Britains Triumphs OR A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE WARRES AND OTHER STATE-AFFAIRS OF Great Britain From the Death of the late KING to the third year of the Government of the LORD PROTECTOR Vide quam repentè tempus res mutat humanas Tempora mutantur nos et mutamur in illis LONDON Printed for Edward Farnham and are to be sold at his Shop in Popes-head-Alley neer Cornhill 1656. that have hapned in this little corner of the Earth for these five years last past which although peradventure they may be imbased by the course and mean allay of this impolisht dresse yet in this as in all other Histories you may find some things which may aut prodesse aut delectare either profit or delight thee One wisely and truely calls History the faithfull preserver of things past and the certain Prophet of things to come First here is related the Fall of one of the mightiest Monarchs in Europe and in him of Monarchy it self with the severall designs and transactions that were set on foot for the instating of his Sonne in the Throne and the fruitlesse events thereof The Conquest of Scotland The Reducing os Ireland The Revolt of the Carybe Islands and the reducing thereof and of the Islands of Scilly Jersey and Man The Breach between England and the Vnited Provinces and all the memorable Sea-fights that ensued thereupon The Dissolution of the commonly called everlasting Parliament The Calling another Assembly or Parliament with the manner and cause of the dissolution thereof The Lord Generall made Lord Protector of the Common-wealth of England c. the Solemnities used therein his Reception and Entertainment in the City of London Other things of lesse moment are interwoven and promiscuously mingled up and down the Book as the nature thereof requireth And further finding thy kind acceptance of the first Impression it hath enboldened me to bring down the Story of all the Warres and other memorable things of Britain to the third year of the Protector all which as to matter and form I leave to thy Impartiall judgement there to be arraigned and condemned according to the nature of the offence and withall I request thee that with patience thou wilt passe by such faults as have escaped the Presse whether verball syllabicall or literall and so farewell A COMPENDIOUS NARRATIVE of the most Important Affairs of Great Britain from the death of the late KING to the third year of the Government of his Highness the Lord Protector AS to the external Causes of the many evils and miseries wherewith this Nation hath been afflicted for these few years past much might be said but the chief I have reduc'd to the following Heads The first and generall Cause was the Sins of the People who taking a surfet of ease plenty and pleasure and growing wanton thereby gazed after novelty that magneticall attraction of the Plebeian rout and as discontented with their present condition sought felicity in things they wanted Malv Rom. and were still unsatisfied even in the accomplishment thereof whence is occasioned the hatred of tranquillity the desire of motion the loathing of present things and seeking after future Another principal Cause was the lamentable corruptions of the Court not inferior in vice to the most infamous Court in Europe not excelling in any thing that might be called vertuous but inur'd themselves to a soft and luxurious life abounding in all manner of voluptuous and effeminate pleasures rejecting the more noble dictates of nature and grace not atchieving any one enterprize that might render them either feared abroad or loved at home but still wanting fuell for the fire of their prodigality daily invented some new and indirect courses and wayes to torment the people whose jealousies and fears encreasing with their grievances brought forth a most bloudy and intestine warre which ended not but in the subversion of Church and State as then established viz. Episcopacy and Monarchy the head of both being cut off and the bodies discomfited And though the King was judged to be the Patron of those many innovations and miscarriages that befell the Church and Common-wealth yet I am fully perswaded they proceeded not from the depravedness of his will but the flexibility of his nature overwhelm'd by his pernicious Councell by which he seem'd of a lesser magnitude then otherwise he would have done yet was he not the worst although the most unfortunate of Princes and in him ended Monarchy but not the miseries of these Nations for after some years civil and yet unnaturall warre betwixt King and Parliament they at length terminated in the vanquishing of his Armies the surprizall captivity and death of his person upon a scaffold before his Palace of White-Hall Jan. 30th 1648. The third and last Cause which I shall mention though not the least was the Pride Avarice Ambition and slothfulnesse of the Clergy who not only starv'd their flocks by withholding the spirituall food of their souls but also tormented their bodies by exhausting and sucking their bodily substance insomuch that the Nation groaned under the burden of their abominable corruptions who should have been the examples and leading-cards of piety and sanctity yet did the popular fury contribute more to the confusion of their Hierarchy then all their Crime put together nor were they cry'd down with more heat then afterwards cry'd up verifying that of the Poet Quid populi tibi voce places Mori Epigr saepe optima caecus Dat vitio temerè deteriora probat Having now hinted out unto you the Causes of our Warres and the distractions that followed the beginning progresse and conclusion thereof to the beheading of the King being accurately and briefly described by another hand I shall proceed to that which remains May 's Brev. No sooner was this mighty Prince bereaved of his life and dignity in such sort as is before related bnt Monarchy the darling of the multitude was voted chargeable unnecessary and uselesse and the Government was resolved into that of a Common-wealth Yet this mutation hapned-not for want of such as by a lineall descent and according to the usage of this Nation might pretend a Title to the Crown for there was a plentifull Issue of the late King both Male and Female then surviving but from some other politicall reasons best known to the then swaying Powers the which added and ministred hopes equal to the discontents of the people Now Charles though eldest Son of the late King inherited little save the misfortunes of his Father and what else he could chaulk out with his Sword yet his greatest hopes and expectations were from Ireland where the severall factions united proclaimed him King and bent their whole strength against the Interest of the Commonwealth of England and in short space became so formidable and prevail'd so much that they possest all the strong holds of that Country Dublin and Londonderry excepted both which were straitly besieged the former by an Army of 22000.
of Holland and West Friesland and upon the 11 th of June 1650. he delivered his Message in Parliament which though it produced no more then a mutuall desire of an amicable compliance yet was it very well resented by the Parliament that they shewed themselves the leading cards to the rest of the Provinces at such a time as that Now when as the Treaty at Breda was fully ended and that all their Jealousies and animosities notwithstanding the vast disproportion and notable antipathy that was erewhile between the Royalists and Presbyterians was by this means fully allayed at least in shew The Scots seemed to want nothing save the presence of their King whereby to crown their desires and confront the English in order whereunto he hasts from Breda to the Hague from thence to Scheveling where he took shipping and at last in despight of foul weather and the English Kingfishers that lay there to intercept him he landed at the Spey in the North of Scotland where he found the greatest difficulty in ascending the Throne and least enjoyed it of any Prince that was ever heard or read of For upon all occasions he was compeld to trace the steps and follow the dictates of that haughty Clergy in all their fanatick humours and imperious decrees who bereaved him first of all his old friends Counsellors and confederates whether of the Clergy or Layety who to say the truth had alwayes accompanied his Father and him in all their dysasters and dangers and had shipwrackt their own fortunes to carine and repair his though it may be by this desertion he intended their restauration But now the Scots had a King yet as though they had none they did what seemed right in their own eyes The first and most pernicious potion they made him to take and of hardest digestion was the solemne League and Covenant that ignis fatuus and only seminary of bloud and mischief in these three Nations The next was a declaration of the Kirks own framing and fashioning wherein he is taught to renounce the sinnes of his Fathers house and of his own the Idolatry of his Mother by a constant adhering to the Cause of God according to the Covenant in the firm establishment of Church government as it is laid down in the Directory for publike Worship Confession of Faith and Catechism This with divers others of the like nature although with much reluctancy he also signed which it's like burthened his spirit yet bettered not his condition which was like that of a Child under Tutors and Governours for there was not an Officer in that Church or Commonwealth how vile and abject soever in place or person but enjoyed more freedome in body and mind then he Guarded indeed he was but little regarded so that move he must not but in the sphaere of the Kirk they were the primum mobile whereby it 's apparent that the Government of that Nation was not truly Monarchicall though they had a King but Hierarchicall the confusion whereof I shall now set before you The Parliament of England weighing right well the condition into which their affairs were now reduced by reason of the Agreement that was peeced up between the Scots and their King after a serious and solemne debate Gen. Fairfax layes down his Commission which was presently confer'd upon General Cromwell Lord Deputy of Ireland voted that Thomas Lord Fairfax with the Army under his command should march Northwards who after some conference had with the Parliament and being prompted by an indisposition of body or mind laid down his Commission which was forthwith conferr'd upon Oliver Cromwell Lord Deputy of Ireland who in order to this Northern expedition arrived a while after from his victorious archievements in that country leaving his Son in Law Henry as Lord Deputy in his room Accordingly Orders were issued forth for the speedy advance of the Army into Scotland who had no sooner begun their March but the Scots took the Alarme and sent two or three Papers to Sr. Arthur Hasterig then Governour of Newcastle wherein they expostulated the Case about the sudden approach of the English Army endeavouring thereby to impede their march till such time as their designs were ripe alledging as scar-Crowes to fright fools the Covenant the large treaty and Union between the two Nations with other circumstances of the like nature as frivolous as they were fruitless The Parliament of England then published likewise a Declaration shewing the grounds and reasons of their Armies advance towards Scotland accompanied with another from the Generall and officers of the Army The Declaration of the English Army in their march to Scotland shewing that that which moved them to that great undertaking was not any reliance upon the arme of flesh or being lifted up with the remembrance of former successes or the desire of accomplishing any designs of their own that they had forelaid but the full assurance they had that their Cause was just in the sight of God looking at the precedent changes and the successes that produced them not as the work of the policy or strength of man but as the eminent actings of the Providence and Power of God to bring forth his good will and pleasure concerning the things which he hath determined in the world adding that nothing was so predominant with them next to their duty to God not to betray a cause to which he had so much witnessed as the love they had to those that feared God there who might possibly suffer through their own mistakes or their disability to distinguish in a common calamity of which Christian love they hoped that they gave some proof when they were before in Scotland with that Army and were by God made instrumentall to break the power of those that oppressed the godly Party there for which say they their late Engagement to their new King against England was no good requital nor their heaping on them the reproach of a Sectarian Army a Christian dealing all which by the grace of God they could forget and forgive and did as they say desire of God that the precious might be separated from the vile beginning and concluding with a most solemn and dreadful imprecation and appeal That to the truth of these things the God of Heaven in his great mercy pardoning their weaknesses would judge of them when they came to meet the Enemy in the Field This Declaration was sent by the Generall of the English Forces from their Head-Quarters at Barwicke to Edenburgh by a Trumpeter whom they blinded coming and going what effect this wrought the sequel of the Story will relate From Barwick the Army marched to the Lord Mordingtons House July 22. 1650. where they lay three dayes on the 25. they marched to Copperspeth the 26. to Dunbar where they received some provisions from the Ships sent on purpose to attend the motions of the Army forasmuch as the people of the Countrey had forsook their habitations and
â—f striking his top-sayl hung out a â—ed Flag which was the signall for â—is whole Fleet and gave Gen. Blake 〈◊〉 broad-side this was the manner of â—he beginning of that Fight which hath â—aused so much trouble to the two Commonwealths the continuance was â—or about four hours untill night parâ—ed them in which fight one of the â—utch Ships was sunk and another of â—o Guns taken with the Captains of â—oth and about 150 Prisoners of the English there were about ten slâ—â— and fortie wounded the English Aâ—â—mirall received much hurt in her Maâ—â— Sails and Rigging many shot wâ—â— likewise placed in her Hull and tâ—â— hurt that was done to the rest of tâ—â— Fleet was not considerable This attempt of the Dutch whâ—â— they were upon a Treaty did so iâ—cense the Parliament that notwithstanding all the addresses and overtuâ—â— of their Ambassadours and the comiâ—â— over of two more they could not aâ—â— pease them without satisfaction for thâ— injury Although in severall Papers put 〈◊〉 to the Councell of State they labour to excuse the same alledging That the unhappy Fight between the Shâ—â— of both Commonwealths The Apology of the Dutch Ambassadours for the late affront offered to the English in the Downs did happen withâ— the knowledge and against the wills of 〈◊〉 Lords States Generall of the Netherland taking God the searcher of mens hearts witnesse the same and that by Letters aâ—â— Messages they were dayly assured of the sâ—â—cerity of their said Lords and that with grâ—â— and astonishment they received the satâ—â— News of that unhappy rash action aâ— thereupon fell into consultatation about a râ—medy to mitigate that raw and bloudy wound â—â—d to that end had appointed a solemn meetâ—â—g of all the Provinces whereby they doubtâ—â— not but by Gods favour such present cure 〈◊〉 these troubles may be wrought whereby â—â—t only the outward cause of all further eâ—lls may be taken away but also by an inâ—â—ne comfort the minds may be redressed â—nd reduced again to a better hope of the â—reaty in hand and that this thing was most â—rnestly agitated by their Lords for the comâ—on good of both Nations to shun the detestaâ—le shedding of Christian bloud so much â—â—sired by the enemies of both Nations â—hey therefore erave and beseech this Honorâ—ble Councell by the pledges of common Reâ—gion and Liberty to suffer nothing to be â—one out of too much heat that afterwards â—â—ay prove neither revocable nor repairable â—â—y too late idle vows and wishes but that â—hey might without delay receive a kind Answer which they desire so much the more â—ecause the Ships of their Lords and Shipâ—ers as well in the broad Sea as in the Ports â—â—f this Commonwealth some by force and some â—â—y fighting are kept Unto which the Parliament replyâ—d That calling to mind with what contâ—nued demonstrations of friendship The Parliaments Answer to and resolution thereupon they havâ— demeaned themselves towards their Neighbours of the united Provinces from the beginning of their intestine troubles omitting nothing that might tend to a good correspondency with them do find themselves mucâ— surprized with the uNsuitable returns thaâ— have been made thereunto and especially aâ— the Acts of Hostility lately committed in thâ— very roads of England upon the Ships oâ— this Commonwealth Vpon consideration oâ— all which and of the severall Papers delivered by the Ambassadors into the Councelâ— of State they further answered That as they would be willing to make a charitable construction of the expressions in the said Papers endeavouring to represent the late Engagement of the Fleets to have hapned without the Knowledge and against the Mind of their Superiors So when they consider how disagreeable to that Profession the Revolutions and Actions of your State and their Ministers at Sea have been in the midst of a Treaty offered by themselves and managed here by their Ambassadours the extraordinary preparations of an hundred and fiftie saile of Ships without any visible occasion and the Instructions themselves given by the States to their Commanders at Sea too much cause is found to beleeve that the Lords the States Generall of the united Provinces have an intention by force to usurp the known Right of England in the Seas to destroy the Fleets that are under God their Walls and Bulwarks and thereby to expose this Commonwealth to Invasion at their pleasure as by their late Action they have attempted to do Whereupon the Parliament conceive themselves obliged to endeavour with Gods assistance as they shall have opportunity to seek Reparation of the wrongs already suffered and Security that the like be not attempted for the future Neverthelesse with this mind and desire that all differences betwixt the Nations may if possibly be friendly and peaceably compoled as God shall open a way by his providence thereunto and circumstances shall be conducing to render such endeavours lesse dilatory and more effectuall then those of this kind heretofore usually have been This short and smart answer contained yet something in it that tended to a possibility of an accommodation yet all the severall conferences and debates about this businesse came to nothing but broke quite off The Dutch Ambassadours have audience and depart and in short space after the Ambassadors had audience in Parliament took their leaves and departed And now these two mighty States prepare to offend each other and accordingly Gen. Blake the English Admirall with a gallant and resolute Fleet of ships advances Northward towards the Isles of Orkney to seize upon and hinder all such as they should find fishing on those coasts where he took 12 Dutch men of Warre guarding their Busses but most of the Busses were let go Sir George Ayscue with his Squadron of Ships being left to guard the narrow Sea The Fight between the Dutch and English Fleets neer Plimouth discovered a Fleet of Flemings between Dover and Calice being about 30 of which 10 were taken and burnt the rest ran ashoar on the Coasts of France Many other Prizes were dayly brought in both of the Dutch and French by the Ships and Frigots of this Commonwealth Thence Sir George Ayscue with his Fleet sailed to the Westward to seek out the Dutch Fleet to guard the Seas and to conduct the Merchant-men that lay at Plimouth through the Channel and being about seven or eight Leagues off Plimouth he received intelligence of the Dutch Fleet and presently a Councell of Warre was called upon which they resolved to stand over for the Coast of France as the most probable way to meet with them and the same day being the 16. of Aug. between one and two in the afternoon they had sight of the Dutch Fleet and presently made what saile they could towards them to discover their number being about 60 Sail of Men of Warre and 30 Merchantmen the English were but 38. saile four Fireships and four Scouts yet they came up with the enemy about four in the afternoon and began
go out nor come in nor get together in any one Port whereby to unite and get to a head in which condition I shal for the present leave them Gen. Cromwell and his Councell of Officers having finished their consultations and resolutions about those Persons to whom the Legislative Power of the Nation was to be committed Warrants were issued out to each person so chosen in the three Nations to appear at the Councel-Chamber at Whitehall July 4. 1653. a Copy whereof followes FOr as much as upon the dissolution of the late Parliament it became necessary that the peace safety and good government of this Commonwealth should be provided for and in order thereunto divers persons searing God and of approved fidelity and honesty are by my self with the advice of my Councel of Officers nominated to whom the great charge and trust of so weighty affairs is to be committed And having good assurance of your love to and courage for God and the Interest of his Cause and the good people of this Commonwealth I Oliver Cromwell Captain Generall and Commander in chief of all the Armies and Forces raised and to be raised within this Commonwealth do hereby summon and require you being of the Persons nominated personally to be and appear at the Councel-chamber commonly known or called by the name of the Councel-chamber at White-Hall within the City of Westminster upon the 4 day of July next ensuing the date hereof and then and there to take upon you the said trust unto which you are hereby called and appointed to serve as a Member for the County of _____ And hereof you are not to faile Given under my hand and Seal the _____ day of June 1653. O. Cromwell July 4. The severall Members met accordingly in the Councel-Chamber where was the Lord Gen. Cromwell and many of his Officers about him who standing up made an excellent usefull and seasonable Speech unto them recounting the many wonderfull mercies of God towards this Nation and the continued series of providences by which he had appeared in carrying on this Cause and bringing affairs into the present condition He set forth likewise the progresse of affairs since the famous victory at Worcester as also the actings of the Army thereupon after divers applications to the Parliament and much waiting upon them with the grounds and necessity of their dissolving the late Parliament which he declared to be for the preservation of this Cause and the interest of all honest men who have been engaged therein He in like manner held forth the cleernesse of the call given to the Members then present to take upon them the supreme Authority and from the Scriptures exhorted them to their duties and encouraged them therein He further defired them that a tendernesse might be used towards all conscientious persons of what judgement soever Which having ended his Excellency produced an Instrument under his own hand and Seal whereby he did with the advice of his Officers devolve and intrust the Supreme Authority and Government of this Commonwealth into the hands of the Persons there met Who or any forty of them are to be held and acknowledged the Supreme Authority of the Nation unto whom all persons within the same and the territories thereunto belonging are to yeeld obedience and subjection And that they sit no longer then the 3d. of Novemb. 1654. And three moneths before thein dissolution they were to make choice of other Persons to succeed them who were not to sit above a twelvemoneth and then to take care for a succession in Government Which Instrument being delivered to the Members his Lordship commended them to God and with his Officers withdrew From thence the Members adjourned forthwith to the old Parliament House and there sate de die in diem About this time John Lilburne of whom I have already made mention being a few moneths before banished the Land by an Act of the foregoing Parliament for certain crimes laid to his charge took occasion upon this change of Government to come into England and cast himself upon his Excellency the Lord Generall Cromwell craving his protection in several publick addresses who unwilling to interpose or meddle with affairs of that nature left him to the Law in somuch that he was commited to Newgate and the next Sessions or Gaol-delivery John Lilburn tried at the Sessions in the Old Baily he was brought to triall in the Old-Baily July 13. but nothing was done that day save that Councell was assigned him according to his demand July 14. he was again brought to the Barre but refused to put in his Plea unless he might have a copy of his Indictment which was at length granted him July 15. he appeared at the Barre again but little was done that day July 16. he appeared and delivered in divers Exceptions to the Bill of Indictment which were signed by his Councel and received by the Court which day the Sessions ended so that the businesse was put off to the next Sessions Aug. 13. he appeared before the Bench again and put in an Exception demanding an Oyer of the Judgement given against him in Parliament as well as of the Act grounded thereupon Aug. 16. he appeared again the Point argued on both sides but nothing more was done that day Aug. 20. he was again brought before the Court where he joyned issue and pleaded not guilty whereupon a Jury was impannel'd and Witnesses examined to make good the Charge as also Witnesses on the behalf of the Prisoner who in making his defence held the Court severall hours and in answer thereunto the Councel for the Common-wealth were also heard The Jury having the Charge after hearing the whole businesse withdrew Is quitted by the Jury and about twelve of the clock that night delivered up their Verdict That they found him Not guilty whereupon he was sent back to Newgate and soon after was from thence sent to the Tower where he yet remains Thus you see what endeavours were used to rid the Nation of this inconsiderable fellow by Tryals Banishment and what not but hitherto in vain when as many a gallant Heart farre transcending him in birth and parts have fallen by the sword of Justice in the twinkling of an eye But it may be God hath reserved him to be a greater plague to this Nation whose heart I fear is the seed-plot of sedition and division True it is he is a man of a penetrating judgement quick wit and voluble tongue bold and confident in all his undertakings he is likewise peevish and passionate out of measure affects popularity and is of an implacable spirit not to be appeased but with the bloud of his adversaries Nor can I deny but some of those things he aimed at were honest and usefull for the people but he steered not the right course to attain those ends The condition of the English affairs in Scotland was now much after this sort The state of Scotland although the