about the thirtieth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred forty and two at Beverley in the County of York and upon or about the thirtieth day of July in the year aforesaid in the County of the City of York and upon or about the twenty fourth day of August in the same year at the County of the Town of Nottingham when and where he set up his Standard of War and also on or about the twenty third day of October in the same year at Edgehill and Keinton-field in the County of Warwick and upon or about the thirtieth day of November in the same year at Brainford in the County of Middlesex and upon or about the thirtieth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred fourty and three at Cavesham-bridge neer Reading in the County of Berks and upon or about the thirtieth day of October in the year last mentioned at or neer the City of Gloucester And upon or about the thirtieth day of November in the year last mentioned at Newbury in the County of Berks And upon or about the one and thirtieth day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred forty and four at Cropredy-bridge in the County of Oxon And upon or about the thirtieth day of September in the year last mentioned at Bodmin and other places neer adjacent in the County of Cornwall And upon or about the thirtieth day of November in the year last mentioned at Newbury aforesaid And upon or about the eighth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred forty and five at the Towne of Leicester And also upon the fourteenth day of the same moneth in the same year at Naseby-field in the County of Northampton At which several times and places or most of them and at many other places in this Land at several other times within the years aforementioned And in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred forty and six He the said Charles Stuart hath caused and procured many thousands of the free-people of the Nation to be slaine and by Divisions Parties and Insurrections within this Land by invasions from forraigne parts endeavoured and procured by Him and by many other evill waies and meanes He the said Charles Stuart hath not only maintained and carried on the said Warre both by Land and Sea during the years before mentioned but also hath renewed or caused to be renewed the said Warre against the Parliament and good people of this Nation in this present yeare one thousand six hundred forty and eight in the Counties of Kent Essex Surrey Sussex Middlesex and many other Counties and places in England and Wales and also by Sea And particularly He the said Charles Stuart hath for that purpose given Commissions to his Sonne the Prince and others whereby besides multitudes of other Persons many such as were by the Parliament intrusted and employed for the safety of the Nation being by Him or his Agents corrupted to the betraying of their Trust and revolting from the Parliament have had entertainement and commission for the continuing and renewing of Warre and Hostility against the said Parliament and People as aforesaid By which cruell and unnaturall Warres by Him the said Charles Stuart levyed continued and renewed as aforesaid much Innocent bloud of the Free-people of this Nation hath been spilt many Families have been undone the Publique Treasury wasted and exhausted Trade obstructed and miserably decayed vast expence and damage to the Nation incurred and many parts of the Land spoyled some of them even to desolation And for further prosecution of His said evill Designes He the said Charles Stuart doth still continue his Commissions to the said Prince and other Rebels and Revolters both English and Forraigners and to the Earle of Ormond and to the Irish Rebels and Revolters associated with him from whom further Invasions upon this Land are threatned upon the procurement and on the behalf of the said Charles Stuart All which wicked Designes Warrs and evill practises of Him the said Charles Stuart have been and are carried on for the advancing and upholding of the Personall Interest of Will and Power and pretended prerogative to Himself and his Family against the publique Interest Common Right Liberty Justice and Peace of the people of this Nation by and for whom He was entrusted as aforesaid By all which it appeareth that He the said Charles Stuart hath been and is the Occasioner Author and Contriver of the said unnaturall cruell and bloudy Warrs and therein guilty of all the treasons murthers rapines burnings spoiles desolations damage and mischief to this Nation acted or committed in the said Warrs or occasioned therby And the said John Cook by Protestation saving on the behalfe of the people of England the liberty of Exhibiting at any time hereafter any other Charge against the said Charles Stuart and also of replying to the Answers which the said Charles Stuart shall make to the premises or any of them or any other Charge that shall be so exhibited doth for the said treasons and crimes on the behalf of the said people of England Impeach the said Charles Stuart as a Tyrant Traytor Murtherer and a publique and implacable Enemy to the Common-wealth of England And pray that the said Charles Stuart King of England may be put to answer all and every the premises That such Proceedings Examinations Tryals Sentence and Judgment may be thereupon had or shall be agreeable to Justice The King smiled often during the reading of the Charge especially at these words Tyrant Traytor Murderer and publique Enemy of the Commonwealth President Sir you have now heard your Charge you finde that in the close of it it is prayed to the Court in behalfe of the Commons of England that you answer to your Charge which the Court expects King I would know by what power I am called hither I was not long ago in the Isle of Wight how I came there is a longer story then I think fit at this time for me to speak But there I entred into a Treaty with both Houses of Parliament with as much faith as is possible to be had of any People in the World I Treated there with a number of Honourable Lords and Gentlemen and treated honestly and uprightly I cannot say but that they did very nobly with Me We were upon a Conclusion of the Treaty Now I would know by what lawful Authority there are many unlawfull Authorities Thieves and Robbers on the High-way I was brought from thence and carried from place to place and I know not what and when I know by what lawfull Authority I shall Answer Remember I am your King your lawfull King and what sinns you bring upon your own heads and the judgment of God upon this Land think well upon it think well upon it I say before you go on from one sinne to a greater therefore let me know by what
grow so hardned so cunning in their way and so backed with dependencies that it is almost impossible to trace them And although when we look upon the many persons imployed we cannot say there is solitudo personarum yet when we consider that by a long partnership in their imployments they are allyed together in one common interest they are to be esteemed but as one man for a Corporation of men is but many men joyned together as one man and with one mind pursuing one and the same end or interest And though they have a general Committee of Accompts yet they were nominated by those Members that ought to give Accompts Committee of Accounts and it must needs be suspicious for an Accomptant to choose those persons before whom he shall accompt And we see after so long a time of their sitting no fruit thereof Whereas the people did hope that after so much money spent and such great debts and arrears left to pay whereby they are threatned with continuance of their Taxes that a full and exact general accompt of all Receipts and Disbursments would have been published in Print for their satisfaction as is usually done in the Low-Countries and as was once done by this Parliament Anno 1641. by a Declaration of the accompts of the Kingdom But it may be the Synod in favour of the Grandees have voted that place in Scripture Render an account of thy Stewardship to be but Apocryphal By these exorbitant courses though they have drayned 40. Millions from the people Wants of the Parliament and how occasioned yet as Philip of Macedon was said to be Inter quotidianas rapinas semper inops they are faln to such ridiculous want and beggery that they have lately pawned almost all the security they have for 200000 l. to disband the Army and enter upon the Irish imployment They have slit Goldsmiths-Hall in sunder and given one side thereof to the City and kept the other half thereof to themselves and that already charged with 200000 l. at least So that if any sudden occasion happen they have put their purse into the hands of the uncircumcised Jews of the City and cannot raise one penny but by new Taxes upon the people It was worth observing to see how officiously some of the old Stagers took leave of the Publick purse before it came into Hucksters hands Alderman Pennington had a debt of 3000 l. he owed to Sir John Pennington forgiven him he never asked forgiveness of his sins more heartily and 3000 l. more given him out of Goldsmiths Hall in course the reason of this bounty was forked or two-fold 1. Because he hath got enough before 2. To comfort his heart for being left out of the City Militia But the most observable thing was to see this old Parliament like a young Prodigal take up money upon difficult terms and intangle all that they had for a security 1. They gave way to the City to hedg in an old debt being a loan of money after the rate of 50 Subsidyes and other old debts 2. Whereas 200000 l. only was the sum to be borrowed the City enjoyned them to take up 230000 l. whereof the od 30000 l. to be bestowed for relief of decayed occupiers of the City so that upon the matter the Parliament pays 30000 l. Broakage 3. That the City may not trust the greatest unthrifts of Christendome with laying out of their own money they put upon them 2 Treasurers of the City to receive and disburse it for the service for which it was borrowed so you see they have now neither credit money nor a purse to put it in So that the modest Members who have been more forward to help their Country than themselves Modest and middle members are left in the lurch for their losses and exposed to the laughter of their elder brothers the old Junto men and factious leaders of the House all being now morgaged to the Lombards of the City The thriving Members hope their younger brothers will continue as modest as they have been and digest all with patience but others and those neither fools nor knaves hope all the modest and middle men of the Houses such as are ingaged in no faction will be provoked hereby to draw into a third party or Junto to moderate the excesses of the other 2. when any thing prejudicial to the Commonwealth is agitated and to call the old Junto men those land Pyrats to account making them cast up what they have swallowed and bring it to a common divident or rather to pay the Army and Publick debts whereby the people may be eased of their pressures nor let them be discouraged with the supposed difficulty hereof since 20 or 30 men holding together and observing the cross debates and different sway of each party may easily make themselves moderators of their differences and turn the scales for the best advantage of the common which way they please to cast in their Votes since it is very rare to have any question carried by more than eight or ten voices Most of these Grandees are reported to have for their retreat houses in the Low-Countries Grandees provision to save themselves richly furnished with Sequestred Plate Linnen and Stuff and great store of money in bank for their shelter against such stormes as their Rapine Tyranny and Ignorance may happily raise here amongst us In those their retirements these Authors of our miseries will injoy their sins and our spoyls in security attending an opportunity to purchase their peace at last and betray our Safeties and Liberties to the inraged Prince and People This is called robbing of the Aegyptians and doubtless these ambitious State-Mountebanks have brought us into darkness worse than Egyptian The text saith the Egyptians rose not from their places in three days they yet knew where they were which is more than we do every man being out of his place and rank the Servant in place of his Master the Begger in place of the King the Fool in place of the Counsellour the Theif in place of the Judge the cheater in place of the Treasurer the Clown in place of the Gentleman none but God alone can play Daedalus part and give us a Clue to lead us out of this labyrinth into which these unpolitick Hocas Pocasses have brought us These unskilfull workmen that have built up Babel and pulled down Sion Others are said to prepare Forein Plantations for Retreat to People which Chiâ—dren are ravished from their parents Arms and shipped away an abomination not known in England before and therefore no competent Law made against it no more than in antient Rome against Paricides By what hath been already said you see what the several and what the conjoyned interests of these two Junto's or Factions Grandees their several interests and designs and strengths Presbyterian and Independent are let us now consider where their several strength lies The Indepâ—ndent groundeth his strength upon
facinorous persons who comply with them to keep up this Army for their own security against publick justice Having thus courted and cheated all the publick and just Interests of the Kingdom they deceived the people so far as to make them Issachar-like patiently to bear the burden of free-quarter and to make addresses to the Army for themselves by Petitions to which they gave plausible answers That this and this was the sense of the Army As if the sense of the Army had been the supreme Law of the Land and to make addresses to the Parliament for the Army not to be disbanded for which purpose their Agitators carried Petitions ready penned to be subscribed in most Counties The Peoâ—le being thus lulled asleep 22. A quarrel against the City invented they now cast about how to make benefit of a joynt quarrel both against the Parliament and City since they could not separate them or at least against the Presbyterian party in both they had withdrawn their quarters in a seeming obedience to Parliaments commands 30 miles from London of which they often brag in their Papers and presumed the suspension of the 11. Members had struck such an awfulness into the Houses that most of the Presbyterian Members would either absent themselves as too many indeed did or turn Renegadoes from their own principles to them but found themselves notwithstanding opposed and their desires retarded beyond their expectation by the remainder of that party 23. The Army demand the City Militia to be changed into other hands They must therefore find out a quarrel to march against the City and give the Houses another Purge stronger than the former The Army being principled and put into a posture sutable to Cromwels desire and the Country charmed into a dull sleep now was his time to pick a quarrel with the City that what he could not obtain by fair means he might obtain by foul to make them desert and divide from the Parliament and leave it to be modelled according to the discretion of the Souldiery He could not think it agreeable to policy that the City which had slaiâ— his Compeer and fellow Prince Wat Tyler the Idol of the Commons in Richard the seconds time and routed his followers four times as many in number as this Army should be trusted with their own Militia the City being now greater more populous and powerfull than in his days In a full and free Parliament upon mature debate both Houses by Ordinance dated 4 May 1647. had established the Militia of the City of London for a year in the hands of such Citizens as by their Authority and approbation were nominated by the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Common-Council and though the Army had recruted it self without Authority and had got themselves invested with the whole power of all the Land forces of the Kingdom in pay of the Parliam so that there was nothing left that could be formidable to them but their own crimes and that it was expected they should go roundly to work upon those publick remedies they had so often held forth to the people in their popular Printed Papers See the Letter and Remonstrance from Sir Tho. Fairfax and the Army p. 8. 9. Yet the Army contrary to what they promised to the City in their Letter 10. June and their Declaration or Representation 14 June 1647. That they would not go beyond their desires at that time expressed and for other particulars would acquiesce in the Justice and wisdom of the Parliament behold their modesty by a Letter and Remonstrance from Sir Thomas Fairfax and the Army with unresisted boldness demanded the Militia of the City of London to be returned into other hands without acquainting the City of their Commissioners then resident in the Army to keep a good correspondency with them therewith upon which Letter alone the House of Commons being very thin and many Members driven away by menaces upon July 22. Voted the repealing the said Vote of 4 May and a new Ordinance for reviving the old Militia presently passed and transmitted to the Lords the same day about seven of the clock at night and there presently passed without debate though moved by some to be put off until the City whose safety and privileges it highly concerned were heard what they could say to it Observe that neither by the said Paper from the Army nor by any man in the two Houses any thing was objected against any of the new Militia And indeed formerly the Parliament never made choice of enlarged or changed the City Militia but they were still pleased fiâ—st to communicate the same to the Common-Council a Resâ—ect justly shewed to that City which had been such good friends to them but of late since the Parliament have shifted their old Pâ—inciâ—les and Interests they have learned to lay by their old Friends The pretence for this hasty passing the Ordinance was to prevent the Armies so much theatned march to London if the Houses refused to pass it and the Cities opposition if not passed before their notice of it But the real design was to strike a discontent and jealousie into the City thereby to force them to some act of self-defence which might give a colour to the Army to march up against them and their friends in the Houses The unexpected news of this changing their Militia 24. The City troubled at the change of their Militia caused the City June 24. being Saturday to meet in Common-Council where for some reasons already expressed and because the repealing this Ordinance upon no other grounds than the Armies imperious desires might justly be suspected to shake all other Ordinances for security of Money sale of Bishops Lands I appeal to Colonel Harvy whether this did not fright him by making them repealable at the Armies pleasure they resolve to Petition the House upon Monday morning following being 26. July which they did by the Sheriffs and some Common-Council men But so it hapned that about one thousand Apprentices wholly unarmed 25. The City Petition the Houses for their Militia again came down two or three hours after with another Petition of their own to the Houses Therein complaining that to Order the Cities Militia was the Cities Birth-right belonging to them by Charters confirmed in Parliament for defence whereof they had adventured their lives as far as the Army And desired the Militia might be put again into the same hands in which it was put with the Parliaments and Cities consent by Ordinance May 4. 26. The tumult of Apprentices 26. July Upon reading these Petitions the Lords were pleased to revoke the Ordinance of July 23. and revive that of May 4. by a new Ordinance of July 26. which they presently sent down to the Commons for their consents where some of the Apprentices presuming they might have as good an influence upon the House to obtain their due as the Army in pay of the Parliament had to
within thirty miles of London 34. Members Engagement with the Army The Army to countenance their Rebellion draw the two Speakers and fugitive Members to sit in consultation and pass Votes promiscuously with the Council of War in the nature of a Parliament and to sign an Engagement dat 4. August to live and die with Sir Thomas Fairfax and the Army under his command affirming therein that generally throughout their sense agreeth with the Declaratitn of Sir Tho. Fairfax and his Council of War shewing the grounds of their present advance towards the City of London In which Declaration the Council of the Army take upon them to be supreme Judges over the Parliament Telling you who of the two Houses they hold for persons in whom the publick trust of the Kingdom remaineth and by whose advise they mean to govern themselves in managing the weighty affairs of the Kingdom They declare against the late choice of a new Speaker by some Gentlemen at Westminster And that as things now stand there is no free nor legal Parliament sitting being through the violence 26. July suspended That the Orders and Votes c. passed 29. July last and all such as shall passe in this assembly of some few Lords and Gentlemen at Westminster are void and null and ought not to be submitted unto Behold here not only a power without the Parliament Houses judging of the very essence of a Parliament and the validity of their resolutions but usurping to themselves a negative Voice which they deny to the King and yet a Schismatical faction in the 2 Houses complying with them and betraying and prostituting the very being Honour and all the fundamental rights and privileges of this and all future Parliaments to an Army of Rebels who refuse to obey their Masters and disband This Engagement so over-leavened the army that their brutish General sent forth Warrants to raise the Trained Bands of some Counties to march with him against the City and both Houses although Trained Bands are not under any pay of the Parliament and therefore not under command of the General by any Order or Ordinance But what will not a Fool in authority do when he is possessed by Knaves Miserable man His Foolery hath so long waited upon Cromwell's and Ireton's knavery 35. The City send Commissioners to the Army Fowks Gibs and Estweck by whom they are betrayed that it is not safe for him now to see his folly and throw by his Cap with a Bell and his Bable The Earl of Essex died so opportunely that many suspected his death was artificiall Yet the City were so desirous of Peace that they sent Commissioners sundry times to the Army to mediate an Accord Who could obtain no more equal terms of Agreement than that They should yeeld to desert both Houses and the impeached Members Call in their Declaration newly Printed and published Relinquish the Militia Deliver up all their Forts and Line of Communication to the Army together with the Tower of London and all the Magazines and arms therein Disband all their Forces Turn all the Reformadoes out of the Line Withdraw all their guards from the Houses Receive such Guards of Horse and Foot within the Line as the Army should appoint to guard the Houses Demolish their works suffer the whole Army to march in triumph through the City as Conquerours of it and the Parliament and as they often give out of the whole Kingdome tearms which they might have had from the great Turk had he sate down before them and broken ground All which was suddenly and dishonourably yeelded to and executed according by such an Army as was not able to fight with one half of the City had they been united But they are the Devils seed-men and have sown the Cockle of Heresies and Scism so abundantly in City and Country especially amongst the more beggarly sort that these men joyning Principles and interests with the Army weaken the hands of all opponents They often brag that they made a civil march free from Plunder I Answer they neither durst nor could do otherwise their Souldiers being ill armed and so few that they were not able to keep stands in the streets and keep the Avenues while their Fellows dispersed to Plunder Charles 8. with a far greater and more Victorious Host durst not offer violence to the far lessâ— City of Florence when Signior Capona put an affront upon him in the Town-house Bidding him beat his drums and he would ring their Bells 36. The fugitive Members returned Upon the 6. of August 1647. The General brought the fugitive Speakers and Members to the Houses with a strong Party who might have returned sooner without a Guard had not their own crimes and designs hindred them the two Palaces filled with armed guards double Files clean through Westminster hall up the stairs to the House of Commons and so through the Court of Requests to the Lords House and down stairs again into the old Palace The Souldiers looking scornfully upon many Members that had sat in the absence of the Speaker and threatning to cut some of their throats And all things composed to so ridiculous a terrour as if they would bespeak without speaking the absence of those Members that sat placed the Speakers in the Chairs without Vote out of which they had been justly Voted for deserting their calling where the General was placed in a Chair of State enough to make a fool of any man that was not fit for it and received special thanks for his service from both Speakers And in the second place a day of thanksgiving was appointed to God I think for his patience in not striking these Atheistical Saints with thunder and lightning for making him a stale to their premeditated villanies Here Sir Thomas Fairfax with a breath and before any man that was not privy to the design could recover out of his amazement was made Generalissimo of all the Forces and Forts of England and Wales to dispose of them at his pleasure Constable of the Tower of London The common Souldiers Voted one moneths gratuity besides their pay the Commons being in good case to give gifts before they pay debts left to the discretion of the General to set what Guards he pleased upon the two Houses Whereby you may perceive in what unequal condition those Members that did not run away with the Speaker do now sit after so many reiterated threats of the General against them in his printed Papers After this the General Lieutenant General 37. The Armies march in Triumph through the City with other subsequent Acts. Major General Skippon heretofore Waggoner to Sir Francis Pere and one that hath got well by serving the City and the whole Army with the Train of Artillery marched through London in so great pomp and Triumph as if they would have the People understand that the Authority of the Kingdom in whose hands soever it remains in these doubtfull times must
Committee-men persons for the most part of weak fortunes and weaker wits and partly from the frantick zeal of the Mayor of Canterbury who for his Religion prudence and honesty may well be younger brother to Warner Lord Mayor of London upon Christmas day 1648. sundry people going to the Church of Canterbury to solemnize that day were uncivily interrogated and roughly handled by the Mayor as if it were superstition nay impiety to serve God on that day or as if some dayes were exempted from serving God as some days are exempted from worldly labour This grew to a Tumult which the Committee of the County hearing they presently gathered forces to make ostentation of their power in suppressing it but were prevented by intelligence that all was quiet but this quietnesse was rather a truce than a lasting peace a desire of revenge against the Mayor for wounding some of the People like fire hid under ashes broke forth two dayes after but was presently pacified by the discreet indeavours of Sir W. Man Ald. Sabin and Mr. Lovelace a Lawyer The Committee of that County presently assemble forces with which together with their Chaplains other instruments of war they march to reduce the City and though they had newes that all was appeased yet would they not believe it but continued their march in triumph where finding the Gates open they took them off and burnt them threw down part of their Walls thereby degrading the City and turning it into a Village as a trophy of their high indignation committed many to Prison upon light suspicions amongst whom the aforesaid 3 Peace-makers for being so saucy as to compose the difference and thereby deprive their highnesses of a Triumphant Victory For these upstart Committees mounted above the sphere of their activity and having stolen his Majesties Sword His principal marke of Soveraignty wherewith he protects his people out of his Scabbard know not how to use it but to the destruction of the people like ill-natured Children they have gotten a gay thing and must do mischief with it And for farther magnifying of their power to the Country and their diligence to the Parliament they charged the prisoners with High Treason and so forgot them languishing in Gaol had not those Gentlemen remembred themselves and clamoured for a Trial which at last was granted them by a Commission of Oyer and Terminer to Sergeant Wyld and Sergeant Creswell the Juries were men known to be wel-affected to the Parliament who found Ignoramus upon the Bill and notwithstanding many checks and taunts from the Committee and the refusing of the return adhered so that the Court adjourned for some months Hereupon the Kentish men fearing the tyrannical disposition of their Committees consulted with the said Grand Jury upon the place concerning a Petition to the Parliament for Peace to end our distractions which Petition was subscribed by the Grand Jury in the name of the whole County The Committee jealous that these things would hearten the People and loosen the bonds of that slavish foâ—r wherein they had hitherto held them captive printed and caused to be published in all Churches a Paper prohibiting the same Petition and branding it with the name of seditious and tumultuous saying they would hang two in every Parish that were promoters of it and sequester the rest And endeavoured first to raise forces in the County but at last made their complaint to the Army When the Country saw their just desires like to be suppressed by Arms and themselves to be still Committee-ridden they resolved upon a place of meeting to promote their Petition and to come Armed thither for their own defence onely But the County Committee plied their businesse so well with the Committee of Derby House and the Army that they first drew a party of Horse into the County who committed many murders according to Custome and then the whole Army which at Black-heath encamped on the same place where the Petitioners intended to Rendezvouz So the result of all is but this The whole County of Kent oppressed by a tyrannous Committee and a lingting war now likely to be renued prepare to present a Petition to the Parliament for Peace and had appointed a day and place of meeting which by reason of the large extent of the County they could not alter at the pleasure of the Committee and being terrified by the menaces and warlike preparations of the said Committee brought their Arms with them in order onely to self-defence allowed by the Laws of God and Man and by the doctrine and practice of this Parliament and Army and peradventure induced thereto by the sad Massacre of the Surry Petitioners The Committee to support their usurped illegal authority invite an Army to break in upon them with fire and sword and so enforced them upon thoughts and actions of War never before thought on as will appear 1. Because many of the Petitioners went home the next day after the Rendezvouz 2. The County had provided no General nor no old Commanders 3. They never thought of forming an Army until Sir Tho. Fairfax was storming one of their Towns 4. The Kentish-men were compelled to take in Sandwich and the 3 Castles lest they should fall upon the backs of them when the Army marched against them yet did they hurt no man in person or goods which argued a peaceable disposition ayming only at defence Thus you see a whole County always wel-affected to the Parliament complaining of a few Independent sectary Committee-men Sequestrators c. for infinite oppressions and cheats dayly committed they being weighed in the scales together the whole County are thought too light for want of an unpartial holding the ballance even one prudential consideration that they must not discountenance their friends as they call the Committee and something else more substantial being put upon the Committees scale hoyseth the whole County into the ayr And when the Parliaments Army was at Black-heath the County sending some of their Gentry with Petitionary Letters to the House of Commons declaring the peaceablenesse of their inclinations their continued obedience to the Houses and a desire their grievances against their Committee might be put into a way of examination and redresse they could obtain no other Answer the schismatical ingaged party overpowering the House with the near approach of their own Army for it is no bodies else than that they would send them an answer by their General which was as much as if they had said They would send an answer by the Executioner the terrour of this answer made the Country desperately ingage in an un-premeditated War for which they were wholly unprovided as the irresolute and distracted managing of it makes manifest But this advantage was greedily laid hold of by the Saints to ravish a victory from the Country which they were resolved to use with so much secrecy and solemn cruelty that the example thereof should strike an awfulnesse into the hearts of all that
of one and the same desperate way of cure may joyntly have the same friends and foes and the same sins and quarrels to defend 8. Friday 16 June 1648. I was told the Committee of Derby house had lately received a Letter from Col. Hammond Governour of Carisbrook Castle informing them That unlesse they supplied him with Mony and Men he could give no good account of the King in case the Revolted ships should attempt his rescue and farther That he had matters of great importance to communicate to them but durst not commit them to Paper but if they would send for him up or send a Confident of theirs to him he would impart them This may probably be the businesse whereof Osburne gives information in his said Letters and it may be Mr. Walker had heard of this report in the Hall as well as my self and might have the same conceit of it that I have if it be lawfull for me to take measure of another mans judgement by my own 9. Lastly who knows whether a powerfull desperate party may have a design to take away the Kings life and then declare his two eldest Sons uncapable of Government supposing they deserted the Kingdom and invited forreign States to invade it and then Crown the Duke of Gloucester and so abusing his tender years usurp the protection of him and under colour of that authority establish by degrees their own usurpation and the peoples slavery having subdued their spirits by a long and customary bondage under them and having filled all places of power profit and preferment in the Kingdom with men of their own principles and Interests their own creatures and Confidents This Army last April in their Council amongst other things debated The Deposing of the KING why not murdering as well since few Kings are deposed and not murdered Dis-inheriting the PRINCE and Crowning the DVKE of YORK which was then approved of by Cromwell and Ireton Why may they not now dis-inherit both the elder Sons and Crown the Duke of Gloucester as well See the excellent Remonstrance of the Colchester Knights and Gentlemen 1648. which I have Printed herewith for your satisfaction That some such design might be to make away the KING and dis-inherit the PRINCE may well be suspected because the 12. day of July upon information That the Prince had sent into England some Blank Commissions to List men Weaver an Implement of the Army and Son to an Ale-house-keeper in Wilish moved the House of Commons to Vote the Prince a Traytor c. And I hear that Mr. Solicitor contrary to his Oath and duty of his place refuseth to be of Council against the said Rolf this Gentleman the Solicitor hath got above 300000 l. by keeping open shop to sell the cruell mercies of the new Great Seal to the Royalists 97. Trinity-house Petition for a Personal Treaty The 29. June A Petition was delivered the House of Commons from the Masters of Trinity-house Masters and Captains of Ships and Sea-men for a Personal Treaty with the KING declaring the great decay of trade to the undoing of many thousand families and that they would not fight against the revolted ships their Brethren who desired but the same things with thâ—â— Tho. Scot said That the Surrey-men first delivered a Petition for a Personal Treaty which was seconded by the Kentish-men in Armes and they by the City of London that all this was a design to ruine the Godly party That he had read of a Man who being asked when he was young Why he did not marry Answered It was too soon and being asked the same question when he was old Answered it was too late So he was of opinion there could be no time seasonable for a personal Treaty or a Peace with so perfidious and implacable a Prince but it would always be too soon or too late He that draws his sword upon his King must throw his Scabbard into the fire All peace with him will prove the spoil of the Godly To which was Answered That some men got well by fishing in troubled waters and accounted peace their spoil because war was their gain and they looked upon a Personal Treaty as a design against them under the notion of the Godly Honest Confiding party because a Personal Treaty was the high way to peace But the generality of the people who were despoyled of their Estates by the War resolved upon a Personal Treaty without which there is no hope of Peace they would no longer be made fuel to that fire wherein these Salamanders live nor any longer feed those Horse-leeches the Army their engaged party and Servants with their blood and marrow It now appears who desire a new War namely those Zealots who supply their indigent fortunes by War These men fear peace doubting they shall be forced to disgorge what they have swallowed in time of War Ven Miles Corbet Hill the petty Lawyer of Haberdashers hall the two Ashes Col. Harvy and many other thriving Saints opposed a Personal Treaty so their Petition had no successe I hear that not many days after the Committee of Derby house to take off this affront imployed Col. Rainsborough the quondam Neptune of our Seas to go up and down and solicit the Common sort of Marriners to subscribe and present the House of Commons with a counter Petition wherein they offered to live and die with the Parliament c. and that Rainsborough gave 12 d. a piece to as many as subscribed it This Petition was delivered The 2 of July 98. The City Petitions for a personal Treaty and after that upon occasion of the City Petition for a Personal Treaty in London upon the 5 of July the House of Commons again took into debate a Personal Treaty They spent much time upon the place where 1. Whether in the Isle of Wight which the Independents principally affected 2. Holdenby which they next inclined unto 3. Or any his Houses not nearer than 10 miles of London at his own choice 4. Or in the City of London Which two last places the Presbyterians approved of but chiefly London for London it was argued That the Common Council and Officers of the Souldiery would undertake for His safety against all Tumults In any other place he would be within the power of the Army who might probably take him away again as they did at Holdenby if they liked not the manner and matter of the Treaty London was a place of most Honor Safety and Freedom and would best satisfie the KING the Scots the people In all other places especially the Isle of Wight He would be still a prisoner to the Army and therefore all he should agree to would be void by reason of Dures Sergeant Wylde Answered That Custodia did not always in Law signifie Imprisonment Though He was under restraint of the Army He was not in Prison making a wyld kind of nonsense difference between Restraint and Legal Imprisonment which all but himself laughed at
they share among themselves This war is not like to be of any continuance considering there being in the Army many conscientious men who have had such ample experiment of the falshood of their Grand Officers that they are not like to hazard their lives again under the command of such Grand Impostors as they are also knowing the General hatred of the Kingdom to them under whose insupportable burthens and oppressions it groaneth Nor have we any way to break the power of the said Grandees of this Army but by the Scots whereby the just rights and Interests of all the three Kingdoms may be setled and Ireland relieved All which the Scots have declared in their former Papers delivered to both Houses of Parliament 4. If you accommodate with this faction you must have the same friends and foes with them as well as the same sins and quarrels and then it will grow to a Nationall quarrel between England and Scotland which will be of long continuance and misery and the Interest of the King and his Children and of all Princes of Christendom concerned in the example will be carried on in the Kingdom of Scotland against you if you joyn with those beggarly Grandees who have inriched themselves and their fellow-Impostors by the ruines of the Kingdom You will lose your credit and interests with your friends and brethren of Scotland the only fear and terror of whose coming into England kept this Faction which all men know is never satisfied with money and blood from taking many of your innocent heads from off your shoulders and confiscating your Estates to pay the arrears of the Army witnesse their often speeches to this purpose in the house of Commons and their illegal and violent proceedings against you you will likewise lose all the people of England I have shewed you your losses let me shew you your gains by this accommodation that by comparing one with the other you may cast up your account whether you shall be gainers or losers by it 1. They offer you the Tower of London and your Militia to be restored things of no great consideration and your Aldermen and Citizens to be set at liberty they do not offer to disband their Army which makes them Lord it over you and over-power both Tower and Militia and when they have divided you from all your friends and destroyed your reputation and are secure from the Scots the same violence which at first took your Tower your Militia and your most honest Citizens from you can deprive you of them all again at pleasure when you shall have none to stick by you your obligation to them shall be of steel theirs to you but of straw he that gives me that he can deprive me of at pleasure gives me nothing 2. Cromwell and his party knew your City to be the entire strength of England In Rich. 2. dayes when it was not half so great and populous as now it slew Wat Tyler and routed his rabble six times as many in number as the Army They therefore fear you and consequently hate you and labour nothing more than to divide and weaken you which is their proper interest For which purpose to divide the City in it self they caused the Parliament to change your Militia into other hands they cut off Westminster Southwark and the Hamlets from your Militia to weaken it they have divided you from the Parliament they have endeavoured to divide the Countrey from you Ut dividendo singula imperent universis Wherefore the Army in their Remonstrance 7. December 1647. Insolently demand Reparations from the City to the Countrey adjacent for above 100000 l. losse sustained through the Armies attendance on the Cities defaults which was a device only to make the Country quarrell with the City and to make the Army Umpiers 3. Consider you shall joyn with them that never kept Faith longer than they may gain by it whereof you have many examples Any honest man may be deceived once but he is a fool that will be deceived twice by one man 4. Nay you cannot treat with these men nor give them a Common Council or Hall without losse and danger they have always made lies their refuge and built their Designs upon the sandy foundations of Rumors and Fables Cromwel and Glover already give out that they and you are as good as agreed that you differ only upon a puntilio of honour which will soon be reconciled what is the meaning of this but that they having creatures of their own Commissioners in Scotland have advertisement to spread the same reports there thereby to take off the edge of your friends affections to lay an imputation of inconstancy upon you and make you inconsiderable in the judgements of your best friends and retard all indeavours for your succour In the mean time this party hath blocked up all passages to Scotland that truth can have no accesse to you and you have only such news as Derby-house doth please to impart to you These men have committed those crimes that cannot be safe without committing greater they must on headlong go not with them for company they desire to bestow their plague-sores upon others Let it not trouble you that the Parliament hath approved their subscription of the Ingagement with the Army it was a Vote extorted in a thin house many Members having been driven away by threats of the Army before and there were many dissenting Members A little patience and constancy will settle you in a lasting peace To petition the Houses to repeal their four Votes against the King is to save their reputation that seek to destroy yours A seasonable Caution to the City of London Gentlemen of the City YOur Neighbours of Kent and other Counties wishing well to them take it unkindly that notwithstanding all these former admonitions you should let down your chains and give a free march to this bloody cheating schismatical Army at all hours of the night through your City to cut their throats and lend them 6000 l. to enable them to march when they had no other design but in a peaceable way to deliver a Petition to the Houses demanding nothing but what the Parliament by their Declarations Covenant the Oaths of Supremacy and allegiance and the known Laws of the Land ought to grant Onely being fore-warned by the inhumane assassination of the Surrey Petitioners they had some men in Armes a sufficient distance from the Town to secure their Messengers They have by their Letters to your selves and the Houses manifested the clearnesse of their intentions to you all They are known to be men of setled habitations and fortunes for the most part not vagabonds and Souldiers of Fortune like the Army Their commerce with you help you both to trade and feed whereas the Armies insolent march in triumph through your City so far lessened your reputation ever since that you constantly lose in your trading 200000 l. a Week and no Bullion comes into the Mint
Setlement may be immediately suspend tâ—e Hâ—uâ—e and that all such faithfull Members who are innâ—cent of 〈…〉 s would by Protestation acquit themselves from any 〈◊〉 in them that they may be distinguished This is â—o subvâ—â—t the foundation of Parliaments and appeale to the judgement of the many-headed multitude without doors and put all into Tumâ—lts You see what kind of Parliament the Kingdome hath had ever since the Army Rebelled and Refused to Disband a â—eer â—ree-Schoole where Crommel is Head-school-master Irâ—â—n Usâ—eâ— and that cypher Fairfax a Prepositer surely these â—en are either the supreme Judges or the supreme Rebels and Tyrants of the Kingdome This Paper was delivered in but they scorning to sâ—ay for an Answer by advice of their Independent Grandees of the Junto upon Wednesday morning Decemb. 6. 16â—8 Sent two or three Regiments of Horse and Foot to Wâ—stminster set strong Guards at the Houses doors the Lobby câ—aires and at every door leading towards the House admitting none but Parliament men to enter Westminster-hall where Col. Pride Col. Hâ—wson and Hardres Waller sometimes a Cavalier then a violent Presbyterian and now a tyrannical â—ndependent violently seized upon divers Knights and Burgesses upon the â—arliament staires and elswhere going to the House and forcibly carried them away Prisoners to the Queens Court without any warrant shewed or cause assigned and there set strict Guards upon them Mr. Edward Stephens and Col. Birche being in the House of Commons were called forth by feigned Messages sent in by some Officers under other Mens Names and there violently pulled out of the door though they called to the Speaker to take notice of the force The House sent the Sergeant of the â—ace to command the Imprisoned Members attendance but the Guards would not let them come A second time the Sergeant was sent with his Mace upon the same Errand but Col. Pride in the Lobby would not let him passe which contempt was entred in the Journall Book Hereupon the House concluded not to proceed in businesse until their Members were restored and sent to the General about it yet afterwards when the Officers had several dayes secured secluded and frighted away more of the Members and made the House a Conventicle of their own Complexion then the House prevaricated and deserted their Members About three of the Clock afternoon Hugh Peters with a Sword by his side but not the Sword of Saint Peter came into the Queens Court to take a List of the Prisoners Names by order from the Generall as he said where being demanded by what Authority they were imprisoned he answered By the power of the Sword Night being come the Imprisoned Members 41. in number were conveyed away to a Victualling-House called HELL and there kept all Night without Beds or any fitting Accommodation when it grew late some of them had offers made them to go upon their Parolls to their own Lodgings and to appear the next morning at White-hall but this was but a jugling trick to make them acknowledge the Lord Fairfax Authority and become voluntary prisoners upon their own engagementâ— and was therefore refused The next morning being Thursday the Imprisoned Members had warning given them to meet the General and his Councel of Warr at White-hall whither they were guarded in Coaches tyred out with watching and fasting But the mechanick Councel took so much state upon them that after six or seven houres attendance until dark night and no admittance nor application to them they were led away from thence on foot with Guards of Musketiers like Thieves and Rogues and thorow the kennels like Col. Prides Dray-horses to the Swan and Kings-head two Innes in the Strand and there distributed under several Centinels The Souldiers making a stand with them sometimes half an houre together in the snow and raine until they had put their Guards into a maâ—ching posture and reviling them See the 2. part of Englands Chaines discovered and the Hunting of the Foxes c. that they were the men that had cousened the State of their money and kept back their Pay Upon which scandalous provocation some of them Answered That it was the Committee of the Army and their owne Officers that had cousened them which some of the Foot-souldiers then acknowledged Besides the 41. Imprisoned Members the Officers standing several dayes with Lists of Names in their hands at the Parliament-door have turned back from the House and denied entrance unto above 160. other Members besides 40. or 50. Members who voluntarily withdrew to avoid their violence all whom they know to be Losers by the VVarre and therefore desirous of a safe and wel-grounded peace so that they have made warre against the majority of the House that is against the whole House for major pars obtinet rationem totius by all our Lawes and Customes The major part of the House is virtually the whole House which is Treason by their owne Declarations and Remonstrance farre higher than that whereof they accuse the King and for which they demand Justice against Him and the remaining faction of 40. or 50. engaged Members who now passe unpresidented Acts of Parliament of the House of Commons as they call them without the Lords ought not to sit Act nor take upon them the stile of a House under so visible actual and horrid a force both by the Lawes of the Land and their owne Ordinance passed August 20. 1647 To null and void alâ— Orders Votes and Acts passed under the Tumult of Apprentices from July 26. to the 6. August following and yet the said Tumult ended the said July 26. when it begun See the said Ordinance herewith printed The Army who now acknowledge no power but that of the Sword as Major White long since foretold at Putney and whose principle it is To break the Powers of the Earth to pieces as Will. Sedgewicke in his Justice upon the Army-Remonstrance saith And who as Joh. Lilburne in his Plea for Common Right p. 6. saith have by these extraordinary proceedings overturned all the visible supreme Authority of this Nation now suffer only their own party of 40. or 50. Members to sit and do journey-work under them who are Enemies to peace and have got well by fishing in troubled waters and hope to get better so that hardly a seventh or eight part of the Counties Cities and Burroughs that ought to have Members sitting have any body to represent them and therfore how they shall be bound by the Votes and Acts of this fagge end this Rump of a Parliament with corrupt Maggots in it I doe not see Friday Decemb. 8. a Message from the General was brought to Sir Robert Harlow that he might go home to his house giving his engagement not to oppose the actings and proceedings of this present Parliament and Army The like was offered to diverse others you see hereby what the offence of these Imprisoned Members is onely a feare that they will defend the fundamental Government the
Religion Lawes and Liberties of the Land the Kings Person and Authority the being of Parliaments against the Tyrannicall and Treasonable practises of the Army and their House of Commons The small remnant of the House of Commons sent sundry times to the Generall to know why be Imprisoned their Members 24. Reasons proving that the remaining faction or Iunto sitting under the force of the Army were consenting to the securing secluding their Members sect 134. 135. and humbly to beseech him to set them at liberty if he had nothing against them But all this was but prevarication and false shews for 1. Their base and conditionall way of demanding their Liberty if he had nothing against them implies an acknowledgement of the Generalls jurisdiction and conusance over them and an invitation of him to accuse them 2. Their sitting and acting under so brutish a force before their Members righted or the honour of the House vindicated is a deserting and yielding up of their Members honour 3. Their Voting an approbation of the matter of the Generall Officers scandalous and jugling Answer to their said Demands concerning the secured and secluded Members as afterwards they did without hearing what the said Members could say for themselves is cleerly a fore-judging and bâ—traying them 4. Their late Votes That no man shall peruse their Journall Book of Orders c. without speciall leave is purposely done to barre the said Members who cannot make any perfect Answer in confutation of the Scandals cast upon them by the General Councels printed Libel against them without having recourse to the said Book to see what Votes passed for Iâ—eland for the 200000 l. and other matters To say nothing how unusefull and unjust it is to keep the Records of the House from the view and knowledge of any man yet to expect their obedience to them 5. Their exceeding strict and severe prohibiting the printing any Books not Licenced and imploying Souldiers to Search all Printing Houses daily is done in order to barre the said accused Members from publishing an Answer in their justification 6. Their Summoning Mr. Pryn by order to appear at the Commons Barre knowing him to be still a Prisoner to the Army shews that the Army and they serve each others turns against them 7. And Lastly the Declaration of the present House of Commons dated Jan. 15. 1648. is nothing but an eccho of the said answer of the Generall Councell against the said secured and secluded Members They that are so wickedly industrious to destroy these Gentlemens credits do this as a preparative to destroy their Persons and seize upon their Estates for the maintenance of a new War which they foresee their violent courses will bring upon them and for the farther inriching of themselves and establishing their Tyranny which they miscall The Liberty of the People This violent purge wrought so strongly upon the House and brought it to that weakness that ever since it is eleven or twelve of the clock before they can get forty Members together to make an House of which number they sometimes fail One time the Members would have had the Speaker go on upon businesses with a less number than forty but he knowing all so done to be illegall and void refused and yet to piece up the House they permit Mr. Blagrave Mr Frye and Humphry Edwards to sit as Members notwithstanding their Elections are Voted void by the Committee of Elections and one day an Officer of the Army having taken some Members going to the House and secured them in the Tobacco Room under Guard The Speaker not being able to muster enough to make a House was fain to send to the said Officer to lend him his said Prisoners to make up a Free Parliament This disgrace put upon the Imprisoned Members is purposely intended as an Invitation to all their Enemies to come in and accuse them nay it can be proved that means hath been used to suborn Witnesses against them besides which the Faction have made a strict Inquisition into their lives and conversations and have hitherto met with nothing 25. The day after the House purged in comes Dr. Cromwell and Henry Martin his Apothecary Thus the House being throughly purged the next day in comes the Dr. O. Cromwel out of the Country bringing in under his Protection that sanctified Member Henry Martin who had spent much time in plundering the Country had often baffled the House and disobeyed many of their Orders sufficient to have made an honest man a Malignant liable to Sequestration But great is the priviledge of the Saints It fortuned that day the case of the secured Members was reported to the House which Harry interrupting desired them to take into consideration the deserts of the Lieutenant General which with all slavish diligence was presently done And the Speaker moved that to morrow might be a day of Humiliation to be kept in the House to humble the Spirits of the Godly much overleavened with the Scotish Victory That you may the better understand how farre they mean to be humbled Hugh Peters the Pulpit-Buffon was one of their Chaplains who in stead of delivering the Oracles of God delivered the Oracles of the Councell of Warre to them talking obscurely of Accommodation and Moderation and advising them to adjourn till Munday or Tuesday I think that the Army might cut out work for these Journey-men of theirs and might work their wills upon the City in the mean time when no House should be sitting for the Citizens to addresse their Complaints to for in the interim they Garrisoned Black Fryars and S. Pauls reforming it from the Church of God to a Den of Thieves Stable of Horses and Brothell of Whores and Robbed diverse Halls in London of vast sums of money by the prerogative royall of the Saints The 11. day of Decemb. 1648. 26 A declaration of the secured and secluded Members against the violence of the Army the said secured Members published a printed Paper as followeth A solemn Protestation of the imprisoned and secluded Members of the Commons House Against the horrid force and violence of the Officers and Souldiers of the Army on Wednesday and Thursday last the 6. and 7. of Decemb. 1648. WE the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the Commons House of Parliament above one hundred in number forcibly seized upon violently kept out of the House by the Officers and Souldiers of the Army under Thomas Lord Fairfax coming thither to discharge our duties on Wednesday and Thursday last being the 6. and 7. of this instant December do hereby in our Names and in the Names if the respective Counties Cities and Burroughs for which we serve and of all the Commons of England solemnly protest and declare to the whole Kingdom That this execrable force and open violence upon our Persons and the whole House of Commons by the Officers and Army under their command in marching up against their command and placing
let the Saints now voting in the House examine their pockets for I am confident their consciences had no hand in the businesse Resolved c. That the matters contained in these Papers are destructive to the beings of Parliaments and to the fundamental Government of the Kingdome Resolved c. That a Letter should be sent to the General and those Papers inclosed together with the Vote of this House upon them and that he be desired to examine the proceedings of this businesse in the Army and returne an Account thereof to this House The General and Councel of Warre in pursuance of this Vote 37. The said Agreement damned by the General and Councel of War and a Souldier shot by sentence for promoting it condemned one of the Agitators who promoted it and shot him to death at Ware you see what it is to do a thing unseasonably this Designe of the Army and their Party was not yet ripe wherewith they acquainted the House yet they kept in the same fire in the City still where some of their Confederates 23. of the same Novem. sent the same Agreement c. inclosed in a Letter with a Petition into the House of Commons whereupon the House giving thanks to the General for the execution done at Ware and desiring him to examine that businesse to the bottome unanimously passed these Votes Die Martis 23. Nov. 1647. A Petition directed to the Supreme Authority of England 38. The said Agreement condemned by the House a second time 23. Nov. 1647. the Commons in Parliament assembled and entituled The humble Petition of many Free-borne People of England sent in a Letter directed to Mr. Speaker and opened by a Committee thereunto appointed was read the first and second time Resolved c. That this Petition is a seditious and contemptuous avowing and prosecution of a former Petition and Paper annexed stiled An Agreement of the People formerly adjudged by this House to be destructive to the being of Parliaments and fundamentall Government of the Kingdome c. Resolved c. That Tho. Prince Cheese-monger and Sam. Chidley be forthwith committed Prisoners to the Prison of the Gate-house there to remaine Prisoners during the pleasure of this House for a seditious and contemptuous avowing and prosecution of a former Petition and Paper annexed stiled An Agreement of the People formerly adjudged by this House destructive to the being of Parliaments and fundamental Government of the Kingdome Resolved c. That Jeremy Ives Tho. Taylor and Will Larner be forthwith committed Prisoners to the Prison at New-gate c. as last aforesaid in Terminis Afterwards by an Ordinance Decemb. 17. 1647. for Electing Common-Councel-men and other Officers in London they expresly ordained That no Person who hath contrived abetted perswaded or entred into that engagement entituled The Agreement of the People declared to be destructive to the being of Parliaments and fundamental Government of the Kingdome be elected chosen or put into the Office of the Lord Major of the City of London Sheriffe Alderman Deputy of a Ward or Common-Councel-man of the said City or shall have any voice in the election of any such Officers for the space of one whole yeare and be uncapable of any of the said Places yet now these petty Fellowes keep the whole City in awe 39. Yet this Agreement since inserted into the Remonstrance of the Army owned by the Generall and Councell of Warre and Nov. 20. 1648. obtruded upon the House These multiplied Votes and Ordinance laid this Agreement of the People asleep until the beginning of November 1648. when to hinder the peace of this Kingdome and reliefe of Ireland the Jesuits and Agitators prosecuted it againe in the Army and inserted it againe verbatim in the Remonstrance of the Army Novemb 20. 1648. to break off the Treaty with the King bring him to capitall punishment and cast the odium of all upon the Parliament And the General and his Councel of Officers though they had formerly shot a Souldier to death for prosecuting it unanimously approved it at Saint Albons November 16. 1648. and obtruded it upon the House the 20. Novemb. and when they found the House so resolute in the Treaty as to proceed they first seized the Person of the King and carried Him to Hurst-Castle as aforesaid and when the House at last closed up the Treaty with this Vote That the Kings Answers to the Propositions of both Houses were a ground for the Houses to proceed upon towards a settlement 40. Why they purged the House They seized upon 41. Members of Parliament secured them and villanously treated them secluded above 160. and frighted away at least 40. or 50. more leaving onely their owne Somerset-house Junto of 40. or 50. thriving Members sitting to unvote in a thin House under a force what had been voted in a full and free House To vote down the Kingly Office and House of Peers to vote the Supreme Authority to be in the People and in the House of Commons as their Representative clean contrary to their three last recited Votes To bring the King to capital punishment before a new invented illegal mixed Court consisting of engaged persons erected for that purpose that hath neither foundation by Prescription nor Law and to erect a Councel or Committee of States out of their number in the nature of Lords States General or Hogen Mogens with an unknown and therefore unlimited Authority to continue in being after the dissolution of this Parllament So farewel Kings Lords and Commons Religion Laws and Liberties and all Votes Declarations Remonstrances Protestation and Covenant made heretofore onely to gull the People and carry on their designe About 19. Decemb. 41. Diverse Lords doe homage to the General and wave their honours divers Lords went to do homage to the General to expresse their good affections to him and their concurrence with him for the Common good and their readinesse to wave their priviledges and Titles if they shall be found burdensome to the liberty of the People and had a gracious nod for their paines About this time the Lords and Commons passed an Ordinance for electing Common-Councel-men and Officers in London for the yeare following to this effect 42. An Ordinance to curb the City in electing Officers That no Person that hath been imprisoned or sequestred rightfully or wrongfully or hath assisted the King against the Parliament in the first or second Warre or hath been aiding or assisting in bringing in the Scots Army to invade this Kingdome or did subscribe or abett the treasonable Engagement 1647. or that did ayde assist or abett the late Tumult within the Cities of London and Westminster or the Counties of Kent Essex Middlesex or Surrey shall be elected chosen or put into the Office or Place of Lord Mayor of London Alderman Aldermans Deputy Common-Councel-man or into any office or place of trust within the City for the yeare ensuing or be capable to give
all the Parliaments Declarations and Remonstrances held forth to the world their Treaties and promises made to the Scots when they delivered the Kings Person into our hands against our promises made to the Hollanders and other Nations and against all the Professions Declarations Remonstrances and Proposals made by this Army when they made their Addresses to the King at New-market Hampton-Court and other places William Pryn. Clem Walker January 19. 1648. 75. The Coun of Officers order 2. Petitions for the Commons House against Tythes 2. against the Stat. for Banishing the Jews Aout this time the Generall Councell of Officers at White-Hall ordered That two Petitions or mandates rather should be drawn and presented to their House of Commons One against Payment of Tythes the other for Repealing the Act for Banishment of the Jews Hear you see they shake hands with the Jews and crucifie Christ in his Ministers as well as in his Anointed the King About this time Col Tichburn and some schismaticall Common-Councell-men 57. Col Tichburns Petition and complaint against the Lord Mayor and their Orders thereupon The like Petitions were invited from most Counties where a dozen Schismâ—ticks and two or three Cloaks represented a whole Country presented a Petition to the supreme Authority the Commons in Parliament demanding justice against all grand and capitall Actors in the late Warres against the Parliament from the highest to the lowest the Militia Navy and all Places of power to be in faithfull hands that is in their own Faction all others being displaced under the generall notion of disaffected to settle the Votes That the supreme Authority is in the Commons in Parliament assembled They complained That the Lord Mayor and some Aldermen denied to put their Petition to the Question at the Common Councell and departed the Court with the Sergeant and Town-Clerke That the Court afterwards passed it Nemine contradicente The Commons thanked the Petitioners for the tender of their assistance and Ordered That the Petition should be entered amongst the Acts of the Common Councell and owned them for a Common Councell notwithstanding the departure of the Lord Mayor c. And about four or five daies after the Commons Ordered * See a just and solemn Protest of the free Citâ—zens of London against the Ordinance 17. Decemb. 1647. disabling such as had any hand in the City Engagment to bear Office That any six of the Commons Councell upon eme gent occasions might send for the Lord Mayor to call a Common Councell themselves and any forty of them to have power to Act as a Common Councell without the Lord Mayor any thing in their Charter to the contrary notwithstanding Thus you see the Votes of this supreme thing the House of Commons are now become the onely Laws and Reason of all our actions 77 An Act passed for adjournment of part of Hillary Term and the Lords concurrence rejected The 16 Jan. 1648. was passed an Act of the Commons for adjournment of Hillary Term for fourty daies This was in order to the Kings Triall but the Commissioners of the Great Seal declared That they could not agree to seal Writs of Adjournment without the Lords concurrence the assent of one Lord being requisite their tame Lordships sent down to the Commons to offer their readiness to joyn therein But the Commons having formerly Voted The Supreme Power to be in themselves as the Peoples Representative and that the Commons in every Committee should be empowered to Act without the Lords The Question was put Whether the House would concurre with the Lords therein which passed in the Negative so the Lords were not owned Afterwards they ordered that the Commoners Commissioners for the Great Seal should issue forth Writs without the Lords 78. The Agreement of the People presented to the House of Commons by the Officers the Army Diurnall from Jan. 15. 10. 22. 1648. nu 286. 20. January Lieut. Generall Hammond with many Officers of the Army presented to the Commons from the Generall and Councell of the Army a thing like a Petition with The Agreement of the People annexed Mr. Speaker thanking them desired them to return the hearty thanks of the House to the Generall and all his Army for their gallant services to the Nation and desired the Petition and Agreement should be forthwith printed to shew the good affection between the Parliament and Army I cannot blame them to brag of this affection being the best string to their bowe About this time some wel-meaning man that durst think truth in private published his thoughts under the Title of Six serious Quaeries concerning the Kings Triall by the High Court of Justice .. 79. 6. Queries concerning the Kings Triall by the new High Court of Justice 1. Whether a King of three distinct Kingdoms can be condemned and executed by one Kingdom alone without the concurrent consent or against the judgement of the other two 2. Whether if the King be indicted or arraignd of high Treason he ought not to be tried by his Peers whether those who are now nominated to trie him or any others in the Kingd be his Peers 3. Whether if the King be triable in any Court for any Treason against the Kiâ—gdom He ought not to be tried onely in full Parliament in the most solemn and publike manner before all the Members of both Houses in as honourable a way as Strafford was in the beginning of this Parliament And whether He ought not to have liberty and time to make His full defence and the benefit of his learned Counsel in all matters of Law that may arise in or about his Trial or in demurring to the jurisdiction of this illegal new Court as Strafford and Canterbury had 4. Whether one eighth part only of the Members of the Commons House meeting in the House under the Armies force when all the rest of the Members are forcibly restrained secluded or scared away by the Armies violence and representing not above one eighth part of the Counties Cities Boroughs of the Kingdom without the consent and against the Vote of the majority of the Members excluded and chased away and of the House of Peers by any pretext of Authority Law or Justice can erect a New great Court of Justice to try the King in whom all the rest of the Members Peers and Kingdom being far the Major part have a greater interest then they Whether such an High Court can be erected without an Act of Parl. or at least an Ordin of both Houses and a Commission under the Great Seal of England And if not whether this can be properly called a Court of Justice and whether it be superiour or inferiour to those who erected it who either cannot or dare not try and condemn the King in the Com. House though they now stile it The Supreme Authority of the Kingdom and whether all who shall sit as Judges or act as Officers in it towards the
People of England And whereas the said confederated Commons have likewise tyrannically and audaciously presumed contrary to their Oathes and Engagements aforesaid to take upon them to make Acts of Parliament as they terme them without our privity or assents or the joynt consent of the King and House of Lords contrary to the Use and Priviledges of Parliament and knowne Lawes of the Land and by pretext thereof have trayterously and wickedly endeavoured to Dis-inherit the Illustrious CHARLES Prince of Wales next Heire to the Crowne and actuall KING of England Scotland France and Ireland immediately after His said Royall Fathers barbarous Murther by Right of descent and proclaimed it Treason for any Person to Proclaime him KING whereas it is high Treason in them thus to prohibit His proclaiming and have likewise trayterously and impudently encroached a tyrannicall and lawlesse power to themselves to Vote down our antient Kingly and Monarchicall Government and the House of Peers and to make a new Great Seale of England without the Kings Portraicture or Stile and to alter the antient Regall and Legall Stile of Writs and proceedings in the Courts of Justice and to create new Judges and Commissioners of the Great Seale and to dispense with their Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance and to prescribe new Oaths unto them contrary to Law though they have no Authority by any Law Statute or custome to administer or injoyne an Oath to any man and thereby have trayterously attempted to alter the fundamentall Laws and Government of this Kingdome and to subvert the freedome priviledges and being of Parliaments for which Treasons Strafford and Canterbury though least criminall lost their Heads this last Parliament by some of their owne prosecutions and the judgment of both Houses We in discharge of our respective duties and obligations both to God the King our owne Consciences our bleeding dying Kingdomes and the severall Counties Cities and Burrroughs for which we serve do by this present Writing in our owne Names and in the Names of all the Counties Cities and Burroughs which we represented in Parliament publickly declare and solemnly protest before the all-seeing God the whole Kingdomes of England Scotland and Ireland and the world that We do from the bottome of our hearts abominate renounce and disclaime all the said pretended Acts Votes and proceedings of the said confederate Members acted under the Armies power against our consents as treasonable wicked illegall unparliamentary tyrannical and pernitious both to the King Parliament Kingdomes and all the free-borne People of this Realme extreamly disadvantagious and dishonourable to our Nation scandalous to our Religion and meer forcible Usurpations and Nullities void in Law to all intents and purposes which we and all the Freemen of this Kingdome and all the Kingdomes and Dominions thereto belonging are bound openly to disavow oppugne and resist as such with our purses armes lives to the last drop of our blouds and to which neither We nor any other can ought or dare to submit or assent in the least degree without incurring the guilt of High Treason and the highest perjury infamy and disloyalty And in case the said confederates shall not speedily retract and desist from those their treasonable practises and tyrannicall usurpations which We cordially desire and entreat them by all obligations of love and respect they have to God Religion their King Country and Posterity timely to do We do hereby denounce and declare them to be Traytors and publique Enemies both to the King and Kingdome and shall esteem and prosecute them with all their wilfull Adherents and voluntary Assistants as such and endeavour to bring them to speedy and condigne Punishment according to the Solemne League and Covenant wherein We trust the whole Kingdome all those for whom We serve and the Lord of Hosts himself to whom We have sworne and lifted up our hands hearts and fervent prayers will be aiding and assisting to us and all our Bretheren of Scotland and Ireland who are united and conjoyned with us in covenant to our GOD and Allegiance to our Soveraigne King CHARLES the Second who we trust will make good all His destroyed Fathers concessions which really concerne our peace or safety and secure Us against all force and tyranny of our Fellow-subjects who now contrary to their Trusts and former Engagements endeavour by the meer power of that Sword which was purposely raised for the protection of our Persons Government Religion Laws Liberties the KING 's Royall Person and Posterity and the Priviledges of Parliament to Lord it over Us at their pleasure and enthrall and enslave Us to their armed violence and lawlesse martial wills which we can no longer tolerate nor undergoe after so long fruitlesse and abused patience in hope of their repentance About the same time came out another Paper entituled 109. A Paper entituled Foure true Positions c. ¶ Foure true and considerable Positions for the sitting Members the new Courts of Justice and new Judges Sheriffs Officers Lawyers Justices and others to ruminate upon 1. THat the whole House of Commons in no Age had any Power Right or Lawfull Authority to make any Valid or binding Act or Ordinance of Parliament or to impose any Tax Oath Forfeiture or capitall punishment upon any Person or Free-men of this Realme without the Lords or Kings concurrent assents much lesse then can a small remnant onely of the Members of that House do it sitting under an armed force which nulls and vacates all their Votes and proceedings as the Ordinance of 20. August 1647. declares whilst most of their Fellow-Members are forcibly detained and driven thence as Mr. St. John proves in his Speech concerning Ship-mony p. 33. and in his Argument concerning the Earle of Strafford's Attainder p. 70 71 76 77 78. and Sir Edw. Coke in his 4. Instit c. 1. 2. That the few Members now sitting in and the House of Commons being no Court of Justice of it selfe and having no power to hear and determine any civill or criminall causes nor to give an Oath in any case whatsoever cannot by the Lawes and Statutes of the Realm nor by any pretext of authority whatsover erect any new Court of Justice nor give power or authority to any new Judges Justices or Commissioners to arraigne try condemn or execute any Subject of meanest quality for any reall or pretended crime whatsoever much less their own Soveraign Lord the King or any Peers of this Realme who ought to be tryed by their Peers and by the Law of the Land alone and not otherwise And that the condemning and executing the King or any Peere or other Subject by pretext of such an illegall Authority is no lesse than High Treason and wilfull Murther both in the Members and Commissioners Judges or Justices giving and executing Sentence of Death in any such arbitrary and lawlesse void Court or by vertue of any such void and illegall Commissions 3. That the House of Commons and Members now sitting
Churchman Dr. Hewit Dr. Hewits death for the slaughter and conscious to himself that they had done nothing contrary to the law of the land he durst not try them by a Jury but re-erects his monstrous high Court of Justice before which being brought they denyed the authority thereof as unwarrantable which so wrought upon the patience of Mr. Lisle their bloodily learned President and the rest of the gange that they according as they were fore-instructed by their Master Divell Oliver without any great matter of circumstance condemne them both to be beheaded which sentence was accordingly executed on them the 8th Day of June at Towerhill notwithstanding all the means their friends could use of engagements perswasions and money and the deep earnest and continued intreaties sollicitations and supplications of Mrs. Claypoole his best beloved daughter Mrs. Clapooles death for so inexorable he continued that like the deaf adder he stopped his ears to the charmer charme he never so wisely at which unheard of cruelty and for that Dr. Hewits Lady as is said was then with child Mrs. Claypoole took such excessive grief that she suddenly fell sick the increase of her sickness making her rave in a most lamentable manner calling out against her Father for Hewits blood and the like the violence of which extravagant passions working upon the great weakness of her body carried her into another World even at the heighest thereof No sooner did Cromwell receive the deplorable newes of this sad death of his Daughter but himself falls into a desperate melancholly which never left him till his Death which was not long after Observe Give me leave here to relate a passage which I received from a Person of Quality Viz. It was believed and that not without some good cause that Cromwell the same morning that he defeated the Kings Army at Worcester Fight had conference personally with the Divell with whom he made a contract that to have his will then and in all things else for seven years after from that time being the Third of September 1651. he should at the expiration of the said years have him at his command to do at his pleasure both with his soul and body Now if any one will please to reckon from the third of September 1651. till the Third of September Cromwels death 1558. he shall find it to a Day just seven years and no more at the end whereof he dyed but with such extremity of tempestuous weather that was by all men judged to be prodigious neither indeed was his end more miserable for he dyed mad and despairing than he hath left his name infamous this was the end of our English Nero and thus having laid the best foundations his short and troublesome Reign would give leave to have continued his posterity in the same unlimited Dominion at his death si ulla fides viris qui castra sequuntur declaring his eldest Son Richard his successour in his Usurpation Leaving his Son Henry Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and his Daughter Fleetwood married to the Commander in chief of the Army under himself and the only Man suspected for a Competitour in the Protectorship for Lambert had been laid aside long before as a person of too dangerous and aspiring principles to be trusted Richard Cromwell Protector Richard Cromwell p esently ascends the Throne being but a private Gentleman of Hampshire invited thereunto and incouraged by Fleetwood Desborow Sydenham the two Jones Thurloe and others the relations and confidents of his Father His first work is to take care for his Fathers Funerall his corps being shortly after interred among the Kings and Queens at Westminster at a farr * 29000 l. greater charge than had been used upon like occasions in the richest times death giving him that honour which he aspired to but durst not embrace in his life time which solemity â—ast by the contrivance of the new Courtiers congratulations are sent prepared at Whitehall from most of the Counties Citties chief Townes of England And from the Armies of England Scotland Ireland with engagements to live and dye with him Addresses from the Independent Churches by Mr. Goodwine and Nye their Metropolitans and was indeed worshipped by many as the rising Sun in our Horizon This Introduction being made for transferring the Government of these Nations from the Royal family of the Stewarts to that upstart of the Cromwells it was thought fit that a generall Convention Diâ—ks Parliament now model ed. after the manner of a Parliament wisely chosen by influences from Whitehall should be called to meet the twenty seventh of January and upon pretence of restoring the people to their antient way of Elections but reall that the Court might command the more votes the Burroughs also had writs sent to them and the Elections were all made in the antient way only thirty memberâ— were called by writs from Scotland and as many from Ireland according to the late combination of the three Nations into one Common-wealth This new kind of Parliament being met at the time and place appointed God who had so well ordered the Elections notwithstanding the practices of Men that their English Spirit quickly appeared against Impositions both from Court and Army Act of Recognition which being discerned by the Protector and his Grandees a Recognition is sent to them to be drawn into a bill the debate whereof taking up a whole fourtnights time and they still remaining in a great streight till by the expedient of an honest Gentleman they were extricated thence by passing these votes on Munday the 14th of February 1658. without any division or negative Resolved that it be part of this Bill to Recognize and declare his Highnesse Richard Lord Protector and chiefe Magistrate of the Common-wealth of England Scotland and Ireland and the Dominions and Territories thereunto belonging Resolved that before this Bill be committed the House do declare such additionall clauses to be part of this Bill as may bound the power of the chief Magistrate and fully secure the Rights and Priviledges of Parliament and the Liberties and Rights of the People and that neither this nor any other previous vote that is or shall be passed in order to this Bill shall be of force or binding to the People till the whole Bill be passed Committee of inspection This done a Committee of Inspections is appointed to take a view of the accounts and revenue of the Common-wealth twelve Members versed in matters of account were selected and fully impowered for that work in order to the lessening the charge of the Common-wealth On Saturday the 19th of February they re-assumed the debate upon the Act of Recognition and resolved That it be part of the bill to declare the Parliament to consist of two houses Parl. to consist of two houses after which they fell upon the point of bounding the chiefe Magistrates power and the bounds and powers of the
lies if not answered did from their several and respective Counties as also in the Cities of London and Westminster declare The Gentry declare that they were far from any thoughts of revenge it belonging to God alone alluding to that text of Scripture Vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord but as for Justice they would acquiesce in the judgment of the approaching Parliament This being done and the whole Parliament at the appointed time The Parliament begins beginning first with their duty to God they follow that golden Pythagorean rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 giving him hearty thanks for that their freedome of meeting which when they had cordially done they fell in order to their Governour First They fear God then honour the King As the same Pythagoras goes on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The very Heathen we see by the meer light of Nature could dictate that which our Grand Enthusiasts of Religion would not for these many years by the ignis fatuus of their new lighted notion walk after But the Parliament were better principled for after their devotions regularly paid to God they in the very next place own their duty to their Prince upon the first day of May a happy day to be remembred to posterity voting the Government to be by King Kingly government voted Lords and Commons a constitution so incomparably mixed that it may rather be admired then envied neither were they satisfied to rest there but on the Eighth day of the same May caused his Majesty to be proclaimed King of England King proclaimed Scotland France and Ireland which was performed with so much Solemnity and Joy as I presume England I dare say hardly any Kingdome in the World ever saw or were sensible of the like the shouts and acclamations of the pleased people rending the very skies as a token of their extraordinary Thankfulnesse to Heaven and at night by the multitude of their bonfires turning the Darknesse into a kind of lightsome day This hapy beginning thus owned by the general consent of all honest men made the Parliament resolute to prosecute their begun endeavours which the more orderly to do for order befitteth men best both as Subjects and Christians they immediately prepared Commissioners Commissioners sent to the King who were persons choyce for their integrity and wisedome like those heads of the children of Issachar which were men that had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do being intrusted to wait on his Majesty and to desire him to come to his Parliament and People with all convenient speed Before whose arrival his Majesty had withdrawn himself from Bruxels not upon any account as was by the ignorant and malicious insinuated but out of a design of safe guard to his own sacred Person as knowing those two principles of the Romanists si violandum est jus Regni causa violandum est and nulla fides servanda est haereticis might prove dangerous if not fatal to his interest as affairs then stood He well remembred Richard the first his case sirnamed Caeur-du-Lion and what his detention once cost England and therefore had no reason to cast himself into the like hazard Therefore having discharged all Accounts whatsosoever at Bruxels he as I said removes his Court to Breda As that first he might hold the more certain and quick intelligence with his friends in England where there hardly wanted any thing to complete his Restoration and the Kingdomes satisfaction but his Personal presence so in the second place he there knew himself safe being within the jurisdiction of his beloved sister the Princesse Royal Mary Princesse of Orange King at Breda whose tender love and zeal to him in his affliction deserves to be written in brasse and graven with the point of a Diamond During the time of his residence there to shew himself to be a second Solomon a Prince of Peace and not onely so but the most pious and merciful of Princes who was wise as a Serpent yet innocent as a Dove by the Honourable the Lord Viscount Mordant and Sir Richard Grenvile since by his Majesties special grace created Earl of Bath Gentleman of his Majesties Bedchamber He sent a most gracious Declaration with respective Letters to the Lords to the Commons to the City and to the Army Whetein His Majesties Declaration layes Independency dead His Majesty first offers a Pardon for all miscarriages and misdemeanors against his Father or himself to all persons such onely excepted as shall be excepted by the Parliament promising likewise securitie to all whose guilt might otherwise endanger them so as they laid hold on his Majesties Pardon within 40. dayes after the publication thereof 2. He refers the purchasers of Kings Queens and Bishops Lands to Justice to the Law and to the Parliament 3. He assures the Souldiery of their Arrears for past services although done against him and of incouragement and pay for the future under him This Declaration was received with no ordinary joy and solemnity the messenger Sr. Iohn Greenvil being rewarded with 500. pounds ro buy him a Jewell and upon reading thereof and a conference had with the Lords who had now reassumed their Native right by taking their places in the higher House they agree unanimously each in their several house That a Letter be sent in answer to his Majesties gracious Letter and Declaration superscribed To his most Excellent Majestie which were since more immediately drawn up and sent by Commissioners before prepared as is already mentioned sixe from each House who were in the name of both Houses 1. To give his Majesty most humble and hearty thanks for his gracious Letter and Declaration 2. To desire his Majesty to return to the exercise of his Regal Office and come to his Parliament and people with all speed possible And thirdly to that purpose to desire him to appoint a place for the Navy to attend him the Commissioners that went from the house of Peeres were these The Earl of Oxford Earl of VVarwick Earl of Middlesex Lord Brook Lord Berckley Commissioners names that went to the King Lord Visc Hereford Of the House of Commons were selected these following Lord Charleton Lord Bruce Lord Falkland Lord Mandevile Lord Herbert Lord Fairefax Sir George Booth Sir Iohn Holland Sir Antho. Ashly-Cooper Sir Horatio Townsend Sir Henry Cholmly Mr. Hollis The City of London having also received the like Letters and Declarations the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Common-Council appoint a loyal and humble answer to be returned wherein they give his Majesty thanks for his tender care grace and favour to their ancient and renowned City which was sent by these worthy Gentlemen For the City of London Alderman Adams Recorder VVilde Alderman Robinson Alderman Bateman Theophilus Biddolph Richard Ford Alderman Vincent Alderman Frederick Alderman VVale John Lewis Esquire William Bateman Esq Alderman Bludworth Major