The Scots send an Parliament, in jus tification of proceedings. The Scots, in the meane time, had written to the English Parliament a large address to the English Justification of all their proceedings, intreating them, by the way of Brotherly advice, To be wary in vindicating their owne Lawes and Liberties, to frustrate the designe of those evil Counsellors, who had procured this Parliament for no other end, than to arme the King with warlike supplies against his Scottish Subjects, and by that Warre to enslave, if not ruine, both the Nations; That, after so many violations and dissolutions of Parliaments in England, this was not called to redresse grievances, but to be so over-reached (if they were not careful and couragious) that no possibility should be left for the future of redressing any; That some dangerous practise might be well suspected, when, at the same time, a Parliament was denyed to Scotland, though promised by the word of a King; granted to England, when not expected; and obtruded upon Ireland, when not desired. Many particulars of that nature were expressed in the Scottish Remonstrance. CHAP. CHAP. VI. The "The Parliament beginneth in England, but is soone dis- 39 ment meets on the UPON the thirteenth of April the Parliament began; when the King produced The English Parliathat forenamed writing of his Scottish Subjects to the French King, as an apparent 13th of April, 1840. token of their disloyalty, and a necessity in him of chastising them by Armes; for which he had already made so great a preparation, as required a present supply of money from this Parliament. To the same purpose that the King had briefly expressed himself, the Lord Keeper FINCH, in a long and eloquent Oration, dilated the businesse. Twelve subsidies were demanded by the King, in lieu of which, the release of Ship-Money was promised; to which demand answer was made by divers Members of the House in several Speeches, "That Redresse of grievances was the chiefe end of assembling Parliaments, and ought to precede granting of Subsidies. Which not onely Reason, but the constant Practise of all ages, had confirmed; That there was never more need of redressing grievances than at this time; without which the people would repine to part with twelve Subsidies; That the sum was extraordinary great, especially to be given for releasing of that which they never conceived the King had any Title-to, but had taken by power against the Lawes." The King promised that grievances should be afterwards redressed, but required the Money first, because there was a necessity of hastening the Warre; without which the opportunity of Summer would be lost. To which it was answered by many, "That the people had no reason to pay for that which was never caused nor desired by them, nor could any way prove to their good, but, quite contrary, to the danger and detriment of the whole Kingdome; That the same people would undoubtedly undoubtedly pay with more willingnesse so many Subsidies to prevent that unhappy Warre, to settle the State, and punish the principal contrivers or assistors of that disturbance," Among all the Gentlemen of the House of Commons, who spake to that purpose, the Lord GEORGE DIGBY, Sonne to the Earle of Bristol (a young Nobleman of extraordinary abilities) was eminent for a Speech there; wherein complaining that the House was required to give present answer concerning supplies to the King, to ingage himself in a Warre, and that a Civil Warre; For, said he, so I must needs call it, seeing we are of the same Religion, and under the same King. He divided his Complaint into five heads: 1. We are not permitted to redresse grievances at all. 2. We are not permitted so much as to represent to His Majesty the dis-affection of his Subjects to this Warre. 3. We are not permitted to say, That we thinke they are the same persons that are the causers of our grievances, and the grievances of Scotland; and that the cutting-off of those Incendiaries of State, would be a safe, easie, and honourable cure. 4. That Warre will make the breach wider, and the remedy despe rate. 5. That the best Justice is, to fill the pits which are made to intrap others, with the bodies of those that digged them, &c. Master Pyм also, a grave and religious Gentleman, in a long Speech of almost two houres, recited a Catalogue of all the grievances which at that time lay heavy upon the Common-wealth. Of which many abbreviated Copies, as extracting the heads onely, were with great greedinesse taken by Gentlemen, and others throughout the Kingdom; for it was not then in fashion to print Speeches of Parliament. Divers of the Members besides (too many to be here named) did fully descant upon such particular grievances, as they had informed themselves of, in their several Counties and Burroughs. But it is most true, though it have been said, Quicquid multis peccatur, inultum est, That there was never any Parliament which was more unanimous in apprehension of grievances, and yet more moderate in the Language and manner of declaring against them. And so great seemed to be their care of offending in this Parliament, (being the first that in so many yeares had been granted to England;) that, notwithstanding they perceived that the Money they were to give to the King, must be employed against their owne interest, yet they took the Subsidies into consideration; consideration; by which they might, perchance, gaine the King's affection to Parliaments; and were content to hope, that, whilest the Houses sate, the bad Council about the King might be awed into moderation; and the Warre against Scotland, by wise and honest interpositions, might be againe composed, as it had been the Summer before. But whilest the businesse was in debate, whether they were not quick enough in granting, or the Conditions were too much feared by the King, I will not judge, but onely relate what was done. 1640. The King in Person came into the House upon the fifth of May, and dissolved The King dissolves the Parliament, but used faire language to them, protesting that he would it on the 5th of May, governe as much according to Law, as if a Parliament were constantly sitting: Yet, the next day after the dissolution of it, some Members were imprisoned; the And the next day Lord BROOKE was searched for Papers, his Study, Cabinets, and Pockets; Master commits some of the BELLOSIS and Sir JOHN HOTHAM, were committed to Prison for Speeches, but Members to Prison, soone discharged; Master CREW, who was a Member of the House of Commons, Speeches in Parliaand was in the Chaire for Petitions concerning Ministers, was committed to the ment. Tower, for not discovering some Petitions delivered to him in Parliament, and continued a Prisoner almost to the beginning of the next Parliament. on account of their After the dissolution of this Parliament, the Convocation of Divines continued The Convocation of the Clergy continues their sitting, and, by authority from the King, made divers Canons, and an Oath to sit after the Dissoto be imposed not onely upon Clergymen, but on many of the Laiety. lution of the Parlia That continuance of the Convocation, (whatsoever themselves, perchance igno- ment. rant of the Law, might thinke of it,) was judged to be very illegal; as it appeared by the Votes of the succeeding Parliament, and the opinion of Lawyers delivered there. When Master BAGSHAW, the November following, inveighing against those Canons which were made whilest they sate, proved the Bishops and Clergy in a premunire: The Lord DIGBY at the same time affirming, that their Convocation was a new Synod, patched out of an old Conventicie Many other Lawyers of note, at several times, argued the case concerning those Canons. Insomuch that the House of Commons, in December following, nullo contradicente, resolved that those Canons were against the fundamental Lawes of the Kingdome, the Property and Liberty of the Subject: And, in the following April, 1641, falling againe upon the late Convocation, for their Canons and other misdemeanours, they voted the Convocation-house in 200,000 pounds fine to the King; The Archbishop of Canterbury to pay 20,000 pounds, the Archbishop of Yorke 10,000 pounds, the Bishop of Chester 3000 pounds; and the rest of the Clergy, according to their abilities proportionably, to make-up the summe. Certaine it is, it was not in any substantial way advantageous to the King; but onely to give them time and opportunity to taxe the Clergy in Money for supplying his Majesty in the Warre then on foot against the Scots. The King must needs be driven to a great exigent at that time, having so expensive a Warre in hand, and wanting the assistance of Parliament. The courses that were then taken by the King, to supply that defect, were G partly The King raises mo- partly the contribution of the Clergy, to whom that Warre was lesse displeasing, ney by illegal methods. than to the Laiety. The common Sol diers of the English Army shew a great dislike of this war. Collections were made among the Papists; Writs of Ship-money were issuedout againe, in a greater proportion than before; great Loanes were attempted to be drawne from the City of London, to which purpose the names of the richest Citizens were by command returned to the Council-Board. But, these waies being not sufficient, some others were made use of, which were of a nature more unusual, as the seizing of Bolloine [or Bullion] in the Tower; the Lord COTTINGTON also, for the King's use, tooke-up a great Commodity of Pepper at the Exchange, to be sold againe at an under-rate. A consultation was also had of coyning 400,000l. of base Money, upon allegation that Queen ELIZABETH had done the like for her Irish Warres: but the King waved that, upon reasons which the Merchants gave of the inconveniencies of it. The Scots resolve to The Scots, hearing of the breach of this English Parliament, thought it high march an Army into time to provide for their owne safety; and, being restrained in their Trade, and England, in June, 1640. impoverished by losse of Ships seized in divers parts, resolve to enter England The King raises an When the King had notice of the Scots intentions, a Fleet was forthwith sent to annoy the Maritime Coasts of Scotland, and a Land-Army to meet at Yorke, the command of the where the Earl of STRAFFORD, as President of the North, commanded in Chief, meet at York, under Earl of Strafford. though the Earle of NORTHUMBERLAND, at the time of raising the Army, was named Generalissimo, but, for want of health, could not be present. A great Magazine of Ammunition had been sent to Hull, Newcastle, and Berwick, the Castle of Edenburgh being kept by RIVEN, a firme man to the King's side. But in the Expedition of the King's Army towards the North, it was a marvellous thing to observe in divers places the aversenesse of the Common Souldiers from this Warre. Though Commanders and Gentlemen of great quality, in pure obedience to the King, seemed not at all to dispute the cause, or consequence, of this Warre; the Common Souldiers would not be satisfied, questioning in a mutinous manner, "Whether their Captaines were Papists or not," and in many places were not appeased till they saw them receive the Sacrament; laying violent hands on divers of their Commanders, and killing some, uttering in bold speeches their distaste of the Cause, to the astonishment of many, that common people should be sensible of publike Interest and Religion, when Lords and Gentlemen seemed not to be so. By this backwardnesse of the English Common Souldiers, it came to passe that the Warre proved not so sharpe and fatal to both Nations, as it might otherwise have done. Some |