unwarrantable Courses but he made his Escape by Water for that time and one of the most active of the People was seized and executed which served only to exasperate the rest Upon the near Approach of the English and Scots Army a considerable Party of each side encountred and the English contrary to their wonted Custom retired in Disorder not without Shame and some Loss Of such Force and Consequence is a Belief and full Perswasion of the Justice of an Undertaking tho managed by an Enemy in other respects inconsiderable The King startled at the Unsuccessfulness of his first Attempt upon the Petition of a considerable number of the well-affected Nobility requesting him that to avoid the Effusion of more Blood he would call an Assembly of the Nobility consented thereunto This Council accordingly met at York and advised the King to a Cessation of Arms and the Calling of a Parliament to compose Differences which to the great trouble of the Clergy and other Incendiaries he promised to do assuring the Scots of the Paiment of twenty thousand Pounds a Month to maintain their Army till the Pleasure of the Parliament should be known In order to which Writs were issued out for the Meeting of a Parliament on the 3 d of November 1640. The time prefix'd for their assembling being come they met accordingly and as they were very sensible that nothing but an absolute Necessity permitted their coming together so they resolved to improve this happy Opportunity to free the People from their Burdens and to punish the Authors of the late Disorders To this end they declared against Monopolies and expelled the Authors of them out of the House The Opinions of the Judges concerning Ship-Money they voted unjust and illegal fining and imprisoning those that had warranted the Lawfulness thereof And that the Offenders against the Publick might not escape they ordered the Sea-Ports to be diligently guarded and all Passengers to be strictly examined This being done they impeached the Lord Keeper Finch the Earl of Strafford and the Arch-bishop of Canterbury of High Treason in endeavouring to subvert the Laws and to erect an Arbitrary and Tyrannical Power They declared that they would pay the English and Scots Armies to the end of May 1641. and assist the Prince Palatine with Men and Money to recover his Country And now having the Charge of two Armies to pay and all Men suspecting they might be abruptly dissolved as had often hapned before and therefore refusing to credit them with such Sums as were necessary unless an Act might pass to secure their sitting till they should think fit to dissolve themselves by Act of Parliament the King gave his Assent to one drawn up and passed to that purpose Another Act likewise passed to assert that according to the antient Fundamental Laws of England a Parliament ought to be held every Year and directing that in case one was not called in three Years the Lord Chancellor or Keeper of the Great Seal should issue out Writs as is therein expressed and if he fail in his Duty he is declared guilty of High Treason and a certain number of Lords impowered to summon the said Parliament and is they should neglect so to do the Sheriffs and Constables are vested with the same Authority But if it should happen that all the forementioned Powers should be wanting in their Duty the People of England are thereby authorized to put the said Act in execution by meeting and electing Members to serve in Parliament tho not summoned by any Officers appointed to that end The Parliament then proceeded to correct the Abuses that had been introduced in the preceding Years Whereupon the Star-Chamber the High Commission Court the Court of Honour with some others were taken away by Act of Parliament and the Power of the Council-Table restrained The Commissioners of the Custom-House who had collected Customs contrary to Law were fined and such as had been imprisoned by any of the above-mentioned Arbitrary Courts were set at liberty A Protestation was also agreed upon by the Lords and Commons which they took and presented to others to take whereby all those that took it obliged themselves to defend and maintain the Power and Privileges of Parliament the Rights and Liberties of the People to use their utmost Endeavours to bring to condign Punishment all those who should by Force or otherwise do any thing to the contrary and to stand by and justify all such as should do any thing in prosecution of the said Protestation The Day prefix'd for the Earl of Strafford's Trial being come he was brought before the House of Peers where the Charge against him was managed by Members of the House of Commons appointed to that end The chief Heads of the Accusation were That he had governed the Kingdom of Ireland in an Arbitrary manner That he had retained the Revenues of the Crown without rendring a due Account of them That he had encouraged and promoted the Romish Religion That he had endeavoured to create Feuds and Quarrels between England and Scotland That he had laboured to render the Parliament suspected and odious to the King That he was the Author of that Advice That since the Parliament had denied to grant the King such Supplies as he demanded he was at liberty to raise them by such Means as he thought fit and that he had an Irish Army that would assist him to that end It being the Custom that a Lord High Steward should be made to preside at the Trial of a Peer that Honour was conferred upon the Earl of Arundel The King the Queen the House of Commons the Deputies of Scotland and Ireland with many other Persons of Quality of both Sexes were there present I remember the Earl of Strafford in his Defence objected against the Evidence of the Earl of Cork denying him to be a competent Witness because his Enemy To which George Lord Digby who was appointed one of the Managers of the Charge against him replied That if that Objection should be of any weight with the Court the Earl of Strafford had found out a certain way to secure himself from any sarther Prosecution Yet this Man who then spoke with so much Vigour soon after altered his Language and made a Speech to the House in his favour which he caused to be printed and also surreptitiously withdrew a Paper from the Committee containing the principal Evidence against the said Earl The Parliament resenting this Prevarication ordered his Speech to be burnt by the Hands of the Common Hangman The House of Commons having passed a Bill for the Condemnation of the Earl it was carried to the Lords for their Concurrence which they gave The King not satisfied therewith consulted with the Privy Council some Judges and four Bishops And all of them except one advise the throwing of Jonas over-board for the appeasing of the Storm Upon which the Earl of Arundel the Lord Privy Seal and two more were commissionated by
to carry on this necessary Work procured some Forces to be sent from Scotland into the North of Ireland and put into their hands the Town and Castle of Carrickfergus They also dispatched several Regiments of English thither who were blessed with wonderful Success against the Rebels particularly about Dublin where the Earl of Ormond commanded Those of the English Pale by fair Pretences procured Arms to be delivered to them yet basely cut off a Party of five or six hundred Men sent to relieve Sir Richard Titchburn then besieged at Droghedah who finding no hopes of Relief made his Retreat to Dublin by Sea The Lord Forbes a Scots-man was sent with a Party into Munster where he greatly annoyed the Enemy and being furnished with some Ships sailed up the Shannon and secured several Places upon that River particularly Bonratte the Residence of the Earl of Thomond where he found about threescore Horse fit for Service Major Adams was made Governour of that House But the Enemy frequently resorting to a Place called Six-Miles-Bridg about two or three Miles from thence the English pressed the Earl to assist them to fall upon the Irish who unwilling to oppose the English Interest and no less to make the Rebels his Enemies endeavoured to excuse himself yet upon second thoughts resolved to comply if some care might be taken to spare his Kindred Whereupon some of the English Officers proposing to him that his Relations should distinguish themselves by some Mark and he concluding it to be in order to secure them to the English Interest chose rather to withdraw himself into England and to leave his House to the Souldiers where tho he pretended he had no Money to lend them to supply their wants they found two thousand Pounds buried in the Walls which they made use of for the paiment of their Forces The King finding that nothing less would satisfy the Parliament than a thorow Correction of what was amiss and full Security of their Rights from any Violation for the suture considered how to put a stop to their Proceedings and to that end encouraged a great number of loose debauch'd Fellows about the Town to repair to Whitehall where a constant Table was provided for their Entertainment Many Gentlemen of the Inns of Court were tamper'd with to assist him in his Design and things brought to that pass that one of them said publickly in my hearing What! shall we suffer these Fellows at Westminster to domineer thus Let us go into the Country and bring up our Tenants to pull them out Which Words not being able to bear I questioned him for them and he either out of fear of the publick Justice or of my Resentment came to me the next Morning and asked pardon for the same which by reason of his Youth and want of Experience I passed by By these Actions of the King the Suspicions of the Parliament were justly increased and therefore they desired leave to provide a Guard to secure themselves from Violence which the King refused to grant unless it might be of his own Appointment alledging that their Fears were groundless But they thought otherwise being convinced that neither what had been already done was sufficiently secured unless the Militia might be placed in such hands as they could trust nor themselves safe unless attended by a Guard of their own Nomination The King 's violent ways not succeeding he fell upon other Measures in appearance more moderate yet continued his Resolution to subdue the Parliament and to colour his Proceedings with a Form of Law he lent Sir Edward Herbert his Attorny General and a Member of the House of Commons to accuse of High Treason in the Name of his Majesty Mr. William Stroud Mr. John Pym Mr. John Hampden Sir Arthur Haslerig and Mr. Denzil Hollis Members of that House and the Lord Kimbolton of the House of Lords acquainting them that he intended to proceed against them according to Law upon the following Articles 1. That they intended to change the Government of the State and to dispossess the King of his Sovereign and Lawful Power and to attribute to Subjects an Arbitrary and Tyrannical Power 2. That by false Reports and Calumnies sown against his Majesty they had endeavoured to alienate from him the Affections of his People 3. That they had done their utmost to debauch the Troops of his Majesty and to engage them in their persidious Designs 4. That they had traitorously sought to overthrow the Rights and true Form of Parliaments 5. That they had used Force and Terror to constrain the Parliament to engage in their pernicious Designs and to that end had stirred up Tumults against the King and Parliament 6. That they had by a great Treason resolved to raise Arms and had actually raised Arms against the King 7. That they had endeavoured to procure a Foreign Power to invade England Upon this the House made answer to the Attorney General that they were the proper Judges of their own Members That upon his producing the Articles that he had to accuse their Members with and the consideration of them if they found cause they would leave them to be proceeded against according to Law but commanded him at his Peril not to proceed any farther against them or any other Member without their Consent After which they published a Declaration forbidding the seizing of any of their Members without their Order authorizing them to stand upon their Guard and requiring all Justices of the Peace Constables and other Officers and People to be assisting to them and sent the Attorny General to Prison for his Proceedings in this matter The King finding his Instruments thus discouraged and being resolved to remove all Obstructions in his way went in Person to the House of Commons attended not only with his ordinary Guard of Pensioners but also with those Desperadoes that for some time he had entertained at Whitehall to the number of three or four hundred armed with Partizans Sword and Pistol At the door of the House he left his Guard commanded by the Lord Roxberry entring accompanied only by the Prince Palatine where taking possession of the Speaker's Chair and not seeing those that he looked for he said The Birds are flown For upon notice given by a Lady of the Court of the King's Intention they were retired into the City The King then demanded of the Speaker where such and such were naming the five Members to which he answered in these Words I have neither Eyes to see Ears to hear nor Tongue to speak in this place save what this House gives me The King replied I think you are in the right and then addressing himself to the House said That he was sorry he had been necessitated to come thither That no King of England had been more careful to preserve the Privileges of Parliament than he desired to be but that those five Members being dangerous Persons he had been obliged to pursue them not by Force but
defence of the Laws openly and frequently violated by the King who had made it the chief business of his Reign to invade the Rights and Privileges of the People raising Taxes by various Arts without their Consent in Parliament encouraging and preferring a formal and superstitious Clergy discouraging the sober and vertuous amongst them imposing upon all the Inventions of Men in the room of the Institutions of God And knowing that Parliaments were the most likely means to rectify what was amiss to give a check to his Ambition and to punish the principal Instruments of that illegal Power which he had assumed had endeavoured either to prevent their Meeting or to render them fruitless to the People and only serviceable to his corrupt ends by granting him Money to carry on his pernicious Designs A Parliament being now called and an Act passed authorizing them to fit till they should think fit to dissolve themselves And it being manifest to them and to all those who had any Concern for the Happiness of the Nation that the King would do nothing effectually to redress the present or to secure the People from future Mischiefs chusing rather to contend with them by Arms than for their satisfaction to entrust the Militia in faithful Hands resolving to impose that by the Force of his Arms which he could not do by the Strength of his Arguments I thought it my Duty upon consideration of my Age and vigorous Constitution as an English-man and an Invitation to that purpose from my Father to enter into the Service of my Country in the Army commanded by the Earl of Essex under the Authority of the Parliament I thought the Justice of that Cause I had engaged in to be so evident that I could not imagine it to be attended with much Difficulty For tho I supposed that many of the Clergy who had been the principal Authors of our Miseries together with some of the Courtiers and such as absolutely depended upon the King for their Subsistence as also some Foreigners would adhere to him yet I could not think that many of the People who had been long oppressed with heavy Burdens and now with great difficulty had obtained a Parliament composed of such Persons as were willing to run all Hazards to procure a lasting Settlement for the Nation would be either such Enemies to themselves or so ungrateful to those they had trusted as not to stand by them to the utmost of their Power at least tho some might not have so much Resolution and Courage as to venture All with them yet that they would not be so treacherous and unworthy to strengthen the Hands of the Enemy against those who had the Laws of God Nature and Reason as well as those of the Land on their side Soon after my Engagement in this Cause I met with Mr. Richard Fynes Son to the Lord Say and Mr. Charles Fleetwood Son to Sir Miles Eleetwood then a Member of the House of Commons with whom consulting it was resolved by us to assemble as many young Gentlemen of the Inns of Court of which we then were and others as should be found disposed to this Service in order to be instructed together in the use of Arms to render our selves fit and capable of acting in case there should be occasion to make use of us To this end we procured a Person experienced in military Affairs to instruct us in the use of Arms and for some time we frequently met to exercise at the Artillery-Ground in London And being informed that the Parliament had resolved to raise a Life-Guard for the Earl of Essex to consist of a hundred Gentlemen under the Command of Sir Philip Stapylton a Member of Parliament most of our Company entred themselves therein and made up the greatest part of the said Guard amongst whom were Mr. Richard Fynes Mr. Charles Fleetwood afterwards Lieutenant General Major General Harrison Colonel Nathanael Rich Colonel Thomlinson Colonel Twisleton Colonel Bosewell Major Whitby and my self with divers others It was not long before the Army under the Command of the Earl of Essex was raised and ready to march so cheerfully did the People hoping that the time of their Deliverance was come offer their Persons and all that was necessary for the carrying on of that Work The appearance for the King was not very considerable whilst he continued at York but when he removed to Shrewsbery great Numbers out of Wales and the adjacent Parts resorted to him The Earl of Essex having notice that the King directed his March that way advanced with his Army towards Worcester and upon his approach to that Town received Advice that a Detachment commanded by Prince Rupert had possessed themselves of it for the King and that a Party of ours impatient of Delay had engaged the Enemy before our General could come up with great Disadvantage as I after wards observed upon view of the Place Ours consisted of about a thousand Horse and Dragoons the Enemy being more in number and drawn up in a body within Musquet-shot of a Bridg between Parshot and Worcester over which our Men resolved to march and attack them but before half their number was got over not being able to advance above eight or ten abreast by reason of a narrow Lane through which they were to pass till they came within Pistol-shot of the Enemy they were engaged and forced to retreat in Disorder tho they did as much as could well be expected from them upon so disadvantageous a Ground Some were killed upon the place amongst whom was Major Gunter a very gallant Man who as I have heard had endeavoured to disswade them from that Attempt others were drowned and divers taken Prisoners of the last was Colonel Sands who commanded the Party and was carried to Worcester where being mortally wounded he soon died with all possible Expressions of his hearty Affection to the Publick Cause The Body of our routed Party returned in great Disorder to Parshot at which place our Life-Guard was appointed to quarter that Night where as we were marching into the Town we discovered Horsemen riding very hard towards us with drawn Swords and many of them without Hats from whom we understood the Particulars of our Loss not without Improvement by reason of the Fear with which they were possessed telling us that the Enemy was hard by in pursuit of them whereas it afterwards appeared they came not within four Miles of that place Our Life-Guard being for the most part Strangers to things of this nature were much alarm'd with this Report yet some of us unwilling to give credit to it till we were better informed offered our selves to go out upon a surther Discovery of the matter But our Captain Sir Philip Stapylton not being then with us his Lieutenant one Bainham an old Souldier a Generation of Men much cried up at that time drawing us into a Field where he pretended we might more advantageously charge if there should be
Earl of Essex the Army of the Enemy commanded by Prince Maurice retreated farther Westward Sir William Waller according to his Orders from the General followed the King but could not find an opportunity to engage him so that the Summer being almost spent and the Western Gentlemen observing little done for the Security of those Parts to which they were related prevailed with him to permit Col. Alexander Popham Col. Edward Popham his Brother my self and some others to return into the West in order to provide Recruits for his Army and to secure the Country To this end I received a Commission from him to raise and command a Regiment of Horse with a Permission to take my own Troop with me As soon as we came into Wiltshire we were earnestly solicited to go to the Relief of Major Wansey who was besieged by the Enemy in Woodhouse formerly purchased of my Father by Mr. Arundet Brother to the Lord Arundel of Warder Upon our Approach we understanding that their Forces were drawn off staid a day or two at the Devizes where notice being brought to us of the Enemies Return before that Place we immediately advanced and came that Night to Warmister from whence we sent a Party of about forty Horse with order to bring us certain Intelligence of the Enemies Condition This Party meeting upon Warmister-heath with about the like Number of theirs fought them and having taken some Prisoners returned to us with an account that the Enemy only drew off from Woodhouse to reinforce themselves for the better carrying on of their Work in order to which Sir Ralph Hopton with a thousand Horse was come from Bristol The next Morning a Party of the Enemies Horse faced us on the Heath thereby to provoke us to charge them and then by retreating from us to have drawn us within their Body of Horse who were marching on our left amongst the Hedges endeavouring to get into our Rear which we suspecting forbore making any Attempt upon them and about noon finding that we were not in a condition of performing what we came about marched off towards Salisbury We were no sooner got upon the Downs but we discovered their Body of Horse marching into the Town yet we continued our March observing the Enemy as well as we could to which end I kept in the Rear and discovering them climbing the Hills not far from us I informed Col. Alexander Popham thereof telling him that they appearing to be at least four times our Number I thought it not at all advisable to engage them But he saying that since they were so near we could not in Honour avoid it I promised him that I would not desert him Whereupon he drew up his Party into one Body which with reformed Officers and others consisted of near a hundred and I drew up my Troop consisting of the like Number into another Body but having before sent away my Sumpter and led Horses upon suspicion of the Event I was obliged to ride after them to take my Sute of Arms which was with them having ordered my Men not to stir from their Ground till I came back in which they were very punctual As I was returning I met Col. Popham and all his Party flying of whom demanding the Cause of this Alteration of his Resolution he answered that it was by no means advisable to fight them I found my Men standing their Ground and the Enemy advancing towards them in twelve Bodies each of which seemed to be as big as ours I thanked them for obeying my Orders and told them that if they continued to do so I doubted not by the Blessing of God to bring them off In order to which I sent my Standard before with half a score chosen Horse and then began to march off with the rest but finding some of my Men beginning to ride for it I put my self at the head of them to let them see that I could ride as fast as they withal telling them that if they would stand by me I would bring up the Rear By this means I got my Men to keep close together which contribtued much to their Safety The greatest part of the other Company followed Col. Edward Popham to Salisbury but his Brother Col. Alexander with about six Horse struck out of the way and retired to Pool After we had made about three Miles of our way one of my Troopers fell from his Horse and the Beast running from him he was in great danger of being destroyed by the Enemy who was in pursuit of us which being willing to prevent I took him up behind me and his Horse running along with the Company was taken soon after on the top of the Hill very seasonably for my Horse was by that time so far spent with the extraordinary Weight that he could not gallop any longer but the Souldier mounting his own Horse mine soon recovered his Wind and Strength again Twice or thrice the Enemy came up to us demanding the Word and were as often repulsed to their Body the last time we shot one of their Officers which made them more cautious of approaching us Many of our Horses being spent I commanded the Souldiers to quit them and to run them through that they might not fall into the hands of the Enemy advising the Men to shift for themselves either amongst the Corn or in the Villages through which we passed whereby most of them secured themselves but some were taken by the Enemy and killed in cold Blood by one of their Officers after Quarter given and their Lives promised to them At last I came to Salisbury with about thirty Horse where divers Persons disaffected to the Parliament made a great shout at our coming into the Town reioicing at our Defeat which they had heard of by some of our Company who had passed through the Town about an hour before From thence I continued my way to a place called Mutton-bridg on one side of which there is a Causway about three foot broad where I made a halt and ordering my Party to continue their Retreat towards Southampton I kept some of those who were the best mounted with me and made good that Pass for some time against the Enemy who tho they followed us as far as White Parish twenty Miles from the place where they first began their pursuit they took no more of our Men after this Halt which we put them to so that with the rest I arrived safe at Southampton Two days after my coming to Southampton Col. Norton received Advice that the Enemy was preparing to send some Forces in order to beat off those of ours that blocked up Basing-house He being then before Winchester and resolving to march with his Troop to reinforce the Besiegers desired me with my Troop to supply his place at Winchester till his Return Being unwilling to refuse any publick Service tho my Men were already very much harassed I marched thither and that those in the Castle might
my Father's Servants had so well conceal'd at the first breaking out of the War in a private part of my House that they escaped the Search of the Enemy who had plundered all they could find broken all the Windows taken away the Leads and pulled up the Boards in most parts of the House Whilst I was at London that Party which I left in the Country had taken some Wool and other things from the Lord Cottington the Lord Arundel and others which they sold and divided the Money amongst themselves From the Lord Cottington's they brought amongst other things a Horse that had been taken from me before at Warder-Castle The Lord Fairfax the Earl of Manchester and the Scots besieged York of which the Earl of Newcastle was Governour having with him a Garison consisting of six or seven thousand Foot besides Horse After some time spent in the Siege Prince Rupert arrived with about eighteen thousand Men and caused the Besiegers to raise the Siege who joining their Forces resolved to observe his Motions and to fight him if they found an occasion but that they might be a little refreshed and furnished with Provisions which they wanted they marched towards Tadcaster If Prince Rupert who had acquired Honour enough by the Relief of York in the view of three Generals could have contented himself with it and retreated as he might have done without fighting the Reputation he had gained would have caused his Army to increase like the rolling of a Snowball but he thinking this nothing unless he might have all forced his Enemies to a Battel against the Advice of many of those that were with him in which the Lest Wing of the Enemy charging the Right Wing of ours consisting of English and Scots so totally routed them that the three Generals of the Parliament quitted the Field and fled towards Cawood Castle The Left Wing of our Army commanded by Col. Cromwell knowing nothing of this Rout engaged the Right Wing of the Enemy commanded by Prince Rupert who had gained an advantageous piece of Ground upon Marston-Moor and caused a Battery to be erected upon it from which Capt. Walton Cromwell's Sister's Son was wounded by a shot in the Knee Whereupon Col. Cromwell commanded two Field-pieces to be brought in order to annoy the Enemy appointing two Regiments of Foot to guard them who marching to that purpose were attacked by the Foot of the Enemies right Wing that fired thick upon them from the Ditches Upon this both Parties seconding their Foot were wholly engaged who before had stood only facing each other The Horse on both sides behaved themselves with the utmost Bravery for having discharged their Pistols and flung them at each others Heads they sell to it with their Swords The King's Party were encouraged in this Encounter by seeing the Success of their Left Wing and the Parliament's Forces that remained in the Field were not discouraged because they knew it not both sides eagerly contending for Victory which after an obstinate Dispute was obtained by Cromwell's Brigade the Enemies Right Wing being totally routed and flying as the Parliament's had done before our Horse pursuing and killing many of them in their Flight And now the Enemies Left Wing who had been Conquerors returned to their former Ground presuming upon an entire Victory and utterly ignorant of what had befallen Prince Rupert but before they could put themselves into any order they were charged and entirely defeated by the Reserves of Cromwell's Brigade Prince Rupert upon the routing of the Parliament's Right Wing concluding all to be his own had sent Letters to the King to acquaint him with the Victory upon which the Bells were rung and Bonfires made at Oxford Sir Charles Lucas Major General Porter Major General Tilyard with above a hundred Officers more were taken Prisoners by the Parliament's Forces All the Enemies Artillery great Numbers of Arms and a good quantity of Ammunition and Baggage fell also into their hands The Prince's own Standard with the Arms of the Palatinate was likewise taken with many others both of Horse and Foot Fifteen days after this Fight being the 16 th of July 1644. the City of York was surrendred to the Parliament's Forces upon Articles and the Earl of Newcastle having had some Dispute with Prince Rupert before the Engagement wherein some Words had passed which the Earl could not well digest soon after left England and the Prince retired to Bristol The Earl of Essex was marched with his Army into Cornwall yet to what publick end I could never understand for the Enemy there had already dispersed themselves Some said that he was perswaded to march thither by the Lord Roberts to give him an opportunity to collect his Rents in those Parts Upon this the King drew out what Forces he could from Oxford designing to join them with some others in the West by which Conjunction the Parliament apprehending their Army under Essex to be in danger ordered Sir William Waller to observe the King's Motions But whether the Neglect of relieving him at the Devizes or the Affront put upon him by commanding him to follow the King after he had been ordered to attend the Service of the West or what else it was that had sower'd him I cannot say yet visible it was that so much Care and Expedition was not used in attending the King in his Marches as was requisite However Lieutenant General Middleton then under Sir William Waller was sent with a Party of Horse to the Assistance of the Earl of Essex but he kept at such a distance from him that he afforded him little Help Neither was there that Diligence as should have been then used by the Earl of Essex himself to engage the King before his Conjunction with the Western Forces or to fight them when they were united they not much if at all exceeding ours in Number and in Courage and Affection to the Cause engaged in much inferiour But the Earl of Essex and the Lord Roberts having led the Army into a Corner of Cornwall betook themselves to the Ships with which the Earl of Warwick attended the Motion of the Army Being thus deserted the Horse broke through the Enemy under the Conduct of Sir William Balfour the Foot and Train of Artillery being left with Major General Skippon about Bodmin who was forced about the latter end of September 1644. to make the best Terms he could with the Enemy for them agreeing to leave their Arms and Cannon behind them and to be conducted into the Parliament's Quarters with whatsoever belonged to them but before the Convoy had done with them they lost most of their Clothes and in that condition arrived at Portsmouth where they found their General the Earl of Essex The Parliament soon caused them to be armed and clothed again and the Horse having forced their way as before mentioned the Army was speedily recruited scarce a Man having taken Arms on the other side The Earl of Manchester and Sir
what they could and were returned back again In this Action a Brother of my Father 's was mortally wounded taken Prisoner by the Enemy and died the next day Col. Cook was forced to content himself to reinforce the Besiegers and to return to his former Station The Army commanded by Sir Thomas Fairfax having left a strong Party to block up Exeter advanced Westward towards the Enemy and at Bovey Tracy fought the Brigade commanded by the Lord Wentworth took four hundred Horse and about a hundred Foot Prisoners with six Standards one of which was the King's Two Regiments of ours appeared before Dartmouth and summoned it but the Garison being numerous and furnished with all things necessary refused to surrender upon which the Army advancing possessed themselves of their Outworks and having turned their Cannon upon them two Forts distant about a Mile from the Town wherein were thirty four Pieces of Cannon and two Ships of War that were in the Harbour surrendred which the Governour understanding capitulated and delivered the Town upon Articles being permitted to march off himself but Sir Hugh Pollard the Earl of Newport Col. Seymour four Colonels with divers others were to remain Prisoners and a French Vessel coming into the Harbour not knowing what had passed was seized and Letters of Consequence found in her from the Queen The Prince of Wales who to countenance their Affairs had the name of General in the Western Parts finding their Affairs desperate shipped himself for Scilly leaving the Command of their Forces to Sir Ralph Hopton who was soon after summoned by General Fairfax to lay down his Arms and after several Messages four Commissioners on each side met at Tresilian-Bridg and came to an Agreement the Substance of which was to deliver up all their Arms Artillery and Ammunition except what was excepted by the Articles to be admitted to compound according to the Rates fixed by the Parliament and to have Liberty granted for such as desired it to go beyond Sea which Sir Ralph Hopton and some others did The People of Padstow seized a Ship coming from Ireland and perceiving a Letter floating in the Sea took it up and opening it found it to be from the Earl of Glamorgan therein acquainting the King's Party that six thousand Irish were ready to be embarked for their Assistance and that four thousand more should follow them in a short time Upon the dispersion of Sir Ralph Hopton's Army most of the Forts and tenable Places in the West procured the best Conditions they could for themselves Hereford was surprized on the 18 th of December by Col. Birch and Col. Morgan after it had been besieged for about two Months ineffectually by the Scots In this Place was taken that inveterate Enemy to the Parliament Serjeant Jenkins with some others In February following Byron the Governour of Chester surrendred that Place upon Terms The best Friends of the Parliament were not without fears what the Issue of their new Elections might be for tho the People durst not chuse such as were open Enemies to them yet probably they would such as were most likely to be for a Peace upon any Terms corruptly preferring the Fruition of their Estates and sensual Enjoyments before the Publick Interest which fort of Men were no less dangerous than the other and therefore honest Men in all Parts did what they could to promote the Election of such as were most hearty for the Accomplishment of our Deliverance judging it to be of the highest Importance so to wind up things that we might not be over-reach'd by our Enemies in a Treaty that had not been able to contend with us in open War To this end I endeavoured that my Uncle Mr. Edmund Ludlow might be chosen for the Borough of Hinden where tho he was elected and returned by the principal Burgesses and Bailiff yet the Rabble of the Town many of whom lived upon the Alms of one Mr. George How pretending that they had chosen the latter the Sheriff returned them both By this means Mr. How got first into the House but they being informed of the matter of Fact commanded him to withdraw till the Case should be decided by the Committee of Privileges Shortly after a Writ being issued out for the Election of two Knights to serve for the County of Wilts in the room of my Father who died in their Service and of Sir James Thynne who contrary to his Trust had deserted to the King at Oxford the Earl of Pembroke sent to me and acquainted me that he understood that the Country was inclined to chuse me to serve for one of their Knights in Parliament desiring me to endeavour that his second Son Mr. James Herbert might be chosen for the other promising that tho he was young yet he would undertake he should vote honestly for the Commonwealth I inform'd him that I knew nothing of the Intentions of the County to elect me but hoped that if they elected his Son he would make good his Promise His Son also entred into the like Engagement for himself At the Day appointed for the Election having had several Invitations so to do I attended according to Custom and the Words of the Writ which require the Candidates to be present at the Place of Election The Earl of Pembroke's Friends desired me to consent that his Son might have the first Voice which I did tho many of the Country Gentlemen were unwilling to permit it which done the County was pleased to confer the Trust upon me without any Opposition Some who were not present took it ill that I sent not to them to desire their Company which I excused assuring them that I had not sent to any Person having forborn so to do not out of any Disrespect to them or Confidence in my own Interest but out of a Sense of my own Inability to undertake so great a Charge as well as out of a Desire to have a clear and unquestionable Right to an Employment of such Importance When I came to the House of Commons I met with Col. Robert Blake attending to be admitted being chosen for Taunton where having taken the usual Oaths we went into the House together which I chose to do assuring my self he having been faithful and active in the Publick Service abroad that we should be as unanimous in the carrying it on within those Doors The Parliament being sensible that the King had corrupted those Forces that they had sent over to suppress the Rebellion in Ireland and that they had no great Assurance of the Lord Inchequin nominated the Lord Viscount Lisle Son to the Earl of Leicester and a Member of the House of Commons to be Lieutenant for Ireland looking upon him as the most considerable Person of Integrity they could think upon He procured the Liberty of Col. Monk then Prisoner in the Tower upon information that he had good Experience in that War and an Interest in the Souldiers there to which Mr.
Letter were or no they could not know unless they might see it saying that he had been his Ambassador and in that Employment would never have delivered any Letter without a preceding sight of it The King told him that he had employ'd twenty Ambassadors and that none of them had ever dared to open his Letters but having demanded whether what the Earl of Denbigh had said were the sense of them all and finding it so to be Well then said the King I will shew it to you on condition you will promise not to acquaint any one with the Substance of it before you have delivered it to the Parliament which they consenting to he desired the Company might withdraw The Commissioners proposed that the Governour Col. Hammond might be permitted to stay which the King being unwilling to allow yet not thinking it convenient to refuse gave way to and by this means the Governour as well as the Commissioners came to understand that the King had waved the Interests both of the Parliament and Army to close with the Scots the Substance of his Letter being an absolute refusal of his Consent to the four Bills presented to Him The Impression which the discovery of these things made upon the Governour was so great that before he departed from Carisbrook to accompany the Farliament's Commissioners to Newport he gave Orders for a strict Guard to be kept in his Absence and at his return commanded the Gates to be lock'd up and the Guards to be doubled sitting up himself with them all Night whereby the King 's intended Escape was obstructed The next Morning he ordered the King's Servants to remove not excepting Dr. Hammond his own Kinsman who taking leave of the King acquainted him that they had left the Captain of the Frigat and two trusty Gentlemen of the Island to assist him in his Escape assuring him that they would have all things in readiness on the other side of the Water to receive him At their Departure the King commanded them to draw up a Declaration and send it to him the next Morning to sign which they did and it was afterwards published in the King's Name When they came to Newport one Capt. Burleigh caused a Drum to beat to draw People together in order to rescue the King but there were few besides Women and Children that followed him having but one Musquet amongst them all so that the King's Servants thought not fit to join with or encourage them but went over to the other side where they continued about three Weeks expecting the King's Arrival leaving Capt. Burleigh who with divers of his Followers was committed to Jail Upon the return of the King 's Negative to the four previous Bills before mentioned the Parliament voted That no farther Addresses should be made to the King by themselves or any other Person without the leave of both Houses and that if any presumed so to do they should incur the Guilt of High-Treason They also publish'd a Declaration prepared by Colonel Nathanael Fiennes shewing the Reasons of their said Resolutions wherein amongst other Miscarriages of the King's Reign was represented his breaking of Parliaments the betraying of Rochel his refusal to suffer any Inquiry to be made into the Death of his Father his levying War against the People of England and his rejecting all reasonable Offers of Accommodation after six several Applications to him on their part Col. Rainsborough was appointed Admiral of the Fleet and Mr. Holland my self and another Member of the House of Commons sent down to the head Quarters at Windsor with Orders to discharge from Custody Capt. Reynolds and some others called in derision Levellers who had been imprisoned by the Army for attempting to bring about that which they themselves were now doing and to exhort the Officers to contribute the best of their Endeavours towards a speedy Settlement The Scots in pursuance of their Treaty with the King made what Preparations they could to raise an Army wherein the Presbyterians and Cavaliers join'd tho with different Designs The same Spirit began to appear also in England many of our Ships revolting to the King at the Instigation of one Capt. Batten who had been Vice-Admiral to the Parliament and others encouraged by the City and the Presbyterian Party The Seamen on board the Ship commanded by Col. Rainsborough refused to receive him having before-hand secured one of my Brothers with others whom they suspected to be faithful to their Commander The Earl of Warwick as most acceptable to them was appointed to go down to reduce them to Obedience by which means part of the Fleet was preserved to the Parliament who immediately issued out Orders for the fitting out of more Ships to reinforce them With the revolted Ships Prince Charles block'd up the Mouth of the River and about the same time his Brother the Duke of York who upon the Surrender of Oxford had been brought by Order of the Parliament to St. James's and Provision made for him there escaped from thence to serve the King's Designs The Castles of Deal and Sandwich declar'd also for the King and Col. Rich was sent with a Party of the Army to reduce them In the mean time Lieutenant General Cromwell not forgetting himself procured a meeting of divers leading Men amongst the Presbyterians and Independents both Members of Parliament and Ministers at a Dinner in Westminster under pretence of endeavouring a Reconciliation between the two Parties but he found it a Work too difficult for him to compose the Differences between these two Ecclesiastical Interests one of which would endure no Superior the other no Equal so that this Meeting produced no Effect Another Conference he contrived to be held in King-street between those called the Grandees of the House and Army and the Commonwealths-Men in which the Grandees of whom Lieutenant General Cromwell was the Head kept themselves in the Clouds and would not declare their Judgments either for a Monarchical Aristocratical or Democratical Government maintaining that any of them might be good in themselves or for us according as Providence should direct us The Commonwealths-Men declared that Monarchy was neither good in self nor for us That it was not desirable in it self they urged from the 8 th Chapter and 8 th Verse of the first Book of Samuel where the rejecting of the Judges and the choice of a King was charged upon the Israelites by God himself as a Rejection of him and from another Passage in the same Book where Samuel declares it to be a great Wickedness with divers more Texts of Scripture to the same effect And that it was no way conducing to the Interest of this Nation was endeavoured to be proved by the infinite Mischiefs and Oppressions we had suffered under it and by it that indeed our Ancestors had consented to be governed by a single Person but with this Proviso that he should govern according to the Direction of the Law which he always bound himself by
Oath to perform that the King had broken this Oath and thereby dissolved our Allegiance Protection and Obedience being reciprocal that having appealed to the Sword for the Decision of the things in dispute and thereby caused the Effusion of a Deluge of the Peoples Blood it seemed to be a Duty incumbent upon the Representatives of the People to call him to an account for the same more especially since the Controversy was determined by the same means which he had chosen and then to proceed to the Establishment of an equal Commonwealth founded upon the Consent of the People and providing for the Rights and Liberties of all Men that we might have the Hearts and Hands of the Nation to support it as being most just and in all respects most conducing to the Happiness and Prosperity thereof Notwithstanding what was said Lieutenant General Cromwell not for want of Conviction but in hopes to make a better Bargain with another Party professed himself unresolved and having learn'd what he could of the Principles and Inclinations of those present at the Conference took up a Cushion and flung it at my Head and then ran down the Stairs but I overtook him with another which made him hasten down faster than he desired The next day passing by me in the House he told me he was convinced of the Desirableness of what was proposed but not of the Feasibleness of it thereby as I suppose designing to encourage me to hope that he was inclined to join with us tho unwilling to publish his Opinion lest the Grandees should be informed of it to whom I presume he professed himself to be of another Judgment Much time being spent since the Parliament had voted no more Addresses to be made to the King nor any Messages received from him and yet nothing done towards bringing the King to a Trial or the settling of Affairs without him many of the People who had waited patiently hitherto finding themselves as far from a Settlement as ever concluded that they should never have it nor any Ease from their Burdens and Taxes without an Accommodation with the King and therefore entred into a Combination through England Scotland and Ireland to restore him to his Authority To this end Petitions were promoted throughout all Countries the King by his Agents fomenting and encouraging this Spirit by all means possible as appeared by his intercepted Letters so that Lieutenant General Cromwell who had made it his usual Practice to gratify Enemies even with the Oppression of those who were by Principle his Friends began again to court the Commonwealth-Party inviting some of them to confer with him at his Chamber with which acquainting me the next time he came to the House of Commons I took the Freedom to tell him that he knew how to cajole and give them good Words when he had occasion to make use of them whereat breaking out into a Rage he said they were a proud sort of People and only considerable in their own Conceits I told him it was no new thing to hear Truth calumniated and that tho the Commonwealths-men were fallen under his Displeasure I would take the liberty to say that they had always been and ever would be considerable where there was not a total Defection from Honesty Generosity and all true Vertue which I hoped was not yet our Case The Earl of Warwick with the Fleet equipped for him by the Parliament sell down the River towards the Ships commanded by Prince Charles who presuming either that he would not fight him or perhaps come over to him lay some time in expectation but finding by the manner of his Approach that he was deceived in that Particular he thought it convenient to make all the sail he could for the Coast of Holland Our Fleet followed him as far as the Texel but according to the defensive Principle of the Nobility our Admiral thinking he had sufficiently discharged his Duty by clearing the Downs and driving the other Fleet from our Coast declined to fight tho he had an opportunity to engage Deal and Sandown Castles were reduced by Col. Rich and many of our revolted Ships not finding things according to their Expectation being constrained to serve under Prince Rupert instead of the Lord Willoughby who they desired might command them returned to the Obedience of the Parliament The Scots making all possible Preparations to raise an Army for the Restitution of the King Sir Thomas Glenham and Sir Marmaduke Langdale went to Scotland to join with them in that Enterprize and to draw what English they could to promote the Design The first of these seized upon Carlisle by order of the Scots tho contrary to their Articles whereupon the Parliament thinking it necessary to provide for the Security of Berwick placed a good Garison therein and resolving to reinforce the Militia of each County sent down some of their Members to give Life to the Preparations Amongst others I was appointed to go down to the County for which I served where we agreed to raise two Regiments of Foot and one of Horse In the mean time the Enemy was not idle and taking advantage of the Discontents of Capt. Poyer Governour of Pembroke they prevailed with him to revolt and declare for the King Other disaffected Parts of the Nation not yet ready for open Opposition acted with more Caution preparing and encouraging Petitions to the Parliament for a Personal Treaty with the King of which the Principal were Surrey Essex and Kent In Essex they met at Chelmsford in a tumultuous manner and seized Sir William Masham and other Members of Parliament who being ready to use all gentle Methods to prevent farther Inconveniences sent down Mr. Charles Rich second Son to the Earl of Warwick and Sir Harbottle Grimston two of their Members to endeavour to quiet that tumultuous Spirit with Instructions and Power to promise Indemnity to all that should desist from the prosecution of what they desired in this violent way which Commission they managed so well that upon their Promise to present the Requests of the Petitioners which were drawn up in writing to the Parliament and to return them an Answer the People of the Country dispersed themselves to their own Houses But the Sedition of the Surrey-men was not terminated so easily of whom many hundreds came to the doors of the Parliament and not being satisfied with the Answer the Parliament thought fit to give to their Petition after they had been heated with Drink and animated by the Cavalier Party they resolved to force from them another Answer and with intolerable Insolence pressed upon their Guard beating the Sentinels to the main Guard which was drawn up at the upper end of Westminster-Hall where they wounded the Officer who commanded them and being intreated to desist became more violent so that the Souldiers were necessitated in their own Defence and discharge of their Duty to fire upon them whereby two or three of the Country-men were
thought fit to be proposed to the Parliament for their Approbation The five impowered to this end by the Parliament were Mr. John Lisle Mr. Cornelius Holland Mr. Luke Robinson Mr. Thomas Scot and Me who tho sensible of my Unfitness for so great a Work and of the Envy it would be attended with yet being required by my Country to assist in this Service I resolved to use the best of my Endeavours therein The Number agreed upon was thirty five which we filled up with such Persons as we thought best qualified with Integrity and Abilities sutable to so important a Station Four of them were Lords and the rest Commoners The House agreed to our Report only they were pleased to add us five to the number proposed by us The Parliament being desirous to exclude from their Places those who were likely to undo what they had done and yet unwilling to lose the Assistance of many honest Men who had been in the Country during the late Transactions passed an Order that such Members as had not sate since the Trial of the King should not be admitted to fit till the House should be particularly satisfied concerning them appointing the former five or any three of them to be a Committee to receive Satisfaction touching the Affections to the Publick Interest of every Member who had not sate since the time aforesaid and the Reasons of his Absence and to make their Report to the Parliament concerning them Prince Charles finding his Affairs in England to be in a desperate Condition concluded an Agreement with the Irish Rebels granting them full Indemnity for what they had hitherto acted and encouraging them to carry on their Cruelties against the English by his Commission The Lord Inchequin had already declared for him and joined with the Irish Rebels The Earl of Ormond was dispatched to Ireland for the same purpose and as a Pledg that Prince Charles would follow his Baggage and Horses were sent thither before The Scots fearing their Clergy would not be permitted long to insult over the People expressed themselves highly dissatisfied with our Proceedings in England and chose rather to espouse the Interest of Prince Charles than to enjoy the Fruit of what they had contended for against his Father publickly declaring that they were obliged by the Covenant to promote the Government of a King Lords and Commons which Government the Parliament of England had thought fit to alter We endeavoured to satisfy their Commissioners by shewing them the Reasons of our late Resolutions but they refusing to hear them returned home to their own Country where they found things disposed to an Accommodation with Prince Charles upon presumption that when by his Assistance they had destroyed the Sectarian Party as they called them they should be able to govern him well enough but he supposing he had an easier part to act with the Irish whose Principles were more sutable to his Inclinations refused to hearken to them at that time Col. Edward Popham Col. Richard Dean and Col. Robert Blake were appointed by the Parliament to command the Fleet the latter being designed with a Squadron to cruise upon the Irish Coast in order to meet and fight the Ships commanded by Prince Rupert Col. Popham was sent towards Lisbon to intercept the Portugal Fleet coming home from their Islands because they had protected some Ships that had revolted from us and sheltred them from our Fleet that was in pursuit of them and had offered some Affronts to our Agent Mr. Vane who was sent thither to endeavour a right Understanding between the two Nations General Dean with another Squadron was ordered to remain for the Service of the Channel This they did well understanding how great Reputation a considerable Fleet would give to their Affairs and of what Importance it is to this Nation always to guard the Seas and more particularly in that Conjuncture The Parliament much inclining to preserve a good Correspondence with the States General of the United Provinces sent Dr. Dorislaus into Holland to be their Agent there who a little after his Arrival at the Hague was assaulted by about ten Assassins English and Scots who broke into his Lodgings and murdered him and tho this Action was so infamous and contrary to the Right of Nations yet the Dutch were not very forward to find out the Criminals in order to bring them to Justice Mr. Ascham who was sent into Spain with a Publick Character also was used in the like manner by three Persons coming to his House at Madrid where pretending to be English Merchants they were admitted and as he saluted the first of them was struck into the Head by him with a Poniard and his Secretary endeavouring to make his Escape was killed with him The Murderers took Sanctuary in a Church but by an Order of State they were forced from thence and committed to Prison of which the Church-men loudly complained after their usual manner as an injurious violation of their Immunities The Squadron commanded by Col. Blake being first ready set fail for the Irish Coast where Prince Rupert thinking himself not in a condition to fight him retired with his Ships into the Harbour of Kingsale under the Protection of the Fort. Col. Popham was next dispatched with his Squadron for Portugal and was pleased to employ a Brother of mine as Lieutenant of that Ship which was commanded by himself The Spanish Ambassador was the first that made application to us from any Foreign State But the Parliament not being satisfied with the Address of his Credentials refused to receive them till it should be directed to the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England declaring that tho they did not affect any slattering Titles yet they resolved to have their Authority owned by all these who made their Addresses to them With which the Court of Spain being made acquainted the Ambassador received Instructions from the King his Master to that end and framed the Direction according to our Desires Our Affairs beginning to acquire Reputation and to carry a fair Probability of Success divers Members of Parliament who had been long absent addressed themselves to the Committee before mentioned in order to their admission to sit in Parliament and some of them would not scruple to give any Satisfaction that was desired to the Questions proposed unto them which were Whether they joined in or approved that I'ote declaring the King's Concessions a Ground for a future Settlement Whether they approved of the Proceedings against the King and whether they would engage to be true to a Commonwealth Government But we apprehending such extraordinary Expulsions as had been lately used to be extremely hazardous to the Publick Safety made it our Endeavour to keep those from a Re-admission who might necessitate another occasion of using the like Remedy And therefore tho all possible Satisfaction were given in Words we did by weighing the former Deportment of every particular Member who presented himself desire to be