor indeed can we give intire credit to all that was written by the Monks of those Times who being great Enemies to the Bishops may be supposed very partial in relating some Passages of their Lives however it is not my Province to vindicate the Ill Actions of any sort of men whatever and is confessedly known that several of those Bishops as particularly Becket the famous Romish Saint were notorious Traytors and ill men But that which I think ought not to be passed by without animadversion is the Weakness of this Gentleman's Argumentation for it is evident that the main stress of his Argument is from the Actions of former ill Bishops to prove the necessity not only of taking from them all Temporal Power and Estate but also to Abolish and Extirpate the very Office for when ever he or any of his Party talk of Reformation as he does when he tells you They were degenerated from the Primitive Institution and that he only wishes there were Reformation not Demolishing but Amendment and Restitution the Reader is to Understand that by those soft Words of Reformation Amendment Restitution and Primitive Institution is meant the Utter Extirpation of Episcopacy as then it stood and the Reducing it to the Geneva standard which with them was a Restitution of it to its Primitive Institution Now how weak and inconsequential the Argument is from the Abuse of any Office Power Dignity Trust or Order to argue the Abolition or Taking it away there needs little more to be said then that Admitting the truth of this for a Practicable and Necessary Maxim all Laws Government and Order must cease in the World for it will as necessarily follow That because there have been ill Kings and Parliaments Magistrates and Laws Therefore they ought wholly to be taken away as because there have been ill Bishops that therefore the whole Order ought to be Abolished And indeed a few Years succeeding brought the same Consequences and Effects upon the King and House of Lords as it had done upon the Bishops who for Mal-administration and pretended Miscarriages by the Usurpation of these soft Reformers and Reducers of Men to their Primitive Institution were both Exauctorated and discharged of any share in the Government and many of them with the King himself of his Royal Crown and Innocent Lives verifying literally to a tittle what he takes such pains to confute in the Close of his Speech as a false and foolish Maxim No Bishop No King And certainly this Gentleman ought to have considered that Ecclesiastical Persons have in all Ages in all Places of the World under all Governments among all Religions Pagan Jew Christian Mahometan universally had a share in the Administration of Civil Affairs and particularly in Legislation so far as the preparing of Laws for the Royal Impress amounts to and with very good reason by a Rule which upon some Occasions these Gentlemen have a Great Veneration for Quod tangit Omnes ab Omnibus debet tractari and Ecclesiasticks as well as others being to be bound by Laws ought to have their part in preparing and consenting to them And further he ought to have considered that Under the Jewish Oeconomy instituted by the Only Wise God himself the chief Administration of all Civil as well as Religious Affairs was Vested in the Ecclesiasticks And for our English Constitution the Laws had incorporated the Episcopal Order into the Very Fundamentals of the Government making them one of the Three Estates of the Land as they are by several Acts declared and to their Sitting not only in Parliament but in all Great Councels during the Saxon Government all Records so long as we have any unanimously inform us so that they had an immemorial Prescription for their Right and it was an ill presage what the future Reformation would prove when it was begun with the over-turning of one of the three Fundamental Pillars upon which the Weighty Frame of the Government was built After all the long Harangue of the ill Actions of former Bishops in the times of Popery when he comes in the period of his Speech as one would reasonably have Expected to speak something to purpose of the Protestant Bishops instead of that as if he had designed to Gratifie the Papists he falls to calumniate the first Reformers Cranmer Ridley c. as factious turbulent Traytors and Incendiaries and when he comes to those of his own time the Pope of Lambeth and his Cardinals Wren and others as he is pleased to stile the Archbishop and Bishops he makes a most hideous Out-cry of Popery Arminianism Idolatry and what not of irreligion to the Deity mischief and danger to the King and prejudice to the People and Kingdome without offering so much as one single testimony or proof by any Action Word or Writing of theirs to support so gross and black a Charge But this was a Method these Worthy Patriots had learnt from the Jesuits Fortiter calumniare aliquid haerebit to throw all the dirt imaginable upon the Albs and Lawn Sleeves of the Bishops not doubting but some of it would stick to them in the opinion of the People and they were such great Masters in the Art of Blackening that I think even the Great Master of the Black Art who has his name from calumniating and falsly accusing the Innocent might have been their Schollar as doubtless he was their Tutor in this hellish Trade But to leave Mr. Thomas with his long Speech let us return to the other Affairs the Faction was now under great Fears of both the Northern Armies who were not only Discontented for want of Pay both Scots and English but several of the latter seeing Evidently whither this procedure of the Anti-Episcopal Faction tended had some warm thoughts about them to endeavour to prevent it while they had the power in their hands knowing that as soon as possible the King would be stript of this Power and those Forces be Disbanded but the matter it seems was either not so well contrived or so secretly managed but that
the Report The Limitations were That all those who had suffered damage by the Customers either in Goods or otherwise might notwithstanding this Composition take their remedy at Law for Reparation And that the petty Customers should also come in upon Composition and then have the benefit of the Act of Oblivion An Order was also sent to the Master and Wardens of the Company of Vintners to command that notice be given to the whole Company that the Patent of Abel and Kilvert being Voted Illegal they should sell their Wines as formerly viz. French Wines at Six-pence per Quart and Spanish Wines at Twelve-pence the Quart This day a Commission was presented to the House of Lords Several private Bills passed by Commission directed to the Lord Privy Seal Lord Great Chamberlain and to Earl Marshal or any two of them to give the Royal Assent to three private Bills viz. One Entituled An Act to enable the Marquess of Winton to grant Estates for three Lives or 21 years c. of Lands in the County of Southampton c. reserving the old Rents Another Entituled An Act for Naturalization of Dorothy Spencer Daughter of Henry Lord Spencer Baron of Wormleighton And the third Entituled An Act for the enabling a Sale and Leasing of Lands for payment of the Debts of Thomas late Earl of Winchelsea The Lords Commissioners in their Robes sitting upon a Form set across the House between the State and the Keeper's Woolsack the House of Commons being sent for came with their Speaker then the Clerk of the Parliament presented upon his knee the Commission unto the Lords Commissioners and the Lord Privy Seal after he had acquainted the Peers and the House of Commons with his Majesties pleasure herein he delivered the Commission to the Clerk of the Parliament who carried it to his Table and read it which being done the Clerk of the Crown read the Titles of each Bill severally after which the Clerk of the Parliament pronounced the Royal Assent severally and then the Commons returned to their own House The Commons being returned Mr. Taylor a Barrister Thursday May 27. Mr. Taylor Burgess for Windsor expelled the House and Burgess for the Burrough of Old Windsor was expelled the House and Voted uncapable of ever being a Member of Parliament to be committed Prisoner to the Tower during the pleasure of the House to be carried down to Windsor there to make publick Recantation of what he had spoken and from thence to be returned back to the House of Commons to receive further Sentence And it was Ordered That a Writ should be presently issued out for a new Election in his Room The words for which he was Expelled and thus severely treated were attested by John Hall Mayor of Windsor Mr. Broughton and Mr. Waller That Mr. Taylor should in discourse about the death of the Earl of Strafford say That the House of Commons had not his Vote to the Bill of Attainder against Thomas Earl of Strafford for that to do it before the Lords had finished the Trial upon the Articles of Impeachment Exhibited by the Commons against him was to commit murther with the Sword of Justice An Act for the utter abolishing and taking away of Arch-Bishops Bill for Root and Branch read twice Bishops their Chancellours and Commissaries Deans Deans and Chapters Arch-Deacons Prebendaries Chanters and Canons and other Under-Officers out of the Church of England was read the first time and upon the debate of the House for a second reading the House was divided Yeas 139 Noes 108 so the Bill was read the second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House A Bill was also read the first time for granting to his Majesty the Duty of Tonnage and Poundage Bill for Tonnage Poundage read twice Holmer the Printer bailed and a second time in the Afternoon This day Holmer the Printer who was committed to the Gate-house for printing an Elegy upon the Earl of Strafford which then were called scandalous Verses was admitted to Bail An Estimate of the Debt of the Kingdom was this day brought into the House by the state of which Account it appeared Friday May 28. The state of the publick Debts Bill for raising mony and disbanding the Armies read a second time Bills against H. Commission Court and Pluralities engrossed Saturday May 29. That there was a Debt of seven hundred seventy three thousand nine hundred pounds due to the two Armies the City and several private persons who had lent mony upon Parliamentary Credit which brought on the Consideration of the Bill for Raising Mony and Disbanding the Armies which was read a second time Mr. Rigby Reports the Bills for taking away the High Commission Court and against Pluralities with the Amendments which were both Ordered to be engrossed Little of moment passed this day in the Commons House most of it being spent in debates about Raising Mony to defray the great Debt into which the Kingdom was plunged by the coming in of the Scottish Army to be assistant in the Glorious Reformation of Religion and Establishment of the Subjects Liberty for which guilded Words the Nation was to part with their real Treasure And it was but an untoward Omen how expensive these great Patriots were like to prove for the future who began so early to shew the People that little less than a Million of Mony must be laid down as the Earnest for this imaginary purchase It was this day Ordered Several Lords examined about the Conspiracy of the Army That the Earls of Newcastle and Carnarvan and the Lord Bishop of Chichester shall be attended with this Order and that their Lordships be desired to repair unto the Lords Committees appointed by this House to take the Examinations concerning certain late practises concerning the Army in the North at Two of the Clock this Afternoon at the Lord Keeper's Lodgings near the Parliament House to be examined by them A Case having been depending between Thomas Nash Nash and Kynnaston's Case determined in a Writ of Error and Charles Kynnaston about Errors in a Writ of Error and Council having been fully heard at the Bar of the Lords House on both sides their Lordships Voted the said Errors alledged by the Plaintiff Nash to be frivolous and thereupon awarded the following Order upon it In Suprema Curia Domini Regis Parliament ' Inter Thomam Nash Quer ' Carolum Kynnaston Defendentem in placito transgr ' ejectionis Firmae Super quo visis premissis per Cur ' Parliament ' Domini Regis nunc hic diligent ' Examinat ' plenius intellectis tum Record ' Process ' predict ac Judic ' predict ' super eisdem Reddit ' quam predict ' Causa pro Errore prodict ' predict ' Thom ' in Forma predict ' assignat ' allegat ' videtur predicta suprema Curia Parliament ' hic quoad Record predict in nullo vitiosum aut defectivum
Friday July 9. at which Mr. Denzil Hollis made this following Speech My Lords THe Knights Mr. Denzil Hollis his Speech about the Palatinate July 9. 1641. Citizens and Burgesses of the House of Commons have commanded me to let your Lordships know that they have taken into their serious Consideration His Majesties Proposal unto them of the Manifesto in which he is graciously Pleased to declare his Pious Intentions concerning his Royal Sister the Prince Palatine her Son and the rest of the Electoral Family They do with all Humbleness acknowledg His Majesties Favor in communicating unto them any part of His Royal Thoughts and asking their Advice and Counsel in a Business that doth so neerly concern Him as needs must the Happiness nay the Subsistence of these Distressed Princes of so Glorious an Extraction their Veins being enriched with the same Blood that is from so Royal Ancestors derived with Glory into his Sacred Person And in that Relation the House of Commons looks upon them with an Eye of Tenderness wishing that every drop of that Princely Blood may ever be illustrated with Honor and Happiness That His Majesty may be Crowned with this Blessing To see nothing but Glory in himself and in all that belong unto him To hear then that these Princes so nearly allyed unto the King should suffer that which is so unworthy of them instead of Honor of Greatness to find Oppression instead of a Fortune answerable to their Birth and Relation to have their ancient Patrimony torn from them and deteined by a Hand of Violence is a Thing which makes our Ears to tingle and our Hearts to rise within us My Lords The Loyal Subject of England is so well tuned in a sweet agreeing Harmony to the Person of his Prince that he is affected with the least Touch upon any part of the Princely String and Answers it instantly with a Sound proportionable If it be Good and Pleasant with Joy and Exultation if harsh and displeasant with Sorrow and Lamentation but a Sorrow not Womanish and Effeminate but accompanied with Indignation and vigorous magnanimous Resolution to be avenged upon whosoever dare give Offence to our Royal Sovereign This then is enough to make us zealous for the Redress of the Prince Electors Wrongs to desire with impatience to see him reinvested in his rightful Possessions were there nothing else to move us to it but our Love and Affection and our Duty to the King But My Lords There is yet another Motive which hath a strong irresistable Operation with us and it is the consideration how much this is of Importance to the good of Religion the advancement of the Protestant party and the redeeming many Souls from their Anti-Christian Bondage which hath a double Aspect and relates to us not only as we are Fellow-Members with them of the true Church which obliges us to a Care and Defence of them and gives us an assurance of a Reward in Heaven But doth more particularly concern us in point of Policy and Reason of State by supporting our Allies to advance this Kingdom to the highest pitch of Greatness and Reputation to make us formidable abroad to the Enemies of our Church and State and so injoy Peace and Safety and Tranquillity at Home For My Lords The Protestant Religion and this Kingdom are like Hippocrates's Twins that must both Live and Die together It is madness to think this State can subsist if Religion be subverted and as great a madness to think our Religion can continue here if we suffer it to be destroyed and eradicated out of our Neighbour Countries which can no more be that is our Religion and this Kingdom be preserved when our Neighbours of the same Religion and Belief with us be consumed then a Fort can hold out when all the Out-Works be taken or the Heart preserved when a Gangrene hath seized on the outward Parts of the Body My Lords As the true Religion is in the Truth the Heart of England which gives it Life and makes it flourish with Strength and Power so is England in Politick Respect the Heart of the Protestant Religion in all the other Parts of Christendom and upon Occasion must send out Supply into all the Neighbouring Countries professing the same Religion with it which to be themselves in safety must be under the Protection of this Fort under Contribution to this Garrison And on the other side if these Countries be one after another Invaded and Possessed by the Enemies of Religion that great Tye of Religion between us and those Bonds be Dissolved which only can Unite and Strengthen our mutual Affections and Relations as if they get one Part their Appetite will increase soon to swallow up another First The Palatinate then the other Parts of Germany afterwards the Low Countries and then Let us think in what Condition England will stand It will be left as a Cottage in a Vineyard as a Lodg in a Garden of Cucumbers as a besieged City when all the Defences are gone it will soon fall to be a Prey to the Enemy My Lords This Consideration likewise works with the Commons of England and as the Wise-Man is to have his Eyes in his Head and look before him so they do look before them and had rather see this Evil met half-way then stay till it come to them rather see the eating Gangrene of the Austrian Ambition stop'd in Germany then tarry till it seize upon the Vital Parts of this Island and the death of Religion inevitably follow Sir Benjamin Rudyard also at a Committee of the whole House Mr. Whitlock being in the Chair spoke to this business as follows Master Whitlock IF we may do the Prince Elector good by our good word Sir Benjamin Rudyard's Speech at a Committee of the whole House about the Palatine July 9. 1641. I hope we shall not stick to afford it him A word spoken in due Season is worth more then Gold and Silver at an other time His Majestie 's Ambassador is now at the Dyet at Ratisbon where the Emperor and other Princes are by Friendly Treaties endeavouring to make up the Breaches of Germany If this opportunity be omitted His Highness's Affairs will be exceedingly cast behind-hand It is true that our Treaties heretofore have not been prosperous the reason hath been because of the unhappy distance between the King and His People which brought a Disvalue upon this Kingdom abroad But now when the World shall take notice of the good understanding between His Majesty and His Subjects by an earnest and solemn joyning of the whole Parliament with His Majestie 's Declaration the Propositions coming from hence will carry with them more Weight more Authority which is the way to redeem our engagement at an easie rate to save those great charges which some do so much fear If we should be backward in this great work we shall cancel the obligations of Nature of Honour of Reason of State of Religion which
Clerks under his Hand they could not judg of it till they had resorted to his Book where their Orders and their Votes are entred month July 1641. where they found their Votes concerning their late Protestation taken both by your Lordships and them and they found the contents of this Paper to agree in terminis with what is entred in their Clerks Book Then they called to mind what had passed in the House upon that occasion when those resolutions of theirs were Voted How they had considered of that Protestation that it bound all men to defend the Religion here Established c. This they conceived to be a true Test of every good Subject a Shibboleth to distinguish the Ephramites from the Gileadites that whosoever was well affected in Religion and to the good of the Common-wealth would make this Protestation and on the other side who would not make it was not well affected And such a man they held it their duties in discharge of the trust reposed in them by the whole Body of the Kingdom all the Commons of England who have sent them out as so many Sentinels to watch for them to give them notice of the good or the evil Friends or Enemies coming towards them they held it I say their duties to declare their Opinions that such a Man was not their Friend was unfit to bear Office either in Church or State and therefore they passed this Vote that it is a thing fit and necessary to be done by them and for such they do avow it And besides they thought it fit to give an account to those who had employed them the several Counties and Burroughs that sent them to give them a mark by which they might know who were good men lovers of their Countrey fit to be intrusted with Offices with the oversight of any part of Church or State and therefore they gave order this Vote should be sent down unto all the parts of this Kingdom And lastly that it might be done speedily and not stay the Writing out of so many Copies they gave order it should be Printed and be attested under the Clerks Hand with order c. The Copies of which three orders your Lordships have in this Printed Paper which the Commons assembled in Parliament have Commanded me to signifie unto your Lordships and that the passing of these Votes they do own they do avow they do justifie Mr. Serjeant Wild Reports from the Committee for the Impeachment of the Bishops for the New Canons c. But the further consideration of it was deferred till the next day and the House entred upon the further Debate of the Bill for abolishing Episcopacy Two Private Bills one for Mr. Byarley the other for Sir Alexander Denton were passed the House of Lords this Day Then a Letter dated the 27th of _____ 1641 was read Exceptions taken at a Letter from the Speaker of the Lords House in Ireland to the Speaker of the Lords House in England sent from the Speaker of the Lords House in Ireland to the Speaker of the Lords House in England and because the House conceived this Letter entrenched upon the Jurisdiction and Priviledge of this House therefore it is Ordered That the L Chamberlain E. March and E. Bristol Viscount Say and Seal do attend the King and shew him this Letter and desire him from this House that he will be pleased to make stay of the passing of those Acts of Grace and Favor that are in Treaty concerning the Kingdom of Ireland until this Business be determined in this House and further humbly to desire that the Levying of the 14 thousand Soldiers in Ireland may be stayed if it be not already done Then these Lords L. Privy Seal E. Bath E. Southampton Episcopus Lincoln were appointed to have power from this House to search Records Wednesday August 5. and Presidents concerning Ireland's dependency upon this Kingdom and to report the same to this House The House of Commons was informed that the E. of Warwick hath paid the Scots 50000 l. and will have to morrow 52300 l. more ready for them which is all the Arrear that is due to them Serjeant Wild Reports the remaining part of the impeachment of the Bishops concerning the New Canons which being read and assented to was immediately engrossed and by him sent up to the Lords where he delivered it in this manner at the Bar of the Lords House My Lords THe Knights The Impeachment of the Bishops for the New Canons Oath Aug. 4. 1641. Citizens and Burgesses of the Commons House of Parliament being sensible of the great infelicities and troubles which the Common-wealth hath sustained by the exorbitant courses of the Bishops and knowing well that the Wise man saith That if Sentence be not speedily executed against an evil Work the Hearts of the Sons of Men are set upon further mischief The timely redress whereof doth better become the Wisdom of Parliament then a too late woful repentance have commanded me to represent unto your Lordships That Walter Bishop of Winchester Robert Bishop of Coventrey and Lichfield Godrey Bishop of Gloucester Joseph Bishop of Exceter John Bishop of Asaph William Bishop of Bath and Wells George Bishop of Hereford Matthew Bishop of Ely William Bishop of Bangor Robert Bishop of Bristol John Bishop of Rochester John Bishop of Peterborough Morgan Bishop of Landaff together with William Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and others of the Clergy of that Province at a Convocation or Synod for the same Province begun at London in the year 1640 did contrive make and promulge several Constitutions and Canons Ecclesiastical containing in them divers matters contrary to the Kings Prerogative To the Fundamental Laws and Statutes of the Realm To the Rights of Parliament To the Propriety and Liberty of the Subjects and matters tending to Sedition and of dangerous consequence And to add the more weight and efficacy to this their monstrous design They did at the same Synod under a Specious and fair Title grant a Benevolence or Contribution to His Majesty to be paid by the Clergy of that Province contrary to Law It rested not there for though this had been enough to have affrighted and terrified the Kings People with strange apprehensions and fears yet that these might not seem to be contrivances of the Brain or Fancies only they were put in execution and were executed upon divers with animosity and rigour to the great oppression of the Clergy of this Realm and other His Majesties Subjects and in contempt of the King and of the Law Whether these Persons my Lords that are culpable of these offences shall be thought fit to have an Interest in the Legislative power your Lordships wisdom and justice is able to judg But for these matters and things the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the Commons House in Parliament in the name of themselves and of all the Commons of England do Impeach the said Bishops before named of the Crime
Mr. D'avenant was before Col. Goring went to Portsmouth Whensoever Sir John Suckling spake with him concerning any particular Intimations to the Army though Mr. D'avenant was then present he whispered yet he spake some Generals openly That the French would assist That the Clergy would maintain 1000 Horse That part of the Commons House was much distasted with the Letter that came from the Army The only Proposition was to know their Inclinations for their accepting Col. Goring for their Lieutenant General Mr. Wilmot Mr. Ashburnham and Mr. Pollard told him That the House of Commons had real Intentions towards the Army and that they should have Martial Law if it would stand with the Conveniency of the Common-wealth and this they spake with much Earnestness Sergeant Major Willis told him upon the Way That the Clergy would furnish a Thousand Horse Saturday August 14. A Letter was Ordered to be sent to the Lord General about the Affairs of the Army which was as followeth May it Please your Excellency Letter to L. General from the Lords about the Scots marching by Barwick THe Treaty of Pacification between the Two Kingdoms of England and Scotland being come to a Happy and Peaceable Conclusion and a Day prefixed for the Scottish Army to March over the Tweed for the more Expedition thereof the Scottish Commissioners have made their Request to the Parliament that they might be permitted to pass with their Army Munition and Artillery over Barwick Bridge To which desire both Houses of Parliament have consented to be in such sort as shall be agreed and settled there by the General and Governor of Barwick Wherefore the Lords have commanded me to recommend the Manner and Way thereof to your Excellency's Care and Judgment not doubting but your Excellency will give such Directions to the Governor of Barwick both for the number of Soldiers that shall March in a Company together as also how to preserve his Majesties Ordinance and Munitions there and secure the safety of the said Town And so I humbly remain Your Excellency's Servant to Command John Banks Speaker of the Lords House A Complaint having Yesterday been made by the House of Commons that the Capuchin Friers in Denmark House Capuchin Friers at Denmark House to keep in were very active in Preverting the Kings Subjects from the True Religion the Earl of Dorset was Ordered to attend the Queen and move her Majesty from this House in it and humbly to desire her Majesty That the said Friers may be kept in and not suffered to go abroad to pervert the People and draw them to be reconciled to the Church of Rome And further That the Earl of Dorset do send for the Chief of the Capauhins and give him warning that he obey this Command Upon reading the Petitions of the Lord Major of London Order about L. Major and Citizens for a Reference and the six Persons chosen by the Commonalty of the said City It is Ordered That both sides shall give Copies to each other of their Petitions and attend the Lords Committees appointed to compose the Differences between them on Munday next in the Afternoon at Two of the Clock in the Painted Chamber A Message was brought from the House of Commons by Mr. Message that a convenient number of Lords may stay in Town Hotham to desire That a convenient number of Lords may be kept together in this House until the Armies be disbanded and the necessary Defence of the Kingdom settled The Answer hereunto was That their Lordships will take Care as is desired WHereas this House hath been Informed That Thomas Bushell Esq Undertaker of His Majesties Mines Royal in the County of Cardigan by his great Charge and Industry in cutting Additts hath gained His Majesties old drowned and forsaken Works of Talabant The Order of the House of Lords about Mines Royal in Wales Aug. 14. 1641. and other Works and made new Discoveries of Royal Mines there which are already very Considerable And whereas divers Persons of Quality encouraged by His Majesties Letters to them directed do intend to adventure great Summs of Money in the said Work which in time if well incouraged may prove of great consequence both for Honor and Profit to His Majesty and this Kingdom And whereas also it appeareth unto this House by divers Affidavits and Certificates of Credit that some Persons ill affected to these Honourable and Publick Services who in time may receive deserved Punishment have disturbed the possession of the said Thomas Bushell in some of His Majesties Mines Royal and Edifices appertaining to the Royal Work and have plucked up divers Pumps cast in the Rubbish and drowned and so much as in them did lie destroyed the said Works so as it hath been a labour of 4 Years Night and Day to recover the same and that the said Thomas Bushell hath been disturbed in the getting of Turf and Peate for the Service of His Majesties Works being an invention of his own very commendable and commodious for the preserving of Wood which hath been heretofore by the former Undertakers much wasted in those Parts Now for the Remedy of such mischiefs and that the said Thomas Bushell and his Assigns and such Persons as are or shall be Undertakers and Adventurers with him in the said Service may receive a due encouragement and assistance in these chargeable Undertakings It is Ordered by the Lords in the upper House of Parliament now Assembled That the Speaker of this House in the Name and by the Authority of the same shall direct his Letters unto the Judges of Assizes and Justices of the Peace of the said County of Cardigan requiring them that they do in all Lawful things endeavour to advance and encourage the said Service in His Majesties Royal Mines and assist the said Thomas Bushell and other Undertakers in all things so far as Lawfully they may for the continuance of his Lawful Possession and the quiet and peaceable Working of the said Mines until he shall be ejected by due Course of Law as also for getting and working of Turf or Peate according to his Legal Right upon His Majesties Wasts and other places Lawful and all other Lawful accommodations of necessary passages and other Legal things which may any ways advance His Majesties Service in the said Royal Mines Commissioners to attend the King in Scotland It was this day Ordered by the Commons That two Members only of this House shall go Commissioners into Scotland with the Earl of Bedford and Mr. Hambden and Sir Philip Stapleton to be the Persons A Committee was also appointed to draw Instructions for them Petition against the Minister of St. Ann's Aldersgate A Petition was read against the Minister of St. Anns Church near Aldersgate for speaking Words against the Parliament for so they called the House of Commons saying It would not last alwayes but they would hereafter be questioned for some things they have done
this Parliament Assembled hath ordained ut sequitur in the Act. And these Acts made by the King the Lords Temporal and Commons only were upon the Clamorous complaints of the Commons about the giving of the Benefices of England to strangers and others who never were Resident upon the Benefices This Report being made the House took the same into Consideration and for the better debate of the Propositions the House was adjourned into a Committee during pleasure And the Question was Whether those Thirteen Bishops that stood Impeached of those Crimes by the House of Commons shall be suspended from their Votes in this House until they stand Recti in Curia After a long debate herein the House was resumed and it is Ordered That the further Consideration of the Propositions which came from the House of Commons and the Bill entituled an Act for disabling Persons in Holy Orders to Exercise any Temporal Jurisdiction shall be both deferred until the Tenth day of November next A Message was brought from the House of Commons by Arthur Goodwin Esquire to let their Lordships know That whereas at a Conference Yesterday touching the Bishops which were Impeached for making of Canons the House of Commons did tell their Lordships That they had a Witness a Member of their House Mr. Wheeler to prove that the said Bishops did Subscribe to those Canons he having seen the Register Book with their Names written with their own Hands all which he is now ready upon Oath to prove if their Lordships shall rest herein satisfied the Register Book being in a House which is visited with the Plague The Reader will see by these Arguments of Mr. Solicitor St. John the utmost Strength of the Reason which they had to exclude the Bishops from their Votes and Peerage Now in regard the same thing has been again moved and the Arguments revived by the Successors of the same Faction who still retain the old Principles and Kindness to the Lords the Bishops looking upon them as a kind of Supernumeraries in the House of Lords who may well be spared and not as in reality they are a third Estate to stop the Progress so far as I am able of such an Error dangerous to the very being and Fundamental Constitution of our Parliaments I here present the Reader with a short Abstract out of the Learned Piece writ upon this Subject Entituled The Grand Question concerning the Bishops Right to Vote in Parliament in Cases Capital Stated and Argued c. I confess I have not followed the Author's Method nor was it possible to do it without great Inconvenience his Book being an Answer to some Papers writ against the Peerage and Jurisdiction of Bishops c. But I hope I have not done him or the Subject any Injustice by making use of the Matter and accommodating it more to my purpose which is among such Infinite Plenty and Variety of Matter to study all the conciseness and brevity I can I have therefore reduced the Subject to these four Heads First That the Bishops are Pares Regni Peers of the Realm and Peers in Parliament Secondly That they have a Right to Sit and Vote in Parliament in all Causes whatsoever even in Causa Sanguinis in Capital Cases Thirdly That the Lords Spiritual the Bishops are a third Estate in Parliament Fourthly To answer such Objections as have been made against their Peerage and Jurisdiction Which Abstract follows First Position That the Bishops are Pares Regni Peers of the Realm An Abstract of the Grand Question about the Peerage and Jurisdiction of the Bishops in Parliament Marculph Form lib. 1. c. 25. and Peers in Parliament The Author Learnedly proves That as soon as ever Christianity was settled in these Northern Nations Bishops were admitted into all publick Councils and Courts of Judicature So he instances in France from the Testimony of Marculphus That the King Sate in Judgment unà cum Dominis Patribus nostris Episcopis together with the Lords and Fathers the Bishops and that the greater Causes were heard by the King himself or the Comes Palatii Episcopis proceribus Assidentibus the Bishops and Nobility being Assessors with him In Spain during the Gothick Race of Kings the greatest Affairs of State were managed by the greatest of the Clergy and Nobility Concil Tolet. 4. c. 75.5 c. 7.6 c. 17. passim albi as appears by the several Councils of Toledo and particularly in the 13 Council Cap. 2. A case of Impeachment of Treason was brought before them And yet from one of these Councils of Toledo it is that all the Dust hath been raised and the Canon Law objected urged against Bishops That they ought not to be present or concerned in Cases of Blood In Germany Goldastus Rer. Alem. An. To. 2. the first Laws that were published by Lotharius were composed 33 Bishops 34 Dukes 72 Counts besides the People being present and assisting Arumaeus de Comitiis n. 35. c. 4. n. 98. and Arumaeus a Protestant Lawyer informs us that the Bishops of Germany Sate in the Diet in a double Capacity as Bishops and Princes of the Empire which Constitution he applauds as prudent for the Administration of Justice Honourable and safe for Religion In Bohemia Goldast Bohem. lib. 5. cap. 1. the same Goldastus a Protestant too acquaints us that there were three Estates prelates Nobles and Commons till the time of Sigismund In Hungary Decret Ladisl p. 12. so soon as ever the Christian Religion prevailed and was settled the Laws were framed by the King with the Advice and Consent of Bishops Nobles Staravols Polon p. 263. Herbart Stat. Regni Pol. p. 262. and the whole Clergy and People In Poland the Constitution of the Government is composed of the Bishops Barons and Delegates who are called Nuncii terrestres who are Summoned to the Dyet by the King and that with the entrance of Christianity as the publick Religion the Bishops entred into the Senate and had the first Seat in that Court Adam Brem de Situ Dan. n. 85. Loccen Antiq. Sueco-goth c. 8. Jus aulicum Norvey c. 3. c. 36. In Norway Denmark and Sweden the same Constitution entred with the prevalency of Christian Religion viz. Bishops Nobles Knights and Deputies In England after the Conversion of the Saxons during the whole time of that Monarchy there is not in all our Records one Council wherein the Bishops had not a part From whence the Author strongly Argues that it would be a very unaccountable thing that we of all the Nations of the Christian World who profess to have the best Government and the best Reformed Religion should Exclude those from any share in that Government who were by all others admitted into it as soon as they admitted the Christian Religion to be the publick Profession of their Country That the Bishops since the coming in of the Norman Race were always Esteemed Peers of the Realm and Peers of Parliaments
in the Margin he calls Richard Belling R. B. a zealous Nuncionist Whereas though it is true that he was imployed by the Supreme Council to Rome and his Negotiation was the occasion of sending the Nuncio over into Ireland yet when he found the Nuncio and that Party to have other Designs then meerly the obtaining Liberty for their Religion as at first they pretended none were more zealous in opposing them then Mr. Belling or in promoting the Peace and submitting the Irish to the King's Authority he was one among others of the supreme Council who disavowed and appealed from the Sentence of Excommunication procured against the Lord Lieutenant and his Adherents as is evident by a Book which he wrote in answer to one published by French the Titular Bishop of Fernes written in Justification of the Rebellion and the aforesaid Excommunication Pag. 5th of the Preface he saith The Cessation was managed by subtile Instruments of State And because these Words are a little Mysterious p. 29th of the said Preface he Explains himself speaking his own Sentiments in the Language of Col. Crafford's Remonstrance where he hath this passage When I first enter'd on this History I propos'd to my self a Series of the Whole but prest with my own Affairs and matter increasing plentifully upon me I held it rational to Sum up the Whole after I had brought it to the Cessation which some * Col. Crafford's Remonstrance pag. 5. had an apprehension was not a less Plot to deliver the Remainder of his Majesties true Subjects into the Rebels hands and to root out the Protestant Religion Observe this passage then what was commenced the 23 of October 1641. But the Articles of that Cessation speak otherwise necessity being the Ground thereof legible in His Majesties Motives to a Cessation the 19th of September 1643. Which afterwards was highly Controverted and in the end so infeebled as the War according to the first intent was after the Long Parliament grasp'd all pursued with vigour and success The Regicides and Irish Papists might have sharper Swords but surely they had not blacker Ink then Dr. Borlase for either he thought that this passage Of some thought the Cessation a greater Plot against the Protestant Interest and Religion then that of the Irish Papists Octob. 23 1641 was either True or else the most malicious Compendium of Scandal that ever the Regicides or Irish Rebels endeavoured to fix upon His Majesty if he thought it false he should without mumbling the matter between the Teeth of so many Parentheses as he does where he seems to contradict it from His Majesties motives and the Articles I say he ought either not to have mentioned it at all or to have given it a lasting brand of Infamy For by this intolerable Reflection the Character of a worse Plot is put upon His Majesty then the execrable Irish Rebellion to betray the Protestants and their Religion since he himself in the 118 121 124 and 132 pages of his History produces His Majesties Letters to the then Marquess now Duke of Ormond and the Lords Justices Borlase and Tichburn expresly commanding the making of that Cessation for one year And I think to fix this upon the King exceeds even the Exit Tyrannus Regum Vltimus of the Rebels And therefore all along his History he makes some body or other still thinking this Cessation a great Plot against the Protestants and extolls the management of the Parliament who were against it after they had grasp'd all for vigorously and successfully prosecuting the War and indeed it is very suspicious that he both thinks and would have others think this Cessation a Real Plot and that he hath a great Kindness for the English Parliament Rebels appears by the Tenderness he expresses for them as in this Place as if they were in good earnest against the Irish Rebels and the King in good Earnest for them so also P. 135. where he hath these sweetning Words And indeed to give the Parliament their due when they had reduc'd the Affairs of England to their own Module the Rebels of Ireland were frequently Chastized and so affectionately pursued that neither Men Money or Courage was wanting to that Service Expressions so kind and tender that one is tempted to believe these were some of the Nameless Worthies he mentions in his Preface Pag. 25. It may be saith he some whose Excellency consists in Detraction will think by this I had a particular Design besides the History to preserve the Memory of * If these Some were not some of the Illustrious Parliament Regicides as Ireton Cromwell c. why does he not Name them some who otherwise in tract of time might be lost in the Common Rubbish and I dare not disown those Conjectures the deserving being to be in Everlasting Remembrance Nor hath it in all Ages and amongst the Worthiest Persons been esteemed Pride but Justice to Erect Memorials and Altars to Meriting Heroes And I think by this Passage he did not intend to put the Greatest Hero and Martyr into his Calender unless it be to Note him Nigro Carbone I shall have Occasion to satisfie the Reader more particularly when I come to the Vxbridge Treaty and the Papers which then passed betwixt the King and the Parliament in the mean time in short this was the true State of the Matter and then let the World judge what Ground Dr. Borlase hath to revive this black Scandal against his late Majesty and his Grace the Duke of Ormond The Reasons for making this Cessation were plainly the miserable Condition which that part of the English Army under the Command of the Marquiss of Ormond was reduced unto because neither he nor the Officers and Soldiers under his Command could be threatned or perswaded to favor the two Houses of Parliament in the War they made against the King whilest the Scotch Army were at the same time plentifully provided for so that those who would not be of their Party had no choice beside the Cessation but to forsake their Allegiance or Starve Besides the Parliament saw evidently That if a Cessation were concluded and a Peace should follow upon it the King would receive considerable Supplies of Men from Ireland which made them to save their own Heads forfeited to Justice so violently Oppose the Cessation thò they pretended other Reasons of Religion and Conscience under which Cloaks they covered the most Impious and daring Villainies which ever the Sun beheld I might produce other Passages but must desire the Readers Excuse for the present till they naturally fall in my Way but I cannot omit one more P. 304. where he hath these very Words And certainly whatsoever conspired to complete so execrable a Design as the Murther of the King nothing contributed more than the Irish deluding his Sacred Majesty so long with their Promises of a Competent Army whereby he relying on them too confidently Assured of their Ability and Power to perform it
Excellent Minister and Assistant in the Execution of the Kings Writs the great Peace-maker betwixt the Brittish and Natives betwixt the Protestant and the Papist and the chief Securer under God and his Majesty of the Future and Past Plantations His Lordship also moved That he might be permitted to keep a constant Fund of 20000 l. in the Exchequer in Ireland to be ready upon all occasions And certainly had he continued his Life and this Well-laid Way of Managing the spirits of some of the Old Irish Especially there is all the probability that humane affairs can afford that the Irish had not made themselves so miserable a Nation as by that Barbarous Rebellion they did and that the English Rebellion which was wonderfully influenced by it either had not been at all or had never arrived to those accursed Successes and Period for at least he would have kept the Scots imployed at home if he had not assisted the King with Men here in England against the Rebels But to proceed what ever Fucus of Religion these as well as the English Rebels afterwards might make Use of to paint the Jezabel of Treason there was a Desire of shaking off the Government and Dependency upon the Crown of England at least in some of the Irish as will plainly appear in their Ensuing Actions and what ever the other Motives and Occasions of this Defection were undoubtedly the English Rebellion which followed this so closely at the heels disabled the King from having the Power as he had the Will to have hazarded his Royal Person to suppress it in its Infancy by reason whereof it came to be of so long Continuance and Ireland to drink so deeply of the Calamities which attended this Dreadful Rebellion There were several other Concomitant Actions even of the Governing part of the Nation who were many of them Parliamentarians in Heart and afterwards violently so in their Actions which did increase and heighten the despair of the Irish and I have seen some Minutes of the Council-Board which aver That Sir Charles Coot said That when Sir Luke Fitz-Gerald misdemean'd himself before the Board by incivil Words toward a Member of the Board he let him have the line and would not reprehend him in hope he would go into Rebellion for he saw he would do so and that the more that were in Rebellion it was the Better And certainly there were some unjustifiable Severities Used by the Lords Justices and Council as prohibiting the Irish to come to Dublin upon pain of Death by Three successive Proclamations and afterwards burning their Houses c. for giving Entertainment to the Army of the Rebels one of the two being unavoidable their making Prisoners and Indicting such of them as came in and submitted to the Marquess of Ormond in hopes of kind Usage notwithstanding his Intercession for them and the advantage they might reasonably Expect such Clemency would be to them in order to reclaiming the more Moderate and such as had complied with the Rebels out of pure Necessity of which ill Treatment I shall produce one of their Letters to the Marquess of Ormond with an Express Command from the Lords Justices and Council for his so doing Which Letter was as followeth AFter Our very hearty A Letter from the Lords Justices and Council to E. of Ormond to prosecute the Rebels with Fire and Sword c. Martii 9. 1641. c. We the Lords Justices have received your Lordships Letters of this dayes date which we communicated with the Council and having taken the same into Serious Consideration after deliberate Advisement thereof at this Board We have thought fit to return your Lordship this Answer That calling to mind the Reasons moving this Board to take the Resolution Expressed in our Order dated the 3d. of this Month concerning the present Expedition and considering divers other Weighty Reasons now appearing to us in Council and for that also we have by our last Letters into England as your Lordship knowes made known thither That your Lordship with 3000 Foot and 500 Horse was immediately to March into the Pale to burn spoyl and destroy the Rebels of the Pale without excepting of any And for that the direction we Expected forth of England concerning the Lords of the Pale did not concern this Matter We therefore think fit First That according to that Order of this Board you pass not beyond the River of Boyne but March in such places between the Boyne and the Sea as your Lordship shall think fit Secondly That those that offer to come in ☞ be in no other manner taken in then as Prisoners taken by the Power and Strength of his Majesties Army as in truth it is and if any of them come to the Army that if it may be the Soldiers do seize on them before they have access to your Lordship and that afterwards they be denyed access to your Person Thirdly That no difference be made between the Noblemen that are Rebels and other Rebels but that their Houses and Goods be dealt with as other Rebels are in manner as in our said Order dated the 3d of this Month is Expressed which we now again recommend to your Lordships observation In the last place We render Thanks to your Lordship for your Letters praying your Lordship to be as Frequent as you may in Advertisements to us during your Absence And in case you find the necessity of the Service to require your absence from hence for a longer time then the 8. days mentioned in our Order of the 3d of this Month We are pleased That your Lordship be absent two or three days longer if you find all things concurring therein to the advantage of the Publique Service in case in the interim you receive no direction from us to the contrary And observing no mention in your Letters of having consulted with Sir Richard Greenfield as with other Commanders We pray your Lordship That as there may be occasion you call him to such Consultations And so we bid c. from his Majesties Castle of Dublin the 9th of March 1641. Your Lordships very Loving Friends William Parsons John Borlase R. Dillon J. Temple Charles Coote Th. Rotherham Fr. Willoughby R. Meredith Postscript WHen Your Lordship shall have perused and signed the inclosed We pray you to cause it to be conveyed to Sir Henry Tichburne To our very good Lord James Earl of Ormond c. The Reader will meet with several others of these fierce Commands in the Series of their due time only I could not omit inserting this in this place though a little before its proper time to clear this Point and to vindicate the Reflections of his late Majesty in his Remarques upon this Rebellion as well as his future Actions in displacing some of these fiery Men and putting others of better Temper in their places which it will appear he did with great Justice and Prudence and if he erred in any thing it seems to
be in that he did not do it sooner before they had blown the Nation into so Universal a Flame of Rebellion by their Rigid Presbyterian Severities which come no whit behind their Brethren in Cruelty the Papists in their Unchristian Evangelium Armatum and propagating Religion by Fire and Sword And because it will give us a great light into the Causes of this dreadful Rebellion for which we are now searching let us hear what that excellent Prince sayes upon this Subject in those Cool and Melancholy Minutes when he had too much Leisure to write his Innocent Thoughts and to Steal some respit from the Pressures of his Sufferings and Insolence of his Insulting Enemies by the retired Divertisements of his Incomparable Pen. THe Commotions in Ireland were so sudden and so violent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cap. 12. Upon the Rebellion and Troubles in Ireland that it was hard at first either to discern the Rise or apply a Remedy to that precipitant Rebellion Indeed that Sea of Blood which hath there been Cruelly and Barbarously shed is enough to drown any man in Eternal both Infamy and Misery whom God shall find the malicious Author or Instigator of its Effusion It fell out as a most unhappy advantage to some Mens Malice against me that when they had impudence enough to lay any thing to my Charge this bloody opportunity should be offered them with which I must be aspersed although there was nothing which could be more abhorring to me being so full of Sin against God Disloyalty to my Self and destructive to my Subjects Some Men took it very ill not to be believed when they affirmed That what the Irish Rebels did was done with my Privity at least if not by my Commission But these knew too well that it is no news for some of my Subjects to sight not only without my Commission but against my Command and Person too yet all the while to pretend they fight by my Authority and for my Safety I would to God the Irish had nothing to alledge for their imitation against those whose blame must needs be the greater by how much Protestant Principles are more against all Rebellion against Princes then those of Papists Nor will the Goodness of Mens Intentions excuse the Scandal and Contagion of their Examples But whoever fail of their Duty toward me I must bear the blame this Honour my Enemies have always done me to think moderate injuries not proportionate to me nor competent Trials either of my Patience under them or my Pardon of them Therefore with Exquisite Malice they have mixed the Gall and Vinegar of Falsity and Contempt with the Cup of my Affliction charging me not only with untruths but such as wherein I have the greatest share of Loss and Dishonour by what is committed whereas in all Policy Reason and Religion having least Cause to give the least Consent and most grounds of utter Detestation I might be represented by them to the World the more Inhumane and Barbarous like some Cyclopick Monster whom nothing will serve to Eat and Drink but the Flesh and Blood of my own Subjects in whose common Wellfare my Interest lies as much as some Mens doth in their Perturbations who think they cannot do Well but in Evil Times nor so cunningly as in laying the Odium of those sad Events on others wherewith themselves are most pleased and whereof they have been not the least occasions And certainly 'T is thought by many Wise Men that the preposterous Rigour and unreasonable severity which some Men carried before them in England was not the least incentive that kindled and blew up into those Horrid Flames the Sparks of Discontent which wanted not predisposed Fewel for Rebellion in Ireland where Dispair being added to their former Discontents and the fears of utter Extirpation to their wonted oppressions it was easie to provoke to an open Rebellion a People prone enough to break out to all Exorbitant Violence both by some Principles of their Religion and the natural desires of Liberty both to Exempt themselves from their present restraints and to prevent those after Rigours wherewith they saw themselves apparently threatned by the Covetous Zeal and Uncharitable Fury of some Men who think it a great argument of the Truth of their Religion to endure no other but their own God knows as I can with Truth wash my hands in Innocency as to any Guilt in that Rebellion so I might wash them in my Tears as to the sad apprehensions I had to see it spread so far and make such wast And this in a time when Distractions and Jealousies here in England made most Men rather intent to their own Safety or Designs they were driving then to the relief of those who were every day Inhumanely Butchered in Ireland whose Tears and Blood might if nothing else have quenched or at least for a time repressed and smothered those Sparks of Civil Dissentions and Jealousies which in England some men most industriously scattered I would to God no man had been less affected with Ireland's sad Estate then my Self I offered to go my Self in Person upon that Expedition But some Men were either afraid I should have any one Kingdom quieted or loath they were to shoot at any mark here less then my Self or that any should have the Glory of my Destruction but themselves Had my many offers been accepted I am confident neither the Ruin had been so great nor the Calamity so long nor the Remedy so desperate So that next to the sin of those who began that Rebellion theirs must needs be who either hindred the speedy suppressing of it by Domestick Dissentions or diverted the Aides or exasperated the Rebels to the most desperate Resolutions and Actions by threatning all Extremities not only to the known Heads and chief Incendiaries but even to the whole Community of that Nation resolving to destroy Root and Branch Men Women and Children without any regard to those usual Pleas for Mercy which Conquerors not wholly Barbarous are wont to hear from their own Breasts in behalf of those whose oppressive Fears rather then their Malice engaged them or whose imbecility for Sex and Age was such as they could neither lift up a hand against them nor distinguish between their right hand and their left which preposterous and I think un-Evangelical Zeal is too like that of the rebuked Disciples who would go no lower in their Revenge then to call for fire from Heaven upon whole Cities for the Repulse or Neglect of a few or like that of Jacob's Sons which the Father both Blamed and Cursed chusing rather to use all Extremities which might drive Men to desperate obstinacy then to apply moderate Remedies such as might punish some with Exemplary Justice yet disarm others with tenders of Mercy upon their Submission and Our protection of them from the fury of those who would soon drown them if they refused to swim down the Popular Stream with them But some
found to be false and so the Messenger departed with Directions that if the Earls death were true he should repair into the Low-Countries to Colonel Owen O Neale and acquaint him with his Commission from the Earl whereof it was thought he was not Ignorant and to return an Answer sent by him and to see what he would Advise or would do himself therein But presently after his Departure the certainty of the Earls Death was known and on further Resolution it was Agreed That an Express Messenger should be sent to the Colonel to make all the Resolutions known to him and to return speedily with his Answer And so one Toole O Comely a Priest as I think Parish Priest to Mr. Moore was sent away to Colonel O Neale In the interim there came several Letters and News out of England to Dublin of Proclamations against the Catholicks in England and also that the Army raised in Ireland should be Disbanded and Conveyed into Scotland And presently after several Colonels and Captains Landed with Directions to carry away those Men amongst whom Colonel Plunkett Colonel Burne and Captain Bryan O Neale came but did not all come together for Plunkett Landed before my coming out of Town and the other two after wherein a great sear of Suppressing of Religion was conceived and especially by the Gentry of the Pale and it was very common amongst them that it would be very inconvenient to suffer so many Men to be Conveyed out of the Kingdom it being as was said very confidently reported that the Scottish Army did threaten never to lay down Arms until an Uniformity of Religion were in the three Kingdoms and the Catholick Religion suppressed And thereupon both Houses of Parliament began to oppose their going and the Houses were divided in their Opinions some would have them go others not but what the definitive conclusion of the Houses was touching the Point I cannot tell for by leave from the House of Lords I departed into the Country before the Prorogation But before my Departure I was informed by John Barnewall a Fryer that those Gentlemen of the Pale and some other Members of the House of Commons had several Meetings and Consultations how they might make Stay of the Souldiers in the Kingdom and likewise to Arm them in Defence of the King being much injured both of England and Scotland then as they were informed and to prevent any Attempt against Religion and presently after I departed into the Country and Mr Reyly being a Member of the House of Commons stayed the Prorogation and on his coming into the Country sent to me to meet him and I came to his House where he told me that he heard for certain that the former Narration of Barnewall to me for I did acquaint him with it was true and that he heard it from several there also was Emar Mac Mahone made firmly privy to all our Proceedings at Mr. Reylys lately come out of the Pale where he met with the aforenamed John Barnewall who told him as much and he formerly told me and moreover that those Colonels that lately came over did proffer their Service and Industry in that Act and so would raise their Men under Color to Convey them into Spain and then seize on the Castle of Dublin and with their Arms there to Arm their Soldiers and have them ready for any Occasion that should be Commanded them but that they had not concluded any thing because they were not Assured how the Gentlemen of the remote Parts of the Kingdom and especially of Vlster would stand Affected to that Act and that Assurance of that Doubt was all their Impediment Then we three began to think how we might assure them Help and of the Assistance of Vlster Gentlemen It was thought that One should be sent to them to acquaint them therewith and they made Choice of me to come by reason as they said that my Wife was allyed to them and their Country-Woman and would believe me trust me sooner than other of their Parts they or most of them being of the Pale And so without as much as to return Home to furnish my self for such a Journey Volens Nolens they prevailed or rather forced me to come to Dublin to confer with those Colonels and that was the last August was Twelve-Month Coming to Town I met Sir James Dillon accidentally before I came to my Lodging who was one of those Colonels and after Salutations he demanded of me where my Lodging was which when I told him and parted the next Day being abroad about some other Occasions in Town I met him as he said coming to wait on me in my Chamber but being a good Way from it he desired me to go into his own Chamber being near at hand And then began to discourse of the present Sufferings and Afflictions of that Kingdom and particularly of Religion and how they were to expect no Redress the Parliament in England intending and the Scots resolving never to lay down Arms until the Catholick Religion were suppressed Then he likewise began to lay down what Danger it would be to suffer so many Able Men as was to go with them to depart the Kingdom in such a time Neither said he do their other Gentlemen that are Colonels and my self affect our own private Profit soas to prefer it before the general Good of the Kingdom And knowing you are well Affected thereunto and I hope said he ready to put your helping-hand to it upon Occasion I will let you know the Resolution of those other Gentlemen and Mine which is if weare ready to raise our Men and after to Seize on the Castle where there is great store of Arms and Arm our Selves This was the first Motion that ever I heard of taking the Castle for it never came into our Thoughts formerly nor am I perswaded ever would if it had not proceeded from those Colonels who were the first Motioners and Contrivers thereof for ought known to me and then to be ready to prevent and resist any Danger that the Gentlemen of the Kingdom like thereof and help us For we of our selves neither are able nor will do any thing therein without their Assistance I began according to the Directions that were sent with me to approve of their Resolution and also to let him know how sure he might be of the Assistance of those of Vlster Then he told us that for my more Satisfaction I should Confer with the rest of the Colonels themselves as many as are Privy to the Action and accordingly a Place of Meeting was appointed that After-Noon and on the Time and Place appointed there met Sir James himself Colonel Bourne and Colonel Plunket And that former Discourse being renewed they began to lay down the Obstacles to that Enterprise and how they should be Redressed First If there should War ensue how there should be Money had to Pay the Soldiers Secondly How and where they should procure Succors
of the Low-Countreys by Colonel O Neal who was sent after the Messenger sent by us formerly to the said Colonel was by him disappointed with his Answer to encourage us in our Resolution and to speedy Performance with assurance of Succour which he said would not fail of the Colonel's behalf and for the more certainty of help from him and to assure us that the Colonel had good hopes to procure Aid from others he said that it was he himself that was imployed from him to Cardinal Richelieu twice that some men who gave very fair promises to assure the Colonel's expectations with which he said that the said Colonel was really with himself assured of the Cardinal's Aid and that he was likewise commanded by the Colonel upon our Resolution of the day to give notice thereof to him and that he would be within 14 days over with them with Aid but he landed 9 or 10 days before and meeting with Captain Brian O Neal who made him acquainted with what was Resolved he did write all the matter to Colonel O Neal so as he was sure of his speedy coming And so that Evening he and I came to meet the other Gentlemen and there were met Mr. Moore Colonel Bourne Colonel Plunkett Captain Fox and other Lemster Gentlemen a Captain I think of the Bournes but I am not sure whether a Bourne or a Toole and Captain Brian O Neale and taking an account of those that should have been there it was found that Sir Phelim O Neale Mr. Collo mac Mahone did fail of sending their Men and Colonel Bourne did miss Sir Morgan Cavanagh that had promised him to be there but he said he was sure he would not fail to be that Night or the next Morning in Town And of the two hundred men that were appointed there were only eighty present yet notwithstanding they were resolved to go on in their Resolution and all the difference was at what time of the day they would set on the Castle and after some debate it was resolved in the Afternoon and the rather hoping to meet the Colonel there then for they said if they should take the Castle and be enforced by any extremity for not receiving timely succour out of the Country having them they could not want and so parted that Night but to meet in the Morning to see further what was to be done and immediately thereupon I came to my Chamber and about Nine of the Clock Mr. Moore and Captain Fox came to me and told me all was discovered and that the City was in Arms and the Gates were shut up and so departed from me And what became of them and of the rest I know not nor think that they escaped but how and at what time I do not know because I my self was taken that Morning But how long soever this Plot was contriving and how much soever the Parliament by their Papers Answers and Declarations indeavoured secretly to reflect upon the King and by the Mercenary Tongues and Pens of their Infamous Agents more openly that the Rebellion began by his Knowledge and Connivance and by that wicked Calumny laid all the Massacres and Murthers which they heightned to the utmost at His Majesties door thereby to dispossess him of the Allegiances and Affections of his Subjects yet it is more then probable the Rebellion would not have broke out then if ever had not the Committee of the Parliament of Ireland some of which were the Continuers of and Actors in it had too near a prospect of a Rupture between the King and the Two Houses and that it would inevitably and quickly come to a War for all other Circumstances in that Juncture threatned their unavoidable Ruine in the Attempt unless England and Scotland were Embroiled so as not to be able to suppress them as if it had not been for the succeeding Rebellion in England they could not but know would be very easily done and none but people mad and senseless would without such almost a certain prospect of the English Rebellion have been tempted to forfeit not only the Extraordinary Graces they had newly received from the King and the Indulgence afforded them in the Exercise of their Religion but their Lives and Fortunes also And for any hopes of Foreign Assistance the French and the Spaniard were at War and under all the Consequences of it necessity of Men and Money to supply their own Affairs and as the Reader may remember both the Ambassadors of those Princes were pressing both the King and Parliament for Men out of Ireland so far were they from supplying the Trish with any And for the Pope besides that he is never over liberal of the Temporal Treasure of the Church he was at a Distance too Remote and too impotent in Shipping to give them any Assistance indeed he might probably be very Prodigal of those cheap and useless Spiritual Treasures of the Church Indulgences Blessings Reliques and promises of Miracles in their Favour but had he imployed both the Swords and unlocked all the Treasures with St. Peter's Keys yet could he not without a real Miracle nay many have saved them from most unavoidable Ruine and Destruction had England and Scotland continued in Peace so that it will plainly appear that if not the Design yet the Execution of it at that time depended wholly upon the certain expectations of a Civil War and the Confusions that attend it which it was not difficult for the Irish Committees who were upon the Earl of Strafford's account very intimate with the Faction of the Parliament to discover and foresee And this is most certain that the Rebels of each side made great advantages of the Rebellion and as in probability the Irish had not then broke out but that they had the English Rebellion in view so the English Rebels made their first Levies of Men and Money with which they fought against the King under colour of suppressing the Irish Rebellion And this is most certain That had Ireland continued in Peace Scotland darest not have stirred as they did to give assistance to the English Rebels and indeed to give the Fatal Turn to the ballance of the War which then seemed to incline to the Royal Party and the great things Montross did there with a handful of Men easily shew what might have been done to the King's Assistance if Ireland had been in Peace So that if these Rebellions did not beget one another as 't is very probable they did 't is certain they fed and supported each others Flames and betwixt them burnt down both Church and State in these three miserable Kingdoms And that the Reader may see what the Irish Rebels said for themselves I have here subjoyned the Remonstrance which they published for their Vindication a Copy of which was procured from one Mr. Wentworth who had it from them while he was Prisoner among them and being Printed I find it among the Collection of the Prints of that
which by reason of his Majesties absence out of the Kingdom cannot be done by His Majesties immediate Warrant so speedily as the imminent danger and necessity of that Kingdom doth require and for that His Majesty hath especially recommended the Care of the Preservation of that Kingdom unto both the Houses of Parliament It is Ordained by the Lords and Commons in Parliament That Mountjoy Earl of Newport Master of His Majesties Ordnance shall deliver to the Earl of Leicester Lord Lieutenant of Ireland or to such other person or persons as he shall appoint to receive the same the full number of 1000 Arms for Horse-men and 8000 Arms for Foot and the quantity of 10 Last of Powder and such other Munition Tents and Provisions of all sorts as shall be needful for this Service according to a List to be agreed upon and allowed by the said Lords and Commons hereunto annexed out of His Majesties Stores and Magazines in the Tower of London the City of Carlisle the Town of Hull or elsewhere and for so doing this shall be a sufficient Warrant as well for his Lordship as for any of his Deputies or Vnder-Officers in that behalf An Ordinance also for providing Shipping for Transportation of Men and Munition was read and passed in haec verba WHereas by Order of Parliament Men Arms The Ordinance of the Lords and Commons to impower the L. High Admiral to provide Shipping c. Munition and other Provisions are suddenly to be transported from several Ports in this Realm viz. Bristol Chester and others for which Service it will be requisite that Ships be provided with all expedition It is this day Ordered by the Lords and Commons in Parliament that the Lord High Admiral of England be desired to take care that Ships be accordingly provided in the several Ports respectively within this Kingdom from whence the aforesaid Men Arms Ammunition and other Provisions are Ordered to be Transported into Ireland which is to be done with all expedition the Parliament having resolved to see Moneys supplied for the performance of this Service After this the Lord Keeper reported the Conference with the House of Commons to this effect That the House of Commons have presented to their Lordships some Propositions which have been Voted in their House The Report of the Conference about Capuchins c. and desires their Lordships to take them into Consideration and join with them therein 1. Concerning the Dissolving the House of the Capuchins and the speedy sending them away according the former desires of their House 2. That the Ambassadors may be sent to from both Houses to deliver up such Priests of the King's Subjects as are in their Houses 3. That a List may be brought in of the Queens Priests and other her Servants and that a List may be likewise brought in of the Prince's and other of the King's Childrens Servants 4. That a Proclamation may issue for the Commanding that all Strangers that are not of the Protestant Religion except such as are Men of Rank and Quality and live here in such a publick way whereby notice is taken of them and of the Cause of their aboad in this Kingdom do deliver in Tickets of their Names and an account of their stay here within two days after the issuing forth of the Proclamation or else depart the Kingdom forthwith And likewise requiring that all Inn-keepers or others that entertain Lodgers to give Tickets of the Names of such as lodge in their Houses within two days likewise after the issuing forth of the said Proclamation and that these Tickets be given by those in the City of London to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the Wards respectively where they reside and by those of Middlesex and Surrey and other Places within 10 Miles of London to the Justices of the Peace next adjoining to the place of their Residence and this Order to extend to the City of London and Ten Miles about 5. That the House of Commons had presented their Lordships with some Scottish Papers being Examinations concerning the late Design against the Lord Marquess Hamilton Earl of Arguile and the Earl of Lannerick Likewise they produced written from their Committees at Edinburgh Letters dated the 27th of October with an enclosed Paper containing as follows viz. The Paper of the 5th of October Exhibited by the English Committee October the 7th 1641. THE Committees of the Parliament of England have now sent down sufficient Moneys for the Total Disbanding of the Garrisons of Barwick and Carlisle Some Transactions between the English Committee at Edinburgh and the Scottish Parliament and have Ordered That it shall be Effected by the 10th of this present Month And have likewise taken a Course for removing the Ammunition and Ordnance and for slighting of the Works according to the Treaty We desire therefore That that part of the Army which is yet on foot may be forthwith Disbanded and that what new Fortifications have been made in Scotland by occasion of the late Troubles may be presently demolished according to the same Treaty The Answer to the Paper delivered in by the English Committees to the Committee of the Army Exhibited 7. Octobris 1641. THat the Regiments which are yet on foot may be speedily Disbanded they are drawn according to the Order already given near towards Edenburgh to the Effect they may with greater Conveniency be Mustered and thereafter money may be given for their Pay and forthwith disbanded And any new Fortifications which have been made in Scotland by Occasion of the late Troubles shall presently be demolished that every Condition on our part may to your full Satisfaction be performed according to the Treaty And we do no wise doubt to find mutual performances and that the Garrisons at Barwick and Carlisle according to the Orders of the Parliament be totally Disbanded which being shewn to the Parliament of England we hope will give them Satisfaction 22 October 1641. Produced by the Lord Chancellor and read in Audience of his Majesty and the Parliament who nominates the Lord Burgley in place of the Earl of Argyle to be upon the Committee for providing Money to pay the Regiments And also Ordains An Order to be given to the Lord General for causing the demolishing the Fortifications at Mordington which was accordingly done Alex. Gibsone 6. Concerning the putting the Custody of the Isle of Wight into another hand as formerly was desired 7. Concerning the securing of the persons of Papists upon the former Propositions 8. That the Earl of Essex may have Power from both Houses to Command the Trained Bands on this side Trent upon all Occasions for the Defence of the Kingdom and that this power may continue until the Parliament shall take further Order This Report being Ended the House caused those particulars to be distinctly read again and gave these Resolutions upon them Resolved upon the Question Nemine Contradicente That the House or Covent of Capuchins here
ever hitherto done to advance their own wicked Intendments and rather then fail of them to raise a more desperate Rebellion in England instead of applying themselves vigorously as they were in Duty Honor and Conscience bound to assist his Majesty to suppress the other in Ireland and let their Pretences be never so glorious for the Preservation of the Reformed Religion and Interest yet it is evident that even from the very first Eruption of this Rebellion they had a Design to make their own Terms with the King and to oblige him under the Pretence of abandoning Evil Counsellors to devolve the intire Trust of the whole Nation and consequently his Crown and Dignity into their Hands and to leave him only the vain shaddow of Sovereignty and Majesty and unless he would Consent to this they must as they say be obliged to take other Measures for the fecuring themselves from such mischievous Councils and Designs as have lately been in Practice and Agitation against them and a little time discovered what ways those were for in Reality this was no new Design the crucifying Remonstrance of the State of the Kingdom had been long hewing and these were but some Chips of that Block only they were wanting a fit Occasion and this offering it self they were resolved to lay fast hold upon it But in regard though they had sorely shaken and disabled the third Estate of the Lords Spiritual in Parliament by the repeated Batteries of Impeachments and Bills to take away their Voices yet there was a great Number of the Lords Temporal whose unstained Loyalty and Fidelity to the Crown and Royal Interest might prove dangerously Obstructive to their wicked Intentions they were resolved to attempt to deceive as many of them as they could by their popular Rhetorick upon this Topique of the danger of evil Counsels and Counsellors and if any proved refractory or had Constitutions too strongly amuletted with Loyalty against this insinuating Poison they had other more severe Methods of purging the Body Politick and Representative to be made use of upon Occasion as we shall see hereafter Upon this Subject of evil Councils and Counsellors Mr. Pym the great Oracle of the Faction took Occasion at this last Conference to display his Talent in these Terms HE said he was to speak touching the ill Councils Mr. Pym's Speech at the Conference concerning ill Councils November 10. which he laid down in these several Steps 1 First That the Dangers which come to the State by ill Councils are the most pernitious of all others and since it is usual to compare Politick Bodies with the Natural the Natural Body is in danger divers Wayes either by outward Violence and that may be foreseen and prevented or else by less appearing Maladies which grow upon the Body by Distempers of the Air immoderate Exercise Diet c. and when the Causes of the Disease are clear the Remedy is easily applied but Diseases which proceed from the inward Parts as the Liver the Heart or the Brains the more noble Parts it is a hard thing to apply Cure to such Diseases Ill Councels they are of that Nature for the Mischiefs that come by evil Councel corrupt the Vital Parts and overthrow the Publick Government 2 * If this had been applied to himself and his Faction he never spoke more truth in his whole life The second Step is That there have been lately and still are ill Councils in this Kingdom and about the King 1 That there hath been lately you will not doubt when the main Course of the Government hath been so imployed as Popery thereby hath been maintained the Laws subverted and no distinguishing between Justice and Injustice and that there is still reason to doubt is apparent by the Courses taken to advance mischievous Designs but that his Majesties Wisdom and Goodness kept them from the Heart though they were not kept out of the Court so most Principal and mischievous Designs have been practised by such as had near Access unto his Majesty though not to his Heart and the Apologists and Promoters of ill Counsels are still preferred 3 The third Step is That the ill Counsels of this Time are in their own Nature more mischievous and more dangerous then the ill Counsels of former Times former Counsels have been to please Kings in their Vices * A remarkable Testimony from an Enemy of the King's Innocence from which our King is free and sometimes for racking of the Prerogative if it had gone no further it had brought many Miseries but not Ruine and Destruction but the ill Counsels of this Time are destructive to Religion and Laws by altering them both therefore more Mischievous in their own Nature then those of former Times 4 The fourth Step is That these ill Counsels have proceeded from a Spirit and Inclination to Popery and have had a Dependance on Popery and all of them tend to it the Religion of the Papists is a Religion incompatible with any other Religion destructive to all others and doth not indure any thing that opposeth it whosoever doth withstand their Religion if they have Power they bring them to Ruin There are other Religions that are not right but not so destructive as Popery is for the Principles of Popery are destructive to all States and Persons that oppose it with the Progress of this mischievous Councel they provide Counsellors fit Instruments and Organs that may execute their own Designs and to turn all Councils to their own Ends and you find that now in Ireland that those Designs that have been upon all the Three Kingdoms do end in a War for the maintenance of Popery in Ireland and would do the like here if they were able they are so intentive to turn all to their own Advantage 5 The fifth Step That unless these ill Councils be changed as long as they continue it is impossible that any Assistance Aid or Advice that the Parliament can take to reform will be effectual for the Publick Orders and Laws are but dead if not put in Execution those that are the Instruments of State they put things into Action but if acted by Evil Men and while these Counsels are on foot we can expect no good it is like a Disease that turns Nutritives into Poyson 6 The sixth Step is That this is the most proper time to desire of his Majesty the Alteration and Change of the evil Counsellors because the Common-Wealth is brought into Distemper by them and so exhausted that we can indure no longer Another Reason why we cannot admit of them is to shew our Love and Fidelity to the King in great and extraordinary Contributions and Aids when God doth imploy his Servants he doth give some Promise to rouse up their Spirits and we have reason now to expect the King's Grace in great abundance this is the time wherein the Subject is to save the Kingdom of Ireland with the hazard of their Lives and Fortunes And
therefore expect from his Majesty in a more larger and bountiful Manner then at other times A time of great Agitation and Action their State is ready by preparation to annoy us and ill and false Councils at home may quickly bring us to Ruin as we have weakness at home so we ought to decern the Actions abroad where great Provisions are made and a carelesness and improvidence herein when our Neighbours are so provided and have such great Fleets at Sea as will open a Way to suddain Ruin and Destruction before we can be prepared and therefore now the fittest time to move the King 6 The seventh and last Step is That this Alteration of Councils will bring great Advantages to the King in his own Designs In all our Actions our Prayers to God should be that his Name should be Glorified so our Petitions to his Majesty should bring Honor and Profit and Advantage to him by a discouragement to the Rebels a great part of their Confidence resting in the Evil Counsels at home as by the Examinations appeareth it will be a great Encouragement to the King 's good Subjects at home who hazzard their Lives and give Aid and Contribution to have things governed for the Publick Good it will make Men afraid to prefer Servants to the King that are ill Counsellors when they shall come to the Examination of the Parliament for many times Servants are preferred to Princes for advantage of Forreign States This will put an Answer into the King's Mouth against all Importunities that he is to prefer none but such as will be approved on by Parliament those that are Honorable and most Ingenious are aptest to be troubled in this kind and not to deny therefore the King may Answer he hath promised his Parliament not to admit of any but by Advice in Parliament this will Answer them all These are Domestick Advantages but it will also make us fitter to enter into Union and Treaty with Foreign Nations and States and to be made partakers of the Strength and Assistance of others It will fortifie us against the Designs of Foreign Princes there hath been common Council at Rome and in Spain to reduce us to Popery if good Counsel at Home we shall be the better prepared to preserve Peace and Union and better Respect from Abroad Lastly it will make us fit for any Noble Design Abroad Let us but turn the Tables and imagine this Speech spoken by some Loyal Gentleman against Mr. Pym and his Confederates and we shall find all those mischiefs and dangers from ill Counsels and Evil Counsellors the Alteration of Religion and Subversion of Laws the Encouragement of the Irish Rebellion the Impoverishment of the Nation the Loss of Liberty and Property the Ruin of the King and Kingdom to be the Natural Effects of their Consultations and Actions But in Order to accomplish their Wicked Designs the People must be affrighted with the danger of approaching Popery the present Government traduced with intentions of re-introducing it and the King must be Wounded through the Sides of the most Faithful of his Friends These were the Popular Arts by which after they had by repeated Flatteries Importunities and Promises obtained from the King those Fatal Concessions before mentioned they pursued their Design and by Arming those People whom they had deluded with the pretence of Religion and hurrying them on into Actual Rebellion they sought by Violence to obtain that which they could not do by Fraud and Flattery But to proceed After this an Order was read in the House of Lords made by the House of Commons Dated Nov. 9. 1641. That an Ordinance of Parliament may pass to engage the Honor Credit and Authority of both Houses of Parliament for the securing and repaying to the City the 50000 l. with Interest desired to be borrowed of them for the Occasions of Ireland and that a provisional Act shall pass with all Speed for repayment of the said Summ with Interest within six Months Next an Ordinance of Parliament was read concerning the Irish Affairs in haec verba viz. WHEREAS there is just Cause to conceive The Ordinance of Parliament prohibiting any Irish to pass out of England without License c. that diverse ill Affected Persons here being Natives or Inhabitants of Ireland do intend to pass over thither to joyn with the Rebels It is Ordained by the Lords and Commons in Parliament that no Irish Man shall pass out of any the Parts of this Kingdom to return into Ireland without special License of the Committees of both Houses for Irish Affairs or the Lords of his Majesties most Honorable Privy Council or of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland It is further Ordered That no Arms Munition or Powder shall be transported without such License as is aforesaid It is likewise Ordeined by the said Lords and Commons That whereas upon the perusal of diverse Letters and other Intelligence here there is just Cause to suspect that diverse of his Majesties Subjects in Ireland had some Hand in the Conspiracy and Rebellions of the Irish That the Lord Lieutenant shall certifie from time to time during his Aboad in England into Ireland the Names of such suspected Persons and the the Grounds and Reasons of the Suspition and that thereupon the Lords Justices of Ireland and the rest of his Majesties Council there shall enter into Examination of the said Parties and shall have Power to commit them to Prison till the Truth may be fully discovered that so they may either be cleared if they be Innocent or if they be found Guilty they may be proceeded against according to the Laws And that this Ordinance of Parliament shall be a sufficient Warrant to the Lord Lieutenant Lords Justices and Council aforementioned The Lord Admiral then acquainted the House That he had Command and Directions from his Majesty to send some Ships for the Guuarding of the Irish Coasts and also some Ships to keep the Narrow Seas because his Majesty conceives that the Rebellion from Ireland is fomented from abroad and that they expect some Supply from Foreign Parts And his Lordship desires to have the Directions of the Parliament herein what to do Whereupon it was ordered to have a Conference with the Commons about it Divers Orders were read which were made by the House of Commons concerning the Irish Affairs to which they desired their Lordships concurrence that so they may be put in Execution That the Merchants Some Orders of the House of Commons concerning the Affairs of Ireland who have made the Proposition to their House of Transporting Spanish Money in specie into Ireland for the present Occasions of that Kingdom shall have Liberty to Transport so much only as the Lords and Commons in Parliament shall from time to time give them Order and Direction for paying it there as it passes by Proclamation and that all Sums so Transported shall be Registred in the Custom-House and that they shall bring Certificates
Reasons hereafter as they shall think fit The Lords Adjourned their House into a Committee during pleasure to Debate these Matters the Proposition concerning securing Recusants was deferred till the Commons brought up a List of the Particular Names of the Recusants they desired should be Secured When the other Proposition about the Isle of Wight came under Consideration the Earl of Portland affirmed That his Father lived and died a Protestant as he can make it appear by credible Witnesses that were with him when he died if his Wife be one it was against his Will and for himself his Lordship protested That his Father bred him a Protestant and he would ever live and die one Which giving good satisfaction to the House it was Ordered to be put in Writing and delivered at a Conference to the House of Commons Mr. William Crofts was Sworn and Ordered to be Examined before the Deputed Lords The Earl of Holland Reported Message from the Venetian Ambassador That the Venetian Ambassador had been with him and desired That the ill Expressions in his Paper may be Excused for he professes he meant nothing in derogation of any Member of this House but spoke it as what Reputation other States had of such an Action and that he further signified That he hath written a fair Letter to the State of Venice concerning the opening of his Letters which he hopes will satisfie them This day Wall upon his Petition was Released from the Fleet Wall released where he had been committed for neglecting to deliver the Order of the House to search for Priests and Jesuits but with this condition not to be admitted any more to the Service of the House Inquiry after the transporting of Horses It was Ordered in the Commons House That the Knights and Burgesses of the County of Kent and the Barons of the Cinque-Ports do forthwith send to the Officers that do register the Horses that are Transported beyond the Seas and to send up a List of the Number of them that have been Transported within these 12 Months and by what Warrant and by whom such Warrants were obtained Though Disloyalty to the King and Disobedience to the Church which rarely are seen asunder began now to be much in Fashion and Esteem and to depress the Prerogative and oppress the Church were accounted Great Recommendations for men to set up for Patriots of the Country and Reformers of Religion yet wanted there not some Brave Spirits who to their Eternal Reputation darest even in the face of the Breach indeavour to stop the Deluge of Schism and the Inundations of Errors which they apparently saw must overwhelm the Church upon throwing down the Banks of Episcopal Order and Government How Unwelcom these bold Truths were to the Faction appears by an Order of the House of Commons of this Day made purposely to discountenance Petitions of this Nature for maintaining the Church Government as by Law it was Established and to deterr others from attempting to give them any Interruption in their pretended Reformation Order to discourage Petitioners for Episcopacy Ordered That it be referred to the Committee for the Ministers Remonstrance to consider what indiscreet and irregular Wayes and Means have been Vsed to procure Hands to Petitions presented or to be presented for or against Episcopacy This latter clause or against was only for colour to make the other pass more fairly for it is Evident that they themselves were the Great Promoters of Petitions not only against that but for whatever they had a design to obtain as will hereafter upon occasion appear But upon this Occasion I cannot but present the Reader with a Petition which I find in a Collection of Petitions of the like Nature Printed by His Majesties particular Order which though it came from one of the smallest Counties of England yet had not the least Learning or Reason And if it received neither Countenance nor Answer it is not much to be wondred at being indeed Unanswerable The Petition was as follows To the High and Honorable Court of Parliament The Humble Petition of the Knights Esquires Gentlemen and Householders in the County of Rutland in behalf of our Selves and our Families And of the Parsons Vicars and Curates for the Clergy in behalf of themselves and their Families THat whereas there have been diverse Petitions exhibited to this Honorable Court The Rutland-Shire Petition for Episcopacy Nov. 18. 1641. by Persons disaffected to the present Government for the utter Extirpation of the Apostolical Government of the Church by Bishops they by Sedulity and Zeal supplying the want of fair Pretences for the Abolition of that which we hope no just Reason can Condemn And on the other side many Pious Persons true Sons of the Church of England have represented their just Desires of the continuance of it upon great and weighty Causes both in Divinity and true Policy We also lest We might seem unconcerned and for fear lest our Silence should be exacted as a Crime at our Hands if We be deficient to what We are persuaded is the Cause of God In pursuance of their pious Intendments and in allowance of their Reasons do also press to your great Tribunal to beg of you to do that which is the Honor of Kings to be Nutricii of the Church and her most Ancient and Successive Government We therefore humbly beg of you to leave us in that state the Apostles left the Church in That the Three Ages of Martyrs were governed by That the 13 Ages since them have always gloried in by their Succession of Bishops from the Apostles proving themselves members of the Catholique and Apostolick Church That our Laws have Established so many Kings and Parliaments have protected into which we were baptized as certainly Apostolical as the Observation of the Lords Day as the distinction of Books Apocryphal from Canonical as that such Books were written by such Evangelists and Apostles as the Consecration of the Eucharist by Presbyters as any thing which you will do by upholding the Government of the Church by Bishops which we again and again beg of you to do having Pity on our Consciences and not forcing us to seek Communion as yet we know not where So shall we be bound to pray with a Multiplyed Devotion for the increase of Publique and Personal Blessings to your Honorable Assembly to your Noble Persons We also do with all humility beg leave to represent these our Considerations subjoyned which we hope you will favourably Expound to be a well-meant Zeal and at least a Conscience of Duty and Charity to those our Fathers from whom we have received and daily hope to receive many issues of Spiritual Benedictions 1. We Consider That Christ either left his Church without a lasting Government or else Bishops and Presbyters under them are that Government the former we fear to say lest we might seem to accuse the Wisdom of the Father of Improvidence in the not providing
sorry for having administred unto their Lordships any Occasion of so high an Offence by letting fall Words touching the Bible of the Church of England and protesteth that his Design was not to affront their Lordships or the professed Religion of this Kingdom and he did assure their Lordships That as all Catholick Subjects have ever done so he did neither refuse to swear upon the English Bible nor held himself disobliged to Answer truely whatsoever was Demanded He therefore humbly beseecheth their Lordships to Pardon his great Offonce upon this his humble Submission and Acknowledgment and to grant his Inlargement assuring their Lordships he is most willing and ready not only to depose the Truth as by his Oath he is bound in whatsoever shall be Interrogated in this particular Cause but also shall ever Pray c. Upon which their Lordships sent a Message to the Commons giving them an account of this Petition and to let them know that having given this Satisfaction they were inclined to Pardon him but will not release him out of his Imprisonment before they had acquainted them therewith according to their Lordships former Ingagement Sir Henry Vane brought up a List of the Names of such Papists as the House of Commons desired should be secured as also an Order for the Lord Admiral to set forth 4 Ships for the Service of Ireland in which they desired the Lords to joyn with them Then were read two Letters from the Lords Justices in Ireland Letters from Ireland dated Nov. 13th 1641. the one to the Lord Keeper the other to the Lord Lieutenant the Purport of which was That some Ships may be appointed to Guard the Coasts of Ireland That the Rebels have taken divers Houses and Castles That they have spoiled the County of Cavan and have made a Remonstrance of the Ground of their Revolt They desire that 10000 Foot and 1000 Horse with Arms and Munition and 100000 l. be presently sent them with a Supply of Victuals and Oats for Horses And lastly they presented an Examination of one William Shales taken the 10th of November upon Oath ministred by the Clerk of the Council of Ireland by Direction of the Board which Examination was read in the House as followeth WIlliam Shales Shales's Accusation of Sir Henry Beddingfield of Oxborough Hall in Norfolk Sergeant of the Foot Company under the Command of Sir Arthur Loftus Knight saith That about the latter End of April last he being then in Norfolk at Oxborough Hall in the House of Sir Henry Beddingfield the said Sir Henry hearing that this Examinant was lately come out of Ireland sent for him in to his Garden whither when he came he found the said Sir Henry walking with one Poole whom this Examinant supposeth was a Priest and saith That as soon as he came into the said Garden the said Sir Henry asked him whether he knew how the state of Ireland then stood To which the Examinant said That he thought that all things were quiet and at Peace there Why quoth Sir Henry doth the Army there do nothing To which the Examinant Replied That they carried themselves quietly and that any man might walk in Ireland with a Thousand pounds and a Wand only in his hand He saith also That the said Sir Henry told him That he was about to take a House in Kilkenny of one of the Butlers for that there was no safety in England for any of his Religion and asked of the Examinant Whether there were any good Hawking thereabouts To which the Examinant said That there was Then the said Sir Henry said That now his Mind was altered and that he meant to stay in England and added That he did believe that before Christmass Day next there should be seen such Combustions in England and Ireland as the like were never seen before and thereupon Cursed the Scots as Authors of these Troubles Jurat Coram nobis Ja. Ware Rob. Meredith William Shales Whereupon it was Ordered That Sir Henry Beddingfield should be sent for in safe Custody by the Gentleman Vsher of the House and none permitted to speak with him but in the presence of the Messengers and that his Study should be sealed up by the two next Justices of the Peace till the further Pleasure of the House be known Sir Thomas Barington brought up a Message from the Commons to desire that Phillips the Priest may not be released of his Imprisonment until they be first made acquainted with it To which the Lords assented and appointed the Earl of Dorset the Queens Chamberlain to give her Majesty an account of these proceedings The List of the Prime Papists who were desired to be secured by the House of Commons Next the List of Recusants Names were read which the House of Commons desire may be secured which were as follows In the County of Lancaster Mr. Preston of the Mannor Mr. Clifton of Litham Mr. Chorley Sir William Gerrard Mr. James Anderton of Clayton Sen. Mr. Blundel of Crosby Mr. Robert Cranfield of Robbs Hall Sir John Talbott Sir Cecil Trafford Mr. Hugh Anderton of Eurton Sir Alexander Barlow In the County of Stafford Sir Richard Fleetwood Baronet Mr. Jo. Wells of Horecross Mr. Dreycott of Painsley Mr. Peter Gifford of Chillington Mr. Tho. Leveson of Ashburn Mr. Francis Harcott In the County of Southampton Lord Stourton Mr. Gage of Bawbridge Mr. John Bishop of Pilewell Lord Baltimore Mr. William Owen of Abberston John Arundell Esquire In the County of Sussex Lord Viscount Mountague In the County of Warwick Robert Throgmorton Esquire Mr. Morgan of Weston Mr. William Sheldon of Weston Sir Charles Smith In the County of Montgomery Sir Piercy Herbert Knight In the County of Worcester The Earl of Shrewsbury Francis Hanford Esquire Mr. Walter Blunt Edward Sheldon Esquire Mr. William Abbington Jun. In the County of Chester Mr. Poole of Poole Mr. Starkey of Darley Mr. Stanley In the County of Monmouth The Earl of Worcester Sir Charles Sommersett Mr. Morgan of Llantern In the County of Pembroke Sir Nicholas Lewis In the County of Suffolk Sir Robert Rookwood In the County of Salop. Thomas Vnton Esquire In the County of Northumberland Roger Widdrington Esquire In the County of Northampton The Lord Brudnell Mr. Poulton Mr. Sanders In the County of Dorsett John Webb of Cansford In the County of Lincoln Sir John Thimbleby Knight Ralph Evers of Washingborough Mr. Townley of Norton Edmond Thorold of Hough Esq Anthony Mounson The Lord Harris Lord Arundel of Wardour Sir Kenelm Digby Sir John Symonds Sir John Winter Sir William Mounteth Lord Herbert Sir Robert Lyme Sir Basil Brook Sir Alexander Gordon Sir William Mounson Sir Henry Gifford After which it was Ordered That the Consideration of this List should be debated upon Munday following In the House of Commons they were still upon the great work of the Declaration of the State of the Kingdom which was not so smoothly carried but that it met with great Opposition even
preparing of Articles against him but they shall be ready in convenient time to give him a Charge And in regard they hear he is not well they are contented he shall be removed to * Now Somerset-House Denmark House he putting in Caution not to go to Court and to appear when he shall be required Hereupon it was Ordered That Phillips shall upon these Cautions finding Sureties be released from his imprisonment in the Tower It was also Ordered That the Lords the Bishops that are Impeached shall be heard by their Council on Friday next at the Bar what they can say why this Motion should not be granted But the Faction of the Commons were resolved Tumults as before they had done in the Case of the Earl of Strafford to obtain that by the Force of Tumults that they could not obtain by Law or Reason The Lords however were so sensible of this affront put upon the Freedom of the Parliament that it was Ordered That all the Judges do consult among themselves what Course is fit to be taken to prevent Riots Routs and unlawful Assemblies and having considered of the Laws and Statutes in this Case to present their opinions to the House to morrow Morning and in the mean time to have a Conference with the Commons concerning the Tumults In the Commons House Serjeant Wild Reports the Conference That the Lord Keeper told the Committee That their Lordships had received Information of great numbers of People gathered together in a Tumultuous Vnusual and Disorderly manner about the Houses of Parliament and therefore desired the Commons House to joyn with them in a Declaration to remove them and that for these Two Reasons First If these disorders should continue they might render the good Acts and Provisions of this Parliament of suspicion to Posterity by the interpretation of ill Ministers Secondly Because it did not stand with the Dignity of Parliament to suffer such Tumults to be so near the Houses of Parliament The House being informed That Phillips had a Trunk brought to him to the Tower by Two Capuchins it was Ordered That the Lieutenant of the Tower and Sir William Parkhurst shall search his Trunk and if there be any Papers that concern the State to secure them till the pleasure of this House be known The Committee formerly named to wait upon the King with the Petition and Declaration were Ordered to go forthwith to present them to the King Sir Edward Deering to read it to His Majesty and in his absence Sir Ralph Hopton to read it If he be absent the Committee to appoint the Person that shall read it Accordingly the Committee went this day and attended His Majesty with the said Petition and Remonstrance which as I find it Printed in Husband's Collections was in these words The Petition of the House of Commons which Accompanied the Declaration of the State of the Kingdom Most Gracious Soveraign YOur Majesties Most Humble and Faithful Subjects the Commons in this present Parliament Assembled The Petition and Declaration of the State of the Kingdom delivered by the Commons to the King at Hampton-Court Dec. 1. 1641. do with much thankfulness and joy acknowledge the great Mercy and Favour of God in giving your Majesty a safe and peaceable return out of Scotland into your Kingdom of England where the pressing dangers and distempers of the State have caused us with much earnestness to desire the comfort of your Gracious Presence and likewise the Unity and Justice of your Royal Authority to give more Life and Power to the Dutiful and Loyal Counsels and endeavours of your Parliament for the prevention of that imminent ruine and destruction wherewith your Kingdoms of England and Scotland are threatned The Duty which we ow to your Majesty and our Country cannot but make us very sensible and apprehensive that the multiplicity sharpness and malignity of those Evils under which we have now many years suffered are fomented and cherished by a corrupt and ill-affected Party who amongst other their mischievous devices for the alteration of Religion and Government have sought by many false scandals and imputations cunningly insinuated and dispersed amongst the People to blemish and disgrace our Proceedings in this Parliament and to get themselves a Party and Faction amongst your Subjects for the better strengthening of themselves in their wicked courses and hindring those Provisions and Remedies which might by the wisdom of your Majesty and Council of your Parliament be opposed against them For preventing whereof and the better Information of your Majesty your Peers and all other your Loyal Subjects we have been necessitated to make a Declaration of the State of the Kingdom both before and since the Assembly of this Parliament unto this time which we do humbly present to your Majesty without the least intention to lay any blemish upon your Royal Person but only to represent how your Royal Authority and Trust have been abused to the great prejudice and danger of your Majesty and of all your good Subjects And because we have reason to believe that those Malignant Parties whose Proceedings evidently appear to be mainly for the advantage and encrease of Popery is composed set up and acted by the subtile practice of the Jesuits and other Engineers and Factors for Rome and to the great danger of this Kingdom and most grievous affliction of your Loyal Subjects have so far prevailed as to corrupt divers of your Bishops and others in prime places of the Church and also to bring divers of these Instruments to be of your Privy-Council and other employments of trust and nearness about your Majesty the Prince and the rest of your Royal Children And by this means hath had such an Operation in your Council and the most Important Affairs and Proceedings of your Government that a most dangerous division and chargeable Preparation for War betwixt your Kingdoms of England and Scotland the encrease of jealousies betwixt your Majesty and your most Obedient Subjects the violent distraction and interruption of this Parliament the Insurrection of the Papists in your Kingdom of Ireland and bloody Massacre of your people have been not only endeavoured and attempted but in a great measure compassed and effected For preventing the final accomplishment whereof your poor Subjects are enforced to engage their Persons and Estates to the maintaining of a very expenceful and dangerous War notwithstanding they have already since the beginning of this Parliamenâ— undergone the Charge of 150000 Pounds Sterling or thereabouts For the necessary support and supply of your Majesty in these present and perillous Designs And because all our most faithful endeavours and engagements will be ineffectual for the Peace Safety and Preservation of your Majesty and your People if some present real and effectual course be not taken for suppressing this wicked and malignant Party We Your Most Humble and Obedient Subjects do with all faithfulness and humility beseech your Majesty 1. THat you will be
graciously pleased to concur with the humble desires of your People in a Parliamentary way for the preserving the Peace and Safety of the Kingdom from the malicious Designs of the Popish Party For depriving the Bishops of their Votes in Parliament and abridging their immoderate Power Usurped over the Clergy and other your good Subjects which they have most perniciously abused to the hazard of Religion and great prejudice and oppression of the Laws of the Kingdom and just Liberty of your People For the taking away such oppressions in Religion Church-Government and Discipline as have been brought in and fomented by them For Uniting all such your Loyal Subjects together as joyn in the same fundamental truths against the Papists by removing some oppressions and unnecessary Ceremonies by which divers weak Consciences have been scrupled and seem to be divided from the rest for the due Execution of those good Laws which have been made for securing the Liberty of your Subjects 2. That your Majesty will likewise be pleased to remove from your Council all such as persist to favour and promote any of those Pressures and corruptions wherewith your People have been grieved and that for the future your Majesty will vouchsafe to employ such Persons in your great and publick Affairs and to take such to be near you in places of Trust as your Parliament may have cause to confide in that in your Princely Goodness to your People you will reject and refuse all mediation and solicitation to the contrary how powerful and near soever 3. That you will be pleased to forbear to alienate any of the forfeited and escheated Lands in Ireland which shall accrue to your Crown by reason of this Rebellion that out of them the Crown may be the better supported and some satisfaction made to your Subjects of this Kingdom for the great expences they are like to undergo this War Which humble desires of ours being graciously fulfilled by your Majesty we will by the blessing and favour of God most cheerfully undergo the hazard and expences of this War and apply our selves to such other courses and councils as may support your Royal Estate with Honour and Plenty at home with Power and Reputation abroad and by our Loyal Affections Obedience and Service lay a sure and lasting Foundation of the greatness and prosperity of your Majesty and your Royal Posterity in future times A Remonstrance of the State of the Kingdom THE Commons in this present Parliament Assembled having with much earnestness and faithfulness of affection and zeal to the publick good of this Kingdom and his Majesties Honour and Service for the space of Twelve Months wrastled with the great dangers and fears the pressing miseries and calamities the â—arious distempers and disorders which had not only assaulted but even over-whelmed and extinguisht the Liberty Peace and Prosperity of this Kingdom the comfort and hopes of all his Majesties good Subjects and exceedingly weakned and undermined the Foundation and strength of his own Royal Throne Do yet find an abounding Malignity and opposition in those Parties and Factions who have been the cause of those Evils and do still labour to cast Aspersions upon that which hath been done and to raise many difficulties for the hindrance of that which remains yet undone and to soment Jealousies betwixt the King and Parliament That so they may deprive him and his People of the fruit of his own gracious Intentions and their humble desires of procuring the publick Peace Safety and Happiness of the Realm For the preventing of those miserable effects which such malicious endeavours may produce We have thought good to declare 1. The Root and the growth of these mischievous Designs 2. The Maturity and Ripeness to which they have attained before the beginning of the Parliament 3. The effectual means which hath been used for the extirpations of those dangerous evils and the Progress which hath therein been made by his Majesties goodness and the Wisdom of the Parliament 4. The ways of obstruction and opposition by which that Progress hath been interrupted 5. The courses to be taken for the removing those Obstacles and for the accomplishing of our most dutiful and faithful intentions and endeavours of restoring and Establishing the Ancient Honour Greatness and Security of this Crown and Nation The Root of all this Mischief we find to be a Malignant and pernicious design of subverting the Fundamental Laws and Principles of Government upon which the Religion and Justice of this Kingdom are firmly Establisht The Actors and Promoters hereof have been 1. The Jesuited Papists who hate the Laws as the Obstacles of that change and Subversion of Religion which they so much long for 2. The Bishops and the corrupt part of the Clergy who cherish Formality and superstition as the natural effects and more probable supports of their own Ecclesiastical Tyranny and Vsurpation 3. Such Councellors and Courtiers as for private ends have engaged themselves to further the Interests of some Forraign Princes or States to the prejudice of his Majesty and the State at home The Common Principles by which they moulded and Governed all their particular Counsels and Actions were these First to maintain continual differences and discontents betwixt the King and the People upon Questions of Prerogative and Liberty that so they might have the advantage of siding with him and under the notions of Men addicted to his service gain to themselves and their Parties the place of greatest trust and power in the Kingdom A Second To suppress the Purity and Power of Religion and such as were best affected to it as being contrary to their own ends and the greatest impediment to that change which they thought to introduce A Third To conjoyn those Parties of the Kingdom which were most propitious to their own ends and to divide those who were most opposite which consisted in many particular Observations to cherish the Arminian part in those points wherein they agree with the Papists to multiply and enlarge the difference between the common Protestants and those whom they call Puritans to introduce and countenance such Opinions and Ceremonies as are fittest for Accommodation with Popery to encrease and maintain ignorance loosness and prophaneness in the People That of those three Parties Papists Arminians and Libertines they might compose a body fit to act such counsels and resolutions as were most conducible to their own ends A Fourth to diaffect the King to Parliaments by slanders and false imputations and by putting him upon other ways of supply which in shew and appearance were fuller of advantage then the ordinary course of Subsidies though in truth they brought more loss then gain both to the King and People and have caused the distractions under which we both suffer As in all compounded bodies the Operations are qualified according to the predominant Element So in this mixt party the Jesuited Councils being most active and prevailing may easily be discovered to have had the greatest
Manner how full of Advantage it would be to himself to see his own Estate setled in a plentiful Condition to support his Honor to see his People united in Wayes of Duty to him and indeavours for the Publick Good to see Happiness Wealth Peace and Safety derived to his own Kingdom and procured to his Allies by the Influence of his own Power and Government That all good Courses may be taken to unite the two Kingdoms of England and Scotland to be mutually Aiding and Assisting one another for the common Good of the Island and the Honor of both to take away all Differences among our Selves for Matters indifferent in their own Nature concerning Religion and to unite our selves against the Common Enemies which are the better enabled by our Divisions to destroy us as they hope and have often indeavoured to labor by all Offices of Friendship to unite the Foreign Churches with us in the same Cause and to seek their Liberty Safety and Prosperity as bound thereunto both by Charity to them and by Wisdom for our own Good For by this means our Strength shall be increased and by a mutual concurrence to the same common end we shall be enabled to procure the good of the whole Body of the Protestant Profession If these things may be observed we doubt not but God will Crown this Parliament with such Success as shall be the Beginning and Foundation of more Honour and Happiness to his Majesty then ever yet was enjoyed by any of his Royal Predecessors A Habeas Corpus was this day also Ordered to be sent down to remove one William Chorley from Lancaster Goal Thursday December 2. to be Examined of Matters of great Consequence His Majesty came this day to the House of Lords to pass the Bill for Tonnage and Poundage and being sate in the Chair of State the King gave Command to the Gentleman-Usher to give the House of Commons notice to come up who being come after three Obeysances made their Speaker made this Speech as followeth Most Dread Sovereign THe Observation taken from the unlike Compositions The Speakers Speech at the Passing the Bill for Tonnage and Poundage Dec. 2. 1641. and various Motions of the World made the Philosophers conclude Tota hujus Mundi Concordia ex Discordibus constat The happy Conjuncture of both these Nations in the Triumph and Joy of your Sacred presence extracted from the different and divided Opinions give us cause to observe and admire these blessed Effects from such contrary Causes We may without Flattery commend your Sacred Majesty as the glorious Instrument of this happy Change whose Piety and Prudence directed by the hand of God hath contracted this Vnion from those various discords * * Most undoubtedly Especially that Rebellion should be esteemed Loyalty and the Ruin of the Church a Reformation The story of these times will seem Paradoxes in following Generations when they shall hear of Peace sprung from the Root of Dissention of Vnion planted upon the stock of Divisions two Armies in the Field both ready to strike the first blow and both united without a stroke Nothing can reduce these Truths into a belief but the knowledge of your Piety and Justice who have accomplished these Acts of Wonder by Goodness and Gentleness without Force or Violence This way of Conquest this Bellum Incruentum hath been the Rule of the most Valiant and Puissant Monarchs advancing Your Glory in the safeguard of one Subject more then in the Death of a Thousand Enemies Thus have you Erected a Monument of Glory to your Sacred Memory for all Generations And as your Care and Piety for the welfare of your Northern Kingdom called you to that Work for the great Comfort of your People which your wisdom hath so happily consummated so now the Distemper of your other Kingdom fomented by the same Spirit whose presence admits no Peace in Israel calls on your Providence to heal the Diseases of that Nation The one from whence you returned hath with Abel though the younger Brother offered an acceptable Sacrifice the other with Cain hath Erected Altars of Blood and Revenge the Innovations of Jesuitical Priesthood which Invokes the necessity of your Justice the one to a Natural hath added a Politic Brotherhood the other of Brothers I am sorry to say it are become Strangers The Fidelity of the one hath written a story of Admiration to the World the Disloyalty of the other hath Parallel'd that horrid Design matchless before amongst all Generations first their Intentions the destruction of a Kingdom even when Vnity and Peace was tying the knot of Religion and Safety In the Discovery a moment of time prevented the Execution In the Actors Jesuits and Priests without whom the malice of the Devil could not have found a Party in the World fitted to act over the like bloody Tragedy But this among our many Joys we receive by your happy return is not the least That that Providence which protected that Gracious King your most Religious Father from their bloody attempts and encreased the blessing of a long and happy Reign hath also defended your Sacred Throne from all their Machinations Thus we see Religion is the greatest Policy the never-failing support of King and Kingdom that which firms you and your Posterity to your Throne and our Duty and Obedience to it Give me leave here most Gracious Sovereign to sum up the sense of 11 Months Observation without intermission scarce of a day nay an hour in that day to the hazard of Life and Fortune and to reduce all into this Conclusion The endeavours of Your Commons Assembled guided by Your Pious and Religious Example is to preserve Religion in its Purity without Mixture or Composition against these subtile Invaders and with our Lives and Fortunes to Establish these Thrones to your Sacred Person and those Beams of Majesty Your Royal Progeny against all Treason and Rebellion The Way that conduces to this End are the Defence of the Land and Sea for the one we have already Voted to raise Mony for the other this Bill in some Measure will accomplish for a little time and to that end I by the Command of the Commons humbly beseech Your Royal Assent This being done the Bill was passed by His Majesty according to the usual and accustomed Form Then the King made this ensuing Speech My Lords and Gentlemen I Think it fit The King's Speech after his Return from Scotland Dec. 2. 1641. after so long absence at this first occasion to speak a few words unto you But it is no ways in Answer to Mr. Speaker's Learned Speech Albeit I have stayed longer than I expected to have done when I went away yet in this I have kept my promise with you that I have made all the haste back again that the setling of My Scotch Affairs could any ways permit In which I have had so good success that I will confidently affirm to you that I have
the People here 's the Kingdom to be put into a posture of Defence and a Protestation to assist the Parliament against all wicked Counsellors and Malignant Opposers to the utmost hazard of Life and Estate so that there wanted only an occasion to break out into actual Arms and open Rebellion if these Requests were not Granted This was the way of Petitioning of that time For the Faction now began to be bold and daring and under the Countenance and Protection of their Patriots in the two Houses to affront the Government in the most Insolent Manner imaginable and under the Pretence of Petitioning the Commons to gather together in such tumultuous Routs and Riots as if they would bid open Defiance to the King and the Laws and in truth such an Assembly as upon this Occasion met at Blackheath to subscribe such another Petition threatning what they would do if the Bishops c. were not thrown out of the Lords House would in any other Age have been reputed a plain Rebellion as in truth it was a Prologue to it and a kind of general Muster of the Strength and Effective numbers which the several Tribes of the Schismaticks were able upon Occasion at the Beat of their Pulpit or Petition Drums to bring into the Field against the King the Laws and the Established Government It was upon the Notice of these Tumultary Proceedings and Threatnings that the Guards were raised and placed about Westminster which the Faction in the two Houses who knew by Experience the use of these Tumults took so hainoufly and lest the Well-Affected should meet any discouragement in this Scottish Presbyterian Way of Reformation and fall into the Hands of the Law and Justice they resolved to tye the Hands of Justice behind her and to bind the Laws to the Peace and Good Behaviour which otherwise would have handled these Petitioners very severely with Riotosè's and Routoses contra pacem Domini Regis Tumultuary Petitioning incouraged and protected by the Faction in the Commons House And therefore for fear of the Worst It was Ordered in the House of Commons That the Vnder-Sheriff of Surrey be injoyned not to suffer any Proceedings to be made upon an Inquisition that concerns any Persons that met to subscribe a Petition to be preferred to this House till he shall receive further Order from the House And in truth the Faction in the two Houses carried all before them with that Violence and Impetuosity that many both of the Lords and Commons seeing themselves unable to do any thing towards cooling their Heats or abating their Rigors and that who ever did in the least oppose their Proceedings inevitably drew upon himself some furious Vote or a Prison as a mark of their Displeasure withdrew themselves from the Parliament which as it gave the Faction great Encouragement so likewise it gave them opportunity to do what they pleased without control His Majesty taking notice thereof issued forth the following Proclamation to command their Attendance who were absent as follows By the KING A Proclamation for the Attendance of the Members in both Houses in Parliament HIs Most Excellent Majesty having Summoned this present Parliament A Proclamation for absent Members to attend the Parliament Dec. 12. 1641. in His princely Care of the good and Welfare of His lobing Subjects In the continuance of the same Care doth with Advice of His Privy Council by this His Royal Proclamation declare His Royal Will and Pleasure to be That all the Members of both Houses of Parliament do repair to the Parliament at Westminster at or before the Twelfth of January next and give their due and diligent Attendance in Parliament To the end that this Kingdom may fully injoy the Benefit and Happiness which His Majesty intendeth unto them by Summoning and continuing of this Parliament And of his Majesties Will and Command they are to take Notice by this His Proclamation and to give a just Observance thereunto upon such pains and penalties as by Law and Iustice may be inflicted upon them Given at His Majesties Palace of White-Hall the Twelfth day of December in the seventeenth year of his Majesties Reign God save the KING The Lords at a Conference this day with the Commons Monday Decemb. 13. agreed That the English Commissioners should have power to Treat with the Scottish Commissioners for the Raising of 10000 Men for the Service of Ireland The Commons also informed the Lords That they had taken the Request of the French Ambassador concerning banishing the Seven Condemned Priests into consideration and desire the concurrence of their Lordships that Execution may be done upon five of them viz. upon Hamond Rivers alias Abbot Walter Coleman alias Colmer Francis Tornam alias Winmore and one Frier Whereupon it was upon the Debate in the Lords House Resolved to have a Conference To know the Reasons that induced the Commons to be of Opinion that five should be Executed and two Saved In the Commons House Mr. Glyn Reported the Conference concerning the 13 Bishops that stood impeached that the Lord Keeper said That the Bishops Council insisted still upon the Plea and Demurrer and that they took exceptions to the last Conference because there was delivered to the Reporter of the Lords House the Arch-bishop of York a Paper intituled A Report made by Serjeant Wild from the Committee for the 13 Bishops He said he conceived for his part that it was the Vote of the House but to satisfie that Objection desired to know the Answer of the House I told his Lordship it passed the Vote of the House and that Paper was but as a Memorandum to the manager of that Conference and delivered by him at that time to the Reporter of the Lords House to enable him to Report but did not conceive this Vse would have been made of it or that it should have been shewed to the Bishops Council Tuesday Decemb. 14. Several invidious things proposed by the Commons at a Conference viz. a Declaration against Tolleration of the Romish Religion c. The Lord Keeper Reported this day the Conferences Yesterday with the Commons That divers Papers were read brought from the House of Commons The first Paper consisted of Motives which induced the House of Commons to make their particular Requests The second Paper was the desires of the House of Commons That the Lords would joyn with them in an humble Petition to the King against Toleration of the Romish Religion in England and Ireland and that his Majesty would make a Declaration to this purpose The third Paper was a draught of a Declaration to that purpose The Fourth Paper was a Declaration to be made by the Queen upon the Petition of both Houses to His Majesty to perswade her thereunto That for preventing of all Scandalous Reports and Apprehensions of the Queens Majesty as if she had or would favour and incourage the Rebels in Ireland His Majesty would be graciously pleased to advise
Affections therein and shall desire you to frame your Councels and to give such Expedition to the Work as the Nature thereof and the pressures in point of Time requires and whereof you are put in Mind by the daily insolence and increase of those Rebels For Conclusion your promise to apply your selves to such Courses as may support Our Royal Estate with Honor and Plenty at Home and with Power and Reputation abroad is that which We have ever promised Our Self both from your Loyalties and Affections and also for what We have already done and shall daily go adding unto for the Comfort and Happiness of Our People His Majesties Declaration to all His Loving SUBJECTS Published with the advice of His Privy-Council ALthough We do not believe that Our House of Commons intended by their Remonstrance of the State of the Kingdom to put Vs to any Apology either for Our past or present Actions Notwithstanding since they have thought it so very necessary upon their Observation of the present Distemper to publish the same for the satisfaction of all Our Loving Subjects We have thought it very suitable to the duty of Our place with which God hath trusted Vs to do Our part to so good a Work in which We shall not think it below our Kingly Dignity to descend to any particular which may compose and settle the Affections of Our meanest Subjects since we are so conscious to Our Self of such Vpright Intentions and Endeavours and only of such for which We give God thanks for the Peace and Happiness of Our Kingdom in which the prosperity of Our Subjects must be included that We wish from Our bears that even Our most Secret thoughts were published to their View and Examination Though We must confess We cannot but be very sorry in this Conjuncture of time when the unhappiness of this Kingdom is so generally understood abroad there should be such a necessity of publishing so many particulars from which We pray no inconveniencies may ensue that were not intended We shall in few words pass over that part of the Narrative wherein the Misfortunes of this Kingdom from Our first entring to the Crown to the beginning of this Parliament are remembred in so sensible Expressions And that other which acknowledgeth the many good Laws passed by Our Grace and Favour this Parliament for the Security of Our People of which We shall only say thus much That as We have not refused to pass any Bill presented to Vs by Our Parliament for redress of those Grievances mentioned in the Remonstrance so We have not had a greater Motive for the passing those Laws then Our own Resolution grounded upon Our Observation and understanding the State of Our Kingdom to have freed Our Subjects for the future from those Pressures which were grievous to them if those Laws had not been propounded which therefore We shall as inviolably maintain as We look to have Our own Rights preserved not doubting but all Our Loving Subjects will look on those Remedies with that full gratitude and affection that even the memory of what they have formerly undergone by the Accidents and Necessities of those Times will not be unpleasant to them And possibly in a Pious Sence of Gods Blessing upon this Nation how little share soever We shall have of the acknowledgment they will confess they have enjoyed a great measure of Happiness even these last sixteen years both in Peace and Plenty not only comparatively in respect of their Neighbours but even of those times which were justly accounted Fortunate The Fears and Jealousies which may make some Impression in the minds of Our People We will suppose may be of two sorts either for Religion or Liberty and their civil Interests The Fears for Religion may haply be not only as Ours here Established may be invaded by the Romish Party but as it is accompanied with some Ceremonies at which some tender Consciences really are or pretend to be Scandalized for of any other which have been used without any legal Warrant or Injunction and already are or speedily may be abolished we shall not speak Concerning Religion as there may be any suspicion of favour or inclination to the Papists We are willing to Declare to all the World That as We have been from Our Child-hood brought up in and practised the Religion now Established in this Kingdom so it is well known We have not contented simply with the Principles of Our Education given a good proportion of Our time and pains to the Examination of the Grounds of this Religion as it is different from that of Rome and are from our Soul so fully satisfied and assured that it is the most pure and agreeable to the Sacred Word of God of any Religion now practised in the Christian World That as We believe We can maintain the same by unanswerable Reasons so We hope We should readily Seal to it by the Effusion of Our Blood if it pleased God to call Vs to that Sacrifice And therefore nothing can be so acceptable unto Vs as any proposition which may contribute to the advancement of it here or the propagation of it abroad being the only means to draw down a Blessing from God upon Our Selves and this Nation And We have been extreamly unfortunate if this profession of Ours be wanting to Our People Our constant practice in Our own Person having always been without ostentation as much to the Evidence of Our Care and Duty herein as We could possibly tell how to express For differences amongst Our Selves for matters indifferent in their own Nature concerning Religion We shall in tenderness to any number of Our Loving Subjects very willingly comply with the advice of Our Parliament that some Law may be made for the exemption of tender Consciences from punishment or prosecution for such Ceremonies and in such cases which by the judgment of most Men are held to be matters indifferent and of some to be absolutely unlawful Provided that this ease be attempted and pursued with that modesty temper and submission that in the mean time the peace and quiet of the Kingdom be not disturbed the decency and comeliness of Gods Service discountenanced nor the Pious Sober and Devout actions of those Reverend Persons who were the first Labourers in the blessed Reformation or of that time be scandal'd and defamed For We cannot without grief of heart and without some Tax upon Our Self and Our Ministers for the not Execution of Our Laws look upon the bold Licence of some Men in Printing of Pamphlets in Preaching and Printing of Sermons so full of bitterness and malice against the present Government against the Laws Established so full of Sedition against Our Self and the peace of the Kingdom that we are many times amazed to consider by what Eyes these things are seen and by what Ears they are heard And therefore We have good cause to Command as We have done and hereby do all Our Judges and Ministers of Justice
Our Attorney and Sollicitor General and the rest of Our Learned Councel to proceed with all speed against such and their Abettors who either by writing or words have so boldly and maliciously violated the Laws disturbed the Peace of the Common-wealth and as much as in them lies shaken the very Foundation upon which that peace and happiness is Founded and Constituted And we doubt not but all Our Loving Subjects will be very sensible that this busie virulent demeanour is a fit Prologue to nothing but Confusion and if not very Seasonably punished and prevented will not only be a blemish to that wholsome accommodation We intend but an unspeakable Scandal and Imputation even upon the Profession and Religion of this Our Kingdom of England Concerning the Civil Liberties and Interest of Our Subjects We shall need to say the less having erected so many lasting Monuments of Our Princely and Fatherly Care of Our People in whose many excellent Laws passed by Vs this Parliament which in truth with very much Content to Our Self We conceive to be so large and ample that very many sober Men have very little left to wish for We understood well the Right and Pretences of Right We departed from in the consenting to the Bills of the Triennial Parliament for the continuance of this present Parliament and in the preamble to the Bill of Tunnage and Poundage the Matter of which having begot so many Disturbances in late Parliaments We were willing to remove that no Interest of Ours might hereafter break that Correspondence abundantly contenting Our Self with an Assurance which We still have that We should be repaired and supplied by a just proportion of Confidence Bounty and Obedience of Our People In the Bills for the taking away the High Commission and Star-Chamber Courts We believed We had given that real Satisfaction that all Jealousies and Apprehensions of Abitrary Pressures under the Civil or Ecclesiastical State would easily have been abandoned especially when they saw all possible Doubts secured by the Visitation of a Triennial Parliament These and others of no mean Consideration We had rather should be valued in the Hearts and Affections of Our People then in any mention of Our own not doubting but as We have taken all these Occasions to render their Condition most comfortable and happy so they will always in a grateful and dutiful relation be ready with equal tenderness and alacrity to advance Our Rights and preserve Our Honor upon which their own Security and Subsistence so much depends And We will be so careful that no particular shall be Presented unto Vs for the Compleating and Establishing that Security to which We will not with the same readiness contribute Our best Assistance If these Resolutions be the Effects of Our present Councels and We take God to witness that they are such and that all Our loving Subjects may confidently expect the benefit of them from Vs Certainly no ill Design upon the Publick can accompany such Resolution neither will there be greater Cause of suspition of any Persons preferred by Vs to degrees of Honor and Places of Trust and Imployment since this Parliament And We must confess That amongst Our Misfortunes We reckon it not the least That having not retained in Our Service nor protected any one Person against whom Our Parliament hath excepted during the whole sitting of it and having in all that time scarce vouchsafed to any Man an instance of Our Grace and Favor but to such who were under some eminent Character of Estimation among Our People there should so soon be any mis-understanding or jealousy of their Fidelity and Vprightness especially in a time when We take all Occasions to declare That We conceive Our Self only capable of being served by Honest Men and in honest Ways However if in Truth We have bin mistaken in such Our Election the Particular shall be no sooner discovered to Vs either by Our own Observation or other certain Information then We will leave them to publick Justice under the Marks of Our Displeasure If notwithstanding this any Malignant Party shall take Heart and be willing to Sacrifice the Peace and Happiness of their Country to their own sinister Ends and Ambitions under what pretence of Religion and Conscience soever If they shall endeavor to lessen Our Reputation and Interest and to weaken Our lawful Power and Authority with Our good Subjects if they shall go about by discountenancing the present Laws to loosen the Bonds of Government that all Disorder and Confusion may break in upon Vs We doubt not but God in his good time will discover them unto Vs and the wisdom and courage of Our High Court of Parliament joyn with Vs in their Suppression and Punishment Having now said all that We can to express the cleerness and uprightness of Our Intentions to Our People and done all We can to manifest those Intentions We cannot but confidently believe all Our good Subjects will acknowledg Our part to be fully performed both in Deeds past and present Resolutions to do whatsoever with Justice may be required of Vs and that their quiet and prosperity depends now wholly upon themselves and is in their own power by yielding all Obedience and due Reverence to the Law which is the Inheritance of every Subject and the only security he can have for his Life Liberty or Estate and the which being neglected or dis-esteemed under what specious shews soever a very great measure of Infelicity if not an irreparable confusion must without doubt fall upon them And We doubt not it will be the most acceptable Declaration a King can make to His Subjects that for Our part We are resolved not only duly to observe the Laws of Our Self but to maintain them against what opposition soever though with the hazard of Our being And Our hope is that not only the Loyalty and good Affections of all Our loving Subjects will concur with Vs in the constant preserving a good understanding between Vs and Our People but at this time their own and Our interest and compassion of the lamentable Condition of our poor Protestant Subjects in Ireland will invite them to a fair Intelligence and Vnity amongst themselves that so We may with one Heart intend the relieving and recovering that unhappy Kingdom where those barbarous Rebels practice such Inhumane and unheard of Outrages upon Our miserable People that no Christian Ear can hear without horror nor story parallel And as We look upon this as the greatest affliction it hath pleased God to lay upon Vs so Our unhappiness is increased in that by the Distempers at home so early Remedies have not bin applyed to those growing Evils as the Expectation and necessity there requires though for Our part as We did upon the first Notice acquaint Our Parliament of Scotland where We then were with that Rebellion requiring their Aid and Assistance and gave like speedy Intimation and Recommendation to Our Parliament here so since Our Return
Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the Commons House of Parliament The Humble Petition of sundry Ministers intrusted to Sollicite the Petition and Remonstrance formerly Exhibited to this Honourable House and many of their Brethren Most Humbly Sheweth THat the Petitioners do most thankfully value The Petition of the Remonstrating Ministers Dec. 20. 1641. and heartily acknowledge the indefatigable Pains and Piety of this Honorable Assembly manifested in very many things of high Concernment for the Glory of God the Honor of the King the Purging of the Church and the Safety and Prosperity of this and the rest of His Majesties Kingdoms but more especially in procuring that publick Fast at your first Sitting which hath prevented many Mischiefs and drawn down many Blessings upon the Kingdom ever since in your Zeal and Courage for the True Religion professed among us against all Popish Idolatry and Superstitious Innovations expressed by your Religious Protestation and Vow * * And discountenancing the publick Liturgy and the most indispensible Duty of Praying to make room for this Seditious Preaching In countenancing the Sacred Ordinance of Preaching after long and deep contempt cast upon it by too many who had almost Exiled it from divers Parts of this Kingdom In incouraging painful and godly Ministers formerly set aside and now again profitably imployed in many Congregations greatly needing them In discountenancing bold and unmeet Men that without sufficient calling have presumptuously intruded into that Holy Office as also of all Vnworthy and Scandalous Ministers that have been Convented before you In accepting a former Petition and Remonstrance from the Petitioners taking the same into your grave Consideration and vigorously prosecuting some part thereof In freeing divers godly Ministers out of Prison and Exile and many others from heavy Censures unjustly inflicted In preventing the utter Ruin of the Petitioners and of many more by breaking that wicked Yoak of the late pernicious Oath and Canons justly branded by both Houses of Parliament and by taking away the late dreadful Tyranny of the High-Commission Court and other illegal heavy pressures of the rest of the Courts Ecclesiastical In your worthy Orders for removing of all Illegal Rites and Ceremonies superstitious and scandalous Images and Pictures and other Innovations out of all Churches and Chappels In your prudent happy and timely re-uniting without spilling of Christian Blood the two Kingdoms of England and Scotland in a firm and Religious Peace unhappily disturbed to the apparent endangering of both in your honourable endeavours to relieve and rescue our distressed Brethren in Ireland from the barbarous Outrages and Butcheries of the Popish Rebels there In your constant Vigilancy to discover and defeat the many desperate and devilish Conspiracies against the King Parliament and the Kingdom plotted by Papists and their Malignant adherents implacable Enemies to our Religion and Peace together with all your excellent Labours for Reforming and settling the Affairs of the Common-wealth whereof the Petitioners do also with others Enjoy the comfort and the large and blessed Hopes given to the Petitioners of your further indeavours for perfecting the Reformation of Religion and the Church according to the necessity thereof in a Way best becoming the Honour of such a Grave and Religious Body All of which do much Encourage them to pour out their Souls in all possible thankfulness to God for you and to put up more fervent Prayers publiquely and privately upon all occasions in your behalf at the Throne of Grace But so it is That whereas your Petitioners did in their former Petitions represent unto you divers unsufferable Grievances arising from sundry Invasions made upon the publick Doctrine of this Church from some mixtures and blemishes in the publick Worship of God by Law Established as well as from sundry gross Innovations and Superstitions iâ— Rites and Ceremonies without Law introduced from many Exorbitancies and unsupportable Vsurpations in Ecclesiastical Government and from the scandalous defect of Ministers maintenance in too many places All of which do yet remain in greatest part unremoved by reason of your many necessitated diversions from this great work for the preservation of the very Being of this Kingdom and by means hereof many distractions and disorders about matters of Religion and the Church have to the great scandal and grief of the Petitioners happen'd and are still continued which puts them upon a necessity of renewing their former Suit for redress of the aforesaid Evils and for removing whatever shall appear to your Wisdom to be the Root and Cause of them And whereas further the Petitioners and very many others in whose name and behalf they now humbly supplicate desirous in all things to submit to the Laws so far as possibly they may yet meerly out of tenderness and scruple of Conscience dare not continue as formerly they did the Vse and Exercise of some things as now they-stand injoyned not only because they have more seriously weighed the Nature and Scandal of them and that sundry Bishops and other grave Divines called to their assistance by Order of the House of Peers have as they are informed discovered divers particulars needing alteration in the Liturgy and the Vse thereof and that there is not as they humbly conceive at this day commonly extant any Book of Common Prayer without so many Variations Alterations and Additions as render it in many Parts another thing from that which was by Law Established but chiefly because you also have vouchsafed to be so far sensible of the Defects thereof and of the just Scruples of the Petitioners thereabout as to take the Reformation thereof under Consideration which they hoped would be some shelter against the strict pressing the Vse of it till your pleasure upon the full Debate thereof had been declared in a Parliamentary Way for that it seems most equal that the Consciences of Men should not be forced upon that which a Parliament it self holds needful to consider the Reformation of and give Order in till the same be accordingly done And the Petitioners having been comfortably assured of some ease therein do now to their great sorrow apprehend that the same things are anew reinforced which contrary to the blessed Inclination and Intention of His Gracious Majesty may occasion much trouble and vexation to sundry worthy and peaceable Ministers which the Petitioners have more cause to fear because sundry of their Brethren have since the beginning of this Parliament been Indicted upon the Statute of 1 Eliz. 2. And others threatned for bare omissions of some things complained of to this High Court and still depending before you whiles in divers places your Religious Orders necessarily made and published for removing of things illegal are not observed and in other places where superstitious Rites and Practices had by virtue thereof been laid aside the same are again called back and re-practised without any Check or Animadversion And because the Premisses are of extraordinary Consequence and cannot receive a perfect Cure
Holiness and love of Sin Will work their destruction which now doth begin Their Curbing the Gospel will kill their own growth Go Toll the Bell for them and eke for their Broth. Nor were they who pretended to be Poets on the other side idle but pelted them with Rolands much like the others Olivers I will give the Reader but Two or Three Stanza's of a Litany month January 1641. lest I surfeit him of this sort of Mechanick Wit which yet wanted not Truth From all dissembling Sep'ratists and those That snuffle their unlearned Zeal in Prose As if the way to Heaven was through the Nose Libera nos c. From those that dare work ill in every Season And are so far from Sanctity or Reason They dare believe there 's Piety in Treason Libera nos c. From them which nothing but false Rumors Rear And likewise those which lend such Men an Ear Who publish for a Truth all which they hear Libera nos c. From those indiff'rent Men that know no Guide Who are from their Allegiance so wide That come what will they 'l take the strongest side Libera nos c. But the number of the Malicious and Seditious Pamphlets did far exceed those that had any thing honest in them And how trivial soever such things may appear yet it is incredible what mischief they do and what Impressions they make upon the credulous Vulgar and it may be a piece of Policy not misbecoming the wisest States-men to obviate such Arts as seeming little yet are of such universal dangerous influence upon the lower Ranks of People whose hands act those mischiefs which the more cunning heads of the Faction contrive and I know not any one thing that more hurt the late King then the Paper Bullets of the Press it was the Scandalous and Calumniating Ink of the Faction that from thence blackned him and represented all his Words and Actions to the misguided People who would difficultly have been perswaded to such a horrid Rebellion if they had not been first prepossessed by the Tongues and the Pens of the Faction of strange and monstrous Designs which they said the King and his evil Councellors the Bishops and Malignants who were all by these Pamphlets stiled Papists and Atheists had against their Lives Liberties and Religion But I crave the Reader 's pardon for this seeming digression and now let us pursue our Voyage through this Tempestuous New Year The King that the whole World might see how sollicitous he was in every thing for the deplorable State of Ireland which the Faction were so far from relieving in good earnest that they were angry at the beating up of Drums for Volunteers for that Service issued out his Royal Proclamation for the suppressing of those Rebels as follows By the KING A Proclamation for the suppressing the Rebellion in Ireland Jan. 1. 1641. WHereas divers lewd and wicked Persons have of late risen in Rebellion in Our Kingdom of Ireland surprized divers of Our Forts and Castles possessed themselves thereof surprized some of Our Garrisons possessed themselves of some of Our Magazins and Munition dispossessed many of Our Good and Loyal Subjects of the British Nation and Protestants of their Houses and Lands robbed and spoiled many thousands of Out good Subjects of the British Nation and Protestants of their Goods to great Values Massacred Multitudes of them imprisoned many others and some who have the Honor to serve Vs as privy Counsellors of that Our Kingdom We therefore having taken the same into Our Royal consideration and abhorring the wicked Disloyaity and horrible Acts committed by those Persons do hereby not only declare Out just Indignation thereof but also do declare them and their Adherents and Abettors and all those who shall hereafter joyn with them or commit the like Acts on any of Our good Subjects in that Kingdom to be Rebels and Traitors against Out Royal Person and Enemies to Our Royal Trown of England and Ireland And We do hereby strictly Charge and Command all those Persons who have so presumed to rise in Arms against Vs and Our Royal Authority which We cannot otherwise interpret then Acts of High Rebellion and detestable Disloyalty when therein they spoil and destroy Out good and loyal Subjects of the British Nation and Protestants that they do immediately lay down their Arms and forbear all further Acts of Hostility wherein if they fail We do let them know That We have Authorized Our Iustices of Ireland and other Our Chief Governor or Governors and General or Lieutenant General of Our Army there and do hereby accordingly require and authorize them and every of them to prosecute the said Rebels and Traitors with Fire and Sword as Persons who by their high Dissoyalty against Vs their Lawful and undoubted King and Sovereign have made themfewes unworthy of any Mercy or Favour wherein Our said Iustices or other Chief Governor or Governors and General or Lieutenant General of Our said Army shall be countenanc'd and supported by Vs and by Our powerful Succors of Our good Subjects of England and Scotland that so they may reduce to Obedience those wicked Disturbers of that Peace which by the blessing of God that Kingdom hath so long and so happily injoyed under the Government of Our Royal Father and Vs and this Our Royal Pleasure We do hereby require Our Iustices or other Chief Governor or Governors of that Our Kingdom of Ireland to cause to be publish't and Proclaimed in and throughout Our said Kingdom of Ireland Given under Our Signet at Our Palace at Westminster the first day of January in the Seventeenth Year of Our Reign 1641. God save the King The King at his last being in Scotland Munday January 3. had gained Informations there of the secret Intrigues of the Faction and their Contrivances to promote the Scottish Invasion and Rebellion and that they were Meditaâ—ing the same Course in England And therefore this day the Lord Keeper Signified to the House of Lords That he was commanded by the King to let their Lordships know that his Majesty hath given Mr. Attorney General Command to Acquaint their Lordships with some Particulars from him Hereupon Mr. Attorney standing at the Clerks Table said That the King had Commanded him to tell their Lordships that divers Great and Treasonable Designs and Practices against him and the State have come to his Majesties knowledge for which the King hath given him Command in his Name to Accuse And did Accuse six Persons of High Treason and other High Misdemeanors by delivery of the Articles in Writing which he had in his hand which he received from his Majesty and was Commanded to desire your Lordships to have it read In which Articles the Persons Names and the Heads of the Treason were contained Which Articles were Commanded to be read and were in these words Articles of High Treason and other High Misdemeanors against the Lord Kymbolton Mr. Denzil Hollis Sir Arthur Hasterigg
charged for no less then Treason before I write next doubt not but to have them in the Tower or their Heads from their Shoulders The Sollicitor and Fiennes and Earl we must serve with the same Sauce And in the House of Lords the Lord Mandeville is touched but Essex Warwick Say Brooke and Paget must follow or else we shall not be quiet Falkland and Culpeper are made Friends to our side at least-wise they will do us no hurt The Protestants and Puritans are so divided that we need not fear them the Protestants in great part will join with us or stand Neuters while the Puritan is suppressed if we can bring them under the Protestants will either fall in with us generally or else if they do not they are so indifferent that either by fair or foul means we shall be able to command them The mischievous Londoners and the Apprentices may do us some hurt for the present but we need not much fear them they do nothing Orderly but Tumultuously therefore we doubt not much but to have them under Command after one brunt for our Party is strong in the City especially Holbourn in the new Buildings and Westminster We are afraid of nothing but the Scots appearing again but we have made a Party there at the King's last being there which will hold their hands behind them †The very stile of a Canting Puritan as no doubt he was that forged this Letter while we Act our part at home Let us acquit our selves like Men for our Religion and Country Now or Never The King's heart is Protestant but our Friends can perswade him and make him believe any thing He hates the Puritan Party and is made irreconcilable to that side so that the Sun the Moon and the Seven Stars are for us * * A notorious untruth in fact as to matter of Number There are no less then 20000 Ministers in England the greater half will in their places be our Friends to avenge the Bishops dishonour let our Friends be incouraged the work is more then half done Your Servant R. E. I cannot tell whether it will not appear equally ridiculous as the Letters themselves to indeavour to manifest that this Letter with the inclosed were mere Fictions since it seems they thought little better of them themselves for when these Letters were sent up to the Lords by Sir John Hotham he delivered the Message in these words That he was sent to inform their Lordships of two Letters one sent to Mr. Orlando Bridgman a Member of the House of Commons another written to one Mr. Anderton which they offer to their Lordships to make use of them as they think fit which kind of slight recommendation their Lordships it seems understood so well that they were only read and laid by without further notice taken of them But there was a further use for them for these Letters quickly got into Print and contributed not a little by those cursed Reflexions with which they were stuffed to blacken the Reputation of the King and Queen and confirm the Credulous Multitude in the belief of a great and horrid Plot of the Papists and Episcopal Protestants against the Parliament which was a point absolutely necessary to be gained by the Faction in order to what was now too apparent to all Honest and Loyal Men the carrying on a Plot of the Puritans as they were then called by Rebellion to accomplish the work of Reformation But to put the matter out of dispute having occasion to search among the old musty Papers of that time in the Clerk of the Parliaments Office I found these very Original Letters and being strongly possessed in my imagination that by comparing of hands there being something very particular in the hand that writ those Letters I should find out the cheat I found several Letters written by Sir Anthony Welden with the very exact and distinguishing stroaks and cutting of the Letters so like that written to Mr. Bridgman that I do not in the least doubt but whoever was the Contriver Sir Anthony was the Amanuensis and indeed it suits well enough with such a Kitchin-stuff Courtier as he afterwards proved both by his Actions and the Infamous Libel written by him called The Court of King James The Papers are in my possession if any Persons doubts shall tempt them to disbelieve my positive Opinion in this matter The Commons that they might Rivet themselves into the hearts of the Seditious Rabble who had conducted them and the five Members to Westminster resolved not only to thank them but to indemnifie them too for this Riotous and Tumultuary procedure And therefore first divers Sea Captains Masters of Ships and Marriners were called in to whom Mr. Speaker delivered this by the Command of the House 1. Thanks to the Sea Captains c. That the House did take special notice of the performance of this Service of theirs to this House and to the Common-wealth and gave them thanks for it and desired them to Communicate the same to the rest of the Sea-men and Marriners 2. For the Petition which they delivered to the Committee of this House the other day in London that this House will take it into speedy Consideration as also any other desire of theirs that they shall make to this House Then divers of the Trained Bands of Westminster were called in Thanks to the Trained Bands of Westminster whose Petition being read and Ordered to be Entred Mr. Speaker acquainted them as followeth That this House hath taken notice of the Expression of a great deal of Affection in their Petition unto this House and have Commanded him to give them thanks for it and that this House had never any cause to be Jealous of them and shall make use of them as there shall be occasion The Sheriffs of London were also called in Thanks to the Sheriffs of London c. to whom Mr. Speaker spake as followeth That this House was very sensible of their great care and love and respect to this House and in them to the Common-wealth as also to the Committee of this House that sate in London and for the special Service done this day and hath Commanded him to give them hearty thanks for it and to desire them to return the like to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen Thus did they Court the People like Absolom Order Indemnifying the Citizens for Guarding the Parliament indeavouring to steal their hearts from their Sovereign by flattering Speeches with the same intention that he did those of his King and Father and to incourage them to persist in those Tumultuary Courses it was Resolved upon the Question That the Actions of the Citizens of London and others in the guarding and defence of the Parliament or the Priviledges or Members thereof either by the Trained Bands or otherwise are according to their Duties and the late Protestation and the Laws of this Kingdom and that if any Person shall
for setting aside private Business 686. concerning Books seized by High Commission 690. that Philips be released 691. in Smith and Busby 's Case 716. for reviving the Committee for Scandalous Pamphlets 723. and for License to raise Men for the Dutch ibid. Orders of the House of Commons that no Members visit the Earl of Strafford 8. to inquire into the Militia c. 230. in behalf of Pryn 251. about disbanding the Armies 286 454. 456. concerning the Northern Counties 314. about Members of Committees 319. for afternoon Sermons in all Parochial Churches 383. for absent Members 433. that Mr. Marshal and Dr. Burgess Preach the Thanksgiving Sermon before them 467. about a full House 476. for Match and Bullet for the Parliaments Guard 496. for laying by private business 510. for opening the Irish Letters 523. concerning relief for Ireland and Irish Affairs 601 603 613 622 626 824. concerning the Guard for the Parliament 623. concerning the Second Plot in the Army 653. to discourage Petitioners for Episcopacy 655. for clearing the Kings Honour from the scandal of the Irish Rebels 689. for a Search about a Barrel of Gun-Powder 719. for Printing the Remonstrance 437. for care of Berwick Hull and Newcastle 753. concerning the Navy 787. for a double Watch 794. for a Guard under Major Skippon 833. for Sir John Hotham to keek Hull ibid. for Guards and necessary defence 878. Orders of the Lords Justices of Ireland against the Rebels 908 910. Orders for preventing the spreading of the Plague 478. Ordinance of both Houses for Commissioners to go for Scotland 455. for a Thanksgiving for the Pacification 463. for disarming Recusants 470. against Transporting Soldiers into the Service of Forraign Princes 481. for empow'ring the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland to raise Men 606. for enabling the Master of the Ordnance to deliver Ammunition ibid. authorizing the Lord High Admiral to provide Shipping 607. for securing money borrow'd of the City of London 621. to prohibit the Irish going out of England without Licence 621. upon Beal 's Plot 646. to raise the Trained Bands 653. Earl of Ormond speeds to Dublin with his Troop at Summons of the Lords Justices 629. is made Lieutenant General of the Army in Ireland 904. dislodges the Rebels at Finglass 618. Earl of Orrery 's Answer to P. W. quoted 526. Sir Edward Osborn a Witness for the Earl of Strafford 95. his Warrant for levying Money 98. Overtures for a Treaty with the Irish Rebels 917. Oxford Vniversity their Petition to the Parliament in behalf of Episcopacy 305. Oxfordshire Petition against it 409. P. PAcification between the English and Scots 430 438. Palatinate a debate upon it 328 368. Vote about it 373. the King 's Manifesto upon it 383. A. Palmer a Witness against the Earl of Strafford 90. Captain Palmer accused for a Conspiracy to seduce the Army 232. Jeffery Palmer a manager of Evidence against the Earl of Strafford 29. Sir William Parkhurst a Witness against the Earl of Strafford 91. William Parkins his Speech about Bishop Wren 330. Parliament meets at Westminster 5. perpetuated by an Act 195. their first Ordinance 455. agree to a Recess 464. Order a Guard for themselves 487 Parliament in Ireland their Quaeries to the Judges there 572. their Protestation and Declaration against the Rebellion 898. Parliament in Scotland their resolutions concerning the Irish Rebellion 603. Transactions between them and the English Commissioners 608. Henry Parry a Witness against the Earl of Strafford 74. the Sentence past on him by the Irish Council 76. Sir William Parsons made one of the Lords Justices of Ireland 564. Sir William Pennyman a Witness for the Earl of Strafford 55 86 95. his Warrant to his Serjeant Major to raise Money 93. Alderman Penington informs against the Minister of Grace-Church 773. Mr. Henry Percy accused for a Conspiracy to seduce the Army 232. a Proclamation to stop him 233. Conference about him 245. his Letter to the Earl of Northumberland about it 286. Voted Chargeable with High Treason 443. Expell'd the House of Commons 725. Voted to be impeach'd of High Treason 754. Petition and Act of State about the Oath in Ireland 79. Petition of the Yorkshire Gentry 92. of the Londoners against the Earl of Strafford 160. of the like Rabble against the same 189. of the Earl of Strafford to the House of Lords in behalf of his Children 196. of the Vniversity of Cambridge 239. and of the Vniversity of Oxford for Episcopacy 305. from several Ministers of Wales against Episcopacy 317. of the Ministers and People of Oxfordshire and Berks against the same 409. of both Houses concerning Commissioners for Scotland 451. of Sir George Radcliff 464. of some Merchants for seizing parts of America 467. of the Sectaries against Dr. Heywood Mr. Booth Dr. Fuller and Mr. Hutton 492. of Judge Berkley 498. of the Parliament to the King in Scotland 644. of Rutland for Episcopacy 656. of Officers for pay 660. of the House of Commons to accompany the Remonstrance 692. of Huntingtonshire for Episcopacy 720. of Somersetshire for the same 726. of the factious Londoners against Bishops Votes c. 733. incouraged by the House of Commons 733 735. of the Parliament concerning breach of Privilege by the King's Speech 751. of Hertfordshire 753. of Cheshire for the Establish'd Religion 758 759. of the remonstrating Ministers to the House of Commons 764. of the Irish Lords and Gentlemen 769. of the London Prentices about Church-Government c. 775. of several Merchants concerning Ireland 776. of both Houses about the Kensington Business 786 of the Bishops with their Protestation 794. of the men of Bucks against Malignants c. 834 839. of the trained Bands of Westminster about dangers 839. of the Men of Bucks to the King concerning Hampden 840. of the Lord Mayor c. about the King 's going to the House of Commons 841. of several Merchants and others against Sir John Byron 881. of the Bishops either to be tried or bailed 883. Petition and Advice of the Scots Commissioners to the King 876. Petitioners for Episcopacy discouraged 655. Sir John Pettus Knighted 680. Father Philips the Queens Confessor 310. appears 315. sent to the Tower 594. a Message about him from the House of Commons to the House of Lords 597. an Information against him 599. the Queens Letter concerning him 605. petitions to be released 661. order of the House of Lords about him 691. and of the House of Commons about his Trunk 69â— â—bailed 711. Bishop Pierce see Bishop of Bath Lord Pierepoint ordered to the Black Rod for Words 740. petitions to the House of Lords and is released 742. Sir William Pierepoint his Speech at the Impeachment of Sir Robert Berkeley 332. William Pierson a Witness against the Earl of Strafford 94. Place for Trial of the Earl of Strafford agreed by both Houses 28. Plague in London 463. Orders to prevent its spreading 478. Plate a Motion that it be brought in and coin'd 259. Plymouth Bill past 410.