people, and therefore fatally against the interest of these princes.' He instances the two unfortunate reigns of Edward the Second, and Richard the Second, whose marriages into that court had the consequence of calamitous life, and an untimely death, to these two monarchs.

a

There was somewhet of the like pernicious influence,' adds Dr. Kennet that worked upon the tragedy of this day. Our royal martyr, by taking a royal consort from the Bourbon family, did apparently bring over some evils and mischiefs that disturbed his whole reign: For, within less than one year, the French servants of that queen grew so imperious and insolent, that the King was forced to discharge them, and to humble them by a return into their own country.'

'A very sad doom it was certainly to the French, says one of our English historians; but, as the animadversion was extreme severe, so their offences were in like degree heinous. The bishop of Mende, the queen's almoner, stood charged for putting intolerable scorn upon, and making religion itself do penance, by enjoining her majesty, under the notion of penance, to go barefoot, to spin, and to wait upon her family servants at their ordinary repasts, to walk on foot in the mire on a rainy morning, from Somerset-house to St. James's; her confessor, mean while, like Lucifer himself, riding by her in his coach; but, which is worst of all, to make a progress to Tyburn, there to present her devotions for the departed souls of the Papists, who had been executed at that place, on account of the gunpowder treason, and other enormous crimes. A most impious piaculary, whereof the King said acutely, that the action can have no greater invective than the relation. The other sex were accused of crimes of another nature, whereof, Madam St. George was, as in dignity of office, so in guilt, the principal; culpable she was in many particulars, but her most notorious and unpardonable fault was, her being an accursed instrument of some unkindness between the King and Queen. These incendiaries once cashired, the Queen, who formerly shewed so much waspish protervity, soon fell into a mode of loving compliance. But, though this renvoy of her Majesty's servants imported domestick peace, yet was it attended with an ill aspect from France, though our King, studying to preserve fair correspondence with his brother, sent the Lord Carleton, with instructions to represent a true account of the action, with all the motives to it; but his reception was very coarse, being never admitted to audience. Lewis dispatched Monsieur the Marshal de Bassompierre, as extraordinary ambassador to our King, to demand the restitution of the Queen's domesticks; which he at last obtained for most of them.'

It was this match,' adds Dr. Kennet,' that began to corrupt our nation with French modes and vanities; (which gave occasion to Mr. Prynn, to write that severe invective, called Histrio-Mastix, against the stage-plays) to betray our counsels to the French court; to weaken the poor protestants in France, by rendering ineffectual the relief of Rochelle; nay, and to lessen our own trade an dnavigation. These ill effects, beyond the King's intention, raised such a jealousy, and spread such a

II. L'Estrange in his Reign of King Charles disposed into Annals. + Dr. Kennet's Ser

damp upon the English subjects, that it was unhappily turned into one of the unjust occasions of civil war: Which indeed began more out of hatred to that party, than out of any disaffection to the King. The people thought themselves too much under French counsels, and a French ministry, or else, they could never have been drawn aside into that great rebellion. This interest, when suspected to prevail, brought the King into urgent difficulties; and in the midst of them the aid and assistance, which that interest offered him, did but the more effectually weaken him. On this side the water, the French services betrayed him; and on the other side, the French policies were at work to destroy him.'

And indeed, as Queen Henrietta had a mighty, if not a supreme influence over King Charles's counsels, so did her mother, Mary de Medicis, who came over by her invitation, administer great cause of jealousy to this nation. The people (says the same historian I mentioned before) were generally malecontent at her coming, and wished her farther off. For they did not like her train and followers, which had often been observed to be the sword or pestilence, so that she was beheld as some meteor of ill signification. Nor was one of these calamities thought more the effect of her fortune than inclination; for her restless and unconstant spirit was prone to embroil all wheresoever she came, And besides, as Queen Henrietta was extraordinary active in raising money, among the Roman Catholicks of this kingdom, to enable King Charles to make war against his subjects of Scotland, so was she extreme busy in fomenting the unhappy differences between his Majesty and his English parliament.'

The French, says the Earl of Clarendon †, according to their nature, were much more active and more intent upon blowing the fire. The former commotions in Scotland, had been raised by special encouragement, if not contrivance, of the Cardinal Richelieu; and by his activity all these distempers were carried on till his death, and by his rules and principles afterwards. Since the beginning of this parliament (in 1640) the French ambassador, Monsieur la Ferté, dissembled not to have notable familiarity with those who governed most in the two houses, discovered to them whatsoever he knew, or could reasonably devise, to the prejudice of the King's counsels and resolutions; and took all opportunities to lessen and undervalue the King's regal power, by apply ing himself on publick occasions of state, and in his Majesty's name, and to improve his interest to the two houses of parliament, which had in no age before been ever known. Besides these indirect artifices in the French ambassador, very many of the Hugonots in France were declared enemies to the King. And, as this animosity proved of unspeakable inconvenience and damage to the King, so the occasion, from whence these disaffections grew, was very imprudently administered by the statę here. Not to speak of the business of Rochelle, which, though it stuck deep in all, yet most imputed the counsels of that time to men that were dead, and not a fixed design of the court. They had a great quarrel,

II L'Estrange's Annals of King Charles, page 158. Page 71,72,73,74.

+IIistory of the Rebellion, Vol, II.

which made them believe, that their very religion was persecuted by the Church of England. Queen Elisabeth, finding and well knowing what notable uses might be made of the French, Dutch, and Walloons, who, in the time of King Edward the Sixth, transplanted themselves into England, enlarged their privileges by new concessions; drawing by this means great numbers over, and suffering them to enjoy the exercise of the reformed religion after their own manner. And so they had churches in Norwich, Canterbury, and other places, as well as in London; whereby the wealth of those places marvellously increased. The same charters of liberty were continued to them, during the peaceable reign of King James, and in the beginning of this King's reign. Some few years before these troubles, when the power of church-men grew more transcendent, and indeed the faculties and understandings of lay-counsellors more dull, lazy, and unactive, upon pretence that the French, Dutch, and Walloons exceeded the liberties which were granted to them, and that, under the notion of foreigners, many English separated from the church, the council-board connived at, whilst the Lishops did some acts of restraint, with which these congregations grew generally discontented, and thought the liberty of their consciences to be taken from them; which caused in London much complaining of this kind, but much more in the diocess of Norwich, where Dr. Wren, the bishop there, passionately and warmly proceeded against them; so that many left the kingdom, to the lessening the wealthy manufacture there of kerseys and narrow cloths.---And whereas in all former times, the ambassadors, and all foreign ministers of state, employed from England, into any parts where the reformed religion was exercised, frequented their churches, gave all possible countenance to their profession, and particularly the ambassador Lieger at Paris, had diligently and constantly frequented the church at Charenton, and held a fair intercourse with those of that religion throughout the kingdom, by which they had still received advantage. The contrary to this was now with great industry practised, and some advertisements, if not instructions, given to the ambassador there, to forbear any extraordinary commerce, with the men of that profession. And the Lord Scudamore, who was the last ordinary ambassador there, before the beginning of this parliament, not only declined going to Charenton, but furnished his own chapel with such ornaments as gave great offence and umbrage to those of the reformation there, who had not'seen the like. Besides that, he was careful to publish upon all occasions, that the Church of England looked not on the Hugonots as a part of their communion: Which was likewise too much and too industriously discoursed at home.---They of the Church of England, who committed the greatest errors this way, had undoubtedly not the least thoughts of making alterations in it, towards the countenancing of popery, as has been uncharitably conceived; but unskilfully believed, that the total declining the interest of that party, where it exceeded the necessary bounds of reformation, would make this Church of England

looked upon with more reverence. And so the Church of England, not giving the same countenance to those of the religion in foreign parts, which it had formerly done, no sooner was discerned to be under a cloud at home, but those of the religion abroad were glad of the occasion, to

4

publish their malice against her, and to enter into the same conspiracy against the crown, without which they could have done little hurt to the church.

Many tender lovers of their faith and country, says Dr. Kennet, might well deplore the unhappiness of that alliance, with France, which gave no small occasion to the calamity and the curse of this day; for it was from thence, that did arise the apprehensions and fears of popery: Popery that irreconcileable enemy, not only to our reformed faith and worship, but to our civil rights, liberties, and properties, to our established laws, and to our settled constitution. It was for this wise and good reason, that our first reformers would never bear with any express toleration of popery, nor with any long connivance at it. That excellent young Josiah, King Edward VI, would not dispense with his own sister to have publick mass in her own family. Queen Elisabeth indulged them no longer than while there were some hopes to reclaim them. Her next successor, King James, was a champion against popery, and strenuously opposed it, both as a wise governor, and a learned writer; and this gave peace and happiness to the greatest part of his administration. But, when toward the decline of it, he fell into a treaty for a match with Spain, and, during that treaty, did in a manner suspend the laws against the papists, and gave his subjects an occasion to believe, that one article of that match was to be, a toleration of popery, this gave such universal jealousy and discontent to his people, and the parliaments of them, that it threatened apparent danger; and, if that treaty had not broke off, and thereby eased the minds of people, we know not what might have been in the end thereof. For certainly his royal son, the martyr of this day, might justly impute many of his troubles to these fears and jealousies of popery. And they really began with the French alliance, where one article was to have a publick chapel, and priests and mass for the queen and her houshold. This gave an opportunity of open resort to all papists, foreigners and natives; this gave shelter and protection to swarms of Jesuits and other emissaries from Rome; this gained an interest at court for pardons and for patents of profit and preferment to the leading Roman Catholicks; this brought over one or two Nuncio's from the pope, to attend upon the Queen. In short, this did give countenance to popery; and therefore did cast a damp and dread upon many sincere protestants; and did put them into such terrible apprehensions of the Romans coming to take away their place and nation, that this strength of fear too much began the civil war, and helped to carry it forward to the innocent and sacred blood shed upon this day.'

In all these, Dr. Kennet speaks with the most authentiek and faithful historians: The jesuits, seminary priests, and other recusants, says † H. L'Estrange, presuming protection, by reason of the late match, contracted so much insolence, that at Winchester, and many other places, they frequently passed through the churches in time of divine service, houting and ho-lo-ing, not only to the disturbance of that duty, but

Dr. Kennetes Sermon, page 11, 12, 13, 14. + Annals of King Charles's Reign, in the year 1625, page 19.

scorn of our religion; yea, and one popish lord, when the King was at chapel, was heard to prate on purpose louder, in a gallery adjoining, than the chaplain prayed, whereat the King was so moved, that he sent this message to him: Either let him come and do as we do, or else I will make him prate farther off."

In the year 1627, a notable discovery was made of a college of jesuits at Clerkenwell, of which the same * author gives us this account. 'The first information was given by one Crosse, a messenger to Secretary Coke, whereupon he sent the sheriff to attack them; who, coming with a formidable power, found all the holy foxes retired, and sneaked away; but, after long search, their place of security was found out, it being a lobby behind a new brick-wall wainscotted over; which, being demolished, they were presently unkennelled, to the number of ten. They found also divers letters from the pope to them, impowering them to erect this college, under the name of Domus Probationis (but it proved Reprobationis) Sancti Ignatii; and their books of accounts, whereby it appeared they had five-hundred pounds per annum contribution from their benefactors, and had purchased four-hundred and fifty pounds, per annum.'

Among their papers, says Mr. Rushworth, was found a copy of a letter written to their father rector at Brussels, discovering their designs upon this state; of which I shall transcribe these remarkable passages: 'Let not the damp of astonishment seize upon your ardent and zealous souls, in the apprehending the sudden calling of a parliament: we have uot opposed, but rather furthered it. You must know, the council is engaged to assist the King by way of prerogative, in case the parliamentary way should fail. You shall see this parliament will resemble the pelican, which takes a pleasure to dig out with her beak her own bowels. The election of knights and burgesses has been in such confusion of apparent faction, as that which we were wont to procure heretofore, with much art and industry (when the Spanish match was in treaty) now breaks out naturally, as a botch or boil, and spits and spews out its own rancour and venóm. That great statesman, the Count of Gundomar, had but one principal means to further his great and good designs, which was to set on King James, that none but the puritan faction, which plotted nothing but anarchy, and his confusion, were averse to this most happy alliance and union. We steered on the same course, and have made great use of this anarchical election, and have prejudicated and anticipated the great one, that none but the King's enemies, and his, are chosen of this parliament. We have now many strings to our bow, and have strongly fortified our faction, and have added two bulwarks more. Now we have planted that sovereign drug Arminianism, which we hope will purge the protestants from their heresy. The materials, which build up our bulwark, are the projectors and beggars of all ranks and qualities: Howsoever, both these factions co-operate to destroy the parliament, and to introduce a new species and form of government, which is oligarchy. These serve as direct mediums and instruments to our end, which is the universal

* Page 75. +Rushworth's Collections, part I. page 474