brunt of the day lying upon the Forces of Fairfax and Manchester and indeed it may well be reputed a sharp engagement seeing all the Generalls on both sides left the Field not knowing the success In which dayes Exercise Col Cromwel then Manchesters Lieutenant Generall did eminently merit the praise of a prudent and valiant Leader Not to derogate from those many others in whose places respectively they valiantly and faithfully discharged their duties But by the way give me leave to mention a passage that hapned soon after that engagement during the second siege of York as I may call it The success of that battaile and daily expectation of the surrender of York then despairing of relief put the Army upon great expectation of a sudain alteration of affaires either by a totall conquest or speedy and effectuall treaty whereupon the Earl of Manchester and L G Cromwell discoursing concerning the regulating the exorbitancy of the Nobility L Generall Cromwell hastily replyed that it would never be well with England so long as the Title of a Lord remained by which it might have been judged that such a principle of ambition as afterward manifested it self had not lodged in his brest But we see all is not Gold that glisters opportunity makes theeves and therefore it is not safe to trust the most specious pretences if it may be avoided for fear of the like danger But as the Parliament gained in the North they lost in the West the different Commands creating different interests so that the work was not like to prosper unless there was a new model upon which the Gentleman last mentioned being a Member of the house and having gained to himself a considerable party upon the repute he had of honesty and gallantry He then seeming and I really believe at that time was a great lover of and encourager of godlinesse I say having gradually increased his interest and yet being unwilling it should appeare too considerable his design being not probably ripe for execution a self-denying ordinance was introduced I will not say by whom although the consequences thereof may and do speak handsomely to that purpopse For that being passed both Essex Manchester Waller and all the Members of Parliament whether Lords or Commons were out of Command and himself too So that as to the face of things no man could judge of any design in him more then the publick good But things remaining in this posture a Generall must be thought on and accordingly Sir Thomas Fairfax a Gentleman of unquestionable integrity and full fraught with gallantry but a person of a passive Spirit as to Councells was made Generall and the Forces put under his Conduct who no sooner was upon a march and drawing nigh to a possibility of engagement but he directs a letter to the Parliament therein desiring that Lieutenant Generall Cromwell might be sent to his assistance upon which the house by a resolve impower him thereto for I never yet heard of any other Commission upon this he repaires to the Army and in the quality of Lieutenant Generall manages the affaires and steeres the Councells thereof upon whom he had a mighty influence as having been the instrument of many of their advancements so that in effect what ever success attended that Army the Major part of the honour returned to the Lieutenant Generall besides the advantage by increase of interest and disposing of Commands he countenancing and discountenancing whom he pleased according as they were instruments fit to be imployed in his then growing designes I shall wave the various occurrences of the War and look forward till we find the War ended and the King delivered by the Scots for a summe much exceeding the salary of Judas where remaining under an honourable restraint at Holmby Commissioners were sent to treat with him upon an accommodation fit for the King to grant and the Parliament to require but as heretofore that treaty was rendred also successeless the reason thereof is not very obvious yet if the probable conjectures of some that in other things have not been mistaken may be believed the Kings obstinacy in that treaty had its rise from some encouragement given him of the division of the Army then set on foot by a party that called themselves Presbyterian at least seemed such on pretence of the relief of Ireland whereas in truth there was nothing less in design then to divide the Army and to draw off pretensively for Ireland such a party as they knew would joyne with them in their design against them they called Independents and to disband the rest and to bring in the King meerly upon the settlement of a Presbyterian interest which though I cannot but judge some of them godly men yet so far as they are rigidly acted upon that principle of coercive power over mens Consciences I think it would be madness to impower them by a Law who have a zeal but not according to knowledge and are led by a hot-braine party some whereof are Ministers who could not indure the exercise of that power in the Episcopall Clergy over themselves but cryed it down as Antichristian yet are ready to contest unto fire and fagot for the exercise of it over their brethren every way as learned pious laborious and faithfull as themselves though probably not so covetous as to have two or three Livings and Lectures But this by the way The treaty was dissolved and the Army refused to disband or be divided untill they had their Arreares secured and saw the ends proposed by the Parliament as the fruit of all that blood and treasure that had been exhausted in the War in some measure answered to the people of which they were a part as Englishmen as well as Souldiers The flame being thus kindled by the hot-spurres of the house Holis Prinne and the rest Major Generall Skippon and others more moderate must be imployed to quench the fire and in the meane time a new design is set on foot to remove the King from Holmby to some place of security and then in his name to declare against the Army and their abettors in the house and by that means to bring all the fury of the wearied people of the Nation upon the Souldiery that had been in the hand of God instruments of that peace they then injoyed and had it not been wisely foreseen and prevented the consequence thereof had been much worse to severall thousands of the godly people of this Nation then either the Bishops persecution or former War I confess I must call the work good though not the manner of it nor event to remove the King out of the hands of a party that intended to monopolize his power to the ruine of their brethren I think was not only fit but of absolute necessity But to deny the giving the Command and to call God publickly to witness a lye as did the L. G. in Parliament as I have been informed I look upon it if
unaccountable save onely to God In pursuance whereof the treaty was dissolved the King removed and soon after the Heads of the said faction that had so often attempted upon the Parliament as to breach of Priviledge endeavour to divide the Army under-hand contrivances as to occasion the late insurrections of which severall of them might have been convict if the more weighty affaires of the Nation then on foot had not constrained the Parliament to wave their prosecution and remain satisfyed in that the Clogs that made their Chariot wheels go heavy were removed As to the results touching throwing down Kingship as dangerous and chargeable Peereship as uselesse and for the tryall of the King the Records of Parliament being extant I shall omit to treat any further thereon onely I shall adde this and submit it Whether seeing on all hands it is granted that the King before he could do any regall act did solemnly swear to rule according to the establisht Law and to grant such Lawes as the people should choose whether I say the Parliament that were the most proper judges on that behalf had not power by Law to call him to account for the breach of the said oath especially seeing the breach of the said oath is without all manner of question And whereas it is alleadged by those who cannot deny the former that although the King may be accountable to a Parliament as the proper judges of Law and the breaches of it yet it ought to be legall and free As touching these objections they shall be in due time answered to the satisfaction of all those that are not wilfully blind But I must proceed with my narrative The King being tryed and Executed whether by direction of Parliament or to gratify a particular design concerns not me to dispute however the waters that had been troubled grew smooth and calm and the Parliament began to cure those sores that our many yeares troubles had occasioned In particular many publick debts were satisfyed contracted upon the publick faith in the beginning of the War and increased by new securities in the progress thereof In short affaires were so managed by the prudent conduct of Councells that not onely Ireland whither O. C. was sent Generall was in a competent measure reduced but also the forraign Trade enlivened and the most probable grounds of a sure peace laid that outward appearances could warrantize and from impartiall judgements it must be allowed that England could never have been so unhappy as to have run these risgoes of change hazard had not the aforesaid parties Councells and actings been the principall designers and instruments therein but as their malice is implacable so their endeavours are diligent and without intermission as the product whereof the Scotch were encouraged to a treaty at Breda with the Eldest Son of the late King since Crowned King of Scots it being from old experience known that they never durst attempt any thing of late times against this Nation without encouragement by yea and silver contributions too from Engl. they being a people principald to gain who ever lose and to make their design faster they made sure of the Lord Fairfax who as was said before was a Gentleman exceeding passive in Counsels though otherwise valiant and active it becomes not me to dispute the reasons of his dissatisfaction in some cases what ever is not of faith is sin let it now suffice he refused to engage against the Scots and thereby put the Parliament to the necessity and sending for O. C. then Generall in Ireland who had much adoe to order his affaires there so as to come timely to receive the power of Generall notwithstanding many letters sent him on that behalf But Providence ordered that the Parliaments Idol should be their Scourge otherwise probably as able as honest I am sure as faithfull and lesse dangerous might have had the Conduct of that affaire and left him to the enjoyment of one that by that means would not be contented with three But he loved to be Courted that when time offered he might twit the Parliament with their necessity and his service Into Scotland he marches and to give him his due he under-went many hard-ships besides a dangerous fit of sicknesse from which if God had been pleased in mercy to deliver him by death I believe he had not been guilty of that perjury blood and apostacy that afterward he contracted Being recovered and the after-game though not at Irish to be plaid in England he having a man to enter followed hard after and entred in season hit the blot at Worâ—ester and came off Victor returned to Westminster entered the quarters of the Court viz. the Cock-pit where he plaid the game so cunningly that wanting enemies abroad he Conquered his Masters at home and brought such an unparallel'd force upon the Parliament as never any King of England though invested with a legall and Regall authority durst attempt and for the doing thereof in point of justification pleaded necessity alleadging that they designed to perpetuate their power whereas if I be not informed amisse when dissolved they were passing the act for successive Representatives and had dissolved themselves and given a period to that Law for their continuance within very few dayes afterwards But such a dissolution could not suit with his Aimes had they dissolved orderly the power in the intervall would have been legally in the Councill of State and a necessity could not have been set on foot to call a Convention of I believe honest men but of interests and opinions as various as the colours in Josephs Coate and as unlikely to cement in order to security service or settlement as tissue and broad cloath which constantly fret and weare out one another But the success of that convention was suitable to the designe of their calling for though during their sitting they did nothing of any considerable moment yet at their rise a party of them gave the power into the hands of the Generall who under colour thereof took upon himself the Title of Lord Protector but exercised the power of a Tyrant all his Ordinances imposed on the people being the meer products of his will and formed upon the great plea of necessity by him created Should I ennumerate the manifold advantages that England did receive by his Government I fear this incredulous generation would not believe it or at least would be distasted thereat I shall therefore onely mention some few for publick satisfaction First that honorable and advantageous peace made with Holland Secondly that glorious War made with Spain Enlands fast friend in all the late Troubles by which the Trade of England is more detrimented then by all the Wars we have had since 1638. Thirdly that gallant Expedition to Santa Domingo whither was sent a considerable Army upon two accounts as is believed the one to rid himself of some discontented Officers which he feared would obstruct his second design of Kingship
the other if the design took to render himself able by the expected Treasure to maintain a Mercenary Army to subject the people to his arbitrary Commands which he judged the more facile in respect of the pretended ease he gave them in abatement of Taxes which he did not so much out of affection to the people but to contract debts and impose the payment thereof upon his pretended Parliaments thereby giving the people not onely an occasion of Complaint but also by degrees eating out their affections to Parliaments and rendring the onely means of their restauration to freedome burthensome if not irkesome and insupportable But because his great expectation in the Indies proved but a golden dreame to save his credit the Spanish War must be prosecuted in Flanders and in order thereto a peace is made with the French an Army is formed and transported under the Conduct of Sir John Reynolds a new Knight made by the Protector some say as a reward for his Apostacy from and treachery to the Levellers at Burford of which if he were guilâ—y the hand of Providence if not Justice met with him and his Comrade in their return from Flanders where they were buried in the Sea without triumph or teares other then their own their losse being concealed as long as possible till the trumpet of Fame proclaimed the certainty thereof maugre all opopsition I shall not take upon me to give any reason why the success of this Army should be different from the former although if their principles be compared it may give some little light thereto let it suffice that their uninterrupted success gained him much credit and rendred him very considerable abroad though not much loved at home his whole life being accompanied with plots and conspiracies some whereof were reall although others t is feared of his own contriving But to proceed Fourthly his frequent Imprisonment of the Gentry and others many whereof he had no other cause of exception against then that they were faithfull to their principles and so could not comply with his ends and therefore as to be feared so to be secured and that not onely for months but yeares to the ruine of themselves and Families Fifthly his frequent mockeries of the people in calling and dissolving Parliaments allowing them a face of freedom in point of election but afterwards winnowing the Wheat from the Chaff leaving few or none to sit but such whose interest or principles engaged them to imploy their wits in the advancement of his Aimes they being but the journey-men to do the work that was cut out by his Cabinet Junto and as long as they acted in order to that end they had good words and were feasted but if they ran Counter then old Harry with his dagger I mean Oliver would clap his hand upon his Sword or breast and not onely threaten but dissolve them of the truth whereof we had severall examples I need not mention that great juggle of the Act for Kingship and his cunning denyall of the Title which was the onely thing he gaped for because he saw some eminent persons in his Army which though neerly related did abominate his Apostacy although by secret threats and ingratiating promises he did endeavour to allure them to a compliance with the actings of Parliament with whom it is believed he was really angry because they accepted his answer whereas he expected that they should have both passed and imposed that Title upon him and enabled him to plead necessity as he did in assuming the Protectorship But I fear if I should mention any more of his good acts I should either tire or offend the Reader and therefore I shall leave him to the obloquy that is due to a Tyrant and Usurper and proceed to the short Reign of his successor who was a Gentleman that had very few other faults but that he was his Son and so unhappily became heire to the fruits of his Fathers Rapines and Oppression Under whose Government the difference may easily be discerned betwixt the Father and the Son the first Governing the Councell the second being governed by the Councell One Parliament was by him called and not without necessity for not onely his Right in point of his Fathers nomination to the Protectorship was litigious and doubtfull but also the engagements under which he groned left upon him by his Father by reason of the Arreares of the Army and Navy and other publick debts amounting to some millions engaged him to that course notwithstanding which such was the good husbandry that as it is said many thousands of pounds were spent in a payment-like funerall and in mourning bestowed on them that were able enough to buy it them selves and had reason to do it as having gotten by his Life and were like to be losers by his Death How the interests in that Convention for I call them Parliaments for form-sake not because I judge them legall their proceeds being but as of yesterday and so fresh in memory I shall forbear to examine onely by the consequences you may discerne the composition for by the conjunction of the Cavalier royall Presbyter and new Courtier the Common-wealths party notwithstanding they had almost all the wit and reason of the house on their sides yet when it came to the Vote right or wrong it was carryed against them and such Councells set on foot in order to the heightning the pretended but not intended Court and oppressing the good people under the notion of Anabaptists and Sectaries Quakers and the like all men that were opposers of that interest being charged with some capitall Character of distinction thereby to render them marks of obloquy or subjects of terrour and discouragement And in this being strengthened with an assurance of the Concessions of the Protector they were heightned to that confidence that contrary to all reason or former president they took upon them to impose upon the Army by denying them the liberty of meeting together to consult their affaires either as Englishmen or Souldiers although but to Petition the peoples right whereto hath been so publickly asserted and contested for by former Parliaments To mention these things amongst others then in design the effect whereof we have now seen although then under Covert gave the Army just cause not onely to consider the Consequences of those Councells with the dangers accrewing but also to look back to their former actings Councells and engagements and in order to the prevention of impending troubles which if the Parliament then sitting were continued would not onely be nourished but receive Countenance to the introduction of Monarchy and ruine of all such as had been the opposers thereof and not onely so but a gap must have been opened to a bloody persecution of many thousands of the good people of Engl. under the notion of Anabaptists Seekers Quakers and the like many whereof though differing in judgement are faithfull to God and serviceable to the nation I say
true as the first rivolet that began to let in a deluge of miseries upon himself and family But the King was removed and the camp metamorphosed into a Court some of the then principall Commanders learning to flatter sooner then they could to fight How the King was courted as to the giving of honours thereby endeavouring to render the advancement of four or five General Officers the price of the blood and treasure spent in the War severall papers printed and published by some that were nick-named Levellers and confirmed with the losse of their bloods as sure testimonies may sufficiently evidence and for my part I do really believe when the King lay at Causham and was afterward upon his publick and solemn engagement not to do any thing that might tend to the disturbance of the Peace besides his private promises to Whalley and others that the Commanding part of the Army did really intend his re-establishment otherwise it would not have been pressed with such Candor and Zeal by their addresses to the Parliament neither would they having Petitioned the Parliament not to Command them to bring the King nearer London notwithstanding bring him to Hampton Court and permit the Scots Commissioners to have free access whereby the King became lyable to the breach of his engagement by giving Commission to Hamilton to invade and also thereby gave birth to all those following insurrections of Surrey Kent c. set on foot by the royall Presbyterian sticklers on purpose to give time by busying the Army for Hamilton to fall into the Association which if effected the consequences thereof may be easily judged I need not mention the dispute between the parties about the Militia of London nor the issue thereof since it produced no good on their part that contrived it But the flight of some and imprisonment of others and the positive owning of that party of Parliament that were opposers of that interest Onely it will be worthy consideration what method was then observed by O. C. who then managed all the affaires of the Army in effect and had as hazardous a game to play between the Insurrecters Levellers as ever came to hand For the case thus stood the King by whose restauration he expected the old honour challenged by the Cromwells as was then suggested and upon whose account he had exasperated his truest friends had left him in the midst of a divided Army fired with discontents all ready to fall on him a considerable part of the Parliament then sitting being disobliged and angry as having some jealousies that he designed his own greatness to oppose the fury of a potent Nation backt with the power of a rich and prevalent party in the Kingdom besides the reliques of Royalty that the Sun-beames of his complacency and countenance had also warmed and enlivened to give him new trouble Seeing himself thus ensnared if by the most reall discovery of his sorrow and shame for his aberation and wandering he could unite a considerable part of the Army to stand fixt and disband or Casheere the wilfull yet they must divide into the severall parts of the Nation where the appearance of enemies required their service Leave the King to the charge and care of the Parliament he dare not and to carry him with him in his Marches both troublesome and dangerous therefore first the discontents of those called Levellers must be heightned on purpose to give occasion of telling an officious but false lie to the King to incite fear viz. that the Levellers intended his death by some sudden attempt by which bait and the treachery of some of his own confidents he was dril'd unto the Isle of Wight whither Colonell Hammond was sent to receive him yet all this while the Parliament were kept in Ignorance and must be it being not ripe for discovery till the issue of Ware-Rendezvouz was seen and then just in the nick as if the product of providence newes of the Kings being taken is promulged with much joy when he was never loose but trapan'd as they call a snare faster then ever Having thus secured the King the next work is to quiet the Rebells before the Scots could be ready to invade but the work proving of greater difficulty and length then was imagined had not the goodness of God assisting Major Generall Lambert in his Conduct beyond expectation retarded their march It had been impossible for the Forces out of Wales to have joyned or been in a condition to Fight them much less give them such a totall overthrow as the successe of that day did manifest After the rout of Hamilton and reducing of Colchester we are at leisure to consult future safety and in order to that both parties are at work the Royall pretended Presbyter whose interest depends principally upon the King They press on a treaty and the other as they had reason find no ground to trust him that had broke such a solemn engagement and put the Nation to so much hazard besides the expence of Blood and Treasure which at that juncture of time was a great aggravation so that now the scale is turned and that party that formerly thought nothing the King offered satisfactory are now willing to receive any thing And the other party that formerly were willing to depend upon the Kings personall engagement will not now trust his oath though ratifyed by a Law as knowing that Princes acted by policy judge no obligation of force that thwart's their designed power or advantage In the pursuance of these ends both parties act the Royall Presbyters are at the old trade of Petitions and engagements abroad thereby to give countenance to their proceedings in Parliament and being prevalent in the house Vote not onely a treaty in the Isle of Wight but also without much adoe as if the matter were concluded by instruction Vote the Kings concessions satisfactory when if what was offered at Uxbridge upon those Propositions and at Holmby by the King personally were considered it wil appeare that there was more reason for the acceptance of peace then then now the case being much altered but it is evident it was not their affection but the necessity of their interest that drew them to this change of opinion The other party had no reason if they could avoid it to suffer these proceeds the ratification whereof must needs concenter in their ruines The consideration whereof made then not onely to consider the carriage of affaires by the King who had left no meanes unattempted to destrey the Parliament and inslave the people and that in opposition to that designe the people being acted by them as their Trustees had hazarded their Lives and spent their Bloods and Estates that therefore unless they would bring all the Blood that had been shed upon their own heads they ought in judgement and Conscience at least by a publick tryall of the King to assert the publick justice of the Nation in opposition to that principle of being