it was thought impossible for them to have equipped another Fleet able to look out Navies in the Face Withall there were so many Discontents and Divisions in that popular State that they were ready to ruine themselves without any of our help yet did this puny and unfledged Prince come to a Treaty and agreement with them upon most mean and inconsiderable Terms when it had been no question but another rub at Sea or beleaguering their Ports would have brought them down to the Humble Complement of Our faithful Tributaries which of how great advantage it might have been to the Trade and consequently the greatnesse of this Kingdome I take not upon me to determine His next Affair was a Conclusion of a League with the Queen of Sweeden which he transacted by the Embassy of the Lord Commissioner Whitlock who being commissioned at his Departure by the foolish Parliament was invested with new Credentialls from Cromwell whom accordingly he owned as his most serene Highness his Master But that which he most aspected was the two neighbouring potent Monarchies of France and Spain with one whereof he must of necessity quarrell and so spend the ill blood and convey away those humors which were so redundant in the old Soldiery both of the Kings and Essexes Army and if not employed in some forraign war would create him trouble at home this the French Cardinal newly restored to the administration of that Monarchy timely foresee and therefore a Treaty was privately and industriously carried on here by Mounsieur Bourdeaux Neufville to an amicable Association and League against the Spaniard Cromwell's Covetousnesse and thirst of Gold prevailing against his Interest and Ambition and thirst of Malice and Mischief against the Royal Family which was now shaded under the French Flower de Lyzes whereby all petsons expected an Invasion from hence of that Kingdome that if it were possible for his Treason he might drive it out of the World But Mazarine's Golden expedient temporary Medium of shifting the King and his Relations out of that Kingdome by vertue of the said League wholly swayed and inclined him to a War against Spain which not long after was commenced The greater invitation thereto being Three ships pretended Hamburgers but laden with the King of Spains Peices of Eight whether for his Account or no uncertain that had been newly stayed and seized by the Court of Admiralty at the prosecution of one Violet a Goldsmith and notwithstanding the Spanish Ambassador Don Alonso de Cardenas protested and strugled against it were carried to the Tower and there minted to the Sum of 400000. Sterl This and other moneys in the Exchequer gave the greater courage to his Ambition and his raw and unsetled Usurpation He had also now accepted satisfaction from the King of Portugal and was entred into League and Friendship with Him How many are the troubles cares and miseries of Tyrant greatnesse No sooner is one design one passion gratified and accomplished but another disquiet and danger invades or perplexes Him No sooner had he sacrificed to his Covetousnesse but now he must offer Victims to his cruelty the next Assurance of his hated Throne There is in the Labyrinth of Vice as in the orderly Frame of Arts and Sciences a Circle a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Spherical Motion from one evil to another till the last terminates at the beginning their qualities and quantities being only altered augmented or diminished by Time or other circumstances From the deep Design of forraign Mines He next converted his thoughts upon a Home-spun Plot. A horrible Practice of Machivilian Policy and Art of Empire with which even just Scepters have been polluted and stained by some unhumane Ministers of State upon pretences of preventing danger who stand chargeable even with the Loyal blood this Leach suckt through their Conduits to entrap and engage innocent persons upon Suspicion of others of the same party who are obnoxious to the Government in Machinations and Conspiracies of their own forming and contrivance and by their Emissaries betray and then condemn them This was the first bloody remarque of Cromwell's Princing managed by his Secretary Thurloe who drew in Col. John Gerrard and Mr. Vowell two eminent Royalists into his snare of conspiring the Death of the Protector with others who confessed the intention for which they were both condemned by a High Court of Justice Cromwell not daring to trust the Laws or a Jury the Birthright of Englishmen no more then did the Juncto of Regicides and the first beheaded at Tower-Hill and the other hanged at haring-Crosse the Collonel declaring That he was so far from having hand or heart in it or any encouragement from the King as was falsly suggested that he feared he should not dye right in his favour as being but suspected of that though so just assassinate it being below His Majesties Honour and Religion Mr. Vowell referred his Cause and his unjust Judges and the Tyrant to Heavens Tribunal This was the Rozin there wanted now the Consent of the People in Parliament to sidle his Instrument He resolved therefore to call one forthwith for the Nation began to murmure at him and some openly to refuâ—e obedience and to forget the pleasing acquiescence in the change he had made since they saw he made it only for himself The Nine days wonder was over and they had recovered themselves to a fresh sense of their Slavery which might afterwards stupifie and benum them before the several opposite parties of Royalists and Common-wealth-men could understand one another and bandy both against Him Having now plotted and secured the Elections of as many Sectaries and of his Party to the ensuing Parliament as his young Interest could procure him in the Month of July to recreate himself and his Familiar Thurloe with some robust and jogging Exercise to void the Gravel with which he was much troubled He would needs shew his skil in driving a Coach with six great German Horses sent him as a present by the Count of Oldenburgh in Hide-Park but those generous Horses no sooner heard the Lash of the Whip but away they ran with Thurloe sitting trembling in it for fear of his own Neck over Hill and Dale and at last threw down their unexpert Governour from the Box into the Traâ—es and there bad likely to have trod and drawn him to peices but Vengeance was yet again pleased to respite him and put him over to a like judicial Execution after his immature Death in 1660. Of this ominous chance many ingenlous Songs were made and one called the Jolt by Sir John Berkenhead which being in Print in a History and in the Rump Songs though the Author mistaken is purposely forborn The Elections were made one and the same day throughout England most of the Boroughs had but one Burgeâ—s and the Shires some of them 6. or 7. Knights all of them under sure qualifications of not having been or being of the Cavalier party there were
State and shape of it seemed rather a Scene or boscage of Wild and brutall Creatures than a Governed or civil Community But because this particular hath been so largely treated off and is yet fresh in memory and will hardly ever be forgotten it will not be much material to urge it further unlesse to the maintainance of this Maxime That the Uproars and Rebellions of Subjects upon what pretence soever do alwayes end in the greatest Tyrannies and turn to their most unsufferable and ignominious miseries and that their Darling Demagogues whom with applauses and Arms they have shouldred up and have reared and exalted above the reach of the Law make it no nicety afterwards to trample upon the Necks of their raisers and to swim in their Blood which itching swell'd their ambition to the Throne Nor did the Volge know when or could their Boutefeus tell where to cease what Issue would happen of these their troubles Rash and blind Furies that made way to the unobserved advancement of this private Male-content who like Marius from his lurking holes in the Fens of Minturna after the defeat of his fortunes crept into the Supreme Power and died his purple with a more indelible tincture of Noble and Plebeyan blood The Jealousies and Fears and the like piques and quarrelling pretences of the Parliament proving hopelesse of reconcilement or accommodation by the artifices of a Faction wherein Mr. Pyns Hambden and other Puny's with Cromwel mainly buâ—ed themselves and the just Judgement of God giving up up our Peace Prosperity and Plenty to the Calamity of a most unnatural War the long desired occasion and expectation of those who had lodg'd their private hopes in the Common Ruine did most gladsomely salute the Designs of Oliver who having spent the utmost farthing of his Estate and secured from an Imprisonment by his priviledge as a Member was one of the first of those adventurous Knights that mounted the Good Cause behind them and so took the Feild which now Ploughed with Swords and Spears and watered with Blood answered its long denyed increase and from a lucklesse Pesant made him a fortunate Pedant Prince For Enyo no â—ooner sounded her Trumpets under the Earl of Essex's Banners then entitled Generallissimo for thâ— King and Parliament but Gromwell offered him his Service and was thereupon honoured with a Commission of Captain of Horse which to raise he returned to his own County of Huntingdon where among the Zealots he was never had in greater Estimation He was likewise named a Commissioner in the Ordinance for the Militia for that and the neighbouring Shires then entering into an Association against the King the Ground worke and eminent endevour of this great Conspirator in pursuance of that rebellious Project of his party at Westminster following herein the practice of all Ringleaders who do first collect rabbles and engage and assure places of retreat and fastnesse to all Events though herein he practiced the more difficult and unprecedented combination of a people for Wealth and Sobriety and Civility and judgement for a great part most contrary to his Designs little to be suspected of taking part with him But it so luckily evened to him that by his lopping off as it were this Limb of the Kingdome and depriving the King thereby of any assistance thence and of the convenience of the ports of those Eastern Counties for any forraign supplies one Canton of the Kingdome was as planet struck in point of Allegiance and not only a Member Mancum inutile dextre Pers but of a very sinister consequence to the Royal Cause the Gangreen thereof spreading and diffusing it self through the whole Masse of the Nation by feeding the Humourous rage of the War through the whole distemper thereof till it finally consumed all this being the abundant Magazine of Men and Horses for the Parliament Service This therefore was Cromwell's first Province or Superintendency wherein he exercised the original Office of a Major General when as yet he sounded no more then a Captain being the chief Committee-man of the Association making himself most notably eminent by his activity and zealous industry in promoting the good Cause and levying and listing of Forces and Disciplining them the skill whereof he had presently learned from an exact observation of some veterane commanders viz. Coll. Dolbier whom he had by great sums of advance money and as extraordinary pay allured to his side The grosse of those Troops he raised here and sent from this Seminary to the Camp and School of Action were such whose dull Spirits were to be beaten into the knowledge of Arms and like the Turks Asapi were on purpose sent thither to blunt the weapons of the Kings generous Cavalry on purpose to beget in them a relash and contemptuous neglect of so base and despicable an enemy that such their regardlesse confidence might conclude their ruine He himself was all the while continued by especial Order of Parliament in this Employment like an Independent Commander to have an Eye upon any Attempts that might be made thereabouts and as a purer and preciser reserve to the mix'd multitude that then from the equal motives of pay and zealotry rusht into the War And therefore Oliver understanding how miserably the Cavalry freshmen of his party were worsted at every Encounter and well knowing the nature of the quarrell which was pretended for Religion resolved and advised that there were no men so likely to oppose the conquering Gallantry of those Gentlemen on the Kings side then such who were or should be engaged upon account of Conscience and Zeal which would Spirit them with the same magnanimous Fortitude and make them also to endure the difficulties and hardships of the War with a more pertinacious Constancy as having bodies better able and minds more finely sublimed upon that score pro aris focis then the mix'd and most rascally Herd of loose and vicious people Against the dangerous evil of this Association the King directed his Commission of Array which was first put in execution in Hartfordshire by Sir Henry Conisby High Sheriff of that County who proclaimed it at St. Albans and intended to raise the County to the Kings Assistance but by the vigilance of Oliver Cromwell the Design was prevented for by that time the Members at Westminster had notice of Sir Henry's Loyal endevour Cromwell with a party of horse had surprized and seized that party almost in the very instant of their appearance and sent Sir Henry and some other prime Gentlemen engaged with him Prisoners to London to the great satisfaction and liking of the Parliament Grandees who were at first agast at an attempt made for the King so neer their own Dores and thereupon this their Commander was ordered the Thanks of the House and from thence forward look'd upon as an eminent person and a Champion of the Cause which now jeoparded it in the field whence the towardly settlement of these parts with-held
he borrowed 600 foot of M. G. Brown from Abingdon and with them fell presently to storming but was notably repulsed losing 50. men without any successe at all and before he could get off was attaqued by a party of General Gorings Horse commanded by himself then newly come out of the West from Taunton Seige who being as vigilant and valourous a Commander as himself gave Cromwell the first brush he received in the War taking three Colours and Major Bethel prisoner and so returned to his former Leaguer at Taunton In the mean while General Fairfax by Order of the Committee of both Kingdoms of England and Scotland who ordered the Conduct of the War was advancing into the West for the relief of the said Town of Taunton and because the King was yet at Oxford preparing to take the Feild Cromwell was left behind in the same parts where now he quartered with Major General Brown to attend the Kings motion and to impede his Conjunctures with the Princes Rupert and Maurice then comming withâ— Compleat Body of Horse out of Worcestershire but His Majesty had equipped so gallant an Army that Cromwell durst not venture to fight him or retard his march any whither so that Fairfax was presently recalled and ordered to sit down before Oxford to reduce the King to the care of that place and upon advantages to fight him when News came that the King having joyned with the Princes and relieved Chestor besieged by Sir William Brereton was now returning and bending his March towards the Associate Counties the heart and unrouch'd strength of the Parliament Cause and therefore Cromwell was immediately dispatch'd into the Isle of Ely with three Troops to secure that against any Invasion it being as the Bulwark or Fortresse of the rest But the King diverting from that course came and sate down before Leicester and after summons stormed and took it which put the Parliament into such a fright that they commanded Fairfax to rise from Oxford and presently find out the King and fight him who was now as he himself writ to the Queen in a better and more successeful condition then any time since the War This Order Fairfax having never sent in a summons to the City as forejudging he should rise without it disgracefully readily obeyed but withall requested them that they would forthwith dispatch away Cromwell from the Isle of Ely to command the Horse extolling his Experience and Sucoeffe in that Service Accordingly Cromwell reinforced and recruted with some Troops of the Association returned to the Army then marching to Northampton where the General was informed that the King lay about Daventry quartering his Foot and Carriages upon Borough hill as if he intended to fight upon that ground if they should advance but he stayed only till the 1200 Horse which he had sent to carry the Cattle he had taken out of Leicester and Northamptonshire for the supply of Oxford were returned intending thence according to advice of his Councel of War to march to the relief of Pomfret Castle in the North and to reduce those parts lost to him ever since Marstâ— Moor and so to draw on Fairfax after him and fight him at advantage which he could not do in these Counties that were every were Garrisoned by the Parliament forces But this Resolution the quicker Consultation and Opinion of Cromwell soon disappointed for by his advice now that their Army could expect no other Additions but Coll. Rossiter who was then also in a Days march of them for Sir John Gell was joyned already Ireton was presently dispatcht with a Brigade of Horse to observe the posture of the Kings Army and if they weâ— upon their March Northwards to skirmish then in the Rear and keep them in Action till the whole body could come up and engage June the 13. Fairfax came to Gilsborough within 5 miles of Borongh hill whence the Cavaliers the 120â— Horse being returned were marching northwards and the next night to the wonder and amazement of the King Ireton gave an Alarum to His Own quarters at Naseby whence about a 11. of the Clock the King dislodged and hastâ—ed to Harborough where Prince Rupert and the Van of the Army was quartered here a Council of War was presently convened and by the Kings fatal Opinion concluded that because there was danger of bringing off the real of his Army the Enemy pressing so near and hard upon them that therefore they should desist from their March further Northwards and immediately turn back upon the Enemy and give him Battel relying chiefly upon the valour of the Infantry now flusht and encouraged with the Plunder and spoil of Leicester This was put in execution though the major voyces were for staying till General Goring with his forces were come up and the Kings will obeyed For very early in the Morning the Scouts brought word that the King was making all hast to the Engagement being falsly informed that Fairfax in fear was retreating to Northampton whereas he had now disposed of Naseby-field awaited Him having Cromwell with Whalley on his right wing and Ireton on his left the one opposed to my Lord Langdale and the Northern Horse and the other to Prince Rupert General of the Cavalry the King himself being Generalissimo To come to the Event Prince Rupert totally routed Ireton who being engaged and driven upon the Kings rightmost foot was there wounded in the Thigh with a Halbert and taken Prisoner and the Field on that hand cleared which Fairfax and Cromwell observing having not yet stirred from their ground Fairfax with a short Speech encouraged the Troops to the Charge which was seconded with some devout ejaculations from Cromwell who clapping Spurs to his Horse fell in with Langdale's Brigade and quite charged through three bodies and utterly broke them nor did he stop till with fine force he had likewise beat that Wing from their ground without possibility of rallying or recovering it again In this Action a Commander of the Kings knowing Gromwell advanced smartly from the Head of his Troops to exchange a Bullet singly with him and was with the like galantâ—y encountred by him both sides forbearing to come in till their Pistoâ— being discharged the Cavalier with a slanting Back-blow of a broad Sword having cut the Ribond that tyed his Murrion and with a draw threw it off his head and now ready to repeat his stroke his party came in and rescued him and one of them alighting threw up his Headpiece into his Saddle which Oliver hastily catching as being affrighted with the chance clapt it the wrong way on his head and so fought with it the rest of the day which proved most highly fortunate 〈◊〉 his side though the King most magnanimouâ— and expertly managed the sight exposing himself to the eminentest perils of the Feild raised him beyond the Arts and reach of Envy or his Enemies of the Presbyterian party who had so long been heaving at him to out him
grief to the good and well affected of the Land to observe the little progresse which was made therein who thereupon applied to the Army expecting redress by their means notwithstanding which the Army being unwilling to meddle with the Civil Authority in matters so properly appertaining to it it was agreed that his Excellency and Officers of the Army which were Members of Parliament should be desired to move the Parliament to proceed vigorously in performing what was amiss in Government and to the setling of the Commonwealth upon a foundation of justice and righteousnesse which having done we hoped that the Parliament would seasonably have answered our expectations But finding to our grief delays therein we renewed our desires in an humble Petition to them which was presented in August last and although they at that time signifying their good acceptance thereof returned us thanks and referred the particulars thereof to a Committee of the House yet no considerable effect was produced nor any such progress made might imply their real intentions to accomplish what was Petitioned for but on the contrary there more and more appeared amongst them an aversion to the things themselves with much bitterness and opposition to the people of God and his Spirit acting in them which grew so prevalent that those persons of Honour and Integrity amongst them who had eminently appeared for God and the publique good both before and throughout this War were rendred of no further use in Parliament then by meeting with a corrupt party to give them countenance to carry on their ends and for effecting the desire they had of perpetuating themselves in the supreme Government For which purpose the said party long opposed and frequently declared themselves against having a new Representative and when they saw themselves necessitated to take that Bill into consideration they resolved to make use of it to recruit the House with persons of the same spirit and temper thereby to perpetuate their own sitting which intention divers of the activest amongst them did manifest labouring to perswade others to a consent therein And the better to effect this divers Petitions preparing from several Counties for the continuance of this Parliament were encouraged if not set on foot by many of them For obviating these evils the Officers of the Army obtained several meetings with some of the Parliament to consider what sitting means and remedy might be applied to prevent the same least that this Cause which the Lord hath so greatly blessed and bore witness to should languish under their hands and by degrees be wholly lost and the Lives Liberties and comforts of his People delivered into their Enemies hands All which being sadly and seriously considered by the honest People of this Nation as well as by the Army and wisdome and direction being sought from the Lord it seemed to be a duty incumbent upon us who had seen so much of the power and presence of God going along with us to consider of some more effectual means to secure the Cause which the good People of this Commonwealth had been so long engaged in and to establish Righteousnesse and Peace in these Nations And after much debate it was judged necessary and agreed upon that the Supream Authority should be by the Parliament devolved upon known persons men fearing God and of approved Integrity and the government of the Commonwealth committed unto them for a time as the most hopeful way to encourage and countenance all Gods People reform the Law and administer Justice impartially hoping thereby the people might forget Monarchy and understanding their true interest in the Election of successive Parliaments may have the Government setled upon a true Basis without hazard to this glorious Cause or necessitating to keep up Armies for the defence of the same And being still resolved to use all means possible to avoid extraordinary courses we prevailed with about twenty Members of Parliament to give us a Conference with whom we freely and plainly debated the necessity and justness of our Proposals on that behalf and did evidence that those and not the Act under their consideration would most probably bring forth something answerable to that Work the foundation whereof God himself hath laid and is now carrying on in the World The which notwithstanding found no acceptance but in stead thereof it was offered that the way was to continue still this present Parliament as being that from which we might reasonably expect all good things And this being vehemently insisted upon did much confirm us in our apprehensions That not any love to a Representative but the making use thereof to recruit and so to perpetuate themselves was their aim They being plainly dealt with about this and told That neither the Nation the honest Interest nor we our selves would be deluded by such dealings They did agree to meet again the next day in the Afternoon for mutual satisfaction it being consented to by the Members present that Endevours should be used that nothing in the mean time should be done in Parliament that might exclude or frustrate the Proposals before-mentioned Notwithstanding this the next morning the Parliament did make more hast then usual in carrying on their said Act being helped on therein by some of the persons engaged to us the night before none of them which were then present endevouring to oppose the same and being ready to put the main Question for consummating the said Act whereby our aforesaid Proposals would have been rendred void and the way of bringing them into a fair and full Debate of Parliament obstructed For preventing whereof and all the sad and evil consequences which must upon the grounds aforesaid have ensued and whereby at one blow the Interest of all honest men and of this glorious Cause had been endangered to be laid in the dust and these Nations imbroyled in new Troubles at a Time when our Enemies abroad are watching all advantages against us and some of them actually ingaged in War with us we have been necessitated though with much reluctancy to put an end to this Parliament which yet we have done we hope out of an honest heart preferring this Cause above our names lives families or interests how dear soever with clear intentions and real purposes of heart to call to the Government persons of approved fidelity and honesty believing That as none wise will expect to gather Grapes of Thorns so good men will hope that if persons so qualified be chosen the fruits of a just and righteous Reformation so long prayed and wished for will by the blessing of God be in due time obtained to the refreshing of all those good hearts who have been panting after these things Much more might have been said if it had been our desire to justifie our selves by aspersing others and raking into the Mis-government of Affairs but we shall conclude with this That as we have been led by necessity and Providence to act as we have done even beyond and
secure of his Life from the justice of some avenging hand Here he used to hunt and at the fall of a Deer where he would be sure to be present embrue his hands in the blood of it and therewith asperse and sprinkle the Attendants and sometimes to cokes the neighbouring Rusticks give them a Buck he had hunted and money to drink with it His own Diet was very spare and not so curious except in publique Treatments which were constantly given every Monday in the Week to all the Officers of the Army not below a Captain where he dined with them and shewed a hundred Antick Tricks as throwing of Cushions and putting live Coals into their Pockets and Boots A Table being likewise spread every day of the Week for such Officers as should casually come to Court and this was the greatest expence which and other charges of the Government hâ— levyed as yet by his and his Councils Ordinances which were as duâ—ly and respectfully obeyed as Acts of Parliament With these Officers while he seemed to disport himself taking off his Drink freely and opening himself every way to the most free familiarity He did meerly lye at the Catch of what should incogitantly and with such unsuspected provocation fal from their Mouths which he would be sure to record and lay up against his occasion of reducing them to the Speakers Memory who were never like to forget the prejudice and damage they had incurred by such loose Discoveries of their Minds and Inclinations He was a great Lover of Muhck and entertained the most skilfullest in that Science in his pay and Family in that like wicked Saul who when the evil Spirit was upon him thought to lay and still him with those Harmonious charms but generally he respected or at least pretended a Love to all ingenious and eximious persons in any Arts whom he procured to be sent or brought to him but the niggardliness and incompetence of his reward shewed that this was a personated Act of Greatnesse and that private Cromwell yet governed Prince Oliver Among the rest of those Virtuosi He favoured a Poet too who very elegantly sang his Marston-Moor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but with more misfortune then others who made the Muses Slaves to his Triumphs and Pegasus to draw His Chariot He had twenty other freaks in his head for sometimes before he had half dined he would give order for a Drum to beat and call in his foot Guards like a Kennell of Hounds to snatch off the meat from his Table and see them tear it in pieces the like Joco's and Frisks he would have with other Company even with some few of the Nobility when he would not stick to tell them what Company they had lately kept when and where they had drank the Kings Health and the Royal Families bidding them when they did it again to do it more privately and this without any passion and as festivous and Drol discourse But the sad news of the Defeat at Hispaniola whence he had promised himself Mountains of Gold and Rocâ—s of Gems to the maintenance of his Mamalukes and perpetuating of the Army coming to his ears soon after the Marquiss de Leda Ambassador from the Spaniard had departed dissatisfied with the preparations here and other ill news founding in his ear that the Commonwealth Party were very active in the Army and the Royallists breeding new Designs he began to cast off the Merry Divel and act the Tyrant altogether and not without Cause For The effects of this Parliament rupture encouraged two most opposite parties to conspire against the Protector the Fifth Monarchists and Cavaliers as we must so distinguish the Royal Party upon this difference who longed for their rightful Soveraign Charles the Second the Fifth Monarchy expected King Jesus the Courtiers and those engaged by them or with them with Cromwell himself desired King Oliver and every of these manifested much impatience but none of them could attain their Wishes and when Oliver might afterwards he durst not The Protector was no way ignorant of this and therefore he resolved to deal with the weakest first which yet by underminings vvas more dangerous then the other The Army was corrupted by that Millenary Principle and that was to be purged so that as Harrison and Rich had been laid aside and not long after committed with Carew and Courtâ—ey into several remote Castles so now General Monck had order to seize Major General Overton and the Majors Bramston and Holms and other Officers and Cashier them after Fines and good Security for their Behaviour Overton was sent up to the Tower and his Regiment conferred on Colonel Morgan Colonel Okey's Regiment taken from him and given to a sure Confider and so the danger from the Army was quickly supprest Cornet but now Colonel Joyce was likewise malecontent at this change and signified so much to Cromwell's Face whom he upbraided with his own Service and his faithlessnesse but escap'd any other Censure then a bidding him be gone Cromwell well knowing him to be one of those mad men that would say or do any thing they were bid Now happened occasion or rather Cromwell made it one for him to shew his zeal to the Protestant cause and publish himself to the World the Champion or Hector thereof this was also one secret step and reach to the Crown by invaing the sacred Title of the Defender of the Faith due only to the Hereditary Soveraigns of Englandâ— Herein also he aimed as in the Proverb to hit two Birds with one stone not doubting but to find another Mine in the charitable minds and compassion of this Nation towards the parallel suffering of the old Waldenses in â—iedmont to the Irish Massacres which were set out and drest here with the greater skill of Butchery then the Actors could handâ—omly do it there and it was said the Copy was drawn from that Original Alderman Viner and Pack were made Treasurers for this money which amounted to a very large sum and reaching the full design of the Protector a small parcel whereof was now remitted to Geneva the French King having newly before accommodated the businesse the Duke refusing to admit Cromwell's Mediation There was another Artifice of the Protectors to set this businesse forward and to countenance it which was Addresses from the Army here and abroad offering their Service in this common cause of the Protestant Religion no way doubting but that God in his due time would confound those Enemies of his people as he had shewn his salvation by themselves in the same Controversie to that day A new Plot was now started and most of the Nobility and Gentlemen of England secured Sir Geoffrey Palmer Lord Willoughby of Parham Lord Lovelace Earl of Lindsey Lord Newport and Sir Richard Wingfield Lords Maynard Petre Lucas and Faulkland Sir Frederick Cornwallis c. and this done by Manning whose Villany was not yet discovered though to render a due account of him his
ever be blessed to an attainment and that therefore it was fit the Army should be purged of such Officers or the Cause would never prosper To the same purpose Oliver was tampering with his Myrmidons frequently bewailing the want of Faith and Grace in the heart of the Soldiery which alone retarded the desired Conclusion that the great men of the Army minded themselves more then God or his people and that purposely they protracted the war not sparing to insimulate his own General the Earl of Manchester of the same prevarications aggravating the affront he received before Dennington-Castle and some other later miscarriages which coming to the Ear of the said Earl who rightly guessed the ambitious Drifts of his Lieut. General He caused a Charge and impeachment to be drawn up against him for some misdemeanors in the Army as stirring up of Mutiny c. and delivered it to the Lords to whose Bar Cromwell was summoned but he refused their Jurisdiction pleading his priviledge as a member of the House of Commons who alone had Cognizance of him and to be even with the Earl recriminated him in the same manner to the House of Commons but both these accusations stuck upon the file without any prosecution on either side either party as yet afraid of the other and distrustful of their plots not having yet attained the absolute power from the King which was the only subject of the Quarrel So soon did these twins of the Usurpation struggle in the wombe of their Ambition and though Presbytery was midwifed first yet Independency carryed away the Blessing or rather the Curse of their prosperous Violence For the Independents had insinuated such plausible Expedients for the redresse of this evil Management of the Army and by their austerer Piety which Oliver most devoutly personated being frequent in praying and preaching in his Quarters had conciliated such an esteem of their Counsels which were absolute Intrigues to the contrary Faction that a Resolution was taken to module the Army and appoint a new General and in this Consultation great part of the Winter 1644. was taken up the rest was spent in a seeming tendency to Peace by a Treaty held at Uxbridge which Affair concerned Cromwell no further then thus that it showed how eminent and great a man he was taken to be being named in the Parliaments Demands and Propositions for one of the standing Commissioners to vvhose trust and exercise the Militia of the Kingdome upon Agreement should be committed While these and the like Articles were in vain debating the prosecution of the War was effectually intended and the new module so far advanced that an Ordinance passed the two Houses wherein it was forbidden any Member of either House to have any Command in the Army or Garrisons and the time limited to forty dayes from the publishing the said Ordinance By this fair and impartial dealing as they called it the Earls of Essex Manchester Stamford and Denbigh Sir William Waller Sir Philip Stapleton and others were lay'd aside only Lieutenant Generall Cromwell was respited for a while longer because of his present usefulnesse in that unsettled Condition of the Atmy and because he had been of an unexampled successe and Conduct In the place of Essex Sir Thomas Fairfax was made Generall and he Issued out Commissions to such whom the Independents favoured most of the supreme Officers being discarded and entitled the Reformadoes and left a begging their pay and their Inferiour ones substituted in their places Among the rest of these New blades Ireton was raised to be Commissary General of the Horse Cromwell's second who had newly married 〈◊〉 of his Daughters and was as neer in brain to him as in blood This continuance of Cromwell in his Command after all the other Members of Parliament were laid aside at last upon the marching of the Army in the beginning of the Year 1645. styled him Lieutenant General a little before which he had doctrinated his Regiment in the new mode of Addresses to the Parliament and to the General setting forth their acquiescences and gladnesse in this frame and module of the Army and that they were ready to lay down their lives in prosecution of the good Cause so far advanced and this Arche-type was soon after followed by every Regiment and Garrison whereunto none but the Creatures and Confidents of Independency were now admitted For from the first Head-quarters of this Army Cromwell having newly come out of the West and tendred his Service to the General if the Parliament should think fit but intimating his sorrow that he seated he should not have the Honour to wait upon him when at the very instant came down another dispensation was sent with a flying party of Horse by his party'◠prevalency in the House for forty dayes longer to intercept a Convoy of Horse which was the Queens Regiment the Earl of Northampton's◠and Collonel Palmer's with some other Troops coming to Oxford to bring off the King with his Train of Artillery who made such haste that at Islip Bridge he surprized and routed them took four hundred Horse and two hundred Prisoners with the Queens Standard and continuing his good speed having got intelligence of 〈◊〉 Party of three hundred and fifty Foot under Sir William Vaughan who were marching towards Radcot-Bridge he pursued them and took the said Sir William Lieutenant Collonel Litleton and two hundred more prisoners and immediately lummoned Blechingdon-House not far distant from the place whither some Ladies were newly come to give a visit to Coll. Windebank's the Governour 's Bride who being affrighted with the suddennesse of the danger never left importuning the unfortunate Gentleman till he rendred the Garrison though Cromwell for want of Foot could never have forced him out making use of this Stratagem by raising a Cry of Fall on Foot fall on for this surrender upon his coming to Oxford by Sentence of a Council of War he was shot to death leaving his Widdow to blast with her sighs and tears Cromwell's Lawrels who with this envious Triumph returned to his General And this first happy Exploit done by him in the beginning of the Expedition was taken and published for a good Omen of his future Service and therefore the Prudence of the Parliament was much commended in continuing him in Command who was so hopeful and Instrument of carrying on the remaining work through so many difficulties which had so long and yet seemed so insuperably to impede it Thus did his Faction and Partisans prepare and sublime him to his succeeding Enterprises and Designes after the expiration of the War To enhance this reputation and to secure his Continuance in the Army he next resolved upon a gallanter and more hazardous Attempt the reducing of Farringdon house which had been an impregnable and most advantagious Garrison for the King the Governour was Sir George Lisle a person of an invincible Spirit and eminent throughout the War to the better effect of this Design
by Cromwell Thus he progressed from New-market to Royston thence by S. Albans to Hatfeild to Windsor being carried towards London almost in the same Road in which he was driven thence to Caversham back again to Maiden-head to Latimer Stoke Oatlands Sion-House almost in view and hearing of those Tumults which forced him away while in the interim Oliver having made a Pique against the Citizens and revenged one Tumult by another had made the City Submit and receive the Domineering Army in Triumph through their Streets with Lawrel and other Ensigns of victory in their hats With the Army returned those Fugitive Members that left the Parliament upon the same Tumults being invited by Cromwell to his Sanctuary of Redcoats while the remaining members had voted the Kings present coming to London to treat personally with his two Houses all which votes being Tumultuously obtained by instinct of some of Cromwell's own sending to encrease the violence were afterwards vacated after a long struggling in the Parliament as contrary to Priviledge and the secluded Members who had resumed their seats deserted London and went some over Sea others with passes to their own homes in the Country resigning their ill employed power to Cromwell and his Faction in the Parliament who abused it ten times more In Justification of this insolence they published a Declaration wherein they said that the Parliament had declared that it is no resistance of Magistracy to side with just principles and the Law of Nature and Nations being the same Law upon which they had assisted them that the soldiers may lawfully hold the hands of the Generall who will turn his Cannon upon the Army on purpose to destroy them The Seamen the hands of the Pilot who willfully runs the Ship upon a Rock as their Brethren the Scotch-men had also argued The said Declaration still-directing them to the equitable sense of all Laws and constitutions as dispensing with the very letter of the same and being supreme to it when the safety and preservation of all is concerned and assured them That all Authority is fundamentally seated in the Office anâ but ministerially in the persons But before this great successe the dubious Expectation thereof had caused Cromwell to stagger now and then at his first resolutions which it prosperous would at all times help themselves and there ultimately he was fixed whatever conditions and promises cross accidents should extort from him and therefore he was dealing with the King in way of recompence and reward for his Service in his restitution that he should be made Earl of Essex and a Knight of the Garter his eldest Son to be of the Bedchamber to the Prince his Son in Law Ireton to be either Lord Deputy or at least Feild Marshall Generall of Ireland and it was reported by Henry Cromwell that then Commanded the Generalls Lifeguard that the King had put himself upon his Father and Brother Ireton to make his terms for him and restore him to his Crown which grant of the Kings caused and produced those proposals beforementioned to be contrived but now in the very nick of this Juncture set forth and published called the Proposals for the setling a just and lawfull peace where in the three first and last particulars the Authority was left as entire in the King as before the rest were some Caprichio's of Bienniall Parliaments and the like Figaries whose impertinences discredited the important veracity of the other But this feud betwixt the Presbyterians and Cromwell ending so fortunately for him there being nothing at present to withstand his first and grand intendment he began to waive his respects to the King and cast off those disguises wherewith he had made himself acceptable to the Kings adhaerents and laid aside the King and them The King therefore gently reminds Cromwell of his promises repeats to him his Protestations and urgeth the Proposals aforesaid and not only so but in confidence of the fair meaning of the Army declines a speedier accommodation with the Parliament but Cromwell begins to turn a deaf ear to deny many things what he had said and promised to retract from others pretending the difference of times and circumstances that they cannot be performed telling the King moreover that He did mistake and not rightly understand his meaning and in short that though he would keep his word with His Majesty that now it was not in his power for that the Adjutators were grown to such an ungoverned and insolent licentiousnesse that untill the Discipline of the Army could be recovered it were in vain to expect any such things as he when he promised really intended The King was at this time at Hampton-Court perplext on the one hand with the obstinacy of the Parliament in their Propositions being more rigid since the last garbling by the Army and on the other with the dangerous Positions of the Adjutators and the Levelling party both in Camp and City in which last John Lilburn was Chief of the Faction who decryed Monarchy and all former forms of Government having something which Ireton spread by the by as it were among the Souldiery in projection on purpose to stave off all manner and means of settlement This at last came to a Systeme or Consistency and was styled an Agreement of the people and was now the onely darling of the Army and the Sectaries being a mixture or miscellany of Politique Notions no way practicable among English-men being a deformation or destruction of all things but an establishment of nothing a meer temporary expedient and shift of design except always their Arrears Indemnity and the Period to the Parliament and this shape Cromwell assumes also confessing and acknowledging the excellence acquity and goodnesse of the same the only fault in it was the unseasonablenesse for as yet it was not his time and his cue to appear so publiquely against the King and this his Character of it was drest out and enlarged with such taking Saint-like Language as the Phanatick rabble might best be surprized and not suspect any of his own venemous designs to be lurking under the leaf of His holy and sacred pretences Withall when his Plot against the King vvas ripe for Execution he caused a Fast to be published in the Army a certain forerunner of mischief with him where he was as usually observed to howl and cry and bedew his Cheeks with the Tears of Hypocrisie cruelty and deceit and after this mock-duty performed he and the rest of the Officers pretended to confesse their iniquity and abomination in declining the Cause of the people and tampering with the King and then in the presence of the All-seeing God acknowledge the way of an Agreement of the People to be the way to peace and freedom The King was in the mean while by the fallacious advice of Whalley and the practises of Cromwell who had caused frequent rumours to be whispered of some Assassinate intended by the Levellers against his person frighted
and with what impetuous violence and short lived ex-tempore Counsels He had bereaved him of his Life had wondred that hither to he had suffered the Command of the Army to rest in 〈◊〉 's hand and had not practised some quicker expedient to remove him that having finished the work of 〈◊〉 Generation as they canted it with Essex he did not give him a Fig for his labour but Cromwell who courted his Minion of Providence and devoted himself to her care and 〈◊〉 of his Desions would not rashly precipitate his Ambition without her Augury but await the Assistance and Concurrence of some promising Revolution which those many Military cross rencounters of that turbulent New State did certainly bode And the Scotch was now evening the lucky minute was come and his Brazen Head told him TIME 〈◊〉 for from hence he dated His Empire and Sultanship and the Aere Olivarie choosing to derive his Succession to the Supreme Power rather from the unperplex'd Tradition of the sword then from an upstart bold Title to and a forcible wresting of the Scepter And yet such Helps and Hints he way-laid to his Throne that it was tumoured soon after abroad that he was descended of the British Princes and near allyed to Henry the Seventh the glory of that race But to proceed This Command of course was devolved upon my Lord Fairfax and he desired to accept it but he being inscrupled by some of the Presbyterian Ministers who were highly incensed at this War as it was cunningly foreseen by Oliver and his Party who never endevoured his satisfaction and pretending a reluctancy from the Obligations of the National Covenant to engage against their Brethren totally declined it transferring the long expected Military Supremacy by a Vote of the Parliament to Cromwell who very zealously accepted the Charge and with all readiness prepared for the expedition which made the second Trophy or Garland of those strangely and wonderfully prosperous Free-States of England On the 12. of June it had been resolved that the Army should advance Northward but it was the middle of July before they Arrived there for on the 21 of that Month Cromwell quartered at Berwick from whence he sent a Letter and Declaration to the Committee of Estates fraught with hypocritical canting expressions which the said Committee supprest returning answer that they would reply to it by Messengers of their own and lest any of their people should be deluded by the like fair words they made it Treason for any person to correspond with the English and fell a oliving all their Cattle and Provision in the parts next adjacent to them beyond Edenborough Cromwell's Army was now reckoned 16000 effective with which he came first to Mordington his Headquarters July the 25. thence to Hadington within 12. miles of Edinburgh on the Hills whereabouts the Scots had encamped themselves declining to engage till all their additional Forces were come out of the High-lands On the 25. of July the English advanced and attempted one of the said Hills where a small party of the Scots were and beat them presently off when a Party of Scotch Horse fell in the Rear with such fury and vigour that they wholly disordered it and with Reserves and Fresh bodies seconded and pursued this advantage which being perceived by Major General Lambert and Coll. Whaley who had the Rear-guard they couragiously repulsed them to their Trenches in which Action Lambert had his Horse shot under him was run through the Arm with a Lance and was taken Prisoner but was rescued by one Lieutenant Empson This past and the Army wet and weary in their way to Musclebarough betwixt 3 and 4 in the morning another Party of some 1500 Horse the flower of the Army being veterane Blades under the Command of Coll. Montgomery and Straughan◠fell with great fury and more exact valour upon them betwixt sleeping and waking and brought a terrible fright and dismay upon the whole Army Charging almost clear through upon the Sands but returning with their Prisoners were set upon by fresh Troops under Coll. Okey in good order and forced to double their speed home to their Camp having lost an hundred men to the same number in the former attempt and some of their Officers slain and wounded but came off otherwise with honour enough giving the Invaders little hopes of so easie a Victory and Conquest as the Fates had decreed to them and their invincible Fortune Several jealousies animosities and discontents were now raigning among the Scots more supremely then the Kings Authority the Kings friends wholly discountenanced and laid by even Presbyterians themselves no way understanding one another some willing to give the King his Rights without more Stipulation and Engagements others of them thinking they I could not sufficiently debase his Authority and that it should wholly depend on the Kirk and to that purpose severable ever end Postulata were put to him beyond the Tenour of the Treaty at Breda and in fine that party prevailed so as that the Army then on foot vvas in effect but very little for the Kings Interest and Service but vvas vvholly at the disposal of the rigid Covenanters This was not unknown to Cromwell who thereupon never ceased Scribling and Divulging of the English Armies good intention to the People of Scotland With whom they have no quarrel but against a Malignant powerful Faction who had brought in the King to the disturbance of the publique National-peace and Friendship betwixt the two People and that he was willing by Conference to give and receive satisfaction therein otherwise to decide the Justice of that Cause by Battle To which when no Answer would be returned he advanced on the 10. of August having recruited his Army by those Provisions that were plentifully brought by Sea the Fleet Sailing an even pace with him and observing the same signals on the West-side of Edinborough up to the Line of the Scotch Army playing his Cannon which were likevvise ansvvered and Encamped on Pentland-hills a little above Edinborough-castle intending to March for Queens-ferry but the Passes vvere so difficult and other Considerations intervened that he proceeded no further Next morning came a Letter to Him with a Declaration from the Estates and Kirk by found of Trumpet Declaring that the quartel being novv stated and the King ready to consent to their demands they vvere resolved to put it to the Issue and that the World may see vvhat that vvas like to prove it vvill be vvorthy the memory of Those Transactions to particularize them in this short abstract Cromwell being thus fat advanced unto Scotland beyond the most advised Fears of the Parliament of Scotland who had newly welcomed the King at St. Johnstons and their Army yet unprepared to sight him they thought fit to entertain his Time and divert his Hast with a Declaration wherein most abominably they disowned the King without such and such Satisfactions to the tenor of the most rigid and undutiful
conditions that the worst of Rebells could have put upon a Prince which being once confirmed and assented to by him they would be ready to give Battel as the quarrell should then be stated and upon which they might expect a blessing But this wile advantaged not the Kirk but only served as a Directory to Oliver where he should level his Treasonable projects To this Cromwell takes very good occasion to reply and help our their sophistry with some more of his own◠and to let the Scots see of how near affinity the Kirk and the Congregational way were in this respect to the King he permitted nay caused their Declaration to be publiquely read to his Army putting the Scotch-Remonstrants upon these Dilemma's That their professed disowning of Malignants and receiving and assisting their Head and Chief in whom all their hope lies cannot consist in common sence or pradence reciting as evidence thereof the late Popish affairs in Ireland and Prince Ruperts roving at Sea That suppose He the King should give security of his turning it must be some other way then by a few and feigned formal submissions for it is his necessity and his old Complices that connsel him to that Complyance Nor is it possible for the Scots in the way that they are now in to be able to secure themselves or England and concludes that upon this quarrel if they be ready to fight his Army attends there for that purpose and therefore the Scots cannot complain for want of an opportunity These pestilent and alike dangerous Papers which in effect seemed rather an agreement then cause of quarrell between the Antagonists were warily considered by some even of Kirk-men who loved the King as of sudden and desperate consequence to his Majesties Person and Government so highly vilified and disre-garded so that a Declaration to the liking of the Kark was extorted from him that there might no cause of pretence remain either for their obstinate carriage towards him or ready compliance with the Enemy Hereupon the English Army advanced again and though several Bodies of Scotch Horse appeared yet they presently withdrew upon their approach which that it might not be altogether frustrate Cromwell in sight of them caused a Garrison called Red-house within a mile and a half of Edinburgh to be Stormed wherein were taken 60. Foot and the House made tenable and manned by the English while the Scats being necessitated for Provisions and to joyn with some other Forces from Fife and the West had marched two miles beyond Edinburgh having a great Hill on the one side and the City and a River on the other so that it was very hazardous to engage them being drawn up in Battalia the great Cuns playing on both sides In which posture and attendance the Scots and English stood and neither changed ground till Provisions growing scarce Cromwell retreated to Pentland-hills Lambert having had some discourse and conference with Straughan c. about the former equity of their cause de lana caprina and thence with some difficulty by reason of bad weather to Musleborough for Provant and thence a few days after to Dunbar with intention by shipping or any other way to get into England being now closely followed by the Scotch Army in their rear who rightly guessing the English to be weakned with long Marches and want of Victual made cock-sure of a total Victory which snatching at before it was ripe for them fearing nothing more then that they would escape them they saw themselves miserably frustrated and their despairing Enemy a most insulting Conqueror On Sunday at night the first of September the English making at most not above 12000. men came to Dunbar whither the Scots keeping close at their Heels came also and drew up their whole Army consisting of between 20. and 24. thousand men upon a high Hill within a mile of the Town to the great amazement at first of the English but dispair adding resolution to their courage they presently drew out in Battalia in the Corn-field near adjoyning and so stood all night being incamped upon a Neck of Land whose Breadth was not a Mile and a half from Sea to Sea so that they were by Land quite cooped up In considence therefore of an assured Victory David Lashley who Commanded this Kirk Army in chief began to advance as early as the Sun next morning and drew down the Hill fixing at the foot thereof and about 4. a clock in the afternoon brought down his Train there being a great Ditch betwixt both the Armies That night the English by Command placed themselves close to the Ditch and placed their Field-pieces likewise in every Regiment that they might be in a readiness in case the Enemy should attempt any thing upon them who were vainly expecting terms of a rendition boasting that they had them in a worse pound then the King had the Earl of Essex at Lestithiell in Cornwall The Ministers having their voice in the Council of War held by this Kirk Army most earnestly urged the Engagement and fight against those that were of opinion to let the English escape and not venture the fortune of War upon an Enemy made desperate of which there were 〈◊〉 many sad examples saying that God had delivered Agag meaning Cromwell into their power and if they let him go would require him at their hands On Tuesday morning at four of the Clock a Brigade of the English Army drew down to possess themselves of a pass upon the Road between Edenburgh and Berwick which being had they might with the more ease and advantage make their way home and in order thereto pass over so the Enemy to fall upon them This Brigade consisted of three Regiments of Horse of Major General Lamberts Commissary General Whalleys and Collonel Lilburns and two of Foot This gave the Scots a great Alarum and a fore dispute happened about the pass which lasted above an hour the great Guns playing in the mean time against both the bodies At length that stout Brigade gained and possessed the pass much gallantry and bravery being shewed on both sides This pass lay at Copperspeth in the English way homewards to impede which they had drawn off their best Horse upon the right Wing to receive the English weose Word was the Lord of Hosts theirs The Covenant The Enemy charged hereupon with their Lanciers so that that the Horse gave way a little but immediately rallied and the foot advancing to second them the Scots were charged so home that they put them presently to the rout it being about six a Clock in the morning the left Wing of Horse without striking one stroke following the same way The Foot seeing this rout and flight of the Horse and not able in any order by reason thereof to engage were all of a sudden so confused and confounded that without any resistance or offer of Engagement they threvv dovvn their Arms and fled giving the English the full pursuit of them above
in the Council of Officers and getting upon a Table for better Audience was bid to come down by Cromwell asking him what he did there only Coll. Streater persisted in his Resolution of giving reasons against it and being flamm'd with Harrison with Christs personal Raign and that he was assured the Lord General sought not himself but that King Jesus might take the Scepter He presently replied That Christ must come before Christmas or else he would come too late For this opportune opposition and 10. Queries then published by him in the Army he was committed to the Gate-house and look'd upon by Cromwell as his Mortal Enemy The next Scene of this applauded Comedy was laid at the Cock-pit by White-hall where Cromwel concealing the number of the Beast in his Apocalypse declared to his Council of Officers That if they should trust the People in an Election of a New Parliament according to the old Constitution it would be a tempting of God and that his confidence was that God did intend to save and deliver this Nation by few as he had done in former times and that five or six men and some few more setting themselves to the Work might do more in one day then the Parliament had or would do in a hundred as far as he could pâ—rceive and that such unbyassed men were like to be the only Instruments of the peoples Happinesse These things had been offered to be debated with a Committee and a Treaty agreed wherein so many Officers and so many Members should meet and argue the business which signified only the crafty Cunctation of the Parliament who made Asses of the Sword-men St. Johns being one of those Referrees with other resty Sages of the Anarchy By this means 4. or 5. Months were spent upon the Definition of an equal Representative But Cromwell growing teasty some began to make particular excuses others to promise a new Representative to his mind and some to side with the Equity of his Proposals as most consistent well advised and prudential means to the Peace of the Nation such a ridiculous collusion that I cannot but anticipate the Event of this Conspiracy with this Truth Upon his return from the Dissolution of the Parliament back again to the Council of Officers He acquainted them of his Exploit and then told them That now they must go hand in hand with him and justifie what was done to the hazzard of all their Lives and Fortunes as having advised and concurred in it Adding That when he went into the House he intended not to do it but the Spirit was so upon him that He was over-ruled by it and did not therefore consult with Flesh and Blood at all nor did He premeditate the doing thereof though he plainly saw the Parliament designed to spin an everlasting Thred And because there are few good Acts of his Life let the Reader score him up One for the 23. of April 1653. Oliver himself attended by Major General Lambert Harrison and some 8. more Officers having after several conferences with their Committees who showed him the danger of calling a new Representative as the case then stood with the Common-wealth for that no qualifications could sufficiently secure the interest thereof and that the only way was to recruit the House which could judge of such Elections by their own Authority received no satisfaction entred the House some Members being made privy to his design before especially Sir Gilbert Pickering who had held consultation the night before with him and was up armed in his Chamber till the very time and after a Speech therein showing the reasons and necessity of that Dissolution did declare it to be so and required them to depart saying in some passion to some of them who began to ask the reason of this thou art a Whoremaster thou a Drunkard thou a Cheater of the publique and presently M.G. Harrison peremptorily bid the Speaker to leave the Chair which be refusing to do without the Order of the House and till he was pulled out Harrison desired him to lend him his hand and gently heaved him out Cromwell also commanded that Bauble as he called the Mace to be taken away and to be carried no more in State before him and so having turned them out of Dores lockt them up and clapt Guards before them and about all the Avenues of the Palace to keep these spirits out from professing it again The News of this Luciferian fall was quickly spred throughout the City and from thence into the Kingdome being related and received with all imaginable gladnesse while the Members slunk away muttering to themselves the affront they had received and laying their heads together how to retrive themselves for loath they were to suffer this Violence or acknowledge their Dissolution which they would by no means hear of But what ever they fancied to the contrary raving at this boldnesse and audaciousnesse of their servant as they styled Cromwell he minded it not but went on in his work The Government such as it was was now lodged in the Council of Officers of his own making and preferring and the first thing done by them after this new module was the Emitting of a Declaration from Him and His Officers shewing the grounds and reasons of this Dissolution of the Parliament with an account of their intentions as to the present and future government of the Nation which that it may appear by how slender a thread the Sword of this lawless Commander hung over the Heads of those Parliament Tyrants is very requisite to be inserted it holding forth the present Intrigues of Cromwell's designs and method of ambition Our intention is not to give an accompt at this time of the grounds which first moved us to take up Arms and engage our lives and all that was dear unto us in this cause nor to mind in this Declaration the various Dispensations through which Divine Providence hath led us or the witness the Lord hath born and the many signal testimonies of acceptance which he hath given to the sincere endevours of his unworthy Servants whilst they were contesting with the many and great difficulties as well in the Wars as other transactions in the three Nations being necessitated for the defence of the same Cause they first asserted to have recourse unto extraordinary actions the same being evident by former Declarations published on that behalf After it had pleased God not only to reduce Ireland and give in Scotland but so marvellously to appear for his People at Worcester that these Nations were reduced to a great degree of Peace and England to perfect quiet and thereby the Parliament had opportunity to give the people the harvest of all their labour blood and treasure and to settle a due liberty both in reference to civil and spiritual things whereunto they were obliged by their duty their ingagements as also the great and wonderful things which God had wrought for them it was matter of much
above our own thoughts and desires so we shall and do in that of this great work which is behind put our selves wholly upon the Lord for a blessing professing we look not to stand one day without his support much less to bring to pass one of the things mentioned and desired without his assistance And therefore do solemnly desire and expect That all men as they would not provoke the Lord to their own destruction would wait for such issue as he should bring forth and to follow their businesse with peaceable spirits wherein we promise them protection by his assistance And for those who profess their fear and love to the Name of God that seeing in a great measure for their sakes and for righteousnesse sake we have taken our lives in our hands to do these things they would be instant with the Lord day and night on our behalfs that we may obtain grace from him And seeing we have made so often mention of his Name that we may not do the least dishonour thereunto which indeed would be our confusion and a stain to the whole profession of godliness We beseech them also to live in all humility meekness righteousness and love one towards another and towards all men that so they may put to silence the ignorance of the foolish who falsly accuse them and to know that the late great and glorious dispensations wherein the Lord hath so wonderfully appeared in bringing forth these things by the travel and blood of his Children ought so to oblige them so to walk in the Wisdome and love of Christ as may cause others to honour their holy Profession because they see Christ to be in them of a Truth We do further purpose before it be long more particularly to shew the Grounds of our Proceedings and the Reasons of this late great Action and Change which in this We have but hinted at And we do lastly declare That all Judges Sheriffs Justices of Peace Mayors Bailiffs Committees and all other Civil Officers and Publique Ministers whatsoever within the Common-wealth or any parts thereof do proceed in their respective Places and Offices and all persons whatsoever are to give Obedience to them as fully as when the Parliament was sitting Signed in the Name and by the Appointment of his Excellency the Lord General and his Councel of Officers William Malyn Secret Whitehall the 22. of April 1663. To ingratiate now vvith the Presbyterian vvho yet kept up their form of Church Worship and were the most of one publique persvvasion all disturbances in Churches were prohibited the Phanatick licenciousnesse of the Army vvhich svvarmed with Anabaptists Quakers and Ranters and vvere novv mad to be seizing all the remaining Revenue of Church Lands in Glebe Tythe or Impropriations And to this purpose Addresses vvere eagerly carried on such hopes being underhand given them to strengthen the hands of this Dictator in carrying on the vvork of Sion He vvas also complemented by the French Ambassadour Bourdeaux vvho had made applications to the Parliament but vvas doubtfull of effecting his Errand vvith those highest and Mightiest States vvho vvere grovvn formidable not only to the Dutch but to his Master who willingly courted them to prevent their closing vvith his Rebells of Bourdeaux onely Oliver as vve have seen valued them no more then Scoundrels or Rake Shames nor vvould give ear to any more Enemies of Monarchy Being thus by force possest of the Supreme povver after he had held it some fevv dayes to shew the absur'd and ridiculous State Caprichio's of the Councel of Officers vvho as yet managed the Civil Authority he transmitted it to a new Councel of State made up of the supremest of them and some former Juncto men vvho by Proclamation commanded all Officers to execute their Trusts as formerly and required the same obedience to commute with which they abated the Tax from 120000. to 90000. per mensem It was now remarqued that many great Fires ushered in this Incendiaries Usurpation This Council of State did next give birth to that Monster of the little Parliament which like an abortive Cub was cast by Cromwell and fonâ—ly and vainly lickâ—d by Harrison both which had most different ends on this Convention in the one a Temporal in the other a Spiritual Pride and Covetousness though not altogether purified from the Deceits of the World worked in this mysterious knack of a new and unheard of Legislative Authority who by the Name of men of Integrity and Fidelity to the Cause of God were by a bare summons from Oliver called to the Settlement of the State that was to be Stirrups or Foot-steps to the Throne whereon Cromwell should tread they being abject and mean people being such as were named by the Officers that is by Cromwell's Agents to this Councill and of most destructive Principles to all Community and Society either as Men or Christians It is observable that Cromwell who utterly rejected the Rump-expedient to his instances of a new Representative of filling up the House by foisting in Elections of their own to which their Authority standing they could unquestionably awe the Country made not nice of it for himself According to their Summons on the 4. of July the Members of approved fidelity c. met at the Council Chamber in Whitchal to whom Cromwell in a zealous speech much to the purpose of his Declaration and the occasion of the present Meeting stuft with various citations of Scripture I am loath to nauseate the Reader with any more of his Harangues at large to his but far from the purpose devolved the supreme Trust which they translated into more common English adjourning themselves after a short consultation to Westminster and giving themselves the Title and Authority of the Parliament of England voting Mr. Francis Rouse for their Speaker but with a Collateral Vote that he should continue in the Chair no longer then for a Month They were persons for the most part of such mean and ignote extractions that so far were they from being taken notice of by their Shires each of whom but two or three represented that they were scarce known in the very Towns they were born or afterwards inhabited till the Excise then Committees for Sequestration and the War in the respective Counties made them infamously known The rest were of his Partisans in the Parliament and High Court of Justice On the 12. of Decemb. as it had been directed by the Counsel of State the Parliament being Sate some of the Members stood up one after another and made a motion for a Dissolution thereof for that it would not be for the good of the Nations to continue it longer this Court Ayre almost blasted the men of Fidelity and Committee Blades who had scarce warmed their Fingers ends in the Government and were newly settling themselves and their friends in a thriving way as they had done in their Offices they had passed before and thereupon they began one after another to make
perorations of the Cause of God and the godly people committed to their charge which they could not tell how to answer to him if so easily they should give it up and leave the Common-wealth in such a distraction as would inevitably ensue and Major General Harrison and Arthur Squib the great Sequestrator of Haberdasher-hall were very copiously zealous in defence of their Authority But the Military or Court-party being the Major part not thinking them worthy of a dispute or longer debate the Speaker being of their side rose and left the House and them Sitting in it where to prayers they went and then resolved to continue Sitting In the mean time Rous the Speaker with the Mace before him and his Followers came to White-hall and there resigned the Instrument he gave them by which they were constituted a Parliament and gave him likewise to understand how they had left their Fellows Their surrender was kindly received by Oliver and they thanked for the pains they had taken in the service of the Common-wealth however he and they had missed of their intentions of the good should thereby have come to the Common-wealth which a strange spirit and perverse principle in some of the Members had solely hindered and as to them yet Sitting in the Parliament-house he dispatch'd away Leiutenant Colonel White a Confident of his to dislodge them who accordingly with a Guard of Red-coats came thither and entring the House demanded them in the Name of the Genetal to depart for that the Parliament was Dissolved who replying to the contrary and telling him they were upon Businesse and ought not to be thus disturbed he asked what Business they answered we are seeking of God Pugh saith he is that all that 's to no purpose for God hath not been within these Walls these 12. years and so fairly compelled them out muttering with the same wrath and sorrowfull look-backs as those that had Sate 30. times the same term and could almost have pleaded prescription Thus was the Power emptied from one Vessel to another as the Scribes and Chaplains of the Grandees phrased it and could find no settlement till Oliver was called to it by his Council of Officers to supply this gap in Government and now a Single Person with a Council is the only expedient for the safety of the People for that there is no trust nor truth in Parliaments as their often abberrations and failures had sufficiently declared and it was discoursed by the Abettors of this change that 't was not Monarchy which was quarrelled at but the corruptions and abuses of it in its unlimited unbounded Prerogative all which would be avoided by the circumscription of it in a Protector by his Council and a new Instrument of Government and the supreme power of a Triennial Parliament in whom during their Session the Soveraign Authority should reside So they said and so they did for after 4 dayes time in which Feak and his Freaking Partisans were almost run from their wits in rage and madnesse Cromwel was appointed and declared for Protector of this Infant Common-wealth and it was a tedious interval to him the Chancery Court at Westminster-hall being prepared for the Ceremony of the Instalment in this manner after the usual seeking of God by the Officers of the Army The Protector about one of the clock in the afternoon came from White-hall to Westminster to the Chancery Court attended by the Lords Commissioners of the great Seal of England Barons of the Exchequer and Judges in their Robes after them the Councel of the Common vvealth and the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Recorder of the City of London in their Scarlet Govvns then came the Protector attended vvith many of the cheif Officers of the Army a Chair of State being set in the said Court of Chancery the Protector stood on the left hand thereof uncovered till a large vvriting in Parchment in the manner of an Oath vvas read there being the power with which the Protector vvas invested and hovv the Protector is to govern the three Nations vvhich the Protector accepted of and Subscribed in the face of the Court and immediately hereupon sat dovvn covered in the Chair the Lords Commissioners then delivered up the Great Seal of England to the Protector and the Lord Mayor his Sword and Cap of Maintenance all which the Protector returned immediatly to them again The Court then rose and the Protector was attended back as aforesaid to the Banquetting house in White-hall the Lord Mayor himself uncovered carrying the Svvord before the Protector all the vvay and coming into the Banquetting-house an exhortation vvas made by Mr. Lockyer after vvhich the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Judges departed The Instrument or Module framed to be the Foundation of this present Government was chiefly made up of these following heads That the Supreme Legislative Authority be and reside in a single Person and the People in Parliament the Execution of that power to be in the Protectour with the advice of his Council not to exceed Twenty and One. All Proceedings to run in the Name and Stile of the Protector and all Honours Offices and Titles to be derived from him that he may pardon all Offences but Treason and Murther The Militia during the Parliament shall be in his and their hands but in the Intervals only in his and his Councils He and his Council to make War and Peace with forraign Princes Not make new Laws or abrogate old without Consent of Parliament A Parliament to be called within six Menths and afterwards every third year and if need be oftner which the Protector shall not dissolve without consent in Parliament till after 5. Months The Parliament of English to consist of 400. to be chosen by more equal distributions in Counties and Boroughs of Scotch 30 and so many of the Irish The Summoning of the Parliament to passe under the Seal of the Commonwealth to the Sheriffs and if the Protector omit or deny that then the Commissioners of the Seal be held under pain of High Treason to issue out such writs and in case of failure in him the High Sheriffs and some other By-blowes concerning the equality and fairness of Elections under great penalties No Royalist Irish Rebels or Papists to be capable of being Elected and in case they be to for feit two years Revenue and three parts of their goods None to be elected under the Age of 21. years nor unless he be a man of Integrity a lover of God and of good conversation None to have voyces in Election but such as were worth 200. pounds The Elections to be forthwith transmitted to the Council of State by the Secretary of the Commissioners in case of dispute to the Council of State Sixty to make a Quorum The Protector if need be to call Parliaments between the Intervals thereof Bills offered to the Protector if not assented to by him within 40. days to passe into Laws notwithstanding The Protector with the
30. also by the Instrument Elected for Scotland and as many for Ireland all or most of whom were English Commanders on the 3. of Sept. they met and adjourned from the House to the Abbey where Mr. Marshall preached and so to the Painted-Chamber where they had a message from the Protector to invite them to a Sermon the next day again when Doctor Goodwin Preached and the Protector came in great State in his Coach Cleypole the Master of Horse and Strickland the Captain of his Guard barcheaded on both sides at his entrance into the Church Lambert carried the Sword before him and Whitlock the Purse the Sermon done to the Painted-chamber again and there in a Speech he set forth these Heads That some few years ago none would have thought of such a Dore of Hope that he knew there were yet many Humours and Interests and that Humours were above Interest that the condition of England was like Israel in the Wilderneâ—s of which the Sermon was that this was a Healing day there was neither Nobleman nor Gentleman nor Yeoman before known by any cistinction we had not any that bote Rule nor Authority but a great Contempt of Magistracy and Christ's Ordinances that the Fifth Monarchy was highly cryed up by persons who would assume the Government but that desired thing wanted greater manifestation then appeared for such men to change the Authority by and this directed at the late Parliament He desired this Honourable Assembly to remedy all these Disorders shewed that the wars with Portugal French and Dutch do and did eat up the Assessements that swarms of Jesuits were crept in to make divisions which were grown so wide that nothing but his Government could remedy them and let men say what they will he could speak it with comfort before a greater then any of them Then he shewed what he had done during his Government First his endevour of reforming the Laws having joyned all Parties to assist in that great work next his filling the Benches with the ablest Lawyers then his Regulation of the Court of Chancery then his Darling Ordinance for approbation of Ministers which hindred all that List from invading the Ministry by men of both perswasions Presbyterians and Independents c. And lastly his being Instrumental to call a Free Patliament which he valued and would keep it so above his Life Then he shewed the advantages of the Peace with the Dutch Dane and Swede and the Protestant Interest which he would have them improve and intend chiefly that they were now upon the edge of Canaan that he spoke not as their Lord but their fellow servant and then bid them go and chuse their Speaker Which they did without presenting of him his Name William Lenthal the old Chairman and next day fell upon the Instrument as they had Voted by parts as it lay and questioned the Power which Oliver understanding to put them out of that course which touched his Copy-hold after 9. days he came to the Painted Chamber and sending for them declared and asserted four Fundamentals in the instrument which they were not to meddle with or to alter 1 The Government by a single person and Parliament 2. The Imperpetuity of Parliaments or no continued succession 3. The Militia which was his only And 4. Liberty of Conscience telling them a Free Parliâ—ment was but a term of Reciprocation for that power which made him Protector made them a Parliament and therefore was very sorry they should go about to destroy the Settlement which to prevent and cease such Debates though he denyed any negative voice he was necessitated to appoint a Test or Recognition of the Government as it was established by every Member before they sate again This bogled at first 3. quarters of them especially the Commonwealth-men and those of the late Long Parliament so that of four hundred and odd there appeared but two hundred but were made up at last three hundred for the old ones would not be baulked so and fell afresh upon the same disputes and ran out the Articles resolving to put the whole judgement of the House upon them into one entire Bill and so present it but in truth to spin out time and work upon the Protectors occasions for mony which was proposed in the House and coldly and slowly considered Just at their sitting down the Protector published several Ordinances which being passed and bore date before were to pass as authentique as Acts by the Instrument one for paying the mony into the Treasury that was raised for the propagation of the Gospel in Wales another for making Soldiers free of all Corporations and to exercise any Trades Another to turn out all honest men under the notion of scandalous Preachers and Ministers Common-Prayer being their chiefest Imputation and a fourth to survey Kings Lands c. and for doubling upon Deans and Chapters which sales those many changes of power had much retarded and depretiated The more occult cause of the publication of these Ordinances was to let the Parliament understand that Oliver took his Instrument to be in a good case and sufficiently warranted already In this Convention Lambert laboured Tooth and Nail to have the Instrument confirmed for by that the Protectorate was left undetermined and Elective threatning them that if this Parliament would not they would call 4. or 5. Parliaments one after another till it was Enacted the same Art of menacing which Oliver used to the preceding Juncto but that not prevailing the Parliament dissolved by his Interest in the Army He procured Addresses both from Scotland and Ireland as well as here declaring their Resolution to stand by this Government in defence of the Protectors Life and Dignity against all Opposition which in this Stratocracy was to be as good a Security as Parliamentory Assent There were some Superiour Officers as Lieut. Col. Majors Captains who were yet for a Commonwealth who had private Meetings and contrived the seizing this Rebell and deliver him to the Justice of the Parliament but by Pride's Discovery who was made privy to this businesse they were prevented and their Commissions only taken away Cromwell not willing by severer punishments to make a noise that there was such a potent Faction in the Army Lambert was very officious in this matter as neither resenting the late affront put upon him by Cromwell when he advanced Fleetwood in his 〈◊〉 to the Supreme Command in Ireland though with a lesser Title then Lambert who made magnificent preparation for his investiture in the Lieâ—tenartship and would suffer no Diminution of that Honour nor senting his suture designs and cheats as to his promised Succession to the Soveraignty here But I must Retrospect a little having omitted some things of Concernment to persued the former discourse Cromwell now supplied the Benches of the Court at Westminster with the ablest of the Lawyers whom he had invited to the publique service and Mr. Maynard Twisden Nudigate Hugh Windham
Treachery was before related County Troops were now also established for security to his Highnesse such Trooper 8 l. a year pay and more in case of Service a Captain a 100 l. and Officers proportionably and as these new Forces were raised here so were other old ones disbanded in Scotland and Ireland in which last place the disbanded were yet to be the same kind of Militia they being setled in the Rebel forfeited Lands their Tenure being their Service and thus that Kingdome was re-peopled An Agent that had come hither from Ragotzi Prince of Transilvania now departed the Conspiracy betwixt whom and the King of Sweden and the Swede and Cromwel was just ripe for execution The Spanish War therefore commencing the Protector began new practices against the Cavalier party whose interest and spirit was against his Government as high as ever he foresaw that by the French peace the King only shifted changed war from one quarter to another and was yet as neer as ever and in a more opportune and advantageous posture for that the King of Spain and he would certainly concur against him and so the Low Countries his Provinces and Ports be open and at the service of our Soveraign therefore his party was by all ways how unjust and tyrannical soever to be crusht and supprest it began with the Clergy who were neither to keep School nor cure nor be Chaplains except they give signal testimony of their Apostacy from the Church it next extended to all â—orts of men the revived Act of 1652 forbidding all Cavallers or such as meant well to the peace of the Kingdom in their subicription to the personal Treaty in 1648. by a new Proclamation to that purpose from giving voyces of Electing or to be elected themselves upon their utmost peril then came out a Declaration for Decimating such who were actually in Arms and to shew the Reasons of such proceedings against them Cromwel therein taking it for granted that the whole Mass of them were engaged in the late design of Penruddocks and observing their Malignity to the Government by refusing to match their Relations but within themselves and so to propagate the quarrell from one Generation to another that they supplyed their King as they call'd him with money that their Clergy were as refractory as ever and that therefore since by them the peace so endangered could not be kept nor the cause and the well affected secured but by keeping up a standing Army by a constant pay it was requisite the charge should be born by those who caused it For the better dispatch of this Affair He had erected a new Military Authority like the Turkish Bashaws distributed into several Provinces or Counties with an unbounded power England being now cantoned into this Hendecharchy viz. Kent and Surrey under Col. Kelsey Sussex Hantshire and Berk-shire under Goff Gloucestershire Wilts Dorset Somerset Devon and Cornwal under Col. Desborough Oxfordshire Buckingham Hartford Cambridge Isle of Ely Essex Norfolk and Suffolk under Lieutenant General Fleetwood London Major General Skippon Lincolnshire Nottingham Derby Warwick and Leicester under Whalley Northamptoushire Bedford Rutland and Huntingdon under villanous Butler Worcestershire Hereford Shropshire and Northwales under Col. Berry Cheshire Lancashire and Stafford under Col. Worsely York shire Durham Cumberland Northumberland and Westmorland under Lord Lambert Westminster and Middlesex under Col. Berkstead their Commission was to take a Roll and Account of all suspected persons of the Kings party and such as were actually so to receive security of them in which they were to be bound to act nothing against the Government and to reveal all Plots that should come to their knowledge they were to suppress all Horse-Races Cock matches and other Concourses of people to secure the High Ways to take engagement from Cavaliers for their Servants and Children and those that did not so nor give security to commit to prison and to rate and receive the mony rising from this Decimation In short there was nothing which they might not do nor which they did not such an Arbitrary vast power they had from the Protector To this purpose a M. Gen. Office was erected in Fleetstrees as other Courts had where these Recognizances were entred and all other the like Affairs dependencies and concerns thereof entred and Pecord d by this means the Tyrant intended to inform himself of the value and quality of every Estate and person together with the number of that party in every County throughout the Kingdome Most of those Loyal persons formerly secured were hereupon set at liberty but by another 20. Mile Proclamation driven into the Country into the bounds of the several Major Generals who presently took cognizance of them and summoned them to their respective Residences they sate sometimes without other times with some of the old Committees where they received accounts of Estates which were rated to the tenth peny yearly Some bought off that Tax and incumbrance by a present Sum at three years purchase which was very acceptable for mony was the thing the Usurper wanted others looked for a nearer Redemption and to be constrained to that paiment the well affected and godly people voyced this to be a just and reasonable imposition for when should they be at quiet and enjoy themselves in the goods they had got free from the interrupting endevour of this old and restless Enemy so that there wanted not Abettoâ—s and Assistants to this most religious work of the Major Generals who had ordered in the first place that no Cavalier should keep or wear either Arms offensive or defensive but streightways deliver them so that they lay a the mercy of whomsoever they met and at the Discretion and charity of whosoever resorted to their Houses for what they had left The Barbarous Cruelty and Severity of these Bashaws to the Orthodox Clergy while with the Hotnesse of the persecution it suffocated the true Religion did warm and foster the viperous brood of â—ects and Heresies into monstrous luxuriances For besides the Ranter who at this time began to infest the Church and multiply exceedingly and the Socinian who denied the Divinity of Christ one Biddle being infamous for those impious opinious as Erbury formerly a Minister for Ranting the Quakers appeared like Locusts and overspread the whole Kingdome even to the Disquiet of Oliver himself who could not endure to hear of their Anti-Magisterial-principles the â—chisme consisting chiefly of such as had been of the Army or Rebel Faction The Heighth of that Phrenzy and Delusion so possessed the haughty mind of one Janies Naylor as if Pride and Ambition were the raigning secular sins that he fancied himself to be our Saviour procuring such Worship to be done him as was due only to that Blessed Divinity This Blasphemous Impostor was severely punished by the consent of Oliver who perceived Lansbâ—re whose Soldier this was formerly to stickle for him on design to cajole his party But not from any sense of this