Confidence were begot betwixt your Majesty and your Parliament whose grave and loyal Counsels are we humbly conceive the visible way under God to put a speedy end to the Troubles of Ireland and establish your Throne in Righteousness We most humbly supplicate that we may represent our Vnfitness to become Judges betwixt your Majesty and Parliament in any thing or dispute the Authority of either which we humbly conceive do fortify each other We shall be ready to maintain your Majesty's just Rights the Priviledges and Power of Parliaments and the lawful Liberties of the Subjects I have now shown you Doctor that the King wanted not Invitations to return and live in Honour and Safety at London The Parliament importunately press'd it the Gentlemen and Freeholders of Yorkshire humbly supplicated it But nothing is more certain than that instead of hoping to cool the Heats at London by retiring to York 't was his sole purpose and intention to put that Country and the whole Kingdom into a Flame as he quickly did and pursuant to that Design having rejected with Scorn the Petitions I have mentioned he persisted in his former way of raising Forces and made Proclamation requiring all Gentlemen and others of that County to attend him in Arms. The Lords and Commons wisely foreseeing the impending Mischief and observing the Clouds to gather so fast and threaten a Storm they as wisely endeavoured to prevent it and therefore passed a Vote May 20 1642 That it appears the King seduced by wicked Counsel intends to make War against the Parliament who in all their Consultations and Actions have proposed no other end unto themselves but the Care of his Kingdom and the performance of all Duty and Loyalty to his Person 2. That whensoever the King maketh War upon the Parliament it is a Breach of the Trust reposed in him by his People contrary to his Oath and tending to the Dissolution of the Government 3. That whosoever shall serve or assist him in such War are Traitors by the Fundamental Laws of this Kingdom and have been so adjudged by two Acts of Parliament and ought to suffer as Traitors 11 Rich. 2. 1 Hen. 4. But I must hear you Pag. 10. Sir upon this Point of the first beginning of the unnatural and bloody War you suggest that he was forced to raise an Army which was after the Parliament had voted a Necessity of a War with him Will you never leave your L Doctor The Parliament did not vote a necessity of a War They indeed voted as I told you but now That it appeared that the King intended to make War against them and it was near two Months afterwards viz. the 12th of July 1642 that the Lords and Commons finding his Majesty to persist in that Intention voted that an Army should be forthwith raised for the Safety of the King's Person Defence of both Houses of Parliament and preserving of the true Religion the Laws Liberty and the Peace of the Kingdom That the Earl of Essex should be General and that they will live and die with him in this Cause and that the Earl of Bedford should be General of the Horse Nevertheless they resolved that a Petition should be presented to his Majesty by the Earl of Holland Sir John Holland and Sir Philip Stapleton to move the King to a good Accord with his Parliament to prevent a Civil War which was to the effect following Although We your Majesty's most humble and faithful Subjects the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament have been very unhappy in many former Petitions to your Majesty and with much Sorrow do perceive that your Majesty incensed by many false Calumnies and Slanders doth continue to raise Forces against us and to make great Preparations for War both in the Kingdom and from beyond the Seas yet such is our earnest desire of discharging our Duty to your Majesty and the Kingdom to preserve the Peace thereof and to prevent the Miseries of Civil War That notwithstanding we hold our selves bound to use all the Means and Power which by the Laws and Constitutions of this Kingdom we are trusted with for Defence and Protection thereof and of the Subjects from Force and Violence We do in this our humble and loyal Petition prostrate our selves at your Majesty's Feet beseeching that you will forbear and remove all Preparations and Actions of War That you will come nearer to your Parliament and hearken to their faithful Advice and humble Petitions which shall only tend to the Defence and Advancement of Religion your own Royal Honour and Safety the preservation of our Laws and Liberties And we have been and ever shall be careful to prevent and punish all Tumults and seditious Actings Speeches and Writings which may give your Majesty just cause of Distaste or apprehension of Danger And we for our Parts shall be ready to lay down all those Preparations which we have been forced to make for our Defence And for the Town of Hull and the Ordinance concerning the Militia as we have in both these Particulars only sought the preservation of the Peace of the Kingdom and the Defence of the Parliament from Force and Violence so we shall most willingly leave the Town of Hull in the state it was before Sir John Hotham drew any Forces into it delivering your Majesty's Magazine into the Tower of London We shall be ready to settle the Militia by a Bill in such a way as shall be honourable and safe for your Majesty most agreeable to the Duty of Parliament and effectual for the Good of the Kingdom that the Strength thereof be not employed against it self and that which ought to be for our Security applied to our Destruction And that the Parliament and those who profess and desire still to preserve the Protestant Religion both in this Realm and in Ireland may not be left naked and indefensible to the mischievous Designs and cruel Attempts of those who are the profess'd and confederate Enemies thereof in your Majesty's Dominions and other Neighbour Nations To which if your Majesty's Courses and Counsels shall from henceforth concur We doubt not but we shall quickly make it appear to the World by the most eminent Effects of Love and Duty That your Majesty's personal Safety your Royal Honour and Greatness are much dearer to us than our own Lives and Fortunes which we do most heartily dedicate and shall most willingly imploy for the support and maintenance thereof And now Sir I appeal to you and to all the World Whether these Men talk'd here as though they were resolved to make War and engross all into their own Hands let what would become of the King as a certain Aldgate Doctor of Divinity falsly accuses the Lords and Commons Thanks be to God Sir John Holland as well as Sir John Prattle is yet alive in Norfolk in perfect Health and Understanding and is ready to give the same account I have here given you to any Man that asks
him about it What say you next Pag. 10. Mr. Chaplain at Aldgate Why To let the World see what the King aimed at He does assure the Gentlemen whose Loyalty engaged them early on his Side and does promise them in the Presence of Almighty God and as he hopes for his Blessing and Protection that he would to the utmost of his Power defend and maintain the true Protestant Religion establish'd in the Church of England You almost provoke me Doctor to draw up a Petition to your Right Honourable and Right Reverend Diocesan to suspend you from writing DEFENCES till you swear to do them honestly then and not till then we may hope for the Truth the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth I am credibly informed that there was something more in this Speech than you are willing to acknowledg 'T is the same I take it for granted that his Majesty made at the Head of his Army between Stafford and Wellington the 19th of September 1642. He then had these Expressions also The time cannot be long before we come to Action You shall meet with no Enemies but TRAITORS MOST OF THEM â—ROWNISTS ANABAPTISTS AND ATHEISTS These were the Words of a King I shall not therefore reflect further upon them than to ask you upon the Oath which you are to take Whether you do in your Conscience believe that the Great the Good the pious King spoke Truth here Whether he had not more Atheists and Papists in his Army than the Parliament had Brownists and Anabaptists in theirs Your next Effort is this Pag. 12. You fall upon the Consideration of the Steps his Majesty made towards Peace and thus express your self Truly I think ACCORDING TO MY POOR JVDGMENT he now Acts according to what he always pretended and solemnly avowed to wit as a true Father of his Country for be proposes That HIS REVENVE MAGAZINES TOWNS SHIPS AND FORTS may be restored to him and all should be well Now I will readily agree that there is here and there found a Doctor nay a Chaplain too of a poor Judgment but one would think that he that is conscious of his own Weakness and Incapacity should not assume the Arrogance to judg in Matters of Right between Princes and their People And I will here tell you what better Heads than you or I ever wore said upon this Point The Opinion of the Parliament was That his Majesty's Towns were no more his own than his Kingdom is his own and his Kingdom is no more his own than his People are his own And if the King had a Propriety in all his Towns what would become of the Subjects Property in their Houses therein And if he had a Propriety in his Kingdom what would become of the Subjects Property in their Lands throughout the Kingdom or of their Liberties if his Majesty had the same Right in their Persons that every Subject hath in his Lands This ERRONEOVS MAXIM being infused into Princes THAT THEIR KINGDOMS ARE THEIR OWN and that they may do with them what they will AS IF THEIR KINGDOMS were for them and not they for their Kingdoms is the Root of all the Subjects Misery and of the invading of their just Rights and Liberties whereas INDEED THEY ARE ONLY INTRVSTED with their Kingdoms and with their Towns and with their People and with the Publick Treasures of the Common-Wealth and whatsoever is bought therewith and by the known Law of the Kingdom the VERY JEWELS OF THE CROWN are not the King 's PROPER Goods but are only intrusted unto him for the Vse and Ornament thereof as the Towns Forts Treasure Magazines Offices and the People of the Kingdom and the whole Kingdom it self is entrusted unto him for the Good Safety and best Advantage thereof And AS THIS TRVST IS FOR THE VSE OF THE KINGDOM SO IT OVGHT TO BE MANAGED BY THE ADVICE OF THE HOVSES OF PARLIAMENT whom the Kingdom hath trusted for that purpose it being their Duty to see it be discharged according to the condition and true indent thereof and as much as in them lies by all possible means to prevent the contrary Not to enquire what you Sir in your poor Judgment do think of this high Principle I will move with what speed I can to a Conclusion I told you not long since That the Lords and Commons voted the raising an Army to be commanded by the Earl of Essex and at the same time humbly but in vain supplicated the King for Peace and to return to his Parliament When the General marched with his Forces towards the Army raised against the Parliament and Kingdom He was instructed to fight at such Time and Place as he should judg most to conduce to the Peace and Safety of the Kingdom but was also commanded to cause a Petition of both Housâ—s to be presented to his Majesty wherein they thus expressed themselves We cannot without great grief and tenderness of Compassion behold the pressing Miseries the imminent Dangers the devouring Calamities which do extreamly threaten the Kingdoms of England and Ireland by the practice of a Party prevailing with your Majesty who by many wicked Plots and Conspiracies have attempted the alteration of the true Religion and the ancient Government of this Kingdom and the introducing of POPISH IDOLATRY AND SVPERSTITION in the CHVRCH and TYRANNY and CONFVSION in the STATE And for the compassing thereof have long corrupted your Majesty's Counsels abused your Power and by sudden and untimely dissolving of the former Parliaments have often hindred the Reformation and Prevention of those Mischiefs and being now disabled to avoid the Endeavours of this Parliament by any such Means have TRAITEROVSLY attempted to over-awe the same by Force And in prosecution of their wicked Designs have EXCITED ENCOVRAGED AND FOSTER'D an unnatural REBELLION in IRELAND and have drawn your MAJESTY to make War against your Parliament as if you intended by CONQVEST to establish an ABSOLVTE ILLIMITED I OWER over them And by YOVR POWER and the countenance of your Presence have SPOILED IMPRISONED MVRDERED divers of your People And for their better assistance in these wicked Designs do seek to bring over the Rebels of Ireland to join with them WE HAVE for the just and necessary Defence of the Protestant Religion of your Majesty's Person of the Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom and the Priviledg and Power of Parliament TAKEN VP ARMS and appointed Robert Earl of Essex to be Captain General of all the Forces by us raised and to head and conduct the same against these REBELS and TRAITORS and them to subdue and bring to condign Punishment And do most humbly beseech your Majesty to withdraw your Royal Presence and Countenance from these wicked Persons and THAT YOVR MAJESTY WILL NOT MIX YOVR OWN DANGER WITH THEIRS but in Peace and Safety forthwith return to your Parliament and by their faithful Counsel and Advice compose the present Distempers and Confusions abounding in both your Kingdoms and
observable by the late contrary Practice against the Scots who were in a very quick and sharp manner proclaimed and those Proclamations Forthwith dispersed with all imaginable diligence 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 admired at for they called themselves THE QUEEN'S ARMY and declared that they rose to maintain the KING'S PREROGATIVE and the QUEEN'S RELIGION against the PARLIAMENT And he had no sooner yielded to issue this Proclamation than to obstruct the quelling these Rebels and give them time to increase and strengthen themselves the King withdrew from the Parliament and began Domestick Dissentions Having given these slight Touches at the King 's favouring Popery and at his Accession to the Irish Rebellion I do now leave it to you to make a Judgment whether he were so STRENUOUS AN ASSERTER OF THE PROTESTANT CAUSE as your DOCTOR insituates and I care not if once for all I do acknowledg that THE CLERGY may with good pretence to Reason say that HE DIED THEIR MARTYR for his being wrought upon by JESUITICAL COUNSELS to impose a Liturgy upon the Scots who had no such thing before did very much contribute to the bringing him to the FATAL BLOCK I shall now for my own Vindication entreat you do remember that I never call this King A PAPIST and I have ever esteem'd it a piece of Artifice in OUR PRIESTS to amuse the People with the Suggestion that he is falsly charged with Popery thereby to Induct them to disbelieve or forget his Crime which was most visible to all Men the Violation of the Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom I have therefore chosen to decline the Dispute about his Religion and am sire 't will be found that I have not unjustly tax'd him with the Crimes of his Misgovernment which did so plainly and inexcusably appear to all And why should we not think that such things were cause enough to be stood upon by the Parliament and to justify their Quarrel before God As if the Almighty did not abhor INJUSTICE OPPRESSION AND TYRANNY unless Profession of Religion were also depraved Nay be abhori it more in that place where the purest of Profession is That this King intended to bow or break us to perswade or force us to Slavery is so clear by the whole course of his Reign that 't is amazing that Men even of the highest stamp of TORYISM should have Front enough to deny it The Parasitical Court-Priests did then preach That we were bound to obey whatsoever the King commanded without questioning the Lawfulness And why did they vent such stuff but to flutter and please the King And how could he be delighted with it unless he thought it true and agreeable to his Designs And that he honoured those false Teachers above the Prophets of the Lord is evinâ—â— both by his advancing them and suffering those Sons of Chenaariah to smite those Michaiahs and to push them with Horus of Iron that they might consume them The great Philosopher Themistius did say with equal Truth and Wit that Flattering Clergy-men did not worship God but the Imperial Purple and 't is a sad Truth that in our day they have been SETTING THE PEOPLE ON MADDING and the low Dejection and baseness of Mind in too many of this Generation is to be ascribed to their PULPITSTUFF which has been the Doctrine and perpetual Infusion of Servility and Wretchedness to their Hearers The Case being thus it becomes necessary to expose such Men as these for 't is intolerable that your Doctor in his dull way of Calumniating should as he doth censure reproach and blacken the Actions and Memories of so many excellent Persons both Lords and Gentlemen and also very learned and pious Divines And on the other hand a Reputation is to be won for King Charles the First of Wisdom by Wilfulness and subtile Shifts of Goodness by multiplying Evil of Piety by endeavouring to root out true Religion I have therefore in the ensuing Letter taken some little pains in comparing his fair-spoken Words with his far-differing Deeds for 't is most certain that the World ever looks more at real Actions than verbal Protestations I am sensible my good Friends that I now write to Men endued with Reason let not the Goose quill of a Chaplain at Aldgate make you all Ganders and a sound of Words bewitch you his Tracts which I have mentioned look like pieces of Flattery compiled by A HUNGRY LEVITE gaping after a Deanary or Chaplainship at Whitehall He by his Counterfeit Colours sets off a deformed Cause to gull you Have you read this King in his Actions and shall experimental Knowledge be confuted by this Doctor 's bare Assertions Should we esteem Truth by Words how many Romances would be accounted as Authentick as our Bibles 'T is Truth only which conquers the wise to be captivated by ought else argues Folly My last Request to you is that I may be rightly understood I protest that no intent in trample on the Dead or dishonour his Dust but a Desire to vindicate the Liberties of my Country moved me to this undertaking this unhappy King's Miscarriages and Crimes should have lain buried in Oblivion if ECCLESIASTICAL MAKE-BATES did not rake all up again into fresh Remembrance whether we will or no. I am not conscious to my self that by what I have wrote I have loaded his Memory with other than Matter of Fact and Truth which will be too hard for the greatest Doctor of them all I am Gentlemen Your affectionate Country-man and Servant Edmund Ludlow A LETTER from General LUDLOW to Dr. HOLLINGWORTH their Majesties Chaplain c. MIne to Sir E. S. most Eximious Sir bore date upon your last MADDING DAY Another being now come I esteem my self obliged to justify what I asserted in my last Year's Letter To the end that I may keep my Country-men and in particular those of your Coat right in their Senses and inculcate into the Men of this Generation a due abhorrence of Tyranny and a just Veneration for English Parliaments Having come to this Resolution and that upon the reading your Jewel of a Book which you stile A Defence of King Charles the First occasioned by the Lies and Scandals of many bad Men of this Age which came to me as a New-Year's Gift from an endeared Friend in London I suppose you will readily allow me to pretend to a title to an Acquaintance and Correspondence with you For though in the conclusion of my last to Sir E. S. I gave a Challenge to DOCTOR P. who occasion'd that to * Tho I neither have nor do think that I ever can be convicted of one Falshood in my former Letter or in this which I am writing yet I will confess one Error committed this time twelve-month 't was this I following a very faithful Historian
bless and sanctify by thy Word and Spirit these Creatures of Bread and Wine that they may be to us THE BODY AND BLOOD of thy beloved Son In a word the Scots affirmed that all the material Parts of the Mass-Book were seminally in this and they could not relish it that Laud and his Set of English Bishops should urge them to a Liturgy more Popish than their own and observed that for Vnity they were content to meet Rome rather than Scotland The Book being read by a Bishop in the City of Edinburgh the People expressed great detestation thereof and the Bishop who read it had probably been slain coming out of the Church had not a Noble-man rescued him The Nobility Gentry and Ministers petitioned against it The King threatned to prosecute them as Rebels and commanded the Council to receive no more Petitions Thereupon several of the Nobility in the Name of the Petitioners made a Protestation that the Service-Book was full of Superstition and Idolatry and ought not to be obtruded upon them without consent of a National Synod which in such Cases should judg That it was unjust to deny them Liberty to accuse the Bishops being guilty of High Crimes of which till they were cleared they did reject them as Judges or Governours of them They justified their own Meetings and subscribing to Petitions as being to defend the Glory of God the King's Honour and Liberties of the Realm The Scots concluded to renew the COVENANT which had been made and sealed under King James 's Hand in the Year 1580 afterwards confirmed by all the Estates of the Kingdom and Decree of the National Synod in 1581 THIS COVENANT was for the Defence of the PVRITY OF RELIGION and the King's Person and Rights against the Church of Rome This was begun in February 1638 and was so fast subscribed throughout the Kingdom that before the end of April he was scarce accounted one of the Reformed Religion that had not subscribed the Covenant The Non Covenanters were Papists not exceeding 600 in number throughout the Kingdom Statesmen in Office and Favour at that time and some few Protestants who were affected to the Ceremonies of England and Book of Common Prayer The King sent the Marquess of Hamilton to deal with the Scots to renounce their Covenant but they affirmed It could not be done without manifest Perjury and Profanation of God's Name and insisted to have the Service-Book utterly abolished it being obtruded against all Law upon them That their Meetings were lawful and such as they would not forsake until the Purity of Religion and Peace might be fully settled by a free and National Synod And they declared THAT THE POWER OF CALLING A SYNOD IN CASE THE PRINCE BE AN ENEMY TO THE TRVTH OR NEGLIGENT IN PROMOTING THE CHVRCHES GOOD IS IN THE CHVRCH IT SELF And that the State of the Church at that time necessitated such a course The King at length fearing lest the Covenanters if he delayed would do it themselves called a National Synod to begin at Glasgow the 21st of November 1638 but within seven days it was dissolved by the Marquess of Hamilton in the King's Name and they commanded to sit no more But they protested against that Dissolution and continued the Synod when the Marquess of Hamilton was gone and deposed all the Bishops condemned the Liturgy took away the High-Commission Court and whatsoever had crept into the Church since the Year 1580 when the NATIONAL COVENANT was first established When they themselves broke up the Synod they wrote a Letter of Thanks to the King and published a Declaration Feb. 4. 1638 directed to all the sincere and good Christians in England to vindicate their Actions and Intentions from those Aspersions which Enemies might throw upon them This Declaration was welcome to the People of England in general and especially to those who stood best affected to the Reformed Religion and the Laws and Liberties of their Country In fine the Scots are declared Rebels and the King in Person with an English Army resolved to chastise them But The generality of the Nation detested the War knowing that the Scots were innocent and wronged by the same Hand that they were oppressed and they concluded that the same Sword which subdued the Scots must destroy their own Liberties Yet glad they seem'd to be that such an Occasion happen'd which might in reason necessitate the King to call an English Parliament but whilst he could make any other shift how low and dishonourable soever he would not endure to think of a Parliament He borrowed great Sums of Money of the Nobility and required Loans of others and the CLERGY contributed liberally to this VVar which was called BELLVM EPISCOPALE THE BISHOPS WAR The King being animated to the War by the Bishops both of England and Scotland the last perswading him that the COVENANTERS were in no sort able to resist him that scarce any English Army at all would be needful to fight but only to appear and his MAJESTY would find a Party great enough in SCOTLAND to do the VVork He thereupon raised a gallant Army which rendezvouzed at York The Scots likewise to render the King unwilling or unable to be a Tyrant levied a brave Army which advanced forward under the Command of General Lesley They nevertheless continued their first course of Petitioning the King which being favoured by almost all the Nobility of England at last by the happy Mediation of those Wife and Noble Counsellors a PACIFICATION to the great Joy of all good Men was solemnly concluded on the 18th of June 1639 and the King granted them a free National Synod to be holden August 6 and a Parliament to begin the 20th to ratify what the Synod should decree Hereupon the English and Scots returned home praising God who without any effusion of Blood had compounded this Difference and prevented a War so wickedly design'd But Shortly after the King's return to London his Heart was again estranged from the Scots and thoughts of Peace and he commanded the PACIFICATION to be burnt by the Hands of the common Hangman An Act than which nothing could more blemish his Reputation as rendring him not to be believed for any thing For what Tie would hold him when the Engagement of his Word his Royal VVord given in sight of God and Man could not bind And having upon the 18th of December broke up the Scotch Parliament he began to prepare for a new VVar. The Scots complained that it was a Breach of their Liberties not heard of before in twenty Ages That a Parliament should be dissolved without their Consent whilst Business of Moment was depending That whatsoever Kings in other Kingdoms might do it concerned not them to enquire but it was absolutely against their Laws They hereupon sent four Earls as their Commissioners to the King to complain that nothing was performed which he had promised at the PACIFICATION and to intreat redress of those Injuries which had
yielding up the Claim of Ship-Money to be an Act of pure Grace for very able Lawyers gave their Opinion that the King might exact it by Law and so I have told you did as able and no less knavish Divines But hearken I beseech you what the Wisdom of Parliament told him They declared it a new and unheard of Tax they voted it a most illegal Taxation and unsufferable Grievance they look'd into the Carriage of those Judges who advised the King in this matter and found that Sir JOHN FINCH a Gentleman of good Birth of an high and imperious Spirit ELOQUENT IN SPEECH tho in the knowledg of the Law not very deep in the Year 1636 when Ship-Money was first plotted and set on foot was made Lord Chief Justice of the Common-Pleas and it appeared that by his Brokage and Sollicitation and that with Threats and Promises several of the Judges were wrought upon to give it under their hand that the King might by Law exact Ship-Money Thereupon an Impeachment of High Treason was drawn up against him and the great Lord FAVLKLAND tho an Admirer of the Church as you tell me presented it to the Lords with a very pithy and sharp Oration against Finch but he being at this time Lord-Keeper not daring to abide the Test took his Wings and fled in a disguise to Holland In Conclusion the Arbitrary Power pretended to be in the King of taxing the Subject without Consent in Parliament was not only declared to be against Law by the Judgment of both Houses but also by Act of Parliament Thus we rid our Hands of SHIP-MONEY And Now indeed Sir you come to that which might well raise your Choler and stir your Indignation The King passed a Bill to remove the Bishops out of the House of Lords he also passed a Bill for attainting the great Earl of Strafford which offered Violence to the Peace and Quiet of his Mind all the days of his Life To tell you the Truth Doctor the Parliament found the Bishops of that day to be the Troublers of the State and that it was by consequence become most necessary to abridg their immoderate Power usurped over the Clergy and other good Subjects which they had most maliciously abused to the hazard of Religion and great Prejudice and Oppression of the Laws of the Kingdom and just Liberty of the Subject They had cherish'd Formality and Superstition as the probable Supports of their own Ecclesiastical Tyranny and Vsurpation they had multiplied and enlarged the Differences between the common Protestants and those whom they called Puritans under which Name they included all those that desired to preserve the Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom and to maintain the true Protestant Religion They had been designing a Conjunction between Papists and Protestants in Doctrine Discipline and Ceremonies only it must not yet be called Popery They had triumphed in the Suspensions Excommunications Deprivations and Degradations of divers learned and pious Ministers in the Vexation and grievous Oppression of great numbers of the People whereby many thousands were impoverished and others were so afflicted and troubled by them that great numbers departed into New-England and other parts of America others into Holland The most of the Preaching that was allowed was degenerate into railing against Parliaments and Puritans because they were tenacious of just Liberty and true Religion crying up Absolute Authority Passive Obedience c. Streins of Wit fitter for a Stage than a Pulpit After the Dissolution of the Parliament in May 1640 They continued the Convocation and by unheard-of Presumption they made Canons contrary to the King's Prerogative to the Fundamental Laws of the Realm to the Right of Parliaments to the Property and Liberty of the Subject thereby establishing their own Vsurpations justifying their Altar-Worship and other Superstitious Innovations which they had formerly introduced without Warrant of Law they imposed a new Oath on the Subjects for maintenance of their own Tyranny and laid a great Tax upon the Clergy And now to sill up the measure of their Iniquity the House of Lords upon the 30th of December 1641 at a Conference with the Commons told them that the Bishops by a Protestation which they made to the King and Lords had deeply intrenched upon the Fundamental Priviledges and Being of Parliament whereupon the Commons impeached twelve of them of High-Treason in endeavouring to subvert the Fundamental Laws of the Realm and the very Being of Parliaments and they were by the House of Peers sequestred from Parliament committed to the Tower and shortly after by Act of Parliament most deservedly deprived of voting in the House of Peers I hope good Doctor you will acquiesce in the Reasons which I have here offered for the passing this Bill of Exclusion but the other Bill for attainting the great Earl of Strafford you say offered Violence to the Peace and Quiet of the King's Mind all the days of his Life This great Man who had long run on in a full Career to establish Tyranny trampling down the Peoples Liberties leaping the Hedges of the Laws or making Gaps through them was impeached by the Commons in many Articles some whereof were for ruling Ireland or which he had been Lord-Lieutenant in an Arbitrary way against the Fundamental Laws which he had endeavoured to subvert For abusing his Power to the increase and encouragement of Papists for maliciously endeavouring to stir up Hostility between England and Scotland for labouring to subvert Parliaments and incense the King against them for levying Money by force of Arms for imposing an Oath upon the Subjects That they should not protest against any of the King's Commands for telling the King That he had an Army in Ireland which his Majesty might imploy to reduce this Kingdom to Obedience Upon this Impeachment the Earl was brought to Trial before the Lords which lasted from the 22d of March with but few days intermission till the midst of April After this long Trial the Commons voted him guilty of High-Treason in divers Particulars and drew up and passed a Bill of Attainder against him but 59 dissenting This Bill being carried to the Lords the King's Sollicitor General made it good by Law to the satisfaction of almost all that heard him The Judges also delivered their Opinions That the Matters proved against him amounted to Treason and so the Lords passed the Bill The King having after this called all the Judges to deliver their Opinions before him and also sent for FOUR BISHOPS TO RESOLVE HIM UPON SCRUPLE OF CONSCIENCE He at length gave the Royal Assent to this Bill Prithee now Doctor tell me what ail'd your Martyr's Conscience at this time There must be something extraordinary and not commonly taken notice of in this Matter that must as you affirm offer Violence to the Peace and Quiet of his Mind all the Days of his Life You know he exacted the Ship-Money without scruple of Conscience upon the Advice of some Lawyers And
Militia and declared that if he refused to do it in these times of Distraction they must be inforced to dispose of it for the Safety of the Kingdom in such manner as had been propounded to his Majesty They followed him with the same humble Supplication in his several Removes to York but HE HAVING ABDICATED the Parliament and BEING DEAF as you most ingenuously confess 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 COVNSELS of PAPISTS and other ill-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 INSVRRECTION in this Kingdom but also to back them with Forces from abroad and thereupon both Houses made an Ordinance for the ordering the Militia of England and Wales there appearing an urgent and inevitable Necessity for putting his Majesty's Subjects in a Posture of Defence for the Safeguard of both his Majesty and the People And they RESOLVED that in this case of extream Danger and of his Majesty's refusal the Ordinance agreed to by both Houses for the Militia doth oblige the People and OVGHT TO BE OBEYED by the Fundamental Eaws 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 DESTRVCTION to the Affairs of Ireland And now Sir having laid before you the Grounds of the Parliament's proceeding as they did in the business of the Militia I will shew you how much higher our Fore-fathers went than we did in 1641. They were of that Courage and Severity of Zeal to Justice and their Native Liberty against the proud Contempt and Mis-rule of their Kings that when RICHARD the Second departed but from a Committee of Lords who sat preparing Matters for the Parliament they required the King then withdrawn no further off than the Tower to come to Westminster WHICH HE REFUSING THEY FLATLY TOLD HIM THAT UNLESS HE CAME THEY WOULD CHOOSE ANOTHER KING So high a Crime it was accounted then for a King to absent himself much less would they have suffered that a King should leave his Regal Station and the whole Kingdom bleeding to Death of those Wounds which his own unskilful and perverse Government had made Yet WE IN OUR DAY went not their length THE KING HAD ABDICATED our Religion Lives and Liberties were threatned with most imminent Danger from intestine Enemies and Foreign Force WE only made a most necessary Provision that our own Swords should not be imployed to the Destruction of all that was dear unto us And pray what harm what Rebellion was there in all this The next thing we meet with in your Defence Pag. 10. REVEREND DOCTOR is this Before the War actually broke out the King was gone to York hoping thereby to COOL THE HEATS that were AT LONDON and in some little time TO BE INVITED thither to live with more Honour and Safety than he did before The King in truth went to York in a high Chafe hoping for something beyond and contrary to what you intimate 't was in hopes that to enable himself the better for that dismal War which he had resolved upon he might possess himself of Hull a Town of great Strength and most advantagiously situated both for Sea and Land Affairs and which was at that time the Magazine of all the Arms which he had bought with Money most illegally extorted from his Subjects to use in a causless and most unjust Civil War against his Subjects of Scotland Did he hope for an Invitation back to London Why he had that very often made to him in a most humble and earnest manner in particular by a Petition of the Lords and Commons presented to him at York the 26th of March 1642. They humbly advised and beseeched him that FOR THE RECOVERY OF IRELAND and securing this Kingdom he would be graciously pleased with all convenient speed to return to London and to close with the Counsel of his Parliament where he should find their dutiful Affections and Endeavours ready to attend him with such Entertainment as should not only give him just cause of Security in their Faithfulness but other manifold Evidences of their Intentions and Endeavours to advance his Majesty's Service Honour and Contentment and to establish it upon the sure Foundation of the Peace and Prosperity of his Kingdoms EXPRESSIONS surely Doctor THAT DO NOT IN THE LEAST SAVOUR OF REBELLION AND TREASON The deaf King instead of hearkning to this dutiful Petition and Invitation summoned the Gentry of that County to attend him at York where he made the most bitter Invectives against the Parliament and stirred them up to raise Horse and Foot for his Service His Majesty found but six Gentlemen to comply with his Demand of raising Men tho made under the pretence of a Guard The greater part of the Gentlemen and divers thousands of Freeholders gave him an Answer under their hands to this effect We humbly beseech your Majesty to impart the grounds of your Fears and Jealousies to your High Court of Parliament OF WHOSE MOST LOYAL CARE AND AFFECTION TO YOVR MAJESTY'S HONOVR AND SAFETY WE ARE MOST CONFIDENT and WHATSOEVER SHALL BE ADVISED BY YOVR GREAT COVNCIL we shall most willingly imbrace and give our Concurrence and Assistance to it as shall become us And WE ARE MOST ASSVRED that your Royal Person shall be secure in the general Fidelity of your Subjects of this County without any extraordinary GUARD The King was presented the next day with a Petition from many thousands who justly stiled themselves peaceably affected Subjects in the County of York in which they speak thus That many of them in their late Desires of petitioning your Majesty were denied Access kept back with Violence and affronted by some who had Dependance on your Majesty and were threatned that WHEN YOVR MAJESTY'S ARMY SHOVLD BE ON FOOT those should be first pillaged that refused to subscribe to the raising of Forces which we humbly conceive are POSITIVELY CONTRARY TO YOVR MAJESTY'S OWN EXPRESSIONS c. We humbly supplicate your Majesty to cast your Eye upon the present State of this your Kingdom We are confident that no so absolute and hearty Observance to your Majesty's just Commands can be demostrated as what your Majesty in Parliament shall declare which IF IT BECOME DIVIDED as God forbid our Hearts even tremble to consider the Dangers and Diminution of the Honour and Safety your Majesty's Posterity and Kingdoms will unavoidably be put upon Since it is clear to every Vnderstanding that IT IS NOT A DIVIDED PART OF ONE OR SEVERAL COVNTIES THAT can afford that Honour and Safety to your Majesty AS THE WHOLE KINGDOM WHICH YOV MAT COMMAND no ground of Fear or Danger remaining if a good
provide for the Security and Honour of your Royal Posterity and the prosperous Estate of all your Subjects And we do in the presence of Almighty God profess That we will receive your Majesty with all Honour yield you all due Obedience and Subjection and faithfully endeavour to secure your Person and Estate from all Danger and to the uttermost of our Power to procure and establish to your Self and to your People all the Blessings of a glorious and happy Reign You see Sir the LORDS AND COMMONS TALK'D LIKE CHRISTIANS They were grieved at the Miseries of the Kingdoms They detested the Romish Idolatry When they sent their Army against the Enemies of the King and Kingdom they supplicate his Majesty not to mix his Danger with theirs but to return in Peace to his Parliament and compose the Distempers of his Kingdoms and provide for the Security and Honour of his Posterity They IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD PROFESS that they would receive him with all Honour yield him all due Subjection endeavour to secure him from Danger and make his Reign Glorious and Happy WHICH WORDS CERTAINLY ARE NOT THE WORDS OF TRAITORS But all this would not do for he resolved to answer their Petitions in Blood and proclaimed the Earl of Essex Rebel Yet to blind the Eyes of the Multitude and disguise his pernicious and cruel Intentions under the semblance of Peace and Justice he made as you Doctor have observed divers solemn Protestations with fearful Imprecations upon himself and invocation of God's Holy Name That he intended nothing but the Peace and Welfare of his People the maintenance of Religion and the Laws of the Kingdom and for his own security only to raise a Guard for his Person and that he did from his Soul abhor the thought of making War against the Parliament or to put the Kingdom into a Combustion Nevertheless his contrary intentions were at that very instant manifested by these ensuing Actions and Proceedings before the Parliament voted the raising of their Army He put a Garison of Souldiers into Newcastle The * Upon the 27th of Septemb. 1642 he not only allowed but required the Papists of Lancashire to provide Arms for themselves their Servants and Tenants and all without doubt for the Service of the Church of England Papists in a peremptory manner in the King's Name demanded their Arms taken from them according to the Laws to be again restored to them He caused the Mouth of the River Tine to be fortified whereby the whole Trade of Newcastle for Coals was subject to be interrupted whensoever he should please A Ship laden with Cannon for Battery Powder and Ammunition was brought for him into the River of Humber which also brought several Commanders from Foreign Parts Also divers other large Preparations of Warlike Provisions were made beyond the Sea and shortly expected besides great Numbers of Gentlemen Horses and Arms were drawn from all parts of the Kingdom and all the Gentlemen of Yorkshire required to bring in their Horses for the King's Service Commissions for raising Horse were granted and divers Officers for his Army were appointed Upon the 4th of July the King rendezvouzed an Army of a considerable number of Horse and Foot and Beverly amongst whom there were divers Papists and other Persons of desperate Fortune and Condition ready to execute any Violence Rapine and Oppression He sent some Troops of Horse into Lincolnshire to the great Terror of the People They began to take away Mens Horses by force and to commit Acts of Hostility These are sad Truths Reverend Doctor and the King having thus contrary to his solemn Protestation begun the War the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament held themselves bound in Conscience to raise Forces for the preservation of the Peace of the Kingdom and Protection of the People in their Persons and Estates according to Law and for the Defence and Security of the Parliament and accordingly upon the 12th of July 1642 and not before as I have already told you they voted the raising an Army for these purposes Now in regard as I understand you were before your Dotage a Presbyterian Minister of Essex I would gladly set your poor Judgment right in this great Point of as well the Necessity as Justice of the Parliament War and in regard that I find you prejudiced against Dr. Seaman and Mr. Calamy I will not offer their Opinion to you but pray see what the learned and pious Mr. Daniel Rogers of Wethersfield Mr. Matthew Newcomen of Dedham and above sixty eminent Ministers of so many several Towns in Essex left under their hands in relation to this Controversy between you and me We say they call the God of Heaven and Earth to witness upon our Souls that it was not hatred to any Party or Person much less to the Person of OUR KING that first drew â—â—s to engage with and for the PARLIAMENT but clearly this some Years before the assembling of this Parliament we evidently saw the Affairs of Church and State in imminent and apparent hazardâ— many and great Alterations made in Doctrine Innovations in Worship the Power of Godliness disgrac'd true Religion undermined the faithful and conscientious Professors of it persecuted even to Bonds Flight and Imprisonment POPERY CONNIVED AT COUNTENANCED COURTED besides many grievous Oppressions of the Subjects in their Liberties and Properties These things we saw and signed for but had no thoughts of inviting any to make Resistance tho against the abused Name and Power of a misguided King whom we much pitied in his Miscarriages until it pleased God to bless us with A PARLIAMENT THE ORDINARY MEANS WHICH HE HATH APPOINTED IN THIS NATION FOR THE REDRESSING OF SUCH GROWING EVILS The Parliament meet declare their Apprehensions of the Danger of CHURCH AND STATE apply themselves to all humble and submiss ways by PETITIONS See the Remonstrance of the State of the Kingdom Decemb. 15. 1641. REMONSTRANCES c. speak nothing but honourably of the King lay the blame of all Miscarriages upon Evil Counsellors require them to Trial But God for our Sins and his shuts up his Majesty's Heart against these Addresses instead of yielding up those whom the Parliament demands he demands some of their Members seconds his Demand with a. Face of Violence And HERE BEGAN THAT MOST UNHAPPY BREACH the Parliament upon this desire a Guard the King apprehended OR PRETENDED Terror he leaves his Parliament upon it and UNDER SHADOW OF A GUARD for his Person RAISETH AN ARMY sets up his STANDARD c. The Story is too long and sad for us to relate but hence arose that Fire which since hath burnt almost to the very Foundation and who knows when it will be quenched The Parliament seeing which way the Counsels of the King steered apprehend a necessity of raising Arms FOR THE DEFENCE OF THEMSELVES AND THE KINGDOM When the War was first commenced their Army carried a Petition in the one hand as well as a