firm in appearance Voted with them and gave his Voice for setling of the Militia by Ordinance of Parliament But about the end of June one Master Eliot a Courtier was sent closely from York to him who having gotten privacy with the Lord Keeper so far prevailed at last that he got the Great Seal into his hands and rid away with it to the King at York The Lord Keeper Littleton after some serious thoughts with himself not being able to answer it to the Parliament rode away himself next day to the King also The reason which he gave to some friends of his afterwards for so parting with the Seal was this The King when he made him Lord Keeper gave him an Oath in private which he took That whensoever the King should send to him for the Great Seal he should forthwith deliver it This Oath he said he could not dispence with in Conscience but was sorry he had taken the Office with such an Oath The Seal was given him since this Parliament sate which made it appear what intentions the King even then had to the Parliament The King having now gotten the Great Seal issued forth many Proclamations and among other one That no man should obey the Parliaments Warrants about setling the Militia and they on the other side by Ordinances forbad any man to raise Arms by Warrant from the King without the authority of Parliament The Parliament being then intent upon setling the Militia by Land they took care also to seize the Navy into their hands for security of the Kingdom against forreign invasions To that purpose the Earl of Warwick a Nobleman of good experience in Sea-affairs and undoubted fidelity to his Countrey was by an Ordinance of both Houses chosen to be Lord Admiral But the King had chosen Sir John Penington to that place in the room of the Earl of Northumberland and sent a Command to the Earl of Warwick to resign the place to him But the Earl-chose rather to obey the Ordinance of Parliament and with great courage and policy got the Fleet into his hands though many of the Captains stood out against him alleaging they had the Kings Command to obey Sir John Penington but the Earl deprived them of their Commands and possessed himself of the Ships taking shortly after another Ship called the Lion of great import coming out of Holland and laden with Gunpowder which proved a great addition to his strength All men at this time began to despair of the Kings return to his Parliament and therefore on the 10 of June was an Order made in Parliament for bringing in money and plate to raise Arms for the Cause the publick Faith for repayment to them that brought it in was engaged by the Parliament and interest of eight in the hundred Which was accordingly brought in in great abundance by well-affected people as also Horses and Arms for that service The King at that time had received Money and Arms with Ammunition out of Holland upon the pawning of the Crown-Jewels which the Queen had carried over in February before He then sent out his Commissions of Array to Arm the people into all Counties wherein he used the Parliaments own words as in a Jeer of them For the Parliament professed that their receiving of plate and money and levying of Forces was To maintain the Protestant Religion the Kings Person dignity and authority the Laws of the Land the peace of the Kingdom and priviledge of Parliament The Kings words were the same namely To maintain the Protestant Religion his own person and authority the Laws Kingdoms Peace and priviledge of Parliament And whereas the Parliament in their Declarations both then and afterward used to say That they did arm against a malignant party by whom the Kings person was in danger he in his said the like and that for the safety of his own person and people there was an inevitable necessity of putting the Kingdom into a posture of defence using those very words in his Commission of Array which they did in their Ordinance for the Militia And invited people to bring plate and money to him in that language which the Parliament did nor did it prove less effectual for many Lords Gentlemen and others very freely brought in Money and plate to serve the King within a short space In all this heat of preparations the King before those Lords that were with him in the North made a solemn Protestation as before God that he would not engage them in any War against the Parliament but only for his necessary defence that his desire was to maintain the Protestant Religion the liberties of the Subject and priviledge of Parliament Upon which those Lords made a solemn Protestation as before God and subscribed their Names to it That they did believe the Kings intention to be as he said namely That he had no purpose to Levy War against the Parliament and that he endeavored only to maintain the Protestant Religion the Laws Liberties of the Subject and just priviledge of Parliament The King immediately after this took a progress about the Countries adjacent and at divers places made speeches to the Gentlemen and inhabitants full of gracious promises and declaring his intentions to preserve the peoples Liberties and priviledge of Parliament after which he returned to York and having raised an Army of three thousand Foot and one thousand Horse went to Beverly with an intention to besiege Hull making Proclamation beforehand That no man should presume to assist Hull against him or bring any force thither The Parliament on the other side published a Declaration for the preservation and safety of the Kingdom and of the town of Hull with assurance of satisfaction to all those who sustained any loss by their service for the safety of that Town or by overflowing of water upon the grounds there The King was within two hours march of Hull when Sir John Hotham calling a Councel of War by whom it was thought so fit drowned the Countrey about Hull drawing up the Sluce giving the Owners time to remove their Cattel and Goods the Parliament being to satisfie their damages upon the publick Faith Sir John Meldrum an old Souldier was assistant to Hotham who sallying bravely out of the Town with five hundred Townsmen made the Kings party retreat to Beverly some being slain and taken in the Chase Within a short time after when five hundred men sent from London arrived at Hull Sir John Meldrum made a fiercer Sally and forced most of the Leaguer to retire disorderly one and twenty of them being slain and fifteen taken prisoners and following his good success came to Aulby where the Kings Magazine of Arms Ammunition and Fire-balls were kept in a Barn all which he took and fired the Barn Upon which the King calling a Councel of War upon their advice broke up the siege before Hull On the twelfth of July the Parliament Voted that an Army should be raised for the
strange a thing was the name of a Parliament grown But rational men did not like it that it should be deferred so long and that preparations for a War with Scotland went on in the mean time They were likewise troubled that the Earl of Strafford Deputy of Ireland a man of deep policie but suspected honesty one whom the King then used as a bosom-Councellor was first to go into Ireland and call a Parliament in that Kingdom besides the King at that time had broken up the Parliament in Scotland which the Scots complained of the business of State depending as a great breach of their Liberties and against the Laws of that Kingdom Upon which they sent some Lords into England to intreat the King to grant them a redress of such Injuries as they had received since the Pacification which were That their Parliament was broken off before any business done That Edinburgh-Castle was Garisoned with far more Souldiers then were needful That Dun-Britain-Castle was Garisoned with English Souldiers That the Scots that traded in England and Ireland were enforced to take new Oaths contrary to their Covenant and altogether contrary to the Articles of Pacification The King imprisoned those Lords sending one of them the Earl of Lowden to the Tower and commanded a Charge of Treason to be drawn against him concerning a Letter which the Scotish Covenanters had written to the King of France for his assistance and Lowden had subscribed but the accusation was frivolous easily answered and came to nothing because those Letters were not sent at all and besides it was before the Pacification upon which an Oblivion of all things was agreed although the King at the beginning of the English Parliament produced that Letter against them as a ground of his second War for now on the thirteenth of April the Parliament of England was begun before which time the Earl of Strafford was returned out of Ireland where he had held a Parliament and gotten four Subsidies The King was very urgent with his Parliament to give money to enable him for a War against Scotland and pay that Army and Officers which he had already raised he demanded twelve Subsidies of them for which he promised to release Shipmoney he promised them that he would afterwards redress the Kingdoms grievances but desired money in the first place to go on with his designed War It was answered by many Members of the House in several Speeches that redress of Grievances was the chiefe end of Parliaments and should go before Subsidies That the King asked a great summe of money for releasing of that which he had no title to hold but had taken illegally by power That the people had no reason to pay for a War which they desired not but abhorred a War not for their good but their own ruine that nothing was so just as to punish the contrivers of that wicked War But so strange was the obedience and complyance of that Parliament towards the King that although the money which he asked was against themselves yet they took the Subsidies into consideration but while they were debating the King whatsoever his reasons were whether he thought it a delay or not came into the House on the fifth of May and dissolved the Parliament The people were grieved in an extraordinary manner to see this Parliament so suddenly broken up and as much to see the King break his word so immmediately upon the dissolution of it for he protested in the House at that time that he would rule for the future as legally as if a Parliament were constantly sitting Yet nevertheless he imprisoned some Members the next day after Mr. Belosis Sir John Hotham and M. Crew he commanded the Lord Brookes his Study his Cabinet and pockets to be searched for Letters He Commanded the Convocation of Divines to continue their sitting an unexampled thing who by authority from him made Canons and imposed Oaths upon the people contrary to their Laws and Liberties The King to defray the charges of this War besides the Contribution of the Clergy and Papists issued out again Writs of Shipmoney in a greater proportion then before he seized the Bullion in the Tower and took up Commodities to be sold again at an under-rate and consulted about Coyning of brass-money but that went not forward But the War went on the Earl of Strafford commanding in chiefe the Earl of Northumberland not being in health who had been appointed General but the Scots had not been backward for having been debarred of their trade and lost their ships by seizure they entered into England with an Army expressing their intentions in writing to the English and bringing with them a Petition to the King But the King in this War found a greater want then that of Money which was the hearts of the Souldiers especially the common Souldiers who could not be easily brought to engage against the Scots as hating the Cause many of them mutinying against their Officers and Commanders which might be one cause that the War proved not so bloody and fatal as it was designed some Skirmishes but not very considerable happened at Newburn and at Dunsian not far from Barwick Thus proceeded this unhappie business until some English Peers Earls and Barons about twenty grieved at the dishonour which England suffered by the unhappie actions of the King made a Petition to him declaring in some part their former sufferings by illegal Government the dissolution of the last and other Parliaments the miserable condicion of the Kingdom at present the sad consequence of this wicked War desiring him to summon a Parliament within some convenient time where the Kingdoms Grievances may be redressed this War composed and the Authors of these wicked counsels punished Upon this Petition the King caused all the Lords to meet at York on the 24. of September And there told them his intention of calling a Parliament with all possible speed which was to begin on the 3. of November It was there also consulted and debated how to end this War upon fair termes and after some time spent between Lords chosen out of both Nations the matter was composed according to these Articles 1. A Truce or cessation of Arms was made for two moneths till the 16. of December 2. That 850. li. a day should be paid to the Scots during that Truce 3. That if it were not paid the Scots might force it from the Counties of Northumberland Cumberland Westmerland and Durham 4. That those Counties should be allowed the Scots for their Winter-quarters 5. No new preparations for War to be made 6. That private Injuries should not break the Truce so satisfaction were made upon complaint 7. That Merchants might freely traffique in either Kingdomes without letters of safe conduct but Souldiers without leave might not pass their limits Thus was the state of things altered and that VVar which was intended for an enslavement of both Nations became the bond of Concord between them and
and after he had plundered the country thereabouts retired safely to his Winter-Quarters at Oxford The Parliament considering this action of the King began to hope little upon any Treaty resolving That the General should speedily pursue the King's Forces and fall upon them and the City of London to encourage the Parliament made a Petition to them wherein they entreated That they would proceed no further in the business of Accommodation because evil counsel was so prevalent with the King that he would but delude them that they had heard his Forces are weak and entreat that his Excellency would follow and fall upon them the City as heretofore being ready to spend with all willingness their lives and fortunes to assist the Parliament For which Petition and Protestation the Parliament returned thanks to the City and according as they desired it was decreed in Parliament FINIS Book II. A Short mention of the Progress of this Civil War THe beginnings of the Civil war together with the Series of causes from whence it sprung as likewise the degrees by which it grew have been already breifly and clearly shewed The things which remain to be unfolded are of so great a weight of so various a nature and of so many peices that scarce any Historian I might say History it self is sufficient to weave fully together so many particulars my intention therefore is to make onely a short mention not a full Narration of that Variety For the War went on with horrid rage in many places at one time and the fire once kindled cast forth through every corner of the land not onely sparks but devouring flames insomuch as the kingdom of England was divided into more Wars than Counties nor had she more fields than skirmishes nor Cities than Sieges and almost all the Palaces of Lords and great Houses were turned every where into Garrisons of War they fought at once by Sea and Land and through all England who could but lament the miseries of his Country sad spectacles were of plundering and firing Villages and the fields otherwise wast and desolate were rich onely and terribly glorious in Camps and Armies The following Summer namely in the year one thousand six hundred forty three proved for a long time fatal to the Parliament and Fortune seemed to have condemned the cause of liberty so exceedingly did the Kings party flourish in successes and Victories and the Parliaments condition every where low so that they were neer to ruine who in the end prevailed In the West Sir William Waller a Parliament-chieftain who had gotten divers Victories and then almost quite vanquished Sir Ralph Hopton was at last namely in July utterly defeated by the Lord Wilmot who came from Oxford with an Army of the Kings and having lost all his Army returned to London and such as the fortune of the Field was was the condition of Towns and Garrisons for immediately after Wallers defeat the two greatest Cities of all the West were yeilded up Bristol to Prince Rupert and Excester to Prince Maurice At the same time in the North of England was the like success where the Lord Fairfax who with his valiant Son had long and prosperously maintained the cause of the Parliament being now over-powred by a puissant Enemy the Earl of Newcastle and almost all his Forces scattered was driven into Hull and there besieged Essex himself the great General at the same time his Army decreasing suddainly some dying of sickness others for want forsaking their colours was constrained to leave the field and return to London quartering the sick and weak remnant of his Army at Kingston and other adjacent places until a Recruit could be made for him The Parliamentarians were now in a desperate condition and their strengths every where broken on the other side the Royalists strong and dreadful in Arms Men and Horses conquerours of all the West of Wales and the North of England as far as the very borders of Scotland One onely Town of Note in the Midland Country Glocester stood out yet faithful and constant to the Parliament and much desired by the King who in great disdain that this Town after Bristol and Excester were yeilded should stand out came in person to besiedge it with a great Army The Queen was now arrived in England and had brought with her great store of Armes bought in Holland with the money which she had raised by pawning the Crown-Jewels there whose coming at this time seemed rather to a Triumph than a War Glocester not onely staid the career of the Kings Victories but made a great change in the Conditions of the sides The City was gallantly defended against a great and flourishing Army wherein Massey the Governour justly gained a wonderful renown so long did he defend the City until General Essex could be recruited with an Army great enough to raise the Siege and march thither from London eighty miles Famous and honourable in the judement of all men was that expedition of General Essex who by solong a March fighting often with great bodies of the Kings Horse by the way brought notwithstanding his whole Army safe to Glocester raised the Siege relieved that Town and in his retreat from thence encountered and vanquished the Kings Army in that memorable Battel of Newberry After this time the parliament revived of whose condition Wise men might justly have doubted if the King leaving Glocester had marched directly with his Victorious Army to London which was then not at all fortified and miserably distracted with factions within it Or besides if the Earl of Newcastle letting alone the besiegâ—ng of Hull which likewise proved fruitless had powred out his numerous forces upon the Eastern associated Counties but it otherwise pleased God who is the onely Lord of Hoasts and by whose providence all things are guided Both sides now by this Victory of Essex seemed to be put into an equal ballance both of strength and reputation and this sad War not onely likely to be continued but extended to a greater latitude on one side the Parliament inviting to their assistance their brethren of Scotland on the other side the King calling in his Irish The Scots by a Covenant to be taken by both Nations for conservation of Religion Laws and Liberties the Irish by a cessation of Armes granted by the King a peace being also promised were drawn in The Scots promised to the Parliament from whom Commissioners were sent to Edinburgh about that business that they would bring into England to their assistance an Army consisting of one and twenty thousand Horse and Foot the Parliament engaged themselves to pay the Scots one hundred thousand pounds toward the charge of raising that Army But the King dealt not so openly with those bloudy Irish in bargaining for their assistance but by a pretence of cessation of Arms for the behoof of the English Protestants in that Kingdom which cessation notwithstanding was for the benefit of the Irish Rebels in lieu of
which favour they gave the King thirty thousand pounds This was that cessation of Arms so much spoken against by honest men in London for that reason especially that it was directly against a Law and the Kings faith for it was enacted by authority of Parliament the King also signing the Act in the year one thousand six hundred forty one That the War against those bloudy Irish Rebels should proceed untill it were declared by Parliament that Ireland were fully subdued and that no peace nor any cessation of Arms should be made with those Rebels without the consent of both Houses of Parliament Thus was assistance brought to either side to the King which he especially aimed at in this business that English Army which for almost a whole years space had fought valiantly and victoriously against those Rebels was now brought into England within five moneths after that cessation to fight against the Parliament of England but the cause being changed the fortune of those Souldiers was likewise changed for they had no success in England but within a short time after their arrival that whole Army was utterly defeated and all their cheif commanders with seventeen hundred common Souldiers were taken prisoners by Sir Thomas Faâ—rfax The Scottish Army that Winter following about the middle of January passing over Tweed came into England The Earl of Leven was General his kinsman David Lesley commanded the Horse the snow that fell at that time covered the ground in an unusual depth and as great a frost had congealed all the rivers but the heat of fighting was greater than the rigor of the air and the patience of Souldiers overcame the hard weather The Earl of Leven marched with his forces against the Earl of Newcastle who with a great Army possessed the Northern parts of England for the King nor did the War goe on with less vigour in other parts In the beginning of the Spring great Armies were raised on both sides and filled all the countries with terrour all the following Summer which fell in the year one thousand six hundred forty four they fought with equal fury and almost equal fortunes insomuch as that England by the dubiousness of success on both sides and sad vicissitude of calamitous slaughters was made an unhappy Kingdom The Kings fortune was susteined by brave Armies in the West under the Princes Rupert and Maurice in Wales under Gerard and others in the midland Counties under Sir Jacob Ashley an old Souldier other Armies were commanded by Sir Ralph Hopton and Colonel Goring and in the North the Earl of Newcastles great Army Nor were the forces of Parliament inferiour the cheif Army under the General Essex Waller commanded another the Earl of Manchester to whom Crumwell a stout and successful Souldier was joyned led a strong Army toward the North where the Lord Fairfax and his Son had good forces and Sir John Meldrum not far off the Earl of Denbigh a stout Commander was with a fair Party about Strafford and besides these the great Scottish Army At the beginning of that Summer the Parliament attempted a thing of great moment to besiege Oxford or at least to block up the King within that Town which was endeavoured by two Armies Essex on the one side and Waller on the other but the King deceived them both and with a few light Horse escaping out of the Town went to joyn with his greater Armies General Essex marched farther into the West but the expedition proved unhappy both to himself and the Parliament Waller followed the King but in vain for he could not hinder his designed March onely some skirmishes happened between parts of their Forces but nothing was done of any great moment until Waller returned with his force to encounter enemies in other places Various were the successes this Summer in most parts of the Kingdom in the West South and midland Counties the Kings forces prevailed above the Parliament which perchance had been ruined if the North had not made them amends with some atchievements besides one great Victory For Leve with his Scottish forces coming the last Winter into England besides the taking of some Towns and Forts had much weakened Newcastles Army lessening their number not by fighting but enduring the sharpness of that weather which the other could not so well doe To Leven the Lord Fairfax after Selby was so miraculously taken by valiant Sir Thomas Fairfax joyned himself with all his forces to whom also the Earl of Manchester after his Lincoln expedition came with a gallant Army Three Parliament Armies under three Generals Leven Manchester and Fairfax with great concord and unanimity had marched together and with joyned forces had besieged the great City of York whereof the Earl of Newcastle was Governour to raise the siege Prince Rupert was come with a great Army out of the South the three Generals left their siege to fight the Prince under him also Newcastle having drawn his forces out of York served who on a great plain called Marston Moore gave battel to the three Generals This was the greatest battel of the whole civil war never did greater Armies both in number and strength encounter or drew more bloud in one fight The Victory at first was almost gotten by the Royalists whose left Wing Fairfax his men being disadvantaged by the inconvenience of the ground had routed and put to flight the right wing of the Parliamentarians but this loss was more than recompenced in the other Wing where Crumwell who fought under Manchester charged with such force and fury the right wing of the Royalists that he broke the best Regiments which Prince Rupert had and put them all to flight Crumwel together with David Lesley pursued them and wheeling about with his Horse came opportunely to the releif of his oppressed friends in the other Wing where they ceased not until they had gained a compleat Victory and all Prince Rupert his Ordnance his carriages and baggage were possessed by the Parliamentarians After this Victory Rupert with the remnant of his forces fled into the South some of the Victorious Armies Horse in vain pursuing him for some miles the Earl of Newcastle with some of his chosen friends leaving York of which City Sir Thomas Glenham took the government went to Scarborough where within a while after he took shipping and passed into Germany The three Generals Leven Manchester and Fairfax after this great Victory returned to besiege York to whom that City soon after upon conditions was rendered after which they divided their forces and Leven with his Scottish Army returning into the North about the end of that Summer took the rich Town of Newcastle about the same time that the General Essex unfortunately managed his business in the West and having lost all his Artillery returned to London This Summer the Queen passed into France and used great endeavour to raise aid for the King her husband among the Roman Catholikes but those endeavours proved fruitless yet
we confess they are higher than we if our wish might have gone would have made them but seeing that no other way is left to cure the Kingdoms wounds and consolidate the ruptures between your Majesty and the Parliament We do in all humility and loyalty advise your Majesty that out of your gratious goodness you would assent to them as being the onely remedy left to procure a firm and happy peace from whence also many happinesses will accrue to you c. But neither this Oration of Londen nor all the endeavours of both Parliaments could after the Kings mind yet did not the Commissioners give over their hopes but persisted in intreating so that many moneths were spent in this business and the time consumed till the midst of Winter in which space they could not perswade the King to hear any Ministers of the Synod preach before him being constant onely to his own Chaplains Upon which they began to endeavour that amity might be preserved between the two Nations and that the two Kingdoms things standing as they did might be peaceably setled without the King Therefore after some debate between the Parliament of England and the Commissioners of Scotland they at the last agreed upon the aforesaid sum namely that two hundred thousand pounds should be forthwith paid to the Scots which mony being told out was by General Fairfax with part of his Forces conveyed out of London who afterwards committed the business to Major General Skippon He with six Regiments marched away in the midst of Winter and in January came to Newcastle upon Tine with the mony The Scots when they had received their mony according to the compact delivered up the English Garrisons Berwick Carlisle and Newcastle into the Parliaments hands and marched quietly home into Scotland they delivered also the King to the English Commissioners to be carried into the South Who was received with great respect and honour by the Earls of Pembrook and Denbigh and the rest of the Parliament Commissionerâ— and by them waited on with great observance and an honourable guard to his Palaâ—â— of Holmby in Northampton-shire Thâ—â—â— things were done in the Moneth of February at which time the Earl of Stanford Mr. Gâ—â—win and Mr. Ashhurst of the House of Commons were sent Commissioners by the Parliament into Scotland that at Edenburgh thâ—â— might treat with the Scottish Parliament about the Common Affairs Though the Kings party which had fougâ—â— against their Parliament and Liberties wâ—â—â— absolutely subdued yet a quiet liberty 〈◊〉 security could not be suddenly obtained the victory For the Civil War being ended dissention more than Civil arose among the Conquerors which seemed therefore more sad to all good men because it was between those who before had with most united affections and desires thrown their lives and Fortunes into the hazard against a common Enemy whom the same cause the same fervour of reforming Religion and restoring liberty and the same prayers had linked together in the nearest bond of conscience By this division under the names of Presbyterian and Independent still encreasing the minds of men began beyond all measure to be embittered against each other one side complained that the Covenant was broken the other that it was not rightly enterpreted by them nor so as that it could any way be a vindication of the cause undertaken or the publike Safety on both sides were men of great reputation Yet did they not at first so far dissent but that both sides seemed forward to vindicate the Common cause against the Kings party called Malignants It must be a longer time that must by degrees so far work upon the consciences of that side which seemed weakest as to make them cleave to the Malignants for a prop. The Malignants were ready to joyn with either side that they might ruine both They themselves though disarmed being now the greatest number especially by reason of the unconstancy of many men either upon particular grievances or the burden of Taxations A great number of the Citizens of London not of the meaÌ„est but highest rank had revolted from their former principles insomuch as that City all the Kings Garrisons being by Fairfax his bloudless Victories emptied thither became to be of that condition as that the Parliament without the Armies help could not safely sit there These dissentions of Presbyterian and Independent because the motives and intentions of men are not enough known our purpose is to touch with more brevity than the actions of open War and plain hostility though they also are here shortly mentioned It were a work of too much length and difficulty to recite how many Calumnies were raised by the other faction against the Army before so much admired as maintainers of the Independent faction How divers Petitions were drawn up and sub-scriptions eagerly sought in the County of Essex against this Army which was then quartered about Walden in the moneth of April And in the Parliament it self it was so far and in that manner debated concerning disbanding of that Army that they being now taught to value their own merits conceived themselves much injured and in the moneth of May presented a Petition to their General In which they desire to be satisfied not onely for their due pay as Souldiers but in things concerning belonging to them as free born sons of the Nation the publike liberties which they had fought for Of which Petition great complaint was made by those of the other Faction These and some other Alterations wrought at last so far as that the Souldiers about the beginning of June upon what design or what jealousies I leave to Judge took away the King from Helmby out of the Parliament-Commissioners hands and carried him along with them in the Army So that his person was to be in some Town or Palace neer to their Quarter When this was known it was ordered by both Houses of Parliament and their order sent to the General 1. That the King should reside at Richmond 2. That he should be attended by the same persons that he was at Holmby 3. That Rossiters Regiment should guard him But the next day from the General and his Councel of Officers was brought to the Parliament an Impeachment against eleven Members of the House of Commons viz. honoured names many of them Hollis Stapleton Waller Glyn Massey Maynard Lewis Clotworthy Long Harley and Nichols Wherein divers things were objected concerning hindering the Releif of Ireland obstructing Justice and acting somewhat against the Army and the Laws of England The Impeached Members declared themselves ready to answer to any crime that could be objected against them But another request came from the Army that those Impeached Members untill they had brought in their answer might be secluded from their Seats in Parliament This at the first was not granted as a thing judged to be too high and too much against the priviledge of Parliament But when the Army iterated their desire those accused Members
Thomas May Esq Aetatis Sua. 55. A BREVIARY OF THE HISTORY Of the Parliament Of ENGLAND Expressed in three PARTS 1. The Causes and Beginnings of the Civil War of England 2. A short mention of the Progress of that Civil War 3. A compendious Relation of the Original and Progress of the Second Civil War First written in Latine after done into English By Thomas May Esq The Second Edition LONDON Printed by J. Cottrel for Thomas Brewster at the three Bibles neer the West-end of Pauls 1655. The Causes and Beginnings OF The Civil War of England OF the Parliament of England and beginning of that sad War which for so many yeers raged within the bowels of a distressed Kingdom whosoever will write though never so briefly must of necessity premise somewhat touching the Causes according to the state of the affairs and times of assembling that Parliament And though the condition of Scotland and Ireland were during that time no whit happier which being subject to the same King were exposed to the same Calamity our discourse especially shall be of England as the noblest Kingdom and the Royal Seat from whence the distemper might first arise and be derived to the rest And wonderful it may seem how great the distemper of that Government was which ingendered so great a disease how great the malignity of that disease to which a Parliament was not sufficient Medicine Fourty yeers old was King Charles and fifteen yeers had he reigned when this Parliament was called so long had the Laws been violated more then under any King the Liberties of the people invaded and the authority of Parliament by which Laws and Liberties are supported trodden under foot which had by degrees much discontented the English Nation For the King within the first four yeers of his Reign had called three Parliaments and soon dissolved them all before they could any way benefit the Commonwealth or redress the least grievance of the People In the second he granted and signed the Petition of Right but suddenly breaking up that Parliament he acted the same things in violation of Laws which he had done before So that it was manifest that the Peoples Liberties by grant of that Petition were not fortified but utterly overthrown and it appeared neither Laws themselves could give protection nor the Kings Faith security to the People After the dissolution of the third Parliament men were forbidden by Proclamation to speak any more of Parliaments In this Interval the people at home were fleeced by Monopolies and many ways exacted upon by illegal Taxes abroad scarce any Negotiations were made but such as were destructive to Religion and the Commonwealth In the beginning of his Reign an unhappie and dishonorable Expedition was made against the Spaniard to surprise Cales another more sad then that against the French in the following yeer at the Isle of Rhee but that of all other was most destructive to the Protestant Religion that King Charles not long before that time had lent a strong Navie to the King of France by whose force the Protestants Ships through all France were vanquished and scattered and the miserable Town of Rochel subdued by Famine the worst of all Enemies The King in the mean time by many illegal ways raised money through England large sums of money were exacted throughout the whole Kingdom default of Knighthood under the shadow of an absolute Law Tunnage and Poundage were received without the ordinary course of Law and though they were taken under pretence of guarding the Seas yet that great Tax of Ship-money was set on foot under the same colour c. These things were accompanied with the enlargement of Forests contrary to Magna Charta the forcing of Coat and Conduct-money taking away the Arms of the Trained Bands in many Counties c. Nor was there any remedy left for no Courts of Judicature could give redress to the people for these Illegal sufferings whilst Judges were displaced by the King for not complying with his will and so awed that they durst not do their duties for to hold a Rod over them a clause was altered in their Patents By this time all thoughts of ever having a Parliament were quite banished so many Oppressions set on foot so many illegal actions done that the onely way to justifie all was to do that one greater To take away the means which was ordained to redress them the lawful Government of England by Parliaments Whilst the Kingdom was in this condition the serious and just men of England who were not interessed in these Oppressions could not but entertain sad thoughts of what mischief must needs follow so great an injustice But another sort of men especially Lords and Gentlemen by whom the pressures of Government were not much felt did nothing but applaud the happiness of England calling those ingrateful and factious spirits who complained of the breach of Laws and Liberties that the Kingdom abounded with wealth plenty and all kinde of elegancies more then ever and that it was the honour of a people that their Monarch should live splendidly and not be curbed at all in his Prerogative c. The Courtiers would begin to dispute against Parliaments in their ordinary discourse That they were too injurious to the Kings Prerogative some of the greatest States-men and Privie Councellors would ordinarily laugh at the ancient language of England when the word Liberty of the Subject was named Though the Kingdoms Liberties were thus oppressed yet Peace continued and England seemed happie in that tranquillity until the fatal Coal which afterwards was blown into so great a fire through the three Kingdoms began to be kindled in the yeer 1637. by a designe which the King had upon Scotland which was as pretended to make a Conformity of Church-Worship and Ecclesiastical Government between the two Kingdoms of England and Scotland The dignity and pomp of Prelacie had been much of late promoted in England in pursuance whereof many temporal Offices and Honours were conferred upon persons Ecclesiastical many Ceremonies and Innovations brought into the Church and too neer approaches made in some points of Doctrine to the Romish Church and a great contempt thrown upon the other Reformed Churches in Europe Popery seemed to be much countenanced in the Court and by reason of the Queens great power with the King several Nuncio's from the Pope as Panzani Conn and Rosetti had been received with great honour in the Court of England The King had made great preparations for that work in Scotland and bestowed many temporal offices and dignities upon Bishops in that Kingdom In particular 11 of the Scotish Bishops being in all but 14 were made Privie Councellors But this displeased the Scots to whom Episcopacie it self was not acceptable and having been once thrown out of that Kingdom was not restored but by great endeavour and policie of King James A book of Lyturgie was sent by the King into Scotland in the year 1637. with an
in a miserable calamity While the King persisted in these courses the Kirk of Scotland from the Synod at Edinburgh sent Letters to him containing a serious admonition which because the admonition of a National Church may seem a thing of some moment shall be set down verbatim the Preface onely omitted because long though very humble THE troubles of our hearts are enlarged and our fears encreased in your Majesties behalf perceiving that your Peoples patience is above measure tempted is like a Cart pressed down with Sheaves and ready to break while as besides many former designs and endeavours to bring desolation and destruction upon us which were and we trust all of that kind shall be by the marvellous and merciful providence of God discovered and disappointed our Countrey is now infested the bloud of divers of our brethren spilt and other acts of most barbarous and horrid cruelty exercised by the cursed crew of the Irish Rebels and their complices in this Kingdom under the conduct of such as have Commission and Warrant from your Majesty and unless we prove unfaithful both to God and your Majesty we cannot conceal another danger which is infinitely greater than your Peoples displeasure Therefore we the servants of the most high God and your Majesties most loyal Subjects in the humility and grief of our hearts fall down before your Throne and in the name of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ who shall judge the World in Righteousness both great and small and in the name of this whole Nationall Kirk which we represent we make bold to warn your Majesty freely that the guilt which cleaveth fast to your Majesty and to your Throne is such as whatsoever flattering Preachers or unfaithful Counsellors may say to the contrary if not timely repented cannot but involve your self and your posterity under the wrath of the ever living God for your being guilty of the shedding of the bloud of many thousands of your Majesties best subjects for your permitting the Mass and other Idolatry both in your own Family in your Dominions for your authorizing by the book of sports the prophanation of the Lords day for your not punishing of publike scandals and much prophaneness in and about your Court for the shutting of your ears from the humble and just desires of your faithful subjects for your complying too much with the popish party many wayes and namely by concluding the cessation of Armes in Ireland and your embracing the councels of those who have not set God nor your good before their eyes for your resisting and opposing this cause which so much concerneth the glory of God your own honour and happiness and the peace and safety of your Kingdomes and for what other causes your Majesty is most conscious and may best judge and search your own conscience nor would we have mentioned any particulars if they had not been publike and known For all which it is high time for your Majesty to fall down at the foot-stool of the King of glory to acknowledge your offences to repent timely to make your peace with God through Jesus Christ whose bloud is able to wash away your great sins and to be no longer unwilling that the Son of God reign over you and your Kingdoms in his pure Ordinances of Church-government and Worship They conclude with a profession and protestation of their constancy in so just a cause against any opposition whatsoever This admonition of the generall Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland was sent first to the Scottish Commissioners at London and by them delivered to the Kings Secretary but Ecclesiastical admonition in the heat of War little availed When the Spring began the War with great heat and courage on both sides was renewed Generall Essex had laid down his Commission and Sir Thomas Fairfax went to Windsor to his new-modelled Army a new Army indeed made up of some remainders of the old ones and other raised forces in the Countries an Army seeming no way glorious either in the dignity of Commanders or antiquity of Souldiers never hardly did any Army go forth to War with less confidence of their own side or more contempt of their enemies and did more bravely deceive both and shew how far it was possible for humane conjectures to erre For in their following action and successes they proved such as would too much pose antiquity among all the Camps of their famed Heroes to find a parallel to this Army He that will seriously weigh their atchievements in the following year against potent and gallant Enemies and consider the greatness of things the number of Victories how many battels were woon how many Towns and Garrisons were taken he can hardly think them the work of one year or fit to be called one War But whosoever considers this must take heed that he do not attribute too much to them but give it wholly to Almighty God whose providence over this Army as it did afterwards miraculously appear so it might in some measure be hoped for at the first considering the behaviour and discipline of those Souldiers For the usual vices of Camps were here restrained the discipline was strict no theft no wantonness no oaths nor any prophane words could escape without the severest castigation by which it was brought to pass that in this Camp as in a well ordered City passage was safe and commerce free The first expedition of General Fairfax as it was ordered by the Committee of both Kingdomes was into the West to releive Taunton a Town that had long with incredible manhood and constancy under Blake their Governour endured a sharp siege by Sir Richard Greenvile and seemed to emulate though with more happiness the fidelity of old Sagunthum but this work was not done by the General himself but Colonel Welden who was sent thither with seven thousand of the new Army Fairfax himself was recalled by the Committee of both Kingdoms to go upon other action But because the King had sent for Prince Rupert from Wales to come to Oxford that he might joyn forces and march into the field General Fairfax before he went from Windsor sent Cromwell with a party of Horse to hinder the Kings designs who marching speedily from Windsor with great felicity vanquished a part of the Kings forces at Islip-bridge taking divers of the Commanders prisoners the remainder of that party flying into Bletchington House were there besieged and yeilded to Cromwell with the same success at Bampton-bush he took Vaughan and Littleton and defeated their forces The King when Prince Rupert and Maurice were come to him with their forces designed his march toward the East to take possession of the Isle of Ely which he hoped would be betrayed to him by some of his party there Cromwell and Major General Brown the Governor of Abington were commanded to follow the King but soon recalled as too weak in forces to encounter the King and to assist General Fairfax in besieging of Oxford
settlement to the Kingdom we have expressed our real wishes that if the King would in things necessary and essential to the clearing setling and securing of those publick interests give his concurrence to put them past future disputes then his Rights should be considered and setled so far as might be consistent with those superior interests of the publick and the security thereof for future And that by an Address to the King upon things so purely essential to those publick ends it might once more come to a clear trial whether we could with the preservation of the King's person and in particular interests have a security to the other hath been our earnest desire our great expectation and our endeavour that we and others might be in a patient waiting for such an issue Now in the Parliaments last Addresses to the King we finde they have insisted onely upon some few things so essential to that interest of the Kingdom which they have hitherto engaged for as that without betraying the safety of the Kingdom and themselves and all that engaged with them in that cause without denying that which God in the issue of the war hath been such a Testimony unto they could not go lower and those things granted they have offered to treat for all the rest Thus we account that great business of a settlement to the Kingdom and security to the publick interest thereof by and with the King's Concurrence to be brought unto so clear a trial as that upon the King's denial of those things we can see no further hopes of settlement or security that way And therefore understanding that upon the consideration of that denial added to so many other the Honourable House of Commons by several Votes upon munday last have resolved not to make any further address or application to the King nor receive any from him nor to suffer either in others We do freely declare for our selves and the Army That we are resolved through the grace of God firmly to adhere with and stand by the Parliament in the things voted last munday concerning the King and in what shall be further necessary for prosecution thereof and for setling and securing of the Parliament and Kingdom without the King and against him or any other that shall hereafter partake with him Windsor Jan. 9. 1647. The Parliament also made a publick Declaration about the beginning of February for satisfaction of all men in general concerning the causes of their Votes in which besides the Kings former misdeeds related before in other Remonstrances they declare how often they had treated with him That although they were never forced to any Treaty yet no less then seven times they had applied themselves to the King with Propositions containing nothing but what was necessary to the peace and security of the Kingdom How they had offered him Propositions at Oxford afterwards at Uxbridge and then after he was quite vanquished in war at Newcastle and lastly after the departure of the Scots at Hampton Court All which hath been perpetually denied by him By such a Declaration did the Parliament endeavour to appease the unquiet mindes of people but no Arguments nor Decrees could serve to asswage their fury nor prevent the storms which were then arising Force onely was required and wise Councel to search out conspiracies and suppress the Tumults which were feared Therefore part of the Army was quartered about Westminster the Mews and other places of the City And the month before these high transactions some Lords and Commons were chosen out of both Houses to be a Committee for the safety of the Commonwealth and sate together at Derby-house in the same place where the Committee of both Kingdoms England and Scotland had sitten before To this Committee power was given to suppress Tumults and Insurrections and to that purpose to raise Forces as they saw occasion The Members of this Committee were seven Lords namely the Earls of Northumberland Kent Warwick and Manchester the-Lords Say Wharton and Roberts and thirteen of the House of Commons Mr. Perpoint Mr. Fines Sir Henry Vane Senior and Junior Sir William Armin Sir Arthur Hazlerig Sir Gilbert Gerrard Sir John Evelin Lieutenant General Cromwel Mr. St. John Mr. Wallop Mr. Crew Mr. Brown The Parliament though victorious though guarded with a gallant Army no forces visibly appearing against it yet was never in more danger All men began in the Spring to prophecy that the Summer would be a hot one in respect of Wars seeing how the Countries were divided in Factions the Scots full of threats the city of London as full of unquietness And more sad things were feared where least was seen rumours every day frightning the people of secret Plots and treasonable meetings From whence every man began to foresee slaughter and war as Mariners use to foresee a rising Tempest Cum longo per multa volumina tractu Aestuat unda minax flatusque incerta futuri Turbida testantur conceptos aequora ventos The threatning waves in tracks voluminous Boil up the Seas by blasts uncertain blown Betoken many windes conception The King's Party began to swell with great hopes and look upon themselves not as vanquish'd but Conquerors nor could they forbear vaunting everywhere but talked of the Kings rising and ruine of the Parliament The same thing seemed to be the wish of those whom they called Presbyterians who were ready to sacrifice themselves and their Cause to their hatred against the Independents who wished that quite undone which themselves could not do and desired that liberty might be quite taken away by the King rather then vindicated by the Independents The King himself though set aside and confined within the Isle of Wight was more formidable this Summer then in any other when he was followed by his strongest Armies The name of King had now a further operation and pity of the Vulgar gave a greater Majesty to his Person Prince Charls also by his absence and the name of banishment was more desireable by those Vulgar people and by his Commissions which his Father privately sent him as if armed with lawful power did easily command those that were willing and by commands under his name was able to raise as will afterward appear not onely Tumults but Wars The beginning was by Tumults and in the City from whence also the following Insurrections in the neer Counties had their original and was by Apprentices and loose young people playing in More-fields upon a Sunday the ninth day of April who dispising the authority of Magistrates set upon a Captain of the trained Bands and with stones beat him out of the fields and taking away his colours with them they marched a disorderly rout gathering up many of the scum of the people as they passed to Westminster crying out as they went that they were for King Charls But they by a Troop of Horse out of the Mews were quickly scattered But running back and getting into London while other