consequently have power to give order for the external part of Gods Service as was by Parliament granted to Queen Elizabeth and her Successours And the first Congregators calling themselves Protestants by Contract with Queen Elizabeth Anno 1559. received by Contract the Common Service-book of the Church of England for the better obtaining assistance from her to beat out the French then nestled in Scotland as Buchanan confesses Scoti ex servitute Gallica Anglorum auxiliis liberati eisdem Ritibus cum Anglis communibus subscripserunt lib. 19. in fine which was done by way of Indenture and thereupon Queen Elizabeth assisted them at their own charges and the English Service-book was so received by the Protestant Kirk of Scotland and practised as appears in Iohn Knox his History p. 111. of Buchanan's Edition in these words It is thought covenient advised and ordained that in all Parishes of this Realm Scotland the Common Prayer-book be publickly read weekly on Sundays and other Festival Days with the Lessons of the Old and New Testament therein contained conform to the Order of the said Book of Common Prayer and if the Curates of the Parishes be qualified to cause them reade the same and if they be not or refuse that the most qualified in every Parish shall reade it And that Preaching and Interpretation of Scriptures be used privately in the most convenient Houses where the People may quietly convene untill it shall please God to move the Princes heart to grant liberty of publick Preaching by faithfull and true Ministers And this was done Anno 1560. being so agreed upon the Year before And according to Queen Elizabeths Contract on her part she sent the Lord Grey with an Army of ten thousand Land-forces and an Navy by Sea which expulsed the French from thence but their turn served they afterwards devised another way of Discipline of their own like as those Covenanters did now refuse this Service-book not for any fault therein but because they would not have their Kirk depend upon the Jurisdiction and Order of the Church of England And whereas these Covenanters accused the Arch-bishop of Canterbury as Authour of this Book with the success thereafter as that they presumed to put their Platform of Geneva Discipline even upon the very Church of England as by their Solemn League and Covenant hereafter appeareth which though it take for a time with the prevalent party of their Faction in England yet shortly after as extravagant and they have since received their reward of slavery so just it is with God Some upright and honest Scots were in policy taken off either by subtilty or force And because the Earl of Strathern a bold man and had the Kings ear and deservedly too being faithfull and true these men set on Sir Iohn Scot Directour of the Chancery a busie Person to inform against his Descent which they call Service as Heir to David Earl of Strathern pretending to the Crown The story was thus briefly Robert the second of that Name and first of Stuarts about the Year of God 1370. entred his Reign at fifty years old having been Regent for his Uncle King David Bruce and had Issue by his Concubine Elizabeth Sir Moor's Daughter three Sons viz. John called Robert the third Robert Duke of Albany and Earl of Fife and Alexander Earl of Buchan In the second year of his Reign he married Aufeme Daughter to the Earl of Rosse and begat of her two Sons Walter Earl of Athol and David Earl of Strathern infeoffing upon them great Estates of Crown-lands intailed onely to their Heirs male legitime or to return to the Crown The King aged and infirm intrusted the power of the Militia to his eldest Son John Earl of Carrick and Lord of Kyll a valiant Person The Queen dying and leaving two young Sons the King marries his former Concubine Besse Moor and preferred her three Sons begotten out of Marriage before his legitimate Sons this being done by the Popes Dispensation and by Act of Parliament or by a Prior clandestine Marriage as was pretended yet the History bears it not But John succeeded by the name of Robert the third because two Kings Johns of England and France had been unfortunate And from this Robert lineally the Race of the subsequent Kings are descended David Earl of Strathern left onely one Daughter married to the Lord Graham's second Son who left onely one young Son Melissus Graham Earl of Strathern and King James the first returning to Scotland after eighteen years but noble Captivity in England and finding the Crown-rents much decayed caused a general search of the Dilapidation and the return made among others that the Earldom of Strathern ought to devolve to the Crown by the Intail and so it was reassumed but the young Earl so near a Kinsman he created Earl of Menteth with some small Rents at which the young mans Uncles the Earl of Athol aspiring to the Crown and Sir Robert Graham quarrel and murdered the King but were exemplarily punished and Athol forfeited since which time the Earls of Menteth lived privately untill this man was set up by the late Duke of Buckingham obtaining of the King neither of them acquainted with the Genealogy to be lineal Heir to that David Earl of Strathern his Predecessour to have the Title of Earl of Strathern who some years after vainly let fall these words that the King held the Crown of him and being tried and found guilty the Title was recalled and he had given to him the Title of Earl of Airth but discourted and put out of place or further medling in State-affairs extremely and specially aimed at by the former Contrivers of his ruine lest he might hinder their wicked intended Designs against the King and the estate of the Church and Bishops for the Man was noted to be very honest and faithfull though fâ—lly invented those words without any intention of mischief But it is dangerous to dally with the Sovereignty of Kings much more with their Crowns lest the wound become incurable nothing more dear than their Titles and Posterity And the restoring of Menteth in bloud was very disadvantagious to the King and indeed dangerous to the Earl himself comparing his case with others the like heretofore Henry the sixth of England restoring in bloud the Descent and Titlâ— of the Duke of York who openly thereafter made claim in Parliament for the Crown as in his own right laying down his Title thus The Son of Ann Mortimer who came of the Daughter and sole Heir of Lionel Duke of Clarence third Son of King Edward the third is to be preferred by very good right in succession of this Kingdom before the Children of John of Gaunt the fourth Son of Edward the third but Richard Duke of York is come of Philippe the Daughter and sole Heir of Lionel Duke of Clarence third Son of King Edward the third and to be preferred before the Children of the fourth Son
Barons and Bishops alwaies standing bareheaded Then every Bishop came to the King to bring their Benediction upon him and he in King Edwards Robes with the Crown upon his Head rose from his Chair and bowed to every Bishop apart Then was girt about him King Edwards Sword which himself after wards took off and offered it up at the Communion Table with two Swords more in relation to Scotland and Ireland or to some antient Principalities with his Predecessors enjoyed in France The Duke of Buckingham as Master of the Horse put on his Spurs and thus compleatly crowned his Majesty offered first Gold then Silver and afterwards Bread and Wine which was to be used at the holy Communion Then the King was conducted by the Nobility to the Throne upon the square Basis of five Descents the Quire singing Te Deum where he received the Oath of Homage from the Duke of Buckingham as Lord High Constable for that day and the Duke swore all the Nobility to be Homagers to his Majesty at the Kings knee Then the Earls and Barons laid their hands on the Crown upon the Kings head protesting to spend their bloods to maintain it to him and his lawful Heirs The Bishops kneeled down but took no oath the King kissing each of them Then the King took a Scrowl of Parchment out of his Bosom and gave it to the Lord Keeper Coventry who read it to the Commons four several times East West North and South the effect His Majesties pardon to all that would take it under his Broad-Seal From the Throne to the Communion Table where the Arch-bishop kneeling at the North side read prayers and the Quire sung the Nicene Creed the Bishops Landaff and Norwich read the Epistle and Gospels The Bishops of Durham and Saint Davids in rich copes with his Majesty received the Communion the Bread from the Archbishop the Wine from Bishop Saint Davids The King received last of all whilest Gloria Patri was sung and some prayers by the Arch-bishop conclude the solemnity After the King had disrobed himself in King Edwards Chapel he came forth in a short Robe of Red Velvet girt unto him lined with Ermins and a Crown of his own upon his head set with very pretious stones And thus the Train going to the Barges at the water-side they returned to White-hall about three a clock afternoon This being as yet the last solemnity of this King Charles I could say no less to preserve it to memory to shew what that State had been till it be so again And now the King calls a Parliament which met the sixth of February Sir Henage Finch Recorder of London chosen Speaker of the Commons House So soon are they summoned after their last Dissolution It was the Kings design then to take this short time of recess to cool the heat of some fiery Spirits and now for him to give all possible satisfaction to their former pressures of Grievances which had been lately fully cleared unto them in pursuance of their pretended devout care for settling of Religion But still the house of Commons scrutiny and by a Committee strictly examine what abuses had interferred the execution of his Majesties Grace therein And the Lords betake themselves to a Grievance of their own Order The old ones had a former complaint five years since to King Iames against such New Lords of foreign Titles of Honour that claimed thereby precedency of Inferior titles at home and were then quelled in that quarrel as being in the pleasure of the Prince to effuse the beames of Honour and to collate what he please upon whom and how he please But now another dress and much more boldly To the Kings most Excellent Majesty In all humility SHeweth unto your most Excellent Majesty your ever Loyal Subjects the Lords Spiritual and Temporal now in Parliament assembled That whereas the Peers and Nobility of this your Kingdome of England have heretofore in civility yielded as to strangers precedency according to their several degrees unto such Nobles of Scotland and Ireland as being in titles above them have resorted hither Now divers of the nâ—tâ—ral born Subjects of this Kingdom resident here with their Families and having their chief Estates among us do by reason of some late created Dignities in those Kingdomes of Scotland and Ireland claim Precedency of the Peers of this Realm which tends both to the dis-service of your Majeâ—â—â— and these Realms and to the great disparagemont of the English Nobility as by these reasons may appear 1. It is a novelty without precedent That men should inherit Honors where they possess nothing else 2. It is injurious to those Countreys from whence their Titles are derived that any should have Vote in Parliament where they have not a foot of Land 3. It is a grievance to the Countrey where they inhabit that men possessing very large Fortunes and Estates should by reason of foreign Titles be exempted from those services of Trust and Charge which through their default become greater pressures upon others who bear the burthen 4. It is a shame to Nobility that persons dignified with the Titles of Barons Viscounts c. should be obnoxious and exposed to arrest they being in the view of the Law no more then meer Plebeians We therefore humbly beseech your Majesty that you will be pleased according to the example of the best Princes and Times upon consideration of these inconveniences represented to your Majesty by the nearest Body of Honour to your Majesty that some course may be taken and an Order timely settled therein by your Princely Wisdom so as the inconvenience to your Majesty may be prevented and the prejudice and disparagement of the Peers and Nobility of this Kingdom may be redressed To which the King for the present Promised to take order therein And the next News was the commitment of the Earl of Arundel to the Tower and this the cause The King having a Design to reconcile an antient fewd of two families by contracting them into a Marriage between the Lord of Lorn son and heir to the Earl of Arguile and bred up in England a Protestant for that purpose and the Eldest Daughter of the late Duke of Lenox which though well known to the Earl of Arundel he very boldly marries his eldest Son the Lord Matravers unto her and excuses it to be the private contrivance of the two Mothers but he is committed to the Tower and being in time of Parliament the Peers Petition the King That no Peer is to be imprisoned without Order of the Upper House unless for Treason Felony or Denial of the security for the peace which retrived their old dispute Priviledge and lasted the debate of a Months time In which space Mr. Pym Chairman to the Câ—mmittee of Religion reports the Inquisition of their discovery A Letter to the Lord Maior of York for Reprieve of some Iesuits Priests and other Recusants which Letter was compared
proofs of his manhood had a strong minde to a second Marriage and as if recovered of his former Impotency to exercise himself upon tryal with Betty Paulet as they called her daughter she was indeed of a Knight extracted from that Nobility of the Marquesse of Winchester but by what venture of descent we need not enquire She was pretty but poor Beauty hath price enough and a great portion would not have him In March he was Married but being mistaken in his own abilities of the Bed having it seems not excercised that kinde of Low Countreys manhood found himself failing and so retired out of Town as to give occasion for others to court his Countess and his advantage of a second Divorce and in truth he was easily drawn thereto by such as hung upon him in former time his Revenue now divided into Families Wife and Women-creatures shared the less to his Dependants Their Design was to watch their Countess who was wanton enough for such a Husband and by a Ladder to her Chamber-window saw so much as forcing the Door Master Udal was found sitting upon her Bed-side very late unbraced with heat as in pursuit of her Sister who in merriment after some questions he had been commanded to kiss her she being shadowed in the Ladies Chamber where he went to seek her but the conclusion was Divorce though her innocency was pleaded and sealed with all possible protestations and so generally believed untill she proved with childe and yet the Earl was so wise as to father it Marry then the Moon-calf must fall at the minute of his own account which no doubt happened just with the birth of the Baby a jolly Boy and so as best right for him to nestle who seized it from the Mother never like to see it long alive nor what became of it we need not doubt But why these his dishonours were not more resented at Court agreeable to his Extraction in a prophetick relation to all King Charls his future mishaps is more of the Authours wonder than I can make of it and concludes that he became the Head of an Army giving the King Battel in a Pitch Fâ—eld partly upon the score of those indignities before which he supposes was charged on the Kings account It was in Anno 1627. Therefore Feoffees were legally intrusted to purchase in the Impropriations with their own and other good mens money and with the profit to maintain a constant preaching Ministery where the Word was wanting They consisted of 4. Divines to perswade the conscience 4. Lawyers for the Conveyances and four Citizens for no other end but their money There was no need of Captains for Captain Michael's Sword was then sheathed There are in England 9284. Parish-churches endowed with Glebe and Tithes But 3845. were either appropriated to the Clergy or impropriated as Lay-fines to private persons which latter these Feoffees endeavoured to redeem and might have done it in fifty years by the large summs soon advanced and no wonder the subtilty was not then discerned for in time the Purchasers would become the prime Patrons for number and greatness of Benefices multiply their dependence and increase non-conformity and therefore the Attorney General Noy exhibited a Bill in the Exchequer to overthrow their Apocrypha incorporatum First Breach of Trust for erecting a Morning Lecture at St. Antholines London the Land of Goshen and not in other places far distant where Souls famished for want of Food Secondly preferred Non-conformists and so their proceedings were censured as dangerous to the Church and State pronounced illegal and dissolved and their money confiscate to the King which yet of late was accounted a pious Project Good men and bad are Examples fit for History the one to follow these to shun And the man of the first rank was Mervin Lord Audley Earl of Castlehaven married to a second Wife the Daughter of the old Countess of Derby and Widow of the Lord Chandos by whom she had a Daughter married to the Lord Audley the Earls eldest Son This Earl upon Petition of his own Son and Heir the Lord Audley was committed in December last and indicted at Salisbury the County of his abode the 25. of March the first day of this year 1631. accused for causing one Skipwith of mean extraction and his Servant advanced by him to great preferment to assist him to ly with his Countess and to cuckold his Son Audley the Earl assisting and to hold his Wife whilest Brodway did ravish her and for acting Sodomy upon Brodway and Fitz Patrick his Servants a strange kinde of hideous monstrous quality in the sin of this Earl enforcing others to that wickedness wherein himself had no temptation for his excuse or inclination to the action which is the begining of sin no fruits or sensual pleasure for the present which is the act in sin no advance or profit in the future which is a reward to a mans self of his sin The uncouth baseness of the Rape the Master to serve the Servants to cuckold himself the highest horridity of a Wittal the Husband to ravish his own Wife nay to commit a Rape upon himself being both one a sin without former President or future belief so monstrous in the manner so execrable in the end The onely man of Nobility of infamous note that suffered judicial Execution by this King for I reckon not the Earl of Strafford under that notion These Crimes are bad enough we need not devise any more that he in Prison impudently told some Lords his whole delight was to damn Souls by inticing men the surest way to effect it which hath no credit and we shall lodg no other upon him but truths for certainly had he said this before his Trial it might have been remembred as all circumstances were then to advance his guilt And it becomes an Historian in dubious relations to admit the most Christian and charitable being more unlawfull to deceive Posterity by feigned narrative than to abuse a Judg by false Witness But of the other he was found guilty by Grand Inquest and so his cause put over to the Kings Bench and his Person sent to the Tower The manner of his Trial for Life was by a Court of High Commission delegated to some principal Person as chief Iudg constituted with a Power as being next to the King In some sort matching the Ephory amongst the Lacedemonians and therefore not to be longer intrusted than for the time of Trial for the business being done he breaks his Staff the Verge of his Power and Authority And Thomas Lord Coventry Lord Keeper of the Great Seal was by Patent of the thirteenth of April 1631. commissioned Lord High Steward of England for the Day being the five and twentieth of April And because it was the first and last Commission of this nature by this King we shall not spare the particular Narrative to rectifie mis-reports of many others herein It was at the
restrictions and bounded the writ at the first but to Maritime Counties as mostly receiving the present benefit of security from Pyrates but that not sufficient for the common necessity the wits became afterwards Generall to all Counties and so did the quarrel The whole amounting unto two hundred thirty six thousand pounds in lieu of all payments came but to twenty thousand pounds per mensem The Clergy never pleaded but indeed they muttered their case to be free from all secular and civil charges And to prevent the boldness of any pretence the Laws made disputes of the three fold necessity binding all Clergy and Laity viz. aid in war building of Bridges and raising of Forts Nor had they any Execution that which the Arch-bishop did for them was upon their just Complaint of their unequal Tax by their Neighbour therefore the Sheriffs were required not to tax the Clergy of Parsonages above a tenth part of their Land-rate of their several Parishes and no doubt we may easily believe the Inlanders might mutter as conceiving it strange to be concerned in the Sea But in truth the main Exception was to be taxed out of Parliament against the late Petition of Right and indured long debate in Courts of Iustice thereafter whilest the first Mover Noy the Attorney having set the Wheel a going took his last leave in August to rest for ever from the toil of an Attorney General And now was the great Design of the Swedes quarrel in Germany prosecuted and Ambassadours abroad to all the Neighbour Allies for assistance and Axel Oxenstiern the great Chancellour and Guider of those affairs of State sent hither his Son in Ambassy impowred with Credential Letters no doubt from his Sovereign Queen or from interest of the Chancellour of which our King could not pretend ignorance for in all outward reception he appeared so I was present in the Banquetting-house at White-hall when he had Audience of his tedious peremptory Oration But indeed whether because his Address had been before to the French King from whom he had large promises and a great Present or whether because our Reasons of State gave slender hopes to engage against the Emperour with whom we were in Treaty concerning the Palatinate he refused our Kings Present of equal value with that of France and returned not well pleased The state of Ireland in some disquiet dangerously now divident between Papist and Protestant the wise Lord Deputy Wentworth being necessitated to summon a Parliament for the supply of a fresh Contribution for the Army the former of twenty thousand pounds per annum determining the next year and provision must be assured before hand to discharge the Kings Debt of eighty thousand pounds besides It is most true that there was no ill Husbandry of former Governours that caused a contraction of this Debt but the wisdom of the Sovereign not to charge the Nation with Levies for they had granted but one Subsidy since primo Iacobi the Kingdom in good condition since the Wars and their Estates being by the King so lately setled they could do no less than raise their Purses with their plenty and give the King Subsidies which they did The Civil affairs well forwarded the care was to setle the Ecclesiastick by Assembly of a Synod The Design was not more politick as pious to repeal the Body of Articles formed Anno 1615. and to substitute those nine and thirty Articles of the Church of England in their room and the rather because the nine Articles of Lambeth were included with the Irish which in truth had been purposely inserted by King Iames to ballance against the Tenets of Arminians and were evermore started by the contrary Opinions where the Points of Predestination and the Lords Day Sabbath had found free acception to these indeed the Alteration seemed strange some referring it to power others to piety and reason also the reason might be in relation to the Papists who made a wonder that the Churches of three Kingdoms united being under one chief Head and Governour there should be three several and distinct Confessions of Faith and yet all pretending to one Religion and the conclusion and concession not huddled but canvased and with some advantage in Vote for the Church of England although as some say the Primate of Ireland interposed his Negative The Scots are busie fomenting sundry pretended Designs of State against their Liberties they became very bold endeavouring to blast the Kings Proceedings in their last Parliament as indirect charging him with corrupting and suborning the then Votes and evermore of some tendency in favour of Papists and to publish it in print they framed a Libel which passing through malignant hands and so vented but the Lords of the Council there searching narrowly for the Authour it fell upon one William Hagge and he escaping his Abetter was brought to the Board being the Lord Balmerino the Son of a Father of small Conscience and less Religion but Secretary he had been to King Iames who shuffled a Letter of his own contriving amongst others for the Kings signature too much complementing with the Pope Clement in favour of the Catholicks which Letter being so sent and some years after mentioned by Cardinal Bellarmine to the Kingâ—s prejudice and Balmerino questioned for it did ingeniously confess the same and after some outward sufferings had his pardon and preferment but time discovering the Policies of State another way it is now averred that the Letter was then devised by the Kings command in some reason to gain upon the Romish party in reference to his interest in England where the Papists were prevalent and more powerfull abroad but now this Lord the Son whether by nature perfidious or made so by Revenge elapsed into the like crime indeed and suffered the same Trial and Eviction and found the same mercy the Kings pardon and preferment for the present but fell more foul in offending some years after But the Kings Pardon to him gave great encouragement to the discontented Party in Scotland having now found by experience the Kings inclination either by fear or affection to be wrought upon if not mastered and having continual intelligence from his Majesties Bed-chamber the bane of the King by persons near about him Scots of all passages in England concerning the interruption of three Parliaments imprisoning the Members and other civil Distractions sufficient to discover a discontented condition in England also but it appears not who gave the first invitation for assistance to each other of a War Either party Scots and English so forward as that it seems they met joyn'd at last in an unnatural War with their dread Sovereign And yet untill 1637. that the Service-book was imposed on the Scots both parties lay dormant without any perfect correspondence that I can meet with till that time or a little after And then also Cardinal Richelieu sent over his Chaplain Chambers a Scotishman to stir up the
scorn and the most hated man of all the Hierarchy where his turn came to be last devoured after he had eaten up some of his brethren The Earl of Strafford though in durance yet found friends abroad very active to serve him and accordingly it was the nineteenth day moved First That he might be bailed by divers Lords who offered caution But it was answered by the Lord Paget that it was against the Laws of the Land and the priviledge of the House and so passed the Major votes not to be admitted But was assigned Council and a solicitor in reguard of his restraint The one and twentieth one Iohn Iames son of Sir Henry Iames of Feversham in Kent a Romish Catholique stabbed Mr. Howard a Justice of peace of Westminster in Westminster-hall not unto death which was attempted because Mr. Howard had drawn a Catalogue of such Recusants as were within the Liberties of Westminster which he was to deliver up to the Committee of Religion for which fact Iames was secretly punished The eight and twentieth Mr. Pryn and Mr. Burton were conducted into London from their several Prisons in great pomp by many thousands of horse and foot with Rosemary and Bayes in their caps in despight and defiance of the course of Justice which had sentenced them and the third of December they presented their Petitions to the House of Commons for dammage against their Prosecutors This Parliament of Inquisition began to appear terrible to all that lodged but under suspition of guilt but insufferable to the conscience condemning which Sir Francis Windebank Secretary of State not able to bear having been questioned and mainly convinced for reprieving Iesuites and Priests and of worse matters suspected guilty got over into France where he remained to his death a professed Roman Catholique The seventh day unanimously in the Commons House was voted 1. That the Charge imposed upon the Subject for the providing and furnishing of Ships and the Assessments for raising moneys for that purpose commonly called Ship-mony are against the Laws of the Realm the Subjects right and property contrary to former resolutions in Parliament and the Petition of Right 2. That the extrajudicial opinion of the Iudges published in the Star-chamber and enrolled in the Courts of Westminster are in the whole and every part of them against the Laws of the Realm c. ut prius 3. That the writs commonly called Ship writs are against the Laws of the Realm c. ut pius 4. That the Iudgment in the Exchequer in Mr. Hamdens case is as to the matter and substance thereof against the Laws of the Realm c. ut prius And so was it voted in the House of Lords And the next day a Committe was appointed to draw up a charge of High Treason against such as had been abetters therein the Lord Keeper Finch and the rest of the Iudges But though the Parliament was thus severe against the legality of Ship-mony yet it is observed that amongst the best Lawyers the matter was justifiable ascribing much to the Judgment of that learned Lawer Mr. Noy who first preferred it Secondly All the Judges subscribing to it in time of danger of which danger the King was declared to be Judge Thirdly And being argued in the Courts of Justice and by all the Judges in the Exchequers Chamber it was definitively sentenced for the King 4. Nor was it voted down by Parliament but in a meer arbitrary way without review or Council heard as the Judges reason of their opinion so much as required 5. And yet the arguments of the two Justices Crock and Hutton for the Illegallity was by vote of the house of Commons put in print but the opinion of the other eight Judges which were for the legality of it continue suppressed which gave most men occasion to conceive the greater reason in those arguments which were kept in the dark 6. And in all this design to vote it down the Parliament was fain to have recourse to the King and to crave an act of Parliament to secure them from it for the future and to countenance their cause the Judges were impeached in order to the pretext not merit of punishment And now the eleventh of December Alderman Lack-land or Pennington with some hundred at his heels a rable of petty Shop-keepers and Prentices presented their Citizens Petition subscribed by fifteen thousand pittifully perplexed at the Ecclesiastical Discipline and sundry Ceremonies of the Church of England which was wholly debarred but was transmitted till a cooler time And because it was thought sit to strike while the Iron was hot this Petition ushering in much worke of Reformation It was thought convenient to condemn the illegallity of the proceedings in the late Convocation and their Canons which being canvased on both sides the houses and all of one party few Arguments need to be urged where the prevailing sence of the House opposed and so resolved the fifteenth of December That the Clergy in a synod or Convocation hath no power to make Canons Constitutions or Laws to bind either Layity or Clergie without a Parliament And first next day that the Canons are against the fundamental Laws of this Realm against the Kings Prerogative Propriety of the Subject the Right of Parliaments and do tend to Faction and Sedition This Parliamentary Doctrine was but now newly known Convocations never before depending on Parliaments but either in calling or dissolving confirming or authorising the Acts thereof but onely on the King himself not in Parliament neither but in his Palace and this seems to be proved by the Statute 26 Henry 8. and the constant practice ever since And for the Canons before they were subscribed they were imparted to the King and by him communicated to the Lords of the Privy Council the Iudges the learned Council then attending and were read and approved without any thing therein tending to Faction and Sedition or to the prejudice of the Subjects propriety or the Kings Prerogative or the Laws of the Land yet the Parliament frame a Bill for fining all the Clergie of that Convocation keeping them in such aw as none did appear in maintenance of their Authority or in opposing those Incroachments and Innovations which daily were introduced upon them And as to the Civil Iudges for case of Ship-money so the Parliament proceed with the Ecclesiastick Arch-bishop of Canterbury against whom they form a Committee to draw up a Charge against him as the Framer of these Canons and for other supposed Delinquencies aggravated by the Scots adjoyning him with the Earl of Strafford in their grand Accusation as an Incendiary in this National Difference promising to bring in their Complaint but in the mean time Master Hollis on Friday is sent up with the Impeachment and is seconded the same day with the Charge of the Scots Commissioners upon the reading whereof he was committed to the custody of the Black Rod
solely intrusted with the person of the prince should leave behind him in a foreign Court so much scandal by his ill behaviour 10. That he hath been a great part the cause of the ruine of the Prince Palatine and his estate in so much as those affairs concern this kingdom 11. That he hath in his relation to both Houses of Parliament wronged the Earl of Bristow in his honour by many sinister aspersions 12. Lastly that the Earl of Bristow did reveal to his late Majesty both by word and letter in what sort the Duke had misdemeaned himself and abused his trust and the King by several wayes sent him word he should rest assured that he would hear the said Earl in due time and that four dayes before his sicknesse he signified to the Earl that he would hear him against the Duke as well as he had heard the Duke against him And not long after the King died having been much vexed and pressed with the said Duke Here is no High Treason herein mentioned if the charge were proved then no Traytor at all neither most nor least for indeed had this done it the Commons needed not their new Impeachment which followes and never amounted to more than Misdemeanors Misprisions Offences and Crimes Nothing rare with favourites and therefore never such pursued upon any before this person and these times Which might occasion an antient Baron the Lord Spencer To start up that was no upstart Lord and to demand Is this all you have to say against the Duke The Earl replyed Yes my Lord and I am sorry it is so much then quoth the Lord Spencer If this be all Ridiculus Mus and so sat down again Upon this a Crotchet took the Lord Cromwel in the Crown and out he goes to Mr. Richard Spencer a younger Son of that Lord and a great Zelot in the Lower house against the Duke Dick said he What is done in your House to day against the Duke My Lord said he he is charged with high Treason Tush Dick quoth the Lord High Treason If this be all Ridiculus Mus. The Charge I say might occasion this story of the Lords complements which out of doubt was told to the Historian for truth though couched in this wanton stile not usuâ—l with his gravity I confess And indeed if Mr. Richard Spencer have not forsaken his Memory he professes there was never any such confabulation with any Crotchet of Cromwells Crown and desires the Author to expunge it out of his next impression and me to excuse him in this But such a Charge as it was It served the turn for that time but not to prevent the Attornies Charge against the Eaâ—l which to my knowledge was framed long before and therefore needed no speeding as to prevention Yet being ready It was put in the next day abating one of the Earls number against the Duke for these were but Eleven Articles First That the said Earl being imployed by the late King Iames as his Ambassadour unto Ferdinando Emperour of Germany and unto Philip the fourth King of Spain in the years 1621 1622 and 1623. with Commission to treat with them for the plenary restitution of the Palatinate to the Count Palatine who maried the Lady Elizabeth the onely Daughter of his late Majesty and also to treat with the King of Spain for a Mariage to be had between his now Majesty then Prince of Wales and the Lady Donna Maria the Infanta of Spain did falsly trayterously and confidently inform the late King by sundry Letters That the said Emperour and King of Spain would really make restitution of the Dominions and Electoral dignity of the said Count Palatine and that the said King of Spain did really intend the Mariage aforesaid Whereas in truth the said Emperour and King or either of them never really intended such restitution and the King of Spain never intended the said Mariage whereof the Earl could not be ignorant whereby the the Dominions and Electorall Dignity aforesaid were utterly lost Secondly That the said Earl having received from his late Majesty particular directions to put the King of Spain to a speedy and punctual answer touching the Treaties aforesaid did nevertheless continue those Treaties upon Generalities without effectuall pressing the King of Spain to particular Conclusions sutable to his Instructions Thirdly that the said Earl to the intent to discourage the late King from taking up of Arms or entring into Hostility with the said King of Spain did many times both by word and letters to him and his Ministers extoll the greatnesse and power of the King of Spain and did cunningly strive to retard the late Kings Resolutions of declaring himself an Enemy to the King of Spain Fourthly That the said Earl being told upon his dispatch out of this Realm that there was little probability that these Treaties would have any good successe he then replyed He cared not what the successe thereof would be for he would take care to have his instructions perfect and to pursue them punctually and howsoever the businesse went he would make his fortunes thereby Fifthly that the said Earl on purpose to advance the Romish Religion did during the time aforesaid often by Letters and otherwise counsell and perswade his late Majesty to set at liberty Iesuits and Priests of the Romish Religion which were imprisoned according to the laws of the Land and to grant the Papists a Toleration of their Religion Sixthly That by the said Earls false Informations and Intelligences given to the late King and now his Majesty then Prince they were put into hopes and by long delayes they were put into jealousies concerning the said Treaties that there was not that sincerity in them which they expected Whereupon the said Prince his now Majesty was enforced to undertake in his own person a long and dangerous Journey into Spain intending either speedily to conclude the said Treaties or to discover the feigned Intentions of the Emperoâ—r and King of Spain and thereupon to dissolve them By which Journey the Person of the said Prince and in Him the peace and safety of this Kingdom was brought into apparent danger Seventhly That at the Prince his first coming to the said Earl in Spain he asked the Prince For what he came thither The Prince at first not conceiving the Earls meaning answered You know as well as I. The Earl replyed Sir Give me leave to tell you they say here in Madrid that you mean to change your Religion and added further Sir I do not speak this that I will perswade you to it or that I will promise to follow your example though you do it but as your faithful servant if you will trust me with so great a secret I will endeavour to carry it in the secretest way I can At which the Prince being moved said unto him I wonder what yoâ— have ever found in me that you should conceive I would be so base as for a wife to change
into one Opinion that thereby no reason given to the House their Restraint was an Arrest of the whole Body and a breach of Priviledge must needs follow which was so remonstrated to the King and they therefore released But what ground â—r Presidents had the Judges a late law of their own making for it is well observed That in the Parliament 35. Eliz. Sr. Peter Wentworth and Sr. Henry Bromley by petition to the Upper House to be supplicants with them of the Lower House unto her Majesty for entailing the succession of the Crown the Bill being drawn by them These two were summoned before Sr. Thomas Henage one of the Privy Councel and commanded to forbear the Parliament and to stand secured to their Lodgings and after further examination before the Councel were committed Wentworth to the Tower Bromley and other Courtiers to the Fleet. Another instance Mr. Morice Attorny of the Dutchy of Lancaster for moving against the justice of the Courts of Ecclesiastical Iudges Subscriptions and Oaths was taken out of the House so saith another Authour and committed to Prison for whose release Mr. Wroth humbly moved the House to be petitioners to her Majesty But was answered That the Queen must not accompt for actions of Royal Authority which may be of high and dangerous consequence nor can it become them to search into the Prerogative of Soveraigns These Members were five in all and might have been Precedents for the King and his five Members in due place hereafter But this course now taught the Lords to resent the like indignity to them in the Earl of Arundels case who lay committed to the Tower as before said and so they would sit still without motion to any matter till that he might be reâ—admitted which was instantly done To ballance with the Dukes Enemies Three Persons his confederates were made Barons to compeer in the Lords House the Lord Mandevil the eldest son to the Earl of Manchester created by Patent Baron Kimbolton Grandison son to the created Baron Imbercourt and Sr. Dudly Carlton made Baron Tregate being newly returned from his Trade of seven years Leiger Ambassadour abroad in Venice and Holland But it is said That the Lords found out an Old Order to Counter checque that designe That no Creations sedente Parliamento should have power to vote but onely to sit Not to Iudge but to learn to understand during that Session so that their Suffrages were excluded But I am assured of the contrary for they sate and voted Hence it is truly observed That in the late Parliament 1640. Seymor Littleton and Capel were so created sedente Parliamento and Digby Rich and Howard of Charlton called by special Writ were also admitted their votes and afterwards the last of the nineteen Propositions to the King at York for the King to passe a Bill to restrain Peers made hereafter to sit and vote in Parliament unlesse with consent of both Houses To which the King absolutely refused But however they were admitted the Duke was put to his own Innocency partially stiled impudency and lodges injustice on the Peers whose ill opinion he sayes deprest him and partial affection elevated the other who received the Attornies charge with undaunted spirit and returned so home an Answer as the House was amply satisfied of which take his own so saying for we hear not a word more nor other of it than that he saies so But the Dukes defence came quick to the Lords the eighth of Iune Who he sayes sequestered him from the House until his cause was determined upon which he was much dejected when really of himself he had forbore the House And therefore this morning had resolved to send it but was advised to present it himself which we shall finde to this purpose The Commons Impeachment and Declaration against the Duke of Buckingham FOr the speâ—dy redresse of the great evils and mischiefs and of the chief causes of those evils and mischiefs which this Kingdom of England now grievously suffereth and of late years hath suffered and to the Honour and Safety of our Soveraign Lord the KING and of his Crown and dignities and to the good and welfare of his people the Commons in this present Parliament by the authority of our said Soveraign Lord the King assembled do by this their Bill shew and declare against GEORGE Duke Marquesse and Earl of Buckingham Earl of Coventry Viscount Villers Baron of Whaddon great Admirall of the Kingdoms of ENGLAND and Ireland and of the principalitie of Wales and of the Dominions and Islands of the same of the Town of Calais and of the Marches of the same and of Normandy Gascoigne and Guyen Generall Governour of the Seas and Ships of the said Kingdoms Lieutenant Generall Admirall Captain Generall and Governour of his Majesties Royall Fleet and Army lately set forth Master of the Horses of our Soveraign Lord the King Lord Waâ—den Chancellour and Admirall of the Cinque-ports and of the Members thereof Constable of Dover Castle Iustice in Eyre of all Forests and Chaces on this side of the River of Trent Constable of the Castle of Windsor Lieutenant of Middlesex and Buckingham-shire Steward and Bailiffe of Westminster Gentleman of his Bed-chamber and one of his Majesties honourable Frivie Councel in his Realms both of England Scotland and Ireland and Knight of the most noble order of the Garter The Misdemeanors Misprisions Offences Crimes and other matters comprised in the Articles following And him the said Duke do accuse and impeach of the the said Misdemeanors Misprisions Offences and Crimes ARTIC I. The Duke 's 1. Reply THat he the said Duke being young and unexperienced hath of late years with exorbitant ambition and for his own advantage procured and engrossed into his own hands severall great Offices both to the danger â—f the State and prejudice of that Service which should have been performed in them and to the discouragement of others who are thereby precluded from such hopes as their virtues abilities and publique employments might otherwise have obtained THat his late Majesty did of his own Royal Motion bestow them upon him and he hopeth and concieveth he may without blame recieve what his bountiful Master conferred upon him if the Common-wealth doth not suffer thereby Nor is it without precedents that men eminent in the esteem of their Soveraign have held as great and many Offices as himself But if it shall be proved that he falsely or corruptly hath executed those Offices he is and will be ready to resign them with his life and fortunes to his Majesties dispose II. Reply 2. That in the 16. year of the Reign of the late King he did give and pay to the then Earl of Nottingham for the Office of Great Admiral of England and Ireland and of the principality of Wales and Generall Governour of the Seas and Ships of the said Kingdomes and for the surrender of the said Offices to the intent the said Duke might
fire-coales into a flame the French being then upon a War with Spain and the Cardinal a great Statist knew that Englands best policy was ever to side with the weakest to ballance the biggest power neither of them to increase above the measure of moderation To that end Monsieur Montril was sent Emissary and Agent to work out the Design in England and Scotland as may appear by the Scots Letter to the French King as hereafter follows and that they had great incouragement from Richelieu but what assistance under hand I could never finde out fair promises and no doubt never to engage against them But Balmerino his great Enemy the Earl of Kinnol Lord Chancellour of Scotland took his leave of this life and left his Office to Spotswood Son to the first Superintendent formerly Arch-bishop of Glasgow and now Arch-bishop of St. Andrews aged above sixty years a learned moderate wise man as by his History appears the first of his Coat since the Reformation of that Dignity and that for the great advantage of the Church if rightly apprehended without that mistaken Vote never known before for three hundred years a Clergy-man to bear that Dignity I shall remember those that were Andrew Foreman 15 Iac. 4. James Stuart Brother to James the fourth James Beaton 10 Jac. 5. and Queen Maries Reign David Beaton Cardinal succeeded him Jo Hamilton Brother to the Duke of Chattleheralt was the last of the Popish Bishops and many more before those and all of them Arch-bishops of St. Andrews and Chancellours Then there were Willam Lowater anno 1412. Andrew Foreman Iac. 4. Gawin Dunbar Praeceptor to James 5 and after him James Beaton And these following were Arch-bishops of Glasgow and Chancellours Adam and Patrick Bishops of Brocher Chancellours annis 1360 1370. Thomas Spence Bishop of Galloway and Chancellour to Jac. 2. William Elphinston Bishop of Aberdene Chancellour to Jac. 3. Indeed in Scotland heretofore Justice was perâ—ormed by Itinerarie Courts like to the Judicature of Courts in England fifteen Judges in all seven Churchmen and seven Laymen and the President also a Churchman and the best offices of State were formerly in Bishops and Abbots which gave them abilities in purse to perform those great and pious works of charity honour and common benefit Abbies Churches Hospitals Bridges Causewayes and the like all Acts of the Clergy heretofore which now their successours destroy Death indeed was more indifferent with two Great Ones in England two Eminent Men of several factions the One Sr. Richard Weston Earl of Portland Lord High Treasurer of England the Kings great Favourite for his Abilities at this time the more useful in promoting Prerogatives and all advantages of raising money with some regret of the Commons for such services His place was therefore for the present put under power of Commissioners for some time after The other was Sr. Edward Cook a Common Lawyer and so bred up himself to please the people Increasing esteem on that score from his first rise Queen Elizabeths Attorney General chief Iustice of the Kings Bench under King Iames where he lost himself by too much liberty of Eloquence or Impudence and removed from that Court to his Countrey retirement in the County of Buckingham made high Sheriff to humble him towards this King with a clause in his Commission to avoyd his Election of being a Burgesse in Parliament of which he was the more ambitious because thereby the better able to shew his Enmity but he got it in Norfolk his birth-place and he a Law-wrangler was voted legally chosen notwithstanding his Commission of Restraint We may not forget the Affairs of Germany the Swede having a continued confederacy with the protestant Princes and the French assistance against the Emperour and Spain for although they fought and treated for a conjunction Duke Barnard had been so often bafled by former promises of Wallestien before his Murther that now he trusted to fair words no longer And the good Duke Francis Albert of Saxony Leumburgh the Instrument chosen to tye these two different dispositions into a Ligament was not his crafts master but was carried prisoner for many years to Vienna The King of Hungary for the Imperial party having cured the Army with good gold after the disorder of Wallestiens murther and taken new Oath of the souldiers when News came to his camp of a notable victory gotten by Arnem upon the Imperialists in Silesia and of his marching towards Prague whither the King sent so strong a supply Arnem was constrained to retire into Saxony at the same time that the Town of Ratisbone was regained for the Emperour in Iuly the brave and famous General Aldring being slain a little before at Lanshut He was of Luxenburgh obâ—curely born whose virtues and valour had raised thus high and eminent in many battels against Iohn de Wiert with successe And the businesse Military in Germany requiring all assistance for the Emperour against such a confederacy of friends Thither comes the Cardinal Infanto from Milan with the old Spanish Italian and Burgundian Bands through all Switâ—zerland soon reforming the riotous Swedes by their example into a true Military Discipline These forces joyning with the Imperialists marched into the Duchy of Weitemburgh but first must passe the fiery Tryal of a strong Town Norlington The Swedes and their Allies are likewise summoned together from all parts Horn joyns with Duke Barnard and advises to spare the Enemy a Town or two than to hazzard the publicque cause But the Duke would fight for it and designed the day the sixth of September and the rather because some private offer had been for Overtures of a Peace which the Swedes took for a good Augure what ere it presaged It procured to both Armies the most horred bloody fight that had been between Christians To the Protestants party were already arrived the forces of the Duke of Weitemburgh the Lantgrave of Hassia and Count Cratz He who was for Bavaria and should have betrayed Ingolstade to the Enemy and so being discovered was fled hither wanting none but the Rhingrave and his four thousand men The fight began early the most furious first shock was for a Hillock the storming of a mined fort lost many of the Swedes Infantry The Canon hidden behinde some bushes did mighty Execution also and the Swedes constrained to fly and their Cavalry pursued by the Duke of Lorain and Iohn de Wiert were utterly defeated eighty pieces of Canon three hundred colours and twelve thousand men slain and six thousand prisoners amongst whom that brave man Gustave Horn Nobly received by the King The fruit of this Battel began a peace short and sweet onely to let that miserable Countrey taste of the blessing which lasted not long when the revenger of blood opens the veins to let out more evil fumes This Victory might answer for their Eminent successe heretofore at Leipsick and Lutzen and as the Swedes did then so does
Covenant of this Kirk and Kingdome made anno 1580. have been indeed the true and main causes of all our evils and distractions And therfore ordaine according to the constitutions of the generall Assemblies of this Kirk and upon the grounds respective above specified That the aforesaid Service-book Books of canons and ordination and the High-commission be still rejected That the Articles of Perth be no more practized That Episcopall Government and the civil places and the power of Kirkmen be holden still as unlawfull in this Kirk That above named pretended Assemblies at Linlithgow 1606. and 1608. at Glascow 1610. at Aberdine 1616. at St. Andrews 1617. at Perth 1618. be hereafter accounted null and unlawfull and of none effect And that for preservation of Religion and preventing of all such evils in time coming general Assembles rightly constitute as the proper and competent Judge of all matters Ecclesiastical hereafter be keeped yearly and oftner pro re nata as occasion and necessity require The necessity of the occasional Assemblies being first remonstrate to his Majesty by humble supplication As also that Kirk sessions Presbyterians and Synodal Assemblies be constituted and observed according to the order of this Kirk our session the seventeenth of August Hereupon an Act of Councell is formed and all subjects are to subscribe And the Commissioners consents to an Act of Assembly for confirming it To which also the Commissioner doth subsign witht his proviso That the practice of the premisses prohibited within this Kirk and Kingdome out with the Kingdome of Scotland shall neither bind nor infer censure against the practizes outwith the Kingdome but this last Proviso was not approved by the Assembly nor upon Record but only inserted in the Register That in commanding to swear the Covenant 1580. and 1581. King Iames the sixt and his Council did not intend the abjuration of Episcopacie and the reasons were put down in a paper which paper was sent to the Covenanters they were these First that if under those words we abjure the Popes wicked Hierarchy Episcopacie be sworn down then they abjure both their Presbyters and Deacons for the Council of Trent makes the Hierarchy to consist of these three orders Bishops Presbyters and Deacons and abjure one and all but then they answer that they retain Presbyters and Deacons as they are ordained in the Reformed Churches The like may be replyed for Bishops being ordained in a form allowed by Reformed Churches yet they took that forenamed Oath as Iohn Arch Bishop of St. Andrews 1572. and Iames Bishop of Dunkel 1573. as appears by their Council books And certainly their Presbyters must needs derive their orders either from Bishops of that obedience or from Presbyters ordained by such Bishops either from such or none for they will not affirm That non Presbyter can ordinare Presbyterum But thus much by the way let their Inscribed destinctions reply Inter Regnum constituendum and Regnum constitutum and such like evasions But in a word we conclude in the Commissioner Traquair 's own words That the Assembly saith he ought to render thanks to those that had been his Majesties good Informers in working these effects If any think or conceive this to be due to me I protest to act nothing but the part of an Eccho for this Imployment came upon me by my Lord Hamilton's work and if you knew what I know you should acknowledg him to be both a carefull painfull and faithfull Agent in this business and in all that you have intrusted with him This is not entered in their Record it smells too rank of his Treachery but it is most certain he ended so after he had subscribed But to encounter this their Covenant it was ordered in England that all the Scotish Subjects that were to take upon them the trust of the King or Imployment in his Affairs were put to an Oath in England and Ireland I A. B. one of his Majesties Subjects in the Kingdom of Scotland do by the presents sign with my hand upon my great Oath and as I shall be answerable to God upon my Salvation and Condemnation testifie and declare That Charls by the grace of God King of Great Brittain France and Ireland Defender of the Faith is my Sovereign Lord and that next unto Almighty God and his Son Christ Jesus he is over all persons within his Majesties Kingdoms and Dominions and in all Causes as well Ecclesiastical as Civil supreme Governour to whom his Heirs and Successours I am bound in duty and allegeance to all obedience if it were to the loss of my life estate and fortunes and do hereby abjure all Combinations Covenants and Bands that can be pretended upon pretext of Religion or Liberty of the Kingdom and specially the damnable and treasonable Covenant commonly called the popular Covenant so much magnified now in Scotland and do promise never to take Arms against his Majesty his Heirs and Successours offensive or defensive but to abide constant in allegeance duty and obedience which I profess Almighty God hath tied me unto and to do the utmost of my power against all oppositions whatsoever foreign or home-bred So help me God And concerning the five Articles introduced by King Iames at the general Assembly of Perth Anno 1618. it will not be amiss to know what they were First Kneeling in the taking of the Communion and out of the Ministers hands whereas it was before taken sitting â—n their breech and the Bread taken by themselves out of a Bason and the Cup from one another as if they were drinking to others and the Beadle filling up the Cup as it was emptied out of a Flagon which he filled in the Belfery as it was spent Secondly Private Communion to sick persons that were not able to come to Church to be given with three or four Communicants besides Thirdly Private Baptism in case of necessity that the Childe is so sick or weak that he cannot be brought to Church without eminent danger of death and to declare it to the Congregation the next Sunday thereafter Fourthly Confirmation of Children after the Primitive way which was the bringing of them at eight nine or ten years of age to the Bishop of the Diocess to give him account of their Christian Faith and receive his encouragement commendation and benediction to make them continue carefull in it as they were carefully catechised by their Parents and Parish Priests and if any were not well instructed in their Faith the Bishop sends them back without blessing and some rebuke to be better instructed Fifthly Festival days onely five to be kept viz. The days of our Saviour's Birth Passion Resurrection Ascension and Descent of the Holy Spirit Now let any man of reason judg whether any of these could truly fall under the censure of Popery and if any man of any Reason and Learning would not rather follow the practice of the purest Primitive times in these as likewise in those
pleased to assent to their Acts of Parliament including the Articles of their Assembly their Religion Laws and Liberties ratified their grievances relieved for which we use to give the King Money The Scots Remonstrance professing that they would take nothing of the English but for Money or Security But we have defrayed them hitherto and are still provided to do longer That heretofore we established their Reformation and bore our own Charges and concerning mutual restitution of Ships and Goods which now our Commissioners have fairly accommodated already As for inferential and consequential Dammages such a Representment would not administer unacceptable matter of contestation We could truly allege that Northumberland New-castle and the Bishoprick will not recover their former Estate these twenty years that the Coal-mines of New-castle will not be set right for an hundred thousand pounds besides the price of Coals doth cost this City and other parts of this Kingdom above that value in loss And much more of this nature and dammage might be justly urged They say they do not make any former Demands but yet they make their Sum appear above four hundred and fourteen thousand pounds more than ever we gave the King A portentous apparition which shews it self in a very dry time the Kings Revenue totally exhausted the Kingdom generally impoverished and yet all this supply is to be drawn out of us onely without the least help from any his Majesties other Dominions an utter draining of this Nation unless England be Puteus inexhaustus yet I shall afford what is reasonable and honourable to a convenient considerable Sum of Money that they may go off with a handsome friendly Loss if they shall reject it we shall improve our Cause It was never thought any great wisdom overmuch to trust to a succesfull Sword A man that walks upon rising ground the further he goes the more spacious his prospect success enlarges mens desires extends their ambition breeds thoughts never dreamt on before But the Scots being truly touched with Religion according to their professions that onely is able to keep their words for Religion is stronger and wiser than Reason it self But we hope of a good conclusion of the effects of all these hitherto Inconveniences to the advance of Religion King and Kingdoms But for the present to satisfie the clamour of the Scots Master Speaker was ordered to write to the City of London to advance sixty thousand pounds upon security and Assignment out of the next Subsidies to be levied and to pay in the Money to the Chamber of London which was so humbly obeyed This being but one Loan for I finde several Acquittances for the like Sum of sixty thousand pounds mentioning therein For Supply of the Kings Army and providing for the Northern Counties And so belike were issued for Supply of both Armies The Dutch Ambassadour Lieger having made Overtures of a Marriage between William young Prince of Orange and the Kings eldest Daughter the Princess Mary which he very willingly inclined to accept yet though fit as his condition stood with the Parliament to acquaint them therewith And tells the House of Lords My Lords That freedom and confidence which I expressed at the beginning of this Parliament to have of your love and fidelity towards my Person and Estate hath made me at this time come hither to acquaint you with that Alliance and Confederacy which I intend to make with the Prince of Orange and the States which before this time I did not think expedient to do because that part which I do desire your advice and assistance upon was not ready to be treated on I will not trouble you with a long digression by shewing the steps of this Treaty but leave you to be satisfied in that by those who under me do manage that Affair Onely I shall shew you the Reasons which have induced me to it and in which I expect your assistance and counsel The Considerations that have induced me to it are these First the matter of Religion here needs no Dispensation no fear that my Daughters conscience may be any way perverted Secondly I do esteem that a strict Alliance and Confederacy with the States will be as usefull to this Kingdom as that with any of my Neighbours especially considering their Affinity Neighbourhood and way of their strength And lastly which I must never forget in these occasions the use I may make of this Alliance towards the establishing of my Sister and Nephews Now to shew you in what I desire your assistance you must know that the Articles of Marriage are in a manner concluded but not to be totally ratified untill that of Alliance be ended and agreed which before I demanded your assistance I did not think fit to enter upon And that I may not leave you too much at large how to begin that Council I present you here the Propositions which are offered by me to the States Ambassadours for that intent And so my Lords I shall onely desire you to make as much expedition in your Councils as so great a Business shall require and shall leave your Lordships to your own free debate This Proposition of Alliance both with the Prince and with the United Provinces was extremely and unanimously affected by all the People and was universally embraced without Fears or Jealousies upon our Liberties or Religion and soon concluded but what resulted think you from another party Papists Plots perpetually allarming for The very next Day four Members of the Commons House bore up the Message to the Lords of a monstrous Design of the Papists an Army of fifteen thousand in Lancashire and eight thousand in Ireland and I know not how many thousands in many places well armed and in pay raised by the Earl of Strafford the Earl of Worcester and others After-ages will think these Hyperboles for though there was no such Armies possibly by them nor no such Fears by others yet this Message was sent and carried from the Lower to the Higher House and gave the occasion to the multitude of People to frame Petitions sutable to Plots and Fears and Jealousies for the Parliaments purpose The thirteenth of February one of the Ship-money Judges so nick-named Sir Robert Berkley was by a motion of the Commons accused of High-treason and by Maxwell the Black Rod taken the next day from his Seat in the Kings Bench and kept Prisoner The Bill for the Triennial Parliament having passed both Houses was confirmed with the Kings royal assent February 16. and to let them see how sensible himself was of this his great grace he thought fit to put them in minde of their gratitude of fear of their failing My Lords And you the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the House of Commons you may remember when both Houses were with me at the Banquetting-house at White-hall I did declare unto you two Rocks I wished you to shun this is one of them and of that consequence that
others progress to an equal poise and in a word the same Ministers of State spurred on by ambitions and to raise their families from time to time have increased suspicions which have hatched these fatal wars through all Europe France styles her self most Christian but meddles least therein ordinarily attracting the Reformates to her interests and being enemies to the Pope and so to Spain which suffers not their doctrines in her dominions But Spain will be Catholique-zealous for her Religion and seldome declines her aid to any of her own unless by force proceeding from the necessity of State affaires through some new conjuncture Lewes the thirteenth attached the house of Austria with much authorâ—ty and power in so much that Richelieu the Angel Guardian of France by his puissant alliances begat an opinion that amongst polititians there he endeavoured the Universality for his Master and so to overthrow the Emperial house by the helpe of the Hollanders and his other underhand underminings which he could never so poise for any time but that the Scales were now up then down to his dying day The Earl of Strafford had passed upon him the Commons accusation and now it was time to form their compleat charge into twenty eight particulars and being ready Ianuary the thirtieth they were presented by Mr. Pym to the Peers in the presence of the Earl and although it was long two hundred sheets and so time would be taken up for engrossing and though the Treasons therein alleaged were of a standing time above fourteen years not suddainly to be answered unto yet the Commons were earnest for dispatch and he enjoyned such hast as by the four and twentieth of February it was read to the Lords in the Kings presence and the next day after to the Commons He craved aid of the Council which in cases of Treason is not allowed in plea de facto it may not but in matters de lege it may and so he had Councel And the place of his Trial could not be in the Lords House being of little Room to hold the House of Commons who desired to be present and to manage the accusation by their own members and in a full body of their house compleat which the Lords would not indure and they come as a Committe and so Westminster-hall was the place assigned and that not to big for this unparralel Trial the King Queen Prince and Courtiers being present and all the Parliament The scene was at the upper end reared of some heigth and above that a Chaire and cloth of State on either side a close private Gallery for the King Queen and Prince Before them seats for the Peers and on either sides Scaffolds mounted for all the house of Commons who sate bare headed and hundreds of others Auditors who could get leave to enter The command of the place and stage was ordered by the Earl of Lindsey not as he was made high constable for the day but as he was Lord great Chamberlain of England in right of his mother Mary the daughter of Iohn de vere the sixteenth Earl of Oxford who maried Peregrine Berty Lord Willoughby of Earesby by whom she had issue this Robert now Earl of Lindsey and thereby the disposing of all the Scaffolding as his fee when the Tryal was ended The Bishops being by ancient Canons disabled to be present at the sentence of blood and death but not from being assistants in examining and deposing of witnesses or giving Councel till now abridged by this Parliament to sit as Peers And it is observed that they were defended to have right of place presence by a Manuscript in many hands de jure Paritat is episcoporum and their Priviledges thereby asserted in this particular which yet they as the times were did not interpose but were contented to be absent giving advantage thereby to the Parliament to deprive them of their votes and after to destroy their calling On Munday the two and twentieth of March the day fixed for his appearing at Westminster-hall almost five moneths time since his first Commitment which it seems was taken up and spent for procuring proofs of witnesses purposely sent for from Ireland And in truth the rather for Intertaining some Overtures of the Court to take of the edge of his adversaries and the best and usual way was by their several preferments The Earl of Bedford to be Lord Treasurer Mr. Pym Chancelor of the Exchequer the Earl of Essex Governour of the Prince Mr. Hamden to be his Tutor the Lord Say Mr. of the wards and Mr. Hollis principal secretary in the place of Windebanck the Deputies place in Ireland also to another and the Earl of Warwick in some command in the Navy And it was in part prosecuted in relation hereto for the Bishop of London did deliver up the Treasury staff and the Earl of New-castle the governance of the Prince the Lord Cottington resigned up his offices in the Court of wards and Exchequer and it was not to be doubted that the Bishop of Salisbury Dr. Duppa would willingly quit his place of Tutor to the Prince But whether the Kings mind was herein mutable or what else intervened they thus concerned and baffled became irreconciliable to the Earls destruction and that this is true may be hinted from the Kings Declararion of the twelfth of August after what Overtures had been made by them saies the Declaration and with what Importunities for offices and preferments what great services should have been done for him and what other undertakings even to have saved the life of the Earl of Strafford So cheap a rate it seems might have saved that Incomparable Statesman The Earl of Arundel was made Lord High Steward and the Earl of Lindsey Lord High Constable and thus set as before said the Earl of Strafford was told by the High-steward that he was called thither to answer the Impeachment of High Treason preferred against him by the Commons of England and Ireland expressed in their accusation to which he had answered and both of them read took up this day and the Court adjourned to the next day when the house of Commons fell upon the first seven general Articles of subverting the fundamental Laws of both Nations and this was managed by Mr. Pym a paper sealed was opened and read which signified from the Parliament of Ireland that they had voted the Earl guilty of High Treason To which he in passion said There was a conspiracy against him to take away his life It would not admit of recollection and the Commons cried out for Justice against him who standing impeached of high Treason accuseth the Parliaments of two Kingdomes of a conspiracy against him for which inconsiderate words he humbly craved pardon not thereby intending either Parliament but meant it by some particular persons Mr. Pym craved that he should forthwith answer to three Articles more which were lately annexed to the charge But although the
be evil because mine were good And having signed both these Bills the King sent Sir Dudley Carleton Secretary of State to the Earl to acquaint him what he had finished the necessity urging him so to do together with the Earls free consent and the return of his Paper-promise which ballanced all The Earl amazed seriously asked him whether his Majesty had passed the Bill as not believing without some astonishment that the King would have done it And being again assured that it was passed He arose from his Chair and standing up lift his eyes to Heaven clapt his hand upon his heart and said Put not your trust in Princes nor in the sons of men for in them there is no salvation I have been assured from him that heard the King speak it and others confirming that the Bishop of London did not disswade nor perswade the King in the passing of the Bill but wisely or cunningly said nothing at all Nor does it appear that any of the other Bishops Lincoln onely excepted did any way press the King to his death And for satisfaction of all the world that the Arch-bishop of Armagh did not urge his death but rather the contrary I was present when it was diâ—â—â—ursed by a person of honour and honesty one that in these times and in these particulars thus controverted would not be positive but in the truth And as willingly as necessarily he hath set it under his hand and ready to justifie it with his Oath and Honour in these words and so witnessed by those that were present That the late King being in the Garison of Oxford a publick rumour passed that the Arch-bishop of Armagh was then dead and so intimated to the King in his Bed-chamber who was pleased to resent the news with much sorrow and with very high expression of the Prelates remarkable piety and learning and so said all that were present in confidence of his great endowments of exemplary virtues Except Sir said one in his advice to your Majestie to the hasty resolution of the Lord Strafford's death To which the King in some passion replied It was false protesting with an Oath his innocencie therein and that after the Bill was passed said the King the Arch-bishop came to me with much regret and sorrow and that the Arch-bishop wept bitterly This as a great truth I am ready to aver says the Relator by my Oath and Honour as I do now under my hand this eighth day of May 1656. W. L. Hereupon having this under his hand and witness I urged the question with another person of like Honour who said that himself was present at that time relating the very same words in effect as the former and both of them I spake with apart many miles asunder and neither of them witting of the use which I now make thereof they mentioned each other to be present And this also is certified upon his Oath and Honour and under his hand also and witnesses G. K. And now we shall see what the Arch-bishop of Armagh hath been pleased to signifie as to the Observatours pag. 240. concerning the result of the Bishops That Sunday morning the five Bishops writes he for so many they were London being one of them were sent for by the King himself and not sent to him by the Houses of Parliament amongst whom the Bishop of Durham and Carlile were so far from depending wholly upon the judgment of the other two whom the Observatour accounts Politicians that they argued the case themselves as fully as did any other To the Argument of one of them the King also returned this Answer that his Syllogism was faulty because it had in it four terms And for that most uncharitable surmise writes he concerning the Arch-bishop of Armagh as if the displeasure he had conceived against the Lord Lieutenant were so great that it could not be satisfied but by the seeking of his very bloud It is hard to say whethâ—â—hat calumny be more malicious or ridiculous for both the ground of that conceited grudg is utterly false the Articles of Religion established in the Church of Ireland having been never abrogated by him or any other And in the ordering of this his the Earls last business there was no man with whom he held greater correspondency than with the Primate himself whereof this may be sufficient proof that as before his condemnation he did from time to time consult with him touching his answer to their present charge so also afterwards having obtained from the Parliament that the Primate might be sent unto him to prepare him for his death He chearfully imbraced his spiritual instructions prayed with him sent messages to the King by him and by no means would dispense with him for being absent from his Execution But taking him by the hand led him along to the Scaffold where with incomparable courage and as himself professed even then ready to lay hown his head without the least touch of any passion or fear he rendered up the spirit to him that gave it And as to the Historian's Paragraph pag. 263. l. 33. The Earl proceeding c. This Paragraph says the Arch-bishop is wholly to be left out for at his passing to the Scaffold there was a great silence amongst the people all of them universally commiserating his case in an extraordinary manner and with great passion lifting up their hands to heaven for him And to the Historian pag. 263. l. 38. The Earl being brought c. The Earl says the Arch-bishop being brought to the Scaffold his Chaplains prayed with him and himself remaining still upon his knee rehearsing with great reverence the five and twenty Psalm Afterwards arising he addrest his Speech unto the people to this effect after following But the occasion of the mistakes of the addressing of his Speech unto the Lords as the Historian hath My Lords It should be My Lord which the Earl used in the Singular Number turning himself to the Arch-bishop who stood by him as appears by the Pamphlet presently published concerning his suffering where the tenour of his Speech which he then used is to be taken as agreeing almost with the very syllable by him used and not as the Historian hath it for thus in truth it was My Lord Primate c. as hereafter in due place But to return to the tenth of May the King having the day before signed both Bills that of the continuation of the Parliament and this for the execution of the Earl and with one Pen of Ink and at one instant he sets his hand to the loss of himself and to the destruction of his faithfull and most able Counsellour and Servant The next day eleventh of May he being extremely troubled at what he had done concerning the Earl he vouchsafes to write to the Lords and sends this Letter by his Son the Prince of Wales My Lords I did yesterday satisfie the justice of the Kingdom by passing the Bill of Attainder
Kingdom all the prosperitie and happiness in the world I did it living and now dying it is my wish I do most humbly recommend it to every man that hears me and desire that they will lay their hands upon their hearts and consider seriously whether the beginning of the happiness of the Reformation of a Kingdom should be written in letters of bloud consider this when ye are in your own homes and let me be never so unhappie as that the least drop of my bloud should rise up in judgment against any one of you I acquit you all but I fear you are in a wrong way My Lord I here profess and with that I shall end that I do die a true and obedient Son to the Church of England wherein I was born and in which I was bred peace and prosperitie be ever to it And whereas it is objected if it be an Objection worth the answering that I have been inclined to Poperie I may truly say that from the time of one and twentie to this present going on now towards nine and fourtie years I never had in my heart to doubt of this Religion of the Church of England nor ever any man the boldness to suggest any such thing to the best of my rememberance to me So being reconciled by the merits of Christ Jesus my Saviour into whose bosome I hope I shall shortly be gathered to those eternal happinesses that shall never have end I desire heâ—rtily the forgiveness of every man for any rash and unadvised words or for any thing done amiss And so my Lords and Gentlemen Farewell Farewell all the things of this world I desire that ye would be silent and join with me in praier and I trust in God we shall all meet and live eternally in Heaven there to receive the accomplishment of all happiness where every tear shall be wiped away from our eys and every sad thought from our hearts and so God bless this Kingdom and Jesus have mercie on my soul. To this he added a Prayer not taken by any to strengthen his faith confirm him in patience and charity to preserve the King and his Realms in prosperity the Church in unity and to have mercy on his soul. Rising from his knees he delivered these commands for his children To his Son William Wentworth commends himself gives him charge to serve his God to submit to his King with all faith and allegeance in things temporal to the Church in things spiritual gives him charge as he will answer it to him in Heaven never to meddle with the patrimonie of the Church for it will be the Cancer that will eat up the rest of his Estate again charges it as he will answer him in Heaven Et sic finem fecit And to shew that his Speech on the Scaffold was not sudden but premeditate the Paper of the Heads written with his own hand as it was left upon the Scaffold doth evidence which the Primate took up Come to pay the last debt we ow to sin Rise to Righteousness Die willingly Forgive all Submit to justice but in my intentions innocent from perverting c. Wishing nothing but prosperitie to the King and People Acquit the King constrained Beseech to repentance Strange way to write the beginning of Reformation and settlement of a Kingdom in bloud Beseech that demand may rest there Call not for bloud upon themselves Die in the faith of the Church Pray for it and desire their Praiers c. This Prayer was found in his Chamber at the Tower his own hand-writing and the Petition which follows after O Almightie and most mercifull Father of whose goodness I am made and by whose favour I have hitherto subsisted I confess the multitude and greatness of my sins deserve I should be utterly out of thy protection be entirely left to my weak self that am unable to withstand even those assaults my own thoughts make Yet O most gracious and loving Father be thou true to thy goodness and mercy though I be deceitfull in thy services reconcile me in Jesus Christ unto thy self for his sake forgive and then enable me to forsake all my sins those principally that have procured my instant affliction discover unto me what in my minde and thoughts displeaseth thee that I may purge thence what thy blessed visitation seems now to point at there Good Lord so clear and sanctifie my reason that no fancie of mine own create in me any causless disturbance and strengthen me to endure and overcome what ever real affliction thou art pleased to impose affect me deeply with the apprehension of thine omnipresence with a sense of thy nearness to those in trouble let my faith see thine Angels pitcht about me and my heart by all these be as secure as it is safe Lord perswade my soul of the unquestionableness of that truth that nothing can befal me against thy will and ever dispose me to entertain chearfully what thou willest Make me in this to see how litle the specious but vain appearances and advantages of this life confer to the setling of a discomposed minde give me a due sense of mine own infirmitie yet good Lord suffer no infirmitie to make me diffident of thy support whose strength is best and most seen in weakness Let the malice and unweariedness of Satan render me more solicitous of what he would destroy and never suffer me to want that comfortable consideration that all his power is under thy restraint Dear Father sanctifie this affliction to me that I may willingly submit to whatsoever design thou hast upon my soul herein that I may decline those sins thou most warn'st me of by it prosecute that goodness thy grace in this visitation prompts me to For this end grant me carefully to observe mine own heart that my sorrow for what I finde may become proper and effectual and grow into such an endeavour of new obedience as shall never end And blessed be thy holy Name O Lord who for all my former repulsing of thee hast added this inward affliction to the perswasion of thy word and my outward troubles as if thou would'st leave nothing unattempted that might reduce me Lord though I have long neglected thy call abused thy patience and expectation yet now speak thy Servaâ—t hears and humbly acknowledgeth that wisdom and might are thine that thou who onely knowest onely canst help what is amiss O shew thy power and wisdom in great mercy on me either free me of this trouble of my soul or support me with patience and thankfulness to attend thine opportunitie Good Lord as thou recoverest my soul out of trouble so do thou my soul out of sin that it may be a thorow cure and that I seeing the innumerable accidents that we are here subject to and that our souls are not free but by thy favour may for the future make thy glory my design thy service the business of my life so to Jecure unto me thy favour
here and my eternal happiness hereafter through Jesus Christ our Lord in whose Name and words I conclude Our Father which art in Heaven c. The Petition of the Earl of Strafford unto the Lords before he died To the Right Honourable the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in this present Parliament assembled The humble Petition of Thomas late Earl of Strafford sheweth That seeing it is the good will and pleasure of God that your Petitioner is now shortly to pay that dutie which we all ow to our frail nature he shall in all Christian patience and charitie conform and submit himself to your justice in a comfortable assurance of the great hope laid up for us in the mercie and merits of our Saviour blessed for ever Onely he humbly craves to return your Lordships most humble thanks for your noble compassion towards those innocent children whom now with his last blessing he must commit to the protection of Almightie God beseeching your Lordships to finish your pious intentions towards them and desiring that the reward thereof may be fulfill'd in you by him that is able to give above all we are able either to ask or think Wherein I trust the Honourable House of Commons will afford their Christian assistance And so beseeching your Lordships charitably to forgive all his omissions and infirmities he doth very heartily and truly recommend your Lordships to the mercies of our heavenly Father and that for his goodness he may perfect you in every good work Amen Tho Wentworth Some design there was no doubt of delivering the Earl of Strafford by escape as appears by examination of Sir Will. Balfore Lieutenant of the Tower who says he was commanded to receive Captain Billingsley into the Tower with an hundred men for securing of the place and to be under his command but coming thither Balfore opposeth his entrance and therefore the Earl expostulates with him by way of advice of the danger to deny the Kings commands to whom the Lieutenant said that there was a certain discovery of his intended escape by examination of three Women Goodwives of Tower-street that peeping in at his Gallery-doorkey-hole where he was walking with Billingsley they heard him advise therein by ascertaining his Brothers ship to be in readiness which was fallen down on purpose below in the River that they three might be there in twelve hours that if the Fort were but secured for three or four months there would come aid enough and that there was nothing to be thought upon but an escape and much more broken speech to that purpose To which the Earl answered that he had discourse with Billingsley thereabout but meant it as by the Kings authority to be removed to some other Castle and confessed the most of the Womens relation Besides the Lieutenant's examination that the Earl of Strafford sent for him four days before his suffering perswading him to assent to his escape for twenty thousand pounds to be paid and a Mariage of his Daughtâ—r to Balfore's Son And because the memory of this brave man may live for ever read his Character from the King his Master whose distinction concluded his death to be more safe then just I looked says the King upon my Lord of Strafford as a Gentleman whose great abilities might make a Prince rather afraid than ashamed to imploy him in the greatest affairs of State For those were prone to create in him great confidence of undertakings and this was like enough to betray him to great errours and many enemies whereof he could not but contract good store while moving in so high a sphere and with so vigorous a lustre he must needs as the Sun raise many envious exhalations which condensed by a popular odium were capable to cast a cloud upon the brightest merit and integrity Though I cannot in my judgement approve all he did driven it may be by the necessities of times and the temper of that people more than led by his own disposition to any height and rigour of actions Yet I could never be convinced of any such criminousness in him as willingly to expose his life to the stroke of justice and malice of his enemies I never met with a more unhappy conjuncture of affairs than in the business of that unfortunate Earl when between mine own unsatisfiedness in conscience and a necessity as some told me of satisfying the importunities of some people I was perswaded by those that I think wished me well to chuse rather what was safe then what seemed just preferring the outward peace of my Kingdoms with men before that inward exactness of conscience with God And indeed I am so far from excusing or denying that compliance on my part for plenary consent it was not to his destruction whom in my judgement I thought not by any clear Law guilty of death That I never bare any touch of conscience with greater regret which as a sign of my repentance I have often with sorrow confessed both to God and men as an act of so sinfull frailtie that it discovered more a fear of man than of God whose name and place on earth no man is worthie to bear who will avoid inconveniences of State by acts of so high injustice as no publick convenience can expiate or compensate I see it a bad exchange to wound a mans own conscience thereby to salve State-sores to calm the storms of popular discontents by stirring up a tempest in a man 's own bosom Nor hath Gods justice failed in the event and sad consequences to shew the world the fallacie of that Maxim Better one man perish though unjustly than the people be displeased or destroyed In all likelihood I could never have suffered with my people greater calamities yet with greater comfort had I vindicated Strafford's innocencie at least by denying to sign that destructive Bill according to that justice which my conscience suggested to me than I have done since I gratified some mens unthankfull importunities with so cruel a favour And I have observed that those who counselled me to sign that Bill have been so far from receiving the rewards of such ingratiatings with the people that no men have been harassed and crushed more than they He onely hath been least vexed by them who counselled me not to consent against the Vote of mine own conscience I hope God hath forgiven me and them the sinfull rashness of that business To which being in my soul so fully conscious those judgments God hath pleased to send upon me are so much the more welcom as a means I hope which his mercie hath sanctified so to me as to make me repent of that unjust act for so it was to me and for the future to teach me that the best Rule of Policie is to prefer the doing of justice before all enjoiments and the peace of my conscience before the preservation of my Kingdoms Nor hath any thing more fortified my resolution against all those violent importunities which since
all Irish Papists many of the chief Commanders now in the Head of the Rebells have been licensed to pass thither by his Majesties immediate Warrant His Majesty therefore having used all possible ways to prevent it he would be resolved if this Speech were so delivered by Master Pym that they review upon what information it was grounded and so to be found false and the King injured or the King to be assured by whose means his Authority has been so highly abused as to be made to conduce to the assistance of that abhorred Rebellion and so to see himself vindicated Febr. 7. To this Message they justifie the Authour Master Pym what he said to be the sense of the House and ordered to be printed and that they are so advertised had your Majesties Warrant and that some others have been staid and are yet in safe custody and named these to be the Lord Delvin and four others in his company and one supposed to be a Priest Colonel Butler Brother to the Lord Miniard now in Rebellion and Sir George Hamilton all Papists and another the Son of the Lord Nettersfield whose Father and Brother are now in Rebellion And are sorry that his Majesties extreme caution therein hath been so ill seconded by his Ministers of which they beseech him to prevent the future dishonour to his Majesty and mischief to the Kingdom Febr. 10. To this the King replies Whether such a general Advertising be ground enough for Master Pym's Speech and their positive Affirmation and challenges them to name any so warranted which he is assured that they cannot and bids them lay it to heart how this their Authority may trench upon his Honour in the affections of his good people as if not sensible enough of that Rebellion so horrid and odious to all good Christians by which in this Distraction what Danger may possibly ensue to his person and estate and therefore expects their Declaration to vindicate his Innocency and Honour And as for the Persons named Butler and Nettersfield had their Passes of his Majesty in Scotland long before any Restraint here being assured of Butler's loyal affection to his service and Uncle to the Earl of Ormond approved faithfull and both Protestants and of Nettersfield there never had been any the least suspition Nor did the King know of their Order of Restraint till Hamilton's stay who was the last that had any Licence And if any had been Papists yet of known integrity they may remember that the Lords Justices of Ireland declared in their Letters that they were so far from owning a publick Jealousie of all Papists that they had armed divers Noble-men of the Pale that were Papists and therefore expects their Declaration for his Vindication as in Duty and Justice they ought to do This he required but that they would not do and the King must sit down by the loss and rest so satisfied Nay they never left clamouring till he had turned out Sir Iohn Byron and put in Sir Iohn Coniers at their Nomination to be Lieutenant of the Tower of London And then they proceed to their Nomination of several fit persons for Trust of the Militia in their respective Counties And passes an Act for disabling all persons in Holy Orders to exercise any Temporal Jurisdiction or Authority as if no men of Religion were fit to do Justice He tells them by Message that to satisfie and compose all Distempers he will by Proclamation require all Statutes concerning Recusants to be put in execution That the seven condemned Priests shall be banished and all Romish Priests within twenty Days to depart the Kingdom That he refers the consideration of the Government and Lituâ—gie of the Church wholly to the Houses And offers himself in person to the Irish War Again the Parliament are at their five Members and Lords and Commons petition that though your Majestie â—inde cause to desert their Prosecution yet in their Charge the whole Parliament is imputed and therefore desire the King to send the Informers against the said Members with their suggestions to the Parliament to be proceeded as in 37 38 Edward 3. Thus forward they are and the Parliament begin to ordain the power of the Militia for safeguard of the Parliament Tower and City of London under the Command of Serjeant Major General Skippon approving all his Orders and Commands already therein by former Directions and now they establish him therein declaring that if any person shall arrest or trouble him for so doing he doth break the Privâ—leges of Parliament violate the Liberty of the Subject and is thereby declared an Enemy to the Common-wealth No more mention of King or Kingdom And they petition him to settle the Militia according to their Nomination of particular persons in Trust therein for all the several Counties To which the King respites till his Return being now to conduct the Queen and the Princess Mary to Dover for their Voyage into Holland Which they answer is as unsatisfactory as an absolute Denial pretending that the Irish endeavour to invade England with assistance of the Papists here Febr. 22. The Lord Digby for some passages heretofore to prevent the Censure of the Parliament was fled beyond Seas and had written three Letters one to the Queen and two others to Secretary Nicholas and Sir Lewis Dives which the Parliament intercepting and opening very maliciously â—omenting the Jealousie between the King and his People therefore upon the Desire of the King for that Letter to the Queen they send hâ—m all three with their prayers for the King to perswade her Majesty not to correspond with him or any other Fugitive or Traitours who depend on the Examination and Judgment of Parliament The King now returned from Dover from whence the Queen and the Princess Mary voyaged to Hâ—lland where she was to negotiate Forreign Aid and Assistance for the Kings Designs being too hot for him to remain at London sends to Hampton Court for the Prince to meet him at Greenwich wherein the Parliament were surprised as now doubting the effect and therefore send a Message thâ—t the Prince his Removal may be a cause to promote Jealousies and Fears which they conceive very necessary to avoid but could not prevail to prevent it The Parliament havâ—ng now the Militia the security of the Tower and City of London Trained Bands of the Kingdom and all the Forces out of the Kings hands they begin to think upon Propositions of themselves for reducing the Rebells of Ireland and order That two Millions and an half of those Acres to be confiscate of Rebells Lands in four Provinces may be allotted to such persons as will disburse Moneys for mannaging that War viz. For each Adventure of Two hundred pounds one thousand Acres in Ulster Three hundred pounds one thousand Acres in Connaught Four hundred and fifty pounds one thousand Acres in Munster Six hundred pounds one thousand Acres in Lemster All English Measure Medow Arable
to the King disarmed the wel-affected to the King in that Town And that the Earl of Warwick contrary to the Kings command under his hand being legally discharged of any conduct of his Majesties Ships hath taken upon him to dispossess the King of his Navy and imployed them against him and imprisoned divers of his Majesties loyal Officers and Subjects And therefore the King is resolved with Gods assistance to force Hotham and all other his Assistants in this his treasonable defence and invites all his good Subjects to assist him in this his resolution Dated at Beverley the eighth of Iuly Three daies after the Parliament Resolve That an Army shall be raised for defence of King and Parliament and of all such as obey the orders of both Houses That the Earl of Essex shall be the general and they to live and dy with him and that a petition should be sent to the King by the Earl of Holland Sir Iohn Holland and Sir William Stapleton to Beverley and that the Earl of Bedford be General of the Horse which so troubled the Earl of Holland who was refused upon voting that it was never digested Indeed the Parliament were wary not to intrust two Brothers with Land and Sea service together The effect of their petition was to pray the King to disband all his forces which are reckoned up to be about Hull and from Newcastle Tynmouth Lincoln and Lincoln-shire to recall his Commissioners of Array and to dismiss his guards and come to his People and Parliament and hearken to their advice and then what they will do for him The King might smile at this and therefore tells them They were never unhappy in their Petitions and supplications whilst they desired the preservation of Religion the Kings Honour and the peace of the Kingdome But after their martial designs and some proceedings and effects of their forces and after their votes and raising of an Army their Generals assigned and possessing his Navy to advise him to denude himself and wait upon them is pitiful councel to which he will not submit The Parliament provide for the sinews of war to that end they declare for Lone of Money upon publique faith of the Parliament upon which and the Ministers invitations the best part of their preachings turned into perswasions and prayers to the people for their contributions and assistance that it became incredible what a mass of money plate and Ammunition was presented even at the Parliaments feet from the golden cupbords of vessels to the Kitchen-maids silver bodkins and Thimble The King had some help from the diligent indeavours of the Queen beyond Seas and out of Holland upon the pawned Jewels and at home contributions of the Lords and Gentry Loyal to his service for what was publique he gives thanks To the Vice-chancellor and all other his Loyal Subjects of the university of Oxford for the free Loan of a very considerable sum of money in this his time of so great and eminent necessity shall never depart out of his royal memory Nor is it reasonable to deny them a memorable Record for ever which in duty to them I may not do Beverley 18. Iuly From thence the King removes to Leicester summons the appearance of the Gentlemen Free-holders and Inhabitants of that County telling them of the acceptable welcome he hath found in these Northern parts finding that the former errours of his good Subjects thereabout have proceeded by mistakes and misinformatioâ—s proceeding from the deceits used by Declarations and publications of the Parliament pretended for the peace of the Kingdom which rather would destroy it To prevent their mischief he needs not ask their assistance of Horse Men Money and Hearts worthy such a Cause in which he will live and die with them Iuly 20. The Earl of Stamford Lord Lieutenant of the County of Leiceister for the Parliament had removed the County Magazine from the Town to his own house at Bradgate over which he had set a Guard or Garison against the Kings command for which he and his Adherents are by name proclaimed Traitours which troubled the Parliament and discouraged their party untill they were vindicated by a publick Declaration that being for the service of the Parliament and the peace of the Kingdom it was an high Breach of Privilege in the King and that the said Earl and his Assistants are protected by them and all good Subjects The first of August brings the King back again to Yorkshire where he summons the Gentlemen of that County tells them the forward preparations of the Parliament to a War and desires their advice what Propositions they conceive for them to ask and he to grant in reference to their and his safety and for the present desires them to spare him some Arms out of their store which shall be redelivered when his provisions shall come thither and that his Son Prince Charls his Regiment for the Guard of his person under the command of the Earl of Cumberland may be compleated The Parliament declare for the raising of all power and force by Trained Bands and otherwise to lead against all Traitours and their Adherents that oppose the Parliament and them to slay and kill as Enemies to the State and peace of the Kingdom naming such of the Kings party that were his Lieutenants of Array of the Northern Counties viz. the Earl of Northampton the Lord Dunsmore Lord Willoughby of Eresby Son to the Earl of Lindsey Henry Hastings and others of the Counties of Lincoln Nottingham Leicester Warwick Oxfordshire And for the Western Counties the Marquess Hertford the Lord Paulet Lord Seymer Sir Iohn Stowel Sir Ralph Hopton and Iohn Digby and others in the County of Somerset And to oppose these and others the Parliament doth authorize the Earl of Essex the General as also these to be the Lieutenants of several Counties viz. the Lord Say of Oxon the Earl of Peterborough of Northampton Lord Wharton of Buckingham Earl of Stamford of Leicester Earl of Pembroke of Wiltshire and Hampshire Earl of Bedford of Somersetshire and Devon Lord Brook of Warwick Lord Cranborn of Dorsetshire Lord Willoughby of Parrham of Lincolnshire Denzil Hollis of the City and County of Bristol And thus ranked they are to kill and â—lay their Enemies August 8. And the King traceth them in these steps replies to theirs and will justifie the quarrel and for that purpose published his Proclamation against the Earl of Essex the General that he is Rebell and Traitour to the King and his Crown and all Colonels and Officers under him that shall not instantly lay down are guilty of high Treason And because of their two particular Designs to march Northward against the King and others Westward to seize and force the Garison and Fort of Portsmouth therefore he commands Colonel Goring his Captain Governour there to oppose the Rebells And commands his Cousin and Counsellour William Marquess Hertford his Lieutenant General of
Aug. 16. Upon these grounds The Parliament of England take resolution and declare their approbation and thanks to the secret Council and Assemblie in Scotland for their desires of unitie in Religion and uniformitie in Church-government in the three Kingdoms we having say they often had that matter in debate concurring in judgment and experience of the manifold mischiefs which the Government of the Prelacie hath in all times and ages produced in this Church and State and so we hope to satisfie the Christian desires of our dear Brethren of Scotland although we know that hereby we shall exceedingly irritate that malignant partie who will bend all their forces to ruine that holy work and to ruine and destroy us in the undertaking being the very same partie which hath now incensed and armed his Majestie against us The very same Design of rooting out Reformed Religion endeavoured to begin that Tragedie in Scotland which being perfected in one Nation will be accomplished in the other Religion is the band and safetie of both And as we resolve by the national Covenant betwixt the two Kingdoms to be carefull of Scotland so we doubt not but the secret Council and Assemblie there will be always ready to express their brotherly kindness to us according to the Articles ratiâ—ied between both Parliaments and advantagious to all the professours of the Reformed Religion in Christendom And so this being the Proeme to their Declaration the Parliament goes on with lamentable sighs and groans from the bowels of their hearts for being obstructed in this piaculous work of true Reformation and after much striving and seeking God wrestling with the Engines of Satan they have jumped in resolution with their Brethren in Scotland that the Prelatical party is the cause of all distraction And being thus backed they take the boldness to declare That this Government by Arch-bishops Bishops their Chancellours and Commissioners Deans and Chapters Arch-deacons and other Ecclesiastical Officers depending upon the Hierarchie is evil and prejudicial to the state and Government of this Kingdom and resolve the same shall be taken away And according to our Declaration of the seventh of February we will consult with godly Divines to setle a Government of Reformation And intend that a Bill for this Assemblie may be passed for their Meeting the fifth of Novemb. next And desire their dear Brethren of Scotland to concur with them in petitioning the King for his approbation And because nothing will prosper without their handy work they pray them to send some out of their many good â—nd godly Divines of that Kirk to assist our Assemblie for setling of one Confession one Directorie and one Catechism in all three Kingdoms to the relief and deliverance of the poor afflicted Churches abroad and confusion of the tyrannie of Rome being the prime cause and fountain of all calamities bloudy massacres outrages cruelties and bitter persecution of Gods people and saints in all the Christian world for many ages Here is now a resolution to reform all Christendom and beat down Popery in a trice but the result was that under colour of Religion the Design went on and so prospered in outward success And now to encourage the well-affected to lend money and bring their Plate upon Publick Faith which without a mans strong belief could hardly get Customers to come in fearing belike that the Kings gentleness and mercy might agree to an Accommodation having been upon terms of Treaty on his part The Parliament therefore once again to ascertain their Resolution to fight it out to the last man and being confident of success do declare That the Arms which they have been forced to take up and shall take up for the preservation of the Parliament Religion the Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom shall not be laid down untill his Majestie shall withdraw his protection from such persons as have been voted by both Houses to be Delinquents and shall leave them to the justice of the Parliament to the end that those great charges and damages wherewith all the Common-wealth hath been burdened since the Kings departure from his Parliament may be born by the Delinquents And all his Majesties good and faithfull Subjects who by loan of moneys or otherwise at their charges have or shall assist the Common-wealth may be repayed and satisfied out of the Delinquents Estates And these Delinquents were sure to be made so out of the noblest and richest persons in the Nation against whom there could be found but the scent of Malignancie so that it became a huge crime first to be rich or able in any condition to be either Neuter or not wel-affected to the Parl. or to be suspected so to prove it a slender Accusation would serve the turn witness sundry persons which we shall have occasion to speak of ruined upon that score onely And first they begin with Iames Lord Strange Son and Heir of William Earl of Derby who to the intent and purpose to subvert the Laws c. did upon the fifteenth of July last past at Manchester in the Countie of Lancaster traiterously summon call together and raise great Forces and did kill murder and destroy Richard Percival a Linnen Webster for which the Parliament impeach him of high Treason And the sixteenth of September he is so published in all Churches and Chapels and Markets in the Counties of Lancaster and Chester and where the Parliament had any power for the County was mostly for the King against which party the City of London are desired to advance sixteen thousand pounds for setting forth ten thousand Dragoons and some Troops of Horse for suppressing that party upon Publick Faith which was soon raised but not repayed The King being at Shrewsburie whither Judg Heath came and advised for the Adjourning part of Michaelmass Term from the first Return In Octab. Sancti Martini Octob. 4. And at Bridg-North he proclames Thomas Nichols Humphrey Mackworth and Thomas Hunt Esq guilty of high Treason active men in the Militia and assisting the Kings Enemies in their Rebellion Octob. 14. The L. Fairfax for the Parl and Mr. Bellases for the King with considerable parties Commissioners on either side had concluded upon certain Articles concerning the peace in Yorkshire and dated the 29. of September To which the Parliament take exception That the Parliament gave no such authoritie to binde that Countie to a Neutralitie it being prejudicial to the whole Kingdom for one Countie to withdraw from the rest which thâ—y are bound by Law to assist It being derogatorie to the power of Parliament for private men to suspend the execution of the Militia and therefore it is ordered that no such Neutralâ—â—â—e be observed in that Countie without any defensive force whereby it will be open to the King to return with his Armie for Winter quarter in that plentifull Countie New-castle near for his Supplies by Sea And so they declare the Lord Faâ—â—fax and his
Yorkshire this Account came to the Houses that Sir Hugh Cholmley for the Parliament hath carried himself gallantly giving several Defeats to the Enemy at Malton and on the sixteenth of Ianuary joyning his Forces to Sir Matthewâ—Bointon they fell upon Colonel Slingsbie at Gisborough who was defeated and six hundred Horse and Foot that had done much spoil in the North. Slingsbie taken Prisoner and an hundred and fourty persons besides many killed and two hundred Arms recovered About Bradford and Hallifax God hath blessed my Son Sir Thomas says the Lord Fairfax having seized the Lord Savil's house at Howley and his Design against Leeds was thus he drew out from Bradford thither where Sir William Savil commands in chief after Summons the Assault began with great resolution on his Sons part the Town being fortified on all sides furnished with two Brass Sakers and manned with fifteen hundred Souldiers yet they forced an entrie in two Hours fight with loss on both sidesâ— not more than fourtie men but Sir Thomas took four Colours and five hundred Prisoners of which six are Commanders many Arms the Sakers and all their Munition On the Parliaments part were lost thirteen men Captain Brigs and Lee sore wounded The people observed he says that Sir William Savil and the chief Commanders on the other side soon after the Fight began fled by secret ways towards Pomfrait and their men after them by degrees but by the way Serjeant Major Beaumont was drowned crossing the River and Sir William narrowly escaped the like Sir Thomas intended to have marched to Wakefield where Sir George Wentworth commanded but the Enemie in fâ—â—â— was fled to Pomfrait and so Wakefield is invested for the Parliâ—â—â—nt The five and twentieth of Ianuary the Kings Forces marched out of Doncaster which was soon taken up by six Companies of Foot till more Forcesâ— shall come from the South to keep it The Earl of Newcastle hath drawn down all his Forces from the South of Yorkshire excepting those that keep Pomfrait Castle and yesterday marched from Sherborn to York with six and thirty Colours two Pieces of Cannon and three and fourty other Carriages and supposed to meet the Arms and Munition coming from Newcastle or to prepare for the Queens entertainment at York Selbie Ian. 26. 1642. Fer. Fairfax There had come forth two Proclamations the one from the Earl of Cumberland dated the first of December last the other from the Earl of Newcastle Ianuary 17. last publishing Ferdinando Lord Fairfax Sir Thomas Fairfax Sir Edward Loftus Sir Matthew Bointon Sir Henry Forbes Sir Thomas Malleverer Sir Richard Darby Sir Christopher Wray Sir Henry Anderson Sir Iohn Savil Sir Edward Rodes Sir Hugh Cholmley Sir Thomas Rennington Sir Thomas Norcliffe Knights Io. Hotham Tho. Hatcher Will. Lister Iohn Legard Io. Dudsworth Iohn Wastel Iohn Perce Willâ—White Iohn Robinson Arthur Beckwith Thomas Robinson and Thomas Stockdel and divers others and their Adherents to be Traitors which the Parliament resenting do as much against the Earls and so are alike quit upon that score The King had proposed a Treaty February 3. together with the cessation of Arms sixteen days since to which he received no Answer but puts them in minde thereof again whereupon the Parliament vote That there shall be a Treaty upon the Propositions before the disbanding and to begin March 4. next for twenty days and no more and a safe conduct desired by the Parliament for their Commissioners the Earl of Northumberland Lord Say Mr. Perpoint Sir William Ermine Sir John Holland and Mr. Whitlock But the King excepts against the Lord Say having been proclamed Traitor the third of November at Oxford and by Writ to the Sheriff to proceed agaisnt him for high Treason and so he was not admitted the rest were March 3. Oxford The Cessation of Arms was thus limited That all Arms Victuals Money Bullion and all commodities passing without safe conduct may be seized on either sides and the persons so passing That the Kings Forces in Oxfordshire shall advance no nearer Windsor than Wheatly and in Buckinghamshire no nearer to Alisbury than Brill and in Barkshire either Forces to contin â—e as they are The Parliaments Forces in Oxfordshire to advance no nearer to Oxford than Henley In Buckinghamshire no nearer than Alisbury The Kings Forces shall take no new Quarter nearer than twelve miles from Oxford any way nor the Parliament twelve miles from Windsor where the Parliaments Armie lay That no Siege shall be against Glocester but the Kings Forces to return And that the Parliament Forces remain as they are in Glocestershire c. February 28. And having treated without any success the Committee returns to the Parliament the seventeenth of April after During this Treaty comes out a weekly Assessment from the Parliament of England and Wales which amounted unto thirty three thousand nine hundred eighty one pounds thirteen shillings vast sums additional to the former and others subsequent In this time the Queen in Holland now imbarques for England the sixteenth of Feb. and with contrary windes and foul weather was forced back again and thereafter with much hazzard anchored at Burlington Bay the nineteenth and lands at the Key the two and twentieth wiâ—h Officers Munition and Money To her comes the Earl of Montrose and Lord Ogleby with two Troops of Horse being now received at York and the Queen forming a pretty Army whereof she hath the command and meets the King hereafter at Edg-hill three moneths hence Indeed she had been in very great danger in her passing out of Holland of which the King assures her he shall not be out of apprehension untill he may have the happiness of her company Thinking it not the least of his misfortunes that for his sake she hath run so much hazzard which it is impossible for him to repay but his heart being full of affection for her and admiration of her and impatient passion of gratitude to her he could not but say some thing leaving the rest to be read by her out of her own noble heart Oxford Febr. 13. 1642. The County of Glocester being mostly engaged in the Parliament service in the midst of their Enemy Oxford being the Kings head Garison Herefordshire his Forces Worcester entertain'd a strength Wales under power of the Lord Herbert The Earl of Essex and his Army drawn to London the Parliaments Forces in the West have their hands full two Regiments at Bristol and one at Glocester this County the most likely game for winter action but the strength of the County drawn to Cirencester a Frontier Town towards the Kings head Quarters and now made a Garison and Colonel Thetiplace that commanded a Regiment and two Companies of Foot added after some Horse and Dragoons raised by the Countrey and the rest of the Militia were to assist in danger more voluntary than regular but resting chiefly on Sir Robert Cook Sir Iohn Seymer Mr. Stephens and Mr. Hodges with
on to Warwick and there refreshed fell upon Strafford Avon commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Wagstaff Colonel Croker and Trist a Dutchman and some Companies of Foot with these they made good the Bridg faced the Enemy but not able to endure the Ordnance made a safe Retreat and left the Town to the Enemy who in fear of some stratagem made a hasty plunder and retreated to Warwick and so to Staffordshire where his Lordship by his Reputation and presence sought to dissolve the Association of the Gentry there and reduce the County to the Parliament Being come to Lichfield he gets into the Town indefencible and unarmed but those Forces that were there under the Earl of Chesterfield retired to the precincts of the Cathedral called A Close a place more tenable Brook being Master of the Town gave on upon the Enemy and whilest they fought he was got up into a chamber-window and peeping at a loop-hole of the Window received a fatal Shot upon the Ey-ball of which he instantly sunk down and died The remarkable passage is that the Lord Brook was shot in the eye on Saint Chad's day the first Bishop of the Mercians of that Church and that by the Son of a Clergy man the Enemy of the Church was killed The Assailants having lost their Leader retired for a while but came on again and took the Church together with the Earl of Chesterfield and all his Souldiers being many and some good Ordnance The Report was constant that the Lord Brook had ordered his Chaplain at his setting forth to this Encounter to preach upon this Text If I perish I perish Hest. c. 4. And himself prayed and used this Execration upon himself and Souldiers That if the cause he followed were not right and just he might be presently cut off and that he hoped to live to see the day when one stone of Saint Paul 's Church in London should not be left upon another Should be killed in the Eye and not the Lid touched He that disliked the Letany for the Prayer against sudden Death should die stone-dead But on Sunday afterwards March 22. the Commanders of the Kings Forces besiege Lichfield received intelligence that Sir Iohn Gell and Sir William Brereton for the Parliament with a Body of three thousand were coming to the Relief of the Besieged they drew out eight hundred Horse and three hundred Dragoons and came upon them unexpected and the Parliaments Horse not able to endure the Charge were put to flight and the Foot seeing themselves deserted forsook the Field leaving the Victory intire to the Kings party many killed and Prisoners taken with Ammunition and Baggage some Ordnance and four Drakes but all these were full dearly bought for though the King lost but few men he had it at no less price than the Earl of Northampton's life a gallant faithfull Lord who charging in the Head of his Troop was so-ingaged that his own Saddle-horse being shot and failing he was unfortunately slain and though he lost his life yet Victory attended him to his grave vanquishing those by whom he suffered and died a Protestant professour contrary to the feigned Report devised on him But afterwards Lichfield Close was gotten for the King by Prince Rupert the one and twentieth of April who having sprung his Mine made a reasonable Breach which assailing and at the same time others scaled the Walls both which failing and he sent for to Court gave them a fresh Attempt as a Farewell at which they yielded Lieutenant Colonel Russel commanding in chief to depart with fourscore Horse Men and Arms as many Musquetiers with Colours flying a free Pass and eleven Carts for their Baggage to Coventry and all Prisoners taken on either side since the Lord Brook came into the Countrey should be released It was on Saturday April 17. that the General Essex sate down before Reading and the next day made an Attempt thereon but was beaten off by Sir Arthur Aston the Governour an old Souldier bred up in the Wars of Germany from his youth A second Onset followed and entered upon one of the Out-works and repulsed with loss and for that good service the King sent them thanks with a Supply of seven hundred Musquetiers and sufficient Ammunition which was conveyed to Dorchester and so by a considerable strength of Horse to the water-side just against the Town by break of day and by Boats got in the Besiegers seeing it done but far off to hinder it But the place not able to indure the several Attempts of so great an Army daily supplied with fresh men the City of London Trained Bands and plenty of all provisions the last Encounter of the Besiegers with their great Ordnance shooting into the Town the Governour got a dangerous Bruise on the Head by the fall of some Brick-bats and in much danger the command devolved on Colonel Fielding and by him the Town was delivered up to their Enemy upon noble Conditions All the Forces to march out in warlike manner with free passage to Oxford with fifty Carts for Carriage the Town not to be plundered and such as will may remove from thence within six weeks and this was done on May day Of which sudden Surrender Fielding was questioned and committed at Oxford and by a Council of War sentenced to lose his head but left to the Kings mercy and by importunity of his Kindred the Villiers he had pardon And Sir Arthur Aston recovered of his Mischance to do the King good service for many years after In May the Overseers for demolishing all Pictures Crosses and what not that were so idolatrous abominable concluded their Reformation in that Monument of Adornment to the City Cheapside the great Cross after the Multitude had defaced the excellent Statues thereon of former Kings and Queens they pulled down the whole Fabrick to the ground in hate to Idolatry as was pretended but more certainly they made good use of the Gold and Lead which the pride of the City formerly had set out with much cost and now as forward to pull it down for the benefit of the State service And the next good Act they voted the Queen a Traitor for taking part with her Husband for now she was ready to march with good Forces towards the King Captain Hotham the Son being imprisoned by the Parliament made his Escape and sent to the Earl of Newcastle that he would cast himself into his arms and that Hull and Lincoln should be rendered to him and is now gone to his Father at Hull and both of them stand upon their guard The Queen now at Newark with some Forces intends to lie at Werton and thence to Ashby and there resolve what to do the Enemies Forces from Nottingham being gone to Leicester and Derby to intercept the Queens passage The Queen before she departed left for the safety of Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire two thousand Foot and Arms for five hundred more and twenty
the Breaches of the State without the Ruines of the Church as I would be a Restorer of the one so I would not be an Oppressor of the other under the pretence of Publick Debts The Occasions contracting them were bad enough but such a discharging of them would be much worse I pray God neither I nor mine may be accessory to either And now dies Mr. Iohn Pym a Member of the House of Commons and a notable stickler for the Parliament he was ever observed to be an high Prebyterian in profession whose subtilty managed the most of their publick affair and ended his days when he had wrangled for the Mastery and left all in great doubt which party might overcome not without some regret and repentance they say that these Differences which he hatched should prove so desperate as he now too late fore saw would undo this Nation In the midst of May it was that Colonel Nath Fines Governour of the City of Bristol had discovered a Plot of the Inhabitants to betray the Town which after much Examination lighted upon Robert Yeomans and George Bourchier who had secretly provided themselves of Arms intending to kill the Centinels by night and possess the Main Guard whereby to master the greatest part of the other side within the Town to kill the Mayor and many others affected to the Parliament and by that means to betray the City to the Kings Forces which should lodg near hand for that purpose two miles off but the Plot pretended was discovered and those men condemned by a Council of War to be hanged This was known at Oxford whereupon the Kings Lord Lieut. of all his Forces the Lord Ruthen lately made Earl of Forth writes to the Governour of Bristol I having been informed that lately at a Council of War you have condemned to death Robert Yeomans late Sheriff of Bristol who hath his Majesties Commission for raising a Regiment for his Service William Yeomans his Brother George Bourchier and Edward Dacres all for expressing their loyalty to his Majesty and endeavouring his Service according to their Allegeance do therefore signifie to you that I intend speedily to put Mr. George Mr. Stevens Captain Huntley and others taken in Rebellion at Cirencester into the same condition I do further advise you that if you offer by that unjust Iudgment to execute any of them that those here in custodie must expect no favour or mercie At Oxford May 16. 1643. To the Commander in chief of the Council of War in Bristol Forth The Answer comes from the Governour Colonel Nathaniel Fines and the Council of War at Bristol in effect That if you shall not make distinction between Souldiers of Arms and secret Spies and Conspirators we will not onely proceed against them but others and if by any inhumane and unsouldierlike Sentence you shall execute those persons you named then Sir Walter Pye Sir William Crofts and Colonel Connesby and others whom we have here in custodie must expect no favour or mercie May 18. 1643. Nath. Fines President c. To Patrick Earl of Forth Lord Lieutenant General And so notwithstanding the Kings Letter also to the Mayor and Citizens in their behalf Yeomans and Bourchier were hanged May 30. There was a Plot discovered at London the last of May against the Cities of London and Westminster and by consequence the whole Parliament the chief of the Conspiracy were Mr. Waller a Member of the House of Commons Mr. Tomkins his Brother in Law and lately Clerk of the Queens Council Mr. Chaloner Mr. Hasel Mr. Blinkhorn Mr. White and others As for the Plot we have ravelled into the search of the truth but must take it from the Parliaments Declaration That they should seize into their custodie the Kings Children some Members of the Parliament the Lord Mayor and Committee of Militia all the Cities Out-works and Forts the Tower of London and all the Magazines Then to let in the Kings Forces to surprize the Citie and destroy all Opposers and to resist all payments of Taxes And much heartened they were by a Commission of Array sent from Oxford at that time and brought secretly by the Lady Aubigne Daughter to the Earl of Suffolk Widow of the late Lord Aubigne wounded at Edg-hill and died at Oxford the thirteenth of Ianuary This Commission was directed to Sir Nicholas Crisp and divers others This Plot was discovered the last of May. They were arreigned in publick at Guild-hall and all those four named condemned onely Tomkins and Chaloner executed the first 〈…〉 Door in Holborn the other in Corn-hill but the chief Conspirator Waller was by General Essex reprieved imprisoned a twelve-moneth in the Tower and after for a Fine of ten thousand pounds pardoned and for shame sent to travel into France The reason is much studied for satisfying the World why he the chief Actor the other but brought in by the by should receive such partial Justice because he was ingenious and confessed all and Mr. Pym had engaged his promise for his Life but certainly the most evident Reason is very apparent his great Sum of Money paid down and belike his ample confession of the particulars which the other at their death did not acknowledg Iuly 5. The Parliament having been put to it in want of the great Seal of England now at Oxford for confirmation of their Acts and Ordinances it had been oftentimes disputed and committed the making of another Seal for the use of the Parliament yet deferred the times not â—itted for so great a business the renewing of the Treaty being offered at on both sides But now the Parliament pass four Votes 1. That it is necessary the Great Seal to attend the Houses 2. That there hath been a failer of it at this Parliament 3. Much prejudice to the King Parliament and Kingdom 4. That the Houses ought to provide a Remedie thereof for the time to come Afterwards they made an Order That if the Lord Keeper Littleton upon Summons did not return with the great Seal within fourteen days he should lose his Place and whatever should be sealed therewith by him after that time should be null and vacate in Law A worthy Member desired the Serjeant at Law that ordered the Ordinance not to wade too far in the business before he did consult the Statute of 25 Edward 3. where Counterfeiting the Great Seal is declared high Treason To which the Serjeant replied That he purposed not to counterfeit the old Seal but to make a new Indeed the Parliament being the highest Court and Council had shewn their legislative power by passing Ordinances without the Kings assent to binde the Subject in the exercise of the Militia and that there wanted nothing but the executive part with a Great Seal for the administring justice in all Courts of Law and Equity which would sufficiently declare their power in all necessary Incidents of that supreme Council That since inferiour Courts had their proper Seals the
flanked with some Horse were wheeled to the right by and by into a medow at their coming the enemy drew all their Horse and Foot within their Spittle-work and coming up against this place both sides saluted one another at too far a distance with a short volley but Colonel Tilliar was not to stay here as being by his Orders to march up to the very Rivers side to recover the boat-bridg from the enemy but this being too well guarded he was glad to go off making a stand without reach of Cannon In this time were divers more Bodies of Foot brought down into the Field who charg'd up to the enemies Works and killed many Loughborow's being left upon the hill for a reserve Thus was the valley be spread with the Princes Battaglions and in this posture stood the Army Sir Richard Byron Governour of Newark likewise before this had sent part of his Garrison both Horse and Foot into another ground on the South-East side of the Town And by this time had the Prince notice given him by a Prisoner and by one of theirs that came over to him how they were so distressed for want of victualls that they were not able to live there two dayes Whereupon He began to resolve upon other councells esteeming it cheaper to block up their trenches then to storm them And block't up they were already in a very narrow room no more then the backside of the Spittle towards the River Besides which they were on all sides surrounded by His forces On the South side by the Town on the East by the Prince and on the North by Colonel Tilliar Into the Island on the West had the Prince sent five hundred Horse besides two hundred of the Newark Troopers Thus the late blockers found themselves now besieged yea without much hope of sudden relief or safe means to sally For so well had the Prince ordered them that had they sallied forwards He had then fallen upon their first issuing out both in Front and Flanks with his Army and the Town had charged them upon their Rear Had they offered to escape over their Boat-bridg those in the Isle had disturbed their passing and others entertained their coming over By this time had the Prince commanded Sir Richard Byron with his own and Sir Gervase Eyres Horse-Regiments with eight hundred of Sir John Digbyes Foot to advance so high into the Island as to put in betwixt the enemies two bridges By which interposition was all intercourse cut off betwixt them their greater Body at the Spittle and those at Muskham bridg upon this those eight Colours at the bridg retreated as aforesaid Under favour of these Town-forces too was Rupert resolved to cast up a Redoubt that night betwixt the bridges but going now to view the ground the enemy sent out a Trumpet to desire a Parley To make way for this and the more to sweeten and oblige the Prince had Sir John Meldrum some hours before sent home Colonel Gerard yet upon the parole of a Souldier and a Gentleman to return himself a Prisoner when ever he should be called They having sent out to parley quit their bridg which his Highness presently possessed by a hundred Musquetiers For the parley was appointed Sir Richard Crane Captain of his Life-guards with Sir William Neale Scout-master General the other sending Sir Miles Hobard and Sir John Palgrave into the Town Now true though it be that the enemies were distressed yet very wise Generals have not thought it safe to make such men desperate Besides which being now in the midst of their own Garrisons they might possibly be relieved And to confesse the truth the Princes Horse were so over-marcht and his Foot so beaten off their legs that He found his men lesse able for the present for them and the enemy were more then was believed For these reasons and for that as by intercepted Letters it appeared the Lord Fairfax and his Son Sir Thomas being both commanded by the Council of State to march other places might ere long have need of his presence the Prince at length condiscended to these Articles 1. That all Match Bullet Powder Cannon and all other Fire-arms belonging to the Artillery be delivered 2. That all Souldiers march away with their Swords by their sides and Colours and Drums 3. That all Officers march without molestation with Their Arms and Horses for themselves and Servants and all Bag and Baggage Money and whatsoever doth truly belong to Themselves 4. That all Troopers and Dragoons march with their Swords Horses and Colours 5. That his Highness send a Convoy to protect us from any injury two Miles from the utmost of his Highness Quarters March 22. 1643. Because we may conceive that the 22. Divines appointed to reform might do something in order to their Pensions the latter end of this Year produced the effects A Protestation by them for setling of the Church and their particular Exceptions against the Liturgie not that the Book of Common Prayer of the Church of England should be utterly abolished but purged of Innovations and Absurdities And first of the later part the Innovations and Absurdities they make to be these I. Because there be some things in it of which we know not how to make any reasonable sense viz. 1. Whatsoever is manifest the same is light Ephes. 5. 13. See Epi. 3. Lent 2. In the power of the Divine Majesty to worship the Unity See Col. Trin. 3. Every Parishioner must communicate thrice a year and also receive the Sacraments and other Rites See Rubrick after Communion 4. God is said to be Father of all that is called Father in Heaven Ephes. 3. 15. See Epist. 16. Trinity 5. This is the sixth Moneth which was called Barren Luke 1. 28. See Gosp. Annunc 6. Or ever your Pots be made hot with Thorns so let indignation vex him as a thing that is raw Psalm 58. 8. See Gosp. Annunc 7. When the company of the Spear-men and multitude of the Mighty are scattered abroad among the beasts of the people that they humbly bring pieces of Silver and when he hath scattered the people that delight in War Then shall the Princes c. Psalm 68. 30. II. Because as far as we are able to discern there is contradiction in it 1. To the Book of Articles which denieth that Confirmation hath any visible Sign whereas the last Prayer in Confirmation makes Imposition of Hands a Sign to certifie the Children of God's favour and gracious goodness towards them 2. To it self by affirming in the Catechism that there are but two Sacraments and yet ascribing to Confirmation all things that are required to the being of a Sacrament either in that Book or in the Book of Articles III. Because to our best understanding it seemeth to contain in it some untruths 1. Innocents are said to be Gods Witnesses and to have confessed and shewed forth his praise not in speaking but in dying See Col. Inno. 2. It
which was assessed in Money proportionable to the condition of the Family The Scots are come and great care taken at Westminster for pay of that Army the twentieth part over all the North they have power to assess for themselves and all Malignants Estates that they can seize within their reach Nay several Counties and Associations are assessed for them Against whom the Marquess of Newcastle marched Northwards and to attack him in Yorkshire follows Sir Thomas Fairfax who was guided by his Father as the Father is by the grand Committee at Westminster as the Committee is by the Scots This dependency being very necessary to assure them good Welcome for so says their Letter to the Lord Fairfax My Lord VVe have taken into consideration the opportunity offered for reducing of Yorkshire whilest the Marquess of Newcastle hath drawn his Forces towards the North to oppose the Scots and how necessary it is to hinder his further Levies that Sir Thomas your Son march into the VVest Riding with all his Horse with two Regiments of Foot out of Lancashire and that your self take the Field with what Forâ—es you can and joyn with your Son for effecting these ends to hold a continual Intelligence with the Scots Army by drawing near Tees March 2. Northumberland Jo Maitland And here we see the great Earl of Northumberland invites the ancient Enemies of England into his own County and the Lord Fairfax into Yorkshire Cambridg University lay under the ordering of the Earl of Manchester Serjeant Major General of the Association where these Heads of Houses were turned out Dr. Beal Dr. Martin Dr. Stern in whose places were put in Masters of the Colleges Mr. Palmer Mr. Arrowsmith Mr. Vines as men more fit indeed such others as these were changed into the like I know not how more fit I am sure some of them are famous for false Latine Sir William Waller forward on his way to finde out the Lord Hopton who was drawn out of Winchester with sufficient Horse to oppose Sir William Balfore whom Waller had sent before to possess Alresford but came last for his Lordship was there first and forced Waller into small Villages in the morning Hopton drew down to Bramdean Heath and found Waller on a fair Hill and would not be forced thence till a long Dispute the Hill thus gained Colonel Lisle with his commanded Men kept it all night in this time of darkness Waller had mastered another Hill of greater advantage by the covert of Trees and Hedges which Colonel Appleford was to repossess and found it a hard Task to mount up against the powring shot of such as lined the Hedges not seen from whence it came Volleys well performed which yet were fain to give way to force which cost them dear enough for they paid a good price for it Here was a pretty breathing if Waller went off Hopton would follow to his undoing if they came on they would undo themselves but the Allarm was given by a mistaking Corporal of Hopton's who took his Enemies for Friends and so were engaged too far to seek throughout within their Ambuscadoes who now play their parts by this Advantage and put Hopton to a Retreat and neither parts had cause to cry Victoria for both sides were soundly beaten I intitle the Fight to the Lord Hopton but General Forth was there upon the other score he came in with the Lord Iohn Stuart sore wounded but I know not how concluded for dead yet Sir Arthâ—r Hasâ—erig called it A safe Deliverance though at London it was cried up for a Victory on this side Sir William Balfore in his Letter to his General â—ssex numbers then to be eight Commanders killed by him the Lord Stuart indeed and Sir Iohn Smith died afterwards of their wounds two gallant Gentlemen so did Colonel Sandys and Colonel Manning and Colonâ—l Scot Colonel Appleyard and Captain Pierson Sir Edward Stowel and Sir Henry Bard these were hurt and deserve honourable mention But at London they mention three Lords killed Stuart is confessed but not the General who they make a double one for his two Titles Forth and Ruthen And so they are described to be Gebal Moab and Ammon and to be utterly vanquished by the Servant of God Sir VVilliam VValler And the Parliament had some of theirs slain Dalbier wounded and Colonel Thomson had his Leg shot off by a Cannon Bullet And this happened upon a Friday March 29. The Cavaliers in disorder drew their Cannon off towards VVinchester but wheeled off unseen to Basing House VValler marches to VVinchester which was rendered to him upon Summons and Hopton is now at Oxford But a solemn Thanksgiving was ordered in London for this Victory and some Members sent to the City to encourage them for Supplies The Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery told them That the City Auxiliaries had done their part and if they went but once more they would rid the Kingdoms of these Rogues the occasion of all our miseries And upon these preparations and success of the Parliament the King draws all his Forces to a Rendezvouz to oppose his Adversaries And as VValler had done such Encouragements heightened others to undertake Mountains Colonel Griffith commonly called Prince Griffith had the confidence to propose to the House of Commons That if he might have a Commission to command in chief of all North Wales next under General Essex and to have Delinquents Estates there by him to be discovered and the Income of such as he should conquer in North Wales not exceeding the Sum of fifteen thousand pounds he would engage his Life and Estate to raise such Forces as should reduce Wales to obedience Which was referred to the Committee of both Kingdoms And he set out in all magnificence with his Silver Trumpets and guarded Coats But at his first Encounter with some of Prince Rupert's Forces whom he sought out for a single Duel Prince Griffith was totally routed which occasioned a merry Lady to tell him He looked sadly ever since he lost his Silver Trumpets And so cashiered he became debaucht and abused the Lady Herbert for which he was imprisoned but her honour much concerned he was released and so having spent a reasonable Fortune he was necessitated to travel beyond Seas where at Paris he was killed in a Tavern the end of his impudency We may enter this Spring with the setting out of General Essex and his Army to be recruited to seven complete Regiments of Foot and six Regiments of Horse and a constant Pay of thirty thousand five hundred and four pounds a Moneth for four Moneths And the Parliaments Navy to be complete for this Summer with addition of twelve Merchants Ships in the places of nine others unserviceable and fifteen small Catches to be added to the Fleet. And a new way of Contribution was devised for getting Moneys towards the charge of arming the Auxiliary Forces now raising within the City of London That all Inhabitants
in London and Westminster and Lines of Communication shall pay upon each Tuesday the value of one ordinary Meal for himself and Family according to his quality and condition to be assessed by fitting persons in each VVard and to continue for six Moneths from 2. of April next The forwardness of the Citizens heretofore for VValler onely now draws it into an Ordinance which continued for many years Colonel Oliver Cromwell was by Ordinance of Parliament appointed Governour of the Garison and Isle of Ely in Cambridgshire of seven hundred Foot and three Troops of Horse with power to put in execution the several Ordinances of raising Moneys within the Isle of Ely also for support of that Garison I mention him not till now his great actions come together The Earl of Holland made his humble Request to the House of Commons That he might have leave to wait upon the General Essex in this his Expedition which both Houses assented unto but admiting afterwards some debate by the Commons the Negative was voted not a Member contradicting and sent word to the General of the whole sense of the House therein and so he did not go It was a handsome Exploit of Colonel Fox for the Parliament who with a single Troop of seventy Horse marched the third of May from Tamworth to Bewdley a strong Garison of the Cavaliers and coming late at night bold and confident demanded entrance at the first Guard under pretence of one of Prince Rupert's Troops the Chain was presently drawn up and they were welcome in this Guard he forthwith secures and passes to the next and so to the third with like success and with little noise went up to the Main Guard in the middle of the Town upon the Bridg over Severn killed the Centinels and seized the Guard without loss of a Man and so passed on and mastered the whole Town took Sir Thomas Littleton Prisoner with divers other Gentlemen about fifty Horse and carried all away with him returning home by dayâ— break The Lord Fairfax and his Son Sir Thomas joyning Forces had many several Successes in Yorkshire and the tenth of April drew near to the Kings Garison of Fairfax's Forlorn of Horse beat in the other and the next morning beset the Town in three Divisions and after a very hot Encounter entered the Town slew many and took the rest few escaping a thousand Prisoners sundry Commanders and other Officers and much Amunition Another like Success at Hemtough near Selby so that Fairfax was fain to desire the Parliaments Order how to dispose of the Prisoners by his own Letters he hoped very shortly utterly to roâ—t the Earl of Newcastle for now he was Master of the Field And upon all such like Successes so monstrously set forth in Pamphlets a Thanksgiving and a Play-day published with which the people were well pleased But the main business General Essex was not so well recruited as that he would march and therefore all possible means were made to raise Money A great Debate there was to borrow a hundred thousand pounds of the States Netherlands and a Committee came to the City to send their Agent thither to procure it and to offer their Security But it ended in this way That the City must do it themselves upon Publick Faith That is so much Money for levying of a Guard for the City Another Sum for Men for the Lord General and a Brigade in readiness as a Reserve and to pay them six Moneths provided some Taxes might be spared and no more laid upon them And evermore the necessity was urged upon some excellent Design which would give enâ— to the VVar and settle Peace for ever more And this in private was onely whispered To catch the King from his Cavaliers And because he had made proclamation for the assistance of all the neighbour Counties to come in with Provisions to Oxford the Parliament thereupon set out their Declaration observing therein That the same Councils now predominate in Oxford which have contrived and effected the destruction of Ireland by force and Sword do further labour to bring the same desolation in England therefore the Parliament declare that they will use their hearty endeavours with the hazzard of their Lives and Fortunes to prevent these Miseries and have ordered that considerable Forces shall speedily advance for defence and protection of the poor harressed people of England April 22. The Parliament Members assembled at Oxford had sate â—â—nce the 〈◊〉 of Ianuary last and with little business and to less purpose themselves were willing to recede which caused the King to come to them on Tuesday 16. April and tells them My Lords and Gentlemen I am brought to you by your selveâ— you desiring I shoâ—ld part with you the same zeal and affection which brought yoâ— hither and staid you here seeks this Recess so by distributing your selves into several Counties we all may reap the fruit of our Consultations I heartily thank you for what you have done and fully approve of what you desire To you that have charge in my Armies I recommend your Example and Discipline against License and Disorders To these engaged in civil affairs to expedite the Supplies of Money being the Nerves of War And be sure to inform all my Subjects of the odiousness of this Rebellion how solicitous I have been for Peace how insolently rejected that my Armies are raised and kept for defence of Religion Laws and Liberties and God who hath blessed this Meeting with unanimity bring us safe together again the eighth of October next But by Proclammation bearing date at Exeter Septemb. 21. prorogued the Assembly till Novemb. 9. The Parliament at Westminster having news of the intended Assembly of the Parliament in Scotland resolved to be timely fitted with Letters congratulatory to their Meeting Expressing therein the great obligation they have to that Kingdom for their effectual engaging in this common cause and their brotherly assistance in their greatest straits which hath mightily abated the violence of the Enemy already and are confident will be a powerfâ—ll means for setling of his Majesties Dominions for effecting thereof it is desired that they be as well joyned in their Councils as Armies and that there be a just correspondency between the two Kingdoms which as it hath been already the care of the Convention of Estates there and the general Assembly of Scotland to which end the Parliament of England hath appointed a Committee to reside with their Army and have setled a Committee of both Kingdoms at Westminster with return of thanks to the Kingdom of Scotland for their care and charge of their Armie in Ireland That therefore the Parliament of England hath thirty thousâ—nd pounds to be sent with speed to that Army and have already sent twenty thousand pounds to the Scotish Army in England and desire the Kingdom of Scotland to take in good part their Endeavours though not answerable to their deserts and
as many or if you shall finde that any way inconvenient to come in person that then your Lordship will appoint such or so many to meet with the like number from hence that may consider of all means possible to reconcile these unhappie Differences and misâ—understandings that have so long afflicted this Kingdom And for the securitie of your Lordship and those that shall come with and be imploied by your Lordship we do engage our Faith and Honour and do expect the same from your Lordship desiring withall your speedie Answer which must be a Guide to our Proceedings concluding that if this shall be refused we shall hold our selves justified before God and Men whatsoever shall be the Success so we rest From the Armie Aug. 8. 1644. Your Lordships humble Servants Maurice Thomas Wentworth Lindsey Lord Hopâ—on Nothampton Cleveland Thomas Blagge Joseph Bamfield Anthony Thelwel John Owen Thomas Stradling Robert Howard John Stocker Edward Porter Gilbert Armstrong Richard Nevil Thomas Pigot John Brown Ad. Scroop Amy Polard James Hamilton Richard Thornhill John Toping James Dundasse Giles Strangways R. Smith Ja. Cary Brainford Piercy Jacob Ashley Richard Cave Bernard Stuart Bernard Astley Theophilus Gilby William Leighton William Murrey Thomas Blackwell Thomas Bellingham Richard Page Bar. Jenkins Henry Miller Richard Fielding Thomas Weston Paul Smith G. Mouldsworth Phil. Honywood Thomas Culpeper William Leak Jo. Lunther Jo. Monk Cha. Fawlk Richard Samuel Arthur Slingsby George Goring Joseph Wagstaff Thomas Basset Charls Lloyd George Lisley William St. Leager Henry Lundsford Barth Pell Henry Shelley Thomas Paulet Thomas Kirton Anthony Brocher Devery Leigh David Stringer Ja. Mowbray Charls Compton Edward Not Alexander Standish Jo. Rideck Jo. Stuart Jo. Gambling Jo. Greenvile Arthur Henningham Ja. Haswith W. Maxwel And after his defeating Essex in Cornwall he writes from Tavestock To the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament C. R. It having pleased God in so eminent a manner lately to bless our Armies in these parts with success we do not so much joy in that blessing for any other consideration as for the hopes we have it may be a means to make others lay to heart as we do the miseries brought and continued upon our Kingdoms by this unnatural VVar and that it may open your ears and dispose your minde to imbrace those Offers of Peace and Reconciliation which have been so often and earnestly made unto you by us and from the constant and firm endeavours of which we are resolved never to desist in pursuance whereof we do upon this occasion conjure you to take into consideration our too long neglected Message of the fourth of July from Evesham which we again renew unto you and that you will speedily send such an Answer thereunto as may shew unto our poor Subjects some light of Deliverance from their present calamities by a happie Accommodation toward which we do here engage the word of a King to make good all these things which we have therein promised and really to endeavour a happie conclusion of this Treatie And so God direct you in the waies of Peace Given at our Court at Tavestock Sept. 8. 1644. These Messages were in his Marches the like he continues at his Return and setling at Oxford often times ere he could procure a Treaty as in dâ—e place here after in Ianuarie But as yet no endeavours of his could prevail and it hath been urged the jealousie of mutual confidence in eithers performance certainly the mystery was whether the King should trust to Essex and his Army or Essex to his and the difficulty might be how to advise in either It was said that Essex made some Overtures fair enough but how secure I shall not conclude Essex had it expresse in his Commission To take the King from his evil Counsel he urged therefore to be voluntarily trusted with the Kings person and the Kings Army to disband upon this assurance that then his Army being on foot he would not disband untill all things were performed to the general content and peace of the Kingdom So then the difficulty how to do what each party desired to be done kept on the War to the destruction of all Besides there was a providence or fate as we say therein which the Lord Digbie in a Letter calls His superstitious Observation concerning the hand of God in the cause of the Earl of Strafford 's death And the King from thence inferres in a Letter to the Queen That nothing can be more evident than that Strafford 's innocent bloud hath been one of the greatest causes of Gods just Iudgments upon this Nation by a furious Civil War Both sides hitherto being almost equally punished as being in a manner equally guilty but now this last crying blâ—ud being totally theirs I believe it is no presumption hereafter to hope that his hand of Justice must be heavier upon them and lighter upon us looking now upon our Cause having passed by our Fault The Estates of the Netherlands had sent their Ambassadours to the Parliament but not well instructed how to make their Address it took up some time for them to have new Instructions both for the Title of their Letters and Commissions from their Masters And so after these circumstances were setled they had Audience and being the first Address of note the Parliament referred it to a Committees direction which was upon the twelfth of Iulie the Master of the Ceremonies conducted them to both Houses apart and Chairs of State were set up for their repose one in the withdrawing Room by the House of Lords the other in the inner Chamber of the Court of VVards by the Commons where reposing a while they were brought to each House delivering their Embassie first in French and after in English in effect That the high and mightie States of the United Provinces had sent them to declare their earnest desire they had to interpose and mediate a Reconciliation of the Difference between the King and Parliament of England for which purpose they had already addressed themselves to his Majestie and were now come to declare it to the Parliament They further insisting upon the great effusion of Protestant bloud both in England and Ireland as a presaging inducement of their Desires to have a Peace accorded between the King and Parliament that so they might concur together for the Extirpation of Poperie and setling of the Protestant Religion in all the three Kingdoms and with the assistance of the States to defend it against all foreign powers The Ambassadours had received Letters from the Kings Court at Oxford intimating the Kings Successes in the North which the Parliament desired to correct and to evidence their Victories eight and fourty Colours of Horse and Foot were received from their Northern Commanders the Scots General the Lord Fairfax and his Son Sir Thomas and lay in their view in the House of Commons which was no otherwise resented than that they might as well have made the number
ten times over Here they remained pretending a Peace but in earnest to settle Trade and to see which way the Game went and having leave to go to the King they caress him with their Masters the States great inclination to cement these Differences but the King knew their mindes not to engage for him and so they returned in the end of this year The Marquess of Newcastle had been besieged above nine Weeks by the Parliaments Forces in the North for the raising of which Prince Rupert advances out of Shropshire marching with his Army through Lancashire raises the Siege of Latham House takes three Garisons Stopford Bolton and Leverpool he came forward towards York and on Sunday last of Iune enquartered at Knaresburgh fourteen Miles off the next morning over Burrough-bridg and that night along the River to York upon whose approach the Besiegers quit their Quarters and those in York pursue the Rear and seize some Provisions the next morning Iâ—lie 2. the Prince advances after them resolving to give them Battel by noon yet was it almost seven a clock ere they began and upon disadvantage enough for the Parliaments Forces had choice of the Ground and stood it on a Corn Hill on the South side of Marston Moor four Miles from York and so the Prince taking their leavings fell on upon their Horse who began to shrink and their right Wing of Horse and Foot were routed by the Princes left Wing commanded by General Goring Sir Charls Lucas and Major General Porter And thus confessed by themselves Our right VVing of Foot say they had several mis-fortunes for our right VVing of Horse consisting of Sir Thomas Fairfax 's Horse in the Van and the Scots Horse in the Rear wheeled about and being hotly pursued by the Enemies left VVing came disorderly upon the Lord Fairfax his Foot and the Reserve of Scotish Foot broke them wholly and trod the most of them under foot The Fight was sharp for three hours till night put a period Some of the Prince's Horse followed execution too far and none advancing to supply their absence the Enemy rallied and did the work and many slain on both sides and Prisoners also taken three Prisoners of quality on the Cavaliers party Lucas Porter and Colonel Tilliard The Scots were the Reserve in all their three Armies but smarted at last because their Van both of Horse and Foot not standing brought execution upon them The Parliament printed two Relations the one a Scotish Captain says That Prince Rupert had got the Ground with VVinde and Sun of the Scots when it is certain it was late in the Evening that the loss of men of qualitie upon their parts was but one Lieutenant Colonel and some few Captains And yet he says that the Earl of Eglinton's Regiment lost four Lieutenants the Major the Lieutenant Colonel and the Earls Son mortally wounded that the number of their slain about three hundred and that of the Cavaliers almost three thousand that Prince Rupert took all the Ordnance out of York and lost them in this Fight which Sir William VVallar says were eight and twentie Pieces Another Relation five and twentie And another says twentie That in this Fight were taken ten thousand Arms. Sir VVilliam Waller says six thousand Another Scots Captain says three thousand For Colours they shew a Scene of 47. Colours The truth is that the Horse of both Armies were sufficiently scattered by night next morning the Prince marched towards Thursk and can onely say That he relieved York with some Cattel raised the Siege and was soundly beaten Yet from thence he marched with six thousand Horse and three thousand Dragoons into Lancashire But from the last Fight divers of the Kings party took leave to depart the Kingdom and landed at Hamburgh the Letters from thence names them the Earl of Newcastle lately made Marquess with his two Sons and his Brother Sir Charls Cavendish General King the Lord Falconbridg the Lord VViddrington the Earl of Cranworth the Bishop of London Derrie Sir Edward VViddrington Colonel Carnabie Colonel Basset Colonel Mozon Sir VVillam Vavasor Sir Francis Mackworth with about eighty other persons Sir Thomas Glenham was Governour of York a gallant Gentleman maintaining it against the Siege of all the main Northern Forces of the Parliament the Earl of Manchester the Lord Fairfax and his Son And although Prince Rupert had so far relieved the City as to send them in some Cattel but neither Men nor Amunition so that after his fatal Blow at Marston Moor and now marched away the City left utterly from further expectation of assistance and the Parliaments Forces now resolving to fall upon the storming which the Governour opposed with as much gallantry as his necessitous condition could afford but being over-powered and his wants increasing he was inforced to surrender the City upon honourable terms on the sixteenth of Iulie 1. That all Officers and Souldiers â—hall march out on Horse back with their Arms flying Colours Drums beating Matches lighted Bullets in Mouth with Bag and Baggage 2. VVith a Convoy to Skipton 3. The Sick to depart at pleasure 4. That no Souldier be plundered or enticed away 5. The Citie to enjoy their Trade 6. The Garison to be two parts of three Yorkshire men 7. The Citie to bear Charges with the Countie as usual 8. To dispose and enjoy their Estates according to the Laws of the Land without molestation 9. The Gentlemen there to dispose and carrie away their Goods at pleasure 10. That the Churches be not defaced no man plundered justice to be administred by the Magistrate as before 11. That all persons whose Habitations are within the Citie though now absent shall enjoy the benefit of these Articles The Parliament ordain new Levies to be raised ten thousand Foot and fifteen hundred Horse and one thousand three hundred Dragoons out of nineteen Counties South Counties Suffolk Norfolk Huntington Oxford Berks c. Not only to raise these thousands but must advance as much money as will pay them during their imployment so as it was said that the two Houses at Westminster would devour all the Houses in London It was murmured that as these two had ruined all the rest so ere long they would pull down one the other for the Lords were daily baited by the Commons as Peers which yet doe but should not sit above them so as Mr. Blaston lately told the Lower Members That the Lords had been allowed too long to domineer and we see said he how often they have been defective the Lower stickling to heave out the Higher by the strength of whose Votes and Number the Committee of State is newly reared up which at long running will be too hard for them both and then that very Committee will perchance split into two Factions when our Northern Brethren may prove the better Gamesters because the Elder at this kinde of Contract untill at the last the whole Cause will appear in its
Desires to the King for more Men or at least Arms from beyond Seas and himself single lies close but Oglebey and his Friends were all surprized and imprisoned by the Covenanters untill the next year that Montrose set them at liberty who did him faithfull Service Montrose with onely two Gentlemen Rollock and Sibald hasts towards Scotland and by the way escaped Sir Richard Graham who was revolted to the Covenanters and undertook to discover all men affectionate to the King this Graham heretofore a very mean Iockey of the Duke of Buckingham's Stables by Industry and Deceit got into his favour to be the chief Master of his Horse and by the necessity of the Princes secret Journey into Spain was there serviceable and upon that score had grace and preferment to be made a Knight Baronet getting an Estate emulous to all his Neighbours and now becomes a Traitour But after four Days Montrose arrives at his Cosin Patrick Graham in the Sheriffdom of Perth with whom he resides disguised and sends his two Friends to discover the state of the Kingdom who return this News That all the people lay under subjection of the Covenanters and that the Marquess of Huntley had laid down his Arms and was fled to the North leaving his noble Family the Gourdons exposed to his merciless Enemies Covenanters Instead of ten thousand promised onely 110. Irish landed in the North of Scotland from Antrim under Command of Alexander Mac-Donel a Scot who met with Montrose in Atholde but Arguile their Enemy was in their Rear with an Army marching after them the Countreymen eight hundred joyn with Montrose who marches to Ern and passing by Weme Castle of the Meneses his Enemies who treacherously fell upon his Rear he burns their Houses and wasts their Fields this was the first Onset of War His noble faithfull Friend Patrick Graham commands the Athole men to scout before who meet with five hundred Foot under the leading of the Lord Kilton Son to the Earl of Taith descended of Grahams and Sir Iohn Drummond Son to the Earl of Perth both Kinsmen to Montrose raised to oppose the new-landed Irish but understanding of Montrose the state of the Kings affairs they all joyn in a Body these discover that the Covenanters were in Arms at their Rendezvouz at Perth and waited for them at Athole he marches within three miles of them drawn out in an open Plain Tippermore ready to fight and commanded by the Lord Elcho with the Earl of Tullibardin and the Lord Drummond with six thousand Foot and seven hundred Horse It was on Sunday the first of September Elcho had the right Flank one Sir Iames Scot the left and Tullibardin the Battel to each Flank Wings of Horse Montrose had not one Horse and being but few in Foot he draws out open as possible he could with his Files onely three deep commands his Ranks all to charge at once the first Rank kneeling the next stooping the third being the ablest men upright not to stoop but in the teeth of their Enemy and to spare Shot in vain and immediately after to fall in upon them with their Swords and Musquet-ends Montrose commands the right Flank against Scot the left to the Lord Kilponâ— and the Battel to Mac-Donel with his Irish. Montrose sends to the Enemy one Drummond Son to the Lord Maderty who told them That Montrose had his Commission from the King Victory they might have if they would please to conquer themselves and return to their Allegeance for his own part he was not covetous of any mans wealth nor ambitious of their honour nor envious of any mans preferment nor thirsty of bloud onely he begged of them to return faithfull to their King hitherto provoked with unspeakable injuries who had deserved to be the best of Kings These inhumane Wretches gave no Answer but send the Messenger Prisoner to Perth Being now within Musquet-shot the Enemy sends out Drummond with the Forlorn Hope at the first Onset routed them back to their Main Body and with a shout le ts loose his whole Forces upon them and puts them to flight pursued six miles two thousand slain and as many Prisoners the most take Oath with him but proved perfidious he took the City Perth but without one jot of Plunder Here he stays three Days to whom comes the Earl of Kinole with some Gentlemen of Gawry inconstant too Arguile was come up with his Army Montrose quarters in the Fields having passed over Tay near Conper a Village in Angus where Sir Thomas Ogleby Son to the Earl of Arley comes to him with others next morning early there happened a base Murder in Montrose's Quarters one Stuart lodging that night with the Lord Kilponten discovered his Design to murder Montrose inviting his assistance upon great assurance of preferment from the Covenanters who set him on work which being the Lord refused he suddenly stabb'd him with many wounds and before Day and dark he escaped to Arguile and was forthwith preferred to high Commands Montrose marches to Dundee who refuse to submit but he not fitted for a Siege turns towards Eske amongst his supposed Friends who yet withdrew onely the Ear of Arley a man of sixty years old with his two Sons Sir Thomas and Sir David and some others joyned with him through all extremities to the end And now they march towards Aberdine where lay Commissioners of the Covenanters with an Army of two thousand Foot and five hundred Horse commanded by the Lord Burgly labouring to assure the Northern parts which Montrose would prevent and fight them ere that Arguile should come and first gets the Bridg over Dee where he found the Enemy drawn up near the City Montrose had but fifteen hundred Foot and but just four and fourty Horse for he had given leave to Kilponten's men to convoy their dead Master home and the Athole men were returned with Spoil with these he made two Divisions mixing his best Fire-men and Archers nimble and quick on either Wing to prevent the Enemies Horse upon his Rear the right Flank to Iames Hay and Nathaniel Gordon the left to Sir William Rollock The Enemies left Wing was commanded by Lewis Gordon Son to the Marquess Huntly a Hare-brain'd Fellow that had forced his Fathers Friends to this Fight who charges Montrose's right Flank whom Rollock aided with twenty Horse and beating back three hundred to a Rout and run away but left them for the Enemies right Wing of Horse was charging their left who had no Horse till these twenty Horse were got in but not able to endure so great a Charge wheeled about and fell upon the Enemies Flank with their Swords and put them also to Flight Those Horse that stood it out were to be assisted with fresh Foot out of the Main Body which Montrose soon apprehending prevented them fell upon the other on all sides and put them to a Flight whom he followed with execution into the Gates and Streets
of Dundee It was a Fight of four hours space equal till Montrose his Men got the Advantage which soon after proved a Victory Could it be otherwise when a ragged Irish man having his Leg broke with a great Shot On my Comrades quoth he I am sure now to be mounted a Trooper and with his Skene cut off the skin by which it hung bidding his Fellow to bury it lest the hungry Scot feed on my flesh Then Montrose enters Aberdine affording his Souldiers two days rest When News comes that Arguile was at hand assisted by the Earl of Lothian with fifteen hundred Horse therefore Montrose removes to Kinton twelve miles off and from thence sends Sir William Rollock with News of his good Success to the King at Oxford and withall to get Supplies against so potent Enemies every day increasing so that he was forced to bury his great Guns in a Bog quit his heavy Carriages and to get into the High-land Mountains where the Enemies Horse could not come and for Foot he feared none to that end he marches to the River Spey at Richmursie ruined Castle and there incamps On the other side he findes the Countrey in Arms about five thousand to hinder his passage till Arguile might come at him Montrose was now fain to turn aside to Badenoth a rocky place where he lay sick some days but being recovered he returns to Athole and sends Mac-Donel with a party to the High-lands to win the people by fair means or to fight them by force himself marches through Angus and gets over the Grainsbane a perpetual Ridg of Mountains that parts the East and West of Scotland and so into the North and leaving Arguile so far behinde who by his slow Marches meant not to fight goes to Strathboggy to meet with the Gordons and perswades them to engage but they were hindered by Huntly himself their Chief out of malice to Montrose his Success and the Lord Huntly's eldest Son was detained by Arguile his half Uncle the Earl of Alboin the second Son inclosed within the Siege of Carlisle and Lewis another Son was forced with the Enemy so that the Gordons had no one of their Famâ—ly to fight under Here Montrose quarters sometime skirmishing abroad and evermore with Booties but doing no good as to get aid he in the end of October goes to Favy Castle and possessed it when on the sudden he hears that Arguile and Lothian were within two miles with two thousand five hundred Foot and twelve hundred Horse Montrose now Mac-Donel being gone had but fifteen hundred Foot and fifty Horse In this exigent and the best way he draws his Men up to a Hill rough ground Hedges and Diâ—ches as good as Breast-works and here such of the Huntly's Dependents fairly forsook him and up the Hill the Enemy mounts Lothian charging with five Troops and were no sooner encountred but retired and other of their Foot were beaten from a Fastness leaving some Bags of Powder behinde and towards night Arguile retreats two miles off and slept not it seems till the next day for then he did nothing neither to any purpose This while Montrose in mighty want of Shot melts all his Vessels into Bullets but Arguile was gone marcht off over the River the very same way he came three miles off back again like a Coward as he came and Montrose returns towards Strathboggy but is pursued by Horse which entertains Skirmish with his Rear till Arguile gets up to Montrose who was mounted on a Hill and which induces Arguile to come to a Cessation of Arms that they both might treat and whilest they confer Montrose is bought and sold for Silver to betray him which he could not better secure than resolving to march away by mid-night as far as Badenoth but sent away his Carriages before when on the sudden Sibbals his old Friend and first Comrade stole away with a Prisoner to Arguile but Montrose instantly posts his Command to his Convoy of the Carriages to return by which he meant to amuze the Enemy with longer stay that the Fugitives might not be believed untill after four days he with great skill and courage marched away to Balveny where most of his Men of Birth and Quality by Arguile's corruption and Bribe fell off from him onely that noble Lord Ogleby and his two Sons never forsook him nay the Irish and High-landers professed themselves the more intirely faithfull Montrose returns from Balveny to Badenoth and hears that Arguile with his Foot onely lay at Dunkeldon in Athole thither goes Montrose in wondrous haste one night twenty four miles through ways untroden untill'd waste full of Snow and never inhabited by mortal man but ere he gets thither and sixteen miles off Arguile had knowledg by Scouts and up he rises and runs away in wondrous Disorder they whither they would but himself goes into Perth a strong Garison By this time returns Mac-Donel with the Macarenolds five hundred Men and Patrick Graham from the Funeral of his Chief with some choice men of Athole and with this Recruit he marches to the great Lake the Head of the River Tay and so through Bradalbain into the Countrey of Arguile Why he did so is too tedious to tell but he never did any thing without Reason for his Resolution for in a word Arguile was powerfull tyrannous and cruel amongst the Highlanders formidable to any of the Kings Friends forcing the Countrey to fight against their wills and yet hated him in their hearts the Low-lands of the Kingdom garisoned with Covenanters and great Bodies of Horse and so Montrose had no other place to winter in and therefore with a minde beyond extraordinary through long and foul Winter way with incredible speed he comes to Arguile The Earl was listing Souldiers at a Rendezvouz secure by the Castle Innerare supposing no Enemy within an hundred miles nor was it imaginable that an Army could ever get thither when the trembling Cow-herds told him Montrose was within two miles and so scared him into a Fisher-boat and flies away leaving his Friends and Fortunes and his own Countrey to the mercy of a provoked Enemy a Countrey barren of Corn and mountainous but Pastures and Cattle which Montrose visits round about with three several Brigades of his Army by himself one Mac-Donel another and the chief of the Macarenolds the third they range and waste all kill all in Arms that will not submit and drive all serviceable men out of that Territory fire the Villages level with the ground with that like usage as Arguile had done to the Kings Friends he being the first of any that prosecuted with Fire and Sword and thus was Montrose forced to do from the thirteenth of December 1644. to the last of Ianuary following and so departing through Lorn Glencow and Aber he came to Logh-ness And here he meets with new-raised Forces of the Enemy the Earl of Seafort with the Garison of Inerness and the whole
Field but never I believe at the Bar of Gods Tribunal or their own Consciences where they are more afraid to encounter those many pregnant Reasons both from Law Allegiance and all true Christians grounds which conflict with and accuse them in their own thoughts then they oft were in a desperate bravery to fight against those Forces which sometimes God gave me VVhose condition conquered and dying I make no question but is infinitely more to be chosen by a sober man that duely values his duty his soul and eternity be yond the enjoyments of this present life then the most triumphant glory wherein their and my enemies supervive who can hardly avoid to be daily tormented by that horrid guilt wherewith their suspicious or now convicted Consciences do pursue them especially since they and all the world have seen how false and un-intended those pretentions were which they first set forth as the only plausible though not justifiable grounds of raising a War and continuing it thus long against me and the Laws established in whose safety and preservation all honest men think the welfare of their Country doth consist For and with all which it is far more honourable and comfortable to suffer then to prosper in their ruin and subversion I have often praied that all on my side might join true pietie with the sense of their Loialty and be as faithful to God and their own souls as they were to me That the defects of the one might not blast the endevours of the other Yet I cannot think that any shews or truth of pietie on the other side were sufficient to dispence with or expiate the defects of their Duty and Loialtie to me which have so pregnant convictions on mens Consciences that even profaner men are moved by the sense of them to venture their lives for me I never had any victorie which was without my sorrow because it was on mine own Subjects who like Absolom died many of them in their sin And yet I never suffered any Defeat which made me despair of Gods mercy and defence I never desired such victories as might serve to conquer but only restore the Laws and Liberties of my People which I saw were extreamly oppressed together with my Rights by those men who were impatient of any just restraint VVhen Providence gave me or denied me Victorie my desire was neither to boast of my power nor to charge God foolishlie who I believed at last would make all things work together for my good I wished no greater advantages by the War then to bring my enemies to moderation and my friends to peace I was affraid of the temptation of an absolute conquest and never praied more for Victorie over others then over my self VVhen the first was denied the second was granted me which God saw best for me The different events were but the methods of divine Iustice by contrarie windes to winnow us That by punishing our sins he might purge them from us and by deferring peace he might prepare us more to prize and better to use so great a blessing My often Messages for Peace shewed that I delighted not in War as my former concessions sufficiently testified how willingly I would have prevented it and my total unpreparednesse for it how little I intended it The conscience of my Innocencie forbad me to fear a War but the love of my Kingdoms commanded me if possible to avoid it I am guiltie in this War of nothing but this That I gave such advantages to some Men by confirming their power which they knew not to use with that modestie and gratitude which became their Loialtie and my confidence Had I yielded less I had been opposed less had I denied more I had been more obeied 'T is now too late to review the occasions of the War I wish only a happie conclusion of so unhappie beginnings The inevitable fate of our sins was no doubt such as would no longer suffer the Divine Iustice to be quiet We having conquered his patience are condemned by mutual conquerings to destroy one another for the most prosperous successes on either side impair the welfare of the whole Those Victories are still miserable that leave our sins unsubdued flushing our pride and animating to continue Injuries Peace it self is not desirable till Repentance hath prepared us for it When we fight more against our selves and less against God we shall cease fighting against one another I pray God these may all meet in our hearts and so dispose us to an happy conclusion of these Civil Wars that I may know better to obey God and govern my People and they may learn better to obey both God and me Nor do I desire any man should be further subject to me then all of us may be subject to God With this Paper all good men no doubt joyned hearts and hands for a blessing upon the intended Treaty of Peace which we refer to the next year being weary of this that now takes end Continuation of the Military Actions for the King in Scotland under Conduct of the Marquesse Montrose this year 1645. We left the last year at the Victorious Battle by Montrose against the Earl of Arguile at Campbells in the High-lands they being by this defeat loosened from the tyranny of Arguilâ— began to offer themselves more willingly to the Kings service Montrose refresheth his men here for a few dayes and measuring again Logh-Aber Hills and Westward to Logh-Nesse and by the way viewing Harrick Arnes and Marne came to the River Spey and passes to Elgin the chiefest Town of Minray beyond the Spey but the Enemy there fled at his aproach and he takes Elkin by surrender in February where the Lord Gordon Eldest Son to the Marquesse Huntley came openly with some choice friends and submitted to Montrose as the Kings Vicegerent who used him as an intire loyal friend Then he draws off his Army to raise the Counties of Ramgh and Aberdine and so with addition of men he now marched 2000. Foot and 200. Horse and passing the River Dee he came to Marne encamping neer Fettercarne At Brechen he meets Sir Iohn Hurrey General of the Covenanters Horse and the forces there who drawing out 600. Horse to take view of Montrose's Army who therefore made shew but of 200. Horse well lined with nimble Musketiers the Enemy draws up and charges but perceiving the Foot he retreats and brought off his men in the Rear most stoutly and fled twenty four miles to Dundee so far pursued with slaughter and then return to Fethercarne and the next day to Brechin and marches the convenient way by Gravesbane towards the River Tay and so for the Forth This design the Enemy knew and thither comes Hurrey with his Horse and one Baily of great account fetcht from England to be General here with a powerful Army yet Montrose offers them Battel but the others fell off so he went to the Castle Innecarity and Eliot and so into
so Montrose marches to Kinrosse and then to Sterling and encamps in that fatal field Kilsithe the Enemy comes three miles off Baily being their head with whom he must fight at disadvantage or stay to be undone by the Earl of Lanerick Duke Hamiltons brother Cassils Eglington and Glenearne who were raising men in great numbers In this field were some Cotages and his Forces four thousand five hundred Foot and five hundred Horse where he lodgeth some men and the Enemies first work was to beat them but were worsted and driven back encouraging the next to fall on without direction up the Hill engaging themselves one thousand not to be got off He saies to Airly My Lord yonder men of ours are in distress it is most proper for you that the error committed by unadvised young men may be corrected by your Lordships grave and discreet valour And on he goes guarded with a Troop of Horse by Ogleby of Baldby upon the face of the Enemy who giving the charge were disputed with very sharply for a good while but facing about fell upon their own Foot and hotly pursued routed and trod them down Then with a shout all fell upon the Horse first who not enduring a long Charge fled and the Foot discouraged followed and were pursued with execution fourteen miles not a hundred came off All their Ordnance Arms and Baggage to Conquerors who lost many of the Oglebies and some common Souldiers the Enemies Horse carried the swiftest to Sterling others to the Frith saved themselves by Vessels as Arguile now the third time got into a Cock-boat and so into a Ship The chife prisoners were Sir William Morray of Blebe Iames Arnol brother to the Lord Burghly two Colonels Dice and Wallis and many more men of worth this famous Victory at Kilsithe was 15. Septem 1645. and not lesse then six thousand of the Enemy slain and this famous Battle thus to be lost they lodge upon Bailies down-right treachery So now the Northern parts are secured on his back the way opened to him in the South the power of the Covenanters suppressed their chief Leaders driven out of the Kingdom and no considerable Party in Armes yet in the West there were some stirring for the Earl of Cassells and Eglington were raising four thousand men Wherefore Montrose marches into Cludsdale and so to Glascow the principal City receiving the same with acclamations of joy executing legally some chief Incendiaries there and remove to Bothwell where he received the personal addresses of some of the Nobility and of others by their Deputies willingly submitting the chief being the Marquess of Dowglasse the Earls of Limmuck Anuandale and Herefield the Lords of Seton Drummond Fleming Marterty Carnegye and Iohnston Hamelton of Orbeston Charte of Heinsfield Towers of Innerlegh Stuart of Resyth Dalyel a brother of the Earl of Carnwarth Knights and many more Then he sends Napier and Colonel Gordon with a party of Horse to Edenburgh to Summon that City to settle it in peace and to release all prisoners of Loyalty or to threaten them with fire sword And near the City they make a stand the City Assemble and send Delegates together with the chief of the prisoners to intercede Lodowick Earl of Crawford of the Family of Lindsies and a gallant Germane experienced Souldier imprisoned by the malice of the Earl of Lindsey who was to succeed to his Honors Iames Lord Ogleby Son to the Earl of Arlye singularly beloved of Montrose cursing themselves and posterity if ever they should again revolt from their Loyalty or be unmindful of Montrose's mercy Napier having by the way of his March set at liberty his dear Father his Wife his Brother in Law Keer and his Sisters at Linnuck being removed thither from Edenburgh Castle and so all together to Montrose The Delegates of Edenburgh with humble submission beseech Montrose to accept the surrender of their City promising Faith and Loyalty to their King for ever after That the infection of Plague now reigning there had wasted their men but they were ready to pay contribution heartily acknowledging their Treasonable Actions against their gracious King by the cunning contrivance of a prevailing party engaging them in this Rebellion Montrose accepted their submission with the rendering of Edenburgh Castle to the King and his Officers to renounce all future correspondence with the Rebels the prisoners were all released but as to all the other Protestations they fall to their wonted treachery and Rebellion He sends Macâ—donel and Drummond of Ball into the Western Coasts to disperse Cassels and Eglington with other of the Nobily there who fly into Ireland and lurk in by places All the Towns Aire Irwin and the County submit and the people come presently to his side Then the South parts submit and therein the chiefest Earls of Hume Roxborough and Traquair men the most obliged to the Kings high Grace and Favour raising them from private Gentlemen to Honours Wealth and Powers But it was boldness in the Earl of Lanerick Duke Hamilton's Brother who had deceifully practised under hand all the Treacheries and Treasons of this War against their Sovereign Now he openly returns answer That he would have nothing to do with that side never pretending friendship where he meaned not to perform This man acted above board but the others treacherously they inviting David Lesley out of England with the Scotish Horse and so to deliver up Mentrose to ruine Montrose had suspition of all this but could not prevent each mischief for having lain long incamped at Bothwell and no Enemy in Arms most of the Highlanders laden with Spoil ran away and returned home the very Commanders desired Furloghs for some time to setle their Families and to return with many more Men within fourty Days to such as he could not hold he willingly gave leave and appoints Mac-Donel their Countreyman and Kinsman ambitious to be their Guide and to conduct them back again with him went three thousand stout Men and an hundred and twenty Irish for his Life-guard whom Montrose never saw after But we shall meet the next year and so much for this It is most strange to these Times but Posterity can never comprehend how the Swedes come to this greatness and to make War in so many parts of Europe and from whence they got so many Men that Sovereignty indeed is large but very desert and dispeopled so that we may speak it a truth there never came from thence sixty thousand Men as one of their own Grandees assures us one reason was that all the Protestants in Europe leagued with them like Ivy to the Tree as believing the Ruine of the Swedes included that of all the Lutherans The other that in their Fortune all the rest had interest principally in regard of Plunder for it is most certain that in Count Horn's Army were many Women in Mens Apparel acting like Amazons and brave Souldiers with so much courage did prosperity inflame
Scots have taken Sandy Fort and now batter the Castle raise a Fort at Balderton on the South another on the West another great Fort upon Beacon-hill the other River Sinite turned away from the Town A Sconce is raised in Balderton-lane for six peices to play within lesse then Musket shot and their Morter peices into the Town And therefore they send the second Summons the twentieth of April and had Answer three dayes after That they were willing to Treat to surrender upon honourable conditions and the Treaty to begin the fourth of May twelve on either side which concluded That the Garison with all the Ordnance Arms and Ammunition should be Surrendred the ninth of May to the Commissioners for the Parliament The Governour Bellasis Officers Gentlemen Clergie to march away with their Horses and Swords into any Garison of the Kings not besieged or to their own Houses the Souldiers with staves in their hands and their own goods And all of them to have three Moneths time to make their Peace with the Parliament or that failing to be allowed passes to go beyond Seas The Scotish Army draw off four miles Then also came News that Banbury Castle was Surrendered and these Articles concluded the eighth of May. All Officers to march away with Horses and Swords the Common Souldiers without Arms with their goods and half their monies by full accompt and their passes as the former and to deliver the Castle with all Arms Ammunition and Colours The King at this time had some good Garisons in South Wales the Lord Byron Governour of Carnarvan Town and Castle had endured a gallant siege but hearing of the Kings sufferings and no hope of relief he delivered it up to the Parliament upon very honourable conditions worthy of a noble person and all others intrusted with him the twelfth of Iune But let us be more particular in the constant loyalty of the good old Marquess of Worcester now eighty four years of age besieged in his Castle of Ragland above six moneths who now hearing of his son the Lord Glamorgan to be landed with considerable Irish forces sends to the Parliament Committee at Chepstow this bold Letter Having notice that you are not ignorant of my Sons landing with the Irish Forces I am so much a Father and tender of the whole Countries ruine that if their coming to this place be hasted by the occasion of your Answer You and not I will be the occasion of the Countries curse You have taken from me my Rents and Livelihood for which if you give undelaid reparations I shall be glad to live a quiet neighbour amongst you If otherwise you will force me to what my own nature hath no liking of and yet justifiable by the word of God and Law of nature I expect your Answer by this Messenger as you give occasion H. Worcester Ragland May 29. In Answer to which the Committee return a slight construction of his serious offer and to his requital of newes of his Son and his Irish Rebels they are pleased to return him better intelligence for his Lordships information with his Majesties and the Scots Declaration and mean no more to trouble him with Letters or Answers Your Lordships friends and servants Roger Williams c. Committee men For now comes Colonel Morgan with considerable Forces when the Castle was even sore spent and summons his Lordship with the assurance that all the Kings Garisons are ordered forthwith by the Kings Command to surrender to the Parliament Tho. Morgan 3. Iune To whom the old Marquess returns That he never offended the Parliament and knows no reason to render his House and Goods to Sir Tho. Fairfax which is none of the Kings to give or dispose being his own inheritance and never forfeited But the Forces here are the Kings which he may please to dispose and therefore desires time to send to his Majestie to have his Command therein for loath should I be to live an hour to falsifie my trust If otherwise I am of beliefe that God is of more strength then all humane Force but you shall not finde him obstinate that is Your friend and servant Worcester June 3. 1646. Morgan replies He may not assent for sending to the King being in vain for his Majestie being now with our friends the Scots who have already proclaimed That no person whatsoever formerly in Arms against the Parliament shall not be admitted to any conference with him I post away your first Answer to the Parliament and by six a clock to morrow morning I expect your Answer to Your humble servant Tho. Morgan June 3. 1646. But this return from the Marquess concludes That he keeps no Forces in defiance of the Parliament but in defence of himself from the insolencies of the common Souldiers on both sides and seeing you refuse to grant me my civil request we must here with the last man sell our lives as dear as we can not out of obstinacie or ill affection but meerely to preserve that Honour which I desire should attend me to the death and God assist them that are in the right Your friend Worcester 4. June This Resolution brought thither the General himself with addition of Forces and all things in readiness for the Storm which truly we finde the General alwaies unwillingly to enforce but rather to spare the effusion of blood and therefore he nobly and like himself Summons the Marquess My Lord Being come into these parts with such a power as I may not doubt but with the same in Gods name shortly to reduce this Garison I have in order thereto thought good to send your Lordship this Summons to deliver up to me for the Parliaments use no more for the King this Garison which as it only obstructs the Kingdoms universal Peace the condition may beget such terms as by delay and vain hopes cannot hereafter be expected I remain my Lord Your Lordships most humble servant Tho. Fairfax Aug. 7. The Answer is suddain SIR Although my infirmities might justly claim priviledge in so suddain an Answer to deliver up my House and the only House now in my possession to cover my head I dare say that if you did understand the condition I am in you will not think it a reasonable demand I am loath to be the Authour of mine own ruine on both sides and therefore desire to send to his Majesty for his pleasure what he will have done with this Garison As concerning my House I will presume he will command nothing neither know I how either by Law or Conscience I should be forced out of it Your Excellencies humble servant Worcester Aug. 7. The General is pleased to Reply Touching your sending to his Majesty It is that which hath been denied to most Garisons in England further than an account to the King of the thing done upon the surrender which I do also surely grant to your Lordship And for that destruction Your House if
it had not been formed into a Garison it should not have suffered a Summons and were it disgarisoned neither you nor your house should receive disquiet from me Hereby I discharge my self of all extremities c. upon your refusal and remain Yours c. T. Fairfax Many Messages passed between them ere that the Marquess would Treat being in very great doubt he said whether the Parliament would confirm what the General should grant which being assured they fell to Treat the 13. of Aug. and a Cessation of Arms from ten a clock till 3. during which the Besiegers had permission to come up to their Stockadoes little regarding to have their works of defence viewed they were so strong sufficient to scare them from attempt And therefore the Marquess propounds the highest conditions as ever were demanded and had soon an Answer that they deserved no Answer but that his person must submit to the Parliaments mercy which was agreed upon amongst other Articles the nineteenth of August That all the Ordnance and Ammunition to be delivered up to the General That the Officers Gentlemen and Souldiers with all other persons there shall march out with their Horses and Arms Colours flying Drâ—ms beating Trumpets sounding Matches lighted at both ends Bullets in mouth each Souldier twelve charges of Powder Match and Bullet proportionable Bag and Baggage to any place within ten miles of any Garison where the Marquesse shall mention But in respect his Majesty hath no Garison nor Army in England their Armes shall be delivered up to such as the General shall appoint The Officers and Gentlemen have three moneths time for endeavouring their peace and composition with the Parliament if they will stay in England or to have Passes for beyond sea The sick to stay in the Castle or to be removed whither they please No person herein comprized shall be questioned for any act done in relation to War since the Commencement but be as free as any other persons whatsoever Nobly done to hold out the last Garison for the King in England or Wales And a thanksgiving-day was appointed by Parliament for the surrendring thereof and of others lately delivered up in this order Worcester Wallingford Ruthen Pendennis and Ragland the last Those of quality that marched out were the Marquess the Lord Charles Son to the Marquess the Countess of Glamorgan Sir Philip Iones and his Lady Doctor Baily Commissary Guilliams four Colonels twenty two Captains sixteen Lieutenants six Cornets four Ensignes four Quartermasters fifty two Esquires and Gentlemen In all with the common Souldiers seven hundred But before that Oxford was surrendred the King had made his disguised escape from thence whose story we now mention and call back the remembrance of a moneth or two for then came newes indeed Letter after Letter to the Parliament from Colonel Rainsbrough That the King was gone in disguise out of Oxford with Jack Ashburnham and only one more on Munday 27. April but which way is uncertain Various and strange conceits amazed the Members some that he was gone to Wales others to Montrose in Scotland but the most that he is come to London concealed forthwith the Commons Debate Vote a Committee to consider of an Order and to draw it up in this form That what person soever shall harbour and conceal or know of the harbouring or concealing of the Kings person and shall not reveale it immediately to the Speakers of both Houses shall be proceeded against as a Traitor to the Common-wealth forfeit his whole Estate and dye without mercy Then was the Ordinance for the Cavaliers to be casheered out of the Lines of Communication continued for a moneth longer and now a new Ordinance to remove twenty miles further and the Militia of London have power to search and punish so far Then comes Post that the King is gone Northward to Norfolk or to the Isle of Ely or to Lynn And to amaze the Parliament the more two great Packets are intercepted by the General the one directed to the Kings most excellent Majesty the other for his Highnesse Prince Charles which being conceived of mighty concernment were posted up to the Parliament and the House prepared to be full and so they were opened Which were no more nor no less then the Bills of Mortality bound up in a bundle of the whole years burials in London c. usually sent heretofore to the King Wagers were laid at London and at Oxford likewise who could riddle him into some certain place but in earnest of all places or any place rather then where he is It amazes all men to hear of him in the Scots Army before Newark thus to trust his Person with this perfidious Scot as they were stiled But it is now apparant that the King had this design of quitting Oxford some time since as appears by his Letters to Ormond dated April the third and his resolution there to hazard his Person to the Scots Army and the reason being upon contract and former assurance from the Scots Not only for his Majesty but for all others that doe or shall adhere to him to be safe in their Persons Honours and Consciences in the Scotish Army who shall really and effectually joyn with the King and with such as will come in unto him and joyn with them for the Kings preservation and shall imploy their Armies and Forces to assist the King to the procuring of a happy and well grounded Peace for the good of him and his Kingdoms in the recovery of his just Rights c. But take the whole Letter at length CHARLES REX Right Trusty c. We having used all possible and honourable means by sending many gracious Messages to the two Houses of Parliament wherein we have offered them all they have heretofore desired and desire from them nothing but what they themselves since these unhappy wars have offered to procure our personal Treaty with them for a fafe and well grounded Peace and having instead of a dutiful and peaceable return to our said Messages received either no Answer at all or such as argues nothing will satisfie them but the ruine not only of us our Posterity and Friends but even of Monarchy it self And having lately received very good security that we and all that doe or shall adhere to us shall be safe in our Persons Honours and Consciences in the Scotish Army and that they shall really and effectually joyn with us and with such as will come in unto us and joyn with them for our preservation and shall imploy their Armies and Forces to assist us to the procuring of a happy and well grounded Peace for the good of us and our Kingdoms in the recovery of our just Rights we have resolved to put our selves to the hazard of passing into the Scots Army now lying before Newark And if it shall please God that we come safe thither we are resolved to use our best endeavour with their assistance and with the
if the French or any other Nation should be called in thither it might be of dangerous consequence for so the Irish Rebells now threatned in case they should be put to extremity The Picts called for the Scots out of Ireland to assist them against the Britains and having done that Work they fell upon the Picts themselves and destroyed them and so took possession of that part of North Britain which from them ever since takes name of Scotland The like did the Saxons or rather a Rout of Pirates and Sea-Rovers they were no better invited to assist the miserable Britains against the barbarous Scots and put a final stop to their Incursions and after by Surprize of the Nobility of Britania and slew them The Remain of the people fled into the Mountains of Wales and Cornwall where they remain ever since and left the best of the Land to the insulting Saxons Nay did not Heraclius the Greek Emperour call for aid of the Rake-Hell Rabble of Scythians to assist him against the Saracens but no sooner got footing in the Empire and in process of time seized Constantinople slew Constantine the last of the Imperial Race of Paleologs and now possess that Seat the chief Residence for the great Turk descended of those Saracens But these were Pagans and Infidels we are all Christians Truly they can practise the old Rule Si violandum est jus regni causa violandum est in caeteris pietatem colas To gain Kingdoms we may bid Conscience good night And so it was happy for the King that his party called not over the French to fight for him nor would the Parliament at any time make Peace with the Irish wise enough they were to keep down the pride of the treacherous Scot that had good footing there in Ireland See before Anno 1643. the Treaty at Siginstone Septemb. 15. But the Parliament of England had considered of the order and manner of governing of Ireland by a Lord Lieutenant General and whom should they pick out but the Lord Lisle Son to the Earl of Leicester to command all the Forces raised and to be raised in and for reducing that Kingdom with a Council about him both at home and abroad the better to enable him for the Government but not as the Motto sets out Caesar this General went thither and so came home again as hereafter is mentioned The English Forces there in some distress the British in the North in great want but the happiness was that the Rebells were at difference amongst themselves And the thirteenth of May the Lord Lisle had order to beat his Drums to raise six thousand Foot and eight hundred and fifty Horse in England and Wales and for maintaining of these Forces it was ordered Six thousand pounds every six moneths end to the Treasurers for Ireland News came the fifteenth of Iune of the great Defeat given to the English and Scotish Forces in the Province of Ulster and the Parliament ordered five thousand Foot more fifteen hundred Horse to be added to the former Forces ordered in May and Arms Amunition and Victuals speedily to be sent over And notwithstanding the Parliamentary proceedings in Ireland by their advice and directions to such of their own party the King likewise had a particular party under the publick Government of the Marquess of Ormond Lieutenant General of his Majesties Forces for the Government of Ireland to whom he writes for the discharging all further Treaties with the Irish Rebells for any Peace as the Parliament advised the King to write the eleventh of Iune The Lord Broghall and the Lord Inchequin were particularly for the Parliament Broghall had intermixed several Successes against the Rebells he took Castle Lions and Inchequin Castle near Yougball then his Horse marched to Dungarven returning with five or six hundred head of Cattle and besieged the Garison of Blarnly Castle and the next Night gained the Out-works and the next Day set threeâ— Battering Guns against one of their new Flanks sixteen foot thick within the Castle their Powder took fire and blew up and spoiled twenty of their Men which with the bold Attempts of the Besiegers the Castle was surrendered the next Day the fifteenth of Iune two hundred persons to march away who left this exceeding strong place being held by faint hearts for a small space and now delivered up to slender Forces Musgrave was General for the Rebells and with the greatest Army of theirs was set down besieging Banratty against whom they sally out daily with very good Success Notwithstanding the Kings Letters at Newcastle whilest he was under durance That Ormond should not treat with the Rebells yet it seems he had finished and articled into a Peace with them August 1. That the Irish be not bound to take the Oath of Supremacy A Parliament to be held before November All Acts against the Roman Catholicks to be repealed Places of Strength to be in the hands of men of merit But the reason might be the wonderfull misery of the English and Scots Forces there impossible to hold out without any reasonable Food for Man or Horse And it was conceived there by Ormond and the Kings party that it was most convenient for the general good of the Protestants for it soon occasioned a Breach amongst the Rebells the Popes Nuncio and that Clergy protesting against it as being done without their privity and the chiefest of their Towns oppose the Peace as Limrick Waterford Wexford Lemster and Galloway And herein Ormond according to the Articles on either side was to assist against the Opposers of the Peace the fourteenth of Septembeâ— who marching with some thousands towards Kilkenny had intelligence by the way that a party of the discontented Rebells against the Peace had a Design against his person which made him suddenly to return to Dublin Concerning the thirty Articles the Popish Clergy disclaimed them and at a Supream Council ordered That all and singular Confederate Catholicks who shall adhere to the said Peace or consent with the Favourers of it or after any other manner shall entertain and imbrace it are absolutely to be accounted perjured specially for this reason because in these Articles there is no mention made of the Catholick Religion and the security thereof nor any regard had of the Consecration of the Priviledge of the Countrey as it was promised by the Oath But that all things are rather referred to the judgement of our most renowned King From whom in this present estate we can have nothing setled and in the mean time the Armies Weapons and Fortifications and the Supream Councel of the Confederate Catholicks it self are subjected to the Authority and Command of the Council of the State and the Protestant Officers of his Majestie from whom that we might be secure we have taken Oath For which and many other causes being moved only by our Consciences and having God before our eyes that it may be known to all and singular as
comes the Marquesse Douglasse and Sir Io. Daliel with other his friends in this Extremity with a small Party of Horse not a hundred charged through the Enemy and escaped and being pursued he made his Stand slew divers and took Bruce a Captain of Horse and two Cornets with their Colours Prisoners Traquair Triumphingly reported Montrose and the Kings party totally defeated But Montrose was well and made the best use of his evil fortune and therefore marching easily with good guard and valiant hearts he marched Northwards forded over Cluid River where met him by the way many of his Souldiers with the Earls of Crawford and Airly and now he was strong two hundred Horse and some Foot and with convenient hast he resolves to go Northward into Athole and so passing over Forth River and then Erne he comes to Perthshire And in his way he had sent Dowglasse and Airly with Angus North East and the Lord Eisken into Marria to raise their friends and dependance and sent Daliel to the Lord Carnegy with Commissions to that purpose and Letters to Mac-Donel and to Aboin to return to him with their Forces About August the Atholâ— Men furnished him with four hundred good Foot to march Northwards and when ever he returned Southward he should command the whole County only they desired to be spared now for their harvest Montrose with wonderful speed and unspeakable toil clambers over Gransbane Mountains to meet with Aboin and Mac-Donel whom he expected and so the return of other his Messengers with their New Forces then to return Southward again to meet with the Kings Horse which by sundry Letters he was promised from England Aboin was of himself faithful and forward enough but restrained Ersken was sick and Huntly was returned home but with envy and ambition crossed under hand Montrose's designs but at last Aboin meets him with fifteen hundred Foot and three hundred Horse at Druminore a Castle of the Lord Forles and that his Brother Lewes was coming with more Thus impowered he instantly returns the same uncouth wayes over Gransbane Mountains and to take up Erskins and then Murries Forces and so to march Southward Lewis was come and marching together the first dayes Journey stole away the next with such Forces aâ—s followed him And the third day after his Brother Aboin with the rest of his Men desired leave to return pretending their Fathers Command the Marquesse Huntly whose County was in danger by the Enemy now about Marre and would suddainly ransack their Country but was content his Father should be treated with To him therefore Montrose sends Donald Lord Rose and Iermin kinsmen whom he had lately releived from Imprisonment Rose was honest and ashamed of his Kinsmans refusal fell sick and could not return Iermin most noble never forsaking Montrose to the death came back with doubtful Letters fast and loose And so Aboin must go home Montrose came down through the plaines of Marre and Scarschiock into Athole and so with increase of Forces he falls into Perth Here Aboin sends him word that he had got leave to return and would be with him before the time limited by his Forlough And here also meets him two Messengers after each other Captain Thomas Ogleby of Pomie and Captain Robert Nesbet with Commands from the King That if possible he should march Southward to the borders to meet the Lord Digby Son to the Earl of Bristol who was sent to him with a Party of Horse The same Bearers he dispatches with the Letters to Huntly and Aboin but in vain expectation he trifled away much time at Strath Erne in the Perth And here dies that gallant Man the Lord Napier of Marcheston truly Noble of an Ancient Family his Father and Grand-father Philosophers and Mathematicians Famous through Christendom But indeed this man exceeded them in Civil Affairs highly heretofore esteemed by King Iames and lately by K. Charls made Lord Treasurer of Scotland and advanced into the Rank of higher Nobility his Loyalty had suffered all the effects of his Enemies malice often Imprisoned Sequestred and Plundered of all his Substance whose Elaborate Discourses of the Rights of Kings and of the Original in the Turmoyls of Great Britain I have heard of and read some Manuscripts in Parcels but heartily wish may be publick Montrose is now passed the Forth and come into the Lands and Estate of Sir Iohn Buchanan a stiff Ring-leader of the Covenanters and descended from old Buchanan ingrateful Schoolmaster to King Iames and yet for his sake he and King Charles had advanced this man to what he was Hereabouts at Leven Montrose Encamps being so near Glasco that oftimes he forces the City on purpose to deter the Convention of the Coâ—enanters here who sat in Councel to arraign their Prisoners whom Montrose endeavoured to rescue Here they had for their Guard three thousand Horse and he not more than 3. hundred and fifteen hundred Foot wasting the Countrey without resistance Notwithstanding before he came they had executed three gallant men we may not neglect their memory The first was the afore mentioned Sir William Rollock Montrose his first Friend and Companion in Arms. He was sent to the King after the Battle of Aberdine and taken prisoner and condemned but upon Arguiles offer of life he was dealt with to murder Montrose whose life he valued far above his own and to save him he accepted this offer and so got loose and instantlyâ— found out by Montrose discovering all which saved Montrose for the present and was the cause of his own suffering promising upon his word that if he did not doe it to return prisoner by such a day which he did to the grief of Montrose and paid dear for it to the death The next was the aforesaid Alexander Ogleby Eldest Son to Sir Iohn Imercarrit descended from those Famous in the Scotish Chronicles he was not yet more then youth under eighteen but of a dareing Spirit and Loyal to the King for which he was executed Unless we admit him of the Family in deadly fewd with Arguile Then comes Sir Philip Nesbit I finde him the Son of Col. Nesbit a Regiment in the Kings service in England we may adde those two Irish men that suffered at Edenburgh some dayes before Colonel O-Cahen and Colonel Laghlin the crime of them all concentred in this new Treason against the King and Covenanters Montrose having long looked for six weeks his absent Confederates out of the North Mac-donel Alboin and others the Lord Digby's Forces defeated by the way and he not able to hold out a piercing hard winter Camp He the 20. of November departs from Levin Marching Northward over the Snowy Mountains of Taich through Woods and Loghes the Strathern and over the River Tay returns into Athole where he met Captain Ogleby and Captain Nesbit whom we told you he had sent with the Kings Letters to Huntly but prevailed not Here against Montrose sends to Sir Iohn Dalyel to mediate the
Kings cause the danger of the Kingdome and after all to beseech a conference with Montrose But he returned answer with peevish scorns Wherefore Montrose resolves to surprise into reason Therefore in depth of Winter the last of December he marches through Angus over Gransbaw hills and so with a few men he comes direct North into Sâ—ratbogge where Huntly kept in hold but with wondrous cunning escaped to his Castle Bogye upon the mouth of the River Spey that runs North and South Thither posts Montrose with two men and so disguised rushes in and salutes him Where they confer and over-mastred with Montrose's reason and perhaps loyalty to his Sovereigns cause they agree and shook hands in earnest Huntlâ—y to pass over the Spey and fall down into Murray Land South-West Montrose to march Southwards on the East side to Strath-spey and then suddenly to meet and Besiege Innerness a Garison in the North of Murray Land on the Sea Coast above the great Lake Nessa which was near froze And his two Sons Alboin and Lewis coâ—firmed friendship and obedience hereto upon the most assurance by oath that could possible be given from men of Honour and by force of fair means to draw to them the Earl of Seafort Montrose accordingly Marches with his Forces towards Innerness and sends Patrick Graham and Dromond to raise the whole men seven hundred who were put to it for the Arguile Party and others were fallen upon the Mack-Gregories and Mack-Nubies who sided with Montrose with fifteen hundred men Having already fired a Town in the Lakes and besieged Ample Castle from which they are forced by the Athole men and pursued but Face about and fight and being Routed fly and many slain and so return to Montrose Of whom we take leave till we meet the next year The Foraign Affairs speak the surrender of Dunkirk to the French the tenth of October and the same day the news was carried to the King and Queen Regent newly arrived at Paris from Fountain-Bleau the Spaniards have now but three Haven Towns in Flanders Newport and Baukerber which are not fit for greater Vessels then of ten Tun and that of Ostend in truth capable of greater but those less safe there than in the open Road. The Besieged Marched out of Dunkirk that night with fifteen hundred Foot and three hundred Horse besides four hundred sick and wounded persons they have lost in their defence six or seven hundred of their best men those that marched out were conducted to Newport The Duke of Anguien now Prince Conde put in the Marshall of Rantzaw Governour thereof The Holland Ships assisted the French here We may not confound the Original and Natural Inhabitants with an heap of divers Nations who being brought under the Banners of Spain into their Haven commodious for Sea-roads did exercise that Piracy which naturally the Spaniard doth not profess The chiefest of the Natural people are Flemings a Generation of good men lovers of Traffique Improvers of Handicraft as appears by the great Trade and Commerce of those most populous Towns of Flanders and the rest of the Netherlands Another sort of them subsisting wholly by Thieving and Piracie The fifth of September the Emperour at Prague came attired in his Emperial Robes with his Eldest Son in white cloth of Tyssue early into the Cathedral Church of the Castle attended with divers Princes and Lords that bare several dignities and honours in the State of Germany the Emperour sat upon a Throne of Gold the Son upon Silver who having been re-attired with Royal Abiliments in a side Chappel was conducted by the Estates of Bohemia unto his Throne where after Masse he went and kneeled down before the Cardinal of Harach invironed with sixteen Prelats in Pontificalibus Annointed him and put on his Head a Regal Crown whereupon he was proclaimed King of Bohemia and received the Oath of Allegeance of the Peâ—rs and States of that Kingdom and the Ceremonies and Feastings finished the Father and Son went to Lintz The Parliament and Scot having bought and sold the best Bargain are soon decieved of their Prize by a third party as bad as both the other The Parliament jealous of any present Power to prevail but themselves by degrees debate the lessening of the Army thereby to be rid of such whom they misliked And to send over thousands of them into Ireland to manage that War against the Rebells there But the Souldiers set on begin to Mutiny and being ripe for acting their Commanders underhand abet them and after some alteration it â—ell into Sedition and so into Division those for the Parliament fared the worse and were Cashiered And therefore â—twas necessary for some truly affected to discriminate the other Those who were intrusted were called Agitators two out of each Regiment who indeed with others of more power Acted for erecting a Democracie having seized the King out of custody of the Parliaments Commissioners under pretence of favour and freedom of his person they indulge him with many small Experiments for the present of his Chaplains converse with his Children caress him to his most eminent Palace so that the Camp and Court seemed one nay they frame Proposals to provide for the King the Army and people envy at the Parliament accuse divers Members of high Treason urge the Dissolution of the Parliament regnant and all this seemingly for the Kings Interest In fine the Military march up to the Parliament and formidable put them in fear Some of the Members of either Houses with their Speakers fly to the Camp for succour the City and such as stay behinde prepare for a Defence whose Circle being too wide for their Management and unfaithfull to themselves fall into Factions the whole City submit to the Discretion of the Army who first ingratiate the Speakers and Members in the Camp and setle them into their Seats again with condign punishment and Impeachment of high Treason upon the Lord Mayor Aldermen divers Lords and many Members The Tower and City Militia are new-modelled into other hands their Fortifications demolished and their Lines of Communication levelled the Admiralty ordered into Commissioners ad yet for all these punishments the City give thanks and pay a Largess to the Army Thus the former eminent power the Presbyter by their own weight and pride sink and raise the other yet these are at their wits end also unresolved and unsetled The people at gazâ— for a Government Proposals from the Army and Propositions from the Parliament the King refuses as in hope to have them lessened which they take for an advantage to themselves The Wheel turns and he is threatned and under hand advised of some Danger to his person which whilest he seeks to avoid he falls into their Pit prepared for him and afterwards into eminent Destruction which the story too soon discovers We may wonder what becomes of the Prince Elector Palatine he remained at Westminster for his Interest might
signal compliance with the Army and their interest and what of importance my complyance was to them and their often repeated Professions and Ingagements for my Iust Rights in general at Newmarket and St Albans and their particular explanation of those generals by their Voted and Re-voted Proposals which I had reason to understand should be the uttermost extremity would be expected from me and that in some things therein I should be eased herein appealing to the Consciences of some of the chiefest Officers in the Army if what I have said be not punctually true and how I have failed of their expectations and my professions to them I challange them and the whole World to produce the least colour of Reason And now I would know what is it that is desired Is it Peace I have shewed the way being both willing and desirous to perform my part in it which is a just complayance with all chief Interests It is Plenty and Happinesse They are the inseparable effects of peace Is it security I who wish that all men would forgive and forget like me have offered the Militia for my time Is it liberty of Conscience he who wants it is most ready to give Is it the right administration of Iustice Officers of trust are committed to the choice of my two Houses of Parliament Is it frequent Parliaments I have legally fully concurred therewith Is it the Arrears of the Army Vpon a settlement they will certainly be paied with much ease but before there will be found much difficulty if not impossibility in it Thus all the world cannot but see my real and unwearied endeavours for Peace the which by the grace of God I shall never repent me of nor ever be slackned in notwithstanding my past present or future sufferings but if I may not be heard let every one judge who it is that obstructs the good I would or might do What is it that men are afraid to hear from me it cannot be Reason at least none will declare themselves so unreasonable as to confess it and it can less be impertinent or unreasonable discourses for thereby peradventure I might more justifie this my restraint then the causers themselves can do so that of all wonders yet this is the greatest to me but it may be easily gathered how these men intend to govern who have used me thus and if it be my hard Fate to fall together with the Liberty of this Kingdom I shall not blush for my self but much lament the future miseries of my people the which I shall still pray to God to avert what ever becomes of me C. R. And now was the strict custody of the King referred to the care and Command of the General to place and displace servants such as to him thought meet and only eight persons for the present allowed to him Of which and his strict Guards he expostulates with Hamond telling him that he might yet ere long be beholding to one of his Sons for his life for now was Prince Charles gone from Paris into Holland from whence we shall hereafter hear more of him February 4. The first alteration of Soveraignty was in Title of things properly stiled the Kings and therefore the Title of the List of his Majesties Ships is but now altered to the List of the Parliaments Ships and the Hollanders refuse to strike Top Sail to the English disputeing that they were the Elder States and indeed so they were and Elder Brothers in the other also The Army resolve of new Modelling themselves to put the Martial power into the best way for themselves to appear formidable in the Field to make good the Garisons and to take in all confiding persons and so to make more Officers and fewer Souldiers under their Command the easier to be governed and in time of Action soon filled up by Sir Thomas Fairfax who now takes an additional Title of Lord Fairfax being the unic Son to his Father who of a Corn on his great Toe iâ— turned to a Gangreen and killed him And so we end the troublesome affairs of State in England for this year But may not pass over those concernments of Scotland and Ireland contemporary Nor would we nor could we handsomly interrupt our History with them and therefore we insert them here by themselves And first of Scotland beginning where we left before The continuation of the Military Actions for the King in Scotland under conduct of the Marquess of Montrose this year 1647. The Covenanters held Convention at St. Andrews upon the East Sea in Fife carrying their prisonâ—rs with them where ever they removed both of War or others of the Kings Friends men of the best note the Lord Ogleby Sir William Spotswood William Murrey and Andrew Gutlery men of singular merit who here were to be sacrificed To which purpose they set up a couple of their Kirk men Kaint and Blaire and others also possessed with the same spirit That God required the blood of these men nor could the sin of the Nation be otherwise expiated or the revenge of heaven diverted sentencing their very souls to damnation But Ogleby the most eminent a Hamilton by the Mothers side and cousin German to Lindsey pretending himself sick had leave for his Mother Wife and Sisters to visit him in prison and whilst the Jaylors withdrew he got on his sisters cloths and put her in his place in bed And at evening passed out with them for a Lady and so got out of danger his sister suffered strict imprisonment in the same Chamber for a long time after and hastened the execution on the rest of the Prisoners The first was Nathaniel Gordon the next Colonel Gordon and then comes Sir Robert Spotswood he had been raised by favour of King Iames to the honour of Knighthood and Privy Councellor of Scotland King Charles made him Lord President of the Session and of late principal Secretary of Scotland Their Charge against him was not for Arms being a man of the Gown but they found Treason in his bringing of the Kings Commission to Montrose to be Vice-roy of the Kingdom and General of all the Kings Forces there It was no boot his Eloquent and Learned defence answerable to the fundamental Laws of that nation But the Earl of Lanerick heretofore Principal Secretary by his revolt against the King this Office was setled upon Spotswood this was additional to his Charge which because he was not able to bear out he was forced to fall under And on the Scaffold prepared to dye he made his last Speech to the People but Blair being by bad the Provost stop his mouth and privately praying Blair interrupting offered his prayers which the other refused adding That of all the Plagues with which God had scourged this Nation this was not the least nay greater than Sword or Pestilence that God had sent a lying Spirit in the mouthes of the pretended Prophets for which Blair basely reproached
wishes me not to grieve and torment my self for him for that would be a glorious death that he should dye it being for the Laws and Liberties of this Land and for maintaining the true Protestant Religion He bid me read Bishop Andrew's Sermons Hooker's Ecclesiastical Polity and Bishop Laud's Book against Fisher which would ground me against Popery He told me he had forgiven all his Enemies and hoped God would forgive them also and commanded us and all the rest of my Brothers and sisters to forgive them He bid me tell my Mother that his thoughts had neâ—er strayed from her and that his love should be the same to the last Withall he commanded me and my brother to be obedient to her and bid me send his blessing to the rest of my brothers and sisters with commendation to all his friends So after he had given me his blessing I took my leave Further he commanded vs all to forgive those people but never to trust them for they had been most false to him and to those that gave them power and he feared also to their own souls and desired me not to grieve for him for he should dye a Martyr and that he doubted not but the Lord would settle his Throne upon his Son and that we should be all happier that we could have expected to have been if he had lived with many other things which at present I cannot remember Elizabeth 7. Another Relation from the Lady Elizabeth The King said to the Duke of Gloucester that he would say nothing to him but what was for the good of his Soul he told him That he heard the Army intended to make him King but it was a thing not for him to take upon him if he regarded the welfare of his soul for he had two brothers before him and therefore commanded him upon his blessing never to accept of it unless it redounded lawfully upon him And commanded him to fear the Lord and he would provide for him 8. A Copy of a Letter from the PRINCE to the KING dated from the HAGUE Ianuary 23. 1648. For the King SIR Having no means to come to the knowledge of your Majesties present condition but such as I receive from the Prints or which is as uncertain Report I have sent this Bearer Seamour to wait upon your Majesty and to bring me an account of it that I may withall assure your Majesty I doe not only pray for your Majesty according to my duty but shall alwaies be ready to do all which shall be in my power to deserve that blessing which I now humbly beg of your Majesty upon Sir Your Majesties most humble and most obedient Son and servant CHARES Hague 23. Ian. 1648. The fatall day appeared Tuesday 30. of Ian. when he praies and receives the Sacrament just at ten a clock before noon he is called upon to come forth from St. Iames's Palace now his prison to go on foot over the Park to White-hall guarded with a Regiment of Foot Souldiers part before and the rest behinde him with Colours flying and Drums beating his private Guard of Partizans about him and Dr. Iuxon Bishop of London next to him on one side and Colonel Tomlinson on the other He bids them go faster That he now went before them to strive for an Heavenly Crown with less sollicitude then he had oftentimes bid his Souldiers to fight for an earthly Diadem Ascending the Stairs up to the Park Gallery into his Cabbinâ—â— Chamber he continued there at his devotion and refused to dine only about twelve a clock he eat a bit of bread and drank a glass of Claret Wine From thence he was conveyed into the Banquetting House and the great Window enlarged out of which he ascends the Scaffold the Rails hung round and the Floor covered with Black the more dreadful because of the Block and Axe with the Executioners disguized with Vizards encountring him yet not affrighted he shewed more care of the people living than fear of his dying for looking round about upon the people whom the thick set Guards and Troops of Horse kept a great distance off and seeing he could not be heard by them omitting probable which he purposed to have spoken to them therefore turning to the Officers and Actors but rather to Colonel Tomlinson he said I would now speak nothing unto you in this place were it not that some men would interpret my silence as an Argument of guilt think that I took on me the Crimes objected with the same conscience as I submit to the punishment with patience I call God to witness of my innocency before whose Tribunal I must shortly appear it never entred into my thoughts to retrench the just priviledges of Parliament and that I raised not any Army before such-time as they had raised Hostile Forces against me which from the Order of proceedings on both sides and Dates of Commissions and Proclamations will be clearly manifested to the inquirer Mean while I acknowledge and submissly own Gods Justice which this day by an unjust Sentence of mine he hath inflicted a just judgment on me for as much as heretofore I would not acquit an innocent man meaning the Deputy of Ireland when oppressed by a most unjust Decree With what charity I embrace my enraged Enemies this good man is my witness pointing to the Bishop of London I pardon them all from my very heart and I earnestly beseech the God of all mercies that he would vouchsafe to grant them serious repentance and remit this great sin Yet I cannot to my last gasp but be sollicitous of the peace of my Kingdom which I am not able at present better to consult for than by chalking out the way from which you of the Souldery have exceedingly deviated and by which you must return to sobriety and peace Herein I perceive you are most miserably out of the way in that by the title of the Sword without all even a shadow of Right you think good to wrest the Government to your selves and endeavour to establish the Kingdom not by the Authority of the Laws but upon the score of Conquest which can never have any accruit of Right unless ushered in by a just Cause and triumph of War namely either for the repulsing of wrongs or recovering of Rights unjustly detained But if more prosperous success shall advance the Victour beyond the modest bounds of just and lawful nought hinders but that the Kingdoms that are erected both be and be accounted great Robberies which we read heretofore a Pyrat objected to Alexander But being out of the way as you are can you by no other expedient return into the right path of peace By no other Council believe me can you hope to divert Gods wrath than by restoreing to God the King the people respectively such things as are their dues you shall give God his due by restoring his pure Worship and Church rightly regulated
allowing to the King onely Primus accubitus in coenis And why onely Stephen Was it not voted by Act of the Parliament at Oxford and concluded in several Articles That Edward 2. life was taken away by Bishop Thorlton The story is that this Man Adam de Orlton was Bishop of Hereford took a Text 2 Kings 4. Caput meum aegrotat My head my head aketh whereby he advised the cure of a sick head of the Kingdom to be cut off and therefore must be guilty of his Murder afterwards Indeed there was an enigmatical Verse fathered also upon him Edvardum occidere nolite timere bonum est which Verse the Bishop utterly denied Then comes he to Edward 3. that Iohn Arch-bishop of Canterbury incited the King and Parliament to a bloudy War with France And why John Was it not voted in Parliament where all the Peers were as hot upon it as he Indeed because the Clergie in those days spake better sense than an ignorant unlearned Lord many Historians father the ill success of former actions upon them Promotors of the Designs as if in re stulta sapientes and in malo publico facundi That in Parliament the Laity offered Richard 2. a Fifteenth if the Clergy would also give a Tenth and a half which William le â—ourtney Arch-bishop opposed as not to be taxed by the Laity and thereupon the Lords besought the King to deprive them of their Temporalities thereby says he to humble them to humble them and damn the Authours of Sacrilege and cruelty yet were they mercifull not to take away all Spiritualities also Then follows H. 4. an Usurper he says and that the Bish. of Carlile opposes him in a Speech and therein so reasonable was the cause just I cannot say that the Lords combined to depose him for there were living of the House of Clarence Title to precede his of Mortimer for whom five other Bishops went Ambassadours abroad to get assistance and those Bishops also scape not the censure of doing evil by justifying this others Right to the Crown and deposed him also but then it was so voted in Parliament and therefore not all the blame to be laid upon those Bishops that acted but their part and it is true that in a Parliament in that Kings Reign a Bill was exhibited against the Temporalities of the Clergie but not passed Parliamentum indoctorum says one and the Commons fitter to enter Common with their Cattle Henry 5. succeeds he says who was incited by Arch-bishop Chidley to revive his Title to France with the effusion of much bloud and ill success And was it not true that the King had good Title to France And the same cause had Edward 3. And as just was it against the domestick Title of Henry 4. and so in sum in either of the Bishops by their Council You say it was not the Office of Bishops to incense Wars either Domestick or Foreign But then Policy is pickt up for a Reason being you say to divert the King from reforming the Clergy That in the time of Henry 6. the Protectour Duke of Glocester accused Beaufort Cardinal of Winchester But then take all the story he was also Chancellour of England great Uncle to this King Son to John of Gaunt and his Brother Cardinal of York and the greatest Crime intended was because of his greatness which the Protectour durst not trust and therefore devised a Charge of which he was not guilty but acquitted by Parliament Edward 4. follows who was taken Prisoner he says by Arch-Bishop Nevil declaring him an Usurper and entailed the Crowns of England and France upon Henry and his Issue male and in default upon Clarence disabling King Edward's eldest Brother He was a party in the Plot if there were any but then take the Junto of the Authours it was the power of that great Warwick and others that did create and unmake Kings at pleasure the confusion of the right submitting to power whether right or wrong Edward 5. his Crown was by the Prelates placed on his murderous Uncle Richard 3. the Cardinal Archbishop taking the Brother Richard out of Sanctuary that so both of them might be taken away That Cardinal was a great Actour therein but the Duke of Bukingham did the business upon whose head the Cardinal would have set the Crown who had no right thereto Henry 7. he says was perswaded by the same Cardinal Morton and prevailed to the Crown He might assist therein what honest English man would not have done so But to say that the Cardinal was the main Instrument we shall want the force of all Arguments but Gods good Providence Henry 8. called the Bishops half Subjects to him Wolsey and Campeius refused to give Judgment for his Divorce Numbring up against them the Petitions Supplications and Complaints of godly Ministers Doctour Barns Latimer Tyndal Bean and others And were not some of these godly men Bishops also That the Statutes of 31 Henry 8. yet in force against them That in Anno 37. Letters Patents were granted to Lay-men to exercise all manner of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction as the Kings Officers not the Bishops Let us never deduce Reason or Iustice from that Kings Actions more like an Atheist than a Christian either Ecclesiastical or Temporal besides the Mutation and Change of Religion then not affording any good President in either kinde But thus much as in excuse was in time of Popery He proceeds to others no less detestable he says nay more heinous since the Reformation but with this Proviso that in the Reigns of all the succeeding Sovereigns to this present he charging those reverend Bishops good men chief Pillars of the Church great Lights of Learning they doing those things as Bishops which he believes they would not have done as private Ministers to hold their Bishopricks to please great Lords Princes Kings and Emperours have not onely yielded but perswaded to introduce Idolatry to dis-inherit right Heirs to Kingdoms and force good Princes to Acts unnatural and unjust But he is not against Episcopacy or a Church-government but so much degenerate it is from the first substance Vox praeterea nihil yet would not have it demolished till a better Model be found out God-a-mercy for that And presently he charges Arch-bishop Cranmer and Bishop Ridley for perswading Edward 6. that the Lady Mary might be permitted Mass in her own Chapel more like Politicians than Divines though not prevailing with that pious Prince She was the right Heir apparent to her Brother and the onely right Issue to the Crown begotten no doubt in lawfull Matrimony bred up in Romish and the might of Charls the Emperour would and did in Reason and Policy afford her liberty of her Profession without any scandal upon those Bishops for their opinion therein her Mother had suffered too much injustice and it was no justice to have denied to her Daughter this desire After Edward 6. those two Bishops Cranmer and Ridley says he
promoted the Lady Ianes Title before the lawfull Heir Queen Mary and the Bishops and Lords writ to Mary that she ought to submit to her Cousin the Lady Iane as her Sovereign that Canterbury and Ely subscribed that Letter and Ridley preached the same at Paul's Cross and so concluded them disloyal Traitours The Protestant Bishops were engaged upon the Faith of Religion to promote Jane besides the visible cause of Danger to the State and Kingdom was notorious in the accession of Mary and proved fiery hot to the execution of their persons the most of the powerfull Lords were Protestants the other being beyond Seas or kept under at home and but two of all the Bishops that signed to the Letter The next godly Princess was Elizabeth who began her Reign with a Conference for increase of Reformation of Religion earnestly pressed by good Divines Scorie Cox Iewel Ebiner Grindall Whitehead Horn Gest but were opposed by the Bishops to the prejudice of the Queens desire therein That at the Queens Coronation the Bishops did refuse to anoint or consecrate her and names them York Canterbury dead and ten more the chiefest And were not all these Popish Bishops that hated her Nay there might be another cause which is not hinted by him though his whole discourse hath insisted upon the Sovereigns Titles there might be reason enough to dispute it now but he forbears and so do I. But the lawfull Line succeeds her And so King Iames says he commences with a Conference for Reformation at Hampton Court where were Doctour Reynolds and Sparks of Oxford Knewstubs and Chaderton of Cambridg but were resisted in the Reformation by eight Bishops and six Deans alleging there was no need of Reformation but God and good men did know the contrary In his Reign they introducing Schisms Heresies and Idolatry of Popery and Arminianism and what not Irreligion to the Deity mischief and danger to the Kingdom There needs not particular observation concerning his Notes of this Kings time that there was a Conference complete an equal number of Disputants continuing some Days the whole Discourse imprinted and now common which I finde Master Thomas passes over as not willing to stand to the Test of that Conference being nothing at all for his purpose but to the contrary As for their Actions in his Majesties Reign which he thinks do poise all and over-ballance all formerly done since the beginning of Parliaments put together in the other Scale which he referrs to the Reports of the Committees for the Pope of Lambeth and his Cardinals Wren and others and briefly concludes that they having in Parliaments contrived Treasons Rebellions Domestick and Foreign Incendiaries and Grievances to State and Church Arch-Enemies to King and Common-wealth He hopes his Majesty will Lege talionis make their Episcopacy onely Tituâ—â— for they are to have priority or precedency Quoad Ordinem not Quoad Ministerium wherein the poorest Curate is his Companion but as he is not for equality and parity so not too great a distance These being his Reasons for their unlawfulness and sitting in Parliament any longer And this was spoken in May. This Speech was accounted the Cutâ—throat of Episcopacy which the rather I insert and the Reasons I observe because much of the matter is Records and so not out of my way nor unnatural for an Historian to observe and therefore herein I may be excused from any note of partiality mis-becoming a Register of Records Master White and others there were that followed with inveterate Speeches against Episcopacy but because all of them of one nature and to record them here impertinent I shall refer the Reader to their Reasons published in several Pamphlets and to others that answered them both Clerks and Lay-men the whole business of this time taken up with Freedom of the Presses to prate any thing scandalous on any side and that you may see their plotting take this Letter which I set down somewhat before its due place and time it came from Master Iohn White of Dorchester to his Nephew Master White at London Septemb. 8. The King being in Scotland thus writes Touching our main business says he the King will come back from Scotland shortly without effecting any thing answerable to his and others expectations and consequently may be fit enough to be won to condescend to any reasonable Demands If the Commons hold their own they may have what they will desire All the work will be to hold them stiff to their former Resolutions to which they may be well prepared by their Friends in the time of this Access if they bestiâ— themselves as they ought Sir we conceive if we could could win Master Mainard to joyn throughly about the taking away of Episcopacy it would much further the cause The way must be to charge home the thirteen Bishops that are now impeached if they be found in a Praemunire and so cast out of the Higher House it is hoped the better Lords will prevail and then the Work is at an end The way to prevail with Master Mainard is by his Wife and with her by Master Hughs a Lecturer I conceive It were worth a Iourney thither for you to ride over and speak with her if these who deal with this man go about it with metal I am confident it will be carried Good Sir afford your helping hand herein with as much speed as possibly you can Yours John White Dorchester September 8 1641. I need not suppose this mans Character the Tone too well known and to what Sect he appertained but the manner of their working by the lecturing weak Women who have more strength in their pewling than Sampson had in his Locks But the state of a Question was propounded concerning Bishops whether or no Iure Divino as hath been heretofore remembred but now it was that Master Grimston argued That Bishops are Jure Divino is of a question That Arch-bishops are not Jure Divino is out of question That Ministers are Jure Divino there is no question Now says he if Bishops which are questioned whether Jure Divino and Arch-bishops which out of question are not Jure Divino suspend Ministers that are Jure Divino I leave it to you Master Speaker Mr. Selden's Answer That the Convocation is Jure Divino is a question That Parliaments are not Jure Divino is out of question That Religion is Jure Divino is no question Now Master Speaker that the Convocation which is questioned whether Jure Divino and Parliaments which out of question are not Jure Divino should meddle with Religion which questionless is Jure Divino I leave to you Master Speaker Grimston replies But Arch-bishops are no Bishops Selden answers That 's no otherwise true than that Iudges are no Lawyers and Aldermen no Citizens Busie the Commons House have been to settle a new Mode of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction and the seventeenth of Iuly ordain every Shire of England and Wales to be
with Mr. Hotham who was in ill case to continue but must be forced to retreat to Hull The Forces of the West in Cornwall for the King began to form into a Body near Pendennis Castle the Governour thereof Sir Nicholas Slaning a gallant Gentleman and assisted 〈…〉 others Sir Bevil Greenvile who possessed themselveâ—â—â—aunston the County Town of Cornwall but not long after Sir Ralph Hopton appears in chief command over the Cavaliers The Parliament had Plymouth the neighbour Port Town of Devonshire bordering Cornwall in the South and Sir George Chudly a Stickler for them for a time onely The Kings party increased in Mid-Wales and descending Southwards as he marches the Welch come to him from all parts of Hereford Monmouth mightily increasing by the power and industry of the Earl of Worcester their Brigades reaching to Oxford and round about where Prince Rupert commanded who took Powder and Match marching through Staffordshire to reprieve Manchester The Parliament party lay about Warwick Coventrie Worcester Buckingham and their Brigades round about even to Glocester Some Arms for the King are landed at Newcastle and ten thousand pounds in Money to raise Dragoons in Northumberland and to fall into Yorkshire which appeared for the King The King on his march from Wales descended Southward and now being near Stafford the Parliament order That the Citie of London be strongly guarded and Posts Bars and Chains be erected and set up in places and by-lanes of the Parishes of St. Margarets Westminster St. Martins in the Fields St. Clements Savoy Holborn St. Giles Covent-garden St. Johns Street â—lerkenwell Criplegate Shoreditch White-chapel Islington Mile-end Southwark Lambeth or any other places necessary at the charge of the Parish by equal Assesment Octob. 22. And the Parliament declare a solemn Protestation to all the world In the presence of Almightie God for the satisfaction of their Consciences and the Discharge of that great Trust which lies upon them That no private passion or respect no evil intention to his Majesties person no Design to the prejudice of his just Honour and Authoritie engaged them to raise Forces and take up Arms against the Authours of this War whereof the Kingdom is now inflamed And after they have by clearing themselves lodged the occasion upon the Contrivers Papists about the King for extirpation of the Protestant Religion wherein principally this Kingdom and Scotland are concerned as making the greatest Body of Reformation in Christendom they conclude For all which Reasons they are resolved to enter into a solemn Oath and Covenant with God to give up themselves lives and fortunes into his hands and defend this his cause with the hazzard of our lives against the Kings Armie according to a form agreed upon and to be subscribed and to associate and unite with all the well-affected of the Citie of London and other parts of his Majesties Dominions 〈…〉 expect their dear Brethren of Scotland that they will help and 〈◊〉 defence of this Cause which if the Popish partie prevail must needs involve Scotland in the like alteration of Religion and engage them also in a War against this Kingdom to defend their own Religion And this they do again they say protest before the everliving God to be the chief end of all their counsels and resolutions without any intention to injure his Majestie either in his person or just power Octob. 22. And the Battail of Edg-hill the next morning being Sunday After the Kings party had beat the Enemy at Worcester Fight the three and twentieth of September he joyns all his Brigades near hand and marches to meet General Essex hovering thereabout to watch the Kings Designs who lodged on Saturday night October 22. at Sir William Chancies six miles near Keinton and Essex at Keinton And early the next morning being Sunday the three and twentieth drew up into a Body near Keinton and ascending the top of Edg-hill with his Prospective Glass took view of Essex his Army in the Vale of the Red Horse about a Mile distant but before the King could draw into order he was saluted with three Pieces of Cannon from the other side with three Shouts of their Souldiers And being asked by his Officers what his Majesty meant to do To give him Battel said the King it is the first time I ever saw the Rebells in a Bodie God and good mens prayers to him assist the justice of my cause And instantly ordered the Fight by the return of two Shot of Cannon in answer to theirs about two of the clock after noon the Word was God and King Charls his greatest Body of Horse was on the right Wing and on the left some Horse and Dragoons The Parliaments Army was put into this order the Foot a good space behinde the Horse when the Charge began three Regiments of Horse on the right Wing the Generals Regiment commanded by Sir Philip Stapleton Sir Balfore's Regiment who was Lieutenant General of the Horse and the Lord Fielding's Regiment which stood behinde the other two as a Reserve Sir Iohn Meldrum had the Van with his Brigade Colonel Essex the middle the General 's Regiment the Lord Brook and Colonel Hollis had the Rear in the left Wing were twenty Troops commanded by Sir Iames Ramsey Commissary General And thus they stood The Earl of Lindsey Lord High Chamberlain of England was the Kings Captain General but the Fight was ordered by the Lord Ruthen since made Earl of Forth a Scotish man and the General lead on the main Body with a Pike in his hand it is said that General Essex lead on his Forces also but then it is confessed that he was advised to retire from Danger and so he escaped when the other was killed The Forlorn Hope was commanded by Major Baâ—stake and Captain Hamond both of them Officers in Sir Lewis Diveâ— Regiment of Foot and drawn down the Hill to the side of a Ditch lined with Musquetiers and both sides had no sooner fired but that the Kings Cannon followed and discharged six or seven Shot Prince Rupert General of the Horse commanding the right Wing routed their left Wing and followed them in chafe to Keinton Town and two Miles beyond killing all whom they overtook the Lord Ruthen ordered the left Wing of the Kings Horse with the Lord Wilmot both of them doing gallant service 't is true Prince Rupert presumed that he had left a sufficient Reserve of Horse behinde under command of the Earl of Carnarvan with some other Troops who seeing the Enemies Horse and Foot to run his spirit not accustomed to stand still followed too far and left their own Foot naked of Horse which Essex espying took the advantage and with his Horse fell upon the Foot including these Regiments the Lord Generals Colonel Fieldings and Colonel Bowels a Regiment raised by the Lord Paget and did much execution upon them this service being done by Colonel Hurry afterwards Major General for the Parliament The Lord General Lindsey
being too forward in the Fight and incompassed by the Enemy his noble Son the Lord Willoughby hastned to his rescue not staying for greater assistance than such by chance about him and were both over-powred and taken Prisoners the Father â—ore wounded and evil intreated died the next day Sir Edmund Varney Knight Marshal and Standard-bearer was killed and the Standard ingaged till a gallant Gentleman Mr. Iohn Smith instantly shot him dead and rescued it for which service he was presently dubbed Knight and Bannoret the first of that Honour and bore the Standard after and relieved Colonel Fielding with some others of quality repulsing their Enemies Horse and followed the pursuit The Foot on both sides continued hot fiering untill the Day was spent and Night five a clock parted the Fight which no doubt was fairest on the Kings side had he enjoyed the Light somewhat longer to have increased his advantage towards a Victory It must be acknowledged that the General Essex his Regiment of Foot Colonel Hollis and Colonel Hambdem's stood the brunt of the Battel most of their Men being London Prentices fresh and good Firers did bold service Among the Plunder General Essex his Waggon Saddles Cloke-bags and Cabinet were taken and therein some Letters and Papers of Intelligence sufficient to discover one Blake a secret Traitor in the Kings Court for which he was forthwith hanged in the high way a sign to all Traitors betwixt Oxford and Abingdon this Fellow had been a Merchant and for some service at Sallie in Barbarie releasing English Slaves purchased repute at home which shadowed him from any suspition to be an Intelligencer at the Kings Court to divers his Corresponds City Friends for which he so suffered After the King had given the first Word espying one to steal to the Enemy he altered it to God and King Charls The Kings Troop consisted of an hundred and twenty Noblemen and Gentlemen able to expend an hundred and fifty thousand pounds a year of their own and these charged first with much courage and so performed it that Day commanded by the Lord Bernard youngest Brother to the Duke of Richmond and afterwards created Earl of Lichfield Sir Arthur Aston commanded the Dragoons and gave notice to him the Lord Bernard how he should order his Charge which was to second him and to follow the Dragoons who beat off those that lined the Hedges having that Intelligence of Sir Fortescue's Cornet who was come from Essex's Army with assurance that his Captain would follow with his Troop as he did at the first of the Fight The Kings Army was about twelve thousand the Parliaments sixteen thousand men exceeding well armed and furnished with excellent Ammunition compleat The loss by view of the dead might be between five or six thousand between them The King certainly lost the lesse in number but the most of value men of great merit but not the most in place and Office of Command But now the question will be who had the better If you will not admit it a drawn Battel consider these particulars following The Kings design was to March on his way and Essex resolution was to attach him which he did not but rather Skirted his Marchings and gave the occasion that the King encountred him though being met he began the Challenge After the Battel the King kept the field in his Coach all that Night with great fires and the next day in the Fâ—eld Proclaimed several Pardons to such of the Enemy that would submit And then Marches to Aino the seven and twentieth of October where he dated his Proclamation of Grace and Favour to the Cities of London and Westminster The King without Interruption of his Enemy buries the dead Marches to Banbury Took the Town and Castle and they take Arms under him so then he was Master of the Field commanding his own way and doing his own work which he came about and Marches to Oxford His Enemy General Essex wheeles towards Warwick does no more and retreats to London where hâ—s Army Lodges for Recruits The next day after the fight the King sends Sir William Neve Garter Herald to Essex to exchange the Lord Willoughby Earl of Lindsey for the Lord St. Iohn Hue Bullenbroke of Bletso but ere iâ— could be dispatched St. Iohns dies by which he paies the first of his debts to his Creditors and the last debt to sin and death with the undoing of many of his Country worthy Gentlemen men bound for him in great sums of Money Colonel Essex Lieutenant Colonel Ramsey both slaine But to go on with the story The King Prince and Duke that Night retreated to the side of the Hill resting in their Coach all Night keeping divers fires but could discern but one fire from their Enemy so that it was supposed their General was Marched away untill the Morning discovered them to be drawn out and Colonel Brooks Regiment of Foot and others coming to joyn with them The King draws up also upon the Hill and about noon Essex Marches away The King at Edge-hill Proclaims his pardon to the Rebells now in Arms against him so be they will come in to him and seek it the four and twentieth of October And in Aino the seven and twentieth of October He sends his gracious Proclamation of Pardon to his Cities of London and Westminster excepting therein Alderman Fulk and Manwaring On Tuesday Morning at nine a clock the King forth with his forces faced the Town of Banbury being ready to fall on Captain Marrow who Commanded the Castle treated a while and by twelve a clock delivered up the Town and Castle though there were therein two Regiments of Foot blew coats belonging to the Lord Rochford and Peterborough and Captain Saiers Troop of Horse The Prince with three peeces of Cannon and some Foot and Horse Marched against Broughton House belonging to the Lord Say and at the first shot of Ordinance through and through it was delivered up From thence to Southampton The Earl of Essex retreated this while to Warwick and so the other way Marched to London But the Kings Forces returned to Oxford so through Abington and to Henley where they refreshed two or three daies then to Mâ—idenhead Windsor and Stains Saturday being a misty morning the Kings Forces made their Rendevouz on Hownslow Heath the Parliaments Forces being that morning drawn out of Kingston giving Liberty to the King to Command both sides of the River Thames who about eleven of the clock forced the Enemy out of Brainford but ere we go on let us return to some Civil affairs which were Acted by both parties after Edge-hill fight however controverted amongst parties Interested The King Publishes his Delaration to all his Loving Subjects after his late Victory against the Rebels on Sunday the three and twentieth of October 1642. Ascribing the preservation of him â—nd his Children in the late bloody Battel with the Rebels to the Mercy and
confined to fit words So slight and easie is that Legerdemain which will serve to delude the Vulgar That further they should use such severitie as not to suffer without penaltie any to use the Common Prayer Book publickly although their Consciences binde them to it as a Dutie of Pietie to God and Obedience to the Laws Thus I see no men are prone to be greater Tyrants and more rigorous Exacters upon others to conform to their illegal Novelties than such whose pride was formerly least disposed to the obedience of lawful Constitutions and whose licentious humours most pretended conscientious Liberties which Freedom with much Regret they now allow to me and my Chaplains when they may have leave to â—â—rve me whose Abilities even in their extemporarie way comes not short of the others but their Modestie and Learning far exceeds the most of them But this matter is of so popular a nature as some men knew it would not bear learned and sober Debates lest being convinced by the Evidence of Reason as well as Laws they should have been driven either to sin more against their knowledg by taking away the Liturgy or to displease some Faction of the people by continuing the use of it Though I believe they have offended more considerable men not onely for their Numbers and Estate but for their weightie and judicious Pietie than those are whose weakness or giddiness they sought to gratifie by taking it away One of the greatest Faults some men found with the Common Prayer Book I believe was this That it taught them to pray so oft for me to which Petitions they had not Loyaltie enough to say Amen nor yet Charitie enough to forbear Reproaches and even Cursings of me in their own Forms in stead of praying for me I wish their Repentance may be their onely punishment that seeing the Mischiefs which the Disuse of publick Liturgies hath already produced they may restore that credit use and Reverence to them which by the ancient Churches were given to Set Forms of sound and wholesome words But Praier upon all occasions must be ex tempore and to pick and chuse what Chapters or Psalms the Minister pleaseth but before and after Sermon to conclude with the Pâ—ter noster Novemb. 26. For Baptism it must be in the Church the manner referred to the use of French and other Reformed Churches beyond Seas And afterwards came in the Directorie for Mariages Visitation of the Sick and the whole compleated by the Commons Decemb. 23. But in respect of many dissenting Brethren of the Assemblie it was referred to a Committee before it should be born up to the Lords and onely three hundred of them printed to be distributed to the Members to seek God for his direction And at length complete Mr. Rous carries it up to the Lords Ianuarie 1. and so it was printed for the publick use of all people And the two Scribes of the Assemblie whose pains are considered therein and are to partake equally in the profits Ian. 4. And the same Day passed the Ordinance also for attainting the Arch-bishop of Canterburie of high Treason Thus much for Church-worship and now they consider of the Presbyterial way for Government of the Church and the dissenting Assemblers having printed their Reasons for each Member of the Commons a strict Order was That no man presume to reprint or to disperse any of those Reasons as they will answer it at their perils Certainly they were though dispersed and so satisfactory against the Presbyterial way which is the reason they were strictly inquired for and suppressed And on the sixth of Ianuarie the Commons House resolve That to have a Presbyterie in the Church is according to the Word of God And the same day provision is made for such of the Assemblie that have lost their Means to have better subsistence and so having never any or lost but little they were preferred to the best places in England and some to Pluralities But on they go to order the Train of Pastors Doctors Teachers Elders Deacons c. Officers of the Church And good God how this new manner wrought upon many The Prince Elector was come over and who but he must be ordered by Parliament to fit with the Assemblie and to have a print of the dissenting Reasons so that it was said not in earnest that he was sent Nuntio from the Palatinate to direct our Directorie And then what Debates Resolutions Votes Orders Ordinances about the use of Classes several Congregations under one Classis and that the Church should be governed by Congregational Classical Synodical Assemblyes which made such work among the weaker sort as that it was suspected those hard words would disturb the doctrinal part as it did We have heretofore observed how oft the King had sent to the Parliament for a Treaty of Peace and now being returned from the West and setled at Oxford they by a Committee of English and Scotish for now they are joyned in all publick affairs present him with their Deâ—ires and Propositions for a Peace agreed upon by mutual consent of the Parliaments of both Kingdoms united by Solemn League and Covenant Novemb. 23. 1. That by Act of Parliament in each Kingdom respectively all Oaths Declarations and Proclamations against both or either Houses of the Parliament of England and the late Convention of the Estates in Scotland and their proceedings c. be declared null 2. The King to swear and sign the late Solemn League and Covenant and the taking thereof by all the Subjects of the three Kingdoms 3. To pass the Bill for the utter abolishing of Bishops Root and Branches agreeing with the late Treatie at Edinburgh Novemb. 29. 1643. 4. To confirm the Ordinances for the setling of the Assemblie of Divines 5. That Reformation be setled by Act of Parliament as the Houses shall agree upon according to the Covenant c. 6. That Papists abjure and renounce the Pope Transubstantiation Purgatorie Images if not to be therefore convicted and severe Laws to be made against them 7. Their Children to be educated Protestants 8. To give his royal assent to several Acts and Bills to be passed as is named An Act in the Parliaments of both Kingdoms respectively for confirmation of their Treaties viz. the large Treatie for coming in of the Scots and the setling of Barwick and for Ireland and all other proceedings between the two Kingdoms by Treaties An Act to avoid the Cessation of Ireland and to prosecute the War there by Orders of Parliament To establish the joint Declaration of both Kingdoms Dated Jan. 30. 1643. in England and 1644. in Scotland With these Qualifications viz. That the persons without pardon are these to be excepted Princes Rupert and Maurice the Earls of Bristol Derby Newcastle the Lords Cottington Pawlet Digby Littleton Arch-bishop of Canterbury Bishop of Ely Sir Robert Heath Bishop of Derry Sir William Widrington Colonel Goring and these Knights Hopton Dodington Ratcliff Langdale Hothams
Father and Son Vaughan Windebank Greenvile Hide Morley Cole Riddell Ware Strongways Culpeper Floyd Esquires Endimion Porter Henry Jermin Jo. Bodevile David Jenkins Sir George Strode Sir Alexander Carew With twice so many Earls Lords Bishops Knights and Gentlemen of Scotland All Papists that have are or shall be in Arms against either Parliaments or of the Rebellion in Ireland Then are excepted all those of the then Parliament of Oxford and all such of Scotland that have assisted the King there All such as have deserted either Parliaments of both Kingdoms The Estates of such unpardonable to pay publick Debts The tenth part of all other Delinquents within the joint Declaration Then follows other Acts which the Parliaments shall mannage For arming the Kingdoms setling the Admiralties to name Commissioners That all Honours and Titles given since the great Seal went to the King viz. May 21. 1642. or hereafter to be made shall be null Not to vote in Parliaments and so for Scotland since June 4. 1644. The Governours of Ireland and the great Officers of both Kingdoms be nominated by the Parliaments of both Kingdoms The like for Scotland The Kings Children to be governed and married The Prince Elector to be restored Peace and War 〈◊〉 of Oblivion Armies disbanded All these as the Parliaments of both Kingdoms shall order Thus much in general Now for the City of London Acts for them Their Charters Customs Liberties to be confirmed notwithstanding any Non-user Mis-user or Abuser The Militia of London and the Liberties The Tower of London to be in the Mayor and Common-Council The Citizens not to be drawn out of London to any service The Acts of the Mayor and Common Council heretofore and hereafter to confirm as if by Act of Parliaments And these being granted they will endeavour that the King shall live in splendour c. 'T is true that all the Kings party were impatient for Peace which obliged the King to shew his real Intentions being assured that if he could come to a fair Treaty the chief of the Parliaments party could not hinder the Peace first because themselves are weary of the War and next because of their Distractions Presbyterians against Independents in Religion and General against General in point of Command Upon these grounds the most probable means for the King to procure a Treaty was to be used and the noise was therefore published of the Kings return to London the best Rhetorick to please the Popular that thereupon a Treaty would be procured or if refused it would bring most prejudice to the Parliament and advantage to the King for although he offered fair Propositions yet they were mixed with such Conditions as might not easily be admitted and so the Kings offer did but amaze the people into a milder opinion of his proceedings These Propositions for the present were neglected as unlimited yet the King imagined that in a Treaty Commissioners might Argue them into Reason and so returns the Messengers that he will send to the Houses which he did forthwith by this Letter CHARLES REX The Propositions presented to his Majesty being very long which contain matters in themselves of gâ—â—at weight and importance as being in great part in alteration of the frame of Government both in Church and State And the Messengers who presented them declaring that they have no power to treat or consent to any alteration it cannot be expected that his Majesty shall return a Present Particular and Positive Answer But as he hath from his soul alwaies desired the setling of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 peace in this distracted Kingdom for that purpose hath from time to time tendred all possible Overtures in hope that all will work upon the hearts of all persons concerned That even this apprehension such as it is upon further thought and consideration may produce some good effect towards it to which his Majestie calls God to witness therein shall nothing be wanting on his part which is agreeable to Iustice Honour and Conscience and there shall all possible expedition be used in preparing his Majesties Answer yet â—e intends speedily to send by Messengers of his own and to that purpose that there may be no losse of time He desires safe conduct be speedily for the Duke of Richmond and the Earl of Southampton with their attendance to bring up his Majesties said Answer And his Majesty doth heartily wish that God may so deal with him and his as he endeavours all just and lawful waies to restore this poor Kingdom to a lasting and happy peace G. Digby Secretary Oxford 27. Novem. 1644. The Parliament excepts against this Letter as directed to No body the Parliament not so much as named therein And it was remembred that the Lord Digby by his Letters told them long since That the Foundation upon which the King did build all his designs was never to acknowledge this a Parliament and that if he receded from that Maxim the King would undoe himself and all those that have appeared for him Yet after long debate it was resolved that their General Essex do forthwith return a Letter to Prince Rupert who in the absence of the Lord Brainford appears the Kings Lieutenant General That if his Majesty shall send to the Parliament of England Assembled at Westmin and to the Commissioners of the Parliament of the Kingdom of Scotland they will with all readiness grant a safe conduct for the Duke of Richmond and the Earl of Southampton and treat with them according to his Majesties desire Which was so acknowledged by Prince Rupert in his Majesties Name and directed to the Earl of Essex and so they were received into Somerset House with this Order That no Member visit or speak or send any Message to either of them during their stay here And had audience of a Committee of twenty four Lords and twenty eight Commons and the Scotish Comissioners in the Painted Chamber which was in effect only That the King designed a Treaty and time speedily to be fixed and to be certified by those Messengers but they had Answer of both Houses that they would hasten and so required them to return back Upon the rumour of this intended Treaty and hereafter of a peace the King was assured that the Parliaments chief Articles would be to continue the Irish Wars Indeed this Article of Ireland was a tender point and the King resolved not only not to break the Cessation but to make peace with the Rebels to which end he had promised the Queen in France of some favours to the Catholicks of Ireland And expressely a little before the Treaty he writes to the Marquesse of Ormond That he is sorry to finde the sad condition of his particular fortune for which saies he I cannot finde so good and speedy remedy as the peace of Ireland and to redresse most necessary affairs here Wherefore I command you to dispatch it out of hand with this Addition to my former dispatch And for Poinings Act I
c. he is conveyed to the scaffold 1135. his speech there 1136 his preparation for death 1137. he is executed 1138. imbowelled ibid. interred in VVindsor Chappel 1139. his Character ibid. his Letter to the Prince of VVales 1140. his issue ibid. Prince Charls born 141. he desires conduct of Fairfax for 2. Lords to treat about a peace 843. is answ and replies ibid. he is invited to the Parl. 884 903. his Fleet 1078. he is invited to Scotland 1079. his Letterto the Lords in Parliament 1084 University of Cambridge ordered 664 Canophies Message to the Duk of Buckingham 97 Arch B. of Canterbury impeached 340 accused of high Treason 361. His arraignment 780. and Sentence 781. His Speech upon the Scaffold 782 Lord Capel impeached 1079 Carlisle surrendered 816 Sir Dud. Carlton sent Ambassadour to France 162 Carnarvan surrendered 893 Cassal lost 371 Cheapside Cross pulled down 614 Chepstow Castle taken 1059 Sir Geo. Chidleigh leaves the cause 638 Mutinies about keeping Christmas 1041 Church Government reformed in Scotland 194. Commotion about Church Ceremonies 290. new modes of Ecclesiastical Government 422 Cirencester taken by storm 602. surprized by Essex 646 Abuses in Civil affairs 129 Earl of Cleveland commended 737 Clubmen rise 817. treat with the Gen. Fairfax 818. are surprized by Cromwel 828 Cockram sent to the King of Denmark with Instructions 692 Colchester Summoned 1067. resolutely defended 1080. yet surrendered 1081 List of prisoners taken there 1082 House of Commons petition for a Guard 477. their misrule 820 Committee for the Kings Execution 〈◊〉 1132 Owen O Conally discovers the Irish conspiracy 438. is examined ibid. Covocation sits after the Parliament 305. Impose an Oaâ—â—â—â—â—07 their Canons denounced 339 Mr. Cook and Dr. Turner's insolent speeches 31 County of Corn. protests for the K. 663 County of Corn. caressed by the K. 628 A Juncto of Council called 309 Covenanters their pretended cause of Rebellion 228. Their Demands 238. They assume all Authority 243. A covenanting Female Imposturess 244. They protest against the discharging their Assembly 245. Their protestation 276. Their charge against the Arch-bishop of Canterbury 340 Sir Thomas Coventry dies 281 High Court of Iustice erected 1121. The place for it 1123. The number of the Iudges at the Kings Sentence 1129 Sir Nicholas Crisp kills Sir James Enyon 633 Lieutenant Gen. Cromwel defeats the Scots Army 1074. improves his successes 1075 enters Scotland and declares 1076. Their Nobility contract with him ibid. He is caressed there 1077 D. REason of the Danish War 796 Dartmouth Besieged and Surrendred 868 Earl of Denbigh delivers up his Commission 799 Dennington Castle assaulted the first time 722. A second attempt upon it 723 A grand Design 287 Devizes taken by Cromwel 833 Queen Dowager of Denmark dies 191 County of Devon protests for the K. 663 Lord Digbies first Speech in Parliament 334. His second for Episcopacy 362. 〈◊〉 Letter intercepted 496 836 Distempers in the Kingdom 1082 Sir Dudley Digs his Prologue against the Duke of Buckingham 42 Dublin victualled 445 besieged by the Rebells 965 Dudley Castle surrendred 889 Dunkirk surrendred to the French 972 E. ECcleshal Castle and Town taken 657 Edge-hill Battel 583 Prince Elector dies 190. Young Prince Elector arrives 207. departs with his brother 220. comes over again 279 is arrested for debt 816. visits his brothers Rupert and Maurice 891 is made a Member of the Assembly of Divines 974 Sir John Eliots speech and Remonstrance 130 Princess Elizabeth born 207 England and France at difference 59. English Army Marches to the North 249. Come within view of the Scots 250 they treat 251. Second expedition against the Scots 312 Sir James Enyon slain 633 County of Essex Petition 1062 E. of Essex his second Marriage 152. He is made General of the Parliaments Foot 545. Proclaimed Traitour 547. His Ensigns Colours 567. He sets out of London 577. Advises of peace 625. Musters at Hunsloe-heath 628. His Army is in distress 633. but recruits 698. He divides Forces with Waller 706. is defeated in Cornwal 709. A Letter to him from the Lords and Commanders in the Kings Army 716. He is degraded from his Generalship 770 delivers up his Commission with a paper 799 his death 928. Col. Tho. Essex Garrisoneth Bristol 581 Excize continued by Ordinance of Parliament 1004 Exeter delivered up to Prince Maurice 628. Summoned by the Parliaments Forces 869. Surrendred 888 F. LOrd Fairfax and others proclaimed Traitours 600. He takes Selby 700 Sir Tho. Fairfax made General 770. his Commission 798. he Marches to Bridge-water 821. comes to London 925. his Letter in behalf of the King 992 Dr. Featly imprisoned and why 635 John Felton murders the Duke of Buckingham 120. his confession 122 he is hanged in chains 124 Sir John Finch made Keeper of the great Seal 282. His Speech to the Commons House 344. Voted Traitour and flyeth 347 Eruption of fire out of the Sea 246 Fleet comes home 64. service of the Fleets at Sea 206. another Fleet for the narrow Seas 211 Tumult in Fleetstreet 140 French insolent at Court 61. peace concluded with France 138. Princes of France discontent and why 372 Ambassadour from France 615 Ambassadour extraordinary from thence hath audience 918 Mr. Fountain committed 567 G. GAdes voyage suceeds ill 19 Overtures from the Emperour of Germany 137 small effects of the peace there 207. the Emperour dies 212 English defeated at Gilingstone Bridge 449 Glamorgans Letter to the King 859 Serjeant Glanvile released upon bail 942 Sir Thomas Glenhams Answer to Arguiles Letter 675 Glocester besieged by the King 629. the siege left 632. Actions in the County of Glocester 633 c. Goodman reprieved 349. Remonstrance against him ibid. Gordon executed 1045 Skirmish at Greenhils 452 Major Grey slain 731 Gutlery executed 1046 H. A Letter from the Hague intercepted 595 Mr. John Hambden slain 623 Marquess Hamilton his design 147. he is made high Commissioner to Scotland 237. his Commission read in publick ibid. Poasts back to the King 239. returns again 240. Poasts the second time to the King 241. and returns to Scotland 242. comes again to England 246. he invades England with an Army 1071. Summons Lambert and is answered 1072. Is taken prisoner 1075 Col. Hamonds Letter to the Parliament 1020 he refuseth to deliver up the Kings attendants 1025 King at Hampton Court 1004 Major Hamond kills Grey 731 Henderson argues with the King 904 Sir Edward Herbert questioned about the five Members 482. The Kings Letter concerning him 484 Hereford siege raised 824 826. The Town surprized for the Parliament 839 Earl of Holland revolts to the King and back to the Parliament 626 and 639. his insurrection 1068. he is taken prisoner 1069 Present to the King and Queen from the States of Holland 207. Holland Fleet and Spanish engage 279. Holland Ambassadours have audience 718 Lord Hopton defeated at Torrington 869. he agrees to disband 870 Sir John Hothams act of excluding the King from Hull avowed 512. he
begins the quarrel 574. offers to betray Hull and Lincoln 615. he is seized prisoner with his son to the Parliament 624. his Tryal 740 and sentence 741. he is executed 744 Captain Hotham arraigned 741. his Letter to the Earl of Newcastle 743 his execution 741 Iustice Howard killed by a Papist 338 Hudson conveys the King from Oxford 905. his examination and confession 907 Hull and its Magazine desired by the Parliament 507. Entrance thither denyed the King 510 Huntington taken by the King 829 I. KIng James dies 2. His Funeral ibid. Iudge Jenkins refuseth to be examined 976 Jesuits and secular Priests at difference 151 Impropriations touched 153 Condition of Ireland and beginning of their troubles 185. It is in disquiet 199. Irish Rebellion presurmized 438 discovery of it proclaimed 439. first broke out in Ulster ibid. Towns seized by the Rebels there and their Declaration 442. dispatch from thence to the King in Scotland 443. Parliament in Ireland protest against the Rebels and send Letters again into England 446. Overtures for relief of Ireland 486. Propositions for Ireland 496. Cessation of Arms there for a year 640. Irish Forces come over to the King 650. Irish Letters intercepted 855. The Kings Message about Ireland ibid. peace proclaimed there 921. Government of Ireland voted 962 War in Italy 137 New Judges and Serjeants at Law 1098 Bishop Juxon made L. Treasurer 207 K. KEntish Insurrection 1063. Their Reply to Gen. Fairfax his Letter 1064. They come to Black-heath and disband 1066 Famous Battell at Kilsithe 880 The Lord Kimbolton questioned 472 Tax of Knighthood 145 L. LAmbeth house beset by Puritans 309 Lamiston quitted 870 Lands-down Fight 624 Siege at Latham House raised 703. It is surrendred to the Parliament 838 Major Gen. Laughorn joins with Poyer 1056 Earl of Leicester declared Lord Lieutenant of Ireland 432 Leicester taken by the King 808 Surrendred upon Articles to the Parliament 815 Levens Letter concerning the King 899 Lewis the just and the 13. dies 608 Dr. Leighton sentenced 114 Exceptions against the Leiturgy 682 Lichfield Close besieged and taken 613 Lidbury Fight 805 Mr. J. Lilburns Petition for peace 865 Earl of Lindsey returns from his Imprisonment 626 Bishop of Lincoln enlarged 337 Sir George Lisle shot to death 1081 Loan moneys 65 London Bridge burnt 178 â—ondoners Petition 318 339. They mutiny 471. Petition the King and are Answered 478. send another Petition to the King 597. which he Answers 598. Congratulate the Parliament 905. their Petition 947. declare against the Army 998 but submit and treat 999. Mutiny in London 1057 Duke of Lorain to assist the King 795 Lord Lowden his Speech 261 Sir Charls Lucas shot to death 1081 Sir John Lucas proclaimed Traitour by the Parliament and committed 563 M. MAc Mahon secured 439. Executed 768 Macquire executed 768 Magdeburgh besieged taken and burnt 147 Maidstone Fight 1065 Malmsbury taken 705 Earl of Manchester surrenders his Commission 799 Dr. Manwaring questioned 115 Princess Henrieta Maria espoused to K. Charls 2. sets forward to Amiens 3. thence to Boloign where she takes ship 4. Lands at Dover ibid. comes to Gravesend 5. is maried and the mariage proclaimed ibid. Princess Henrieta Maria born at Westminster 725 Marston Moor Fight 720 Court Martial erected in London 886 Mr. Henry Martin seizeth the Regalia at Westminster 623. conveyed into France 891 Masque of the Inns of Court 196 Lieutenant Col. Massey made Governour of Glocester 582. he meets Myn and defeats him 731 Prince Maurice enters Tewxbury 654. and defeats Waller 655 Meditation of the King upon calling the last Parliament 323. upon the Insolency of the Tumults 402. upon passing the Bill for the Triennial Parliament Hâ—h 2. upon jealousies and scandâ—â—â— cast upon him 410. upon his withdrawing to Hampton Court 480. upon his coming to the House of Commons 485. upon the Queens departure 492. upon the 19. Propositions sent to him 523. upon raising Arms against him 548. Seizing his Magazines Forts Navy and Militia 571. on the Solemn League and Covenant 616. upon the Rebellion in Ireland 642. upon the calling in of the Scots 671. upon his repulse at Hull 744. upon the abolishing of the Book of Common Prayer 747. upon the Treaty at Uxbridge 765. upon his Letters taken and divulged 812. upon the various successes of the War 871. upon his going to the Scots 902. upon being denyed his Chaplains 943. upon his captivity at Holmby 975 upon the Tumults and Distractions 989. upon his stricter imprisonment in Hurst Castle 1109 Five Members questioned 472. Articled against 473. the King comes to the house of Commons to arrest them ibid. which is voted a breach of priviledge 474 Charge against the eleven Members 988. Votes concerning them 989. they have leave to travel 996. six of them surprized at Sea 1003. votes against them discharged 1066. Divers Members accused for being active in a Tumult 1006 Several Members seized by the Souldiers 1104 Meneses spoiled by Montrose 790 Major Gen. Middleton comes from the Scots Army in England with Forces 1047 Money disposed of to certain Members 933 Monmouth betrayed 733. surprized again and how 738 Earl of Montrose forsakes the Covenanters 322. undertakes for the King 674. Military affairs under his conduct 687. he spoils the Meneses 790. defeats the Enemies at Aberdine 792. comes to Arguile and divastates all 794. his expedition to Dundee 875. his Victory at Aldern 876. at Kilsithe 880. Commands to him from the King 968. his Forces Defeated 969. he is Commanded by the King to lay down Arms 1047. he Disbands his Forces and takes leave of Scotland 1048 Lord Moor succours the English in Ireland 441. his house plundered 448 Dr. Mountague questioned 11 Lord Mordant converted 12 Munster Treaty concluded 1051 N. NAseby Fight 810 Netervile Commanded to Disband 451 Netherland States caressed on both sides 568 Newark Siege raised by Prince Rupert 678. renewed and the Town surrendred 892 Newburn defeat 313 Newbury first fight 646. Newbury second Fight 736 Newcastle deserted 313. besieged by the Parliament 772. and surrendred ibid. Battel at Norlington 203 Earl of Northampton relieves Banbury 730 Earl of Norwich impeached 1079 Atturney General Noy dies 199 O. OAth against Scots Covenanters 265 The Kings Officers quarrel at Newark 837. and quit their Commissions ibid. Phelim O Neal Generalissimo of the Rebels in Ireland 441. Storms Tredagh 485 Sir Richard Onslow complains of Withers 892 Overtures of mariage betwixt the Lady Mary and Prince of Orange 359 the mariage solemnized 402 Old Prince of Orange dies 948 Grand Ordinance to disable Members from Offices and Commands 801 Organs in St. Pauls Church pulled down 660 Duke of Orleans his endeavours 85 Directions to Ormond to make a peace with the Rebels in Ireland 755 which he doth 921 Divines at Oxford differ 174. Treaty there 610. Parliament assembled there 664. write to General Essex for a Peace 668. are prorogued 701. the Town is straitned 816. Fasting and Prayer there 854. second