HISTORY OF THE PURITANS;

OR, THE

RISE, PRINCIPLES, AND SUFFERINGS

OF THE

PROTESTANT DISSENTERS,

TO THE

GLORIOUS ÆRA of the revoLUTION;

ABRIDGED,

IN TWO VOLUMES.

BY EDWARD PARSONS.

WITH THE

LIFE OF THE author,

BY JOSHUA TOULMIN, D. D.

SECOND EDITION,

VOL. II.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR LONGMAN, HURST, REES, ORME, AND BROWN; AND

ROBINSON AND SON, LEEDS.

CHAP. IX.

CHARLES I.

State of the Nation.-Parliament petitioned to provide for the Safety of the Nation.-The Crisis.-Votes and Resolutions of the Commons.-Reply of the King Remarks.-The Scots offer their mediation between the King and his parliament.-Seditious Pamphlets.-The King's high Language.-He is denied Entrance into Hull-His proceedings in the North.-The sum of the Parliament's desires for the Security of the Nation.— The King's preparations for War.-Preparations of Parliament for War.-The King applies to the Papists. -Correspondence of Parliament with the Scots.-Bill for abolishing Episcopacy-Remarks.--The War opens. -The King sets up his Standard at Nottingham.

AL

LL things now tended to a rupture between the King and parliament; the legislature being divided and the constitution broken. While the royal family was at Hampton-Court, the officers and soldiers who were quartered about Kingston, to the number of two hundred, made such disturbances that the militia of the county was raised to disperse them. After a few days the King removed to Windsor, where a cabinet council was held in presence of the Queen, in which, besides the resolution of passing no more bills, already mentioned, it was further agreed, that her majesty being to accompany the princess her daughter to Holland, in order to her marriage with

the Prince of Orange, should take with her the erown jewels, and pledge them for ready money; with which she should purchase arms and ammunition, &c. for the King's service. She was also to treat with the Kings of France and Spain, for four thousand soldiers, by the mediation of the Pope's nuncio.

It was further resolved that his majesty should come to no agreement with the parliament, till he understood the success of her negociations, but should endeavour to get possession of the important fortresses of Portsmouth and Hull, where the arms and artillery of the late army in the north were deposited. Eachard says it was resolved, that the Queen should remove to Portsmouth, and the King to Hull; that being possessed of those places of strength, where his friends might resort to him with safety, he should sit still till the hot spirits at Westminster could be brought to reason; but this important secret being discovered, the parliament entered upon more effectual measures for their safety: they sent to Colonel Goring, governor of Portsmouth, not to receive any forces into the town but by authority of the King, signified by both houses of parliament. Sir J. Hotham was sent to secure the magazine at Hull; and a guard was placed about the Tower of London, to prevent the carrying out any ordinance or ammunition without consent of parliament. Clarendon, and after him, Eachard, censure the two houses for exercising these first acts of sovereignty. How far they were necessary for their own and the public safety after what had passed, and the resolutions of the councils at Windsor, I leave with the reader.

The command of the militia had been usually in the crown; though the law had not positively determined in whom that great power was lodged, as Whitlock undertook to prove before the commissioners at Uxbridge; the King claimed the sole disposal of it; whereas the parliament insisted that it was not in the King alone, but in the King and parliament jointly; and that when the kingdom is in imminent danger, if the royal power is not exerted in its defence, the military force may be raised without But waving the question of right, the parliament desired the command of the militia might be put into such

it.

hands as they could confide in only for two years, till the present disorders were quieted; this the King refused unless the house would first give up the question of right, and vest the sole command of the militia in the crown by form of law; which the parliament declined, and voted the advisers of that answer, enemies of the kingdom.

Multitudes of petitions were presented to the houses, beseeching them to provide for the safety of the nation by disarming papists, by taking care of the protestants in Ireland, by bringing evil counsellors to punishment, by putting the kingdom into a posture of defence, and by committing the forts and castles of the kingdom to such persons as both houses could confide in; but their hands were tied, because the King, who has the sole execution of the laws, would act no longer in concert with his parliament. The commons, encouraged by the spirit of the people, petitioned a second time for the militia, and framed an ordinance with a list of the names of such persons in whom they could confide. His majesty in order to amuse the house and gain time, told them, that he could not divest himself of that just power that God and the laws of the kingdom had placed in him for the defence of his people, for any indefinite time. After this they presented a third petition to the King, in which they protest, that if his majesty persists in that denial, the dangers and distempers of the kingdom were such as would endure no longer delay; and therefore if his majesty will not satisfy their desires, they shall be enforced for the safety of the kingdom, to dispose of the militia by authority of both houses of parliament, and they resolve to do it accordingly; beseeching his majesty at the same time to reside near his parliament. The King was so enflamed with this protestation, that he told them, he was amazed at their message, but should not alter his resolution in any point. And instead of residing near his parliament, he removed to New-Market, and by degrees to York.

Upon this the commons voted that the kingdom be forthwith put into a pesture of defence by authority of