[Historical Works Contents – Original]
27 Marche, As 1 Caroli, et Sal: 1625.
KING Charles begane his rainge one Sonday the 27 of Marche, 1625, with the comon applausse and hartie love of all his subjectes; and one the last of Marche, being Thursday, at 2 a clocke in the afternoone, was solemly proclamied King, at Edinbrughe crosse, by the Lordes of his Maiesties priuey counsaill.
This same day the King wreattes to his priuey counsell, and ordanes that publicke proclamatione, they should signifie that it was his will and pleasure that all maner of magistrattes and officers in his dominions should hold, wsse and exercisse all suche power and authoritie, as they held of his laite deir father, wntill his furder pleasur wer showen.
The 1 of Appryle, this zeire, the Lordes of his Maiesties priuey counsell wer all ordained to be in mourning, and his Maiesties grate chamber and chapell at Holyrudhousse wer hung with blacke clothe; his chamber of presence, priuey chalmber, and bed chalmber, with black weluet, fitted with clothes of estaitt, and with stoules and cusheons conforme. His Maiesties seat in the grate churche of St. Geilles, at Edinbrughe, was lykwayes couered with blacke.
Aboute the begining of this same mounthe, most of the cheiffe statesmen of this kingdome, and nobility, went to London, not only to kisse the hands of ther new King,. bot likwayes to assist his fathers funeralls Before ther deperture, Dauid, Lord Carnegey, was by the Lordes of the priuey counsaill, (nyne beinng ioynid with him,) ordained by acte to gouerne the kingdoume, wntill ther returne.
During thesse preparations for funeralls, the Clan-Ean of the Westerne lles betooke themselues to the seas, comitting mainey willanies and piracies; to reduce thesse rogues to obedience, the Lordes of his Maiesties priuey counsaill commandes Archbald, Lord Lorne, to leuie 2000 men in Argyle, Lorne and Kyntire, for sauing thesse countries from the rebells depredations. The Laird of Kilsythe and Capitane of the West Seas, wer comandit to arme tuo shipes of 16 or 20 guns a peice, and a frigat of 10 or 12 pice, to prosecute them by sea.
The 7 of Maij, wer performed the funerall reittes for King James, and his corpes with grate state and magnificence, in a chariot, wer carried from Denmarke housse, in the Strand, to Westminster abbey churche; K. Charles himselue being cheiffe mourner, attended by the most pairt of the nobility of both his kingdomes, with diuersse ambassadors of forraine princes and staites, his Maiesties quhole officers and seruantes, with maney hunderethes besyde, all in mourning habittes. The lyke number of mourners cannot be said to haue beine seine at once in Brittane heirtofor, and his hearsse was more royally adornid then hath bein knowen for aney his prædicessors.
Offe our nobility and statesmen ther attended the funerall,
Sr Geo: Hay, Lord Chanceler;
Jo: Spotswood, Archbis: of St. Andrewes;
Jo: Erskyne, E. of Mar, L. Thesaurer;
Ja: Steuarte, Duck of Lennox;
Ja: Marques Hamiltone;
William Keith, Earle Marishall;
William Douglas, E. of Morton;
Ja: Erskyne, E. of Buchane;
Alex: Seatone, E. of Eglinton;
Rob: Maxswoll, E. of Nidisdaill;
Ja: Earle of Home;
Jo: Fleiming, E. of Wigtone;
William Murray, E. of Tullibardyne;
Rob: Ker, E. of Roxbrughe;
Thomas Erskyne E of Kelley;
Walter Scott, E. of Buckcleuche;
Thomas Hamiltone, E. of Melrosse, Secretarey of Estait;
Jo: Murray, E. of Annandaill;
Jo: Maitland, E. of Lauderdaill;
William Crighton, Viscount Aire;
George, Lord Gordoun, F. M. H.;
Jo: Lord Erskyne;
Thomas, Lord Fenton;
Thomas, Lord Binning, thesse E. eldest sones;
Alex: Lindesay, Lord Spynie;
Jo: Drumond, Lord Madertey;
Jo: Bruce, Lord Kinlosse;
James, Lord Colueile;
Jo: Steuarte, Lord Kinclewin;
with a grate maney knightes and gentlemen of good qualitey.
One Thursday the 8 of Maij, 1625, was the Ladey Henrietta Maria, sister to Lewes, the 13 of that name, the Most Christian King of France and Nauarre, solemlie espoused (according to the ceremonies of the Roman Churche) to the ambassadors of Charles, K. of Grate Brittane; the solemitie wes performed after this manner:-
One Thursday the 8 of Maij, the King cam fourth into his chamber, accompanied with his Queine; the Prince, his onlie brother; my Lords the Duckes of Nemours and of Elbeuffe; the Marishalls of Bassampeire and Vitrey; with others Lordes of his courte and sent for the Ladey, his sister, quho came thither accompanied with the Queine, her mother the Princesses of Condie and Countie.
The Dutchessese of Guize, Cheuerusse and Elbuffe, with maney wthers grate Ladeyes; her goune was of clothe of golde, and siluer, poudred ouer with fleur de lices of gold, enriched with maney diamondes, and wthers pretious stones; her traine was borne vpe by the young Ladey Borbone.
As shoe entred into the Kinges chamber, with ane maiesty correspondent to hir birthe, my Lordes the Earles of Carleill and Holland, ambassadors for the King of Grate Brittane, entred the roume werey richley cled as can possibly be expressed, giuing wnto the King the contracte of marriage, wich was read and alloued by the Lord Chanceler of France. After the King had aggreid to the couenantes, then the ambassadors withdrew themselues to the Ducke of Cheuerousse his chalmber, and hauing communicat the contracte wnto him, he furthwith repaired to his Maiestie, accompanied with the saides ambassadores, and maney others Lordes apparraled in a seute of blacke, the paines and poyntes therof all garnished and enriched with diamonds.
Being come befor his Maiestie, he did present wnto him the procuratione and power wich the King of Grate Britane had giuen him, wich was inserted at the end of the said contracte, wich the King signed, and the Ladey, bothe the Queeines, my Lorde the Ducke of Cheuerousse, and the Lordes ambassadors lykwayes.
This done, my Lord the Cardinall of Rochefaucaulte made them sure after the maner accustomed.
Nou as suche ane vnione as this could not be performed without grate pompe, our Ladeyes churche was chosen for the ceremonies of the accomplishment of the marriage, and was hunge with riche tapistry and clothe of gold, and siluer tisshewed.
Then was ther a faire and longe galerey raissed, begining at the entrey of the archbishopes palace, and reached euen vnto the queire of the said churche. This galery was wnderproped with maney pillars, wiche wer couered at the tope with violett coloured sattin, embrodred with goldene fleure de lices, and below vith fyne lining, trimed withe vaxe. Throuthe the same passed alonge all the ceremonies of marriage, as followethe:-
First, a 100 Suitzers of the Kinges gaurd, clothed in his Maiesties liuerey, ther drum beatting and ther enseinge displayed:
After them 12 hobboyes, clothed in lyke liuerey:
Then 8 drumes, couered with the lyke:
And after them 10 trumpets sounding:
Then followed Monseur de Robiodes, Grate Master of the Ceremonies, brauelie apparraled and weill accompanied:
After the Master of the Ceremonies, followed my Lordes the Knights of the Order de St. Espirete, all glistring with pretious stones:
Then came 7 herauldes, with ther coattes of read crimpsone veluett, poudred all ouer with golden fleur de luces:
Then came in this order, first of all the tuo Marishalls of France:
Vitrey,
Bassompiere,
D: d’Elbuiffe,
D: d’Cheuerusse,
apparraled in a sutte of black clothe, and lynned with clothe of golde, and wpone his head, sett in a cape of clothe of gold, a jewell wich dazled the beholderes eyes; a scarffe spotted all ouer with roses of diamonds, with a shorte clocke, all embroidred with gold and poudred with pretious stones:
Then folloued bothe the ambassadors extraordinarey of his Matie of Grate Brittane, James Hay, Earle of Carleill, Viscount Doncaster, Lord Hay of Sala, and Henrey Riche, Earle of Holland, clothed in clothe of siluer:
Then cam the K. of France in ane garment all embrodred with gold and siluer; the Ladey his sister in his right hand; shoe had a croune vpone hir head, and her goạne poudred all ouer with fleur de luces of gold; and Monseur, the Kinges brother, one the wther syde:
The Queine mother followed nixt:
The Queine herselue, in a goune all embrodred with gold, siluer and pretious stones; the Princesses of Condie and Countie bearing vpe the longe traine of the same:
Then folloued the young Ladey of
Mompensier,
Countesse of Soisons,
Madam de Guisse,
Madam de Cheuerusse,
Madam de Elbuiffe,
with maney others grate parsonages, Lordes and Ladeyes.
All this royall troupe stayed at the entrey of the grate portall of the said churche, befor wich ther was a place appoynted to celebrat the said mariage in, quherwpon wes raissed a canopey of inestimable walew, wnder wich the King and Queeine, with Monseur his brother, left the Ladey ther sister, and conseinged her in the handes of my Lord the Duck of Cheuerusse; and the Cardinall of Rochefaucaute espoussed the Ladey with the ordinarey ceremonies of the churche.
From thence all the orders aboue said, marched wnto the queire, throughe ane long galerey, wich was squared out by a lyne in the midest of the bodey of the churche, all couered with riche tapestrie.
In the midest of the said queire wer alredey placed one the one syde, wpone eminent seattes, my Lordes the Presidents, hauing ther morters of gold vpone ther heades, and in ther scarlett robes, lynned with hermins; and the Counsellers in the Courte of Parliament in the lyke gounes.
One the wther syde sate alone the prowest of the marchants, in a long robe of crimpsone and violett veluett, being accompanied with the shriffes of the citie.
In the quere of the said churche was there ane other floore, raissed 3 stepes heighe, wpon wich was ther ane other grate canopie, wher the King, the Queines, Mons: the Kinges brother, wer placed, and conducted by the fornamed Duck de Cheuerusseand the ambassadors, quho withdrew themselues into the archbischopes palace (quher the quhole courte supped) wntill the seruice was endit, and therafter returned to the King and Queine.
Prayers endit, they returnid all in the lyke order as befor, wnto the archbischopes palace, to the royall feast, during wich was hard suche noysse and thundring of canon, as men wold haue judged heawen and earthe wold haue gone togider, with bonefyres, squibes and suche lyke.
The Order of the Royall Feaste.
The nixt Thursday, being the 16 of, they came to Grauesend, quher the King, Queeine and nobility tooke barge, and arriued at Whithall about sex a clocke in the afternoone. Ducke de Cheuerusse and his traine wer lodged in Demarke housse, in the Strand.
One Saterday the 18 of Junij, this zeire, the King in persone went to the parliament housse, quher in presence of the estaits of his realme, he shew them the seuerall ressons that moued him to sumond this parliament.
And the Tuesday therafter, the 21 of Junij, the King held a werey royall feast at Whithall, in honor of his nuptiall day.
One Monday the 11 of Julij, the parliament was was adiorned to Oxeforde, ther to be helde one Monday the 1 of Aguste, by ressone of the suddaine grate incresse of the seicknesse; viz. the 7 of Julij, the totall of the dead was 1200, and the weeke follouing 1700. The parliament continued wntill the 12 of Agust, and then breacke wpe.
At this same tyme, Sr Thomas Coventry, knight, Atturney Generall, was made Lord Keeper of the Grate Seall.
Sr Robert Heathe, knight, his Maiesties Sollicitor, was made Atturney Generall.
Ther was this zeire, a grate mortality in London, and the places adioyning, that is, from the 22 of December 1624 to the 23 of December 1625, ther deyed, within London, the liberties and citie of Westminster, Lambeth, Stepney, Hackney and Islingtone, 60 thre thousand and one, quherof the plauge 41 thousand, 313; quherof, in London, the liberties and 9 out parishes, 54,000 tuo hundereth 65, quherof of the plauge, 35,417.
Touardes the end of summer, befor K. James deyed, ther was grate preparatione for the weill setting out of a strong armey by sea; and this last sommer, 1625, being the first zeire of K. Charles, it was fully furnished, consisting of 120 shipes, quherof 6 wer of the nauey royall; and being assembled in the west of England, they sett saile the first weeke of October, and bent ther coursse for Cadize, in Spaine, quher they arriued, and had takin it, if that citie and some other tounes neire adioyninge, had not suddantly discouered ther approche. They made a successles attempt, and indured maney sharpe stormes and tempests in ther returne.
The courte called this Buckinghames first bolte to warne Spaine to looke to themselues, and to shew that King that he might doe him harme, altho he really had no suche intentione; for in effecte the Spanishe faction in the courte of England reuled all the pryme affaires of the stait.
In Januarij, 1626, K. Charles signified his pleasur to the Lordes of his priuey counsaill heir, anent his reuocatione laitly made, of wich the kingdoome conceaued so much præiudice, and in effecte was the ground stone of all the mischieffe that folloued after, bothe to this Kinges gouerniment and family; and whoeuer wer the contriuers of it, deserue they and all ther posterity to be reputted, by thir thre kingdomes, infamous and accuresed for euer.
His Maiesties reasons chiefflie for prosecutione of the same wer prætendit to be three:
First, in respecte his grate grandfather, K. Iames the 5, his grandmother Quiene Marey, and hes auen father K. James the 6, had done the lyke, to reuocke actes and deeds done in ther minoritie, to the detriment of the croune.
Second, was, that seing amongest maney grate and necessarey charges he was putt too at that tyme, he was to sett out to sea 2000 men for defence of Scotland, whervpone, lykwayes, he was to bestow all the taxatione granted to him at the last conuentione of the estates, besyde all other helpes he could haue from suche as wer generously disposed, and weell affected to his seruice.
Thride, was, that he might haue lesse causse to burden his subiectes, quhen that wich is vniustly withholdin from his patrimoney is restored in tymes to come.
At this same tyme, the King, by his letter to his priuey counsaill, he altered the Sessione, commanding that from hencefurth no judge or sessioner should be a priuey counseller, the Lord Chanceler onlie excepted. His ressone for so doinge (as his auen letter speakes), was his grate caire he had that justice be deulie administrat, considering quhat inconveniencies haue occurred since the Sessione was changed from the pristine estait wherin it was first established. And ther sayes the missiue, Wee haue resolued, with all possible diligence, to reforme als neir as wee can, according to the first institution, by making choisse of graue learnid men to be judges therin, who may seriously applay themselues therwnto, no sessioner being a counseller, nor no priuey counseller being vpon the session; saue onlie the foure extraordinary Lordes, as they were first intendit to assist and remarke the proceidinges of the rest; so therby awoyding that forme confounding the counsaill and sessione togider, wich of themselues are distinct iudicatories.
One this forsaid letter wer remoued from the sessione:-
Thomas, Earle of Melrosse, Lord President of the same;
John, Earle of Lauderdaill;
Dauid, Lord Carnegy;
Sr Archbald Naper, Thesaurer Depute;
Sr Jhone Hamilton, Clerck Register;
Sr William Oliphant, Ks Adwocat;
Sr Richard Cockburne, Priuey Seall; and
Sr George Elphinston, Justice Clercke.
And to ther places wer admitted,
Sr James Skeene to be Lord President;
Sr Alexander Seatton of Gilcreuche;
Sr George Authenleck of Balmanno;
Sr Alexander Naper of Loureston;
Sr Archbald Acheson of Glencarney;
Sr Robert Spotswood;
Mr James Bellenden, Comissarey of Edinbrughe;
Mr Alexander Morisone of Prestongrange.
As for the eighte ordinarey Lordes that were continued, viz.
Sr James Skeene of Currehill;
Sr William Leuingston of Kilsythe;
Sr George Erskyne of Innerteill;
Sr Alexander Gibsone of Durie;
Sr Androw Hamiltone of Readhousse;
Sr Alexander Hay of Frosterseatte;
Sr Androw Fletcher of Innerpepher; and
Mr Thomas Hendersone of Chesters:
They were all of them forced to take new giftes of ther places, and acknauledge them to be vaccand in his Maiesties handes, by the death of the lait King his father, of happey memorie. And all this, as his Maiesty wreattes to them, for preseruing his royall prærogatiue, lest they should præsume to adheare to ther former right; bot to take a new varrant, conforme to that was wssed at ther first institution.
At this same tyme, also, his Maiesty, by his commissione sent heir, backed be a letter to his priuey counsaill, instituted a new iudicatorie, (quherat all sortes of people muche repynned,) called a Commissione for Griuances. His reasone for putting this grate nouatione one this kingdome, take heir from his auen letter, viz. That all suche of our subiects as complaine vpone aney heauey griuances, may haue the meines in justice to be releiued, &c.; and this new courte he ordaines to be published with grate solemity at the mercat crosses of the head brughes of the kingdome. Bot the wyssest and best-sighted not onlie fearid, bot did see that this new commissional courte wes nothing els bot the star-chamber courte of England wnder ane other name, come doune heir to play the tyrant, with a specious vissor one its face. Bot after muche debait betuix the nobility then at courte and his Maiesty theranent, it being sorely crayed oute aganist by all honest men, it euanished in itselffe, without so muche as once meitting of the commissioners therin named. All thir letters wer directed to George, Earle of Winton, the Vice-chanceler, in the Lord Chanceler, Sr George Hay of Kinfauns, knight, his absence, being then at the courte in England.
The 28 of Januarij, this same zeire, lykwayes, Thomas, Earle of Melrosse, wes remoued from his place of Principall Secretarey of Scotland in effecte; and his Maiestie bestowed the same one Sr William Alexander of Menstrie, knight, Master of Requysts; and Sr James Galloway was made Mster of Requysts for the Scottes affaires.
Thursday the second of Februarij, being Candlemisse day, 1626, King Charles wes crouned at Vestminster; being attendit by the cheiffe nobility of bothe nations, being of his priuey counsaill.
In honor of this coronation, the Kinge creatted eight Earles, and made 58 Knights of the Bathe, with grate pomp and solemity.
The nixt Monday, being the 6 of Februarij, the parliament began at Westminster, and continewed wntill Januarij nixt following, and then was dissolued by commissione.
The same day, the Earle of Bristoll, Lord Dickby, quho had formerlie beine ambassador in Spaine, a suorne enimie to the protestant causse and to the trew intrest of England, was committed to the Tower of London, prissoner.
The 12 of Februarij, this zeire, the Earle of Nidisdaill is made collector of the taxatione granted to his Maiestie, by the last conuentione of the estaites, and a warrant to the Vice Chanceler to expeed his grante wnder the broad seall.
The 20 of this same mounthe, his Maiestie wreatts to his priuey counsaill to grant letters of marque to the toune of Edinbrughe, and to all otheres his subiects who demandes the same, after they haue werified ther losses and intrests aganist the comon enimey; as also, that they inhibit aney custome to be putt one victuall imported into the kingdome this zeire.
The 3d of Marche, this zeire, Sr Donald Mackay of Strathnauerne, is commissionat to leuey 2000 foote, for a new supplie to Count Mansfeild; for the expeding of wiche, his Maiestie wreatts to his priuey counsaill.
His Majestie, by letters of the 8 of this same mounth, commandes the Lord Chanceler Hay to append the grate seall, and causse publishe at all places requisitt, four commissions; 1. Of the Counsell; 2. Exchequer; 3. Griuances; and, 4. Counsaill of Warre; bot the last tuo being nouelties, (as I formerly wreat) euanished.
At this same tyme, his Matie sends doune to the Lord Chanceler foure presentations, to the four extraordinarey places in Sessione; to the Earle of Lauderdaill, Lord Carnagey, the Bischope of Rosse, and to Sr Archbald Naper, Thesaurer Depute; bot Lauderdaill and Carnegy wold not accepte of them.
The 15 of Marche, this same zeire, his Maiesty reuocatione in a legall maner. Lett the reader heir behold the seeds of most basse and wicked counsell sowin, wich zoildet no better fruitt then the alienatione of the subiects hartes from ther prince, and layed opin a way to rebellion.
The 14 of this same mounthe, his Maiesty sends a command wnder his hand to the Lordes of his Exchequer, to admitt Spotswood, Archbischope of St. Andrewes, to be Præsident of the Exchequer. The reider shall wnderstand that this prælate wes the first and last president that euer the Exchequer of Scotland had.