it for a greater to have his head stand on the Prison gate for this quarrel then to have his P cture in the King's Bed-chamber And least his Loyalty should be forgotten they had highly honoured him in designing lasting monuments to bear up his memoriall to all posterity wishing he had flesh enough to have sent a piece to every City in Christendome to witnesse his Loyalty to his King and Countrey The next day having prepar'd his soul for Heaven he marcht magnanimously to the Scaffold and notwithstanding all the interruptions of the bitter spirited Priests having made a sober speech to the people underwent the cruell sentence with all the ignominious circumstances to his owne perpetuall glory and the everlasting reproach of his Enemies Thus dyed this incomparable Marquis of immortal fame a great example of unfortunate Virtue whose barbarous murder I have more particularly related because it discovers the temper of that Covenanted party who put him to death Posterity certainly will esteem his memory and account his Iudges deserving a more exquisite punishment for this and other their inhumane actions then that they inflicted on him if it be possible for the quintessence of malice to invent a greater Within a few dayes after four other Noble Gentlemen suffer'd for the same cause Sir Iohn Vrr y notwithstanding he pleaded the benefit of quarter Col. Spotswood Laird of Darcy Sir Francis Hay and Col. Sibbald though they had the favour to be beheaded Such was the fate of his Majestie 's affairs in Scotland and the brave persons that manag'd them and such was the unparallel'd insolence of the Scots who dar'd to murther his best friends while they were in Treaty with him upon a base and ungenerous presumption that the lownesse of his condition would enforce him to put up patiently so high and detestable an indignity Which indeed he was constrain'd to doe as his affairs then stood When the newes was brought to his Majesty at Breda he was much stâ—rtled at it and exprest his Resentment of their proceedings by a Message sent them by Mr. Murrey That he was griev'd to hear it credibly reported that notwithstanding those hopefull overtures of Peace lately made between him and them they had shed the blood of some of his best Subjects of the Kingdome of Scotland and that the manner thereof according to Reports did extremely trouble him But that he might understand the Particulars more certainly he desir'd an account of the business from themselves In answer to this they profess'd their affections were still reall to him and their Hearts much joy'ed to hear of his willingness to concur with them in a happy agreement And desir'd him not to stumble at some seeming Obstacles as the Death of Montrosse or their reducing of his Forces Assuring him there was nothing in what they did but to accomplish his Ends and promote his Interests to his best Advantage This zealous Nation do's God and the King good service when they illegally and inhumanely murder their fellow-Christians and Subjects These actions of the Scots and the business of the Covenant were the main impediments of the Treaty But the murder of Montrosse though it might justly have deterr'd his Majesty from trusting himself into those hands which reak'd with his best servants Blood could not be redress'd and his necessities enforc'd him to dissemble all further resentment of it As for the Covenant he argu'd that it was the Subjects Covenant to bind them to their King and not for him to swear to and therefore he thought it sufficient to passe an Act for his People to take it He likewise offered to confirme the Presbyterian Government in Scotland Provided that himself might have alwaies three Chaplaines of his own Election As also to confirm the Militia in the Hands of the Estates for five years Provided that afterwards it might return to himself These particulars were agreed to so a conclusion put to the Treaty The newes whereof being carry'd to Edenburgh the Parliament forthwith met and the fourth Faction which I mention'd viz. such as corresponded with the Sectarian Iunto of England were so strangely and ridiculously impudent as to put it to the Vote whether any more Adddresses should be made to the King it seemed they desir'd to ape the abominable Monsters at Westminster who pass'd a Vote of Non addresses after his late Majesty had consented to all their demands there were 32. of these malevolent Negatives but the major part carried it in the Affirmative Whereupon a Message was resolv'd upon to be sent to him wherein they invited him To make all possible speed to come to his Kingdome of Scotland and protested They would assist him with their lives and fortunes to establish him in all his Dominions Yet withall they forbore not to advertise him they had Testimonies to produce of his actings by Letters to Montross having belike intercepted 3. or 4. contrary to his promise to them at the Treaty at Breda as they pretended However they were willing out of speciall grace to dispense with him for what was past so that he would without delay according to the Articles of Agreement come over into Scotland and comply with the Parliament and the Kirk After this they betook themselves to make preparations for his Reception Two of the chiefest Houses in Edenburgh were richly furnisht and the Parliament took into consideration the nominating Officers for his Majesties Household which they did with much arrogance not permitting those to wait upon him whom he chiefly favoured whom he judg'd best affected towards him and by Proclamation prohibiting severall great Scotch Lords as Duke Hamilton the Earls of Louderdale and S aforth with many other persons of Quality who had constantly attended on him in Iersey and Holland from returning into Scotland Thus we have seen the deportment of the Covenanters towards his Majesty and Friends during his absence we now come to relate their actions after he took possession personally of the Kingdome of Scotland Which after the conclusion of the Treaty he did not delay to doe but about the beginning of Iune he left the Hague and took shipping at Scheveling in Holland By the way he was in some danger by reason of a tedious storm and certain English ships which ply'd about the Coast to way-lay him but with some difficulty he escaped both and arrived safe at a place called the Spey in the North of Scotland whither some Lords were sent to receive and accompany him to Edenburgh All the way he was entertain'd with the generall joy and acclamations of the people At Dundee new Propositions were by Commissioners from the Parliament and Kirk presented to him to sign which after some reluctancy he performed The town presented him of Aberdeen with 1500. l. But the Committee of Estates sent to severall places who had the same intentions enjoyning them whatever Plate or mony they had to bestow to bring the same into such a Treasury as they
danger the Prince should make prize of their ships for that he had engaged to the States of the Low Countries to do no act prejudicial to Trade At last the debate was put off till the next day when the Speaker putting the House in mind of it again it was earnestly called upon by the younger Sir Iohn Evelin Scot VVeaver Hollond Boys and almost all the godly gang So the debate was resumed and VVeaver went very high to try the Temper of the House But the debate interminis That the Prince should be declared a Râ—bel a Traitor was soon laid by though violently press'd chiefly for these reasons 1. They had not the Originals of the Princes Letters and Declaration which the Common Council still kept but only Copies not so much as attested upon Oath by any authentick Clerk therefore no legall Proceedings could be upon them 2. It world argue no peaceable inclination in them the same day when they sent Messengers to invite the King his Father to a Treaty of Peace 3. It could not consist with the National Covenant 4. It is High Treason by the Stat. 25. Edw. 3. to endeavour the destruction of the Prince the King 's eldest Son but to declare him a Rebel and a Traytor was to endeavour to destroy him and therefore High Treason c. But what they could not do expresly they did implicitely by Voting all that should adhere to aid or assist the Prince Rebels and Traytors Hereby they put a tye upon the City not to redeem their ships by lending 20000. l. to the Prince and yet had a Pyrate taken them it had been lawfull to redeem them About this time also an Order passed the House of Commons for the Earl of VVarwick to fight the Prince at sea It was sent up to the Lords and passed that House too whereby it became an Ordinance yet some of the Lords entred a Protestation against it as the Earles of Lincoln Suffolk Lord North. The Prince continued still in the Downes with his Fleet in a good condition waiting for that supply of Land forces his Brother the Prince of Orange was very industriously raising for his service in Holland and in the interim was willing to do something for the relief of Deal Castle which was besieged by a party of Fairfax's Army left in Kent for that purpose In order to which he landed 500. men who at first charged handsomely but being overpowr'd by number were beaten several slain and taken and the rest got aboard again Failing of this attempt he was inclinable to hazard himself for the relief of Colchester which bravely held out against Fairfax's whole power but from this he was disswadeded as a businesse of too apparent danger Wherefore he continued expecting the event of Hamilton's expedition in the North who was sent into England by the Parliament of Scotland with an Army of 21000. upon the account of the Covenant viz. for a restitution of his Majesty with safety and honour and settlement of Presbyterie On the 15. day of Iuly the House of Commons without the Lords Vote the Scots that were come into England enemies and that they might covertly include the Prince the Question was put That all such English as had invited the Scots under Duke Hamilton to come in hostile manner into England should be declared Traitors and carried in the affirmative He that shall consider the House of Commons was still in a manner entire and consisted of the very same men that so often and by so many Votes Remonstrances Declarations Protestations Vowes and Oaths pretended the defence of the King's person and just authority settlement of these Nations in purity of Religion and preservation of the just Rights and Liberties of the Subject the very same things now petition'd for by several Counties declared for by the parties up in Kent Essex and Duke Hamilton in the North cannot but wonder they should vote them Traitors and endeavour their destruction with that of the Nations consequently who took up armes in the greatest sincerity possible for those honourable purposes themselves alledged to countenance their own against the King But the truth is the two Houses sate under a force ever since August 6. 1647. when Fairfax march't up with his Army in hostile manner against the City For from that time the lesser party of the House who together with some Officers of the Army had layd the blackest design that ever was hatcht by the instinct of the Devil siding with the Army over-aw'd all the Proceedings of Parliament and at the same time held the King and the major part of the House in suspence with unfaithfull Treaties and sent their forces against such as desir'd the same things they would be believ'd themselves intended The House of Lords too being strangely supine in not resenting the frequent sleighting and contempt of their Authority and not attempting any thing at all for the deliverance of their Soveraign the Vindication of their own Honour that of the Nation with it's rights priviledges and freedomes against the Usurpation of an Army and corrupt faction in that of the Commons An insolence which I am perswaded none of their great Ancestors we find in Histories under the same Titles but would have ventur'd both lives and fortunes to the utmost rather then have endured and certainly their posterity will wonder what they were doing all this while The Earle of Holland indeed though no Souldier yet dar'd well and out of a sense of Honour thought himself oblig'd to try his fortune in the Field if possible he might be an Instrument to avert the Destruction he saw threatned his Soveraign and the miseries of tyrannie impendent over this poor Nation by an armed power By commission from the Prince he assembles together about 500. Horse and Foot about Kingston heath Iuly 2. having with him the Duke of Buckingham and his Brother the L. Francis Villers and the Earle of Peterborough But he was soon routed by a stronger Party himself taken and afterwards put to death for his noble but unfortunate Attempt Such were the sinnes of this Nation and thus the good Providence of God was pleased to bring about the punishment of them by frustrating all meanes and courses taken to deliver it from the miseries of that threatned it For soon after viz. August 17. the great Army under Hamilton is defeated by Cromwell and Lambert at Preston in Lancashire and the Duke himself taken and afterwards beheaded by the English Parliament for this action This Defeat was followed by the surrender of Colchester which had indur'd a sharp starving Siege of three moneths upon hopes of relief from this Scottish Army Thus all the Princes Enterprises failing and his Fleet being in great need of provision he is forced to give over further Action and retires to the Hague in Holland to his Sister the Princesse of Orange in expectation and attendance upon Providence Shortly after many Counties of England soliciting the Parliament
own Person or promote it in another especially Charles the eldest Iames the second and Henry the third Sons of the late King After which they proceed as far as they could to abolish the very memory of his late Majesty his Arms are ordered to be defaced in all places throughout the Nations and his Statues broken all the regalia sold and imbezil'd the Crown Revenue to sale and all the goods of the Royal Family made prize on by those that had murdered and expell'd the Owners Neverthelesse there wanted not some in this sad consternation who shew'd themselves so resolute in asserting the Title of Prince Charles to the Crown of these Nations as to print and disperse this following Proclamation in several places of the City of London WE the Noblemen Iudges Knights Lawyers Gentlemen Freeholders Merchants Citizens Yeo-men Sea-men and other Free men of England do according to our Allegiance and Covenant by these present Heartily Ioyfully and Vnanimously acknowledge and Proclaim the illustrious CHARLES Prince of Wales next Heir to his Father King Charles whose late wicked murder and all Consenters thereunto We from our hearts abominate to be by Hereditary Birth-right and lawfull Succession rightfull and undoubted King of Great Britain France and Ireland And we will constantly and sincerely in our several places and callings defend and maintain his Royal Person Crown and Dignity with our estates and lives against all Opposers whom hereby we declare to be Enemies to his Majesty and Kingdomes In Testimony whereof we have caused these to be Publish't throughout all Counties and Corporations of this Realm The first day of February in the first year of his Majestie 's Reign But the Royal Party was so totally supprest throughout this Nation that they wanted power to make good what their consciences assur'd them was just and right This endeavour testifi'd their Loyalty and withall their weaknesse For though the hearts of most of the Nation were as willing to promote the Son's succession as to withstand the Father's destruction yet were they as unable to advance the one as they had been to prevent the other Indeed Ireland was in a manner wholly for his Majesty in many places whereof he was by joynt consent both of Protestants and Papists proclaimed King The Lord Marquesse of Ormond the Lord Inchequin and other great persons had considerable Forces in the field for his interest and all the Garrisons of that Island held out for him excepting the two most important the Cities of Dublin and London-Derry which were kept from returning to their Allegiance the former by Lieutenant General Iones then Governour and the latter by Sir Charles Coot who maintain'd their cause and authority who had barbarously murder'd his Royal Father in England Besides the Islands of Iersey Guernsey Scilly and Man remain'd faithfull to him though they were of no other advantage then to serve as places of retreat for the small Fleet that was left after the greatest part of it had again revolted to the Parliaments Navy The Parliament of Scotland as I said had protested against the proceedings of the English against their common King But at this time that Nation was divided into four grand Factions or Parties 1. The first consisted of such as had confederated with the English Parliament during the Warres till they saw their accursed design of destroying the King and subverting the Government these were the prevailing party who sent Duke Hamilton with that numerous but unfortunate Army into England 1648. They were willing though upon certain conditions to own and declare Prince Charles for their King only in this they sided with the English Independent Iuncto That they endeavoured to the utmost to depresse and discountenance the Malignants as they called those who had adher'd to his late Majesty who make up the second party The third consisted of such as were so strictly devoted to the Kirk and Convenant that they only projected the advancement of them and car'd not for any other interest either of King or Free-State but strenuously oppos'd both of which Faction Colonel Sâ—â—aâ—ghern and Colonel Kerre were two great Sticklers The fourth and last and worst were such as by unparallel'd treachery to their Prince their Native Countrey and as it appear'd afterwards to themselves too held secret correspondence with the Sectarian power and Army of England This Division I have made will give much light to the understanding of the reasons of the Scottish actions and their consequences when we come to relate them At present it may suffice to intimate that this Discord among themselves retarded them from publickly proclaiming and owning their lawfull King In the mean time the King having been a while a close Mourner in Holland and receiv'd the condolements of the Lords States who also deputed an Oratour Dr. Lotius to represent their sad sence of the inhumane murder of his Royall Father which he performed in an elegant Latine Oration extant in Print he committed the management of his affairs there to the care of his Brother and Sister of Orange and took a journey to France both to visit his disconsolate and forlorne Mother and to desire the assistance which he might reasonably conceive that King oblig'd both in honour consideration of consanguinity and the generall concernment of all Monarchs to afford him He was receiv'd in the French Court with much respect and after a short stay at Paris took up his abode at St. Germains having his Royall Brother the Duke of York with him He had not been long here but contrary to the expectationâ— as well as hopes of himself and all his Loyall Subjects news is brought him of the defeat of the Army in Ireland under the Marquis of Ormond then which a gallanter richer had scarce been seen during all the late Warrs The Marquis had laid siege to Dublin on the 21. of Iune 1649. but that City being reinforc'd with a supply of 3000. Horse and Foot from England and encouraged with the expectation of more the Besieged made severall Sallies out upon them from time to time and at length in one suppris'd the Marquis's maine Army and totally defeated it himself not without much difficulty escaping by flight 'T is very true the Marquis had an Army of about 20000. men but the greatest part of them were Irish and so such as he dar'd not trust besides I have heard it creadibly reported He might have taken Dublin if he had pleas'd but forbore to doe it meerly in tendernesse to the numerous Protestants were in it whom the Irish would have without question unmercifully destroy'd if they had taken the place by assualt and as yet there was no other way to take it by reason the besieged had high expectation of succour from England This was the first blow receiv'd by the young King and a great one it was indeed and so important that it made way for the losse of all that Kingdome About the same time also Sir Ch. Coot
Copy of his Declaration in which he offer'd pardon to all that would return to their Allegiance enclosed in a gracious Letter to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the City of London which by order of the Usurping Iunto at Westminster was on the 26. of Aug publickly burnt at the old Exchange by the Hangman And a day or two after at a Muster of 14000. men in Moorfields the insolent Speaker Lenthall repaired thither and caused a fellow with a Link to burne a Copy of his Majestie 's Declaration in the head of every Regiment On Saturday the 23. of Aug. his Majesty was there proclaimed King of Great Brittain France and Ireland by Mr. Thomas Lisens Mayor and Mr. Iames Bridges Sheriff of the City with the great acclamations and joy of the loyall Citizens And on the same day also his Majesty sent abroad a Declaration given at his City of Worcester for summoning all the neighbouring Nobility Gentry and others from sixteen years of age to sixty upon their Allegiance to appear in their persons with Horse and Armes at Pitchcroft on Tuesday following the 26. of Aug. where his Majesty would be present On which accordingly appear'd at the said Rendezvous these loyall persons following Francis Lord Talbot now Earle of Shrewsbury with about 60. Horse Mervin TouchetEsq Sir Iohn Packington Sir VValter Blunt Sir Ralph Clare Ralph Sheldon of BeolyEsq Iohn VVashburn of WitchingfordEsq with 40. Horse Tho. ActonEsq Rob. Blount of KentswickEsq Rob. W gmore of LuctonEsq Thomas Hornyold of Blackmore ParkEsq with 40. Horse Francis KnotsfordEsq and divers others The works of this City had for the most part been slighted a while before and therefore all endeavours were us'd to fortify it again About two or three dayes before the King's arrivall at VVorcester the Earl of Derby landed at VVeywater in Lancashire with 250. Foot and 60. Horse from his Isle of Man which leaving with the King he return'd into that County his interest in it got together a Body of 1500. with which he was hasting to Manchester to join with 500. more and would probably have increas'd his forces in a short time to a greater number But Col. Lilburn being order'd to prevent him with 3. Regiments and some Horse out of Cheshire was forc't to an engagement by the Earl out of a purpose to hinder him from joining with other forces which were sent against him The contest was sharp and doubtfull for an hour till at length the Earl's Forces were put to flight himself being wounded narrowly escap'd to Worcester severall persons of quality were slaine of his Party as the Lord VViddrington Sir Tho. Tilsley Col. Trollop Col. Galliard with some others of good note Among the taken were Maj. Gen. Sir VVill. Throckmorton Sir Timothy Fetherstonhaugh Col. Matthew Bointon Major Chester Col. Rich. Legg Col. Iohn Robinson Col. Ratclif Gerard besides other Officers some of which soon after dyed of their wounds 400. private Souldiers were taken with all the Armes and Ammunition the Earles George Garter and 3. Cloaks with Stars and about 60. slain The Earle of Derby Col. Roscarrock after this overthrow which was on the 25. of Aug. by the assistance of one Mr. Snead and one Mr. Elliot got to his Majesty at Worcester where neverthelesse his Majesty the Forces with him were resolute against all disasters the Fortifications were carried on with all possible diligence and the Mount at the South-East end of the Town strongly secured On the other side the Parliament by their new levies had encreased their Forces to a prodigious number which as their own writers record amounted to above 80000. About three dayes after the former Victory Cromwel marcht up before Worcester with 17000. Horse and Foot besides the parties under the Lord Grey of Groby Lambert and Harrison which in all made up above 30000. men The first encounter was at Vpton-Bridge 7. miles from Worcester which the Royalists had broken upon newes of their coming onely one Plank either through negligence or treachery was left of it over which Lambert pass'd some Redcoats who perceiving the Scots took the alarum fled into a Church Whereupon Maj. Gen. Massey gave a camisado to the Church but in the mean time Lambert having pass'd over a supply of Horse fell upon the back of the Royallists and overpowering them put them to a retreat which was performed by Maj. Gen. Massey with much gallantry who was in the rear sometimes marching off and sometimes fighting till he escaped to Worcester in which service he received a shot in the Arme and his Horse was slain under him After this the Enemies disposed themselves in the manner they conceiv'd most convenient to streighten the Town To which purpose Fleetwood having left a sufficient force to secure the passe at Vpton approacht nearer the City Cromwel gave order for two Bridges to be made the one of boats over Severne under Bun-hill a mile below the City and the other over Teame a lesser River that falls into Severn and this for the better conjunction of the Army On the 29. of Aug. Cromwel fac'd the City with a great body of Horse and Foot but drew off again and attempted nothing But on Saturday Aug. 30. It was resolv'd by his Majesty at a Council of Warre to beat up the Enemies Quarters that night with 1500. choise Horse and Foot commanded by Maj. Gen. Middleton and Sir William Keyth all of them wearing their shirts over their Armour for distinction the result was accordingly put in execution and might in all probability have prov'd importantly successfull had not the designe been most traiterously discover'd to the Enemy by one Guyes a Tailor in the City who was rewarded with a Halter for his treachery but the Westminster Iunto to shew how affectionately they regarded base and treacherous actions gave Guyes wife 200 l. down and 200 l. per annum during her life This sally was made with much gallantry and resolution but the Enemy having receiv'd intelligence of the design were in readiness to receive the Royalists and nevertheless were unable to bear the shock till bringing on successively fresh forces their number constrain'd the Assailants to retire In this Action Major Knox was slain and some few made prisoners In this condition was his Majesty at Worcester having about 10000. Scots and 2000. English with him and surrounded with a numerous Army of three to one in an ill-fortified City Which odds being consider'd I presume no rational man will account it a Miracle for the better cause and lesser number to be worstest by the greater The Hearts of the besieged were as couragious as those of their enemies and no doubtlesse burnd'ned with lesse guilt They were also animated by the example of his Majestie 's heroâ—cal resolution who determin'd not be behind any of his party in danger And now the fatall day appear'd the third of September on which the year before the Scots were so considerably overthrown at
Speaker and was the same day feasted by Iohn Kendrick Mayor of London From whence he never after went forth upon any expedition About the latter end of October the Island of Iersey was reduc'd by Colonel Hain and General Blake from Sea and the Isle of Man was surrender'd to Colonel Duckenfield upon Articles by the Countesse of Derby whose renowned pious and valiant Lord was at Chester adjudgeed to death for engaging with the King at VVorcester by a Council of War after quarter given and beheaded at Bolton in Lancashire on the 15. of October with the teares and lamentations of most of the Spectatours Severall executions were also done upon others by shooting or hanging in divers places for the same cause as on Sir Timothy Fetherstonehaugh Captain Bendbow c. They were tryed upon the pretended Act made after the King 's coming into England viz. Aug. 12. 1651. prohibiting correspondence with his Majesty or his party under the penalty of High Treason His Majesty having upon his arrival at Paris been visited congratulated by the King Queen Nobles of France had a Princely Attendance assigned him and lodgings in the Louvre where he lead a retired life in expectation of some happier opportunity which it might please Providence to present him with for the recovery of his Kingdomes which he had now small hopes to obtain by the assistance of his own Subjects in either of them England being so strictly overaw'd by the numerous Army kept on foot for that purpose and Scotland and Ireland being in a manner wholly subdued by the English Armes Yet in Scotland there were still some small Forces up in the North as the Marquis of Huntley with about 1500. men and the Lord Belcarris The Marquis of Argyle also fortified his houses at Ander-arran and Lorne the Castles in Arran Island and was expected to join with 4000. with the former Moreover the Clergy were still very high against the English But it seemes the designes of the Noble men were onely to make themselves considerable that they might treat upon better termes For shortly after the Marquis of Huntly made his peace the Lord Belcarris divers other Lords came in to the protection of Lieut. Gen. Monck and Argyle having made an attempt to summon a Parliament and shuffled off and on for some moneths at length submitted and afterwards testified under his hand his agreement to the making of Scotland a Commonwealth with England and protested fidelity to it as establisht without King or House of Lords c. Upon which termes he was left at liberty with assurance to enjoy his Estate Had these Lords been cordiall to the Royall interest to which they had so solemnly sworne a little while before they might easily have maintain'd the Highlands against all opposition these places being naturally almost inaccessible and invincible Notwithstanding this low posture of his Majestie 's affairs he was treated with much honour by the Princes and Nobility in France and Madamoiselle de Orleans daughter to the late Duke of that Title being a very rich Princesse worth 60000. per annum and Soveraign Dutchesse of Montpensier shew'd great inclinations towards him in relation to marriage It is also reported that there was a match designed between his Majestie 's Brother the Duke of York and a daughter of the Duke of Longueville a Prince descended from the Royall House of France who was by her mother heire to the rich possessions of the Count of Soissons But the great troubles arising about that time between the King and the Princes of the Blood hinder'd the successe the Duke of Orleans and his Daughter being far ingag'd with the Prince of Conde against the King of France in a civil War occasioned by the imperiousness of Cardinal Mazarine who during the King's minority had by means of his great favour with the Queen ingrossed the whole Government of that Kingdome in a manner into his own hands usurp'd an inordinate power and all the grand offices had committed several enormous miscarriages during the Queen Mother's Regency The Princes of the Blood and generality of the Nation became so incensed against him hereby that an Arrest was passed by the Parliament of Paris for the banishment of the said Cardinal who thereupon retired to Colen and all his goods were confiscated But the Queen having a great inclination to bring him back again into France the Duke of Orleance and Conde vehemently opposed it and when no accommodation could be made the Prince withdrew his forces which he commanded for the King's service against the Spaniard to Stenay a strong Garrison where making great levies he got a considerable power into the field The Cities also of Paris and Bourdeaux owned the Prince's cause and quarrel Whereupon the King rais'd a great Army commanded by Marshal Turein and Count de Harcourt Several encounters pass'd between them the Illustrious Duke of York first serving as a Volunteer and afterwards commanding a Regiment at the siege of Estampes where he behav'd himself extreme honourably in two conflicts The Cardinal in the mean time return'd into France with 6000. men and the Princes on the other side invited the Duke of Lorrain to their assistance who had a mercenary Army of 10000. in the service of the King of Spain His Majesty of Great Britain understanding sufficiently the fatal effects of civill combustions partly out of sincere intentions for the good of France and partly out of the consideration of the advantageousnesse of its peace to his own affairs interceeded as a Mediatour between the King and the discontented Princes and his motion was gratefully accepted of by both Parties and thereupon Deputies were sent severall times by the Princes to represent their grievances but the King of France persisted resolute not to part with the Cardinal though the King of England urg'd him as far as possible to gratifie his incensed subjects if not by dismissing him altogether yet at least by sending him upon some honourable foreign imployment Of all which generous endeavours this noble prudent and Christian Prince obtain'd no other fruit but an extreme hatred from Mazarine At the same time his Majesty imployed himself in reconciling the French King and his subjects upon hopes of those endeavours succeeding he thought fit to deal with the Duke of Lorrain to transport his Army into Ireland where some Garrisons still held out Which affair was so far proceeded in that Articles were drawn up between the Duke of Lorrain and the Lord Taaf on behalf of his Majesty by which it was agreed amongst other things That the Duke should at his own charges land an Army of 10000. for the reducing of Ireland to his Majesty That he should be invested with the Title of Protector Royal of Ireland and have four Towns put into his hands for security for his disbursements with restrictions and cautions But these Articles never came to be signed partly because the Duke was conscious of his
told them with what regret he had executed their late Orders in relation to the Chaines Posts and Gates of the City which he fear'd would be so far from answering the expected end that it would rather encrease the discomposure of mens spirits in the Nations minding them also That the ground of his coming into England was not only to return them to their trust but also to vindicate the Liberties of the People c. He also complain'd That Lambert Vane and others impeached of Treason that had acted in the illegal and tyrannical Committee of Safety were yet suffer'd to continue in and about the City and some too in the House and in the Army c. That they were contriving to take away the maintenance of the Ministry That they were framing another Oath to impose upon the people and to that purpose had countenanced a bold and dangerous Petition from the Fanatick Party And lastly he desir'd That by the Fryday following they would issue out VVrits for filling up the House upon due and reasonable Qualifications and put a certain and speedy period to their sitting according to their frequent Declarations This Letter produc'd not greater regret in the Rump then it did joy to the City and whole Kingdome which was testifi'd at night by Bone-fires and ringing of Bells c. The time set for filling the House being expir'd and nothing done by the Rump in order thereunto the formerly secluded Members upon addresse to the General and engageing to him not to be against a single person were on Feb. 21. permitted to take their seats in the House after 11. years exclusion The House now augmented by above a 100. Members take care for settling the Nations and first they constituted General Monck Commander in chief of all the forces of England Scotland and Ireland Sir VVilliam VValler Lieutenant General Colonel Rossiter General of the Horse General Montague Admiral af Sea Then they appointed a New Council of State consisting of Gen. Monck the Lord Fairfax Mr. Annesley Sir VVilliam VValler Mr. Hollis Gen. Montagu and others to the number of 30. And with all speed they released severall Gentlemen imprison'd by the Rump and amongst others Sir Geo. Booth ordering also the City Gate to be repaired at the publick charge And lastly having made provision for settling the Militiaa of the Kingdome and calling a new Parliament to convene at Westminster April 25. they dissolved themselves by Act on Friday March 16. And thus ended that unhappy Long Parliment after almost 19. years from their first assembling having been interrupted for 5. years together by Cromwel and for ten weeks by Lambert His Majesty in the mean time remov'd from the Spanish Court at Brussels to Bruges in Flanders and resided there for a good space but being now in fair hopes of restitution to his Dominions departed from thence toward the latter end of March to Breda a handsome Town scituate in Brabant about 10. leagues from Antwerp and belonging to the Prince of Orange In this interval the Council of State prudently manag'd affairs proclaiming against all disturbers of the peace under whatsoever pretence and tendring an engagement for peaceable demeanour to be subscrib'd by such as they suspected of disturbance which Lambert refusing was committed to the Tower The General also purg'd his Army of Fanaticks both Officers Souldiers sent down two Colonels to displace Overton from the Garrison of Hull which he pretended to keep till the coming of Iesus Christ But about the midst of April a great disturbance had like to have hapned For Lambert having made an escape out of the Tower appear'd in armes about Northampton in the head of a party many cashier'd souldiers and fanaticks repairing to him But this danger was timely remov'd by Col. Rich. Ingoldsby who without fighting took Lambert with his own hand and sent him up to London prisoner together with a son of Hasilrig's Col. Cobbet and Major Creed They were brought by Coach through Hide Park on April 24. at which time 20000. Horse and Foot of City Regiments and Auxiliaries were training there The Parliament according to appointment assembled at VVestminster chose Sir Harbottle Grimstone Speaker the Nobility also taking their places in the upper-House by virtue of their Peerage choosing the Earle of Manchester Speaker Within a few dayes after their meeting the Lord Viscount Mordant and Sir Iohn Greenvile one of the Gentlemen of his Majestie 's Bed-chamber arrived at London with Letters from his Majesty dated at Breda April 4 14. One was to the House of Peers another to the House of Commons another to Gen. Monck and his Officers and another to the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Common Council of London These Letters were accompanied with a Declaration and delivered accordingly on May-day The two Houses received them with great joy and loyal affection so did his Excellency and the City from whom Sir Iohn Greenvile receiv'd 200 l. and 500 l. from the Parliament as a gratuity to buy him a Iewel The Letters were full of very gracious expressions and in the Declaration his Majesty offer'd I. A Free and General Pardon to be passed under the Great Seale to all persons whatsoever who within 40. dayes after the publication thereof shall sue it out Excepting such as should be excepted by the Parliament II. A liberty to tender consciences in matters of Râ—ligion so as the peace of the Kingdome be not disturb'd and to pass such an Act to that effect as the Parliament should think fit to offer III. The determination concerning Sales and Purchases to the Parliament IV. And lastly satisfaction of Arrears to the Officers and Souldiers of Gen. Monck 's Army and reception of them into his own service upon as good pay and conditions as they now enjoy Hereupon the House of Commons Vote his Majestie 's Letters and Declaration satisfactory and the Government to be in King Lords and Commons soon after which both Houses ordered a certain number of their Members to go to his Majesty with Letters and to invite him to his Kingdomes also 50000 l. was ordered to be immediately sent to him 10000 l. to the Duke of York and 5000 l. to the Duke of Glocester The City also deputed several worthy Members to wait upon his Majesty with a Letter and 10000 l. as a present Moreover Admiral Montague was commanded to attend him upon the coasts of Holland with a squadron of Ships But the General first of all dispatcht away his Brother Sir Thom. Clerges with a Letter to his Majesty wherein was enclos'd an Addresse of the Officers professing their Allegiance to his Majesty On Tuesday May 8. his Majesty was solemnly proclaimed in London and soon after in all Counties Cities and Borroughs of England and that with greater transports of joy then had ever been known upon the like or any other occasion In the mean time great numbers of persons of quality daily flocked over to Breda to his
War returns his desire That his Highnesse would be pleased to disband his Army and he would conduct him with honour to the Parliament This seeming too hard a condition the Lord Capel by the princes command reply'd by Letter That his Highnesse did not believe that his overture of engaging himself in the mediation of a blessed Peace for this miserable Kingdome would have brought him an inhibition to quit his duty to his Royal Father by dividing his Interest from that of his Majesty whereby he should render himself unworthy and uncapable of the fruit of that peace he laboured for If his proposition might be consented to he hop'd God would so bless his sincere intentions and desires as to make him a blessed Instrument to preserve this Kingdome from dissolution But if that be rejected he should give the world no cause to believe that he would forfeit that honour which only can preserve him in a capacity of doing that service should with patience attend God's good pleasure untill his endeavours may be applyed with preservation of his Innocence This is all I have in command from his Highnesse Your Servant A. CAPEL Such were the honourable loyal and good intentions of this noble Prince and such was the insolence of the Victors and the fate of this Nation that no mediation could be acceptable that might prevent its approaching totall ruine so that this generous Letter receiv'd no other answer but silence Shortly after the Prince repairs to Oxford and there reconciles his Cousins the Princes Rupert and Maurice to his Father their Uncle From thence also he writes severall Letters to the Speaker of the House of Peers containing Propositions for reconciliation and peace which notwithstanding took no effect Therefore he departs into the West with intent to raise the forces of his Dukedome of Cornwall and the County of Devon for the relief of Exceter which was at that time besieged by Sir Thomas Fairfax In order to which he commits his own Army to the conduct of the Lord Hopton who soon after resolv'd to come upon the back of Fairfax and accordingly advanced to Torrington with 5000. Horse and 4000 Foot Fairfax hearing this leave his siege and marches towards Torrington The Battel began near the Town which was after a sharp encounter taken and the Lord Hopton himself shot in the thigh but escaped away to Stratton His Highnesse in the mean time was at Lanceston but understanding the Approach of Fairfax's Army he quitteth it leaving Colonel Basset behind him with 500. Foot and Horse who skirmished with the Parliamentarians and being soon worsted got off by the favour of the darknesse of the Night The Prince in the mean time goes to Pendennis where finding the pursuit so hot he imbarqued himself for the Isle of Scilly on the first of March 1646. accompanied by the Lords Goring and Culpeper and Sir Edward Hide Soon after his departure the Lord Hopton finding Fairfax's successes daily to increase and himself unable to do any service to check them with those broken Forces he had left desires a cessation but the General summons him to lay down Armes upon which ensued a Treaty at Tresilian Bridge Sir Thomas Fairfax quartering at Truro and the Lord Hopton further west ward between whom it was agreed upon the thirteenth of March That the Lord Hopton should disband his Army in the west and have fifty Horse of his own and fifty of General Fairfax's for his Convoy to Oxford That all strangers should have passes to go beyond Seas to carry with them what was their own without Horses Armes That all English Officers should go home to their respective habitations or if they plea's beyond Sea each Colonel to have his horse and two men to wait on him each Captain one man and horse the Troopers 20 s. a piece and to go whither they pleased Such was the Fate of the Royall Cause under the conduct of this Heroical Prince who wanted fortune rather then virtue to be happy Hitherto we have with all succinctnesse and verity represented the adventures and actions of his Highnesse from his infancy here in England He was now about sixteen years old the last six of which he had been a spectatour of his Father's calamities and the ruine of his native Countrey having been a sufferer in both assoon as he was become capable to distinguish between good and evil Most part of his tender age was spent in Armies amongst the tumults and noise of an unfortunate War and now he finds himself enforc'd to quit the Territory of England leaving the King his Father with the Duke of York and the two Palatine Princes Rupert and Maurice closely besieged in Oxford by the Parliaments Forces and most of the other Garrisons of the King 's ready to surrender to the power of their victorious Armies The sense of all which certainly had been insupportable by a spirit lesse couragious and firm against such heavy adversities then that of this young Heroe We must now follow him into the Island of Scilly where he had not been long but a solemn message is sent from the Parliament to invite him to come to them and to reside in such places as they thought convenient with such Attendants and Counsellors as should be by them appointed It being no part of my design to comment upon any passages of this History but only to represent things nakedly as they were done I shall forbear to make any conjectures what the intentions of the Parliament were in this invitation leaving the Readers to their own judgement Indeed the Prince had inducements enough to move him to accept of their offer his Father's condition in a manner desperate his own little better having no hopes left but those slender ones of foreign succour it might have seem'd the best and safest course to a young Prince to secure his succession at least to the Government to have gone to them upon honourable terms according to the example of Edward the 3. in the life-time of his father Edward the 2. But loyalty prevailed above all other considerations and therefore upon 24. of April he returâ—s this prudent Answer That it became him not to doe any thing in a matter of that concernment without his Royall Father's privity advice and free consent and therefore before he could satisfie the Honourable House he desired that a passe might be granted for the Lord Capel to go to the King at Oxford to take his advice and hearken to his Royall pleasure and make some overtures to him in order to a peace Moreover he desired that the Reverend Arch-bishop of Armagh a person of transcendent learning great moderation and of an unspotted and inoffensive life might have liberty to come to him These proposals though extreme fair and reasonable were offer'd to deaf eares and took no effect In the mean time Fairfax having taken in the City of Exceter and the town of Barnstable upon Articles marches against Oxford
afterwards tryed as Traytor 's but this favour was extended towards them that they should cast lots for their lives it hapned to be Poyer's fate to suffer and he was shot to death which he took with much resolution The next party we meet with in Armes for the King's deliverance out of a barbarous captivity and admission to a personal Treaty and the settlement of the Nation in peace were the inhabitants of Kent who having seen the Petitions presented to that purpose to the Parliament by the Counties of Essex Surrey and the City of London slighted and some of the Petitioners murder'd resolved not to petition but with their swords in their hands So they assemble together in a considerable body upon Black-heath near Greenwich about the latter end of May 1648. under Sir Edward Hales commissioned from his Highnesse Sir George Lisle Sir Gamaliel Dudley Sir William Compton c. I shall crave leave to be a little more particular in relating the whole management of this and some of the following enterprises then I have adventured to be hitherto because it was carried on by authority deriv'd immediately from the Prince and was of it self one of the most considerable General Fairfax himself with six thousand Foot and two thousand Horse marches forth against the Kentish men who were near ten thousand but unadvisedly parted their Forces and sent away a Brigade to besiege Dover Castle The first intercourse between them was the offer of a Parley to which the General sent this answer Sirs I Received a Message from you for a Passe for some G ntlemen to come and treat according to an Order of Parliament but know no such Order of theirs no Authority of yours to appoint Commissioners for such a purpose And finding you and them in Armes against the Parliament I cannot admit of a Treaty But if ye shall forthwiih lay down your Armes and return home I doubt not of the Parliaments mercy to such as have been deluded into this Rebellion and their exemplary justice upon the chief Actors therein Black heath May 30. 1648 T. FAIRFAX To this harsh answer by directions from the Prince they handsomely reply'd That they had taken Armes in obedience 1. To an universal and perpetual dictate of nature even self-preservation not to invade others right but to secure their own 2. To an undoubted power over us ordained of God we do now obey say they and neither tumult nor rebell 3. To Providence which hath given us that opportunity we dare not neglect and we cannot lay them down without forfeiture of our Reason and our Honour As to the uncertain mercy you hold forth for the deluded many who you think know not why they are come together and the certain justice you threaten their Leaders with Assure your self there is but one soul in this great body which is unanimously resolv'd to stand or fall as one man being not tempted with any hope save that of returning to our ancient Rights Priviledges Governments and Settlements and uncapable of any Fear save only of relapsing again to our former slavery The fair mannage of this businesse sufficiently manifests our inclination to peace Be pleased rather to make this County your Friend then your End And we are Your Servants PHIL. MASILDS EDW. HALES The General being inflexible and they as resolute they meet at a barricado'd bridge between Craiford Heath and Gravesend and dispute the passage very stoutly which at length is gained by the Parliamentarians and another at Northfield whereupon the Kentish retire to Maidstone Fairfax reenforcing his Army to the number of 10000. storms the Town on the 2. of Iune but was twice repulsed with losse The third assault got him entrance when the fight grew more hot upon the Assailants then before as well by the forces in the street as by continuall shot from the houses Nor was the victory accomplish't till after six hours fight and much losse on both sides Presently after this the City of Rochester was also yielded to the General 's mercy The Lord Goring with the remainder of this Defeat marches up in a body towards London and rendezvoused upon Black-heath expecting some assistance from the City which hope failing he cross'd over Greenwich Ferry with five hundred men into Essex where he was met by Sir Charles Lucat and the Lord Capel with two thousand horse and foot and they march together to the Town of Colchester But soon after General Fairfax leaving Colonel Rich and Hewson who had already rais'd the siege of Dover to take in the other places of Kent which stood out crosses over into Essex after the Eenemy and beleagures Colchester with a potent Army The Prince with his Fleet consisting as I said of twenty good men of War and two thousand souldiers some of which were lately revolted with the Parliaments Vice-Admiral Batten who was thereupon Knighted put in at Yarmouth Road and would have landed there buâ— finding no great alacrity in most part of the people to receive him and hearing of Colonel Scroop's coming against him with a strong party of Horse and Foot he sailed from thence to the Downes in Kent seising what Merchants ships and goods he could meet withall Whilst he was here he sent two Letters to the City of London one to the Common-council expressing his Highnesse good affection to peace and to the whole City and his endeavours to vindicate his Father's Liberty and just Prerogative and Rights To restore the people their Laws Liberties and Properties To free them from that bondage under which they were now held like a conquer'd Nation To ease them of Excise and Taxes To settle Religion according to his Father's Agreement made with the Scots and to reduce all things into their ancient and proper Chanell This Letter was accompanied with his Declaration to the same purpose the contents of which we mentioned above The other was to the Merchant Adventurers informing them that he had made stay of three of their ships but without intent to make prize of any of them desiring to borrow 20000. l. of them to be repay'd out of the Customes and requires their speedy Answer The Copies of these two Letters were brought to the House of Parliament by the Sheriffs of London some of the Common Council Upon consideration of them Colonel Harvey first prolixly aggravating many faul s in the King's Government according to the scandalous Remonstrance not long before published against him said The Prince was his Fath rs own son as like him as could be That he had invited the Scots to come in and had declared for them and had been formerly against the Parliament That he was but a Subject And moved the House to declare him a Rebel and a Traytour Sir Peter VVentworth Mr. Knightly and Mr. Blakestone seconded him with much earnestnesse and so did Edward Ash who farther moved That the Common Council and Merchants should give no Answer to his Letters alledging There was no
Montrosse the Lord Lorne Sir Arthur Forbes and Sir Mungo Murrey having gather'd together several parties of Horse and Foot and making severall irruptions upon the English in the Low-lands whereby they much molested them in their new possessions sometimes taking considerable booty and sometimes being worsted and flying into the Mountains where the pursuers could not follow them And thus they continued in expectation of greater Levies and the arrivall of Lieut. Gen. Middleton with supplyes out of the Low-Countryes But in the mean time the English met with the most considerable party under the Earle of Glencarn and defeated them the Earle himself hardly escaping other like successe also befell severall other parties so that they could not unite into one Body as they intended At length Lieut. Gen. Middleton arrived out of Holland with the expected provisions of War and a Commission to be General and Monroe to be his Lieut. Gen. This disposing of Commands so incensed Glencarne who had been imploying his utmost interest in levying Forces which he now saw must be commanded by others that instead of conspiring together against the common Enemy these great Officers quarrell'd among themselves Glencarne was contented to be Lieut. Gen. but Monroe would not agree to it whereupon a single combate ensued between them in which the Earle having wounded and disarmed his Adversary deserted the service with about 500. Gentlemen and made composition with the Governour of Dunbarton to live peaceably at home The same course was also taken by others by degrees However Middleton stood out still with much resolution till at length being set upon a great disadvantage by Gen. Monck and Col. Morgan first in Arguyl and then at Loughary about the midst of Iuly he was wholly overthrown Nevertheless he continued in the High lands with some Foot for some time after till he saw most of the Nobility were either taken or made their submissions and then he retir'd back into Holland The Kirk of Scotland was likewise concern'd in the publick desolation being broken up by Col. Morgan and the petulant Ministry reduc'd to subjection As for Ireland it was by the English Armes brought to such a condition as there was no fear of disturbance for the future onely some few Tories that kept themselves in inaccessible places sometimes made irruptions to steal and plunder The Parliament also erected a High-Court of Iustice there of which Cook so infamous for being an instrument in the murder of his late Majesty was President By whose sentence a great number of the Natives and amongst them many of the ancient Irish Nobility were sentenced and executed for being found guilty of the bloody Massacre committed upon the Protestants in the beginning of the Rebellion and about 14000. were sold to the King of Spain and many transported into other foreign parts who had rendred themselves upon Proclamation the rest were all driven into the Province of Cormaught and there circumscribed to inhabit The other three Provinces Vlster Munster and Leimster were allotted to the English and all forfeited Lands divided among such Adventurers as had advanced money towards the management of the Irish affairs and the souldiers for satisfaction of their Arrears In the room of Deputy Ireton who had succeeded Cromwell in the chief Command of that Nation and died of the pestilence at Limerick Cromwell constituted Lieutenant General Fleetwood who was become his son in-law by the marriage of his eldest daughter Bridget Ireton's Widow His Majesty having for some moneths resided at the Spaw where he enjoy'd the company of his Royall Sister the Princesse of Orange and having recived 200000. Ryxdollers from the Emperour and the Imperiall Colledge who also enacted that no scandalous book publish'd against him should be bought or sold in Germany under pain of death departed from thence to Collen where he arriv'd with his Royall Sister on the sixt of October the great Guns being discharged at their entrance and the Deputies of the City going forth to meet them in solemn manner and conducting them to the Palace provided for them by the chief Magistrates On the 28. of the same moneth the said Magistrates exprest their affections to his Majesty by entertaining him and the Princesse with a sumptuous collation who also the next day upon invitation went to Dussel-dorp where the Duke of Newburgh treated them with all possible magnificence for some dayes After which the Princesse Royall took her journey towards Holland and his Majesty having accompanied her on the way as far as Bedinguen return'd to Collen At his Majestie 's departure out of France he was over-intreated by the Queen his Mother to permit the Duke of Glocester to stay with her at the Palace Royall but with condition that no attempt should be made upon him to pervert him from his Religion But shortly after by the instigation of the French Court and some English Catholicks about her the Queen was willing he should be solicited to turn Catholick and for that purpose permitted him to be carried to Pontoise where some bad Instruments taking advantage of Mr. Lovell his Tutor's absence at Paris set upon him with all motives they could invent both spirituall and temporall to incline him to the Popish Religion But the former kind of Arguments were refell'd by his Highns with greater reason resolution then could probâ—bly have been expected from a person of his years and for the temptations of worldly advancement he rejected them with contempt and the danger of his Majestie 's displeasure urging withall the Queen's promise to the King before his departure in this very particular and complaining of this unworthy advantage taken against him in the absence of his Tutour who was fittest to judge of their proposals Wherefore he was removed to Paris to the House of Mr. Crofts from thence to Pontoise again the instruction of Mr. VValter Montagu Abbot of Nanteul and his former Tutor dismiss'd Of these attempts some cordial Protestants certifi'd his Majesty at Colen with all possible speed who resented them so highly that being ready to goe to dinner when the intelligence was brought him he would not think of eating till he had dispatcht Letters away to Paris In the mean time his Highnesse was restlessely importun'd with perswasions to return to the True Ancient Apostolical Roman Church to embrace the Religion wherein most of his Ancestours liv'd and di'd and most of the Christian world together with the King of France his Royal Mother and her Alliance profess'd which were also back't with the allurements of the greatest Church-Dignities and Revenues and the Honours which that whole Nation would be ready to pay his Highnesse c. All which he declin'd with very ingenious answers and shortly after a Gentleman went to his Highnesse with a Letter from his Majesty and was admitted to his presence but not being able to deliver the same privately he caus'd it to be deliver'd by another hand In that Letter his Majesty minded him of the
to passe that way to Italy whereupon he sent one of his Lords to her to signify his desire to wait upon her Majestie at what place she should be pleased to nominate To which message she return'd thanks for the honour his Majesty intended her and appointed Coningstein a village near Francfurt in the Electorate of Mentz for the place of Interview His Majesty was accordingly received there by her with many expressions of respect and had private conference with her alone for almost an hour after which the Duke of Glocester was admitted to her presence alone and then the Prince Elector Palatine and his Brother Prince Rupert who came thither on purpose and the refst of the great Lords that attended the King The Elector Palatine invited his Majesty to his Court but his Majesty waved his civility and after many complements between these Princes his Majesty returned to Francfurt the Prince Elector and his Brother to Heidleberg and the Queen of Sweden proceeded without stay in her journey to Italy At his Majestie 's returning from Francfurt which was by water the Elector of Mentz having provided magnificent entertainment for his reception came inperson a great part of the way to meet him and conducted him to one of his Palaces where he treated him for four dayes in a most sumptuous and splendid manner after which himself accompanied him for some part of the way to Collen in which City four Burgomasters were appointed by the Magistrate to wait upon his Majesty and the Princes and to testify the satisfaction they took in their return thither And thus we see what respect his Majesty found in a forreign Country and in his lowest fortune the greatnesse of his vertues causing him to be every where extremely valued not for what he injoy'd but for what he truly deserv'd Shortly after the Princesse Royal took leave of his Majesty and the Duke of Glocester and departed for Holland In the mean time in England Cromwel's feares or his malice were restlesse for about Iune most of the Gentry in all parts of the Nation were clapt up by his Major Generals not would any securiry be taken for them but rhey were kept in Inns such like places with guards of Souldiers at an excessive charge and in convenience for many months together Among others the Lord Falkland Lord Willoughby of Parham and the Lord Newport were committed to the Tower upon suspition of Treason but it seems it was rather his own guilt that induc'd him to do thus then any reasonable cause which could he have found no question they had paid their lives for his security There having been this year a barbarous Massacre committed upon the Protestants of the Valleys of Piedmont by the Souldiers of Charles Emanuel Duke of Savoy the Protector testifi'd his resentment of it by appointing a solemn day of Humiliation to be observ'd and a large contribution to be gathered throughout the Nation for their relief The collections came to a vast sum but how well they were pay'd to those for whom they were pretended is not unknown to them that were employ'd about this affair into Savoy Also toward the latter end of this year Proposals were made to Cromwel by Manasseh Ben-Israel a Iew in behalf of the Iewish Nation for their free admission to trade and exercise of their Religion in England They had been excluded for the space of almost 400. hundred years yet Cremwel out of a sense of charity for their conversion and in consideration of 200000 l. was willing to listen to their reentertainment But the designe was so vehemently oppos'd by the Divines aâ—d Merchants that it took no effect In the beginning of the next year 1656. the King of Spain being sensible of Cromwel's perfidiousness solemnly proclaimed Warre against England Whereupon Cromwel enter'd into a strict league both Offensive and Defensive with the King of France who was then at Wars with the King of Spain both in Flanders Italy and Catalonia One of the chief Articles of the Confederacy was that his Majesty with the Dukes of York and Glocester and all his Relations and Adherents saving the Queen Mother should be excluded out of France In which it is to be wondred with what sense of honour that King could consent to so base and ignoble a proposall made by one that had murdered his Uncle and Usurped his Dominions and withall to banish such Princes as were so near of Blood to him and came to him for succour and relief But selt-interest not self-preservation for what could France fear from Cromwel when he was ingag'd with the King of Spain and jealous every day of the people he tyrannis'd over self-interest I say of not of the King of France at least of Cardinal Mazarine the Queen's creature prevail'd above all respects of honour justice and the sense of humane calamities The King wisely withdrew before and the Duke of Glocester not long after there remain'd onely the Duke of York who during his service in the French Army had acquir'd to himself a great renowne and a high command Neverthelesse he had some small time respited for his stay in which he was visited and honourably treated by Marshal Turenne who infinitely esteem'd and lov'd him for his extraordinary courage skill in Martial affairs others of the French Lords as also by the Duke of Modena who was then occasionally in that Kingdome And shortly after he took his leave of the King of France the Queen his Mother and the rest of the Court and departed into Flanders In the mean time the King of Spain partly out of a noble generosity and partly out of consideration that having engag'd in a Warre against Cromwel his Majestie 's interest might be of some advantage to him caused Don Iohn of Austria his Governour in the Low-Countries to invite his Majesty into his Territories which invitation was made by the Count of Fuensaldagne a great Commander and lately Governour of Milan His Majesty accepted of the offer and departed from Colen to Bruges in Flanders where he was received with great expressions of honour and respect Thither also the Duke of York went to his Majesty having taken Bruxels in his way and been extremely caress'd by Don Iohn and his Court who expressed much joy in having the most valiant Prince of his age in the world come to assist personaâ—ly in the war In England Cromwel being much necessitated for money and withall impatient to tarry longer for a confirmation by the people which although he could not obtain of the preceeding Parliament he hoped he might gain of another attempted once more to call a new Representative But remembring the carriage of some in the former he gave private intimation to certain persons in several Counties to obstruct if possible their Election again in the ensuing Session and writ Letters to some Sheriffs to the same purpose Neverthelesse though they were chosen after the new mode 10. in a County and 1. in
Safety consisting chiefly of Army-Officers and some Members of the dissolved Iunto who cided with them as Vane Salwey c. The council of Officers also for satisfaction of the people put forth a Declaration concerning their late proceedings charging the Rump with high Crimes and making void their late pretended Acts. Moreover they appointed certain persons to frame a Model of Government which no question would have prov'd an excellent one when onely Sword-men and Tradesmen were to be the contrivers But that which check'd their contentment in these courses was the dissatisfaction of Gen. Monck in Scotland Letters of expostulation past to and fro between the General and Fleetwood but the English Army in the mean time prepar'd to march against him forthwith and was led towards the North by Lambert consisting of about 12000. men The General seeing them thus beforehand with him sent Commissioners to Westminster to treat yet with all march'd Southward with what Forces he could raise and fortifi'd Berwick upon Tweed The Commissioners going beyond their Instructions the General was not satisfi'd with the Treaty and therefore soon after desir'd another at New-Castle during which he call'd a Convention of Estates in Scotland who not only approved his undertaking but assisted him in it While things stood thus the City of London though they well enough lik'd the turning out of the Rump would by no means join with the Army But about the beginning of December the Apprentices and some others fram'd a Petition to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen for a Free Parliament the Souldiers understanding it interpos'd and a great hurly burly thereupon arose in the City some being slain and others wounded Fleetwood was therefore desir'd to draw his Forces out of the City but instead of doing that he placed Garrisons in several parts of it threatning to fire it if the Citizens stir'd At the same time Haselrig Morley and some other Rumpers seis'd on Portsmouth and declar'd against the Army and part of the Navy under Vice-Admiral Lawson did the like and blockt up the Thames The City in this condition would declare neither for Parliament nor Army but still desired a free Parliament which at last was consented to upon divers enslaving qualifications and proclaim'd by the Committee of Safety to begin on Ian. 24. Upon the borders all this while nothing was done the Treaty took no effect neverthelesse Gen. Monck kept from engaging nor was it possible for Lambert to draw him to it whose Forces quartered in a cold barren Country unable to march by reason of the hardnesse of the weather At length Fleetwood having treated with Lawson to no effect and his souldiers being ready to mutiny for want of pay was forced out of apprehension of worser consequence to give over ruling and the Rump slipt into the House again on Decemb. 26. late in the evening by Torch-light Upon the news hereof Lambert's Army deserted him and General Monck enter'd into England with his about the 6. of Ian. Whilst affairs were thus turbulent in England his Majesty being at Diepe in Normandy receiv'd an invitation from Don Lewis de Haro the great Spanish Minister at the Frontier of Spain Which his Majesty accepting rid post incognito through France being accompanied onely with the Lord Marquis of Ormond and the Earl of Bristol Upon information of his approach to Bayonne the Spanish Favourite went forth with a splendid Traine to meet him and upon the first sight of him alighted from his Horse and notwithstanding the inconvenience of the place in a very humble posture embraced his Majestie 's knees from whence also he conducted him riding all the way bareheaded to the best lodgings the place afforded On the next day his Majestie was visited by Mazarini whom he entertain'd with that discreet warinesse that he let him know he sufficiently understood his projects The result of his Majestie 's consultations with Don Lewis was that the Favorite in his Masters name promised him all assistance both of men and mony assoon as the conclusion of the French peace permitted Whereupon his Majesty after high caresses and treatments returned privately by Post to Paris where staying with the Queen his Mother some few dayes he departed to his former residence at Brussels This private journey occasion'd so certain a belief in the Sectarians here in power that his Majesty and the Duke of York who lay at Calis were come over into England that many persons were apprehended for them and particularly one Mr. Colt was taken and imprison'd for the Duke of York and others also for his Majesty We left Gen. Monck upon his march out of Scotland all parties had their hopes fixt upon him the Rump presuming by his assistance to quell the refractory City and the Citizens that he would enforce the Rump either to call in the Members secluded in Dec. 1648. or to fill up the House with new Elections yet none knew certainly his intentions During his March he was address'd to by several Counties for the same things that the City desir'd who also sent their Swordbearer as far as New-Castle to congratulate his coming and tender the respects and affections of the City to him Yet he gave such answers as were not satisfactory to any The Rump also sent two of their Members Robinson and Scot to wait upon him but indeed rather as spies to watch and observe him At St. Albans some Aldermen and Common-Council men of London were sent to him from the City to court him but were return'd as all others only with thanks for their respects On Friday Feb. 3. he marched into London and was lodg'd at White-hall being much caress'd by the Rump and receiv'd their thanks in the House The City continuing still their refractoriness to the Rump and perceiving they so delay'd the filling up of the House as if they never intended it on VVednesday Feb. 8. pass'd a Vote in Common Council not to pay or levy any Taxes until such time as they might have a full free Parliament This so enrag'd the Rump that they order'd the General to march with his Army into the City pull up the Chains and Posts break down the Gates and Portcullis and imprison divers Aldermen and Commissioners Which was accordingly executed the next day to the great terror and amazement not onely of the City but of the whole Nation when they heard the report of it But this consternation did not last long for the General reflecting on the odious service the Rump had put him upon and apprehending their intentions to retrench his power which indeed his Commission being that day expir'd they did accordingly joyning him with some of their Members and Officers in the supreme command of the Army on Saturday Feb. 11. drew his Army into Finsbury fields and presently after upon some conference with the Lord Mayor and some chief Citizens writ a Letter to the Iunto as from VVhite-Hall subscribed by Himself and 14. of his chief Officers wherein he
Majesty who stay'd not long there but removed to the Hague where himself and the English Gentry were splendidly entertain'd at the charge of the States who also presented him with gifts of great value From thence the Queen of Bohemia with the Princesse of Orange and the young Prince accompanied his Majesty and the two Dukes to the Sea-side where they were entertain'd in the Naseby with a magnificent collation and so his Majesty took leave of them and set sail for England At his landing at Dover he was met by the General who immediately kneel'd to kisse his Royal hand but his Majesty embraced him graciously and took him with his two Brothers into his Coach to Dover where after a Treatment by the Magistrates he rid to Canterbury where he was met by the Mayor and Citizens who presented him a golden Cup full of gold and the Ministers who presented him a Bible Having rested there on Sunday the next day he went to Cobham-House and on Tuesday May 29. being his Birth-day he came towards London attended by the Duke of Buckingham the Earles of Northhampton Norwich Shrewsbury Litchfield Cleaveland the Lord Mordant and Sir Iohn Robinson with their several Troops of the chiefest Nobles and gentry of the Kingdome and the General with ten Regiments of his best horse besides innumerable companies of people that flock'd from all the adjacent Counties On Blackheath near Greenwich he was met by Major Generâ—l Brown with a gallant Company of young Citizens and others c. and at Southwark he was met by the Lord Mayor Aldermen 300. Citizens in Velvet Coats and Gold Chaines representing the several Companies and entertain'd with a Collation in a Tent erected on purpose and from thence about 5. a clock in the afternoon he rode into the City between his two Brothers the streets being on one side beset with the several Companies in their Gownes and on the other with Souldiers the windowes adorn'd with Tapistry and other hangings the Conduits running with Wine and the people testifying their joy with incessant shoutings and Acclamations Arriving at White-Hall the Speakers of both Houses congratulated his return in two solemn Speeches to which his Majesty answer'd that the People's acclamation together with his journey though gratefull to him as demonstrations of affection had so disordered him that he could not give such an answer as he desir'd But they should find him a sincere Defender of the Lawes and Liberties of the people and the Parliament should not be more ready to ask his consent to any thing fitting to be done then he would be to grant it After which he retir'd out of the Banquetting House to his Lodgings Thus we have trac'd out all the principal actions of this great King's Life in his Infancy Youth and Manhood to this present as well in his own Territories as beyond the Seas and withall given an account of the most considerable events here in England during the Oligarchy of the late long Parliament and the Tyranny of Ol. Cromwel In all which we have endeavour'd to give an impartiall Relation with as much brevity as the smalness of this Volume containing more strange occurrences then have hapned in some Ages would permit May the God of Heaven who of his infinite and undeserved mercy towards these poor Nations hath restor'd his Majesty to his Dominions long preserve his Sacred Person for the good both of Church and Commonwealth and multiply the years of his Reign in Honour and Prosperity Glory be to God on High and on Earth Peace and good Will towards Men. FINIS ERRATA Pag. 118. l. 11. read greater honour Pag. 273. l. 8. for at Salisbury read at Exeter Pag. 320. l. 24. read Commoners
Governor thereof being slain in a Sally it was surrendred upon Articles and by the King of France and the Cardinal in person put into the hands of the English Iune 25. 1658. While these things were in agitation beyond Sea the pretended Parliament reassembled on Ian. 20. and those Members who had been excluded the last Session were now admitted There was also an assembly of Officers and some few others in the House of Peers summon'd thither by Cromwel as Lords But the Commons being now a full House began to review the late Humble Petition and Advice made by a packt Iunto and refus'd to treat with the Other House as Lords Wherefore Cromw in a great fury hasted to them in a Hackney Coach and having rated them sufficiently dissolved them Feb. 4. yet with this word of consolation to his Other House My Lords ye are Lords and shall be Lords This was the fourth Parliament he dissolved having before violently turn'd out the Long-Parliament the little Parliament the Recognition Parliament this garbled Iunto There goe's a saying concerning the three latter which were summoned by Cromwel himself that the First was called but not chosen the Second did just nothing and the Third did nothing just However Cromwel resolv'd to maintain what he had gotten per fas nefas He had called his eldest Son Richard out of the Country to inure him to a Court life and Publick Affairs and placed his second Henry in Ireland the room of Fleetwood whom he recalled from thence wanting as he said his Presence and Counsel Moreover he had married his two youngest Daughters in the foregoing November one to Mr. Rob. Rich. heir apparent to the Earldome of VVarwick and the other to Thomas Viscount Faulconbridge And having thus settled himself he resolv'd to rule at his pleasure dispairing of ever having the complyance of a full and free chosen Parliament On the twelfth of March he sent for Tichburn then Lord Mayor of London the Aldermen and Common Council and acquainting them with the imminent danger of the Commonwealth by reason of secret Machinations from some Ill-willers to his Government gave them order for settling the Militia Whereupon the guards were doubled and a strict watch was set in all parts of the City Shortly after divers persons were apprehended and imprisoned and among others Doctor Iohn He wet Minister of St. Gregories near Paul's Mr. Iohn Russell brother of the Earle of Bedford Sir VVilliam Compton brother of the Earl of Northampton Mr. Iohn Mordant brother of the Earle of Peterburgh Sir Richard VVillis Sir VVilliam Leighton many more of lesse quality Hereupon follow'd a day of solemn Humiliation and a High-Court of Iustice before which was brought first S. Henry Slingsby of Yorkshire he was accused of Treason by one VVaterhouse and one Overton Officers in the Garrison of Hull for conspiring to seize upon that place for the King Next him was brought to Tryall Dr. Hewet he was impeached of Treason for holding correspondence with the King and delivering his Commissions to several persons for levying Forces against the Government But the Doctor refused to own the authority of the Court The same day Mr. Mordant was also arraigned before the said High-Court for a treasonable design but he made his innocence so apparent against all the evidence that he was acquitted Sir Henry Slingsby and Doctor Hewet received sentence of death pronounced upon them by President Lisle on the 2. of Iune and notwithstanding the intercessions of great friends were beheaded on Tower-Hill on the 5. of the same moneth A few dayes after one Mallery the betrayer of all the rest was try'd pro forma and condemn'd but repriev'd Other persons were also try'd whereof some were acquitt'd some condemned and reprieved but three persons were dealt with in the greatest rigour being hang'd and quarter'd namely Col. Edw. Ashton in Tower-street over against Mark-lane end Iohn Bettely in Cheapside and Edmund Stacy before the old Exchange Iuly 17. These murders were usher'd in with a Fast and concluded with a day of Thanksgiving Sad newes was this to his Sacred Majesty who could not but be infinitely sensible of the sufferings of these loyall persons as well as of the calamitous state his interest was thereby brought into However he gave not himself up to pensivenesse and unprofitable sorrow but repaired for a while to Antwerp with the two Dukes his Brothers and the Princesse his Sister from whence also he went to Bruxels and resided there for a good space being entertain'd there splendidly by Don Iohn of Austria and desired to be present at most consultations for carrying on the War against the French In August Elizabeth Cleypole daughter to Cromwel and wife to one Iohn Cleypole dyed at Hampton-Court much troubled in mind by reason of the bloody actions of her Father as was reported But whether it were so or no this is certain that Cromwel never injoy'd himself after her death and did not survive her a full moneth He lay some while in a very sad condition with extreme torment and pain in his bowels neverthelesse he could not endure to think of dying but said the night before his death That God had revealed to him that he should not dye and that he had a great deal of glorious work for him still to do in these Nations But on Friday Sept. 3. he departed this life or as some say on Aug. 30. at what time was the most furious violent wind that ever hapned in the memory of man Immediately upon his death his Council met and upon the affirmation of Dr. Goodwin that he nominated his son Richard to succeed him or for that they judged it the most expedient course they order'd him to be proclaim'd Protector accordingly Which was done the next day in the City of London and his new Highnesse took an Oath prescrib'd in the Humble Petition and Advice Richard's first care was the Interment of his Father and search was made into the Records to see what had been expended upon the buriall of former Kings to the end greater cost might be bestow'd upon his All the gaudry was not provided till the 23. of Novemb. and then his Image was drawn in great pomp to Westminster Abbey and lay'd in a stately Herse What became of his carcase is not certainly known Thus ended this great Tyrant after almost 5. years usurpation during which he spent vast sums of Treasure to maintain his ill-gotten power and yet his Funeral charges amounting to above 30000 l. are unpaid for at this day Assoon as the ceremonies were over young Cromwel was urg'd by his wants of money and other prâ—ssing occasions to call a Parliament to which end he sent forth writs not according to the Instrument of Government but after the old way two in a County c. In the mean time many congratulatory addresses were made to him from Counties Cityes Burroughs and Regiments of Souldiers full of flattery and profanesse some of
them comparing the old Tyrant to Moses and his Impe to Ioshua the Guides and conductors of Gods people out of Aegyptian thraldome The chosen Members assembled at VVestminster on Ian. 27. and so did the Other House Great debates were amongst them touching the recognition of the Government transacting with the Other House as Lords during which two Speakers successively dy'd till the young Protector being undermined by a Caball of Officers Fleetwood Desborough c. weakly yielded to the Dissolving of the Parliament on Friday April 22. shortly after which a Fast being solemniz'd the remainder of the Long Parliament who had been dissolved by Cromwel in April 20. 1653. were invited by Lambert to sit again which they did on the 7. of May excluding by violence such of their Fellow-members as they had before secluded in Decemb. 1648. though they were the greater number Richard was thereupon depriv'd of his Government so was his brother Harry in Ireland And now this old Iunto being advanc'd again and congratulated as other Governments had formerly been from Scotland Ireland and the Fleet begin to act like subtile Politicians And to the end the Army might be kept in obedience to them they made the Speaker of the House General cashir'd many Officers and caus'd new Commissions to be deliver'd by the Speaker in the House of Parliament to all the Commanders both of Land and Sea-Forces The affections of the people they did not much value so long as the Army would stand to them To gratifie whom they impos'd a whole years Tax at 35000. l. per mensem to be paid immediately After which about Iuly they pass'd an Act for settling the Militia of Counties in such hands as they pleased But Lambert and the other Officers who intended to have the whole guard of the Rump and aim'd at other designs not relishing this proceeding it was laid aside Nothing could have been more odious to the Nation then this re-establishment of the Rump-Parliament who taking these courses to secure the perpetuall continuance of their sitting and resolving never to encrease their number by admitting their fellow-members or new ones legally elected in their places awakened the spirits of most of the Gentry of the Nation to attempt something for their Countries liberty by restitution of the ancient Government A great inclination there was in most Counties to take up Armes and several Offers were made in divers places but none was so considerable as that in Cheshire Lancashire and the parts adjoyning under Sir George Booth Sir Thomas Middleton and other Gentlemen in those parts They declar'd for a full and free Parliament to be elected by the People Sir George Booth had taken Westchester and was reported to be very numerous Whereupon Lambert was sent out against him with an Army of six or seven thousand men and a train of Artillery moreover forces from all quarters were appointed to draw to him so that all meeting he had a very puissant Army The party under Sir George Booth had been in Armes a a good time before Lambert came against them in expectation that other Counties would have done the like but this hope failing upon Lambert's approach many of them withdrew from him The rest came to an encounter with Lambert at Northwich and were without much difficulty defeated The number of the slain was not many but the Prisoners were in great multitudes Sir George Booth himself was also within a few dayes after taken in a disguise in an Inne at Newport-Pagnel in Bedfordshire as he was coming up to London Persons of quality taken besides him were the Earle of Derby the Lord Kilmurrey Major General Ranulph Egerton Sir William Neile Sir Thomas Powel of Flintshire Col. Massey of Cheshire Major Peter Brook The Earle of Stamford and Sir Thomas Leventhorp were also imprison'd in other places with some hundreds of Gentlemen for designing to levy war against the Commonwealth The Rump overjoy'd with this successe presented Lambert with 1000. l. to buy him a jewel but he thought it more suitable to his designes to distribute it amongst his Army During these actions in England his Majesty privately withdrew from Bruxells together with the Duke of York it was imagin'd by many that they were come concealed into England in expectation of the event or at least lay upon the Sea-coasts ready to have transported some forces in a Fleet which rode upon the Coast of Flanders in case matters had succeeded prosperously But not long after the suppression of the Cheshire Insurrection they appeared again at Bruxells from whence his Majesty dispatcht an Embassadour to attend with certain Proposals at the Interview of Cardinal Mazarini for the French King and Don Lewis de Haro for the Spanish who met upon the confines to treat a Peace between the two Crowns and a Marriage between the King of France and the Infanta of Spain The Embassadour was entertain'd by the two grand Ministers with very high testimonies of honour and respect and promised to have his Master's Interest taken into consideration assoon as the concernments of their own would permit But in England the pretended Parliament fell eagerly to their old beloved Trade of Sequestration and determin'd to exercise the utmost of severity upon the actors in the late Insurrection And no doubt they they would have prosecuted their intentions had not Providence diverted their malice by a breach which fell out between them and the principal Officers of the Army Lambert whose ambition instigated to him to be so active in the late change of Government and so popular in the management of his late expedition together with other grand Officers thought the Parliament so oblig'd to them for restoring them to Power and preserving them in it that they conceiv'd none of their demands ought to be denyed Whereupon at their return to London a Petition was presented to the House by Desborough for a General The Iunto remembring how their former General had serv'd them not only denied this request but vacated the Commissions of Lambert Desborough and 7. others and voted the supreme command of the Army into the hands of seven Commissioners whereof two or three were Army-men the others Members of Parliament Lambert and his Companions were so incensed herewith that upon the 11. of Octob. Forces were drawn out on either side at VVestminster those for the Iunto commanded by Haselrig Morley and others those for the Army by Lambert himself Desborough Berry and other Colonels and had not the Council of State interpos'd they had charg'd one another Neverthelesse the Army-party prevail'd and turn'd the Rump out of doors Oct. 13. Which being done the great Officers being assembled in Council at Wallingford-house dispos'd of commands among themselves Fleetwood was made General Lambert Lieutenant General Desborough General of the Horse and that they might satisfy Gen. Monck too who govern'd Scotland they made him Major General of the Foot As for civil Affairs they erected a Committee of