ON Munday the third of this inſtant month of January, his Majeſty by Warrant under his own hand, Authorized Sergeant Frances, Sergeant at Armes, to come to the Houſe of Commons, and there to demand Mr. Denzill Hollis, Sir Arthur Haſlerigg, Mr. Pym, Mr. Hampden, and Mr. Strowd, whom in his Majeſties name, he accuſed of High Treaſon.

The Houſe of Commons returned this anſwere, that not only thoſe five Gentlemen, but alſo every one of them would lay downe their lives and fortunes at his Majeſties feet, ſo he would be but pleaſed to accuſe them in a legall way, and make known the cauſe of their Accuſation.

The next day being Tueſday, his Majeſty (unexpectedly) came to the Houſe of Commons attended with a multitude of perſons Armed as aforeſaid, and there in the SPEAKERS Chaire, demanded theſe five Perſons, ſaying he expected yeſterday obedience, and not an Anſwere: When his Majeſty a long time together had caſt his eyes round about the Houſe, and could not diſcerne any of theſe five Members there, he was pleaſed to command Mr. Speaker to tell him if they were there, the Speaker falling upon his knees humbly beſeeching his Majeſty to excuſe him, for he was ſervant to the Houſe of Commons, and could neither ſee nor ſpeake without their leave.

His Majeſtie diſcerning they were not in the Houſe, graciouſly departed; but the bloody minded ſouldiers, ſome of whom ſtood neere the doore of the Houſe of Commons, with their Piſtols readie cockt, and their Swords erected in their hands, expecting when the word ſhould have beene given with fearefull Oathes expreſſed themſelves, that they loſt that they came for, the perſons were not there, they miſt the opportunity of cutting their throats, and the throats of all thoſe Parliament men of the Houſe of Commons that would not have ſuffered theſe five perſons to have beene taken out of the Houſe, his Majeſties owne ſervants carrying themſelves civilly, and indeed ignorant of the Trayterous deſigne.

As ſoone as theſe damme blades about the number of 400. were gone, the Houſe of Commons, full of griefe of heart to ſee the priviledges of Parliament thus broken, adjourned in great diſcontent til Wedneſday, the 5. of Januarie, at two of the clock, at which time they met, and concluded of an Order to adjourne the Houſe till Tuſeday, the 11. of January, 1641. And in the meane time, appointed a Comittee of the Houſe of Commons to ſit in London, to conſider of the ſafety of the King, Kingdome and Parliament, and of repairing of the priviledges of Parliament ſo highly broken.

Which meeting hath produced ſeverall Orders and Declarations for maintaining the priviledges of Parliament, which are to be reported to the Houſe, and there to have it's force.

But for the ſafety of the Kingdome and Citie, which they conceived to be in emminent danger; the Committee for Iriſh affaires of the Houſe of Commons propounded the conſideration thereof to the Committee of the Lords Houſe for Iriſh affaires, who ſate likewiſe in London, who in regard the King had denyed both houſes a Guard to protect them; and in regard ſuch an hoſtill plot was intended, as was apparantly proved declared their opinion, that whereas the King and Parliament was in ſo great danger; that in that caſe the Sheriffes of London and Midleſex, ought to come with the Poſſe Commitatus, to the Parliament to defend the King and Parliament, to which opinion the Comittee of the Houſe of Commons aſſented, which was communicated to the Lord Major, Aldermen and Common Counſell of London, and they delivered their opinions herein, and expreſſed their forwardneſſe hereunto.

This breach of priviledge of Parliament begot much diſcontent in the Parliament and people, and the more in regard by ſpeciall command, the Articles againſt Maſter Pym, and the reſt was printed, and the ſame publiſhed by Sir William Killegrue and Sir William Flemyn, and delivered in his Majeſties Name (as they faſely pretended) to the foure Innes of Court, to the end to make theſe perſons the more odious to them and the Kingdome: And in regard the conſequence of admitting this Accuſation in this manner againſt theſe five perſons, is a preſident to take away the whole Houſe of Commons at a breath, under pretence of high Treaſon, if (as God forbid) an Accunſation of this nature ſhould be hereafter; and conſidering that to this very day, (11. Januar. 1641.) no Articles of Impeachment is come into the Houſe of Commons by the Kings Attourney or otherwiſe, or from the Lords Houſe (if any be there againſt them) till which time that it come from thence by meſſengers of their owne (if their firſt depending) the Houſe cannot legally take notice thereof: This, and many other reaſons, made the Houſe of Commons to inſiſt upon it, beſides the great merit of theſe perſons, whom (as the houſe hath declared) though as deare as their lives unto them, they will deliver over unto a tryall, ſo as his Majeſtie will proceed againſt them in a legall way, either at the Kings Bench, or in Parliament, and produce any Subject in England that will ſtand to make good the Accuſation, and in caſe they faile to make it good, that his Majectie will let them be forth-comming, and alſo to diſcover thoſe wicked Counſells that have adviſed him to this courſe, that they may be brought to condigne puniſhment.

The City ond people in the adjacent parts are ſo much moved in this buſineſſe, and fearing ſome ſuddaine execution may be done upon the Parliament (both the Houſe of Peeres, and Houſe of Commons, and the Lords of the Privy Counſell, having declared that this Act of his Majeſties without their advice, and againſt the privilledges of Parliament) That they yeſterday declared, that eight Companies of the Trayned Bands, with 8. pieces of Ordnance, and divers Horſemen mounted, ſhall Guard the Commitees of the Houſe of Peeres, and Commons, from Grocers-hall in London to Weſtminſter, And the Sea Captaines, Maſters of Ships, and Marriners, with ſmall Barges, and long Boates ſufficiently man'd and Armed with Murderers, Rablets, Faulchion and Minion, with Muſquets and halfe-Pikes, to the number of 2000 perſons have engaged themſelves to Guard the Parliament by water. The Trayned Bands in Southwark have offered themſelves to ſecure all the other ſide of the water, and the Aprentices tendred their ſervices to attend the Parliament to the number of ten thouſand with Warlike weapons, but thoſe the Parliament enjoyned to ſtay at home. And laſtly, the Watermen tendred their Barges for more ſafety to carry the Parliament men by Water: All which to the great admiration of all the Beholders, put in execution this day: And that which is moſt conſiderable, 4000 Horſemen are come to the houſe of Cōmons this day, except ſome of them which lay at Vxbridg and places thereabouts, with a Petition in the name of the whole County of Buckingham, that Mr. Hampden their Knight of the Shire may receive his Tryall, and not lie under the name of high Treaſon, and cannot obtaine a legall way of Tryall, and that if he acquit himſelfe (as no good men make doubt of) Juſtice in a high meaſure may be done upon the falſe informers of his Majeſty, how neere or how a great ſoever; They being confident that it is but deſigne of the Popiſh party, to put an interruption in the proceedings of Parliament, that no reliefe may be ſent to Ireland, but that more Proteſtant blood may be ſhed there, and that all Acts made this Parliament, may be avoyded under pretence of no free Parliament: And laſtly to force a breach of this Parliament, by an untimely adjournment, or fayle of meeting through fear of danger.