and the Parliament, and removed to Theobalds, taking with him, the Prince, and the Duke of York.

About the beginning of March he receives a petition from the Parliament, wherein they require the Militia more resolutely than before, affirming, that in case of denial, the eminent dangers would constrain them to dispose of it by authority of Parliament; desiring also that he would make his abode near London and the Parliament, and continue the Prince at some of his Houses near the City, for the better carrying on of affairs and preventing the people's jealousies and fears; all which being refused, they presently order, that the Kingdom be put into a posture of defence in such a way as was agreed upon by Parliament, and a committee to prepare a publick declaration from these two heads, 1. The just causes of the fears and jealousies given to the Parliament, at the same time clearing themselves from any jealousies conceived against himself. 2. To consider of all matters arising from his Majesty's message, and what was fit to be done.

And now began our troubles, and all the miseries of a civil war; the Parliament every day entertaining (or pretending to entertain) new jealousies and suspicions of the King's actions, which howsoever in complement they made shew of imputing only to his evil council, yet obliquely had too great a reflection upon his person. They now proceed on a sudden to make great preparations both by sea and land; and the Earl of Northumberland, Admiral of England, is commanded to rig the King's ships and fit them for sea; and likewise all masters and owners of ships were persuaded to do the like. The beacons were repaired, sea-marks set up, and extraordinary posting up and down with pacquets; all sad prognosticks of the calamities ensuing.

The King being now at Royston, March 9, the Earls of Pembrook and Holland bring him the Parliament's declaration, and read it to him; wherein they represent to him some former miscarriages: as the attempts to incense the late Northern army against the Parliament, the Scotish troubles, L. Jermin's treason and transportation by the King's warrant, the petition delivered to Captain Leg, with the King's own hand, with the direction signed C. R. The business of the Lord Kimbolton and the five members. The suspicious designing a guard about his person, and underhand promoting the Irish rebellion. The ordering Sir John Pennington to land Lord Digby beyond sea; from thence to alienate the King from his Parliament, and to procure foreign forces for his assistance; which now (said they) appeared more credible by reason of his removal with the Prince, and the manifold advertisements from Rome, Venice, Paris, and other parts, certifying that the Pope's Nuncio had solicited the Kings of France and Spain, to lend his Majesty 4000 men

apiece in reference to some design against religion and the Parliament; and lastly, they desire him to turn away his wicked councellors and to rely upon his Parliament, which if he would do, they would sacrifice their lives, fortunes, and utmost endeavours to the supportation of his Soveraignty.

After the reading of the declaration, the Lords would have persuaded the King to come near the Parliament, and to grant the Militia for a time; which his Majesty refused and told them in short, that their fears, and doubts and jealousies were such as he would take time to satisfy the whole world of; but that his own doubts were not trivial, accasioned by so many scandalous pamphlets, and seditious sermons; divers publick tumults hitherto uninquired into, and unpunished; and some time after the King published a declaration to the people, in answer to theirs; the sum of which was:

That he had no evil Councellors about him, but leaves such to their censure where they should find them. That he desired the judgements ' of Heaven might be manifest upon those who had any design against the Protestant profession. That the Scottish troubles were buried in ' perpetual silence by the Act of Oblivion, and passed in the Parliaments of both Kingdoms. That they charging him with any inclining to the Irish rebels, was a high and causeless injury to his royal reputation: That he never intended to exasperate the late army, or in any wise to use them against the Parliament, That Captain Leg's petition was brought to him, subscribed by the officers of the army, desiring that the Parliament might not be hindred from reforming the Church and State to the model of Queen Elizabeth's days; and was advanta geous to them: and to assure Sir Jacob Ashly of his opinion therein, he writ C. R. That the Lord Digby and Mr. Jermin, neither were at White-hall, nor had any warrant from him after the restraint. That he had given sufficient answer about Kimbolton and the five members, that the care of his own safety caused him to raise a guard ' at White-hall, and to receive the loyal tender, which the gentlemen ' of the Inns of Court did make him of their service. And that he looked upon their foreign advertisement by them mentioned, as ' meerly wild and irrational.'

The King goes further Northward, whilst the Parliament voted the ordinance for defence of the Kingdom not to be prejudicial to the oath of Allegiance, but to be obeyed as the fundamental laws; and that the King's commands for Lieutenancy over the several counties were illegal and void; but he coming to Huntington sends them a message, March 15. That he intends to make his residence at York, desires them to hasten their succours for Ireland, and not upon any pretence of order or ordinance (to which he is not a party) of the Militia, or any other thing, to do or execute against the laws, which he himself was to keep, and his subjects to obey, declaring his subjects not to be obliged to obey any act, order, or injunction to which he hath not given consent: in answer to which, they resolve; that the absence of the King so far from his Parliament, was destructive to the relief of Ireland; and therefore all those councellers which advised him to it, are to be suspected as favourers of that bloody rebellion, as likewise those who persuaded his Majesty to question or contradict their votes, which was a high breach of privilege of Parliament.

March 16. The King at Stamford published a proclamation for putting the laws in execution against Popish recusants; and from thence he goes to York, and there March 24, repeals his grant for passing the Bill against Tonnage and Poundage, of June 22 last past, commanding the payment thereof for the future, according to the Act of the First of King James; and so this year ended.

It was now the year 1642, and the 18th of his Majesty's Reign, when a fresh difference arose; for the Earl of Northumberland, Admiral of England, being indisposed, the King ordered Sir John Pennington, Vice Admiral, to take the charge of the summer fleet for the Narrow Seas; but the Parliament earnestly desired that it might be conferred upon the Earl of Warwick, but were refused by the King, to their great distaste. During the assizes at York, the gentry, ministers and freeholders of that County, presented a petition to the King, to endeavour an agreement with the Parliament, who advises them to apply themselves to the Parliament for the good of all. And next day he sends a message to the Houses. That he intended to raise his guard out of the Counties near Chester, two thousand foot, and two hundred horse, to be supplied with arms from the magazine at Hull, upon taking the oaths of supremacy and allegiance, that if the Parliament's undertaking for the Irish war would not suffice to defray the charges of raising and paying them, he would pawn or sell his land or houses; desiring them withal, to quicken their levies for Munster and Conhaught, as the Scots already did theirs of Ulster; and offers his person against the rebels.'

The Parliament having for some time mistrusted the King's going North, to be intended for seizing the magazine at Hull, endeavoured to prevent it, declaring their suspicion of his design to raise an army, and therefore pray, That it might be removed from thence to the Tower of London, as a place of more safety, and easier transport for Ireland; and that the reprieve for the Popish priests in Newgate may be recalled, and they executed.' And to make all sure, Sir

John Hotham, a member of the House of Commons, is sent down to take upon him the government of that place, who by his sudden coming thither, prevented the Earl of Newcastle, who was designed by the King to be governor thereof; so that when the King came to Hull in person, with his guard consisting of lords and gentlemen, April 23, 1642, he finds the gates shut upon him, and the bridges drawn up; but from the wall Hotham appears, and upon his knees intreats his Majesty not to command that, which without a breach of his trust, he could not yield obedience to.

Whereupon the King finding his entrance prevented, caused Hotham instantly to be proclaimed a traitor; and by letters to the Parliament, complained of that indignity, and required satisfaction; but they justified him therein, and sent a committee of the Lords and Commons to reside there, for the better securing the garrison to them, and gave the governor power to raise the trained bands for his defence; after which the King hearing that the Parliament had raised a guard of themselves without his consent, and reflecting on the business of Hotham, he summoned the gentry of Yorkshire to a meeting, and acquainted them, That his magazine at Hull was going to be taken from him against his will, the Militia against the law and his consent, put in ' execution, and Sir John Hotham's treason countenanced, so that he was resolved to have a guard to secure his person, in which he desired their assistance, that he may be able to protect them, the laws, and the true Protestant religion from violation or injury.'..

The King had hereby indifferently strengthened himself, and more had come in had not those members of Parliament who came to the King at York, prevailed with some of the freeholders to protest against it. And the Parliament declare. That the subjects unless bound to

it by special service, could not be commanded to attend the King at ' his pleasure, without transgressing against the laws and liberties of the Kingdom. And that whosoever upon pretence of his Majesty's ' command, shall take up arms in a warlike manner, shall be esteemed ' disturbers of the peace, and to be proceeded against accordingly.'

In the mean while Sir Thomas Gardiner, who had been Recorder of London for six years, being impeached by the Parliament, and in danger of hanging, was glad to shift for himself, and by flight escaped to the King; at which time his Majesty endeavoured to have removed the term from London to York, but was much opposed therein by the Parliament, who voted it illegal, and forbid the Lord Keeper to issue out writs or seal any proclamation to that purpose. The Parliament now proceed to put the people into a military posture, requiring all persons in authority to put the late ordinance of the Militia in execu

tion, which the King by his proclamation forbids; but for the people's satisfaction the Parliament published a severe declaration to the same effect as their former remonstrance; only this was added, That the ، King at his being in Scotland had countenanced the Irish in their ' rebellious designs, and that his connivance was manifested by his ' tedious with-holding the proclamation, whereby they were declared traitors till January 2, being almost a quarter of a year after the breaking out of the rebellion, and then had appointed but forty copies ' to be printed, and none of them to be published without his pleasure signified; whereas his proclamations against the Scots had been dispersed throughout all the Kingdom with public prayers and execrations.'

The King makes a speedy answer hereunto, not much differing from what he had said before; yet tells them, That as to the business of the Irish, his council in Ireland had desired them no sooner, nor so › many copies by twenty as he had signed and sent them. His Majesty had written a Letter to his privy council of Scotland, to take away • from them all suspicion of those imputations so frequently laid to his charge, of being Popishly affected, to be guilty of the bloodshed in Ireland, and to bring in foreign forces;' wherewith they seemed so satisfied, that they returned a most respectful answer, and presently interposed their mediation to heal the breach before it grew wider; humbly desiring the King to hearken to his Parliament, as his greatest, his best, and most unparalleled council; and discouraging him from any personal journey into Ireland. This message was sent by the Earl of Loudon, Chancellor of Scotland, and after this the Scots petition to the King's Privy Council there, not to meddle with any verbal or real engagement for the King against the Parliament. Hereupon the English Parliament publish a protestation, wherein they vindicate their own proceedings: and declare the great sense they had of the affection of their Scottish brethren manifested unto them in so many particulars, and more especially the mentioned petition.

The Earl of Bristol, an old experienced statesman, prudently foresaw that such unhappy beginnings must necessarily have a very bad issue, and therefore earnestly endeavoured an accommodation by stating the case in the House of Lords; representing the offers of the King on the one side, and the professions of the Parliament on the other; and likewise the dreadful effects of a civil war (then likely to ensue) by the example of the woeful desolations in Germany, and the expensive troubles in Scotland; and then proposes some methods for preventing these dangers: as 1. That a select Committee of Parliament should truly state the matters in difference with the most probable ways of