after in the Mediterranian Seas as well as in the Ocean and in the English Channel Some Frights were sent towards the Levant to guard the English Merchant Men from the French Shipping of Marselleis and Toulon a Squadron of which Frigats consisting onely in foure Saile of Ships viz. The Paragon the Phenix the Constant Warwick and the Elizabeth convoying three Merchant Men two of which had taken in their Lading at Scandaroon and the other at Smyrna were encountred by eleven Holland Men of War who made up towards them and set upon them All that the English could at first do was to returne their broad Sides on their Poopes to let them see that they were not affraid of their exceeding them in number but ere the fight was well begun the Night separated them and the next Morning the Hollanders began the fight againe and were received as briskly as if they had been equally matched The Masts and Yards of two of their Ships were quickly shot downe and another was set on fire but quickly recovered The Phenix a gallant Frigat of five and forty Guns was boarded by a huge States Ship and after a marvellous defence lost almost all her Men and being over powerd was forced to yield but not without a great loss on the Hollanders side Nor did the English quit the fight till all their Men and Ammunition were killed and spent The Paragon lost seven and twenty Men and had sixty wounded the Elizabeth had but two Barrels of Powder left However they disengaged themselves from so great a number of their Enemies and put their Merchant-men safe in Porto-longone So that the Hollander had not much to brag of in the fight which hapned neer Corsica Much about this time an Ambassador from the Queen of Sweden but before he had made the least overture of Business he dyed Another Ambassador arrived from the King of Denmark but finding that it was impossible to reconcile the differences betwixt the two Common-wealths he withdrew againe and went his wayes by reason of the common Interest of the Danes and the united Provinces And the Parliament having notice that the Hollanders who blocked up the passage of the Sound had constrained two and twenty English Merchants coming from the Eastern Parts towards England to put themselves under the King of Denmarks protection ordered eighteen Saile of Ships to go to fetch them home the rather because they were Laden with such Merchandizes as were at that time very usefull for the State and without which the Warre against the Hollanders could not be prosecuted nor continued On the nineteenth of September the Fleet set saile from Yarmouth and the next Morning they came to Anchor within two Leagues of the Castle of Essenhoeur in Denmark whence the Commander in chief sent away the Greyhound Frigat with a Letter directed to the Governour of the Castle and another to the Admiral of Denmark by which he desired them to informe the King of Denmark of their arrivall and of the Subject thereof whereunto he added a third Letter directed to the Masters of the English Ships ordering them to make their Addresses to the King of Denmark and to procure libertie from him that their Ships might with all speed be suffered to come out of the 〈…〉 of Copenhagen where they as then lay But the Frigat was not suffered to approach neerer then within a League of the Castle whence she returned againe The next Morning the Commander in Chief himselfe went thither in his long Boat and declared the Subject of his Arrivall and delivered his Letters but no Answer was returned unto him which obliged him the second time to send to the King and to the English Merchants but without successe for the King was not to be heard of nor seen nor to be spoken with at length two Lords sent from the King of Denmark came to Elsenore Castle whither also the Captaines of the English Fleet went who vigorously pressed the Restitution of their Merchant-men But in answer to this their Demand they were interrogated Wherefore their Ambassadour had not been admitted to Hearing at his being in England wherefore they came so boldly into his Majesties Seas and so neer to his place of Residence and of his Castles with so strong a Fleet before they had given notice thereof three weeks before But the English not standing to Canvasle these Demands save onely to procure satisfaction on their Pretenses pressed to have a positive Answer returned thereunto Whereupon on the seven and twentieth of the said Moneth they received a Letter from the King of Denmark telling them That he would preserve the said Ships for the Merchants as carefully as he had hitherto done but that he would not deliver them into their hands Whereupon the English Merchants and the Masters and Sea-men seeing there was no hopes to get their Ships released abandoned them and came aboard of the Fleet and straightway quitting the Sound made over againe towards England but in the Night of the following Day which was the last of the Moneth the VVeather proved so dark that the Admiral Ship Commanded by Captaine Ball steering too much towards the shore run on ground upon the Coast of that Sand where she was lost onely all the Ships Company was saved and it was ten to one that the whole Fleet had not followed her she bearing the Lanthorne she was an excellent Frigat called the Antelop carrying fifty brass Gunnes But this Losse was presently after repaired by taking of about twenty Holland Barques and one Convoy Man of Warre as also one other Ship carrying twenty Gunnes and thus without any other Losse or adventure they returned into England and on the fifteenth of October they came to an Anchor in Burlington Bay within a little while after Master Braâ—…haw was deputed in the quality of an Envoy or Deputy towards the King of Denmark to try whether the Restitution of those Merchants Vessels might not be procured in an amicable way but this Attempt proved as bootlesse as the former For the said Ships were not onely detained but their Lading was carried on Shoare and Sold Which Acts of Hostility committed against the Law of Nations and of Hospitality to innocent Persons and against a State which had desired their Amity by all wayes and means possible will sooner orlater meet with their Reward and Punishment either by the hands of those who were endamaged or by some others which by the sequell you will find proved so But to return againe to the Hollander who were almost enraged at their continuall Losses of their Ships with which all the Havens in England were filled and being resolved to be revenged for so many Sea Fights as they had lost busied themselves in setting forth a great Fleet and notwithstanding the rigour of the Season in the very midst of Winter they came to Sea with a Fleet of ninety Saile and ten Fire-ships and on the twentieth of
with the neighbouring States It is a thing worthy of observation and admiration both together that our Protectors Ancestors did alwayes bear this Motto in their Arms Pax quoeritur Bello which seemeth onely to belong to Soveraign Princes as if by a prophetical chance or else rather by a Divine Providence this Family which as it seems was designed to bear the Scepter and to restore and give peace unto England after so bloody a Civil War and so many other forreign broyls had received this glorious Motto as an earnest of its future Grandeur which said Motto doth in substance contain all the mystery of the Politicks and comprehend the two powers which God doth give to those whom he establisheth his Lievetenants upon Earth In effect we may observe that peace which seemed to have embraced our incomparable Oliver and as it were to have been incorporated with him hath ever since grown up with him until such time as its powerful branches which encreased and grew up to an infinite height had spread it felf so far as that this dutiful Daughter of Heaven whose growth is limitted by God being not able to follow him no longer was constrained onely to fix her self to the body of the tree and to suffer the branches to extend themselves to the other sides of the Sea-Coasts for to deprive that Nation of Peace which doth least deserve it having extended the War and her Tyrannies throughout all the inhabitable parts of the World For as soon as his late Highness our dread Protector had attained to the power by the means and force of Arms in England Scotland and Ireland Peace immediately brake forth and resplendently shown throughout all those parts and stopt those floods of Blood which could never have been stanched but by the greatest branches of our illustrious Oliver and not sooner had his Voice a transcendency in and over the Councels but Peace continually accompanied his Oracles Do but with me track the course of his fortunes and you will finde that bright Astrea doth follow or rather doth conduct and lead by the hand this blessed Deity and chains her up to the triumphal Chariot there to humble her and to make her know that this our Oliver was not the work of her hands but rather of her own since it is the end which doth alwayes Crown glorious and magnanimous Actions Now whereas the last Victory which General Blake obtained at Sea had gained a great stock of credit unto his late Highness both at home and abroad the whole English Nation began to witness a desire that he would undertake the Management of Affairs and put himself at the Helme of the Government and likewise all Strangers and Forreigners endeavoured to be in a good understanding with England The King of Portugal sent an extraordinary Ambassadour over into England with a gallant retinue the stateliness whereof savoured of the profusion of Peace which was also immediately granted them on very advantageous Conditions for England And almost at the same time two deputations were admitted from France which Kingdom was again for the second time unfortunately divided by a Civil War The French King by his Deputy demanded the restitution of those Ships which had been taken by the English as they were going to the relief of Dunkirk and on the other part the Prince of Conde sent a Deputy from Bordeaux besieged by the King to demand relief but all the Civility England could shew either of them at that time was not to assent at all to their demands and by that means remove all occasions of jealousie from each party besides that business being too much exasperated between England and France there could not so suddain an occomodation be expected and as to the Bourdelois all men know those French Quarrels are as short as violent In like manner several other forreign Princes and States sent over Deputations into England to endeavour to moderate a Peace between this Commonwealth and the Hollanders as amongst the rest the Queen of Sweeden The Cantons of Switzes the Imperial Hansiatick Towns of Hamborough and Lubeck But at that time there was such a combustion in the minde of the English who were at variance amongst themselves as that there was no appearance of thinking of any peace with strangers and forreigners Affairs being therefore thus embroyled at home his late Highness as then General seeing that in the Parliament the particular Interests overswayed the publick Good and that it was aparent all their drifts tended but to establish themselves into a perpetual Senate contrary to the ancient Customes and Liberties of England which require that Parliaments should have their successions and should onely be convocated from time to time and that therefore the members of the house wiredrawed Affairs by unnecessary Centestations which onely served to publish the designs and to retard the execution of them This our General I say who was designed by the Divine Providence to establish peace and tranquillity in England upon surer more sollid and more glorious Foundations entred the Parliament House accompanied by the Chief Officers of the Army and briefly represented unto them the Reasons why the Parliament ought to be dissolved which was also accordingly done The Speaker with the rest of the Members immediately departing the House some by force some through fear and others not without a great deal of reluctancy and murmuring No one living soul was aggrieved at this action neither was it so much as endeavoured to be questioned or redressed by any one all the world believing that in case the said change should bring no good with it at least it would not put Affairs in a worse predicament then they were so that the sovereign Senate was dissolved as you have heard and the power thereof was transferred into the hands of those who better deserved it since they acquired it by the points of their Swords and that they have since made appear that they knew how to use it with more prudence and moderation Nay the Parliament-men were even made so cheap unto the people that they became their reproach and obliquie and so were a consolation to the unfortunate who saw themselves revenged on them by those from whom they had least cause to suspect or expect it There was not so much as the least questioning nor censuring of the cause of this revolution but every one found it expedient according unto the several satisfactions which he thereby received or hoped for and as the Army was onely looked upon as Souldiers of fortune whom the necessity of the Affairs or the dangerous conjuncture of the times had enforced to take up Armes so that which was past and gone was not laid to their charge and the world could not choose but applaud them for what happened at present but expect from them for the future that generosity which the Millitary profession doth inspire into great courages as to this very day all men do enjoy
the first fallings out when at last having severall times past and repast through and through each other General Blake obtained the Victory having sunk one Holland Man of War took another with thirty Guns made a hundred and fifty Prisoners and both the Captains of the said Ships and sent the rest of their Fleet home by weeping Cross to tell the rest of their Butter-box Brethren the success of their rash Attempt The English lost but ten Men in this Fight and had forty wounded and of the whole Fleet the Generals Ship alone was somewhat endamaged in her Masts Sails Tackling and Apparel After which the States of Holland disowned and disavowed this Action and to that purpose sent over two extraordinary Ambassadors into England who represented these Reasons to the Parliament of England therein declaring Viz. That the unhappy Fight betwixt the Fleets of both Common-wealths hapned without their knowledge and contrary to the will and desire of the Lords the States General of the united Provinces taking God to witness of this Truth who knows the hearts of men and that both by Letters and Messages they had continually been assured of the said Lords and States Sincerity That with astonishment and amazement they had received the fatall tydings of so rash an Attempt and Action and that immediatly they entred into Consultation how they might best find out a remedy to soften and excuse this fresh bleeding Wound To which end they had convocated a general Assembly of the Provinces in the which they doubted not God willing to meet with a present remedy to these Troubles whereby not only the Causes of all the evils which might ensue should be removed but also by an interiour Comfort mens Minds might be rectified and brought to a better hope of the Treaty which was on Foot wherein their Lordships laboured daily and in good earnest for the Welfare of both Nations to avoid the further effusion of Christian blood so much desired by the Enemies unto both Nations wherefore they requested and desired most humbly of this honourable Councel by the Pledges of the Liberty and their mutuall concurrence in Religion Not to suffer any thing to be undertaken with too much precipitation and heat which might at length become irrevocable and not to be remedied by vaine Wishes or too late Vows but that without delay they might receive a favourable Answer which they the more earnestly desire since their Lordships the States Ships and Marriners were detained and impeded in their Voyages some by force and others by the Fights at Sea and the rest in the Ports of this Common-Wealth Whereunto the Parliament thus replyed Viz. THat whereas they remember with what continual Demonstrations of Friendship they alwaies Comported themselves towards their Neighbours of the united Provinces ever since the beginning of their Civil Wars having not omitted any thing which might tend to the preservation of a good understanding betwixt them they think it very strange to find how ill the said States have answered these their Civilities and especially by the Acts of Hostilitie which they have lately exercised against this Common-wealths Fleet and having taken the whole into their Consideration as well as the severall Papers presented to the Councel of State by their Ambassadors They do thereon answer That as they are ready to give a favourable interpretation to the expressions contained in the said Papers tending to represent how that the last Fight which hapned lately was without the knowledge and contrary to the intentions of their Masters so likewise when they consider how incomformable and inconsistent with these Thoughts and Discourses the proceedings of their State and the behaviour of their Sea-men hath been in the very midst of a Treaty and in what a manner the said particulars have been Negotiated here by their Ambassador The extraordinary preparations of a 150 Ships without any apparent necessity and the Instructions which were by the said Lords States given to the Sea-men we have but too great cause to believe That the Lords the States General of the united Provinces have a designe to usurp the known right which the English have to the Seas To destroy their Fleets which after God are their Walls and Bulwarks and thereby to expose the Common-wealth to an Invasion according to their own good liking even as they have attempted to do by their last Action whereupon the Parliament do think themselves to be obliged to endeavour by Gods assistance as they shall find occasion for the same to seek the reparation of those Wrongs which they have already received and an assurance for the future against the like which might be attempted against them However with a desire and an intention that things may be composed and put up in an amicable way if it be possible by such waies and means as God by his Providence shall lay open and by such circumstances as may tend to hasten this Designe and may render it more efficacious then any other of the like nature hath not yet been So that this Conference besides many others having not been caple to produce the Agreement and expected Reconciliation the Holland Ambassadors took their leaves of the Parliament by a publick Audience and went their ways And immediatly both these powerful Common-wealths prepared for an open VVar all the Waters of the Ocean being not able to quench their just Indignations and those Forces which they will both engender upon the Surface of the Sea may well and duly represent unto us the Image of the Chaos and the VVars of the Elements General Blake who seemed to have fastned the Saile of Fortune to his most prodigious mast by the glorious appearance of his gallant and resolute Fleet makes Saile towards the Northen Parts and about the Isles of Orkney and seised upon all the Holland Vessels which he found Fishing on that Coast most part of the Fishing Barques he sent away and discharged as unworthy Objects or Ornaments to so stately a Navall Armado but the twelve Holland Men of War which were to convoy and secure them he brought home with him On the other side Sir George Askue remaining in the Channel with another Squadron of Ships to clear and guard the same discovered thirty Saile of Hollanders betwixt Callis and Dover to which he gave Chace and constrained them all for the most part to run a shoare on the Coast of France onely ten excepted which were taken burnt and sunck and in reference to this fatall Rupture there was not a day past wherin Prizes were not made by the English on the Hollander and French who likewise were not as yet well reconciled to the English Thence Sir George Askue set Saile towards the West as well to seek out for the Hollander as to guard those Coasts and to convoy the Merchant-Men which were ready to set Saile from Plimouth through the Channel and being come within seven or eight Leagues of the said Port he had notice given
Letters the most exquisite that are in any Language by Mr. Robert Lovedey who was the late admired Translator of the Volumes of the famed Romance Cleopatra Published by his dear Brother Mr. A. L. 15. The so long expected Work the New World of English Words or a general Dictionary containing the Terms Etymologies Definitions and perfect Interpretations of the proper signification of hard English words throughout the Arts and Sciences Liberal or Mechanick as also other subjects that are useful or appertain to the Language of our Nation to which is added the signification of Proper Names Mythology and Poetical Fictions Historical Relations Geographical Descriptions of the Countreys and Cities of the World especially of these three Nations wherein their chiefest Antiquities Battels and other most memorable Passages are mentioned by E. P. 16 A learned Comentary on Psalm the fifteenth by that Reverend and Eminent Divine Mr. Christopher Cartwright Minister of the Gospel in York to which is prefixed a brief account to the Authors life and of his Work by R. Bolton 17. The way to Bliss in three Books being a learned Treatise of the Philosophers Stone made publique by Elias Ashmole Esq 18. Wit restored in several Select Poems not formerly publisht by Sir John Mennis Mr. Smith and others 19. The Modern Assurancer the Clerks Directory containing the Practick Part of the Law in the exact Forms and Draughts of all manner of Presidents for Bargains and Sales Grants Feoffements Bonds Bills Conditions Covenants Jointures Indentures c. And all other Instruments and Assurances now in use by John Hern. 20. Naps upon Parnassus A sleepy Muse nipt and pincht though not awakened Such voluntary and Jovial Coppies of Verses as were lately received from some of the WITS of the Universities in a Frolick dedicated to Gondibert's Mistress by Captain Jones and others c. 21. The compleat Midwife's Practice in the high and weighty Concerments of Mankinde the second Edition corrected and enlarged with a full Supply of such most useful and admirable Secrets which Mr. Nicholas Culpeper in his brief Treatise and other English Writers in the Art of Midwifry have hitherto wilfully passed by kept cose to themselves or wholly omitted by T. Chamberlaine M. P. 22. America Painted to the Life the History of the Conquest and first Original undertakings of the advancement of the Plantations in those Parts with an exquisite Map by F. Gorges Esquire 23. Culpeper's School of Physick or the Experimental Practice of the whole Art so reduced either into Aphorismes or choice and tried Receipts that the free-born Students of the three Kingdoms may in this Method finde perfect wayes for the operation of such Medicines so astrologically and Physically prescribed as that they may themselves be competent judges of the Cures of their Patients by N. C. 24. Blagrave's admirable Ephemerides for the Year 1659. 25. History and Policy Reviewed in the Heroick transactions of his most Serene Highness Oliver late Lord Protector declaring his steps to Princely Perfection drawn in lively Parallels to the Ascents of the great Patriarch Moses to the height of 30 degrees of Honor by H. D. Esq 26. J. Cleaveland Revived Poems Orations Epistles and other of his Genuine Incomparable Pieces never before Publisht 27. England's Worthies Select Lives of the most eminent Persons of the three Nations from Constantine the Great to these times by W. Winstanly 28. The History of the Life and Death of his most Serene Highness Oliver late Lord Protector Wherein from his Cradle to his Tomb are impartially transmitted to Posterity the most weighty Transactions forreign or Domestique that have happened in his Time either in Matters of Law Proceedings in Parliaments or others Affairs in Church or State by S. Carrington 29. The right Lozenges publickly sold by Edmund Buckworth in St. Katherines Court for Coughs and Consumption of the Lungs c. are to be had at Nath. Brook's and John Grismond's in Ivy-lane and at no other place FINIS His Highness Birth and Parentage Lingua the Combate of the Sences His excellent qualifications The first Engagement The Treasure of the University sailed on A remarkable expedition The Battell of Marston Moor. His Highness admirable management of the Bartell at Nazeby The Victory of Preston in Lancashire The Monarchiall Government changed into a Common Wealth Forces sent into Ireland General Cromwell goes for Ireland and arrives there in August 1649. Drogedah in Ireland besieged The Common-wealth prepares to war against the Scots His late Highness made Generalissimo of the Common-wealths Armies A Manifest concerning the Scotch warre The Bâ—â—…teâ—… of Dunia gainte by the English Lieth taken Edinborâ—ugh taken The besieging of Edinborough Castle The good successe of the Naval Forces under General Blake Prince Ruperts Fleet ruined A Declaration for the security of the Soldiers The reducing the Isle of Scilly Blacknâ—sse taken by Coloâ—el Monk The Scots unitâ— A Plot discovered Major General Harrison sent to the North. Mr. Love Gibbons beheaded The Scotch army compleated refuse to fight Colonel Overton passes into Fife Major General Lambert passes into Fife 4000 Scots defeated by the English Brunt Isleland surrendred St. Johns Town surrendred The Scots enter England by Carlisle The English follow Colonel Monk with 7000 men reduceth all Scotland The Earle of Darby defeated Worcester Fight The Scots defeated at Worcester The remaining Nobility of Scotland seised and sent into England The Isle of Jersey attempted Jersey and all the Castles taken The Isle of Man attempted and reduced Guernsâ—y Castle surrendred The death of two famous Persons in England An Act of Parliament concerning the Importation and exportation of Goods Merchandises A Rupture with Holland caused The first Sea-fight with the Hollander May 52. Open War with Holland The Hollanders Fishermen destroyed in the North. A Holland Fleet destroyed by Sir Geo. Askue The Plimouth fight with the Dutch Six Hollanders Ships taken by Gen. Blake Six more taken by Captain Penne. A French Fleet taken by Gen. Blake The Kentish Knock a fight with the Hollanders Two Ambassadors arrive in England Severall passages between the English the Danes The Antelope Frigate lost 20 Holland Barques and 2 Men of War taken Another Sea Fight betwixt the English the Hollander in December A Fight between the English and the Hollander near the Isle of Wight Portland The Phenix regained A second Sea-fight in the Levant between the English and the Dutch A Portugal Ambassadour obtains Peace French Deputations sent to England Deputations concerning a peace with Holland The â—…ong Parliament dissolved The Lord General Cromwel and his Councells Manifest for the dissolving the Parliament A Declaration for settling a Councel of State A Fight between the English and the Dutch on the North Foreland The Dutch worsted and many Ships taken The Hollanders pursued and blocked up in their own Ports A Parliament called by General Cromwel The Generals Speech to the Members The Instrument of Government delivered to the
Postscript REader Be pleased to take notice that this History is Translating into five other Languages it is in French ready for the Press the other Translations for other parts of the World being in such forwardness as that they will be speedily extant An Advertisement Courteous Reader BE pleased to take notice that in the Page 195. seven lines before that never till now published an Incomparable Poem of the English Virgil of our times Mr. Edmund Waller on General Mountague's wonderful Victory at Sea over the Spaniards at Sancta Cruze that in the Printing this escaped for shaming read sublime for other lesser Mistakes the expedition of the Press may obtain thy excuse THE HISTORY Of his Highness OLIVER The late Lord-Protector From his Cradle to his Tomb. The Introduction IF those Writers who pen the Histories of great Men had the same advantage as Painters have who oblige those whom they are to Portraict to seat themselves in such a posture as they may best consider and judge of them who do choose their Lights and thereby discover most apparently the most delicate and neatest feature of the Faces which they are to represent I might hope to give unto the publick and to Posterity a perfect Resemblance of his late Highness the Lord Protector of England although I should meet with a great deal of difficulty in the well applying of the Colours and to make choice of such exquisire Ones to trace the Footsteps of so glorious a Life True it is that the Soul is not visible as Mens Bodies are for as it hath its Origine from Heaven we must of necessity ascend up thither and enter into the Councels of the Almighty to observe those Lights and Inspirations which he gives unto those persons whom his Divine Providence doth make choice of to command here on Earth and those designs which he doth frame in these great Souls for the encrease of his Glory and for our Peace and Tranquillity So that our Ignorance doth oblige us herein to immitare the modesty and good behaviour of Painters who instead of a beautifull nakedness render it to our view wrapt up in fine Linnen and not discovering unto us the Brain whence the severall motions of the Body do proceed they only set before our eyes a dumb Image without Motion and some few Physionomical Marks which do help us to guess who the party is they intend to represent unto us My intent is to give you a rough Draught of this most excellent Personage whose Actions are so glorious and surpassingly winning in themselves as that we shall only need to enter upon a Relation of them and so insensibly compleat a Naturall Panegyrick much like unto those exquisite Beauties the advantages whereof we so much the more lessen and detract from by how much the more we go about to embellish them with Ornaments and Cloathing so that the Resplendency of my Subject it self will spare me the labour of making a long Introduction and the vastness of its Renown saves me the care I ought to have taken in duly preparing the Readers Mind to conceive worthily of this my HEROE and to have begot in them a Love and Esteem of his Person His late Highness was born in the Town of Huntington the chief of the Shire which beareth the same Name of a Noble Parentage being descended from the Ancient and Illustrious Family of the Williams's of the County of Glamorgan which Name in the Reign of King Henry the Eighth was changed into that of Cromwell as will appear by the ensuing History His Parents left him not much Wealth but caused him to be educated in the University of Cambridge where as it is reported a publick Representation being to be performed he that was to represent the Kings part falling sick this our Cromwell was said to have taken the Part upon Himself and so well imployed the little time he had to get it by Heart as it seemed that it was Infused into him and whereby he represented a King with so much Grace and Majesty as if that Estate had been naturall unto him And truly thus much may be averred that his Soul comprehended all those Seeds and Foundations of such Vertues as do usually render a Person capable to govern others Having finished his course of Study at the University when he had perfectly acquired unto himself the Latine Tongue which Language as all men know he made use of to treat with Strangers his Parents designed him to the Study of the Civill Law which is the Foundation of the Politicks It being very requisite that he who was Ordained to give Law to three Kingdomes and to the whole Sea besides should have a smack of the Law and chiefly of those which were the most Essentiall and Universall for he dived not over deep into this Study but rather chose to run a Course in all the rest of the Sciences and chiefly in the Mathematicks wherein he excelled as likewise he may be justly said to have yeilded to no Gentleman whatsoever in the knowledge of the rest of the Arts and Sciences But to keep more close to our History His Fortune and Rise did commence by those very means which by degrees elevated him to the Supream pitch of Grandeur The conjuncture of Affairs brought him on the Stage his Valour raised him up and the Politick part taking the upper hand as belonging to Her by Birth-right Crowned him with all those Blisses which both the former and latter could justly discern Wherefore the Disorders of England and Scotland being not possible to be appeased without the intervening of a Parliament there was one summoned in the year 1641. in which the late Protector assisted in the quality of a Burgess for the Town of Cambridge one of the most famous Universities of England who could not fail in making so good a Choice and so worthy of such Eminent persons as themselves verst in all Sciences and Profound Knowledge Things growing past an amicable reconciliation between the King and the Parliament after severall and infinite Treaties and Proposalls the last Reason both of the one and the other terminated in the loud Volleys of Canons each Partie took the Field and those Parliament Men who were minded to engage in the War did with a generall consent and approbation obtain leave to suspend their Imployment in the House whereunto they were called To maintain the Liberties of Parliament with the points of their Swords His late Highness was none of the last that proferred his Service to the Parliament and the better to witness his Passion and Zeal to the Cause he raised a Troop of Horse at his own costs and Charges The esteem he had in the House and the value which the County of Essex put upon his Person obliged the Parliament to grant him a Commission to levy as many men as he could that so he might make up a compleat Regiment And as he was Burgess of the
Town of Cambridge so his first care was to settle that place for the Parliament although he met with great Obstacles therein and the Reason likewise was very harsh it being the Month of January the very heart of the Winter Now you are to note that the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge were the first of all the Towns in England which declared themselves for the King and the last which acknowledged the new established Authority by reason they were filled with persons designed to possess those Church Goods which were in the Kings Donation besides which the Parliament detesting their Commissions was resolved to reduce and reform them His late Highness having notice that all the Colledges were making a Stock and Assembly of all their Plate and of what ready monies they had to send it unto the King all which amounted unto a very considerabe Sum went suddenly to Cambridge and seized all that Treasure just as it was ready to be sent away unto Oxford And as he was upon this Expedition he signallized himself far more by another Action Sir Thomas Comes who was newly made Sheriff of Hertford Shire had received Orders from the King to publish a Proclamation by which the County of Kent and all its Adherents were proclaimed Traytors His late Highness surprised him in the very Action on a Market-day in the Town of St. Albons and having seized the said Knight he sent him up to the Parliament And not long afterwards he very oportunely assembled all the Forces of the County of Cambridge exhorted the Neighbouring Counties of Suffolk Norfolk and Essex to send him their Aydes to oppose the Lord Capell who was to have been seconded by Prince Rupert and should have seized Cambridge and thereby have impeded the association of the united Counties about London which were the only Bulwark and Defence of that great City wherein the Sinews of War did consist and by whose resolutions and proceedings the rest of the Kingdome was then governed His Highness diligence and vigilancy at that time brake the Neck of that Design and forced the Lord Capell and Prince Rupert to direct their Thoughts another way In the beginning of the Month of March next ensuing his late Highness having compleated a Regiment of Horse to the full number of a thousand Men marched with great diligence into the County of Suffolk on the advice which he had received of a great Confederacy which was there hatching between the Nobility of the Kings Party who were assembled in a considerable Town called Lowerstost whom he so unsuspectedly surprised as that he became Master of the place without the fiering of one Gun He took Prisoners Sir Thomas Barker Sir John Pettas his Brother Mr. Knevet Catlines Hammond Cory Turrill Preston and above twenty other Persons of Note He likewise there took severall parcels of Armes and Ammunition and other War-like Equipages sufficient to have armed a considerable Party and had not his Highness made use of his accustomed Prudence and his usuall Activity in this Conjuncture he had met with a great deal of difficulty on this account and the whole County had run a danger to have been lost severall persons of Quality and divers Noble men hourly flocking to that Randezvous This Service was most seasonably rendred to the Parliament and the Kings Party both in Suffolk and Norfolk were thereby totally disheartned and diâ—…ncouraged The Spring being advanced and the Season permitting the framing of greater Designs and taking of longer Marches his Highness having well setled the Peace and Tranquillity of the associated Counties which as we have sayd served as a Bulwark to the Parliament his Mind and his Valour requiring a space of Ground as vast as its Activity he raised a Body of an Army and that a very considerable one being composed of such zealous persons as had already been charmed with his Conduct and being attracted by his Reputation did voluntarily come in unto him to serve with and under him in the Cause of Religion He thus Marched into Lincolnshire with a Resolution to assist those Forces which lay about Newark one of the strongest places which held out as then for the King into which the greatest part of the Gentry of Lincolnshire had retired themselves and where there was a good Garison commanded by Officers who had served their Apprentiships in the Military Art beyond the Seas so that they fetcht in vast Contributions out of the Neighbouring Counties and made Inroads to the very Gates of Lincoln And his Highness being now at the Head of a Regiment of Horse in his passage through Huntingtonshire was willing to deliver his Native Country from those Disorders which two contrary Parties do usually cause and commit being in one Shire he therefore disarmed all those who were not affectioned to the Parliament by which means he so enlarged and augmented his Troops that he had gotten two thousand Men together and before he came neer Newark he received another re inforcement of Horse which was sent him by Captain Hotham as also some other Troops which were sent him from Lincoln insomuch that he thus framed a sufficient considerable Body of an Army for that time He no sooner was come nigh to Newark but that he signallized himself by an Action which was the more glorious by how much the less it was expected nor foreseen Captain Wray having so inconsideratly placed himself with his Lincolne Horse too nigh Newark was in the Night set upon by the Garrison which made a great Sally and surrounded and took all his Men the Alarm comming hot to his late Highness Quarters he forthwith repaired to the place where the Fight was it being then about ten of the Clock in the Night relieved the said Captain Wray and took three whole Companies of the Enemy killed the rest on the place and made good his Retreat by Favour of the dark Night After which having blocked up the place he received those Sallies which were made by the Besieged with so much Courage and Vigilancy as that he alwaies came off with advantage sometimes forcing the Enemies into their very Works and sometimes cutting them in pieces insomuch that he never returned unto the Camp but he was laden either with Prisoners Spoyles or Colours and that he might neglect no occasion for to give a testimony of his Prudence and Activity he also scouted abroad into the Country with his Horse and neer unto Grantham he defeated a strong Party which came forth of Newark with a handful of Men onely since which the World did take notice that there was somewhat more then ordinary in the person of his late Highness And not long after he also defeated part of the Lord of Newcastles Army which came to relieve Newark setting upon them in their Quarters betwixt Grantham and Newark where he took one hundred Horses forty Prisoners and killed severall on the place And should I particularlize all his late Highness's memorable Actions
during these English Civill Wars I must of necessity compile a whole Volume thereof since nothing worth the taking notice of ever hapned in which he was not a Sharer and wherein he was not alwaies one of the foremost wherfore I shall only insist upon two chief Actions which were of so great Importance that the decision of the whole War depended thereon and wherin the Valour of his late Highness may justly claim the greatest if not the sole share Two of the Parliaments Armies the one commanded by the Lord Fairfax and the other by the Lord Manchester being united to the Scotch Army their Confederates Commanded by the Earl of Livin had joyntly besieged the City of York the Metropolis of that County and whereof the Earl of Newcastle was Governour for the King who over and above his Garison which was very strong had also a brave and gallant Army Prince Rupert was sent by the King to raise that Siege with such considerable Forces as being joyned to those of the Earl of Newcastle did well nigh equallize the Parliaments in number The three Parliament Generals did immediatly raise the Siege to encounter Prince Rupert and the Earl of Newcastle drew forth also his Forces out of the Town and both Armies being drawn up in Battell-Array upon Marston Moore they both fought with a great deal of Fury Animosity and hopes of Victory which at first seemed to incline to the Kings Part the right Wing of the Parliaments Forces Commanded by the Lord Fairfax having the disadvantage of the Ground was over-whelmed by the left Wing of the Kings Party who routed and defeated it But his late Highness who as then was stiled but a Colonel whose after Appellations I shall observe by degrees which Fortune advanced him to who commanded the left Wing and had not the least advantage of the Ground did so violently set upon the right Wing of the Kings Party as that he brake in peeces Prince Ruperts best Regiments and forced them not only to give way but to turn their Backs and suffering only some part of his Men to pursue the Enemy he with the rest made half a turn about and charged the Enemies main Battell in the Rear so vigorously as that putting Life again into the Lord Fairfax's Souldiers he constrained them to face about and thereby so well restored the Success of the Battell as that he obtained and Entire and compleat Victory Two Generals of the Enemies and some of the best mounted of their Officers only making their escapes by their Horses good heels and this Battell was accounted the greatest that ever was fought during these last Wars The same thing likewise hapned in the famous Battell of Naseby neer unto Northampton when as his late Highness ariving in the Camp but on the Evening before the Fight gave such encouragement and joy to the whole Army by reason of his so suddain and unexpected Arivall from so great a distance of place as that it presaged an undoubted Victory The left Wing of the Parliaments Army was quite over borne General Ireton his late Highness Son-in-Law and who afterward governed Ireland in the Quality of Lord Deputy with as much Prudence and Conduct as he shewd Valour and Deserts to merit so considerable an Imployment being the second Person of the Common-wealth was carried off from the Field by two Wounds he received and was taken Prisoner but was relieved again and Prince Rupert pursued his Victory with as much vigour and hopes to gain the Battell as if the day had been his own But his late Highness on his side defeating that Wing which was oposite to him charged them with such force and Courage as that he made the Victory dubious and so it continued for a good while neither inclining to the one side not the other till at last the Kings Horse falling a running left their Foot to shift for themselves which were all cut in pieces and taken Prisoners all the Canon Baggage was likewise taken of a considerable value there was also found a Cabinet of the Kings with his Papers of great Importance The royall Standard and one hundred Colours beside were brought off and his late Highness having pursed the Kings Horse as long as he listed at length returned to the Camp with a great number of Prisoners Should I go about to number up the severall places of consequence which this Conquerour hath taken either by force or by Capitulations I should fill up a whole Volume with the Names of Towns and Fortresses alone besides intending hereby only to give you a Perspective of his glorious Life I will only instance in those worthy Actions of his whereby the Fortunes of the Wars did decide the possession of three Kingdomes Nor may we omit to reckon amongst the rest of his Heroick Atchievements the Victory which he obtained by Preston in Lancashire over Duke Hamilton and Sir Marmaduke Langdale whose united Forces amounted unto 25000 his late Higness having not above 10000 at most notwithstanding which inequallity of Forces he gave them Battell and entirely routed that puissant Army killing 3000 Scotch upon the place and taking 9000 Prisoners chasing the remaining Forces to Warrington about 20 Miles from the place where the Battell was fought and taking Duke Hamilton Prisoner at a place called Vttoxeter whither he was retired with 3000 Horse as also Sir Marmaduke Langdale the one by my Lord Grey and Colonel White and the other by Captain Widmonpoole so that but few Scotch returned to their own Country to cary back the News of so prodigious a Defeat NO sooner were the Civill Wars of England terminated by the discomsiture of all the Kings Armies the taking of his own Person and by his death but the Parliament by a solemn Vote and Ordinance changed the Monarchiall Government into a Common-wealth The Kingdome of Ireland was the first that witnessed a discontent of this Change and all the severall Parties there uniting themselves on the News of this Change they owned the late Kings Son and joyned all their Forces against the Interest of the Common-wealth and on a suddain became so powerfull and formidable as that the chief Places in those Parts submitted to their obedience Dublin only and London Derry excepted the first whereof was immediatly besieged by an Army of 22000 Men Commanded by the Marquis of Ormond and the other by a considerable Party the Natives of the Country The Royallists were as yet in possession of the Isles of Jersey and Man which places although they were adjacent unto England yet they only stood them in stead for a retreat to some Ships which robbed up and down the Seas in those Parts Nor were the Irish Businesses there arrived at the height of perfection whereas they began to decline for 3000 Horse and Foot which the Parliament sent into Ireland as the forerunner only of a more considerable Body being safely landed at Dublin joyned themselves unto the
Fleet of nine great Ships which served to shelter several other small ones whereby the trade of England was much impeded and incommodated which obliged the Parliament to put forth a most puissant Naval Army to Sea fitted with good Mariners and all kinde of necessary war-like Ammunitions The sole brute of this Fleet made all the Enemies Ships to run into their several skulking holes like unto so many Conies and Prince Rupert being not strong enough to encounter them was forced to retire into Kingsale Haven in Ireland where he was immediately blocked up by the Parliaments Fleet whilest General Cromwell besieged both the Port and Town by land and Prince Rupert being forced to make a vertue of necessity resolved to bear the brunt of all the English Fleet and so saved himself leaving behinde him three Ships which by that occasion were taken and finally after several turnings and turmoilings be cast anchor at Lisbone where he was protected by the King of Portugal which caused the rupture betwixt this Common-wealth and that Crown and all those mischiefs which ensued as we hereafter shall rehearse Meanwhile the Royallists in Scotland seeing the Parliament was busied in Ireland thought to lay hold on a fit opportunity to play their game and to that purpose the Earle of Montrosse having landed in the North of Scotland with some Forces he had raised in Holland and other parts assembled the old Souldiers who had formerly served under him and armed them with such Arms as he had brought from Holland but before he could make a considerable body he was defeated by the Presbyter Forces taken and hanged on a very high Gibbet which is the last mark of infamy in that Countrey Within a while after there was a Treaty commenced at Breda between the Scots and their King to install and re-establish him in that Kingdome and in the others according as Fortune should answer their designs and expectations and to this end they deputed Ambassadors into Spain Italy Denmarke Sweden Russia and into Turkey and finally throughout all Europe to demand relief aid and assistance But all their Embassies procured neither men nor money only their Ambassadors were laden with Complements and good wishes in return each others particular affairs not permitting them to do more All which gave unto the Common-wealth of England not any great fears but great jealousies wherefore the better to be informed of the passages abroad and the better to fortifie themselves by foraign Leagues and Alliances M. Dorislaus a person full of knowledge and conduct was sent in the quality of an Agent towards the States of the United Provinces the chief drift of this Negotiation being to criment a good and firm understanding between the two Common-wealths But scarce was he arrived at the Hague when five or six disguised persons entred forcibly into his Chamber and massacred him And whilest it seemed all things were a profound Calm in England or that at least the course of the Enemies designs both at home and abroad being sufficiently known to the State on a suddain there sprang up the most formidable faction that ever was hatch'd since these last Warres A certain number of persons who called themselves Levellers whose pretenses were to render all mens goods and possessions alike and truely this was a very plausible design and might doubtlesse have met with as many Abetters as there are men in the world who have no other possessions or Revenues but their good wills to obtaine them The chief of these Levellers was one John Lilborn a man of a dating and attempting spirit who could not remain quiet but was altogether invincible not to be moved by threats nor gained by the favour or presents of fortune which were beneath the extent of his ambition and a considerable part of the Army siding with their Leader they augmented in numbers as fast as the shortnesse of the time would permit the confluence of such men as flattered themselves with such fond hopes and who promised themselves a revenge and and establishment by a second Revolution and change But before all those who intended to have sided with them could come up to them and unite in one body they were vigorously set upon by the Lord Fairfax at that time the Common-wealths General who defeated them at a place called Burford in the County of Oxford where their Leader and the best part of his Souldiers were taken some of which were put to death for example sake and some others were banish'd but the greatest part were pardoned and admitted into favour again As for their Leader John Lilborne being brought up to London he appeared before the chief Officers and Judges of London and Westminster the Lord Maior Sheriffs and divers others where he was not only accused of divers Martial Crimes but also Politick ones as having been the Author of several scandalous and defamatory Libells against the State which tended to render the Government odious and to beget a Mutiny in the people however he so dexterously shifted himself of all these accusations as that the Judges declared him Not guilty Much about that very time Mr. Anthony Ascham a most judicious and accomplished Gentleman was Deputed and sent over in the quality of an Agent to the King of Spain and arrived at the Port of Sancta Maria on the 5. of June 1650. where being advertised but his person was in danger he was constrained to cause himself to be guarded to Madrid where the next day after his arrival as he was at Dinner six men knocked at his Chamber doore which was immediately opened unto them and he rising from the Table to receive them the first of the said parties stabbed him in the head with a Dagger so that he fell down dead to the ground and his Interpreter Signior Riba being not able to make his escape soon enough was likewise stabbed in the belly which being thus done the Murderers would have saved themselves in the Venetian Ambassadors house who refused them protection whence they retired themselves into a Church which in Spain is a Sanctuary which the Justice ought not to violate whence however the King of Spain had them taken and put into prison one only excepted who made an escape Hence there arose a great contest betwixt the King and the Clergy who complain'd that their priviledges had been infringed and demanded that the Prisoners might be returned unto them and on the other side the Parliament of England pressed hard to have justice done on them and though message upon message instance upon instance were used therein yet they took no effect And lest it may seem that all these foraign Negotiations which we have here inserted may be beyond my subject however if they be considered as so many obstacles which Fortune opposed unto the vertue and greatness of his late Highness you will find that the recitall of them will not be altogether uselesse the rather since I have related them as succinctly as possibly
Besides we may also look upon them as so many seeds sowen to beget those warres which thereon ensued and which were by the late Protector rather by most glorious Treaties whereunto he was sought or by most signal Victories which were obtain'd and brought to a happy period by which the blood of these two Agents so cruelly murdered were retaliated with use But to go on to our History the Treaty of Breda being absolutely concluded and notwithstanding the great Antipathy and animosity between the Royallists and the Presbyterians all their jealousies and grudges were seemingly reconcised so that the Scotch wanted nothing to compleat their design but to enjoy their Kings preserce who immediately coming to the Hague went thence for Schevelinge and embarqued himself for Scotland notwithstanding the dangers and perils of the Sea which were very great and the English Ships which had way-laid him to surprize him As soon as he was landed in Scotland the first thing they propounded unto their King was to take the solemn Oath called the Covenant that burning Torch which the Mother of Paris did see in her frenzies that fatal fire which the Scotch believe descended from Heaven and by which they at their pleasures kindle those warres wherewith they infest England which Covenant as we know was only a superstitious and warlike Prorestation made in the presence of God and Men To maintain the purity of the Religion to preserve the priviledges of Parliament and the people and to re-establish the King in his Ancestors Throne But that which seemed somewhat harsh and rude to this Prince was the terms wherein they caused him to take this Oath quite contrary to Physitians who dip their Pills in Syrrops or Sugar to make them down the glibber yet these Politicians when the whole lay at the stake it seems troubled themselves not much with the wording of the thing for amongst real friends indeed there needs not many complements nor much complacence to be used Therefore the Churches of Scotland made their King swallow this restorative in the following Beverage constraining him to protest That he renounced the sinnes of his Fathers and his own house the Idolatry of his Mothers and that he would adhere unto Gods cause in conformity to the Covenant in the firm establishment of the Church Government as it was expressed in the Directory for that publick worship which is to be rendred to God contained in the Belief and Catechism And this Cup he was forced to drink that he might obtain his Fathers Kingdome which formalities were more then requisite for to establish that Prince in the opinion of the prevailing party which was only then in a condition to help him Howbeit the English knew very well to distinguish between these Artificial fictions and the truth for the Parliament of England being duely informed of the Scots their designs and practises thought it was high time to think of the best means to oppose them and after several consultations upon this businesse it was resolved that the Lord Fairfax should command the Army in chief and with all speed march toward the North of England But he most humbly thanked the Parliament and like unto a second Cincinatus retired himself from the Dictatorship to a Countrey-life excusing himself for not serving them in that Expedition upon his Indisposition at that time The Renown of General Cromwells feats of Arms both as Governour and Conqueror of Ireland admitted of no lesse Proposals then to make him Generalissimo of the Common-wealths Armies in the Lord Fairfax his stead So that he came over again into England whilest his hands were as yet warm and was sent to give a check unto other Enemies in another Climate and under another disguise after he had settled and assured all the Conquests of Ireland and had left the necessary and requisite Orders conducing to a solid peace and establishment of those parts with his sonne-in-Law Henry Ireton so that he returned thence laden with Palms and Laurels as Trophies of his worthy Acts in those parts And scarce was he returned home but he was enforced to march towards those parts whither the glory of Conquering a second Kingdome called upon him Now the Scots who by no means would make any outward shew of the grand designs which they were hatching at the approach of the English Army on their Frontiers seemed to be very much astonished and the whole Countrey took the Allarum moreover the better to colour this their astonishment and seeming surprizal they deputed a Messenger to Sir Arthur Haslerigge as then Governour of Newcastle upon the Borders of England and Scotland to know the reason of that so suddain March of the English Army towards their Frontiers whereunto they joyned several Manifesto's setting forth the Contents of the Leagues and ample Treaties of union between the two Nations and several other particulars which served only to gain time and to make the better preparations to receive their Enemies At the same time of the English Armies advance towards the North the Parliament set forth a Manifest accompanyed by another from the General and chief Officers of the Army whereby both the one and the others declared viz. That the reasons which moved them to this great undertaking was neither the support which they expected from the Arm of flesh nor the consideration or vanity of former successes not the desire they had to compasse any of their own designs But the true assurance they had that their cause was just before God reflecting on the foregoing Revolutions and the successe which had followed them not as the handy-work of Politick men or of Humane force but as the most eminent works of Providence and the power of God thereby to make his good will appear and to shew his pleasure concerning those things which he had decreed in this world That they were obliged not to betray the cause wherein God had so evidently manifested himself after which there was nothing more dear unto them then the preservation of those who feared the Lord and who might greatly suffer either by being mistaken or by not being capable to discern the true tye of a Generall Calamity of which their Christian charity they hoped they had given sufficient proofs at the last time when they were in Scotland with this very Army of which God was pleased to make use for to break in pieces the power of those who oppressed the faithfull in those parts But that the acknowledgements of so signal a favour did but little appear in the Engagement which they had lately made with their new King and that they had not proceeded like unto good Christians in publishing that their Army was but an Army of Sectaries However that they doubted not but that God would give them the grace to forgive them that calumny and to that effect they beseeched him to be so good unto them as to separate the Chaffe from the good Corn concluding in like manner as they
after they had promised quarter to the English they killed three of them and hurt all the rest There was no English Soldiers but had a Prisoner in this Battel there being taken ten thousand most of all which except the Officers were suffered to steal away amidst which there was ten Colonels twelve Lievetenant Colonels nine Majors forty seven Captains seventy two Livetenants and eighty Ensigns and amongst the Prisoners of Quality there was the Lord Libberton and his Son the Lord Cranstone Sir James Lundsdale Livetenant Generall of the Foot and Sir Pickerten Adjutant General all their Baggage and Canon was taken to the number of two and twenty great Guns and severall lesser ones two hundred Colours and Armes for 15000 Men of the English there was but one Officer killed and Major Rooksby who afterwards died of his Wounds as also Captain Sloyd of the Lord Fleetwoods Regiment dangerously wounded His late Highness obtained this memorable Victory on the third day of September 1650 on which day he also obtained another no less famous then this And on this very day God crowned his Labours with a peacefull and resolved quiet death whereby he no less triumphed over the World and the rage of Hell then he did in this last Battel we have related over a most puissant raging Enemy at which time his Army as a man may say brought low by Want and Sicknesses was even Bedrid and at deaths very Door And as the Parliament of England had caused a day of universall Prayers and Fastings to be kept for the good success of their Army in Scotland so likewise did they order a day of generall Thansgiving for this so notable and famous Victory and the General likewise on his part did not faile with the whole Army to acknowledge the good handy work of God who had so visibly gained him and them this Battel And the better to prosecute the said Victory and to reap the fruits thereof On the seventh day of September four Regiments of Foot were sent to possess Lieth a very considerable and advantageous place where seven and thirty piece of Ordnance were found mounted on Plat-forms and a considerable quantity both of Ammunitions of War and Provisions of Victuals And on the same day his late Highness became Master of the City of Edinbrough the Metropolitan of all Scotland and caused his whole Army to march into it without any loss save the Arme of one Soldier which was shot off by a Canon-bullet from the Castle And on the next Lords-day he sent a Trumpeter to the Castle to give notice to such Ministers as had abandoned their Pulpits to come and perform their Duties in their said Callings which they having refused to do he caused English Ministers to Officiate in their places in the mean while all possible diligence was used in the Fortifying of Lieth it being concluded to be the best and most commodious sheltring-place the English could have in Scotland for the Winter Season And after his late Highness had by sound of Trumpet both at Lieth and Edinbrough caused the freedome of Traffick and liberty of Trade to be published and established a sure way for the publick Markets himself on the fourteenth marched toward Nethrife six miles from Edinbrough leaving Major General Overton with his Brigade in Edinborough On the fifteenth the Army adadvanced toward Linlithgo but by reason of the ill Weather they could not pass on forward On the sixteenth they marched toward Falkirk and the next day they came up within one mile of Sterling On the eighteenth the Councel of War being assembled a Letter was drawn up to be sent thither by which the tenderness and affection of the English towards the Scotch Nation was represented alledging that though formerly it had not taken its desired effects Notwithstanding seeing that at present the Fortune and Success of Armes had been so contrary to them they desired them to reflect on those Proposals which had been formerly made unto them and to surrender that place unto them for the use of the Common-wealth of England and a Trumpeter being sent with the aforesaid Letter who coming up almost to the VValls met with a Gentleman on foot with a Pike in his hand who told him he should not be suffered to come into the place and that his Letter should in like manner not be received In the Afternoon that very day those of the Town sent a Trumpeter to demand the Prisoners with a proffer to pay their Ransoms To whom the General made answer That they were not come into Scotland to trade in Men nor to enrich themselves but to do Service to the Common-wealth of England and to settle and establish those Dominions On the same day Orders were issued to draw up the whole Army to the very VValls of the Town and by setting scaling Ladders to the place to give a generall Assault but after it was found that there was but a little appearance to effect the same in regard of the good Condition the Place and Garison was in they changed their resolution and on the nineteenth the Army retired to Linlithgow which was accounted a very fit place to make a Garison of whereby both Sterling and Edinborough might be bridled and curbed and the necessary Orders for the fortifying of the place being given there were five Troops of Horse left in Garison and six Companies of Foot and the Body of the Army returned to Edinborough where on the twenty third of September there was a day of Humiliation celebrated and solemnly kept And much about the same time the Churches of Scotland likewise ordered a solemn Festivall for the ensuing Reasons Viz. I. To humble themselves before God and to crave his pardon for having too much relyed on the Arme of Flesh II. For the wickedness and profaneness of their Armies III. For the Spoils and other Misdemeanours their Soldiers had committed in England IV. For having not sufficiently purged their Armies that is to say For not having put out such persons as were not godly and of their Belief V. For the indirect and sinister Means which their Commissioners made use of in their Treaty with their King and the indirect waies by which they had brought him into Scotland VI. For their not having sufficiently purged the Kings Family VII For the just Grounds they had to believe that his Majesties repentance was not reall nor from his heart The rest of the Month was imployed in the making of the Siege and Approaches against the Castle of Edinborough and in applying the Mines to the VValls And on the thirtieth the English with so much gallantry surprized one of their Bulwarks as they carried thence three hundred Muskets one Ensign and severall other Armes without the loss of one Man On the first of October the Besieged began to make their Salleys to hinder the working of the Miners upon whom they fired incessantly with their great and small Shot yet however they
but rather follow the Run-awayes and so contented themselves to take the most considerable persons They chased the Scots as farre as Aire Town Colonel Carre himself was wounded and taken Prisoner together with his Captain-Leivtenant as well as his Lievtenant-Colonel and Major Straughon as for Captain Giffin and several other chief Officers of their party they came and voluntarily surrendred themselves up to Major Generall Lambert who brought them all with him to the Head quarters at Edinborough During all which the approaches against Edinborough Castle were continued but to speak the truth with little or no effect till the Moneth of December when as all the Troops which were dispersed up and down the Countrey were assembled and brought together by reason of the ill weather and sharp season which would not permit them any longer to keep the field and then they fell to work in earnest towards the reducing of the said Castle which is the strongest and most considerable of all that Countrey against which a Plat-form was raised to place the Morter-pieces and the great Guns on but those within relyed so much on the strength and goodnesse of the place that they hung out a Flagge of defiance but not long after they were glad to take it in again whereby it was conceived that the Morter-shells had done some execution and that thereby they were constrained to change their tune so that in lieu of their former Flagge they were glad to hang out a white one betokening Peace and likewise they sent out a Drummer to propound That they were resolved to yield if so be they might be permitted to send to the Deputy of the States which being refused them they desired to parley and so delivered up the place Moreover one of the most remarkable and essential parts of his Highnesse life was his ability in making choice of capable personages fit to serve the State as well by their Councels as for the managing of the wars and indeed herein the Parliament alwayes preferred his opinion and sence beyond all others having found by experience that his advice and counsells were accompanyed with a good fortune as his valour constrayned her to Crown his actions And on the other part Generall Blake who commanded the Common-wealths Fleet at Sea was no lesse successefull by Sea then his late Highnesse was by Land whose Naval Forces being anchored before Lisbone having taken several French and Portugal men of war which much endamaged the English Merchant-men especially those which traded to the Levant was obliged by ill weather and for want of provisions to quit that Coast and to leave the Port of Lisbone free During which Prince Rupert making use of this opportunity set sail towards Mallaga where he took burnt and pillaged severall English Merchant-men which obliged Admiral Blake to reduce his Fleet to seven of his best sailing Frigats and sending the rest into England with the Prizes which he had taken he pursued the Enemies with all possible speed diligence and being arrived at Mallaga he understood that they had made sail towards Alicant and in his search of them betwixt the Cape of Gat and Paulo he took a French Ship which carryed twenty Guns and presently afterwards the Roe-buck of Prince Ruperts Fleet after which he encountred with another called the Black Prince which rather then she would suffer her self to be taken ran on shore and fired her powder Some few dayes after four Vessels more of Prince Ruperts Fleet ran on shoare in the Bay of Carthagena where they were lost and deserted by their Ships Companies Insomuch that of all that Fleet there was but two left which steered their course toward Majorca and Sumaterra Generall Blake having thus missed them would no longer continue the pursuit lest the Common-wealth might need him on more urgent and important occasions so that he set over for England to receive the Laurels due to his good service having done as much as could be expected from a person of Honour and Courage alwayes faithfull and true to the Common-wealth He was received by the Parliament with all the prayse and thanks he could expect for his good service but especially by the Merchants who treated him highly and immediately revived the Trade again which had for so long time as it were layn dead by the interruptions of so many Enemies Notwithstanding which good successes the Royallists were not backwark to be stirring in England being incited thereunto by the Ministers of the old Church of England one of their Agents Benson being discovered was put to death So likewise in the County of Norfolk certain people made a rising and under the notion of abolishing Papisme Schismes and Heresies and of re-establishing the King they gathered to a head but the Parliament not giveing them time to get into a body they were routed and defeated and a score of them were put to death Much about which time there happened a contest at Constantinople betwixt two English Ambassadors the one a Royallist the other a Common-wealths-man and to know which was the true Ambassador they referred their businesse to the who delivered the Royallist into the others power to dispose of him as he pleased and in reference thereto he was imbarqued at Smyrna for London where he was beheaded before the Exchange But to return to Scotland where the cold Northern Climate seems to have buryed all the Martial heat although not the Scotch Ministers zeal who had excommunicated Straughon and Swinton for adhering to the English who performed in those parts as much as the rigour of the season would permit men to doe and the Scots on the other side laboured to unite and settle each others mindes and differences give order for new Levies and Crowned their King with the greatest magnificence as the indigency and necessity of their affairs would permit The Scots who were better accustomed to the rigour and violence of their Winters then the English thinking to have some advantage over them would not let slip so favourable a season without their making some good use thereof wherefore Lievtenant General David Lesly with a party of 800 Horse endeavoured to surprize Lithgoe maintained but by one Regiment of Horse under the Command of Colonel Sanderson but finding the English upon their guards were forced to return without any attempt at all And the English on the other side to let them see that the harsh season had not quite benummed them took the field with two Regiments one of Horse the other of Foot commanded by Colonel Fenwick and marched towards the taking of Hume Castle which was very strong by reason of its situation I have here inserted two Letters which passed between the Besiegers and the Besieged by reason that the one denotes an absolute power in the Countrey and the other bears an extraordinary style TO THE GOVERNOUR Of the CASTLE of HUME SIR HIs Excellency the Lord General Cromwell Hath commanded me to reduce to his Obedience the
Concernments the Parliament being desirous together with the Kings person to extirpate his Memory and to remove those Objects which might beget tenderness in the people who do alwaies bemoan the misfortunes of those whom before they hated Commanded that his Statues should be flung down whereupon that which stood on the VVest-end of St. Pauls Church in London was cast down and the other which was placed in the old Exchange placing this following Inscription in the Comportment above the same Exit tyrannus Regum ultimus Anno Libertatis Angliae restitutae primo Anno Domini 1648. Januarii 30. In like manner the Aâ—mes of the Crown of England which were placed in the Churches in the Courts of Judiciture and other publick places were taken down And the Common-weath being now as it seemed solidly established some neighbouring States who desired to be in Amity with Her sent their extraordinary Ambassadors over as namely the Hollanders Spain and Portugal and by the following Negociations the issues of the said Embassies will easily appear As to the Spanish Ambassador satisfaction was continually demanded of him for the Murther which was committed on the persons of this Common-wealths Agents at Madrid nor was this State at all satisfied with the Answer thereon returned That the Contestations between the King of Spain and his Clergy on that particular were not as yet reconciled or brought to naissue And as to the Portugal Ambassador great and vast summes being demanded of him for the reimbursement of those Charges which the King his Master had caused the Common-wealth to be at and for the reparation of those damages which the English Merchants had sustained He replyed he had no Orders to make Answer thereunto whereupon he had his Audience of departure and went his way Immediatly after this Common-wealth sent two extraordinary Ambassadors to the States of the united Provinces the Lords Oliver St. Johns and Walter Strickland Personages of a high repute and endowed with exquisite Parts their Train was great ad splendid and their Equipage favoured not a little of the Splendor of their continued Victories They Embarqued in the Downs on the eleventh of March 1651. and the next day toward even they came to an anchor neer Helvoot Slugs but not without some danger on the 13 they made towards Rotterdam in the long-boats and by the way they were met by some of the States Jachts or Barges and being arrived they were by the English Merchants conducted to their publick House where they were most splendidly entertained whither the Spanish Ambassador sent to complement them by one of his Gentlemen to testifie unto them his joy for their happy arrival beseeching them to enter into and joyn with him in a right understanding Two or three dayes after they set forward towards the Hague and by the way were met by the Master of Ceremonies accompanyed with about thirty Coaches and after some reciprocal complements passed and exchanged they were conducted to a stately House which was prepared for them in the Town where having been three dayes treated at the States charges they had audience In which the Lord St. Johns made a most Elegant and learned Speech in English and gave the Copy thereof unto the Lords States both in English and in Dutch the most essential points whereof were as followeth I. That they were sent unto the Lords the High and mighty States of the United Provinces on the behalf of the Parliament of the Common-wealth of England to ciment a firm League and Confederation betwixt the two Common-wealths in case their Lordships thought it fitting notwithstanding the injuries which the English had received from the Holland Nation II. That they desired to renew and confirm the Treaties and Agreements formerly made concerning the Traffique and Commerce betwixt both Nations III. After which they exhibited the advantages which the Hollanders would reap by this said union in regard of the commodious situation of England for the Traffique with the multitude and security of her Havens and of all things which may advance the Commerce and Trade IV. Finally he told them That he wus commanded by the Parliament of England and by the Common-wealth to make known to their Lordships how sencibly they were touched with the Murder which was committed on the person of their Agent Mr. Dorislaus and that they doubted not but their Lordships would use all possible endeavours to discover the Authors of that horrid and unworthy action After which the Lords States being informed that the said Lords Ambassadors followers were daily molested and affronted by the English Royallists and other persons who resided in Holland they caused a Proclamation to be drawn up which they sent unto the Lords Ambassadors to know of them whether it was penned in the due terms according to their good liking whereby on pain of death they prohibited that no man should either by words or deeds offend or molest any of the said Ambassadors followers or retainers Three months time was already elapsed in their Negotiation at a vast expense and with a farre greater patience without that the least satisfaction in the world could be obtained at the hands of Justice for those daily affronts injuries which were put upon the Lords Ambassadors Retinue Servants and the scorns and disgraces offered to their own persons even to such a pitch as that the Common people and Rascality would assemble themselves at the Gates of their house and belch out injurious language and set upon and injure their Servants Now the Parliament being sensible of these wrongs and injuries and seeing the Lords States did not at all answer those kinde proffers and endeavours which were made unto them to beget and fettle a solid and firm alliance and peace betwixt the two Common-wealths save with delayes and shifts purposely to gain time upon the English till they should be able to judge how the face of things would evidence it self in Scotland and which way the Chain would turn there they recalled their Ambassadors Which suddain and unexpected newes extreamly surprised the Hollanders who testified their astonishments thereon to the Lords Ambassadors by more frequent and oftner visitations then formerly and by which they endeavoured to perswade them to beleeve the sincerity of their intentions and how earnestly and ardently they desired the alliance which their Lordships had propounded But all these fair words were not able to stay the Ambassadors who immediately returned into England again to cut out another guesse kinde of work for the Hollanders And that which gave the greater cause of jealousie unto the English and made them believe that the Hollander dealt deceitfully with them was that their Admirall Van Trump lay lurking about the Isle of of Scillie with his Fleet as if he had some design to make himself Master of them But when as the States were demanded the reason of his lying there they replyed that their Admirals being in those parts was only to demand restitution of
Queens Ferry with 1600 Foot and four Troops of Horse having in his said passage lost but six men as soon as they were arrived they fell to intrenching themselves and at the same time the Generall with the body of the Army marched directly towards the Enemy to the end that in case the Scots should make a shew to march towards Fife he might charge their Rear before they should gain Sterling and the Scots being unwilling to let the day passe without driving the English out of Fife sent 4000 Horse and Foot under the command of Sir John Brown to set upon the English which obliged Generall Cromwell to send over a re-inforcement of two Regiments of Horse and two Regiments of Foot under the Command of Major Generall Lambert in lesse then 24 hours they were passed over and joyned to the others and immediately the Regiment of Colonel Okey advanced towards the Enemy which ingaged them to draw up into Battel-array and the English likewise did the same who though they were more in number then the Scots yet they had the advantage of the ground and the Scots being placed on a hill they remained face to face for the space of an hour and a half looking on each other the Scots not being willing to march down nor lose their advantage insomuch that the English at last resolved to march up towards them and set upon them so resolutely as that after a very slender contest they quite routed them and made such a butchery amongst them that they killed 2000 of their 4000 took 1400 Prisoners amongst whom Sir John Brown who commanded the Party Colonel Buchanam and severall other persons of quality on the English side there were but few slain but many hurt and in reference hereunto more Forces were sent over into Fyfe in case the whole Body of both Armies might chance to come to a generall Battell Immediatly after the English became Masters of Inchigarvy a strong Castle scituate upon a Rock in the midst of the Province of Fryth between Queens Ferry and North Ferry in which there were sixteen piece of Ordnance mounted On the twenty seventh of July all the English Army appearing before Brunt Island the Governour there of took such an Alarme thereat as that after a small Contest in a Parley he surrendred the same delivering unto the English together with the said Island all the Men of War which were found in the Haven all the Cannon of the place as also all the Armes Ammunition of War and the provision of Victuals which said Isle was very considerable for the English to make a Magazine and Storehouse for the Provisions and Ammunition for the Army Thence the Army marched to St. John's Town a very strong and considerable place into which the Enemy had but just before put a fresh Regiment who were resolved to have defended themselves very well but as soon as they saw that their Sluces were cut off by the English they lost their Courage and surrendred the place Meanwhile there happened a great change of Affairs for the Scots Army consisting in 16000 men abandoned their own Territories in hopes of establishing themselves in a better Country and by the way of Carlisle enter England General Cromwell being advertised hereof issued out immediatly such Orders as were requisite to pursue the Scots and with all possible speed the Army repassed the River of Fife upon a Bridge of Boats at Leith Major General Lambert the sooner to overtake the Enemies Rear with 3000 Horse and Dragoons followed after them and Major General Harrison with a Body of lighter Horse was commanded to get into the Van of the Enemy for to amuse and detain them whilst the General himself with the Body of the Army consisting in sixteen Regiments of Horse and Foot immediatly pursued the Enemy But not wholly to abandon the Affaires of Scotland Colonel Monk was left there with 7000 men with which alone he perfected the Conquest of that Kingdome taking immediatly after this Change of the Scene the strong Town and Castle of Sterling being a very considerable Place and also Aberdeen Dundee and the strong Castle of Dunnotters and Dunbarton with many others Insomuch as that after the passage into Fyfe was once gained the remaining parts of Scotland were so on entirely subdued and were made tributary unto the Common-wealth of England Mean while the divided Parties of the English Forces which pursued the Scots Army did quite and clean tire them out during their March setting upon them sometimes in the Van sometimes in the Rear sometimes in the Flank and finally on all sides as they saw their oportunity to disturb and annoy them Insomuch that their long and precipitated March did much weaken the Scots But that which troubled and vexed them most of all was the little hopes they saw of those promises of relief which were given them from England The Parliament having settled such good Orders in all parts as that no body durst stir or rise in Armes to their Aide In all places wheresoever the Scots came they proclaimed their King To be King of great Britain France and Ireland according to the accustomed Formes and in his Name they sent unto all those who had any Commands or were in any Authority in those parts through which they passed to rise in Armes joyntly with them but no body budged To the contrary by Order of Parliament the Trained Bands of severall Countries drew forth in Armes to hinder the Risings and to augment the Common-wealths Armies On the one side General Cromwells Army marched on the Heels of the Scots to their Terrour on the other side the Major General Lambert and Harrison waited upon their Designs and Colonel Robert Lilborn was left in Lancashire to hinder the Earl of Darby from levying men in those parts and to the same purpose severall other Bodies were placed in other places as the occasion required both to cut off the Enemies Provisions as well as his passage In case they should resolve to retreat back again or to fly away Finally the Scotch Army having reached the Town of Worcester pitched its Camp there having much debated where and in what manner they should fix upon a resting and breathing place after so long and tedious a march Whereof the Earl of Darby was no sooner assertained but he issued forth of his Island with 300 Gentlemen and Landed in Lancashire where he assembled at least 1200 men during which the Generals Regiment which was left at Manchester was Commanded to joyn with Colonel Lilborne to cut off the Earl of Darbies passage to Manchester whither he was marching to have faln upon the said Regiment but Colonel Lilborne observing his motion marched the very same way joyning Flank and Flank with the Earls Forces who deeming that he ought not to defer the Fight with Lilborne till he should have joyned with the Generals Regiment when as then he might have proved too
his Life as freely as he formerly had done for the peace and tranquility of their City and for the Liberty of England The Lord Major rode all the way bare-headed as also carried the City Sword drawn before his late Highness the Lord Protector By the one representing the Respect and Obedience of the City and by the other its Fidelity and Resolution to spill their Blood in the defence of the Peace of the State and for the preservation of the Life and new Dignity of his Highness The Streets were railed up and the several Companies of the City in their Liveries sate on both sides of the way with Streamers sticking up to distinguish each Company Moreover it is a thing worthy to be observed how that the Character which God doth imprint on the Forehead of those whom he hath designed to be his Vicegerents on Earth doth beget an astonishment and fear in the hearts of those where it cannot raise a respect but in the others both admiration and love so that on all sides the Divine Providence compasseth its Glory either by the means of its Justice or Mercy And thus you see his Highness the Lord Protector passing through this great City which was drawn up in Arms having his Head onely covered with Laurels and his guarded with a simple though resplendent morsel of Glory The one surrounding him to cover and protect him with her wings and the disarmed Justice which accompanied this great Heroes footsteps seemed to Lead a naked and fettered Mars by a silken thread And thus after his Highness had been most splendedly entertained by the City before he departed he conferred the Honour of Knighthood upon the Lord Major and left all the City filled with an admiration of his Heroick Vertues and with a general satisfaction of his candor and generousness their hopes being freighted with acclamations and good wishes No sooner was his late Highness settled in the Supreme degree of his Protectorship but just like the Sun elevated in a high sublime Sphere he begat an infinite number of malignant Exhalations which however were soon dissipated by his luster and resplendency and at the same time by his vertue he gave a life and being to all those glorious actions which knowing men did expect from his sage Government On the Eighteenth of February 1653. a most dangerous Conspiracy which was hatched by the Royalists was discovered several of the Conspirators were taken and sent to the Tower of London But his Highness willing to begin his Government by an Act of Clemency and to let the world see that the Grandor of his new Dignity did onely render him powerful to do good he pardoned the said Delinquents and caused them to be set at liberty Much about which time arrived Deputies from the several Counties and Shires as well of England Stotland and Ireland to congratulate his Highness happy Inauguration and to assure him of their fidelity and submission to his Commands all which his Highness received with a great deal of Candor and repaied them with Use to wit the establishing of good and salutary Orders for the Peace and Tranquility of the Commonwealth and each Member thereof in particular Nor did he forget to regulate the Spiritual Affairs and out of an infinite number of Opinions he begat a pleasant harmony the seeming dissonance and harshness whereof was onely unsavory to the ignorant and to such as had stopped their ears Mean while the Scots animated by several discontented persons here in England did levy an Army by Command from their King and began to take heart of grace again reassuming their former courage and hopes The Earls of Glencarne and Kenmore were at the Head of four thousand Horse and Foot joyning several other small parties which from all sides flocked down unto them But Collonel Morgan was so vigilant and active that before they could have time to Form a greater Body he marched with fifteen hundred Horse and Foot and on the seventh of February he arrived at Lough which was the Enemies appointed Rendezvouz where having charged them after a short but smart Fight he killed one hundred and fifty of them and defeated all the rest the Earl of Glencarne with much ado making his escape onely with forty Horse But all these small Bickerings and as it were shadows of War did onely serve as a foil to that most important and considerable Peace which both England and Holland was to reap at our Olivers hands When as most part of the Winter was well nigh passed over in this Negociation at London where the Hollanders had four Ambassadours who daily laboured to compass the same Two of them to wit the Lords Newport and Youngstall re-passed into Holland about the Moneth of February to communicate unto the High and Mighty Lords the States their Masters the Conclusion of the Treaty and to get them to ratifie the same On the third of March 1653 4. of the same Year they returned back again where they were received with all the pomp and state that could possibly be imagined and might demonstrate the Joy which the Merchants conceived of the happy effects of so happy a Reconciliation The next day they had Audience from his Highness where declaring the full powers they had from the Lords States to ratifie the said Peace which they had made they desired a speedy Cessation of Arms should be published on both sides and in conformity thereto on the fifth Day of April next ensuing the Articles of Peace were signed sealed and delivered on the behalf of both parties and were accordingly published and proclaimed to the general satisfaction of all men And his Highness the better to testifie the particular pleasure he took therein did most sumptuously treat the Holland Ambassadours witnessing unto them by his noble Noble treatment all the marks of Joy which might manifest and make good by his Conduct and Entertainment the old Motto of his Family That War hath no other end save to beget a Peace And as to the Affairs of Ireland his Highness by his good Orders and establishing the Natives in the Province of Cannaught which is in the heart of Ireland had settled all things so well in those parts as that the English needed not to fear any either abroad or at home and the Irish beginning to be sensible that the Yoke of a vigilant and absolute Protector was far more tollerable and to be preferred before the Servitude of a feeble and tottering multitude who onely heeding their own preservations and particular interests do abandon the People and their wellfares either to their own capriciousness or to the imbroils of ambitious and hot spirits who abusing of the Commonalties simplicity and sincerity run them headlong into Ruine But some enemies of the State perceiving that it was impossible to hinder the Earth from bringing forth of good fruits as long as it was animated by so sensible and feeling a warmth resolved to
to consult on their Business were seized with a Pannick fear and no one of their Enemies appearing or pursuing them they cryed out that they were betrayed and so betook themselves to their heels some one way some another in a confused manner So likewise did Collonel Lilburn send word out of Northumberland that they were busie in framing of a party there also but that they had dissipated themselves through their own Fears and Jealousies Finally in Yorkeshire Sir Henry Slingsby and Sir Richard Maleverer had also assembled some Forces to have seized the City of York having two Cart-loads of Ammunition with them but they dispersed themselves on their own accompt seeing but little appearance to succeed in their designe Sir Henry Slingsby was taken and Imprisoned and afterwards Beheaded upon another accompt The first party commanded by Wagstaff and Penruddock was defeated by Captain Vnton Crook at a place called South-melton some whereof were killed and others were taken who were Tried and Condemned and those which dyed of note were Mr. Lucas Thorpe Kensey Graves and Penruddock Sir Joseph Wagstaff had the hap to make his escape and to get away Moreover a little afterwards to rid the State of such like Incendiaries and Firebrands the several Prisons and Goals of England were delivered from the Royalists which were detained prisoners on the foregoing accompts who were sent away to the Plantations and Collonies in America In like manner the rest of the other risings before mentioned were quelled and dissipated which both struck a terror in those who had not as yet shewn themselves and restored peace and quietness to the State By this time the subtil Spaniard whose quaint policy doth for the most part hug the prosperous and destroy the miserable and distressed seeing that Fortune did daily more and more incline to favour his late Highness the Lord Protector that his Vigour and Force increased by opposition and that the sole resplendency of his glory dissipated all those fogs and mists which endeavoured to obscure it thought it meet to court England and to endeavour to engage this State in his interests in which was omitted no proffers which a Puissant Monarch could possibly make unto a Prince whose Power was but as it were in the bud and beginning to sprout forth To which purpose the Marquis of Leda arived at London in the quality of an extraordinary Ambassador to his late Highness where he was received with all the Demonstrations of Honour and Pomp. But his late Highness being over-sensible of all those gross injuries which the Spanish Nation for several years together have committed against the English and also against all Europe besides and being not willing to conforme his Maximes with the tyrannical and unjust principles of the Spaniards returned civil and ceremonious Answers to the said Ambassadors Proposals who returned back again very speedily with all sorts of contentment and satisfaction save onely to that which he chiefly expected and most of all insisted upon And England being at that present time in a peaceable posture the Almighty having Crowned his late Highness the Lord protector with several signal Victories and Deliverances of his person from an infinite number of Dangers his Highness thought he could not in a better wise express his acknowledgements for so many mercies then by the imploying of all his Care and Forces to oppose and beat down the Ambition nay I may justly say their Sacraledge and Impiety and Avarice of the Spaniards since it onely belongs to a God to Stile himself the Universal Monarch who at the expence and charge of an hundred thousand Murders and Devastations have rendred themselves Masters of the whole worlds Treasures And withall totally to extripate and root up the profound plots and devices which the Spaniards had long since laid in England to become Masters thereof or at least to breed divisions in it at their own pleasures Nor shall I need to enlarge upon the ambitious and cruel designes of that invincible Armado of Philip the Second which was to have invaded England and to have made it swim in its own Blood nor of those several entreagues and policies which Spain hath hatched in Ireland by assistances of men and monies as also by their several Conspiracies in England abusing of the Religion and blind zeal of some particular persons there I shall onely begin with Gundamore that arch Machiavilian Spanish Ambassador who had gained such a Credit and Power in the Court of England as that when he pleased he could dispose of the Lives of the greatest and best men in the State when he had discovered they were his Masters Enemies I shall onely instance in one that admirable personage Sir Walter Rawleigh who by reason he had undertaken to visit their Treasures in Hispaniola and had Committed some hostillities in those Seas in former time Gundamore never left importuning of King James whom he had in a manner bewitched till he had obtained his death and thus bereaved England of one of the great Politicians and Universallest men that ever this Isle brought forth leaving us a testimony of his vast knowledge and experience to wit his famous History of the World From hence his late Highness resolved to begin his just War against the proud Spaniard and to sacrifice to the memory of this great Captain and one of the most experienced Sea-men of all the World all the Spanish Blood which the valour of the noble English hath so generously by way of retaliation drawn and let out since his late Highness's expedition against them There are some friends with whom a man is forced to break off all friendship because they will be too much our friends that is because they over-act the part of friendship by prying too deep into our Affairs and Designes and by interesting themselves too far into the concernments of those who depend on us as that thereby they steal away their hearts from us and such like friends have the Spaniards been to England who buy their friendships at such cheap rates as that they feed those who side with them onely with imaginary speculations here on earth making them eternally miserable and with specious promises in the world to come which would be obtained at cheaper and more assured rates without the interposing of their Hippocritical and Ambitious trains But to return to our History again his late Highness whose Genius affected the greatest difficulties and the most extraordinary and rarest Designs fix'd his thoughts upon New Spain not to bereave them of their Treasures which are with more ease to be interrupted at their coming home but to revenge all Europe unto whom the Jealous humor of the Spaniards denies Traffique and Commerce into those parts having at all times exercised unheard of Cruelties and horrible Treacheries on such as were driven into those parts accidentally and forcibly by storms and tempests or such as were by themselves under the notion
Prayers even with Tears to spare such men whose ill fortune had designed them to suffer when as this grand Heroe being transported as it were and even ravished to see his own Image so lively described in those lovely and charming Features of that winning Sex could refuse her nothing insomuch that when his Clemency and Justice did balance the pardon of a poor Criminal this most charming Advocate knew so skilfully to disarm him that his Sword falling out of his hands his arms onely served to lift her up from those knees on which she had cast her self to wipe off her tears and to imbrace her So likewise it is believed that this illustrious Princess precipitated death did not a little contribute to his late Highnesses sickning all whose noble parts were found to be very sound and whole onely his Heart which sorrow had seized and dryed up Nor did he long out-live her since it was impossible he should survive the love of so generous a dispencer of his Clemency and Generosity For brevity I shall make choice of one of the Ambassadours of this Commonwealth to denote the splendor of the glorious Ministers of this generous Prince he being in such a place where he hath more occasion then any of the rest to give far ampler marks of the most Heroical Vertue which acquires more glory to the victorious then the victory it self and which is the most assured Character of a true Christian his Excellency the Lord Lockhart Ambassador in the Court of France General of his Highness Forces in Flanders and Governour of the Town of Dunkirk who is espoused to that most renowned Lady one of his late Highness's Neeces In both which noble Personages we may behold at once shining forth those two happy and glorious Talents which most of all render persons of their Birth and Quality recommendable and famous His person seems onely to have been sent into France to charm the whole Nation and to attract and accumulate graces and did he not expose himself to so many dangers and hazards in the Wars men might easily believe that after he had long born Arms in Holland in France and ten years space for the late King of England that he onely ranged himself on the victorious sides to save the Kings Party and to re-instate them in their Lands and Goods Wherefore the Generosity Courtesie and Affability of his late Highness did so superabound as that no one person ever departed from his presence unsatisfied for he received the Petitions of all men he heard their Grievances and his charitable memory was so retentive as that he never forgot their requests but made it his chief object to bear them in minde and most tenderly to provide for them He esteemed those he had overcome and took a delight to pardon them and to make them sharers of his good Fortune provided that they would give over to make themselves unfortunate by their obstinacy He was used to say that Hearts were as well to be overcome as Fortresses and that the one were no more to be demolished then the other because they had belonged to other Masters insomuch that he esteemed it a great Conquest to have gained a gallant Man to his party And as for those who have been put to death in his time they may be said to have been their own Judges and their own executioners And however Politicians hold that in the changing of a Government all things ought likewise to be changed if possible even the very Religion it self were men prophane enough to meddle therewith and that Cruelty ought wholly to banish Clemency yet all men know that as to the point of Religion he did leave things as he found them and that he saved more lives by thousands then obstinacy and despair did cause to perish Nay he did even wish when he came to have a more absolute power towards the latter end of his dayes that those which had been put to death were yet alive protesting solemnly that if he could not change their hearts he would have changed their Dooms and convert their deaths into a banishment which is easily to be believed by the goodness which he hath exercised towards the children of such as were put to death even those who were his most implacable enemies leaving them in possession both of their Goods and Titles and whose losses he hath recompensed by such civillities as doth evidence he learned not his Politicks in Machiavils School who teacheth that the children and all the Generation were to be exterminated together with their Fathers so that many men wished that his Highnesses power had been as absolute ten years since as it was some years before his death So likewise those Alliances which he made and those Wars which he undertook had all of them motives of Generosity and were founded on Equity and Reason if so be we consider the very first whereinto he onely stept by the degree of a Captain and which may be termed a necessary evil and an inevitable one begotten by the remissness of the Political Body and by the corruption of the Clergy I do finde that two high injustices were the primitive causes thereof the first was the usurpations of the Saxons Danes and Normanns the second was the peaceful humor and dispositions of King James and the idleness and sloathfulness of the Nobility who constrained their younger brethren to serve them or to learn Trades by taking away from them the means to subsist by the way of Arms which is a priviledge more then legitimate due by the elder brother to the younger and by Princes to such Martial Spirits as live in their Dominions if the Saxons and other Usurpers or Conquerors of England did by force of Arms become Masters of the Countrey and did cast out the right Possessours thereof and by success of time falling from a Forreign Injustice into a Domestick Injustice they reduced their younger Brothers to Mecannick professions At present they demand that they may be permitted to expose their bloods and their lives for the preservation of their Brethrens That the exercise of Arms may be abolished in so Populous and Warlike a State that the banished glory which formerly with so much Pomp reigned in England may be restored again And as for the War which his late Highness declared against Spain that is so generous that a man may averre that glory was the onely motive thereof and that thereby he espoused the Interest of all the people which were oppressed and of all the Princes which the Ambition of Spain had despoyled of their States and Territories And the two most unfortunate people of the earth were the first objects of his Generosity and those which were the most of all abandoned were the first that felt the effects of that Arm which stretched it self forth to their assistance To wit the poor Indians those wretched slaves who behold no other faces save those of their tormentors and who were made