|
| July 6. |
145. Certificate of Justices of the Peace for the Hundreds of
Edwinstree and Odsey, co. Herts. The poor have been provided
for, apprentices placed out, watch and ward duly kept, 46 vagrants
punished and sent away, and nine persons punished in the House of
Correction at Buntingford. There are no popish recusants, nor
any notorious profane persons. Seven bakers have been punished
in open market for breaking the assize. The number of ale-houses
has been abridged, and the highways and bridges repaired. The
people of the country are well disposed in religion, obedient to
government, and forward in pious and charitable actions. [1 sheet.] |
| July 12. |
146. Certificate of the Justices of the Peace for the Half
Hundred of Hitchin, co. Herts., from Lent assizes last. 42 rogues
have been punished, and 17 sturdy vagabonds sent to the House of
Correction; 10 apprentices have been bound (whose names and
those of their masters are given); the highways have been cared
for; and the poor, who have endured great extremities for want
of work and dearth of corn, have lately been employed in weeding
corn and making hay, by which they are well quieted and comforted.
[1 p.] |
| [July 15.] |
147–149. Three copies of the Duke of Lennox's supposed
speech to his Majesty concerning the proposition of war with
Scotland. [Already calendared under this date, Vol. CCCXCV.,
No. 56.] |
| [July 20.] |
150. MS. copy of the "General Demands concerning the late
Covenant to be propounded to some reverent brethren who
were to commend it to us and our people," presented by the
Doctors of Aberdeen, viz., Drs. John Forbes, of Corse, Professor
of Divinity, Alexander Rosse, Robert Baron, Professor of Divinity,
Alexander Scrogie, William Leslie, Principal of King's College,
William Guild, and James Sibbald, to the Commissioners of the
Covenant on their arrival at Aberdeen, Friday, 20th July. Printed at
Aberdeen by Edward Raban, printer to the University, 1638. The
objections to the Covenant are arranged as 14 queries, the main
points being as follows:— |
|
1. By what warrant can subscription be enforced to a Covenant
not sent by the King or the Lords of his Council, nor by any
National Synod ? |
|
2. Ought they to sign it, seeing that all covenants of mutual
defence by force of arms without privity of the King are
forbidden ? |
|
3. Is the present a case of extreme danger, seeing the King has
declared that he intends no innovation of religion, and has already
removed the service book, book of canons, and the alleged
exorbitancy of the new High Commission ? |
|
4. Who are the interpreters, whether all the subscribers, or only
the ministers convened in Edinburgh in the end of February who
set it down? If all the subscribers, they are laicks, ignorant
people and children; if only those ministers in Edinburgh, what
authority have they to enforce a judicial interpretation of these
articles ? |
|
5. Whether they can, with a good conscience, subscribe a
Covenant which makes a perpetual law concerning the external
rites of the Church, or abjure all rites as popish, seeing even those
who urge the Covenant practice some ceremonies not used in God's
word, as the celebration of marriage before the Church, and the
stipulations of fathers and godfathers for the child in baptism ? |
|
6. Whether they should contradict the judgment of so many
famous divines of the reformed Church who held these rites and
ceremonies lawful, or condemn the venerable practice of the ancient
church ? |
|
7. Whether it be agreeable to charity or piety to require them to
abjure those rites as popish, which they have hitherto practised as
lawful and laudable ? |
|
8. Whether it be fitting to swear to defend the King's person
and authority with limitations ? |
|
9. Whether they can swear to maintain the authority of the King
and yet also swear disobedience to articles authorized by his standing
laws? |
|
10. Whether they ought to swear to such a covenant as takes
away hope of a free assembly or parliament to judge of the matters
presently debated; for how can those vote freely who have already
adhered to one part of the question ? |
|
11. Why, being willing to subscribe the 1567 Covenant, they are
traduced because they cannot subscribe to that interpretation of the
negative confession inserted in this Covenant ? |
|
12. Whether the reverend brethren allow of the disorders of
those who have subscribed the Covenant against their brethren of
the holy ministry who have continued in their obedience to the laws
of the Church and kingdom, and if not, why these miscarriages are
not publicly condemned. |
|
13. How can they subscribe without incurring the scandal of
dissenting from other reformed Churches, and from antiquity, and
also of perjury, they having sworn obedience to the Articles of Perth
and to their Ordinary ? |
|
14. Lastly, how can they who are assured of the lawfulness of
the Articles of Perth, and the lawfulness and venerable antiquity
of episcopal government, give their consent that those should preach
in their pulpits, who come professedly to withdraw their people
from that which hath been recommended to them as truth ? [=6 pp.
Copy in the British Museum, bound up with the "Vindication of
the Duke of Hamilton" (press mark 4175a).] |
|
151. Copy of the last part of the same. [=2 pp. Imperfect.] |
| July 26. |
152. The King to Lord Treasurer Juxon and Francis Lord
Cottington, Chancellor and Under-Treasurer of the Exchequer,
concerning payments from a sum of 200,000l. appointed for especial
services. [Draft of order already calendared, Vol. CCCXCV.,
No. 85. [2 pp.] |
| July 26. |
153. Another copy, in Secretary Windebank's hand. [2 pp.] |
| [July 26 ?] |
154. Statement that on the 22nd of July 1638, as Henry Cooper
was sleeping in the church at Arthingworth in sermon time, he
was awakened by Anthony Cooper, and, taking it as an injury,
he revenged himself by attacking Anthony as he was riding back
from Market Harborough on Tuesday the 24th of July, knocking
him from his horse and beating him when on the ground. Anthony
tried to make peace with him, but Henry attacked him a second
time, as can be testified by Richard Underwood, who endeavoured to
maintain the peace. ]11/8 p.] |
|
Dorso.—List of names, with 14s. against each, and order that
this bill be paid. Signed by Ed. Harby, Dan Hopkins, William
Wates, and Edw. Farmer. Also receipt by John Clarke of
said bill "which is from 19th to 26th July." |
| [July.] |
155. George, Bishop of Hereford, to the Archbishop of Canterbury and Lord Keeper Coventry. Upon petition of John
Barker, vicar of Cleobury Mortimer, to the King, against John
Boraston, parson of Ribsford, for detaining from him certain tithes
in the forest of Wire (by virtue of a composition made between the
predecessors of the said incumbents in the time of Henry VIII.),
and upon reference made to me by his Majesty (see Vol. CCCXCII.,
No. 68 i.), I called the parties before me and heard both objections
and answers, but before I could bring the matter to a head, I was
informed that the vicar of Cleobury had received of the parson of
Ribsford the 25s. composition money, with all arrears, and have
seen the acquittances for the same, whereby he has so voided his
petition and suit that he can take no benefit from either. I find
also by confession of the said Mr. Barker, that the petition was
made without his knowledge by one Sir Francis Lacon, for ends of
his own, upon all which grounds I thought fit for the present to
stop proceedings. [1 p.] |
| [July ?] |
156. Paper by Henry de Vic on the state of affairs in Scotland,
now in much the same condition as were the United Provinces
when they defected from Spain. To prevent a like issue in Scotland, there are different opinions concerning the means to be used.
First, that of force, for which these reasons are given. It is more
honourable for the King to give than to receive the law from his
subjects; it will deter others from a like attempt; it is doubtful
whether the point of conscience urged is not a pretence used by
some great ones, to seduce the people from their obedience, and if
his Majesty accords what they now demand, they will take courage
to ask other things that cannot be granted, this being the more to
be suspected as the writings and proceedings of some great ones are
much like those of the Prince of Orange and others in the Low
Countries. The second opinion is that the demands of the Scotch
should be granted. It is a maxim that to deny just things to those
that can do themselves right is to open them the way to that which
is unjust; and even if their proceedings have been unjust it must
be well weighed whether it is better, by keeping up authority, to risk
losing it, or to relent in some particulars from rights which may be
afterwards recovered. We must examine how we are provided
with commanders, fortresses and horses, how assured of the affection
of other subjects, and whether by giving the Scotch cause to take
arms we do not give them an appearance of equity for the necessity
of defence. They are resolved, prepared, united, have many good
commanders, are encouraged by strangers and have intelligence
with some English; and his Majesty might not find the readiness
he expects in his subjects here if, as God forbid, he should have use
for them on such an occasion, wherein they think themselves equally
concerned with the Scots and, if we may judge by appearances,
would be as ready, if they durst, to seek for a redress of their
grievances. It would give the English subjects an ill precedent in
point of a parliament, and it may be they expect but the occasion of
seeing his Majesty engaged in some course wherein he having greater
need of their help, they may better demand it. The third opinion
is for a mixed way, composed both of lenity and authority; lenity
in granting their requests, particularly of a parliament (which if
they should suddenly indite of themselves, would be the greatest
blow they could give to sovereignty, and engage them in a way
from which they could never be reclaimed), and authority, not in
using, but in making preparations, and that in places remote, for
fear of giving umbrage, great care being taken that the management of affairs be conferred on discreet men, and also command
given to our ships on the Scotch coast not to molest them by sea or
land. [3¾ pp.] |
