the Commonwealth of England and hath exercised actual Hostility by commissionating Pyrates to spoil the ships and goods belonging thereto to these not the least violence or injury should be offered either in body or goods or if any should happen that upon complaint made redress and satisfaction should immediately be had Wherefore they desire all persons to abide in their habitations assuring them to enjoy what they had without disturbance No sooner was this penned but copies thereof were sent into Scotland and the Country-people that kept Market at Berwick had their pockets stuffed with them to carry home and disperse among their neighbours What good effects this course produced we shall see hereafter when the Army enters their borders The Lord General having used this expedient to undeceive the Scots and to procure their good opinion of him and his Army considered that all would not be convinced thereby the Sword not the Pen must perswade many of them wherefore he leaves York and hastes to Northallerton and thence the next day to Darnton As he pass'd by this place the Train of Artillery which was quartered here saluted him with seven Pieces of Ordnance Coming next to Newcastle the Governour Sir Arthur Haslerig received him with noble entertainment Here the Lord General and the Officers of his Army in a solemn manner implored a blessing from heaven upon their present Expedition After which upon due consideration of the affairs of the Army he setled a way for their supply from time to time with provisions This business being dispatched and the general Rendezvous appointed the Lord General leaves Newcastle and posts for Berwick His Forces being all come up he caused a general Rendezvous of them to be on Haggerston-Moor four miles from Berwiek July 20. 1650 the whole Army was drawn into the Field which was no sooner done but the General himself came among them being received with shouting and other signes of joy Having well view'd them he caused both Horse and Foot to be drawn up in Battalia Which being done there appeared a gallant Body of Horse consisting of 5415 bestrid by as many stout and couragious Riders eight complete Regiments of Foot consisting with their Officers of 10249 with the Train of Artillery which consisted of 690 so that the Army in the whole consisted of 16354. A sight most lovely and very desirable to see such an Army of men gallantly accoutred and provided with all necessaries who for approved valour are not to be equal'd commanded by a General whom no example ancient or modern can parallel for Courage and Conduct in a word he was honored in his Army and they happie in their General Being thus in Battalia the General marcheth them about an hundred paces towards Berwick and so dismisseth them to their quarters on the brink of Tweed where we shall leave them for the present expecting their further advance HIS WARS IN SCOTLAND OCcasion might here be taken to admire at the long continued separation that hath been betwixt England and Scotland that notwithstanding they are cohabitants of the same Island yet they should continue distinct Kingdoms for so many Ages together For whereas divers Kingdoms having inferious Dominions in them soon subjected them to their own Rule as in Spain where many Kingdoms are concorporated into one and in our own Nation where the Saxon Heptarchy was long since reduced into a Monarchy yet England and Scotland could never be united under one Head till the Crown of England devolved upon King James Many attempts have been made by several English Kings to reduce Scotland to their obedience Edward the second a King whose greatest honour was to be the son of an Heroick father and father to an incomparable son unfortunately fought the Battel at Bannocks in Scotland where as Holinshed relates was lost Gilbert de Clare Earl of Gloucester 40 Barons 700 Knights and Gentlemen and about 40000 others This defeat was great even the greatest that ever the English received at one time from that Nation But in hopes to wipe away this blur and to salve up this wound the King raised two great Armies for that purpose but with no better success for the first of his Armies was lost for want of courage to fight the last for want of food was forced to retire and in their retreat lost all their Ammunition But what else could be expected from a pusillanimous King who was observed in the former Battel to be the first that fled for it could not be expected that the Souldiers should stand they being bound to follow their leader To reckon up all the Rencoùnters that have happened betwixt the two Nations would be too tedious and stretch this discourse beyond its intended length Yet I shall wade a little in these plashes before I plunge into the Ocean of Cromwels Conquests Henry the seventh a wise and valiant Prince was much disturbed by those two Impostors Perkin Warbeck and Lambert Simnel Warbeck's quarrel was espoused by the Scots but to little purpose for a Peace was soon concluded betwixt the two Kings on condition that Warbeck should be sent packing and that James the fourth the Scots King should marry the Lady Margret King Henry's daughter Great debate was in the Council about this Match some were against it alleadging that in case the Kings issue should fail England would become subject to Scotland But to this the King wisely returned That the weaker must ever bow to the stronger and England being the stronger Scotland must submit This was but discourse for it could not be then imagined the King having two hopeful sons Arthur and Henry that the Lady Margret should be the Royal Stem from whence should spring those Noble branches which were to over-spread both Nations as it afterwards came to pass in King James But notwithstanding the Alliance made by the said Marriage in the days of King Henry the eighth while he was busied with his Wars in France the Scots invade England and were encountred by the Earl of Surrey at Flodden Field where the success remained doubtful a great while but at last the Victory fell to the English who that day slew the Scots King the Bishop of St. Andrews 12 Earls 14 Barons and 12000 Gentlemen and common Souldiers onely with the loss of 1500. at so easie a rate was this great Victory purchased By this and several other Blows King Henry got many of the Scotish Nobility into his custody And considering how their frequent incursions did impede and frustrate his designes abroad he thought it expedient to use a means to beget amity betwixt the Nations to which end he propounded a Match betwixt his son Edward and Mary the young Princess of Scotland This motion found so good acceptance at first that it was concluded upon and ratified by Act of Parliament with a special Instrument under the hands of the Scotish Nobility who by this means having gotten their liberty from restraint soon after quit themselves of their
His Highness Oliuer Lord Protector of the Common Wealth of England Scotland Ireland etc. The Perfect POLITICIAN Or A FULL VIEW Of the LIFE and ACTION Military and Civil OF O. CROMWEL Whereunto is added His CHARACTER AND A Compleat CATALOGUE of all the Honours conferr'd by him on several PERSONS Qui nescit Dissimulare nescit Regnare LONDON Printed by J. Cottrel for William Roybould at the Unicorn and Henry Fletcher at the three Gilt â—â—lips in St. Paul's Church yard 1660. To the PEOPLE of England My dear Country-men THe ensuing History properly belongeth to you in a double respect First Because it was your Blood and Treasure that raised the subject of this ' Discourse to Supremacie Then Secondly your Backs bore the Burthen of his Greatness therefore it 's fit that once again you look back and view with a full aspect this Gentleman General Politician and Protector To limn him to the Life in all these Colours is too much for one Pencil therefore I onely present you the Epitome of great Cromwels Actions from his home near Huntington tâ— his Tomb in Westminster The work is not unlike Homers Iliads in a nut-shel yet may it serve for a Memento of our ever-to-be-lamented unnatural divisions The main scope of this Discourse is a continued series of Tragical Scoenes with Comical Interludes lately acted in England Ireland and Scotland herein I indeavor to keep pace with Truth so near as possibly it may be traced My aim is Moderation as the surest way to hit Affection therefore have I chosen it before partiality or egregious Encomiums which do not become an Historian for Flattery is meer folly no better I am sure can it seem to the sight of a wise man who knows that Panegyricks must profit the maker or else the same Quill will again drop Gall in a Satyrical strain upon his reputation My Indeavors herein I doubt not will render some profit to the Reader though much pleasure cannot be expected when the Theme is nothing else but boxing about of Governments as men do Balls in a Tennis-Court Countrey-men Read over this small Manual and then consider how finely you have fought your selves into LIBERTY Vale. I. S. Reader Correct these few material erratas following which accidentally have escaped the Press and if any literal happen to cross thy way let thy pen rectifie the mistake Page line 73. 5. for hand read hands 269. 28. for 1654. read 1659. THE LIFE and DEATH OF His late Highness OLIVER Lord Protector of the Common-wealth of England Scotland Ireland His actions in the Wars of England IT is very well known that he was of an honourable Extraction and had suitable Education He was born at Huntingdon and bred up in the famous University of Cambridge where whilst he was a Student there wanted not some Presages of his future Greatness neither was he then so much addicted to Speculation as to Action as was observed by his Tutor After a good Proficiencie in the University he came to London where he betook himself to the study of the Law in Lincolns-Inne that nothing might be wanting to make him a complete Gentleman and a good Commonwealths-man His Country was not unsensible of his great Endowments for when the necessities of those times compelled the late King to call that Parliament in the year 1640 truly surnamed The long he was elected by them to serve as a Member therein And now God being displeased with England for the abuse of a long continued Peace and the blessings thereof and determining to punish the inhabitants thereof for the same he sent an evil spirit of Division betwixt the King and that Parliament They complaining of his evil Counsel and He of their Jealousies and Fears which Division being industriously fomented by Incendiaries soon brake forth into the flame of open Hostility both parties pretending one and the same Cause of Quarrel But to that which is chiefly intended No sooner had the Drum and Trumpet summoned the Nation to Arms but Cromwel was alarmed who tam Marte quam Mercurio neglecting the softness of a Sedentary betook himself to a Martial employment and immediately raised a Troop of Horse for the Parliament among his neighbours at his own charge The University of Cambridge being not far off him and the place of his Education he had a special regard thereto and knowing that Universities of all places might be most addicted to the Kings interest esteeming Parliaments and this especially the greatest depressers of Ecclesiastical Dignity in hope of which they are there nurtured to put the matter out of doubt he secured it for the Parliament and that in the nick of time when a large quantity of the University-Plate was about to be conveyed to the King then at Oxford And so industrious was he in the Cause he had now newly undertaken that hearing Sir Thomas Connesby high-Sheriff of Hertford-shire was at the Town of St. Albans on a Matket-day there to proclaim the Parliament and their General the Earl of Essex Traytors according to the Kings Proclamation to that purpose he unexpectedly rusheth into the Town takes the Sheriff and sends him up to the Parliament Being thus blest with a Troop he augments his Strength making it up a thousand Horse whose Riders being stout and valiant he took a course to preserve by Arming them cap-a-pe after the manner of the German Crabats whence in those days he was commonly stiled Iron-sides Being thus re-inforced he marcheth into the County of Suffolk and having intelligence that above fourty Commanders Knights and Gentlemen were at Lowerstoft contriving an Association of Norfolk and Suffolk for the King he with such secresie and celerity enters the Town that he surpriseth them all Having setled the affairs of the Associated Counties firmly for the Parliament he marcheth towards Newark and blocks up that Garison and finding a party of the Newarkers neer Grantham he sought them in which Encounter though he wanted of equality in number yet he so far out-went his enemy in courage and resolution that he put them to flight himself giving the first Onset About Newark he spent not much time but advanceth with the Earl of Manchester for the re-inforcement of the Siege of York which was then beleaguered by the Scotish General Lesley assisted by Sir Thomas Fairfax and a conjunction of other Forces in the North. Cromwel had not been long there but Prince Rupert approacheth with a great Army to raise the Siege Upon certain intelligence whereof the Generals draw off the Siege to fight him well knowing that if they won the day that City would follow as an Appendix to the Victory The Princes Scouts informing him that the Siege was raised he sent a party of Horse to face Lesly on Hessam-Moor and in the mean time enters York with two thousand Horse carrying with him all things needful for the relief of the Garison which having done he seemingly made toward Tadcaster but soon returned again into
would have extended had they had power sufficient to execute it Afterwards King Charles perceiving their enchroaching set forth a brave Fleet which hurt himself more then any body else for it raised so hideous a storm amongst his Subjects upon the payment of Ship-money that never after could be appeased till his Head was blown off his Shoulders these lying in the Downes under command of Dover-castle to protect a Spanish Armado intending for Flanders the Spaniards were boldly set upon by the Dutch and utterly destroyed Had this presumptuous attempt of the Hollander met with a vindictive King it would not have been so silently connived at These Affronts being thus slightly passed by imboldened them to attempt higher matters for the English Nation on a suddain involved in a Domestick War they made use of this opportunity to fish freely on the English Coast which they continued so long that from custome they would argue a right because they had done it therefore they ought to do it still presuming withall to make Englands Harbors the bounds to their Soveraignty A rich Bank of Treasure and great strength in shipping prompted them to this project and the rather because England was wasted by War and disunited amongst themselves Now they thought it their time to attempt the designe wherein they fancied an assured and absolute Conquest not at all considering what advantages in Navigation England hath over them as first not a ship can well pass the Narrow Seas between Dover and Calice but must run the hazard to be snapt in their passage unless they sailed under protection of a strong Fleet of War Secondly in stormy Weather the Winds would inforce ships at Sea to put into the English Harbours for shelter In both which respects it must needs be very prejudicial to the Dutch if they fell out with England their Traffick this way being stopt up no other means remained to continue a Trade to France Portugal Spain Turkey East and West Indies but by the North of Scotland with a Circumference about Ireland whereby the Merchant must necessarily be exposed to a double danger in respect of Enemies And that which is more unavoydable the tempestuousness of the Sea in this Northerly Latitude would have rendred their passage that way both unfafe and uncomfortable But it seems these Considerations never entred into the thoughts of that State their minds were onely troubled with dividing Spoils and how to give Laws by Sea to the whole world This high conceit of Fortitude many times bars up the doors against prudential Counsels Well blinded as the Dutch were Van Trump that leading Card against the English Commonwealth must begin the Game and that when their Embassadors were in Treaty at London The Parliament of England remembring their late saucy Action in the Downs resolved to make it redound to the honour of England to that end they fell into a close debate of the Nations right in those Seas now Mare Olausum speaks English to let every one see the Dominion of the Narrow Sea is Englands safety and Protector under Divine Providence from the fury of forraign Foes which if it were lost a Confluence of all Nations would quickly subjugate the Land to their will How sensible the Senate and People of England were of this is easily seen by the industrious Counsels of the one and incomparable Valour of the other so that in a few moneths the Dutch sustained more loss by this their wilful undertaking then before they had done in several years War with the Spaniard The English Parliament being thus engaged in a defensive War quickly changed the Scoene to offensive maintaining it with wonderful Policy and Prudence but on a suddain in stept General Cromwel and justled them out of Power taking upon himself to end this War He fought the Hollander twice prosperously which brought over into England four Embassadours extraordinary to sollicite a Peace these using pecuniary Perswasions so far prevailed with the Protector as made him balance the publick Concernments with his private Interest and so granted their desires The Peace being thus concluded and published the people of England were then perswaded to a general Thanksgiving by a Declaration partly made up of nine Verses out of the 107 Psalm To make observation on Englands Profit by this Peace is needless that I will leave for the Merchant to rejoyce in Actions of State are like the Billows of the Sea one designe drives forward another as they are agitated by the Princes breath No sooner was peace proclaimed abroad but Plots commenced at home the chief Designers were two Gerrards Brothers one Jones an Apothecary Teuder Fow and Vowel some of these through mercy were saved but Vowel and Gerrard must suffer for example In the same Juncture of time fell out an arrogant exploit of Don Pantaleon Sa brother to the Portugal Embassadour this man being followed by a fanatique Crew came one evening to the New Exhange armed with Swords Pistols and Hand-granadoes what the original provocative to this designe was is uncertain however one wrapt in Buff a bold Blade no doubt being followed by Knights of Malta Foot-boys and the like ascended the Staiers into the upper Exchange where firing a Pistol a Gentleman there walking was slain There happened to be walking the same time this Gerrard above-mentioned he seeing their Countenances not so swarthy as this deed was sable draws his Rapier and with a magnanimous spirit drove them all before him down staiers The Lord Protector having notice of these Portugals frollique upon examination resolved to proceed thereupon without respect of persons and to make the chiefest Actor an example of Justice which being found to be the Embassadours Brother he was condemned for this ridiculous riot and executed at Tower-hill on the same Scaffold though for different causes with generous Gerrard The eyes of the Spectators never beheld such different tempers in two men Gerrard no way appald in countenance or behaviour like a true English man out-braved Death on the very Block His body being removed out of sight up came Don Pontaleon Sa the Portugal with a body too heavy for its supporters and a countenance which sufficiently demonstrated that the terrour of his heart had in a manner made him insensible of the smart of the Executioners Ax so that many present believed his head served onely to satisfie the Law his life being already fled through fear But now on a suddain there breaks forth an Insurrection in the Highlands of Scotland these mountanous people having little to loose but their lives would ever be trying to shake the English yoak from off their necks The chief bellows to blow these miserable men to destruction was the Earl of Glencarne a man whose industry was ever pregnant in contriving new designes against the English he having now drawn together a considerable strength proclaimed to his fellows what great assistance would be wafted over to them from the Low Countries by which means it