Parliament is not necessary 3. That divers Acts have been made when the Bishops were present and did not consent as the Act of Conformity 1 Edw. 6. and of Supremacy 1 Eliz. 4. That in Parliament though the Bishops dissent in any matter yet the major part of the Barons agreeing it and the House of Commons concurring It shall pass as an Act because the Bishops Votes are over-ruled by the major Vote of the Barons 5. That the Bishops cannot sit in case of Blood in Judicature but they may sit to enact Laws yet not to give assent for execution of them in case of any Murder or Blood In his second Case he had this Point Whether any beneficed Clerk were capable of Temporal Jurisdiction at the time of making that Law To this he argued in the Negative 1. That the first Clergy-men that ever were made Justices of the Peace or had power in Temporal Jurisdiction were the Bishops of Durham and York 34 E. 3. nine years after this Act so not a Principio but a Tempore 2. That before the Statute of Conformity 1 Edw. 6. the Clergy were not put in Commission for Temporal Power and the reason of their being then admitted was to perswade the people to Conformity not to give Judgment against them 3. If in Conscience because of their spiritual Calling they hold it not fit for them to meddle in temporal Causes they may refuse In his third Case he had this Point Whether a Bishop without calling a Synod have power as Diocesan to Convict an Heretick To this he argued in the Negative That although by the bloody Statute of 2 H. 4. some supposed grounds may be raised for maintenance of that Authority yet it is not full and besides which is the main reason the Commons did not assent to the making of that Law For he said He had searched the Records and found that Act only past by consent of the Lords spiritual and temporal and the Commons not mentioned therein His Arguments being reported at Court he was commanded not to proceed in his Reading He repaired to the Lord Keeper with the Heads of his Arguments who said It was good Law but not seasonably delivered and that as he was prohibited by the King so he must have his Licence or else he could not proceed in his Reading and advised him to move the Archbishop Laud therein After the Reader had twice attended at Lambeth without admittance the third time he spake with the Archbishop who told him That he had fallen upon an unfit Subject and in an unseasonable time and that it would stick closer to him than he was aware of The Reader excused himself That he had chosen this Statute two years before and could not alter suddenly what he had before framed That the business about Bishops in another Kingdom did not concern this and that he had no ill Intentions The Archbishop answered That perhaps he had done better to have given it quite over at the first than to suffer by it as he was like to do The Reader replyed That what he had delivered was good Law and he was able to maintain it and would stand by it and hoped he need not to fear any man's power in regard his Cause was lawful and warrantable but he humbly desired his Majestie 's leave to finish what he had begun The Archbishop said His Majesty had otherwise resolved of it So the Reader came away and shortly after went out of Town accompanied with fourty or fifty Horse and in good credit with the Gentlemen of that Society Anno 1640. Car. 16 April 13 1640. The Parliament met when the Earl of Strafford was led into the Lords House by two Noblemen to take his place according to his Degree He gave an account to the House what he had done in Ireland having there obtained a Grant of the Parliament of Four Subsidies for the maintenance of ten thousand Foot and fifteen hundred Horse And it was urged by some as a good President for the Parliament of England The Lord Cottington reported in the Lords House That by the King's Command he and Secretary Windebank and the Attorney General had examined Lord Louden in the Tower touching the Letter of the Covenanters to the French King That Louden acknowledged the hand-writing to be his and that it was framed before the Pacification at Berwick to be in readiness but was never sent to that King And that it was supprest upon the Pacification The Lords nevertheless thought fit that Louden should be continued in the Tower until further Evidence either to convict or to clear him Glanvill who had engaged to be a better Servant to the King than formerly was now Speaker of the House of Commons and very active to promote his Majestie 's desires whereof he gave sufficient testimony and of the change of his former Opinion A Message was sent by the King to the Commons which was for Supplies representing to them the intollerable Indignities and Injuries wherewith the Scots had treated him and he declared that if the House of Commons would assist him suitable to the Exigency of his Occasions he would quit his claim of Ship-money and give them contentment in all their just Demands This Message did take much with the House the Speaker Sir John Wray and others cried it up yet they first insisted upon a Security in three Points 1. For clearing the Subjects Property 2. For establishing Religion 3. For the Privilege of Parliament Many Conferences were between the Lords and Commons and warm Debates in both Houses upon the old Question Which should precede the King's Supply or the Subjects Grievances In the debates Strafford was magnified for being a chief Instrument to bring on this Parliament at length the Lords after a strong division Voted for the King and the House of Commons for the Subjects But it was not long ere this difference was unhappily decided Secretary Vane who by the King's appointment was to make known the particulars of his Desires demanded Twelve Subsidies At which high and unreasonable Demand as some called it many of the House of Commons were greatly distasted and expressed themselves to that purpose yet were generally inclined to have given no usual or lean Gift the Gift of Six Subsidies Sir Henry Vane escaped not without his Censures That his Commission from the King was but to demand six Subsidies and that his mistake in requiring twelve Subsidies was industrious and on purpose to raise the House to animosity Which took effect but whether intended so or not is hard to judge The King advising with his Juncto the averseness of the House of Commons to any compliance with him and their sharp Debates upon the old score of Grievances was rendred to him so desperate that May 5th he ordered the Dissolution of that Parliament The Councel given to Dissolve this Parliament was greatly and generally disliked and the differences between the King and
apprehending their Designs he comes to the discontented Princes of France who had raised an Army at Sedan And from thence from the Count of Soissons the Duke of Guise and the rest a Manifesto is published of their taking Arms for the Peace of Europe and expulsion of him who fomented the publick Wars They make Alliance with the Emperour and Cardinal Infanta and joyning Forces with General Lamboy they come to Battel where the Count de Soissons was slain and their Forces overthrown and Richlieu gets more advantage thereby against the House of Austria The close Committee for managing the business against the Earl of Strafford sate very constantly and took great pains in framing the Articles against him and preparing of Witnesses for proof of them for some of which Witnesses there were Messengers sent into Ireland to bring them hither All the Papers Proofs and Examinations in this business were committed to Whitelocke's care and charge being Chairman to the Committee The Committee had often resort to the House of Commons for their direction upon any Point of Difficulty and they were appointed by the House to be the Managers of the Evidence against the Earl and accordingly they divided the work among themselves January 30. Mr. Pym presented to the Lords the particular Articles of the Charge against the Earl of Strafford being 28. The Earl was immediately sent for to the Lords House where he heard the Articles read and they being two hundred sheets of paper and some of the Treasons being of fourteen years standing he desired three Months time to make his Answer which must also of necessity be very long and being unto matters of so high concernment especially to his own life and fortunes This time was opposed by the House of Commons and at length the Lords ordered his Answer to be brought in by the 24th of February next which was done though to the great labour of his Lordship and of Sir Richard Lane and others of his Councel and on that day it was read in the Audience of the King and in the House of Commons the next day after Some Disputes arose between the two Houses touching the Tryal 1. Whether Councel should be allowed for the Earl which the Commons opposed as not allowable in case of high Treason which the Lords said was true as to pleading of Matter of Fact but not in Matters of Law which was at length yielded to 2. Concerning the place of Tryal the Lords desired it might be in their House which the Commons opposed because they intended to manage their Accusation by Members of their own House in the presence of the whole House for which the Lords House would be too little whereupon Westminster-hall was agreed upon 3. The Commons intended to come in the Body of their whole House which the Lords not assenting to they at last yielded to come as a Committee of the whole House But there was a Proposal the Subject of much Discourse to prevent all this trouble and to restore the Earl of Strafford to his former Favour and Honour If the King would prefer some of the Grandees to Offices at Court whereby Strafford's enemies should become his friends and the King's desires be promoted It was that should be made Lord Treasurer the Lord Say Master of the Wards Mr. Pym Chancellor of the Exchequer Mr. Hollis Secretary of State Mr. Hampden Tutor to the Prince others to have other places In order whereunto the Bishop of London resigned up his Treasurers Staff the Lord Cottington his place of Master of the Wards and the rest were easily to be voided But whether upon the King's alteration of his mind or by what other means it came to pass is uncertain These things were not effected and the great Men baffled thereby became the more incensed and violent against the Earl joyning with the Scots Commissionres who were implacable against him The time and place of the Earls Tryal was appointed Westminster-hall prepared for it and never was there or any where else seen a more solemn and majestick Tribunal In the middle of the Theatre below on Forms covered with red cloth sate the Lords in their Parliament Robes their faces upwards at the head of them with his face towards them sate in a Chair the Earl of Arundel for that occasion made Lord High Steward of England and at that Tryal the Speaker of the Peers the Earl of Lindsey was made Lord high Constable of England for that time and had the ordering of the place Scaffolds were erected on either side of the Hall and at the lower end on those Scaffolds sate the Members of the House of Commons uncovered as a Committee of the whole House and many hundreds more of Gentlemen who could get places with them Beyond the Peers towards the upper end was placed a Chair and Cloth of State for the King raised on a Foot-pace on either side whereof was a close Gallery for the King Queen and Prince to be private At the lower end of the State on a Scaffold did usually sit Ladies of Quality on the right hand at the lower end even with the Lords was a place with partitions for the Committee of Parliament and a Door backwards out of it to a place for a withdrawing Room for them to retire to and consult as there was offered occasion On the other side of the place for the Committee and adjoyning to it was a place made for the Earl of Strafford with a Seat and Room for the Lieutenant of the Tower to be next to him and places for the Earl's Secretaries and for his Councel to be near him The Bishops were excluded by the Canons of the Church to be assistant in cases of blood or death and therefore they absented themselves from this Tryal Monday 22. March 1640. was the first day of the Earl's appearing on this Theatre the King Queen and Prince and divers foreign Lords and many Ladies with them attending there the Lords in their Robes on their Seats and the Scaffolds full of the Members of the House of Commons and many others mixed with them The Earl was brought to the Bar by the Lieutenant of the Tower his habit black wearing his George in a Gold Chain his Countenance manly black his Person proper but a little stooping with his Distemper or habit of his body his behaviour exceeding graceful and his speech full of weight reason and pleasingness The Lord high Steward declared to him That he was called thither to answer to the Impeachment of high Treason preferred against him by the Commons of England and Ireland Then his Accusation was read and next his Answer to it in which most part of that day being spent the Court arose The next day Mr. Pym made an Introduction very rhetorical and smart to the Articles and the first seven of them were managed as to the evidence by Mr Glynne and the proof was to his subverting the fundamental Laws
of some Opinions delivered at the Council-table of Juncto May 5. 1640. being the day that the last Parliament was dissolved the discovery whereof was thus Secretary Vane being out of Town sent a Letter to his Son Sir Henry Vane the younger then in London with the Key of his Study for his Son to look in his Cabinet for some Papers there to send to his Father The Son looking over many Papers among them lighted upon these Notes which being of so great concernment to the Publick and declaring so much against the Earl of Strafford he held himself bound in duty and conscience to discover them He shewed them to Mr. Pym who urged him and prevailed with him that they might be made use of in the Evidence against the Earl of Strafford as being most material and of great consequence in relation to that business Accordingly they were now produced to the House of Commons and in the Afternoon at a Conference with the Lords and the next day the Earl being brought to Westminster and both Houses being met the Notes were openly read the Title of them was No danger of a War with Scotland if Offensive not Defensive Then followed the Opinions interlocutory K. C. How can we undertake offensive War if we have no more Money L. L. Ir. Borrow of the City 100000 l. go on vigorously to levy Ship-money your Majesty having tried the affection of your people you are absolved and loose from all rule of Government and to do what power will admit Your Majesty having tried all ways and being refused shall be acquitted before God and Man And you have an Army in Ireland that you may imploy to reduce this Kingdom to obedience for I am confident the Scots cannot hold out five Months L. Arch. You have tried all ways and have always been denied it is now lawful to take it by force L. Cot. Leagues abroad there may be made for the defence of the Kingdom the lower House are weary of the King and Church all ways shall be just to raise Money by in this inevitable necessity and are to be used being lawful L. Arch. For an offensive not any defensive Warr. L. L. Ir. The Town is full of Lords put the Commission of Array on foot and if any of them stir we will make them smart To this the Earl answered That it were hard measure for Opinions and Discourses by Privy Counsellors in a Debate of Council to be prosecuted under the Notion of Treason As to the words that the King had an Army in Ireland to reduce this Kingdom they are only proved by the single testimony of one man Secretary Vane which is not of validity enough in Law in a matter of Debt much less in point of Life and Death 2. That the Secretarie's Deposition was exceeding dubious upon two Examinations he could not remember any such words the third time his Testimony was not positive but that I spake those words or the like and words may be very like in sound yet differ much in sense 3. There were present at the Debate but eight Privy Counsellors two of them the Arch-bishop and Secretary Windebank cannot be produced Secretary Vane affirms the words I deny them Four remain for Evidence Marquess Hamilton the Earl of Northumberland the Lord Treasurer and the Lord Cottington all these have declared upon their Honours that they never heard me speak those words nor any the like 4. Suppose I spake the words which I grant not yet cannot the word this rationally imply England as is yielded on all hands because England was not out of the way of obedience as the Earl of Clare well observed and because there never was any the least intention of landing the Irish Army in England as the Lords of the Council are able to attest This Paper of so great Consequence was missing at the Committee and by the Earl's Answer supposed that he had seen it and that it was conveyed to him by some of the Committee Whitelocke being in the Chair and having the charge and custody of all the Papers he was suspected more than others to have acted this piece of Treachery Great inquiry and search was made for the Paper but it could not then be found He told them when it was missing and that amongst such a multitude of Papers as he had in his custody it was not easie to see that he had them all again when they were brought forth or any of them called for That he never shewed this Paper to any but to the Committee and knew not who had it or what was become of it nor did he convey it or know of any that had conveyed it away But this would not serve the House was acquainted with the missing of the Paper and they ordered That every one of the Committee should make a solemn Protestation in the House that they did not convey it away nor know what was become of it All of them made this Protestation and the Lord Digby with more earnestness and deeper Imprecations than any of the rest yet afterwards at the Battel of Naseby the King's Cabinet being taken among the Papers in it was a Copy of these Notes under the Lord Digby's hand whereby Whitelocke was cleared and the Conveyer of the Paper to the King and from him to the Earl of Strafford was fully discovered The Earl having delivered his Answer to the additional Proof the Lord Steward told him That if he had any thing to say further in his defence he should proceed because the Court intended to prepare Matters for their speedy Judgment VVhereupon he made a summary Repetition of the several parts of his former Defence and concluded thus It is hard to be questioned upon a Law which cannot be shewn where hath this fire lain hid so many hundreds of years without smoak to discover it till it thus burst forth to consume me and my Children That punishment should precede promulgation of a Law to be punished by a Law subsequent to the Fact is extream hard what man can be safe if this be admitted My Lords it is hard in another respect that there should be no token set by which we should know this Offence no admonition by which we should avoid it If a man pass the Thames in a Boat and split himself upon an Anchor and no Buoy be floating to discover it he who oweth the Anchor shall make satisfaction but if a Buoy be set there every man passeth upon his own peril Now where is the Mark where the Token upon this Crime to declare it to be High Treason My Lords Be pleased to give that regard to the Peerage of England as never to expose your selves to such Moot Points such constructive Interpretations of Laws If there must be a tryal of Wits let the subject matter be of somewhat else than the Lives and Honours of Peers It will be wisdom for your selves for your Posterity and for the whole Kingdom to cast
himself The Scots generally took it except Hamilton and some three other Lords and the Estates ordered it to be taken by all men on pein of confiscation whereof they gave notice by their Letters to the Parliament of England The Houses in answer to the Prince de Harecourt declared their good acceptance of the affection of the King and Queen regent of France in their offer of a mediation of a Peace and that as soon as the Prince should make it appear that the Propositions were by authority from the King and Queen regent of France the Parliament will give such an answer as may stand with the interest of both Kingdoms and with the Solemn League and Covenant A Party from the Garrison of Poole under Captain Laye went by Water to Warham seven miles from them whereof the enemy having an alarm laid Ambuscadoes in the Hedges in the way from the landing place to the Town but Laye commanded his men it being in the Night to keep their Matches close so that the enemy could not see where to shoot at them But the Party of Poole entred Warham in two places and came into the midst of the Town where their Garrison was drawn up together who after one good volley of shot threw down their Arms and fled away Those of Poole took about 200 Prisoners much arms cloth and provisions and so returned The King's Officers having caused divers of the Parliament to be hanged for Spies as one poor man by Prince Rupert's order upon the great Elm near the Bell in Henly and many others Now the Council of War at Essex-house condemned two for Spies who brought a Proclamation and Letters from Oxford to London which were taken about them and they were both hang'd The Judges and Officers were commanded by the Parliament not to adjourn the Term by colour of any Writs or Proclamations from Oxford without order of the Parliament The Commons pressed the Lords for dispatch of the business of the Great Seal and the Earl of Rutland named for one of the Commissioners desired to be excused as not understanding the Law nor the Oath to be taken by them The Castle of Flint was besieged by Sir William Brereton and Sir Thomas Middleton the Governour of it for the King held it out till all provisions even to Horses failing him he then rendred it upon honourable terms Then the Parliament forces took in Mostynhouse belonging to Colonel Mostyn the Governour of Flint and in Mostyn they took 4 pieces of Ordnance and some Arms. This Colonel Mostyn was a Gentleman of good parts and mettle of a very ancient family large possessions and great interest in that Countrey so that in twelve hours he raised 1500 men for the King and was well beloved there living very nobly Ships were sent to relieve Plymouth and secure Milford Haven and to watch the coming over of any of the Irish Rebels The Earl of Rutland was excused from being one of the Commissioners of the Great Seal and the Earl of Kent named in his place Some of Sir Ralph Hopton's forces drove a party of Sir William Waller's Horse into Farnham but Waller drew his party into the Castle they being inferiour in number to Sir Ralph Hopton's party The Great Seal was carried up by the Speaker of the House of Commons the whole House attending him and delivered to the Speaker of the Lords House who in the presence of both Houses delivered it to the Commissioners and they all took their Oaths and then carried it to Mr. Brown's House the Clerk of the Parliament where it was put into a Chest with three different Locks not to be opened but when three of the Commissioners were present The Earl of Warwick was voted Lord High Admiral of England and an Ordinance passed that all who would set forth Private Men of War should have all Ships and Goods they could take which were employed against the Parliament or for supply of the Irish Rebels Sir Peter Osborn Governour of Jersey delivered it up to Sir John Pennington for the King A Regiment of the Irish Forces landed about Mostyn in Flintshire for the King's service Colonel Hastings marching to relieve Fulbury Castle held for the King was by the way set upon by the Moore-landers who routed his Troups killed 100 of them took about 150 Horse 100 Arms and many Prisoners The Commons thought not fit to treat further with Monsieur de Harecourt untill he shewed that he was Embassadour extraordinary from France and that he would direct his Papers to one of the Speakers The Estates of Scotland by Letters informed the Parliament of England of a French Agent who had been with them to propound their desisting from giving any assistance to the Parliament of England but the Scots justified to him their proceedings The Scots declared the Lords Hamilton Morton Roxborough and Lonmerick to be publick enemies and seised their Estates because they came not in to take the Covenant The King's Forces took Arundel Castle and fortified there Divers Forces from Ireland landed in Wales and the Lord Byron went to joyn with them Sir Walter Earle was made Lieutenant of the Ordnance in the place of Mr. Pym deceased The Garrison at Plymouth gave a brush to the King's forces besieging them Sir William Waller set upon the Lord Craford's forces in Aulton routed them and took about a thousand Prisoners Arms and rich Booties Colonel Morley beat back the Lord Hopton's forces advancing to take Lewys in Sussex Mr. Walter Long was by the House appointed Register of the Chancery Dr. Burges by motion from the Militia of London is made Lecturer at Pauls with 400 l. per annum salary out of Deans and Chapters lands A Letter of thanks was sent to Sir William Waller from the House for his good service at Aulton Mr. Lenthall Speaker was sworn Master of the Rolls before the Lords and he and the Commissioners of the Great Seal took the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegeance in the Lords house they also took the Oath for observation of the Act for the Triennial Parliament The Rebels in Ireland proposed to the Council there 1. To have confirmed to them the free exercise of their Religion 2. That all Laws there against Papists may be repealed 3. That all Lands there belonging to Religion Houses may be restored 4. That their Popish Bishops and Hierarchy may be confirmed 5. That the English Protestants may pay tithes to the Popish Priests These things were after the cessation of Arms in Ireland Colonel Norton in Hampshire routed four Troups of Colonel Bennet's Horse and took about 200 of them The Earls of Northumberland Pembroke Salisbury and divers Members of the House of Commons were indicted of High Treason at Salisbury for assisting the Parliament before Judge Heath Banks Forster and Glanvile but they could not perswade the Jury to find the Bill The Commons ordered a Committee to draw up an Impeachment of
appointed for the two Ministers to attend the Commoners Sir Peter Killegrew was sent with the Letters to the King and was to bring back a List of the King's Commissioners for the Treaty and of their Attendants An Ordinance read and referred to a Committee of the whole House for laying the Assessment for the Armies upon the several Counties They appointed a day to consider of the business of Dunnington Castle and the Earl of Manchester The Lord Savile Earl of Sussex the Lord Piercy and the Lord Andover were consined at Oxford The business of Dunnington Castle and of the Earl of Manchester was taken into consideration and a weeks time given for the Earl to be heard therein if he please An affront done to the Commissioners of Excise in Lancashire was referred to examination and the House resolved to be severe in upholding the power of the Commissioners The Sergeant at Arms was sent to apprehend one as a Delinquent for serving of a Sub poena upon a Member of the House of Commons Goring with his forces coming before Christ-church were beaten back by Major Lower and many of them killed The Commons proceeded in the business of the new Model of the Army and nominated Sir Tho. Fairfax to command in chief and Colonel Middleton Holborn Fortescue and Barkley tobe four of the Colonels Then they appointed a Committee to consider what honour should be conferred on the Earl of Essex for his fidelity and good services to the publick the like for Sir William Belfour and to settle the payment of their Arrears to such as should not be employed in the new establishment The Commons proceeded upon the Ordinance for the new Assesment Colonel Lambert was ordered to speed down into the North to take care of the forces there he being Commissary General of the Lord Fairfax his Army when Sir Thomas Fairfax should come up Colonel Holborn took in the King's Garrison at Sydenham-house and therein about 100 Prisoners and the High Sheriff of Somersetshire and ten Commissioners of Array and after that he fell upon the Lord Hopton's forces going to joyn with Greenvile took some hundreds of them and drove the rest to Bristol The King made Prince Maurice General of Worcester Hereford and Shropshire and some of his forces began to fortifie Cambden-house Letters from Secretary Nicholas intercepted gave no hopes of Peace upon the intended Treaty Sir Peter Killegrew returned from Oxford with the King's Answer concerning the Treaty and the names of the King's Commissioners with a Safe Conduct and Propositions from the King to be treated on The Safe Conduct was inclosed in a Letter from P. Rupert to the Earl of Essex and was to this effect CHARLES REX Charles by the Grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. To our Generals Lieutenants General Commanders in Chief Generals of Towns Colonels Lieutenants Colonels Captains Officers and Souldiers belonging to any of our Armies or Garrisons and to all other our Ministers and loving Subjects to whom these presents shall come Greeting Our Pleasure and Command is that every of you permit and suffer that Algernon Earl of Northumberland Philip Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery William Earl of Salisbury Bazil Earl of Denbigh Thomas Lord Viscount Wenman Denzil Hollis William Pierpoint Sir Henry Vane Junior Oliver St. John Bulstrode Whitelocke John Crew Edmond Prideaux for the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament of England at Westminster and John Earl of Loudoun Lord Chancellour of Scotland Archibald Marquess of Argile John Lord Maitland John Lord Balmerino Sir Archibald Johnston Sir Charles Erskin George Dundas Sir Jo. Smith Mr. Hugh Kenedy and Mr. Robert Berkley for the Estates of the Parliament of Scotland together with Mr. Alexander Henderson and their Retinue mentioned in a List annexed together with the Retinue of the Scottish Commissioners not exceeding in all the number of 108 persons together with their Horses Coaches and all other Accommodations for their Journey may repair to Uxbridge from London stay there and return at their pleasure and that they and any of them be permitted freely and as often as they shall please to go themselves or send any of their Retinue to and from Uxbridge and London without any let hinderance interruption or molestation whatsoever and to these our Commands we require your due obedience as you tender our service and will answer the contrary at your utmost perils Given under our Signet at our Court at Oxford the 21. day of January 1644. By His Majestie 's Command Edw. Nicholas The King's Propositions were Signed likewise Edw. Nicholas The Names of the King's Commissioners appointed for the Treaty for whom Prince Rupert desired a Safe Conduct from the Parliament were these The Duke of Richmond Marquess Hertford Earl of Southampton Earl of Kingston Earl of Chichester Lord Seymour Lord Hatton Lord Capel Lord Culpepper Sir Orlando Bridgman Sir Edward Nicholas Secretary Sir Edward Hyde Sir Richard Lane Sir Thomas Gardiner Mr. John Ashburnham Mr. Geoffrey Palmer with Dr. Stewart Dr. Laney Dr. Shelden and their Attendants in all to the number of 108. They were to meet with the Parliaments Commissioners on Wednesday the 29. of January at Vxbridge upon the Treaty for Peace The States Ambassadours were satisfied with the Answer of the Parliament to their Papers and said they would acquaint the States therewith expressing their good affections to the Parliament The Commons in a grand Committee further debated the Ordinance for new Modelling the Army and inserted therein the names of Sir Thomas Fairfax and of Major General Skippon They proceeded upon the Directory for Church Government and voted that several Congregations be under one Classis and that the Church be governed by Congregational Classical Synodical Assemblies and that there shall be one at least in every particular Congregation to labour in the word and doctrine Both Houses referred the Papers of the Treaty to the Committee of both Kingdoms to consider what is fit to be done and ordered that the Ministers in their several Congregations on the next Wednesday the day of the publick Fast and of the beginning of the Treaty should pray to God for his blessing upon it Both Houses ordered that the Lord Macquire should come to his Trial in the King 's Bench. A difference was between the two Houses touching the Safe Conduct for the King's Commissioners the Committee of both Kingdoms having altered some of their Titles given them by the King since the Great Seal was carried away from the Parliament as the Earl of Chichester they called Lord Dunsmore Lord Culpepper Sir John Culpepper Lord Hatton Sir Christopher Hatton and the new made Knights they called Mr. Hyde Mr. Lane and Mr. Bridgeman The Lords gave their Reasons why the new Titles should be given in the Safe Conduct the Commons gave Reasons against it as contrary to one of their Propositions and at length the Titles were agreed to be
unless the King would grant those Propositions it would be in vain to treat of any peace There was also much discourse about the acknowledging you to be a Parliament the Earl of Lindsey said That the King had acknowledged you a Parliament by the words Lords and Commons of Parliament We answered That this was the same style his Majesty gave to the Assembly at Oxford and we could not be satisfied with that acknowledgment Then the Earl of Lindsey demanded of us how we would be acknowledged We told him thus The Lords and Commons assembled in the Parliament of England at Westminster After this we returned to our Lodgings and acquainted our fellow Commissioners with the persons that were at the Earl of Lindsey ' s Chamber when we were there and with the matter of our discourse with them In all our discourses Mr. Hollis and my self did justifie your Propositions and vindicate your Proceedings Mr. Speaker It is no small trouble to my thoughts to have my Name questioned in this House but I am comforted in my own integrity and innocency and in my Accuser but chiefly in my Judges to whom I most humbly and most willingly submit my self After Whitelocke had spoken there was much debate in the House whether this Paper of the Lord Savile were an Accusation or Charge against them Many Gentlemen argued That it was against the Privilege of the House to take it for an Accusation being from the Lord Savile who was an Enemy come from the King's Quarters and one in contempt to both Houses of Parliament for refusing to name the person from whom he received the Letter concerning Mr. Hollis and therefore committed a close prisoner That he had not discovered this to the Parliament in five or six Months together that he had been in their quarters but after he had been complained of by Mr. Hollis about a Letter and Mr. Whitelocke was in the Chair of the Committee appointed to examine the business of that Letter Then the Lord Savile brought in a new Accusation both against Mr. Hollis and Mr. Whitelocke the Chairman to take off his testimony for Mr. Hollis Others went upon this ground That this business might be committed to see if the Lord Savile would avow his Letter and Paper and by what testimony he could make it good and that Mr. Hollis and Mr. Whitelocke might have reparation and be cleared from this aspersion But these were not their Friends and moved this out of a design to bring the business before a Committee to be examined more than out of respect to them After a long debate it was at last referred to a Committee to be examined in the general and power given to the Committee to examine any Member of the House and a Message sent to the Lords to desire that the L. Savile might be examined at this Committee Those who were of a contrary party to the Earl of Essex set their interest upon it to ruine Mr. Hollis whom they found to be a great Pillar of that Party and with him to ruine Mr. Whitelocke they being both involved in this business but they had not the same envy against Mr. Whitelocke as they had against Mr. Hollis nor could they well sever them But now having got it referred to a Committee they resolved there to put it home and were full of expectation to destroy them both which was their intention 5. A Letter from the Portugal Agent and his carriage to the Parliament referred to a Committee and how the Parliament might be vindicated therein Order that the Militia of London should put in execution the Ordinance for searching for Papists and Delinquents Proposals from the Governour of Windsor for supply of that Garrison presented to the House from the Common Council of London and referred to the Committee of the Army Sir Thomas Fairfax and Colonel Massey marched from Blandford towards Taunton their Scouts and Goring's had some Encounters but Goring understanding that Sir Tho. Fairfax was advancing towards him drew off all his horse and foot from before Taunton and went towards Exeter The Lords sent a Message to the House of Commons in answer of theirs yesterday That the Lord Savile if he pleased might be examined from time to time at the Committee to whom the business of his Letter was referred 7. Divers of Westminster in the name of the City petitioned the House for Maintenance for the Lecturers in Westminster Abbey out of the Revenues belonging to the Dean and Chapter there Thereupon an Ordinance was read and committed for regulating the College of Westminster and the Petitioners called in and acquainted with the care of the House in their business and had the thanks of the House Letters from Scout-master General Watson informed that the Enemy was wholly drawn off from before Taunton An Ordinance sent up to the Lords for making Mr. Jackson Lecturer at Gloucester and a 100 l. per annum to be settled on him and the House ordered Col. Morgan to be Governour there An Ordinance sent up to the Lords for One percent for the Captives in Argiers The King's Forces from Bolton Castle surprized Raby Castle belonging to Sir Henry Vane but were again close blocked up by Forces raised by Sir George Vane The Scots Army were on their march towards Worcester as far as Birmicham The Marquess of Argyle was in pursuit of Montross over the Hills and the Parliament of Scotland being now sate the Parliament of England appointed the Earl of Rutland the Lord Wharton Sir Henry Vane senior Sir William Ermine Mr. Hatcher and Mr. Goodwyn to be their Commissioners in Scotland The King with about 4000 horse and foot was at Hereford to raise 5000 l. Assessment and some Recruits The Committee of Salop took in Cause Castle Hawarden Castle and Lynsell House belonging to Sir Richard Lucy and sate down with their Forces before High Arcall the Lord Newport's House In the Afternoon Mr. Hollis and Mr. Whitelocke attended the Committee touching my Lord Savile's Accusation where Mr. Samuel Brown had the Chair and was no friend to them in this business but pressed matters against them more than a Chair-man was to do The Lord Savile was brought into the Committee and his Letter and Paper read to him which he owned as his and his hand to them and that he would justifie them to be true upon his Soul and his Life Mr. Hollis and Mr. Whitelocke averred the contrary but with less passion and with less indiscretion than the Lord Savile who being put to it by the Committee could not make any proof of one Particular mentioned in his Papers more than they themselves acknowledged which was the same in effect that they had said before in their Narratives in the House Every particular Clause in his Papers were severally read and he heard to them and they to make their Answers but they both did it with this reservation That what they did in this was out of their willingness
of some of the King 's and Queen's Letters taken at Naseby Fight 16. The House passed many Compositions for delinquency for Sir Richard Halford Sir John Cotton and others and appointed a Committee to examine the abuses of Sequestrators and Sollicitors of Committees Letters from Sir Thomas Fairfax his Army informed that they made a breach of about 30 foot wide in the Wall of Sherburne Castle and then sent a Summons And Sir Lewis Dives returned a peremptory denyal whereupon Sir Thomas Fairfax his men went on to storm 20 of the Garrison leaped over the Wall and came in to him demanding Quarter those within cryed out for a Parley but it was denied only Quarter offered for their Lives upon which terms the Parliament Souldiers soon made themselves masters of the Castle There they took Sir Lewis Dives the Governour and Sir John Stangeways formerly members of Parliament One of the Lord Paulet's Sons â—ussell an Attorney 10 Ministers divers of the Gentry and Commissioners of Array and 600 prisoners 1400 arms great store of Ammunition and Provisions 18. Order for the House to sit some daies in the week as a Grand Committee to consider of Propositions of Peace to be sent to his Majesty and the Scots Commissioners to be acquainted therewith Col. Rowe and Mr. Booker chosen by the City to go as Commissioners into Ireland were approved A Petition from Kent referred to a Committee Order for a Letter of thanks to Sir Thomas Fairfax and for a Day of thanksgiving for the taking of Bath Bridgwater and other Garrisons Goring failed of recruits in the West At Exeter an Oath was tendred to all the Inhabitants and Souldiers to oppose all forces not raised by the King's consent and particularly Sir T. F ' s. Army Letters informed that Prince Rupert had in Bristol a 1000 horse and 2000 Foot and took in a Garrison of the Parliaments called Stenchcombe where he put 40 men to the Sword in cold bloud In the King's march the Scotch horse fell upon his quarters at Bewley and took 70 horse and divers Officers At Litchfield the King confined Col. Hastings for delivering up of Leicester about Tilbury Sir John Gell fell upon his Rear took Captain Blake and others and 40 prisoners but the King's Forces returned upon him and rescued 20 of their own men and took 10 of Sir John Gell's prisoners Lieutenant G. David Lesly with the Scotch horse was near him and Mr. G. Pointz with 2500 horse Colonel Rositer with 1500 horse and the Country horse about 2000 intended to joyn together in all about 10000 horse to follow his Majesty 19. The House resolved That the Committees in the North had no power to appoint Governours of Forts there and the House nominated M. G. Pointz to be Governour of York and Colonel Sir Matthew Boynton of Scarborough A Declaration against Tumultuous Assemblies by any persons in Arms without Authority from the Parliament sent to Governours of Forts to be published and they impowered to seize on the Leaders of them to be proceeded against as Traytors Orders for Captain Doyley Governour of New-port Paganel to command the Regiment that was Sir Samuel Luke's Orders for levying the Arrears in London of the Assesment for Sir Thomas Fairfax's Army and for the Arrears to the Scots Army Order for money for several Forces 20. The House were in debate of the point for suspending from the Sacrament but nothing was determined in it Order for superstitious Pictures in York-House to be sold Orders for money and supplies for Garrisons Order That no foreign Impressions of English Bibles be vended here without perusal of the Assembly The King with 5000 Horse and Dragoons was at the Lord Fretswell's House and the Parliament forces not far from him G. Leven having planted his Batteries sent his summons to Hereford to come to a Parley and to expect no further offer A Book was brought into the House taken at Naseby fight wherein were the names of divers members of the House with summs of money supposed to have been contributed by them to the King and his Majestie 's hand in many places of it The Speaker said he had perused the Book and did not find there his own name nor Mr. Dunch or Mr. Whitelocke's name and he believed the reason was because the King had taken all from them 21. The House were in a Grand Committee in debate of new Elections for members and upon the Question it was carried by three voices to have new Elections and the Speaker ordered to issue out his Warrants for Writs for new Elections at Southwark Bury and Hithe and none to be chosen and sit unless they took the Covenant Both Houses granted a pass for the Lord Houghton the Earl of Clare's Son and another for Mr. Hollis's Son for going beyond Sea But Captain Bettisworth praying the like was desired to stay in England to doe further Service Sir Thomas Fairfax with advice of his Council of Warr proposed to go before Bristol The Plague was much in Scotland and Montross lately routed aBrigade of horse of the Covenanters 23. Order for supplies for M. G. Langherne and for 10 l. a Week to be allowed to his Wife in part of his Arrears A Bookseller questioned for Printing sheets unlicensed and order that none shall doe the like An Ordinance sent to the Lords for Mr. Case one of the Assembly to be Parson of Sapport in Cheshire Order for Colonel Jephson to beat up Drums for Voluntiers for Ireland Five hundred pounds Allowed to Scots Reformadoes Order for payment of Waggoners according to Contract and of Trades-men for their Commodities M. G. Brown continued very scrupulous and a discontent seemed to remain with him 25. Orders for recruits which came in but slowly for the Army and for money for the Forces of M. G. Massey A Petition of Ministers of London and Westminster concerning non-admittance of gross sinners to the Sacrament referred to the Grand Committee Order That the sad Condition of Scotland in respect of the sickness there and the late defeat given them by Montross shall be remembred in the publick prayers on the next fast day Upon Information of the King 's returning Southward and to prevent the plundering of his Souldiers and the breaking into the Associated Counties care was taken to put them into a posture of defence and for supplies of Garrisons in his way and Colonel Graves and Colonel Whaley were to go with more Forces into those parts Order for 300 l. for Colonel Graves The Scots Horse and Dragoons to whom M. G. Pointz Colonel Rositer and the Countrey Forces joyned makeing in all 10000 Horse and Dragoons got betwixt the King and the North so that he retreated back to Newarke a party of the Parliaments fell upon his Rear took the L. Harris a Papist 100 horse and divers prisoners From Newarke the King marched into Lincoln-shire where his Army
and that he would be ready to use his endeavour in what might conduce to the good of the Town Letters informed of some armed Forces that marched through Lancashire and Westmerland towards the borders of Scotland 8. Debate upon private Petitions Orders to provide for Reformadoes and Soldiers Widows Six of the Impeached Lords Petitioned for further time for their answers and it was granted them till the twelfth of April next Order of both Houses for Mr. Marshall to return from Scotland An Ordinance sent up to the Lords for the sale of some Lands of the Earl of Newcastle to Col. Whaley Order for Money for poor Widows of Soldiers and a reward given to the Auditors of the Soldiers Accounts Letters from Holland certified that the Lord Willoughby of Parham was come thither 9. The House debated and confirmed the ingagement of their Members who were forced by the tumults from Westminster and the subscription by them Aug. 4 1647. testifying a zeal to the Publick and a resolution to vindicate the honour and freedom of Parliament Divers Inhabitants of Bucks presented a Petition and remonstrance to the House acknowledging with thanks their unwearied Labours for the Publick the great successes God had given them and the continuance of their care and faithfulness They resolve to adhere unto and stand by the Parliament to their utmost ability against all opposers They desire them to proceed to a speedy setling of the Civil Government as may most conduce to the freedom and happiness of the Nation to promote Religion according to the Word of God to incourage able Ministers and to cast out such as are Scandalous and to be tender of the Consciences of those whose Conversation is as becometh the Gospel to relieve Ireland and to secure themselves from violence The Petitioners had the thanks of the House for their constant good affections and the Speaker told them that the House had ordered their Petition to be Printed as a pattern for other Counties and would consider of the particulars of their Petition in convenient time Order touching Augmentations for Ministers Sir John Strangeways upon his Petition was admitted to his Composition and the Money which should be raised thereby was ordered for the Navy 10. Order for an Ordinance for electing a Lord Major Aldermen and Common Councelmen of York as had been formerly for London Debate upon the confession of Faith 11. Debate about the draining of the Fennes in Lincoln-shire c. and about matters presented by the Committee of Accounts which were referred to a Committee Upon Information that the Troop which marched through Lancashire towards the borders of Scotland was Captain Wogans Troop and he with them who had slighted several Orders of the General 's and now hoped to find invitation to Scotland The General sent Orders to Col. Lambert and to the Sheriffs of the Northern Counties to stop Col. Wogans March and to deal with him and his Party as Disturbers of the publick Peace 13. Upon reading the Impeachment and hearing of Proofs against Sir John Gayer late Lord Major of London the House pass'd the Articles against him the like against Alderman Bunce Alderman Adams Alderman Langham and ordered them to be sent up to the Lords and their Lordships be acquainted that the House is ready to make good their Charge against the Aldermen The House approved of the Ingagements of Col. Welden for supplyes for the Garrison of Plymouth and ordered them to be paid accordingly Order to desire the Parliament of Scotland to give direction to seize and apprehend Captain Wogans Forces or any such that shall march into Scotland being discontented Persons who endeavour to forment new differences Reference to the Committee for Irish Affairs to examine and state the business concerning accounts for Provlsions for London-derry between Mr. Goring and Mr. Thornton Merchants Mr. Dell who was Chaplain to the General took his leave of the Army and retired to his private home Letters from Scotland informed That the Divines there have presented to the Parliament their resolution against adhering to on joyning with the King and his Party That a Letter from the King to the Commissioners of the Kirk was voted by them of a dangerous consequence that some of the Kirk are joyned to the Committee of danger who have in consideration these particulars 1. The danger of Religion in both Kingdoms 2. The carrying on of the Covenant 3. The state of the King 4. Monarchical Government 5. The danger Scotland is in 6. The Vnion of the two Kingdoms That the English Horse which are come into Scotland are not received the English Commissioners declaring to the Parliament there that these Horse come not by any authority of the Parliament of England They lye at their own charge and pay Quarter 14. Divers Compositions passed An Explanatory Ordinance for sale of Bishops Lands sent up to the Lords Reference of a Petition touching matter of Priviledge upon a Bond from a peer who doth not now sit in the House of Lords Sir Hardress Waller published a Declaration or Representation to the Counties of Devonshire and Cornwall where he commanded the Forces Expressing the Honour and Justice of the Parliament and their General in their proceedings and in the distribution of the Forces in those Counties and touching the Assessments and freeing the Countreys from the burden of free Quarter perswading them to complyance with the Orders of Parliament and to pay the Assessments and promiseth his utmost endeavour in his Station to preserve and further the Peace and good of those Counties 15. A Message from the Lords to the Commons That their Lordsnips had agreed to the Ordinance for the maintenance of the Army under Sir Thomas Fairfax Also that they had agreed to the Ordinance for committing the custody of the great Seal of England into the hands of Commissioners of both Houses viz. The Earl of Kent Sir Thomas Widdrington Knight and Bulstrode Whitelocke Esquire for one year only their Lordships desired that the Lord Grey of Werke might be added to the said Commissioners and that one Lord and one Commoner might be of the Quorum And in regard the Commissioners of the House of Commons were in the Circuits and shall not return till the beginning of the next Term whereby much dammage would accrue to the Subject by not having Commissions and Writs Sealed before the Term as usually it was desired that the Earl of Kent and the Lord Grey might have power to sign Commissions and Writs till the tenth of April next to which the Commons after some debate assented The Ordinance of both Houses of Parliament for the custody of the great Seal was of this Tenor Die Mercurii 15 Martii 1647. An Ordinance of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament for Committing the Great Seal of England into the Hands and Custody of Commissioners The Lords and Commons in Parliament Assembled do Order and Ordain
and be it Ordained That the Great Seal of England shall be committed to the custody and keeping of Henry Earl of Kent William Lord Grey of Werke Sir Thomas Widdrington Knight and Bulstrode Whitelocke Esquire who are hereby Ordained Commissioners for that purpose for and during the time of one whole year from the Passing of this Ordinance Which said Persons are hereby constituted and appointed to be Commissioners for the Custody of the said Great Seal of England during the time aforesaid and they or any two of them whereof one Member of the Lords House also one Member of the House of Commons shall have and are hereby authorized to have the Custody and Keeping Ordering and Disposing thereof as also all such and the like Powers and Authorities as any Lord Chancellor or Lord Keeper or Commissioners of the Great Seal of England for the time being hath Lawfully had and used or ought to have had or used John Brown Cler. Parliamentorum Henry Elsinge Cler. Parliam Dom. Com. Orders upon private Petitions of Grievances Letters from Ireland That the Lord Inchequin relieved some Garrisons of the English in Tipperary entred Carricke and Fortified a Pass to make good his Retreat blew open the Gate of Cullen by a Petard entred the Town took two Castles by Assault and put three hundred Soldiers to the Sword and some Women notwithstanding order to the contrary and then took in another strong Castle upon Mercy That Owen Roe Oneal is dead and the Supreme Councel fled from Kilkenny That the Parliaments Ships took three of the Rebells Ships loaden with Ammunition and Captain Ball took an Irish Man of War 16. Orders for taking off several Sequestrations in performance of Articles of War Ten thousand pound accepted for the Composition of Sir Jo. Strangeway and his Son and ordered for the Navy The Lord Fairfax Father to the General having a bruise on his Foot where a Corn was growing it festred and turn'd to a Gangrene which brought a Feaver upon him whereof he died at York March 13. and was much lamented Order that Sir Thomas Fairfax his Son should be Keeper of Pontefract Castle Custos Rotulorum of York-shire and chief Ranger c. in the place of his Father Order for Papists to be admitted to Compositions in performance of the Articles of Oxford 17. Long debate upon the Confession of Faith allmost all the day Several Ordinances pass'd for placing Ministers in vacant Benefices 18. The House sate not but according to their Order the Grand Committee sate about the business of the Fennes in Lincoln-shire 20. a Petition of London Merchants complaining of Pyrats and decay of Trade was referred to a Committee of Trade which was revived with power to consider of removing Obstructions in Trade and to receive all Petitions concerning the advance of Trade And referred to the Committee of the Admiralty to provide a sufficient guard for the Merchants Ships Letters of the Proceedings of the Commissioners in Scotland and of their Letters to the Major of Berwicke giving him notice of a design to surprize that Town and the Major's Answer Order for a Letter of thanks to the Major and to desire him to preserve the Town from Garrisoning according to the Treaty and order to the General to prevent any inconvenience by such meetings of the Cavaliers and Papists Letters from York of another Troop Landed from Ireland at Chester which marched towards Scotland That the Lord Fairfax the General 's Father was honourably buried Letters from Scotland of Divisions in their Parliament Some for raising an Army against the Sectaries in England others for the King and a third Party for no War The Clergy were for an Oath to be generally taken That Presbyterial Government be maintained that the King be not restored till he sign the Covenant to endeavour the extirpation of all Sectaries especially Erastianisme that the Ecclesiastical power is not subject to the Civil that the Kings Negative Vote in England be taken away Captain Wogan had Money sent to him in Scotland to pay his Quarters but by whom will not be discovered there are four hundred Foot and a Troop of Horse of the English in a Body 21. Letters that Col. Poyer held out in Pembroke Castle against the orders of Parliament and the Forces sent thither by the General that in the Morning he is sober and penitent and in the afternoon drunk and full of Plots that he put four or five of his Companions in the best Apparel he could get and by Sunrising put them out at the Sally-port and received them in again at the Gate himself with great Ceremony giving out in the Town that they were Commanders sent out of France to him from the Prince of Wales and more were to follow That when he hears news that pleaseth him then he puts forth bloody Colours and declares for the King and Common-Prayer when he hears other news then he is for the Oath and Covenant and puts forth blew and white Colours That one day he fired all his Guns on the Parliaments Forces without any occasion that afterwards he was very quiet yet the next day he vowed that not one of the Parliaments Forces should go away alive and calls the General King Thomas That the Parliaments Forces lye close and make no Shot at him but none of his men dare peep out of Town Upon Summons sent to him his answer was that if they might have their Arrears Disbursements and Indemnity they would give up the Castle The House ordered the General to send sufficient Forces to reduce Col. Poyer and Pembroke Castle an Ordinance to remove him from being Major of Pembroke and to constitute another Order for a Months Pay for the Forces in the Isle of Wight and for an allowance for four Gentlemen attending his Majesty Debate about Compositions upon surrenders of Garrisons A Plot was discovered by the General to surprize the Tower this night 22. Orders upon many private Petitions Ordinance past touching the Collecting of the Rents of Westminster Colledge The Commons agreed with the Lords in the Doctrinal part of the Confession of Faith but altered the Title from the Confession of Faith to be Articles of Faith agreed upon by both Houses 23. Debate touching Oxford Articles and about clipped and false Money Ordinance about reimbursing the Committee of Surrey for Money laid out by them for the Soldiery Order for a Writ for a new Election 24. Debate about setling of a good Ministry in some vacant places and Ordinances for some particular Parishes Order for two thousand pound for repairing the Library at Cambridge to be raised out of Deans and Chapters Revenues and an Order for incouragement of the Heads of Colledges there The General sent strict Orders for the disbanding of Major General Laugherne's Forces according to the Orders of Parliament and for the reducing of Col. Poyer 25. The Ordinance passed both Houses for setling the business of the Navy
future Upon this many of the Multitude who were come as far as Greenwich and Deptford retreated home and left the Ordnance and what they had taken behind them Letters from Cornwall That Sir Hardress Waller had routed and dispersed the Forces there for the King That he had killed near a hundred and took about two hundred of them Prisoners and let the rest go home to their own dwelling Letters from Collonel Ewer of his taking of Chepstow Castle Sir Nicholas Kemish slain an hundred and twenty Prisoners taken Order for fifty pound for the Captain who brought the News and for a Letter of thanks to Collonel Ewer and his Officers and Soldiers Letters from Viceadmiral Rainsborough of the revolt of some of the Ships under his command and that they had set him on Shore and had sent to the Earl of Warwick to take the Command of them and declared for King Parliament and Covenant The Commons referred this business to the Committee of Derby House and to follow the humour of the Revolters they Voted that the Earl of Warwick should be Lord High Admiral of England and forthwith go to take care of the Navy Order for a Letter of thanks to Sir Hardress Waller his Officers and Soldiers for their good Service in suppressing the Insurrection in Cornwall Letters from Kent that the Rioters encreased there to a great strength and committed many Plundrings and Insolencies the House left the business of reducing them wholly to the management of the General with power for him to give Pardons and Indemnity to any but only to such as had been formerly in Arms against the Parliament in pursuance hereof the General had a Rendezvous upon Black-Heath of seven Regiments of Horse and Foot and marched towards Rochester Letters of Cromwells Success in Wales Letters from Scotland That the Levyes of Soldiers there are opposed in some Counties From Newcastle That Langdale left five hundred Foot and a Troop of Horse at Berwicke That the number of the Cavaliers in those parts were about eight thousand That Major General Lambert was come with about nine hundred Horse to Bernard Castle The Three Bills to be sent to the King in order to a Treaty transmitted to the Lords Some Members added to the Committee of Derby House six Lord and twelve Commoners Referred to Major General Skippon to take care of the Ordnance at White-Hall and of sending Beds to Windsor Ordinances passed the Commons giving Power to the Militia of London to send Guards to the Parliament and for six thousand pound for satisfying the ingagement of Collonel Welden to the Inhabitants of Plymouth The Kentish men grew numerous under Esquire Hales their General and Sir Thomas Peiton their Lieuetenant General who sent a Message by a Trumpet to the Lord General for a Pass for their Commissioners to come and treat with him but the General refused it answering That he knew no authority they had to appoint Commissioners for such a purpose But finding them and their Countreymen gathered together in Arms and doing many Acts of Hostility and damage to their Neighbours in disturbance of the Peace and without any authority from the Parliament he cannot admit of a Treaty with them whilst they are thus in Arms. But if they shall forthwith lay down their Arms and depart to their Homes he doubts not but the Mercy of the Parliament will be extended to the Estates and Lives of those who have been deluded into this Rebellion and their Justice only against some of the most eminent fomenters of it Some Skirmishes were between Parties of the Army and the Kentish Men some few of them slain and about a hundred Prisoners taken they fought stoutly 31. The Monthly Fast they had three Sermons in the House The Kentish men sent a Resolute Reply to the General 's Letter Justifying themselves and their Cause The House sate till after six a Clock at night June 1648. June 1. Debate of an Ordinance touching the Arrears of many Officers and Soldiers who have served the Parliament A Petition from the Lord Major and Common Councel of London to acquaint the Houses with a Petition presented to the Common Councel which they desired to tender to the Houses and to leave to their Consideration It was 1. To return thanks to the Common Councel for their endeavours for a Personal Treaty 2. That the Militia of London Essex Hertford Bucks Kent Sussex and Surrey might be Associated 3. That Captain Batten might be restored to the place of Vice-Admiral 4. That the Distempers in Kent might be appeased 5. That the Aldermen under restraint might be discharged The Answer of both Houses to the Petition was That they perceived the Wisdom and Moderation of the Common Councel in this business and thereby their good affections to the Parliament for which they gave them thanks and desired that a Common Councel might be called this afternoon to which the Houses resolved to send some of their Members to acquaint them with the sence of the Houses upon such Petitions Intelligence that the General with four Regiments of Horse and three of Foot and some Companies of Colonel Ingoldsbie's Regiment marched to Eltham and lay in the Fields all Night May 31. they had a rendezvous at Craford Heath and from thence marched through Dartford and the General having intelligence that a party of the Kentish had fortifyed and barricadoed a bridge which led to Gravesend A commanded party was sent forth under Major Husbands of three hundred Horse who took up an hundred Foot behind them when they drew towards the bridge the Enemy sired thick upon them but they notwithstanding fell on and the Horse swam through the water and so got over The Kentish men seeing their danger fled Major Childe who commanded them hardly escaped having his Horse shot and his Son was shot and taken About twenty of the Kentish were slain on the place divers wounded and thirty Prisoners taken most of the party routed were Country-men Sca-men and Apprentices of London Major Husbands Marched on two or three Miles beyond Gravesend and had orders to retreat to Maulin where the Army quartered The General published a Proclamation forbidding his Souldiers to Plunder or commit any outrage in their March and to restore any thing that had been so taken Many Knights and Gentlemen of quality and Cavaliers were with the Kentish men and their numbers were increased to above ten thousand Major Gibbon went with a party to relieve Dover-Castle and forced Sir Richard Hardresse who had besieged it to retreat 2. A report from the committee who were sent to the Common Council That they did return their humble thanks to the Parliament for sending the Committee to acquaint them with the Overtures of favour the Parliament have made to the Petitioners of Kent The Common Council acknowledge the great patience and low condescension of the Parliament towards the Kentish men
a Pass for himself and his attendants forty Horse but none other to go over with him Report by Lieutenant General Cromwell from the Committee of Estates that according to the Order of the House nineteen of the Committee had subscribed for approving the Kings execution but that two and twenty of the Committee had refused Not but that they confest except one the Commons in Parliament to be the supreme power of the Nation and that they would live and dye with them in what they should do for the future But they could not confirm what they had done in relation to the King and Lords this report was committed Debate about disbanding the Kentish Forces and referred to a Committee to examine the publishing of Papers to Proclaim the Prince to be King The high Court of Justice sate and witnesses proved that the Earl of Cambridge was Prisoner to the Lord Grey before the Articles with Major General Lambert were concluded Letters produced signed with his own hand to Sir Marmaduke Langdale touching the carrying on of the design in England and passages touching his Friends in Colchester Proved also that he was called by the late Kings Writ to sit in Parliament in the Lord Houses by the name of Earl of Cambridge and appeared as Earl of Cambridge and acted as a Peer of England sitting in the Lords House and in divers Committees That as a Peer of England he took the National Covenant and subscribed to it Cambridge in the House of Peers and took the Negative Oath before the Commissioners of the Great Seal as a Peer of England Letters from Scotland that Sir Joseph Douglas was chosen by their Parliament to go to their new Proclaimed King to acquaint him with what the Parliament had done and to desire him to take heed of evil Counsellours That they are putting the Kingdom into a posture of defence Colonels chosen in all the Shires and every fourth man to be arrayed and trained Letters from Pontefract that one Beaumont a Priest was executed for corresponding with the Garrison in Characters and he chose to dye rather than to discover the Characters At the Council of State they were all demanded to subscribe the test appointed by Parliament for approving all that was done concerning the King and Kingship and for taking away the House of Lords and against the Scots invasion c. All the Lords and divers other Members of the Council refused to subscribe this test the General desired to be spared for what was past as to subscribing but he and the rest of the refusers affirmed that for the future if the Parliament thought them worthy to be imployed they would joyn with them and faithfully serve them Many of the Commons refusers to sign it as it then was made divers scruples some to one part of it some to another Whitelock scrupled that part of approving the proceedings of the High Court of Justice because he was not privy to them nor did know what they were in particular nor ever heard any report of them made to the house and not knowing what they were he could not sign that paper to approve of them the like was said by divers others 20. Offer for Merchants approved to send out Ships at their own charge in the next Summers Fleet. Order for three thousand pound for the Maimed Souldiers and for Sale of the Crown Jewels Hangings and goods to raise money for the Navy An Act for the Commons to call Common Councels in London Debate about the Act for Sale of Deans and Chapters Lands 21. Letters directed from the House to the Judges in their Circuits to give order for due payment of the Excise and that all rioters against it be punished Upon a report from the Council of State an Act passed for repealing the Commission to the Earl of Warwick as Lord Admiral and an Act Ordered to be brought in giving power to the Commissioners of the Navy to command the Fleet as the Lord Admiral had done An Act passed for the Company of Weavers in London The Hart Frigat revolted to the Prince the Sea-men set the Captain on shore the Prince was courted at the Hague as King but not by the States publickly The High Court of Justice sate and their order was read to the Lord Capel that they would hear what he could say this day and then proceed to judgement He said he was to be comprehended wholly in the Martial Law and urged the Articles again which excepted Tryal after by Parliament that divers that were in Colchester in his condition had compounded That breaking Prison for Treason by Common Law was but felony and benefit of Clergy might be had at last when he could not get the resolution of the Court to be referred to a Tryal by Martial Law He moved that he might not be barred of additional defence and that if he must be judged by the Common Law he hoped he might have the full benefit of it He urged for it the late Act which saith though King and Lords be laid aside yet the fundamental Laws shall be in Force He recommended to the Court Magna Charta and the Petition of Right and prest the consideration of the Act made in favour of those who assisted K. Hen. 7. and the exception in the Acts touching the Lord Strafford and Canterbury that they should not be drawn in precedent He desired to see his Jury and that they might see him and to be tryed by his Peers and said he believed that a precedent could not be given of a subject tryed for his life but either by Bill in Parliament or by a Jury Witnesses were heard against the Earl of Cambridge 22. Debate about the business of the Navy and to incourage the Sea-men Order that the Councel of State take care for preserving the Library Medals and Statues at St. James's An expedient assented unto for the Members of the Council of State that they should subscribe the test to approve of what shall be done by the Commons in Parliament the supreme Authority of this Nation but nothing of confirming what was past Referred to the Council of State to take care for the preserving of Timber for the Navy The Earl of Cambridge brought before the High Court produced his witnesses some of whom were disallowed being Officers under him and so Participes Criminis He pleaded that he had not broken the Negative Oath for he had not ingaged against the Parliament but for the ends in the Scots Declaration His Council moved that they might with the Council of the Common-Wealth state the case of the Earl but this was denyed being in case of Treason and that the Earl's Council could only declare their opinions in point of Law Upon the Earl's desire he had further time granted him The Council of the Army Ordered some to prepare a draught of such things as might be presented by them to the
Pawlets composition at three thousand seven hundred and sixty pound allowed and four thousand and two hundred pound for the Lord Pawlet An Act for a new Seal for the Courts of Wales and for Powell Eltonhead Parker and Clerk to be Judges there Letters from Scotland that the Parliament resolved to raise an Army of seventeen thousand Foot and six thousand Horse against the Sectarian Army in England in prosecution of the Covenant they having a report that an Army of English was upon their Borders That Colonel Monroe and Colonel Fizen with a party of Horse and Foot in the Northern parts of Scotland having Declared for King Charles II. taken Enderness and increased to four thousand the Scots Parliament repealed their votes of raising an Army against England and Ordered Forces against Monroe and his Party Pontefract desired a Treaty and were full of sickness in the Garrison 6. Report from the Council of State of forty thousand Horse and Foot to be kept up in England and Ireland whereof twelve thousand for Ireland their pay to be eighty thousand pound per mensem and free-quarter to be taken off Mr. Cauton a London Minister in his Prayer before the Lord Mayor having prayed for Charles II. as lawful King referred to Mr. Steel and Mr. Coke to prosecute him in the Upper Bench for Treason upon the late Declaration Letters of proclaiming King Charles II. in Guernsey Island by Sir George Carteret Letters from Holland that the Ministers there in their Pulpits inveigh against the proceedings in England and Pray for King Charles II. Referred to the Council of State to consider what is fit to be done herein and to preserve a good correspondence betwixt the two Nations The Earl of Cambridge brought before the High Court and asked what he had further to say why sentence should not be pronounced against him spake to the same effect as formerly The Earl of Holland and Lord Goring extenuated what they could their Offences as being rash not much hurtful c. The Lord Capel briefly repeated what he had formerly said and further observed an Ordinance of Parliament That Quarter should not be given to Irish Rebels for life which implyed that quarter given to others should be inviolable for life Sir John Owen pleaded quarter The President in his Scarlet robes spake many hours in answer to the several pleas of the Prisoners and at last sentence was given against them all that their heads should be severed from their Bodies yet with relation to the Mercy of Parliament 7. Referred to a Committee to draw up an Act for taking off all priviledge from Noblemen and to make their persons as liable to Law as any Commoner An Act committed for taking away Kingly Government and another for dissolving the House of Peers The Earl of Warwick and the Countess of Holland presented a Petition for the life of the Earl of Holland and divers Ladies for the others against whom the High Court had pronounced sentence of Death After some hours Debate upon these Petitions the House resolved upon the Question not to proceed any further upon these Petitions but to leave them to the Justice of the Court that sentenced them Then the Ladies Petitioned the High Court who only reprieved the Execution for two daies 8. A New form for electing Members of the House assented to Order that the Council of State nor Committees do not sit after nine in the Morning when the House sits Orders for seventy thousand pound per mensem for the Forces in England and thirty thousand pound per mensem for the Forces in Ireland and for an Act for eighty thousand pound per mensem assessment for the Forces and free quarter to be taken off New Petitions of the condemned Lords and a Letter from the General touching their Articles and after a long Debate the Question was put of them severally and voted That the Lord Capel should not be reprieved And carried by one vote that the Lord Goring should be reprieved this one vote was the Speaker who carried the House being equally divided four and twenty of each part and he said he did it because he had formerly received some civilities from the Lord Goring and his single vote now saved his life The House was also divided upon the question whether the Earl of Holland should be reprieved or not and the Speaker gave his voice against him Thus the Lord Goring who had been no friend to the Religious party was saved and the Earl of Holland who had been a most civil person to all and a very great friend to the old Puritans and protected them in the time of his greatest interest by the same single Vote lost his life This may be a caution to us against the affectation of popularity when you see the issue of it in this Noble Gentleman who was as full of Generosity and Courtship to all Sorts of Persons and readiness to help the oppressed and to stand for the rights of the people as any person of his quality in this Nation Yet this person was by the Representatives of the people given up to execution for Treason and another Lord who never made profession of being a friend to liberty either Civil or Spiritual and exceeded the Earl as much in his Crimes as he came short of him in his popularity the life of this Lord was spared by the people The resolution touching Duke Hamiltons Reprieve past in the Negative and for Sir Jo. Owen in the Affirmative and these Votes ordered to be sent to the High Court of Justice 9. Amendments to an Act for provision for the Forces of England and Ireland assented to The House rose early being thin because of the execution of the Lords The Earl of Cambridge was brought to the Scaffold in the Palace-Yard at Westminster and after some discourse with Dr. Sibbalds a Minister that came with him he turned to the people and seeing them so great a multitude he said his voice would not serve for them to hear him and therefore directed his speech to those upon the Scaffold with him He confessed his Religion to be according to that of the Kirk of Scotland that he had ever been Loyal to the late King and wished well to his Posterity and that none more desired the peace and happiness of this and other Kingdoms than himself That his coming into England with the late Army was out of no Treasonable or ill intent but for the ends contained in the Scots Declaration and what he did was as a servant to that Parliament and Kingdom That in that imployment next to the setling of Religion the establishing the King was his greatest aim and he wished his blood in order to the Kingdom might be the last that should be spilt That if he would have confessed who invited the Scots Army into England it would probably have saved his life Then he made a short Prayer Dr. Sibbalds kneeling with
Receipt of the Customs to the Revenue Debate of an Act to constitute Commissioners to discharge poor Prisoners who have lain long in Prison and have no Estates to pay their debts and to force those who have Estates yet keep them and continue Prisoners but have liberty for their Keepers and will not pay their debts but go abroad as if they were not Prisoners The House Adjourned till the afternoon but there were so few Members that they could not sit Letters that a Ship of Washford in Ireland landed some men in the night on the Coast of Wales under the House of one M r Griffith Jones and told him that they were for Prince Charles King of Ireland whereupon he opened his doors but they carried him away Prisoner and plundered his House yet a party of the Parliament Horse quartered not far off came in saved some of the goods and took the Quarter-Master of the Ship and five Marriners At the Council of State Sergeant Bradshaw took his place of Lord President of the Council but he seemed not much versed in such businesses and spent much of their time by his own long speeches 12. Major General Laughern Poyer and Powel referred to be tryed by a Court Martial And referred to a Committee to consider of other Prisoners of War who are fit to be banished who for perpetual Imprisonment who for Execution and who for Composition Mr. Walter Montague Prisoner had leave upon security to go beyond Seas Order to reduce interest Money to six per Cent. Committees appointed about Compositions of Delinquents and about the several Receipts for Monies Order for the Arrears of Colonel Thorney slain in Lincolnshire in the Parliaments service to be stated and his Son to have one hundred pound per annum Sergeant Bradshaw made Chief Justice of Wales The Garison of Pontefract brake off their Treaty of Rendition because Major General Lambert insisted to have some excepted from mercy whereupon some Papers with Stones were thrown over the Walls to inform the Souldiers of it and then they came to a new Treaty Letters from Scotland that the Enemy at Enderness marched out four thousand strong and expected six thousand Danes to join with them that the Parliament there were very angry at the stopping of their Commissioners in England and that they are near to an agreement with their new King Charles II. A Petition from divers well affected in Norfolk directed to his Excellency Thomas Fairfax Lord General of the Forces raised for the defence of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the inlargement of the liberty of the well affected English Recites the Sins and corruptions of the times and in all professions and prays 1. That none but men of known integrity fidelity and well affected to the cause in hand may be put into any Office military or civil and no Delinquent to be trusted in any Office 2. That no longer the Scandalous ignorant and Malignant Clergy may take the word of God into their mouths but a Godly and painful Ministry to be placed throughout the Kingdom that for their maintenance all Rectories may be restored those in the hands of well affected men to have a valuable recompence out of the Bishops Lands those in Delinquents hands to be taken away Tythes to be wholly taken away and every Minister to have one hundred pounds per annum to be rated equally upon the respective Parishes 3. That the Lords day Fast-days and the like be kept wholly from all manner of imployment except upon necessity 4. That the Laws against Swearing Cursing and Drunkenness be put in execution that there may be no more Inns nor Ale-Houses but what are needful to entertain Strangers going about lawful businesses and no Gaming nor any to be Vnlicensed 5. Papists to have no more but to maintain themselves reasonably and their Children to be bred Protestants 6. Schools and the Vniversities to be purged 7. That all Courts in the Country be put down and all causes under ten pounds value to be judged by two or three Neighbours to be chosen by the Parties and Perjury and Subornation of it to be death All Suits in Equity to be tryed by Juries not by Common Law Witnesses to be examined before the Judge except betwen two Nobles Knights c. who are able to stand a long Suit in Chancery No cause to hang above two Terms Lawyers to be reduced to a smaller number and their fees be be less and certain and but one Counsel in small causes 8. That who will may purchase Lands to be Freehold in Soccage for a reasonable Fine and that the base Oath of Fealty and Homage may make no more perjured Souls in the Kingdom 9. That the Army be purged of all disaffected to the cause and swearing and other sins be punished therein 10. That all taxes be taken off and the Army paid and satisfaction to the well affected out of Delinquents estates Deans and Chapters Lands c. that the Crown Lands defray the Pensions of the Judges the charges of the Navy c. 11. That Authors Printers and publishers of Scandalous and lying Pamphlets be supprest and severely punished 12. That Clipt and counterfeit Money be called in 13. That Fairs be kept only in Market Towns and small Fairs forbidden 14. For purging the Parliament setting Godly Guards about them bringing Capital Offenders to Justice and setling religion according to the mind of God Letters from the Hague that the Prince was there generally owned as King that the Episcopal Doctors flocked to him that Dr. Critton had a check for his railing Sermons The House sate not at the Councel of State they had some intelligence that looked dangerously and they expected difficulties That which seemed of most threatning was their own divisions and such Petitions as that before mentioned 14. A Letter from the Parliament of Scotland about the confinement of their Commissioners and justifying the papers delivered in by them Referred to the Council of State Referred to them to consider of Forces to be sent to Ireland and to nominate a General and other Chief Officers One of the Parliaments Frigats went to Sir George Carteret to Guernsey who after he had got possession of her turned off all the Mariners An Act passed for a new Seal for Cheshire Flintshire c. Order that Whitelock be injoyned to bring in a Declaration to satisfy the people touching the proceedings of Parliament Order for divers Members and the Master of the Ceremonies to attend the Prince Elector to Gravesend That the Committee of the Revenue provide Barges c. and that the Speaker and Members wait on the Prince to take leave of him Upon a report from the Council of State Voted that Sir Jo. Stowell and Judge Jenkins be tryed for their life That Wren Bishop of Ely and the Marquess of Winchester be not tryed for life but imprisoned till further order of the House
drowned Orders touching Claims upon the Bill for Sale of Delinquents Estates 18 The Tryal of the Portugal Ambassadors Brother put off till the next Sessions upon the Petition of the Portugal Merchants An Address of the Army to the Lord Protector congratulating his Access to the Government and promising their Obedience and Faithfulness to his Highness and Service to him in the Station wherein God hath placed him Of a Discontent between Glencarn and Lorn and they divided and Warrants were sent to Apprehend the Lord Lorn 19 Letters that the States were likely to agree to the English Propositions for Peace Of a Prize loaden with Three thousand Cheeses brought in by the Hector Frigot and another Dutch Ship taken by a Private Man of War 20 Letters of the Enemies Levies in the Parliaments Quarters but that they dare not come to Execute their own Warrants Coppies of them sent up to the Protector These Warrants were forbidden by Collonel Cooper to be Executed under pain that any who obey them or correspond with the Earl of Glencarn or any of his Party shall be proceeded against as Enemies Of Prizes taken upon the Coast of Norway A Day appointed for drawing Lotts for Lands in Ireland Of Mischiefs done by the Tories in Ireland who were beaten back to their Boggs That the Plague continues in some places there 21 Letters that the Tories in Ireland indeavoured to get into a Body but were prevented Of Two Dutch Prizes brought in That Seventeen Dutch Ships were Arrived in Scotland with One thousand five hundred Forreiners and some Armes That in France an Imbargo was to be put upon all English Ships and Goods 23 An Ordinance Published by the Lord Protector and his Council declaring what Offences and no other shall be adjudged Treason within the Commonwealth of England Scotland and Ireland Another Ordinance touching the Ingagement repealing all former Acts touching the same Of Two Prizes of French Wines brought in by a Frigot 24 That Collonel Morgan was drawing together the English Forces against the Highlanders That Collonel Wogan was thought to be Slain That Lorns Revolt startled the Enemy 25 That the Lord Athol was Sick That Captain Cressey fell into the Quarters of about Forty of the Enemies Horse Killed Two took Prisoners and Sixteen Horse That a Party of the English being but Thirty Horse fell upon another Party of the Enemies and Routed them but the Enemy having Two hundred Men in Ambush fell upon the English slew the Lieutenant and Cornet and Seven of the Troopers and the rest made a difficult Retreat Cheats went about in the names of the Earl of Cleaveland and Lord Grandison to borrow monys of divers persons of Quality for the said Lords whereas the Lords employed none such as knew any thing thereof 26 That Myn Here Beverling one of the Dutch Gommissioners that lately returned from England was returned back from Holland thither and had Audience of the Lord Protector He affirms that the Province of Holland have agreed to the Articles of Peace with England and that the other Provinces will shortly do the same Mr. Feak and Mr. Simpson were examined before the Council for Preaching against the Lord Protector and his Government 27 Letters of the Honourable Reception and Audience of the Lord Ambassador Whitlock at Vpsale and the Queen shewed extraordinary respects to him A part of Pauls Church fell down 28 Letters that in the late Ingagement near Vaummond Captain Carr and another Scotch Commander of quality was slain and divers Prisoners taken and the rest driven to the Mountains Letters of Twenty Sail of Brest Men of War out at Sea which took some English Vessels in the Channel Of the Queen of Swedens Answer to the Lord Ambassadour Whitelocks Speech to her and her favours to his Sons and some of his Gentlemen and of the Complements of her Ministers to him and his returnes and of her great civility to him And the relation of the Senators who supped with him and their forbearing to begin a health to him And of his sending to Visit the Spanish Resident there of his Visit to Whitelock and of Whitelocks Private Audience with the Queen and of the Visits of Great Men to him with his Returnes to them an account of them to the Protector Of a Defeat given to the Highlanders and the taking of a Town near Blair Fourteen killed seven Prisoners and fifty Horse taken and many wounded That Captain Carr and Captain Kilsmores Lieutenant fired at each other at four yards distance and both of them fell from their Horses and dyed Mr. Feak and Mr. Sympson sent Prisoners to Windsor Castle That Captain Minns Ingaged four hours together with four Brest Men of War and saved some English Vessels from them and rescued another Vessel of Plymouth taken by a Brest Man of War and took in her Seventeen French Prisoners 31 Letters of the Officers of the Army in Scotland sending up their Addresses to the Lord Protector owning his Government Of Two Dutch Prizes brought into New Castle Dutch Capers in each Fifty Prisoners February 1653. Feb. 1. An Ordinance by the Lord Protector and his Council appointing a Committee of the Army and Treasurers at War as formerly Order by the Lord Protector and his Council to add some persons as Commissioners for the Assessments Upon invitation of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of London the Lord Protector appointed a Day to dine with them Five stout Men of War gone out to Sea and twenty more going out to add to the English Fleet. A Declaration and Address of the General at Sea and Officers of the Fleet owning his Government and promising Obedience to the Lord Protector 2 Letters That the Vnited Provinces rejoyce in the Agreement and Peace between them and England 3 Orders for the drawing of Lots by the Adventurers for the Lands in Ireland Divers intercepted Letters from the Cavaliers sent up That the People in the North set upon the Quakers and beat them and the Quakers prayed to God to forgive them which so convinced the people that they fell out among themselves and were sorry that they had beaten the Quakers That the English Fleet was gone out to Sea divided into Three Squadrons but not so far distant but that by their Scouts they had quick Intelligence and Correspondency 4 Letters of the French Pickaroons who fly to their own Coasts when any of the English Frigots appear Of a Bickering between the English and High-landers 6 An Ambassadour from the Great Duke of Tuscany to Congratulate the Lord Protector And Two Agents from the Lords of the Isles of Omerland in Holland desiring to be esteemed as Neutrals and brought in the Number and Marks of all their Ships and desired to be accounted as a free State The Frigots about the Lands-end rescued many English Vessels from the French Pickaroons That Glencarns Captain Lieutenant and Seventeen of his Men were taken by a Party of the English and
which was furthered by Whitelocke's advice to the Protector 20. The Commissioners of the Treasury made several reports to the Protector and Council of Arrears of money due to the state and upon advice with them his Highness and the Council made several orders for the Collecting and bringing in of those Arrears December 1657. 1. News of the King of Sweden's proceedings in the Isle of Funen 3. The distaste between the Protector and Bradshaw was perceived to increase 6. Order for the prosecution of some persons who had committed very great wasts and spoils in Forests 7. The Protector was perswaded to take to heart and to further the relief of the poor persecuted Protestants in the Vallies of Piedmont and to send an Agent to the Duke of Savoy to negotiate for favour to them as other Princes had done 11. Writs of Summons under the great Seal were sent to divers persons to sit as Members in the other House of Parliament The Form of the Writs was the same with those which were sent to summon the Peers in Parliament They were in all sixty among whom were divers Noblemen Knights and Gentlemen of ancient Families and good Estates and some Colonels and Officers of the Army Their Names were as followeth The Lord Richard Cromwell the Protectors eldest Son The Lord Henry Cromwell his other Son Lord Deputy of Ireland Nathaniel Fiennes John Lisle Lords Commissioners of the Great Seal Henry Lawrence Lord President of his Highness Privy Council The Lord Charles Fleetwood Robert Earl of Warwick Edmund Earl of Mulgrave Edward Earl of Manchester William Viscount Say and Seal Lord John Cleypole Master of the Horse Philip Viscount Lisle eldest Son to the Earl of Leicester Charles Viscount Howard Philip Lord Wharton Thomas Lord Fauconbridge Lord John Desborough Lord Edward Mountague Generals at Sea George Lord Eure. The Lord Whitelocke Sir Gilbert Pickering Colonel William Sydenham Sir Charles Wolseley Baronet Major General Philip Skippon Lord Strickland Colonel Philip Jones Sir William Strickland Francis Rous Esq John Fiennes Esq Sir Francis Russel Baronet Sir Thomas Honnywood Knight Sir Arthur Hasilrigge Baronet Sir John Hobart Sir Richard Onslow Knight Sir Gilbert Gerard. Sir William Roberts Knight John Glyn Oliver St. John Lords chief Justices William Pierpoint Esq John Jones Esq John Crew Esq Alexander Popham Esq Sir Christopher Pack Sir Robert Tichborn Edward Whalley Esq Sir John Barksted Knight Lieutenant of the Tower of London Sir George Fleetwood Sir Thomas Pride Richard Ingolsby Esq Sir John Hewson James Berry Esq William Goffe Esq Thomas Cooper Esq Edmund Thomas Esq George Monk Commander in chief of his Highness Forces in Scotland David Earl of Cassils in Scotland Sir William Lockart Sir Archibald Johnston of Warriston William Steele Lord Chancellour of Ireland The Lord Broghil Brother to the Earl of Corke in Ireland Sir Matthew Tomlinson 16. Colonel Sir John Reynolds who commanded the English Forces that joyned with the King of France was in a Pink coming over with Colonel White and others from Mardike for England and upon Goodwin Sands the Pink was cast away and all their men in her were drowned Among them was one William de Vaux a young man a good Scholar and very ingenious and being in a great storm in a former Voyage he vainly said That if ever he went to Sea again he would be contented that God should let him be drowned And now being again at Sea the Judgment imprecated by him did fall upon him and he was now drowned 24. The Commissioners of the Treasury prepared the business of the Contract with Commissioners for the Excise and new Impost 25. Some Congregations being met to observe this day according to former solemnity and the Protector being moved that Souldiers might be sent to suppress them he was advised against it as that which was contrary to the Liberty of Conscience so much owned and pleaded for by the Protector and his friends but it being contrary to Ordinances of Parliament which were also opposed in the passing of them that these days should be so solemnized the Protector gave way to it and those Meetings were suppressed by the Souldiers January 1657. 1. Whitelocke having lent Mr. Rushworth some Manuscripts he attended Whitelocke to shew him his Historical Collections as his Highness had ordered 3. A Meeting of the Gentlemen of the County of Bucks at Merchant-Taylors Hall where they had a great Feast 9. The Lord Willoughby petition'd the Protector for his Highness Order to go into the Country to dispatch some necessary business in relation to his Estate and promising to return to Prison which Petition the Protector granted 12. The Protector resolved to have a Collection for the poor persecuted Protestants of Piedmont 20. The Parliament met according to their Adjournment and the Members of the other House summoned by Writ met and sate in the Lords House as the Lords used to do formerly The Protector came thither and the Speaker with the House of Commons being sent for by the Black Rod came to the Lords House where the Protector made a solemn Speech to them but was short by reason of his Indisposition of health and after him the Lord Commissioner Fiennes spake to them more at large My Lords and Gentlemen of both the most honourable Houses of Parliament AMongst the manifold and various Dispensations of God's Providence of late years this is one and it is a signal and remarkable Providence that we see this day in this place a Chief Magistrate and two Houses of Parliament Jacob speaking to his Son Joseph said I had not thought to have seen thy face and lo God hath shewed me thy seed also Meaning his two Sons Ephraim and Manasseh And may not many amongst us well say some years since We had not thought to have seen a Chief Magistrate again amongst us and lo God hath shewn us a Chief Magistrate in his two Houses of Parliament Now may the good God make them like Ephraim and Manasseh that the three Nations may be blest in them saying God make thee like these two Houses of Parliament which two like Leah and Rachel did build the House of Israel May you do worthily in Ephrata and be famous in Bethlehem May it be your great business to procure the peace the safety and the prosperity of these three Nations and these things too not for themselves only but in order yet to greater and higher ends the advancement of the Kingdom of Christ amongst us and the Glory of God in the good of all men but especially of the Churches of God amongst men which as they are God's most precious Jewels and his chiefest care so must they also hold the choicest place in the eyes and in the hearts of all those that act under him and are cloathed with his power and authority In order to the great and glorious end you may please in the first place to reflect upon the Posture that
advice of his Privy Council and Council Learned the King requires Shipmoney The Writ for it was at first but to Maritime Towns and Counties but that not sufficing other Writs were Issued out to all Counties to levy Ship-money Yet great care was taken to favour the Clergy all the rest of the People except Courtiers and Officers generally murmur at this taxe although it was politickly layd with all equality yet the great objection against it was because it was imposed without assent of Parliament and that therefore it was unlawfull The old Chancellor Oxenstierne of Sweden the great director of their affairs both at home and abroad particularly in Germany during the Queen's minority sent his eldest Son Grave John Oxenstierne Ambassadour to our King with Credentials from the Queen of Sweden But Grave John the Ambassadour and the Authority from whence he came were so unworthily slighted in our Court who were not willing to give any assistance to the Prince Elector against the Emperor that in great distast Grave John who was high enough in his own thoughts and for the honour of his Mistress the Queen went away in discontent from England and neither he nor his Father nor family were friends to our King after this affront put upon them The Parliament of Ireland gave some Subsidies to the King and the 39 Articles of our Church were there by that Parliament Established Mr. Attorney Noy having set on foot the tax of Ship money leaveth it and the world He died of the distemper of the Stone The Scots began to murmer against their last Parliament the Lord Balmerino was questioned about a Letter written by King James to Pope Clement to complement him It was suggested that this Lord's Father being Secretary to the King did draw the Letter and shufling it among other papers did by that means get it to be signed by the King Yet was this Lord afterwards not onely pardoned but honoured and preferred The discontented party in Scotland had Intelligence of the discontents in England and the Cardinal Richeliew sent his Agents to foment the discontents in both Kingdomes who met with matter and persons very apt to be kindled The Lord Treasurer Weston dyed not much lamented of the people who generally esteemed him to be a covert Papist and an Agent for Rome and though himself might be dispenced with yet most of his family made open profession of the Popish Religion and continue in the same profession Sir Edward Coke dyed this year also who was of greater reputation with the people but of less at Court whose Illegal actions he earnestly opposed in Parliament being usually chosen a Member of the House of Commons after he was put out of his publick offices He was a man of great Learning and Industry and had the value of a just and Impartial Magistrate The Imperialists and Swedes fought a bloudy Battaile at Nortington where the Swedes were overthrown 12000 of them slain and 6000 taken prisoners but hereupon insued a peace between them The Emperor being wisely the more Inclined to it after his being victorious in the Warre Spotteswood Archbishop of St. Andrews was made Chancellor of Scotland and though he was a wise and learned man and of good reputation and life yet it gave offence to many that he being a Clergy man should be Invested with that dignity which they affirmed not to have been done before since the Reformation At Abington complaint was made to the Mayor and to the Recorder of divers in the Town who were Nonconformists to the orders and ceremonies of the Church in divine Service as that some did not stand up at the Creed nor bow to the Altar nor at the name of Jesus nor receive the Sacrament kneeling at the High Altar and the like For which some that were related to the Ecclesiastical Court complained to them being Justices of the Peace for the Town and desir'd they would punish these Offenders the Recorder answered them that these offences were more properly punishable by the Ecclesiastical Judges in their Courts than by Justices of Peace and therefore he advised them to inform the Chancellor of the Diocesse or other Officers of that Jurisdiction concerning those Matters that proceedings might be had therein according to their Law but he thought it not fit for him to interpose in those matters the Complainers seemed much unsatisfied herewith but the Mayor being somewhat inclin'd to the opinions of the Non-conformists was not easily to be perswaded to punish them and Anno 1634 the Recorder himself was much for liberty of Conscience and favourable in that point so that allthough the other party urged much to have the Non-conformists punisht yet they put it off and would not doe it for which the Recorder was afterwards required to attend the Council Table to Answer some complaints made against him from Abington That he did comply with and countenance the Non-conformists there and refused to punish those who did not bow at the name of Jesus and to the Altar and refused to receive the Sacrament kneeling at the high Altar and the like offenders and that he was disaffected to the Church and the Ceremonies thereof enjoyn'd by Authority But the Recorder alledged in his own vindication why he did not punish those against whom the complaints were made That he knew no Common Law nor Statute in force for the punishment of them especially by Justices of the Peace and that the Complainers did not prefer any inditement against them and that the matters whereof the pretended offenders were accused were meerly as the accusers acknowledged Spiritual Matters proper for the Spiritual Judges as they were called And that he might have been censured to incroach upon the Jurisdiction and Rights of the Church if he should have taken Cognizance of them upon which the Council were satisfied and dismist him from further Attendance Anno 1635. Car. 11 By the help of the tax of Shipmoney a Navy was prepared of 40 good Ships of War and set out this Summer under the Earl of Lindsey Admiral and the Earl of Essex his Vice Admiral who had 20 Saile more for securing of the narrow Seas and of the trade of England The King resolves to prosecute his design with a Navy Royal to be set out yearly and therefore it was at Court concluded to lay the Charge of Shipmoney generally upon all Counties The Lord Keeper Coventry was ordered to direct the Judges to promote that business in their Circuits this Summer and to perswade the people to a ready obeying the writs and payments of Shipmoney for the next year In pursuance hereof his Lordship in his charge to the Judges in the Star Chamber at the end of Midsummer Term after sundry other particulars concluded as to this great business to this effect You my Lords the Judges are commanded in your charges at the Assizes and at all places opportunâ—ly to acquaint the people with
summon all the Peers to his Presence the twenty fourth of September and with them to consult what in this Case is fittest to be done for his Honour and Safety of the Kingdom when the Petitioners with the rest might offer any thing conducing to these ends This was followed with a Petition of the Citizens of London Setting forth their Grievances and the Remedy by calling a Parliament Much to the same effect with the Petition of the Lords The Scots at Newcastle seize four great English Ships laden with Corn lay a Tax of Three hundred and fifty pounds a day on the Bishoprick of Durham and Three hundred pounds a day on Northumberland on pain of Plundering and committed many Injuries and Insolencies on the English where they quartered The great Council met at York 24. Septem according to summons and the King spake to them that he had called them for their advice and assistance in this time of exigency according to the custome of his predecessors That he of himself had resolved to call a Parliament to meet 3d. Novemb. next and in the mean time required their advice in those things which could not stay untill the meeting of the Parliament The War being begun with the Scots put many men to think of a posture of defence for themselves and to a provision of arms The discourses of the Scottish War were very various those who favour'd the Popish and Prelatical ways did sufficiently inveigh against the Covenanters but generally the rest of the people favoured and approved their proceedings and there was a strange spirit of division in the opinions and wishes of most men in these affairs too many not onely favouring but joyning with and assisting the proceedings of the Scots Covenanters After several meetings and debates in the great Council at York a Messenger was sent from the King and Lords to the Scots Army to give notice to them that on Tuesday next sixteen of the English Lords should meet with as many Scotch Lords at York to treat of the differences But the Scots refuse York to Treat in as not secure for their Commissioners so long as the Lieutenant of Ireland commanded there in chief who had proclaimed them Traitors in Ireland before the King had done it in England threatning to destroy their memory against whom they had high matters of complaint This was the first publick appearance of the Scots enmity against Strafford which some affirm was set on from hence and it was strange that it should not be more regarded Another place of Treaty was named at Rippon where the Commissioners on both sides met The English proposed a Cessation of Arms but the Scots as they would obey the King's commands not to advance so they could not return till they had effected their business They presented their Demands how their Army should be maintained till the Treaty ended and peace secured 2. For safe Convoys for their Commissioners 3. Safe Convoys for all Letters to and from the Parliament 4. For free trade of both Kingdomes and Newcastle trade not to be hindred At length the Commissioners on both parts agree To a Cessation of Arms. To a Contribution of 850. l. per diem for the Scots Army in Northumberland Westmorland Durham and Newcastle The River Tees to be the bound of both Armies Private Insolencies to be no breach of the Treaty with divers other conditions and their chief demands were referred to a general Treaty to be proceeded in at London Many wondred and some inveighed against this Treaty wishing the King would have put it rather to the Issue of a Battel than to have given such Terms to his Subjects in Rebellion and of this Judgment was Strafford and the Episcopal party But the other party cryed up this treaty as Just Honourable and Pious to prevent effusion of Bloud and to settle peace and the King saw plainly that both divers officers of his Army and even the private Soldiers generally which was a most remarkable Inclination had no mind to fight against the Scots which cheifly caused the King to conclude this Treaty The Resolution of calling a Parliament set many on work to canvase for places The Court laboured to bring in their friends but those who were most favour'd at Court had least respect in the Country and it was not a little strange to see what a spirit of opposition to the Court proceedings was in the hearts and actions of most of the people so that very few of that Party had the favour to be chosen members of this Parliament The Earl of Montross of great alliance in Scotland came into England to serve the King but by Hamilton's cunning as was supposed the King at his first coming to him neglected him which caused his resort to and joyning with the Covenanters being weary of them he now writes to the King to York professing his Loyalty and Service to His Majesty This Letter by Hamilton's means as was reported was stoln out of the King's pocket copyed and sent to the Convenanters they made use of it as shall be mentioned hereafter The third day of November the Parliament was to meet some perswaded the Archbishop to get it adjourned for two or three days because that the third of November was an ominous day the Parliament called on that day 20 H. 8. beginning with the fall of Cardinal Woolsey and ending in the dissolution of Abbeys but the Archbishop took little heed of such things The time of the Parliaments meeting drawing near it was considered at York whether the Earl of Strafford should repair to the house or continue in the north with the Army The King was earnest for his going up to the Parliament as one of whose service he should have great occasion and placed much confidence in his faithfulness and abilities The Earl humbly desired His Majesty to excuse his going to the Parliament alledging that he should not be able to do His Majesty any service there but should rather be a means to hinder his affairs in regard he foresaw that the great envy and ill will of the Parliament and of the Scots would be bent against him Whereas If he kept out of sight he would not be so much in their mind as he should be by shewing himself in Parliament and if they should fall upon him he being at a distance what soever they should conclude against him he might the better avoid and retire from any danger having the liberty of being out of their hands and to go over to Ireland or to some other place where he might be most serviceable to His Majesty but if he should put himself into their power by coming up to the Parliament it was evident that the house of Commons and the Scots with all their Party especially being provoked by his coming amongst them would presently fall upon him and prosecute his destruction The King notwithstanding these reasons continued
of England and Ireland Then a sealed Paper was produced which being opened and read appeared to be sent from the Parliament of Ireland declaring that the Commons there had Voted the Earl guilty of high Treason At this the Earl being much transported said There was a Conspiracy against him to take away his life The Committee of the House of Commons took hold of those words and required Justice from the Lords against the Earl who standing Impeached of high Treason accused the Parliaments of two Kingdoms of a Conspiracy against him Hereupon the Earl falling upon his knees humbly craved pardon for the Inconsiderateness of the expression protesting seriously that he did not thereby intend either Parliament but some particular persons and so that Matter was past over Then the Committee offered to the Lords three new Articles to be annexed to the Charge and desired that the Earl might presently give his Answer to them To which the Earl replyed That the Process being closed he hoped he should not be ordered to answer any adventitious and unexpected Charge without more convenient time assigned But the Lords finding the Articles to be of no great Importance he was urged to a present Answer which he then made to them March the 24th the Committee proceeded upon the Articles of the Charge and after Glynne had ended his part Maynard proceeded upon the following Articles and after him Mr. Palmer managed the ensuing Articles as to the aggravation of them and inforcing the Evidence upon them and his part extended to the seven last Articles upon the which Whitelocke was appointed to manage the Evidence Anno 1641. Car. 17 These Articles on his part were Matters of very high nature and some of them particularly the twenty fourth Article relating to the design of bringing over the Army in Ireland into Scotland and so to England to reduce this Kingdom Whitelocke having spoken with Sir Henry Vane the elder and with the other Witnesses to the twenty fourth Article and finding that their Testimony would not make good the Matter of that Article thought it not honourable for the House of Commons to proceed upon an Article whereof they could not make a clear proof and thereupon proposed it to the Committee to omit that Article in his proceedings The Committee were of the same opinion but upon Sir Walter Earle's undertaking to manage it they left that Article to him upon which Whitelocke after he had inforced the Evidence upon the twenty third Article sate down and Sir Walter Earl with much gravity and confidence began to aggravate the Matters in the twenty fourth Article and the dangerous Consequence and high Crime in it and called forth the Witnesses to prove the particulars which he had at large opened Some of the Witnesses were not in England those of them who came in being sworn spake little to the purpose and did not prove the Matter at all of that Article upon which the Knight was very blank and out of countenance But the Earl of Strafford who lost no advantage of his Defence rising up from his Seat made a low obeysance as he was used to do to the Lords and spake to this effect My Lords I am a poor Gentleman a Prisoner at the Bar against whom several persons learned in the Laws and of great ability for pleading and strength of reason and other noble persons of great parts and eloquence have enforced the particular Matters of my Charge and I had well hoped they had been drawing towards an end But now my Lords unexpectedly a new and great Pleader sets upon me tired out before and this noble Knight hath laid a heavy burden indeed upon my shoulders he hath opened more hainous Crimes against me than all those Gentlemen who have gone before The learned Gentleman who urged the Matters of the last Articles against me when he came to this twenty fourth Article sate down and seemed to decline it and yet he left nothing material which was not urged home by him But this noble Knight goes beyond all and indeed beyond the Article it self observing things not contained in it and impossible to be And could he have proved this it had been truly a Miracle But I humbly beg your Lordships pardon I am not willing to spend any of your time impertinently I shall only say this That where nothing is proved against me I know your Lordships great wisdom and justice will expect no defence from me After the Earl was sate down the Lord Digby stood up and in a very witty rhetorical speech took off Sir Walter Earle Desired their Lordships to pass by a mistake that this Article was not intended for prosecution as might appear by the Gentleman 's declining of it who managed the former He moved That this twenty fourth Article might be omitted and their Lordships not to receive any further trouble in the urging of it or defence to it and that they would be pleased to look upon what that noble Knight had said but as a Superfâ—tation After the Lord Digby had spoken Whitelocke presently rose up and after the Lords 〈◊〉 done smiling he proceeded with the twenty fifth Article The Queen who was present at the Tryal inquired who that Knight was whom the Lord Digby relieved and being told his name was Sir Walter Earle She said that water Dog did bark but not bite but the rest did bite close The Earl of Strafford speaking of the Committee who managed the Evidence against him and particularly of the Lawyers said to a private friend that Glynne and Maynard used him like Advocates but Palmer and Whitelocke used him like Gentlemen and yet left out nothing material to be urged against him When the Committee had gone through all the Articles they moved That if the Earl had any thing to say further in his defence that he might do it the Earl obtained with difficulty time till the next Morning The next day both Houses being met the Lieutenant of the Tower acquainted them that the Earl had been extream ill the last Night of a violent Fit of the Stone and was not able to come abroad this Day and humbly desired their Lordships excuse This caused them to adjourn to the next Morning and in the Afternoon some of the Lords were sent from the House to see in what condition the Earl was who found him somewhat recovered and he hoped so as he might attend them the next Day Then the House met again April the 10th and the Commons desired liberty to produce an additional piece of Evidence to the twenty third Article The Earl craved the same liberty for himself concerning some Testimonies not yet exhibited on his behalf this the Committee opposed but the Lords thought it equal and after a warm Debate upon it the Commons rose in some discontent not so much as appointing a day for their next meeting April 12. In the House of Commons Mr. Pym produced a Paper of some Notes taken by Secretary Vane
mightily increased the Scots Successes animated other Subjects to their illegal Pretences and impious Actions and in this time of the King's absence in Scotland the Irish Flames of Rebellion brake forth having been thus kindled The last year the Parliament at Dublin sent a Committee hither with a Remonstrance to the King of their Grievances and Pressures under the Government of the Earl of Strafford whom they had accused of high Treason The King gave them most favourable Answers and Redresses and parted with much of his own to give contentment to his Irish Subjects Mr. Wainsford Deputy there to the Earl of Strafford Lieutenant being dead the King by Commission constituted the Lord Ditton and Sir William Parsons in the Government there but finding Ditton not well liked he made Sir William Parsons and Sir John Borlace generally approved to be the Lords Justices there These applyed themselves to give all satisfaction to the people they abated the Subsidies given in Strafford's time from 40000 l. to 12000 l. Passed an Act of Limitation much desired to settle all Estates for sixty years precedent and another for relinquishing the King's Right found for him by Inquisition to four Counties in Connaght and other Territories He declared the Earl of Leicester Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and the Papists there were permitted a private enjoyment of their Religion and a general good Agreement was had between the English and Irish In this Security the Irish Army was disbanded after which and in the King's absence in Scotland about October 23. there brake forth so horrid black and flagitious a Rebellion in Ireland as cannot be parallell'd in the Stories of any other Nation This was fomented and contrived by their Popish Priests and Lawyers some of their Maxims in Law were That any one being slain in Rebellion though found by Record gave the King no Forfeiture That though many thousands were in Arms and exercising the violences of War yet if they professed not to rise against the King it was no Rebellion That if one were Outlawed for Treason his Heir might reverse the Outlawry and be restored These and the like Tenets they published in their Parliaments and endeavoured a Suspension of Poyning's Act and the Act for annexing that Kingdom to the Crown of England and assumed a power of Judicature in Criminal and Capital Causes to be in their Parliament They took advantage of the Scots Sucesses of their Favourers in England and our Distractions here of the disbanding the Army there and the Death of the Earl of Strafford They raise Forces give out that the Queen was in the head of them and the King was coming with an Army to them and the Scots had made a League with them that they were authorised by the King's Commission and asserted his Cause against the Puritans of England To their Country-men they scatter Advertisements out of England of a Statute there lately made That all Irish shall come to the Protestant Worship on pain of loss of Goods for the first Offence of Lands for the second and of Life for the third Offence They give them hope to recover their Liberties and ancient Customs to shake off the English Yoke to have a King of their own Nation and to possess Goods and Estates of the English These Motives they published in Print That the King and Queen were curbed by the Puritans and their Prerogatives abolished which these as loyal Subjects take to heart and that the Catholick Religion is suppressed in England and the Catholicks there persecuted with all rigour even to death and that the Puritans in Ireland have threatned to doe the same there That in Ireland the Catholicks are made uncapable of any Office to the decay of them in their Estates Education and Learning That the Government of their Country is in the hand of Strangers who come thither poor and mean yet soon rise to wealth and honour by oppressing the Natives That there have been threatnings to send Forces to compel the Consciences of the Irish and to cut their Throats and that the Catholicks are not allowed to have any Arms or Ammunition but the Protestants and Puritans may Vpon all which they saw no way but to attempt to seize upon Arms where they could get them to save their Lives maintain the King and Queen their Religion and Country Upon these pretences and manifest untruths they ground their taking up of Arms. The first suspicion whereof was by Sir William Cole who about Octob. 11. wrote to the Lords Justices of great resort to Sir Phelim Oneale and to the Lord Macquierre and they were exceeding busie about dispatches About October 21. He wrote another Letter to them of what some Irish had revealed to him of a design to seize the Castle of Dublin to murther the Lords Justices and Councel and all the Protestants there and throughout the Kingdom But this Letter came not to their hands When many of the Conspirators were come to Dublin and met there at a Tavern one Owen O Conelly an Irish-man but a true Protestant came to Sir William Parsons about Nine a Clock at Night with a broken relation of a great Conspiracy to seize the Castle the next morning and that Mac Mahon who was one of them had told him so much Parsons seeing Conelly distempered with drink gave the less credit to his relation but wished him to return to Mac Mahon to get out of him what he could further of the Plot and to return to him again that Night Yet he did not so slight the Information but that secretly he ordered strong Guards in several places and assembled the Councel where they expected the return of Conelly who coming to them was seized on by the Guards who had carried him to Prison and so prevented the discovery of the Plot had not a Servant of Sir VVilliam Parsons accidentally come by and rescued Conelly and brought him somewhat recovered of his drinking unto the Lords Justices and Councel who confessed that a few days before upon Letters from Mac Mahon he went to meet him at Connaght but he being gone to Dublin Conelly followed him thither and they two went to the lodging of the Lord Macquierre that by the way Mac Mahon told O Conelly that this Night there would be a great number of Irish Noblemen Papists in Dublin who with himself would take the Castle by Morning then force the City by the Ordnance and destroy all the Protestants and so divers others were ordered in all parts of the Kingdom to seize and destroy all the English at an Hour designed viz. to Morrow by Ten a Clock and that no posting nor speed could prevent it That Conelly moved Mac Mahon to discover it rather to the State to prevent the mischief But he answered He could not help it yet that they owned their allegiance to the King and pay it to him but what they did was against the tyrannical Government over them and
to imitate Scotland who got ther Priviledge by that course And Mac Mahon swore that they would not part but go together to the Castle and if this Matter were discovered some Body should die for it Whereupon Conelly feigned some necessity of easement to go out of the Chamber left his Sword in pawn and Mac Mahon's Man came down with him into the Yard where in a trice he leaped over a Wall and two Pales and so came to the Lord Justice Parsons Examined Octob. 22. 1641. Owen O Conelly Presently upon this the Justices sent and seised Mac Mahon and his man and they before the Councell confessed all the Plot that on that very day all the Forts and Castles in Ireland would be surprised that he and Mac Guire and Hugh Bim Brian O-neale and others 20 out of each County were to surprise Dublin Castle Thatâ— all the Nobility and Gentry Papists were confederates herein and however they used him now in their power his bloud would be revenged Then Mac Guire and others were suddenly seised on and the Town filling with strangers the Councel removed into the Castle upon the Rumor hereof Bim and Moore and others chief of the Conspiratours escaped and divers others who found friends to help them but about fourty of the meaner sort of them were taken The next day the Lords Justices proclamed this discovery and that all good Subjects should betake themselves to their defence and to advertise them of all occurrences and that no levies of men be made for foreign service The same night the Lord Blancy arrived with the news of the Surprisal of his House his Wife and Children by the Rebells This execrable Rebellion began in Vlster and every day and hour ill news came of fearful Massacres upon the English which increased a fear of the like at Dublin by the Papists there The Council seised upon what money they could some Artillery Armes for 10000 men 1500 barrels of powder and match and lead stored by the Earl of Strafford The old Army was but 2297 foot and 943 horse and these dispersed Yet the Council sent to several Garrisons to march to Dublin They dispatched Letters to the King in Scotland and to the Lord Lieutenant in London of the Rebellion and the state of the Kingdom and the small number of their forces they pray supplies and that Conelly the discoverer and messenger may be rewarded All their dispatches were sent by Sea the Rebells having stopped the Land passages The Lords of the English pale repair to the Council offer their faith and service and the Rebels in Vlster by the latter end of October had possest themselves of allmost all that Province Such English as had gotten into any places of strength able to indure a siege yet upon good terms rendring themselves were sure to be murdered in cold bloud men women and children And for the Scots they professed they would and did indeed spare them that they might the more easily swallow them up afterwards Phelim O Neale a man but of mean parts or courage was their General he was of near alliance to the late Earl of Tirone bred in England a Student in Lincolns-Inn and till of late a Protestant lived lazily till now elected by his Countrymen to be their leader He with a numerous Rabble marched to Lisnagamy near the Scots and fell upon them without mercy with other forces he came up into the Pale took in Dondalke then marched to Ardee seven miles from Tredah The news from Dublin was posted to Tredah and there incountred with news of the Treacherous surprisal of divers Castles in the North. The Lord Moore brought some Horse to the Town whither he came to escape the Rebels The Town drew out some old peices scoured and planted them and four out of a Merchants Ship with some powder and Captain Gibson commanded there Sir Faithful Fortescue leaving his charge Some forces sallyed out upon the Rebels and got from them who hastily fled away some plunder and Cows and 80 Prisoners whereof six onely were hanged Many treacherous designs of the Town Papists fayled Sir Henry Tichburne came to be Governor with 100 horse and 1000 foot not without some Jealousie of the Protestants There was dropped in the streets a Declaration of the Catholicks of Ireland framed upon presumption that the design had been effected and to the like purpose as is before remembred The first Letters of the business from the Lords Justices and Council arrived at London the last of October and were delivered that evening Next morning the Lords House sent them down to the House of Commons by the Lord Keeper Lord Privy Seal and 14 other Lords who had chayrs in the House and sate while the Letters were read and then departed The House presently resolved into a Committee and ordered That 50000 l. be forthwith provided The Lords to be moved that Members of both Houses should move the City of London to lend this money That a Committee of both Houses consider of the affairs of Ireland O Conelly to have 500 l. presently and 200 l. per Annum in Land All Papists of quality in England to be secured None but Merchants to pass without Certificate to Ireland To all which the Lords agreed They voted many other particulars in Order to supply for Ireland and a pardon to be offered The Lords Justices and Council in Ireland neglected no means in their power by fortifying Dublin and other Castles and places and making provisions for defence against the Rebels they also granted out Commissions to diverse Noblemen and Gentlemen and some of them Papists whom they in prudence thought not fit yet to suspect though they afterwards joyned in the Rebellion with the rest They also delivered Armes to many of them who imployed them to cut the throats of the English such were the Lord Gormanstone and others and by the midst of November several Counties declared for the Rebels in Leimster and other Provinces the miserable English men women and children whom they took were savagely butchered by them and those who fled from them came to Dublin for Succour where wanting relief they perished so that the publick burying places would not contain their dead bodies The Lord Ormond and several others came with some forces to Dublin The Members of the Irish Parliament were discontented that it had been adjourned for so long a time as next February to please them they were called together for one day to make their Protestation against the Rebellion there was but a thin meeting of them and but a saint Protestation against the Rebels the Popish Members not induring to have it called a Rebellion but traiterous and rebellious actions of some persons against which they protested They sent Commissioners to treat with the Rebels in the North who tore the Order of Parliament and returned a scornfull answer The Lord Ditton and the Lord Taff coming for London were committed and their papers seised and
1100 Prisoners and 3000 Arms. These Prisoners were led in much triumph to Oxford where the King and Lords looked on them and too many smiled at their misery being tied together with cords almost naked beaten and driven along like Dogs Among them was a proper handsome man of a very white Skin where it could be seen for the blood of his wounds he not being able to goe was set naked upon the bare back of an Horse his wounds gaping and his Body smeared with blood yet he sate upright upon the Horse with an undaunted countenance and when near the King a brawling woman cried out to him Ah you traiterly Rogue you are well enough served he with a scornfull look towards her answered you base Whore and instantly dropped off dead from his Horse And the beginning of such cruelty by English men towards their Countreymen was afterwards too too much followed Prince Rupert summons Gloucester which Massey resolves to hold out and the better to strengthen himself deserts Sudeley and other Out-Garrisons The Welsh Army under the Earl of Worcester and the Lord Herbert his Son having beaten Colonel Burroughs his Regiment sit down before Gloucester which they summoned but Massey returned a scornfull Answer Colonel Fines came to him with 200 Horse and Dragoons and not long after Sir William Waller with his Forces The Welsh were routed and the Earl after sive weeks siege without any memorable Action departed The Scots pass over the Tyne with a compleat Army into England to assist the Parliament Their General was Lesley who had been an old Commander in the service of the Swedes where he had great and deserved Reputation He was a person of great worth and honour not so good a Clerk as a Souldier The Pope sent into Ireland to encourage the Rebels there bestows upon them his fatherly Benediction and plenary Absolution The Germans received several defeats from the Swedes in Germany and from the French and this year died the famous Polititian Cardinal Richlieu and not long after him his Master Lewys the XIII King of France died in the midst of his Catalonian Conquests leaving his Son Lewys the XIV under the tuition and government of his Mother the Queen Dowager and of Cardinal Mazarin Richlieu's Successour Anno 1643. Car. 19 The Nineteenth year of King Charles 1643. begins with a Treaty of Peace between Him and the Parliament who had named for their Commissioners two Lords the Earl of Northumberland and the Lord Say and four Commons Mr. Pierpoint Sir William Ermyn Sir John Holland and Mr. Whitelocke The King excepted against the Lord Say as before is mentioned therefore he did not goe but the other 5 Commissioners The Earl of Northumberland carried with him his own Plate and Housholdstuff and Accommodations even to Wine and Provisions which were brought from London to them to Oxford where they lived in as much Height and Nobleness as the Earl of Northumberland used to doe and that is scarce exceeded by any Subject Anno 1643 The King used them with great favour and civility and his General Ruthen and divers of his Lords and Officers came frequently to their Table and they had very friendly discourses and treatments together The King himself did them the honour sometimes to accept of part of their Wine and Provisions which the Earl sent to him when they had any thing extraordinary The Commissioners finding Whitelocke's Pen usefull in the service did put him upon drawing of all their Papers to the King which were transcribed afterwards by their Secretaries Their Instructions were very strict and tied them up to treat with none but the King himself whom they often attended at his Lodgings in Christ-Church and had access at all times when they desired it and were allowed by His Majesty a very free debate with him He had commonly waiting on him when he treated with them Prince Rupert and the Lord Keeper Littleton the Earl of Southampton the Lord Chief Justice Banks and several Lords of his Council who never debated any Matters with them but gave their Opinions to the King in those things which he demanded of them and sometimes would put the King in mind of some particular things but otherwise they did not speak at all In this Treaty the King manifested his great Parts and Abilities strength of Reason and quickness of Apprehension with much patience in hearing what was objected against him wherein he allowed all freedom and would himself sum up the Arguments and give a most clear Judgment upon them His unhappiness was that he had a better Opinion of others Judgments than of his own though they were weaker than his own and of this the Parliament Commissioners had experience to their great trouble They were often waiting on the King and debating some points of the Treaty with him untill Midnight before they could come to a conclusion Upon one of the most material points they pressed His Majesty with their Reasons and best Arguments they could use to grant what they desired The King said he was fully satisfied and promised to give them his Answer in writing according to their desire but because it was then past Midnight and too late to put it into writing he would have it drawn up the next Morning when he commanded them to wait on him again and then he would give them his Answer in writing as it was now agreed upon They went to their lodgings full of Joyfull hopes to receive this Answer the next morning and which being given would have much conduced to a happy issue and success of this Treaty and they had the King's word for it and they waited on him the next morning at the hour appointed But instead of that Answear which they expected and were promised the King gave them a Paper quite contrary to what was concluded the Night before and very much tending to the breach of the Treaty They did humbly expostulate this with His Majesty and pressed him upon his Royal word and the ill Consequences which they feared would follow upon this his new Paper But the King told them he had altered his mind and that this Paper which he now gave them was his Answer which he was now resolved to make upon their last Debate And they could obtain no other from him which occasioned much sadness and trouble to them Some of his own Friends of whom the Commissioners enquired touching this passage informed them that after they were gone from the King and that his Council were also gone away some of his Bed Chamber and they went higher hearing from him what Answer he had promised and doubting that it would tend to such an Issue of the Treaty as they did not wish they being rather for the continuance of the War They never left pressing and perswading of the King till they prevailed with him to change his former Resolutions and to give order for his Answer to be drawn as it was
Treason against the four Judges and to consider of a way to vindicate the Lords and Members of the Commons so indicted Several more forces about 1500 landed from Ireland in Wales and Sir William Brereton wrote to the Parliament that some of them were of the Rebels and the Lord Byron is joined with them The like power was given to Sir William Brereton and Sir Thomas Middleton for sequestrations and levying of moneys in Wales as was given to the Earl of Manchester in the associate Counties Five hundred of the Prisoners taken by Sir William Waller at Alton took the Covenant and served under him The Parliament wrote to General Essex to advance with his Army to joyn with Waller Essex answered that he held it not convenient for their Service and a little discontent began to kindle betwixt him and the House of Commons and the Committee of Safety The Commons ordered that none should elect or be elected Common Council men or Officers in London but such as had taken the Covenant The Commissioners of the Great Seal sate in the Queens Court Decemb. 22. and sealed above 500 Writs so desirous were people to have the course of Justice to proceed Colonel Brown is made Major General of the City Forces appointed to go to Sir William Waller Essex sent 600 Horse to Waller and removed his Army from St. Albans to Windsor to be the more in readiness to assist Waller and divers Kentish Forces came in to him and he sate down before Arundel Castle Duke Hamilton proscribed in Scotland gets to Oxford and there is committed close Prisoner an unhappy or unsteady man and by this you see the uncertainty of Greatness and of Princes favours Sir John Meldrum and Sir William Savile took in the Fort at Barton and after that Gainsborough for the Parliament about 600 Prisoners some of them Officers of Quality store of Arms and Ammunition The Parliament sate on Christmas day 1643. The Earls of Bedford and of Clare came from Oxford back again to the Parliament A Letter was intercepted from Oxford to Sir Peter Killegrew which brought him into suspicion Colonel Hutchinson Governour of Nottingham Castle acquainted the Parliament with an offer of the Earl of New Castle to pay him 10000 l. and to make him a Lord and Governour of that Castle to him and his heirs if he would deliver it to him for the King which Hutchinson refused The Scots Army of about 12000 advanced near to Berwick and publish a Declaration as they march of the justness of their undertakings in assistance of the Parliament Major General Skippon took Grafton House and in it Sir John Digby with 20 Officers of note and Horse and 200 Foot Arms and Money Some differences fell out at Coventry between the Earl of Denbigh and Colonel Purefoy a Member of the House of Commons they were both sent for to London and reconciled Many of the Protestants in Ireland refuse to submit to the cessation and joyn with the Scots Forces The King of Denmark providing to send assistance to the King of England and sending for men to the King of Poland to infest the Swedes the Letters being intercepted the Swedes enter Denmark and take sundry places there Colonel Fiennes was sentenced by the Council of War to be beheaded for the surrender of Bristol The King issued a Proclamation for adjourning the Parliament to Oxford and all the Members who had deserted the Parliament or been disabled met at Oxford General Essex came to London from St. Albans and was not well pleased with some Members and proceedings of the House of Commons Jan. 1643. The Earl of Bedford lately come from Oxford to the General to St. Albans was sent to London and committed to the Black Rod. Prince Maurice his Forces before Plimouth received a blow from the Garrison and the Princes men falling sick of the Camp Disease whereof many died he raised the siege Colonel Boswell with 800 Horse from Coventry took by storm Sir Thomas Holt's House 80 Prisoners store of Goods Money and Plate General Essex sent a new Commission with further powers to Sir William Waller which pleased the House of Commons A Plot was confest of setting on work a Petition from the City to the King for peace and to invite his Majesty to London and the Plotters were committed to Prison Mr. Riley a Clerk belonging to the Records in the Tower was committed for intelligence with Oxford The King sent Proclamations to the several Sheriffs to adjourn the Parliament to Oxford and to summon the Members of that County to appear at Oxford 22. of this month whereupon the Commons order their House to be called the same day Another Proclamation from the King was to adjourn the next Term and all the Courts of Justice from London which the Proclamation calls the Rebellious City to Oxford but the Parliament forbad it Arundel Castle was surrendred to Sir William Waller to mercy there were taken in it Sir William Ford High Sheriff Sir Edward Bishop Colonel Banfield and divers Gentlemen of Sussex 50 Reformades 1200 Prisoners with their Arms Money and with Pillage The Parliament imparted to the City at a Common Hall the late discovered Plot to make a difference between the Parliament and City to divert the Scots advancing hither and to raise a general Combustion under the pretence of Peace Sir Bazil Brooke and Mr. Riley were chief agents in this Plot. The Lord Byron took in Beeston Castle in Cheshire for the King The Parliament ordered the Commissioners of the Great Seal to issue forth a Proclamation for holding the next Term at Westminster and all Judges and Officers to attend here under pein of sequestration and forfeiture of their Offices The Lords sent to the Commons to hasten the impeachment against the Queen A new Ordinance of Excise passed The Lord Goring's Letter to the Queen was intercepted by which he gives her an account of Supplies of Money and Arms coming from France to our King that Monsieur Harecourt was to treat with the Parliament as the King should direct him and that all but two or three Jewels of the Crown were now pawned for money Upon this Letter and other Informations the Commons impeached the Lord Goring of High Treason and ordered the Letters of the French Ministers of State to be brought to the Committee of Safety A Party of Horse under Colonel Ashton in Lancashire marching to joyn with Sir William Brereton were by the way surprized and routed by the Lord Byron Brereton upon this alarm fell upon the Rear of the Lord Byron's Forces and killed and took many of them Major Brookban was shot to death for deserting his Colours and revolting to the King The Parliament wrote to Monsieur de Harecourt at Oxford to acquaint him with their grounds of stopping the Pacquet from France and with the Lord Goring's Letter from thence One Lord and Sir H. Mildmay and Sir William
seventeen of his own men Lyme being relieved and the Siege raised the Earl of Warwick went on shore and much wondred that the Works of the Town being so slight and the Enemy so strong that yet the Town should hold out so long and against so many fierce Assaults and yet in the whole Siege the Town lost not above a hundred and twenty men but the Enemy lost two thousand Letters of Thanks were ordered to be written from the Parliament to the Town and two thousand pounds gratuity to be given them and Cloths for the Souldiers General Essex sent a Party to have relieved Lyme but Prince Maurice was gone with all his remaining Forces and the Siege raised before they came The Party sent by the Lord General to relieve Lyme marched from thence to Weymouth which was rendred to them upon terms and all their Ordnance Arms and Ammunition left behind them Prince Rupert took in Leverpoole a Garrison of the Parliaments in Lancashire but they first shipped all their Arms Ammunition and portable Goods and most of the Officers and Souldiers went on Ship-board whilst a few made good the Fort which they rendred to the Prince upon quarter yet were all put to the Sword The Lord General came to Dorchester where divers Western Gentlemen came in to him and among them the Lord Becham Son to the Marquess of Hertford The Queen was brought to Bed of a Daughter at Exeter The Parliament now ordered that the General should continue in the Western Service and Sir William Waller to attend the motions of the King's Army and that the Earl of Denbigh Sir William Brereton Colonel Massey Colonel Mitton and Colonel Rigby and their Forces should joyn with Sir William Waller The Earl of Newcastle desired a Treaty which was admitted and he demanded to march away with Bag and Baggage and Arms and Drums beating and Colourâ—s flying and that all within the Town should have liberty of Conscience the Prebends to enjoy their Places to have Common Prayer Organs Copes Surplices Hoods Crosses c. These things were denied by the Parliaments Generals but they offered the Earl of Newcastle that he and all the Commanders should go forth on horseback with their Swords and the common Souldiers to march out with Staves in their hands and a Months Pay and all else to be left behind them The Enemy desired four or five days time to consider hereof which was granted Taunton Dean was rendred to the Lord General and some other Places in the West where he was The Archbishop was again brought to his Tryal and the Matters insisted on against him were His introducing of Popery and Arminianism The Lords sent to the Commons that they could not consent to the Ordinance for secluding the Members of both Houses who had deserted the Parliament because they had already voted the Readmission of the Earl of Holland And the Commons referred it to a Committee to consider of some Expedient as to the Case of the Earl of Holland A Committee of Lawyers was appointed for sequestring and selling the Chambers in the Inns of Court belonging to malignant Lawyers The General by his Letters from Dorchester informs the Parliament that the Country thereabouts generally declared themselves for the Parliament and had furnished his Army with plenty of provisions The Lord Canoule a Scot Master of the Horse to the King came in and submitted himself to the Lord General The King left his Foot at Worcester and from thence went with two thousand Horse to Evesham where he took the Mayor and divers Aldermen of the Town and carried them with him prisoners to Oxford and brake down the Bridges after them as they passed to hinder Sir William Waller's pursuit of them they likewise burnt down many houses in the Suburbs of Worcester the better to secure the City and the like they did at Oxford and also at Abington The Siege continued before Basing-house but those that were before Greenland-house thought not fit upon the King 's coming back to Oxford to continue any Siege to Greenland-house till they might have the Forces of Major General Brown to joyn with them An Ordinance passed to impower the Committee of Oxon Berks and Bucks to raise Forces and Money to pay them and they to be under Brown's Command Troubles were in the Virginia Plantation The Archbishop was again brought to his Tryall and the same points of Popery and Arminianism urged against him and as a proof thereof the Remonstrance of the House of Commons in Parliament in the year 1628. Sir Richard Onsley's Regiment came to assist Colonel Norton lying before Basing-house to whom and to Colonel Morley the Commons sent a Letter of thanks At Weymouth the Lord General took a hundred pieces of Ordnance two thousand Musquets a thousand Swords Arms Pistols Powder and about sixty of great and small Vessels The General sent parties to Dartmouth VVareham and other places The Lord Viscount L'Isle had allowed him 1000 l. upon account of the Irish Service Plymouth Garrison sent out parties who beat up the Enemies quarters and at one time took forty and at another time a hundred and fifty horse and prisoners A Ship with Letters to the Parliament from Scotland and two other Ships loaden with Coals for London put in at Harwich and there cast Anchor and the Mariners went on shore leaving none aboard the Ships to guard them In the mean time came into the harbour a Pinnace of the King 's carrying the Parliament Colours and finding these Ships without any Guard boarded them and carried them clear away Westward The King marched from Oxford towards Bedford and several parties of his Army did very much spoil as they marched in Bucks Bedford and Hertfordshires they plundred Leighton and at Dunstable when the people were at Church they shot at the Minister in the Pulpit and committed many outrages there and in many other places Major General Brown marched out with his Forces to Barnet and from thence to St. Albans where the Forces of the Associated Counties are to meet him and the Commons took care for the supply of all of them Sir Thomas Fairfax and Major General Lesley were sent from the Leaguer before York with six thousand Horse and Dragoons and five thousand Foot to relieve Lancashire and to attend the motions of Prince Rupert Colonel Charles Fairfax sent to assist the Scots party at Sunderland beat back the Earl of Montross Musgrave and the rest into Newcastle and the Earl of Calender with a reserve of ten thousand Scots entred England to assist the Parliament The Commons took order touching the Prerogative Court and appointed Sir Nathaniel Brent to be the Judge of that Court. Letters of thanks were sent to the Lord General for his good Service and upon a Petition of the Western Gentlemen that he might continue in the Service there it was so ordered and an Ordinance appointed for the impowering a Committee of the
upon view of those proofs we shall be the better able to advise and your Lordships to judge what will be fit to be done in this matter Maynard Your Excellence and my Lord Chancellour are pleased to require our advice in this great business and we shall deal cleerly and freely with your Lordships which I think will be most acceptable to you and will in conclusion be best for your service Mr. Whitelocke hath begun thus and in speaking his own sense hath spoken much of mine and left me the less to say and I shall follow him in the same plainness and method as he hath begun which I presume will be most pleasing to your Lordships The word Incendiary is not much conversant in our Law nor often met with in our Books but more a term of the Civil Law or of State and so to be considered in this case and to be taken according to the expression wherein it is used in the Accord of the two Kingdoms and in the sense of the Parliaments of both Nations That sense of it which my Lord Chancellour hath been pleased to mention it doth bear ex vi termini and surely he that kindles the coals of contention between our brethren of Scotland and us is an Incendiary and to be punished as it is agreed on by both Kingdoms But my Lords as you have been told there must be proof made of such particulars of words or actions upon which there may be sufficient ground for a Parliament to declare their judgment that he who used such words or actions indeavoured thereby to raise differences and to kindle the fire of contention among us and so that he is an Incendiary Lieutenant General Cromwel is a person of great favour and interest with the House of Commons and with some of the House of Peers likewise and therefore there must be proofs and the more clear and evident against him to prevail with the Parliament to adjudge him to be an Incendiary I confess my Lords I do not in my private knowledge assure my self of any such particulars nor have we heard of any here and I believe it will be more difficult than perhaps some of us may imagine to fasten this upon him And if it be difficult and doubtfull it is not fit for such persons as my Lord General and the Commissioners of the Kingdom of Scotland as yet to appear in it but rather first to see what proofs may be had of particular passages which will amount to a clear proof upon which judgment may be grounded that he is an Incendiary And when such proofs shall be ready to be produced we may again wait upon your Excellence and the business will then be the more ripe for your Lordships resolution in the mean time my humble opinion is that it may be deferred Mr. Hollis and Sir Philip Stapleton and some others spake smartly to the business and mentioned some particular passages and words of Cromwel tending to prove him to be an Incendiary and they did not apprehend his interest in the House of Commons to be so much as was supposed and they would willingly have been upon the accusation of him But the Scots Commissioners were not so forward to adventure upon it for the reasons they said did satisfie them which were given by Maynard and Whitelocke until a further inquiry were made of particulars for proof to make him an Incendiary the which at length was generally consented to and about two a clock in the Morning with thanks and Complements Maynard and Whitelocke were dismissed they had some cause to believe that at this debate some who were present were false brethren and informed Cromwel of all that past among them and after that Cromwel though he took no notice of any particular passages at that time yet he seemed more kind to Whitelocke and Maynard than he had been formerly and carried on his design more actively of making way for his own advancement as will appear in progress of this insuing story The Lord sent to the Commons that a speedy answer might be given to the Papers of the States Ambassadors and for audience to be given to the French Agent and a Committee was named to consider of the manner of his reception A Report was made to the House by their Command of the particular passages betwixt His Majesty and the Committee that carried the Propositions to him which they had forborn before to mention but the House having an intimation thereof ordered the particular passages thereof to be Reported to-them which was done as I have mentioned them before The Commons ordered 6000 l. for providing store of Arms and Ammunition A party of the Newark horse being quartered near the Town Colonel Thorney fell upon them took 80 Horse one Major several inferiour Officers 2 Colonels 24 Troupers and Arms. The Commons took order for setling Magistrates in Newcastle though different from the Course of their Charter and disfranchised some of their Aldermen The Parliaments Committee at Newcastle sent up a great quantity of Coals for relief of the poor of London whereof the Commons gave notice to the Lord Mayor and orders for the distributing of them The Clause for Marriage in the Directory was agreed unto An Ordinance past for relief of Soldiers widdows Letters were ordered to several Counties for levying Arrears due to the Army and for the Deputy Lieutenants and Committees to assist the Commissioners of Excise The Commons agreed to the reception of the States Ambassadors as formerly Sir William Massey was made one of the Assembly of Divines The Court Marshal adjudged Sir John Hotham to have his head cut off Higgins the Lord General 's Trumpeter returned from Oxford where he said he was more courteously used than before and that the King commanded he should be kindly used and rewarded and that he was not as formerly hoodwink'd when they brought him in Prince Rupert by the King's direction sent a Letter to the General for a safe Conduct for the Duke of Richmond and the Earl of Southampton to bring unto the Parliament of England Assembled at Westminster and the Commissioners of the Parliament of the Kingdome of Scotland an answer of the Propositions lately presented to his Majesty for a safe and well grounded peace The Commons voted that no Member of either House of Parliament shall during this war injoy or execute any office or Command Military or Civil and that an Ordinance be brought in accordingly This was moved by Mr. Zouch Tate who brought it in with a similitude of a boyle upon his thumb and was set on by that party who contrived the outing of the Lord General and to bring on their own designes and they could find no other way than by passing a Self-denying Ordinance as they called it which would serve their turn both as a specious pretence of their own integrity and waving all self ends and so plausible to the people and would also
Parliaments party The King's Garrison in Latham-house as was informed contrary to an agreement and cessation of Arms â—allied out and did much mischief to the Parliaments friends Jan. 29. The Commissioners for the Treaty on both parts met at Vxbridge and had their several quarters those for the Parliament and all their Retinue on the North side of the Town and those for the King on the South side and no intermixture of the one party of their Attendants with the other the best Inn of the one side was the Rendezvous of the Parliaments Commissioners and the best Inn of the other side of the Street was for the King's Commissioners The Evening that they came to Town several Visits passed between particular Commissioners of either party as Sir Edward Hyde came to visit Mr. Hollis and Mr. Whitelocke the Lord Culpepper visited Sir Henry Vane and others of the King's Commissioners visited several of the Parliaments Commissioners and had long Discourses about the Treaty and to perswade one another to a compliance Mr. Whitelocke visited Sir Edward Hyde and Mr. Palmer and Sir Richard Lane and others and several of the Parliaments Commissioners visited divers of the King's Commissioners and had discourses with them tending to the furtherance of the business of the Treaty The Town was so exceeding full of company that it was hard to get any quarter except for the Commissioners and their Retinue and some of the Commissioners were forced to lie two of them in a Chamber together in Field Beds onely upon a Quilt in that cold weather not coming into a Bed during all the Treaty This place being within the Parliaments quarters their Commissioners were the more civil and desirous to afford accommodations to the King's Commissioners and they thought it fit to appoint Sir John Bennet's House at the further end of the Town to be fitted for the place of meeting for the Treaty The foreway into the House was appointed for the King's Commissioners to come in at and the backway for the Parliaments Commissioners in the middle of the house was a fair great Chamber where they caused a large Table to be made like that heretofore in the Star-chamber almost square without any upper or lower end of it The King's Commissioners had one end and one side of the Table for them the other end and side was for the Parliaments Commissioners and the end appointed for the Scots Commissioners to sit by themselves Behind the Chairs of the Commissioners on both sides sate the Divines and Secretaries and such of the Commissioners as had not room to sit next to the Table At each end of the great Chamber was a fair withdrawing Room and Inner-chamber one for the King 's the other for the Parliaments Commissioners to retire unto and consult when they pleased The first night of their being together a little before Supper an intimation was given that the Chancellour of Scotland expected both at the Table and Meetings to have precedence of all the English Lords and that Mr. Barkley and Mr. Kennedagh expected to have precedence of the English Commissioners who were but Esquires except Mr. St. John to whom they were pleased to allow precedence because he was the King's Sollicitour Upon Discourse the Arguments they insisted upon for the Chancellour were That he was the prime Officer of Scotland and had precedence of all Dukes there unless they were of the Blood Royal and both the Kingdoms being now united he was to have the same precedence in England as he had in Scotland To which was answered That he was not Chancellour in England nor had any precedence here but in courtesie as Earl of Loudoun that formerly when the great Officers of England attended the King into Scotland as soon as they came thither they ceased to execute their Offices and had no precedence there and that it ought to be alike with the Chancellour of Scotland when he was here For the precedence of Mr. Kennedah and Mr. Berkley before the Commissioners who were Esquires they were informed that Mr. Whitlocke and Mr. Crew were eldest Sons of Knights and that by the Law of England those were to have precedence next to Knights and consequently before the Scottish Gentlemen with which they were satisfied but still they insisted upon the point of the Chancellour's precedence The Earl of Northumberland smiled at this contest and seemed to contemn it of whose great Honour and Family and the Antiquity of it the Scots Commissioners could not be ignorant nor of the difference between that and the Family of the Earl of Loudoun Yet Northumberland moved for satisfaction of the Scots that the Chancellour and one other of the Scots Commissioners might sit at the upper end of the Table which was not taken for the chief but for the Womans place and the rest of the Commissioners to sit in their ranks on either side and so that matter was for the present settled Officers had been sent down from the Parliament to prepare all things fit for the Commissioners and for their Diet and Entertainment at which the Scots Commissioners were contented to have their share and things were ordered very nobly and handsomely Mr. Thurloe and Mr. Earle were Secretaries for the English and Mr. Cheesely for the Scots Commissioners none sate at the Table with the Commissioners but the Ministers when there was room and sometimes strangers or persons of Quality that came into them and a very full Table was there kept for them and alwaies before every Meal one of the Ministers Mr. Marshal or Mr. Vines and now and then Mr. Henderson prayed and suitable to the occasion On the first day of their meeting Jan. 30. in the Evening before they entred upon the Treaty each side desired to know the others power for the Treaty and to have Copies thereof A Petition from Kent presented by their Committee express their good affection to the Parliament and encourage the Commons to pursue the Self-denying Ordinance and the thanks of the House was returned them The King's forces advancing towards Newport Paganel Sir Samuel Luke the Governour was sent down thither Divers Orders were made for Supplies for the several forces The Members of the House attended the Burial of Mr. John White of the Middle Temple a Member of the House of Commons a Puritan from his youth to his death an Honest Learned and Faithfull Servant to the publick but somewhat severe at the Committee for plundered Ministers The Lords read the Bill or Ordinance for raising Forces under Sir Thomas Fairfax and the Commons ordered a Letter to be sent to him for his speedy coming up to the Parliament and whilst the Treaty for Peace went on they did not slacken their pains to prepare for War in case the Treaty should take no effect For the motion of the Scots Army Southwards Letters were past by the Commons and sent up to the Lords Jan 31. The Commissioners for the Treaty having
Scotland Lathom house defended two years by the Countess of Derby was surrendred to the Parliament upon Articles and in it were taken twelve pieces of Ordnance all their Arms and Ammunition and store of rich Prize and Pillage 8. Debate touching Ireland and voted that the Government thereof should be in one hand under one Governor to be yearly chosen Order for six thousand Suits of Apparel to be sent to Sir Tho. Fairfaxes Army Thanks returned to the Citizens of London for their readiness to advance Money for the Scots Army and for the Publick upon all occasions Order touching Compositions of Delinquents The Speaker of the House of Peers presented a Letter to the Houses which he received from Sir Thomas Glemham Governor of Oxford and therein one inclosed from the King desiring that a safe Conduct might be granted to the Duke of Lenox the Earl of South-hampton Mr. Jo. Ashburnham and Mr. Jeffery Palmer to come up to the Parliament of England at Westminster with Propositions for Peace this was ordered to be debated next day Sir T. F. Sent another Party of Horse with M. Desborough to joyn with Col. Whaley in streightning Oxford A Letter in answer of that from Sir T. F. to the Prince was written by the Lord Capell to Sir T. F. signifying the Princes desire of Peace but that he would not quit his Piety and Loyalty to the King 9. Order for Arrears for Sir Thomas Fairfax's Officers Order for the Ministers about London to give thanks to God the next Lords Day for the Surrender of Lathom House and a Collection for the Poor of Manchester Another Order for Col. Harvey to have Liberty to transport eight hundred and fifty Calve-skins Order for five hundred pounds for Arrears of Dutch Officers and for bayling Sir Roger Twisden Letters from the Worcester-shire Committee informed that Prince Rupert and Prince Maurice with an hundred and sixty Horse were gone from Worcest and in the way meeting with some opposition from that Country men under Sir Edward Dingly they slew five of them wounded others and so got to Oxford Order that Col. Booth with the Lancashire Forces that took in Lathom House should joyn with Sir William Brereton before Chester A Ship was taken in Blith-Haven in the North Fraught with Cannon Arms and Ammunition for Montross Another Ship taken at Burlington Haven and three at Sutton loaden with Deal and Timber very useful for the Siege of Newark 10. An Answer agreed upon to the Kings Letter touching propositions for Peace That the Parliament were most desirous of it could not consent to the coming of the Duke of Lenox c. into their Quarters because of the danger thereof but were themselves in consideration of Propositions for Peace to be sent by way of Bills to his Majesty and herein the Scots Commissioners concurred The Custody of the great Seal continued in the present Commissioners till the last of next February Some Letters and Papers of the Kings taken at Naseby relating to Holland ordered to be Printed and sent over to Mr. Strickland and the Lord Digby's Letters at Sherburne ordered to be Printed M. Arch-bold Governor of Cannon-Froome for the Parliament fell upon the enemies Quarters at Mava and took eighty of their Horse and Riders 11. Divers of the Assembly came to the House and informed them that a Printed paper in the nature of a Remonstrance was published by the dissenting Brethren of the Assembly which they conceived Scandalous to them and they desired they might make an Answer to it The House named a Committee to peruse the Remonstrance and consider of the Scandal in it and by what Authority it was published Divers being summoned by a forged Warrant to appear at London the House ordered that none should serve any Warrant from any Committee but by Deputation from the Serjeant at Arms. Order for slighting the out-works of Wrestel-Castle belonging to the Earl of Northumberland Mr. Bond made Master of the Savoy Hospital under the Great Seal Letters informed that Sir Charles Cooke and Sir Robert Steward with their Eorces slew five hundred of the Irish Rebels 12. Debate touching the propositions for Peace and a day set for Delinquents to come in to make their Compositions and this Order to be published and that those who came in and did not take the Covenant should be taken as Spies and an Ordinance to be drawn to injoyn them to take the Covenant Instructions passed for the Commissioners who are to reside in the Scots Army and a thousand pounds ordered to defray their Expenses An Order for Money for the Forces of Lincoln and of Lynne Regis 13. An Ordinance sent to the Lords to make C. Welden Governor of Plymouth Order for supplys for that Garrison of Ammunition and Money An Ordinance committed for establishing the Garrison at Abbington Order for a thousand pair of Pistols and three thousand pair of Boots to be sent down to the Scots Troopers The Siege was so streight at Chester that in the Town they ate Horse-flesh 15. Proceedings about the Propositions for Peace and in the afternoon upon private Petitions and voted a Rate upon French Commodities imported and English exported thither Mr. Bedding-field had a Pass to go beyond Seas and was released out of his imprisonment by both Houses Order for three thousand pound to pay the fifth part of the Arrears of the reduced Officers 16. Some difference of Opinion between the Houses and the Scots Commissioners about the answer to the Kings Letter for Peace Reference of a Petition of Sir Robert Cooke Order for two thousand pound per An. out of the Court of Wards for the Lord Say in consideration of his Losses and great Services Thirty pound given to the Gallery-keepers at St. Margarets Church A Party sallied out of Newark but were beaten back with four of their men killed but pursuing too far Captain Peat had twenty of his men taken Prisoners Another Party Sallying out of Newarke their Captain singled himself out by way of Challenge and was incountred by Captain Thorney's Lievetenant his Horse killed and himself taken Prisoner G. Leven left the Leager and went to New-Castle Letters informed that Sir Tho. Fairfax had taken divers of the Kings Garrisons near Exeter whereby they were streightned that his Forces took in Ful-ford House That a Troop of Col. Okey's Dragoons surprized a Ship laden with Serges going to the Lord Pawlet That divers Cornish men sue to make their Peace with the Parliament and that they generally refuse there to give Quarter to Gorings men Sir Tho. Fairfax sent a Regiment of Horse and two Regiments of Foot to take in Corse-Castle and Dunster-Castle was Besieged 17. Another Letter from the King was communicated to both Houses wherein he admires they should deny a Convoy for those he would send with Propositions telling them of their Protestations to agree to Peace and conjures them by the Miseries and Blood which hath
the Marquess of Ormond the Earl of Glamorgan the Lord Digby and others of great concernment and mentioning preparations for Irish Rebels hither which so inraged the Countrey people that they put to the Sword thirty Irish taken by them in that Vessel at Padstow 10. Difference of Opinion between the Houses about the Earl of Derby the Lord Pawlet Sir John Byron and Sir Jo. Strangways whom the Lords thought fit not to except from Pardon Col. Rainsborough sent to command the Forces before Banbury had power of Martial Law given him Letters informed that Sir William Brereton entred Litchfield with the loss of three men slain and some wounded that he killed six of the enemy and beat the rest into the Close being a thousand horse and soot A Sally out of Newarke with four hundred horse and a thousand foot upon the Scots Guards the Bridge being down none of the rest of the Army could come to assist them and the Newarkers were double the number to the Scots in that place but after a little time some got over to them and the Newarkers retreated having killed one Captain two Lieutenants and eight Soldiers and about twenty wounded and few of their own party left behind them 11. The accounts of the Committee of Excise brought in and a Vote passed to continue the Excise in such hands as both houses shall think fit and order for advancing of eighty four thousand pound upon the Excise for the Army Divers other orders about the Excise and one for two thousand pound for Abbington Garrison Letters informed that the Army advanced from Bodman towards Truro but by reason of bad weather put into Quarters that a party of 800 Horse and Dragoons was sent under Col. Rich to fall upon the enemies Quarters which they did near St. Columbe being the Princes Regiment consisting of about eight hundred they of the Van Charged Rich's men but were quickly put to the rout and pursued three or four miles Rich's men took about an hundred Prisoners most of them Reformado's whereof M. G. Perâ— was one twenty nine of the Princes Guard and a hundred Horse this so allarm'd the Enemy that they left their head Quarter for a Mile and drew all their Horse to a rendezvous upon a down at eleven a clock at night where they stood in the rain till the next morning A Trumpet came with an Answer from the Lord Hopton to Sir Tho. Fairfax's Summons implying a willingness to end the business of the West without more blood-shed but desires to know whether the King and Parliament be not near to a conclusion of a Peace that he being intrusted may be careful of the Kings Honour and a Treaty is entertained and in the mean time Sir Tho. Fairfax's Army advanced The Letters taken in the Trish Ship mentioned the Commitment of the Earl of Glamorgan to be to colour that business and that a Peace was concluded with the Irish Rebells and that ten thousand of them were ready to come into England to assist the King 12. The day of thanksgiving for the late successes in the West Letters from Abbington certified that they had several allarms from Oxford and the last Lords day at six in the Morning a great party of Horse and Foot came near to Abbington Town who took the Allarm and were in a posture to receive them That the Cannon played upon them half an hour from the Town and did good execution that the Oxford Party notwithstanding their words that they would gain the Town or leave their bones there yet they ran away and the Horse could not be perswaded to stay but taking up about ten of their Fellows dead bodies they all retreated to Oxford That the Soldiers wanted no Courage but Money and are put to watch almost every night 13. The Assembly of Divines desired by some of their brethren sent to the House That Mr. Patrick Young might be incouraged in the Printing of the Greek Testament much expected and desired by the Learned especially beyond Seas and an Ordinance was read for Printing and Publishing the Old Testament of the Sepâ—uagint Translation wherein Mr. Young had formerly taken pains and had in his hand as Library-keeper of St Jame's an Original Tecta Bible of that Translation Orders for Money for Soldiers Wives and Widows and to the train of Artillery The Petitions of London Westminster and Middlesex touching the setling of the Militia and the differences thereupon referred to a Committee to be composed A Party from Oxford plundring Basing-stoke and the pressed men going to Sir Thomas Fairfax mutinied at Farnham their Conductor Col. Ven being very imperious and not pleasing to them but it was soon appeased Foy was delivered up to Sir T. Fairfax and thirteen pieces of Ordnance in it 14. An Ordinance past both Houses for setling and regulating the Heralds Office to effect which Whitelocke laboured and was one of the Committee for that end but opposed by many inclining to leveling Order for a Pass for the Earl of Northampton and twenty Officers with him to go beyond Sea provided they take the Negative Oath Votes that the Great Seal should be in the hands of Commissioners Members of both Houses and in the present Commissioners for six Months longer Both Houses agreed to the Ordinance for setling Presbyterian Government Letters informed that Sir Tho. Fairfax and the Lord Hopton agreed upon these Articles That the Lord Hoptons Army should presently be disbanded and his Horse Arms and Ammunition Artillery Bag and Baggage delivered up to Sir Tho. Fairfax Officers to have their Horses and Troopers twenty shillings a man Strangers to have Passages to go beyond Sea and English to go to their homes A hundred and twenty Musqueteers Armed came out of Pendennis Castle and yielded themselves to Sir T. F. That the Lord Hopton surrendred to Sir Tho. Fairfax near three thousand horse 16. Votes touching the Affairs of Ireland and the Commission to be granted to the Lord L'isle appointed Governor there Care for Money for Major General Massies Forces Reference to a Committee to consider what places of benefit are held by any Members of the House and to report it Conference about the propositions for Peace Harwarden Castle was surrendred to Major General Mitton and he besieged Holt Castle A Party from Hereford and Monmouth surprised sixty Horse in the Stables of Gotherick Castle burnt the Stables and Besieged the Castle A Party from Worcester came within a Mile of Evesham plundered and took away some Country men Prisoners but were pursued by a Party from Evesham the Prisoners and Plunder rescued and eighteen of their Horse taken 17. The House being informed that the Prince was in Silley and in some streights for want of Provisions they agreed that a Letter should be written to him in a loving and tender way from both Houses of Parliament to invite him to come in to the Parliament and to reside in such place and have such
were forced to lye in Taverns that they are unwilling Mr. Marshal should preach there and many of them would willingly be in England again that many endeavor to engage a Party against England The Soldiers in the North were disbanded according to the Parliaments Order and the Countrey eased of their Free Quarter Dr. Leyfield was by the Court-Marshal acquitted of the accusation against him for Counterfeiting the General 's hand The like acquittal of the Officers of Col. Herberts Regiment accused for conspiring against Glocester 29. The Declaration passed the Commons in answer to the Scots Papers Voted by both Houses that none shall raise any men to be transported beyond Sea without Warrant from the Committee at Derby House The Committee of Estates excepted against the Credentials of the English Commissioners because they were directed to the Parliament of Scotland which did not then sit but only the Committee of Estates But the English Commissioners shewed their Instructions to the Committee of Estates also Col. Jones took in the Town of Kildare upon Quarter only and a house near to another Garrison within half a mile of Kildare being accidentally on fire the English Soldiers before Kildare seeing it ran down thither and entred pell mell into the Garrison and took possession of it and several other small Garrisons were rendred to Sir Tho. Armstrong sent by Col. Jones to them Divers other Castles and Garrisons were taken in by Col. Jones and some were fired by the Rebels March 1647. March 1. Debate touching the Church-business Order of both Houses for Hampton Court to be made ready for the Kings Children to be there Sir Jacob Ashley admitted to compound Order to consider to morrow of disposing the Great Seal and no other business to intervene Order to continue the Comittee of the Admiralty for seven Months Order for a guard of Ships for the Northern Coasts and trade of Fishing there Order touching the Commissioners of the Customs 2. Order for three new Elections Order that the Earl of Kent Sir Tho. Widdrington and Bulstrode Whitelocke Esquire shall be Commissioners for the Great Seal of England for twelve Months and that an Ordinance be brought in accordingly Which Ordinance was brought in and read and passed the House of Commons and ordered to be sent to the House of Lords for their Concurrence These Commissioners were said to be agreed upon by the private juncto of Cromwell's party before-hand to be trusted with this great charge and in the debate of the business several others of both Houses were propounded but after a great debate these three only were pitched upon The Earl of Kent being a very honest just man of good rational parts and abilities and of an antient great Family who would be a Countenance to this business was held a fit person for the Lords House Sir Tho. Widdrington being a Gentleman of known integrity and of great abilities in his Profession and brother in Law to the General whose Sister he had married was very fit to be one of the House of Commons to be intrusted with so weighty an imployment Whitelocke was well known and understood in the House by his long attendance there and by them judged not uncapable of this imployment besides the General had an affection for him and he had a good interest in the House and Cromwell and his Party were willing to ingage him as far as they could with them Letters from the Committee of Pembroke shire that Mr. Poyer formerly Major of Pembroke and now Governor of that Castle refused to deliver it up to Col. Flemming who had a Commission from the General to be Governor of it Order for an Ordinance to settle this business 3. Order for a new Election Letters from the Committee of Kent concerning the Propositions of that County in the Assesment for the Army referred to the grand Committee for that Ordinance 4. A Committee to draw up an Ordinance to prevent and suppress all private Ducls and Quarrels An Ordinance passed both Houses for reducing of Pembroke Castle and requiring the General to bring Col. Poyer and his adherents to Justice The General sent this Ordinance to the Forces before Pembroke Castle with orders for them to send it to Col. Poyer into the Castle and to signifie to him that if he did not render the Castle in twelve hours after this notice then they were to endeavour by force to reduce it Debate touching the Commissioners of the Customs and their Officers Orders for relief of maimed Soldiers and Widows and Letters to the Judges in their several Circuits to put in execution the Ordinances concerning them Three French Ships taken by the Parliaments ship under Captain Pen. 6. Ordinance sent up to the Lords for the further establishment and maintenance of the Army Order to sell the Coats of the Kings Guard to buy fire and candle for the Forces at White Hall and the Mues Orders touching Compositions to commit those Delinquents who refused to compound A Patent Ordered for Mr. Petty for seventeen years to teach his art of double writing Letters from the Commissioners in Scotland of their Proceedings Debate about the business of the Fennes The Committee of Estates in Scotland ordered the disbanding of their Army by a day if danger did not in the mean time appear and they appointed a Committee called the Committee of danger 7. The Ordinance sent up to the Lords for setling Lands of the Earl of Worcester of two thousand five hundred pound yearly value upon Lieutenant General Cromwell and his Heirs in recompence of his great service Order for the Ordinance to be brought in for setling five thousand pound per An. upon the General Sir GilbertGerrard ordered to be Chancellor of the Duchy Mr. Miles Corbet and Mr. Robert Goodwin were by order made Registers of the Chancery in the place of Col. Long one of the eleven impeached Members Additional instructions concerning the Miscarriages of the Scots Commissioners here were passed and ordered to be sent to the Parliaments Commissioners in Scotland and the large Declaration in answer to the Scots Papers passed both Houses and was ordered to be Printed The Composition of Sir Jacob Ashley and others passed The Town of Hull sent a long Letter to the General setting forth divers Calumnies raised against them their own former actions relating to the reception and assistance of Sir Jo. Hotham and his Son and their refusing and resisting the Earl of Newcastle and others testifying their great affection and service to the Parliament and vindicating their integrity Then they complained against their present Governor Col. Overton for imposing upon them free Billet for his Soldiers when free quarter was taken off from all the Countrey and they hoped to reap the fruits of Peace and settlement and they pray relief herein from his Excellency The General gave answer to the Letter That he though it unreasonable that Town should be exempt more than others from free Billet
his Majesty had agreed to the proposition for recalling Oaths Proclamations c. and the preamble thereof Letters from Lieutenant General Cromwells quarters That Messengers came to him from the Lord Argyle and his Associates to inform him of their dislike of Duke Hamilton's coming into England with his Army and of Monroe's being there with his Forces and desired Cromwells assistance against them That Cromwell by advice of his Council of War answers that he will assist them and with all heartiness joyn with them against Monroe and desires nothing more than the subduing and rooting out of trust all loose persons and such as are Enemies to goodness and good men and desires his Letter may be kept as a Testimony against him and those under him of their hypocrisy if they did not joyn with them for these ends with all cordialness Letters that Monroe fell upon a Party of Argyle's men when they were in Treaty contrary to the Agreement The Lords voted the approbation of Lieutenant General Cromwells entring into Scotland by directions from the Committee of Derby House and that he may assist those in Scotland who dislike Duke Hamiltons coming into England if they shall desire it of him Divers after they were called over in the House went out of Town again the same day God forgive them for their Negligence 27. The publick Fast-day Letters from France of the troubles there and of Mazarine and the Prince of Conde c. 28. The Commons concurred to the Votes of approving Lieutenant General Cromwells entring into Scotland and to a Letter to be written to him to prosecute his Victory and take all advantages for recovery of Berwick and Carlisle Letters that Colonel Monk fell upon the Scots quarters in Ireland who were drawing out under Major General Monroe to joyn with his Nephew Monroe's Forces in Scotland that he had taken Carickfirgus and Belfast and had Monroe and all his Forces Prisoners Order for five hundred pounds to be bestowed on Colonel Monk and a Letter of thanks to him and his Officers and Souldiers and that he be Governour of Belfast and be advised with for a Governour of Carickfirgus and the Committee of Derby House to give him a Commission and to consider of an Establishment of pay for his Forces This Action and success was one of the first that brought Colonel Monk into extraordinary favour with the Parliament and Army who began to have more confidence in him than they had formerly since his revolt to them Order for a day of thanksgiving for this success in Ireland Letters that the King and the Commissioners in the Treaty proceeded upon the proposition for setling of the Church Government 29. Debate of an Ordinance for setling five hundred pounds per annum Salary upon each of the Judges of the Admiralty and a Proviso agreed upon that they take no mony of any persons upon any pretence whatsoever Order for five thousand pounds out of Delinquents Estates for payment of the Horse-guards that attend the Parliament Upon Petition of the Commissioners of the Excise all the Members of the House were added to the Committee of Excise and Ordered in their several Counties to endeavour the removal of all obstructions in that receipt Both Houses past a Declaratory Vote that nothing should be binding between the King and Parliament till all were concluded in the Treaty Major Miles Corbet a Member of the House being assaulted and wounded by some Cavaliers as he past in a Boat upon the Thames the Serjeant at Armes was ordered to apprehend the Malefactors Liberty given for Major Ashburnham to return into England to prosecute his Composition 30. Debate of an Ordinance for raising a hundred thousand pounds for pay of arrears of reduced Officers The Officers of the Committee of Haberdashers Hall coming to seise the goods of the Earl of Lauderdale who came with the late Scots Army to invade England they found a File of Musquetiers as a Guard to oppose them the House ordered the Militia of London to secure those guards and to give an account to the House of the business The Lord Admiral offered indemnity to the revolted Ships and the Prince offered the like indemnity to the Lord Admiral A Member of the House coming out of the City was assaulted by three Cavaliers but he and a Friend with him repulsed the Assaulters Colonel Rainsborough and a Captain with him upon the High way near London were assaulted by three others of the Kings party who after a little bickering ran away a Captain of the Army and a Major were in the like manner assaulted in London and both killed It was dangerous for any Member of the House or of the Army to walk without Company for fear of being assassinated and the Committee of Derby House were informed that a certain number of the Kings Party had combined to massacre eighty Members of the House of Commons whom they suspected averse to their hopes A Petition in the name of many thousands of Oxfordshire agreeing with the large Petition of the City against the Treaty Letters from the Head quarters of great want of pay for the Souldiers which forced them to take free-quarter and that it was to be feared neither the Country nor the Souldiery would long undergo it That Letters came to the General out of Scotland of the good corespondence betwixt Lieutenant General Cromwell and Argyle Letters came to the General from good hands and others from France of a design of the Cavaliers to stab him October 1648. 2. A Letter from his Majesty by Captain Titus That he will consent to confirm by Act of Parliament the sitting of the Assembly of Divines and the Directory of Worship for three years and the form of Church Government provided that the King and those of his judgment who cannot submit to it be not obliged to comply That a free consultation and debate with the Assembly be had in the mean time twenty of his Majesties nomination being added to them whereby it may be determined how Church Government and the form of publick Worship shall be after that time and how Religion may be settled and the Articles determined and care taken for the ease of tender Consciencs Concerning the Bishops lands and revenues his Majesty will consent to Acts of Parliament whereby legal Estates for lives or for ninety nine years shall be made of those lands towards satisfaction of purchasers or others to whom they are ingaged or his Majesty will order some other way for their further satisfaction providing that the propriety and Inheritance of those lands may still remain to the Church That his Majesty will consent to Acts for the better observation of the Lords day for suppressing innovations in Gods worship and for the advancing of Preaching And to acts against Pluralities and Non-residencies for regulating the Vniversities and Colledges for the better discovery and conviction of Popish Recusants and
Proposals to be tendered to the Parliament of England for their Submission to them That they are contented to wave Kingly Government That no Lord shall exceed in Power a Private Person That the Tyrannical Power of the Clergy may be dissolved 14. Letters That the Lord Argyle had called a Parliament and that Mr. Alexander Kant a Minister said in his Pulpit That God was bound to own that Parliament that all other Parliaments were called by Man but this was brought about by his own Hand That the Lord Belcarris levying Forces in the North of Scotland his Officers would not allow Men and Horses sent in though they were very good but would find fault with them and demanded 20 l. for every one and they would find Men and Horses for 20 l. a-piece themselves Whereupon the Countrey rose upon them killed some of them and made the rest run away A Soldier shot to death by Sentence of a Court-Marshal for striking a Serjeant who was correcting him for a misdemeanour That 800 Recruits were landed in Scotland and more expected That the Lieutenant-General sent out a strong Party under Collonel Overton That the greatest part of the Gourdons had laid down their Arms and most of the Gentry were willing to comply with the Parliament of England only the Ministers endeavoured to keep up the War 15. Letters That the Marquess Huntley sent to the Governour of Lieth for a Treaty as Argyle had done the Countrey forsaking them and inclining to submit to England That Mount Orgel in Jersey was surrendred to the Parliament Forces and in it 20 Brass and Iron Guns and 20 Barrels of Powder and that Admiral Blake was in a Treaty for Elizabeth Castle That a Master of a Ship coming by saw Boats passing up and down between the Ships and the Castle with Flags of Truce and many Guns fired The Parliament voted That it was a convenient time to declare a certain time for the continuance of this Parliament beyond which it should not sit 17. Letters That the Gentlemen of Fife and other Counties met and prepared Letters and Commissions to be sent into every County for authorizing Commissioners to attend the coming of the Commissioners from England to make Proposals to them for setling the Peace of the Kingdom 18. The Parliament voted That the time for continuance of this Parliament beyond which they resolve not to sit shall be the third day of November 1654. And that such Scots Prisoners who have been disposed of by the Parliament or Council of State and any Officers of the Army if they run away and go into Scotland without licence shall suffer death and be proceeded against by Marshal Law Letters from Collonel Heane from Jersey of his Proceedings there with the Summons Answers and Conditions of the Surrender of Mount Orgeil Castle That they had in the Castle 18 Pieces of Ordnance four Barrels of Powder Match and Bullet proportionable 1000 Arms Two Months Provisions for 70 Men. The Parliament confirmed the Articles and voted Thanks to General Blake and Collonel Hayne for their good Service 19. Letters That at the Surrender of Lymbrick the Bishop the Major and the Deputy-Governour were hanged the Governour was condemned but reprieved to be sent to the Parliament That the Bishop and Major were hanged for breach of the Articles in disguising many Friars Priests and Bloody Rogues whereby they escaped contrary to the Articles 21. Letters from Lieutenant-General Monk giving thanks to God for the good news of the Rendition of Orgeil Castle That he appointed some Gentlemen to meet with the Marquess of Argyle to treat with him according to his desires That the Country are expecting the coming of the Parliaments Commissioners from England to settle the Civil Affairs of Scotland The Protestation of 28 Ministers given in to the Provincial Assembly at Aberdeen which the Assembly condemned as prejudicial to the Priviledges of the Kirk whose Proceedings they justifie 22. Letters That the Marquess Huntley was come to live privately at his own House upon a Passe sent to him That one of his Proposals was That the Lieutenant-General should put him in possession of certain Lands which was kept from him by his Cousin the Marquess of Argyle That the Earl of Kalander and others of Quality were come in That some Gentlemen in Scotland have done great Service for the Parliament of England at which the Kirk are much enraged and call those Gentlemen Malignants and inveigh against them and against the Parliaments Forces That the Scots rose against Captain Augustin their Countryman killed some of his Men and drave away the rest That the Lord Forbes and others were come in to the Parliament of England and the Country generally desired to be under the Protection of the English Commander in chief in that Kingdom 24. Major-General Massey and others were brought up Prisoners to London Massey endeavoured to escape by the way as he was brought up having a good Horse to ride on he set Spurs to his Horse thinking to ride away from his Convoy but the Soldiers overtook him and brought him back Letters That the Enemy in Cornet Castle in â—uernsey were besieged and very high but the Inhabitants of Guernsey Island were generally the Parliaments Friends That Collonel Hayne shot with his great Guns against Elizabeth Castle and did very great execution and Sir George Carteret had much ado to appease the Mutiny of his Soldiers That Major-General Sterling was come in to the Protection of the Parliament That Argyle and Huntley were to meet with some Persons appointed by the Lieutenant-General to treat with them about their Submission to the Parliament 25. The Parliament ordered the new Council of State to be constituted for the year ensuing That 20 of the last years Council should be continued and â—1 new ones joyned to them The Parliament passed further Instructions to the Council of State The Power of the Admiralty was placed in the Council of State They ordered That the Council of State take care that no Meetings should be in Scotland under any pretence of consulting touching Matters of Government Order That no Chair-man shall continue in the Chair of any Committee above a Year and this to extend to the President of the Council of State Several Votes touching Compositions of Delinquents in Durham Letters That Major-General Dungan with 600 Horse attempted Rosse in Ireland and possessed the Town and took Collonel Markham and killed 12 sick Men in their Beds and took 13 Prisoners and plundered the Town although Irish upon the coming of Forces from Waterford they deserted the Town That Zanchey and others fell upon them killed 100 of them and took 50 of them Prisoners That 4 or 500 of Lymbrick were dead of the Plague That the Lord Deputy had the Castle of Clare surrendred to him 26. Letters That the Lord Belcarris had disbanded his Forces in Scotland and was come to his own House to
live privately there and submitted to the Parliament of England That some of the Isles of Orkney were upon submission to the Common-wealth of England 28. Letters of the particular Passages of the Siege of Limbrick and the Rendition of it after 15 Months Siege That it was a very strong Town the Grafts Counterscarâ—s and Bulwarks without the Walls the Flanking Towers upon them and the Rampiers round the Irish Town very strong and regular an incredible quantity of Arms and Ammunition were delivered in there 29. The Parliament approved the Articles of Limbrick gave 100 l. to the Messenger that brought the News of the Surrender of it and ordered that the next Lords day Thanks should be given to God for it An Act passed appointing Dr. Clerke Dr. Exton and Dr. Stevens to be Judges of the Admiralty Letters That the Scots Parliament met in the Highlands where were present only the Lord Chancellor and two or three Lords and a few Burgesses who could not agree but rose without doing any thing That the Lord Chancellor and other Lords of Scotland were come in to Lieutenant-General Monk That several Recruits were come from England to the Army in Scotland December 1651. 1. Letters That the Parliaments Army in Ireland were setling of their Quarters and had no Enemy to encounter with but a few Tories and stragling Robbers That the Lord Deputy was gone to Galloway to summon that City That in Limbrick there dyed 40 and 50 a day of the Plague 2. Letters from the Lord Deputy to the Parliament and to the Council of State of the Particulars of the Surrender of Limbrick and an account of the great Guns in all 34 and the Arms and Ammunition taken there with a Copy of the Articles 3. Letters That Lieutenant-General Monk intended to have prevented the meeting of the Parliament in the Highlands of Scotland but could not by reason of the excessive quantity of Rain which fell at that time 4. Letters That Captain Pen had taken some French Vessels prize and that Captain Coxe took a French Ship with 39 Guns which made stout resistance and one of the Parliaments Sea-men lost both his Legs with one Shot of a Canon That Two of Prince Ruperts Ships were sunk and himself hardly escaped drowning at the Jercera's That Captain Bertlet the notable Pyrate of Jersey desired to be received into favour and to do some Act to merit it from the Parliament That Captain Christian a notable Sea-man in King James's time was released from being a Prisoner in Peele Castle in the Isle of Man where he had been long detained and ill used by the Earl of Derby That the whole Revenue of the Isle of Man was but 1500 l. per Ann ' That the Countess of Derby was allowed 200 l. in Plate to bear her charges into England That Three of Prince Ruperts Ships were cast away near to Tercera Island with a great Tempest one of them the Swallow which carried 54 Brass Guns sprung a Leak about the Keel and was suddenly sunk and 340 Persons in her drowned the Prince the Master the Boatswaine and Three more in her were only saved 5. Letters That divers Scotch Lords came in and submitted to the Parliament of England That the third Shot at Elizabeth Castle in Jersey fell upon the old Church there killed and wounded 30 Persons and indangered the Governour Sir George Carteret and his Lady and the chief of the Island That this made so great an Impression on the Lady Carteret and the other Ladies and some few Men who were afraid to be taken that the next night they imbarqued for France That this Shot spoiled great store of Syder and other Victuals That several of their Men made an escape and some being taken were forthwith tryed and executed 6. Letters That Major-General Lambert and Major-General Deane were come to Edenburgh 8. Letters That many of the Parliaments Soldiers in Ireland were sick and wanted Accommodations That the Country groaned much at the burden of quartering but the Lord Deputy was very tender to them Letters That the Lord Deputy went from Limbrick to assist the Lieutenant-General at the Siege of Carrick Houlta but meeting with the Lieutenant-General at Inch Castle after conference together they both returned to Limbrick That the Lord-Deputy having taken cold in his Journey the Weather being very tempestuous and having no Accommodations he fell sick and Nov. 17. took Physick the next day was let Blood but grew worse and worse every day after till Nov. 26. and then died That the Commissioners appointed the Lieutenant-General Ludlowe to command the Forces in Ireland till the pleasure of the Parliament should be known or the Lord-Lieutenant give further order That his Body was to be carried over into England This Gentleman Collonel Ireton was a Person very active industrious and stiff in his ways and purposes he was of good abilities for Councel as well as Action and made much use of his Pen and was very forward to reform the Proceedings in Law wherein his having been bred a Lawyer was an help to him He was stout in the Field and wary and prudent in his Councel and exceedingly forward as to the Business of a Common-wealth he married Cromwels Daughter who had a great opinion of him and no Man could prevail so much nor order him so far as Ireton could His death struck a great sadness into Cromwel and indeed it was a great loss to him of so able and active so faithful and so near a Relation and Officer under him Letters That Clare Castle and Carrick Calta Castle were surrendred to Lieutenant-General Ludlowe and Maso Castle to Sir Charles Coote That 22 Men were excepted from the benefit of the Articles for the surrender of Limbrick of whom Seven were executed That Hugh O-Neale the Governour was pardoned for Life 9. Upon the News of the death of the late Lord Deputy of Ireland Collonel Ireton the Parliament as a Testimony of their affection for his many eminent Services ordered a Bill to be brought in for setling 2000 l. per Ann ' upon his Wife and Children of the Lands of the Duke of Buck's and his Corps to be brought to London to be honourably buried A List of 34 strong Holds and Castles in Ireland taken in by the Parliaments Forces the last Summer A Copy sent to the Parliament of the Earl of Clanrickards Declaration or Summons for an Assembly of the Rebels Letters That Two Troops of Collonel Whaley's Regiment quartered at Nottingham had meetings twice a week where their Officers and some of their Soldiers did preach and pray for which they were hated and cursed by the Presbyterians and their Preachers who say They are the greatest Plague that ever did befall that Town That the Presbyterians got the Scotch Prisoners there to be released and sent them home with store of Money and good Cloaths but they will give no Countenance nor Relief to any
That the Tories doe much mischief To prevent which and other inconveniences the Parliaments Commissioners in Ireland published a Declaration excepting severall places from the protection of the Parliament from which all friends to the Parliament are to remove their Persons Families and Goods and those that remain in those places shall be taken as Enemies slain and destroyed And all Intelligence forbid with them and that those who shall remove from those places shall have other Wast-lands assigned them and places for their habitations 23. Dr. Walker and Dr. Turner added to the Committee for regulating the Law Order for an Act for Confiscation of the Estates of several persons in Scotland and for pardoning of the rest An additionall Act passed for Sale of the remainder of Fee-farm Rents Referred to the Councel of State to nominate Persons for Administration of Justice in Scotland Order for an Act to prevent the Mischiefs and Robberies upon the Borders and for settling of the Fishing upon Tweed Report from the Committee for regulating the Law of an Act for Marriages to be made before Justices of the Peace That Committee presented to the Committee of Parliament to be reported to the house the draughts of Several Acts viz. For taking away Fines upon Bills Declarations and Original writs Against Customary Oaths of Fealty and Homage to Lords of Mannors For taking away common Recoveries and the unnecessary charge of Fines and to pass and charge Lands intailed as Lands in Fee-Simple For ascertaining arbitrary Fines upon discent and alienation of Copy-holds of Inheritance For the more speedy recovery of Rents Touching Pleaders and their Fees For the more Speedy regulating and easie discovery of debts and damages not exceeding 4 l. and under 24. Letters That the new chosen Magistrates of Edenburgh had Subscribed their Assents to the Union with England and taken the same Oath that the Mayors of Cities and Towns in England do take and that other Burghs in Scotland sue for Licence upon the same terms to chose new Magistrates That in many parts of Zealand the people are so mad against England that it is dangerous for an English man to be among them but in other places they are in a better temper 26. Letters That Captain Pen came to Pendennis with his Squadron and 5 Prizes which they had taken in the Streights That Prince Rupert with 3 or 4 Ships was upon the Coast of Barbary but his Ships so much eaten out with Arckes that they were not able to keep the Sea Of Recruits Shipped for Ireland 27. Letters That Major Salloway was returned from meeting with the Marquess of Argyle which was with much seeming Love and Kindness None were present at the Treaty but the Marquess and one of his Kinsmen and Major Salloway and Major-General Dean That 40 Sail of Ships were come into Lieth Harbour with Provision and Merchandise from England so that the Deputy-Governour published a Proclamation That no Ship or Vessel should have any Fire or Candle in them but at a certain time of the day That one English Frigot went up to 3 Dutch-men of War who refused to strike Sail to her and with a Broad-side of above 20 Guns perswaded them all to strike to the English Frigot 29. Letters That there is no doubt of a fair Compliance by the Marquess of Argyle with the Commissioners He insists upon Protection and Freedom for himself and his Tenants and their Estates and payment of the Debts owing to him from the Parliament of England Proposals were tendred to the Committee for propagating the Gospel for Supply of all Parishes with Able and Godly Ministers for settling of right Constituted Churches c. An account of the Forces come away from Jersey and of Recruits for Ireland Shipped That the States of Holland sent an express for all the Captains of their Men of War forthwith to go down to their Ships and to stay all Shipping going for England which Imbargoe raiseth thoughts that they intend a War against England 30. Reports to the Parliament from the Commissioners for Scotland of the Form of consent of the Deputies of the Shires and Boroughs of Scotland to the Vnion with England into one Common-wealth without a King or House of Lords and to live Peaceably in the mean time with submission to the Authority of the Parliament of England With their Petition for New Magistrates to be chosen of such as consent thereunto and that Course may be taken with the Ministers who preach against this Vnion April 1652. 1. Letters of Recruits Shiped for Ireland A Letter Signed by Gerald Fitz-Gerald in behalf of an Assembly of the Irish in the Province of Leinster to the Parliaments Commissioners for Ireland setting forth the Calamities of War and the blessings of Peace and the good inclinations of the Common-wealth of England to give reasonable Conditions to those that shall submit to them He desires a safe Conduct for the Inhabitants of the several Provinces to meet and choose Commissioners to Treat with and Propound such things to Commissioners to be appointed to meet with them as may conduce to the Peace and Settlement of that Kingdom The Commissioners in Ireland published a Declaration in answer to this Letter That they cannot in Duty and Honour own that of Gerald Fitz-Gerald for an Authority but declare That the settlement of the Affairs of Ireland doth of right belong to the Common-wealth of England the consideration whereof is at present before them 2. That in the Settlement thereof the Parliament will make distinction of such Persons as have lived Peaceably or having been misled have since submitted to their Authority and those who have acted or abetted the Murders and Massacres of the Protestants and such as adhered to them the first year of their Rebellion or such as continue in Hostility 3. That to grant safe Conducts to such as are in Hostility against the Parliament to meet and consult together is an Act to which the Commissioners cannot in Prudence consent 4. That for such as are now in Arms and are willing to lay them down and submit to the Parliament upon timely application to the Parliaments Ministers here for particular places and persons such moderate Terms will be consented unto as men in their condition can in reason expect Lieutenant-General Ludlow by advice with the English Commissioners and Field Officers of the Army returned answer to the Earl of Clanrickards Letters That the power of ordering the Affairs of Ireland belonged to the Parliament of England who would not capitulate with those in Arms against them but upon Application of particular Persons such favour would be shewed to them as they should deserve and should be reasonable Anno 1652 The Commissioners from the Rebels presented another Paper to the English Commissioners for a safe Conduct to such as should be appointed Commissioners by the Provinces to attend the Parliament To this the Parliaments Commissioners made
Answer That they do not hold it fit or reasonable to lay open their power but such as shall submit they have sufficient Power to receive them into the Parliaments Favour As to the granting Passes to any to go to the Parliament they hold it not fit to such as contrary to their Duty are in Hostility against them 2. Letters That the Basse was delivered up to the Parliament and in it all the Kirke Records which much troubled the Clergy An Act passed for continuing Serjeant Bradshaw Chancellour of the Dutchy and Bartholomew Hall Esq Attorney-General of the Dutchy 3. An Act passed for removing Obstructions in the Sale of the Kings Lands c. Letters That the Dutch Ships had orders if they met any English Ships to bring them into their Harbors 5. Letters of a Petty Rising of some High-landers but their Commander and a few of them being knockt down the rest of them ran away That a Bloody Moss-Trooper was Condemned to be Hanged and another by the Court-Martial to be Shot to Death for killing a Scotch-woman That some English Troopers being pursued by some Moss-Troopers who said they were of Collonel Okey's Regiment and Friends and so they put up their Arms again and rode on together when suddenly the Moss-Troopers drew out their Pistols and killed one of the Troopers wounded another of them and took the rest Prisoners and afterwards in cold blood murdered Three of their Prisoners and the Fourth miraculously escaped 6. Letters of the low condition the Irish were brought unto of John Fitz-Patrick an eminent Rebel admitted to his submission to the Parliament and of Clanrickards Letter for a National Treaty of the good service of Collonel Reynolds and the other Officers and Soldiers in Ireland Of the Forces of the Parliament about Eniscortly burning the Corn and every Morning the Houses they quartered in the night before killed and took many Irish That he was an idle Soldier who had not a Veal Lamb Pig Poultry or all of them for his Supper That they destroyed as much Provision as would have kept many Thousands of the Irish till next Harvest That they took about 200 Garroons 300 Cows and 400 Sheep and Goats and many Horse-men Of Contests between the Towns-men of Galloway and the Soldiery the Earl of Clanrickard taking part with the Soldiery and perswading the Town not to submit but to a National Treaty the Town insist upon a Treaty for themselves Of Assents of more Shires and Boroughs in Scotland to the Vnion with England transmitted to the Parliament The House passed Instructions about the Earl of Argyle to the Council of State The Cracovian Catechisme reported to the House and Voted by them to contain matters that are Blasphemous Erroneous and Scandalous That all the Printed Copies of that Book be burned Mr. Primate upon his Petition was discharged Order for 4000 l. to Repair Dover Pear and Harbour That Commissioners were in Treaty about the Surrender of Galloway The Dutch Imbargoe taken off from the English Ships Of the Dutch great Preparations for the Seas 7. Letters That Blackness was not thought fit to be made a Garrison That Dunbarton Castle was one of the Strongest holds in the 3 Kingdoms That Argyle in his Treaty with Major-General Dean and Major Salloway insisted much for the Interest of the Kirke That the Parliaments Forces fortified Ayre a strong Town and convenient Harbour 9. Letters of the meetings of the Ministers in Scotland who do threaten interdiction and communication to complyers with the Parliament and that the Highlanders fall upon them Of an Eclipse in Scotland that put the Inhabitants to a great Astonishment 10. Letters That the Dutch Ships in Pendennis Harbour hasted away from thence fearing an Imbargoe by the Parliament Of 6 English Colliers taken by the Dutch and rescued again by an English Frigot That Collonel Cook was Slain and no other of his Party in a Skirmish with the Rebels 12. Letters from Collonel Zanchey to the Lord-General and read in Parliament of all the proceedings of his Party the Winter past wherein among others he mentions the good Service of Captain Whitelock That they killed above 400 of the Irish and took 350 110 whereof he sent for Spain that they took many Hundreds of Cows and Garrons and 300 Troops of Horses and a great quantity of Arms. That about 400 of them upon their Petition and Security given have been received into the Parliaments Protection That they hanged above 50 of the Irish according to the Lord-General his Orders That he had not lost above 5 men nor any officers but Captain Ball. He mentions the Sollicitation of many of the Irish for a Treaty wherein he was doubtful what to do not knowing the mind of the Parliament therein towards those bloody Rebels but that to Collonel Odvery who had been very Civil and kind to the English who were Prisoners with him and very just in Performance of all his Ingagements he had granted a safe Conduct and Treaty to be confirmed or annulled as the Parliament should think fit and sent a Copy of the Articles From Leith that March 29 was so dark that they could not see to write without a Candle and it caused great fear upon all Men. 13. The Act read for Incorporating Scotland into one Common-wealth and Free-state with England and for abolishing the Kingly office in Scotland and committed A Letter assented unto to be sent to the King of Denmark and ordered to be sent Upon a report from the Councel of State of the abuses in Cloathing and Transporting of Wool and Fullers-Earth a day was appointed to debate it Order to exclude all private Business for 14 Dayes Order for an Act to settle the Lincoln-shire Fens 15. There was a smart debate between the Dutch Ambassadors and the Parliaments Commissioners wherein the point of the Right of Fishing in the Narrow-Seas and the Soveraignty of those Seas to be in the Nation of England was touched upon and by Whitelock more than others to the distast of their Excellencies the Lords Ambassadors 16. Letters That the Forces of Dublin had kined about 100 Tories and taken much Cattle That many Irish had made Conditions with the English Commissioners for a Submission that Collonel Fitz-Patrick had made Terms for 5000 men to go beyond Sea 17. Letters That most of the Countries by their Deputies had consented to the Vnion of Scotland with England and had chosen divers Officers of the English Army for their Deputies Of Ship-wracks near Scilly 19. Letters That Galloway had agreed to Surrender upon Articles That Collonel Reynolds had taken in 2 Garrisons of great Consequence bordering upon Vlster That the Ministers of Scotland inflame the People against England and damn all their Brethren and People who are not of their opinion That the Lord of Drum had bid them defiance That Argyle dallied and doubled with the English Commissioners 20. Letters That a party sent
by the Apostles 1 Rom. 7. Beloved of the Lord called Saints and Rom. 5. 8. and 1 Cor. 6. 18. to the whole Church and v. 19. and 20. the exhortation is to all the Church and their faults were Sins incident to Saints though justly reproveable and 2 Thess 3. 15. yet are they to be esteemed Brethren 3. Math. compared with the 7 Lu. 30. Shew that John the Baptist would not admit the Pharisees to be Baptized That we are under a snare by our Sinful mixture 1 Cor. 10. 16. 17. and 2 Cor. 6. 17. touch no unclean thing v. 14. 15. No hope of purging the Ministery Elderships or Presbyteries Nor can a Rule for it be agreed upon That the Congregational way comes nearer to the pattern of the word than the Classical form and that the Congregation hath full power of judging in themselves Matth. 18. 15. 16. 17. 18. power of binding and loosing The Elders with a Congregation or without cannot be called a Church Act. 15. 22. 23. and Act. 14. 23. acceptation of the Word Elders The Church Congregational is the first Judicatory and have the power of binding and loosing The power of Elders onely is dogmatical That for the first 300 years the Church was partly Aristocratical Take heed lest ye be snares to the people of God in the Land and do not censure us for following our own light and Consciences in this great matter of Concernment to us 27. Letters That the English Soldiers in the Highlands were healthful and civilly Treated by the Inhabitants upon Command of the Marquess of Argyle who also entertained the Collonels with much State That the Country is very Mountainous yet the Vallies rich the People simple and ignorant in the things of God and some of them as Brutish as Heathens That some of the Inhabitants did hear the English Preachers with great Attention and Groaning That the Holland Fleet was still off about Newcastle about 105 Ships not many of those strong and serviceable but weakly man'd their men dye fase their Victuals short already at half allowance That the Dutch took several English Vessels and made their men serve under them 28. Order for the Commitment of the Earl of Worcester being come into England without Licence and for bringing him to his Tryal Referred to the Councel of State to take care for prevention of breaches of the Peace Letters from the Queen of Sweden to the Parliament read wherein She Subscribes her self Vestrabona Amica Christina Referred to the Committee of the Army to receive any Propositions for easing the Charge of the Common-wealth and to report them to the House 29. Letters That the Dutch Fleet seised divers English Fishermen and other small Vessels and forced their men to serve in the Dutch Fleet. Letters That the Presbyterian Spirit in Scotland blows higher and equally storms against the Papists and Sectaries That the Independents endeavour to settle a freedom there from the Tyranny of the Presbyterian Classes and Prelatical High Commissioners not excluding moderate dissenters from Church Government from a Share in the advantages of Government 31. That no intelligence could come from General Blake being so far to the Northward and the Dutch Fleet between him and home but by letters from Holland to several Merchants and to Mr. Strickland the Parliaments late Agent there they write That General Blake had fallen upon the Convoy to their fishing Busses which were 12. men of War and had sunk 3 of them taken the other 9. seised upon their fishing Busses and unloaden what fish they had taken but afterwards dismissed their fishermen and sent them home That he had taken 3 Dutch Merchant men richly laden coming from the East-Indies That General Blake having dispersed and dimist the Dutch Fishermen was upon his return homewards and neer the Dutch Fleet ready to ingage with them That Sr. George Ascue went to the Westward with his Fleet to convoy and bring to Plymouth 5 of the English Merchants East India Ships which he did and nothing was attempted against him by the Dutch August 1652. 2. Letters That the Lord Argyle kept his word in the entertainment of the Parliaments Forces in the High-lands That some of the Brotherhood in Scotland were up in Arms and gainsayed the Major-General in his approaches to them Of Several places in the High-lands Garrison'd by the Parliaments Forces A Protestation of divers Ministers in Scotland to the Ministers and Elders met at Edenburgh desiring a Conference about reconciling differences and against insufficient Scandalous and corrupt Ministers in the Kirke From General Blake to the Parliament with a List of the Dutch men of War taken by him who were to convoy the Fishermen in all 12 Ships two of which were since Sunk From the Commissioners in Ireland That of the Lord Muskerryes party 3000 Foot and 700 Horse-men mounted 300 unmounted have brought in their Horse and Armes and the Lord Muskerry himself intends to go for Spain and to carry with him 1000 Men and to return again if he can obtain any considerable Command That a party of Rebells is still in Kerry against whom Sir Charles Coote is marched That the Earl of Clanrickard and the Forces under him being beaten from their fastnesses by Sir Charles Coote and Collonel Reynolds and Collonel Venables and by planting some Garrisons and securing some passes could not continue longer in a body together so that the Earl and his party have come in and Submitted and have leave to Transport 5000 Men. An acknowledgement by the Officers of the Army of the Parliaments care in sending provisions to them 3. Letters of a Conference of the Commissioners with the Officers of the Army about receiving some of the Irish into Protection 4. The Act past for sale of Lauds forfeited with the names of the Persons whose Estates were to be sold Letters That General-Blake was coming Southwards and had sent 6 of the 12 Dutch men of War to attend Major-General Dean in Scotland that divers Dutch were Slain and wounded and some of the English and 900 Dutch Prisoners That General Blake had but 8 Frigots in this action against 12 Dutch That Lieutenant Mathews was robbed by his own Servant of 300 l. 5. That Sir Thcophilus Jones sent out to get some Provisions was met with by a far greater Party of the Enemy who ingaged with him but Sir Theophilus killed 300 of them took some Prisoners and a Collonel a Lieutenant-Collonel 2 Majors and 8 Captains besides Inferior Officers were Slain and he lost not one Officer one Lieutenant was wounded and 60 common Soldiers with Sword but not one man of the English Slain That Collonel Venables rescued many Cattle pursued a party of 60 Tories left but 6 or 8 of them and drove others to the Mountaines that the Vlsters desired a Treaty 6. Letters of a Soldier executed for running away from his Colours Of pirates on the Western
and carryed into Brest Of the like Solemn Proclaiming of the Lord Protector at Weymouth Bristol Shrewsbury Exeter Yarmouth and many other places 31 That the King of Scots was present with the King of France and the Cardinal at Evening Prayer in one of the Jesuits Convents and the Dukes of York and Gloucester were with them That the Highlanders were grown up to the Number of at least Three thousand that some of them over-powring in number a Party of Collonel Thomlinsons Men killed Two of them That they imprisoned some Heritors in those parts for refusing their Levys and denying their Orders and giving out That whosoever shall not conform to their commands shall be proceeded against with Force and compelled to a Submission January 1653. Jan. 2. The Instrument of Government by the Lord Protector and His Council was Published for the View of all Persons together with the Oath Publickly taken by him 3 Letters of the Enemies increasing in Numbers in the Highlands who meeting with Four of Collonel Morgans Dragoons near Edenburgh Barbarously Murdered them and the adjacent Houses would not Protect them some of them were killed by a Party of the English 4 Letters of several small bickerings between Parties of the Highlanders and of the English Army That the Highlanders threaten sorely and seize the Persons of divers who refuse to assist them in their Levys The Dutch Ambassadors took their leave at a Conference at Whitehall and went to Gravesand for Holland Of General Monks Riding with his Squadron in the Channel and sending Frigots abroad 5 The Protector and his Councel had several Applications and Addresses made to them from divers considerable places acknowledging his Power and Government and promising Obedience to it 6 Letters that Judge Bulstrode came with a Commission of Goal-delivery to Warwick and in the Execution thereof gave great satisfaction to the People commended the present Government and charged the Grand Jury to bring to Justice any disturbers of it Of the Lord Whitelock his Arrival and Honourable reception at Gottenburgh 7 Letters of an English Ship Cast away near Weymouth and all her Men drowned except the Shipman and Two Passengers and of Picaroons coming into the mouth of Severn and taking some Vessels there That the Dutch Ambassadors remained at Gravesend and from thence made a further Application to his Highness and his Councel Of great Thunder about Amsterdam Lightning and Tempest which destroyed about Five hundred Houses and about Forty Merchants Ships sunk in the Texel 9 Collonel Lilburn Published a Proclamation for all the Scots to bring in their Horses to the next Garrison to them to prevent the Enemies taking of them or being sent to them and that for the Horses so brought in the owners shall have satisfaction or may keep their Horses in the Garrisons That a Commanded Party of Collonel Rich's Troop routed a Party of the Lord Kinoules Men and took his Lordship Prisoner and Fourteen more all Wounded and Thirty five Horse killed three of them and lost but one Man and five Wounded 10 Letters of a Lamentable Fire at Amsterdam which burnt Six hundred Houses there That Captain Welch after he had Landed the Lord Ambassador Whitelock of whose Squadron of Ships he was one took Two Holland Ships Riding at the Seah one of Four hundred the other of Three hundred and fifty Tuns loaden with Corn Wool and Plancks which he took and brought away with him and by Storm was forced to come a little way within the Port of Gottenburgh but without the Command of the Fort. That the Lord Ambassadour Whitlock was earnestly pressed to send for the Captain and to discharge the Prizes but he answered He conceived it to be a matter not appertaining either to himself or to the Queens Officers to meddle with and that he believed the Queens Ports would not be denyed to any English-man who had Commission by Authority of Parliament coming thither to shelter himself against Storms That the Conflict had been upon the High Seas betwixt the English and the Dutch who were Enemies for these reasons his Excellency refused to do any thing in it Some of Captain Welch his Men coming to Gottenburgh were stayed and brought before the Lands-Here who examined them and sent his Major to the Ambassadors to know whether he would own the Captain whereto he Answered He did own him as one that had a Commission by Authority of Parlioment and one of his Fleet whereupon the Men were dismissed That the English have the more trouble there and the less favour because the Queens Vice Admiral was a Hollander 11 That the Lord Protector and his Councel sate very close and all things seemed to favour them both at home and abroad 12 Divers Forein Ministers came over to the Lord Protector and acknowledged his Power Courted him and gave him his Title of Highness 13 Letters of Six months Pay brought to the Forces in Scilly Islands Of Prince Ruperts Arrival at the French Camp before Beffort 14 Letters that a Frigot chased a French Man of War till he forced him on Shore and shot at him so fiercely that some of the French coming down to the Sea-side Four of them were killed with the Shot from the Frigot That the Highlanders continued Stealing and Plundering their Countreymen who would not joyn and Rise with them or not Pay their Taxes That the Scots chose rather to be Destroyed by the Highlanders than to give any Intelligence of them to the English when they Marched near them That some of the English Fleet plyed about the Lands-end and others between that and the Downs and others upon the French Coast 16 Copies of Letters sent up from Glencarry to Captain Hill Governour of Bagnoth Castle courting him and informing him of the unsetledness in England and Answering his Letters to the Gentlemen of Bagnoth and affirming divers to be up in Armes in England for the King with other the like stuff and perswading him to Return to his Fidelity to the King Also the Answer to the Earl of Glencarnes Letter by Captain Hill full of stoutness and handsome Expressions and also his Letter to the Gentlemen of Bagnoth 17 Letters that the Dutch did exceedingly desire a Peace with England and the States sate often about it and that the People in Holland were not so high as formerly in speaking against England and that their Neighbour Princes feared and indeavoured to hinder a Conjunction between the Two Common-wealths That the Supply from England came to their Forces in Scotland That the Highlanders were very Active and great Men flock to them as young Montross and the Lord Gourdon That Lieutenant General Fleetwood and the Commissioners in Ireland appointed to try the Lord Muskerry and sent some Parties against some Tories An Agent came from Hamburgh to congratulate the Lord Protector Of many Protestants coming by Boat from Charington after Sermon towards Paris the Boat was cast away and about Sixty
for the several Burgs in Scotland 23 Divers Noblemen and others of Scotland who had Fines imposed on them by an Ordinance of the Protector and his Council came into the English Commissioners to offer what they could for Remission of those Mulcts 25 Debate about the Ordinance for ejecting Scandalous and Ignorant Ministers and ordered that the Members for the several Counties do bring in the names of fit persons to be Commissioners in this Act in the respective Counties 26 An Ordinance of the Protector and his Councel made a little before the Parliament sat was now Published appointing Commissioners to survey Forests Mannors Lands c. of the late King Another for the taking an Act of moneys upon the Act for Propagation of the Gospel in Wales Another for bringing in several branches of the revenue under the management of the Commissioners of the Treasury and Exchequer Three small Prizes brought in 27 The Lord Louden late Chancellor of Scotland was seized upon by some of his own Party intending to make their Peace by him but he got off from them receiving a shot in his Neck Collonel Morgan came out of Scotland for England and Collonel Overton was sent into the north of Scotland to Command in his place Bremen sent Commissioners to the States of Holland to desire their assistance to repel the Swede Count William of Nassau went from one good Town to another in Holland feasting the Magistrates and people to gain their affections tâ— the Prince of Orange M. Howard Son to the Earl of Arundel slew one Mr. Holland in the passage going to the Star-Chamber where a Committee sat 28 The Lord Mayor Aldermen and Common Councel of London Published their Order in pursuance of an Ordinance of the Lord Protector and his Councel for restraint of Hackney Coaches 29 A new Lord Mayor of London chosen Alderman Pack The new Sheriffs of London were Sworn in the Exchequer 30 The Grand Committee of Parliament debated the Articles of Government and came to some further Results and Votes upon several parts of them which they ordered to be Reported to the House forthwith October 1654. Oct. 2 The Marquess of Montross and his party in Scotland came in upon the like Articles as the Earl of Athol had done Those of Bremen were much put to it by the Swede 3 The business betwen England and the States of Holland in relation to their East-India Company was concluded by Commissioners on both parts to their Contentment Commissioners met to reconcile the differences betwixt the Sweeds and Bremen 4 A French Prize was brought in and seven more French Prizes Bankers sent in 5 Much Endeavour in Holland for setting up the Orange Party 6 The Parliament being resolved into a Grand Committee sat every day upon the Articles of Government Three Hundred Members of the House had subscribed the Recognition Letters of the Death of the Old Chancellor of Sweden Oxensterne and that his Son Grave Erit Oxensterne was to succeed him 7 Middleton ranged up and down in Argile Countrey in Scotland with about 40 Horse and some Foot but few came in to him to add to his Numbers 9 Twelve French ships taken by Captain Gethings and four more of the English Fleet. Some more Parliament men were chosen in Scotland 10 Divers Members returned for several places where they were Elected made their Elections in the House for which of those places they would serve and new Writs issued for Electing Members in the Places waved by them Questions about some of the Elections of Parliament men for Scotland were heard at the Committee of Priviledges In regard of the Plenty of Corn butter and Cheese which God gave us this year It was referred to a Committee to consider how some incouragement may be had for the transportation thereof and the Statutes in force against Ingrossers A Committee appointed to consider of the Ordinances made by the Protector and his Councel 11 The Solemn Fast kept 12 The House sat in a Grand Committee about the Government 13 The Highlanders in Scotland having stollen 100 Cattle from the Low-lands a Party of the English Army routed them killed a Lieutenant Collonel and one or two others and routed the rest 14 Lawson defeated the French in Caneda and took their Forts from them 16 Sir Mungo Murray taken Prisoner in the Highlands by Captain Elsemore and his Party routed 17 The Inhabitants of Ireland being very sensible of the mischiefs done to them by the Tories made head against them slew divers and brought their heads into Kilkenny The business of transplanting distasted the Irish more than any other thing At Delfe in Holland a Magazine of 700 barrels of Powder was casually set on Fire burnt about 300 Houses and a great Number of People and in the Hague 3 miles distant their glass windows were beaten down with the blow Four French Vessels sent in Prizes 18 Working in the Netherlands for advancement of the Party of the Prince of Orange 19 The House sat this day and the three former days in a Grand Committee about the Government and had much debate whether it should be Elective or Hereditary as to the single person the Protector of the Common-wealth 20 The Inhabitants of Edenburgh were very cross to the Parliaments Souldiers quartered among them 21 The Parliament continued sitting in a Grand Committee upon the Articles of Government 23 Four more French Prizes brought into Plimouth 24 Hammond one of the Parliaments Commissioners died at Dublin Two English Souldiers brought to the Gallows in Edenburgh for Robery one was hanged and the other saved by Lot and more Souldiers were then Scourged at the Gallows Foot for the same offence The Clergy in Scotland refused to observe the Fast-day ordered by the Protector it being their Principle Not to receive any directions for the keeping Fasts from the Civil Magistrate A Party of the Scots taken and killed in the Highlands by a small party of the English Forces 25 A Committee appointed to bring in a Bill for the relief of Creditors and poor prisoners The Committee for Religion sat and the Committee for regulating of the Chancery The Parliament approved and Confirmed the present Lord Deputy of Ireland the present Lords Commissioners of the great Seal of England the Commissioners of the Treasury and the two Chief Justices 26 The Parliament continued the consideration of the Government 27 Don Antonio Piementelle appointed to go Ambassador extraordinary from the King of Spain to the King of Sweden At Delph in Holland by the late fire 500 persons were Killed 250 wounded and 500 houses burnt to Ashes 28 Brest Pirates took four English Ships and Barques 30 The new Lord Maior of London Alderman Packe took his Oath before then Baronsof the Exchequer In a great Fire in Edenburgh the English Souldiers were so active to stop it that thereby they gained much upon the affections of