67 parliament after he came to the crowne the duke of Buckingham was impeacht concerning the death of king James, and other mis-. clemeanours, but the present king, who had receiv'cl him into the same degree of favour that he was wilh the former, wou ld not endure the question of his favonrite, and, to deliver him from it, broke up the parliament, which gave too iust a suspition that he favom'd the practise; for it is true that the duke's mother, without the consent of the phisitians, had made an appli cation to the wrists of the king for his ague, after which he died in his nex t fitt. Some other parliaments there were, but still abruptly broken up, when Lhey putt forth any endeavour to redresse grievances. The protcstants abroad were all lookt upon as puritanes, and their interest insteed of being protected, sadly be trey'd; ships lett out to the French king to serve against them; qll the flower of the English gentry lost in an ill-manag'cl expedition to the Isle of Rhee, under pretence of he!ping them, but so order'cl that it proov'd the losse of Rochell, the strong fort and bes t defence of all the protestants in France. Those in Germany were no !esse neglected· in all treaties, although his owne sister and her children were so highly concern'd. The whole people were sadly griev'cl a tt these misgovernments, and loath to impute them to the king, cast all the od ium upon the duke of Buckingham, whom at length a discontented person stabb'd, believing he did God and his country good service by it. All the volmhe of Clarendon's State Papers: where Nir. Courtenay having refused some compliances aga inst conscience, and g ivi ng as his reason that a the king was not the law a maker, but the king and parliament, and that the king has not a diiipensing power/' und fath er Scudnmore, alias Lennder, as3erting that he has, Courtenny is committ ed to prison, held there, and a trial re fu sed bim; I.eander p1.1otected, encouraged, and rewarded; and it is stated that " Laud was at the helm of the king's councils in these "matters." T hi s opinion of the k.ing's candour, or even indifference, as to the mode of religion, is stated in nearly the same manne 1· in Rushworth, but it is not said on what authority. The Stnarts sported with and rui ned all re li g ions, and in turn were ruined by them.
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