At a Meeting of the SURTEES SOCIETY, held in Durham Castle, on June 1st, 1915, the REV. DR. GEE in the Chair, it was ordered,

'That the Protestations for the County of Durham in 1642, from the original MS. in the Library of the House of Lords, be edited for the Society by Mr. H. M. Wood.'

INTRODUCTION.

The Parliamentary history of the Protestations is to be found in that volume of the "Journals of the House of Commons" which covers the period from April the 13th, 1640, 16 Charles, to March the 14th, 1642, 18 Charles. As the wording of the preamble gives in full the reasons for the making of the Protestation2 it will be of interest to give the whole:

THE

PROTESTATION.

'A Preamble, with the Protestation, made by the whole House of Commons, the 3rd of May, 1641, and assented unto, by the Lords of the Upper House, the 4th of May.

We, the Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses, of the Commons House, in Parliament, finding to the Grief of our Hearts, that the Designs of the Priests and Jesuits, and other Adherents to the See of Rome, have . . . of late, more boldly and frequently put in Practice, than formerly, to the undermining and Danger of the Ruin, of the true, reformed Religion, in his Majesty's Dominions established; and finding also, that there hath been, and having cause to suspect there still are, even during the Sitting in Parliament, Endeavours to subvert the Fundamental Laws of England and Ireland, and to introduce the Exercise of an arbitrary and tyrannical Government, by most pernicious and wicked Counsels, Plots, and Conspiracies; and that the long Intermission, and unhappier Breach, of Parliaments, hath occasioned many illegal taxations, whereupon the Subjects hath been prosecuted and grieved; and that divers Innovations and Superstitions have been brought into the Church; Multitudes driven out of his Majesty's Dominions; Jealousies raised and fomented between the King and People; a Popish Army levied in Ireland; and Two Armies brought into the Bowels of this Kingdom, to the Hazard of his Majesty's Royal Person, the Consumption of the Revenue of the Crown, and the Treasure of this Realm; and lastly, finding the great Causes of Jealousy, Endeavours have been and are used, to bring the English Army into Misunderstanding of this Parliament, thereby to incline that Army, by Force, to bring to pass those wicked Counsels; have therefore thought good to join ourselves in a Declaration of our united Affections and Resolutions; and to make this ensuing Protestation:

1Reprinted, in folio, by order of the House of Commons, 1803. 2 Authority as above, page 132. 2a Omission in the Journal.

6

4

‹3I, A.B., do, in the Presence of Almighty God, promise, vow, and protest, to maintain and defend, as far as lawfully I may, with my Life, Power, and Estate, the true, reformed, Protestant Religion, expressed in the Doctrine of the Church of England, against all Popery, and Popish Innovations, and according to the Duty of my Allegiance to his Majesty's Royal Person, Honour, and Estate; as also the Power and Privilege of Parliament, the lawful Rights and Liberties of the Subjects, and every person, that maketh this Protestation, in whatsoever he shall do, in the lawful Pursuance of the same; And, to my power, as far as lawfully I may, I will oppose, and by good Ways and Means, endeavour to bring to condign Punishment, all such as shall, by Force, Practice, Counsel, Plots, Conspiracies, or otherwise, do anything to the contrary in this present Protestation contained.

And further, I shall, in all just and honourable Ways, endeavour to preserve the Union and Peace betwixt the Three Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland; and neither for Hope, Fear, nor other Respect, shall relinquish this Promise, Vow and Protestation.'

The wording of the Protestation was drawn up by a Committee of the Commons consisting of Mr. Pym, Sir John Colpepper, Mr. Martin, Mr. Hollis, Mr. Strode, Sir Philip Stapleton, Sir Thomas Barrington, Sir Robert Harley, Nathaniel Fynes, Mr. Hampden, Mr. Maynard, Mr. Glyn. As evidence of the Importance attached to it, whilst the Committee was sitting, an order was made that no member should "stir out of the House " without leave of the House, nor speak to the messengers. After the Committee returned with the Protestation, as amended, Lord Russell was then ordered to go to the Lords with a message "to desire a Conference with their Lordships, by a Committee of both Houses, concerning great Businesses, that concern the Safety of the Kingdom, so soon as will stand with their Lordships Conveniency."5

On the next day, Mr. Maynard was ordered to prepare a bill concerning the making of the Protestation by all his Majesty's subjects throughout the Kingdom. It was introduced on the sixth of May and read for the third time on the 19th of July.

This was modified and reformed, and may be found on pages 71, 81, of the text.

1 A resolution was passed on the 12th May, 1641 (Journal, pp. 144-5), that by those words was meant only "the Publick Doctrine professed in the said Church" so far as it is opposite to Popery, and Popish Innovations; and that the said words are not to be extended to the Maintaining of any Form of Worship, Discipline, or Government, nor of any Rites or Ceremonies of the said Church of England.

5 Ibid., page 133.