power of the Militia The People were to pay the Army and it was thought just by many that the Parliament should have command of them And it was suspected had they sate but a little longer that the Army or a considerable part of it would have adhered to the Parliament To prevent this mischief that was a working the Protector suddenly and unexpectedly dissolves them Febr. 4. with this word of comfort nevertheless to his other House My Lords ye are Lords and shall be Lords The Parliament thus again dissolved in discontent things rested as formerly though not without much murmuring and secret discontent both in the Protector and People About the latter end of August year 1658 or the beginning of September the Protector dyed having lain somewhile in a very sad condition with extream pain and torment in his bowels Some strongly fancy that he died on Tuesday Aug. 30. what time was the most furious violent wind that ever happened in the memory of man And it s very probable that he died that day or soon after but it was given out and commonly reported that he dyed on Friday Sept. 3. His Funeral was a great while deferred his body embalmed and kept above ground many moneths together with mourners continually attending his corpse and meat carried up and served on his Table as if he had been the greatest Prince in Christendom and afterwards he was interred with as great funeral solemnity as ever any King of England was interred and his Hearse or Statue set up after the manner of Kings and a most most magnificent Monument erected for him It is worth the remembring that about a year or two before his death he made a new broad Seal with the Arms of England viz. a Saint Georges Cross quartered with Saint Andrews Cross for Scotland and the Harp for Ireland and his own Coat in a little Escutcheon in the midst his Helmet and Mantle with a Crown imperial and a Lion puissant for his Crest and and the supporters a Lyon and a Dragon the Motto underneath his Arms Pax quaeritur Bello And this inscription about Sigillum magnum Reipublicae Anglioe Scotiae Hiberniae On the other side himself on Horseback richly trappered as the King Seal was wont to be and the Inscription about it Oliverus Dei gratia Reipublicae Angliae Scotiae Hiberniae Protector And though he usually coined no money yet I have seen some pieces of Silver of an half crown bigness with his Arms as before on the one side and his Picture crowned with bays on the other side and the former Inscription In these respects so near he approached to the Royal dignity sure I am he assumed more power and authority then ever any King of England did The Protector before his death had according to the fore-mentioned Humble Petition and Advice appointed his eldest Son Richard Cromwel to succeed him in his place and accordingly immediately after his Fathers death he was proclaimed in London and soon after all over England The Independents Anabaptists and other Sectaries were not well pleased at it they had rather have had Fleetwood in the place who had married the late Protectors Daughter Iretons Widow for Richard had formerly been reputed a kind of a good fellow and a Royallist and never was in Arms against the King as all the rest of his Fathers Family and Allies had been Richard soon after cals a Parliament to begin at Westminster Jan. 27. not according to the Instrument of Government but after the old way two in a County c. Before the calling of the Parliament and after congratulatory Addresses are made to Richard from most Counties Cities and Corporations of Note in England extolling the merits of his heroick Father expressing their joy for the succession of such a Son and promising to adhere to him withall faithfulness and loyalty In some of their Addresses they compare the Father to Moses and the Son to Joshua the Guiders and Conductors of Gods People out of Aegyptian thraldom with other the like blasphemous expressions Richard receives these Addresses with as much gravity as they were tendered with humility so that no man could imagine but that he was most firmly fixed in his Throne And Lilly the States mercenary Prognosticator assures it from his Astrological Predictions of that year AT the opening of the Parliament Jan. 27. he makes a Speech to both his Houses wherein he minds them of his just and lawful Title to the Government not only by the wonderful Provindence of God but by the disposition of the Laws he tels them he had convened them together for important affairs of State for the honour and safety of the Nation willed them to take into consideration the necessity of the Navy and Army whom he commends for their patience and obedience to the best Army in the world some other things to this purpose he commended to them and told them in conclusion that they should find him ready and willing to concur with them in any thing for the good of the publick and to deny them nothing that was just and fit And that if this were not an happy Parliament it should not be his fault And all this says the Book was spoken with so gracious and Princely a deportment as hath gained this opinion amongst the wisest Hearers that he deservedly holds the place of Supream Magistrate in these Nations Thus the Parliament began and great hopes there were of good agreement between the Protector and the People and doubtless he for his part would have given them leave to have setled the Nation as they thought good both for Religion and Civil Government But still the other House though called as formerly and many of them convened would not down with the Commons they would not in the least own this new made House of Lords sit they might if they pleased but little or nothing they had to do for the Commons would never impart any thing to them nor indeed have any intercourse with them A pitiful company of Peers they were and accordingly regarded But Richard and the House of Commons agreed very well he was willing to leave all to them And there being a very great number of young Lawyers in the House that gaped for preferment they were willing to give him power enough too much as many suspected Ye must know that in all Parliaments since Olivers time there was a faction of men in the House called Common-wealths men that were for a free State as they called it and against a single Person These were such as had purchased the Lands of Bishops Deans and Chapters and those belonging to the late King Queen and Prince And they feared that these Lands might be at one time or other restored unless the Government were again setled in the way of a Common-wealth for a single Person they thought might possibly come to be a King With these also concurred all such both Parliament-men and Army-men as
Commanders to issue out Armes and Ammunition for the defence of the Parliament and City against all that should invade them Massey Pointze Birch and other reformadoes that had formerly done great service for the Parliament when Essex was General are now imployed as chief Commanders for the City The Army on the contrary drawing together all their Forces and endeavouring to raise the Trained bands in the adjacent Counties prepare and intend to invade and subdue that Rebellious City The City thus prepared for defence were nevertheless for preventing the effusion of blood willing to have accorded with the Army upon any reasonable terms and to that purpose sent several messages to the Army but all would not do no terms of reconciliation or peace would be granted unless they would submit themselves and the Parliament wholly to the power of the Army which upon the point they did for in conclusion they agree and yield To desert both Houses of Parliament and the impeached Members To recall their Declaration lately published Relinquish their Militia deliver up all their Forts and line of Communication to the Army as also the Tower of London with all Armes and Ammunition therein to disband all their Forces and turn all their new-made Commanders and Reformadoes out of the line to demolish all their works and to suffer the Army to march without opposition through the City These imperious conditions of the Army were calmly submitted to by the tame-spirited Citizens And thereupon the Army brings in the fugitive Speakers and Members and seat them again in their authority Fairfax receives the solemn thanks of the House the common souldiers two months pay for their good service and valour and a day of Thanksgiving is appointed to be solemnly kept for this great deliverance and Fairfax made General of all Forces both in England and Wales and Constable of the Tower of London All this was done Aug. 6. 1647. Soon after the General Lieutenant General and the whole Army with their train of Artillery march in triumph through the City of London And from that day forward both City Parliament and whole Kingdom are subject to the Army Not long after the restitution of these fugitive Members all Votes Orders and Ordinances of Parliament made in their absence are declared null and void The eleven impeached Members of the House of Commons have leave granted them to go beyond Sea and they must think they are favourably dealt with Seven Lords that sate in the upper House in the absence of the fugitive Members viz. The Earls of Suffolk Lincoln and Midlesex the Lords Berkly Willoughby Hunsdon and Maynard are impeached of high Treason and committed to the black Rod for levying of War against the King Parliament and Kingdom The Lord Mayor Aldermen and divers Citizens are likewise impeached of the same crime and committed to the Tower divers members also of the Commons House are under accusation and examination as countenancers and abettors of the late tumult But all these impeachments and accusations in time vanished and came to nothing only the Army Faction was by this means strengthened and encouraged and the other party as much quell'd and discouraged so that thenceforward all Votes propounded were passed or not according to the temper and disposition of the Army The Parliament became wholly subservient to the Armies designs as will plainly appeare in the ensuing Story Meantime the King continues still under the power of the Army removes and passes from place to place as they remove their Quarters But now having made the Parliament wholly for their turn he is removed nearer London to Hampton Court there he had much freedom and abundance of people continually resorted to him At Hampton Court he receives Propositions from the Parliament Septem 7. the same in effect that were tendred to him at Newcastle in July the year before The King in answer desires that the Parliament would take into consideration the Proposals of the Army of August 1. 1647. as more moderate and more conducing to satisfie all interests in the Nation Things thus standing and the King remaining still at Hampton Court a Faction of Seditious people called Levellers sprung up in the City and Army some of the chiefest whereof were Lilburn Overton VVyldman and others people of a turbulent and heady temper These frame a writing called the Agreement of the people tending to the alteration of the whole frame of Government of the Nation They stile the House of Commons in their Petitions the supreme power of the Nation they bitterly declaim and raile against the House of Lords in several Pamphlets These at first receive some check from the House of Commons and one of them a souldier is by the Council of War condemned and shot to death at VVare but yet they increase more and more and grow more insolent every day being as is was probably thought countenanced underhand by some in the Parliament and by some great Officers in the Army to promote their own ambitious designs At length about Novemb 9. or 10. Cromwell sends word to the King by Colonel VVhaley who had the Guard of him that those kind of people were grown very numerous in the Army that he feared they had some malicious design against his Majesties person and he doubted it would not be in the power of the Officers of the Army to protect him and therefore advised him by timely withdrawing himself in private to provide for his own security A Letter of Advertisement also from an unknown person in London to the same purpose was sent and delivered to his Majesty intimating his danger and wishing his Majesty were at his or any Loyal Subjects House in London Whereupon the next day in the Evening Novemb. 11. his Majesty with a Servant or two only conveyed himself secretly from Hampton Court into the Isle of Wight In that Island commanded one Colonel Hamond as Governour there for the Parliament a kinsman he was of Dr. Hamonds that famous Divine and I think the Kings Chaplain insomuch as the King might expect some more then ordinary civility from him Hamond presently gives notice to the Parliament of his Majesties coming thither and upon order from the Parliament takes him into custody at Curesbrook Castle The King also upon his departure from Hampton Court had left upon the Table a Letter or Message to the two Houses of Parliament signifying the cause of his withdrawing himself and also his readiness to concurre with them in all things just and reasonable for the settling of a safe and well-grounded Peace And had further soon after his arrival in the Isle of Wight sent another Message or Declaration to them wherein he offers First Concerning Religion to establish the Presbyterian Government for three years and then afterwards to establish Church-Government in such a manner as shall be concluded upon by the Assembly of Divines with the addition of twenty Divines to be nominated by his Majesty Secondly For the Militia he
should make any disturbance but brought him a more private way to his own house at Newmarket There he rested some while and the Gentry and people of all sorts from severtl parts had access to him and many came and were cured of the Kings Evil by him The Souldiers were highly magnified by the people for their civilitie and specious pretences to the King From Newmarket the Army removed to Saint Albones and the King with them his Majestie being lodged at Hatfield house there they pretended great matters for him and Cromwel especially in private gave him great hope of his Restitution From thence June 23. the publish a Remonstrance of their good intentions towards the Kingdom and to the King especiallie Amongst other passages in that Declaration this is one They professe they do not see how there can be any peace to the Kingdom firm and lasting without a due consideration of and provision for the rights quiet and immunity of his Majesties Royal Family and his late partakers And herein say they me think that tender and equitable dealing as supposing their cases had been ours and a spirit of common love and justice diffusing it self to the good and preservation of all will make up the most glorious conquest over their hearts if God in mercy see it good to make them and the whole people of the Land lasting friends These are the verie words in that Declaration and I have noted them the rather to see how quite contrary to these specious professions their after-Actings within a short while were The Armie removes to several quarters and the King along with them They treat him honourably in respect of what the Parliament had done they allow him the attendance of his Chaplains and the use of the Common-Prayer denyed him by the Parliament some Noblemen and Gentlemen of his party are permitted to come to him The General obtains of the Parliament that he may see his children tâ—en under the custody of the Earl of Northumberland upon promise of the General that they shall return again Proposals are made to him by the Army far more moderate than the Propositions lately tendred to him at Newcastle All things are carried by the Army as if they really ment his Restitution upon very reasonable terms And most certain it is that Cromwell gave his Majesty very faithful promises of restoring him upon more moderate terms than either the Parliament or Army proposed But ye must know while these things vvere in agitation about the later end of July there fell a great difference between the Parliament and Army insomuch as the Army were jealous that the Parliament and City would have brought the King to London upon his own terms The occasion was thus The Militia of the City of London had been setled by an Ordinance of May 4. 1647. in the hands of such of the City as the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Common Council had nominated and approved The Army about the 20 of July require of the Parliament that Ordinance may be repealed and the Militia of the City settled in other hands such as the Army might confide in and accordingly in a thin house the Militia was changed without any Objections against the persons formerly intrusted or acquainting the Mayor or Common Council with it to hear what they could alledge in their own behalf The City startled at this sudden and unexpect change of their Militia calling a Common Council they resolve to petition the Parliament for restoring their Militia as formerly settled in a full house and accordingly July 26. the Sheriffs and some Common Council men present their Petition which Petition the same day within a few hours after was seconded by another other of the Apprentices to the same effect and wherein they claimed that the ordering of the Cities Militia was the Birth-right of the City belonging to them by several Charters confirmed by Parliament and about one thousand Apprentices yet without any armes came down with this Petition The House of Lords upon presenting these Petitions were pleased to grant their desires revoking the Ordinance of the 23 of July and reviving that of the fourth of May. The debate stuck longer in the House of Commons but about three of the clock in the Afternoon they passed it The Apprentices staying in and about Westminster-hall and the Parliament door till the Vote was passed and then all or the most part withdrew and went to their homes The Apprentices being departed some disorderly persons instigated thereunto as was probably thought by divers Sectaries and Adherents to the Army to make the business more odious and to give the Army occasion to quarrel with the City flock'd again to the Parliament door and the Speaker having adjourned the House they compelled him again to return to the chaire and there kept both him and the Members in the House till they had passed a Vote that the King should come to London to treat The Mayor and Common Council still assembled hearing of this disorder sent down the Sheriffs immediately with such strength as they could for the present get and pacified the tumult sending the Speaker safe to his house and published Edicts to prevent the like This tumult happened July 26. being Monday The House met again next day being Tuesday sate again and Acted quietly and because the Fast was the next day after they adjourned the House till the Friday following the Lords having formerly adjourned to that day On the Thursday following the day before they were to meet upon the adjournment the Speaker with about fourty of the Members secretly withdrew to the Army then at Windsor complaining of an horrid force put upon the House The rest of the Members at least 140 meeting on the Friday morning according to adjournment finding neither Speaker nor Mace and understanding upon inquiry whither he was gone they chose a New Speaker and get another Mace and set againe and the like did the Lords whose Speaker also was fled upon the same account both as it was conceived either inveigled or threatened by the Army that they might have the better pretence of quarrel against the City and Parliament I have related this passage the more particularly that it may be compared with the force afterward put upon the Parliament by the Army themselves upon the King Tryal These things thus passed as London between the Parliament and City highly incensed the Army who now take upon them to be Supream Umpires over the Nation they entertain and countenance the fugitive Speakers and Members and they and the Council of the Army set together in consultation engaging to support one another in this quarrel against the members as they termed them at Westminister and the City Mean time the Parliament call in the eleven impeached Members secluded hitherto upon the Armies accusation they revive the Committee of Safety they give power to the City by several Orders and Ordinances to list and raise Forces to appoint Officers and
of it Monck was all that time with his Army at Barwick and thereabouts never advancing farther into England than Alnwick Lambert and his Army having much impoverished Yorkshire and those parts what with Texas and Free-quarter were now about Newcastle quarterred in a barren cold Countrey and not able to march by reason of the hardnesse of the waether In the meane time I must tell you from Lambers first advancing against Monck the Londoners had been solicited by Fleetwood and the rest to joyn with the Army but they utterly refuse it though they liked well enough the turning out of the Parliament About the beginning of December the Apprentices and some others Petition the Lord Major and Court of Aldermen the souldiers interpose whereupon there is a great hurliburly in the City and some blood is shed a Captain they say being slaine but by the means fo the Major the tumult is appeased Fleetwood upon this occasion to curb the City and prevent any risings hereafter sends in a considerable part of his Army they take and fortifie four houses in several parts of the City whereof Gresham Colledge was one these they strengthen with souldiers and Granadoes and threaten to fire the City in case the Citizens should stir VVhile these things were thus carried at London Haselrig and some Army Officers that from the first had adhered to the Parliament got into Portsmouth about December the third and there joyning with some chief Officers of the Navy declare openly for the Parliament against the Army And because the City of London would not joyne with them for they liked the Parliament as thus constituted as ill as they did the Army they will a considerable part of the Navy under the command of Lawson then Admiral who had a little before deserted the Army block up the Thames this was about a week before Christimas The City thus blockt up by Sea and Garison'd with Fleetwoods souldiers by Land were in a sad condition but for all this they would neither declare for the Army nor Parliament but still desired to have a free Parliament of the election of the People to which the souldiers forced by necessity and want of money at last consented but with such qualifications as had they been observed would have rendered the Parliament wholly subservient to the Armies interest And the Committee of Safety had by a Proclamation summoned the same to begin at Westminster Ianuary 24. But the Parliament now commonly called the Rump and so I shall hereafter terme them taking the opportunity of this difference between the Citie and Army made a shift to meet together a competeur number of them about 40. and to crowde again into the House December 26. late in the Evening by Torch-light But lest the Londoners should joyne with the Army and oppose they promise upon their first fitting either to call in the Secluded Members by the 6th of Jannuary or else to issue out Writs for filling up the House by new Elections To pacifie the Army they passe a Vote of Indempnity to Fleetwood Lambert and all rest of the Army both Officers and Souldiers for what was past in case hereafter they demeane themselves quietly which Vote they are glad to accept of not being able farther to oppose But I must tell you that before this they had endeavoured what they might in all the Counties to raise money for the supply of the Army but could not get any confiderable sums The Gentlemen in the Countrey that had been laid horses by vertue of the late Act for the Militia which was first set on foot by the Parliament of July last but laid aside soone after for fear of offending the Army these they now rate at 10 l. for every horse yet rather than faile they would have taken fifty shillings Some that were faint-hearted compounded at so low a rate and paid but many refused And of them that compounded the most part would never pay a penny This was about the beginning of December and some money by this tricâ— they got but not much About the same time also they sent forth warrants for one moneths Tax assessed for Drums and Colours c. by vertue of the said Act but this in many places was never paid and in most places though rated yet not paid So that the want of money was the maine thing that broke their designe the souldiers about London mutining and growing insolent against their Commanders for want of pay some of them falling to that party that adhered to the Parliament and others offering their service and assistance to the City whom they thought best able to entertaine them so that it came to that passe before the Rump got in that Fleetwood had little or no command of his souldiers in and about the City And this gave another advantage to the Rump to croud in Being got in as before is noted The Citizens of London are yet jealous that they would not according to their promise call in the secluded Members nor fill up their House by new Elections And therefore they fortifie the City in several streets and places of accesse with chains and posts to prevent the sudden incursion of horses For now they feared the Rump Parliament as much or more than formerly they did the Army this was about the beginning of Ianuary And indeed within a few dayes after they discovered their intentions the Rump was so far from calling in the secluded Members as they passed a Vote that never any of them should sit again and in stead of filling up their House by a new election they are about contriving an Oath of abjuration whereby to force men under a penalty to abjure the King and all the Royal Line or Family but this Oath stuck long in debate and at last would not passe amongst themselves But notwithstanding the Rump was thus got into possession and likely enough to hold it Lamberts Army being at the news of it quite broken and dispersed himself secretly departing from them at Rippon and posting to London to accept his Vote of Indempnity Monck advanceth with his Army marching on slowly and was come to Newcastle about the sixth of Ianuary without the least opposition The Rump likes well of it hoping by his assistance to quell the City who as yet stood at distance with them and had in a sort fortified themselves against them The Londoners on the contrary entertaine hopes that by Moncks coming the Parliament might be enforced notwithstanding their former Vote either to call in the Secluded Members or else to sill up the House with new elections either of which would have satisfied them and one of which they resolved to insist upon All expectations on either side are upon Monck but no man knew certainly what his intentions were The Rump had from the first intelligence of Moncks advancing after Lamberts Army was disbanded and broken sent two of their Members Robinson and Scot to wait upon him or rather indeed as Spies