valiant his praise might justly have exceeded the ancient Semi-gods and the Pyramids of his same have endured with glory to eternity though he was now buried obscurely in Harry the sevenths Chappell and neither Statua nor Tombe erected to his memory The Lord Protector having how ensured his greatness begins to conferre Titles of honour upon his Children his eldest Son Richard is made Chancellour of the University of Oxford and his younger Son Henry sent over Lord Deputy into Ireland where 't is affirmed by some that he governed both with such prudence and magnanimity together that he had in short time gained the loves both of the English and Irish in that Nation And 't is by most conceived probable that had his Father lest the Government of England to him as he did to his Son Richard these Nations might have still remained subject to that Family About this time the Armyes in Flanders being still disposed in their Winter-Quarters Sir John Reynolds Commander in chief together with Collonel White and some other Commanders of Note imbarquing in a Shallop at Mardike to come over and visit his Highness the Lord Protector were by a suddain storm driven upon the Goodwin Sands and were there all drowned His Highness had in this intervall of the Parliaments Sessions made choice of sundry persons to fill up his other House or Pageant-House of Lords which because posterity may know what persons they were every one almost having heard both of them and known the rise of most of them I shall here insert their Names 1. Richard Cromwell 2. Henry Cromwell 3. Nathaniell Feins 4. John Liste Commissioners of the great Seal 5. Henry Lawrence President of the Privy Counsell 6. Charles Fleetwood Lieutenant Generall 7. Robert Earl of Warwick 8. Edmund Earl of Malgrave 9. Edward Earl of Manchester 10. William Viscount Say and Seal 11. Phillip Lord Visc Liste 12. Charles Lord Visc Howard 13. Phillip Lord Wharton 14. Thomas Lord Falconbridge 15. George Lord Ewers 16. Iohn Cleypool 17. Iohn Disborow 18. Edward Montague 19. Bulstrode Whitlock 20. William Sidenham 21. Sr Charles Woelsey 22. Sr Gilbert Pickering 23. Phillip Skippon 24. Walter Strickland 25. Francis Rouse 26. Iohn Iones 27. Sr William Strickland 28. Iohn Fines 29. Sr Francis Russell 30. Sr Thomas Homeywood 31. Sr Arthur Hasterig 32. Sr Iohn Hebard 33. Sr Richard Onslow 34. Sr Gilbert Gerrard 35. Sr William Roberts 36. Iohn Glyn. 37. Oliver St Iohns Judges 38. William Pierrepoint 39. Iohn Crew 40. Alexander Popham 41. Phillip Iones 42. Sr Christopher Pack 43. Sr Robert Tichborn 44. Edward Whalley 45. Iohn Barkstead Lieut. of the Tower 46. Sr Iohn Hewson 47. Sr Thomas Pride 48. Sr George Fleetwood 49. Richard Ingoldsby 50. Iames Berry 51. William Goffe 52. Thomas Gooper 53. Edmund Thomas 54. George Monk Generall in Scotland 55. David Earl of Cassils 56. Sr William Lockhart 57. Archibald Iohnson of Warreston 58. William Steel 59. Roger Lord Broghill 60. Sr Mathew Thomlinson 61. William Lenthall 62. Richard Hampden This is the Catalogue of those Lords at least such as were ordered to be so esteemed by the Protector which were by him created Peers of the Land though without any other Title then that of bare Lord how unfit many of them were to be so I 'le leave to any rationall man to judge since though there might some persons of honour he pickt out amongst them men raised by the power of the Sword yet were the greatest part of them such as had either raised themselves fortunes out of these Kingdomes distractions and so were as deeply engaged against their King and Country as himself which made them indeed the fitter for his designes as being most likely to stand true to his interest But the time of the prorogation of the Parliament being expired they make their appearance in the House the Pageant-House of Lords likewise sitting according to ancient custome whither the Protector coming sends to the Commons to tell them that he attended them in the House of Lords whither the Speaker with the rest of the Members immediately go to whom he makes a very fair speech telling them in conclusion that if they would go on to prosecute his designes that they should be called the blessed of the Lord and the generations to come would bless them c. But the Parliament according to the fourth Article of the Petition and Advice which sayes That no Members legally chosen should be excluded from performance of their duty but by consent of Parliament immediately proceed to the calling over and re-admitting of those Members which had formerly been secluded by the Protector to his Highnesses no little discontent The Parliament being now full began to be angry at the House of Lords and to esteem it only as a Pageant-Parliament set up on purpose to mock them for it was strange to them that that power which was created but by a part of a Parliament should have a negative voice over a sull House And at length they went so far as to question the Protectors power in calling them or Authorizing them to sit as a House of Peers which he finding thought it not fitting to let businesses of this high nature run too far So on the 4th of February he goes to his House of Lords and by the Master of the black Rod he sends to acquaint the House of Commons of his being there so the Speaker and the rest of the Members repairing thither and standing without the Bar his Highness sitting under a Chair of Estate made a large Speech to them and in conclusion told them That it did concern his interest as much as the publick peace and tranquillity of the Nation to terminate that Parliament and therefore he did now put an end to their sitting So the House in obedience to his commands dissolved And now the Protector having a plot near discovery orders the settlement of the Militia of London but in such mens hands as would certainly be faithfull to his interest this he doth under pretence to perswade the people how much he labours for their security which to make them more sensible of presently after succeeds the discovery of this horrible terrible plot and herein not only his own person must be endangered but the Tower and Mews must be furprized both at one time the City of London fired and all the Souldiers about it to be put to the Sword and all this monstrous Gunpowder-work to be performed by not above thirty persons of whom the Reverend Dr Hewit a man so truly Christian that he would rather have prayed for then revenged himself of an enemy must be head here whilest Sr Henry Slingsby must from a prisoner in the Castle take possession of the Garrison of Hull yet these two with about twenty or thirty others of meaner rank were clapt up into the Tower and after some time being brought before the high Court of Justice erected for that purpose were charged with high Treason For
Person and Authority and to proceed against all such Offenders according to Law and Justice which Declaration was published Munday May 7th From Ireland arrived a Declaration of the General convention there wherein they expressed their detestation of the most execrable murder of our late most Gracious Soveraigne Charles the first and the illegall proceedings of the High Court of Justice against him The Parliament Ordered 50000lb to be sent over to his Majesty for a present as a test of their duty and loyalty and 50000lb more towards the payment of the Arrears of the Army and sent a Committee to the City to desire them to raise the money immediately for which they should receive satisfaction by the next assessement and receive in the mean the interest at 6. per cent which was presently granted by the City and care taking for its spedy provision The Commoncounsell of the City of London to testifie their loyall gratitude to his Majesty Ordered 10000lb to be sent for a present to his Majesty and 300lb to be given to the Lord Mordant and Sr John Greenvile who brought them his Majesties Letter to buy each of them a Ring They likewise ordered that to the most illustrious Prince James Duke of York and his Princely Brother Henry Duke of Glocester a 1000lb be presented to each of them The Parliament Order that a stop be put to the sale of the Estates of the Lord Craven Sr John Stawell and Alderman Bunce and likewise to the estate of the Duke of Buckingham and that their names be inserted into the proviso of the Bill of of Grants and Sales The Horse adjourned Easter Term to Quinque Paschae being May 28th 1660. Upon the third of May the Lord Mountague having received a Letter from his Majesty together with his Majesties gracious message to the House of Commons the Letter to his Excellency and Declaration presently called a Counsel of War to whom he communicated the said Letters which were received by them all with much hearty affections and testimonies of their exact loyalty and duty to his Majesty whereupon the General firing the first Gun himself cried God blesse King Charles the Guns from the rest of the Fleet with those from Deal and Sandwich Castles did with loud Vollies re-eccho the joy for such a happy time the shouts of the Seamen testifying their extraordinary cheerfullnesse and alacrity But now comes the day the like whereof was never enrolled in the Enguish Calender nor ever was there known a day whereon the people did with so unanimous and generall consent testifie their unexpressible content and gladness And well might they since from this time alone we can truly date the restored happinesse of the English Nation what passed before being as it were only glimmerings of this immense and radiant light The Parliament having the day before Ordered the Proclamation of his Majesty to be on the 8th day of May he was with the greatest solemnity possible all the chief Lords of the Parliament attending in their Coaches together with many eminent Members of the House of Commons the Lord General the Lord Major and Aldermen with the whole Militia of the City Proclaimed Charles by the Grace of God of England Scotland France and Ireland the most potent mighty and undoubted King Nor did they intend by this Proclamation to seem as if they thought his Reign was to be begun from that time but confessed that forthwith upon the death of his Father the Imperiall Crown of England and the Dominions thereof did as absolutely bring unto him as now after Proclamation so that this is the twelfth year of the Reign of our Soveraign Lord King Charles the second whom God preserve The House of Lords the House of Commons and the City of London made choice of severall most eminent and worthy persons of their number to attend his Majesty which that they may not by posterity be forgotten I have inserted their names For the House of Lords Earl of Oxford Earl of Middlefex Lord Brooke Earl of Warwick Lord Viscount Hereford Lord Barkley For the House of Commons Lord Fairfax Lord Bruce Lord Falkland Lord Castleton Lord Herbert Lord Mandevile Sr Horatio Townsend Sr Ant. Ashey-Cooper Sr George Booth Denzill Hollis Esq Sr John Holland Sr Henry Chomely For the honourable City of London Sr James Bunce Bar. Alderman Langham Alderman Reynardson Alderman Browne Sr Nicholas Crispe Alderman Thomson Alderman Fredrick Alderman Adams Recorder Wilde Alderman Robinson Alderman Bateman Alderman Wale Theophilus Biddulph Richard Ford. Will. Vincent Thomas Bludworth Will. Bateman J. Lowes Esq Major Chamberlaine Coll. Brumfield By Order from the Parliament that all Signs of the late Arbytrary Power might be rased the States Armes were to be taken down from all Churches and publick places that in the Parliament House and in Guildhall being taken down and the Kings Armes set up in their room the Statue of his late Majesty was likewise set up again at the Chappel in Guild-hall-yard The Votes of the Parliament were also for the Fleet to go immediately to receive his Majesties Orders and be at his Devotion That the Kings Majesty be desired to return speedily to Parliament and exercise of his Kingly Office That all Ministers shall in their publick prayers pray for his Majesty under the name of Our Soveraign Lord Charles by the Grace of God of England Scotland France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith c. And the most Illustrious Prince James Duke of York with the rest of the Royall Progeny Which is the hearty and fervent prayer of the Author and all good Subjects and so let the conclusion be Long live King Charles II. THere is now made publique Eighteen Books of the Secrets of Art and Nature being the sum and substance of Naturall Philosophy First designed by John Wecker and now much inlarged by Dr. R. Read Sould at the Star in St. Pauls Church-yard
one Government they proceed to consider of the establishment of another but agree only in a negative Vote That there should for the future be no Government in England either by King or House of Lords They break the old Great Seal and cause a new one to be made which is delivered to the keeping of three Commissioners viz. Mr Keeble Mr Whitlock and Mr Lisle They likewise consider of Oaths to be administred to the Judges who thereupon meet and upon debate six of them are content to continue in their employments provided the fundamentall Laws of the Land be not altered which were viz. Chief Justice Rolles and Justice Jerman of the Kings Bench Lord Chief Justice St John Justice Phesant of the Common Pleas Lord Chief Baron Wild and Baron Yates and in order to these Judges satisfaction in their forementioned scruple the Parliament by their Declaration of the ninth of February do declare That they are fully resolved to maintain and shall and will uphold preserve and keep the fundamentall Laws of this Nation for and concerning the preservation of the lives properties and liberties of the people with all things incident there unto with the alterations touching King and House of Lords already resolved in this present Parliament for the good of the people and whatsoever shall be further necessary to the perfecting thereof and by it requiring all Judges Justices c. to execute and administer in their respective Offices and Trusts c. The House order a Committee to consider of such Persons as they should think fit to be Justices of the Peace throughout the Nation they likewise order another Committee to consider of Persons whom they might judg fit to constitute a Councell of State whose number should be forty whereof only five Lords or not above And whereas before they had only repealed they now wholly make void the Oath of Allegiance and Supremacy Thus though the Parliament are endeavouring all means to make themselves as secure and firm in the Government as they can yet are the people generally discontented those who formerly affected them now sensible of the inconveniencies like to ensue the cutting off of their Prince as much disaffect them so that there is generally plotting in all Countries which makes the Parliament send forces into severall Counties to keep them in awe whilest the Royalists in Pomfret Castle still hold out hoping some relief may arise from those so universall discontents But let us from England pass a little into Scotland and we shall find that the Kings death is much more resented there at the first news of his Condemnation they proclaim a solemn Fast with Prayers to God for his deliverance but upon the news of his Execution such was their sorrow that the whole City of Edenborough seemd a flood of tears The Parliament upon this exigence are convened and putting it to the vote it passed nemine contradicente that his Eldest Sonne should be proclaimed King and accordingly a Proclamation was drawn which because of some niceties in it not usuall in things of this nature I think fit to insert as followeth viz. The Estates of Parliament presently convened in this second Session of the second trienniall Parliament by vertue of an Act of the Committee of Estates who had power and authority from the last Parliament for convening the Parliament considering that forasmuch as the Kings Majesty who lately reigned is contrary to the dissent and protestation of this Kingdom removed by a violent death and that by the Lords blessing there is left unto us a righteous Heir and lawfull Successor Charles Prince of Scotland and Wales now King of Great Brittain France and Ireland We the Estates of the Parliament of the Kingdom of Scotland do therefore most unanimously and cheerfully in recognition and acknowledgment of his just right Title and succession to the Crown of these Kingdoms hereby proclaim and declare to all the world that the said Lord and Prince Charles is by the providence of God and by the lawfull and right of undoubted succession and descent King of Great Brittain France and Ireland whom all the subjects of this Kingdom are bound humbly and faithfully to obey maintain and defend according to the Nationall Covenant and the solemn League and Covenant betwixt the Kingdome with their lives and goods against all deadly enemies as their only righteous Soveraign Lord and King And because his Majesty is bound by the Law of God and fundamentall Laws of this Kingdom to rule in righteousness and equity to the honour of God the good of Religion and the wealth of his people it is hereby declared That before he be admitted to the exercise of his Royall power he shall give satisfaction to this Kingdom in those things that concern the security of Religion the unity betwixt the Kingdoms and the good and peace of this Kingdom according to the Nationall Covenont and the solemn League and Covenant for which end we are resolved with all possible expedition to make our humble and earnest addresses to his Majesty For the testification of all which we the Parliament of the Kingdom of Scotland publish this our acknowledgment of his just right Title and succession to the Crown of these Kingdoms at the Market-Cross in Edenborough with all usuall solemnities in like cases and ordain his Royall Name Portract and Seal to be used in the publike writings and Judicatories of this Kingdome and in the Mint-house as was usually done to his Royall Predecessors and command this Act to be proclaimed at all the Market-Crosses of the Royall Burghs within this Kingdom and to be printed that none may pretend ignorance God save King Charles the second This was done by the Parliament the Lords in all their Robes the Cross was richly hanged the Chancellor brought up the Proclamation read it to the King at Arms who proclaimed it there being an universall joy in the City and their great Guns from the Castle sending peals of the same into the adjacent Countries The solemnity being past care was taken for the sending Messengers to acquaint his Majesty with the business Sr Edward Douglas was chosen to go and acquaint him with it to desire him to take heed of evill Councellors c. that there should very speedily a more full address be made to him In the mean time a Fast is proclaimed and supplications made that God would prosper their addresses to him for the good both of the Kirk and State The Lords and the whole Parliament in the mean time put on mourning for the death of his Father But to return to England again The beheaded old King Charles was February 12. thirteen days after his death buried at Windsor in the same Vault where Henry the eighth was interred without any manner of solemnity the Bishop of London Dr Juxon and some few others attending him to his Funerall The Parliament not thinking that they are not yet secure enough whilest they have only power over
arbitrary justice should provide them with rewards for the present and security for the future And now comes out the humble Representation and Petition of the Army wherein though they seemingly professed all obedience yet they tacitly harped upon the former string and drove at the maintaining their own power in opposition to the Houses interest This was tediously discussed in the House and every particular exactly scanned some of which the Parliament utterly disliking as tending to the overthrow of their Power and perceiving the Army still to go on in their clandestine designs they resolve to make provision against them And the Army seeing their resolution proceed vigorously likewise though privately yet they put out the former Representation in Print and endeavour as much as they could to encrease the number of the Subscribers The Parliament on the other side to cut off all hopes as they thought of the Armyes subsistance except in and by them and so prevent their designs pass an Act that it should be treason in all persons whatsoever to raise levy or collect Money without consent of Parliament and likewise make void the Acts for Custome and Excize that if the Army should proceed in their designs they might be cut off from maintenance This being thus ordered they likewise vote the Commissions of those nine notorious Worthies and so infamous Patriots of their Country and promoters of its good and settlement the contrary way viz Lambert Desborough Berry Kelsey Ashfield Cobbet Creed Packer and Barrow to be null and void and disposed their Regiments otherwise and likewise order the Government of the Army to be by seven Commissioners in whom the power should joyntly reside these were Fleetwood Ludlow Generall Monke Haslerig Walton Morley and Overton thinking hereby to cure this hot distemper and reduce them to obedience But whilest they are thus quick and nimble in their resolutions Lambert and the rest of his complices are not behind them in diligence but having strengthened their Party as much as time would give leave and drawn as many of the Souldiery as they could from the obedience of the Parliament resolve once more to put an end to their sitting and rather turn them out of doors then sit down quietly with the loss of their Commissions The Parliament having over night notice of what was intended the day following had given order for the drawing of what Forces were yet faithfull to them to Westminster in order to the guarding them the next day Collonel Mosses and Collonel Morleys Regiments immediately obeyed their Commands and repaired to the Pallace-yard in the night and early in the morning but Lambert having gathered the rest of the Army together did immediately there surround them stopping all the avenues so that there was no hopes of any more assistance and whilst they were thus in opposition the Speaker was by Major Creed turned back again and not suffered to passe to the House and at last both parties having stood almost all the day at bay were on a sudden reconciled with mutual resolution to advance a Lambertonian faction Lambert having thus over-master'd his Masters and dismissed them from their Power and Authority upon consultation with his fellow-Worthies cals a Counsel of Officers who immediately post away Collonel Barrow for Ireland and Collonel Cobbet for Scotland to winne the Armies there if possible to a compliance with their actions And that these migh be thought Devils which did believe and tremble they order a Day of Humiliation intending to mock God that they might according to the custome of their Predecessors with greater ease and secrecy gull the people They proceed in the next place to the settlement of the Army and make choice of Fleetwood for Captain General or rather stalking-horse to Lamberts all-commanding power Lambert Major General and Disbrow Commissary General of the horse and appoint a Committee for nomination of Officers in the rooms of those who for their taking part with the Parliament against them they had discarded Having in some sort setled their military Power that they might not be seen to do what they really intended that is to rule by the Sword alone they make out a kind of spurious Oligarchy or rather Anarchy in whose Power without more ado they put the Laws Lives and Liberty of the English This they call a Committee of Safety which how it deserves the name I will leave the Reader to judge giving him the names of the members thereof men either of lunatick and crack-brain'd principles as having been all along the grandest ringleaders of the Sectaries or such whose ambitious spirits would terminate no where but in the slavery and ruine of their native Countrey most of which was ingaged in the horrid murther of their lawfull Sovereign But let Posterity know and detest their memory Charls Fleetwood General John Lambert Major General John Disbrow Commissary General Lord Chancellor Steel Bulstrode Whitlock Sr Henry Vane L t General Ludlow Col. Sydenham Major Salway Lord Strickland Col. Berry Lawrence Sr James Harrington Sr Archibald Johnston alias Lord Wareston John Ireton L d Maior Robert Titchburn Ald. Henry Brandrith Robert Thompson Col. Hewson Col. Clerk Col. Lilburne Col. Bennet Cornelius Holland A happy case was the Nation like to be in when such a crew of mechanical and fanatical persons excepting two or three was to have the Command of its Sword and Laws These are the men who now must model our Government and bring us into a free and equal Commonwealth alias the most intollerable of all bondages and slaveries But whilst they go on thus jocundly in their proceedings conceiving now all was their own and that the Government would be perpetuated to the Saints and their children there comes a Letter from General Monck out of Scotland declaring the dis-satisfaction of himself and several Officers to their proceedings this awakes the worme of their consciences though for the present they take no publick notice of it But that they might give their former actions the best gloss they can they put out a Declaration showing the reason of their late transactions and highly rail against the injustice and arbitrary Power of the Parliament who without any reason given would have turned away their good servant Lambert and his associates which might have made such a president as must have laid the Officers of the Army at the feet and mercy of the Parliament at pleasure to prevent which and other inconveniences they thought good to dissolve them and did likewise declare their late hasty and irregular Acts against levying of money and for governing the Army by Commissioners acts which tended absolutely to the ruine of the Army and so consequently as they said to the destruction and confusion of the Nation to be null and void THE Renowned Actions OF General MONCK The true Politician 1659 1660. BUt now the noble General Monck a man of other principles then to joyn hand in hand with a company of such perfidious Traitors is
not idle he seises upon and secures such Officers of the Army there as he knew any wayes inclining to such dangerous attempts and presently possessed himself of Barwick and other places of strength committing all the suspected persons prisoners first to Tyntalian-Castle and afterwards to the Basse-Island This news extreamly startles our Reformadoes and make them begin to look about them and to think what way they might either compose the differences or reduce them to reason by force of Arms. But they are resolved to use all means to compasse both Land and Sea to make him a proselyte and to this purpose in hopes to winne him by fair means they send down his brother-in-law Dr Claerges with Collonel Talbot to mediate with him their former agent Collonel Cobbet having found no better reception then the prison of Edinburgh Castle Nay and least these two should not have power enough to prevail they order after them Commissary General Whaley and Collonel Goffe both formerly grand Protectorians and with Mr Caryl and Mr Barker two Independent Parsons that so he might have all argument alledged to him which either the Sword or the Spirit could furnish them withall Whilst these are on their journey Major General Morgan a man too honest for such knavish association takes his journey out of Yorkeshire to General Monck with whom he hath demonstrated himself a good help to the restoration of his King and Countrey General Monck having new modelled his Army in Scotland and weeded those noxious plants which by their infection must needs have given poison in stead of nutriment resolves to advance towards the Borders taking Oath in the mean time of the Nobility and Gentry of Scotland an Assembly of whom he convened to acquiesce themselves and likewise endeavour to keep all others in quiet in the time of his absence from them The afore-said Commissioners of the Army coming to him he received them with all demonstrations of civility and professed his readinesse to joyn with the Army in England provided they would restore the Parliament to its due Rights and Priviledges and that then he would use his utmost endeavours for the composing of differences and obtaining an Act of Pardon and Oblivion for all in general But that they might see in the mean time how unwilling he was to be any cause of blood-shedding and to avoid bringing a warre into his native Countrey which though raised for the defence of it must needs be its ruine and destruction he had ordered three Commissioners viz. Collonel Wilkes Lieutenant Col. Clobery and Major Knight to go up to London and if possible to make a fair end of the Controversie And this signified to the Officers at London by their Commissioners there This was the way of their endeavours by peace but lest this should prove ineffectual to to reduce him they had prepared for Warre likewise Lambert was already on his march thither with all the strength of the Army both Horse and Foot in so numerous a body that in all probability had they had to doe with a person lesse wise and prudent than this noble General they would quickly have consummated their own victory and his and this Nations ruine They likewise upon Lambert's departure had ordered and chosen new Commissioners for the Militia in London picking out such persons for the most part whose schismatical principles or else former notorious crimes were like to make them stick surest to so bad compartners and into these mens power they put the whole Command of the City Lambert being already advanced Northward coming into Yorkshire doth there joyn with the Irish Brigade and those forces under the Command of Collonel Lilburne and whilst every body expected that a sudden fight would make a decision of the controversie General Monck by extraordinary prudence keeps off at swords point with fair words and as we may truly say pious fraud deceives this so grand jugler and deceiver The Commissioners of General Monck which we aforementioned were now arrived at London and by the appointment of the Counsel of Officers persons were ordered to treat with them who after several debates brought businesses almost to a period by the fault of Collonel Wilks who transcended the bounds of his Commission and for his pains was upon his return justly imprisoned by the General By his simplicity I say things were brought to a result or agreement the heads whereof were these The utter renouncing of Charles Stuart or any other claiming from that Family The Government to be by a Free-State and not King single Person or House of Lords That a godly and learned Ministry be maintained and encouraged The Vniversities to be reformed and countenanced so as to become the Nurseries of Piety and Learning That the Officers and Souldiers and other Persons on either side be indemnified for what is past touching their late differences and that all unkindnesses betwixt them be buried in oblivion The Officers prisoners in Scotland to be set at liberty The Armies on both sides presently to depart to their respective Quarters And lastly That there be a Committee of nineteen consisting of five persons for England and five for Scotland not Members of the Army and three for England three for Scotland and three for Ireland all of which except one are Members of the Army and of these nineteen nine shall be a Quorum and are to meet to determine and conclude what is necessary for the Qualifications of Parliaments c. This is part of that Agreement which was pretended to be made between the Army here and the Commissioners of the Lord General Monck which because it did prove vain and abortive deserves no further particular mention About this time several designs of the Rump to restore themselves to their former power began to be glimmeringly perceived Collonel Morley and several other Officers of the Army making protests against the present proceedings But the Committee of Safety perceiving the danger their new Government was in of being stifled in the birth and finding City and Countrey to be generally disaffected with them except those who were of schismatical principles do order Commissions to be issued out for raising several Foot-Regiments of these throughout the Nation under the notion of the well-affected And that they might seem to have conquered some difficulties they daily by their Pamphleteer publish the best of their own Condition and produce Letters from Ireland of Novemb. 10th 1659. wherein they declare the Armies in Ireland non-approbation of the actions of General Monck and their free concurrence with their Brethren in England But as this was only a pretence from some persons there equally interessed with themselves in the late irregular actions so did it suddenly after vanish into nothing the generality there under Sir Hardresse Waller perfectly declaring for their enemies the Rump But here I must make some short digression For this Moneth it pleased God that that monster of men and unparallel'd murtherer Bradshaw died in
thirtieth Articles concerning Church-censure and Synods They likewise constitute General Monck together with General Montague to be Generals at Sea for the next Summers expedition and accordingly command Montague to go to Sea with all possible speed And because several Members had impeachments against them and upon that score were secluded the House they disanull those impeachments and re-admit them as namely Mr Denzil Hollis and Sr Robert Pye About this time the Deanry of Christ-Church which had for a long time been in the hands of Dr Owen a man look'd upon at Oxford as a hair-brain'd schismatick was taken from him and confirmed to Dr Reynolds a man who farre better deserved it They likewise at the beginning of March released the Lord Lindsey the Lord Sinclare and Lord Lauderdale from their tedious imprisonments to which upon various pretences they had been committed Dr Walker and Dr Turner were made Judges of the Admiralty and Probate of Wils and Dr Wiseman constituted the Commonwealths Advocate And now was the Lord General invited to Dinner by the Company of Mercers and afterwards by several other of the Companies the Citizens striving mutually who should in the best manner discover and expresse the gratefulness and esteem they bore for his noble and heroick actions At this time there was an assembly of a Parliamentary Convention in Ireland summoned by Sr Charles Coote and the Lord Broghill for the better Regulating of affairs there till all things in England might be in a better posture The Parliament that they might testifie to the world that they were not so forgetfull of Oaths as their fellow-Members order the solemn League and Covenant to be set up and read in all Churches and likewise to be set up in the Parliament that they might remember they had sworn for the maintenance of the King and his posterity Collonel Lambert being found to lurk up and down about the City notwithstanding the Order of the Parliament was as a person too dangerous to be trusted to himself at such a time as this committed to the Tower Orders were sent down to Hull by Collonel Alured and Major Smith that Collonel Overton should immediately deliver up that Garrison into the hands of Collonel Fairfax and to repair immediately to London and he notwithstanding his former Declaration that he was resolved to keep it till the coming of King Jesus presently obeyed the Order and Collonel Fairfax accordingly took possession of the place Sr Arthur Haslerig and others were questioed before the Parliament and Counsell of State but nothing extraordinary being found against him as to the designs were then on Foot it was passed by The Parliament made Sr Peter Killigrew Governour of Pendennis-Castle and worthy Mr Morris Commander of Plymouth-Fort and Island There was about this time a conference between ten of the Counsell of State and ten head-Officers of the Army the Generall being present concerning the Government but the conference being only for mutuall information and satisfaction it had no result The Parliament ordered that the Examination of Sr George Booth and his Lady should be taken off the File and given to him he deserving to have his Encomium put on in the room of it And now they obliterated the Engagement which was made by the Rump in 1649 to free them from punishment for the impious murther of their Gracious Soveraign out of the Journall and voted it to be null and void And now the time of their dissolution being come they put out the Act for summoning a new Parliament in the Name of the Keepers of the Liberties of the Commonwealth of England The Qualifications which they put out being only these That all persons who have advised aided or any wayes assisted or abetted the rebellion in Ireland All those who profess the Popish Religion All that advised or voluntarily aided in the Warre against the Parliament in 1641 unless they have since given a manifestation of their good affection shall be uncapable of being elected Members for the ensuing Parliament and no person elected and thus qualified to sit in the House upon a high penalty Though these Qualifications did seem at first to exclude a great number yet divers eminent and worthy persons though they had actually been in the Kings service in the late War having been engaged in Sr George Booths quarrell for the naturall interest were elected and admitted to sit in the House The City having compleated their Militia as well Auxiliaries as trained Bands made choice of his Excellency the Lord Generall to be Major Generall of all their Forces Major Generall Brown being Collonel of the Regiment of Horse The Parliament ordered 9000lb to be given to Major Generall Brown in satisfaction for those great losses which he had received under the tyranny of the Rump for his noble and publick spirit They likewise gave 20000lb as a gift to his Excellency And before their dissolution they released Dr Wren who for about eighteen years had suffered imprisonment in the Tower of London a man who doubtless deserved better usage but that the times then did not well understand him They gave power also to the Counsel of State to release what Prisoners upon State-matters they should see good and particularly Maj. Gen. Lambert They ordered a stop should be put to the sale of the Estate of the Lord Craven and Lord St John the first of which had his Estate taken away from him by more than hellish injustice Some neglect being in the Printer concerning the Printing of the Act for the Militia and it being supposed there was a designe of some of the late Rump to make some alteration in the Act as might suit for their turn or else upon the Parliaments dissolution by violence to hinder it The Parliament ordered a Committee to take care that it should be finished with all expedition which accordingly was performed And so this part of a Parliament which was chosen in 1640. was now finally dissolved in 1660. by their own Act which was That the day for dissolution of this Parliament be from the sixteenth of March 1660. Multiplicity of business having caused them to alter the first appointed day About this time our gracious Sovereigne King Charles the second hearing of the transactions of affairs in England and seeing how the face of all things began to alter so that great probability there was of being admitted to his undoubted Right without the effusion of his Subjects blood removed his Court from Brussels to Breda in Holland a Town belonging to his Sister the Princess of Orange there expecting till England might be brought into such a posture as might fit it for his happy and wished for reception The Parliament at their dissolution had conferred on the Counsel of State all Power whatsoever in the Interval till the assembling of the Free Parliament April 25. 1660. which accordingly they executed so prudently and wisely and preserved the Nation in peace and put the affairs of the Kingdom in