was highly regarded by him, having had sufficient experience of it in the Low-Countries, where Sir Edward Cecill also for a long time, and with great reputation, commanded a regiment, for the service of the states: his other reason was, because that his father heretofore had taken Cadiz, and he believed that a more gallant action could never be imposed on him, than to be designed unto that place, where he might enlarge his own, and renew his father's glory. Being imbarqued for the prosecution of this service, which promised so much honour; being at sea, and by a fair wind brought almost as far as Cadiz, the chief commanders opened their commission, and finding, to their great grief, that they had not that power granted them, which they expected, they had many consultations on it: Sir Edward Cecill was loth to exceed the bounds of the commission, well knowing what danger, on his return, might ensue thereby.

The Earl of Essex was unwilling to return without effecting any thing: and the rather, because the Spaniards (according to the ostentation natural to that nation) did begin to dare him from their walls and battlements; insomuch that some of his men were landed, and entered some part of the town; and the earl found that it was no difficult matter for the English again to be masters of the town, had they but authority to fall on. Howsoever the Spaniards had notice before hand that the English ships had a design upon that place; and some, withal, are of opinion, that they knew how far their commission did extend: all along the shore their horse and foot stood ready to entertain us at our landing, who wanted neither desire, nor resolution, to encounter them, had but the word been given. The Earl of Essex, being sorry that he was employed on so unnecessary an expedition, and so unsuitable to the English temper, did resolve with himself, on his return to England, to adventure no more on such employments, but to repair again to Holland, where the courage of himself, and his soldiers, should be sure of action, and where their action should be attended with honour. He there resided a certain time, and by his exemplary virtue did much advance the affairs of that state. Being called back into England, by the importunity of his friends, he afterwards married with Mrs. Elisabeth Paulet, who (if I am not mistaken) had then some relation to the Marchioness of Hertford, sister to this earl. This Mrs. Paulet was a young lady of a delicate temper; she was daughter of Sir William Paulet of Hedington in Wiltshire, and descended by the father's side, from the illustrious family of the Paulets, Marquis of Winchester: by her, the Earl of Essex had a son, who was christened Robert, after his father's name, and died in the year 1636, and lies buried at Drayton in the county of Warwick. There is nothing born so happy, which is absolute in every part, for, much about the same time, there did arise some discontents, betwixt the earl and this lady also, upon which this carl did ever after abandon all uxorious thoughts, and wholly applied himself to the improvement of those rules, which conduce to the soundness of church and state: and, if any unseverer hours of leisure offered themselves in his study, he would employ that time in the perusal of some laboured poem, and having great judgment, especially in the English verse, it was his custom

to applaud the professors of that art, as high as their desert, and to reward them above it; and he was no way inclined to the sullen opinion of those men who disclaim the muses, and esteem all poems to be as unlawful, as unprofitable.

When the ambition and the excess of the bishops did swell them up to such an uncompassed greatness, that they were not only become unwieldy to themselves, and intolerable to their diocesses, but endeavoured also to lay unconscionable burdens by compulsive ceremonies, on the kingdom of Scotland, the women there did first begin the coil, which was afterwards followed by their youth, their youth, who mustered themselves into arms for the defence of their religion, protesting themselves to be enemies to all thoughts, that had but the least relation to the church of Rome.

To this resolution (it being for the cause of God) the whole kingdom of Scotland did join their devoted hands. The King was seduced by the English bishops to make a war against them, and great preparations were in hand, to that intent. In the first year that the King advanced against the Scots, the Earl of Essex was one of his principal commanders, but it pleased God to make that year no year of blood. In the year following, a parliament was called, and, money being gained for the prosecution of the war, it was again broke off. To this war, the, bishops did contribute much, and Doctor Peirce, the bishop at that time of Bath and Wells, did not doubt to call it in his pulpit, the Bishops War. But what had the bishops to do with the sword, and indeed it thrived with them accordingly; for, the army of the King being beaten by the Scots, and the town of Newcastle being seized by them, it was thought expedient by the King's best counsellors that a parliament should be called again. This is the parliament which unto this day doth continue, and which have laboured so much to their perpetual glory, for the reformation of religion, for the liberty of the subject, and the safety of the kingdom.

On the beginning of this parliament, which represented the whole body of the kingdom, the King who, without all doubt, was inforced to summon it, to relieve the crying oppressions of his subjects, did appear like a man in a fever; sometimes very hot to give satisfaction to the complaints and desires of his subjects, and sometimes again cold and froward.

The most noble Earl of Pembroke, and Montgomery, being dismissed from his place, by the pleasure of his majesty, the parliament did move the King, that the Earl of Essex might succeed him, to which (his majesty unwilling openly to deny them) did give his assent; he knew very well that received maxim that (during their time of sitting in parliament) subjects are greater than they are, and the King less.

The carl, although (for a long time) he had discontinued the court, yet did deport himself, with so much honour and judgment, that the old courtiers, and those who were most intire unto his majesty could not find the least subject of distaste. But the discontents betwixt the King and parliament increasing, and the King forsaking London, the noble Earl of Essex (being a member of the House of Peers) would not for

sake the parliament, although there is no question but that he had instigations enough from the followers of the court to persuade him to it. Of such a vertue is honour and conscience in the breast of true nobility.

The King beginning his gests towards the west, and afterwards wheeling in earnest towards the north, the parliament did send petition on petition to beseech his majesty to return unto the parliament; to which the King did return most plausible answers, there being no where to be found more art that suborned reason to attend it, or more accurate language. But the parliament finding a great disproportion betwixt the insinuations of his majesty to delude the people, and his actions to strengthen himself, and that his voice was the voice of Jacob, but the hands were the hands of Esau; and understanding withal that his majesty had summoned in the country about York, where there appeared many thousands that promised to adhere unto him, and that he had a resolution to besiege Hull, and force it to his obedience, they were compelled (though with hearts full of sorrow) to have recourse to arms.

Money is the sinew of war, to provide themselves with which, the city were desired to bring in their plate to make it sterling for that service. The publick faith of the kingdom was their security for it; and indeed what better security could any man expect than the faith of the whole kingdom, of which the parliament were the body representative, and (as it were) the feoffees in trust. You would admire what sums of ready money, what rings of gold, what store of massy plate both silver and gilt were brought in a few days to Guildhall. Guildhall did never deserve its name so properly, as at this present. In the mean time, Moorfields and those places, where horses for service were to be listed, were almost thronged with excellent horse; and the youth of London, who devoted themselves to the service of the parliament, and to hazard their lives for the safety of the two kingdoms, did look with emulation on one another who should be the first should back them.

This being provided, in the next place care is taken for the raising of an army, and for a general to conduct them: there was no man could be possibly thought upon more able to undertake so great a charge than the illustrious Earl of Essex, whose name in arms was great, and the love of the people to him did strive to be great as was that name. At the first appearance in the artillery-garden, where the voluntiers were to be listed, there came in no less than four-thousand of them, in one day, who declared their resolutions to live and die with the Earl of Essex, for the safety and the peace of the kingdom; and every day (for a certain space) did bring in multitudes of such well affected people, who preferred their consciences above their lives, and who would hazard with them their dearest blood for the preservation of the reformed reli gion, and for the parliament that did reform it.

Not long after, the Earl of Essex, having sent before him his whole equipage of war, who were quartered and exercised in the country, and were now expert in their arms, did pass through the city of London towards them, being accompanied with many lords and gentlemen, as also with many colonels and commanders of the city, and many hundreds of horse-men, and the trained-bands who guarded him through Temple-bar unto Moor-fields; from thence in his coach he passed to High-gate, the

people, on each hand, having all the way made a hedge with their own bodies, and with loud acclamations all crying out, God bless my Lord General, God preserve my Lord General.

His excellency being now in his march to oppose the forces of the King, the high wisdom of the parliament (although they had often moved the King before by diverse petitions) did think it expedient to send one humble petition more unto his majesty, to beseech him to remove himself from those evil counsels and counsellors, who had fomented the horrid rebellion in Ireland, and had endeavoured the like bloody massacre in England, by inciting him to make war with the parliament, who were the best subjects in his kingdom: we will in this place deliver to you the petition of both the houses of parliament, which petition being so full of high concernment and humble addresses, and because it was to be delivered by his excellency the Earl of Essex, we conceive it very requisite in this place to insert it.

TO THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY.

The humble petition of the Lords and Commons, now assembled in Parlia

ment.

WE your majesty's most loyal subjects, the lords and commons in parliament, cannot, without great grief, and tenderness of compassion, behold the pressing miseries, the imminent danger, and the devouring calamities, which do extremely threaten, and have partly seized upon both your kingdoms of England and Ireland, by the practices of a party prevailing with your majesty; who by many wicked plots and conspiracies have attempted the alteration of the true religion, and of the ancient government of this kingdom, by the introducing of Popish superstition and idolatry into the church, and tyranny and confusion in the state, and, for the compassing thereof, have long corrupted your majesty's counsels, abused your power, and, by sudden and untimely dissolving of former parliaments, have often hindered the reformation, and prevention of those mischiefs; who, being now disabled to avoid the endeavours of this parliament by any such means, have traiterously attempted to overawe the same by force, and, in prosecution of their wicked designs, have excited, encouraged, and fostered an unnatural rebellion in Ireland, by which, in a cruel and most outrageous manner, many of your subjects there have been destroyed; and by false slanders upon your parliament, and by malicious and unjust accusations, they have endeavoured to begin the like massacre here. But, being disappointed therein by the blessing of God, they have (as the most mischievous and bloody design of all) won upon your majesty to make war against your parliament and good subjects of this kingdom; leading in your own person an army against them, as if you intended by conquest to establish an absolute and an illimited power over them, and, by the power and the countenancing of your presence, have ransacked, spoiled, imprisoned, and murdered diverse of your people: and, for their better assistance in these wicked designs, do seek to bring over the rebels of Ireland, and

other forces from beyond the seas to join with them: and we finding ourselves utterly deprived of your majesty's protection, and the authors, counsellers, and abettors of these mischiefs in greatest power and favour with your majesty, and defended by you against the justice and authority of your high court of parliament, whereby they are grown to that height and insolence as to manifest their rage and malice, against those of the nobility and others who are any way inclined unto peace, not without great appearance of danger to your own royal person, if you shall not in all things concur with their wicked and traiterous courses; we have for the just and necessary defence of the Protestant religion, of your majesty's person, crown, and dignity, of the laws and liberties of the kingdom, and the power and privilege of parliament, taken up arms, and appointed and authorised Robert Earl of Essex to be captain general of all the forces by us levied, and to lead and to conduct the same against these rebels and traytors, and them to subdue and to bring to condign punishment; and we do most humbly beseech your majesty to withdraw your royal presence and countenance from these wicked persons, and, if they shall stand out in defence of their rebellious and unlawful attempts, that your majesty will leave them to be suppressed by that power, which we have sent against them, and that your majesty will not mix your own dangers with theirs, but in peace and safety (without your forces) forthwith, return to your parliament, and by your faithful counsel and advice compose the present distempers and confusions abounding in both your kingdoms, and provide for the security and honour of yourself, your royal posterity, and the prosperous estate of all your subjects; wherein, if your majesty please to yield to our most humble and earnest desires, we do, in the presence of Almighty God, profess, that we will receive your majesty with all honour, yield you all due obedience and subjection, and faithfully endeavour to secure your person and estate from all danger; and to the uttermost of our power procure, and establish to yourself, and to your people, all the blessings of a most happy and glorious reign.

The Earl of Essex having received this petition, he made use of the Earl of Dorset (who was then at Shrewsbury with his majesty) that it might find access unto him. And within a few days after the Earl of Dorset sent a dispatch to the Earl of Essex, signifying that (according to his desire) he had acquainted the King concerning such a petition to be presented, and the King returned this answer, that he would receive any petition that should be presented to him from his parliament, from any that should bring the same; but that he would not receive a petition out of the hands of any traytor.

His excellency, having received this answer, did conceive it expedient to acquaint the parliament with it. Whereupon, after a serious debate upon the business, it was voted by the house of commons, that his majesty refusing to receive any petition from those whom he accounted traytors, and withal, having proclaimed the Earl of Essex and his adherents, traytors, he had, in that word, comprehended both the houses of parliament, which is not only against the privileges of parliament, but the fundamental laws of the land. It was therefore agreed upon by