Parliament in case they were elected ¶ The next thing of Note that hapned was the Proclaiming of Prince Charles at Edenborough in Scotland to be King of Great Britain France and Ireland his Royal Father being thus destroy'd But 't is to be noted that this Proclamation ran thus Whom all the Subjects of his Kingdom are bound humbly to obey maintain and defend according to the National Covenant betwixt the Two Kingdoms with their Lives and Goods against all deadly And that before he should be admitted to the exercise of His Royal Power he was to give satisfaction to that Kingdom in those things that concern'd the security of Religion the Union betwixt the Kingdoms and the Good and Peace of that Kingdom according to the National Covenant and the Solemn League and Covenant And for Establishing the Dominion of these Bloody Regicides at Weâ—tminâ—â—er the Members there Sitting went on Vigorously First Voting the absolute abolition of the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy Next in devising and appointing A new Stamp for Coyne And by Erecting a Council of State consisting of Thirty Persons viz. the Earles of Densigh Mulgrave Pembroke Salisbury Lord Grey of Warke Lord General Fairfax Lord Grey of Groby Lord L'isle Son to the Earl of Leicester Lord Chief Justice Rolls Lord Chief Justice St. Iohn Lord Chief Baron Wylde Lord President Bradshaw Lord General Cromwell Major General Skippon Sir Gilbert Pickering Sir William Masham Sir Arthur Haselrig Sir Iames Harrington Sir Henry Vane Jun. Sir Iohn Davers Sir William Armyn Sir Henry Mildmay Sir William Constable Alderman Penington Alderman Wilson Bulstrode Whitlock Esq Henry Martin Esq Colonel Ludlow Anthony Stepeley Esq William Heveningham Esq Robert Wallop Esq Iohn Hutchinson Esq Dennis Bond Esq Alexander Popham Esq Valentine Walton Esq Thomas Scot Esq William Purefey Esq Iohn Iones Esq But the Lord Grey of Warke waving that employment Mr. Iohn L'isle of Hantshire Cornelius Holand and Luke Robinson were added to this Number who were called the Committee of Estates appointed by Parliament ¶ It is not unworthy of Observation that as the Scots and this unhappy Long Parliament at the beginning of their desperate Practises against the King did declare that their whole Proceedings then were according to the Fundamental Laws So these wicked Regicides after their Bloody Murther of the King in answer to an Embassy from the Dutch expressed that these their Proceedings against the King were consistent with the Fundamental Laws of this Nation of England which were best known to themselves Nor was the project for their new Church-Discipline less notable as may seem by this following Petition and Advice which was presented to the General of their Army and the Council of War by many Christians as they call'd themselves dispersed abroad throughout the County of Norfolk and City of Norwich in these words That your Petitioners acknowledge themselves unspeakably engaged to the God of Heaven and Earth for his great Mercy to us in giving you Hearts to offer your selves so willingly among the People in the late Great undertaking of the Nation against the Enemies of the Peace thereof and Blessing your Faithful endeavours with such Glorious and wonderful successes whereby as the Lord hath put great Honour upon you Crowning your Valour with Victory and making you the War-like Glory of the World so hath be no less put great Obligations upon you all to exalt him that hath exalted you and to lift up his Glory in the World where he hath given you a name so Great and Glorious c. Therefore our dayly Prayers shall be for your selves and your Noble Army that you may never stumble at the stumbling-stone nor take the honour to your selves that is due to Christ nor be Instrumental for setting up of a meer Natural and Worldly Government like that of Heathen Rome Athens c. To which end we humbly pray that your selves would enter into Serious and Grave consideration and debate the Particulars in the Papers here humbly offered to you and also present them to the Honourably Parliament that they may be improved so far as shall be found agreeable to the will and word of God Which done we doubt not but God shall have much Glory the Godly Party shall be comforted Natural men enjoying their Estates will be at rest also and much satisfied and this Common-wealth will be exalted to be both an Habitation of Iustice and Mountain of Holiness even such a People as God shall Bless An humble Advice concerning the Government of the Kingdom according to the former Platform or Model 1. That you would stir up Godly Ministers and People throughout the Kingdom to Associate or incorporate into Church-Societies and grant them your special Favour Provision and Protection so shall you be Saints Nursing Fathers 2. That you would please to satisfie the Godly-dissenting Brethren both of Presbytery and Independency by such ways and means as your Wisdoms shall think fit how both their Interests may meet herein that so they may concur with one heart in the work 3. That Sister-Churches over-see such Incorporations and Imbodyings that only such as be of approved Godliness may have the Right-hand of Fellowship given to them 4. That such Churches where more of them are thus Collected and imbodyed in any Division Circuit Province c. may choose and send out some Delegates Members and Officers to Meet in one Sessions Lesser-Parliament Presbytery or Assembly for ordering of all such affaires as there occur according to the word if appertaining alone to that division 5. That all such Churches and the Members thereof have voices in Elections of such as are to sit in General Assemblies or Church-Parliaments so often as occasion is and those Elected to Sit there as Christ's Officers and the Churches Representatives and to determine all things by the word as that Law which God will exalt alone and make honourable 6. That you take special care to send out and encourage Godly Preachers that may go into the rest of the Kingdom to Preach the Gospel that so when others are converted and the Son of God makes them Free they may enjoy the former Freedom with the rest of the Saints And in father order to the utter abolishing of Kingly Government they appointed all those Antick and most Venerable Regalia conserved in the Treasury at Westminster and chiefly made use of at the Magnificent Coronations of the Kings of the Realm and solemn Proceedings to Parliament And also the costly Hangings precious Jewels with other of the Kings Goods and rich Furniture for his several Princely Palaces to be sold. And within few days following caused the Heads of Iames Duke of Hamilton Henry Earl of Holand with that truly Noble Arthur Lord Capel to be cut off Touching whose actings against them having already made some brief mention I shall only take notice of their dealing with Duke Hamilton a little before his Execution which was that in order to his discovery
to carry on this great work under the specious Mask of Religion and pretended Revelations those standing him in such stead upon all his attempts as that there were not a few that really believ'd whatever he undertook could not easily miscarry Upon the Twentieth of April therefore attended with strong Guards he entred the Parliament-House with Fleetwood his great Confident commanding some few of his attendants to tarry without Where without moving his Hat or going to any Seat he first addressed his Speech to the Chief Justice St. Iohn telling him that he then came to do that which grieved him to the very Soul and what he had earnestly with Tears pray'd to God against Nay that he had rather be torn in pieces than do it But that there was a Necessity laid upon him therein in order to the Glory of God and the good of this Nation Whereunto St. Iohn answered that he knew not what he meant but did pray that what it was which must be done might have a happy Issue for the General Good Then Cromwel turning towards the Speaker told him how long under colour of Service to the Publick they had sate and acted there and that in stead thereof themselves and their Kindred Engrossing all places of great profit had upon their own Pride and Luxury consum'd the Wealth of the Land Which being said he gave a stamp with his Foot and bad them for shame be gone and give place to honester men Whereupon a Member standing up and modestly saying that it stood not with common Justice to cast so general an aspersion upon them all without any Proof he in wrath taking Sir Henry Vane Junior by the Cloak said thou art a Iugling Fellow and told Allen the Goldsmith that he had inricht himself by Cousening the State for which he should be call'd to account and commanded those of his Guard who at the signal of that stamp were entred the Door immediately to turn them out of the House Colonel Harrison accordingly pulling the Speaker out of his Chair It was observed that as they went out of the House he pointed at Harry Martin and Tom Challoner and said Is it fit that such Fellows as these should sit to Govern Men of vicious Lives the one a noted Whore-Master and the other a Drunkard Nay he boldly upbraided them all with selling the Cavaliers Estates by bundles and said they had kept no Faith with them This as it was one of his greatest Adventures so was it the most grateful to the People of all that ever he did it being no less than the quelling of that many-headed Monster which glutted with unmeasurable Rapine and Innocent Blood had been not a little dreadful to the greatest part of Europe Having therefore so happily remov'd this Block yet still keeping close the main end of his design under the shadow of ruling by a Civil Power after much pretended seeking of God he selected certain Persons to manage the same as a Council of State whose Names were as followeth 1. Himself as General of the Army 2. The Lord L'isle Son to the Earl of Leicester 3. Lieutenant General Fleetwood 4. Major General Lambert 5. Major General Harrison 6. Major General Desborow 7. Sir Gilbert Pickering Kt. 8. Sir Charles Wolfesley Bar. 9. Sir Anthony Ashley Couper Barronet 10. Sir Iames Hope of Scotland 11. Colonel Hewson of Ireland 12. Colonel Norton 13. Colonel Mountagu 14. Colonel Benet 15. Colonel Stapeley 16. Colonel Sydenham 17. Colonel Tomlinson 18. Colonel Iones 19. Alderman Tichburne 20. Mr. Strickland 21. Mr. Carey 22. Mr. Howard 23. Mr. Broughton 24. Mr. Laurence 25. Mr. Holister 26. Mr. Comptney 27. Mr. Major 28. Mr. St. Nicholas 29. Mr. Moyer 30. Mr. Williams of Wales And to the end that there might be the less suspition of his affecting the Rule with the advice of his Officers he made choise of no less than an hundred and four Godly-men unto whom he committed the whole sway of the Realm who were accordingly summon'd by a special Letter to each of them under his Hand Berks. Samuel Dunch Vincent Goddard Thomas Wood. Bedf. Nathaniel Taylor Edward Cater Buck. George Fleetwood George Baldwin Cambr. Iohn Sadler Thomas French Robert Castle Samuel Warner Chesh. Robert Duckenfeild Henry Birkinhead Cumb Northumb. Bishoprick of Durch Westmor Charles Howard Robert Fenwick Henry Dawson Henry Ogle Corâ—w Robert Benet Francis Langdon Anthony Rows Iohn Bowden Derb. Iervas Benet Nathaniel Barton Devon George Monke one of Lanc the Generals at Sea Iohn Carew Thomas Sanders Christopher Martin Iames Erisey Francis Rows Richard Sweet Dorset William Sydenham Iohn Bingham Essex Ioachim Mathews Henry Barington Iohn Brewster Christopher Earle Dudley Tempâ—er Glouc Iohn Crostes Wiliam Neast Robert Holmes South Richard Norton Richard major Iohn Hildesley Hertf. Henry Lawrence William Reeve Heref. Wroth Rogers Iohn Herring Hunt Edward Mountagu Stephen Phesant Kent Lord L'isle Thomas Blount William Kenrick William Cullen Andrew Broughton Lanc. William West Iohn Sawrey Robert Cunliss Leic. Henry Danvers Edward Smith Iohn Prat. Linc. Sir William Brownlow Richard Cust. Barnabas Bowtell Humphrey Walcott William Thompson Midd. Sir William Roberts Augustine Wingfeild Arthur Squib Monm Philip Jones North. Sir Gilbert Pickering Thomas Brooke Norf. Robert Iermy Tobias Freze Ralph Wilmer Henry King William Barton Nott. Iohn Odingsells Edward Clud Oxon. Sir Charles Wolseley Bt. William Draper Dr. Ionathan Godard Rutl. Edward Horseman Salop. William Boterel Thomas Baker Staff George Bellor Iohn Chetwood Suff. Jacob Caley Francis Brewster Robert Dunkon John Clerke Edward Plumsted Somer Robert Blake another of the Generals at Sea John Pyne Dennis Hollyster Henry Henley Surrey Samuel Highland Laurence March Suff. Anthony Stapeley William Spence Nathaniel Studdey Warr. John St. Nicholas Richard Lucie Wilts Sir Anth. Ashley Couper Baronet Nicholas Greene. Thomas Eyre Wigorn. Richard Salway John James Yorksh. George Lord Evre Walter Strickland Francis Lascells John Anlaby Thomas Dickenson Thomas St. Nicholas Roger Cotes Edward Gill. Lond. Robert Tichburne John Ireton Samuel Moyer John Langley John Stone Henry Barton Prais-god Barebone Wales Bushey Mansell James Philips John Williams Hugh Courtney Richard Price John Browne Scotl. Sir James Hope Alexander Bredy John Swinton William Lockart Alexander Jeffreys Ireland Sir Robert King Colonel Iohn Hewson Col. Henry Cromwel Colonel Iohn Clerke Daniel Hutchenson Vincent Gookin Afterwards these following were Elected into them Lord General Cromwel Major General Lambert Major General Harrison Major General Desborough Colonel Matthew Tomlinson Of these many were Illiterate and of mean condition divers Fanatick Sectaries and of that kind the most busie and mischievous yet here and there mixt with confiding men and such whose Interest was firmly trusted with Cromwels Being thus chosen and sent for they first met together in the Council-Chamber at White-Hall Whence after a Grave Speech made to them by Cromwel expressing that he had thus called them together to consult of the great affaires of these Three Kingdoms they adjourned themselves to the
in the House tending thereto first by a Proposal of four then five nay six were mention'd and the motion not dislik'd told them peremptorily that it was in vain for them to think of less than twelve in regard he knew under that number would not be accepted And having by that sinister dealing kept such distance betwixt his Majesty and his good Subjects was by some other of the faction so seconded with a hideous representation of their Grievances together with dangerous Innovations in Religion and fears of introducing Superstition besides certain motions as did not without cause put strange apprehensions in the Queen of peril to her person or at least some others very near unto her that his Majesty was constrain'd to dissolve that Parliament And taking consideration of the Scots rebellious Insolencies which every day increased proposed the business of money to his Privy-Council who contributed a considerable sum to his aid his domestic-Servants and Officers making good addition thereto The Earl of Strafford Lord Lieutenant of Ireland speedily hasting into that Kingdom where he call'd a Parliament raised an Army of eight thousand men with money to maintain them and within the space of six weeks return'd into England That the meeting of these Members of Parliament from all parts of the Realm being many of them men of turbulent Spirits and principles totally Antimonarchical gave opportunity for those contrivances which afterwards were put in Action there is nothing more sure For in the first place they took care to infuse Fears and Iealousies into the people every where that the Government was then design'd to be Arbitrary and Popery like to be introduced to promote which Scandals many seditious Preachers took no small pains in their Pulpits especially in and about London Whereupon several tumultuous meetings were made in divers parts of the Suburbs and a Paper set up in the night at the old Exchange animating the Apprentices to sack Lambeth House Which took such effect that two nights following it was beset with above five hundred of the rascal multitude and an attemt made thereon though without success some of them being taken and imprisoned in Southwark But here they rested not for within a few nights after they broke open the White-Lion and King's-bench Prisons and let out their fellows The Scots also having made such preparations for a second Rebellion continued likewise their Parliament according to the Fundamental Laws as their phrase was having enacted a Band to be subscribed by all men before the first of September to maintain it to be a free and lawful Parliament whereupon they form'd another Army and knowing certainly what store of well-wishers they had in this Kingdom as also how easy the work was like to be made through the subtile contrivances of the factious party here from whom they were sufficiently instructed and animated by private Invitations and large promises invaded this Realm passing the Twede at Barwick But the King being slow to believe what they designed was not so forward as to encounter them upon the Borders his Army which he rais'd that Summer lying at that time about New-Castle of which the Earl of Northumberland was made General who alledging himself to be then ill in health staid in London His Majesty therefore having certain advertisement that the Scots were ready to enter Northumberland intended to have made the Earl of Strafford General who declin'd it out of an honoured respect to the Earl of Northumberland but being much pressed in regard of this present occasion desired to serve as Lieutenant general under him and had his Commission accordingly On Thursday the twentieth of Aug. the King set forwards from London towards the North and on Munday following the Earl of Strafford having in that short time fitted himself for his journey posted from London by Coaches and arriving at York the Wednesday after though then much troubled with the Stone rode to Topcliffe on Fryday At that time the Lord Conway was General of the Horse and at Newcastle with the Army Where by reason of the General 's and Lieutenant-General's absence he had the cheif command thereof but made such slender resistance that the Scots forc'd their passage over the River of Tine at Newburne that very Friday and entred Newcastle without opposition himself then retreating with the Army towards York and in some confusion And now that the Scots had thus possess'd themselves of Newcastle they began to strengthen that place and bring all those Northern-parts under contribution Which strange passages made most men amazed scarce any man knowing whom to trust or speak freely to Much labour indeed there was to make the people believe that all this did work for their good and that the Scots were their surest friends this being the certain way to have a Parliament and that the undoubted cure of all things amiss both in Church and State And truly such a burthen was Ship-money then esteem'd to be and some few other extraordinary Impositions so wanton were many grown being surfeited with that plenty which long peace had produc'd that the Scots then had not a few well-wishers in all parts of this Realm their piety and goodness being so cried up by the whole Puritan-party His Majesty therefore in this difficult Labyrinth took resolution to summon a meeting of the Peers at York a course which had anciently been used especially when exigencies were so great that the Convention of a Parliament could not be staid for and at the meeting of this grand Council represented to them the present danger of this Invasion with desire of their advice touching the maintenance of his Army as not safe to be disbanded whilst the Scotish-Forces were on foot as also what course was fittest to be taken to get them out Whereupon without long deliberating a Treaty was determin'd on and for that end sixteen of the Lords then present were assign'd on the King's part to meet with Eleven of the Scots with power to compose and conclude all differences Whereunto the Scots assented upon condition that the King should first revoke his Proclamation whereby he had declared them Traitors COMMISSIONERS Of the English these Francis Earl of Bedford William Earl of Hertford Robert Earl of Essex William Earl of Salisbury Robert Earl of Warwick Iohn Earl of Bristol Henry Earl of Holland Thomas Earl of Berkshire Philip Lord Wharton William Lord Paget Edward Lord Kymbolton Robert Lord Brook Iohn Lord Paulet Edw. L. Howard of Escrick Thomas Lord Savile Francis Lord Dunsmore Of the Scots these Iohn Earl of Rothess Ch. Earl of Dumfermeling Iohn Lord Lowdon Sir Patrick Hepburne of Waughtone Sir Will. Douglas of Cavers William Drummond of Riccarton Iohn Smith Bailiff of Edenborough Alexand Wedderburn Clerk of Dundee Hugh Kennedy Burgess of Aire Alexander Henderson Archibald Iohnstone Which Treaty began at Rippon upon the ninth of October but what good effect it was like to produce we
set forth a new Declaration in the name of both Houses of Parliament shewing the necessity of a present Subscription of Money and Plate for a farther supply of the Army Suggesting that his Majesties Popish-Army would proceed with Fire and Sword to root out their true Religion and all that professed it if there were not a good provision of Treasure to maintain and support the Army rais'd by the Parliament To which new Contributions for the better drawing on of others they themselves also subscrib'd And after ordered that such Citizens as had refused to pay the twentieth part should be removed to several Prisons viz. Yarmouth Colchester Norwich c. giving authority that the Collectors made by their Ordinance of the xxixth of November for Assesments should have power to break open Chests Trunks c. and to sieze Money Goods c. for satisfaction of their Taxes And at the same time appointed a Committee for sequestring the lands and estates of all such persons as had assisted the King in his just defence and preservation according to their duty and allegiance calling it a maintaining a war against the Parliament But all this being as yet not enough they passed an Ordinance to incite the City of London to a free contribution towards the sum of sixty thousand pounds for the service of the Army the Houses declaring that they were in good hopes it would be the last money they should have occasion to desire of the City in that kind And therefore that they might be as good as their words and not come often to them in a borrowing way they passed another Ordinance for imposing a Tax for the maintenance of their Army throughout the whole Kingdom of Thirty three thousand three hundred forty eight pounds a week whereof ten thousand pounds weekly was assessed upon the City of London besides Westminster and the Suburbs And to the end that the well affected who had gone forth in their Army rais'd for the defence of the Parliament Religion Laws and Liberties of the Subjects of England for those are the words of the Preamble should be the better encouraged to continue in their service they passed another Ordinance for assessing of all the Parishes in England to the relief of their maimed Souldiers with the Widows and Fatherless children of such as were or should be slain on their part CHAP. XIV I Now come to the military Actings of this present year 1642. In which I find that the Marquess of Hertford and Sir Ralph Hopton Knight of the Bath afterwards Lord Hopton had rais'd considerable forces on the King's behalf in the West and that the Earl of Newcastle afterwards Marquess in the North Colonel Charles Cavendish brother to the Earl of Devonshire Spenser Earl of Northampton and some other persons of quality had done the like in sundry other parts so that with what strength his Majesty himself then had after the taking up of his Winter-Quarters at Oxford the Royalists had possessed themselves of Banbury-Castle in Oxfordshire of Reading and Farringdon with the Castles of Wallingford and Denington in Berkshire of Chichester and Arundel-Castle in Sussex of Winchester and Basing-house in Hantshire of the Castles of Devises and Wardour in Wiltshire of the Castle of Sherbourne in Dorsetshire of some Port-Towns in Devonshire of the Castle of Pendennis and other places in Cornwall of Taunton and Bridgwater in Somersetshire of Sudley-Castle in Glucestershire of the City of Worcester of the the Town of Shrewsbury in Shropshire of Dudley-Castle and Close of Lichfeild in Staffordshire of Ashby de la Zouch in Leicestershire of the City of Chester of Monmouth in Monmouthshire of Lincoln and Gaynesborough in Lincolnshire of Lynne in Norfolk of the City of York and Castle of Pontfract in Yorkshire of Latham-house in Lancashire and of Newcastle in Northumberland As also that by their activeness there were taken from the Rebels before the entrance of the ensuing year these following places viz. Marlborough in Wiltshire by the Lord Wilmot Colonel Ramsey a Scot and five hundred of his men being there made prisoners Tadcaster in Yorkshire about the same time Liskard and Saltash in Cornwall Belvier-Castle in Lincolnshire Cirencester in Gloucestershire Malmesbury in Wiltshire and Grantham in Lincolnshire Whereunto may be added the safe landing of the Queen 12 Febr. at Burlington in Yorkshire with Arms and Amunition brought from Holland for his Majesties service On the Rebels part I am also to observe that besides the Earl of Essex their Generalissimo they had divers other Petty-Generals viz. Ferdinando Lord Fairfax in the North the Earl of Stanford and Sir William Waller in the West Edward Earl of Manchester Basil Lord Feilding eldest son to the Earl of Denbigh Colonel Brown the Woodmonger Sir William Brereton Baronet Sir Iohn Gell Knight Colonel Massey c. all active men in their respective stations As to the places of strength throughout England besides the Royal Navy given up into their hands by Algernon Earl of Northumberland whom the King had made Admiral of his whole Fleet they had the City and Tower of London all the Eastern-Counties with the Ports and Castles thereto belonging the strong Town of Hull in Yorkshire and in it all his Majesties Magazine of Arms Artillery and Amunition prepared for his Scottish Expedition Manchester in Lancashire in Cheshire Ludlow Bridg-North and Wemme in Shropshire Stafford in Staffordshire the Cities of Bristol and Gloucester the Towns of Leicester and Northampton the City of Coventry with the Castles of Warwick and Kenilworth all in Warwickshire the City of Lincoln the Towns of Notingham and Derby and indeed what not excepting those places I have mention'd wherein the Royalists had first set foot Besides which they took by force the City of Winchester Leedes in Yorkshire the City of Chichester in Sussex about the same time and Sudeley-Castle in Gloucestershire Not much of Action in the Field or otherwise can be expected until the ensuing Spring of the year so that all I find of note was only that at Liskard near Bodmin in Cornwall where Sir Ralph Hopton routed a strong Party of the Rebels in those parts and took above twelve hundred Prisoners Likewise that attempt upon Litchfield-close in Stafford shire made by Robert Lord Brook wherein he lost his life the manner whereof is not a little remarkable which in short was thus This Lord being strangely tainted with fanatic Principles by the influence of one of his near Relations and some Schismatical Preachers though in his own nature a very civil and well homour'd man became thereby so great a zealot against the establish'd Discipline of the Church that no less than the utter extirpation of Episcopacy and abolishing all decent Order in the service of God would satisfy him To which end he became the leader of all the power he could raise for the destruction of the Cathedral
Norfolk Kent Surrey Sussex Cambridg Isle of Ely Huntington Northampton and Rutland and the Cities of Norwich and Canterbury for the better enabling their Brethren of Scotland to assist in the Common-cause of Religion and Liberty Which Ordinance had such a succesful effect that it accelerated the conclusion of the Treaty at Edenborough then on foot betwixt the Commissioners sent into Scotland from the Members sitting at Westminster and the Commissioners of the Convention of the Estates of Scotland for aid from their Brethren of that Kingdom insomuch as upon the xxixth of November the Articles were there signed whereby inter alia in the first place it was agreed that the Covenant represented to the Convention of Estates and general Assembly of Scotland and formerly sent to both Houses of the Parliament of England for by that name those members then sitting at Westminster stiled themselves should be sworn and subscribed by both Kingdoms as a most near Tie and Conjunction between them for their mutual defence against the Papists and Prelatical faction and their adherents in both Kingdoms and for pursuance of the ends expressed in that Covenant And next that an Army to that purpose should be forthwith levyed consisting of eighteen thousand foot two thousand Horse and one thousand Dragoons effective with a sutable Train of Artillery to be ready at some general Rendezvouz near the Borders of England to march into England for the purposes aforesaid with all convenient speed the same Foot and Horse to be well and compleatly armed and provided of Victuals and pay for fourty days In contemplation of which aid from Scotland and that those their Brethren might not want encouragement in that their necessary assistance Mr. William Strode made a motion in the House that all those who would neither contribute nor take the Covenant should have a price put upon them and be sent to Sea that something might be given for them who would give nothing of themselves And shortly after by other Ordinances the Customs upon all Merchandizes were advanc'd to a tenth part under pretence of defending the Towns and Ports of Plymouth St. Nicolas Isle with the Towns of Pâ—ol and Lime and places adjacent As also additional Articles to the Ordinance for the Excise Besides this the sum of three thousand pounds a month was assessed upon the associated Counties of Norfolk Suffolk Cambridgshire c. towards the maintenance of the Lord General 's Army Likewise thirteen hundred pounds toward the support of Sir William Waller's Forces which were raising in Kent And about the same time they made void the places and Offices of all Clerks in any of the Courts at Westminster who had in any sort adher'd to the King But amongst all their Impositions and Taxes there was none came in so amply and insensibly as the Excise wherewith the vulgar were by that time in some sort acquainted And therefore according to Mr. Pym's principle the Houses pass'd another Ordinance for a new Excise upon Flesh Victuals and Salt ever heartning on the people with hopes of ease and now most especially because the Scots Army was ready to march which was represented to be so formidable as that it would put a sudden end to the work Which Army according to a Declaration they then set forth wherein they did cast divers scandals upon his Majesty and justified that most perfidious action invaded this Realm upon the xvth of Ianuary passing the Twede at Barwick notwithstanding their frequent reiterated Oaths Promises and National Covenant viz. that whensoever his Majesties Honour and Interest should be in danger they would as one man obliged by the Laws of God and man apply themselves to his succour and defence CHAP. XVII ANd now that I come to their second Invasion forasmuch as the main end of this Narrative is historically to shew the growth and effects of Presbytery in England which had its chief rise and production from Scotland it will not be improper to take notice that though by their first Invasion in an 1639 they had not only made way for the setting up that Discipline here but before their departure laid a seeming sure foundation for the firm and perfect establishment thereof yet such was the success that the King had against those fiery spirited men that he was then become totally master of the feild throughout the West and many other parts of this Kingdom divers of their strong-Holds being likewise gained and consequently in a very hopeful way to have reduced that perverse Generation to an absolute obedience with whom no fair invitation and condescension on his part though with all earnestness frequently sought could prevail to make them return to their due allegiance by kindness and love But it so fell out that this their second Invasion the first fruit of their solemn League and Covenant with so numerous and powerful an Army raised cheifly by the influence of their Preachers in that Realm and brought in with the Prayers of the Boutefeus here the Pulpits daily ringing with loud cryes and groans for hastening the slow feet of their dear Brethren to their aid became fatal to his Majesty For the Marquess of Newcastle who lay then in Sunderland with his Army consisting of about 7000 men which he had raised in the North being thereupon constrain'd to make his retreat towards York left all those parts to the rapine and spoil of the Scots The Scene being therefore by this means thus unhappily chang'd his Majesty who foresaw the Cloud approaching having by Proclamation dated 22 Dec. called all the Peers of this Realm which had any sense of Honour and likewise all those Members of the House of Commons that upon the Principles of Loyalty and duty had faithfully adhered to him in these his distresses to attend him at Oxford upon the xxiith of Ianuary did there represent unto them this their second Invasion desiring their speedy advice and assistance both what was to be said or done therein as well in reference to This as That Kingdom Whereupon those worthy persons so assembled notwithstanding they saw that many of his Majesties gracious offers of Treaty for peace to the Lords and Commons then sitting at Westminster had been rejected and taking into consideration that those Lords and Commons had upon pain of death prohibited the address of any Letters or Message to them otherwise than by their General the Earl of Essex they did by a special Letter bearing date the 27th of the same month of Ianuary recommend unto him their most earnest desire that he would faithfully and industriously cooperate with them in a right sense of the then past present and more threatning future calamities of this Kingdom by obtaining that some persons might be appointed on either part and a place agreed on to treat for such a peace as might redeem it from desolation Which Letter was signed by the Prince the Duke of
rendred to Prince Rupert by Lieutenant Colonel Russell Subsequent to these I shall onely enumerate the rest in order of time Iames Earl of Northampton routed another stout party of them at Middleton Cheney in Northampton shire And about ten days following Sir Ralph Hopton obtain'd a clear victory over the Dehonshire and Cornish Rebels at Stratton in Cornwall the Earl of Stanford and Major General Chudleigh being Commanders in chief of them In which Battle were taken seventeen hundred Prisoners thirteen brass piece of Ordnance seventy Barrels of powder and store of other provisions by reason whereof the greatest part of the West except Plymouth and some other Port-Towns was reduced to obedience and in consideration of this signal service the said Sir Ralph Hopton soon after viz. 4. Sept. 1643. was advanced to the dignity of Lord Hopton of Stratton aforesaid The next month also ensued Prince Rupert's Victory over the Rebels at Chalgrave-field in Oxfordshire Commanded by Colonell Iohn Hampden who there received his deaths wound that being the very field wherein he first put in Execution the Parliaments Ordinance for the Militia of that County as a president to the rest of England and the Earl of Newcastle taking Howley house in Yorkshire soon after defeated the Lord Fairfax at Adderton Heath in that County At the beginning of Iuly likewise a party of Horse and Dragoons Commanded by Colonel Middleton coming to surprize Sir Charles Lucas in his Quarters at Padbury near Buckingham were by him routed And the Earl of Newcastle valiantly assaulting Bradford in Yorkshire took it by storm Sir Thomas Fairfax who was Governour there fleeing thence by night whereupon Hallifax and Denton house Sir Thomas Fairfax his seat were quitted by the Rebels Burton upon Trent also in Staffordshire was taken by the Lord Iermyn upon the Queens passage from Burlington in Yorkshire towards Oxford Near which time was the great fight at Landsdown in Somerset shire where the Lord Hopton had the better of the Rebels though the Valiant Sir Bevill Grenevill was there slain The Lord Wilmot and Earl of Carnarvon likewise routed Sir William Waller and Sr. Arthur Haselrigg at Roundwaydown in Wiltshire Prince Rupert also having taken Burleigh house in Rutland marcht to Bristol and after a short Siege of that City had a surrender thereof from Colonel Nathaniel Fiennes the then Governour In the next month likewise was Dorchester in Dorset shire rendred to the Earl of Carnarvon and the Isle of Portland reduced to His Majesties obedience Hereupon Weymouth and Melcombe in com Dorset submitted These great successes encouraged the King to come before the City of Gloucester the most considerable Garrison in all that part of the Realm which so startled the Earls of Bedford and Holand and the Lord Paget that they came in to the King but not long after being less apprehensive of danger fell off again to their own party Soon after this Beverley in Yorkshire was taken by the Earl of Newcastle Biddiford◠Appleford and Barnstaple in com Devon were also rendred The City of Exeter was likewise taken by Prince Maurice and Sir William Waller one of their active Generals routed at Winchester Near Auburne also in Wiltshire a strong party of them was worsted by Prince Rupert But soon after this the Earl of Essex with his whole Army met his Majesty near Newbery in Berkshire where after much slaughter neither could boast of the victory though the Earls of Carnarvon and Sunderland with Lucius Viscount Falkland then one of the Kings principal Secretaries of State there lost their lives the noise whereof did not a little avail the Rebels it giving them much reputation with all their party In October the next month Dertmouth in Devon-shire was rendred to Prince Maurice and shortly after Hawarden-Castle in Flint-shire yielded to the King's obedience Arundell-Castle also in Sussex was rendred to the Lord Hopton Beeston castle in Cheshire taken Likewise Lapley house in Stafford-shire Grafton house in Northampton-shire and Crew house in 〈◊〉 shire Towards the end of Ianuary also Sir Thomas fairfax and Colonel Milton were routed by Prince Rupert at Drayton in Shropshire Hopton Castle in Shropshire and Wardour Castle in Wiltshire were likewise taken And upon the relief of Newark in Nottinghamshire besieg'd by Sir Iohn Meldrum a Scot with seven thousand men Gaynesborough Lincolne and Sleford all in Lincolnshire were quitted by the Rebels And Sturton-castle in Staffordshire about this time taken ¶ These being the most remarkable Actions on the King's part for this year 1643. I come now to observe what success the Rebels who were not idle had the same year In April therefore the Earl of Essex came before Reading in Berkshire and soon obtain'd it by surrender Colonel Feilding being then Governour thereof Siege being also laid to Wardour-castle in Wiltshire it was rendred So likewise was Monmouth in Monmouth shire And at Wakefield in Yorkshire His Majesties forces encountring the Rebels were worsted Soon after which Taunton and Bridgwater both in Somersetshire were also delivered up to them But notwithstanding all this they were not without their fears and therefore dispatcht the Lord Grey of Warke together with Mr. Henry Darley and Sir William Armine both trusty Members of their House of Commons by special order into Scotland earnestly to sollicite the dear Brethren of that Realm to their assistance Shortly after this they took Gaynesborough in Lincolnshire and attempted Basing house in Hantshire without effect But in September the Earl of Essex with more help from the zealous Londoners approaching Gloucester with a great strength caused the King to raise the siege which he had laid to that rebellious place In the same month also was Lynne in Norfolk yielded to the Earl of Manchester and shortly after the City of Lincoln taken by him forcibly Arundel-castle in Sussex likewise in Ianuary following yielded to Sir William Waller Whereupon being recruited with more forces he was constituted Major General of Kent Surry Sussex and Hantshire But that which proved to be instar omnium was that grand Invasion of the Scots which on the 22d of Ianuary crossed the River Tine with their numerous Army to the assistance of these Rebels as hath been already observed For at that time all the North of England beyond Trent excepting Hull in York shire and some few inconsiderable places being by the Marquess of Newcastle for so he had been lately made reduced to the King's obedience as also the West by Prince Rupert and Prince Maurice His Majesties Nephews excepting Poole and Lime in Dorset shire and Plymouth in Devonshire the Members sitting at Westminster became so startled that some of the leading-men prepared for quitting the Realm But this great ayd from
the King had the better but Prince Rupert having routed the one Wing of the Rebells Troops follow'd the Chase so far that the Foot being left open to the other were by the conduct of Cromwell put into a total confusion by which means Fairfax became master of the Field and regained Leicester within four days Whereupon he marched to the Relief of Taunton in Somersetshire then besieg'd by General Goring taking Highworth in Wiltshire in his passage To accompany these sad misfortunes Carlisle in Cumberland that great and strong Garison was delivered up to the Scots after two and forty weeks siege And General Goring having Intelligence of Fairfax his advance towards Taunton drew off and was worsted by him near Langport in Somersetshire After which nothing but loss and ruin every day ensued as will appear by these following instances which I have thought fit here briefly to enumerate Pontfract castle delivered to General Poyntz after three months siege that Garison thence marching to Newark Bridgwater taken by General Fairfax after his Victory at Langport Scarborough likewise after a long siege by Sir Matthew Boynton delivered up to him by Sr. Hugh Cholmley upon honourable conditions The City of Bath also within few days following was likewise rendred Soon after this the Scotish Army marching Southwards making miserable spoil in their passage took Canon Frome a Garison of the King 's in Herefordshire and then sate down before Hereford Where having lost many of their men they drew off on the second of September and returned Northwards Sherborne-castle also which had beed stoutly defended by Sir Lewes Dive was taken by storm Nunney-castle in Somersetshire thereupon yielding to Colonel Rainsborough Whithin few days ensuing General Fairfax therefore came before Bristol and on the tenth of September had it delivered up to him In the next month the King's forces at Rowton heath in Cheshire received a great defeat wherein the Lord Bernard Stuart lost his life Hereupon the Lord Digby with the remainder of the Horse was sent towards Scotland there to joyn with the Noble Marquess of Montrosse The Castle of Devises was soon after taken by Cromwell The Castles likewise of Raby in the Bishoprick Skipton and Sandall in Yorkshire were then also delivered up Basing house taken by Sir Hardres Waller and Colonel Mountagu and in it the Marquess of Winchester it being his chief seat Tiverton in Devonshire taken by Fairfax Sir Gilbert Talbot being then Governour there Hereupon though it was winter time the Rebels laid siege to the City of Exeter at a distance that being the chiefest place of strength in all the West About this time also Fairley-castle in Wiltshire and Lacock house were given up Likewise Chepstow castle in Monmouth shire and Berkley-castle in Glocester shire The Lord Digby also marching toward Scotland to joyn with Montrosse was defeated at Sherborne in Yorkshire by Colonel Copley and Colonel Lilburne whereupon he was constrain'd to flee into the Isle of Man and thence into Ireland Soon after this Bolton castle in Yorkshire yielded Likewise Beeston castle in Cheshire Shelford-house also in Notingham-shire was taken by storm Colonel Stanhope son to the Earl of Chesterfield being Governour of it and there slain Lathom house in Lancashire which had stoutly held out two years siege by the magnanimous Countess of Derby was then likewise rendred The City of Hereford was also surprized by Colonel Birch and Colonel Morgan by a Stratagem of a counterfeit Constable coming with Countrymen to break the Ice in the Trenches having an Ambuscado near at hand Wormleighton house in Warwickshire burnt Dertmouth storm'd and taken by General Fairfax Sir Hugh Pallord being then Governour there Belvoir castle yielded to Generall Poyntz Sir Gervase Lucas the Governour and his Officers being conveigh'd to Litchfield The City of Chester which had endured a long siege and thrice attempted to be reliev'd was by the Lord Byron the then Governour yielded upon Articles to Sir William Brereton who commanded in chief as Major general in those parts Whence he went to Litchfield close which also soon after rendred upon the like Articles In the same month of February Torrington in Devonshire was taken by storm Lanceston Saltash and Liskard all in Cornwall quitted Likewise Mount-Edgcombe and Foy. Whereupon the Prince with the Lord Culpeper and other persons of quality set sayle to the Isles of Scilley The Lord Hopton therefore discerning no hope of aid accepted of fair conditions and disbanded his Army St. Maws-castle being as a conclusion given up thereupon Whence with the Lord Wentworth he hasted into Scilley Hereupon Sir Iacob Astley created Lord Astley about two years before with whom being an old and expert souldier the remaining part of the King's foot forces were left marching to joyn with the Horse about Farringdon in Berkshire being set upon near Stow on the woulds in Gloucestershire by Raynsborough Fleetwood and Sir William Brereton was so much overpowered by their conjunct strength that he with all his men after a sharp dispute and some loss were made Prisoners this being the last encounter that the Royallists were able to make with those insolent Rebels Soon after which the Garison of Ashby de la Zouch in Leicester shire was delivered up by the valiant Lord Loughborough which closed up the military Actions for this present year CHAP. XX. I Shall now return to the Grandees at Westminster and take notice of the effects which these their great successes in the Camp did this year produce in their Counsels and further practices In the observation whereof I find that the Presbyterian party thereupon grew so highly elated that nothing less was by them Resolved on than the setting Iesus Christ on his Throne as their phrase was that is to say to make an absolute establishment of their Church Discipline As a preparatory whereto they passed another Ordinance for the publick use of their Directory with a Penalty upon such as should use the Common Prayer and forty shillings forfeiture upon every one each time officiating that did not use that Directory as also that all the Common-Prayer-Books should be carried in to the Committees of each County by them to be disposed of as the Parliament should direct The King therefore discerning the increase of his peoples calamities again endeavoured to remedy them by renewing his desires of Peace and to that end under his own Royal Hand wrote a Letter to the Speaker of their House of Peers desiring a safe-conduct for the Duke of Richmond and some others whom he purposed to send with Propositions to the Members at Westminster and to the Commissioners there from the Parliament of Scotland for the foundation of a happy and well grounded Peace Whereunto obtaining no Answer he added a second Importuning them earnestly to hearken to that
Majesties Garrisons In the same month of May Dudley castle in Staffordshire was delivered up to Sir William Brereton by Colonel Leveson and soon after Carnarvon Town and Castle to Major General Mitton and Major General Langhorn the Lord Byron being then Governour there Likewise Ludlow in Shropshire to Sir William Brereton and Borstall house near Oxford Oxford it self also soon followed Sir Thomas Glemham being then Governour As also Farringdon in Berkshire Sir George L'isle being Governour Next Lichfield close in Staffordshire Then the City of Worcester besieg'd by Colonel Whalley and Colonel Raynsborough Colonel Washington being Governour Also Wallingford castle Colonel Blague being Governour Gotherich Castle likewise in Hereford shire and Pendennis-castle in Cornwall whereof Iohn Arrundel of Trerise was Governour Conway Castle in Flintshire being storm'd by Major General Mitton In the next month after a long siege by General Fairfax Sir Trevor Williams and Colonel Langhorn Ragland castle in Monmouth shire was yielded to them And soon after the Isles and Castle of Scilly were given up As also the Castles of Denbigh and Holt Whereupon Generall Fairfax advanced triumphantly towards London And on the first of February next following the Scots having effectually received the whole Sum of two hundred thousand pounds for which they sold the King they marcht over Twede into Scotland His Majestie having thus cast himself upon the loyalty of those touching whose large professions and protestations to him I have already taken notice let us now behold the blessed Fruits of Presbytery by the subsequent Practises of these Zelots which doth amply make good what King Iames long since declared of that Sect viz. that no deserts could oblige nor Oaths or Promises bind them For notwithstanding those their solemn Oaths and Protestations they most perfidiously acted contrary to them hastning thereby that farther ruin which soon afterwards befel the Church of England and at length terminated in the wofull murther of their native Sovereign as is notoriously known to the World carrying on all this under the colour and veile of their Solemn League and Covenant In order whereunto the first thing observable is a plausible Letter directed to the Committee of Estates at that time residing with the Scotch Army wherein they tell them that their earnest desire being to keep a right understanding between the two Kigndomes did move them to acquaint them with that strange providence wherewith they were then surprised together with their carriage and desires thereupon and to endeavour to improve his Majesties being there to the best advantage for promoting the work of Vniformity for setling of Religion and Righteousness and attaining of Peace according to the League and Covenant and Treaty c. affirming that they had a Witness from Heaven and that there was nothing more in their desires than in all their resolutions and proceedings to adhere to the Covenant and Treaty ¶ What hopes this specious Letter might give his Majestie for promoting his earnest endeavours for such an happy peace as he desired is hard to say considering what relation it had to the Solemn League and Covenant but his former assurances in order to his coming to them as I have already observed being such as they were he became so confident thereupon as that shortly after he sent unto the two Houses at Westminster his xi th Message whereby because they had made so great a noyse of setling Religion That together with the Militia and the War of Ireland being the chief things insisted on in their former Propositions he recomended to them the advice therein of those Divines in both Kingdomes whom they had assembled at Westminster And for the Militia offred that he would be content to settle it as they themselves proposed in the Treaty at Uxbridge viz. that all persons who should be trusted therewith might be named by the two Houses of Parliament for the space of seven years and after that time to be regulated as should be agreed on by his Majestie and his two Houses of Parliament And touching Ireland that he would do whatsoever was possible for him to give full satisfaction to them And that if those his free offers would not serve then he desired that al such of their Propositions as were then by them agree'd on might be speedily sent to him he being resolved to comply with them in every thing that might conduce to the happiness of his subjects and removing all unhappy differences which had produced so many sad effects Farther offring that all his forces should be forthwith disbanded and Oxford with the remainder of his other Garrisons rendred into their hands upon honourable conditions and dismantled But to this gracious Message as to his former they turn'd a deaf ear there being then another Game to be play'd which was the getting of the King's person out of the Hands of the Scots suspecting as they had cause that those their dear Brethren would make no little advantage thereof Notwithstanding the Votes at Westminster that he should be disposed of as they should desire and direct Concerning which Votes at Westminster and debates of both Houses thereupon it will not be amiss here to take notice how they alledg'd that the Scottish Army in England was theirs id est under their pay Also that the King ought to be near to his Parliament whereby they might have recourse to him and obtain such things as should be most necessary for the Kingdomes Likewise that by Covenant they were sworn to preserve the Rights and Priviledges of Parliament but to detein the King from his Parliament was altogether inconsistent with the Covenant Of which Votes the Scots seem'd to take little notice but in stead thereof and for diversion amused the Members at Westminster with several Letters which they caused to be written to them one from the general assembly of the Kingdome of Scotland wherein they told them that their success against the Enemy id est the King's Forces did lay a strong obligation upon them to improve the power put into their Hands for the advancement of the Kingdome of Christ and bringing forth the head-stone of his House And therefore did earnestly intreat and beseech them in the Bowels of Christ to give unto him the glory due to his name by a timeous establishment of all his Ordinances in full integrity and power according to the Covenant c. Saying that the Searcher of Hearts knew how they desired to keep their Covenant c. concluding with their desires to the Parliament to endeavour all the ends of the Covenant The other to the Assembly of Divines sitting at Westminster wherein they expressed their Thanks for their constant endeavours and labours in the work of setting up the Ordinances of Christ desiring that they would go on in the sedulous promoting of that blessed work The third was to the Lord Mayor
himself in a Chayr of State where he had great Thanks given him by the Speakers of both Houses Which being done a publick day of Thanksgiving was appointed for this happy restoration of them to their old Seats again Sir Thomas Fairfax voted Generalissimo of all the Forces and Forts throughout England and Wales and Constable of the Tower of London and the Common-Souldiers one month's gratuity besides their pay And on the next day following the whole Army marcht triumphantly through London with their Train of Artillery and soon after demolish'd the Lines of Communication environing that great City CHAP. XXV AND now that the Fugitive-members were thus brought again to the House the chief business was to make null and void all that was acted by those that sate in their absence But in debating thereof the Presbytereans held up most stoutly insisting with great courage on the validity of them Insomuch as the Speaker finding it difficult for the Fugitives to carry the Votes by strength of Reason or Number shew'd forth a Letter from the General of the Army accompanied with a Remonstrance full of high language and not without threats against those that sate whilst the two Speakers were with the Army calling them Pretended Members and laying to their charge in general Treason Treachery and breach of Trust and protesting that if they should presume to sit before they had cleared themselves that they did not give their assents to some certain Votes they should sit at their peril and that he would take them as Prisoners of War and try them at a Council of War Which Letter though it did not a little startle the Presbyterean-Members yet were they loath to leave the House having sate there so long as absolute Dictators In order therefore to their continuance within those walls it was earnestly moved by some of them that the Speaker should command a general meeting of the whole House upon the next day and declare that they should be secured from danger as also that no more than the ordinary Guards might then attend the House But these motions were violently opposed with shrewd menaces by the Independent-Members the Speaker also declyning to put any Question therein and adjourning till the morrow so that the Presbytereans were left to come again at their peril Which hazzard of their safety occasion'd a very thin House the next day many of that party absenting themselves and of those which came 't was observ'd that some tackt about to the other side and some sate mute At last a Committee was appointed to bring in an Ordinance of Accommodation as they called it but more properly the Ordinance of Null an Voide which damn'd all the Votes Orders and Ordinances passed in the House from the xxvjth of Iuly that the Apprentices forc't the Members then sitting to vote and do as they required untill the sixth of August that those Members which fled to the Army were brought in Triumph again to the House Which Ordinance within few days was passed And soon after that another wholsome one for establishing of well affected Ministers in sequestred Livings But though this Ordinance of Null and Voide was thus passed the Independent-party thought not themselves secure enough and therefore erected a Committee of Examinations to enquire into and examine who they were that had been active in procuring the City Petition and Engagement to be subscribed or instrumental in that force upon the House on the twenty sixth of Iuly before mentioned or in any other endeavour to raise forces Which Committee hunted so close after them that had been busy therein that Sir Iohn Maynard Knt. of the Bath a Member of the House of Commons Iames Earl of Suffolk Theophilus Earl of Lincoln Iames Earl of Middlesex Iohn Lord Hunsdon George Lord Berkley William Lord Maynard and Francis Lord Willoughby of Parham were all of them impâ—ached of High Treason in the name of the Commons of England for levying war against the King Parliament and Kingdome Sir Iohn Maynard being thereupon committed to the Tower and the Lords to the custody of the usher with the Black-rod And to the end that this now predominant-party might the more engage the Common people to joyn with them upon occasion Agitators were imploy'd into several Counties for getting Subscriptions to Petitions against Tythes Inclosures and Copy-hold-sines which were uncertain ¶ Being thus entring upon one of the last Scenes in this most woful Tragedy I must look back a little and from what hath been said summarily observe first that however specious and plausible the Protestations Vows and Declarations of these monstrous men have otherwise been their chief design originally was to destroy and extirpate Monarchy in all His Majestie 's Realms and Dominions Secondly that when by the assistance of the giddy-multitude deluded and captivated with many glorious promises they had got the sway of all into their Hands they most traiterously murthered the King in his politick capacity setting him totally aside as to Authority and Rule and inhumanely burying him alive by a severe and barbarous imprisonment most insolently tooke the Reynes of Government into their own usurping power Next that as Ambition and Avarice eagerly incited some Grandees of the faction to shoulder out the rest from sharing with them in the spoyl they had got though no less active than themselves in accomplishing the general ruine the like haughty and covetous desires prompted others to be no less solicitous for their own temporal advantage So that as the Reformation of miscarriages and corruptions in Government was at first cryed up by the Presbyterean-Brethren and nothing in sted thereof exercised but oppression and destruction So likewise under as fair and plausible pretences the power was soon wrested from that seeming Holy Generation by the more Seraphick-Saints of the Independent Tribe who captivating the Souldierie at last as the Presbytereans had done the people at first by their splended allurements with an imaginary Happiness got the King by that means into their own cruel Hands and then subjugating the City of London which had been both Mother and Nurse to that Imparallel'd Rebellion made the remainder of their Task the less difficult And as this grand work was originally begun by the Presbytereans under the Popular name of a Blessed-Parliament by which subtile Enchantment the vulgar were at first most cunningly abused and pursued to the utter subversion of the King 's regal power So was it carryed on by the Independent to the last as by and by shall be manifested untill it became thoroughly compleated in the horrid murther of his royal person towards the perpetration of which prodigious Fact I shall now briefly shew by what degrees and steps they did most audaciously proceed CHAP. XXVI HAving thus subjugated the City and purg'd the two Houses at Westminster as is already observed they then put on a Presbyterean-cloak for a while and
falling off again as hath already been observed He became so strangely elated that nothing then to be done could give satisfaction to his ambitious and unlimited desires But here I shall also observe that notwithstanding the strong factions into which these men were then divided had begot a perfect hatred of each to other as the many printed pamphlets then spread abroad do sufficiently shew Nevertheless for the utter eradicating of the Religion by Law establish'd in the Church of England which themselves had at first 3. May 1641. solemnly protested to maintain about this time they all agree'd together in framing an Ordinance for the establishing of Presbytery containing a particular form and order of Church-government in their congregational Classical Provincial and National Assemblies In which the Lay Elders constituted at that time in all the Parishes throughout the City of London are expresly nominated with direction for the setling of all others throughout England and Wales and limitation of their powers unto the sharp and rigorous penalties whereof all conscientious and orthodox Protestants of the Church of England were to be subject but the Independent brood consisting of all sorts of Schismaticks and Sectaries under the notion of Godly-men and tender conscienced to be at liberty ¶ And now to proceed As I have already taken notice that a personal Treaty with the King was voted by the Members at Westminster I shall here observe that all things being prepared for the same it began at Newport in the Isle of Wight upon the 18th of September the chief persons permitted to attend his Majesty there being these the Duke of Richmond the Marquess of Hertford the Earl of Lindsey and Earl of Southampton Gentlemen of his Bedchamber the Bishops of London and Salisbury Dr. Sheldon Dr. Hamond Dr. Oldsworth Dr. Sanderson Dr. Turner and Dr. Heywood Chaplains Sir Thomas Gardner Sir Orlando Bridgman Sir Robert Holburne Mr. Gessrey Palmer Mr. Thomas Cooke and Mr. Iohn Vaughan Lawyers The Members at Westminster imploying these the Earls of Northumberland Salisbury Middlesex the Viscount Say the Lord Wenman Denzil Holles and William Pierpont Esquires Sir Henry Vane junior Sir Harbotle Grymston Mr. Samuel Brown Sir Iohn Potts Mr. Crew Serjeant Glyn and Mr. Bulkley These other Divines for the King being afterwards added viz. Dr. Iames Vsher Archbishop of Armagh in Ireland and Dr. Ferne And for the Parliament Mr. Stephen Marshal Mr. Richard Vines Mr. Lazarus Seaman and Mr. Ioseph Caryll But withall as it is now most evident to the world that there was never any real purpose on the part of the Grandees at Westminster that the Treaty formerly at Uxbridge should take any good effect so was there less expectation here the King being then their prisoner and all his forces come to nothing for though they then gave way to this Treaty they were at that very time contriving and framing the formality of his absolute destruction of which the symptoms were visible enough during the whole continuance of that Treaty by sundry Petitions to the Members at Westminster all declaming bitterly against it Which Petitions as 't is well known were first fram'd by the Grandees themselves and then sent amongst the people to be subscribed according to their usual practice In most whereof it was desired that all Delinquents without exception might be brought to condigne punishment one whereof concluding thus from Psalm 149. ver 6 7 8 and 9. Let the high prayses of God be in the mouths of his Saints and a twofold Sword in their Hands to execute vengeance upon the Heathen and punishment upon the people to bind their Kings with chains and their Nobles with fetters of iron to execute upon them the Iudgments written This Honour have all his Saints Besides it is farther to be observ'd that after the destruction of this Scottish-Army at Preston and the reducing of Colchester Cromwell went into Scotland where he not onely laid the plot with the Marquess of Argyle for the destruction of the King and extirpation of Monarchy but by his help in the contrivance of that unparalel'd murther agree'd in the formalities conducing thereto ¶ And now as to this Treaty in the Isle of Wight 't is sufficiently known that it was on His Majestie 's part totally and singly managed by himself against all those subtile persons above-mentioned the Houses at Westminster not permitting him to have any assistant therein either Divines or others Also that it was perform'd by him with so much judgment gravity meekness and curtesie as not onely much astonisht but made converts of some that had been his greatest Enemies and were then his Antagonists there Wherein to manifest his earnest desires for the peace of those distracted Realms he was contented to devest himself totally in effect of his own Regal power for life and to trust those insatiable men with the exercise thereof as is apparently to be seen by the particular Articles then assented to by him viz. 1. As to the Militia he consented thereto as 't was required by their Proposition 2. For Episcopacy though he could not consent to the utter abolishing thereof yet he offered that it might be regulated and reduced to the primative usage and so setled and continued in the Church And in order thereto that it might be enacted that the Bishops should not act without the Council and assistance of the Presbyters in the exercises of Ordination and Iurisdiction and therefore desired the consent of the Houses in the one that he might the more freely give his assent unto the other Offering to lessen the extent or multiply the number of the Diocesses as should be agreed upon by both Houses 3. As to Bishops lands that he could not consent to the alienation of them but offred what he had done before for satisfaction of the Purchasers and Contracters which was for the enjoyment of them for a certain time being therein seconded by the opinion of many Divines who differ in other things that the alienation of them would be no less than Sacriledge 4. That he would confirm their Ordinance for the calling and sitting of the Assembly of Divines 5. That he would confirm the form of Church-government presented to him with the Directory and repeal those Statutes which enjoyn'd the use of Common Prayer and all this for three years provided that a consultation should be had between the Assembly of Divines and twenty of His Majestie 's nomination added to them in the mean time for the farther setling of the Church at the end of those three years and that Himself and His might have the use of the Comâ—â—prayer But for the new Articles of Religion His Majesty haveing not had time sufficient as yet for consideration of so weighty matters as concern Faith and Doctrine desired that that part of the Proposition might for the present be omitted 6. That he would confirm the Ordinance for â—wordsâ— better observation of the Lord's day provided that
solemn Fast. in St. Margarets Church at Westminster four of the most zealous Lords being present thereat and of the House of Commons at least Twenty where their Pulpit Buffoon Hugh Peters Preacht to them of bringing the Children of Israel out of Aegyptian Bondage whereunto he Parallel'd the State of this Kingdom And the better to shew how they should be brought out of this Bondage having put his hands before his eyesâ— and laid his head on the Cushion thence rasing it up again after a while he told them that he had a Revelation how to do it which was by Extirpating of Monarchy both here and in all other places In order whereunto they removed the King to Windsor-Castle where it was concluded on by his Guards that all State and Ceremony towards him should thenceforth be forborn and his attendants lessened At the same time also it was first moved in the House of Commons that they should proceed Capitally with the King Whereupon Oliver Cromwell stood up and said that if any man moved this upon design he should think him the greatest Traytor in the World but since Providence and Necessity had cast them upon it he should pray God to bless their Councils though he was not provided on the sudden to give them Council But no long after he was for being a great Pretender to Enthusiasms and Revelations he told them that as the was praying for a Blessing from God on his undertaking to restore the King to his pristine Majesty his Tongue cleaved to the roof of his mouth that he could not speak one word more which he took as a return of Prayer and that God had rejected him from being King And to others he did impudently assert that it was lawful to circumvent a wicked man with deceit and fraud Whereunto the very next day Mr. Thomas Scott brought in the Ordinance for Tryal of the King which was then read and recommitted three several times and the names of the Commissioners consisting of some Lords some of the House of Commons some Citizens of London and some Officers of the Army added thereto Which Ordinance being soon agreed on and sent up to the House of Lords by the Lord Grey of Groby was by them rejected Whereupon the Commons fell to voting again and declared That all Members of that House and others apointed by order of that House or Ordinances of both Houses of Parliament to act in any Ordinance wherein the Lords were joyned should be impowred and enjoyned to sit and act execute in the said several Committees of themselves notwithstanding the House of Pâ—â—rs should not joyn with them therein Some of then being so fierce against the Lords for this their refusal as that they moved for an Impeachment to be framed against them for thus favouring the grand Delinquent of England And that they might not fall short in imitation of their Parent the Presbyterian which first laid the Foundation of all this mischief they brought upon the Stage such another Prophetess as the Brethren of Scotland produced in order to the carrying on their Blessed work in An. 1638. whereof I have then taken notice viz. a Godly Woman out of Hereford shire the News-book of that Week calls her a Virgin who coming to the General and Council of War at White-hall said she had a Revelation from God whereby she was inâ—ited to encourage them to go on in their designs Of which they made no small advantage approving thereof as most seasonable at that time and accordingly proceeded First Voting that the people were under God the Original of all just power Secondly That the Commons of England in Parliament Assembled being chosen by and representing the people were the supream power of the Nation and Thirdly that what soever is enacted or declared for Law by the House of Commons Assembled in Parliament hath the force of Law In pursuance of which monstrous Votes they fram'd a bloody Ordinance whereby they constituted these Persons whose names I have here inserted or any Twenty or more of them to be Judges for the Hearing Trying and Judging of the Kings Sacred Majesty which were thereby also constituted and called an High Court of Iustice. ¶ Thomas Lord Fairfax General of the Army * Oliver Cromwel Lieutenant General Henry Ireton Commissary General Philip Skipton Major General * Colonel Valentine Walton * Colonel Thomas Harrison * Colonel Edward Whalley * Colonel Thomas Pride * Colonel Isaac Evre * Colonel Richard Ingoldsby * Sir Henry Mildmay Kt. Sir Thomas Honywood Kt. * Thomas Lord Grey of Groby Philip Lord Lisle * William Visc. Castlemaine aliter Lord Munson * Sir Iohn Danvers Kt. * Sir Thomas Maleverer Bar. * Sir Iohn Bourchier Kt. * Sir Iames Harrington Kt. Sir William Brereton Bar. * Robert Wallop Esq * William Heveningham Esq * Isaac Pennington Alderman Thomas Atkins Alderman * Colonel Rowland Wilson Sir Peter wentworth Knight of the Bath * Colonel Henry Martin * Colonel William Puresey Colonel Godfrey Boswell Iohn Trenchard Esq * Colonel Mathew Tomlinson * Iohn Blakeston Esq * Gilbert Millington Esq * Miles Corbet Esq * Sir William Constable Kt. * Colonel Edward Ludlow Colonel Iohn Lambert * Colonel Iohn Hutchenson Sir Arthur Haselrigg Bar. * Sir Michael Livescy Bar. Richard Soloway Esq Humphery Soloway Esq * Colonel Robert Tichburne * Colonel Owen Roe Colonel Robert Manwaring * Colonel Robert Lilburne * Colonel Adrian Scrope * Colonel Richard Deane * Colonel Iohn Okey Colonel Robert Overton Colonel Iohn Harrison Colonel Iohn Desborough * Colonel William Goffe Colonel Robert Duckenfeild * Cornelius Holand Esq * Iohn Carue Esq Sir William Armine Kt. * Colonel Iohn Iones * Miles Corbet Esq * Francis Allen Esq Thomas Lister Esq Benjamin Weston Esq * Peregrine Pelkam Esq Iohn Gourdon Esq Francis Thorpe Serjeant at Law Ihon Nutt Esq Thomas Chaloner Esq Colonel Algernon Sidney * Sir Hardres Waller Kt. * Colonel Iohn Barkstedeâ— Iohn Anlaby Esq * Colonel Iohn Mooreâ— Richard Darley Esq * William Say Esq * Iohn Alured Esq Iohn Fagge Esq Iames Nelthorpe Esq Sir William Roberts Kt. Colonel Francis Lascels Colonel Alexander Rigby * Henry Smith Esq Edmund Wilde Esq Iames Chaloner Esq Iosias Barnes Esq Dennis Bond Esq * Humphrey Edwards Esq * Gregory Clement Esq Iohn Fray Esq * Thomas Wogan Esq * Sir Gregory Norton Kt. * Iohn Bradshaw Serjeant at Law * Colonel Edward Harvey Iohn Dove Esq * Colonel Iohn Venn Iohn Fouke Alderman of London * Thomas Scott * Thomas Andrews Alderman * William Cauley Esq Abraham Burrell Esq * Colonel Anthony Stapeley Roger Gratwick Esq * Iohn Downes Esq * Colonel Thomas Harton * Colonel Thomas Hamond * Colonel Geotge Fenwick Robert Nicholas Serjeant at Law * Colonel Iohn Hewson Robert Reynolds Esq * Iohn Lisle Esq * Nicholas Love Esq * Vâ—cent Potter Sir Gilbert Pickering Kt. Iohn Weaver Esq Iohn Lenthall Esq Sir Edward Bayton Kt. Iohn Corbet Esq Thomas Blount
Iohn Lisle Lords Commissioners of the Great Seal Henry Lawrence Lord President of his Privy-Council Charles Fleetwood his Son in Law Robert Earl of Warwick Edmund Earl of Mulgrave Edward Earl of Manchester William Viscount Say and Sele Iohn Cleypole his other Son in Law and Master of his Horse Philip Lord Lisle eldest Son to the Earl of Leicester Charles Howard of Waworth Castle Philip Lord Wharton Thomas Lord Fauconbridg Iohn Desborough Edw. Montagu Admirals 〈◊〉 Sea George Lord Eure. Bulstrod Whitlock Sir Gilbert Pickering Kt. Collonel William Sydenham Sir Charles Wolfesley Baronet Major General Skippon Strickland Collonel Philip Iones Richard Hampden Sir William Strickland Francis Rous Esq Iohn Fiennes Esq Sir Francis Russell Baronet Sir Thomas Honywood Kt. Sir Arthur Haselrigg Baronet Sir Iohn Hobart Sir Richard Onslow Kt. Sir Gilbert Gerard. Sir William Roberts Kt. Iohn Glyn his Chief Justice of the Upper-Bench Oliver St. Iohn his Chief Justice of the Common-Pleas William Pierpont Esq Iohn Iones Esq Iohn Crew Esq Alexander Popham Esq Sir Christoph. Pack Alderman Sir Rob. Tichburne Alderman Made Kts. by Cromwel Edward Whalley one of his Major Generals Sir 〈…〉 but 〈◊〉 sold Thimbles and Bodkins Sir George Fleetwood another of his Knights Sir Thomas Pryde another of his Knights formerly a Dray-man Collonel Richard Ingoldesby Sir Iohn Heuson another of his Knights formerly a Cobler Iames Berrey one of his Major Generals formerly Clerk to a Forge Collonel William Goffe Thomas Cooper Edmund Thomas George Monke then Commander in Chief of his Forces in Scotland David Earl of Cassils in Scotland Sir William Lockart another of his Knights Sir Archib Iohnston a Scotchman William Steele his Lord Chancelour of Ireland The Lord Broghil Brother to the Earl of Corke in Ireland Sir Matthew Tomlinson another of his Knights The Sitting of which House began upon the twentieth of Ianuary at which time likewise those of the Commons who had formerly declined to sign the Recognition were freely admitted But so much were those new Lords despised and scorned by the Honse of Commons that the Protector finding no advantage by their Sitting Dissolved that his Second Parliament Which was not more slow in complying with his advancement than the Royallists were forward in their contrivances for pulling him down But so great was his vigilancy and no less his cost whereby he had allured some Birds of that Feather that the Consultations of his Adversaries were no sooner had than apparently discovered so that when ever he pleased he could take them in his Net as he always did when he thought that examples of severity might be for his advantage It being therefore once more expedient to renew those terrors to the people he caused his bloody Theatre called the High-Court of Iustice to be again erected in Westminster-Hall where for the more formalities sake the persons whom he did design for destruction were brought the one Dr. Iohn Heuit a Reverend Divine the other Sir Henry Slingsby Kt. a Yorkshire Gentleman of great Loyalty and Valour who being charged with High Treason against his Protectorship and stoutly denying the Authority of that Tribunal had Sentence of death soon passed upon them which they did accordingly suffer with great magnanimity though there was no little endeavour used for to save their lives his Daughter Claypole whose interest otherwise with him was beyond expression solliciting for the Doctor with all earnestness that could be But it concerning him at that time so much in point of Policy to sacrifice some for a terror to others neither her incessant Supplication nor Tears could prevail which brought upon her such excessive grief of mind that falling into a sharp fit of sickness wherein crying out against him for Dr. Heuits blood she dyed with the most bitter torments imaginable Which death of hers was the fore-runner to that of this wicked Tyrant for soon after a deep Melancholy seized closely upon him in which the guilt of so much innocent blood as he had spilt might perhaps somewhat touch him But without doubt that which stuck nearest to him was his real consideration that he could never ascend unto such an height of Sovereignty as his ambitious desires had long gaped after For he plainly saw that the Anabaptists and Fifth-Monarchy men whom in order to the destruction of his lawful Sovereign he had so much cherisht then were and were ever like to be as thorns in his sides and blocks in his way thereto And which is more that not only Fleetwood his Son in Law whom privately he had designed to be his Successor in the Government was an especial friend and favourer of those desperate Fanatics but that Desborough Sir Gilbert Pickering Collonel Sydenham and many other of his Council were underhand well-wishers to Lambert and his party who were known enemies to all Monarchick Rule and consequently to that wherein he had so long aimed to be setled Which sorrows and perplexities of his restless mind meeting with some Natural infirmities of his Body struck him into a sharp and Feaverish distemper whereat his Physicians expressing their thoughts he told them that if they supposed him in a dying condition they were utterly mistaken forasmuch as he had been comforted with Revelations to the contrary Nay he was farther so transported with those vain Enthusiasms and had such brain-sick persons about him even those of his Chaplains who were equally possest with such giddy-headed conceipts that they foolishly dreamed and fancyed as much and told it in publick that having sought God by Prayer for the prolongation of his life they received such assurances of his grant to their Petitions that they not only gave out that he effectually recovered but kept a solemn Thanksgiving for the same at Hampton-Court where he then lay Which strange and bold confidence caused forthwith his removal from thence to White-Hall where he had not been from that time many days but his Physician allarm'd them with his near approaching death Which so awakened the best of his Friends that they soon fell to enquiry whom he intended for his Successor But so little sense had he then of that question that he made them an answer no whit to the purpose Whereupon they askt him whether it was not his Son Richard to which he made them some signs of assent But farther enquiring of his last Will and Testament whereby they presumed that he had nominated his Successor he directed them to his Closet and other places for search but all to no purpose for nothing could be found In which discomposure departing this life upon the third of September to the end that the Government might not fall to the ground some few of the Council giving out that Richard was according to the Instrument the Person declared they immediately caused him to be Proclaimed Protector Having thus traced this Monster to his death which happened on the same day of the month whereon he had been twice wonderfully victorious
Kymbolton and five of the House of Commons viz. Denzill Hollies Esq. Sir Arthur Haslerig Baronet Iohn Pym Iohn Hampden and William Strode Esquiers and to charge them with High Treason who having private notice thereof kept out of the way But of this action they made such an advantage tho no person then came within the doors of the House except the King himself and the Count Palatine his Nephew having so sure a party in the City to assist them that some of the House of Commons took the boldness the same day to come and discharge his Majesties Guards at White-Hall and the Houses to adjourn themselves and to sit in a grand Committee at Guild-Hall in London Where infusing fears into the people that the King had a design of actual violence upon the City the Sheriffs of London refused to publish his Majesties Proclamation for apprehending those persons And to make farther experiment of the City's readiness to afford them their best assistance upon occasion they caused a false Alarm that the King with fifteen hundred Horse was coming in the night to surprize London Which report wrought so effectually that no less than forty thousand of the inhabitants put themselves in Arms at an instant the women also providing scalding water to throw upon the Cavaliers bringing out Forms Stools and empty Tubs into the Streets to hinder the Horse CHAP. X. HAving thus craftily represented this just endeavour of his Majesty for bringing these Members to a legal trial who had private shelter at that time in the City of London to be so hideous as if it had been for a general massacre they speedily raised an insurrection of many thousand of the Citizens whom together with a numerous rabble of Mariners and other desperate people they brought armed to Westminster on the Tuesday next following both by land and water with divers Sakers and murthering Guns in long Boats and in that sort with Protestations in their Hats and on their Pikes conducted the Lord Kymbolton and the rest of those Members to the Parliament-House And what intention some of them had to the person of the King had he then been at White-Hall may easily be guessed by their rude and desperate entrance thereinto then made had not he upon private adververtisement of their purpose removed to Hampton-Court the precedent Evening Unto which Insurrection to give the fairer countenance they had by their Emissaries sent into the Counties of Buckingham Hartford and Kent whence they procured no small numbers which came the same day to the Houses of Parliament with petitions ready framed on the behalf of the Lord Kymbolton and the five Members At which time they produced two Letters pretended to come from a Romish hand intimating much mischief design'd against the Houses and City And that these Countrymen might upon their return home put their neighbours into strange apprehensions of danger there was at that time a report made in the House that the Lord Digby and Colonel Lunsford were about Kingston upon Thames with three or four hnndred Horse Whereupon order was given that the Sheriffs of Surrey Berkshire and Hantshire should raise the Posse Comitatus of those Counties to stand upon their Guard and apprehend them as also that Skippon Serjeant-Major of the City Trained-Bands should forthwith have the command of certain Guards for to be set upon the Tower of London There is nothing more certain then that this business concerning the Lord Kymbolton and the five Members as 't was managed much promoted their grand design For having by their many pretended plots and other devices prepared the people with strange apprehensions of fears and finding that they had won the Country as well as the City to an implicite belief of their being such blessed Patriots as never had been before they then brought forth a most infamous Declaration hatcht at their former meetings in the City wherein they did imply that his Majesty when he came to the Houses to demand the five Members had a purpose to have cut all their throats and therefore they declared his coming thither to be a traiterous design against the King and Parliament and that his Proclamation issued out for their apprehension was false scandalous and illegal as also that it was lawful for all men to harbour them and that whosoever did so should be under the protection and priviledge of Parliament The King therefore standing not a little amazed at these many and great distractions which threatned inevitable mischief to the whole Realm tho he had by a Message to both Houses of the twelfth of Ianuary for full satisfaction to all that might doubt that his accusation of those Members was not agreeable to the priviledges of Parliament nevertheless intimated that he would for the present wave his proceedings against them and that when the minds of men were more composed he would go on in an unquestionable way assuring his parliment that upon all occasions he would be as careful of their Priviledges as of his Life and Crown And by another Message two days after farther assur'd them that in case any doubt of his breach of their Priviledges did remain he would be willing to clear it and assure those by any reasonable way that his Parliament should advise him to do Likewise in farther manifestation of his earnest and incessant desires for preventing those calamities which he then saw approaching by reason of these distractions he did by a gracious Message of the twentieth of the same month propose to both Houses that they would with all speed fall into a serious consideration of those particulars which they themselves should hold necessary as well for the upholding and maintaining his just Regal Authority and setling his Revenue as for the present and future establishment of their priviledges the free and quiet enjoying of their estates and fortunes the liberties of their persons the security of the true Religion then professed in the Church of England and the setling of Ceremonies in such a manner as might take away all just offences Which when they should have disgested and composed into one intire Body that so himself and they might be able to make the more clear judgment of them it should then appear by what he would do how far he had been from intending or designing any of those things which the too great fears and jealousies of some persons did seem to apprehend and how ready he would be to equal and exceed the greatest Examples of the most indulgent Princes in their acts of Grace and favour to their People Notwithstanding all which upon that very twentieth of Ianuary having received Letters from Sir Iohn Hotham signifying that he had raised Soldiers by their Order for the keeping of Hull but was refused entrance thereinto by the Mayor they forthwith sent another Order to command his reception though the Earl of Newcastle had required admittance thither to take charge of
that all Horses within the City of London and the Suburbs and five miles adjacent should be speedily prest for the service of their Army as also that all Horses in the Tower should be seized on and no Coaches suffered to be kept there except one for the Lieutenant And to puff up their General with such vain apprehensions as might hearten him to persist in that his high imployment in regard he was then somewhat popular they form'd a specious Declaration which they ordered to remain upon Record in the Books of both Houses of Parliament as a mark of Honour to the name and Family of the Earl of Essex for the good service he had done to the Common-wealth in the office of General by the hazard of his life in the battel of Kineton Likewise for a firmer union of their forces they made an Order in the name of both Houses that the Counties of York Lincoln Notingham Derby Stafford Chester Lancaster Northumberland Cumberland Westmorland and Duresme with the Town and County of Newcastle should associate themselves by raising Horse and Foot to suppress and subdue the Popish and malignant Party and that the Lord Fairfax should command in chief throughout those Counties But his Majesty coming safe to Oxford after a short stay there march'd towards London the noise whereof caused the Members at Westminster to bestir themselves for preventing his Majesties coming thither whereupon all the power they could raise was sent out to give him astop the Earl of Essex with part of his Army to Kingston upon Thames and the Lord Brooke's and Mr. Hamden's Regiments to Brainford where the Royalists fell so sharply on them that they took five hundred Prisoners and sunk some of their Ordinance intending to march forward on the next day But having advertisement that Essex had drawn his Forces from Kingston and joining with the London-Auxiliaries lay in his way at Turnham Greene he chose rather to make a safe retreat than hazard his Army by a second Battel and so by Reading came back to Oxford where he took up his Winter-Quarters making it his cheif Garrison The flame of war beginning thus to spread each part strove to possess themselves of what strong Towns and Castles they could as also to fortify such other places as might enable them to have command over the parts adjacent The gaining whereof and other Acts of Hostility on each part in places remote as also the most considerable transactions of the Members at Westminster who calling themselves the Parliament sate there with strong Guards to carry on this Grand Rebellion being not possibly capable of a perfect Narrative in punctual order of time to avoid confusion therefore I have thought it most proper to place what is most remarkable on the military part at the end of each years beginning with this of 1642 in which the war did commence To proceed therefore The Rebels by this time discerning the King to get ground partly by the increase of his Forces in sundry Counties and partly by undeceiving many well-meaning people who had been seasoned by divers Lecturing-Preachers and other corrupt Clergy-men with disloyal principles and now doubting the issue without farther help sent a Declaration and Invitation to the Scots for their assistance granting Letters of Mart to all Merchants that would set forth Ships to guard the Seas and to take all Shipping bringing Arms or other aid from forreign parts to assist the King and to detain the same as their lawful prize Furthermore as London and the Counties adjacent gave example to all other parts of the Realm in the first raising of this grand Rebellion so were they the first over whom their great Masters exercised their power Nor were the deluded people elsewhere who had likewise given the Reines into these men's hands for a few fair words long spared for upon the xxixth of November there issued out an Order from both Houses that Committees should be named throughout all Counties to take care for provisions of Victual for the Army raised by the Parliament as also for seizing on Dragoon-Horses and draught-Horses and for borrowing of Money or Plate to supply the Army upon the public Faith Which Committees had thereby power to send for and take such Provisions Money Plate and Horse as the owners did then neglect to bring in And having formerly order'd that the King 's and Queen's Revenue coming into the Exchequer should be detained and employ'd for the public service they seized on thirteen hundred Quarters of Corn which then were in the King's Stores Also for explanation of their former Ordinance touching the contribution of Horse Money and Plate upon the Propositions they order'd that the Refusers should be distrain'd and in default of Distresses to be found their persons to be imprison'd and their Families no longer to remain in London Westminster or the Counties adjacent Shortly after this likewise they framed more Ordinances of Association for divers other Counties constituting Commanders in chief of new forces to be levyed within those Associations beginning with Buckingham Bedford Rutland Northampton Leicester Derby Notingham and Huntington appointing the Lord Grey of Groby son to the Earl of Stanford Serjeant Major General there planting Garrisons in every Castle and great Town throughout all those parts The like Association for the Shires of Cambridge Norfolk Suffolk Hartford Essex part of the Isle of Ely and City of Norwich William Lord Grey of Warke being made Commander in Chief throughout all those Counties And to put the people in hope that this charge and trouble should not last long they gave out that his majesties Forces were utterly broken and shatter'd and read Letters in the House from their General that he would pursue the King with all vehemency Soon after this also they made an Ordinance for taxing all Malignants and such as had not contributed upon the Propositions for Money Horse and Plate according to their abilities that they should pay the Twenty-fifth part of their Estates Under which name of Malignants they brought in all that were worth any thing if within their reach But in this Ordinance it is to be observed that the Assessors were not to tax any Member of either House Neither could their oppressions at home suffice but they countenanc'd the seizing of a Ship call'd Santa Clara out of the Port of Santo Domingo in the King of Spain's Dominions laden with Plate Cochinele and other Merchandise of great value and by order of the House of Commons set up Bills upon the Exchange for sale thereof And that no part of the Realm might be free from their oppressions they constituted Committees in the Counties of Warwick Stafford and City of Coventry for associating of those Counties and planting of Garrisons there authorizing them to suppress and disarm Enemies and persons ill affected also for raising Horse Money Plate c. And soon after that
the better of the day viz. in the Fight at Bramden Heath near Ailesford in Hantshire where Sir William Waller worsted the Lord Hopton the Lord Iohn Stuart being there mortally wounded In the Battle at Marston-moore in Yorkshire the victory was chiefly gain'd by the valour and skilfull conduct of Cromwel Lieutenant general to the Earl of Manchester as hath been already observed with the Earl of Manchester's Horse in the left Wing drawn out of the Eastern association shortly after which the City of York was delivered up to him on honorable terms by Sir Thomas Glemham then Governour there And in October Newcastle after a long siege of many months given up to the Scots In which month happened also the second Battel at Newbery in Berkshire where great slaughter was on both sides In which it was observed that none of the Rebels fought more fiercely than those who at the delivering up their Arms in Cornwal as hath heen already mentioned did then engage never more to fight against the King Upon the ill success of this Battel for so the members at Westminster esteem'd it the Parliament party having double in number to the King it was that the Earl of Essex their General became suspected of carelesness or discontent so that much debate happened amongst them concerning that point The Independent party therefore having a design to be rid of him to make the more specious ostentation that all their Actions wholly tended to the Glory of God and the publick good and nothing to their private Interest being then more predominant than the Presbyterian prevailed in making a Vote that no Member of either House should during that war enjoy or execute any office or command Military or Civil which had been granted or conferred on them by either House or by any authority derived from either House and that an Ordinance should be drawn up accordingly By which device that party did not only lay aside this their great General but outed many eminent Presbyterians from divers beneficiall offices both in the Treasury Garisons and other considerable imployments placing in their stead those of their own party Whereupon Sir Thomas Fairfax was constituted General of all their forces and a new modelling of the Army voted but with no small difficulty the Presbyterians much opposing it so that the Independents were necessitated to make use of their old trick in getting petitions out of several Counties ere their Ordinance to that purpose could pass In pursuance of which vote his Commission but the clause in the solemn League and Covenant for preservation of his Majesties person omitted therein Sir Thomas Fairfax with great formality received Col. Oliver Cromwell though a member of the House of Commons being then made his Lieutenant general with whom they did specially dispense in that point of Self-denial Which being accomplish'd and the whole party not a little elated by this second Invasion of the Scots to their aid they began to cry aloud for Justice upon delinquents whereupon Sir Alexander Carew one of the Knights of the Shire for Cornwall tasted sharply thereof For this Sir Alexander having been a most confiding man and in that respect constituted Governour of Plymouth-fort at length discerning the greatest part of the West reduced to his Majesties obedience began rationally to consult his own safety and to make his peace with the King by the delivering up of that strong hold but his intention therein being discovered before the business could be fully effected he was condemn'd to death by a Council of War held at Guild-Hall in London and on the twenty third of December beheaded on Tower Hill with the very same Ax by which the noble Earl of Strafford lost his life Which notable accident is not fit to pass without a special remark for most certain it is that upon voting the Bill in the House of Commons for putting that great man to death the most Loyal Sir Bevill Grenevile the other Knight for Cornwall sitting by Sir Alexander and much abhorring that unjust procedure against a person whose life the known Laws of the Land could not touch express'd himself thus to Sir Alexander Pray Sir let it never be said that any Member of our County should have a hand in this fatal business and therefore pray ye give your vote against the Bill To whom Sir Alexander instantly replyed If I were sure to be the next man that should suffer upon the same Scaffold with the same Ax I would give my consent to the passing of it How exactly this was verified is sufficiently known Nor is it less worthy of note that about this time also they reckoned with their trusty Governour of Hull Sir Iohn Hothum and likewise with Iohn his eldest son who had been Prisoners in the Tower of London from the month of Iuly 1643. though formerly much magnified for refusing to give the King entrance there as hath been already observed whose great crimes were that when they discern'd the Earl of Newcastle powerfull in the North the Queen also safe landed at Burlinton with Arms and Ammunition and the strength of the Rebels not a little declining in all parts and therefore deeming it best to make their peace with the King in time they privately treated with the Earl of Newcastle or his Agents for the delivery up of that Garison but so unwarily as that their design was discovered whereupon they had sentence of death passed upon them on the seventh of December by the Earl of Manchester and others then sitting at Guild-Hall in London which was accordingly executed on his son upon the first of Ianuary next ensuing and on himself the morrow following And not many days after being thus flesht with bloud they brought the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury to the same block as hath been already observed Soon after which the Tide running swiftly on their side Shrewsbury was surprized by their forces nothing of moment thenceforth being acted by the Royallists other than a defeat which Colonel Massey received by Prince Rupert near Ledbury in Herefordshire and the taking of Leicester by the King which proved fatal to him as we shall see anon all going thenceforth to wrack on his Majesties part For at the very entrance of this year Donington-castle was yielded up to them Soon after which Cromwel having defeated some of the King's forces near Iâ—ip-bridg in Oxford shire and upon summons got Blechington house within few weeks after General Fairfax came with his whole Army before Oxford whereupon Godstow house was quitted by the Royallists Evesham in Worcestershire taken and Gaunt-house in Oxfordshire yieldded up All this while Fairfax continuing before Oxford but hearing that the King was somewhat considerable after the taking of Leicester he raised his siege and march'd towards him Both Armies therefore meeting near Navesby in Northampton shire upon their first encounter
the least to the contrary and imparted to him the substance of what had then passed betwixt them Whereupon the King framing his Answer to those Proposals from the Parliament so brought to him as abovesaid sent it by the same person to Cromwell and Ireton to be perused with liberty to add or alter what they should think fit Which being done by them and returned to His Majesty he wrote it a new and sent it to Westminster But see now the horrid perfidiousness of Cromwell and Ireton No sooner was this candid and gracious Answer from the King Imparted to the House of Commons but that both of them appeared with the highest in their bitter invectives against it The News whereof being forthwith brought to the King he call'd for the person who had been so lately with Cromwell and acquainting him therewith sent him back to Cromwell to require a reason thereof Whose answer was that what he had then said in the House of Commons was to sound the depth of those virulent humours wherewith the Presbytereans whom he knew to be no friends to the King were possess'd with all But after that time he never came more to His Majesty That person therefore whom the King had so imployed to Cromwell observing thus much made it his chief business to find out the Councils and designs of the principal Officers of the Army at Putney and discerning at length how dangerous they were in reference to His Majesty gave him private Advertisement thereof to the end he might consider which way best to preserve himself Whereupon resolving to get privately from Hampton-Court to the City of London the same person so imploy'd as abovesaid undertook to find him out a secure lodging there and accordingly leaving him did provide such a one His Majesty determining that so soon as he should get safe thither to let him have knowledge thereof And now at length being fully sensible of what he had so long feared which was that notwithstanding his own clear and candid dealing with them in all respects and that he did so far rely upon them that he had strictly prohibited all those of his faithful subjects who had served in his Armys that they should not joyn with the Scots in case they should raise any forces in order to his pretended restoration as Cromwell seem'd to suspect that they might though nothing less would have been the effects thereof considering they stuck so close to their solemn League and Covenant he was to expect no better than destruction and ruine to himself and his posterity and absolute slavery to all his good Subjects he caused a Boat to be privately brought to the River-side and upon the eleventh of November about the beginning of the night went alone from the Privy-lodgings through a Door where no Guard stood into the Park and so crossing the Thames landed at Ditton where Sir Iohn Berkley afterwards Lord Berkley Mr. Iohn Ashburnham and Colonel William Legg sometime Groomes of his Bedchamber were placed with Horses But so it hapned that when the King was got on Shore and had stay'd some time for them Mr. Ashburnham diswaded him from going to London and led him into Hantshire where His Majesty demanding of him to what place he intended to conduct him he answered into the Isle of Wight whereof Colonel Hamond was then Governour in whom Mr. Ashburnham had no little confidence To which His Majesty replyed that he would not adventure himself thither unless he might have sufficient assurance under the Governour 's hand for his security from any danger and thereupon sent Mr. Ashburnham and Sir Iohn Berkley into the Isle to treat with Hamond to that purpose staying himself at Lichfield house belonging to the Earl of Southampton with Colonel Legg till they returned strictly charging them that they should not let Hamond know where he was unless he would give him full assurance under his Hand for his freedome and return thence when he pleased But instead of observing these His Majestie 's directions they came back and brought Hamond with them And being come to Lichfield went to the King then in his Bed-chamber leaving Hamond below telling His Majesty what they had done whereat the King being not a little amazed askt them if they had a promise under Hamond's hand for his security and they replying No but thâ—â— he would approve himself a man of Honour He plainly told them that they had betray'd him or words to that purpose concluding then that he was no better than his prisoner Which sharp resentment of his condition 〈…〉 them so neer that they offer'd to kill Hamond 〈◊〉 take some other course for His Majestie 's safety But to this their vain proposal the King did utterly refuse to assent rather choosing to yeild up himself a Sacrifice as he afterwards was made to those bloud-thirsty-men who had resolved his destruction and subversion of the Government than to be guilty of assenting to take away the life of that one Rebel in cold bloud And putting himself thereupon into the hands of that unworthy person was by him kept in no better condition than a prisoner untill he was by his consent taken away by the direction of Cromwell and the rest of those bloudy Regicides who brought him to the Block as we shall see anon But I return At his departure from Hampton-Court he left in his withdrawing-room a Letter directed to the Commissioners which attended him there to be communicated to both Houses of Parliament the effect whereof was to tell them that he had with great patience endured a tedious restraint which he did willingly undergo whilst he had any hopes that it might conduce to the peace of the Kingdoms but then finding by too certain proofs that this his continued patience would not onely turn to his personal ruin but be of much more prejudice than furtherance of the publick good he did conceive that he was bound as well by natural as political obligations to seek his safety by retiring himself for some time from the publick view both of his friends and enemies challenging the judgment of all indifferent men if he had not just cause to free himself from the hands of those who did change their Principles with their condition earnestly urging that all just Interests viz. Presbyterean Independent Army and Scots might be heard together with himself with Honour Freedom and Safety and then that he would instantly break through that cloud of retirement and shew himself to be really Pater patriae In this Letter of his Majestie 's who unparallel'd Sufferings had raised his Observations to an higher pitch than some who have been much magnified for their Wisedom did ever reach it is to be noted that he saw he had just cause to free himself from the Hands of those who did change their principles with their condition Now lest this his expression should be thought to have reference meerly to the Independents in whose power he then
of such Members of Parliament and Citizens of London as had any Hand in calling him in Cromwel took a Journey on purpose to Windsor and there flattered him with fair promises of Life and though he could get nothing out of him nevertheless he caused Bradshaw to carry a favourable countenance towards him upon his Tryal in Westminster-Hall the Lord Grey of Groby Colonel Wayte and Hugh Peters being likewise imploy'd to him upon the like Errand who told him that they would not much obstruct him Pretended Plea of Quarter from Lambert upon Articles Peters also promising him to witness the same for him though Wayte upon his Report to the House of Commons of the manner how he took him had affirmed that he yielded at discretion and that Lambert was not near him Nay honest Hugh seem'd so zealous in his behalf that he Prayed openly for him as his Lord and Patron and fed him with no small hopes in case he would impeach those whom they suspected But Hamilton in stead of complying with them therein expecting otherwise to save his Head did not only offer them an hundred thousand Pounds for his Life intimating what Service he would do them in Scotland but assured them that he would joyn Interests with Argile and be a Servant to them there Whereupon Messengers were sent Post thither to know Argile's mind who resolving that none should share with him in so Glorious a Work refused any conjunction with him The Wind therefore blowing in that Door Bradshaw used him more roughly upon his Farther Tryal than before and Hugh Peters renounc'd what he had formerly testified insomuch as Sentence of Death was given against him Nevertheless that he might still expect Life and not give that Glory to God in this his Judgment and cast Infamy upon them by a Christian acknowledgment of his own and Argile's mutual Practises they soon cut off his Head And immediately after this they passed an Act for discharging all people from their Allegiance to the late King's Issue and abolishing the Kingly Office Likewise for abolishing the House of Peers as useless and dangerous but with favour to some Lords who had demeaned themselves with honour courage and fidelity to the Common-wealth as the words are so that they might be capable of Voting in Parliament if elected Philip Earl of Pembroke being the first which had the benefit of this Act being admitted a Commoner in this new fram'd Parliament and the Lord Howard of Escrick the Second After whom followed William Earl of Salisbury And wisely considering that as the Preachers had been their chief Instruments for infusing such Principles into the Vulgar sort of People by their Seditious Lecturing Sermons as had at last accomplisht their long studied design for the abolishing of Monarchical Government Lest therefore that by the same Engine the like ruine in time might be brought upon themselves they ordered that no Minister in the Pulpit should meddle with any State-Matters therein pursuing the practise of the Netherlanders who had done so before for the prevention of mischief to their own Common-wealth But now to digress a little let us here behold what a Brain-sick Generation in a short space of time sprung up from this precious root of Presbytery About this time there came Six Souldiers into the Parish-Church of Walton upon Thames in Surrey near Twylight in the Evening Mr. Faucet the Preacher there having not till then ended his Sermon one of which number with a Lanthorn in his hand and a Candle burning in it and in the other Hand four Candles not lighted desired the Parishoners to stay a while saying that he had a Message from God unto them and thereupon offered to go up into the Pulpit But the people refusing to give him leave so to do or to stay in the Church he went into the Church-yard and there told them that he had a Vision wherein he had received a command from God to declare his will unto them which he was to deliver and they to receive upon pain of damnation it consisting of Five Lights 1. That the Sabbath was abolisht as unnecessary Iewish and meerly Ceremonial And here quoth he I should put out my first Light but the wind is so high I cannot kindle it 2. That Tithes are abolisht as Iewish and Ceremonial a great Burthen to the Saints of God and a discouragement of Industry and Tillage and here I should put out my Second Light c. 3. That Ministers are abolisht as Antichristian and of no longer use now Christ himself descends into the hearts of his Saints and his Spirit enlighteneth them with Revelations and Inspirations And here I should put out my Third Light c. 4. Magistrates are abolished as useless now that Christ himself is in purity of Spirit come among us and hath erected the Kingdom of the Saints upon Earth Besides they are Tyrants and Oppressors of the Liberty of the Saints and tye them to Laws and Ordinances meer humane Inventions And here I should put out my Fourth Light c. 5. Then putting his Hand into his Pocket and pulling out a little Bible he shewed it open to the People saying Here is a Book you have in great Veneration consisting of Two parts the Old and New Testament I must tell you it is abolished it containeth Beggarly Rudiments Milk for Babes but now Christ is in Glory amongst us and imparts a farther measure of his Spirit to his Saints than this can afford I am commanded to burn it before your Face So taking the Candle out of his Lanthorn he set fire on it Then putting out the Candle he said and here my Fifth Light is extinguished Nay the stream at that time carryed Multitudes so violently this way that the Souldiers fell to Preaching in many places six of them in one day exercising their Gifts in that kind at White-Hall in so much as that Grand Impostor Cromwel subtilly observing the bent of this Tide ascended the Pulpit there himself pretending that he was called up by the Spirit of God and standing a good while with his Eyes lifted up as it were in a Trance his Head inclining to one side he fetcht many deep Groans spent one hour in his Prayer and near two in his Sermon In which Prayer his Humility was such that in imitation of Moses he desired God to take off from his Shoulders the Government of this Mighty People of England as being too heavy for him to bear And so much did he then pretend to Revelations and Inspirations that when any weighty matter was propounded to him he usually retired for a quarter of an hour or more and declared what was revealed to him But to proceed About this time they passed an Act for supporting of their Military Forces by imposing a Tax of Ninety thousand Pound Per Mensem upon the Kingdom And that the people might be totally confounded as to matter of Religion or have any regard
hands in the work of the Lord were desired by many of their Brethren Ministers of the Gospel in Leicestershire to tender that their humble Representation in their and their own names with desire that it might be communicated to the House the Heads whereof were as followeth 1. That they did acknowledg it as the product of Divine Love and Goodness towards the Nation that notwithstanding the many changes of Persons and Government a Godly and Preaching-Ministry had been and still was countenanced protected and maintained by the Parliament and that the Lord had been pleased after so many years interruption to restore them again to their places for the accomplishing of all those just and good things which they formerly prosecuted in order to an happy settlement 2. That as in duty bound they desired with all thankfulness to own the Parliament under God as eminent Instruments thereof looking upon their Piety and Zeal for God therein not only as a strong obligation upon their Spirits to a more faithful and chearful discharge of their duties as Ministers but also to adhere to them 3. That they were the more encouraged thereto when they reflected upon the late Votes for encouragement and maintenance of a Preaching-Ministry and also for the vindication of their just Rights as men and Christians 4. That they doubted not but the same Divine Hand which had begun to lay the foundation of a Righteous settlement of Peace and Truth in this Nation continually blasting the counter-designs of the Common Adversaries would in due time rear the top corner-stone to the comfort of all that did with well to Sion 5. That they could not but with shame and bleeding of heart bewail that Cloud of darkness which had lately overspread divers of their old professed friends who at first deeply engaged with them yet through that mystery of Iniquity which did still work in the Nation had been misled and caused to stumble not only to the hazard of their own Lives and Liberties but to an involving this poor Island in confusion and blood yet the Ruin thereof if God had not stept in for its relief by blessing the Parliaments Counsels and prospering the endeavours of a faithful Army against the enraged malice of the old Common Enemy and the dissatisfactions of such as engaged with them to hinder the designed work of easing their Loads and of settling their Foundations in Peace Truth and Righteousness 6. That they took themselves bound in duty to let the Parliament know that through mercy their souls had not entred into the secret of the late Insurrectors but that they did profess an utter detestation thereof and that the Lord helping them they would not cease crying mightily to him that he would still pour out upon the Parliament a Spirit of Wisdom and of the fear of the Lord to carry them on in their work against all discouragements and oppositions whatsoever the names of the Subscribers being these Iohn Yaxley Minister of the Gospel at Kibworth Samuel Blakesley at Langton William Sheffeild at Ibstoke Maurice Bohem at Halloughton William Grace at Reavesby Richard Muston at Langton Matthew Clarke at Harborow Iosiah Whiston at Norton Benjamin Southwood at Kymcote Samuel Shaw at Long-Whatton Thomas Lawrey at Harborow Henry Pearce at Claybroke George Wright at Congeston Y. Dixey at Margarets in Leicester Samuel Smith at Glooreston George Greene at Thedingworth William Wilson at Foxton Iohn Bennet at Winwick Thomas Smith at Castle-Dunnington William Barton at Martins in Leicester Nicholas Kestyn at Gumley Iohn St. Nicolas at Lutterworth Thomas Langdel at Bowdon Magna Richard Drayton at Shangton Thomas Leadbeter at Hinkley William Cotton at Broughton Henry Watts at Swepston Ambrose Bent at Ashby-Folvile Iohn Shuttlewood at Ravenston Emanuel Bourne at Waltham Christopher Wright at Eastwell Thomas Ienkings at New Kilworth Iohn Pitts at Burbage Iohn Hulls at Stanton-Wivile Paul Bulgay William Black at Suddington Robert Reding at Segrave Samuel Oldershaw at Cole-Orton Which Representation being read they were all called into the House again the Speaker telling them that upon due consideration thereof they found in it a Gospel-Spirit of Meekness Sincerity and Holiness and that they had also considered the Seasonableness of it and that it expressed not only on outward Letter but an inward Spirit c. and so gave them the Thanks of the House Soon after this the House appointed a Committee to prepare somthing in order to the setling of a Government for the better support whereof they Established the laying a Tax of one hundred thousand pounds by the month besides Excise and Customs and the Sequestered Estates of new Delinquents And that such persons as had been assessed to find Horse and Arms by virtue of the Act of Parliament for setling the Militia and had not brought in their Horse and Arms nor paid in lieu thereof the sum of money appointed by the said Act that every such person and persons should under the penalty in that Act mentioned pay after the rate of Ten pounds for an Horse and Arms for such number of Horses and Arms respectively as they had been charged to find And that such person and persons as had been assessed to find Arms for a Foot-Souldier and had not sent in the same or mony in lieu thereof should under the penalty in that Act mentioned pay respectively for every such Foot-Arms such sum of money as the Commissioners should appoint not exceeding twenty five shillings for every such Foot-Arms So that it is plain that mony was it they only aimed at though Horse and Arms were the pretence But amidst these their devices for inriching themselves Lamberts ambition began to be suspected which was no less than to set up himself through the interest he then had with the Souldiery as his old friend Oliver had formerly done Wherefore for prevention of this danger they resolved to trust him no longer with any Command in the Army but cunningly to withdraw him that he might be severed from the Souldiers and to that end sent a seeming courteous invitation to allure him back to London of which he accepted with as fair a shew of Thanks But this stratagem of the Rumpers succeeded not for soon after ensued a Remonstrance from the Army directed thus To the Supream Authority of these Nations the Parliament of the Common-Wealth of England the humble Petition and Proposals of the Officers under the Command of the Right Honourable the Lord Lambert in the late Northern Expedition Which Remonstrance did so much tend to the advantage of the Souldiery and asserting their unlimited power as that the Rumpers forthwith declared that to have any more General Officers in the Army than were already setled by Parliament was needless chargeable and dangerous to the Common-Wealth Thus and in this manner began the first rise of those differences and distractions which at last so happily shattered these grand Hypocrites into pieces But the Army-Officers having not sufficiently ripened
the Parliament House crying No Bishops and calling them the limbs of Antichrist And on the same day to accompany so good a work they presented to the King by the hands of the Earl of Holland their grand Remonstrance of the Grievances of the Kingdom which had been ordered to be brought into the House the twelfth of August past thereby to blast all those gracious condescentions which they had obtained from him before Whereunto his Majesty soon after made a full and clear Answer and publish'd his Royal Declaration thereupon for the satisfaction of all his good Subjects to the end they might not be deluded by those undutiful false and scandalous aspersions cast upon his Government by that malicious Libel And soon after for the better prevention of any more such dangerous tumults and uproars at or near the Houses of Parliament he directed his special Writ according to the Statute unto the Sheriffs of London to place a Guard at Westminster But the House of Commons deeming this Guard thus legally placed by the King no way conducing to their Design presently voted it to be a breach of their priviledges and an offence of an high nature and thereupon not only order'd that the said Watch should be discharg'd but that the Justices of Middlesex for their obedience to his Majesties commands herein should be question'd whereupon Justice Long was committed to the Tower That there was a most factious party in the City of London which were great Instruments in raising the ensuing Rebellion is plain enough Nor is it less observable that they acted their parts therein by colour of Authority viz. by outing all the Common-Council which were men of worth and bringing men of desperate fortunes in their rooms Wherein they had such furtherance by the help of the multitude who aim'd at their own advantage by any change of Government that they then introduced Fowkes Ryley the Boddies-maker Perkins the Lord Say's Taylor Normington the Cutler Mills the Brick-layer and divers other such mean fellows instead of Mr. Drake Mr. Roger Clarke Sir George Bynion Mr. Roger Gardner and several other worthy Citizens whose loyalty they well knew could not be corrupted These being the principal agents in all the Tumults which stood them in much stead for accomplishing of their chiefest aims And therefore plain it was to be seen what design they had when they urged the passing of the Bill for not Adjourning or Dissolving of that Parliament without their own consents having such a party in the City to back them upon all occasions Having thus dissolv'd the Guard so appointed by his Majesty there came another Tumult of the Citizens to Westminster Whereupon some Members of the House of Commons making complaint of the danger whereunto they were subject by those riotous people and how that already they had been assaulted and evil intreated by them at the very door of the House desired that some course might be taken for restraining and punishing them for the same But instead thereof divers spoke in justification of them and commended their affections saying they must not discourage their friends this being a time to make use of them all And Mr. Pym added God forbid that the House of Commons should proceed in any sort to dishearten the people for obtaining their just desires in such a way And accordingly there was a paper delivered by some or other to the Minister that preach'd at Christ-Church the Sunday following desiring that Prayer might be made to God to assist the Apprentices with strength to root out Superstition and to extirpate the Innovations of the Bishops and Clergy After which matters were every day carried with a more high hand than before the Tumultuous people having as apparent countenance from the House as before they had private encouragement Insomuch as the Lord Mayor of London came to Whitehall and acquainted the King that he discerned if Sir Thomas Lunsford whom he had newly made Lieutenant of the Tower were not removed the Apprentices would rise and pull him out So that his Majesty to prevent such an insurrection took the Keys from Sir Thomas Lunsford and constituted Sir Thomas Byron in his room with whom the factious Spirits were as ill satisfied tho they knew not well what to object against him till at last Lieutenant Hooker the Aquavitae-man and Nicholson the Chandler complained in the Common-Council that since Sir Iohn Byron came to be Lieutenant of the Tower the Mint to the great prejudice and dishonour of the Kingdom stood still Yea so insolent were these tumultuous people grown that upon the Kings Proclamation grounded upon a Penal Law to dissipate them in contempt thereof they came early the next morning in greater numbers than ever divers of them being arm'd with Swords and Halberts and towards the evening assaulted the great Church at Westminster threatning to pull it down So that the Bishops thenceforth thought it not safe for themselves to come any more to the House The News whereof so pleased those unruly people that on the morrow they came again crying No Bishops notwithstanding another Proclamation issued out by the King to restrain them And in their return making a stand before Whitehall said that they would have no more Porter's Lodge there but would speak with the King when they pleased Which rebellious uproar caused his Majesty forthwith to place a Guard for his own safety at the Court-gates But the main cry of danger was by the House of Commons as if they themselves had been the only men in peril of their lives and therefore to make the greater shew of their own fears they order'd that Halberts should be brought into their House for defence of the Members and then they made a noise of new discoveries of farther dangerous conspiracies one by a Letter from France intimating great intelligence held betwixt England and Rome and no small likelihood of dreadful plots in agitation against this Kingdom Also of another Letter at the same time found in a Jesuit's Study of great troubles which should befall this Realm And the more to amuse the people they adjourn'd to sit in a Committee at Guild-Hall to draw up a Remonstrance of the many dangers this Kingdom had undergone within the space of three years Where being met another Letter pretended to be brought from Italy was read discovering divers Plots by the Papists here Whereupon they consider'd about drawing up of another Remonstrance laying open the peril of the Spanish Fleet the coming over of the Queen-Mother the Pope's Nuncio as also several other Plots in agitation by the Jesuits and a Romish-party Which subtil practices being set on foot by some particular persons of both Houses through whose influence chiefly others were guided caused his Majesty out of a desire to prevent the ensuing calamities which he clearly foresaw must by these means inevitably follow to demand the persons of the Lord
Children with their disposal in Marriage to the vile affections and humours of this hypocritical Generation ¶ That their confidence likewise in carrying all before them with power and force through the aid of the Scots might the more appear I shall now represent unto you Presbytery Triumphant for a while For within six days after they had sent these insolent propositions to the King they voted down the reverend Liturgy by Law establish'd in the Church of England And for a farther encouragement to those their dear brethren on whose assistance they did so much relie which emboldened them to make those high demands they passed an Ordinance for raising the Sum of sixty six thousand six hundred sixty six pounds thirteen shillings and four pence for their supply by way of Loane from such persons as should not voluntarily or proportionably lend according to their estates Which Loane was to be paid out of the Sequestrations of Delinquents But to make the more specious ostentation to the world that all their Actions wholly tended to the Glory of God the publick good and nothing to their own private interests they farther voted that no member of either House should during that war enjoy or execute any office or command military or civil which had been granted or conferred on them by either House or by any Authority derived from either House and that an Ordinance should be drawn up accordingly Next they passed an Ordinance for the utter abolishing the Pious Liturgy commonly called the Book of Common Prayer complied by divers reverend Divines of which some died Martyrs and for the establishing a Directory as they call'd it for the worship of God in the room thereof whereby every conceited person was left at liberty unto his own frothy fancy in framing certain Prayers whereunto the Congregation were to say Amen a thing so absurd and destructive to the true and real service of God as that there needs no observations upon it And the day following to glorify their doings the more they adorn'd their House of Commons with that whole suit of Hangings which were placed in the Quire of the Collegiate Church at Westminster and some other taken out of the King's wardrobe And having proceeded against the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury whose memory as a stout Champion for the Church of England against her fierce assaylants the Romanists on the one side and Schismaticks on the other and for his many other great and pious works much beseeming a person of that place will be precious to succeeding ages by arraigning him before themselves upon articles of high Treason as they call'd them wherein they charg'd him with labouring to overthrow the Fundamental Laws and Government of this Kingdome subverting the Religion establish'd to set up Papistry and Superstition they did by an Ordinance passed the very same day with that for abolishing the Book of Common Prayer condemn him to suffer death as a Traytor for the quicker dispatch whereof they brought down the Lords to sit with the Commons and afterwards beheaded him on Tower-hill After which they admitted of a Treaty with certain Commissioners nominated by the King upon those Propositions so sent by them as hath been observed Which Treaty being by them limited to twenty days began at Uxbridge on Thursday the 30th of Ianuary To take notice here of the particular passages in this treaty considering that they are so exactly set forth in print will not be needfull The truth is that though these Grandees at Westminster did then make shew to incline unto a happy composure of all things by that amicable expedient to the end that by this plausible pretence they might the more captivate the people they really intended nothing less as may appear not onely by those unjust and insolent demands whereupon they did so stifly insist which amounted to the uter subversion of the Religion by Law establisht getting the power of the sword into their own hands and carrying on the war in Ireland according to their depraved wills and pleasures but by that seditious and impudent Sermon preach'd in Uxbridge Church upon the first day of that Treaty it being the Market-day there by Mr. Christopher Love after executed by themselves on Tower-Hill who besides many passages therein scandalous to the King's person and derogatory to his Honour stirring up the People against the Treaty and sharply incensing them against his Majesties Commissioners said that they came with Hearts full of bloud and that there was as great a distance betwixt that Treaty and peace as betwixt Heaven and Hell For which malicious expression though complaint was made and Justice demanded no redress could be had Besides when the King's Commissioners desired to treat with them concerning his Majesties speedy return to Westminster they utterly refused so to do though they had ever given it out to the world that the sole reason for raising their Armies was to bring the King to his Parliament CHAP. XIX AS to the military passages of this year the chief on the Kings part were these Longford house in Com. Salop. was rendred by the Rebels to Prince Rupert As also Longe-castle in the same County Likewise Stopport in Cheshire Lathom house in Lancashire being besieged by Sir Thomas Fairfax was relieved by Prince Rupert whereupon Leverpoole and Bolton both in that County were soon taken by him Borstall-house in Oxfordshire taken by Colonell Gage Colonell Shuttleworth defeated at Blackburn in Lancashire by Prince Rupert Sir William Waller with his forces routed at Cropredy-bridge in Oxfordshire the Earls of Northampton and Cleveland being both in that action And York after nine weeks siege by the Scots the Lord Fairfax and Earl of Manchester assisting them reliev'd by Prince Rupert In the next month Lestithiel in Cornwall being then taken by the King the Earl of Essex forfook his Foot and fled in a Cock-boat from Foy to Plymouth with the Lord Roberts the foot then under the command of Major general Skippon delivering up their Arms Ammunition and Artillery and engaging themselves thenceforth never to bear Arms against the King Basing house also being again besieged by the Rebells was reliev'd by Colonel Gage The Earl of Northampton likewise rais'd the siege of Banbury-Castle which had continued from the 19th of Iuly And the next month following the King raised the siege of Donington-Castle in Berkshire as also that of Basing But as to further success on the King's part within the compass of this year 1644. I do not find any thing of note saving the defeat given to Colonel Rosseter near Melton Moubray in Leicestershire by Sir Marmaduke Langdale in his passage from Oxford towards Pontfract And his relief of Pontfract-Castle then besieged by the Lord Fairfax ¶ I now come to the Actions on the Rebels part in this year 1644. wherein they had
preamble whereof beginneth thus for asmuch as the Prosperity and Safety of this Nation and the Dommions thereunto belonging very much dependeth under God upon the security and preservation of the person of his Highness c. In which Act several offences were adjudged Treason and certain Commissioners for England and Wales therein nominated for the Tryal of Offenders against the said Act. Which foundation being so laid it was by his Friends and Favourers then thought high time to discover what they would be at and accordingly moved that whereas this Nation had for thirteen hundred years at the least been governed by Kings and though some of them had offended the people yet that Title had never been abolished Also whereas the Government by the said Title was interwoven with the Laws and accommodated to the dispositions of the people that they should humbly Petition and Advise his Highness to take upon him the same Title Which motion took such effect that there was an Instrument soon drawn up by them called the Humble Petition and Advice whereby they besought his Highness so to do Whereunto that he might not seem to have any knowledg of what they were about much less any desire thereof but be still more and more sought to and importuned therein he answered with all shew of modesty that indeed those Arguments which they had used to him were persuasive but not compulsive and that the Title of Protector might be well accommodated to the Laws To which they replyed that the Title ought to be such as was suitable to the Laws and the Laws not be made suitable to the Title urging the Statutes of 9. Edw. IV. and 3. Henr. VII whereby it was provided that no one should suffer for bearing Arms on the behalf of him that was de facto King though he had no just right to the Crown Which Arguments were made use of to him meerly for shew the better to disguise his ambitious aim as though without such strong motives he could not have been won thereto But the plain truth is that after this business came thus in question the Sectaries of all sorts nay a great part of the Souldiery shewed a vehement dislike thereof being privately instigated by Lambert and some other of the Principal Officers who did themselves upon Cromwels death expect to have succeeded him in the Place of Protector it being Elective as is manifest from the Instrument of Government whereby that Tyrant was at first so Constituted whereas had he been advanced to the Title of King the case might have been otherwise So that this crafty Fox discerning no small peril to himself by such divisions as might thereby arise especially in the Army wherein lay his chief strength and support thought it the safest way to decline it and to stick still to that of Protector yet to have the Government setled in a kind of Monarchic manner And so in imitation of that which had formerly been Regal to have a House of Peers But against that also there were great and high oppositions so that though it was with much ado agreed that there should be another House yet it would not be allowed the Title of an House of Peers Whereupon the result was that an Act Intituled The Humble Petition and Advice should pass whereby they ordained what Stile the chief Magistrate should have idest Lord Protector of the Common-Wealth of England Scotland and Ireland and the Dominions and Territories thereto belonging Likewise that Parliaments consisting of two Houses should be called once in three years with qualifications of such as should serve therein And that the number of such as should sit in the other House should be nominated by the Lord Protector and approved by the House of Commons Moreover that he should have power to nominate his Successor And that a Confession of Faith should be agreed on by his Highness and the Parliament according to the Rule and Warrant of the Scriptures Which Act being presented to him accordingly was assented to and passed But that Act being in some sort deficient about a month following they passed another relating thereto and called The Explanatory Petition and Advice Wherein inter alia is this Clause viz. Whereas in the Fourth Article Publick Ministers or Publick Preachers of the Gospel are disabled to the Elected to serve in Parliament it is hereby explained and declared to such Ministers and Preachers only as have maintenance for Preaching or are Pastors or Teachers of Congregations In which Act is also contained the Oaths of the Lord Protector and of his Privy-Council as also the Oaths of the Members of that Parliament Soon after which he was again in WestMinster-Hall standing under a Rich State solemnly invested into his Old Title of Lord Protector and into the Government thus new modelled Where in the presence of the Members of that Parliament Sir Thomas Widdrington their Speaker delivered unto him in the name of them all and as Representatives of all the people in the three Kingdoms a Purple Robe lyned with Ermine as also a Bible Sword and Scepter descanting upon each of them as significant in some respect All which being performed the Instrument of that new Modelled Government called The Humble Petition and Advice was publickly read Whereunto assenting he was then and there Proclaimed Protector of England Scotland and Ireland with sound of 〈◊〉 and afterwards in the City of London So likewise at Dublin in Ireland and Edenburgh in Scotland Which new devised Government so much resembling Monarchy though the Title did not sute thereto did so 〈◊〉 please the Anabaptists and Fifth-Monarchy men that they 〈◊〉 spired his ruin by a sudden Insurrection but their 〈◊〉 being timely discerned came at length to nothing 〈◊〉 reupon for prevention of farther mischief he committed to Prison several persons of no small note whose power with the Souldiery might otherwise have much endangered his safety Viz. Lawson one of his Admirals at Sea Harrison Rich Danvers and some other Colonels Nay Lambert himself being aware that his hopes of succeeding him were then by that new framed Government frustrated began to fall off from him and to incline to the Fanaticks Which so awakened the Protector that he took from him his Commission of Lieutenant General and gave it to Fleetwood who by the Marriage of his Daughter stood more nearly typed to his Interest And that he might the better allure those of the Army and some other which were no great friends to him to conform the more pliantly to this his new setled Dominion he tickled them with the specious Title of Lords by calling them to fit in the other House obliging also many other desperate and mean persons which were Officers of the Army with the like shadows of Honour The names of which persons so called were as followeth viz. Richard Cromwel his eldest Son Henry Cromwel his other Son then Lord Deputy of Ireland Nathaniel Fienes