78o The HISTORY of the PURITANS. Chap. XL. h. Charles L as what isfit to be taken away. His majefty obferves with fatisfa&ion,.. by "that they dure only a reformation, and not as is daily preached in conven- " titles, a delirzthlion of the prefent difcipline and liturgy, and promifes " to concur with his parliament in railing a fufficient maintenance for " preaching miniflers, in fuch manner as fhall be moft for the advance- " ment of piety and learning ; but as for the other bills, againft Jùper- "fiitious innovations, and pluralities, his majefty can fay nothing to them,, " till he fees them." King'sprspa- It was now apparent to all men, that this controverfy which had hr= rations for therto been debated by the pen, mutt be decided by the fword; for this purpofe the queen was all this while in Hollandnegotiating foreign fup_ plies : her majeflypledged the crown jewels, and-with the money arifing from thence purchafed.a (mail frigate of thirty two guns, called the Pro- vidence,- and freighted it with two hundred barrels of powder, two or three thoufand arms, feven or eight field pieces, and force ready money for the king's fervice, all which were fafely convoyed to his majefty at York, about the beginning of ,tune. The parliament had been advertifed of the queen's. proceedings, and acquainted the king with their advices ; which at firft he was pleafed to dilown, for in his declaration of March 9. he tells the parliament,, " Whatfoever you are advertized from Paris " &c. of foreign aids,, we are confident no fober honeft man in our " kingdom can believe,, that we are fo defperate, or fo fenfelefs, as to " entertain fuch defigns, as would not only bury this-our kingdom in cer- " tain deftruétion and ruin, but our name and pofterity in perpetual fcorn " and. infamy." One would think by this that the king did not know what was doing with the crown jewels, though they were carried over with his leave, and (as. Mr. Whitlock fays) that with them and the affifh. ance of the prince of. Orange,. a fuffidient party might be railed for the king.. But in this anfwer, as in moll others, his majefty had his ambi- guities and refervations._ It was the king's great misfortune never to get poßëffion of a conve- nient place of firength upon the coaft. The governor of Portfmouth de- claring for him, the parliàment immediately ordered the militia of the country. to block. up the place by land, while the earl of Warwick did the fame by fea,_ fo that it was forced to furrender forwant of provi- R lion, before the king could- relieve it. The like difappointment befel 60C. his majefty at Hull,, which he befieged -a fecond.time, 7uly 4. with three thoufand foot,and about one thoufand.horfe, while Sir )'. Pennington the king's admiral blocked it up by lea; but the.governor drawing up the fluices laid the country under water,, and obliged the army to retire. This.was a.fevere.difappointment,, becaufe his majefty had lent word to the.
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