great Statesmen untill the very effects of them are ready to appear All which reasons being naturally pondered by the wisest and most zealous persons interessed in the glory of the English Nation the good and wellfare of the Commonwealth and particularly by his excellency the Lord General it was resolved that the Parliament should be dissolved in reference hereunto on the twelfth of December 1653. as soon as the Parliament was met A Member of the said House stood up and moved That the sitting of this Parliament as it was then constituted being not thought proper nor fitting for the good of the Commonwealth It was therefore requisite to deliver up unto the Lord General Cromwel the powers which they had received from him Which motion being seconded by the greatest part of the other Members the House arose and the Speaker accompanied by the major part of the House departed and went to White-Hall where they did by a Writing under their hands being the greater number of the Members sitting in Parliament resign unto his Excellency the Power which they had received from him and the which was by the Speaker presented to his said Excellency accordingly in the Name of the whole House No sooner was the Parliament dissolved and that Affairs of moment and weight came crowding in apace but that there was a necessity during the intervalls of Parliament to form as it is called in forreign parts an upper Councel and to create a superiour dignity to avoid both tediousness and confusion in the dispatch of Affairs which said dignity holding the mid-way between a Monarchial and Democratical might avoid the inconveniencies which these two extremities are subject unto and the thing it self having been well pondered and maturely deliberated the choice of the person on whom this dignity was to be conferred was soon made God having pointed him out unto them by a mark those admirable and uninterrupted Victories which he caused him to gain and by those excellent productions of a minde which had something of supernatural in it and partaked of the Divinity Wherefore the Lord General Cromwel was Elected Declared and Sworn at Westminster in the presence of all the Judges and Justices the Barons of the Exchequer the keepers of the Liberties of England the Lord Major and Aldermen of the City of London with most of the chief Officers of the Army Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England Scotland and Ireland and the Islands and Territories thereunto belonging and at the same time several Articles were presented to the Lord Protector by which he was to govern the people which being red unto him he took a solemn Oath to performe and see them kept in the presence of the whole assembly protesting moreover that he would minde nothing so much as the good of the Commonwealth the Glory of God and the Honour of the English Nation The chief heads of the Articles of Government were as followeth 1. That the Protector should call a Parliament every three years 2. That the first Parliament should assemble on the third of September 1654. 3. That he should not dissolve the Parliament till it had sate five moneths 4. That such Bills as he should not signe within twenty dayes should pass without him 5. That he should have a select Councel to assist him not exceeding one and twenty nor less then thirteen 6. That immediately after his Death the Councel should choose another Protector before they rose 7. That no Protector after him should be General of the Army 8. That the Protector should have Power to make Peace or War 9. That with the consent of his Councel he may make Laws which shall be binding to the Subjects during the intervals of Parliament c. Immediately after which the Lord General Cromwel without the devesting of himself of the Command of the Army which he preferred before all other charges took upon him the title of Highness and the dignity and name of Lord Protector A very fit appellation in regard of the Infantine and as yet growing State of England which the several Factions and Divisions as also the different Opinions in Religion would have exposed to a numberless kinde of unavoidable miseries had not a powerful Genius armed with Force and Judgement protected it from ripping up its Entrails and Bowels by its own hands And immediately after he was proclaimed Lord Protector of England Scotland and Ireland c. First in the Pallace yard at Westminster by the Officers of State and afterwards at the Royal Exchange by the Lord Major and Aldermen in their Scarlet Gowns Some few dayes after the body of the City invited his Highness the Lord Protector to a most splendid feast and gallant entertainment at Grocers-Hall not so much to treat him with their good chear as with the resplendent testimonies of their joy and with the submissive tenders of their devoires His Highness would by no means refuse to give that satisfaction to their evidences of respect and joy and the better to testifie unto them on his behalf the high value he put upon their care and love he set forth towards them in as great a pomp and magnificence as befitted a person invested with so eminent qualities and as one who having reaped so many Laurels had newly restored peace and tranquillity unto three distracted Kingdomes The manner of his Highness going to the City and reception there was on this wise His Highness's Life-guard of Horse marched in the first place after which followed the chief Officers of the Army on Horse-back and some of his Councel of State after them rode two Pages bare headed in sumptuous Apparel after them came twelve Lackeys in velvet Caps and gray Liveries with silk and silver Fringe then followed his Highness seated in a Charet of State drawn by six beautiful Horses richly trapped which by their lofty gate seemed to glory in their drawing so victorious a Hercules triumphing over so many Monsters and his Highness who alwayes preferred the little ornaments of the Soul before those of the Body was onely clad in a dark coloured Suit and Cloak the greatest part of the other Nobility attending in their Coaches and six horses At Temple-Bar his Highness was met and received by the Lord Major and Aldermen and the Recorder of the City saluted him with an excellent Speech containing several expressions of Joy Fidelity and Obeisance and of good Hopes of his prosperous and happy Government His Highness having thanked him alighted from his Chariot and quitting his Cloak put on a rich Riding Coat imbroidered with Gold and got up on Horse-back on a Palfrey richly trapped and was followed by three other led Horses of State By which change of Garments his Highness testified unto them that when as occasions of the States-service should call upon him he would descend from his Triumphal Chariot where the glory of his Conquests had set him in rest and mounting his Horse for Battel would expose
Fleet of nine great Ships which served to shelter several other small ones whereby the trade of England was much impeded and incommodated which obliged the Parliament to put forth a most puissant Naval Army to Sea fitted with good Mariners and all kinde of necessary war-like Ammunitions The sole brute of this Fleet made all the Enemies Ships to run into their several skulking holes like unto so many Conies and Prince Rupert being not strong enough to encounter them was forced to retire into Kingsale Haven in Ireland where he was immediately blocked up by the Parliaments Fleet whilest General Cromwell besieged both the Port and Town by land and Prince Rupert being forced to make a vertue of necessity resolved to bear the brunt of all the English Fleet and so saved himself leaving behinde him three Ships which by that occasion were taken and finally after several turnings and turmoilings be cast anchor at Lisbone where he was protected by the King of Portugal which caused the rupture betwixt this Common-wealth and that Crown and all those mischiefs which ensued as we hereafter shall rehearse Meanwhile the Royallists in Scotland seeing the Parliament was busied in Ireland thought to lay hold on a fit opportunity to play their game and to that purpose the Earle of Montrosse having landed in the North of Scotland with some Forces he had raised in Holland and other parts assembled the old Souldiers who had formerly served under him and armed them with such Arms as he had brought from Holland but before he could make a considerable body he was defeated by the Presbyter Forces taken and hanged on a very high Gibbet which is the last mark of infamy in that Countrey Within a while after there was a Treaty commenced at Breda between the Scots and their King to install and re-establish him in that Kingdome and in the others according as Fortune should answer their designs and expectations and to this end they deputed Ambassadors into Spain Italy Denmarke Sweden Russia and into Turkey and finally throughout all Europe to demand relief aid and assistance But all their Embassies procured neither men nor money only their Ambassadors were laden with Complements and good wishes in return each others particular affairs not permitting them to do more All which gave unto the Common-wealth of England not any great fears but great jealousies wherefore the better to be informed of the passages abroad and the better to fortifie themselves by foraign Leagues and Alliances M. Dorislaus a person full of knowledge and conduct was sent in the quality of an Agent towards the States of the United Provinces the chief drift of this Negotiation being to criment a good and firm understanding between the two Common-wealths But scarce was he arrived at the Hague when five or six disguised persons entred forcibly into his Chamber and massacred him And whilest it seemed all things were a profound Calm in England or that at least the course of the Enemies designs both at home and abroad being sufficiently known to the State on a suddain there sprang up the most formidable faction that ever was hatch'd since these last Warres A certain number of persons who called themselves Levellers whose pretenses were to render all mens goods and possessions alike and truely this was a very plausible design and might doubtlesse have met with as many Abetters as there are men in the world who have no other possessions or Revenues but their good wills to obtaine them The chief of these Levellers was one John Lilborn a man of a dating and attempting spirit who could not remain quiet but was altogether invincible not to be moved by threats nor gained by the favour or presents of fortune which were beneath the extent of his ambition and a considerable part of the Army siding with their Leader they augmented in numbers as fast as the shortnesse of the time would permit the confluence of such men as flattered themselves with such fond hopes and who promised themselves a revenge and and establishment by a second Revolution and change But before all those who intended to have sided with them could come up to them and unite in one body they were vigorously set upon by the Lord Fairfax at that time the Common-wealths General who defeated them at a place called Burford in the County of Oxford where their Leader and the best part of his Souldiers were taken some of which were put to death for example sake and some others were banish'd but the greatest part were pardoned and admitted into favour again As for their Leader John Lilborne being brought up to London he appeared before the chief Officers and Judges of London and Westminster the Lord Maior Sheriffs and divers others where he was not only accused of divers Martial Crimes but also Politick ones as having been the Author of several scandalous and defamatory Libells against the State which tended to render the Government odious and to beget a Mutiny in the people however he so dexterously shifted himself of all these accusations as that the Judges declared him Not guilty Much about that very time Mr. Anthony Ascham a most judicious and accomplished Gentleman was Deputed and sent over in the quality of an Agent to the King of Spain and arrived at the Port of Sancta Maria on the 5. of June 1650. where being advertised but his person was in danger he was constrained to cause himself to be guarded to Madrid where the next day after his arrival as he was at Dinner six men knocked at his Chamber doore which was immediately opened unto them and he rising from the Table to receive them the first of the said parties stabbed him in the head with a Dagger so that he fell down dead to the ground and his Interpreter Signior Riba being not able to make his escape soon enough was likewise stabbed in the belly which being thus done the Murderers would have saved themselves in the Venetian Ambassadors house who refused them protection whence they retired themselves into a Church which in Spain is a Sanctuary which the Justice ought not to violate whence however the King of Spain had them taken and put into prison one only excepted who made an escape Hence there arose a great contest betwixt the King and the Clergy who complain'd that their priviledges had been infringed and demanded that the Prisoners might be returned unto them and on the other side the Parliament of England pressed hard to have justice done on them and though message upon message instance upon instance were used therein yet they took no effect And lest it may seem that all these foraign Negotiations which we have here inserted may be beyond my subject however if they be considered as so many obstacles which Fortune opposed unto the vertue and greatness of his late Highness you will find that the recitall of them will not be altogether uselesse the rather since I have related them as succinctly as possibly
Concernments the Parliament being desirous together with the Kings person to extirpate his Memory and to remove those Objects which might beget tenderness in the people who do alwaies bemoan the misfortunes of those whom before they hated Commanded that his Statues should be flung down whereupon that which stood on the VVest-end of St. Pauls Church in London was cast down and the other which was placed in the old Exchange placing this following Inscription in the Comportment above the same Exit tyrannus Regum ultimus Anno Libertatis Angliae restitutae primo Anno Domini 1648. Januarii 30. In like manner the Aâ—mes of the Crown of England which were placed in the Churches in the Courts of Judiciture and other publick places were taken down And the Common-weath being now as it seemed solidly established some neighbouring States who desired to be in Amity with Her sent their extraordinary Ambassadors over as namely the Hollanders Spain and Portugal and by the following Negociations the issues of the said Embassies will easily appear As to the Spanish Ambassador satisfaction was continually demanded of him for the Murther which was committed on the persons of this Common-wealths Agents at Madrid nor was this State at all satisfied with the Answer thereon returned That the Contestations between the King of Spain and his Clergy on that particular were not as yet reconciled or brought to naissue And as to the Portugal Ambassador great and vast summes being demanded of him for the reimbursement of those Charges which the King his Master had caused the Common-wealth to be at and for the reparation of those damages which the English Merchants had sustained He replyed he had no Orders to make Answer thereunto whereupon he had his Audience of departure and went his way Immediatly after this Common-wealth sent two extraordinary Ambassadors to the States of the united Provinces the Lords Oliver St. Johns and Walter Strickland Personages of a high repute and endowed with exquisite Parts their Train was great ad splendid and their Equipage favoured not a little of the Splendor of their continued Victories They Embarqued in the Downs on the eleventh of March 1651. and the next day toward even they came to an anchor neer Helvoot Slugs but not without some danger on the 13 they made towards Rotterdam in the long-boats and by the way they were met by some of the States Jachts or Barges and being arrived they were by the English Merchants conducted to their publick House where they were most splendidly entertained whither the Spanish Ambassador sent to complement them by one of his Gentlemen to testifie unto them his joy for their happy arrival beseeching them to enter into and joyn with him in a right understanding Two or three dayes after they set forward towards the Hague and by the way were met by the Master of Ceremonies accompanyed with about thirty Coaches and after some reciprocal complements passed and exchanged they were conducted to a stately House which was prepared for them in the Town where having been three dayes treated at the States charges they had audience In which the Lord St. Johns made a most Elegant and learned Speech in English and gave the Copy thereof unto the Lords States both in English and in Dutch the most essential points whereof were as followeth I. That they were sent unto the Lords the High and mighty States of the United Provinces on the behalf of the Parliament of the Common-wealth of England to ciment a firm League and Confederation betwixt the two Common-wealths in case their Lordships thought it fitting notwithstanding the injuries which the English had received from the Holland Nation II. That they desired to renew and confirm the Treaties and Agreements formerly made concerning the Traffique and Commerce betwixt both Nations III. After which they exhibited the advantages which the Hollanders would reap by this said union in regard of the commodious situation of England for the Traffique with the multitude and security of her Havens and of all things which may advance the Commerce and Trade IV. Finally he told them That he wus commanded by the Parliament of England and by the Common-wealth to make known to their Lordships how sencibly they were touched with the Murder which was committed on the person of their Agent Mr. Dorislaus and that they doubted not but their Lordships would use all possible endeavours to discover the Authors of that horrid and unworthy action After which the Lords States being informed that the said Lords Ambassadors followers were daily molested and affronted by the English Royallists and other persons who resided in Holland they caused a Proclamation to be drawn up which they sent unto the Lords Ambassadors to know of them whether it was penned in the due terms according to their good liking whereby on pain of death they prohibited that no man should either by words or deeds offend or molest any of the said Ambassadors followers or retainers Three months time was already elapsed in their Negotiation at a vast expense and with a farre greater patience without that the least satisfaction in the world could be obtained at the hands of Justice for those daily affronts injuries which were put upon the Lords Ambassadors Retinue Servants and the scorns and disgraces offered to their own persons even to such a pitch as that the Common people and Rascality would assemble themselves at the Gates of their house and belch out injurious language and set upon and injure their Servants Now the Parliament being sensible of these wrongs and injuries and seeing the Lords States did not at all answer those kinde proffers and endeavours which were made unto them to beget and fettle a solid and firm alliance and peace betwixt the two Common-wealths save with delayes and shifts purposely to gain time upon the English till they should be able to judge how the face of things would evidence it self in Scotland and which way the Chain would turn there they recalled their Ambassadors Which suddain and unexpected newes extreamly surprised the Hollanders who testified their astonishments thereon to the Lords Ambassadors by more frequent and oftner visitations then formerly and by which they endeavoured to perswade them to beleeve the sincerity of their intentions and how earnestly and ardently they desired the alliance which their Lordships had propounded But all these fair words were not able to stay the Ambassadors who immediately returned into England again to cut out another guesse kinde of work for the Hollanders And that which gave the greater cause of jealousie unto the English and made them believe that the Hollander dealt deceitfully with them was that their Admirall Van Trump lay lurking about the Isle of of Scillie with his Fleet as if he had some design to make himself Master of them But when as the States were demanded the reason of his lying there they replyed that their Admirals being in those parts was only to demand restitution of
his Life as freely as he formerly had done for the peace and tranquility of their City and for the Liberty of England The Lord Major rode all the way bare-headed as also carried the City Sword drawn before his late Highness the Lord Protector By the one representing the Respect and Obedience of the City and by the other its Fidelity and Resolution to spill their Blood in the defence of the Peace of the State and for the preservation of the Life and new Dignity of his Highness The Streets were railed up and the several Companies of the City in their Liveries sate on both sides of the way with Streamers sticking up to distinguish each Company Moreover it is a thing worthy to be observed how that the Character which God doth imprint on the Forehead of those whom he hath designed to be his Vicegerents on Earth doth beget an astonishment and fear in the hearts of those where it cannot raise a respect but in the others both admiration and love so that on all sides the Divine Providence compasseth its Glory either by the means of its Justice or Mercy And thus you see his Highness the Lord Protector passing through this great City which was drawn up in Arms having his Head onely covered with Laurels and his guarded with a simple though resplendent morsel of Glory The one surrounding him to cover and protect him with her wings and the disarmed Justice which accompanied this great Heroes footsteps seemed to Lead a naked and fettered Mars by a silken thread And thus after his Highness had been most splendedly entertained by the City before he departed he conferred the Honour of Knighthood upon the Lord Major and left all the City filled with an admiration of his Heroick Vertues and with a general satisfaction of his candor and generousness their hopes being freighted with acclamations and good wishes No sooner was his late Highness settled in the Supreme degree of his Protectorship but just like the Sun elevated in a high sublime Sphere he begat an infinite number of malignant Exhalations which however were soon dissipated by his luster and resplendency and at the same time by his vertue he gave a life and being to all those glorious actions which knowing men did expect from his sage Government On the Eighteenth of February 1653. a most dangerous Conspiracy which was hatched by the Royalists was discovered several of the Conspirators were taken and sent to the Tower of London But his Highness willing to begin his Government by an Act of Clemency and to let the world see that the Grandor of his new Dignity did onely render him powerful to do good he pardoned the said Delinquents and caused them to be set at liberty Much about which time arrived Deputies from the several Counties and Shires as well of England Stotland and Ireland to congratulate his Highness happy Inauguration and to assure him of their fidelity and submission to his Commands all which his Highness received with a great deal of Candor and repaied them with Use to wit the establishing of good and salutary Orders for the Peace and Tranquility of the Commonwealth and each Member thereof in particular Nor did he forget to regulate the Spiritual Affairs and out of an infinite number of Opinions he begat a pleasant harmony the seeming dissonance and harshness whereof was onely unsavory to the ignorant and to such as had stopped their ears Mean while the Scots animated by several discontented persons here in England did levy an Army by Command from their King and began to take heart of grace again reassuming their former courage and hopes The Earls of Glencarne and Kenmore were at the Head of four thousand Horse and Foot joyning several other small parties which from all sides flocked down unto them But Collonel Morgan was so vigilant and active that before they could have time to Form a greater Body he marched with fifteen hundred Horse and Foot and on the seventh of February he arrived at Lough which was the Enemies appointed Rendezvouz where having charged them after a short but smart Fight he killed one hundred and fifty of them and defeated all the rest the Earl of Glencarne with much ado making his escape onely with forty Horse But all these small Bickerings and as it were shadows of War did onely serve as a foil to that most important and considerable Peace which both England and Holland was to reap at our Olivers hands When as most part of the Winter was well nigh passed over in this Negociation at London where the Hollanders had four Ambassadours who daily laboured to compass the same Two of them to wit the Lords Newport and Youngstall re-passed into Holland about the Moneth of February to communicate unto the High and Mighty Lords the States their Masters the Conclusion of the Treaty and to get them to ratifie the same On the third of March 1653 4. of the same Year they returned back again where they were received with all the pomp and state that could possibly be imagined and might demonstrate the Joy which the Merchants conceived of the happy effects of so happy a Reconciliation The next day they had Audience from his Highness where declaring the full powers they had from the Lords States to ratifie the said Peace which they had made they desired a speedy Cessation of Arms should be published on both sides and in conformity thereto on the fifth Day of April next ensuing the Articles of Peace were signed sealed and delivered on the behalf of both parties and were accordingly published and proclaimed to the general satisfaction of all men And his Highness the better to testifie the particular pleasure he took therein did most sumptuously treat the Holland Ambassadours witnessing unto them by his noble Noble treatment all the marks of Joy which might manifest and make good by his Conduct and Entertainment the old Motto of his Family That War hath no other end save to beget a Peace And as to the Affairs of Ireland his Highness by his good Orders and establishing the Natives in the Province of Cannaught which is in the heart of Ireland had settled all things so well in those parts as that the English needed not to fear any either abroad or at home and the Irish beginning to be sensible that the Yoke of a vigilant and absolute Protector was far more tollerable and to be preferred before the Servitude of a feeble and tottering multitude who onely heeding their own preservations and particular interests do abandon the People and their wellfares either to their own capriciousness or to the imbroils of ambitious and hot spirits who abusing of the Commonalties simplicity and sincerity run them headlong into Ruine But some enemies of the State perceiving that it was impossible to hinder the Earth from bringing forth of good fruits as long as it was animated by so sensible and feeling a warmth resolved to
this so eminent a charge as that envy it self is constrained to confess that his Fathers wisdome could not have made a better choice Much about this time the Officers at Mardike in whose breasts the rigour of the winter did onely excite the heat of those designs which they had conceived in their souls being desirous to imploy part of that unprofitable season to concourse and consult that Oracle of Prudence who by the conduct of their Heroick Projects did inspire into them the vertue and efficacy to compass their designs and to surmount even the greatest difficulties Sir John Reynolds I say Commander in chief Collonel White and some other Officers being impatient to enjoy the happiness of seeing and consulting his Highness embarqued at Mardike for England but the mischance was that being assailed by a tempest they were unfortunately cast away upon the Goodwin Sands and so frustrated all the world of the expectations of those fair hopes which were conceived of their valours and of so fortunate beginnings On the fourth day of the moneth of February then next ensuing his late Highness repaired to the Lords House then in Parliament and having sent notice thereof to the House of Commons by the Keeper of the Black-Rod the Speaker with the Members came to the Lords House where standing without the Bar and his Highness within under a Cloath of State being animated with his wonted vigour and resolution succinctly told them without many preambles That it concerned his Interest as much as the publike Peace and Tranquility to terminate this Parliament so that he was come thither to dissolve the same which was also immediately performed On the twelfth day of the moneth of March ensuing his late Highness being desirous to oblige the City of London in a particular manner and at the same time to witness unto them the care he took for their preservation and tranquillity he sent for the Lord Major the Aldermen and the other Magistrates of the City and having made them sensible of his tenderness and care for their good he also represented unto them that during the Calm Tempests were most of all to be apprehended so that at such times the requisite Orders and necessary preventions to resist Troubles were to be chiefly minded For to this knowing and vigilant Spirit to whom nothing was dark or hid this penetrating Light who could pry even into mens hearts and who from out of his Cabinet could discover the most secret Plots which were hatching throughout all Europe declared unto them That the Enemies both of the State and of their City did not sleep although it seemed they were quite lulled That their City was great and vaste and like unto a corpulent Body nourished several ill humours That he requested them for their own goods to have a special care and to bear a watchful eye That he relied much upon their Vigilancy and Affection and that all he could contribute thereunto on his behalf was to re-establish the City Militia which had been abolished through the disorder of the foregoing Wars and to desire them to appoint for their Officers persons of Honour and Probity well-wishers and friends to the peace and quietness of the State and publique Good Whereupon the Lord Major and Officers having returned thanks to his Highness for so signal a Mark of his confidence and goodness towards them proceeded to settle the Militia and repayed him with all the Obedience and Fidelity which a Magnanimous Prince could expect from Subjects who were well versed in the duties they owed to a Governour who had rid them of a world of miseries and delivered them from the burthen of a Civil War Nor was this precaution or forewarning of his late Highness without some grounds or foundation for on the twenty fourth of the said Moneth the quiet Serpent which hatched its poison under the green grass unawares let slip a Hiss whereupon an exact search was made throughout all London and Westminster for suspected persons divers of which were secured and imprisoned His late Highness knowing full well that States are maintained as well by Justice as by force of Arms and that those chiefly stand in need of both which through the divisions of Mens mindes touching Spiritual concernments seem to be in a continual apprehension of those revolutions which at all times have been caused in the World by the means of these diversities of opinions His Highness I say through the cause of these apprehensions and the discoveries which were already made as aforesaid caused a High Court of Justice to be erected according as it had been decreed by an Act of Parliament and settled under the great Seal of England and truly it was high time for the Swords of Justice to appear to chastise the Conspirators since the sparkles of their fury had spread themselves abroad through its veil rather by their immoderate heat then their sad looks several persons of quality were imprisoned in the Tower of London and within few dayes afterwards just like unto a River which is ready to disgorge it self into the Sea appears great and violent at its entrance so also the Conspiracy being just ready to break forth appeared the more formidable and assured there were whole Regiments enrolled and in the midnight of May-day they should have set fire on several parts of the City and whilest the confusion and horror thereof had seized all men they should have made a general Massacre of all those who would have opposed their fury His Highness like unto the Sun elevated up to the highest Heaven peirced through all those other Sphears which were darkned to all other Lights but his and dissipated those Fogs and Mists which the darkness of the Furies had spread over the City of London for on the morning of that fatal intended day the Guards were doubled both within and without the City and about five of the Clock in the Evening both Horse and Foot were drawn up in Arms the City Militia likewise keeping strong Guards all that night to prevent and hinder so sad and horrid an attempt Mean while all care was taken to discover the Firebrands before they could enter upon their exploit and as Enterprizes wherein so many persons are engaged cannot remain very secret or hidden about seven of the Clock that Evening about forty of the Conspirators were taken and carried to White-Hall and on the day following several others of all kindes and conditions were also apprehended as Gentlemen Merchants Souldiers and the like many of which were condemned to dye as Traytors but his late Highness was so merciful to pardon the most part of them to the end that like unto a second Augustus he might gain by his Clemency those hearts which would not be mollified by the horror of the undertakings nor the rigour and severity of the punishments On the second day of the moneth of June then next ensuing there arrived a strange accident on
for that himself would be her son since the preservation of his life had its being from her entralls that both her and his Duret was with a better Master a Master who was his Master also and whose recompences and rewards were for greater and more assured then these worldly ones And that the great thoughts of his heart might not lose their force and energy by his imploying of anothers tongue to express them this great Personage who never made use of the French language to entertain the Ambassador of Kings and Princes withall did put himself to the trouble of learning some French words with which he alwayes was used to chear up and comfort the good old Woman whensoever he met her and he that was wont to swim in the blood of his enemies and could look with an undiscomposed brow on thousands of men and of his friends lying dead on the Field after a battle had so much tenderness for the loss of one of his domestique Servants as that he could not refrain from tears when he beheld any of Durets relations Nor need we to wonder hereat since his late Highnesses general spirit contained as well private as publique Vertues And his Reason which was alwayes mistress of his Passions knew full well how to imploy them on such occasions and at such times as they were most requisite and commendable to let us see That the Dignity of a General and a Protector had not made him relinquish the quality of a Man and that Maximes and Reasons of State had forced several things from him which were absolutely repugnant to his natural inclinations Besides this great Politician knew that the greatest part of Famous Men which Fortune had elevated to the top of her Wheel were for the most part come to untimely ends by the corruption of their domestique Servants or the treachery of their intimatest Friends and bosom Favourites in regard whereof his late Highness lamented the more the loss of this his Faithful Servant Nor need we to wonder hereat since Fortune had heaped all the perfections of Vertues in his great Soul which he evidently manifested by his so orderly and peaceably re-uniting and as it were matching together the Vertues both of War and Peace the ruffness and harshness of War with the tenderness of Nature their Licentiousness with Piety Confusion with good Order and so resplendent an eminent Greatness to such inconsiderate abject and humble domestique considerations Wherefore this Nation may account it self thrice happy in enjoying such sublime rising Powers to govern it who are able to distinguish between Good and Evil and who suffer not themselves to be puffed up so high as that they scorn and disdain to look downwards and so stand not in need as the waters poured far from the Ocean of a borrowed and corrosive salt to preserve things from corruption Thus as I have already given you rather a Glimpse then a Character of his late Highness his Person I shall now render you some other considerable Remarks of his Affairs After the discoveries of an hundred Plots and Designs laid open and frustrated the defeating of many jealous parties all of them convinced and finally sundry Forreign Negotiations and Treaties which hath given you occasion as well to admire his Judgement as his Valour whence you have found as bold undertakings to have proceeded from his late Highness as ever were commented and as admirable Conquests on the Continent as may well answer the ancient though long time dormatick Valour of the English Nation To consider how he joyned the Piety and good Order of Numa with the Vigour and Force of Romulus in those foundations which he laid of this new and Warlike Empire which although they scarce budded forth of the earth are never the less substantial enough to bear up a solid building and do sufficiently discover all the several beautiful Repartitions of the same in a most exquisite manner and in a goodly ground plot First his late Highness settled such a Military Discipline as partaking of the Vertues of the three first Roman Founders did strike a terrour into the most ambitious Monarchs of the earth and doth give Instructions or rather read Lectures on both the Christian and Moral Vertues unto that Nation which pretends to be the wisest and most Religious of all the world I believe that if a Croysade had armed all the Priests and Religious Men there would not be so strict an order observed in their Christian Military Discipline as that which we now see is established in England where Sobriety flourisheth amidst abundance in a Countrey where formerly Debauchery was accounted as a Gallantry and converted into a custom where Modesty is wedded to Cruelty Justice with the extremity of Power Meekness with the stubborness of Arms War with Piety Valour with Fear and Obedience And since we speak of the Piety of this English Pompilius may we not say that the Goddess Ageria did nightly in his solitudes appear unto him Nor need we to say that he made use of fire and flames by a barbarous and unchristian-like Zeal to establish the truth of the Gospel Nor did he send millions of Pagans to Hell thereby to be strong enough to force five hundred against their wills into Heaven The Piety of this our Common Father was void of Envy and Cruelty He hath defied the Tyrants over mens Consciences by Clemency and Charity and hath caused those who profess those two Vertues before all others which are more sublime though less profitable to our neighbours and consequently of less concernment to doubt whether or no the Quality of the most Christian King is not far better then that of the Catholique All which being maturely considered we may say when a State erreth both in the Ecclesiastique and Politique Government he that is invested with the Sovereign Power far from being reputed a Tyrant is accountable before God if he doth refuse the same and if he lets that Talent remain useless which may otherwise be advantageous to the whole world To say more of his Generosity this Vertue he highly recommended above all others unto his Ministers of State and unto his Ambassadors and unto his Children and whereof that noble Lady Cleypoll his Daughter of worthy memory did give so many evidences during her life and even at the Article of her Death as that she thereby did beget tears in the most obstinate and hardiest enemies of this State A worthy Daughter of so famous a Father whom Heaven too soon snatched away both from the Vertuous and from the Miserable and whose soul did admirably correspond with her Fortune and the Majesty of her Comportment How many of the Royalist prisoners got she not freed How many did she not save from Death whom the Laws had condemned How many persecuted Christians hath she not snatcht out of the hands of the tormenters quite contrary unto that Herodias who could do any thing with her father She imployed her