grievances of the nation such a remonstrance as might be a faithful and lively representation to his majesty, of the deplorable state of the kingdom; but it was laid aside till this time, when the prospect of an agreement between him and his parliament being almost at an end, after the breaking out of the Irish insurrection and massacre, it was perfected and read in the house of commons November 22, when it met with so strong an opposition, that it was carried only by nine voices,§ after a long debate from three in the afternoon till three in the morning, which made onet say, "It looked like the verdict of a starved jury." Many were of opinion, that those grievances which had been redressed by the late acts of parliament ought to have been covered, lest the reviving them should make the breach wider between the king and parliament; while others thought the mentioning them could do no harm if it was done with respect, and that it was in a manner necessary in order to introduce the intended limitation of the royal power. However, this was the crisis that discovered the strength of the two parties, and was managed with such warmth, that Oliver Cromwell is said to tell lord Falkland, that if the re

Bishop Warburton asks here, "why are we told this but to mislead us? A year ago, before the king had made full satisfaction for his misgovernment, such a remonstrance was seasonable: now he had made full satisfaction, it was factious and seditious."-To this question of his lordship it may be retorted; why should a design to mislead be insinuated against Mr. Neal? Has he not in the same paragraph informed his readers, that " many were of opinion, that those grievances which had been redressed ought to have been covered ?" Doth he not fairly state the whole business? And, doth he not, with candor and impartiality, avoid biassing his reader, while he waves giving a decided opinion on the conduct of the parliament in this affair? All this appears, in the burry of his remarks, at breakfast-time, to have escaped his lordship's notice. Had he read on before he wrote in the margin of his book, it would have precluded his censure. Ed.

5 This is a mistake copied from lord Clarendon. The numbers for passing the remonstrance were 159, against it 148; so it was carried by eleven voices. Harris' Life of Oliver Cromwell, p. 74. Ed.

+ Dr. Harris supposes this was Sir Benjamin Rudyard, who, according to Willis, was in three parliaments, the representative of Portsmouth, and was afterwards returned for Old Sarum once, for Downton once, and for Wilton twice. Ed.

monstrance had been rejected he would have sold all he had next morning, and never have seen England more.

It is difficult to say which side of the question was right. Mr. Rapint will not take upon him to determine, whether it was necessary for the welfare of the kingdom, to put it out of the king's power to govern for the future in the same arbitrary manner as he had done for fifteen years; but he thinks the reason for it very plausible, and does not well see what security they could have who were for leaving the king in possession of the same power he had before enjoyed; especially if it be considered, that his majesty had still the same arbitrary principles, and the same inviolable attachment to his queen and the popish faction, besides the current report that the court had fomented the Irish insurrection, which had filled the minds of the people with distracting terrors. It is certain the king had conceived an implacable aversion to the leading members of the puritanical party in both houses, and having quieted the Scots, was determined to make them examples; of which they were not ignorant. After all, whether these and the like reasons were sufficient to justify the whole of the parlia ment's conduct in this affair, I will not presume to determine.

The remonstrance was presented to the king at Hampton-Court [Dec. 1, 1641] about a week after his majesty's return from Scotland, with a petition for redress of the grievances therein contained. It is easy to suppose it was not very acceptable, but the king gave the committee his hand to kiss, and took time to return an answer.* The remonstrance enumerates the several grievances, oppressions. and unbounded acts of the prerogative, since his majesty's accession, to the number of almost two hundred, and charges their rise and progress, (1.) On the jesuited papists. (2.) On the court, bishops, and the corrupt part of the clergy. (3.) On such corrupt counsellors and courtiers as for private ends had engaged themselves in the interest of some foreign princes, to the prejudice of the king and state. These ministers are said to carry on their designs, (1.) By Clarendon, vol. ii. p. 312. Rapin, vol. ii. p. 388, fol. edit. Rushworth, part 3, vol. i. p. 438. Nalson's Collections, p. 694.

suppressing the power and purity of religion, and of such persons as were best affected to it. (2.) By cherishing the arminian party in those points wherein they agree with the papists, in order to widen the difference between the common protestants and those called puritans; and by introducing such opinions and ceremonies as tend to an accommodation with popery. (3.) By fomenting differences and discontents between the king and his parliament, and by putting him upon arbitrary and illegal methods of raising supplies.

I omit the grievances of the state; those which related to the church were such as follow:

1. The suspensions, excommunications. deprivations, and degradations of divers painful, learned, and pious ministers of the gospel, by the bishops; and the grievous oppression of great numbers of his majesty's faithful subjects.

2. The sharpness and severity of the high commission, assisted by the council table, not much less grievous than the Romish inquisition.

3. The rigor of the bishops' courts in the country, whereby great numbers of the meaner tradesmen have been impoverished, and driven out of the kingdom to Holland and New-England. The advancing those to ecclesiastical preferments who were most officious in promoting superstition, and most virulent in railing against godliness and honesty.

4. The design of reconciling the church of England with Rome, and imposing upon the church of Scotland such popish superstitions and innovations, as might dispose them to join with England in the intended reconciliation.

5. The late canons and oath imposed upon the clergy under the severest penalties; and the continuance of the convocation by a new commission, after the dissolution of the parliament, wherein they raised taxes upon the subject for the maintenance of what was called bellum episcopale. The rooting out of the kingdom by force, or driving away by fear, the puritans; under which name they include all that desire to preserve the laws and liberties of the kingdom, and to maintain religion in the power of it.

6. The exempting papists from penal laws, so far as amounted to a toleration, besides conferring upon them

many other privileges and court favors; these (say they) have had a secretary of state of their own religion, and a nuncio from the pope, by whose authority the popish nobility, clergy, and gentry, have been convocated after the manner of a parliament; new jurisdictions have been erected of popish archbishops; taxes have been levied; another state moulded within this state, independent in government, and secretly corrupting the ignorant professors of our religion, &c. The papists have been furnished with arms and ammunition, listed in the king's service, and encouraged by the weekly prayers of their priests for the prosperity of their designs, to promote the catholic cause. They complain further of a party of bishops and popish lords in the house of peers who have caused much opposition and delay in the prosecution of delinquents, and hindered the passing some good bills for the reforming abuses and corruptions in church and state; and of a malignant party that has countenanced the rebellion in Ireland.

After the recital of these grievances, they acknowledge with thankfulness, the many acts that his majesty has passed this session for the public good, and put his majesty in mind of the large sums of money they had raised for his service, amounting to no less than a million and half. They declare, that it is far from their purpose or desire to let 'loose the golden reins of discipline and government in the 'church, to leave private persons or particular congrega. tions to take up what form of divine service they please; 'for we hold it requisite (say they) that there should be throughout the whole realm a conformity to that order which the laws enjoin, according to the word of God; and we desire to unburden the consciences of men from need. 'less and superstitious ceremonies, to suppress innovations, and to take away the monuments of idolatry. To effect this intended reformation, we desire there may be a gen'eral synod of the most grave, pious, learned, and judicious divines of this island, assisted with some from foreign 'parts professing the same religion with us, who may con'sider of all things necessary for the peace and good government of the church, and represent the result of their 'consultations to the parliament, to be allowed and con

firmed, and to receive the stamp of authority.-It is our chief care to advance and promote learning, and to provide a competent maintenance for conscionable and 'preaching ministers throughout the kingdom.-We intend likewise to reform and purge the fountains of learning, the two universities; that the streams flowing thence may 'be clear and pure, and an honor and comfort to the whole 'land. And seeing that the religion of papists has such "principles as certainly tend to the destruction and extirpation of all protestants, when they have opportunity to 'effect it, it is necessary to keep them in such a condition, that they may not be able to do us any hurt."

In the petition that attended this remonstrance, after having assured his majesty, that they had not the least intention to lay any blemish upon his royal person by the foregoing declaration, but only to represent how his royal authority and trust had been abused, they humbly beseech his majesty to concur with his people in a parliamentary way, (1.) For the depriving the bishops of their votes in 'parliament, and abridging their immoderate power, usurp'ed over the clergy, and other your good subjects, to the haz'ard of religion, and prejudice of the just liberties of your 'people. (2.) For the taking away such oppressions in re'ligion, church government and discipline, as have been brought in and fomented by them. (3.) For uniting all 'such your loyal subjects, as agree in fundamentals, a'gainst papists, by removing some oppressions and unnecessary ceremonies, by which divers weak consciences have been offended, and seem to be divided from the rest." (4.) They conclude," with beseeching his majesty to remove from his counsels, all favorers of popery and arbitrary power, and promoters of the abovementioned pres'sures and corruptions, and to employ such as his parliament might confide in; and that in his princely goodness he would reject all solicitations to the contrary, how powerful and near soever."§

His majesty in his answer to this petition, about a week after, complains very justly of the disrespect of the commons in printing their remonstrance before he had time to

§ Nalson's Collections, vol. ii. p. 692.