Comparatis comparandis, the second part, or, A parallel of the former, and later force, upon the two houses of Parliament

THere was published not long since, a booke intituled, Prima Pars de Comparatis Com∣parandis, or a parallell of the Kings go∣vernment (as it is set sorth in the Re∣monstrance of Dec. 15. 1641) with the present Government of the two Houses of Parliament, and in pursuance of that conception, is this Secunda Pars, &c. Wherein I shall proceede to com∣pare, and parallell the late force and violence of the Ar∣my and City, upon the two Houses, with the former tu∣mults and outrages upon the King, and his Parliament, which followed immediately upon, and from that Re∣monstrance. The first occasion of the tumults, was this:

A factious and seditious Party in Parliament, comply∣ing with the same Party in the City, brought in a Bill, to take away Bishops, roote and branch.

And a seditious and traiterous Party, brought in ano∣ther Bill, to take the Militia by Sea, and Land, from the King, and to settle it in others.

These Bills being rejected in a full, and free Conventi∣on of Parliament, they resolved to revive, and promote them by tumults, force, and violence; and to that end,

they declared in the Remonstrance premised, that the House of Commons had prepared divers good Bills, for a through reformation, both in Church and State; but they were hindred in the House of Peeres, by the Bi∣shops, and Popish Lords, their number and prevalency there. Heereupon the tumultuous people in and about London (of their Party and Confederacy) resort to West∣minster with swords and clubs, crying no Bishops, no Bi∣shops, no Popish Lords. And they threatned to pull downe the Lodgings where divers of the Bishops lay, and assaulted some in their Coaches, chased others with Boates by water, and layed violent hands on the Bishop of Yorke in his passing to the House; also they misused severall other Members of either House, who they were informed favoured not their desperate and seditious ends; proclaiming the names of severall of the Peeres, as evill and rotten hearted Lords, and assaulting, and evill intrea∣ting some of the Members of the House of Commons, even at the doore of that House, resolving either to force their votes, or to hinder them from voting: And this was done at severall times, and upon severall occasions, when any thing was likely to be carryed against them.

Whereupon the House of Peeres twice very earnestly desired the House of Commons that they would for the dignity of Parliament joyne with them in a Declaration for suppressing such Tumults; but instead thereof spee∣ches were made in justification of them. And afterwards when the Lords by the direction of the Judges had given order to the Justices of the Peace, and other Officers a∣bout Westminster, to endeavour the suppressing of Tu∣mults, one of the Justices for doing his duty therein was sent to the Tower.

And as that Remonstrance inflamed the people against the Bishops, and severall members of both Houses of Parliament: So did it incense and inrage them also a∣gainst the King, and his Government. And those tumul∣tuous Rioters utter traiterous speeches against his Maje∣stie, as they passe along the streets to Westminster; and in their returne from thence they make a stand at White hall Gate, and say,

They will have no more Porters Lodges, but would speak with the King when they pleased.

Heereupon his Majesty, sensible of his owne, and the Parliaments great disturbance and danger, by those Tu∣mults, sent a Message to the Lord Mayor of London, re∣quiring him for the time to come to take speciall care for the preventing the like tumults, as far as in him lay; and when none of these courses could prevaile; but the peo∣ple grew more and more outragious and insolent, his Ma∣jesty (well knowing who they were that first raised and invited the tumultuous people to Westminster, and see∣ing to what end they were raised, by force to compell the Parliament to order, limit, and dispose their votes, and proceedings in such manner as might best conduce to their factious and traiterous designs) exhibiteth Articles of high treason against the Lord Kimbolton, (now Earle of Manchester) and against the five Members, Mr. Pim, Mr. Hampden, Mr. Hollis, Sr. Arthur Haslerigge, and Mr. Stroode.

1. That they have traiterously endeavoured to sub∣vert the Fundamentall Lawes, and Government of this Kingdome, and to deprive the King of his Regall Power, and to place in Subjects an Arbitrary and Tyrannicall Power.

2. That they have endeavoured by many false asper∣tions upon his Majesty, and upon his Government, to a∣lienate the affections of his people, and to make his Maje∣sty odious unto them.

3. That they have traiterously endeavoured to subvert the Rights and very beings of Parliaments.

4. That for the compleating of their traiterous de∣signes they have endeavoured as far as in them lay, by force and terrour to compell the Parliament to joyne with them in their traiterous designes, and to that end have actually raised, and countenanced tumults against the King and Parliament.

And upon these Articles, his Majesty expected, that ei∣ther House would have sequestred its Members, and com∣mitted them to safe custody, that they might have beene brought to a legall and speedy tryall.

But the Houses did nothing lesse, and the accused Members remove themselves into the City, and as they not long before maintained the tumultuous Citizens a∣gainst the Lords; so those Citizens maintaine the traite∣rous Members against the King. And the Commoncoun∣sell of London, now altered by undue practises, place unusuall Watches, and Guards in the City, under the command of Sergiant Major Generall Skippon, (as is pretended) for the safety of the City, and protection of the Members: Nor so only, but (Ian. 11.) the trained bands of London, and Westminster, guard those accu∣sed Members from their residence in the City in an ho∣stile and warlicke manner to Westminster, and neere one hundred Lighters, and long Boats were set out by water, laden with Sakers, and Murdering Pieces, and other Am∣munition, dressed up with waste cloathes and streamers.

as ready to fight: And in this Array, the Marriners by water, and the Souldiers by Land, as they passe at White∣hall, asked what was become of the King, where was hee

And now maugre his Majesties accusation of high treason, they take courage againe, and revive the matter of the Bill exhibited, for transferring the Kings Power by Sea and Land, into other hands; and the House of Commons desire the Lords to joyne with them in petiti∣oning his Majesty, that the Militia of the Kingdome may be put into such hands, as both Houses did confide in; but it was twice carried Negatively, by the votes of much the major part of Lords: Hereupon (Ian. 31.) the poore people about London petitioned the House of Commons against, those Lords, as Malignants and Disturbers of their Peace, & desire to know their names, and threaten to remove them; and Mr. Hollis made a speech to the Lords, enforcing the Petition at a conference; Whereupon di∣vers Lords being discontented went away, and the vote in order to the Militia passed, being at least twice before rejected by double their number who consented to it, when there was no Popish Lords present, and 12 Bishops in the Tower. And since that time, they have been able to carry any thing upon the matter, the resolution of the House of Commons have been wholly guided by those persons, who had given so plaine evidence, that they had the Multitude at their command, and hath wholly guided the House of Peeres, who have for the most part submit∣ted to whatsoever hath been brought to them.

Thus have I shewed the Rise, progresse, and successe of the tumults, in Decemb. and Ian. 1641: And now I shall compare them with the forcible practises of the City, and the Army upon the two Houses in 1647. And

you shall see, how in this case the City chargeth the Ar∣my in their Declaration of Iuly 31. And how the Army chargeth the City in their Remonstrance of August 18. And how whilst they accuse one another of those latter, they condemne themselves of the former Tumults.

Notes

• Husb. collect. by order of Parliament Remons. Page 3.
• Husb. p. 521.
• Husb. pa. 530. 543. See Parall. 4. of this boke
• Husb. p. 18, 19.
• See paralel. 34
• Husb. p. 41. 42. and 533.
• See par. 30.
• Husb. p. 533.
• Husb. p. 531. See par. 30.
• Husb. 531. 547.
• Husb. p. 531.
• Husb. p. 532. See par. 37.
• Husb. 532.
• Justice Long.
• Husb. 533.
• Husb. p. 30.
• Husb. p. 34.
• See par. 18.
• See par. 30.
• Husb. 537.
• Husb. 538.
• See par. 32.
• Husb. 59.
• Husb. 548.
• See par. 30. 36. 37
• See par. 30.