Papists, the more easily to exercise their massacres upon them? 12. How, or by whom was it, that we poor harmless, yet much oppressed Scots, were proclaimed rebels, when we only fought for right and justice? 13. By whose authority, and for what end was it, that that more than heathenish book for sports, to profane the Lord's day, was published in every kirk in England? 14. By whose countenance was it, that so many novations have taken place, so much idolatry and superstition hath overspread England, so many notorious papist books in English of late days printed with their high dedications, so much restaint of preaching, so grievous persecuting of preachers even unto blood and banishment, with all ways and crafts to root out the Gospel, and to let up popery everywhere, and so to put the prince of the apostles (Peter, or the pope) in possession of that noble and long flourishing island? 15. Who hath murdered so many innocents in Ireland by the long retarding of sending succors in due time, by means wherof so many thousands, and they Protestants, might have been preserved from such horrid and bloody butcheries? Or how came it to pass (then when the plot among us in Scotland for murdering some of our prime nobles in the King's chamber, should have taken place) that the rebellion in Ireland began to break forth just about the same time? Such a sympathy and harmony (it seems) there was between the two. 16. What was the end of plotting, the coming up of the York army towards the City and Parliament ? 17. What was the end of the King's going to the Parliament with his armed troops of furious Cavaliers, and their manner of carriage there? 18. What was the end of turning out our faithful brother Sir William Belphore from being Lieutenant of the Tower, and placing in his room that desperate Cavalier Lunsford? 19. By what authority was it, that the captains that were by the Parliament sent into Ireland to suppress the rebels there, came into England again to help the Malignant party against the Parliament? 20. Whether the present taking of Portsmouth by the King, through the infamous perfidiousness of Goring, may not stand the Malignants in as good stead against the Parliament and people as Hull, considering that Portsmouth is nearer both to France and Spain? 21. Whether the King's Commission of Array, though it may seem to have in general some countenance from the law, yet can possibly be imagined to have any law at this time, when the King stands out against his Parliaments, to overthrow their militia, which is to no other end but to preserve both King and kingdom from imminent ruin; considering that no laws of the kingdom are destructive thereof, but preservative only? 22. Whether the gentry of England, who now appear for the King against the Parliament, and so against the whole kingdom, be true bred Englishmen, and gentlemen, or no: or if true bred, whether they be not so far degenerate as to become enemies of God and their country, and with Esau to sell their birthright of laws and liberties for a mess of broth, and so to purchase to their house a perpetual slavery, by shedding the blood of their brethren, which they prize at so vile and ignoble a rate? 23. Whether the displacing of the good old justices ail over England, and setting up of new, being of the Malignant party and enemies of the kingdom, do not hasten the ruin thereof, while they labor to root out the Gospel, and all goodness, to destroy the Parliament and all good laws, and to countenance and maintain the most profane in the land, who are ready everywhere to make war against the Gospel, and all the faithful preachers thereof? 24. Whether the wounding of religion by reproachful names, as calling all the true professors thereof Roundheads and the like, be not a sleight of Jesuits to set the Protestants together by the ears, and their swords in one another's sides, that so they may all perish together? 25. Whether it be not the wisdom of all true-hearted English, and such as account it their honor to be called and be true Protestants, and namely such as are enemies to papistry, however they may differ in opinion in matter of religion, according to the different degrees of light in their souls, yet not to differ in their affections one to another, but to be fast united in the bond of charity, and combined in a firm resolution for the rooting out of all papery, according to the late protestation, which no true Protestant, and such as it not papishly affected, nor a lover of Antichrist, and so a hater of his own soul and salvation, will ever refuse to take, profess, and maintain. 26. Why, notwithstanding so many protestations, and declarations to the contrary, are papish priests and Jesuits, after they are justly condemned, according to the law, for traitors, reprieved, time after time, so as no justice can be executed on them? 27. Whether so many proclamations, declarations, protestations or remonstrances, as are published in the King's name, being so full of manifest and palpable falshoods, and shameless untruths, whereby the true meaning people are most pitifully abused, seduced, deluded and blindfolded, to the undoing of themselves and of their dear country, by betraying it and themselves into the hands of most wicked tyrants and cut-throats, and open enemies of both God and men, ought not to be laid upon the King himself, as the supreme author of them, seeing he is pleased to be the owner and maintainer of them? And whether, in particular, it be not a meer mockery to send forth proclamations against papist-recusants, inhibiting and forbidding them upon pain of high displeasure to approach the King's person, court or army, whenas, for all this, most of them that be of the King's cavalry, and of his commanders, are papists, having nothing to excuse them from being recusants, but merely the pope's dispensation for going to kirk; and all men know by experience, that Kirk-Papists are the worst and most dangerous? 28. Whether the setting-up of the King's standard against the Parliament and the best subjects of the kingdom be not an actual unkinging of him, as whereby he professeth an open hostility against that kingdom and State, which at his coronation he swore to protect; and as now, intending and endeavoring with might and main to come in as a conqueror, and so to set up a lawless and tyranical government over his land, and so to make good what he hath promised, and (in his letter to the Pope of Rome lately published in English, as aforesaid) solemnly protested and vowed. These queries and questions being seriously and impartially satisfied and foyled, it cannot but most evidently appear to every intelligent heart that will not be wilfully blind, what is the aim and end of the Malignant party now in England, from the head to the foot of them; and how much it concerns them all who love their religion, laws, and liberties to look about them, and timely to endeavor (by God's assistance) to prevent their great and imminent dangers. Septem. 8, 1642. FINIS (From King James, His Judgment of a King and of a Tyrant. Political tract, published Lond., 1642.) 160. The Charge against the King Rushworth's Collection The deeds which cost Charles I. his crown are summed up in the formal charge against him at his trial. Although many grievances are omitted, and those presented are coloured by the spirit of a people in revolt, yet the arraignment places clearly before us the reasons for the action of that people. THE CHARGE AGAINST THE KING That the said Charles Stuart, being admitted King of England, and therein trusted with a limited power to govern by and according to the laws of the land, and not otherwise; and by his trust, oath, and office, being obliged to use the power committed to him for the good and benefit of the people, and for the preservation of their rights and liberties; yet, nevertheless, out of a wicked design to erect and uphold in himself an unlimited and tyrannical power to rule according to his will, and to overthrow the rights and liberties of the people, yea, to take away and make void the foundations thereof, and of all redress and remedy of misgovernment, which by the fundamental constitutions of this kingdom were reserved on the people's behalf in the right and power of frequent and successive Parliaments, or national meetings in Council; he, the said Charles Stuart, for accomplishment of such his designs, and for the protecting of himself and his adherents in his and their wicked practices, to the same ends hath traitorously and maliciously levied war against the present Parliament, and the people therein represented, particularly upon or about the 30th day of June, in the year of our Lord 1642, at Beverley, in the County of York; and upon or about the 30th day of July in the year aforesaid in the County of the City of York; and upon or about the 24th day of August in the same year, at the County of the Town of Nottingham, where and when he set up his standard of war; and also on or about the 23rd day of October in the same year, at Edgehill or Keynton-field, in the County of Warwick; and upon or about the 30th day of November in the same year, at Brentford, in the County of Middlesex; and upon or about the 30th day of August, in the year of our Lord 1643, at the Caversham Bridge, near Reading, in the County of Berks; and upon or about the 30th day of October in the year last mentioned, at or upon the City of Gloucester; and upon or about the 30th day of November in the year last mentioned, at Newbury, in the County of Berks; and upon or about the 31st day of July, in the year of our Lord 1644, at Cropredy Bridge, in the County of Oxon; and upon or about the 30th day of September in the last year mentioned, at Bodmin and other places near adjacent, in the County of Cornwall; and upon or about the 30th day of November in the year last mentioned, at Newbury aforesaid; and upon or about the 8th day of June, in the year of our Lord 1645, at the Town of Leicester; and also upon the 14th day of the same month in the same year, at Naseby-field, in the County of Northampton. At which several times and places, or most of them, and at many other places in this land, at several other times within the years aforementioned, and in the year of our Lord 1646, he, the said Charles Stuart, hath caused and procured many thousands of the free people of this nation to be slain; and by divisions, parties, and insurrections within this land, by invasions from foreign parts, endeavoured and procured by him, and by many other evil ways and means, he, the said Charles Stuart, hath not only maintained and carried on the Isaid war both by land and sea, during the years beforementioned, but also hath renewed, or caused to be renewed, the said war against the Parliament and good people of this nation in this present year 1648, in the Counties of Kent, Essex, Surrey, Sussex, Middlesex, and many other Counties and places in England and Wales, and also by sea. And particularly he, the said Charles Stuart, hath for that purpose given commission to his son the Prince, and others, whereby, besides multitudes of other persons, many such as were by the Parliament entrusted and employed for the safety of the nation (being by him or his agents corrupted to the betraying of their trust, and revolting from the Parliament), have had entertainment and commission for the continuing and renewing of war and hostility against the said Parliament and people as aforesaid. By which cruel and unnatural wars, by him, the said Charles Stuart, levied, continued, and renewed as aforesaid, much innocent blood of the free people of this nation hath been spilt, many families have been undone, the public treasure wasted and exhausted, trade obstructed and miserably decayed, vast expense and damage to the nation. incurred, and many parts of this land spoiled, some of them even to desolation. And for further prosecution of his said evil designs, he, the said Charles Stuart, doth still continue his commissions to the said Prince, and other rebels and revolters, both English and foreigners, and to the Earl of Ormond, and the Irish rebels and revolters associated with |