Chap. X. 'Ihe HIS T 0 R Y of the PuRrTAN s. " and tygers -- Trufi to your [words in defence of your lives, liberKing . d 1· . l'k h fi I f Id h Id h. k. 'f h Charles rr. " ties, an re Ig10n, 1 e t e out ear o o , w o to IS mg, 1 e 68 " could not be defended by magna charta, he would be relieved by ~ " longa Jpada." He goes on to reproach the king with the breach of · his (cots oaths, Breda promifes, prot1Jant profi./Jion, liberty of con[cie11ce, as defigned only to delude protet1ants; and puts him in mind of all his political and moral vices, as intended to debauch the nation, to promote the popiili religion and arbitrary government, &c. Thus were the non– conformit1s to be expofed again to the refentments of the nation; but when the fham was difcovered to the houfe of commons by Sir William Wailer, he received the thanks of the houfe, and Fitz-Harris, though im- He is mcut• peached in parliament, was tried by a jury, and executed with Dr. Plu11- td. ket the titular primate of Irela11d. The whigs would have faved FitzHarris, though a papift, in hopes of his being an evidence in the popiih plot; but the court was refolved to difpatch him out of the way, that he might tell no more tales. . His majefiy hearing that the bill oj exc!z!fioll was to be brought into Sudden diffo· the houfe again, went fuddenly, and not very decently (fays Burnet), to lutT if the the houfe of lords in afedan, with the crown between his feet, and hav-~:r~a;;";: ing put on his robes in hafie, called up the commons and diifolved his 499· ' fifth and !aft parliament, after they had fat only (even days. As foon as his majefty got out of the houfe, he pofted away in all hafte to Windjor, as one that was glad he had got rid of his parliament, which was the !aft that he ever convened ; though he lived three or four years after. And here was an end of the conftitution and liberties of England for the prefent ; all that followed to the king's death, was no more than the convulfions and ftruggles of a dying man. The king raifed what money he wanted without parliaments; he took away all the charters of England, and governed abfolutely by dint of prerogative. April the 8th the king King's decla. pu bliilied a declaration to all bis loving JitbjeC!s, touching the caujes a11dration ojrca– reafons that moved him to dijfolve the t~vo lqft parliammts ; and ordered itfon;for zt, to be read in all the churches and chapels throughout England. It contains a recital of his majet1y's condefcenfions for the fecurity of the proteftant religion, as far os was conf!flmt with thejitcctjjirm if the-crown in tbe lineal difcent; and a large rehearfal of the unfuitable returns of the commons. -- " But notwithfianding all this ( fays his majefiy ), let not '' thefe men, who are labouring to poifon our people with commonwealth " pri11ciples, perfuade any of our fubjects that we intend to lay alide the " ufe of parliaments, _for we flill declare, that no irregularities in par~ " liaments, ihall .make us out of love with them; and we are refolved " by the bleffing of God, to have frequent parliaments;" although he never called another. Several anonymous remarks were made upon this declaration
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=