known that thousands were forced out of several Countreys to serve against their wills them too put into the brunt of the battle as though destined for the slaughter But for all these numerous forces which encompassed the Royal Army they were chearfull resolved to sell their lives at a noble rate his Majesty by the Example of his undaunted courage principally encourageing them so that many vigorous sallies were made upon their Enemies though their supernumeraries forc't them to a retreat yet was it very seldom and never ignobly But now the fatal day draws nigh a day before so eminently auspitious to Cromwell and as unfortunate to the Scots viz. the third day of September The fight was occasioned thus Cromwell Fleetwood others of the Republick party had after the gaining the pass at Upton endeavoured to make themselves a clear passage to the City that their Army might joyn in the Leagure to which end and purpose they ordered the making of two Bridges the one over the Severn the other over Thame over the last of which passes Lievt General Fleetwood went to attach the West side of the Town which so allarm'd the Royall Army who then lay within their Leagure at St. Jones that to prevent their drawing nigher they salyed out with the greatest part of their Horse and Foot and a stiff encounter there was till over powred by numbers more then by valor which they demonstrated to the utmost of mens strength they were forced to retire again into the Leagure leaving more of their Enemies dead bodies in the field then of their own But whilst the encounter was on the West side of the Town Cromwell having pass't his Army over Severn he march't directly to the Town on that side whereupon his Majesty in person and in the head of the Horse sallied out upon him and that with so much valour and courage that Cromwel's own life-guard and the best of his old Souldiers who were thought almost invincible were forc't to retire 'till seconded by those numerous supplies of fresh Souldiers who served only like the Turkish Asapi to blunt the Royal swords so that their wearied arms no longer able to hold out were forced to retreat and at Length notwithstanding the generous example of his Majesty who performed things worth wonder to a disorderly flight and notwithstanding his Majesties earnest endeavours in which he had his horse twice shot under him to bring them again to a rally yet it proved fruitless for the Cromwellian Army pouring forth their numbers upon them permitted them not so much time but following them close at the heels to the Town towards which they fled entred pelmel with them And now notwithstanding their flight and the danger of their own lives yet had they so much care of their soveraign that the whole cry throughout both Town and Army was nothing else but Save the King Save the King for him they knew it was that the Junctoes army chiefly looked after indeed in great danger he was for notwithstanding the earnest desires of many of his friends particularly Duke Hamilton who pressed him to have a care of his safety reserve his person to a more fortunate day yet his Majesty was hardly induced to quit the field nor would he till he saw all absolutely lost for Cromwell's Army having as I said followed the Royalists into the Town and got possession of one side of it and after by two or three strong assaults upon the fort Royal where the Cheshire men never before found so disloyall to their Prince therefore found now their due who out of three thousand men sacrificed the lives of 1600 to the Ghosts of those new Royallists which were all put to the sword in it it was taken by storm and now when it was almost too late his Sacred Majesty thought it high time to provide for his safety and so with some Nobles and Servants not without a great deal of difficulty for how could it be otherwise where there was such hard search made for him he quit the field and by the most unfrequented roades that they could possibly find out rode to the Farme-house of a noble Gentleman on the borders of Staffordshire where they no sooner arrived but his Majesty disroabed himselfe of his Princely Ornament accoutrements and particularly of a Chain of Gold or spannar-string worth three hundred pounds sterling the Present of a Scottish Lord which he bestow'd upon a Servant of his there present which done for his farther disguise he proceeded to the cutting of his hair and the Cote affording neither shears nor scissars to perform it it was by the Lord Wilmot cut off with a Knife And now every one is commanded to shift for himselfe this poor Prince left alone to the sole protection of the Almighty he choosing none but one friend to accompany him with whom he wandred into a Wood within four miles say some of Wolverhampton where finding a hollow Oak he was now content to make it his Pallas for here he for some daies concealed himselfe his Friend still towards night going out to provide him some refreshmēt dureing this his solitary confinement In the mean time the Lord Wilmot who was commanded with the rest to seeke his fortune was by chance pursued by some Souldiers but meeting with a Country fellow for merly a Souldier in the old King's Army he was by him secured though somwhat strangly for he carries him into a Malt-house belonging to Mrs Jane Lane having no other convenient place to hide him in clapt him under the Kilne though there were then some fire in it the Malt smoaking on the top In the mean time the Souldiers then in pursuit of him entred the house and having made about three quarters of an houres search every where else but not at all suspecting the Kilne where they saw the fire they departed the Lord Wilmot was taken out of the Kilne almost ready to faint with the extreamity of the heat The country fellow having thus secured this Lord acquaints Mrs. Lane with what he had done and she extreamly glad of it gets him to her house where in conference she enquires of the Kings safety The Lord Wilmot gives her the former relation of his miseries and distress which forces tears from the tender hearted Gentlewoman she earnestly entreats him to take some course for the finding out of his Majestie and conducting him to her house she being resolved to venture her life had she ten thousand for the saveing of his Royal Majesties The Lord Wilmot glad of so happy an opportunity to serve his Majesty and so great a ptobability of secureing him the next night finds him out conducts him from the Royal Oak to the House of Mrs. Jane Lane where after a large condoling of his hard fortune consultation was had for a conveniency for his Escape beyond sea at length it was concluded that Bristoll would be the most
the Hague till the Royall affairs in England might gain a better posture which he did and there found a reception answerable to his Birth Not long after the King his Royall Father being in danger to be inclosed in Oxford by General Fairfax who returning out of the West had designed to block it up took care for his safety and attended only by Mr. Ashburnham or as some say attended on him went privily our thence and threw himselfe upon the Scotch Army then at Newark who shortly after notwithstanding his confidence of them for a sum of money delivered him up most perfidiously and traiterously to his implacable Enemies the English Army These after many pretences of Treaties and seeming willingness to come to an accord with him on that black day the 30. of January 1648. most villaniously and trayterously beyond the imagination of the World murder'd him Thus far is a short view of those hardships and afflictions undergone by this noble Prince during his Fathers Life Reign we will now proceed to those he hath since ran through which we may more properly and particularly call his Own Among which the Chief and greatest and from whence all his other miseries flowed as from their spring head was the deprivation of his Kingdome Royalties For that part of the Parliament of England which had usurped the whole power or more were not onely content to take a way his fathers life but by their Proclamation deprive him of all right in the Government of those three Kingdomes which they take upon themselves contrary both to the Word of God the Fundamental Laws of the Nation and his own undoubted right by birth he being lineally desended from that Family which had successively governed England for above three hundred years He was at that time of his Fathers death at the Court of his Sister the Royal Princesse of Orange in the Hague in expectation to hear rather of the Conclusion of a Treaty then of his murder to which effect he writ by the Lord Seymour the following Letter to him some short time before his Death For the King SIR HAving no means to come to the knowledge of your Majesties present condition but such as I receive from the Press or which is as uncertain reports I have sent this bearer Seymour to wait upon your Majesty and to bring me an account of it that I may withall assure your Majesty I doe not onely pray for your Majesty according to my duty but shall alwayes be ready to doe all which shall be in my power to deserve that blessing which I now humbly beg of your Majesty upon Sir Your Majesties Most humble and most obedient Son and Servant CHARLES Hague Jan. 23. 1648. And here he staid till he heard the heart breaking news of his Fathers Murther then shortly after he took his Iourney to the Queen his mother in France hoping there to get aid but found none which might render him in a capacity to revenge his Father's Death or demand his own right by force and in vain it was to think of any fair means to attain it Yet there wanted not some friends of his in England who willing to demonstrate how ready they were to adventure themselves for him his right as far as their weak abilities would strech caused under hand a Proclamation to be printed proclaiming him King of England Scotland France and Ireland and advising all his good Subjects to give all due Allegiance to him but the low condition of the Royalists then in England and the great strength and potency of the Parliaments Army made this Proclamation unvalid and those who at a fit opportunity would willingly have complied with it were forced to direct their Obedience to the contrary Goal But though England prov'd thus defective to his interest not so much I dare say in Allegiance as power Yet Jreland is at his Devotion for the Marquess of Ormond and the Lord Inchiquin having made a peace with the Quondam Rebels he is by joynt consent both of Papists and Protestants proclaimed King in most towns of that Nation Dublin and London-Derry only excepted which were kept from their Allegiance the one by the Lieu. General Iones the other by Sir Charles Coote who joyntly strove to justifie the Parliament of Englands late actions He being thus proclaimed there is solemnly invited to come over to them to which invitation his Mother earnestly adds her desires but the best of his friends and Counsellours as earnestly disswaded him upon reasons drawn both from prudence and Policy since in probability the design not succeeding it would utterly ruine his hopes with all the Protestant party then stedfast to him both in Scotland and England or that if he would needs venture himselfe with this party they desired him at least to attend whether by any good event of theirs there might be any probability of successe 'T is supposed that this Council swaied with him more out of his real affection to the Protestant Religion then any other Politick reason Yet he immediately after took a journey to the Isle of Iersey which startled some as though he had intended to have proceeded thence for Ireland but that suspition proved unnecessary he was accompanied hither by his Brother the Duke of York who was lately come to him out of Holland and many other Nobles Gentlemen the Islanders immediately upon his arrival most joyfully proclaimed him King and the Lord Iermyn Earle of Yarmouth was made Governour of that Island who constituted Sir George Cartwright his deputy Governour The King sends from hence his Royal command to the Governour of Gernsey Island which was then wholly subjected Cornet Castle only excepted to the Parliaments sorces requiring him to surrender the said Island to him and that his good Subjects there might have liberty to return to their due obedience but his command proved ineffectual Many affirm but how true I know not that the reason of the Kings removal to this Island was out of design to surprize Dartmouth and some other places in the West by the Levellers help who having then made a defection from the Parliaments Army in England were say they to have joyned with the Royalists for the intents and purposes a foresaid but whether so or no I cannot affirm though I can certainly tell this that were it so it proved uneffectual for the Levellers were soon overpowred and quell'd Whilst King Charles was hear expecting a Messenger from the States of Scotland came news of the unfortunate overthrow of the Marquess of Ormond his Army by Lieu. General Iones before Dublin which caused a generall sorrow among all his followers for there had been great hopes expectations of that Army it amounting to no lesse then twenty two thousand men was esteemed able not onely to have taken Dublin but likewise to have resisted Cromwell's then new comming Army in the field yet whether by the carlessness of the Commanders or security of the
their Allegiance to his Son their lawfull and native Sovereign or out of an ambition by joining with their Scotish Brethren which I am loath to judge to get the Power again into their hands which was snatch'd from them by the Independant English Army and the Juncto of Sectaries in England they had laid a designe to raise both a contribution of money and levy men for his Majesty's assistance here but their Plot was betrayed by the intercepting of Letters in a ship forced by foul weather into Ayre in Scotland but bound with provisions for the Isle of Man whereupon the chief undertakers in London were apprehended viz. Mr. Cook Mr. Gibbons Mr. Christopher Love Mr. Jenkins D. Drake and others of which two viz. Mr. Gibbons and Mr. Love was condemned by a high Court of Justice and suffered death on the Tower hill for that cause against which they had once so strongly declar'd But to return again to the cheif Scene in Scotland The English Army had long had a desire to bring the Scots to a field battel which his Majesty upon sundry good reasons serious advice declin'd so Cromwell endeavoured to the utmost of his power to force them to it therefore several times fac'd his Majesty's Army which lay encamped at Torwood within three miles of Sterling but could not yet draw them out of their trenches the chief reason being imagin'd to proceed from their stay for Argyle Huntley and Seaforth who were gon into their several Territories to compleat the King's Levies Cromwell perceiving that he could not draw the Scots to a field-battel upon a sudden draws off his Army and transports fixteen hundred Foot and foure Troopes of Horse over unto Fife on such a sudden that it startled his Majesties whole Army And Cromwell with an unparallel'd expedition faces again the Royal Army with a resolution to fall upon their rear if they should attempt a motion thetherwards but they offered not to stir for already order had been given to Sir Iohn Brown Governour of Sterling to march with four thousand Horse and Foot to drive out that party of Cromwell's which were already landed in Fife of which intelligence being brought Lambart and Okye with two Regiments of Horse and two of Foot are with all possible haste wafted over to reinforce the party already there with which additionall supply of men they routed Sir Iohn Brown who expected none but the first landed party taking himself and several other officers of quality prisoners and killing two thousand upon the place and taking near 1200. prisoners and shortly after Cromwell transports most of his Army over the Fife and resolving to stop the passage which the Scots had over by Sterling marches to S. Iohnstons and takes it almost upon summons Hs Majesty seeing the English Army was advanced so far Northward thought it in vain to attempt the forcing them back knowing that the Scots naturally fights better in anothers then in their own Conntry resolves toadvanc with all possible speed into England where he yet hoped not withstāding the discovery of the design to find some Loyal souls to joyn with him for the Recovery of his right and Kingdomes Many were there who opposed this intention of his Majesty and among those Duke Hamilton was one of the chiefest whose dislike may sufficiently appear by his Letter to Mr. Crofts after their Advance to this effect We are now laughing sayes he at the rediculousness of our present State We have quit Scotland being scarce able to maintain it and yet we grasp at all and nothing but all will satisfie us or to lose all I confess I cannot tell whether our hopes or fears are greatest but we have one stout argument Despair for we must now either stoutely fight or dye all the Rogues have left us I shall not say whether out of fear or disloyalty but all now with his Majesty are such as will not dispute his Commands But notwithstanding his dislike his other oppositiōs yet the Kings resove takes place and on July the 31. 1651. his Majesties Army began to advance from Terwood near Sterling steering their course dirirectly for England which they entred six dayes after by way of Carlisle This march of the Royall Army made Cromwell with the greatest part of his forces immediately recrosse the Frith and forth with send Major General Lambert with a select party of Horse and Dragoons to fall upon the Rear of his Majesties Army whilst they hop'd that Major General Harrison then lying neer the borders with about three thousand Horse and Dragoons would attach them in the Front shortly after himselfe followed with the rest of the Army which could be spar'd amounting to about eight compleat Regiments of Foot and two of Horse But then this greater preparation is made against him in England for the Juncto then fitting at Westminster not onely interdicted all aid or assistance either of men or moneys to be given to his Majesty under the penalty of High Treason but also in all or most of the Countrys had caused a numerous force to be raised the Church-Militia of the City of London being likewise sent out against him and for the present impeading of his march two thousand of the Country Militia of Staffordshire and four thousand out of Lancashire and Cheshire under the command of Col. Birch had joyned with Harrison But be sides all this many of the Royal Army had in their march deserted their colours neer a fourth part of the army was wanting but these were most of them such as were not very well affected to the business nor cause they went about and therefore there was but little miss of them for the rest of the Army marched on chearfully and continued to the utmost push stedfast and loyal were so contentedly obedient to all Military Discipline that 't is believ'd that in al their march through all that part of England they hardly took the value of six pence forcibly But notwithstanding this unwonted evility of the Scottsh Army and his Majesties earnest invitations the Country came very slowly in whether besotted dulled and contented with that slavery they then lay under or over-aw'd by an armed power I cannot tell but such was their backwardness that few or none besides the Lord Howard of Estriche's son with a Troop of Horse came to him during his long tedious march through England Nor did his Majesty with his Army take that course which was expected by most he should for the great fear of his Enemies and greatest hopes of his Friends were that he would march directly for London but he contrary to their expectations being come into Lancashire struck off at Warrington either doubting the enterprize for London too hazardous or out of the hopes had of the Forces it was expected Major General Massey might raise in Glostershire which was the then generally voagu'd reason But before his Majesty could pass over Warrington Bridge he had
Count D' Fuensaldaigne his Embassadour to his Majesty of Great Britain then resident as I said before at Colen inviting him into the Low Countries and assuring him in the name of his Catholick Majesty all possible service and assistance which invitation his Majesty gratiously accepted and soon after took his journey from Colen towards Flanders being come to Bruges the place appointed for his reception he was received with all honours imaginable and conducted to a Pallace purposely provided for him where he hath for the most part ever since remained Hither the Duke of York came accompanied as aforesaid having first in his way touched at Brussels where he was magnificently entertained and complemented by Don John to whom he freely proferd his service in the Wars which was accepted with a great deal of thanks and though he had not at first a command given him corespondent to that which he left in the French Army yet was his prudence courage valour conduct in no less respect as afterwards by the Spaniards esteem of him appeared From thence he went to wait on his Majesty at Bruges where he was received with an affection correspondent to the near Alliance with his sacred Majesty Before his Majesties departure from Colen there hapned a discovery of one of those persons who under pretence of waiting upon him Captain Manning by name discovered unto the Protector all his Designes and Counsels who being found out was by his Majesties Command sent to a strong Castle adjacent to Colen there to be kept close prisoner But all the Court being highly incensed against him for his perfidiousness one of his Majesties Servants though contrary to order pistol'd him as he was lighting out of the Coach at the Castle gate giving him less then the due reward of his so abominable treachery The Duke of York being arrived as I said at Bruges was highly carressed by all the persons of quality there resident and his Majesty who notwithstanding Cromwells earnest endeavours either to dispatch disable or make slaves of his loyal Subjects had nevertheless some true friends in England who were still ready to venture lives and estates for his so just cause had got together a considerable number of such English and Scotch whose Loyalty had banished them from their habitations who were ready at all occasions to assist both his Majesty and themselves for the recovery of his their just rights estates but the continuall advice which Cromwell alwaies had from those treacherous persons which he maintained about his Majesty made all enterprizes tending to the regaining of his Kingdoms and redeeming of his subjects liberty ineffectuall This Army which his Majesty had quartered near the sea side to be ready on all occasions for transport was afterwards since there was no apparent hopes that his Majesty might make any successfull use of them imployed in the service of the King of Spain For his Majesty of Spain had then great need of men in Flanders the English Protector having according to Articles agreed upon between him and the French King sent over sixthousand foot for his assistance in his wars against Flanders in consideration of which help the English were to have Dunkirk which was agreed on to be beleaguer'd by the joynt-forces of France and England Whilst in the mean time the Protector Cromwell is by a parcell of a Parliament of which Sir Thomas Withrington was Speaker invested with his power and installed in Westminster-Hall and now he conferrs those dignities which were formerly the Kingly rewards of loyalty upon his copartners and followers and whether in mockery of that Government which he had so violently endeavoured to abollish or out of perjured intention to setle it in himself which he swore not to endure in another he established a Pageant House of Lords who though then made to rule and domineer over the Nation yet were formerly most of them persons not fit to be Servants to some mean Mechanicks This was that Government which he had so Solemnly sworn against but when men have once forgot their Loyalty to their Soveraign what vices will they not run into But to return again to Flanders The English and French Armies had according to the articles concluded on betwixt them beleagure'd Dunkirk which Don Iohn knowing to be a place of great importance and an inlet into Flanders by sea for English Forces used his utmost endeavours to raise the sieges to which effect he levied what Forces he could either by his own or his Majesties influence and having made up a considerable Army himselfe in person accompanied by the English Dukes of York Glocester together with those Forces formerly addicted to his Majesties Service advanced towards the joynt-force of the French and English then beleaguring the Town who understanding by their scouts of his approach left such Forces in the leagure as might secure them within from a sally and drew up towards Don Iohn who had encamped near Evernes the French and English were notwithstanding those forces they had left in the trenches much more numerous then the Spaniards both in horse and foot which made them the more resolved in the Encounter for though the others came to raise the siege yet the besiegers were the first Assaulters The first brush began with a Forlorn hope of English Infantry consisting of above three hundred who desperatly charged upon a party of the Spanish Foot which had advantagiously drawn themselves upon a rising ground and seconded by Lockart's Regiment commanded by Lieutenant Colonell Fenwick and some other additional supplies of English Infantry routed not only them but the other bodies of Spanish Foot drawn up on the same manner In this charge Lieutenant Colonell Fenwick received his mortall wound some other English Commanders were slain outright The Spanish Cavalry seeing their foot so easily put to a rout began likewise to flie nor could by any endeavours be perswaded to stand whereupon the French Horse who had all that while stood still and seen the English do execution on the Enemies foot with a full career pursue their flying Enemies of whom they found little opposition but only what was made by the thrice valiant Duke of York's Regiment who for a time made the whole French Army to stand and saved the lives of many of their flying Friends which else had been sacrificed to the Enemies fury whilst in the mean time they dedicated their own lives or persons to their safeties For after they had made a very noble gallant resistance over powred by numbers having no supplies to refresh their wearied bodies they were forced to yeild to their Enemies numbers or trust to the swiftness of their horses heels but very few of them escaped among which were the Dukes of York Glocester though the first was not heard of till three daies after which made some suspect that he was taken by the French Forces but by Turine after at a fit opportunity nobly