about threescore of the Commissioners set their Hands and Seals directing it to Col. Hacker Col. Hunks and Col. Phaier or either of them The Duke of Glocester and the Lady Elizabeth waited on the King the same day to take their leave of him An Extraordinary Ambassador from the United Provinces had his Audience in the Parliament his business was to intercede with them for the Life of the King and to preserve a fair Correspondence between England and the States The next day about eight in the Morning the King attended by a Guard was brought from St. James's through the Park to Whitehall where having drunk a Glass or two of red Wine and stayed about two hours in a private Room he was conducted to the Scaffold out of a Window of the Banqueting-house and having made a Speech and taken off his George he kneeled down at the Block and the Executioner persormed his Office The Body was ordered to be interred at Windsor The Duke of Lenox the Marquiss of Hertford the Earls of Southampton and Lindsey with some others having Leave from the Parliament attended it to the Grave A Report of the Proceedings of the High Court of Justice being made to the Parliament they declared That the Persons imployed in that important Service had discharged their Trust with Courage and Fidelity that the Parliament was well satisfied with the Account of their Proceedings ordering them to be engrossed and recorded amongst the Parliament-Rolls in order to transmit the Memory thereof to Posterity and resolved that the Commissioners of the Great Seal should issue a Certiorari to their Clerk to record those Proceedings in the Chancery and that the same should be sent to the other Courts at Westminster and to the Custos Rotulorum of each County Judg Jenkins Sir John Stowel and divers other Persons who were Prisoners and had carried themselves very insolently now finding the Parliament to be in earnest began to come to a better Temper Colonel Middleton who was also a Prisoner at Newcastle upon Parole ran away to Scotland and being required to return answered That his Life was dearer to him than his Honour Sir Marmaduke Langdale made his escape also and Sir Lewis Dives through a House of Office in Whitehall The Lord Capel got out of the Tower but being discovered by a Waterman as he crossed the Thames he was seized in a House at Lambeth Duke Hamilton also escaped out of Windsor-Castle and came to Southwark where knocking at the Door of an Inn he was seized by a Souldier who knew him and was passing by that way whereupon he was committed to the Tower The House of Lords becoming now the Subject of the Consideration and Debate of the Parliament Lieutenant General Cromwell appeared for them having already had a close Correspondence with many of them and it may be presuming he might have farther use of them in those Designs he had resolved to carry on but they not meeting in their House at the time to which they had adjourned much facilitated their Removal so that the Question being put Whether the House of Commons should take Advice of the House of Lords in the Exercise of the Legislative Power it was carried in the Negative and thereupon resolved That the House of Peers was useless and dangerous and ought to be abolished and an Act was soon after passed to that effect After this they proceeded to declare That the Office of a King in this Nation is unnecessary burdensome and dangerous to the Liberty Safety and publick Interest of the People and therefore ought to be abolioshed and that they will settle the Government of the Nation in the way of a Commonwealth To this end they ordered a Declaration to be published whereby it was declared Treason for any Person to endeavour to promote Charles Stuart to be King of England or any other single Person to be chief Governour thereof They also ordered the Great Seal and other Seals which had the Image of the late King on them to be defaced and appointed new ones to be made with the Stamp of the House of Commons on one side accompanied with this Inscription The Great Seal of the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England On the other side was engraven the Cross and the Harp being the Arms of England and Ireland with this Inscription God with us Ordering all Writs formerly running in the King's Name to be issued out in the Name of the Keepers of the Liberty of England A High Court of Justice was constituted by Act of Parliament for the trying of Duke Hamilton the Earl of Holland the Lord Goring the Lord Capel and Sir John Owen Duke Hamilton pleaded that he entred into England as an Enemy being of another Nation and born before the Act of Union and consequently not to be tried by the Laws of this besides he had surrendred himself upon Conditions The rest of the Lords pleaded Articles also and so did Sir John Owen But that Allegation appeared to be of no weight by the Testimony of the General in relation to the Lords Goring and Capel and by the Evidence of Col. Wayte touching Duke Hamilton the like being affirmed by other Witnesses against the Earl of Holland and Sir John Owen for if there had been any Promise made to any of them either implicitely or by word of Mouth it could only extend to protect them from the Military not the Civil Sword And as to the Plea for Duke Hamilton that he was born before the two Nations were united it was answered that they tried him not as Duke Hamilton but as Earl of Cambridg in which Capacity he had sate as a Peer of England and therefore a Subject thereof So that upon full Evidence they were all sentenced by the Court to have their Heads struck off for High Treason in levying War against the Parliament of England Earnest Solicitations and Petitions were made for them to the Parliament but they thought not fit to reprieve the Duke the Earl of Holland or the Lord Capel Touching the Lord Goring the House was equally divided and the Speaker having upon such Occasions the determining Voice gave it for his Reprieve Commissary General Ireton observing no Motion consider that he was a Commoner and therefore more properly to have been tried in another way by a Jury whereupon the House reprieved him also The other three were executed a day or two after in the New Palace-Yard before Westminster-Hall in pursuance of a Warrant signed by the Court to that purpose the Parliament refusing to hearken to the Earl of Denbigh who proposed on the behalf of Duke Hamilton his Brother-in-law to give them a Blank signed by the said Duke to answer faithfully to such Questions as should be there inserted The Parliament having resolved to constitute a Council of State the better to carry on the executive part of the Government authorized five of their Members to agree upon the Number and Persons of such as they
surrounded the Castle except only on the West-side where was a Pond of about six Acres The Enemy possessed themselves of all the Out-houses but used them only by night not thinking it safe to come at them by day which we observing one Evening conveyed forty Men through a Vault leading to those Houses ordering them to lie private and endeavour to surprize them when they came which had been effected if one of ours contrary to order upon the entrance of the first of the Enemy had not fired his Pistol and thereby given warning to the rest to shift for themselves The Man who was the occasion of this Disappointment was deprived of the use of his Arms till he should attempt something for the redeeming of his Reputation which soon after upon a Sally we made on the Enemy he did in which we took two of the Enemies Horses and made some Prisoners How many of them were killed we could not learn On our side some were wounded of whom one died soon after A Kinsman of mine who was related to the Lord Cottington was sent from Oxford to offer me what Terms I would desire I permitted him to come in that seeing our Strength and Provision he might make his Report to the Enemy to our Advantage For things were fo ordered by removing our Guards from place to place filling up our Hogsheads with empty Barrels and covering them with Beef and Pork and in like manner ordering our Corn that every thing appeared double to what it was to them The Substance of the Conditions I proposed was That if I understood from the Earl of Essex that he could not relieve us within six Months we would then deliver the Castle upon condition that it should not be made a Garison That the Parliament should have two thousand Pounds for what they had expended in the taking and keeping of it with some other Particulars which the Gentleman carried to Oxford with him but we never had any Return from him about them neither indeed did we expect any Our Beer was now spent our Corn much diminished and we had no other Drink but the Water of our Well which tho we drunk dry by day yet it was sufficiently supplied every night But being resolved to keep the Castle as long as we could we shortned our Allowance so that three Pecks and a half of Wheat one day and a Bushel of Barley another served near a hundred Men which was all our Force my Troop being sent away before for want of Conveniency for Horse This Allowance was so short that I caused one of the Horses we had taken to be killed which the Souldiers eat up in two days besides their Ordinary The Forces that had been sent by the Parliament to the Assistance of the distressed Protestants in Ireland being under pretence that they were neglected as hath been before mentioned brought into England to serve against those who raised them and the Rebels by the Pacification made with them by the King's Order contrary to his Promise to the Parliament left in the full Enjoyment of what they had gotten from the English by Rapine and Murder part of those who came out of Ireland landed at Chester and drew before Nantwich they were commanded by one Capt. Sandford Brother to Sir William Sandford a worthy Person of Grays-Inn to whom he had solemnly promised never to engage against the Parliament Yet did he send in a very threatning Summons to the Town and seconded it with a most furious Assault whilst the Works were but slenderly defended the Guard consisting for the most part of Townsmen who were then gone to dinner But it so happened that a Boy of the Age of fifteen firing a Musquet from the Town shot him dead in the place which discouraged his Souldiers from any farther Attempt Col. George Monk who had been sent by the Parliament into Ireland against the Rebels for some time scrupled to quit that Service and to engage in this being upon that account secured on Ship-board by the Earl of Ormond whilst he sent those Forces into England lest he should have obstructed their going over yet having afterwards his liberty to wait on the King was prevailed with to join with them and soon after taken Prisoner by a Party from Yorkshire commanded by Sir Thomas Fairfax who sent him Prisoner to Hull from whence some time after he was conveyed to the Tower of London Another Party of the Forces from Ireland landed in the West and marched as far as Hinden towards Warder-Castle in order to besiege it but being informed that the Person whom they were to dispossess was a Protestant and he into whose hands they were to put it was a Papist they mutinied against their Offcers and refused to be employed against us The Queen landed with an Army of French Walloons and other Foreigners and brought with her great store of Ammunition and Money procured by pawning the Crown-Jewels in Holland With these and other Forces the Earl of Newcastle marched to besiege Hull of which Place the Lord Ferdinando Fairfax was Governour who with the Assistance of the Seamen belonging to some Ships that lay in the Harbour made so fierce a Sally upon the Enemy that they were forced to quit some of their Guns and withdraw to a greater distance leaving many of their Men behind them of whom some were killed and others taken Prisoners Col. Overton carried himself as I am well informed with much Honour and Gallantry in this Action This bad Success so dispirited the Enemy that they abandoned the Siege and retired to York to which also the approach of Winter and the Preparations of the Scots to march into England did not a little contribute For the Parliaments of both Kingdoms had at length agreed upon Terms and removed the last and greatest Difficulty consisting in some doubtful Words in the Covenant which was to be taken by both Nations concerning the preservation of the King's Person and reducing the Doctrine and Discipline of both Churches to the Pattern of the best Reformed For which Sir Henry Vane one of the Commissioners of the Parliament found out an Expedient by adding to the first Clause these or the like words In preservation of the Laws of the Land and Liberty of the Subject and to the Second according to the Word of God Which being an Explanation that could not be refused prevented any farther Contestation about that Matter About this time the Enemy by cruel Usage put a period to the Life of my Brother Capt. Robert Ludlow who was their Prisoner as I before related The News of this and of the Danger I was in so afflicted my Father together with his constant Labours in the publick Service and possibly his Dissatisfaction about the Imprisonment of his good Friend Mr. Henry Martin for Words spoken in the House as he conceived in discharge of his Duty that he died expressing himself deeply sensible of the Condition of the bleeding Nation and heartily
in some measure assured that they would be true to what they promised in case the Common-wealth Interest should come to be disputed before we would report their Condition to the House Some of the House of Lords having procured themselves to be chosen by the People sat in Parliament upon the Foot of their Election in which Number was Philip Earl of Pembroke who being chosen by the Freeholders of the County of Berks upon his admission to the House signed the Engagement as the rest of the Members who sat there had done the Contents of which was To be true and faithful to the Commonwealth as it was established without a King or House of Lords The same Engagement was taken by the Earl of Salisbury and the Lord Edward Howard when they took their Places in Parliament after they had been elected to serve there Whilst we were thus providing for our Security in England our Affairs in Ireland had not the same Success the Earl of Ormond having reconciled the English in Munster to the Supreme Council of the Irish Rebels the Scots also in the North falling in with them against us with whom some Gentlemen of those Parts joined tho they had engaged themselves to the contrary Yet one thing happened tending very much to the preservation of Dublin and those few Places that were kept for the Parliament which was that Owen Roe O Neal who was General of the Old Irish as they were termed could by no means be brought to a Conjunction with the English Sir Charles Coote being besieged in London-derry agreed to supply the Besiegers with Powder upon their engaging to furnish him with such Provisions as he wanted which was performed on both sides and the Lord Inchequin who was besieging Dundalk promised to do the like for Colonel Monk who then commanded in that Place upon the same Conditions which was performed on Monk's part but as his Men were carrying off the Ammunition they were fallen upon by a Party of Inchequin's Horse the Ammunition taken away and many of them killed The Scots drawing about Dundalk most of the Garison revolted to them whereupon Monk delivered up the Place upon condition that he should be permitted to return into England where being arrived he met with a cold Reception from the Parliament upon suggestion that he had corresponded with the Irish Rebels About this time an Agent from Owen Roe O Neal came privately to London and found out a way to acquaint the Council of State that if they thought sit a grant him a safe Conduct he would make some Propositions to them that would be for their Service The Council to avoid any Misconstruction of their Actions refused to hear him but appointed a Committee to speak with him of which I was one ordering us to report to them what he should propose His Proposition was that the Party commanded by O Neal should submit to and act for the Parliament if they might obtain Indemnity for what was passed and Assurance of the Enjoyment of their Religion and Estates for the time to come We asked him why they made application to us after they had refused to join with those who had been in Treaty with the King He answered that the King had broken his Word with them for tho they had deserved well of him and he had made them many fair Promises yet when he could make better Terms with any other Party he had been always ready to sacrifice them We asked him farther Why they had not made their Application sooner he told us because such Men had been possessed of the Power who had sworn their Extirpation but that now it was believed to be the Interest of those in Authority to grant Liberty of Conscience promising that if such Liberty might be extended to them they would be as zealous for a Commonwealth as any other Party instancing in many Countries where they were so We informed him that it was our Opinion that the Council would not promise Indemnity to all that Party they being esteemed to have been the principal Actors in the bloody Massacre at the beginning of the Rebellion Neither did we think that they would grant them the Liberty of their Religion believing it might prove dangerous to the Publick Peace The Council upon our Report of what had passed at the Conference concurred with our Opinion so that having no more to do with the Agent he was required to depart within a limited time The Farl of Ormond General Preston and the Lord Inchequin beginning to draw their Forces towards Dublin resolved first to reduce Tredah in order to which they sent Col. Worden thither with a strong Detachment of Horse and Foot who attempting to take it by Assault entred with most of his Men but was beat out again by an inconsiderable Number of ours Notwithstanding which the Garison wanting Men to desend their Works their Provisions also being almost consumed was obliged to capitulate and surrender upon condition that the Souldiers should have liberty to march to Duklin the rest to return home and to enjoy Protection there Dundalk and Tredagh being surrendred to the Enemy and Dublin threatned with a speedy Siege by the Forces of the Royalists and Irish combined together for the destruction of the English the Parliament taking into their serious Consideration the deplorable State of their distressed Friends resolved to send them Relief with all Expedition In the mean time the Enemy marched towards Dublin having sent a Party of Horse before to invest the Place and to prevent any Relief from Meath-side upon whose Approach Col. Jones with the Forces he had with him was obliged to retire to Jones A Party of Horse from the Town made a Sally upon the Enemy and were repulsed with some Loss but being reinforced from England by a Regiment of Horse commanded by Col. Reynolds and two Regiments of Foot Col. Jones being also come into the Town they resolved upon a vigorous Defence Immediately after the landing of these Supplies Dublin was formally besieged by the Enemy who had a great Army provided with all Necessaries for the carrying on of the Siege and furnished by the Country with Provisions in great abundance their Head-quarters being at Rathmims a Mile from Dublin towards Wicklom They took Rathfarnham by storm and sent fifteen hundred Men to fortify Baggatrath in order to hinder our Army from landing at Ringsend being within a quarter of a Mile of it and lying triangular with it and Dublin Baggatrath had a Rampart of Earth about it and the Enemy had wrought upon it to augment its Strength a whole Night before they were discovered But the next Morning Col. Jones perceiving their Design concluded it absolutely necessary to endeavour to remove them from thence before their Works were finished To that end he drew all his Forces both Horse and Foot to the Works that faced the Enemy and leaving as many as he thought necessary for the Defence of the Town sallied
should detain us in the Field till Winter Their Counsels succeeded according to their Desires and our Army through hard Duty scarcity of Provisions and the Rigour of the Season grew very sickly and diminished daily so that they were necessitated to draw off to receive Supplies from our Shipping which could not come nearer to them than Dunbar distant from Edinburgh about twenty Miles The Enemy observing our Army to retire followed them close and falling upon our Rear-Guard of Horse in the Night having the Advantage of a clear Moon beat them up to our Rear-Guard of Foot Which Alarm coming suddenly upon our Men put them into some Disorder but a thick Cloud interposing in that very Moment and intercepting the Light of the Moon for about an Hour our Army took that Opportunity to secure themselves and arrived without any further disturbance at Dunbar where having shipped their heavy Baggage and sick Men they designed to return into England But the Enemies upon Confidence of Success had possessed themselves of all the Passes having in their Army about thirty thousand Horse and Foot and ours being reduced to ten Thousand at the most There was now no way left but to yield themselves Prisoners or to fight upon these unequal Terms In this Extremity a Council of War was called and after some Dispute it was agreed to fall upon the Enemy the next Morning about an Hour before Day and accordingly the several ' Regiments were ordered to their respective Posts Upon the first shock our Forlorn of Horse was somewhat disordered by their Lanciers but two of our Regiments of Foot that were in the Van behaved themselves so well that they not only sustained the Charge of the Enemies Horse but beat them back upon their own Foot and following them close forced both Horse and Foot to retreat up the Hill from whence they had attacked us The Body of the Enemies Army finding their Van-Guard which consisted of their choicest Men thus driven back upon them began to shift for themselves which they did with such Precipitation and Disorder that few of them ventured to look behind them till they arrived at Edinburgh taking no care of their King who made use of the same means to secure himself as his new Subjects had done One Party of their Horse made a stand till some of ours came up to them and then ran away after the rest of their Companions Many were killed upon the Place and many more in the Pursuit All their Baggage Arms Artillery and Ammunition fell into the hands of our Army Many also were taken and sent Prisoners into England When the first News of this great Victory was brought to London by Sir John Hipsley it was my Fortune with others of the Parliament to be with the Lord Fairfax at Hampton-Court who seemed much to rejoice at it But the Victory it self was not more welcome to me than the Contents of the General 's Letter to the Parliament wherein amongst many other Expressions savouring of a publick Spirit there was one to this effect That seeing the Lord upon this solemn Appeal made to him by the Scots and us had so signally given Judgment on our side when all hopes of Deliverance seemed to be cut off it became us not to do his Work negligently and from thence took occasion to put us in mind not to content our selves with the Name of a Commonwealth but to do real things for the Common Good and not to permit any Interest for their particular Advantage to prevail with us to the contrary Our Army in Scotland having received some Recruits advanced toward Edinburgh but the Enemy being informed of their March withdrew out of the Town and leaving a strong Garison in the Castle retreated towards Sterling The Parliament being very careful to supply their Armies with all things necessary caused great Quantities of Hay to be bought up in Norfolk and Suffolk which they sent by Sea to Scotland where it was absolutely necessary for the Scots Army had so strongly intrenched themselves by the Advantage of a Wood that ours could not possibly attack them without great Hazard and they were furnished with Provisions from Fife and the adjacent Parts which are the most fruitful in that Nation by means of the Bridg at Sterling whereas our Army which lay encamped near them had no other Country from whence they might draw Provisions but such as had been already in the Possession of the Enemy Besides that Hay is generally scarce in Scotland and that a great part of our Forces consisted of Horse Owen Roe O Neal who commanded the Old Northern Irish in vlster that had been principally concerned in the Massacre of the Protestants being dead the Popish Bishop of Cloghar undertook the Conduct of them and being grown considerably strong necessitated Sir Charles Coote to draw his Forces together to defend his Quarters which they designed to invade desperately resolving to put it to the issue of a Battel Their Foot was more numerous than ours but Sir Charles exceeded them in Horse The Dispute was hot for some time but at last the Irish were beaten tho not without Loss on our side Amongst others Col. Fenwick a brave and gallant Man was mortally wounded The Enemies Baggage and Train of Artillery was taken tho not many made Prisoners being for the most part put to the Sword with the Bishop of Cloghar their General whose Head was cut off and set upon one of the Gates of London derry The News of this Defeat being brought to those in Carlo who had held out in hopes of Relief from their Friends in vlster together with a great scarcity of Provisions in the Place besides the beating down of the little Castle that stood at the foot of the Bridg on the other side of the River which happened about the same time so discouraged those within that they surrendred the Place to the Lord Deputy Ireton upon Articles which he caused punctually to be executed as his constant manner was Pursuant to the Order of Parliament appointing me Lieutenant General of the Horse in Ireland the General as he was directed by the said Order sent me a Commission to that end which I received and gave him an Account of the Reception acquainting him also how sensible I was of my want of Experience to manage so weighty an Employment but that on the other hand I would not fail to endeavour to discharge my Duty with the utmost Fidelity He replied that I might rely upon that God to carry me through the Work who had called me to it and in the Close of his Letter recommended the procuring from the Parliament a Settlement upon Sir Hardress Waller of the Inheritance of some Lands which he then held by Lease from the Earl of Ormond and for which he paid two hundred Pounds annual Rent as a thing that might be proper for me to do before my Departure for Ireland I was afterwards informed that Sir Hardress
from them When the British Refugees were glad to hear him named for that Service and he in an Extasie to serve his Country any where was arrived in England the Reception he found there was such as ought rather to be forgotten than transmitted to Posierity with any Remarks upon that Conjuncture Thus being denied the Honour of dying for his Country he returned to the more hospitable Place from whence he came But England had not one good Wish the less from him on the account of her last Vnkindness For at the very Article of Death some of his last Words were Wishes for the Prosperity Peace and Glory of his Country and that Religion and Liberty might be established there on so sure and solid a Foundation that the Designs of ill Men might never bring them into Danger for the time to come MEMOIRS OF EDMVND LVDLOW Esq. HAving seen our Cause betrayed and the most solemn Promises that could be made to the Asserters of it openly violated I departed from my Native Country And hoping that my Retirement may protect me from the Rage and Malice of my Enemies I cannot think it a mispending of some part of my leisure to employ it in setting down the most remarkable Counsels and Actions of the Parties engaged in the late Civil War which spread it self through the Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland wherein I shall not strictly confine my self to a relation of such things only in which I was personally concerned but also give the best Account I can of such other memorable Occurrences of those Times as I have learn'd from Persons well inform'd and of unsuspected Fidelity Those who make any Enquiry into the History of K. James's Reign will find that tho his Inclinations were strongly bent to render himself Absolute yet he chose rather to carry on that Design by Fraud than Violence But K. Charles having taken a nearer view of Despotick Government in his Journey to France and Spain tempted with the ghttering Shew and imaginary Pleasures of that empty Pageantry immediately after his Ascent to the Throne pulled off the Masque and openly discovered his Intentions to make the Crown absolute and independent In the beginning of his Reign he marry'd a Daughter of France who was not wanting on her part to press him upon all occasions to pursue the Design of enlarging his Power not omitting to solicite him also to mould the Church of England to a nearer Compliance with the See of Rome Wherein she was but too well seconded by corrupt Ministers of State of whom some were professed Papists and an ambitious Clergy whose Influence upon the King was always greater than could well consist with the Peace and Happiness of England 'T is true he called some Parliaments in the first Years of his Reign but the People soon became sensible he did it rather to empty their Purses than to redress their Grievances The Petition of Right as it was called passed in one of them yet by the manner of passing it and more by the way of keeping or rather breaking it in almost every Particular they clearly saw what they were to expect from him And the by the Votes passed in the House of Commons after a Message from the King to require their Attendance in order to a Dissolution thereby to prevent their Enquiry into his Father's Death complaining of the Grievances of the Nation and asserting the Liberties thereof declaring it Treason for any to pay Custom or other Taxes without the Authority of Parliament locking the Door of the House of Commons and compelling the Speaker to continue in the Chair till it pass'd He might have observed the Pulse of the Nation beating high towards Liberty yet contrary to his Promise to preserve the Privileges of Parliament he caused the Studies of their Members to be searched their Papers to be seized and their Persons to be imprisoned in the Tower where Sir John Elliot who was one of them lost his Life Divers others suffered in their Health and Estates being prosecuted with all Severity at the Common Law for discharging their Duty in Parliament After the Dissolution of which a Proclamation was published whereby it was made criminal in the People to speak any more of Parliaments The King having assumed this extraordinary Power resolved to make War against France not upon the account of those of the Reformed Religion as was pretended but grounded upon personal Discontents and to gratify the Revenge and Lust of his Favourite The Rochellers who once before upon Encouragement from England had endeavoured to desend their just Rights against the Encroachments of the French King till being deserted by the King of England they were necessitated to accept Terms from their King very disadvantageous to their Affairs were again by frequent Importunities and fair Promises prevailed with tho very unwillingly to assist the English with Provisions and such other things as they wanted in their Expedition against the Isle of Rhee From whence our Forces being repulsed the French King sent his Army against the Protestants of Rochel whose Provisions being before exhausted by the English they applied to the King of England for Succours according to his Promise Who as if he intended to assist them effectually caused a certain Number of Ships to be fitted out under the Conduct of Sir John Pennington But private Differences being soon after composed Sir John receiv'd a Letter from the King signed Charles Rex which was afterwards found by the Parliament amongst his Papers requiring him to dispose of those Ships as he should be directed by the French King and if any should refuse to obey those Orders to sink or fire them The King's Command was put in execution accordingly and by the help of those Ships the French became Masters of the Sea and thereby inabled to raise a Work composed of Earth Stones and Piles with which they entirely shut up the Mouth of the Harbour and so prevented them from any ReLef that way Being thus straitned on all sides they were forced to yield to the Pleasure of their King and that strong Town of 〈◊〉 wherein the Security of the Protestants of France chiefly consisted by this horrible Treachery was delivered up to the Papists and those of the Reform'd Religion in all Parts of that Kingdom exposed to the Rage of their bloody and cruel Enemies About this time the most profitable Preferments in the English Church were given to those of the Clergy who were most forward to promote the Imposition of new Ceremonies and Superstitions An Oath was enjoined by them with an c. several new Holy Days introduced and required to be observed by the People with all possible Solemnity at the same time that they were encouraged to profane the Lord's Day by a Book commonly called The Book of Sports printed and published by the King 's especial Command But this was not the only Work of which the Clergy were judged capable and therefore divers of them
my Father's Servants had so well conceal'd at the first breaking out of the War in a private part of my House that they escaped the Search of the Enemy who had plundered all they could find broken all the Windows taken away the Leads and pulled up the Boards in most parts of the House Whilst I was at London that Party which I left in the Country had taken some Wool and other things from the Lord Cottington the Lord Arundel and others which they sold and divided the Money amongst themselves From the Lord Cottington's they brought amongst other things a Horse that had been taken from me before at Warder-Castle The Lord Fairfax the Earl of Manchester and the Scots besieged York of which the Earl of Newcastle was Governour having with him a Garison consisting of six or seven thousand Foot besides Horse After some time spent in the Siege Prince Rupert arrived with about eighteen thousand Men and caused the Besiegers to raise the Siege who joining their Forces resolved to observe his Motions and to fight him if they found an occasion but that they might be a little refreshed and furnished with Provisions which they wanted they marched towards Tadcaster If Prince Rupert who had acquired Honour enough by the Relief of York in the view of three Generals could have contented himself with it and retreated as he might have done without fighting the Reputation he had gained would have caused his Army to increase like the rolling of a Snowball but he thinking this nothing unless he might have all forced his Enemies to a Battel against the Advice of many of those that were with him in which the Lest Wing of the Enemy charging the Right Wing of ours consisting of English and Scots so totally routed them that the three Generals of the Parliament quitted the Field and fled towards Cawood Castle The Left Wing of our Army commanded by Col. Cromwell knowing nothing of this Rout engaged the Right Wing of the Enemy commanded by Prince Rupert who had gained an advantageous piece of Ground upon Marston-Moor and caused a Battery to be erected upon it from which Capt. Walton Cromwell's Sister's Son was wounded by a shot in the Knee Whereupon Col. Cromwell commanded two Field-pieces to be brought in order to annoy the Enemy appointing two Regiments of Foot to guard them who marching to that purpose were attacked by the Foot of the Enemies right Wing that fired thick upon them from the Ditches Upon this both Parties seconding their Foot were wholly engaged who before had stood only facing each other The Horse on both sides behaved themselves with the utmost Bravery for having discharged their Pistols and flung them at each others Heads they sell to it with their Swords The King's Party were encouraged in this Encounter by seeing the Success of their Left Wing and the Parliament's Forces that remained in the Field were not discouraged because they knew it not both sides eagerly contending for Victory which after an obstinate Dispute was obtained by Cromwell's Brigade the Enemies Right Wing being totally routed and flying as the Parliament's had done before our Horse pursuing and killing many of them in their Flight And now the Enemies Left Wing who had been Conquerors returned to their former Ground presuming upon an entire Victory and utterly ignorant of what had befallen Prince Rupert but before they could put themselves into any order they were charged and entirely defeated by the Reserves of Cromwell's Brigade Prince Rupert upon the routing of the Parliament's Right Wing concluding all to be his own had sent Letters to the King to acquaint him with the Victory upon which the Bells were rung and Bonfires made at Oxford Sir Charles Lucas Major General Porter Major General Tilyard with above a hundred Officers more were taken Prisoners by the Parliament's Forces All the Enemies Artillery great Numbers of Arms and a good quantity of Ammunition and Baggage fell also into their hands The Prince's own Standard with the Arms of the Palatinate was likewise taken with many others both of Horse and Foot Fifteen days after this Fight being the 16 th of July 1644. the City of York was surrendred to the Parliament's Forces upon Articles and the Earl of Newcastle having had some Dispute with Prince Rupert before the Engagement wherein some Words had passed which the Earl could not well digest soon after left England and the Prince retired to Bristol The Earl of Essex was marched with his Army into Cornwall yet to what publick end I could never understand for the Enemy there had already dispersed themselves Some said that he was perswaded to march thither by the Lord Roberts to give him an opportunity to collect his Rents in those Parts Upon this the King drew out what Forces he could from Oxford designing to join them with some others in the West by which Conjunction the Parliament apprehending their Army under Essex to be in danger ordered Sir William Waller to observe the King's Motions But whether the Neglect of relieving him at the Devizes or the Affront put upon him by commanding him to follow the King after he had been ordered to attend the Service of the West or what else it was that had sower'd him I cannot say yet visible it was that so much Care and Expedition was not used in attending the King in his Marches as was requisite However Lieutenant General Middleton then under Sir William Waller was sent with a Party of Horse to the Assistance of the Earl of Essex but he kept at such a distance from him that he afforded him little Help Neither was there that Diligence as should have been then used by the Earl of Essex himself to engage the King before his Conjunction with the Western Forces or to fight them when they were united they not much if at all exceeding ours in Number and in Courage and Affection to the Cause engaged in much inferiour But the Earl of Essex and the Lord Roberts having led the Army into a Corner of Cornwall betook themselves to the Ships with which the Earl of Warwick attended the Motion of the Army Being thus deserted the Horse broke through the Enemy under the Conduct of Sir William Balfour the Foot and Train of Artillery being left with Major General Skippon about Bodmin who was forced about the latter end of September 1644. to make the best Terms he could with the Enemy for them agreeing to leave their Arms and Cannon behind them and to be conducted into the Parliament's Quarters with whatsoever belonged to them but before the Convoy had done with them they lost most of their Clothes and in that condition arrived at Portsmouth where they found their General the Earl of Essex The Parliament soon caused them to be armed and clothed again and the Horse having forced their way as before mentioned the Army was speedily recruited scarce a Man having taken Arms on the other side The Earl of Manchester and Sir
were ordered to be hung up in Westminster-Hall and the Prisoners were secured in the Artillery-Ground near Tuttle-fields a Committee being appointed to consider how to dispose of them who permitted those to return home that would give Security for their living peaceably for the future but such as did not which was much the greater Number were shipped off to serve in Foreign Parts upon Conditions This Success was astonishing being obtained by Men of little Experience in Affairs of this nature and upon that account despised by their Enemies yet it proved the deciding Battel the King's Party after this time never making any considerable Opposition Leicester capitulated two days after and was surrendred and some of our Forces besieged Chester whilst the Scots did the like to Hereford The General Sir Thomas Fairfax marched with the Army to relieve our Friends at Taunton where Col. Welden was besieged took Highworth in his March and dissipated the Club-men defeated Goring's Forces at Lamport possessed himself of the Towns of Bridgwater and Bath by Capitulation and of Sherburn-Castle by storm Bristol also was surrendred after the Outworks and Fort had been taken by Assault with divers other Successes of less importance and therefore unnecessary to be mentioned here Lieutenant General Cromwell being sent to reduce such Garisons as were in the way to London began with the Castle of Winchester which was delivered to him upon Articles after which he marched to Basinghouse and erected a Battery on the East-side of it by which having made a Breach he stormed and entered it putting many of the Garison to the Sword and taking the rest with the Marquiss of Winchester whose House it was Prisoners Col. Robert Hammond had been before made Prisoner by the Marquiss and was kept here by him in order to secure his own Life which he did by putting himself under the Colonel's Protection when ours entred the Place It was suspected that Col. Hammond ' being related to the Earl of Essex whose half-Sister was married to the Marquiss of Winchester had suffered himself to be taken Prisoner on design to serve the said Marquiss The next Place he attempted was Langford-house near Salisbury which was yielded in a day or two upon Articles The Works about Basing were levelled Sherborn-Castle slighted as also Falston-house of which Major Ludlow was Governour who was removed to undertake the same Charge at Langford-house wherein the Parliament thought fit to keep a Garison by reason of its nearness to the Enemy The King as well to secure himself by getting as far from our Forces as he could as to raise a new Army if possible marched with the Horse that he had left towards North-Wales hoping in his way to relieve Chester besieged by Sir William Brereton and by his Presence in Wales to prevail with them to furnish him with a Body of Foot but he found himself frustrated in both these Designs For being worsted near Routen Heath by Major General Pointz who commanded a Brigade of the Parliament's in those Parts he saw the Face of Affairs much altered both in North and South-Wales In the last of which tho he was entertained civilly by some particular Persons yet the generality of the Country that during his Successes had subjected themselves even slavishly to his Instruments now fearing he might draw the Army of the Parliament after him and make their Country the Seat of War began to murmur against him and drew together a numerous Body in the nature of a Club-Army whispering amongst themselves as if they intended to seize his Person and deliver him to the Parliament to make their Peace Which being reported to the King he thought fit to retire from thence with his Forces only leaving a small Garison in the Castle of Cardiff which together with the County was soon after reduced to the Obedience of the Parliament by Col. Pritchard where Sir John Strangwaies was amongst others taken Prisoner who by order of the Parliament was sent up to London and committed to the Tower The Isle of Anglesey and such Places of North-Wales as had been held for the King were surrendred to the Parliament but Glamorganshire and the parts adjacent continued not long in their Duty but revolted at the Instigation of one Mr. Kerne of Winny who pretending great Fidelity to the Parliament was intrusted by them as their Sheriff for that County and made use of that Authority to raise the Country against them and to besiege Colonel Pritchard and the rest of their Friends in the Castle of Cardiff who being reduced to some necessity had been probably constrained to surrender it had not speedy relief been procured from the Parliament under the Conduct of Colonel Kirle of Glocestershire who falling suddenly upon the Enemy routed and killed many of them The King's Affairs being in this low condition in England and Wales he resolved to try what might be done in Scotland in order to which he commands the Lord Digby to march thither with a Party of sixteen hundred Horse and to join the Marquiss of Montross then in Arms for him in that Kingdom In obedience to the King's Order the Lord Digby marched from Newark and in his way surprized about eight hundred of ours near Sherbon but was afterwards routed by Col. Copley who recovered the Men and Arms taken from ours killed forty of the Enemy upon the spot took four hundred of them Prisoners and about six hundred Horses The Lord Digby's Coach and Papers were also taken This Party was defeated a second time by Sir John Brown and a third by Col. Bright who took two hundred of them Prisoners the Lord Digby with about twenty more hardly escaping to the Isle of Man and from thence to Ireland At the approach of Sir Thomas Fairfax's Army the Enemy raised the Siege of Taunton from thence the General marched to Honyton and the next day to Colompton from whence the Enemy retired in great disorder On October 20. the Army tho much weakned by hard Duty and the Rigour of the Season resolved upon the Blockade of Exeter Carmarthen Castle Monmouth and divers other Places were surrendred to the Parliament so that the King looking upon the Rebels in Ireland as his last Refuge sends Orders to the Earl of Ormond not only to continue the Cessation but to conclude a Peace with them upon condition they would oblige themselves to send over an Army to his Assistance against the Parliament of England The Supreme Council of Ireland as they called themselves having notice of it invited the Earl of Ormond to Kilkenny to treat about the same who being willing to see his Relations and his Estate in those Parts as also to expedite that Service accepted their Invitation and marched thither with about three or 4000 Horse and Foot for his Guard which by the advice of the Lord Mountgarret and the Supreme Council were dispersed into Quarters in the Villages thereabouts the Earl of Ormond suspecting nothing having sent Orders to
Sir Francis Willoughby who commanded that Party under him to that purpose but he being an old and experienced Commander well acquainted with the Treachery of that Nation and particularly of those of the Popish Religion knowing how easy it would be for the Irish to cut them off in the Quarters assigned for them resolved not to consent to the dispersing of his Men and therefore desired of the Earl of Ormond that he might quarter with them in the Field or where his Lordship should appoint desiring if this would not satisfy he might have Liberty to return home advising him not to trust his Person with them notwithstanding their fair Words My Lord hereupon leaves the Care of quartering his Men to Sir Francis Willoughby but resolves himself to stay at Kilkenny Sir Francis draws the Troops into Goran a Town five Miles from Kilkenny where he kept his Guards with as much Caution as if he had been in an Enemies Country The Enemy being by this means disappointed of their Design to cut off the Party by surprize resolved to attempt it by open Force and all the favour that the Earl of Ormond could get amongst his Relations was to have notice to shift for himself which with much difficulty he did sending Orders to his Forces to march towards Dublin in which he was very readily obeyed by them having had advice that the Country was rising upon them which they did in such numbers that if Col. Bagnal Governour of Loughlyn had not permitted them to pass the Bridg there they had in all appearance been cut off When they had recovered their own Quarters they discovered a piece of Treachery as Sir Francis Willoughby who gave me this account judged it to be tho he knew not on whom to charge it for they found that they had not been in a condition to make any Opposition if the Enemy had fallen upon them the Powder with which they were furnished having no force in it which came to be discovered upon the trial of a Musquet at a Mark by the small report it gave and the fall of the Bullet half way from it Whereupon searching further into the matter they found all their Store to be of the same sort The Irish seized upon all the Earl of Ormond's Plate and whatsoever he had with him at Kilkenny his Haste not permitting him to save any thing By this Usage his Zeal for the prosecution of the Treaty with the Rebels became much abated The King's Commission to the Earl of Ormond was not of so large an extent as he was willing to allow in case the Treaty with the Irish came to any effect and therefore the Earl of Glamorgan afterwards Earl of Worcester was impowered by private Instructions from him to promise them the Liberty of the Romish Religion with divers other Advantages to the Irish Rebels upon which he treated with them But because this when it came to be publickly known in England was highly resented by many even of the King's Party the Lord Digby who was ordered by the King to assist in that Affair finding that the Treaty was not like to take effect to give a specious Colour to the matter as if Glamorgan had in that particular exceeded his Commission accused him of High Treason and procured him to be imprison'd by the Earl of Ormond but in Letters intercepted from the Lord Glamorgan to his Lady he desired that she would not entertain any Fears concerning him for that he doubted not if he could be admitted to be heard that he should be able to justify his Proceedings to the Confusion of those who had caused his Imprisonment The English Officers and Souldiers provoked by the late Treachery of the Irish and apprehending that without Assistance from England they might fall into their hands would not be satisfied unless a Message were sent to the Parliament to treat about Conditions for the putting of Dublin and the Protestant Forces of Ireland into their Hands In order to which the Parliament sent over Commissioners to treat with the Earl of Ormond and the Council But tho the Earl was not willing that any thing should be concluded at that time yet Sir Francis Willoughby was as I have heard him say so far convinced of the Necessity and Duty that lay upon them so to do that he promised our Commissioners to preserve the Castle of Dublin of which he was then Governour for the Service of the Parliament whensoever they should command it Montross having obtained a Victory against those whom the Scots had left to preserve the Peace of Scotland by the means of which he was become Master of a great part of that Kingdom David Lesley was sent thither from Hereford with most of the Scotish Horse where he defeated the Army of Montross and reduced that Nation to its former Obedience After the Surrender of Bristol to the Forces of the Parliament Prince Rupert who had been Governour thereof returned to Oxford where he found so cool a Reception from the King by reason of the Loss of that Place that Col. Leg then Governour of Oxford was turned out of that Command for being of his Faction and the Government of that City put into the Hands of Sir Thomas Glenham The Prince was for some time forbidden to wear a Sword and tho he was soon after restored to that Liberty yet he was never more intrusted with any Command The House of Commons finding their Business to increase and their numbers to diminish by the Death of some and Desertion of others to the King at Oxford ordered the Commissioners of the Seal to issue out Writs to such Counties Cities and Boroughs as the House by their particular Order should direct for the Election of Members to serve in Parliament They ordered also a Jewel to be prepared of the Value of about seven hundred Pounds to be presented to Sir Thomas Fairfax it had the House of Commons represented on one side and the Battel of Naseby on the other three Members of Parliament were deputed to carry the Present to him the Opportunity of whose Guard I took to go into the West without disturbance which was difficult to do at that time many of the King's Party hovering about the Downs from whence they were called Col. Downs his Men who rendring the Rode unsafe I procured a Guard of twenty or thirty of the County Horse to accompany me during my stay in those Parts So small a Number not being sufficient either to defend me or to make any Attempt I betook my self to Col. Massey's Party commanded at that time by Col. Edward Cook where I had not been long before an Alarm was given that a Party of Horse from Oxford had marched by with a design to relieve Corse-Castle besieged at that time by our Forces But before we could get our Men together they had surprized part of ours in Warham and beaten off the Guard between that Place and the Castle which they relieved with
against as a Traitor to the Common-wealth Within three or four days they received a Message from the Scots Army informing the Parliament of the King 's coming to them and pretending to be much surprized at it but it appeared afterwards that this Resolution had been communicated to them before The King was accompanied in this Expedition by one Hudson and Mr. Ashburnham passing as a Servant to the latter Upon this notice the House of Commons sent an Order to their Commissioners in the Scots Army to demand the Person of the King judging it unreasonable that the Scots Army being in their Pay should assume the Authority to dispose of the King otherwise than by their Order resolving further that the King should be conducted to the Castle of Warwick and that those who came out of Oxford with him should be brought to London The next day they commanded their Army to advance in order to hinder the Conjunction of the King's Forces with the Scots The King soon after his Arrival at the Scots Quarters gave order for the Delivery of Newark into their Hands which having received they surrendred to the English and marched with the King to Newcastle whereof the House of Commons being informed and that the Earl of Leven General of the Scots Army had by Proclamation forbidden his Forces to have any Communication with the King's Party they desisted from their Resolution of advancing their Army and of conducting the King to Warwick ordering the Scots to keep him for the Parliament of England Mr. Ashburnham was permitted by the Scots to make his Escape but Mr. Hudson was brought to London and upon Examination at the Bar of the House of Commons confessed some things about the King's Journey from Oxford Commissioners being appointed by the Parliament to be sent down to the Scots Army in this Conjuncture they made choice of two Lords of whom the Earl of Pembroke was one and four of the Commons in which number Col. Brown the Woodmonger being nominated to that Imployment he turned about to me who sat behind him in the House assuring me that he would be ever true to us And truly I then believed him having met him at the beginning of the War in Smithfield buying Horses for the Service of the Parliament where he spoke very affectionately concerning their Undertaking and served them afterwards very successfully especially at Abingdon as I mentioned before but this wretched Man soon discovered the Corruption of his Nature and Malignity that lay concealed in his Heart for no sooner had the King found out his ambitious Temper and cast some slight Favours upon him giving him a Pair of Silk Stockings with his own Hand but his low and abject Original and Education became so prevalent in him as to transform him into an Agent and Spy for the King proving as will be hereaster related one of the bloodiest Butchers of the Parliament's Friends The Scots having the King in their Power pressed him to write to the Earl of Ormond his Lieutenant in Ireland and to the Governours and Commanders of Places that remained in Arms for him to lay down their Arms and to deliver the said Places to such as the Parliament of England should appoint to receive them acquainting him that otherwise they could not protect him Submitting to this Necessiry he sent Orders to that effect which some obeyed and others resused to comply with looking upon him to be under a Force Amongst those who yielded Obedience to the King's Orders was Montross who disbanded the Forces he had left and went beyond Sea The City of Oxford having been blocked up for some time began to capitulate lest their farther Obstinacy should prove prejudicial to them particularly in the matter of Compositions for their Estates the most considerable of the King's Party being there Commissioners were appointed on both sides to treat and came to an Agreement on the 22 d of June 1646. upon such Terms as the Parliament were unwilling to confirm but whilst they were in Debate concerning the Articles they understood that Prince Rupert and others of the King's Party were marched out of the Town in pursuance of them and that the Garison would be entirely evacuated before they could signify their Pleasure to the Army Wherefore tho they did not approve the Conditions yet they thought not fit to do any thing in order to break them The principal Reason given by the Army of their proceeding so hastily to a Conclusion of the Treaty was lest the King should make Terms with the Scots and bring their Army to the Relief of Oxford Farringdon-house Wallingford-Castle and Woodstock were surrendred to the Parliament Worcester and Litchfield soon after as also Pendennis and Ragland-Castle The Scots by their Commissioners pressed the Parliament to send Propositions of Peace to the King wherein they were seconded by an insolent Address from the Mayor and Common-Council of the City of London in which after some Acknowledgments of the Care and Courage of the Parliament in the Refermation of the Church and Preservation of the Laws they desired of them that such Assemblies as were privately held to introduce new Sects might be suppressed lest they should breed Disturbances in Church and State that they would hasten the Establishment of Peace in the three Kingdoms that they would consider the great Services of the Scots and dismiss those who were distinguished by the name of Independents from all Imployments Civil and Military esteeming them to be Firebrands that might endanger the Publick Peace with other Particulars of the same nature The Answer of the Parliament to the said Address was not much to the Satisfaction of the Petitioners being a positive Declaration that they resolved to preserve their Authority entire to themselves There was a Party in the House of the same Temper with the Addressers who earnestly endeavoured to break the Army as the principal Obstacle to their Designs pretending the necessity of relieving Ireland the Loss of which they said would be infinitely prejudicial to England and that the way to prevent it was to send thither some part of the Army who being united in Affection and of great Reputation both for Courage and Conduct would strike a Terror into the Enemy and undoubtedly accomplish that important Work not forgetting to urge that the People of England were not able to bear their present Burdens and therefore must be eased To these Pretences it was replied That it could not consist with the Honour or Safety of the Parliament to lessen their Forces whilst they had an Army of another Nation in their Bowels who tho they were united in the same Cause and Interest with us yet the best way to continue them so was to be in such a Posture as might secure us from any fear of their breaking with us and that the more Reputation the Army had the fitter they were to be kept together for that end After a long Debate the Question was put Whether two Regiments
their Teeth since they could do no more The Debate continued till late in the Night and the Sense of the House was that they should be required to forbear the prosecution of the said Petition but when the House wearied with long sitting was grown thin Mr. Denzil Hollis taking that opportunity drew up a Resolution upon his Knee declaring the Petition to be seditious and those Traitors who should endeavour to promote it after such a day and promising Pardon to all that were concerned therein if they should desist by the time limited Some of us fearing the Consequence of these Divisions expressed our Dissatisfaction to it and went out which gave them occasion to pass two or three very sharp Votes against the Proceedings of the Army The Agitators of the Army sensible of their Condition and knowing that they must fall under the Mercy of the Parliament unless they could secure themselves from their Power by prosecuting what they had begun and fearing that those who had shewed themselves so forward to close with the King out of Principle upon any Terms would now for their own Preservation receive him without any or rather put themselves under his Protection that they might the better subdue the Army and reduce them to Obedience by Force sent a Party of Horse under the Command of Cornet Joyce on the 4 th of June 1647. with an Order in Writing to take the King out of the Hands of the Commissioners of Parliament The Cornet having placed Guards about Holmby-house sent to acquaint the King with the occasion of his Coming and was admitted into his Bed-chamber where upon Promise that the King should be used civilly and have his Servants and other Conveniences continued to him he obtained his Consent to go with him But whilst Cornet Joyce was giving Orders concerning the King's Removal the Parliament's Commissioners took that occasion to discourse with the King and perswaded him to alter his Resolution which Joyce perceiving at his Return put the King in mind of his Promise acquainting him that he was obliged to execute his Orders whereupon the King told him that since he had passed his Word he would go with him and to that end descending the Stairs to take Horse the Commissioners of the Parliament being with him Col. Brown and Mr. Crew who were two of them publickly declared that the King was forced out of their hands and so returned with an account of what had been done to the Parliament The King's Officers who waited on him were continued and the chief Officers of the Army began publickly to own the Design pretending thereby to keep the private Souldiers for they would no longer be called Common Souldiers from running into greater Extravagancies and Disorders Col. Francis Russell and others attending on the King became soon converted by the Splendor of his Majesty and Sir Robert Pye a Colonel in the Army supplied the Place of a Querry riding bare before him when he rode abroad so that the King began to promise to himself that his Condition was alatered for the better and to look upon the Independent Interest as more consisting with Episcopacy than the Presbyterian for that it could subsist under any Form which the other could not do and therefore largely promised Liberty to the Independent Party being fully perswaded how naturally his Power would revive upon his Restitution to the Throne and how easy it would be for him to break through all such Promises and Engagements upon pretence that he was under a Force The principal Officers of the Army made it so much their business to get the good Opinion of the King that Whalley being sent from them with Orders to use all means but Constraint to cause him to return to Holmby and the King refusing Whalley was contented to bring him to the Army Yet in the mean time a Charge of High Treason was drawn up by the Army against eleven Members of the House of Commons who were Mr. Denzil Hollis Sir Philip Stapylton Sir John Clotworthy Serjeant Glyn Mr. Anthony Nichols Mr. Walter Long Sir William Lewis Col. Edward Harly Commissary Copley Col. Massey and Sir John Maynard for betraying the Cause of the Parliament endeavouring to break and destroy the Army with other Particulars This Charge they accompanied with a Declaration shewing the Reasons of what they had done affirming that they were obliged by their Duty so to do as they tendred the preservation of the publick Cause and securing the good People of England from being a Prey to their Enemies The great end of this Charge of Treason being rather to keep these Members from using their Power with the Parliament in opposition to the Proccedings of the Army than from any Design to proceed capitally against them they resolved rather to withdraw themselves voluntarily than to put the Parliament or Army to any farther Trouble or their Persons to any more Hazard By these means the Army in which there were too many who had no other Design but the Advancement of themselves having made the Parliament the Scots and the City of London their Enemies thought it convenient to enlarge their Concessions to the King giving his Chaplains leave to come to him and to officiate in their way which had been denied before Whilst this Design was on foot I went down to their Quarters at Maidenhead to visit the Officers where Commissary General Ireton suspecting that these things might occasion Jealousies of them in me and others of their Friends in Parliament desired me to be assured of their stedfast Adherence to the Publick Interest and that they intended only to dispense with such things as were not material in order to quiet the restless Spirits of the Cavaliers till they could put themselves into a condition of serving the People effectually I could not approve of their Practices but many of the chief of them proceeding in the way they had begun gave out that the Intentions of the Officers and Souldiers in the Army were to establish his Majesty in his just Rights The News of this being brought to the Queen and Prince of Wales who were in France they dispatched Sir Edward Ford Brother-in-law to Commissary General Ireton into England to found the Designs of the Army and to promote an Agreement between the King and them Soon after which Mr. John Denham was sent over on the like Errand Sir John Barkley also upon his Return to the Queen from Holland where he had been ordered to condole the Death of the Prince of Orange came into England by the same Order and to the same Purpose It was in his Instructions to endeavour to procure a Pass for Mr. John Ashburnham to come over to assist him in his Negotiation which with many other Particulars relating to this Business I have seen in a Manuscript written by Sir John Barkley himself and left in the Hands of a Merchant at Geneva Being at Diepe in order to embark for England he met with Mr.
William Leg who was of the Bed-chamber to the King and they two came over together into England They landed at Hastings and being on their way towards London were met by Sir Allen Appesley who had been Lieutenant Governour to Sir John Barkley at Exeter by whom he understood that he was sent to him from Cromwell and some other Officers of the Army with Letters and a Cypher as also particular Instructions to desire Sir John Barkley to remember his own Discourse at a Conference with Col. Lambert and other Officers upon the Surrender of Exeter wherein he had taken notice of the bitter Invectives of those of the Army against the King's Person and presuming that such Discourses were encouraged in order to prepare Mens Minds to receive an Alteration of the Government had said that it was not only a most wicked but difficult Undertaking if not impossible for a few Men not of the greatest Quality to introduce a Popular Government against the King the Presbyterians the Nobility Gentry and the Genius of the Nation accustomed for so many Ages to a Monarchical Government advising that since the Presbyterians who had begun the War upon divers specious Pretences were discovered to have sought their own Advantages by which means they had lost almost all their Power and Credit the Independent Party who had no particular Obligations to the Crown as many of the Presbyterians had would make good what the Presbytery had only pretended to and restore the King and People to their just and antient Rights to which they were obliged both by Prudence and Interest there being no means under Heaven more likely to establish themselves and to obtain as much Trust and Power as Subjects are capable of whereas if they aimed at more it would be accompanied with a general Hatred and their own Destruction He had Orders also to let him know that tho to this Discourse of his they then gave only the hearing yet they had since found by Experience that all or the most part of it was reasonable and that they were resolved to act accordingly as might be perceived by what had already passed desiring that he would present them humbly to the Queen and Prince and be a Suitor to them in their Names not to condemn them absolutely but to suspend their Opinions of them and their Intentions till their future Behaviour had made full Proof of their Innocence whereof they had already given some Testimonies to the World and that when he had done this Office he would return to England and be an Eye-witness of their Proceedings Thus did the Army-Party endeavour to fortify their Interest against the Presbyterians who tho they were very much weakened by the Absence of the eleven Members yet not to be altogether wanting to themselves passed a Vote that the King should be brought to Richmond whither he was inclined to go having conceived a Distrust of the Army grounded chiefly upon the Refusal of the Officers to receive any Honours or Advantages from him and would not be disswaded from this Resolution till the Army had obliged the Parliament to recal their Vote After which he insisted upon going to Windsor much against the Sense of the Army and could not be prevailed with to pass by the Army in his way thither This caused them to suspect that he hearkned to some secret Propositions from the Presbyterians and designed to make an absolute Breach between the Parliament and the Army which Commissary General Ireton discerning said these Words to him Sir you have an Intention to be Arbitrator between the Parliament and us and we mean to be so between You and the Parliament But the King finding himself courted on all hands became so confident of his own Interest as to think himself able to turn the Scale to what side soever he pleased In this Temper Sir John Barkley found him when he delivered the Queen's Letters to him which he did after leave obtained from Cromwell and a Confirmation received from his own Mouth of what had been communicated before to him by Sir Allen Appesley with this Addition that he thought no Man could enjoy his Life and Estate quietly unless the King had his Rights which he said they had already declared to the World in general Terms and would more particularly very speedily wherin they would comprize the several Interests of the Royalists Presbyterians and Independents as far as they were consistent with one another Sir John Barkley endeavoured to perswade the King that it was necessary for him who was now in the Power of the Army to dissemble with them and proposed that Mr. Peters might preach before him that he would converse freely with others of the Army and gain the good Opinion of the Agitators whose Interest he perceived to be very great amongst them But this Advice made no Impression upon the King He gave him also a relation of what had formerly passed between himself and Cromwell whom he met near Causum when the Head-quarters were at Reading where Cromwell told him that he had lately seen the tenderest Sight that ever his Eyes beheld which was the Interview between the King and his Children that he wept plentifully at the Remembrance thereof saying that never Man was so abused as he in his sinister Opinion of the King who he thought was the most upright and conscientious of his Kingdom that they of the Independent Party had infinite Obligations to him for not consenting to the Propositions sent to him at Newcastle which would have totally ruined them and which his Majesty's Interest seemed to invite him to concluding with this Wish that God would be pleased to look upon him according to the Sincerity of his Heart towards the King With this relation the King was no more moved than with the rest firmly believing such Expressions to proceed from a necessity that Cromwell and the Army had of him without whom he said they could do nothing And indeed the King was not without reason of that Opinion for some of the principal Agitators with whom Sir John Barkley conversed at Reading expressing to him their Jealousy that Cromwell was not sincere for the King desired of him that if he found him false to acquaint them with it promising that they would endeavour to set him right either with or against his Will Major Huntington a Creature of Cromwell and therefore entrusted by him to command the Guard about the King either believing him to be in earnest in his Pretensions to serve the King or else finding the King's Affairs in a rising Condition became one of his Confidents and by Order of the King brought two General Officers to Sir John Barkley recommending them to him as Persons upon whom he might rely these two had frequent Conferences with Sir John Barkley and assured him that a Conjunction with the King was universally desired by the Officers and Agitators and that Cromwell and Ireton were great Dissemblers if they were not real in
for their own Security The Scots Commissioners also who had been long tampering with him took hold of this Opportunity to perswade him to come to their Terms by augmenting his Fears as much as they could It was also proposed that he should conceal himself in England but that was thought unsafe if not impossible Some there were who proposed his going to Jersey which was then kept for him but the King being told by the Earl of Lanerick that the Ships provided by Sir John Barkley for that purpose had been discovered and seized tho Sir John affirms in his Papers that none were provided that Design was laid aside At last the King resolved to go to the Isle of Wight being as is most probable recommended thither by Cromwell who as well as the King had a good Opinion of Col. Hammond the Governour there To this end the King sent Mr. William Leg to Sir John Barkley and Mr. Ashburnham requiring them to assist him in his Escape and Horses were laid at Sutton in Hampshire to that purpose On the day following Sir John Barkley and Mr. Ashburnham waiting with Horses the King with Mr. Leg came out towards the Evening and being mounted they designed to ride through the Forest having the King for their Guide but they lost the way so that the Night proving dark and stormy and the Ways very bad they could not reach Sutton before break of day tho they hoped to have been there three hours before At Sutton they were informed that a Committee of the County was there sitting by Order of the Parliament which when the King heard he passed by that Place and continued his way towards Southampton attended only by Mr. Leg and went to a House of the Earl of Southampton at Titchfield having sent Sir John Barkley and Mr. Ashburnham to Col. Hammond Governour of the Isle of Wight with a Copy of the Letter left upon the Table in his Chamber at Hampton-Court and two other Letters which he had lately received one of them without a Name expressing great Fears and Apprehensions of the ill Intentions of the Commonwealth-Party against the King The other from Cromwell much to the same purpose with this Addition that in prosecution thereof a new Guard was designed the next day to be placed about the King consisting of Men of that Party He also sent by them a Letter to Col. Hammond wherein after he had expressed his Distrust of the Levelling Part of the Army as he termed it and the necessity lying upon him to provide for his own Safety he assured him that he did not intend to desert the Interest of the Army ordering his two Messengers to acquaint him that of all the Army the King had chosen to put himself upon him whom he knew to be a Person of a good Extraction and tho engaged against him in the War yet without any Animosity to his Person to which he was informed he had no Aversion that he did not think it fit to surprize him and therefore had sent the two Persons before-mentioned to advertise him of his Intentions and to desire his Promise to protect the King and his Servants to the best of his Power and if it should happen that he was not able to do it then to oblige himself to leave them in as good a Condition as he found them Being ready to depart with these Instructions Sir John Barkley said to the King that having no knowledg of the Governour he could not tell whether he might not detain them in the Island and therefore advised if they returned not the next day that he would think no more of them but secure his own Escape Towards Evening they arrived at Limmington but could not pass by reason of a violent Storm The next Morning they got over to the Island and went directly to Carisbrook-Castle the Residence of the Governour where they were told that he was gone towards Newport Upon this notice they rode after and having overtaken and acquainted him with their Message he grew pale and fell into such a trembling that it was thought he would have fallen from his Horse In this Consternation he continued about an hour breaking out sometimes into passionate and distracted Expressions saying O Gentlemen you have undone me in bringing the King into the Island if at least you have brought him and if you have not I pray let him not come for what between my Duty to the King and Gratitude to him upon this fresh Obligation of Confidence and the Discharge of my Trust to the Army I shall be confounded Upon this they took occasion to tell him that the King intended a Favour to him and his Posterity in giving him this Opportunity to lay a great Obligation upon him and such as was very consistent with his relation to the Army who had solemnly engaged themselves to the King but if he thought otherwise the King would be far from imposing his Person upon him but said the Governour if the King should come to any Mischance what would the Army and the King say to him that had refused to receive him To which they answered that he had not refused him who was not come to him Then beginning to speak more calmly he desired to know where the King was and wished that he had absolutely thrown himself upon him which made the two Gentlemen suspect that the Governour was not for their turn but Mr. Ashburnham fearing what would become of the King if he should be discovered before he had gained this point took the Governour aside and after some Conference prevailed with him to declare That he did believe the King relied on him as a Person of Honour and Honesty and therefore he did engage himself to perform whatsoever could be expected from a Person so qualified Mr. Ashburnham replied I will ask no more Then said the Governour Let us all go to the King and acquaint him with it When they came to Cowes-Castle where a Boat lay to carry them over Col. Hammond took Capt. Basket the Governour of that Castle with him and gave order for a File or two of Musqueteers to follow them in another Boat When they came to the Earl of Southampton's House Mr. Ashburnham leaving Sir John Barkley below with Col. Hammond and Capt. Basket went up to the King and having given an Account of what had passed between the Governour and them and that he was come with them to make good what he had promised the King striking his Hand upon his Breast said What have you brought Hammond with you O you have undone me for I am by this means made fast from stirring Mr. Ashburnham then told him that if he mistrusted Hammond he would undertake to secure him To which the King replied I understand you well enough but if I should follow that Counsel it would be said and believed that he ventured his Life for me and that I had unworthily taken it from him Telling him further That
it was now too late to think upon any thing but going through the way he had forced him upon wondering how he could make so great an Oversight At which Expression Mr. Ashburnham having no more to say wept bitterly In the mean time Col. Hammond and Capt. Basket beginning to be impatient of their long Attendance below in the Court Sir John Barkley sent a Gentleman of the Earl of Southampton's to desire that the King and Mr. Ashburnham would remember that they were below About half an hour after the King sent for them up and before Col. Hammond and Capt. Basket had kissed the King's Hand he took Sir John Barkley aside and said to him Sir John I hope you are not so passionate as Jack Ashburnham Do you think you have followed my Directions He answered No indeed but it is not my Fault as Mr. Ashburnham can tell you if he please The King perceiving that it was now too late to take other measures received Col. Hammond cheerfully who having repeated to him what he had promised before conducted them over to Cowes The next Morning the King went with the Governour to Carisbrook and on the way thither was met by divers Gentlemen of the Island by whom he understood that the whole Island was unanimously for him except the Governours of the Castles and Col. Hammond's Captains that Hammond might be easily gained if not more easily forced the Castle being day and night full of the King's Party and that the King might chuse his own time of quitting the Island having liberty to ride abroad daily So that not only the King and those that were with him but also his whole Party approved of the Choice which he had made The King and Mr. Ashburnham applied themselves to the Governour with so good Success that he and those with him seemed to desire nothing more of the King than to send a civil Message to both Houses signifying his Propensity to Peace which was done accordingly No sooner was the King's Escape taken notice of by the Guards but Col. Whalley hastened to the Parliament with the Letter which the King had left upon his Table shewing the Reasons of his withdrawing and his Resolution not to desert the Interest of the Army and tho it was visible that the King made his Escape by the Advice of Cromwell and therefore in all appearance with the Consent of Whalley yet he pretended for his Excuse to the Parliament that Mr. Ashburnham had broken his Engagement to him at his first coming to Woburn whereby he had undertaken that the King should not leave the Army without his Knowledg and Consent Upon this Advice the Parliament declared it Treason for any Person to conceal the King but the manner of his Escape being soon after discovered and that he had put himself into the hands of the Governour of the Isle of Wight they sent a Messenger to the Island for Mr. Ashburnham Sir John Barkley and Mr. Leg but the Governour refused to deliver them The time for the General Rendezvouz of the Army being now come the Commonwealth Party amongst them declared to stand to their Engagement not to be dispersed till the things they had demanded were effected and the Government of the Nation established to make good which Resolution several Regiments appeared in the Field with distinguishing Marks in their Hats But Lieutenant General Cromwell not contenting himself with his part in an equal Government puffed up by his Successes to an expectation of greater things and having driven a bargain with the Grandees in the House either to comply with the King or to settle things in a factious way without him procured a Party to stand by him in the seizing some of those who appeared at the Rendezvouz in opposition to his Designs To this end being accompanied with divers Officers whom he had preferred and by that means made his Creatures he rode up to one of the Regiments which had the distinguishing Marks requiring them to take them out which they not doing he caused several of them to be seized and then their Hearts failing they yielded Obedience to his Commands He ordered one of them to be shot dead upon the place delivering the rest of those whom he had seized being eleven in number into the hands of the Marshal and having dispersed the Army to their Quarters went to give an account of his Proceedings to the Parliament and tho when an Agreement with the King was carried on by other hands he could countenance the Army in opposition to the Parliament yet now the bargain for the Peoples Liberty being driven on by himself he opposed those who laboured to obstruct it pretending his so doing to be only in order to keep the Army in subjection to the Parliament who being very desirous to have this Spirit suppressed in the Army by any means not only approved what he had done but gave him the Thanks of the House for the same Whereunto tho singly I gave as loud a No as I could being fully convinced that he had acted in this manner for no other end but to advance his own Passion and Power into the room of Right and Reason and took the first opportunity to tell him that the Army having taken the Power into their hands as in effect they had done every drop of Blood shed in that extraordinary way would be required of them unless the Rectitude of their Intentions and Actions did justify them of which they had need to be very careful Whilst these things were doing the Earl of Ormond finding that the Irish used him treacherously and that the Inclinations of his Army tended towards a Submission to the Parliament of England invited them to send Commissioners to treat about the Surrender of Dublin and the Forces commanded by him into their hands Which was done and Articles agreed upon indemnifying all Protestants in Ireland for what they had done there unless they had been in the Rebellion during the first Year and admitting them to compound for their Estates in England at two Years Value A certain Sum was also promised to be paid to the Earl of Ormond in consideration of what he had disbursed for the Army This Agreement being concluded the City of Dublin and the Forces before-mentioned were delivered to Col. Michael Jones who was ordered by the Parliament to receive the same and the Earl of Ormond came to London where his Money was paid him and he soon after retired into France The chief Officers of the Army having subdued those of their Body who upon just Suspicion had opposed their Treaty with the King thought themselves obliged by their former Engagement to press for a Personal Treaty with him which they procured to be offered in case he would grant four preliminary Bills The first of which contained the Revocation of all Proclamations against the Parliament The second to make void all such Titles of Honour as had been granted by the King since he had left
quit their hands of him since their Transactions with him had procured them so much Opposition and to leave the Breach with him upon the Parliament where they found the Presbyterian Party averse to an Agreement with him upon any Proposals of the Army and the Commonwealth Party resolved not to treat with him upon any at all Sir John Barkley being return'd to his Lodging dispatch'd his Cousin Henry Barkley to the Isle of Wight with two Letters one to the Governour containing a general Relation and doubtful Judgment of things in the Army another in Cypher with a particular account of the foresaid Conference and a most passionate Supplication to the King to meditate nothing but his immediate Escape The next Morning he sent Col. Cooke to Cromwell to let him know that he had Letters and Instructions to him from the King who returned in Answer by the Messenger that he durst not see him it being very dangerous to them both bidding him be assured that he would serve the King as long as he could do it without his own Ruin but desired that it might not be expected that he should perish for his sake Having received this Answer Sir John took Horse for London resolving not to acquaint any with the Inclinations of the Army or with the King 's pretended Escape which he presumed would be in a few days the Queen having sent a Ship to that purpose and pressed it earnestly in her Letters The next day after his Arrival at London he received a Message from the Scots Lords Lanerick and Lauderdale desiring a Meeting with him presuming he had a Commission from the King to treat but he acquainting them that the King had said at his parting from him that he would make good whatsoever he should undertake to any Person in his Name the Lord Lanerick replied he would ask no other Commission from him At their second Meeting they came near to an Agreement and resolved to conclude on the Monday following but the next day Sir John Barkley receiving a Letter from Mr. Ashburnham requiring him in the King's Name to lay aside all other business and to return immediately to the King was constrained to go out of Town that Night and to leave the Treaty unfinished to the great Dissatisfaction of both Parties At his return to the Island he found the King determined not to attempt his Escape till he had concluded with the Scots who he said being very desirous to have him out of the hands of the Army would on that account come to an Accommodation upon reasonable Conditions whereas if he should leave the Army before any Agreement with the Scots they would never treat with him but upon their own Terms To this end the King ordered Sir John Barkley Mr. Ashburnham Dr. Hammond and Mr. Leg to review the Papers relating to the Treaty with the Scots which had been managed in London chiefly by Dr. Gough a Popish Priest who in the Queen's Name had conjur'd the King to make his speedy Escape and in his own beseeched him not to insist too nicely upon Terms in the present Exigency of his Affairs but Mr. Ashburnham hesitated much upon many Expressions in the Articles relating to the Covenant and Church of England of which he was a zealous Professor making many Replies and Alterations and at last insisted that the King would send for the Scots Commissioners to come to him Accordingly Sir William Flemming was sent to that purpose and the next day after an Express came from the said Commissioners to the King desiring that two Papers might be drawn the one to contain the least he would be contented with and the other the utmost that he would grant to the Scots which last they desired he would sign promising to do the like to the first and to deliver it to Dr. Gough upon the reception of his Paper so signed But this matter was delay'd so long that they concluded the Scots Commissioners would be on their way before another Express could be gone out of the Island At the same time that the Scots were coming to the King Commissioners were also sent to him by the Parliament with offers of a Personal Treaty on condition that the King in testimony of his future Sincerity would grant the four Preliminary Bills formerly mentioned Whilst these two sorts of Commissioners were one day attending the King as he walked about the Castle they observed him to throw a Bone before two Spaniels that followed him and to take great delight in seeing them contesting for it which some of them thought to be intended by him to represent that Bone of Contention he had cast between the two Parties It was proposed by some of his Party that the King should give a dilatory Answer to the Scots that he might have the better opportunity to escape and at the same time it was moved that he should offer the four following Bills to the Parliament upon presumption that they could not well refuse them nor durst grant them The first was for the Payment of the Army and for their disbanding as soon as paid The second to put a Period to the present Parliament The third to restore the King and Queen to the Possession of their Revenues The fourth to settle a Church-Government without any coercive Power and till such a Government were agreed on the present to continue without any coercive Authority This they advised upon apprehensions if the King should give a positive Denial that the Commissioners might have Orders to enjoin the Governour to keep a stricter Guard over his Person and thereby his designed Escape be prevented To this Advice the King replied that he had found out a Remedy against their Fears which was to deliver his Answer to the Commissioners sealed up The next day after the English Commissioners had delivered their Message and desired the King's Answer within three or four days the Commissioners of Scotland Lowden Lanerick Lauderdale and others delivered a Protestation to the King subscribed by them against the Parliament's Message affirming it to be contrary to the Covenant being sent without their Participation or Consent and from this time began seriously to treat with the King concluding at last upon such Terms as they could obtain rather than such as they desired from him When the time to receive the King's Answer was come he sent for the English Commissioners and before he delivered his Answer demanded of the Earl of Denbigh who was the Principal Commissioner whether they had power to alter any of the substantial or circumstantial Parts of the Message and they replying that they had not he delivered his Answer sealed up into the hands of the Earl of Denbigh Having received the King's Answer the Commissioners withdrew for a little time and being returned the Earl of Denbigh seem'd to be offended that the King had delivered his Message sealed alledging that they were required by their Instructions to bring his Answer which whether his
killed neither did this quiet them till some Horse and Foot arrived to strengthen the Guard and dispersed them Lieutenant Colonel Cobbet who commanded the Guard being called into the House to give an account of what had passed went to the Bar bleeding from the Wounds which he had received and related the Passages before-mentioned but some Friends of the Petitioners within doors informing the House that the matter of Fact was otherwise than had been represented by the Lieutenant Colonel the Parliament appointed a Committee to examine the Truth of it Those of the secluded Members who were in England being returned to the House divers hard Words passed between them and others of the Parliament and one day Commissary General Ireton speaking something concerning them Mr. Hollis thinking it to be injurious to them passing by him in the House whispered him in the ear telling him it was false and he would justify it to be so if he would follow him and thereupon immediately went out of the House with the other following him Some Members who had observed their passionate Carriage to each other and seen them hastily leaving the House acquainted the Parliament with their Apprehensions whereupon they sent their Serjeant at Arms to command their Attendance which he letting them understand as they were taking Boat to go to the other side of the Water they returned and the House taking notice of what they were informed concerning them enjoined them to forbear all Words or Actions of Enmity towards each other and to carry themselves for the future as Fellow-members of the same Body which they promised to do Lieutenant General Cromwell perceiving the Clouds to gather on every side complained to me as we were walking in the Palace-Yard of the Unhappiness of his Condition having made the greatest part of the Nation his Enemies by adhering to a just Cause But that which he pretended to be his greatest Trouble was that many who were engaged in the same Cause with him had entertained a Jealousy and Suspicion of him which he assured me was a great Discouragement to him asking my Advice what Method was best for him to take I could not but acknowledg that he had many Enemies for the sake of the Cause in which he stood engaged and also that many who were Friends to that Cause had conceived Suspicions of him but I observed to him that he could never oblige the former without betraying that Cause wherein he was engaged which if he should do upon the account of an empty Title Riches or any other Advantages how those Contracts would be kept with him was uncertain but most certain it was that his Name would be abominated by all good Men and his Memory be abhorred by Posterity On the other side if he persisted in the prosecution of our just Intentions it was the most probable way to subdue his Enemies to rectisy the Mistakes of those that had conceived a Jealousy of him and to convince his Friends of his Integrity that if he should fall in the Attempt yet his Loss would be lamented by all good Men and his Name be transmitted to future Ages with Honour He seemed to take well what I said and it might have been no Disservice to him if he had acted accordingly but his Design was rather to perswade me for the present of the Rectitude of his Intentions than to receive Counsel from me concerning his Conduct About this time we obtained some Advantages in Ireland where Col. Michael Jones who had been order'd by the Parliament to command at Dublin when the Earl of Ormond delivered it up with the Forces he had fought the Rebels tho double his Number at Dungon-hill killed some thousands of them and totally routed the rest Of which when the Parliament had received Information they ordered five hundred Pounds by Year of the forseited Lands in Ireland to be settled upon Col. Jones as a Reward for his good Service In England the Defection began to increase Capt. Henry Lilburn who commanded for the Parliament in Tinmouth-Castle which lies at the Mouth of the Harbour and is a Key to Newcastle declaring for the King but notice thereof being brought to Sir Arthur Haslerig at Newcastle of which Town he was Governour he with great Expedition drew down a Party before the Place and attacking it unexpectedly took it by Assault before the Men had been throughly confirmed in their Revolt by the Governour whom he put to the Sword and placed another Garison therein Many of those who had been for the Parliament in South-wales now joining with the King's Party they grew to be a considerable Body whereby Major General Laughern who upon some Suspicion had been under Confinement was encouraged to get away and join himself to them Major General John Stradling Sir Henry Stradling Col. Thomas Stradling and several other Gentlemen of those Parts falling in with them Col. Horton with about two thousand five hundred Horse Foot and Dragoons was sent into Wales to engage them Lieutenant General Cromwell following with as many more Forces as could be spared from the Army who being within three or four days March of Col. Horton received Advice that the Enemy to the number of about seven thousand had engaged the Colonel at St. Faggons in Glamorganshire that upon the first Attack our Forces gave ground but well considering the Danger they were in the Country being full of Enemies and encouraged by their Affection to the Cause wherein they were engaged they charged the Enemies Van consisting of the best of their Men with so great Bravery and Resolution that they forced them to give way which those that were in their Rear who were for the most part new-raised Men perceiving began to shift for themselves Upon this ours followed their Charge with so much Vigour and Success that the whole Body of the Enemy was soon routed and dispersed many of them were killed in the Pursuit and many taken Prisoners amongst the latter was Major General Stradling and divers other Officers The News of this Success was very welcome to all those that wished well to the Publick and proved a great Discouragement to the contrary Party The Petitioners of Surrey drew into a Body and in conjunction with the Kentish-men of the King's Party appointed their Rendezvouz upon Black heath But Sir Thomas Fairfax with that part of the Army which he had with him disappointed that Design by possessing himself of that Ground before them However the Enemy had brought together a considerable Body of Men many of whom were induced to come in upon Assurances given that they should be commanded by Mr. Hales a Gentleman of a great Estate in Kent tho afterwards the Lord Goring appeared at the Head of them as had been designed from the beginning Upon the Advance of Sir Thomas Fairfax his Army the Enemy who exceeded him in Number by one half at least divided their Body sending one part to possess themselves of Maidstone and
Army to advance himself it being manifest that the preferring this Accusation at that time was principally designed to take him off from his Command and thereby to weaken the Army that their Enemies might be the better enabled to prevail against them The Design of the King's Escape was still carried on but by the Vigilance of the Governour of the Isle of Wight and his Officers it was discovered and prevented The next Morning after the Discovery they found the Iron Bars of the King's Chamber-window eaten through by something applied to them Whereupon those who were to have been instrumental in his Escape not knowing otherwise how to revenge themselves on those who had defeated their Enterprize accused Major Rolfe a Captain in that Garison very active and vigilant in his Charge of a Design to kill the King raising such a Clamour about it that the Parliament thought not sit to decline the putting him upon his Trial but the Accusation appearing to the Grand Jury to be grounded upon Malice they refused to find the Bill About the same time Capt. Burleigh who had beat a Drum at Newport for the rescuing of the King was brought to his Trial and the Jury having found him guilty of High Treason he was executed according to the Sentence Those of the Enemies commanded by the Lord Goring who had fled into Essex grew to a considerable Number but being new-raised Men and not well acquainted one with another upon the Advance of our Army retreated to Colchester with a Body so much exceeding ours which pursued and besieged them in that Place that Commissary General Ireton compared the Town and those therein to a great Bee-hive and our Army to a small Swarm of Bees sticking on one side of it but the number of ours was soon increased by the Forces which the well-affected in the Counties of Essex Suffolk Norfolk and Cambridg sent to their Assistance The Earl of Holland who at the beginning of the Parliament had appeared active for them and afterwards leaving them had gone to the King at Oxford when he supposed him to grow strong then again returning to the Parliament upon the declining of the King's Affairs publishing a Declaration at his coming to London that he left the King because he saw the Irish Rebels so eminently favoured by him in this low Condition of the Parliament revolted again and formed a Party of about a thousand Horse with which he marched from London and declared against them accompanied by the Duke of Buckingham whose Sequestration upon the account of his Minority when he first engaged with the King the Parliament had freely remitted and the Lord Francis his Brother prevailing also with Dalbeir formerly Quarter-Master-General to the Earl of Essex to join with them Their Rendezvouz was appointed to be upon Bansted-Downs but the Vigilance of the Parliament was such that a Party of Horse and Foot was soon sent after them commanded by Sir Michael Lewesey who without much Dispute put those Courtly Gentlemen to the rout The Lord Francis presuming perhaps that his Beauty would have charmed the Souldiers as it had done Mrs. Kirke for whom he made a splendid Entertainment the Night before he left the Town and made her a Present of Plate to the Value of a thousand Pounds stayed behind his Company where unseasonably daring the Troopers and refusing to take Quarter he was killed and after his Death there was found upon him some of the Hair of Mrs. Kirk sew'd in a piece of Ribbon that hung next his Skin The rest fled towards St. Neots in the County of Huntington where being fallen upon again they were routed a second time in which Action the Parliament's Souldiers to express their Detestation of Dalbeir's Treachery hewed him in pieces The Earl of Holland was taken and sent Prisoner to Warwick-Castle but the Duke of Buckingham escaped and went over to France Pomfret-Castle being seized by some of the King's Party was besieged by the Country assisted by some of the Army Sir Hugh Cholmely commanding at the Siege but the Army finding little Progress made therein ordered Col. Rainsborough with more Forces thither appointing him to command in the room of Sir Hugh Cholmely Whilst he was preparing for that Service being at Doncaster ten or twelve Miles from Pomfret with a considerable Force in the Town a Party of Horse dismounting at his Quarters and going up as Friends to his Chamber under pretence of having business with him seized him first and upon his Refusal to go silently with them murdered him After his Death another Commander being appointed in his place to carry on the Siege those in the Castle were reduced to such Extremities that some of the most desperate of them resolved together with their Governour one Morris who had been Page to the Earl of Strassord to endeavour the breaking through our Forces on Horseback which they attempted and tho most of them were beaten back to the Castle by the Besiegers yet this Morris made his way through but was afterwards taken as he passed through the Country in the Disguise of a Beggar and carried to York where he was arraigned before Justice Thorpe and being found guilty of Treason was executed for the same Lieutenant General Cromwell with that part of the Army which was with him besieged the Town and Castle of Pembroke whither the chief of that Party that fled from St. Faggons had made their Retreat as I said before but wanting great Guns he was obliged to send for some to Glocester which with much difficulty were brought to him This Place detained the greatest part of our Army about six Weeks but it was remarkable that about the time the Scots were entring into England the Garison for want of Provisions was forced to capitulate and surrender upon Articles by which some of them were to remain Prisoners and others to be banished into Ireland for three Years amongst the latter were Col. Thomas Stradling Sir Henry Stradling Col. Button and Major Butler of the first were Col. Laughern Col. Poyer and Col. Powell Twenty Thousand Scots being upon their March into England under the Conduct of Duke Hamilton with about five Thousand English commanded by Sir Marmaduke Langdale some of us who had opposed the Lieutenant General 's Arbitrary Proceedings when we were convinced he acted to promote a selfish and unwarrantable Design now thinking our selves obliged to strengthen his Hands in that necessary Work which he was appointed to undertake writ a Letter to him to encourage him from the Consideration of the Justice of the Cause wherein he was engaged and the Wickedness of those with whom he was to encounter to proceed with Chearfulness assuring him that not withstanding all our Discouragements we would readily give him all the Assistance we could The House of Commons declared the Scots who had invaded England to be Enemies and ordered the Lieutenant General to advance towards them and fight them But the Lords in this doubtful Posture
thought fit to be proposed to the Parliament for their Approbation The five impowered to this end by the Parliament were Mr. John Lisle Mr. Cornelius Holland Mr. Luke Robinson Mr. Thomas Scot and Me who tho sensible of my Unfitness for so great a Work and of the Envy it would be attended with yet being required by my Country to assist in this Service I resolved to use the best of my Endeavours therein The Number agreed upon was thirty five which we filled up with such Persons as we thought best qualified with Integrity and Abilities sutable to so important a Station Four of them were Lords and the rest Commoners The House agreed to our Report only they were pleased to add us five to the number proposed by us The Parliament being desirous to exclude from their Places those who were likely to undo what they had done and yet unwilling to lose the Assistance of many honest Men who had been in the Country during the late Transactions passed an Order that such Members as had not sate since the Trial of the King should not be admitted to fit till the House should be particularly satisfied concerning them appointing the former five or any three of them to be a Committee to receive Satisfaction touching the Affections to the Publick Interest of every Member who had not sate since the time aforesaid and the Reasons of his Absence and to make their Report to the Parliament concerning them Prince Charles finding his Affairs in England to be in a desperate Condition concluded an Agreement with the Irish Rebels granting them full Indemnity for what they had hitherto acted and encouraging them to carry on their Cruelties against the English by his Commission The Lord Inchequin had already declared for him and joined with the Irish Rebels The Earl of Ormond was dispatched to Ireland for the same purpose and as a Pledg that Prince Charles would follow his Baggage and Horses were sent thither before The Scots fearing their Clergy would not be permitted long to insult over the People expressed themselves highly dissatisfied with our Proceedings in England and chose rather to espouse the Interest of Prince Charles than to enjoy the Fruit of what they had contended for against his Father publickly declaring that they were obliged by the Covenant to promote the Government of a King Lords and Commons which Government the Parliament of England had thought fit to alter We endeavoured to satisfy their Commissioners by shewing them the Reasons of our late Resolutions but they refusing to hear them returned home to their own Country where they found things disposed to an Accommodation with Prince Charles upon presumption that when by his Assistance they had destroyed the Sectarian Party as they called them they should be able to govern him well enough but he supposing he had an easier part to act with the Irish whose Principles were more sutable to his Inclinations refused to hearken to them at that time Col. Edward Popham Col. Richard Dean and Col. Robert Blake were appointed by the Parliament to command the Fleet the latter being designed with a Squadron to cruise upon the Irish Coast in order to meet and fight the Ships commanded by Prince Rupert Col. Popham was sent towards Lisbon to intercept the Portugal Fleet coming home from their Islands because they had protected some Ships that had revolted from us and sheltred them from our Fleet that was in pursuit of them and had offered some Affronts to our Agent Mr. Vane who was sent thither to endeavour a right Understanding between the two Nations General Dean with another Squadron was ordered to remain for the Service of the Channel This they did well understanding how great Reputation a considerable Fleet would give to their Affairs and of what Importance it is to this Nation always to guard the Seas and more particularly in that Conjuncture The Parliament much inclining to preserve a good Correspondence with the States General of the United Provinces sent Dr. Dorislaus into Holland to be their Agent there who a little after his Arrival at the Hague was assaulted by about ten Assassins English and Scots who broke into his Lodgings and murdered him and tho this Action was so infamous and contrary to the Right of Nations yet the Dutch were not very forward to find out the Criminals in order to bring them to Justice Mr. Ascham who was sent into Spain with a Publick Character also was used in the like manner by three Persons coming to his House at Madrid where pretending to be English Merchants they were admitted and as he saluted the first of them was struck into the Head by him with a Poniard and his Secretary endeavouring to make his Escape was killed with him The Murderers took Sanctuary in a Church but by an Order of State they were forced from thence and committed to Prison of which the Church-men loudly complained after their usual manner as an injurious violation of their Immunities The Squadron commanded by Col. Blake being first ready set fail for the Irish Coast where Prince Rupert thinking himself not in a condition to fight him retired with his Ships into the Harbour of Kingsale under the Protection of the Fort. Col. Popham was next dispatched with his Squadron for Portugal and was pleased to employ a Brother of mine as Lieutenant of that Ship which was commanded by himself The Spanish Ambassador was the first that made application to us from any Foreign State But the Parliament not being satisfied with the Address of his Credentials refused to receive them till it should be directed to the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England declaring that tho they did not affect any slattering Titles yet they resolved to have their Authority owned by all these who made their Addresses to them With which the Court of Spain being made acquainted the Ambassador received Instructions from the King his Master to that end and framed the Direction according to our Desires Our Affairs beginning to acquire Reputation and to carry a fair Probability of Success divers Members of Parliament who had been long absent addressed themselves to the Committee before mentioned in order to their admission to sit in Parliament and some of them would not scruple to give any Satisfaction that was desired to the Questions proposed unto them which were Whether they joined in or approved that I'ote declaring the King's Concessions a Ground for a future Settlement Whether they approved of the Proceedings against the King and whether they would engage to be true to a Commonwealth Government But we apprehending such extraordinary Expulsions as had been lately used to be extremely hazardous to the Publick Safety made it our Endeavour to keep those from a Re-admission who might necessitate another occasion of using the like Remedy And therefore tho all possible Satisfaction were given in Words we did by weighing the former Deportment of every particular Member who presented himself desire to be
this dismissing the Officer tho otherwise an useful Man from his Command for the same The next day we marched towards Clare-Castle and found the way so rocky that we rode near three Miles together upon one of them whereby most of our Horses cast their Shoes so that though every Troop came provided with Horse-shoes which were delivered to them out of the Stores yet before that day's March was over a Horse-shoe was sold sor five shillings The next morning the Lady Honoria Obryan Daughter to the late Earl of Thomond being accused of protecting the Goods and Cattle of the â—â—emy under pretence that they belonged to 〈◊〉 and thereby abusing the favour of the Deputy's Safeguard which he had granted to her came to him and being charged by him with it and told that he expected a more ingenuous Carriage from her she burst out into Tears and assured him if he would forgive her that she would never do the like again desiring me after the Deputy was withdrawn to intercede with him for the continuance of his favour to her which when I acquainted him with he said As much a Cynick as I am the Tears of this Woman moved me and thereupon gave order that his Protection should be continued to her From hence I would have attended him to Limerick but so much more care did he take of me than of himself that he would not suffer it desiring me to go that day being Saturday and quarter at Bonratto a House of the Earl of Thomond's in order to recover my health and to come to him on Monday morning at Limerick Accordingly I came and found the Deputy grown worse having been let blood and sweating exceedingly with a burning Fever at the same time Yet for all this he ceased not to apply himself to the Publick business settling Garisons and distributing Winter-quarters which was all that remained to be done of the Military Service for that year I endeavoured to perswade him as I had often done before that his immoderate Labours for his Country would much impair if not utterly destroy him but he had so totally neglected himself during the Siege of Limerick not putting off his Clothes all that time except to change his Linen that the malignant Humours which he had contracted wanting room to perspire became confined to his Body and rendred him more liable to be infected by the Contagion I was unwilling to leave him till I saw the event of his Distemper but he supposing my Family was by this time come to Dublin would not permit me to stay and I finding I could in no way be serviceable to him submitted to his desires I found the Commissioners of Parliament at Dublin and acquainted them with the State of Affairs in those Parts from whence I came and with the Resolutions taken by the Deputy at Limerick but soon after my arrival the sad news of his Death was brought to us which was universally lamented by all good Men more especially because the Publick was thereby deprived of a most faithful able and useful Servant The Commissioners of Parliament taking into their consideration what method to observe in that Conjuncture and presuming that my Command in the Army was next to that of the Deputy resolved by a Letter to acquaint the Officers of our Forces in Ireland with their judgment and to require them to yield Obedience to me accordingly I earnestly desired them to forbear sending any such Letter which I did not out of a feigned modesty but from a real sense of the weight of such an Undertaking and my own inability to perform the duty of that important Station For tho the Work seemed to be almost finished yet there remained great Difficulties behind the Enemy possessing some strong Places and Islands and having many thousands yet in the Field there being also in the Parliament's Pay between seven and eight thousand Horse and Dragoons with above two and twenty thousand Foot For these and other Reasons I desired them that they would reserve the Power to themselves till the Parliament should send over some Person to undertake that Employment which they might do soon enough the season of Action being already past the Troops dispersed into their Winter-quarters and nothing of importance likely to be done before the next Spring acquainting them that being one of their number I could be as serviceable in their Deliberations and Resolutions as if I were entrusted with the sole Power But all that I could say was not sufficient to disswade them from sending the Letter before mentioned and tho it met with a general submission yet I resolved not to undertake any thing without their Advice and Consent which they readily promised to afford me Some of General Cromwell's Relations who were not ignorant of his vast Designs now on foot caused the Body of the Lord Deputy Ireton to be transported into England and solemnly interred at Westminster in a magnificent Monument at the Publick Charge Who if he could have foreseen what was done by them would certainly have made it his desire that his Body might have found a Grave where his Soul left it so much did he despise those pompous and expensive Vanities having erected for himself a more glorious Monument in the hearts of good Men by his affection to his Country his abilities of Mind his impartial Justice his diligence in the Publick Service and his other Vertues which were a far greater Honour to his Memory than a Dormitory amongst the Ashes of Kings who for the most part as they had governed others by their Passions so were they themselves as much governed by them The Isles of Scilly and Man were reduced to the Obedience of the Commonwealth but nothing extraordinary happening at their reduction at least not coming to my knowledg I purposely omit the relation of those Actions About this time we were informed that Sir George Ayscue who had been sent by the Parliament to the Western Islands which still continued in Arms against them arrived at the Barbadoes on the 26 th of October 1651. and having opened a Passage into the Harbour by firing some great Shot seized upon twelve of their Ships without opposition The next morning he sent a Summons to the Lord Willoughby to submit to the Authority of the Parliament of England but he not acknowledging any such Power declared his Resolution to keep the Island for the King's Service But the News of the Defeat of the Scots and their King at Worcester being brought to Sir George Ayscue together with an intercepted Letter from the Lady Willoughby containing the same Account he summoned him a second time and accompanied his Summons with his Lady's Letter to assure him of the truth of that report But the Lord Willoughby relying upon his Numbers and the fewness of those that were sent to reduce him being in all but fifteen Sail returned an Answer of the like substance with the former Whereupon Sir George Ayscue sent two
hundred Men on shore commanded by Captain Morrice to attack a Quarter of the Enemies that lay by the Harbour which they executed Successfully by taking the Fort and about forty Prisoners with four Pieces of Cannon which they nailed up and returned on board again At this time the Virginia Fleet arriving at the Barbadoes it was thought fit to send a third Summons to the Lord Willoughby but finding that neither this nor the Declaration sent to them by the Commissioners of Parliament to the same purpose produced any effect Sir George Ayscue landed seven hundred Men from his own and the Virginia Fleet giving the Command of them to the same Captain Morrice who fell upon thirteen hundred of the Enemies Foot and three Troops of their Horse and beat them from their Works killing many of their Men and taking about a hundred Prisoners with all their Guns The Loss on our side was inconsiderable few of ours being killed upon the place and not above thirty wounded Yet these Successes were not sufficient to accomplish the Work there being above five thousand Horse and Foot in the Island and our Virginia Fleet preparing to depart for want of Provisions In this conjuncture Colonel Muddiford who commanded a Regiment in the Island by the means of a Friend that he had in our Fleet made his Terms and declared for the Parliament Many of his Friends following his Example did the like and in conjunction with him encamped under the protection of our Fleet. Upon this the most part of the Island were inclined to join us but the Lord Willoughby prevented them by placing Guards on all the Avenues to our Camp and designed to charge our Men with his Body of Horse wherein he was much superior to them had not a Cannon-Ball that was fired at random beat open the door of a Room where he and his Council of War were sitting which taking off the Head of the Sentinel who was placed at the door so alarmed them all that he changed his design and retreated to a Place two Miles distant from the Harbour Our Party consisting of two thousand Foot and one hundred Horse advancing towards him he desired to treat which being accepted Colonel Muddiford Colonel Collyton Mr. Searl and Captain Pack were appointed Commissioners by Sir George Ayscue and by the Lord Willoughby Sir Richard Pierce Mr. Charles Pym Colonel Ellis and Major Byham By these it was concluded that the Islands of Barbadoes Mevis Antego and St. Christophers should be surrendered to the Parliament of England That the Lord Willoughby Colonel Walrond and some others should be restored to their Estates and that the Inhabitants of the said Isles should be maintained in the quiet enjoyment of what they possessed on condition to do nothing to the prejudice of the Commonwealth This News being brought to Virginia they submitted also where one Mr. George Ludlow a Relation of mine served the Parliament in the like manner as Col. Muddiford had done at the Barbadoes The Parliament of England being desirous after all these Successes to convince even their Enemies that their principal design was to procure the happiness and prosperity of all that were under their Government sent Commissioners to Scotland to treat concerning an Union of that Nation with England in one Common-wealth directing them to take care till that could be effected that Obedience should be given to the Authority of the Parliament of the Common wealth of England The Commissioners appointed to this end on the part of the Parliament were Sir Henry Vane the Chief Justice St. Johns Mr. Fenwick Major Salloway Major General Lambert Colonel Titchborn Major General Dean and Colonel Monk This Proposition of Union was chearfully accepted by the most iudicious amongst the Scots who well understood how great a condescension it was in the Parliament of England to permit a People they had conquered to have a part in the Legislative Power The States-General being highly displeased with the late Act of Navigation passed by the Parliament which they accounted to be a great obstruction to their Trade resolved to leave no means unattempted to procure it to be repealed To this end they sent three Ambassadors to England who pretending a desire to finish the Treaty begun formerly between the Two States requested that things might be as they were at the time of our Ambassador's departure from Holland designing thereby that the Act lately passed for the Encouragement of our Seamen should be suspended and all such Merchandizes restored as had been seized from the Dutch by virtue of the said Act. The Parliament refusing to consent to this Proposal the States-General gave Orders for the equipping a considerable Fleet consisting of about a hundred Ships of War giving notice to the Parliament by their Ambassadors of these Preparations and assuring them that they were not design'd to offend the English Nation with whom they desired to maintain a friendly Correspondence and that they were provided to no other end than to protect their own Subjects in their Trade and Navigation But the Parliament being unwilling to rely upon the Promises of those who by their past and present Actions had manifested little Friendship to us resolved to make what Preparations they could to defend themselves This Alarm awakened us to a diligent performance of our duty in Ireland fearing that the Hollanders might transport some foreign Forces by their Fleet to the Assistance of the Irish who were not only still numerous in the Field but had also divers Places of Strength to retreat to Our Suspicions were farther increased by the Advices we received of a Treaty on foot between the Duke of Lorain and Theobald Viscount Taff with other Irish to bring the Forces of that Duke into Ireland against us in order to extirpate all Hereticks out of that Nation to re-establish the Romish Religion in all Parts of it and to restore the Irish to their Possessions all which being performed he should deliver up the Authority to the King of Great Britain and assist him against his Rebellious Subjects in England That all Ireland should be ingaged for his Re-imbursement That Galway Limerick Athenree Athlone Waterford and the Fort of Duncannon should be put into his hands as Cautionary Places with other things of the same nature The Report of this Agreement being spread amongst the Irish encouraged them to make all possible Opposition against us in expectation of the promised Succours The Commissioners of the Parliament on the other hand laboured with all diligence to dispose their Affairs in the best manner they could for the Publick Service in order to which they sent to the several Commanders of our Army to excite them to the discharge of their Duty making provision of Arms Ammunition Clothes Tents and all things necessary to the carrying on the War in the ensuing Spring A general Meeting of Officers was also appointed to be held at Kilkenay to consult about the best Method of employing our Arms against the
and the other being very much shatter'd sunk down as our Men were carrying her off The Council of State having received an Account of this Action made their Report of it to the Parliament who passed a Vote for the justification of General Blake and resolving to have Satisfaction for this Assault placed a Guard upon the Dutch Ambassadors at their Lodgings in Chelsey and sent General Cromwell and Mr. Denis Bond a Member of Parliament down to the Fleet with Assurances that nothing should be wanting for their Encouragement The Event of this Undertaking not answering the Expectations of the Hollanders serving only to provoke the English Nation and to publish their own Dishonour they endeavoured to make the World as well as the Parliament believe that the Quarrel was begun by General Blake or at least that what had been done was not by their Orders and therefore desired that the Treaty might go on and that the Prisoners taken in the late Fight might be restored To this end they sent over the Heer Paw of Heemsted to carry on the Treaty in conjunction with the Ambassadors they had sent before into England This Minister was received with all the usual Demonstrations of Honour and being admitted to Audience pressed for an Accommodation of all Differences and a Cessation of all Acts of Hostility between the two Nations assuring the Parliament that his Masters had given Orders to their Ships to strike to the English Flag in the same manner as had been practised in former times But being demanded to shew his Powers he produced nothing save Letters of Credence and Passports referring himself to the other Ambassadors in that Point with whom he made some General Propositions to the Parliament and desired them to declare their Demands By these Proceedings of the Dutch the Parliament perceiving that this Difference was not like to be decided by a Treaty contented themselves to require Satisfaction for the Injuries received and Assurance that nothing of that nature should be attempted for the future which if the Ambassadors would consent to they declared themselves ready to proceed in the Treaty and to grant a Cessation of Arms. But so little were they disposed to give the Satisfaction demanded that they made no farther mention of the Cessation which they had so earnestly pressed and having taken their Audience of Leave they broke off the Treaty abruptly and returned home In Ireland tho the Number of those that submitted on condition to be transported into foreign Service was so great that they became a great Burden to us before we could procure Shipping for their Transportation and tho the Enemy had received several Defeats by our Forces during the Winter wherein many of them had been killed and taken yet they continued to make Incursions into our Quarters carrying away Cattel and other Booty and having lately seized upon the Horses belonging to two Troops of Dragoons they were so encouraged that Sir Walter Dungan Commissary General of the Enemies Horse and Capt. Scurlock a forward Officer and one who had done us much Mischief with five hundred Foot and two hundred and fifty Horse marched into Wexford with a Design to plunder that County Lieutenant Colonel Throgmorton who commanded in those Parts having informed us of their March we sent two Troops of Horse to his Assistance who with them and about four hundred Foot charged the Enemy upon their Return and after some Dispute routed them killing two hundred of them upon the Place and many more with divers Officers in the Pursuit besides several of the Irish taken Prisoners with the Loss of about twenty killed and a hundred wounded on our side The Booty which the Enemy had gotten consisting chiefly in five hundred Cows was all recovered The Season of Action advancing the Commissioners of Parliament went to Kilkenny as well to confer with the Officers from all Parts of Ireland as to make the necessary Preparations for the ensuing Service of which the Earl of Westmeath who commanded the Enemies Forces in Leinster having notice sent to desire a safe Conduct for Commissioners to be named by them to treat with us at Kilkenny on their behalf which being granted they appointed Commissary General Dungan Lewis Viscount of Glanmaliere Sir Robert Talbot Sir Richard Barnwel Col. Walter Bagnol Col. Lewis Moor and Col. Thomas Tyrrell to be their Commissioners And on our part Commissary General Reynolds Col. Hewetson Col. Lawrence Col. Axtel Adjutant General Allen Major Henry Owen and Mr. James Standish Deputy-Treasurer of the Army were commissionated to treat and conclude with them in conformity to such Instructions as they received from a General Council and after several days Conference the Commissioners on each part came to an Agreement upon Terms that were the same in substance with those formerly granted to Col. Edmund Odonryer and his Party with liberty left for the Lord Muskerry Major General Taaf and other Commanders of the Irish in the Provinces of Mâ—nster Connaught and Vlster yet in Arms to come in and accept of the same Conditions within a limited time The Articles were approved by the Earl of Westmeath on the behalf of the Irish and on the part of the Commonwealth of England by Me as Commander in chief of their Forces in Ireland In the mean time the Committee appointed by the Parliament for the Reformation of the Law in England made a considerable progress in that matter Judges were also sent into Scotland for the Administration of Justice there which they performed to the great satisfaction of that People The Parliament also appointed a Committee to consider of means to set at work all the Poor throughout the Nation and to make Provision for such as were not able to work that there might be no Beggar in England In Scotland our Forces having reduced the Castle of Dunotter which was the last Garison of that Nation that held out against the Parliament of England it was resolved to make four considerable Forts one at Inverness another at Leith a third at Ayre and a fourth at St. Johnstoâ—n and because the Enemy being entirely beaten out of the Field was retired to the mountainous Parts which to that time had been accounted inaccessible by the English it was agreed to endeavour to clear those Places of them also being perswaded that where any went before others might follow after To this end our Men were divided into three Parties the first consisted of Colonel Overcon's Regiment of Foot and a Regiment of Horse commanded by Major Blackmore The second of Colonel Hacker's Regiment of Horse and one of Foot commanded by Colonel Lilburn and the third was composed of the Regiment of Horse of Major General Dean and of a Regiment of Foot belonging to Lieutenant General Monk Each of these having a Party of Dragoons to attend them rendezvouzed at Loughaber and from thence fell separately into the Enemy's Quarters where they killed many of them and burned their Provisions pursuing them so