II. THE CRISIS OF 1642

The following petition to parliament, known as the "Root and Branch Petition," from the use of those words in it, was one of several of much the same character presented by various counties, towns, and persons during the summer of 1641. These petitions indicate that the religious question was coming into greater prominence and that the Puritans wished to use this opportunity to reorganize the church.

and Branch

The humble petition of many of his Majesty's subjects in 284. Extracts and about the City of London, and several counties of the from the Root kingdom, sheweth; That whereas the government of archbishops Petition and lord bishops, deans and archdeacons, etc., with their courts and ministrations in them; have proved prejudicial and very dangerous both to the church and commonwealth; they themselves having formerly held that they have their jurisdiction or authority of human authority, till of these later times, being further pressed about their unlawfulness, they have claimed their calling immediately from the Lord Jesus Christ, which is against the laws of this kingdom, and derogatory to his Majesty and his state royal; and whereas the said government is found by woeful experience to be a main cause and occasion of many foul evils, pressures, and grievances of a very high nature unto his Majesty's subjects in their own consciences, liberties, and estates; as in a schedule of particulars hereunto annexed may in part appear.

ization of

We therefore most humbly pray and beseech this honorable Opposition assembly, the premises considered, that the said government, to the organwith all its dependencies, roots, and branches, may be abol- the church ished, and all laws in their behalf made void, and the government according to God's word may be rightly placed amongst us and we your humble suppliants, as in duty we are bound, will daily pray for his Majesty's long and happy reign over us, and for the prosperous success of this high and honorable court of parliament.

Opposition

to the ceremonies

A particular of the manifold evils, pressures, and grievances caused, practiced, and occasioned by the prelates and their dependents:

1. The subjecting and enthralling all ministers under them and their authority, and so by degrees exempting them from the temporal power; whence follows:

2. The faintheartedness of ministers to preach the truth of God, lest they should displease the prelates; as namely, the doctrine of predestination, of free grace, of perseverance, of original sin remaining after baptism, of the sabbath, the doctrine against universal grace, election for faith foreseen, freewill against antichrist, nonresidence, human inventions in God's worship; all which are generally withheld from the people's knowledge, because not relishing to the bishops. . . .

Moreover, the offices and jurisdictions of archbishops, lord bishops, deans, archdeacons, being the same way of church government which is in the Romish church and which was in England in the time of popery, little change thereof being made (except only the head from whence it was derived), the same arguments supporting the pope which do uphold the prelates, and overthrowing the prelates, which do pull down the pope:

The great conformity and likeness both continued and increased of our church to the church of Rome, in vesture, posof the church tures, ceremonies, and administrations, namely the bishops' rochets and the lawn sleeves, the four-cornered cap, the cope and surplice, the tippet, the hood, and the canonical coat; the pulpits clothed, especially now of late, with the Jesuit's badge upon them every way:

The standing up at Gloria Patri and at the reading of the Gospel, praying towards the East, the bowing at the name of Jesus, the bowing to the altar towards the East, the cross in baptism, the kneeling at the communion:

The turning of the communion tables altar wise, setting images, crucifixes, and conceits over them, and taper and books upon them, and bowing or adoring to or before them; the reading of the second service at the altar, and forcing people to come up thither to receive, or else denying the sacrament to them; terming the altar to be the mercy seat, or

the place of God Almighty in the church, which is a plain device to usher in the mass:

The christening and consecrating of churches and chapels, the consecrating fonts, tables, pulpits, chalices, churchyards, and many other things, and putting holiness in them:

Profanation of the Lord's day, pleading for it, and enjoining ministers to read a declaration set forth, as it is thought, by their procurement, for tolerating of sports upon that day, suspending and depriving many godly ministers for not reading the same only out of conscience, because it was against the law of God so to do, and no law of the land to enjoin it.

The unwise intrusion of the king into the House of Commons, in his eagerness to secure the arrest of certain leaders against whom he believed he had secured evidence of treason, is described in the following extract from the diary of Sir Ralph Verney, a member of the House of Commons at the time.

diary of Sir Ralph Verney (January 3, 1642)

The king sent Mr. Francis, a serjeant-at-armes, to Mr. Speaker 285. Extracts with a message, and hee was cald in to the house and deliverd from the it at the barr, but hee was not sufferd to bring in his mace. The message was thus, "Mr. Speaker, the king comanded mee, uppon my aleageance, to repaire to you where you are now sittinge, and to demaund five gentlemen, members of this house, Mr. Hollis, Sir Arthur Hazlerigg, Mr. Pim, Mr. Hampden, and Mr. William Strood, and when they are deliverd hee comanded mee in his name to arrest them for high treason."

Uppon this hee was comanded to withdraw, and the house resolved to send four members to the king, to let him know they had received the message and would take it into consideration, but being there was noe charge deliverd in against those five gentlemen, they have not deliverd them, but they have taken care to have them in a readinesse to answere any legall charge. And then the house commanded Mr. Speaker to call upp these five gentlemen by name, and injoyned them to attend de die in diem, till the house took farther order.

January 4,

1642

The serjeant of the house was sent to tell Serjeant Francis, that wee had sent to the king about these five gentlemen.

Mr. Pim and Mr. Hollis had there papers and studdies sealed upp, by warrant under the kings hand, and the house sent a serjeant-at-arms to arest those that did it and breake of the seales, and had a conference with the lords, and they likewise sent to breake oppen the seales and it was donn accordingly. Wee sent to them to joyne with us because they had protested with us to defend the privileges of parliament. The five gentlemen which were to bee accused cam into the house, and there was information that they should bee taken away by force. Uppon this, the house sent to the lord mayor, aldermen, and common councell to let them know how there priviledges were like to bee broken and the citty put into dainger, and advised them to looke to there security.

Likewise some members were sent to the four inns of court, to let them know how they heard they were tampred withall to assist the king against them, and therfore they desired them not to come to Westminster.

Then the house adjourned till one of the clock.

As soone as the house mett againe 't was moved, considering there was an intention to take these five men away by force, to avoyd all tumult, let them be commanded to absent themselves. Uppon this the house gave them leave to absent themselves, but entred noe order for it, and then the five gentlemen went out of the house.

A little after, the kinge came, with all his guard and all his pentioners and two or three hundred soldiers and gentlemen. The king comanded the soldiers to stay in the hall, and sent us word hee was at the dore. The speaker was commanded to sit still, with his mace lying before him, and then the king came to the dore and tooke the palsgrave in with him and comand all that cam with him uppon there lives not to come in. Soe the dores were kept oppen, and the earle of Roxborough stood within the dore, leaninge uppon it. Then the king cam uppwards, towards the chaire, with his hat off, and the speaker steped out to meet him. Then the king steped upp to his place, and stood uppon the stepp, but sate not down in the

chaire. And after hee had looked a greate while hee told us hee would not breake our priviledges, but treason had noe priviledge; hee came for those five gentlemen, for he expected obedience yesterday and not an answere. Then hee called Mr. Pim and Mr. Hollis by name, but noe answere was made. Then he asked the speaker if they were heere, or where they were. Uppon that the speaker fell on his knees and desierd his excuse, for he was a servant to the house and had neither eyes nor tongue to see or say anything but what they commanded him. Then the king told him he thought his owne eyes were as good as his, and then said his birds were flowen, but hee did expect the house should send them to him and if they did not hee would seeke them himselfe, for there treason was foule, and such an one as they would all thanke him to discover. Then hee assured us they should have a faire triall, and soe went out, putting off his hat till hee came to the dore.

Uppon this the house did instantly resolve to adjourn till too-morrow at one of the clock, and in the interim they might consider what to doe.

The two following letters, one from a lawyer in London to his father-in-law in the country, the other from the king to one of the nobles who took his side, may be taken to indicate successive steps in the dispute between king and parliament, and the final resort to war. Worthy Sir:

286. John

I do believe you have more news in the country than we Turbervill to have here in London. But yours is at the second hand, and John Willoughby therefore I have sent you these pamphlets here inclosed, of (January 29, the first edition. How the times are, every man knows; what 1641) the times will be, no man knows. This very day both the houses treated about the suppression of the Irish rebels, but in the manner how they should be suppressed there was a dissention; the king commanded that there should be a press of so many soldiers, and that he by his prerogative would appoint such captains and commanders over them as his Majesty