concerning his affairs in Scotland To whch the Commissioners replied That they had acquainted him with their full power according to the instructions they had received from the Committees of Estates and Kirk in Scotland Upon which his Majesty made answer that he would consider of their Propositions and doubted not but to return them such an Answer as might give his Kingdom of Scotland satisfaction and so dismissed them for the present But let us thus leave his Majesty and Councel debating about the Scotch Commissioners propositions and discourse a little about his affairs under the conduct of the thrice noble and Illustrious Marquess of Montrosse who having notwithstanding the opposition which Hamilton gave to the design obtained Commissioners from his Majesty to leavy what force he could on that side the sea endeavoured to the utmost of his power to effect it but chiefly among the Princes of the German Empire where he found large and fair promises but very little real assistance onely the Duke of Holstein supplied him with four ships well arm'd and mann'd though these were likewise by some strange neglect delayed a long time at Amsterdam which much retarded the service Colonel Cochram likewise who had been sent agent into Poland to the Scottish Merchants there for assistance of men and money having received a considerable quantity of money and good supply of corn disposed of the first to his own use sold the other and himselfe revolted from the service General King who was expected out of Sweden with a party of Horse came not at all so many crosses there were in the begining of the business as had Omens to it's future ill successe But at length the Marquesse fearing least if the King should conclude with the Scots before he had attempted any thing his Cōmissions would be recalled fatally resolved to depart Scotland as he was So with four ships indifferētly well armed but with not above six or seaven hundred men those most stangers besides a small Frigat of sixteen Guns one thousand five hundred good Armes given him by the Queen of Sweden he set sail this was all the strength he carried with him from Hamburgh to assault that potent Kingdom Two of these ships and those the biggest were sent before directed to steer their course for the Orcades but these unfortunately met with a storm and where amongst those rocky Islands their men arms amunition was cast away so that a third part of the Forces raised for this expedition was lost But notwithstanding these fatal disasters the sad presages of his ruine the noble Marquess proceeds and with the small number that was left him lands amongst the Islands where he gets together a pretty considerable number which had almost the face of an Army but was for the most part composed of raw and unskilfull fellows a party of these he sends out who without resistance enters the Isle of Orkney there being no Garrison there from thence he dispatches Commissioners to Scotland and the Island adjacent for the levying of Horse and Foot which because the inhabitants of those places to which they were sent could not resist obeyed and not long after the sending of those Commissions Montrosse himself with those forces he had and those Gentlemen resolved to engage in partaking of his fortune landed in Scotland at the point of Cathanes the very farthest land to the Northwest of that Kingdom The people here whom he expected to have joyned with him were so sensible of the miseries of the former war and now more terrified with the name of Forraigners deserted their dwellings and fled away some never stopping till they came to Edenbrough The Parliament of Scotland who were now assembled though they had former advice of the Marquess's designes yet could not tell the place of his landing but now alarm'd by the flying Countrey David Lesley is commanded with the body of the Army to march directly towards them for feare Montross should grow too numerous and Colonel Straughan whose valour the States highly approved is ordered with a party of select Horse to advance before to hinder the Marquess's levyes and if he saw oportunity to fight him Montrosse in the mean time to satisfie the World and because the people should not be startled at his Invasion whilst the King was upon Treaty publishes a very patheticall Declaration declaring the justness of his cause and to clear himselfe from the aspertion of sinister ends and that his intention was only against some particular persons who had against the Laws of the Kingdome raised and maintained a war against his Majesties father and did now by their wiles and subtile practices endeavour to destroy the Son also therefore exhorting all Subjects of that Nation to endeavour to free themselves from the Tyranny of those who then by an usurped power ruled over them But notwithstanding this Declaration the Countrey came very slowly in Straughan in the mean time advances with all possible speed towards the Royall party whilest Montross had not for indeed he could not effect any thing Material besides the fortifying of Dunbath Castle but the Marquess hearing of the enemies approach made his whole Forces march at a great rate to recover a pass yet nevertheless before they could come at it the front of the Army discovered Straughan's forlorn hope who marching with hast upon the Marquesses Army found them both almost tired out of breath Order howevera forlorn hope of a 100. foot are drawn out to meet them who giving them a resolute Charge forced them to an Orderly Retreat but being seconded by Straughan's whole body of Horse they again maintained their ground resolutely Charging upon the Marquesses main body the Islanders immediately threw down their Arms and cryed for quarter but the Holsteiners and Hamburgers made an Orderly retreat for the present into some bushes which having a short time defended they were at last enforced to yeild This was a sad blow to his Majesties affairs in Scotland there being great hopes that had Montross succeeded and kept them in play both Kirk and State would have come to milder Conditions with him Yet the Marquess himselfe escaped for the present out of this Battel Though there were hear two hundred slain and twelve hundred taken in the field for the Countrey coming in upon them few escaped Amongst the Prisoners of note there were taken Col. Hurry the Lord Frenderick Sir Francis Hay of Dalgettey Col. Hay of Noughton Col. Gray and several other Officers together with the Kings Standard which contained this Emphaticall Motto JUDGE AND REVENG MY CAUSE O LORD and whereon was pourtrayed to the life the Effigies of his Majesties Father beheaded But long it was not ere this thrice Heroick Marquess fell into the hands of these cruel Obdurate inveterate enemies for though when he saw the Battell at a losse he had saved himselfe by escaping out of the field and had afterwards to disguise himselfe changed his
mony set upon his head for which many hundreds out of covetousnes made it their business to search for him they will confess ingeniously that God was never so merciful to any people as to us in delivering his sacred Majesty so wonderfully out of the hands of his Enemies who breathed out nothing but his death and destruction that we may yet have hopes to be a happy Nation But let us now returne to give a full account of this dismal loss at Worcester in which most of his Majesties foot were either made a prize or a sacrifice to their enemies swords of the horse there escaped 300. out of the field but were most afterwards either taken or kil'd by the country people in their flight three thousand were judged slain in the Field and about seaven thousand taken prisoners whereof the chief were the Earles Derby Lauderdale Cleveland Shrewsburge the Lord Wentworth and many other noble persons taken in the pursuit And the chief of those taken in the battel were the Earles of Carnworth and Kelly the Lord Synclare Sir John Packington the Major Generals montgomery and Piscotty and the Virgil of this Age that thrice worthy Mr. Richard Fanshaw Translator of the renowned Paster Fido and Secretary to his Majesty As for the thrice noble Duke Hamilton he was taken but not overcome overpowred but not vanquisht For after having made a most Heroick resistance he was reduced under his enemies power more for want of strength then valour but death entring in at those wounds which he so gallantly received in defence of his Soveraign soon after released him Major General Massey though he escaped the field yet his wounds being desperate he was forced to surrender himself to the Countess of Stamford was by her Son the Lord Grey of Grooby after the recovery of his wounds sent up prisoner to the Parliament and by them committed to the Tower from whence he not long after escaped and went to his Majesty beyond sea This strange and wonderfull Victory as the Juncto at Westminster gave it out to be though they had six to one in the field made that Sectarian party cock-a-hoop to make it the greater publick days of Thanksgiving are appointed to make God the patronizer of their villanies murders tyrannyes and treasons and now they boast in all their discourses how clearly it might appear that God owned their cause and disowned their adversaries I think a modern writer hath sufficiently confuted that commonly received tenent of Politicians * See Modern Policy That successe denotes actions to be either just or unjust I shall therefore leave the sober Reader here to satisfie himself refer it to him whether such do not justly deserve Ovid's wish Careat successibus opto Quisquis ab eventu facta notanda putat Let him for ever in successe be poor That thinks it justifies his cause the more But this Nation is so highly sensible of the injustice put upon them by those who pretend so much right in their Cause that there 's no loyal Subject but will thinke according to reason that it was not the justice of their cause but our own and the Nations sinnes which caused God to raise up these men as scourges both to Prince People to the prince only for the peoples sake Some I have heard which out of a spirit which I cannot well define have endeavoured to brand his Royal Majesty with Cowardize in this battel which from whence it could proceed unless from their own coward nature which would insimulate another in that of which themselves are guilty I cannot imagine since Cromwell the greatest of his Enemies because the most desirous of his Kingdomes yet had so much of truth in him as to give a high and noble Character of his valour But to proceed we have now said enough of this fatall battel the seeming ruine of the Royal Interest in England unless God of his mercy be pleased to restore it for the good peace and quiet of these Nations since without it we cannot hope to enjoy any His sacred Majesty being landed in France near Havre de Grace from thence with a Noble Lord in his Company posted directly for Roan where they stayed to alter their disguises and furnish them with habits answerable to their qualities his Majesty from thence having dispach't Letters to the French Court to acquaint his friends there of his safe Arrival which doubtless caused no little joy in those who were real to him and almost despaired ever again to have seen him The Duke of Orleans sends his own Coach to fetch him and several persons of quality go to meet him by whom he was attended to Paris and there received with all possible expressions of joy lodgings and attendants being forthwith provided for him in the Louure where at his first arrival he was visited by the Queen his Mother the Duke of Orleans who of all persons in the Kingdome exprest himselfe the most ready to do him service and the next day visits him again accompanied with his Daughter Madamoiselle he is likewise courted by the Dukes of Beaufort Langueville Guize the Marshall Thurine and many other Peers Nobles of France who all congratulate his safe deliverance And now his Majesty having lost all hopes of any furthermeans of attaining his Dominions by force leads here a retired life yet living in regard of his high alliance and extraction in great esteem with all the French Nobility Insomuch that notwithstanding his present low condition there was very great talk of a match to be made up between him the Madamoiselle de Orlians the richest princess in Christendome yet by some means or other it came to no effect though the Queen of England his Mother was an earnest promoter of it and also the Duke of York to Longuevelle's Daughter Whilst these things were transacting hapned that lately reconciled Fracture between the Prince of Conde and Cardinal Mazarine most of the Prince of the Bloud siding with the first the King of France who was newly declared of age to sway the Scpter himselfe with the last The cause of the quarrel was that extravagant power which Mazarine a stranger had usurped in the government of the Kingdome both depriving the Princes of the bloud of their Right and oppressing the people whose daily murmurings more encouraged the Princes against him this power he had got into his hands in the Regency of the Queen Mother whose grand Favourite he only was The Princes therefore though they could not dureing her Regency who so much loved him yet hoped they might effect somthing now the King himselfe is come to govern to which intent they charge him with several miscarriages of State which the Cardinal defends the King also enclines to his side by the instigation of the Queen his Mother yet nothing but the Cardinals banishment will satisfie the Princes who join the Duke of Lorain to them then in the service
made a debate whether they should make any more addresses to the King So impudent were they even after the treaty was concluded with him but there were found but thirty of these malevolent persons so the major part of the Votes carrying it in the affirmative it was resolved that another message should be sent unto him to invite him to make all possible speed to his Kingdome of Scotland protesting that they would venture Lives and Fortunes in assisting him to regain his Rights Kingdoms but they not only debar him from having those whom he chiefly favoured to wait upon him but likewise prohibit the Duke Hamilton the Earls of Lauderdale Seaforth and many other persons of qualities return to Scotland and they nominate such persons as they thought fit out of their own Gang to be officers of his houshold there The Juncto then siting and Governing in England had certain intelligence all along of the proceeds of the Treaty between his Majesty and the Scots together with their Propositions to assist him in the recovery of his Rights in England by some who sate in the Parliament of Scotland betrayed their counsells and earnestly solicited the English to assault Scotland before they were themselves assaulted and invaded to which effect they prepare an Army without any just pretence which they give to Oliver Cromwell to command making him Generalissimo of all the Forces of that Commonwealth in the room of Sir Thomas Fairfax whose Commission was between taken away and laid down Some time before his Majestie 's departure from Holland into Scotland newes was brought of the unfortunate loss of all Prince Rupert's Fleet most of his ships being either taken sunk or burnt by General Blake Admiral to the English Navy so though the Treaty was concluded with Scotland his Majestie 's affairs went every where else to wrack At length all things being in a readiness his Majesty about the beginning of Iune 1650. took shipping at Sheveling in Holland and after a tedious storm and narrow escape of some English Vessels which lay in wait for him arrived at Spey in the North of Scotland Some Lords are sent down to receive him and to accompany him to Edenbrough where two stately houses are richly provided and furnish't to entertain him He was all along the Countrey entertained with the General joy of all the people severall presents being given him by the Towns as he came along Aberdeen presented him with 1500. l but the Committee of Estates and Kirk fearing that such diet would prove too unwieldy to their pleasures sent an injunction to several places requiring them that what ever moneys they had to bestow they should bring it to such treasuries as should be appointed by them Thus they permit not the Subjects to shew their good will to their Soveraign nor him to receive it Nor were the States Kirk as yet content with those hard conditions but they send him new propositions to Dundee to sign which after some reluctancy he performed for indeed he could do no otherwise being now in their clutches The Parliament and Committee of Estates in Scotland had while they expected his Majesties arrivall been consulting about the framing of an Army every fourth man in the Kingdome is ordered to be trained and sixteen thousand foot and six thousand horse to be raised for his Majesties present service Of this Army the Earle of Leven is made General of the Foot and Holborn Major General David Lesley Lieutenant General of the Horse and Montgomery Major General the place of Generalissimo was reserved for the King though he never went into the field with the Army His Majesty being come to Edenbrough is received by the Parliament and Committee of Estates Kirk with infinite complements and expressions of fidelity affection and with great acclamations of joy from the people and on the 15. of Iuly is again solemnly proclaimed King at Edenbrough Crosse but his coronation yet defer'd by reason of the then troubles For the English Army notwithstanding the Scots had expostulated them the unjustness of invading their Countrey was advanced upon the borders at Muscleborough the Scots under Montgomery with a small party set upon the English Army but were worsted and so the two Armies moved at a distance one from the other till they came as far as Dunbar where the Scots had got a considerable advantage by reason of a passe and brag'd they had got the English in a pound but whether by their own carelesnesse and over security or the over-reaching courage and valour of the English I cannot tell a totall losse they had there the passe gain'd from them themselves wholly routed and dispersed I am the shorter in relating the passages between these two Armies in regard that though the King was made Generalissimo yet he had no influence upon the Army which might rather be called the States or Kirks then the Kings for though he was there present and bore the title of King yet they had the whole power and made and revoked Lawes and Orders The King was then with the States at Saint Iohnstons when the newes of this losse and that of the Death of his Sister the Princesse Elizabeth arriv'd much about the same time and some have been bold to affirm that the latter grieved him more then the former in regard of the imperiousness which 't was probable the States of Scotland would have usurped had the successe answered their minds And sufficiently imperious were both they and the Kirk already notwithstanding the ill fortune of their affairs for so great was their insolency towards his Majesty in their earnestness to purge his house in extorting Declarations from him against his own party and proceedings in usurping the whole government of affairs to themselves in placing guards of their own creatures upon his Person c. That his sacred Majesty no longer able to suffer such intollerable affronts abuses went secretly away accompanied only with four horse towards the North of Scotland where the Marquess of Hunt ley the Earls of Seaforth and Atholl the Lords Ogilby and Newburgh with the Gourdons were ready to appear for him with a considerable party Scotland was at this time not only perplexed with a forreign enemy in her bowels but with civill distempers divisions for in the West there was a party under the cōmand of Straughan Kerr who declar'd against the actions of the Committee of Estates for their too much hast and precipitation in the Treaty with the King for their receiving him before he had given any evidence of a real change That they believed his profession of the cause and covenant was counterfeit and therefore refused to submit to his power These men were purely for the Kirk against the King's Authority Another party there was in the North under the Command of Huntley Atholl Seaforth c. who declared purely for the Kingly Authority disclaiming and disowning all power or order of
releast I may particularly take occasion here to commend the valour of the Duke of Yorks own Troop who indeed bore the brunt of the whole Battell though I cannot deny but they were seconded by some very noble Spirits of the Spaniards but the personall Valour of Mr. Henry Bendish son to Sir Thomas Bendish Embassadour for the English Nation in Turky who had the ill fortune to be taken prisoner must not be forgotten Let us now change the Scence a little to England where the Protector begins to die the Scaffold in as deep a purple as the Vest given him at his late installment bore that not only with the Bloud of those seculars that were loyal to their soveraign but having as he thought now secured to himselfe the Government his hand reaches to the sacred Clergy nor will he strike at a reed or a shrub amongst them but imitating the Ancient fable of the Jubitrian Thunder strikes at the Olympus the Atlas the mainest piller and support of the Protestant Religion for no lesse then the Reverend Doctor Hewet's Bloud will now satisfie his insatiate Cruelty a man whose vertues and piety as they were beyond expression so I think was the manner of his death beyond example This Doctor and Sir Henry Slingsby who had ever since the forementioned rising in Yorkshire lain prisoners in Hull Castle with many others are accused of a design to have seized on the Tower of London the Magazine at Hull both in one day the one by a Divine the other by a Prisoner but these persons must have severall others to be their assistants and that espetially in London who while the Doctor was securing the Tower must fire the City of London in severall places Those that make plots may as easily discover them and with as much ease prevent them the Protector could do both but to make some shew of a great deal of fear in the business Worthy Alderman Tichburn then Lord Mayor of London is immediately commanded to settle the Militia the Protector telling him as he easily might that there was a grand design in hand probably of his own contriving against his Government that the Marquess of Ormond had lately been in England transacting about it that the Common Enemy for so was his Sacred Majesty then styled lay ready with a potent Army ships hired to transport them on the Sea coasts of England and that therefore the Militia should be setled in confiding hands meaning such either whose interest or fear must render them faithfull to the Protector shortly after according to the common course the persons to be accused are apprehended the chief of which were Dr. Hewet Mr. John Mordant brother to the Earle of Peterborough Col. Ashton Capt. Henry Mallory Mr. Woodcock John Betteley Edmund Stacy Henry Fryer John Sumner Olliver Allen who were all accused to be complices of this grand design And because no English Law could take away these mens Lives the ordinary Tyrannicall way of a high Court of Justice must do it Sir Henry Slingsby who was brought prisoner from Hull Castle was the first who came before them and is accused for having endeavoured to draw the Governour of that Caste from his Alleigiance excellently good to the Protector and pleading not guilty yet was by two Witnesses found ready convicted and condemned Dr. Hewet being come before them according to the Example of his Royall Master King Charles the first refused to plead or to own the jurisdiction of the Court for which contempt as they were pleased to interpret it he had the same sentence pronounced against him and was afterwards together with Sir Henry Slingsby executed on Tower hill Mr. Mordant brother to the Earl of Peterborough disavowed likewise the Authority of the Court but at last being induced to plead was acquitted so was Mr. Woodcock Mallory Fryer Sumner Allen were sentenced but reprived Ashton Stacy and Bettely were hanged drawn and quartered in several places of London And here we must not forget the magnanimous death of John Betteley who having made a Speech clearing his Innocency and the justness of his Cause undauntedly leapt off the Ladder and died a worthy Sufferer for the Royall Interest His sacred Majesty during these strange Murders and Oppressions of his Subjects in England by a power which had usurpt the Regality is forced to sit still his urgent necessities not giving him leave either to revenge their deaths or redeem the surviving who heavily groaned under the yoke his only remedy now was his prayers to God which he pursues with an earnest devotion that he would be pleas'd in his good time to deliver his faithful Subjects from those miseries and burdens they then strugl'd under and without doubt God hath heard and will perform his pious defires As an introduction to which it pleased the DIVINE MAJESTY to take out of the world the grandest opposer of his Majesties Right OLIVER CROMWELL who from a mean beginning had raised himself by force to be the arbitrary Governour of these Nations who is by the Almighty called to give an account of his actions before the High Tribunall of Heaven where are neither false witnesses nor interesed Judges and that on the same day on which he had gained two such signall victories over his Majesties forces at Dunbar and Worcester viz. on the third day of September Yet he thought he had certainly secured the Government of these three Nations for himself and nominates his son Richard for his Successour a person to speak the truth as not at all endowed with his fathers courage so not at all inclined to his ambition one whom if fame lies not of him could have willingly been content to have surrendred his Protectorship to the King the lawfull heir and by law undoubted Successour of his royal Father But those Officers of the Army whose ambition though not in so high a degree had so engaged them as Complices to Oliver Cromwell in his high late designes against his King and Countrey had so great a load of guilt upon their consciences that they could not hear of much less agree to the admission of his Sacred Majesty Nor was it indeed only thus but some ambitious spirits there were and particularly Maj. General Lambert whose high-flown thoughts made him fancy Idea's in his brain forc't him to attempt the enterprising to make himself Commander of these three Nations as Oliver by his means had done before which designes of his in the sequell ruin'd him and discovered those grand cheats abuses which that parâ—â— had put upon the Nation endeavouring to enslave them to their own arbitrary power whilst they pretended those strangely mistaken names of Religion and Liberty as hereafter will appear And these passages I shall the more fully insert as tending so much to his Majesties interest here and to the undeceiving of his good Subjects who are not blinded with Interest which the Usurpers had endeavoured to make the most potent