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
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
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
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
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
they should by the power of Conquest utterly destroy him that they disdained to vouchsafe him any answer at all thereto CHAP. XXI THE torrent of Rebellion thus violently bearing all down before it what Garrisons remained were necessitated soon after also to submit viz. the port Town of Barnstaple in Devonshire upon the seventh of April and the Fort there some few days after Ruthin-castle also in Flintshire then yielded to Colonel Mitton Corfe castle in Dorset shire about the same time being given up The City of Exeter likewise Sir Iohn Berkley Knight afterwards Lord Berkley of Stratton being at that time Governour thereof who delivered it upon honourable Articles wherein amongst others the most loyal Sir Iohn Stowel Knight of the Bath was included though afterwards dishonourably and barbarously used Soon after which Saint Michael'smount in Cornwall was taken by Colonel Hamond Dunster castle also in Somerset shire and Woodstock house near Dxford then also submitting All the West therefore being thus cleared except Pendennis castle there could be no less expected than a siege of Oxford His Majesty therefore considering that having used all means possible by his frequent gracious Messages wherein he had offered unto them all they had before desired and that he expected nothing but what themselves since the beginning of those unhappy wars had offered to procure a personal Treaty with them for a safe and well grounded peace And having in stead of a dutiful and peaceable return to those his Messages received no Answer at all or such as argued nothing would satisfy them but the ruine not onely of himself his posterity and friends but even of Monarchy it self Considering likewise that his field-forces were shattered and reduc'd to nothing his Garrisons almost all lost or besieged and that a strong Army under the command of Sir Thomas Fairfax their then General was advancing towards Oxford there to besiege him together with the Duke of York All the great Officers of State and many other of his most eminent and faithfull Subjects In this his most sad and unhappy condition revolving whether he had better cast himself upon the English-Army or the City of London or rather his native Subjects the Scots who had at that time besieg'd Newarke upon Trent with a great and numerous Army Having received very good assurance as he then believ'd that himself and all that did adhere to him should be safe in their Persons Honour and Consciences in the Scotch Army And that they the Scots would really and effectually joyn with him and such other as would come in unto him and joyn with them for his preservation and would imploy their Armies and Forces to assist him to the procuring of an happy and well-grounded peace for the good of his said Majesty and his Kingdomes in the recovery of his just rights Necessity being then his Councellour he adventured upon their fidelity who first began his troubles trusting that God might make them a means honourably to compose them and thereupon went out of Oxford disguised in the night time with two persons onely accompanying him viz. Mr. Iohn Ashburnham one of the Grooms of his royal Bedchamber and one Mr Hudson a Divine his Guide From Oxford they first rode to Henley upon Thames Thence to Brainford Thence near to London and so to Harrow on the Hill there being then a general muster of the City forces in Hide Park where he was expected the Earl of Essex being at that time in the Field and his Majestie almost perswaded to adventure himself into their hands But relying wholly on the Scots who had promised so fair as before is observed he waved those thoughts and rode to St. Albans so to Harborough in Leicestershire where he expected the French Agent who had so treated with the Scots on his behalf as I have already observed with some Horse to meet him and conduct him to Southwell the then Head quarters of the Scottish-Army But missing him there he thence passed to Stanford on the edge of Lincolnshire and so to Downham in Norfolk whence Mr. Hudson was sent to the Agent and upon his return went directly to Southwel where he arrived the 5 th of May and put himself into the hands of Alexander Lesley their General resolving to use his best endeavours by their assistance and with the conjunction of those forces in Scotland under the Marquess of Montrose and such of his well affected Subjects of England as would rise for him to procure if it might be an honourable and speedy peace with those who had hitherto refused to give ear to any good means tending thereto Being thus gone siege was immediately laid to Oxford by General Fairfax soon after which several other places of strength were surrendred by the King 's special direction viz. Newark the eleventh of May which had been besieg'd by Poyntz and Rosseter the Scots assisting from December before The Castle of Banbury likewise after a siege of ten weeks by Colonel Whalley And on the thirteenth of May the Scots having not patience to attend the voluntary surrenders of any more places of strength began their march towards Newcastle in Northumberland taking the King along with them Where being arrived and quartering their Army thereabouts they instantly pressed his Majestie to send Orders to the Marquess of Ormund in Ireland and all other the Governours of his Garisons in England to give up all the Towns and Castles then remaining to such as should be appointed to receive them for the Houses of Parliament Telling him that otherwise they neither could nor durst continue him in their protection To which necessity his Majestie was constrain'd to submit but nothing was by them more earnestly insisted on than that the Marquess of Montross should lay down Arms who with a small strength at first had acted in Scotland to admiration for besides many victories of less note he had twice beaten the Marquess of Argyle out of the Field follow'd him home and wasted his Country with Fire and Sword and vanquisht Bayley one of their best Souldiers made himself also Master of the Castle of Edenborough releasing divers of his Friends who had been seized on and imprisoned there when he first took up Arms. But instead of those Aids which he hoped for he was unexpectedly set upon by David Lesley who was sent from the Scottish Army in England with six thousand Horse to oppose the farther progress of this most valiant persons fortune However he began to make head again and was in a way of fair success when he receiv'd the Kings command to disband viz. 31 May 1647. To which he readily conforming took Ship and put himself into a voluntary Exile After which time of this their perfidious dealing with the King 't is observable that they never prospered But I proceed briefly to point out the times of surrender of the rest of his
a Block-house in the Sea not far from the Isle of Wight where the cold was most sharp and the Air very unwholsome as men inslam'd in this desperate condition they again took courage and held out a stout contest with the Independant-Party for the space of a whole day and night together And notwithstanding the many sharp Menaces which they had from the Sword-men on the other side they then Voted that the King's Answer to the Propositions from both Houses was a ground for them to proceed on to the settlement of the Kingdoms Peace Which put the Army into such a rage that they forthwith sent a Paper to the House by Pride and Hewson two of their Collonels requiring that the formerly impeached Members together with Major General Browne whom they charg'd to have been an Inviter of Duke Hamilton with the Scottish Army might be secured and brought to Iustice. As also that the Ninety and odd Members who refused to Vote against the late Scottish Engagement and all that Voted for recalling the Votes of Non-Addresses and likewise those that Voted for the late Treaty and that the King's concessions therein were a ground for the Houses to proceed to a settlement should be immediately suspended the House And that all such faithful Members as were innocent of those Votes should by protestation acquit themselves from any concurrence in them to the end they might be distinguished And scorning to make any long stay for an Answer to that their Paper they sent the next Morning certain Regiments of Horse and Foot to Westminster who setting Guards upon all the Avenues to the Parliament House seized upon one and Forty of the Members then Sitting viz. Major General Browne Mr. Iohn Buckley Colonel Birch Mr. Thomas Boughton Mr. Francis Buller Sir Iohn Clotworthy Mr. Lionel Copley Mr. Iohn Crew Sir Simonds D'ewes Knight and Baronet Mr. Drake Sir Walter Earle Mr. Nathaniel Fienes Mr. Giles Greene. Sir Gilbert Gerard. Sir Herbottle Grimston Kt. Mr. Francis Gerard. Sir Robert Harley Kt. Colonel Edward Harley Sir Anthony Irby Mr. Iohn Knightley Sir Martin Lyster Colonel Edward Leigh Mr. Lane Sir Samuel Luke Sir William Lewes Major General Massy Sir Iohn Merrick Sir Richard Onslow Mr. Henry Pelham Sir Robert Pye Kt. Mr. William Pryn. Mr. Preistley Sir Benjamin Rudyard Mr. William Strode Sir Thomas Soame Mr. Edward Stephens Mr. Iohn Swinfen Mr. Charles Vaughan Sir William Waller Mr. William Wheeler The Lord Wenman Mr. Clement Walker Of whose Names Mr. Hugh Peters one of their hot-headed Preachers came to take a List and then convey'd them into their great Victualling-house near Westminster-Hall called Hell where they kept them all night without any Beds Whence being driven a Prisoners through Snow and Rain by the Guards to several Inns in the Strand the Souldiers upbraided them in their passage that they were the men who had cousened the State of their Money and kept back the Armies Pay Which signal Act hapned the very day that their great Master Oliver Cromwel return'd from Scotland to Loudon And as they made Prisoners of these so they denyed entrance into the House unto above one hundred and Sixty more Whereupon the rest of the Presbyterian Party being terrified with this usage of their Fellow-Members declin'd the House leaving it to about an hundred and Fifty who for the most part being Officers of the Army perform'd whatsoever the Grandees of that Faction prompted them to do This Exclusion of those Members being call'd Colonel Pride 's Purge ¶ It is very well known to the world that throughout the whole course of this grand Rebellion it was the usual practise of the Presbyterians to make great advantages unto their Party by frequenting of Sermons and performance of other pretended exercises of Religion Amongst which the strict observance of such dayes as were set apart by their Leaders for Seeking of God as they call'd it by Fasting and Prayer and other wayes of Humiliation were not the least In which act of deluding the People they were at length grown to be such excellent Masters that when any transcendent work was to be done it was always ushered in with this sanctified veile under pretence that in the zealous performance of those Duties they did ask Council of the Lord and thereupon by some more than ordinary Illumination were directed to proceed in the business design'd Which notable example the Independants deeming fit to be imitated in order to their own High and Mighty designs they kept a Fast in the House of Commons upon the Eighth of December Where Mr. Stephen Marshall formerly the Great Bell-weather of the Presbyterian Flock Mr. Carrill and Hugh Peters Preacht that day to them under pretence of directing them to humble their Spirits now that God had so signally appeared to them in their great Victory over the Scots at Preston and other eminent manifestations Next to which devout work the remaining Members that sate after this Grand Purge damn'd all the Votes which the Presbyterians had made either in reference to the Treaty or to their secluded Brethren And within few days after divers of the Lords went to the General to express their good affections to him and concurrence with his purposes for the Common God as also to let his Excellency know that they would wave their Priviledges and Titles in case they should be found burthensome to the Liberties of the People And as the Lords had thus manifested their obsequiousness to the Army so did also the most Godly men of the House of Commons by subscribing a Protestation against the late Treaty with the King in the Isle of Wight but especially against that Vote of 5. Dec. allowing His Majesties Answer to the Propositions of Both Houses to be a ground for them to proceed on for a Settlement the names of which worthy Members I have here added Philip Lord Lisle Colonel Boswell Mr. Iohn Gourdon The Lord Grey of Groby Mr. Peregrine Pelham Colonel Iones Colonel Temple Colonel Ven. Sir Thomas Maleverer Sir Thomas Wrothe Sir Iohn Bourcher Colonel Peter Temple Mr. Humphry Edwards Mr. Thomas Chaloner Sir Gregory Norton Michael Old worth Augustine Garland Sir Iohn Danvers Mr. Dove Mr. Henry Smith Mr. Frye Mr. Searle Mr. Nicholas Love Mr. Iohn Lisle Colonel Rigby Mr. Cornelius Holland Colonel Ludlow Gregory Clement Colonel Purefoy Colonel Stapeley Mr. Dunch Mr. Cawley Colonel Downes Mr. Iohn Carey Mr. Iohn Blakeston Mr. Thomas Scott Colonel Hutchinson Sir Henry Mildmay Sir Iames Harington Colonel Edward Harvey Alderman Penington Alderman Atkins Mr. Daniel Blagrave Colonel Moore Colonel Millington Mr. Prideaux Mr. Roger Hill Mr. Dennis Bond. Colonel Harrington Mr. Hodges Mr. Benjamin Valentine The work being therefore thus smoothly carryed on to accomplish their chief design for murthering the King they remov'd him from Hurst-Castle to Winchester and thence to Farâ—ham-Castle in Hantshire And that they might effect their business with the greater Formality they held a
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
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
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
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
those at White-Hall with the Protector against those at Wallingford House with the General the Protector in pursuance of the Parliament-Votes forbidding any further Convention of those Officers at Wallingford House Which prohibition signifyed little for the Wallingford House-men being much the more numerous and sturdy at length so awed and daunted his Highness that they obtained his consent to a Commission and Proclamation ready penned to Dissolve the Parliament though he had with great assurance to the Members promised the contrary Whereupon the Usher with the Black Rod was twice sent to the House of Commons by Mr. Nathaniel Fienes Speaker of the Other House requiring them to come up Who being not ignorant upon what errand it was not only scorned to stir but some of them became so couragious to move that the House should declare it High Treason for any person whatsoever to put force upon any Members of the House and that all Votes Acts and Resolutions passed by any Members of Parliament when the rest were detained from or taken out of the House by force should be null and void And finding themselves so unanimous to their Resolves Adjourned the House till next Monday Morning attending their Speaker all in fair Order through Westminster-Hall to his Coach in the face of the Souldiers which had then beset both the Palace-Yards CHAP. XLI BUT on Monday morning all avenues to the House being stopt up by the Souldiers and entrance peremptorily denyed unto any of the Members the Wallingford-House-Officers unto whom most of those at White-Hall were by that time joyned casting off Whalley Goffe and Ingoldesby with some other of the Protectors chiefest Confidents and taking in Lambert Sir Arthur Haselrigg Colonel Okey and some others who had been set aside by Oliver considering with themselves that though they must necessarily govern by a Military-power yet the name and shadow of a Parliament would best captivate the people forasmuch therefore as the Members of that Parliament then so excluded could not properly be readmitted but with much hazard to the Souldiers Interest they procured a private Conference with some Members of the Old Long Parliament formerly turned out by Oliver viz. Sir Henry Vane Sir Arthur Haselrigg Colonel Ludlow Colonel Iones Thomas Scot Thomas Chaloner Major General Lambert and some others to the number of about twenty At which Conference it being agreed that they should take in William Lenthal the Old Speaker and meet in the House on Saturday the seventh of May in order thereto they set forth this following Declaration viz. The Publick concernment of this Common-Wealth being through a vicissitude of dangers deliverances and back-slidings of many brought into that state and posture whereon they now stand and our selves also contributing thereto by wandring divers ways from Righteous and Equal Paths And although there hath been many Essays to obviate the dangers and to settle these Nations in Peace and Prosperity yet all have proved ineffectual the only wise God in the course of his providence disappointing all endeavours therein And also observing to our great grief that the good Spirit which formerly appeared amongst us in the carrying on of this great work did daily decline so as the Good Old Cause it self became a reproach we have been led to look back and examine the cause of the Lord 's withdrawing his wonted presence from us and where we turned out of the way that through mercy we might return and give him the Glory And amongst other things calling to mind that the Long Parliament consisting of the Members there Sitting until the 20 th of April 1653. were eminent assertors of the Cause and had a special presence of God with them and were signally blessed in that work the desires of many good people concurring with ours therein we judg it our duty to invite the aforesaid Members to return to the exercise and discharge of their Trust as before the said 20 th of April 1653. And therefore we do hereby most earnestly desire the Parliament consisting of those Members who continued to Sit from the year 1648. until the 20 th of April 1653. to return to the exercise and discharge of their Trust and we shall be ready in our places to yield them as becomes us our utmost assurance to Sit in safety for the improving present opportunity for setling and securing the Peace and Freedom of this Common-Wealth praying for the presence and blessing of God upon their endeavours Which Declaration was signed by General Fleetwood and the Council of Officers of the Army In order whereunto those Members of the Long-Parliament came the day following to the Painted-Chamber but finding of their designed number which was forty and two that there wanted a couple they sent to the Gaols for a present supply Where having the Lord Munson and Henry Martin ready at hand who lay there upon Executions for Debt with Lisle and Whitlock from the Chancery-Bench they advanced into the House with a Mace born before them their names being as followeth Lord Munson Henry Martin Bulstrode Whitlock Mr. Lisle Thomas Chaloner Alderman Atkins Alderman Penington Thomas Scott Cornelius Holland Henry Vane Mr. Prideaux Sir Iames Harington Lieutenant General Ludlow Michael Oldsworth Sir Arthur Haselrigg Mr. Iones Colonel Purefoy Colonel White Henry Nevil Mr. Say Mr. Blagrave Colonel Bennet Mr. Brewster Sergeant Wilde Iohn Goodwyn Mr. Nicholas Lechmore Augustine Skynner Mr. Downes Mr. Dove Mr. Iohn Lenthal Mr. Iohn Saloway Mr. Iohn Corbet Mr. Walton Gilbert Millington Mr. Gold Colonel Sydenham Colonel Byngham Colonel Ayre Mr. Smith Colonel Ingoldesby Lieutenant General Fleetwood Upon notice of whose Sitting there being many of the Members of that old Parliament then walking in Westminster-Hall and more about the City those in the Hall consulting together and thereupon being satisfied that they had as good right to sit there again as those who were gone in before resolved to follow them into the House or at least to attempt it These being Mr. Annesley Sir George Booth Mr. Iames Herbert Mr. William Prynne Mr. George Montagu Mr. Iohn Evelin Mr. Iohn Herbert Mr. Gowen Mr. Evelyn Mr. Knightley Mr. Clive Mr. Hungerford Mr. Harvey Mr. Packe Who being come to the Door after much expostulation with the Guard for their Priviledges of Sitting were denyed entrance Whereupon resolving to wait a fitter opportunity some of them came again on Monday following viz. Mr. Annesley Mr. Prynne and Mr. Hungerford and went into the House Which free admittance causing Mr. Annesley to presume that the rest might also come in he went out again into the Hall to give others notice thereof but upon his return found it otherwise For those who were met would not go on with any business so long as Mr. Prynne did make his stay amongst them so that they soon adjourned and upon their next meeting ordered That such persons formerly Members of that Parliament who had
civil Government I now descend to those their Arts and Devices whereof by the help and influence of a most subtile corrupt and schismatical party in Parliament they made use in order to the raising this late nefarious Rebellion the consequence whereof viz. the extirpating of Monarchy here was in their design long before however it may be thought by some that Necessity and Despair put them upon that blod Exigent after they had gone farther than they thought they could by any outward reconciliation or pardon be safe for if need were sufficient and undoubted testimony might yet be produced who did hear a principal Actor in this late woful Tragedy about a twelve-month after the barbarous murther of King Charles the First express these words I bless God that I have now lived to see the ruine of Monarchy and that I haue been instrumental in it for I do here acknowledge that it hath been in my design ever since I was at Geneva which is now thirty eight years Of these the first and indeed most fatal Artifices was the reducing his Majesty to Necessities to the end he might be inforc'd to betake himself unto such extraordinary means for supply as would certainly attract the odium of his Subjects For accomplishing whereof that war wherein King Iames became engaged on the behalf of his daughter and her children for recovery of the Palatinate gave them a seasonable opportunity the Story whereof I shall briefly here set down Upon the death of the Emperour Matthias 8. Aug. An. 1619. 17 Iac. Ferdinand his Brother adopted by Matthias in his life time was elected Emperour and crowned 19 Septemb. following Which Election the Bohemians disclaiming they chose for their King Frederick Count Palatine of the Rhine Who thereupon by his Letters to King Iames whose daughter he had marryed acquaints him therewith craving his advice as to his reception thereof Howbeit before King Iames his answer could come to his hand which was utterly dissuasory he had accepted their choice Whereof King Iames hearing in no little perplexity disavow'd the act and would never stile him by that Title That this unhappy business prov'd most destructive to the Count Palatine will immediately appear For the Emperor Ferdinand became so highly irritated thereat that he soon after publish'd a Proscription against him proclaim'd him guilty of High Treason and declared his resolution to prosecute him as a public Enemy of the Empire and accordingly sent Marquess Spinola with numerous Forces to invade the Palatinate as also Buquoy and D. Balthasar into Bohemia who with a powerful Army gave him Battail near to the City of Prague upon the eighth of November An. 1620 utterly routed the Bohemians and forc'd that new King with his Queen to flee the Country The Report whereof arriving soon after in England caused King Iames to advise with the Lords of his Council upon the 13 th of Ianuary following for recovery and protection of the Palatinate it being the antient Inheritance of his Son in Law and his Children Whereupon thirty thousand Pounds was forthwith sent to the Princes of the Union for their assistance therein and in order to farther help a Parliament call'd to sit at Westminster upon the 30 th of the same month of Ianuary At which Convention the King acquainting the two Houses with what had happened farther represented unto them that he had already treated a Peace in this business but Perswasions without power being as he said of little effect he told them that he thought it fit to provide an Army against the Summer following and desired them therefore to think upon his Necessities Which Parliament having sate about four months and done little in this matter the King considering of a Recess for a time in regard of the season that might cause Infection represented to them by the Lord Treasurer his purpose to adjourn them Whereat the Commons growing displeased they desired the Lords to joyn with them in petitioning against it the King therefore taking much exception thereupon judging it derogatory to his Prerogative it being in his sole power to call and adjourn and dissolve Parliaments they thereupon for satisfaction of his Majesty publish'd a Declaration wherein they signified unto him that in case his endeavours by a Treaty could not effect the restitution of the Palatinate upon signification of his pleasure in Parliament they should be ready to the utmost of their powers both with their lives and fortunes to assist him so as by the Divine help of Almighty God he might be able to do that with his Sword which by a peaceable course could not be effected After this the Parliament was adjourn'd from the fourth of Iune until the twentieth of November at which time of meeting again the King being absent for lack of health the Lord Keeper told them that unless they took farther resolutions and were expeditious the Army in the Palatinate would fall to the ground The Lord Treasurer also acquainting them how empty the King's Coffers were and that his Majesty had assisted the Palatine and Princes of the Union with great Sums which had so exhausted his Treasure that he was much in debt Also that notwithstanding the King had declared for War he pursued Peace and resolv'd therefore to close with Spain hoping by that Alliance to heal the breach Which Speech of the Lord Treasurer tending to Peace so startled the House of Commons wherein the Puritan was predominant that they soon after drew up a Remonstrance to his Majesty wherein representing Religion to be in danger by the growth of Popery they incited him to take his Sword into his Hand for the aid of those of our Religion in forreign parts and that the bent of this War might be against that Prince whose Armies and Treasures had maintained the War in the Palatinate Signifying that they had given him one Subsidy for the present Relief of the Palatinate But in this Remonstrance there being also divers things which the King esteem'd to tend unto his high dishonour and to trench upon his Prerogative-royal he forbad them farther to entermeddle concerning his Government and deep affairs of State and particularly with the match of his Son with a Daughter of Spain Certain it is that the Parliament made little hast in the offering of that for which they were chiefly called together viz. the giving to the King considerable aid for relief of the Palatinate in so much as the Lord Digby then took occasion to put the Peers in mind thereof and that it was to that end they were summon'd thither reporting the present distress of that Country and danger thereto by the Duke of Bavaria as also that the Army of Count Mansfeild which came in for defence thereof if not speedily supplyed was like to desert that service But instead of hasting such Relief Christmass approching and the King upon the
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 place and the Magazine there by his Majesties authority Nay so diligent were they now to lose no time that they procured the Essex-men to deliver a Petition to them setting forth their fears and jealousies with desire that the Tower of London might be committed to safe hands the Arms of the Trained Bands trusted with approved persons and the Priviledge of Parliament asserted Likewise another from Colchester against Bishops and for liberty of Conscience desiring that Church-discipline might be established according to the word of God and their Town better fortified And well knowing how fair a countenance these Petitions thus framed by themselves carried to further their designs they caused more from Devon Somersetshire Middlesex and Hartfordshire for putting the Kingdom into a posture of Defence and the Forts into safe hands excluding Bishops Popish Lords c. As also another from the City of London signifying their inability to lend an hundred thousand pounds desired by the Houses for the service of Ireland by reason that the Cinque Ports were not put into safe hands the Kingdom not put into a posture of Defence the Lieutenant of the Tower not removed Priviledges of Parliament not vindicated Delinquents not punished and the Bishops and Popish Lords not put out of the House of Peers Whereupon it being the same day voted that the Cinque-Ports should be secured and the Tower of London put into such hands as the Parliament might confide in the very next day they brought down the Apprentices and Seamen with the like Petition for putting the whole Kingdom into a Posture And being now resolv'd as by their votes and the drift of these Petitions is manifest to hasten the Militia totally into their own power to the end they might the more plausibly effect their design therein they exhibited to his Majesty a Petition desiring that the Tower of London with the other principal Forts and whole Militia of the Kingdom might be put into the hands of such persons as should be by them recommended suggesting withall that without this sure ground of safety and confidence which he should hereby raise unto them they could not be enabled to discharge their duties in the considering of those important things proposed to them by him in his Message of the 20th of Ianuary Nor be so freed from fears and jealousies as with chearfulness to proceed laying a sure foundation of Honour Greatness and Glory to him and his Royal Posterity and of Happiness and prosperity to his Subjects throughout all his Dominions The chief colour and pretence given out to the people for this Posture of Defence being this that without the power thereof in their own hands to maintain the good Laws enacted there was no expectation but that they would be made fruitless to them by the prevalency of evil Counsellors and a malignant Party Whereunto his Majesty answered that though the nomination of those to whom the custody of the Forts and Castles were to be committed was an inseparable flower of his Crown yet that he would leave them to the Justice of his Parliament if through mis-information he had conferr'd such trust upon any undeserving person And that when any particular course for ordering the Militia should be digested by his Parliament and proposed to him he would return such an answer as should be agreeable to his honour and the safety of his people conjuring them not to be transported with Jealousies To this indeed they replyed that they acknowledged it as a principal and inseparable flower of his Crown to dispose the command of the Forts and Castles of the Kingdom and that by Law the Militia was subject to no command but his authority and what is lawfully derived from him But within two days following a Petition being brought into the House from Suffolk calling upon them to put the kingdom into a Posture and another from many thousands of poor Tradesmen in London as they stiled it urging the like alledging a great decay of Trade whereby they wanted Bread and that they believed not any cause thereof to be in the House of Commons but by reason of the Bishops and Popish Lords voting in the House of Peers it was earnestly moved at a Conference by Mr. Hollies that the Lords would no longer delay but now joyn with them to petition his Majesty that the Kingdom might be put into a Posture By which device the Lords who refused to joyn with them in their Petition of the six and twentieth of Ianuary were now so brought about that they did it And to the end they might not want more popular countenance for their grand work which was now in such forwardness they got more Petitions from several parts for putting the Kingdom into a Posture One from the women about London another from Northamptonshire a third from Kent which was brought by five or six thousand that rode through the City in ranks to the Parliament-House Whereby they gave the Lords thanks for concurring with the Commons in the Bill against the Bishop's votes and putting the Kingdom into a Posture of Defence desiring them to go on with the Commons in a thorough Reformation in Religion and to remove evil Councellors The like had they from the Counties of York Oxford and Lincoln So that having laid such a foundation by ensnaring the people with their own Petitions they made an order to enable some of the Aldermen and Common-Council of London with Serjeant Major Skippon to regulate the Militia of the City voting new Lords-Lieutenants throughout the several Counties of England and Wales And to blow up the people into a perfect Rebellion they appointed weekly Lectures to be generally set up which was accordingly perform'd by the most seditious and turbulent Spirits that could be found procuring more Petitions by multitudes of people from sundry parts setting forth great grievances and desiring that the factious party for so they call'd the most loyal of the Nobility might be expell'd the House of Peers Also that the Divine Worship of God might be no longer prophaned and that they might be better furnished with Arms to oppose forreign power Such also came from Wales Ipswich Warwickshire and Sussex the Sheriff of that County and at least fifteen hundred on Horseback accompanying him therewith And least the pretended great dangers for prevention whereof all this stir was made should be forgot a Letter from Lancashire was produced discovering dangerous Plots by the Papists in that County viz. the finding of ten Barrels of powder to make Balls of Wild-fire wherewith to burn divers chief Towns in this Realm Whereupon another Petition was dispatcht to his Majesty then at Dover for ordering the Militia Whereby they desired such a speedy Answer as might raise in them a confidence to use their own words that they should not be exposed to the practises of those
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
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
go out of the line of Communication yet now that they were rais'd they meaning the Parliament might dispose of them whether they pleased without asking their consents And whereas the first Ordinance for Excise was but only for maintenance of the Army and paiment of Debts due by the Common-wealth they passed another wherein was a consideration added for securing of Trade which occasioned the enlargement thereof upon such Commodities as had not been formerly tax'd besides an alteration of the rates Which Commodities were Strong-waters Medicinal-Drugs Haberdashers-ware Vpholsters ware Salt Sallets Sope all sorts of Woollen-cloth Paper Skins and Glasses Having also thus taught the new Auxiliaries the force of an Ordinance of Parliament they passed another for the pressing of five thousand men in the Cities of London and Westminster with the Counties adjacent to go under the command of Sir William Waller And to hasten on the march of their Brethren the Scots to their aid and assistance the Members of the House of Commons with great formality and no less seeming devotion entred into that unhappy Combination called the solemn League and Covenant so fram'd in Scotland in St. Margarets-Church at Westminster Which under the specious veil of Reformation was that fatal Engine whereby not only the Hierarchy in the Church was by them soon after destroyed and the patrimony thereof with the Lands and Revenues of the Crown swallow'd up by those pretenders to Godliness but the sacred Person of the King most inhumanly murthered and this ancient and long flourishing Monarchy so far as 't was in their power wholly subverted and destroy'd as to the whole world is most notorious In the Preamble whereunto they had the confidence to say that this their League and Covenant was according to the commendable practise of these Kingdoms and the Example of God's people in other Nations Whereas there is not only no mention of any such things by our Historiographers nor in the History of any other Realm that I have ever seen excepting that of the Holy League in France whereof I shall take farther notice ere I finish this work but Mr. Philip Nye one of their mighty Champions for the Cause and an especial assertor of this Covenant hath expresly affirmed in print that it is such an Oath as for matter persons and other circumstances the like hath not been in any age or Oath we read of in sacred or humane stories And it is also observable that whereas in the Preamble they farther affirm that they did it to preserve themselves and their Religion which must needs be intended the known Religion publickly profess'd and by Law establish'd in the Church of England from ruine and destruction they immediatly vow to reform Religion here in England according to the pattern of the Kirk of Scotland and to extirpate Episcopacy and all Ecclesiastical Offices depending thereon Notwithstanding they knew full well First that the King was by his Coronation Oath sworn to maintain and defend the Bishops and the Churches under their charge Secondly that all the Clergy of England had testified their approbation of Episcopal Government by personal Subscriptions thereto and thirdly that by a solemn Protestation made and framed by themselves in that very Parliament and recommended by them to be taken by all the people of England they had oblig'd themselves neither for hope nor fear or other respect to relinquish the true Protestant Religion express'd in the Doctrine of the Church of England But all this Pageantry in their thus taking of that solemn League and Covenant could not allay the loud clamours of the people occasion'd by the great pressures and daily exactions under which they miserably groaned the Members therefore were constrain'd to betake themselves to another way for the easing them at least in shew and this was by an Ordinance for selling the King's Queen's and Princes revenues and the arrearages thereof as also to another for felling and cutting down Woods within sixty miles of London in all Forests Chases and Parks belonging to the King or Queen or any Arch-bishop Bishop Dean and Chapter c. Papist Delinquent Malignant c. to be disposed of for supply of the City of London Which seeming favour was for no other purpose than that they might afterwards bring the greater load upon them as they did ere long For within few days upon a jugling Report made to the House of a Pope's Bull translated into English with a Declaration upon it which was pretended to be newly sent into England for the more effectual prosecuting of the Catholic war here a Committee of the House of Commons and of the Assembly of Divines came to a Common-Hall in London to consult with the Citizens for the speedy raising of an hundred thousand pounds for the advance of the Scottish Army to be lent for that service and repay'd when moneys were procured from forreign parts upon the public faith of both Kingdoms And to obtain more men as well as money there issued out another Order that the Committee for the Militia or London should have power to appoint six Regiments of their Trained-Bands and one of their Auxiliaries as also one Regiment of Horse and Dragoons to march out with their Commanders and joyn with the Earl of Essex's Forces Likewise an Ordinance for the pressing of five thousand Souldiers more to be sent to the Islands of Ieresey and Garnsey under the command of the Earl of Warwick those Trained-Bands being appointed to meet in St. Iames Fields and from thence to march unto such place as the Earl of Essex or his Officers should appoint and in default thereof their Shops to be shut up themselves depriv'd of Trade and liable to expulsion out of the lines of Communication And about the same time they passed another Ordinance for assessing the Twenty fifth part upon all Members of Parliament who then were either in the King's Army or otherwise absent their estates to be let in case of not paiment And having lately sped so well upon credit of the public faith they adventured again upon the same security recommending to the Counties of Norfolk Suffolk Essex and Lincoln with the City of Norwich the aid of the Lord Fairfax in Men Money Plate Horse and Amunition passing an Ordinance for repaiment of what should be lent for the speedy bringing in of the Scots to their assistance and securing it in the mean time by the before-mention'd public faith But the reputation of the public faith was now grown so low that moneys came not in either quick enough or in such large sums as were expected it being left arbitrary to the Creditors what they would lend another Ordinance therefore was passed for raising the full sum of sixty six thousand six hundred sixty six pounds thirteen shillings four pence within the Cities of London and Westminster with the Counties of Hertford Bedferd Middlesex Essex Suffolk
Aldermen and Common-council of the City of London which because 't is penned in so divine a stile I have here transcribed Right Honourable Your late and seasonable Testimony given to the truth of the Gospel and you affection to the peace of the Kingdomes manifested in your humble Remonstrance and Petition to the Honourable Houses of Parliament hath so revived the remembrance of your former faith and zeal and proclaymed you the worthy seed of so noble Ancestors in that famous City as we cannot but acknowledg with all thankfulness the Grace of God bestowed on you and stir you up to take notice how since you were precious in the Lord's sight you have been ever honourable The Lord hath ever loved you given men for you and people for your life What an honour was it in the days of old when the fire of the Lord was in Sion and his furnace in your Hierusalem even in Queen Mary's days that there were found in you men that loved not their lives unto the death What a glory in after-times when Satan had his Throne and Antichrist his seat in the midst of you that there were still found not a few that kept their Garments clear But the greatest praise of the good hand of God upon you hath been this that amidst the many mists of Error and Heresie which have risen from the bottomless pit to bespot the face and darken the glory of the Church while the Bride is a making ready for the Lamb you have held the Truth and most piously endeavoured the setting of Christ upon his Throne We need not remember how zealous you have been in the cause of God nor how you have laid out your selves and estates in the maintenance thereof nor how many acknowledgments of the same you have had from the Honourable Houses nor how precious a remembrance will be had of you in after Ages for your selling of all to buy the Pearl of price Wee onely at this time do admire and in the inward of our hearts do bless the Lord for your right and deep apprehensions of the great and important matters of Christ in his Royal Crown and of the Kingdomes in their Vnion while the Lord maketh offer to bring our Ship so much afflicted and tossed with tempest to the safe harbour of Truth and Peace Right memorable is your zeal against Sects and Sectaries your care of Reformation according to the Word of God and the example of the best reformed Churches Your earnest endeavours and noble adventures for preserving of the Rights and Priviledges of Parliament and Liberties of the Kingdome together with his Majesties just power and greatness and your high profession that it is not in the power of any humane authority to discharge or absolve you from adhering unto that our solemnly sworn League and Covenant or to inforce upon you any sense contrary to the Letter of the same Besides your other good services done to the Lord and us in strengthening the hands of the reverend Assembly of Divines and of our Commissioners in their asserting the Government of Christ which the more it is tryed will be ever found the more precious Truth and vindicating the same from the Vsurpation of man and contempt of the Wicked These all as they are so many testimonies of your piety loyalty and undaunted resolution to stand for Christ so are they and shall ever be so many obligations upon us your Brethren to esteem highly of you in the Lord and to bear you on our Breasts before him night and day and to contribute our best endeavours to improve all opportunities for your encouragement And now we beseech you in the Lord Honourable and well-beloved go on in this your strength and in the power of his might who hath honoured you to be faithfull Stand fast in that Liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free And in pursuance of this Truth we are confident you will never cease to study the peace and nearer conjunction of the Kingdomes knowing that a threefold cord is not easily broken Now the Lord Iesus Christ himself and God even our Father who hath loved and honoured you and given you everlasting consolation and good hope through Grace comfort your Hearts and stablish you in every good work Subscribed in the name of the general Assembly by Robert Blair Moderator Moreover in another Letter from the said Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland to the Assembly of Divines at Westminster they told them how they did congratulate with the Lord's people in all their successes and did impatiently desire to have their Brethren here and themselves joyned nearer to Christ and to one another in all his Ordinances and especially in Presbytereal Government But in the neck of these Letters 't is worthy observation that the Marquess of Argyle and Scottish-Commissioners delivered a paper to the Members at Westminster representing the Necessities of their Army desiring therefore that their Quarters in the North might be enlarged and a considerable supply of mony dispatcht to them Most certain it is that though these sanctified men both English and Scotch did seem to be so firmly united by their grand Combination called the solemnleague and Covenant as that in humane reason few there were that thought they could afterwards have differed the gayning of the King's person into their Hands began now to make it manifest that this seeming sacred Tye was but a mear jugling device originally forged and set on foot for the better carrying on their sacrilegious temporal ends For from that very time however they conceal'd themselves with all the subtilties imaginable their animosities against each other did daily increase as 't will hereafter appear Nevertheless to make a specious outward shew of their continued accordance they agreed together in sending certain Propositions to the King which they had been no less than eight months in hammering in order to a well-grounded Peace as their phrase was whereunto they required his Answer within four days How monstrous and unreasonable these were the tenor of them will sufficiently shew they being publickly printed in brief that he should ratify the solemn-league and Covenant abolish Episcopacy invest the subject with the power of the Militia and exempt from pardon several Lords and other considerable persons that during the war had adhered to him Whereunto His Majesty most piously and prudently made this return That they importing so great alterations in Government both in Church and Kingdome it was very difficult to return a particular and positive answer to them before a full debate wherein their necessary explanation true sense and reasons of them were rightly weighted and understood To which end he desired to come to London or any of his Houses thereabouts upon the publick Faith and the security of the two Houses of Parliament and Scottish-Commissioners Where by his personal presence he might not onely raise a mutual confidence betwixt himself and his people but have those doubts
make him increase his plagues upon us and to punish us seven times more because we continue to walk contrary unto him 2. That the Lord's hand is still stretched out against us in the Iudgment of the Pestilence which spreads not onely in several parts of the Country but continueth and increaseth in many of the most eminent Cities of the Kingdome 3. The great danger that threatens Religion and the work of Reformation in these Kingdomes for the number power and policy of the Secretaries in England which are like not onely to interupt the progress of uniformity and the establishment of the Ordinances of God in their beauty and perfection but to overturn the foundation already laid and all that hath been built thereupon with the expence of so much bloud and pains And therefore we are earnestly to pray to the Lord that the solemn League and Covenant may be kept fast and inviolable notwithstanding all the purposes and endeavours of open Enemies and secret underminigs to the contrary We are to intreat the Lord on the behalf of the King's Majesty that he may be reconcil'd to God and that he may be now furnished with wisdome and councill from above that he be not involved in new snares to the endangering of himself and these Kingdomes but that his Heart may incline to such resolutions as will contribute for setling of Religion and Righteousness We are also to intreat the Lord on the behalf of the Parliament of England of the Synod of Divines and of all such in that Land as do unfeignedly mind the work of God that they may not be discouraged nor swerve in the day of temptation but that every of them in their Stations and according to their places and callings may be furnished with Light and Strength from Heaven for doing of their duty with faithfulness and zeal We are to supplicate for direction to our Committee of Estates that they may discern the times and know what is fitting to be done for securing our selves and encouraging our Brethren We are to pray for a Spirit of Light of Love unto our Assembly that they may be instrumental in preserving Truth and advancing Holiness amongst our selves and for carrying on the work of God amongst our Neighbours That the Lord would pour out upon all sorts of persons in these Kingdomes a Spirit of Grace and Supplication that it may repent us of all our Iniquities and that we may be reconcil'd unto the Lord that so all tokens of his wrath may be removed from amongst us and he may bless us with the sweet fruits of Truth and Peace It cannot easily be thought but that the Scots did somewhat more than fast and pray considering the desperate condition wherein their Covenanting-Brethren especially at Westminster and in London then stood and that the great work of Reformation as they call'd it lay in such hazard But at such a distance what more could soon be expected than that they should by the help of the zealous Preachers earnestly incite the Covenanters in London to bestir themselves and put more courage into those drooping Members who after the late purge were then left in the House which for certain they under-hand in some sort did and were like enough above board to have done much more considering that by an Ordinance of May the 4th then past the Militia of that great City was established in the hands of such persons as were nominated by the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Common-Council there To secure themselves therefore against this iminent danger the Army were necessitated by picking a quarrel with the City to wrest the Militia out of their hands and then totally to cleanse the House at Westminster of the remaining Presbyterean-humour by a stronger purge then it formerly had In order whereunto there was a Letter forthwith sent from General Fairfax and the Army together with a Remonstrance to the Houses at Westminster demanding the Militia of the City to be put into their Hands Whereupon the House of Commons tamely and readily voted the repealing of that Ordinance of May the 4th and presently passed a new Ordinance for reviving the old Militia and transmitted it to the Lords Which unexpected change caused the City to meet in Common-Council and to resolve of Petitioning the Parliament again therein within two days following And so they did by their Sheriffs and some of the Common-Council But to second this Petition there followed them within three hours some thousands of Apprentices and other stout fellows with another Petition whereby they claim'd the Militia as the Citie 's Birthright by sundry Charters confirm'd in former Parliaments for defence whereof they alledg'd that they had adventured their Lives as far as the Army and thereupon desired that the Militia might be put again into the same Hands in which it was put with the Parliament and Citie 's consent upon the 4th of May. And this they did in so tumultuous a fashion that the Lords who were then but seven in number presently granted it And having so done and sent it to the Commons slipping out by a postern went themselves away by water But the Commons having no mind to displease the Army refus'd to do the like and angrily bad the Apprentices to be gone intending to rise and adjourn themselves Which purpose of theirs being discern'd by those youngsters was by them soon prevented by shutting up their doors and peremptorily requiring their complyance with the Lords The Commons therefore seeing themselves in this streight did at length with much unwillingness yeild to the importunity of these their bold Suitors and not onely so but were by them forc't to pass a farther vote which was that the King should be admitted to come to London to treat But this uproar being made known to the Grandees of the Army the greatest advantage imaginable was made thereof For the confiding Members being thereupon sent for to the Army fled to the Head-Quarters at Windsore within three days after the Speaker also bearing them Company who having cousened the State of vast sums of Money was threatned with an Impeachment if he did not come with them Of the House of Commons that so fled to the Army the number was said to be above fourty and of the Lords which came after the names were these viz. the Earls of Northumberland Warwick Manchester Salisbury Kent Moulgrave the Viscount Say and Sele the Lords Grey of Warke Wharton and Howard of Escrick Of the House of Lords that stay'd the Lord Willoughby of Parham was made Speaker But of the Commons there was about one hundred and fourty who coming to the House and missing their old Speaker and the Serjeant at Mace which usually attended chose Mr. Henry Pelham to be their new Speaker and another Serjeant to attend him Which number being all of the old Covenanting flock and yet not further illuminated proceeded to doe and act as a Parliament first
voting in their old companions called the Eleven impeached Members Next setting up a Committee of Safety enabling them to joyne with the Committee of the restored City-Militia and giving them power to list and raise forces appoint Commanders and Officers and issue forth Arms and Amunition for defence of both Houses and the City against all that should invade them And in the neck of these Votes came out a Declaration of the City which the Lords and Commons then sitting at Westminster ordered to be published throughout all England and Wales wherein after a large preamble they went on thus We do in the presence of Almighty-God profess that there is nothing in the world that we more desire than that His Majesty may be put and left free in such an honourable condition and capacity as his person may appear to be at Liberty to receive and treat upon such Propositions as shall be presented unto him from the Parliaments of both Kingdomes for our Consciences tell us that whilst his royal person is environ'd by an Army and remains under the power thereof we cannot expect that either His Majestie 's Princely Heart can give that free assent unto those things which shall be propounded unto him as is requisite or if he do cannot hope with good reason that we and our posterity shall without alteration enjoy the same And therefore we are resolved earnestly yet with humility to apply our selves to the Parliament to this purpose and hope that all good Subjects who are touched with any sense of that duty and allegiance which by the Law of God and man they owe unto the King will unanimously joyn with us therein We cannot omit also to declare unto the Kingdome how we have sadly observed since the Eleven accused Members withdrew themselves and that the Army hath daily grown upon the Parliament that a great and considerable number of other Members of the House of Commons have also retired themselves to the endangering of the Kingdom which never more needed a full Council And therefore we shall make our speedy address to the honourable House of Commons to call in all the Members of their House residing in the Army or retired to their dwellings by leave of the House or otherwise And we shall particularly insist upon the readmission of the Eleven Members lately driven out of the House of Commons by the violent pursuit of the Army contrary to the sense of the same House the Law of the Land and the Priviledges of Parliament wherein also we are confident all good English-men and Lovers of their Country will adhere unto them and us c. And we declare that we sincerely desire an happy and speedy Peace by the settlement of true Religion in this Kingdome by re-establishing His Majesty in his just Rights and Authority by upholding all lawful Priviledges of a free Parliament by maintaining the Fundamental Laws of the Land by restoring and securing the Subject unto and in his just liberty and property and by freeing the long oppressed Kingdome of all Taxes and enforced free Quarter towards the maintenance of an Army which of a long time hath had no visible Enemy to encounter And from this Resolution by the blessing of God we shall never recede for any earthly consideration or advantage whatsoever But whilst the Citizens were thus Declaring and the Members very busy at Westminster the Fugitives for so they then call'd them that were fled to the Army were not idle at Windsor for there they sate in consultation with the Council of War and signed an Engagement to live and dye with General Fairfax and the Army under his Command as also a Remonstrance shewing the grounds of their intended advance towards London Declaring against the choyce of the new Speaker at Westminster and that as things then stood there was no free-Parliament sitting being through the violence done on the twenty sixth of Iuly before wholy suspended as also that whatsoever Orders or Votes had passed since that time they should be null and void and not at all submitted unto With the Army thus marching towards the City also joyned the Trayned Bands of some Countries viz. Kent Essex and Surrey which put the Covenanting Brethren into such dreadful apprehensions and pannick fears as that they often sent Commissioners to mediate for peace but could obtain no other terms than that they must desert the Members sitting at Westminster as also the Eleven formerly impeached Moreover that they should call in their Declaration then newly printed and published Relinquish the Militia Deliver up all their Forts and Line of Communication to the Army together with the Tower of London and all the Magazines of Armes therein Disband all their Forces Turn all the Reformados out of the Line withdraw all their Guards from the Houses Receive such Guards of Horse and Foot within the Line as the Army should appoint to guard the Houses Demolish their works and suffer the whole Army to march in triumph through the City Unto all which they forthwith tamely yielded as may seem from those poor pittiful abject and slavish Expressions made by the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Common-Council then sent to General Fairfax in these words And forasmuch as we observe that the chief cause which hath drawn you Excellency and your Army thus near the City is to bring home those noble and honourable Memebers of both Houses who because of the Tumults at Westminster the twenty sixth past have retired themselves to the end they may by you be placed in safety and in a free-Parliament at Westminster we chearfully and heartily joyne with your Excellency therein and according as we shall find directions from your Excellency they shall find all ports and passes open to receive you and them and also such Guards of two or three Regiments as you Excellency shall think fitting for their conduct to the two Houses of Parliament And the Parliament being set with Peace and Safety we shall humbly submit to their direction what forces of yours and ours to continue for their future Guard in which service we humbly offer the whole strength of this City Whereupon on Hounslow Heath the Army drew up in Batalia there being present the Earls of Northumberland Salisbury Kent and Moulgrave the Viscount Say and Sele the Lord Gray of Werke the Lord Howard of Escrick and Lord Wharton the Speaker also of the House of Commons and about one hundred Members of that House Where the Common-Souldiers were taught to make great Shouts and cry Lords and Commons and a free-Parliament From whence upon the sixth of August the General brought the fugitive Members with a strong party to the Parliament House the two Pallace-yards being filled with armed Guards and double Files placed throughout Westminster-Hall to the stairs of the House of Commons and so through the Court of Requests to the Lords House put the Speakers in their respective chayrs and set
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
under that disguise pretending their desire to make peace with the King presented him with the same Propositions in effect as he had formerly received from the Grandees at Westminster when he lay at Newcastle in custody of the Scots Whereunto he made answer that unto some of them he could not consent without violation of his Conscience and Honour nor to some others for that they were disagreeable to the present condition of affairs as things then stood and destructive to the main and principal Interests of the Army and of all those whose affections concurr'd with them And therefore desired that the Proposals of the Army might be likewise treated on in order to the setling of a lasting peace still urging his desires of a personal Treaty But to this vouchsafing him no reply at all they cast off that veile and proceeded yet farther in brideling the City by Impeaching the Lord Mayor divers Aldermen and some eminent Citizens for having an Hand in the Petition Engagement and Force upon the House of Commons upon the xxvith of Iuly before-mention'd who were thereupon committed to the Tower About this time also for the better encouragement of those that had a mind to buy Bishops Lands they passed an Ordinance whereby the Purchasers were promised to have their Bargains comfirm'd under the great Seal of England And to the end that the multitude of Wild-headed Schismaticks Limbs of this monstrous Independent-Body whose help they might need at a desperate pinch might propagate the more throughout all parts of the Nation a Petition was fram'd and Subscriptions got to it by many thousands of the Godly-party in the City of London and presented to the Houses at Westminster for sending of able gifted men as they call'd them though not of the Clergy to preach the Gospel throughout the whole Kingdome Whereupon Thanks was return'd to the Petitioners by the Houses About this time likewise an Ordinance was brought in to the House of Commons for setling the Church-Government in a Presbyterean-way with a Clause for tender Consciences and such as were Godly and made Conscience of their ways Wherein upon large debate had it was resolved that all manner of Sects should partake of this Indulgence excepting those of the Church of Rome and such as should make use of the Common-prayer according to Law establisht in the Church of England It is not the least observable that as at this time the Independent Grandees were laying the foundation of their own future dominion So the Presbyterean Brethren though then under Hatches were as busy as in such a condition was possible setting on the old-Covenanters in Scotland to make a loud noise as appears by a Letter from their Commissioners then residing at Westminster sent to the two Houses of Parliament chiefly concerning their Lord and Sovereign the King for so they call'd him wherein they took notice that he was still under the power of the Army and of the many Professions and Engagements made by the said Houses to the Kingdome of Scotland viz. that they would take care of the preservation of his person and of his just Power and Greateness which both Kingdomes had sworn as that Letter did import not to diminish Also that they were Informed of some intentions by the Army to remove His Majesty from Hampton-Court And finding that their stability and happiness did so much depend upon the safety and preservation of his royal person being resolv'd that the alteration of affairs should never ☜ separate them from the duty and allegiance they did owe unto him nor from their constant resolution to live in all loyalty under his Government they had often shewn their earnest desires and contributed their utmost endeavours towards the composure of those unhappy differences And that the Houses at Westminster having by their Votes of October the xxvith intimated unto them their resolution to apply themselves to His Majesty as also that they were preparing Propositions to be tendred to him they desired that they might be expedited and communicated to them that according to their many Engagements and relations there might still be a conjunction of Councils in those things which were for the Common-peace and joynt Interest of both Kingdomes And therefore that for the assisting of them in clearing His Majestie 's doubts and for giving mutual satisfaction to each other they desired in the name of the Kingdome of Scotland that there might be a Personal Treaty with His Majesty as the best and readyest means to obtain the joynt desires of both Kingdomes And to that end that the King might be invited to come to London with that Honour Freedome and respect as was due to His Majesty or at least remain at Hampton-Court and not to be under the power and restraynt of the Souldiers But this project of the Scots for a Personal Treaty which might in any sort tend to the good of His Majesty or the people was then set on foot too late the Grandees of the Army at that time driving on another designe in order to his absolute destruction wherein the common Souldiers were to act their parts by those pernicious Instruments called Adjutators which was by making shew to frame certain Articles in order for setling the Liberties of the people and Interest of the Army and this to be called the Agreement of the people To which end they chang'd their Guards putting such upon him as were more strict and discharging well nigh all his Servants whom they had formerly admitted to wait on him The tenor of which Instrument called the Agreement of the people was to this effect 1. That there should be a more equal distribution by Counties Cities and Boroughs for election of their Representatives in Parliament 2. That the Parliament then sitting should be dissolved upon the last day of September anno 1648. then next ensuing 3. That the people might of course choose a Parliament for themselves every two year and to begin on the first Thursday in April then next following and to end upon the last of September ensuing 4. That the people were thenceforth to be declared the Supream-power whereunto that and all future Representatives should be subordinate and accountable This not pleasing the Members at Westminster was by them voted to be the very destruction of the Parliament and fundamental Laws of this Kingdome But no less active were they themselves though in private in framing an Impeachment against the King by the name of Charles Stuart a Committee being appointed to collect together all His Majestie 's Letters and other Papers taken at Navesby or elsewhere to the end they might be ready when the House should have occasion to use them Yet all this while Cromwell who was the very Soul of that party did so play the Ambodexter that he sometimes made shew to the King how well he was pleased with his late Answer to those Propositions from the Houses
to Moral Honesty but wholly guided by those whimsical Fantasies which were by their Ring-leaders called the Revelations and Inspirations of God's Holy Spirit it was referred to a Committee to consider of a way for the Raising of Pensions and allowances out of Deans and Chapters Lands to maintain certain Itinerant Preachers who were Authorized to go up and down and spread abroad their Antimonarchical Doctrine whereby the Rabble might be set up and comply with the Souldiery against the Nobility and Gentry Clergy Lawyers and all orderly Government But upon better consideration fearing that the Liberty might in time overwhelm them with confusion and give such a countenance to the Levellers of whose help they had made no small use for the King's Destruction as would bring upon them inevitable ruine Cromwel moved in their Parliament that the Presbyterian Government might be setled promising his endeavours thereto and that the secured and secluded Members might be again invited to return into the House They likewise imploy'd divers of their Preachers of which Mr. Marshal Mr. Nye Mr. Carrel Mr. Goodwyn and Hugh Peters were the chief to cajole others of their own Coat together with the Citizens and expulsed Members with certain Discourses and Proposals telling them that the Presbyterians did differ with the King in point of Civil Interest which was much more irreconcileable than the Interest of Church Government whatsoever shew was made to the contrary Also that it was the Presbyterians who first made War against the late King brought him low and prepared him to receive his deadly blow from the Independants and therefore that the King would look upon them as equally Guilty with the Independants and endeavour equally to cut them off their design being thereby to cast the Presbyterians into utter despair and so to bring them in point of self Preservation to joyn with their Interests for common defence And to carry on their work with the more shew of Sanctity they ordered that a strict Fast should be kept to humble themselves and implore God's Forgiveness for the Ingratitude of the People who did not sufficiently acknowledge with Thankfulness Gods Great Mercies upon this Land in Freeing them from Monarchy and bestowing Liberty upon them by changing Kingly Government into a Free State or Republick To sweeten likewise the affections of the Vulgar towards them they made most specious pretences of paying all the publick Debts and raising Three Hundred thousand Pounds for supplying the necessities of the Common-wealth as they term'd it without any charge or burthen to the people and to that end passed an Act for abolishing all Deans and Chapters and for sale of their Lands And the better to fortifie themselves and their Usurped Dominion they fram'd another Act whereby they declared certain particulars to be Treason viz. 1. If any man should maliciously affirm their present Government to be Tyrannical usurped or unlawful or that the Commons in Parliament were not the Supream Authority of the Nation or that should endeavour to alter that their Government 2. If any should affirm their Council of State or Parliament to be Tyrannical or unlawful or endeavour to Subvert them or stir up Sedition against them 3. For any Souldiers of their Army to contrive the death of the General or Lieutenant General or endeavour to Raise Mutinies in the Army or to Levy War against the Parliament or to joyn with any to Invade England or Ireland to Counterfeit their Great Seal or kill any Member of their Parliament or any Judge or Minister of Justice in their duty Soon after this they framed and passed another Act declaring England with all the Dominions and Territories thereto belonging to be a Free State and to be Governed by the Representatives of the People in Parliament without any King or House of Lords Which Act was Proclaimed in the City of London by Alderman Andrews then Lord Mayor Alderman Pennington Wollaston Fowkes Kenrick Byde Edmunds Pack Bateman Atkins Viner Avery Wilson Dethick Foote then attending him The Londoners being by that time brought unto so much Vassalage by these insolent Regicides as that in obedience to a Vote made by their servile Parliament they were constrain'd to invite that wicked Conclave to a Thanksgiving Dinner whereat all of them were to rejoyce together for bringing the Grand Delinquent to punishment that is to say for the Murther of the King for the greater honour of that day the Lord Mayor met the Speaker and the other Members of Parliament at Temple-Bar and there resigning the Sword to him received it again and carryed it before him to Christs Church Whence after a Canting Sermon he conducted them to Grocers-Hall and entertain'd them in the quality of a Free State the Cooks having every one of them an Oath to prepare for those Saints nothing but wholsome Food Being therefore thus seeming firmly setled in their Tyrannical Dominion they went on in passing sundry other Acts in their Pseudo-Parliament of which the Ruling Grandees had the chief benefit viz. 1. To encourage the Purchasers of Deans and Chapters Lands by the sale of them at Ten years Purchase in case of ready Money or doubling what was due to those as should so purchase 2. Another for the sale of the Goods and Personal Estate of the King Queen and Prince 3. A Third for sale of the Crown Lands with particular Instructions to sell them at Thirteen years purchase 4. Soon after this they passed another Act for Coyning of new Money with direction for the form of the stamp to be thereon 5. Another declaring what Offences should be thenceforth adjudged Treason viz. to express or publish their Government to be Tyrannical or that the Commons in Parliament were not the Supream Authority 6. And for the quicker riddance of Deans and Chapters Lands they added farther Power and Instructions to the Trustees for the sale of them 7. Next to reward their Bloody President Bradshaw who gave Judgment of Death upon the King they passed another Act for settling Two thousand pounds per annum upon him And that there might be a known mark of distinction betwixt themselves and others they passed an Act for the Subscribing an Engagement whereby every man should promise to be true and Faithful to the Government then established without a King or House of Lords or in case of refusal to have no benefit of the Laws But the Crown-lands so doom'd to be sold went but slowly off they therefore passed another Act to constitute a Committee to remove obstructions in the sale of them Nor was all this sufficient to satisfie their greedy appetites or was evident enough from the aim they had to devour all the Gleabe and Tithes throughout the whole Kingdom To which purpose they passed an Act whereby they nominated certain Commissioners to receive and dispose of all Rents Issues and profits of all Rectories
Government CHAP. XXXVI ALL things being accordingly ready in order thereto upon the Sixteenth of December and about One of the Clock that day Five Regiments of Foot and Three of Horse were drawn out as a Guard from White-Hall to Westminster-Hall whereof one viz. Colonel Goffs was placed within the Precincts of the Hall This being done Cromwel with the Captain of his Guard and some few others passed through these Bands of Souldiers to the Door of Westminster-Hall Where alighting from his Coach there proceeded First the City Marshals Then the Aldermen of London in Scarlet After them the Judges all except their Chief-Justice Rolls Next the Two Keepers of their Great Seal Keble and L'isle Then Four Serjeants at Armes with Maces viz. the Parliament Mace the City Mace the Council of State 's Mace and the Lord Keeper's Mace After thses the Lord Mayor's Sword-bearer with the Cap of Maintenance and Sword but the Sword not Erected Then the Lord Mayor And next to him Cromwel himself in a Black Sute and Cloak Lined with Velvet Boots and a Gold Hatband all bare headed And after him the Principal Officers of the Army and Council of State In which manner they proceeded to the Chancery-Court where a Rich Chair of State was set with a large Cusheon and Carpets on the Floor Being ascended into the court Cromwel standing before the Chair with the Two Keepers and Judges on each hand of him Major General Lambert declaring to him the Dissolution of the Parliament and exigency of the times did in the name of the Army and of the Three Nations desire him to accept of the Protectorship of them Whereunto he assenting a large Instrument extending to a whole skin of Velome was read to him which contained the form of his Government and somewhat called an Oath at which he lifted up his Right Hand and Eyes and assented thereto Then did the Lord Mayor present the Sword to him and the Keepers the Seal Both which he delivered back to them respectively This being done a Common Souldier Seconded with about Twenty more cryed aloud God Bless the Lord Protector of the Common-wealth of England Scotland and Ireland After which there was a General shout made by the Souldiers throughout the Hall and after a little pause the like twice more Then he went back to White-Hall the Lord Mayor carrying the Sword upright before him the Protector having his Hat on After which in the Evening were several Vollies of small shot and some great with Ringing of Bells The Tenor of which Instrument was as followeth viz. That the Supream Legislative Authority should be in a Single Person and the People in Parliament but the Administration thereof to be left to the Lord Protector and to his Council whereof the number was not to be above Twenty and One. That all Charters Patents Writs and Commissions should be passed by the Protector All Power of Magistracy Honours and Titles to be derived from him Likewise the Pardon of all Offences excepting Treason and Murther He also to have the Administration of all things with the Advice of his Council and according to the Tenor of this Instrument That the Militia Sitting the Parliament should be in the disposal of the Protector and the Parliament but in the Intervals in the Protector and his Council The Power also of making Peace and War with Forreign Princes to be in the Protector and his Council but he to have no Authority of Repealing or making any Laws without the consent of Parliament That the Parliament should be called before the end of Six Months then next ensuing and afterwards once in Three Years or oftner if need require and that it should not be in the Protector 's Power to Dissolve the same for the First Five Months without the consent of the House That the Number of Members for England should consist of full Four hundred Elected according to an equal distribution For Scotland Thirty and for Ireland the like Number the number for each County and City to be also assgned That the Calling of such Parliament should be under the Seal of the Common-wealth by Writs to the Sheriff in the Protector 's Name But if the Protector should not call the same within the times limited the Chancellor then to do it under the Penalty of High Treason and if he should fail therein then that the Sheriffs should perform it And after such Election should be made to be transmitted by the Chief Magistrate by Indenture to the Chancellor Signel with his Hand Twenty days before the Sitting of the same Parliament Also if the Sheriff or Mayor should make a false Return that he be Fined in Two thousand Marks That none should be capable to Elect who had ever born Armes against the Parliament or been Actors in the Irish Rebellion Nor that any Papist should ever be capable to give his Voice And that all Elections against these Rules should be void and the transgressors Fined at Two Years value of their Revenues and third part of their Goods That no Person under the Age of One and twenty years should be capable of being Elected nor any other than of known credit fearing God and of good behaviour No man likewise to have power of Electing whose Estate should not be worth Twenty Pound per annum Sterling That the Return of the Persons Elected should be transmitted by the Prothonotary in Chancery unto the Council of State within two days after they should come to his hands to the end that judgment might be made of the Persons if any question should arise touching the lawfulness of the choice That Sixty Members should be accounted a Parliament in case the rest be absent Nevertheless that it should be lawful to the Protector to call a Parliament when he should see cause That the Bills agreed on in Parliament should be presented to the Protector for his assent thereto and if he should not give his assent to them within twenty days that then they should have the force of Laws without it That if any Councellor of State should dye or be outed of his place for corruption in the Intervals of Parliament the Protector with the rest of the Councel to substitute another in his stead That a certain annual Tax shouldbe made throughout the There Common-wealths for the maintenance of Ten thousand Horse and Fifteen thousand Foot which Tax should also supply the charge of the Navy and that this rate should not be lessened or altered by the Parliament without the consent of the Protector and his Council But if it should not be thought necessary hereafter that any Army should be maintained then whatsoever surplusage of this Tax should be to be kept in the Treasury for sudden Emergencies That if there might happen to be occasion of making extraordinary choices and to Raise new Forces it should not be done without consent of Parliament but that in the Intervals of Parliament it should be lawful for the
Protector and his said Council both to make new Laws and raise Moneys for the present Exigencies That all the Lands Forrests and Iurisdictions not then sold by the Parliament whether they had belong'd to the King Queen Prince Bishops or any Delinquent whatsoever should thenceforth remain to the Protector That the Office of Protector should thenceforth be Elective but that none of the King's Line should be ever capable thereof and that the Election should belong to the Council That for the present Oliver Cromwel should be Protector That the great Office of the Common-wealth viz. Chancellor Keeper of the Seal Governour of Ireland Admiral Treasurer in case they should become void in Parliament time to be filled up by the approbation of Parliament and in the Intervals by the like approbation of the Council That the Chrisian Religion as it is contained by Holy Scripture should be the Publick Profession of the Nation and that those who were to have the care thereof should have their support from the Publick so that it be with some other more convenient maintenance and less subject ot envy than by Tithes That no man should be by any Fine or Penalty what soever forced to comply with the said publick Profession otherwise than by perswasions and Arguments That no man professing Faith in Christ should be prohibited the Exercise of his own Religion so that he disturb not any other but that neither Popery or Prelacy should be permitted the least favour or License and that all Laws to the contrary should be void That all Agreements made by Parliament should be firm and stable All Articles of Peace made with Domestick Enemies made good That all Protectors in their Order should be obliged by Oath at their first taking upon them the Government by all means to procure the Peace Welfare and quiet of the Common-wealth by no means to violate the present Agreements and lastly to his power to Administer all things according to the Laws Statutes and Customs of England After which solemn Inauguration he was publickly proclaimed Protector First in London and then throughout all the three Kingdoms And now that by this transeendent subtilâ—y this egregious Imposter had cherisht so many Sects of desperate Schismaticks in the Army and elsewhere by whose help he first pull'd down the Presbyterian and then Murthered the King it was not his least skill so to manage these unruly Spirits that none of them by clashing with each other might endanger the publick nor that any of them upon occasion should be unserviceable to his designs To which end as well to ballance them equally as to rule them how he listed he made choice of the most active and leading Men into his Council by whose Influence he had the guiding of all the rest of each Faction The like course he took for the chief Officers of his Army And being thus setled in this his new Dominion he set forth an Ordinance declaring what Offences should be adjudged Treason And likewise another for repealing those Acts and Resolves of Parliament which had formerly been made for Subscribing the Engagement the preamble whereof I have thought fit here to Insert Whereas many general and promissory Oaths and Engagements in former times Imposed upon the People of this Nation have proved Burthens and Snares to tender Consciences and yet have been exacted under several Penalties Forfeitures and Losses In consideration whereof and out of a tenderneâ—â— of requiring such obligations be it ordained by his Highness the Lord Protector by and with the consent of the Council that one Act of Parliament published in Print 2 Jan. an 1649. Intituled an Act for subscribing the Engagement and certain Orders intituled Resolves touching the subscribing an Engagement c. And all and every Clause Branch Article and Sentence in them c. be absolutely Repealed c. And being Invited by the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of London to dine at Grocers-Hall upon Ashwednesday to the end he might have the greater Veneration from the People it was contriv'd that he should Ride through the city in State to that Feast which was accordingly perform'd as followeth First the several Companies of London having order to meet at Guild-Hall in their Liveries went thence and placed themselves according to their Superiority in the Streets from the lower end of Cheapside to Temple-Bar within Rayles hung with blew Cloath the City Banner and Streamers belonging to the respective Companies being set before them Then the Lord Mayor with his Mace Sword and Cap of Maintenance attended by the Aldermen in Scarlet and their GoldChaynes Rode to Temple-Bar Where meeting the Protector with his Military Train he delivered up the Sword to him making a short congratulatory Speech to his Highness Which being ended they proceeded towards Grocers-Hall thus First the City-Marshal and some other Officers Then six Trumpets After them his Highness Life-guard Then eight Trumpets more Next the City Streamers Red and White Then the Aldermen After them the two Shireeves Next his Highness Heraulds with rich Coats adorn'd with the Common-wealths Arms viz. the Cross and Harp Then the Mace and Cap of Maintenance Next the Lord Mayor bare-headed carrying the Sword After him two Gentlemen Ushers Then his Highness the Protector with twelve Footmen in Gray Jackets laced with silver and black-silk Lace After him Rode Major General Skyppon and the rest of the Council Then the Officers of the Army And lastly divers other on Horseback and in Coaches Being thus come to Grocers-Hall the Recorder made a Speech to him letting him understand how happy that City did account themselves under his Government and likewise in the enjoyment of his presence there with them that day Which done he Knighted the Lord Mayor and then dined at the midst of a long Table in the great Hall the Lord Mayor sitting at some distance on his Right hand and his Son Henry on his left and on each side of them his Council of State But notwithstanding this great Entertainment well knowing that all the Bloodshed and confusion which had formerly been as 't was chiefly accomplisht by the Pulpits so by the like means his new establisht Rule might easily be shak't he fram'd another Ordinance whereby certain Commissioners were appointed for approbation of publick Preachers the preamble whereof with the Names of the reverend Tryers I have also added Whereas for some times past hitherto there hath not been any certain course Established for the supplying vacant places with able and fit persons to Preach the Gospel by reason whereof not only the Rights and Titles of Patrons are prejudiced but many weak scandalous Popish and ill affected persons have intruded themselves or been brought in to the great grief and trouble of the good people of this Nation For remedy and prevention whereof be it Ordained by his Highness the Lord Protector by and with the consent of his Council that every Person who shall from and after the 25th
contented to have received the Service and Assistance of any of our good Subjects who had Loyalty enough whatsoever their Religion is to bring them to our succour All Men know the great number of Papists which serve in their Army Commanders and others the great industry they have used to corrupt the loyalty and affection of all our Subjects of that Religion the private promises and undertakings they have made to them that if they would assist them against us all the Laws made in their prejudice should be repealed Yet neither the weakness of our own condition nor the other Arts used against us could prevail with us to invite those of that Religion to come to our succour or to recal our Proclamation which forbad them so to do and we are confident tho we know of some few whose eminent Abilities in Command and Conduct and moderate and unfactious dispositions hath moved us in this great necessity to imploy them in this service that a far greater number of that Religion is in the Army of the Rebeh than in our own and we do assure our good Subjects tho as we shall always remember the particular Services which particular Men have or shall in this exigent of ours perform to us with that grace and bounty which becomes a just Prince Yet we shall be so far from ever giving the least countenance or encouragement to that Religion that we shall always use our utmost endeavour to suppress it by the execution of those good and wholsome Laws already in force agaâ—â—st Papists and concurring in such farther remedies as the Care and Wisdom of us and both Houses of Parliament shall think most necessary for the advancement of God's Service But I proceed to the practise of their Preachers one of these Boutefeus to encourage his Auditors to bring in liberally upon the Propositions for Money Horse and Plate upon his administration of the Sacrament began thus All you that have contributed to the Parliament come and take this Sacrament to your comfort Another brought in a guard of Souldiers with their Arms into Lambeâ—h-Church in the time of Divine Service tore the Book of Common-Prayer in pieces pull'd the Surpliss from the Ministers back and scoffing at the good People who were at their Devotions said make an end of your pottage the Souldiers following him to the Communion-Table with Tobacco-Pipes in their Mouths and committing divers out-rages to the great terror of the Congregation Mr. Simeon Ashe Minister at St. Maries in Aldâ—rntanbury London in his Sermon Preacht before the House of Commons March 30. Anno 1642. that being one of their solemn Fast-days after large invectives against the Governours of the Church Ceremonies and the Divine Service by Law establisht charg'd the whole Ministry of the Church of England with being blind Seers Dumb Dogs which could not bark idle drones misguiding Guides Schismatical and Heretical Men and scandalous Adding and I humbly commend this to your consideration whether the Prelatical-party hath not been the Root of all or at least of almost all these oppressions and for my part I cannot expect a complete Deliverance from these and â—â—ther like oppressions but by the extirpation of that frame Right Honourable you have done much yea very much for our ease already We are sensible that many heavy Burthens are taken off our backs which crushed us grivously heretofore and for that relief which we have received we bless God we honour you and I now heartily intreat and encourage the prefecting of that you have so worthily begun When Sidn is set up in beauty adorn'd and set up with her watch Tower and Officers then God will be known in our Palaces for refuge And that they might have some colour of Authority for their sedicious Doctrine there came out a Paper in Print signed by Isaac Pennington their new Lord Mayor who first entred upon his Office with a set speech against the Book of Common-Prayer for a direction to the Ministers in and about the City of London both what to Pray and what to Preach in these words You are required to commend to God in your Prayers the Lord General the whole Army imploy'd in the Parliaments service and the design undertaken by them as also in your Sermons effectually to stir up the People to appear in Person and to joyn with the Army to stand up for our Religion and Liberties as is desired and expected by the Army and the Committee for the Militia in this City According to which direction one of them likened the King to Rehoboam in forsaking his old Council and then inferred It was but Iustice that the two Houses should proceed to a new Choice Another on their Fast-day at Southampton used these words in his Prayer Oh Lord thine Honour is now at stake for now O Lord Antichrist hath drawn his Sword against thy Christ and if our Euemes prevail thou wilt lose thine Honour And Mr. Crosse a zealous Lecturer told his Auditory in the Pulpit at St. Mildreds in the Poultry that if God did not finish the good work which he had begun in the Reformation of the Church he would shew himself to be the God of confusion and such a one as by cunning Stratagems had contrived the destruction of his own Children Which Blasphemous expression was but few days before Sir William Waller's defeat at Roundway-down And now whilst I mention this overthrow I cannot omit the notice of a passage somewhat remarkable which was that the day of that great and absolute defeat the Rebels in Gloucesler held one of their solemn counterfait Thanksgivings for a feigned Victory which they pretended to abuse the People that Sir William Waller had at Landsdowne upon the fifth day of the same Month. Another of their Lectures in Southampton pray'd thus Bless the King O Lord mollify his hard heart that delighteth in blood Open his Eyes that he may see that the blood of the Saints is dear in thy sight He is fallen from faith in thee and become an enemy to thy Church Is it not He that hath sinned and done evil indeed but as for these sheep what have they done Let thme hand we pray thee O Lord our God be on him and on his Father's House but not on thy People that they should be plagued And another blasphemous fellow in his Prayer there on their Fast-day said thus O God O God many are the hands lift up against us but there is one God it is thou they self O Father who doest us more mischief then they all And for Preaching observe the Doctrine of one Kendal sometime a Coach-man but afterwards Paeacher at Hamsted in Hartfordshire upon the 1 Cor. 6â—9 know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God First that by Kingdom of God in this place was meant the Kingdom of Christ upon Earth Secondly that England was no true Church Thirdly that all the
and Poundage contrary to an express Act made also that very Parliament So likewise a new Imposition called Excise upon Victuals and all other Commodities against which they themselves had much declaimed And to countenance these grand Oppressions voted that an Ordinance of Parliament was as binding to the Subject as an Act of Parliament Thereupon ordaining that such Persons as ought to pay any Rents Debts c. due to those who are assessed and refused so to do should be Discharged against the Landlord or Creditor And at length became so bold as that their new Lord Mayor Isaac Pennington chalenging a Sturgeon which was taken above London-Bridge and it being answered that it belonged to the King or Lord Admiral Replyed you Malignant Rogue I would have you to know that there is neither King nor Admiral that hath any Power in London but my self Add thereunto their Ordinance for keeping Michaelmas Terme at Westminster notwithstanding his Majesties Proclamation And another Constituting the Earl of Warwick Governour and Lord Admiral of all the Islands in America Inhabited or Planted by the King's Subjects Another declaring the King's Broad-Seal Invalid and Commanding Obedience to all Writs c. to be issued under a new great Seal made by themselves And Sequestring all Offices of those Clerks in Westminster-Hall which were with the King The authority given to the Earl of Manchester by another Ordinance to deprive and displace all Masters and Fellows of Colledges and Halls in Cambridge and all other Clergy-Men within the Association as he should think convenient The Ordinances for seizing the Kings Queens and Princes Revenew for cutting down their Woods For Commanding all Men to pay nothing to his Majesty the Queen and Prince which was due and ought to have been paid to them for those are the words also the Commitment of Laughern and Vivian to Colchester-Goal for denying to pay two Thousand Pounds which was due to the Prince from them though the Receiver was Plundred of the Money And when it was told Mr. Strode Chair-Man to the Committee for raising Money that no more Money could be advanced their Purses having been so drain'd already he Replyed that they must have no denial for their Money was demanded by the Supream Court of Iudicature adding that those were times of necessity Another of the Members sticking not to say shortly after that if it would advantage their Cause he thought it lawful to unvote whatsoever had passed since the beginning of that Parliament Besides which grievous Impositions upon the Subjects Estates they stuck not at the like to their Persons upon pain of Death restraining all Persons for going from London to the King or Queen And for a farther Testimony of their dealing with the People in point of their Proprietie take their Governour of Abington's Answer viz. Coll. Browne to no less than Seven-score poor People which came thither to him at one time wringing their hands and begging for some small Pittance of what he had caused to be taken from them in the Villages thereabours which was no less than all their Goods even to part of their wearing Apparel which was thus with Tears in his Eyes Alas good People it is not in my Power to help you For if this were done by meet Rudeness of my Souldiers I could say something but you have not lost a Pin but according to the Command of both Houses of Parliament who injoin'd us to spare nothing Therefore said he whispering to one or two of them if you have any thing left 't is your best course to Convey it away quickly for the Parliament hath Commanded me to take all I can carry and burn up the rest before the King comes These and the like as by many Instances might be made apparent have been their Practises in violating the Laws of the Land with the Liberties and Properties of the Subject however Fair and Specious their Promises were otherwise until they had got Power into their hands being at length not ashamed to discover their full Intentions by those Propositions which they tendred to His Majesty at Oxford upon the 23d of November 1644. And whereupon a Treaty was had at Uxbridge Where it was judiciously observ'd by his Majesties Commissioners That after a War of near three Years for which the Defence of the Protestant Religion the Liberty and Property of the Subject and the Priviledges of Parliament were made the cause and Grounds in a Treaty of full twenty days nor indeed in the whole Propositions upon which the Treaty should be there was nothing offered to be treated on concerning the Breach of any Law or of the Liberty or Property of the Subject or Priviledge of Parliament but only Propositions for the altering a Government Established by Law and for the making of new Laws by which all the old were or might be Cancelled there being nothing insisted upon on the part of his Majesties Commissioners which was not Laws or denied by them that the other demanded as due by Law The next and last particular for which they made such great Pretences is the Priviledge of Parliaments Having therefore under that colour justified most of their pernicious Actions let us take notice how consonant to Justice Reason or common Honesty their Practices upon this point have been Did they not soon after the beginning of that Unhappy Parliament without any president found a Close-Committee consisting of eight persons whereof no less than seven were principal Contrivers of the ensuing Rebellion And in the business of the Earl of Strafford was not their Bill for his attainder twice read and voted in one day and fifty-five of the Members Posted for not assenting thereto whose Names to their lasting Honour I have here added 1. George Lord Digby 2. Iames Lord Compton 3. Richard Lord Buckhurst 4. Sr. Robert Hatton 5. Sr. Thomas Fanshaw 6. Sr. Edward Alford 7. Sr. Nicholas Slanyng 8. Sr. Thomas Danby 9. Sr. George Wentworth 10. Sr. Peter Wentworth 11. Sr. Frederick Cornwallis 12. Sr. William Carnaby 13. Sr. Richard Wynn. 14. Sr. Gervace Clifton 15. Sr. William Widdrington 16. Sr. William Pennyman 17. Sr. Patricius Curwen 18. Sr. Richard Lee. 19. Sr. Henry Slingesby 20. Sr. William Portman 21. Mr. Gervase Hollies 22. Mr. Sidney Godolphin 23. Mr. Cooke 24. Mr. Coventrey 25. Mr. Benjamin Weston 26. Mr. William Weston 27. Mr. Selden 28. Mr. Alford 29. Mr. Llhoyd 30. Mr. Herbert 31. Captain Digby 32. Serjeant Hyde 33. Mr. Tailor 34. Mr. Gryffith 35. Mr. Scowen 36. Mr. Bridgman 37. Mr. Fettiplace 38. Dr. Turner 39. Capt. Charles Price 40. Dr. Parry a Civilian 41. Mr. Arundell 42. Mr. Newport 43. Mr. Holburne 44. Mr. Noell 45. Mr. Kirton 46. Mr. Pollard 47. Mr. Price 48. Mr. Trevanion 49. Mr. Iane. 50. Mr. Edgcombe 51. Mr. Chichley 52. Mr. Mallorey 53. Mr. Porter 54. Mr. White Secretary to the Earl of