for a Treaty with the King the honester and greater part take heart again recall the Votes of Non-Addresses Vote a Treaty send Commissioners with Propositions to the King All which his Majesty fully consented to and there was no difference between him and the Houses but concerniâ—g Presbytery which he granted should be established for three years All men now hoped for a happy settlement But alas now begin the greatest of our woes The Army who could not think their greatness and power would be durable if the King liv'd draw nearer to London petition for their Arrears and for Justice upon the King as the Capitall cause of the Evils of the Civil War to which effect also they publish a Remonstrance requiring withall that a peremptory Day be set for summoning the Prince of VVales and Duke of York and if they refuse to declare them incapable of Government or succession and to stand exiled as Traytors and if they render themselves yet they to be proceeded against for satisfaction with other damands of the like strain To bring their accursed design to passe Fairfax commands Colonel Hammond to deliver up his charge to Colonel Ewer by whom the King is conveyed out of the Isle of VVight to Hurst Castle Novemb. 30. contrary to the intentions and consent of the Parliament as they declar'd And thus the Treaty was violenty broken off Yet the Lords Vote the King's concessions a sufficient ground for Peace and so do the major part of the Commons But the Army march up to London discharge the Trained Bands from guarding the Parliament and order Pride's and Rich's Regiments to supply their places by whom above fourty Members are seiz'd on and confin'd Major General Brown ninety odde Members excluded the House Then the Army form a new Model of Government which they stile The Agreement of the people destructive to all the Fundamental Laws of the Land which was presented to the new molded House by Sir Hardres VValler and 16. Officers The House hereupon annull the Votes against Non-addresses and exclude all Members that will not joyn with them in this proceeding They then proceed to order the Tryall of the King and remove him though the Lords refus'd to concurre and declare no act of the Commons binding without their consent However force overcomes all Right Reason A pretended High Court of Iustice is erected of which Iohn Bradshaw newly created Serjeant at Law is made President The King is brought before them upon Saturday the 20 of Ianuary 1648. on Monday the 22. on Tuesday the 23. and on Saturday the 27. of the same moneth where persisting with magnanimity and reason to deny the power of the Court and being most impudently and insolently treated by Bradshaw he is condemned to be beheaded for Tyranny Treason and Murder According to which sentence having taken leave of his Children here is England and sent his blessing to his son in Holland he was put to death before White-hal Gate upon Tuesday the 30. of Ianuary the Dutch and French Embassadours in behalf of his Majesty made intercession for his life The Scottish Parliament publish'd a Remonstrance against the Parliaments Proceedings The Ministry of London declar'd their disallowance before God and Men The House of Peers offer'd themselves as pledges for his Sacred Majesty but all prevailed nothing The barbarous Iuncto are inexorable being made so desperate by their own guilt that they thought nothing could secure their former crimes but this impious detestable and unparallel'd murther of their Sovereign During his Majesties tryall which was carried on with all expedition and speed the Prince who could not be satisfi'd of that strange turn from a Treaty to a Tryall writ the following Letter to his Father by the Lord Seymour SIR HAving no means to come to the knowledge of your Majestie 's affairs but such as I receive from the Prints or whiâ—h is as uncertain reports I have sent this bearer Seymour to wait upon your Majâ—sty and to bring me an account of it and that I may withall assure your Majesty I do not only pray for your Majesty according to my duty but shall alwaies be ready to do all which shall be in my power to deserve the blessing which I now humbly beg of your Majesty upon Sir Your Majestie 's most humble and most obedient Son and Servant CHARLES Hague Ian. 23. 1648. But alas Sad were the tydings the Lord Seymour return'd with into Holland the most inhumane illegall and barbarous murther of the King of Great Britain by the hands of his English Subjects An Act which struck all Europe with horror and amazement and which certainly our Posterity will eternally detest To represent the sorrow and affliction of our Illustrious Prince with his Royal Brother the Duke of York and his Sister of Orange without doubt surpasses all the power of words No Prince ever lost a Father whom he was to succeed in Royalty with greater regret and indeed all circumstances consider'd I conceive no mortal man had ever greater occasion of grief Certainly had not the extraordinary grace of God supported him he could never have borne up against it I know not how better to resent his passionate resentment then by imitating the old Grecian Painter who being to pourtray Agamemnon present at the sacrifice of his Daughter represented all his followers weeping and lamenting but drew a veil over the Father's face as hiding the transcendent passion his Pencil was unable to expresse A few dayes before the King's death the Commons voted the style in Writs and all Judicial proceedings to be altered from Carolus Dei gratia c. the Great Seal with the Royal Scutcheon of England to be broken and a new one made with the Armes of England the Harp of Ireland with these words The Great Seal of England engraven on one side and on the Reverse the picture of the House of Commons sitting with these words In the first year of Freedome by God's blessing restored 1648. On the evening of that black day on which his Majesty suffered a Proclamation was set forth by the Iuncto prohibiting all persons upon pain of High Treason to presume to declare or publickly to promote Charles Stuart styled Prince of Wales eldest son of the late King or any of the rest of his Children to be King of England In pursuance of which determination having taken their King out of the way they proceed against Kingship and constitute a select Number of themselves joyn'd with the General and chief Officers of the Army in the Supreme authority The House of Peers is voted dangerous and unnecessary and an Act pass'd and proclaim'd in the City of London for the abolishing of Kingly Government and settling these Nations in way of a Free State It was also published 1. That it should be Treason to speak against this Form of Goverment 2. That it should be Treason for any to endeavour the exercise of Kingships in these Nations in his
Speaker and was the same day feasted by Iohn Kendrick Mayor of London From whence he never after went forth upon any expedition About the latter end of October the Island of Iersey was reduc'd by Colonel Hain and General Blake from Sea and the Isle of Man was surrender'd to Colonel Duckenfield upon Articles by the Countesse of Derby whose renowned pious and valiant Lord was at Chester adjudgeed to death for engaging with the King at VVorcester by a Council of War after quarter given and beheaded at Bolton in Lancashire on the 15. of October with the teares and lamentations of most of the Spectatours Severall executions were also done upon others by shooting or hanging in divers places for the same cause as on Sir Timothy Fetherstonehaugh Captain Bendbow c. They were tryed upon the pretended Act made after the King 's coming into England viz. Aug. 12. 1651. prohibiting correspondence with his Majesty or his party under the penalty of High Treason His Majesty having upon his arrival at Paris been visited congratulated by the King Queen Nobles of France had a Princely Attendance assigned him and lodgings in the Louvre where he lead a retired life in expectation of some happier opportunity which it might please Providence to present him with for the recovery of his Kingdomes which he had now small hopes to obtain by the assistance of his own Subjects in either of them England being so strictly overaw'd by the numerous Army kept on foot for that purpose and Scotland and Ireland being in a manner wholly subdued by the English Armes Yet in Scotland there were still some small Forces up in the North as the Marquis of Huntley with about 1500. men and the Lord Belcarris The Marquis of Argyle also fortified his houses at Ander-arran and Lorne the Castles in Arran Island and was expected to join with 4000. with the former Moreover the Clergy were still very high against the English But it seemes the designes of the Noble men were onely to make themselves considerable that they might treat upon better termes For shortly after the Marquis of Huntly made his peace the Lord Belcarris divers other Lords came in to the protection of Lieut. Gen. Monck and Argyle having made an attempt to summon a Parliament and shuffled off and on for some moneths at length submitted and afterwards testified under his hand his agreement to the making of Scotland a Commonwealth with England and protested fidelity to it as establisht without King or House of Lords c. Upon which termes he was left at liberty with assurance to enjoy his Estate Had these Lords been cordiall to the Royall interest to which they had so solemnly sworne a little while before they might easily have maintain'd the Highlands against all opposition these places being naturally almost inaccessible and invincible Notwithstanding this low posture of his Majestie 's affairs he was treated with much honour by the Princes and Nobility in France and Madamoiselle de Orleans daughter to the late Duke of that Title being a very rich Princesse worth 60000. per annum and Soveraign Dutchesse of Montpensier shew'd great inclinations towards him in relation to marriage It is also reported that there was a match designed between his Majestie 's Brother the Duke of York and a daughter of the Duke of Longueville a Prince descended from the Royall House of France who was by her mother heire to the rich possessions of the Count of Soissons But the great troubles arising about that time between the King and the Princes of the Blood hinder'd the successe the Duke of Orleans and his Daughter being far ingag'd with the Prince of Conde against the King of France in a civil War occasioned by the imperiousness of Cardinal Mazarine who during the King's minority had by means of his great favour with the Queen ingrossed the whole Government of that Kingdome in a manner into his own hands usurp'd an inordinate power and all the grand offices had committed several enormous miscarriages during the Queen Mother's Regency The Princes of the Blood and generality of the Nation became so incensed against him hereby that an Arrest was passed by the Parliament of Paris for the banishment of the said Cardinal who thereupon retired to Colen and all his goods were confiscated But the Queen having a great inclination to bring him back again into France the Duke of Orleance and Conde vehemently opposed it and when no accommodation could be made the Prince withdrew his forces which he commanded for the King's service against the Spaniard to Stenay a strong Garrison where making great levies he got a considerable power into the field The Cities also of Paris and Bourdeaux owned the Prince's cause and quarrel Whereupon the King rais'd a great Army commanded by Marshal Turein and Count de Harcourt Several encounters pass'd between them the Illustrious Duke of York first serving as a Volunteer and afterwards commanding a Regiment at the siege of Estampes where he behav'd himself extreme honourably in two conflicts The Cardinal in the mean time return'd into France with 6000. men and the Princes on the other side invited the Duke of Lorrain to their assistance who had a mercenary Army of 10000. in the service of the King of Spain His Majesty of Great Britain understanding sufficiently the fatal effects of civill combustions partly out of sincere intentions for the good of France and partly out of the consideration of the advantageousnesse of its peace to his own affairs interceeded as a Mediatour between the King and the discontented Princes and his motion was gratefully accepted of by both Parties and thereupon Deputies were sent severall times by the Princes to represent their grievances but the King of France persisted resolute not to part with the Cardinal though the King of England urg'd him as far as possible to gratifie his incensed subjects if not by dismissing him altogether yet at least by sending him upon some honourable foreign imployment Of all which generous endeavours this noble prudent and Christian Prince obtain'd no other fruit but an extreme hatred from Mazarine At the same time his Majesty imployed himself in reconciling the French King and his subjects upon hopes of those endeavours succeeding he thought fit to deal with the Duke of Lorrain to transport his Army into Ireland where some Garrisons still held out Which affair was so far proceeded in that Articles were drawn up between the Duke of Lorrain and the Lord Taaf on behalf of his Majesty by which it was agreed amongst other things That the Duke should at his own charges land an Army of 10000. for the reducing of Ireland to his Majesty That he should be invested with the Title of Protector Royal of Ireland and have four Towns put into his hands for security for his disbursements with restrictions and cautions But these Articles never came to be signed partly because the Duke was conscious of his
1200. which were in the field on the Marquesse's side 200. were slain and all the rest taken saving about a hundred who escaped by flight Among the Prisoners of note were Major General Sir Iohn Vrrey the Lord Frendraught Sir Francis Hay of Dalketie Colonel Hay of Naughton Colonel Grey Lieutenant Colonel Stuart with a great number of other considerable officers and two Ministers The Royal Standard was also taken in which was pourtrayed the Head of the late King lying a bleeding and severed from the body with this Motto IUDGE AND REVENGE MY CAUSE O LORD The Marquesse himself when he saw the day loft threw away his Cloak which had the Star on it having receiv'd the order of the Garter a little while before deserted his horse changed his habit with a Hâ—ghlander and fled The news of this Victory was so welcome to the State and Kirk of Scotland that they rewarded Straughan with 1000. l. sterling and gratifi'd other officers And to assure it they order narrow search to be made for Montrosse propounding a great summe to any that should apprehend him He had continued three or four dayes in the open fields without meat or drink with onely one man in his company till at lenght in this starving condition he discoverd himself to the Lord Aston who had formerly been a friend of his But his adversity and the promised reward made him now be lookt upon under another notion so that either out of fear or covetousnesse or both this Lord sends this Illustrious but unfortunate Heroe with a strong guard to David Lesley by whom he was forthwith sent to Edenburgh into which he was carried with all the ignominy malice assisted with zeal could invent all which he underwent with extraordinary constancy and magnanimity He was brought to the Towns end upon a Cart-horse and at the Gates he was met by some officers and the Executioner in his Livery Coat They put him into a high seat in fashion of a Chariot and bound him about the breast and armes with a cord into a Chair The Executioner being so commanded took off the Marquesse his hat and the chariot being drawn with four horses put on his own bonnet mounted one of the first horses and so very solemnly drive along to the Tol booth He had at that time many wounds about him but none uncurable The Parliament had resolv'd before-hand what sentence to pronounce upon him but the more to disgrace him and to act with formality and insolence He was brought before them where he appeared in a rich attire with an undaunted countenance His chief adversaries were Argile an inveterate enemy to loyalty and consequently to this Noble Marquis Lowdon the Chancellor Ker and Cassells who was gone in Commission to the King but especially the fleabitten Ministers of Edinburgh a generation of people whose courses and practises are detested by all that understand any thing of the sobriety of Christian Religion Being brought to the Bar of the House the Chancellour told him first That he must kneel at the Bar. Whereunto he answer'd My Lord I shall with all my heart observe any posture you shall appoint mâ— to appear before you in whereby I may minifest to you that I freely submit to the authority of Parliament and to this present Parliament in a more especiall manner because you have concluded so near a Conjunction with his Majesty my Master in the late Treaty After which the Chancellor made a Speech to him the substance whereof was this SIR I am commanded to mind you of the last judgement of God befallen you for your perfidious breaking of the Covenant which might justly provoke God thus to divert your counsels and affairs for having been so eminent an Author and Actor of mischief against this Nation You abandoned the Covenant and despised the Oath of God invaded your Native Country and with most inhumane and barbarous cruelty burnt and wastest divers parts thereof and have spilt much blood of his Majestie 's good Subjects taking advantage of that time when the prime Commanders forces thereof were imploy'd elsewhere For these Crimes you were excommunicated by the Church and sore-faulted by the Parliament of this Kingdome and yet still continued in the highest contempt against God under that fearfull sentence of excommunication And to this day have you remained without the least shew of Repentance And God by his Providence hath now justly brought you hither to receive the Sentence of your Condemnation Hereunto the Illustrious Prisoner having defir'd and obtain'd liberty answer'd My Lord I am glad that I may to answer for my self Though I am here your prisoner yet my cause is good Nor is there any breach of the Covenant on my part in which I swore to be true to his Majestie his Heirs and Successors Concerning what I have done in relation to the VVars affairs of this Kingdome I had not onely a General Commission but particular Orders for what I have done from his Majesty which I was engag'd to obey by the said Covenant And concerning my coming over now I was assertain'd that you had profest to comply with his Majesty in the present Affairs in which he hath employ'd me and upon that Account it was that I have acted I desire to refer my self and to submit unto this present Parliament and the authority thereof to be my Iudges in this Case whom I own as a true Parliament by authority from his Majesty and I shall be content however it shall please God to deal with me As for my Life if you take it away by this Authority it is well known to the VVorld I regard it not Death is a debt which all owe and must once be pay'd by every one And I shall be willing and much rejoice to goe the same way which my Master pass'd before me and it is the joy of my heart not onely to do but also to suffer for him After he had pronounced this with a very composed gravity even to the admiration of all that heard him he was commanded to withdraw The Parliament were not long in debate but unanimously resolv'd upon this Sentence of Condemnation which he being recall'd was pronounc'd against him You are to be carried back to the place from whence you came and from thence to morrow being the 21. of May 1650. to Edenburgh Crosse there to be hanged on a Gallowes 30. foot high for the space of 3. hours with your History Declaration about your neck and then to be taken down and your head cut off upon the Scaffold and set upon Edenburgh Talbooth and your legs and armes over the gates of the Cities of Sterling Dundee Glasgow and Aberdeen your Trunk to be buried in the common place for Thieves and Robbers except the Kâ—rk take off your excommunication This sentence aggravated by the Chancellor in the utmost terms of horrour his spleen could invent was undismaiedly receive d by the noble Marquesse who answered That he took
it for a greater to have his head stand on the Prison gate for this quarrel then to have his P cture in the King's Bed-chamber And least his Loyalty should be forgotten they had highly honoured him in designing lasting monuments to bear up his memoriall to all posterity wishing he had flesh enough to have sent a piece to every City in Christendome to witnesse his Loyalty to his King and Countrey The next day having prepar'd his soul for Heaven he marcht magnanimously to the Scaffold and notwithstanding all the interruptions of the bitter spirited Priests having made a sober speech to the people underwent the cruell sentence with all the ignominious circumstances to his owne perpetuall glory and the everlasting reproach of his Enemies Thus dyed this incomparable Marquis of immortal fame a great example of unfortunate Virtue whose barbarous murder I have more particularly related because it discovers the temper of that Covenanted party who put him to death Posterity certainly will esteem his memory and account his Iudges deserving a more exquisite punishment for this and other their inhumane actions then that they inflicted on him if it be possible for the quintessence of malice to invent a greater Within a few dayes after four other Noble Gentlemen suffer'd for the same cause Sir Iohn Vrr y notwithstanding he pleaded the benefit of quarter Col. Spotswood Laird of Darcy Sir Francis Hay and Col. Sibbald though they had the favour to be beheaded Such was the fate of his Majestie 's affairs in Scotland and the brave persons that manag'd them and such was the unparallel'd insolence of the Scots who dar'd to murther his best friends while they were in Treaty with him upon a base and ungenerous presumption that the lownesse of his condition would enforce him to put up patiently so high and detestable an indignity Which indeed he was constrain'd to doe as his affairs then stood When the newes was brought to his Majesty at Breda he was much stâ—rtled at it and exprest his Resentment of their proceedings by a Message sent them by Mr. Murrey That he was griev'd to hear it credibly reported that notwithstanding those hopefull overtures of Peace lately made between him and them they had shed the blood of some of his best Subjects of the Kingdome of Scotland and that the manner thereof according to Reports did extremely trouble him But that he might understand the Particulars more certainly he desir'd an account of the business from themselves In answer to this they profess'd their affections were still reall to him and their Hearts much joy'ed to hear of his willingness to concur with them in a happy agreement And desir'd him not to stumble at some seeming Obstacles as the Death of Montrosse or their reducing of his Forces Assuring him there was nothing in what they did but to accomplish his Ends and promote his Interests to his best Advantage This zealous Nation do's God and the King good service when they illegally and inhumanely murder their fellow-Christians and Subjects These actions of the Scots and the business of the Covenant were the main impediments of the Treaty But the murder of Montrosse though it might justly have deterr'd his Majesty from trusting himself into those hands which reak'd with his best servants Blood could not be redress'd and his necessities enforc'd him to dissemble all further resentment of it As for the Covenant he argu'd that it was the Subjects Covenant to bind them to their King and not for him to swear to and therefore he thought it sufficient to passe an Act for his People to take it He likewise offered to confirme the Presbyterian Government in Scotland Provided that himself might have alwaies three Chaplaines of his own Election As also to confirm the Militia in the Hands of the Estates for five years Provided that afterwards it might return to himself These particulars were agreed to so a conclusion put to the Treaty The newes whereof being carry'd to Edenburgh the Parliament forthwith met and the fourth Faction which I mention'd viz. such as corresponded with the Sectarian Iunto of England were so strangely and ridiculously impudent as to put it to the Vote whether any more Adddresses should be made to the King it seemed they desir'd to ape the abominable Monsters at Westminster who pass'd a Vote of Non addresses after his late Majesty had consented to all their demands there were 32. of these malevolent Negatives but the major part carried it in the Affirmative Whereupon a Message was resolv'd upon to be sent to him wherein they invited him To make all possible speed to come to his Kingdome of Scotland and protested They would assist him with their lives and fortunes to establish him in all his Dominions Yet withall they forbore not to advertise him they had Testimonies to produce of his actings by Letters to Montross having belike intercepted 3. or 4. contrary to his promise to them at the Treaty at Breda as they pretended However they were willing out of speciall grace to dispense with him for what was past so that he would without delay according to the Articles of Agreement come over into Scotland and comply with the Parliament and the Kirk After this they betook themselves to make preparations for his Reception Two of the chiefest Houses in Edenburgh were richly furnisht and the Parliament took into consideration the nominating Officers for his Majesties Household which they did with much arrogance not permitting those to wait upon him whom he chiefly favoured whom he judg'd best affected towards him and by Proclamation prohibiting severall great Scotch Lords as Duke Hamilton the Earls of Louderdale and S aforth with many other persons of Quality who had constantly attended on him in Iersey and Holland from returning into Scotland Thus we have seen the deportment of the Covenanters towards his Majesty and Friends during his absence we now come to relate their actions after he took possession personally of the Kingdome of Scotland Which after the conclusion of the Treaty he did not delay to doe but about the beginning of Iune he left the Hague and took shipping at Scheveling in Holland By the way he was in some danger by reason of a tedious storm and certain English ships which ply'd about the Coast to way-lay him but with some difficulty he escaped both and arrived safe at a place called the Spey in the North of Scotland whither some Lords were sent to receive and accompany him to Edenburgh All the way he was entertain'd with the generall joy and acclamations of the people At Dundee new Propositions were by Commissioners from the Parliament and Kirk presented to him to sign which after some reluctancy he performed The town presented him of Aberdeen with 1500. l. But the Committee of Estates sent to severall places who had the same intentions enjoyning them whatever Plate or mony they had to bestow to bring the same into such a Treasury as they
his friends from about him usurping the whole Government of all affairs both Ecclesiastical and Civil into their own hands and placing guards about his Person c. secretly escapes from St. Iohnston's in much discontent in order as some think to going beyond Sea accompanied onely with four Horsemen toward the North of Scotland where the Marquis of Huntkey the Earls of Athol and Seaforth Lords Ogleby and Newburgh with the Gourdons and the men of Athol were ready to appear for him with a considerable force The Committee of Estates at St. Iohnston's were much surpris'd and troubled at this departure of his Majesty especially for that they fear'd he was gone to Mai. Gen. Middleton and the Athol men who were purely for his interest disclaiming the Kirk's authority with that of Parliament and Estates for the appeasing of whom an Act of Indempnity was offer'd them which they contemning and falling upon and worsting Sir Iohn Browes Regiment Lieut. Gen. Lesley is commanded forth against them In the mean time while the Parliament and Committee of Estates are consulting and debating what course to take with the King some propounding That since he had deserted them they should look no more after him but leave him to his own wayes the more moderate judging it fit rather to testifie to his Majesty their sorrow for his departure and desire him graciously to return a different Faction of the Covenanters under the command of Straughan and Kerr in the West set forth a Remonstrance to the Committee of Estates taxing them of imprudence and temerity in hastning to conclude a Treaty with receiving entertaining the King before he had given any convincing evidence of a reall change after his commissioning Montrosse to invade Scotland judging his profession of the Cause the Covenant meerly counterfeit as appear'd by his favouring Scotch and English Malignants as they termed them And for these reasons they absolutely refus'd to submit to his power and authority Of this Faction bisides Kerr and Straughan were the Lord VVarreston lately a Member of our pretended Committee of Safety and Sir Iohn Chiesy An accommodation was endeavoured to be made between them and the Estates at St. Iohnston's but they stood off and declar'd against King and Lords on the one side and the Sectarian English Army on the other Thus was this poor Nation divided among themselves whilst at the same time a mercilesse forraign enemy was ravaging in the bowels of it However the Committee of Estates and Kirk several of whose great sticklers were become very inclinable to his Majestie resolve at length to dispatch Maj. Gen. Montgomery with a party of Horse after him humbly to intreat his return Montgomery upon inquiry understanding that his Majesty was at the L. Dedup's House in the North confines of Fife hastens thither and first surrounding the House enters and upon his knees acquaints the King what desires he brought from the Committee of Estate But he absolutely refus'd at first as not enduring the Subjection they had made him live in The news whereof brought to the Estates set the Kirk Party such as favouâ—'d the English Sectaries a gog again who hereupon were very violent for no more Addresses to be made to him whose motion began to have some influence upon the rest In the mean time his Majestie was urgently solicited by the Marq. of Huntly the Athol men that rose for him in the North to adhere solely to them undertaking to secure him against the Kirk and all others To which invitation he seem'd very prone to hearken so that the Breach betwixt him and the Covenanted Party who brought him in was near become irreconcilable But the consideration of the danger which might redound from the forraign Enemy by occasion of this division the concession of some propositions together with the importunity of Montgomery the industry of some attendants about him induc'd him to returne back with the Maj. Gen. to St. Iohnston's And it was judg'd requisite to unite all parties if possible against the common Enemy to which purpose Huntly and Middleton were treated with who refus'd to submit and marcht up within a mile of St. Iohnston's where they had like to have been engag'd by David Lesley But upon some concessions as to be admitted into places of Trust c. a Treaty was concluded One would have thought now the service against the Common Destroyer of their Country would have been unanimously carried on yet this reconciliation begat another fewd as if the zealots of this Nation had been infatuated purposely for their own ruin The Ministers of Sterling were so farre trom consenting to this Treaty that they past the Sentence of Excommunication upon Middleton in defiance of the Estates at St. Iohnston's and being summon'd thither to a general meeting to be held here consisting of King Lords Barons Burgesses and Assembly of Ministers to consult for the good safety of the King Kingdome and Kirk they refused and advised the Estates to be at a greater distance from the King his Council and rather to come to Sterling But at length with much adoe they were brought to go to St. Iohnston's Much time had been lost in these fatall differences and the publick safety was neglected whilest men minded the satisfaction of their own perverse and malicious humours It was now highly requisite to look about them therefore Middleton was imploy'd with a Commission and Instructions from his Majestie who well enough understood that the safety of himself and that Nation depended wholly on the unanimity of his Subjects to treat with some forces in the Hâ—ghlands who still refused to submit The grand Assembly convene as the first evidences of concord divers Scotch Lords formerly in disfavour with the Kirk were received into the Army or the Parliament as Duke Hamilton the Lords Lauderdale Buchaim Leith Dedup Crawford and of the English Major General Massey was admitted to a command in the Army Col. Ker in the West of Scotland who had stood off from all parties hitherto at length so far comply'd with the Kirk-Grandees that he took Straughan prisoner who by Cromwel's inveglement inclin'd to side with the English a right Scot. But not long after Kerr was defeated and taken by Maj. Gen. Lambert a just reward consequence of his seditious discord About the beginning of October some Gentlemen and others in Norfolk took Armes against the Tyranny of the pretended Parliament declaring for the restitution of the Ancient Government of the Land by a King and the Lawes but the County Militia and some Forces from Lin suddenly dispersed them taking some whom afterwards by a solemn new way of murder first practis'd at VVestminster upon the late King and afterwards in most places of England upon his friends they put to death at Norwich A little before this they likewise executed at Tyburn one Mr. Benson for having been guilty of the same pretended Treason with Col. Eusebius Andrewes formerly
beheaded On Decemb. 24. Edenburgh Castle having endur'd a violent siege 3. Moneths surrender'd to Cromwel so did other strong Castles places as Nesbit Berthwick and Roswell c. so successfull were their Impious Armes by God's providence who was pleas'd to use them as a scourge for these sinfull Nations Preparations in the mean time were made for the Coronation of his Majesty for the celebrating of which the 1. of Ianuary had been long before design'd by the Estates The place was the Town of Scoon where 150. Kings of that Nation had formerly been Crown'd Thither therefore his Majesty with the Nobility Barons and Burgesses in their robes remove'd the whole Scotch Army standing all the way as a guard making a lane between those two places The solemnity was performed with as much Pompe and Ceremony as the present State of things would permit and with loud Acclamations Bonefires shooting of Guns c. His Majesty having first heard a Sermon preacht by Mr. Rob. Douglas sitting upon a Scaffold erected in the Church of Scoone took the ordinary Coronation Oath and subscribed the National Covenant with the solemn League and Covenant After which he ascended upon a Stage a little Higher then the former sate down in the Throne when the people being demanded four times by the King at Armes VVhether they were willing to accept of King CHARLES for their King becomâ— subject to his Commandments express'd their consent with loud Acclamations God save King CHARLES the Second This being done his Majesty was cloathed by the Lord Chamberlain with his Royall Robes the Crown was set upon his Head by the Marquiss of Argyle and the Scepter put into his hand the Sword was girt about him by the Earle Marshall and the Spurs put on by the Earle of Eglington Then the Nobility being called by the Herald one by one swore allegiance fealty to his Majesty touching the Crown upon his head with their right Hand in these Words By the Eternal Almighty God who liveth reigneth for ever I shall support thee to the uttermost The people also holding up their hands swore obedience to hiâ— Mâ—â—â—sty according to the usuall Oath And to conclude â—ll an exhortatory Oration was made by Mr. Rob. Duglasse and a Prayer Which being done his Majesty and the Nobility departed out of the Church in the former Order and Pompe the Earle of Glencarn carrying the Sword before him The Ceremonies being thus ended his Majesty and the Nobility were intertain'd at a Stately and Magnificent Dinner which done they all return'd to St. Iohnston's in the same manner they came in his Majesties Guard consisting of the Sons of divers great Scotch Lords and other Members of Parliament the Captain whereof was the Lord of Lorne Son to Argile I have omitted the full relation of all the passages at his Majesties Inauguration because they have been already frequently publish'd and lest they should adde too much to the bulk of this volume This business being over it behoved his Majesty to provide for the defence of his Crown and Kingdome in order whereunto he set up his Standerd at Aberdeen to which a considerable number of men in a short time repaired of whom himself was General Duke Hamilton Lieut. General of the Army David Lesley Major General Middleton Lieut. Gen. of the Horse and Massey Commander in chief of all the English Forces The Parliament of Scotland which had adjourn'd during his Majestie 's Coronation reassembled about the beginning of March and much contest there was for several Lords of the Royal Party to be admitted to their Seats in the House which by reason of the opposition of the Kirk-assemblies at Sterling and Aberdeen could not be obtain'd till they had pass'd the Stool of Repentance which Duke Hamilton did with some kind of splendour having a Table plac'd before him covered with black Velvet with a Cushion of the same and making a great Feast that day In this Session a Committee was appointed to consider of the State of Affairs and examine obstructions by whom severall persons that were found to hold correspondence with the English Army had their Estates sequestred and some were try'd for their lives Arguile at the same time and other Covenanteer Lords repining at the admission of the Royall Lords into the Parliament Army as if they should thereby become overpower'd or utterly discarded And indeed to these two pernicious qualities Treachery and particular Ambition peculiar almost to that Nation his Majestie 's and that Kingdome 's ensuing misfortunes ought to be ascrib'd In the mean time his Majesty was very active in modelling his new Army whose Rendezvouse was at the East of Fife encouraging them many times with his presence and speech the English gaine two very strong Castles Hume and Trimptallon lying between Berwick and Edenburgh the former by Colonel Fenwick and the other by Colonel Monck But to prevent their further progresse his Majesty personally visited all the Garrisons of Fife and put them in a posture to hinder the English from landing on that side the Frith after which he went to the Assembly at Aberdeen to endeavour by his presence and authority to compose Dissentions And having taken this order at home he imploy'd the Earle of Dumferling Ambassadour into Holland Mr. Crofts into Russia besides others into other Nations to solicite for assistance Thus he acquitted himself as far as humane prudence could reach but abroad his Ambassadours receiv'd nothing but fruitlesse promises and empty complements amongst whom Sir Henry Hide Lieger at Constantinople had the worst fortune for I know not upon what contest between him and Sir Thomas Bendish that lay there in behalf of the New State Bendish got him into his hands and sent him over into England where as other Loyall Subjects had formerly been he was formally tryed before a parcel of Murderers in apretended High Court of Iustice condemned and beheaded near the Old Exchange in London on March 4. 1650. A person he was of great parts honesty and loyalty Of the same cup also and from the same hands tasted Captain Brown Bushel an expert Seaman who had lately done notable service for his Majesty by sea He was beheaded on Tower-hill on the 25. of April 1651. But to proceed No considerations could unite the dissenting Covenanted Scots The Clergy like fire brands were as eager to ruine their Countrey with their tongues as the Sectarian Army could be with the sword Guthry Cant Duram Galespy men of hot spirits inflaming inconsiderable discontents to high outrages as if a spirit of division had wholly possess'd them and so perverted their judgements that petty animosities were prosecuted with greater zeal then the publick Cause Malignants it seems had commands given them and grew potent this was the ground of contest Some covenanted Lords too either for that they were Kirk-ridden or blinded with envy and ambition began to be dissatisfi'd whereupon Louden was discharged from being
them There his Majesty hop'd to have gotten convenience of transportation into France but his expectations fail'd him for no Master of a Vessel durst undertake to waft over any single person unlesse he knew certainly beforehand what he were So that it being a Town of great resort his Majesty was enforc'd to depart from it Whither he went afterwards is not hitherto certainly known Nor ha's it pleas'd his Majesty or that Lady to discover to any Severall passages are written to have hapned indangering his discovery both at Bristol and elsewhere but the relators have not the least ground for any of them and have rather chosen to gratify vulgar readers with impertinent fictions then to confesse their ignorance of that which they did not and cannot yet know The loyall Lady in all her journeys with his Majesty comported her self with extraordinary prudence and fidelity expressing her observance as often as opportunity safely permitted it and at other times acting her part in the disguise with much caution and discretion A further relation of his Majestie 's progresse in England and the manner of his transportation into France assoon as it comes to our hands from the honorable person who besides his Majesty is now alone able to impart it shall be presented to the world In the mean time I am glad I can record that he took ship at Brighthempston in Sussex about the end of October 1651. and having by the Divine Providence escaped the greatest dangers imaginable in England and some too upon the Sea landed safely at Diep in Normandy where he stay'd not but went forthwith to Roan and from thence dispatch'd Letters to Paris to give notice of his arrival and in the interim was furnisht with accommodations befitting his quality by the Duke of Longueville Intelligence of his safe arrivall being brought to Paris the Duke of Orleance his Majestie 's noble and generous Uncle sent his own Coach for him which met him on the way as far as Magny and coming nearer the City he was met by a company of Nobles and Gentlemen and conducted to the Louvre Entertainment was there forthwith provided for him and the Queen his Mother and the Duke of Orleance visited him the same night The next day also the Duke of Orleance and Madamoiselle his daughter visited him together with the Dukes of Beaufort and Guise Marshal Turein and other of the great Peers and Nobles of France congratulating his happy deliverance Nor was it long before the King of France and the Queen Mother did the like expressing their regret for his Majestie 's disasters and the great interest they took in his safety Thus I have drawn into as narrow compasse as I could the particulars and circumstances of his Majestie 's preservation in each of which is remarkable his great patience and goodnesse and withall his exemplary fortitude in undergoing the greatest calamities that could befall a Prince on this side death I have perhaps made too long a story of it for this little Volume but it was for the Reader 's sake who I hope will be stirr'd up by it to praise the King of kings that deliver'd his Anointed from becoming a prey to those that thirsted after his bloud Certainly not only we but even the succeeding generations will have cause to blesse the Divine Providence for that in the midst of his judgements upon these Nations he was pleased to preserve so precious a mercy for them in store to the end that having been sufficiently chasten'd with the Scorpions of bloudy and tyrannical Governours for their sins against their natural pious and gracious Sovereign they might in due time be restor'd to the blessings which they had forfeited under the government of his excellent Son and his posterity to the end of the world In the pursuit after this fatal battle were taken besides the Earles of Dâ—rby Lauderdale Cleaveland and his son the Lord Wentworth the Earle of Kenmore David Lâ—â—lâ—y Lieutenant General Middleton Major General Vandruske the Lord Spyne Sir VVilliam Fleming with many others of quality Of 3000. horse which fled 1000. were taken about Beudley in Staffordshire more in other places partly by souldiers and partly by rising parties of Countrey people who barberously knock'd many stragglers on the head in Yorkshire Cheshire Lancashire Shropshire and VVarwickshire Major General Massey having with many wounds upon him escaped out of the field and finding himself unable for flight yielded himself to the civility and mercy of the Countesse of Stamford to which he was induc'd upon the Account of former friendship he having been Major General under the Earle her husband in the Wars between his late Majesty and the Parliament How far this Ladie 's generosity extended I know not but her son the Lord Grey of Groby understanding it forthwith secured him as a Prisoner till his wounds were cured and then he was sent up to the Parliament and committed to the Tower from whence he escaped not long after by an ingenious wile and went into France to his Majestie The news of this victory caused great rejoycing amongst the pretended Parliament who now look't upon their new Commonwealth as founded to Eternity And to tell the World that they were the Favourites of Heaven and that God had owned their cause a day of solemn Thanksgiving was appoint'd throughout the whole Nation And indeed though there was nothing miraculous in the victory the Parliamentarians being six times the number of the Royallists yet it may be said to have been the Work of God and they the instruments of his wrath upon the people of this Land and the scourges of God as Attila that terrible destroyer of Christendome was once called Flagellum Dei The only Miracle was his Majestie 's deliverance in which the King of kings was pleased to remember mercy in judgement and give us cause to adore his Providence both in afflicting this Nation in this excellent Prince and suffering wicked Tyrants Murderers and Oppressours to prosper in the mean time preserving him in whom our hopes lay from the hands of his bloud-thirsty enemies And as if successe attended impious Armes the Garrisons of Scotland fell every day into the power of the English Sterling Castle was deliver'd to Colonel Monck while Cromwell was at VVorcester and in it great store of warlike Ammunition with many of the Royal Ensignes Old General Lesley Earle of Leven with several other Scotch Lords intending to have levied a party of men for his Majesty to have rais'd the siege of that strong and loyal Town Dundee were surprized by a party of English horse shortly after which the Town was taken by storme and the City of St. Andrews and Aberdeen with other Towns Castles and Forts surrendred upon summons On the 12. of September Cromwel entred triumphantly into London having sent the poor captive Scots thither before him and on the 16. he went to the Parliament-House and had a congratulatory Oration made to him by Lenthal the
disability to goe through with the enterprise and defray the charges of it and partly because he was at the same time dealt with underhand by the King of France to relinquish the Prince's party and offer'd by him such termes as they were not able to give him And as ill fortune would have it the manner of discovery of their agreemenâ— made the King of England be lookt upon as the Agent and procurer of it For the French King's Army under Turenne marching into Brie in view of the Lorrain Army the Duke of Beaufort was extreme desirous to encounter with them To which purpose he went into the field where he found King Charles and the Duke of York with the Duke of Lorrain who upon the approach of Beaufort presently withdrew And then this Duke urging him of Lorrain to fight found an extreme coldnesse in him to the business and presently after understood his conjunction with the Court-interest Whereupon the incensed Princes exclaimed against the perfidiousnesse of the Duke of Lorrain and against the English Princes as the causes of it Who though they made it sufficiently apparent that their transactions with the Duke of Lorrain were wholly about another affair yet the indignation of the Princes and people for this collusion so blinded their reasons that they would not be convinc'd of the innocency of the King and his Brother but bitterly inveigh'd against them and the Queen Mother whom they also were resolv'd to believe had been instrumental in the business so that they were induc'd to withdraw from the Louvre to St. Germains and the Queen to Chaliot Shortly after the Victory at Worcester the pretended Parliament as I said executed abundance of the Royall party and such as were suffer'd to live had their Estates confiscated and were kept severall yeares after in prison Their principall Acts pass'd the remainder of this year were I. An Act for the increase of shipping and encouragement of Navigation in which it was enacted 1. That no goods or commodities of the growth or manufacture of any places whatsoever should be brought hither but onely in English Ships and that from the very places of their growth and manufacture onely Also that no Fish or Oyle made of Fish or Whale-bone should be imported but onely such as should be caught in English Vessels nor any salted Fish exported in any other save English Bottomes c. This Act was apprehended by the Dutch as highly prejudiciall to the Trade which they had driven with extreme advantage above us during our intestine Wars and proved a great cause of the War that shortly follow'd between this State and the Vnited Provinces II. An Act to determine the Session of this Parliament on Nov. 3. 1654. Their dissolution was a point they did not love to think of but being urg'd by the Army and several Petitions for a new Representative after many debates and delayes they resolv'd to continue their sitting 3. yeares longer but they reckon'd without their Host and receiv'd a quietus about a year and half after from Cromwel III. An Act of Oblivion which was loaden with many heavy provisoes and exceptions IV. An Act for incorporating Scotland into one Commonwealth with England the Government of which they invested in these Commissioners Ol. St. Iohn Sir Henry Vane Maj. Gen. Lambert Maj. Gen. Deane Col. Fenwick Alderman Tichburne Major Salwey and Lieut. Gen. Monck As for Ireland the Government of it having been wholly referred to Cromwel he constituted his Son in Law Ireton to command in chief there wâ—th the Title of Lord Deputy In December 1651. arrived at Paris the Gentlewoman Mrs. Iane Lane who had been instrumental in his Majestie 's deliverance after the overthrow at Worcester of which fearing danger by the discovery of some unfaithful confidents she went on foot in disguise to Yarmouth and there took ship for France She was conducted into Paris with great honour his Majestie himself with the Queen his mother and the Dukes of York and Glocester going out to meet her upon the first sight his Majesty took her by the hand and saluted her with this obliging term VVelcome my Life The French Court also regarded her with much respect and honour together with her Brother Col. Lane who accompanied her thither About the Spring of the year 1652. broke out a furious War between the English the Dutch Common-wealths after Embassadors had been sent to no effect from either The first Act of Hostility was on the 19. of May 1652. After which many bloody Sea-fights pass'd between them both in the British Sea and the Streights with great losse of Ships and men on both sides but the Dutch were most commonly worstest During this sharp War his Majesty was as mindfull of his Interests using all endeavours for an accommodation between the King of France and the Princes as also between the Kings of France and Spain in the mean time also sending Embassadours to severall Potentates to desire assistance as the Lord Wilmot whom he had created Earle of Rochester to the Imperial Diet at Ratisbone the Lord Culpeper to the Hague and the Lord VVentworth to the King of Denmark But the Catholick Princes were the colder in gratifying his Majesty for that he shew'd no pronesse to embrace their Religion as the Emperor once expresly signified to him And indeed such was his Majestie 's constancy that no temptations of worldly advantages no resentment of adversity nor the sollicitations and arguments of severall grand Catholicks who endeavour'd to pervert him as Mr. Montagu Militiere and Salmonet could prevaile any thing upon him He propounded to the Dutch that if they would furnish him with a squadron of Ships he would set up his own Flags and command them in person Some of the Provinces were very inclinable to the motion but that of Holland which stood out against the admitting of the young Prince of Orange for Capt. Gen. was also backward to comply with his Majestie 's desires or undertake his interest then which act nothing could have been more honourable to them nor perhaps more beneficiall All that he could bring them to was that they granted liberty for his Ships to ride in their Ports with their Flâ—gs up as King of Great Brittaine c. The King of Denmark professed willingnesse enough to gratify his Majesty but his affairs were then in a doubtfull Estate and depended much upon the successe of the Dutch with whom he had partly engaged On December 1652. the English Iunto resolved to be rid of his Majestie 's younger Brother the Duke of Glocester and referr'd it to the Council of State to consider with what accommodation and to what place to send him The Council that they might seem to do something handsomely ordered him to go into Holland gave him a Bill for 1000. l. to be paid to him upon his arrival but such was their honesty that they took care that he should never receive one penny of it However he was