committed The Lords Justices Sir William Parsons and Sir John Burlace taking those Arms which they found in Dublin and arming whom they could on a sudden to defend themselves dispatched Letters to the King in Scotland and the Earl of Leicester then chosen Deputy but staying in England Money was wanting and no supplies neerer then England Owen O Conally the first discoverer of the Plot brought the first Letters to London upon receipt of which they rewarded Owen with a gift of 500.l and an annuity of two hundred pounds per annum and presently both Houses of Parliament met at a Conference and the House of Commons forthwith resolved into a Committee to consider of Irelands relief and also to provide for the safety of England for distractions began then to appear in England the Parliament every day considered of Irelands relief and presently ordered supplies of money to be borrowed of the City of London Victuals and Ammunition for that purpose But all relief could be but slow in such a sudden disease For the Rebellion encreased and spread through all the Kingdom and many Papists and ill-affected fled from Dublin into the Country to joyn with the Rebels whilest the City in their rooms was daily filled with poor spoiled Protestants who came naked and famished thither many of them being past relief and there perished in the City It were an endless thing to relate the pitiful condition of those woful people and what sad stories they there told concerning the bloody rage of those inhumane Irish Rebels and several tortures by which the unhappy English were brought to their ends But the Lords of the Councel and Lords Justices in a short time with those Arms of Dublin had armed many well-affected Gentlemen and sent many active Commanders out of the City to defend places neer against the approach of the Rebels About the middle of November were in Arms Sir Charles Coot Sir Henry Tichburn the Lord Lambert Sir Thomas Lucas Capt. Armstrong Capt. Yarner and the Earl of Ormond came to Dublin with an hundred Horse well armed At which time the Parliament of England till greater sums could be raised sent them over as a present comfort twenty thousand pounds But it was a long time before they could send over any forces to the relief of that bleeding Kingdom the first was a Regiment Commanded by Sir Simon Harcourt who arrived on the last of December 1641. While Ireland was thus miserably distressed the King returned out of Scotland into England and was entertained by the City of London with most pompous solemnity the whole multitude of Citizens distinguished by their several Companies in such costly Equipage as never before was known with Horse and Arms met the King and guarded him through the whole City to his Palace at White-hall Some condemned that costly entertainment of the City at such a sad time others hoped it might gain the Kings dubious affection to his people but it wrought a contrary effect in the King who began now to think he could never lose the love of the City whatsoever he did and was flattered by some with a hope that the City would assist him in curbing of the Parliament it self he grew therefore more disdainful toward the Parliament and to endear the City invited divers of the chief to Hampton Court where he feasted them and Knighted some But the honest Citizens perceiving that no good use was made of their dutiful expressions toward the King but that some bad people did openly say that the City were weary of the Parliament and would joyn with the King against it they framed a Petition to the Parliament wherein the contrary is professed and that they would live and die with the Parliament for the good of the Common-wealth While the King remained at Hampton Court the House of Commons presented him with a Remonstrance wherein the Grievances of the Kingdom are expressed but no fault laid upon himself in plain words but a Malignant party as they call them and evil Counsellors Irelands calamities seemed to be quite forgotten or rather that those inhumane Rebels were countenanced every body wondring that the King would not proclaim them Rebels and some honest Lords advising the King to proclaim them speedily that a better course might be taken against them they desired him to wash off that foul stain from himself by proceeding severely against those wicked villains who reported every where that they had authority from him to seize upon the Holds of the English Protestants that they were the Queens Souldiers and rise to maintain the Kings Prerogative against the Puritan Parliament in England they therefore advised him by all means to purge himself of that crime then which a greater on earth could not be But so strangely were things carried that although the Rebellion brake out upon the twenty third of October the King did not proclaim them Rebels till the first of January and then gave a strict command that no more then forty Copies of that Proclamation should be Printed and that none of them should be published till his Majesties pleasure were further signified so that a few only could take notice of it which made all men extreamly wonder when they observed the late contrary proceedings against the Scots who were in a very quick and sharp manner proclaimed and those Proclamations forthwith dispersed with as much diligence as might be thorow all the Kingdom But before this Proclamation came out the Parliament being somewhat troubled with some speeches of which they had been informed as if a Plot were contrived against them desired the King to allow them a Guard for security of their persons and that the Earl of Essex then Lord Chamberlain of his Majesties Houshold might be Commander of it But the King denied them a Guard giving them many fair promises of his care for their safety and that he would command such a Guard to wait upon them as he would be responsible for to Almighty God Three days after the Proclamation against those Irish Rebels being the fourth of January the King attended with about three hundred Armed Gentlemen came to Westminster and entring in Person into the House of Commons and seating himself in the Speakers Chair demanded five Members of that House to be delivered to him Mr. Hollis Sir Arthur Haslerig Mr. Pym Mr. Hamden and Mr. Strode Those five Members had by command of the House upon information of the Kings intent absented themselves Which the King finding went away after a short Speech delivered concerning them That he intended a fair Trial against them and that he was and would be as careful to maintain the Priviledges of Parliament as ever any King of England was He had the day before demanded them by his Atturney Sir Edward Herbert a Member of the House of Commons pretending a Charge of high Treason against them and with them against the Lord Mandevile a Member of the House of Lords But the Parliament did not think
advice to him concerning the Propositions of Parliament or other business The Parliament were displeased at this thing neither would the Army long suffer it considering that the King had not yet in any thing at all given satisfaction to the Parliament Whereupon those Lords being told of it after two daies stay at Hampton Court returned to their own houses On the seventh day of September Propositions agreed upon by both Houses of Parliament the Commissioners of the Kingdom of Scotland concurring also were sent to the King at Hampton Court To which they did humbly beseech his Majesty that he would give his answer within six dayes The Commissioners appointed for this business of the Parliament of England were the Earl of Pembrook Lord Mountague Sir James Harrington Sir John Cook Sir John Holland and Major General Brown For the Kindom of Scotland the Earl of Louderdale Sir Charls Erskins The King although he denied as before to grant the Propositions wrote notwithstanding an Answer to the Parliament in which he sayes That to some things he can assent namely about establishing Presbytery for 3 years about granting the Militia as it was before offered to him But in the other things he must altogether dissent He affirms that he could rather hearken to the Proposals of the Army for the Army had lately published some proposals in the manner of the Parliament Propositions about setling the peace of the Kingdom and desired the Parliament that they would consider of those Proposals The Parliament not yet deterred by these often denials of the King fell upon debate about making Propositions to him again When the Commissioners of Scotland residing at London after that Louden and Lanerick who came newly out of Scotland had talked privately with the King at Hampton Court sent Letters to the Parliament in which they require that the King may come to London and then personally treat with the parliament about the things controverted those very Scots who not long before both in their Orations and Letters Denied it to be just or convenient for the Common-wealth that the King before he had given satisfaction and security to the People should be admitted to London or to any Personal Treaty with the Parliament Those very Scots who denyed to receive the King into Scotland for fear he might raise commotions in their Country would now have him brought to London a City filled with Malignants and fit for any Tumults in which the Parliament it self without the guard of an Army could not safely sit That which moved them to this demand as they alleaged was because the King had been taken from Holmby against his will and without the consent of Parliament by the violence of Souldiers and still remained under the power of an Army not in that freedom which was thought fit for a King treating about a business of so great moment At the end of their Epistle they seem content that he may stay if London be denied at Hampton Court so he be not under the power of the Army but in such a condition as that the Commissioners of both Parliaments may have a free recourse to him But the Parliament were again framing Propositions with some alterations to be sent to the King when lo on a sudden they were strucken with an unexpected Message That the King was privily fled out of Hampton Court To which purpose Letters came about midnight from Cromwel to the Speaker For on the twelfth day of November whilest the Commissioners of Parliament and Colonel Whaley who commanded the Guard expected when the King should come out of his Chamber to Supper and wondered at his long stay at last about nine of the clock some of them going in and not finding the King they found his cloak left there and a letter written with his own hand to the Commissioners to be by them communicated to both Houses of Parliament in which letter after he had discoursed somewhat about captivity and the sweetness of liberty he protested as before God that he had not taken this design of withdrawing himself to disturb the publike peace or any treaty tending to the establishment thereof but onely to preserve his own safety against which he understood there was a treasonable Conspiracy But toward the end of his Letter he useth these words Now as I cannot deny but that my personal security is the urgent cause of this my retirement so I take God to witness that the publick Peace is no less before mine eyes And I can finde no better way to express this my profession I know not what a wiser man may do then by desiring and urging that all chief interests may be heard to the end each may have just satisfaction as for example The Army for the rest though necessary yet I suppose are not difficult to consent ought in my judgement to enjoy the Liberty of their Consciences and have an Act of Oblivion or Indempnity which should extend to the rest of all my Subjects and that all their Arrears should be speedily and duly paid which I will undertake to do so I may be heard and that I be not hindred from using such lawful and honest means as I shall chuse To conclude let me be heard with freedom honour and safety and I shall instantly break thorow this cloud of retirement and shew my self ready to be Pater Patriae Charles Rex But the Parliament being much at first troubled with this unexpected news of the King's departure at last lest the Kingdomes peace should thereby be disturbed they ordered that men of fidelity should be speedily sent to all the Sea-ports lest the King should pass into any Forreign Country And when tidings though false were brought unto them that the King was concealed within the City of London they ordered That if any man should closely detain the King's Person and not reveal it to the Parliament he should be punished with the loss of his estate and life This Cloud soon dissolved and the Parliament were informed by Col. Hammond who was newly by consent of both Houses made Governor of the Isle of Wight that the King was come into that Island and had delivered himself into his protection Hammond signified himself to be ready to obey the Parliament-commands in all things The Parliament commending Hammond did also command him with all diligence to guard the King but to wait upon him with all respect and honour promising that they would take care that provisions of every kinde should not be wanting nor money to defray the King's expences While the Parliament were again deliberating about Propositions to be sent to the King in the Isle of Wight a Letter of great length from the King superscribed To the Speaker of the Lords House to be communicated also to the House of Commons was read upon the eighteenth day of November In which he delivered his Sense and Opinion concerning many things contained in the former Propositions especially concerning the abolition of
go in person over to Ireland against those bloody Rebels and therefore intended to raise by his Commission neer Westchester a Guard for his Person when he should come into Ireland of 2000 Foot and 200 Horse whom he would arm from his Magazine at Hull But the Parliament suspecting as well by my Lord Digby his intercepted Letter as by other presumptions That the Kings chief end of going Northward was to seize the Magazine of Hull and arm himself from thence against them sent a Petition to him for leave to remove that Magazine to the Tower of London and accordingly had sent Sir John Hotham thither who prevented the King and kept out the Earl of Newcastle whom the King had sent thither also for the same purpose at which action of theirs the King was much moved On the three and twentieth day of April 1642. the King attended by some Noblemen Gentlemen and Souldiers came at the Wals of Hull and demanded entrance but the Gates were shut and Sir John Hotham appeared upon the Wall and kneeling there entreated the King not to command that which he without breach of Trust could not obey in conclusion the King not getting entrance proclaimed Hotham Traytor and sent a complaining Message to the Parliament concerning that affront The Parliament labored to appease him but justified Hothams act and Declared That proclaiming Sir John Hotham Traytor without due process of Law was against the Liberty of the Subject and Laws of the Land Upon this business of Hull passed in 〈◊〉 short time many Declarations on both sides with Arguments drawn from the Statutes and Laws of England and many commands contrary to each other the Parliament authorizing Sir John Hotham to issue out Warrants to the Constables and other Officers to come with Arms to the defence of Hull and the King on the other side forbiding any such Warrants or Training without authority under his hand The King while the Parliament let him alone in the North daily Summoned the Gentry of those Counties to attend him at York and daily gained some to his party whose proceedings there in every particular are too tedious for this Relation but his frequent Orations to them were in substance That he was in danger of the Parliament and desired a Guard for his person and when the King made Proclamation for all Gentlemen and others to attend him in Arms as a Guard the Parliament at London only declared That such Arming of men to the disturbance of the Kingdoms peace was against the Laws and Liberties of the Kingdoms Thus did Proclamations and Declarations for a long time encounter each other But nothing made the Kingdom fear a War until that great defection of Parliament Members who left their Seats and went to the King at York Which happened about the end of April and continued a great part of May following in which space a great number of the Lords some sent for by the King others for their own discontents fears or ambition quitted their Seats in Parliament and went to him one after another The Lords that left the Parliament were these Duke of Richmond Marquess Hartford the Earls of Lindsey Cumberland Huntington Bath Southampton Dorset Northampton Devonshire Bristol Westmerland Barkshire Monmoth Rivers Newcastle Dover Carnarvan Newport the Lords Matrevers Willoughby of Eresby Rich Howard of Charleton Newark Paget Chandois Falconbridge Paulet Lovelace Savil Coventry Mohun Dunsmore Seymour Gray of Ruthen Capel Within that time also many of the House of Commons did so far break their Trust as to forsake their Seats in Parliament and go to the King This Revolt of so many Members of both Houses was generally looked upon as a thing of most sad consequence and likely to produce no effects but lamentable and wicked as to nourish and encrease the Kings dis-affection to Parliaments to encourage his distance from it and attempts against it to secure the Irish Rebels to subvert the dignity of that high Court and make the King by this diminution of their number as he did in his following Declarations call them a Faction a pretended Parliament and such like names The Parliament continued still Petitioning the King and on the twentieth of May sent to entreat him that he would Disband his Forces and rely for his security as his Predecessors had done upon the Laws and Affections of his people contenting himself with his ordinary Guards declaring that else they held themselves bound in duty to God and the trust reposed in them by the people and by the fundamental Laws to employ their utmost care and power for securing the Parliament and preserving the Kingdoms Peace Upon which these Votes were made in Parliament That it appears that the King seduced by wicked Councel intends to make a War against the Parliament who in all their consultations and actions have proposed no other end to themselves but the care of his Kingdoms and the performance of all duty and loyaltie to his person It was likewise Resolved upon the Question That Whensoever the King maketh War upon the Parliament it is a breach of the Trust reposed in him by his people contrary to his Oath and tending to the dissolution of this Government As also That whosoever shall serve or assist him in such Wars are Traitors by the fundamental Laws of this Kingdom and have been so adjudged in two Acts of Parliament II Richard 2 and 1 Henry 4 and that such Persons ought to suffer as Traitors But those Lords who had forsaken the Parliament continued still with the King in the North wherefore the Parliament by an Order of the thirtieth of May Summoned nine of them who first had gone away to appear at Westminster viz. The Earls of Northampton Devonshire Dover and Monmoth the Lords Howard of Charleton Rich Grey of Ruthen Covenâ—ry and Capel But they refused to come away returning an Answer in writing which the Parliament judged to be a slighting and scornful Letter upon which a Vote was passed against them in the House of Commons and presented on the 15 of June to the Lords by Master Hollis with an Oration concerning the importance of the business Upon the impeachment of the nine Lords the House of Peers about a month after being in their Robes entred into debate of the said impeachment and after divers Speeches made setting forth the greatness of their offence they were Censured 1 Never to sit more as Members of that House 2 To be incapable of the Benefit or Priviledge of Parliament 3 To suffer imprisonment during their pleasure After which Censure it was concluded That the said Lords should be demanded in the behalf of both Houses of Parliament to submit to the said Censure After this another wound was given to the Parliament encouraging the King in his Designs the Great Seal of England was carried away from the Parliament at London to the King at York by the Lord Keeper Littleton a man that had continued some time after the rest were gone
which favour they gave the King thirty thousand pounds This was that cessation of Arms so much spoken against by honest men in London for that reason especially that it was directly against a Law and the Kings faith for it was enacted by authority of Parliament the King also signing the Act in the year one thousand six hundred forty one That the War against those bloudy Irish Rebels should proceed untill it were declared by Parliament that Ireland were fully subdued and that no peace nor any cessation of Arms should be made with those Rebels without the consent of both Houses of Parliament Thus was assistance brought to either side to the King which he especially aimed at in this business that English Army which for almost a whole years space had fought valiantly and victoriously against those Rebels was now brought into England within five moneths after that cessation to fight against the Parliament of England but the cause being changed the fortune of those Souldiers was likewise changed for they had no success in England but within a short time after their arrival that whole Army was utterly defeated and all their cheif commanders with seventeen hundred common Souldiers were taken prisoners by Sir Thomas Faâ—rfax The Scottish Army that Winter following about the middle of January passing over Tweed came into England The Earl of Leven was General his kinsman David Lesley commanded the Horse the snow that fell at that time covered the ground in an unusual depth and as great a frost had congealed all the rivers but the heat of fighting was greater than the rigor of the air and the patience of Souldiers overcame the hard weather The Earl of Leven marched with his forces against the Earl of Newcastle who with a great Army possessed the Northern parts of England for the King nor did the War goe on with less vigour in other parts In the beginning of the Spring great Armies were raised on both sides and filled all the countries with terrour all the following Summer which fell in the year one thousand six hundred forty four they fought with equal fury and almost equal fortunes insomuch as that England by the dubiousness of success on both sides and sad vicissitude of calamitous slaughters was made an unhappy Kingdom The Kings fortune was susteined by brave Armies in the West under the Princes Rupert and Maurice in Wales under Gerard and others in the midland Counties under Sir Jacob Ashley an old Souldier other Armies were commanded by Sir Ralph Hopton and Colonel Goring and in the North the Earl of Newcastles great Army Nor were the forces of Parliament inferiour the cheif Army under the General Essex Waller commanded another the Earl of Manchester to whom Crumwell a stout and successful Souldier was joyned led a strong Army toward the North where the Lord Fairfax and his Son had good forces and Sir John Meldrum not far off the Earl of Denbigh a stout Commander was with a fair Party about Strafford and besides these the great Scottish Army At the beginning of that Summer the Parliament attempted a thing of great moment to besiege Oxford or at least to block up the King within that Town which was endeavoured by two Armies Essex on the one side and Waller on the other but the King deceived them both and with a few light Horse escaping out of the Town went to joyn with his greater Armies General Essex marched farther into the West but the expedition proved unhappy both to himself and the Parliament Waller followed the King but in vain for he could not hinder his designed March onely some skirmishes happened between parts of their Forces but nothing was done of any great moment until Waller returned with his force to encounter enemies in other places Various were the successes this Summer in most parts of the Kingdom in the West South and midland Counties the Kings forces prevailed above the Parliament which perchance had been ruined if the North had not made them amends with some atchievements besides one great Victory For Leve with his Scottish forces coming the last Winter into England besides the taking of some Towns and Forts had much weakened Newcastles Army lessening their number not by fighting but enduring the sharpness of that weather which the other could not so well doe To Leven the Lord Fairfax after Selby was so miraculously taken by valiant Sir Thomas Fairfax joyned himself with all his forces to whom also the Earl of Manchester after his Lincoln expedition came with a gallant Army Three Parliament Armies under three Generals Leven Manchester and Fairfax with great concord and unanimity had marched together and with joyned forces had besieged the great City of York whereof the Earl of Newcastle was Governour to raise the siege Prince Rupert was come with a great Army out of the South the three Generals left their siege to fight the Prince under him also Newcastle having drawn his forces out of York served who on a great plain called Marston Moore gave battel to the three Generals This was the greatest battel of the whole civil war never did greater Armies both in number and strength encounter or drew more bloud in one fight The Victory at first was almost gotten by the Royalists whose left Wing Fairfax his men being disadvantaged by the inconvenience of the ground had routed and put to flight the right wing of the Parliamentarians but this loss was more than recompenced in the other Wing where Crumwell who fought under Manchester charged with such force and fury the right wing of the Royalists that he broke the best Regiments which Prince Rupert had and put them all to flight Crumwel together with David Lesley pursued them and wheeling about with his Horse came opportunely to the releif of his oppressed friends in the other Wing where they ceased not until they had gained a compleat Victory and all Prince Rupert his Ordnance his carriages and baggage were possessed by the Parliamentarians After this Victory Rupert with the remnant of his forces fled into the South some of the Victorious Armies Horse in vain pursuing him for some miles the Earl of Newcastle with some of his chosen friends leaving York of which City Sir Thomas Glenham took the government went to Scarborough where within a while after he took shipping and passed into Germany The three Generals Leven Manchester and Fairfax after this great Victory returned to besiege York to whom that City soon after upon conditions was rendered after which they divided their forces and Leven with his Scottish Army returning into the North about the end of that Summer took the rich Town of Newcastle about the same time that the General Essex unfortunately managed his business in the West and having lost all his Artillery returned to London This Summer the Queen passed into France and used great endeavour to raise aid for the King her husband among the Roman Catholikes but those endeavours proved fruitless yet
possibility have held out long without some releif The Parliament rejoyced much at the delivery of that Town three Parliament Garrisons about that time and the foregoing year behaved themselves with such courage and constancy as might deserve to be celebrated in a larger History viz. Lime Plimouth and Taunton all which having been often besieged by Prince Maurice Greenvile Goring and other Commanders had not onely held out against those strong Enemies but much broken their Forces The things which that new Army under the conduct of Fairfax did that following year taking no rest all that sharp and bitter Winter were much to be wondred at how many strong Towns and Forts they took how many field Victories they obtained the stories of evey several moneth will declare of which because they are more acurately described by other pens I shall here onely make a short mention for within the space of one year all the Western Counties of England great Armies under the conduct of Prince Rupert Greenvile Hopton and Goring being utterly vanquished and brought to nothing were reduced to the obedience of Parliament In the moneths of August and September were taken Bath and Sherburn and Bristol it self the greatest and most wealthiest City of the whole West was by Prince Rupert surrendred to General Fairfax The Army also when it was divided by reason of the multiplicity of their work was not less successful in the parts of it Winchester and Basing taken by Cromwel the Devizes and Barclay by other Commanders Fairfax himself marching that cold December into Devonshire took Tiverton and with strange felicity stormed and took Dartmouth and afterwards drove the Kings Armies into Cornwall whom Fairfax pursuing at Torrington gave Hopton a great overthrow In the moneth of February with his Victorious Army he entred Cornwall for fear of whom Prince Charles fled into the Islands of Silly and in March following all Hoptons forces by the Command of the Conquerour Fairfax were disbanded and sent away and the whole County of Cornwall reduced to the obedience of Parliament In the following April Excester and Barnstable were surrendred to Fairfax and Bridgewater stormed but when they yeilded taken to mercy S. Michaels Mount the farthest angle of Cornwall was also surrendred to Collonel Hamond Thus Fairfax the Conquerour of the West having fitted all things for his expedition to make an end of the War is marching to besiege Oxford Woodstock was already taken by Colonel Rainsborough but in all these moneths that the General had done such great things in the West the other Commanders of Parliament were not unfortunate the Fates seeming to conspire at that side in the North and midland Counties of England about the midst of Summer Carlise was surrendered by Glenham the Governour to the Scottish Army a Garrison of Scots was put into that Town of which the English complained as being against the Covenant the Parliament also wrote to Leven to restore Carlisle to the English not that they did suspect any evil from their Brethren but that conditions might be observed and the mouths of ill-affected people stopped who were too apt to say that The Scots came into England not as friends but Freebooters From that time the Parliament ordained to have their Commissioners as the Scots had theirs at London resident in Edinburgh to be present with the Parliament of Scotland and to that purpose the Earl of Rutband the Lord Wharton and of the Commons Sir Henry Vane the Elder Sir William Armin Mr. Hatcher and Mr. Goodwin were chosen Glenham with his men after the surrender of Carlisle went to Newarke The Scottish Army about that time marched under Leven to Newark to besiege that Town but the Scottish horse staid not long there being forced to return into the North to the assistance of their distressed Countrey For the English Parliament at that time in midst of their own prosperity were notwithstanding mourners for the calamity of Scotland a great unexpected and wonderful calamity in which the frailty of humane affairs and the mutable condition of Kingdoms was set forth by a memorable example all Scotland within the space of one moneth was lost and recovered quite sunk and again emergent The man that thus plagued Scotland was the Earl of Montross one on whom the Kings hopes so much then depended that out of an earnest desire to joyn his forces to Montross the King with a body of good horse marched Northward but by the forces of Pointz Gell Rossiter and others the Kings expedition was stopped that he could not meet Montross for it had been agreed betwixt the King and Montross that at the same time he from the South should march Northward and the other from the North to meet him should come Southward that the Kings horse joyned to his foot might make a considerable Army in those parts but the Kings passage though he tryed many wayes was as beforesaid stopped Montross mindful of his promise broke out into the Southern parts of Scotland with greater success than could be hoped having scarce 4000. Highlanders and Irish A place there was neer to Kilsithe which the craggy Mountains and straitened passages had made fit for ambushes where Montross had seated himself thither the Army of the State confident of their number whilest unadvisedly they pursued the theeving Highlanders fell into the cunningly-disposed ambushes and were cut off with a miserable slaughter above five thousand were slain and none almost escaped but whom the wearied Conquerours had not strength to kill for cruel Montross spared none crying out They had no need of Prisoners This overthrow of Kilsithe at one battle had utterly ruined the State of Scotland if David Lesley about a moneth after giving an absolute overthrow to Montross had not restored it for after this so unexpected a defeat the State of Scotland had no Army for a Reserve or Force to stop the passage of the Conquerour to whom almost all their Towns presently yeilded The papists and Malignants and all neuters with those that had before dissembled their affections now joyned with him the rest were cut off all the chief Nobility of the Covenanters were forced to fly into England A publike Fast and Humiliation was kept by the English for the calamity of their brethren of Scotland General Fairfax and other of the chief Commanders wrote to Leven That they accounted the Calamity of Scotland to be their own and that if their affairs at home would permit and the Parliament would command it they would earnestly undertake that War and venture their blouds as freely for the Scots as for the English till the Enemies of the three Kingdoms were fully vanquished But Montross his cruell raign lasted not long scarce a whole moneth to vindicate Scotland David Lesley was sufficient who with his Horse coming thither at Selkirk gave Montross so total a defeat that it seemed fully to recompence Kilsithe the Victory was gotten in an hours space and as it was observed by
that they and all such Bills as shall be tendred to your Majesty in pursuance of them or any of them may be established and enacted for Statutes and Acts of Parliament by your Majesties Royal Assent in the Parliaments of both Kingdoms respectively The Lords and Commons Commissioners of the Parliament of England staid long with the King at Newcastle humbly entreating him that he would vouchsafe to sign and establish those propositions being not much higher than those which had been offered to his Majesty at Vxbridge when the chance of War was yet doubtful the same thing did the Commissioners of the Parliament in Scotland humbly entreat and the like did others daily who came with renewed supplications to that end from the Parliament sitting at Edenburgh But in vain were the supplications of both Kingdoms the King persisted obstinately in denial of his Assent but daily he seemed to take exceptions at some particulars whereby time was delayed for some moneths and the affairs of both Kingdoms much retarded which happened at an unseasonable time when not onely the dissentions between the two Nations about Garrisons mony and other things were justly feared but also in the Parliament of England and City of London the factions then encreasing between the Presbyterians and Independents from whence the common enemy began to swell with hopes not improbable and this perchance was the cause of the Kings delay But those hopes of the enemy soon vanished and this very aversness of the King did in some measure compose the dissentions of the Parliament insomuch as they began unanimously to consult how they might settle the affairs of both Kingdoms since it could not otherwise be without the King Therefore it was debated in the Parliament of England to pay the Scots for their assistance in this War and at last agreed that the Scots should receive four hundred thousand pounds half of that sum namely two hundred thousand pounds was to be paid in present upon receipt of which the Scots were to deliver up Berwick Carlisle and Newcastle to the Parliament of England according to the compact It was also debated though with much time and difficulty where the Kings person should be disposed in case he did absolutely and utterly deny his Assent to the Propositions at which meeting it was freely granted by the Parliament to the Scots that they might carry the King if they pleased to Edenburgh but that the Scots refused affirming that by his presence in an unsetled Kingdom new commotions might arise they rather desired which was also the Kings desire that he might be carried into the Southern parts of England and live in some of his Palaces neer London which they thought more convenient for treating of a peace as if England were not in the same danger by his presence So that in all that whole debate they seemed to contend not who should have the King but who should not have him Whilest these things were transacting and the King daily was humbly entreated by both Kingdoms to grant his Assent to these Propositions the Earl of London Chancellour of Scotland about the end of August when the Commissioners of both Kingdoms were present made an Oration to the King which because it opens the business in some measure shall be recited YOur Majesty was pleased on Monday last to call the Commissioners of the Parliament of Scotland and imparting the Propositions to them to promise that you would likewise impart your Answer before you sent it but so short is the Commissioners prefixed time and of so great moment either to the safety or ruine of your Crown and Kingdoms is your Majesties Answer that we should be wanting both to God and our own trust if we should not represent to your Majesty how necessary it is in this conjuncture of time That you grant your assent to these Propositions and what an incurable malady and sudden ruine must needs follow upon your denial I shall begin with the disease and speak after of the remedy The differences betwixt your Majesty and Parliament known better to no man than your self are at this time so high that after so many bloudy Battels no composure can be made nor a more certain ruine avoided without a present pacification The Parliament are in possession of your Navy of all the Towns Castles and Forts of England they enjoy besides Sequestrations your Revenue Souldiers and monies are raised by their Authority and after so many Victories and Successes they have a standing strong Army who for their strength are able to act any thing in Church or Common-wealth at their own pleasure Besides there are some so fearful others so unwilling to sumit to your Majesty that they desire neither your self nor any of your Issue to raign over them The People weary of War and groaning under taxes though they desire Peace yet are so much against the pulling down of Monarchy under which they have long flourished that they which are weary of your Government dare not go about to throw it off untill they have once at least offered Proposition of Peace to your Majesty lest the Vulgar without whose concurrence they cannot perfect the Work should fall from them Therefore when the whole People weary of War desire security from pressures and arbitrary rule the most Honourable Houses of Parliament have consented to offer these Propositions to your Majesty without which the greater part of the people do suppose the Kingdom can neither enjoy Peace nor Safety therefore your Majesties friends and the Commissioners of Scotland though not without some reluctation were forced to consent to the sending of these Propositions for else none had been sent or else incur the publick hatred as enemies to peace Now Sir if your Majesty which God forbid should deny to sign these Propositions you would loose all your friends both City and Country and all England as one man would rise up against you it may then be feared all hope of reconciliation being taken away that they may cite you depose you and set up another Government Moreover they will require of us to deliver your Majesty to them to restore their Garrison Towns and carry our Army out of England Lastly if your Majesty persist in denying both Kingdoms will be compelled to agree together for their mutual safety to settle Religion and peace without you which to our unspeakable grief would ruine your Majesty and your Posterity But if your Majesty shall despise the councel of us who wish nothing more upon earth than the establishing of your Majesties Throne and by obstinacy loose England your Majesty will not be suffered to enter Scotland and ruine that Sir We have laid our hands upon our hearts we have prayed to God to direct us and have seriously considered of the remedy for these mischiefs but we can find nothing else as the case now stands which can preserve your Crown and Kingdoms then that your Majesty should sign these Propositions in some things