Both Houfes WHEN the King went into Scotland; for the better pre- A small ferving the Correfpondence between the two Kingdoms, as Committee of was pretended; and to fee all things perform'd, which were attended the to be done in the Parliament of Scotland, by the Act of Paci- King in fication; a fmall Committee (as hath been before faid) was Scotland. appointed by the two Houfes, confifting of one Lord, and two Commons, to Attend (as the Phrafe was) upon his Ma- ward of Elcrick. THE Perfon appointed by the Lords, was the Lord Ho- For the pard of Eferick; a younger Son of the Houfe of Suffolk: who, Lords, the in the time of the Duke of Buckingham, married a Neece of Lord Hohis; and having his whole dependence upon him, and being abfolutely govern'd by him, was by him made a Baron; but that Dependence being at an end; his Wife dead; and He without any Virtue to promote himfelf; He withdrew himfelf from Following the Court; and fhortly after, from Wishing it well; and had now, deliver'd himself up, Body and Soul, to be difpofed of by that Party, which appear'd moft Aveffe, and Obnoxious, to the Court and the Government: and only in that Confidence, was defign'd to that Employment; and to be entirely Difpofed and Govern'd by the two For the ComMembers, who were joyn'd with him by the Houfe of Commons, who were, Sr Philip Stapleton, and Mr Hambden. pleton, Mr THE Latter hath been mention'd before, as a Man of great Hambden. Understanding, and Parts, and of great Sagacity in difcern-./5. ing Men's natures and manners; and he muft, upon all occafions, ftill be mention'd, as a perfon of great Dexterity and Abilities, and Equal to any truft or employment, good or bad, which he was inclined to undertake. THE Other, St Philip Stapleton, was a proper Man, of a fair extraction; but, being a Branch of a Younger Family, inherited but a moderate Eftate, about five hundred pounds a year, in York-fhire; and, according to the cuftom of that Country, had spent much time in thofe delights which Horfes and Dogs adminifter. Being return'd to ferve in Parliament, He concurr'd with his Neighbours, Hotham and Cholmondley; being much younger than they, and govern'd by them in the Profecution of the Earl of Strafford; and fo was eafily receiv'd into the Company and Familiarity of that whole Party which took that work to heart; and in a fhort time, appear'd a Man of Vigour in body and mind; and to be rather Without good Breeding, than not Capable of it; and fo He quickoutgrew his Friends and Country-men in the Confidence of Thofe who govern'd: They looking upon him, as worth the getting entirely to them; and not averfe from being ly gotten; mons, S Philip Sta pouching gotten; and fo joyn'd him with Mr Hambden in this their first employment (and the First, that ever a Parliament had of that kind) to be initiated under fo great a Master; whose instruction He was very capable of. anfactions THERE had been, even from the time the Scotifh Army in Scotland, came into England, many Factions, and Jealoufies, amongit Mountrofe, the Principal Perfons of that Nation; but none fo much taken Argyle, and notice of, as that between the two Earls, of Mountrofe, and Hamilton, Argyle. The Former took himself to have Deferv'd as much as any Man, in contributing more, and appearing fooner, in Their first approach towards Rebellion; as indeed he was a Man of the best quality, who did fo foon difcover himself; and it may be he did it the fooner, in Oppofition to Argyle; who, being then of the King's Council, he doubted not, would be of his Majefty's Party. The People look'd upon them Both, as Young Men of unlimited Ambition; and ufed to fay, "That they were like Cafar and Pompey, the One "would endure no Superior, and the Other would have no "Equal. True it is, that from the time that Argyle declared himielf against the King (which was immediately after the First Pacification) Mountrofe appear'd with lefs vigour for the Covenant; and had, by underhand and fecret infinuations, made proffer of his Service to the King. But now, after his Majefty's arrival in Scotland, by the introduction of Mr Witliam Murray of the Bed-Chamber, He came privately to the King; and inform'd him of many Particulars, from the beginning of the Rebellion; and "that the Marquis of Hamil ton, was no lefs Faulty, and Falfe towards his Majefty, than "Argyle; and offer'd "to make Proof of all in the Parlia"ment; but rather defired, "to have them Both made away; which He frankly undertook to do: but the King, abhorring that expedient, though for his own Security, advised, "that "the Proofs might be prepared for the Parliament. When fuddainly, on a Sunday morning, the City of Edenborough was in Arms; and Hamilton, and Argyle, both gone out of the Town to their own Houfes; where they stood upon their guards; declaring publickly, "That they had withdrawn themselves, "becaufe they knew that there was a defign to Affaffinate "them; and chofe rather to abfent themselves, than by stand"ing upon their Defence in Edenborough (which they could "well have done) to hazard the Publick Peace, and Security "of the Parliament; which thunder'd on their behalf. THE Committee at Edenborough dispatch'd away an Exprefs to London, with a dark and perplex'd account, in the morning that the two Lords had left the City; with many doubtful expreffions, "what the end of it would be: not without fome dark infinuations, as if the defign might look farther farther than Scotland. And thefe Letters were brought to London, the day before the Houfes were to come together, after the Recefs; all That Party taking pains to Perfwade Others, "that it could not but be a Defign to Affaffinate "More Men than thofe Lords at Edenborough. AND the morning the Houfes were to meet, Mr Hyde being walking in Westminster-Hall, with the Earl of Holland and the Earl of Effex, Both the Earls feem'd wonderfully concern'd at it; and to believe, "that Other Men were in "danger of the like Affaults; the Other, not thinking the Apprehenfion worthy of them, told them merrily, that He "knew well what opinions They Both had of thofe two "Lords, a Year or two before, and he wonder'd how they "became fo alter'd; to which They anfwer'd fmiling, "That "the Times and the Court was much alter'd fince. And the Houfes were no fooner Sate, but the Report being made in the Houfe of Commons, and the Committee's Letter from Scotland being Read, a Motion was made, "to fend to the "Houfe of Peers, that the Earl of Effex, who was left by "the King General on this Side Trent, might be defired to "appoint fuch a Guard, as He thought competent for the Se"curity of the Parliament, conftantly to attend while the The Earl of "Houfes fate; which was done accordingly, and continued, Effex aptill They thought fit to have other Guards. All which was points a done to Amuse the People, as if the Parliament were in Dan- Guard for ger: when in Scotland, all things were quickly Pacified; and the Security ended in creating the Marquis Hamilton à Duke, and Argyle a lament. Marquis. of the Par THERE was a Worfe Accident than all thefe, which fell News of the out in the time of the King's ftay in Scotland, and about the Rebellion in time of the two Houfes reconvening; which made a won- Ireland, derful impreffion upon the minds of Men; and proved of infinite Difadvantage to the King's affairs, which were then recovering new life; and that was the Rebellion in Ireland: which broke out about the middle of October, in all parts of the Kingdom. Their design upon Dublin was miraculously difcover'd, the night before it was to be executed; and fo the Surprizal of that Caftle prevented; and the principal Confpirators, who had the charge of it, apprehended. In the other parts of the Kingdom, They obferv'd the time appointed, not hearing of the Misfortunes of their Friends at Dublin. A general Infurrection of the Irish fpread it felf over the whole Country, in fuch an Inhuman and Barbarous manner, that there were Forty or Fifty Thoufand of the English Proteftants murther'd, before they fufpected themfelves to be in any danger, or could provide for their Defence, by drawing together into Towns, or ftrong Houtes. FROM FROM Dublin, the Lords Juftices, and Council, difpatch'd their Letters by an Expre's (the fame Man who had made the Difcovery, one Oconelly, who had formerly been a Servant to St John Clotworthy to London, to the Earl of Leicester, then Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. From the Parts of the North, and Ulfter, an Exprefs was fent to the King himself, at Edenborough, and the King's Letters from thence, to the two Houles, arrived within less than two days after the Meffenger from Dublin. IT was upon a Sunday night, that the Letters from Dublin came to the Earl of Leicester; who immediately caused the Council to be fummon'd, and affoon as it was met, inform'd them of the condition of Ireland; that is, fo much as those Letters contain'd: which were written, when little more was known than the Discovery at Dublin; and what the Confpirators had confefs'd upon their examinations. The House of Peers had then adjourn'd it felf to the Wednesday following; but the Houfe of Commons were to meet on the next day, Monday morning; and the Council refolv'd, "that they "would in a Body go to the Houfe of Commons, affoon as it "Sate, and inform them of it; which they did; notice being first given to the House, "that the Lords of the Council had "fome matters of Importance to impart to them, and were "above in the Painted Chamber ready to come to them: whereupon, Chairs were fet in the Houfe for them to repofe The Lords of themfelves, and the Serjeant fent to conduct them. Affoon the Council as they enter'd the Houfe, the Speaker defired them to Sit acqat the down; and then being cover'd, Littleton, Lord Keeper, told the Speaker, "That the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, having "receiv'd Letters from the Lords Juftices and Council there, "had communicated them to the Council; and fince the "Houfe of Peers was not then Sitting, They had thought fit, "for the Importance of the Letters, to impart them to that "Houfe; and fo referr'd the bufinefs to the Lord Lieutenant; who, without any inlargement, only read the Letters he had receiv'd, and fo the Lords departed from the House. House of Commins with the News, the Suting THERE was a deep Silence in the Houfe, and a kind of Confternation: mot Mens heads having been Intoxicated from their First meeting in Parliament, with imaginations of Plots, and Treafonable Defigns, through the Three Kingdoms. The affair it felf feem'd to be out of their cognisance; and the communication of it, ferv'd only to prepare their thoughts, what to do when more fhould be known; and when they thould hear what the King thought fit to be done. And when the King's Letters arriv'd, they were glad the news had come to him, when he had fo good Council about him to advife him what to do. THE THE King was not then inform'd of what had been discover'd at Dublin; but the Letters out of Ulfter (which he fent to the Parliament) gave him notice "of a general Infurre"&tion in the North; and of the Inhuman Murthers com"mitted there, upon a multitude of the Proteftants; and that "St Phelim O Neil appear'd as their General and Commander "in chief. writes to the two Houses about it. UPON which his Majefty writ to the two Houfes, "That His Majesty "he was fatisfied that it was no Rafh Infurrection, but a "Form'd Rebellion; which must be Profecuted with a sharp "War; the conducting, and profecuting whereof, he wholely "committed to Their Care and Wifdom, and depended up"on Them for the carrying it on; and that for the pre"fent, He had caufed a ftrong Regiment of fifteen hundred "Foot, under good Officers to be tranfported out of Scot"land into Ulfter, for the Relief of thofe Parts: which were upon the matter wholely inhabited by Scots and Irif; there being fewer English there, than in any part of Ireland. THIS fell out to their wifh; and thereupon, they made a Committee of both Houses, "for the confideration of the af"fairs of Ireland, and providing for the fupply of Men, "Arms, and Money, for the Suppreffing that Rebellion; the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland being one of the Committee: . which fate every morning in the Painted Chamber; and the Lord Lieutenant firft communicated all the Letters he receiv'd to Them to be confulted on, and to be thence reported to the two Houfes; which were hereby poffefs'd of a large Power, and Dependence; all Men applying themfelves to Them, that is to the chief Leaders, for their Preferments in that War: the mifchief whereof, though in the beginning little taken notice of, was afterwards felt by the King very fenfibly. THESE Concurrent Circumftances, much alter'd and fupprefs'd that good humour and fpirit the Houfes were well difpofed to meet in, and the Angry Men, who were difappointed of the Preferments they expected, and had promifed themfelves, took all occafions, by their Emiflaries, to infinuate into the minds of the People, "that this Rebellion in Ireland, was contrived and fomented by the King; or at "leaft by the Queen, for the advancement of Popery; and "that the Rebels publifh'd and declar'd, That they had the "King's Authority for all they did; which Calumny, though without the leaft Shadow or Colour of Truth, made more Impreffion upon the minds of Sober and Moderate Men (who, till that time, had much difliked the Paflionate Proceedings of the Parliament) than could be then imagin'd, or can yet be believ'd. So great a Prejudice, or want of Reverence was |