your Lordship or your Officers Judges I therefore desire to know from your Lordship what kind of Prisoner I am and whose If a Prisoner of peace neither your Lordship nor your Officers are any Justices of peace or Civill Magistrates in this place to restrain me for any civill crime were I guilty of it much less without proof or hearing in case I were no Member but being neither guilty nor accused of any such crime and a Member too no Magistrate can nor ought to imprison me upon any pretext at least without the Houses licence first obtained If a Prisoner of Warre which I cannot probably be being never in Arms and apprehended neer the Commons House door going peaceably and unarmed thither to discharge my duty then you and your Officers thereby acknowledge That you have levied Warre against the Parliament and its Members and what capital offence this is and what a punishment it deserves I need not inform your Lordship or your Councell who have for this very crime condemned and shot some to death as Traytours and demanded speedy justice and execution for it upon the King himself I have but one thing more to trouble your Lordship with and that is to demand whose Prisoner I am having yet seen no Warrant nor Order from your self or your Officers for my restraint though I have oft demanded it of your Marshall If your Lordships Prisoner there appearing yet no legall Authority cause or Warrant for my restraint I must then crave so much justice from your Lordship being but a Subject and not yet paramount all Laws to order your Attourney to give an Appearance for you in the Kings bench the first return of the next Tearm to an action of false Imprisonment for this my unjust restraint which I intend by Gods assistance effectually to prosecute If your Officers Prisoner onely and not yours which I conceive who yet abuse your name and authority herein though it be a rule in Law and Divinity too Qui non prohibet malum quod potest jubet yet I shall be so just as to set the saddle upon the right horse and commence my action onely against such of your Officers who have been most active in my Imprisonment for damage and reparations which if there be any justice remaining under Heaven I doubt not but I shall recover in Gods due time in this publick cause which so highly concerns the honour freedom and Priviledges of Parliament and Subjects Liberties for defence and maintenance whereof as I have hitherto spent my strength adventured my life body liberty and estate so shall I now again engage them all and all the friends and interests I have in heaven and earth rather then they shall suffer the least diminution prejudice or eclipse by my stupid patience under this unjust captivity though I can as willingly forgive and put up private injuries when the publike is not concerned as any man All which I thought meet to inform your Lordship of whom I am heartily sorry to see so much dishonoured abuâ—ed and misled by rash ill-advised Officers and dangerous destructive and I dare say Jesuitical Councels to the Parliaments dissipation the Kingdoms prejudice Irelands loss most good mens and Ministers grief your best Friends astonishment your Enemies and the Papists triumph our Religions scandal and your own dishonour which I beseech you as an Englishman a Christian a Professor of piety and Religion a Souldier a General to lay sadly to your heart as the earnest request of From my Prison at the Sign of the Kings Head in the Strand 3. Jan. 1648. Your Lordships faithful Friend and Monitor William Pryn. * An Additional Postscript VVE reade Luke 3.14 that when the Souldiers demanded of John Baptist saying and What shall we do he said unto them Do violence to no man or put no man in fears neither accuse any falsly and be content with your allowance not imprison depose or murther Kings pull down Parliaments imprison violently shut out and drive away Parliament men and then lay all false accusations and scandals upon them to colour your violence subvert Kingdoms alter States break all bonds of Laws Oaths Covenants Obligations Engagements to God and Men usurp all Civil Military and Ecclesiastical power and the Kings Royal Palaces into your own hands as supreme Lords and Kings raise what new forces and levie what new Taxes you please take up what Free-quarters and Houses seize and plunder what publike Treasuries monies you please without Commission or Authority obey neither God nor Man neither Parliament nor Magistrate and be content with nothing but alter and subvert all things These are Saint Peters new doctrines and Revelations to our Officers and Souldiers now those Jesuits who lurk amongst them not John the Baptist whose Canonicall advice is now rejected as Apocryphall even among the Army Saints who preferre every ignis fatuus though from Doway or Râ—me it self before this burning and shining old light and are guided onely by a new minted law of pretended providence or necessity of their own forging and not by the revealed will and law of God the sacred light whereof their present works of darkness dare not approach lest they should be reproved and condemned by them But some 43. Actions of false imprisonment by the imprisoned and 150. Actions of the Case by the secluded Members brought against these domineering lawless Officers and Grandees of the Army wherein good Damages will be recovered and some 12. Indictm of High Treason against them for laying violent hands upon the Kings Person and the Members and leavying War against the Parliament will teach them more obedience humility and modesty then either John Baptist Saint Paul Saint Peter or Saint Peters will do and be like Gideon thorns and briers of discipline to these men of Succoth with whom no fair means will prevail who might have learned so much law and justice from a Heathen Souldier and Governour Festus Acts 25.27 It seemeth unto me unreasonable to send much more to commit a Prisoner and not withall to signifie the crimes laid against him and come short of that ingenuity of the heathenish chief Captain who seized upon Paul thereby to appease the Tumult at Hierusalem Acts 22.27 29. who as soon as ever Paul told him he was a Roman Free-born then straight way they departed from him who should have examined him and the chief Captain also was affraid after he knew that he was a Roman and because he had bound him And should not false imprisoning of a Parliament-man Free-born English-man be as formidable to our chief Captains being a Christian I say sworn and vowed to defend the Houses Priviledges and Members Persons as the Imprisonment of a Roman was to this chief Captain and they as ingenious and just as he who shall rise up in judgement against them and condemn them at the last I shall close up all with this observation That as the most glorious Angels in Heaven when
Humane shewing Him to be more then Conquerour of His Enemies in His rare Christian patience and charity the very reading of it aggravateth our loss of so Gracious and excellent a Prince that had learned the whole method of humane perfection in the schoole of adversity Herod and his Jews never persecuted Christ in his swadling-clouts with more industrious malice then the Antimonarchicall Independent Faction this Book in the Presses and shops that should bring it forth into the world knowing that as the remembrance of Heaven strikes a horror into us of Hell So the contemplation of his virtues will teach us to abhorre their vices March 8. 1648. 129. The form of Writs for Elections changed The Commons assented to a new Form of a Writ for election of Knights and Burgesses for the Parliament But three dayes before it was reported to the House from the Councell of State what number of Horse and Foot they thought fit to be kept up for the service of England and Ireland 130. A new establishment for the Army reported to the House from our new Masters the Councell of State and the Monthly charge which estimated come to 160000 l. per mensem You see we are likely to finde these our new Lords such gracious Masters to us that as the second part of Englands new Chains saith We shall have Taxes though we have neither Trade nor Bread In the Earle of Essex time when the Warre was at the highest the Monthly Tax came but to 54000 l. a Month yet had we then seven or eight Brigades besides his Army and Garrisons but that the Faction of Saints may carry on the work of a thorow Reformation in our purses as well as they have done in the Church and Common-wealth they first raised the Tax to 60000 l. a Month for England besides 20000 l. a Month pretended for Ireland but I believe little of it slips through their sanctified fingers to go thither And now to shew they can use double dealing against the Ungodly they would double the summ from 80000 l. to 160000 l. a Month this is to break our hearts with property and make them take what impressions of slavery they please to set upon them this Conventicle of State will engross all the Coyn and Treasure of the Land into their own hands and then subdue us therewith and make us like slavish Aegyptians sell our selves and our Lands for Bread or money to buy Bread when that inseparable companion of a long warre Famine approcheth which their barbarous and illegall Sequestrations unstocking mens Farms and laying them wast will inevitably bring upon us they have more hope to subdue and lessen the number of their Opposites by famine and want then by the Sword in order to which they have destroyed the Trade of the City and undone multitudes of Trades-men who being disabled to pay their Taxes the Army cause all their Arrears to be leavied upon the City by a new Tax upon the rest of the Inhabitants and the Outlandlords and when Cromwell was told this would undo the City He answered It was no matter the more were undone the more would clap Swords to their sides and come into the Army you see Souldiery is intended to be the chief Trade 131. An Act for Abolishing the Kingly Office c. March 17. 1648. The empty House of Commons in farther prosecution of their said Design and to please their Masters of the Army passed printed and published in the form and style of a Statute this Paper following intituled An Act for the Abolishing the Kingly Office in England WHereas Charles Stuart late King of England Ireland and the Territories and Dominions thereunto belonging hath by Authority derived from Parliament Since by the Law the Crown cures al defects how can the King's bloud be attainted been and is hereby declared to be justly condemned adjudged to die and put to death for many treasons murthers and other hainous offences committed by him by which Judgement he stood and is hereby declared to be attainted of High Treason whereby his Issue and Posterity and all others pretending Title under him are become uncapable of the said Crowns or of being King or Queen of the said Kingdom or Dominions or either or any of them Be it therefore Enacted and Ordained and it is Enacted We have sworn faith and Allegâ—ance to K. Charls the First His lawfull Heirs and Successors and our Vow is recorded in Heaven from which no power on earth can absolve us See the Oathes of Allegiance Obedience and Supremacy The Statute of Recognition 1. Iac. But the Commons are now Supreme as in imitation of the Pope to bring this Claus in practise Licet de jure non possumus tamen pro plenitudine potestatis nostra volumus c. Ordained and Declared by this present Parliament and by Authority thereof That all the People of England and Ireland and the Dominions and Territories thereunto belonging of what degree or condition soever are discharged of all Fealty Homage and Allegiance which is or shall be pretended to be due unto any of the Issue and Posterity of the said late King or any claiming under him and that Charles Stuart eldest Sonne and James called Duke of Yorke second Sonne and all other the Issue and Posterity of him the said late King and all and every person and persons pretending Title from by or under him are and be disabled to hold or enjoy the said Crown of England or Ireland All our Laws cut off by the non obstante of an eighth part of the House of Commons sitting under a force After almost 1000 years experience it is now found to be dangerous The English were never one half-quarter so much enslaved since William the Conquerour subdued them as they have been since Oliver the Brewer subjugated them and other the Dominions thereunto belonging or any of them or to have the Name Title Stile or Dignity of King or Queen of England and Ireland Prince of Wales or any of them or to have and enjoy the power and Dominion of the said Kingdoms and Dominions or any of them or the Honours Manors Lands Tenements possessions and Hereditaments belonging or appertaining to the said Crown of England and Ireland and other the Dominions aforesaid or to any of them or to the Principality of Wales Dutchy of Lancaster or Cornwal or any or either of them Any Law Statute Ordinance Vsage or Custome to the contrary hereof in any wise notwithstanding And whereas it is and hath been found by experience that the Office of a King in this Nation and Ireland and to have the power thereof in any single Person is unnecessary burthensome and dangerous to the liberty safety and publike interest of the people and that for the most part use hath been made of the Regal power and prerogative to oppress impoverish and enslave the Subject and that usually and naturally any one person in such power makes
truth they did For Cromwell now being very neer commands Lambert to take and secure Hopton bridge Worcester fight in the defence of which passage Massey shewed both much courage and experience though forced to retreat thence and leave the same unguarded being over-powered with Lamberts multitudes after which for a Day or two there happened diverse Skirmishes with as various fortune as is usuall at such times but Cromwell not brooking such delayes as fearing they might prove dangerous if any part of his forces should bethink themselves resolves upon one generall attempt and to find work for all hands himself falls on upon one side and Fleetwood on the other so that now ther 's nothing but rage slaughter and blood the loyall Highlanders even standing to fight when they had lost their legs not at all daunted at the severall horrid shapes-Death presented himself to them in but covering the ground with their slaughtered bodies in death made good that place which in life they undertook to defend while the increasing Enemy by his numbers rather killing then conquering their fear and guilt guiding them to exorbitances which the other valiant though dying souls were not capable of proving that maxime true that fear is farr more painfull to cowardise than death to a true courage But Actum est their end is concluded the decree is gone forth so after severall routs and rallies a generall defeat succeeds with the death of between 4000. and 5000. and about 7000. or 8000. taken prisoners the pursuite being both hotly and eagerly pursued each villain hoping to enrich himself by seizing on the Royal pray But Heaven had sent a Guardian Angell to protect him that at length he may once more come and be the restorer both of our peace Religion and Liberty I shall not mention the means were used or the Spirits which God raised up to be instrumentall in that miraculous deliverance let it suffice they have their honour and reward and bless we Cod who hath made us worthy to be partakers of the inestimable good that hath accrewed thereby invoking Heaven to crown his life with length of dayes and health and to settle his throne by a decree as unalterable as that of the Earth which cannot be moved Thus once more we see Rebellion flourish and applauded for after this the seeds of ambition begin to grow higher in Cromwell it is not enough that his faction is the strongest and he the head of it unless he may as well govern as command The military sword will not satisfie him he must and will also have the civill but as he sees it must not be done rashly or suddenly least he should miscarry so knowing that fair and softly goes farr and festinare lente is the best hast he concludes in his heart either to have all at his own book or dye in the attempt and the better to moddell his design according to his resolution he comes to the Juncto gives them account of all his transactions and so insinuates into them that he gâ—ts his Son Ireton to be made Deputy of Ireland Cromwels policy and power and intrusts Scotland into the hand of L. G. Moncke a revolted Cavalier by which two persons in a short time he so roughly handled both those said Nations that they were reduced to as perfect a slavery as could be imagined Upon consideration of these successes on all hands he begins now more publickly to unmask himself As General he places and displaces Officers in the Army at his pleasure untill he have so fitted them to his own humour that he dares begin to take them into his Councill where the first thing resolved is still to hold up the mask of religion there is no bait so catching to the vulgar religion therefore must be cried up methinks I see Cromwell like Catiline at Rome with all his crew of bankrupt and much worn Officers about him speaking to them thus Surely I need not tell you the great things the Lord hath done for us your selves are witnesses thereunto I confess our actions seem not to agree to our professions but t is no matter let People say what they will so we be still gainers let Governments totter and fall the whole World be made but one Enthusiasme or reduced into its primitive Chaos rather than we shall now loose or hold yet still the mask of zeal must be kept on that we may not appear in our naturall colours villains ab origine By these and the like words is that vicious brood soon instigated to act what his ambition dares command Now was he grown so lofty and imperious that he even growes weary of the Juncto and especially because they were at the present the main barr that hindred his greatness To remove therefore that obstacle on the twentieth of Aprill 1653. early in the morning he seazes the keys of the Parliament house Long Parliament turned out shuts up the doors and tells the Members that they must come no more there having already sate too long meriting rather punishment than applause being no other than an assembly of Whoremasters Drunkards Hypocrites Knaves and Oppressours thus was the pretence of the Parliament taken away and no face of Government visibly appearing Never was the faults of Usurpers with more bitterness laid open than now by him whom we shall shortly as transcendently to out-do them in all acts of Tyranny and Usurpation as the brightest beams of a midday sun excell the glimmering light of a midnight candle T is true as Seneca saith Nulla tam modesta est faelicitas ut malignitatis dentes vitare possit Sen. ep 3. there ever was and ever will be some murmurers at present Governours but so far were either they or he from being belyed that unless a Man do speak all that may be imagined evill he must needs fall short of their wickedness The Government being thus altered first by laying aside and murthering their lawfull Soveraign then by sifting and purging the Parliament till loosing its originall it either became as nothing or at the best but a Juncto and when it would no longer sute with Cromwells ambitious ends and soaring thoughts by turning it absolutely out of doors At last after much pretended seeking of God by dayes of humiliation Cromwell forsooth is counselled to call together an assembly of men picked out and called as fit for his design These he summons together by a Letter under his hand and seal directed to each single Man Barchones Parliament who in their way of canting admiring at the great goodness of God that had put it into the Generalls heart to select them to so great a work as the settlement of the Kingdom and to shew their skill and as an Essay of their zeal they first vote down all Tythes discourage the Ministry abuse the Universities and endeavour to abolish the law and consequently to take away all propriety By which Acts the Nation beginning to
continued in pay for safety of this Kingdom and some of them to be sent for Ireland for which purpose they borrowed 200000 l. of the City being the same sum which disbanded the Scots and for the rest of their Arrears they were to have Debenters and Security without all exceptions such terms of advantage as no other disbanded Souldiers have had the like neither are these like to attain to again so that they have brought the Souldiers into a loss as well as into a labyrinth their continuing in arms without nay against lawful Authority being a manifest act of Treason and Rebellion and so it is looked upon by the whole Kingdom nor can the Parliaments subsequent Ordinances which all men know to be extorted by force as hereafter shall appear help them To the passing of this Ordinance Cromwels Protestation in the House with his hand upon his brest In the presence of Almighty God before whom he stood that he knew the Army would disband and lay down tbeir Arms at their door whensoever they should command them conduced much this was maliciously done of Cromwel to set the Army at a greater distance with the Presbyterian Party and bring them and the Independent party neerer together he knew the Army abominated nothing more than Disbanding and returning to their old Trades and would hate the Authors thereof 8. Agitators raised by Cromw And at the same time when he made these protests in the House he had his Agitators Spirits of his and his Son Ireton's conjuring up in the Army 9. The beginning of the project to purge the Houses though since conjured down by them without requital to animate them against the major part of the House under the notion of Royalists a Malignant party and Enemies to the Army to engage them against Disbanding and going for Ireland and to make a Traiterous Comment upon the said Ordinance 10. The Army put into mutiny against the Parliament wherby Cromwell monopolizeth the Army to demand an Act of Indemnity and relie upon the advice of Judge Jenkins for the validity of it and to insist upon many oâ—her high demands some private as Souldiers some publique as States-men Cromwell having thus by mutinying the Army against the Parliament made them his own and monopolized them as he did formerly his Brew-house at Ely which he might easily do 11. Cromwel's family in the Army having before-hand filled most of the chief Officers in the Army with his own kindred allyes and friends of whose numerous family 12. Cromwel and Ireton usurp Offices in the Army Lievt Col. Lilburn gives you a list in one of his Books he now flies to the Army doubting his practises discoverd he might be imprisoned where he and Ireton assuming Offices to themselves acted without Commission having not only been ousted by the self-denying Ordinance if it be of any power against the godly but also their several Commissions being then expired and Sir Thomas Fairfax having no authority to make General Officers as appears by his Commission if he make any account of it and therefore Sprig alias Nathaniel Fines in his Legend or Romance of this Army called Anglia Rediviva sets down two Letters sent from Sir Thomas Fairfax to the Speaker William Lenthal one to desire Cromwel's continuance in the Army another of thanks for so long forbearing him from the House see Ang. Red. p. 10 11 29. which needed not had he been an Officer of the Army And now both of them bare-faced and openly joyn with the Army at Newmarket in trayterous Engagements Declarations Remonstrances and Manifesto's and Petitions penn'd by Cromwel himself were sent to some Counties to be subscribed against supposed Obstructors of justice and Invaders of the Peoples Liberties in Parliament and the Army at Newmarket and Triplo-Heath prompted to cry justice justice against them and high and treasonable demands destructive to the fundamental priviledges of Parliament were publickly insisted upon many of which for quietnesse sake and out of compassion to bleeding Ireland were granted yet these restless spirits hurried on to further designs made one impudent demand beget another and when by Letters and otherwise they had promised That if their then present demands were granted they would there stop and acquiesce yet when they seemed to have done they had not done but deluded and evaded all hopes of Peace by mis-apprehension and mis-construction of the Parliaments concessions making the mis-interpretations of one grant the generation of another demand so that almost ever since the Parliament hath nothing else to do but encounter this Hydra and roll this stone Having thus debauched the Army Securing Oxford plundring the King from Holdenby he plotted in his own Chamber the securing the Garison Magazine and Train of Artilery at Oxford and surprizing the Kings person at Holdenby which by his Instrument Coronet Joyce with a commanded party of Horse he effected and when Joyce giving Cromwel an account of that action told him He had now the King in his power well replied Cromwel I have then the Parliament in my Pocket O insolent Slave O slavish English thus to suffer your King and Parliament together with your Wives and Children Religion Laws Liberties and Properties to be Captivated by so contemptible a Varlet If our Noble Ancestors who vindicated their Liberties and got Magna Charta by the Sword shall look down from Heaven and see their Posterity so cowardly resign them to a handfull of bloody cheating Shismaticks they will not own us but take us for Russian Slaves French Peasants and cry out that we are a Bastard brood Servi natura born for bondage yet afterwards having recourse to his usual familiarity with Almighty God Cromwel used his Name to protest his ignorance and innocence in that businesse both to the King and Parliament adding an execration upon his Wife and Children to his protestation yet Joyce is so free from punishment that he is since preferred and his Arrears paid by their means and though both Houses required the Army to send his Royal Person to Richmond to be there left in the hands of the Parliaments Commissioners whereby both Kingdoms might freely make addresses to him for they had formerly excluded and abused the Scots Commissioners contrary to the law of Nations and Votes of both Houses and yet then granted free access to the most desperate persons of the Kings Party yet they could obtain no better answer from these Rebellious Saints than That they desired no place might be proposed for his Majesties residence nearer London Manifesto of the Army June 27. 1647 than where they would allow the Quarters of the Army to be This was according to their old threats of marching up to London frequently used when any thing went contrary to their desires they knew what dangerous and troublesome guests we should find them here How much is this Army degenerated since Cromwel and his demure white-livered Son-in-law Ireton poysoned their
was no Traitor either to King or Country save only to Argile The Earl of Airly having his estate plundered and his House thrown down in revenge of an antient quarrel amongst their Predecessors for the Earl of Airly having some Lands in the Bray of Angus out of which Argile's men did many times drive Heards of Cattle Sheep and other Beasts for which the Lord Ogilbee could have no remedy these Thieves being protected by the Earl of Argile by advice of his Lawyers he did Charge the Earl of Argile that he should find surety not to maintain or protect such Out-lawes but before he could obtain the same he was obliged according to the custome of Scotland to give his Oath he did fear bodily harm from Argile which he was unwilling to do alleging it were only a Beastly harm that he did fear for if he would not protect those that did steal his poor mens Beasts he was nothing afraid of his body This tart Answer after an age must under colour of service to the State be so revenged The Gourdons divers of whom he betrayed under trust and under pretence of securing his Neces Portions that he was ingaged for possessing himself of Badinoch and Lochabar and plundring friends and foes indifferently in his marches too and fro and the inexhaustible treasure of the Scots Exchequer must allow him eleven or twelve thousand pound sterling for every Voyage whereas his Breechlesse Souldiery were well content with their Beef and Bannocks and such convenient plunder as the Country could afford these as I conceive were the most considerable Forces Montrosse ever had unlesse some that were through fear compelled to yield for the time so that the bloud-shed in Scotland by Montrosse and Macdonald do properly fall upon Argiles score no other under Heaven having occasioned both their out-breakings and all their partakers who did see no other way to be revenged on him that had made himself Master of all the Estate having made Argile's quarrel their own than by heaving at all under the specious pretext of the Kings interest which if God in mercy had not prevented they had almost effectuate through Argile's misgovernment wherein it is to be remarked that when he was overthrown by Montrosse in Lochaber the second of February 1645. many of his friends being killed and others taken he who would not release Culkettough for his Sons good service nor the Generals ingagement or the Committee of Estates desire you must not speak of Command for Master James Hamilton a faithful Minister of the Gospel who found more kindnesse from Culkettough than from this Canibal Covenanter is now content to release all to get a poor Company of his Country-men leaving the Godly Minister in cruel bondage whom Culkettough did release upon his Paroll and promise to send him a Boy that was forgot behind This religious Covenanter out of his pious care for the education of his Sister in the true Religion as he pretended did by His Majesties special favour overthrow the last will and Testament of his Mother-in-law by getting himself made Administrator in the room of him who was nominated therein whereby he got the Gentlewoman his Sisters whole patrimony into his hands but before he could prevail in this his Majesty did take special care that sufficient Surety should be given that the Will of the Dead should be truly performed by payment of their respective portions when they were Married and sufficient maintenance until they were Married the Elder whose Portion was Five thousand pound sterling is presently sent for and one thousand pound or thereby given to a Gentleman for his second Wife the rest there being a clause that if any of them should enter into Nunneries they should only have 300 l. sterling for all being kept so scarce of their due maintenance the Gentleman who was surety having advanced of his own above 1000 l. whereof he is not as yet repaid were seduced to go to Monasteries all save one who is now ready to enter through his neglect so this 12000 l. of his Sisters Portions with the ruine of their Souls to boot is a part of Argile's wel-made purchase The great care taken by the Earl of Morton for Argile's education and preservation both of his life from the crafty designs of a Step-mother and recovery of his almost ruined Estate was so wel requited that notwithstanding he hath the Earl of Morton's Daughter in his bed in open Parliament he spake what became him not both of that noble Lords Person and Estate only as he pretended out of his zeal to the welfare of the Kingdom whereas the truth is it was meerly out of his ambition to have that Honourable place conferred upon himself which was intended by his Majesty upon that noble Lord but finding His Majesty not inclinable that way the next assault was for one of his own name a man truly wel-deserving for to say better deserving than himself is no great praise and if his two much favouring of him do not stain his reputation worthy to be beloved Thus having shortly viewed Argile's religious carriage towards his Vassals and Tenants Parents Friends and Allyes Brother and Sisters Neighbours and fellow-Patriots let us take a short view of his Loyal carriage towards his Soveraign and his due observation of the Solemn League and Covenant with his covenanted Brethren of England and then let the impartial Reader judge whether he be not such as is affirmed in the proposition the greatest incendiary in the three Kingdoms It cannot be denied but His Maiesty as is mentioned before did confer many great and Princely favours upon him at the Earl of Morton's desire when he was Lord of Lorn such whereof as required confirmation were approved and ratified in Parliament His Majesty being present anno 1641. with the addition of the honour and title of Marquesse and a full Pension well paid ever since whoever want together with not only an act of oblivion but an approbation of all his tyrannical proceedings against the Athol men the Earl of Airely and others though not particularly mentioned yet as done in obedience of Orders from the Committee of Estates obtained by his own procurement therefore to be no further questioned The first endeavour in requital of these and many other Royal favours was the entring in conspiracy with certain his Confederates whom I forbear to name to transform the Kingdom of Scotland into a Free State like the Estates of Holland and because some truly noble Lords did abhor such a disloyal motion after so many Acts of favour witnessing to all Posterity his Royal bounty both to Church and State whereof these chief Conspirators tasted not a little he did at that time forbear not so much to prosecute his design as to conceal their Counsel from all these that had thoughts of Loyalty though most faithfull to the true Religion and their Countrey according to the Covenant The Irish Rebellion breaking out fearing his own stake if
Northeast end of Westminster-hall on the left of Mr. Harrisons looking towards London And the head of Mr. Peters is placed on London Bridge their Quarters also being exposed upon the tops of some of the Gates of the City 5. The next brought to Tryal were Scot and Clement Scroope and Iones against Thomas Scot was proved that he did sit and consult about the Kings death that he agreed to the sentence and signed the Warrant whereby the King was murthered that since he hath owned the business of the Kings death by glorying in it defending it and saying he would have it engraven on his Tomb-stone that all the world might know it which being high aggravations of his crime he was soon found Guilty by the Jury 6. Then Gregory Clement was set to the Bar who immediately confessed himself Guilty modo forma and so without troubling the Jury was set aside till Judgement 7. Next was brought Mr. Iohn Iones against whom the proofs were short that he did sit upon the King in that monstrous Court and that he signed the Sentence and horrid Instrument whereby the King was ordered to be put to death upon which the Jury found him guilty 8. Then Scroop was tried upon the like Indictment for compassing the Kings death and against him was proved that he sate in the Court and did Sentence the King and sign the bloody Warrant and after the coming in of his Majesty that now is justified the committing of that detestable murther for which the Jury finding him guilty the Court gave sentence of death against them as the former to suffer as Traytors and accordingly on Wednesday the 17. of October about 9. of the clock in the morning Mr. Thomas Scot and Mr. Gregory Clement were brought on several hurdles to the Gibbet erected near Charing-cross and were there hanged bowelled and quartered and about an houre after Mr. Adrian Scroop and Mr. Iohn Jones together in one hurdle were carried to the same place and suffered the same pains of death being afterwards returned to Newgate and thence their quarters placed on several of the City Gates and their heads deservedly disposed on the top of London Bridge and other places These being thus dispatched having received the reward of their Treason Mr. Daniel Axtel and Master Francis Hacker were brought before the Court to be tried Against the first of whom viz. Axtell was in proof that is the imagining and compassing the death of the King that he bid his Souldiers cry out Justice Justice and Execution Execution and beat them till they did it That he bid shoot the Lady that spoke and call'd Cromwel Traytor saying not a quarter of the people of England consented to their wicked Charge that he said to Col. Huncks upon his refusal to sign the warrant for executing the King I am ashamed of you the Ship is now coming into Harbour and will you strike sayle before we come to Anchor that he laughed at the Transactions as applauding them while others sighed that after the King was murthered he kept Guards upon the dead body and knew who cut off the Kings head having sent one Elisha Axtell for the Executioner upon which proof the Jury found him guilty of the said Treason whereof he stood indicted 10. Francis Hacker was arraigned and by diverse witnesses it was sworn against him that he was Commander of the Halbeteers who kept the King prisoner and would not suffer any accesse to be unto him that he guarded him to their mock-Court and after kept him sure till he was murthered that he was one of the persons to whom the Warrant for execution was directed and that he signed it that he brought the King to the fatal block and was upon the scaffold being a principal agent about the Kings death for which horrid Treason the Jury found him guilty after which the Court sentenced both him and Axtell to suffer death as Traytors according to which judgement they were on Friday the 19. of October about 9. of the clock in the morning drawn upon one hurdle from Newgate to the common place of execution generally called Tyburn and there were hanged Mr. Axtel was bowelled and quartered and so returned back and disposed as the former but the body of Mr. Hacker by his Majesties great grace and favour and at the humble suit and intercession of his friends was given to them entire and by them afterwards buried The last of this crew that was for present execution was Will. Hulet against whom was proved that he was one of those which came with a Frock on his body and a Vizor on his face to perpetrate the horrid murther on the Person of the King and that being so disguised upon the Scaffold he fell down before the King and asked him forgivenesse being known by his voice that himself said He was the man that beheaded K. Charles for that he had one 100 l. and preferment That Hewson said of him that he did the Kings business upon the Scaffold That he either did cut it off or took it up and said Behold the head of a Traytor That being questioned about the said words he said whosoever said it matters not I say now it was the head of a Traytor with many other things to the like purpose for which most abhorred Treason the Jury found him guilty and he was condemned to be hang'd drawn and quarter'd at Tyburn This was the deserved Catastrophe that was set to these men who without any reason nay contrary to reason Lawes both Divine and Humane yea even in defiance of Heaven dipped their hands in the sacred blood of their lawful Soveraign according to that of the Wiseman The eye that mocketh his Father Rex Pater Patriae and despiseth his Mother Ecclesia est Mater the Ravens of the Valley shall pick it out which which we see befallen them their heads in several places being become a spectacle both to Angels and Men and a prey to the Birds of the Aire In the last place it is provided by the said Act of Oblivion that if VVilliam Lenthal VVill. Burton Oliver St. Iohn Iohn Ireton Alderman Col. Iohn Disborrow Col. VVill. Sydenham Iohn Blackwel of Moreclack Christ Pack Alderman Richard Keeble Charles Fleetwood John Pyne Rich. Dean Major Richard Creed Philip Nye Clerk Iohn Goodwin Clerk Sir Gilbert Pickering Col. Thom. Lister and Col. Raph Cobbet shall after the 1. of September 1660. accept or exercise any Office Ecclesiastical Civil or Military or any other publick imployment within the Kingdome of England Dominion of VVales or Town of Barwick upon Tweed that then such person or persons as do so accept or execute as aforesaid shall to all intents and purposes in Law stand as if he or they had been totally excepted by name in the Act. The like penalty is imposed on all such who did give sentence of Death upon any person or persons in any of the late illegal or Tyrannical high Courts of