what passes privately betwixt us may not fall under common eyes but only with this desire and intention, to give you true grounds, where you shall hear my name mentioned with a causeless offence, to yield me a just and charitable vindication. Go you on still to do the office of a true friend, yea the duty of a just man, in speaking in the cause of the dumb, in righting the innocent, in rectifying the mis-guided; and, lastly, the service of a faithful and Christian Patriot, in helping the times with the best aid of your prayers; which is daily the task of Your much devoted, and thankful friend, JOS. NORVIC. From the Tower, BISHOP HALL'S HARD MEASURE. NOTHING could be more plain, than that, upon the call of this Parliament, and before, there was a general plot and resolution of the Faction to alter the Government of the Church especially. The height and insolency of some Church-Governors, as was conceived, and the ungrounded imposition of some innovations upon the Churches both of Scotland and England, gave a fit hint to the project. In the vacancy, therefore, before the summons, and immediately after it, there was great working secretly for the designation and election, as of Knights and Burgesses, so especially, beyond all former use, of the Clerks of Convocation: when now the Clergy were stirred up to contest with and oppose their Diocesans, for the choice of such men as were most inclined to the favour of an alteration. The Parliament was no sooner sat, than many vehement speeches were made against established Church-Government, and enforcement of extirpation both root and branch. And, because it was not fit to set upon all at once, the resolution was to begin with those Bishops, which had subscribed to the Canons then lately published, upon the shutting up of the former Parliament; whom they would first have had accused of treason; but that not appearing feasible, they thought best to indict them of very high crimes and offences against the King, the Parliament, and Kingdom: which was prosecuted with great earnestness by some prime Lawyers in the House of Commons, and entertained with like fervency by some zealous Lords in the House of Peers; every of those particular Canons being pressed to the most envious and dangerous height that was possible: the Archbishop of York (was designed for the report) aggravating Mr. Maynard's criminations to the utmost, not without some interspersions of his own. The Counsel of the accused Bishops gave in such a demurring Answer, as stopped the mouth of that heinous indictment. When this prevailed not, it was contrived to draw Petitions accusatory from many parts of the kingdom, against Episcopal Government; and the promoters of the petitions were entertained with great respects: whereas the many petitions of the opposite part, though subscribed with many thousand hands, were slighted and disregarded. Withal, the rabble of London, after their petitions cunningly and upon other pretences procured, were stirred up to come to the Houses personally to crave justice both against the Earl of Strafford, first; and, then, against the Archbishop of Canterbury; and, lastly, against the whole Order of Bishops: which, coming at first unarmed, were checked by some well willers, and easily persuaded to gird on their rusty swords; and, so accoutered, came by thousands to the Houses, filling all the outer rooms, offering foul abuses to the Bishops as they passed, crying out "No Bishops, no Bishops ;" and, at last, after divers days' assembling, grown to that height of fury, that many of them, whereof Sir Richard Wiseman professed (though to his cost) to be Captain, came with resolution of some violent courses, insomuch that many swords were drawn hereupon at Westminster, and the rout did not stick openly to profess that they would pull the Bishops in pieces. Messages were sent down to them from the Lords. They still held firm, both to the place and their bloody resolutions. It now grew to be torch-light. One of the Lords, the Marquis of Hertford, came up to the Bishops' Form, told us that we were in great danger, advised us to take some course for our own safety; and, being desired to tell us what he thought was the best way, counselled us to continue in the Parliament House all that night: "For," saith ! be, "these people vow they will watch you at your going out, and will search every coach for you with torches, so as you cannot escape." Hereupon the House of Lords was moved for some Order, for the preventing their mutinous and riotous meetings. Messages were sent down to the House of Commons, to this purpose, more than once: nothing was effected; but, for the present, (forsomuch as all the danger was at the rising of the House) it was earnestly desired of the Lords that some care might be taken of our safety. The motion was received by some Lords with a smile. Some other Lords, as the Earl of Manchester, undertook the protection of the Archbishop of York and his company (whose shelter I went under) to their lodgings. The rest, some of them by their long stay, others by secret and far-fetched passages, escaped home. It was not for us to venture any more to the House, without some better assurance. Upon our resolved forbearance therefore, the Archbishop of York sent for us to his lodging at Westminster; lays before us the perilous condition we were in; advises for remedy, except we meant utterly to abandon our right and to desert our station in Parliament, to petition both his Majesty and the Parliament, that, since we were legally called by his Majesty's Writ to give our attendance in Parliament, we might be secured, in the performance of our duty and service, against those dangers that threatened us; and, withal, to protest against any such Acts, as should be made during the time of our forced absence: for which he assured us there were many precedents in former Parliaments; and which if we did not, we should betray the trust committed to us by his Majesty, and shamefully be tray and abdicate the due right both of ourselves and suc cessors. To this purpose, in our presence, he drew up the said Petition and Protestation; avowing it to be legal, just, and agreeable to all former proceedings; and, being fair written, sent it to our several lodgings for our hands; which we accordingly subscribed, intending yet to have had some further consultation concerning the delivering and whole carriage of it. But, ere we could suppose it to be in any hand but his own, the first news we heard was, that there were Messengers addressed to fetch us in to the Parliament, upon an accusation of High Treason. For, whereas this Paper was to have been delivered, first to his Majesty's Secretary; and, after perusal by him, to his Majesty; and, after, from his Majesty to the Parliament; and, for that purpose, to the Lord Keeper, the Lord Littleton, who was the Speaker of the House of Peers; all these professed not to have perused it at all: but the said Lord Keeper, willing enough to take this advantage of engratiating himself with the House of Commons and the Faction, to which he knew himself sufficiently obnoxious, finding what, use might be made of it by prejudicate minds, reads the same openly in the House of the Lords: and, when he found some of the Faction apprehensive enough of misconstruction, aggravates the matter, as highly offensive and of dangerous consequence; and, thereupon, not without much heat and vehemence, and with an ill preface, it is sent down to the House of Commons where it was entertained heinously; Glynne, with a full mouth, crying it up for no less than a High Treason; and some comparing, yea preferring it to the Powder-Plot. We, poor souls, who little thought that we had done any thing that might deserve a chiding, are now called to our knees at the Bar, and charged severally with High Treason; being not a little astonished at the suddenness of this crimination, compared with the perfect innocence of our own intentions, which were only to bring us to our due places in Parliament with safety and speed, without the least purpose of any man's offence. But, now, traitors we are in all the haste, and must be dealt with accordingly: for, on January 30th, in all the extremity of frost, at Eight o'Clock in the dark evening, are we voted to the Tower: only, two of our number had |