The unexpected reconciliation was most acceptable to all the Kingdome, except to the malignant partie, whereof the Archbishop and the Earle of Strafford being heads, they and their faction begun to enveigh against the Peace, and to aggravate the proceeding of the States, which so incensed His Majestie, that he forthwith prepared again for Warre. And such was their confidence, that having corrupted and distempered the whole frame and Government of the Kingdome, they did now hope to corrupt that which was the onely means to restore all to a right frame and Temper again: to which end they perswaded His Majestie to call a Parliament, not to seek Counsell and advice of them, but to draw Countenance and Supply from them, and engage the whole Kingdome in their Quarrell: and in the mean time continued all their unjust Levies of Money, resolving either to make the Parliament pliant to their Will, and to establish mischief by a Law, or else to break it; and with more colour to go on by violence, to take what they could not obtain by consent. The ground alledged for thejustification of this Warre was this.That the undutifull Demands of the Parliaments ofScotland, was a sufficient reason for His Maiestie to take Armes against them without hearing the Reason of those Demands, And thereupon a new Armie was prepared against them, their Ships were seized in all Ports, both ofEnglandandIreland, and at Sea. Their Petitions reiected; their Commissioners refused Audience. This whole Kingdome most miserably distempered with Levies of Men and Money, and Imprisonments of those who denied to submit to those Levies. The Earle ofStraffordpast intoIreland, caused theParliamentthere to declare against theScots, to give foure Subsidies towards that War; and to ingage themselves, their lives and fortunes for the prosecution of it, and gave directions for an Armie of eight thousand foot, and one thousand horse to be levied there, which were for the most part Papists. TheParliamentmet upon the thirteenth ofApril, one thousand six hundred and fourtie. The Earle ofStraffordand Archbishop ofCanterburywith their Partie so prevailed with His Maiestie,that theHouse of Commonswas prest to yeeld to a Supply for maintenance of the Warre withScotland, before they had provided any reliefe for the great and pressing Grievances of the people, which being against the fundamentall Priviledge and proceeding ofParliament, was yet in humble respect to his Maiestie, so far admitted, as that they agreed to take the matter of Supply into consideration, and two severall dayes it was debated. Twelve Subsidies were demanded for the release of Ship-money alone; A third day was appointed for Conclusion when the Heads of that Partie begun to fear the people might close with the King in satisfying his desire of Money: But that withall they were like to blast their malicious designes againstScotland, finding them verie much indisposed to give any countenance to that Warre.Thereupon they wickedly advised the King to break off theParliament, and to return to the wayes of Confusion, in which their own evill intentions were most like to prosper and succeed.After theParliamentended the fifth ofMay, one thousand six hundred and fourty, this Partie grew so bold, as to counsell the King to supply Himself out of his Subiects states by his own power, at his own Will, without their consent. The very next day someMembers of both Houseshad their Studies and Cabinets, yea their Pockets searched: Another of them not long after was committed close prisoner for not delivering some Petitions which he received by authoritie of thatHouse, and if harsher courses were intended (as was reported) it is very probable that the sicknesse of the Earl ofStraffordand the Tumultuous rising inSouthwarke, and aboutLambeth, were the causes that such violent intentions were not brought to execution. A false and scandalous Declaration against theHouse of Commonswas published, in his Maiesties Name, which yet wrought little effect with the people, but onely to manifest the impudence of those who were Authors of it.A forced Loan of Money was attempted in the Citie ofLondon.The Lord Major and Aldermen in their severall Wards enioyned to bring in a list of the Names of such persons as they iudged fit to lend, and of the summe they should lend. And such Aldermen as refused so to do were committed to prison.TheArchbishopand the otherBishopsandClergiecontinued theConvocation, and by a new Commission turned it to aProvinciall Synod, in which by an unheard of presumption, they madeCanonsthat contain in them many matters contrarie to the Kings Prerogative, to the fundamentall Laws and Statutes of the Realm, to the right ofParliaments, to the Propertie and Libertie of the Subiect, and matters tending to sedition and of dangerous consequence, thereby establishing their own Vsurpations, justifying their Altar-worship, and those other superstitious Innovations which they formerly introduced, without warrant of Law.
The unexpected reconciliation was most acceptable to all the Kingdome, except to the malignant partie, whereof the Archbishop and the Earle of Strafford being heads, they and their faction begun to enveigh against the Peace, and to aggravate the proceeding of the States, which so incensed His Majestie, that he forthwith prepared again for Warre. And such was their confidence, that having corrupted and distempered the whole frame and Government of the Kingdome, they did now hope to corrupt that which was the onely means to restore all to a right frame and Temper again: to which end they perswaded His Majestie to call a Parliament, not to seek Counsell and advice of them, but to draw Countenance and Supply from them, and engage the whole Kingdome in their Quarrell: and in the mean time continued all their unjust Levies of Money, resolving either to make the Parliament pliant to their Will, and to establish mischief by a Law, or else to break it; and with more colour to go on by violence, to take what they could not obtain by consent. The ground alledged for thejustification of this Warre was this.
That the undutifull Demands of the Parliaments ofScotland, was a sufficient reason for His Maiestie to take Armes against them without hearing the Reason of those Demands, And thereupon a new Armie was prepared against them, their Ships were seized in all Ports, both ofEnglandandIreland, and at Sea. Their Petitions reiected; their Commissioners refused Audience. This whole Kingdome most miserably distempered with Levies of Men and Money, and Imprisonments of those who denied to submit to those Levies. The Earle ofStraffordpast intoIreland, caused theParliamentthere to declare against theScots, to give foure Subsidies towards that War; and to ingage themselves, their lives and fortunes for the prosecution of it, and gave directions for an Armie of eight thousand foot, and one thousand horse to be levied there, which were for the most part Papists. TheParliamentmet upon the thirteenth ofApril, one thousand six hundred and fourtie. The Earle ofStraffordand Archbishop ofCanterburywith their Partie so prevailed with His Maiestie,that theHouse of Commonswas prest to yeeld to a Supply for maintenance of the Warre withScotland, before they had provided any reliefe for the great and pressing Grievances of the people, which being against the fundamentall Priviledge and proceeding ofParliament, was yet in humble respect to his Maiestie, so far admitted, as that they agreed to take the matter of Supply into consideration, and two severall dayes it was debated. Twelve Subsidies were demanded for the release of Ship-money alone; A third day was appointed for Conclusion when the Heads of that Partie begun to fear the people might close with the King in satisfying his desire of Money: But that withall they were like to blast their malicious designes againstScotland, finding them verie much indisposed to give any countenance to that Warre.
Thereupon they wickedly advised the King to break off theParliament, and to return to the wayes of Confusion, in which their own evill intentions were most like to prosper and succeed.
After theParliamentended the fifth ofMay, one thousand six hundred and fourty, this Partie grew so bold, as to counsell the King to supply Himself out of his Subiects states by his own power, at his own Will, without their consent. The very next day someMembers of both Houseshad their Studies and Cabinets, yea their Pockets searched: Another of them not long after was committed close prisoner for not delivering some Petitions which he received by authoritie of thatHouse, and if harsher courses were intended (as was reported) it is very probable that the sicknesse of the Earl ofStraffordand the Tumultuous rising inSouthwarke, and aboutLambeth, were the causes that such violent intentions were not brought to execution. A false and scandalous Declaration against theHouse of Commonswas published, in his Maiesties Name, which yet wrought little effect with the people, but onely to manifest the impudence of those who were Authors of it.
A forced Loan of Money was attempted in the Citie ofLondon.
The Lord Major and Aldermen in their severall Wards enioyned to bring in a list of the Names of such persons as they iudged fit to lend, and of the summe they should lend. And such Aldermen as refused so to do were committed to prison.
TheArchbishopand the otherBishopsandClergiecontinued theConvocation, and by a new Commission turned it to aProvinciall Synod, in which by an unheard of presumption, they madeCanonsthat contain in them many matters contrarie to the Kings Prerogative, to the fundamentall Laws and Statutes of the Realm, to the right ofParliaments, to the Propertie and Libertie of the Subiect, and matters tending to sedition and of dangerous consequence, thereby establishing their own Vsurpations, justifying their Altar-worship, and those other superstitious Innovations which they formerly introduced, without warrant of Law.