so by a Gun without a Bullet was the first that fired a Broad-side and that by order from his Masters However from which Side soever the Provocation was given May 24. 1652. both Fleets desperately engaged in the Afternoon and fought it out stoutly till dark night hid the horrid Spectacle from the Eyes of Men. From this Engagement the Dutch double to us in number with the loss of two Ships and as much if not more mauled than we departed But seeing the Dutch could obtain no Victory in that unexpected Aggression their Embassadors excuse the Matter as having been a fortuitous Engagement when they themselves thought of nothing less Yet both Sides prepare for War which was not at all ungrateful to the English as being certain they could so long protract it until the Dutch being forced to a Coalition would at length yield or being reduced to extremity of which they entertained no doubtful Hopes considering the Opportunity of our Ports and the Number of their well-equipped Fleet they would be glad to submit to the Will of the Conquerors Both Parties were obstinate and prepared all things that might be necessary to destroy one another The Dutch Confederate with the Danes who therefore lay first an Embargo upon a Fleet of the English in the Sundt and afterwards carry them into Copenhagen being laden with Masts Pitch Hemp and Sail-cloth which at that time the Regicides were in great want of though they had got a pretty good Supply from the West-Indies and the Northern Parts of Scotland The King of England besides offers them a Squadron of English Ships for their Assistance which nevertheless they would not suffer to carry the English Colours but in their own Ports lest the Breach betwixt the two Commonwealths might prove irreparable Both Parties in the mean while press Seamen set out Ships encrease the number of their Sailors yea and put Land-Soldiers on Board too All hopes of Peace now vanishing the Embassadors return home and a second and third Engagement hapned at Sea No Age before that can shew an Instance that ever any People not onely of Europe but of the whole World engaged at Sea with such roaring of Great Guns such Fury Courage and Resolution of Men and so much Blood and Slaughter as the English and Dutch did during that War though with continual ill Success to the Dutch except that in the Straits near Legorn John van Galen who was killed by a Cannon-bullet and had young Trump for his Successor having sunk two of our Ships and taken a third that was afterwards regained by a Stratagem had the better of us through our own negligence But then Revolutions hapning amongst us at home when Cromwell had invaded the Government by the the Mediation of Stones and Dolman Englishmen who favoured the Dutch four new Ambassadors come over again Bevering Jounstal Neuport and Perre at first to learn what Advantage they might expect from that turn of Affairs and accordingly then to treat of Peace The Dutch now thrice overcome had sufficient experience of the English Strength having Seventeen hundred Merchant-Ships taken many Men of War sunk and disabled a great many Sea-Commanders slain no Trade by Sea and Sedition at home rising almost to a Rebellion But the fourth and last Engagement above all the rest gave a clear Demonstration what Side Victory inclined to when not a few were punished with Imprisonment Infamy and Death for their Miscarriage at Sea others allured and encouraged with Promises Rewards Hopes of Booty and full Cups of Brandy and as if Holland lay at stake in the Fortune of this Engagement and that they were to use their utmost and last Efforts for the defence of their Country they restore Discipline build stronger Ships cast Guns that carried further and give Commands to trusty valiant and daring Men Nay some of the States General are ordered to go on Board as Eye-witnesses of the Valour or Cowardise of their Men. At length the English Fleet commanded by Monck having waited for the Dutch six Months upon their own Coast they set out from the Texel and Weelings and bore up towards ours and with as many Ships as they could fit out briskly came to an Engagement but after a long Dispute with such Success that Trump in the Admiral-Ship bearing in bravely amongst the English was shot dead in the Breast a Man of great Courage for Valour is to be praised even in an Enemy and most skilful in Sea affairs after his Death the Enemy was put to flight and great slaughter committed amongst them In that Engagement seven and twenty Dutch Ships were either sunk or burnt two thousand Seamen and Soldiers killed a thousand taken with six Captains Whereas of the English there were not above four hundred Men and one small Ship wanting about seven hundred wounded most of whom afterwards recovered These things succeeding so ill the Dutch clap up a Peace with Cromwell the Danes also being comprehended in the Treaty He hinted a little at a Coalition onely for Forms sake which the Dutch Ambassadors rejecting he waved it having other things in design But Bevering and Newport privately promise in the Name of the States of Holland and West-Friesland and engage themselves That neither the Prince of Orange an innocent Babe then in the Cradle nor any of his Race should ever be chosen Statholder or Admiral of their Provinces and that he should never have the Vote of their Provinces in the States General for being elected General of the Forces Which they got at length confirmed by the States at Groningen The rest of the Provinces in the mean time crying out against it But the Peace made with the Dutch had almost disturbed ours at home For the Seamen complaining that they were defrauded of their Pay tumultuously and seditiously flock together in a great Body and with murmuring and Threats fly to Whitehall bitterly railing and demanding their due till Cromwell attended with some Officers rushing out drew their Swords killed some Seamen dispersed the rest and so composed the Tumult But we must not so dismiss the Dutch For it hapned that War breaking out with Holland three Ships the Saviour Samson and St. George were freighted by some Amsterdam-Merchants under borrowed Names from Hamborough and Lubeck Hanse-Towns to bring Goods from St. Lucar in Spain to Amsterdam But the laden Ships by Storms and contrary Winds being forced into the Downs fell in amongst the English Frigats that were more formidable than the Winds Which being searched they found them very richly laden having on board to the value of Four hundred thousand Pounds English in Plate and other rich Commodities and stopp'd them until they had acquainted the Parricides with the Booty They presently order them to be brought up into the River of Thames where it was pretended that the Silver and Goods were consigned to the Spanish Embassadour Don Alonso de Cadenas who used
Archbishop of Canterbury are accused of High-Treason both the English and Scots impeaching them Against Strafford also out of Ireland where the greatest matter of accusation was to be pickt up both Witnesses and Accusers are brought For whilst he was Deputy of Ireland he had by some severities which though perhaps they could not stand the test of the punctilio's and niceties of Law yet were necessary for the publick raised the indignation of the Inhabitants in that he endeavoured to reclaim the native Irish from their wonted Barbarity to Industry Civility and better Manners and to enure them to the Customs and Practices of the English Whence in a short time he had been so successful in this that having setled Trades Husbandry and Commerce amongst those lazy and stubborn people they began to flourish more than in all Ages before and to bring money into the Exchequer of England which by Rebellions they had so often exhausted before From amongst these though they were Roman Catholicks and sworn enemies to the English Government and even then plotting a Conspiracy against it Accusers in name of the Kingdom of Ireland and Witnesses were sent for who being prone enough of themselves to the work that they might the more securely attempt the Rebellion which then they hatched in their minds the wise Deputy being taken off were by all civilities and kind offices caressed by the Factious that by accumulated crimes they might overwhelm Strafford The Lord Keeper Finch was also accused and all the Judges who being sworn had after long deliberation declared in favour of the King as to the lawfulness of Ship-money Twelve Bishops also who by the riotous Rabble having been barred from coming into the House of Lords protested against all Laws that should be made as invalid until all that were concerned in the Council of the Kingdom might safely be present Others withdrew to avoid the impendent storm The Judges scared with this Parliamentary Thunderclap and taught to obey their Lords and Masters are at last all freely discharged and some of them continued in their places or promoted to higher The Bishops having lost their power of voting in the Lords House by a Law made in their absence being likewise set at liberty Canterbury is reserved for a future Sacrifice All the Storm at present fell upon the head of the Earl of Strafford whose Tragedy since it lay heavy upon the King during his whole life and at his death and that he by the Rebels was reckoned the most guilty I shall more fully relate that by the instance of one judgment may be made of the rest what kind of men they were who were so hated by the Parliament With great pomp he is accused by the Commons of twenty eight Articles of High Treason before the House of Lords all the Commons were present of whom six of the most violent were his Prosecutors or Managers of the Tryal the King also Queen and Prince being there privately behind the Curtain The weight of his Impeachment lay in this That in Ireland he had acted many things arbitrarily contrary to Law That in time of Peace he had raised Money of the Inhabitants against their wills by Military Exactions That he had advised the King to force the Subjects of England to obedience by foreign Arms and to make War against Scotland The Tryal lasted many days during which the Earl with great presence of mind and judgment defending himself so refuted the Arguments of his Prosecutors that amongst so many Articles there was not one even in the judgment of his enemies that could amount to Treason nor could all put together be constructed an acumulative Treason which inraged the House of Commons so far that having no colour of Law to take his life they make a new Law ex post facto whereby he is made guilty of High-Treason with a clause therein That it should not be made a Precedent in other Courts But this past not without great debate and opposition many speaking and arguing to the contrary and fifty nine of the chief Members of the House dissenting whose names were posted up in publick places that being exposed to the view and fury of the Mobile they might learn to vote with the Factious for the future if they had not rather be torn in pieces alive This Bill was in two days time past and engrossed in the House of Commons and carried up to the Lords for their consent but a matter of such moment was more seriously deliberated about there The Factious impatient of this delay stir up the Rabble and Dregs of the People who armed with Staves and Clubs and what Weapons Rage put into their hands came rushing to the Parliament-house roaring out Justice Justice and growing dayly more and more insolent morning and evening persisted in their riotous Clamours These Blades besetting the House of Lords lay hands upon what Lords and Bishops they please and tossing them to and fro hinder them from entering and threaten them worse if they obstinately refused to comply with the Commons Next they break in into Westminster-Abbey pull down the Organs rob the Vestments and sacred Furniture of the Church and then with furious clamours run to White-hall the Kings own house Nay they proceeded to that impudence as to dare to affront the King by sawcy and insolent Answers when his Majesty from a Balcony told them as they passed by White-hall that they should keep at home and mind their business Whilst some of the Justices of Peace according to their Oath and duty imprison those of that Rabble whom they could catch to be kept there for condign punishment they themselves are clapt up by the factious House of Commons pretending that it was free for all to come and petition the Parliament though they had caused the Gates of London to be shut against the men of Kent who came to petition the contrary and frightened others who intended to have done the like And when some discreet and good men had desired the Factious that they would at length lay the Devils whom they had raised they made answer That they ought rather to thank their Friends Nay so far was the Parliamentary Dignity debased that many times Members of the House of Commons came to the Clubs of Apprentices where they consulted about related and examined the affairs that past in Parliament what was designed to be done what parts they themselves were to act and when Hence their Tumults became by this kind of schooling in a manner to be regular being distributed into proper Classes and Fraternities as of Porters Watermen Taylors c. who under pretext of petitioning at the least hint from their Demagogues flocked together into bodies And that once for all we may lay open the nature of this Sore if any difficult knot occurred which by other arts they could not unty they presently betook themselves
complains and demands reparation for the affront But the House of Commons approve Sir John Hotham's Fact and vote that the King had violated the Priviledges of Parliament in proclaiming a Member of the House guilty of Treason Before he was heard in their House they give Orders to the Earl of Warwick to send some Souldiers from on board into the Town and to transport the Magazine from thence to London But Sir John Hotham repenting too late when he perceived that these Sparks had put the whole Country into a flame having afterwards obtained pardon and being about to deliver up the Town to the King was taken and payed to the Parliament what he owed to the King both he and his Son being beheaded Amongst these preludes to War there is some mention and hopes of peace for after some months the Parliament send an Answer to the King's Proposals which he made at Windsor upon his departure for the North in nineteen Articles or Demands of which this is the sum 1. That all the King's Privy-Council great Officers and Ministers of State may be put out excepting such as the Parliament shall approve and to assigne them an Oath 2. That all affairs of State be managed by the Parliament except such matters as are transferred by them to the Privy-Council and to be concluded by the major part of the Nobility under their hands the full number not to exceed 25 nor under 15 and if any place fall void in the interval of Parliament then the major part of the Council to chuse one to be confirmed at the next Session of Parliament 3. That all the great Officers of the Kingdom shall be chosen with approbation of Parliament c. as before said 4. The government and education of the King's Children by Parliament c. ut supra 5. Their Marriages to be treated and concluded by Parliament c. 6. The Laws against Papists Priests and others be executed without Toleration or Dispensation except by Parliament 7. No Popish Lord or Peer to have vote in Parliament and their children to be educated in the Protestant Faith 8. To Reform Church-government as the Parliament shall advise 9. To settle the Militia as the Parliament have ordered and for the King to recal all his Declarations published against their Ordinances therein 10. All Privy-Counsellers and Judges to take Oath for maintenance of the Petition of Right and other Statutes which shall be made this Parliament 11. All Officers placed by Parliament to hold their places quam diu bene se gesserint 12. All Members of Parliament put out during this time be restored again 13. The Justice of Parliament to pass upon all Delinquents and they to appear or abide their censure 14. The general Pardon to pass with Exceptions as the Parliament shall advise 15. All Forts and Castles of the Kingdom to be disposed of by Parliament ut supra 16. The King to discharge all his Guards and Forces now in being and not to raise any other but in case of actual Rebellion 17. The King to enter into a strict Alliance with all Reformed States for their assistance to recover the Rights of his Royal Sister and her Princely Issue to those Dignities and Dominions which belong unto them 18. To clear the Lord Kimbolton and the five Members by Act of Parliament 19. No Peer hereafter to be made shall sit in Parliament without their consent And these Articles being confirmed the Parliament engage to make him a happy Prince To these Commands rather than Articles of Peace being such as were more proper to move Indignation than to gain an Assent the King sends an Answer by two noble and discreet Lords the Marquess of Hertford and the Earl of Southampton who were enjoyned to treat on more equal terms in the House of Lords But they not being admitted the Treaty came to nothing And because in this place we have made mention of Peace and Proposals we are to take notice that afterwards in the heat of the War at the instance of the King Propositions of Peace being mutually sent and Commissioners on both sides twice meeting to treat about it nothing could be effected and mostly by the Parliaments fault For seeing they proposed such severe Conditions on their own parts and which tended onely to their own advantages and the King on the other hand such just and equitable Terms more favourable to the Parliament and State than to himself and Family the People began to be enraged and to fall off dayly from the Parliament The King of France also how sincerely I shall not judge and the States of the Vnited Provinces interposed for accommodating the differences but were rejected by the Parliament and the Scots who likewise offered to mediate were refused by the King as partial But farewel Peace Bellona is now at the doors The People being in the disposition we mentioned before Deputies were sent with Commissions into all the Counties and the Parliamentarian Rebels by force and their own authority invade the Militia which they could not obtain from the King by petitioning The King on the contrary commands them to desist upon pain of Treason citing the Act of the 25 Edw. 3. whereby To contrive the death of the King Queen or Prince to violate the Queen or the Wife of the Prince to take up Arms against the King to assist the Kings enemies within or without the Kingdom to counterfeit the great Seal or Kings Coyn are for the future declared to be Treason having also alleadged other Acts whereby it is declared That the power of the Militia and taking up of Arms belongs onely to the King But they make answer That the Letter of the Law is for the King but the mind of it for them That it is not forbidden to take up Arms against the Kings Person but against his Authority which being in all Courts of Judicature was most eminently in the Parliament To this the King replies That that distinction was condemned above three hundred years since when the Spencers under that cover carrying on Sedition were condemned to death by the Parliament That besides the present Parliament was not free but the better part of the Members being excluded the rest were slaves to the Faction These courses taking no effect the King also sends Deputies into all Counties with authority from his Majesty to array and arm the Subjects and to have fit men in readiness if necessity should require for suppressing Rebellions and Seditions And from this we may date our Sorrows and Calamities whilst the King endeavouring to maintain his ancient Rights and they again to invade them War breaks out in the Kingdom But the Match was unequal on what side soever the Right stood The Parliament superiour in strength prevails and in most Counties usurps the Government the Royal Cause being very weak and in a few Counties struggling for life With no greater
in a War with his Subjects of England they were taken and at the Kings-bench-bar tried for High-Treason Macquire being found guilty by a Jury had sentence pronounced against him according to the Laws of the Country That he should be dragged to Tyburn in a Hurdle hang'd by the neck till he be half dead his privy Members and Bowels burnt before his face his Head cut off and set upon London-bridge and his Quarters upon four Gates of the City This Sentence was punctually executed in the presence of the Sheriff of London and fifteen thousand Spectators at least Nor is it to be omitted that the Sheriff having adjured Macquire by the dreadful Tribunal of God before which shortly he was to appear and the clearing and easing of his Conscience which was then or never to be done that he would ingenuously confess whom he knew to be guilty of the same Crime though the Rope was about his neck and he half up the Ladder yet by name he acquitted King Charles from being any ways privy to it solemnly professing that he knew no English-man but one and he a Papist that had any hand in the matter Nay and being cast off the Ladder and when after he had tried what hanging was he was a little reprieved and had no small hopes given him of a pardon he still persisted in the same protestation But in the Pulpits Clubs and publick Pamphlets the Crime was charged upon King Charles nor did the Rebels blush to asperse even the sacred and innocent Majesty of the King with so heinous a guilt hoping that whilst they continued so boldly to vent their Calumnies and Slanders against him some of them at least would stick The Irish Nobility and Priests who were the chief Actors in this Tragedy were encouraged to the Villany by the late successes of the Scots who to speak in the language of Sir John Temple a Privy-Counsellor of that Kingdom who wrote the History of those Troubles having happily succeeded in their attempts obtained by their last Commotions considerable Priviledges from the King To this adde that our intestine Troubles seemed to offer fair opportunity of changes it being very rational and easie to conjecture that the English being ready to fall together by the ears at home there was no fear that they would cross over to Ireland to defend and assist their Colonies in that Kingdom Their boldness was increased by the Interregnum occasioned by the murder of Strafford and the change of the Magistrates of whom the severer and best acquainted with the State of that Kingdom were by the interest of the Irish Lords whilst they prosecuted Strafford in England either turned out of place or accused of High-Treason men who were either ignorant of the Affairs and State of Ireland or who were prone to Rebellion being put into their places Being thus in a readiness the unseasonable disbanding of an Army of eight thousand Irish who had been raised for the Scottish expedition did not a little strengthen their resolution for though the King after the pacification of the Scots lest they might occasion Stirs in Ireland had permitted the Spanish Embassadour to transport four thousand of them yet the Irish Lords put on by the Conspirators got the Parliament under pretext that the French King might take it ill earnestly to beseech that it might not be done And afterwards when the King had ordered the same number to be raised for the service of the French without any reasons alleadged they utterly rejected it Very few of the Captains and Officers of that Army dishonoured themselves by joyning in the Rebellion but the private Souldiers whose custom it is to be insolent and at length appear valiant when they are about to be dismissed from the dangers of War easily rushed into that Villany The Lords and Priests being soothed with these so many fair opportunities of fishing in troubled waters that they might weaken our Colonies divide and distract their thoughts and in the mean time incense the Natives to slaughter and rapine they cast about all ways To the English they brag That the Queen is in their Army that the King was coming with an Army to their assistance that the Scots were agreed with him and to make that the more credible amongst the slaughter of the English they spare the Scots They give out that they have the Kings Commission and act by virtue of his authority shewing indeed a counterfeit Commission to which one Plunket with the consent of many Lords and Priests at Farn-Abbey had appended the Kings Seal taken from another old Commission as appeared by the confessions of a great many afterwards That they defend the King's Cause against the Puritans Amongst their own men they divulge counterfeit Letters whereby they pretend to be informed from England That there was an Act lately past whereby all the Irish were to be forced to go to Church and assist at the Devotion of the Protestants upon pain of forfeiture for the first offence of their Chattels for the second of their Lands and Inheritances and for the third of their Lives They propose besides to the Natives the hopes of Liberty and of recovering their ancient Customs That the English Yoke is to be cast off a King to be chosen of their own Nation and the Goods and Estates of the English to be divided amongst the Natives By this hope of booty and of living at their own liberty for the future the Irish are allured to the War and being egg'd on with fury and rage they committed such horrid and heynous Crimes as hardly any Age can parallel The King foresaw the Storm a coming whilst he was in Scotland and therefore that he might prevent it whilst it was a gathering he presently dispatched Sir James Hamilton to the Lords and others of his Majesties Privy-Council of Ireland with instructions and what money he could raise of his own and from his friends on the sudden He earnestly desires the assistance of the Parliament of Scotland and acquaints the Parliament of England with it also But the one under pretext that Ireland was under the dominion of England refuse their assistance and the other takes but little notice of it The Factious tacitly rejoycing that new Troubles were arising to the King and that Kingly government being abolished alike in all the three Kingdoms they would shortly be turned into so many free Commonwealths But the Sparks breaking out into a flame and the report of the Irish barbarity being in every bodies mouth the Parliament was enraged and all were filled with an extraordinary zeal of revenging the bloud of their Country-men treacherously killed and of defending and protecting the surviving For the charges of a War in a short time three hundred thousand pound English was raised partly by benevolent Contributions and partly out of the price of the Lands and Inheritances of the Rebels which by the Parliament were sold to be
the assistance of the King The Lord Inchiqueen with the English under his command joyns him Some Irish commanded by Preston and Taaff not forgetting their former Truce make no scruple to joyn with them others being still in doubt what to do The Scots forbear hostility against the Kings Party and march against the Rebels but give hopes that at length they may unite with the Marquess And now Jones Governour of Dublin and the Parliament-forces there the very same who with so bitter and vehement Reproaches inveighed against the Truce and Peace made by Ormond with the Papists as the utter ruining of their Religion was caught in the same embraces of the Whore of Babylon for without either conscience or shame they at length make a strict League and unite their Forces with Owen Ro the General of the Rebels a man infamous for the bloud and slaughter of the English against the Kings Army and the Protestants But now from foreign miseries though indeed they be not altogether foreign which though happening in very distant times yet for avoiding frequent digressions we thought fit to present to the Reader under one view Let us now return to our own which were carried on with far greater and more pitched Battels though with less slaughter and treachery the fire burning but slowly because to our sorrow the fuel was the longer to last Many Battels with various success and in several places were fought betwixt the Kings Forces and the Parliament-Rebels till at length Fortune breathing favourably upon the Kings Banners the Rebels began to lose courage and many that had been Sticklers in the Faction to desert and fall off from their Party The Parliament being reduced to streights invite the Scots to their assistance and that they might revive the expiring and almost extinct opinion of the people which formerly they had enjoyed and the admiration they were had in for wonderful zeal for the Publick Good and purity of Religion and at the same time time drain the peoples Purses of their money they have recourse to their often-practised tricks They forge new Calumnies against the King and those of his Party and spread abroad every-where amongst the people As if the King affected an absolute tyrannical Power and that he would forfeit the Estates of all those who had been against him that he would make Slaves of their persons and leave no place for pardon nor the least footstep of their ancient Liberty nay and that renouncing the reformed Religion he was about to bring in Popery whereby all would be forced to go to Mass And that the silly ignorant people might not want Pretexts for their obstinacy they perswade the Rabble That the Kings Souldiers being accustomed to eat mens flesh would feed and feast upon them nay and that their Dogs and Horses bred up to the same dishes were already gaping for their carcasses They appoint some remarkable Sacrifices to be offered to Publick Justice for so was that barbarous practice of pleasing the Rabble with bloudy Spectacles and gratifying their own cruel revenge at that time called amongst the ignorant people Amongst these were Sir John Hotham and his Son Carey and especially that the friendship of the Scots might be cemented with Episcopal bloud William Laud Archbishop of Canterbury he being condemned of High-Treason by a partial and factious sentence of the House of Peers who according to the ancient Laws of the Kingdom cannot without the Kings consent adjudge the meanest person to death and they by a Council of War They appoint days of Fasting and publick Prayers and of Thanksgiving also for inconsiderable Victories publickly and with great solemnity burn the Pictures of our Saviour the Virgin and Saints and so renew their Martyrdom and with no ordinary devotion pull down Crosses and Standards bearing the Images of Saints though they were not onely ornamental but useful in the chief streets of London They also vote the abrogation of Episcopacy and Service-book and commit it to the care of the Assembly to frame a new Church-government and manner of Divine Worship instead of them of which the Reader I hope will pardon me if contrary to my custom I discourse a little more largely To this Assembly two Ministers of the most zealous Enemies of the Bishops and Liturgie are called and come by authority of the House of Commons some of the Episcopal Clergy being also invited who having no command from the King refuse to come and give place to some of the more eminent Scottish Ministers to mingle with them These having long hatched at length bring forth a Confession of Faith a Catechism containing the heads of the Christian Religion and a Directory or Scheme of publick Worship wherein no Set-forms were prescribed but a certain Rule whereby according to general heads appointed for all occasions the Levites of the new Law were instructed to pour out their extemporary and conceived Prayers The Presbyterian Government and Worship were likewise established to be administred by Pastors Teachers Lay-Elders and Deacons in four Courts to wit the Parochial Classical Provincial and National The Parochial Court consisted of one or two Lay-Elders at least and one or two Pastors or Ministers according to the nature of the place These had power to rule over the Parishoners and weekly to meet to call before them the Parishoners and to take inspection into their lives and manners admitting those whom they thought worthy to the Communion of the Lords Supper reproving and publickly censuring others nay and for some time debaring them from the Sacrament if they were guilty of any offence that might give scandal to the Congregation and to excommunicate those that would not submit The Classical Court or Presbytery was to meet once a month or oftener and was made up of the Deputies of twelve Parishes at least two out of each the one a Church-man and the other a Laick or sometimes more To these it belonged to take cognizance of the aforementioned matters especially if any difficulty or Appeal intervened to correct the Ministers themselves give orders to the Expectants pronounce sentence of Excommunication and to determine Cases of Conscience and Controversies in Doctrine The Provincial Court or Assembly consisting of Deputies from the several Classes or Presbyteries of the whole Province both of the Church and Laity had an authority superiour to the former Over all was the National Assembly the supreme Judicature in Ecclesiastical affairs which had power to make or rescind the Canons or Laws of the Church inflict severer punishments and to determine all points concerning Manners Church-discipline and Government From the lowest to the highest of these Courts it was lawful to appeal This assembly endeavoured to have no Sect allowed the liberty of Worship but all to be extirpated But when they could not obtain this from the Parliament in which were many Independents Erastians Anabaptists and Atheists the Rabble
should lay it upon the two Houses of Parliament there is no necessity of either I hope they are free of this Guilt but I believe that ill Instruments between them and me have been the chief cause of all this Bloudshed So that as I find my self clear of this I hope and pray God that they may too Yet for all this God forbid that I should be so ill a Christian as not to say that Gods Judgments are just upon me many times he doth pay injustice by an unjust Sentence that is ordinary I will say this That unjust Sentence that I suffered to take effect is punished by an unjust Sentence upon me So far I have said to shew you That I am an innocent man Now to shew you that I am a good Christian I hope there is a good man here pointing to the Bishop of London that will bear me witness that I have forgiven all the world and even those in particular that have been the chief Causers of my death who they are God knows I do not desire to know I pray God forgive them But this is not all my Charity must go further I wish they may repent for indeed they have committed a great sin in that particular I pray God with St. Stephen that this be not laid to their charge and withal that they may take the way to the Peace of the Kingdom for my charity commands me not onely to forgive particular men but to endeavour to the last gasp the Peace of the Kingdom So Sirs I do wish with all my Soul I see there are some here that will carry it further that they endeavour the Peace of the Kingdom Sirs I must shew you both how you are out of the way and put you in a way First you are out of the way for certainly all the ways you ever had yet as far as I could find by any thing is in the way of Conquest certainly this is an ill way for Conquest in my Opinion is never just except there be a just and good cause either for matter of Wrong or a just Title and then if you go beyond the first Quarrel that ye have that makes it unjust at the end that was just at first for if there be onely matter of Conquest then it is a great Robbery as a private Souldier said to Alexander That he was a great Robber himself was but a petty Robber And so Sirs for the way you are in I think you are much out of the way Now Sirs to put you into the way believe it you shall never go right nor God will never prosper you until you give God his due the King his due that is my Successour and the People their due I am as much for them as any of you You must give God his due by regulating rightly his Church according to the Scripture which is now out of order and to set you in a way particularly now I cannot but onely this A National Synod freely called freely debating among themselves must settle this when every Opinion is freely heard For the King indeed I will not the Laws of the Land will clearly instruct you for that therefore because it concerns mine own particular I onely give you a touch of it For the People truly I desire their liberty and freedom as much as any body whomsoever But I must tell you that their liberty and freedom consists in having government under those Laws by which their lives and theirs may be most their own it is not in having a share in the government that is nothing pertaining to them A Subject and a Soveraign are clean different things and therefore until you do that I mean that you put the People into that liberty as I say certainly they will never enjoy themselves Sirs it was for this that now I am come hither for if I would have given way to an Arbitrary way for to have all Laws changed according to the power of the Sword I need not have come here and therefore I tell you and I pray God it be not laid to your charge that I am the MARTYR of the People In troth Sirs I shall not hold you any longer I will onely say this to you That I could have desired some little time longer because I would have put this what I have said a little better digested than I have done and therefore I hope you will excuse me I have delivered my Conscience I pray God you take those courses that are best for the good of the Kingdoms and your own salvation Being thus about to conclude his most innocent and meek Speech the Bishop of London gave him a hint That if his Majesty thought fit he would say somewhat as to his Religion not that any man living suspected that of which he had given so clear proofs during the whole course of his life but that he might according to custom satisfie the People To which the King replied I thank you very heartily my Lord for I had almost forgotten it In troth Sirs my Conscience in Religion I think is very well known to all the World and therefore I declare before you all That I die a Christian according to the Profession of the Church of England as I found it left me by my Father and that honest man I think will witness it Then turning to the Officers he said Sirs excuse me for this same I have a good Cause and I have a gracious God I will say no more But a little after I go from a corruptible to an incorruptible Crown where no disturbance can be no disturbance in the World Afterwards kneeling down by the Block as at a Desk and having said a short Prayer he most humbly resigned his sacred head to his Maker to be struck off by a masked Executioner which was quickly done at one blow So fell CHARLES and so with him expired the Honour and Soul of Great Britain Nor are they satisfied to have exercised their Rage and Cruelty against him whilst he was alive they dishonour his martyred Body wash their hands and dip their sticks in his Bloud set to sale the Block cut into pieces and the Sand underneath it moistened with Royal Bloud and make money also of his Hair All which were by the Spectators bought up upon different motives some as dear Pledges and Relicks of a Prince whom they adored others that they might never want a Cure for the Kings Evil a Prerogative which our Kings are believed to enjoy but many also that they might have and shew in triumph the Spoils of their Enemy Cromwel that he might to the full glut his traiterous eyes with that Spectacle having opened the Coffin wherein the Body was carried from the Scaffold into the Palace curiously viewed it and with his fingers severed the head from the shouldiers as we have been informed by Eye-witnesses Afterwards they give the Body to
place standing in the middle of the Forth leaving behind them sixteen piece of Cannon and Blackness Brantiland also on the other side of the Frith over against Leeth surrenders no less disgracefully delivering up the Guns Ammunition and Ships Cromwell being informed of these successes would not lose time by waiting the motions of the King's Army Wherefore he passed over to Brantiland whence sending Whaley to take in the smaller Garrisons which lay upon the Coast of Fiffe he himself marches towards St. Johnston which the King had entrusted to the defence of the Lord Duffus with twelve hundred men though to no purpose For Cromwell having drained the water out of the Mote and Ditches and battering the Walls with his Cannon forces a surrender of the place Cromwell being now at a great distance from Sterling and wholely taken up about these matters the King having given the best Orders he could about the Affairs of Scotland sets out upon his march into England that in that Kingdom of his he might try his fate which had been very cross to him in the other Therefore on the last of July one thousand six hundred fifty one at Carlisle he enters England with about fourteen thousand men Horse and Foot But the Soldiers march with so much hardship and so severe discipline that hardly any Age hath seen the like so that from Carlisle to Worcester about two hundred Miles distant from one another no man much less any house received the least injury if you 'l except the breaking of one Orchard and the taking of four or five Apples for which notwithstanding the Soldier that committed it was presently shot to Death In all places on their march the Garrisons are summoned in the Kings name to surrender but without any success And in the more eminent places by Heralds CHARLES the Second is proclaimed King of England Scotland France and Ireland the people in the mean while being in great Consternation So soon as the news of this expedition was by Post brought to the Rump-Parliament and the report flying that the King having mounted his Soldiers on Horses which he found upon the Rode hastened his March towards London as it is common to fear to make dangers far greater than they are such Horror and Consternation invaded the minds of the Parricides and Rebels that in despair they began to cast about for lurking holes and places of escape and accused Cromwell of rashness and precipitancy Until they had notice that the King had diverted to Worcester and received fresh comforts from Cromwell's Letters who bad them be of good cheer and use their utmost force to obviat that last danger and wholely destroy the Enemy Harrison on the left hand with three thousand Horse waited the motion of the King's Army being for that end left behind on the Borders of England after followed Lambert with two thousand both as occasion offered harassing and hindering them in their March At Warrington Bridge they made the chiefest attempt to hinder the King's Forces to pass it But before the Bridge could be cut Lambert's men being engaged and forced to retreat the Scots get over And now leaving London Rode they resolve to rest at Worcester a City scituated upon the Savern from whence they hoped to receive succours from Wales and make great levies in Glocester and Oxford shires by the means of Muffey who heretofore had with reputation been Governour of Glocester for the Parliament Thither therefore they march and having met with one repulse from some of the Paliament Souldiers that were there by chance they possess the City but were much weakened and impaired in strength by the tediousness and length of the march From hence the Kings Majesty by Letters invites the Lord Mayor and Common-Council of London to Arm for his Defence and for their own just Liberties promising Pardon to all for what was past except the Murderers of his Father But these Letters are burnt at the Royal Exchange by the Hand of the Common Hangman a Copie of them is also burnt by the Hand of the Speaker Lental at a general Muster of the Trained-bands of London in Moor-fields The King presently after his arrival in Pitchford-field near Worcester by Proclamation Commands all from sixteen to sixty years of Age according to the Ancient Laws of the Kingdom to come to his Assistance In obedience to that Proclamation shortly after Francis Lord Talbot eldest Son of the Earl of Shreusbury with sixty Horse Thomas Hornihold with fourty John Mashburn with fourty John Parkinton Walter Blunt Ralph Clair and many more both Knights and Esquires besides two thousand common People come in this desperate State of Affairs to hazard their Lives in the Kings Service The conjunction of these makes in all fourteen thousand two thousand Scots either for fear or because of the tediousness of the March having dropt off by the way Why more did not come into the Kings Camp any Man may guess at the reason of it to wit That the late suppression of the Insurrection of the Welsh Londoners and Norfolk and Suffolk Men and the cruelty of the Rump-Parliament in punishing the fruitless attempts of rising run in all Peoples Minds Besides the sudden and unexpected coming of the King gave no truce to the well affected of animating one another and of associating for his Service Nor lastly could the injuries done by the Scots not long before in England be got out of the Minds of the English it seeming much the same to them whether they suffered Bondage under the Tyranny of their Countrey-men or the Insolence of the Scots And above all we are to consider the great diligence of the Republicans of both sorts in stirring up the Countries encreasing their Forces and in observing and suppressing those who were Loyal to the King Cromwell who left Monck in Scotland with Eight thousand Men to carry on his Victories there being now come back into England animates with new Vigour the Forces of the Rebel-Parricides and presently joyning his Men with Lambert Harrison Gray and Fleetwood and those who from all parts came flocking in partly voluntarily and partly by compulsion he made up an Army if some be not mistaken in their reckoning of fourscore thousand Men and more whom he posts round the City of Worcester But the brave though unfortunate attempts of the Earl of Derby which happened about that time are not to be past over in silence He with a small handful of two hundred and fifty Men from his own Isle of Man arrived at a little Town in Lancashire and in that Countrey raised almost fifâ—n hundred Men with whom he marches to â—chester there to joyn five hundred more bâ— to his misfortune he met with Lilburn a Colonel of the Rump-Parliament Forces with sixteen hundred Men. For coming presently to blow up the Town of Wigan after a smart conflict the
house to Nortons was their Guide and they lodged the first night at Carew-Castle seven miles on this side Trent The appointed hour of their coming drawing nigh VVindham and his Wife as if to take a walk went out to meet them and send the King privately into the house by one whom they had chosen for that purpose Jane and Lassels in the mean time are publickly received as Relations who coming from a place far distant were to be gone next day In this place the King's Majesty stayed securely nineteen days expecting a Vessel at leisure and having been several times disappointed But one day it happened that the Countrey People fell to ringing of Bells with more than usual Solemnity and the King enquiring into the cause of this extraordinary rejoycing was told that it was for the joyful News of the King's Death which was confidently reported But whilst they consulted and cast about a long time concerning a passage VVindham bethought himself of one Elden a Merchant formerly a Captain under CHARLES the First who since that drove a considerable trade at Lime that he possibly might procure a Vessel since he had assisted the Lord Berkley in distress with a safe passage Therefore VVindham is dispatched to him to learn whether or not he could procure a safe passage for VVilmot and another Nobleman who had made their escape from VVorcester fight He readily listened to it and presently went to Chayermouth near to Lime where having sent for the Master of a Ship he asked him under promise of secresie if he durst venture to carry VVilmot and his servant safely over to France He undertook it and bargains with a Captain for threescore Pound which he obliged himself under Hand and Seal to pay him after he had carried a Nobleman over to France The hour and day when he was to put them on Board in a Boat are prefixed Hitherto all things succeeding according to their expectation there only wanted a pretext of staying in Lodgings till all things might be made ready for their passage For that end Henry Peters VVindham's Servant who was privy to the design applies himself to an Hostess at Chayermouth and amongst other discourses told her that he was servant to a worthy Nobleman who was deeply in Love with a Maid that had neither Father nor Mother who lived not far off and was as much in Love with him But that her Guardian opposing the Marriage he resolved to steal her away by Night He therefore asks her if she would for some hours entertain them in her house and at the same time gives her a small Gift as a pledge of a greater reward and drinks a Glass of Wine with her The woman softned by the present and touched with Compassion for the young Lady promises to serve them Leaving therefore Trent the King sets out towards Chayermouth with Juliana Conisbey his pretended Bride who was privy to the matter riding behind him upon the same Horse The Lord Wilmot Colonel VVindham and Henry Peters accompany them and were met by Elden who carried them into a private house whither he went under pretext of viewing a little Farm Here the King's Majesty discovered himself unto him giving him a small present as an earnest of future Gratitude From thence the Merchant goes to Lime that he might give notice to the Master of the Ship to be in readiness to put to Sea at the appointed time The King with the rest went to their Lodgings at Chayermouth and Peters to stay for the Boat But having waited till it was almost day he returned without any News of the arrival of the Boat This put them all into disorder and made them think of taking other measures there was no safe place here to stay in and the King was resolved not to loyter a moment After a short consultation the King with Juliana and the Colonel accompanying them advance towards Bridport there to expect the coming of the Lord VVilmot and Peters in an appointed Inn. Peters being to go to Lime to learn from the Merchant the reason of the disappointment And VVilmot staying behind in the Inn upon pretext of new shooing his Horse But Elden the Merchant who thought that by this time they had made half their Voyage could not imagine the reason of the breach of promise nor could he attribute it to any thing else save that the man taking his leave of his Friends it being then the Market-day at Lime had drank so much as to make him forget the prefixed time But it was known afterward that the Master of the Vessel being come home to take clean Cloaths and other necessaries for his Voyage with him was locked up in his Chamber and bolted in by his Wife For that very day a Proclamation had been made in the Town whereby it was declared Death for any Person to aid or conceal the King and a thousand Pounds promised to any that could apprehend him This put the woman into so great fear lest her Husband in doing that Office which he had confessed to his Wife to have taken upon him might suffer Shipwrack on Shore She therefore used Entreaties Tears and almost Violence to hinder him from it and at length screamed out thereby to allarm the Neighbourhood Being therefore overcome by so much importunity he kept at home and committed himself to the direction of his Wife Upon the way to Bridport VVindham went a little before the King to view the Rode and coming near the Town he found it to be full of Soldiers For there was a Muster that day and a taking on of Soldiers for an Expedition against the Isle of Jersey under Haines VVindham was therefore for the Kings going to another place but he laying aside all fear would needs enter the Town lest he might seem to have deceived VVilmot and partly also that he might refresh himself tir'd out with night-watching and travelling and wait for the coming of VVilmot The Colonel took care to provide a Chamber and Victuals which was no easie matter to be done amongst so many Guests The King in the mean time was employed in carrying the Horses into the Stable and looking after them nor could he avoid talking with the Soldiers in the yard about his Journey But the Hostler looking him in the face as he deliver'd him the Horses told him You are welcome I know you very well Where did you know me answered the King At Exeter said he for the King had continued long there during the heat of the War I lived two years in an Inn there And so did I replied the King in the Service of Master Porter I am glad I have met with a Country-man but I perceive you are so busie that you have no time to drink with me when I come back from London we 'll talk of old Stories Being pleased with these promises and full of Business or God Almighty casting a Mist
rising from Supper called the Merchant aside and expostulated with him for having deceived him in recommending the King to him instead of another person pretended The Merchant confidently denies it and urges him to be as good as his word But he affirmed that he knew him for certain to be the King though in a mean and ordinary habit he past for a Servant and that he remembred him very well since the time that at his own and others intercession he had cleared a Fleet of Colliers bound thither from New-Castle which were stopt in the Downs Nor indeed could or ought the Merchant be ignorant of the Proclamation whereby it was declared Death for any one to receive him into house or habour and the large reward of a Thousand Pounds promised to him that could discover and apprehend him Mansel perceiving that the man understood the design immediately addresses himself to the King who being informed of the humour and honesty of the Master his Majesty and Wilmot ply him with promises and give him a considerable Freight in hand Whereupon promising to be faithful unto them he departs to make all things ready for their passage The Vessel lay at Shoram four Miles from thence as yet half laden with Coals which he had not sold most of the Seamen being at Bright-helmstead Those he knocks up in the night time bidding them make haste to the Vessel which having slipt its Anchors was at drift and might be stranded or cast away upon the Rocks that he himself would presently follow after In the mean time he orders his Wife to go and buy a Bottle of Brandy and another of Sack and to give him clean Cloaths to take along with him But why so late in the night said she would it not do as well in the morning He still urging her and cutting off all delays It 's the King said the Woman whom I suspect you are to carry over Pray God you may carry him safe though I and my small Children should for ever after go a Begging The Inn-keeper also being by that time got drunk and addressing himself to the King took his hand and kissed it saying Who you are whence you come or whither you are going I know not yet I pray God he may bless and preserve you If I guess aright I shall be an Earl and my Wife a Countess And the Truth is some discovered it was the King so that presently after his escape the News of it was whispered all about the Countrey The hour of departure approaching they take Horse and go to the Shore the Master pretending that they were Merchants of the Isle of Wight that had bought the rest of the Coals and that they were to carry them thither About five in the morning they went on Board and spent a great part of the day coasting along the Shore Towards Sun setting the Master stands off as directing his course towards the Isle of Wight But Wilmot who appeared to be the chief Passenger as if his mind had changed with the Wind after a little squabble with the Master in presence of the Seamen as it had been agreed upon altered his bargain and instead of the Isle of Wight ordered him to run over to France so that in the dusk of the Evening they arrived at Fern an inconsiderable Port in Normandy and at length gained the much longed for Shore During the passage the Master wondered that his Majesty understood their course better than he himself did Nor is it to be omitted what an ignorant Seaman wittily blurted out by chance The King whilst the Vessel was under Sail sitting with the Master in the Cabin the fellow coming in claps down by them and blows the Smoke of his Tobacco in his face At which the Master being vexed bid him begone quickly and not trouble the Gentleman with his Smoke The fellow rising to go out in Dudgeon made answer That a Cat might look upon a King a common Proverb in England Now was the King's Majesty safely landed in France where rendring first thanks to Almighty God the Protector and Avenger of all Kings Lord of the Earth and Sea who stills the raging of the Winds and Waves He professes much gratitude to the Master and kindly invites him to stay with him and share in his Fortune But he wishing his Majesty all Prosperity and Happiness chose rather with danger to return home to his Wife and Children He therefore puts out to Sea again and the Wind presently turning he came the same night to Pool a Port in Dorcetshire and there sold his Coals But the King arriving at Rouen applies himself to Sambourn and Parker English Merchants who provide his Majesty with new Cloathes dividing his old ones betwixt themselves to be kept as Holy Relicts Doctor Earl since Bishop of Worcester formerly one of his Majesties Chaplains living then at Rouen came to pay him a Visit but at first sight knew him not whether it was that the smuttiness of his Face or the want of Hair had eclipsed his Majestick looks or that the amazement of the unexpected sight dulled the Doctors eye-sight It is certain that he sought Charles in Charles until taking a fuller view of his Sacred Countenance his Joys grew more certain and falling down and embracing the Knees of his dearest Master he begg'd pardon that he had not sooner performed that Duty and burst out in Tears of obsequious Joy Next day the News being already carried to Paris the Queen of England and Duke of Orleans with a great Train of Nobility went out to meet and welcome his Majesty and introduced him into the City amidst the Applauses of the People All desire to see and embrace him whom Providence had preserved to be the Ornament and delight of Mankind praying from their hearts that God would still keep and defend him for the hope and support of England and bless him with all Blessings Thus he escaped safe out of the Snares of his Enemies by whose means since we English-men have all triumphed over our Enemies over whose Sacred Head had not the Angels kept Guard it had certainly perished That amongst so many men of mean Condition of so contrary Religions amongst so many Women naturally given to babling and so many timorous People who were frightned at the very name of Death and in a word that amongst so many broken and indigent persons to whom a great reward could not but be acceptable no body during the space of two Months ever betray'd him is certainly if ever there was any an amazing work of the Hand and Providence of God And this alone might have been sufficient to confound the Arrogance of Rebels who so often boasted of Providence and to teach all Worldlings by an invincible Argument how dear to God the safety of his Anointed is After the defeat of Worcester Cromwel in a Triumphant manner made his entry into London
all his Endeavours to have them cleared But the Parricides under pretext of doing Justice refer the Matter to the Court of Admiralty which by long Delays protracts the Suit till the Silver upon pretext of the Publick Necessity being brought ashore and Coyned in the Tower of London was in Oliver's Protectorship Condemned with the rest of the Goods Let us now make a step over to the Portuguese whose King 's Excuse Cromwell took in very good part seeing he pretended sorrow for what he had done Wherefore he discharges the Ships laden with Sugar upon reparation of the English Losses and enters into Alliance with him for confirmation whereof Medows is sent over to Portugal with the Embassador who then was upon his return But I must not here pass over the Embassadors Brother Don Pantaleon Sa who had not the luck to return again into his own Country For he walking one Evening in the New Exchange of London and resenting an Affront which he thought he had received from one Gerard the Night following he repairs to the same Place attended by the Retinue of his Brother the Embassador and with Sword and Pistol falls indifferently upon Men and Women A great Hubbub rising upon this Colonel May an Irish-man drew and alone beat off the Portuguese the Authors of the Tumult However next morning Don Pantaleon Sa was carried out of his Brother's House to be tried for the Murder of one Greenway an innocent Person who was unexpectedly and unfortunately killed in the Scuffle and was shortly after brought to the Bar before Rolls Chief Justice of England having some Doctors of the Civil Law for Assessors where the Prisoner having pleaded and much insisted upon the Privileges of the Embassador he is notwithstanding found guilty and condemned But having afterwards by the help of a certain Mistress made his escape out of Prison either by the Discovery of a pretended Friend or the diligent Search of the Keepers he was again apprehended and six months after beheaded upon Tower-hill his Countenance looking so pale that he seemed to have been dead before he died At the same time and upon the same place Gerard for a different Cause and with far greater Resolution suffered the same Death For he was condemned by the High Court of Justice as they called it for asserting the Royal Cause and upon the same Scaffold where the Portuguese afterward suffered he chearfully and undauntedly had his Head struck off upon the Block So by Death they seemed to be made Friends who so lately sought one anothers Life Vowell a School-master was hanged for the same Cause who bravely upbraiding the Judges to their Faces with Injustice he cited the Judges and Cromwell to appear before the Judgment Seat of God who will render to every one according to their Works But let us return to our King who having an Appartment in the Louvre did not lazily lament his Misfortunes but tried all ways whereby he might better his cross Fortune and set things to rights again He uses all Endeavours to procure the Favour of the King the Cardinal and Princes He mediates a Peace betwixt Spain and France but in vain seeing the Cardinal was against it His next Care was by persuading some and appeasing others to reconcile the Princes of the Blood of France to the King who were in a bad understanding because of the Cardinal At length he prevailed with the Duke of Lorrain who was joyned with the Princes against the King to depart peaceably out of France though he had entred it full of Anger and Revenge But this cost Our King dear For whilst He and the Duke of York were in a private Conference with Lorrain the Duke of Beaufort coming in by chance discovered it to the Princes of the contrary Faction who casting the blame upon the King that Lorrain afterwards forsook them made the French bespatter Him and all His Retinue with bitter Railleries and Calumnies He being a little moved at these things removed to St. Germans until he was informed that Burdeauxe de Neufville had made a firm Peace with Cromwell and then through Liege and Aix la Chapell he went to Cologne in Germany where by the Burgomaster and Senators he was invited to a Banquet and welcomed with all the Expressions of Joy and Friendship The Royalists in England at first knew not what Hand to turn to yet they cast about all ways how they might restore the King to His ancient Dignity and by shaking off the Yoke of Tyranny recover at length their own Liberty The Parricides were indeed but few in number in comparison of them but they were such as exceeded them in craftiness and being victorious had the Arms and Money in their Hands and besides were so well served by their clandestine Spies that they had a watchful eye over all so that they could not confer Counsels nor discourse privately together nor so much as whisper any Business And this was the reason that all Stirs and Attempts of Liberty were prevented The Prebyterians also though they wished well to the King yet for the most part stuck obstinately to their Principles neither advising nor associating with the Royalists but rather entertaining their old grudge and hatred against them The Royalists nevertheless finding by degrees Opportunities of conferring together did by faithful Messengers by Cyphers and Characters by Signs and the dumb Language of Fingers exhort animate and stir up Parties against Cromwell Some of the bolder sort openly disobeyed his Commands many unwillingly complied under pretext of Laws to the contrary whilst others with various Colours and Pretences some pretending themselves Presbyterians others Republicans and others again Anabaptists were still jumbling Affairs and Plotting At length Royal Commissioners began to be appointed all over England the Chief to remain in London and the Inferiour in the several Counties and Provinces with Power to act and by Messengers going to and again to give one another and the Kings Majesty intelligence of the Beginning and Progress of Affairs and of the opportuonities of Acting Among these were some Presbyterians but not many These Commissioners were impowred to draw as many others as they could into the same Association which they set about after this manner Every one according as they could acquainted their trusty Companions with their purpose of Rising the Place Time but that privately and one onely at a time lest if the Matter afterward should come to be detected there might be no more but one Witness against the Party accused So the Affair was spread amongst a vast number of Men and the more to be feared that it was communicated to so many Few Nobles either of higher or lower Quality but were made acquainted with the Design and though some declined the Danger yet most of them kept Counsel Nay many Republicans who now were more displeased with the Tyranny of Cromwell
Rights and Privileges of the People all the rest agree to the Petition The Army thus leading the Dance some Corporations and Counties follow and these possessed by what Spirit I know not heap so many and so great Elogies upon the Man that striving to outdo others in Hyperbolical Cant and Flattery they fall into Blasphemy and blush not most profanely to attribute to this Man Titles that are peculiar to God Almighty In the mean time to give the Devil his Due he restores Justice as well Distributive as Commutative almost to its ancient Dignity and Splendour the Judges without Covetousness discharging their Duties according to Law and Equity and the Laws unless some few that particularly concerned Cromwell having full and free course in all Courts without hindrance or delay Mens Manners also at least outwardly seemed to be reformed to the better whether by really substracting the Fewel of Luxury or through fear of the Ancient Laws now revived and put in execution His own Court also was regulated according to a severe Discipline here no Drunkard nor Whoremonger nor any guilty of Bribery was to be found without severe Punishment Trade began again to prosper and in a word gentle Peace to flourish all over England He studied also to gain an Opinion of extraordinary Sanctity among the Church-men for no Man affected to seem more tender of the Clergy than he though he would not list himself in any particular Sect nor espouse particular Opinions He was indeed more inclined towards the Independents his Affairs so requiring but a severe Enemy to all the Orthodox Clergy of England He gave it out That it was his onely wish and desire to see the Church in Peace and that all would gather together into one Sheep-fold under one Shepherd Jesus Christ and mutually love one another whilst under-hand he set them together by the Ears and promoted their Dissentions He projected some specious Proposals of Reconciliation betwixt the Presbyterians and Independents but when they were upon the point of agreement he put them again at greater variance Under pretext also of moderating and pacifying the Divisions of the Scottish Remonstrators and Assembly-men he blows up the Embers and kindles greater Flames amongst them By turns he used to countenance all sorts of Fanaticks that the hair-brain'd People might the more obstinately stick to their Whimseys and Scruples of whom if he could frame any one to his own Temper by prying into his Secrets he shewed himself easie and tractable to the Opinions and Punctilio's of any Religion He had moreover the knack of wheadling and alluring all with hopes of Favours and fawning Offices but so as they must know there was no resisting of the Bridle if otherwise he would break out into Anger and thunder Threatnings If he perceived that the Presbyterians began to raise their Crests be troublesom to their Neighbours seem uneasie under the Government or meddle in Civil Affairs then would he threaten and denounce all Evils to the Sect and let loose against them the Anabaptists Quakers and the rest of the Fanaticks who took pleasure in disputing with the Preachers and interrupting them in their Divine Worship and by such Brutes he created no small trouble to the swelling Presbyterians Nay he was heard by many to glory that he had curbed that Insolent Sect as he used privately to call it which would suffer none but it self so that they had humbly begg'd his leave and thanked him for granting them permission to Preach and perform Divine Worship after their manner in their own Congregations and to those who were willing to submit to their Government Though the Publick Use of the Service-Book was denied to the Episcopal Party yet in Private Houses he allows them the Use of their Rites He not onely cherished but seemed also mightily to love Dr. Brownrigg a Bishop and other Learned Men whom heretofore he was acquainted with at Cambridge whilst they were suffered by the Parliament to live there and commanded them to visit him often yet it was his custom so soon as they were gone to forget calumniate and deride them If any were suspected by him to promote the Royal Cause or to contrive against himself they must be sent to Foreign Plantations chained and imprisoned severely checked interrupted in their Sermons haled before Officers or Justices of the Peace and not dismissed till they found Security for their Good Behaviour and the keeping of the Peace Nevertheless though the State of the Church seemed now sad and deplorable yet it is not to be denied but that milder Courses were used than under the rigid Tyranny of others that went before The Independents get into the Chief Places of Honour and Profit whom he countenanced with his own Familiarity and at length gave them liberty to call an Assembly at the Savoy that the Preachers or Prelates of the Independent Churches in all Counties meeting there might make a Confession of their Faith and justifie themselves from absurd Opinions with which they were branded by some but especially and indeed that they might shew their Numbers and Strength and by knowing one another associate together into a stricter Union Though this Meeting was not celebrated till Richard was possess'd of the Government yet the Grant of it was obtained in Oliver's time He allows a Toleration of Religion to all sorts of Fanaticks Though publickly he detested and seemed an implacable Enemy to the Papists yet he was very familiar with some of them and very obliging towards them Nay once he set afoot a Treaty with them about a general Toleration of Religion converting the third part of their Rents wherein by our Laws they are fined into a certain Sum of Money But because they could not agree upon the Money-consideration and that he smelt out that it would be ungrateful to the People and give occasion of Stirs and Commotions he thought it more expedient for that time to desist But what success soever that Affair had he gave to all Liberty of Mass privately and Priests and Jesuits who by the Law are guilty of Death if they set foot in England had never greater freedom nor did they ever more boldly carry on their Designs in the Camp Courts and Pulpits some of them being even raised to Promotion so that amongst the unstable and ill-grounded they reaped no small Harvest of Proselytes He appointed a Convention of Lay-men and Church-men as well Presbyterians and Independents as also Anabaptists who had power to judge of Promotions and the Collation of Ecclesiastical Benefices vacant by Death or Deposition to call before them and examine Competitors put Questions to them concerning their Manners and Learning and especially about the Marks of the In-dwelling of the Holy Spirit and sometimes about Civil Matters as If they liked a Popular State It was lawful to these either to admit to or debar from the Cure of Souls whom they pleased
Officers of the Army were again conjured from Hell a new and unheard-of Generation of Quakers sprung up of whom the Parliament brought before them a considerable Ring-leader that I shall now briefly discourse of James Naylor was the Man who had heretofore served under Lambert and now had the impudence to personate Jesus Christ imitating his Words Looks and Carriage And to so great madness he grew that his Boldness encreasing through the Applauses of some and the Admiration of others he would represent him in all things For mounting a Horses Colt he came riding towards the City of Bristol those of his Sect strewing the Way with Leaves and Boughs of Trees and crying Hosanna Hosanna Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord. But the Madness stops not here neither for the distracted Fellow affects Divine Honours as if he could raise the Dead heal the Sick and fast after the Example of Christ At length the Parliament tired out with the continued Clamours of Accusers having cited him to appear before them sentence him to be publickly Whipp'd Pilloried and committed to perpetual Imprisonment But the Parliament being dissolved this Monster of Mankind was set at liberty by an Order of the Rump-Parliament when it revived again About that time Cromwell's Life was in danger from one Sundercome a Republican It was said that he was suborned by Alonso de Cardenas formerly Embassadour in England from the King of Spain and then living in Flanders to kill him He had often taken a House fit for committing the Fact but his Hopes always failing him he got him a Blunderbuss that could discharge twelve Bullets at a time resolving with that out of an Arbor upon the side of the Rode where the Way grows narrow at Hammersmith near London to shoot Cromwell as he past in his Coach to Hampton-Court and forthwith mounting a fleet Horse make his Escape on the opposite side But because there was a necessity of having another privy to the Design when the time that he was to go drew near one Toop belonging to the Guards is engaged in the Plot. But one Assassine betrays another Toop Sundercome who that he might be the first that suffered for Treason under this Government by a new Statute is arraigned and condemned for conspiring the Death of the Protector However some few hours before the time of his designed Execution he was found dead in his Bed though his Body appeared found there being no Marks of Violence either inwardly or outwardly to be discovered Of which thing according to the diversity of Humours People might severally judge as they pleased In the mean while the fiercer Fifth-Monarchy-men and Republicans making all the Preparations they could for a sudden Insurrection against the new Monarchy in the Bud are discovered and presently seised amongst other things a Standard being taken bearing a Lion Couchant with this Inscription Quis suscitabit eum Who shall rouse him This Rising then being wholly defeated Lawson a Sea-Commander Colonel Harrison Rich and several Officers of the Army with Danvers and others who could not endure the Regal Authority of Cromwell are clapp'd up in Prison Lambert also when he perceived that all his Hopes of Succession were cut off by an Ordinance of Parliament began to tack about and strike in with the Republicans Which so soon as Cromwell had notice of he presently recalled his Commission and disbanded him appointing Fleetwood to be next to himself in Power for he thought it neither safe nor fit that he should have the Chief Command in the Army who professed himself an open Enemy to the Civil Government Cromwell in the mean time that he might by fair and gentle means draw over more of the Republicans and endear them to himself promoted many of them into the House of Lords that they might seem to share with himself in the Government but such mean Fellows of no Birth nor Merit raised out of the Dregs of the Rabble who were contemptible and ridiculous to the real Lords and Peers could neither give nor receive any Splendour or Nobility Would ye have a List of some of them Let Pride then lead the Dance a most abject Rascal who had served a Brewer and that he might now with greater security cheat the Publick he purchases a Grant for Brewing Beer for the Protector 's Family and for serving the Fleet at Sea Huson was another who not long before cobbled old Shoes in a Stall Berkstead who heretofore sold Needles Bodkins and Thimbles and would have run on an Errand any where for a little Money but who now by Cromwell was preferred to the Honourable Charge of Lieutenant of the Tower of London Cooper who had been a Haberdasher of Small-wares in Southwark Berry a Woodmonger and Whaley a broken Clothier who had removed into Scotland until the breaking out of the Wars I shall name no more of them that I may not turn the Readers Stomach In the mean time he joyns to them for Companions five or six of the Ancient Nobility and gives them place in the House of Lords who nevertheless refuse to herd with the rest and all refrain the House that they might not pollute their Blood by such a Contagion Others called out of the House of Commons to this Other House prefer their own Seats and will not be reckoned amongst those Peers The two Sons and one Son-in-Law of Cromwell are brought into this House For it is to be observed that he had lately married his two younger Daughters the eldest having formerly married to Cleypole the one to Mr. Rich Nephew to the then Earl of Warwick who lived not long after and the other to the Lord Falconberge of whom now we speak Henry Cromwell his younger Son whom he made Deputy of Ireland and Richard the elder of whom since I am to mention him in the Sequel it will be fit I speak a little at present before I leave this House of Lords That Cromwell might remove all suspicion of arrogating to himself and Family the Supreme Authority he sends his eldest Son Richard into the Country to take his Pleasure in Hunting and Hawking Where he a Man of a good Nature courteous and affable far from the Tricks of his Father receiving the Common People hospitably diverting himself with the Gentry and behaving himself civilly to all besides many good Offices that he did at Court and elsewhere not onely gained the Applause of the People but obliged a great many Persons of Note and Quality But at length his Father took him off of these Toys and by degrees inured him to Publick Business ordering him first to sit in the Committee of Trade then in the House of Commons and now at last having called him as we have just now said up to the House of Lords Besides he made him Chancellor of the University of Oxford one of his Privy-Council and a Colonel of the
number overpow'ring them are fain to give ground and at length are beat out of the Field Above a thousand were killed in that Battel fifteen hundred private Soldiers taken fourscore Officers and all the Cannon and Ammunition The Garrison of Dunkirk nevertheless persist in their defence till the Marquess of Leda being shot with a Musket Bullet the Town lost its Life with the Governour and fell into the Hands of the French King who that he might perform the Articles agreed upon gives it to our Countrey-men as a Reward of their Services and delivered it up into the Hands of Lockart a Scottish Man who had married Cromwell's Neece and was his Embassadour in France for Reynolds the Winter before crossing over into England in a weak Vessel that he might justifie himself before Cromwell from a Crime of Treason that he was accused of as if he had entertained a Correspondence with the Duke of York was cast away at Sea The same Year the French with the assistance of the English possessed themselves of Winoxberg Fuern Ypress Oudenard and many other places their Horse ravaging all Flanders almost So way was made for a Treaty betwixt the French King and Spaniard whereupon a Marriage after ensued Let us now return home and view at nearer distance the Preludes of Cromwell's approaching Death Whilst he is delighted with Triumphs beyond Sea he is hampered at home with difficulties and gnawing Cares Besides the Death of his dearly beloved Daughter the Lady Cleypole who died of an inward Imposthume in her Loins with great agony and pain after she had in her Hysterical fits much disquieted him by upbraiding him sometimes with one of his Crimes and sometimes with another according to the furious distraction of that Disease The Republicans created him continual troubles and vexation especially seeing his Son-in-law Fleetwood and his Wife seemed to favour these Men excuse and intercede for them nay he refrained coming to his Father-in-laws House though he lived hard by and ought to have comforted his dying Sister amidst the mourning and bewailings of her Relations and though Cromwell as he told it to some had made him his Heir in his last Will and Testament Besides Desborough who had married his Sister Pickering also and Sidenham whom he had made Privy Counsellors had secret meetings with Lambert and other leading Men of the Republican Party whom they openly magnified and extolled But all his Distemper was not in his Mind alone for shortly after he was taken with a Slow Fever that at length degenerated into a Bastard Tertian Ague For a Weeks time the Disease so continued without any dangerous symptoms as appearing sometimes one and sometimes another kind of distemper that every other Day he walked abroad but after Dinner his five Physicians coming to wait upon him one of them having felt his pulse said that it intermitted at which suddenly startled he looked pale fell into a Cold Sweat almost fainted away and orders himself to be carried to Bed where being refreshed with Cordials he made his Will but onely about his Privat and Domestick Affairs Next Morning early when one of his Physicians came to visit him he asked him why he looked so sad And when he made Answer That so it becomes any one who had the weighty care of his Life and Health upon him Ye Physicians said he think I shall die Then the Company being removed holding his Wife by the Hand to this purpose he spoke to him I tell you I shall not die this bout I am sure on 't And because he observed him to look more attentively upon him at these words Don't think said he that I am mad I speak the Words of Truth upon surer grounds than Galen or your Hippocrates furnish you with God Almighty himself hath given that Answer not to my Prayers alone but also to the Prayers of those who entertain a stricter commerce and greater intimacy with him Go on chearfully banishing all sadness from your looks and deal with me as you would do with a Serving-man Ye may have skill in the Nature of things yet Nature can do more than all Physicians put together and God is far more above Nature But being ordered to take his rest because he had not slept the greatest part of the Night as the Physician was coming out of the Chamber he accidentally met another who had been a long time very familiar with him to whom I am afraid says he our Patient will be light-headed Then said he You are certainly a Stranger in this House Don't you know what was done last Night The Chaplains and all who are dear to God being dispersed into several parts of the Palace have prayed to God for his Health and all have brought this Answer He shall recover Nay to this degree of madness they came that a Publick Fast being for his sake kept at Hampton Court they did not so much pray to God for his Health as thank him for the undoubted pledges of his Recovery and repeated the same at Whitehall These Oracles of the Saints were the cause that the Physicians spake not a word of his danger In the mean time Cromwell leaving Hampton Court where hitherto he had lain sick is brought to London and the Physitians meet at a Consultation in the Chamber of the aforementioned Doctor who at that time was troubled with a grievous Head-ach and an Imposthume in his Ear. But next Morning early another Physician coming who had watched all Night with the Patient and telling the rest how ill he had been in the last fit they all conclude that he could hardly out-live another This Sentence of the Physicians awaking the Privy Council at an appointed time they come to advise him that he would name his Successour But when in a drowsy fit he answered out of purpose they again ask him if he did not name Richard his eldest Son for his Successour to which he answered Yes Then being asked where his Will was which heretofore he had made concerning the Heirs of the Kingdom he sent to look for it in his Closet and other places but in vain for he had either burnt it himself or some body else had stole it And so Richard being nominated his Heir the Day following being the third of September he yielded up the Ghost about three of the Clock in the Afternoon not as it was commonly reported carried away by the Devil at Mid-night but in clear Day-light and the same Day that he had twice defeated the Scots His Body being opened in the Animal parts the Vessels of the Brain seemed to be overcharged in the Vitals the Lungs a little inflamed but in the Natural the source of the distemper appeared the Spleen though sound to the Eye being within filled with matter like to the Lees of Oyl Nor was that Incongruous to the Disease that for a long time he had
Church Those Bishops who had survived the fury of the Hereticks he restored to their Sees and chose others conspicuous for Primitive Piety Learning and a good Life in place of those that were dead who with the same Piety and Humility that they had suffered the Reproaches of Sectarians and born the Calamities of a Civil War now in their old age carried the Miter and governed the Church of God The King made Juxon Archbishop of Canterbury and primate of all England a Prelate of Primitive Piety venerable both in his books and words heretofore Confessor to Charles the Martyr and his Assistent to the last whilst amidst the fury and reproaches of bloudy Traytors he took his leave of this world Et nullo gemitu consensit ad ictum Despexitque nefas When without sighing he received that Blow And bravely scorn'd the Villanies below And now it was no small comfort to many that they to whom the Parricides had formerly been liberal were as poor as those whom they had robbed but it was fit that Clemency should usher in the new Administration of the Government and therefore Charles imitating God Almighty in mercifulness past in Parliament an Act of Indemnity and Oblivion for all his Subjects except those who had embrewed their hands in his Fathers Bloud the rest of the guilty Rebels being wonderfully pardoned but whether with greater Policy or Mercy let Posterity judge The King now secure in his own Majesty and the Loyalty of his Subjects resolved to disband the Army which for so many years had been the Burden and Grievance of the Nation for the paying of which a Tax by way of Poll was imposed on every head in England The Souldiers had also a Donative bestowed upon them and many of the Officers were rewarded according to their merit Amidst the Joys wherewith the first three months of his Majesties government was blessed Henry Duke of Gloucester fell sick and was fatally too soon snatched out of this world by the Small Pox so much the more lamented by the King his Brother and by the Kingdom that at twenty years of age he had given such sublime proofs of his Princely Accomplishments And this alone may seem an Eclipse of the Glory of Charles that almost in his own triumph he beheld the Funeral of his dear Brother Manibus date Lilia plenis Purpureos spargam flores Bring plenty of white Lillies to his Herse Whilst sad there the purple Rose disperse The affairs of England being setled Scotland and Ireland were to be taken care of The King therefore appointed Privy-Councils of the most Loyal Subjects of both Kingdoms to manage the Government till he might advise about calling a Parliament in Scotland and sending over a Lord Lieutenant into Ireland After the dutiful Addresses of his Subjects at home the neighbouring Kings of France Sweden Denmark and many Princes of Germany by honourable Embassies congratulate the Kings happy Restauration all which were outdone by the pompous and splendid train of the Prince Ligny Embassadour from the Catholick King And now it was time to bring the Murderers of Charles the Martyr to their Tryals many of whom were before clapt up in Prison others fled away secretly and wandered in foraign and distant Countries and some trusting to the hopes of a Pardon obeyed the Kings Proclamation and freely surrendred themselves Therefore on the tenth of October Harrison Carew Clements Jones Scot and Scroop who had been of the number of the Judges that condemned the King Cooke Attorney-General the famous infamous Peters Chaplain to the Traytors Axiell and Hacker Commanders of the Guards were brought to the Bar not before an accursed and new-made High Court of Justice but according to the ancient Laws of the Kingdom before the chief Justices and the rest of the Kings Justices to be tryed by a Jury of Twelve men after the usual manner of England They were chiefly charged by the Attorney-General and the Kings Council That they the aforesaid Traytors and others guilty of High-Treason conspiring with an accursed Army of Fanaticks had carried away to Prison King Charles securely treating a Peace with the two Houses of Parliament which was almost concluded in the Isle of Wight So that the House of Lords being abrogated and the founder Members of the Commons six and forty Villains that remained took to themselves the name of a Parliament invaded the Government and decreed to bring the King to a Tryal By whose authority these Parricides an High Court of Justice being impudently constituted had condemned and caused to be put to death the King of England who was above the Laws contrary to the will and to the great grief of the People To their Indictment rightly laid and fully proved having made many false and frivolous Answers concerning the supreme authority of the Parliament which indeed in this case had no authority at all they were by the Verdict of a Jury of Twelve men found guilty of and condemned for High-Treason The same Verdict past also upon nineteen other of the Kings Judges but with a different event as shall be mentioned in the proper place On the third of October a Gibbet was set up at Charing-cross near Whitehall whither in the morning Harrison being brought the first of the surviving Regicides both in guilt and punishment with the same madness and obstinacy as he had behaved himself at his tryal the cruel Traytor affecting an undauntedness at his death was hang'd and quarter'd as he well deserved CAROLE tuis jam Victima mittitur umbris Nec satis hoc fortuna putat procul absit ut ista Vindictae sit summa tui Great CHARLES a Victim to thy Ghost does fall And yet thy Fates are not appeas'd no all That just Revenge is not yet paid that shall Harrison rather of a base than low Birth was the Son of a Butcher bred at first a Pettifogging Country-Attorney but in the heat of the Civil Wars when the onely way to get into Power was Fanaticism and Treason he fled to the Rebellious Army and there turning a furious Anabaptist and advanced to be a Colonel he grew very intimate with Cromwel and his Competitor in Villany But being a proud and haughty fellow and a most desperate Republican he fell out and was highly displeased with Oliver when he was made Protector not that he hated the Tyrant Cromwel but disdained to be outstripped and to submit to one who from a fellow-Souldier was become his Prince Carew came next and suffered the like death but his Relations who had served the King in the Wars obtained as a mark of favour the liberty of burying his body which was the same night obscurely performed The day following Cook and Peters in the same place suffered the same punishment where Peters by a drunken and base death disgraced his infamous life Cook was an obscure ragged beggarly Lawyer and ambitious to get a
security of his Kingdom and therefore communicating his intentions to the Parliament he addressed himself to the most Illustrious Catharine Daughter of Portugal descended from the ancient Race of the Family of Braganza with the universal Applause and Congratulation of the Estates And a Fleet was sent to Portugal to bring over the Royal Bride who having had a favourable passage to the English Coast was by his Royal Highness the Duke of York met and saluted with Naval Solemnities at the Isle of Wight The King received his Bride at Portsmouth and was with great Solemnity in presence of many Nobles there married the Office of Matrimony having been performed by Gilbert Sheldon Bishop of London The King from thence conducted his Royal Consort to Whitehall where after the reiterated festivity of the Royal Nuptials the dutiful Complements of the Great men and the Presents of the Lord Mayor and chief Citizens of London slighting the wanton Pleasures of a Court by the innocence of her Manners and an exemplary Piety of Life she consecrated the trancient Delights of a Palace to the severer Sanctity of a Monastery A Queen that wanted nothing to render her self and us happy had she been as fruitful as good On the second of June the last of the Traytors Sir Henry Vane after a two years imprisonment is brought at length to the Bar where after he had defended himself by shifts and strained querks of Law rather than by any colourable Plea he is found guilty of High-Treason The first advance he made in the career of his Villany was in the death of the Earl of Strafford afterwards being a great Incendiary in the Civil Wars and equally ungrateful and perfidious to Charles the Martyr he cherished and strengthened the Party of the Traytors and though more cautiously than innocently he was not present at the Condemnation of the King yet after the Murder of Charles he was very active in changing the Monarchy into a Commonwealth and in abolishing for ever the Government of Kings But at length when Cromwel got into the Supreme Power being ill-affected and envious against all Government by a single Person he was neglected and laid aside But when the Rump came again into play with the pretences of a Brutus or Cassius he stept again to the Helm of Government and was one of the Committee of Safety He was as to Religion a man of an inconstant and unsetled mind who professedly hating the name of a King was treacherous to Charles the First and envious to Charles the Second January the fourteenth being brought to a Scaffold on Tower-hill with a most affected shew of a composed and sedate mind as the rest of the Traytors had already done he insisted upon the Supreme Authority of Parliament and spake much of the Presbyterian Covenant the Engine of all our Evils which heretofore when he was a far more refined Heretick he had so often despised and laughed at And whilst he still persisted in asserting his own innocence not without reproaching his Judges Sir John Robinson Lieutenant of the Tower wanting patience to hear any more interrupted him Being vexed at this like a mad man he tore the written Speech that he had in his hand and though he had never shew'd great resolution amongst his Party yet resolutely or rather ragingly he submitted to the blow of the Executioner and fell a Sacrifice to the Ghost of the Great Strafford and to the Subverted Monarchy But Lambert who stood indicted with Vane had better luck and behaved himself with so much modesty in his looks and words at his tryal that though he suffered the Sentence of Death as deserving the utmost Rigour yet he tasted the Kings Mercy and ransomed his Life by a perpetual Imprisonment About the middle of Summer the Duke of Ormond went over to Ireland as Lord Deputy of that Kingdom there to give as great instances of Civil Prudence as heretofore he had erected Trophies of Military Glory during the Irish War The Parliament now sitting the Convocation of the Clergie sate also and the Licentiousness of Fanatical Sects increasing made the distressed Church look to the King and Parliament for relief It was therefore enacted by the King in Parliament That the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lords Supper and the publick Prayers and Liturgie of the Church should be celebrated after the ancient manner of the Reformed Church of England the Fanaticks on all hands crying out against it and refusing to conform For though they enjoyed Impunity with the rewards of their Crimes yet no gracious condescensions of the King could oblige them The Clemency of the Prince was maliciously interpreted by the Sects and the Power of this indulging Monarch was grievous to these Fanaticks Nor had the King granted so much to Traytors but that they still thought they might take to themselves more and the brazen-faced Sectarists demand of the Son the same liberty of Religion which had undone the Father And without any respect or reverence to Majesty and the Laws frequent Conventicles of seditious men were kept Meetings were to be found everywere in Towns and Villages and the Insolence of the Rabble growing greater by the boldness of their Preachers and the Lenity of the King there was nothing but a mustering of Parties boasting of strength and polling of heads amongst the Factious all which seemed to threaten imminent Dangers The year before the Fifth-monarchy-men under Venner raised the first Stirs amongst the Preaching Rout but their Fury like the thundering Rage of Marius of old was confined within the City and there expired the fiercest of the Traytors being killed upon the spot and others at length brought to the Gallows But this year a darker and therefore more dangerous Conspiracy was hatched the same being the cause of this as of all other Plots to wit a loose and obstinate licentiousness in Religion Many of all Sects were concerned in it several Officers of Cromwel's late disbanded Army Members of the late Rump-Parliament and many who were turned out of the Kings and Churches Lands which they had heretofore sacrilegiously purchased And a secret Committee at London had the direction of all their Councils and Actings The chief designe of their Villany was to kill the King and Duke of York murder the Duke of Albemarle set fire to the City seize the Tower of London rifle the Exchequer and through the Bowels of the Nation drive on a new Fanatical Government In the mean time to make way to the bold Attempts of these Rascals it was resolved that impudent Libels should be scattered about but the Papers being seized at the Press the Printer was hanged and payed dear for his officious medling But the licentiousness and boldness of the Conventiclers growing greater and greater daily the Parl. made an Act to put a stop to the seditiousness of the People commanding the doors of the Meeting-houses to be
the Duke of Ormond with unanimous consent of the Heads Fellows and Students of Colledges is chosen Chancellour of the University of Oxford and so being taken off from the care and troubles of the Irish affairs he had the direction of the softer and more peaceful Muses About the beginning of September Mary the Queen Mother of England having for two and twenty years in Banishment and Widowhood lived without the enjoyment of the King her Husband and with the comfort of a flourishing Off-spring having beheld her Son setled in the Throne died at Paris in France full of years and of glory in all the changes of humane condition About the end of this and beginning of next year the Duke of Albemarle also finished his course And being now to speak the last of a man born for the publick good famous in a high and famous in a lower degree I shall take a short review of his Birth Manners and Fortune George Monk the Son of a Knight was born in Devonshire in the West of England in the year One thousand six hundred and eight He had an elder Brother who inherited his Fathers Estate and Honour and a younger who being bred a Scholar after the Restauration of the King was made Bishop of Hereford George the middlemost pushing his Fortune in the Camp followed the Wars wherein he was first initiated in his youth at Cadis against the Spaniards and shortly after in an Expedition against the French at the Isle of Ré both unfortunate in their issue but with better success he served under the Earl of Oxford in Holland The Civil Wars afterwards breaking out occasioned first by the accursed madness of the Scottish Presbyterians he returned into England and listed himself under Charles the First who then marched against the Scots and next year after was made a Colonel in the Army against the Irish Rebels But the Civil War of England raging more furiously afterwards whilst the Parliament called in the Scots their Brethren in Iniquity to their assistance the King on the other hand having made a Truce with the Irish Rebels called over his Forces from Ireland for his own defence at home and Monk being one of the Commanders of that Army with the rest joyned the King at at Oxford but whilst by orders from the King he mustered the Irish Forces in the Camp he was unexpectedly surprized and taken by Fairfax who served the Parliament and being carried to London lay there almost four years Prisoner in the Tower Whilst he was there shut up and in distress the King sent him secretly an hundred Pieces of Gold which considering the streights his Majesty was then put to was no small Argument of his Royal Affection towards him But being at length tired out with an irksome imprisonment and for the sake of liberty changing sides he took in with the Parliament and went again over into Ireland where he did many brave actions against the Irish Rebels not without Presages of becoming sometime a great General as being the onely person who seemed to have carried with him Honesty and Civility to the Civil War Here it was that first of all he gained the good esteem of Cromwel who then commanded the Parliament-Forces in Ireland having performed an action more advantageous to his General than honourable to himself The Irish War being ended the Summer following he marched with Cromwel against the Scots and did not a little contribute to his fortunate Successes in Scotland Having been so often victorious at Land and now an old Commander he tried his fortune at Sea and under the Rump-Parliament was very successful against the Dutch having in two Engagements beaten them and put them to flight At length when Cromwel got into Supreme Power he was made Governour of Scotland which Trust with equal reputation of Equity and Prudence he discharged during the space of almost five years until Quarrels and Animosities happening at London betwixt the Rumpers and Colonels of the Army he laid hold on the occasion for restoring of the King But at what time first he framed the designe of restoring Charles to the Throne I shall hardly presume to determine Cavillers and those that make the worst of things gave it out that his dutiful services to the King were but fortuitous but they who judge impartially affirm that it was a designe laid many years before Certainly the best of Kings more mindful of the effects of his Loyalty than of its beginning received the duty of Albemarle as extraordinary and kind services and honourably and liberally rewarded them The year before his death he fell into a Dropsie and being weary of the ordinary methods and advice of Physicians he made use of a certain Quack-Medicine which in appearance recovered him but his body being opened after his death a great deal of Water was found in his Bowels and much congealed Bloud in both the Ventricles of his Heart and other neighbouring Vessels For the motion both of the Heart and Bloud being weakened by an inveterate Dropsie gave occasion to the stagnating of the chylous juyce about the Heart which stopping the Fountain of the circulating Bloud put at length a stop to his last breathings for life The Marriage of his onely Son was in a manner the last thing he minded in this life who a few days before his death was married to the Daughter of the Earl of Ogle and Grand-daughter to the Duke of Newcastle thereby to settle as well as honour his Family by an Alliance with so Noble a House After he had seen Britain rejoycing in Triumphs beheld Charles confirmed in the Throne by ten years happy Reign and after he had administred the greatest Offices of Trust under the King both in Peace and War being upwards of sixty years of age he yielded to Destiny which he willingly and undauntedly submitted unto that after the Trophies of a past Life he might at length triumph over Death He left but one onely Son the Illustrious Inheritour of his Fathers Fame hopeful to the State and cherished by the King as his own Charles who had often visited and condoled with him in his sickness was with him to the last and expressed the same affection for dying Albemarle that he had testified to him during his life From Somerset-house where he had lain in state he was with a splendid pomp of solemn Funerals at the Kings charges conveyed to Westminster-Abbey and there amidst the Tears and Condolings of all good men interred amongst the August Monuments of Kings being the last Triumph due to his memory They who are curious to have a description of the shapes and countenance of so great a man may know that he was a person more graceful than beautiful of a middle stature strong and well comparted with a comely presence and of a composed rather than severe or stern aspect He may easily be reckoned a
most valiant General in War not onely to be compared to the chief Commanders of his own age but to the most renowned Warriours of elder times and of so great reputation he was in Military affairs that the modestest do acknowledge too great a Courage in Albemarle He spent almost his whole life in Arms and at length growing old amidst Victories he became gray-headed under a Helmet In Britain and Ireland by Sea and by Land so happy was Albemarle that Fortune traced out for him Honour Renown and Titles He had indeed a hidden and a silent kind of Sagacity in the management of affairs and improved almost all the Arts of Prudence by Silence He had a Modesty that set off all the other Virtues of his Mind nor was he ever heard to brag of what he had done or deserved The Fame of so great a man doubtless inferiour to no other Mortal will propagate it self to Posterity who without Pride or Ostentation gratified a banished Prince with so signal Services and onely rejoyced in the conscientious performance of his Duty and Obedience Nor after the Restauration of Charles did he behave himself as a Colleague in the Government as Mucianus was of old reported to have done to Vespasian but as a Servant neither did he ever boast that having the Power in his own hands he had bestowed it upon another whereby he burned to his glory the Arrogance of the Rump and the Impudence of Cromwel his Loyalty inclining him more to give up than his Ambition to retain the Government We may moreover reckon Albemarle happy not onely in the greatness of the Action but also in the seasonableness of the Service That he brought back the Government to a Prince of so just and good a temper who put so true an estimate upon his Loyalty and under whom it would never be unsafe nor dangerous to deserve the most For good Offices are acceptable especially to Kings so long as the obliged think they may be able to requite them but when they are too great to be rewarded instead of Thanks they procure Hatred And it is rare and almost unusual for Princes to think themselves obliged or if they think so to love their Benefactors Peace being now established at home and Janus his Temple shut Albemarle departed the more joyfully out of this life that when he left no Troubles in Britain yet he left behind him a Love for himself in the hearts of all good men so much the more wanted that he had taken care that nothing should be wanting having left nothing in the State but his own death to be bewailed the King flourishing in his Government and the Loyalty of the Parliament as yet vieing with the modesty of the Prince Every one enjoyed the happiness they desired at home and Peace with all Nations abroad till the League-breaking Dutch again provoked the English Arms. But the Actions of that War the steddy Fortune of the British Nation and the future Triumphs of CHARLES I have set aside as a subject for my more advanced years FINIS A Table to the Third Part. A. ALbemarle vid. Monk Army disbanded 52 B. Bishops restored 51 Booth Sir George his Insurrection 8 C. Committee of Safety 13 Commissioners from the Parliament wait on the King at Breda 44 Conventicles supprest 73 Covenant burnt by the Hangman 66 Cowley Abraham 99 D. De Wit 76 Dutch War beginning and occasion 74. The first Engagement 81. The second 87. The third 88. the fourth 90. The fifth 92. Their Attempt at Chatham 98. Peace concluded 98. F. Fanaticks rise but are supprest 72 G. Gloucester Duke dies 52 K. King Charles 2. Comes to Breda 42. Lands at Dover 46 Enters London 47. His Coronation 61. Marries the Infanta of Portugal 69. L. Lambert proclaimed a Traytor 40. Committed to the Tower 41. Condemn'd but obtains mercy 71. Libels 73 The Liturgie and Ceremonies of the Church confirm'd and establish'd by Act of Parliament 71 London the great Plague there 84. The great Fire there 94. Rebuilt 99 100. M. Monk Sir George 6 13 inf His famous march into England 25. Enters London 28. Admits the secluded Members 36. Receives Letters from the King 37. Created Duke of Albemarle 51. A short account of his Life and Death 102 inf His Character 105. O. Oblivion Act 52 Great Officers upon the Kings Restoration 51 Orange Princess dies in England 60 Oxford the Court and Term there 85. The new Theatre there built 101. P. Parliament the long one dissolved 41. A new one meet 42. A new one call'd by the King 66. Physicians Colledge visited by the King 78 Q. Queen-Mother dies 101 R. Recapitulation of things past 1 Regicides brought to Tryal 53. Their several Characters 54 55 56 57 58 67 68 70. Rump-Government 5. inf Rump and Army at variance 10. S. Solemn League and Covenant burnt by the Hangman 66 V. Uly-Island and Ships there burnt by the English 93 Y. York Duke made Lord High Admiral 50. His great Victory at Sea 81. The Right of Kings in England In the person of a Monarch for above a thousand years And he hereditary And never dying To him all swear Allegiance and Supremacy The Prerogatives of the K. or chief marks of Majesty and the Regalia belong onely to the King So that all Estates and Possessions are derived from him and to him return at last He hath the care of Pupils and Lunaticks The power of coyning Money He confers all Honours and Offices Which are to be administred in his name alone His power in matters of War Also in Ecclesiastical affairs He moderates the rigour of Laws And judges in undecided cases He chuses his own Counsellors He that mounts the Throne is never to be brought to the Bar since the Law says he cannot die Nor can he err or do wrong But as he offends by his Ministers so is he punished The Heir of the Crown is by the death of his Predecessor ipso facto cleared from all guilt Yet it is not lawful to rule arbitrarily VVhat Rights belong to Parliaments To make and repeal Laws Impose Taxes Legitimate Bastards Enact the VVorship of God Set Rates on VVeights and Measures VVhat the Parliament of England is The Vpper House of it The Lower The time and place appointed by the King They are called by VVrits The manner of meeting The King declares the causes of their meeting in the Vpper House All and every one of the Members of the House of Commons take the Oath of Allegiance to the King And of Supremacy They chuse a Speaker whom they accompany to the King beseeching his Majesty to approve their Election And not to be offended with their freedom in speech ☞ All may petition but by the mediation of Deputies The way of debating and communicating opinions betwixt both Houses By the Kings consent the Bills are made Laws Or otherwise rejected Religious matters aâ—â—ommitâ—ed by the Kiâ—g to