express Command that they should read it publikely in their Churches The Scots complained that a thing of so great concernment having not been allowed by their Church in a National Synod should be imposed upon them they complained likewise that it was not the same with the book of England but alterations were made some of them they confessed were for the better but more for the worse Lastly they affirmed that wheresoever that book varies from the English Lyturgie it approaches directly to the Romane Missal and all the parts of Popery are there But the King seemed to excuse those alterations in his great Declaration These are his words which were not satisfactory to the Scots We supposing that they might have taken some offence if We should have tendered them the English Service-book totidem verbis and that some factious spirits would have endeavoured to have misconstrued it as a badge of dependencie of that Church upon this of England which We had put upon them to the prejudice of their Laws and Liberties We held it fitter that a new Book should be composed by their own Bishops in substance not differing from that of England that so the Romane party might not upbraid us with any weighty or material differences in our Lyturgies and yet in some few insensible alterations differing from that it might truely and justly be reputed a Book of that Churches own composing and established by Our Royal authority as King of Scotland This Book of Lyturgie was read as the King commanded in the great Church at Edinburgh but not without a great uproar in which the Bishop that read it hardly escaped The Plebeians first stirred but presently after the Nobility and Ministers publikely avowed their detestation of that Book some therefore were sent to the King to intreat him that he would recal his command concerning it But the King was immoveable and sent another peremptory command for reading of the Book and that all people who came as Petitioners against it should depart from Edinburgh which did but increase the number of Petitioners who intreated the Councel once more to send to the King concerning it in the mean time they much accused their Bishops as the causers of this Innovation The King commanded his Councel to receive no more Petitions from them and sent the Earl of Traquare into Scotland with a Proclamation which was published at Sterlin wherein he declared That the Bishops were wrongfully accused about the Prayer-book that he himself was the Author of it and all done by his Command he condemned their proceedings as tumultuous and denounced the punishment of high-Treason to those who persisted Against this Proclamation the Lords of the Commission protested and so did the Ministers and others justifying their assembly to be lawful as tending to Gods glory the Kings honour and Liberty of the Nation Immediately after they entered into a Solemn Covenant for defence of their Religion and Liberties This Covenant was subscribed not onely by the Nobles but all sorts of men that their number within few months was many thousands the King enraged did by many Messengers condemn that Covenant the Scots defended it What was alleadged on both sides is more largely expressed in that book intituled Tumultus Scotici In June the Marquess Hamilton as Commissioner from the King came to Edinburgh who in vain dealt with the Covenanters to renounce their Covenant but published a Proclamation of the Kings wherein he forbears to press the reading of that Prayer-book upon them and resolved to call both a Parliament and Synod but the Covenanters in their Protestation declare that the Kings grants were not large enough to cure their present distempers and offer some particular Exceptions So great grew the differences and alterations upon several points that the Marquess Hamilton was enforced that yeer to make two journeys into England to the King and at last by the Kings command called a National Synod which accordingly began at Glasco Novemb. 1. but within seven days the Marquess dissolved that Synod alleadging for reasons that they had broken the Laws of a free Synod both in the maner of their Elections and in other businesses during their sitting But they protested against that dissolution and continued their Synod after that the Marquess was gone away and proceeded in such Laws and Decrees as they judged fit for the present State after which they dissolved the Synod and published a Declaration from Edinburgh to all sincere and good Christians in England concerning their innocencie and intentions The King after a sharp Proclamation against the Scots which he commanded to be read in all English Churches raised an Army to subdue them by force in which the Nobles and all Gentlemen his servants were commanded to attend him at York the first of April with Horse and Arms sutable to their degree the Earl of Arundel was made General and a rich and well-appointed Army at that time and place attended the King But the people of England in general abhorred that wicked War as a designe to enslave both Nations and loved the Scots as brethren persecuted by the same power which had long oppressed themselves they likewise hoped that such an occasion might necessitate the King to call a Parliament in England so long wanted there But the King while he could make any other shift how lowe soever and dishonourable would not endure to think of a Parliament The Covenanting Lords of Scotland published a Remonstrance in answer to the Kings Proclamation and wisely provided against all Invasions that might be made upon them on any side they seized the considerable Forts and disarmed all suspected persons without any great trouble electing Sir Alexander Lesly an old Souldier for their General to whom all the Noble men were content to give obedience at which time the King commanded the Parliament of Scotland to dissolve and his command was obeyed But the threatned War did not proceed it pleased God that by the happie mediation of some honest Lords of both Nations and upon a Conference granted that the Pacification was made and solemnly declared on the 18 of June 1639. and both Armies were disbanded within eight and fourty hours The King granted to the Scots a National Synod to begin upon the first of August following and a Parliament to begin on the 24 day of the same month so that both sides peaceably retreated home But when the King had been but a little time at London his heart was again estranged from the Scots and thoughts of peace He commanded by Proclamation that Paper which the Scots avowed to contain the true conditions of the Pacification to be disavowed and burnt by the hands of the Hangman and the honest people of both Nations began to fear another War The King about the beginning of December told the Lords of his Council that he intended to call a Parliament in England to begin in April following which being spread among the people made them almost amazed so
strange a thing was the name of a Parliament grown But rational men did not like it that it should be deferred so long and that preparations for a War with Scotland went on in the mean time They were likewise troubled that the Earl of Strafford Deputy of Ireland a man of deep policie but suspected honesty one whom the King then used as a bosom-Councellor was first to go into Ireland and call a Parliament in that Kingdom besides the King at that time had broken up the Parliament in Scotland which the Scots complained of the business of State depending as a great breach of their Liberties and against the Laws of that Kingdom Upon which they sent some Lords into England to intreat the King to grant them a redress of such Injuries as they had received since the Pacification which were That their Parliament was broken off before any business done That Edinburgh-Castle was Garisoned with far more Souldiers then were needful That Dun-Britain-Castle was Garisoned with English Souldiers That the Scots that traded in England and Ireland were enforced to take new Oaths contrary to their Covenant and altogether contrary to the Articles of Pacification The King imprisoned those Lords sending one of them the Earl of Lowden to the Tower and commanded a Charge of Treason to be drawn against him concerning a Letter which the Scotish Covenanters had written to the King of France for his assistance and Lowden had subscribed but the accusation was frivolous easily answered and came to nothing because those Letters were not sent at all and besides it was before the Pacification upon which an Oblivion of all things was agreed although the King at the beginning of the English Parliament produced that Letter against them as a ground of his second War for now on the thirteenth of April the Parliament of England was begun before which time the Earl of Strafford was returned out of Ireland where he had held a Parliament and gotten four Subsidies The King was very urgent with his Parliament to give money to enable him for a War against Scotland and pay that Army and Officers which he had already raised he demanded twelve Subsidies of them for which he promised to release Shipmoney he promised them that he would afterwards redress the Kingdoms grievances but desired money in the first place to go on with his designed War It was answered by many Members of the House in several Speeches that redress of Grievances was the chiefe end of Parliaments and should go before Subsidies That the King asked a great summe of money for releasing of that which he had no title to hold but had taken illegally by power That the people had no reason to pay for a War which they desired not but abhorred a War not for their good but their own ruine that nothing was so just as to punish the contrivers of that wicked War But so strange was the obedience and complyance of that Parliament towards the King that although the money which he asked was against themselves yet they took the Subsidies into consideration but while they were debating the King whatsoever his reasons were whether he thought it a delay or not came into the House on the fifth of May and dissolved the Parliament The people were grieved in an extraordinary manner to see this Parliament so suddenly broken up and as much to see the King break his word so immmediately upon the dissolution of it for he protested in the House at that time that he would rule for the future as legally as if a Parliament were constantly sitting Yet nevertheless he imprisoned some Members the next day after Mr. Belosis Sir John Hotham and M. Crew he commanded the Lord Brookes his Study his Cabinet and pockets to be searched for Letters He Commanded the Convocation of Divines to continue their sitting an unexampled thing who by authority from him made Canons and imposed Oaths upon the people contrary to their Laws and Liberties The King to defray the charges of this War besides the Contribution of the Clergy and Papists issued out again Writs of Shipmoney in a greater proportion then before he seized the Bullion in the Tower and took up Commodities to be sold again at an under-rate and consulted about Coyning of brass-money but that went not forward But the War went on the Earl of Strafford commanding in chiefe the Earl of Northumberland not being in health who had been appointed General but the Scots had not been backward for having been debarred of their trade and lost their ships by seizure they entered into England with an Army expressing their intentions in writing to the English and bringing with them a Petition to the King But the King in this War found a greater want then that of Money which was the hearts of the Souldiers especially the common Souldiers who could not be easily brought to engage against the Scots as hating the Cause many of them mutinying against their Officers and Commanders which might be one cause that the War proved not so bloody and fatal as it was designed some Skirmishes but not very considerable happened at Newburn and at Dunsian not far from Barwick Thus proceeded this unhappie business until some English Peers Earls and Barons about twenty grieved at the dishonour which England suffered by the unhappie actions of the King made a Petition to him declaring in some part their former sufferings by illegal Government the dissolution of the last and other Parliaments the miserable condicion of the Kingdom at present the sad consequence of this wicked War desiring him to summon a Parliament within some convenient time where the Kingdoms Grievances may be redressed this War composed and the Authors of these wicked counsels punished Upon this Petition the King caused all the Lords to meet at York on the 24. of September And there told them his intention of calling a Parliament with all possible speed which was to begin on the 3. of November It was there also consulted and debated how to end this War upon fair termes and after some time spent between Lords chosen out of both Nations the matter was composed according to these Articles 1. A Truce or cessation of Arms was made for two moneths till the 16. of December 2. That 850. li. a day should be paid to the Scots during that Truce 3. That if it were not paid the Scots might force it from the Counties of Northumberland Cumberland Westmerland and Durham 4. That those Counties should be allowed the Scots for their Winter-quarters 5. No new preparations for War to be made 6. That private Injuries should not break the Truce so satisfaction were made upon complaint 7. That Merchants might freely traffique in either Kingdomes without letters of safe conduct but Souldiers without leave might not pass their limits Thus was the state of things altered and that VVar which was intended for an enslavement of both Nations became the bond of Concord between them and
committed The Lords Justices Sir William Parsons and Sir John Burlace taking those Arms which they found in Dublin and arming whom they could on a sudden to defend themselves dispatched Letters to the King in Scotland and the Earl of Leicester then chosen Deputy but staying in England Money was wanting and no supplies neerer then England Owen O Conally the first discoverer of the Plot brought the first Letters to London upon receipt of which they rewarded Owen with a gift of 500.l and an annuity of two hundred pounds per annum and presently both Houses of Parliament met at a Conference and the House of Commons forthwith resolved into a Committee to consider of Irelands relief and also to provide for the safety of England for distractions began then to appear in England the Parliament every day considered of Irelands relief and presently ordered supplies of money to be borrowed of the City of London Victuals and Ammunition for that purpose But all relief could be but slow in such a sudden disease For the Rebellion encreased and spread through all the Kingdom and many Papists and ill-affected fled from Dublin into the Country to joyn with the Rebels whilest the City in their rooms was daily filled with poor spoiled Protestants who came naked and famished thither many of them being past relief and there perished in the City It were an endless thing to relate the pitiful condition of those woful people and what sad stories they there told concerning the bloody rage of those inhumane Irish Rebels and several tortures by which the unhappy English were brought to their ends But the Lords of the Councel and Lords Justices in a short time with those Arms of Dublin had armed many well-affected Gentlemen and sent many active Commanders out of the City to defend places neer against the approach of the Rebels About the middle of November were in Arms Sir Charles Coot Sir Henry Tichburn the Lord Lambert Sir Thomas Lucas Capt. Armstrong Capt. Yarner and the Earl of Ormond came to Dublin with an hundred Horse well armed At which time the Parliament of England till greater sums could be raised sent them over as a present comfort twenty thousand pounds But it was a long time before they could send over any forces to the relief of that bleeding Kingdom the first was a Regiment Commanded by Sir Simon Harcourt who arrived on the last of December 1641. While Ireland was thus miserably distressed the King returned out of Scotland into England and was entertained by the City of London with most pompous solemnity the whole multitude of Citizens distinguished by their several Companies in such costly Equipage as never before was known with Horse and Arms met the King and guarded him through the whole City to his Palace at White-hall Some condemned that costly entertainment of the City at such a sad time others hoped it might gain the Kings dubious affection to his people but it wrought a contrary effect in the King who began now to think he could never lose the love of the City whatsoever he did and was flattered by some with a hope that the City would assist him in curbing of the Parliament it self he grew therefore more disdainful toward the Parliament and to endear the City invited divers of the chief to Hampton Court where he feasted them and Knighted some But the honest Citizens perceiving that no good use was made of their dutiful expressions toward the King but that some bad people did openly say that the City were weary of the Parliament and would joyn with the King against it they framed a Petition to the Parliament wherein the contrary is professed and that they would live and die with the Parliament for the good of the Common-wealth While the King remained at Hampton Court the House of Commons presented him with a Remonstrance wherein the Grievances of the Kingdom are expressed but no fault laid upon himself in plain words but a Malignant party as they call them and evil Counsellors Irelands calamities seemed to be quite forgotten or rather that those inhumane Rebels were countenanced every body wondring that the King would not proclaim them Rebels and some honest Lords advising the King to proclaim them speedily that a better course might be taken against them they desired him to wash off that foul stain from himself by proceeding severely against those wicked villains who reported every where that they had authority from him to seize upon the Holds of the English Protestants that they were the Queens Souldiers and rise to maintain the Kings Prerogative against the Puritan Parliament in England they therefore advised him by all means to purge himself of that crime then which a greater on earth could not be But so strangely were things carried that although the Rebellion brake out upon the twenty third of October the King did not proclaim them Rebels till the first of January and then gave a strict command that no more then forty Copies of that Proclamation should be Printed and that none of them should be published till his Majesties pleasure were further signified so that a few only could take notice of it which made all men extreamly wonder when they observed the late contrary proceedings against the Scots who were in a very quick and sharp manner proclaimed and those Proclamations forthwith dispersed with as much diligence as might be thorow all the Kingdom But before this Proclamation came out the Parliament being somewhat troubled with some speeches of which they had been informed as if a Plot were contrived against them desired the King to allow them a Guard for security of their persons and that the Earl of Essex then Lord Chamberlain of his Majesties Houshold might be Commander of it But the King denied them a Guard giving them many fair promises of his care for their safety and that he would command such a Guard to wait upon them as he would be responsible for to Almighty God Three days after the Proclamation against those Irish Rebels being the fourth of January the King attended with about three hundred Armed Gentlemen came to Westminster and entring in Person into the House of Commons and seating himself in the Speakers Chair demanded five Members of that House to be delivered to him Mr. Hollis Sir Arthur Haslerig Mr. Pym Mr. Hamden and Mr. Strode Those five Members had by command of the House upon information of the Kings intent absented themselves Which the King finding went away after a short Speech delivered concerning them That he intended a fair Trial against them and that he was and would be as careful to maintain the Priviledges of Parliament as ever any King of England was He had the day before demanded them by his Atturney Sir Edward Herbert a Member of the House of Commons pretending a Charge of high Treason against them and with them against the Lord Mandevile a Member of the House of Lords But the Parliament did not think
safety of the Kings person and defence of the Parliament Of which the Earl of Essex a man of eminent fidelity and worth was by an unanimous consent of both Houses chosen General Some Lords and Members of the Commons were sent down into the Counties to settle the Militia and raise Forces for defence of several Towns and places And divers Members of the Houses Listed themselves in the Lord General Essex his Army and took Commissions from him as Colonels But immediately after this time the Kings Commissions of Array were sent down into every County though often declared by the Parliament to be illegal and were obeyed in many places more than the Parliaments Ordinances for the Militia by reason that so many Lords and Gentlemen adhered to him now against the Parliament But there were scarce any Counties free from contention betwixt the Commissioners of the one and the Ordinances of the other which strugled together with great Nobility and Gentry on both sides Neither had the Kings Proclamations nor the Parliaments Ordinances obedience from all only as far as the now-drawing swords enforced it During these Divisions in several Counties London it self was not free for the Lord Major of London Sir Richard Gurney was by the Parliament committed prisoner to the Tower of London for moving sedition in the Kingdom by causing the Kings Commission of Array a thing declared illegal by both Houses to be proclaimed in the City and afterwards an additional impeachment was brought in against him by the Common-Councel of London for divers breaches of his Oath in that Office and contemning the Orders of Parliament After many days attendance concerning these Accusations on the twelfth day of August he received his Censure at the House of Lords which was That he should be turned out of his Majoralty That he should never bear any Office in the City or Common-wealth That he should be incapable of any Honor or Dignity to be conferred on him by the King and Committed Prisoner to the Tower during the pleasure of both Houses Many Proclamations about that time passed from the King and Declarations from the Parliament one from the King against the Earl of Essex as a Rebel and all that adhered unto him and a Declaration from the Parliament recounting all that the Kings evil counsel for so they call it had done illegally against them the Parliament likewise published what in particular had been done by his party against Ireland and how that unhappy Kingdome had been of late robbed of many Reliefes of Cloathes Victuals and Arms which the Parliament had sent them by the King and his party While these writings on both sides lasted the King removed often to gather strength and in several places made Speeches to the Countries with many Protestations of his affection to the people At last he came to Nottingham where about the middle of August he set up his Standard-Royal Very few People came to it nor had the King at that time any considerable strength nor if the Parliament would then have seized upon his person could he have kept himself out of their hands From Notingham on the twenty fifth of that Month he sent a Message to the Parliament by the Earls of Southampton and Dorset and Sir John Culpeper In that Message he signifieth a desire to compose the difference by a Treaty that a certain number of Persons sent and enabled by the Parliament may treat in some indifferent place with the like number authorized by him The Parliament answer That until he put them in a condition to treat that is until he take down his Standard and recall those Proclamations wherein he calleth a thing unheard of before both Houses of Parliament Traytors and Rebels they cannot by the Fundamental Priviledges of Parliament or by the publick trust reposed in them or with the general good of the Realm admit of any such Treaty The KING denied that he advanced his Standard against the Parliament or that he called them Rebels but within few dayes in his Instructions to his Commissioners of Array Marquess Harford the Earl of Cumberland and the Lord Strange he again called the Earl of Essex Rebel and Traytor Thus did they contend for some time by Declarations and Proclamations which proved all fruitless as to satisfying of the people nor could this lamentable War be averted Prince Rupert and Prince Maurice the the second and third Sons of the late King of Bohemia were now come into England the beginning of September to offer their service to the King their Uncle whom presently he put into Commands Prince Rupert the Elder and Fiercer by nature Commanding a Body of Horse flew with great fury through divers Counties raising men for the King's service in a rigorous way Committing outrages to those who favoured the Parliament upon which the Houses fell into a debate agreeing that a Charge of Treason should be drawn up against him for endeavouring the Destruction of this State and abusing that Court which represented it The King marched another way and passing through Derbyshire Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire he commanded the Trained Bands of those Counties to attend and Guard his Person and when they were met he disarmed the greatest part of them taking as many Arms as served for two thousand men besides good summs of Money which he borrowed by constraint protesting still as usually he did to maintain the Protestant Religion the Laws and Liberties of the Subject and the priviledges of Parliament The Parliament-Army raised under the Conduct of the General Essex was now grown into a considerable Bulk consisting of about fourteen thousand Horse and Foot their general Rendezvouz was at Northampton where many of the chief Commanders stayed with them expecting the presence of the General himself The Lord General Essex on the ninth of September taking his leave of the Parliament and City of London went towards Northampton and was waited on by the trained Bands and a great number of armed Gentlemen from Essex-house to the end of the City with great solemnity The Parliament sent a Petition to the General at Northampton to be by him presented to the King in a safe and honourable way the effect of which was humbly to entreat his Majesty to withdraw his presence from those wicked persons about him and not to mix his danger with theirs but that he would return to his Parliament and such-like things The King intending to seize upon Worcester sent Prince Rupert thither with some Horse which Essex fearing to prevent the King commanded part of his forces to march thither speedily himself following with his Army Some Skirmishes happened between that party of Parliamentarians and Prince Rupert before the coming of General Essex but Prince Rupert when the forerunners of Essex his Army were in sight with great speed fled out of Worcester General Essex leaving a Garison at Northampton marched to Coventry which Town he also garisoned as likewise Warwick and marched from thence with his
which favour they gave the King thirty thousand pounds This was that cessation of Arms so much spoken against by honest men in London for that reason especially that it was directly against a Law and the Kings faith for it was enacted by authority of Parliament the King also signing the Act in the year one thousand six hundred forty one That the War against those bloudy Irish Rebels should proceed untill it were declared by Parliament that Ireland were fully subdued and that no peace nor any cessation of Arms should be made with those Rebels without the consent of both Houses of Parliament Thus was assistance brought to either side to the King which he especially aimed at in this business that English Army which for almost a whole years space had fought valiantly and victoriously against those Rebels was now brought into England within five moneths after that cessation to fight against the Parliament of England but the cause being changed the fortune of those Souldiers was likewise changed for they had no success in England but within a short time after their arrival that whole Army was utterly defeated and all their cheif commanders with seventeen hundred common Souldiers were taken prisoners by Sir Thomas Faâ—rfax The Scottish Army that Winter following about the middle of January passing over Tweed came into England The Earl of Leven was General his kinsman David Lesley commanded the Horse the snow that fell at that time covered the ground in an unusual depth and as great a frost had congealed all the rivers but the heat of fighting was greater than the rigor of the air and the patience of Souldiers overcame the hard weather The Earl of Leven marched with his forces against the Earl of Newcastle who with a great Army possessed the Northern parts of England for the King nor did the War goe on with less vigour in other parts In the beginning of the Spring great Armies were raised on both sides and filled all the countries with terrour all the following Summer which fell in the year one thousand six hundred forty four they fought with equal fury and almost equal fortunes insomuch as that England by the dubiousness of success on both sides and sad vicissitude of calamitous slaughters was made an unhappy Kingdom The Kings fortune was susteined by brave Armies in the West under the Princes Rupert and Maurice in Wales under Gerard and others in the midland Counties under Sir Jacob Ashley an old Souldier other Armies were commanded by Sir Ralph Hopton and Colonel Goring and in the North the Earl of Newcastles great Army Nor were the forces of Parliament inferiour the cheif Army under the General Essex Waller commanded another the Earl of Manchester to whom Crumwell a stout and successful Souldier was joyned led a strong Army toward the North where the Lord Fairfax and his Son had good forces and Sir John Meldrum not far off the Earl of Denbigh a stout Commander was with a fair Party about Strafford and besides these the great Scottish Army At the beginning of that Summer the Parliament attempted a thing of great moment to besiege Oxford or at least to block up the King within that Town which was endeavoured by two Armies Essex on the one side and Waller on the other but the King deceived them both and with a few light Horse escaping out of the Town went to joyn with his greater Armies General Essex marched farther into the West but the expedition proved unhappy both to himself and the Parliament Waller followed the King but in vain for he could not hinder his designed March onely some skirmishes happened between parts of their Forces but nothing was done of any great moment until Waller returned with his force to encounter enemies in other places Various were the successes this Summer in most parts of the Kingdom in the West South and midland Counties the Kings forces prevailed above the Parliament which perchance had been ruined if the North had not made them amends with some atchievements besides one great Victory For Leve with his Scottish forces coming the last Winter into England besides the taking of some Towns and Forts had much weakened Newcastles Army lessening their number not by fighting but enduring the sharpness of that weather which the other could not so well doe To Leven the Lord Fairfax after Selby was so miraculously taken by valiant Sir Thomas Fairfax joyned himself with all his forces to whom also the Earl of Manchester after his Lincoln expedition came with a gallant Army Three Parliament Armies under three Generals Leven Manchester and Fairfax with great concord and unanimity had marched together and with joyned forces had besieged the great City of York whereof the Earl of Newcastle was Governour to raise the siege Prince Rupert was come with a great Army out of the South the three Generals left their siege to fight the Prince under him also Newcastle having drawn his forces out of York served who on a great plain called Marston Moore gave battel to the three Generals This was the greatest battel of the whole civil war never did greater Armies both in number and strength encounter or drew more bloud in one fight The Victory at first was almost gotten by the Royalists whose left Wing Fairfax his men being disadvantaged by the inconvenience of the ground had routed and put to flight the right wing of the Parliamentarians but this loss was more than recompenced in the other Wing where Crumwell who fought under Manchester charged with such force and fury the right wing of the Royalists that he broke the best Regiments which Prince Rupert had and put them all to flight Crumwel together with David Lesley pursued them and wheeling about with his Horse came opportunely to the releif of his oppressed friends in the other Wing where they ceased not until they had gained a compleat Victory and all Prince Rupert his Ordnance his carriages and baggage were possessed by the Parliamentarians After this Victory Rupert with the remnant of his forces fled into the South some of the Victorious Armies Horse in vain pursuing him for some miles the Earl of Newcastle with some of his chosen friends leaving York of which City Sir Thomas Glenham took the government went to Scarborough where within a while after he took shipping and passed into Germany The three Generals Leven Manchester and Fairfax after this great Victory returned to besiege York to whom that City soon after upon conditions was rendered after which they divided their forces and Leven with his Scottish Army returning into the North about the end of that Summer took the rich Town of Newcastle about the same time that the General Essex unfortunately managed his business in the West and having lost all his Artillery returned to London This Summer the Queen passed into France and used great endeavour to raise aid for the King her husband among the Roman Catholikes but those endeavours proved fruitless yet
furnished Leiutenant General Cromwel with great Guns with provisions of all sorts from Bristol and other places and every thing necessary for a Siege While these things were acting in Wales General Fairfax sent as before was said with seven Regiments to suppress the Kenrish Risers pursued them towards Rochester A great number of Kentish men not far from Gravesend were gotten together into an Army with whom were above twenty Knights Esquires and Gentlemen of the County and among them divers commanders formerly of the King Armies though they were more in number they durst not give the General battel but some marched away to Maidstone a few kept together about Rochester another part of them went to Dover and besieged that Castle to raise that Siege the General sent Colonel Rich and Sir Michael Levesy who very happily performed that work The General himself marched with his Army to Maidstone Into that Town about two thousand of the Risers were gotten and resolved to make good the place The General likewise prepared to besiege them In no chance of War before was the vertue of Fairfax and his Souldiers more tryed nor a Victory bought with greater danger For after that the Souldiers had broke into the Town which was done with great difficulty they found a War in every street and Ordnance planted against them and were put to fight for every corner of it At last the General with the loss of forty of his men took the Town two hundred of the Enemies being slain and about fourteen hundred taken prisoners four hundred Horse and two thousand Arms were taken One thing was wonderful that an Army of many thousand Kentish men more in number then the Generals Army coming from Rochester to the aid of their friends yet notwithstanding when they came neer durst not venture to assist them but stood in sight while the General took the Town Publike thanks were given to God by order of Parliament for this great victory Now all Kent seemed to be quieted except some Castles which also within a short time were taken or yielded to the Parliament when suddenly a new head of this Hydra sprung up the Lord Goring gathering together a remnant of the Kentish Army with about two thousand men had marched as far as Greenwich from whence he sent some to see how the Citizens of London stood affected to the business but whilst he staid expecting an answer some Troops of the Army came in sight upon which Goring and all his company fled the Horsemen pursuing took some Booty and divers prisoners the Kentish men for the most part fled to their own Houses The Lord Goring with about five hundred horse flying from Greenwich and getting Boats crossed the Thames into Essex where as if the Fates sought out new Victories for Fairfax every where the Lord Capel with Forces out of Hartfortshire and Sir Charles Lucas with a body of Horse at Chensford in Essex joyned themselves to Goring to whom within a short time divers that formerly had been the King Souldiers and many Londoners with others flocked Some also of higher rank as Mr. Hastings brother to Huntingdon and Compton brother to the Earl of Northampton The General Fairfax crossing the Thames at Gravesend passed with a part of his Army into Essex and sending for the rest of his Forces out of Kent and London pursued the Enemies whom at last he drove into Colchester and in that Town besieged them where because it proved a long siege we leave him for a time and pass to other actions The greatest of all dangers which threatned the Parliament was from the North not contained within the bounds of England onely but from the Kingdom of Scotland Major General Lambert the chief Commander in the North labouring to suppress Glenham and Langdale wrought so much that he kept them within the bounds of Cumberland and Westmerland but they expected the march of the Scotish Army to which they intended to joyn themselves Lambert too weak to oppose so great a Force omitted no diligence in strengthening himself from the neighbour-Counties who were very forward to his assistance especially Lancashire who raised two Regiments of Horse and four of Foot to be conducted by Major General Ashton and joyn with Lambert in Yorkeshire The English Malignants alone were not very formidable in the North but that the Kingdome of Scotland joyned with them against the Parliament Wars were made from another Kingdome that Cromwel might be victorious as well against Forraigners as Englishmen The faction of Duke Hamliton was then prevalent in the Parliament of Scotland by whom Designs were hatched dangerous to both Kingdoms contrary to peace and contrary for so it was judged by the Church of Scotland even to the Covenant it self England was to be invaded and a great Army raised under the Command of Duke Hamliton a man ambitious and subtle The English Malignants for it was given out that they took Arms for the King were invited to joyn with them and pay promised to those that would serve all this was done though Arguile Louden and the honester Lords protested against their proceedings and the Kirk of Scotland cursed that War as impious But the greater part prevailed who therefore stiled themselves the Parliament of Scotland by a kinde of right and to curb men of the adverse faction a Commitee was made with power given to them to punish all those who should attempt any thing against the Decrees of the Parliament and a penalty set down to be inflicted upon all Ministers who should from their Pulpits teach the people otherwise by which means it was brought to pass that many Ministers were silenced others punished and some Lords of the other faction retired themselves to their own strengths yet could they not stop the mouths of all the Ministers some with a constant Zeal denounced the wrath of God against that Army of Hamilton and by the wretched success of that unfortuneate Army the curses of the Kirk seemed not in vain no more then of old the Tribunes curse upon the Parthian Expedition of Marcus Crassin Conspiracies by Land though over the whole Iland against the Parliament of England seemed not enough unless the Sea also had rebelled against them Divers of the chief Ships in the Royal Fleet revolted from the Parliament about the beginning of June and set the Vice-Admiral Rainsborough ashore affirming they were for the King and would serve Prince Charles sailing towards Holland where the Prince then was and with him his brother the Duke of York who not long before fled privately being perswaded thereto by Letters from the King his Father out of London where he had been kept with great observance and state by the Parliament The Parliament were much troubled at the revolt of these Ships as a thing of extream danger and sent to the Earl of Warwick to take the Command of their remaining Navy and reduce the rest if he could Warwick cheerfully accepted the employment and was
by the Parliament created which Title he had born at the beginning of these Wars Lord High Admiral of England Whilest Warwick was serving the Parliament his Brother the Earl of Holland unhappily rise in Arms against it Relying as it seems upon the opportunity of time while the Navy was revolted whilest Fairfax in Kent Cromwel in Wales were busied he built likewise upon the affections of the Citizens of London of whom he made tryal and joyning the young Duke of Buckingham and his Brother with others to him he appeared in Arms by Kingston with five hundred Horse but by Sir Michael Levesey and others who took occasion by the fore-sock he was thereput to flight the Lord Francis Villiers was slain Holland flying with the remainder of his Horse was within few dayes after at the Town of St. Needs by Col. Scroop whom the General had sent from Colchester for that purpose altogether subdued Dalbeer and some other Gentlemen slain Holland himself was taken and by the Parliament committed prisoner to Warwick-Castle At the same time Rossiter also obtained for the Parliament a gallant victory over the forces of Pomfret-Castle whom as they were pillaging the Country and plundering up and down being a thousand Horse Rossiter fell upon vanquished and took prisoners all their Commanders took all their Arms and Baggage Rossiter himself which for a time abated the joy of this victory was grievously wounded but he recovered These victories obtained everywhere by the Parliament though some of them may seem small yet will appear great and worthy of commemoration to all those who consider how much the Commonwealth if but one of these fights had miscarried had been endangered and the Parliament it self weighing the number and variety of their hazards may the better acknowledge the continuance of Gods providence and his very hand with them By these little victories also a way was made for higher Trophies and an absolute subjugation of all their Enemies which about this time miraculously happened For now most opportunely was Pembrook-Castle surrendred to Cromwel which Poyer and Laughorn confiding in the strength of the place had so long stifly maintained But at last brought to extremities they delivered it without conditions rendring themselves Prisoners at mercy Which fell out at the same time Fates calling Cromwel to a greater atcheivement that Duke Hamilton with a numerous Army of Scots had entred England about the beginning of of July was further strengthned by the addition of Langdales Forces Hamilton marched above five and twenty thousand stong striking a great terror every-where scarce in the whole time of these wars did any Army exercise greater cruelty toward the poor inhabitants of England And yet when the Parliament debated concerning this Army the House of Peers could hardly be brought to declare them Enemies For the House of Commons had declared That the Scots that under Duke Hamilton Invaded England were Enemies and that all the English which joyned with them were Traitors to their Country To which Vote the Lords at last after much debate assented The chief Citizens of London and others called Presbyterians though the Presbyterian Scots abominated this Scotish Army wished good success to these Scots no less then the Malignants did Whence let the Reader judge of the times Lambert though too weak in all probability for so potent an enemy was not discouraged but resolved to oppose the present danger and if need required to fight the Scots but he daily expected the coming of Cromwel to whose conduct this victory was reserved In the mean time with prudent retreates some Skirmishes not onely with Langdale but Hamilton himself he spun out the time so long until that Hamilton's great Army having on the twentieth of August entred into Lancashire Cromwel was arrived with his forces who with the addition of Lambert's strength made an Army of almost ten thousand This famous battel was fought neer to Preston in Lancashire in which all the forces of Hamilton and Langdale were vanquished and put to flight whom the Conqueror pursuing as far as Warrington about twenty miles and killing many in the chase took Lieutenant General Baily prisoner with a great part of the Scottish Army granting them onely quarter for their lives In this battel were slain three thousand Scots and taken prisoners about nine thousand Duke Hamilton himself within few dayes after having fled with a good party of Horse to Uttoxeter was there taken prisoner by the Lord Grey and Colonel Wait with Hamilton were taken about three thousand Horse Langdale also not long after was taken prisoner in a little Village by Widmerpool a Parliament-Captain This was the success of Hamilton's invading England Presently after this famous victory of Cromwel Colchester was surrendred to General Fairfax three months almost had the General lien before that Town with a small Army in respect of the number of the besieged in a lamentable rainy season where the Souldiers patience no less then their valour was tried Goring Capel Hastings Lucas and the other Commanders until they were reduced to extream necessity would not hear of yielding but despised all conditions their courages were long upheld by vain hopes besides the smalness of the General 's Army of aid by insurrections at London and of the success of Hamilton Langdale or the E. of Holland and more especially of succor by Sea from Prince Charls who was now possessed of those Ships which had revolted from the Parliament and having taken divers Merchants Ships besides was himself in person with no contemptible Fleet come into the narrow Seas But about the end of August the besieged in Colchester despairing of any relief and reduc'd to extremities for they had long fed upon Horse-flesh yielded themselves to the mercy of the Conqueror Two onely suffered Sir Ch. Lucas and Sir George Lisle who were shot to death Goring Capel and Hastings were sent to prison to abide the doom of Parliament Thus was the Parliament everywhere victorious by Land nor were they unhappy by Sea For considering that revolt of the Navy it was to be accounted a great felicity that no more revolted after them or no farther mischief ensued But the Earl of Warwick was very careful and it pleased God by this fright rather then loss to let the Parliament know the frailty of their own condition About the end of August Warwick with a good Fleet was in the River Thames when Prince Charls with a greater force about twenty sail was come upon the River against him and sent a command to Warwick to take down his Flag and yield obedience to him as supream Admiral having the King's Commission to that purpose But Warwick true to the Parliament obeyed not the Summons nor was there any convenient place in that narrow Channel especially for the larger Vessels to make a naval fight and Warwick's Fleet not strong enough to encounter the Prince stayed for the coming of their friends the Porchmouth-Fleet The government and bringing