A LETTER FROM General Ludlow TO Dr. Hollingworth, Their Majesty's Chaplain AT St. Botolph-Aldgate.  
Defending his former Letter to Sir E. S. which compared the Tyranny of the first Four Years of King Charles the Martyr, with the Tyranny of the Four Years of the late Abdicated King.  
And vindicating the Parliament which began in Novemb. 1640. Occasioned by the Lies and Scandals of many bad Men of this Age.  
Veritas emerget Victrix.  
I acknowledge it were better if we could have Job's Wish, That this Day should perish, that Darkness and the Shadow of Death should cover it, that it should not see the dawning of the Day, nor should the Light shine upon it: It were better to strike it out of our Calendar, and to make our January determine at the 29th, and add these remaining Days to February. Dr. Burnet, Bishop of Salisbury, his Sermon at St. Laurence Church, London, January 30, 1680.  
AMSTERDAM, Printed Anno Dom. 1692.   

To all sincere Lovers of OLD ENGLAND, Inhabiting in the Parish of St. Botolph-Aldgate, London.  
Dear Countrymen;  
'TWas a great Man's Saying, That EVERY CLERGYMAN is not qualified to sustain the Dignity of the Church's Jester. That therefore before Men be admitted to so important an Employment, it were fit that they underwent a severe Examination; and that it might appear,  
1. Whether they have ANY SENSE; for without that how can they pretend, and yet they do, to be Ingenuous? Then, Whether they have ANY MODESTY, for without that they can only be SCURRILOUS and IMPUDENT? Next, Whether ANY TRUTH, for true Jests are those that do the greatest Execution? And, lastly, 'Twere not amiss that they gave some Account too of their CHRISTIANITY; For the World has always hitherto been so uncivil, as to expect something of that from the CLERGY, in the Design and Style even of their lightest and most uncanonical Writings. But,  
With very little regard to these, two dull Books have been lately obtruded upon the World, by one and the same Author, as I am assured; The one, under the Title of A DEFENCE of King Charles the First, OCCASIONED by the Lies and Scandals of many bad Men of this Age, By RICHARD HOLLINGWORTH, D. D. THEIR MAJESTY'S CHAPLAIN, at St. Botolph-Aldgate. The other called, A VINDICATION of their Majesty's Wisdom, in the late nomination of some Reverend Persons to the vacant Archbishoprics and Bishoprics, OCCASIONED by the scandalous Reflections of unreasonable Men, By A MINISTER of London. Now,  
This Author having sought these OCCASIONS to be troublesome, and declaring a doughty Resolution that he will be further so, rather than lose the Lechery of his Scribbling, and the vain Glory of his Pedantry, 'tis fit that such an arrogant Levite, who seats himself in 
* Epistle Dedicatory to the Defence.  a Juncto with their Majesties, to consult wisely how to preserve them from a People who mean them no Harm, should be a little animadverted upon; which task I undertook, after I found that Persons of better Ability, would not trouble themselves with such contemptible Pamphlets.  
I had prepared, and did purpose to have sent with this, some Remarks upon the pretended Vindication of their Majesty's Wisdom; but finding that my Notes upon the Doctor's Defence of King Charles the First, are swelled beyond the Bulk which I intended, I have laid aside those Remarks, till I have occasion to write again to this mighty Vindicator.  
When I wrote to Sir E. S. this time twelvemonth, I only discoursed of the King's first Four Years; and did intent, if ever I wrote further upon that Subject, to have proceeded regularly with the succeeding Years of his Tyranny; but having engaged myself to follow the Doctor in his Rambling, I could not at present pursue my Intention, but may hereafter do it.  
Having resolved to make this Address to you, my honoured Countrymen, I will take the liberty to observe two or three things, which are omitted in my Letter to the Doctor; He saith, pag. 3. That great Numbers call this King a Tyrant and A PAPIST too, though he so stronuously asserted and pleaded the Protestant Cause, as it is professed by THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND, [That means THEIR PARTY.]  
Now, that he highly favoured POPERY, is most evident; and to what I have already offered to evince the Truth of that Charge, I do add these Instances.  
I have told the Aldgate-Chaplain, that this King, by a Letter to the Pope, saluted Antichrist with the Title of Most holy Father. That Letter from the beginning to the end savours of Popery. For, 

1. He professes therein, that nothing could affect him so much, as AN ALLIANCE with a Prince that had the same apprehensions of THE TRUE RELIGION with himself, [That was the KING of SPAIN, A NOTABLE PROTESTANT.]  
2. He calls Popery THE CATHOLIC, APOSTOLIC, Roman RELIGION, all other NOVELTY and FACTION.  
3. He protests he did not esteem it a Matter of greater Honour, to be descended from great Princes, than to imitate them in the Zeal of their Piety, who had often exposed their Estate and LIVES for THE EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS.  
4. He solemnly engaged to the Pope, to spare nothing in the World, and to suffer all manner of Discommodities, even TO THE HAZARDING OF ESTATE AND LIFE, for to settle a thing so pleasing to God, as UNITY WITH ROME.    
Behold, what a good Sign of PROTESTANTISM here hangs at the King's Door. Moreover, when the Pope's Nuncio delivered a Letter to him from the Pope, wherein PROTESTANTS are called MONSTERS of HERESIES, and the King was invited to return the Possession of these most noble Isles to the PRINCE OF THE APOSTLES. He expressed himself in these words; I KISS HIS HOLINESS FEET for the Favour and Honour he doth me; so much the more esteemed, by how much the less deserved of me HITHERTO. And HIS HOLINESS SHALL SEE WHAT I DO HEREAFTER. So that his Holiness shall not repent him of what he hath done.  
He was as good as his word here passed to the Pope, as all the World afterwards saw. Tho that most horrid IRISH REBELLION broke out the 23d of October, 1641. the Lords and Commons, who complained that it was framed and cherished in England, could not obtain a Proclamation to declare those blcody Miscreants, Traitors, till January ensuing; and then the following Warrant went 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 Majesty's Service, forty Copies of the Proclamation enclosed; leaving convenient space for his Majesty to sign above, and to affix the Privy Signet underneath: And HIS MAJESTY'S EXPRESS COMMAND IS, THAT YOU PRINT NOT ABOVE THE SAID NUMBER OF FORTY COPIES, and forbear to make any further Publication of them, till his Pleasure be further signified; for which this shall be your Warrant. 
Whitehall, January 2, 164●. Edw. Nicholas.  
See here what special care was taken, that a few only should come to the knowledge of this Proclamation, which was at that time more 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 Public 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 risen 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 Domestic Dissensions.  
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 Judgement, 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 acknowledge, 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 esteemed it a piece of Artifice in OUR PRIESTS, to amuse the People with the Suggestion, that he is falsely 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 'twill be found that I have not unjustly taxed 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 abhoris it more in that place where the purest of Profession is.  
That this King intended to bow or break us, to persuade or force us to Slavery, is so clear by the whole course of his Reign, that 'tis 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 evince 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 Clergymen did not worship God, but the Imperial Purple; and 'tis 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 'tis 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 subtle 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 fairspoken Words, with his far-differing Deeds; for 'tis 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 Authentic as our Bibles? 'Tis Truth only which conquers the wise; to be captivated by aught 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 myself, 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,  
gentlemans, Your affectionate Countryman and Servant, Edmund Ludlow.   

A LETTER from General LUDLOW, to Dr. HOLLINGWORTH, their Majesty's Chaplain, etc.  
MIne to Sir E. S. (most Eximious Sir) bore date upon your last MADDING DAY: Another being now come, I esteem myself obliged to justify what I asserted in my last Year's Letter: To the end that I may keep my Countrymen, 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 style, 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 occasioned that) to 
* Tho I neither have, nor do think that I ever can be convicted of one Falsehood in my former Letter, (or in this which I am writing) yet I will confess one Error committed this time twelvemonth; 'twas this, I following a very faithful Historian, whose Printer, by an unhappy omission of one Letter, ran him and me by consequence into a great mistake; and I, relying upon that Print, said, That the noble Lord Conway had avowed in Parliament, that he never hated Popery; whereas his words in truth were, that he ever hated it.  convict me of Falsehood in any one Particular there charged upon his incomparable Prince; yet I have not had one Word, either from him or Sir E. S. Therefore, in good Manners, I dismiss them from further trouble, as I might have done myself, had you not fallen foul upon me: But seeing you must be scribbling, and have taken up the Cudgels, we must come to A TRIAL OF SKILL.  
To begin;  
You appear very warm at first, and therefore not so civil as a Man might hope you would be found, who profess so much Candour and Temper, as you sometimes do. You say, 'Tis A LEWD PAMPHLET, which goes under the Name of LUDLOW. Why Lewd, dear Sir? 'Tis a received Opinion amongst your Acquaintance at Billingsgate, that to call a Woman, Whore, and say you will prove her so, will bear an Action, otherwise not: I shall not therefore prosecute you for that, because 'tis only your say so; you neither undertake nor offer one word to prove it: And indeed, should I implead you upon it, I perceive you have expressed yourself with that Caution, that I should be Nonsuited; For you add, that it goes under the Name of Ludlow; by consequence it may not be his. Why thus unmerciful, Doctor? You will not allow me to be Author of my own Book or Letter; and yet you declare it a barbarous Act in a certain Essex Doctor, (his Name I understand is Walker) and his Virtues and Piety will, I doubt not, find a room in future Annals and Records, ('tis your own delicate Expression) when yours will be forgotten. I say, you allow him not to deny that your Martyr was the Author of Eicon Basilice.  
I meet, Sir, in the next place, with a taste of your healing Spirit. You treat me, and those who believe the Truth, that you are no way able to gainsay, in a highly obliging, and most endearing manner, 
Pag. 2, 3.  A vile Brood, a factious Crew, &c. We are, say you: I may not now betray my own Innocence so far, as to suffer any thing of this to pass upon me without a Vindication. I have asserted, that your SAINT was a NOTORIOUS TYRANT, and for ought you tell me to the contrary, very fairly proved it, and that by abundance of Instances. Am I Unjust therein? Why then do not you refute me? Am I in the Right? Why then will you set yourself to outface the Truth? That you do so, I shall demonstrate, after I have minded you, out of my former Letter, what things you are either to falsify or justify (for you must know, that Railing, no more than Persecution, can ever make a Convert) when you scribble again, if you intent to convince any Man of an Error, who believes that King Charles the First was a Tyrant: And I must tell you, that I am induced to make the Repetition which ensues, because I cannot perceive, by the reading your Tract, that you have looked beyond my Title Page; for there you find the only thing you mention of mine, and that with Indignation; THE VILE BROOD, you say, call this Day, THE MADDING-DAY. I am most sure that you do not answer, nor so much as cast a look towards any one Paragraph or Sentence of my Letter. Therefore,  
This informs you, that (amongst many others) the following Acts of Tyranny, are there enumerated, and placed to your Martyr's Account. I shall (to oblige you) begin with the Church, for I know 'twill please you to see that precede the State.  
1. THE KING we are talking of, in a Letter which he wrote to the Pope, saluted Antichrist with the Title of Sanctissime Pater, Most holy Father; HE procured the Pope's Dispensation for his Marriage, which was solemnised according to the Ceremonies of the Romish Church. HE agreed to Articles upon his Marriage, that Papists should be no more molested for their Religion. HE built  Chappel, with conveniency for Friars; and permitted them to walk abroad in their Habits. HE assumed to himself a Power to dispense with the Laws, in favour of Popery; particularly the 21th and 27th of Queen Elizabeth, by granting Pardons to Jesuits and Papists, which passed by immediate Warrant. HE inhibited and restrained both Ecclesiastical and Temporal Officers to intermeddle with Papists; which amounted to a Toleration. Popish Jurisdiction was exercised and avowed in Ireland; Monasteries and Nunneries were erected there, and filled with Men and Women of several Orders. HE made above an hundred Popish Lords and Gentlemen, Lot as Lieutenants, Deputy Lieutenants, Justices of the Peace, etc. And his LORD TREASURER (Weston) died a Papist. Are these, my good Doctor, any of the VERTVES and GRACES which King William and Queen Mary (as you tell them in your Dedication) do daily imitate?  
2. (To pass on to the State of the Church of England in his Reign: Well might Men cry in that day, The Church! O THE CHURCH!) This King's Bishops, generally speaking, were unsound in their Principles; they laid new Paintings on the Face of the old Whore of Babylon to make her show lovely: They countenanced and cherished Papists, and depressed Orthodox Preachers, how conformable soever; in particular Archbishop Land (whom you Doctor will have to be a tolerably good Man) allowed Books which favoured Popery, but denied to licence Books that were written against it.  
This King's CHAPLAINS endeavoured to reconcile England to Rome, and scoffed at Preaching, Bibles, and all show of Religion. MOUNTAGVE, one of his Chaplains, being prosecuted in Parliament for Crimes of this nature, your Martyr was incensed thereat, granted him a Pardon, and made him Bishop of Chichester. [And now Doctor, pray tell me, have our most Excellent King and Queen made any such Bishops, or Chaplains as these?]  
3. THIS KING in his first Year, lent eight SHIPS (which he equipped with Monies given for the Relief of his distressed Protestant Sister, the Electress Palatine, and the oppressed Protestants of the Palatinate) TO THE FRENCH KING, to fight against the distressed Protestants of Rochel: These Ships were employed against the Rochellers; and the French boasted, that they mowed the Heretics down like Grass. [Pray Sir, your Opinion in the case; Can you think their present Majesties will ever imitate their ROYAL GRANDFATHER in this Point?]  
4. King Charles the First in the very beginning of his Reign, took our Goods from us against our Wills, and our Liberties against the Laws; he raised an Army, and required the Countries to furnish Coat and Conduct-Mony; and against the known Laws put several to Death by Martial Law; HE levied Money upon the Subject by way of Loan, and menaced the City of London, that if they would not advance him Money, HE WOULD FRAME HIS COUNSELS AS APPERTAINED TO A KING. [That surely, dear Doctor, could intent no other than such a one as France is now plagued with; it may signify King in that Language, In our plain English, 'tis downright Tyrant.]  
When it was urged that his requiring SHIP-MONEY was unprecedented; His haughty Answer was, That Precedents were not wanting for the Punishment of those that disobey the King's Commands; and that State-Occasions were not to be guided by ordinary Precedents. Those that refused to subscribe to the Loan, were put out of the Commissions of the Lieutenancy and the Peace, and also imprisoned; and the Refusers of the meaner Rank were bound to appear, and be enroled for Soldiers to be sent for Denmark; or were impressed to serve in the King's Ships. [Here now is a ready way not only for the raising of Money, but also an Army for Flanders, and Sailors for our Fleet. But all your Rhetoric, Reverend Sir, will not work upon their Majesties to imitate your good and great Man in these things neither.]  
5. YOUR MARTYR suspended Dr. ABBOT, Archbishop of Canterbury (who was a Man that wholly followed the true Interest of England, and that of the Reformed Churches in Europe, so far, as that in his time the CLERGY was not much envied here in England, nor the Government of Episcopacy much disfavoured by Protestants beyond the Seas.) I say, HE SUSPENDED this Excellent Person, and also CONFINED him, because (to use his own words) HE REFUSED TO MAKE THAT GOOD BY Divinity WHICH THE King HAD DONE AGAINST THE LAWS. HE also thrust Dr. WILLIAMS Bishop of Lincoln from the place of Lord Keeper, and his Presence, and the Council-Table, for appearing in Parliament against the Kingdom's great Grievance, the Duke of Buckingham; and afterwards he imprisoned him in the Tower for speaking against the Loan, for refusing to allow Proceed against Puritan, and prophesying that the Puritans would carry all at last. [I doubt, Doctor, that should the King and Queen imitate their Grandfather in these Practices, you would find yourself AS IT WERE overwhelmed with Sorrow, and that such Actions would swell your Grief above its usual Banks, if not stir your Indignation.]  
6. THE TYRANT, resolving to subvert the Liberties and Estates of the Subjects to his Will and Pleasure, removed that grave and learned Judge Sir Randolph Crew, from the place of Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench, because he had declared himself against the Loan, and would not serve his turn in declaring that the King might legally imprison Men, durante beneplacito. [My Life for yours, Doctor, their present Majesties will never follow this Example of your PATTERN FOR PRINCES.]  
7. HE upon the 30th of JANVARY (of all the days in the Year) 1627., sent a Privy-Seal to the Treasury, for the remitting 30000 l. into Holland to Burlemark, a Merchant, to be employed for levying Horse and Men to be brought into England to support his Tyranny. [And can you think their Majesties will ever write after this Copy?]  
8. HE had no sooner passed the PETITION OF RIGHT into a Law, than he was found to violate it, by billeting of Soldiers, and levying the Subsidies of Tonnage and Poundage, which determined by his Father's Death; and were never payable to any his Ancestors, but only by special Act of Parliament. [And what Opinion have you of King. William and Queen Mary, in reference as this Point, my good Doctor?]  
9 HE kept the Earl of Bristol under Confinement, near two Years, without being charged with any Accusation, or brought to Trial: And HE committed the Earl of Arundel to the Tower in the time of Parliament, without expressing any Cause of his Commitment, in Violation of the Privileges of the Peers. [I'll warrant you, Sir, you'll never find their present Majesties at this Work.]  
10. HE upheld and sheltered the Grand Enemies of the Commonwealth. When the Duke of Buckingham was prosecuted in Parliament, as the principal Patron and Supporter of a Popish Faction, set on Foot to the danger of the CHURCH and STATE, THE KING interposed to rescue him: When the Commons impeached him, and by one of their Articles charged him (in effect) WITH THE MURDER OF KING JAMES; THE KING told the House of Lords, That to approve Buckingham's Innocence, HE could be a Witness to clear him in every one of the Articles. HE told the House of Commons, That he would not allow any of his Servants to be questioned amongst them, much less such as were near him. That he saw they aimed at the Duke; but assured them, he had not intermedied, nor done any thing concerning the Public, but by his special Directions. He added, That he wondered at the FOOLISH IMPUDENCE of any Man, to think that he should be drawn to offer such a Sacrifice. HE dissolved three Parliaments, when they were intent upon the prosecution of the Duke. [We are still at a loss, good Doctor, this will not pass with our King and Queen; we shall never hear them speak or act at this rate.]  
11. HE imprisoned several Members of the House of Commons, (during the Parliament) for refusing to answer out of Parliament, what was said and done in Parliament. HE imprisoned others for managing a Conference with the Lords, upon their impeaching the Duke. HE, in the time of Parliament, sent Warrants for sealing up the Studies of other Members; and he caused the imprisoned Members to be shifted and tossed from Goal to Goal, to deprive them, by that wicked Artifice, of the Fruit of their Habeas Corpus; and of the Benefit of Freeborn Subjects for the obtaining their Liberty; thus were they long detained in Prison. The brave Sir John E●ios ended his days in the Tower, not without suspicion of foul play. [I am sure, Sir, you will not recommend these virtuous Practices to the imitation of their Majesties.]  
12. HE struck at the very Being of Parliaments; he sent a threatening Message to the Commons, that if he had not a timely Supply, he would betake himself to NEW COUNSELS. At another time he said to the Lords and Commons, REMEMBER THAT PARLIAMENTS ARE ALTOGETHER IN MY POWER; THEREFORE, as I find the Fruits of them, Good or Evil, THEY ARE TO CONTINVE, OR NOT TO BE. HE told the Parliament, the 17th of March 1627., That if they should not contribute what the State needed, he must use OTHER MEANS; And his Lord Keeper added, That if the King found the Readiness of their Supplies, be might the better forbear the use of his Prerogative; That the King those that way of Parliament, not as the only way, but as firtest; not as destitute of others, but AS MOST AGREE ABLE TO HIS DISPOSITIon. [You will readily agree with me, dear Sir, that King William hath not learned this way of speaking to Parliaments.]  
I have now, Reverend Sir, briefly run over my former Letter, and thence presented you with a Bone to pick, indeed a dozen, as luck will have it; and I could have doubled the number, but for the present I conclude these may stay your Stomach, this being a Fasting-Day.  
I must now tell you, that I am as much to seek as ever, for the Virtues of the Martyr, which deserve their Majesty's imitation. But methinks I hear you reply to me, So you will eternally be, if you read such lewd Pamphlets as Ludlow converses with; you must apply yourself to the impartial, learned and infallibly convincing Works of the most candid Dr. Holling worth, if you will be enlightened in this great Point: He, good Man, jogs steadily on in the way of Truth, sparing no Party, you may take his Word for it. May I so? He's then the Man for my Money; and casting off my Strumpet of a Pamphlet, I will READ, TRY and JUDGE, according as another Doctor advises the Lewd Folks. And,  
I proceed (Sir) to the Examination of your Defence of King Charles the First. You tell us, that in looking into and considering his Life, you found yourself equally affected with Joy and Grief. Now I shall attempt to assuage your Grief, but in doing is shall abate so much of your conceived Joy, that, with the late Eloquent Recorder, I doubt I shall bring you to a handful of Grief and a handful of Sorrow.  
You ground your Joy upon your meeting with a Person so admirably tempered, so greatly condescending, so ready to comply with whatever was presented to him for the good of his Subjects, of so great Constancy to the Religious Persuasions of his own Mind, that he would not forsake them.  
To begin with the last; because you will have the Church to take place of the State. Are not we made happy at this day by the Hereditary Stubbornness of your Martyr's Son? he was so constant to the Religious Persuasions of his own Mind; that rather than forsake them, he very fairly abdicated the Throne: He sacrificed his Crown to FATHER PETRE'S IDOLATRY; his Father, to FATHER LAUD'S SUPERSTITION.  
HIS TEMPER will be seen hereafter: I shall therefore in this place only inquire, whether it appeared so admirably good as you insinuate, when he struck the Noble Earl of Denbigh. A BOX ON THE EAR, for only walking in the Privy Gallery at Whitehal. We are anon to examine his Condescension and Compliance for the Good of the People; and in doing it shall evince, how little you understand the History of his Life, and what reason there is to mortify a Chaplain of their present Majesties, for recommending this KING as a Pattern to future Princes.  
I come now (Sir) to your Melancholy Part, which you thus express; 
Pag. 2.  I have been often overwhelmed, AS IT WERE, with Sorrow and a lodding Grief. That, AS IT WERE, secures some hope in your case, for which there had been no room, had you been in earnest overwhelmed. But pray what brings you, Doctor, into this unhappy case? Why, this Prince, so every ways great and good, is libelled by every saucy Scribbler. A factions number of Men never speak of him but as a TYRANT, 
Pag. 3.  A ROGVE, A RASCAL: They call the Day on which he was murdered, and which is appointed by the Supreme Power of the Nation to be religiously observed, THE MADDING DAY.  
There's no remedy (Sir) but Patience; there will ever be found some saucy Scribbler or other upon this Subject, whilst the World is troubled with any silly Defender of this TYRANT; as such I shall continue to talk of him, and that with Demonstration; but I much suspect that you have learned the rude Terms of ROGUE AND RASCAL, from your own factions Crew, (you know whom I mean) when they are speaking of his present Majesty.  
Now (dear Doctor) as to your MADDING-DAY, allow me to present you with the Opinion of a Person tolerably wise and thoughtful, I mean Dr. Burnet, now Lord Bishop of Salisbury, in his Sermon before the Aldermen of London (the Lord Mayor being sick, and therefore absent) at St. Laurence Church, upon the 30th of January 1680, he did express himself in these words; I acknowledge it were better if we could have Job 's Wish, That that Day should perish, that Darkness and the shadow of Death should cover it, that it should not see the dawning of the Day, nor should the Light shine upon it: It were better to strike it out of our Calendar, and to make our January determine at the 29th, and add these remaining days to February.  
In hope (Sir) that I have here offered something to cool your red-hot Zeal for the Observation of this Day; upon which you, and many of your high-stown Brethren, have too long spouted out most fulsome Flattery upon your Royal Martyr, and been infusing Principles of Slavery into the freeborn People of ENGLAND. I now proceed upon your Defence: You say, that your Grief swells above its usual Bank, and stirs your Indignation against a VILE BROOD. Why? in earnest Doctor, 'tis time to look out for Cure; 'tis not above two or three Minutes since you appeared only, AS IT WERE, overwhelmed with Sorrow: Now the overflowing of your Grief, and raising your Choler, speaks your case, AS IT WERE, desperate; and I doubt you will run mad before your next MADDING-DAY: But I have undertaken the drudgery of reading you through, and must take what follows, and so must you.  
You go on telling me, That from these two Passions of Grief and Anger, you are resolved to vindicate this great Prince; and IF POSSIBLE, to shame those who do show by what they vent, that they have neither Knowledge, Wisdom, nor good Manners; nor indeed any thing else, that belongs to the Human as well as Christian Nature.  
I found (Sir) by your staring and soaming at the Mouth, what you would come to, and 'tis now with you as I foretold; Would any Man in his Wits set himself not only to put a Herd of Wild Beasts to shame, but also to teach them Letters and Breeding? But an angry Doctor thinks himself fit for any thing, when at the same time I esteem him capable of nothing; for no Man that falls into a Passion can argue well; and you (Sir) have undertaken a much more difficult Task than you are ware of. For I have read in the  Sermon of the Learned Bishop of Salisbury, an Expression to this effect; That it might be expected that he should enlarge on the Virtues, the Piety, the Magnanimity and Constancy of Mind, of this your Martyr; but he confessed the performing this to be a Task above his strength: But what will not an aspiring Chaplain essay? I have now (Sir) reached to what you resolve upon.  
You tell me, 
Pag. 4.  That you intent only to run through the last eight Years of his Reign. Do you so, Sir? here's a Snake in the Grass, Doctor, or else, why do you skip his first sixteen Years? I wish, that instead of running through (which argues you in haste) I do not find you flying over the Years you pitch upon; if you do, I shall endeavour to lure you back again; which that I may the more certainly do, I determine to keep pace with, or sight of you.  
Proceeding, you say, that you are certain, that from the beginning of the Long Parliament, Novemb. 4. to the day of his Death, he did every thing ALMOST that deserved a better Reception than it met withal; and made such various Offers and Condescontions, as would have pleased any sort of Men but those who were resolved to be Masters of his whole Crown and Dignity, etc.  
'Tis something unhappy, good Doctor! when you seem to speak with assurance, that you dare not adventure to do it without a Reserve; your ALMOST in this place, abates much of the Glory of this Paragraph: He did every thing ALMOST; he made Offers and Condescensions; what those were, I suppose, you intent to inform me by and by; when I see them, we will talk about them; and then, should it be found that they were such as were not satisfactory to the Lords and Commons in that great Parliament, you will deserve to be TOPHAMIZ'D for slandering the Representative Body of the English Nation: and truly I think you merit something beyond that Punishment, for saying that their most Excellent Majesty's King William and Queen Mary, do daily imitate the Virtues and Graces of a King, who y●●●gree might have committed some Mistakes in his Government in his first sixteen Year's Reign, and yet did every thing (with an unlucky) ALMOST to redress such things as his Maladministration had put out of order, SO FAR AS HE COULD BE SATISFIED THEY WERE OUT OF ORDER: For to the eternal Honour of their present Majesties, and to the unspeakable Comfort of all good Englishmen, we see them daily acquiescing in the Wisdom of their great Council, and redressing, not only ALMOST, but ALTOGETHER, the Disorders and Grievances of two or three unhappy Reigns.  
In the next place you affirm, That when the Parliament sat down in 1640, the King purposed and resolved to consent to every thing they could offer, which might be really for the good of his Kingdom: You are, Sir, too general herein for my Conversation; you talk as though you had been one of his Privy-Council, or at least a Chaplain to Archbishop Land. I cannot say what his Purposes or Resolutions were, but when we come to Particulars, shall endeavour to weigh them by his Actions.  
Pursuant to what he purposed and resolved, 
Pag. 5.  (say you) he tells them frankly in his first Speech, that he was resolved to put himself freely and clearly on the Love and Affection of his ENGLISH SUBJECTS; and withal, promises them to concur so hearty with them, that all the World may see, that his Intentions HAVE EVER BEEN, and shall be to make THIS a glorious Kingdom. Having said this, you are running on, Doctor, but with too much speed for me; you instantly add, I think, etc. Well, so you may, and I intent to hear what that is anon; for now, and not till now, you have cut me out Work, and I must entreat you to pause a little, and hear what I observe upon what you but now declared: He told them he resolved to put himself freely and clearly on the LOVE AND AFFECTION of his ENGLISH SUBJECTS. Can this be true, Doctor? Did he in earnest say so? Why, he was born at Dumferling, how then can you represent him abdicating his Ancient Kingdom, and renouncing the Love and Affection of the Scotish Nation? Seeing you are silent in this matter, I must it seems take the pains to examine it; and I promise to supply your Omission with Impartiality, and all imaginable regard to Truth. And in doing it, shall show, with what brevity I can, not only the reason why your Martyr did, at this Juncture, caress and cajole an English Parliament; but how our Nation became so happy as to see one assembled, when our Fathers had almost forgot the Name of a Parliament. The Story is this.  
The Reformation of England had never abrogated, nor scarce shaken the Prelatical Dignity in any Parliament; but in Scotland it was quite rooted out by Law, that Church having been ever much addicted to the Reformation of Geneva: By degrees it was restored, by the extraordinary Interposition of the Power of King James the first, yet not without many Difficulties, not without great Reluctancy of the Nobility, Gentry, and most of the Ministers of that Nation. They suffered a great Diminution of their Temporal Liberties by the Introduction of Episcopal Jurisdiction, the Bishops using rigorous Proceed against Gentlemen of Quality, by Fines, Imprisonments, etc. And the whole structure of Ecclesiastical Policy, so long used in Scotland, and established by so many Acts of Parliament, was at one blow thrown down, their Consistories, Classes, and Presbyteries were held in the nature of Conventicles, and all Decision of Ecclesiastical Controversies confined to the Tribunal of a Bishop.  

Dr. Hollingworth in his Tract called, A Vindication of their Majesty's Wisdom, etc. p. 9 saith, that Laud was A VERY GOOD MAN, the Book of Sports excepted: for ought I know he meant this Scotch Book, for it made Sport with a witness; if he did not, I am sure this deserved an Exception also. 
I am sensible of the Doctor's Infirmities, that he is addicted to rash and inconsiderate Railing; therefore, though I will not humour him, in reciting the Authority which I have for this black Story of his otherways very good Man, because I have in his Works no more than his bare word for what he asserts: my good Nature prompts me to advise him, not to give me the Lie in this matter, for I know those who have been at Rome, and I can produce a most reputable Member of the Church of England, for what I here charge upon that very ill Man Laud. After this friendly Caution, the Doctor may deny it if he dares.   That fierce, cruel, insolent and Popishly-affected Archbishop Laud, was the main Instrument in this fatal Work: He in the Year 1637, composed a Common-Prayer Book for Scotland, and desiring, to demonstrate his great Affection to the Court of Rome, sent it thither to be approved by the Pope and Cardinals; they returned it with Thanks for his Respect to them, but sent him word, that they thought it not fit for Scotland. The GOOD MAN thereupon, further to ingratiate himself with his ELDER BROTHER, altered some things in it, and made it more harsh and unreasonable; and then instigated the King to send it to the Scots, with an express Command to have it read in their Churches: It varied from the English Common-Prayer Book, but the Alterations were for the worse, especially in the Lord's-Supper; it was expressly commanded that the Altar (so called) should be situate to the Eastern Wall, together with many Postures of the Minister, whilst he officiated. And in the consecrating Prayer, those words which in the English Liturgy, are directly against Transubstantiation, were quite left out in that Book, and instead of them such other words as in plain sense agreed with the Roman Mass-Book, viz. Hear us, O most merciful Father, and of thy Omnipotent Goodness grant, so to 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 Unity, 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 Nobleman rescued him. The Nobility, Gentry and Ministers, petitioned against it. The King threatened 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 judge: 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 Governors 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 PURITY 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 Marquis 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 TRUTH, OR NEGLIGENT IN PROMOTING THE CHURCHES GOOD, IS IN THE CHURCH ITSELF: 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 Marquis 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 Marquis 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 seemed to be, that such an Occasion happened, 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 War, which was called BELLUM EPISCOPALE, THE BISHOP'S WAR.  
The King being animated to the War by the Bishops, both of England and Scotland; the last persuading 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 Work. 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 designed. 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 rendering him not to be believed for any thing: For what Tie would hold him, when the Engagement of his Word, his Royal Word, 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 War. 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 inquire; 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 entreat redress of those Injuries which had been offered them since the Pacification. But to add to the Grievances of that oppressed Nation, the King committed two of their Commissioners to Prison.  
In April 1640, the King called a Parliament in England; not to seek Counsel and Advice of them, but to draw Countenance and Supply from them; resolving, either to make the Parliament pliant to his Will, and to establish Mischief by a Law, or else to break it. The Scots wrote a Justification of their Proceed to this Parliament; and advised them, to be wary in vindicating their own Laws and Liberties; this Parliament being procured to no other End, but to arm the King against his Scotish Subjects, and by that War to enslave both the Nations; That after so many Violations and Dissolutions of Parliaments in England, this was not called to redress Grievances; but to be so overreached, (if they were not careful) that no possibility should be left for the future, of redressing any. That some dangerous Practice might be well suspected, when at the same time a Parliament was denied to Scotland, though promised by the WORD OF A KING; granted to England when not expected, and obtruded upon Ireland when not desired.  
The Parliament met the 13th of April, when the King required a Supply to carry on his War against the Scots, with a Promise that he would afterwards redress the Kingdom's Grievances. To which it was answered by many, That redress of Grievances was the chief End of assembling Parliaments, and aught to precede granting of Subsidies: That the People had no reason to pay for that which they neither caused nor desired; and which could not prove to their Good, but quite contrary, to the great detriment of the whole Kingdom; That they would more willingly pay, to prevent that unhappy War: That the War would make the Breach wider, and the Remedy desperate: That THE BEST JUSTICE WOULD BE, TO FILL UP THE PITS WHICH WERE MADE TO ENTRAP OTHERS, WITH THE BODIES OF THOSE THAT DIGGED THEM.  
Upon the 5th of May, the King, to the great grief of both Kingdoms, 
* Upon the News of the Dissolution of this Parliament, Cardinal Barberini, entitled, The Protector of England, though he greatly affected Archbishop Laud, declared, That he feared he would cause some great Disturbance in England; and that certainly, for his sake, and by his means, the King had dissolved this Parliament, which he feared Scotland, and most part of England, would take very ill.  dissolved this Parliament, finding them no way disposed to countenance the War: But he PROTESTED, HE WOULD GOVERN ACCORDING TO LAW, as if the Parliament were constantly sitting: And yet the very next day, to the extreme Grief of the People, he was seen to break his Word; for he commanded the Lord BROOKS, Study and Pockets to be searched; and Mr. Bellasis, (Father of the present Earl of Fanomberg) Sir John H●●ha●, and Mr. Crew, Members of the House of Commons, were imprisoned: And the King published a false and scandalous Declaration against the Commons. He then betook himself to other Courses to carry on this War: The CLERGY contributed freely to it, and Collections were made among the PAPISTS. Great Loans were attempted to be drawn from the City; and for not complying therein, Sir Nicholas Rainton, Sir Stephan Soum●, and other eminent Citizens were imprisoned: Nay, he went further, and had it under consideration to ●oin 400000 l. of BRASS MONEY. [A Precedent for what the late King James did in Ireland.]  
The Scots taking Alarm at the Breach of the English Parliament, and at the King's Preparations, and finding themselves bereft of all possibility of satisfying him by any naked Supplication, they provided for their own Safety, and resolved to enter England, with a Sword in one hand, and a Petition in the other. The King marches his Army Northwards; but the Common Soldiers were found sensible of Public Interest and Religion, though many Commanders and Gentleman seemed not to be so: They declared their aversion to the War, and questioned whether their Captains were not Papists.  
Upon the 28th of August 1640, the Scots marching towards Nowcastle, the English Army encamped to intercept their Passage; but many of the Soldiers, not liking the Cause, forsook their Commanders: However; the Horse engaged the Scots, but received a Repulse, some on both sides being slain; and Colonel Wilmot, with Sir John Digby and Oniale, both Captains of Horse and PAPISTS, were made Prisoners. Hereupon the Scots became Masters of Newcastle and Durham.  
The King, by Proclamation, summoned all the English Nobility, with their Followers and Foroes, to attend his Standard at York, upon the 20th of September, against the Scots. But about twenty Peers, considering the great Calamity into which the King's rash Proceed had thrown the Kingdom, framed, and sent his Majesty an humble Letter, representing the Mischiefs attending his wicked War; the Rapines committed by his Army, wherein Papists were armed, though the Laws permit them not to have Arms in their Houses, etc. and they humbly entreated him to summon a Parliament. The King thereupon summoned all the Lords to appear at York upon the 24th of September, and then declared to them, that OF HIS OWN FREE ACCORD, he had determined to call a Parliament and sixteen Lords were agreed upon to treat with the like number of the Scots, and at length a Cessation of Arms, till the 16th of December, was agreed upon; and that during that time the Scots should be paid 850 l. a day; and they allowed Winter-quarters in England.  
Both Nations hereupon rested in assured Confidence, that the Parliament would put a Period to this War; which could never have been begun, but for want of a Parliament. They were also confident, that the Freedom which the Fundamental Laws allow to Parliaments, could not be denied to this; to which the King WAS NECESSITATED, and upon which THE PEOPLE had set their utmost Hope, whom it seemed not safe, after so many and often repeated Oppressions, to provoke any further. So much for the Scotish Affairs.  
Now it may be thought that I have too long digressed; therefore to return to you, Reverend Doctor Hollingworth, We will try what Inferences may be raised from this Melancholy History, to render it useful to the English Reader; I have declared that King Charles the First was an insufferable Tyrant; you affirm him to have set a Pattern for the best of future Princes, and that King William and Queen Mary are daily imitating him: And the last thing you said was, That when the Parliament met in November 1640, He frankly told them, that he was resolved to put himself freely and clearly on the LOVE AND AFFECTION OF HIS ENGLISH SUBJECTS. Now I have been taking a great deal of pains to set this Matter in its true Light; and to show whence this sudden. Fit of Love to our Nation, with an exclusion of Scotland arose. And (with your leave, Sir) here are two or three Uses of Information or Instruction from what hath been said.  
1. That this Declaration of your Martyr's, that he would put himself on the Love and Affection of his English Subjects, was to draw them in, to support him in his wicked War against the Scotish Nation; whom at the same time he called Rebels, and urged their Expulsion; though he was under an Agreement for a Cessation of Arms, and to allow them 850 l. per diem, and Quarters in England, till their Complaints might be weighed in this Parliament.  
2. Information; That he appeared an exorbitant and outrageous Tyrant, in his Attempts upon that People.  
This appears in many Particular, to recount some of them briefly.  

1. In overturning their Church-Government, established by many Acts of Parliament; and obtruding upon them Laud's Liturgy, and Popish Ceremonies.  
2. In denying them (the undoubted Right of all Subjects) to petition for Redress of their Grievances.  
3. In dissolving their Synod and Parliament; burning the Pacification made with them, by the Hangman's Hands; and imprisoning the Lords sent by them to petition him to perform his solemn Promises, and redress their Grievances.  
4. In levying Armies against them, and raising a Civil War, to justify himself in the violation of their Laws. A CIVIL WAR it was, said the great Lord Digby, seeing we are of the same Religion, and under the same King. And,  
5. In the very thing for which you, Doctor, are now magnifying him; I mean in attempting to make use of the Love and Affection of the English, to enslave and ruin the Scotish Nation.   
3. Information; That the Scotish Covenant was not a new Invention or Innovation, but established by the Law of Scotland, and taken by King James the First, seventy Years before King Charles the Second took it.  
4. Information, That Bishops and Clergymen in Conjunction with Papists, abetted and assisted this Tyrant in the Violation of the Laws, when the bulk of the Nobility, Gentry, and People of England, appeared undauntedly in defence of the Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom.  
5. Information, That Popery hath greatly spread in Scotland over since Land 's Superstition was introduced there; their number then not exceeding 600, and therefore Presbytery being now restored there by Law, it may be reasonably hoped, that it will reduce many who have been deluded into that Idolatry.  
6. Information, That PRINCES ARE NOT ALWAYS TO TRUST TO THE Insinuations and Suggestions of Scotish Bishops; seeing that when they instigated King Charles the First to dissolve the Synod and Parliament, he was seduced by them into a Belief, that the Scotish Covenanters were a contemptible number; and that THEIR PARTY in Scotland was sufficient to deal with them.  
7. Information, That the Scots were not Rebels in taking Arms to assert their Rights, and vindicate the Laws and Liberties of their Country. For my Noble Lord Russel (the Honour of our Age) was most undoubtedly in the right, when, the day before his Murder, he wrote in his Paper left behind him, the following words: I cannot deny but that I have been of Opinion, that a free Nation, like this, might defend their Religion and Liberties when invaded and taken from them, the under pretence and colour of Law. I do ●●firm this was his Orthodox Opinion, and these the words he wrote, though they were left out of the Print, and in that day there might be reason to omit them.  
But to bethink myself (Reverend Sir) and to return to what we were upon, I lest you thinking at our last parting, I will now hear what your Head run upon. I think (say you) he that rends the first half Year's Transactions betwixt King Charles and this Parliament, 
Pag. 5.  will find he made his Word good to a tittle; for whatsoever they offered to him by way of Bill, which the Nation groaned under before, as a real, nay, but as a fancied Burden, he PRESENTLY possess it. To show that, 
Against Experience you believe,  
And argue against Demonstration;  
Pleased that you can yourself deceive,  
And set your Judgement by your Passion.   
We must have a little Chat about this half Year, which has exercised your Thoughts; and I shall show you the Reasons wherefore I descent from your Opinion, That your Martyr READILY PASSED whatsoever Bills the Parliament affored for the Redress of the Nation's Grievances. Now a cannot remember one Instance in the whole History of his Reign of a willing and ready Compliance with his People, in any one Act of Grace or Justice. Every thing of that kind in the whole course of his Life, was wrested from him by the universal Outory of the Kingdom against his high Oppressions, which did never avail, but when the extremity of his Affairs wrought his stubborn Mind to a Compliance. And most sure I am, that you are mistaken in the sew Instances you bring: You say, That he PRESENTLY passed the Bills for putting down the Stan-Chamber and High-Commission-Coures: But I affirm the contrary, and do thus prove it. The Parliament could never bring him to make a fair Bargain with them, they bought every thing at a very dear rate, and when they had come to his Price, they were ever in danger of being wicked. They came to a Contract with him to yield up those two accursed Courts of Oppression and Tyranny, and agreed to a POLL BILL, wherein every Duke was assessed at 100 l. a Marqueses at 80 l. Earls 60 l. Viscounts and Barons 40 l. Knights of the Bath, and Baronet's 30 l. nother Knight's 20 l. Esquires 10 l. every Genduriam dispending 100 l. per Annum, 5 l. and all others of Ability to pay a competent proportion; and the meanest Head in the whole Kingdom was not excused. [I hear there is now a Poll-Bill on foot in this present Parliament; and therefore, from the high Affection and Duty which I hear and shall ever pay to those excellent Princes who do so happily fill their Grandfathers and Father's Throne, I do here remember my Country men at what rate, and for what they were thus assessed in 1640. Then they were forced to buy off the Encroachments of a TYRANT, who had sworn to maint ain their Laws and Liberties: but now they at lower rates, are only to enable the hest Princes that ever swayed the English Sceptre, to vanquish the worst of Tyrants.] Well,  
This Bargain was struck, and the Parliament resolving very honestly to stand to it, they prepared the Bills, but finding the King begin to falter, declaring that he would take their Money, but would not at that time pass the Bills to put down the Star-Chamber and High-Commission-Courts; They voted, that he should pass all the three Bills, or none at all. However,  
Neither the Contract nor their Vote could hold him, he tricked them here; and upon the 2d of July passed the Poll-Money Bill, but demurred upon the other two. The afterwards, finding that the matter was very ill taken, and that it was not seasonable to displease the Kingdom at that time, he passed the other two Bills. And now hope that you are convinced, that he did not, so PRESENTLY pass Bills for Redrese of Grievances, as you inconsiderately suggested.  
To proceed (Sir) you say, 
Pag. 5.  That THE STAR-CHAMBER had been complained of as a Grievance, and therefore he signs the Bills to take it away: The HIGH-COMMISSION was a Court that most men's Moths were opened against and he consents to take that away two.  
Very good! We have settled the Fact, these Courts were taken away, I have told you in what manner, and for what, Consideration: I will now take leave to inform you, what great Reasons there were to put them down Archbishop Land, 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 oppressed by grievous Fines, Imprisonments, Stigmatizing, Mutilations, Whip, Pillories, Gags, Banishments, etc. And the High-Commission, 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 Oppression, and barbarous Cruelty exercised in these Tyrannical Courts.  
Upon the 17th of February 1629, Dr. LEIGHTON coming out of Blackfriars Church (it seems than he was no Conventicler) was seized by a Warrant from the HIGH-COMMISSION-COURT, and dragged to Bp LAVD's HOUSE; from thence, without any Examination, he was carried to Newgate, and there clapped 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 denied 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 called, SION'S PLEA AGAINST THE PRELATES.  
By his Answer he confessed, that when the Parliament was sitting in the Year 1628., he drew up the Heads of that Book; and having the Approbation of five hundred Persons inter their Hands, whereof some were Members of Parliament, he went into Holland to get is printed. That he printed but between five and six hundred only, 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 Cate to suppress them.  
The Doctor, being charged by the Information with these words in the said Book; We do not read of greater Persecution of God's People in any Nation professing the Gospel, than in this our Island, especially SINCE THE DEATH OF QVEEN ELIZABETH. He confessed the words, and answered. That the thing was too too true, as appeared by the Prelates taking away Life and Livelihood from many Ministers and private men's of whom many were pined to death in Prison, and many wandered up and down, their Families being left desolate and helpless: That besides this, the Blood of Souls had been endangered by the remoul of the faithful Shepherds from the Flock. This was a cutting Truth. And,  
LAUD being enraged, desired the Court to put the highest Censure that could be put upon him: That 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 the Pillory, to pay 10000 l. Fine (though they knew he was not worth so much) and to be perpetually imprisoned. The grateful Sentence being past, Laud pulled of his Cap, and holding up his Hands, gave Thanks to God, who had given him Victory over his Enemies. A Knight moved one of the Lords about the dreadfulness of the Censure, intimating that it opened a Gap to the PRELATES, to inflict such disgraceful Punishments and Tortures, upon Men of Quality; That Lord replied, That it was but in terrorem, and that he would not have any one think that the Sentence should ever he executed. Nevertheless.  
Laud had his design; for upon the 26th of November 1630 the Censure was executed in a most cruel mamner, his Ears were out, his Nose slit, his Face branded with burning Irons, he was tied to a Post, and whipped with a triple 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 〈◊〉, lastly, put in the Pillory, and kept there near two 〈◊〉 in Frost and Snow: And then, after this most barbarous Usage, not permitted to return to his Quarters in the 〈◊〉, in a Couch 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, 22 Months, and he remained a Prisoner ten or eleven Years, not suffered to breath in the open Air, until the Parliament of November 1640, most happily delivered him; When he came abroad, to prosecute his Petition in that Parliament, he could neither go, see, nor hear.  
Now surely, Dr. Hollingworth, (for I do not forget to whom I and writing) this dismal Story had fliped your Memory, when you said, 
Vindication of their Majesty's Wisdom, p. 9  The Bishop Laud was a very good Man, save in the Matter of the Book of Sports, and some other, as you fancy (for, you say, you are tender of judging) unnecessary. Innovations. But you must put on Patience, to hear something more of this bloody Villain's Barbarity.  
Upon the 1st of February 1632, Laud procured Mr. Pryn to be sent close Prisoner to the Tower: There he lay till the 21st of June 1633, when an Information was exhibited against him in the Star-Chamber; for publishing a Book concerning Interludes, entitled, 
* Note, that no particular Passages in the Book were mentioned in the Information.  Histriomastix, WHICH WAS LICENCED BY A Chaplain of Dr. Abbot's, Archbishop of Canterbury. Upon the 17th of Feb. 1633. he had this heavy Sentence passed upon him; To be imprisoned for Life, pay 5000 l. Fine; be expelled Lincolns-Inn; disabled to exercise the Profession of a Barrister; degraded by the University of Oxford of his Degree there taken: and that done, to be set in the Pillory at Westminister, and have one of h●s Ears there cut off; and at another time to be set in the Pillory in Cheap●ide, and there have his other Ear cut off.  
Tho many of the Lords never dreamt of the Execution of this horrid Judgement; Nay, though Queen Henrietta Maria, (which deserves an honourable mention, and she shall have it, for fire was their present Majesties Royal Grandmother) earnestly interceded with the bigoted, cruel and merciless King, (he shall have that too, with your leave, Doctor, for he was a Tyrant) to remit its execution; yet on the 7th and 10th of May, it was fully executed with great rigour.  
Mr. Pryn remained sundry Years in the Tower upon this Censure; and in that time Dr. Bastmick (in the Year 1635) was brought into the High-Commission Inquisition, and imprisoned in the Gatehouse, Westminster.  
In the Year 1636, Mr. Burton preached a Sermon upon the 5th of November, at his Church in Friday-street, London, wherein he laid open the Innovations, in Doctrine, Worship and Ceremonies, which had lately crept into the Church; and wished the People to beware of them. For this, LAUD caused Articles to be drawn against him in the High-Commission Court, and suspended him: Then, causing his House to be broken open, took and committed him to the Fleet close Prisoner; and he was shut up there divers Weeks from his Wife and Friends.  
Upon the 11th of March 1636, they exhibited an Information against Dr. Bastwick, Mr. Pryn, and Mr. Burton, in the Star-Chamber. And upon the 14th of June 1637, they passed this Sentence on them, viz. To lose their Ears in the Palace-yard, Westminster: To pay a Fine of 5000 l. a Man; and be perpetually imprisoned in three remote Places of the Kingdom, viz. the Castles of Carnarvan, Cornwall, and Lancaster; and Mr. Pryn to be stigmatised in the Cheeks with two Letters, (S. and L.) for a seditious Libeler.  
Upon the 30th of June, 1637, to the great regret of the People, who strewed their way with Herbs, these Confessors for the English Liberties, were brought to the Place appointed for the Execution of the accursed Sentence; which was done in a manner extraordinarily cruel.  
Dr. Bastwick being upon the Pillory, spoke thus to the lamenting People, I wrote a Book against the Pope, and the POPE OF CANTERBURY said I wrote against him.— So far am I from base Fear, that had I as much Blood as would swell the Thames, I would shed it every drop in this Cause: Had I as many Lives as I have Hairs on my Head, I would give them all for this Cause. Being let out of the Pillory, he took the Sponge from one of his Ears, which was all bloody, and waving it over his Head, said, Blessed be my God, who hath counted me worthy, and of his mighty Power hath enabled me to suffer any thing for his sake. And as I have now lost some of my Blood, so am I ready and willing to spill every drop in my Veins in this Cause for which I have now suffered; which is, for maintaining the Truth of God, and the Honour of my King, against Popish Usurpations. LET GOD BE GLORIFIED, AND LET THE KING LIVE FOR EVER. [These were not Expressions of a COMMONWEALTH'S MAN, or a Rebel; Were they good Doctor- Chaplain at Aldgate?]  
Mr. Pryn's turn being next; he expressed himself thus, We are accounted FACTIOUS FELLOWS, Heretics and REBELS, for 
* Discoverers of Plots against the Protestant Religion, and English Liberties, have been ever used at the rate which Mr. Pryn was, ever since Laud's Faction got up in the Church.  DICOVERING A PLOT OF POPERY: Alas, POOR ENGLAND! What will become of thee and thy Religion, if thou maintainest not thy own ESTABLISHED FAITH [you see, Doctor, Mr. Pryn was for the Church as established by Law] AND LAWFUL LIBERTIES? [Ay, that spoils all, for it renders him a Commonwealth's man no doubt; yet 'tis but such a one as the late King Charles the second, frankly told the Duke of Buckingham he would have been, had he not been a King.] Christian People, (proceeded Mr. Pryn) I beseech you all stand firm, and be zealous for the Cause of God and his true Religion, to the shedding of your dearest Blood, otherwise you will bring yourselves and your Posterities INTO PERPETUAL BONDAGE AND SLAVERY, etc.  
The Executioner coming to ●ear and cut his Ears, he said, Come Friend, Come, burn me, cut me, I fear not; I have learned to fear the Fire of Hell, and not what Man can do unto me: Come, s●ar me, sear me, I shall bear in my Body the Marks of the Lord Jesus. The Executioner having done his part, and that with the utmost Cruelty; Mr. Pryn, with a smiling Countenance said; Now, blessed be God, I have conquered and triumphed over the Bishop's Malice; and returning to the Tower, he made these Verses by the way.  S. L. STIGMATA LAUDIS. 

Stigmata Maxillis referens insignia Laudis,  
Exultans remeo, victima grata Deo.   

Triumphant I return: My Face descries;  
Laud's scorching Scars, God's grateful Sacrifice.   
Next follows Reverend Mr. Burton; he being in the Pillory, said, I was never in such a Pulpit before; but little do you know what Fruit God is able to produce from this dry Tree; MARK MY WORDS; I say, through these Holes God can bring Light to his Church. Moreover, he said, My Conscience in the discharge of my Ministerial Duty, in admonishing my People to beware of the CREEPING IN OF POPERY, and exhorting of them to stick close to God and the King, in Duties of Obedience, was that which first occasioned my Sufferings. For the Truth I have preached, I am ready to seal it with my Blood; for this is my Crown both here and hereafter.  
After this Execution done, they were banished to the remote parts of the Kingdom, and there kept several Years in close and solitary Confinement, not allowed Pen, Ink and Paper, nor the sight of any Friend; and in this most deplorable case did the Parliament in November 1640, find these three distressed Gentlemen, of several Professions, the noblest in the Kingdom, Divinity, Law, and Physic, but they were soon sent for from their Exile, and brought into London by many thousands of rejoicing Gentlemen and Citizens, who went out on Horseback to meet and congratulate their Deliverance. And the Parliament taking their Case into Consideration, voted, THAT THE JUDGEMENTS GIVEN against them were illegal, unjust, and against the LIBERTY OF THE SUBJECT. Now good Doctor, was not here reason with a witness, to open every Man's Mouth with Complaints, against these most arbitrary and pernicious Courts, and to induce the Parliament to remove these Forges of Misery, Oppression and Violence? Nevertheless the KING, with a very unwilling Mind, as I have showed, yielded therein: but as he lost much of the Thanks, which so great a Grace, freely and forwardly expressed, might have deserved; so I doubt it will be some diminution to your Credit, dear Doctor, that, contrary to what you affirm, HE DELAYED, and did not presently comply in this matter. Well! what follows now? The King is still on the giving hand no doubt of it.  
THE SHIP-MONEY (you add) though great and very learned Lawyers had given their Opinion, 
Pag. 5.  that the exacting of it in some Cases was according to Law; yet he, GOOD MAN, giveth up that also.  
Here, good Doctor; you speak like A MERE CLERGYMAN, and I begin to suspect that you never read any other than Dr. NALSON's HISTORY, and are tainted with the Principles of those famous Gentlemen of the Cassock, SIBTHORP and MANWARING, who as well as some designing Lawyers, told your Martyr, That Authority of Parliament is not necessary for the raising Aids and Subsidies. That all Antiquity is absolutely, for absolute Obedience to Princes in all Civil and Temporal Things. You make the 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 harken, 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 looked 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; though in the knowledge 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 Solicitation, 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 FAULKLAND (though 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 Judgement 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 abridge 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 cherished Formality and Superstition as the probable Supports of their own Ecclesiastical Tyranny and Usurpation; 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, etc. Strains of Wit, fit 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 Usurpations, 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 fill 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 entrenched upon the Fundamental Privileges 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 sequestered 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 People's 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 employ 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 Solicitor 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 ailed 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 though they retracted their Opinions, both Houses of Parliament voted, and his Majesty at length acknowledged it to be an illegal and unjust Exaction: Yet that Gild soon were off, and we never heard that thereby, or by any other of the almost innumerable Oppressions of his People; no, nor by his destroying the poor Protestants of Rochel; the Quiet of his Mind was any way disturbed. Now, in the Case we are upon, here was a fair and most solemn Trial; The Lords and Commons voted the Crimes, Treason; The King's Counsel and Judges avowed the same; The Bishops (MARK THAT, DOCTOR) picked the Thorn out of his Conscience Nevertheless, his passing this Bill, violated the Peace of his Mind all the days of his Life. To offer something towards the enlightening you in this Matter, allow me to remind you what you have before read: When the Duke of Buckingham was impeached for Treason, this same King told the Parliament, THAT BUCKINGHAM HAD NOT intermeddled, NOR DONE ANY THING CONCERNING THE PURBLICK, BUT BY HIS SPECIAL DIRECTIONS. Now, I have a strong fancy, that the unhappy Earl of Strafford' s Case, was the same with the Duke's; 
'Tis a mischievous Conscience with whom one good Deed is so hard to pass down, as to endanger almost a choking; and bad Deeds without number, though as big and as bulky as the Buin of three Kingdoms, go down currently without straining.  and that it disturbed the Quiet of the King's Mind, that he could not preserve this, as he had done his other Servant, in the execution of his own Commands. And no marvel it stung his Conscience to adjudge to death those Misdeeds whereof himself had been the chief Author.  
In the next place, good Doctor, you inform us, That the King signed a Bill for a Triennial Parliament; which certainly was as great a condescension as was ever made by a Prince, I Why now, 'tis very unlucky, Doctor, that when you think yourself certainly in the right, you are most undoubtedly in the wrong; for this Act for a TRIENNIAL PARLIAMENT, did not extend to so much as by Law the Parliament ought to have required, there being at that time two Statutes of Edward 3d in force for a Parliament to be holden once a Year.  
But now you bring me to an Act of superabundant Grace; 
Pag. 6.  you say, That he passed an Act for the Parliament to sit during pleasure. This was something indeed; we must therefore examine what Reasons the Parliament had to insist upon this Bill, and what the Motives were that brought the King to comply herein.  
It appeared most evidently to both Houses, by the Examinations and Confessions of several of the Criminals, that sometime before the passing of the Bill for the continuance of the Parliament, (which was upon the 10th of May 1641.) The KING had been tampering with the Army which he had raised against the Scots, and which lay undisbanded in the North, to bring them up to curb the Parliament, and subdue them to his Will. Many great Men were found to be engaged in this Conspiracy, viz. Mr. Piercy, Brother to the Earl of Northumberland; Mr. Henry Jermin the Queen's Favourite, (afterwards Earl of St. Alban); Mr. Goring, eldest Son to the Lord Goring; Mr. Wilmot, the Lord Wilmots eldest Son; Sir John Suckling; Colonel Ashburnham; Pollard; Oneal, an Irish Papist; and many others: these had taken an Oath of Secrecy among themselves. To join with this Army, and strengthen the Plot, a French Army was to be landed at Portsmouth, which Town, for that purpose, was to be put into Mr. Jermyn's hands; and the 
* The Parliament had addressed the King to disband this Army; but he answered, That he would not allow of the disbanding the Irish Army, for divers Reasons best known to himself.  Irish Army, consisting of 8000, almost all Papists, was to be brought over.  
Upon the Discovery of this horrid Plot, Piercy, 
† Jermin, after this Discovery, went off with a Pass under the King's own Hand; which commanded the Governor of Portsmouth to provide, with all speed, a Ship to carry him to any Port of France.  Jermin and Suckling fled into France; Goring being taken, made an ingenuous Confession, and so was discharged: Oneal, Wilmot, Ashburnham, and others, were committed to the Tower, from whence Oneal was permitted to make his Escape.  
Mr. Piercy, by a Letter from beyond the Seas, to his Brother the Earl of Northumberland, dated the 14th of June, confessed much of this Conspiracy; in particular, the taking the Oath of Secrecy; And that they had agreed to engage the Army to stand by the King against the Parliament, in 
The preserving the Bishop's Functions and Votes.  
The not disbanding the Irish Army till the Scots were disbanded.  
The endeavouring to settle his Revenue to that proportion it was formerly.   
That he imparted all this to the King, and perceived, that he had been treated with by others, concerning something of the Army; which did not agree with those Proposals, BUT INCLINED A WAY MORE HIGH AND SHARP, NOT HAVING LIMITS EITHER OF HONOUR OR LAW. That Goring and Jermin were acquainted with the other Proceed; and that the King pressed Mr. Piercy to admit them to consultation: To which he having yielded, and sworn them to Secrecy, acquainted them what he had proposed; but HE FOUND THEIR PROPOSALS DIFFERED FROM HIS, IN VIOLENCE AND HEIGHT.  
Colonel Goring confessed, upon his Examination, that Jermin carried him to the King, who asked him, If he was engaged in any CABAL concerning the Army? To which Goring answering, That he was not: The King said, I command you then to join yourself with Piercy, and some others whom you will find with him at his Lodgings. That he thereupon went, and found with Mr. Piercy; Wilmot, Oneal, and others: That he and Jermin having first taken the Oath of Secrecy, which the others had taken before: Mr. Piercy made his Propositions, viz. That the Army should presently be put into a posture to serve the King, and then should send up a Declaration to the Parliament of these Particulars: That nothing should be done in Parliament, contrary to any former Act of Parliament; and the King's Revenne be established: That Jermin propounded, that the Army should be immediately brought to London; and they SHOULD MAKE SURE OF THE TOWER. and he confessed, that he himself urged these things, to show the Vanity and Danger of the other Propositions, without undertaking these.  
Lieutenant Colonel Ballard and Capt. Chudleigh confessed, that the French that were about London, were to be mounted and would join with the Army; and that the Clergy would raise 1000 Horse to assist them, And Chudleigh added, that the Queen had sent down Money to fortify PORTSMOUTH: Further, that Mr. Jermin asked him, if he thought the Army would stick to their Officers, in case the King and Parliament should not agree?  
It further appeared by the Confessions of Sir Jacob Ashley, Sir John Conniers, and Capt. Legg, eminent Commanders in the King's Army; that Oneal the Papist was a principal Agent in carrying on their Intrigue of working upon the Army to engage them against the Parliament; That THE KING sent Instructions under his Hand, for a Petition to be presented from the Army: In which was a Clause to this effect; That, whereas all Men ought to give God thanks, for putting it into the King's Heart, to condescend to the Desires of the Parliament, to do many things, which none of his Ancestors would have consented unto, as giving way to the Triennial Parliament, and granting many other things for the Good of his Subjects; yet notwithstanding, some turbudent Spirits seemed not to be satisfied, but WOULD HAVE THE TOTAL SUBVERSION OF THE GOVERNMENT: That therefore, the Army, being of good Comportment, though ill Paid, might be called up to attend the Person of the King and Parliament for their Security.  
That the Design was, that the Army should move towards London, and spoil the Country all along as they went, to hinder the Scots from following them. That Oneal proposed to Sir Jacob Ashley, the making the Scots Neutral; but Sir Jacob said, that they would lay him by the Heels, if he should come to move such a thing, for they would never break with the Parliament.  
Upon this Discovery, I must tell you, Doctor, the Hearts of honest Men were highly grieved to find the King in this Conspiracy; and they began to despair of that Happiness which they had hoped for by this Parliament: And the two Houses doubting (as they well might) the King's sincere Affection to them, and considering what great Disturbance they had, and were like to meet with, in settling the State; and what great Disbursments of Money were to be made for payment of the English and Scotish Armies: They unanimously moved the King to sign a Bill for continuance of this present Parliament: That it should never be dissolved till both Houses did Consent and agree, that Public Grievances were fully Redressed; and his Plot made it unsafe for him to deny it: Besides, as his extreme Wants had forced him to call this Parliament, so the same necessitated him to comply with them. For, this great Parliament (taught by woeful experience, that he used Parliaments but to serve his Turn; and so when he had attained his Ends, their End ensued in a sudden Dissolution) would grant no Supply to relieve his Necessities, until, by his Concession, they had obtained this Continuance, to redress the People's many and great Grievances: And they themselves declared, That though there were in it some seeming Restraint of the Regal Power in dissolving Parliaments; yet it was no taking that Power from the Crown, but suspending the Execution of it for this Time and Occasion only: Which was so necessary for the Public Peace, that without it they could not have undertaken any of those great Charges, but must have left both the Armies to Disorder and Confusion, and the whole Kingdom to Blood and Ruin; For to pay the Armies, Money was to be borrowed upon the Public Faith, which had been nothing worth, if that Parliament could have been dissolved at the King's Pleasure.  
And whereas (Sir) you express yourself as astonished at this gracious Compliance, and say, that no King ever granted the like before. I answer, 'Twas most evident, that no King before ever made so great a Necessity for a Parliament to insist upon it. And besides, in the Constitution of ENGLAND 's GOVERNMENT, it was never the meaning of the LAWGIVERS, that the King should dissolve Parliaments, whilst the Great Affairs of the Kingdom were depending: And though Kings have used to do so, it was never the more lawful.  
Well, Doctor, I agree with you, that the King passed these Bills, very advantageous for the Subject; yet in none of them was he bereft of any just, necessary or profitable Prerogative of the Crown. And I must tell you, because you are silent, and for aught I know, ignorant in the Point, All this was not done for nought; for the King had out of the Subjects Purse, in the first Year of this Parliament, ONE MILLION AND AN HALF OF MONEY: And yet some Men have the impudence to suggest, That the Parliament did nothing for him.  
To proceed;  
What's the next Article in the Impeachment against this Parliament? 
Pag. 7  These Men, to show their Gratitude for what was done before, drew up a Remonstrance, wherein they made the most bitter Reflections upon the King's former Government.— And which was so unmannerly, as well as false, that when it came to be debated in the whole House, 'twas carried only by eleven Voices.  
You are out again, most unlusky Doctor! My Authentic Flistorian tells me a Tale quite contrary to yours; The Remonstrance, or Declaration of the State of the Kingdom, was carried but by eight Voices, saith he; yet it contained plain (which I will allow you to call Unmannerly, but must not yield to be false) Truths, reciting the chief Grievances and Oppressions which the Nation had groaned under since the beginning of this King's Reign until that time, but with as much tendernefs of Expression, and respect to his Person, as so much Truth could possibly be uttered. Many of the Members who opposed this Remonstrance, were of the same Opinion with those who voted for it; but urged, that no Cure could be hoped for by it: That instead of directing a stubborn King for the future, it would teach him only to hate the Makers of it, as Upbraiders of his Crimes: And they held it fit to win him by the sweeter way of concealing his Errors, rather than by publishing them, to hazard the provoking him. And now, Sir, not to contend it with you, whether the little Majority, or great Minority, were the best Politicians, and most in the right; you are certainly in the wrong, when you insist, that this Remonstrance was so strennously opposed, bocause the Matter thereof was unmannerly and false.  
You add, 
Pag. 8.  That the King fairly answered this Remonstrance, and vindicated himself from those horrid Aspersions wherewith they loaded him.  
Not to be transported, Reverend Sir, to such an indecency of replying, as is usual in such a Case as this; I barely tell you, that you talk loosely, and with no regard to Truth in what you now say, for I have the Royal Answer and Vindication now under my Eye, and do find that the King doth fairly answer the Remonstrance, which sets forth the many Grievances and high Oppressions of the People; in these only words, We shall IN FEW WORDS PASS over that part of the Narrative, wherein the Misfortunes of this Kingdom, from our first entering to the Crown, to the beginning of this Parliament, are remembered in so sensible Expressions. And to this he adds not one word in vindication of himself from those Miscarriages enumerated in the Parliament's Romonstrance, which you call HORRID ASPERSIONS; but his Majesty knew to be sad Truths.  
What follows next?  
The King (you say) through TUMULTS, 
Ibid.  and too-much countenanced RIOTS, withdrew from Whitehall, being under apprehensions of Affronts designed to be offered to his Person, if not something worse.  
The Story of these pretended Tumults and Riots, (dear Doctor) is so intermixed with another, relating to the greatest Violation of the Privileges of Parliament that ever was committed, that 'tis most necessary to talk of both together.  
About the beginning of January 1641, the King sought nothing more than to begin a Quarrel; and to support himself therein, he employed Emissaries to cajole the young Gentlemen of the Inns of Courts, to make offer of their Service to him, as a Guard of Defence; and divers of them to ingratiate themselves, repaired to the Court, and were highly caressed by the King and Queen: He at the same time ordered Cannoneers and other Assistants, into the Tower, and removed the Lieutenant thereof: He fortified Whitehall with Men and Munition in an unusual manner. And about the same time, Colonel Lunsford and others gathered Troops of Horse at Kingston upon Thames, where the Magazine of Arms for that part of the County of Surrey lay. Matters on his part being thus prepared, upon the third of January (not only against the Privilege of Parliament, but the common Liberty of every Subject) he commanded the Chambers, Studies and Trunks of the Lord Mandeville, a Member of the House of Lords, (Grandfather to the present Noble Earl of Manchester, who inherits as well the Vertnes as Honours of that great Patriot) and of Denzel Holles, Esq; (since known by the name of the great Lord Holles) Sir Arthur Hasterig, Mr. J. Pym, Mr. John Hambden (Grandfather to that highly deserving Gentleman, who at this day bears his Name, and in whom his Virtues do live and flourish) and Mr. William Strode, Members of Parliament, 
* These were all Gentlemen of great Esteem and Reputation in the House. Two of them, Mr. Holles, and Mr. Strode, having before suffered many Years of sharp and harsh Imprisonment from the King, after the Dissolution of the Parliament in the fourth Year of his Reign, for Matters done in Parliament, contrary to the Privileges of that high Court.  to be sealed up. Upon the next day the King came with about 300 Soldiers, Papists and others to the House of Commons, armed with Swords, Pistols and other Weapons; and there demanded the said five Members to be delivered to him, upon a pretended Charge of High-Treason. His Followers at the same time thrusting away the Doorkeepers and Attendants of the House, held up their Swords, and some their Pistols ready cocked, saying, I am a good Marksman, I can hit right I warrant you: Others of them said, A Pox take the House of Commons; a Pox of God confound them, and violently assaulted and by Force disarmed some of the Servants of the Members, and said, WHEN COMES THE WORD? and afterwards declared, that questionless, if the Word had been given, they should have fallen upon the House of Commons, and HAVE CUT ALL THEIR THROATS; which Do the Commons declared, were A TRAITOROUS DESIGN against the King and Parliament, and that they could not sit any longer without a sufficient 
* They petitioned the King to allow them a Guard to be commanded by the Lord Chamberlain of his Household, but could not obtain it.  Guard, wherein they might confide; wherefore they adjourned to the Tuesday following, having appinted a Committee to sit in the mean time at Guildhall London, to consider of all things that might concern the Good and Safety of the Kingdom, and the Relief of Ireland. [And I am to tell you, Doctor, that the great Lord Falkland was the fourth Person named to this great Committee.]  
The Commons further declared, That they were so far from protecting any of their Members that should in a due manner be prosecuted according to the Laws of the Kingdom, and the Rights and Privileges of Parliament, for Treason, or any other Misdemeanours, that none should be more ready and willing than themselves to bring them to a speedy and due Trial. And upon the 15th of January, they ordered the Attonrny-General, who had preferred the Articles of Treason against the Members, to bring in his Proof, and make them good, if he could: Whereupon the King sent a Message, that HE NOW FOUND CAUSE wholly to dosist from proceeding against them; and had commanded his Attourny-General to proceed no further therein, nor to produce nor discover any Proof concerning the matter. Also BOTH HOUSES petitioned the King for the speedy proceeding against the accused Members IN A LEGAL WAY, whereby they might be brought to condign Punishment, if guilty; or discharged from so heavy an Accusation, if innocent. The King giving an evasive Answer to this Petition, the Lords and Commons apply to him again, by a second Petition, praying that the Parliament might be informed before Friday than next ensuing, what Proof there is against them, that they may be called to a Legal Trial.  

A Petition of about two thousand Freeholders of Backinghamshirs was presented to the King, setting forth that Mr. Hambden, Knight of their Shire, (a Gentleman in high Esteem with them and the whole Kingdom) was accused of Treason; that they believed it to be the Malice which his Zeal to his Majesty's Service and the State had contracted in the Enemies to the King, the Church and the Commonwealth, had occasioned this foul Accusation; and they prayed that he and the other Members might enjoy the Privilege of Parliament. 
The City of London also petitioned, that the Lord Mandeville and the five Members might not be restrained of Liberty, or proceeded against otherwise than according to the Privileges of Parliament.   To which Petition the King answered, that, AS HE ONCE CONCEIVED, he had ground enough to accuse them; so now, his Majesty finds as good Cause wholly to desert any Prosecution of them. Do you hear this, DOCTOR? If you ever had till now, you would not surely have assumed the Confidence to have said as you do, (Pa. 11, 12.) That nothing less would satisfy the Parliament, than that he must be obliged, AS IT WERE, and IN EFFECT, to beg the Members Pardon for wronging them, with what he thought and COULD BY GOOD EVIDENCE PROVE MATTER OF TRUTH. Now I do (AS IT WERE) think that you ought (not only IN EFFECT, but in earnest) to humble yourself to the Descendants of these honourable and never to be forgotten PATRIOTS, for the horrid Slander which you here lay on their great Names and Families: For, though the King gave up the Cause, saying, that HE FOUND GOOD REASON wholly to desist from proceeding against them; and at another time, that he found GOOD CAUSE wholly to desert any Prosecution of them: Yet, you forsooth, must keep up the wicked Clamour, and falsely inform this Generation, that his Majesty, GOOD MAN, had pregnant Evidence to prove them guilty of Treason. But, to put you to shame if possible ('tis what you threatened me with, Reverend Sir!) I shall add a few words more upon this occasion. The Lords and Commons told the King in a third Petition, that notwithstanding his Majesty found good cause wholly to desert any further Prosecution of the accused Members; yet they remained still under that heavy Charge so imputed unto them. And that by two Acts of Parliament, viz. 37 and 38 Edw. 3. it was enacted, That if any Person whatsoever make Suggestion to THE KING HIMSELF of any Crime committed by another, the same Person ought to be sent with the Suggestion before the Chancellor or Keeper of the Great Seal, Treasurer, or the great Countil; there to find Surety to pursue his Suggestion, which if he cann●t prove, he is to be imprisoned till he satisfy the Party accused of his Damages and Slander, and made Fine and Ransom to the King. Wherefore the Lords and Commons beseeched the King, that he would be pleased to send the Person or Persons, that in this Case made the Suggestions or Informations to him, against the said Members; together with the Suggestions or Informations to the Parliament; that so such Fruits of the said good Laws may be had, as was intended by them; and the Rights and Privileges of Parliament may be vindicated, WHICH OF RIGHT AND JUSTICE AUGHT NOT TO BE DENIED.  
Notwithstanding this Petition, no Authors nor Witnesses were ever produced, to avow the heavy Charge and Accusation of the noble Lord Mandeville and the five Members, till now, that fifty Years are elapsed; You, unhappy Doctor, are trumping up good Evidence, though for want of just Matter, which yet never came to light; the King let the Business fall of his own accord. And see now how neatly you have noosed yourself; for, by your idle Dedication to their Majesties, you have made this false Suggestion TO THE KING HIMSELF, and so are fallen into the Mercy of the noble Earl of Manchester, and become liable to the severe Penalties in the Statutes of King Edward the Third.  
To dispatch this Head; Was it not a Crime against the Law of Nature, against the Rules of Justice; that innocent Men should be charged with so great an Offence as Treason, in the Face of the highest Judicature in the Kingdom, without Witness, without any possibility of Reparation, even in point of Innocency? Such was the Case of these great Men; for the King denied to discover their Accusers, and yet would not pass a Bill for their Discharge, unless in the Narration they would desert the avowing their own Innocency. Nay, was it not an Act of Tyranny beyond Parallel? He accused them, and yet would produce no Witness: he confessed them clear in his own Judgement, yet they must not profess their own Innocency, for fear of wounding his Honour.  
We will proceed now, Reverend Doctor, to what remains to be said, about the terrifying Tumults and Riots which frighted his Majesty from Whitehall. You said, that he withdrew from thence through Tumults, and too much countenanced Riots, being under apprehension of Affronts, designed to be offered to his Person, IF NOT SOMETHING WORSE. When you return me an Answer to this Letter, dear Sir, you will infinitely oblige me, if you will tell me, in plain English, what you intent by SOMETHING WORSE, than that the Mob would affront his Majesty's Royal Person? For, according to my present Apprehension, you seem to insinuate, that HE ABDICATED WHITEHALL, under a dread, that these wicked Rioters would have forced his COMFORTABLE IMPORTANCE, or perpretrated some Act so highly Villainous, that you could not find a Name for it. For the present, till I have better Light herein, I will lay before you my Thoughts in this Case: In the doing whereof, we must examine how things stood at that time, whereby 'twill be seen, whether there were any such Tumules; and if there were, whether the King himself did not cause them?  
He had tempted the ENGLISH ARMY, with no less Reward than the Spoil of the City of LONDON, to come up and destroy the PARLIAMENT; He had, in an unexcusable and hostile manner, made a most high Invasion upon the Privileges of BOTH HOUSES: Hereupon many Citizens, unarmed, resorted to Westminster to present their Petitions, and express their steadfastness to the Parliament, whose Lives and Safeties, by more than slight Rumours, they doubted to be in Danger; the King having fortified Whitehall, and entertained Armed Men, not a few, planted them at the 
* The first Blood that was drawn in this Cause, was in that very place where the King's own Blood was afterwards shed.  Gate of his Palace, where they reviled, menaced, and with drawn Swords actually wounded many of the Citizens, as they passed by in a peaceable manner, whereof some died. Nay, they went farther, and were come to that height of Boldness, as to give out insolent and menacing Speeches against the Parliament itself, and to imbrue their Hands in the Blood of the King's Subjects in Westminster-hall, and at the Doors of the Parliament, as well as at his own Gate. And when the Parliament and People complained, and demanded Justice for those Assaults, 
1 K. 21, 19  he justified and abetted his own Crew in what they did.  
Now, the passing by of a multitude of the King's Subjects, armed with no other Weapons than Petitions, could neither be justly called Tumults, nor could the Parliament have forbid them, without breach of the People's Freedom: Unarmed Petitioners surely could not be formidable to any: And I must remember you, Doctor, that a very short time before his Majesty pretended to dread these tumultuary Citizens, The City entertained, feasted, and conducted him to Whitehall, with at pompous Solemnity, and costly Expressions of Love and Duty, as ever had been known. Nay, did he not the very next day, after his irruption in the House of Commons, than which nothing had more exasperated the People, go in his Coach unguarded into the City? Did he receive the least Affront, much less Violence in any of the Streets, but rather humble Demeanours and Supplications? He knew the People so full of Awe and Reverence to his Person, as to commit himself single amongst the thickest of them, at a time when he had most provoked them: This shows, beyond doubting, that all his fear of Tumults, was but a mere Pretence and Occasion taken, of his resolved absence from the Parliament, that he might turn his Slashing at the Courtgate, to Slaughtering in the Field. Well,  
The King retires first to Hampton-Court, commanding his Servants, who were Members of Parliament, to leave their Service there, and to give their Attendance upon his Person. Shortly after, the QVEEN passes into Holland, carrying with her all, or the greatest part of the Crown-Jewels; which she immediately pawned, and with the Money bought Arms and Ammunition for the War, which was not yet begun.  
But I had almost forgot myself, Reverend Sir, I must attend to what you say in the Case; 
Pag. 8.  'Tis this, I see; The King, though withdrawn, yet ceases not to call upon the Parliament to consider the Nation's Good, and the settling it upon such Foundations, as neither the Monarch might invade the just Rights of the People, nor the People encroach upon the Rights of his Crown and Dignity. Having said this, you intimate that he told them something upon their presenting Petitions to him at Theobalds' and New-market. Then it seems that they called upon him likewise, and 'tis fit my Countrymen should know for what, seeing you do maliciously withhold it.  
Upon the 1st of March 1641, BOTH HOUSES CALLED UPON HIS MAJESTY, by their Petition presented at Theobalds'; That for the dispatch of the great Affairs of the Kingdom, the Safety of his Person, the Protection and Comfort of his Subjects, he would be pleased to continue his Abode near the Parliament, and not to withdraw himself to any the remoter Parts; which if he should do, must needs be a cause of great Danger and Distraction: And they prayed him to accept this humble Counsel, as the Effect of that Duty and Allegiance which they owed unto him, and which would not suffer them to admit of any Thoughts, Intentions or Endeavours, but such as were necessary and advantageous for his Majesty's Greatness and Honour, and the Safety and Prosperity of the Kingdom: Expressions surely, that do not in the least savour of that Sedition and Rebellion, with which at this time, by you, Doctor, and many other WICKED Clergymen, the Memory of this great Parliament is charged.  
The King being deaf to the importunate Supplication of the Lords and Commons for his Return: They again called upon him more earnestly, sending after him a Declaration to Newmarket, by the Earls of Pembroke and Holland, and a Committee of the Commons, wherein they laid before him the Causes of their own Fears and Jealousies 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 chief fomented by the Papists, and other 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, etc. 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 Majesty's Subjects an evil Opinion of the Parliament, and other Symptoms 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 the Sea, after a Vote had passed in the House of Commons, declaring, that he had appeared in a Warlike manner at Kingston upon Thames, to the Terror of your Majesty's good Subjects; that he being so got beyond Sea, he vented his traitorous Conceptions, That your Majesty should declare yourself, 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 YOURSELF FROM YOUR PARLIAMENT, and carrying the Prince with you, which seems to express a purpose in your Majesty to keep yourself 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 solicited the Kings of France and Spain to lend your Majesty 4000 Men apiece, 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 denied by your Majesty, We do with Sorrow apply ourselves to the use of that 
* The Militia.  Power, which, by the Fundamental Laws of this Kingdom, resides in us; yet still resolving to keep ourselves within the Bounds of Faithfulness and Allegiance to your Sacred Person and your Crown.  
And as to the Fears and Jealousies which his Majesty seemed to have entertained of them; The Lords and Commons thus answered:  
We have, according to your Majesty's Desires, laid our Hands upon our Hearts; we have asked ourselves 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 and just occasion to absent yourself from Whitehall and the Parliament; but that you may with more Honour and Safety continue there, than in any other place.  
Your Majesty lays a general Charge upon us: if you will be graciously 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 ourselves?  
WE BESEECH YOUR MAJESTY TO CONSIDER IN WHAT STATE YOU ARE, how easy and fair a way you have to Happiness, Honour and Greatness, Plenty and Security; if you will join with the Parliament in the Defence of the Religion and public Good of the Kingdom; THIS IS ALL WE EXPECT FROM YOU; and for this we return to you our Lives, Fortunes and utmost Eadeavours to support your Majesty, your just Sovereignty and Power 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 care of their Privileges, 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 the present Necessity of the Kingdom do enforce 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 a happy beginning of Contentment and Confidence betwixt your Majesty and your 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, good Doctor, of the Declaration which you mention to be read to the King at Newmarket; and you, with very little regard to his Majesty's Honour, do affirm, that after the hearing this Declaration read, he expostulated in these words: What would you have? Have I violated your Laws? 
Pag. 8.  Were you so well read in the History of that Day, as you pretend to be, this his strong Expostulation with the Lords and Commons would never have found room in your Defence of the King; for his high violation of the Laws were too well known to the whole World, to be denied; and you, his Majesty's Defender, would never have revived the thing, had you remembered the short, but most pertinent Reply which both Houses made thereto, in these words; We are hearty sorry we have such plentiful matter of an Answer to that Question, HAVE I VIOLATED YOUR LAWS?  
You proceed, 
Pag. 9  Sir, saying, That the Applications from the two Houses at this time, were for NOTHING LESS than the MILITIA. You are out again, Doctor, and would I use the Royal Language, wherewith the Earl of Holland was intterrupted by the King in reading the Declaration to him at New-market, I might, with more Truth than he did say, that'S FALSE, that'S A LIE: For in recounting some Particulars of the Declaration I have demonstrated, that their Application was also for other and less Matters than the Militia; they humbly petitioned him to put away his wicked Counsellors, and to return to his Parliament.  
You add; That the King continuing steadfast to his Resolution, and DEAF TO ALL THEIR IMPORIUNITIES, [The want of Ears, I must tell you, Reverend Sir, cost him his Head at last] telling them, That he would nor part with his Militia for an Hour. I must help you a little in this part of the Story too; The Earl of Pembroke asked him, Whether the Militia might not be granted, as was desired by the Parliament for a time? HIS MAJESTY SWORE, BY GOD, NOT FOR AN HOUR. This shows him a little more stubbornly steadfast than you would tell the World; however, you told too much in this place, or his Majesty resolved and swore too fast; for afterwards you say, That at the Treaty at uxbridg, 
Pag. 20.  He consented that the Militia, for three Years, should be in the Hands of twenty Commissioners, the one half to be nominated by the two Houses.  
Your next words are these, THE MILITIA THEY MUST HAVE, 
Pag. 9  OR THE NATION IS UNDONE.  
The State of the Kingdom at that Day considered, there never fell from your Pen a greater Truth than what you have here delivered; for, besides the particular Instances which I have already given you of the King's Invasion of the Privileges of the Parliament, of the Rights of the People, and of his Pr●●●●ations for War against them; I must here inform you, that in the beginning of the Year 1641, 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 than he dispatched away Letters, and an Agent to the King of Denmark, complaining of the Parliament, and ask Supplies from thence, AD PROPULSANDOS HOSTS, you know the English of that is, to subdue his Enemies; and declared himself in these words, 
☜  ad alia Consilia Animum convertendum duximus; We resolve to betake ourselves to new Counsels; the very words he used to the Parliament in the Year 1628.  
Further, upon the Discovery of his Plot to bring up the English Army against the Parliament, he turned to the Scotish Army, then at Newcastle, 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 Scotish. Moreover, to encourage them to join with him, he declared to them, that he was to have Money and Horse from Denmark, and that he would made 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 to 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; to give you the Names of some of them, the Earls of Holland, Rutland, Bedford, Bullingbrook, Salisbury, Warwick, Pembroke, Leicester, Stamford, Essex, Clare, Northumberland, Lincoln, Suffolk, etc. Lords, Paget, North, Strange, Roberts, Grey of Werk, Chandois, Dacres, Mandeville, Wharton, Spencer, Brook, Herbert, Fielding, Littleton, Lord Keeper, etc. 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 him to give such an Answer as might raise in them a Confidence that they should not be exposed to the Practices of those who thirst after the Ruin of the Kingdom, and the kindling that Combustion in England which they had effected in Ireland: 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 Commonwealth, that the Laws of God and Man enjoin them to see it put in Execution. They again by a Petition presented at Theobalds', March 1, 1641. entreated him, that he would at last be pleased to grant their necessary Petition concerning the Militia, and declared, that if he refused to do it in these times of Distraction, they must be enforced 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 COUNSELS of PAPISTS, and other illaffected 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 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 extreme Danger, and of his Majesty's refusal, the Ordinance agreed to by both Houses for the Militia, doth oblige the People, and AUGHT 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 DESTRUCTION 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 show you how much higher our Forefathers 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 Misrule 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 threatened with most imminent Danger, from intestine Enemies and Foreign Force; WE only made a most necessary Provision, that our own Swords should not be employed 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; 'twas 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 advantageously 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 causeless 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 harkening 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, though 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 YOUR MAJESTY'S HONOUR AND SAFETY WE ARE MOST CONFIDENT) and WHATSOEVER SHALL BE ADVISED BY YOUR GREAT COUNCIL, we shall most willingly embrace, and give our Concurrence and Assistance to it, as shall become us.— And WE ARE MOST ASSURED, 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 styled 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 Dependence on your Majesty; and were threatened, that WHEN YOUR MAJESTY'S ARMY SHOULD 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 YOUR MAJESTY'S OWN EXPRESSIONS, etc.  
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 demonstrated, as what your Majesty in Parliament shall declare; which IF IT BECOME DIVIDED, (as God forbidden) 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 Understanding, that IT IS NOT A DIVIDED PART OF ONE OR SEVERAL COUNTIES THAT can afford that Honour and Safety to your Majesty, AS THE WHOLE KINGDOM, WHICH YOU MAT COMMAND, no ground of Fear or Danger remaining, if a good 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 unfitness 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 Privileges 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 pressed 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; 'twas 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 aught 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 ourselves 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 ourselves 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 itself; 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 professed 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 hearty dedicate, and shall most willingly employ for the support and maintenance thereof.  
And now, Sir, I appeal to you, and to all the World, Whether these Men talked 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 falsely 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 established 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 acknowledge; 'Tis 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 ●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 yourself; Truly, I think, ACCORDING TO MY POOR JUDGEMENT, 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 Judgement; but one would think, that he that is conscious of his own Weakness and Incapacity, should not assume the Arrogance to judge 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 ERRONEOUS 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 ENTRUSTED with their Kingdoms, and with their Towns, and with their People, and with the Public Treasures of the Commonwealth, 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 entrusted unto him for the Use and Ornament thereof; as the Towns, Forts, Treasure, Magazines, Offices and the People of the Kingdom; and the whole Kingdom itself is entrusted unto him, for the Good, Safety, and best Advantage thereof. And AS THIS TRVST IS FOR THE USE OF THE KINGDOM, SO IT AUGHT TO BE MANAGED BY THE ADVICE OF THE HOUSES 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 inquire what you, Sir, in your poor Judgement 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 judge most to conduce to the Peace and Safety of the Kingdom, but was also commanded to cause a Petition of both House'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 extremely 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 SUPERSTITION in the CHURCH, and TYRANNY and CONFUSION 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 hindered the Reformation and Prevention of those Mischiefs; and being now disabled to avoid the Endeavours of this Parliament, by any such Means, have TRAITOROUSLY attempted to over-awe the same by Force: And in prosecution of their wicked Designs, have EXCITED, ENCOURAGED AND FOSTERED an unnatural REBELLION in IRELAND; and have drawn your MAJESTY to make War against your Parliament, as if you intended, by CONQUEST, to establish an ABSOLUTE ILLIMITED I OWER over them.  
And by YOUR POWER, and the countenance of your Presence, have SPOILT, IMPRISONED, MURDERED 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 Privilege and Power of Parliament; TAKEN UP 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 YOUR MAJESTY WILL NOT MIX YOUR 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 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 yourself, and to your People, all the Blessings of a glorious and happy Reign.  
You see, Sir, the LORDS AND COMMONS TALKED 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 Proceed, before the Parliament voted the raising of their Army.  
He put a Garrison of Soldiers 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 men's 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 Judgement 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 ●●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 hazards many and great Alterations made in Doctrine, Innovations in Worship, the Power of Godliness disgraced, 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, (though 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, etc. 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, etc. 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 Sword in the other, in which the Lords and Commons do, IN THE PRESENCE OF ALMIGHTY GOD, profess, That if his Majesty will forthwith return to his Parliament, etc. they will receive him with all Honour, yield him all due Subjection and Obedience, and faithfully endeavour to secure his Person and Estate from all Danger, and do the utmost of their Power, to procure and establish to himself and his People all the Blessings of a glorious and happy Reign. WE DID THAN VERILY BELIEVE, AND YET DO, that these were the sincere and cordial Intentions of the Lords and Commons; and although the King was so unhappy as to reject that Petition, yet they persisted still in the same Loyalty of Intentions and Affections towards him, as appears in their many Messages to himself, and Declarations to the Kingdom.  
Upon these Grounds we engaged in this CAUSE, being called to it by a lawful Authority; The TWO HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT, BEING THE ORDINANCE OF GOD UNTO THIS NATION, FOR THE PREVENTING OF TYRANNY, AND THE REGULATING OF THE EXORBITANCIES OF REGAL POWER; and being convinced in our Judgements both of the Equity and Necessity of THE PARLIAMENT'S DEFENSIVE ARMS, etc.  
WE APPEAL TO GOD the Searcher of all Hearts, to whom we must give an Account of all our Ways, THAT THESE WERE THE GROUNDS OF OUR FIRST ENGAGEMENT.  
Now, Sir, to look back to your Defence of the King; I find you frequently glorying in his Majesty's oft-repeated Gracious Messages, Offers, Proposals and Condescensions for Peace; and in relation to the Deportment of the Parliament, you thus express your poor Judgement. I cannot but persuade myself, 
Pag. 17.  they were resolved to continue the War, and engross all into their own hands, let what would become of the King: But yet that they might pacify the Minds of a great number of the Nation, who groaned under the Miseries of the War, and began to see too much of a private Spirit under public Pretences; they consent to a Treaty at Uxbridg; they did so, and you declare that two Heads were agreed to be there debated, viz.  

1. Of Religion and Church Government.  
2. Of the Militia.   
Now in reading the History of that Treaty, I find that a third great thing was agreed to be also debated, viz. The business of Ireland; but that being a Point which you care not to touch, I must not allow you to hid it.  
To discourse a little about this Treaty; notwithstanding the King for his Credit-sake, and to satisfy his own Party, weary of War, yielded to a Treaty; I cannot persuade myself but he was resolved to continue the War; and if you appear not a Man of resolved Prejudices, or else of profound and stupid Ignorance, I do half think that I may bring you over to my Opinion in this matter. For to let you see what disposed him to hearken to this Treaty, take his own words in his Letter to the Queen in December 1644. I shall show thee upon what Grounds I came to a Treaty, to the end thou mayst the better understand and APPROVE of my Ways: Then know (as A CERTAIN TRUTH) that all, EVEN MY PARTY, are strongly impatient for Peace; which obliged me so much the more (at all occasions) to show my real Intentions to Peace.— NO DANGER OF DEATH SHALL MAKE ME DO ANY THING UNWORTHY OF THY LOVE.  
At the very instant of this Treaty, which was had in February 1644, the King used all imaginable means to bring not only FOREIGN FORCES, but the Irish CUTTHROATS against the Parliament, to clear up this Point, and also to evince how insincere he was in his pretended Intentions of Peace. I will briefly present to your view his underhand Transactions, as well with Foreign Princes as those Rebels: and in the first place, I shall mind you of some Passages between Him and the Queen in relation to this and other Treaties.  
In a Letter to her of January 9, 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 the making A HANDSOME NEGATIVE, I have demanded a Passport for Phil. Warwick, by whom to return my Answer.  
At another time in the same Month he tells her, that as for my my calling those at London 
* He had agreed to treat with them as a Parliament, the Queen upbraided him for so doing, and he thus vindicates himself.  A 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 registered in the Council-Books.  
Nothing is more evident than that the King was steered by the Queen's Counsel in the Management of this Uxbridg- Treaty, and that which you call 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 for sake him in his need; that SHE hopes he will have a care of her and HER RELIGION: That in her Majesty's Opinion, RELIGION SHOULD BE THE LAST THING UPON WHICH HE SHOULD TREAT; for if he do agree upon Strictness against the Catholics, it would discourage them to serve him; and if afterwards there should be no Peace, he could never expect Succours either FROM IRELAND, or any other CATHOLIC PRINCE.  
In another of her Letters we find her writing thus, Jan. 17, 1644. It comforts me much to see the Treaty shall be at Uxbridg.— I RECEIVED YESTERDAY LETTERS FROM THE DUKE OF LORRAINE, WHO SENDS ME WORD, IF HIS SERVICE BE AGREEABLE TO YOU, HE WILL BRING YOU 10000 MEN— ABOVE ALL have a care not to ABANDON those who have served you, AS WELL THE BISHOPS AS THE POOR CATHOLICS.  
By the King's Letters to the Queen in February, when the Treaty at Vxbridg was depending, he styles the Parliament UNREASONBLE, STUBBORN, PERFIDIOUS REBELS; presses her to hasten all possible Assistance to him, particularly that of the Duke of Lorraine. He tells her, that the limited days for treating are now almost expired, without the least Agreement upon any one Article; wherefore I have sent for enlargement of Days, THAT THE WHOLE TREATY MAY BE LAID OPEN TO THE WORLD; and I ASSURE THEE THOU NEEDEST NOT DOUBT THE ISSUE OF THIS TREATY; for MY COMMISSIONERS ARE SO WELL CHOSEN, (though I say it) that they will neither be threatened nor disputed from the Grounds I have given them, which (upon my word) IS ACCORDING TO THE LITTLE NOTE THOU SO WELL REMEMBERS.— Be confident that in making Peace I shall ever show my CONSTANCY IN ADHERING TO BISHOPS, AND ALL OUR FRIENDS, and not forget to put a short Period to this perpetual Parliament.  
We find him in another Letter dated the 5th of March, expressing himself in these words: I have thought of one means more to furnish thee with for my Assistance, than hitherto thou hast had; it is, that I GIVE THEE POWER TO PROMISE IN MY NAME, THAT I will 
* If this were so good a King, Why so much Clamour against K. James the Second for designing the same thing?  take away all the Penal Laws against the Roman Catholics in England, as soon as God shall enable me to do it.  
Another Letter to her of the 20th of March, hath this Expression, I find that Thou much mistakes Me concerning Ireland; I DESIRE NOTHING MORE THAN A PEACE there, and never forbade thy Commerce there.  
In relation to Ireland, he wrote to the Marquis of Ormond to this effect, Jan. 7.  
THE REBELS HERE have agreed to TREAT, AND MOST ASSUREDLY ONE OF THE FIRST and chief ARTICLES they will insist on will be, TO CONTINUE THE IRISH WAR, WHICH IS A POINT NOT POPULAR FOR ME TO BREAK ON; of which you are to make a double use: First, TO HASTEN WITH ALL POSSIBLE DILIGENCE THE PEACE THERE; the timely conclusion of which, will take off that Inconvenience which otherwise I may be subject to, by the refusal of that Article, upon any other Reason. Secondly, By dexterous conveying to the Irish, the Danger there may be of their total and perpetual EXCLUSION FROM THOSE FAVOURS I INTENT THEM, in case THE REBELS here elap up a Peace with me.  
NOT DOUBTING OF A PEACE, I must again remember you, TO PRESS THE IRISH for their speedy Assistance to me here, and their Friends in Scotland.— I DESIRE that THE IRISH would send as great a Body as they can, to land about Cumberland, WHICH WILL PUT THOSE NORTHERN COUNTIES IN A BRAVE CONDITION.  
Upon the 14th of January, he writes thus to the Queen; As for the Peace of Ireland, to show thee the Care I have had of it, and the Fruits I hope to receive from it, I have sent thee the last Dispatches I have sent concerning it.— FOR GOD'S SAKE LET NONE KNOW THE PARTICULARS OF MY DISPATCHES.  
By another Letter, he commanded Ormond, To dispatch the Irish Peace out of hand; and thereby promises that the PENAL LAWS against Roman Catholics SHALL NOT BE PUT IN EXECUTION, the Peace being made; and that when the Irish give him that Assistance which they have promised for the suppression of THIS REBELLION, than he would consent to the Repeal of them by a Law: and concludes, RECOMMENDING TO HIM AGAIN, THE SPEEDY DISPATCH OF THE PEACE OF IRELAND.  
Another Letter to Ormond, upon the 27th of Feb. 1644, was, That HE THOUGHT HIMSELF Bound IN CONSCIENCE not to lose that Assistance which he might hope from his IRISH SUBJECTS, for such Scruples as in a less pressing condition might reasonably be stuck at by him, and therefore commanded him to conclude a Peace with the Irish, WHATSOEVER IT COST, so that his Protestant Subjects there might be secured, and his Regal Authority preserved.— If the present taking away of the Penal Laws against Papists will do it, (said he) I shall not think it a hard Bargain, so that freely and vigorously they engage themselves in my Assistance against MY REBELS of England and Scotland; FOR WHICH NO CONDITIONS CAN BE TOO HARD, not being against Conscience or Honour.  
By another Letter to the Marquis of Ormond, in the same Month, he writes thus; Now again I cannot but mention the Necessity of hastening the Irish Peace, for which I hope you are already furnished by me with Materials sufficient. But in case (against all Expectation and Reason) PEACE CANNOT BE HAD UPON THOSE TERMS, YOU MUST NOT BY ANY MEANS FALL TO A NEW RUPTURE with them, but continue THE CESSATION.  
He wrote to the Duke of Richmond, one of his Commissioners for the uxbridg Treaty; 
There was at this time high Division in London, between the Presbyterians and Independents; therefore to ruin both, by somenti●● Misunderstandings between them, the Independents are to be cajoled: A thing worthy remembrance in all times.  TO REMEMBER TO CAJOLE WELL THE INDEPENDENTS AND THE SCOTS; Nay, he instructed Secretary Nicholas to bribe the Commissioners for the Parliament, with the promise of Security, Rewards, and Places.  
Well, now upon the whole Matter, pray tell me ingenuously, good Doctor, Whether did the King or the Parliament more sincerely aim at the desired Peace in this Treaty? I am clearly of opinion, that he frustrated the Hopes of a happy Composure at this time, for whatever you allege, had he used the same moderation here, and granted those things he offered to yield to afterwards, (as I may have occasion to show you hereafter) the unhappy War had then been ended: But though he pretended to listen to Overtures of Peace, because his own Party were weary of the War; yet he was found to use Tricks of Legerdemain; and by this, and his other Treaties, aimed only at the getting some Advantage by secret Treacheries and underhand Deal.  
I have told you, that one of the three main Heads to be treated upon, was Ireland; That was to be anticipated and forestalled, by a Peace at any Rate to be huddled up with the Irish Rebels,  the Treaty could begin; that he might pretend his Word and Honour past, against the popular Arguments which the Parliament might urge upon him, for the continuance of that just War. The English, during the Treaty, were called perfidious Rebels, the IRISH GOOD AND CATHOLIC SUBJECTS. He contrived how to make handsome Negatives: For fashion-sake he called the Parliament a PARLIAMENT, yet by a Jesuitical Slight, he did not acknowledge, though call them so. He pressed earnestly for Ten thousand Lorrainers to be transported hither; and that a Body of the bloody Irish Rebels might be landed in Cumberland, delighting himself, that they would put the Northern Counties into A BRAVE CONDITION; for he well knew that they had destroyed above One hundred and forty thousand Protestants in their own Kingdom; and were therefore, without doubt, very fit Men to assist him in the maintaining THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND. He boasted of his choice of Commissioners for the Treaty, and that they would stick close to the NOTE OF INSTRUCTIONS which he and the Queen had concerted; and assured her that HE WOULD EVER SHOW HIS CONSTANCY IN ADHERING TO BISHOPS AND PAPISTS. He impowered the Queen to treat with the Irish, and to give assurance, that he would take away THE PENAL LAWS against Papists in England. In fine; Nothing is more evident, than that he used Treaties pretending Peace, to no other End, than to gain Advantages that might enable him to carry on War. And methinks it should not offend you to hear that Opinion, not only a Minister, but a Martyr for Mon●●●oy had of this King; the famous Mr. Christopher Love, 〈◊〉 lost his Head upon Tower-hill, (which I am confident you w●●● never do for any Cause, though you live near it) preaching before the Parliament Commissioners at this uxbridg Treaty, expres●●● himself thus; It would search to the quick to find out WHETHER KING JAMES AND PRINCE HENRY HIS SON CAME TO A TIMELY DEATH, YEA OR NO; Some Parliaments have been but short-lived, when, there was but a muttering, that enquiry should be made of their Deaths. It would search to the quick, to know WHETHER ROCHEL, and all THE PROTESTANTS in it, were not betrayed into the hands of their Enemies, AND BY WHOM. It would go to the quick to find out WHETHER THE IRISH REBELLION was not plotted, promoted, countenanced and contrived in England, AND BY WHOM.  
Now, I hope, Reverend Sir, that you will not have the face to deny, but Mr. Love was a Conscientious and Pious. Divine; and I will finish this Head in telling you, (though a little out of course) that the Earls of Northumberland, Pembroke, Salisbury and Denbigh; with the Lord Wainman, Sir Henry Vane, Mr. Pierepont, Mr. Holles, Mr. Prideaux, Mr. St. John, Mr. Whitlock and Mr. C●●w, Commissioners for the Parliament, in the Treaty we have been talking of, were (as well as you boast the King's Comnissioners to have been) Men of Honour and Honesty, Men of Fortunes and Estates; Men of great Parts and Endowments, who understood the Business they went about, and were very fond of healing the Nations Breaches, and putting things into such a posture as might settle the King upon his just Rights, and the People upon their ancient Privileges.  
Well, Sir, for my own Comfort, if not for yours, I purpose to trouble myself (at least at this present) with but one thing more in your Tract, You say, That the Scots, notwithstanding all their Promises and Obligations, SELL THE KING TO THE ENGLISH PARLIAMENT. 'Tis a Divine Truth, Men are not only ignorant because they cannot, but because they will not know the Truth: And I cannot conceive that you believe what you here assert; Therefore, that my Countrymen may be undeceived, and our Brethren of Scotland vindicated, I will set this Matter in its true Light: The King had fled to the Scotish Army at Newcastle, then in the Parliament's Service and Pay; there Propositions for Peace were made unto him, which he rejected. The War being happily ended, the Parliament were in arrear to the Scots for their assistance in it, Four hundred thousand Pounds: It was agreed, that half that Sum should be presently paid; upon receipt whereof, the Scots were to deliver up (not the King, but) Berwick, Newcastle, and Carlisle to the Parliament. 'Tis far from Truth, that this was the Price of the King, for the Parliament freely granted to the Scots, that they might carry him (if they pleased) to Edinburgh: But they refused it, affirming, that by his Presence, in an unsettled Nation, new Commotions might arise; They rather desired (which was also the King's desire) that he might be carried into the Southern parts of England, and live in some of his Palaces near London, which they thought more convenient for treating of a Peace: So that in all the whole Debate, they seemed to contend, not who should have the King, but who should not have him. Nevertheless, to cast a slander upon both Nations; for certainly 'tis as wicked a thing to buy, as to sell such Merchandise; You, Sir, will have it, that the Scots sold him, the English bought him; but WILFULNESS EVER WAS THE GREATEST BLINDNESS.  
Reverend Sir, I shall for the present discharge you and myself from further trouble. You think, I suppose, that you make me a very merciful Offer, That if I will repent, and do so no more, I may hope to live in Peace, and you will not further lash me with any more such Scourges, as I have been but now tortured with; but if I shall persist, and appear incorrigible, you have more Rods in Piss, and will pay me off. You have much more to say in the behalf of King Charles the First, ['tis well if you have, for I am sure 'tis very little that you have hitherto said] and you assure me I shall have it; and resolve, That as long as you can hold a Pen in your Hand, you will not drop his Cause. There's no Remedy then, but I must abide your Fury, for I resolve never to ask Forgiveness, and promise to do so no more: But on the contrary, to write on, as I have leisure, and you give me occasion, in the defence of the Laws and Liberties of my Country. Upon which Subject I have much more to say, and if you will not be quiet, you shall have it; I love the Cause too well to drop it, and will wear my steel Pen to the stumps in its defence. And,  
Now seeing we are eternally to differ in this Point, I desire to settle two things with you, for the more orderly Prosecution of this dreadful War.  
1. That we (as Duelists agree the length of their Weapons) may resolve how often to trouble the World with our Impertinencies; I think once, or if you will have it so, twice (because there are TWO MADDING-DAYS) in a Year, may suffice.  
2. That after you have fairly answered this and my former Letter, by falsifying (which as a Preliminary I shall expect from you) the many particular Instances I have brought to show that your admired Prince was a Tyrant; or else to prove that they are not Acts or Evidences of Tyranny, you would then (in the further Prosecution of that Defence which you have undertaken, and indeed of Criminating one of the greatest and best deserving Parliaments that even England saw) lay aside your lose and general way of discoursing, and come to Particulars; when you shall so proceed, and are failed of a clear Answer, then and not till then, the day will be your own. For though, throughout your whole Discourse, which I have been examining, you Rebellize the Lords and Commons, and fly in the Face of the Parliament, with the King's gracious MESSAGES, SAY, etc. Oth●●s may, upon better grounds, sum up the humble, condescending, convincing PETITIONS, MESSAGES, DECLARATIONS, etc. of the Parliament, and dash them all into your Face, than you can those Messages and Say of the King into the Faces of all who declare that he was a proud Nimrod, a hardened Pharaoh; in plain English, A MERCILESS TYRANT.  
last; To encourage you to further Conversation with me; the some Men are so impudent as to say that it is not Day when the Sun itself doth shire, you shall see that I am not resolved against Conviction; but that being under the Command of good Manners. I rest not satisfied in the Confession which I made in the beginning of this Letter, of an Error committed in my former, in relation to the Noble Lord Conway, sometime Secretary of State to King Charles the First, but shall more fully do it in this place.  
Being misguided by the Printer's Mistake in Rushworth's first Collections, from whence I took it, I was led to say in my last Year's Letter, pag. 7. That the Lord Conway said in Parliament that he never hated Popery; whereas his words were, that he ever hared it: and I have now certain ground to say, that those words were not only consonant to his Speech then made in Parliament, but agreeable to the constant Tenor of his whole Life, even unto the last Period. His Father and Mother lived and died pious Protestants; such was his Religious Lady, and such are his grandchildren at this day.  
This Lord Conway was Knighted at the taking of Cadiz in Spain, in the time of Queen Elizabeth; he was afterwards for many Years Governor of the Brill in Holland, where he and his Family lived as became zealous Protestants, and greatly beloved and esteemed by the Protestant Magistrates and Ministers of that Town.  
He was greatly favoured by the never to be forgotten MOST PIOUS PRINCE HENRY.  
When the Brill and other Cautionary Towns were delivered to the Dutch; upon his return into England, he was employed to Jersey to compose some Differences there, which he performed to so much Satisfaction, that the good Protestants of that Place always mentioned him with Honour.  
He was then sent Ambassador to Germany in behalf of the King and Queen of Bohemia, and was very acceptable to those UNHAPPILY DESERTED Protestant Princes. Upon his return to England the Spanish-Match was warmly pressed; against which he spoke with so much Reason and Courage, that the Duke of Buckingham (who for particular ends, resolved to ruin that Project) introduced him as a proper Instrument for that purpose, to be Principal Secretary of State.  
In that Station he refused many great Gifts tendered to him by particular Persons, and 10000 l. Sterling offered and pressed upon him by the Spanish Ambassador.  
In the beginning of King Charles I. Reign, at the opening of one of those Parliaments, and according to the Custom then, the Holy Communion being to be received by both Houses of Parliament, by the Contrivance of some LAUDEANS, the SACRAMENT was offered to the Lords in Henry the Seventh's Chapel, NOT IN BREAD, BUT IN WAFERS: This Lord Conway was one of the Lords who refused the Wafers, and caused them to be taken away, and Bread to be brought.  

* He that would not make the necessary Advances to Rome, was to be neither Secretary, nor Minister of State to King Charles I.  Not long after K. Charles I. sent for the Seals of the Secretary's Office from him; which (as the Lord employed in that Message would often say) the Lord Conway delivered with an admirable Generosity, becoming indeed one that in that Ministry of State, had served the Public with extraordinary Ability and Integrity; had performed many noble Offices to particular Persons, without Injury to any, and left that Place and some others of great Profit, without one Farthing advantage to the State of his Family.  
When he was upon his Deathbed, a Lady of great Wit, who was turned Papist, and was the Widow of a near Relation of his Lordship, very subtly and earnestly pressed upon him concerning his Religion; whereupon he strengthened himself, and made full Profession of his firm Steadfastness in the Reformed Protestant Religion, caused the Servants to convey this Lady out of his House, and commanded them not to suffer any of that Religion to come to him.  
And now, Doctor, I assure you at parting, That as fast as you shall convince me of any Error or Mistake, committed in my Scribble about your Martyr; I shall as openly and frankly retract it, as I have now done this, which relates to my Lord Conway. Might I be made so happy as to find a suitable return from you; and that you would give a free and impartial Liberty to the use of your own Reason, I would yet hope, that we might mutually conclude, as I now do,  
Your Friend in and for the Truth, Edmund Ludlow. Amsterdam, Jan. 30, 1691/2.  
FINIS.   

A Table of some remarkable Things in this Book.  

KIng Charles I. favouring Popery, and dispensing with the Laws, etc. Page 3  
His Bishops cherished Popery, and discountenanced conformable Orthodox Ministers. Page 3  
Montague one of his Chaplains, endeavoured to reconcile England to Rome, made a Bishop. Page 4  
The King's lending Ships to the French to destroy the Protestants of Rochel. Page 4  
Ship-Money, Loan, Coat and Conduct-Money required, and the Refusers imprisoned and impressed to serve at Sea. Page 4  
Archbishop Abbot suspended and confined, By Williams disgraced and imprisoned. Page 5  
Sir Randolph Crew Lord Chief Justice displased. Page 5  
Tonnage and Poundage levied against Law. Page 5  
Earl of Bristol confined. Page 6  
Earl of Arundel imprisoned. Page 6  
Duke of Buckingham protected against the Parliament. Page 6  
Members of Parliament imprisoned. Page 6  
Sir John eliot's Death in the Tower. Page 7  
The King's threatening Speeches in Parliament. Page 7  
His Speech at the Meeting of the Parliament, Nou. 1640. Page 11  
Bishops obtruded upon Scotland against their Laws. Page 12  
Laud framed a Common-Prayer for Scotland, and sent it to be approved by the Pope. Page 12  
The Scots protest against it. Page 13  
King James I. took the Scotish Covenant in the Year 1580. Page 13  
The Scots renewed that Covenant in the Year 1638. Page 13, 14  
The Scots require to have the Liturgy abolished, and to have a National Synod. Page 14  
A Synod called and dissolved by the King; the Scots protest against the Dissolution, and continue it. Page 14  
The King resolves upon a War against Scotland. Page 14  
That War called Bellum Episcopale. Page 15  
The Scots raise an Army. Page 15  
A Pacification concluded, the King soon after burns it by the Hangman's hands. Page 15  
Scotish Commissioners sent to the King, imprisoned. Page 16  
A Parliament called in April 1640, and dissolved. Page 16  
Members imprisoned. Page 17  
Clergy and Bapists contribute to a second War against Scotland. Page 17  
Sir Nicholas Rainton, Sir Stephen Soame, and other eminent Citizens. imprisoned for refusing a Loan. Page 17  
The Scots possess themselves of Newcastle and Durham. Page 17  
The Lords at York petition for a Parliament. Page 18  
Cessation of Arms with the Scots. Page 18  
Star-Chamber and High-Commission-Courts suppressed by Act of Parliament. Page 21  
Poll-money granted. Page 21  
Dr. Leighton's Censure in the Star-Chamber. Page 22  
Mr. Pryn's, Dr. Bastwick's and. Mr. Burton's Censures and horrid Oppressions by Archbishop Laud. Page 24, 25  
Those Sentences declared illegal in Parliament. Page 27  
Ship-Money illegal. Page 27  
Lord Keeper Finch impeached of High-Treason about Ship-Money, and flies. Page 28  
The many Exorbitances and Oppressions of the Bishops. Page 28  
Twelve of them impeached of Treason, and all remov●● from the Lords House. Page 29  
The Earl of Strafford impeached and attainted of Treason. Page 30  
Bills for Triennial Parliaments, and for continuing the present Parliament, passed. Page 31  
Conspiracy to bring the Army against the Parliament discovered. Page 32  
The King had a Million and half of Money in the first Year of the Parliament 1640. Page 35  
The Remonstrance of the State of the Kingdom, Dec. 1641. Page 35  
The Tumults and Riots in 1641. Page 37  
An Account of the occasion of those Tumults. Page 41  
The King accuses the Lord Mandeville and five Members of Treason. Page 37  
He goes to the House of Commons with an armed Force, and demands the five Members. Page 37  
The Commons demand a Guard. Page 38  
The Case of the five Members discussed. Page 38  
The King leaves Whitehall. Page 42  
The Parliament petitions him at Theobalds' to return. Page 42  
They send a Declaration to him to Newmarket, praying his return, and the putting the Militia into safe hands. Page 43  
His Answer about the Militia. Page 46  
His sending to the King of Denmark for Aid against the Parliament. Page 47  
He invited the Scots against them. Page 47  
The Queen buys Arms in Holland. Page 47  
Names of the Peers recommended by the Parliament to be entrusted with the Militia. Page 47  
The Lords and Commons petition about the Militia. Page 48  
Their Ordinance for ordering the Militia. Page 48  
The Proceed of the Parliament with King Richard the Second. Page 49  
The Lords and Commons petition the King at York to return. Page 50  
The King summons the Gentry to York, and requires them to raise him a Guard. Page 50  
They petition him to return to the Parliament. Page 50  
Petition of many thousand Freeholders of Yorkshire. Page 50  
The King requires the Gentlemen, etc. of Yorkshire to attend him in Arms. Page 51  
The Lords and Commons vote, that the King Intends to raise War, and that it is a Breach of his Trust, and that such as assist him in that War are Traitors. Page 52  
They vote the raising an Army to be commanded by the Earl of Essex. Page 52  
Their Petition to the King to return. Page 52  
The King's Speech at the head of his Army. Page 54  
The Petition of the Parliament sent by the Earl of Essex. Page 56  
The Preparations made by the King for War. Page 58  
The Opinion of above sixty Essex Ministers of the Parliament War. Page 59  
The Uxbridg-Treaty. Page 61  
Heads of Letters between the King, Queen and Marquess of Ormond, about the Uxbridg-Treaty, and for procuring a Peace with the Irish Rebels to bring them against the Parliament. Page 63  
The vulgar Error of the Scots selling the King refuted. Page 67  
A Vindication of the Lord Conway. Page 69