and against all Law so sent away for the Law says no English man ought to be banished by less authority than by Act of Parliament and ordered forthwith the Prisoners to be set free without Fees or Charges and had they sat longer had undoubtedly punished the Lieutenant too Then after publick faith given and the party restored to Common Privileges he caused that most horrid Order of Decimation to be put in execution on the poor Cavaliers by his Janizaries which was by the ensuing Parliament damned as an unjust and wicâ—â—â— breach of Faith This however is the great the just the brave victorious pious and most renowned Oliver who as I have said is yet by some remembred even to a kind of Idolatry but I shall leave him having long since received his deserved reward and conclude with the rapture of Sterry who Preaching his Funeral Sermon had these blasphemous expressions of him As sure says he as this is the Bible which he held in his hand the blessed spirit of Oliver Cromwell is with Christ at the right hand of the Father and if he be there what may not his family expect from him for if he were so usefull and helpfull and so much good influenced from him to them when he was in a Mortal State how much more influence will they have from him now in heaven The Father Son and Spirit through him bestowing Gifts and Graces upon them I shall now proceed to the second Scene of this single Usurpation and Tyranny which brought his Son short-liv'd Dick upon the Stage Oliver being thus dead on the 3 d. of September about three of the Clock in the afternoon he was opened and embalmed but he stunk so filthily though wrapt in Cearcloths and Lead with Aromatick Spices that they were fain to bury him privately but a Coffin was carried to Somerset-house where after some days with his Effigies made for that purpose he seem'd to lye in great state pomp and magnificence to which sight crouds of people daily pressed The out-rooms all hung with black with Scutcheons hanging on the Walls but the room where the Effigies lay was hung with black Velvet and the Ceiling of the same having a large Canopy of the same deeply fringed the Effigies being Robed in Purple Velvet laced with Gold-Lace and furred with Ermins with strings and tassels of Gold In its right hand a Sceptre in its left a Globe on his head a Velvet Cap furred with Ermins and behind his head placed high on a Chair of Tissued Gold was set an Imperial â—â—wn Eight Silver Candlesticks of about five foot high stood about his Bed of State with large white Waxtapers burning of three foot long all invironed with Rails and Ballisters covered with Velvet within which stood men in Mourning bare-headed which was continued for many weeks and then the Effigies was removed into another room and vested as before set up in a standing posture with the Crown upon his head which it seems he now obtained though he could not wear it while alive Thus they continued this Pageantry to the 23 d of November following when his Funeral was made and he carried in great pomp to Westminster with more cost and state than ever was bestow'd on any King of England costing they say 26000 l. or more and at last was interred among the Kings and Queens of England where he lay till the 30 th of January 1660 when he had a Resurrection to another Exaltation at Tyburn where he was a second time interr'd under the Gallows according to his demerits with his great Counsellors Ireton and Bradshaw But we will leave the dead and relate in bâ—ief the Transactions of the living Oliver being gone the Privy Council met and a search was made in the Protector 's Cabinet for a Paper safely lay'd up wherein he had nominated Fleetwood for his Successor but it was not to be found therefore they send to him and Desborow to know if they did acquiesce in the Declaration of the late Protector which made his Son Richard Cromwell Protector To which Fleetwood sent word that he cordially acquiesced in that Declaration of the late Protector 's concerning his Son's Succession though any other Paper should be found in which he had been formerly nominated his Successor This done the Council wait upon Richard to Condole with him for his Father's Death and to Congratulate him as Protector Then Skippon and Strickland were sent to the City to acquaint them with what was done and the next day they caused a Proclamation to be made subscribed by â—hiverton Lord Mayor the Council of State and several Officers of the Army at White-Hall Charing-Cross Fleetstreet and several places in London Proclaiming Richard Cromwell Protector of the Commonwealth of England c. After which the City-Sword by the Lord Mayor and the Seal by Fiennes were resigned to him and his Oath was given him by Fiennes one of the Commissioners of the Great Seal in which he Swore to maintain the Protestant Religion in its purity and to govern the three Nations according to the best of his power and skill according to the Laws After which he dispatches Messengers to Ireland to inform his brother Harry Deputy there and to General Monk in Scotland to inform them and to know how they stood affected to his Advancement And presently he receives Addresses from most of the Counties in England contrived and made at White-Hall and Protestations from the Armies in England Scotland and Ireland to live and dye with him Also Addresses from the Independant Churches as Goodwins Nyes and the rest of them many giving Adoration to this rising false light forgetting the true Sun yet in Eclipse beyond Sea and the fawning Poets Waller and Dryden among the rest praised to the Skies in their Elegies the dead Tyrant Richard was proclaimed both at Dublin and at Edenborough and all things ran smooth on his side But however General Monk liked not the Tyrannical sway of the Army in England but so early began to form the happy project of his Majestie 's Restauration without which he well perceived these Kingdoms would not be in any setled posture but be still subject to any Usurper or Usurpers the Army should set up but this was a great work and time not yet ripened for it he kept the secret in his own breast and intended to take opportunity by the forelock complying for the present as others did but in the mean time with great diligence he reformed his Army and purg'd it from those ill humours as he knew would soon bring it to destruction but this also he did wisely and cautiously and by degrees for fear of causing too early jealousies of his design Richard seeing the many Addresses made to him from the People and Army and the caresses and flatteries of great ones being a man of no great reach thought all had been real and now began to form to himself an Imagination of setling himself in his
having made way for the most horrid and Bloody design that ever was heard of the Motion is made in this usurping House to proceed to the Trâ—al of the King as a Capital Offender When the grand Impostor Cromwell stood up and said That if any man moved this upon Design he should think him the greatest Traytor in the World but since Providence and Necessity had cast them upon it he should pray to God to bless their Councells And so on the 28 th of December 1648. Thomas Scot brought in the Ordinance for the Tryal of the King being read and Committed three several times and all the Commissioners names inserted Consisting of divers Gentlemen and Soldiers This Ordinance being pass'd the Junto they send it up to the Lords House by the Lord Grey of Grooby together with their Vote formerly made Viz. Resolved c. That the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament do declare and adjudge That by the Fundamental Laws of the Realm it is Treason in the King of England for the time to come to levy War against the Parliament and Kingdom of England The house of Lords debate the matter and first the Declaratory Vote against which the Earls of Manchester and Northumberland with others spake and declared There was none nor could be any such Fundamental Law in England whereby the King could be a Traytor by leaving War against his People and that thus to declare Treason by an Ordinance when no law was extant to judge it by was most unreasonable Upon which the Lords cast out this Ordinance and Vote and adjourned themselves for seven days This proceeding of the Lords gave them no small trouble and stirr'd up the wrath of some of the Zealots who threatned to hang a Pad-lock on the Lords door and sending up to search their journal Book they found the Lords had made these two Votes That they do not Concur to the said declaratory Vote And Secondly That they rejected the Ordinance for the Tryal of the King Upon which these men resolving to be rid of the Lords as well as of King they Vote That they should Act without them as well they might according to their own Law That all Authority was sounded in the People and that they being the Representatives of the People all Authority lay in them Some of them were for Impeaching the Lords for favouring the grand Delinquent of the Land as they called the King And now to make all sure on their sides that they may Act legally On the 4 th of January they Vote That the People are under God the Original of all just Power That the Commons of England in Parliament assembled being chosen by and representing the People have the Supreme Power of this Nation That whatsoever is declared or Enacted for Law by the House of Commons assembled in Parliament hath the force of Law This makes clear Work and by this our Arbitrary Usurpers may do what they will and cut off their Kings Head according to their own Position legally what need of Kings Lords Laws Rights Liberties Properties or fundamental Government when the Arbitrary Consciences of such men may serve instead of all and conclude thereby all the People of England tho they declare against it and tho opposed by the King or House of Peers And thus notwithstanding the rejection of the Lords these Commons pass their Ordinance and declaratory Vote by the name of An Act of Parliament of the House of Commons which was never before heard of for the Tryal of Charles Stewart King of England This being objected to Hugh Peters that there was no President or Example for the Tryal of a King by a judicial Court he Prophanely applyed That there was never any President before the Virgin Mary of a Womans conceiving and bringing forth a Child without accompanying with a Man therefore they might walk without President for this was an Age to make Examples and Presidents There was yet one thing that passed these men which they had not foreseen which was That it was a very improper thing to make use of the Kings Seal wherein he is styled King of England c. by the Grace of God to seal a Commission against him for his Tryal They were now in hast and could not stay for a new one which they had not as yet thought on therefore it was concluded the Commissioners should proceed upon the Ordinance without any Commission under Seal and that every Commissioner should set his own Hand and Seal to the Instruments of their Proceedings All things being now in a readiness for the Tryal The King is taken from Hurst Castle and brought to Winchester thence to Farnham thence to Winsor and thence to St. James on the 19 th day of January And they had caused for the greater Solemnity of the Business their Serjeant Dandy who was appointed Serjeant at Arms to the Commissioners for the Tryal of his Majesty to proclaim it openly in Westminster-Hall with his Mace on Horse back with six Trumpets and several Officers attending all bare That the Commissioners were to sit to morrow and that all those who had any thing to say against Charles Stewart King of England might be heard This was done in like manner in Cheap-side and at the Royal Exchange The same day the House Voted their great Seal to be broken and ordered a new one to be made Upon this Mr. Prin sends to the Junto a Memento of their unpresidented Proceedings Complaining of the force and Violence put upon their fellow Members warning them from Acting Consulting or ordaining any Act or Ordinance without Concurrence of their fellow-Members being Arbitrary and against Law and that the secluded Members not only declared against such Proceedings but more especially against this horrid Act of theirs for the Tryal of the King shewing them That by the common Law and by the Statute of 25. Ed. 3. and all other Acts concerning Treason it is high Treason for any man to Compass or Contrive the Death of the King or his eldest Son tho never Executed That they were also bound to the Contrary by their Oath of Allâ—giance from which no Power could absolve them That they had in above an hundred Declarations and Ordinances in the name of the Parliament professed That they never intended the least hurt injury or Violence to the Kings person his Crown Dignity or Posterity with several other things very pressing and full as may be seen at large in the printed Paper but all was in vain for they were resolved on the Business tho they could give no kind of colourable Reason for their Actings This Memento was seconded with a Declaration and Protestation signed the 19 th of January by the said Prin and Clement Walker another of the secluded Members which ran very much after the same Tenure and absolutely Protesting against the Junto's Actings and Proceedings declared against the illegal Act of Erecting an high Court of Justice and usurping a Power against
on by the secret and forcible Machinations of Oliver and his Cabal The second day being Monday the 22 d. of January the Court met again and the Solicitor Cook urged extreamly for judgment against the Prisoner unless he would own the Authority of the Court which the King constantly denyed to do and offered his reasons against them but they would not be heard The 3 d. day being January 23 d. the King was brought again before the Court who had in the Painted Chamber the day before Resolved That the King should not be suffered to argue the Courts Jurisdiction and had ordered That in case he offer'd to dispute the Authority of the Court that the President should let him know that he ought to rest satisfied with this Answer That the Commons of England assembled in Parliament have Constituted this Court whose Power may not nor should be permitted to be disputed by him And that in case he should refuse to answer or acknowledge the Court the Lord President should let him know his Contumacy should be recorded But the King still persisted in the denyal of their Authority upon which the Clark reads Charles Stewart King of England you are accused in the behalf of the Commons of England of divers high Crimes and Treasons which Charge hath been read unto you the Court now requires you to give your positive and final Answer by way of Confession or denial of the Charge But the King told them he could not acknowledge a new Court set up contrary to the Priviledges of the People to alter the fundamental Laws of the Land The 4 th and last day was the 27 th of January 1648. where appeared about fifty six of those Commissioners who sate when judgment was given against the King by their President Bradshaw But the King having moved to be heard before the Lords and Commons in the painted Chamber promising after that to abide the judgement of the Court they withdrew for half an hour and returning they told the King This was but another denial of the Courts jurisdiction and therefore if he had no more to say they would proceed to Judgement Upon this after Bradshaw had made a long Speech endeavouring to justifie their Proceedings on this false point That the People are the supream Power whom the Commons represented he commanded the Clark to read the Sentence which was drawn up in Parchment in these words Whereas the Commons of England in Parliament have appointed them an High Court of Justice for the trying of Charles Stewart King of England before whom he had been three times convented and the first time a Charge of high Treason and other Crimes and Misdemeanors was read in the behalf of the Kingdom of England c. Here the Charge at length was read after which the Clark proceeds which Charge being read unto him as aforesaid He the said Charles Stewart was required to give his Answer but he refused so to do For all which Treasons and Crimes this Court doth adjudge the said Charles Stewart as a Tyrant Traytor Murtherer and a publick Enemy shall be put to Death by the severing his Head from his Body After this wicked Sentence passed by these Miscreants the King was had away to Sr. Robert Cotten's and thence to St. James's the rude Soldiers in his passage by them blowing Tobacco in his Face and one spit on it which he wiped off with his Hand-kerchief without taking notice of it But when he heard some of them to Cry out Justice Justice he said alas Poor Souls for a piece of Money they will do as much for their Commanders On the 29 th a Committee met in the paintâ—d Chamber to consider on the time and place of the Kings death which they ordered to be the next day before his own Palace Gate which was approved of by the Commissioners and a Warrant Signed and Sealed by them directed to Hacker Hunts and Phare and order that Marshal Nye Caryl Salway and Dell should attend on his Majesty and to administer to him spiritual help but the King would not be troubled with them and at his desire Doctor Juxon Bishop of London was admitted to Pray with him in private in his Chamber and to administer to him the Sacrament and his Children permitted to come to see him But John Godwin was also sent to be an over-looker of their Actions In the mean time the Junto Pen a Proclamation which they afterwards caused to be published making it high Treason for any man to proclaim or publish Charles Stewart the Son to be rightful Heir and Successor to the Crown of England after his Fathers death or any other of that Line King of England and that no man under Pain of imprisonment or other Arbitrary punishment which they should think fit to inflict shall Preach Write or speak any thing contrary to the present Proceedings of the supream Authority of this Nation the Commons of England assembled in Parliament The Sunday before the King dyed it is reported that some of the chief of the Army and Parliament tendred the King a paper to sign with promise of Life and some shew of a King the Power being wholly invested on themselves and was Destructive to the Fundamental Laws of the Land to the Religion established to the Liberties and Properties of the People one Proposition whereof was To continue the Power of the Sword to the Army and to have as a standing Force under the same general Officers forty Thousand Horse and Foot they to have the Choice of their own Officers among themselves by a Councel of War and to settle a constant Tax upon the People by way of a Land rate for the payment of the said Army and to be collected and levyed by themselves and a Court martial to be Erected of an exorbitant Extent and Latitude But his Majesty disdaining to read them all flung them aside and told them He should rather become a Sacrifice for his People and dye by their Hands than so to betray their Laws Liberties Lives and Estates the Church and Honour of his Crown and so to make all Slaves to the Arbitrary Will and Tyranny of an Army O Glorious Prince Oh height of Impudence of armed Arbitrariness See yet how they proceed on the 29 th of January the Junto Vote That it be enacted by this present Parliament and by the Authority of the same That in all Courts of Law Justice Equity and in all Writs Grants Patents Commissions Inditements Informations Suits Returns of Writs Fines Recoveries Exemplificationr Recognizances Processes and Proceedings at Law c. Within the Kingdom of England and Ireland and Dominion of Wales c. Instead of the Name Style or Title of King heretofore used should thence forward be used and no other than the Name Style or Title Custodes Libertatis Aâ—glie Authoritate Parliamenti The keepers of the Liberty of England by Authority of Parliament and the date of the Year of our Lord and no
AN EPITOMY OF English HISTORY WHEREIN ARBITRARY GOVERNMENT Is Display'd to the Life In the illegal Transactions of the late Times under the Tyrannick Usurpation of OLIVER CROMWELL BEING A Paralell to the Four years Reign of the late KING JAMES Whose Government was Popery Slavery AND Arbitrary Power But now happily delivered by the instrumental means of King William Queen Mary Illustrated with Copper Plates By THO. MAY Esq a late Member of Parliament The Third Edition Printed for N. Boddington at the Golden Ball in Duck lane 1690. The Common wealth ruleing with a standing Army The Fruits of a Common wealth THE INTRODUCTION OF late since the Spirit of Discontent hath possessed a great part of this Nation nothing more hath been discoursed of and feared next to that of the Alteration of the Protestant Religion than Arbitrary Government which I suppose is the Rule of any Person or Persons by their own Will and Authority without being tyed to the Rules Methods and Directions of the Laws of the Land and a Converting of this most glorious Monarchy into Tyranny The fear and Jealousie of this Government hath been exceedingly of late fomented among the discontented People by the sly Arts of those who are and ever will be Enemies to the Religion Peace and Tranquility of this Nation and no doubt but the Machivilian Jesuite and the Zealous Papist have been the cause of all the imbroils of England hoping by that Gate to bring in their own Religion and Arbitrary Government The thing so much feared by the People of England And truely in this Casâ— they are not to be blamed Religion and Liberty being the two chiefest and most valuable Jewels belonging to the Crown of Life And when they cast abroad their Eyes and behold the Arbitrary Despotical and Tyrannical reign of the Princes of other Countries they may well be desirous of Conserving their own happy Government in the Monarchy of this Nation which is so equally divided betwixt King and People That the one cannot do injury or wrong to the other unless the one become Arbitrary and the other Rebellious The Constitution of the Government of England is so sound as it is not 〈◊〉 be shaken or altered with every small Occasion for it must be absolute Tyranny on the one Hand or absolute Rebellion of the other that must break it to Pieces and bring in the so much feared Arbitrary Government And therefore it is against the Interest both of King and People to intrench upon one the other the one to invade the Prerogative of the King the other the Priviledges of the People For so equally bangs the Ballance between them that as it is the Envy and admiration of all other Nations so is it the Happiness and strength of our own for the one side cannot Preponderate or weigh down the other without breaking the just and equal Constitution of our Government If therefore the Kings of this happy Nation should at any time thorow the Evil advice of their Councellors go about to invade the peoples Liberties and to think or hope to bring in Arbitrary Government it would not be so easie a thing to effect it since the mutual Bonds and Obligations between the King and People are already so strong as it is almost impossible to attain to that end whilst the three Estates of the Land have a being and without whom no alteration can be made The people therefore need not be in those Fears and Agonies on every the least Occasion of the evil Ministration of some of the chief Officers of State of their Kings Intentions of bringing in of Arbitrary Government for no doubt the Kings of England are as great and Imperial Monarchs holding their Crowns of God only and so account themselves as any other Monarch whatsoever Nor can we see how a lawful Monarch can any ways better himself or become more great by such unlawful Arbitrariness who by the Laws of the Land and the Love of his People wants neither Power nor Money the only things a Tyrant can pretend to It is therefore the Cunning Arts of the Enemies to Englands peace who so needlesly seek to buâ— it into the Ears of the People that their King intends to bring in Arbitrary Government upon every Occasion given by any of his Ministers of State in the management of those Affairs they cannot see into the Bottom But since the greatest Ministers are Accountable for their male-Administration to Parliaments there is and can be no such Fear I say of ever attaining that end so long as Parliaments have a being and without which our happy Monarchy cannot subsist totally But many cry out against Arbitrary Government and know not what it is not being sufficiently sensible of their living under and being ruled and governed by a legal Monarch Tho some Faults and Miscarriages may be sound or appear in his Ministers for the King himself can do no wrong since he Acts nothing of himself but by Ministers who are all Responsible for their Actions Yet the People are not to be blamed for their abhorrency of Arbitrary or Tyrannick Government which always attends Usurpation since it is not so many years that they have felt the burthen thereof and if we look back into all the Actions of the most Arbitrary and Tyrannick the lawful Kings of this Nation we shall find the Arbitrary Government attending Usurpers in the little time of their Usurpation to be more horrâ—d and dreadful and brought on this Nation more Misery Blood and Persecution than any of them nay all of them together I cannot think therefore that any are serious who cry out on the Phanaticks as indeavouring or desiring a Common-wealth for I do think there are none of them so really mad as to desire any such thing that would bring on them the dreaded Arbitrary Government they so much Fear since they found it by so late Experience to be no remedy to their Evils and cured their Fears and Jealousies with a Plaister of Poyson And this also I look upon to beâ—a Stratagem of the same Enemies on the other side to Create a Jealousie in the Head of the Prince and his Ministers and to make them Construe every Action of the People tending to that end which may be and no doubt is as far from their thinking as it is from that of the other in bringing in of Arbitrary Government Since the Fears and Jealousies of either side are alike much heightned by the indeavours of several sorts of evil Persons and by some well meaning People by being too severe in uncomely and bitter Expressions and thorow the Toleration of the many Licentious and Scandalous Papers which daily fly abroad the Author of these true Collections of the Miserie 's this Nation suffered under the Arbitrary Government of Tyrannic Usurpers Exposes it to the Abhorrency of the Nation that they might behold it in a Glass and that the Governours of our Common-wealth may not run upon the same
Rocks Nor the People into the like Rebellion in seeking to avoid Arbitrary Government or some Shadows of it bring it upon themselves totally to the subverting the Monarchy and the Fundamental Laws of the Land To the intent then that they may see the difference between the happy Reign of lawful Kings and usurping Tyrants we have Collected the illegal Acts and bloody Persecutions of those Usurpers of Arbitrary Government the Rump and Oliver that by the matter of Fact the People may be convinced and deterred from thinking of Rebelling against their lawful Prince since 't is the only way to bring in Arbitrary Government whose most horrid Picture is display'd in the following History Arbitrary Government displayed to the Life in the illegal Transactions of the late Times IF we mount up the Hill of Time present and thence take a view on either hand lyes Time past and Time future or to come the latter is continually hidden in a Cloud and we are not able to take any Prospect of it unless by Divine or Prophetick illumination which tho certain is rare yet a wise man by looking back on Time past and Comparing the certain Effects resulting from several Causes may give a shrewd Guess of what is to come and thus from Experience he will pronounce that Fears and Jealousies betwixt a Prince and his people being wrought to the height will produce on the one hand Severity on the other Rebellion If the Prince gets the better of the People after they have run into actual disobedience it is not to be expected he should whilst he Lives slacken the Reins of his Power but by keeping them under extend it to the utmost of the line If the people thrive in their Rebellion the certain sequel is Usurpation Tyrannick and Arbitrary Government as hath been seen in several Ages and recounted in several Histories which we shall not mention our Design being to confine our Discourse to our own late Affairs and Transactions from the first setting up of the Rump in the place of Monarchy to the Restauration of our present Monarch whom God grant long to Reign If we look down from this Hill of Time presents thorow the Optick of History on Time past we behold the first Ages as in Landskip only not in a due Proportion being much lessened in Relation the middle Ages are more clearly viewed and lye open to discovery and are more largely Displayed in History but again the more near or next to the Mountain of Time present are also covered in a certain obscurity and as it were over-shadowed by the Mount of Time present that Truth is traced with a faint touch and usually things are not so clearly seen as at a longer distance But since every day renders the Prospect more clear We hope in this our short Relation of the late Usurpers and of their Tyrannick and Arbitrary Government to shew to the People a most lucid Picture of that dreaded Monster which they do and may most justly fear Arbitrary Government Fears and Jealousies fomented and heightned we may say begot it and Rebellion brought it forth for it was the foul Issue of our bloody Civil Wars It is not my task to write the Transactions between the late King and his Parliaments nor to draw forth a Scheme of that most unnatural War which robb'd England of it's Peace and devoured so many brave and valiant Subjects this hath been sufficiently and fully by several Pens already performed But I shall begin the rise of my Historical Collections from the time of the Exclusion of the greater part of the Members of the house of Commons called the long Parliament and when the Tail or Rump as they are called of the said Commons against all Law and Right usurped the Regal Authority of the Nation and placing it upon themselves Exercised a Tyrannick and Arbitrary Government with any shadow of legal Authority for altho it is not to be doubted that the bloody War commenced by the long Parliament against their sovereign Lord and King was illegal and unjust yet I say by that Bill passed by his late Majesty together with the Bill of attainder against the Earl of Strafford on the 8 th of May 1641. for the continuance of that Parliament and that it should not be Prorogued or Adjourned but by act of Parliament and on the 10 th of the same Month had the Royal assent gave them I say some Colour or shadow of Authority and extreamly inbroiled the Kings affairs The advisers to the passing of this Act are not certainly known some attribute it to the Lord Say others to the designing Marquess Hamilton who brag'd of it in Scotland as his Act but whoever they were it prov'd most pernicious to the King and seem'd to Authorise the Rebellion by his own Act. But before we enter upon the Actions of these Usurpers we shall only make mention of some preliminary Acts of illegal Arbitrariness of this Parliament before their Votes of Non-Addresses to the King and their sceluding their fellow Members and of their growing up to that perfection of Evil in taking upon them the Administration of the Government and of that unparallel'd-Murther of a great Monarch their soveraign Lord and King The first was under the Notion of maintaining the Protestant Religion their entring into a solemn Protestation or Association among themselves and also imposing it on the Consciences of all others who should bear any Office either in Church or State Secondly their raising men arming them and forming an Army and so running on into actual Rebellion against their Head and continuing that most Bloody War with so much Heat and Animosity hearkhing to no Treaties c. Next their flinging the Bishops out of the House and imprisoning twelve of them for asserting their Right only by a Protestation And which was absolutely against the Priviledges granted to them by Magna Charta and a lopping off one of the Estates of the Realm Then their putting a difference between the Kings person and his politick Capacity raising War against him in his own Name for as yet the Keepers of the Liberties of England were not thought of but the Style ran in the name of the King and Parliament making the King to fight against himself and to War with himself Next their illegal imprisoning their fellow Subjects and disseizing many of their free Holds for their Loyalty to their Prince and for not lending them Money to carry on their Rebellion and also putting to Death the Hothams all contrary to Magna Charta and the Liberty of the subject and full of Arbitrariness Next their endeavouring to perswade the People that the Soveraignty law wholly and radically in them and so effectually in the Parliament on House of Commons for they now began to be esteemed only the Parliament Then by their Endeavouring â—o take the power of the Sword out of their Soveraigns â—and and to put it into their own thereby to make him a King
all Law and without all President to try depose and bring to Capital punishment the King and to dis-inherit his Posterity c. But at the same time the Officers of the Army had contrived and ordered two Godly Petitions to be presented to them viz For the abolishing Tythes and the Repealing the Act for the Banishment of the Jews And now Oliver and his Privado Officers having brought their Work to this readiness are fasting and praying as hard as they can no doubt for the Success of it tho they put another Face on the matter and said it was for Direction and Counsel And now it was and not before that this great Usurper of the â—onarchy and Liberties of the people began to lay the great Design of steping into the Soveraignty and laying the Foundation of his Tyrannical reign by the Death and Murther of the King For the private Officers both from the King and his Friends and from the Prince himself in this exigent to save the Life of his Father were not small but he that now aimed at all would not be content with a portion of justly acquired greatness and perhaps he was not sufficiently assured of the Mercy of the Prince he had so highly offended as that he could be able to forgive all those great Crimes he was guilty of but that either himself or his Posterity might remember them to his Prejudice since all he was able to do towards his Majesties Restauration was but what in Duty and Conscience he was bound to do But what ever instiâ—ations he had besides those of the Devil he was not to be shaken tho attempted by a Kinsman of his and of his own Name who as reported was sent either from the Prince himself then at the Haguâ— or from the States of Holland with Credential Letters and a Blank sealed with the Kings and Princes Signets and confirmed by the States for Cromwell to write his own Conditions in if he would preserve the Life of the King This found him at his House recluse with his Privadoes at their Prayers as given out but to what God we may easily Imagine The business being urgent and the Kings Martyrdom approaching the Gentleman with some difficulty got to the private Speech of him to whom he very fully laid open the Hainousness of the Fact he was going about and what an Odium it was about to cast on the English Nation abroad and withal let him understand what Terms he had to offer him and that he might now make himself his Family and Posterity for ever happy and Honourable otherwise he would bring such an Ignoimny on the whole Generation that no time would be able to delete Cromwell after his canting way shifted it off from himself and put the Act upon the Army and Parliament declaring he had sought God very much in the Business but as yet had no return of his Fasting and Prayers about it therefore he desired till night to consider of it and promised that he should hear from him before he went to Bed and accordingly about Twelve or One of the Clock the Gentleman expecting his Answer he sent him word That he might return for he and his Officers had been seeking God and that now it was Resolved the King must dye this was but a night or two before the King's Murther On the 20 th day of January 1648. being Saturday these bloody Commissioners met called an high Court of Justice for the Tryal of the King who was brought before them and with much Patience and sometimes smiling he heard their long Charge but denying the Jurisdiction of the Court refused to plead requiring them to shew by what Law or Authority besides their unjust Usurpation or power of the Sword he was brought before them who were his Subjects I shall not trouble the Reader with any farther Relation of this Tryal it being at large so often printed nor with the Names of the Judges and Officers of this pretended Court it being to be had in every Booksellers shop I intending in these Collections only a brief Narrative of these Usurpers Proceedings that the World might behold the true Picture of Arbitrary Government and Tyrannical rule and not an exact Chronicle or History of those times tho I would not omit any Material thing that may give Satisfaction or Delight to the Reader I shall observe that as an ill Omen the Silver head of the King's Staff dropt off as the Charge was reading which the King wondring at and seeing none so Officious as to take it up he stoop'd himself and taking it up put it into his Pocket At his going from the Court looking very austerely about him without moving his Hat he pointed with his Staff to the Sword and said I do not fear that As he went along the Hall some Cry'd out Justice Justice and others God save the King On Sunday Cromwell Bradshaw and the rest of the Commissioners kept a Fast at White-Hall where preached Joshuah Sprigg whose Text was He that sheds-Man's blood by Man shall his Blood be shed Then Mr. Foxley whose Text was Judge not lest you be Judged Lastly Hugh Peters whose Text was I will Bind their Kings in Chains and their Nobles in Fetters of Iron And thus by their wicked application of the word of God they endeavoured to justifie their most Execrable Murther of their Lawful King There was by some who durst to do any thing against these Cruel and powerful men certain Papers scattered about in which were several Queries as Whether a King of three Kingdoms could be Condemned by one Kingdom alone without the Consent or Concurrence of the other Kingdoms Whether a King if try'd ought not to be try'd by his Peers And whether he could be said to have any such in his Kingdom Whether if a King were Tryable he ought not to be tryed in full Parliament of Lords and Commons Whether the 8 th part of the Members of the Commons meeting in the House under the force of the Army the rest being forcibly restrained from sitting can by any Pretext of Law or Justice erect a Court for the Tryal of the King And whether this could be properly called a Court of Justice without the great Seal of England Whether that those men who by several Remonstrances Speeches and Actions have publickly declared themselves Enemies to the King can either in Law or Conscience be his Judges when it is Exception enough for the basest Felon to any Jury-man to hinder him from being his Judge Whether this most illegal and Arbitrary Tryal of the King by an high Court of Justice may not prove a most Dangerous inlet to absolute Tyranny and bloody Butchery and every mans Life be at the Arbitrary will of his Enemies erected into a Court of Conscience without limits or bounds But words are nothing and these paper Arms tho furnished with the highest Reason could not move these obdurate Men who persisted in their bloody Business driven
all Acts by Pretext of such Power were illegal and the adjudging any Person to death and Executing them was Treason and wilful Murther Thirdly That the said Commons had no power to make any great Seal of England and that all Commissions granted under their great Seal were illegal and all Proceedings in Law upon such Writs null and voyd to all intents and purposes Lastly That the denyal of the King's Title to the Crown and the plotting to deprive him of it and the setting it upon the Head of another was High Treason and within the Stat. 25 th Ed. 3. Ch. 2. as likewise their Subverting the fundamental Laws of the Land and introducing an Arbitrary and Tyrannical Government was High Treason at the common Law c. This was all the Loyalists could do at present by these weak Indeavours to assert the Kings right and shew the people what Slaves they were become but this affrighted not these Men who in the next place February 1 st Vote That all such Members who assented to the Vote of the 5 th of December 1648. That the Kings Concessions were a Ground for the House to Proceed to a Settlement should not be admitted into the House until they had declared their disapproval of that Vote before they sit and that such as were now in the House should enter their dissent to that Vote being only those who had before Voted in the Negative The Lords were yet sitting but no notice taken of them by the Commons for having overthrown the Monarchy they now lay aside the Lords and therefore Vote them dangerous and useless Frebruary 5 th and so Voted them down with this Proviso That they might be capable to be Elected Knights of the shire and Burgesses and so sit among the Commons Three of them only so debased themselves viz. The Earls of Pembroke Salisbury and the Lord Howard of Estrick The rest of the Peers put forth their Protestation against these Proceedings of the Commons which came forth on the 8 th of Frebruary in which they asserted their own Priviledges and the fundamental Laws of the Nation disclaiming the Votes of the Commons for Erecting an high Court of Justice for the Tryal of the King and altering the Government Law Seal c. and against their Traiterous murthering their Soveraign and disinheriting the Prince the Lawful Heir of the Crown of England and also protesting against their Vote of the 6 th of Frebruary for the abolishing the House of Peers as destructive to the beings of Parliament the Fundamental Laws of the Realm and the Lives Liberties and Properties of the people whom they had made Slaves to their Tyrannical and Arbitrary Government But this affrights not the Commons and to keep the Lords from meeting the Army set a Guard at their Doors of their House and the House now proceeds to set up a Common-wealth and to abolish Monarchy and therefore they formed an Act intituled an Act for the Exheredation of the Royal Line the abolishing of Monarchy in this Kingdom and the setting up a Common-wealth which they ordered to be published in all places And to Vindicate these their most horrid Proceedings they had their Pulpit-Trumpeters who justified their Impious Acts in all places and John Godwin and Milton to write in their Defence of putting the King to death declaring in Print That the King suffered on just Grounds and according to his Demerits And now instead of one King these Common-wealth Rumpers set up forty Tyrants as a Committee of State But the people generally seemed displeased at this Alteration of the Government and Reineldson Lord Major of the City refused to publish their Act for abolishing of Monarchy for whâ—ch he was discharged of his Office and with two Aldermen sent to the Tower and Andrews was chosen in his stead upon this the Rumpers put forth a new Declaration to justifie their Proceedings calling them A Deliverance of the people from the Bondage that was brought in by the Norman Conquest and their Maintenance of the ancient Laws notwithstanding their Alteration of some forms of the Regality which ancient Laws might consist very well with a Republick and that they had only abolished their Abuses promising to establish a safe and firm Peace and to advance the true Protestant Religion the Encouragment of a Godly ministry and of Trade and the Maintenance of the Poor thorowout the Realm Then their Great Seal came forth having on one side a Cross and Harp for the Arms of England and Ireland with this Inscription â— The Great Seal of England And on the other side was the Picture of the Commons with these words In the first year of Freedom by God's blessing restored 1648. Likewise they caused a new Coyn to be minted and stamped their Money with a Cross and Harp instead of the King's Effigies with this Motto God with us Then they took away all Clauses in any former Acts for the taking the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy and made them null and a new Oath framed and tendred to all that were to have any publick place of Trust and assumed to themselves both Judicial and Legislative power of the King and both Houses of Parliament and the Executive power they committed to a Council of State of forty Persons of the most Active men in the Army and others of desperate Fortunes Six of the Judges viz. Justice Bacon Brown Beddinfield Creswell Trevor and Atkins quitted their places not being able to bring their Consciences to Act under this Arbitrary and illegal power six other of them continued who were Justice Rolls St. Johns Pheasanâ— Baron Wild and Baron Yates To their new Council of State they gave Power tâ— Command and settle the Militia of England and Irâ—land Power to set forth Ships and such a Considerable Navy as they should think fit Power to appoinâ— Magistrates and stores for England and Ireland and tâ— dispose of them for the Service of the Nation Anâ— power to Execute all the powers given them for a whole Year to come They had two Seals appointed a great Seal and a Signet Cromwell was made Chaiâ—-man of this Committee and an Oath framed for eveâ—â— Member to take to be true to the Parliament as they termed themselves not to disclose their Secrets anâ— to adhere to the present Settlement of the Government 〈◊〉 a Republick without King or House of Lords Abouâ— this time the Officers of the Army at a Councâ—â— of War debated Whether they should not put to the Sword all that were of the King's Party to secure the Nation to themselves and it was carried in the Negative but by two voyces so near were they to a general Massacre And many Petitions came from several Counties that at least three of the most eminent of the King's party in each County might be put to Death to free the Land from Blood-Guiltiness Cromwell by this as you may perceive had gotten all the executive Power of the Kingdom into his own
Hand and into the hands of his own Creatures of the Councel of State altogether ruled by him and therefore it may be wondred at that he did not immediately seize the Crown and set himself in the Throne which he now aspired to But things were not yet ripe and the subtil Fox found such a Levelling party in the Army which he saw must first be Crushed who would never indure it for they were for dividing and sharing all as a Land subdued by them among themselves and for owning no Authority but the Saints who were themselves These begin to rip up the Miscarriages of the Parliament and Cromwell to make them the more Odious puts them upon all Things he believed would make them so to the People and Army One of which was the new Erection of their most Tyrannical Court of Justice for the Tryal of some of the Lords and others whom they had still imprisoned for their Loyalty The first was Duke Hamilton who had invaded England as you have heard with him they at first deal gently hoping to have screw'd out of him the Names of some Eminent men in England that they thought might have invited him in But he either not able or willing in that point to give them Satisfaction and finding the Scots and Argile's party to hate him and to desire his Head he was Condemned tho he pleaded he had Quarter given him by Lambert upon Articles and would have given a hundred Thousand pound to save his Life After him was also tryed and Condemned the Earl of Holland and that most Noble and Heroick Peer the Lord Capel who had escaped out of the Tower but was retaken by means of a perfidious Water-man ever after hated for it He pleaded Articles of surrender but that was denyed him then he pleaded to be tryed at Common-Law put them in mind of Magna Charâ—a Petition of right and of the Fundamental Laws of the Land and that of right he ought to be tryed by his Peers urging them to shew a President of any such Tryal by an Arbitrary Court of Justice as they called it He talk'd to deaf Statues for he was too gallant a Man and too Active and Loyal to be permitted to Live On the 9 th of March these three Lords Duke Hamilton the Earl of Holland and this Noble Lord much lamented were put to Death on a Scaffold in the Pallace-yard in Westminster by severing their Heads from their Bodies It is remarkable that this Lord dyed with much Courage and Christianity being nothing daunted at Death The Earl of Norwich and Sr. John Owen were pardoned by Vote of the House the Earl of Norwich having his Life by the casting Voyce of Lenthal the Speaker only Thus they proceed dipping their hands in Blood growing thereby more Odious to the People and about this time the Scots begin to stir and made a Protest against the Actions of the Parliament of England and on the third of February proclaim the King by the name of Charles the second at Edenborough by Lyon King at Arms. The Scotch Commissioners who had been long here were called home and at their departure they left an Expostulary Declaration putting the Junto in mind of all their Vows and Oaths in maintenance of the Kings Rights and defence of his Person and upbraided them with their shameful Abjuration and Infringment of them by their late horrid Proceedings This paper they Vote Scandalous and Seditious imprison the Messâ—nger who brought it and sending after the Commissioners secure them till the Parliament in Scotland send to justifie the Action and require their Commissioners being imprisoned Contrary to the Law of Nations upon which they were permitted to depart into Scotland and thus Jealousies of a breach began Troublesome John Lilburn an Active Leveller began now to stir delivering a Petition in the Names of many Thousand well affected c. with a Book intituled Englands new Chains discovered in which they find fault with many things done by this Junto and especially the Councel of State and with the erecting an high Court of Justice and altering the Fundamental Laws of the Land for Tryals by Juries Complain of the Excise and of several other things And after this another called a second Part of Englands new Chains which shewed the Hypocrisie and Perfidiousness of the Grandees of the Army and the Councel of State in Cheating all Interests King Parliament People Soldiers City Agitators Levellers c. Upon the back of this comes forth another Book called the Hunting of the Fox which spake against the Army and Councel of State set up by Cromwell and Ireton to erect a new Tyranny worse than the thirty Tyrants at Athens the Star-Chamber the High Commission or house of Lords c. These coming forth one upon the Neck of another shewed the troublesome Spirit that began to ferment in the Army which was now to be Purged as well as the Parliament had been or else Cromwell found he should not be able to work them to his ends And now he had an opportunity offerr'd him for Ireland being in a manner wholly lost excepting Dublin then besieged eleven Regiments were ordered by the Rump to be Transported for its relief by which means Cromwell hoped to purge out this Turgent humour of the Army But some of these bold Petitioners were seized and tryed by a Councel of War of which Barksted was President in which they were Cashiered the Army their Swords ordered to be broken over their Heads and to Ride with their Faces to the Horses Tails with Papers of their Crimes pinned to their Breasts at the head of the Regiments which Sentence was executed accordingly to the great Exasperation of the Army And not long afâ—er several Regiments began to Mutiny and to wear White Colours for distinction in their Hats which might have proved fatal to Cromwell's designs had he not with an undaunted Boldness at that time appearing in Person overawed them and causing two of them to be shot to Death before their Faces But this could not purge out the Humour which 〈◊〉 increasing two more of the Levelling Tribe were 〈◊〉 one of which was named Lockyer a Trooper shot in St. Paul's Church-yard but buried in great State by the 〈◊〉 Faction wearing green and black Ribbons in â—â—â—ir Hats And now the peoples Eyes daily began 〈◊〉 be opened finding what Keepers of Englands Liberties they had got The Regiments ordered to march at Salisbury make an Eruption alledging that this was a Trick to divide the Army and that they were not Mereenaries but took up Arms upon a righteous Principle of Government and therefore would not divide upon which several Regiments revolt and Collonel Scroop's laid aside their Officers and with Colours flying march'd to joyn Harrison's Regiment and Ireton's and Skippon's who had confederated But Fairfax and Cromwell by hasty marches with the whole Army follow them who at Burford in Oxford-shire made up about five Thousand Horse and Foot
with whom Cromwell by private Messengers held them in hand of a Treaty putting them in hopes of reconciling the Business without blows which made them neglectful till Fairfax and Cromwell fell upon them in their Quarters unsuspected their Horses being most at Grass at twelve a Clock of the night routed them and took about four hundred Prisoners of which only three were shot to Death the rest pardoned by Cromwell's Intercession to ingratiate himself with the Army One Thomson and two more dyed very Resolutely This business being over the General and Cromwell come to Oxford where they are feasted and made Doctors of the Civil Law And now the Army were fain to submit and accepted their Lots for going to Ireland which were these following Ireton's Scroop's Horton's and Lambert's Regiments of Horse Collonel Abot's of Dragoons And of Foot Collonel Eure's Cook 's Hewson's and Dean's to which were added three new ones Cromwell's Venable's and Phayer's Cromwell was made Commander in Chief with the Title of Lord Governour of Ireland and Fairfax was left at home to attend the Junto In the mean time the Keepers of the peoples Liberties were as fast as they could taking away the Lives of several Persons in several places whose Loyalty and Consciences had engaged them for their King as Lievtenant Collonel Moris and Cornet Blackborn who â—uffered at York the former having been Governour of Pomfret and one Beamount a Minister was hanged at Pomfret by Sentence of a Court Marshal Major Monday was shot to Death at Leicister Poyer a brave Gentleman in Covent-garden for the Welch Insurrection Sr. John Stowell and Judge Jenkins were arraigned at the Kings-Bench Bar as Traytors against the Government for their Loyalty to their King but they would not own the Courts jurisdiction yet they were not yet Sentenced but their Estates seized and Judge Jenkins kept long a Prisoner And that the people might the better see their Freedom and Liberty this Rump lay upon them a standing Tax of ninety thousand pound a Month for the maintenance of the Army these were the Persons who made such a stir about Ship-money The Lord Major of London Reynoldson is fined two thousand Pound for refusing to proclaim their Act for abolishing Kingly Government Then upon a report from the Councel of State they order The Kings's and Queens Lands to be sold Thirty thousand Pound to be taken out of it for the use of the Fleet and the rest to be distributed amongst the most considerable among them for Satisfaction of Losses sustained Thus they had killed and were now taking possession and several of the Kings Houses and Mannors were bestowed amongst them And besides this they had twenty thousand Pound a month out of the Fee-Farm Rents Now that the World might perceive what Liberty should be granted to the people they Order That no Minister in his Pulpit should meddle with State affairs and this in others was Oppression and tying up mens Consciencâ—â— But for all that new Lights as they called them increased and about this time one that was a Soldier came to Walton upon the Thames in Surry and in the Church-yard having a Candle and Lanthorn with him met the Minister and People coming out of the Church and told them he had a Vision and five new Lights were shewed him which they were to receive from him under pain of Damnation The first was That the Sabbath was abolished The second That Tythes were abolished Third That Ministers were abolish'd as Antichristian Fourth That Magistrates were abolish'd as useless and Fifthly That the Bible was abolish'd for Christ was come in the Spirit and Glory and so drawing a little Bible out of his Pocket he set it on Fire before them The War with Holland being now about to break forth the Earl of Warwick's former Commission is made voy'd and three Generals of the Fleet were made who were Popham Blake and Dean Before Cromwel's going to Ireland a Fast was kept at White-Hall where among the Militant Preachers Oliver stood up and in his Prayer he desired God to take off from him the Government of this mighty people of England as being too heavy for his shoulders to bear About this time also a third Book of John Lilburn's came sorth Called The Picture of thâ— Councel of State wherein he fully set forth all the illegal Arbitrary Violent and Tyrannical Proceedings of that Councel Lilburn Overton Walwin Prince and others had been before Clapt into the Tower intending to try them for their Lives Lilburn was ordered to be brought to the Kings-Bench Bar upon his Habeas Corpus but Cromwell sent to the Lieutenant of the Tower that he should not be brought who was obey'd not the Judges By which may be seen of what force the Laws were with them Then some thousands well affected Women petition the House in behalf of Lilburn but the Junto answered them He should be tryed by the Law for his Book called Englands new Chains discovered and they bid to go home and wash their Dishes Who reply'd they had neither Dishes nor Meat left This John Lilburn was tryed by a special Commission of Oyer and Terminer in October 1649. where he so notably pleaded his Cause shewed the illegality of the Parliaments Proceedings and so punctually cited all the Statutes and Laws of the Land in the behalf of the Liberties of the Subjects and so bafled the Judges the Attorney general Prideaux and their Councel that they could not Effect what they desired the taking away his Life upon an Inditement of High Treason put in against him but was found Not Guilty by his Jury to the great disappointment of his Enemies Their chief business now was to give one another Estates out of the Delinquents Lands as they called the Loyal Party whom they now sequester and made an Order That no Malignant or such as had been in Arms against them should come within twenty miles of London or go five miles from their own habitations Bishops and Deans and Chapters Lands sold and disposed to one another at easie Rates some got for three years Purchase for none but themselves would buy them About this time they send their Embassadors Oliver St. Johns and Walter Strictland into Holland for Satisfaction for Doctor Dorislaus who drew up the Charge against the King his being Assassinated in Holland by some Cavalier's but they were there affronted and forced to return Re infecta in great Discontent which exasperated our new States against the Dutch Ascham another of their Creatures was murthered also in Spain And tho the Dutch sent afterwards their Agent Myn heer Joachim with Complements and excuses our Junto could forget it and by it took an occasion to forgo their Friendship and prohibited their Fishing upon the English Coasts and the importing of any forrain Commmodities except in English bottoms or such as were of the Countrey whence the Commodities came This brought on the ensuing War commenced the next year between these two
Eliz. and the 1. Jacob against Sectaries An Act of general Pardon and Oblivion to all Persons except such as should be nominated therein An Act for relief of poor Prisoners An Act to secure the Souldiers their Arrears Then they were Considering of some orders which the Councel of State were to put in Execution and which the said Councel desired of them after their recess 1. That they might appoint Commissioners in every County to make an Estimate of all Tyths 2. That the Councel of State may consider of setling future Parliaments and the constant time of Calling Sitting and Ending after this Parliament shall Dissolve themselves 3. That they shall consider an Act for regulating Proceedings at Law and to prevent tediousness of Suits 4. That they should consider what Laws are fit to be repealed Thus they were Cutting out one another Work In the mean time Oliver Cromwell with a brave Army lands at Dublin the whole Kingdom being reduced under the Kings obedience most of the Irish coming in except the Ulster Irish under Owen Roe Oneal being prevailed with by the Popes Nuncio Contrary to his promise not to come in and under-hand there was a Confederacy driven between our new Republicans and this Nuncio but on what Conditions was kept Private for their Assistance of reducing that Kingdom under their obedience tho this being laid in their Dish they impudently deny'd it afterwards Some of the Propositions were That all Laws and Penalties against the Popish Religion should be taken off by Act of Parliament and that Act to extend to them and their Heirs for ever That an Act of Oblivion should be pass'd to extend to all of his Party for all things done since the beginning of the year 1641 So that the horrid Massacre of the Protestants should have been forgotten That Owen Oneal should have a competent Command in the Army That they should enjoy their Lands now in Possession and that rightly they might claim from their Ancestors That all Acts of State that incapacitated them to be taken off That Oneal should in regard of his Merit and good Service to the Parliament in joyning with them have all the Estate of his Ancestors or some Estate equivalent to it in the Counties of Tyrone Ardmagh or London-Derry And that his Army should be provided for c. So that the sweetness of ruling and getting Ireland into their hands as well as England made them thus treat with the Popes Nuncio and a most notorius Rebel and Papist to joyn with them But they who had Confederated with the Devil might well joyn with his Holiness to subdue the Cavaliers and yet at the same time these men cryed out upon the Duke of Ormond for joyning with the Irish for the reducing that Kingdom to the obedience of the King And some of Cromwell's own Soldiers hearing of this Confederacy abominating it deserted him which made him to certifie to his Journey-men in London and caused them to null their Debenters for all their Service which were stated before the Expedition And this Agreement with Oneal went so far that the said Oneal assisted Sr. Charles Coot in raising the Siege of London-Derry as may appear by his Letters to the Parliament says the Author of the History of Independency However they fell to pieces afterwards but this is enough to shew by what Principles they Acted and how much they valued Religion when Gain and Dominion stood in Competition Oliver is successful in Ireland at the taking of Tredagh a strong place twenty miles North of Dublin in which were the Flower of the Irish Army where he put to the Sword all persons whatsoever without Distinction of Age or Sex and lasted for three days he slew about three thousand of their best and stoutest men with their Governour Sr. Arthur Aston Sr. Edmund Varny Collonel Warren Collonel Dun Finglus Tempest and others who all fell by his Eury which so affrighted the rest that he no sooner appeared before a place but it was surrendred to him The next place was Wexford a considerable Town by the Sea South West of Dublin which was betray'd to him and where he after a barbarous manner put to the Sword two Thousand more and among the rest two hundred of the chiefest Women of the place fled to the Market-Cross for shelter and there put to the Sword by his Command tho several of his own Soldiers who had before given them Quarter refused to obey his Bloody Commands After which he took Ross Carick Kilkenny Clonmel and other places Munster Thus with extraordinary diligence and great Slaughter in less than a year that he staid there he subdued the greatest part of Ireland and kill'd and exterminated most part of the Irish leaving his Son-in-Law Ireton to complete the Conquest as Governour or his Lieutenant who there died of the Plague before he had quite finish'd his work In the mean time the King being in Jersey received a Letter from the Scots by Mr. Windram with several Conditions the chief of which was the acknowledging them a Parliament and particularly the two last Sessions of that Assembly and then they would treat with him at Breda concerning his coming to Scotland owning him for their King But those about his Majesty having no good Opinion of the Scots were fearful of having him to put himself into their Hands but to trust to Montross whom with a Commission he had senâ— before into Scotland his valiant Service being most remarkable there for the King his Father and they now hoped from him the like success However the King dispatch'd away Windram with a Letter to the Scotch Parliament wherein he concedes to have them to send Commissioners to him to treat at Breda which they did and on the 16 th of March they met where the Agreement was made and it was concluded That they should enjoy the Presbytery throughout the Kingdom the King himself and Family not expected but bound him to the Covenant Directory and Catechisms which the King his Affairs in Ireland being desperate and his hopes in England as little many Noble-men and Gentlemen flying thence from the bloody Tyranny of the States he was forced with great Reluctancy to Consent and then on their parts they Covenant That his Majesty should be admitted to the Throne of Scotland That his Rights should by Parliament be recovered out of the Hands of Usurpers and That they would assist to bring to Condign Punishment the Murtherers of his Father and to restore him to his Kingdom of England But in the interim of this Treaty the gallant and renowned Montross being landed in the Islands of Orkney with a few German Soldiers accompanied with the Lord Trendraught Sr. John Urry Henry Graham Collonel Johnson George Drummond of Ballack and other Persons his Friends and Confederates he begun with great Resolution and Courage to levy men notwithstanding several Losses of Arms at Sea and disappointments of Men and Monies which he had exspected from other
in the Morning with fifteen hundred of their best Horse under the Command of Montgomery and Stranghan and charged so furiously that they had almost Pierced the whole Army but in their return Okey met with them and forced them back to their Camp with as much Speed having lost an hundred men in the Action Whilst these things were doing in Scotland the Junto are Active at home in suppressing all Persons from appearing for the Scots Interest with all the Rigor imaginable and Doctor Levens a Doctor of the Civil Law being taken dispersing some Commissions from the King was tryed by their Court marshal Condemned to be hanged and Executed accordingly on the 13 th of July over against the Royal Exchange in London And further to shew their inveterate Spite to the Royal Family they cause the last Kings Statues to be broken to Pieces and caused to be written under the Nick where one stood in the Royal Exchange Exit Tyrannus Regum ultimus Anno Libertatis Angliae restitutae primo Annoque Domini 1648. Now also was discovered a design of a rising to be in Lancashire for the King in which were several of the Presbyterian Ministers in London and others upon which Mr. Cook of Grays-Inn Mr. Gibbons Mr. Potter Doctor Drake Jenkins and Love Presbyterian Ministers were taken and for which they were try'd by their murthering High Court of Justice and about the Latter end of July Gibbons Potter and that Incendiary Love were Executed wherein 't is remarkable that the Justice of God should so overtake this Person so as to bring him to the Block for he was beheaded who by his preaching against the late King broke off the Treaty at Uxbridge and was the occasion of bringing that Royal Martyr to suffer under the Ax. But whilst they were shedding Blood at London by their High Court of Justice Cromwell was letting it forth in Scotland with the Sword for on the 3 d. of September was the famous Battel of Dunbar which gain'd him so much Honour and established his greatness in the Army tho his Conduct in bringing his Army to those Streights they were in being forced by despair to fight did appear very ill on his side for Cromwell's Army very much wanting Provisions were so far advanced that they could not well return without Hazard and I suppose he engaged himself the more boldly for that he understood the differences in the Scotch Army between the Rigid Kirk Party and the other more moderate for the King hoping by his frequent Letters and Declarations of his pious Intentions towards the Presbyterians to bring most of them over to him or at least to make such division amongst them that he hoped to obtain an easie Victory Cromwell had advanced within a Mile and an half of Edenborow took a small Garrison and Man'd it with English but being still pressed with want of Provisions he draws off to Penkland Hills and thence to Dunbar thinking that way to ship his men for England the Fleet attending but the Scots perceiving the Advantage and that he was in a strait follow him close and were now in a manner sure of a Victory The Scots being about twenty four Thousand men and double the number of the English who were weary and Faint had they stayed and not put them into Despair no doubt they had obtained their Desires but fearing they should escape them they followed them within a Mile of Dunbar and drew up upon the Hills at the Foot of which lay Cromwell who now saw the streights into which he had brought himself having only a Neck of Land to encamp on whose breadth was not a Mile and an half the Sea being on both sides so that they were got into a perfect Pound and the Scots having possest all the Hills he was in some Amazement ship his men he could not without certain Loss Next morning the Scots drew down to the Foot of the Hills but there was a great Ditch between the Armies but at a Village called Copperspeith between Dunbar and Berwick there was a Passage over the Hills which it seems was strangely neglected by the Scots too sure of the Victory but Cromwell taking hold on the Advantage having with his field Pieces secured the Ditch sent away a good Party of Horse and Foot to possess it This gave the Scots an Alarm and now they saw their Error and that of necessity they must let the English pass home or fight them The Kirk Ministers being in the Councel of War were extreamly against letting Agag go as they called Cromwell for that God had given him into their Hands contrary to the Opinion of the more knowing Commanders But upon this there was a fierce Dispute at this Pass which the English with much Valour obtained and possessed themselves of The Canon on both sides playing against the Bodies the Battel began the English word was The Lord with us the Scotâ— was The Covenant The Scots first Charge put the Englisâ— Horse into a little Confusion but being stoutly secondeâ— by the Foot they Charg'd the Scots so home that they put them to the Rout which put their Foot into such Confusion and Disorder that the English gained a fulâ— and easie Victory following the pursuit for eight Miles and slew and took Prisoners of them as many or more than they were themselves there being four Thousand slain and nine Thousand taken Prisoners with all their Bag and Baggage ten Thousand Armes and all their Ammunition and with the loss of not above three hundred English The Colours and the Purse and great Seal of Scotland there taken were sent up to London where was no small rejoycing among the Rumpers for this Victory And the Colours ordered to be hung up in Westminster-Hall Some of the Scotch Ministers engaging were slain in this fight Cromwell it is said in his great Necessity and straits before the fight prayed to God and promised him That if he would be pleased at thiâ— time to deliver him he would in return of the Favour as soon as he came into England take away Tythes A pretty Vow to commit Sacriledge to obtain Mercy Upon this Loss Cromwell pursues his Victory and possesses himself of Leith and Edenborow which the Scots had quitted the King being retired to St. Johnstons where were assembled their Committee of States The Kirk Party began to lay their mis-fortunes upon the King and said God had disowned them for bringing him into Scotland And shewed so much insolence and ill behaviour to him that he was no longer able to brook it and therefore one morning taking Horse as if he had been going to Hunting he went privately towards the North but the Scots fearing lest he should joyn with the High-Landers and being somewhat humbled by Cromwell they sent after him Major General Montgomery to intreat him to return but with such a force as it was thought would perform it by Compulsion if he would not do it by Intreaty But the
King perswaded returns to St. Johnstons where the Committee of Estates being somewhat more Compliant thank Cromwell for that many of the Kings friends were admitted to him This made many dissatisfied Ministers withdraw themselves into the West as Guthery Gelaspy Rutherford and others where they put forth a Remonstrance against the Proceedings of the Assembly in the Admission of Malignants to Power and Employment and with these Ker Stranghan Laird Warreston Sr. John Cheisley Sr. James Stewart and others joyn in Confederacy These Broils made well for Cromwell who found small Opposition He took Ken Prisoner and Edenborow Castle was surrendred to him on the 24 th of December 1650. This very much troubled the Scots for after that Cromwell succeeded so well that he took in all the Forts on this side of Sterling In January the Scots Crown the King at Scoon the accustomed place for the Coronation of the Kings of Scotland which is not far from St. Johnstons with great Pomp and Solemnity In the mean time the Junto in England still sat and Voted Liberty of Conscience to all which was a most distasteful thing to the Presbyterians Also they fell to levying of Souldiers giving the Command to Harrison now made Major General a fâ—fth-Monarchy man most of these men being raised by those sort of men and the other Sectaries with which this Army swarmed and the Presbyterian Interest daily declined every where being called a most horrid Tyranny and worse than the Prelacy They also about this time formally receive Embassadors from Portugal and Spain who for Interest acknowledge their Power All they did besides was the constant Persecution of the Royal Party after their Tyrannical manner Collonel Eusebius Andrews a constant Loyalist and firm to the interest of his King being by Profession a Councellor of Grays-Inn having been underhand Contriving some Insurrection in the behalf of the King was betray'd by some of his Confederates and taken at Gravesend and after sixteen Weeks being Prisoner in the Tower and several times examined he was brought to his Tryal before their bloody High Court of Justice Bradshaw sitting as President Where he admirably pleaded his Cause but the Attorney General Prideaux over-ruled all and told him the Court was not to take notice of his Law Cases but of his Confession and tho he had Acted no Treason yet he had an Affection for Treason and therefore deserved Death An excellent Mark of the Liberty of the Subject under Usurpers And upon this learned distinction the Bloody Court proceeded to Sentence against him that he should be Beheaded Thus the Will of Usurpers is become Law This Heroick Gentleman suffered accordingly on the 22 d. of August 1650 on Tower-Hill where he dyed with much Constancy Magnanimity and Christianity In October following one Benson involved in the same Design with Collonel Andrews was tryed and Condemned by the aforesaid Tyrannical Court and on the 7 th was Executed being Hanged for his Loyalty At the same time was an Insurrection in Northfolk which being suppressed many suffered for the same in several places In March following the Grandees at Wâ—stminster by the same Arbitrary Power after the Turkish Precedent put to Death the Loyal Sr. Henry Hide before the Exchange It was Crime enough that he was a Royalist and Brother to the afterwards Earl of Clarendon then with the King But his pretended Crime was That he had been an Agent from the King after the Death of his Royal Father to the grand Signior He was bred a Merchant and had a repute amongst the Turkish Company and was by them made their Consul at Morea and this Gentleman the King sent to the Port in order to some private concerns and not for the Confiscation of the Merchants Estates as the people were made to believe but he being there the Visiere was privately tampered with who betray'd him and sent him to England a Prisoner in the Ships thence bound for Smiâ—na in one of which he was brought to London and Committed to the Tower convented before the aforesaid Court by whose Power he was Condemned and Beheaded as aforesaid on the 4 th of March 1650. And now their Hands were in all went to Pot that came in their way the April following Captain Brown Bushell was the next Criminal they Murthered for his Loyalty he had long lain under restraint in the Tower and almost starved for want of Sustinance and at last being put into their Bloody Roll of such as were to be Tryed he was called to their Bar and Condemned But his Wife solicited very hard for a Reprieve which at last hey promised her with which joyful News she repaired to her Husband Comforting themselves together till four a Clock in the Afternoon but had no sooner left him with those flattering Hopes but the Warrant came for his present Execution they finding it seems that he was too well beloved by the Seamen and wree in Fear of him and so about six of the Clock at Night they put him to Death on the Ground under the Scaffold on Tower-Hill which he suffered with much Resolution In the mean time Cromwell was very watchful and Diligent and endeavoured all he could tho not with any success to engage the Scots Army which was drawn up at Sterling where the King was with them But the King having a Design to pass into England waved engaging with as much Care as the other flush'd with Victory and Success sought it who was come within sight of the Scotch Army In Lancashire several expected his coming and were ready to rise upon his approach tho disappointed by the Rumps Vigilancy Cromwell for want of Provisions was forced to remove and attempted to get over to Fife side It was about this time that several rude fits of an Ague shook him so shrewdly that there was an equal engagement of Hopes and Fears on the side of either party of his marching into another world Doctor Write and Dr. Bates two eminent Physicians being sent from London to administer Physick to him being brought very low But at last by the help of these Doctors who had the charge of him by the Junto's order he recovered to the sorrow of the Royal Party At last the English under Collonel Overton with about fifteen or sixteen thousand Foot and four Troopâ— of Horse with much difficulty forced their Landing Cromwell drawing up close to the Scots at the same time with all his Forces with an intention to fall upon their Rere if they should attempt to beat them out of Fife Yet the Scots sent four thousand Horse and Foot under Sir John Brown which Cromwell having notice of sent over Lambert and Okey with two Regiments of Horse and Foot and engaging with him defeated him took him with many others prisoners having slain about two thousand of the Scots This gave the English firm footing in Fife and they easily took in several places on that side the Frith And now the King was necessitated to
follow his design in marching for England and whilst Cromwell went about to set upon S. Johnston's that he might make himself Master of the Pass at Sterlin which he took after a days siege the King marches for England from Sterlin by the way of Carlile with about sixteen thousand complete This News gave Cromwell an allarm and immediately he dispatches a Messenger with Letters to his Masters in England to inform them of it and to comfort them believing they would entertain no pleasant thoughts thereat giving them an account of his successes and that they should have confidence in God and should improve the best they could what Forces they had in readiness and should raise more and not be afraid for the Enemy was heart-smitten and were in a desperate condition with such like stuff In the mean time he orders Major General Harrison and Collonel Rich who were on the Borders to attend the motion of the King's Army until he were able to come up to them with his Forces The Parliament notwithstanding his canting Leâ—ters began to be jealous of him and spoke big words against him which came to his ears and which he remembred afterwards to their cost In the mean time Lambert with about three thousand Horse and Dragoons is speeded after the King and presently after Cromwell himself follows the same day the King enters England which was on the sixth of August having departed from Sterlin the last of July On his entring into England he was proclaimed as he went and pardon offered to all sorts of persons excepting Cromwell Bradshaw Cook and some others the most immediate Murtherers of his Father At the same time a Party in North-Wales began to rise to joyn with the Earl of Darby but were broken and disappointed The King with his wearied Men on the two and twentieth of August comes to Worcester being beset before and behind by the new raised Forces Cromwell Lambert and Harrison The Militia of London and of several Counties flock to Worcester so that by that time Cromwell was come up to them they had formed an Army of forty thousand men or more The Earl of Darby brought to the King two hundred and fifty foot and sixty Horse and having raised about twelve hundred more in Lancashire and those parts he was engaged by Lilburn and routed and several persons of Quality taken By this time Cromwell had close begirt Worcester and the King's Party beheld themselves in a very bad condition hemm'd in on all sides with numerous Foes and now too late saw their error of not marching directly to London which was dreaded by the Junto and which was earnestly desired and expected by the Londoners who wanted only a fuller security of shewing their inclinations for the King being over-awed and hindered through fear from declaring But God did not see it good that the King should be brought to the Throne by any other hand than that of Peace and by his own Subjects of England intending to shew him a more immediate care of his miraculous providence in his preservation and that he might not be subject to the Presbyterians for their assistance nor beholden to them for his Crown he was resolved to bring him in after a more glorious manner Nothwithstanding the great disadvantages the Scots were in they were resolved with much courage to sell their lives as dear as they could and that the English should not find it an easie purchase The first considerable Engagement was at Upton Bridge on Fleetwood's side who was Lieutenant General of the Army where Lambert with five hundred Horse and Dragoons beat Collonel Massy who endeavoured to maintain it But the fatal day was on the third of September auspicious to Cromwell the last year in his fight at Dunbar It is not my design to draw you the Scheme of the Battel intending only in these Papers to shew more particularly things of another nature this Action has been sufficiently made known therefore I shall only very briefly mention it The Scots to give them their due and the little handful of English that were with them fought bravely and shewed great courage and resolution disputing every Field with their numerous Enemies and coming to the But-end of their Muskets and Push of Pike with them covering the Field where they stood with their Bodies The King in person charged in one of the Sallies from the Town shewing extraordinary Valour Conduct and Courage in which Charge Duke Hamilton Brother to the Duke that was beheaded was shot and died suddenly after of his Wound But towards the Evening the English charging most furiously with Cromwell in the head of them enter'd with the retreating Scots into the Town and possessed themselves of the Fort Royal Then it was the King with the Duke of Buckingham the Earl of Derby and some others and about sixty Horse fled being narrowly miss'd by Cobbet but the Foot falling to plunder the Town which they did with great barbarity kept out the Horse for fear they should share with them which favoured his Majesties Escape who got that night to White-Ladies where he was disguised and all the rest departing several ways he was committed to the fidelity of the Pendrills being in the disguise of a Wood-Cutter with a Bill in his hand and for some time lay hid in the Celebrated Oak in Boscobâ—l Wood thence conveyed to Mr. Whitegrave's at Mosely whence as a Servant to Mrs. Jane Lane he went to Bristol but missing a passage there after many signal Marks of God's Providence in his miraculous Escape at least fifty several persons having been made privy to it he at last with the Lord Wilmâ—t embarked at Brightemsted in Suffex and was carried over by one Tetersell Master of the Vessel who afterwards was a Captain of one of his Majesties Frigats and got safe to Diep in France to the great joy of all his Friends The Scots lost in this Battel about two thousand slain upon the place and in the pursuit and about eight thousand Prisoners very few of the Scots got back to Scotland being known by their Tongue and pick'd up in their return by the Country most of the Nobility and chiefest Commanders were taken and carried Prisoners to London with all their Ensigns many of the chiefest Prisoners of the Nobility were kept in Windsor-Castle till the King's Restoration the Colours were hanged up in Westminster-Hall and several of the common Soldiers sold to Merchants and sent away as Slaves to the Barbadoes and other Plantations Comwell himself in great triumph passes to London being met at Acton by the Speaker and Members of the Junto the Lord Mayor of London and Steel their Recorder who in a flattering Speech applauded his great Atchievments applying to him the words of the Psalmist To bind their kings in chains and their nobles in fetters of iron And now the way to the ambitioned Throne seem'd open few Obstacles remaining except the Junto themselves which he had made so
ship This was the fourth Engagement The maintaining of this War against the potent Dutch gained such Reputation to these English States as they were called that the French by the Advice of Mazereen sent Monsieur Bourdeaux as an Agent from the French King to acknowledge them This Action of the French gave great distaste to all the King of England's Friends but this Peace with England preserved the Cardinal being in some danger from the Princes of France And now to maintain this War the Junto lay a heavy Tax upon the People of 120000 l. a Month. Monk and Dean being come out of Scotland are joyned with Blake and the Fleet equipping with all Expedition which the Dutch States hearing of sent away to Van-Tromp who was at Sea Conducting home three hundred sail of Merchant men with seventy six men of War and Commanded him to Block up the Thames to hinder the English Fleet from coming forth but to their great Amazement the English got their Ships to Sea and joyning those at Ports-mouth made up eighty sail and over against Portland lay half Seas over expecting the Dutch On the 18 th of February they discry'd them and about eight in the Morning the fight began Blake and Dean who were in the Tryumph with twelve Ships more encounter'd the Gross of the Dutch Fleet but was relieved at last by Lawson who performed his part exceeding Well The Ship in which General Monk was being a slow Sailor could not so soon come up to engage as he would have had it but he had a great share in the Fight and lost many men aboard her This Fight lasted three days and the Triumph wherein two of the Generals were received seven hundred Cannon shot in their Hâ—ll The next day being Saturday and the nineteenth of Feb. 1652. assoon as the English could overtake the Dutch they engaged them again in the Afternoon which was fought with much fury Tromp still endeavouring to save his Merchant Men fought retreating putting them before him but spite of his teeth he lost many of them which were picked up by the English with some of his Men of War The third day in the Morning being the twentieth the fight was again renewed and continued very fierce till four in the Afternoon but the Wind being cross to the English Van Tromp got at last to Callais Sands and so tyded it home The Dutch lost in the three days Fight eleven Men of War and thirteen Merchants Ships and had killed about fifteen hundred Men. The English lost but one Ship but had not many less slain than the Enemy This was the fifth Engagement in which the English got much the better About this time they erected their High Court of Justice in Ireland by which many of the Irish suffered among the rest the noted Rebel Sir Phelim Oneal was hanged at Dublin The year 1652 being worn out and the Dutch being by their several losses humbled the King's Party crushed and impoverished now the Tax for the maintenance of the Dutch War coming in and filling the Treasury 120000 pounds every month the State owned by the French and himself caressed privately by Mazareen with whom he had secret intelligence but what was more the arbitrary Junto perfectly hated by the People he thought it now a convenient time to step into the Throne and to usurp the supreme â—ower and Authority and to take the Government into his own hands To this end he holds several Consults with the Officers of the Army and much fasting and praying there was among them an extraordinary Work being to be done Cromwell cajol'd them all Lambert was deceiv'd in his hopes of succeeding Oliver which he had made him to believe he intended Harrison was for pulling these old Representatives out of their Seats to make way for the Rule of the Saints Cromwell knew how to please them all that he might by them work his ends All the Party Harrison could make among the Congregations of Feak Rogers Simson and the rest of that Gang were for Cromwell and all impatient to have the Parliament outed and to help forward there came forth dayly from the Army Petitions Addresses Remonstrances and such like Papers for putting an end to this Parliament But notwithstanding all the specious pretences for the putting an end to this Parliament many of the Officers very well perceived the drift of Cromwell and what all would end in viz. his getting the Monarchy into his own hands which troubled them much and some of them made open protests against it for they that could not endure the Rule of a single person in their Lawful Prince could much less endure to be tyrannized over by the arbitrary power of their equal The chief of them that opposed his design were Collonel Venables Scout-Master-General Downing Major Streater and others Streater went about to give his Reasons to the contrary telling them that Cromwell design'd to set up himself and that it was a betraying of their most glorious Cause for which so much Blood had been spilt but Harrison interrupted him and told him that he was assured the General did not seek himself in it and did it to make way for the Rule of Jesus that he might have the Scepter To whom Streater replyed That unless Christ came very suddenly he would come too late For this opposition Cromwell looks on him as his mortal Enemy and claps him up into the Gate-House The Junto was very sensible of these Actings but knew not which way to prevent them yet they did what they could to make these Officers understand the inconveniences that would happen by a sudden dissolving them and that it would be the only way to preserve the Nation to fill up the House with new elected Members which would please the people and their Acts would be received with greater Authority But the Army answered them they were grown so carnal and corrupt that the people of God could expect no good from them and that they would take care that the supreme Government of the Land should be placed in the hands of such as truly feared God and were of approved integrity These Debates between the Parliament and the Army spun out some time at the Junto went about cunningly to secure themselves by preparing an Act for the filling up their House wherein such speed was made that it was near passing the House Cromwell being nettled resolves to stay no longer and to his Council of Officers he shewed That if they should let the people to chuse new Representatives it was a tempting of God who would save them by the hands of a few as in former times and that five or six godly upright men might do more in one day than the Parliament had done or would do in a hundred Upon this he takes with him Lambert Harrison and about eight more Officers of the Army and on the three and twentieth day of April 1653 he enters the House and there after a short
Speech shewing them some reasons for the necessity of their being dissolved he peremptorily declared them to be dissolved But the Speaker refusing to leave the Chair Cromwell began to huff and fall into a passion telling them they were a company of drunkards whoremasters Hipocrites Knaves and Oppressors and commanded that the Bauble the Mace should be took from them and no more carried before them and Harrison taking the Speaker by the Arm lifted him out of his Chair and having thus turned them out of doors he lock'd them up and set a Guard of Soldiers at them and at all the Avenues that they might not meet again in that place and thus exeunt Tyranni one Devil driving out another to make way at last for their Lawful Prince This done Cromwell returning to his Council of Officers told them of his Exploit and let them know that now they must go hand in hand with them and justifie it by their lives and fortunes they having advised him to it He told them that when he went to the House he did not think to do it but perceiving the Spirit of God so strongly upon him he would no longer consult Flesh and Blood for the Parliament intended to have perpetuated themselves This Action of his tho arbitrary illegal and tyrannical was generally applauded by all sorts of people these Rumpers were grown so very odious by their tyrannick Usurpation And the King's Friends both at home and abroad were not a little joyful to see this Turn and to behold them dethroned and trampled on even in the midst of their Laurels obtained for their Victories over the Dutch Grievous Muttering they kept for this violence done to them by their Servant as they stiled him thinking it none when he did the like to those secluded Members that would not vote with them against the King but as mad as they were they saw no help for it and it was not possible for them to get together tho they would not own themselves dissolved and thus our usurping Junto went out like a Snuff with a Stink smelling very unsavourly in the Nostrils of the whole Nation Thus far have I traced out to you the Lines of the Image of Arbitrary and Tyrannick Usurpation and how ugly and grim a Representation it is you who have seen it truly delineated may judge You have seen this Titular Parliament unjustly seize upon the Government by murthering their King and against all Laws thrust out two of the States of the Land the Lords Spiritual first and then the Lords temporal and having now grasp'd the Government with rapacious hands with the like Injustice and Arbitrariness turn the greater part of their own Members out of Doors and rule by a few bloody and tyrannical Usurpers You have likewise seen after what manner they have swayed the three Nations by their own Arbitrary Wills and Pleasures as so many lawless Tyrants upholding an Army only to cut the Peoples Throats and to over-awe them burthening them with Taxes and oppressing them with a standing Army and free Quarter taking away their lives by an Arbitrary Court of Justice contrary to the known Laws of the Land and robbing and spoiling all men of their Estates that opposed them filling the Jayls thorowout the three Kingdoms with Prisoners The Liberties of the Subject overthrown Magna Charta and all the Laws and Ancient Constitutions of Parliaments trodden under foot and disregarded so as no man could call any thing his own And in fine all the People of England made Slaves by these the Keepers of their Liberties so that it was no wonder that there was a general rejoycing at their fall tho as yet it was but out of the Frying-pan into the Fire having exchanged two hundred Tyrants for one as Lawless Boundless and Arbitrary as they or a Rump for an Oliver I should now proceed to give a further Display of this Arbitrary and Tyrannical Government under the Usurpation of Oliver Cromwell who had pull'd these down only to set up himself but before I enter upon it I think it will not be ungrateful to the Reader and not impertinent to my Design to shew you what a sort of men these were who had thus long usurped by a brief Character of some of the chiefest of them and what benefit they made of their pretended Godliness giving one another Estates out of the Kings Queens Bishops Deans and Chapters and Delinquents Lands And I will begin with Oliver Cromwell the Lucifer of the rest who out-witted them all and ruled by himself with greater Power and more absolute Sway than ever any Monarch of England did He was very well descended of a Knightly Family in the County of Huntington being born in S. John's Parish in the Town of Huntington the twenty fifth of April 1599 being the Son of Mr. Robert Cromwell who was the third Son of Sir Henry Cromwell a Gentleman of great worth honored and beloved in Court and Country whose eldest Son Sir Oliver Cromwell a Gentleman well known for his Loyalty and Uncle to this our Oliver was his God-father and gave him his Name His Mother was thâ—â— Daughter of Sir Richard Steward of Ely They therefore were much mistaken who said he was the Son of a Brewer tho indeed his Mother even in his Father's Life-time did manage a Brew-House by their Servants and after her Husbands death continued the same as an honest means of Livelyhood the Patrimony of a younger Brother being but small He was observed in his Youth to be ambitious willful and head-strong which improved with his years and always and upon all occasions exercised the Impostor under the mask of Hypocrisie However he was bred at School where he got some smattering in the Rudiments of Learning but was so violent and head-strong and so very prone to robbing Orchards and Dove-Houses that he grew the terror of the Country and past his Tutor's Correction It was about that time he dream'd he should be King of England if it were not more than a Dream a suggestion of some evil Spirit for he would often confidently report it in his Youth tho rebuked by his Father for it and flash'd by his Master Dr. Bernard for his constant avouching it And acting in a Play in the School going beyond his Cue he took a Crown and put it on his own Head and as if inspired spake some big words with great authority Thence he was translated to Cambridge where he was more noted for Foot-ball Cudgelling and Wrestling than for his Studies to which he little gave his mind and after his Father's death left the University and returning home fell to all manner of Licentiousness and Debauchery and grew so distastful to his Mother and Neighbourhood that she sent him away to London and enters him into Lincolns-Inn intending to make him a Lawyer but finding this place not agreeable to his humor he stayed not long before he returned back into the Country where he fell to his
3 d. July 1649. his Arrears amounting to 25000 l. order'd him and 1000 l. per annum Land to be setled upon him and his Heirs To Collonel Feilder 1300 l. To Scobel their Clark once a poor Clark in Chancery and wrot for 2 d. a sheet a Pension of 500 l. a year and an Employment in the sale of publiâ—k Lands worth 1000 l. a year and 6 s. 8 d Fee for every Order taken forth More given to Bradshaw Somerhill belonging to the Earl of St. Alben's To the Lord Brohill 2000 l. I am afraid I have tyred my Reader in going about to enumerate the many Gifts they order'd one to another but tho I might name much more this may suffice to shew what this Parliament did with the Kingdoms monies to gratifie one another and to share the prey among themselves of the Kingdom who groaned under Taxes and of the Kings Queens Princes and Bishops Lands of Malignants Estates Composition Excise c. The like never was read in History and therefore you may not wonder that these men should be so unwilling to leave their Seats and disband but to sit to advantage themselves if they could By what you have read it plainly appears also what sort of men they were most of them or very many of them of the scum of the people upstarts of mechanical breeding sordid covetous Wretches Hypocrites pretending Religion and making Godliness their gain I have done with them and shall name but one or two more Dr. Dorislaus who was Kill'd in Holland had been formerly a poor School-Master in Holland whence he came to Oxford and read the History-Lecture there in which he then decry'd Monarchy was complained of and forgiven by the King's Benignity He then became Judge-Advocate in the King's Army against the Scots and had the like Employ afterwards against the King under Essex and then under Fairfax gaining well in his employment and by that of drawing up the bloody Charge against the King for which some Cavaliers some say Irish others Scotch-men in revenge of Hamilton's Death kill'd him His Wife and Children had allowances by the Parliament but I cannot here forbear to mention Haselrig's bloody proposition upon his Death who moved That six Gentlemen of the best quality Royalists might be put to Death in Revenge of Dorislaus to deter men from the like attempt hereafter This was a Rumper's Justice and may serve for his Character a blind Zealot furious hot-headed rash unjust and an hypocrite a great Commonwealths-man and an Enemy to Oliver Harison was a Fifth Monarchy-man a great Speaker after his Canting way acted with Cromwell till he saw he set up himself instead of King Jesus and his Saints such as himself then a stiff Opposer of Monarchy and would again have brought in Anarchy and Confusion a man of no extraordinary Parts but resolute and turbulent ever heading a faction and dyed impenitent adhering to his wicked Principles Lambert was a good Soldier had a great designing head Ambitious but outwitted by Cromwell of great Power in the Army and beloved by the factious Sectaries some have thought he was then a Papist for he prov'd one since and carried on the Jesuits designs Fleetwood was a person of a pretended great Devotion but of a secret and violent Ambition and it was thought glad of Richard's fall hoping to succeed but fool'd by Lambert as well as formerly by Cromwell and though General had not the resolution of a man in his place and therefore called the meek Knight Jones was a flattering Sycophant Desborow a sordid Clown Pride an upstart Dray-man Hewson a Valiant Cobler Whaly a Merchant Sir Henry Mildmay an unworthy Turncoat and Rebel The rest much of the same stamp They had their Clergy too of the same Cloth as the Post-Priest Vavasor Powel the Fool Cradock The Incendiary John Goodwin Love Jenkins of both sorts Presbyterians and Independents who served their turns to trumpet forth Sedition to the People and to extoll their Acts for which they shared in the prey But above all the rest was the notorious and blasphemous wretch Pander and Buffoon Hugh Peters and because he was Chaplain in Ordinary to two great Potentates Lucifer and Oliver Cromwell I care not if I give you a little larger account of the man His Father was a Minister of the Church of England living near Foy in Cornwales where his Son Hugh was born and bred up by him at School instructed well in the Principles of the Protestant Religion sent thence to Cambridge and admitted into Jesus College but was soon Expelled the University for his lacivious life He gets to London and there turns Player in Shakespear's Company usually acting the Jester or Fool but weary of that by means of a Gentleman he became acquainted with he got a Free-School with the Stipend of 24 l. a year at the Gentleman's dispose in Essex After some time this Pedant growing familiarly acquainted with a Gentlewoman near who liked his Drolling discourse and used to entertain him being one that had an Estate he so ordered his business that he one night surprised her in Bed and getting in to her had a Comrade that came and surprised them before the strugling Gentlewoman could get forth of his Arms who saluting them Man and Wife caused the trepanned Woman to avoid the shame to consent to marry him After this he takes Holy Orders and was by Doctor Mountaine Bishop of London Ordained Priest and Deacon giving the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy to him which he took And now beginning to Preach he grows popular and was much applauded among the females whom he ever sought to please so that he got to be Lecturer of St. Sepulchres in London and continued there near Twenty years Here he turns Independent and his Wife being dead he lead so beastly and scandalous life that being detected and prosecuted at Law for many Misdemeanors he flyes over to Amsterdam where continuing the like pranks he goes at last to New-England where he Marries another Wife but that not keeping him Chast he began to grow odious amongst the Brethren and the Wars then breaking forth in England he returns and is entertained as a rideing Parson in the Army and at last becomes the Parliaments great Zany Preaching for the Cause and jugling the Women out of their Thimbles and Bodkins by which means he became Oliver's great Privado and with Ireton was admitted of the Cabal in contriving his late Majestie 's Death for which and his other good Services being a Col. under Oliver in his Irish Expedition he had given him 300 l. per annum out of the Lord Worcester's Lands in the Woulds in Worcester-shire and as they say the King's Library at St. James's and was Chaplain in Pay to fix Regiments But at last had a more deserved Reward an Halter being taken in Southwark was at last Executed for his Treasons and dyed like a Sot I shall conclude with him and now proceed to the second
th of July 1654. And on the same day Col. Gerard was beheaded on Tower-hill presently after Emanuel Say the Portugal Ambassadors brother put to death for killing one in a fray in the New-Exchange this Col. Gerard being the chief man that opposed the said Ambassadors brother at that time with the hazard of his life yet both came to suffer in one day upon one Scaffold for different Crimes For this Colonel suffered onely for the Crime of Loyalty and was sacrifised to Oliver's Fear and Policy He dyed with great bravery courage and undauntedness This was Cromwell's first bloudy remarke and like an Usurper who must maintain his illegal greatness by illegal Arts. But dominion founded in innocent bloud cannot long stand before the Avenger for bloud visits it in his wrathfull Justice About this time he takes care there shall be a faithfull ministry to his interest he means therefore he sets up a Company of Tryers the chief of which were Nye Goodwin Hugh Peters Manton and others named as Commissioners These make a Reformation among the Ministry for humane Learning was rather a Crime than an help to any for the question was had they Grace in their hearts Many good Livings were disburthened of their Pastours and others of more Grace and less Knowledge put in I heard of one who had been Hebrew and Chaldee Reader in Oxford and knowing in all the Eastern Tongues put out of a good living for insufficiency He had it seems not Grace equal to his Learning or his Living had more Grace than he But such as agreed with Nol's Principles and were ready to maintain his Government to be jure divino were put into the best Livings throughout England and the favourers of the Church of England though they had conformed every where thrust forth In Ireland all was subdued and he sent Cook over as a Judg who with a kind of Itinerant Court of Justice hung up many of the Irish Rebels at Dublin Waterford Kilkenny and in Vlster and those that escaped of the Irish were confined to the Province of Conaught and the rest banished But in Scotland at the mediation of Argile whom he had tyed to his Interest and by whose power he held a great part of the Highlands in subjection the Presbyterians were allowed their Religion and had their own Kirk Government and the power of Excommunication but the rigor of it was taken off for such as were excommunicated were not onely forbid the Communion but they had all their Estates confiscated to the Church which was not allowed them nor the meeting of their general Assembly Cromwell was jealous of Lambert and of the Love he had among the Sectaries of the Army so that as yet he was forced to caress him and to delude him with vain hopes of succeeding him in the Protectorate and therefore made him Commander in chief of the Army next himself with the allowance of 10 l. a day Abroad he confederates with most of the Potentates and upon his making a Peace with France the King is obliged to leave that Court where he had been neer two years and had done many good offices for that King with his neighbour Princes but Interest sways more than Gratitude He retires into Germany where all his designs and private Councils in his Cabinet were betray'd to Cromwell by one Manning who was Clerk to his Secretary bribed by the Usurper who had a knack that way of expending vast summs for intelligence and by this means many of the Royalists designs in England came to be discovered and many brought into trouble about it but at last the Traytour was detected and shot to death for his perfidiousness About this time he sends over 6 Counsellors for Ireland Steel who was mâ—de Lord Chancellour there and Pepys Lord Chief justice there Miles Corbet Robert Hamond Matthew Tomlinson and Robert Goodwin About June this year Cromwell seeing he was able to rule 3 Kingdoms believed he was as well able to govern 6 Horses sent him by the Count of Oldenburg and in a frollick being in Hide Park leaving his Engine Thurlo alone in the Coach he gets into the Box and would needs play the Coach-man but the Horses feeling the lash and not so well yoaked as his English Slaves ran away with Coach Coach-man and Thurlo and at last dismounted him from his Box an ill omen of his fall and had like to have broke his Neck And now according to the Instrument on the 3 d of September the Parliament was to meet and great care was taken by Oliver that none of the Cavaliers should be chosen Writs were issued out in his name and Elections made as heretofore onely the Burrows sent but one Burgess and there were 6 or 7 Knights for some Shires all of them under sure qualifications Scotland and Ireland also according to the Instrument sent their number most being English Commanders The day came they meet and in Westminster Abby Marshall gave them a Sermon The next day the Protector went to them in great state in his Coach attended by Cleypool Master of his Horse Strickland Captain of his Guards bareheaded on both sides and at his entrance Lambert carried the Sword and Whitlock the Purse and in the painted Chamber he made to them a Speech after his old method with God in his mouth He told them this was an healing day for before there was neither Nobleman Gentleman nor Yeoman known by any distinction nor was there any bore rule or authority but the Magistracy and Christ's Ordinances were had in contempt that the fifth Monarchy was highly cry'd up by such persons as had a mind to assume the government to themselves Then in an extolling way he shewed what great things he had done during his Government and then he told them they were upon the edge of Canaan and that he spoke not as their Lord but Fellow-servant And so dismist them to choose their Speaker which they did without presenting to him his name Their Speaker was Lenthal the Speaker to the old Long Parliament This Parliament began to be very brisk upon the Government and fell upon the Instrument on which they made so bad musick questioning Oliver's power that he could not indure it and immediately sent them a Recognition for every Member to take before they sat whereby they were not to meddle with the Government as it was settled in a single person and the Parliament nor with the militia nor with perpetuating Parliaments nor taking away Liberty of Conscience He told them also that a Free Parliament was but a term of Reciprocation for that power which made him Protector made them a Parliament and therefore he was sorry they went about to destroy the Settlement and was forced to send them a Recognition for every Member to sign and seal to prevent it This startled most of them especially the Commonwealths men who all flew off and of 400 scarce 200 appeared though at last several came dropping in and
following But in the mean time Rear-Admiral Stainer with six other Ships of the English Fleet met with the Spanish Fleet near Cadiz returning from the West Indies with Plate where he sunk several of them with great treasure and took others which he brought away with two Millions of pieces of Eight which amounts to 400000 pounds Sterling There were several Noble men and Dons of Spain taken Prisoners whom Cromwell treated handsomely and after a little while generously sent them home without Ransom And now on the 17 th of September 1656 the appointed time for the Meeting of the Parliament those who were Elected met and chose for their Speaker Sir Thomas Widdrington The Major-Generals had a great hand in chusing this Parliament who by their Arbitrary Power and Authority caused whom they pleased to be chosen and it was thought it was one of Cromwell's policies to Constitute them for that end wanting a Parliament that might give him money And also by their most tyrannical sway they had rendred themselves so odious to the Royalists that they desired rather any other Government should be than these Bashaw's and it was indeed thought to be one of Cromwell's policies in their Constitution that their tyranny might cause his Iron yoke alone to sit more easie about their necks for he gave them up to the Parliament who abolish'd them His design of making himself King and of wearing the Imperial Crown and of becoming a legal Monarch and of transmitting it to his posterity now plainly was manifested though God did not see it good to let the Iniquity of the Nation run on so far as to disinherit the right line having in his Wisedom resolved to continue it to the posterity of Chaâ—les the Martyr for though Cromwell knew he had more Power and greater Dominion and was more absolute than any King of England yet the glorious Title of King and the wearing of a Crown was the desire of his ambitious soul not that it could add more to his Power but he imagined that by that means he should be accounted more legal for that the Crown takes away all attaint and that perhaps he might be able to transmit it to his posterity and make it hereditary in his own line He knew his tyrannick Usurpation was against all the Laws of the Land and that he could hold what he had got no longer than the Army pleased to stick to him who like an head-strong beast was grown so skittish he had much adoe to master it but by setling the Crown on his own head he thought to reduce every thing to its old channel the race of the Stuarts only changed for that of Cromwells and for this end he now began all he could to court the Nobility and Gentry of the Royal Party after he had sufficiently humbled and crush'd them and made them poor all to sweeten them against his assuming the Crown having got as he hop'd a Parliament for his purpose for none were admitted into this Parliament after their Elections but such as the Council allowed of and many persons that Oliver durst not trust were in this Parliament and that he thought not fit to sit till some Laws were first made for the strengthning his Authority and carrying on of his design There was therefore a Recognition of his Highness Government by a single person placed ready with a Guard of Red-coats to be signed before any of the Members went into the House and such as refused to sign it were dismissed and not suffered to sit by which means near 200 at the first were excluded those that sat taking no notice of this most horrid force And now let those who so much stand up for Law and Justice and cry out upon Arbitrary Rule tell me if ever a greater could be acted upon the Liberties of the People in denying them their freedoms in the sitting of their Representatives in Parliament and if any of the most Arbitrary Kings of England ever did or durst attempt the like But what might not and what did not this Tyrant and Usurper doe At first this Parliament went on very smoothly and to the content of their Protectorian Master the first thing was they made a Vote declaring his War with Spain to be just and honourable with a resolution of assisting him in it Then as a Grand step for him to Mount the Throne they make an Act for the renouncing the title of â—harles Stuart and the whole line of King James unto the Crown of England Scotland and Ireland seconded with another for the securing his Highness Person and the continuance of the Nations peace which was bound up in it And this last Act was made by reason of a Plot then discovered against his Person by one Syndercomb or rather a Contrivance of his Secretary Thurlo's to further his designs This Syndercomb was a Leveller or Fifth-Monarchy-man and disbanded by Monk in Scotland who being a resolute fellow and disgusted was drawn in by two of Thurlo's Creatures one Cecil and Toop of Cromwell's Life-guard who pretending a Male-contentedness easily drew him in to a design of Murthering the Tyrant there being about that time a book printed and published with the name Allen to it a disbanded Leveller called Killing no Murther which with notable Arguments proved the Lawfulness of Killing Cromwell as an Usurper and Tyrant which book almost scared him out of his wits and made him ever after afraid of every strange face that came near him and made him betake himself to these artifices to affright assassinates by his severity Syndercomb being thus trepann'd and drawn in by his Instruments had prepared a Blunderbuss and had placed it to shoot him in his Coach going to Hampton-Court and if that failed he was to have fired White-Hall by placing a Basket of combustible matter in the Chapel with a train all which is discovered Syndercomb and his Companions seized the Life-guard men confess the Plot and are pardoned Syndercomb is tryed for it at the upper Bench-bar as they then called it and convicted by the Witness of his fellow Conspirators he was Condemn'd to be Hang'd Drawn and Quarter'd at Tyhurn but before his Execution he was found dead and poysoned in the Tower by himself as the Inquest of the Coroner found it though by others suspected to be a fineness of Thurlo's however as a felo de se he was drawn at an Horses tail to Tower-hill and there put into the ground under the Scaffold and a Stake driven thorow his Body This occasioned the Act to be hastned for his Highness preservation and a thanksgiving Voted for this great delivery the Parliament attending him at White-Hall in the Banqueting-house where a Congratulatory Oration upon this occasion was made to him The next day the time being very convenient Alderman Pack started a motion that for the better and more sure settlement of the Nation the Protector might be desired to assume the stile and title of King as the most
known and most agreeable Government to the people of England this was hotly pursued by the Court-party of the House which after several hot debates produced The Humble Petition and Advice of which â—e shall speak anon The horrible licentiousness of these times had ripened the birth of strange and monstrous Opinions and Heresies and all places swarm'd with these kind of creatures of an hundred different perswasions The Ranters grew numerous and committed their beastialities under the notion of Liberty of Conscience publickly turning debauchery and all manner of wickedness into a Religion some lying with their Wives or other women openly in the Market-place several both men and women running stark naked without the least rag to hide their shame about the streets and into Churches pretending a Command from the spirit for these Actions Then the Socinians encreased who denied the Divinity of Christ one Biddle being infamous for those Opinions and one Erbery once a Minister for Ranting Then the Quakers began to grow numerous under George Fox their head and so troublesome that they disquieted Oliver himself who liked not their Antiministerial principles But above the rest James Naylor was at this time remarkable who grew to that height of delusion and phrensie as to personate our Saviour and procured a divine worship or adoration to be given to him by some women attending him He had been formerly a Soldier under Lambert who stickled much to save him from punishment but the Parliament now sitting take the matter into their cognisance being sent up from Bristol where he was he appears before them with a composed countenance his hair hanging after the fashion of those pictures made for our Saviour and with a forked beard often answering the questions put to him with Thou sayest it He was accused of Blasphemy and for assuming to himself divine Honours he having had Hosanna's sung before him and such expressions used to him as the people of the Jews used towards our Saviour when he rode into Jerusalem a little before his Crucifixion He used several evasions but the House sentenced him to be both at London and Bristol publickly Whipt through both the Cities to stand in the Pillory to have his Tongue bored thorow and to be stigmatized in the forehead with the letter B for a Blasphemer and then to remain in Bridewell during pleasure which sentence was with great severity inflicted upon him and which he underwent with a more than ordinary patience and resolution The Parliament having made an Act for Preventing of Multiplicity of Buildings within ten miles of London and that every house within that compass built upon a new foundation should pay a years Rent to the Protector they fall upon the Petition and Advice In the mean time Cromwell designing the Succession of his Usurpation for his Son Richard begins to shew him to the World but that he might give Lambert no Umbrage of his Intentions he keeps him for some time in the Country in Hamshire where he had Married the Daughter of one Major with whom he had a plentiful Fortune Here he grows familiar and kind to the Royalists insinuating into them by his debonare Carriage and serving many of them in several requests to his Father endeavouring to get their good liking by his Civilities and afâ—able Disposition The first publick Honour done him was in making him Chancellor of Oxford which his Father had resigned for that purpose then he was Sworn a Privy-Counsellor and made a Colonel in the Army that he might have an Interest in all Parties and not long afterwards was made the first Lord of the other House after the re-meeting of the Parliament and stiled the Noble Lord Richard Cromwell to prepare his way had likewise his News-writer Marchiamount Needham who tells the people there is no everlasting principle in Government which is but a temporary expedient and that in the hazard of a Common-wealth the next shift might be made use of which was a King as most agreeable and necessary He had likewise an ill Poet Pagan Fisher who in a Rodomontado stile sung his Atchievements in Latin Verse together with the Vertues of the pious Bradshaw Oliver having prepared things for them as well as he could the Parliament proceed hotly upon the Petition and Advice which was their new Model of Government and with which on the 9 th of April 1657 the Parliament having desired a meeting with the Protector they wait upon him in the Banqueting-house at White-Hall where Sir Thomas Widdrington in a set Speech commended the office of a King as setled here ever since Christianity approved by our Ancestors agreeing best with our Laws and temper of the People a Model of which Government as most proper for the good and security of the Nation he there presented him with The old Fox returns That 't is a weighty Matter and therefore desired time to seek God in it for without his Assistance the charge would be too great for him to bear That the English were the best people in the world and therefore all tenderness imaginable should be shewed to them and nothing done without due consideration of their benefit with much more of the like nature The next day a Committee was appointed to attend him for his Answer which being delivered after a dubious manner they resolve to force it upon him and adhering to their Petition frame a Committee of near half their House to attend him both to hear and give satisfaction to his doubts and scruples in this case The chief of these were Whitlock Lord Chief Justice Glyn Lord Broghill Lenthal Lisle Philip Jones Fiennes Strickland Thurlo Sir Richard Onslow and Sir Charles Woosley And now it might be wondred at that Cromwell having this fair opportunity did not accept of this proffer so much urged no doubt but he most eagerly desired it yet was he so cautious and fearfull lest that like the Dog in the Fable he should snatch too greedily at the shadow of Royalty and should lose the boundless power or substance of his Tyranny or in seeking to fortifie his title lose his tenure for he well understood the temper of the Army and that by the means of Lambert who began to smell out his design and fearing to lose the Succession promised him was ready to Mutiny which if he should lâ—se he were undone knowing all his title was maintained by the power of their Swords and that therefore he must wear such title as they please or would be contented with therefore considering that it would not be safe for him at this time to accept it he was forced with reluctancy to put it off to a more convenient season Many meetings and debates however they had about it and many Arguments held Pro and Con between them The Committee alledged that the title of King had been confirmed by Parliaments for above 1300 years and that neither the Person or Name of King had been displeasing to them That it
was interwoven with the Laws and was most necessary to be assumed For that the Title ought to be accommodated to the Laws not the Laws to it as they must if he continued the name of Protector That new titles were ever suspected and that the name of Protector had still been unfortunate to the Kingdom and to themselves That it being given him by the Soldiers it smelt too much of Conquest That the Roman Empire never thrived so well but was alwâ—ys full of confusion under the titles of Consuls Dictators or Prince of the Senate as it did under the title of Kings untill Caesar came to settle the Empire they also lay'd before him the reasons for the changing the Title of Lord to King of Ireland in the time of King Henry the 8 th for the better and more regular Government of the Nation But their main Argument was drawn from the Statutes of 9 Edw. 5. and 3 H. 7. by which all persons were indemnified that took up Arms for the King in being and would be a great security to himself and the people to have it thus setled upon him by Act of Parliament But for all this for the Reasons aforesaid his fears surmounted his Ambition he at last gave them a peremptory Refusal telling them that it was against his Conscience and that he could not offend so many Godly men and Officers of the Army who had declared against the title and office of King but he desired that the Title of Protector and the Government by a single person might be confirmed by consent of this Parliament Upon this his refusal which was cryed up as a great Vertue and sign of his Humility the Parliament confirm him in his former title and dignity and an explanatory part to the Petition and Advice was prepared in respect of the Protector 's Oath his Counsels Members of the House of Commons and of the other House as they called it instead of the House of Lords which were to sit and to consist of 60 odd Lords of Cromwell's making The chief heads of the Petition and Advice were 1. That he should exercise the Office of Chief Magistrate under the Title of Protector of England Scotland and Ireland and to govern according to the Petition and Advice and that in his life-life-time he should appoint his Successor 2. That a Parliament should be called every three years at farthest and that it should consist of two Houses 3. That the Members of Parliament legally chosen should not be secluded the House but by consent of the House notwithstanding this he did not re-admit the secluded Members of this House which he had cast out 4. Shewed certain qualifications for the Members to be chosen 5. The power of the other House was declared 6. That no Law should be altered repealed or made but by Act of Parliament 7. That the constant yearly Revenue of the Army and Navy be setled and that to be a Million of Pounds Sterling and 300000 l. more for the support of the Government besides other Temporary supplies as the House of Commons should see necessary and fit 8. That the Protector 's Council should not exceed the number of 21 nor to be under 9 and 7 of them to be a Quorum 9. That the chief Officers of State to be chosen or approved by the Parliament 10. That his Highness should incourage a Godly Ministry 11. That the Protestant Religion should be professed and that he should cause a Confession of Faith to be made and that none should be permitted to reproach it or revile it by words or writings With some other matters of less importance With this the aforementioned Acts with an Act for Assessment of 60000 l. a month for three months Another Money Act for 50000 l. for England 6000 l. for Scotland and 9000 l. for Ireland with some others concerning Trade were presented to Cromwell to Sign by the Parliament To whom returning them many thanks he said That he perceived that among those many Acts they had made that they had taken great care to provide for the just and necessary support of the Common-wealth by those Bills for Levying of Money and understanding that it had been formerly the practice of the chief Governours to acknowledge with thanks to the Commons their care and regard to the Publick therefore he very heartily thank'd them and acknowledged their kindness therein And after he had signed these Bills and the Petition and Advice and Articles therein He told them That he had undertaken one of the greatest burthens that ever was laid upon the back of any humane creature and therefore he asked their help and prayers to God that he might have the divine Assistance for the discharging of this great trust And that for his part nothing should have induced him to have taken upon him this unsupportable burthen to flesh and blood but that he had seen in the Parliament a great care of those things that might make clearly for the Liberty of the Nations and for the Interest of such as feared God And if that the people were not thank full to them for their great care it would fall as a sin upon their heads With much more of the same nature This being done they prepare for the Solemnity of his Inauguration or Investure anew for though he was before solemnly inaugurated into the Protectorate as you have heard according to the Instrument yet it was thought fit that it should be done again for the greater confirmation of the business because the Articles of this Petition and Advice were different from the former Instrument For now there was to be another House and whereas before his Council was to name his Successor he had now power to doe it himself so that he was an absolute Monarch and might leave the Succession to his Son if he pleased A Committee being appointed for this purpose on the 26 th of June 1657 before a great assembly of people and with much more Ceremony than before he was installed in Westminster-Hall under a great Canopy of State in great pomp and much magnificence too long for me here to relate the Great Seal being carried by the Lord Commissioner Fiennes and the Sword by the Earl of Warwick The City Sword by the Lord Mayor Tichbourn all bare-headed The Dutch and French Ambassadors being also present The Speaker of the House of Commons presenting him with a Robe of Purple Velvet a Bible a Sword and a Sceptre making a Speech to him in presenting them Telling him that the Purple Robe was an Emblem of Magistracy and imported Righteousness and Justice The Bible containing the Holy Scriptures was Christ Veiled and Revealed and contained both Precepts and Examples for good Government The Sceptre not unlike a Staff was to shew he was to be the Staff of the poor and weak of ancient use for that the Scripture says The Sceptre should not depart from Judah and that Kings and Princes were called by Homer
and perceiving them might not in the same age at least run into the like nor pull the like fatal consequences upon their heads as Usurpation and Arbitrary Rule and Tyranny either in many or in one which God avert and send peace and tranquility in our dayes But yet the Memory of this Man is adored by many to this day and he is the Idol of some who will yet speak great things of him though without reason and putting our decay of trade upon the present ill management of affairs when indeed it is but the consequence of our Civil Wars and the great expence of Money drained away from the Royalists the vast sums raised on the people by Taxes Assessments and Excise which coming into the Soldiers pockets they set it going into motion which with the vast sums raised on the sale of the Kings Queens Princes Bishops and Delinquents Lands made a flood of money for the present and nothing of want then appeared which was the effect rather of the Tyrant's rapacity than good management for when this glut began to fall again into the private sinks of rich men who lived by the use of money and others who had any great sums fallen to their shares fearing the iniquities of the times and knowing no man could promise himself to be long master of his own especially money where the Will of the Tyrant was Law and whom to disoblige was fatal they remitted vast sums for their security into the bank in Holland making them rich by trading with our money whilst we sat contented with 3 l. per cent for to be secure so that our trade fell and in some time after a scarcity of money appeared which such who only look on the present time and considered not truly the reason attributed to the ill management of the present Governour or of those who sat at the Helm And therefore we may say that the low ebb of Trade in our time had its beginning in Oliver's time And we may likewise consider that in his short Usurpation which was but four years and nine months there was shewn so much Tyranny Oppression and Injustice as excepting the time of the Rumps sitting was not to be parallell'd in any of the Kings since the Conquest Besides in his latter dayes when his fears began to render him cruel he valued neither honesty or honour when they stood in the way of his Ambition and therefore to me 't is a wonder for what it was they admired this Man and must be caused either by partiality or ignorance As for his Politicks his Peace with France and his War with Spain was certainly against the Interest of England in lessning the latter and making the former too great for Christendom and loosing the ballance which England ought carefully to keep between those two Monarchs And then his impolitick Peace with the Dutch on so easie terms when brought with great expence of English Blood and Treasure to that extremity that England mought have had what terms they would so that the whole world thought him infatuated in losing so great an opportunity of doing good to this Nation Then there is nothing more certain that all the Persecution that hath since hapned in France of that King's Protestant Subjects was the effects of his joyning in a League with France at that time by which means that King humbled Spain and made way for his Conquests in Flanders since atchieved and inabled him to subdue all Factions at home which were then arising and brought him into a condition to need none of them being grown since the scourge and terrour of Christendom His shamefull defeat at Hispaniola with the loss of 1500 Merchants Ships to the Spaniard in that War as was made appear to Richard's Parliament and in his spending such vast sums of money and yet leaving a vast debt upon the Kingdom as appeared by the Accounts brought into Richard's Assembly may stand in ballance against his Victories and shew that he was not always successfull and that he had not managed his affairs with that frugality and wisedom as some have thought he did when as by his own accounts it appeared notwithstanding the great incomes he had and the many Parliamentary supplies he had contracted a debt of no less than 1900000 l. As for his Tyranny and Oppression 't is needless to mention it that may be seen throughout this History Yet I cannot but instance here that injustice of his to John Lilburn who had been tryed for his Life by the Long Parliament and acquitted and by them discharged yet because Oliver knew him a dangerous man and one that might give him a trouble caused him to be tryed a second time and though then also cleared by the Law yet according to his own Arbitrary Will against Law and with all injustice and cruelty imaginable kept him close Prisoner so long that he was almost consumed by sickness that he turned him out only to dye Again What greater injustice could there be than that shown to Mr. Cony who being a Prisoner at Cromwell's Suit and being brought to the King 's or upper Bench-bar as they call'd it by an Habeas Corpus causes his Counsel to be violently taken from the Bar and sent to the Tower for no other reason than the Pleading his Clients Cause such an Act of violence as cannot be parallell'd in all the History of England Yet this blessed man is admired As for his ingratitude that appeared to Sir Henry Vain who above all persons in the world was the cause of his advancement and had long espoused his Interest yet he studied to destroy him both in his Life and Estate because he would not adhere to his perjury and falseness And because Vain opposed him he imprison'd him and would have proceeded farther against him In Richard's Assembly upon the complaint of several Prisoners kept close in the Tower many being sent away most inhumanely and sold for Slaves beyond Seas the Lieutenant being sent for and demanded by what Authority he had kept those in his custody so long Prisoners he produced a Paper written all with Oliver's own hand in which were these words Sir I pray you seize such and such persons and all others whom you shall judge dangerous men doe it quickly and you shall have a Warrant for it after you have done Upon which Richard's Assembly Voted this Commitment of the Complainants to be illegal unjust and Tyrannical as no doubt it was This was a spice of his Justice whereby any man was rendred obnoxious not only to himself but to the malice or spleen of his Lieutenant though he were never so innocent And at this rate he might take up and imprison whom he pleased and no man was in safety and that by the chief Governour 's Warrant who by Law can Commit no man by his own Warrant And this too without any cause shewn why or wherefore And the same men Voted that those banish'd or sent away were unjustly
George Booth being also ill armed were soon defeated at Northwich August 19 Captain Edward Morgan was slain upon the place Egertâ—n fled but was pursued and taken Sir Tho Middleton got over sea Sir George Booth escaped as far as Newport Pannell where he was taken in disguise and soon after committed close pris'ner to the Tower of London for committing Treason in learying war against the common Wealth and Sir Hen. Vane and Sir Arth. Hazlerig sent to him to take his examination Lambert retakes all places that they had taken in and by an order of Parliament disarmes the Counties They send him 1000 pounds for a gratuity which he having other aims distributes among his souldiers Then they give order for a day of Tanks giving for their suceess-and presently prepare a new Oath of Abjuration not thinking the Engagement sufficient to be inforced upon the nation wherein they are to abjure the whole line of King James and tell the people they will now set themselvs to doe something extraordinary towards the setlement of the Government But Mony the Diana of the Ephesians and the Idol of the filthy Rumpers is that they want and therefore now impose a new tax upon the people of 200000 pounds a month confirm the Excise fine those that failed to supply their anew molded Militia with 〈…〉 under color of a sanctimonious care of the poor they make an inspection into the râ—venue of all Hospitals prohibiting the Masters and Governors of them to renew any Leases General Monk upon the riseing of Sir George Booth was in a readyness to have marched but was provented by their being so suddenly suppressed the Rump had some jealousie of it but he had caried his design so closely and discovered it to so few that nothing could be made appear against him He was not a little troubled at these disasters and finding the Junto busie in displaceing those he most trusted at Col. Daniel Governor of St. Johnstong and many others fearing he should at last be outed by them of his command and hopeless of doing good as he intended he sends up a letter to the Parliament for a dismission from his command This letter was by his friends in London who had intimation thereof suppressed for some time and his friends in the House so ordered it that when it was delivered to the Speaker the reading of it was deferred for ten days till a packet came from Scotland to contradict it tho' Vaine and others who hand an incling of it called often to have this letter read which they suspected But the Speaker being persuaded to it by his friends under the color that if it were read and that they should take him at his word it would cause a general defection in the Scotch armie among whom the famous Monk was so wel beloved and might ruine their affairs he being also true to their interests tho' discontented at the displaceing his Officers This prevailed with the Speaker wholy to suppress that Letter and so the buisness passed over the Junto being extream busie about many matters In the mean time Lambert and his Armie being aflote upon their late success are provideing other employment for the Rumpers Quos Deus perdeie vult deâ—ent The whole Nation had long wish'd for the ruine of â—otâ— and now their own dissentions will make way for it Lambert whom Cromwell had laid aside for his ambition had his heart still full of the same He keeps a moâ—k Faâ—â— with his Officers an infallible token that some granâ— design was hatching he had still a mind to the Protectorship and in reference to that he and his complices remonstrate the necessity of the Armies being gâ—verned by general Officers as it was before the Speaker had made himself General and requested or petitioned that Fleetwood whom Lambert doubted not to serve as Cromwell had done Fairfax might be made Lord General and that himself might be Leiutenant General and Desberow Major General of the Horse and Monk Major General of the Foot till he might have a good opportunity of laying him a side This Remonstrance being drawn up into form and signed was sent up to London to the general Councel of Officers whether Lambert was privatly gon and by some of them the Junto came to hear of it who were startl'd at it how ever they dissemble with the Officers and order Ashfeild Cobbet and Duckenfeild to attend the House with the petition which they did After the reading of which they adjourned till next morning when assumeing the debate they vote That to have any mere Generall Officers in the Armie than are already setled by the Parliament is needless chargeable and dangerous to the Common Wealth and that Fleetwood should acquaint them with this Resolve This was ill ressented by the Armie and tho' for the present they seemed to acâ—uiesce because their design was not fully ripe and helped the Junto in a friendly manner to devour a Thanksgiving dinner at the Cittys cost and charges which was then govern'd by Ireton and Tichbourn and their gang yet it was not long before they presented a new Address to the same purpose on the 5 th of October by Desborow and many Officers attending him To this the Rumpers very gravely answer checking them for not submitting to their judgment formerly declared 〈◊〉 â—hat case but knowing that the armie Officers would not be so satisfied and expecting no less than another interruption they passed an Act against raising of monys on the people without their consent in Parliament declareing all such persons as should assess levie collect gather or receive contrary to this Act to be guilty of high treason and withall vacateing and disannulling all Orders Ordinances and Acts made by any pretended authority since Oliver turn'd them out of doors in 1653 unless allowed and confirmed by them And now having given such a killing blow to the souldiery and made the breach irreconcileable they-voted that the Commissions of Lambert Desborow Berry Kelsey Ashfeild Cobbet Pucker Barrow and Creed all Colonels excepting the last who was a Major to be voyd and constitute 7 Commissionners to govern the Armie Viz. Lieutenant General Charles Fleetword Lieutenant General Edmond Ludlow General George Monk Sir Arthur Hazelrig Col. Val. Walton Col. Herbert Morley and Col. Rob. Overton any 3 or more of them to of the Quorum They were incouraged to this by a privat message they had received from General Monk who had constant intelligence of all that hap'ned and of which he wisely made his advantages which was that if the Parliament would be resolute in asserting their own authority against the Armie he would assist them in it and if required thereto he would march into England in their defence This made them very brisk and now beleiving there might be some opposition made by the Armie they cause Morly's and Mossel's Regiments to be drawn up into the Palace yard for a Guard to the Parliament It was now high time for
Lambert to look about him and not being idle thought it best to play his part while he had power and therefore he on the 13 of October with the other discharged Officers drew a part of the Armie into Kings street and possess themselvs of all the avenues to the House and the Speaker Lenthal going thither at his usual time in his coach was stop'd and after some expostulations was forced to return And thus their sitting was prevented Both parties of the souldiers kept their stations most part of the day and every minute it was expected they would have engaged whilst the amazed inhabitants dreaded the issue But Lambert having effected what he intended procured an Order from the Council of State then sitting at Whitehall for all to draw off to their quarters which was accordingly done and so this periculous adventure of a second time unnesting these Rumpers was finished Thus you see some more bold touches of Arbitrariness Usurpation and Tyranny in this second though short Reign of these Rumpers who sate only from the 7th of May to the 13th of October in which time they discovered themselves to be the same Covetous and Rapacious Tyrants they were before in all their Actions and had they time would have appeared to have been as bloody for they were preparing to bring the late Delinquents as they called those ingaged in Sir George Booths Rising to a Tryal and they had got Lists of most of the persons Nobility and Gentry throughout England that were engaged in it whose Estates were to be confiscated and sold and out of whose Estaâ—es they promised to satisfie the Soldiers and to gratifie themselves which was always the chief thing aimed at but being thus interrupted as you have heard they in haste marched off the Stage And now again the Kingdom is without any kind of Civil-Government for the Usurpation was divolved on a few Oâ—ficers who whilst they Reigned Ruled by the boundless Arbitrary Power of the Sword which confused Authority that lasted not long we may call the fourth Act of this our Tragical Usurpation upon the free-born Englishmen Yet still under the notion of Liberty The next day after the turning forth of the Rumpers divers of the Chief Officers of the Army meet at White-Hall where the Soldiers soon grow Friends only Collonel Morley was turned out of Commission for standing so stifly against the Walling fordians and now for the management of the Government and the Affairs of the Common-wealth reduced to an Anarchy they chose ten persons till further Order which were Fleetwood Lambert Desborow Whitlock Sir Henry Vain Sir James Harington Major Salway Berry Sydenham and Archibald Johnston a Scotchman known commonly by the Title of the Laird Warriston The Officers now Lords Parramount meet the same day at Wallingford-House where they give to themselves what they could not obtain from the Juncto by their Addresses a General to their own mind Fleetwood whom they nominate Commander in Chief and Order Lambert to be next and Desborow Commissary General of the Horse and that all the other Officers in the Army should be constituted by Sir Henry Vain Fleetwood Desborow Ludlow and Berry and took care for the drawing up Articles of War for the good Government and Discipline of the Army Barrow they dispatch into Ireland with Reasons for what they had done and Cobbet on the like Errand was sent to Scotland where he was committed to Custody For noble General Monk whose Study to repare his Countries Breaches was as great as Lambert's to oppress it only waited for a fit opportunity and judged this to be a most convenient time to bestir himself in so honourable a Cause and whom the Officers of the Army in England had neglected to put into their Council of State believing he would as he had hitherto still submit to the Change of the Government and by his stopping of the Packets they had not heard as yet how he had forbid the getting of Subscriptions in his Army as they had done in England and Ireland Though his Design then was the bringing in the King and the restoring the three oppressed and enslaved Nations from the Arbitrary Rule of Tyrannical Usurpers of the scum of the people and also from the power of the Sword and Arbitrary Sway of the Army yet he was very close in all his Carriage and few were acquainted with the thoughts of his Heart but taking this opportunity to oppose the strongest Power the Army he seems averse to their doings and appears wholly concerned for the Rump or Parliament so called and therefore that their Emissary might not corrupt or do any hurt among his Soldiers he secures him and by Letters signifies his dislike of the Armies proceedings in England tells them of their violation of Faith to the Parliament and declared his Resolution of endeavouring to restore them to their Powers this arrived to them on the 28th of October in the Evening which put them to much Confusion Fleetwood Desborow and Lambert meet about it and about midnight send for Clarges to expostulate with him about it who was wary and could say little to it however they order him with one Col. Talbot to repare presently to Monk that they might prevail with him for a Treaty to prevent effusion of blood of which Clarges was glad being desirous to get out of their power fearing a worse treatment In the mean time the Council of Officers meet at Whitehall in order to Setlement as they called it and of frameing a Government that should be lasting and against all attempts whatsoever but having found most of the Gentry of England to be one way or other involved for the King's Int'rest they were projecting to seize all their Estates and to divide them among their own Party and so to put the riches of the nation into the hands of persons irreconcileable to Monarchy and then to have set up Harrington's model of a Common Wealth or ruled themselvs by the sword or thought of some other way they knew not what This advise if followed had been very fatal and might have laid such a foundation of slavery never to have been subverted But God had otherwise designed on the 16 of the same month October the Wallingfâ—rdians choose a Committee of Safety as they termed it consisting of 23 persons who were Fleetwood Lambert Desborow Whitlock lately made keeper of their great Seal Steel Chanceller of Ireland Sir Hen. Vain Ludlow Sydenham Salaway Strickland Berry Lawrence Sir Jo. Harrington the Laird Warreston Alderman Ireton Fichbourn Col. Hewson Cleark Bennet Lilburn Thomson Cornelius Holland and Henry Brandriff These without any President in any Age or History were impowred by the armie Officers to call Delinquents to account and to bring them to Justice to give Indemnity to all that had acted for the Common Wealth since the year 1649. to oppose and suppress all Insurrections to treat with forreign States and Princes To raise the Militia in the several Counties
to dispose of all places of Trust and to make Sales and Compositions of all Delinquents Lands and to execute all the powers of the late Council of State that is to do what they please Surely never any free Nation was so abused and imposed upon by a company of false pretenders to Sanctity The news of General Monks actions in the North allarm'd them at their first siting for he had casheired all those Officers in his Armie who would not joyn with him and imprisoned some of them and had seized Berwick and several others strong Holds and was likely to march into England which put them to their wits ends knowing how highly the people were incensed against them and about the same time as a presage of their dying power Brad shaw who had passed the trayterous Sentence upon the King departed this life the last day of this month to receive sentence himself from the King of Kings However this Committee with a new name put forth a Declaration in with they null and make voyd the pretended Orders Acts and Declarations of the late Junto made on the 10th of that instant October and on the Teusday and Wensday following and likewise all Acts Orders and Proceedings thereupon in as full and ample manner as if they had never been See now what may not these people do when they can null and make void the Acts of that power themselvs adored set up and submitted to not long before calling them Saints Godly Upright and Religious men persons fearing God and seeking the good of the Nation yet now vacate their Acts that were displeasing to them or restrained their power Yet the same men declare a liberty to all the freeborn men of the Nation whom they had thus enslaved and with the next breath promise to maintain a painfull Gospel-preaching Ministry to be incouraged by some other way less troublesome than that of Tithes Then they declare against a single person Kingship and House of Peers and that the Common Wealth shall not be governed in a Military way but by the Civil Government of the Committee of Safety who shal prepare such a Form of Government as shall best suit with a free State or Common Wealth then end with a long cant of godly and scriptural expressions of their sincerity and uprightness to Cajole the godly Party and to make them think well of their Saint like Actions This done in order to Government in the begining of November the Safety men nominate Fleetwood Lambert Vane Ludlow Desborow Hewson Holland Salaway and Tichburn to be a Committee to prepare a form of Governenmt in the way of a free State or Common Wealth and Whaly Goff Carill and Barker are dispatched to General Monk to seduce him to joyn with them and to do as they intended to tyrannize over a free born people and arbitrarily to murder them for the avoiding of effusion of blood and the Officers at London wrote to his Officers to the same purpose remonstrateing with much zeal how necessary brotherly Union was to uphold their Domination General Monk who had good Intelligence from England seeing the Northern forces were in a posture to resist him and Lambert comeing down to them with more Regiments out of the South thought it his best way to win time by procrastinations and therefore desires a Treaty which was readily accepted of by those in England and upon this he sends up as Commissioners Col. Wilks Leiut Col. Clobery and Major Knight to tranfact with the like number of Officers at London These had power only to treat but not to come to full agreement without orders but they exceeded their Commission By the way meeting Lambert at York they gave him so full satisfaction in hopes of concluding all things amicably by this Treaty that he advanced no farther northwards The Commissioners on both sides meet at London and Wilks not following his directions went beyond his Commission and being overforward to end the Treaty concluded upon certain Articles very distructive to Monks designs They were breifly these 1. That the pretended title of Charles Stewart or any other clameing from that family should be utterly renounced 2. That the Government of these Nations should be a free State or Common Wealth and not be a single Person King of House of Lords 3. That the Ministry should be mainteined and encouraged 4. That the Universities should be reformed and countenanced 5. That the Officers and souldiers and other persons on either side should be indemnified for things past and all unkindness between them buried in perpetual oblivion 6. That the Officers which were made pris'ners in Scotland should be forthwith set at liberty 7. That the Armies be presently dispersed into quarters 9. And a Committee of 19 whereof to make the Quorum should meet about qualifications for suceeding Parliaments 9. That the proportion of mony out of the Assessments of England formerly appointed for the supply of the forces in Scotland be duly paid The ratification of which Articles by Monk's Commissioners strangely amazed the City who had had private assurances from the General of other things and made them not to believe some later letters sent them to continue their Hopes but flung them away at fictitions and caused the messenger to be imprisoned Monk was also as much perplex'd when he had the news of it and when his Commissioners returned imprisoned Wilks for going beyond his Commission and by advice from his Officers demurred to one clause in the 6 Article which was That all the Officers displaced by General Monk might be in a capacity of being restored to their commands and all those put in by him in their places to be removed by which means he should ruine and disarm himself And therefore The treaty was not wholy disaprov'd of but wisely Monk desired that two more might be added to the former Commissioners to meet with the like number of theirs to put a more absolute period to their differences for that there were certain poynts to be treated on not yet agreed to and others wanted explanation This letter subscribed by Monk and many of his Chief Officers and sent to London put Fleetwood Lambert and the rest to much confusion seing Monk thus refuse to ratifie the Treaty and thereupon many expostulatory Letters passed between them which gained time the thing Monk intended he having sent letters and messengers into Ireland from whom he had favourable returns which encouraged him to proceed And this also put new life into the City who now began to revive their Hopes He also had privatly letters from the Lord Fairsax and other persons of quality in England of their resolutions of standing by him tho' upon all this he still kept himself reserv'd and very few knew his intenâ—ions which made many of his friends very doubtfull of him but by this artifice and closeness he effected his business and got into the opinion of the Rumpers whose quarrel only he seemed to espouse And
least obnoxions of them endeavoured to save themselvs and to be instrumental in his Majesties Restauration among whom were Sir Anthony Ashly Cooper St John Ingoldsly Morley and others But the Oath was this I doe hereby swear That I doe renounce the pretended title of Charles Stewart and the whole line of King James and of every other person as a single person pretending or which shall pretend to the Crown or Government of these nations of England Scotland and Ireland or any of them and the dominious and territories belonging to them or any of them And that I will by the grace and assistance of almighty God be true faithfull and constant to the Parliament and Common Wealth and will oppose the bringing in or setting up any single person or House of Lords and every of them in this Common Wealth A third part at least of their Council of State refused this Oath saying it was a snare and a confining of Providence and so were not permitted to sit The secluded Members would not yet give over their Right of sitting and tho they knew and had declared that the Parliament was legally dissolved by the Death of the late King yet they upon the resitting of the Rumpers require admission whereupon it was again resolved that they did stand duely discharged from their sitting as members of that Parliament and that writs should be immediatly issâ—ed out for the electing of new members in their places Thus they are still provideing to perpetuate themselves And then falling to their old trade of divideing the spoyle and to let them see how much they were offended they order the Estates of Sr Georg Booth a secluded member and all his adherents to be forthwith sould General Monk who kept a correspondence in Ireland received the news that his friends had surprized Dublin Castle and that most of all Ireland had declared for him and the Parliament to sit again but he was surprized at the actual siting again of the Rump having other designs in his head than their restauration and therefore thinks it now high time to march tho' in the midst of winter and great snow yet on the 2 of January he begins to set forward resolving for London In the mean time the Junto knowing that both City and Country were highly exasperated who would not be satisfied with any thing but the restorâ—ing the old members or a free Parliament and having also had experience of the Armies stubbornness and aptness to mutiny therefore to provide for their own Safety which was very dear to them they make Morley Lieutenant of the Tower and ordered a letter of thanks to be sent to General Monk which was accordingly done and which the General received being upon this march and caused it to be read to his souldiers at the head of their Regiments whilst they stood up to the knees in snow This letter was but cold comfort and they feared lest it should have hind'red their march for the souldiers long'd to be at London and the Messenger told Monk that Lambert's forces were dispers'd and all things quiet yet the General would not understand him but continued his march Southwards for he said he would see them setled and take care no more force should be put upon them and by a messenger of his own sent them a letter much to the same purpose with a return of thanks for the honour they did him and of professions of fidelity to them and that they being in an unsetled condition he thought it best to see them setled c. with several other things which he recommended to them both as to the soulderie and the people The General had left Major General Morgan behind in Scotland with sufficient force to keep that nation in quiet who were now in great expectation of the issue of Monks march into England All the way as he march'd he was highly caressed by the Gentry and addressed by the Counties for a free Parliament to whom he was very reserv'd tho' civil so that many scruples and doubts a rose concerning him some suspecting him a Royalist others a Rumper and others believing he intended to set up himself in Olivers place The Citty likewise sent their Swordbearer to complement him and to offer him their service and then by 3 Commissioners requesting the same thing the readmission of the secluded members without any previous Oath or a free Parliament either of which they knew would bring in the King tho' they durst not yet speak out Monk observ'd all and tho' inwardly glad he knew one error might spoyle all therefore he still kept his mind to himself and answer'd them that he would see the Parliament freed from all force and the House filled and good provision made for future Parliaments But the Rumpers who had also received the like declarations from the Country doubting what those caresses might produce sent two of their subtlest members Scot and Luke Robinson in shew to wait upon Monk but in effect to watch and observe him and to give them an account of all his actions for their Jealousie of him dayly increased The General came to St. Albans upon the 28 th of January and there made an hault sending from thence a letter to the Junto which he had framed before-hand as Nottingam in which he desired to have his quarters assigned him according to the list he had sent ready drawn in his letter and that thoses forces that were now there might draw forth and march to severall Quarters far enough a sunder as he had also by his list inclosed appoynted or desired telling them he did it upon mature consideration of the present posture of their affairs that those places he had assigned to them who were to march out might be secured for them he having intelligence of their distemper'd condition and that he presumed with submission that it would not be for their service that those souldiers then in London lately in Rebellion against them should mingle with those of his approved faithfull Regiments till they should by their new Officers put over them be reduced to a more assured obedience to them Colonel Merley's and Colonel Fagg's Regiments were excepted he having an assurance of them This letter was sent by Colonel Lydeot who was allyed to the Speaker This letter caused a violent dispute which lasted from 8 in the morning till 12 at noon the result of which was That the Parliament did agree with the distributions of the souldiers according to the Lists and that the Souldiers be forth with distributed accordingly The General was not a little glad to hear of this for by this he did his business and it was of great consequence as to his design in thus getting the sole possession of London and Westminster into his power Fleetwoods armie marched out of London having a months pay assigned them but this did not satisfie nor keep them from grumbling and some of them mutined at Somerste-house but at last were
the one for an Assessment the other for the Militia and past some Acts concerning Ministers Lastly they consult about dissolving themselves to which the Rump party were very unwilling and therefore many of them intended to be absent when that business should be debated because they would not give their consent But the others smelling their design watched a convenient time and issuing out writs in the name of the Keepers of the Liberties c. for a full and free Parliament to convene on the 25th of April following saveing to the House of Lords their Rights notwithstanding the Commons in this Juncture had been necessitated to proceed without them They upon Friday the 16th of March 1659 when the greatest number of the Rumpers were present dissolve themselves by Act. Thus was an undenyable Period put to this Tragical long Parliament by their own Vote tho' it was legally ipso facto dissolved before by the Death of King Charles the 1st whose writs had summoned them together But before they dissolved themselves they settled a new Council of State to govern in the intervall of the Parliaments and abrogated the Oath of Abjuration and the â—ormer Council The chief of these were General George Monk General Mountague Mr. Annesly President the Lord Fairfax Sir William Waller Mr. Hollis Pierpoint Rossiter Saint-Johns Widdrington Sir Anthony Ashly-Cooper and others to the number of thirty in all who behaved themselves with much circumspection setting forth a Proclamation against all disturbers of the Peace either in Action or Speech and tendring an Engagement for peaceable demeanor to be subscribed by such as they suspected which Lambert refusing was committed to the Tower disarming the Phanaticks every where they purged the Army of Schismatical Officers and Soldiers taking care of the Garisons Overton a Fifth-Monarchy-Man was removed out of his Government of Hull and Collonel Charles Fairfax was placed in his Room Collonel Rich made some stir about St. Edmunds-bury but Collonel Rich. Ingoldsby quieted his Soldiers and seised him and thereupon was restored to that Regiment from whose Command the Wallingfordians had put him by when they degraded young Cromwell Thus ended the Arbitrary and Tyranical Usurpation of the Rumpers by the great providence of God and the good Genius of Englands means in raising up the Great and Renowned Monk to be a Saviour to his Nation and to reduce the Monarchy to its legal antient and happy state again and that the torrent of violence and Arbitrary Tyrany that had so variously over-run and spoiled the Land might be lost and sunk into the Earth whence it sprung and the Stream of Government bounded by Laws and ancient Customs might again run in its right Course and ancient Channel from whence it had been diverted And now I should conclude having fully finished my Draught or Picture of Arbitrary and Tyranical Government which I have taken from the Life being the true History and Resemblance of the Monster now so much feared and which no Man that is a lover of the Peace of this Nation and that hath his Sence and Reason can behold with out Horror and Indignation and resolve in himself tâ— suffer much rather than to run the hazard of raising up this Ghost to the raine of three Kingdoms and the Lives and Estates of so many persons as must be devoured for dayly food to maintain the Life of such a Monster the remembrance of which moved by the sight of this very Picture of it is enough to affright I shall therefore only as the last touches to this piece shew you as it were the last struggle or gasp for Life of the overthrown Monster and so finish my Design and that in few words Lambert whether by neglect or Treachery of his Keepers is not known escapes out of the Tower and soon after appears in Arms with a party of his Cashired Officers and Soldiers once more to embroil the Nation but he was proclaimed Traitor and the whole Nation beginning to hope for a setled Peace were unanimously bent to aid the General if need were against him He had chosen Edg-Hill near Keinton in Warwick-shire for the place of his Rendezvouz hopeing it would prove as Ominous to the Royal Interest as it had done before and in all probability there would have been a great Conflâ—ence of all sorts of Sectaries to him in a short space and he was not without hope that if the old Soldiers were sent against him many of them would turn to him but he was eagerly pursued by some parties of Horse and Foot and Collonel Charles Howard had almost overtaken him but it was Collonel Ingoldsby's good hap to light upon him near Daventry in Northampton-shire where Lambert was surprized with a strange Consternation and durst not engage tho he was nothing inferior in numbers to the others which his followers observing some of them went over to his pursuers others slunk away and himself taken by Colonel Ingoldsby the 22d of April 1660. and with Collonel Cobbet Major Creod and Captain Hazâ—erig son to Sir Arthur was sent up to London and two days after passing by Hide-Park he saw 20000 Horse and Foot of the City Regiments and Auxiliaries there Training with divers of the Nobility and Gentry of the Nation trailing Pikes voluntarily among them and the same day he was committed to the Tower This ended â—owards the setling of the Peace of the Nation His Excellency had wrought his Officers to declare they would with him acquiesce in the Resolves of the Parliament appointed to meet the 25th of April 1660. who accordingly met the Lords and Peers in the upper-house taking their places by virtue of their Birth-right who soon according to the whole Nations expectations and Prayers restored his Maâ—esty to his Right his Crown and Dignity the Nobility to their ancient Birthrights and Priviledges the People to their property freedom and liberties and the Laws to their ancient course and boundaries the three Kingdoms rejoycing and a long Peace quietness and tranquillity succeeding which yet is grateful to the memory of all Loyal and good Subjects therefore however of late our old Jealousies and fears are increased by our secret Adversaries yet let all people remember what hath past and by viewing this Picture of the most horrid and devouring Dragon called Arbitrary and Tyrannical Vsurpation let them abhor it and beware of falling under the same power and into the same snare by any specious or colourable Pretence whatsoever and continually pray that the Peace of the Nation may be continued with the Life of his most Gracious Majesty whom the King of Kings preserve both in the Throne and in the Hearts of his people Amen Vpon the late STORME and of the DEATH of his HIGNNESS ensuing the same by Mr. Waller WE must resign Heaven his great Soul do's claime In stormes as loud as His Immortall Fame His dying groanes his last Breath shakes our Isle And trees uncut fall for His Funerall Pile About his
Palace their broad roots are tost Into the air So Romulus was lost New Rome in such a Tempest mis't her King And from Obeying fell to Worshiping On Oeta's top thus Hercules lay dead With ruin'd Okes and Pines about him spread Those his last fury from the Mountain rent Our dying Hero from the Continent Ravish'd whole Towns and Forts from Spaniards rest As his last Legacy to Brittain left The Ocean which so long our hopes confin'd Could give no limits to His vaster mind Our Bounds inlargment was his latest toyle Nor hath he left us Prisoners to our Isle Under the Tropick is our language spoke And part of Flanders hath receiv'd our yoke From Civil Broyles he did us disingage Found nobler objects for our Martial rage And with wise Conduct to his Country show'd Their ancient way of conquering abroad Ungratefull then if we no Tears allow To Him that gave us Peace and Empire too Princes that fear'd him grieve concern'd to see No pitch of glory from the Grave is free Nature her self took notice of His death And sighing swelâ—'d the Sea wiâ—h such a breath That to remotest shores her Billowes rol'd Thâ— approching Fate of their great Ruler told Vpon the late STORME translated out of Mr. Waller's fine Piece of FLATTERY THen take him Devil Hell his Soul doth claime In Stormes as Loud as his King-murthring Fame His cheating Groans and Teares has shak'd this Isle Cleft Brittains Oakes for Brittains funerall Pile Now at his Exit Trees uncut are tost Into the Ayr So Faustus once was lost Rome mist her first so London her last King Both kill'd then wept and fell to worshiping We in a Storme of wind our Nimrod lost King'd him then Sainted him then cursâ—d his Ghost In Oeta's flames thus Hercules lay dead In Worcesters flames he on his raving Bed He some scraggâ—d Oakes and Pines from Mountains rent This stole two brave Isles from the Continent Ravishâ—d whole Towns and that his Spanish Theft As a curs'd Legacy to Brittain left The Seas with which our hopes God had confin'd The Devil made too narrow for his mind Our Bounds enlargement was his greatest toyle He made our Prison greater than our Isle Under the Line our enslav'd crys are spoke And we and Dunkirek draw but in one Yoke From broyles he made he best could dis-engage From his own head diverts our purchas'd rage And by fine State-art to his Country show'd How to be Slaves at home and Theeves abroad Confederate Usurpers quake to see The Grave not under th' power of Tyranny Nature shrunk up at this great Monster 's death And swell'd the Seas with much affrighted breath Then to the Bounder'd Shore her Billowes roll'd Th' approching fate of Europes troubles told ENGLAND Still freshly lamenting the Loss of her KING with several of her Dearest CHILDREN which have been beheaded hanged and shot by O. CROMWEL and the Long-Parliament In a Brief Collection of the remarkable Passages that have happened to this Land from the year 1640 to the year 1660. IN sixteen hundred thirty nine we then Did think and say we were unhappy men Because that we in many years before Had not a Parliament nay I 'le say more We then did murmur and we did complain Of many pressures we did them sustain Ship-mony then a burden was unto us O Lord these taxes we cry'd will unto us This coat and conduct mony is unlawfull Lord sent a Parliament to make us joyfull Shall we be made such slaves unto the will Of such a King that seeks out lives to kill And our estates will take away by force Yea our Religion which of all is worse A Parliament Lord send us was the song Of rich and poor the old and eke the young Well God did hear us and into the heart Of our late King did put it to his smart To call a Parliament as I remember For to begin the third day of November Which is now nineteen years ago compleat And doth sit still with grief we may repeat Then presently the Taxes down were voted Which were so great as I before have noted Star-chamber then and high Commission Court Were then put down t is true what I report Then did the King grant unto them to sit In Parliament so long as they thought fit And then for a Triennial Parliament An Act was made mistakes for to prevent Then joyfull were we this same news to hear Rung Bells made Bonfires as it did appear But now behold consider and look back And see how we have been put to the wrack For first a hundred thousand pound was rais'd To give the Scots at which we were amaz'd For their good service done some time before This recompence they had then for their lore Besides in sixteen hundred forty six Just twice as much the Parliament did fix And give unto them ' cause they should deliver The King unto them the like I think was never Thus was the King by our dear Brother sold For no less mony than before was told Likewise an hundred thousand pound scarce less Was raisd the Irish Rebells to suppress And after that above three thousand pound Was raisd for Souldiers which was quickly found And listed were to fight against the King What think you now was 't not a goodly thing The fifty subsidies were raisd beside Pole mony also which men did deride And other Sums of money freely given Tot set out Ships for Coals they were so risen Then did they order every one to bring His Plate to Guild-Hall to the very Ring Bodkin and Thimble brought to maintain the cause All which was done and that with great applause And those that would this order not obey The twentieth part of his Estate must pay Such was the greedy Appetite of those Who seem'd our Friends but I think were our Foes Besides all these yet see how great vast sums From every Hall and Corporation comes And other places which if I should name 'T would add no glory to them nor good fame Then was there not a far more worse device Laid on our Backs a thing call'd the Excise For we Excise did pay for meat and drink And all things else that they upon could think Besides at Brainford when there was a fight We sent the Souldiers with such great delight Cart-loads of victuals with great store of Cloaths With Shirts Shoos Hats and many a pair of Hose And mony too by some was freely given By those who thought thereby for to gain Heaven All which was done as they said with intent To bring the King unto his Parliament And make him glorious and a happy King This was the cry though they meant no such thing Likewise in sixteen hundrrd forty three The Parliament did order there should be The worth in mony of a good meals meat For every one that was i' th house did eat For half a year together it was paid Oh was not this a very gallant traid Likewise in sixteen
old Trade of Debauchery always fighting and in Quarrels tho with Pedlars Tinkers and such like Fellows skillful in handling the Quarter-Staff so that none could over-match him This kind of life he led till he had spent his Patrimony and almost ruined his Mother hated by the Country for his many Villanies committed especially by his Uncle and God-father Sr. Oliver who could not endure to have him named At last beginning to perceive his ruin he feigned a Conversion went to Church among the orthodox Divines and so far insinuated himself with them that they deal with his Mothers Uncle Sr. Robert Stewart a Gentleman of a Competent Estate in the Country to take him into Favour and to declare him his Heir and who dying soon after left him an Estate of five hundred pound a year which quickly mouldred away he having left of it not above forty or fifty Pounds a year He then falls in with the Non-conformist Ministers entertains them at his House has Lectures and exercises himself in Preaching and Praying about which time he marries the Daughter of Sr. James Boucher her name Elizabeth and Kins-woman to Mr. Hambden of Buckinghamshire and turns Farmer for five years with ill success but still continuing his Preaching and Praying was so much follow'd by the Faction that they by a wile got him to be chosen a Burgess for Cambridge in the Parliament of 1640. when he was at his last Gasp and thinking to have Transplanted himself to New England and raised Mony for that purpose which enabled him to stand a Candidate for Parliament man And now joyning with Hambden Pym and the rest of them he began to blow up the Coals of Sedition and to be noted amongst them tutored by them till he grew quickly able to out-Wit them in their own Pernicious designs But now having spent the utmost farthing of his Estate and run in Debt he was priviledged from Arrests by being a Member of Parliament and now he betakes him into the Army where he was a Captain under Essex and where he became so Active and busie that he soon advanc'd himself to be Lieutenant General to the Earl of Manchester I crave Pardon of the Reader for this Digression for I intend not to write his Life but what I have related may let you see what this great Man was ab origine and therefore I shall say no more of his Actions in the Army they being sufficiently known in Story and how gradually he came to his Command of General in the Army part of which as far as came within my Province that I have undertook appears by the aforegoing Discourse whereby it is plainly manifested by what Methods he attained his Greatness and Usurpation I could say no less of this their Ring-Leader who deserves a more particular Character being so Notorious throughout Christendom and Famous for his Actions and Usurpation I shall not be so prolix in the rest but only name them to you They say his Family descended from a branch of that Cromwell in Henry the 8 th dayes who ruined the Abbies and was fatal to the Popish Clergy as this was to the Protestant Episcopacy and that the Lineal descent was from one Williams of Glamorgan-shire who marrying the Daughter of that Cromwell took on him the Name and transfer'd it to his Posterity but the direct Line of that Cromwell is continued in the Lord Cromwell and Earl of Arglass in Ireland This our Oliver was a man as you have found by what I have related of him of many Vices of deep Dissimulation and Hypocrisie and tho no great Schollar of great improved Parts of a strong robust Constitution and naturally Martial of deep reach and a great Politician after he had Conversed with Ireton his Son-in-Law who taught him his Art He had some Spice of Generosity in him which he shewed on some Occasions whether it was in his Nature or Designedly is to be doubted But for his Courage and Resolution and skill in Martial Discipline that is not to be questioned and tho I cannot think he really embraced any Religion as his particular Judgment yet he embraced all that he found subservient to his Ends as may be perceived by his Actings and Intreagues with the Presbyterians and Independants and all the other Sectaries which were all alike to him and no doubt Episcopacy it self would have been as pleasing to his Conscience could he have Established his Usurpation by it It was not therefore his Love of Vertue or Religion that made him thrust out all Vice from his Army but that he knew it would naturally ruin it and that a strict Discipline and the Face of some Religion would preserve it so that he never permitted among his Souldiers Swearing Drunkenness Profaneness Murther Rapine or Uncleanness but punishing them Severely his Camp was like a well regulated Common-wealth and had he not been a Rebel and employed his Parts to so wicked an end as the Destruction of his King and Country for the setting up himself he might have passed among the Worthies of this Nation and lawfully have become eminent in his Generation He had two Sons Richard and Henry besides one that dyed young and four Daughters one married to Ireton afterwards to Fleetwood one to the Lord Fawkenbridge one to Mr. Cleypool which he much lov'd and was his second Daughter and one to the Lord of Warwicks Grand-child Mr. Rich which was his youngest Cromwell as well as the rest had a share in the Spoil before he came to grasp all into the Paws of his Protector-ship to which we have brought him but we now consider him as a Rumper and by an Ordinance of that Parliament was conferred on him out of the Marquess of Worcester's Estate 2500. pounds a year a good Competency tho some say the said Lands so settled upon him at their improved Vallue were worth to him five Thousand if not six Thousand pounds a year besides four or five pound a day coming in as Lieutenant General and Collonel of Horse in the Army Ireton the Scribe as some called him being excellent at drawing Declarations Petitions and such like things to serve his politick Ends was a man of a deep Reach of much Dispatch of very dexterous and able Parts he was Cromwell's right Hand and was a great Contriver of his greatest Designs and Stratagems He was a Common-wealth's man of the truest Stamp and it is thought had he lived Cromwell had not assumed that Power to himself which he had helpt him to mount to by destroying the Government which Advantage Cromwell after his death laid hold on He married Cromwell's eldest Daughter and tho poor before the Wars liv'd very splendidly kept his rich Coach gilt that cost two hundred pounds and four gallant Horses He lick'd his Fingers with the rest and had he liv'd no doubt had got more he died at Limrick in Ireland of the Plague being Deputy there and was brought over into England and by the Junto buried
in great Pomp. William Lenthal the Speaker of this House of Commons had at one time given him by this House six thousand pounds for his good services besides as Speaker he got two thousand pounds per annum and as Master of the Rolls three thousand pounds per annum more besides Sales of Offices And then he was for some time Chamberlain of Chester Chancellor of the Dutchy of Lancaster worth to him one thousand two hundred and thirty pounds per annum and one of the Commissioners of the Great Seal worth fifteen hundred pounds per annum Buestrode Whitlock Commissioner of the Great Seal worth to him fifteen hundred pounds per annum and had two thousand pounds given him out of Mr. Minn's Estate Edmond Prideaux once a Commissioner of the great Seal worth to him fifteen hundred pounds a year Then by order of the Junto afterwards he was permitted to practise within the Bar as the King's Council worth to him five hundred pounds per annum was also Post-Master General worth to him a hundred pounds ever Wednesday night and his Supper the Earl of Warwick had the benefit of foreign Letters which was worth to him five thousand pounds per annum Oliver S. Johns Solicitor to the King afterwards made Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas and was one of their Embassadors to Holland he had the passing of all Pardons upon Commissions worth to him forty thousand pounds he was called The Dark-Lanthorn-Man a knowing Man in the Laws and had the wit to keep out of danger being against the putting the King to death but a great Privado of Oliver's to whom he preferred his man Thurlo who was his Secretary when he went Ambassador and became afterwards Oliver's Secretaty of State he died at Utrecht in Holland since the King came in being favourably looked upon by his Majesty and honored for his parts Roger Hill a Barrester of the Temple of no Practice and little Estate till this Parliament had from the House the Bishop of Winchester's Mannor of Taunton-Dean worth twelve hundred pounds a year after the lives were out Humphry Sulway had given him the King's Remembrancer's Place worth two hundred pounds per annum Francis Rous was made Provost of Eaton worth six hundred pounds per annum and had a Colledge Lease worth six hundred pounds per annum more John Lilse a Barrester of the Temple was made Master of S. Crosses a place for a Divine worth eight hundred pounds per annum and afterwards one of the Commissioners of the Great Seal He was one of the King's Judges and stabb'd beyond Seas since his Majesties Restoration Sir William Allison an Alderman of York made Clerk of the Hamper worth a thousand pounds per annum and given to him Crab-Castle worth six hundred pounds per annum more belonging to the Archbishop of York Thomas Hoyle another Alderman of York was made Treasurer-Remembrancer in the Exchequer worth twelve hundred pounds per annum Tho. Pury first a Weaver in Glocester then a Country Solicitor had given him three thousand pounds and a place in the petty-Bag Office worth four hundred pounds per annum Tho. Purey the younger Son to the former was made Receiver of the King's Rents in Glocester and Wilts and ClerK of the Peace of Glocestershire worth two hundred pounds per annum and Captain of Foot and Horse who at the beginning of the Parliament was a Servant to an Attorney of Staple-Inn William Ellis made Steward of Stepney worth two hundred pounds per annum Miles Corbet at the bâ—ginning of the Parliament much in debt made one of the Registers of the Chancery worth seven hundred pounds per annum besides Chair-man for Scandalous Ministers worth a thousand pounds per annum one of the King's Judges and afterwards advanced to be a Judge in Ireland executed at Tyburn since the King came in John Goodwin made a Register of Chancery worth seven hundred pounds per annum Sir Tho. Widdrington a Commissioner of the Great Seal worth fifteen hundred pounds per annum Edward Bish made Garter-Herald in the place of Sir Ed. Walker worth six hundred pounds per annum Walter Strickland Agent in Holland for the two Houses of Parliament worth to him five thousand pounds Nicholas Love made one of the six Clerks of the Chancery worth two thousand pounds per annum Sir Gilbert Gerard was Pay-master to the Army had three pence per pound allowance worth sixty thousand pounds and Chancellor of the Dutchy worth five hundred pounds per annum John Selden had given him five thousand pounds John Bond Son of Dennis Bond made Master of Trinity-Hall in Cambridge Sir Benjamin Rudiard given him five thousand pounds Lucas Hodges made Customer of Bristol Sir John Hipsly given him two thousand pounds in money and made Keeper of three of the King's Parks Maribone Hampton and Bushy Parks Sir Tho. Walsingham had the Honor of Elsham To Benjamin Valentine given five Thousand pounds To Sir Henry Heyman 5000 l. Denzil Hollis 5000 l. Nat. Bacon 3000 l. John Stevens out of the Lord Astley's Composition 1000 l. Henry Smith made one of the six Clerks worth 2000 l. per annum Robert Reynolds given him 2000 l. besides Abbington-Hall and Lands worth 400 l. per annum Sir John Clotworthy was made Treasurer for Ireland John Ash given him out of Mr. Coventry's Composition 4000 l. out of Sir Edward Moseley's 1000 l. out of Mr. Phillips's 1200 l. out of Sir John Stowells 8000 l. and Chair-man at Goldssmiths-Hall John Lenthal Son to the Speaker made one of the six Clarks worth 2000 l. per annum Francis Allin once a Gold-smith made Customer for London Giles Green Chair-man for the Navy Francis Peirpoint had the Lands of the Arch-Bishop of York lying in Nottinghamshire William Peirpoint had 7000 l. given him and the Earl of Kingston's personal Estate worth 40000 l. John Palmer made Master of All-Souls in Oxford in Dr. Sheldon's place a Divine John Blackstone a Shop-keeper in New-Castle returned a Burgess and had 3000 l. given him out of one Gentlemans estate and out of others as much as made up 12000 l. a Colemeters place worth 200 l. per annum and the Bishop of Durham's Castle at Durham and Lands to great value Tho. Ceyley long a Prisoner for Debt made Recorder of Bridgwater To Mr. Scawen given 2000 l. Isaack Penington once Lord Major of London had 7000 l. given him and purchased good store of Bishops Lands Samuel Vassell 1000 l. given him Sir Will. Brereton had the Arch-Bishops Lands and House at Croydon Ed. Harvey a Silk man made a Collonel and had the Bishop of London's House and Mannor of Fulham Rich. Sulway a Grocer made a Collonel Joh. Ven a Collonel Governor of Windsor had 4000 l given him Phillip Skippon Serjeant Major General of the Army Major General of London and Governour of Bristol had 1000 l. per annum Lands of Inheritance given him Tho. Westrow had the Bishop of
General Monk whom he had a desire to send further from him But before this last Fight the Parliament called by Cromwell under his Hand and Seal directed to each man such as he picked out godly men as he calleâ— them fit for his turn about One hundred and forty-two of them in all assembled at White-Hall on the Fourth of July where they chose one Mr. Rous a Cornish man Speaker one that had been by the laâ—e Parliament made Provost of Eaton Cromwell in a set Speech declares to them the occasion of their Meeting with his old way of Canting full of Scripture To these men a company of obscure fellows most of them 〈◊〉 Phanaticks the Council of State surrender 〈◊〉 their Power that they might afterwards give it to Cromwell These Adjourn themselves to Westminster where they sit and call themselves the supreme Authority of the Nation and begin to form Committies for the dispatch of Business But this Parliament called Barebones Parliament from a Leatherseller a Member thereof and consisting as I have said of such obscure Persons that most of them were hardly known in the Counties where they were born began to make such ridiculous Acts and so displeasing to the people that some thought Cromwell had called together this little Parliament to bring Parliaments into contempt the better to devolve the Ruling Power on himself as a Monarch One of their Acts was that none should be married without a Justice of Peace and the Banes asked in the Market-place three several Market-daies Thus the Priesthood was invaded and placed in the Civil Magistrate Then they took off the Penal Law of the Engagement to acknowledge the late Rump whereby it was ordered that no man should be admitted to sue in Law in any Court that had not taken it They voted against Tythes and the Universities as Antichristian They also were going in hand with cancelling the Law and all Law Books and so make a new Code more besitting their own turns and for the establishing of the Saints as they called themselves They were also upon making an Act that one Parliament should upon their dissolving have power to call another and so to make Parliaments perpetual This was not to be endured by the Oliverian Party who expected now to solace themselves under the shadow of his greatness And on the twelfth of December this Party in the House with the Speaker made a Motion for their dissolution declaring that their sitting any longer would not be for the good of the Nation Many of the Committee Blades hardly warm in their seats were startled at it these began to stand up stifly pleading for the Cause of God as they called it and shewing they could not leave the Commonwealth and the People of God committed to their charge so soon which would leave them to utter ruine and Harison and Squib a great Sequestrator were very zealous in defence of their own Authority But Oliver's Party being the greater arose and with their Speaker Rous left the House and the Fifth-monarchy Saints sitting in it who having sought God resolved to continue sitting Rous in the mean time with the Mace before him and his Followers go to Whitehall and there resign to Oliver the Instrument of Power he had given them that made them a Parliament with notice how they had left their fellows sitting Oliver returns them his thanks and kindly receives their Present and presently dispatches a Confident of his Colonel White with a Guard of Red-coates to turn the fag end or Rump of this little Parliament out of the House who entring the House commanded them in the name of the General to depart declaring them to be dissolved but they told him they were upon earnest business and therefore desired that he would not disturb them for they were seeking God to which he replied pish is that all 't is to no purpose for God has not been within these walls this twelve years and so fairly compelled them to go out of the House and to seek God somewhere else About four days after the Officers of the Army had prepared an Instrument of Government on which foundation they erected their new Dominion in a single Person entreating their General to accept of the Government under the Title of Protector of the Commonwealth of England Scotland and Ireland and thus a Rotation is made from a Republick to a single Person and Arbitrary Tyranny not the Monarchy is restored and instead of the many Tyrants one as boundless is constituted by a Military Power Good man with his usual dissimulation and Hypocrisie he refused it with much seeming modesty what he so long had sought and ambitioned but being pressed and by being made sensible of the great necessity of it for the upholding the Nation he at last accepts it and is installed with great pomp in Westminster Hall attended by the Lords Commissioners of the great Seal all the Judges in their Robes the Serjeants and learned Counsellors at Law the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Recorder of London in their Scarlets and all the chief Officers of the Army Being seated in a great Chair of State and the Instrument read unto him this Oath was administred I promise in the presence of God not to violate or infringe the Matters and things contained in the Instrument but to observe and cause the same to be observed and in all things to the best of my understanding govern the Nation according to the Laws Statutes and Customes thereof and to seek their peace and to cause Justice and Law to be equally administred But how well he kept this Oath you may perceive by the sequell of his Reign Having taken this Oath putting on his Hat the Commissioners surrender into his Hand the great Seal and the Lord Mayor the City Sword and Cap of maintenance which he respectively returned to them again and then returned in the same pomp to Whitehall The chief Heads of this Instrument as they called it of Government were First That a Parliament should be called every three years Second That the first should assemble the third of September 1654. Third That no Parliament should be dissolved till they had sate five Months Fourth That such Bills as should be offered to the Protector by the Parliament if he assented not in twenty dayes should be Laws without him Fifth That his Council should not exceed the number of twenty one nor be less than thirteeâ— Sixth That immediately after the death of the present and succeeding Protectors the Council shall choose another Protector before they rise Seventh That no Protector after the present should be General of the Army Eighth That the Protector should have power to make War or Peace This they denyed to the King Ninth That in the Intervals of Parliaments the Protector and his Council may make some Laws that should be binding to the Subject Here is a prerogative granted beyond any of the Kings of England Tenth That in the Parliament should be
four hundred English thirty Scotch and thirty Irish The summons for the Parliament to pass under the Great Seal to the Sheriffs of the Counties and Elections to be made more equally than formerly If the Protector deny to issue out Writs at the time appointed then the Commissioners of the Great Seal to doe it without him under the pain of High Treason No Royalist Irish Rebel or Papist to be elected and if they were they were to forfeit two years Revenue and three parts of their Goods None to be elected but such as feared God and none were capable to elect that were not worth two hundred pound A Revenue to be raised for the constant maintenance of ten thousand Horse and fifteen thousand Foot and the Navy not to be lessened All forfeited Lands unsold to belong to the Protector All Places of Trust to be in his disposal All Laws in favour of Episcopacy and Popery to be abrogated and besides them a tolleration to be granted And presently upon this he puts forth a Proclamation declaring the dissolution of the Parliament and his being made Lord Protector of the three Nations commanding and strictly charging all Persons of what quality or condition soever and to take notice thereof and to conform and submit themselves to the Government so established And that all Sheriffs Mayors Bayliffs c. are required to publish this Proclamation to the end none may have cause to pretend ignorance in this behalf Now he begins to shew his Authority The Presbyterians were rather tollerated than countenanced yet some few of them that would comply and fawne on his Greatness he shew'd some favour to though he boasted he had brought under the Pride and Arrogancy of that Sect The Independents and Anabaptists were more in his favour being then of most command in the Army and most ready to support his Usurpation yet the Fifth-monarchy Men who had helpt to raise him he could not endure and therefore he imprisoned Feak and Rogers in Windsor Castle where he kept them for a long while Then he set Feak's Party and Kiffins the Anabaptist one in his favour together by the ears and raised equal divisions between the Presbyterians and the independents as a ballance the better to secure himself These Tryumphs of Oliver so disgusted Harison that he turn'd Preacher or Railer openly against him and his Government All the old Commonwealths Men were discountenanced as Vain Hazelrig Bradshaw Scot and others so that he was at this time to strengthen himself with the Sectaries whom he courted His first Council were Colonel Mountague Lambert Viscount Lisle Desborow made one of the Generals at Sea Sir Gilbert Pickering Sir Anthony Ashly Cooper Sir Ch. Woolsley Major General Skippon Strickland Sydenham Philip Jones Rous the late Speaker Colonel Lawrence and Rich. Major The first thing this Protector did was that he clapt up a sudden and dishonourable Peace with the Dutch who were brought so low that it was thought they could never have been able to have set out another Fleet though they had made Opdam Admiral in the place of Van Trump and therefore they send over Newport Youngstal Bevering and Vander Perre Ambassadors to his Highness with whom he made peace they owning the Right that the English had of the Sovereignty of these Seas and acknowledging it by striking their Flag the restitution of the English Ships taken by the Danes and some compensation for the charges of the War Thus he prospers Spain Portugal and France courting him by their Ambassadors His Son Henry he sends into Ireland with Fleetwood Lieutenant and some time after made him Lieutenant of that Kingdom where he lived in great splendor Lieutenant General Monk he sends into Scotland to preserve that Nation in obedience Whitlock he sends Ambassador to Sweden who concluded a League with that Queen Then Maynard Twisden Nudigate and Windham were made Serjeants A private Article also in the Dutch Peace was that the Prince of Orange should never be restored to his Dignities Offices and Charge his Ancestors had enjoy'd On the eighth of February being Ashwednesday of all dayes of the year the Protector is feasted in great state by the Lord Mayor at Grocers Hall the Streets being railed from Temple Bar thither the Liveries and Gownmen and several Companies standing waiting on him Alderman Viner being Lord Mayor who bore the Sword bare-headed before him At his return about Saint Clements Church a Brickbat was flung at him which light upon his Coach but did no hurt except affrighting him Search was made after him who did it but he could not be found And now as usually Tyrants doe he began to entertain fears and jealousies of all persons especially the Royal Party and therefore to affright them and secure himself he will coment his Throne with their blood And by cunning trepanning Agents he had formed a Plot against his Life and several persons were laid hold on and accused for a design of murthering him This was one of the Machivilean Policies of him and his Secretary Thurlo by whose means he drew in several Gentlemen as if they were to have assassinated him though no such thing was really intended they disavowing it at their deaths One of which was Colonel John Gerard brother to Sir Gilbert Gerard who was also imprisoned in the Tower about it and his Brother Mr. Charles Gerard a very young man one Mr. Vowel a School-master and one Fox These men being taken and examined about it much adoe was made and some were suborned to swear against them but Cromwell contrary to the Oath in his Instrument durst not try them by a legal way but set up the Arbitrary Court of Justice which the Junto had been condemned for of this Court Lisle was made president a man fit for the work for die some of them must out of a politick Terror Mr. Charles Gerard upon promise of life confesses the fact out of fear and accuses his Brother and Fox doth the like who are both pardoned but Colon. John Gerard and Mr. Vowel were condemned and a blind man brought in evidence against Mr. Vowel being only words casually in discourse concerning the coming in of the King which they had so aggravated and perverted that at the tryal upon their recital the blind man utterly denied them to be his which gave a great trouble to the Court till at last though the innocency of the Prisoner appeared and the juggle amongst them Lisle told them that the blind man had been tamper'd with and that though he now denied his evidence yet his former examinations should stand and so according to this most excellent Arbitrary Law against the mind of the Witness the Court proceeded to sentence and Vowel was condemned and hanged at Chairing-Cross much pitied and lamented and a Ladder not being able to be procured they were forced to mount him on a Joynt-stool and hang him after that fashion where he dyed with much innocency and resolution on the 10