A Sight of the Transactions of these Latter Years, Section 3
3 Parliament.
12. A third Parliament called, and quickly broken in the fourteenth year of the King, and therein Parliamentary priviledges extreamly violated by after ill-uſage of ſome of the beſt and worthieſt Members thereof, who were clapt up cloſe priſoners, denied all ordinary and extraordinary comforts of life, and preſervation of health, which might have proved perpetuall to them, had not a fourth Parliament (which afterward happened) neceſſitated their relief and releaſe.
13. And this third Parliament thus diſſolved, O the miſerable effects that followed thereon alſo.
14. Scandalous and opprobrious Declarations publiſhed to aſperſe and beſmear the proceedings of this laſt Parliament, and ſome of the beſt Members thereof; yea, Proclamations ſet out to thoſe effects, thereby extreamely to diſ-hearten the Subjects, yea, and plainly forbidding them once to name a Parliament, or to deſire them any more.
15. Whence, immediately guſhed out (this damme of Parliaments thus being broken down) the violent inundations (even to a deluge of miſeries) of mighty ſummes of money, got by that ſtrange and ſtraining project of Knight-hood; yet, under a faire colour and pretence of Law for it, and for all the reſt that followed.
16. As, the moſt burthenſom Book of Rates; the moſt heavy and unheard of (till then) taxation of Ship-money; the enlargement of Forreſts, contrary to Magna Charta; the injurious exaction of Coat and Conduct money; the forcible taking away of the Train'd-Bands Armes; the deſperate deſign of engroſing Gunpowder into their hands, and keeping it faſt from the Subject in the Tower of London, not to be had thence, but at moſt exceſſive rates.
17. The deſtruction of the Forreſt of Dean, that moſt famous Magazine, and Timber-ſtore-houſe of the whole Kingdome, which was ſold to Papiſts.
18. The monſtrous Monopolies of Sope, Salt, Wine, Leather, and Seacoal▪ yea almoſt of all things in the Kingdome of moſt neceſſary and common uſe.
19. Reſtraint of Subjects Liberties in their Trades and Habitations; for refuſall of which foreſaid heavy preſſures, many were vext with long and languiſhing ſuites, ſome fined and confined to priſons, to the loſſe of health in many, of life in ſome; Some having their houſes broke open, their goods ſeized on, their ſtudies or cloſets ſearched for writings, books and papers to undoe them; Some interrupted alſo in their Sea-Voyages, and their ſhips taken from them, in an hoſtile manner, by projectors, as by pirates, or common Enemies.
20. The cruſhing cruelties of the Star Chamber-Court, and Council Table, in thoſe dayes, chiefly, for the fomenting and increaſing of moſt exorbitant taxations, preſſures, and unjuſt ſuites againſt the Subject.
21. Thus farre for the miſeries of the Common-wealth; now alſo for the Churches danger, and diſtreſſe. The amazing miſeries of the Subjects Conſciences alſo, by the intolerable burthen of Popiſh Ceremonies, Romiſh Innovations, and ſuch like other outrages of the Arch-Prelate of Canterbury, and his Prelaticall Agents and inſtruments, over the whole Kingdome, in matters of religion, Divine worſhip, and ſpirituall caſes of Conſcience.
22. The moſt palpable and abominable Romiſh Ceremonies uſed at the Kings Coronation, and inſolent and impious, falſe and deſtructive additions in the Oath adminiſtred to the King, at his ſaid firſt Inauguration to the Crown, by that moſt arrogant Arch-Biſhop.
23. And the manifold other impious impoſitions in matters of religion, divine worſhip, and ſpirituall caſes of Conſcience; for refuſing and oppoſing of which, how was the honeſt-hearted and tender-conſcienced ſubject, grievouſly oppreſſed by fines, impriſonments, ſtigmatizings, mutilations, whippings, pillories, gagges, conſinements and baniſhments; yea, and that, into perpetuall cloſe impriſonments in the moſt deſolate, remote, and (as they hoped and intended) remorſleſſe parts of the Kingdome.
24. The putting down, yea, utterly ruinating of that moſt famous and honourable work, that ever this Kingdom ſaw, in a private way, for the advancement of Gods glory in the propagation of the Goſpel, I mean, the Feoff…es for buying in of Impropriations; Noy, the (then) Atturney-Generall, openly in Court, accuſing that bleſſed work to be a worſe plot againſt the Church (he meant the Prelaticall Church ſure,) than the Papiſts Powder plot.
25. The advancing (for the moſt part) none, to Eccleſiaſticall Dignities and Livings, but Arminians; yea, Popiſh-hearted Pontificians; Suſpending and ſilencing with deprivations, degradations, and excommunications, almoſt all the moſt pious, painfull and Orthodox-learned Paſtours over the kingdom, whom they could catch in their ſnares, and all this under a pretence of peace, unity and conformity; in which foreſaid caſes, the High-Commiſſion (like the Spaniſh-Inquiſition) with its moſt pragmaticall pranks, was, all along, moſt intolerable and abominable.
26. Printing-Preſſes, ſet open for the printing and publiſhing of all ſorts of Popiſh and Arminian tenets; but, ſhut up and reſtrained from Printing, ſound and Orthodox Doctrines.
27. Nay, not onelyonly thus lamentably moleſting us at home in England; but attempting the like on our Brethren of Scotland, indevouring to impoſe upon their conſciences alſo, a New Liturgye, and a book of Canons, upon the firſt introducing whereof into their Church, they not induring them, threw ſtones and ſtooles at the Arch-Biſhop of St Andrews head, and beat him out of the Church, crying out, a Pape, a Pape, and ſo rid themſelves of them.
28. Upon which refuſall of theirs, O what foule calumnies and ſcoffes were immediately caſt upon them, and they called and counted rebels and Traytors; yea, ſo proclaimed in all Churches in England.
29. An Army was alſo raiſed to oppreſſe and ſuppreſſe them, for thus reſiſting the Arch-prelates moſt injurious impoſitions on them.
A mighty and tumultuous riſing of Apprentices and young men in Southwarke and Lambeth ſide, with clubs and other weapons eſpecially at the A…ch-biſhops houſe, which put him into ſuch a fright, as made him fly to Croyden, to convey himſelf to ſome more private and remote place, and although Pharoahs magiſians were ſo honeſt, that at the ſight of the duſt of the earth turned into lice, they cryed out it was the finger of God, but he grew more and more outragious, and cauſed one to be hanged and quartered, and his head ſet on London-Bridge.
30. Our Brethren of Scotland likewiſe raiſing an Army in their own juſt defence, and by force of armes, inforcing their own peace.
31. A firſt pacification being then made by the King, and ſome of his Nobility, and ratified under hand and Seal twixt them and the Scots; yet was it ſhortly after ſhamefully violated, and broken quite off by the Arch-prelate of Canterbury, and the Earle of Straford.