Franciscus Haraeus compiled Annals of the bloody and fierce Warres in the Netherlands when some of those Provinces fell from the obedience of Philip the second King of Spaine Which businesse he relates in such a way as must in probability lead a Reader to believe that the King and his Officers were altogether innocent and the people of those Countries the only causers of their own Calamity Meteranus wrote the History of those very times which who so reads must needs make a contrary censure concerning the occasion of that Warre The like discrepancy hath been found in Historians of all ages and Nations and therefore not to be much wondred at if it now happen But that which of all other is most likely to be differently related because informations will not agree in such a distance is concerning the actions of Warre and Souldiery and in the time of this Warre it is a thing of extreme difficulty I might say of impossibility for those of one Party to be truly informed of all the Councels or the very Performances and Actions of Commanders and Souldiers on the other side How much valour the English Nation on both sides have been guilty of in this unnaturall Warre the World must needs know in the generall fame But for particulars how much Worth Vertue and Courage some particular Lords Gentlemen and others have shewed unlesse both sides do write will never perfectly be known My residence hath bin during these Wars in the quarters and under the protection of the Parliament and whatsoever is briefly related of the Souldiery being toward the end of this Book is according to that light which I discerned there For whatsoever I have missed concerning the other Party I can make no other Apology then such as Meteranus whom I named before doth in the Preface to his History De Belguis tumultibus Whose words are thus Quòd plura de Reformatorum patriae defensorum quà m de Partis adversaere bus gestis exposuerìm mirum haudquaquam est quoniam plus Commercii familiaritatis mihi cum ipsis major indagandi opportunitas furt Si Pars adversaidem tali probitate praestiterit ediderit Posteritas gesta omnia legere liquido cognoscere magno cum fructu poterit In like manner may I averre that if in this discourse more particulars are set down concerning the actions of those men who defended the Parliament then of them that warred against it it was because my conversation gave me more light on that side to whom as I have indeavoured to give no more then what is due so I have cast no blemishes on the other nor bestowed any more characters then what the truth of Story must require If those that write on the other side will use the same candour there is no feare but that posterity may receive a full information concerning the unhappy distractions of these Kingdoms This I must adde that to inform the world of the right nature causes and growth of these Distractions it will require that the Discourse begin from precedent times which I shall indeavour to deduce down to the present with as much brevity as the necessity of unfolding truth can possibly admit Neither is it needful to begin the Story from times of any great distance or to mention the Government of our most ancient Princes but from that Prince fresh in the memory of some yet living who first established the Reformed Religion in this Kingdome and according to that 〈◊〉 a new interest in the State which was most behoofefull and requisite for her Successors to follow and much conducing besides the glory of Almighty God to their own Honour Power and Greatnesse THE CONTENTS BOOK I. CHAP. I. WHerein is a short mention of Queene Elizabeth King James and the beginning of King Charles his Reign His two first Parliaments Of the War with Spaine and France The death of the Duke of Buckingham And the third Parliament of King Charles 1 CHAP. II. A briefe Relation of some grievances of the Kingdome The various opinions of men concerning the present Government The condition of the Court and Clergy of England Some observations of a stranger concerning the Religion of the English people 15 CHAP. III. The condition of the Scottish State and Clergy when the new Booke of Lyturgy was sent unto them how it was received with some effects which followed The Kings Proclamation sent by the Earle of Traquare against which the Lords make a Protestation 27 CHAP. IV. The Scots enter into a Covenant The Marquesse Hamilton is sent thither from the King A Nationall Synod is granted to them but dissolved within few daies by the Marquesse as Commissioner from the King The King declares against the Covenanters and raises an Army to subdue them 38 CHAP. V. The 〈◊〉 of the English People from this Warre with Scotland 〈◊〉 King advanceth to Yorke with his Army The prepaâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 the Scottish Covenanters A Pacification is made and 〈◊〉 Armies disbanded Another Preparation for Warre with â—â—â—â—land A Parliament called to begin in England on the 13 of 〈◊〉 The Parliament of Scotland is broken off by command of 〈◊〉 to the Earle of Traquare 46 CHAP. VI. The Parliament beginneth in England but is soone dissolved The Clergy continue their Convocation The Scots enter into England Some passages of the War A Parliament is called to begin on the third of November A Truce between the Armies for two Moneths 58 CHAP. VII The beginning of the English Parliament Grievances examined Sufferers relieved Delinquents questioned The Archbishop of Canterbury committed to the Tower The flight of Secretary WINDEBANKE and of the Lord Keeper FINCH 70 CHAP. VIII The Tryall and death of the Earle of Strafford Conspiracies detected during the agitation of it An Act for continuance of this present Parliament With a mention of that Grant of the Trienniall Parliament in February before 87 CHAP. IX Allowance of money from the English Parliament to the Scots The vast Charge of disbanding the two Armies The great Taxations for that purpose and the manner of Poll Money The people take a Protestation An Act for putting down the High Commission Court and Starre-Chamber with other occurrences of that time The Queene Mother departeth England The King goeth into Scotland 103 BOOK II. CHAP. I. A Standing Committee during the Recesse of both Houses of Parliament The Rebellion of the Irish and Massacre of the â—testants there Some indeavours of the English Parliament 〈◊〉 relief of that Kingdom 1 CHAP. II. The King returneth out of Scotland and is pompoushly entertained by the City of London The Remonstrance is published by the Parliament The King entreth into the House of Commons The 〈◊〉 of the 12. Bishops and how it was censured by the Lords and Commons Divers unhappy obstructions of the relief of Ireland 16 CHAP. III. The Queen passeth into Holland with her Daughter the Princesse Mary Difference between the King and Parliament concerning the Militia The
King goeth toward York and is followed with a Petition from the Lords and Commons to Theobalds and another Declaration to Newmarket The King is denyed entrance into Hull by Sir John Hotham 38 CHAP. IV. Many Members of both Houses leave the Parliament and repaire to the King Nine of the Lords who first went away are impeached by the Commons and censured by the Peers The Great Seal is carried away from London to York Some Votes of Parliament concerning the Kings Proceedings A Petition with nineteen Propositions sent from the Parliament to the King 58 CHAP. V. An Order for bringing in of Plate and Money into Guild-Hall The Kings Declaration to the Lords about him Their Profession and Protestation to him The King layeth Siege to Hull but raiseth it again The Earl of Warwick taketh possession of the Navy as Lord Admirall The Earl of Essex is voted in Parliament to be Lord Generall of all their Forces 83 CHAP. VI. A brief Relation of the condition of divers Counties in England when the Parliaments Ordinance for the Militia and the Kings Commission of Array were put in execution With a mention of some Lords and otherswho were actors on either side The Lord Mayor of London committed to the Tower and sentenced by the Parliament A mention of some Declarations Messages and Answers that passed between the King and the two Houses of Parliament 99 BOOK III. CHAP. I. PRince Rupert and Prince Maurice arrive in England The Earl of Essex taking leave of the Parliament goeth to his Command The King increaseth in strength at Shrewsbury A Skirmish at Worcester The great Battell of Keynton is fought 1 CHAP. II. The Parliament send to the King concerning an Accommodation A fight at Brainford Another Treaty with the King begun and broken of Reading besieged by the Lord Generall Essex and surrendred to him A Conspiracy to betray Bristoll A treacherous Plot against the Parliament and City of London discovered and prevented 29 CHAP. III. Matters of State trans-acted in Parliament touching the Assembly of Divines The making of a new Great Seale Impeaching the Queen of High Treason and other things The Lord Generall Essex after some Marches returneth to quarter his wasted and sick Army about Kingston The Kings Forces Masters of the West The Earl of Newcastle his greatnesse in the North. Some mention of the Earle of Cumberland and the Lord FAIRFAX 47 CHAP. IV. Some Actions of Sir Thomas Fairfax in the North. The Queen lands in England The revolt of Sir Hugh Cholmley and the two Hothams The state of this Warre in the Westerne parts The condition of the Associated Counties A short relation of Sir William Waller his Actions of Colonell Cromwell Sir William Brereton and Sir John Gell. 63 CHAP. V. The death of the Lord Brooke and of the Earle of Northampton A short mention of some Actions in divers Counties The low condition of the Parliament at that time The Siege of Gloucester 85 CHAP. VI. The Expedition of the Lord Generall Essex for reliefe of Gloucester The great Battell of Newbury described 101 THE HISTORY OF THE PARLIAMENT OF England CHAP. I. Wherein is a short mention of Queene ELIZABETH King JAMES and the beginning of King CHARLES his Reigne his two first Parliaments Of the Warre with Spaine and France The death of the Duke of BUCKINGHAM And the third Parliament of King CHARLES QUeene ELIZABETH of glorious Memory together with that great Stock of Wealth and Honour which her prudent and just Government had brought to the English Nation had enriched them besides with a greater Treasure which we may justly account the cause of all the rest Religion reformed from Popish Superstition That Reformation engaged the Queene in a new Interest of State to side with the Protestants against those Potent Monarchs of the other Religion which seemed at the beginning as much danger and disadvantage to her as it proved in conclusion security and Honour so impossible it is for any disadvantage to prevaile over them that helpe the Lord against the Mighty That Storme from France which so much threatned the weake beginnings of her Reigne was suddenly blowne over by the death of HENRY the second and some few Moneths after of his Sonne FRANCIS who had married the Queene of Scotland the danger which remained greatest was from Spaine where PHILIP the second then reigned a Prince not greater in Dominion Treasure and Armies then deeply engaged against the Protestant Religion by the instigation and assistance of the Jesuites an Order which in the Age before had beene highly counrenanced by Pope PAUL the third in opposition to the Gospell-Doctrine that then began to spread apace in Germany and other parts The whole Order of Iesuites as endeavouring to set up one Temporall Kingdome of Christendome suitable to the Papall Hierarchy applyed their service altogether to the Monarchy of Spaine as being then far the greatest in Europe and fittest for their purpose by the late uniting of so many Kingdomes and Dutchies under the person of CHARLES the Emperour who by a fortunate birthright inherited together with Casule and Arragon and all the great Acquisitions of his Grandfather FERDINAND in Italy and the West Indies the rich and usefull patrimony of his Father PHILIP Burgundy and the Netherlands all these he had left intirely to his Sonne PHILIP who to so large a Territory had made that strong addition of the Kingdome of Portugall and might seeme an Enemy too mighty for England and all the Protestants of Europe to oppose But Queene ELIZABETH had woven the interest of her own State so inseparably into the cause of Religion it selfe that it was hard to overthrow one without the ruine of the other And God who had given her so much grace and courage as to rely wholly upon him did with that Almighty hand not onely hold her up from sinking but lift her above the heads of all her enemies By what degrees and means she atchieved the great Actions of her reigne and brought so much prosperity to her Nation it is not the scope of this discourse to relate at large for her History is not the worke in hand but only in briefe to declare that before her death she was the happy instrument of God to promote the Protestant Religion in all parts She curbed the Spanish greatnesse by supporting France from ruine to give some balance to the other as she preserved Scotland from being swallowed up by the French before She protected the Hollanders against him vanquished his Armies both by Land and Sea with many other such things as might seeme too much to be the atchievements of one Reigne And last of all she reduced Ireland wholly to obedience notwithstanding all the subtill machinations of Spain and open assistance given in Armes to her Irish Rebels All which she accomplished by the justice and prudence of her government by making the right use of her Subjects hearts hands and Purses in a Parliamentary way as also securing
those licentious extravagances which unto that age and foâ—tune are not only incident but almost thought excusable But some men suspended their hopes as doubting what to finde of a Prince so much and so long reserved for he had never declared himselfe of any Faction or scarse interposed in any State affaires though some things had been managed in his fathers Reigne with much detriment to his owne present and future fortunes Yet that by the people in generall was well censured as an effect of his piety and obedience to the King his father and happy presages gathered from it That so good an obeyer would prove a just Ruler They wondered also to see him suddenly linked in such an intire friendship with the Duke of BUCKINGHAM for extraordinary Favourites do usually eclipse and much depresse the Heire apparent of a Crowne or else they are conceived so to do and upon that reason hated and ruined by the succeeding Prince in which kinde all ancient and moderne Stories are full of examples In the beginning of King CHARLES his Reigne a Parliament was called and adjourned to Oxford the plague raging extremely at London where the Duke of BUCKINGHAM was highly questioned but by the King not without the griefe and sad presage of many people that private affections would too much prevaile in him against the publike he was protected against the Parliament which for that onely purpose was dissolved after two Subsidies had been given and before the Kingdome received reliefe in any one grievance as is expressed in the first and generall Remonstrance of this present Parliament where many other unhappy passages of those times are briefly touched as that the King immediately after the dissolution of that Parliament contrived a Warre against Spaine in which the designe was unhappily laid and contrary to the advice which at that time had been given by wise men who perswaded him to invade the West Indies a way no doubt farre more easie and hopefull for England to prevaile against Spaine then any other instead of that the King with great expence of Treasure raised an Army and Fleet to assault Cales the Duke of BUCKINGHAM bearing the Title both of Admirall and Generall though he went not himselfe in person but the matter was so ordered that the expedition proved altogether successelesse and as dishonourable as expensive They complained likewise of another designe which indeed was much lamented by the people of England in generall about that time put in practice a thing destructive to the highest interest of the Nation the maintenance of Protestant Religion a Fleet of English Ships were set forth and delivered over to the French by whose strength all the Sea forces of Rochell were scattered and destroyed a losse to them irrecoverable and the first step to their ruine Neither was this loane of Ships from England for such was the peoples complaint and suspition against those who at that time stood at the Helme supposed to proceed so much from friendship to the State of France as from designe against Religion for immediately upon it the King by what advice the people understood not made a breach with France by taking their Ships to a great value without making any recompence to the English whose Goods were thereupon imbarr'd and confiscate in that Kingdome In revenge of this a brave Army was raised in England and commanded by the Duke of BUCKINGHAM in person who landing at the Isle of Rhea was at the first encounter victorious against the French but after few Moneths stay there the matter was so unhappily carried the Generall being unexperienced in Warlike affaires that the French prevailed and gave a great defeat where many gallant Gentlemen lost their lives and the Nation much of their ancient Honour From thence proceeded another step to the ruine of Rochell the sick and wounded English were sent into that City and relieved by the besieged Rochellers out of that little provision which they then had upon faithfull promise of supplies from England in the same kinde The provisions of Rochell were little enough for their owne reliefe at that time if we consider what ability the French King had to continue that siege when to the proper wealth and greatnesse of his Crowne was added that reputation and strength which his late successe against all the other Protestant Garrisons in France had brought The besieged Rochellers not doubting at all of the due and necessary supply of Victuall from England sent their Ships thither for that purpose but those Ships whose returne with bread was so earnestly expected were stayed in England by an Imbargo and so long stayed till that unhappy Towne was enforced to yeeld by famine the sharpest of all Enemies But in the meane time whilest these Ships with Victuall were detained a great Army was raised in England for reliefe of Rochell but too great was the delay of those preparations till time was past and that Army in the end disbanded by the sad death of the Duke of BUCKINGHAM their Generall who was stabbed at Portsmouth by a private Gentleman JOHN FELTON This FELTON was a Souldier of a low stature and no promising aspect of disposition serious and melancholly but religious in the whole course of his life and conversation which last I do not mention out of purpose to countenance his unlawfull act as supposing him to have had as some did then talke any inspiration or calling of God to it His confessions to his friends both publike and private were That he had often secret motions to that purpose which he had resisted and prayed against and had almost overcome untill he was at last confirmed in it by reading the late dissolved Parliaments Remonstrance against the Duke That then his conscience told him it was just and laudable to be the executioner of that man whom the highest Court of Judicature the representative body of the Kingdome had condemned as a Traytor But let Posterity censure it as they please certain it is that FELTON did much repent him of the unlawfulnesse of the fact out of no feare of death or punishment here for he wished his hand cut off before the execution which his Jugdes could not doome by the Lawes of England The King had not long before broken off another Parliament called in the second yeare of his Reigne in which the Petition of Right was granted to the great rejoycing of the people But it proved immediately to be no reliefe at all to them for the Parliament presently dissolved the King acted over the same things which formerly he had done and that grant instead of fortifying the Kingdomes Liberty made it appeare to be more defencelesse then before that Lawes themselves were no barre against the Kings will The Parliament in hope of gracious Acts had declared an intent to give his Majesty five Subsidies the full proportion of which five Subsidies was after the dissolution of that Parliament exacted by Commission of Loane from the people and those
to declare unto them in a Parliament which former Princes used to call upon lesse occasions but not revealing the proceedings of it to the Body of his Privy Councell acquainting onely some of them whom he thought fittest for his purpose as the King himselfe expresseth in two places of his owne Booke intituled A large Declaration concerning the late tumults in Scotland pag. 76. and page 126. in fine the Scots are declared Rebels and the King in Person with an English Army richly furnished is going to chastise them CHAP. V. The aversenesse of the English people from this Warre with Scotland The King advanceth to Yorke with his Army The preparation of the Scottish Covenanters A pacification is made and both Armies disbanded Another preparation for Warre with Scotland A Parliament called to begin in England on the 13. of April The Parliament of Scotland is broken off by command of the King to the Earle of Traquare NEver were the people of England so averse from any Warre as neither hating the Enemy against whom nor approving the cause for which they were engaged Their owne great sufferings made them easily believe that the Scots were innocent and wronged by the same hand by which themselves had beene oppressed and for the cause it was such wherein they could not desire a Victory supposing that the same Sword which subdued the Scots must destroy their owne Liberties and that the contrivers of this Warre were equall Enemies to both Nations Nor was this onely the thought of wisest Gentlemen but the common people in generall were sensible of the mutuall interest of both Kingdomes Those Courtiers who were in all things wholly complyant to the Kings will did also dislike this Warre with Scotland though not for the same reason which the forenamed did as not considering the cause or quarell but the disadvantage of the Warre it selfe Those disadvantages they used to vent in contemptuous expressions of the poverty of Scotland That nothing could be gotten from such wretched Enemies That the King were happy if with his Honour he might suffer it to be rid of that Kingdome and would be a great gainer by the losse of it The younger Courtiers were usually heard to wish Scotland under water or that the old Wall of SEVERUS the Emperour were now re-edified Those Courtiers that were of a graver discourse did likewise seeme to feare the consequence of this bâ—sinesse and I remember would daily mention the Story of CHARLES Duke of Burgundy his pressing of a Warre upon the Swissers and what PHILIP DE COMMINES relates about the Battell of Granson that the Duke lost to the value of three millions of Crownes all which he fondly ventured against so wretched a people that it is there expressed if all the Swissers had been taken Prisoners they would not be able to pay a Ransom to the value of the Spurres and Bridle-bits in his Campe And very frequent in their mouthes was that Verse Curandum in primis ne magna injuria fiat Fortibus miseris Juvenal Take heed of offering too great injuries To people stout and poore But the people of England though they abhorred the very thought of that unnaturall Warre yet glad they seemed to be that such an occasion happened which might in reason necessitate the King to call an English Parliament and so by accident redresse the many grievances of England Which might also prevent the feare of such Warres for the future and bring a just punishment upon those who were sound to be the Authors or assistors of this present disturbance But the King though resolved to pursue his designe of Warre rather then take the advice of a Parliament was content to want the aid of it and to seeke supplies of a lower condition Great sums of money he borrowed from the chiefe Nobility and required proportionable Loanes from all the Judges and Officers but specially the Clergy of all ranks were liberall in contribution to this War which was then called by many men Bellum Episcopale All Courtiâ—â—s as well extraordinary as ordinary were summoned to attend the King in Person with Horse and Armes in a proportion suitable to their rankes By whom and such voluntiers of the Gentry as came in to gaine His Majesties favour with old Souldiers that imbraced it as their profession a gallant Army was made up Yorke was appointed for the Rendezvouze and the Earle of ARUNDELL Commander in chiefe The King as it was well knowne had beene advertised by many and especially by the prosecuted Bishops who were fled out of Scotland that the Scottish Covenanters were in no sort able to resist him That scarce any English Army at all would be needfull to fight but onely to appeare and His Majesty would finde a party great enough in Scotland to do the worke And indeed much might have been done in that kinde if the Lords of the Covenant had not used a most dexterous and timely prevention which is as necesssry in a defensive as an offensive Warre For besides the feared incursion of the English upon their Borders and what invasion the Deputy of Ireland on the Westerne Coast might make together with the Earle of ANTRIM and his Forces from the Hebrides the Marquesse HUNTLEY in the North and Marquesse DUGLAS towards the Southerne parts with the Earle of HETH were to be feared and the Towne of Aberden to be secured before it could fortifie to receive the Kings Fleet. All which with timely care was undertaken and provided against by severall Lords as ARGILE for the West MONTROSSE for the North Colonell MONROE for the South The most considerable Forts in that Kingdome were taken in at the beginning without any blood or resistance and furnished by them with Ammunition as Edenburgh and Dun-Britain and the Haven of Leeth to secure Edenburgh suddenly fortified All Neuters or suspected persons they disarmed without tumult The Castle of Dalketh they scaled and tooke with all the warlike provision which had been brought into it by Marquesse HAMILTON the yeare before In that Castle they found the Kings Crowne Scepter and Sword which in great state and solemnity were carried from thence by the greatest Noblemen and layed up in Edenburgh Castle The Covenanting Lords at the same time published a long Remonstrance in answer to the Kings Proclamation against them the 27. of February and to satisfie the people of England concerning their proceedings and intents The Marquesse HAMILTON arrived at Forth with a Fleet in May and sent Letters to the Governour of Edenburgh to obey the Kings Commands and especially to publish in Edenburgh that Proclamation which had been by the King proclaimed at Yorke upon the 25â— of Aprill wherein among other things the Rents and Debts due to Covenanters from Tenants and others are forbidden to be paid to them The Governour desired the Marquesse to expect an answer till the Parliament sate which was to begin within few daies who returned answer to the Marquesse That they could not
expected and obtruded upon Ireland when not desired Many particulars of that nature were expressed in the Scottish Remonstrance CHAP. VI. The Parliament beginneth in England but is soone dissolved The Clergy continue their Convocation The Scots enter into England Some passages of the Warre A Parliament is called to begin on the third of November A Truce betweene the Armies for two Moneths VPon the thirteenth of Aprill the Parliament began when the King produced that forenamed writing of his Scottish Subjects to the French King as an apparent token of their disloyalty and a necessity in him of chastising them by Armes for which he had already made so great a preparation as required a present supply of money from this Parliament To the same purpose that the King had briefly expressed himself the Lord Keeper FINCH in a long and eloquent Oration dilated the businesse Twelve Subsidies were demanded by the King in lieu of which the release of Ship-Money was promised to which demand answer was made by divers Members of the House in severall Speeches That redresse of grievances was the chiefe end of assembling Parliaments and ought to precede granting of Subsidies Which not onely reason but the constant practise of all ages had confirmed That there was never more need of redressing grievances than at this time without which the people would repine to part with twelve Subsidies That the sum was extraordinary great especially to be given for releasing of that which they never conceived the King had any Title to but had taken by power against the Lawes The King promised that grievances should be afterwards redressed but required the Money first because there was a necessity of hastening the Warre without which the opportunity of Summer would be lost To which it was answered by many That the people had no reason to pay for that which was never caused nor desired by them nor could any way prove to their good but quite contrary to the danger and detriment of the whole Kingdome That the same people would undoubtedly pay with more willingnesse so many Subsidies to prevent that unhappy Warre to settle the State and punish the principall contrivers or assistors of that disturbance Among all the Gentlemen of the House of Commons who spake to that purpose the Lord GEORGE DIGBY Sonne to the Earle of Bristoll a young Nobleman of extraordinary abilities was â—minent for a Speech there wherein complaining that the House was required to give present answer concerning supplies to the King to ingage himself in a Warre and that a Civill Warre For said he so I must needs call it seeing we are of the same Religion and under the same King He divided his Complaint into five heads 1. We are not permitted to redresse grievances at all 2. We are not permitted so much as to represent to His Majesty the dis-affection of his Subjects to this Warre 3. We are not permitted to say That we thinke they are the same persons that are the causers of our grievances and the grievances of Scotland and that the cutting off of those Incendiaries of State would be a safe easie and honourable cure 4. That Warre will make the breach wider and the remedy desperate 5. That the best Iustice is to fill the pits which are made to intrap others with the bodies of those that digged them c. Master PYM also a grave and religious Gentleman in a long Speech of almost two houres recited a Catalogue of all the grievances which at that time lay heavy upon the Common-wealth Of which many abbreviated Copies as extracting the heads onely were with great greedinesse taken by Gentlemen and others throughout the Kingdom for it was not then in fashion to print Speeches of Parliament Divers of the Members besides too many to be here named did fully descant upon such particular grievances as they had informed themselves of in their severall Countries and Burroughs But it is most true though it have been said Quicquid multis peccatur inultum est That there was never any Parliament which was more unanimous in apprehension of grievances and yet more moderate in the Language and manner of declaring against them And so great seemed to be their care of offending in this Parliament being the first that in so many yeares had been granted to England that notwithstanding they perceived the Money they were to give to the King must be imployed against their owne interest yet they tooke the Subsidies into consideration by which they might perchance gaine the Kings affection to Parliaments and were content to hope that whilest the Houses sate the bad Councell about the King might be awed into moderation and the Warre against Scotland by wise and honest interpositions might be againe composed as it had been the Summer before But whilest the businesse was in debate whether they were not quick enough in granting or the Conditions were too much feared by the King I will not judge but onely relate what was done The King in Person came into the House upon the fifth of May and dissolved the Parliament but used faire language to them protesting that he would governe as much according to Law as if a Parliament were constantly sitting Yet the next day after the dissolution of it some Members were imprisoned the Lord BROOKE was searched for Papers his Study Cabinets and Pockets Master BELLOSIS and Sir JOHN HOTHAM were committed to Prison for Speeches but soone discharged Master CREW who was a Member of the House of Commons and was in the Chaire for Petitions concerning Ministers was committed to the Tower for not discovering some Petitions delivered to him in Parliament and continued a Prisoner almost to the beginning of the next Parliament After the dissolution of this Parliament the Convocation of Divines continued their sitting and by authority from the King made divers Canons and an Oath to be imposed upon not onely Clergymen but many of the Laity That continuance of the Convocation whatsoever themselves perchance ignorant of the Law might thinke of it was judged very illegall as it appeared by the Votes of the succeeding Parliament and the opinion of Lawyers delivered there When Master BAGSHAW the November following inveighing against those Canons which were made whilest they sate proved the Bishops and Clergy in a premumire The Lord DIGBY at the same time affirming that their Convocation was a new Synod patched out of an old Conventicle Many other Lawyers of note at severall times argued the case concerning those Canons Insomuch that the House of Commons in December following nullo contradicente resolved that those Canons were against the fundamentall Lawes of the Kingdome the Property and Liberty of the Subject And in the following Aprill 1641. falling againe upon the late Convocation for their Canons and other misdemeanours they voted the Convocation House in 200000 pounds fine to the King The Archbishop of Canterbury to pay 20000 pounds the Archbishop of Yorke 10000 pounds the Bishop of Chester 3000
pounds and the rest of the Clergy according to their abilities proportionably to make up the summe Certaine it is it was not in any substantiall way advantagious to the King but onely to give them time and opportunity to taxe the Clergy in Money for supplying his Majesty in the Warre then on foot against the Scots The King must needs be driven to a great exigent at that time having so expensive a Warre in hand and wanting the assistance of Parliament The courses that were then taken by the King to supply that defect were partly the contribution of the Clergy to whom that Warre was lesse displeasing then to the Laity Collections were made among the Papists Writs of Ship-money were issued out againe in a greater proportion then before great Loanes were attempted to be drawne from the City of London to which purpose the names of the richest Citizens were by command returned to the Councell Boord But these waies being not sufficient some other were made use of which were of a nature more unusuall as the seizing of Bolloine in the Tower the Lord COTTINGTON also for the Kings use tooke up a great Commodity of Pepper at the Exchange to be sold againe at an under rate A consultation was also had of coyning 400000. l. of base Money upon allegation that Queen ELIZABETH had done the like for her Irish Warres but the King waved that upon reasons which the Merchants gave of the inconveniencies of it The Scots hearing of the breach of this English Parliament thought it high time to provide for their owne safety and being restrained in their Trade and impoverished by losse of Ships seized in divers parts resolve to enter England with a sword in one hand and a Petition in the other signifying in the meane time to the people of England in two large Remonstrances what their intentions were to that Nation and the reasons of their entrance which who so pleases may reade at large in their printed Booke When the King had notice of the Scots intentions a Fleet was forthwith sent to annoy the Maritime Coasts of Scotland and a Land Army to meet at Yorke where the Earle of STRAFFORD as President of the North commanded in Chief though the Earle of NORTHUMBERLAND at the time of raising the Army was named Generalissimo but for want of health could not be present A great Magazine of Ammunition had been sent to Hull Newcastle and Berwick the Castle of Edenburgh being kept by RIVEN a firme man to the Kings side But in the Expedition of the Kings Army towards the North it was a marvellous thing to observe in divers places the aversenesse of the Common Souldiers from this Warre Though Commanders and Gentlemen of great quality in pure obedience to the King seemed not at all to dispute the cause or consequence of this Warre the Common Souldiers would not be satisfied questioning in a mutinous manner Whether their Captaines were Papists or not and in many places were not appeased till they saw them receive the Sacrament laying violent hands on divers of their Commanders and killing some uttering in bold speeches their distaste of the Cause to the astonishment of many that common people should be sensible of publike Interest and Religion when Lords and Gentlemen seemed not to be By this backwardnesse of the English Common Souldiers it came to passe that the Warre proved not so sharpe and fatall to both Nations as it might otherwise have done Some blood was shed but very little first at Newburne a Towne five miles distant from Newcastle where part of the English Army encamped to intercept the passage of the Scots as they marched toward Newcastle But many of the English Souldiers forsooke their Commanders and â—led sooner then the use of that Nation is to do in Warre But the English Horse made good a fight and with great courage and resolution charged upon the Scots but all in vaine their number being too small In this Skirmish which happened upon the 28. of August the number of men slaine on both sides is not related either by the English or Scottish Relation but certaine it is that it was not great Three valiant and active Commanders of the English Army were taken Prisoners Colonell WILMOT Sir JOHN DIGBY and ONEALE the two latter being Papists and both Captaines of Horse This fight opened that rich Towne of Newcastle to the Scots and within few daies after they put a Garrison into Durham commanded by the Earle of Dumferling and taking that Fort of Newcastle upon Tine intercepted some Ships which were newly arrived there with Provision of Corne for the Kings Army Some blood was also shed about the same time when part of the English Garrison at Berwick hearing that some Ammunition was layed up in a little Towne of Scotland Dunsian made an attempt upon it but found it better fortified then was expected and were repelled with some slaughter from whence hearing that a greater power of Scots was making toward them under the command of the Lord HADINTON who unfortunately perished afterward blowne up with powder at Dunglasse they returned to Berwick The King during these Skirmishes had by Proclamation warned all the English Nobility with their followers and Forces to attend his Standard at Yorke against the Scots the 20. of September where whilest himselfe in Person resided he received an humble Petition from the Scots containing an expression of their loyalty to him and the innocence of their intentions toward England But their expressions were in such generall termes that the King returned answer to the Earle of LANURICK Secretary for Scotland Commanding them to specifie their demands more particularly Which whilest the Scots prepared to do it pleased God to open the hearts of many English Lords who considering and bewailing the great calamity and dishonour which England was then throwne into by these unhappy proceedings of the King framed an humble Letter subscribed by all their hands and sent it to His Majesty wherein they represent to him the miserable condition of the Kingdome and mischiefes attending that wicked Warre as the danger of his Person the waste of his Revenue the burden of his Subjects the rapines committed by that Army which he had raised wherein Papists and others ill-affected to Religion are armed in Commands who are not by the Lawes permitted to have Armes in their owne houses The great mischiefe which may fall upon the Kingdome if his intentions which are reported of bringing in Irish and forraigne Forces should take effect The urging of Ship-money The multitude of Monopolies and other Patents to the great and universall grievance of his people The great griefe of the Subjects for the long intermission of Parliaments for dissolving of the last and former dissolutions of such as have been called without any good effect For remedy whereof and for prevention of future dangers to his owne Royall Person and the whole State they humbly intreat his Majesty That he would be pleased
discontent if they remembred how much he had done this Parliament as his granting that the Iudges hereafter should hold their places quam diù se benè gesserint bounding the Forrest Lawes taking away Ship-money establishing the Subjects property in Tonnage and Poundage granting the Trienniall Parliament free Iustice against Delinquents With other things Concluding graciously That He would omit nothing which might give them just content And when he had signed the forenamed Bills after a short mention of the journey which he intended speedily to take into Scotland he propounded to them a thing very acceptable concerning his Nephew the Prince Elector Palatine that he could not but at the desire of that Prince send an Ambassadour to assist him at the Dyet at Ratisbone with the Emperour and fearing that he should not receive so good an Answer as might in justice be expected For the better countenancing that businesse he intended to publish a Manifesto in his owne name but would not do it but by consent and advice of Parliament without which he conceived it would be a thing of no validity Which Manifesto was afterwards made by the full consent of both Houses and Sir THOMAS ROE a Member of the House and a Gentleman of great abilities was sent to the Emperour at Ratisbone about it but without any good successe At the same time the Queene Mother of France as was before desired by the Parliament was to take her leave of England The King consented to her departure but Money wanting for the Provision of her Journey the Parliament allotted ten thousand pounds to her out of the Poll-Money This great Lady had arrived in England almost three yeares before and so long been entertained by the King her Sonne in Law with great respect and an allowance answerable to support her State 100. l. per diem It was her mis-fortune how farre her crime I cannot tell that during her abode here the two Kingdomes of England and Scotland were imbroyled in great troubles which the People were apt to impute in some measure to her counsels knowing what power the Queene her Daughter had with the King Others taxed her not at all but looked upon other causes the same counsells which long before her arrivall had distempered England but the people made their judgement upon it from her actions or successes in other places But however it were the Queene was fearefull of the people here and had not long before desired to have a guard allowed her pretending feare of her life by reason of some attempts which she conceived made against her upon which a Guard was set about her house Her Regency in France had not beene happy nor according to the interest of that Kingdome though that perchance may be accounted a fault not so particular to her as commonly incident to the Regency of Queene Mothers in that Land In so much as THUANUS commends the saying of CHARLES the ninth a Prince whom otherwise he doth not praise upon his death bed That since he must dye at that age being foure and twenty he thanked God he had no Sonne least France should fall under a Regency of which he had found the sad effects His Mother was KATHERINE DE MEDICIS of the same Family with this Queene After the time of her Regency her actions had been such that the King her Sonne would not harbour her in his owne Kingdome nor was she welcome into the Territories of her Sonne in Law the King of Spaine But the people there were no lesse desirous of her departure then afterward in England Insomuch as she became a strange example of the instability of humane fortunes that so great a Queen and Mother to so many mighty Princes should want a quiet Harbour for her age Not long after her departure from England she died at Culleine and might seeme a parallel in some things to the same Empresse who founded that City and there planted a Roman Colony AGRIPINA wife to CLAUDIUS CESAR and Mother to NERO They both had tasted of power been active in it but not pleasing to the people They were both taught that the greatnesse of their Sonnes was not so much advantage to their Power as they had hoped and had learned that all power dependent upon another is of small validity and lesse stability as TACITUS observes speaking of the same AGRIPINA Nihil rerum mortalium tam instabile fluxum est quam fama potentiae non sua vi nixa About two Moneths before the departure of this Queene the Princesse MARY eldest daughter to the King not yet ten yeares of age was married with great triumph at White-Hall to the young Prince of Orange WILLIAM Bishop WRENNE being then Deane of the Kings Chappell performed the solemnity on Sunday the second of May 1641. The Marriage had been before debated of in Parliament and consented to The King himselfe upon the ninth of February having declared to the Lords what large Propositions the Ambassadours of the States had made to him upon that purpose The people in generall were pleased with this Marriage and glad the King had chosen out a Protestant Prince and servant to a State which had beene long confederate with England and whose interest carried them the same way Professors of the same Religion and in that kinde of Discipline to which the greatest part of Parliament and People were inclined and hoped though at that time it was not so fully declared as afterward to reforme the Church of England to as that of Scotland already was By this Match of the Kings owne chusing they began to hope that the Spanish Faction in Court was not now at all prevalent but that things might hereafter be carried according to the right English way In this hope they were the more confirmed seeing the Parliament go on without any opposition from the King no dissention having yet happened nor likely to happen as they conceived for that Conspiracy of bringing up the Army against the Parliament which we touched before was not yet discovered nor at all thought of though within few daies after it broke out But some there were who suspended their joy and were not much confident that this Marriage would bring happinesse to England unlesse the King were perfectly right with his People and wished the same thing they did considering at one side the condition of the Prince of Orange and that he might be ambitious of more then was due to him and for that reason ingage himselfe in a reciprocall way for the King against his People if occasion served On the other side they considered the States as Polititians of this world and men who had other interests then that of Religion and if dissention should in England happen betweene Prince and People which was never but feared in some degree might be apt to side with the King against the just freedome of the Subject which must needs depresse the strength of England and keepe it from so much greatnesse
the people tired with expectation of such a cure do usually by degrees forget the sharpnesse of those diseases which before required it or else in the redressing of many and long disorders and to secure them for the future there being for the most part a necessity of laying heavy Taxes and draining of much Money from the people they grow extreamly sensible of that present smart feeling more paine by the Cure for a time then they did by the lingring disease before not considering that the causes of all which they now indure were precedent and their present suffering is for their future security It was the generall opinion of all Gentlemen at that time That a Parliament so much and long desired as this was after so great and constant a violation of the Lawes and Liberties of England in the Kings former Government could scarce in possibility ever grow into the dislike of the people or at least so great a part of the people as might be able which within one yeare was after seene to make a Warre against it and indanger the utter ruine and subversion of it But I have spoken before of some causes which might seeme strong enough to ingage a part of the people against the Parliament whose particular interests and livelihoods were neerely touched how farre any proceeding might distaste others who were uninterested in their private fortunes or callings I cannot tell any certaine reason But I remember within the compasse of a yeare after when this Civill Warre began to breake out over all the Kingdom and men in all companies began to vent their opinions in an argumentative way either opposing or defending the Parliament Cause and Treatises were printed on both sides Many Gentlemen who forsooke the Parliament were very bitter against it for the proceedings in Religion in countenancing or not suppressing the rudenesse of people in Churches which I related before acting those things which seemed to be against the Discipline of the English Church and might introduce all kindes of Sects and Schismes Neither did those of the Parliament side agree in opinions concerning that point some said it was wisely done of the Parliament not to proceed against any such persons for feare of losing a considerable party as is said before Others thought and said That by so doing they would lose a farre more considerable party of Gentlemen then could be gained of the other They also affirmed That Lawes and Liberties having been so much violated by the King if the Parliament had not so farre drawne Religion also into their cause it might have sped better for the Parliament frequently at that time in all their expressions whensoever they charged the corrupt Statesmen of injustice and Tyranny would put Popery or a suspition of it into the first place against them I remember when the Warre was begun among those little Treatises which were then published as many there were without any names to them I found one in which the case is thus expressed to recite the words of it Perchance saith he too much insisting upon Religion and taxing the King for affecting Popery hath by accident weakened the Parliament and brought Parties to the King It may seeme a great Paradox that the best and onely necessary of all things Religion being added into the scale of Lawes and Liberties should make the scale lighter then before Neither can it be true but by accident as thus The strange intercourse betwixt Rome and the English Court The Kings owne Letters to the Pope His favouring of Priests and such things though they may give a State just cause of susspition that their Religion is undermining Yet because it cannot be so absolutely proved to the sight of all the people that the King favoured Popery as that he violated the Lawes and Liberties of the Kingdome which latter was visible to all the former concerning Religion remaines in the peoples reason as a controverted question the King still protesting for Religion and the disputes about that amusing the People make them by degrees forget that crime of the Kings which was without controversie and evident the violation of Lawes and Liberties And more then so for some supposing that the Parliament unjustly taxed him in Religion did in time believe that he was not so guilty of the other as they would make him which I have heard some of late maintaine From whence may follow a strange conclusion That the Kings dealing so much with Rome to the disadvantage of the Protestant Religion should now turne to his owne advantage in a Protestant Kingdome And we may make this as paradoxicall a supposition That if the King had never done any thing prejudiciall to the Protestant Religion he would have found fewer Protestants this Parliament to take his part For then there being no dispute at all about Religion the crimes of his State mis-government had plainly and inexcusably appeared to all as we have seene that some of our former Kings for the like violation of Lawes and Liberties when there was but one Religion and therefore no dispute about it have been heavily censured in Parliament no man appearing in their justification And why should not a Parliament thinke that such things are cause enough to be stood upon and to justifie their quarrell before God as if the Almighty did not adhorre Injustice Oppression Tyranny and the like in any Kingdome unlesse the prâ—fession of Religion were also depraved Nay he abhorreth it more in that place where the purest profession of Religion is Besides that frequent naming of Religion as if it were the onely quarrell hath caused a great mistake of the question in some by reason of ignorance in others of subtilty whilest they wilfully mistake to abuse the Parliaments Cause writing whole Volumes in a wrong stated case as instead of disputing whether the Parliament of England lawfully assembled where the King virtually is may by Armes defend the Religion established by the same power together with the Lawes and Liberties of the Nation against Delinquents detaining with them the Kings seduced Person They make it the question Whether Subjects taken in a generall notion may make Warre against their King for Religions sake Such was the sense of many Gentlemen at that time which adhered to the Parliament But to proceed in the Narration The Parliament had been of late sensible of the losse of some from them and having detected divers Conspiracies and Machinations of dis-affected people against them and fearing more had in May last â—ramed a Protestation which was solemnly taken by all the Members of both Houses and sent thorow England to be taken by the people the forme of it was in these words I A.B. in the presence of Almighty God promise vow and protest to maintaine and desend as farre as lawfully I may with my life power and estate the true Reformed Protestant Religion expressed in the Doctrine of the Church of England against all Popery and Popish Innovotions within this
Realme contrary to the said Doctrine and according to the duty of my Allegiance I will maintaine and defend his Majesties Royall Person Honour and Estate as also the Power and Priviledge of Parliaments the lawfull Rights and Liberties of the Subjects and every Person that shall make this Protestation in whatsoever he shall do in the lawfull pursuance of the same and to my power as farre as lawfully I may I will oppose and by all good waies and means endeavour to bring condigne punishment on all such as shall by force practise counsels plots conspiracies or otherwise do any thing to the contrary in this present Protestation contained And further That I shall in all just and honourable waies indeavour to preserve the union and peace betwixt the three Kingdomes of England Scotland and Ireland and neither for hope feare or any other respects shall relinquish this Promise Vow and Protestation It were not amisse in this place briefly to mention some alterations which had been made before the time that the King tooke his journey into Scotland though they were not done immediately about that time but some weekes or Moneths before because they concerne some Noble men of whom we shall have occasion hereafter to make mention in the course of this History The Lord COTTINGTON upon the 17. of May 1641. had resigned his place Master of the Wards the Lord Viscount SAY and SEALE succeeded him in that Office Within few daies after the Lord Treasurer Doctor JUCKSON Bishop of London resigned his Staffe and the Office was committed to five Commissioners About that time the Earle of Leicester lately come from being Ambassadour in France was by the King made Lord Lieutenant of Ireland The Earle of Newcastle was removed from being Governour to the Prince and the Marquesse of Hartford appointed in his roome THE HISTORY OF THE PARLIAMENT OF ENGLAND The Second Book CHAP. I. A Standing Committee during the Recesse of â—oth Houses of Parliament The Rebellion of the Irish and Massacre of the Protestants there Some endeavours of the English Parliament for relief of that Kingdom THE businesse of England by this absence of the King was at a great stand In such a concurrence of high affairs so great an expectation to find redress of pressing Grievances nothing was so irksome to the People as delay To retard the cure was little better then to destroy And the Sequel within a short time proved worse then the wisest men could imagine or the most jealous possibly suspect though jealousies and fears were then grown to a great height the Parliament of England less then ever assured of the Kings real affection to them Nothing of State was transacted in Parliament during the Kings absence Some debates there were only about Church-service and alterations to be made in the Book of Common-prayer in which notwithstanding nothing was concluded One businesse only came to be discussed of which the King himself gave occasion who within few daies after his arrival in Scotland signified by a Letter to the Lords That he was engaged to the Spaniard by promise to let him have four thousand souldiers out of that lately disbanded Irish Army which the Earle of Strafford had before raised his desire was to make good his promise by consent of Parliament But the House of Commons whom the Lords had invited to a Conference for that purpose would not consent that any Irish should go to assist the Spaniard some reasons were then given but more particular cause was shewed about ten daies after when a second Letter came from the King in which his Majesty declared That the Spanish Ambassador claimed his promise from which in honor he could not recede Notwithstanding since he had found that Ambassador so reasonable as that he was content to accept of two thousand he hoped the Parliamnnt would not deny that The House took it into consideration and within two dayes the Lord of FAWKLAND a Member of the House of Commons at a conference delivered to the Lords gave reasons in the name of that House why it was very unfit to grant the Kings desire because the Spaniard was not only an Ally confederate but an assistant to the Emperor against the Prince Elector his Majesties Nephew who by the power and oppression of that Emperor had bin long deprived of his inheritance And at this time when the King had published a Manifesto in behalf of his Nephew and to that purpose sent an Ambassador to the Dyet of Ratisbone it would seem a contradiction in the King to assist the Enemies of the said Prince Elector and a drawing of his own Sword against himself besides the great prejudice it must needs bring to the Protestant cause which this present Parliament so much intended and laboured to promote Upon these reasons it was thought fit not to consent to the Kings desire in that point And immediately the two Houses of Parliament rejourned themselves from that day being the eighth of September till the twentieth of October and appointed a standing Committee of fifty Members during that recesse Before the Accesse and meeting again of the Parliament Letters came from the English Committee in Scotland and were read before that standing Committee of Westminster importing the discovery of a Treasonable plot against the lives of Marquesse HAMILTON and others the greatest Peâ—res of Scotland the conspirators being the Earle of Crayford and some others How it was discovered or how prevented or whether the King had any privity to it though one of that country have since written very plainly charging the King with it because the State of Scotland were very silent in it the Parliament of England took the lesse notice of it Only the standing Committee for avoiding the like attempts at London and fearing that such might flow from the same spring appointed strong guards to be placed in many parts of the City till further directions might be given from the two Houses at their Accesse The malignancy which at that time began to appear in people of that condition and quality which wee before mentioned and was not only expressed in usual discourse among their companions but vented in scurrilous and bitter Libels against those Lords and Commons who were generally reputed the most Sedulous for the common-wealth was cause sufficient to increase the feares and jealousies of the Parliament But that fatall fire which so sadly wasted the three Kingdoms broke out there where it was least feared and those that seemed most secure were the first sufferers About the end of October 1641 during the Kings abode in Scotland the most barbarous and bloudy Rebellion that ever any age or Nation were guilty of broke out in Ireland The atrocity of it is without a paralell and as full of wonder was the close carriage of so black and far-reaching a Designe The innocent Protestants were upon a suddain disseised of their Estates and the persons of above two hundred thousand men women and
they were most forward and ready to concur with their Lordships in that service But so great an affliction was to fall upon unhappy Ireland that all those Lords that were Papists after they had received Commissions and Armes notwithstanding all their deep vowes did most perfidiously soon after desert their houses and openly declare themselves in actuall Rebellion such as were Viscount MONGANNET GORMANSTON and COSTELOE DILLON BIRNE BELLER TALBOT and many others The Condition of Dublin was more lamentable every day then other and not so much afflicted were they with feares and dangers which threatned themselves as that extream sorrow which compassion must needs work in them toward all the suffering English which resorted thither Dublin was the Sanctuary of all the despoiled Protestants and by that meanes the sad stage upon which all horror was represented and what mischeifes soever were acted in other parts were there discovered and lamented Their eyes were sad witnesses of the Rebels cruelty in those despoiled English which daily resorted to the City but their eares much more afflicted with relation of those horrid tortures which had been used to those who died in other parts Their eyes could not but extremly suffer from such wretched Spectacles as daily from all parts presented themselves People of all conditions and qualities of every age and Sex spoiled and stripped with no coverings but ragges or twisted straw to hide their privities some wounded almost to death others frozen with cold some tired with travell and so surbated that they came creeping on their knees others famished beyond all releif And besides the miseries of their bodies their minds tortured with the losse of all their fortunes and sad remembrance of their husbands wives or children most barbarously murdered before their faces In this most lamentable plight with wasted bodies and distracted mindes did they arrive at Dublin some to be releived some entombed which was more then their murdered friends could obtaine from the Rebels insomuch as they appeared like walking ghosts in every street and all the Barnes Stables and out-houses were filled with them where they soon died after they had recovered the City in so great numbers that all the Church-yards of Dublin could not contain them but the Lords were enforced to take in large peeces of ground on both sides of the River to set apart for burying places But that part of this wofull Tragedy which was presented to their eyes was the least and but the shadow of that other which was related to their eares of which the Readers and all posterity may share the sorrow Many hundreds of those which had escaped under their oathes lawfully taken upon examination and recorded with all particulars as may be seen at large in the Records delivered to the Councell what horrid Massacres the bloudy villains had made of men women and children and what cruell inventions they had to torture those whom they murdered scarce to be equalized by any the most black and balefull story of any age Many thousands of them at severall places too many to be here inserted after all despites exercised upon them living put to the worst of deaths some burned on set purpose others drowned for sport and pastime and if they swam kept from landing with poles or shot and murdered in the water many were buried quick and some set into the earth breast-high and there left to famish But most barbarous as appears in very many examinations was that cruelty which was shewed to great bellied women whom the villaines were not content to murder but ripped up their bellies and many times took delight to see the Hogges eate the abortive Infants But I am loath to dwell upon so sad a narration The greatest part of these inhumane cruelties were acted by the Irish upon the poor unarmed Brittaines before any provocation given unto them and the bloud of so many thousand innocent persons sacrificed to their meer malice as many afterwards were sacrificed to their revenge as whensoever the Irish received any blow from English Forces the English Protestants that lived among them were murdered in great numbers By this time the Lords of the Councell had armed as many as they were able and given Commissions for raising of severall Regiments which were put into the hands for the most part of gallant men as their actions after testified to the world Sir CHARLES COOTE an active and valiant man who was also made Governor of Dublin with great speed made up his Regiment out of the poor robbed and stripped English which had fled to Dublin Sir HENRY TICHBORNE a worthy Commander was dispatched away with a Regiment of Foot to keep Tredagh from the approaching Rebels The Lord LAMBERT also Sir THOMAS LUCAS Captain ARMESTRONG Captain YARNER with others raised by Commissions souldiers there This was done about the middle of November at which time also the Earle of Ormond with his well armed Troop of Horse came to Dublin where within few dayes after he was by a Commission sent from the Earl of Leicester Lord Lieutenant of Ireland as likewise by the Kings approbation from Scotland signified in a Letter made Lieutenant Generall of all the Forces there For the Earl of Lecister at that time was not enabled so far with necessaries for the service of Ireland as to repair thither in person The Earl also sent over to the Lords at Dublin together with an Order of the Lords and Commons of the Parliament in England comfortable Letters in this time of distresse to let them know that the King had referred the whole businesse of Ireland to the Parliament of England who had undertaken the charge and management of the War had declared a speedy and vigorous assistance had designed for their present supplies the summe of 50000 pound and taken order for all further provisions necessary But that they might not be altogether destitute of reall comfort the Parliament of England sent them over at the same time Twenty thousand pound which arrived most seasonably at Dublin their treasure beginning utterly to fail for paying those new Companies which they had raised About the end of November the Lords Justices and Councell of Ireland considering the miserable desolations brought upon that whole Kingdom and what miseries were further threatned Commanded by Proclamation a Publike and religious Fast to be weekly observed upon Friday in the City of Dublin to implore the mercy and assistance of Almighty God and divert his heavy indignation from them CHAP. II. The King returneth out of Scotland and is pompously entertained by the City of London The Remonstrance is published by the Parliament The King entereth into the House of Commons The Protestation of the twelve Bishops and how it was censured by the Lords and Commons Divers unhappy obstructions of the releif of Ireland BUT to leave Ireland strugling against her sad and wofull calamities and returne again to the Affairs of England at that same time about the end of November 1641
rellished by the King as appeared by his Answer But the thing was of so great consequence that one Answer could not suffice Many reiterated Petitions were presented and many Answers returned upon this subject which are extant upon Record where the King often promiseth to be careful that no hands but those who are very faithful to the Common-wealth shall be by him entrusted with any part of the Militia but the nomination of any persons to those places he will reserve to himself it being a principal and inseparable flower of his Crown vested in him and derived to him from his Ancestors by the Fundamental Laws of the Kingdom The Parliament on the other side affirming that nothing could enable them to suppresse the Rebellion in Ireland and secure themselves but the instant granting of that humble Petition which they hoped the King would not absolutely deny That it was their duty to him and the Common-wealth to represent unto him whatsoever they found so absolutely necessary for the preservation of both which the Laws both of God and man enjoyn them to see it put in execution During the debate of this businesse and before any absolute conclusion was made of it the King took a journey to Canterbury upon what reasons shall be anon declared It was before related that the King after his entring into the House of Commons to surprise the five Members had stayed a week at White-hall and then retired to Hampton-Court the next day after divers Citizens with a great shew of Boats and Guns in them brought the five Members to Westminster with many expressions that they would not forsake them who sare to defend their Religion Laws and Liberties The King now resident at Hampton-Court seemed extremely distasted at the Citie and pretended the reasons of his absence from Parliament to be fear for his Person by reason of Tumults that might be raised but true it is after this time he never could be brought neer the Citie or Parliament either in body or minde Within few days after the King had been at Hampton-Court he sent for divers of his servants who were then Members of the Parliament to leave the House and give their attendance upon his Person But two the chief of them ROBERT Earl of Essex lately made Lord Chamberlain of this Houshold and HENRY Earl of Holland Groom of the Stool chose rather to obey his Writ whereby they were called to assist in Parliament about the highest affairs of England then to obey this private Command of his to come and attend at Hampton-Court alleadging in excuse that their attendance in Parliament was truer service to him as King then any other could be For this the King presently after sent a Messenger to demand the Staff of the one and the Key of the other being the Ensignes of their Offices which they willingly resigned to the Messengers hands From Hampton-Court about the midst of February the King and Queen went to Canterbury and so to Dover with the Princesse MARY their eldest daughter married not a yeer before to WILLIAM son to the Prince of Orange The Queen her self passed from thence into Holland under pretext of keeping her daughter company to her husband the Lady was then about ten yeers of age which was not at all hindered by the Parliament But the Queen carried with her all or the greatest part of the Crown-Jewels of England which immediately she pawned in Holland and with that money bought Arms and Ammunition for that sad War which ensued not long after between the King and the Parliament of England The King's stay at Canterbury and Dover was not long nor the places so remote but that some businesse might passe though with great trouble of those Lords and others Members of the House of Commons who posted between upon all occasions The greatest thing which was done in that time was that the King at Canterbury signed the Bill for taking away Bishops Votes in Parliament When the Queen and her daughter had taken Sail the King came back to Greenwich whither he sent for the Prince and Duke of York to come to him and attend him in his journey to the City of York which was the place which he intended to reside at and to that purpose immediately went on his way as far as Theobalds to which place he was followed with a Petition from both Houses presented to him upon the first of March 1641. The substance of it was to intreat his Majestie that be would at last be pleased to grant their necessary Petition concerning the Militia of England which if he did refuse in these times of distraction they must be enforced and did resolve to dispose of it for the safety of the Kingdom in such manner as had been propounded to his Majestie They likewise intreated him to continue his abode neer London and his Parliament and not to take his son the Prince out of those parts and in conclusion desired his Majestie to be informed by them his great Councel that by the Laws of England the power of raising ordering and disposing of the Militia within any Citie Town or other place cannot be granted to any Corporation by Charter or otherwise without the authority and consent of Parliament The King denied to give any other Answer concerning the Militia then what he had before done That he conceived himself not safe in any place neer London and that he would take such a care of the Prince his son as should justifie him to God as a Father and to his Dominions as a King The Parliament upon occasion of that short Answer of the King to their Petition voted presently that that Answer was a flat Denial and that all was truth which they had averred in their Petition concerning the danger of his removal so far from the Parliament and likewise carrying of his son away It was likewise ordered by the Lords and Commons that the Earl of Northumberland Lord Admiral should give speedie directions for all the Ships belonging to the Navie Royal to be speedily rigged and fitted for the service of the Common-wealth A Declaration was drawn then by both Houses and presented to the King at Newmarket upon the ninth of March by the Earls of Pembroke and Holland with some Members of the House of Commons wherein were represented to him some of the old Grievances expressed in the first Remonstrance at his return out of Scotland as That the designe of altering Religion had been carried on by those of greatest authority about him for divers yeers That the War against Scotland was procured in order to that designe That the Rebellion in Ireland was contrived here in England out of many presumptions gathered from several examinations there They speak likewise of his attempt for bringing his Army against the Parliament of which before mention was made of his Warrants granted contrary to promise for transportation of JERMYN DIGBY and other Delinquents of that great breach of Parliament-Priviledge in
Earl of Stamford Master DENZIL HOLLIS Master HAMDEN Sir PHILIP STAPLETON Sir WILLIAM WALLER Sir SAMUEL LUKE Sir HENRY CHOLMLY Master GRANTHAM Master WHITLOCK with divers others The Earl of Bedford within two days after that the Earl of Essex was chosen Generalissimo was voted to be General of the Horse CHAP. VI. A brief Relation of the condition of divers Counties in England when the Parliaments Ordinance for the Militia and the Kings Commission of Array were put in execution With a mention of some Lords and others who were actors on either side The Lord Maior of London committed to the Tower and sentenced by the Parliament A mention of some Declarations Messages and Answers that passed between the King and the two Houses of Parliament DUring the time that this Army was raising for the Parliament to be conducted by his Excellency in person the King with small strength as yet was removing from place to place to gather Forces and draw people to his side Of whose proceedings and by what degrees he encreased in power I shall speak hereafter in a continued Series to avoid confusion in the Story But in the mean time the Parliaments Ordinance of Militia and the King's Commission of Array were justling together almost in every County the greatest of the English Nobility on both sides appearing personally to seize upon those places which were deputed to them either by the King or by the Parliament No Ordinances from the One or Proclamations from the Other could now give any further stop to this general and spreading Mischief God was not pleased that one Chimney should contain this Civil fire but small sparks of it were daily kindling in every part of the Land Let it not therefore seem amisse if in the first place I make a brief Relation into what posture every particular County or most of them had endeavoured to put themselves during that time which was since the twelfth of Iuly when the first apparant denouncing of War began and the General was elected in Parliament till the three and twentieth of October when it broke out into a fierce and cruel Battel But let not the Reader expect any full or perfect Narration of this which would take up too great a time and prove as tedious as unnecessary The onely reason why I have entered into it is to inform the Reader what Lords and Gentlemen did first appear in action on either side in those particular Counties that in the progresse of the Story he may be better acquainted with those names whose Actions proved of so high concernment in the future War Nor can any perfect Judgement be made of the affections or condition of any one County in this brief Narration of so short a time for scarce was there any City or Shire but endured in processe of time many Changes and became altered from their first condition either by unconstancy of affections or else enforced to take a new side as they were threatned by approaching Armies of either party when the War grew to a greater height In some Counties there was no strugling at all one side wholly prevailing and the Peoples affections bending the same way as it appeared in Lincolnshire at the first which was the first account given to the Parliament of their Militia and where some circumstances are of that note as to make it justly deserve a more particular recital then other places when the Lord WILLOUGHBY of Parham went down thither being chosen by the Parliament Lord Lieutenant of that County This young Lord being come to Lincoln expresseth to the Parliament what cheerful and hearty obedience he found from the Captains and Officers of the Trained Bands and in how good a posture they were beyond all expectation considering the unhappinesse of the Plague being then in the Town which hindered the appearance of some but that was fully supplied by a Company of Voluntiers equal in number and goodnesse of Arms to the Trained Bands Yet that Change which I spake of before did afterwards sadly appear in this County which was afterwards as much divided in it self as any part of England and by that means a most unhappie seat of War often gained and regained by either side Lincolnshire was then very forward for the Lord WILLOUGHBY however afterward he found some resistance from the Earl of Lindsey who sided with the King as he wrote up to the Parliament and sent also to them the King's Letter and his own Answer Which are both fit to be inserted into the Story being the first of that kinde and much unfolding the nature of the businesse The King's Letter to the Lord WILLOUHBY of Parham CHARLES REX Right Trusty and Welbeloved We greet you well Whereas We understand that you have begun to assemble train and muster the Trained Bands of Our County of Lincoln under pretence of an Ordinance of Parliament whereto We have not given Our consent which is not onely contrary to the Law but to Our Command and Pleasure signified by Our Proclamation sent to Our high Sheriff of that Our County Wherefore that you may not hereafter plead ignorance of such Our Prohibition We do by these Our Letters command and charge you upon your Allegiance to desist and forbear to raise train exercise or assemble together any part of the Trained Bands of Our County either by your self or by any others employed under you or by warrant from you And because you may for what you have already done concerning the Militia of that Our County plead that you had not so particular a Command We shall passe by what you have already done therein so as presently upon your receipt hereof you shall desist and give over medling any further with any thing concerning the Militia of that Our County But if you shall not presently desist and forbear medling therewith We are resolved to call you to a strict account for your disobedience therein after so many particular and legal Commands given you upon your Allegiance to the contrary and shall esteem and proceed against you as a disturber of the Peace of the Kingdom Given at Our Court at York the fourth of Iune 1642. To Our Right Trusty and Welbeloved the Lord WILLOUGHBY of Parham The Lord WILLOUGHBY of Parham his Letter in Answer to His Majestie SIR As there can be nothing of greater unhappinesse to me then to receive a Command from Your Majestie whereunto my endeavours cannot give so ready an obedience as my affections so I must confesse the difficulty at this time not a little how to expresse that Duty which I owe to Your Majesties late Commands and not falsifie that Trust reposed in me by Your high Court of Parliament through whose particular directions I am now come into this County to settle the Militia according to the Ordinance of Parliament which by the Votes of my Lord LITTLETON and others in the House of Peers better versed in the Laws then my self passed as a legal thing and
did declare nor ever intended to declare both Our Houses of Parliament Traitours or set up Our Standard against them and much lesse to put them and this Kingdom out of Our protection We utterly professe against it before God and the world And further to remove all possible Scruples which may hinder the Treaty so much desired by Vs We hereby promise so that a day be appointed by you for the revoking of your Declarations against all persons as Traitours or otherwise for assisting Vs We shall with all cheerfulnesse upon the same day recal our Proclamations and Declarations and take down Our Standard In which Treaty We shall be ready to grant any thing that shall be really for the good of Our subjects conjuring you to consider the bleeding condition of Ireland and the dangerous condition of England in as high a degree as by these Our Offers We have declared Our Self to do and assuring you that Our chief desire in the world is to beget a good understanding and mutual confidence betwixt Vs and Our two Houses of Parliament To the Kings most Excellent Majestie The humble Answer and Petition of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament to the King 's last Message May it please Your Majestie If we the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled should repeat all the ways we have taken the endeavours we have used and the expressions we have made unto Your Majestie to prevent those distractions and dangers Your Majestie speaks of we should too much enlarge this Reply therefore as we Humbly so shall we Onely let Your Majestie know that we cannot recede from our former Answer for the reasons therein expressed for that Your Majestie hath not taken down Your Standard recalled Your Proclamations and Declarations whereby You have declared the Actions of both Houses of Parliament to be Treasonable and their Persons Traitors And You have published the same since Your Message the 25 of August by Your late Instructions to Your Commissioners of Array Which Standard being taken down and the Declarations Proclamations and Instructions recalled if Your Majestie shall then upon this our humble Petition leaving your Forces return unto Your Parliament and receive their faithful advice Your Majestie shall finde such expressions of our fidelities and duties as shall assure You that Your Safety Honour and Greatnesse can onely be found in the affections of Your People and the sincere Counsels of Your Parliament whose constant and undiscouraged endeavours and consultations have passed thorow difficulties unheard of onely to secure Your Kingdoms from the violent mischiefs and dangers now ready to fall upon them who deserve better of Your Majestie and can never allow themselveâ— representing likewise Your whole Kingdom to be balanced with those persons whose desperate dispositions and counsels prevail still so to interrupt all our endeavours for the relieving of bleeding Ireland as we may fear our labours and vast expences will be fruitlesse to that distressed Kingdom As Your Presence is thus humbly desired by us so it is in our hopes that Your Majestie will in Your Reason believe There is no other way then this to make Your Majesties Self happie and Your Kingdoms safe The Parliament immediately after published a Declaration that the Arms which they were enforced to take up for the preservation of the Kingdom Laws and Liberties could not be laid down until the King should withdraw his Protection from such persons as had been voted Delinquents by both Houses and leave them to the Justice of Parliament The King within few days after made another Reply to the last Answer of the Parliament The substance of it was that he could neither do nor offer any more then he had already and that he should think himself clear and innocent from any blood that might be spilt in this Quarrel praying God so to deal with him and his posterity as he desired to preserve Religion Law and Liberty of the Subjects and Priviledge of Parliament The Parliament returned Answer that while the King thinks himself bound in Honour to protect such Delinquents in whose preservation the Kingdom cannot be safe nor the Rights of Parliament at all maintained but must needs fall into utter contempt they must needs think he hath not done what he can oâ— ought to do They tell him it is impossible that any reasonable man should believe him to be so tender of bleeding Ireland when at the same time divers of the Irish Traitours the known favourers of them and agents for them are admitted into his Presence with grace and favour and some of them employed in his service THE HISTORY OF THE PARLIAMENT OF England The third Booke CHAP. I. Prince RUPERT and Prince MAURICE arrive in England The Earle of ESSEX taking leave of the Parliament goeth to his Command The King increaseth in strength at Shrewsbury A Skirmish at Worcester The great Battell of Keynton is fought ABout the beginning of this September Prince RUPERT second Sonne to FREDERICK Prince Elector Palatine of the Rhene who had long beene detained Prisoner of Warre by the Emperour and newly released arrived in England to offer his Service to the King his Uncle in those Warres which were now visibly begun in this unhappy Kingdome together with him came his younger Brother Prince MAURICE an addition rather of Gallantry then strength to the Kings side being both young and unexperienced Souldiers Neither indeed though they were neere in birth to the Crowne of England were they neere enough to adde any security to the King by purchasing the Peoples hatred to themselves though that were imagined and talked of by many as the cause why they were sent for Their elder Brother CHARLES Prince Elector might have served more fitly to play that part But he having long remained in the Court of England had lately left the King not above two Moneths before the arrivall of his Brothers The reasons why he went away were partly expressed by himselfe afterward in a Message which he sent out of Holland to the Houses of Parliament wherein he professed sorrow for these distractions and protested that whilest he was in the Court of England he had by all meanes indeavoured to bring the King into a good opinion of his Parliament acknowledging that his owne interest and that of the Protestant Religion in Germany did more depend upon the happinesse of the English Parliament then upon any thing else under God True it is that this Prince left not the King untill he saw the rent betweene him and his Parliament too great to close and having before been exposed by the King to some probability of envy as when he attended his Majesty to the House of Commons for surprizall of the five Members and with him afterwards when some things unpleasing to the people had been done he might in likelihood being of that opinion that he was of this cause thinke it the wisest way to take a faire leave in time of the King These two
young Princes arrived in England were soone put into imployment and Command under the King their Uncle in which they shewed themselves very forward and active as will appeare afterward and if more hot and furious then the tender beginnings of a Civill Warre would seeme to require it may be imputed to the fervour of their youth and great desire which they had to ingratiate themselves to the King upon whom as being no more then Souldiers of fortune their hopes of advancement wholly depended Prince RUPERT the elder brother and most furious of the two within a fortnight after his arrivall commanded a small party of those Forces which the King had at that time gathered together which were not of so great a body as to be tearmed an Army with which he marched into divers Counties to roll himselfe like a snow ball into a larger bulke by the accession of Forces in every place Through divers parts of Warwick-shire Nottingham-shire Leicestershire Worcester-shire and Cheshire did this young Prince fly with those Troops which he had not inviting the people so much by faire demeanour for such was the report to the Houses of Parliament as compelling them by extreme rigour to follow that side which he had taken Many Townes and Villages he plundered which is to say robb'd for at that time first was the word plunder used in England being borne in Germany when that stately Country was so miserably wasted and pillaged by forraigne Armies and committed other outrages upon those who stood affected to the Parliament executing some and hanging up servants at their Masters doores for not discovering of their Masters Upon which newes the Houses of Parliament fell into a serious debate and agreed that a Charge of High Treason should be drawne up against him for indeavouring the destruction of this State which was voted a great breach of the Kingdoms Lawes and breach of the priviledge of that great Councell representing the whole state of it Let it not seeme amisse in this place to insert a passage happening at the same time which cannot be omitted by reason of the eminence of that person whom it concernes in the succeeding Warres Colonell GORING who was before spoken of to keepe the Towne of Portsmouth against the Parliament being now no longer able to hold it out was permitted by Captaine MERRICK not without allowance from the Earle of Warwick to leave the place and to be conveyed to the Brill in Holland according to his owne desire This the Parliament were contented with because the Captaine was necessitated to agree to it for preservation of that Towne and many persons therein well affected to the Parliament for GORING had threatned to destroy the Towne with wilde-fire if he might not preserve his owne life by a peaceable surrender Whilest Prince RUPERT was thus active with a flying Party the King himselfe was moving with those Forces which he had but in a gentler and calmer way for the reverence which the people bare to his Person made him finde lesse resistance as windes lose their fury when they meet no opposition but howsoever the King desired to go in such a way as to be taken for a Father of his Country and a Prince injur'd by the Parliament professions of love perswasions and Protestations of his affection to the people were the chiefe instruments which he used to raise himselfe a strength and complaints against the proceedings and actions of the Parliament as when he was marching toward Shrewsbury where he intended to make his chiefe Rendezvouze being a place convenient to receive and entertaine such Forces as should come to him out of Wales Which place as will appeare afterward failed not his expectation though it were more then the Parliament could suspect As he was marching thither with a small Army he made a Speech betweene Stafford and Wellington on the 19. of September and caused his Protestation to be then also read in the head of his Army wherein among other things he tells them for their comfort and hope to prevaile that they should meet no Enemies but Traytors most of them Brownists Anabaptists and Atheists who would destroy both Church and Common-wealth And in this Protestation with deepe vowes and imprecations upon himselfe and his posterity he declares his whole care and intentions to be for the maintenance of the Protestant Religion the Lawes and property of the Subject together with the Priviledge of Parliament as he was accustomed to do in his former Speeches But the King not many daies before had taken a more harsh and coercive way for marching thorow Derbyshire Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire he commanded the Trayned Bands of those Counties to attend and guard his Person and when they were met disarmed the greatest part of them taking as many Armes as served for 2000. men besides good summes of Money which not without some constraint he borrowed from them But to leave the Kings proceedings for a while it is time to returne to the Lord Generall for the Parliament and the Army raised under his conduct which at that time when Prince RUPERT began to march was growne to a considerable body consisting of about â—4 thousand Horse and Foot their generall Rendezvouze was at Northampton where many of the chiefe Commanders as the Lord BROOKE Lord ROBERTS Colonell HAMDEN and others stayed with them expecting the presence of his Excellence who on the ninth of September taking his leave of the Parliament and City of London bent his journey toward Northampton and was waited on by the Trayned Bands and a great number of armed Gentlemen from Essex House to the end of the City with great solemnity But the love and wishes of the people that did attend him were farre greater then any outward signification could expresse To whom he seemed at that time though going to a Civill Warre as much an English man and as true a Patriot as if he had gone against a forraigne Enemy Great was the love and honour which the people in generall bore to his Person in regard of his owne vertue and honourable demeanour and much increased by the Memory of his noble Father the highest example that ever I yet read of a Favourite both to Prince and people of whom that was most true which VELLEIUS PATERCULUS speaks with flattery and falshood of SEJANUS In quo cum judicio Principis certabant studia populi The peoples love strived to match the Prince his judgement That Cause wherein the Earle of ESSEX had ingaged himselfe seemed to them religious enough to require their prayers for the successe of it For the Parliament though they raised an Army expressed much humility and reverence to the Kings Person for not many daies after the departure of the Lord Generall by consent of both Houses a Petition to the King was drawne up to be carried by Sir PHILIP STAPLETON a Member of the House of Commons often spoken of before and at this time a Colonell in the Lord Generals
a Popish Army in England For not long before this time the Queene with Armes and Ammunition from the Low-Countries and Commanders of Warre from thence had landed in the North of England been entertained there by the Earle of Newcastle and by him and others with strong Forces conveyed to the King at Oxford whereof more particulars will be related hereafter Divers other Articles were framed against the Queene upon which within few Moneths after she was impeached of High Treason by the House of Commons and the Impeachment carried up by Master PYMME to the House of Peeres where it stuck for many moneths but was afterward passed there also and may be further discoursed of in the due time It had been likewise before Ordered by both Houses and was now accordingly put in execution that the King and Queenes Revenue comming into the Exchequer should be detained and imployed to the Publike Service of the Common-wealth a Committee was chosen of Lords and Commons to dispose of it to the best uses Divers necessary charges of the State were defrayed by it and among others which seemed a kinde of just retalliation many Members of both Houses of Parliament whose whole Estates had been seized upon by the Kings Armies were in some measure relieved at London out of his Revenue and thereby enabled to subsist in that Publike Service to which they had beene called But so exceeding great by this time were the charges growne for supportation of so spreading a Warre that no Contributions nor Taxes whatsoever were thought sufficient unlesse an Excize were imposed upon Commodities according to the way of the Netherlanders such as Beere Wine Tobacco and Meat which was taken into consideration by both Houses and this Summer agreed upon But the Excize was layed with much gentlenesse especially upon all Victuals of most common and necessary use insomuch that it was little felt either by the rich or poore people and yet amounted monethly to a very considerable summe though the Kings Quarters were then the greatest part of England for the City of London was within the Parliament Quarters To returne againe to the Lord Generall ESSEX His Excellency in May 1643. having as aforesaid received intelligence of the defeat given to the Parliament Army in the West and in what condition things there stood not being able with his owne Forces to give them reliefe sent order to Sir WILLIAM WALLER whose actions shall be anon mentioned in a Series by themselves to march thither in assistance of the Devonshire Forces and writ his Command to the Governour of Bristoll to aid him with such Horse and Foot as he could conveniently spare out of his Garrison But things could not at that time be put in execution according to his desires and before Sir WILLIAM WALLER could get farre into the West Prince MAURICE Marquesse HARTFORD and Sir RALPH HOPTON were joyned all together The Lord Generall since it was much desired by the City of London from whom the supplies of money were to come that he should move with his whole Army towards Oxford was content though somewhat against his judgement to proceed in that Designe and marched with the maine Body to Thame to meet there with the Forces sent from the associated Counties to his assistance from whence as a person whose care and Command extended over the whole Kingdome which was now overspread with a generall Warre and wasted by many Armies at once he granted a Commission by direction of the Parliament to the Lord FIELDING now Earle of Denbigh by the late death of his Father who was slaine in a Skirmish fighting against the Parliament to be Generall of foure Counties Shropshire Worcester Stafford and Warwick-shire to leavy Forces there and conduct them into any part of the Kingdome against the Kings Power according to directions from the Parliament or Lord Generall He granted also at the same time another Commission in the like manner to Sir THOMAS MIDDLETON to raise Forces as Generall of all North Wales At Thame the hand of God in an extreme increase of sicknesse hundreds in a day desperately ill did visite the Lord Generals Army and by strange unseasonablenesse of weather and great raine continuing fourteene daies the place being upon a flat moist and clayie ground made it impossible for him to advance from that Quarter In which time the Army was by sicknesse and departure of most of the Auxiliary Forces brought to a number utterly unable to attempt the former designe without certaine ruine the situation of Oxford upon the River of Thames considered for the Lord Generall conceived it impossible as himselfe expressed to block up the Towne without a double number to what he then had But when the raine ceased and the waters were so much abated as to make the waies passable intelligence was brought that Prince RUPERT had drawne out his Horse and Foot toward Buckingham with his Canon also and had called in the Country making open profession before them that he would give Battell to the Generall The Generall marched with some speed toward Buckingham to fight with him When he came within two miles of that Towne he found the case farre otherwise and had intelligence that the Prince had quitted Buckingham in a kinde of disorderly manner that the night before he had horsed his Foot and marched away leaving some of his Provisions behinde him The Lord Generall understood well that it was not possible for him with his Traine of Artillery and Foot Companies to follow the Enemy to any advantage For if he had been at that time strong enough in Horse his desire was to have hindered Prince RUPERT from joyning with the Queene who then was marching with a good Convoy of Horse from the Northerne parts of England where she had arrived from the Netherlands toward Oxford But being not able to follow that designe he desisted from his march to Buckingham sending into the Town a Party of his Horse to quarter there that night and to bring away that Provision which the Enemy had left there He himselfe with the rest of his Army marched to great Brickhill a place most convenient to lye betweene the Enemy and London to defend the Associated Counties to assist or joyne with the Forces of the Lord GRAY of Grooby Sir JOHN MELDRUM and Colonell CROMWELL to whom he had before written that if they could possibly they should fight with the Queens Forces and stop her passage to the King But it seemed that the businesse could not be done that the Queene and Prince RUPERT were suffered to joyne together with all their Forces Sir WILLIAM WALLER had beene long victorious in the West yet now the Parliaments fortune almost in every place began to faile and intelligence was brought to the Lord Generall that Sir WILLIAM having almost gained the whole West and besieging Sir RALPH HOPTON in the Devizes a Towne of Devonshire was on a sudden by unexpected Forces from Oxford under the conduct of
I Have read over the first part of this History contained in three Books an impartiall Truth and judge it fit for publike view by the printing JO. LANGLEY May 7. 1647. THE HISTORY OF THE PARLIAMENT Of England Which began November the third M.DC.XL With a short and necessary view of some precedent yeares Written by THOMAS MAY Esquire Secretary for the Parliament Published by Authority Tempora mutantur Mutantur Homines Veritas eadem manet Imprinted at London by Moses Bell for George Thomason at the Signe of the Rose and Crown in St. Pauls Church Yard M. DC.XL.VII The Preface THe use of History and the just Rules for composure of it have been so well and fully described heretofore by judicious Writers that it were lost labour and a needlesse extention of the present work to insist by way of Introduction upon either of them I could rather wish my abilities were such as that the Reader to whose judgement it is left might finde those Rules observed in the Narration it self then told him in the Preface by a vaine Anticipation I will only professe to follow that one Rule Truth to which all the rest like the rest of Morall Vertues to that of Justice may be reduced against which there are many waies besides plaine falshood whereby a Writer may offend Some Historians who seeme to abhorre direct falshood have notwithstanding dressed Truth in such improper Vestments as if they brought her forth to act the same part that falshood would and taught her by Rhetoricall disguises partiall concealements and invective expressions instead of informing to seduce a Reader and carry the judgement of Posterity after that Byas which themselves have made It was the opinion of a learned Bishop of England not long ago deceased that Cardinall Baronius his Annals did more wound the Protestant Cause then the Controversies of Bellarmine And it may well be true For against the unexpected stroke of partiall History the ward is not so ready as against that Polemike writing where Hostility is professed with open face This fault I have indeavoured to avoid But it is my misfortune to undertake such a subject in which to avoid partiality is not very easie But to escape the suspition or censure of it is almost impossible for the cleerest integrity that ever wrote Others I suppose will handle this Theame and because that none perchance may perfectly please I shall in the behalfe of all intreat a Reader that in his censure he would deale with the Writings of men as with mankinde it selfe to call that the best which is least bad The Subject of this work is a Civill War a War indeed as much more then Civill and as full of miracle both in the causes and effects of it as was ever observed in any Age a Warre as cruell as unnaturall that has produced as much rage of Swords as much bitternesse of Pens both publike and private as was ever knowne and divided the understandings of men as well as their affections in so high a degree that scarce could any vertue gaine due applause any reason give satisfaction or any Relation obtaine credit unlesse amongst men of the same side It were therefore a presumptuous madnesse to think that this poore and weake Discourse which can deserve no applause from either side should obtaine from both so much as pardon or that they should here meet in censure which in nothing else have concurred I cannot therefore be so stupid as not at all to be sensible of the taske imposed on me or the great envy which attends it which other men who have written Histories upon farre lesse occasion have discoursed of at large in their Prefaces And Tacitus himselfe complaining of those ill times which were the unhappy subject of his Annals though he wrote not in the time of the same Princes under whom those things were acted yet because the Families of many men who had then been ignominious were yet in being could not but discourse how much happier those Writers were who had taken more ancient and prosperous times for their Argument such as he there expresses in which the great and glorious actions of the old Romans their honourable Atchievements and exemplary Vertues are recorded And I could have wished more then my life being my self inconsiderable that for the Publike sake my Theame could rather have been the prosperity of these Nations the Honour and happinesse of this King and such a blessed Condition of both as might have reached all the ends for which Government was first ordained in the world Then the description of Shipwracks Ruines and Desolations Yet these things truly recorded and observed may be of good Use and benefit Posterity in divers kinds For though the present Actions or rather sufferings of these once happy Nations are of so high a marke and consideration as might perchance throw themselves into the knowledge of Posterity by Tradition and the weight of their owne Fame Yet it may much conduce to the benefit of that knowledge to have the true causes originall and growth of them represented by an honnest Pen. For the truth of this plaine and naked Discourse which is here presented to the publike view containing a briefe Narration of those Distractions which have fallen amongst us during the sitting of this present Parliament as also some Passages and visible Actions of the former Government whether probably conducing to these present calamities or not of which let the Reader judge I appeale only to the memory of any English man whose yeares have been enow to make him know the Actions that were done and whose conversation has been enough publike to let him heare the Common Voice and Discourses of People upon those Actions to his memory I say do I appeale whether such Actions were not done and such Judgements made upon them as are here related In which perchance some Readers may be put in minde of their owne thoughts heretofore which thoughts have since like Nebuchadnezzars dreame departed from them An English Gentleman who went to travell when this Parliament was called and returned when these differences were growne among us hearing what Discourses were daily made affirmed That the Parliament of England in his opinion was more mis-understood in England then at Rome And that there was greater need to remember our own Countrymen then to informe strangers of what was past So much said he have they seemed to forget the things themselves and their own Nations concerning them But where Warre continues people are inforced to make their residence in severall Quarters and therefore severall according to the places where they converse must their information be concerning the condition and state of things From whence arises not onely a variety but a great discrepancy for the most part in the Writings of those who record the passages of such times And therefore it has seldome happened but that in such times of calamity and Warre Historians have much dissented from each other
observations of a stranger concerning the Religion of the English people IT cannot but be thought by all wise and honest men that the sinnes of England were at a great height that the injustice of Governours and vices of private men were very great which have â—â—nce called downe from Almighty God so sharpe a judgement and drawne on by degrees so calamitous and consuming a Warre Those particular crimes an English Historian can take no pleasure to relate but might rather desire to be silent in and say with STATIUS Nos certe taceamus obruta multa Nocte â—egi nostrae patiamur crimina gentis Let us be silent and from after times Conceale our own unhappy Nations crimes But to be silent in that were great injustice and impiety toward God to relate his judgements upon a Kingdome and forget the sinnes of that Kingdom which were the cause of them The Heathen Historians do well instruct us in that point of piety who never almost describe any Civill Warre or publike affliction without relating at the beginning how vitious and corrupted their State was at that time grown how faulty both the Rulers and People were and how fit to be punished either by themselves or others Nor doe any of the Roman Poets undertake to write of that great and miserable Civill Warre which destroyed the present State and enslaved posterity without first making a large enumeration of such causeâ— how wicked the manners of Rome were growne how the chiefe Rulers were given to avarice and oppression and the whole State drowned in luxury lusts and riot as you may see upon that subject in two the most elegant of them And shall we Christians who adore the true God and live under the Gospell-light not be sensible under so heavy a judgement of our owne offences To begin with the faultâ— of the higher powers and their illegall oppression of the people during these eight or nine yeers in which Parliaments were denyed to England which I briefly touch referring the Reader to a more full narration in the Remonstrance multitudes of Monopolies were granted by the King and laid upon all things of most common and necessary use such as Sope Salt Wine Leather Sea-cole and many other of that kinde Regia privaâ—is creseunt aeraria damnis Claud. By losse of private men th' Exchequer growes Large sumâ— of Money were exacted thorow the whole Kingdome for default of Knighthood under the shadow of an obsolete Law Tonnage and Poundage were received without the ordinary course of Law and though they were taken under pretence of guarding the Seas yet that great Tax of Ship-money was set on foot under the same colour by both which there was charged upon the people some years neere 700000. li. though the Seas at that time were not well guarded These things were accompanied with an enlargement of Torrests contrary to Magna Charta the forcing of Coat and Conduct-Money taking away the Armes of Trayned Bands in divers Counties disarming the people by engrossing of Gunpowder keeping it in the Tower of London and setting so high a rate upon it that the poorer sort were not able to buy it nor could any have it without license whereby severall parts of the Kingdome were left destitute of their necessary defence No Courts of Judicature could give redresse to the people for these illegall sufferings whilest Judges were displaced by the King for not complying with his will and so awed that they durst not do their duties For to hold a rod over them the clause Quandiu se bene geserint was leâ—t out of their Patents and a new clause Durante bene placito inserted New illegall Oathes were enforced upon the Subjects and new Judicatories erected without Law and when Commissions were granted for examining the excesse of Fees and great exactions discovered the Delinquents were compounded with not onely for the time past but immunity to offend for the time to come which in stead of redressing did confirme and encrease the grievance of the Subjects By this time all thoughts of ever having a Parliament againe were quite banished so many oppressions had been set on â—oot so many illegall actions done that the onely way to justifie the mischiefes already done was to do that one greater To take away the meanes which was ordained to redresse them the lawfull Government of England by Parliaments Whilest the Kingdome was in this condition the serious and just men of England who were no way interessed in the emolument of these oppressions could not but entertaine sad thoughts and presages of what mischiefe must needs follow so great an injustice that things carried so farre on in a wrong way must needs either inslave themselves and posterity for ever or require a vindication so sharpe and smarting as that the Nation would groane under it and though the times were jolly for the present yet having observed the judgement of God upon other secure Nations they could not chuse but feare the sequell Another sort of men and especially Lords and Gentlemen by whom the pressures of the Government were not much felt who enjoyed their owne plentifull fortunes with little or insensible detriment looking no farther then their present safety and prosperity and the yet undisturbed peace of the Nation whilest other Kingdomes were embroyled in calamities and Germany sadly wasted by a sharpe Warre did nothing but applaud the happinesse of England and called those ingratefull and factious spirits who complained of the breach of Lawes and Liberties That the Kingdome abounded with wealth plenty and all kinde of elegancies more then ever That it was for the honour of a people that the Monarch should live splendidly and not be curbed at all in his Prerogative which would bring him into the greater esteeme with other Princes and more enable him to prevaile in Treaties That what they suffered by Monopolies was insensible and not grievous if compared with other States That the Duke of TUSKANY sate heavier upon his people in that very kinde That the French King had made himselfe an absolute Lord and quite depressed the power of Parliaments which had beene there as great as in any Kingdome and yet that France flourished and the Gentry lived well That the Austrian Princes especially in Spaine layed heavy burdens upon their Subjects Thus did many of the English Gentry by way of comparison in ordinary discourse pleade for their owne servitude The Courtiers would begin to dispute against Parliaments in their ordinary discourse That they were cruell to those whom the King favoured and too injurious to his Prerogative That the late Parliament stood upon too high termes with the King and that they hoped the King should never need any more Parliaments Some of the greatest Statesmen and Privy Counsellors would ordinarily laugh at the ancient Language of England when the word Liberty of the Subject was named But these Gentlemen who seemed so forward in taking up their owne yoake were but a small part
in that obey his Command for many reasons expressed at large in their Commentaries In the meane time the King commanded the Parliament to dissolve which immediately obeyed And being threatned with Warre on every side elected Sir ALEXANDER LESLEY an experienced Commander in the German Warres to be their great Generall to whom all the greatest Earles and Lords of the Covenant swore obedience in all warlike Commands taking an Oath of him for performance of his duty and immediately betooke themselves every man to his charge throughout all parts of the Kingdome according as they were commanded by LESLEY Whilest the Armies on both sides advanced forward and no decision of this difference seemed with reason to be hoped for but such as the stroke of Warre must allow The Scottish Covenanters did neverthelesse continue their first course of petitioning the King and by many addresses to him protested their loyalty to his Crowne and Person and did not omit by Letters and Messages to solicite as Advocates those English Noblemen whom they esteemed best and truest Patriots as the Earles of ESSEX PEMBROOKE and HOLLAND as supposing that this Warre was not approved of by any that were firme to the Cause of Religion and Liberties of both Kingdomes for so themselves expresse it The Earle of DUMFERLING having free passage about that time to the English Army assured his fellow-Covenanters that those Noble fore-named Earles and almost all the English Nobility were much averse from this Warre and â—avourers of their suit to the King Which did so much encourage the Covenanters to continue their humble Petitions to the King and God being pleased to give his blessing that after some few Messages to and fro the King was pleased to give leave that six of them should come and personally treat at the Earle of ARUNDELL his Tent upon the tenth of Iune with some of the English Nobility at which Discourses some few daies after the King himselfe vouchsafed to be present At last after many humble expressions of the Covenanters and some expostulations of the King with them by the happy mediation of wise and noble Councellors a Pacification was solemnly made upon such Articles as gave full satisfaction to all parties save onely that the Scottish Covenanters were not pleased with some expressions which the King had used in the Preface to the Pacificatory Edict as calling their late Synod Pseudo Synodus Glasquensis and aspersing their proceedings in Armes with such Epithites as tumultuous illegall and rebellious Which notwithstanding at the humble suit of them the King was pleased to moderate to expunge some of those harsh phrases as likewise to explaine more cleerely other ambiguous sentences to take away all suspitions from peoples hearts the Copies of which were delivered to divers of the English Nobility who had taken faithfull paines in procuring that happy peace that if any doubts should afterwards happen their judgements might be taken concerning the intention of the writing The King also declared for satisfaction of the Scots That though his expressions at some places might seeme harsh yet his meaning to them was never the worse That care must be taken of his owne reputation in forraigne parts and that litigation about words was vaine when the matter was cleere and their suit wholly granted The King granted them a free Nationall Synod to be holden upon the sixth of August following and a Parliament to begin upon the 20. day of the same Moneth to confirme and ratifie what the Synod should decree which the Scots thankfully receive esteeming that to be the onely proper and efficatious way to settle a firme peace both in Church and State They were also joyfull that the King had promised to be there himselfe in person but that hope afterwards failed them for the King excused himselfe affirming that urgent and weighty affaires at London as he was certified by Letters from his Queen and Councell required his presence there but that he would send a Deputy thither with full power to make good whatsoever he had promised which was the Earle of TRAQUARE This Pacification to the great joy of good men was solemnly concluded on the 18. of Iune 1639. and both Armies within eight and forty houres to be disbanded which was accordingly done and both the English and Scots returned home praising God who without any effusion of blood had compounded this difference and prevented a Warre so wickedly designed But that joy lasted not long for the Earle of TRAQUARE the Kings Commissioner could not agree with the Scottish Parliament the Scots complaining that nothing was seriously performed which the King had promised at the Pacification as shall more appeare afterward But however it were within a little time after that the King had been at London that Paper which the Scots avowed to containe the true Conditions of that Pacification was by the King disavowed and commanded by Proclamation to be burned by the hands of the hangman though the Contents of that Paper were not named at all in the Proclamation nor the people of England acquainted with any of them Which put the English in great feare that the former Councells of divisions yet prevailed in the Court especially discerning a shew of preparation for Warre againe But leaving the Scots at their Parliament a while In the meane time the Lord WENTWORTH Deputy of Ireland arrived in England and was received by the King with great expressions of grace and favour dignified with a higher Title and created Earle of Strafford Great was the expectation of all the English what might be the effect of his coming over great was the opinion which men in generall had conceived of his ability and parts looking at him as the onely hinge upon which the State was now likely to turne But very different and various were the conjectures of Gentlemen at that time in their ordinary discourses for I will relate the truth what use this great Statesman would make of his ability and favour Some as they wished did seeme to hope when they considered his first right Principles that whatsoever he had acted since his greatnesse was but to ingratiate himselfe perfectly with the King that so at last by his wisdome and favour he might happily prevaile both upon the Kings judgement and affection and carry him from those evill Councells which he had long beene nurtured in to such waies as should render him most honourable and happy That the Earle was so wise as to understand what most became a wise man and would make greatnesse beloved and permanent But others durst not hope so much from him when they considered his Government in Ireland and the ambition of the man They feared that neither his vertue was great enough to venture his owne fortunes by opposing any evill Councells about the King nor his favour great enough to prevaile in over-ruling That he was sent for onely to compleat that bad worke which others of lesse braine then he had begun Which he would
sooner venture to do then to make himselfe the Author of a new and good one seeing it hath been observed that few Statesmen have ever opposed Princes but rather seconded and assisted them in their bad inclinations From whence it comes that few Statesmen have converted Princes from ill courses but been themselves perverted from that goodnesse which seemed to be before in them Historians therefore neither imputed the goodnesse of AUGUSTUS to MARCUS AGRIPPA or STATILIUS TAURUS nor TIBERIUS faults to SEJANUS According to that sentence of MACHIAVELL Recta consilia à quocunque profiscuntur à Principis prudentia non autem Principis prudentia à rectis consiliis derivatur At that time the King declared to his Councell an intention that he had of calling a Parliament in England to begin in Aprill following The people seemed to wonder at so great a novelty as the name of a Parliament but feared some further designe because it was so long deferred whilest in the meane time preparations for a Warre against Scotland seemed to go forward and the Deputy of Ireland was first to go over and summon a Parliament in Ireland which he accordingly did crossing the Seas about the end of December What worke he was to do there the people knew not but wished that the English Parliament might have begun before the Scottish businesse had proceeded too farre which they supposed might happily prevent so sad a Warre and save those charges which would before Aprill grow upon such warlike preparations and require a supply from that Parliament that it were better to prevent such a necessity then purposely to stay till that necessity were made On the 18. day of that December the Earle of TRAQUARE by a Command from the King under his Privy Seale broke up the Parliament in Scotland and prorogued it till the second day of Iune in the following yeare The Scots complained that it was a new example and breach of their Liberties not heard of before in twenty ages That a Parliament fully assembled and compleat in all her Members whilest businesse of moment was depending should be dissolved without the consent of the House it selfe That whatsoever Kings in other Kingdomes might do it concerned not them to enquire but it was absolutely against their Lawes according to which the King had lately promised them he would onely proceed TRAQUARE immediately upon the dissolution of the Scottish Parliament hastened to the Court of England to certifie the King of all proceedings And the Parliament Deputies of Scotland dispatched away with speciall instructions to the King also foure Commissioners the Earles of DUMFERLING and LOWDEN DUGLASSE and BARCLAY Their instructions were That before the King himselfe not the Councell of England because of the independency of that Kingdome they should complaine of those injuries and intreat redresse which had been offered to them since the Pacification The dissolving of their Parliament The Garrisonning of Edenburgh Castle with three times as many as would serve for defence The garrisoning of Dun-Britain Castle with English Souldiers That the Scots trading in England but more especially in Ireland were enforced to new Oathes damning their late Covenant and contrary to the Articles of Pacification They sent withall an information to the English Nation in generall touching all their proceedings and intentions and expressing at large as may be there read what particular injuries they had received since the Pacification and how much contrary to that Agreement The foure Scottish forenamed Commissioners after some audiences before the King and divers of his English Councell were in March committed to Prison the King intending shortly to charge them the Parliament being neere LOWDEN to the Tower and the other three to other custody About this time the Earle of STRAFFORD returning out of Ireland where he had held a short Parliament and gotten foure Subsidies from them came to the King againe and the English Parliament being presently to begin an accusation was drawne against LOWDEN then Prisoner in the Tower concerning a Letter written from the Scottish Covenanters to the French King to which Epistle the said Earle had set his hand The matter of accusation was That the Scots weary of obedience to their owne King had recourse to a forraigne Prince for assistance and by that meanes might draw the Armies of France into this Island His answer was The Letter was written in May 1639. when Scotland was threatned with a grievous invasion and they had notice that by Ambassadors and Agents their Cause was represented odious to all forraigne Princes and States That their intention was to cleare themselves from those aspersions abroad and especially to the King of France whose Ancestors had been ancient friends to the Kingdome of Scotland and for feare least that King might possibly be wrought upon to be their Enemy otherwise That it was not to draw Warlike assistance from the King of France which neverthelesse they thought lawfull in an extreame necessity and persecution but only his mediation in their behalfe to their owne King and that the Letter well examined would beare no other sence Though there were mention of aid yet their secret instructions to their Messenger had specified what kinde of aid it was which they desired But howsoever they alledged that the draught of that Letter did not then please them nor was it at all consented to nor intended to be sent besides that the Superscription To the King at which so great exception was taken as if they acknowledged the French King for their Soveraigne was not written at all by them but added by some Enemy after that it was gotten out of their hand Besides all this the thing was done afore the Pacification and Act of Oblivion and ought not now to be remembred against them Whether their answer were sufficient or not true it is that nothing at all was made of that businesse though the King himselfe at the beginning of the English Parliament mentioned it against the Scots as a proofe of their disloyalty and justification of those Warlike preparations which he had made against them The Scots in the meane time had written to the English Parliament a large Justification of all their proceedings intreating them by the way of Brotherly advice To be wary in vindicating their owne Lawes and Liberties to frustrate the designe of those evill Counsellors who had procured this Parliament for no other end then to arme the King with warlike supplies against his Scottish Subjects and by that Warre to inslave if not ruine both the Nations That after so many violations and dissolutions of Parliaments in England this was not called to redresse grievances but to be so over-reached if they were not carefull and couragious that no possibility should be left for the future of redressing any That some dangerous practise might be well suspected when at the same time a Parliament was denyed to Scotland though promised by the word of a King granted to England when not
Court then a gracious Intimation that he accepted the tender of their loyall affections encouraging them to continue the same upon all occasions That he knew of no Fire-works in the hands of Papists For his going to the House of Commons that he intended no course of violence though that way had been justifiable for he was assured that no Priviledge of Parliament could extend to Treason which he knew would be proved against them upon cleer grounds and they in due time should be acquainted with it and that his proceedings against them should be according to the Lawes The King presently after his answering of that Petition sent another Message to the Parliament that for the present he would wave his proceedings against those five Members and returned a gentle Answer at that time to the Petitioners of Buckinghamshire who came to the number of about 2000 in behalf of their Knight Mr. HAMDEN a Gentleman much honored by them and by most of the whole Kingdom in which Petition they prayed that Mr. HAMDEN and the rest that lie under the burden of that accusation might enjoy the just priviledges of Parliament It was then grown a custom which proved accidentally very unhappie to the Kingdom however it were meant to come in great numbers to Westminster when they presented Peâ—itions to the Parliament though the people petitioning were unarmed and no just fear from them in the opinion of those who affected the Parliament yet those who thought themselves not well relliâ—hed by the people in general took occasion from thence either to fear indeed or at least to pretend fear alleadging that the Parliament was disturbed by such a numerous confluence of people and the freedom of the Houses in some degree infringed that some of the meaner sort were too apt to cast out rude words against such as they thought to be no good members of the Common-wealth of what degree soever they were From hence was occasion taken by some to justifie that Guard about White-hall and afterwards to excuse the Kings absenting himself from the Parliament And from this ground did the twelve Bishops about a week before this City-Petition frame their Petition and Protestation for so it was called to His Majestie and the Peers which was to this purpose They protested themselves to abominate all actions or opinions tending to Poperie or any Malignity against the State but were willing and ready to perform their duties in Parliament But whereas coming to perform that duty and service they have been rudely menaced affronted and put in fear of their lives by multitudes of people and can finde no redresse or protection upon complaint made they therefore humbly protest before His Majestie and the noble Peers that saving to themselves all their Rights and Interests of sitting and voting in that House at other times they dare not sit or vote in the House of Peers until His Majestie shall further secure them And because their fears are not vain but upon true grounds and objects they do in all duty and humility therefore protest before His Majestie and the Peers against all Laws Orders Votes Resolutions and Determinations as in themselves null and of none effect which in their absence since the 27 of this instant December 1641 have already passed as likewise against all such as shall hereafter passe during this their enforced absence from the said House Which Protestation they desired the King to command the Clerk of that House to record The Lords of Parliament immediately delivered by the mouth of the Lord Keeper at a Conference to the House of Commons That seeing this Protestation was of dangerous consequence and deeply entrenching upon the fundamental Priviledges and Being of Parliament therefore they thought fit to communicate it to the house of Commons The Commons thanked their Lordships for imparting it to them with so much affection and speed and for expressing their sense thereof and came to this resolution To accuse those twelve Bishops of high Treason Master GLYNN therefore was sent to the Lords who at their Bar in the name of all the Commons of England accused those twelve Prelates of high Treason for endeavouring to subvert the Fundamental Laws of the Realm and the very Being of Parliaments and to desire the Lords that they might be forthwith sequestred from Parliament and put into safe custodie and that their Lordships would appoint a speedie day for the Commons to charge them The Lords instantly sent the Black-Rod to finde out these Bishops and apprehend them so that by eight of the clock at night they were all taken and brought upon their knees to the Bar and ten of them committed to the Tower two of them in regard of their age were committed to the Black-Rod The twelve Bishops were these JO. Eborac THOMAS Duresme ROBERT Coven and Lichfield JOS. Norwich JO. Asaph GUIL Bath Wells GEO. Hereford ROB. Oxon. MATTH Ely GODFREY Gloucester JO. Peterborough MOR. Landaff Such work as this was daily made to the Parliament of England whereby not onely the relief of Ireland was wholly obstructed but all redresse of the grievances of England and settlement of the State there was so long retarded till both Kingdoms were at last involved in the same War and Confusion It was a strange thing that so barbarous and bloody a Rebellion should break out in Ireland without any the least suspicion or fear of such a Calamity without any cause given by the innocent English Protestants and surely it may seem as strange a thing if well considered that the revenge of so horrid and inhumane a Massacre should be thus hindered and indeed might be thought almost impossible unlesse the raising of the one and hindering the other proceeded from the same cause There was a great hope about the beginning of December that Ireland would speedily be relieved and Forces transported out of Scotland within a short time to that purpose considering what careful provisions the Parliament of England as is before related had made upon the first notice of it But at that time the King was returned from Scotland and in a Speech to the Parliament in which he conjured them to proceed in the businesse of relieving Ireland he likewise took notice of a Bill for pressing of Souldiers for Ireland depending in the House of Peers and declared his dislike of putting it in that way being as he said a great infringement and diminution of his Royal Prerogative telling them withal that he was little beholding to that man who began such a dispute concerning the bounds of his ancient and undoubted Prerogative But he offered at last that the Bill might passe with a Salvo jure both to King and People leaving such debates to a time that might better bear it This Speech of the King 's was much distasted by both Houses as a great breach of Parliament-priviledge insomuch as they framed a Petition to him wherein they expresse That the King by taking notice of the debate
grant those demands and to make himself of a King of England a Duke of Venice The several Answers that the King made and Arguments that he used to each several branch of those Propositions are too large to be here inserted and may be read by those that would be further informed in the printed Book of Parliament-Declarations and Ordinances CHAP. V. An Order for the bringing in of Plate and Money into Guild-hall The King's Declaration to the Lords about him Their Profession and Protestation to him The King layeth Siege to Hull but raiseth it again The Earl of Warwick taketh possession of the Navie as Lord Admiral The Earl of Essex is voted in Parliament to be Lord General of all their Forces ON the tenth day of Iune following an Order was made by both Houses of Parliament for bringing in of Money and Plate to maintain Horse Horse-men and Arms for Preservation of the Publike Peace and defence of the King's Person for that the Parliament in their expressions always joyned together with their own safety and both Houses of Parliament Wherein it was expressed that whosoever should bring in any Money or Plate or furnish any Horse-men and Arms for that purpose should have their Money repayed with Interest according to eight in the hundred for which both Houses of Parliament did engage the Publike Faith Four Treasurers were ordained whose Acquittances for the receipt of any Sum should be a sufficient ground to the Lenders to demand their Money and Plate again with the Interest belonging thereunto The Treasurers were Sir JOHN WOLLASTON Knight and Alderman of London Alderman TOWES Alderman WARNER and Alderman ANDREWES Commissaries also were appointed to value the Horse and Arms which should be furnished for that service It was desired in that Order that all men resident in or about London or within 80 miles would bring in their money Plate or Horse within a fortnight after notice and they that dwell farther off within three weeks and that those who intended to contribute within the time limited but were not for the present provided of money or Horse should subscribe that it might be soon known what provision would be for effecting of that great and important Service And in conclusion it was declared that whatsoever was brought in should be imployed to no other purposes but those before mentioned the maintenance of the Protestant Religion the King's Person dignity and authority the Laws of the Land the Peace of the Kingdom and Priviledges of Parliament Whilest this Order was drawing up advertisement by Letters was given to the Parliament that the Crown-Jewels were pawned at Amsteldam and other places of the Netherlands upon which money was taken up and Warlike Ammunition provided in those Parts as Battering-pieces Culverins Field-pieces Morter-pieces Granadoes with great store of powder pistols carabines great saddles and such like Whereby the Parliament thought they could not otherwise judge then that the King did plainly intend a War against them and had designed it long before They received intelligence at the same time that the King had sent a Commission of Array into Leicestershire directed to the Earl of Huntington the Earl of Devonshire and Mr HENRY HASTINGS second son to the Earl of Huntington for the Lord HASTINGS eldest son to that Earl did then adhere to the Parliament which three were chief in the Commission but many other Knights and Gentlemen of that County were named in it Together with this Commission of Array the King sent a Letter also containing the reasons of it wherein he complaineth that the Parliament by their Ordinance for the Militia would devest him of that power which is properly inherent in his Crown And for the occasion and reason of that Commission he urgeth a Declaration of their own using their very expressions and words in his Letter that whereas it hath been declared by Votes of both Houses of Parliament the fifteenth of March last that the Kingdom hath of late been and still is in evident and imminent danger both from enemies abroad and a Popish disconted party at home he concludes that for the safeguard both of his own Person and People there is an urgent and inevitable necessity of putting his people into a posture of defence c. Thus did the Parliaments Prologue to their Ordinance of Militia serve the King's turn for his Commission of Array totidem verbis The copie of which Commission and Letter coming into the hands of the Parliament it was resolved upon the Question by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament that this Commission of Array for Leicester is against Law and against the Liberty and Property of the Subject and resolved again upon the Question within two days after That all those that are actours in putting the Commission of Array in execution shall be esteemed as disturbers of the Kingdoms Peace and betrayers of the Liberty of the Subject It was also ordered by both Houses that this Commission of Array and the forementioned Votes should be forthwith printed and published thorow the Kingdom The King was not wanting to his own designe in the mean time and whatsoever might give countenance to the businesse he had in hand but made a short Declaration to the Lords who then attended him at York and others his Privie Councel there in these words We do declare that We will require no obedience from you but what is warranted by the known Laws as We expect that you shall not yeeld to any Commands not legally grounded or imposed by any other We will defend all you and all such as shall refuse any such Commands whether they proceed from Votes and Orders of both Houses or any other way from all danger whatsoever We will defend the true Protestant Religion established by the Laws the lawful Liberties of the Subjects of England and just Priviledges of all the three Estates of Parliament and shall require no further obedience from you then as We accordingly shall perform the same We will not as is falsely pretended engage you in any War against the Parliament except it be for Our necessary defence against such as do insolently invade or attempt against Vs and Our Adherents Upon this Declaration of the King those Lords and others of his Councel made a Promise to him and subscribed it with their hands as followeth We do engage our selves not to obey any Orders or Commands whatsoever not warranted by the known Laws of the Land We engage our selves to defend Your Majesties Person Crown and Dignity with Your just and legal Prerogative against all Persons and Power whatsoever We will defend the true Protestant Religion established by the Law of the land the lawful Liberties of the Subjects of England and just Priviledges of Your Majestie and both Houses of Parliament Lastly we engage our selves not to obey any Rule Order or Ordinance whatsoever concerning any Militia that hath not the Royal Assent Subscribed by L. Keeper D. of Richmond Ma. Hertford E.
his Oath in execution of his Office for proclaiming divers illegal Proclamations and contemning the Orders of Parliament This Impeachment was forthwith sent up and read in the Lords House Upon the reading of which it was ordered that he should be sent to the Tower from thence to be brought to a legal Trial upon his Impeachment Many days during the space of a whole month was this Lord Maior brought from the Tower to Westminster to attend the Lords of Parliament and many times returned back without being heard by reason of so great a multiplicity of Businesses as the Houses were then in At last after some hearings he was brought on the twelfth of August to the House of Lords to receive his Censure The effect whereof was that he should be put from his Majorality never bear Office in the City or Common-wealth be uncapable of all Honour or Dignity to be conferred on him by the King and stand committed prisoner to the Tower during the pleasure of both Houses During the time of these contentions between the Ordinance of the Militia and Commission of Array which is briefly touched by it self it will not be amisse to return to the King's proceedings in his own Person by what degrees he came to encrease in strength and what contestations happened betwixt Himself and the Parliament wherein that which concerned the Pen shall be first briefly touched and then his other actions But those Declarations Petitions and Proclamations which upon all occasions were then published are too many and too long to be recited in a Story in the Records and printed Books of Ordinances they may be read I shall onely mention some of the chief and excerp the most material contents of them The Parliament about the end of Iuly had petitioned the King to forbear all preparations of War and remove his Garisons To which he gave Answer and upbraided them with their preparations of War for appointing the Earl of Essex to be their General and the Earl of Warwick Admiral In that Answer he descants at large upon particulars commanding his said Answer and their Petition to be read in all Churches To which the Parliament reply as they had done before that they cannot lay down Arms nor rejourn the Parliament to any other place as he would have them unlesse he leave off those Warlike preparations and comply with that Councel to which onely he ought to adhere by the Constitution of this Government They likewise command the Petition Answer and Reply to be read in all Churches But things proceeding still higher the King being returned to the City of York from thence sent forth a Proclamation to suppresse as he there stileth it the present Rebellion under command of ROBERT Earl of Essex offering withal free pardon to him and all such as shall within six days after the date thereof being the ninth of August lay down their Arms. In which Proclamation also he commanded the Marquesse Hartford to raise speedily what Forces he could within all those Counties whereof he had made him Lieutenant-General in the Commission of Array of which before was spoken and to march against destroy or apprehend the said Earl of Essex The Parliament upon this Proclamation make a Declaration wherein they briefly recount all the King 's former proceedings against them and the Kingdom All which they attribute after their usual manner to his wicked Councel and promise still to make him great and happie if he will return to his great Councel But the next day after his former Proclamation the King continuing still at York sent forth another declaring that no Papist should serve him in his Army and that his Souldiers should commit no rapine upon the people And within two days after that he published a Discourse called A Declaration to all his loving Subjects concerning the proceedings of this present Parliament This Declaration was of a great length containing fifty pages in a large Quarto In which was comprised a kinde of History touching all former passages betwixt himself and them from the beginning of these divisions which is to be read in the printed Book of Parliament-Ordinances Toward the end of that Declaration he protesteth a wonderful love to Parliaments and to the peace and happinesse of the Kingdom but he requires that some persons as disturbers of the publike peace may be delivered into the hands of Justice to be tried by their Peers naming the Lord of Kymbolton and those five Members of the House of Commons whom before he came to surprise in that House Master HOLLIS Sir ARTHUR HASLERIG M. PYM M. HAMBDEN and M. STRODE as likewise M. HENRY MARTIN and Sir HENRY LUDLOW two Members also of the House of Commons for speaking some bold Speeches in that House He also desires to have delivered up to him Alderman PENINGTON who succeeded in the Majorality to the fore-named Sir KICHARD GURNEY and Captain VENN one of the City-Captains those two last he accuses of bringing tumults from the City to terrifie the Parliament at Westminster Another desire of the King 's is that Inditements of high Treason upon the Statute of the 23 yeer of King EDWARD the third may be drawn against the Earls of Essex Warwick and Stamford the Lord BROOK Sir JOHN HOTHAM and Serjeant-Major-General SKIPPON an expert and religious Souldier a man of high action in the succeeding War whom the City had employed in exercising of their Militia as likewise against all those who shall hereafter exercise the Militia by vertue of the Ordinance of Parliament The Pen was very quick upon all occasions and the King the next day after the publication of this long fore-mentioned Declaration sent a Message to the Parliament upbraiding both Houses with an Order which they had then made for the borrowing of an hundred thousand pounds out of that money which the Adventurers had raised for reducing of Ireland and subduing the Rebels there affirming that out of his Princely care and piety toward distressed Ireland he cannot but take notice of it commanding them immediately to retract that mischievous and unjust Order for so he calls it as they would answer the contrary to Almighty God himself and those that have trusted them Wherein he expecteth their speedie Answer and Obedience and the rather that he may thereby be secured that such part of the four hundred thousand pounds as is or shall be collected from his good Subjects of England by vertue of the late Act of Parliament whereby the same is granted may not likewise under false pretences be diverted from the proper use to which it was intended and misemployed to the disturbance of the Kingdoms peace in a War against him The Lords and Commons in Parliament make Answer to this Message expressing what caution there was in the very Order which upon that very occasion was printed for speedie repayment of that Sum and disposing of it to the right use But first they tell the King that this very Message of
his to them is an high breach of the Priviledge of Parliament and upon that occasion they call to remembrance and declare many particulars of their care for the relief of Ireland and the King 's hindering of it Those particulars there expressed are as followeth They declare that this bloodie Rebellion was first raised by the same Counsels that had before brought two Armies within the bowels of this Kingdom and two Protestant Nations ready to welter in each others blood which were both defrayed a long time at the charge of the poor Commons of England and quietly at last disbanded by Gods blessing upon the Parliaments endeavours That this designe failing the same wicked Councels who had caused that impious War raised this barbarous Rebellion in Ireland and recommended the suppressing thereof for the better colour to the Parliaments care who out of a fellow-feeling of the unspeakable miseries of their Protestant Brethren there not suspecting this horrid Plot now too apparent did cheerfully undertake that great work and do really intend and endeavour to settle the Protestant Religion and a permanent Peace in that Realm to the glory of God the honour and profit of his Majestie and security of his three Kingdoms But how they have been discouraged retarded diverted in and from this pious and glorious Work by those traiterous Counsels about his Majestie will appear by many particulars They there mention the sending over at first of twenty thousand pounds by the Parliament and that good way found out to reduce Ireland by the Adventure of private men without charging the Subject in general which would probably have brought in a Million of money had the King continued in or neer London and not by leaving his Parliament and making War upon it so intimidated and discouraged the Adventurers and others who would have adventured that that good Bill is rendered in a manner ineffectual They mention that when at the sole charge of the Adventurers five thousand Foot and five hundred Horse were designed for the relief of Munster under the command of the Lord WHARTON and nothing was wanting but a Commission to enable that Lord for the Service such was the power of wicked Counsel that no Commission could be obtained from the King by reason whereof Lymrick was wholly lost and the Province of Munster since in very great distresse That when well-affected persons at their own charge by way of Adventure had prepared twelve Ships and six Pinnaces with a thousand Land-forces for the service of Ireland desiring nothing but a Commission from his Majestie that Commission after twice sending to York for it and the Ships lying ready to set Sail three weeks together at the charge of neer three hundred pounds a day was likewise denied And those Adventurers rather then lose their Expedition were constrained to go by vertue of an Ordinance of both Houses of Parliament That though the Lords Justices of Ireland earnestly desired to have two Pieces of Battery sent over as necessary for that Service yet such commands were given to the Officers of the Tower that none of the King's Ordnance must be sent to save his Kingdom That CHARLES FLOYD Engineer and Quartermaster-General of the Army in Ireland and in actual employment there against the Rebels was called away from that important Service by expresse command of the King That Captain GREEN Controller of the Artillery a man in Pay and principally employed and trusted here by the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland for providing and ordering the Train of Artillery which was to be sent to Dublin and who had received great sums of money for that purpose was commanded from that employment and trust to serve the King in this unnatural War against his Parliament And when the Parliament had provided six hundred suits of Clothes for present relief of the poor Souldiers in Ireland and sent them towards Chester WILLIAM WHITAKER that undertook the carriage of them was assaulted by the King's souldiers lying about Coventry who took away the six hundred suits of Clothes and the poor man his Waggon and Horses though they were told that the Clothes were for the souldiers in Ireland and though the poor Carrier was five times with the Earl of Northampton to beg a release of his Waggon That three hundred suits of Clothes sent likewise by the Parliament for Ireland with a Chirurgion's Chest of Medicaments towards Chester were taken all away by the King's Troopers under command of one Captain MIDDLETON together with the poor Carrier's Horses and Waggon for the King's service As likewise that a great number of Draught-horses prepared by the Parliament for the Artillery and Baggage of the Irish Army and sent to Chester for that purpose being there attending a passage are now required by the King for his present service in England whose forces are so quartered about the Roads to Ireland that no Provision can passe thither by Land with any safety That Captain KETTLEBY and Sir HENRY STRADLING the Admiral and Vice-Admiral of the Ships appointed to lie upon the coast of Ireland to annoy the Rebels and to prevent the bringing of Ammunition and relief from forraign parts are both called away from that employment by the King's command and by reason of their departure from the coast of Munster to which they were designed the Rebels there have received Powder Ammunition and other relief from forraign parts By which particulars say they it may seem that those Rebels are countenanced there upon designe to assist the enemies of the Parliament here especially considering that those confident Rebels have presumed very lately to send a Petition to the King intituling themselves his Majesties Catholike Subjects of Ireland and complaining of the Puritan Parliament of England and desiring that since his Majestie comes not thither according to their expectation they may come into England to his Majestie The Parliament therefore finding what danger both Kingdoms are in by the designes of cruel enemies thought fit to provide for the safety of both by preparing a competent Army for the defence of King and Kingdom But in regard that the Plate brought in by so many well-affected men could not be coâ—â—ed to suddenly as the service required and well knowing that one hundred thousand pounds might for a short time be borrowed out of the Adventurers money for Ireland without any prejudice to the affairs of that Kingdom whose Subsistence depends upon the Welfare of this and resolving to make a speedie repayment of that money made this Order which that it may appear say they to all the world to be neither mischievous illegal nor unjust as the King calls it the House of Commons thought fit to recite it in haec verba and instead of retracting the Order to repay that money with all possible speed The Order Iuly 30. It is this day Ordered by the Commons House of Parliament That the Treasurers appointed to receive the Moneys come in upon the Subscriptions for Ireland do forthwith
Country being esteemed a brave and religious man After severall Skirmishes the Parliament Army had the fortune to make a faire retreat to Cawood Castle and Selby and leave all to the Earle whose Forces were reported to be about eight thousand Horse and Foot the Lord FAIRFAX and Captaine HOTHAM having not above 2100. Foot and seven Troops of Horse their number had bin greater if Sir HUGH CHOLMELY and Colonell BAINTON with their Regiments of Foot and two Troops of Horse who were expected had accordingly come in to them The Earle of Newcastle was now growne not only master of the field there but formidable to all the adjacent Counties who did therefore implore aid from the Parliament The Parliament upon that occasion hastened the Association of those Counties which lay neerer to them that they might be the more able to supply their remoter friends The Kings side received then an addition of strength in the North by the landing of Colonell GORING at Newcastle with 200. Commanders from Holland and other Provisions for the Warre The Earle of Newcastle marching from Tadcaster surprised Leedes in which Towne he tooke many Gentlemen Prisoners and forced them to ransome themselves at high rates whereby he was further enabled to pay his great Army Then also he gave Commissions to Papists in that Country to arme themselves in the Kings Service which he justified by writings published upon that occasion and at the same time proclaimed the Lord FAIRFAX Traytor The Lord FAIRFAX notwithstanding marched with such Forces as he had gotten together and proved successefull in divers attempts against severall parts of the Earle of Newcastles Forces one of them happening at Sherburne between Tadcaster and Doncaster and another at Bradford against a party of the Earle of Newcastles Army under the conduct of Colonell GORING Colonell EVERS Sir WILLIAM SAVILE and Sir JOHN GOTHERICK who came with a good strength of Horse and Dragoneers to surprize on a sudden that Towne of Bradford but were by Forces timely sent to the reliefe of it forced to retire with some losse which though it were not a Victory against Colonell GORING and the rest may notwithstanding be termed a successefull Action in being able to repell an Enemy too potent for them in all probability CHAP. IV. Some Actions of Sir THOMAS FAIRFAX in the North. The Queene lands in England The revolt of Sir HUGH CHOLMELY and the two HOTHAMS The state of this Warre in the Westerne parts The condition of the Associated Counties A short relation of Sir WILLIAM WALLER his Actions of Colonell CROMWELL Sir WILLIAM BRERETON and Sir JOHN GELL GReat were the atchievements of Sir THOMAS FAIRFAX in that moneth of Ianuary and the following February for no season of the yeare nor stormes of winter could quench the rage of this Civill Fire Sir THOMAS FAIRFAX on the 23. of Ianuary 1642. marched from Bradford six miles distant from Loedes with six Troops of Horse and three Companies of Dragoones under the command of Sir HENRY FOULIS Baronet his Lieutenant Generall of his Horse and neere 1000. Musqueteers with 2000. Clubmen under the Command of Sir WILLIAM FAIRFAX Colonell and Lieutenant Generall of the Foot When Sir THOMAS approached the Town of Leeds he dispatched a Trumpeter to Sir WILLIAM SAVILE Commander in chiefe there under the Earle of Newcastle requiring the Towne to be delivered to him for the King and Parliament But receiving a resolute and seeming-scornefull answer from Sir WILLIAM SAVILE he drew neerer and prepared to make an Assault though there were great strength in the Towne namely 1500 Foot and 500. Horse and Dragoones with two Brasse Sakers Sir THOMAS FAIRFAX drew out five Companies of his most expert Souldiers whom he disposed of at a fit side of the Town under the command of Major FORBES Captaines BRIGGS LEE FRANKE and PALMER Sir WILLIAM FAIRFAX at the head of his Regiment and the face of the Enemy stormed the Town with great skill and courage whilest Major FORBES did the like in his place and Sir THOMAS himselfe every where encouraging and teaching valour by his owne example brought on his men so that after two houres of hot fight though the besieged behaved themselves well the Towne was entred by Sir THOMAS FAIRFAX Sir WILLIAM FAIRFAX and Sir HENRY FOWLES on one side and Major FORBES with his fellow Captaines on the other They toooke within the Towne their two Brasse Sakers with good store of Armes and Ammunition foure Colours and 500. Prisoners among whom were six Commanders The Common Souldiers upon taking of an Oath never to fight in this cause against the King and Parliament were set at liberty and suffered to depart but without their Arms. There were slaine about forty men of which number the besieged lost the greater halfe Serjeant Major BEAMONT indeavouring in the flight to save his life by crossing the River so lost it being drowned therein and Sir WILLIAM SAVILE himselfe crossing in flight the same River hardly escaped the same fate Publike thanksgiving to Almighty God was given at London for this Victory Sir THOMAS FAIRFAX with his victorious Forces immediately marched to another Quarter of the Earle of Newcastles Army at Wakefield from whence the chiefe Commander Sir GEORGE WENTWORTH sled and left it to him Not long after he marched to Tadcaster at whose approach the Earles Forces though a considerable number fled away and forsooke their Workes From that time scarce any one fortnight of all the following Spring passed without some remarkable addition of strength to the Kings side in those Northerne parts In February Generall KING a Scottish Commander of great experience in Military affaires came out of Holland landed at Newcastle joyned himselfe with the Earle of Newcastle and passed to Yorke with 6000. Armes In the same Moneth also the Queene landing from Holland neere to Sunderland with great Provision of Armes and Ammunition and many Commanders of note in her Retinew was convoyed by the Earle of Newcastle to the City of Yorke The Earle of Montrosse about the same time a young Lord of great esteeme in Scotland who before in the Scottish Warre as is there mentioned had shewed himselfe one of the most active and zealous Covenanters of that Nation forsooke his Party there and with the Lord OGLESBY fled out of Scotland with 120. Horse to the Queene at Yorke Upon which both those Lords were proclaimed at Edenburgh Traytors to their King and Country for that contrary to their Covenant they stole out of Scotland to assist the Popish Army for so they called that of the Earle of Newcastles against the Parliament of England Another great wound to the Parliament not long after was the revolt of Sir HUGH CHOLMELY a Member of the House of Commons and one that had carried a good esteeme among them who had before as is already mentioned been imployed by the Parliament as a Commissioner in the North together with the Lord FAIRFAX and Sir PHILIP STAPLETON and was
ESSEX his Army was so much wasted by sicknesse and other distresses that he could not at all straiten Oxford nor hinder any Forces from issuing thence under the conduct of the Lord VVILMOT was utterly defeated scattered and ruined as was before mentioned He himselfe for security at the present retired into the City of Bristoll from whence within few daies he rode accompanied with some Gentlemen toward London and was there received with great affection and many promises of their best indeavour to set him forth with another Army The Kings Forces seemed now to have done the greatest part of their worke being in a manner sole Masters of the VVest and most Northerne Counties of England and having ruined the Lord FAIRFAX and Sir WILLIAM WALLERS Armies Yet in all Counties the fortune was not alike in many places those Gentlemen which adhered to the Parliament were able not onely to guard themselves but get ground upon their enemies though those actions were for the most part performed in skirmishes between small parties in preserving their owne strengths or taking Townes from the other side such as had been in Cheshire Lancashire Staffordshire Derby Leicester Notingham and other places which I shall briefly touch anon after I have related in how contrary a condition to the North and West which had beene the seat of a fierce warre and a prey to the greatest and most potent Armies of either side and how much happier then those other Counties which had beene alwayes molested with Alarms and Skirmishes and suffered by pillaging on both Parties the Easterne Counties of England had remained all the foregoing VVinter and continued so during the whole progresse of this bloody VVarre which were the Counties of Suffolke Norfolke Cambridge Essex Hartford Huntingdon c. who never were made the seat of any part of this civill VVarre These parts of the Kingdome had joyned themselves in an Association by Authority of Parliament with power to defened each other and leavy Forces against all enemies to that cause this great happinesse of peace and quiet that they enjoyed may be supposed to flow from the unanimity of their affections which carried them all the same way and true it is that there was as much unanimity of opinion and affection in those Counties among the people in generall as was to be found in any part of England but it was especially among the common people for a great and considerable number of the Gentry and those of highest ranke among them were dis-affected to the Parliament and were not sparing in their utmost indeavours to promote the Kings Cause and assist his Force against it which might have throwne those Countries if not wholly carried them to the other side into as much distraction and sad calamity as any other part of the Land had felt nor could that Association have been possibly made if those Gentlemen had not been curbed and suppressed by that timely care which the Parliament tooke and more particularly by the successfull services of one Gentleman Master OLIVER CROMWEL of Huntington a Member of the House of Commons whose wisdome valour and vigilancy was no lesse availeable in this important businesse then remarkable afterwards in the highest services and greatest battels of the whole Warre Of this mans Actions because it pleased God to raise him afterward into the greatest commands and prosper in so high a measure all his undertakings that he became within few yeares one of the chiefe props on which the Parliament leaned and greatest scourges of the other sid let it not seeme amisse if I discourse in a continued Serâ—es during those Moneths that intervened the Battell of Keynton and that low ebbe of the Parliament which preceded the siege of Gloucester The first Action that CROMWELL undertooke was to secure the Towne of Cambridge for the Parliament about the middle of January Universities were of all places most apt to adhere to the Kings party esteeming Parliaments and especially this the greatest depressors of that Ecclesiasticall Dignity in hope of which they are there nurtured Upon which reason they were packing up a large quantity of the Plate that belonged to all the Coledges to send it away to the King which would have made a considerable summe This was foreseene by CROMWELL who by a Commission from the Parliament and Lord Generall Essex had raised a Troope of Horse and came downe into that Country with authority to raise more Forces as occasion served he came to Cambridge soone enough to seize upon that plate which was going to Oxford but before his arrivall there he performed by the way another service Sir THOMAS CONESBY lately made High Sheriffe of Hartfordshire had received a Proclamation from the King to proclaime the Earle of Essex and all his adherents Traytors and was then at St. Albons upon a Market day proclaiming of the same CROMWELL with his Troope seized upon him and sent him up to the Parliament Not long after he collected in convenient time the Forces of that County and invited the neighbour Counties of Essex Suffolke and Norfolke to their assistance against an invasion of the Lord CAPELL who should have been seconded by Prince RUPERT also to invade that place and hinder the Association which had been done if that timely prevention had not been used This made them forbeare their intended invasion and retire to other parts About the beginning of March CROMWELL having raised a Regiment of Horse consisting of 1000. marched into Suffolke with much celerity upon intelligence of a great and considerable confederacy held among those Gentlemen which adhered to the Kings Party at a Towne in that County called Lowerstost a place of great consequence He surprized them unawares gained the Towne with small difficulty and no shot at all In which he tooke Prisoners Sir THOMAS BARKER and his Brother Sir JOHN PETTUS Master THOMAS KNEVET two of the CATLINES Captaine HAMMOND Master COREY Master TURRILL Master PRESTON and about 20. others of quality and substance In that Towne he gained good store of Ammunition Saddles Pistols Powder Shot and severall Engines for Warre enough to have served a considerable Force And certaine it was that if CROMWELL had not surprized them in that nick of time it had proved a matter of great danger to the County for within one day after as many more Knights and Gentlemen that were listed before had met at the same place This was a timely service to the Parliament and a great discouragement to all that Party in Suffolke and Norfolke which adhered to the Kings side But when the Spring grew furâ—her on and it was seasonable to make longer Marches about the beginning of Aprill CROMWELL having well setled the businesses of those Associated Counties for the Parliaments use and not confining his care and services within those parts onely raised a greater Force of such as came freely and heartily in to him with whom he marched along towards Lincolneshire with purpose to assist those of