THE ARTICLES Of Impeachment against the KING And the Charge of the Army, for the speedy bringing his Majesty to tryall, justice, and judgment.
I.
THhat the present King Charles, when he was Prince of Wales, did maintain corespondency with the then Pope of Rome; promising, that he would employ himself for the time to come, to have but one Religion, viz. the Roman Catholique, and that he was resolved to suffer manner of discommodities, even to the hazarding of his Estate and life, for a thing so pleasing unto God, as the advancement of the Romish Religion.
2 That the said King hath taken two solemn Oaths upon [Page 2]both his Treaties of Mariage with Spain and France, to protect and maintain to the utmost throughout his Dominions, the Roman Catholique Church and Religion, and to suspend and abrog [...]te all Laws against them, and is thereby deeply ingaged by vertue of these Oaths, to side with the Roman Catholique Subjects, both in England, Ireland, and Scotland, and arm them against his Protestant Subjects and Parliaments in all the three Kingdoms, of purpose to make good these his Oaths and Articles.
3 That the said present King Charles, since his comming to the Crown, hath raised a most bloudy and unnaturall war against the Protestant Cause and party in his Dominions, in which he hath hazarded both his Estate, Life, and Realmes, for the reducing all his Subjects to one Religion, viz. the Roman Catholique.
4 That the said King did permit the Papists, Priests, and Jesuits, during the Scottish troubles, to call a Parliament and Generall Councell of State among themselves, even in London, wherein the Popes own Nuntio sate President, in which parliament, the chief papists out of all parts of England and Wales assembled, made several Laws and Ordinances for imposing taxes, and raising monies upon all Roman Catholiques for maintenance of the Scottish wars, which were seconded with the Queens own letters and instructions to the Catholique party.
5 That the said King did admit Can the Popes Legate, and that under the very name, notion, and authority of the peoples Legate, into familiar accesse to, and conference with him, by all arts, policies, and arguments, to pervert and draw him with his three Kingdoms, to a new subjection to the See of Rome.
6 That the King condescended to articles of pacification [Page 3]with the rebels of Ireland contrary to an act of parl. wherein the said wicked rebels are declared his Majesties good subjects.
And lastly that the said King did send for many thousands of the said rebels into England, to massacre the protestant English here, &c.
These Articles are collected out of Romes Master-piece, and will be more fully asserted and maintained from the severall Writings and labours of Mr. Wil. Pryn, Esquire. The Charge of the Army.
That his Majesty hath issued out divers proclamations under the great Seal, and given Commissions to English & Irish papists, for the massacring of his best and trustiest subjects, and that he hath been the most capital and grand Author of all the bloud which hath bin spilt in England, and therefore desire, that he may be speedily brought to justice judgment and tryal, for the treason, bloud, and mischiefe he is therein guilty of.
A Declaration from his Excellency the Lord Gen. Fairfax concerning the Excize, and the Citizens of London.
VVHereas upon the 8. of this instant moneth, a party of Horse and Foot came to the Excize Office in Broadstreet, which perhaps will occasion some to think the Army came thither with a purpose to interrupt any more levying of the Excive; These are to declare, and assure them, that the said Forces came thither by a mistake, and that there was not any intentions to give interruption unto the due levying of the Excize, or to seize upon any money in Cash; and that you may proceed as formerly, according to those Ordinances, and Orders of Parliament, which you have received concerning the same.
The Lord Admirals Letter to the Parliament.
VVHereas the Honorable Houses of Parliament have bin pleased to intrust me with the charge of the Fleet, I shall therefore indeavour to improve that Authority committed to me, with a faithfull and inviolable respect unto my duty.
For, when I first undertook this great charge, I was sensible how much the Cause, Truth, and Glory of God, the settlement of my Countries peace, and the preventing of the bloudy and desperate designs of the Enemies thereof, depended upon the management of this expedition, and how much I was obliged in Conscience and Honour to omit nothing that might have a tendency to those ends. That obligation I have (according to my best reason and judgment) fathfully discharged, and by the blessing of Heaven have received this fruit (notwithstanding the many obstructions and difficulties that intervened) that the honour of the Parl. by Sea is cleared, the Fleet committed to my charge preserved in a condition of honour and safety, the affections of the Seamen setled, the design of those wicked Revolters, that persidiously betrayed so considerable a part of the Kingdomes Navy broken, and such as associated with them either rendered or reduced.
And as to the aspersion and pretended resolution of my joyning with the Prince, in case an agreement be not concluded of between the King and parliament, I do professe in the presence of God, who knowes my heart and wayes, that it never entred into my thoughts, and that my soul abhors it as inconsistent inconsistent with my Duty prejudiciall to the Parliament, destructive to the Kingdoms peace, and unworthy of a free borne English man.
And therefore, as I have hitherto been faithfull to the Kingdom, [Page 5]and to the Parliament, where I have the honour to sit as a Peer, so I do and shall scorn to sacrifice my conscience, & those ublike and dear concernments of my Countrey, wherein I have a portion.
And while I have a heart, and a hand, I shall not faile (by Gods assistance) to have them on all occasions, lifted up, for the service of the parliament, and common interests of England, with my uttermost integrity, and to my highest hazard.
Decemb. 13. Letters further from the Navy say, That his Excellency the Lord Admirall, upon receipt of the intelligence, that the Army had seized on divers members of parliament, and entred the City of London, his Lordship declared, That he wished well to the peace of this famous Metropolis, and desired that the principles whereon the Army have fixed their resolutions, may prove a soveraign Cordiall, to heal the diseased and corrvpted Ulcers of this bleeding Kingdome, and that their present Engagement may conduce to the glory of God, the liberty and freedom of the people, and the peace and tranquility of the Common weale of England, throughout all future Ages and Generations.
Major Gen. Brown, and divers other Members now under restraint: Whereupon the House ordered that a Committee should be appointed to treat with his Excellency, concerning the said Members.
Sir, Since the coming in of the revolted ships, most of the Mariners have entred into a new Protestation and Engagemen; which is, That they will sacrifice all that is neare and dear unto them, for preservation of the Laws, Liberties, and Freedoms, of their Native and Fellow Commoners of this Nation; and that they will sacrifice both lives and fortunes, with the Army, under the Authority and Conduct of [Page 6]his Excellency the Lord Gen. Fairfax, for the accomplishing those good ends, cited in their late Remonstrance, that so much conduceth to the peace and welfare of this bleeding Nation; and that it may take deepe impression in the hearts of all men, who professe themselves lovers of Righteousnesse, and Practitioners in the Art of Navigation, they unanimously resolved to communicate the same, to all Mariners whatsoever, upon the River of Thames, or else where; to the end, that none may appear opposite, or dissenting, to the faciliating of so great a Work.
Aboard the St. George 11. Decem. 1648.
His Excellency, the Lord Fairfax, and his general Councell of Officers, have had some disputatien and debate, touching the Charge against Major Gen. Brown, and some other of the impeached members, and are resolved to bring them to a speedy tryall, which (in all probability will be upon next Munday. M G. Massey, and Sir I Clotworthy are removed from the other impeached members, to St. Iamses, to Sheriff Brown, where they are to be kept during the pleasure of his Excellency.