Army and other places against these proceedings act their parts so to the life as the Life of a Man must go to make up the disguise an Agitator whom at a Council of War with two more they condemned was shot to death so as the King could not but have a great confidence in these Men to believe that they were really for his preservation At last Cromwel writes a Letter to Whalley who commands the Guards about his Majesty's Person to be shewn his Majesty and other informations are likewise brought him to make him believe that if he escap'd not presently he will be murder'd and he is advis'd to go to the Isle of Wight where they had beforehand provided him a Jaylor Colonel Hammond one for whom they said they could answer that there his Majesty would be in safety and they able to serve him 181. Here they have the King safe enough and now the Army is presently quiet the Agitators as obedient as Lambs and Councils of War are set up again to act as formerly And Sir Thomas Fairfax with their advice sets out a Remonstrance to give satisfaction to the Army which he concludes with a Protestation to adhere to conduct live and die with the Army in the prosecution of some things there express'd as namely To obtain a present provision for constant Pay stating of Accounts security for Arrears with an effectual and speedy course to raise Monies a period to be set to this Parliament provision for future Parliaments the certainty of their meeting sitting and ending the freedom and equality of Elections and other things which he had the impudence and boldness to publish in print 182. And now instead of the Proposals they intend to send the four Bills to his Majesty to sign which done they would treat with him By these Bills the Army was to be establish'd which was the English of that for the Militia and by another of them they would make sure that the countenance of the Parliament and the acting of the Army should never be separated which was the intent of that for power of adjourning So as if at any time the just sense of Indignation of so many Indignities and Injuries offer'd by the Army to all ranks of Men Magistrates both supreme and subordinate people of all conditions and degrees should stir them up to some endeavours of casting off this iron Yoke their Party in Parliament with their Speaker Mr. Lenthal's help should presently be ready to adjourn to the Army then damn and destroy all the world by colour of Law and power of the Sword so King and Kingdom must be subject to a perpetual slavery by Act of Parliament 183. The Scots were laid aside in this Address to his Majesty contrary to the Treaty and contrary to the Covenant By the Treaty there ought to have been no application for Peace but with their advice and consent here the Scots did not only not advise nor consent but protest against it By the Covenant all were bound to keep united firm and close one to another not to suffer themselves to be divided here these Men do divide from the whole Kingdom of Scotland make a rent and breach between the Kingdoms in settling of the Peace the very end both of Treaty and Covenant 184. And for that subterfuge that it is against the privilege of Parliament that any out of the Houses should interpose or have any thing to do with Bills it is a mere cavil Fig-leaves which cover not their nakedness for that would have been no more against Privilege than was the whole transaction of business in carrying on of the War and managing other great concernments of Parliament and Kingdom wherein the Scots all along were admitted to participate in Counsel and Interest 185. The King refusing to sign these Bills Hammond by Sir Thomas Fairfax's single order claps him up a Prisoner removes all his Servants It seems by this time they had forgot their Remonstrance of the 23 d of Iune where they say it is against their principles to imprison the King and that there can be no Peace without due consideration of his Majesty's Rights But then was then and now is now It was then necessary for the good of their Affairs to seem gracious desirous of Peace and of restoring the King Now they appear in their own colours their nature having no restraint nay Sir Thomas Fairfax's Command is so absolute and sacred as Captain Burley was hang'd for endeavouring to oppose it there being at that time no other pretence for his Majesty's Imprisonment but because Sir Thomas Fairfax had commanded it it is true that upon his signification to the Houses of what he had done it was approv'd of and confirm'd 186. All this while a rigorous hand is continu'd against the impeach'd Lords who were under the Black Rod the Gentlemen of the House of Commons the Lord Mayor and Aldermen in the Tower who had been kept Prisoners so many Months upon a general Impeachment and no particular Charge against them It was often endeavour'd in the House to have pass'd the Articles which were brought in against the Lord Willoughby to be a leading Case to the rest Where I cannot pass by that I find he is charg'd with Treason for levying War against the King and this done by the same persons that imprison the King and had hang'd Burley for levying War for him One may see they will find matter to hang on all hands Many debates were had on this business and at last it was resolv'd to lay the Articles aside 187. The seven Lords still press'd for their Trial the House of Peers as often sent down to the House of Commons to give them notice of it and no Charge coming up they set them at liberty The Common Council likewise petition'd for the liberty of their Members in the Tower which the Army took so heinously as that and the laying aside of the Charge against the Lord Willoughby together with a Vote which had pass'd for disbanding the supernumerary Forces produce a thundring Remonstrance of December the 7 th casting in the Parliaments teeth their delays and neglects That the Army had with patience waited four Months upon them That finding such obstructions in matters of supply and such unworthy requital they apprehended God upbraids their care to preserve a people given up to their own destruction That they could to speak Amen with the power and advantages God had put into their hands for so is their expression have put the Army and other Forces engag'd with it into such a posture as to have assur'd themselves of Pay and made their opposers have follow'd them with offers of satisfaction That now all business seems to be wrapt up in one bare Vote That all supernumery Forces should be disbanded which Vote they say they cannot imagine to be absolute and soveraign They offer as their final advice that 40000 l. more per mensem be added to the 60000 l.
to adventure their own for speedy stopping the issue of it in the Kingdom 5. This was the first step of those unworthy Mens getting into power When other Gentlemen of the House of Commons unluckily left it upon these occasions they then undertook the business put themselves and their Creatures into all Committees persons most of them before only known by their Faces and esteemed for their Silence and Modesty But they soon grew Bold and Impudent domineering not only over the rest of the House but much more over others abroad and by their Pride and Insolency contracting Envy and Hatred to the Parliament 6. By this means they had power over all the Money of the Kingdom pleasured and recompensed whom they would which were none be sure but their Creatures or such as would be theirs and so made many Proselytes both within doors and without increasing their Party exceedingly which made them carry the business of the House as they would themselves and made it easie to them in all Debates concerning applications for Peace to drive us to extremities demanding unreasonable things laying upon the King the Conditions of Naash to thrust out his right Eye for a reproach or as the Devil did to our Saviour to have him fall down and worship them lay his Honour at their Feet his Life at their Mercy while they upon all occasions revile and reproach him give countenance and encouragement to all the bitter scurrilous and unseemly Expressions against him impeach the Queen give her the usage both in words and actions one would not have done to the meanest Handmaid of the Kingdom tho the Wife Daughter and Sister of a King the Mother of our Prince who is to sit upon the Throne if these Men hinder him not and all this to make the distance wide the wound deep that there might be no closing no binding up Then was there nothing but expelling Members out of the House on the least information If any of those Whelps did but bark against any one and could but say he was busie in the Country nothing but sequestring impeaching of Treason turning Men and their Families turning Wife and Children to starve so many Committees and Sub-Committees of Examinations Sequestrations fifth and twentieth part c. made in City and Country and some of the most factious busy beggarly men put in as fittest Tools for such Masters to work by to rake Men to the Bones and take all advantages to ruin them 7. This was a great breaking of heart to all honest Men especially to those in the House who being present and Eye-witnesses of the management of Affairs easily discovered the drift of these persons and opposed it all they could which made those Blood-suckers conceive a mortal hatred against them and in truth against all Gentlemen as those who had too great an interest and too large a stake of their own in the Kingdom to ingage with them in their Design of perpetuating the War to an absolute confusion 8. This made them look with a jealous Eye upon my Lord of Essex who was General of the Army finding him not fit for their turn as too desirous of Peace and of maintaining Monarchy and therefore they resolve to lay him aside beginning to draw Supplies from him neither providing Recruits nor furnishing him with Money or Arms except sometimes for a pinch when the necessity of their own preservation required it clogging him all they could countenancing and supporting who ever did oppose him In the mean time carrying on the business of the House in a wild madness making Ordinances like Draco's Laws written in Blood that no Man could be safe whom they had a mind to destroy and their mind was to destroy all they could by making so many desperate to render things more irreconcileable and cut off all hopes of Peace which they were resolved to put by upon any terms per fas aut nefas if not by art and cunning rather to use force than fail and where the Fox's Skin would not reach to take the Lion's as to give one Instance for all 9. The House of Lords in the Summer after the beginning of our Troubles in 1643 having resolv'd to deliver themselves and the Kingdom from this Aegyptian Slavery had prepared a Message to the King with Overtures for an Accommodation and sent it down to the House of Commons on a Saturday where the major part seemed to be of the same mind and after a long dispute and much opposition prevail'd to take it into consideration made an entrance into it agreed to some particulars and it growing late adjourned the further debate till Monday morning against which time these Firebrands had set the City in a flame as if there were a resolution to betray all to the King and thereupon brought down a Rabble of their party some thousands to the House of Commons door who gave out threatning Speeches and named among themselves but so as they might be heard some Members of the House whom they said they lookt upon as Enemies and would pull out of the House which did so terrifie many honest timorous Men and gave that boldness to the others as contrary to all order they resumed the Question that was settled on Saturday for going on with the business and at last carried it by some Voices to have it laid aside which was the highest strain of Insolency the greatest violation of the Authority and Freedom the two essential Ingredients of a Parliament that before that time was ever known Since I confess the Army has far outstrip'd it 10. This made some persons cast about how a stop might be given to such violent proceedings and to have other Counsels admitted which probably would give some allay to those sharp and implacable Spirits It appearing to be altogether impossible ever to obtain a Peace whilst they were Rulers who Phaeton like were able to set the whole World on fire It was therefore proposed that our Brethren of Scotland might be called in who were known to be a wise People lovers of Order firm to Monarchy who had twice before gone through the misfortune of taking up Arms and wisely had laid them down still contenting themselves with that which was necessary for their security avoiding extremities Their wisdom and moderation as was presumed might then have delivered us from that precipice of misery and confusion into which our Charioteers were hurrying us amain 11. But these Men would none of it at that time they hoped to be able to carry on the Work themselves and meant to divide all the Spoil which they had done if it had not pleased God to give them that check in the West when their Army there was beaten through Sir Arthur Haslerig's default one of their invincible Champions First his ignorant foolhardiness afterwards his baseness and cowardise who then found himself to be mortal for before he thought himself invincible and absolutely Stick-free and Shot-free having had the good
Fortune to be in a gallant Regiment under Sir William Balfore at Kenton-Field and so not to run away but as himself did afterwards relate it wink and strike and bear down all before him This made him so absolute a Souldier as he thought Christendom had not his fellow and therefore would not be govern'd by his Commander in chief in that Western Brigade a gallant and discreet Gentleman but would charge contrary to order without sense or reason and finding that resistance which he did not expect ran away as basely with all the Horse leaving the Foot engaged Presently afterwards the Town of Bristol was lost by the like Gallantry and good Soldiery of another of their Champions who for it was condemned to die by a Council of War and pardoned by my Lord of Essex who was well requited for it afterwards both by this Gentleman and his Father 12. Then our Masters finding themselves to be mortal too began to be afraid and now the Scots must be called in So in all hast they send to them to come and help with open Cry Save us or we perish They promise any thing offer any thing do any thing for the present that the Scots would have them do The Honour of England not thought of Liberty of Conscience and the godly Party not mentioned But all that was heard was the Covenant Uniformity in Church-Government uniting the Nations never to make Peace without them and a solemn Treaty for all this closed there and presently ratified by the Parliament here 13. But they meant afterwards to be even with them to perform nothing of what was de futuro to be done to serve their turns by them to make them instrumental for their deliverance at that plunge and then pick quarrels with them and send them home again with scorn and discontent which they have since sufficiently laboured to do and went far towards it and to the engaging of the two Kingdoms in Blood if some persons had not interposed with more ingenuous and more moderate Counsels to the happy success of whose Endeavours the piety honesty and moderation of the Scots themselves did very much contribute concurring with them and cooperating in all things which might promote a Peace as shall be afterwards shewed in its due place for this is but by the way 14. Those Creatures of theirs whom they sent Commissioners into Scotland for that business represented the state of Affairs to that Parliament clear otherwise than it was endearing their own Party to them as the only sincere publick spirited Men who desired such a Reformation as was agreeable to their Government and such a Peace as might be a joint safety and security to both Kingdoms giving Characters of all others as Malignants ill affected averse to the Scotish Nation opposers of a good understanding between the Kingdoms and of their mutual assistance of each other 15. With which prejudice of us the Scots were strongly possessed at their coming in about Ianuary 1643. and were in England some time before they were disabused They were first made believe nothing should be done without them or their advice and consent To that purpose a Committee of the two Kingdoms must be appointed for uniting the Councils to order and direct the prosecution of the War and for communicating and transacting all Affairs between the Kingdoms In packing whereof and keeping out some persons whom our Masters did disaffect they used such juggling as never was heard of before in Parliament and none but such Hocus-pocus's could have the Face to have done 16. Well they carried it and to work they go bearing it very fair to the Scots till they were got aloft again and that with their help they had recovered and cleared the North obtained that great Victory at Marston-Moor in Iuly 1644 which without them they had never done And however Lieutenant General Cromwel had the impudence and boldness to assume much of the honour of it to himself or rather Herod like to suffer others to magnifie him and adore him for it for I can scarce believe he should be so impudent to give it out himself so conscious as he must be of his own base cowardliness those who did the principal Service that day were Major General Lesley who commanded the Scots Horse Major General Crawford who was Major General to the Earl of Manchester's Brigade and Sir Thomas Fairfax who under his Father commanded the Northern Brigade But my friend Comwel had neither part nor lot in the business For I have several times heard it from Crawford's own mouth and I think I shall not be mistaken if I say Cromwel himself has heard it from him for he once said it aloud in Westminster-Hall when Cromwel past by him with a design he might hear him that when the whole Army at Marston-Moor was in a fair possibility to be utterly routed and a great part of it running he saw the Body of Horse of that Brigade standing still and to his seeming doubtful which way to charge backward or forward when he came up to them in a great passion reviling them with the name of Poltroons and Cowards and asked them if they would stand still and see the Day lost Whereupon Cromwel shewed himself and in a pitiful Voice said Major General what shall I do he begging pardon for what he said not knowing he was there towards whom he knew his distance as to his Superiour Officer told him Sir if you charge not all is lost Cromwel answered he was wounded and was not able to charge his great wound being a little burn in the Neck by the accidental going off behind him of one of his Soldiers Pistols then Crawford desired him to go off the Field and sending one away with him who very readily followed wholesom advice led them on himself which was not the duty of his Place and as little for Cromwel's Honor as it proved to be much for the advancement of his and his Parties pernicious Designs This I have but by relation yet I easily believe it upon the Credit of the Reporter who was a Man of Honor that was not ashamed nor afraid to publish it in all places Besides I have heard a parallel Story of his Valour from another person Colonel Dalbier not inferiour neither in quality nor reputation to Major General Crawford who told me That when Basing-House was storm'd Cromwel instead of leading on his Men stood a good distance off out of Gun-shot behind a Hedg And something I can deliver of him upon my own knowledg which makes passage for the easier belief of both these Relations and assures me that that Man is as errand a Coward as he is notoriously perfidious ambitious and hypocritical This was his base keeping out of the Field at Keinton Battel where he with his Troop of Horse came not in impudently and ridiculously affirming the day after That he had been all that day seeking the Army and place of Fight tho his
the deep Sufferings of those Northern parts the Scotish Army lying so long upon them on Free-quarter I must be very ignorant of the carriage of an unpaid Army if I did not believe that many disorders were committed many a poor Country-man exceedingly oppress'd and abus'd by the unruly Soldiers and more by half taken and spoiled by them than would have sufficed for their Pay and Entertainment if it had been orderly raised and provided by the authority and care of the State which was to pay them And so should I likewise have very small bowels towards my Country England in general and particularly those poor Counties in one of which I receiv'd my being if I did not grieve and mourn from the bottom of my Soul for the sad condition which did then overspread them the poverty to which they are reduced the ruin of so many Houses and Families the Land lying in many places an uninhabited Wilderness all over a face of misery and desolation But then the more I am raised to an indignation against them who were the cause of this those who had rather suffer not one County or two but all the Counties in England and two Kingdoms besides to perish and ruin than they to fail of their Ends. So must all the North be made a Sacrifice to their malice and revenge upon the Scotish Nation and rather than not enforce the Scots to oppress those parts hoping at last they would fall one upon another they will suffer the Country to endure any Misery and not only so but impudently and perfidiously wrest and misinterpret the Treaty themselves had made and so put a great scorn thereon to give greater provocations to the Scots and thus they make themselves ridiculous and infamous to the World and to all posterity by a gross and palpable collusion 51. For when the Commissioners of Scotland and the General of the Army did so often and earnestly move for Pay for the Soldiers representing that on the monthly Pay which was condition'd for and promised they have not of so many Months received any thing and that it was impossible to observe that Discipline in the Army which was requisite for the ease of the County because the Soldiers were unpaid they had the face to say that by the Treaty the Scots could not receive their Pay at present because there was a Clause that if any part thereof were behind they should be allowed Interest for forbearance which Interest was not to be presently paid neither but afterwards when the Peace was setled and the Kingdom more able upon which these conscionable Logicians infer'd that allowing Interest nothing could be demanded So that which the Scots gave way to out of friendliness and confidence to shew they would not exact upon our necessities if at any time through the great occasions of expence we were not able to give them their full Pay is now made use of and ungratefully turned upon them to defer the payment of any part And this only to affront them and make them desperate 52. And as they deal with the Army so did they with the State and Kingdom of Scotland by putting neglects and indignities upon their Ministers raising jealousies of them and of the whole Nation For this they had their Robert Wright and their unknown Knight to give intelligence of Correspondencies held by them with the Queen of undertaking to do great matters for the King Treaties with France strange designs and practices against the Parliament and every foot Letters of Information from some well-wishers abroad to Mr. Sollicitor or Sir Henry Mildmay or some other of that Gang upon this strain Then this is whisper'd about and these Letters go from hand to hand and told as a secret in every bodies Ears to make people afraid and mistrust even their own Shadows as if all were in danger Sometimes the House must be acquainted with some of these things or some person or other brought to the Bar to make some relation as Sir Thomas Hanmore Then the doors are shut long winded Speeches made to set out our dangers and great expectations rais'd of strange discoveries and all but a parturiunt montes Yet this serves to make a noise and they had Instruments abroad to improve it and many hones well meaning men were cozen'd and stood at gaze knew not what to think of their Brethren of Scotland nor yet of the Members of either House and desir'd to have things more fairly carry'd towards them and as they had had experience of their faithfulness formerly so could they not be brought by such artifices to have an ill opinion of them without better grounds for it and therefore differ'd in the entertainment they gave to those alarms judging them false and causeless accordingly expressing themselves diverting and breaking the desperate thrusts which these men made and were therefore decry'd as Scotish malignant and prejudged in all they did or said 53. The malice against the Scots rests not here it carries them to discover and manifest slighting and neglecting and that not sufficiently provoking a violent injuring and affronting of them First they vouchsafe not to answer the Papers they put into the House some not at all none presently as formerly they were wont to do nor in any convenient time but make them wait days and weeks and months for a return to what the Commissioners present from the Kingdom of Scotland or from themselves in the name of that Kingdom 54. The Committee of the two Kingdoms is now no more in esteem than as they say a Saint without a Holiday That which before did manage all the great business which was looked upon with so much reverence even as a sacred thing pray'd for in the Churches like the Lords in the Council had all the `trust all the power not only in matters of War which were wholly left to them by the ordinance of their Constitution but all other business of consequence as framing propositions for Peace and all Addresses to his Majesty all Negotiations with foreign States whatsoever did in any high degree concern the Parliament or Kingdom was still referred to them and what they did passed for Law was seldom or never alter'd in the House But now the Tide was turn'd they had nothing to do Sir Thomas Fairfax was discharg'd of his subordination to them and left to himself to do as he saw cause with his Army They of the Committee who were of that Faction seldom or never came to it so that the Commissioners of Scotland and the other Members of it did come and attend three or four days one after another sometimes oftner to no purpose and no Committee could sit for want of a number nay they prevail'd so far as now to vilifie and shew their neglect or jealousie of the Scotish Commissioners They would sometimes get business referred to the Members of both Houses that were of that Committee with their Exclusion 55. To provoke them yet more
inconveniences 124. Upon this they forbore and staid I think a week or better expecting if the Army would send in a particular Charge against all or any of them which not doing but instead of that writing up a Letter to commend their Modesty they then petition'd the House that they would send to the Army to know what particulars they laid to their charge and prefix them some convenient time to do it in Which the House did giving them about a week And one would have thought a short day might have serv'd That accusing Members in such a manner with such a noise as if they had been so criminous that as Mr. Sollicitor said by his Beasts of prey which were not to have Law given them but be knockt in the head so they were not worthy of Justice nor of privilege of Parliament nor of common humanity much less to be us'd with some respect like Gentlemen who had so long and some of them serv'd their Country so often in Parliament and more faithfully than ever any of the Army party did or will do there or any where else But all Bonds of duty and civil society must be broken through to come at their destruction they must needs have known some notorious things by them which might readily be produc'd But it seems they were not so provided the particular matter of their Charge was yet to seek as their fellow Mr. Iohn Lawmind says they were then hunting out for Articles sending about for Witnesses to testifie any thing promise bribe threaten but all would not do several persons came to me informing how they had been sollicited to inform against me one Lewis told me they had been tampering with him one Westcomb acquainted me how one Pain had been sent for by Rushworth his Excellency's excellent Secretary to the same purpose who lodg'd him in his Chamber gave him an Angel the first time that he went thesecond time and this Westcomb with him and then had a Horse given him worth ten Pounds and the promise of some Place in the Army for which it is presum'd he did some acceptable Service It seems these Saints were put hard to it well the first day pass'd and no Charge came in they desir'd longer time and promis'd it should be ready by such a day and I think the day after it did come And if I be not very partial to my self as in this I believe I am not after all this travelling of the Mountains out comes ridiculus Mus. 125. I will not repeat all the particulars here they are in print and our answer to them which I hope satisfies all Men besides another answer we put into the House more upon the formality of a legal Plea which it seems satisfy'd them for they never proceeded further nor did the Army prosecute but the House order'd the Speaker to give us Passes according to our desires 126. I will but make this observation upon some of them That they and their Party acted those very things which they laid to our charge and what was false as to us was really true in them 127. One thing was holding a Correspondency with the King and his Party which of all Men they ought not to have objected doing what they did even at that very time for suppose it never so great a Crime it ill becomes the Devil to find fault with the Collier for being black they treat with his Majesty have some of his Servants present at their Councils of War to debate and prepare things frame proposals for settling the whole business of the Kingdom and if their own Writers Prophets of their own tell true capitulate for Honours and Preferments Cromwel to have a blew Ribbon be an Earl his Son to be of the Bed-Chamber to the Prince Ireton some great Officer in Ireland Now admit all true they said of us was it to be compar'd to this is it not a Decimo sexto to their Folio a Mole-hill to their Mountain And I desire it may be taken notice of that in all the Charge there is not a word of the Plot to fetch the King from Holmby bring him to London or put him at the head of the Army which they made the groundwork of all their Villanies pretending some of us in truth underhand and in their Pamphlets naming me to have had such an intention and that what they did was by way of prevention Is it likely this would have been omitted if there had been the least colour of truth for it but Truth was what they ever least look'd after in all their Speeches and Actions caring only to serve a turn gain an advantage by cozening the world and then cast about how to make it good by power or amuse Men with some new Cheat that the last might be forgotten 128. They accuse us of infringing and endeavouring to overthrow the Liberties and Rights of the Subject in arbitrary and oppressive ways and by indirect and corrupt practices to delay and obstruct Justice These are the words in their general Charge Now I appeal to all Men and even to their own Consciences who say this whether of the two they or their Party or we in the House of Commons upon all occasions were for violence oppression and ruin to destroy all that came before them sequester Estates impose great Fines imprison starve sometimes take away life make Men offenders for a word take all advantages wrest and strain up to the height of all their penal Ordinances and who they were that had the hand in making all those penal Ordinances so severe for Sequestrations so high for Compositions so insnaring and bloody for making new Treasons and little things to be capital Crimes that no Man almost was safe free from question and few or none question'd but sure to be destroy'd How many Ministers wre pull'd out of their Livings for very small faults how many Persons made Delinquents their Estates torn in pieces themselves their Wives and Children turn'd to beggery and ready to starve for no great offences at least that for which they did not deserve so severe a punishment What Committees were set up That of Haberdashers Hall to pill and poll Men put them to an Oath as ill as that ex officio to make them discover their Estates and expose themselves to their merciless carving out a fifth and twentieth part which was the undoing of many even fetching in some of the Members of the House to whom they had a displeasure and generally all Men who had crossd or oppos'd them in any thing that of Goldsmiths Hall to impose Fines to the ruin of many of the best Families of England that of Sequestrations where the very intention of the Houses was perverted that Committee being first propos'd and made only for great and notorious Offenders but afterwards came to be worse than any Spanish Inquisition few escaping that were ever question'd I dare say Serjeant Wild the Chairman and Mr. Nicklis the Lawyer and
some few more Bloodhounds who always attended there never gave their Votes for the freeing of scarce any one person and then the delay there is worse than the condemnation making suitors wait one two years and commonly be sequester'd at last The Committee of Examinations where Mr. Miles Corbet kept his Justice Seat which was worth something to his Clerk if not to him what a continual Horse Fair it was even like Dooms-day it self to judg persons of all sorts and sexes 129. Did not that Faction put on all these things did not we still oppose hinder it all we could how earnestly and how often have we mov'd the putting down those Committees that of Sequestration that of Haberdashers Hall Those in the Counties sometimes got orders of the House for that purpose brought in Ordinances and still by some art or other of theirs put by when it was thought in a manner settled so as the Government might have return'd to Sheriffs Justices of Peace Grand Juries and other Ministers of Justice in that subordination which the Law had establish'd Was any preserv'd and deliver'd out of his trouble that we or some of us had not a hand in it Were we not call'd the moderate Party branded with that Title for they held it a crime were we not said to favour Malignants when in truth we had respect to the Parliament that it should not be made the Instrument of those mens Lusts and contract that Odium which only could ruin it and upon which this very Party being themselves the cause of it took the advantage to master and subdue it they in the beginning of their Rebellion exclaiming against the Parliament for those things and therewith possessing the Country which themselves and their Faction made it do Who but they drew all business into the Parliament especially when themselves or their Friends were any thing concern'd And had they not an Art of delaying men and making them attend when they could not mischief them by dispatching the business were any more violent in an arbitrary way of proceeding than they nay were any so but they could a Mayor or Officer or a Burgess for Parliament be chosen almost in any Town of England but with their leaves and according to their likings And on the other side did not we press to have all things left to the Law of the land and to the antient and ordinary course yet they accuse us to be the troublers of Israel and themselves would be thought to be the restorers just as the Wolf in the Fable charg'd the Lamb with troubling the Waters 130. They charge us beside with having a great power upon the Treasure of the Kingdom disposing of the publick Monies inriching our selves and say in many of their Declarations that we would embroil the Land in a new War that we might not be called to an account for them O the impudence They know that themselves only and their Creatures had power over the Monies and medled in Money matters well licking their Fingers for they know they shar'd and divided amongst themselves all the Fat of the Land the Treasure the Offices the King's Revenue the Revenue of the Church the Estates of so great a part of the Nobility and Gentry whom they had made Delinquents and we not one of us had any thing to do in all this Mr. Recorder I think only was of the Committee of the King's Revenue but very seldom came thither And did not they make use of the price in their hands And did they not like charitable persons begin at home give Gifts and Offices to all their own Party to some upon mere Grace as the thousands to Mr. Blaxton a thousand Pound to Mr. Pury besides a good Office as much to Mr. Hodges of Glocestershire to Alderman Pennington who had conceal'd three thousand Pounds of Sir Iohn Pennington's which he had in his hands for which by their ordinance he should have forfeited the treble and had he been a friend to the eleven Members should not have been spar'd they did not only forgive him that but gave him that three thousand Pounds and three thousand Pounds more which was upon the City's turning him out of their Militia and presently made him be put in again The Speaker had Money given him I know not how much 6000 l. at one time as I remember was made Master of the Rolls Chancellor of the Dutchy and a good while Keeper Mr. Sollicitor was besides his being Sollicitor the King's Attorny and about two years one of the Lord Keepers got infinitely by the Pardons upon Compositions which was a device only to fill his Coffers and had a thousand Pounds given him at the expiration of his Commission for the Great Seal So had all his fellow Commissioners Mr. Brown Mr. Prideaux and Serjeant Wild each their thousand Pound besides the profits of the Seal Mr. Prideaux also made himself Post-master of England being but the Chairman of a Sub-Committee to the Grand-Committee of Grievances where my Lord of Warwick and Burlamachi were contesting about the place which was there represented as a publick Grievance tho my Lord of Warwick's Grant prov'd not to be so but this worthy Gentleman being one of the Committee and in the Chair who was to hear both and report their Cases to the Grand Committee from whence it was to come to the House finding it a convenient Employment worth some 24 or 2500 l. per Annum eas'd them of it took it himself and has kept it ever since Mr. Serjeant Wild was trusted with some Money by the Lady Thornborough's Father for the use of his Daughter and took occasion upon her going to Oxford pretending she had got possession of his Estate to get a fair Ordinance of both Houses to have that Money given to himself but sure found some good Law for it as he did for hanging of Captain Burley and being excellent at it no question would find Law to hang the eleven Members were there a whole dozen of them and me highest for writing this which he would prove to be a greater Treason than any in the Statute of the 25 th of Edward the 3 d and when I come within his power I will forgive it him let him hang as many and get as much of the Commonwealths Money as he can in the mean time But I will say this for him the Elders of Iezreel that found a Law to put Naboth to death were but fools to him Then how many of their small Prophets were prefer'd that Man of Conscience Alderman Hoil that worthy Lawyer Mr. Nicklis Sir William Allison Mr. Love Mr. Lenthal the Speaker's Son these two made six Clerks Mr. Lisle Master of St. Cross's Mr. Miles Corbet Colonel White a Colonel that never was in the Field with his Regiment Mr. Allen the Goldsmith all of them and I know not how many more in places of great profit some in the Courts of Westminster others made Treasurers of their Armies
as Allen and White the latter also made Clerk of the Assizes in the Northern Circuit worth 5 or 600 l. per Annum Cromwel has 2500 l. per Annum Sir Peter Wentworth a Gentleman's Estate for half the value settled likewise by Ordinance tho the Gentleman whose delinquency was perhaps aggravated because he would not sell him that Land which he had long desir'd like Naboth's Vineyard offer'd to pay the Money to the State as the Fine for his Composition which by the rules of their own proceedings could not in Justice have been deny'd him I remember we put by the Ordinance two or three times but I hear it is since past which makes me mention it here 131. To some for reparation of Losses So Mr. Cornelius Holland who had some inferiour place in the Prince's Houshold which certainly he was not born to the height of his ambition reaching no further in the beginning than to be Sir Henry Vane's Man was in recompence set over the King's Children above my Lady of Dorset and had the managing of their Houshold some three or four years then they gave him the King's Pastures in Buckinghamshire for twenty one years worth to him de claro some 15 or 1600 l. per Annum Sir William Strickland for the burning of his House in Yorkshire has a Gentleman's Estate in Kent of a good value Mr. Henry Herbert had 3000 l. given him out of my Lord of Worcester's Woods and Sir Iohn Winter's The Lord Say in lieu of the Mastership of the Wards which by his power since the beginning of this Parliament he had wrested from the Lord Cottington had 10000 l. and for part of the Money I think 4000 l. of it had Hanworth House with the Lands about it which was worth as they say 14000 l. Colonel Fleetwood was by way of Sequestration put into the Remembrancers place of the Court of Wards which his Brother held and by going to Oxford lost it upon the putting down of the Court he had 3000 l. recompense multitudes there are more of this kind 132. To some for pretended Arrears as to Sir Arthur Haslerig 7000 l. who had earn'd it well at the Devizes and Cherrington To the Lord Fairfax Sir William Constable Sir William Brereton great Sums To Colonel Thompson 2000 l. for his wooden Leg which nothing but a Cannon could have helpt him to for he would never come within Musket shot To Colonel Purefoy and his Son Colonel Boswel some 1500 l. each and so to many more 133. To some to buy their Voices make them Proselytes To Mr. Weston Son to the Earl of Portland the reviving an arrear of a Pension which was his Ladies and if I be not deceiv'd had been discontinu'd for many years The Debenter as I remember was 4000 l. To the Lord Grey of Groby who had before been zealous for my Lord of Essex as he had good reason for the respects he had receiv'd from him a considerable Sum which I well remember not to be paid him out of such discoveries of Delinquents Estates as he should make whereupon he and his Terriers were long attending the Committee of Examinations in the prosecution still of some Game or other till his Sum was made up To Mr. Scawen one who formerly had not very well lik'd of their ways 2000 l. How many of the Lords that could not be heard before nor their Petitions scarce vouchsafed to be read when they tackt about and voted with them were then presently consider'd and good proportions allow'd them nay they were so impudent as some of them would not stick to give it for a reason openly in the House why they would not grant their desires that they took notice how they gave their Votes Mr. Gourden is the Man I have heard say so several times this was an excellent way to make a free Parliament for the Members to be honest and discharge their Consciences 134. Then for Accounts I would fain know what Accounts they have pass'd Let any Man peruse my Lord Fairfax's and Sir William Constable's I hear they are strange ones for the great Sums they have finger'd And I am sure the Committee of Accounts did complain that their Sub-Committees were beaten in Staffordshire where Mr. Purefoy and Mr. Boswel should have acted and would not 135. Upon the whole matter I would have our Accusers say so much by one of us I confess I am sorry to discover this of them it being much against my nature but I am forc'd to it for my vindication I may say with the Apostle They have compell'd me and not only so to recriminate but even to glory a little in some thing Have any of us ever refus'd to account who were liable to it Sir William Lewis did account for the Monys he receiv'd being Governor of Portsmouth so fairly and satisfactorily as that the Committee of Accounts made a special report of it to the House to be as they said an Example to others for his care and just dealing in managing the States Monies which came to his hands Major General Massey I am sure was sollicitous to perfect his accounts which if or no he had done before they drove him away I know not Sir William Waller and Colonel Long finish'd theirs Sir Philip Stapleton never touch'd but his personal Pay yet did account and had but forty Shillings a day being Lieutenant General of the Horse under my Lord of Essex who was Generalissimo when Sir Arthur Haslerig had five Pounds for commanding the Horse under Sir William Waller a Place inferior to his and had been at no charge having liv'd still upon Sir William Waller and gotten well all along the Imployment Sir William Waller had his Arrears after his subordinate Officer Sir Arthur had led the way who broke the Ice for his General and all the rest Sir Philip Stapleton had also his a very small one for so eminent an Officer in regard his allowance was no greater it came to about 1700 l. having left the benefit of his whole Estate during all the Wars which Haslerig did not if his Neighbours in Leicestershire say true that his Grounds have continu'd full stock'd all this while better than ever they were before so safe and well protected as I have heard that his Neighbours when there was danger would send their Cattel thither I confess I understand not the mystery 136. Here is all concerning matters of Accounts and Arrears of the eleven Members the rest medled not with any of the States Monies some of them have refus'd to receive what the House had given them upon much juster grounds than all the pretences of the others that had so much I my self for my Sufferings after the Parliament 3 d. Car. which continu'd many years cost me some thousands of Pounds and prejudic'd me more had five thousand Pounds given me by the House for my reparation I refus'd it and said I would not receive a Penny till the publick debts were
punishment and expect mercy neither from God nor Man nay even in relation to the Army and those persons who have a long time sought my ruin if all I desir'd and aim'd at in disbanding that schismatical factious Soldiery in carrying on the business of the House in opposition to that Party and even in this last great Treason of levying War against King Parliament and Kingdom as they stile it which was only to do my best endeavour to defend them and my self from a rebellious Army that was marching up for all our destructions contrary to the Orders of both Houses against whom it first rebell'd instead of an obedient disbanding then cudgel'd them to own it for their Army forc'd the City into a trouble and shew of opposition to what it had made the Parliament do then took that occasion to march both against it and the Parliament If notwithstanding all this in what I did I had any thought of personal revenge or to do the least hurt to any particular person in case we had prevail'd but only to return into the way whence we were put out of a free quiet Parliamentary proceeding to accomplish the great work of settling the Peace both of Church and State let me perish and God who is the searcher of hearts knows I now speak nothing but truth 199. Well then I say if all our endeavours must like an untimely birth come to nothing our hope be cut off our persons destroy'd our integrity innocency fidelity question'd and decry'd our good names traduc'd torn in sunder our memories made to stink to all posterity by the false calumnies of our malicious Enemies and their power in suppressing truth and which is worst for all this is but particular the general the publick the Common wealth once in so fair a way of recovery at the eve of a happy day to be rid of Armies enjoy a Peace hear no more of the Instruments of War but see a blessed composure of all unhappy differences reap the fruits of Justice and Mercy and upon a sudden to find all this but as the hungry man's Dream who is the more empty when he awakes so instead of this solid happiness to embrace a Cloud have nothing but the empty promises of a false deceitful Army and be cast back into a greater gulf of misery and confusion than all the enemies in the World could have brought it into and the latter end to be far worse than the beginning 200. If this be our Portion were I a Heathen I should say with Brutus when he meant to kill himself seeing the assertors of publick Liberty overcome and ruin'd and the Invaders prevail and conquer O misera virtus eras igitur fabula seu verba ego te ut rem colebam exercebam tu autem fortunae serviebas But being a Christian I am taught another Lesson to know that nothing comes by chance God who dos all things in number weight and measure orders and disposes all as may most make for his own Honour and the good of his Church and Children to which even the wickedness of the wicked and these Disorders will conduce tho the wit of Man cannot fathom it therefore I will lay my Hand upon my Mouth and not once whisper because the Lord has done it only take up St. Paul's admiration and with it end crying out O Altitudo O the Depth of the Riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledg of God! How unsearchable are his Iudgments and his Ways past finding out FINIS AN Alphabetical Table A. Accommodation with the King propos'd by the Lords and laid aside by the malignant Party of the Commons p. 9 10. Agitators set up by the Army their Actions 86 87. Receive some check from Cromwel 87 88. Write a Letter against the Parliament 88 89. The Insolence of those that brought it 89. Their extravagant Proposals to Sir Tho. Fairfax in relation to the Parliament c. 171. Allen Treasurer of the Army 135. Concern'd in conveying away a great Sum of Money design'd for the Army 161. Army forsaken of divers brave Officers when it left its Obedience to the Parliament 70. Countenanc'd great Disorders in Churches c 71. Petitions from City and Country to have it disbanded 72. Recruits daily tho it had no Enemy to oppose 72. Hinders the Relief of Ireland 73 76 79 83. Voted to be disbanded but what was necessary for Garisons c. 74. Some of its Officers mutiny 76. Petition for an Indemnity before disbanding c. 77 78. Incens'd by the Officers against the Parliament 83 84. Are rather incourag'd than discountenanc'd by the Officers that were sent to appease them 91. Their Representation to the Parliament 91 92. Address their General against disbanding 94 95. Enter into an Ingagement not to disband 99. Their Representation in which they censure the Parliament's Actions with Contempt 100 101 111. Intermeddle with the Business of the Kingdom contrary to their Protestations 103. Refuse to hear the Parliament's Votes tho in their own favour aud march towards the City 108. Their high Pretences for the good of the People c. 110 112 149. Make the Parliament do what they please 111. Require a Period to be put to it 112. Their insolent Demands of it 113 115 116 163. Their specious Pretences for the King 118. Vpbraid the Parliament for doing what they forc'd 'em to 119. Their pretended Care for the Privileges of Parliament ibid. Manage all Affairs of the Kingdom 142 c. Are compos'd of mean Officers c. 149. Their extravagant Proposals to the Parliament in relation to Church and State 177 181. Their Remonstrance Decemb. 7. 1648. against the Parliament 192 195. which is descanted on 195 197. Make the Parliament act against it self set up for Lords and Masters c. 200 201. Army Party their Actions and Aims 1 5. How they got into Power 6. Their Vsage of the King Queen c. 7. Are for the Covenant c. 13. Misrepresent Affairs to the Scots 14. Begin to shew themselves after Marston-moor Fight 18. Oppose the Lords for medling with a Commoner 20 56. Against putting an end to the War 25 29. Govern by the Sword c. 26. Oppos'd by an honest Party in the House ibid. Frustrated in their Expectation of some they had got chosen 43 44. Indeavour to set the two Kingdoms against each other 45. and the Country against the Scots 49. Amuse the House with strange things against them 52. Break the Law of Nations with relation to the Scots Commissioners 54 55 56. Ioin some Scots Commissioners to the English in the Power of the Militia but with an ill design 57. which they would afterwards have alter'd 58. Would have the Army march into the North against the Scots without the Parliament's Order 61. Hinder the Scots going out of England tho they pretended to be for it 62. Quarrel with 'em about the Person of the King 67 68. Their Designs frustrated by the Scots
rest of the Soldiers of the Kingdom who have concurr'd with them in their late proceedings and in the next place of the publick debts and damages of the Kingdom which they have taken a course that the Parliament shall never satisfie having caus'd such a debt to the Soldiers and so insupportable a charge for the maintenance of the Army which is to be satisfy'd in the first place before other debts to the rest of the Kingdom that the Subject is not able to bear it but is utterly ruin'd 175. To some of these Heads they say they will offer some speedy particulars in the nature of Rules of good use to the publick Rules indeed from which and from the Rulers good Lord deliver us But here you see they compile a work like the second part of Solomon's treating from the Cedar in Lebanon to the Hysop on the Wall of all degrees and conditions from the King that should be on the Throne to the Beggar in Prison And since they have brought both ends together so now we have a free Parliament and a free Kingdom 176. Every day produces some effects of their tyranny and power like another Africk some Monster tho they were not without their difficulties to wrestle with and overcome For to bring so absolute a Bondage upon a people that was free before could not be without many heats and colds They had the King to deal with whom they must in some measure satisfie and perswade that they had good intentions for him to restore and maintain him in a power and dignity sutable to his Royal Person and Office from which the truth and bottom of their design did differ toto coelo they had the King's Party whom they must entertain in hopes and expectation and then cozen they had the Parliament which must be kept under brought to obedience and a total subservience to their will and command They had the generality of the people who were for Government and Monarchy founded upon Peace as they had reason desirous to be eas'd of their Burdens and Taxes with hopes whereof the Army had fed them but it stood not with their Interest to procure it them They had lastly their own faction which troubled them most of all being violent impatient not to be gain'd to go the pace of their Grandees and wait the revolutions of time which they desir'd might have taken place for the same things to be effected which even those headstrong furious people coveted but with more ease advantage and greatness to themselves 177. For they apprehended it very dangerous to fall presently upon his Majesty and break with him seeing the inclinations of the people towards him and he at liberty for all persons to have access unto him whom he might confer with inform and dispose according to occasion perhaps take some resolutions which they apprehended might turn to their prejudice Besides they knew not how the Scotish Nation might then declare and engage which with the help of those whom they had already discontented by their injustice and oppression in the execution of their particular malice and revenge and those whom they should discontent by frustrating their expectation having born them in hand with hopes of Peace and freedom from Taxes must needs have given a great interruption to their proceedings and even shake the foundation of their whole design therefore they must work in another way make his Majesty believe they will do great things for him so to receive rather an advantage than hinderance from his influence upon the affections of the Kingdom To this end were all those applications to him by Cromwel Ireton and the rest of their Creatures and Instruments in framing of the proposals appearing for his interest in the House seeming to desire his restitution being now turn'd absolute Courtiers They knew it would at last come all to one with that which they have since done to him For coming to a settlement with his concurrence they had the power he but vanam imaginem and what of lustre and quietness had been contributed by his Majesty's conjunction would but have serv'd to have confirm'd and heighten'd their authority all had been but Stilts to raise them above the rest of the Kingdom and himself likewise so as it had been in their power as well as we are sure it had been in their will to destroy him afterwards he should have only been a little longer repriev'd as Vlysses was by Polyphemus to be devour'd at last 178. But the Party would not give way to this hatred to the King envy and jealousies against their aspiring Leaders and a violent desire of having the work done at once lay all persons and things level on the sudden bring forth their monstrous conceptions all at one birth made them break out flye in their faces discover many of their villanies and as appears by that business of Lilburn and Wildman even resolve to take Cromwel out of the way and murder him for an Apostate 179. When Cromwel Ireton and the rest saw this and that this madness of the inferiour sort of their Disciples which had formerly rais'd them supported them and lately given them the advantage of their Enemies victory over the Parliament and a superiority over all the Kingdom would now be their ruin if either they clos'd throughly with the King for then their Party would forsake them turn against them and they knew they had so well merited of King and Kingdom as not to expect to be preserv'd in greatness either for honesty or abilities or if the King continu'd at liberty at Hampton-Court or any other place where freedom of resort might be to him and opportunities taken and improv'd to meet with and prevent all their attempts that then it would be impossible to carry on their business in an open and declar'd way of violence against him They saw a necessity of removing him and making sure his person that done they thought they might be bold to do and say what they would and own a second time the actings and resolutions of the Agitators 180. The difficulty was how to bring this about to cozen the King so as to make him act it himself and flie into the Cage carry him by force they durst not it would be unhandsom it might be dangerous They use this stratagem heighten and sharpen underhand the mad humour of their Party against him to have it break out all manner of ways in threatning Speeches Pamphlets some consultations that whilst his Majesty liv'd in England he could not be safe meetings to consider and come to some resolutions of taking him out of the way the Army is again disquiet the Officers not obey'd all things tending to mutiny and some violent eruption Then dos Mr. Cromwel and his Cabinet Council seem to be extreamly solicitous of the safety of his Majesty's person cause some discoveries to be given him of his danger express great indignation and trouble in the House in the