THE Kingdoms of Great Britain being United under the Dominion of one Prince , and the Animosities and Emulations , which usually disorder Neighbour-Nations , thereby removed ; gave a sudden Rise to a very great and formidable Power , which could not be destroyed but by it self . The Moderator of this vast Empire , was JAMES VI. King of Scotland , and First Monarch of Great Britain , undoubted Heir to both , as well by Right of Succession , from Margaret the only Daughter of Edgar Atheling , the last of the Saxon Princes , as by that of Force , derived to him from the Norman Conqueror . This Wise and Learned Prince , Charles I. succeeds to the Crown . being gathered to his Fathers , the loss which his Dominions suffered by it , however great , was abundantly repaired by the Succession of his Son CHARLES ; who being truly Heir to his Father's Greatness and Vertues , as well as Scepters , did excel all his Predecessors , in the more severe Disquisition of what was Fit and Just ; so that our Tragedies will scarce find Credit with Posterity , whilst the Ages to come , mistrusting the Reports of such enormous Villainies , will look upon our unheard-of Vicissitudes , but as the Fancies of Poetry , and the Decoration of Theatres . For , how is it possible to believe , that the Best of Princes should meet with the Worst of Subjects , on whom he had conferred more Graces , than the whole Series of his Ancestors ? and that he , who valued his Kingdoms and Life , at a lower Rate than the Happiness of his People , should by a Judicial Parricide , be sacrificed to the ambitious Violence of a prevailing Faction in their Representative : and that , under the pretence of Usurpation and Tyranny ? But these things happened , an everlasting Reproach to the Nation , and not to be atoned for by any Resentment , or Hecatombs of Victims .

King James left a flourishing Kingdom behind him , but an empty Treasury , and his Successor engaged in a War with Spain ; and , what was worse , the Parliament that oblig'd the Father to Arm , abandoned the Son , when they had exposed him . Nor were the succeeding Parliaments more Obsequious , or forward in supplying his Necessities , how great soever ; either in recovering the Palatinate , or rescuing the French Protestants , though undertaken in Defence of the Reformed Religion . 'T is true , his Third Parliament voted him Five Subsidies ; but we must own also , The Petition of Right that the Petition of Right , being a Condescension even to Supererogation , deserv'd their best Acknowledgements ; for , raised with that Grant , they , that very Session , questioned the Tribute of Tonnage and Poundage , though perpetually enjoyed by his Predecessors , Kings of England ; affirming ; That he had resigned what Right he could pretend to it , by that very Concession ; which they urged with so much Violence , that forgeting the Rules of Modesty , the King was forced to Dissolve them , and to punish some of the most Factious of that Seditious Convention .

But the Causes of these Heats must be further sought . In the Reign of Queen Mary , a great Number of People withdrew themselves out of England , whereof many , Some pretended Causes of Sedition . infected with the Discipline of Geneva , upon Queen Elizabeth's Assumption to the Crown , returning , brought that uneasie Preciseness with them , which suddenly grew to that height , by the Carlessness , or Pusillanimity of the Magistrates , under King James ; that it did not only insinuate it self , under the veil of Piety , amongst the People , but even into the Court , and Parliaments ; where joining it self to those of Anti-Monarchic Principles , it endeavoured to diminish the Prerogative , and subject the King to those Necessities which might force him to unusual Ways of supplying them : Which also happened ; for , being pressed by the indispensible Exigence of his Affairs , and perceiving no hopes of Subsidies from Parliaments , he began to have an Aversion for them so Constituted , and search for Refuge in his Prerogative . And yet he had so much Reverence for the Laws , that he would act nothing contrary to them , as appears in Ship-Money ; which Tax however it were imposed to vindicate the Honour of the Sea against Pyrates , and our Potent Neighbours , he would not exact it , till it was adjudged to him by all the Judges of Westminster , and that under their Hands . But the Common People despising the Moderation of their Prince , and instigated by those who desired a Change , crying out , That their Laws and Liberties were endangered , mutinied ; attributing all the Errors and Misfortunes in the Government ( for the Undertakings Abroad had not been very successful ) to his Counsellors , that they might transversly smite him , and blast his Reputation . To this the exuberant Power of the Clergy , that pretended Exemption from the Jurisdiction of the Laicks , did not please . The unusual Introduction of Ceremonies , as they cried out , and the placing of the Communion-Table at the East-End of the Church , with the more severe Imposition of Rites , however indifferent ( except in the Command ) did trouble them , and were the occasion of very great Tumults in many Parishes . But nothing did equally move their Choler , and Pity , as the Punishment of some Seditious Scriblers against Ceremonies , and the Bishops their Authors , by Incarceration , and cutting off their Ears ; who , however Guilty , and deserving what the Rigour of Justice could inflict , were yet thought to be hardly dealt with , considering the serene Tranquillity of those Halcion Days . And truly , Peace , and its Concomitant , Plenty , flourish'd amongst us , to the Envy of our Neighbours , continuing to the Fourth Lustre of the King's Reign ; The Flourishing Condition of the Nation . which might have been perpetual , being inexpugnable from Abroad , if it had not been destroyed , by the more than Civil Rage of our Mischievous Dissenters . Nothing seemed wanting to our Felicity , before it was disturbed by these nefarious Tumults ; and , our People , if they could have seen their own Happiness , were , considering the inexhaustible affluence of all Things , the Liberty of Commerce , and the free Enjoyment of what they had acquired , the happiest of any Subjects , under any known Government in the World . But our Luxury encreasing with our Abundance , we grew wanton , and fell into such a Surfeit , that nothing but a violent Bleeding could effect a Cure . The true Cause of these Evils , had its Rise from the noxious Indulgence of our Physicians , who neglecting to stifle the Factious Humours of the Puritans in their Infancy , gave such force and boldness to this Contagion , that it unhappily Infected the whole Body Politick , to the Ruine of Hierarchy , the best of Spiritual , and Monarchy , the best of Temporal Governments .

'T is scarce conceivable , that there were found any in so happy a State , that should seem to desire a Change . And yet such there were ; amongst which , Who they were who desired a Change . the chief Ring-leaders were the Presbyterians , who had their Missionaries and Lecturers in all the Quarters of the Kingdom ; and those swarms of Sectaries , their Brood , who contended for an equal Liberty in Civil , as well as Sacred Things . The Catholicks wished for the Dominion of Rome in Spirituals . But the Gentry , and Lesser Nobility , which composed the House of Commons , out of Contemplation of their own Greatness whilst they sate there , preferred Democracy before all other . In the mean time , this disguised Impiety grew up , under the plausible pretence of Sanctity , seducing the Vulgar with a Shew of Religion , into a Reverence of it . It is not imaginable how far this Sacred Novelty prevailed , by the seditious Fury of its Preachers , and their uncontrouled railing against the received Rites of the Church , and the lawful Power of the King . It had bewitch'd the Town , the Country , and Private Families into an Opinion of it ; nor were the great Representatives of the Kingdom , exempted from its Contagion , which the King had abundantly Experimented in all the Parliaments he had summoned : For in them the Novellists , and Democraticks , pretending the Liberty and Defence of Religion , against the Designs of the Court , and Popery , oppressed the Prerogative to advance their own ; endeavouring to raise the Authority of the People , whose Vicegerents they were , upon the Ruines of the King . To this , they branded with the Odious Title of Papists , all that opposed them , by which means they deceived the People , who are still the more addicted to their Superiors , by how much they observe them the more Zealous for the Advancement of Religion . And truly , the depravedness of the Age was so great , that whatever was said in behalf of the King and his Ministers against Popery , had no Credit ; but on the contrary , whatever was affirmed , to perswade the People , that the Court did Favour Superstition , was greedily swallowed down without any regard to Reasons of State , which sometimes obliged to a Compliance with the Desires of Foreign Princes and Embassadors . But the true Source of our Miseries came from Scotland ; this Embryo of Rebellion , gathering Strength from Foreigners , upon this Occasion .

The Nobility in the Infancy of King JAMES , had , by the Connivance of Murrey the Governour , The Scots Tumults . usurped the Lands and Possessions belonging to the Cathedrals and Monasteries of that Kingdom ; which they also enjoyed , untill King Charles , pressed with foreign Wars , and but ill supplied from Scotland , resolved , by the Advice of his Council there , to reunite the said Possessions to the Crown again ; which he did by an Act of Revocation , with a Commission of Surrend'ries of Superiorities and Tithes . But those Nobles resolved to turn all upside down , rather than part with their Usurpations , and be deprived of the Vassalage of the Ministers , and Land-owners . And so conspiring against the King himself , designed to oppose his Authority , both Sacred and Civil , in the next Parliament he should call . Moreover , there were some other Malecontents , who by reason of their Disaffection , had been denied such Titles and Honours , as they pretended to at his Majesties Coronation , who all joyned together ; and because there are no Pretences more specious than those of Religion , nor more charming Bates to ensnare the Vulgar , it was thought most proper to be insisted on . Nor was it long before the Depravedness of the times , furnished them with Opportunities to manifest their Resentments .

The pious King was pleased to send the Liturgy and Book of Common-Prayers , signed with the Blood of the first Reformers of our Church , The King sends the Liturgy into Scotland . to the Kirk of Scotland ; for he desired , to unite in the same Opinion in Spirituals , those People who were subject to the same Empire in Temporals . King JAMES had formerly proposed the same thing to his Countrymen at Aberdeen , who willingly assented to it ; and having framed it there , and adapted it to the Church of Scotland , it was sent into England , where it lay ; till by the Advice of the Privy Council at Edenburgh , and perswasion of some others nearer him , though very unseasonably , his Majesty returned it to them , with Command to have it used in all the Churches and Chapels of Scotland . This Advice , however laudable , was ill timed , for the growing Factions took thence an Occasion to rebel ; and 't is scarce credible , with what contumacious Fury the Presbyterians ( who would sooner sin against Religion its self than its Rites ) did oppose it ; crying out , that the King introduced Superstition , and prophane Forms of Worship into the Church . Rumours were also spread abroad by the dissatisfied Nobles before-mentioned , who abhorred nothing equal with the Restitution of what they had usurped ; as also by others of the Cabal , who longed for a Change , of reducing Scotland into a Province : So that the People thinking their Civil as well as Sacred Liberty were in danger , became obnoxious to the Artifices of every Faction . And this occasioned the Sedition of Edenburgh , and the zealous Madness of the Rabble against the Liturgy .

The Sedition of Edenburgh . Jul. 23. 1637. The Dean that officiated , as also the Bishop who should have preached , had much to do to escape with their Lives ; their wild Auditors throwing their Books , Stools , and whatever else their Fury could seize on , at their Heads . Nor did they stick here ; for , the prime Conspirators who had thus infatuated the lowest of the People , and incensed them against the Liturgy , engaged them also , the better sort now consorting with them , in a Covenant , under pretext of vindicating their Religion , to abolish it ; and gaping after the Church-Revenues , to extirpate the Hierarchy of - Bishops . Moreover , they took up Arms , being instigated thereto by the Puritans of England , whom they had cajoled with a Declaration , as they call'd it , to vindicate their Actions , and Intentions ; and renouncing their Duty and Allegiance , they seized upon the King's Castles and Revenues , for their Use , and Support in the War . Having raised an Army , but distrusting their own Strength , they courted Assistance from the French , and writing an humble Letter to Lewis XIII . of that Name , implored the Assistance of a foreign Prince , The Scots implore Assistance from the French King Car. Richlieu . against their own , whom they had so cruelly offended . And thus a great Mystery was discovered , teaching the World how to extirpate the Religion of Rome , by consulting with a Roman Cardinal , and by joining Forces with a Catholick Monarch .

The King had sent Duke Hamilton to allay these Troubles ; but he acted so remissly , that he seemed rather to encourage than suppress their fury ; which is no wonder , if what is reported of him be true , that their first Motions had been secretly directed by his Counsels . The King therefore incited by the Insolence of his Subjects , resolved , Mar. 27-1639 . The King marches towards Scotland . seeing his clemency was neglected , to chastise them by force , and raising a great Army marches towards Scotland . But there was nothing performed in this Expedition worthy such extraordinary Preparations . For , many both of the Nobility and Gentry , would hardly be perswaded to invade Scotland , which likewise cooled the Soldiers . Nor is it to be wondered at , since their chief Officers , as Essex , who was Lieutenant-General , and Holland General of the Horse , with others , proved afterwards to be the prime Heads of the Rebellion in England . They had forgot the Animosities of old , betwixt these Neighbour-Nations , fearing as had been suggested to them , That Scotland being conquered , the Forces that served to subdue it , might in process of Time be made use of to enslave England . But the remoteness of this Project , renders it very Chimerical . However , the King warned by the Perfidy of his own Men , Makes Peace . was necessitated to consent to a Peace with the Rebels , upon no equal Terms . Which he the rather did , as being sensible , That nothing can happen more pernicious to a Prince , than Civil Discord .

But the Scots quickly violated the Peace they had procured ; for they did not disband according to the Articles of the Treaty , but kept all their Officers in pay . Neither did they demolish the Fortifications of Leith , as they should have done ; but adding Infidelity to their Rebellion , did also publish a Libel , entituled , Conditions of his Majesty's Treaty with his Subjects of Scotland , which for its Falseness by inserting Articles never assented to , was burnt by the hands of the Common Hangman . The Scots break it , and invade England . High with their late Success , and looking upon the King's Indulgence , as an Argument of his Easiness , not his Goodness ; being also instigated to it by the English Puritans , they arm a Second Time , and sleighting the Sanctions of the Treaty , rush into England , and unexpectedly possess the Towns of New-Castle and Durham . They had sent their Declaration before them , intimating , That what they undertook , was for the Glory of God , and that their Arms were onely Defensive , and not intended against England , but against the Canterbury - Faction , and to endeavour to unite both Nations in one , as to Religion .

The King seeing his Clemency abused , and his Authority prostituted by the Rebels in Scotland , and to repress the Insolency of his Subjects , who had by Leagues , Oaths and the Seisure of his Castles and Forts , and the like , conspired against him ; and also that the Decrees of Parliament might not be rescinded by those of the Assembly , nor the Three States be mutilated by the abolishing of Episcopacy ; seriously resolved to vindicate his offended Majesty , and reduce his so often Rebelling Subjects to their Duty again . The Little Parliament He therefore summon'd a Parliament to meet at London , which he had deferred for some Years past , to give those boisterous Spirits leasure to cool . And now he acquaints them , with the Invasion of the Scots and their Indignities towards him , and very earnestly demands Moneys of them to carry on the War ; assuring them , that if they would liberally comply with his Necessities , he would not only consent to remedy all their just Grievances , but remit his Right to Ship-money for ever , though adjudged to him by all the Justices of the Kingdom . Nor did he thus obtain his desires , the Parliament opposing them ; not only declaring that Tribute to be illegal , but were also , dissolved . if they had not been prevented by their Dissolution , upon the point of voting against the War they so much abominated . There were many good Men , who were much troubled at this unexpected Dismission of the Parliament , fancying that the Heats and Differences betwixt the King and his People , might have been dispelled by the Continuance of the Assembly , which seemed now on the other side highly exaggerated . The enraged Commonalty , exclaimed mightily against the Authors of this Counsel . Some attributed it to Marquiss Hamilton , the ambitious Son of a Mother wholly devoted to the Covenanters . Others to the Earl of Strafford . But the greatest Crowd , would have it to be the Archbishop of Canterbury ; and to be revenged on him , about five Hundred of the Apprentices and Rabble , furiously assault his Palace at Lambeth , though without Success . But the true Authors , were the subtle Contrivers of the following Rebellion . For , Sir Henry Vane , one of the principal of them , then his Majesty's Principal Secretary , being ordered by his Master to move for a Supply of Twelve Subsidies , with Power to descend to Eight ; he , when the House by an Offer of Five , nay Six were mentioned , to advance towards a Complyance , peremptorily told them , that less than Twelve would not do ; whereby he not only irritated the Seditious , but the more modest part of the Assembly , which seemed to be his Design by the Effect .

The factious were not displeased with the King's Necessities , The King's Necessities . which they themselves did from time to time contribute to , since there were no Subsidies to be obtained , but upon Conditions ruinous to Monarchy it self ; or by exposing his best Friends and Ministers , to their Rage and Slaughter . And thus they constrained the King , though unwilling , to unusual ways of supplying his wants , that they might thereby expose him to the Contempt and Odium of an irritated People . But the King raised Moneys by other means ; his Council , the faithful Nobility and Gentry , His Friends contribute to his Supply . the Judges , but more eminently the Clergy , who contributed a fifth of their Revenues ( whence it was called the Bishops War ) largely supplying him . The Earl of Strafford subscribed 20000 pounds , which the Duke of Lenox also did , as likewise others proportionably ; except Hamilton , who pretended Poverty , though the Author of his Memorials , against the current of the English Writers , delivers that he also subscribed 20000 pounds .

Being thus furnished , the King raises another Army , and marches against the Scots , but slowly , not supposing them so forward , who had already passed the River Tweed , near Berwick . The Earl of Northumberland was General , and Strafford Lieutenant-General of the King's Army ; but they being both absent , the Lord Conway , General of the Horse , commanded , lying with 3000 Foot and 1200 Horse to keep the Passage of the Tine at Newburne . Lesley the Rebels General , desired permission to pass with his Army , with a Petition to the King , but being denied , he attempted the Passage with Three Hundred Horse , which were repulsed . Hereupon he plies his great Guns with such Success , that the English , Lesley forces his Passage at Newburne . being for the most part Raw and Unexperienced , throwing down their Arms , ran away . Commissary-General Wilmot made stout Resistance with the Horse , till over-power'd by Numbers , he was forced likewise to retreat . The Scots possessed themselves of New-Castle the same Day , being abandoned by Sir Jacob Ashly , who sunk his Great Ordnance in the River for haste , whilst the whole Army retreated in much disorder towards York . Two Days after , they took Durham with the same Facility ; and putting the Northern Counties under Contribution , forced them to supply their Needy Troops , with Provisions and Moneys in abundance .

The King Summons the Peers to York . Makes a Truce with the Scots . The King streightned with these Pressures , summoned the Peers to meet him at York ; by whose Counsel , or rather Faction , a Treaty was commenced , and a Cessation of Arms concluded upon very dishonourable Conditions . The Four Northern Counties being allowed the Rebels for their Winter Quarters , and 850 Pounds per diem during the Truce , for their Maintenance . Nor could it be otherwise hoped for , since Eleven of those Sixteen Lords which the King had appointed to treat with the Scots , were either Principal Leaders , or Assertors of the Rebellion in the following War .

It will not be from the purpose to mention , what further happened in this Convention . The Scots seemed to wonder , that they appearing in Arms upon the Invitation of the English Lords , none of them , unmindful of the Favour , had made any mention of it ; affirming , they had not come without the invitation of their Letters . The English Lords surprized with this Reproach , assured them , That they had made them no Invitation at all . The Scots being highly moved with this denial , produced an Instrument subscribed with most of their Hands , which strangely surprised them ; until , upon a strict scrutiny , they found it to be an Invention of the Lord Savil's , who had really sent them the said Invitation , counterfeiting the subsigned Hands ; which being now discovered by his own Confession , it was thought fit , seeing the Cheat had succeeded so well , not to publish it .

Strafford alone did dare to advise against this sordid Compliance with the Enemy , urging , That the Scots were to be forced back with Steel , not Gold . He further advised the King , to grant them no Conditions unworthy himself , or the English Nation . Let him but give him leave , and he would upon peril of his Head , oblige them to return to their Country , and Duty to their Prince again . This vigorous Advice did so far irritate the Scots , that they prosecuted the Author of it to Death . On the other side , Hamilton , suspected to favour his Countrymen , perswaded a Peace , to which the rest of the Peers did also assent ; upon a supposition , that a Parliament , and an Agreement , were the securest Remedies against the impending Evil. The Cessation being thus concluded , the main of it was referred to the Arbitration of a Parliament , Nov. 3. 1640. The Rebel-Parliament meets . which the King had already summoned to meet at Westminster . And this is that fatal Convention , which , by the Predominancy of the Puritans in it , consummated their Impiety and Disobedience , by ruining the most Apostolick Church under Heaven , and Murthering the best Prince that ever swayed the English Scepter .

The King might have expected better treating from this Meeting , seeing he did not call it ( to use his own Words ) more by others Advice , and the Necessity of His Affairs , than by his own Choice and Inclination ; who always thought the right way of Parliaments most safe for his Crown , as best pleasing to His Subjects and People . In the mean time , the King tells them in the House of Lords , the Commons present , What had intervened in the War , and what else He judged necessary to be done ; and presses them to supply Means whereby the Rebels might speedily be driven Home again ; whereunto He also would contribute His Endeavours ; assuring them further , That that being done , they should find him most ready to remove all their Grievances . But they did not in any kind comply with the King's Desires , but seeming displeased with his calling the Scots Rebels , resolved not to send them Home , with whom they had long since conspired , before they had acquired every thing that they judged necessary for the Support of their designed Usurpation . With this assurance , the Commons purge their House of such as they thought might oppose their Designs ; and to shew themselves good Patriots , entertained such Petitions , Preludes to the ensuing Rebellion . as they themselves had for the most part framed , inveighing against Grievances from several Parts of the Kingdom ; and omitting entirely what they were assembled for , imputed all the Misfortunes and Errors of the Government , obliquely to the King , through the Sides of his Counsellors and Servants . And yet they will seemingly flatter him , under pretence of inspecting his Revenue , which they pretended much to desire , promising , not only to augment and settle it , but to make his Majesty one of the Richest Princes in Christendom . In the mean time , to try his Patience , and their own Power with the People , they ordered Pryn , Burton , and Bastwick to be released out of Prison . Who in defiance of Justice , and the King's Authority , made a pompous Entry into London , attended with many Thousands of pretended Zealots . And now they encourage , and receive Petitions against the Hierarchy of the Church , resolving indeed to change both the Government thereof , and also of the State , by drawing the Supreme Power by little and little into their own Hands : Daring , in order to it , not only to slight , but to question the Lawfulness of the Royal Authority it self . But the King's Friends , and such who were addicted to Monarchy , were to be removed out of both Houses ; which they endeavour by Threats , by Tumults , and by affixing their Names upon Posts ; and , in time effected . For , several of the Nobles , and many of the Lower House , since they could not Vote with Liberty , absented thence altogether ; whilst they who stay'd , being either enslaved to the Faction , or unequal to them in Numbers , durst say nothing . The Lord Keeper , and Secretary Windebank , with divers others , withdrew themselves into Holland and France . The Bishops were Imprisoned and Ejected , against Magna Charta , and the immemorial Custom of past Ages , which allowed them a Legislative Power before Parliaments were Instituted . The Judges also , who had Voted Ship-Money to be Legal , were themselves voted Guilty of Treason , whilst the weight of their Indignation fell upon the Earl of Strafford , who , by the Instigation of the Scots , was to be taken away .

The Earl was then in the North , having been advertised by his Friends in the House , as also by his own Reason , of the Danger ; and therefore advised not to appear in Parliament , as knowing the Hatred and Envy , both That , and the Scots bare against him : Who if he kept himself out of their Sight and Reach , might perhaps be forgot , or at least being less prosecuted , make a secure retreat into Ireland , which was at his Devotion ; or beyond Sea , till better Times . But he relying upon his own Innocence , and unwilling to seem Guilty by a Retreat ; and the King being unwilling to Part with a Person , whose Counsel he should want , in his most abstruse Affairs , came up to London . Yet so armed , that he had himself designed to Impeach some of his Chief Enemies , being sufficiently provided with Matter for an Accusation . But they were too nimble for him ; The Tryal of the E. of Strafford . for he had scarce taken his Seat in the House of Lords , but he was accused by the Commons of High-Treason . And yet ; there were some Motions made in order to his Preservation , in Case the King would consent to advance some of the Grandees of the Faction , to the great Offices of the Crown . But That being delayed , or denied , did so incense the Disappointed , that , joining with the Scots , they became more implacable against him .