The HISTORY' of the PURITANS. Chap. IX. K. hart sI. their continuancé to a limited time, it might have fatisfied the people and have faved the prerogative ; but by making them perpetual, he parted with the fceptre out of his own hands, and put it into the hands of his parliament. " This (lays Mr. Eachard) has made fome writers doubt, °` whether thofe who afterwards took up arms againft the king could be r` legally termed REBELS? For by palling this at his majefty made the " two fo far houfes independent uponhimfelf, that they immediately ac- " quiredan uncommon authority, and a fort of natural right to infpect " and cenfure his actions, and to provide for the fafety of the king- " dom." While the commons were alarmed with the difcovery.of the plot, and the flight of the confpirators, Mr. Pym moved that both houles might join in tome band of defence for the fecurity of their liberties, and of the proteftant religion ; accordingly the following proteftationwas drawn up, and fubfcribed the very next day by the whole houle, [May 3.] Solemn vow j A. B. do in the prefence of Almighty God vow and proteft, to andprate/la" « 1 maintain and defend, as far as lawfully I may, with my life power ;on taken by and eflate the true reformed proteftant religion, ex refed in thedoc- both houfes. P g P Claren. " trine of the church of England, againft all popery and popifh innova- Vol. I. " tiions-in this realm, contrary to the Paid dottrine ; and according tó the P. 251. &f''° duty of my allegiance, I will maintain and defend his majefly's « royal perfon honour and eftate; allo the power and privilege of par- fe liament, the lawful rights and liberties: of the fubje t, and of every perfon who (hall make this protation in whatfoever he (hall do, in " the lawful purfuance of the fame. And to my power, as far as law- « fully I may, I will oppofe, and by all good ways and means, endea- « your to bring to condign punifhment all fuch, who [hall by force, practice, counfel, plot, confpiracy, or otherwife, do any thing to the « contrary in this proteftation contained. And further, that I (hall in " all juft and honourable ways endeavour to preferve the union and peace « between the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland; and cc neither for hope, fear, or any other refpect, (hall relinquifh this pro* .« mile vow and proteflation." May 4. This proteflation was made by all the peers prefent in parlia- ment, except the earl of Southampton and lord Roberts, even by the bi- Vol. I. (hops themfelves ; though (as lord Clarendon obferves) it comes little P 253 fhort of the /cots covenant. Their lordfhips indeed would have inter- preted thole words, The true reformedproteßant religion exprefied in the DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND, to have included the go- vernment
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=