King goeth toward York and is followed with a Petition from the Lords and Commons to Theobalds and another Declaration to Newmarket The King is denyed entrance into Hull by Sir John Hotham 38 CHAP. IV. Many Members of both Houses leave the Parliament and repaire to the King Nine of the Lords who first went away are impeached by the Commons and censured by the Peers The Great Seal is carried away from London to York Some Votes of Parliament concerning the Kings Proceedings A Petition with nineteen Propositions sent from the Parliament to the King 58 CHAP. V. An Order for bringing in of Plate and Money into Guild-Hall The Kings Declaration to the Lords about him Their Profession and Protestation to him The King layeth Siege to Hull but raiseth it again The Earl of Warwick taketh possession of the Navy as Lord Admirall The Earl of Essex is voted in Parliament to be Lord Generall of all their Forces 83 CHAP. VI. A brief Relation of the condition of divers Counties in England when the Parliaments Ordinance for the Militia and the Kings Commission of Array were put in execution With a mention of some Lords and otherswho were actors on either side The Lord Mayor of London committed to the Tower and sentenced by the Parliament A mention of some Declarations Messages and Answers that passed between the King and the two Houses of Parliament 99 BOOK III. CHAP. I. PRince Rupert and Prince Maurice arrive in England The Earl of Essex taking leave of the Parliament goeth to his Command The King increaseth in strength at Shrewsbury A Skirmish at Worcester The great Battell of Keynton is fought 1 CHAP. II. The Parliament send to the King concerning an Accommodation A fight at Brainford Another Treaty with the King begun and broken of Reading besieged by the Lord Generall Essex and surrendred to him A Conspiracy to betray Bristoll A treacherous Plot against the Parliament and City of London discovered and prevented 29 CHAP. III. Matters of State trans-acted in Parliament touching the Assembly of Divines The making of a new Great Seale Impeaching the Queen of High Treason and other things The Lord Generall Essex after some Marches returneth to quarter his wasted and sick Army about Kingston The Kings Forces Masters of the West The Earl of Newcastle his greatnesse in the North. Some mention of the Earle of Cumberland and the Lord FAIRFAX 47 CHAP. IV. Some Actions of Sir Thomas Fairfax in the North. The Queen lands in England The revolt of Sir Hugh Cholmley and the two Hothams The state of this Warre in the Westerne parts The condition of the Associated Counties A short relation of Sir William Waller his Actions of Colonell Cromwell Sir William Brereton and Sir John Gell. 63 CHAP. V. The death of the Lord Brooke and of the Earle of Northampton A short mention of some Actions in divers Counties The low condition of the Parliament at that time The Siege of Gloucester 85 CHAP. VI. The Expedition of the Lord Generall Essex for reliefe of Gloucester The great Battell of Newbury described 101 THE HISTORY OF THE PARLIAMENT OF England CHAP. I. Wherein is a short mention of Queene ELIZABETH King JAMES and the beginning of King CHARLES his Reigne his two first Parliaments Of the Warre with Spaine and France The death of the Duke of BUCKINGHAM And the third Parliament of King CHARLES QUeene ELIZABETH of glorious Memory together with that great Stock of Wealth and Honour which her prudent and just Government had brought to the English Nation had enriched them besides with a greater Treasure which we may justly account the cause of all the rest Religion reformed from Popish Superstition That Reformation engaged the Queene in a new Interest of State to side with the Protestants against those Potent Monarchs of the other Religion which seemed at the beginning as much danger and disadvantage to her as it proved in conclusion security and Honour so impossible it is for any disadvantage to prevaile over them that helpe the Lord against the Mighty That Storme from France which so much threatned the weake beginnings of her Reigne was suddenly blowne over by the death of HENRY the second and some few Moneths after of his Sonne FRANCIS who had married the Queene of Scotland the danger which remained greatest was from Spaine where PHILIP the second then reigned a Prince not greater in Dominion Treasure and Armies then deeply engaged against the Protestant Religion by the instigation and assistance of the Jesuites an Order which in the Age before had beene highly counrenanced by Pope PAUL the third in opposition to the Gospell-Doctrine that then began to spread apace in Germany and other parts The whole Order of Iesuites as endeavouring to set up one Temporall Kingdome of Christendome suitable to the Papall Hierarchy applyed their service altogether to the Monarchy of Spaine as being then far the greatest in Europe and fittest for their purpose by the late uniting of so many Kingdomes and Dutchies under the person of CHARLES the Emperour who by a fortunate birthright inherited together with Casule and Arragon and all the great Acquisitions of his Grandfather FERDINAND in Italy and the West Indies the rich and usefull patrimony of his Father PHILIP Burgundy and the Netherlands all these he had left intirely to his Sonne PHILIP who to so large a Territory had made that strong addition of the Kingdome of Portugall and might seeme an Enemy too mighty for England and all the Protestants of Europe to oppose But Queene ELIZABETH had woven the interest of her own State so inseparably into the cause of Religion it selfe that it was hard to overthrow one without the ruine of the other And God who had given her so much grace and courage as to rely wholly upon him did with that Almighty hand not onely hold her up from sinking but lift her above the heads of all her enemies By what degrees and means she atchieved the great Actions of her reigne and brought so much prosperity to her Nation it is not the scope of this discourse to relate at large for her History is not the worke in hand but only in briefe to declare that before her death she was the happy instrument of God to promote the Protestant Religion in all parts She curbed the Spanish greatnesse by supporting France from ruine to give some balance to the other as she preserved Scotland from being swallowed up by the French before She protected the Hollanders against him vanquished his Armies both by Land and Sea with many other such things as might seeme too much to be the atchievements of one Reigne And last of all she reduced Ireland wholly to obedience notwithstanding all the subtill machinations of Spain and open assistance given in Armes to her Irish Rebels All which she accomplished by the justice and prudence of her government by making the right use of her Subjects hearts hands and Purses in a Parliamentary way as also securing
expected and obtruded upon Ireland when not desired Many particulars of that nature were expressed in the Scottish Remonstrance CHAP. VI. The Parliament beginneth in England but is soone dissolved The Clergy continue their Convocation The Scots enter into England Some passages of the Warre A Parliament is called to begin on the third of November A Truce betweene the Armies for two Moneths VPon the thirteenth of Aprill the Parliament began when the King produced that forenamed writing of his Scottish Subjects to the French King as an apparent token of their disloyalty and a necessity in him of chastising them by Armes for which he had already made so great a preparation as required a present supply of money from this Parliament To the same purpose that the King had briefly expressed himself the Lord Keeper FINCH in a long and eloquent Oration dilated the businesse Twelve Subsidies were demanded by the King in lieu of which the release of Ship-Money was promised to which demand answer was made by divers Members of the House in severall Speeches That redresse of grievances was the chiefe end of assembling Parliaments and ought to precede granting of Subsidies Which not onely reason but the constant practise of all ages had confirmed That there was never more need of redressing grievances than at this time without which the people would repine to part with twelve Subsidies That the sum was extraordinary great especially to be given for releasing of that which they never conceived the King had any Title to but had taken by power against the Lawes The King promised that grievances should be afterwards redressed but required the Money first because there was a necessity of hastening the Warre without which the opportunity of Summer would be lost To which it was answered by many That the people had no reason to pay for that which was never caused nor desired by them nor could any way prove to their good but quite contrary to the danger and detriment of the whole Kingdome That the same people would undoubtedly pay with more willingnesse so many Subsidies to prevent that unhappy Warre to settle the State and punish the principall contrivers or assistors of that disturbance Among all the Gentlemen of the House of Commons who spake to that purpose the Lord GEORGE DIGBY Sonne to the Earle of Bristoll a young Nobleman of extraordinary abilities was â—minent for a Speech there wherein complaining that the House was required to give present answer concerning supplies to the King to ingage himself in a Warre and that a Civill Warre For said he so I must needs call it seeing we are of the same Religion and under the same King He divided his Complaint into five heads 1. We are not permitted to redresse grievances at all 2. We are not permitted so much as to represent to His Majesty the dis-affection of his Subjects to this Warre 3. We are not permitted to say That we thinke they are the same persons that are the causers of our grievances and the grievances of Scotland and that the cutting off of those Incendiaries of State would be a safe easie and honourable cure 4. That Warre will make the breach wider and the remedy desperate 5. That the best Iustice is to fill the pits which are made to intrap others with the bodies of those that digged them c. Master PYM also a grave and religious Gentleman in a long Speech of almost two houres recited a Catalogue of all the grievances which at that time lay heavy upon the Common-wealth Of which many abbreviated Copies as extracting the heads onely were with great greedinesse taken by Gentlemen and others throughout the Kingdom for it was not then in fashion to print Speeches of Parliament Divers of the Members besides too many to be here named did fully descant upon such particular grievances as they had informed themselves of in their severall Countries and Burroughs But it is most true though it have been said Quicquid multis peccatur inultum est That there was never any Parliament which was more unanimous in apprehension of grievances and yet more moderate in the Language and manner of declaring against them And so great seemed to be their care of offending in this Parliament being the first that in so many yeares had been granted to England that notwithstanding they perceived the Money they were to give to the King must be imployed against their owne interest yet they tooke the Subsidies into consideration by which they might perchance gaine the Kings affection to Parliaments and were content to hope that whilest the Houses sate the bad Councell about the King might be awed into moderation and the Warre against Scotland by wise and honest interpositions might be againe composed as it had been the Summer before But whilest the businesse was in debate whether they were not quick enough in granting or the Conditions were too much feared by the King I will not judge but onely relate what was done The King in Person came into the House upon the fifth of May and dissolved the Parliament but used faire language to them protesting that he would governe as much according to Law as if a Parliament were constantly sitting Yet the next day after the dissolution of it some Members were imprisoned the Lord BROOKE was searched for Papers his Study Cabinets and Pockets Master BELLOSIS and Sir JOHN HOTHAM were committed to Prison for Speeches but soone discharged Master CREW who was a Member of the House of Commons and was in the Chaire for Petitions concerning Ministers was committed to the Tower for not discovering some Petitions delivered to him in Parliament and continued a Prisoner almost to the beginning of the next Parliament After the dissolution of this Parliament the Convocation of Divines continued their sitting and by authority from the King made divers Canons and an Oath to be imposed upon not onely Clergymen but many of the Laity That continuance of the Convocation whatsoever themselves perchance ignorant of the Law might thinke of it was judged very illegall as it appeared by the Votes of the succeeding Parliament and the opinion of Lawyers delivered there When Master BAGSHAW the November following inveighing against those Canons which were made whilest they sate proved the Bishops and Clergy in a premumire The Lord DIGBY at the same time affirming that their Convocation was a new Synod patched out of an old Conventicle Many other Lawyers of note at severall times argued the case concerning those Canons Insomuch that the House of Commons in December following nullo contradicente resolved that those Canons were against the fundamentall Lawes of the Kingdome the Property and Liberty of the Subject And in the following Aprill 1641. falling againe upon the late Convocation for their Canons and other misdemeanours they voted the Convocation House in 200000 pounds fine to the King The Archbishop of Canterbury to pay 20000 pounds the Archbishop of Yorke 10000 pounds the Bishop of Chester 3000
discontent if they remembred how much he had done this Parliament as his granting that the Iudges hereafter should hold their places quam diù se benè gesserint bounding the Forrest Lawes taking away Ship-money establishing the Subjects property in Tonnage and Poundage granting the Trienniall Parliament free Iustice against Delinquents With other things Concluding graciously That He would omit nothing which might give them just content And when he had signed the forenamed Bills after a short mention of the journey which he intended speedily to take into Scotland he propounded to them a thing very acceptable concerning his Nephew the Prince Elector Palatine that he could not but at the desire of that Prince send an Ambassadour to assist him at the Dyet at Ratisbone with the Emperour and fearing that he should not receive so good an Answer as might in justice be expected For the better countenancing that businesse he intended to publish a Manifesto in his owne name but would not do it but by consent and advice of Parliament without which he conceived it would be a thing of no validity Which Manifesto was afterwards made by the full consent of both Houses and Sir THOMAS ROE a Member of the House and a Gentleman of great abilities was sent to the Emperour at Ratisbone about it but without any good successe At the same time the Queene Mother of France as was before desired by the Parliament was to take her leave of England The King consented to her departure but Money wanting for the Provision of her Journey the Parliament allotted ten thousand pounds to her out of the Poll-Money This great Lady had arrived in England almost three yeares before and so long been entertained by the King her Sonne in Law with great respect and an allowance answerable to support her State 100. l. per diem It was her mis-fortune how farre her crime I cannot tell that during her abode here the two Kingdomes of England and Scotland were imbroyled in great troubles which the People were apt to impute in some measure to her counsels knowing what power the Queene her Daughter had with the King Others taxed her not at all but looked upon other causes the same counsells which long before her arrivall had distempered England but the people made their judgement upon it from her actions or successes in other places But however it were the Queene was fearefull of the people here and had not long before desired to have a guard allowed her pretending feare of her life by reason of some attempts which she conceived made against her upon which a Guard was set about her house Her Regency in France had not beene happy nor according to the interest of that Kingdome though that perchance may be accounted a fault not so particular to her as commonly incident to the Regency of Queene Mothers in that Land In so much as THUANUS commends the saying of CHARLES the ninth a Prince whom otherwise he doth not praise upon his death bed That since he must dye at that age being foure and twenty he thanked God he had no Sonne least France should fall under a Regency of which he had found the sad effects His Mother was KATHERINE DE MEDICIS of the same Family with this Queene After the time of her Regency her actions had been such that the King her Sonne would not harbour her in his owne Kingdome nor was she welcome into the Territories of her Sonne in Law the King of Spaine But the people there were no lesse desirous of her departure then afterward in England Insomuch as she became a strange example of the instability of humane fortunes that so great a Queen and Mother to so many mighty Princes should want a quiet Harbour for her age Not long after her departure from England she died at Culleine and might seeme a parallel in some things to the same Empresse who founded that City and there planted a Roman Colony AGRIPINA wife to CLAUDIUS CESAR and Mother to NERO They both had tasted of power been active in it but not pleasing to the people They were both taught that the greatnesse of their Sonnes was not so much advantage to their Power as they had hoped and had learned that all power dependent upon another is of small validity and lesse stability as TACITUS observes speaking of the same AGRIPINA Nihil rerum mortalium tam instabile fluxum est quam fama potentiae non sua vi nixa About two Moneths before the departure of this Queene the Princesse MARY eldest daughter to the King not yet ten yeares of age was married with great triumph at White-Hall to the young Prince of Orange WILLIAM Bishop WRENNE being then Deane of the Kings Chappell performed the solemnity on Sunday the second of May 1641. The Marriage had been before debated of in Parliament and consented to The King himselfe upon the ninth of February having declared to the Lords what large Propositions the Ambassadours of the States had made to him upon that purpose The people in generall were pleased with this Marriage and glad the King had chosen out a Protestant Prince and servant to a State which had beene long confederate with England and whose interest carried them the same way Professors of the same Religion and in that kinde of Discipline to which the greatest part of Parliament and People were inclined and hoped though at that time it was not so fully declared as afterward to reforme the Church of England to as that of Scotland already was By this Match of the Kings owne chusing they began to hope that the Spanish Faction in Court was not now at all prevalent but that things might hereafter be carried according to the right English way In this hope they were the more confirmed seeing the Parliament go on without any opposition from the King no dissention having yet happened nor likely to happen as they conceived for that Conspiracy of bringing up the Army against the Parliament which we touched before was not yet discovered nor at all thought of though within few daies after it broke out But some there were who suspended their joy and were not much confident that this Marriage would bring happinesse to England unlesse the King were perfectly right with his People and wished the same thing they did considering at one side the condition of the Prince of Orange and that he might be ambitious of more then was due to him and for that reason ingage himselfe in a reciprocall way for the King against his People if occasion served On the other side they considered the States as Polititians of this world and men who had other interests then that of Religion and if dissention should in England happen betweene Prince and People which was never but feared in some degree might be apt to side with the King against the just freedome of the Subject which must needs depresse the strength of England and keepe it from so much greatnesse
insolent and menacing speeches against the Parliament it self It was therefore their humble desires that they might have a Guard out of the City commanded by the Earl of ESSEX Lord Chamberlain of his Majesties Houshold of whose fidelity to King and Common wealth no question was ever made Which Petition was denied by the King but with a solemn engagement of himself by the Word of a King that the security of all and every one of them from violence was and ever should be as much his care as the preservation of himself and his Children and if this generall assurance would not suffice to remove these apprehensions he would command such a Guard to waite upon them as he would be responsible for to Almighty God The next day after that the King had thus answered the Petition of the House being the fourth of Ianuary 1641 he gave unhappily a just occasion for all men to think that their fears and jealousies were not causelesse For upon that day the King came to the Parliament in Person attended with a great number of Gentlemen Souldiers and others armed with Swords and Pistols to the number of about three hundred who came up to the very door of the House of Commons and placed themselves there and in all passages neer unto it The King in Person entered the House of Commons and demanded five Members of that House to be delivered to him The manner of it was seating himself in the Speakers Chair he asked him whether those five Members were there or not The Speaker Mr. WILLIAM LENTHALL returned to his Majesty an humble and discreet answer That he had neither eyes to see nor tongue to answer any thing but what he was commanded by the House The names of those Members whom he demanded were Mr. DENZILL HOLLIS second Sonne to the Earl of Clare Sir ARTHUR HASLERIG Mr. PYM Mr. HAMDEN and Mr. STRODE All Gentlemen of great esteem and reputation in the House Two of them Mr. HOLLIS and Mr. STRODE having before suffered many years of sharp and harsh imprisonment from the King after the dissolution of that Parliament in the fourth year of his Reign for matters done in Parliament contrary to the Priviledges of that High Court The King had the day before by his Attourny Generall Sir EDWARD HERBERT a Member also of the House of Commons demanded the deliverance of those five forementioned Gentlemen and sent a Sergeant at Armes to apprehend them pretending that he meant to charge them and together with them the Lord MANDEVILE eldest son to the Earl of MANCHESTER a Member of the House of Lords with Articles of high Treason and other misdemeanors which Articles were to this purpose 1 That they had endeavoured to subvert the Government to deprive the King of his legall power and to place on Subjects an arbitrary and tyrannical power 2 That they had endeavoured by foule aspersions upon his Majesties Government to alienate the affections of his people from him 3 That they endeavoured to draw His late Army from His Obedience to side with them in traiterous Designes 4 That they trayterously invited and encouraged a forraign power to invade His Majesties kingdom of England 5 That they trayterously endeavoured to subvert the very Rights and Beeings of Parliament 6 That they have endeavoured by force and terror to compell the Parliament to joyne with them in their trayterous designes and to that end have actually raised and countenanced tumults against the King and Parliament 7 That they have trayterously conspired to Leavy and actually have Leavyed Warre against the King But the House of Commons hearing this demand to prevent such further breaches of Parliament Priviledges as might ensue upon the same day ordered upon the Questâ—on That if any persons should come to the lodgings of any Member of that House and there offer to seale their Trunkes or Doors or to seize upon their Persons That then such Members should require the aâ—de of the Constable to keep such persons in safe custody â—â—ll the House did give further Order And they further declared That if any Person should offer to arrest or dâ—tain the Person of any Member of that House without firsâ— aâ—â—uainting the House therewith and receiving further order from thence that it should be lawfull for such a Member or any Person in his assistance to stand upon his and their guard of defence and to make resistance according to the Protestation taken to defend the Priviledges of Parliaments These things had passed the day before that the King had so entered into the House of Commons His Majesty finding that those five Members were not there for they by consent of the House upon some informations of what would happen had absented themselves from the Speakers Chair where he â—ate made a Speech to the House wherein he told them That he was very sorry for that occasion but yet no King of England that ever was should be more carefull to maintain the Priviledges of Parliament then he would be that those five Members were dangerous men but he protested in the word of a King That he nevâ—r intended any force but to proceed against them in a legall and fair way But sithence he could not now do that which he came for he would trouble them no more but expected as soon as those five Members came to the House that the House would send them to him or else he would take his own course to find them But this great breach of Priviledges of Parliament was encreased by many circumstances For the day before being the third of Ianuary contrary to the forementioned order of the House of Commons the Chambers Studies and Trunks of those five Members by a Warrant from the King were sealed up Sir WILLIAM KILLIGREW and Sir WILLIAM FLEMEN with others being imployed in that service And within two dayes after upon the sixt of Ianuary a Proclamation was made by the King for the apprehending and imprisoning of those five Members wherein it was suggested that through the conscience of their own guilt they were absent and fled not willing to submit themselves to Justice Whereupon the House of Commons in vindication of their own Priviledges and those five Gentlemen published within a few dayes after a Declaration in which that Proclamation of the Kings entituled there A Printed Paper is declared to be false scandalous and illegall and that notwithstanding the said Printed Paper or any Warrant issued out or any other matter yet appearing against them or any of them they may and ought to attend the service of the said House of Commons and the severall Committees then on foot And that it was lawfull for all Persons to lodge harbour or converse with them or any of them and whosoever should be questioned for the same should be under the protection and Priviledge of Parliament The House of Commons further declared That the publishing of severall Articles purporting a form of a Charge of high Treason against
Traitors came not out till the beginning of January though that Rebellion broke out in October and then by special Command from Vs but fourty Copies were appointed to be printed It is well known where we were at that time when that Rebellion broke forth in Scotland that we immediately from thence recommended the care of that businesse to both Houses of Parliament here after We had provided for all fitting Supplies from our Kingdom of Scotland that after Our return hither We observed all those Forms for that service which We were advised to by Our Councel of Ireland or both Houses of Parliament here and if no Proclamation issued out sooner of which for the present We are not certain but think that others before that time were issued by Our directions it was because the Lords Iustices of that Kingdom desired them no sooner and when they did the number they disired was but twenty which they advised might be signed by Vs which We for expedition of the service commanded to be printed a circumstance not desired by them thereupon We signed more of them then Our Iustices desired all which was very well known to some Members of one or both Houses of Parliament who have the more to answer if they forbore to expresse it at the passing of this Declaration and if they did expresse it We have the greater reason to complain that so envious an aspersion should be cast upon Vs to Our People when they knew well how to answer their own Objection This was the Kings Answer to that point of the Parliaments Declaration concerning Ireland But the House of Commons in another Declaration though long after charge the King upon the same particular with more circumstances of aggravation as That although the Rebels had most impudently styled themselves The Queens Army and professed that the cause of their rising was To maintain the King's Prerogative and the Queens Religion against the Puritan Parliament of England and thereupon both Houses of Parliament did humbly and earnestly advise His Majestie to wipe away this dangerous Scandal by proclaiming them Rebels and Traitors to His Majestie and the Crown of England which then would have mated and weakned the Conspirators in the beginning and have encouraged both the Parliaments here and good people there the more vigorously to have opposed their proceedings yet such was the power of evil counsel about him that no Proclamation was set forth to that purpose till almost three months after the breaking out of this Rebellion and then Command given that but fourty should be printed nor they published till further direction should be given by His Majestie But the businesse of Ireland was more particularly touched in subsequent Declarations which in their due time and place may hereafter be related That Proclamation against the Irish Rebels came not out above two days before the King entred the House of Commons as is before expressed by which act so great a disturbance was made and the relief of Ireland so much retarded It was likewise complained of to the King by the House of Commons within three weeks after that since the Ports by order of both Houses as is before mentioned had been stopped against all Irish Papists many of the chief Commanders then in the Head of the Rebels had been suffered to passe by His Majesties immediate Warrant Of which the King cleared himself in Answer to them that by examining his own memory and the notes of his Secretaries he could not finde himself guilty of granting any such Warrants CHAP. III The Queen passeth into Holland with her daughter the Princesse MARY Difference between the King and Parliament concerning the Militia The King goeth toward York and is followed with a Petition from the Lords and Commons to Theobalds and another Declaration to Newmarket The King is denied entrance into Hull by Sir JOHN HOTHAM IT was wonderful that nothing at all could advance or further this great and necessary work of reducing Ireland when so many courses were propounded and undertaken as about the middle of February both Houses of Parliament had found a way which they conceived to be most substantial and firm to carry on that War namely by adventuring for proportions of Land in Ireland there being by their account within the four Provinces of Vlster Connaught Munster and Leinster two millions and an half of Acres of Land forfeitable from the Rebels in those Provinces to be shared among those Adventurers in the City of London or other Counties thereabout that would bring in or subscribe such Sums of money as were thought fit and which were upon good and serious consideration set down in particular whereby if an happie Conquest were made upon those bloody Rebels a large recompence might be made to all those English who either in Person of Purse had contributed to so good a work The King was well contented with these Propositions offâ—ring withal to go himself in Person into Ireland but that was not thought sitting by the Parliament and so far it passed that an Act was made to that purpose enabling the Parliament with power to carry on that War until Ireland should be declared to be wholly subdued and that no Peace or Cessation of Arms should be at any time made with those Rebels unlesse both Houses of Parliament assented to it But while these things were acting other businesse wherein the safety and security of England was concerned fell into debate which was touching the Militia of the Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales to be setled in every County upon such persons as the Parliament should approve A Petition to this purpose was sent to the King presently after they had received a Message from him dated the twentieth of Ianuary wherein the King in fair language desires the Parliament since that particular Grievances and Distractions were too many and would be too tedious to be presented by themselves that they would comprise and digest them into one entire Body that so His Majestie and themselves might be able to make the more clear Iudgement of them and that it should then appear by what His Majestie would do how for he hath been from intending or designing any of those things which the too-great fears and jealousies of some persons seem to apprehend and how ready he would be to equal or exceed the greatest examples of most indulgent Princes in their Acts of Grace and Favour to the People This Message was received with thanks by the Parliament who resolved to take it into speedie and serious consideration But to enable them with security to discharge their duties in those affairs they desired the King to raise up to them a sure ground of safety and confidence by putting in the mean time the Tower with other principal Forts and the whole Militia of the Kingdom into the hands of such persons as the Parliament might trust and should be recommended to him by both Houses This Petition of theirs was not well
grant those demands and to make himself of a King of England a Duke of Venice The several Answers that the King made and Arguments that he used to each several branch of those Propositions are too large to be here inserted and may be read by those that would be further informed in the printed Book of Parliament-Declarations and Ordinances CHAP. V. An Order for the bringing in of Plate and Money into Guild-hall The King's Declaration to the Lords about him Their Profession and Protestation to him The King layeth Siege to Hull but raiseth it again The Earl of Warwick taketh possession of the Navie as Lord Admiral The Earl of Essex is voted in Parliament to be Lord General of all their Forces ON the tenth day of Iune following an Order was made by both Houses of Parliament for bringing in of Money and Plate to maintain Horse Horse-men and Arms for Preservation of the Publike Peace and defence of the King's Person for that the Parliament in their expressions always joyned together with their own safety and both Houses of Parliament Wherein it was expressed that whosoever should bring in any Money or Plate or furnish any Horse-men and Arms for that purpose should have their Money repayed with Interest according to eight in the hundred for which both Houses of Parliament did engage the Publike Faith Four Treasurers were ordained whose Acquittances for the receipt of any Sum should be a sufficient ground to the Lenders to demand their Money and Plate again with the Interest belonging thereunto The Treasurers were Sir JOHN WOLLASTON Knight and Alderman of London Alderman TOWES Alderman WARNER and Alderman ANDREWES Commissaries also were appointed to value the Horse and Arms which should be furnished for that service It was desired in that Order that all men resident in or about London or within 80 miles would bring in their money Plate or Horse within a fortnight after notice and they that dwell farther off within three weeks and that those who intended to contribute within the time limited but were not for the present provided of money or Horse should subscribe that it might be soon known what provision would be for effecting of that great and important Service And in conclusion it was declared that whatsoever was brought in should be imployed to no other purposes but those before mentioned the maintenance of the Protestant Religion the King's Person dignity and authority the Laws of the Land the Peace of the Kingdom and Priviledges of Parliament Whilest this Order was drawing up advertisement by Letters was given to the Parliament that the Crown-Jewels were pawned at Amsteldam and other places of the Netherlands upon which money was taken up and Warlike Ammunition provided in those Parts as Battering-pieces Culverins Field-pieces Morter-pieces Granadoes with great store of powder pistols carabines great saddles and such like Whereby the Parliament thought they could not otherwise judge then that the King did plainly intend a War against them and had designed it long before They received intelligence at the same time that the King had sent a Commission of Array into Leicestershire directed to the Earl of Huntington the Earl of Devonshire and Mr HENRY HASTINGS second son to the Earl of Huntington for the Lord HASTINGS eldest son to that Earl did then adhere to the Parliament which three were chief in the Commission but many other Knights and Gentlemen of that County were named in it Together with this Commission of Array the King sent a Letter also containing the reasons of it wherein he complaineth that the Parliament by their Ordinance for the Militia would devest him of that power which is properly inherent in his Crown And for the occasion and reason of that Commission he urgeth a Declaration of their own using their very expressions and words in his Letter that whereas it hath been declared by Votes of both Houses of Parliament the fifteenth of March last that the Kingdom hath of late been and still is in evident and imminent danger both from enemies abroad and a Popish disconted party at home he concludes that for the safeguard both of his own Person and People there is an urgent and inevitable necessity of putting his people into a posture of defence c. Thus did the Parliaments Prologue to their Ordinance of Militia serve the King's turn for his Commission of Array totidem verbis The copie of which Commission and Letter coming into the hands of the Parliament it was resolved upon the Question by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament that this Commission of Array for Leicester is against Law and against the Liberty and Property of the Subject and resolved again upon the Question within two days after That all those that are actours in putting the Commission of Array in execution shall be esteemed as disturbers of the Kingdoms Peace and betrayers of the Liberty of the Subject It was also ordered by both Houses that this Commission of Array and the forementioned Votes should be forthwith printed and published thorow the Kingdom The King was not wanting to his own designe in the mean time and whatsoever might give countenance to the businesse he had in hand but made a short Declaration to the Lords who then attended him at York and others his Privie Councel there in these words We do declare that We will require no obedience from you but what is warranted by the known Laws as We expect that you shall not yeeld to any Commands not legally grounded or imposed by any other We will defend all you and all such as shall refuse any such Commands whether they proceed from Votes and Orders of both Houses or any other way from all danger whatsoever We will defend the true Protestant Religion established by the Laws the lawful Liberties of the Subjects of England and just Priviledges of all the three Estates of Parliament and shall require no further obedience from you then as We accordingly shall perform the same We will not as is falsely pretended engage you in any War against the Parliament except it be for Our necessary defence against such as do insolently invade or attempt against Vs and Our Adherents Upon this Declaration of the King those Lords and others of his Councel made a Promise to him and subscribed it with their hands as followeth We do engage our selves not to obey any Orders or Commands whatsoever not warranted by the known Laws of the Land We engage our selves to defend Your Majesties Person Crown and Dignity with Your just and legal Prerogative against all Persons and Power whatsoever We will defend the true Protestant Religion established by the Law of the land the lawful Liberties of the Subjects of England and just Priviledges of Your Majestie and both Houses of Parliament Lastly we engage our selves not to obey any Rule Order or Ordinance whatsoever concerning any Militia that hath not the Royal Assent Subscribed by L. Keeper D. of Richmond Ma. Hertford E.
of State and Government and Hull is the place which must now bear the first brunt of his armed indignation The King with an Army of three thousand foot and one thousand horse was removed from York to Beverley a Town distant from Hull six miles and intending to besiege Hull by Land expecting also that Sir JOHN PENINGTON with some of his ships should stop the passages and cut of provisions from relieving the Town by Sea though that expectation were made frustrate by the Earl of Warwick his seizing on the Navie Royal proclaimed that none on pain of death should convey any provision or relief thither He disposed many men in cutting of Trenches to divert the current of fresh water that ran to Hull and sent two hundred horse into Lincolnshire under the command of the Lord WILLOUGHBY son to the Earl of Lindsey and Sir THOMAS GLENHAM to stop all relief of it from Burton upon Humber Sir JOHN HOTHAM perceiving the King's intentions and endeavours and knowing him to be in person within an hour and halfs march of the Town having first sent three Messengers one after another with humble Petitions to him who were all laid fast by the King and not suffered to return called a Councel of War in which it was debated Whether or not they should permit the enemies to march neer the Town with their Ordnance holding them play from off the Walls and Out-works until the Tide came to its hight and then draw up the Sluce and let them swim for their lives But a more merciful advice prevailed which was for prevention of so many deaths to draw up the Sluce presently having the advantage of a Spring-tide and drown all the Countrey about Hull But Sir JOHN HOTHAM before it was done gave the inhabitants and owners of land thereabout sufficient and timely notice to remove their Cattel and all their goods and assured them which was ratified by the Parliament upon the Publike Faith that whatsoever damage they received thereby should be repaired by the authority of Parliament out of the estates of those persons who had been most active and assistant to the King in that designe Sir JOHN by Letters informed the Parliament in what condition the Town was desiring onely so it might speedily be done a supply of Money and Victuals with five hundred men Upon which by command of Parliament Drums were beat up in London and other adjacent places for Souldiers to be sent to Hull by Sea The Earl of Warwick was desired by the Houses to send two of the King's ships from the Downs to Hull to do as Sir JOHN HOTHAM should direct for his best assistance And Sir JOHN MELDRUM a Scotish Gentleman an expert and brave Commander was appointed to assist Sir JOHN in that service The King's Army were not confident to carry the Town by plain force making their approaches with great difficulty and disadvantage and those for the most part in the night-time when undiscovered they burnt two Mills about the Town they therefore had recourse to subtilty and knowing some within the Walls sit for their purpose a Plot was therefore laid to fire the town in four places which whilst the souldiers and inhabitants were busie in quenching two thousand of the King's Army should assault the walls The signe to those within the town when to fire those places was when they discerned a fire on Beverley-Minster this should be assurance to them within the town that they without were ready for the assault But this treason had no successe being discovered by one of the instruments and confessed to Sir JOHN HOTHAM Many particular services were done both by Land and Water by Barks and Boats upon the River Humber The towns men of Hull were so far provoked by this treacherous designe of their enemies and so much animated against them that they all entered into Pay and now the Walls could not contain them but five hundred of the town conducted by Sir JOHN MELDRUM issued out about the end of Iuly upon their besiegers who seeing their approach prepared couragiously to receive and encounter them but they were but a small part of the King's Forces which were resolute to fight the other part which consisted of the Trained Bands of that Countrey were not forward to be engaged against their neighbours the King's Horse and most resolute assistants seeing themselves deserted by the Foot retired as fast as they could to Beverley but Sir JOHN MELDRUM pursued them slew two and took thirty prisoners in the pursuit And not long after when the supplies from London arrived at Hull Sir JOHN MELDRUM with a greater Force made so fierce a sally upon his enemies as caused most of the Leaguer to retire disorderly one and twenty of them being slain and fifteen taken prisoners Sir JOHN MELDRUM following the advantage of his successe with a swift motion arrived suddenly at a Leaguer-town called Aulby between three and four miles from Hull where the King's magazine was kept in a Barn in which was a great quantity of Ammunition Powder and Fire-bals and certain Engineers employed there for making of Fire-works Sir JOHN suddenly set upon it in the night drove away the Guard who consisted most of Trained Bands and other York-shire men bearing no great affection to the War and therefore ran more speedily away leaving their Arms behinde them mu of the Ammunition and other Arms they took away with them fired the Barn the Powder and Fire-works and what else they could not carry with them and returned safely again into Hull The King calling a Councel of War and considering the ill successe of his proceedings and the preciousnesse of that time which he consumed there by their advice resolved to break up his siege before Hull and march away the chief men about him laying the fault of this failing upon the unskilfulnesse of the Countrey Captains and cowardice of the Trained Bands The King probably might have sped better if Sir JOHN PENINGTON could have brought part of the Navie to his assistance but that was seized by the Earl of Warwick of which it will be now time to speak more particularly The Earl of Warwick had in former times been so great a lover of the Sea-service and so well experienced in those affairs being besides a man of Courage of Religious life and known Fidelity to his Country that among all the Noble-men at this time he was esteemed by the Parliament in this important businesse of setling their Militia by Land and Sea the fittest man to take Command of the Navie as Lord Admiral According to that an Ordinance of both Houses was drawn up to confer the Office on him The King had given the employment to Sir JOHN PENINGTON a man who had long been Vice-Admiral and a successeful Commander and had written his Letters to the Earl of Warwick with a strict Command to quit the Place The Earl of Warwick was in a great straight between two such high Commands being
them an Answer part of which was in this manner This just and faithful resolution of theirs to the publike good the Lords and Commons do not onely approve but commend assuring them that as their endeavours have been for the Peace and Happinesse of the King and Kingdom so they will persist in discharge of the great and publike Trust which lies upon them to go thorow all difficulties which may oppose the publike Peace and Welfare of this Kingdom and will upon all occasions be ready to expresse particularly to those persons that respect which is due to persons from whom they have received so great assurance of affection and fidelity In Kent there was cheerful obedience without any open opposition shewed to the Ordinance of the Militia as it appeared by their Petition and Proclamation and more by their real and constant actions True it is that some Gentlemen of that County were not much affected to the Parliaments Cause who did accordingly frame a displeasing Petition to the Houses and brought it up to London accompanied with many Gentlemen of that County but the Parliament having notice of it sent Officers and disarmed those Gentlemen who brought the Petition before they passed over London-bridge and the two which presented it to the House of Commons Sir WILLIAM BUTLER and M. RICHARD LOVELACE were both committed Those in Kent who favoured the King's party and Commission of Array were not a number considerable enough to bring that County into any combustion the Gentlemen which adhered to the Parliament used so great a care and industry in setling the Militia in disarming those few but great Papists among them in raising Arms and taxing themselves at high rates for the serâ—vice of the Parliament that they not onely preserved their own County in quiet but gave great assistance to the Parliament-Armies in other places as will appear in the sequel of this Story The Eastern end of Sussex it being a long and narrow County lying for many miles upon the Sea stood firm to the Parliament and were very industrious in setling of the Militia by which means they were so happie as to preserve themselves in peace and quâ—eâ—nesse But the Western part of that County by means of many revolted Members of the Parliament inhabitants there together with their Allies and friends was at the first in some distraction though it continued not very long Surrey and Middlesex by fortune of their situation could not but side with and by consequence be protected by the Parliament The Eastern Counties Suffolk Norfolk and Cambridgeshire once the Kingdom of the East-Angles were happily kept from the beginning without any great combustion though it were certain that many of the chief Gentry in those Counties bended in their affections to the King's Commission of Array but they were not a part strong enough to engage their Countries in a War For the Free holders and Yeomen in general adhered to the Parliament and those Gentlemen who attempted to raise men or draw Forces together or provide Arms for the King were soon curbed and all their endeavours crushed at the beginning by those of the other side especially by the great wisdom and indefatigable industry of Master OLIVER CRUMWEL a Member of the House of Commons who had taken a Commission for Colonel of Horse from the Parliament of whose particular actions there will be high occasion to discourse hereafter The County of Southampton began at the first to be divided and continued so being long and variously perplexed with the changing fortunes of either side Colonel GORING eldest son to the Lord GORING who had been the yeer before a means to detect that Conspiracie of bringing the Northern Army against the Parliament of which already hath been spoken and by that grown into some Trust with the Parliament of which he was a Member was sent down to Portsmouth to keep that place for them and three thousand pounds allowed him for the charges of Fortification He receiving that money from the Parliament broke his Trust and kept the Place for the King against them with what successe shall hereafter be declared But immediately after his revolt the Earl of Portland Governour of the Isle of Wight a man suspected by the Parliament was committed to custody in London for security of his person lest he should comply with Colonel GORING and command that Island for the King's party The Government of Wight was then committed to the Earl of Pâ—mbrook a man of whose fidelity the Parliament doubted not Though the Southern and Eastern parts of England enjoyed some shew of rest the Counties more remote from London toward the North and West could not at all partake of that happinesse In Lancashire the Lord STRANGE son to the Earl of Derby who was made Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire and Cheshire by the King seeking to put the Commission of Array in execution found great resistance from the Parliamentary Gentlemen Sir THOMAS STANLEY Master HOLLAND Master HOLCRAFT Master EGERTON Master BOOTH as also Master ASHTON and Master MOOR both Members of the House of Commons by whom within the space of few months he was quite driven out of the County and that Shire wholly ruled by the Parliament though it abounded more with Papists then any other The Lord STRANGE upon the fifteenth day of Iuly had made an attempt to gain Manchester and by those Gentlemen was repulsed where one man was slain which was the first blood shed in these Civil Wars But this Lord was not at all fortunate in service against the Parliament who not long after returned again with a great Force consisting of three thousand men to the Town of Manchester where after he had sharply besieged it for the space of two whole weeks he was at last quite beaten with the losse of many of his men In Cheshire also the other County of which he was made Lieutenant by the King his fortune was no better where he was resisted by Sir WILLIAM BRERETON and other Gentlemen and hindered from seizing the Magazine of that County as he intended Nor could the Earl of Rivers whom the King had put into the Commission of Array being a Papist assist him sufficiently to make good that County for the King but that the Papists were all disarmed there by those Protestant Gentlemen that adhered to the Parliament Further North the Countries were more full of variance The Earl of Newcastle with a strong Garison kept for the King the Town of Newcastle And the Earl of Cumberland made Lord-Lieutenant of York-shire by the King was active in putting the Commission of Array in execution but resisted they were by the Lord FAIRFAX and others of the Parliamentary Gentlemen But this businesse of the North shall now be passed over deserving a larger Story hereafter when time shall require to speak of the Earl of Newcastle's greatnesse and the various fortunes of the Lord FAIRFAX and his son Sir THOMAS FAIRFAX In Derbyshire where many great Lords
in the Reare in the left wing were about 20. Troops of Horse commanded by Sir JAMES RAMSEY their Commissary Generall In this posture they stood when the other Army advanced toward them the strength of their Horse being as aforesaid on their right wing opposite to the left wing of the Parliament Army The Canon on both sides with a loud thunder began the Fight in which the successe was not equall the Parliaments Canon doing great execution upon their Enemies but theirs very little The Earle of Lindsey Generall for the King with a Pike in his hand led on the maine Body of that Army in which was the Kings owne Regiment incountred by the Lord Generall Essex who exposed himselfe to all the danger that a Battell could make first leading on his Troope then his owne Regiment of Foot and breathing courage into them till being disswaded by divers from ingaging himselfe too farre he returned to the rest of the Army to draw them on The chiefe Regiments having begun the Battell Sir PHILIP STAPLETON with a brave Troope of Gentlemen which were the Generals Life Guard and commanded by him charged the Kings Regiment on their right flanke within their Pikes and came off without any great hurt though those Pikemen stoutly defended themselves and the Musqueteers being good firemen played fiercely upon them The Battell was hot at that place and so many of the Kings side slaine that the Parliament Army began to be victorious there they tooke the Standard Royall the bearer thereof Sir EDMUND VARNEY being slaine and the Generall the Earle of Lindsey sore wounded was taken Prisoner But the same fortune was not in every part for the Kings right wing led by Prince RUPERT charged fiercely upon the left wing of the other consisting most of Horse and prevailed altogether for the Parliament Troops ranne almost all away in that Wing and many of their Foot Companies dismayed with their flight fled all away before they had stood one Charge Colonell ESSEX being utterly forsaken by that whole Brigade which he commanded went himselfe into the Van where he performed excellent service both by direction and execution till at the last he was shot in the thigh of which he shortly after died some part of their disheartning was caused by the revolt of their owne side for Sir FAITHFULL FORTESCUE at the beginning of the Fight instead of charging the Enemy discharged his Pistoll to the ground and with his Troope wheeling about ranne to the Kings Army to whom he had formerly given notice thereof by his Cornet The Parliament Army had undoubtedly been ruined that day and an absolute Victory gained on the Kings side if Prince RUPERT and his pursuing Troops had been more temperate in plundering so untimely as they did and had wheeled about to assist their distressed friends in other parts of the Army for Prince RUPERT followed the chase to Keynton Towne where the Carriages of the Army were which they presently pillaged using great cruelty as was afterward related to the unarmed Waggoners and labouring men A great number of the flying Parliament Souldiers were slaine in that Chase which lasted two miles beyond Keynton and so far till the Pursuers were forced to retire having met with Colonell HAMBDEN who marched with the other Brigado of the Army that brought on the Artillery and Ammunition before spoken of Colonell HAMBDEN discharged five Peeces of Canon against them some were slaine and the rest ceasing the pursuit retired hastily to the field where they found all their Infantry excepting two Regiments quite defeated for in the meane time Sir WILLIAM BALFORE Lieutenant Generall of the Horse with a Regiment of Horse charged a Regiment of the Kings Foot before any Foot of his owne side could come up to him and breaking most bravely into it had cut most of them off and afterward by the assistance of some Foot who were come up to him he defeated another Regiment and so got up to the greatest part of the Kings Ordinance taking some of them cutting off the Geeres of the Horses that drew them and killing the Gunners but was inforced to leave them without any Guard by reason that he laboured most to make good the day against severall Regiments of the Kings Foot who still fought with much resolution especially that which was of the Kings Guard where his Standard was by which Sir WILLIAM BALFORES Regiment rode when they came back from taking the Ordnance and were by them mistaken for their owne side passing without any Hostility was the cause that immediately afterward Sir WILLIAM riding up toward the Lord Generall ESSEX his Regiment of Horse they gave fire upon Sir WILLIAM BALFORES men supposing them to be Enemies but soone discovering each other they joyned Companies and were led up with halfe the Lord Generals Regiment by his Excellency himselfe against the Kings maine strength where a terrible and bloody incounter happened At the same time Colonell BALLARD who led a Brigado there of the Lord Generals Regiment and the Lord BROOKS his forced a stand of the Kings Pikes and brooke thorow two of his Regiments In this great conflict the Standard Royall as aforesaid was taken and Sir EDMUND VARNEY slaine the Earle of Lindsey with his Sonne taken Prisoners together with Colonell VAVASOR Lieutenant Colonell of that Regiment Colonell MUNROE also was there slaine The Standard thus taken and put into the Lord Generals hand was by him delivered to his Secretary Master CHAMBERS but the Secretary after he had carried it some time in his hand suffered it to be taken from him by an unknowne person and so privately it was conveyed away There also was great service performed by the Lord GRAY Sonne to the Earle of Stamford and Sir ARTHUR HASLERIG and a considerable help given to the turning of the day by defeating a Regiment of the Kings called the blew Regiment By this time all the Kings Foot excepting two Regiments were dispersed and the Parliamentarians had gotten the advantage of the winde and that ground which their Enemies had fought upon Those two Regiments of the Kings retiring themselves and finding their Ordnance behind them without any guard tooke stand there and made use of their Canon discharging many shot against their Enemies But at that time the Parliament Foot began to want powder otherwise as was observed by a Commander in that Army they had charged them both with Horse and Foot which in all probability would have utterly ruined the Kings Infantry consisting in a manner but of two Regiments Thus the Parliament Army partly for want of Ammunition and partly being tired with so long a fight for the whole brunt of the Battell had been susteyned by two Regiments of their Horse and foure or five of their Foot made no great haste to charge any more The Kings Horse who had been long pillaging about Keynton by this time had leisure to come about on both hands and joyne themselves to their Foot but as
Forces I Having been informed that lately at a Councell of Warre you have condemned to death Robert Yeomans late Sheriffe of Bristoll who hath His Majesties Commission for raising a Regiment for his Service William Yeomans his brothers George Bourchier and Edward Dacres all for expressing their Loyalty to His Majesty and indeavouring his Service according to their Allegiance and that you intend to proceed speedily against divers others in the like manner Do therefore signifie to you that I intend speedily to put Master George Master Stevens Captaine Huntley and others taken in Rebellion against His Majesty at Cicester into the same condition I do further advise you that if you offer by that unjust Iudgement to execute any of them you have so condemned that those here in custody Master George Master Stevens and Captaine Huntley must expect no favour or mercy Given under my hand at Oxford this 16. of May. 1643. To the Commander in FORTH Chiefe of the Councell of Warre in Bristoll The Answer to this Letter was as followeth NATHANIEL FIENNES Governour and the Councell of War in the City of Bristoll HAving received a Writing from your Lordship wherein it is declared that upon information of our late proceedings against Robert Yeomans William Yeomans and others you intend speedily to put Master George Master Stevens Captaine Huntley and others into the same condition We care well assured that neither your Lordship nor any other mortall man can put them into the same condition for whether they live or dye they will alwaies be accounted true and honest men faithfull to their King and Country and such as in a faire and open way have alwaies prosecuted that Cause which in their judgement guided by the judgement of the highest Court they held the justest whereas the Conspirators of this City must both in life and death carry perpetually with them the brand of Treachery and Conspiracy And if Robert Yeomans had made use of his Commission in an open way he should be put into no worse condition then others in the like kinde had been but the Law of nature among all men and the law of Armes among Souldiers make a difference betweene open Enemies and secret Spyes and Conspirators And if you shall not make the like distinction we do signifie unto you that we will not onely proceed to the execution of the persons already condemned but also of divers others of the Conspirators unto whom we had some thoughts of extending mercy And do further advertise you that if by any inhumane and un-Souldier-like sentence you shall proceed to the execution of the persons by you named or any other of our friends in your custody that have been taken in a faire and open way of War then Sir Walter Pye Sir William Crofts and Colonell Connebey with divers others taken in open Rebellion and actuall War against the King and Kingdom whom we have here in custody must expect no favour or mercy And by Gods blessing upon our most just Cause we have powers enough for our friends security without taking in any that have gotten out of our reach and power although divers of yours of no mean quality and condition have bin released by us Given under our hand the 18 of May 1643. To patrick Earle of Forth Lord Lieut. Generall Nathaniel Fiennes President Clement Walker c. The King also at that time writ a very sharpe command to the Mayor and Citizens of Bristoll to raise what power they could to hinder the execution of those men which he termes the murder of his loyall Subjects But nothing availed to save their lives for the forenamed ROBERT YEOMANS and GEORGE BOURCHIER according to the sentence were both executed The losse of Bristoll from the Parliament a place of great import was thus by the detection and prevention of this Conspiracy respited for a while onely For not long after it was surrendred to Prince RUPERT and happier it was for the Prince himselfe to gaine that City in a more honourable way and lesse effusion of English blood At the same time that these Conspirators against Bristoll were by sentence of a Councell of Warre put to death another Plot of higher nature and more full of horrour was detected at London a Plot which if not discovered had quite ruined the Parliament it selfe and strooke at the very head and chiefe residence of it the Cities of London and Westminster which cannot be omitted in this Relation though with as much brevity as can be possible it shall be touched The scope of it was to have put in execution the Commission of Array within London and Westminster and so to have raised a sufficient force for the Kings side to ruine the Parliament Many Citizens of London were in the Plot together with some Gentlemen besides who had taken an Oath of secrecy among themselves and were the more animated in it upon promises which Master WALLER the chiefe man in eminence among them a Member of the House of Commons had made to some of the rest that many Members of both Houses of Parliament were ingaged in the Plot and would in due time be assistants to it Though it proved in conclusion that Master WALLER was not able to make good so much as he had promised The Plot was horrid and could not possibly have been put in execution without great effusion of blood as must needs appeare by the particular branches of it which were confessed upon the Examinations of Master WALLER Master TOMKINS Master CHALLENOR Master HASELL Master BLINKHORNE Master WHITE and others the chiefe Actors in it That which appeared by the Narrative Declaration published by Authority of Parliament was to this effect That 1. They should seize into their custody the Kings Children 2. To seize upon severall Members of both Houses of Parliament upon the Lord Mayor of London and the Committee of the Militia there under pretence of bringing them to legall tryall 3. To seize upon all the Cities out-Works and Forts upon the Tower of London and all the Magazines Gates and other places of importance in the City 4. To let in the Kings Forces to surprize the City with their assistance and to destroy all those who should by Authority of Parliament be their opposers and by force of Armes to resist all payments imposed by the Authority of both Houses for support of those Armies imployed in their defence Many other particulars there were too tedious to relate at large as what signals should have been given to the Kings Forces of Horse to invade the City what Colours for difference those of the Plot should weare to be knowne to their fellowes and such like Much heartened they were in this businesse by a Commission of Array sent from Oxford at that time from the King to them and brought secretly to London by a Lady the Lady AUBIGNY Daughter to the Earle of Suffolke a Widow ever since the Battell of Keynton where the Lord AUBIGNY her husband was
the Lord WILMOT totally routed and forced into Bristoll The Lord Generall intending at the first report of this newes to have marched himselfe for relieving of the West upon more particular information that Sir WILLIAM WALLERS Forces were so farre broken that no assistance at all could be given by them was inforced to desist from that enterprize considering also that his owne Army was shrunke through the continuall increase of violent sicknesse want of pay clothing and other necessaries to a most unconsiderable number he resolved to proceed no further nor to ingage that weake Army to the ruine of it selfe and danger of the Kingdome especially since the Forces of the Associated Counties could not with safety be commanded so farre from home He therefore returned toward London quartering that poore remainder of an Army at Kingston upon Thames and other places neere adjacent In this distressed condition I must a while leave that great Generall untill some few weekes time shall recruit his power and enable him to make that famous and honourable expedition to the reliefe of Gloucester So great at this time were the successes which in all parts crowned the Kings Armies that they seemed to possesse an absolute Victory and the Parliament in probability quite ruined on one side the Lord Generals Army mouldered away by long sicknesse and other wants the long successefull Sir WILLIAM WALLER quite broken in the West and about the same time the Lord FAIRFAX and his Sonne Sir THOMAS FAIRFAX though reserved by divine Providence for a transcendent height of honour in the future with all the Gentlemen almost which served the Parliament in those Northerne parts being defeated by the Earle of Newcastle and the Lord FAIRFAX with his Sonne driven into the Towne of Hull On the other side the Kings Armies were full and strong Sir RALPH HOPTON whom for his valour and industry the King had honoured with the Title of a Baron was possessed of a gallant Army in the West and seemed to want nothing so much as a considerable Enemy the Kings other Forces were free to chuse what stage they pleased to act their parts upon Prince RUPERT was sent to besiege Bristoll where Colonell NATHANIEL FIENNES second Sonne to the Viscount SAY was Governour which City in this low ebbe of the Parliament could not long hold out but was soone delivered â—o the Prince a place of as much concernment as any in the Kingdome Prince MAURICE with another Army came to besiege the City of Excester into which the Earle of Stamford was retreated after his defeat at Stretton in Cornwall a Nobleman who had long strugled with various successe and in sharpe encounters against Sir RALPH HOPTON and other Commanders of the Kings side in those Westerne Counties ruined at last by the treacherous revolt of some who had taken the same cause with him at the first This City was likewise after a long siege for want of supplies delivered upon Articles to the Prince that besieged it But the great cloud which not onely overshadowed the Parliament in the North but threatned to powre out stormes upon parts farre remote was the Earle of Newcastle with his mighty Army who was growne formidable to the Associated Counties and many other places of the Kingdome His Army was at that time the greatest of any in England which he maintained in brave equipage by large Contributions inforced from the Country and seemed of strength enough not onely to master any opposition of English Forces but to serve as a Bulwarke against the greatest Army which the Kingdome of Scotland could be able to send in aid of the English Parliament For the Parliament had then sent into Scotland for the brotherly assistance of that Kingdom and agreed upon entring into a Covenant with them for defence of Religion and the common Liberty of both Nations It pleased the Divine Providence whose workings are many times beyond the reach of humane conjectures that this strong Army before the entrance of the Scots found an Enemy in England worthy of their feare and were by the personall valour and successefull conduct of Sir THOMAS FAIRFAX who seemed lately in a low condition so farre broken together with other defeats given to parts of it sent abroad that the passage for the Scots into England was much facilitated as shall hereafter appeare in more particular But it is worthy consideration and therefore cannot but deserve a mention with what unwearied constancy and wondrous magnanimity the two FAIRFAXES Father and Sonne did labour to preserve those Northerne parts for the Parliament especially observing what great Enemies they dealt withall how many unexpected disadvantages happened to them and accessions of power to their Foes at severall times which though it cannot be here related with full circumstances or particulars yet may be touched in a generall way The Lord FAIRFAX ever since that there was any appearance of this unhappy Warre and that the Kings Commission of Array began to justle with the Parliaments Ordinance of Militia had been very industrious in raising strength and joyned himselfe most unanimously in that cause with Sir JOHN HOTHAM and his Sonne Master JOHN HOTHAM a Member also of the House of Commons and a Gentleman not onely active but prosperous whilest he continued faithfull to that side which he had chosen And since the Warre broke out into action the Lord FAIRFAX either singly by himselfe or some times joyned with Master HOTHAM had taken and fortified many Townes and Forts for the Parliament and made many sharpe and fierce encounters against potent Enemies The Earle of Cumberland who was first made Lord Lieutenant of Yorkeshire by the King was not able to suppresse them nor scarce maintaine the Warre against that power which they had raised Maugre whose Forces they tooke and fortified Cawood Castle and the Towne of Selby in the Moneth of October 1642. and surprised presently after the Towne of Leedes where part of the Earles Forces were quartered of whom they tooke divers Prisoners Knights and Gentlemen of good quality one of which was Sir GEORGE DETHERICK together with his whole Troope The Earle of Cumberland himselfe within few daies after was driven into the City of Yorke and there besieged and summoned by the Lord FAIRFAX and Master HOTHAM which happened about the same time that the famous Battell between the King and the Lord Generall Essex was fought at Keynton But the Earle of Newcastle with a greater force entred into Yorke whilest the Lord FAIRFAX and Captaine HOTHAM lay not farre off who notwithstanding his great strength when he marched out of Yorke was encountered by them at Tadcaster upon the 7. of December the Fight or severall Skirmishes continuing about five houres in which the Parliament Forces did so well take their advantages that they slew as was reported to the Parliament 200 of the Earles men with the losse of eight Souldiers of their owne of whom Captaine LISTER was one whose death was much lamented in the
Franciscus Haraeus compiled Annals of the bloody and fierce Warres in the Netherlands when some of those Provinces fell from the obedience of Philip the second King of Spaine Which businesse he relates in such a way as must in probability lead a Reader to believe that the King and his Officers were altogether innocent and the people of those Countries the only causers of their own Calamity Meteranus wrote the History of those very times which who so reads must needs make a contrary censure concerning the occasion of that Warre The like discrepancy hath been found in Historians of all ages and Nations and therefore not to be much wondred at if it now happen But that which of all other is most likely to be differently related because informations will not agree in such a distance is concerning the actions of Warre and Souldiery and in the time of this Warre it is a thing of extreme difficulty I might say of impossibility for those of one Party to be truly informed of all the Councels or the very Performances and Actions of Commanders and Souldiers on the other side How much valour the English Nation on both sides have been guilty of in this unnaturall Warre the World must needs know in the generall fame But for particulars how much Worth Vertue and Courage some particular Lords Gentlemen and others have shewed unlesse both sides do write will never perfectly be known My residence hath bin during these Wars in the quarters and under the protection of the Parliament and whatsoever is briefly related of the Souldiery being toward the end of this Book is according to that light which I discerned there For whatsoever I have missed concerning the other Party I can make no other Apology then such as Meteranus whom I named before doth in the Preface to his History De Belguis tumultibus Whose words are thus Quòd plura de Reformatorum patriae defensorum quà m de Partis adversaere bus gestis exposuerìm mirum haudquaquam est quoniam plus Commercii familiaritatis mihi cum ipsis major indagandi opportunitas furt Si Pars adversaidem tali probitate praestiterit ediderit Posteritas gesta omnia legere liquido cognoscere magno cum fructu poterit In like manner may I averre that if in this discourse more particulars are set down concerning the actions of those men who defended the Parliament then of them that warred against it it was because my conversation gave me more light on that side to whom as I have indeavoured to give no more then what is due so I have cast no blemishes on the other nor bestowed any more characters then what the truth of Story must require If those that write on the other side will use the same candour there is no feare but that posterity may receive a full information concerning the unhappy distractions of these Kingdoms This I must adde that to inform the world of the right nature causes and growth of these Distractions it will require that the Discourse begin from precedent times which I shall indeavour to deduce down to the present with as much brevity as the necessity of unfolding truth can possibly admit Neither is it needful to begin the Story from times of any great distance or to mention the Government of our most ancient Princes but from that Prince fresh in the memory of some yet living who first established the Reformed Religion in this Kingdome and according to that 〈◊〉 a new interest in the State which was most behoofefull and requisite for her Successors to follow and much conducing besides the glory of Almighty God to their own Honour Power and Greatnesse THE CONTENTS BOOK I. CHAP. I. WHerein is a short mention of Queene Elizabeth King James and the beginning of King Charles his Reign His two first Parliaments Of the War with Spaine and France The death of the Duke of Buckingham And the third Parliament of King Charles 1 CHAP. II. A briefe Relation of some grievances of the Kingdome The various opinions of men concerning the present Government The condition of the Court and Clergy of England Some observations of a stranger concerning the Religion of the English people 15 CHAP. III. The condition of the Scottish State and Clergy when the new Booke of Lyturgy was sent unto them how it was received with some effects which followed The Kings Proclamation sent by the Earle of Traquare against which the Lords make a Protestation 27 CHAP. IV. The Scots enter into a Covenant The Marquesse Hamilton is sent thither from the King A Nationall Synod is granted to them but dissolved within few daies by the Marquesse as Commissioner from the King The King declares against the Covenanters and raises an Army to subdue them 38 CHAP. V. The 〈◊〉 of the English People from this Warre with Scotland 〈◊〉 King advanceth to Yorke with his Army The prepaâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 the Scottish Covenanters A Pacification is made and 〈◊〉 Armies disbanded Another Preparation for Warre with â—â—â—â—land A Parliament called to begin in England on the 13 of 〈◊〉 The Parliament of Scotland is broken off by command of 〈◊〉 to the Earle of Traquare 46 CHAP. VI. The Parliament beginneth in England but is soone dissolved The Clergy continue their Convocation The Scots enter into England Some passages of the War A Parliament is called to begin on the third of November A Truce between the Armies for two Moneths 58 CHAP. VII The beginning of the English Parliament Grievances examined Sufferers relieved Delinquents questioned The Archbishop of Canterbury committed to the Tower The flight of Secretary WINDEBANKE and of the Lord Keeper FINCH 70 CHAP. VIII The Tryall and death of the Earle of Strafford Conspiracies detected during the agitation of it An Act for continuance of this present Parliament With a mention of that Grant of the Trienniall Parliament in February before 87 CHAP. IX Allowance of money from the English Parliament to the Scots The vast Charge of disbanding the two Armies The great Taxations for that purpose and the manner of Poll Money The people take a Protestation An Act for putting down the High Commission Court and Starre-Chamber with other occurrences of that time The Queene Mother departeth England The King goeth into Scotland 103 BOOK II. CHAP. I. A Standing Committee during the Recesse of both Houses of Parliament The Rebellion of the Irish and Massacre of the â—testants there Some indeavours of the English Parliament 〈◊〉 relief of that Kingdom 1 CHAP. II. The King returneth out of Scotland and is pompoushly entertained by the City of London The Remonstrance is published by the Parliament The King entreth into the House of Commons The 〈◊〉 of the 12. Bishops and how it was censured by the Lords and Commons Divers unhappy obstructions of the relief of Ireland 16 CHAP. III. The Queen passeth into Holland with her Daughter the Princesse Mary Difference between the King and Parliament concerning the Militia The
concerning the Earle of Strafford and the Lords had voted him guilty of High Treason upon the â—iâ—teenth Article for leavying of money in Ireland by force of Armes and upon the nineteenth for imposing an Oath upon the Subjects in Ireland That they should not protest against any of the Kings Commands The King at last wearied with these complaints called a Privy Councell at White-Hall where he spent a great part of the day calling also the Judges to deliver their opinions before him concerning the Earle of Strafford and sent for foure Bishops to resolve him upon scruple of conscience After which he granted a Commission to the Earle of Arundell the Lord Privy Seale and the two Lord Chamberlaines to signe that Bill for the execution of the Earle of Strafford three daies after being Wednesday the 12. of May 1641. which was accordingly done upon the Scaffold on Tower Hill This was the unfortunate end of that Earle of Strafford whose character and actions have beene in some manner before described Of whom we may truly say That as his life and Councells had been of great moment and concernment in the State before so did his death and Tryall by unhappy accidents prove to be The divisions and disturbances which his life could make were not greater then those that his death occasioned APPIANUS observes of SYLLA the Dictator That as his living power had rob'd the Romane Senate of their freedome so did his very Funerall Where so many of his old Souldiers and Hacsters followed the solemnity that the Senators who were present durst not with freedome expresse their thoughts of him but were inforced to flatter him dead as well as living How farre the Earle of Strafford did in his life time divide the Kings affections from his People and Parliaments which was part of his Charge I cannot surely tell But certaine it is That his Tryall and death which has made me insist the longer upon it did make such a division in that kinde as being unhappily nourished by degrees afterward has almost ruined the three Kingdomes The length of his Tryall whilest two Armies at an heavy expence were to be paid and other businesse at a great stand did divide some impatient people at least in some degree from the Parliament The manner of his condemnation divided the Parliament in it selfe and the eager pressing of his death did discover or cause a sad division of the King from his Parliament Nine and fifty Members of the House of Commons dissented in Vote from the rest upon the Bill of Attainder Upon which some indiscreet persons for so I must needs esteeme them though it was never knowne who they were or by whose notice it was done the next day set up a paper upon the Exchange with the names of those nine and fifty and a Title over it The names of those men who to save a Traytor would betray their Country They that were thus posted up supposing it to be done or caused by some of their House were much provoked at it many of them growing by degrees dis-affected to the Parliament not all for there were among those dissenting Gentlemen very wise and learned men and upon that unhappy distraction that fell out about a yeere after forsooke the Parliament Upon the same Bill of Attainder the Lord DIGBY made his foresaid Speech which by a Command from the House for he had printed it was to be burnt by the Hangman which was the visible cause of his deserting the Parliament and proving so great an Actor against it as shall hereafter be declared The worst consequence of all was that the Kings heart did upon this occasion appeare to be quite alienated from the Parliament For to prevent the Earle of Straffords death an escape for him out of the Tower was contrived To further which and to curbe the Parliament in other things by force of Armes a great conspiracy was entred into by many Gentlemen of ranke and quality The designe of this conspiracy had many Branches as shall appeare in the Narration The persons of chiefest note in it were Master HENRY PERCY brother to the Earle of Northumberland Master HENRY JERMIN the great Favourite of the Queene to whom he was Master of the horse Master GORING eldest Sonne to the Lord GORING Master WILMOT eldest Sonne to the Lord WILMOT Colonell ASHBURNHAM Captaine POLLARD Sir JOHN SUCKLING ONEALE an Irish man and a Papist with divers others of a more inferiour ranke such as were privy but to some part of the designe For it seemes their Counsells were divided and they not all guilty of the same things as by their severall Examinations upon Oath appeared But that which grieved the hearts of honest men and made them almost despaire of that happinesse which was before hoped for by this Parliament was That they discovered the King himself to be privy to this conspiracy against them which was plainly testified by Colonell Gorings examination as likewise by a Letter Written by Master PERCY to his Brother the Earle of Northumberland where he names the Kings discourses with him and the desire which the King had to joyne such as he thought fit with them The Conspirators had taken an Oath of secrecy among themselves The Report made in Parliament from Committees after the Examination of severall Gentlemen concerning this conspiracy discovered many branches of their designe One was concerning the Tower of London That Soulders should have been put into it For sir JOHN SUCâ—LING and some others of the Conspirators under pretence of raising Forces for the Portugall had gathered men in London who were to possesse themselves of the Tower The Lieutenant Sir WILLIAM BALFORE was commanded by the King himselfe to admit those Souldiers into the Tower But he perceiving that it was a Plot to let the Earle of Strafford escape disobeyed that Command of the Kings as appeared by his Examination In which is likewise specified that the Earle offered 2000. l. in Marriage with his daughter to the Laeutenants Sonne if he would consent to the Earles escape Another branch and that the chiefe of this designe was to bring up the English Army which was in the North as yet undisbanded and to engage it against the Parliament to awe the Houses in diverâ— things concerning the Kings Prerogative and maintaining Episcopacy as Master PERCY signified in the forementioned Letter To joyne with these Forces and strengthen the Plot a French Army was to be landed at Porismouth and that Towne for the same purpose was to be put into Master JERMINS hands The Irish Army consisting of eight thousand almost all Papists when the Earle of Strafford had escaped out of the Tower was to be brought over under his conduct and engaged in the same Service All these things were confessed upon severall Examinations The Parliament were most grieved to finde the King â—o â—arre in it and then re-called to minde how His Majesty on the 28. of Aprill before had told the Houses That
gone down to take possession of the Navie and therefore called a Councel of War acquainting them all both with the Ordinance of Parliament and the King's Letters But the Earl himself was swayed in conscience to give obedience rather to the Ordinance of Parliament and the reason of it himself gives in a Letter directed to a Lord of the House When I considered saith he the great care which I have seen in the Parliaments of this Kingdom for the good and safety both of King and Kingdom and every man's particular in them and that they are the great Councel by whose authority the Kings of England have ever spoken to their Subjects I was resolved to continue in this employment until I shall be revoked by that Authority that hath intrusted me with it Most of the Captains took up unanimously the same resolution that the Earl did excepting five which were the Râ—â—â—-Admiral Captain FOGGE Captain BAILY Captain Sâ—INGSBY and Captain WAKE who alleadged that they had the King's Command to obey Sir JOHN PENINGTON whom he had appointed Admiral in stead of the Earl of Northumberland These five had gotten together round to make defence against the Earl but he came to Archor about them and having begiâ—â— them summoned them again upon which three of them came in and submitted two onely Captain Sâ—INGSBY and Captain WAKE stood out The Earl let 〈◊〉 a Gun over them and turned up the Glasse upon them sending his Boat and most of the Boats in the 〈◊〉 to let them know their danger if they came not within that space But so peremptory was their answer that the Masters and Sailors grew impatient and although they had no Arms assaulted them seized upon those Captains being armed with their Pistols and swords strook their Yards and Top-masts and brought them to the Faâ—l Thus by the wonderful courage of these unarmed men the businesse was ended without eâ—â—usion of any blood when the Earl was ready to give fire upon them Within few days after another addition of strength was brought to the Earl of Warwick by an accident A great and strong ship of the King 's called The Lion putting to Sea from Holland and bound for Newcastle being much distressed with soul weather was driven into the Downs Captain FOXE who commanded that ship saluted the Earl of Warwick who presently acquainted the Captain with the Ordinance of Parliament whereby his Lordship had commanded of those ships requiring his submission thereunto The Captain at first refused to yeeld obedience to the Ordinance and thereupon was presently clapt in hold but all his Officers in the ship submitted themselves and strook their Sails and Top-yards in token of obedience to the said Ordinance This ship was very considerable carrying two and fourty great Pieces of brasse Ordnance besides a little Vessel laden with Gun-powder of a great value was taken also together with this ship The Earl was informed by some of her men that young Prince RUPERT and Prince MAURICE with divers other Commanders intended to have come from Holland in this ship the Lion But after three days and three nights storm at Sea those two Princes in a sick and weak condition landed again in Holland The King hearing of the surprisal of the Lion sent a Messenger to the Earl of Warwick to demand her again with all the goods therein and that she should be brought to Scarborough But the Earl returned an Answer to this effect that the Parliament had intrusted him with the Care of the Fleet and that that ship was a part thereof therefore he humbly besought his Majestie to pardon him for without their consent he might not part with her and that he knew of no goods within her belonging to his Majestie But leaving the Earl of Warwick to his Sea-employments it is time to return to those warlike Levies and Preparations which were made by Land for now the fatal time was come when those long and tedious Paper-conflicts of Declarations Petitions and Proclamations were turned into actual and bloody Wars and the Pens seconded by drawn swords On the twelfth of Iuly 1642 the Parliament voted that an Army should be raised for the safety of the King's Person and defence of the Parliament for so they called it desiring to joyn together what seemed to be at so great a distance and enmity The Earl of Essex was by a great and unanimous consent of both Houses chosen General of that Army and of all Forces raised for the Parliament with whom they protested to live and die in that Cause The Earl of Essex was a Gentleman of a noble and most untainted reputation of undoubted loyalty to his Country and Prince having always what course soever the Court steered served in an honourable way the right Interest of the English Nation and the Protestant Religion and to that end had formerly engaged himself in the Palatine War and service of the Netherland United Provinces insomuch as at this time when they sought a Lord to undertake the high charge of commanding in chief there seemed to be no choice at all but we may say of this Election as PATERCULUS did of another Non quaerendus erat quem eligerent sed eligendus qui eminebat The Parliament at that time were very able to raise Forces and arm them well by reason of the great masse of Money and Plate which to that purpose was heaped up in Guild-hall and daily increased by the free Contribution of those that were well-affected to the Parliament Cause where not onely the wealthiest Citizens and Gentlemen who were neer-dwellers brought in their large bags and goblets but the poorer sort like that widow in the Gospel presented their mites also insomuch that it was a common Jeer of men disaffected to the Cause to call it the Thimble and Bodk in-Army The Earl of Essex was very careful and industrious in raising of his Army in which he desired to have as great a Body of Horse as could conveniently be gotten by reason that he conceived his chief work was to seek out the King's Forces and prevent their spoiling of the Country and disarming several Counties to furnish themselves And indeed his Forces considering the long Peace of England and unreadinesse of Arms were not onely raised but well armed in a short time Many of the Lords who then sate in the House of Peers besides those Lords who went into divers Counties to settle the Militia and therefore raised Forces for safety of those several Places listed themselves in the Lord General 's Army and took Commissions as Colonels the Lord ROBERTS the Lord SAINT-JOHN eldest son to the Earl of Bullenbrook the Lord of Rochford eldest son to the Earl of Dover and many Gentlemen of the House of Commons of greatest tank and quality there took Commissions for Horse and Foot-service in that Army of whom these were some Sir JOHN MERRICK who was made Serjeant-Major-General of that Army the Lord GREY of Grooby son to the
they came back on the left hand of their Enemies Sir PHILIP STAPLETON with his Horse gave them a terrible Charge which they were not long able to indure but finding a gap in an hedge got from him upon the Spurre as fast as they could to the rest of their broken Troops and so at last joyned with their Foot that stood by the Ordinance And now on both sides the Horse were gathered to their own Foot and so stood together both Horse and Foot one against another till it was night The Parliament Army being wholly possessed of the ground which their Enemies had chosen to fight upon stood upon it all night and in the morning returned to a warmer place neere Keynton where they had quartered the night before for they were much pinched with cold and the whole Army in extreme want of Victuals The Kings Army had withdrawne to the top of the hill for their more security where they made great fires all the night long About nine of the clock the next morning the Parliament Army drew out againe into Battalia and so stood about three houres untill the other Army was quite gone from the hill and then they withdrew themselves into their Quarter towards Keynton and to their other Brigado Artillery and Ammunition which being commanded by Colonell HAMBDEN and Colonell GRANTHAM as aforesaid was now come to Keynton and lodged there The King had drawne out his Horse upon the further side of the hill where he stayed till toward night whilest his Foot were retiring behinde the Hill and marching away A little before night his Horse also withdrew themselves and about an houre after the Parliament Horse marched quite away and went with the rest of the Army to Warwick to refresh themselves That going to Warwick was thought by a noble Gentleman of the Parliament side to be ill designed For saith he had the Army instead of going to Warwick marched toward Banbury we should have found more Victuals and had in probability dispersed all the Foot of the Kings Army taken his Canons and Carriages and sent his Horse farther off whereas now because we did not follow them though they quitted the field whereon they fought and left their Quarter before us yet they began soone after to question who had the day Howsoever it were true it is that the King no lesse then the Parliament pretended to be victorious in that Battell and so farre ascribed the Victory to his owne side that a Prayer of thanksgiving to God was made at Oxford for it A thanksgiving was also on the Parliament side for the Victory of that day And it is certaine that there were many markes of Victory on both Armies Colours and Canon were taken on both sides without any great difference of the number of them And though in Speeches made afterwards by either Party and Bookes printed there is no consent at all concerning the number of men slain but so great a discrepancy as it is almost a shame to insert into an History yet surely by the best account there were more slaine on the Kings side then on the other Those of quality that were lost on both Parties were of the Kings the Earle of Lindsey Lord Generall of his Army the Lord AUBIGNY brother to the Duke of Lenox Sir EDWARD VARNEY Standard-Bearer Colonell Sir EDMUND MONROY a Scottish Gentleman and Colonell LUNSFORD his Brother with other Gentlemen and Commanders besides Common Souldiers whose number as is before said would not be agreed upon yet I have heard that the Country people thereabouts by burying of the naked bodies found the number to be about six thousand that fell on both sides besides those which died afterwards of their wounds There were taken Prisoners of the Kings side the Lord WILLOUGHBY Sonne and Heire to the Earle of Lindsey Colonell VAVASOR Colonell LUNSFORD Sir EDWARD STRADLING with others of lesse note a George the Badge of a Knight of the Garter was found in the field by a Common Souldier besides that which the Lord Generall Lindsey wore and had about his neck when he was slaine and bought of him by a Captaine which was sent up to the Parliament there viewed and restored againe to the Captaine On the Parliament side were slaine onely these of marke and quality the Lord St. JOHN eldest Sonne to the Earle of BULLENBROOKE Colonell CHARLES ESSEX and Lieutenant Colonell RAMSEY and none of any great note taken Prisoners The Battell was fought with great courage on both sides both by the Generals and other Commanders besides some particular Regiments of Souldiers who were observed to performe their parts with great courage and bravery such as Colonell HOLLIS his Regiment of Redcoats and others too many to be all named in a short Discourse It could not but fall into the observation of many men that the yeare before upon the same day of the Moneth namely the 23. of October that this famous Battell of Keynton was fought the bloody Rebellion of the Irish broke out with that inhumane Massacre of the English Protestants in that Kingdom where the English by their owne losse and bleeding were sadly put in minde that they had too long deferred the revenge of their butchered Brethren in Ireland It was likewise observed by many men of the Parliament side who seemed to make no question but that the Victory was on their side as a further blessing of God to the Protestant Cause that on the very same day that this Battell was wonne in England the Sweads obtained a very great and notable Victory against the Imperialists and those of the Roman Religion in Germany But the King supposing himselfe victorious at Keyntonâ—ield â—ield immediately published a Declaration To all his loving Subjects for so it is stiled after his Victory against the Rebels Wherein though the expostulation be very bitter yet he indeavoureth that it should not seeme to be made against the Parliament it selfe but against some of them whom he termeth malignant malicious with such like Epithites as have laboured to lay aspersions upon him of things whereof he professeth himselfe altogether innocent Those aspersions he makes of two sorts the first is concerning his favouring of Popery and imploying Papists in his Army the second of raising that Army against the Parliament Both which he labours to wipe off with a recrimination against the Parliament For the first after a great Protestation of the truth of his Religion and his past present and future care for the better establishing of it in his Dominions with the extirpation of Popery though he cannot but acknowledge that some eminent men of that Religion are armed in his Service which he thinks excusable in so gteat a necessity and danger as he was in yet he tells the Parliament That in their Army there are more Papists Commanders and others then in his For the second That he leavyed his Army against the Parliament He seemeth to hope That none of his good Subjects will beleeve
at this time highly intrusted by them for he was Governour of Scarborough a place of great importance He falsely betrayed his Trust and forsooke the Cause he had undertaken going to the Queene with 300. men Upon which he was impeached of High Treason by the Parliament but it was not his fortune to suffer for that offence as others did who about the same time failed in their Trusts The Towne of Scarborough was left in possession of a Parliament Captaine who was usually called Browne Bushell a man that some thought would have kept it to the Parliaments use he likewise revolted and delivered it to their Enemies Upon the landing of Generall KING and the Queene presently after a suspition began to arise by some circumstances that the two unfortunate HOTHAMS the father and the sonne were false to the Parliament Which by the strict observation of some vigilant men on that side was further discovered and began at last to be discoursed of with as little beliefe for a long time as CASSANDRAES Prophecies and when it came more plainly to appeare with as much not onely wonder but sorrow of honest men that so much unconstancy should be found The particulars of this discovery and how much the Parliament if not timely prevented had suffered by it there will be time hereafter to discourse of more at large But they were both accused to the Parliament seized upon at Hull and sent up to London where they long remained Prisoners in the Tower before the time of their Tryall and Execution Not all these disadvantages by the growth of Enemies and revolt of friends could dishearten the Lord FAIRFAX and his Sonne who still persisted with great courage and raising the Clubmen of the Country to piece up those small Forces which remained with them were able for a while to make considerable resistance and performe divers services against some parts of the Earle of Newcastles vast Army But one Victory was gained by Sir THOMAS FAIRFAX at Wakefield which may be termed rather miraculous then strange though I shall relate nothing save knowne truth such a Victory against so much odds and so many disadvantages as may serve to teach how much successe may possibly crowne bold attempts and justifie that old saying Audaces fortuna juvat The Lord FAIRFAX Generall of the Parliaments Forces in the North on the 20. of May gave Order for a Party to be drawne out from the Garrisons of Leedes Bradford Halifax and Howley They marched 1000. Foot three Companies of Dragoneers and eight Troops of Horse Sir THOMAS FAIRFAX commanded in Chiefe the Foot were commanded by Sir WILLIAM FAIRFAX and Serjeant Major Generall GIFFORD the Horse divided into two Bodies foure Troops whereof were commanded by Sir THOMAS FAIRFAX himselfe the other foure by Sir HENRY FOWLYS From Howley which was their rendâ—zvouze they marched away and by foure a clock in the morning came before Wakefield Those of the Towne were ready for them and sent out some of their Horse to encounter with theirs and Musqueteers to line some hedges even to the very Towne There were in Wakefield 3000. Foot and seven Troops of Horse besides Colonell LAMPTONS Regiment which came into the Towne after that the Parliaments Forces entred into it But at the first encounter the Parliaments Forces beat their Enemies Horse back and their Foot also drove those Musqueteers from the hedges even into the Towne which they assaulted in two places called Wrengate and Northgate After an houre and an halfe fighting recovered one of their Enemies Peeces and turned it upon them and withall entred the Town in both places at the same time When the Baracadoes were opened Sir THOMAS FAIRFAX with the Horse also fell into the Towne and cleered the street there was a cruell and fierce encounter in which place Colonell GORING was taken Prisoner by Lieutenant MATTHEW ALURED brother to Captaine JOHN ALURED a Member of the House of Commons yet in the Market place stood three Troops of Horse and Colonell LAMPTONS Regiment to whom Major Generall GIFFORD sent a Trumpet with proffer of Quarter if they would lay down their Arms. To which when they returned a scornfull Answer he fired a Peece of their owne Ordnance upon them and the Horse also falling in with great fury soone beat them out of the Towne and tooke all their Officers Prisoners They tooke withall 27. Colours of Foot three Cornets of Horse and about 1500. Common Souldiers They were likewise forced when they fled to leave behind them foure Peeces of Ordnance with Ammunition which the Parliament Forces carried away with them For when they had thus taken the Towne they found their number and strength too weake to keepe it and their Prisoners too And therefore they quitted the place and marched away with this brave booty This great Victory at Wakefield seemed according to the common saying like a lightening before death for not long after these Forces were quite broken by the Earle of Newcastle whose greatnesse overspread those Countries and was never incountered by any Enemy but in parts of his Army He had managed the whole businesse and attained his height of power by great skill and policy and now having no neere Enemy in the field was gone to besiege the Lord FAIRFAX in Hull which was by some talked of as an errour in him no lesse then besieging Gloucester soone after by the King was censured Such a continuall and sad Warre had the Northerne parts been forced to endure all the winter Nor was it their case alone scarce any County of England was free from it The whole West consisting of so many rich and flourishing Shires had been as sad a stage of civill Tragedies Many Armies and small Parties of either side too many for one History to describe at large or give particular due to the actions of every Gentleman had been ingaged without any intermission in those parts Of all Commanders there that sided with the King against the Parliament Sir RALPH HOPTON by his unwearied industry and great reputation among the people had raised himselfe to the most considerable height and continued the longest a Leader of Armies as the sequell of the Story will hereafter declare But his successes through the whole course of his Actions were very various and many ebbs and flowes were in his fortune The Marquesse HARTFORD though farre higher in Dignity and greater by power of his large Commission from the King of which before is spoken was not able to act so largely in the field as Sir RALPH did though he were seldome idle but busie about Townes and in small Parties They were both opposed in their beginnings not so much by any Noblemen or great Commanders imployed by the Parliaments Commissions as by private Gentlemen of those Counties the chiefe of which were Sir FRANCIS POPHAM and his Sons Master STRODE a Deputy Lieutenant there with others before named besides plaine Freeholders of the Country who seemed to understand their owne
Liberties and interest which they had in the Common-wealth Untill at the last the Earle of Stamford a stout Gentleman who had beene before imployed about Leicester against Master HASTINGS with a Commission from the Parliament as Generall of Some Counties was sent into the West The Earle of Stamford was by the Parliament made Lord Generall of all South-Wales and the foure next adjacent Counties as Glocester Worcester Hereford and Cheshire with power to raise Forces in all those Counties to appoint Officers and Commanders over them to traine and exercise the men and to fight with all that should oppose him The Lord GRAY Sonne and Heire to the Earle of Stamford was appointed to succeed his Father in his former Charge and made Lord Lieutenant of five Counties Leicester Nottingham Derby Rutland and Lincolne to continue the Warre against Master HASTINGS the Earle of Chesterfield and others who opposed the Parliament in those parts The Earle of Stamford at his first comming into the West was successefull against Sir RALPH HOPTON whom he raised from the siege of Plymouth but Sir RALPH HOPTON not long after by a stratagem of faining flight entrapped many of the Earles men conducted by a Lieutenant of his and gave an overthrow to the Parliament Forces betwixt whom and the Earle of Stamford upon the fifteenth of March 1642. a Truce was made for twenty daies The Earle after the expiration of that Truce againe taking the field with a competent Army was a while prosperous against Sir RALPH HOPTON but not long after overthrown by the revolt of young CHUDLEY Sonne to Sir JOHN CHUDLEY by whose assistance before those Parliament Forces had been victorious The Earle of Stamford was then inforced to betake himselfe to the City of Excester whither HOPTON and CHUDLEY followed him to lay siege to the place But Prince MAURICE was soone after sent thither to command in chiefe to whom at last as is before expressed it was upon faire Articles surrendred by the Earle of Stamford Notwithstanding so many misfortunes as had then fallen upon the Parliament side about the end of May 1643. they did not despaire of regaining the whole West by the active valour of Sir WILLIAM WALLER who about that time was very prosperous in those Counties and some parts of the Principality of Wales and whose name was growne to be a great terrour to his Enemies Of his actions and by what degrees he grew into esteeme and strength it will not be amisse to relate in a continued Series considering how great a Generall he became afterwards in these Warres and in what low Command he began He was a Gentleman of faire experience in Military affaires by former travels and services abroad of good judgement and great industry of which he gave many testimonies to the Kingdome Sir WILLIAM WALLER about the time of the Battell of Keynton received a Commission to be Colonell of Horse and moving that winter following as occasions of the present Warre required performed many exploits he tooke in Farnham Castle and passed Southward after that Portsmouth by his assistance had been taken from Colonell GORING and some other quick services at Winchester and in the Country thereabouts which he had performed joyning himselfe with Colonell BROWNE a Citizen of London who tooke up Armes at the beginning of this Civill Warre and continued till the very end in high Commands and reputation as high of whose actions more must be delivered in the sequell of this History Colonell HURREY and some others passing into the Westerne part of Sussex he layed siege to the City of Chichester in that City many Gentlemen of ranke and quality had fortified themselves and gathered together much Armes and Ammunition for service of the King against the Parliament About the middle of December appearing before Chichester he was there met with some Forces Troops of Horse and Dragoniers that came to his assistance from Kent and Sussex under the conduct of Colonell MORLEY a Member of the House of Commons a Gentleman of good ranke in Sussex and great activity in the Parliament Service and Sir MICHAEL LEâ—VESEY a Kentish Knight The Battery was placed by Sir WILLIAM at fit places and all things ordered with great skill but before the battery began to save effusion of blood Sir WILLIAM by the consent of all his Officers summoned the Town by a Trumpet with such Conditions offered which were judged too high by the besieged and therefore at first not accepted of yet after eight daies it was rendred to him upon no other Conditions then onely Quarter and faire usage The Prisoners which were taken there of note were immediately sent toward London to the Parliament who were Sir EDWARD FORD high Sheriffe of Sussex Sir JOHN MORLEY Colonell SHELLEY Master LEAUKNER Colonell LINDSEY Lieutenant Colonell PORTER Major DAWSON and Major GORDON with Doctor KING then Bishop of Chichester and many other Officers and Commanders in Armes to the number of 60. about 400. Dragoniers and almost as many Foot Souldiers In the March following his imployment was in the Westerne parts of England where he raised Forces The next in command under him who continued with him in almost all his actions was Sir ARTHUR HASLERIG another Member of the House of Commons serving as Knight for Leicestershire a man that in all Battels and Skirmishes gave great proofes of his prowesse and personall valour Sir WILLIAM WALLER having now raised a competent force and marching out of Bristoll on the nineteenth of March within two daies after approached Malmesbury Colonell HERBERT LUNSFORD a stout Gentleman and a good Souldier Brother to Sir THOMAS LUNSFORD that was taken at Keynton Battell was then Governour of Malmesbury who upon the first approach sent out seven Troops of Horse to begin an encounter with him but they were no waies able to indure the force of those Horse which Sir WILLIAM had drawne out against them but fled immediately some of them back into the Towne many of them conceiving that there was small safety in the Towne for them fled quite away Sir WILLIAM assaulted the Towne the same day but not prevailing then he lodged there all night preparing the next morning for another and more fierce assault But the besieged conceiving the place unteneble desired a Parley and yeelded upon Quarter He tooke at Malmesbury one Peece of Ordnance about three hundred Prisoners whereof Colonell LUNSFORD and Colonell COOKE were the chiefe with almost twenty Officers great and small good store of rich prize and Ammunition the Conquest was bloodlesse and very few slaine on either side Within few daies after he obtained a very considerable Victory neere to Gloucester against the Lord HERBERT of Ragland Sonne to the Earle of Worcester who with a great Army of Welchmen lay against that Towne which for the manner of it in briefe was thus Sir WILLIAM with his Forces comming neere to Cirencester made shew the better to conceale his purpose as if he intended to fall upon
that Towne but his designe was for Gloucester and had taken such provident care that the men in Gloucester had notice of his purpose and that with the help of his flat-bottomed Barges which thence were brought to him in the nature of Waggons usefull both by land and water he would transport his Forces over the River Severne beyond Gloucester and fall upon the Reare of the Lord HERBERTS Welch Forces when he was least feared or expected withall he gave notice to the Gloucester Forces to fall upon the Front of that Army as he would upon their Reare The Plot as it was wisely contrived was successefull in the event and tooke so good effect for him that when the Lord HERBERT was in skirmish with the Forces of Gloucester and confident to cut them all off being very few in comparison of his owne Sir WILLIAM with his Army neere Highâ—am their Quarter fell suddenly upon the Reare of the Lord HERBERTS men with such fury that they were all routed and would gladly have fled if they had knowne any way to escape There were slame of that Welch Army about 500. upon the place neere a thousand taken Prisoners with all their Armes and Ammunition the rest wholly dispersed and scattered the Lord HERBERT himselfe escaped by flight and got to Oxford Sir WILLIAM WALLER after this great Victory marched from thence to Tewkesbury at whose approach those of the Kings Souldiers that were Garrisoned there fled away and left it to him from whence marching further into the Country he surprized divers stragling Troopers of the other side with some Armes Pistols and Carbines together with sixteene thousand pound in Money and carried away his booty to Gloucester Within as short a distance of time he tooke Chepstow in Monmouthshire and seized upon divers of those that were Conspirators for the betraying of Bristoll of which Treason I have spoken before and who upon the discovery of it had fled from thence At that place he tooke a Ship called the Dragon of Bristoll and great store of wealth in her belonging to those who were his Enemies which he seized as a just booty and much to his advantage From Chepstow he marched with a swift pace to Monmouth the Towne upon composition was soone rendred to him from whence after he had put a Garison into it he marched to Vske and summoned the Country where divers Forces came in to him among others Sir WILLIAM MORGAN his Sonne of Tredegan brought him five hundred armed men and some Money where also Master HERBERT of Colebrooke raised a thousand men and seized on Abergaine for the Parliament Sir WILLIAM WALLER in this high carriere of his fortune was commanded back from the West by the Lord Generall Essex to come to the chiefe Army Which being soone understood among those of the Kings Army he was way-layed by Prince MAURICE The intention of Sir WILLIAM WALLER was to get to Gloucester with his Forces having therefore sent away his Ordnance and Baggage with his Foot to guard it over Wye to Aust himselfe with his Horse and Dragoones resolved to fall upon Prince MAURICE his Army and force a passage thorow which he did with great successe and small losse and as he marched afterward cut down all the Bridges behinde him whereby he hindred Prince MAURICE from marchimg after him This course if the Prince had taken before him Sir WILLIAM WALLER might have been kept in Wales to his great disadvantage But by that meanes of cutting down the Bridges Prince MAURICE his pursuit being hindered Sir WILLIAM WALLER by assistance of the Governour MASSEY regained many Townes possessed by the Kings Forces especially Tewkesbury Sir MATTHEW CAREW being fled from thence But there he tooke many Prisoners much Armes and Riches he placed a Garrison there and from thence according to his first designe arrived safe at the City of Gloucester Sir WILLIAM WALLER continued not long at Gloucester but being now dispenced with for returning to the Lord Generall according to his usuall celerity he flew to Hereford before any feare or expectation of his comming He tooke that Towne upon Quarter and in it many Prisoners of great ranke and quality among whom was the Lord SCUDMORE with five revolted Members of the House of Commons viz. The Lord SCUDMORES Sonne Colonell HERBERT PRICE Sir RICHARD CAVE Lieutenant Colonell CONISBY Master CONISBY and besides them Sir WALTER PYE Sir WILLIAM CROFTS Lieutenant Colonell THOMAS PRICE Serjeant Major MINTRIDGE Sir SAMUEL AMBY Serjeant Major DALTON Captaine SOMERSET Captaine SCLATER Doctor ROGERS Doctor GOODWIN Doctor EVANS and divers others who were all carried away to Gloucester Within three daies after that service he surprised the Towne of Leinster in that County twelve miles distant from Hereford where he tooke good prize disarmed many of the Kings Party there and placed a Garrison in the Towne It was feared at that time by those of the Kings side that Sir WILLIAM WALLER going on in so prosperous a way might perchance surprize Worcester and Ludlow To prevent therefore his further proceedings Prince MAURICE with a good strength of Horse was sent from Oxford with whom also the Marquesse of Hartford was joyned to fall upon him But Sir WILLIAM scowring the Countries thereabouts with his active Forces and having disarmed many of the other side in Wilts and Somersetshire came to Bath with an Army much increased of late both in number and reputation at which place Sir EDWARD HUNGERFORD Sir JOHN HORNER and Master STRODE joyned with him to oppose Prince MAURICE and the Marquesse Hartford About that part of the Country were frequent and fierce encounters which lasted for a long time and many retreats with great skill and courage were made on both sides when night parted the fury of their sights But Sir WILLIAM WALLER proved for the most part victorious whose particular actions there deserve a more peculiar relation and at last became Master of the field chasing his Enemies so farre as a Towne called the Devizes to which place he followed and besieged them The losses in all those severall encounters were very uncertaine and variously reported by reason that both Parties had many times liberty to bury their dead but on the Parliament side were lost one Major one Lieutenant and two Cornets Sir ARTHUR HASLERIG was there wounded but the danger was not very great On the other side besides the uncertaine number of Common Souldiers some of quality were slaine among whom was Sir BEVILE GREENVILE Lieutenant Colonell WARD Major LOWRE with five or six Captains Sir RALPH HOPTON the Earle of Carnarvan and the Lord MOHUN were reported to be wounded Sir RALPH HOPTON was besieged in the Devizes by Sir WILLIAM WALLER and began to treat about the surrender of it for Prince MAURICE and the Marquesse of Hartford were retired toward Oxford where suddenly the fortune of warre changed and Sir WILLIAM VVALLERS Army by an unexpected party of fresh Forces which came from Oxford for the Lord Generall