set forth a new Declaration in the name of both Houses of Parliament shewing the necessity of a present Subscription of Money and Plate for a farther supply of the Army Suggesting that his Majesties Popish-Army would proceed with Fire and Sword to root out their true Religion and all that professed it if there were not a good provision of Treasure to maintain and support the Army rais'd by the Parliament To which new Contributions for the better drawing on of others they themselves also subscrib'd And after ordered that such Citizens as had refused to pay the twentieth part should be removed to several Prisons viz. Yarmouth Colchester Norwich c. giving authority that the Collectors made by their Ordinance of the xxixth of November for Assesments should have power to break open Chests Trunks c. and to sieze Money Goods c. for satisfaction of their Taxes And at the same time appointed a Committee for sequestring the lands and estates of all such persons as had assisted the King in his just defence and preservation according to their duty and allegiance calling it a maintaining a war against the Parliament But all this being as yet not enough they passed an Ordinance to incite the City of London to a free contribution towards the sum of sixty thousand pounds for the service of the Army the Houses declaring that they were in good hopes it would be the last money they should have occasion to desire of the City in that kind And therefore that they might be as good as their words and not come often to them in a borrowing way they passed another Ordinance for imposing a Tax for the maintenance of their Army throughout the whole Kingdom of Thirty three thousand three hundred forty eight pounds a week whereof ten thousand pounds weekly was assessed upon the City of London besides Westminster and the Suburbs And to the end that the well affected who had gone forth in their Army rais'd for the defence of the Parliament Religion Laws and Liberties of the Subjects of England for those are the words of the Preamble should be the better encouraged to continue in their service they passed another Ordinance for assessing of all the Parishes in England to the relief of their maimed Souldiers with the Widows and Fatherless children of such as were or should be slain on their part CHAP. XIV I Now come to the military Actings of this present year 1642. In which I find that the Marquess of Hertford and Sir Ralph Hopton Knight of the Bath afterwards Lord Hopton had rais'd considerable forces on the King's behalf in the West and that the Earl of Newcastle afterwards Marquess in the North Colonel Charles Cavendish brother to the Earl of Devonshire Spenser Earl of Northampton and some other persons of quality had done the like in sundry other parts so that with what strength his Majesty himself then had after the taking up of his Winter-Quarters at Oxford the Royalists had possessed themselves of Banbury-Castle in Oxfordshire of Reading and Farringdon with the Castles of Wallingford and Denington in Berkshire of Chichester and Arundel-Castle in Sussex of Winchester and Basing-house in Hantshire of the Castles of Devises and Wardour in Wiltshire of the Castle of Sherbourne in Dorsetshire of some Port-Towns in Devonshire of the Castle of Pendennis and other places in Cornwall of Taunton and Bridgwater in Somersetshire of Sudley-Castle in Glucestershire of the City of Worcester of the the Town of Shrewsbury in Shropshire of Dudley-Castle and Close of Lichfeild in Staffordshire of Ashby de la Zouch in Leicestershire of the City of Chester of Monmouth in Monmouthshire of Lincoln and Gaynesborough in Lincolnshire of Lynne in Norfolk of the City of York and Castle of Pontfract in Yorkshire of Latham-house in Lancashire and of Newcastle in Northumberland As also that by their activeness there were taken from the Rebels before the entrance of the ensuing year these following places viz. Marlborough in Wiltshire by the Lord Wilmot Colonel Ramsey a Scot and five hundred of his men being there made prisoners Tadcaster in Yorkshire about the same time Liskard and Saltash in Cornwall Belvier-Castle in Lincolnshire Cirencester in Gloucestershire Malmesbury in Wiltshire and Grantham in Lincolnshire Whereunto may be added the safe landing of the Queen 12 Febr. at Burlington in Yorkshire with Arms and Amunition brought from Holland for his Majesties service On the Rebels part I am also to observe that besides the Earl of Essex their Generalissimo they had divers other Petty-Generals viz. Ferdinando Lord Fairfax in the North the Earl of Stanford and Sir William Waller in the West Edward Earl of Manchester Basil Lord Feilding eldest son to the Earl of Denbigh Colonel Brown the Woodmonger Sir William Brereton Baronet Sir Iohn Gell Knight Colonel Massey c. all active men in their respective stations As to the places of strength throughout England besides the Royal Navy given up into their hands by Algernon Earl of Northumberland whom the King had made Admiral of his whole Fleet they had the City and Tower of London all the Eastern-Counties with the Ports and Castles thereto belonging the strong Town of Hull in Yorkshire and in it all his Majesties Magazine of Arms Artillery and Amunition prepared for his Scottish Expedition Manchester in Lancashire in Cheshire Ludlow Bridg-North and Wemme in Shropshire Stafford in Staffordshire the Cities of Bristol and Gloucester the Towns of Leicester and Northampton the City of Coventry with the Castles of Warwick and Kenilworth all in Warwickshire the City of Lincoln the Towns of Notingham and Derby and indeed what not excepting those places I have mention'd wherein the Royalists had first set foot Besides which they took by force the City of Winchester Leedes in Yorkshire the City of Chichester in Sussex about the same time and Sudeley-Castle in Gloucestershire Not much of Action in the Field or otherwise can be expected until the ensuing Spring of the year so that all I find of note was only that at Liskard near Bodmin in Cornwall where Sir Ralph Hopton routed a strong Party of the Rebels in those parts and took above twelve hundred Prisoners Likewise that attempt upon Litchfield-close in Stafford shire made by Robert Lord Brook wherein he lost his life the manner whereof is not a little remarkable which in short was thus This Lord being strangely tainted with fanatic Principles by the influence of one of his near Relations and some Schismatical Preachers though in his own nature a very civil and well homour'd man became thereby so great a zealot against the establish'd Discipline of the Church that no less than the utter extirpation of Episcopacy and abolishing all decent Order in the service of God would satisfy him To which end he became the leader of all the power he could raise for the destruction of the Cathedral
that all Horses within the City of London and the Suburbs and five miles adjacent should be speedily prest for the service of their Army as also that all Horses in the Tower should be seized on and no Coaches suffered to be kept there except one for the Lieutenant And to puff up their General with such vain apprehensions as might hearten him to persist in that his high imployment in regard he was then somewhat popular they form'd a specious Declaration which they ordered to remain upon Record in the Books of both Houses of Parliament as a mark of Honour to the name and Family of the Earl of Essex for the good service he had done to the Common-wealth in the office of General by the hazard of his life in the battel of Kineton Likewise for a firmer union of their forces they made an Order in the name of both Houses that the Counties of York Lincoln Notingham Derby Stafford Chester Lancaster Northumberland Cumberland Westmorland and Duresme with the Town and County of Newcastle should associate themselves by raising Horse and Foot to suppress and subdue the Popish and malignant Party and that the Lord Fairfax should command in chief throughout those Counties But his Majesty coming safe to Oxford after a short stay there march'd towards London the noise whereof caused the Members at Westminster to bestir themselves for preventing his Majesties coming thither whereupon all the power they could raise was sent out to give him astop the Earl of Essex with part of his Army to Kingston upon Thames and the Lord Brooke's and Mr. Hamden's Regiments to Brainford where the Royalists fell so sharply on them that they took five hundred Prisoners and sunk some of their Ordinance intending to march forward on the next day But having advertisement that Essex had drawn his Forces from Kingston and joining with the London-Auxiliaries lay in his way at Turnham Greene he chose rather to make a safe retreat than hazard his Army by a second Battel and so by Reading came back to Oxford where he took up his Winter-Quarters making it his cheif Garrison The flame of war beginning thus to spread each part strove to possess themselves of what strong Towns and Castles they could as also to fortify such other places as might enable them to have command over the parts adjacent The gaining whereof and other Acts of Hostility on each part in places remote as also the most considerable transactions of the Members at Westminster who calling themselves the Parliament sate there with strong Guards to carry on this Grand Rebellion being not possibly capable of a perfect Narrative in punctual order of time to avoid confusion therefore I have thought it most proper to place what is most remarkable on the military part at the end of each years beginning with this of 1642 in which the war did commence To proceed therefore The Rebels by this time discerning the King to get ground partly by the increase of his Forces in sundry Counties and partly by undeceiving many well-meaning people who had been seasoned by divers Lecturing-Preachers and other corrupt Clergy-men with disloyal principles and now doubting the issue without farther help sent a Declaration and Invitation to the Scots for their assistance granting Letters of Mart to all Merchants that would set forth Ships to guard the Seas and to take all Shipping bringing Arms or other aid from forreign parts to assist the King and to detain the same as their lawful prize Furthermore as London and the Counties adjacent gave example to all other parts of the Realm in the first raising of this grand Rebellion so were they the first over whom their great Masters exercised their power Nor were the deluded people elsewhere who had likewise given the Reines into these men's hands for a few fair words long spared for upon the xxixth of November there issued out an Order from both Houses that Committees should be named throughout all Counties to take care for provisions of Victual for the Army raised by the Parliament as also for seizing on Dragoon-Horses and draught-Horses and for borrowing of Money or Plate to supply the Army upon the public Faith Which Committees had thereby power to send for and take such Provisions Money Plate and Horse as the owners did then neglect to bring in And having formerly order'd that the King 's and Queen's Revenue coming into the Exchequer should be detained and employ'd for the public service they seized on thirteen hundred Quarters of Corn which then were in the King's Stores Also for explanation of their former Ordinance touching the contribution of Horse Money and Plate upon the Propositions they order'd that the Refusers should be distrain'd and in default of Distresses to be found their persons to be imprison'd and their Families no longer to remain in London Westminster or the Counties adjacent Shortly after this likewise they framed more Ordinances of Association for divers other Counties constituting Commanders in chief of new forces to be levyed within those Associations beginning with Buckingham Bedford Rutland Northampton Leicester Derby Notingham and Huntington appointing the Lord Grey of Groby son to the Earl of Stanford Serjeant Major General there planting Garrisons in every Castle and great Town throughout all those parts The like Association for the Shires of Cambridge Norfolk Suffolk Hartford Essex part of the Isle of Ely and City of Norwich William Lord Grey of Warke being made Commander in Chief throughout all those Counties And to put the people in hope that this charge and trouble should not last long they gave out that his majesties Forces were utterly broken and shatter'd and read Letters in the House from their General that he would pursue the King with all vehemency Soon after this also they made an Ordinance for taxing all Malignants and such as had not contributed upon the Propositions for Money Horse and Plate according to their abilities that they should pay the Twenty-fifth part of their Estates Under which name of Malignants they brought in all that were worth any thing if within their reach But in this Ordinance it is to be observed that the Assessors were not to tax any Member of either House Neither could their oppressions at home suffice but they countenanc'd the seizing of a Ship call'd Santa Clara out of the Port of Santo Domingo in the King of Spain's Dominions laden with Plate Cochinele and other Merchandise of great value and by order of the House of Commons set up Bills upon the Exchange for sale thereof And that no part of the Realm might be free from their oppressions they constituted Committees in the Counties of Warwick Stafford and City of Coventry for associating of those Counties and planting of Garrisons there authorizing them to suppress and disarm Enemies and persons ill affected also for raising Horse Money Plate c. And soon after that
that though the Committee which were sent to bring in the Scots went but lately thither yet the Brethren there having had former advertisements how great a necessity here was of them to the end their Friends should not faint hasted over a Declaration hither whereby they signified that whereas the Kingdom of England had a long time suffered by the Popish and malignant Counsels about his Majesty and that the miseries in England were but preparations to theirs they therefore did resolve to assist the Parliament of England And high time it was for their forces in most parts going by the worst it put them upon new contrivances every day So that Sir William Waller was fain to come again to the House and take the Covenant a second time to encourage some that had not taken it before And though the Committee which met at Merchant-Taylor's-Hall for raising the people of the land as one man did give direction to the Aldermen and their Deputies in every Ward with the Ministers Common-Council-men and others to promote the work as being the last Refuge of the people for so they express'd and no vain bait or allurement yet saw they so little fruit of this great endeavour that they were constrain'd to effect that by their power which they could not do by perswasion and therefore ordered the raising of two thousand men in Norfolk Suffolk and Cambridgshire every man to have a months pay in his pocket And for a speedy supply of more they passed two Ordinances One that the Committee for the Militia of London with the Deputy-Lieutenant's and Committees of Parliament in every County throughout the Kingdom should have power to raise levy and impress such numbers of Souldiers as should be appointed by both Houses of Parliament The other for pressing no less than twenty thousand men with so many Gunners Trumpets and Chirurgeons as should be thought fit for the six associated Counties of Norfolk Suffolk Essex Cambridg Hertford and Huntington with the City of Norwich and Isle of Ely to be rais'd within the said Counties for the service of the Kingdom and Parliament And notwithstanding all this being in a declining condition by reason that their moneys were spent their men wore out and no small discontents amongst themselves in order to some recruit they made an explanation of their old Ordinance for Sequestration of Delinquents with certain enlargements wherein is set forth who were to be reputed Delinquents over and besides such as were described in the former Ordinance with power to examine upon Oath for discovery as also Rewards to Discoverers And likewise passed another Ordinance relating to a former for the speedy raising of a body of Horse for the Preservation Peace and Safety of the Kingdom to resist the Insolencies and outrages committed by the Souldiers of the King's Army those being the words thereof By which they farther ordained that Tenants should pay the Assesments out of their Landlords estates and defalk them out of their Rents But that which they then chiefly look'd on being the assistance of the Scots whereon they principally depended as their last refuge to keep up the hearts of their then drooping party they made it their business therefore to cry up loudly the aid of these their dear Brethren For which respect it will not I suppose be impertinent to make here a short digression in shewing by what means they were dealt with in order to this their second Invasion CHAP. XVI AFter the English Committee was arriv'd in Scotland and had made large promises to the Brethren of an advantagious journey viz. the lands of the Church by the extirpation of Episcopacy the Scots well resenting so beneficial an offer did set forth a Proclamation whereby pretending the King's Person their Religion and Priviledges of Parliament to be in no small danger for preservation of these they required that all persons in that Realm of what sort quality or degree soever between sixteen and sixty years of age should forthwith fit themselves with fourty days Victual Amunition Arms and all other warlike Provision under penalty of confiscation of their whole Estates and to be punished as Enemies to Religion King and Kingdoms And having set forth a plausible Declaration shewing the reasons of such their intended assistance to the Parliament of England against the Papists and Prelatical party as they therein express'd they passed an Act in their convention of Estates for putting that Kingdom into a Posture of Defence naming therein the principal Colonels and Officers for that purpose To accomplish likewise their cheif design of enjoying the Church-Lands they fram'd a new Oath called the solemn League and Covenant Which was forthwith sent over into England and read in the House of Commons at Westminster thence to be transmitted to the Assembly of Divines for their approbation and being by them approved was remitted to the House of Commons And that the grand Contrivers at Westminster might the more ingratiate themselves with those their Brethren of Scotland they passed an Ordinance for demolishing all Monuments of Superstition and Idolatry as they intituled it In which was particularized the removal of all Communion-Tables from the East end of the Chancels in every Church as also for taking away the Rails which defended them levying the Chancels where the East part was higher with removing of Tapers Candlesticks and Basins For the speedy raising of more Moneys they likewise passed another Ordinance for fourteen thousand pounds to furnish one or more Magazines of Arms and Amunition and for raising of Horse c. Which sum was to be levied within the Hamlets of the Tower City of Westminster Burrough of Southwark and other places of Middlesex and Surrey within the lines of Communication Hitherto it was only pretended that those new Regiments of Voluntiers rais'd by the Ordinance of April the xiith for the better security of the City of London should not go out of the Lines of Communication But as Mr. Pym in his Epistle to Sir Iohn Hotham concerning Excise wrote that they must be used to it by little and little so now they began to shew them what they must trust to and passed another Ordinance to enable the Committee for the Militia of London to command forth one or more Regiments of the Trained-Bands or Auxiliaries within the Liberties of London and Westminster to go forth under the command of Sir William Waller and upon occasion to be assistant to the Lord General And herein I cannot but observe an excellent expression made to the House of Commons by Mr. Oliver St. Iohn sometime his Majesties Sollicitor General but then a dear Member and special Contriver in this great work in answer to Mr. Iohn Pym who seemed to stand strict for observing the Ordinance of April the xiith alleaged that though those men by that Ordinance raised only for the defence of the City were not to
go out of the line of Communication yet now that they were rais'd they meaning the Parliament might dispose of them whether they pleased without asking their consents And whereas the first Ordinance for Excise was but only for maintenance of the Army and paiment of Debts due by the Common-wealth they passed another wherein was a consideration added for securing of Trade which occasioned the enlargement thereof upon such Commodities as had not been formerly tax'd besides an alteration of the rates Which Commodities were Strong-waters Medicinal-Drugs Haberdashers-ware Vpholsters ware Salt Sallets Sope all sorts of Woollen-cloth Paper Skins and Glasses Having also thus taught the new Auxiliaries the force of an Ordinance of Parliament they passed another for the pressing of five thousand men in the Cities of London and Westminster with the Counties adjacent to go under the command of Sir William Waller And to hasten on the march of their Brethren the Scots to their aid and assistance the Members of the House of Commons with great formality and no less seeming devotion entred into that unhappy Combination called the solemn League and Covenant so fram'd in Scotland in St. Margarets-Church at Westminster Which under the specious veil of Reformation was that fatal Engine whereby not only the Hierarchy in the Church was by them soon after destroyed and the patrimony thereof with the Lands and Revenues of the Crown swallow'd up by those pretenders to Godliness but the sacred Person of the King most inhumanly murthered and this ancient and long flourishing Monarchy so far as 't was in their power wholly subverted and destroy'd as to the whole world is most notorious In the Preamble whereunto they had the confidence to say that this their League and Covenant was according to the commendable practise of these Kingdoms and the Example of God's people in other Nations Whereas there is not only no mention of any such things by our Historiographers nor in the History of any other Realm that I have ever seen excepting that of the Holy League in France whereof I shall take farther notice ere I finish this work but Mr. Philip Nye one of their mighty Champions for the Cause and an especial assertor of this Covenant hath expresly affirmed in print that it is such an Oath as for matter persons and other circumstances the like hath not been in any age or Oath we read of in sacred or humane stories And it is also observable that whereas in the Preamble they farther affirm that they did it to preserve themselves and their Religion which must needs be intended the known Religion publickly profess'd and by Law establish'd in the Church of England from ruine and destruction they immediatly vow to reform Religion here in England according to the pattern of the Kirk of Scotland and to extirpate Episcopacy and all Ecclesiastical Offices depending thereon Notwithstanding they knew full well First that the King was by his Coronation Oath sworn to maintain and defend the Bishops and the Churches under their charge Secondly that all the Clergy of England had testified their approbation of Episcopal Government by personal Subscriptions thereto and thirdly that by a solemn Protestation made and framed by themselves in that very Parliament and recommended by them to be taken by all the people of England they had oblig'd themselves neither for hope nor fear or other respect to relinquish the true Protestant Religion express'd in the Doctrine of the Church of England But all this Pageantry in their thus taking of that solemn League and Covenant could not allay the loud clamours of the people occasion'd by the great pressures and daily exactions under which they miserably groaned the Members therefore were constrain'd to betake themselves to another way for the easing them at least in shew and this was by an Ordinance for selling the King's Queen's and Princes revenues and the arrearages thereof as also to another for felling and cutting down Woods within sixty miles of London in all Forests Chases and Parks belonging to the King or Queen or any Arch-bishop Bishop Dean and Chapter c. Papist Delinquent Malignant c. to be disposed of for supply of the City of London Which seeming favour was for no other purpose than that they might afterwards bring the greater load upon them as they did ere long For within few days upon a jugling Report made to the House of a Pope's Bull translated into English with a Declaration upon it which was pretended to be newly sent into England for the more effectual prosecuting of the Catholic war here a Committee of the House of Commons and of the Assembly of Divines came to a Common-Hall in London to consult with the Citizens for the speedy raising of an hundred thousand pounds for the advance of the Scottish Army to be lent for that service and repay'd when moneys were procured from forreign parts upon the public faith of both Kingdoms And to obtain more men as well as money there issued out another Order that the Committee for the Militia or London should have power to appoint six Regiments of their Trained-Bands and one of their Auxiliaries as also one Regiment of Horse and Dragoons to march out with their Commanders and joyn with the Earl of Essex's Forces Likewise an Ordinance for the pressing of five thousand Souldiers more to be sent to the Islands of Ieresey and Garnsey under the command of the Earl of Warwick those Trained-Bands being appointed to meet in St. Iames Fields and from thence to march unto such place as the Earl of Essex or his Officers should appoint and in default thereof their Shops to be shut up themselves depriv'd of Trade and liable to expulsion out of the lines of Communication And about the same time they passed another Ordinance for assessing the Twenty fifth part upon all Members of Parliament who then were either in the King's Army or otherwise absent their estates to be let in case of not paiment And having lately sped so well upon credit of the public faith they adventured again upon the same security recommending to the Counties of Norfolk Suffolk Essex and Lincoln with the City of Norwich the aid of the Lord Fairfax in Men Money Plate Horse and Amunition passing an Ordinance for repaiment of what should be lent for the speedy bringing in of the Scots to their assistance and securing it in the mean time by the before-mention'd public faith But the reputation of the public faith was now grown so low that moneys came not in either quick enough or in such large sums as were expected it being left arbitrary to the Creditors what they would lend another Ordinance therefore was passed for raising the full sum of sixty six thousand six hundred sixty six pounds thirteen shillings four pence within the Cities of London and Westminster with the Counties of Hertford Bedferd Middlesex Essex Suffolk
rendred to Prince Rupert by Lieutenant Colonel Russell Subsequent to these I shall onely enumerate the rest in order of time Iames Earl of Northampton routed another stout party of them at Middleton Cheney in Northampton shire And about ten days following Sir Ralph Hopton obtain'd a clear victory over the Dehonshire and Cornish Rebels at Stratton in Cornwall the Earl of Stanford and Major General Chudleigh being Commanders in chief of them In which Battle were taken seventeen hundred Prisoners thirteen brass piece of Ordnance seventy Barrels of powder and store of other provisions by reason whereof the greatest part of the West except Plymouth and some other Port-Towns was reduced to obedience and in consideration of this signal service the said Sir Ralph Hopton soon after viz. 4. Sept. 1643. was advanced to the dignity of Lord Hopton of Stratton aforesaid The next month also ensued Prince Rupert's Victory over the Rebels at Chalgrave-field in Oxfordshire Commanded by Colonell Iohn Hampden who there received his deaths wound that being the very field wherein he first put in Execution the Parliaments Ordinance for the Militia of that County as a president to the rest of England and the Earl of Newcastle taking Howley house in Yorkshire soon after defeated the Lord Fairfax at Adderton Heath in that County At the beginning of Iuly likewise a party of Horse and Dragoons Commanded by Colonel Middleton coming to surprize Sir Charles Lucas in his Quarters at Padbury near Buckingham were by him routed And the Earl of Newcastle valiantly assaulting Bradford in Yorkshire took it by storm Sir Thomas Fairfax who was Governour there fleeing thence by night whereupon Hallifax and Denton house Sir Thomas Fairfax his seat were quitted by the Rebels Burton upon Trent also in Staffordshire was taken by the Lord Iermyn upon the Queens passage from Burlington in Yorkshire towards Oxford Near which time was the great fight at Landsdown in Somerset shire where the Lord Hopton had the better of the Rebels though the Valiant Sir Bevill Grenevill was there slain The Lord Wilmot and Earl of Carnarvon likewise routed Sir William Waller and Sr. Arthur Haselrigg at Roundwaydown in Wiltshire Prince Rupert also having taken Burleigh house in Rutland marcht to Bristol and after a short Siege of that City had a surrender thereof from Colonel Nathaniel Fiennes the then Governour In the next month likewise was Dorchester in Dorset shire rendred to the Earl of Carnarvon and the Isle of Portland reduced to His Majesties obedience Hereupon Weymouth and Melcombe in com Dorset submitted These great successes encouraged the King to come before the City of Gloucester the most considerable Garrison in all that part of the Realm which so startled the Earls of Bedford and Holand and the Lord Paget that they came in to the King but not long after being less apprehensive of danger fell off again to their own party Soon after this Beverley in Yorkshire was taken by the Earl of Newcastle Biddiford◠Appleford and Barnstaple in com Devon were also rendred The City of Exeter was likewise taken by Prince Maurice and Sir William Waller one of their active Generals routed at Winchester Near Auburne also in Wiltshire a strong party of them was worsted by Prince Rupert But soon after this the Earl of Essex with his whole Army met his Majesty near Newbery in Berkshire where after much slaughter neither could boast of the victory though the Earls of Carnarvon and Sunderland with Lucius Viscount Falkland then one of the Kings principal Secretaries of State there lost their lives the noise whereof did not a little avail the Rebels it giving them much reputation with all their party In October the next month Dertmouth in Devon-shire was rendred to Prince Maurice and shortly after Hawarden-Castle in Flint-shire yielded to the King's obedience Arundell-Castle also in Sussex was rendred to the Lord Hopton Beeston castle in Cheshire taken Likewise Lapley house in Stafford-shire Grafton house in Northampton-shire and Crew house in 〈◊〉 shire Towards the end of Ianuary also Sir Thomas fairfax and Colonel Milton were routed by Prince Rupert at Drayton in Shropshire Hopton Castle in Shropshire and Wardour Castle in Wiltshire were likewise taken And upon the relief of Newark in Nottinghamshire besieg'd by Sir Iohn Meldrum a Scot with seven thousand men Gaynesborough Lincolne and Sleford all in Lincolnshire were quitted by the Rebels And Sturton-castle in Staffordshire about this time taken ¶ These being the most remarkable Actions on the King's part for this year 1643. I come now to observe what success the Rebels who were not idle had the same year In April therefore the Earl of Essex came before Reading in Berkshire and soon obtain'd it by surrender Colonel Feilding being then Governour thereof Siege being also laid to Wardour-castle in Wiltshire it was rendred So likewise was Monmouth in Monmouth shire And at Wakefield in Yorkshire His Majesties forces encountring the Rebels were worsted Soon after which Taunton and Bridgwater both in Somersetshire were also delivered up to them But notwithstanding all this they were not without their fears and therefore dispatcht the Lord Grey of Warke together with Mr. Henry Darley and Sir William Armine both trusty Members of their House of Commons by special order into Scotland earnestly to sollicite the dear Brethren of that Realm to their assistance Shortly after this they took Gaynesborough in Lincolnshire and attempted Basing house in Hantshire without effect But in September the Earl of Essex with more help from the zealous Londoners approaching Gloucester with a great strength caused the King to raise the siege which he had laid to that rebellious place In the same month also was Lynne in Norfolk yielded to the Earl of Manchester and shortly after the City of Lincoln taken by him forcibly Arundel-castle in Sussex likewise in Ianuary following yielded to Sir William Waller Whereupon being recruited with more forces he was constituted Major General of Kent Surry Sussex and Hantshire But that which proved to be instar omnium was that grand Invasion of the Scots which on the 22d of Ianuary crossed the River Tine with their numerous Army to the assistance of these Rebels as hath been already observed For at that time all the North of England beyond Trent excepting Hull in York shire and some few inconsiderable places being by the Marquess of Newcastle for so he had been lately made reduced to the King's obedience as also the West by Prince Rupert and Prince Maurice His Majesties Nephews excepting Poole and Lime in Dorset shire and Plymouth in Devonshire the Members sitting at Westminster became so startled that some of the leading-men prepared for quitting the Realm But this great ayd from
the King had the better but Prince Rupert having routed the one Wing of the Rebells Troops follow'd the Chase so far that the Foot being left open to the other were by the conduct of Cromwell put into a total confusion by which means Fairfax became master of the Field and regained Leicester within four days Whereupon he marched to the Relief of Taunton in Somersetshire then besieg'd by General Goring taking Highworth in Wiltshire in his passage To accompany these sad misfortunes Carlisle in Cumberland that great and strong Garison was delivered up to the Scots after two and forty weeks siege And General Goring having Intelligence of Fairfax his advance towards Taunton drew off and was worsted by him near Langport in Somersetshire After which nothing but loss and ruin every day ensued as will appear by these following instances which I have thought fit here briefly to enumerate Pontfract castle delivered to General Poyntz after three months siege that Garison thence marching to Newark Bridgwater taken by General Fairfax after his Victory at Langport Scarborough likewise after a long siege by Sir Matthew Boynton delivered up to him by Sr. Hugh Cholmley upon honourable conditions The City of Bath also within few days following was likewise rendred Soon after this the Scotish Army marching Southwards making miserable spoil in their passage took Canon Frome a Garison of the King 's in Herefordshire and then sate down before Hereford Where having lost many of their men they drew off on the second of September and returned Northwards Sherborne-castle also which had beed stoutly defended by Sir Lewes Dive was taken by storm Nunney-castle in Somersetshire thereupon yielding to Colonel Rainsborough Whithin few days ensuing General Fairfax therefore came before Bristol and on the tenth of September had it delivered up to him In the next month the King's forces at Rowton heath in Cheshire received a great defeat wherein the Lord Bernard Stuart lost his life Hereupon the Lord Digby with the remainder of the Horse was sent towards Scotland there to joyn with the Noble Marquess of Montrosse The Castle of Devises was soon after taken by Cromwell The Castles likewise of Raby in the Bishoprick Skipton and Sandall in Yorkshire were then also delivered up Basing house taken by Sir Hardres Waller and Colonel Mountagu and in it the Marquess of Winchester it being his chief seat Tiverton in Devonshire taken by Fairfax Sir Gilbert Talbot being then Governour there Hereupon though it was winter time the Rebels laid siege to the City of Exeter at a distance that being the chiefest place of strength in all the West About this time also Fairley-castle in Wiltshire and Lacock house were given up Likewise Chepstow castle in Monmouth shire and Berkley-castle in Glocester shire The Lord Digby also marching toward Scotland to joyn with Montrosse was defeated at Sherborne in Yorkshire by Colonel Copley and Colonel Lilburne whereupon he was constrain'd to flee into the Isle of Man and thence into Ireland Soon after this Bolton castle in Yorkshire yielded Likewise Beeston castle in Cheshire Shelford-house also in Notingham-shire was taken by storm Colonel Stanhope son to the Earl of Chesterfield being Governour of it and there slain Lathom house in Lancashire which had stoutly held out two years siege by the magnanimous Countess of Derby was then likewise rendred The City of Hereford was also surprized by Colonel Birch and Colonel Morgan by a Stratagem of a counterfeit Constable coming with Countrymen to break the Ice in the Trenches having an Ambuscado near at hand Wormleighton house in Warwickshire burnt Dertmouth storm'd and taken by General Fairfax Sir Hugh Pallord being then Governour there Belvoir castle yielded to Generall Poyntz Sir Gervase Lucas the Governour and his Officers being conveigh'd to Litchfield The City of Chester which had endured a long siege and thrice attempted to be reliev'd was by the Lord Byron the then Governour yielded upon Articles to Sir William Brereton who commanded in chief as Major general in those parts Whence he went to Litchfield close which also soon after rendred upon the like Articles In the same month of February Torrington in Devonshire was taken by storm Lanceston Saltash and Liskard all in Cornwall quitted Likewise Mount-Edgcombe and Foy. Whereupon the Prince with the Lord Culpeper and other persons of quality set sayle to the Isles of Scilley The Lord Hopton therefore discerning no hope of aid accepted of fair conditions and disbanded his Army St. Maws-castle being as a conclusion given up thereupon Whence with the Lord Wentworth he hasted into Scilley Hereupon Sir Iacob Astley created Lord Astley about two years before with whom being an old and expert souldier the remaining part of the King's foot forces were left marching to joyn with the Horse about Farringdon in Berkshire being set upon near Stow on the woulds in Gloucestershire by Raynsborough Fleetwood and Sir William Brereton was so much overpowered by their conjunct strength that he with all his men after a sharp dispute and some loss were made Prisoners this being the last encounter that the Royallists were able to make with those insolent Rebels Soon after which the Garison of Ashby de la Zouch in Leicester shire was delivered up by the valiant Lord Loughborough which closed up the military Actions for this present year CHAP. XX. I Shall now return to the Grandees at Westminster and take notice of the effects which these their great successes in the Camp did this year produce in their Counsels and further practices In the observation whereof I find that the Presbyterian party thereupon grew so highly elated that nothing less was by them Resolved on than the setting Iesus Christ on his Throne as their phrase was that is to say to make an absolute establishment of their Church Discipline As a preparatory whereto they passed another Ordinance for the publick use of their Directory with a Penalty upon such as should use the Common Prayer and forty shillings forfeiture upon every one each time officiating that did not use that Directory as also that all the Common-Prayer-Books should be carried in to the Committees of each County by them to be disposed of as the Parliament should direct The King therefore discerning the increase of his peoples calamities again endeavoured to remedy them by renewing his desires of Peace and to that end under his own Royal Hand wrote a Letter to the Speaker of their House of Peers desiring a safe-conduct for the Duke of Richmond and some others whom he purposed to send with Propositions to the Members at Westminster and to the Commissioners there from the Parliament of Scotland for the foundation of a happy and well grounded Peace Whereunto obtaining no Answer he added a second Importuning them earnestly to hearken to that
they should by the power of Conquest utterly destroy him that they disdained to vouchsafe him any answer at all thereto CHAP. XXI THE torrent of Rebellion thus violently bearing all down before it what Garrisons remained were necessitated soon after also to submit viz. the port Town of Barnstaple in Devonshire upon the seventh of April and the Fort there some few days after Ruthin-castle also in Flintshire then yielded to Colonel Mitton Corfe castle in Dorset shire about the same time being given up The City of Exeter likewise Sir Iohn Berkley Knight afterwards Lord Berkley of Stratton being at that time Governour thereof who delivered it upon honourable Articles wherein amongst others the most loyal Sir Iohn Stowel Knight of the Bath was included though afterwards dishonourably and barbarously used Soon after which Saint Michael'smount in Cornwall was taken by Colonel Hamond Dunster castle also in Somerset shire and Woodstock house near Dxford then also submitting All the West therefore being thus cleared except Pendennis castle there could be no less expected than a siege of Oxford His Majesty therefore considering that having used all means possible by his frequent gracious Messages wherein he had offered unto them all they had before desired and that he expected nothing but what themselves since the beginning of those unhappy wars had offered to procure a personal Treaty with them for a safe and well grounded peace And having in stead of a dutiful and peaceable return to those his Messages received no Answer at all or such as argued nothing would satisfy them but the ruine not onely of himself his posterity and friends but even of Monarchy it self Considering likewise that his field-forces were shattered and reduc'd to nothing his Garrisons almost all lost or besieged and that a strong Army under the command of Sir Thomas Fairfax their then General was advancing towards Oxford there to besiege him together with the Duke of York All the great Officers of State and many other of his most eminent and faithfull Subjects In this his most sad and unhappy condition revolving whether he had better cast himself upon the English-Army or the City of London or rather his native Subjects the Scots who had at that time besieg'd Newarke upon Trent with a great and numerous Army Having received very good assurance as he then believ'd that himself and all that did adhere to him should be safe in their Persons Honour and Consciences in the Scotch Army And that they the Scots would really and effectually joyn with him and such other as would come in unto him and joyn with them for his preservation and would imploy their Armies and Forces to assist him to the procuring of an happy and well-grounded peace for the good of his said Majesty and his Kingdomes in the recovery of his just rights Necessity being then his Councellour he adventured upon their fidelity who first began his troubles trusting that God might make them a means honourably to compose them and thereupon went out of Oxford disguised in the night time with two persons onely accompanying him viz. Mr. Iohn Ashburnham one of the Grooms of his royal Bedchamber and one Mr Hudson a Divine his Guide From Oxford they first rode to Henley upon Thames Thence to Brainford Thence near to London and so to Harrow on the Hill there being then a general muster of the City forces in Hide Park where he was expected the Earl of Essex being at that time in the Field and his Majestie almost perswaded to adventure himself into their hands But relying wholly on the Scots who had promised so fair as before is observed he waved those thoughts and rode to St. Albans so to Harborough in Leicestershire where he expected the French Agent who had so treated with the Scots on his behalf as I have already observed with some Horse to meet him and conduct him to Southwell the then Head quarters of the Scottish-Army But missing him there he thence passed to Stanford on the edge of Lincolnshire and so to Downham in Norfolk whence Mr. Hudson was sent to the Agent and upon his return went directly to Southwel where he arrived the 5 th of May and put himself into the hands of Alexander Lesley their General resolving to use his best endeavours by their assistance and with the conjunction of those forces in Scotland under the Marquess of Montrose and such of his well affected Subjects of England as would rise for him to procure if it might be an honourable and speedy peace with those who had hitherto refused to give ear to any good means tending thereto Being thus gone siege was immediately laid to Oxford by General Fairfax soon after which several other places of strength were surrendred by the King 's special direction viz. Newark the eleventh of May which had been besieg'd by Poyntz and Rosseter the Scots assisting from December before The Castle of Banbury likewise after a siege of ten weeks by Colonel Whalley And on the thirteenth of May the Scots having not patience to attend the voluntary surrenders of any more places of strength began their march towards Newcastle in Northumberland taking the King along with them Where being arrived and quartering their Army thereabouts they instantly pressed his Majestie to send Orders to the Marquess of Ormund in Ireland and all other the Governours of his Garisons in England to give up all the Towns and Castles then remaining to such as should be appointed to receive them for the Houses of Parliament Telling him that otherwise they neither could nor durst continue him in their protection To which necessity his Majestie was constrain'd to submit but nothing was by them more earnestly insisted on than that the Marquess of Montross should lay down Arms who with a small strength at first had acted in Scotland to admiration for besides many victories of less note he had twice beaten the Marquess of Argyle out of the Field follow'd him home and wasted his Country with Fire and Sword and vanquisht Bayley one of their best Souldiers made himself also Master of the Castle of Edenborough releasing divers of his Friends who had been seized on and imprisoned there when he first took up Arms. But instead of those Aids which he hoped for he was unexpectedly set upon by David Lesley who was sent from the Scottish Army in England with six thousand Horse to oppose the farther progress of this most valiant persons fortune However he began to make head again and was in a way of fair success when he receiv'd the Kings command to disband viz. 31 May 1647. To which he readily conforming took Ship and put himself into a voluntary Exile After which time of this their perfidious dealing with the King 't is observable that they never prospered But I proceed briefly to point out the times of surrender of the rest of his
those at White-Hall with the Protector against those at Wallingford House with the General the Protector in pursuance of the Parliament-Votes forbidding any further Convention of those Officers at Wallingford House Which prohibition signifyed little for the Wallingford House-men being much the more numerous and sturdy at length so awed and daunted his Highness that they obtained his consent to a Commission and Proclamation ready penned to Dissolve the Parliament though he had with great assurance to the Members promised the contrary Whereupon the Usher with the Black Rod was twice sent to the House of Commons by Mr. Nathaniel Fienes Speaker of the Other House requiring them to come up Who being not ignorant upon what errand it was not only scorned to stir but some of them became so couragious to move that the House should declare it High Treason for any person whatsoever to put force upon any Members of the House and that all Votes Acts and Resolutions passed by any Members of Parliament when the rest were detained from or taken out of the House by force should be null and void And finding themselves so unanimous to their Resolves Adjourned the House till next Monday Morning attending their Speaker all in fair Order through Westminster-Hall to his Coach in the face of the Souldiers which had then beset both the Palace-Yards CHAP. XLI BUT on Monday morning all avenues to the House being stopt up by the Souldiers and entrance peremptorily denyed unto any of the Members the Wallingford-House-Officers unto whom most of those at White-Hall were by that time joyned casting off Whalley Goffe and Ingoldesby with some other of the Protectors chiefest Confidents and taking in Lambert Sir Arthur Haselrigg Colonel Okey and some others who had been set aside by Oliver considering with themselves that though they must necessarily govern by a Military-power yet the name and shadow of a Parliament would best captivate the people forasmuch therefore as the Members of that Parliament then so excluded could not properly be readmitted but with much hazard to the Souldiers Interest they procured a private Conference with some Members of the Old Long Parliament formerly turned out by Oliver viz. Sir Henry Vane Sir Arthur Haselrigg Colonel Ludlow Colonel Iones Thomas Scot Thomas Chaloner Major General Lambert and some others to the number of about twenty At which Conference it being agreed that they should take in William Lenthal the Old Speaker and meet in the House on Saturday the seventh of May in order thereto they set forth this following Declaration viz. The Publick concernment of this Common-Wealth being through a vicissitude of dangers deliverances and back-slidings of many brought into that state and posture whereon they now stand and our selves also contributing thereto by wandring divers ways from Righteous and Equal Paths And although there hath been many Essays to obviate the dangers and to settle these Nations in Peace and Prosperity yet all have proved ineffectual the only wise God in the course of his providence disappointing all endeavours therein And also observing to our great grief that the good Spirit which formerly appeared amongst us in the carrying on of this great work did daily decline so as the Good Old Cause it self became a reproach we have been led to look back and examine the cause of the Lord 's withdrawing his wonted presence from us and where we turned out of the way that through mercy we might return and give him the Glory And amongst other things calling to mind that the Long Parliament consisting of the Members there Sitting until the 20 th of April 1653. were eminent assertors of the Cause and had a special presence of God with them and were signally blessed in that work the desires of many good people concurring with ours therein we judg it our duty to invite the aforesaid Members to return to the exercise and discharge of their Trust as before the said 20 th of April 1653. And therefore we do hereby most earnestly desire the Parliament consisting of those Members who continued to Sit from the year 1648. until the 20 th of April 1653. to return to the exercise and discharge of their Trust and we shall be ready in our places to yield them as becomes us our utmost assurance to Sit in safety for the improving present opportunity for setling and securing the Peace and Freedom of this Common-Wealth praying for the presence and blessing of God upon their endeavours Which Declaration was signed by General Fleetwood and the Council of Officers of the Army In order whereunto those Members of the Long-Parliament came the day following to the Painted-Chamber but finding of their designed number which was forty and two that there wanted a couple they sent to the Gaols for a present supply Where having the Lord Munson and Henry Martin ready at hand who lay there upon Executions for Debt with Lisle and Whitlock from the Chancery-Bench they advanced into the House with a Mace born before them their names being as followeth Lord Munson Henry Martin Bulstrode Whitlock Mr. Lisle Thomas Chaloner Alderman Atkins Alderman Penington Thomas Scott Cornelius Holland Henry Vane Mr. Prideaux Sir Iames Harington Lieutenant General Ludlow Michael Oldsworth Sir Arthur Haselrigg Mr. Iones Colonel Purefoy Colonel White Henry Nevil Mr. Say Mr. Blagrave Colonel Bennet Mr. Brewster Sergeant Wilde Iohn Goodwyn Mr. Nicholas Lechmore Augustine Skynner Mr. Downes Mr. Dove Mr. Iohn Lenthal Mr. Iohn Saloway Mr. Iohn Corbet Mr. Walton Gilbert Millington Mr. Gold Colonel Sydenham Colonel Byngham Colonel Ayre Mr. Smith Colonel Ingoldesby Lieutenant General Fleetwood Upon notice of whose Sitting there being many of the Members of that old Parliament then walking in Westminster-Hall and more about the City those in the Hall consulting together and thereupon being satisfied that they had as good right to sit there again as those who were gone in before resolved to follow them into the House or at least to attempt it These being Mr. Annesley Sir George Booth Mr. Iames Herbert Mr. William Prynne Mr. George Montagu Mr. Iohn Evelin Mr. Iohn Herbert Mr. Gowen Mr. Evelyn Mr. Knightley Mr. Clive Mr. Hungerford Mr. Harvey Mr. Packe Who being come to the Door after much expostulation with the Guard for their Priviledges of Sitting were denyed entrance Whereupon resolving to wait a fitter opportunity some of them came again on Monday following viz. Mr. Annesley Mr. Prynne and Mr. Hungerford and went into the House Which free admittance causing Mr. Annesley to presume that the rest might also come in he went out again into the Hall to give others notice thereof but upon his return found it otherwise For those who were met would not go on with any business so long as Mr. Prynne did make his stay amongst them so that they soon adjourned and upon their next meeting ordered That such persons formerly Members of that Parliament who had