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A62144 A compleat history of the life and raigne of King Charles from his cradle to his grave collected and written by William Sanderson, Esq. Sanderson, William, Sir, 1586?-1676. 1658 (1658) Wing S646; ESTC R5305 1,107,377 1,192

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at last The King in the head of his Army between Stafford and Wellington after the reading of his Orders military himself tells them Gentlemen I shall be very severe in punishing every person offending without distinction He cannot suspect their courage and resolution their conscience and loyaltie having brought them hither for their Religion their King and the Laws of the Land against their Enemies none but Traitors most of them Brownists Anabaptists and Atheists such as desire to destroy both Church and State and who have already condemned you to ruine for being loyal to him And makes this Protestation I do promise in the presence of Almightie God and as I hope for his blessing and protection that I will to the utmost of my power defend and maintain the true Reformed Protestant Religion established in the Church of England and by the grace of God in the same will live and die I desire to govern by the known Laws of the Land and that the Liberty and Propriety of the Subject may be by them preserved with the same care as mine own just Rights And if it please God by his blessing upon this Armie raised for my necessarie Defence to preserve me from this Rebellion I do solemnly and faithfully promise in the sight of God to maintain the just Privilege and Freedom of Parliament and to govern by the known Laws of the Land to my utmost power and particularly to observe inviolably the Laws consented unto by me this Parliament In the mean while if this time of War and the great necessitie and straits I am now driven unto beget any violation of these I hope it shall be imputed by God and Man to the Authours of this War and not to me who have so earnestly laboured for the peace of this Kingdom When I willingly fail in these particulars I will expect no Aid or Relief from any man or protection from Heaven But in this resolution I hope for the chearful assistance of all good men and am confident of Gods blessing Septemb. 19. And that the several Armies might not over-start each other the Parl. declares That all their Foot and Horse in London and all parts in England shall within eight and fourty hours march to their General the Earl of Essex for defence of the King and Kingdom the Privilege of Parliament and Liberty of the Subjects and such Regiments as are not four hundred and Troops not fourty shall be cashiered and disposed to recruit others excepting the Regiments of Colonel Essex and Ballard being in the States service Sept. 23. And order that Delinquents houses shall be preserved as houses of the Common-wealth for publick service or Prisons And because the Earl of Essex may be assured upon what Basis he is called to be their General they sent to him the Parliaments Petition to the King to be presented by him which tells his Majesty That his loyal Subjects the Lords and Commons in Parliament can not without tenderness of compassion behold the pressing calamities of England and Ireland by the practices of a prevailing partie with his Majestie to alter true Religion the ancient Government of this Kingdom introducing superstition in the Church and confusion in the State exciting incouraging and fostering the Rebellion in Ireland and as there so here begin the like Massacre by drawing on a War against the Parliament leading his Person against them as if by conquest to establish an unlimited power over the people seeking to bring over the Rebells of Ireland to joyn with them and all these evil Counsellours are defended and protected by him against the justice of Parliament who have for their just defence of Religion the King Crown and Dignitie of the Laws Liberties and power of Parliament taken up Arms and authorized the Earl of Essex their Captain General against these Rebells and Traitors And pray the King to with-draw his person and leave them to be supprest by this power and to return to his Parliament and that they will receive him with honour yield him obedience secure his person and establish him and his people with all the blessings of a glorious and happie Reign I cannot finde that this Petition was presented but I am assured that the General Essex twice sent to the King for a safe Conduct for those who should be imployed therein and it was refused they say to be received that humble and dutifull Petition as they stiled it 'T is strange for the King had never refused any Message or Petition from either or both Houses not onely with safety but cando●r when their Errand hath been full of reproach and scorn as the King says and the bringers bold arrogant seditious in their demeanour and therefore there needed to have been no more scruple in this But it was thus that the King being at Shrewsbury the Earl of Dorset receives a Letter from the Earl of Essex intimating that he had a Petition from both Houses to that purpose asking a safe Conduct for those that should be sent To whom the King answered That as he had never refused to receive any so he should be ready to give a fitting Reception and Answer to this and the Bringers of it should have safe Conduct excepting onely such persons as he had particularly accused of high Treason A fortnight after comes a second Letter to Dorset declaring That the Kings former Answer was voted a Breach of Privilege This second Answer differing but little from the former insisting That the Address should not be made by any whom he had accused of high Treason amongst whom the Earl of Essex was one but that his Ear should be ever open to hear any Petition from his Parliament Indeed the Petition was framed more fit to be delivered after a Battel and full Conquest of the King than in the Head of his Army thirty thousand men when it might seem somewhat in his power whether he would be deposed or no. For we finde the King in Wales caressing the Inhabitants of Denbigh and Flintshire Septemb. 27. And tells them That he is willing to take all occasions to visit all his good Subjects and hath cause to reckon them for their loyaltie expressed in their late Levies sent to him at their own charges against such a Malignant partie whose Designs are to destroy him his Crown Laws and Government of Church and State raising Tumults at London to drive from thence him and the greatest part of the Members of Parliament He is robbed of his Towns Forts Castles Goods Navie Revenue and at this time a powerfull Armie marching against him and among a thousand Scandals they have cast upon him the impious Rebellion in Ireland which he abhors and hath endeavoured by all possible ways and means to suppress but is obstructed by them And refers the naming of these Contrivers and their particular actions to his Declaration of the twelfth of August being supprest by them as all other his Protestations and
Parl. and hath seen their Declaration sent to his Subjects in Scotland unjustly taxing the King and his Government and in a manner challenging assistance from Scotland to make War against the King making their clame by a late Act of Pacification to which he did chearfully consent And tells them of the other Scandal upon him and his Army of being Papists and sends to them his former Declarations in answer to the Parliaments wonted Scandal in that particular protesting against any intent of his to bring in Foreign Forces and doubts not of a dutifull concurrence in all his Subjects of Scotland And requires this his Declaration to be published to all his people there General Essex having lain quiet since the late Battel of Edg-hill and his Souldiers squandered from their Quarters to incourage them it is declared That if they return to their Quarters within an hour after this publication each Foot-souldier shall receive as the rest half a Crown addition and each Trooper five shillings increase to their pay Which sent them packing to their Quarters And because their General may not be discouraged by the last Battel doubtfully disputed the Parliament is pleased to set out a Declaration concerning the late valourous and acceptable Service of his Excellencie Robert Earl of Essex to remain upon Record in both Houses for a mark of Honour to his person name and familie and for a Monument of his singular virtue to posteritie The Parliament having assured confidence in his wisdom for the defence of Religion King Parliament and Kingdom and he managing this Service with so much valour in a bloudie Battel near Keinton in Warwickshire which doth deserve their best acknowledgment and they shall be readie to express the due sense of his merit and this to remain upon Record to him and his posteritie Nov. 11. 1642. But let us see what becomes of the Parliaments Address to the King The safe conduct was sent from Reading the sixth of Novemb. with such Exceptions as you have heard just and reasonable and yet the very next day November 7. the Parliament vote Not to accept of this safe conduct and resolve That the Exception in the safe conduct is a Denial and Refusal of a Treatie Of which they order a Committee to acquaint the City Common Hall and thereby to quicken them to a Resolution of defending their Liberties and Religion and thereafter to frame a Declaration to all the World of the Kings refusal of the Parliaments petition and yet receives petition and address from the Rebells of Ireland And of this Message the eighth of November is sent the Lord Brook and Sir Henry Vane junior to Guild-hall where his Lordship tells the Mayor and Aldermen That the Kings Foot were near Stains his Horse at Kingston and that the Parliaments Foot are marching that way who couragiously had the late Victory and killed two thousand without the loss of an hundred unless Women Children and Dogs be numbred then indeed there might be with all them two hundred But it was Gods work of mercy and wonder Truly he is assured that we said he are a dear people exceedingly beloved of God But his second Speech surpasses take it at length and printed somewhat like the same again Gentlemen I have but one word more to trouble you with This noble Gentleman Sir Henry Vane hath exprest so fully all that was in the Message that truly I should wrong him and my self too if I should say any more therefore I shall now speak to you of another thing it is not fit any thing concerns you should be concealed from you I came this day to this place to this house about another business I have already communicated to my Lord Mayor and the Aldermen and the Committee I think it will not be unfit you should know it I have the consent of some that understand this business very well to this I now shall do Gentlemen the Message was this it was a Message from his Excellencie it is to let you know how near the Danger is at hand that so you may gird up the Loins of your Resolution and do like men of courage Gentlemen Citizens of London better than whom no man did in that Armie we had abroad the Enemies the Foot as we understand are very near Stains the Horse they are about Kingston we cannot tell you that all are there but that there are both Horse and Foot too and it is certain our Foot are going to it so that the question is now What is to be done Certainly this is a certain truth among all Souldiers that you must keep evil as far off you as you can you must not let it come near your doors you must not think to fight in the sights and tears and eyes and d●●●●actions of your Wives and Children but to go out and meet it valiantly as you have done God hath shewed himself a God of love and mercie and truly we must give him all the honour of that day certainly it is the greatest Victorie that ever was gotten near two thousand I love to speak with the least on their side slain and I am confident not an hundred on our side unless you will take in Women and Children Car-men and Dogs for they ●lew the very Dogs and all If you take in Women Children Carmen and Dogs then they slew about two hundred but that an hundred should be slain on one side and two thousand on the other side is a very miraculous thing he that dealt so wonderfully heretofore it were to distrust him if we did not think he would do so again Truly he hath a people among us exceedingly beloved and what is it we fight for it is for our Religion for God for Libertie and all and what is it they fight for for their lust their will for tyrannie to make us slaves and to overthrow all Gentlemen me thinks I see a face and spie you readie to do any thing and the Generals Resolution is to go out tomorrow and to do as a man of courage and resolution and never man did like him for he was not onely General but Common Souldier for he led up his own Regiment and he led up his own Troop with his own person and when the left Troops of Horse deceived him he brought up the right Troops he himself will go out again and do again as much as he hath done and all this is for your sakes for he can be a free-man he can be a Gentleman he can be a great man go where he will therefore it is onely for your sakes he is resolved to go out to morrow his Forces are wearie his Forces are spent some came but last night into Town some marched twenty miles March which is a great March as some that know what it is can tell but as wearie as they are he is resolved to go out but if you will affect the cause and joyn with him hand and heart
fit for a Kings use because submitting to the regret of the peoples hate and had no doubt abilities to have ballanced affairs to the better had not his Assassination left things loose in the very time that he endeavoured to fasten them These grievances such as they were murmured into common knowledge made the Multitude most averse to supply the Kings necessities and his Instruments of Invention seeking thereby their own ends to advance the Pr●sbyterian Faction by a discontented bussle put the King upon the most regretful wayes that proved his ruine Of Scotland But to heighten these Differences the Scots are called home from foreign parts and flocking to the English Court upon large expence their former begging trade almost out of use began confederacie with the English Puritan and Presbyter crying out upon the Queen and Popery some advantages they finde ready fitted to hand the busie Arch-bishop who must in this time of high discontent press a full conformity of their Kirk in Scotland with the English Discipline which occasioned the Commons and cunning Lords of both Nations to combine watching such a conjuncture of time and state that should force the King in to the Parliamentary way which they effected mightily insisting upon their Priviledges enlarged by former favour of Soveraigns specially of Queen Eli●●beth whose interest lay couched in the Mad-headed Multitude lately become loose by sundry Laws which gave them equality with the Peerage and now cry out for liberty And so we shall enter upon some Observations in reference to their first Actors on their own Stage It is observable that upon the change of Soveraignty a Mutability and alteration of men and manners to follow The former Councellors and Favourites of State to decline yielding or overpowred with the Factions and Complots of such as seek to set up themselves with others ruine as in England so in Scotland The Earl of Niddisdale married into the Kindred of the Duke of Buckingham took to Faction the Earl of Mentith of the Ancient Noble Family of Grahames their Spirit was preserved in him but the Estate decayed in them all only Sir Iames Grahame I remember of some credit heretofore with King Iames applyed his policy then in spite to Somerset for the Induction of the Favourite Villiers buoy'd up by the Scots upon his score who had interest with that Duke ever after his noble 〈◊〉 and perfect character never ingratefull Another was Sir William Alexander of Menstrie and but Master of Requests for Scots Affairs yet great enough to bear up with any the most ambitious who with p●rsons some Bishops of their own and others of such like humours advised a general Revocation of things passed heretofore partly in minority of Princes in prejudice to the Crown a course most usual just and reasonable with the Kings Predecessors and yet now become grievous for great men to part with Grounded no doubt and that Legally upon former Revocations after dissolution of the Popish Religion and so annexed to the Crown but it was at this time done with all moderation and in effect for ease to the Gentry and the Ministery who of all proved most ingrate Another Symptome of discontent proceeded from men of the Noblest extraction Lords of the Erection or Laicks or as in England Impropriators who usually abused their gathering in of their Tithes against whom Petitions were frequent from almost all the Ministers and Gentry and their Farmers for their oppression in matters of Tithes none having power to carry away his nine parts or any part untill the Proprietary have set out his tenth part The Ministers likewise received no Tithes or but a poor pittance or stipend and so in dependence of such Patrons upon all occasions of Faction good or bad A necessary considered in point of State also That all those Ministers and others that pay Tithes the greatest part of the people should depend on the Nobility or Laick persons upon which reasons for reformation there issued out Commissions to sundry the Prime of Estates and Degrees the very offenders not omitted and called Commissioners of Surrenders of Superiority and Tithes the effect accordingly rendred a due and equal amendment of evill manners and freedom from that bondage and so acknowledged from all Nor were the Patrons displeased in point of profit as it was ordered only they were curbed of their usurpation in their Powers and Superiority over the people and therefore to deceive them it was bruited abroad as a design of the Bishops and struck at the Liberty of Religion Other complaints were fram'd against the Dependants and Favourites of the Lords of Session obstructing the equality of Justice Three of the chiefest Earls Hadington Lidsdale and Southeck led the way of surrendring their Patents from King Iames ad vita● vel culpam and all others Patents were reformed durante benepl●cit● Regis Yet see the ingenuity and grace of the King the last two Earls continued Privy Councellors And Hadington removed from the place of Secretary was rewarded with the custody of the Privy-seal of more honour but less gain And which angered them all Sir William Alexander made a Lord and soon after Secretary of State yet still to stop the mouth of malice Hadington had half the benefit of the signet Mentith made President of the Council a new Office in that Nation which formerly resided in 〈◊〉 Chancellour and afterwards created Earl of Stratherne These Mutations gave the first motions of discontent and proceed to Mutiny for Niddesdale comes thither with Commission of Grievance framed at Court to be setled in form of the English Star-chamber intentionally to raise fines from offenders for the Kings use which Niddesdale meant to beg to pay his debts A design effectually ruinous only to great men notorious oppressors But the Earls of Kinnoul Chancellor Marr Treasurer and old Hadington Privy-seal having continual intelligence out of the Kings Bed-chamber the most Scotch-men his own servants therein from first and last fatal Informers of all his secrets so moved their Faction and Friends armed with Scots Pistols and Whinyards their Mode in mutiny opposed Niddesdale to his teeth the very day of delivery of the Commission to be confirmed by the Council and old Hadington with his Hanger a man now of the Gown in the head of the Rout Niddesdale was fairly enforced to steal away by a back Postern and posted to England with his Commission in his Cloak-bag This the first fatal opposition to Soveraignty and Justice and the first foil which was never removed to the last of the Kings life Alexander also made an Earl unable to execute his Office of Secretary was contented to have assistance of another the manner of England Sir Archibald Attchison a Judge in Ireland his intimate friend but of such an unquiet Spirit as from his first Accession gave fuel to all those after Seditions Upon the surrenders of Superiority and Tythes Sir Iohn Stewart of Traham amongst others was deputed by the Gentry
an enterprize For those your donatives are all disburst to a penny and I am enforced to summon you hither to tell you that neither can the Army advance nor the Fleet set forth without further aid Consider I pray you the eyes of all Europe are defixt upon me to whom I shall appear ridiculous as though I were unable to outgo muster and ostentation if you now desert me Consider it is my first attempt wherein if I sustain a foyl it will blemish all my future honour If mine cannot let your own reputation move you deliver and expedite me fairly out of this war wherewith you have encombred let it never be said whereinto you have betrayed me I desire therefore your speedy supply speedy I call it for else it will prove no supply The Sun you know is entring into his declining point so it will be soon too late to set forth when it will be rather not too soon to return Again I must minde you of the mortality now regnant in this City which should it as so it may and no breach of priviledge neither arrest any one Member of either house it would soon put a period both to consultation and Session so that your own peri●litation necessitates an early resolution In sum Three of the best Rhetoritians Honour Opportunity and Safety are all of a plot and plead you see for expedition Perhaps it may be expected I should say something in way of account of my Religion as also of the temper and tenour of my future Government But as I hope I have not been guilty of any thing which may justly start the least question in either so I desire you would repose in this assurance that I will in neither vary from those principles wherein I have been instituted at the feet of that eminent Gamaliel my late Father And ending his Speech he with his hand moved his Crown Not usual saies one with any his predecessors to vail it Nor did he but the massy Gold and precious stones gave him cause to ease his browes of that weight and of which he complained when he came home without any other observation then which yet hath begot so much comment now as to be called Calamitous Presages no less then a dozen in the Kings future Reign which we shall remember as we meet them in order hereafter and for the present examine the Note of Mr. Prins telling That the King on his day of Coronation was clothed in White contrary to the Custome of his Predecessors on that day clothed in purple the Regal colour of Kings the Robe of Majesty the other of Saints the Robe of innocency And to this as to the other a great plague had driven the greatest trades men out of the City and the Kings Mercer infected and fled No Purple Velvet to be had on the sodain and so the colour of his Robes was changed by Necessity yet to the better by his own observation But to the matter of the Kings Speech Money for a War with Spain upon the former score of Quarrel the Palatinate which ingaged King Iames in Justice and honour and so this King To a War is required a Iust Quarrel Wars are suits of Appeal to the Tribunal of Gods Justice where there are no Superiours on Earth to determine the Cause Yet do the Princes of this World endeavour to declare the reasons of their defiance to ballance with the opinions of a righteous cause England had at this time two just Grounds of War with Spain 1. The recovery of the Palatinate 2. A just fear of subversion of our Civil Estate I have no mind to mention the Third so usually pretended viz. Fear of subversion of our Religion for though the House of Commons the first Parliament of King Iames voted that for a reason to make a War upon Spain the King was so wise as not to involve into a quarrel against him upon that score lest he should be necessarily drawn into a defiance likewise with all the Roman Catholiques of Christendome and so that vote was dasht out of the Record by the Register But we shall take the two for granted That Just fears are indeed true Defensives as well as actual Invasions but offensive Wars for Religion King Iames was of opinion are never just Not to force the Conscience which Guides the Soul with the power of the Sword which is but humane and though he was by his Title Defensor ●idei if oppugned yet he was not thereby authorized to quarrel with another mans belief For the first Ground the concernment of the Palatinate as there was no color in that Prince Elector to accept of the Kingdom of Bohemia so no Justice in the house of Austria to retain the Palatinate from him For though an Elective Monarchy cannot be so free as an● Hereditary yet if yo●●●ke to boot the Customes transactions and privileges of that Kingdome of Bohemia It will appear as positive as Soveraigns Descendent But leaving that Title as disputable I shall not offer at it though I were able to master the Question And then the Quere will follow whether an Offensive War being made unjustly the Defendant may not by diversion invade and master the undubitable possession of the Aggressour who is now turned Defendant of his own Surely he may and enjoy the conquest lawfully and is not bound to restore it but by force which force is as lawfull to be done as the other The Spaniard in eighty eight invaded our Seas and designed it upon our Land also was not our expeditions thereupon against Lisbone and Cadiz a just war surely it was And truly King Iames held these Opinions which put him into Treaties for the Palatinate upon terms and conditions of a mariage with Prince Charles his Son and the Infanta of Spain wherein being some years deluded it was just in him to begin the way by force which he did as it is now for King Charles to endeavour the like regaining it for his Brother-in-law by a War which he now intends For Wars are Vindictae Revenges Reparations like to cross suits in civil pleas sometime both of them just And thus much for the Palatinate The Second Ground A just fear of subversion of our Civil Estate The overgrowing Greatness of any neighbour Nation is a necessity imposed upon anothers fear of violation which becomes defensive Christian Princes have a just invasive War against the Turk as a grand Enemy indeed not for cause of Religion no good ground for that but upon a just fear because the fundamental Law in that Empire is to propagate their Mahometan faith by any War So saies the Persian for his belief two opposite enemies upon that ground and the Christians are as well upon the Preventive as the Defensive War All men know the great endeavours of the Spanish Monarchy to aspire new Acquests and to be absolute The History of the Triumvirate Kings Henry the eighth of England Francis the first of
of his own with pretence of greater advantage and alwaies of less expence then any other Undertakers And to mate it the more the Lord Chichester an Irish Commander approved thereof to the Council of War But it was soon replyed by the Solicitor General that the Duke Lord Admiral had been consulted who though of abilities to judge yet his Modesty and Wisdom had communicated Mansels Project to the Council who utterly disliked thereof and had approved of the Design in hand Being convinced in this yet the vote of the House was not to Supply but rather to Remonstrate their Reasons wherein they ranted so high and desperate upon the Duke that it was apparent they meant to divest him of his Offices Admiralty and all Nay they left not there but were canvasing his Comings in his great Revenues of Crown-demeans which they would revoke and resume back to the Kings wants And in fine to bring him an Accomptant for his Receipts and Expences of publique Revenue intrusted unto him for the State It is handsomely observed the Commons Inconstancie herein Breves Amores Populi who but lately the very last Parliament cired up the Duke for the ornament and honour of the whole Nation that it was then almost put to the question What shall be done to Him whom the Houses will honour Now to be popular hatred Their design was saies he to take the Great Seal from the Bishop of Lincoln who cunningly to divert the Judgement proposed Buckingham as the properer person to furnish them with matter as the fitter game of which the Duke had inckling which lost the other the favour for ever And yet in Ianuary next we find the Bishop his Letter to the Duke boldly and if not with impudence so soon to caress him for a Courtesie To Crown the King for thus he writes Being come hither in the duty of my place to do my best Service for the preparation to the Coronation and to wait upon his Majesty for his Royal pleasure and direction herein I do most humbly beseech your grace c. 7. Ianuary 1625. Which the Duke denied for another did it But this was too high for the Duke to hold out The Remonstrance penned so bitter with aspersions on the Kings Judgement in his choice and to grace him more then all others as that to prevent the Dukes ruine and not to retard the publique affairs of his Naval Design the King in much regret resolved to give end to their Sitting And of this Arrand comes the Usher of the Black Rod from the Upper house who finds the Commo●s resolved into a Grand Committee and the Solicitor in the Chair whom they forced there until a Protestation was framed which Mr. Glanvile declared viz. First To give his Majesty thanks for his Gracious Answer to their Petition for Religion For his care of their healths in giving them leave to depart this dangerous sickness With a dutiful Declaration of their affection and loyalty and their purpose to supply his Majesty in a Parliamentary way in fitting and convenient time After this the Speaker re-assumes the Chair and admits the Usher and his Message for Dissolution of the Parliament And now the King must do his work himsel● and minding that he first dismist the train and burthen of the French Madams and other that waited on the Queen hither These were shipped away from Dover who carried the tidings of the Kings evil success with his Parliament and subjects to his great regret and grief And therefore we may spare him from the censure of an otium for summer pastime for he was very sad But the danger of infection spread to Oxford forced his Progress and this speedy resolution of his affairs For the Fleet to put to Sea and to conserve strickt Amity with our Neighbours France Denmark and the United Provinces The last having been here by their Ambassadours in September To supplicate a League offensive and defensive against the Common Enemy the House of Austria and to pray his Majesties assistance in soliciting other States in this general Confederation of equal expence to all and for the present the States should bear a fourth part of the Fleets charge To see these performed and to put it to present issue with the best grace and honour to so high a Design Ambassadours were resolved upon to confirm the Association beyond Seas and presently the Fleet went forth The Duke and the Earl of Holland in Commission for the Embassie lay a long time at Harwich for a Wind to waft them over in two Men of War which met with ill weather upon the very Coast of Holland a furious storm off from Sea forced them upon the Shore ●t a foot sounding to sinck all when no other hope was left to help but splicing two main long Cables at a Ketch Anchor and so Veer out the storm which had the Anchor not held but come home They had all been lost but landed safe at Brill and so to the Hague where Ambassadours of other Princes were to meet impowred for so great a Compliance as the necessities of the Design required But there they found them all to flag The Dane not able the French not willing stopt the Carreer of a further Journey into France where preparations were gone before to entertain our Ambassadours there But the French were cunning not to engage expences with the English Fleet which was now at sea upon the Design for Cadiz and all that was done by this meeting they concluded in a League For restoring the Liberties of Germany wherein was included the particular reflection the Cause of the Palatinate and restitution of the Kings Sister the Queen of Bohemia and no sooner were they returned home but were received with unwelcome report of the Fleets Miscarriage under their General Edward Cecil Viscount Wimbleton This Gentleman was second Son to Thomas Cecil Earl of Exeter of a comely person and long experienced in Martial affairs in the School of the United Provinces where he waited long for little preferment alwaies kept under by the Eminencie and merit of the family and Honour of Veres untill King Iames gave him his great rise from a Colonel to be General of the English in the Mis-effects of the Palatinate war wherein he was suspected by that ill successe his own complaint He suffered disgrace by his Enemies about the imployment of the Palatinate from which time twenty seven years since he was importunate to be called home for imployment here His indulgent caressing the Duke with letters from the Low-Countreys who truly before wisht him not much kindnesse yet in the end gave him warning to this Expedition and Commission to waft hither such Officers and Souldiers English as he should elect out of Companies ten Captains and thirty officers but he got none at all for he was much offended that Sr. Horace Vere was made a Baron before him and then to please him he got Precedency with a Vice-Count
solely intrusted with the person of the prince should leave behind him in a foreign Court so much scandal by his ill behaviour 10. That he hath been a great part the cause of the ruine of the Prince Palatine and his estate in so much as those affairs concern this kingdom 11. That he hath in his relation to both Houses of Parliament wronged the Earl of Bristow in his honour by many sinister aspersions 12. Lastly that the Earl of Bristow did reveal to his late Majesty both by word and letter in what sort the Duke had misdemeaned himself and abused his trust and the King by several wayes sent him word he should rest assured that he would hear the said Earl in due time and that four dayes before his sicknesse he signified to the Earl that he would hear him against the Duke as well as he had heard the Duke against him And not long after the King died having been much vexed and pressed with the said Duke Here is no High Treason herein mentioned if the charge were proved then no Traytor at all neither most nor least for indeed had this done it the Commons needed not their new Impeachment which followes and never amounted to more than Misdemeanors Misprisions Offences and Crimes Nothing rare with favourites and therefore never such pursued upon any before this person and these times Which might occasion an antient Baron the Lord Spencer To start up that was no upstart Lord and to demand Is this all you have to say against the Duke The Earl replyed Yes my Lord and I am sorry it is so much then quoth the Lord Spencer If this be all Ridiculus Mus and so sat down again Upon this a Crotchet took the Lord Cromwel in the Crown and out he goes to Mr. Richard Spencer a younger Son of that Lord and a great Zelot in the Lower house against the Duke Dick said he What is done in your House to day against the Duke My Lord said he he is charged with high Treason Tush Dick quoth the Lord High Treason If this be all Ridiculus Mus. The Charge I say might occasion this story of the Lords complements which out of doubt was told to the Historian for truth though couched in this wanton stile not usu●l with his gravity I confess And indeed if Mr. Richard Spencer have not forsaken his Memory he professes there was never any such confabulation with any Crotchet of Cromwells Crown and desires the Author to expunge it out of his next impression and me to excuse him in this But such a Charge as it was It served the turn for that time but not to prevent the Attornies Charge against the Ea●l which to my knowledge was framed long before and therefore needed no speeding as to prevention Yet being ready It was put in the next day abating one of the Earls number against the Duke for these were but Eleven Articles First That the said Earl being imployed by the late King Iames as his Ambassadour unto Ferdinando Emperour of Germany and unto Philip the fourth King of Spain in the years 1621 1622 and 1623. with Commission to treat with them for the plenary restitution of the Palatinate to the Count Palatine who maried the Lady Elizabeth the onely Daughter of his late Majesty and also to treat with the King of Spain for a Mariage to be had between his now Majesty then Prince of Wales and the Lady Donna Maria the Infanta of Spain did falsly trayterously and confidently inform the late King by sundry Letters That the said Emperour and King of Spain would really make restitution of the Dominions and Electoral dignity of the said Count Palatine and that the said King of Spain did really intend the Mariage aforesaid Whereas in truth the said Emperour and King or either of them never really intended such restitution and the King of Spain never intended the said Mariage whereof the Earl could not be ignorant whereby the the Dominions and Electorall Dignity aforesaid were utterly lost Secondly That the said Earl having received from his late Majesty particular directions to put the King of Spain to a speedy and punctual answer touching the Treaties aforesaid did nevertheless continue those Treaties upon Generalities without effectuall pressing the King of Spain to particular Conclusions sutable to his Instructions Thirdly that the said Earl to the intent to discourage the late King from taking up of Arms or entring into Hostility with the said King of Spain did many times both by word and letters to him and his Ministers extoll the greatnesse and power of the King of Spain and did cunningly strive to retard the late Kings Resolutions of declaring himself an Enemy to the King of Spain Fourthly That the said Earl being told upon his dispatch out of this Realm that there was little probability that these Treaties would have any good successe he then replyed He cared not what the successe thereof would be for he would take care to have his instructions perfect and to pursue them punctually and howsoever the businesse went he would make his fortunes thereby Fifthly that the said Earl on purpose to advance the Romish Religion did during the time aforesaid often by Letters and otherwise counsell and perswade his late Majesty to set at liberty Iesuits and Priests of the Romish Religion which were imprisoned according to the laws of the Land and to grant the Papists a Toleration of their Religion Sixthly That by the said Earls false Informations and Intelligences given to the late King and now his Majesty then Prince they were put into hopes and by long delayes they were put into jealousies concerning the said Treaties that there was not that sincerity in them which they expected Whereupon the said Prince his now Majesty was enforced to undertake in his own person a long and dangerous Journey into Spain intending either speedily to conclude the said Treaties or to discover the feigned Intentions of the Empero●r and King of Spain and thereupon to dissolve them By which Journey the Person of the said Prince and in Him the peace and safety of this Kingdom was brought into apparent danger Seventhly That at the Prince his first coming to the said Earl in Spain he asked the Prince For what he came thither The Prince at first not conceiving the Earls meaning answered You know as well as I. The Earl replyed Sir Give me leave to tell you they say here in Madrid that you mean to change your Religion and added further Sir I do not speak this that I will perswade you to it or that I will promise to follow your example though you do it but as your faithful servant if you will trust me with so great a secret I will endeavour to carry it in the secretest way I can At which the Prince being moved said unto him I wonder what yo● have ever found in me that you should conceive I would be so base as for a wife to change
Ships richly laden in their usual course of Trade the Duke moved the Lords then assembled in Parliament to know whether he should make stay of those Ships for the Service of the State which motion being approved by the Lords the Duke accordingly did stay those ships and after procured a joynt Action to be entred in the Court of Admiralty in the name of the late King and himself as Lord Admirall against 15000 lib. pretended to be Pyratically taken by some Captains of the said Merchants ships and in the hands of the said Captains and accordingly an Attachment was served upon the said Merchants Whereupon the said Merchants being urged to bring in the 15000 lib. or to go to Prison made new suit to the Duke for the release of their ships who pretending that the Parliament must be moved therein the Merchants much perplexed and considering that they should lose much by unlading their ships and the losse of their voyage resolved to tender to the said Duke ten thousand pounds for his unjust demand who by colour of his Office extorted and exacted from them the said ten thousand pounds and upon receipt thereof and not before released the said ships That the motion in Parliament about the stay of the East-India ships was onely upon apprehension that they might be serviceable for the defence of the Realm That the Action entred in the Court of Admiralty against the East-India Company was not after as is suggested but divers moneths before that motion in Parliament yea before the Parliament began That the composition mentioned in this Article was not moved by the Duke but made by the late King and that the Company without any menaces or compulsion agreed to the Composition as willing to give so much rather then to abide the hazzard of the suit That of the said sum all but two hundred pounds was imployed by his late Majesties Officers for the benefit of the Navie And lastly that those ships were not discharged upon payment of the said sum of ten thousand pounds but upon an accommodation allowed that they should prepare other ships for his Majesties service whilest they went on their Voyage which accordingly they did VII Reply 7. That the Duke being great Admirall of England did by colour of the said Office procure one of the principall ships of the Navy-Royal called the Vant-guard and six other Merchants ships of great burthen to be conveyed over with all their Ordnance Ammunition and apparel into the Kingdom of France and did compell the said Masters and Owners of the said ships to deliver the said ships into the possession and command of the French King and his Ministers without either sufficient security for their redelivery or necessary caution in that behalf contrary to the duty of his Office and to the apparent weakening of the Navall strength of this Kingdom That those Ships were lent to the French King without his privity that when he knew thereof he did what appertained to his Office That he did not by menace nor any undue practice by himself or any other deliver those ships into the hands of the French that what errour hath since happened was not in the intention any way injurious to the State nor prejudicial to the interest of any private man VIII Reply 8. That the Duke knowing the said ships were intended to be imployed against the Rochellers and the Protestants else-where did compel them as aforesaid to be delivered unto the said French King and his Ministers to the end that they might be imployed against those of the Reformed Religion as accordingly they were to the prejudice of the said Religion contrary to the intention of our Soveraigne Lord the King and to his former promise at Oxford and to the great scandal of our Nation That understanding a discovery that those ships should be imployed against Rochel he endevoured to divert the course of such imployment and whereas it is alledged that he promised at Oxford that those ships should not be so imployed he under favour saith he was mis-understood for he onely said that the event would shew it being confident in the promises of the French King and that he would have really performed what was agreed upon IX Reply 9. That he hath enforced some who were rich though unwilling to purchase honours as the Lord Roberts Baron of Trure who was by menaces wrought to pay the summe of Ten thousand pounds to the said Duke and to his use for his said Barony He denyeth any such compulsion of the Lord Roberts to buy his honour and that he can prove that as the said Lord did then obtain it by the solicitations of others so was he willing formerly to have given a great sum for it X. Reply 10. That in the 18. year of the late King he did procure of the late King the Office of High Treasurer of England to the Viscount Mandevil now Earl of Manchester for which Office he received of the said Vi●count to his own use the sum of 20000 l. of money and also did procure in the 20. year of the late King the Office of Master of the Wards and Liveries for Sir Lionel Cranfield afterward Earl of Middlesex and as a reward for the said procurement he had to his own use of the said Sir Lionel Cranfield the sum of 6000 l. contrary to the dignity of his late Majesty That he had not nor did receive any penny of the said sums to his own use that the Lord Mandevil was made Lord Treasurer by his late Majesty without any Contract for it and though his Majesty did after borrow of the said Lord 20000. pounds yet was it upon proviso of repayment for which the Duke at first past his word and after entred him security by Land which stood ingaged untill his late Majesty during the Dukes being in Spain gave the Lord satisfaction by Land in Fee-farm of a considerable value whereupon the Dukes security was returned back And that the 6000 l. disbursed by the Earl of Middlesex was bestowed upon Sir Henry Mildmay by his late Majesty without the Dukes privity who had and enjoyed it all entire XI Reply 11. That he hath procured divers Honours for his kindred and Allies to the prejudice of the antient Nobility and disabling the Crown from rewarding extraordinary virtues in future times That he believeth he were rather worthily to be condemned in the opinion of all generous minds if being in such favour with his Majesty he had minded only his own advancement and had neglected those whom the Law of Nature had obliged him to hold most dear XII Reply 12. That he procured and obtained of the late King divers Mannors parcels of the Revenues of the Crown to an exceeding gre●● value and hath received and ●o his own use disbursed great sums of money that did properly belong unto the late King and the better to colour his doings hath obtained severall privie Seals from
the Room fore●shortened and looking downwards as from the clouds the rarest postures that late ages can paralel being the portraictures of King Iames in several relations with all Imaginary similitude of Him tending towards Eternity for which he was well rewarded with the honour of Knighthood to boot Indeed the Artist had an indifferent esteem for his skill and by his wealth was wise enough to receive Informations on both parts in reference to Peace but never to be Plenepotentiary of either side for truly I cannot call him so much as Agent for any unlesse we admit him Ambo-dexter-Ambassadour for he was the means that a greater man Don Carlos Colonas came after to do the work And I have some knowledge in the particulars that the other was rather set on by us when with that conveniency we had him here It was in Iuly That an Arrest was made upon one Billingham sometimes a Captain at the Isle of Rhe and an attempt made to his Rescue by some Templers being acted in their Quarters of Priviledge to their Houses and to their cost they were wounded by the opposition of the Lord Major and his City Bands that were wilde to flourish out their Ensigns against any Gentlemen their Patrons This undertaking increased to a hot skirmish of above five hundred Of the Majors Militia four were killed and sundry others hurt above an hundred on both sides and so the Evening parted the This uprore so neer the Court caused the King to speed Justice with an extraordinary Session to be held in Guild-Hall London for Arraignment of several of the Malefactors seized vpon in the quarrel And by ill hap laid hold on Two who were accounted Principalls because more publique Captain Ashurst and Iohn Stamford the late Dukes servant for it was no medling with the Students And though Stanford came by but by chance in a Coach and onely drew his sword without any part in the fray These Two onely were found guilty by the City Jury and executed at Tyburn Stanford had his pardon before being in company when a Watchman was killed at a Tavern called Duke-Humphreys and his relations to his late Master made his crime the more remarkable now exceeding the bounds of Reason so without the bounds of Mercy There had been a Manuscript Book contrived long since by Sr. Robert Dudly at Florence 1613. that discontented Catholique who descended from the Dudlies Earls of Warwick and so he stiled himself It was a Rapsodie of severall Projects for increase of the Kings revenue and somewhat in prejudice of proceedings in Parliaments Sundry Copies thereof were disperst by such as meant not much honour to the King and therefore suspected to contrive the Book though pretended for his Majesties Instruction as the manner had been to force such feigned discoveries and fix them for the Kings designes and therefore the Earls of Bedford Somerset and Clare Sr. Robert Cotten Mr. Selden and Mr. Saint Iohn were committed and an Information entered in Star-chamber against them But Sr. David Fowles upon oath cleered the suspition and discovered the Authour and so it ended William Herbert Son of Henry Earl of Pembrook dies in April He was the third Earl from his Creation 3 Elizabeth Baron Herbert of Cardiff Lord Parr Ros of Kendal Marmion and Saint Quintin Lord Warden of the Stanneries Governour of Portsmouth Knight of the Garter Chancellour of the University of Oxford and lately Lord high Steward of the Kings Houshold but not of England He married Mary the Eldest daughter and co-heir of Gilbert Talbot Earl of Shrewsbury and dies without issue so that his honours descended to Philip Herbert his brother He supped the night before his death with the Countesse of Bedford at Bishops-gate upon the day of his birth fifty yeers since from thence he went home to Baynards Castle sitting up as usual very late for he was a hearty feeder and went to bed very well But not long after he fetcht a deep and deadly groan which startled his Lady that lay by and she not able to awake him called for company who found him speechlesse and so continued till eight in the morning and then died as a figure flinger had told him many years before We are told his Character in a high strain of Magnificence but we may give way to his good commendations in a reasonable measure A proper Person well set of graceful deportment his minde truly generous of the ancient stock and manner of Nobility His defects were in letters and Travel He had onely the breeding of England which gave him a conceited dislike of foraign men their manners and mode or of such English that professed much advantage thereby so that the Scots at Court and he were ever separate and therefore he was onely the old Courtier that kept close to the Commonalty and they to him and was therein trusted by his two Soveraigns as not over furnisht with abilities to be lesse then loyal which jealous Princes usually suffered In May 29 day the Queen was brought to Bed of a Son Surpassing joy there was of all true hearts and good subjects and in Iune the 27. baptized at Saint Iameses with princely Ceremonies and named Charles His Godfathers were the King of France and the Prince Elector represented by the Duke of Lenox and the Marquesse Hamilton the Godmother was the Queen Mother of France and her Person represented by the Duchesse of Richmond A man would stand amazed to believe that a sort of pretended sanctified subjects should not desire the King to have any issue I have my Author The Puritan-party that could not descern the cause of joy when the Queen was with childe God having better provided for us then we were aware in the hopeful Progeny of the Queen of Bohemia These men brought in the Reformed Religion Presbytery when it would be un●ertain what Religion the Kings children would follow And he observes to his own knowledge that when the most of the Parish gave publique signes of rejoycing with Bonefires Bell-ringing and mutual feasting onely the Presbyterian or Puritan party as he stiles them were shut up as on the day of general mourning And it may be remembred that afterwards as the Kings Issue increased the Common Prayer for the Kings onely Sister and her children was left out and in place thereof a Prayer compiled for preservation of the Kings Issue for though the Presbyterians hated the whole Book they would not stick to mention the one in their Prayer of the Pulpit and leave those other out of Gods blessing till by express command they were made to conform At his Birth there appeared a Star visible that very time of the Day when the King rode to Saint Paul's Church to give thanks to God for the Queens safe delivery of a Son upon which occasion these Verses were then presented Rex ubi Paulinas accessit gratus ad aras Immicuit medio● lucida stella
spoken assunder and agreeing together made up a full proof That no testimony may be neglected in matters of Treason That if any part of the charge was denied by the Defendant and proved by the Appellant it might convince him in a manner of the Whole And urged the offence of Ramseys challenging Rey. But more of that hereafter But Doctor Reeves prosecuted the matter for that Ramsey's Councel endeavoured to prove that he might decline the Combate or forbear answering because of some words which reflected upon my Lord Rey as matter of reproach that Rey had uttered words of Treason to catch Ramsey and then to turn Informer But said he No office can be accounted base when the King and Kingdoms safety is concern'd citing a story out of Livie that the Romans confederate with the Sanubies were to undergo a base office that stood not with Honour and resolved so long as it was advantagious to the Romane State it might with Honour be undertaken Doctor Eden was earnest to excuse himself for putting in these words against the Lord Rey saying that his Client enforced to have them inserted But being a point of Honour the Earl Marshal iuterposed That true it was the best man may not refuse the basest office to preserve a King and Nation But again it was most unworthy the degree of honour for any man to angle and intrap another and then to present him to that Kings Iustice. Then the Pleaders argued concerning Meldrams Testimony That no proof ought to be omitted for the King But it was offered for Ramsey to joyn issue upon that point in Law for the Bill was laid against him not general but particular to Place Time and matter viz. That in May last in a Ship and afterward at Amsterdam then again at Delph Ramsey should say such and such words which if Meldram would justifie besides himself they ought to be admitted otherwise it was no good matter but must refer to a new Bill That the Defendant had answered fully for that the Lord Rey profered his service to the Marquesse without pressing to know any designe That nothing in the Letters could convict Ramsey That the Lord Rey standing upon his great offices under the King of Swede and so not necessitated to serve the Marquess He had not those places of command then but since and that since his coming into England he said that he would have served under the Marquess and concluded that Ramsey and the Marquess might use such words and yet not intend Treason to his Majesty But having in this Tryal medled so much with the Marquess the Court was fain to enter an order or Protection to clear the Marquess his words or actions from dishonour Then the Court proceeded to Examine witnesses viva voce Archibal Raukin was to prove the challenge as the Bringer upon these questions he confessed That he was in Ramseys chamber at Richmond the last of October That Ramsey did not imploy him to carry any challenge to the Lord Rey But at that time Ramsey told him that it was his grief to be restrayned not to meet Rey who was a Trayterous villain and wished to meet him in the open fields at Barn-Elms he would make him dye for it and tear his heart with other such words of reproach and wished this Deponent to tell Rey so much which he did but it was three weeks after and then not until the Lord Rey told him that Ramsey had sent him a challenge so that said Ramsey my Message was but a relation not a challenge But Rauken was observed to falter from what he affirmed before Dr. Reeves and others viz. to have carried the challenge and that Ramsey could not deny it so that Rauken was threatned not to accuse Ramsey Gilbert Seaton deposed That Ramsey said he had made it come to Rey's ears to have ended this businesse without troubling the King or Lords Then Doctor Duck summoned up all the proceedings observing that formerly in the presence of the King Ramsey had with deep protestations and oath denied the time place and matter which he now confesseth and though then not examined upon oath yet in France and other Countreys the very holding up of the hand is an oath and so Tertullian sayes of the Romanes and Ramsey confessing part he might be guilty of the whole charge Doctor Eden said That Rey was not a competent witnesse against Ramsey though for the King for he was particeps criminis Capitalis Inimicus for the first his Bill made him so for it Ramsey spake Treason so did Rey for the second it appeared by Reys violent prosecution and if all failed his sword must make it good and so the Defendant was not bound to answer nor to accept the challenge unlesse he will to which he is so willing But Doctor Duck said these Reasons did not currere quatuor pedibus Some of the Conspirators with Cataline were revealers of the Treason and allowed as witnesses Doctor Reeves concluded that although some of the Lord Reys witnesses did not affirm what they might it would encourage him to set a sharper edge upon his sword when he entered the Lists and that the God of right would so weaken the heart of Ramsey that it should fail him when he took his sword in hand The Holy-daies of Christmass drawing nigh The Court ordered that either party might repair to Sr. Henry Martin and possesse him with further proofs out of these witnesses already Examined but of no other And so adjourned the Court till Monday the ninth of Ianuary when after some small debates but no further Matter or Proofs the businesse was briefly determined to be referred to the Kings pleasure Which came to this Account That Hamiltons power with the King got all favour for Ramsey and well rewarded in due time And Rey having done the duty of a Loyal Subject left the Court and Kingdom and returned to his Command in Sweden But this story though tedious will enlighten us further to the truths of the Scotish affairs This Year increased Discontents in the Clergy at Oxford University First many conceived that the renovations reducing their use of primitive times in Divine service was now no lesse than Innovation against which they bitterly Invected in their Pulpits and Pasquils Their very texts giving just cause of offence and mutiny as Let us make us a Coptain and return into Egypt And he cryed against the Altar in the word of the Lord and said O Altar Altar and many such reflecting upon the Persons of the most Eminent in the Church and violating the Kings Declaration for depressing Arminian controversies some of the offenders being convented before their superiours the vice Chancellor Appeal to the Proctors Bishop Laud mistaking these retrograde proceedings in appeals from Ascendents to Descendents caused the King at Woodstock to order the difference and censured the offenders to be expelled the University The
height as the Crown-customes increased five times greater in fine not onely to subsist of our self but to contribute to the English Exchequer and to make some retribution of those vast expenses from hence for four hundred years past The main assistance to this War came from the Gentry of England all Knights and Gentlemen holding Lands in capite of the King were to send Horse and Men answerable to their abilities so that the Aids completed the royal Army where of the Earl of Northumberland was appointed General and the Earl of Strafford his Lieutenant General but in truth Northumber land fell extreme sick and therefore not to disorder the form of the other Officers the King took the Command upon himself Generalissimo for I never read of a Royal Army and the King present but himself was chief the Earl of Northumberland his General and the Earl of Strafford Lieutenant General and having seen the Queens safe delivery of a Son born the twentieth of Iuly and christened Henry after created Duke of Glocester He hastens his Rendezvouz and the twentieth of August takes leave of London Two days after he declares the Scots to be Rebells by Proclamation That by all ways of mildness and clemency he hath endeavoured to appease the rebellious courses of his Subjects of Scotland who upon pretences of Religion have sought to shake off his Regal Government and now do take up Arms and invade his Kingdom of England and therefore his Majesty doth now declare that all those who have already entered or shall presume to enter in war like manner in any part of England and their Adherents and Assistants shall be adjudged and are hereby denounced Rebels and Traitours against his Majesty nevertheless if they will yet acknowledg their former crimes and crave pardon and yield obedience for the time to come he tenders them his gracious pardon they retiring home and demeaning themselves as loyal Subjects for the future August 22. 1640. And a Prayer is published for the Kings Majesty in his Expedition against the Rebells of Scotland to be said in all Churches c. viz. O Eternal God and mercifull Father by whom alone Kings reign thou Lord of Hosts and Giver of all Victory we humbly beseech thee both now and ever to guide and preserve our most gracious Sovereign Lord King Charls to bless him in his Person with health and safety in his Counsels with wisdom and prudence and in all his Actions with honour and good success especially against those his traiterous Subjects who having cast off all obedience to their Anointed Sovereign do 〈…〉 His Army was marched before hastening to meet the Scots who were entered England already for being come to North-alerton in the way to New-castle he was met by the Lord Conway with the ill News of a Defeat at Newburn upon Tine the Day before which was thus The Lord Conway Commander there in chief advising to secure the most considerable Passes had upon August 27 drawn out 1200. Horse and 3000. Foot placing the Infantry under shadow of a Breast-work to gall the Scots in their● Pass over the River Tine near Newburn but their General Lesly over night had planted nine Pieces of Ordnance on his side of the River and blinded them with Bushes from sight of the English and in the morning craves leave of the Lord Conway to pass with his Petition to his Majesty he was admitted to pass with a considerable number but not with his Army but Lesly must not divide his Forces and so fords over 300. Horse which were by those behinde the Breast-work enforced to retire and Lesly to acquit them plaid his Cannon from the Blinde so furiou●ly as drove them from their Poast and like raw Souldiers cast down their Arms and fled Then their Cavalry re-advanced upon Mr. Wilmot Commissary General of the Horse accompanied with prime Gentlemen and stood to the Charge of Horse and Cannon also which so galled them and over powred by number as they retired in disorder 300. slain and imprisoned and Conway fain to retreat with this ill News to the King and because New-castle was not tenable against the Scots Army Sir Iacob Ashley the Governour was forced to desert it and two days after they possessed Durham And now comes the Earl of Strafford who brought up the Rear of the Army retreating to York whom the King staid and where there was time afforded to examine and conclude this Miscarriage upon Conway notwithstanding his best art of flourish and stout animosity to vindicate his either Cowardice or Treachery or both for so he was accused During this time the English Garison at Barwick issued out and recovered some Pieces of Cannon which had been left by Lesly at Dunse as over-usefull for his Train which gave Allarm to the Earl of Hadington commanding in Lo●thian and the Merse with two thousand Horse and 〈◊〉 to pursue and rescue the Cannon and carried them to D●nglass but the next day Hadington and twenty more ●nights and Gentlemen in an instant were all slain by an accident of ●ire which blew up the Magazine of Va●lt that lay in a 〈◊〉 on the other side of the Court twelve score from his Lodging not slain therein very frolick and merry but were come out into the midst of the Court and there killed by the Stones that flew from the Vault which made it the more miraculous but whether by Accident or Design was never known But during these military actions the Scots gaining ground upon the English and now ●eated where they would be in warm Quarters with New-castle Coal good Fires Meat Drink and Lodging of the best and all these in great plenty They now take time to petition the King int●tuling it The humble Petition of the Lords of the last Parliament and others his Majesties loyal Subjects of Scotland Complaining in general of their sufferings for relief whereof they are constrained to come without prejudice to the peace of England or any the Subjects therein untill they are pressed with strength of Arms to oppose their Passage at Newburn and now present themselves to his Majesties goodness for satisfaction of their full demands and repair of their wrongs and losses with the advice of the Parliament of England to be convented To all the King answers by his Secretary of Scotland the Earl of Limrick that the King expects their particular Demands having already summoned the Peers of England to meet at York September 24. and commands them to advance no farther York September 5. LIMRICK Three days after comes their Demands directed to the Earl of Limrick in terms humble enough but very peremptory as to the Points Right Honourable As nothing on earth is more desired of us than his Majesties favour so we shall desire nothing herein but what may suit to his Majesties honour and peace of his Dominions The Particulars we should have expressed in our Petition but that they
Earl craved not to Answer an unexpected addition without time assigned yet the Lords prevailed and put him to a present reply 1. That he had withdrawn four and twenty thousand pounds and more from the Exchequer in Ireland and converted to his own use 2. That in the beginning of his Government the Garrisons of Ireland had been maintained by the English Treasury 3. That he had advanced popish and infamous persons as the Bishop of Waterford and others to the prime Room in the Church of Ireland Answer 1. That England was indebted to Ireland so much which he took up upon his own credit and paid it in again producing the Kings Authority and Letter for the same 2. That the Garrisons had been formerly burdensom to England which he so found and had so improved the Kings Revenues there that they were not burdensom at all 3. That he never preferred any but whom he conceived consciencious and honest not being able to prophesie of mens future conditions And for the Bishop of Waterford he hath satisfied the Law The next Day March 24. the particular Articles were inforced to each he answered in order The further Impeachment of Thomas Earl of Strafford by the Commons assembled in Parliament The first Article was not insisted upon 2. That shortly after the obtaining of a Commission dated the 21. of March in the 8. Year of his now Majesties Reign to wit the last Day of August then next following he the said Earl to bring his Majesties Liege-people into a dislike of his Majesty and of his Government and to terrifie the Iustices of the Peace from executing the Laws he the said Earl being then President of the Kings Council in the Northern parts of England and a Iustice of Peace did publickly at the Assizes held for the County of York in the City of York in and upon the said last Day of August declare and publish before the People there attending for the administration of Iustice according to the Law and in the presence of the Iustices sitting that some of the Justices were all for Law but they should finde that the Kings little finger should be heavier than the loyns of the Law Testified by Sir David Fowls and others The Earls Reply That Sir David Fowls was his profest Enemy that his words were clearly inverted that his expression was That the little finger of the Law if not moderated by the Kings gracious clemency was heavier than the Kings loyns That these were his words he verified First by the occasion of them they being spoken to some whom the Kings favour had then enlarged from Imprisonment at York as a Motive to their Thankfulness to his Majesty Secondly by Sir William Pennyman a Member of the House who was then present and heard the words Which Sir William declaring to be true the House of Commons required Iustice of the Lords against him because he had voted the Articles as a Member of the House whereupon Sir William wept 3. That the Realm of Ireland having been time out of minde annexed to the Imperial Crown of this his Majesties Realm of England and governed by the same Laws the said Earl being Lord Deputy of that Realm to bring his Majesties Liege-people of that Kingdom likewise into dislike of his Majesties Government and intending the subversion of the Fundamental Laws and settled Government of that Realm and the distraction of his Majesties Liege-people there did upon the 30. Day of September in the 9. Year of his now Majesties Reign in the City of Dublin the chief City of that Kingdom where his Majesties Privy Council and Courts of Iustice do ordinarily reside and whither the Nobility and Gentry of that Realm do usually resort for Iustice in a publick Speech before divers of the Nobility and Gentry and before the Maior Aldermen and Recorder and many Citizens of Dublin and other his Majesties Liege-people declare and publish that Ireland was a conquered Nation and that the King might do with them what he pleased and speaking of the Charters of the former Kings of England made to that City he further said that their Charters were nothing worth and did binde the King no further than he pleased Testified by the Earl of Cork and two other Lords The Earls Reply That if he had been over-liberal of his tongue for want of discretion yet could not his words amount to Treason unless they had been revealed within fourteen days as he was informed As to the Charge he said True it is he said Ireland was a conquered Nation which no man can deny and that the King is the Law-giver in matters not determined by Acts of Parliament he conceived all loyal Subjects would grant 4. That Richard Earl of Cork having sued out Process in course of Law for recovery of his Possessions from which he was put by colour of an Order made by the said Earl of Strafford and the Council-table of the said Realm of Ireland The said Earl of Strafford upon a Paper-petition without legal proceedings did the twentieth Day of February in the eleventh Year of his now Majesties Reign threaten the said Earl of Cork being then a Peer of the said Realm to imprison him unless he would surcease his Suit and said that he would have neither Law nor Lawyers dispute or question any of his Orders And the twentieth of March in the said eleventh Tear the said Earl of Strafford speaking of an Order of the said Council-table of that Realm made in the time of King James which concerned a Lease which the said Earl of Cork claimed in certain Rectories or Tithes which the said Earl of Cork alleged to be of no force said that he would make the said Earl and all Ireland know so long as he had the Government there any Act of State there made or to be made should be as binding to the Subjects of that Kingdom as an Act of Parliament And did question the said Earl of Cork in the Castle-chamber upon pretence of Breach of the said Order of Council-table and did sundry other times and upon sundry other occasions by his words and speeches arrogate to himself a Power above the Fundamental Laws and established Government of that Kingdom and scorned the said Laws and established Government The Earls Reply It were hard measure for a man to lose his Honour and his Life for an hasty word or because he is no wiser than God hath made him As for the words he confessed them to be true and thought he said no more than what became him considering how much his Masters Honour was concerned in him that if a proportionable obedience was not as well due to Acts of State as to Acts of Parliament in vain did Councils sit And that he had done no more than what former Deputies had done and than what was agreeable to his Instructions for the Council-table which he produced And that if those words were Treason they should have been revealed within
to his Son Sir Harry Vane a Key to fetch some Papers out of a Cabiner in which he findes another Key to an inward Shutter which he opens and lighted upon these Notes who forthwith shews them to Master Pym and that afternoon occasioned a Conference with the Lords to whom he urges the Commons former Request that the Earl might answer to new Proofs referring to the three and twentieth Article and were grounded upon these Notes which he then produced and that the Commons desired that the Earl might answer to them the next Day at the Bar in Westminster-hall which was granted April the thirteenth he appeared and the Notes were read upon this ground No danger of a War with Scotland if Offensive not Defensive Then their several Opinions which he collected in brief with Nominal Letters for each Counsellours Name thus K. C. H. How can we undertake Offensive War if we have no more money L. L. IR. Borrow of the City an hundred thousand pounds Go on vigorously to levy Ship-money Your Majesty having tried the affections of your People you are absolved and loose from all Rules of Government and to do what power will admit Your Majesty hath tried all ways and being refused shall be aquitted before God and Man and you have an Army in Ireland that you may imploy to reduce this Kingdom to obedience for I am confident the Scots cannot hold out five Moneths L. Arch. You have tried all ways and have always been denied it is now lawfull to take it by force L. Cot. Leagues abroad there may be made for the defence of the Kingdom The Lower House are weary of the King and Church All ways shall be just to raise Moneys in this inevitable necessity and are to be used being lawfull L. Arch. For an Offensive not any Defensive War L. L. Ir. The Town is full of Lords put the Commission of Array on foot and if any of them stir we will make them smart The Earls Reply That being a Privy-counsellour he conceived he might have the freedom to vote with others his opinion being as the Exigent required it would be hard measure for Opinions resulting from such Debates to be prosecuted under the notion of Treason And for the main hint suggested from his words The King had an Army in Ireland which he might imploy here to reduce this Kingdom He answereth That it is proved by the single Testimony of one Man Secretary Vane not being of validity in Law to create Faith in a Case of Debt much lesse in Life and Death That the Secretaries Deposition was very dubious for upon two Examinations he could not remember any such words And the third time his Testimonie was various but that I should speak such words or the like and words may be very like in sound but differ in sense as in the words of my charge here for there and that for this puts an end to the Controversie There were present at this Debate but eight Privy-counsellours in all two are not to be produced the Arch-bishop and Windebank but Sir Harry Vane affirms the words I deny them then there remain four for further evidence viz. the Marquis Hamilton the Earl of Northumberland the Lord Treasurer and the Lord Cottington who have all declared upon their Honours that they never heard me speak those words nay nor the like Lastly suppose though I granted it not that I spake those words yet cannot the word this rationally imply England because the Debate was not cerning Scotland as is yielded on all hands because England was not out of the way of obedience as the Earl of Clare well observed and because there was never any the least intention of landing the Irish Army in England as the aforesaid Lords of the Privy-council are able to attest And having done the Lord High Steward asked him if he had any more to say in his own defence for the Court was willing to prepare matters for Judgment To which he made a summary Repetition of his several Defences And having ended he spake thus My Lords THere remaines another kind of Treason that I should be guilty of for endeavouring to subvert the Fundamental Laws of the Land That this should be Treason together that is not Treason in one part a Treason accumulative that when all will not do it alone being weaved up with others it should do it seems very strange Under favour my Lords I conceive there is neither Statute nor Common Law which doth declare this endevouring to subvert the Fundamental Laws of the Land to be high Treason for I have been diligent in the inquiry as you know it deeply concerns me and could never discover it It is hard to be questioned for life and honour upon a Law that cannot be shewn for it is a rule in Sir Edward Coke De non apparentibus non existentibus eadem est ratio Ihesu Where hath this fire lain hid so many hundreds of years without smoak to discover it till it thus burst forth to consume me and my children That punishment should precede promulgation of a law to be punished by a law subsequent to the Fact is extreme hard what man can be safe if this be admitted My Lords it is hard in another respect that there should be no token set by which we should know this offence no admonition by which we should avoid it If a man pass the Thames in a boat and split himself upon an Anchor and no Buoy be floting to discover it he who ●weth the Anchor shall make satisfaction but if a Buoy 〈◊〉 sot there every man passeth upon his own peril Now where is this mark where the token upon this Crime to declare it to be high Treason My Lords be pleased to give that regard to the Peerage of England as never to expose your selves to such moot-points such constructive interpretations of Laws If there must be a tryal of wits let the subject matter be of somewhat else than the lives and honours of Peers It will be wisdome for your selves for your posterity and for the whole Kingdom to cast into the fire these bloudy and mysterious volumes of constructive and arbitrary Treason as the Primitive Christians did their Books of curious Arts and betake your selves to the plain letter of the Law and Statute that telleth us what is and what is not Treason without being more ambitious to be more learned in the art of Killing than our fore-fathers It is now full 240. years since any man was touched for this alleged Crime to this height before my self let us not awaken these sleeping Lyons to our destruction by taking up a few musty Records that have lain by the walls so many ages forgotten or neglected May your Lordships please not to add this to my other misfortunes for my other sins be-slave me not for Treason Let not a president be desired from me so disadvantagious as this will be in the consequence to the whole Kingdom
Parliament here after he had ●itted Supplies thither from Scotland and after his return hither he observed such forms for that service as his Council in Ireland did advise they desiring the Proclamation no sooner nor so many by twenty to be by him signed which he did and printed them for haste and sent them over which divers of the Members of both Houses here well know who are the more to blame to suffer such an envious aspersion upon the King when themselves could satisfie the action And wishes that they could with a● good a conscience call God to witness that all their counsels and endeavours have been free from private aims personal respects or passions whatsoever as he hath done and does And was it not time for our Brethren of Scotland to put in their Sickle into our Harvest besides their being invited their late entertainment of Fidlers have in England set their wheel a going The King had written a Letter to his Scotish privy Council there of the State of his affairs here Declaring and clearing such imputations which the Parliament endeavoured to fix upon him and his mis-governing together with the indignities and intrenchments upon his person and honour which he is assured will be tender in their natural affection rather to be kindled than extinguished by his distress to which their Covenant bindes them by Oath and Subscription and clears the calumniation to be popishly affected to be guilty of the bloudshed in Ireland to bring in foreign Forces Wherein he calls God to witness he is falsly aspersed And who ever hereafter shall distrust this his Declaration the fault is in the malignitie of their rebellious humours and no ways deserved by him This so wrought upon the hearts of the Scots for that time that I know not how such a Petition was framed by the Nobility and people of the whole Nation and presented to the Council as more could not be required from the most faithfull and indulgent Subject humbly shewing in effect That to call in question the Kings royal zeal and resolution of preserving the Religion Laws and Liberties of these his Kingdoms is so undoubted as after so many reiterated asseverations emitted in his Declarations and Answers and so many evidences of his justice and wisdom cannot be conserved in any but an unchristian distrust And therefore justly challenges from them all due respect to his sacred Majestie by so many ties and titles so much professed and promised by them in their solemn Oath and national Covenant and Oath at his Coronation to defend and maintain the person greatness and authoritie of our dread Sovereign as by the Act of General Assemblie we have all sworn and signed and therefore are bound to represent to their Lordships their humble desires to be assured and known to his Majestie of their loyaltie and resolution And that some course may be taken to the view of the world that they intend the brotherly and blessed conjunction of both Nations happily united in loyaltie and subjection to our Sovereign tending nor intending as they attest God the Searcher of all hearts for any other end but performance of their humble dutie to their dread Sovereign to which they are bound by all ties of Nature Christianitie and Gratitude and to which they crave their Lordships to contribute their wisdoms and and speedie answer hereto May 20. A man would be amazed to finde other effects hereafter of this most serious Protestation which in a word came to this end they sold this their dread Sovereign Lord and King to the death and execution for a piece of money The Parliament hear of this and turn the Scale for eight days after the Scots Council do declare their earnest desires both to King and Parliament to joyn in a perfect union imbracing his Majesties expressions to them of his religious care of the Liberties and Laws of both Kingdomes And do in like manner with brotherly reciprocal affections acknowledg the care and zeal of the Parliament of England to keep a right und●rstanding betwixt the two Nations as both the Parliaments have avowed to each other And although they neither will nor should meddle with publick actions of any other Kingdom but as they are called yet since the Parliament of England have drawn the former practices of the Parliament of Scotland into example of Declaration they humbly desire the King to hearken to his greatest his best and most unparalleld Council And utterly disswade the King from any personal journey into Ireland and that a Mediation may be at home ere the wound be wider or the breach deeper To which end they have sent with this Message the E. Loudon Chancellour of Scotland who will give a more full declaration of their minde and desires which in fine came out to be A large Manifestation of their true and heartie affection to the Parliament of England protesting to do nothing contrary to them in their Privileges May 28. Nay after all this the old accustomed Rabble meet at Edinburgh and hearing of the late Letters from the King with the petitionary Answer and the late Message from the Council to the King by the Lord Loudon and finding the affairs of England likely to bring Grist to their Mill these Multitudes I say being as they style themselves The intire bodie of the Kingdom petition or rather threaten the Kings privy Council there not to meddle with any verbal or real ingagement for the King against the Parliament of England And so from that time forward we finde them covenanting to the destructive conclusion as hereafter follows Upon all these Scotish passages the Parliament of England do Protest That those sufferings expressed in those Papers betwixt his Majestie and the Parliament cannot be imputed to any actions of ours who endeavoured with all fidelitie the happiness of his Majestie labouring to take the blame from the King and to lay it on his evil Councils And as touching the Petition we with much contentment and thankfulness observe the faithfulness and good affection of our dear Brethren of Scotland to prevent all Iealousies so timely expressed to the Lords of the Council and we shall never cease to answer their great care with the like diligent endeavours to promote the honour wealth and happiness of that Nation and to preserve the unitie so strongly fortified by mutual interest and affections on both sides And desire the English Commissioners to assure the Scots Commissioners how heartily and joyfully we imbrace their kindness manifested in that Petition Hoping that this constant and inviolable amitie between us and them will prove very usefull for the advantage and securitie of both which it did for a time and ruine to both hereafter In what a miserable condition is the Kingdom when King and Parliament are so divided What not one wise man amongst them Yes truly the Earl of Bristol had a large sense thereof and in this strait he moves for
this Kingdom by a most wicked and cruel Rebellion there and to divide the King from his Parliament and people here and by false slanders and imputations of things never done nor intended by us hath incensed his Majestie so as that after many bitter Invec●ives published against us without any just cause given he hath now at lastresolved to set up his Royal Standard and draw his Sword for the destruction and ruine of his most faithfull and obedient people whom by the Laws and Constitutions of this Kingdom he is bound to preserve and protect The cases and the fortunes of both Estates being so involved and united we cannot expect to be hindred by them in our just defence or that they will do any thing to aggravate the Miseries and Troubles of this Kingdom in the peace and happiness whereof they have found much advantage and by such unfriendly and unseasonable Supplies of our common Enemies make a way to their own as well as our ruine We therefore desire they may betimes look into this mischief and having searched it into the bottom to stop the further progress of it That they will not suffer more Ordnance Armour or any other like warlike provision to be brought over to strengthen those who as soon as they shall prevail against the Parliament according to their principles and interests by which they are guided will use that strength to the ruine of those from whom they have had it We desire they would not send over any Countreymen to further our Destruction who were sent to them for their preservation That they will not anticipate the spilling of English bloud in an unnatural civil War which hath been so chearfully and plentifully hazzarded and spent in that just and honourable Wa● by which they have been so long preserved and to which the bloud of those persons and many other Subjects of this Kingdom is still in a manner dedicated but rather that they will cashier and discard from their Employment those that will presume to come over for that purpose And in satisfying these our reasonable and necessarie Desires they shall thereby not onely secure us but themselves yea they shall most of all advantage his Majestie for whose service those things are pretended to be done The question between his Majestie and Parliament is not whether he shall enjoy the same prerogative and power which hath belonged to our former Kings his Majesties royal predecessours but whether that prerogative and power should be imployed to our defence or to our ruine We expect nothing from him but securitie and protection from those mischievous Designs which have been so often multiplied and renewed against us though hitherto through Gods providence as often frustrated It cannot be denied by those who look indifferently on our proceedings and affairs but that it will be more honour and wealth safetie and greatness to his Majestie in concurring with his Parliament than in the course in which he now is but so unhappie hath his Majestie and the Kingdom been in those who have the greatest influence upon his Counsels that they look more upon the prevailing of their own p●rtie than upon any those great Advantages both to his Crown and Royal Person which he might obtain by joyning with his people And so cunning are those Factors for Poperie in prosecution of their own aims that they can put on a counterfeit visage of honour peace and greatness upon those courses and counsels which have no truth and realtie but of weakness dishonour and miseries to his Majestie and whole Kingdom We have lately expressed our earnest Inclinations to that National love and amitie with the United Provinces which is nourished and confirmed by so many civil respects and mutual interests as makes it so natural to us that we have this Parliament in our humble Petition to his Majestie desired we might be joyned with that State in a more near and strait League and union And we cannot but expect some returns from them of the like expressions and that they will be so far from blowing the fire which begins to kindle amongst us that they will rather endeavour to quench it by strengthening and encouraging us who have no other Design but not to be destroyed and preserve our Religion save our selves and the other Reformed Churches of Christendom from the massacres and extirpations with which the principles of the popish Religion do threaten us and them which are begun to be acted in Ireland and in the hopes endeavours and intentions of that partie had long since been executed upon us if the mercie favour and blessing of Almightie God had not superabounded and prevented the subtiltie and malignitie of cruel wicked and bloud-thirstie men And thus being fleshed they go on amain having seized the Kings Magazines Forts Navy and Militia leaving him naked and indisposed no doubt to the beginning of this War whereof himself complains How untruly I am charged says he with the first raising of an Armie and beginning this Civil War the eys that onely pitie me and the loyal hearts that durst onely pray for me at first might witness which yet appear not so many on my side as there were men in Arms listed against me mine unpreparedness for a War may well dishearten those that would help me while it argues truly mine unwillingness to fight yet it testifies for me that I am set on the defensive part having so little hopes or power to offend others that I have none to defend my self or to preserve what is mine own from their prer●ption No man can doubt but they prevented me in their purposes as well as their injuries who are so much before hand in their preparations against me and surprisals of my strength Such as are not for them yet dare not be for me so over-aw'd is their loyaltie by the others numbers and terrours I believe mine innocencie and unpreparedness to assert my Rights and Honour makes me the more guiltie in their esteem who would not so easily have declared a War against me if I had first assaulted them They knew my chiefest Arms left me were those onely which the Ancient Christians were wont to use against their Persecutours Prayers and Tears These may serve a good man's turn if not to conquer as a Souldier yet to suffer as a Martyr Their preventing of me and surprizing my Castles Forts Arms and Navie with the Militia is so far best for me That it may drive me from putting any trust in the arm of flesh and wholly to cast my self into the protection of the living God who can save by few or none as well as by many He that made the greedie Ravens to be Elias's Caterers and bring him food may also make their surprizal of outward force and defence an opportunitie to shew me the special support of his power and protection I thank God I reckon not now the want of the Militia so much in reference to mine own protection as my
Kings partie are Masters of the Field with Garisons round about plentifully supplied from the King but the Parliaments partie in great want are likely to disband within ten days And this is the Relation from the Lord Fairfax Decemb. 10. 1642. The Counties of Norfolk Suffolk Essex Cambridg the Isle of Elie Hertford and City of Norwich are authorized to associate and their General the Earl of Essex gives Commission to the Lord Grey of Wark to command in cheif as Major General over those Counties with Instructions to govern accordingly The most part of the Earl of Newcastle's Forces lie upon the County towards Halifax and the clothing Towns imposing Taxes upon the Inhabitants according to their qualities from one thousand pounds to one hundred pounds proportionable who found a Light-horse at an hundred pounds every one who found Musket or P●ke at fourty shillings And about the fifteenth of December lands Colonel Goring for the King with more Arms some Pieces of Ordnance and some Money and fourscore old Commanders with the Queens Standard and to joyn with the Earl of Newcastle And in this Moneth of December the Kings Forces prospered Westward Marlborough and Tadcaster taken with a great Defeat of their Enemy Winchester and Chichester won by the Parliament The noble Lord Aubignie Brother to the Duke of Richmond died and was buried at Oxford And now it was thought time for the City to speak for themselves they well know what an odium lodged upon their disloyalty and therefore they petition the King how they are deeply pierced with Gangrene-wounds of his Majesties fear to hazzard his person in returning home to his Citie they abhor all thoughts of Disloyaltie making good their late Solemn Protestation● and sacred Oath with the last drop of their dearest bloud to defend and maintain the true Reformed Protestant Religion and your Majesties royal person honour and estate and do hereby engage themselves their estates and all they have to defend your Majestie with as much love loyaltie and dutie as ever Citizens expressed towards their Sovereign They are answered That his Majestie can distinguish some good Subjects in the Citie from the bad not all guiltie but what confidence can the King have there where the Laws of the Land are notoriously despised and the whole Government of the Citie submitted to the arbitrarie power of a few desperate persons of no reputation and names them Pennington their pretended Mayor the principal Authour of these Calamities which threaton ruine to that heretofore famous Citie Ven Foulk and Manwaring all of them notoriously guiltie of Schism and high Treason in oppressing robbing and imprisoning his good Subjects because they will not rebell against his Majestie nor assist those that do not that he condemns all for some that are guiltie and yet he offers his gracious pardon to all except such as are excepted if they shall yet return to their dutie if not he sums up the miserie that will necessarily fall upon every such person as shall continue acting and assisting the Rebellion This Answer full and home to the Cities conscience startled many into reluctancy when it was therefore thought fit by the Parliament to visit their Common Council and to caress them with a Committee of some Members lest this Answer should work too much with reluctancy And are told by Mr. Pym and others That this Answer reflects with wounding Aspersions upon persons of very eminent Authoritie of very great fidelitie amongst them that the Parliament owns them and their actions and will live and die in their defence and evermore concluding that their protection is the Armie and that it is hoped they will enlarge their Contributions for the maintenance of this Armie wherein as they have been liberal in former necessities so now they will exceed for safetie of themselves At the end of every period which Mr. Pym made in his Speech the applause was so great and so loud that he was silenced not without jugling and so concludes Worthy Citizens turning to the Rabble you see what the Parliament will do for your Lord Mayor and you 〈◊〉 your affections to do for the Parliament and State To which they replied We will live and die with them live and die with them All which says their printed Paper we may sum up in that Triumph of that Man of God In the thing wherein they dealt proudly God was above them There were some humble Desires and Propositions presented to the King at Oxford February 1. by four Lords and eight Members of the Commons but with so wilde and ranting a Preamble and the Desires so peremptory no less than fourteen viz. To disband his Armie and to return home to his Parliament Leave Delinquents to Trial Papists to be disarmed Bill for abolishing the Church-governours and Government and to pass such other Bills as shall be devised for a new Reformation Recusants to abjure Papacie To remove malignant Counsellours To settle the M●litia as the Parliament please To prefer to the great Offices and Places of Iudicature such of the Parliament as they name and to take in all such as have been put out of Commissions of the peace A Bill to vindicate the Lord Kimbolton and the five Members To enter Alliance with his Pro●estant Neighbours for Recoverie of the Palatinate To grant a general pardon with Exception of the Earl of Newcastle the Lord Digby and others To restore such of the Parliaments Members to their Offices and Places and to satisfie for their Losses c. The King answers with amazement If he had not given up all the faculties of his soul to an earnest endeavour of ●eace and Reconciliation or if he would suffer himself by any pro●●●●tion to be drawn to a sharpness of language at a time of Overtures of Accommodation he could not otherwise but resent their heavie charges upon him in the preamble and not suffer Reproaches which they cast upon him but his Majestie will forbear bitterness or the heat of his own sufferings throughout that if it be possible the memory thereof may be lost to the world And how unparliamentarie it is by Arms to require new Laws And he is pleased that a speedie time may be agreed upon for a Meeting and to debate those Propositions of theirs and these of his viz. That his own Revenues Magazines Towns Ships and Forts be restored That what hath been done contrary to Law and the Kings right may be renounced and recalled That all illegal power claimed or acted by Orders of Parliament be disclaimed The King will readily consent to the execution of all Laws made or to be made concerning Popery and Reformation so he desires a Bill for preserving the Book of Common Prayer and against Sectaries That all persons to be excepted against in the Treatie may be tried per pares with the cessation of Arms and for a free Trade But nothing followed till the third of March. In the North parts from
of answering these they ran quite away leaving the Field with five hundred Muskets fourteen Barrels of Pouder a whole Stand of Pikes with some Arms but their Cannon they got off This Fight lasted form two a clock afternoon till one the next morning These aforesaid we finde slain with eight Officers and some Gentlemen of note Mr. Leak Son to the Lord Daincourt found dead at day-light with his Enemies Colours about his arm Mr. Barker Lieutenant Colonel Wall Serjeant Major Lower Captain Iames Captain Chalwell and Mr. Bostard But then it is said that Waller's Foot were absolutely dispersed or cut off with great loss of Officers Horse and Foot modestly reported onely it is assured the Cavaliers kept the Field Arms and Pillage and such other signs of Victory And this was done the fifth of Iuly Whilest Waller fights their General Essex solicites the Parliament with Letters inclining to petition for a Peace which though it took well with some Lords yet being read to the Commons Mr. Vassal a London Burgess desired that their General should be pressed to speak more plainly and that if after the expence of two Millions of Treasure he had a minde to lay down Arms he should let them know it that as good a Souldier as he should take them up meaning Sir Will. Waller who was generally cried up by the City untill they heard of his Defeat near the Devises Round-way-down whither the King having sent some Troops of Horse towards the West which came within three Miles of the Devises were met with by Waller's Forces being on the Down between the Cavaliers and the Town to hinder their joyning with the rest of the Army Some Regiments of Horse on each side began the fight with equal success till Waller's Horse made ● Retreat to their Strength which lay on a Hill where he was and drew out his Foot and commanded the Onset but his Horse not enduring the hazzard left the Foot to their Enemies Sword or mercifull Quarter hundreds of them slain and more Prisoners taken four fair Brass Guns Ammunition and Baggage eight and twenty Colours and nine Corners I wonder at this Defeat for Sir William Waller had advantage of number in Men and Arms five Regiments of Foot six of Horse five hundred Dragoons eight Brass Guns It is confest that the Cavaliers were but fifteen hundred Horse additional to the other Forces with two small Pieces of Cannon And to adorn the Victory the Queen made her triumphant Entry into Oxford that day her Return from beyond Seas And on the other side to encourage Sir William Waller at this time when their Generalissimo was suspected the Parliament voted to make and confirm Leases of the Office of Botelier of England a Place of good profit and credit both The twelfth of August the Earl of Lindsey Great Chamberlain of England was welcomed to Oxford from his Restraint and Imprisonment since Edg-hill Fight being now received by the Queen Council and Court with all Expressions of Honour to him and more could not be done for the present in respect of the Kings absence at Glo●ester Siege The five and 20. of August the Earls of Bedford and Holland went from London towards Oxford and being gotten to Wallingford intrusted themselves with the Kings Forces untill their coming to submit to his Majesty in the mean time they are received by the Governour Colonel Blagge with honourable respect and so at last they were brought to the King professing their Duty and Allegeance and acknowledging their Errours this long time whom the King received with favour and forgiveness They held not out in this their Protestation but fled back again to the Parliament The Committees of Nottingham and Lincoln held intelligence with some Prisoners of theirs in the Marshals ●ustody at Newark whom they designed to blow up or to surprize the Magazine there whilest they had some favour and freedom of the Goaler their Letter conveyed to the Imprisoned discovers as much as will be necessary to know the men more than the matter Gentlemen and Prisoners for the Lord Jesus our long laboured Design is now ripe Your care is expected according to your faith and promise We doubt not but the opportunity of the Liberty afforded you may advance the good Cause The Magazine is near enough to you Give notice to our Br●thren under the Provost Marshall Blessed is that Servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall finde so doing Matth. 24. 46. The appointed time holdeth which we hope to our hands Lift up your heads for your Redemption draweth nigh Luke 21. 28. Where●ore comfort one another with these words 2. Thess. 4. 18. The rest will we set in order when we come 1 Cor. 11. 24. Greet all the Brethren 1 Thess. 5. 26. The Lord establish the Work of our hands upon us Work of our hands establish he it Psal. 90. is the Prayer of Yours in the Lord The Committee of Nottingham and Lincoln Scripture is often made use of by the Sectaries to factious and seditious ends and here to the hazzard of Murder the easiest terms I can afford them The Lecturers were the most busie meddling men even so as ever have been the Ki●kmen of Scotland and therefore Mr. Saltmarsh a seditious Minister contrived certain Propositions of Counsel which were read in the House amongst many were these 1. That all means should be used to keep the King and his People from sudden union 2. To cherish the War under the Notion of Popery as the surest means to engage the People 3. If the King would not grant their Demands then to root him out and the royal Line and collate the Crown upon some body else This last was too harsh to be swallowed by reasonable good men who excepted against it but Mr. Henry Martin said He saw no reason to condemn Mr. Saltmarsh adding That it were better one Family should be destroyed than many To which Mr. Nevil Pool replied That Mr. Martin might explain what One Family he meant Martin bold and beastly answers The King and his Children For which Speech before the time was ripe to discover that Secret he was voted a Prisoner to the Tower Mr. Pym himself urging upon him his extreme lewdness of life but this punishment was but to cool the heat of the House for that time for Martin was soon released upon the change of the Lieutenant of the Tower forthwith following The Recruits of the Army fell heavy upon the City of London who were caressed with all kindness to finish the Work and to set out Sir William Waller again and to win upon them Sir Edward Coniers was commanded to surrender his Lieutenancy of the Tower unto Pennington the Mayor of London and so Mistris Mayoress was quit with Mistris Ven that she should be Governess of Windsor Prison as she called it and thereby command over Souldiers which was a power she now might equal with hers
Covenant that the same be done by joint advice of the Committees of both Kingdoms and afterwards agreed upon by Votes of both Houses 3 That the Earl of Leven Lord General of the Scotish Forces in Ireland being now by the Votes of both Houses agreed to be Commander in chief over all the Forces as well British as Scots according to the fourth Article be desired with all convenient speed to nominate and appoint a Commander in chief under his Excellency over the said Forces to reside with them upon the place And a joynt Committee of both Kingdoms are appointed to reside with the said Forces and enabled with joint Instructions of both Kingdoms for Regulating the said Forces and carrying on of the war and accordingly the Committee were sent and so remained there Glocester now relieved the loss of their Enemy the Earl of Essex leaves with them three Culverins 46. barrels of powder and sets the Garison in order with the plunder provision of the Country filling their Granaries very plentifully and so departs The London Trained bands having done their work would needs go home but must pass the Kings pikes first and how their General also could escape the Kings Ingagement of a return was difficult not to be penned up in those parts and so made speed after the King who was Marched some miles before and passed by Cirencester leaving there a strong party where Essex his forlorn hope came and entred the Town whilst his Army surrounded it killed the Centry sleeping Marched up to the Market place without opposition being supposed Prince Maurice his forces that night expected entered their houses and surprized the people in their beds without any Allarm seized four hundred men and thirty Cart loads of Provision their onely support of the Souldier against the next battel at Newbery From thence Essex Marches to Chilleton the Cavaliers facing them on Mavarn hills but to amaze them Essex seems to retreat but sent out a party of horse who met and fired but were fain to wheel off with loss then the foot came on with a gallant charge accompanied with a volley of Dragoons and were answered as bravely by the King for an hour without ceasing and but time for Essex to bring on the Trained bands and Auxiliaries without any effect for night parted the fray and so from hence he Marches the next day to Newbery where the King being before hand had the advantage of the ground and planted his Ordinance with all the forces thereabouts On Wednesday the twentieth of September early as the sun the General takes a view of the Cavaliers set in Battalia at Newbery Common draws up and falls to firing for notice being brought to the King with his forces at Eversham that the Earl of Essex was returning from Glocester gave order to follow him and on the eighteenth of September his Majesties foot marching towards Wantage Prince Rupert with the whole body of horse advanced on the right hand to finde out Essex and got view of them that afternoon in a bottom near Aubern in Wiltshire and gave them two charges by the commanded party of Colonel urrey falling upon Essex Rear of his Horse where both encountred with equal loss Essex stands in Battalia for an hour and then marches the Prince overtakes him with a second charge adding the Queens Regiment as a reserve to the commanded party and his own Brigado to follow both Essex's horse appointed to bring up the Rear hastned forward within the Foot and brought Ruperts so near that it was necessary to decline them by falling off to the Right hand where two great Bodies of Essex's Horse came down a Hill and in excellent order received the others charge and after with eithers swords where the Lord Iermin received a slight wound on his Arm and the Lord Digby a shot on his head piece with loss of some men then those wheeling about ingaged the Lord Iermin with part of his Regiment almost to a loss but that they forced through some Bodies of Foot and got the better at that encounter onely with loss of Colonel Constable and that brave Gentleman the Marquess de la Vienville who was first taken prisoner and in cold blood unhandsomely slain and so night made either party retire The Kings Infantry was now at Wantage from whence Rupert desired them to march directly to Newbery with all speed the Horse refreshing at Lambern and Essex towards Hungerford arrived there the next morning six miles off so to Newbery but the King being come up before prevented them of accommodation there and lodged there himself that night all his Horse and some Musketiers were immediately drawn out beyond the water towards Essex his Army his whole body being within two miles and a half so as the parties fell to skirmish till dark night On goes Essex and surprizes the Kings new raised Troops at Cirencester scarce warm in their quarters And the twentieth of September the King saw his Enemy seated in a place the most advantageous the Horse Foot and Canon so planted for safety to themselves and annoyance of the King that it was conceived his Majesty was forced first to fight for a place ● to fight on which he did and gained the Hill the other pelting upon them from chosen ground● bushes● and hedges This Hill near Newbery and Enbarn-heath were the places where the most of this fight was performed The chief Commanders of Horse for the King besides Prince Rupert and the Lord Wilmot his Lieutenant General were the three Noble Lords the valiant Earls of Carnarvan and Northampton and the Lord Chandoys Sir Charls Lucas Colonel Charls Gerrard and Lieutenant Colonel Oneal In which fight were slain couragious Carnarvan whose memory since his undertaking to be a Commander is precious in Acts of honour and he that killed him lived not an instant after So was there slain the Noble Earl of Sunderland Colonel Morgan Lieutenant Colonel F●ilding and many Gentlemen voluntiers by name Mr. Stroud and there were hurt of the prime Officers the Lord Andover Sir Charls Lucas Colonel Gerrard Colonel Ivers And of the Voluntiers the Earls of Carlisle and Peterborough Mr. Iohn Russell Mr. Edward Sacvile Mr. Henry Howard Mr. George Porter Mr. Progers The Kings foot were commanded by Sir Nicholas cholas Byron and the Horse by Sir Iohn Byron The chief Officers hurt were Colonel Dervy Lieutenant Colonel George Lisle who led on the forlorn hope and Lieutenant Col. Edward Villiers and here at the dispute of the Hill was slain that learned Lord Viscount Falkland Secretary of Estate The number slain on both sides are uncertain for what is confessed of the Cavalier supposes more of their Enemies I would there had been less then there were of either Only thus much is notorious not a Lord of the other side but in earnest we must give assurance many of their chief Officers were killed The slaughter fell foule on the London Trained bands
himself from the Ladder without any remorse for his monstrous Crime And now being executed for his Villany it may merit the moving why he was refused his Trial by Peerage The King had a great desire to remove the Siege against Dennington Castle but were beaten off and therefore it was concluded by the Council of State that Essex's Forces should not draw out of Newbury into the Field lest the King should possess it for a Winter Quarter but that they should fight him at his Retreat but he retreated to Marlborough without opposition and the Parliaments Forces quit Newbury which the King possesses and reserves as a covert Quarter for his Army when the other lay in the open Fields and forced from Basing Siege withdrew to Reading Hereabout we finde the first appearance of Exception which the Parliament had against the good management of their Armies Essex being now suspected as careless or discontent and therefore they fall to debate hereabout in the House for Colonel Norton had writ a Letter to them that he had received a Warrant from a chief Commander in the Army to withdraw from Basing which was a thing unexpected he says but accordingly he hath obeyed nay the commands of the Committee of both Kingdoms to the Army were lately much neglected and complained of It grew into a high Debate How chance the Parliaments Forces permitted the Enemie to relieve Dennington Castle when they were two for one and why the Town of Newbury was quitted before the Enemie was marched away as the pretence of not fighting before was because we would not quit Newbury And now the Kings Forces were quartered at Basing Odjam Newburie Blewburie and Marlborough and Essex at Reading Henley Abington and Farnham And whilest they thus lodg in Quarters the Actions of the Parliaments Army are arreigned and committed And the Earl of Manchester makes the Relation concerning the carriage at Dennington Castle of great length in writing wherein his Lordship makes his own Defence and gives a Charge against Lieutenant General Cromwel a Member of the Commons who had deserved much honour for his good Service to the State and who made answer to several particulars therein mentioned and the point of privilege of Parliament upon the transmitting of that business from the Lords before any Charge was brought to the House of Commons but it was committed and they to receive the proofs for making good of the Earls Information concerning Lieutenant General Cromwel and to make protestation of secrecy therein and so silent they were that we never heard more of it General Essex having sped so ill in the West was now returned to Westminster where the Faction was powerfull in the Commons House against him being suspected somewhat more royal than the House would have him to be And after long Debate it was resolved to new model the Army and by degrees and in time to be rid of their old General and to bethink of a new one in quality not more than a Knight with intention not over-long to trust to the Lords at all And begin with an Order That no Member of either House shall during this War enjoy and execute any Office or Command Military or Civil which hath been granted or conferred on any Member of either House or by any Authoritie derived from either House This was subtilly done and but very poor Reasons publick to satisfie the world in this policy That in relation to the Armie all Commissions to Parliament men being void the new molding the Armie may be carried on with less exception when all are concerned alike That all Differences militarie among the great Commanders Parliament men which may retard the work is hereby quieted And those that shall be new made Officers may be elected of the lesser quality and the sooner subject to question and punishment and the Armie maintained at a less charge And after fourty days expiring this Order all their Commands and Offices in the Army shall be null but in order to justice they publish their Resolution to pay off their Arrears which was slenderly performed when their Offices were out of date And to crown this Design they fast and pray and to boot the well-affected City give them thanks and promise to live and die with them for this their new voting And somewhat to sweeten the Earl of Essex's sowreness the Parliament ordered him ten thousand pounds per annum out of Delinquents Estates for his good Service and his great Losses and amongst their Commanders they elect Sir Thomas Fairfax in his room But this great Ordinance of Molding goes on slow and suffered much Debate and Alteration for the Lords House began to foresee the effects and would not assent untill Petitions from the City and several Counties drew them to conclude it with this Title An Ordinance for the raising and maintaining of Forces for the defence of the Kingdom under the command of Sir Thomas Fairfax Who is sent for to London out of the North and comes in private and the next day Feb. 19. is conducted to the Commons House by four of their Members a Chair was set and he to sit therein M. Speaker telling him the great trust the Kingdom had put upon him in the command of this Army and the good opinion they had of his valour and fidelity for the defence of Religion Laws and Liberty encouraging him to go on as he hath begun Great Disorders in the modelling this new Army and long time setling hastened an Order to the Scots Army to march Southward with all speed This new Army consisted of twenty one thousand viz. fourteen thousand Foot and six thousand Horse and a thousand Dragoons The House of Commons finding the Peers so pregnant as notwithstanding the great Exceptions and publick discourse of an intention to lessen their Lordships it was thought fitting to caress them by an appointed Committee March 18. to congratulate their happy concurrence and to assure them of the Commons real affections and endeavours to support their Lordships in their Honours and Privileges A language which heretofore the Lords would have disdained to have received from them The List of the Officers thus passed were these besides those of the old which are kept in Sir Thomas Fairfax Commander in chief Major General Skippon who was indeed the City Champion New Officers of Foot Colonels Crayford Berkley Montague Aldridg Holborn Fortescue Ingolsby Pickering Rainsborough New Officers of Horse Colonels Middleton Sidney Graves Sheffield Vermindon Whaley Levisay Fleetwood Rossiter Sir Robert Pie The Kings Army was now under the chief command of the Prince of Wales Prince Maurice and Prince Rupert in the Northern parts and association of the Counties adjoyning the Earl of Derby and Sir Marmaduke Langdon in Byrone and Gerard in VVales Southward and these Counties thereabout Hopton Goring and Greenvile in the West with several small Armies Amongst those of the old Commanders for the Parliament I finde Lieutenant General Cromwel the
Garison of Hereford taken by Surprize which saved the labour of doing it by treachery as it had been agreed upon But this was done thus The Garison was strong and well appointed the Countrey about in affection and friendship together a piece much aimed at as thereby denuding the King of all his Welch Forces And truly the Knight was happy that the Treachery failed But Colonel Iohn Birch and Col. Morgan Governour of Glocester their design took the effect of a just and Souldier-like surprize Morgan had 1100. Horse and Foot and Birch with 900. Foot and a Troop of Horse march from Glocester to Hereford in one day and a night where he was provided of six lusty men in habit of Labourers and the seventh man must be for a Constable with a Warrant in his hand to bring these fellows to work in the Town as if for service of the Garison These men thus prepared with 150. Firelocks lodged in the dark as near the Gate as possible without discovery and a Body of men was ready to second the Design of the other and to enter with them In fine the Bridge is let down to the Constable and his Crew who with Pick-ax and Spade and no sooner entred but the Guard began to examine and to bustle and to kill three of the Guard whilst the Firelocks enter with Col. Birch and Skirmish till the Body came up commanded by Colonel Morgan and so entred the Town with small losse on either side some submitting wherein were eleven pieces of Ordnance much Arms and Amunition the Lord Brudenel 14. Knights 4. Lieutenant Colonels 3. Captains and other Officers and Gentlemen one hundred 18. December Amongst those of the most honoured was that worthy Lawyer Judge Ienkins sent up to the Parliament and committed to several ●ayles of whom we shall have occasion to mention in many sufferings of his This surprize was quick and gallant As for Treacheries and corruptions of Companies or Guards they have been used by some but hated afterwards in all We have met with such on both sides and but lately the offer of Sir Iohn Digby to Colonel Ker Governour of Plymouth It is true that the Parliament willing to intrust that Garison to another person I doe not finde it out of any doubt in that Gentleman but Digby took that occasion to tempt Ker with this treachery SIR I am troubled to understand that through the ingratitude of those you serve you are likely to be rewarded with the dishonour of having a person of much inferiour merit put over your head an injury insupportable to any man of spirit and which may offer you a justifiable occasion of doing a very eminent service to your Native King and Countrey and which if you will embrace to deliver up the Town with the Works of Plimouth I shall engage my self on my honour and the faith of a Gentleman you shall be rewarded with ten thousand pounds and have the command if you please of a Regiment of 500. Horse with what honour your self can desire Sir be not scrupulous in taking the advice of an Enemie that desires heartily on these terms to become your true friend and faithful servant Jo. Digby For Colonel Ker Governour of Plimouth 30. Decem. Colonel Ker returns him this Noble Answer SIR Your motion to Treason I have seen and detest it it is below my spirit for personal injury supposed only by an Enemie to take National revenge and for a Punctillio of honour to take advice from Hell and betray my trust I am sorry that one so ingenious as your self should abuse your natural parts only to doe mischief Yet I have no reason to wonder much at your perswasion to treacherie because I have had the experience of the indeavours of your Family to corrupt others also I remember the Gunpowder Plot the Letter which your Brother writ to the Lord Roberts in this place for the same purpose And his Negotiation with General Brown at Abington Surely these Principles came from Spain but you should have told me also that Spanish proverb To love the Treason and hate the Traytor c. 20. Decemb. Your assured servant Iames Ker. The great success of the Parliament and the distresses of the Kings party enforcing them by numbers to come in and submit upon qualifications of Composition somewhat reasonable heretofore but now the more strict That all such Delinquents that were contained in the first qualifications in the Propositions to be sent to his Majesty and humbled not themselves in obedience to the Parliament before the 25. of March next should forfeit their whole Estates And that those who are contained in the second qualification and came not in as aforesaid should forfeit the Moity of their Estates and that this Qualification should extend to none but those who cordially should submit and should take the National Covenant appointed by Ordinance of Parliament The King had caressed the Parliament for a Treaty of Peace and Cessation also but they finding the Kings Affairs to pinch without hope of his ever being able to make an Offensive War and as little power to defend Therefore to give some satisfaction to the world and to the Kings desires they intend somewhat The Parliament have been hammering Propositions and as the Kings condition changed to the worse they were the bolder to offer such terms as were never likely to be granted And first they please themselves with Votes improbable for additional Honours to be forced from the King and to be placed on their several Members to them and their Heirs for ever Sir Thomas Fairfax be made an English Baron with five thousand pounds Lands per annum and a Committee to consider how this Estate and others following may be setled upon him and others for ever His Father Fairfax to be an English Baron and an Earl The honour of an English Baron on Lieutenant General Cromwel with 2500. l. per an The Honour of Dukedoms on the Earl of Northumberland Essex Pembroke The Earl of Salisbury and Manchester to be Marquesses The Lords Roberts Say Willoughby of Parham Wharton and Howard to be Earls Mr. Denzil Hollis a Viscount Sir William Waller a Baron and 2500. l. per. an Sir Arthur Hazelrig such another which only he modestly refused but not the● money Sir William Brereton 1500. l. per an Skippon 1000. l. per an All which Honours and Grants are to be confirmed by his Majesty upon passing the Propositions and the Revenues and estates to be setled out of Delinquents Lands after the satisfying of publique debts of the Kingdom but not before 1. Sept. 1645. But how unlikely the Propositions should pass clogged with these designs against the very hair of the Kings Councellours And how unlikely any Propositions at all shall be consented unto if we consider the Kings inclination towards a Peace by the Contents of his late Letters to Prince Rupert upon occasion of Ruperts Letter and Advice to Treat and
either by Treatie or Conquest the later of which his Majestie hopes none will have the impudencie or impietie to wish for And for the former if his personal assistance in it be not the most likely way let any reasonable man judg when by that means not onely all unnecessary Delaies will be removed but even the greatest Difficulties made easie And therefore he doth now again earnestly insist upon that Proposition expecting to have a better Answer upon mature consideration And can in be imagined that any Propositions will be so effectual being formed before a personal Treatie as such as are framed and propounded upon a full Debate on both sides Wherefore his Majestie who is most concerned in the good of his people and is most desirous to restore peace and happiness to his three Kingdoms doth again instantly desire an Answer to his said former Messages to which he hath hitherto received none Given at our Court at Oxon the four and twentieth of January 1645. To the Speaker of the House of Peers c. The King Prince and Rupert and Maurice were reconciled and all at Oxford extremely straitned for Provisions being blocked up but what Refreshments came at dear Rates he commands a Fast and Prayers to God directed to the Vice-chancellour and Heads of Houses in the Universitie of Oxford That Divine Service established by Law be read daily Morning and Evening as now it is in your respective Houses and also that upon Wednesdays and Fridays to meet four times each Day at Divine Service and so to continue during these sad Times and a general Fast each Friday from Food till five a clock after the Evening Service and this to be done now and hereafter according to the good Example of the Primitive Christians Edw. Nicholas But unhappily it fell out that now again the Parliament intercepted some Irish Letters and Papers in a manner the whole Transactions Copies between the King and the Irish Rebells Amongst many this Commission to Edward Lord Herbert Earl of Glamorgan to treat with the Irish Rebells CHARLS R. Charls by the grace of God c. To our trustie c. Edward Earl of Glamorgan We reposing great and especial trust and confidence in your approved wisdom and fidelitie do by these as firmly as under our great Seal to all intents and purposes authorize and give you power to treat and conclude with the confederate Roman Catholicks in our Kingdom of Ireland if upon necessitie any thing be condiscended unto wherein our Lieutenant cannot so well be seen in as not fit for us for the present publickly to own therefore we charge you to proceed according to this our Warrant with all possible secrecie and whatsoever you shall engage your self upon such valuable considerations as you in your judgment shall deem fit We promise in the word of a King and Christian to ratifie and perform the same of that which shall be granted by you and under your Hand and Seal The said confederate Catholicks having by their Supplies testified their zeal to our Service And this shall be in each particular to you a sufficient Warrant Given at our Court at Oxon the twelfth of May 20 Car. This Commission being but a Paper Copy and so hinted to the King he was pleased to pass it over as no sufficient ground to put him to the acknowledgment thereof yet it became him to excuse the effects of Glamorgan's Negotiations with the Irish which it seems were so averse from Ormond's Instructions as the Kings Lieutenant that Glamorgan was there committed by him and the Council And how to piece up these passages from censure he is pleased to frame a Declaration and sends it to the Parliament by Message Ian. 29. CHARLS R. His Majestie having received Information from the Lord Lieutenant and Council in Ireland That the Earl of Glamorgan hath without his or their directions or privitie entred into a Treatie with some Commissioners on the Roman Catholick partie there and also drawn up and agreed unto certain Articles with the said Commissioners highly derogatorie to his Majesties Honour and Royal Dignitie and most prejudicial unto the Protestant Religion and Church there in Ireland whereupon the said Earl of Glamorgan is arrested upon suspition of high Treason and imprisoned by the said Lord Lieutenant and Council at the instance and by the impeachment of the Lord Digby who by reason of his Place and former Imploiment in these affairs doth best know how contrarie that Proceeding of the said Earl hath been to his Majesties Intentions and Directions and what great prejudice it might bring to his affairs if those Proceedings of the Earl of Glamorgan should be any waies understood to have been done by the Directions liking or approbation of his Majestie His Majestie having in his former Messages for a personal Treatie offered to give contentment to his two Houses in the business of Ireland hath now thought fitting the better to shew his clear Intentions and to give satisfaction to his said Houses of Parliament and the rest of his Subjects in all his Kingdoms to send this Declaration to his said Houses containing the whole truth of the business which is That the Earl of Glamorgan having made offer unto him to raise Forces in the Kingdom of Ireland and to conduct them into England for his Majesties Service had a Commission to that purpose and to that purpose onely That he had no Commission at all to treat of any thing else without the privitie and directions of the Lord Lieutenant much less to capitulate any thing concerning Religion or any proprietie belonging either to Church or Laitie That it clearly appears by the Lord Lieutenants Proceedings with the said Earl that he had no notice at all of what the said Earl had treated and pretended to have capitulated with the Irish untill by accident it came to his knowledg And his Majestie doth protest That untill such time as he had advertisement that the person of the said Earl of Glamorgan was arrested and restrained as is abovesaid he never heard nor had any kinde of notice that the said Earl had entred into any kinde of Treatie or Capitulation with those Irish Comissioners much less that he had concluded or signed those Articles so destructive both to Church and State and so repugnant to his Majesties publick Professions and known Resolutions And for the further vindication of his Majesties Honor and Integritie herein he doth declare That he is so far from considering any thing contained in those Papers or Writings fra●ed by the said Earl and those Commissioners with whom he treated as he doth absolutely disavow him therein and hath given commandment to the Lord Lieutenant and the Council there to proceed against the said Earl as one who either out of falsness presumption or follie hath so hazarded the blemishing of his Majesties Reputaion with his good Subjects and so impertinently framed those Articles of hisown head without the consent
so Montrose marches to Kinrosse and then to Sterling and encamps in that fatal field Kilsithe the Enemy comes three miles off Baily being their head with whom he must fight at disadvantage or stay to be undone by the Earl of Lanerick Duke Hamiltons brother Cassils Eglington and Glenearne who were raising men in great numbers In this field were some Cotages and his Forces four thousand five hundred Foot and five hundred Horse where he lodgeth some men and the Enemies first work was to beat them but were worsted and driven back encouraging the next to fall on without direction up the Hill engaging themselves one thousand not to be got off He saies to Airly My Lord yonder men of ours are in distress it is most proper for you that the error committed by unadvised young men may be corrected by your Lordships grave and discreet valour And on he goes guarded with a Troop of Horse by Ogleby of Baldby upon the face of the Enemy who giving the charge were disputed with very sharply for a good while but facing about fell upon their own Foot and hotly pursued routed and trod them down Then with a shout all fell upon the Horse first who not enduring a long Charge fled and the Foot discouraged followed and were pursued with execution fourteen miles not a hundred came off All their Ordnance Arms and Baggage to Conquerors who lost many of the Oglebies and some common Souldiers the Enemies Horse carried the swiftest to Sterling others to the Frith saved themselves by Vessels as Arguile now the third time got into a Cock-boat and so into a Ship The chife prisoners were Sir William Morray of Blebe Iames Arnol brother to the Lord Burghly two Colonels Dice and Wallis and many more men of worth this famous Victory at Kilsithe was 15. Septem 1645. and not lesse then six thousand of the Enemy slain and this famous Battle thus to be lost they lodge upon Bailies down-right treachery So now the Northern parts are secured on his back the way opened to him in the South the power of the Covenanters suppressed their chief Leaders driven out of the Kingdom and no considerable Party in Armes yet in the West there were some stirring for the Earl of Cassells and Eglington were raising four thousand men Wherefore Montrose marches into Cludsdale and so to Glascow the principal City receiving the same with acclamations of joy executing legally some chief Incendiaries there and remove to Bothwell where he received the personal addresses of some of the Nobility and of others by their Deputies willingly submitting the chief being the Marquess of Dowglasse the Earls of Limmuck Anuandale and Herefield the Lords of Seton Drummond Fleming Marterty Carnegye and Iohnston Hamelton of Orbeston Charte of Heinsfield Towers of Innerlegh Stuart of Resyth Dalyel a brother of the Earl of Carnwarth Knights and many more Then he sends Napier and Colonel Gordon with a party of Horse to Edenburgh to Summon that City to settle it in peace and to release all prisoners of Loyalty or to threaten them with fire sword And near the City they make a stand the City Assemble and send Delegates together with the chief of the prisoners to intercede Lodowick Earl of Crawford of the Family of Lindsies and a gallant Germane experienced Souldier imprisoned by the malice of the Earl of Lindsey who was to succeed to his Honors Iames Lord Ogleby Son to the Earl of Arlye singularly beloved of Montrose cursing themselves and posterity if ever they should again revolt from their Loyalty or be unmindful of Montrose's mercy Napier having by the way of his March set at liberty his dear Father his Wife his Brother in Law Keer and his Sisters at Linnuck being removed thither from Edenburgh Castle and so all together to Montrose The Delegates of Edenburgh with humble submission beseech Montrose to accept the surrender of their City promising Faith and Loyalty to their King for ever after That the infection of Plague now reigning there had wasted their men but they were ready to pay contribution heartily acknowledging their Treasonable Actions against their gracious King by the cunning contrivance of a prevailing party engaging them in this Rebellion Montrose accepted their submission with the rendering of Edenburgh Castle to the King and his Officers to renounce all future correspondence with the Rebels the prisoners were all released but as to all the other Protestations they fall to their wonted treachery and Rebellion He sends Mac●donel and Drummond of Ball into the Western Coasts to disperse Cassels and Eglington with other of the Nobily there who fly into Ireland and lurk in by places All the Towns Aire Irwin and the County submit and the people come presently to his side Then the South parts submit and therein the chiefest Earls of Hume Roxborough and Traquair men the most obliged to the Kings high Grace and Favour raising them from private Gentlemen to Honours Wealth and Powers But it was boldness in the Earl of Lanerick Duke Hamilton's Brother who had deceifully practised under hand all the Treacheries and Treasons of this War against their Sovereign Now he openly returns answer That he would have nothing to do with that side never pretending friendship where he meaned not to perform This man acted above board but the others treacherously they inviting David Lesley out of England with the Scotish Horse and so to deliver up Mentrose to ruine Montrose had suspition of all this but could not prevent each mischief for having lain long incamped at Bothwell and no Enemy in Arms most of the Highlanders laden with Spoil ran away and returned home the very Commanders desired Furloghs for some time to setle their Families and to return with many more Men within fourty Days to such as he could not hold he willingly gave leave and appoints Mac-Donel their Countreyman and Kinsman ambitious to be their Guide and to conduct them back again with him went three thousand stout Men and an hundred and twenty Irish for his Life-guard whom Montrose never saw after But we shall meet the next year and so much for this It is most strange to these Times but Posterity can never comprehend how the Swedes come to this greatness and to make War in so many parts of Europe and from whence they got so many Men that Sovereignty indeed is large but very desert and dispeopled so that we may speak it a truth there never came from thence sixty thousand Men as one of their own Grandees assures us one reason was that all the Protestants in Europe leagued with them like Ivy to the Tree as believing the Ruine of the Swedes included that of all the Lutherans The other that in their Fortune all the rest had interest principally in regard of Plunder for it is most certain that in Count Horn's Army were many Women in Mens Apparel acting like Amazons and brave Souldiers with so much courage did prosperity inflame
must be the best and only remedy to remove our troubles That without a Treaty the Propositions may be esteemed Impositions That the King might have some just desires to move for the Crown and for himself and that every thing in the Propositions might not be of such importance as that the not granting it might hinder a peace That a personal Treaty is the best way to beget a mutual confidence between the King and Parliament And amongst other Protestations they aver That if Scotland had apprehended that the least injury or violence would have been committed against his person or Monarchical Government had they not received assurances from the Parliament to the contrary certainly all the threatnings and allurements in the world could never have perswaded them to have parted from the King and that it was their brotherly confidence in the Parliament fellow Subjects and the assurance that they had from both Houses that made them leave the King Then they complain of a vast deformity or multiformity of Heresies and sects endangering the ruin of Religion in this Kingdom But what ere the Scots have said in this Declaration the Parliament afterwards found out such Members at leisure that formed into a Committee for that purpose gave them a sound Answer But the King in the general Interest of all conceived them so unreasonable to be positively assented unto before a Treaty or dispute of some part or either of them as that he refused Giving his Reasons in a Letter or Message sealed up to the Commissioners for the Parliament to open But the Earl of Denbigh the cheif Commissioner desired the King that although they were intrusted only to bring the demands in writing and not to Treat yet they hope his Majesty would distinguish them from ordinary Commissioners and suffer them to see what was written professing that his Majesty should not receive disappointment or prejudice thereby The King Commands Ashburnham to read them aloud in these words C. R. The Necessity of complying with all engaged interests in these great distempers for a perfect settlement of peace his Majesty findes to be none of the least difficulties he hath met with since the time of his afflictions Which is too visible when at the same time that the two Houses of the English Parliament do present to his Majesty several Bills and Propositions for his consent the Commissioners for Scotland do openly protest against them So that were there nothing in the case but the consideration of that difference his Majesty cannot Imagine how to give such an Answer to what is now proposed as thereby to promise himself his great end A perfect Peace And when his Majesty further considers how impossible it is in the condition he now stands to fulfil the desires of the two Houses since the only ancient and known wayes of passing Laws are either by his Majesties personal assent in the House of Peers or by Commission under his great Seal of England He cannot but wonder at such failings in the manner of addresse which is now made unto him Unlesse his two Houses intend that his Majesty shall allow of a great Seal made without his Authority before there be any consideration had thereupon in a Treaty Which as it may hereafter hazard the security it self so for the present it seems very unreasonable to his Majesty And though his Majesty is willing to believe that the intentions of very many in both Houses in sending these Bills before a Treaty was only to obtain a trust from him and not to take any advantage by passing them to force other things from him which are either against his Conscience or Honour Yet his Majesty believes it clear to all understandings that these Bills contain as they are now penned not only the divesting himself of all Soveraignty and that without possibility of recovering it either to him or his Successors except by repeal of those Bills but also the making his Concessions guilty of the greatest pressures that can be made upon the Subject as in other particulars so by giving an arbitrary and unlimited power to the two Houses for ever to raise and levy Forces for Land or Sea service of what persons without distinction or quality and to what numbers they please And likewise for the payment of them to levy what monies in such sort and by such wayes and means and consequently upon the Estates of whatsoever persons they shall think fit and appoint which is utterly inconsistent with the Liberty and Property of the Subject and his Majesties trust in protecting them So that if the Major part of both Houses shall think it necessary to put the rest of the propositions into Bills his Majesty leaves all the World to judge how unsafe it would be for him to consent thereunto And if not what a strange condition after the passing of these four Bills his Majesty and all his Subjects would be cast into And here his Majesty thinks it not unfit to wish his two Houses to consider well the manner of their proceeding That when his Maiesty desires a personal Treaty with them for the setling of a Peace they in Answer propose the very subject matter of the most essential part thereof to be the first granted A thing which will be hardly credible to posterity Wherefore his Majesty declares That neither the desire of being freed from this tedious and Irksome condition of life his Majesty hath so long suffered nor the apprehension of what may befall him in case his two Houses shal not attend him a personal Treaty shall make him change his resolution of not consenting to any Act till the whole Peace be concluded yet then he intends not only to give just and reasonable satisfaction in the particulars presented to him but also to make good all other concessions mentioned in his Message of the twenty sixth of November last Which he thought would have produced better effects than what he findes in the Bills and Propositions now presented unto him And yet his Majesty cannot give over but now again earnestly presse for a personal Treaty so passionately is he affected with the advantages which peace will bring to his Majesty and all his Subjects of which he will not all dispair there being no other visible way to obtain a well grounded peace How ever his Majesty is very much at ease within himself for having fulfilled the Offices both of a Christian and of a King and will patiently wait the good pleasure of Almighty God to encline the hearts of his two Houses to consider their King and to compassionate their fellow Subjects miseries Carisbroke Castle Decem. 28. 1647. For the Speaker of the Lords House c. Herein the Commissioners found what pinched the Parliament and no sooner had the Parliaments Commissioners taken their leave and were gone towards Newport but Hamond turns out all the Kings Servants out of the Castle The confusion was so great that the King demands of
him and the memory of his deceased Father His head on the Block he ended his life in these words Merciful Iesus gather my soul unto thy Saints and Martyrs who have run before me in this race He was learned in the Mystery of things Divine and Humane and in the knowledge of Eastern Tongues in History Law and Politiques and alike excellent for the intergrity of his life And preferred to this commendation by a neer observer of him that he loved the old fashion piety with his soul to explain his meaning he saies and yet Not a vain and Superstitious professor of it before others but to distinguish him a sound Protestant Professor and no new Fangler Hugh Scrimiger sometime his Servant had leave to bury his body and continuing sorrowful ere the Scaffold was taken away he passing by fell into a swound and being carried home dyed at his own door Then followed Andrew Gutlery Son to the deserving Bishop of Murrey and by his Judges hated the more for that Blair fell upon him also to repent for siding in the evil Cause He answered therefore came I here to suffer for a good Conscience and a good King which he embraced without fear and would dye without dread of death for his sins he trusted were satisfied by the merits of his Saviour to whom he recommends his soul. The last was William Murrey brother to the Earl of Tullibardin a youth of 19. years at the most who told them That this his day of suffering he accounted a meer honour to his House that he descended of that Ancient Family should deliver up his life for his good King and his Cause and desires that his Parents would not grieve at the shortness of his life being abundantly recompensed with the honourable death And so with his own and good mens prayers he suffered Execution also Montrose much troubled to hear of their deaths was extreamly importuned to sacrifice such Prisoners as he had being they said real Traytors indeed and for which Justice he had Warrant from Gods Vice-gerent the King But as he nere put any to death in cold blood as yet so he would never be said to break his word of Quarter by exchange or imprisonment All this time had Huntley trifled in Plundering as he Marched and gave way to the relief of Innerness and retreats to the Spye notwithstanding Montroses several Messages to him to return to the Siege or to joyn their Forces and to descend Southward and to oppose a new Enemy Major General Middleton Marching with six hundred Horse and eight hundred Foot as far as Aberdine but Huntley would not Although there came in to Montrose many friends and Tenants of the Earl of Seafort the L. Rose and from the farthest Northern Isl●nds Sir Iames Mack-donel Mack-lins and Glengar the chief of Mac-renalds and many more And by this means before the end of March he might have Marched Southward with a greater Army then ever had been beheld in Scotland But for the present he surrounds and besieges Innerness for the commodious Haven and sent back three Troops of Horse to lodge about the Passes of Spye to have a Watch upon Middleton who was now eighty miles off And had timely warning to draw off from the Siege and from the Enemies strength of Horse and to Retreat beyond Nessa with some Skirmishes and equal loss and so passed by Benly into Rose and after through Long-Nasse Strath-glasse and Harrage into the bank of Sprey And being now not far from Huntley he takes a Troop of Horse and gallops to him twenty miles sending word before that he was coming to crave his Councel in the Kings affairs but Huntley took Horse and fled and the other returned the last of May. By whose example Seaford and others began to falter which put resolution in Montrose to force all the Northern Parts which he could easily doe having tried all the fairest means and failed therein for of late Middleton was entred into Aberdine with five hundred men whom Huntley had besieged and taken upon his own score in revenge to the Town which he plundered though the Kings friends and released all Prisoners that were of Middletons men Montrose busie about his Northern designe on the last of May comes a Herald from the King whose misfortune had as you have heard elsewhere cast himself upon the Scotish Convenanters Army at Newcastle this time twelve moneth 13. of May and commands Montrose to lay down his Arms and Disband and to pass over to France till his Majesties further pleasure The valiant man was amazed at this sad news being assured that they had forced this upon the Kings miserable condition with some secret hint to look to himself also But Montrose must obey and Summons all his Consederates whom he conceived this disbanding would concern and principally he sends Hurrey to Huntley that Montrose was willing to come to his Castle for to be present at this Consultation he Answered The K. had written to him of the same and that his Commands may not admit of second thoughts but to obey as he would They replyed that it was likely Montrose was of that opinion too however ever it might concern them all to provide for prevention of future mischiefs and the very joynt consult would advantage them even in the Enemies opinion He replyed that he had resolved for himself and would have nothing to doe with any body else Montrose sends his Answer to the King by Letters wherein he humbly presumed to be so far inquisitive of his condition with the Covenanters if safe in their hands whether his Majestie was stedfastly resolved to Disband that Army of friends who had exposed their lives and fortunes for his Cause whilst his Enemies were Armed in both Kingdoms what course should be taken for them and their safety not to be left to the mercy of murderous men and in a word whether his particular service might be acceptable in any other way To these he received no open Answer but had returned to him some Articles signed by the Covenanters which he in great regret refused as unconscionable and not vouchsafing to Treat therein he speeds the Messenger back to the King professing that as he had not taken up Arms but by the Kings Commission so he would have no Conditions prescribed him to lay them down by any mortal man but the King himself Therefore he humbly besought the King to sign the Conditions to which though perhaps very harsh he promised obediently to submit unto but disdained the Commands of any other Many of his Friends had underhand sought their peace with the Enemy and Huntley and his Party to please them resolved to force Montrose submission Antrim was arrived alone from Ireland without any Forces but sought to draw the Highlanders to himself calling Montrose in scorn the Governour of the Low lands But Montrose was to depart by the Articles before the first of September
so much of the success of our English Army in Scotland 27. Sept. The Scots Armies are accordingly Disbanded Barwick and Carslile delivered up to the English and the Writs gone out for a new Parliament 20. of Ianuary And a fresh General Assembly of their Kirkmen Somewhat strange in the capitulation that the English Assistants to the Scots in both these Garrisons are submitted to the mercy of the Parliament of England And a Letter of thanks is sent from the Committee of Estates of Scotland to the Lieutenant General Cromwel for his orderly government of his Forces and his many civilities and respects to that Nation and they excuse themselves from any guilt or connivance in the late engagement against England acknowledging that his Army so near is the means and occasion of advantage to that Nation to make peace and to prevent distraction and confusion which otherwise had continued amongst them And for confirmation of all he is invited to Edenburgh to Feasts and Banquets with all expressions of Honour of Arms and so returns homewards Octo. 20. by the way is received with Hosannah's of joy by all the Northern Counties and invited to take in the strong Garrisons of Pomfreit and Scarborough which infested the County all about them But let us return to Sea affairs This while the Prince was put aboard the Revolted Ships which with some others of his own were formed into a Fleet and with him his brother the Duke of York Prince Rupert Lords Hopton Wilmot and Willoughby Earls of Branford and Ruthen formerly General for the King the Lord Culpepper and Sir Henry Palmer and increasing number came into Yarmouth Rode with twenty Sail and two thousand men the Town being much divided in affection some would have him land and march to Colchester then besieged with such as will come to his assistance To prevent him Colonel Scroop is coming not fourty miles off with Horse and Foot to attend his motion if he land some hopes he had of landing and therefore provided a Declaration his forerunner 27. Iuly The establishing of Religion according to his Majesties agreement 26. December last The performance of the said Agreement and pursuance of all Concessions on the Kings part The restoring the King to a personal Treaty The maintenance of the just priviledges of Parliament The liberty of the Subject abolishing of Excise contribution for quarter c. with an Act of Obli●ion The Disbanding of all Armies setling Peace The defence of the Narrow Seas securing Trade support of the Navy and Sea-men His Commissions to his Commanders were thus stiled Charls Prince of great Britain Duke of Cornwal and Albany Highest Captain General under his Majesty of all Forces both by Sea and Land within the Kingdom of England Dominion of Wales and Town of Barwick c. Whereas we hold it convenient to Arm and set forth to Sea for the weakning and suppressing the usurped power c. Bearing date heretofore from St. Germin in Laye 6. June 1648. A correspondence likewise we finde fixed with the State of Scotland by Letters intercepted and directed to Sir Alexander Gibson Clerk of the Signet at Edenburgh from London 26. Iuly telling him that we are here in the City very right only Skippon makes disturbance by listing Horse and Foot whom we hope to out of his Office The Lords wait for some further incouragement from the City to which purpose the Common Council are framing petitions Our Design to free Colchester is not yet ready c. But the Prince finding no footing in Norfolk sailed back Southwards to the Downs in Kent seizing what Merchants Ships and goods that he could light upon sending Letters to the City of London together with his Declaration and that if the City will redeem their goods they must send him two hundred thousand pound But Anchoring in the Downs he hath a Design upon the Parl. Besiegers of Deal Castle in which were Royalists and Lands five hundred men who March forwards and at first beat off the Horse which Colonel Rich and Hewson had drawn out to Encounter them untill some more Forces of Foot followed routed the Princes Forces killed many and took others Prisoners and the rest hardly got aboard again Whilst the Prince Anchors with his Fleet in the Downs the States of Scotland invite him May it please your Highness Amongst all the Calamities which this Nation these late years hath wrastled under none doth more wound and afflict us next to his Majesty your royal Fathers sad condition and restraint then your Highness long absence from this Kingdom whereunto your right Title is so just and unquestionable and seeing our Forces are now again in England in pursuance of their duty to Religion and his Majesties rescue we humbly beg That your Highness would be pleased to honour and countenance with your presence and assistance our pious and Loyal endeavours which we look upon as the only means of uniting us in this great work being confident that your Highness will effectually apply your self to procure from his Majesty just satisfaction to the desires of Parliaments And if your Highness will grant these our humble requests and trust your pe●son amongst us we doe ing age the publick Faith of this Kingdom for your well being in honour freedom and safety either here in Scotland or with our Army in England and to remove from us or the Army when or whither you please And these they send by the Earl of Louderdale with Letters of Credence in what he shall further communicate to the Prince From the Estates of the Parliament of Scotland in whose Name and Warrant are signed Aug. 10. Crawford Lindsey The Parliaments Vice-Admiral Batten having heretofore served them with faithfulness and good success was by the Army Voted out of his place and Rainsborough a Land Captain put into his Command Not long after being Governour of Deal Castle which cost him six hundred pound repair He was turned out and made a Delinquent upon the old quarrel for suffering some of the eleven Members to pass beyond Seas Rainsborough was refused by the Sea men not suffering him to come aboard then they ●aress B●●ten to take up his Commission again which he disdained the Parliament being in distress for a Commander they Vote in the Earl of Warwick who was served so before And now Batten comes to the Prince in Holland who receives him with favour and honours him with Knight-hood where he publishes the reasons of his declining the Parliaments Service and was faithfull to the Prince for ever after It was the middle of Iune as aforesaid that the K●mish Insurrectors got over to Essex and from thence into the Town of ●●lchester and with such Forces as they could gather they strengthen the place and prepare for a Siege The Commanders in chief were the E● of Norwich old Gori●g the Lord Capel Sir Charles Lucas and others in opposition to 〈…〉 and all