Survey of the Annals of King Charles, Part 4 – Part 5
4. Parliament.
32. A fourth Parliament was thereupon ſhortly after called again, by thoſe complotters meanes, but to a very ill intent, and another Parliament ſummoned alſo at the ſame time by the Earle of Straford in Ireland, both of them onelyonly to levy and procure monies to raiſe another Army, and wage a new Warre againſt the Scots,
33. The Ships and goods of our Brethren of Scotland, were, in all parts and ports of this kingdom, and of Ireland, alſo ſurpriſed and ſeized on for the King; their Commiſſioners denyed audience to make their juſt defence to the King, and the whole kingdome of Scotland and England too, hereupon much diſtracted and diſtempered with leavying of monies, and impriſoning all among us that refuſed the ſame.
34. This Parliament alſo refuſing to comply with the King, Cant, and Straford in this Epiſcopall warre againſt the Scots, was ſoon diſſolved and broken up by them and thereupon they returned to their former wayes of waſte and confuſion, and the very next day after the diſſolution thereof ſome eminent members of both Houſes, had their Chambers, and ſtudies, yea their cabinets and very pockets of their wearing cloathes (betimes in the morning before they were out of their beds) ſearched for letters and writings, and ſome of them alſo impriſoned, and a falſe and moſt ſcandalous declaration was publiſhed againſt the Houſe of Commons in the Kings name.
35. A forced Loan of money was attempted in the City of London, to be made a preſident (if it prevailed there) for the whole kingdom, but ſome Aldermen refuſing, were ſorely threatned and impriſoned.
36. In which interim, the Clergies Convocation continuing (notwithſtanding the diſſolution of the Parliament) new conſcience-oppreſſing Canons were forged, and a ſtrange Oath, with a monſtrous &c. in it, was framed for the eſtabliſhing of the Biſhops Hierarchy, with ſevere puniſhments on the refuſers to take it.
37. In this Convocation ſore taxations were alſo impoſed upon the whole Clergie, even no leſſe than ſix Subſidies, beſides a bountifull contribution to forward that intended warre againſt our brethren of Scotland.
38. For the advancing of which ſaid ſummes for this warre, the popiſh pontifician party, and their ſcandalous prieſts were moſt free and forward; yea, and a ſolemn prayer was compoſed and impoſed by the Biſhops on their Miniſters every where to be uſed and read in all Churches againſt the Scots, as rebels and traytors.
39. The papiſts alſo in a high meaſure enjoyed even almoſt a totall toleration; and a Popes Nuncio ſuffered among us to act and govern all Romiſh affaires, yea a kinde of a private popiſh-parliament kept in the kingdom, and popiſh juriſdictions erected among them.
40. Commiſſions were alſo (ſecretly) iſſued out for ſome great and eminent papiſts, for martiall Commands, for levying of Souldiers, and ſtrengthening their party with Armes and Ammunition of all ſorts, and in great plenty.
41. His Majeſties treaſure was by theſe meanes ſo extreamly exhauſted and his revenues ſo anticipated, that he was inforced to compell (as it were) his own Servants, Judges, and Officers of all ſorts, to lend him great ſummes of money, aad priſons filled with refuſers of theſe and the other illegall payments; yea, many High-Sheriffes ſummoned into the Starre-chamber, and to the Councill-Board, and ſome of them impriſoned for not being quick enough in levying Ship-money, and ſuch like intolerable taxations.
42. In ſumme, the whole kingdome was now brought into a lamentable and languiſhing condition of being moſt miſerably bought and ſold to any that could give and contribute moſt of might and malice againſt us, and no hope of humane help, but dolour… deſperation and deſtruction, to be the portion of all.
43. In which interim, our Brethren of Scotland being entred into our kingdome, for their own juſt defence, the King had advanced his Royall-Standard at York, where the creame of the kingdome, Nobles, and Gentry, being aſſembled, and a treaty twixt the prime of both Armies had at Rippon, for a faire and peaceable accommodation, the King was, at laſt, inforced to take his Nobles Counſell, and in the firſt place, a ceſſation of Armes agreed on; and then this fifth preſent Parliament, (the Parliament of Parliaments,) was neceſſitouſly reſolved on to begin, November …. 1640.
5 Parliament, Anno 1640. Novemb. 3.
44. But, behold, a deſperate plot and deſign was herein alſo, immediately, ſet on foot, to ſpo…le or poyſon it in the very Embrio and conſtitution of it, in the firſt c…oyce of the Members thereof, by Letters from the King, Queen, malignant and popiſh Earles, Lords, Knights, and Gentry, poſted into all parts of the kingdome, to make a ſtrong party for them: But, by admirable divine providence, this their plot was counterplotted, and wonderfully fruſtrated, and the Parliament moſt hopefully congregated and ſetled.
45. Shortly after, a very formidable Spaniſh-Fleet, or Armado, appeared on our Engliſh narrow Seas, in ſight of Dover, and was comming in (as was, on very ſtrong grounds, more than probably conjectured) as a third party, to help to deſtroy us; the Spaniards hoping, that by this time, we and the Scots were together by the ears, but they were by Gods mercy, beaten off from us by our Neighbours of Holland.
46. In the time of ours and the Scots Armies reſiding in the North, which was in June 1641. the Popiſh and malignant Lords and Prelates, fearing the effects of this preſent Parliament, complotted together to diſaffect that our Engliſh Army againſt the Parliament, and indevoured to bring it out of the North, Southward, and ſo to London, to compell the Parliament to ſuch limits and rules as they thought fit.
47. For the advancing of which deſigne, the Earle of Straford, then priſoner in the Tower, attempted an eſcape, with Sir William Belfore, then Leivtenant of the Tower, promiſing and aſſuring him twenty thouſand pound, and the marriage of his daughter to Sir Williams Son, if he would but conſent unto and aſſiſt his eſcape; but loyall Sir William hated ſuch bribes of trechery, and ſtill kept him faſt, and ſo the neck of all that plot was broken.
48. Then, they attempted by foule and falſe ſcandals on the Parliament, to intice the Army of the Scots, (then, ſtill in the North) to a newtrality, and to ſit ſtill whiles our Engliſh army acted the farther deſignes hatched and hammered ſtill in their heads and hearts, but this plot prevailed not neither. (All theſe preceding paſſages, were the confuſed effects of 15 or 16 yeares of the Kings reig….)