The annals of King James and King Charles the First ... containing a faithful history and impartial account of the great affairs of state, and transactions of parliaments in England from the tenth of King James MDCXII to the eighteenth of King Charles MDCXLII : wherein several material passages relating to the late civil wars (omitted in former histories) are made known.

By the King.

WHereas divers lewd and wicked per∣sons have of late risen in Rebellion in * 1.1 our Kingdom of Ireland in surprizing our Forts, Garrisons, Arms, and Munition, dispossessed many good Subj••cts of the British Nation and Protestants, of their Houses, Lands, and Goods, massacred multitudes of them, &c. we do therefore declare our just in∣dignation thereof, and denounce them Rebels and Traytors, with all such as adhere and a∣bet them, Commanding them immediately to lay down their Arms.

Having authorized his Iustices of Ireland, and other his Governour, Governours, Ge∣neral, or Lieutenant-General of his Army there, to prosecute them with fire and sword, and to be countenanced and supported by him and his powerful succours assisted by his good Subjects of England, and this his Royal Pleasure he commands his Iustices and o∣ther his Offi••••••••, there to proclaim through∣out the Kingdom of Ireland.

His Majesty having sent, as before is related, his Orders to the Lord Mayor of the City of Lon∣don, for the suppression of the Tumults; they to obviate his Majesty herein, Petition his Majesty for a Guard for the security of their Persons also un∣der the Command of the Earl of Essex, a known and confiding person, and this Guard to consist of Citizens.

His Majesty hereto answers, That he will protect them himself, and they shall be as much his care as his own Wife and Children; and if this general Answer will not satisfie them, he would command such a guard to wait upon them, as he would be responsible for to God Almighty. The truth is, his Majesty himself was now in more danger than they, he was the per∣son attach'd as before, and the Rabble the Assail∣ants; hereupon his Majesty was enforc'd to ac∣cept of a Guard of some Gentlemen of Grays-Inn and others of the Inns of Court, under the Com∣mand of Sir William Mason.

His Majesty was very sensible from whence all these Mutinies came, and indeed of the beginning and progress of all our Troubles he was made ac∣quainted with at his being in Scotland, where expo∣stulating with some chief of the Reasons of their late Hostile Invasions of his Kingdom of England, he was there first acquainted that some prime men in the two Houses of his Parliament of England had invited them to it; and having fur∣nish'd his Majesty with proofs, he commanded the Attorney General to draw up an Impeachment of High Treason against some of them, viz. the Lord Kimbolton, a Member of the Peers House, and a∣gainst five Commoners, Denzil Hollis, Sir Arthur Haslerig, Mr. John Hampden, Mr. Pym, and Mr. Stroud, and acquainted the Peers House with the generals of their Accusation, which were as fol∣loweth:

1. That they have trayterously endeavoured to * 1.2 subvert the Fundamental Laws and Govern∣ment of this Kingdom, and deprive the King of his Legal Power, and to place on Subjects an Arbitrary and Tyrannical Power.

2. That they have endeavoured by many foul Aspersions upon his Majesty, and his Go∣vernment, to alienate the affections of his people, and to make his Majesty odious unto them.

3. That they have endeavoured to draw his Majesties late Army to disobedience to his Majesties Command, and to side with them in their trayterous Designs.

4. That they have trayterously invited and en∣couraged a Forreign Power to invade his Ma∣jesties Kingdom of England.

5. That they have trayterously endeavoured to subvert the very Rights and being of Parlia∣ment.

6. That for the compleating of their trayterous design, they have endeavoured, as far as in them lay, by force and terrour to compel the Parliament to joyn with them in their trayter∣ous designs, and to that end have actually raised and countenanced Tumults against the King and Parliament.

7. That they have trayterously conspired to le∣vy, and actually have levied War against the King.

These Articles his Majesty had sent also to the Commons, to acquaint them herewith, and did al∣so require by the Serjeant at Arms that their per∣sons should be secured, who coming to execute his Office, meets with a Countermand from the Com∣mons not to do it, and passed a Vote, That if any person came to attach them without order of their House [though the Crimes alledged were Treasons, &c.] they might stand in their defence, and make resi∣stance. Hereupon his Majesty seeing all obstructi∣on of Justice made by the Commons House, re∣solves, and did go in Person, accompanied by his Nephew the Palsgrave, and about 100 Lords and Gentlemen and their followers, to the Commons House, where he entred alone with the Palsgrave, commanding all others to stay without doors, & to offer no violence, nor return any uncivil Lan∣guage (though provoked) to any person whate∣ver. At his entrance the Speaker left the Chair, where sate down, he acquaints the House again of his demanding five of their Members into his hands, to be proceeded against only according to Law; but the Members, as is said, being acquaint∣ed hereof beforehand by the Countess of Carlisle, had withdrawn themselves, which his Majesty per∣ceived also; then he expected they should send them to him so soon as they should return hither, &c. His Speech is as followeth.

Gentlemen,

I Am sorry for this occasion for coming unto you; Yesterday I sent a Serjeant at Arms up∣on a very important occasion to apprehend some that upon my Command were accused of High Treason, whereunto I did expect obedience, and not a Message. And I must declare unto you here,

That albeit that no King that ever was in Eng∣land, shall be more careful of the Priviledges, to maintain them to the uttermost of his power then I shall be; Yet you must know that in Cases of Treason no person hath a Priviledge. And there∣fore I am come to know if any of those Persons that I have accused (for no slight crime, but for Treason) are here.

I cannot expect that this House can be in the right way that I do heartily wish it.

Therefore I am come to tell you, that I must have them wheresoever I find them.

(and with that he casts his eye again round about.)

Well, sithence (says he) I see all the Birds are flown, I do expect from you that you shall send them to me, as soon as they return hither; But I assure you in the word of a King I never did intend any force, but shall prosecute against them in a legal and fair way, for I never meant any other.

And now, sithence I see I cannot do what I came for, I think this no unfit occasion to re∣peat what I have said formerly, that whatsoever I have done in favour and to the good of my Sub∣jects, I do mean to maintain it.

I will trouble you no more, but tell you, I do expect as soon as they come to the House, you will send them to me, otherwise I must take my own course to find them.

His Majesty was no sooner down the Stairs, but the House was in an uproar, crying out that his Ma∣jesty might plainly hear them, Priviledge, Privi∣ledge; and on Wednesday, Jan. 5. the day follow∣ing, by their Votes declare as followeth.

Whereas his Majesty in his royal person yesterday did come to the House of Commons, attended with a great multitude of men armed in warlike manner, with Hal∣berts, Swords, and Pistols, who came up to the very Door of the House, and placed themselves there, and in other places and passages near to the House, to the great terrour and disturbance of the Members thereof, then sitting, and according to their Duty in a peace∣able

and orderly manner, treating of the affairs of both Kingdoms of England and Ireland. And his Majesty having placed himself in the Speakers Chair, did demand the persons of divers Members of the House to be delivered to him.

It is this day declared, &c. that the same is the high breach of the priviledges of Parliament, and in∣consistent to the liberty and freedom thereof.

And therefore this House doth conceive, they can∣not with the safety of their own persons, or the in∣dempnity of the Rights and Priviledges of Parliament, sit here any longer without a full vindication of so high a breach, and a sufficient guard, wherein they might confide; for which both Houses jointly, and this House by it self, have been humble Suiters to his Ma∣jesty, and cannot as yet obtain.

Notwithstanding which, this House being very sensible of the greatest trust reposed in them, and espe∣cially at this time, the manifold Distractions of this Kingdom, and the lamentable and distracted condition of the Kingdom of Ireland, doth order that this House shall be adjourned until Tuesday next at one of the Clock in the Afternoon, and that a Committee be named by this House, and all that will come shall have Voices, which shall sit in the Guildhall in the City of London to morrow morning at nine of the Clock, and shall have power to consider and resolve of all things that may concern the good and safety of the City and Kingdom, and particularly how our Priviledges may be vindicated, and our persons secured; and to con∣sider of the Affairs of the Kingdom of Ireland; and shall have power to consult and advise with any person or persons touching the premises; and shall have power to send for parties, witnesses, papers and re∣cords.

And it is further ordered, that the Committees for the Irish Affairs shall meet at the Guildhall afore∣said, at what time they shall think fit, and consult and do touching the Affairs of Ireland, according to the power formerly given them by this House. And both the said Committees shall report the results of their consideration and resolution to this House.

And in a subsequent Declaration further they declare,

That if any person shall arrest either of them, or a∣ny Member of Parliament, by any Warrant from the King only, is guilty of the breach of the priviledges of Parliament.

And whereas by several Examinations taken the se∣venth of this instant January, before the Committee in London, it did appear that many Souldiers and Papists, to the number of five hundred, armed, came with his Majesty on Tuesday last, the fourth of this present, to the House, &c.

We do declare, That it was a Traiterous Design a∣gainst the King and Parliament.

And whereas they the said Members did with appro∣bation of the House absent themselves, since which time a printed Paper, in the form of a Proclamation, dated the sixth of this Instant issued out for their ap∣prehending and imprisonment,

We do declare, That the said Paper is false, scanda∣lous, and illegal; and that notwithstanding they may and ought to attend the service of the House.

And we do declare, That the publishing of several Articles of High Treason against them was a high breach of the priviledges of Parliament, a scandal to his Majesty, and dishonour to the said Members, which cannot be sufficiently vindicated, unless his Majesty discover the Names of such persons who ad∣vised him thereto, that they may receive condign pu∣nishment.

This House declaring, That all such persons, &c. are declared publick Enemies to the State, &c.

Hereupon strange Reports were raised in the City of London, wholly now Parliamenters, That his Majesty had offered violence to the House of Commons, coming thither with force to murther several persons thereof Members, with which the City was so possessed, that unusual Watches and great Guards were placed in many places thereof; hereupon the Commons, as is before intimated, pe∣tition his Majesty for a Guard;

Presenting to his Majesty their just Fears of Designs and practices to destroy them by a Malignant party in the Face and at the Doors of the Parliament, and at your Majesties own Gates, &c.

They humbly desire therefore to have a Guard out of the City of London, commanded by the Earl of Essex, Chamberlain of your Majesties Houshould▪ And to this end they humbly desire a gracious and speedy Answer; because theirs and the Kingdoms safety depends upon it, and will not admit of any Delay.

To which his Majesty answered,

That with great grief of heart, after their twelve Months sitting, wherein they have ob∣tained those things for their security and happi∣ness, as no Age can equal; they should now be disturbed with jealousies, distrusts, and fears: protesting before God, that had he any know∣ledge or belief of the least Design in any of vio∣lence against them, he would pursue them to condign punishment with the same severity as the greatest attempt upon his Crown. Engaging so∣lemnly the word of a King, that their security from violence shall ever be his care as the pre∣servation of Himself and Children. And if th••s general Assurance shall not suffice, he shall com∣mand such a Guard to wait upon them, as he shall be responsible for to God, who hath encharged him with the Protection of his Subjects.

And the City joyn with the Commons, and Pe∣tition likewise in form hereafter following.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Proclam••∣tion of the Rebellion of Ireland.
• * 1.2

  Articles against the five Mem∣bers.