THE LIFE and REIGNE OF Our SOVEREIGN LORD KING CHARLES the II In a compendious Chronicle relating both to his Majesties Person and Affairs With the chief Transactions of State in the Three Kingdomes from his Birth to this present By a Lover of his Prince and Countrey LONDON Printed by R. DANIEL for FRANCIS EGLESFIELD at the Marigold 〈◊〉 â—t Paul's Church-yard 1660. To the Happy Preserver of his Sacred Majesty the LADY JANE LANE MADAME THis smal Volume humbly Offered to your Hand contains part of the Life and Reigne of one of the Greatest Monarchs in the World The rest 't is hoped as it will be the imployment of a more elegant Pen so it will not be accomplisht till it afford a Chronicle of more years Prosperities in these Nations then this is of Miseries That I have presumed to dedicate it to your Ladiship if I incurre the censure of boldness I am confident every one will commend the fitnesse of my Choice Since nothing could be more proper then to intitle your Ladiship to the Relation of that Life which next under the Divine Providence you were chiefly instrumental to preserve To you Madame we owe all that can be ow'd from Christians Subjects or Men to any person upon Earth by whose dangerous but ever memorable Fidelity we are at length restor'd to whatever is dear to us in those three capacities and which is no small consideration to the liberty of publishing the impartiall truths as far as the best Relations afforded in this Book Nor is the present Age onely oblig'd to you but your glory shall live upon Record and your Name embalmea with praises be preserved in the memory of thankfull Posterity In all which respects I have thought it my duty both in testimony of my particular Loyalty Gratitude to present this Piece to your Ladiship as the Person that ha's the greatest right to it withall publickly to acknowledge my self MADAME Your Ladiships most devoted Servant and Eternal Honorer FR. EGLESFIELD A true and accurate Relation of the LIFE and REIGN Of our Soveraign Lord and KING CHARLES the II. KING Charles the first of that name having soon after his coming to the Crown married Henrietta Maria youngest daughter of Henry the fourth and sister of Lewis the thirteenth Kings of France was blessed with a Son on the twenty ninth day of May one thousand six hundred and thirty Upon whose birth as the King was going in solemn manner to the Church of S. Paul in London to present his gratefull devotions to God for his own and the Nations happinesse in receiving so eminent a Pledge of his favour there was observ'd a new Star appearing in the time of mid-day as if the Heavens seem'd by an extraordinary Production to aemulate the new splendor of the Earth The young Prince was baptised at S. Iames's on the twenty seventh of Iuly next ensuing by the hand of Dr. Laud then bishop of London Dr. Abbot Archbishop of Canterbury being rendred uncapable by an unhappy accident of shooting a man and received his Father's name Charles his Godfathers were his two Uncles Lewis the thirteenth King of France and Frederick King of Bohemia and Prince Elector Palatine of the Rhine whose absence occasioning them to depute their substitutes the late Duke Hamilton represented his Majesty of France and the Duke of Richmond the King of Bohemia His Godmother was Marta de Medicis Queen dowager of France represented by the Dutchesse of Richmond It deserves our notice that he was born the greatest Prince that ever these Nations knew never any before him having been born heir apparent to the Crowns of England Scotland France and Ireland which was intimated in the Silver coynes made at the solemnity of his Baptism on the reverse side whereof were the Armes of those four Kingdomes with this Motto Hactenus Anglorum nulli On the fourth day of November one thousand six hundred thirty one it pleased the Divine Providence to enlarge the Royal Family by the birth of a Daughter the Lady Mary who was afterwards viz. 2. May 1641. married to VVilliam of Nassau Prince of Orange by whom she hath a posthume Son named VVilliam a Princess whose perfections qualifi'd her for the bed of the greatest Potentate in Christendome had not the interest of Religion been more consider'd in her match then amplitude of Territory or Title By the blessing of Heaven upon the Royal bed the King became father to another Son the most illustrious and renouned Iames Duke of York upon the thirteenth of October in the year One thousand six hundred thirty three he was solemnly baptised on S. Iames's day next following and within a few dayes after created Duke of York Title born by his Father during the life of Prince Henry his elder brother This Prince hath though yet in his youth so signalized himself by his valour in the Armies of the Kings of Spain and France that I think this Age nor perhaps any of old cannot afford his parallel His Majesty likewise had another Son brought forth to him by his Royal Consort upon the twentieth day of Iuly 1640. who was Christned Henry and created Duke of Glocester And a Daughter at Excester during the Warres upon the sixteenth of Iune 1644. named after her Royal mother Henrietta Maria. This is the surviving Issue of our late Soveraign of blessed memory And having thus briefly given an account of the Parentage and Birth of these Illustrious Princes I shall proceed to represent the Life of Him who is particularly the Argument of this Relation CHARLES Prince of Wales now our Soveraign Lord King of Great Britain France and Ireland c. The care of his Infancy was committed to the right honourable the Countess of Dorset wife to the last Earle 'till after some yeares having out-grown female conduct the present Marquess of Newcastle was chosen by the King as a fit person to imbue his Youth with all the accomplishments requisite to greatnesse and the Reverend Dr. Duppa Lord Bishop of Chichester and now of Salisbury as one able to form his tender mind to true Religion and Virtue Every year of his Childhood afforded new promises and hopes and even in that age which usually has not the advantage of discretion either totally to subdue or at least to dissemble the motions of passions he express'd on all occasions an extraordinary goodnesse and sweetness of nature seeming to have been born with that equal temper of mind which few men render themselves capable of by the help of Philosophy and Religion Nor were his inclinations to Virtue more remarkable then those he had to excellent and solâ—d Arts which the composednesse of his Genius render'd more acceptable to him then the levity of the most exquisite divertisements In the ninth year of his Age he hapned to break his arme and was very sickly falling first into a Feaver and shortly after into the Jaundies but by the favour of the divine providence he happily overcame
which put the King upon thoughts of providing for his own safety and therefore on the 13. of April he went out of Oxford in a disguise with Parson Hudson waiting upon Mr. Iohn Ashburnham and upon the 6. os May got to the Scots Army before Newark Soon after which Sir Thomas Glenham surrendred the City of Oxford to General Fairfax upon the 24. of Iune 1646. The Duke of York was carried from thence to Saint Iames's where he met with his Sister the Princesse Henrietta Maria who was sent thither from the surrender of Exceter but was shortly after conveyed from Oatlands over to her Mother in France by her Governesse the Lady Dalkeith From the Island of Scilly the Prince removed to that of Guernsey where he had not long been but an Ordinance is put out against him in the nature of a Ban prohibiting all persons to repair to him or correspond with him by letter or otherwise upon pain of death without mercy Whereupon his abode here being so uncomfortable he betakes himself for France to visit his Mother and that Court there he was received with great demonstration of joy by all parties excepting the dissembling Cardinal Mazarine who though he pretended much respect yet was he inwardly glad to see him in distresse and exile From hence the Queen being willing to comply with the active desires of her Son which inclin'd him to break through these clouds of misery and retirement which seem'd wholly to obscure him writes to the King by Major Bosvil requesting him to permit the Prince to go into the field with his Uncle the Duke of Orleans that summer in the head of a French Army that was then design'd for an expedition into Flanders against the Spaniard To which his Majesty refus'd to condescend partly for that he judg'd it an imployment below a Prince of Great Britain to serve any other King but his own whose pay and orders were once receiv'd by a Roman Caesar and partly because he knew not how soon his service might be necessary for his own Couhtrey and therefore he commands him to wave that design and await his further instructions In the mean time it pleased the King of kings to lay his hand upon him and visit him with an intermitting Fever which continued upon him for the space of some weeks 'till by the divine blessing upon the Physitian 's care he was recover'd to perfect health Soon after which he receiv'd a Commission from his Royal Father to be Generalissimo of all the Loyal forces that survived of the late unsuccessefull battels and garrisons While he is advising about this affair the Kingdom of Scotland out of tendernesse of the Prince's safety honour and conscience move the King That his Son the present hope and future happinesse of these Nations might not be exposed in his youth to the dangers which encompassed him in the French Court particularly in reference to his Religion the perversion of which might have fatal consequences in these three Kingdomes Whereupon his Majesty from Newcastle whether the Scots fearing least General Fairfax should fall upon them and compel them to deliver him up retir'd with him writes to him That he should wait upon his Mother and obey her dutifully in all things Religion only excepted and that he should not stir any whether without his directions The Scots also by their Committee of Estates write themselves to the Prince to invite him thither Professing that none of the late calamities except those that had befallen his Royal Father afflicted them more then his Highnesse's absence And seeing their Forces had entred England to doe their duty to Religion his Majesty and his Highnesse they humbly desire he would please to honour and countenance their pious and loyal endeavours with his gracious presence for whose honour safety and freedome they engage the publick Faith of that Kingdome Signed Crawford Lindsey In Answer to this he desires the Earle of Louderdail to return his acknowledgements to the States of Scotland and assure them he would doe nothing misbecoming a good Prince or unsuitable to their civility But the Prince in pursuance of his instructions negotiating in behalf of his Father's affairs in the French Court by his Mother's assistance whom her nearnesse of bloud great deserts and low condition made powerfull there prevails with the French to advance ten thousand pounds for the Marquesse of Ormond towards the furtherance of his Majestie 's affairs in Ireland as an earnest of greater matters And some remainders of his Cornish Forces getting to a head others upon order marching to him out of Ireland he goes to meet them at the Island of Iersey with such Forces as he had gotten together beyond sea especially in France by his Mother's means and in Holland by the mediation of his young Brother in Law VVilliam of Nassaw Prince of Orange who about this time succeeded his Father Henry in the dignity of General and Admiral of the United Provinces He possessed himself likewise of some Vessels in the Island adding others to them which he hired in France While his Highnesse lay here a Letter is sent to him from the Parliament by the hands of Colonel Russel their Governour of Guernsey which lyes six or seven Leagues distant from Iersey The effect of it was to desire him for his Father's his own and the three Kingdomes sake to return to them where he should find all due respects Subjects could afford or his H ghnesse expect The Design was to get the person of the Prince into their hands as the Scots had that of the King but it took no effect the Prince proceeding to manage his affairs by sea and land to such advantage as might â—nable his Royal Father to stand in the approaching Treaty on such termes as might consist with his Conscience and his Honour On Iuly the 27. following sixteen General Propositions with sundry Qualifications were presented to the King at Newcastle by the Earles of Pembroke Suffolk c. who were limited to ten dayes which the King judging unreasonable refused to consent to and defir'd to come to London and treat personally After which the Scots general Assembly send a Remonstrance to his Majesty desiring him to settle matters in England according to the COVENANT and to signe the Parliaments Propositions And Chancellor Lowdon told him plainly there was no other means for him to close with his Two Houses And moreover if he lost England he should not be admitted to reign in Scotland But the King still persisting in his denyal the Scots who had hitherto some what sharply disputed about the disposall of his Person are content upon the receit of a good summe of Money to depart home and leave the King in the power of the Parliament who voted him to Holmby House and sent Commissioners to receive and convey him thither where he arriv'd on the 17. of February 1646 7. The War was now totally finished and dissentions brake out between the Parliament
danger the Prince should make prize of their ships for that he had engaged to the States of the Low Countries to do no act prejudicial to Trade At last the debate was put off till the next day when the Speaker putting the House in mind of it again it was earnestly called upon by the younger Sir Iohn Evelin Scot VVeaver Hollond Boys and almost all the godly gang So the debate was resumed and VVeaver went very high to try the Temper of the House But the debate interminis That the Prince should be declared a Râ—bel a Traitor was soon laid by though violently press'd chiefly for these reasons 1. They had not the Originals of the Princes Letters and Declaration which the Common Council still kept but only Copies not so much as attested upon Oath by any authentick Clerk therefore no legall Proceedings could be upon them 2. It world argue no peaceable inclination in them the same day when they sent Messengers to invite the King his Father to a Treaty of Peace 3. It could not consist with the National Covenant 4. It is High Treason by the Stat. 25. Edw. 3. to endeavour the destruction of the Prince the King 's eldest Son but to declare him a Rebel and a Traytor was to endeavour to destroy him and therefore High Treason c. But what they could not do expresly they did implicitely by Voting all that should adhere to aid or assist the Prince Rebels and Traytors Hereby they put a tye upon the City not to redeem their ships by lending 20000. l. to the Prince and yet had a Pyrate taken them it had been lawfull to redeem them About this time also an Order passed the House of Commons for the Earl of VVarwick to fight the Prince at sea It was sent up to the Lords and passed that House too whereby it became an Ordinance yet some of the Lords entred a Protestation against it as the Earles of Lincoln Suffolk Lord North. The Prince continued still in the Downes with his Fleet in a good condition waiting for that supply of Land forces his Brother the Prince of Orange was very industriously raising for his service in Holland and in the interim was willing to do something for the relief of Deal Castle which was besieged by a party of Fairfax's Army left in Kent for that purpose In order to which he landed 500. men who at first charged handsomely but being overpowr'd by number were beaten several slain and taken and the rest got aboard again Failing of this attempt he was inclinable to hazard himself for the relief of Colchester which bravely held out against Fairfax's whole power but from this he was disswadeded as a businesse of too apparent danger Wherefore he continued expecting the event of Hamilton's expedition in the North who was sent into England by the Parliament of Scotland with an Army of 21000. upon the account of the Covenant viz. for a restitution of his Majesty with safety and honour and settlement of Presbyterie On the 15. day of Iuly the House of Commons without the Lords Vote the Scots that were come into England enemies and that they might covertly include the Prince the Question was put That all such English as had invited the Scots under Duke Hamilton to come in hostile manner into England should be declared Traitors and carried in the affirmative He that shall consider the House of Commons was still in a manner entire and consisted of the very same men that so often and by so many Votes Remonstrances Declarations Protestations Vowes and Oaths pretended the defence of the King's person and just authority settlement of these Nations in purity of Religion and preservation of the just Rights and Liberties of the Subject the very same things now petition'd for by several Counties declared for by the parties up in Kent Essex and Duke Hamilton in the North cannot but wonder they should vote them Traitors and endeavour their destruction with that of the Nations consequently who took up armes in the greatest sincerity possible for those honourable purposes themselves alledged to countenance their own against the King But the truth is the two Houses sate under a force ever since August 6. 1647. when Fairfax march't up with his Army in hostile manner against the City For from that time the lesser party of the House who together with some Officers of the Army had layd the blackest design that ever was hatcht by the instinct of the Devil siding with the Army over-aw'd all the Proceedings of Parliament and at the same time held the King and the major part of the House in suspence with unfaithfull Treaties and sent their forces against such as desir'd the same things they would be believ'd themselves intended The House of Lords too being strangely supine in not resenting the frequent sleighting and contempt of their Authority and not attempting any thing at all for the deliverance of their Soveraign the Vindication of their own Honour that of the Nation with it's rights priviledges and freedomes against the Usurpation of an Army and corrupt faction in that of the Commons An insolence which I am perswaded none of their great Ancestors we find in Histories under the same Titles but would have ventur'd both lives and fortunes to the utmost rather then have endured and certainly their posterity will wonder what they were doing all this while The Earle of Holland indeed though no Souldier yet dar'd well and out of a sense of Honour thought himself oblig'd to try his fortune in the Field if possible he might be an Instrument to avert the Destruction he saw threatned his Soveraign and the miseries of tyrannie impendent over this poor Nation by an armed power By commission from the Prince he assembles together about 500. Horse and Foot about Kingston heath Iuly 2. having with him the Duke of Buckingham and his Brother the L. Francis Villers and the Earle of Peterborough But he was soon routed by a stronger Party himself taken and afterwards put to death for his noble but unfortunate Attempt Such were the sinnes of this Nation and thus the good Providence of God was pleased to bring about the punishment of them by frustrating all meanes and courses taken to deliver it from the miseries of that threatned it For soon after viz. August 17. the great Army under Hamilton is defeated by Cromwell and Lambert at Preston in Lancashire and the Duke himself taken and afterwards beheaded by the English Parliament for this action This Defeat was followed by the surrender of Colchester which had indur'd a sharp starving Siege of three moneths upon hopes of relief from this Scottish Army Thus all the Princes Enterprises failing and his Fleet being in great need of provision he is forced to give over further Action and retires to the Hague in Holland to his Sister the Princesse of Orange in expectation and attendance upon Providence Shortly after many Counties of England soliciting the Parliament
for a Treaty with the King the honester and greater part take heart again recall the Votes of Non-Addresses Vote a Treaty send Commissioners with Propositions to the King All which his Majesty fully consented to and there was no difference between him and the Houses but concerniâ—g Presbytery which he granted should be established for three years All men now hoped for a happy settlement But alas now begin the greatest of our woes The Army who could not think their greatness and power would be durable if the King liv'd draw nearer to London petition for their Arrears and for Justice upon the King as the Capitall cause of the Evils of the Civil War to which effect also they publish a Remonstrance requiring withall that a peremptory Day be set for summoning the Prince of VVales and Duke of York and if they refuse to declare them incapable of Government or succession and to stand exiled as Traytors and if they render themselves yet they to be proceeded against for satisfaction with other damands of the like strain To bring their accursed design to passe Fairfax commands Colonel Hammond to deliver up his charge to Colonel Ewer by whom the King is conveyed out of the Isle of VVight to Hurst Castle Novemb. 30. contrary to the intentions and consent of the Parliament as they declar'd And thus the Treaty was violenty broken off Yet the Lords Vote the King's concessions a sufficient ground for Peace and so do the major part of the Commons But the Army march up to London discharge the Trained Bands from guarding the Parliament and order Pride's and Rich's Regiments to supply their places by whom above fourty Members are seiz'd on and confin'd Major General Brown ninety odde Members excluded the House Then the Army form a new Model of Government which they stile The Agreement of the people destructive to all the Fundamental Laws of the Land which was presented to the new molded House by Sir Hardres VValler and 16. Officers The House hereupon annull the Votes against Non-addresses and exclude all Members that will not joyn with them in this proceeding They then proceed to order the Tryall of the King and remove him though the Lords refus'd to concurre and declare no act of the Commons binding without their consent However force overcomes all Right Reason A pretended High Court of Iustice is erected of which Iohn Bradshaw newly created Serjeant at Law is made President The King is brought before them upon Saturday the 20 of Ianuary 1648. on Monday the 22. on Tuesday the 23. and on Saturday the 27. of the same moneth where persisting with magnanimity and reason to deny the power of the Court and being most impudently and insolently treated by Bradshaw he is condemned to be beheaded for Tyranny Treason and Murder According to which sentence having taken leave of his Children here is England and sent his blessing to his son in Holland he was put to death before White-hal Gate upon Tuesday the 30. of Ianuary the Dutch and French Embassadours in behalf of his Majesty made intercession for his life The Scottish Parliament publish'd a Remonstrance against the Parliaments Proceedings The Ministry of London declar'd their disallowance before God and Men The House of Peers offer'd themselves as pledges for his Sacred Majesty but all prevailed nothing The barbarous Iuncto are inexorable being made so desperate by their own guilt that they thought nothing could secure their former crimes but this impious detestable and unparallel'd murther of their Sovereign During his Majesties tryall which was carried on with all expedition and speed the Prince who could not be satisfi'd of that strange turn from a Treaty to a Tryall writ the following Letter to his Father by the Lord Seymour SIR HAving no means to come to the knowledge of your Majestie 's affairs but such as I receive from the Prints or whiâ—h is as uncertain reports I have sent this bearer Seymour to wait upon your Majâ—sty and to bring me an account of it and that I may withall assure your Majesty I do not only pray for your Majesty according to my duty but shall alwaies be ready to do all which shall be in my power to deserve the blessing which I now humbly beg of your Majesty upon Sir Your Majestie 's most humble and most obedient Son and Servant CHARLES Hague Ian. 23. 1648. But alas Sad were the tydings the Lord Seymour return'd with into Holland the most inhumane illegall and barbarous murther of the King of Great Britain by the hands of his English Subjects An Act which struck all Europe with horror and amazement and which certainly our Posterity will eternally detest To represent the sorrow and affliction of our Illustrious Prince with his Royal Brother the Duke of York and his Sister of Orange without doubt surpasses all the power of words No Prince ever lost a Father whom he was to succeed in Royalty with greater regret and indeed all circumstances consider'd I conceive no mortal man had ever greater occasion of grief Certainly had not the extraordinary grace of God supported him he could never have borne up against it I know not how better to resent his passionate resentment then by imitating the old Grecian Painter who being to pourtray Agamemnon present at the sacrifice of his Daughter represented all his followers weeping and lamenting but drew a veil over the Father's face as hiding the transcendent passion his Pencil was unable to expresse A few dayes before the King's death the Commons voted the style in Writs and all Judicial proceedings to be altered from Carolus Dei gratia c. the Great Seal with the Royal Scutcheon of England to be broken and a new one made with the Armes of England the Harp of Ireland with these words The Great Seal of England engraven on one side and on the Reverse the picture of the House of Commons sitting with these words In the first year of Freedome by God's blessing restored 1648. On the evening of that black day on which his Majesty suffered a Proclamation was set forth by the Iuncto prohibiting all persons upon pain of High Treason to presume to declare or publickly to promote Charles Stuart styled Prince of Wales eldest son of the late King or any of the rest of his Children to be King of England In pursuance of which determination having taken their King out of the way they proceed against Kingship and constitute a select Number of themselves joyn'd with the General and chief Officers of the Army in the Supreme authority The House of Peers is voted dangerous and unnecessary and an Act pass'd and proclaim'd in the City of London for the abolishing of Kingly Government and settling these Nations in way of a Free State It was also published 1. That it should be Treason to speak against this Form of Goverment 2. That it should be Treason for any to endeavour the exercise of Kingships in these Nations in his
been animated by frequent Victories and the spoil of such places as they had taken Possibly in England his Majesty might soon have forces competent to match them at least he should not be beset with so many difficulties and one fortunate Field might wholly turn the Scale Accordingly upon Thursday Iuly 31. 1651. all things being in readiness the Scotch Army left their Camp at Sterling which was soon after deliver'd to Lieut. Gen. Monk and the sixt day after being about 16000. entered England by the way of Carlisle Upon intelligence of this sudden March Cromwel's Army of which the greatest part was in Fife forthwith cros'd the Frith and first Lambert is sent with 5. Regiments of Horse and Dragoons to fall upon the Scots rear Cromwel himself soon after Aug. 6. following with 8. Regiments of Foot 2. of Horse and 8. great Guns having left 6000. horse and foot with Lieutenant General Monck to reduce the remaining garrisons of Scotland Major General Harrison being advanc'd the nearest England with 3000. horse and Dragoons attended the motion of the Scotch Army and the VVestminster Iuncto suddenly bestir themselves to raise the Militia of the whole Nation and make an Act to forbid all relief and succour to be given to his Majesty or his Forces under penalty of High Treason Immediately the Militia's of most Counties were drawn into the Field against him and for the hindring of his progresse 2000. of the County Militia of Staffordshire and 4000. out of Lancashire and Cheshire under Colonel Birch joyned with Lambert and Harrison whose first attempt upon the Royal Army was at VVarrington bridge the passage of which was very sharply disputed but at length gain'd by the Scots with the losse of some men In the mean time a party in VVales began to rise for the King intending to have joyned with the Earle of Derby from the Isle of Man but the design was crusht before it came to any thing The march of the Scotch Army was manag'd with extreme civility to the people as they past no souldier daring to plunder or steal the least thing whatever having been terrified by the punishment of one of their number who was shot to death for entering an Orchard But as this carriage of theirs together with his Majesties invitations did not so prevail upon the people to come in to him as he expected so by the way fear depriv'd him of about the fourth part of the Army he brought out of Scotland It was deliberated by bis Majesties council whether or no to march forthwith to London but the way was too tedious and the souldiers were much wearied with their journey already and it was hoped the interest Major General Massey had in Glocestershire would procure a confluence of men from those parts Asson as the Army entred England and afterwards at every Market-town his Majesty was proclaimed King of England by an English man whom he had created King at Armes with much satisfaction of the Country However such was the fate of these Nations for the punishment of whose sins a severe yoke was reserved by Providence for I know not what apparent reason to ascribe their actions to in this occasion that in stead of assisting their just and lawfull Prince they arose generally in Armes against him The Lord Fairfax who till then had been believ'd sensible of some remorse for his former proceedings appear'd in the Fâ—eld with a formidable body to flank the Royal Army as they marcht London pour'd out her numerous Militia and the adjacent Counties were by strict order of Parliament enjoin'd to set out Horse and Men at their own charges The King in the mean time receiv'd no considerable supply saving one Troop of Horse commanded by a noble young Gentleman Sir Cecill Howard son to the Lord Howard of Estrich Neverthelesse there wanted not courage in the breasts of the Nobility and Gentry with his Majesty whose great resolutions made them hope even in the midst of despair From Tong-Norton his Majesty sent a Trumpetter with a Letter and Summons to Col. Mackworth Governour of Shrewsbury which I shall venture to insert with the Answer His Majesties Letter was in these words Col. Mackworth Having sent you herewith a Summons to render into my hands my Town with the Castle of Shrewsbury I cannot but perswade my self you will doe it when I consider you a Gentleman of an ancient House and of very d fferent principles as I am informed from those with whom your imployment ranks you at present If you shall peaceably deliver them unto me I will not onely pardon what is past and protect you and yours in your persons and all that belongs to you but reward fo eminent and seasonable a Testimony of your Loyalty with future Trust and Favour and doe leave it to your selfe to propose the particular being upon that condition ready to grant you presently any thing you shall reasonably desire and to approve my self your Friend C. R. The Summons also which accompanied this Letter was to the same effect But whether the Governour lookt upon his Majestie 's condition too forlorn to engage on his side or acted really out of an hostile principle I will not determine but the answer he returned to his Soveraign Lord the King was in the following termes directed To the Commander in chief of the Scottish Army SIR By your Trumpetter I received two Papers the one containing a Proposition the other a direct Summons for the rendition of the Town Castle of Shrewsbury the custody whereof I have received by authority of Parliament And if you believe me a Gentleman as you say you do you may believe I will be faithfull to my trust to the violation whereof neither allurements can perswade me nor threatnings of force especially when but paper ones compell me What Principles I am judged to be of I know not but I hope they are suâ—h as shall declare me honest and no way differing herein as I know from those engaged in the same employment with me who should they desâ—rt the Cause they are embarqued in I resolve to be found as I am unremoveable the faithfull servant of the Commonwealth of England H. Mackworth About the same time also his Majesty sent the like summons to Sr Thomas Middleton Governour of Chirk Castle in Shropshire but this Gentleman was not altogether so civil as the former for in stead of returning any answer at all he caus'd the Messenger to be seized and sent away prisoner to VVrexham who was afterwards hanged at Chester for this service It having been resolv'd upon debate by his Majestie 's Council rather to march Westward then towards London his Army accordingly enter'd the City of VVorcester upon Friday the 22. of August 1651. after one or two repulses by the Forces that kept the City the Inhabitants not onely not opposing the Scots entrance but helping to beat the English Souldiers out In his Majestie 's March hither he had sent a
Dunbar which defeat occasion'd the losse of that Kingdome In the morning his Majesty held a Council of War upon the Top of the Colledge-Church Steeple the better to view in what manner the Enemy lay From whence perceiving the Enemie's new bridges and a kind of a skirmish at Powick bridge he forthwith commanded all to their Armes and march'd thither himself where he gave order for the making good of that passe and opposing that of the Enemy over Severne Soon after his return to the City the Enemy assaulted Powick bridge furiously which was valiantly defended by a Brigade of Horse and Foot under Maj. Gen. Rob. Montgomery and Col. George Keyth till the former being dangerously wounded and his Ammunition spent was forc'd to retire disorderly into Worcester and the latter was taken prisoner by the Enemie This place being won there was no time to deliberate longer Wherefore it was resolv'd to engage Cromwel forthwith who lay at Perry-wood within a mile of Worcester The onset was given with a great deal of fury by the Royallists insomuch that Cromwel's invincible Life-guard was unable to bear the shock and compell'd to give ground in some disorder their great Guns also were for some time in the power of the Royalists The Rebell Commanders had put the new rais'd County forces to bear the first brunt of the incounter of whom the Royalists made a horrible slaughter His Majesty himself lead up the Scots Foot in this battle and that with so much courage and gallantry that his inveterate enemy Cromwel could not but applaud his valour The Fight continued for the space of three or four houres very sharp and fierce during which his Majesty had his Horse twice shot under him and rallyed the Infantry himself untill by the successive supplyes of fresh forces they were in a manner all lost The Rebels had great advantage not onely in being more numerous but fighting both with Horse and Foot against his Majestie 's Foot onely for the Scotch Horse did not engage at all in this encounter which some impute to the treachery of David Lesley who in the mean time commanded a brave body of Horse to stand still and look on the ruine of their King and Fellow-subjects threatning the first man that stirr'd with death For the truth of which relation I dare not undertake but it is certain the Scotch Horse under Lesley were scarce any more then spectators of the battle nor is it incredible but that treachery might be practis'd by a Scot and money imploy'd by Cromwel for conquest as well as force The remainder of the forlorne Royall Army being put to flight were pursued into the Town by the Victors his Majesty was as one of the last in the field and could hardly be perswaded to out-live that day At Sudbury-gate through which the routed Royalists fled an Ammunition Waggon was overthrown lay crosse the passage so that his Majesty was enforc'd to alight and enter into the City on foot In the Fryers street he to k â— fresh Horse and perceiving many of his Foot throw down their Armes and decline fighting he rode up and down among them sometimes with his hâ—t in his hand intreating them to stand to their Armes and sell their lives as dear as they could But seeing his encouragements ineffectuall he said I had rather you would shoot me then keep me alive to see the sad consequences of this fatall day Neverthelesse the Earle of Cleveland Sir Iames Hamilton Col. VVilliam Carlis then Major to the Lord Talbot and some Officers rallyed what force they could which was unproportionable to that of the Assailants and gave a check to to the Enemy as they were entring in at Sudbury Gate and valiantly disputed that street with them Which action was very important to secure his Majesties flight In the mean time Fleetwood's men were on the o her side of the City masters of St Iohns and having wholly disperst all opposers fell to plunder Assoon as Cromwel had made his way into Sudbury-street whilest some of his Forces were furiously kâ—lling and slaying all that were in the streets he hasten'd with some Regiments to the Fort Royal commanded by Col. Drummond where he found courageous opposition and lost 300. Cheshire men but at length reducing it with twice the number of the defenders he put every man of them to the sword to the number of 1500. Then was there seen the saddest spectacle that humane imagination is capable to conceive the streets being all strew'd with carcasses and cover'd with blood houses broken open and pillag'd and the whole Town fill'd with the noise of the insolent Victors and the cryes of the poor inhabitants till having satiated their cruelties rapacious desires or rather tired themselves with barbarous executions and inhumanities they began to think of securing prisoners The slain were reckon'd about 4000. amongst whom was Duke Hamilton who being taken dyed so on after of his wounds a very Noble courageous loyall person worthy of immortal fame The Prisoners taken in the battle and the City were about 7000. in which number were the Earls of Carnwarth Rothes Kelly the Lord Synclare Sir Iohn Packington Maj. Gen. Montgomerry Maj. Gen. Piscotty Mr. Rich. Fâ—nshaw his Majestie 's Secretary the General of the Ordnance the Adjutant General of thâ— Foot and the Marshal General besides several Colonels and others inferior Officers 158. Colours which together with those taken the year before at Duâ—bar were hung up in VVestminster Hall the King's Standard his Collar of Ss Coach and Horses with other things of great value How many of the Rebels fell in this fight we hâ—ve no â—râ—ditable relation their own Pamphlets mention onely the losse of Quartermaster Gen. Mosely Capt Iones and about 200. common Souldiers and 300. wounded among whom was Charles Howard afterwards Captain of Cromwel's Life-guard another Captain This is the truest and most impartiall account I can meet with of this remarkable overthrow which was then lookt upon as the decision of the Cause between King and Commonwealth But it pleased God that in this great losse the Forturne of England was preserved whose bloud was the onely thing wanting to cement the foundations of the new Republick The manner of his Majesties escape was in a sâ—rict sense not miraculous yet as near a miracle as almost any thing that is barely possible by natural means Certainly he that shall deliberately consider the paucity of such of the Nobility as escaped the fury of the fight and diligence of the pursuers of all the Lords there onely the Duke of Buckingham the renowned Lord Wilmot getting undiscover'd beyond Sea the instruments of his Majestie 's preservation such whom indigence or fear might have induc'd to prefer reward or security before faithfulness to a Prince who in all humane probability was unlikely ever to requite them for their dangerous loyalty and the places where his Majesty was concealed in the midst of his enemies
Majesty who stay'd not long there but removed to the Hague where himself and the English Gentry were splendidly entertain'd at the charge of the States who also presented him with gifts of great value From thence the Queen of Bohemia with the Princesse of Orange and the young Prince accompanied his Majesty and the two Dukes to the Sea-side where they were entertain'd in the Naseby with a magnificent collation and so his Majesty took leave of them and set sail for England At his landing at Dover he was met by the General who immediately kneel'd to kisse his Royal hand but his Majesty embraced him graciously and took him with his two Brothers into his Coach to Dover where after a Treatment by the Magistrates he rid to Canterbury where he was met by the Mayor and Citizens who presented him a golden Cup full of gold and the Ministers who presented him a Bible Having rested there on Sunday the next day he went to Cobham-House and on Tuesday May 29. being his Birth-day he came towards London attended by the Duke of Buckingham the Earles of Northhampton Norwich Shrewsbury Litchfield Cleaveland the Lord Mordant and Sir Iohn Robinson with their several Troops of the chiefest Nobles and gentry of the Kingdome and the General with ten Regiments of his best horse besides innumerable companies of people that flock'd from all the adjacent Counties On Blackheath near Greenwich he was met by Major Generâ—l Brown with a gallant Company of young Citizens and others c. and at Southwark he was met by the Lord Mayor Aldermen 300. Citizens in Velvet Coats and Gold Chaines representing the several Companies and entertain'd with a Collation in a Tent erected on purpose and from thence about 5. a clock in the afternoon he rode into the City between his two Brothers the streets being on one side beset with the several Companies in their Gownes and on the other with Souldiers the windowes adorn'd with Tapistry and other hangings the Conduits running with Wine and the people testifying their joy with incessant shoutings and Acclamations Arriving at White-Hall the Speakers of both Houses congratulated his return in two solemn Speeches to which his Majesty answer'd that the People's acclamation together with his journey though gratefull to him as demonstrations of affection had so disordered him that he could not give such an answer as he desir'd But they should find him a sincere Defender of the Lawes and Liberties of the people and the Parliament should not be more ready to ask his consent to any thing fitting to be done then he would be to grant it After which he retir'd out of the Banquetting House to his Lodgings Thus we have trac'd out all the principal actions of this great King's Life in his Infancy Youth and Manhood to this present as well in his own Territories as beyond the Seas and withall given an account of the most considerable events here in England during the Oligarchy of the late long Parliament and the Tyranny of Ol. Cromwel In all which we have endeavour'd to give an impartiall Relation with as much brevity as the smalness of this Volume containing more strange occurrences then have hapned in some Ages would permit May the God of Heaven who of his infinite and undeserved mercy towards these poor Nations hath restor'd his Majesty to his Dominions long preserve his Sacred Person for the good both of Church and Commonwealth and multiply the years of his Reign in Honour and Prosperity Glory be to God on High and on Earth Peace and good Will towards Men. FINIS ERRATA Pag. 118. l. 11. read greater honour Pag. 273. l. 8. for at Salisbury read at Exeter Pag. 320. l. 24. read Commoners
own Person or promote it in another especially Charles the eldest Iames the second and Henry the third Sons of the late King After which they proceed as far as they could to abolish the very memory of his late Majesty his Arms are ordered to be defaced in all places throughout the Nations and his Statues broken all the regalia sold and imbezil'd the Crown Revenue to sale and all the goods of the Royal Family made prize on by those that had murdered and expell'd the Owners Neverthelesse there wanted not some in this sad consternation who shew'd themselves so resolute in asserting the Title of Prince Charles to the Crown of these Nations as to print and disperse this following Proclamation in several places of the City of London WE the Noblemen Iudges Knights Lawyers Gentlemen Freeholders Merchants Citizens Yeo-men Sea-men and other Free men of England do according to our Allegiance and Covenant by these present Heartily Ioyfully and Vnanimously acknowledge and Proclaim the illustrious CHARLES Prince of Wales next Heir to his Father King Charles whose late wicked murder and all Consenters thereunto We from our hearts abominate to be by Hereditary Birth-right and lawfull Succession rightfull and undoubted King of Great Britain France and Ireland And we will constantly and sincerely in our several places and callings defend and maintain his Royal Person Crown and Dignity with our estates and lives against all Opposers whom hereby we declare to be Enemies to his Majesty and Kingdomes In Testimony whereof we have caused these to be Publish't throughout all Counties and Corporations of this Realm The first day of February in the first year of his Majestie 's Reign But the Royal Party was so totally supprest throughout this Nation that they wanted power to make good what their consciences assur'd them was just and right This endeavour testifi'd their Loyalty and withall their weaknesse For though the hearts of most of the Nation were as willing to promote the Son's succession as to withstand the Father's destruction yet were they as unable to advance the one as they had been to prevent the other Indeed Ireland was in a manner wholly for his Majesty in many places whereof he was by joynt consent both of Protestants and Papists proclaimed King The Lord Marquesse of Ormond the Lord Inchequin and other great persons had considerable Forces in the field for his interest and all the Garrisons of that Island held out for him excepting the two most important the Cities of Dublin and London-Derry which were kept from returning to their Allegiance the former by Lieutenant General Iones then Governour and the latter by Sir Charles Coot who maintain'd their cause and authority who had barbarously murder'd his Royal Father in England Besides the Islands of Iersey Guernsey Scilly and Man remain'd faithfull to him though they were of no other advantage then to serve as places of retreat for the small Fleet that was left after the greatest part of it had again revolted to the Parliaments Navy The Parliament of Scotland as I said had protested against the proceedings of the English against their common King But at this time that Nation was divided into four grand Factions or Parties 1. The first consisted of such as had confederated with the English Parliament during the Warres till they saw their accursed design of destroying the King and subverting the Government these were the prevailing party who sent Duke Hamilton with that numerous but unfortunate Army into England 1648. They were willing though upon certain conditions to own and declare Prince Charles for their King only in this they sided with the English Independent Iuncto That they endeavoured to the utmost to depresse and discountenance the Malignants as they called those who had adher'd to his late Majesty who make up the second party The third consisted of such as were so strictly devoted to the Kirk and Convenant that they only projected the advancement of them and car'd not for any other interest either of King or Free-State but strenuously oppos'd both of which Faction Colonel Sâ—â—aâ—ghern and Colonel Kerre were two great Sticklers The fourth and last and worst were such as by unparallel'd treachery to their Prince their Native Countrey and as it appear'd afterwards to themselves too held secret correspondence with the Sectarian power and Army of England This Division I have made will give much light to the understanding of the reasons of the Scottish actions and their consequences when we come to relate them At present it may suffice to intimate that this Discord among themselves retarded them from publickly proclaiming and owning their lawfull King In the mean time the King having been a while a close Mourner in Holland and receiv'd the condolements of the Lords States who also deputed an Oratour Dr. Lotius to represent their sad sence of the inhumane murder of his Royall Father which he performed in an elegant Latine Oration extant in Print he committed the management of his affairs there to the care of his Brother and Sister of Orange and took a journey to France both to visit his disconsolate and forlorne Mother and to desire the assistance which he might reasonably conceive that King oblig'd both in honour consideration of consanguinity and the generall concernment of all Monarchs to afford him He was receiv'd in the French Court with much respect and after a short stay at Paris took up his abode at St. Germains having his Royall Brother the Duke of York with him He had not been long here but contrary to the expectationâ— as well as hopes of himself and all his Loyall Subjects news is brought him of the defeat of the Army in Ireland under the Marquis of Ormond then which a gallanter richer had scarce been seen during all the late Warrs The Marquis had laid siege to Dublin on the 21. of Iune 1649. but that City being reinforc'd with a supply of 3000. Horse and Foot from England and encouraged with the expectation of more the Besieged made severall Sallies out upon them from time to time and at length in one suppris'd the Marquis's maine Army and totally defeated it himself not without much difficulty escaping by flight 'T is very true the Marquis had an Army of about 20000. men but the greatest part of them were Irish and so such as he dar'd not trust besides I have heard it creadibly reported He might have taken Dublin if he had pleas'd but forbore to doe it meerly in tendernesse to the numerous Protestants were in it whom the Irish would have without question unmercifully destroy'd if they had taken the place by assualt and as yet there was no other way to take it by reason the besieged had high expectation of succour from England This was the first blow receiv'd by the young King and a great one it was indeed and so important that it made way for the losse of all that Kingdome About the same time also Sir Ch. Coot
sent by the Lair Libberton The New Commonwealth in England in the mean time was modell'd thus The House of Peers as I said was voted down the Commons reduc'd to about 100 and a new kind of Senate set up called a Council of State who sate at Whitehall consisting of forty persons these indeed though deriv'd from the Parliament grew to have greater authority then their creators but though the supreme Power seem'd in appearance to be in these two Councils yet it was really in the hands of the Army the chief Officers of which rul'd them that rul'd the Nations Their principall business at Home was to fortify their new Government by making severall Acts of Treason and to terrifie others by putting to death divers of the Nobility as D. Hamilton E. of Holland L. Capel c. and such of the Gentry who had oppos'd their Barbarous and Tyrannicall Proceedings They also employ'd themselves in dividing the Patrimony of the Crown having murder'd the Father and expell'd the Son the same course also they took with many thousands of loyall persons either confiscating and selling their Estates or putting them to redeem the same upon great compositions by this meanes and prodigious Taxes together drawing all the Wealth of the Nation both Money Lands into their own hands and sharing the same among themselves their Lords the Officers of the Army His Majesty had small hopes of doing any good immediately upon England although he had friends enough in it However two noble Gentlemen Sir Iohn Berkly and Col. Slingsby offer'd themselves to serve their Prince in England and accordingly came from Iersey into the VVest and went about stirring up their Correspondents to Armes for their King Country but they were both accidentally discover'd taken The King had sent Ambassadours to severall great Princes and States as the Emperor the King of Spain the Duke of Moscovy the State of Venice the Grand Seignor and others to sollicite their ayd and contribution for the recovery of his Father's Kingdomes But from the most of them he received only complements pretenses of their good will to help him The most considerable Embasse and most probable to take effect was that to his Majesty of Spain by the Lord Cottington who at his Audience remonstrated in the name of his Master That the Parliament of England having been in Armes against his Father had prevailed against him and caused him to be put to dâ—ath That he being Son and heir to the late King was yet kept out of his Kingdomes by the said Parliament And therefore he desired his Aid and Assistance to establish him into his Rights and Dignities in his Kingdomes To this the King of Spain answer'd That he was sorry for his Father 's ill successe wishing he had been more prosperous That he condol'd with him for his Father's death and was much affected with sorrow at the manner of it That concerning the difference between him and the Parliament and the Rights on thâ— one or the other side they being matters out of his Territories and Iurisdiction he could not take cognizance of them nor should he meddle therein But for any thing within his own Dominions he should be ready to do him what lawful favour he could But such is the influence Self Interest has upon the minds even of the greatest Potentates that it many times excludes all considerations of generosity Had the Neighbour-States resented the unjustice done to this King and his Father as they ought I am confident the Spirits of the Iuncto would have soon been broken But the course of the world as I said is otherwise his Majesty of Britain is an Exile his Enemies are great and powerfull and therefore in stead of sending assistance to the unfortunate Prince the King of Spain sends and Embassadour to court the new Common wealth of Rebels to a League The King hearing of a Fleet of Ships preparing by the Parliament for the Island of Iersey thought fit to dispatch his answer to the Committee of Estates of Scotland in order to a Treaty which being drawn up with a Letter directed to the Committee of the Kirk Assembly the Laird Libberton departed with it to Scotland Soon after which his Majesty to avoid all danger went from Iersey back again into France where her resided with his Royal Mother till the time for the Scotch Treaty drew near Before his going thither he writ thus to the Lord Marq. of Montross Most Dear and well beloved Cousin We have received Letters from our Kingdome of Scotland of which you receive herewith a Copy by which our subjects demand of us that we would please to acknowledge for lawfull their Parliament and particularly the two last Sessions of that Assembly Which being obtained of our Grace they offer to send us their Deputies with full Commission to Treat with us of the means to reestablish Peace and obedience in that Kingdome We have made them an Answer That we have made known to their Envoy the place where we desired their Deputies should come to us with all diligence And to the end you should not apprehend that by our Letters or by the Treaty we had any design to hinder the affairs we hâ—ve committed to you we have thought fit to let you know that as we judge the Levies you have made for our service to have been a powerfull motive to oblige them to send their Deputies and to enter into Treaty with us So we also believe that the Progrese you shall make in your generous Designes will dispose them to Treat with the more moderation to the end the whole Realm may again happily return under our obedience We assure you we have not the least thought to derogate from that ample Commission which we have given you nor to diminish that Authority in which we have invested you by our Letters Patents And we doe promise you also if it shall come to passe that we shall enter into any good Intelligence with our subjects we shall have so much care of your proper Interest that all the world shall see how much we esteem your Person what confidence we have in your conduct your Courage whereof not only the late King our Father but Our self also have reciv'd Proofs both by what you have done suffer'd for Us. In the mean time you shall understand that we have qualified the Assembly of our Subjects with the Appellation of the Committee of Estates which we have done onely for this Treary Which if it shall not succeed as we desire As we know already this Qualification of the Privy Signet do's not at all authorise them to be such so we shall then forthwith declare for what we hold them notwithstanding this Title which we have given them both for their own proper satisfaction also to make known to all the World that we desire to bring back our Subjects of the Kingdome of Scotland to their Duty rather by wayes of
he would confirme all Acts of Parliament enjoin the Solemn League and Covenant establish Presbytery the Directory the Confâ—ssion of Faith and Catechisme in the Kingdome of Scotland as they are already approved by the General Assembly of the Kirk and the Parliament and that he would observe the same in his own family and swâ—ar never to oppose or indevour the alteration of the same IV. That he would consent that all Civil matters might be determin'd by the present and subsequent Parliaments in Scotland and all matters Ecclesiasticall by the ensuing generall Kirk Assembly After the reading of these Propositions and the Letters his Majestie being told these were all their instructions answered That he would take these things into consideration and doubted not to give them such a full answer as should give them his Kingdome of Scotland ample satisfaction His Majestie and his Council deliberate very seriously upon these Heads of the Treaty Opinions were divided some persons vehemently disswading him from trusting himself into the hands of the Scots But the Covenant was the main thing the King stuck at and the Commissioners most urg'd In the mean time he withdraw to the Hague to consult with the Queen of Bohemia and the Prince of Orange who was visited by the Commissioners and intreated to be a Mediator between them and his Majestie and some other friends what course was best to resolve on And soon after the Earle of Carnwarth and Mr. Murrey arrive at Breda from the Committee of Estates with further Instructions and Propositions as 1. That his Majesty should raâ—ifie all that had been done in the Parliaments of Scotland in some late Sessions And consent That Montrosse and his Adherents be prohibited accesse into that Kingdome These conditions were sufficiently hard but the posture his Majestie 's affairs then stood in seem'd to most of his Counsellours to afford an invincible argument to perswade him to accept them The Marquis of Montrosse as I said was commission'd by the King to levy what force he could on that side the Sea and to fall into the North of Scotland upon hopes his appearance there might induce the States to more moderation In order to which he had sollicited the Princes of Germany for assistance but he received little more from any but promises and complements Onely from the Duke of Holstein he was supplyed with three or four very fair Vessels well arm'd and amn'd And to expedite his businesse he dispatcht Col. Iohn Ogilby to Amsterdam to intertain such strangers as might be for his purpose But the forgetting his Commission bestow'd both money paines in intertaining himself suffering those who upon any termes would have engag'd to shift for themselves there being a great number who had fled out of England and more who had lately deserted the French or been cashiered the Hollander's service By which neglect those goodly ships provided for service were lost and a limb of the design broken Nor was this the onely miscarriage that hapned in the beginning of the Marquis's enterprise For Col. Cochran likewise who had been sent into Poland to deal with the Scotch Merchants there for assistance having procured very considerable Summes of money upon that score and other provision dispos'd of the money to his own use made sale of the Corn and provision together transportation of it and himself turn'd tail to the quarrell And Generall King whom the Marquis expected out of Sweden with a considerable party of Horse either could not be ready so soon as was expected or else delay'd on purpose However the Marquesse fearing as is suppos'd he should have an expresse command to desist from his purpose because the Treaty betwixt his Majesty and the Scots Commissioners was likely to come to a speedy conclusion whereby himself should be banisht out of that Kingdome fatally resolves to proceed notwithstanding all difficulties So he set forth for the conquest of a Nation settled in a posture of war and forewarn'd of his intentions with about six or seven hundred men at most strangers and all about the tenth of April 1650. He had sent him by the Queen of Swâ—den for the arming such as upon his arrivall should betake themselves to his party fifteen hundred Armes compleat for Horse back brest c. Carbiâ—â—es Pistols and Swords all which after his defeat in Cathanes were taken untoucht Two of his ships with near upon a third part were sent before and directed to steeâ— for the Orcades but by storm of weather which is both frequent and dangerous amongst those Northern Islands they were lost with all the men and Arms nothing sav'd This was another check and a forerunner of the sad event which follow'd However nothing terrifi'd with these unhappy presages he arriv'd himself at the Isle of Orkney having with him severall Scotch Gentlemen resolv'd to partake of his fortune Here he continued a considerable time to raise such forces and recruits as the place would afford which were poor raw untrain'd fellowes making up the shew of an Army but wholly ignorant of war With these he embarques and lands at Cathanes the farthest point to the Northwest of Scotland expecting the coming of two thousand men rais'd in the Earle of Seaforth's Territories His arrival and that with Foreigners immediately struck a terrour into the whole Countrey as far as Edenburth where the Parliament then sitting forthwith order Lieutenant General David Lesley Colonel Straughan and Holborn to march against him with 7000. foot and 3. Troops of Horse In the mean time the Marquesse moves but slowly and to prevent misapprehension since all the world was much astonisht at his Invasion whilst the King was upon a Treaty puts forth a Declaration to make known That his intention was only against some particular persons who had against the Laws of the Kingdome rais'd and maintain'd a war against the King's Father and did now by their subtile practices endeavour to cirâ—umvent and destroy the Son That he intended nothing against the generality of the Kingdome And lastly exhorted all Subjects of that Nation to endeavour to free themselves from the Tyranny of those who for the present ruled the state and from the oppression of the Ministry But the Countrey partly through fear of the danger and partly being over-awed by the Earle of Sunderland did not come to second him as he expected Straughan who commanded a choice party of Horse advances before Lesley's body whilst the Marquesse had effected nothing material besides the taking of Dumbath Castle Upon Straughan's approach a party of 100. were drawn forth who encountred his Forlorn hope and put them to retreat but being immediately seconded by Straughan's whole body who charged upon that of the Marquesse the Islanders threw down their Armes and were dispers'd only the Dutch Forces made an orderly retreat into some shrubs hard by where having very valiantly defended themselves a while they were at last enforced to yield This was a totall Defeat of
should appoint As if it were unfit for his Majesty to be master of his own Purse while they were in expectation of his Arrival the Committee of Estates and Parliament consulted about forming of an Army for his service as they pretended and an Act was pass'd for training every fourth man capable to bear Armes throughout the Kingdom raising 16000. Foot and 6000. Horse in which the Earle of Leven was made General of the Foot Holborn Major General David Lesley Lieutenant General of the Horse and Montgomery Major General the supreme Command being reserv'd for his Majesty Who arriving at Edenburgh was entertain'd with many complements and congratulations and on the 15 of Iuly solemnly proclaimed King at the Crosse and should have been Crown'd in the ensuing moneth had not certain obstacles caus'd the deferring of that ceremony He had not been long there but the Estates and Parliament begin to busie themselves afresh about modelling his Retinue and clearing his Houshold of such Malignants as they term'd them as were in his Service excluding them also from all imployment both about his Person and in the Army As for himself he had a strong Guard continually about him to attend him and observe his motions The English pretended Parliament had all this while sufficient intelligence of the Scots proceedings with his Majesty in the Treaty of Breda together with their engagement to assist him in the recovery of his Rights in England and this by the perfidiousnesse treachery of some of the Fourth Faction I mention'd in the Parliament of Scotland And therefore by the sollicitation of these Traytors and partly out of policy to prevent an invasion by making one whereby the Enemies Country would become the Seat of the War they prepar'd an Army against Scotland and sent for Cromwel out of Ireland on whom they confer'd the Command of Capt. General of all their Forces in the room of the Lord Fairfax who gave up his Commission abhorring to be longer a servant to such horrid designes as they had formerly put him upon About this time one Ascham whom the Iunto had sent Agent into Spaine was assassinated at Madrid together with his Interpreter Senior Riba by a combination of six or seven men at Madrid who after the fact took Sanctuary Dorislaus another Agent of the Upstart Republick had the same fate also though more deservedly about a year before in Holland It hapned also during the Treaty was on foot between his Majesty and his Scottish Subjects that Prince Rupert's Fleet having for a long time been protected by the King of Portugal was utterly destroy'd upon that coast by Blake the English Admiral On the 28. of Iune Cromwel got all things in readiness for a War advanc'd towards Scotland in the head of 11000. Foot and 5000. Horse And approaching to the Borders sent the Scots a Declaration from the ptetended Parliament of England and another from himself to justifie these proceedings The Scots seem'd much surpris'd at this invasion without warning given and therefore send to expostulate the Cause of it in a paper to Haslerig then Governour of New-Castle in another to Cromwel and a third to the Iunto in which they urg'd the Solemn League and Covenant and the former Union between the two Nations But it was answer'd by a Declaration 1. That the Scots contrary to their agreement had once already invaded England under D. Hamilton and were now ready for a second invasion so that the English were advanc'd against them onely by way of prevention 2. That they had made a Peace with the Common Enemy promised him assistance to regain the other Kingdomes he pretended to 3. They had resolved to impose their form of Religion upon the English Nation These were the grounds the English alledg'd for their proceedings Accordingly Cromwel marches into Scotland taking all the Garrisons that lay in his way till he came to Muscleborough a place famous for a signall defeat given the Scots in the Reign of Edward the 6. there he is set upon by Maj. Gen. Montgomery and Col. Straughan but the assailants were put to the worst After which the two main Armies having for some time moved at a small distance one from another the Scots declined engaging till they got the English at a great disadvantage at Dunbar who by the difficulties of the place were so distress'd for provision that they began to think of an escape by Sea and would without doubt have taken that course had not the Scots confidence of Victory induc'd them to set upon them contrary to the great prudent maximes of War viz. To make a bridg for a flying Enemy not to drive an enemy Army to the utmost of despair The event of this engagement was that the Scots in stead of an assured Victory received a totall overthrow 3000. of them being slain in the field amongst whom was the Laird of Libberton Col. Lumsden about 8000. with Sir Iames Lumsden Lieut. Gen. of the Foot made prisoners 200. Colours part of those that were afterwards hung up in Westminster-Hall 15000. armes and 30. pieces of Ordnance taken The King in the mean time was withdrawn to St. Iohnston's being so sensible of the Scots unfaithfulnesse that he apprehended as much danger from them as from the Enemie Here he received the news of this losse which was followed with a greater that of the excellent Princesse his Sister Elizabeth who dyed on the eight of Sept. 1650. at Carisbook Castle in the Isle of VVight a Lady of incomparable goodness piety and who deserved to have been born in a better Age and in a lesse Barbarous Nation The execrable murther of her Royall Father hastned her death whither the same Villaines at the helme of the State contributed any thing towards it though reported I will not affirme Onely I know they were enemies enough to that family base enough to attempt as great a crime It is recorded by some that the decease of this Illustrious Princesse afflicted his Majesty more then the losse of the Army at Dunbar and perhaps he had reason since himself seem'd least concern'd in this the Forces having been raised and order'd wholly by the States and Kirk's command and for their interest About this time also dyed the renowned Prince of Orange to the great grief of the King leaving his Princesse great with her first child of which she was safely deliver'd four dayes after being a Son his Father's Successour About this time Col. Eusebius Andrewes having been found with a Commission from his Majesty was condemned by a High-Court of Justice and beheaded on Tower-Hill Immediately after this notable Victory Cromwel made himself master of Edinburgh and of Leith onely the Castle of Edinburgh held out for a good while after The King being unable to bear the imperiousness and hard impositions of the Estates and Kirk extorting a Declaration from him to condemn his own proceedings and those of his best affected party banishing
them There his Majesty hop'd to have gotten convenience of transportation into France but his expectations fail'd him for no Master of a Vessel durst undertake to waft over any single person unlesse he knew certainly beforehand what he were So that it being a Town of great resort his Majesty was enforc'd to depart from it Whither he went afterwards is not hitherto certainly known Nor ha's it pleas'd his Majesty or that Lady to discover to any Severall passages are written to have hapned indangering his discovery both at Bristol and elsewhere but the relators have not the least ground for any of them and have rather chosen to gratify vulgar readers with impertinent fictions then to confesse their ignorance of that which they did not and cannot yet know The loyall Lady in all her journeys with his Majesty comported her self with extraordinary prudence and fidelity expressing her observance as often as opportunity safely permitted it and at other times acting her part in the disguise with much caution and discretion A further relation of his Majestie 's progresse in England and the manner of his transportation into France assoon as it comes to our hands from the honorable person who besides his Majesty is now alone able to impart it shall be presented to the world In the mean time I am glad I can record that he took ship at Brighthempston in Sussex about the end of October 1651. and having by the Divine Providence escaped the greatest dangers imaginable in England and some too upon the Sea landed safely at Diep in Normandy where he stay'd not but went forthwith to Roan and from thence dispatch'd Letters to Paris to give notice of his arrival and in the interim was furnisht with accommodations befitting his quality by the Duke of Longueville Intelligence of his safe arrivall being brought to Paris the Duke of Orleance his Majestie 's noble and generous Uncle sent his own Coach for him which met him on the way as far as Magny and coming nearer the City he was met by a company of Nobles and Gentlemen and conducted to the Louvre Entertainment was there forthwith provided for him and the Queen his Mother and the Duke of Orleance visited him the same night The next day also the Duke of Orleance and Madamoiselle his daughter visited him together with the Dukes of Beaufort and Guise Marshal Turein and other of the great Peers and Nobles of France congratulating his happy deliverance Nor was it long before the King of France and the Queen Mother did the like expressing their regret for his Majestie 's disasters and the great interest they took in his safety Thus I have drawn into as narrow compasse as I could the particulars and circumstances of his Majestie 's preservation in each of which is remarkable his great patience and goodnesse and withall his exemplary fortitude in undergoing the greatest calamities that could befall a Prince on this side death I have perhaps made too long a story of it for this little Volume but it was for the Reader 's sake who I hope will be stirr'd up by it to praise the King of kings that deliver'd his Anointed from becoming a prey to those that thirsted after his bloud Certainly not only we but even the succeeding generations will have cause to blesse the Divine Providence for that in the midst of his judgements upon these Nations he was pleased to preserve so precious a mercy for them in store to the end that having been sufficiently chasten'd with the Scorpions of bloudy and tyrannical Governours for their sins against their natural pious and gracious Sovereign they might in due time be restor'd to the blessings which they had forfeited under the government of his excellent Son and his posterity to the end of the world In the pursuit after this fatal battle were taken besides the Earles of Dâ—rby Lauderdale Cleaveland and his son the Lord Wentworth the Earle of Kenmore David Lâ—â—lâ—y Lieutenant General Middleton Major General Vandruske the Lord Spyne Sir VVilliam Fleming with many others of quality Of 3000. horse which fled 1000. were taken about Beudley in Staffordshire more in other places partly by souldiers and partly by rising parties of Countrey people who barberously knock'd many stragglers on the head in Yorkshire Cheshire Lancashire Shropshire and VVarwickshire Major General Massey having with many wounds upon him escaped out of the field and finding himself unable for flight yielded himself to the civility and mercy of the Countesse of Stamford to which he was induc'd upon the Account of former friendship he having been Major General under the Earle her husband in the Wars between his late Majesty and the Parliament How far this Ladie 's generosity extended I know not but her son the Lord Grey of Groby understanding it forthwith secured him as a Prisoner till his wounds were cured and then he was sent up to the Parliament and committed to the Tower from whence he escaped not long after by an ingenious wile and went into France to his Majestie The news of this victory caused great rejoycing amongst the pretended Parliament who now look't upon their new Commonwealth as founded to Eternity And to tell the World that they were the Favourites of Heaven and that God had owned their cause a day of solemn Thanksgiving was appoint'd throughout the whole Nation And indeed though there was nothing miraculous in the victory the Parliamentarians being six times the number of the Royallists yet it may be said to have been the Work of God and they the instruments of his wrath upon the people of this Land and the scourges of God as Attila that terrible destroyer of Christendome was once called Flagellum Dei The only Miracle was his Majestie 's deliverance in which the King of kings was pleased to remember mercy in judgement and give us cause to adore his Providence both in afflicting this Nation in this excellent Prince and suffering wicked Tyrants Murderers and Oppressours to prosper in the mean time preserving him in whom our hopes lay from the hands of his bloud-thirsty enemies And as if successe attended impious Armes the Garrisons of Scotland fell every day into the power of the English Sterling Castle was deliver'd to Colonel Monck while Cromwell was at VVorcester and in it great store of warlike Ammunition with many of the Royal Ensignes Old General Lesley Earle of Leven with several other Scotch Lords intending to have levied a party of men for his Majesty to have rais'd the siege of that strong and loyal Town Dundee were surprized by a party of English horse shortly after which the Town was taken by storme and the City of St. Andrews and Aberdeen with other Towns Castles and Forts surrendred upon summons On the 12. of September Cromwel entred triumphantly into London having sent the poor captive Scots thither before him and on the 16. he went to the Parliament-House and had a congratulatory Oration made to him by Lenthal the
extremely respected at all the places he came at in the Low-Countreys as at Dunkirk Antwerp the Hague Leyden c. And having been for some time entertain'd by his Royal Sister where he had the honour of the Garter sent him from the King he departed to the Court of France being attended by Sir Marmaduke Langdale and Sir Richard Greenvile his Majesty himself the Duke of York Prince Rupert and others going two leagues out of Paris to meet him Towards the latter end of the year 1652. his Majestie 's hopes began to be something desperate concerning any considerable succour from France for that King in stead of uniting with the Prince's his subjects sent an Embassadour Mr. de Bordeanx Neufville to treat a Peace with England to which he was the rather induc'd for that Admiral Blake had not long before beaten and destroy'd the French ships under the Duke of Vendosme that were going to the relief of Dunkirk which defeat occasion'd the loss of that Town to the Spaniard Nor were his hopes likely to prove more successfull in the united Provinces for they were so weary of the War that they sent a Letter to England to cast about for an accommodation But before they effected any thing Cromwell finding his ambitious projects ripe being emboldned with former successes and backt with a strong Army on the 20. of April 1653. entred the Parliament House attended with some officers where he represented to them that their Dissolution was important to the publick good and welfare of the Nation with many reasons for it which none daring to oppose the Members departed the House To justify which Action He and his Council of Officers put forth a Declaration wherein it was pretended The Parliament was over-ruled by a corrupt Party who intended to perpetuate themselves deluding the Nation from time to time with hopes of a New Representative notwithstanding the Petitions of the Army and severall Counties That the Cause which God had so greatly blessed languisht in their hands and was in danger to be lost by their negligence of the publick and self-seeking with many more like crimes And thus fell this great Idol of the Nation this Parliamentum Infame which in a dozen yeares time had wrought more mischief to these Kingdomes then all the preceeding Parliaments had ever done good After this Cromwel with his Officers took the administration of Affairs into their own hands the Armies in Scotland and Ireland and the Fleet assenting to their proceedings But to gull the people a little longer and render Parliaments more contemptible to them Cromwel upon the 8. of Iune following sent out a summons in his own name to such persons as he pleas'd to meet at VVestminster on the 4. of Iuly Who accordingly appearing to the number of six score he impowred them by a writing under his Hand and Seal to be the Supreme Authority and Governours of the three Nations and that 40. of them should be a Quorum to dispatch business This Iunto of Sectaries and Officers of the Army going into the Parliament House in three dayes time gravely resolved that they would be called the Parliament of the Common-wealth of England and that their Chairman Mr. Rous should be called Speaker and that they would have a Sergeant at Armes and a Mace Thus they began ridiculously and continued in all their Actions for four moneths in which they voted down the High-Court of Chancery made a silly Act for Marriages Births and Burials confirmed the unjust Bill for Sale of the Estate of Sir Iohn Stowell Knight of the Bath ordered Sale of the remainder of the Royall Revenue made a tax for 6. moneths at 120000 l. per mensem struck fiercely at Tythes and Universities and then being partly weary and partly asham'd of themselves some of Oliver's faction by underhand appointment repaired to Cromwel and resigned their power into his Hands who at first seeming unwilling and excusing his inability was prevail'd with by importunity to accept it which he did with the Title of Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England Scotland and Ireland The rest of the Sectarian Convention who refus'd to break up the Parliament and doe as their fellowes had done Cromwel sent Souldiers to turn them out of the House which was accordingly done and the doors lockt against them Decemb. 2. 1653. And upon the 16. of the same moneth having by the advice of his Officers framed and published an Instrument of Government consisting of 42. Articles he sent for the Commissioners of the Great Seale the Major and Aldermen of London with the Iudges and the Officers of the Army and was by them solemnly installed in Westminster-Hall taking an Oath to rule according to his Instrument and the Lawes of the Land though nothing could be more repugnant to the Lawes then that Instrument In this last year notwithstanding the former offer of Accommodation severall encounters had been between the Ships of this Nation those of the United Provinces in which the Dutch suffer'd much so that the common people there were in a great consternation Two of the principal Battels were on the 3. of Iune and the 29. of Iuly In the former the English got a remarkable Victory though with the losse of one of their Generals Dean by a great shot taking above 1300. prisoners and 11. Ships of War besides 6. sunk In the latter being the greatest blow the Dutch ever received from us their Admiral Martin Harper van Trump one of the most expert and renowned Seamen in the world was slain with a Musket shot and 2000. men more 1000. Prisoners taken and 27. Ships of War sunk and fired Which losses quite broke the spirits of the Dutch who thereupon began seriously to think of peace This Summer also it pleased God to visit his Majesty with a Fever which held him for some time with violence so that the London Pamphlets publish'd it to be mortal But the Divine Providence intended better things to this Nation and about the latter end of August recovered him to perfect health After which he departed from the Court for some time to Chantilly not far distant from Paris for better aire being accompanied with Prince Rupert who after various fortunes at Sea and separation from his brother Prince Maurice by a Hericano who was never after heard off put in with his Ships at Nantes at Britany and resided with his Majesty for a long time at Paris in the Palace Royall This year the Lord Hopton who had commanded an Army for his late Majesty in the Rebellion of England dyed of a Fever after five dayes sicknesse at Bruges in Flanders a person of great learning piety temperance and valour In the beginning of the next year his Majestie 's hopes of doing any good upon the United States were absolutely extinguish'd He had us'd all possible means by the intercessions of his friends to avert them from reconcilement with England and to that purpose was very active upon