Chap. I. -7be HIS T 0 R Y of tbe PuRITANS. 5 fides. The four northern counties, of Northumberland, Cumber/and, K. Charles I; Wiftmor/and, and Durham, affociated for the king; after which the two ~houfes encouraged the like in thofe that owned their authority, and ap- Ib. p. 94· pointed generals to command their troops; the chief of which was the eafiern affociation of Ej[ex, Cambridgefoire, !he ifle of Ely, Hertford, Norfolk, Suffolk, and the city of Norwich, whofe militia· were trained, and 1:eady to march where neceffity fhould require within their feveral limits. In fome parts of England the inhabitants refolved to fi and neuter, and not be concerned on either fide; but the parliament condemned and difannulled all fuch agreements. As the two houfes depended upon the affiitance of the _[cots, his mn– jefly had expectations of foreign aids from the queen, who had endea– voured, by the influence of her (on-in-law the prince of Orange, to en– gage the fiates of Holland in the king's interefi, but they wifely declared for a neutral ity; however, they connived at her private negotiations, and gave her a general paflport, by virtue whereof fhe tranfported a ve– ry large quantity of arms and ammunition to Bur!ington-Bay, and con– veyed them to the king at York. His majefiy alfo, in order to bring over the irijh forces under the command of the duke of Ormond, con– fented to a truce with the irijhrebels, [figned Sep. 15. 1643.) in which he allowed the catholicks to remain in poffeffion of what they had con– quered fince the rebellion, to the great grief of the protefiants, who by · this means were legally difpoffeffed of their efiates: A mofi: unpopular Rufhw. action, in favour of a people who by their late maffacre, were become Vol. V. the very reproach and infamy of human nature ! Thus the whole king- P· 537, 53 8 • dom was marlhaHed into parties, with their drawn fwords eager to 539 " plunge them into each other breafis. The parliament's caufe having a dark and threatening afpect, the lords Ordinance of and commons were not forgetful to implore the divine blefling upon the parlia– their counfels and arms; for which purpofe they publifhed an ordinance ':'M exhort– v b 6 1 · h ' zng to repent– .re . I 5· I 42-3. ex 10rtmg to t e duty of repentance, as the only re- ance. medy to prevent public calamities. It was drawn up by fome of the puritan divines; and becaufe bi!hop Kennet has branded it with the reproachful characters of cant, broad hypocrify, aud a libel agail!ft the church, I will tranfcribe the fubfiance of it in their own words. " '!'hat flourifhing kingdoms have been ruined, by impenitent going Rulbw; " on m a courfe of fin, the facred fiory plainly tells us; and how near to Vol. V• . " ruin our·finful nation now is, the prefent lamentable face of it does too P· 141. " plainly Chew. And though we fhould feel the heavy fi~okes of God's " judgments yet feven times more, it is our duty to accept the punifh- " ment of our iniquities, and to fay, righteous art thou, 0 Lord, and juft
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