This Day was prefented a Petition from the Lady S-hop, humbly defiring, That the might be received into their Houfe, pretending, the was well-affected, was true; but that a Scotch AffeЯtion mix'd with a French, could never make a well affected Lady. It was further urged, that the faid Lady had been in Arms under Collonel S-gsby, who was ordered to be kept up by this Houfe. The Debate was put off till another time. A Motion was made for the putting down of Plays; whereupon the Lady M-mouth stood up, and defired, that it might be explained what Plays; forafmuch as if they fhould put down Inn and Inn, it might prove much to the prejudice of the House, as alfo to Mr. T-ng, who had deferved well of her Ladyship: But Anfwer being made, Stage plays were only understood. She declared, the would concur with the House now Sir John S-ling was dead; but truly fhe Lik'd his Plays well. It was then moved by the Lady C-mpton, that a Thanksgiving Day might be appointed for the Recovery of the Earl of Poke, which was confented to; and Mr. C-decott defired to Preach, and to fing the Pfalm in English, and not in He brew. Ordered, That Thanks be given to Mr. R-infon for his zealous and devout Prayer, that the faid Lord might once more climb up May hill. The Houfe then appointed Commiffioners to go to his Majefty, [viz.] The Ladies of 0-rd, and Sford, together with the Lady M-y, to move his Majefty's hafte, and gain the Royal Affent, that fo Happy a Union may follow. This Day alfo, they pafs'd an Act of Oblivion to the Lady D-keith, the Lady Katherine S-tt, the Lady A-bigny, and Mrs. R-per for their Delinquency in the Enemy's Quarters. Soon after, the Lady N-ton, Door keeper of this Houfe, complained of Sir Robert H-low, a Member of the Houfe of Commons, for attempting to deface her: Which hapned thus; The faid Lady being a zealous Independent, and fo one of the Saints, and Sir Robert having found out that he was likewife Painted, he pretended that the came within his Ordinance of Idolatry, Saints painted, Croffes, &c. But fome Friends of the faid Door keeper's urging on her behalf, that none did ever yet attempt to adore or worship her, the was juftified: And the Ladies hereupon declared, That if any Perfon, by virtue of any Power whatfoever, pretend to be derived from the House of Commons, or any other Court, fhall go about to impeach, hinder, or difturb any Lady from Painting, Washing, or Adorning her felf to her beft advantage, as alfo from Painting of Hair, and Investing of Teeth, that that Act is a great Breach of the Privilege of the Houfe, and that the Offenders fhall be proceeded against accordingly. In the laft place, their Ladyfhips being to adjourn for fome Weeks. defired, That firft a main Point of Divinity might be decided: What is meant by the words Due Benevolence in the N-w T-nt; and in order thereunto, they fent unto the Minifters of the Affembly, intreating to make, fome Declaration concerning the fame. The Meffengers found the Affembly bufie about their Affairs, endeavouring to bring the Text, Kifs the Son left he be angry, to prove Presbytery; yet under understanding their Ladyfhips Request, they left it presently, and fell upon the Debate of the faid Due Benevolence, which I do not intend to fet down particularly, it being not to be found in the Ladies Journal: Only I hear, that Mr. Obadiah S-wick's Opinion was, That if a Man had been abfent from his Houfe any time, that then the Conjugal Duty obliged him to folace her now, and anon too, that is to fay, twice within the compafs of a natural Day. But it being adjudg'd, that no Rule can be obferved, for that depended upon Mens natural Conftitutions, and Health, it was declared by them, That all, and every Man coupled in Bond of Matrimony and Wedlock, is engaged to comfort his Mate and Fellowfeeler, as often as his Strength and Conftitution of Body will poffibly permit. Their Ladyfhips having received the Definition defired them, to make it Fure Divino, and to publifh it, for that fo no Husband in the Country may pretend ignorance: Whereupon their Holi neffes made this enfuing Canon. IT Die Jovis 25 Martii, 1647. T is by thefe Prefents declared and decreed to all the World, by the Council called and met at Weftminster in the Kingdom of Great Britain, That all Men, who have, or shall take upon them the State of Matrimony, are by their Vows and Senfe of Hay W-t, obliged to comfort, vifit and comply with Wives, as often as their Strength of Body will permit and give them leave; and tho they fhould pretend it hands not with their Bufinefs, that they be thereunto obliged not withstanding. E 4 This This we enjoin and command, under Penalty of be ing debarred the S-t, of which we hope to have the monopoly. The Day following, in the Evening this Do. Erine being brought to their Ladyfhips, they ordered, That the Speaker of their House should give Thanks to the faid Minifters of the Aff— bly of D-vines, for their great Care and Pains in Reforming this Kingdom, and in particular for this prefent Declaration. After which, they ordered these their Votes to be printed; and fo Adjourned till further time, The APOLOGY of the Duke of I' T is a hard Task to fatisfie [even Friends,] against the Slanders which Ignorance or Malice may eafily throw upon the greatest Inno cence; and although I hear that I have had a large fhare of the Perfecution of Tongues in and about London, in Coffee-Houfes, and elsewhere, thefe divers Months paft, yet I fhall not endea vour at this time, fo much as to fatisfie my Friends in all the Particulars I hear, which, I hope, I fhall be able to do in good time, and fo clearly, that I may eafily undeceive all fober and unbiaffed Men; But one thing, I hear, is talk'd, and of fo horrid a Nature, and yet fo groundless, fo impudently falfe, and fo eafily difproved, that I cannot forbear a moment to demonftrate my Innocence to my Friends: I hear it hath been faid at London, that I was a great cause and promo ter ter of the late King's Murther, bringing up a Declaration from Scotland, which was made the ground upon which they proceeded to the Murther, and that I was one that had furthered that Horrid A&t. This is fo monftroufly falfe and fo groundless, that I need fay little to my Juftifica. tion; for it is well known to the King, and many thousands, how faithfully and how diligently I ferved the laft King all that Year 1648, and what my Perfecutions and my Sufferings were from the King's Enemies, both in England and in Scotland, from that Year even to his Majefty's happy Reftauration: Yet it fhall not he enough for me to prove, that that Accufation is falfe; I undertake to demonftrate, that is utterly impoffible. I waited upon the laft King at Carisbrooke Caftle in the Ifle of Wight, with William Duke of Hamilton [then Earl of Lanerick,] and the late Earl of Lowdon, [then Chancellor of Scotland;] we carried a Proteftation in the Name of the Kingdom of Scotland against the Four Bills which were at that time impofed upon the King by the Two Houses of Parliament. We did then at Caresbrooke Caftle, receive the King's Commands for engaging Scotland, and raifing of an Army for his Delivery and Reftitution. We came thence to London; and in Fanuary 1647, [according to the Account of England,] we parted from London towards Scotland, where we arrived in the beginning of that February: Now if ever I faw London, or any Place near it, from that January 1647, [according to the Account of England,] until the Second of October 1651, which day I was brought a Prifoner to the Tower. after Worcester, then I do willingly fubmit to the Infamy, on |
