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
children murthered many of them with exquisite and unheard of tortures within the space of one month That which increased the amazement of most men was The consideration that the ancient hatred which the Irish a thing incident to conquer'd Nations had borne to the English did now seeme to be quite buried and forgotten forty years of peace had compacted those two Nations into one body and cemented them together by all conjunctures of alliance intermarriages and consanguinity which was in outward appearance strengthned by frequent entertainments and all kinds of friendly neighbourhood There seemed in many places a mutuall transmigration as was observed by a noble Gentleman whose place in that Kingdom gave him means to know it out of whose faithfull relation of that Rebellion and Massacre I have partly collected my discourse of it into each others manners Many English strangely degenerating into the Irish manners customers and many Irish especially of the better sort having taken up the English language apparel and decency of living in their private houses The present Government was full of lenity and moderation and some redresse of former grievances had then been newly granted by the King to his Irish subjects The same Gentleman in his History of the Irish Rebellion where the Reader may more fully enforme himself of particulars affirms that he could never hear of any one Englishman that received any certain notice of this conspiracy till that very evening before which it was to be put in execution Some intimations had been given by Sir WILLIAM COLE in a Letter to the Lords Justices Sir WILLIAM PARSONS and Sir JOHN BURLACE with the rest of the Councell concerning dangerous resorts and meetings of some persons who were judged fit instruments for such a mischief This horrid plot contrived with so much secrecy was to take effect upon the 23 of October The Castle of Dublin the chief strength of that Kingdome and principall Magazine of the Kings Armes and Ammunition where all those Armes which were taken from the late disbanded Irish Army and others which the Earl of Strafford had provided were deposited was to be seized by nine of the clock that day by the Rebels to which purpose many of the Irish Gentry of great quality were the night before come to Dublin to be in readinesse for the performing of that exploit It was further agreed among those conspirators that upon the same day all other his Majesties Forts and Magazines of Armes and Ammunition in that Kingdom should be surprized and all Protestants and English that would not joyn with them should be cut off But it pleased God to prevent the seisure of that Castle and so to save the Kingdom from being wholly lost in one day and that by a means strange and unexpected HUGH MAC MAHON Esquire grand-son to the famous Rebel TYRONE a Gentleman of a plentifull fortune in the county of Monagan and one that had served in Armes under the King of Spain as Leiutenant Colonel a principal Agent in this Rebellion and coming with others as aforesaid into Dublin the day before that great Designe was to be put in execution being the 22 of October admitted into his company at a Tavern in that City one OWEN CONALLY of Irish extract but a protestant and servant to Sir JOHN CLOTWORTHY a Member of the English Parliament To this OWEN he revealed so much as they were drinking that the honest man escaping from him though not without great danger to himself at the present informed the Lord Justice PARSONS that night about nine of the clock of a dangerous Designe upon the whole Kingdom which being taken into present consideration MAC MAHON was apprehended and after his examination the Lord MAQUIRE also another principal actor who were both committed to close custody and the Castle secured with all diligence But many conspirators of great note escaped that night out of Dublin as BIRNE MORE PLUNKET and others The Lords of the Counsel amazed at the discovery of so horrid a Treason did notwithstanding endeavour since there was no prevention for MAC MAHON had plainly told them when he was examined that by that time all the counties of Ireland were risen to use the best remedies to that desperate disease and hoping that perchance the news how the plot for seizing of Dublin castle was disappointed might somewhat dishearten the conspirators in remote parts and encourage the good Subjects with more confidence to stand upon their guard issued forth a Proclamation presently and by carefull messengers spread it into as many parts of the Kingdom as they could The effect of which proclamation was to signifie the discovery of the Treason and exhort all men to their duty in suppressing of it But the generall Designe was past prevention and that very day came in some poor English protestants and others in a short time every day and almost every hour shewing how they had been robbed their houses surprised by the Rebels whose outrage daily increased in rapine and murdering and fireing Towns and Villages in divers counties To oppose therefore the growth of that desperate malady the Lord Justices dispatching Letters to the King in Scotland and the Earle of Leicester lately made Lieutenant of Ireland by the King and yet resident at London of their lamentable condition examined with all diligence how they were provided for such a War They found in Dublin Stores Armes for ten thousand with Artillery Powder Match and Lead proportionable laid in by the late Earle of Strafford though designed by him another way yet reserved by Gods providence for this service But the Officers and souldiers of the old standing army were so much dispersed into remote places of the Kingdom for the guard of other Forts that there was scarse any possibility of drawing a considerable company together to defend Dublin or make head against the Rebels in the North. The greatest mischeif to the State and advantage to the Rebels was That there was no Money in the Exchequer besides the Kings Revenues and Rents of English Gentlemen due for that halfe year were either in Tenants or Collectors hands in the country and must unadvoidablly fall into the Rebels power so that although their disease were present the only means of cure was remote which was a dependence upon some supplies from the Parliament of England Upon the very day designed for surprisall of the Castle at Dublin the 23 of October the Northren Rebels broke out in the Province of Vlster and in few dayes got possession of so many Towns Forts and Gentlemens Houses within the counties of that Province as might seeme almost incredible if we consider only the cheif actors men of no great skill in Martiall affairs or any policy such as Sir PHELIM ONEALE and his Brother with the rest and not rather which indeed was the true reason the generall engagements of the Irish and their deep dissimulation concurring with the great credulity of the English upon the causes
the Lord MANDEVILL and the forenamed five Members by Sir WILLIAM KILLIGREW Sir WILLIAM FLEMEN and others in the Innes of Court and else where in the Kings name was an high breach of the priviledge of Parliament a great scandall to his Majesty and his Government a seditious act manifestly tending to the subversion of the Peace of the Kingdome and an injury and dishonour to the said Members there being no legall charge or accusation against them Whereas there is mention made in the late recited words of this Declaration concerning the Innes of Court we cannot omit that about the same time so unhappy a Genius of division reigned among all sorts there wanted not some men dis-affected to the Parliament who went up and down perswading the young Gentlemen of the Innes of Court to make offer of their service to the King as a guard of defence if any danger threatned his Person Upon which divers of those young Gentlemen to ingratiate themselves repaired to the Court and were kindly received by the King and Queen The Parliament at that time further declared That the Priviledges of Parliament and the Liberties of the Subject so violated and broken could not be fully and sufficiently vindicated unlesse his Majesty would be pâ—eased to discover the names of those persons who advised his Majesty to issue out such Warrants for sealing of the Chambers and Studies of the said five Members to send a Sergeant at Armes to the house of Commons to demand those members to issue out Warrants for their apprehension to come thither himself in Person to publish Articles in the forme of a Proclamation against the said Members in the fore-declared manner to the end that all such persons who advised him to these actions might receive condigne punishment According to this the Houses humbly desired his Majesty that he would so far satisfie their just and legall request as to let them know those informers for the Law in two severall Statutes provides that satisfaction that if in time of Parliament the King accuse a Member of the same of what crime soever he ought to signifie to the Parliament who were the informers but the King refused to do it Upon which the House of Commons examined his Atturny General Sir EDWARD HERBERT who had preferred the aforesaid Articles he confessed nothing to them concerning any other Person or informer but only that he received the Command from the King himself and knew nothing further of it The same the King testified concerning his said Attourny in a Letter to the Lord Keeper wherein he justifieth the Atturny his action as being no otherwise then the duty of a servant required But the Parliament made another judgement of it as namely that Sir EDWARD HERBERT had broken the Priviledge of Parliament in preferring the said Articles and done an illegal act upon which he was committed to prison These actions of the King did exceedingly afflict all honest Protestants especially at such a time when the affairs of bleeding Ireland did so much and so speedily require the assistance of England which must needs by these unhappy distractions be retarded and the totall losse of the Protestant Cause there much endangered But the City of London was not the least sensible of it who in a deep and sorrowfull apprehension of this designe Petitioned the King with an expression of all the fears and dangers which they conceived themselves in at that time The things which they enumerate in their Petition are That his Majesty had put out a Person of Honor and Trust from being Lieutenant of the Tower That he had lately fortified White-hall with men and munition in an unusuall manner Some of which men had abused with provoking language and with drawn swords wounded divers unarmed Citizens passing by To explain this branch of their Petition the Reader must be informed That the King the very next day after he had entred the House of Commons as aforesaid went in his Coach into the City of London whither he had heard that those five Members had retired themselves and was every where humbly entreated by the Citizens in flocks about his Coach That he would be pleased to agree with his Parliament and not infringe the Priviledge thereof The King perceiving which way the affections of the City went returned again to White-hall where he staid about a week after During which time by what advice or to what intention I cannot tell he built there a little Court of Guard and entertained some Gentlemen and others who as the Petition declares gave those affronts to divers Citizens that passed by They complain likewise in the Petition of the late endeavours used to the Innes of Court the calling in divers Canoniers and other assistants into the Tower the late discovery of divers Fire-works in the hands of a Papist But most of all say they our feares are encreased by your Majesties late going into the House of Commons attended with a great number of armed men besides your ordinary Guard for apprehending divers Members of that House to the endangering of your sacred Person and of the Persons and Priviledges of that Honorable Assembly The effects of all which fears tend not only to the overthrow of the whole trade of this City and Kingdom which your Petitioners already feel in a deep measure but also to the utter ruine of the Protestant Religion and the Lives and Liberties of all your loyall Subjects The Petitioners therefore most humbly pray your sacred Majesty that by the advice of your great Councell in Parliament the Protestants in Ireland may be speedily relieved the Tower put into the hands of Persons of Trust that by removall of doubtfull and unknown Persons from about White-hall and Westminster a known and approved Guard may be appointed for the safety of your Majesty and Parliament and that the Lord MANDEVILL and the five Members of the House of Commons lately accused may not be restrained of Liberty or proceeded against otherwise then according to the Priviledges of Parliament The King though he conceived this Petition as himself expressed of an unusuall nature yet willing to give content to the City returned a Gracious Answer to their particulars That for Ireland he conceived he had expressed as much care on his part as possibly he could and would not faâ—l for the future What he had done concerning the Tower had been to satisfie their fearâ— before in displacing one or good Trust and putting in another of unquestionable Reputation and what preparation of strength soever he made there was with as great an eye of safety and advantage to the City as to his own Person For his Guard entertained at White-hall he alleadged the disorderly and tumultuous conflux of people to Westminster to the danger of his Royall Person not punished at all by course of Law and if any Citizens were wounded he was assured it happened by their own ill demeanours that he knew no other endeavours to the Innes of
the Lord Generall Essex with as great an Army were then abroad to attend his Marches The Parliament it selfe tooke the businesse into their strict care For both Houses conceiving that the City was in imminent danger of the Kings Forces ordered That the Trayned Bands thereof should be speedily raised for a Guard That such Fortifications as could suddenly be made should not be wanting That a Committee should be appointed to consider of the present setting up Courts of Guard and raising Works for planting of Ordnance in speciall places about the City and Suburbs According to which Order many hundreds of men fell presently to worke in digging of Trenches and other Bulwarks It was Ordered likewise That the Trayned Bands of London Middlesex and Surrey should be put into a readinesse And that the close Committee by help of the Lord Mayor should with all diligence search out and secure the persons of all the ill-affected Citizens or the chiefe of them that were suspected to be most able or active to raise a Party against the Parliament Twelve Companies of London were by Order of Parliament sent to Windsor to possesse and secure that Castle and many Seamen raised to guard the passages of the River Thames The Parliament about that time considering how much these Civill distractions increased over the whole Kingdome passed a Vote That it was and should be lawfull for all Counties in England to enter into an Association for mutuall defence of each other of their Religion Lawes and Liberties Whereupon within a short time after Buckingham Hartford and Nottinghamshire began to associate after that manner raised Forces for the Parliament and advanced both Plate and Money upon their Propositions The danger that seemed to threaten London at that time though distant in place yet in reason was neer For the Kings Army was judged to be neerer to it then the Lord Generals was and it was probable enough that his desires would rather lead him to attempt the City then to ingage against the Army and it was thought and spoken by some that London was a place where he had many friends who upon the approach of such an Army would appeare for him and to facilitate his atchievements would fill the City with intestine tumults and seditions That London was the onely place where the Parliament was to be totally suppressed and his Army inriched to the height of their desires But others were of opinion that such an attempt as it was preposterous would prove frustrate and that the City could not be gained unlesse the Army were first subdued For besides the consideration that the supposed Party for the King in London were not in probability of power enough to accomplish his ends it might be thought they were not so desperately inclined to him as to throw themselves and estates into such hazard as must be undergone in the confused rage of a licentious Army The maine reason against it was That the Lord Generall Essex with an Army as strong as the Kings would follow his March neere at hand and by the help of those Forces which the City of London would power forth upon him utterly ruine his inclosed Army But howsoever the counsels were it pleased God that it was brought to a Battell to which probably the King might be the more invited by that advantage of the absence of a great part of the Parliaments Army This famous Battell called by some the Battell of Edgehill by others the Battell of Keynton that Keynton is a little Towne in Warwickshire almost in the mid way betweene Stratford upon Avon and Banbury was fought on a Sunday being the 23. day of October The King on Saturday the 22. of October came within six miles of Keynton and that night at Cropredy and Edgecot lodged his great Army consisting of about 14000. Foot and about 4000. Horse and Dragoneers a farre greater number then the Lord Generall Essex had together at that time though his whole Army consisted of more for that opportunity the King tooke of the absence of many Regiments of the Parliament The Lord Generall Essex on that Saturday night quartered at Keynton with his Army consisting then but of 12. Regiments and about 40. Troops of Horse little in all exceeding the number of 10000. men the reason why his Forces at that time were no more in number was besides that by reason of the suddennesse of his march and diligence to follow the Kings Army he had left behinde two Regiments of his Foot one under the Command of Colonell HAMDEN the other of Colonell GRANTHAM together with 11. Troops of Horse behinde but one daies March and left to bring on the Artillery which was seven Peeces of Canon with great store of Ammunition and came not to Keynton till the Battell was quite ended the Lord Generall also had before left for preservation of the Countries thereabout and whom on such a sudden he could not call together to his Assistance one Regiment of Foot and two Troops of Horse under command of the Earle of Stamford at Hereford that the power of Wales might not fall into Glocestershire another Regiment was left at Worcester another at Coventry for the safety of that Towne and one Regiment occasionally lodged then in Banbury In Keynton the Lord Generall intended to rest Sunday to expect the residue of his Forces and Artillery but in the morning the Enemy was discovered not far off which made him give present order for drawing that Army which he had there into the field the Kings Forces had gotten the advantage of a very high and steepe ascent called Edgehill from whence they were discovered that morning not farre from the foot of that hill was a broad Champion called The vale of the red Horse a name suitable to the colour which that day was to bestow upon it for there happened the greatest part of the encounter Into that field the Lord Generall was forced presently to march making a stand about halfe a mile distant from the foot of Edgehill where he drew his Army into Battalia and saw the Kings Forces descending the Hill ready for their incounter that Army at the first having two advantages of the hill and of the winde it was full of skilfull Commanders and well ordered their greatest Body of Horse was on the right wing on the left were some Horse and Dragoneers The Parliament Army was drawne up and put into Battalia upon a little rising ground in the forenamed Vale the Foot being many of them a good space behind the Horse when the Charge began Three Regiments of Horse were on the right wing the Lord Generals owne Regiment commanded by Sir PHILIP STAPLETON Sir WILLIAM BAâ—FORES Regiment who was Lieutenant Generall of the Horse and the Lord FIELDINGS Regiment which stood behinde the other two in the way of a Reserve Sir JOHN MELDRUMS Brigado had the Van Colonell ESSEX was in the middle the Lord Generals Regiment the Lord BROOKE and Colonell HOLLIS were
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
and to treat with them As soone as the Parliament Lords returned with this Answer the Kings Artillery according to all relations advanced forwards with divers Troops of Horse thorow that Towne of Colebrooke after them towards London and taking advantage of a great mist which happened that Friday night they marched to Brainford and fell upon the Parliament Forces which were there quartered which were a broken Regiment of Colonell HOLLIS but stout men who had before done great service Of them the Kings Forces killed many and had quite destroyed all in probability if the Lord BROOKS and Colonell HAMâ—DENS Regiments billitted not farre off had not made haste to their reliefe who comming in maintained a great and bloody fight against the Kings Forces where many were slaine on both sides and many taken Prisoners both Parties as before it happened at Keynton Battell esteeming themselves conquerors and so reporting afterwards The newes of this unexpected fight was soone brought to London whither also the noise of the great Artillery was easily heard The Lord Generall Essex then sitting at Westminster in the House of Peeres tooke Horse immediately and with what strength he could call together on such a sudden came in to the rescue of his ingaged Regiments but night had parted them and the King was retired to his best advantages all that night the City of London powred out men toward Brainford who every houre marched thither and all the Lords and Gentlemen that belonged to the Army were there ready on the Sunday morning being the 14. of November a force great enough to have swallowed up a farre greater Army then the King had Besides the Kings Forces were encompassed on every side insomuch as great hope was conceived by most men that the period of this sad Warre was now come But God was not yet appeased toward this Nation a fatall doore was opened to let out the inclosed King Three thousand of the Parliament Souldiers were then at Kingstone upon Thames a Towne about ten miles distant from the City which Souldiers were all as it happened commanded to leave that Towne and march thorow Surrey with what speed they could and over London Bridge so thorow the City toward Brainford to prevent the Enemies passage to London The reason of that Command was afterward given for that the Lord Generall was not assured of strength enough to stop the Enemy from London nor could before hand be assured of so great an Army as came thither before morning But this was the event of it and thorow Kingstone thus abandoned the King retreated and leaving some Troops to face his Enemies brought all his Foot and Artillery over that Bridge which drawing up afterward he had time enough securely to plunder many places of that Country and retire safely to Oxford where he intended to take up his winter Quarters The Parliament upon this Action of the King began to be out of hope of doing any good by Treaties resolving that the Lord Generall with all speed that might be should pursue the Kings Forces and fall upon them about Oxford and Reading for newes was daily brought them how active his Parties were under the conduct of Prince RUPERT and others in plundering all the places thereabouts And the City of London to incourage the Parliament with a free tender of their service framed a Petition to them to intreat them That they would proceed no further in the businesse of Accommodation because evill Counsell was so prevalent with the King That he would but delude them That they had heard his Forces are weake and that if his Excellency would follow and fall upon them and that no delayes be made for feare of forraigne Forces comming over the City as heretofore would with all willingnesse spend their lives and fortunes to assist the Parliament The City was thanked for their Petition and Protestation and the Lord Generall moved by the Parliament to advance who though the season of the yeare were not very fit for so great a Body to march was very desirous to obey their Commands The best way was thought to divide his Army and send severall parties to severall places to restraine the Enemies from annoying the Countries as to Buckingham Marlow Reading and other parts untill himselfe with his whole force could be well accommodated to march from Windsor where he lay that winter toward the King But it so fell out either by reason of ill weather at some times and at other for want of Money or fit accommodation that the Generall himselfe with his maine Army marched not forth untill the spring whose first businesse was to lay siege to Reading which was fortified by the Kings Forces and maintained by a Garrison of 3000. Souldiers and 20. Peece of Ordnance before which Towne he sate downe upon the five and twentieth day of April 1643. with an Army of about 16000. Foot and 3000. Horse Now leaving the Lord Generall before Reading with his Army in the meane time we will shew one maine reason why he did no sooner advance The expectation of another Treaty which the Parliament had desired to have with the King for setling of the Kingdomes Peace which proved fruitlesse in debate lasted a long time Propositions were drawne up by the Parliament and sent to Oxford on the 31. of Ianuary 1642. by foure Lords and eight Commoners the Earles of Northumberland Pembrooke Sarum and Holland Lord WAINMAN Lord DUNGARUAN Sir JOHN HOLLAND Sir WILLIAM LITTON Master PERPOINT Master WALLER Master WHITLOCK Master WINHOOD the Propositions were 1. That the King would passe those Bils which the Houses had made ready 2. To passe a Bill for setling Parliament Priviledges and Liberties 3. For bringing to tryall those Delinquents whom the Houses had impeached since Ianuary last 4. For clearing the six Members before mentioned 5. For restoring all Judges and Officers of State lately removed 6. To passe a Bill for re-paying the charge of the Kingdome 7. A Bill for an Act of Oblivion 8. An Act for a generall pardon without exception 9. That there may be a Cessation of Armes for fourteene daies to agree upon these Propositions The King not liking nor yet utterly refusing these Propositions sent the Commissioners home to their Parliament within a weeke after they came to carry six Propositions from him to the Houses which were 1. That his Revenue Magazines Townes Forts and Ships may be delivered to him 2. That all Orders and Ordinances of Parliament wanting his assent may be recalled 3. That all power exercised over his Subjects by Assessements and imprisoning their persons may be disclaimed 4. That he will yeeld to the execution of the Laws against Papists provided that the Booke of Common-Prayer be confirmed 5. That such persons as upon the Treaty shall be excepted out of the generall Pardon shall be tryed by their Peâ—res onely 6. That there be a Cessation of Armes during the Treaty The Houses upon receiving of these Propositions though at first it
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
a Popish Army in England For not long before this time the Queene with Armes and Ammunition from the Low-Countries and Commanders of Warre from thence had landed in the North of England been entertained there by the Earle of Newcastle and by him and others with strong Forces conveyed to the King at Oxford whereof more particulars will be related hereafter Divers other Articles were framed against the Queene upon which within few Moneths after she was impeached of High Treason by the House of Commons and the Impeachment carried up by Master PYMME to the House of Peeres where it stuck for many moneths but was afterward passed there also and may be further discoursed of in the due time It had been likewise before Ordered by both Houses and was now accordingly put in execution that the King and Queenes Revenue comming into the Exchequer should be detained and imployed to the Publike Service of the Common-wealth a Committee was chosen of Lords and Commons to dispose of it to the best uses Divers necessary charges of the State were defrayed by it and among others which seemed a kinde of just retalliation many Members of both Houses of Parliament whose whole Estates had been seized upon by the Kings Armies were in some measure relieved at London out of his Revenue and thereby enabled to subsist in that Publike Service to which they had beene called But so exceeding great by this time were the charges growne for supportation of so spreading a Warre that no Contributions nor Taxes whatsoever were thought sufficient unlesse an Excize were imposed upon Commodities according to the way of the Netherlanders such as Beere Wine Tobacco and Meat which was taken into consideration by both Houses and this Summer agreed upon But the Excize was layed with much gentlenesse especially upon all Victuals of most common and necessary use insomuch that it was little felt either by the rich or poore people and yet amounted monethly to a very considerable summe though the Kings Quarters were then the greatest part of England for the City of London was within the Parliament Quarters To returne againe to the Lord Generall ESSEX His Excellency in May 1643. having as aforesaid received intelligence of the defeat given to the Parliament Army in the West and in what condition things there stood not being able with his owne Forces to give them reliefe sent order to Sir WILLIAM WALLER whose actions shall be anon mentioned in a Series by themselves to march thither in assistance of the Devonshire Forces and writ his Command to the Governour of Bristoll to aid him with such Horse and Foot as he could conveniently spare out of his Garrison But things could not at that time be put in execution according to his desires and before Sir WILLIAM WALLER could get farre into the West Prince MAURICE Marquesse HARTFORD and Sir RALPH HOPTON were joyned all together The Lord Generall since it was much desired by the City of London from whom the supplies of money were to come that he should move with his whole Army towards Oxford was content though somewhat against his judgement to proceed in that Designe and marched with the maine Body to Thame to meet there with the Forces sent from the associated Counties to his assistance from whence as a person whose care and Command extended over the whole Kingdome which was now overspread with a generall Warre and wasted by many Armies at once he granted a Commission by direction of the Parliament to the Lord FIELDING now Earle of Denbigh by the late death of his Father who was slaine in a Skirmish fighting against the Parliament to be Generall of foure Counties Shropshire Worcester Stafford and Warwick-shire to leavy Forces there and conduct them into any part of the Kingdome against the Kings Power according to directions from the Parliament or Lord Generall He granted also at the same time another Commission in the like manner to Sir THOMAS MIDDLETON to raise Forces as Generall of all North Wales At Thame the hand of God in an extreme increase of sicknesse hundreds in a day desperately ill did visite the Lord Generals Army and by strange unseasonablenesse of weather and great raine continuing fourteene daies the place being upon a flat moist and clayie ground made it impossible for him to advance from that Quarter In which time the Army was by sicknesse and departure of most of the Auxiliary Forces brought to a number utterly unable to attempt the former designe without certaine ruine the situation of Oxford upon the River of Thames considered for the Lord Generall conceived it impossible as himselfe expressed to block up the Towne without a double number to what he then had But when the raine ceased and the waters were so much abated as to make the waies passable intelligence was brought that Prince RUPERT had drawne out his Horse and Foot toward Buckingham with his Canon also and had called in the Country making open profession before them that he would give Battell to the Generall The Generall marched with some speed toward Buckingham to fight with him When he came within two miles of that Towne he found the case farre otherwise and had intelligence that the Prince had quitted Buckingham in a kinde of disorderly manner that the night before he had horsed his Foot and marched away leaving some of his Provisions behinde him The Lord Generall understood well that it was not possible for him with his Traine of Artillery and Foot Companies to follow the Enemy to any advantage For if he had been at that time strong enough in Horse his desire was to have hindered Prince RUPERT from joyning with the Queene who then was marching with a good Convoy of Horse from the Northerne parts of England where she had arrived from the Netherlands toward Oxford But being not able to follow that designe he desisted from his march to Buckingham sending into the Town a Party of his Horse to quarter there that night and to bring away that Provision which the Enemy had left there He himselfe with the rest of his Army marched to great Brickhill a place most convenient to lye betweene the Enemy and London to defend the Associated Counties to assist or joyne with the Forces of the Lord GRAY of Grooby Sir JOHN MELDRUM and Colonell CROMWELL to whom he had before written that if they could possibly they should fight with the Queens Forces and stop her passage to the King But it seemed that the businesse could not be done that the Queene and Prince RUPERT were suffered to joyne together with all their Forces Sir WILLIAM WALLER had beene long victorious in the West yet now the Parliaments fortune almost in every place began to faile and intelligence was brought to the Lord Generall that Sir WILLIAM having almost gained the whole West and besieging Sir RALPH HOPTON in the Devizes a Towne of Devonshire was on a sudden by unexpected Forces from Oxford under the conduct of
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
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
ESSEX his Army was so much wasted by sicknesse and other distresses that he could not at all straiten Oxford nor hinder any Forces from issuing thence under the conduct of the Lord VVILMOT was utterly defeated scattered and ruined as was before mentioned He himselfe for security at the present retired into the City of Bristoll from whence within few daies he rode accompanied with some Gentlemen toward London and was there received with great affection and many promises of their best indeavour to set him forth with another Army The Kings Forces seemed now to have done the greatest part of their worke being in a manner sole Masters of the VVest and most Northerne Counties of England and having ruined the Lord FAIRFAX and Sir WILLIAM WALLERS Armies Yet in all Counties the fortune was not alike in many places those Gentlemen which adhered to the Parliament were able not onely to guard themselves but get ground upon their enemies though those actions were for the most part performed in skirmishes between small parties in preserving their owne strengths or taking Townes from the other side such as had been in Cheshire Lancashire Staffordshire Derby Leicester Notingham and other places which I shall briefly touch anon after I have related in how contrary a condition to the North and West which had beene the seat of a fierce warre and a prey to the greatest and most potent Armies of either side and how much happier then those other Counties which had beene alwayes molested with Alarms and Skirmishes and suffered by pillaging on both Parties the Easterne Counties of England had remained all the foregoing VVinter and continued so during the whole progresse of this bloody VVarre which were the Counties of Suffolke Norfolke Cambridge Essex Hartford Huntingdon c. who never were made the seat of any part of this civill VVarre These parts of the Kingdome had joyned themselves in an Association by Authority of Parliament with power to defened each other and leavy Forces against all enemies to that cause this great happinesse of peace and quiet that they enjoyed may be supposed to flow from the unanimity of their affections which carried them all the same way and true it is that there was as much unanimity of opinion and affection in those Counties among the people in generall as was to be found in any part of England but it was especially among the common people for a great and considerable number of the Gentry and those of highest ranke among them were dis-affected to the Parliament and were not sparing in their utmost indeavours to promote the Kings Cause and assist his Force against it which might have throwne those Countries if not wholly carried them to the other side into as much distraction and sad calamity as any other part of the Land had felt nor could that Association have been possibly made if those Gentlemen had not been curbed and suppressed by that timely care which the Parliament tooke and more particularly by the successfull services of one Gentleman Master OLIVER CROMWEL of Huntington a Member of the House of Commons whose wisdome valour and vigilancy was no lesse availeable in this important businesse then remarkable afterwards in the highest services and greatest battels of the whole Warre Of this mans Actions because it pleased God to raise him afterward into the greatest commands and prosper in so high a measure all his undertakings that he became within few yeares one of the chiefe props on which the Parliament leaned and greatest scourges of the other sid let it not seeme amisse if I discourse in a continued Serâ—es during those Moneths that intervened the Battell of Keynton and that low ebbe of the Parliament which preceded the siege of Gloucester The first Action that CROMWELL undertooke was to secure the Towne of Cambridge for the Parliament about the middle of January Universities were of all places most apt to adhere to the Kings party esteeming Parliaments and especially this the greatest depressors of that Ecclesiasticall Dignity in hope of which they are there nurtured Upon which reason they were packing up a large quantity of the Plate that belonged to all the Coledges to send it away to the King which would have made a considerable summe This was foreseene by CROMWELL who by a Commission from the Parliament and Lord Generall Essex had raised a Troope of Horse and came downe into that Country with authority to raise more Forces as occasion served he came to Cambridge soone enough to seize upon that plate which was going to Oxford but before his arrivall there he performed by the way another service Sir THOMAS CONESBY lately made High Sheriffe of Hartfordshire had received a Proclamation from the King to proclaime the Earle of Essex and all his adherents Traytors and was then at St. Albons upon a Market day proclaiming of the same CROMWELL with his Troope seized upon him and sent him up to the Parliament Not long after he collected in convenient time the Forces of that County and invited the neighbour Counties of Essex Suffolke and Norfolke to their assistance against an invasion of the Lord CAPELL who should have been seconded by Prince RUPERT also to invade that place and hinder the Association which had been done if that timely prevention had not been used This made them forbeare their intended invasion and retire to other parts About the beginning of March CROMWELL having raised a Regiment of Horse consisting of 1000. marched into Suffolke with much celerity upon intelligence of a great and considerable confederacy held among those Gentlemen which adhered to the Kings Party at a Towne in that County called Lowerstost a place of great consequence He surprized them unawares gained the Towne with small difficulty and no shot at all In which he tooke Prisoners Sir THOMAS BARKER and his Brother Sir JOHN PETTUS Master THOMAS KNEVET two of the CATLINES Captaine HAMMOND Master COREY Master TURRILL Master PRESTON and about 20. others of quality and substance In that Towne he gained good store of Ammunition Saddles Pistols Powder Shot and severall Engines for Warre enough to have served a considerable Force And certaine it was that if CROMWELL had not surprized them in that nick of time it had proved a matter of great danger to the County for within one day after as many more Knights and Gentlemen that were listed before had met at the same place This was a timely service to the Parliament and a great discouragement to all that Party in Suffolke and Norfolke which adhered to the Kings side But when the Spring grew furâ—her on and it was seasonable to make longer Marches about the beginning of Aprill CROMWELL having well setled the businesses of those Associated Counties for the Parliaments use and not confining his care and services within those parts onely raised a greater Force of such as came freely and heartily in to him with whom he marched along towards Lincolneshire with purpose to assist those of
his side that warred against Newarke Newarke was one of the strongest Garrisons which was then held of the Kings side replenished with many Gentlemen of Lincolneshire and other Shires and some expert Souldiers who inforced large Contributions from the adjacent Country and made rodes often times even to the Walls of Lincolne Colonell CROMWELL in his March thither as he passed thorow the County of Humingdon disarmed many that were ill affected to the Parliament and increased by that meanes his strength so farre that he was growne above two thousand strong and before he came to Newarke receiving an addition of Horse from Captaine HOTHAM he also joyned with some Forces of Lincolneshire At his first approach neere to Newarke it was his fortune to performe a good service for his side for when Captaine WRAY with his Lincolneshire Horse had too rashly quartered within a little of that Town he was set upon in the night time by a strong Party from the Towne where after some little bickering nor being able to resist so great a number he was surprized with his whole Troope but the Alarum comming to CROMWELL he advanced and at ten a clock at night fell upon the Newarkers rescued Captaine WRAYS Troope and tooke three Troops of theirs with the slaughter of many of them After this when he sate downe before the Town he was so vigilant upon all Sallyes that were made out and so successefull that he tooke many men and Colours at severall times and with his Horse watching all occasions he once defeated a strong Party of the Newarkers neere to Grantham where the odds of number was so great on their side that it seemed almost a miraculous Victory At another time he fell upon a Party of the Earle of Newcastles Army sent toward Newarke and quartering betweene that Towne and Grantham of whom he slew many tooke an hundred Horse and forty Prisoners Such things as these were the beginnings of CROMWELL at his first entrance into the Souldiery those that must be called his deeds were in the following yeares of this unhappy Warre and will require a larger and more full expression In those other Counties which were named before this Discourse of the Association the fortune of Warre during the aforesaid Moneths had been very various and daily contestations happened being for the most part betwixt small Parties and in besieging taking and re-taking of Townes and Forts In Cheshire Sir WILLIAM BRERETON a wise and vigilant man who from the beginning of these troubles had taken charge of that County serving in Parliament as Knight thereof had so well acted his part against the Earle of Darby made by the King Lord Lieutenant of that County as well as of Lancashire that he was the chiefe instrument of delivering Cheshire out of his hands and preserving it for the Parliament though the greater part of Gentry there adhered to the King But it pleased God to give many Victories to Sir WILLIAM BRERETON against them He obtained about the beginning of March a great Victory against those of the Kings Party at Middlewich in Cheshire which Towne after a sharp incounter in the fields before it he finally tooke with 500. Prisoners whereof many were Commanders and Gentlemen of great worth which Victory did much advance the Parliaments Cause in those parts He resisted with great successe the Lord CHOLMELY and Sir THOMAS ASTON two powerfull men and zealous for the Kings Party Having setled in some measure by extraordinary care and wisdome his owne County for the Parliament and raised many stout and well armed men there he was forward to give assistance to other parts and advancing into Shropshire against the Lord CAPELL he surprised a Towne called Dreyton in which Sir VINCENT CORBET a Commander of the Kings side was quartered But Sir WILLIAM BRERETON with small opposition entred the Town and tooke two compleat Troops of Horse and six Companies of Dragoneers Sir VINCENT CORBET escaped by flight He marched thence along thorow those Counties and tooke some places of great import as the affaires of both Parties stood at that time Sir WILLIAM went on prosperously and within a short time after tooke Whitchurch upon the edge of Shropshire with great store of Armes and Ammunition and many Prisoners of the Lord CAPELS Forces But Sir WILLIAM BRERETON when he joyned Forces with other men or came in opportunely to the reliefe or rescue of ingaged friends performed divers great and advantagious services to the side he tooke especially when he joyned in Action with Sir JOHN GELL of Derbyshire a constant and successefull Actor for the Parliament of whom by himselfe and together with Sir WILLIAM BRERETON I shall make a further mention The County of Derby full of Nobility and Gentry was much swayed even from the beginning of these distractions against the Parliament for scarce did any Gentleman in all that County but Sir JOHN GELL appeare for it at the first He with his brother and some of his kinred by the help of those Freeholders and Yeomen that inclined that way made a Party to resist those great ones at such a time as must needs renowne his courage and constancy And it pleased God to make him prosperous in that great and hazardous undertakings and to carry it so during the whole Warre After the Battell at Keynton he tooke a Commission from the Earle of Essex with great care and cost he provided Arms and timely seized upon the Town of Derby which Town he so well fortified that it proved a sufficient defence against the assaults of potent Enemies and a refuge upon all occasions to the Parliaments friends it was likewise no doubt a great incouragement to many of the neighbouring Counties to stand upon their guard in the like kinde But the Walls of Derby could not immure Sir JOHN GELL nor hinder him from acting his part abroad In many Services he joyned himselfe not without good successe with Sir WILLIAM BRERETON with Colonell CROMWELL and marched sometimes with the Lord GREY of Grooby before mentioned Lord Lieutenant of those Counties against Master HASTINGS and against the Towne of Newarke In the Moneth of February he marched with those Forces which he had under the conduct of the Lord BROOKE into Staffordshire to take in Lichfield which was then possessed by a Garrison of the Kings side Having entered the Towne they found hot and sharpe resistance from a place of great strength called the Close or Cathedrall yard a place famous in the succeeding Warre as being often gained and re-gained with the losse of much blood on either side 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 WHile the Parliament Army continued at the siege of Lichfield Close their Generall the Lord BROOKE as he looked out of a window was unfortunately shot into the head and dyed immediately
Garrison of Winchester and that of Basing-House the dwelling place of Marquesse Winchester were there predominant and at their pleasure forced Contribution from the adjacent Country Wales was almost wholly at the Kings dispose except very few places which with much difficulty preserved themselves for the Parliament and some Gentlemen who with much hazard continued their fidelity to that side such as Colonell GLYNN Colonell MITTEN and LAUGHERNE with other private Gentlemen But indeed the Parliament was then in a low ebbe and before the end of that Iuly 1643. they had no Forces at all to keep the Field their maine Armies as is before touched being quite ruined and no hope in appearance left but to preserve a while those Forts and Townes which they then possessed nor could they long hope to preserve them unlesse the fortune of the field should change Thus seemed the Parliament to be quite sunke beyond any hope of recovery and was so believed by many men The King was possessed of all the Westerne Countries from the farthest part of Cornwall and from thence Northward as farre as the Borders of Scotland His Armies were full and flourishing free to march whither they pleased and enough to be divided for severall exploits one part was sent to take in Exeâ—er where the Earle of Stamford was shut up not able long to hold the place The King in Person with a gallant Army designed his March towards Gloucester the onely considerable Towne in those parts which the Parliament held What the Kings Party conceived then of the other side was expressed in many Writings one in the nature of a jeering Epigram was made at Oxford which I thought fit to insert because of the particular expressions of the Parliaments low Condition The thing is written in an odde manner and the names of the Parliament Commanders FAIRFAX and WALLER expressed by a rebus way of Latine as likewise those of the Kings side Marquesse of Hartford and Earle of Newcastle I leave it to the Reader without either Translation or Comment EXtincta Castro Fax pulchra novo est Nec Nautae postea nec militi Sit nota Pharos Auster disparem Hand tulit casum Murus cui addita est Canina littera mersa est suis Cum turmis nuper Leporis vado Euri 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bristonia Leporinos horrescens vortices Anglica Claudii timet pares Vrbs casus Herois Teutonici Myrmidones astant magno cum Duce Pacata Thule est nec Noto timor Popello aut Regi Nihil relictum est Britanicum domare Caesarem Ni 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preces Gregis Haec Sphinges raptim Oedipo suo Iulii 20. 1643. London was then altogether unfortified no Works were raised nor could they if their Enemies then Masters of the field had come upon them have opposed any Walls but such as old SPARTA used for their Guard the hearts of couragious Citizens But at that time London began her large intrenchment which incompassed not onely the City but the whole Suburbs on every side containing about twelve miles in circuit That great worke was by many hands compleated in a short time it being then a custome every day to go out by thousands to digge all Professions Trades and Occupations taking their turnes and not onely inferiour Tradesmen but Gentlemen of the best quality Knights and Ladies themselves for the incouragement of others resorted daily to the Workes not as spectators but assistors in it carrying themselves Spades Mattoks and other instruments of digging so that it became a pleasing sight at London to see them going out in such order and numbers with Drums beating before them and put life into the drooping people being taken for an happy Omen that in so low a condition they seemed not to despaire But bootlesse in probability had that labour proved and not timely enough to save London if the King had marched thither instead of Gloucester But that storme of Fortune was strong enough to shake off divers of the loose leaves that seemed to grow on the Parliament side and unsettle the resolutions of such as were not enough rooted in that Cause which they had chosen For divers men of great quality and Members of both Houses some Lords and many of the Commons did at that time desert the Parliament and fly to Oxford Whose names though the Lords were named who first deserted it are here spared because this-latter revolt must needs carry the face of a crime as being no matter of opinion or conscience by which the first justified themselves but proceeding in all probability from weaknesse and feare for their private fortunes They therefore lost much of their esteeme on both sides becomming like a foile to set off the constancy of those few Members who durst yet continue there and remaine firme to their first Principle 〈◊〉 publike Interest wading thorow more difficultie and dangers then any former Parliament had been enforced to do But in the Parliament it selfe there appeared no show of despaire as they observed who were then witnesses of their proceedings and the City of London expressed much forwardnesse and alacrity in recruiting the Lord Generall Essex both with their persons and purses besides their great indeavour to raise another Army for Sir WILLIAM WALLER to be as a Reserve to the other upon the great occasion then in hand The Earle of Manchester to his lasting Honour chose that very time to begin his Martiall imployment and raising Forces thorow the Easterne Associated Counties of which he was then made Generall by the Parliament those Counties having been before prepared for that Association by the wisdom and activity of the forementioned Colonell CROMWELL performed that yeare and the next great services for the Parliament While the Parliament and City of London were thus busied in recruiting their decayed Armies Gloucester began to be made the chiefe Seene on which this Civill Tragedy was acted and place of great concernment in the Kingdome where the first turne of Fortune grew The City of Gloucester was then governed by Colonell EDWARD MASSEY a man of excellent skill to defend it of such a courage as no threats of a powerfull Enemy could shake and such a fidelity as no promises of a King could overcome This MASSEY was brought to Gloucester by the Earle of Stamford under whom he had served as Lieutenant Colonell and by deputation from that Earle had for many Moneths governed that City Now there was no more expectation of the Earls returne thither and therefore MASSEY as the fittest man by consent both of Citizens and Souldiers was appointed Governour and made a Colonell by Commission from the Generall The surrender of Bristoll to the Kings Forces which was more sudden then could be feared and for which afterward the Governour Master FIENNES was questioned and condemned by a Councell of Warre must needs strike a great terrour and sad amazement into Gloucester which now seemed to stand forlorne and without hope of any rescue in
described WHilest Gloucester was thus besieged and the Siege so straight that no intelligence could possibly arrive at it the Parliament who after serious considerations and debates had for the present resolved upon the reliefe of that City as the onely meanes to preserve the Kingdome were as much straightned how to proceed in the businesse with that expedition which was required To recruit an Army so much wasted as the Lord Generals was seemed too slow for this Service and therefore the Trayned Bands of London and their Auxiliaries must of necessity be made use of Those that were well affected to the Parliament incouraged each other to the Worke The disaffected on the other side laboured in all discourses to breed despaire of the Atchievement and to discourage the Lord Generall from marching false reports were every day raised in London that Gloucester was taken The Lord Generall Essex was fourescore miles off with no present or visible Army at that time his March lying thorow those Countries which were already harrowed by the Enemy Insomuch that all considered it was a question which was more wonderfull that he undertooke it or that he did it The Parliament was at that time so farre sunke both in strength and reputation and so much forsaken by those who followed fortune that nothing but an extraordinary providence could make it againe emergent The Cause and very being of it was now at stake by the successe onely of this Expedition to be redeemed or quite lost But it pleased God that according to that extremity the resolutions of men were fitted The City Regiments and Auxiliaries came cheerefully in to performe the Service and that poore remainder of the Lord Generals old Army was with all speed recruited An Army was likewise intended to be speedily raised for Sir WILLIAM WALLER to march after as a Reserve But that was not so suddenly done as the occasion required if it had and that Sir WILLIAM could as was intended have come in with a supply at Newbury it was the opinion of most men that the Kings side had received an irrecoverable Defeat On the 24. of August the Lord Generall Essex on Hownslow Heath ten miles from London mustered his men where almost all the Members of both Houses of Parliament rode with him to survey the Army and toward evening tooke leave of their Generall who marched on and that night lodged at Colebrooke Upon intelligence of this Armies advance Prince RUPERT with the greatest part of the Kings Horse drew off from Gloucester to oppose their March and take what advantages he could against it But the King with his maine Army continued the Siege resolving so to do till the last houre hoping that every moment might worke somewhat for his end either by failing of the Townes store of Ammunition or some other want that might happen Neither was that hope without reason And so much more wonderfull was the fortune of that Towne to be relieved at such a nick of time when their Ammunition was so farre consumed that but three single Barrels of Powder were left in their Magazine On Saturday the 26. of August 1643. the Lord Generall Essex began his March from Colebrooke to Beckensfield and so forward to Beerton where he cloathed his Army and marched on The City Regiments and Auxiliaries joyned not with the Lord Generals Army till the first of September when the generall Rendezvouze was on Brackley Heath But before the joyning of all their Forces a small Party of the Kings Army consisting of 400. Horse had faced a part of the Parliament Army and skirmished with them about Bicister but soone retreated upon the approach of greater numbers The Generall taking up his Head Quarter at Aynow sent a Regiment to quarter that night at Deddington under the Conduct of Colonell MIDDLETON who hearing there of two Regiments of the Kings Horse sent two Companies of Dragoones and a Party of Horse to approach the Towne But the Kings Horse retreated to a passage toward Oxford where the Lord WILMOT was with 50. Troops more The next morning two Parliament Regiments conducted by MIDDLETON and Sir JAMES RAMSEY advanced to that passe where their Enemies stood in two great Bodies and after some Skirmish gained the passe placing Dragoneers to maintaine it But the Kings Forces drew up againe toward it and were received with a very hot Skirmish which lasted many houres till at last the Kings Forces made a retreat but perceiving that Colonell MIDDLETON marched back toward the maine Army which he did by the Lord Generals Command they sent a Party of Horse to fall on his Reare who followed them thorow Deddington but were beaten back thorow the Towne in some confusion The losse of men in these Skirmishes was not much on either side neither could it certainly be knowne but was imagined by the Parliament side to be more on their Enemies Party then on theirs The Lord Generall with his owne Regiment of Horse and the Lord GRAY quartering at Adderbury upon intelligence that some of the Kings Horse from Banbury were abroad sent out a Party from both Regiments who beat them in againe and pursued them into Banbury Towne whence they tooke divers Horses and Prisoners those in the Castle not daring to stirre out The Generall marched from thence to Chipping Norton where some of the Kings Forces appeared againe but soone retreated as they did almost every day during the March of that Army On the fourth of September when the Lord Generall marched toward Stow the old he sent Colonell HARVEY with his Regiment of Horse and two Regiments of Foot to advance a little before toward the right hand and the City Regiments upon the left under the Conduct of Lieutenant Colonell BAILY Generall Adjutant of the Foot Prince RUPERT appeared with about 4000. Horse drawne up on the Hills facing the Parliament Forces and sent a strong Party of Horse into a bottome neere Stow on the old to incompasse Colonell HARVEYS Regiments Which being perceived three Regiments from the Vanne of the Parliament Army advanced to his rescue and made that Party of the Kings Forces retreat to their maine Body Many Skirmishes there happened but little losse on either side From thence the Generall marched in the Foot of his Infantry Sir JAMES RAMSEY in the Reare and Sir PHILIP STAPLETON had the Van Guard When the Kings Horse againe appeared and were by Sir PHILIP STAPLETON and others of that Army encountered with divers Skirmishes but they retreated in a great Body and still appeared before the Parliament Army as they marched on for the space of seven miles On the fifth of September the Lord Generall advanced and came to Presbury Hills where he drew up his whole Army in view of the City of Gloucester and discharged foure Peeces of great Ordnance to give them notice of his approach Soone after he might discover the Kings Quarters on fire For upon the Lord Generall his advance they deserted the Siege and marched
that the Enemies Forces had possest themselves of that hill marching himselfe upon the head of his owne Regiment Colonell BARCLAYS and Colonell HOLBOURNES Brigades he charged so fiercely that he beat them from the hill and kept it rather gaining then losing ground the whole day His Excellencies Regiment and those other Brigades all the while they continued there were hotly charged by the Enemies Horse and Foote whilest much prowesse was shewed on both sides The Generall in Person bestirred himselfe giving directions where-ever there was occasion and present in all places of danger discharged the part of an excellent Generall as the Enemies themselves witnessed But he considered not the danger of his Person whilest he laboured to maintaine that place which of all others was most advantagious for his prospect By this time came up the two Trayned Bands of London who though they were often charged by the Horse and Foot stood to it with undaunted resolution The Battell thus begun by the Foot Sir PHILIP STAPLETON with his Excellency his Guard and Regiment of Horse advanced upon the plaine of the Hill when he had no sooner drawne up out of the Lanes end seconded by Colonell DALBEIRES Regiment of Horse no other Horse being advanced to the place but the Enemy perceiving this advantage being all drawne already in severall great Bodies of Horse part of them advanced immediately and charged our Horse whom we so well received giving no fire till we joyned close with them that the Enemy was wholly routed and pursued with much execution neere to the place where their whole Body of Horse stood From thence by order we drew back to our first ground by occasion whereof opportunity was gained to bring up the remainder of our Horse which had the Van-guard that day whereupon the Enemy drew out some fresh Regiments of his Horse and with all possible speed advanced againe upon Sir PHILIP but received no bettter entertainment then before being againe routed by him By that time that he had drawne up his Regiment againe into some order the other Regiments RAMSEY HARVEY GOODWIN were come up to him when the Enemy with their whole Body charged upon them bravely and were as well received Sir PHILIP STAPLETON was here charged both in Front and Flanke his whole Regiment having spent both their Pistols and was so incompassed that the Enemy and ours with both our whole Bodies were all mixed together and in this confusion many were slaine on both sides and our men at last were forced towards the Lanes end where they first came in which being neere our Foot the Enemies indeavoured to dis-ingage themselves and drew back to their owne Forces Those that entred the Lane with ours were most of them slaine We tooke three Colours of Horse compleat and a peece of another Colours In the first Charge Colonell DALBEIRE and Commissary COPLEY charging stoutly were both wounded In the third Charge Captain HAMOND Captain FLEETWOOD Captaine PYM and Cornet DOILY were all wounded Captaine DRAPER who had a Forlorne Hope of Sir PHILIP STAPLETONS men did good Service as Captain ABERCROMY and Captain SHIBBORNE did with their Dragoones The left wing of our Horse commanded by Colonell MIDDLETON and the right wing of the Enemies Horse could not be ingaged but in small Parties by reason of the hedges The actions of our Horse thus described wholly because we were loath to interupt the Series for the Readers clearer understanding returne we to the Foot Major Generall SKIPPON in the morning when his Excellency as aforesaid was ingaged upon the hill hastened to the top of the hill where our Van-guard was in fight having before ordered the March of our Traine of Artillery and those that attended it which were the Lord ROBERTS his Brigade and his owne Sir WILLIAM SPRINGERS Colonell MANWARINGS and the red and blew Auxiliary Regiments to be neere to his Excellency Looking from the Hill toward Newbury he perceived a great strength of the Enemy both Horse and Foot in divers great Bodies advancing directly toward the way which all our Traine was of necessity to march To prevent therefore what he suspected which was that the Enemy would fall upon our Traine or upon the Reare of those that fought on the hill or gaine that hill behinde us our last nights Quarter or all he speedily disposed which his Excellency did also send him a Command to do Forces in places most convenient Meane while the Generall sending for more Foot that Brigade wherein his Regiment and SPRINGERS were with the red Auxiliaries were sent up placing the Lord ROBERTS his Brigade with foure small Peeces just where the Enemy advanced who gave them so warme an entertainment that they made them run and the Lord ROBERTS possest the ground which the Enemy came first up unto His Lieutenant Colonell was shot in the face That Forlorne Hope which he had commanded the night before being now strengthened with 300. Musketeers and led by Major FORTESCUE Major Generall SKIPPON placed on the left of the Lord ROBERTS his Brigade upon the high way that came from Newbury just upon us upon which way foure Drakes were likewise placed and well defended though the Enemies came up so close that they tooke away a Limmer of one of our Peeces but it was with losse of many of their lives Colonell MANWARINGS Regiment was placed on the right hand betweene the hill and the Lord ROBERTS his Brigade This Regiment his Excellency a while after commanded away to the reliefe of his owne Regiment Colonell BARCLAYS and Colonell HOLBORNES Brigades which had been foure houres upon very hot Service It fortuned that this Regiment was no sooner brought on but they were overcharged with two great Bodies of Horse and Foot so that they were forced to retreat and lose that ground which the forenamed Forces had gotten which Colonell HOLBORNE perceiving with his Brigade gave the Enemy a Round Salvo and instantly his owne and Colonell BARCLAYS Brigades and the Generals Regiment againe advancing beat back the Enemy regained the ground and made good the place all the day after The blew Auxiliary Regiment was commanded to relieve and assist the Forlorne Hope which had been three or foure times in their turnes at the point The Fight all along the Valley more then half a mile in lenth was continued as long as in any other part of the Army which was till ten a clock at night about which time the Enemy gave a good Round Salvo upon Colonell BARCLAY and Colonell HOLBORNS Posts These things ordered the Major Generall rode up to the top of the hill where he espyed an advantage to bestow eitht or nine Demi-Culvering shot upon the Enemy who out of an house pelted the forenamed Gentlemen at neere distance Then he rallyed the two Train-Band Regiments into one Body drew them up and placed them before where the Traine of Artillery did afterwards draw up to the top of the hill and desired Major BOTELER to draw the
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
making way for the utter subversion of it 1. Force is gathered together at York under pretence of a Guard for His Majesties Person to make an opposition against the Parliament and by strong hand to support and protect Delinquents so as no Order of Parliament can be obeyed but on the other side is slighted and scorned to make the Parliament of no reputation to be but Imago Parliamenti a meer shadow without substance without efficacie 2. To send out in His Majesties name and as Declarations and Messages from him bitter invectives against the Parliament to perplex it and engage it in expence of time to answer them and besides cunningly to insinuate and infuse into the people by false colours and glosses a disopinion and dislike of the Parliament and if it be possible to stir up their spirits to rise against it to destroy it and in it all other Parliaments to the ruine of themselves their wives and children 3. The third Plot is The Members are drawn away and perswaded to forsake their duty and attendance here and go down to York thereby to blemish the actions of both Houses as done by a few and an inconsiderable number and rather a Party then a Parliament and perhaps to raise and set up an anti-Parliament there My Lords this is now the great Designe whereby they hope by little and little the Parliament shall even bleed to death and moulder to nothing the members dropping away one after another a desperate and dangerous practice and as your Lordships well observed when you were pleased to communicate the businesse to us an effect of the evil Counsels now prevailing and tending to the dissolution of the Parliament of this Parliament which under God must be the preserver of three Kingdoms and keep them firm and loyal to their King subject to his Crown save them from being turned into a Chaos of disorder and confusion and made a dismal spectacle of misery and desolarion this Parliament which is the last hope of the long-oppressed and in other Countries even almost wholly-destroyed Protestant Religion this Parliment which is the onely means to continue us to be a Nation of freedom and not of slaves to be owners of any thing in a word which must stand in the Gap to prevent an in-let and inundation of all misery and confusion My Lords this Parliament they desire to destroy but I hope it will destroy the destroyers and be a wall of Fire to consume them as it is a wall of Brasse to us to defend King and Kingdom us and all we have Your Lordships wisely foresaw this Mischief and as wisely have endeavoured to prevent it by making your Orders to keep your Members here as that of the ninth of April and several other Orders enjoyning them all to attend thereby restraining them from repairing to York where the Clouds were observed to gather so fast threatning a storm and such preparations to be made against the Parliament that it necessitated both Houses to passe a Vote That the King seduced by wicked Counsel intended to make War against the Parliament and all who shall serve and assist in such Wars are declared to be Traitours which Vote passed the 20 of May so setting a mark upon that place and their opinion concerning those who should at this time resort thither Yet now in such a conjuncture of time when the Kingdom had never more need of a Parliament and the Parliament never more need of all the help and assistance of the best endeavour and advice of every Member the Safety and even Being of three Kingdoms depending on it after such Orders and Commands of your Lordships House to the contrary such a Vote of both Houses and expressely against their Duty being called thither by Writ under the Great Seal which is the King 's greatest and highest Command and not controllable nor to be dispensed with by any other Command from him whatsoever and called to treat and consult de arduis Regni the great urging and pressing affairs of the Kingdom never more urgent never more pressing notwithstanding all this these Lords the Earls of Northampton Devonshire Dover Monmouth the Lords HOWARD of Charlton RICH GREY COVENTRY and CAPEL have left their stations withdrawn themselves and are gone to Yorkâ— and being â—ummoned to appear by an Order of the 30 of May in stead of obedience return râ—fusal by a slighting and scornful Letter which hath been so adjudged both by your Lordships and the House of Commons My Lords the â—ouse of Commons hath likewise upon the consideration and debate of this businesse finding it so much to concern the safety of the Kingdom and the very Being of the Parliament passed this Vote That the Departing of these nine Lords from the Parliament without leave after such a time as both Houses had declared That the King seduced by wicked Counsel intended to make War against the Parliament and their still continuing at York notwithstanding their Summons and Command is an high Affront and Contempt of both Houses and that the said Lords did as much as in them lay that the service of Parliament might be deserted and are justly suspected to promote a War against the Parliament The House in further prosecution of their duty in this Particular and in pursuance of their Protestation which obliges them to endeavour to bring to condign punishment all such high offenders against not onely the Priviledges but the very Essence of Parliament have sent me up to impeach these Lords and desire that speedy and exemplary Justice may be done upon them And accordingly I do here in the name of the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the Commons House assembled in Parliament and in the name of all the Commons of England Impeach SPENCER Earl of Northampton WILLIAM Earl of Devonshire HENRY Earl of Dover HENRY Earl of Monmouth CHARLES Lord HOWARD of Charleton ROBERT Lord RICH CHARLES Lord GREY of Ruthen THOMAS Lord COVENTRY and ARTHUR Lord CAPEL for these high Crimes and Misdemeanours following viz. For that contrary to their duty they being Peers of the Realm and summoned by Writ to attend the Parliament and contrary to an Order of the House of Peers of the ninth of April last and several other Orders requiring the attendance of the Members of that House and after a Vote past in both Houses the twentieth of May last That the King seduced by wicked Counsel intended to make War against the Parliament and that whosoever served or assisted him in that War was adjudged a Traitour did notwithstanding afterwards in the same month of May contemptuously having notice of the said Votes and Orders withdraw themselves from the said House of Peers and repair to the City of York where the preparations of the said War were and yet are in contrivance and agitation they knowing of such preparations and being by an Order of the thirtieth of May duely summoned by the House of Peers to make their appearance before that
Earl of Stamford Master DENZIL HOLLIS Master HAMDEN Sir PHILIP STAPLETON Sir WILLIAM WALLER Sir SAMUEL LUKE Sir HENRY CHOLMLY Master GRANTHAM Master WHITLOCK with divers others The Earl of Bedford within two days after that the Earl of Essex was chosen Generalissimo was voted to be General of the Horse 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 others who were actors on either side The Lord Maior 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 DUring the time that this Army was raising for the Parliament to be conducted by his Excellency in person the King with small strength as yet was removing from place to place to gather Forces and draw people to his side Of whose proceedings and by what degrees he encreased in power I shall speak hereafter in a continued Series to avoid confusion in the Story But in the mean time the Parliaments Ordinance of Militia and the King's Commission of Array were justling together almost in every County the greatest of the English Nobility on both sides appearing personally to seize upon those places which were deputed to them either by the King or by the Parliament No Ordinances from the One or Proclamations from the Other could now give any further stop to this general and spreading Mischief God was not pleased that one Chimney should contain this Civil fire but small sparks of it were daily kindling in every part of the Land Let it not therefore seem amisse if in the first place I make a brief Relation into what posture every particular County or most of them had endeavoured to put themselves during that time which was since the twelfth of Iuly when the first apparant denouncing of War began and the General was elected in Parliament till the three and twentieth of October when it broke out into a fierce and cruel Battel But let not the Reader expect any full or perfect Narration of this which would take up too great a time and prove as tedious as unnecessary The onely reason why I have entered into it is to inform the Reader what Lords and Gentlemen did first appear in action on either side in those particular Counties that in the progresse of the Story he may be better acquainted with those names whose Actions proved of so high concernment in the future War Nor can any perfect Judgement be made of the affections or condition of any one County in this brief Narration of so short a time for scarce was there any City or Shire but endured in processe of time many Changes and became altered from their first condition either by unconstancy of affections or else enforced to take a new side as they were threatned by approaching Armies of either party when the War grew to a greater height In some Counties there was no strugling at all one side wholly prevailing and the Peoples affections bending the same way as it appeared in Lincolnshire at the first which was the first account given to the Parliament of their Militia and where some circumstances are of that note as to make it justly deserve a more particular recital then other places when the Lord WILLOUGHBY of Parham went down thither being chosen by the Parliament Lord Lieutenant of that County This young Lord being come to Lincoln expresseth to the Parliament what cheerful and hearty obedience he found from the Captains and Officers of the Trained Bands and in how good a posture they were beyond all expectation considering the unhappinesse of the Plague being then in the Town which hindered the appearance of some but that was fully supplied by a Company of Voluntiers equal in number and goodnesse of Arms to the Trained Bands Yet that Change which I spake of before did afterwards sadly appear in this County which was afterwards as much divided in it self as any part of England and by that means a most unhappie seat of War often gained and regained by either side Lincolnshire was then very forward for the Lord WILLOUGHBY however afterward he found some resistance from the Earl of Lindsey who sided with the King as he wrote up to the Parliament and sent also to them the King's Letter and his own Answer Which are both fit to be inserted into the Story being the first of that kinde and much unfolding the nature of the businesse The King's Letter to the Lord WILLOUHBY of Parham CHARLES REX Right Trusty and Welbeloved We greet you well Whereas We understand that you have begun to assemble train and muster the Trained Bands of Our County of Lincoln under pretence of an Ordinance of Parliament whereto We have not given Our consent which is not onely contrary to the Law but to Our Command and Pleasure signified by Our Proclamation sent to Our high Sheriff of that Our County Wherefore that you may not hereafter plead ignorance of such Our Prohibition We do by these Our Letters command and charge you upon your Allegiance to desist and forbear to raise train exercise or assemble together any part of the Trained Bands of Our County either by your self or by any others employed under you or by warrant from you And because you may for what you have already done concerning the Militia of that Our County plead that you had not so particular a Command We shall passe by what you have already done therein so as presently upon your receipt hereof you shall desist and give over medling any further with any thing concerning the Militia of that Our County But if you shall not presently desist and forbear medling therewith We are resolved to call you to a strict account for your disobedience therein after so many particular and legal Commands given you upon your Allegiance to the contrary and shall esteem and proceed against you as a disturber of the Peace of the Kingdom Given at Our Court at York the fourth of Iune 1642. To Our Right Trusty and Welbeloved the Lord WILLOUGHBY of Parham The Lord WILLOUGHBY of Parham his Letter in Answer to His Majestie SIR As there can be nothing of greater unhappinesse to me then to receive a Command from Your Majestie whereunto my endeavours cannot give so ready an obedience as my affections so I must confesse the difficulty at this time not a little how to expresse that Duty which I owe to Your Majesties late Commands and not falsifie that Trust reposed in me by Your high Court of Parliament through whose particular directions I am now come into this County to settle the Militia according to the Ordinance of Parliament which by the Votes of my Lord LITTLETON and others in the House of Peers better versed in the Laws then my self passed as a legal thing and
and Gentlemen inhabited none at all of note stood for the Parliament but Sir JOHN GELL and his brother of whose actions it will be seasonable to speak in another place Staffordshire and Nottinghamshire were in no lesse combustion In Leicestershire the troubles were far greater and early begun by Master HENRY HASTINGS second son to the Earl of Huntingdon whom the King had made Sheriff of that County and put into the Commission of Array who raised great Forces to seize upon the Magazine of that County Against whom the Earl of Stamford was sent by the Parliament as Lord Lieutenant with a considerable strength who arriving there did much curb the proceedings of Master HASTINGS and took possession of the Town of Leicester Great was the Contention about that time in Warwick-shire between the Earl of Northampton for the King and the Lord BROOK for the Parliament not without sharp encounters and slaughter on either side The Earl having seized the Ordnance at Banbury marched with great fury into Warwick-shire spoiling the Countrey as he went though not without opposition of the people and the Lord BROOK'S Forces against whom he could not at all prevail The Earl of Pembrook had setled the Militia in Wilâ—shire with small ado though it continued not long so And the Earl of Holland in Berk-shire being but saintly resisted by the Earl of Berk-shire the Lord LOVELACE and others For soon after the Earl of Berk-shire together with Sir JOHN CURSON Sir ROBERT DORMER and others for the Commission of Array who came to Watlington in Oxfordshire to seize the Magazine of that part of the County which was laid up in that Town were there taken prisoners and sent up to the Parliament by Colonel HAMDEN and Colonel GOODWIN two Members of the House of Commons and Knights of the Shire for Buckingham But the further that this Discourse travels Westward the greater and more remarkable you shall finde such contestations especially considering the number of Lords and Gentlemen of great rank and many of them Members of Parliament who sided with the King against the Parliament and were therefore afterward voted out of the House One great Head there was of all those Western Counties WILLIAM Marquesse of Hartford whom the King by his Commission of Array had appointed Chief and made him Lord Lieutenant-General of Devon Cornwal Somerset Dorset Wilts Southampton Gloucester Berks Oxford Hereford and seven Counties within the Principality of Wales who notwithstanding his high Command was never able to atchieve any great matter for the King's side so much were the common people of the West at that time inclined to the Parliament and so active were those Gentlemen who stood for it such as were the sons of Sir FRANCIS POPHAM Master ALEXANDER POPHAM HUGH and EDWARD who were more animated by the example of their aged father Master STRODE a Deputy-Lieutenant and others against all those frequent attempts which the Marquesse made Great was the number of considerable men in those Countries which took part with the Marquesse against the Parliament and very industrious in their several Stations to put in execution the Commission of Array as the Lord PAWLET Sir RALPH HOPTON and Sir JOHN STOWEL both Members of the House of Commons and for that reason put out of the House Sir RICHARD SLANY in Cornwal another Member put out also for the same cause as likwise were Sir EDWARD RODNEY and Master COVENTRY both Parliament-men who followed the Marquesse in some of his actions Sir BEVILE GREENVILE an active man another Member of Parliament was very industrious for the Array both in Cornwal and Devon joyning himself with the Earl of Bath who came for that purpose to his house at Tastock in Devonshire and assisted by many Gentlemen as Master CULINS Sheriff of that County M. BAMFIELD M. ASHFORD M. GIFFORD M. SAINTHIL Baronet SEYMOUR and M. COURTNEY to whose assistance Squire ROGERS came with Forces out of Dorsetshire Various were the Successes which Marquesse Hartford assisted by so many of the Gentry found in his several Enterprises sometimes prevailing but more often distressed In one Skirmish which about the beginning of August himself the Lord PAWLET Sir RALPH HOPTON Sir JOHN STOWEL and M. SMITH another Member of the House of Commons made against the Deputy-Lieutenants in Somersetshire he prevailed against them and possessed himself of the Town of Shepton-Mallet Ten men were slain and many wounded Going afterwards to Wells he had been besieged by many thousands of the People who arose against him but that having timely notice of their coming he escaped a back-way out of the Town About which time the Earl of Bedford was sent down by the Parliament against him with three hundred Horse by whom the Lord Marquesse the Lord PAWLET Sir RALPH HOPTON Colonel LUNSFORD and many other considerable men were besieged in Sherburn For great numbers out of the Country came daily to the assistance of the Earl of Bedford Many weeks did that Siege continue many Sallies were made out and sharp encounters on both sides performed with great courage the Parliament side being in firm hope to have taken them at last which was conceived a thing of great moment and advantage to their affairs if they could have possessed the persons of so many men considerable both in their Fortunes and Valour and who proved afterwards very strong and cruel enemies Yet that hope was frustrate for about the beginning of October they all escaped out of Sherburn the Earl neverthelesse pursued after them and in the Chase took M. PALLART Sir HENRY Sir JOHN and Sir CHARLES BARCLAY prisoners Within a week after the Earl of Bath was apprehended and brought up a prisoner to the Parliament It cannot be much wondered at that Division was found in Countrey-Towns and Villages so far remote from the Parliament where the people were variously wrought upon by perswasions or fears from either side when London it self the Seat of that great Councel and chiefest Bulwark of their defence was not without some taste of these Distractions Which besides the actions of some private Citizens too petty to be here rehearsed may appear to the Reader in one thing which cannot be omitted The Lord Major of London was at this time a prisoner in the Tower committed by the Parliament Sir RICHARD GURNEY Lord Maior of London for that yeer was charged by the House of Commons on the seventh of Iuly for being a mover of Sedition in the Kingdom in causing the King's Proclamation concerning the Commission of Array which was declared by both Houses to be illegal to be proclaimed in the City And the Charge being perfected was sent up to the Lords desiring that he might forthwith be called to his Answer which was accordingly granted Four days after while the Lord Maior was attending the Lords House upon this Charge and additional Impeachment was read against him in the House of Commons brought in by the Common-Councel of London for divers breaches of
slaine That Commission of Array was directed from the King to Sir NICHOLAS CRISPE Sir GEORGE STROUD Knights to Sir THOMAS GARDINER Knight Recorder of London Sir GEORGE BINION Knight RICHARD EDES and MARMADUKE ROYDEN Esquires THOMAS BROWNE PETER PAGGON CHARLES GENNINGS EDWARD CARLETON ROBERT ABBOT ANDREW KING WILLIAM WHITE STEVEN BOLTON ROBERT ALDEM EDMUND FOSTER THOMAS BLINKHORNE of London Gentlemen and to all such other persons as according to the true intent and purport of that Commission should be nominated and appointed to be Generals Colonels Lieutenant Colonels Serjeant Majors or other Officers of that Councell of Warre The Commission it selfe is to be read at large in the Parliament Records But this Conspiracy was prevented and proved fatall to some of the Contrivers being detected upon the last day of May which happened at that time to be the day of the Monethly Fast and Master WALLER Master TOMKINS with other of the forenamed Conspirators being apprehended were that night examined by divers grave Members of the Parliament of whom Master PYM was one and afterwards reserved in custody for a Tryall They were arraigned in Guild-Hall and Master WALLER Master TOMKINS Master CHALLONER Master HASELL Master WHITE and Master BLINKHORNE were all condemned none were executed but Master TOMKINS and Master CHALLONER being both hanged Master TOMKINS in Holborne and Master CHALLONER in Cornhill both within sight of their own dwelling houses Master HASELL dyed in Prison BLINKHORNE and the other were by the mercy of the Parliament and the Lord Generall Essex reprived and saved afterwards Master WALLER the chiefe of them was long detained Prisoner in the Tower and about a yeare after upon payment of a Fine of ten thousand pounds was pardoned and released to go travell abroad It was much wondered at and accordingly discoursed of by many at that time what the reason should be why Master WALLER being the principall Agent in that Conspiracy where Master TOMKINS and Master CHALLONER who had been drawne in by him as their own Confessions even at their deaths expressed were both executed did escape with life The onely reason which I could ever heare given for it was That Master WALLER had been so free in his Confessions at the first without which the Plot could not have been clearly detected That Master PYM and other of the Examiners had ingaged their promise to do whatever they could to preserve his life He seemed also much smitten in conscience and desired the comfort of godly Minister being extremely penitent for that soule offence and afterwards in his Speech to the House when he came to be put out of it much be wailed his offence thanking God that so mischievous and bloody a Conspiracy was discovered before it could take effect CHAP. III. Matters of State trans-acted in Parliament touching the Assembly of Divines The making of a new Great Seale Impeaching the Queene 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 AT the same time that these Conspiracies were closely working to undermine the Parliament and Warre was raging in highest fury throughout the Kingdome many State-businesses of an unusuall nature had been trans-acted in the Parliament sitting For things were growne beyond any president of former ages and the very foundations of Government were shaken according to the sense of that Vote which the Lords and Commons had passed a yeare before That whensoever the King maketh Warre against the Parliament it tendeth to the dissolution of this Government Three things of that unusuall nature fell into debate in one moneth which was May 1643. and were then or soone after fully passed one was at the beginning of that moneth concerning the Assembly of Divines at Westminster Among other Bils which had passed both Houses and wanted onely the Royall Assent that was one That a Synod of Divines should be chosen and established for the good and right settlement of Religion with a fit Government for the Church of England This Bill was oft tendred to the King to passe but utterly refused by him The matter therefore was fully argued what in such cases might be done by Authority of Parliament when the Kingdomes good is so much concerned when a King refuseth and wholly absenteth himselfe from the Parliament And at last it was brought to this conclusion That an Ordinance of Parliament where the King is so absent and refusing is by the Lawes of the Land of as good Authority to binde the people for the time present as an Act of Parliament it selfe can be It was therefore Voted by the Lords and Commons That the Act for an Assembly of Divines to settle Religion and a forme of Government for the Church of England which the King had oft refused to passe should forthwith be turned into an Ordinance of Parliament and the Assembly thereby called debate such things for the settlement of Religion as should be propounded to them by both Houses which not long after was accordingly put in execution The case seemed of the same nature with that of Scotland in the yeare 1639. when the Scottish Covenanters as is before mentioned in this History upon the Kings delay in calling their Nationall Synod published a writing to that purpose That the power of calling a Synod in case the Prince be an Enemy to the truth or negligent in promoting the Churches good is in the Church it selfe In the same moneth and within few daies after another businesse of great consequence was by the Lords and Commons taken into consideration which was the making of a new Great Seale to supply the place of that which had been carried away from the Parliament as before is mentioned This businesse had been fully debated in the House of Commons and the Moneth following at a Conference between both Houses the Commons declared to the Lords what great prejudice the Parliament and whole Kingdome suffered by the absence of the Great Seale and thereupon desired their speedy compliance in Votes for the making of a new one The matter was debated in the House of Peeres put to Votes and carried for the negative The onely reason which they alleadged against the making of a new Seale was this That they have hitherto dispatched all business since the absence of the Seale by vertue of Ordinances of Parliament and they conceived that the same course might still be kept in what matters soever were necessary to be expedited for the good of the Kingdome without a Seale Yet the Lords gave a respective answer That if the House of Commons would informe them in any particular cases wherein the Kingdomes prejudice by absence of the Great Seale could not be remedied by vertue of an Ordinance they would take it into further consideration to induce complyance accordingly Neither was
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
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
were the opinion of many not to send any Answer at all to them yet at last to shew respect to the King entred into a further debate about treating with him concerning the Propositions on both sides and concerning the Cessation of Arms or disbanding with such limitations and restrictions touching the order of treating as would perchance seeme too tedious to be here related and on the 20. of March the Earle of Northumberland Sir JOHN HOLLAND Sir WILLIAM ARMINE Master PERPOINT and Master WHITLOCK the Lord SAY should have been one but the King excepted against him as formely against Sir JOHN EVELIN upon the same ground which though the Parliament tooke ill at the first yet they proceeded in the businesse were sent to Oxford as Treaters upon those Propositions In vaine was this Treaty so high the demands were judged to be on both sides that there seemed no possibility of ever meeting where the fault lay I judge not but the Parliament after many Messages betweene London and Oxford at last sent for their Commissioners home againe who returned to London upon the 17. of April upon which the Lord Generall immediately advanced with his Army as aforesaid to besiege Reading Reading was not able to hold out long but the Lord Generall was loath to storme it for feare of destroying so many innocent people as remained in the Towne which compassion of his was well approved of by the Parliament therefore upon composition it was rendred within sixteene daies to his Excellency by the Deputy Governour Colonell FIELDING for the Governour Sir ARTHUR ASTON was before wounded by an accident and could not performe the Office The Termes were easie for they all marched out with bagge and baggage This siege had not at all advantaged the Parliament if another businesse had not fallen out during that short siege which may also be thought a reason why the Towne was so soone rendred A good Body of the Kings Forces both Horse and Foot the King himselfe in Person not farre from them came to relieve Reading assaulting one Quarter of the Parliament Army at Causum Bridge within a mile of the Towne and were beaten back with great slaughter which fell especially upon Gentlemen of quality of whom the King at that incounter lost a considerable number but how many they were or their particular names I finde not mentioned The gaining of Reading might seeme an addition of strength to the Parliament side it proved otherwise Nothing was gotten but a bare Towne which had been happier had it been onely so The Towne was infected and caused afterwards a great mortality in the Parliament Army The Souldiers besides were discontented that being already much behinde in pay they were not suffered to plunder or make any benefit of their victory For the Parliament before Reading was delivered up had approved of the Conditions and promised to the Lord Generals Souldiers to forbeare plundering twelve shillings a man besides their pay But neither of these were then performed money began already to be wanting and the great Magazine of Treasure in Guild-Hall quite consumed While they stayed there expecting money the sicknesse and mortality daily increased and the Lord Generall by advice of his Councell of War intended to march thence for better ayre But such a generall mutiny was raised for want of Mone that his Excellency though with much courage and just severity he began to suppresse it was advised by his Councell of Warre to desist for feare of a generall defection till money might come from the City Notwithstanding upon this discontent in the Army whilest his Excellency removed to Causum House to avoid the infection many of the Souldiers disbanded and went away Then began a tide of misfortune to flow in upon the Parliament side and their strength almost in every place to decrease at one time for during the time of these six moâ—eths since the Battell of Keynton untill this present distresse of the Lord Generals Army about Causum which was about the beginning of May the Warre had gone on with great sury and heat almost thorow every part of England the particulars of which shall hereafter be related by themselves to avoid confusion in the Story The Lord Generall had at that time intelligence that Sir RALPH HOPTON had given a great defeat to the Parliament Forces of Devonshire and that Prince MAURICE and Marquesse HARTFORD were designed that way to possesse themselves wholly of the West Leaving therefore the Lord Generall a while I shall proceed to speak of some things which happened at other places in that Moneth of May. The Kings Armies were then in faire possibility of gaining the whole West and seemed of strength enough to archieve it by open Warre without the assistance of secret treacheries and conspiracies which notwithstanding were then in agitation though they proved not successefull against the Parliament but destructive to the contrivers As at Bristoll a place of great import and much desired by the Kings Forces when the plot of betraying that City to Prince RUPERT was set on foot which I here relate as falling out about the beginning of May 1643. The City of Bristoll was then in the Parliaments protection and governed by Colonell NATHANIEL FIENNES second Sonne to the Viscount SAY and SEALE though many of the Inhabitants there as appeared by this designe were dis-affected to the Parliaments side This designe was very bloody and many of that City had perished in it had not the Conspirators been discovered and apprehended a Little before they were to put it in execution ROBERT YEOMANS late Sheriffe of Bristoll WILLIAM YEOMANS his brother GEORGE BOURCHIER and EDWARD DACRES were the chiefe managers of this Designe who with many others of that opinion had secretly provided themselves of Armes intending to kill the Centinels by night and possesse the maine Guard with other particulars to be found in the Records of their examinations and proofes against them whereby to master the greatest part of the other side within the Towne to kill the Mayor and many others that were knowne to stand affected to the Parliament and by that meanes to betray the City to the Kings Forces In expectation of which act Prince RUPERT with other Commanders and about 4000 Horse and 2000 Foot stayed upon Durdam Downes about two miles from the City But the Plot was discovered the Conspirators apprehended and brought to triall by a Councell of Warre where the foure forenamed were condemned and two of them hanged at Bristoll namely ROBERT YEOMANS and GEORGE BOURCHIER although great meanes had been made to save them and Colonell FIENNES to that purpose had been threatned from Oxford by Generall RIVEN created by the King Earle of Forth in a Letter unto him which being of great consequence for the cleare understanding of this War and the nature of it I thought fit to insert here together with the Answer thereunto PATRICK Earle of Forth Lord ETTERICK and Lord Lieutenant of all His Majesties