by the charitable Protestants of England for their relief in Equipping Ships to be sent to the Assistance of the French King against the poor Protestants of the Isles of Rhee and Rochell 18. That without doubt had a great hand in the Notorious Irish Rebellion wherein above 150 thousand poor Protestant Souls were most Barbarously Murthered and this will more plainly appear by reading the Commission given by this King in the 17th Year of his Reign dated from Edinborough and also the Commission thereupon of Peilem Oneale and Rorie Macguire to all the Papists both English and Irish within the Kingdom of Ireland both which for the Readers better satisfaction are Printed at large in this Book and also a sheet of Paper call'd Murther will Out containing King Charles II's Letter to the Court of Claims in Ireland 1663. Requiring the then Commissioners to restore the Earl of Antrim to his Estate for that he had made it appear he had acted nothing but by Order and Commission from King Charles I. read the Letter at large Take notice this Earl of Antrim had been a very great Rebell yet restored for serving that King in murthering his Protestant Subjects neither can any impartial Men think that King Innocent of this Wicked Act if they consider how Treacherously and Basely he delt with the Protestants of England of the Palatinate of the Isles of Rhee and Rochell What Articles he made with France in favour of Popery upon his Match what a mighty Influence his Popish Queen had over him how he employed in great Places of Trust not only great Favourers of Popery but also many profest Papists and was very much Advised and Govern'd by their Counsels to the great Sorrow and Misery of his poor Protestant Subjects as also that in the Summer before that dreadful October 1641. a Committee of the most Active Papists all afterwards in the head of the Rebellion were in great favour at White-Hall and admitted to many private Consultations there with the King in the Queens Presence and those Irish Priests departed not thence till within two Months before that Bloody Rebellion and Massacre It was at that time I morally believe that King Charles favoured the Irish Massacre and the Irish Papists were so well assured of it that they called themselves the Queen's Army and said they had good Warrant in Black and White for their Proceedings and cryed out against the Parliament of England as the King's Enemies He that has a desire of being satisfied how great a favourer King Charles was of Papists let him read Mr. Pinn's Book called The Royal Court Favourite He was very much advised by the then Parliament to send early Relief to the poor Protestants of Ireland but it is notoriously known how backward he was therein and that he suffered them to be Sacrificed to the cruel Mercy of the Irish Cut-Throats It is also plain that the Parliament had long and often requested the King to Declare the Irish Rebels yet was this rare Protestant Martyr so Tender of the Poor Catholicks Reputation for Acting according to his Commands that no less than three Months past before he would gratifie the House of Commons with Proclaiming them Rebels and when he had against his real inclination thus done he was resolved That but a small number should be Printed and Published and in order thereunto the following Warrant was sent to the King's Printer from his Secretary of State IT is His Majesty's Pleasure that you forthwith Print in very good Paper and send unto Me for his Majesties Service Fourty Copies of the Proclamation inclosed leaving convenient space for his Majesty to Sign above and to affix the Privy Signet underneath And His Maiesties Express Command is Chat you Print not above the said Number of Copies and forbear to make any further Publication of them till his Pleasure be further Signified for which this shall be your Warrant White-Hall Jan. 2. 1641. Edward Nicholas See here what special care was taken that a few only should come to the knowledge of this Proclamation when at the same time it was well observed he dealt far otherwise by the Scots for they were more sharply Proclaimed and those Proclamations with great care and dilligence dispersed throughout the whole Kingdom and ordered to be read in all Churches accompanied with Publick Prayers and Execrations But his Aversion to the Proclaiming and Proceeding against the Irish Rebels is not to be much wondred at for they call themselves The Queen's Army and declared that they Rose to maintain the King's Prerogative and the Queen's Religion against the Parliament much more might be collected from divers Authors of this Tragical Story which for Brevity Sake I shall now omit 19. That to his Eternal Infamy against all Laws both Humane and Divine caused A Declaration to be Published concerning the Lawfulness of Sports Pastimes c. on the Lord's Day and gave Archbishop Laud an Order under his Hand to see that this Declaration was Printed Read the Order and Declaration Printed at large in this Book and also King Charces II's Declaration after his Restoration It is a wonderful and amazing thing that there can be found amongst us such Clergymen and Gentlemen that against all Reason and Truth shall make a Saint nay a Martyr of this as you see Pious King How these Men at the Great Day of Judgment will be able to Answer for the many abominable Lies and Blasphemies they have been Guilty of in Defending this King's Tyrannies and Oppressions and Deifying him after a most scandalous Rate is a Mystery to me The Publication of this Licentious Book was so apparently destructive to Religion and so dishonourable to God and the King That the Pious and Sober Clergy of that time absolutely refused either to Read it or to permit it the said abominable Declaration to be Read and how barbarously and unchristianly they were used for their Refusal is too well known 20 That gave Wicked Arbitrary and Tyrannical Orders Instructions and Commissions to the Earl of Strafford Lord Lieutenant of Ireland all which the said Earl took such care to Execute that the Parliament which was made up of Grave Able and discerning Persons fell so severely upon him that they caused him to be Committed to the Tower Impeached him and soon after caused him to be according to his deserts Beheaded He pleaded the King's Authority for what he had done but the Commons saw no reason to acquit him 'T was observed that tho the King and Queen would not publickly Solicite for his Relief yet several secret Instances were made by them both to save him that had obeyed their Commands c. But the just Cries of the People c. necessitated the King against his Will to sign the Warrant for his Execution And having now given a short account of the Earl of Strafford I think it proper for the satisfaction of all those good People that desire to be rightly informed for what Laud
that countenanced those two Court Parasites and Ear-Wiggs Mountague and Manwaring who poysoned the Ears of King Charles the First with such infectious Doctrine that proved to be fatal to the King and Kingdoms 'T is true indeed both Montague and Manwaring were doom'd and condemn'd for the same in open Parliament Sentenced and Fined and made incapable of all Ecclesiastical Benefices and Promotions But King Charles was so much in Love with these two wicked Levites and their Doctrines that soon after the Parliament was dissolved he punished them with two Fat Bishopricks That the World may know for what Manwaring was thus Rewarded by the King I shall produce three of his pernicious Assertions out of his two Sermons before the King Printed under the Title of Religion ond Allegiance 1. That the King is not bound to observe the Laws concerning the Subjects Rights but that his Will in Imposing Loans and Taxes without consent in Parliament doth oblige the Subjects Conscience Upon Pain of Eternal Damnation 2. That they who refused the Loan did offend against the Law of God and against the Kings Supreme Authority and thereby became Guilty of Impiety Disloyalty Rebellion c. 3. That Authority of Parliament is not necessary for the raising of Aids and Subsidies and Dr. Sibthorp Vicar of Brackley printed a Sermon which he Preached at the Assizes at Northampton and Dedicated to the King wherein he Poysons his Country with these vile Positions 1. That it is the Prince's Duty to direct and make Laws his Text by the way was Rom. 13.7 Render therefore to all their Dues he justified this by that Opposite Proof Eccles 8.3 4. He doth whatsoever pleases him Who may say unto him what doest thou 2. That all Antiquity is absolutely for absolute Obedience to Princes in al Civil and Temporal Things 3. That if Princes command any thing which Subjects may not perform because against the Laws of God of Nature or Impossible yet they are bound to undergo the Punishment without Resistance and so to vield a Passive Obedience where they cannot Exhibit an Active One. P g Sh k and others have largely since that time obliged the World with these Enslaving Doctrines As this King took great care to Reward such Ministers as these so he was resolved to make Examples of those Pious and Worthy Clergy-men that stood up against the Oppressions of those Times for Brevities Sake I shall instance but two of the many that might be Named The first was that Good Man Dr. Abbot Archbishop of Canterbury because he could not in Conscience comply with the King who with Menaces required him to License that abominable Sermon of Sibthrops before mention'd and thereby make that Good by Divinity which had been done against the Laws And when the Lord Conway Secretary of State was sent with a threatning Message from the King to him this good Old Man persisted in his Refusal saying with the Psalmist I shall not be affraid of any Evil Tydings for my heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. The King instantly Suspended this Archbishop and also confined him and committed the Archiepiscopal Jurisdiction to five Bishops all of the New Church of England and Sibthorp's Patrons viz. London Durham Rochester and Oxford and honest Laud of Bath and Wells The second was Dr. Williams Bishop of Lincoln who also felt the heavy Oppression of this Protestant King In the first Year of his Reign he was Lord Keeper of the Great Seal but upon his appearing in Parliament against the Kingdoms great Grievance the Duke of Buckingham he was Disgraced und Sequestred from the King's Presence and Council Table In his second Year he was accused for speaking publickly against the Loan and also for refusing to give way to proceedings in his Courts against the Puritans The King Imprison'd him in the Tower but this good Bishop out-living his Imprisonment upon the King 's throwing the Gauntlet he came to a Tryal of Skill for the Old English Liberties and he resolutely said Nolumus Leges Angliae Mutari and took Command in the Parliament's Army and bravely asserted his Country's Liberties with his Sword If I should proceed to relate how this King dealt by the Nobility and Gentry both Lawyers and others that stood up for the Laws of the Land and Liberties of the People this Tragical Story would swell to too great a Bulk for a Preface I shall therefore give a short Account of the matters contained in the following Treatise viz. that He Favoured Protected and was Ruled by the worst of Men both Clergy and Laity Secondly That He highly favoured Papists Thirdly That He Govern'd by an Arbitrary Power and raised Money upon his Subjects without Act of Parliament which is directly against the Constitution of the Government of England and of a most dangerous Consequence to the People of England for when ever such a Power is Established in these Kingdoms the People may bid a sad farewell to all their Felicity for they would soon undergood the same Miserable Fate the poor People of France have done ever since that King violated their Magna Charta call'd the Edict of Nants c. which is to be Taxed according to that Prince's Will and Pleasure Fourthly That he was not that Pious Prince the mad World without reason would represent him to be of all these you have too many Instances in the following Treatise which for the satissfaction of Mankind contains not onely 26 Articles or Charges against this King but also the following Tracts all of which were never Printed at large in any one Book before viz. The Popes Letter to King Charles I. and King Charles his Letter in Answer thereunto calling the Pope Most Holy Father c. The Articles of Marriage made in Favour of Papists with France King Charle 's Commission to the Irish Rebels and Philem Oneles and Rorie Macquire 's Declaration thereupon King Charles II's Letter to the Court of Claims of Ireland in behalf of that great Rebel the Marquess of Antrim to restore him to his Estate for that the said Marquess had made it appear that what he acted in that Rebellion was done by the Express Orders and Commands of Charles I. His Father King Charles I's Warrant by Secretary Nicholas to the King's Printer Commanding him to Print no more than Forty Proclamations that Proclaimed the Irish Rebels An Abstract of those Strange Articles of Peace that King Charles the First made with the Irish Rebells The two Letters he writ to assure the Rochellers of his relieving them and the miserable and deplorable Remonstrance those poor People made to him upon his Sacrificing them to the Mercy of the French King The Earl of Anglesey 's Memorandum Dr. Anthony Walker and Mrs. Gauden 's Proofs that Eicon Basilice was not Writ by King Charles but by Dr. Gauden Bishop of Exeter That Copy of the Kings and Pamelia's Prayers taken out of Eicon Basilice and Sir Philip Sydneys Arcadia will agree almost
in every Word Twenty Articles against that wicked Prelate Laud and to give a clear Demonstration of this Holy Martyrs Religion and Piety His Declaration for the lawfulness of Sports and Pastimes on the Lord's Day is printed in this Book at Large To conclude If all these and many more sad matters of Fact already in this and other Books produced to the World will not be of force enough to satisfie the generality of Mankind that they have been most notoriously imposed upon by the Clergy and some of the Laity in their Defence of King Charles I. against the Parliament of 1640. and People of England I shall conclude that nothing but the coming down of an Angel from Heaven will be able to convince them of their Error I shall therefore leave them to God and end all with this hearty Prayer That he would be pleased so to open their Eyes that they might see what will make for the Peace and Happiness of these Kingdoms and no longer promote and keep up those Unhappy Divisions that are yet amongst us after above 40 Years Controversie on this Melancholly Subject ERRATA PAge 2. line 5. read Immerited p. 4. l. 11. r. Gorges p. 4. l. 15. r. Desert f. Defect p. 4. last line r. Coat p. 5. l. 24. r. that p. 6. l. 12. r. the King p. 6. l. 25. r Bath p. 9. l. 13. r. Prins p. 10. l. 25. Dele and also King Charles II's Declaration after his Restoration p. 12. l. 23. r. Papists p. 14. l. 10. r. things f. time p. 15. l. 10 r. proportion p. 18. l. 5. dele it p. 18. l. 9. incert to after Relations p. 21. l. 21. r. Wentworth p. 21. l. 28. r. Suspiria p. 23. l. 3. r. dismiss p. 27. l. 25. r. have done p. 28. l. 27 r. Zyons p. 37. l. 18. r. alia p. 39. l. 21. after imaginable r. to enslave his people p. 44. l. 25. r. Article p. 46. l. 12. r. therein p. 48. l. 12. r. irreconcilable p. 50. l. 29. r. have p. 51. l. 34. dele not p. 54. l. 19. r. cordially f. Cardinals ENGLANDS Black List OR A short Account of some of the many Illegal Arbitrary Popish and Tyrannical Actions of King Charles I. falsely and unjustly call'd the Pious Martyr of ever Blessed Memory I shall not pretend to describe them Gradually or Annually but as they Occur 1. HE took in the Duke of Buckingham to be one of the chief Conductors of all his Affairs notwithstanding the said Duke was impeached for a very suspicious Playster and Portion administred to King James the First See the Earl of Bristols and Sir Dudley Digg's Speeches against him in Rushworth The Duke's Mother and many near about him were Papists and advanced Men popishly Devoted to places of the chief Câ—mmand in the Court and Camp Three Parliaments in the beginning of this Reign found and declared this Duke the cause of all their Miseries and Disasters the Grievance of Grievances yet King Charles would against all Justice protect him 2. He made that wicked Bishop Laud who was afterwards deservedly beheaded another of his Favourites by whose precious Councils poor England hath notoriously suffered to write his Life according to his Actions would sufficiently darken the Lustre of those immerite and impious Encomiums given by that Notorious Jacobite Mr. Wharton The Pious Dr. Abbatt then Arch Bishop of Canterbury hath in his Writings given a sad account of him 'T is said that Archbishop Sancroft had a great hand in putting forth this Book 3. His Marrying Heneretta Maria of France a violent Papist and agreeing to private Articles in favour of Papists viz. That those who had been Imprisoned as well Ecclesiastical as Temporal should be Released That Papists should be no more molested for their Religion by which means the Papists grew impudent and Scoff'd at Parliaments and Law Read the Articles at large in this Book 4. That received a Letter from the Pope and writ him an Answer saluting Antichrist with the Title of Sanctissime Pater Most Holy Father That Procured the Pope's Dispensation for his Marriage which was solemnized by Proxy according to the Ceremonies of the Romish Church See the Pope's and King's Letter at large in this Book 5. That pursuant to his Private Article with France immediately Granted a special Pardon to twenty Popish Priests for all the Offences they had Committed against the Laws and Built a Chapel at Somerset-House with Conveniencies for Fryars which were permitted to walk abroad in their Habits Baker the Jesuit was one of many that was Pardoned after the Lords and Commons had sent a Petition to him for advancing the True Religion and suppressing of Popery He made Weston who died a Papist his Lord Treasurer and preferred so many Papists to places of great Trust as Lord Lieutenants Deputy Lieutenants Justices of the Peace c. That the Commons of England complain'd by their Petition of near One Hundred of all Ranks he restrain'd the Ecclesiastical and Temporal Courts from intermedling with Papists which was little less then a Tolleration He not only Schreened but Pardoned Mountague his Chaplain whom the Commons had Voted had endeavoured to Reconcile England to Rome and instanced that he maintain'd these Positions That the Church of Rome is and ever was a True Church That Images might be used for the instructions of the Ignorant and for Exortation of Devotion That Saints have a Memory and a more peculiar charge of their Friends and that it may be admitted that some Saints have a peculiar Patronage Custody Protection and Power as Angels also have over certain Persons and Countrys by special Deputation That impiously and prophanely scoffed at Preaching Lectures Bibles and all shew of Religion and though the Commons prayed that for these and other matters Mountague might be Punished and his Books Burnt yet the King would do neither but Pardon'd him as aforesaid being incensed at the Commons prosecuting a Man after his own Heart 6. That to the great Dishonour of England the Scandal of the Protestant Religion and the great Weakening of the Protestant Interest abroad Did lend Eight Ships Equip'd with the subsidies given for the relief of his distressed Protestant Sister the Electress Palatine and the poor oppressed Protestants of the Palatinate to the French King to fight against the miserable Protestants of Rochel Captain Pennington in the Vantguard went Admiral the Commanders and Mariners protested against the Service though tempted with Chains of Gold c. Declaring they would sink rather then fight against their own Religion The Duke of Rohan and the French Protestants sollicited the King not to let the Ships go again and had good Words and Hopes Nevertheless Ordered Pennington by Letter Dated the 28th of July 1625. without Delay to Consign the Vantguard into the Hands of the Marquess de Effiat for the French King's Service and to require the seven other Ships in his Name to put themselves into the Service of the
strict Inquisition into his Actions declare unto you That We do find him Innocent from any Malice or Rebellious Purpose against the Crown and that what he did by way of Correspondence or Compliance with the Irish Rebels was in order to the Service of Our Royal Father and warranted by his Instructions and the Trust reposed in him and that the benefit thereof accrued to the Service of the Crown and not to the particular advantage and benefit of the Marquess And as We cannot in justice deny him this Testimony so We require You to transmit Our Letter to Our Commissioners that they may know Our Judgments in this Case of the Lord of Antrims and proceed accordingly And so We bid you heartily farewel Given at Our Court at White-Hall July 10. in the 15 th Year of our Reign 1663. By His Majesty's Command HENRY BENNET Entred at the Signet-Office July 13. 1663. To Our Right Trusty and Right entirely Well-beloved Cousin and Counsellor James Duke of Ormond Our Lieutenant General and General Governour of Our Kingdom of Ireland and to the Lords of Our Council of that Our Kingdom King Charles I. his Order to the Archbishop of Canterbury for Printing his Declaration concerning Sports on Sundays CHARLES R. Canterbury See that Our Declaration concerning Recreations on the Lord's Day after Evening Prayer be Printed The KING'S Majesties Declaration to His Subjects concerning Lawful SPORTS to be Used By the KING OUR Dear Father of Blessed Memory in his return from Scotland coming through Lancashire found that his Subjects were debarred from Lawful Recreations upon Sundays after Evening Prayers ended and upon Holy Days And He prudently considered that if these times were taken from them the meaner sort who labour hard all the Week should have no Recreations at all to refresh their Spirits And after his return he farther saw that his Loyal Subjects in all other parts of his Kingdom did suffer in the same kind though perhaps not in the same Degree And did therefore in his Princely Wisdom Publish a Declaration to all his loving Subjects concerning Lawful Sports to be used at such times which was Printed and Published by his Royal Commandment in the Year 1618. in the Tenor which hereafter Followeth By the KING WHereas upon Our return the last Year out of Scotland We did publish Our Pleasure touching the Recreations of Our People in those parts under Our Hand for some Causes Us thereunto moving We have thought good to Command these Our Directions then given in Lancashire with a few Words thereunto added and most appliable to these parts of Our Realms to be Published to all Our Subjects Whereas We did justly in Our Progress through Lancashire Rebuke some Puritanes and precise People and took order that the like unlawful Carriage should not be used by any of them hereafter in the prohibiting and unlawful Punishing of Our Good People for using their Lawful Recreations and Honest Exercises upon Sundays and other Holy-days after the Afternoon Sermon or Service We now find that two sorts of People wherewith that Country is much infected We mean Papists and Puritans have Maliciously traduced and calumniated those Our just and Honourable Proceedings And therefore lest Our Reputation might upon the one side though innocently have some Aspersion laid upon it and that upon the other part Our Good People in that Country be misled by the mistaking and misinterpretation of Our meaning We have therefore thought good hereby to clear and make Our Pleasure to be manifested to all Our Good People in those parts It is true that at Our first entry to this Crown and Kingdom We were informed and that too truly that Our County of Lancashire abounded more in Popish Recusants than any County of England and thus hath still continued since to Our great Regret with little amendment save that now of late in Our last riding through Our said County We find both by the Report of the Judges and of the Bishop of that Diocses that there is some Amendment now daily beginning which is no â—…all Contentment to Us. The report of this growing Amendment amongst them made Us the more sorry when with Our own Ears We heard the general Complaint of Our People that they were barred from all Lawful Recreation and Exercise upon the Sundays Afternoon after the ending of all Divine Service which cannot but produce two Evils The one the hindering of the Conversion of many whom their Priests will take occasion hereby to vex perswading them that no honest Mirth or Recreation is Lawful or Tolerable in Our Religion which cannot but breed a great Discontentment in Our Peoples Hearts especially of such as are peradventure upon the point of Turning The other Inconvenience is that this Prohibition barreth the common and meaner sort of People from using such Exercise as may make their Bodies more able for War when We or Our Successors shall have occasion to use them And in place thereof sets up filthy Tiplings and Drunkenness and breeds a number of idle and discontented Speeches in their Ale-houses For when shall the Common People have leave to Exercise if not upon the Sundays and Holidays seeing they must apply their Labour and win their Living in all Working Days Our express Pleasure therefore is that the Laws of Our Kingdom and Cannons of Our Church be as well observed in that County as in all other Places of this Our Kingdom And on the other part that no Lawful Recreation shall be barred to Our Good People which shall not tend to the breach of Our aforesaid Laws and Cannons of Our Church Which to express more particularly Our Pleasure is That the Bishop and all other Inferiour Church-men and Church-wardens shall for their parts be careful and diligent both to instruct the Ignorant and Convince and Reform them that are misled in Religion presenting them that will not Conform themselves but obstinately stand out to Our Judges and Justices Whom We likewise Command to put the Law in due Execution against them Our Pleasure likewise is That the Bishop of that Diocess take the like straight Order with all the Puritanes and Precisians within the same either constraining them to Conform themselves or to leave the County according to the Laws of Our Kingdom and Cannons of Our Church and so to strike equally on both Hands against the Contemners of Our Authority and Adversaries of Our Church And as for Our Good Peoples Lawful Recreation our Pleasure likewise is That after the end of Divine Service Our Good People be not disturbed letted or discouraged from any Lawful Recreation such as Dancing either Men or Women Archery for Men Leaping Vaulting or any other such harmless Recreation nor from having of May-Games Whitson-Ales and Morris-Dances and the setting up of May-Poles and other Sports therewith used so as the same be had in due and convenient time without impediment or neglect of Divine Service And that Women shall have leave to carry Rushes to the
her Husband had writ that call'd the King's Book it coming at last to the knowledge of Dr. Nicholson then Bishop of Gloucester who desiring to be fully satisfied in that point did put the Question to her upon her receiving the Sacrament and she then affirmed that it was wrote by her Husband This Persons of undoubted credit now living in Gloucester can affirm for a Truth and it is not question'd but the present Bishop of Gloucester will acknowledge that those Persons have related this matter to him that it is well known to Mrs. Gauden's Brother and several of her Relations that Mrs. Gauden constantly in her Conversation Declared That her Husband was the Author of this Book I could if necessity requird produce a great many Arguments more out of Doctor Walkers or other Writings to prove the Truth of this matter but shall conclude it with this one of the Doctors in reference to the Providence of this Discovery Though God had many Holy Righteous and Gracious ends to serve his Providence by in the Publication of this Book yet as I find it expressed in this very Book Chap. the last p. 262. of the first Edition God's wise Providence we know oft permits many Events which his revealed Word in no sort approves And I confess I have many cogent reasons to persuade me that God was not well pleased with Dr. Gauden others or my self for what we contributed to it And though for the aforesaid ends he suffered it to succeed yet I know not but he may have other ends now to serve by suffering this Discovery to be Wrung and rested from me I had almost said by some Bodies viz. Hollingworths Impertinent Affection to meddle with what he understands not Thus spake that good Man I had not enlarged so much on this 21 st Article but that I was desirous of giving full satisfaction to the World of the Real Author of Eicon Basilice That Posterity might not be deceived by the many Impudent Ignorant False and Scandalous Assertions of most of the Clergy and too many of the Laity who to their Eternal Shame have taken more care and pains to defend that Book and its pretended Author King Charles I. than they done to Vindicate the Holy Bible and the Truth of the Christian Religion 22. That caused the Star-Chamber and High-Commission-Courts to be made Use of to the general Grievance of the People of England and was unwilling to part with them till he found these Courts were highly offensive to the Parliament and that it was not Seasonable to displease the Kingdom at that time for which Reasons at last he pass'd the Bills to take them away And indeed there were many and great Reasons why those abominable oppressive Courts should be pull'd down and taken away For that Old Serpent Arch-Bishop Laud and divers of his Brethren had cast off all Humanity and were metamorphosed into Ravenous Wolves and these Courts were under their Management The Star-Chamber had abounded in Extravagant Censures whereby the Subjects were oppress'd by Grievious Fines Imprisonments Stigmatizings Mutilations Whippings Pillories Gags Banishments c. And the High Commission Court was grown to such Excess of Sharpness and Severity as was not much less than the Spanish Inquisition To repeat two or three of the many Instances of the Horrid Oppressions and barbarous Cruelty exercised in these Tyrannical Courts Upon the 17 th of February 1629. Dr. Leighton coming out of Black Fryers Church it seems then he was no Conventicler was seized by a Warrant from the High Commission Court and dragged to Bishop Laud's House from thence without any Examination he was carried to New-gate and there clapt into Irons and thrust into a Nasty Hole where he continued from Tuesday Night till Thursday Noon without Meat or Drink They kept him in that loathsome Place where Snow and Rain beat in upon him Fifteen Weeks not permitting his Wife or any Friend to come near him and denyed to give him a Copy of his Commitment then they brought him into the Star-Chamber Court where an Information was Exhibited against him for Publishing a Book call'd Lyon's Plea against the Prelates Dr. Leighton confess'd that in 1628. He drew up the Heads of that Book and having the approbation of five hundred Persons under their hands some whereof were Parliament Men. He went into Holland and got between five and six hundred Printed for the use of the Parliament but they being Dissolved he returned home not bringing any of them into the Land but made it his special care to suppress them In the same information the Doctor was charged with these Words in the said Book We do not read of greater Persecutions of God's People in any Nation professing the Gospel then in this our Island especially since the Death of Queen Elizabeth He confessed the Words and Answered That the thing was too true as appeared by the Prelates taking away Life and Livelihood from many Mâ—nisters and private Men of whom many were pined to Death in Prison and many wandred up and down their Families being left desolate and helpless That besides this the Blood of Souls had been endanger'd by the Removal of the Faithful Shepheards from the Flock this was a cutting Truth And Wicked Laud being enraged Desired the Court to put the highest Censure that could be put upon him which they did to his Content Condemning him to have his Ears cut his Nose slit to be Branded in the Face Whipped at a Post to stand on a Pillory to pay Ten Thousand Pound fine tho' they knew he was not worth so much and to be perpetually Imprisoned This Hellish Sentence being past that vile Wretch Laud was so well pleased with it that he pull'd of his Cap and holding up his Hands gave thanks to God who had given him Victory over his Enemies This Sentence being so miserably severe the Execution thereof was little expected But Laud had his design for upon the 26 th of November 1630. The Censure was Executed in a most cruel manner His Ears were cut his Nose slit his Face Branded with burning Irons he was tyed to a Post and Whipped with a treble Cord to that cruel Degree that he himself Writing the History thereof Ten Years after affirmed that every lash brought away the Flesh and that he should feel it to his dying day He was lastly put into the Pillory and kept there near two hours in Frost and Snow and then after this most barbarous Usage not permitted to return to his Quarters in the Fleet Prison in a Coach provided to carry him but compelled in that sad Condition and severe Season to go by Water After this was kept Ten Weeks in Dirt and Mire not being sheltered from Rain and Snow They shut him up most closely Twenty Two Months and he remain'd a Prisoner Ten or Eleven Tears not suffered to breath in the open Air until that Noble Parliament of November 1640. most happily delivered him When he came
in these particulars 1. That the design of altering Religion had been potently carried on by those in greatest Authority about him the Queen's Agent at Rome the Pope's Nuncio here are not only Evidences of this Design but have been great Actors in it 2. That the War with Scotland was procured to make way for this Intent and chiefly fomented by the Papists and others Popishly affected whereof we have many Evidences 3. That the Rebellion in Ireland was framed and contrived here in England and that the English Papists should have risen about the same time We have several Testimonies c. The Irish Rebels affirm That they do nothing but by Authority from the King they call themselves the Queen's Army the Booty which they take from the English they mark with the Queen's mark and it is proved that their purpose was to come to England after they had done in Ireland 4. The labouring to infuse into Your Majesties Subjects an evil Opinion of the Parliament and other Symptons of a disposition of raising Arms and dividing your People by a Civil War in which Combustion Ireland must needs be lost and this Kingdom miserably wasted and consumed if not wholly ruined and destroyed 5. That Your Majesty sent away the Lord Digby by your own Warrant beyond Sea after a Vote had passed in the House of Commons Declaring That he had appear'd in a Warlike manner at Kingston upon Thames to the terror of your Majesties good Subjects that he being so got beyond Sea he vented his traiterous Conceptions that Your Majesty should declare your Self and retire to a place of Strength and intimated some service which he might do in those parts whereby in probability he intended the procuring of some Foreign Force to strengthen Your Majesty in that Condition into which he would have brought you which malicious Counsel we have great cause to doubt made too deep an Impression in Your Majesty considering the course you are pleased to take of absenting your Self from that Parliament and carrying the Prince with you which seems to express a purpose in Your Majesty to keep your Self in a readiness for the Acting of it 6. The manifold Advertisements which we have had from Rome Venice Paris and other parts That they still expect that Your Majesty has some great design in hand for the altering of Religion the breaking the Neck of your Parliament and that you will yet find means to compass that design that the Pope's Nuncio hath sollicited the Kings of France and Spain to lend Your Majesty 4000 Men a piece to help to maintain your Royalty against the Parliament These are some of the grounds of our Fears and Jealousies which made us so earnestly to implore your Royal Authority and Protection for our Defence and security in all the ways of Humility and Submission which being denyed by Your Majesty We do with sorrow apply our selves to the use of that Power viz. the Militia which by the Fundamental Laws of this Kingdom resides in us yet still resolving to keep our selves within the Bounds of Faithfullness and Allegiance to your Sacred Person and your Crown And as to the Fears and Jealousies which His Majesty seem'd to have Entertained of them The Lords and Commons thus Answered We have according to Your Majesties desires laid our hands upon our Hearts we have asked our selves in the strictest Examination of our Consciences we have searched our Affections our Thoughts considered our Actions and can find none that can give Your Majesty any just Occasion to absent your self from White-Hall and the Parliament but that you may with more Honour and Safety continue there than in any other place Your Majesty lays a great Charge upon Us if you will graciously be pleased to let us know the Particulars we shall give a clear and satisfactory Answer But what hope can we have of ever giving Your Majesty satisfaction when those particulars which you have been made believe were true yet being produced and made known to us appeared to be false and Your Majesty notwithstanding will neither Punish nor Produce the Authors But go on to contract new Jealousies and Fears upon general and uncertain Grounds affording Us no means or possibility of particular Answer to the clearing of our selves We beseech Your Majesty to consider in what state you are how easie and fair a way You have to Happiness Honour and Greatness Plenty and Security if you will joyn with the Parliament in the Defence of the Religion and publick good of the Kingdom this is all we expect from you And for this we return to you our Lives Fortunes and utmost Endeavours to support Your Majesty Your just Power and Soveraignty over us but it is not Words that can secure us in these our humble Desires We cannot but too well and sorrowfully remember what Gracious Messages we had from You this Summer when with your Privity the bringing up the Army was in Agitation We cannot but with the like Affections recall to our Minds how not two days before your own coming to the Commons House You sent a Gracious Message that You would always have a care of their Priviledges as of your own Prerogative of the safety of their Persons as of your own Children That which we expect which will give us Assurance that you have no thought but of Peace and Justice to your People must be some real effect of your Goodness to them in granting those things which your present necessity of the Kingdom do inforce us to desire and that you will be Graciously pleased to put from you those Mischievous Counsellors which have caused all these Dangers and Distractions and to continue your own Residence and the Princes near London and the Parliament which we hope will be an happy beginning of Contentment and Confidence betwixt Your Majesty and People and be followed with many succeeding Blessings of Honour and Greatness to Your Majesty and of Security and Prosperity to them These are brief Heads of the Declaration to which the King Answered Have I violated your Laws To which both Houses made this pertinent Reply We are heartily sorry We have such plentiful Matter of an Answer to that Question Have I violated your Laws I must also take Notice that in the beginning of the Year 1642. a time when the King was in appearance transacting matters amicably with the two Houses and we seemed to be in a deep Peace a time when he Declared That he had received no other Carriage from his Parliament than what he professed himself satisfied with and that if the Bills he had past were again to be offered he should cheerfully and readily Assent unto them Even then he dispatch'd away Letters and an Agent to the King of Denmark complaing of the Parliament and asking Supplies from thence AD PROPUL SANDOS HOSTES you know the English of that is to Subdue his Enemies and declared himself in these Words Ad allia Consilia Animum Convertendum
Duximus We resolve to betake our selves to new Counsels The very Words he used to that Parliament in the Year 1628. Further upon the discovery of his Plot to bring up the English Army against the Parliament he turn'd to the Scottish Army then at New Castle and baited his Temptation with a rich Reward not only to have 300000 l. in hand and the spoil of London but four Northern Counties to be made Scotists Moreover to encourage them to joyn with him he Declared to them That he was to have Money and Horse from Denmark and that he would make York the place of his Residence for the better accommodation of both Nations or fuller Revenge upon London He also gathered Men in London under pretence of raising Forces for Portugal who were to possess themselves of the Tower The Queen in Holland was buying Arms and His Majesty had actually raised Forces in divers Counties The Parliament was all this time Petitioning in Peace and for the Reasons now assigned amongst many others They humbly besought him that he would be pleased to put the Tower of London and the Militia into the Hands of such Persons as should be recommended unto him by both Houses of Parliament The King seemed to comply herein and by his Answer promised them That the Militia should be put into such Hands as they should approve of or recommend to him hereupon both Houses nominated Persons of the greatest Honour as fit for that Trust I shall give you the Names of some of them The Earls of Holland Rutland Bedford Bullingbrook Salisbury Warwick Pembrook Leicester Stamford Essex Clare Northumberland Lincoln Suffolk c. Lords Paget North Strange Roberts Grey of Werk Chandois Dacres Mandeville Wharton Spencer Brook Herbert Fielding Littleton Lord Keeper c. Men Eminent in all Qualifications of Honour and Sufficiency were recommended for several Counties and the King was desired to agree thereunto as he had promised upon his delaying to give a satisfactory Answer they again Petition setting forth That nothing could enable them to suppress the Rebellion in Ireland and secure England but the granting of their Humble Petition which they find so absolutely necessary for the preservation of the King and Common-wealth that the Laws of God and Man injoin them to see it put in Execution They followed him to Theobalds and his several removes to York but he having Abdicated the Parliament and being deaf to all their Importunities they declared That there had been of late a most desperate Design upon the House of Commons which they had just cause to believe was an effect of the Bloody Councels of Papists and other evil affected Persons who had already raised a Rebellion in Ireland and by reason of many Discoveries They could not but fear they would proceed not only to stir up the like Rebellion and Insurrection in this Kingdom but also to back them with Forces from Abroad and thereupon both Houses made an Ordinance for the ordering of the Militia of England and Wales there appearing an urgent and inevitable necessity for putting His Majesties Subjects in a posture of Defence for the Safeguard of both His Majesty and his People and they resolved That in this Case of extream danger and of His Majesties Refusal the Ordinance agreed to by both Houses for the Militia doth oblige the People and ought to be obeyed by the Fundamental Laws of this Kingdom They further about that time Resolved That the King's Absence so far remote from his Parliament was not only an Obstruction but might be a Destruction to the Affairs of Ireland These and many other Reasons that may with the greatest ease be given 't is notoriously manifest That King Charles began and carryed on that Bloody Civil War against his poor Subjects without the least Colour of Reason and Justice for which wicked Acts God justly suffered him to be brought to that shameful and untimely End This King studdying and endeavouring by all ways imaginable as he lived without the Love so he died without the Lamentation of most People but those Villains that had been large instruments in bringing him and his People into that miserable War and Division 25. That after he had taken God to Witness of his readiness to Treat at Uxbridge with the Parliament for avoiding of Blood-shed as pretended he took the advantage of a Mist the fittest Weather for Deceit and Treachery and followed at the Heels those Messengers of Peace with a Train of Covert War and with a Bloody surprise falls on the Parliaments secure Forces which lay Quartering at Brentford in the thoughts and expectation of a Treaty He gives his Reason why he seemed for Peace in a Letter to his Queen which was That She must know as a certain Truth That all even his Party are strongly impatient for a Peace which oblidged him so much the more to shew on all occasions his Intentions to Peace but tells her no danger of Death shall make him do any thing unworthy of her Love An excellent Resolution no doubt for the preserving the Protestant Religion made to his Popish Queen At the very instant of this Treaty which was in 1644. the King used all imaginable meams to bring not only Foreign Forces but the Irish Cut Throats against the Parliament To clear up this point and also to shew how insincere he was in his pretended Intentions of Peace I will briefly present his Underhand Transactions as well with Foreign Princes as those Rebels and in the first place I shall take notice of some passages between Him and the Queen in relation to this and other Treaties In a Letter to Her of January 9 th 1644. he Writes thus The Scots Commissioners have sent to me to send a Commission to their General Assembly Which I am resolved not to do but to the end of making some use of this occasion by sending an honest Man to London and that I may have the more time for a handsome Negative I have demanded a Pasport for Phil. Warwick by whom to return my Answer At another time the same Month He tells Her That as for my calling those a * He had agree to Treat with them as a Parliament the Queen upbraided him for so doing and he thus vindicates himself Parliament if there had been but Two of my Opinion I had not done it the calling did no ways acknowledge them to be a Parliament upon which condition and construction I did it and accordingly it is registred in the Council Books Nothing is more evident than that the King was steered by the Queen's Council in the management of this Uxbridge Treaty and that which is call'd the Church of England The Bishops was greatly her care By Letter in January 1644. before the beginning of that Treaty She instructs him not to abandon those who have served him lest they forsake him in his need that She hopes he will have a care of her and her Religion that in Her Majesties Opinion
shall perceive your wonted Duty and Allegiance unto Us which We shall accept and reward in due time Witness Our self at Edinburgh the first day of October in the Seventeenth Year of Our Reign More of these secret Intreagues of King Charles the First and Second you will find in a Book Entituled Great Britain's Miseries in a short History of the manifold Difficulties this Kingdom has laboured under these 40 Years last past A LETTER From Pope Gregory XVth to Charles Steward Prince of Wales and since King of England during the time of his being in Spain As likewise the said Prince's Answer Both taken out of the History of England at the Pages 1162 1163 1164. Written by the Sieur Andrew du Chesne being the Third Edition printed at Paris in the Year 1641 by William Loyson at the Pallace in the Middle of the Prisoners Gallery and which are also to be met with in the French Mercury of the Year 1623 when these Letters were Written both which the said King never Disown'd Most Noble Prince AFter wishing you all immaginable Health and the Illumination of Gods Divine Grace We give you to Understand That whereas Great Britain has always abounded in Virtues and in Persons of singular Merit and Esteem and consequently fill'd both Worlds with the Glory of its Renown so she has also very frequently exacted the Consideration and Commendation of the Apostolick See And indeed the Holy Church was but yet in its Infancy when the King of Kings pitch'd upon it for the Portion of his Inheritance and which he did with so great Zeal and Affection that scarce the Roman Eagles got possession of it before the Cross And we may withal Observe that many of its Kings likewise being instructed in the surest means of their Salvation have all along prefer'd the Holy Cross to the Regal Scepter and the Doctrine of Religion either to Ambition or Covetousness transmitting thereby Examples of Piety both to foreign Nations and Posterity So that having sufficiently merited in Heaven the Privileges and Preeminences of Beatitude they have also Obtain'd on Earth the Triumphal Ornaments of never-dying Sanctity And now altho' the Church of England has for some time been born and seperated from the true Catholick Faith yet at the same time we perceive the Court of Great Britain adorn'd and embellish'd with so many Moral Virtues that we cannot but be encourag'd in our Love towards her and should Acknowledge her as one of the chiefest Ornaments of the Christian Name provided she were but Qualify'd and Influenc'd with the Orthodox and Universal Truth For which reason and so much the rather as we have the deepest Sence of and the sincerest Respect for the Glory of your most Serene Father and your own great Natural Abilities so we heartily and passionately desire that the Gates of Heaven may be set open to you and the Tenets of the True Church be receiv'd by you Moreover whereas Gregory the Great Our Glorious Predecessor of most pious Memory first taught the People of your Nation to obey the Law of the Gospel and to submit to the Apostolic Authority so we tho' Inferiour to him both in Piety and Virtue yet of the same Name and Dignity with him do think it but reasonable that we follow his holy Steps and endeavour to procure the Salvation of your Country especially at thsi Juncture when your happy Intentions Most Noble Prince have rais'd in us hopes of a successful Event Therefore as you are at present at the Court of the most Catholick King with Inclinations to make an Alliance with the House of Austria we cannot but extreamly commend Your Design and the rather by reason that we are satisfy'd that your principal end in it is the promoting the Advantage of our Supream Prelacy and Dignity For since you seem so earnestly to desire the Infanta of Spain in Marriage we may easily infer that in all probabily the ancient seeds of Christian Piety which have formerly flourish'd so prosperously in the Hearts of the Kings of Great Britain may revive and recover their pristine Glory in you and we cannot think that he who professes so sincere an esteem for such an Alliance should be an Enemy to the Catholick Religion or be ever enclin'd to molest the Holy See In pursuance whereof we have commanded continual and most humble Orations to be put up to the Father of Mercies that it would please his Divine Goodness to establish you as the blooming Flower of Christendom and the Sole Hopes of Great Britain in the Throne of your Noble Ancestors who for the most part have all made it their chiefest Business to Assert the Authority of the Soveraign Pontificat and to combat the Monsters of Heresy Propose to Yourself the Modells of former Ages inspect the Behaviour of your Fore-fathers and they will shew you what Method you are to take to get the Throne of Bliss and what Policy Temporal Princes have always made use of to inherit an Eternal Kingdom Behold your gloriours Predecessors Enthron'd above Who formerly waited on by Angels went to Rome to Honour and do Homage to the Lord of Lords and to the Successors of his Holy Apostle St. Peter Their Works and Examples are of so many Voices whereby God Exhorts you to imitate their Lives to whose Empire you shall one day arrive Is it possible that you can suffer the Hereticks to Profane and Condemn those Holy Men whom the Faith of the Church enjoyns us to believe to Reign above the Clouds with Jesus Christ and to have command and Authority over all the Principalities and Potentates of the Earth See these blessed Saints stretch out their Arms to Conduct you safe to the Court of this most Catholick King and behold with what Ardour they desire to lead you to the Bosom of the Mother-Church That Church which is often suppliant with inexpressible Agonies before the Throne of Almighty Wisdom for your Reformation and Safety and which even now tenders its Apostolick Charity with all imaginable Christian Affection to receive you to her self You that are her Darling Son You that are her most desir'd tho' hitherto her too misguided Off-spring Certainly you can never be more Obliging to the Christian State than to put the Prince of Apostles into the possession of your most noble Island which has almost all along hitherto approv'd its self the most potent Arbiter both of Church and State The most glorious Work will the easier be Effected if you first shew an Example by Opening to God that knocks at the Door of your Heart and wherein consist the Absolute Happiness and Salvation of this Kingdom This is so great Charity occasions us to desire that You and your most Serene Father should be qualify'd with the glorious Titles of Deliverers and Restorers of the Ancient and Paternal Religion of Great Britain which we hope may be speedily Effected by means of the great Power and Goodness of God in whose Hands the Hearts