1

THE

PARLIAMENTARY

O R

CONSTITUTIONAL

History of England,

From the earliest TIMES,

TO THE

Restoration of King CHARLES II.

COLLECTED

From the RECORDS, the ROLLS of Parliament, the JOURNALS
of both Houses, the Public LIBRARIES, Original MANU-
SCRIPTS, fcarce SPEECHES, and TRACTS; all compared with
the several Contemporary Writers, and connected, through-
out, with the Hiftory of the Times.

By SEVERAL HAND S.

THE SECOND EDITION.

IN TWENTY-FOUR VOLUMES.

VOL. XV.

From July 1, 1646, to June 22, 1647.

LONDON,

Printed for J. and R. TONSON, and A. MILLAR, in the
Strand; and W. SANDBY, in Fleet-street.

MDCCLXIII.

THE

PARLIAMENTARY HISTORY

OF

ENGL A N D.

HE Month of July 1646 begins An. 22 Car. L

with a moft remarkable Inftance of

the strange Viciffitude of human

T

Actions in the Perfon of Archbifhop Williams, a Prelate who has borne a diftinguished Part in this Hiftory. On the Removal of the Lord-Chancellor Bacon for Bribery and Corruption, he was promoted to the High Office of LordKeeper of the Great Seal by King James(a). In this Station he appeared a ftrenuous Supporter of the Prerogative, zealously attached to the King's great Favourite Buckingham, and apologizing for his Majefty's relaxing the Execution of the Laws against Recufancy (b); a few Years after fallen into fuch Difgrace at Court, thro' the Intrigues of Archbishop Laud, as to be, for fome Time, refufed his Writ of Summons to the Parliament which met in FebruVOL. XV.

A

ary,

(a) In July 1621, being then only Dean of Weftminfer, but in the next Month nominated to the Bishoprick of Lincoln.

(6) In our 5th and 6th Volumes, paffim.

1645.

July.