battail of Edge hill was fought an reg 17. After many battels at Newbery Marston Moore Naseby and other places the King was quite worsted and enforced to fly to the Scots an reg 22. The King being sold to the English by the Scots was brought from the Isle of Wight and being tryed by a High Court of Iustice was beheaded before the gates of Whitehal an reg 23. XXV Oliver Cromwel Protector AFter the death of King Charles Oliver Cromwel having made himself famous by many great atchievements was chosen to be Generalissimo of the Common-wealth of England in the place of the Lord Fairfax and advancing into Ireland he took Drogheda by storm and pursuing his victories he became absolute master of that Nation anno 1649. and 1650. The great battail at Dunbar was fought where the Scots were totally overthrown two and twenty great guns taken and arms for fifteen thousand men an 1651. The arms of the Crown of England and statues of King Charles were put down by order of Parliament 1651. Mr. Love the Minister and Mr. Gibbons were beheaded both on Tower hill 1651. The great battail at Worcester where the young King of Scotland was overthrown an 1652. Many great battails at sea betwixt English and Hollanders 1652. and 1953. The Lord General Cromwel was declared and sworn Lord Protector of the Common-wealth of England Scotland and Ireland 1654. The Hollanders obtained peace of the English 1654. A BRIEF ABSTRACT OF All the wonders and remarkable passages since William the Conquerour till the Raign of King Charles Written for the benefit of posterity To the Reader REader I have taken pains to abstract out of the Chronicle all the remarkable wonders and passages of concernment from William the Conqueror to the raign of King Charles I hope thou art not so ignorant but that thou wilt find it and grant it useful for us and our posterity hereafter Vale. Wonders and remarkable passages William Conquerour An. Reg. 3 An. Dom. 1069 A Gelricus Bishop of Durham being accused of treason was imprisoned at Westminster An. Reg. 4 Such a dearth was in England that men did eat horses cats dogs and mans flesh An. Dom. 1070 An. Reg. 5 King William bereaved all the Monasteries and Abbies of England of their gold and silver sparing neither Challice nor Shrine An. Dom. 1075 An. Reg. 10 Walter Bishop of Durham bought of King William the Earldome of Northumberland wherein he used such cruelty that the inhabitants slew him An. Dom. 1076 An. Reg. 11 The earth was hard frozen from the middest of November to the midd'st of April An. Dom. 1077 An. reg 12 Upon Palm Sunday about noon appeared a blazing Star neer unto the Sun An. Dom. 1078 An. reg 13 This year King William builded the Tower of London An. Dom. 1079 An. reg 14 Thurstone Abbot of Glassenbury in his Church caused three monks to be slain and eighteen men to be wounded that their blood ran down from the Altar to the steps An. Reg. 15 This year was a great wind on Christmas day a great Earthquake and roaring out of the earth the sixth of April An. reg 20 There was a great floud so Pauls Church burnt that hills were made soft and consumed and with their fall overwhelmed many villages to the great amazement of all An. reg 21 In a province of Wales called Rose was found the Sepulchre of Gawen upon the sea shore who was sisters son of Arthur the Great king of Brittain being in length fourteen foot King William being at Roan in Normandy went with a great Army into France spoyling all things as he passed last of all he burned the city of Meaux with our Lady Church and two Anchorits that were inclosed there the king cheared his men to feed the fire and came himself so neer that with the heat of his harness he got a disease also the Kings horse leaping over a ditch did burst the inner parts of the King with the pain whereof he was sore afflicted and returned to Roan where shortly after he ended his life the ninth day of September in the year of our Lord 1087. when he had raigned 20. years eight months and sixteen dayes I would have the Reader understand that I set down nothing but things that are remarkable in this kings dayes nor in any kings dayes else and that is the reason that the date of years do not follow in order for I skip a great part of needless things because I would not be too tedious nor abuse thy patience too much William Rufus An. Reg. 4 Agreat tempest fell on St. Lukes day especially in Winchcomb where a great part of the Steeple was overthrown and in London the wind overturned 606. houses and the roof of Bow Church in Cheap-side wherewith some persons were slain An. Reg. 6 This year was a great famine and so great a mortality that the quick were scant able to burie the dead An. Reg. 11 All the land that sometimes belonged to Earl Goodwin by breaking in of the sea was covered with sands and is yet to this day called Goodwin sands An. Reg. 13 In the summer blood sprang out of the earth at Finchamsted in Barkshire King William on the morrow after Lammas day hunting in the new Forrest sir William Tirrel shooting at a dear at unawares hit the King in the brest that he fell down dead and never spake word his men and especially that Knight hid themselves but some came back again and laid his body upon a colliers cart which one poor lean beast did draw to the City of Winchester where he was buried he reigned twelve years eleven months lacking eight daies Henry Beauclark Henry the first An. Reg. 2 VVInchester and Glocester burnt An. Reg. 5 There appeared about the sun four circles and a blazing star An. Reg. 13 This year was a great mortality of men and murren of beasts An. Reg. 15 The City of Worcester was burnt the tenth of October the River Medway by no small number of miles dâ—d so fail of water that in the midst of the Channel the smallest vessels and boates could not pass the self same day the Thames did suffer the like want of water for between the Tower of London and the Bridge not onely with horses but also a great number of men and children did wade over on foot An. Dom. 1115 Chichester was burnt many storms and a blazing starr An. Dom. 1116 In March was exceeding lightning and in December thunder and hail and the moon at both times seemed to be turned into blood An. Dom. 1119 An. Reg. 20 King Henry having tamed the French men and pacified Normandy returned into England in which voyage William Duke of Normandy and Richard his son and Mary his daughter Richard Earl of Chester and his wife with many noble men and to the number of 160. persons were drowned An. Reg. 23 The City of Glocester burnt An. Reg. 32 The City of Rochester sore defaced
into that liberty which I speak of they will never certainly enjoy themselves Sirs it was for this that I am hither come for if I would have given way to an arbitrary power that is to have all laws changed according to the power of the sword I needed not to have come here and therefore I tell you and I pray to God it be not laid to your charge that I am the Martyr of the people Introth sirs I should not hold you any longer I will onely say this to you that I could have desired some little time longer because I would put this which I have said in a little better order and have had it a little better digested then I have now done and therefore I hope you will excuse me I have now delivered my conscience and I pray God you take those courses that are best for the good of the kingdome and your own salvations Doctor Juxon Although it be very well known what your Majesties affections are to Religion yet because it may be expected that you should speak something to give satisfaction to the world therein I must beseech your Majesty to declare your self in that particular King I thank you heartily my Lord for this remembrance I had almost forgotten it in troth Sirs my conscience in religion is already as I think well known to all the world and therefore I declare before you all that I die a Christian according to the profession of the Church of Engl. as I found it left unto me by my Father and pointing to the Bishop of London this I do believe that this honest man will witnesse with me Then turning to the Officers he said Excuse me for the same I have a good Cause and a gracious God I will say no more On this the Bishop of London said unto him There is but one stage more this stage is full of noise and tumult it is but a short one but you may consider it will soon carry you from earth to heaven and there you will find an abundance of unrepented joy and comfort To this the King replied I passe from a corruptible to an incorruptible Crown where there is no disturbance no disturbance in the world The Bishop melting into tears assured him that he was exchanged from a temporall to an eternall crown a good exchange After this the King putting his hair under his cap after some short and fervent ejaculations in private with his hands and eyes lift up to heaven immediately stooped down and laid his neck upon the block and the King perceiving the Executioner prepared and armed to give the fatal blow said unto him Stay for the signe and after a very little pause stretching forth his hands the executioner at one blow severed his head from his body and even his enemies wept in private for what they had done in publick His body was put into a coffin covered with black velvet and carried from thence to his house at Saint Iamses where being embalmed and wrapped up in a sheet of lead it was exposed to the view of the people On Wednesday the 7 of Feb. his body was delivered to two of his servants to be buried at Windsor where the next day the Bishop of London the Duke of Richmond the Marquess of Hartford and the Earls of Lindsey and Southampton repaired and buried him in a vault in St. Georges Chappel it being the same vault where Henry the eight had beene heretofore interred The Life and death of Oliver Cromwel Lord Protector OLiver Cromwell was born in the town of Huntingdon he was descended from the family of the Williams in the Coun. of Glamorgan one whereof marrying with the onely child and daughter of the Lord Cromwell raised and beheaded by Henry the Eight the whole Family afterwards retained the Name of Cromwell which was thought more Honourable In the month of August 1649. Six moneths after the decease of King Charles Oliver Cromwell being chosen by the Parliament to be Governor of Ireland advanced into that Nation with a very gallant Army of Horse and Foot where having taken and besieged Dogheda by degrees became absolute master of that whole Nation In the same year Doctor Dorislaus who assisted at King Charles his death being sent as Agent into the Low Countreys was killed at the Hagne and Mr. Acham being not long afterwards sent as an Agent into Spain was killed at Madrid In the year 1650. the Common-wealth of England preparing to make war against the Scots Oliver Cromwell who for his many great services in the wars of England was made Lieutenant General was now chosen to be Generallissimo of the Armies of the Common-wealth of England in the place of the Lord Fairfax This year in the moneth of September was the famous battell of Dunbar where the English having totally overthrown the Scots did take ten Collonels 12 Lieutenant-collonels 9 Majors 47 Captains 72 Lientenants and eighty Ensignes two and twenty great Gunns and arms for fifteen thousand men In the same moneth Edenburgh and Leith were taken Col Eusebius Andrews being discovered to bring over Commissions to raise souldiers for the King of Scotland was condemned for it and beheaded on Tower hill Much about the same time Generall Blake at sea did ruine Prince Ruperts Fleet. In the year 1651. the Armes of the Crown of England were put down by order of Parliament and the Statues of King Chales were put down one of them at the old Exchange and the other at the west end of Pauls This year the Lord Saint Iohn and Mr. Walter Strickland were sent Ambassadors into Holland where they were much affronted by the English Royalists The Isle of Scilly was reduced and one Brown Bushell was beheaded at London a famous Royalist both by sea and land This year M. Love and Mr. Gibbons were beheaded on Tower-hill In the moneth of August the King of Scotland with an army of twelve thousand men did enter into England by the way of Carlile and on the third of September following was the battel at Worcester where the King of Scotland being over-powred lost the day where there were taken six Collonels of horse eight of foot thirty seven Captains of hoâ—se seventy three of foot seventy â—â—x Standards ninty nine Ensignes one hundred fifty and eight Colours all the Canon the Royall Standard the Kings coach and horses the King himself made an escape strangely and in a disguise passed unknown into France This yeare the Isle of Iersie was taken and the Isle of Man reduced and not long afterwards the strong castle of Gâ—ernsey was surrendred to the Paâ—liament In the moneth of May 1652. was the first Sea-fight betwixt the Engglish and the Hollanders Generall Blake gave the first volley and let flie three guns at Van-trumps flag to which Van-trump answered by a shot from the stern of his ship backwards signifying his disdain to veyl his flag and instead of striking his main top-saile he caused a red flag of
and quartered as being actors with the Earl of Essex March the fifteenth a new Scaffold was carried from Leaden Hall in the night to the Tower hill and there set up by torch light The eighteenth of March Sir Charles Danvers and Sir Christopher Blunt Knights were upon the new scaffold beheaded Two men were set on the Pillory in Fleetstreet whipped with gaggs in their mouths and their ears cut off for attempting to have robbed a Gentlewoman in Fetter lane in the day time putting gaggs into the mouths of the servants of the house because they should not cry out one of these thieves was afterward hanged and quartered at Saint Thomas Watrings August the twenty sixth Desmond and an other Knight brought out of Ireland were sent to the Tower of London In November the Lady Mary Ramsey widow to Sir Thomas Ramsey sometime Mayor of London was buried in the Parish Church or Hospital of Christ-church by Newgate-market a charitable dole or armes was given for her on the same day in the afternoon at the Leaden Hall seventeen poor people being weak and aged were there among the sturdy beggars crushed and troden to death Lightning and Thunder often before Christmas and in the holydayes and an Earthquake at London on Christmas Eve at noon In the month of Ianuary news came out of Ireland that on Christmas day that the Spaniards and Irish were overcome and slain in great numbers and the English were victors The eighteenth of Ianuary at night Bonfiers were made with ringing of Bells for joy of the news out of Ireland the victory of our men against Tyrone Windsor Boate was cast away against Black Friers stairs by a tempest April the nineteenth Peter Bullock Stationer and one named Ducket for printing of books offensive against the Queen and State were hanged at Tyburn April the twentieth Stichborne William Kenson and Iames Page Seminary Priests were drawn to Tyburn and there hanged and quartered The last of Iune Atkenson a customer of Hull was set on the Pillory in Cheap and with him three other who had been brought thither on horseback with their faces towards the horse tail and papers on their heads they were there whipped on the Pillory and lost their ears by judgement of the Star-Chamber for slanderous words by them spoken against the Counsel The same day in the afternoon fell great lightning and thunder with hail-stones in many places of nine inches compass which in Sandwich in Kent lay a foot deep on the ground broke the glass windows of their Churches and many tiles off their houses some barnes were fired with lightning February the seventeenth William Anderson alias Richardson a Seminary Priest was drawn to Tyburn and there hanged and quartered for being found in England contrary to the Statute In the month of March the Q lying at Richmond dangeros sick strait watches were set in London with warding of the Gates Lanthornes with lights all the night hanged out of Windowes at which newes the people were sore perplexed Thursday the twenty fourth of March about two of the Clock in the morning deceased Queen Elizabeth at her Mannor of Richmond in Surrey being aged seventy yeers and had Reigned four and forty yeers five moneths and odd dayes whose Corps was privily convaied to White Hall and there remained till the twenty eight of Aprill and then buried at Westminster The same day aforesaid the Nobility and Councell of State with as great peace prudence and providence as the heart of man could imagine assembled themselves together and far beyond the general imagination of all men being a matter of remarkable conscernment took speedy order aswell for the instant manifesting the Queens death as in publishing to the whole Realme for their lasting comfort the true and lawfull Successour and about eleven of the clock the same Thursday in the forenoone which according to the computation of the Church of England is the last day of the yeer 1602. being accompanyed with the Lord Major Aldermen and Sheriffes of London and many other of most Reverend and Honourable quality at the Cross in Cheape Proclaimed Iames the Sixth of that name King Scotland to be the right King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the faith being lineally descended from Margaret the eldest daughter to King Henry the Seventh by Elizabeth his wife which was the eldest daughter of King Edward the fourth the said Margaret was married to King Iames the fourth of that name King of Scotland in the yeer of our Redemption 1503. who had Issue Iames the fifth Who was father to Mary Queen of Scotland and the said Mary was mother to Iames the Sixth Monarch of the Island of great Brittany and King of France and Ireland This forenamed Proclamation was most distinctly and audibly read by Sir Robert Cecill Principall Secretary unto Queen Elizabeth also the Lords and Privie Counsellors of Estate with great diligence send speedily Condinge Messengers to his Majesty into Scotland who manifested their whole proceeding with tender of their zealous love and duty and the peoples universall joy and great desire to see their King which his Majesty most graciously accepted approved all their proceedings and returned them all Princely thanks Authorizing the Lords and others late Privie Counsellours of Estate to the Queene to persist as they had begun until He came personally unto them This Change was very Plausable and well pleasing unto the Nobility and Gentry and generally to all the Commons of the Realm among whom the name of a king was to strange that few could Remember or had seen a King before except they were aged persons considering that the Government of the Realme had continued neer the space of fifty yeeres under the Reigne of two Queens which is the far greater part of an old mans age but tidings hereof being brought to the king in Scotland he called a Coâ—nsell to him and taking order for setling all things in his Realme of Scotland began his voyage towards England King Iames. An. Reg. 1 PResently upon the death of Queene Elizabeth of Famous memory the Nobility of this land and Pâ—ivie Councellors of estate unto the said Queen accknowledged Iames the sixth then King of Scotland for their lawfull king and within six houres after her death the said Lords and Counsellors gave full satisfaction unto the people by three proclamations the first at the Court Gate the second at the Cross in Cheapside and the third at the Tower by the name of Iames the First King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the Faith the King being then full thirty six yeers of age and Crouned King of Scots in his infancie began his Raign over the Isle of Great Brittany the 24. of March 1602. The Nobility and State aforesaid with â—ll speed sent Charles Piercy and Master Thomas Sommerset with Letters unto the King signifiying the death of the Queene and the tender of their duties love and alegianâ—e but Sir Robert Carie rid
Kingdom and not accusations against those who were then the principall Ministers of state dissolved the Parliament The contagion raging in London Michaelmas Terme was ordered to be kept at Redding and speciall Instructions were given to the Judges to put in execution the statutes against Recusants An. Dom. 1626 On the sixth of February the solemnity of his Coronation were celebrated And a Parliament was called again on the sixt of the same moneth where the King demanding a supply for monies and representing that on the yeer before the Fleet miscarried at Cuziz for wat of it Master Clement Cooke son to the Lord Cooke stood up and said it was better to dye by a forraign Enemie then to be destroyed at home at which most insolent words the King was much troubled and instead of satisfaction hearing of a Declaration that was then contriving by some busy heads he disolved that Parliament also This yeer the King of France seized An. Dom. 1527 on all the English ships which lay at Burdeaux and other places and then began an open war against England wherefore in the yeer following the Duke of Buckingham with ten of the Navy Royall and ninety Marchantmen set sayl from Portsmouth and landed at the Isle of Ree from whence in September following he was beaten off with the loss of 2000. common Souldiers and fifty Officers An. Dom. 1628 The Rochellers having sollicited the King of England whom they found to be powerfull at Sea for his assistance the King called another Parliament on the seventeenth of March where a bill being drawn up against Tunnage and Poundage which the King by no meanes would condescend unto the Parliament was adjourned the twentieth of Decemb. In the meantime the Duke of Buckingham being ready again to set sayl from Portsmoth was killed by Iohn Felton a discontented officer of the last yeers Army who for that offence was hanged up in chaines neer unto the place where the murder was committed The Duke being slain the Earl of Lindsey was chosen Admirall who found the Haven of Rochell so strongly barred that it was impossible for his Ships to force their way give relief unto the besieged who thereupon submitted to their King without delay In the yeer 1629. a peace was concluded betwixt England and the two Crownes of France and Spain The Parliament called on the yeer before was dissolved by the King who extreamly complained against the carriages of some men in the House of Commons who being examined by the Lord Treasurer were sent some of them to the Tower some to the Gatehouse and some to the Fleet. Charles Iames eldest son to the King was borne at Greenwitch May the thirteenth and dyed almost as soone as he was borne being first Christened by one of the Kings Chaplains An. Dom. 1630 Doctor Layton a Schotchman having wrote a Book inciting the people to kill all the Bishops had his nose slit his eares cropt and was stigmatized in the forehead Peter Paul Rubin the famous Painter having made overtures for a peace with Spain the said peace was afterwards proclaimed November the twenty seventh 1630. In which it was articled that the King of Spain should use all his power and interest with the Emperour for the restitution of the Palatinate to King of Bohemiah Charles Duke of Cornewall by birth was born at Saint Iame's May 19. 1630. An. Dom. 1621 On the twenty fifth of Aprill the Earl of Castle-haven being Arraignen at the Kings Bench Bar and found guilty of Rape and Sodomy was by his Peeres condemned and executed on the Tower Hill the fourteenth of May following On the 4. of Novem. the Queen was delivered of her eldest daughter who was baptized Mary An. Dom. 1632 The Church of Saint Pauls was this yeer begun to be repaired and on the second of December the King was visited with the small pox An. Dom. 1633 May the thirteenth the King went to Scotland attended with a gallant train and on the tenth of Iune he was crowned at Edenbrough and on the twentieth of Iuly returned safe to the Queen at Greenwitch This yeer the Arch Bishop of Canterbury Doctor Abbot died and Doctor Land then Bishop of London succeeded in his place On the thirteenth of October the Queen was delivered of her third son who was Baptized Iames and on the twenty fourth of the same moneth was Created Duke of York Orders were sent into Scotland for the observing of the Church Discipline as in England which was the the occasion of great tumults and the sad war that followed An. Dom. 1634 The Dutch this yeer began to incroach upon his Majesties Dominions by Sea which was defended by Grotius in his Book intituled Mare Liberum and answered by Master Selden in his book intituled Mare Clausum Writts being issued out to rayse money for a certain number of Ships to be set forth for the defence of the Nation which then was called Ship money some of the discontented members of the former Parliament were absolutely against it and it begat a great quarrell An. Dom. 1635 On the sixth of March 1635. William Iuxon Bishop of London was made Lord Treasurer On the eighth of Ianuary the Lady Elizabeth was borne who survived her father but dyed with hearts grief not long afterwards An. Dom. 1636 In September the Earl of Arundel was sent Ambassadour extraordinary to the Emperour This yeer 1636. Master Prin Doctor Bastwick and Master Burton in the moneth of Iune were sentenced in the high Commission Court and ordered to be banished c. Master Hamden refusing to pay Ship money sentence passed against him by twelve of the Judges who absolutely declared for the legality of it only Judge Hutton and Judge Crook dissented An. Dom. 1637 On the twenty third of Iune 1637. the Book of Common prayers being begun to be read in Scotland according to the Kings orders there began a great uprore all the Churches protesting absolutely against it whereupon by the Kings Command a Proclamation was published and severe penalties to be inflicted on the contemners of it but nothing would prevail whereupon the Marques of Hamilton was sent down to Scotland and a treaty there was but it took no effect for during the said treaty the Scots had provided all things necessary for war and not long afterward Episcopacy was there totally abollished This yeer on the seventeenth of March the Queen was delivered of a daughter who at the Font received the name of Ann. This yeer there were great contestations in Scotland two Petitions were presented against the Common prayer book Proclamations were made at Edinborough and severall places for preventing of disorders but to no effect for the Covenanters every where began to rayse Arms impose texes seise on the Kings Castles and prepare for war having chosen David Lesly an old Soldier for their Generall On the latter end of October the Queen mother came into England which many people looked upon as a forerunner of mischief
An. Dom. 1639 On the seventeenth of March 1639. The King set forth against the Scots attended with a Royall Army and on the seventeenth of Iune a generall accord was made at Barwick upon which the King presently disbanded his forces and returned to London whither he was no sooner come but the Scot did openly protest against the Pasification and retained the Officers of the Army in pay hereupon the King was inforced to call for the Lord Leievetenant out of Ireland whom not long afterwards he created Earl of Straford The Bishop of Canterbury reviving the antient Ceremonies was looked upon as addicted too much to to the Religion of Rome An. Dom. 1640 On the thirteenth of August 1640. Another Parliament assembled and the King finding that they had no desire to assist him with money to advance against the Scots but were ready to comply with them he dissolved that Parliament to the great grief both of City and countrey Iuly the eighteenth The Queen was delivered of a Son who was baptized Henry On the twentieth of August the King marched towards the North in his own person having received some large contributions from the Clergie and a very considerable number of the Gentry At Annick he understood of a defeat given by Generall Lesly to a party of his consisting of 3000. foot and 1200. Horse that Sir Iacob Ashley had deserted Newcastle and that the Scots had imposed a task of 350. pound a day on the Bishoprick of Dirham and 300. pound a day on the Countey of Northumberland which sad newes did much afflict him On the twenty fourth of Septem the Lords being assembled with the King at Yorke it was resolved that a Parliament should be called on the third of November following In the mean time the English to gain a cessation of Arms was inforced to yeeld to the Scots unreasonable propositions This Parliament by reason of the long Sessions of it being called the long Parliament being met Master Prin Master Burton and Doctor Bastwick were released of their Imprisonment having great dammages allowed them The Earl of Straford the Archbishop of Canterbury and Bishop Wren were impeached of High treason and to the Tower Sir Francis Windebank and the Lord Finch fled beyond the Seas and most of the Judges who had declared themselves for Ship money were voted delinquents Judge Barkely was arrested by the Usher of the Black Rod for high Treason as he sate one the Kings Bench. An. Dom. 1641 On the two and twentieth of March 1641 the tryall was of the Lord Straford which continued many dayes and having said as much for himself as man could speak and the King himself interceding for him it made his cause the worse and on Wednesday the twelft of May he was beheaded on Tower Hill On the second of May the Lady Mary was married to the Prince of Orange with great solemnity Three hundred thousand pounds was ordered for the Scotch Army to send them out of England to which they were a charge unsupportable The Parliament adjourned from the eight of September to the twentieth of October and on the tenth of August the king went to Scotland and came back to London on the beginning of November following About the latter end of October brake out the barbarous inhumane Rebellion in Ireland where above two hundred thousand persons were most barbarously murdered An. Dom. 1642 On the fourth of Ianuary 1642. the King attended with divers Gentlemen came into the house of Commons and seating him in the Speakers Chayre demanded five members of the house to be delivered to him whose names were Sir Ar. Hazelrig Master Denzill Hollis Master Prin Mr. Hamden and Master Sroud but finding they were not there he went into his coach for London being informed they were fled thither and made Proclamation for their apprehension which the Commons voted illegall and scandalous In February the King and Queen went to Canterbury with the Princes wife to the Prince of Orange the Queen understanding that the house intended to charge her with Treason went along with the Princesse her daughter into Holland Much about this time the Bishops were quite voted down The king coming back to Greenwitch went afterwards towards Yorke in the mean time the Parliament doth Seise upon the Magazine at Hull and Regiments of Horse and Foot are Listed and the Earl of Essex appointed to be Generall the noyse of whose preparations doth hasten the King from Yorke to Nottingham where he Sets up his sttandard and much encreaseth his Forces as he marcheth on Sunday October twenty third was the great Battaile fought at Edgehill the fight terrible and five thousand slain upon the place He afterwards marcheth towards London and at Brainford defeateth a Regiment of the Parliaments but finding how numerous the Earle of Essex Army was that lay betwixt Brainford and London he retired to his Winter quarters at Oxford An. Dom. 1643 On the latter end of February 1643. the Queen who had bin accused of pawning the Jewels of the Crown came to him and brought great supplies of powder Arms and Ammunition The ensuing Summer made the King master of the North and West Some few places onely excepted The Earl of Newcastle had cleared all beyond the Trent but Hull and Prince Rupert and Prince Maurice had redewced Bristol Exeter and all the Towns of any importance in the West Pool Lime and Plimotuh excepted but making some stay to reduce Glocester the Siege was raysed by the Earl of Essex and on the twentieth of September the famous Battaile of Newbery was fought where many were flain on both sides and on the next day Prince Rupert follow-the Reare of the Earle of Essex Army almost as far as Reading An. Dom. 1644 The K. being come to Oxford he Summoned a Parliament which appeared on the two and twentieth day of Ianuary and on the Sixteenth of the same moneth the Scots Army entred England consisting of eighteen thousand foot and two thousand horse at this time Newark being besieged by Sir Iohn Meldrum with an Army of seven thousand Prince Rupert with four thousand horse and one thousand foot doth raise the siege not long afterwards Latham house was relieved by him The Queen went from Oxford to the west of England April 16. where at Exceter she was delivered of a daughter Henretta who not long afterwards did follow her into France where she still remains on the yeer before she was brought to bed of a daughter at Oxford whose name was Katharine and died almost as soon as it was born The King having given a defeat to Sir William Waller at Cropredy Bridge advanced after the Earl of Essex and followed him so close that at last he forced him into Cornwal his horse taking the advantage of the night made a shift to escape but the foot came to capitulation and delivered up their Arms and Artillery there being nine thousand arms and forty nine pieces of excellent brass Ordnance the
in Art or Wealth or Industry to render it illustrious On Tuesday November 23. the Effigies with all the solemnity and Pageantry that could be was brought in a stately Charriot from Somerset house to Westminster Abby and that day and many weeks afterwards the people in great multitudes came to behold it and with their hats off did reverence to it in the same place where before the Alter stood in the Temple of God but this blind superstition had its period in the moneth of May following at the time of the restauration of the long Parliament who having taken away the power from the son might well pull down the image of his Father Not long afterwards his Highness was advised by his Counsel to choose a Parliament it being conceived to be the onely way to establish himself in the affections of the people Writs therefore were issued for a free Parliament which met on the seven and twentieth of Ianuary next enâ—â—ing where the death of the two speakers Mr. Chalonel Cruse a person of admirable knowledge and integrity and Mr. Lisâ—ehoâ—e Long Recorder of London weâ—e the forerunners of the short life of that Parliament and of the short government of the Protector himself In this Parliament the Lady Mary Hewyt sister to the Earl of Lindsey and the Relict of Doctor Iohn Hewyt not long before beheaded petitioned the grand Committee of the whole House for grievances against the High Court of Justice for taking away the life of her deer husband but some Members of the House of Parliament who were present at the reading of it did declare themselves to be concerned in it and alledged that it was the priviledge of a Member of Parliament not to be petitioned against any where nor to seek redress from any Court but from the Parliament it self the Petition therefore was returned from her to the Committee with that intimation After this and several other Petions of a high nature for unjustly apprehending and detaining men Prisoners in the Tower and for the bannishing and the selling of several Gentlemen to the Barbadoes for slaves for which Serjeant Maeynerd was ordered to bring in a Bill for prevention of the like Tyranny in the future the accounts of the Common-wealth was called for and a Committee being appointed to examine them it was found that in the last five years the Common-wealth was much in arrears and by the ill mannagement of those who were intrusted with the receipts and disbursements of the money they were run in debt no less than five and twenty hundred thousand pounds At the last some transactions in the Army being taken into consideration and it being voted that all Officers of the Army should repair to their several charges and that they should hold no meeting during the sitting of Parliament but by the consent oâ— the Protector and both Houses and that none should be in office but such onely as world subscribe not to interrupt either house of Parliament in their proceedings it wrought so much upon the spirits of some of the Commanders that not long afterwards the Parliament was dissolved and a period given to the Government of the Protectorship THE RESTAURATION Of the Long PARLIAMENT THe long Parliament being dissolved in the year 1653. by the Lord Oliver Cromwel were now encouraged by the Lord Fleetwood and many other of the Commanders to return to exercise of their former power and promised the uttermost assistance of the Army therein and accordingly on the seventh of May 1659. some forty of them or thereabouts did meet in the painted Chamber from whence having the Mace carried before them they passed into the house where a Declaration was passed that all such as shall be imployed in any place of power in the Common-wealth be persons fearing God and faithful to the Common-wealth After this they chose a Counsel of State consisting for the most part of their own Members There being at the same time many Members of the same Parliament in London and some of them in the Hall they endeavoured to go up into the House but were not permitted by the Souldery amongst these Members was Sir George Booth who being of a high spirit and discontented at it did speak some words very hastily which as rashly afterwards he did put in practise The Parliament removed Col. Berkstead from being Leiutenant of the Tower many Petitions and complaints being preferred against him and Col. Fitz was chosen to supply his place A pardon was pulished for the most part of whatsoever had been acted from the interruption of the Parliament in April 1659. until the new convention of them on the ninth of may 1659. In the Moneth of Iune Leiu General Fleetwood was made Commander in chief of all the forces in England and Scotland the Lord Henry Cromwel was removed from his command in Ireland and Commissioners were appointed to govern that Nation in his place The Militia of the City of London and of the respective countries were revived and the Commissioners for the Militia of the three Nations were signed and delivered by the Speaker of the Parliament and ordered so to continue In the month of Iuly there was a whisper throughout the Nation that now was the time for a free Parliament and for the taking off the Taxes from the shoulders of the oppressed whereupon there began to be a general insurrection almost all England over but it was quickly supposed by the vigilance and the industry of the County Troops The insurrection which was most great and dangerous was in the Northwest of England where in the Counties of Lancashire and Cheshire and parts adjoyning Sir George Booth had drawn together an Army of four thousand persons some of them both Commanders and others having been actually in the service of the King of Scotland and the King his Father against these the Lord Lambert marched with an Army consisting of about seven thousand horse and foot and having given them a great rout at Winnington bridge he totally dispersed them Sir George Booth was taken afterwards at Newport Pagnel being disguised in the habit of a Lady from whence being sent to London with a strong guard he was enâ—ounterd in the way by a party of Colonel Hackers Regiment who did conveigh him prisoner to the Tower of London where for the present he continueth having been oftentimes examined by Sir Arthur Hazelrige Sir Henry Vane and others A Proclamation was agreed upon that if Iohn Mordant Esquire Son to the Earl of Peterborough Major General Massy Charles Stuart Earl of Litchfield of the family of the Duke of Ritchmond Sir Thomas Leventhop Knight William Compton Son to the Earl of Northampton Thomas Fanshaw son to Sir Thomas Fanshaw Knight and Major General Brown do not render themselves to the Parliament upon the seventeenth of September or to the Counsel of State they shall be accounted guilty of the treasonable crimes that are charged against which time is not expired at the ending of this History it being Thursday September 8. in the year 1659. To begin the year the Army submitted to the Parliament who sate again at Wewminster the nine Commanders whose Commissions were made void on the twelfth of Octob. were all commanded to depart to their houses most remote from London if otherwise they were found to stay there to be secured Sir Henry Vane was required to go to his house at Raby in the County of Durham and Major Salloway was committed prisoner to the Tower General Monck being on his march to London according to the desire of Parliament Mr. Scot and Mr. Luke Robinson were sent to congratulate him the Parliament conferred on him for his remarkable service a thousand pound a year and the Lord Mayor called a Common-Counsel where it was ordered that three of their Members should be sent unto him to acquaint him how sensible they were of the great service which he had performed for the good of the City and Common-wealth for which they were resolved at his coming to the City to give him some testimony of their gratitude On the eighteenth of this moneth the Parliament resolved upon Commissioners for the great seal and Judges of the several Courts of Justice in Westminster Hall as also of Judges for the Court of Admiralty and for the probate of Wills The City of Excester and Count of Devonshire have declared for the recelling of the Members that were secluded in the year 1648. which on wednesday last was delivered by Mr. Bamphield recorder of Excester to Mr. Speaker and it is informed that other Counties are adjoyning with them in a petition to the same effect The End
thousand and five hundred were taken prisoners and six men of war were sunk the English pursued their victory to the very mouth of the Texell and blocked up the Hollanders in their own ports In the mean time on the beginning of July Gen. Cromwell called another Parliament which by reason of the sudden and unexpected dissolution of it was called the short Parliament On the latter end of this moneth there was a memorable fight betwixt the Dutch and the English during the time of a treaty betwixt both Nations this battel was fought with admirable resolution on both sides The fight began in the evening which though but short was very smart The Dutch in the night-time being recruited with five and twenty gallant ships did fall of themselves the next morning on the English fleet with a great deal of gallantry and resolution In this fight Admirall Van-trump was slain there were twenty men of War of the Hollanders sunk or burnt in this fight Of the English there were slaine outright eight Captains and five hurt the Triumph and the Andrew two Frigots were sorely put to it and received great dammage in their sails and rigging The Hollanders seeing so great a number of their ships lost did face about and did bear away with al the sail they could make unto the Texell and the Engl. not judging it expedient to ingage too far upon them did set saile with the whole Fleet towards Yarmouth to dispose of such ships as were disabled and to put their wounded men on shore The Paâ—liament before mentioned being conceived too weak to go on with the management of the great and high affairs of State it was dissolved on the 12 of Decemb. following And presently afterward the Lord G. Cromwell was declared sworn Lord Protector of the Common-wealth of England Scotland and Ireland at Westminster in the presence of all the Judges the Barons of the Exchecquer and the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the city of London At this time certain Articles were presented which he took a solemn oath according to his custome to see them kept protesting moreover that he would mind nothing so much as the good of the Common-wealth and the glory of God Presently after this he was proclaimed Protector at the Palace-yard in Westminster and at the old Exchange by the Lord Mayor His Highness being now where he would be desired to know the affections of the people A report was raised that a great part of the army was discontented at his inauguration unto his new dignities whereupon the disaffected in severall counties thinking to joyn with them did take up arms and finding the succourse promised and expected to stand out against them they cryed out they were betrayed and most of them being taken were sent to forreign plantations On this account Sir Henry Slingsby was taken prisoner in York-shire beheaded afterwards upon another account of the same nature M. Penruddock M. Luces M. Thorpe M. Kensey M. Graves who cryed out much against Sir Ioseph Wagstaffe were condemned and executed in Wiltshire Much about the same time Mr. Peter Vowel was hanged at Charing-cross and on the same monday M. Iohn Gerrard and the brother to the Portugall Ambassadour were beheaded on Tower-hill On the third of September another Parliament was assembled which was dissolved again on the January following This year the Marquess of Leda came over in a magnificent manner as an Ambassadour from Spain but his Highness at that time having no desire to make any alliance with Spain did conclude a peace with the Crown of France This year on the latter end of December a gallant Fleet under the command of Generall Pen and Generall Venables did put forth to sea who on the tenth of May following arrived at Iamaica the design having miscarryed as Sancto Domingo in Hispaniola On the fifth of April the articles of peace were signed and delivered on the behalf of the two Nations of England and Holland the Protector to testifie his joy did most sumptuously intreat the Holland Ambassadours This year the Highlanders in Scotland disdaining the subjection of Generall Middleton but Generall Monk falling into the North of Scotland did give them so full a charge on the latter end of July that he absolutely defeated them and made them incapable of ever appearing in arms again An. Dom. 1655 This year his Highness constituted Major Generals for the preservation of the peace of the Common-wealth in the respective Counties of this Nation whose power appearing to be of too great a latitude they were afterwards disinvested of it The Lord Bulstrode Whitlock was sent Ambassadour into Sweden where he entred into a close league with that nation Generall Blake arriving with his fleet at Sunis sent unto the Governour of the place to demand satisfaction for some English ships which the pirats in those parts had taken away which being denied he came with the Vice-admirall and Rear-admirall within musket shot of the Castle on which he incessantly fired and on the other forts whilest the other ships took the opportunity to fire part of the Turkish Navy then riding in the Haven This was so well performed that in four hours space nine great vessels were burnt down to the very keels the English losing but five and twenty men and five and forty wounded Hereupon the King of Tunis sought to the English for peace and restored the prisoners which Blake had demanded for little or nothing The Lord Willougby of Parham the Lord Newport Mr. Seamor and M. Newport were sent to the Tower upon the suspition of a new Conspiracy His Highness going into S. Iamses Park for his recreation had his coach ready for him which was drawn with six Flanders horses he undertook to drive the coach himself but the horses impatient of his command did flie forth and threw him out of the coach-box on the ground being much hurt and bruised Not long afterwards his eldest son had a fal from his horse and did break his leg of which he still goes lame His Highness sent twelve good men of War well manned and well provided with all necessaries to Iameica with Colonel Humpheries Regiment not long afterwards Gene. Pen and after him General Venables arrived from Iameica who had not the same countenance from his Highness as when they did put forth to sea In the yeer 1656 Seven Spanish Ships comming from Lime in the Indies most richly laded were incountred in the way by Generall Montague about nine leagues from Cadis The fight was violent and the rather because it was known with what mettall the Ships of Spayn were laded In the fight the fortune of England easily prevailed there was one Ship burned another sunk two were taken and two run a ground one got away with a Portugall prize In the ship that was burned was Marquess of Budex his wife and one daughter In another of the Ships that were taken was the young Marques his brother and a sister
that was set on shore in Spain The two brothers were brought to England and a long time prisoners in Chelsy Colledge from whence they had the fortune to make their escape An. Dom. 1657 The rich Plate fleet being after much expectation come to Spain Blake understanding where they had unladen resolved with himselfe though he missed of the money to be revenged on the purse and made up to them with the greatest part of the strength he had and burned and sunck sixteen great vessails amongst which there were five Gallions the Admirall Vice-Admirall and Rear-Admirall the greatest part whereof had Brasse Ordnance mounted on them His Highness rewarded this service of Blakes with a Diamond Ring worth a thousand pound On the beginning of May the English were sent to assist the French with a body of six thousand Foot under the Command of the Noble Sir Iohn Reynolds In the middle of the moneth of Iune his Highness was installed in the Protectorship when the Trumpets sounded there were few or almost no acclamations of the people although the numbers were almost infinite who thronged to behold him at his Investment into his new dignities This veer the Fort of Mardike was convaied unto the English and Sir Iohn Reynolds comming for England was at Sea most unfortunately if not cruelly cast away Generall Blake being sick died in the sight of Plimmouth and had the Honour to be buried in the Chappell of Henry the Seventh Henry Cromwell the younger son of the Protector was made Lord Deputy of Ireland and not long afterwards the Court began to be full of Jealousies for now there was a new report of another conspiracy against the Protector for the effecting whereof VVhitehall should have been set on fire by one Iohn Syndercombe and some others Syndercombe was apprehended and sent to the Tower and sentenced to lose his life which many that knew his crime affirmed would never be by a publike Execution he died suddenly in the Tower on the night before his execution to the murmuring of many and the admiration of all howsoever his Body was brought to Tower Hill where it was buryed under the Scaffold and to increase yet more the noyse of the people it had a stake drove through it On the fourth of February 1658. his Highness put a period to the Parliament then being on the proceedings whereof so many hopes depended he said he would trust no more to men but rely on GOD onely The Parliament being thus dissolved a high Court of Justice was presently erected Many young men were acccused and at this court of Justice were condemned to dye whose last words on the ladder and the haltars about their necks were that they were drawn in by those men who afterwards did accuse them the old Knight Sir Henry Slingsby said he was trappanned Colonel Ashton and some others who were hanged drawn and quartered confessed rather a desire then any ability to put the plot in execution and all of them absolutely denied and seemed to abhor that most barbarous and desperate design of setting the City on fire At the same time and for the same plot Doctor Iohn Hewyt was beheaded on the Tower hill whose death was much lamented by many learned Divines but above all by the pious Lady his wife who not long afterwards petitioned to the Parliament for justice for the death of her husband In this year on the second of Iune a Whale of a prodigious bulk being sixty foot in length and of a proportionable bigness was cast upon shoar not far from Greenwich which was taken to be a presage of new events to come The English and French having overthrown the Spaniards in a memorable battail not far from Dunkirk which was at that time besieged by them it was the means that not long afterwards the most considerable Town of Dunkirk was surrendred to the English In Iuly the Lady Elizabeth Cleypole second daughter to the Protector departed this life she was a Lady of a gallant spirit and dyed in the flower of her age which struck more to her Fathers heart than all the heavy burden of his affairs so great a power hath nature over the dispositions of men when the tye of blood is seconded by love likenes she dyed with good lessons in her mouth and seemed to despise the frailty of greatness and the pomp of the earth her last words were very memorable and left a great impression in the brest of her Father Not long afterwards it pleased God that the Protector fell sick himself he languished about a fortfortnight of a disease which at the beginning was but an Ague but on Friday morning the third of September he had all the signs of a dying person and about three of the clock in the afternoon he departed the world being disserted his vital parts were found to be sound and whole only his heart was dryed up and no blood in it to make it either moist or warm His greatest care was to name a Protector to be his successor which was Richard his eldest Son a Gentleman of great hopes of a generous spirit and beloved even of those who were enemies to his Father of whose short Protectorship we will give you as short but as precise a view as possibly we can committing nothing that is superfluous nor omitting any thing that is memorable The Life of RICHARD Son to OLIVER during the short time of his Protectorship OLiver the Protector of these three Nations was no sooner dead but on the day following being Saturday Septem 4. Richard his eldest son was proclaimed Protector with great solemnity both at the old Exchange and in other places the Commanders of the Army were the first that acknowledged him and they were the first that forsook him The flatteries of the people did seem to promise a long continuance to his regency for from the first week of his Protectorship almost to the last there were nothing but gratulations from one place or another to him with as many protestations that they would live and die in his service The very same they presented to the Parliament when the supremacy of power was restored unto them to be as officious no doubt to third interest if a third interest had gained the predominancy The first care of our neece Protector was for the funerals of his father which were resolved should be solemnized with extraordinary magnificense to leave more glory on the name of his father and to beget a greater estimation in his own Wherefore being imbalmed and wrapped in a sheet of Lead the hearse on the 26 of September was conveighed about ten of the clock at night from White-hall to Somerset house where it remained some daies in private before it could be in a readiness to be exposed to the publike view The Effigies more richly adorned then ever was any King of England was lâ—id first on a bed of state afterwards it was set upright there was nothing admitted that was