about threescore of the Commissioners set their Hands and Seals directing it to Col. Hacker Col. Hunks and Col. Phaier or either of them The Duke of Glocester and the Lady Elizabeth waited on the King the same day to take their leave of him An Extraordinary Ambassador from the United Provinces had his Audience in the Parliament his business was to intercede with them for the Life of the King and to preserve a fair Correspondence between England and the States The next day about eight in the Morning the King attended by a Guard was brought from St. James's through the Park to Whitehall where having drunk a Glass or two of red Wine and stayed about two hours in a private Room he was conducted to the Scaffold out of a Window of the Banqueting-house and having made a Speech and taken off his George he kneeled down at the Block and the Executioner persormed his Office The Body was ordered to be interred at Windsor The Duke of Lenox the Marquiss of Hertford the Earls of Southampton and Lindsey with some others having Leave from the Parliament attended it to the Grave A Report of the Proceedings of the High Court of Justice being made to the Parliament they declared That the Persons imployed in that important Service had discharged their Trust with Courage and Fidelity that the Parliament was well satisfied with the Account of their Proceedings ordering them to be engrossed and recorded amongst the Parliament-Rolls in order to transmit the Memory thereof to Posterity and resolved that the Commissioners of the Great Seal should issue a Certiorari to their Clerk to record those Proceedings in the Chancery and that the same should be sent to the other Courts at Westminster and to the Custos Rotulorum of each County Judg Jenkins Sir John Stowel and divers other Persons who were Prisoners and had carried themselves very insolently now finding the Parliament to be in earnest began to come to a better Temper Colonel Middleton who was also a Prisoner at Newcastle upon Parole ran away to Scotland and being required to return answered That his Life was dearer to him than his Honour Sir Marmaduke Langdale made his escape also and Sir Lewis Dives through a House of Office in Whitehall The Lord Capel got out of the Tower but being discovered by a Waterman as he crossed the Thames he was seized in a House at Lambeth Duke Hamilton also escaped out of Windsor-Castle and came to Southwark where knocking at the Door of an Inn he was seized by a Souldier who knew him and was passing by that way whereupon he was committed to the Tower The House of Lords becoming now the Subject of the Consideration and Debate of the Parliament Lieutenant General Cromwell appeared for them having already had a close Correspondence with many of them and it may be presuming he might have farther use of them in those Designs he had resolved to carry on but they not meeting in their House at the time to which they had adjourned much facilitated their Removal so that the Question being put Whether the House of Commons should take Advice of the House of Lords in the Exercise of the Legislative Power it was carried in the Negative and thereupon resolved That the House of Peers was useless and dangerous and ought to be abolished and an Act was soon after passed to that effect After this they proceeded to declare That the Office of a King in this Nation is unnecessary burdensome and dangerous to the Liberty Safety and publick Interest of the People and therefore ought to be abolioshed and that they will settle the Government of the Nation in the way of a Commonwealth To this end they ordered a Declaration to be published whereby it was declared Treason for any Person to endeavour to promote Charles Stuart to be King of England or any other single Person to be chief Governour thereof They also ordered the Great Seal and other Seals which had the Image of the late King on them to be defaced and appointed new ones to be made with the Stamp of the House of Commons on one side accompanied with this Inscription The Great Seal of the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England On the other side was engraven the Cross and the Harp being the Arms of England and Ireland with this Inscription God with us Ordering all Writs formerly running in the King's Name to be issued out in the Name of the Keepers of the Liberty of England A High Court of Justice was constituted by Act of Parliament for the trying of Duke Hamilton the Earl of Holland the Lord Goring the Lord Capel and Sir John Owen Duke Hamilton pleaded that he entred into England as an Enemy being of another Nation and born before the Act of Union and consequently not to be tried by the Laws of this besides he had surrendred himself upon Conditions The rest of the Lords pleaded Articles also and so did Sir John Owen But that Allegation appeared to be of no weight by the Testimony of the General in relation to the Lords Goring and Capel and by the Evidence of Col. Wayte touching Duke Hamilton the like being affirmed by other Witnesses against the Earl of Holland and Sir John Owen for if there had been any Promise made to any of them either implicitely or by word of Mouth it could only extend to protect them from the Military not the Civil Sword And as to the Plea for Duke Hamilton that he was born before the two Nations were united it was answered that they tried him not as Duke Hamilton but as Earl of Cambridg in which Capacity he had sate as a Peer of England and therefore a Subject thereof So that upon full Evidence they were all sentenced by the Court to have their Heads struck off for High Treason in levying War against the Parliament of England Earnest Solicitations and Petitions were made for them to the Parliament but they thought not fit to reprieve the Duke the Earl of Holland or the Lord Capel Touching the Lord Goring the House was equally divided and the Speaker having upon such Occasions the determining Voice gave it for his Reprieve Commissary General Ireton observing no Motion consider that he was a Commoner and therefore more properly to have been tried in another way by a Jury whereupon the House reprieved him also The other three were executed a day or two after in the New Palace-Yard before Westminster-Hall in pursuance of a Warrant signed by the Court to that purpose the Parliament refusing to hearken to the Earl of Denbigh who proposed on the behalf of Duke Hamilton his Brother-in-law to give them a Blank signed by the said Duke to answer faithfully to such Questions as should be there inserted The Parliament having resolved to constitute a Council of State the better to carry on the executive part of the Government authorized five of their Members to agree upon the Number and Persons of such as they
in some measure assured that they would be true to what they promised in case the Common-wealth Interest should come to be disputed before we would report their Condition to the House Some of the House of Lords having procured themselves to be chosen by the People sat in Parliament upon the Foot of their Election in which Number was Philip Earl of Pembroke who being chosen by the Freeholders of the County of Berks upon his admission to the House signed the Engagement as the rest of the Members who sat there had done the Contents of which was To be true and faithful to the Commonwealth as it was established without a King or House of Lords The same Engagement was taken by the Earl of Salisbury and the Lord Edward Howard when they took their Places in Parliament after they had been elected to serve there Whilst we were thus providing for our Security in England our Affairs in Ireland had not the same Success the Earl of Ormond having reconciled the English in Munster to the Supreme Council of the Irish Rebels the Scots also in the North falling in with them against us with whom some Gentlemen of those Parts joined tho they had engaged themselves to the contrary Yet one thing happened tending very much to the preservation of Dublin and those few Places that were kept for the Parliament which was that Owen Roe O Neal who was General of the Old Irish as they were termed could by no means be brought to a Conjunction with the English Sir Charles Coote being besieged in London-derry agreed to supply the Besiegers with Powder upon their engaging to furnish him with such Provisions as he wanted which was performed on both sides and the Lord Inchequin who was besieging Dundalk promised to do the like for Colonel Monk who then commanded in that Place upon the same Conditions which was performed on Monk's part but as his Men were carrying off the Ammunition they were fallen upon by a Party of Inchequin's Horse the Ammunition taken away and many of them killed The Scots drawing about Dundalk most of the Garison revolted to them whereupon Monk delivered up the Place upon condition that he should be permitted to return into England where being arrived he met with a cold Reception from the Parliament upon suggestion that he had corresponded with the Irish Rebels About this time an Agent from Owen Roe O Neal came privately to London and found out a way to acquaint the Council of State that if they thought sit a grant him a safe Conduct he would make some Propositions to them that would be for their Service The Council to avoid any Misconstruction of their Actions refused to hear him but appointed a Committee to speak with him of which I was one ordering us to report to them what he should propose His Proposition was that the Party commanded by O Neal should submit to and act for the Parliament if they might obtain Indemnity for what was passed and Assurance of the Enjoyment of their Religion and Estates for the time to come We asked him why they made application to us after they had refused to join with those who had been in Treaty with the King He answered that the King had broken his Word with them for tho they had deserved well of him and he had made them many fair Promises yet when he could make better Terms with any other Party he had been always ready to sacrifice them We asked him farther Why they had not made their Application sooner he told us because such Men had been possessed of the Power who had sworn their Extirpation but that now it was believed to be the Interest of those in Authority to grant Liberty of Conscience promising that if such Liberty might be extended to them they would be as zealous for a Commonwealth as any other Party instancing in many Countries where they were so We informed him that it was our Opinion that the Council would not promise Indemnity to all that Party they being esteemed to have been the principal Actors in the bloody Massacre at the beginning of the Rebellion Neither did we think that they would grant them the Liberty of their Religion believing it might prove dangerous to the Publick Peace The Council upon our Report of what had passed at the Conference concurred with our Opinion so that having no more to do with the Agent he was required to depart within a limited time The Farl of Ormond General Preston and the Lord Inchequin beginning to draw their Forces towards Dublin resolved first to reduce Tredah in order to which they sent Col. Worden thither with a strong Detachment of Horse and Foot who attempting to take it by Assault entred with most of his Men but was beat out again by an inconsiderable Number of ours Notwithstanding which the Garison wanting Men to desend their Works their Provisions also being almost consumed was obliged to capitulate and surrender upon condition that the Souldiers should have liberty to march to Duklin the rest to return home and to enjoy Protection there Dundalk and Tredagh being surrendred to the Enemy and Dublin threatned with a speedy Siege by the Forces of the Royalists and Irish combined together for the destruction of the English the Parliament taking into their serious Consideration the deplorable State of their distressed Friends resolved to send them Relief with all Expedition In the mean time the Enemy marched towards Dublin having sent a Party of Horse before to invest the Place and to prevent any Relief from Meath-side upon whose Approach Col. Jones with the Forces he had with him was obliged to retire to Jones A Party of Horse from the Town made a Sally upon the Enemy and were repulsed with some Loss but being reinforced from England by a Regiment of Horse commanded by Col. Reynolds and two Regiments of Foot Col. Jones being also come into the Town they resolved upon a vigorous Defence Immediately after the landing of these Supplies Dublin was formally besieged by the Enemy who had a great Army provided with all Necessaries for the carrying on of the Siege and furnished by the Country with Provisions in great abundance their Head-quarters being at Rathmims a Mile from Dublin towards Wicklom They took Rathfarnham by storm and sent fifteen hundred Men to fortify Baggatrath in order to hinder our Army from landing at Ringsend being within a quarter of a Mile of it and lying triangular with it and Dublin Baggatrath had a Rampart of Earth about it and the Enemy had wrought upon it to augment its Strength a whole Night before they were discovered But the next Morning Col. Jones perceiving their Design concluded it absolutely necessary to endeavour to remove them from thence before their Works were finished To that end he drew all his Forces both Horse and Foot to the Works that faced the Enemy and leaving as many as he thought necessary for the Defence of the Town sallied
County as properly belonging to them The Parliament that they might leave no means unattempted to perswade the King to return to them sent down Propositions directing their Commissioners at York to deliver them to him And because much of the Intentions of the Parliament appear in the said Proposals and for that they were in effect the principal Foundation of the ensuing War I conceive it will not be amiss to recite them in this place as they were agreed on by both Houses the Second of June 1642. with the Title of their Humble Petition and Advice in Nineteen Propositions sent to the King The most Humble and most Faithful Subjects of Your Majesty the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament HAving nothing in their Thoughts and Desires more precious and of higher Esteem after the Honour and immediate Service of God than the just and faithful discharge of their Duty towards Your Majesty and this Kingdom and being most sensible of the Destruction and Disorders and of the imminent Dangers and Miseries which threaten your Majesty and Subjects the which have proceeded from the subtle Informations malicious Practices and wicked Counsels of Persons ill-affected to the true Religion of God to the Peace and Honour of your Majesty and to the Good of the Commonwealth after a serious Consideration of the Causes of these Mischiefs in all Humility and Sincerity they present to Your Majesty this Petition and Advice full of Duty to the end that by Your Royal Prudence for the Establishment of your Honour and Safety and by a tender Sense of the Good and Safety of your Subjects and your Estates you may please to consent and agree unto these humble Desires and Propositions as the most necessary and most effectual means by the Blessing of the Lord to remove the Jealousies and Differences that are unhappily begot between You and your People and to procure to You and them a constant Current of Honour Peace and Happiness Proposition 1. That the Lords and all others of your Majesty's Privy Council and such other Chief Officers of State as well within the Kingdom as on the other side of the Sea be put out of all Offices and Employments except such as the two Houses of Parliament shall approve and that those who shall be put into their Places shall be approved by Parliament and that those of the Council shall take an Oath for the due execution of their Charge in such Form as the Parliament shall agree 2. That the great Affairs of the Kingdom shall not be concluded nor passed by the Advice of private Persons nor by any Counsellors unknown or that shall not have taken Oath but that such Matters as concern the Publick and are proper for the High Court of Parliament that is your Majesty's Great and Supreme Council shall be debated resolved and passed in Parliament and there only and those who shall persume to do any thing to the contrary shall be subject to the Censure and Judgment of the Parliament And other Matters of State that are proper for the Privy Council of your Majesty shall be debated and concluded by the Nobles and others who shall be chosen for that end from time to time by the two Houses of Parliament and that every publick Act that concerns the Affairs of the Kingdom and shall be agreed by the Council shall be esteemed of no force and as not proceeding from the Royal Authority if at least the greatest part of your Council have not consented thereunto and signed the same and that your Council shall be brought to a certain Number that shall not exceed twenty five nor be under fifteen and if it happen that any Counsellor's Place becomes void during the Intervals of Parliament it shall be supplied by the Plurality of Voices of those of your Council which shall be either confirmed or voided at the first Sessions of Parliament 3. That the Lord High Steward of England the Great Constable the Chancellor the Keepers of the Seals the Great Treasurer the Keeper of the Privy Seal the Earl Marshal the Admiral the Governour of the Cinque-Ports the Lieutenant of Ireland the Chancellor of the Exchequer the Master of the Court of Wards the Secretaries of State the two Chief Justices and the Chief Baron shall be chosen with the Approbation of the two Houses of Parliament and in the Intervals of Parliament by the major part of the Privy Council with the Condition above mentioned in the Choice of the Counsellors of State 4. That the Governour of the Children of the King shall be chosen with the Approbation of Parliament and in the Intervals of Parliament in the manner before-mentioned and of the Servants that are already about them the Parliament shall change such as they think fit 5. That the Children of the King shall not marry without the Advice of the Parliament and those who shall be employed therein without their knowledg shall be punished by the Parliament 6. That the Laws against Popish Recusants shall be put in effectual execution and that those of them who are Prisoners shall not be set at liberty without giving good Security 7. That Papists shall have no Vote in Councils and that their Children shall be brought up in the Protestant Religion 8. That the Parliament shall reform the Liturgy and the Government of the Church as they shall think fit with the Advice of Divines That your Majesty shall assist to put a stop to Innovations to expel suspicious and scandalous Ministers and for the countenancing of a godly and preaching Ministry throughout the Nation 9. That it will please your Majesty to content your self with the Order that the Parliament hath established in the Militia until an Act be agreed on for that purpose and that your Majesty will recal the Declarations and Proclamations against the Orders given therein by the Parliament 10. That every Member of Parliament that hath been put out of his Employment or Office shall be re-established or Satisfaction given him 11. That the Privy Counsellors and Judges shall take such Oath as shall be agreed on by Parliament for the doing of Justice and observing the Statutes that shall be agreed on by this Parliament and that Report be made every Session of Parliament of the evil Administration of Justice 12. That all Officers shall enjoy their Places so long and no longer than they behave themselves well therein 13. That all Persons shall be subject to the Justice of the Parliament even altho they remove themselves beyond the Seas 14. That the Amnesty accorded by your Majesty shall have such Exceptions therein as the Parliament shall think fit 15. That the Fortresses of the Kingdom shall have Governours of the Choice of your Majesty yet of the Approbation of the Parliament and in the Intervals of Parliament as is afore said 16. That the extraordinary Guard that your Majesty hath at present about you may be discharged and that for the time to come you will raise no such
surrounded the Castle except only on the West-side where was a Pond of about six Acres The Enemy possessed themselves of all the Out-houses but used them only by night not thinking it safe to come at them by day which we observing one Evening conveyed forty Men through a Vault leading to those Houses ordering them to lie private and endeavour to surprize them when they came which had been effected if one of ours contrary to order upon the entrance of the first of the Enemy had not fired his Pistol and thereby given warning to the rest to shift for themselves The Man who was the occasion of this Disappointment was deprived of the use of his Arms till he should attempt something for the redeeming of his Reputation which soon after upon a Sally we made on the Enemy he did in which we took two of the Enemies Horses and made some Prisoners How many of them were killed we could not learn On our side some were wounded of whom one died soon after A Kinsman of mine who was related to the Lord Cottington was sent from Oxford to offer me what Terms I would desire I permitted him to come in that seeing our Strength and Provision he might make his Report to the Enemy to our Advantage For things were fo ordered by removing our Guards from place to place filling up our Hogsheads with empty Barrels and covering them with Beef and Pork and in like manner ordering our Corn that every thing appeared double to what it was to them The Substance of the Conditions I proposed was That if I understood from the Earl of Essex that he could not relieve us within six Months we would then deliver the Castle upon condition that it should not be made a Garison That the Parliament should have two thousand Pounds for what they had expended in the taking and keeping of it with some other Particulars which the Gentleman carried to Oxford with him but we never had any Return from him about them neither indeed did we expect any Our Beer was now spent our Corn much diminished and we had no other Drink but the Water of our Well which tho we drunk dry by day yet it was sufficiently supplied every night But being resolved to keep the Castle as long as we could we shortned our Allowance so that three Pecks and a half of Wheat one day and a Bushel of Barley another served near a hundred Men which was all our Force my Troop being sent away before for want of Conveniency for Horse This Allowance was so short that I caused one of the Horses we had taken to be killed which the Souldiers eat up in two days besides their Ordinary The Forces that had been sent by the Parliament to the Assistance of the distressed Protestants in Ireland being under pretence that they were neglected as hath been before mentioned brought into England to serve against those who raised them and the Rebels by the Pacification made with them by the King's Order contrary to his Promise to the Parliament left in the full Enjoyment of what they had gotten from the English by Rapine and Murder part of those who came out of Ireland landed at Chester and drew before Nantwich they were commanded by one Capt. Sandford Brother to Sir William Sandford a worthy Person of Grays-Inn to whom he had solemnly promised never to engage against the Parliament Yet did he send in a very threatning Summons to the Town and seconded it with a most furious Assault whilst the Works were but slenderly defended the Guard consisting for the most part of Townsmen who were then gone to dinner But it so happened that a Boy of the Age of fifteen firing a Musquet from the Town shot him dead in the place which discouraged his Souldiers from any farther Attempt Col. George Monk who had been sent by the Parliament into Ireland against the Rebels for some time scrupled to quit that Service and to engage in this being upon that account secured on Ship-board by the Earl of Ormond whilst he sent those Forces into England lest he should have obstructed their going over yet having afterwards his liberty to wait on the King was prevailed with to join with them and soon after taken Prisoner by a Party from Yorkshire commanded by Sir Thomas Fairfax who sent him Prisoner to Hull from whence some time after he was conveyed to the Tower of London Another Party of the Forces from Ireland landed in the West and marched as far as Hinden towards Warder-Castle in order to besiege it but being informed that the Person whom they were to dispossess was a Protestant and he into whose hands they were to put it was a Papist they mutinied against their Offcers and refused to be employed against us The Queen landed with an Army of French Walloons and other Foreigners and brought with her great store of Ammunition and Money procured by pawning the Crown-Jewels in Holland With these and other Forces the Earl of Newcastle marched to besiege Hull of which Place the Lord Ferdinando Fairfax was Governour who with the Assistance of the Seamen belonging to some Ships that lay in the Harbour made so fierce a Sally upon the Enemy that they were forced to quit some of their Guns and withdraw to a greater distance leaving many of their Men behind them of whom some were killed and others taken Prisoners Col. Overton carried himself as I am well informed with much Honour and Gallantry in this Action This bad Success so dispirited the Enemy that they abandoned the Siege and retired to York to which also the approach of Winter and the Preparations of the Scots to march into England did not a little contribute For the Parliaments of both Kingdoms had at length agreed upon Terms and removed the last and greatest Difficulty consisting in some doubtful Words in the Covenant which was to be taken by both Nations concerning the preservation of the King's Person and reducing the Doctrine and Discipline of both Churches to the Pattern of the best Reformed For which Sir Henry Vane one of the Commissioners of the Parliament found out an Expedient by adding to the first Clause these or the like words In preservation of the Laws of the Land and Liberty of the Subject and to the Second according to the Word of God Which being an Explanation that could not be refused prevented any farther Contestation about that Matter About this time the Enemy by cruel Usage put a period to the Life of my Brother Capt. Robert Ludlow who was their Prisoner as I before related The News of this and of the Danger I was in so afflicted my Father together with his constant Labours in the publick Service and possibly his Dissatisfaction about the Imprisonment of his good Friend Mr. Henry Martin for Words spoken in the House as he conceived in discharge of his Duty that he died expressing himself deeply sensible of the Condition of the bleeding Nation and heartily
my Father's Servants had so well conceal'd at the first breaking out of the War in a private part of my House that they escaped the Search of the Enemy who had plundered all they could find broken all the Windows taken away the Leads and pulled up the Boards in most parts of the House Whilst I was at London that Party which I left in the Country had taken some Wool and other things from the Lord Cottington the Lord Arundel and others which they sold and divided the Money amongst themselves From the Lord Cottington's they brought amongst other things a Horse that had been taken from me before at Warder-Castle The Lord Fairfax the Earl of Manchester and the Scots besieged York of which the Earl of Newcastle was Governour having with him a Garison consisting of six or seven thousand Foot besides Horse After some time spent in the Siege Prince Rupert arrived with about eighteen thousand Men and caused the Besiegers to raise the Siege who joining their Forces resolved to observe his Motions and to fight him if they found an occasion but that they might be a little refreshed and furnished with Provisions which they wanted they marched towards Tadcaster If Prince Rupert who had acquired Honour enough by the Relief of York in the view of three Generals could have contented himself with it and retreated as he might have done without fighting the Reputation he had gained would have caused his Army to increase like the rolling of a Snowball but he thinking this nothing unless he might have all forced his Enemies to a Battel against the Advice of many of those that were with him in which the Lest Wing of the Enemy charging the Right Wing of ours consisting of English and Scots so totally routed them that the three Generals of the Parliament quitted the Field and fled towards Cawood Castle The Left Wing of our Army commanded by Col. Cromwell knowing nothing of this Rout engaged the Right Wing of the Enemy commanded by Prince Rupert who had gained an advantageous piece of Ground upon Marston-Moor and caused a Battery to be erected upon it from which Capt. Walton Cromwell's Sister's Son was wounded by a shot in the Knee Whereupon Col. Cromwell commanded two Field-pieces to be brought in order to annoy the Enemy appointing two Regiments of Foot to guard them who marching to that purpose were attacked by the Foot of the Enemies right Wing that fired thick upon them from the Ditches Upon this both Parties seconding their Foot were wholly engaged who before had stood only facing each other The Horse on both sides behaved themselves with the utmost Bravery for having discharged their Pistols and flung them at each others Heads they sell to it with their Swords The King's Party were encouraged in this Encounter by seeing the Success of their Left Wing and the Parliament's Forces that remained in the Field were not discouraged because they knew it not both sides eagerly contending for Victory which after an obstinate Dispute was obtained by Cromwell's Brigade the Enemies Right Wing being totally routed and flying as the Parliament's had done before our Horse pursuing and killing many of them in their Flight And now the Enemies Left Wing who had been Conquerors returned to their former Ground presuming upon an entire Victory and utterly ignorant of what had befallen Prince Rupert but before they could put themselves into any order they were charged and entirely defeated by the Reserves of Cromwell's Brigade Prince Rupert upon the routing of the Parliament's Right Wing concluding all to be his own had sent Letters to the King to acquaint him with the Victory upon which the Bells were rung and Bonfires made at Oxford Sir Charles Lucas Major General Porter Major General Tilyard with above a hundred Officers more were taken Prisoners by the Parliament's Forces All the Enemies Artillery great Numbers of Arms and a good quantity of Ammunition and Baggage fell also into their hands The Prince's own Standard with the Arms of the Palatinate was likewise taken with many others both of Horse and Foot Fifteen days after this Fight being the 16 th of July 1644. the City of York was surrendred to the Parliament's Forces upon Articles and the Earl of Newcastle having had some Dispute with Prince Rupert before the Engagement wherein some Words had passed which the Earl could not well digest soon after left England and the Prince retired to Bristol The Earl of Essex was marched with his Army into Cornwall yet to what publick end I could never understand for the Enemy there had already dispersed themselves Some said that he was perswaded to march thither by the Lord Roberts to give him an opportunity to collect his Rents in those Parts Upon this the King drew out what Forces he could from Oxford designing to join them with some others in the West by which Conjunction the Parliament apprehending their Army under Essex to be in danger ordered Sir William Waller to observe the King's Motions But whether the Neglect of relieving him at the Devizes or the Affront put upon him by commanding him to follow the King after he had been ordered to attend the Service of the West or what else it was that had sower'd him I cannot say yet visible it was that so much Care and Expedition was not used in attending the King in his Marches as was requisite However Lieutenant General Middleton then under Sir William Waller was sent with a Party of Horse to the Assistance of the Earl of Essex but he kept at such a distance from him that he afforded him little Help Neither was there that Diligence as should have been then used by the Earl of Essex himself to engage the King before his Conjunction with the Western Forces or to fight them when they were united they not much if at all exceeding ours in Number and in Courage and Affection to the Cause engaged in much inferiour But the Earl of Essex and the Lord Roberts having led the Army into a Corner of Cornwall betook themselves to the Ships with which the Earl of Warwick attended the Motion of the Army Being thus deserted the Horse broke through the Enemy under the Conduct of Sir William Balfour the Foot and Train of Artillery being left with Major General Skippon about Bodmin who was forced about the latter end of September 1644. to make the best Terms he could with the Enemy for them agreeing to leave their Arms and Cannon behind them and to be conducted into the Parliament's Quarters with whatsoever belonged to them but before the Convoy had done with them they lost most of their Clothes and in that condition arrived at Portsmouth where they found their General the Earl of Essex The Parliament soon caused them to be armed and clothed again and the Horse having forced their way as before mentioned the Army was speedily recruited scarce a Man having taken Arms on the other side The Earl of Manchester and Sir
were ordered to be hung up in Westminster-Hall and the Prisoners were secured in the Artillery-Ground near Tuttle-fields a Committee being appointed to consider how to dispose of them who permitted those to return home that would give Security for their living peaceably for the future but such as did not which was much the greater Number were shipped off to serve in Foreign Parts upon Conditions This Success was astonishing being obtained by Men of little Experience in Affairs of this nature and upon that account despised by their Enemies yet it proved the deciding Battel the King's Party after this time never making any considerable Opposition Leicester capitulated two days after and was surrendred and some of our Forces besieged Chester whilst the Scots did the like to Hereford The General Sir Thomas Fairfax marched with the Army to relieve our Friends at Taunton where Col. Welden was besieged took Highworth in his March and dissipated the Club-men defeated Goring's Forces at Lamport possessed himself of the Towns of Bridgwater and Bath by Capitulation and of Sherburn-Castle by storm Bristol also was surrendred after the Outworks and Fort had been taken by Assault with divers other Successes of less importance and therefore unnecessary to be mentioned here Lieutenant General Cromwell being sent to reduce such Garisons as were in the way to London began with the Castle of Winchester which was delivered to him upon Articles after which he marched to Basinghouse and erected a Battery on the East-side of it by which having made a Breach he stormed and entered it putting many of the Garison to the Sword and taking the rest with the Marquiss of Winchester whose House it was Prisoners Col. Robert Hammond had been before made Prisoner by the Marquiss and was kept here by him in order to secure his own Life which he did by putting himself under the Colonel's Protection when ours entred the Place It was suspected that Col. Hammond ' being related to the Earl of Essex whose half-Sister was married to the Marquiss of Winchester had suffered himself to be taken Prisoner on design to serve the said Marquiss The next Place he attempted was Langford-house near Salisbury which was yielded in a day or two upon Articles The Works about Basing were levelled Sherborn-Castle slighted as also Falston-house of which Major Ludlow was Governour who was removed to undertake the same Charge at Langford-house wherein the Parliament thought fit to keep a Garison by reason of its nearness to the Enemy The King as well to secure himself by getting as far from our Forces as he could as to raise a new Army if possible marched with the Horse that he had left towards North-Wales hoping in his way to relieve Chester besieged by Sir William Brereton and by his Presence in Wales to prevail with them to furnish him with a Body of Foot but he found himself frustrated in both these Designs For being worsted near Routen Heath by Major General Pointz who commanded a Brigade of the Parliament's in those Parts he saw the Face of Affairs much altered both in North and South-Wales In the last of which tho he was entertained civilly by some particular Persons yet the generality of the Country that during his Successes had subjected themselves even slavishly to his Instruments now fearing he might draw the Army of the Parliament after him and make their Country the Seat of War began to murmur against him and drew together a numerous Body in the nature of a Club-Army whispering amongst themselves as if they intended to seize his Person and deliver him to the Parliament to make their Peace Which being reported to the King he thought fit to retire from thence with his Forces only leaving a small Garison in the Castle of Cardiff which together with the County was soon after reduced to the Obedience of the Parliament by Col. Pritchard where Sir John Strangwaies was amongst others taken Prisoner who by order of the Parliament was sent up to London and committed to the Tower The Isle of Anglesey and such Places of North-Wales as had been held for the King were surrendred to the Parliament but Glamorganshire and the parts adjacent continued not long in their Duty but revolted at the Instigation of one Mr. Kerne of Winny who pretending great Fidelity to the Parliament was intrusted by them as their Sheriff for that County and made use of that Authority to raise the Country against them and to besiege Colonel Pritchard and the rest of their Friends in the Castle of Cardiff who being reduced to some necessity had been probably constrained to surrender it had not speedy relief been procured from the Parliament under the Conduct of Colonel Kirle of Glocestershire who falling suddenly upon the Enemy routed and killed many of them The King's Affairs being in this low condition in England and Wales he resolved to try what might be done in Scotland in order to which he commands the Lord Digby to march thither with a Party of sixteen hundred Horse and to join the Marquiss of Montross then in Arms for him in that Kingdom In obedience to the King's Order the Lord Digby marched from Newark and in his way surprized about eight hundred of ours near Sherbon but was afterwards routed by Col. Copley who recovered the Men and Arms taken from ours killed forty of the Enemy upon the spot took four hundred of them Prisoners and about six hundred Horses The Lord Digby's Coach and Papers were also taken This Party was defeated a second time by Sir John Brown and a third by Col. Bright who took two hundred of them Prisoners the Lord Digby with about twenty more hardly escaping to the Isle of Man and from thence to Ireland At the approach of Sir Thomas Fairfax's Army the Enemy raised the Siege of Taunton from thence the General marched to Honyton and the next day to Colompton from whence the Enemy retired in great disorder On October 20. the Army tho much weakned by hard Duty and the Rigour of the Season resolved upon the Blockade of Exeter Carmarthen Castle Monmouth and divers other Places were surrendred to the Parliament so that the King looking upon the Rebels in Ireland as his last Refuge sends Orders to the Earl of Ormond not only to continue the Cessation but to conclude a Peace with them upon condition they would oblige themselves to send over an Army to his Assistance against the Parliament of England The Supreme Council of Ireland as they called themselves having notice of it invited the Earl of Ormond to Kilkenny to treat about the same who being willing to see his Relations and his Estate in those Parts as also to expedite that Service accepted their Invitation and marched thither with about three or 4000 Horse and Foot for his Guard which by the advice of the Lord Mountgarret and the Supreme Council were dispersed into Quarters in the Villages thereabouts the Earl of Ormond suspecting nothing having sent Orders to
Sir Francis Willoughby who commanded that Party under him to that purpose but he being an old and experienced Commander well acquainted with the Treachery of that Nation and particularly of those of the Popish Religion knowing how easy it would be for the Irish to cut them off in the Quarters assigned for them resolved not to consent to the dispersing of his Men and therefore desired of the Earl of Ormond that he might quarter with them in the Field or where his Lordship should appoint desiring if this would not satisfy he might have Liberty to return home advising him not to trust his Person with them notwithstanding their fair Words My Lord hereupon leaves the Care of quartering his Men to Sir Francis Willoughby but resolves himself to stay at Kilkenny Sir Francis draws the Troops into Goran a Town five Miles from Kilkenny where he kept his Guards with as much Caution as if he had been in an Enemies Country The Enemy being by this means disappointed of their Design to cut off the Party by surprize resolved to attempt it by open Force and all the favour that the Earl of Ormond could get amongst his Relations was to have notice to shift for himself which with much difficulty he did sending Orders to his Forces to march towards Dublin in which he was very readily obeyed by them having had advice that the Country was rising upon them which they did in such numbers that if Col. Bagnal Governour of Loughlyn had not permitted them to pass the Bridg there they had in all appearance been cut off When they had recovered their own Quarters they discovered a piece of Treachery as Sir Francis Willoughby who gave me this account judged it to be tho he knew not on whom to charge it for they found that they had not been in a condition to make any Opposition if the Enemy had fallen upon them the Powder with which they were furnished having no force in it which came to be discovered upon the trial of a Musquet at a Mark by the small report it gave and the fall of the Bullet half way from it Whereupon searching further into the matter they found all their Store to be of the same sort The Irish seized upon all the Earl of Ormond's Plate and whatsoever he had with him at Kilkenny his Haste not permitting him to save any thing By this Usage his Zeal for the prosecution of the Treaty with the Rebels became much abated The King's Commission to the Earl of Ormond was not of so large an extent as he was willing to allow in case the Treaty with the Irish came to any effect and therefore the Earl of Glamorgan afterwards Earl of Worcester was impowered by private Instructions from him to promise them the Liberty of the Romish Religion with divers other Advantages to the Irish Rebels upon which he treated with them But because this when it came to be publickly known in England was highly resented by many even of the King's Party the Lord Digby who was ordered by the King to assist in that Affair finding that the Treaty was not like to take effect to give a specious Colour to the matter as if Glamorgan had in that particular exceeded his Commission accused him of High Treason and procured him to be imprison'd by the Earl of Ormond but in Letters intercepted from the Lord Glamorgan to his Lady he desired that she would not entertain any Fears concerning him for that he doubted not if he could be admitted to be heard that he should be able to justify his Proceedings to the Confusion of those who had caused his Imprisonment The English Officers and Souldiers provoked by the late Treachery of the Irish and apprehending that without Assistance from England they might fall into their hands would not be satisfied unless a Message were sent to the Parliament to treat about Conditions for the putting of Dublin and the Protestant Forces of Ireland into their Hands In order to which the Parliament sent over Commissioners to treat with the Earl of Ormond and the Council But tho the Earl was not willing that any thing should be concluded at that time yet Sir Francis Willoughby was as I have heard him say so far convinced of the Necessity and Duty that lay upon them so to do that he promised our Commissioners to preserve the Castle of Dublin of which he was then Governour for the Service of the Parliament whensoever they should command it Montross having obtained a Victory against those whom the Scots had left to preserve the Peace of Scotland by the means of which he was become Master of a great part of that Kingdom David Lesley was sent thither from Hereford with most of the Scotish Horse where he defeated the Army of Montross and reduced that Nation to its former Obedience After the Surrender of Bristol to the Forces of the Parliament Prince Rupert who had been Governour thereof returned to Oxford where he found so cool a Reception from the King by reason of the Loss of that Place that Col. Leg then Governour of Oxford was turned out of that Command for being of his Faction and the Government of that City put into the Hands of Sir Thomas Glenham The Prince was for some time forbidden to wear a Sword and tho he was soon after restored to that Liberty yet he was never more intrusted with any Command The House of Commons finding their Business to increase and their numbers to diminish by the Death of some and Desertion of others to the King at Oxford ordered the Commissioners of the Seal to issue out Writs to such Counties Cities and Boroughs as the House by their particular Order should direct for the Election of Members to serve in Parliament They ordered also a Jewel to be prepared of the Value of about seven hundred Pounds to be presented to Sir Thomas Fairfax it had the House of Commons represented on one side and the Battel of Naseby on the other three Members of Parliament were deputed to carry the Present to him the Opportunity of whose Guard I took to go into the West without disturbance which was difficult to do at that time many of the King's Party hovering about the Downs from whence they were called Col. Downs his Men who rendring the Rode unsafe I procured a Guard of twenty or thirty of the County Horse to accompany me during my stay in those Parts So small a Number not being sufficient either to defend me or to make any Attempt I betook my self to Col. Massey's Party commanded at that time by Col. Edward Cook where I had not been long before an Alarm was given that a Party of Horse from Oxford had marched by with a design to relieve Corse-Castle besieged at that time by our Forces But before we could get our Men together they had surprized part of ours in Warham and beaten off the Guard between that Place and the Castle which they relieved with
against as a Traitor to the Common-wealth Within three or four days they received a Message from the Scots Army informing the Parliament of the King 's coming to them and pretending to be much surprized at it but it appeared afterwards that this Resolution had been communicated to them before The King was accompanied in this Expedition by one Hudson and Mr. Ashburnham passing as a Servant to the latter Upon this notice the House of Commons sent an Order to their Commissioners in the Scots Army to demand the Person of the King judging it unreasonable that the Scots Army being in their Pay should assume the Authority to dispose of the King otherwise than by their Order resolving further that the King should be conducted to the Castle of Warwick and that those who came out of Oxford with him should be brought to London The next day they commanded their Army to advance in order to hinder the Conjunction of the King's Forces with the Scots The King soon after his Arrival at the Scots Quarters gave order for the Delivery of Newark into their Hands which having received they surrendred to the English and marched with the King to Newcastle whereof the House of Commons being informed and that the Earl of Leven General of the Scots Army had by Proclamation forbidden his Forces to have any Communication with the King's Party they desisted from their Resolution of advancing their Army and of conducting the King to Warwick ordering the Scots to keep him for the Parliament of England Mr. Ashburnham was permitted by the Scots to make his Escape but Mr. Hudson was brought to London and upon Examination at the Bar of the House of Commons confessed some things about the King's Journey from Oxford Commissioners being appointed by the Parliament to be sent down to the Scots Army in this Conjuncture they made choice of two Lords of whom the Earl of Pembroke was one and four of the Commons in which number Col. Brown the Woodmonger being nominated to that Imployment he turned about to me who sat behind him in the House assuring me that he would be ever true to us And truly I then believed him having met him at the beginning of the War in Smithfield buying Horses for the Service of the Parliament where he spoke very affectionately concerning their Undertaking and served them afterwards very successfully especially at Abingdon as I mentioned before but this wretched Man soon discovered the Corruption of his Nature and Malignity that lay concealed in his Heart for no sooner had the King found out his ambitious Temper and cast some slight Favours upon him giving him a Pair of Silk Stockings with his own Hand but his low and abject Original and Education became so prevalent in him as to transform him into an Agent and Spy for the King proving as will be hereaster related one of the bloodiest Butchers of the Parliament's Friends The Scots having the King in their Power pressed him to write to the Earl of Ormond his Lieutenant in Ireland and to the Governours and Commanders of Places that remained in Arms for him to lay down their Arms and to deliver the said Places to such as the Parliament of England should appoint to receive them acquainting him that otherwise they could not protect him Submitting to this Necessiry he sent Orders to that effect which some obeyed and others resused to comply with looking upon him to be under a Force Amongst those who yielded Obedience to the King's Orders was Montross who disbanded the Forces he had left and went beyond Sea The City of Oxford having been blocked up for some time began to capitulate lest their farther Obstinacy should prove prejudicial to them particularly in the matter of Compositions for their Estates the most considerable of the King's Party being there Commissioners were appointed on both sides to treat and came to an Agreement on the 22 d of June 1646. upon such Terms as the Parliament were unwilling to confirm but whilst they were in Debate concerning the Articles they understood that Prince Rupert and others of the King's Party were marched out of the Town in pursuance of them and that the Garison would be entirely evacuated before they could signify their Pleasure to the Army Wherefore tho they did not approve the Conditions yet they thought not fit to do any thing in order to break them The principal Reason given by the Army of their proceeding so hastily to a Conclusion of the Treaty was lest the King should make Terms with the Scots and bring their Army to the Relief of Oxford Farringdon-house Wallingford-Castle and Woodstock were surrendred to the Parliament Worcester and Litchfield soon after as also Pendennis and Ragland-Castle The Scots by their Commissioners pressed the Parliament to send Propositions of Peace to the King wherein they were seconded by an insolent Address from the Mayor and Common-Council of the City of London in which after some Acknowledgments of the Care and Courage of the Parliament in the Refermation of the Church and Preservation of the Laws they desired of them that such Assemblies as were privately held to introduce new Sects might be suppressed lest they should breed Disturbances in Church and State that they would hasten the Establishment of Peace in the three Kingdoms that they would consider the great Services of the Scots and dismiss those who were distinguished by the name of Independents from all Imployments Civil and Military esteeming them to be Firebrands that might endanger the Publick Peace with other Particulars of the same nature The Answer of the Parliament to the said Address was not much to the Satisfaction of the Petitioners being a positive Declaration that they resolved to preserve their Authority entire to themselves There was a Party in the House of the same Temper with the Addressers who earnestly endeavoured to break the Army as the principal Obstacle to their Designs pretending the necessity of relieving Ireland the Loss of which they said would be infinitely prejudicial to England and that the way to prevent it was to send thither some part of the Army who being united in Affection and of great Reputation both for Courage and Conduct would strike a Terror into the Enemy and undoubtedly accomplish that important Work not forgetting to urge that the People of England were not able to bear their present Burdens and therefore must be eased To these Pretences it was replied That it could not consist with the Honour or Safety of the Parliament to lessen their Forces whilst they had an Army of another Nation in their Bowels who tho they were united in the same Cause and Interest with us yet the best way to continue them so was to be in such a Posture as might secure us from any fear of their breaking with us and that the more Reputation the Army had the fitter they were to be kept together for that end After a long Debate the Question was put Whether two Regiments
it was now too late to think upon any thing but going through the way he had forced him upon wondering how he could make so great an Oversight At which Expression Mr. Ashburnham having no more to say wept bitterly In the mean time Col. Hammond and Capt. Basket beginning to be impatient of their long Attendance below in the Court Sir John Barkley sent a Gentleman of the Earl of Southampton's to desire that the King and Mr. Ashburnham would remember that they were below About half an hour after the King sent for them up and before Col. Hammond and Capt. Basket had kissed the King's Hand he took Sir John Barkley aside and said to him Sir John I hope you are not so passionate as Jack Ashburnham Do you think you have followed my Directions He answered No indeed but it is not my Fault as Mr. Ashburnham can tell you if he please The King perceiving that it was now too late to take other measures received Col. Hammond cheerfully who having repeated to him what he had promised before conducted them over to Cowes The next Morning the King went with the Governour to Carisbrook and on the way thither was met by divers Gentlemen of the Island by whom he understood that the whole Island was unanimously for him except the Governours of the Castles and Col. Hammond's Captains that Hammond might be easily gained if not more easily forced the Castle being day and night full of the King's Party and that the King might chuse his own time of quitting the Island having liberty to ride abroad daily So that not only the King and those that were with him but also his whole Party approved of the Choice which he had made The King and Mr. Ashburnham applied themselves to the Governour with so good Success that he and those with him seemed to desire nothing more of the King than to send a civil Message to both Houses signifying his Propensity to Peace which was done accordingly No sooner was the King's Escape taken notice of by the Guards but Col. Whalley hastened to the Parliament with the Letter which the King had left upon his Table shewing the Reasons of his withdrawing and his Resolution not to desert the Interest of the Army and tho it was visible that the King made his Escape by the Advice of Cromwell and therefore in all appearance with the Consent of Whalley yet he pretended for his Excuse to the Parliament that Mr. Ashburnham had broken his Engagement to him at his first coming to Woburn whereby he had undertaken that the King should not leave the Army without his Knowledg and Consent Upon this Advice the Parliament declared it Treason for any Person to conceal the King but the manner of his Escape being soon after discovered and that he had put himself into the hands of the Governour of the Isle of Wight they sent a Messenger to the Island for Mr. Ashburnham Sir John Barkley and Mr. Leg but the Governour refused to deliver them The time for the General Rendezvouz of the Army being now come the Commonwealth Party amongst them declared to stand to their Engagement not to be dispersed till the things they had demanded were effected and the Government of the Nation established to make good which Resolution several Regiments appeared in the Field with distinguishing Marks in their Hats But Lieutenant General Cromwell not contenting himself with his part in an equal Government puffed up by his Successes to an expectation of greater things and having driven a bargain with the Grandees in the House either to comply with the King or to settle things in a factious way without him procured a Party to stand by him in the seizing some of those who appeared at the Rendezvouz in opposition to his Designs To this end being accompanied with divers Officers whom he had preferred and by that means made his Creatures he rode up to one of the Regiments which had the distinguishing Marks requiring them to take them out which they not doing he caused several of them to be seized and then their Hearts failing they yielded Obedience to his Commands He ordered one of them to be shot dead upon the place delivering the rest of those whom he had seized being eleven in number into the hands of the Marshal and having dispersed the Army to their Quarters went to give an account of his Proceedings to the Parliament and tho when an Agreement with the King was carried on by other hands he could countenance the Army in opposition to the Parliament yet now the bargain for the Peoples Liberty being driven on by himself he opposed those who laboured to obstruct it pretending his so doing to be only in order to keep the Army in subjection to the Parliament who being very desirous to have this Spirit suppressed in the Army by any means not only approved what he had done but gave him the Thanks of the House for the same Whereunto tho singly I gave as loud a No as I could being fully convinced that he had acted in this manner for no other end but to advance his own Passion and Power into the room of Right and Reason and took the first opportunity to tell him that the Army having taken the Power into their hands as in effect they had done every drop of Blood shed in that extraordinary way would be required of them unless the Rectitude of their Intentions and Actions did justify them of which they had need to be very careful Whilst these things were doing the Earl of Ormond finding that the Irish used him treacherously and that the Inclinations of his Army tended towards a Submission to the Parliament of England invited them to send Commissioners to treat about the Surrender of Dublin and the Forces commanded by him into their hands Which was done and Articles agreed upon indemnifying all Protestants in Ireland for what they had done there unless they had been in the Rebellion during the first Year and admitting them to compound for their Estates in England at two Years Value A certain Sum was also promised to be paid to the Earl of Ormond in consideration of what he had disbursed for the Army This Agreement being concluded the City of Dublin and the Forces before-mentioned were delivered to Col. Michael Jones who was ordered by the Parliament to receive the same and the Earl of Ormond came to London where his Money was paid him and he soon after retired into France The chief Officers of the Army having subdued those of their Body who upon just Suspicion had opposed their Treaty with the King thought themselves obliged by their former Engagement to press for a Personal Treaty with him which they procured to be offered in case he would grant four preliminary Bills The first of which contained the Revocation of all Proclamations against the Parliament The second to make void all such Titles of Honour as had been granted by the King since he had left
thought fit to be proposed to the Parliament for their Approbation The five impowered to this end by the Parliament were Mr. John Lisle Mr. Cornelius Holland Mr. Luke Robinson Mr. Thomas Scot and Me who tho sensible of my Unfitness for so great a Work and of the Envy it would be attended with yet being required by my Country to assist in this Service I resolved to use the best of my Endeavours therein The Number agreed upon was thirty five which we filled up with such Persons as we thought best qualified with Integrity and Abilities sutable to so important a Station Four of them were Lords and the rest Commoners The House agreed to our Report only they were pleased to add us five to the number proposed by us The Parliament being desirous to exclude from their Places those who were likely to undo what they had done and yet unwilling to lose the Assistance of many honest Men who had been in the Country during the late Transactions passed an Order that such Members as had not sate since the Trial of the King should not be admitted to fit till the House should be particularly satisfied concerning them appointing the former five or any three of them to be a Committee to receive Satisfaction touching the Affections to the Publick Interest of every Member who had not sate since the time aforesaid and the Reasons of his Absence and to make their Report to the Parliament concerning them Prince Charles finding his Affairs in England to be in a desperate Condition concluded an Agreement with the Irish Rebels granting them full Indemnity for what they had hitherto acted and encouraging them to carry on their Cruelties against the English by his Commission The Lord Inchequin had already declared for him and joined with the Irish Rebels The Earl of Ormond was dispatched to Ireland for the same purpose and as a Pledg that Prince Charles would follow his Baggage and Horses were sent thither before The Scots fearing their Clergy would not be permitted long to insult over the People expressed themselves highly dissatisfied with our Proceedings in England and chose rather to espouse the Interest of Prince Charles than to enjoy the Fruit of what they had contended for against his Father publickly declaring that they were obliged by the Covenant to promote the Government of a King Lords and Commons which Government the Parliament of England had thought fit to alter We endeavoured to satisfy their Commissioners by shewing them the Reasons of our late Resolutions but they refusing to hear them returned home to their own Country where they found things disposed to an Accommodation with Prince Charles upon presumption that when by his Assistance they had destroyed the Sectarian Party as they called them they should be able to govern him well enough but he supposing he had an easier part to act with the Irish whose Principles were more sutable to his Inclinations refused to hearken to them at that time Col. Edward Popham Col. Richard Dean and Col. Robert Blake were appointed by the Parliament to command the Fleet the latter being designed with a Squadron to cruise upon the Irish Coast in order to meet and fight the Ships commanded by Prince Rupert Col. Popham was sent towards Lisbon to intercept the Portugal Fleet coming home from their Islands because they had protected some Ships that had revolted from us and sheltred them from our Fleet that was in pursuit of them and had offered some Affronts to our Agent Mr. Vane who was sent thither to endeavour a right Understanding between the two Nations General Dean with another Squadron was ordered to remain for the Service of the Channel This they did well understanding how great Reputation a considerable Fleet would give to their Affairs and of what Importance it is to this Nation always to guard the Seas and more particularly in that Conjuncture The Parliament much inclining to preserve a good Correspondence with the States General of the United Provinces sent Dr. Dorislaus into Holland to be their Agent there who a little after his Arrival at the Hague was assaulted by about ten Assassins English and Scots who broke into his Lodgings and murdered him and tho this Action was so infamous and contrary to the Right of Nations yet the Dutch were not very forward to find out the Criminals in order to bring them to Justice Mr. Ascham who was sent into Spain with a Publick Character also was used in the like manner by three Persons coming to his House at Madrid where pretending to be English Merchants they were admitted and as he saluted the first of them was struck into the Head by him with a Poniard and his Secretary endeavouring to make his Escape was killed with him The Murderers took Sanctuary in a Church but by an Order of State they were forced from thence and committed to Prison of which the Church-men loudly complained after their usual manner as an injurious violation of their Immunities The Squadron commanded by Col. Blake being first ready set fail for the Irish Coast where Prince Rupert thinking himself not in a condition to fight him retired with his Ships into the Harbour of Kingsale under the Protection of the Fort. Col. Popham was next dispatched with his Squadron for Portugal and was pleased to employ a Brother of mine as Lieutenant of that Ship which was commanded by himself The Spanish Ambassador was the first that made application to us from any Foreign State But the Parliament not being satisfied with the Address of his Credentials refused to receive them till it should be directed to the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England declaring that tho they did not affect any slattering Titles yet they resolved to have their Authority owned by all these who made their Addresses to them With which the Court of Spain being made acquainted the Ambassador received Instructions from the King his Master to that end and framed the Direction according to our Desires Our Affairs beginning to acquire Reputation and to carry a fair Probability of Success divers Members of Parliament who had been long absent addressed themselves to the Committee before mentioned in order to their admission to sit in Parliament and some of them would not scruple to give any Satisfaction that was desired to the Questions proposed unto them which were Whether they joined in or approved that I'ote declaring the King's Concessions a Ground for a future Settlement Whether they approved of the Proceedings against the King and whether they would engage to be true to a Commonwealth Government But we apprehending such extraordinary Expulsions as had been lately used to be extremely hazardous to the Publick Safety made it our Endeavour to keep those from a Re-admission who might necessitate another occasion of using the like Remedy And therefore tho all possible Satisfaction were given in Words we did by weighing the former Deportment of every particular Member who presented himself desire to be
and the other being very much shatter'd sunk down as our Men were carrying her off The Council of State having received an Account of this Action made their Report of it to the Parliament who passed a Vote for the justification of General Blake and resolving to have Satisfaction for this Assault placed a Guard upon the Dutch Ambassadors at their Lodgings in Chelsey and sent General Cromwell and Mr. Denis Bond a Member of Parliament down to the Fleet with Assurances that nothing should be wanting for their Encouragement The Event of this Undertaking not answering the Expectations of the Hollanders serving only to provoke the English Nation and to publish their own Dishonour they endeavoured to make the World as well as the Parliament believe that the Quarrel was begun by General Blake or at least that what had been done was not by their Orders and therefore desired that the Treaty might go on and that the Prisoners taken in the late Fight might be restored To this end they sent over the Heer Paw of Heemsted to carry on the Treaty in conjunction with the Ambassadors they had sent before into England This Minister was received with all the usual Demonstrations of Honour and being admitted to Audience pressed for an Accommodation of all Differences and a Cessation of all Acts of Hostility between the two Nations assuring the Parliament that his Masters had given Orders to their Ships to strike to the English Flag in the same manner as had been practised in former times But being demanded to shew his Powers he produced nothing save Letters of Credence and Passports referring himself to the other Ambassadors in that Point with whom he made some General Propositions to the Parliament and desired them to declare their Demands By these Proceedings of the Dutch the Parliament perceiving that this Difference was not like to be decided by a Treaty contented themselves to require Satisfaction for the Injuries received and Assurance that nothing of that nature should be attempted for the future which if the Ambassadors would consent to they declared themselves ready to proceed in the Treaty and to grant a Cessation of Arms. But so little were they disposed to give the Satisfaction demanded that they made no farther mention of the Cessation which they had so earnestly pressed and having taken their Audience of Leave they broke off the Treaty abruptly and returned home In Ireland tho the Number of those that submitted on condition to be transported into foreign Service was so great that they became a great Burden to us before we could procure Shipping for their Transportation and tho the Enemy had received several Defeats by our Forces during the Winter wherein many of them had been killed and taken yet they continued to make Incursions into our Quarters carrying away Cattel and other Booty and having lately seized upon the Horses belonging to two Troops of Dragoons they were so encouraged that Sir Walter Dungan Commissary General of the Enemies Horse and Capt. Scurlock a forward Officer and one who had done us much Mischief with five hundred Foot and two hundred and fifty Horse marched into Wexford with a Design to plunder that County Lieutenant Colonel Throgmorton who commanded in those Parts having informed us of their March we sent two Troops of Horse to his Assistance who with them and about four hundred Foot charged the Enemy upon their Return and after some Dispute routed them killing two hundred of them upon the Place and many more with divers Officers in the Pursuit besides several of the Irish taken Prisoners with the Loss of about twenty killed and a hundred wounded on our side The Booty which the Enemy had gotten consisting chiefly in five hundred Cows was all recovered The Season of Action advancing the Commissioners of Parliament went to Kilkenny as well to confer with the Officers from all Parts of Ireland as to make the necessary Preparations for the ensuing Service of which the Earl of Westmeath who commanded the Enemies Forces in Leinster having notice sent to desire a safe Conduct for Commissioners to be named by them to treat with us at Kilkenny on their behalf which being granted they appointed Commissary General Dungan Lewis Viscount of Glanmaliere Sir Robert Talbot Sir Richard Barnwel Col. Walter Bagnol Col. Lewis Moor and Col. Thomas Tyrrell to be their Commissioners And on our part Commissary General Reynolds Col. Hewetson Col. Lawrence Col. Axtel Adjutant General Allen Major Henry Owen and Mr. James Standish Deputy-Treasurer of the Army were commissionated to treat and conclude with them in conformity to such Instructions as they received from a General Council and after several days Conference the Commissioners on each part came to an Agreement upon Terms that were the same in substance with those formerly granted to Col. Edmund Odonryer and his Party with liberty left for the Lord Muskerry Major General Taaf and other Commanders of the Irish in the Provinces of Mâ—nster Connaught and Vlster yet in Arms to come in and accept of the same Conditions within a limited time The Articles were approved by the Earl of Westmeath on the behalf of the Irish and on the part of the Commonwealth of England by Me as Commander in chief of their Forces in Ireland In the mean time the Committee appointed by the Parliament for the Reformation of the Law in England made a considerable progress in that matter Judges were also sent into Scotland for the Administration of Justice there which they performed to the great satisfaction of that People The Parliament also appointed a Committee to consider of means to set at work all the Poor throughout the Nation and to make Provision for such as were not able to work that there might be no Beggar in England In Scotland our Forces having reduced the Castle of Dunotter which was the last Garison of that Nation that held out against the Parliament of England it was resolved to make four considerable Forts one at Inverness another at Leith a third at Ayre and a fourth at St. Johnstoâ—n and because the Enemy being entirely beaten out of the Field was retired to the mountainous Parts which to that time had been accounted inaccessible by the English it was agreed to endeavour to clear those Places of them also being perswaded that where any went before others might follow after To this end our Men were divided into three Parties the first consisted of Colonel Overcon's Regiment of Foot and a Regiment of Horse commanded by Major Blackmore The second of Colonel Hacker's Regiment of Horse and one of Foot commanded by Colonel Lilburn and the third was composed of the Regiment of Horse of Major General Dean and of a Regiment of Foot belonging to Lieutenant General Monk Each of these having a Party of Dragoons to attend them rendezvouzed at Loughaber and from thence fell separately into the Enemy's Quarters where they killed many of them and burned their Provisions pursuing them so