had endeavoured, by the influence of her son-in-law the prince of Orange, to engage the states of Holland in the king's interest, but they wisely declared for a neutrality; however, they connived at her private negociations, and gave her a general passport, by virtue whereof she transported a very large quantity of arms and ammunition to Burlington-bay, and conveyed them to the king at York. His majesty also, in order to bring over the Irish forces under the command of the duke of Ormond, consented to a truce with the Irish rebels [signed September 15, 1643], in which he allowed the Catholics to remain in possession of what they had conquered since the Rebellion, to the great grief of the Protestants, who by this means were legally dispossessed of their estates: a most unpopular action, in favour of a people who, by their late massacre, were become the very reproach and infamy of human nature * ! Thus the whole kingdom was marshalled into parties, with their drawn swords eager to plunge them into each other's breasts +.

The parliament's cause having a dark and threatening aspect, the lords and commons were not forgetful to implore the divine blessing upon their counsels and arms; for which purpose they published an ordinance, February 15, 1642-3, exhorting to the duty of repentance, as the only remedy to prevent public calamities. It was drawn up by some of the Puritan divines; and because bishop Kennet has branded it with the reproachful characters of cant, broad hypocrisy, and a libel against the church, I will transcribe the substance of it in their own words.

"That flourishing kingdoms have been ruined, by impenitent going on in a course of sin, the sacred story plainly tells us; and how near to ruin our sinful nation now is, the present lamentable face of it does too plainly shew. And though we should feel the heavy stroke of God's judgments yet seven times more, it is our duty to accept the punishment of our iniquities, and to say, Righteous art thou, O Lord, and just are thy judgments. Yet, because the Lord, who is just, is also merciful, and in his infinite mercy has left the excellent and successful remedy of repentance to nations brought near the gates of destruction and despair. O! let not England be negligent in the application of it. Humble ad

To wipe off the reflections which this transaction brings on the character of Charles I. Dr. Grey is large in producing authorities to shew, that the situation of the Protestants and of the army in Ireland, through the length of the war and the failure of supplies from England, required a cessation of arms. But, if the reader would see a full investigation of this business, he should consult Mrs. Macaulay's History, vol. 4. 8vo. p. 63-90. Two circumstances will afford a clue into the policy and design of this truce. To prevent opposition to it in the Irish council, the members who were suspected of an attachment to the parliament of England, were committed close prisoners to the castle. And the king derived from it, as the price of granting it, 38,000l. to assist him to carry on the war against his Protestant subjects in England. I will only add, that the main point aimed at by the rebels, and which the king encouraged them to expect, was a new parliament; which, as the kingdom was circumstanced, would have put the whole power of government into their hands. Mrs. Macaulay, p. 845.-ED.

dresses of a penitent people to a merciful God have prevailed with him they have prevailed for Nineveh when sentence seemed to be gone out against her; and may also prevail for England.

"It is therefore thought necessary, by the lords and commons in parliament assembled, that all his majesty's subjects be stirred up to lay hold of this only and unfailing remedy of repentance, freely acknowledging, and heartily bewailing with deepest humiliation, both their own personal sins, and those of the nation; a confession of national sins being most agreeable to the national judg ments under which the land groans, and most likely to be effectual for the removing of them.

"Among the national sins are to be reckoned, the contempt of God's ordinances, and of holiness itself; gross ignorance, and unfruitfulness under the means of grace; multitudes of oaths, blasphemies, profanation of the sabbath by sports and games; luxury, pride, prodigality in apparel, oppression, fraud, violence, &c. a connivance, and almost a toleration of the idolatry of Popery, the massacre of Ireland, and the bloodshed of the martyrs in queen Mary's time, which, having been a national sin, still calls for a national confession.

"Now, that all the sin and misery of this polluted and afflicted nation may be bitterly sorrowed for, with such grief of heart, and preparedness for a thorough reformation, as God may be pleased graciously to accept, it is ordained that all preachers of God's word do earnestly inculcate these duties on their hearers, that at length we may obtain a firm and happy peace, both with God and man; that glory may dwell in our land; and the prosperity of the gospel, with all the privileges accompanying it, may crown this nation unto all succeeding ages

The reverend prelate above mentioned makes the following remark upon this ordinance. "When once the two houses could descend to have such fulsome penitential forms put upon them, to adopt and to obtrude in their name upon the nation, it was a sure sign, that all that was sound and decent in faith and worship was now to be commanded into enthusiasm and endless schisms." I leave the reader to examine, whether he can find any ground for

So severe a censure.

Though the king had rejected the Scots' mediation, and set up his rest upon the justice of his cause, he was pleased before the beginning of the campaign to admit of a treaty with his two houses, for which purpose he sent a safe conduct to six lords, and as many commoners, with their attendants, to repair to him at Oxford, who, being admitted to an audience in one of the colleges, produced the following proposals, which were read by the earl of Northumberland :

1. "That the armies may be disbanded on both sides, and the king return to his parliament.

* Rushworth, vol. 5. p. 141.

2. "That delinquents may submit to a legal trial, and judgment of parliament.

3. "That all Papists be disbanded and disarmed.

4. "That his majesty will please to give his consent to the five bills hereafter mentioned.

5. "That an oath may be established by act of parliament, wherein the Papists shall abjure and renounce the pope's supremacy, transubstantiation, purgatory, worshipping the consecrated host, crucifixes and images; and the refusing such oath lawfully tendered shall be a sufficient conviction of recusancy.- -That your majesty will graciously please to consent to a bill for the education of Papists in the Protestant religion.-And to another bill for the better putting the laws in execution against them.

6. "That the earl of Bristol, and lord Herbert, may be removed from your majesty's counsels, and from the court.

7. "That the militia may be settled in such manner as shall be agreed upon by both houses.

8. "That the chief justices and judges of the several courts of law may hold their place quam diu se bene gesserint.

9. "That such persons as have been put out of the commissions of the peace since April 1, 1642, may be restored, and that those whom the parliament shall except against be removed.

10. "That your majesty will please to pass the bill now presented, to secure the privileges of parliament from the ill consequences of the late proceedings against the lord Kimbolton and the five members.

11. "That an act may be passed for satisfying such public debts as the parliament has engaged the public faith for.

12. "That your majesty will please to enter into alliances with foreign Protestant powers, for the defence of the Protestant religion, and recovering the Palatinate.

13. "That in the general pardon, all offences committed before the 10th of January 1641, which have been or shall be questioned in the house of commons before the 10th of January 1643, be excepted. That all persons concerned in the Irish rebellion be excepted; as likewise William earl of Newcastle, and George lord Digby.

14. "That such members of parliament as have been turned out of their places since the beginning of this parliament may be restored, and may have some reparation, upon the petition of both houses*"

These things being granted and performed, we shall be enabled say they, to make it our hopeful endeavour, that your majesty and your people may enjoy the blessings of peace, truth, and justice. The bills mentioned in the fourth proposition were these: The first is entitled, "An act for the suppression of divers innovations in churches and chapels in and about the worship of

* Rushworth, vol, 5. p. 165, 166.

God; and for the due observation of the Lord's day, and the better advancement of preaching God's holy word in all parts of this kingdom."

It enacts, "That all altars and rails be taken away out of churches and chapels before April 18, 1643, and that the communion-table be fixed in some convenient place in the body of the church. That all tapers, candlesticks, basins, crucifixes, crosses, images, pictures of saints, and superstitious inscriptions in churches or churchyards, be taken away or defaced.

"That all damages done to the churches, or windows of churches, by the removal of any of the aforesaid innovations, be repaired by the proper officers of the parish or chapel.

"This act is not to extend to any image, picture, or monument for the dead."

It enacts farther, "That all bowing towards the altar, or at the name of Jesus, shall be forborne; and for the better observation of the sabbath, that all dancing, gaming, sports, and pastimes, shall be laid aside. That every minister that has cure of souls shall preach, or expound the Scriptures, or procure some other able divine to preach to his congregation every Lord's day in the forenoon; and it shall be lawful for the parishioners to provide for a sermon in the afternoon, and a lecture on the week-day, where there is no other lecture or preaching at the same time; and if any person oppose or hinder them, he shall forfeit 40s. to the poor*."

The second, entitled "An act for the utter abolishing and taking away of all archbishops, bishops, their chancellors, and commissaries," &c. has been already inserted in the former part of this history.

The third is entitled, " An act for punishing scandalous clergymen, and others.”

"It ordains, "That the lord-chancellor, or lord-keeper, for the time being, shall award commissions under the great seal, to persons of worth and credit in every county of England and Wales; which commissioners, or any three or more of them, shall have power to inquire by the oaths of twelve lawful men of the said county of the following offences in the clergy, viz. not preaching six times at least in a year, by any ecclesiastical persons having cure of souls under the age of sixty, and not hindered by sickness or imprisonment; of blasphemy, perjury, or subornation of perjury, fornication, adultery, common alehouse or tavern haunting, drunkenness, profane swearing or cursing, done or committed within three years past, by any parson or vicar, or other person having cure of souls, or by any lecturer, curate, stipendiary, schoolmaster or usher of any school. The commissioners shall take information by articles in writing; the party complaining to be bound in a recognizance of 107. to prosecute at a time appointed: the articles of complaint being first delivered to the party complained of twenty days before

Husband's Coll

19.

Vol. 2. p. 498, 499.

the trial, that he may prepare for his defence. Upon conviction, by the verdict of twelve men, the party complained of shall be deprived of his spiritual promotions, and be adjudged a disabled person in law, to have and enjoy the same incumbency or ecclesiastical promotion. This act to continue till November 1, 1645, and no longer *."

The fourth is entitled, "An act against the enjoying pluralities of benefices by spiritual persons, and nonresidence."

It enacts, "That all persons, that have two or more benefices with cure of souls, of what yearly value soever they be, shall resign them all but one, before April 1, 1643, any licence, toleration, faculty, or dispensation, to the contrary notwithstanding.

"That if any spiritual person, having cure of souls, shall be absent from his cure above ten Sundays, or eighty days in a year, except in case of sickness, imprisonment, or except he be a reader in either university, or be summoned to convocation; and be thereof lawfully convicted in any court of justice, that his living shall be deemed void, and the patron have power to nominate another person, as if the former incumbent was dead."

The fifth, for calling an assembly of learned and godly divines to be consulted with by the parliament, for the settling of the government and liturgy of the church, and for the vindication and clearing of the doctrine of the church of England from false aspersions and interpretations, will be inserted at large, when we come to the sitting of the assembly.

To the forementioned propositions and bills, his majesty, after a sharp reply to the preamble, returned the following answer: That though many of them were destructive of his just power and prerogative, yet because they might be mollified and explained upon debates, he is pleased to agree that a time and place be appointed for the meeting of commissioners on both sides to discuss them, and to consider the following proposals of his own

1. "That his majesty's revenues, magazines, towns, forts, and ships, may be forth with restored.

2. "That whatsoever has been done or published, contrary to the known laws of the land, and his majesty's legal rights, may be renounced and recalled.

3. "That whatever illegal power over his majesty's subjects has been exercised by either, or both houses, or any committee, may be disclaimed, and all persons that have been imprisoned by virtue thereof be forthwith discharged.

4. "That a good bill may be framed, for the better preserving the Book of Common Prayer from the scorn and violence of

• Husband's Collections, fol. 140.

Dr. Grey disputes the propriety of this epithet, applied to the king's reply. The reader may judge of it by referring to lord Clarendon's History, vol. 2. p. 123, &c.-ED.

Rushworth, vol. 5. p. 169.