go in person over to Ireland against those bloody Rebels and therefore intended to raise by his Commission neer Westchester a Guard for his Person when he should come into Ireland of 2000 Foot and 200 Horse whom he would arm from his Magazine at Hull But the Parliament suspecting as well by my Lord Digby his intercepted Letter as by other presumptions That the Kings chief end of going Northward was to seize the Magazine of Hull and arm himself from thence against them sent a Petition to him for leave to remove that Magazine to the Tower of London and accordingly had sent Sir John Hotham thither who prevented the King and kept out the Earl of Newcastle whom the King had sent thither also for the same purpose at which action of theirs the King was much moved On the three and twentieth day of April 1642. the King attended by some Noblemen Gentlemen and Souldiers came at the Wals of Hull and demanded entrance but the Gates were shut and Sir John Hotham appeared upon the Wall and kneeling there entreated the King not to command that which he without breach of Trust could not obey in conclusion the King not getting entrance proclaimed Hotham Traytor and sent a complaining Message to the Parliament concerning that affront The Parliament labored to appease him but justified Hothams act and Declared That proclaiming Sir John Hotham Traytor without due process of Law was against the Liberty of the Subject and Laws of the Land Upon this business of Hull passed in 〈◊〉 short time many Declarations on both sides with Arguments drawn from the Statutes and Laws of England and many commands contrary to each other the Parliament authorizing Sir John Hotham to issue out Warrants to the Constables and other Officers to come with Arms to the defence of Hull and the King on the other side forbiding any such Warrants or Training without authority under his hand The King while the Parliament let him alone in the North daily Summoned the Gentry of those Counties to attend him at York and daily gained some to his party whose proceedings there in every particular are too tedious for this Relation but his frequent Orations to them were in substance That he was in danger of the Parliament and desired a Guard for his person and when the King made Proclamation for all Gentlemen and others to attend him in Arms as a Guard the Parliament at London only declared That such Arming of men to the disturbance of the Kingdoms peace was against the Laws and Liberties of the Kingdoms Thus did Proclamations and Declarations for a long time encounter each other But nothing made the Kingdom fear a War until that great defection of Parliament Members who left their Seats and went to the King at York Which happened about the end of April and continued a great part of May following in which space a great number of the Lords some sent for by the King others for their own discontents fears or ambition quitted their Seats in Parliament and went to him one after another The Lords that left the Parliament were these Duke of Richmond Marquess Hartford the Earls of Lindsey Cumberland Huntington Bath Southampton Dorset Northampton Devonshire Bristol Westmerland Barkshire Monmoth Rivers Newcastle Dover Carnarvan Newport the Lords Matrevers Willoughby of Eresby Rich Howard of Charleton Newark Paget Chandois Falconbridge Paulet Lovelace Savil Coventry Mohun Dunsmore Seymour Gray of Ruthen Capel Within that time also many of the House of Commons did so far break their Trust as to forsake their Seats in Parliament and go to the King This Revolt of so many Members of both Houses was generally looked upon as a thing of most sad consequence and likely to produce no effects but lamentable and wicked as to nourish and encrease the Kings dis-affection to Parliaments to encourage his distance from it and attempts against it to secure the Irish Rebels to subvert the dignity of that high Court and make the King by this diminution of their number as he did in his following Declarations call them a Faction a pretended Parliament and such like names The Parliament continued still Petitioning the King and on the twentieth of May sent to entreat him that he would Disband his Forces and rely for his security as his Predecessors had done upon the Laws and Affections of his people contenting himself with his ordinary Guards declaring that else they held themselves bound in duty to God and the trust reposed in them by the people and by the fundamental Laws to employ their utmost care and power for securing the Parliament and preserving the Kingdoms Peace Upon which these Votes were made in Parliament That it appears that the King seduced by wicked Councel intends to make a War against the Parliament who in all their consultations and actions have proposed no other end to themselves but the care of his Kingdoms and the performance of all duty and loyaltie to his person It was likewise Resolved upon the Question That Whensoever the King maketh War upon the Parliament it is a breach of the Trust reposed in him by his people contrary to his Oath and tending to the dissolution of this Government As also That whosoever shall serve or assist him in such Wars are Traitors by the fundamental Laws of this Kingdom and have been so adjudged in two Acts of Parliament II Richard 2 and 1 Henry 4 and that such Persons ought to suffer as Traitors But those Lords who had forsaken the Parliament continued still with the King in the North wherefore the Parliament by an Order of the thirtieth of May Summoned nine of them who first had gone away to appear at Westminster viz. The Earls of Northampton Devonshire Dover and Monmoth the Lords Howard of Charleton Rich Grey of Ruthen Covenâ—ry and Capel But they refused to come away returning an Answer in writing which the Parliament judged to be a slighting and scornful Letter upon which a Vote was passed against them in the House of Commons and presented on the 15 of June to the Lords by Master Hollis with an Oration concerning the importance of the business Upon the impeachment of the nine Lords the House of Peers about a month after being in their Robes entred into debate of the said impeachment and after divers Speeches made setting forth the greatness of their offence they were Censured 1 Never to sit more as Members of that House 2 To be incapable of the Benefit or Priviledge of Parliament 3 To suffer imprisonment during their pleasure After which Censure it was concluded That the said Lords should be demanded in the behalf of both Houses of Parliament to submit to the said Censure After this another wound was given to the Parliament encouraging the King in his Designs the Great Seal of England was carried away from the Parliament at London to the King at York by the Lord Keeper Littleton a man that had continued some time after the rest were gone
that they and all such Bills as shall be tendred to your Majesty in pursuance of them or any of them may be established and enacted for Statutes and Acts of Parliament by your Majesties Royal Assent in the Parliaments of both Kingdoms respectively The Lords and Commons Commissioners of the Parliament of England staid long with the King at Newcastle humbly entreating him that he would vouchsafe to sign and establish those propositions being not much higher than those which had been offered to his Majesty at Vxbridge when the chance of War was yet doubtful the same thing did the Commissioners of the Parliament in Scotland humbly entreat and the like did others daily who came with renewed supplications to that end from the Parliament sitting at Edenburgh But in vain were the supplications of both Kingdoms the King persisted obstinately in denial of his Assent but daily he seemed to take exceptions at some particulars whereby time was delayed for some moneths and the affairs of both Kingdoms much retarded which happened at an unseasonable time when not onely the dissentions between the two Nations about Garrisons mony and other things were justly feared but also in the Parliament of England and City of London the factions then encreasing between the Presbyterians and Independents from whence the common enemy began to swell with hopes not improbable and this perchance was the cause of the Kings delay But those hopes of the enemy soon vanished and this very aversness of the King did in some measure compose the dissentions of the Parliament insomuch as they began unanimously to consult how they might settle the affairs of both Kingdoms since it could not otherwise be without the King Therefore it was debated in the Parliament of England to pay the Scots for their assistance in this War and at last agreed that the Scots should receive four hundred thousand pounds half of that sum namely two hundred thousand pounds was to be paid in present upon receipt of which the Scots were to deliver up Berwick Carlisle and Newcastle to the Parliament of England according to the compact It was also debated though with much time and difficulty where the Kings person should be disposed in case he did absolutely and utterly deny his Assent to the Propositions at which meeting it was freely granted by the Parliament to the Scots that they might carry the King if they pleased to Edenburgh but that the Scots refused affirming that by his presence in an unsetled Kingdom new commotions might arise they rather desired which was also the Kings desire that he might be carried into the Southern parts of England and live in some of his Palaces neer London which they thought more convenient for treating of a peace as if England were not in the same danger by his presence So that in all that whole debate they seemed to contend not who should have the King but who should not have him Whilest these things were transacting and the King daily was humbly entreated by both Kingdoms to grant his Assent to these Propositions the Earl of London Chancellour of Scotland about the end of August when the Commissioners of both Kingdoms were present made an Oration to the King which because it opens the business in some measure shall be recited YOur Majesty was pleased on Monday last to call the Commissioners of the Parliament of Scotland and imparting the Propositions to them to promise that you would likewise impart your Answer before you sent it but so short is the Commissioners prefixed time and of so great moment either to the safety or ruine of your Crown and Kingdoms is your Majesties Answer that we should be wanting both to God and our own trust if we should not represent to your Majesty how necessary it is in this conjuncture of time That you grant your assent to these Propositions and what an incurable malady and sudden ruine must needs follow upon your denial I shall begin with the disease and speak after of the remedy The differences betwixt your Majesty and Parliament known better to no man than your self are at this time so high that after so many bloudy Battels no composure can be made nor a more certain ruine avoided without a present pacification The Parliament are in possession of your Navy of all the Towns Castles and Forts of England they enjoy besides Sequestrations your Revenue Souldiers and monies are raised by their Authority and after so many Victories and Successes they have a standing strong Army who for their strength are able to act any thing in Church or Common-wealth at their own pleasure Besides there are some so fearful others so unwilling to sumit to your Majesty that they desire neither your self nor any of your Issue to raign over them The People weary of War and groaning under taxes though they desire Peace yet are so much against the pulling down of Monarchy under which they have long flourished that they which are weary of your Government dare not go about to throw it off untill they have once at least offered Proposition of Peace to your Majesty lest the Vulgar without whose concurrence they cannot perfect the Work should fall from them Therefore when the whole People weary of War desire security from pressures and arbitrary rule the most Honourable Houses of Parliament have consented to offer these Propositions to your Majesty without which the greater part of the people do suppose the Kingdom can neither enjoy Peace nor Safety therefore your Majesties friends and the Commissioners of Scotland though not without some reluctation were forced to consent to the sending of these Propositions for else none had been sent or else incur the publick hatred as enemies to peace Now Sir if your Majesty which God forbid should deny to sign these Propositions you would loose all your friends both City and Country and all England as one man would rise up against you it may then be feared all hope of reconciliation being taken away that they may cite you depose you and set up another Government Moreover they will require of us to deliver your Majesty to them to restore their Garrison Towns and carry our Army out of England Lastly if your Majesty persist in denying both Kingdoms will be compelled to agree together for their mutual safety to settle Religion and peace without you which to our unspeakable grief would ruine your Majesty and your Posterity But if your Majesty shall despise the councel of us who wish nothing more upon earth than the establishing of your Majesties Throne and by obstinacy loose England your Majesty will not be suffered to enter Scotland and ruine that Sir We have laid our hands upon our hearts we have prayed to God to direct us and have seriously considered of the remedy for these mischiefs but we can find nothing else as the case now stands which can preserve your Crown and Kingdoms then that your Majesty should sign these Propositions in some things
Thomas May Esq Aetatis Sua. 55. A BREVIARY OF THE HISTORY Of the Parliament Of ENGLAND Expressed in three PARTS 1. The Causes and Beginnings of the Civil War of England 2. A short mention of the Progress of that Civil War 3. A compendious Relation of the Original and Progress of the Second Civil War First written in Latine after done into English By Thomas May Esq The Second Edition LONDON Printed by J. Cottrel for Thomas Brewster at the three Bibles neer the West-end of Pauls 1655. The Causes and Beginnings OF The Civil War of England OF the Parliament of England and beginning of that sad War which for so many yeers raged within the bowels of a distressed Kingdom whosoever will write though never so briefly must of necessity premise somewhat touching the Causes according to the state of the affairs and times of assembling that Parliament And though the condition of Scotland and Ireland were during that time no whit happier which being subject to the same King were exposed to the same Calamity our discourse especially shall be of England as the noblest Kingdom and the Royal Seat from whence the distemper might first arise and be derived to the rest And wonderful it may seem how great the distemper of that Government was which ingendered so great a disease how great the malignity of that disease to which a Parliament was not sufficient Medicine Fourty yeers old was King Charles and fifteen yeers had he reigned when this Parliament was called so long had the Laws been violated more then under any King the Liberties of the people invaded and the authority of Parliament by which Laws and Liberties are supported trodden under foot which had by degrees much discontented the English Nation For the King within the first four yeers of his Reign had called three Parliaments and soon dissolved them all before they could any way benefit the Commonwealth or redress the least grievance of the People In the second he granted and signed the Petition of Right but suddenly breaking up that Parliament he acted the same things in violation of Laws which he had done before So that it was manifest that the Peoples Liberties by grant of that Petition were not fortified but utterly overthrown and it appeared neither Laws themselves could give protection nor the Kings Faith security to the People After the dissolution of the third Parliament men were forbidden by Proclamation to speak any more of Parliaments In this Interval the people at home were fleeced by Monopolies and many ways exacted upon by illegal Taxes abroad scarce any Negotiations were made but such as were destructive to Religion and the Commonwealth In the beginning of his Reign an unhappie and dishonorable Expedition was made against the Spaniard to surprise Cales another more sad then that against the French in the following yeer at the Isle of Rhee but that of all other was most destructive to the Protestant Religion that King Charles not long before that time had lent a strong Navie to the King of France by whose force the Protestants Ships through all France were vanquished and scattered and the miserable Town of Rochel subdued by Famine the worst of all Enemies The King in the mean time by many illegal ways raised money through England large sums of money were exacted throughout the whole Kingdom default of Knighthood under the shadow of an absolute Law Tunnage and Poundage were received without the ordinary course of Law and though they were taken under pretence of guarding the Seas yet that great Tax of Ship-money was set on foot under the same colour c. These things were accompanied with the enlargement of Forests contrary to Magna Charta the forcing of Coat and Conduct-money taking away the Arms of the Trained Bands in many Counties c. Nor was there any remedy left for no Courts of Judicature could give redress to the people for these Illegal sufferings whilst Judges were displaced by the King for not complying with his will and so awed that they durst not do their duties for to hold a Rod over them a clause was altered in their Patents By this time all thoughts of ever having a Parliament were quite banished so many Oppressions set on foot so many illegal actions done that the onely way to justifie all was to do that one greater To take away the means which was ordained to redress them the lawful Government of England by Parliaments Whilst the Kingdom was in this condition the serious and just men of England who were not interessed in these Oppressions could not but entertain sad thoughts of what mischief must needs follow so great an injustice But another sort of men especially Lords and Gentlemen by whom the pressures of Government were not much felt did nothing but applaud the happiness of England calling those ingrateful and factious spirits who complained of the breach of Laws and Liberties that the Kingdom abounded with wealth plenty and all kinde of elegancies more then ever and that it was the honour of a people that their Monarch should live splendidly and not be curbed at all in his Prerogative c. The Courtiers would begin to dispute against Parliaments in their ordinary discourse That they were too injurious to the Kings Prerogative some of the greatest States-men and Privie Councellors would ordinarily laugh at the ancient language of England when the word Liberty of the Subject was named Though the Kingdoms Liberties were thus oppressed yet Peace continued and England seemed happie in that tranquillity until the fatal Coal which afterwards was blown into so great a fire through the three Kingdoms began to be kindled in the yeer 1637. by a designe which the King had upon Scotland which was as pretended to make a Conformity of Church-Worship and Ecclesiastical Government between the two Kingdoms of England and Scotland The dignity and pomp of Prelacie had been much of late promoted in England in pursuance whereof many temporal Offices and Honours were conferred upon persons Ecclesiastical many Ceremonies and Innovations brought into the Church and too neer approaches made in some points of Doctrine to the Romish Church and a great contempt thrown upon the other Reformed Churches in Europe Popery seemed to be much countenanced in the Court and by reason of the Queens great power with the King several Nuncio's from the Pope as Panzani Conn and Rosetti had been received with great honour in the Court of England The King had made great preparations for that work in Scotland and bestowed many temporal offices and dignities upon Bishops in that Kingdom In particular 11 of the Scotish Bishops being in all but 14 were made Privie Councellors But this displeased the Scots to whom Episcopacie it self was not acceptable and having been once thrown out of that Kingdom was not restored but by great endeavour and policie of King James A book of Lyturgie was sent by the King into Scotland in the year 1637. with an
strange a thing was the name of a Parliament grown But rational men did not like it that it should be deferred so long and that preparations for a War with Scotland went on in the mean time They were likewise troubled that the Earl of Strafford Deputy of Ireland a man of deep policie but suspected honesty one whom the King then used as a bosom-Councellor was first to go into Ireland and call a Parliament in that Kingdom besides the King at that time had broken up the Parliament in Scotland which the Scots complained of the business of State depending as a great breach of their Liberties and against the Laws of that Kingdom Upon which they sent some Lords into England to intreat the King to grant them a redress of such Injuries as they had received since the Pacification which were That their Parliament was broken off before any business done That Edinburgh-Castle was Garisoned with far more Souldiers then were needful That Dun-Britain-Castle was Garisoned with English Souldiers That the Scots that traded in England and Ireland were enforced to take new Oaths contrary to their Covenant and altogether contrary to the Articles of Pacification The King imprisoned those Lords sending one of them the Earl of Lowden to the Tower and commanded a Charge of Treason to be drawn against him concerning a Letter which the Scotish Covenanters had written to the King of France for his assistance and Lowden had subscribed but the accusation was frivolous easily answered and came to nothing because those Letters were not sent at all and besides it was before the Pacification upon which an Oblivion of all things was agreed although the King at the beginning of the English Parliament produced that Letter against them as a ground of his second War for now on the thirteenth of April the Parliament of England was begun before which time the Earl of Strafford was returned out of Ireland where he had held a Parliament and gotten four Subsidies The King was very urgent with his Parliament to give money to enable him for a War against Scotland and pay that Army and Officers which he had already raised he demanded twelve Subsidies of them for which he promised to release Shipmoney he promised them that he would afterwards redress the Kingdoms grievances but desired money in the first place to go on with his designed War It was answered by many Members of the House in several Speeches that redress of Grievances was the chiefe end of Parliaments and should go before Subsidies That the King asked a great summe of money for releasing of that which he had no title to hold but had taken illegally by power That the people had no reason to pay for a War which they desired not but abhorred a War not for their good but their own ruine that nothing was so just as to punish the contrivers of that wicked War But so strange was the obedience and complyance of that Parliament towards the King that although the money which he asked was against themselves yet they took the Subsidies into consideration but while they were debating the King whatsoever his reasons were whether he thought it a delay or not came into the House on the fifth of May and dissolved the Parliament The people were grieved in an extraordinary manner to see this Parliament so suddenly broken up and as much to see the King break his word so immmediately upon the dissolution of it for he protested in the House at that time that he would rule for the future as legally as if a Parliament were constantly sitting Yet nevertheless he imprisoned some Members the next day after Mr. Belosis Sir John Hotham and M. Crew he commanded the Lord Brookes his Study his Cabinet and pockets to be searched for Letters He Commanded the Convocation of Divines to continue their sitting an unexampled thing who by authority from him made Canons and imposed Oaths upon the people contrary to their Laws and Liberties The King to defray the charges of this War besides the Contribution of the Clergy and Papists issued out again Writs of Shipmoney in a greater proportion then before he seized the Bullion in the Tower and took up Commodities to be sold again at an under-rate and consulted about Coyning of brass-money but that went not forward But the War went on the Earl of Strafford commanding in chiefe the Earl of Northumberland not being in health who had been appointed General but the Scots had not been backward for having been debarred of their trade and lost their ships by seizure they entered into England with an Army expressing their intentions in writing to the English and bringing with them a Petition to the King But the King in this War found a greater want then that of Money which was the hearts of the Souldiers especially the common Souldiers who could not be easily brought to engage against the Scots as hating the Cause many of them mutinying against their Officers and Commanders which might be one cause that the War proved not so bloody and fatal as it was designed some Skirmishes but not very considerable happened at Newburn and at Dunsian not far from Barwick Thus proceeded this unhappie business until some English Peers Earls and Barons about twenty grieved at the dishonour which England suffered by the unhappie actions of the King made a Petition to him declaring in some part their former sufferings by illegal Government the dissolution of the last and other Parliaments the miserable condicion of the Kingdom at present the sad consequence of this wicked War desiring him to summon a Parliament within some convenient time where the Kingdoms Grievances may be redressed this War composed and the Authors of these wicked counsels punished Upon this Petition the King caused all the Lords to meet at York on the 24. of September And there told them his intention of calling a Parliament with all possible speed which was to begin on the 3. of November It was there also consulted and debated how to end this War upon fair termes and after some time spent between Lords chosen out of both Nations the matter was composed according to these Articles 1. A Truce or cessation of Arms was made for two moneths till the 16. of December 2. That 850. li. a day should be paid to the Scots during that Truce 3. That if it were not paid the Scots might force it from the Counties of Northumberland Cumberland Westmerland and Durham 4. That those Counties should be allowed the Scots for their Winter-quarters 5. No new preparations for War to be made 6. That private Injuries should not break the Truce so satisfaction were made upon complaint 7. That Merchants might freely traffique in either Kingdomes without letters of safe conduct but Souldiers without leave might not pass their limits Thus was the state of things altered and that VVar which was intended for an enslavement of both Nations became the bond of Concord between them and
for himself was that Misdemeanors though never so many and great could not make Treason put together unless some one of them in his own nature had been Treason for that was his Charge which he strove to avoid Yet many of those particulars in his accusation were put into his Bill of Attainder afterward for a Bill of Attainder was drawn up and read against him in the House of Commons April 21. where he was Voted guilty of high Treason Mr. Saint John the Kings Sollicitor and a Member of the House of Commons on the 29 of April for satisfaction of the Lords opened the Bill in Westminster-Hall where the Earl of Strafford was at the Bar and the King present in his accustomed place and made the Bill good by many precedent Statutes Upon which the Lords being somewhat satisfied were afterwards more confirmed when the Judges in their House delivered their opinions concerning it And voted him guilty of high Treason also But the King told the Lords he was not satisfied in Conscience to condemn him of high Treason But acknowledged that his misdemeanors were very great until at last wearied with Petitions for Justice the King calling a Privy Councel at White-hall commanded the Judges to deliver their opinion before him there and sent for some Bishops to resolve him in scruple of Conscience Which wrought so that he granted a Commission to four Lords to sign that Bill for execution of the Earl of Strafford which execution was done at the time and place before mentioned The death of this great Earl seemed to be the more violently sought and more hastened by reason of some Treasons against the Parliament which were at that time discovered being partly in favor of him contrived to prevent his death by an escape out of the Tower For one part of this Treason was to that purpose Souldiers were raised by Sir John Suckling and some others under pretence of service in Portugal to gratifie the Embassador of that Kingdom those Souldiers the King himself who was now found to be privy to all those Treasons against the Parliament commanded Sir William Belfore the Lieutenant to admit into the Tower but he perceiving it was a Plot for the Earls escape disobeyed the Kings Command Another part of this Treason chief of all the rest was a design to bring up the English Army which was in the North and not yet disbanded this Army they had dealt with to engage against the Parliament sitting and as they alleaged to maintain the Kings Prerogative Episcopacy and other things against the Parliament it self In this Plot were Henry Piercy brother to the Earl of Northumberland Mr. Henry Jermin Master of the Horse to the Queen Col. Goring Col. Wilmot Col. Ashburnham Pollard Suckling and others the Kings discourses to Mr. Piercy concerning these things were discovered in a Letter of Piercie's to his Brother Northumberland out of France which was read in the House upon the 14 of June for Piercy Jermine and Suckling at the beginning of May when this Treason was in some part detected fled the day before they should have been examined and passed over into France upon which reading Wilmot Ashburnham and Pollard three Members of the House mentioned in the Letter as privy to the Plot were all committed If the Earl of Strafford had escaped out of the Tower he should have Commanded in aid to this Plot that Irish Army consisting of eight thousand most of them Papists which the King would not grant to have disbanded when the Parliament on the 28 of April before had desired it of him but told them he could not disband them for reasons best known to himself Colonel Goring for some discoveries which he made was not at all committed but Oneale an Irish Papist that was deep in the Plot was apprehended and committed to the Tower from whence he afterwards escaped The Parliament finding such disturbance in their business and treasons against them and not at all assured of the Kings reality weighing besides the great charges of paying two Armies for which money must be raised by Loan upon the publick Faith moved the King to sign a Bill for continuation of this present Parliament which was That it should never be dissolved without the Consent of both Houses That Bill so drawn up the King signed on the 10 of May the same day that he signed the Bill for Straffords execution This Bill was a thing that former ages had not seen the like of and therefore extremely was the Kings Grace magnified by those that flattered but much condemned by others who hated Parliaments and Reformation complaining that the King had too far put the staffe out of his own hands But many men who saw the necessity of such a thing without which no money upon the publick Faith could be borrowed did not at all wonder at it saying That as no King ever granted the like before so no King had ever before made so great a necessity to require it but some men were of opinion that it was not of security enough to make the Kingdom happy unless the King were good for if he were ill-affected he had power enough still to hinder and retard them in any proceeding for the good and settlement of the Common-wealth and so by time and delayes lay a greater Odium upon the Parliament for not satisfying the peoples desires then if they had not had that seeming power to have done it Which proved in the conclusion too true when the King by such protraction of business not at all concurring with them in the main had raised a party to himself against them to cut asunder that Knot by the sword which by Law he could not unty The Parliament after this began with easing the Kingdoms Grievances and because the charge of the two Armies lay upon them and every day was considerable till they were disbanded that was the first thing intended Towards which a great quantity of Plate was appointed with more than ordinary haste to be melted and coined And for making up the sum that Bill of Poll-money was to be signed which was tendred to the King and two other Bills with it one for putting down the High-Commission Court and the other for putting down the Star-Chamber The King signed only that Bill of Poll-money and took time to consider of the other two but hearing how ill it was taken at his hands what murmurings there were in the City and thinking it not now seasonable to distaste them much three days after he came and passed those other two Bills for putting down the High Commission Court and Star-Chamber The Queen-Mother of France about that time took her leave of the King passed over the Seas into Holland the people desiring to be eased of that charge for the King had kept her for the space of three years in England at the allowance of 100. l. a day The Parliament proceeded then against the delinquent Judges about Ship-money and Charges
firm in appearance Voted with them and gave his Voice for setling of the Militia by Ordinance of Parliament But about the end of June one Master Eliot a Courtier was sent closely from York to him who having gotten privacy with the Lord Keeper so far prevailed at last that he got the Great Seal into his hands and rid away with it to the King at York The Lord Keeper Littleton after some serious thoughts with himself not being able to answer it to the Parliament rode away himself next day to the King also The reason which he gave to some friends of his afterwards for so parting with the Seal was this The King when he made him Lord Keeper gave him an Oath in private which he took That whensoever the King should send to him for the Great Seal he should forthwith deliver it This Oath he said he could not dispence with in Conscience but was sorry he had taken the Office with such an Oath The Seal was given him since this Parliament sate which made it appear what intentions the King even then had to the Parliament The King having now gotten the Great Seal issued forth many Proclamations and among other one That no man should obey the Parliaments Warrants about setling the Militia and they on the other side by Ordinances forbad any man to raise Arms by Warrant from the King without the authority of Parliament The Parliament being then intent upon setling the Militia by Land they took care also to seize the Navy into their hands for security of the Kingdom against forreign invasions To that purpose the Earl of Warwick a Nobleman of good experience in Sea-affairs and undoubted fidelity to his Countrey was by an Ordinance of both Houses chosen to be Lord Admiral But the King had chosen Sir John Penington to that place in the room of the Earl of Northumberland and sent a Command to the Earl of Warwick to resign the place to him But the Earl-chose rather to obey the Ordinance of Parliament and with great courage and policy got the Fleet into his hands though many of the Captains stood out against him alleaging they had the Kings Command to obey Sir John Penington but the Earl deprived them of their Commands and possessed himself of the Ships taking shortly after another Ship called the Lion of great import coming out of Holland and laden with Gunpowder which proved a great addition to his strength All men at this time began to despair of the Kings return to his Parliament and therefore on the 10 of June was an Order made in Parliament for bringing in money and plate to raise Arms for the Cause the publick Faith for repayment to them that brought it in was engaged by the Parliament and interest of eight in the hundred Which was accordingly brought in in great abundance by well-affected people as also Horses and Arms for that service The King at that time had received Money and Arms with Ammunition out of Holland upon the pawning of the Crown-Jewels which the Queen had carried over in February before He then sent out his Commissions of Array to Arm the people into all Counties wherein he used the Parliaments own words as in a Jeer of them For the Parliament professed that their receiving of plate and money and levying of Forces was To maintain the Protestant Religion the Kings Person dignity and authority the Laws of the Land the peace of the Kingdom and priviledge of Parliament The Kings words were the same namely To maintain the Protestant Religion his own person and authority the Laws Kingdoms Peace and priviledge of Parliament And whereas the Parliament in their Declarations both then and afterward used to say That they did arm against a malignant party by whom the Kings person was in danger he in his said the like and that for the safety of his own person and people there was an inevitable necessity of putting the Kingdom into a posture of defence using those very words in his Commission of Array which they did in their Ordinance for the Militia And invited people to bring plate and money to him in that language which the Parliament did nor did it prove less effectual for many Lords Gentlemen and others very freely brought in Money and plate to serve the King within a short space In all this heat of preparations the King before those Lords that were with him in the North made a solemn Protestation as before God that he would not engage them in any War against the Parliament but only for his necessary defence that his desire was to maintain the Protestant Religion the liberties of the Subject and priviledge of Parliament Upon which those Lords made a solemn Protestation as before God and subscribed their Names to it That they did believe the Kings intention to be as he said namely That he had no purpose to Levy War against the Parliament and that he endeavored only to maintain the Protestant Religion the Laws Liberties of the Subject and just priviledge of Parliament The King immediately after this took a progress about the Countries adjacent and at divers places made speeches to the Gentlemen and inhabitants full of gracious promises and declaring his intentions to preserve the peoples Liberties and priviledge of Parliament after which he returned to York and having raised an Army of three thousand Foot and one thousand Horse went to Beverly with an intention to besiege Hull making Proclamation beforehand That no man should presume to assist Hull against him or bring any force thither The Parliament on the other side published a Declaration for the preservation and safety of the Kingdom and of the town of Hull with assurance of satisfaction to all those who sustained any loss by their service for the safety of that Town or by overflowing of water upon the grounds there The King was within two hours march of Hull when Sir John Hotham calling a Councel of War by whom it was thought so fit drowned the Countrey about Hull drawing up the Sluce giving the Owners time to remove their Cattel and Goods the Parliament being to satisfie their damages upon the publick Faith Sir John Meldrum an old Souldier was assistant to Hotham who sallying bravely out of the Town with five hundred Townsmen made the Kings party retreat to Beverly some being slain and taken in the Chase Within a short time after when five hundred men sent from London arrived at Hull Sir John Meldrum made a fiercer Sally and forced most of the Leaguer to retire disorderly one and twenty of them being slain and fifteen taken prisoners and following his good success came to Aulby where the Kings Magazine of Arms Ammunition and Fire-balls were kept in a Barn all which he took and fired the Barn Upon which the King calling a Councel of War upon their advice broke up the siege before Hull On the twelfth of July the Parliament Voted that an Army should be raised for the
in a miserable calamity While the King persisted in these courses the Kirk of Scotland from the Synod at Edinburgh sent Letters to him containing a serious admonition which because the admonition of a National Church may seem a thing of some moment shall be set down verbatim the Preface onely omitted because long though very humble THE troubles of our hearts are enlarged and our fears encreased in your Majesties behalf perceiving that your Peoples patience is above measure tempted is like a Cart pressed down with Sheaves and ready to break while as besides many former designs and endeavours to bring desolation and destruction upon us which were and we trust all of that kind shall be by the marvellous and merciful providence of God discovered and disappointed our Countrey is now infested the bloud of divers of our brethren spilt and other acts of most barbarous and horrid cruelty exercised by the cursed crew of the Irish Rebels and their complices in this Kingdom under the conduct of such as have Commission and Warrant from your Majesty and unless we prove unfaithful both to God and your Majesty we cannot conceal another danger which is infinitely greater than your Peoples displeasure Therefore we the servants of the most high God and your Majesties most loyal Subjects in the humility and grief of our hearts fall down before your Throne and in the name of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ who shall judge the World in Righteousness both great and small and in the name of this whole Nationall Kirk which we represent we make bold to warn your Majesty freely that the guilt which cleaveth fast to your Majesty and to your Throne is such as whatsoever flattering Preachers or unfaithful Counsellors may say to the contrary if not timely repented cannot but involve your self and your posterity under the wrath of the ever living God for your being guilty of the shedding of the bloud of many thousands of your Majesties best subjects for your permitting the Mass and other Idolatry both in your own Family in your Dominions for your authorizing by the book of sports the prophanation of the Lords day for your not punishing of publike scandals and much prophaneness in and about your Court for the shutting of your ears from the humble and just desires of your faithful subjects for your complying too much with the popish party many wayes and namely by concluding the cessation of Armes in Ireland and your embracing the councels of those who have not set God nor your good before their eyes for your resisting and opposing this cause which so much concerneth the glory of God your own honour and happiness and the peace and safety of your Kingdomes and for what other causes your Majesty is most conscious and may best judge and search your own conscience nor would we have mentioned any particulars if they had not been publike and known For all which it is high time for your Majesty to fall down at the foot-stool of the King of glory to acknowledge your offences to repent timely to make your peace with God through Jesus Christ whose bloud is able to wash away your great sins and to be no longer unwilling that the Son of God reign over you and your Kingdoms in his pure Ordinances of Church-government and Worship They conclude with a profession and protestation of their constancy in so just a cause against any opposition whatsoever This admonition of the generall Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland was sent first to the Scottish Commissioners at London and by them delivered to the Kings Secretary but Ecclesiastical admonition in the heat of War little availed When the Spring began the War with great heat and courage on both sides was renewed Generall Essex had laid down his Commission and Sir Thomas Fairfax went to Windsor to his new-modelled Army a new Army indeed made up of some remainders of the old ones and other raised forces in the Countries an Army seeming no way glorious either in the dignity of Commanders or antiquity of Souldiers never hardly did any Army go forth to War with less confidence of their own side or more contempt of their enemies and did more bravely deceive both and shew how far it was possible for humane conjectures to erre For in their following action and successes they proved such as would too much pose antiquity among all the Camps of their famed Heroes to find a parallel to this Army He that will seriously weigh their atchievements in the following year against potent and gallant Enemies and consider the greatness of things the number of Victories how many battels were woon how many Towns and Garrisons were taken he can hardly think them the work of one year or fit to be called one War But whosoever considers this must take heed that he do not attribute too much to them but give it wholly to Almighty God whose providence over this Army as it did afterwards miraculously appear so it might in some measure be hoped for at the first considering the behaviour and discipline of those Souldiers For the usual vices of Camps were here restrained the discipline was strict no theft no wantonness no oaths nor any prophane words could escape without the severest castigation by which it was brought to pass that in this Camp as in a well ordered City passage was safe and commerce free The first expedition of General Fairfax as it was ordered by the Committee of both Kingdomes was into the West to releive Taunton a Town that had long with incredible manhood and constancy under Blake their Governour endured a sharp siege by Sir Richard Greenvile and seemed to emulate though with more happiness the fidelity of old Sagunthum but this work was not done by the General himself but Colonel Welden who was sent thither with seven thousand of the new Army Fairfax himself was recalled by the Committee of both Kingdoms to go upon other action But because the King had sent for Prince Rupert from Wales to come to Oxford that he might joyn forces and march into the field General Fairfax before he went from Windsor sent Cromwell with a party of Horse to hinder the Kings designs who marching speedily from Windsor with great felicity vanquished a part of the Kings forces at Islip-bridge taking divers of the Commanders prisoners the remainder of that party flying into Bletchington House were there besieged and yeilded to Cromwell with the same success at Bampton-bush he took Vaughan and Littleton and defeated their forces The King when Prince Rupert and Maurice were come to him with their forces designed his march toward the East to take possession of the Isle of Ely which he hoped would be betrayed to him by some of his party there Cromwell and Major General Brown the Governor of Abington were commanded to follow the King but soon recalled as too weak in forces to encounter the King and to assist General Fairfax in besieging of Oxford
for then Fairfax was ordered to besiege Oxford but the design was not good and the Commmittee of both Kingdoms though too late repented it For in the mean time the King securely marched Northward with his Army and took the considerable Town of Leicester Fairfax recalled from the siege of Oxford while Cromwell was sent away to strengthen the Eastern Counties with all his forces followed the King nor was the famous battel long deserred in which all men conjectured what the liberties and Laws of England and what the Kings power should he must be tried by the sword Naseby fields not far from Northampton were the place where the fate of England was to be determined The fourteenth of June was the memorable day nor was the number of the Armies very unequal the Royalists onely were strongest in Horse nor the ordering of their Battaliaes much unlike The Kings Front was filled with brave Troops of Horse the Foot stood in the second Body The right wing was commanded by the Princes Rupert and Maurice the left by Sir Jacob Ashley other Commanders of great quality susteining their parts The Parliamentarian Foot made a firm Body in the midst The wings were guarded by the Horse the right wing was commanded by Cromwell who to the exceeding joy of the whole Army that very night before the battel was fought arrived there the left wing by Ireton Colonel Rossiter a brave Commander but a little before the battel began came with his Horse and took his place with Cromwell on the right wing the Foot was commanded by Major Generall Skippon and divided into two Bodies The Parliamentarians word was God with us The Roialists God and Queen Mary Fortune at the first as in some other battels seemed a while to slatter the Kings side for the left wing of the Parliament was worsted and the Commander Ireton receiving two wounds was taken Prisoner and kept so during the fight Prince Rupert with great fury fell in and pursued that routed wing insomuch that the day had been lost if Cromwell who came on with as great force had not in like manner routed and overthrown the Kings left wing the business now seemed in an equal ballance and the wings on both sides being thus scattered they fought some time upon dubious hopes magnanimous Skippon was grievously wounded yet would not forsake the battel but with all possible endeavours discharged his part till the Victory was obtained the Fairfaxians at last charged so fiercely upon the Roialists that they no longer could endure the brunt the Horse in all disordered hast fled toward Leicester and forsook the whole body of their Foot with their Artillery and carriages who being surrounded by the Fairfaxians threw down their Arms crying for Quarter and were all taken Prisoners This battel was the happiest of all other to the Parliament the Victory absolute and undoubted and almost five thousand prisoners carried to London the Kings Standard and one hundred other colours were taken with all their Ordnance and a very rich booty a great quantity of gold and silver and all the secret Letters of the King came by this meanes into the Conquerous hands but so few were slain in this battel that a reader may justly wonder how so many prisoners should be taken and so much wealth purchased with the loss of so little bloud for on the Kings side scarce four hundred were slain on the Parliaments scarce an hundred Cromwell with his Horse pursued the vanquished Roialists who fled apace and betook themselves to divers of their own Garrisons and bringing back a great number of Prisoners returned to the General who now marched with his Victorious Army to Leicester which was soon rendred to him Fairfax leaving a Garrison in Leicester that he might make use of his Victory to the good of the Common-wealth and hinder the King from recruiting himself to protract this sad War resolved to follow him close he therefore marched Westward that he might both pursue the King and raise the Siege of Taunton The Kings letters taken at Naseby were publikely read in London before a great Assembly of Citizens where many of both Houses of Parliament were present and leave was given to as many as pleased or knew the Kings hand to refute the calumny of those who said the Letters were counterfeit to peruse them all out of which a selected bundle were printed by command of the Parliament From the reading of these Letters many discourses of the people arose for there appeared his transactions with the Irish Rebels and with the Queen for assistance from France and the Duke of Lorraign of which before is spoken Many good men were sorry that the Kings actions agreed no better with his words that he openly protested before God with horrid imprecations that he endeavoured nothing so much as the preservation of Protestant Religion and rooting out of Popery yet in the mean time under hand he promised to the Irish Rebels an abrogation of those Laws against them which was contrary to his late expressed promises in these words I will never abrogate the Law against the Papists and again I abhor to think of bringing forraign Souldiers into the Kingdom and yet he solicited the Duke of Lorraign the French the Danes and the very Irish for assistance they were vexed also that the King was so much ruled by the will of his wife as to do every thing by her prescript that Peace War Religion and Parliament should be at her disposal It appeared besides out of those Letters with what mind the King treated with the Parliament at Vxbridge and what could be hoped by that Treaty when writing to the Queen he affirms that if he could have had but two more donsenting to his Vote he would not have given the name of Parliament to them at Westminster at last he agreed to it in this sense That it was not all one to call them a Parliament and to acknowledge them so to be and upon that reason which might have displeased his own side he calls those with him at Oxford a mungrel Parliament The King after his overthrow at Naseby fled to Lichfield and from thence he went to Hereford to raise forces especially Foot for he had still store of brave Horse that came to him after that Battel in Wales in Cornwall and in other places but nothing at all that following year prospered with the King Fortune enclining wholly to the Parliaments side whose cause it appeared that God approved by the grant of so many strange and signal Victories to them the valour of the Roialists availed not and all their endeavours fell to nothing General Fairfax after the Battel of Naseby by long Marches passed into the West Taunton was releived onely by the fame of his approach for Goring raised his Siege and went away That constant Town had been reduced to great extremities it had suffered much and done great things against strong Enemies and could not at this time in
been committed to the Tower six months before was beheaded Of this man of the crimes laid to his charge as likewise of his Pompous and remarkable trial we cannot but make some mention About the end of January a charge was read against him in the House of Commons consisting of nine Articles out of which by subdivision were branched many more which though too tedious to be verbally here set down I shall deliver by expressing the contents He was accused for ruling Ireland and the North of England in an arbitrary way against the Laws For retaining the Kings revenue without account For encreasing and encouraging Popery For maliciously striving to stir up and continue enmity betwixt England and Scotland of which some particulars are exprest For laboring to subvert Parliaments and incense the King against them Upon which occasion Mr. Pym a Member of the House of Commons in his Speech and Declaration to the Lords shewing the quality of the offence spake as followeth It is an offence comprehending all other offences in that he governed contrary to Law the Law is that which puts a difference between good and evil It is the Law that doth intitle the King to the Allegeance and service of his people it intitles the people to the protection and justice of the King It is God alone who subsists by himself all other things subsist in a mutual dependence and relation He was a wise man that said That the King subsisted by the field that is tilled it is the labor of the people that supports the Crown If you take away the protection of the King the vigor and cheerfulness of Allegeance will be taken away though the obligation remain The Law is the Boundary the Measure betwixt the Kings Prerogative and the peoples Liberty Whiles these move in their own Orb they are a support and security to one another The Prerogative a cover and defence to the Liberty of the people and the people by their Liberty are enabled to be a foundation to the Prerogative but if these bounds be so removed that they enter into contestation and conflict one of these mischiefs must needs ensue If the Prerogative of the King overwhelm the Liberty of the People it will be turned into Tyranny If Liberty undermine the Prerogative it will grow into Anarchy The Law is the safeguard the custody of all private interest Your Honors your Lives your Liberties and Estates are all in the keeping of the Law without this every man hath a like right to any thing and this is the condition into which the Irish were brought by the Earl of Strafford And the reason which he gave for it hath more mischief in it than the thing it self THEY WERE A CONQUERED NATION There cannot be a word more pregnant and fruitful in Treason than that word is There are few Nations in the world that have not been Conquered and no doubt but the Conqueror may give what Laws he please to those that are Conquered But if the succeeding Pacts and Agreements do not limit and restrain that right what people can be secure England hath been Conquered and Wales hath been Conquered and by this reason will be in little better case than Ireland If the King by the Right of a Conqueror gives Laws to his people shall not the people by the same reason be restored to the right of the Conquered to recover their Liberty if they can What can be more hurtful more pernitious to both than such Propositions as these A little after Such arbitrary power is inconsistent with the peace the wealth the prosperity of a Nation to industry to valor c. For who will take pains for that which when he hath gotten is not his own Or who will fight for that wherein he hath no other Interest but such as is subject to the will of another The ancient encouragement for men to defend their Countries was this That they were to hazard their persons in defence of their Religion and their Houses but by such arbitrary wayes as were practised in Ireland and counselled here no man had any certainty of either or of any thing else c. Such arbitrary courses have an ill operation on the courage of a Nation by embasing the hearts of the people a servil condition doth beget in men a slaves temper and disposition shall it be Treason to embase the Kings Coyn though but a piece and must it not needs be the effect of a greater Treason to embase the spirits of his Subjects c. A little further As it is a Crime odious in the nature of it so it is odious in the judgment and estimation of the Law to alter the settled frame and constitution of government is Treason in any estate The Laws whereby all other parts of a Kingdom are preserved should be very vain and defective if they had not a power to secure and preserve themselves The forfeitures inflicted for Treason by our Law are of Life Honor and Estate even all that can be forfeited and this prisoner having committed so many Treasons although he should pay all these forfeitures will be still a Debtor to the Common-wealth Nothing can be more equal then that he should perish by the Justice of that Law which he would have subverted Neither will this be a new way of blood There are marks enough to trace this Law to the very original of this Kingdom And if it hath not been put in execution as he allegeth this 240 yeers it was not for want of Law but that all that time hath not bred a man bold enough to commit such Crimes as these which is a circumstance much aggravating his offence and making him no whit less liable to purishment because he is the only man that in so long a time hath ventured upon such a Treason as this The Commissioners of Scotland then resident at London had a charge also against this Earl for matters done against their Nation which were notwithstanding implied in the Parliaments Charge To this Charge the Earl gave in his Answer in the House of Lords where the King himself was present at the reading of it upon the 23 day of February but his trial in Westminster Hall began on the 22 day of March following and was a most memorable fight The Hall was Scaffolded on both sides to contain the whole House of Commons sitting there in a Committee the Peers sate all there besides the Commissioners from Scotland and besides other spectators and auditors and a great number of the Lords of Ireland The Earl of Arundel was Lord high Steward and the Earl of Lindsey Lord high Constable the King himself sate privately in a close Gallery every day taking Notes in writing of what passed in the tryal Fifteen dayes the Earl answered personally from the 22 of March with few dayes intermission till the 16 of April Misdemeanors in an high degree were proved against him but that which the Earl labored to maintain
were drawn up and read against them in the House of Commons for in December before when the debate had been concerning Ship-money and the offence of those Judges who had given their extrajudicial opinions for it was examined upon which the Lord Keeper Finch fled the thing was condemned as most illegal Three Judges had been honest Judge Crook Hutton and Baron Denham whose Arguments were very famous the other were examined by sixteen Members of the House of Commons who were appointed to present those particular Charges against every Judge who were Judge Bramston Baron Trever Baron Weston Baron Davenport and Judge Crawley for Judge Barclay was charged with high Treason Of this a certain Gent. spake as followeth The Root of most of our present mischiefs the ruine of all posterity do I hold to be that extrajudicial Judgment I cannot say but rather doom delivered by all the Judges under their hands out of Court yet recorded in all Courts to the subversion of all our Fundamental Lawes Liberties and Annihilation if not Confiscation of our Estates That in case of danger the King may impose upon his subjects that he is the sole Judge of the danger necessity and proportion which in brief is to take what when and where he will which though delivered in the time of a gracious merciful Prince who we hope will not wrest it beyond our abilities yet left to the interpretation of a succeeding Tyrant if ever this Nation be so fortunate to fall into the hands of such It is a Record wherein every man might read himself a slave that reads it having nothing he can call his own all prostitute to the will of another What to do in such a case we are not to seek for precedents our honorable Ancestors taught us in the just and exemplar punishments of chief Justice Tresilian and his Complices for giving their judgments out of Parliament against the established Laws of Parl. how tender they were of us how careful we ought to be to continue those Laws to preserve the Liberty of our Posterity Those Charges were now brought in about the beginning of August but little was afterwards done against any of them or almost any other offendor the King had designed a journey into Scotland and would go though the Houses earnestly entreated his stay for a while longer because the Kingdoms business required his presence the King alledged that the affairs of Scotland did necessarily require his presence and further told them that he would Pass any good Bill which they had for him before he went Which he accordingly did and signed a Commission for passing of Bills in his absence the Commissioners were the Lord-Keeper Littleton the Lord Privy-seal Earl of Manchester the Lord great Chamberlain Earl of Lindsey the Marquess of Harford Earl of Essex Earl of Bath Earl of Dorset The Earl of Essex also by a Bill which the King then signed was made General of all his forces on this side Trent with power to levy Arms in case of necessity But before the King went the Earl of Holland chosen both by him and the Parliament as General for that purpose was gone into the North to disband the English Army there The King departing from London the tenth of August made haste towards Scotland and passed by the Armies as they were disbanding Whether he did under-hand attempt any thing with the Scotish Army as a Scotish writer hath published to engage them against the Parliament of England with large promises of Spoil and offering Jewels of great value in pawn for performance of it I leave as uncertain for the reader to judge by what afterwards fell out But if he did it was a matter of great falsehood having as yet declared no enmity against the English Parliament But what the Kings design was of going into Scotland was not understood in England The same Author saies it was to make sure those Noble men of that Kingdom whom he doubted of as not willing to serve his turn against England And true it is that about September Letters came from Scotland to the standing Committee at Westminster for the two Houses had rejourned themselves from the eighth of September till the twentieth of October and appointed a standing Committee of fifty Members during that time that a Treasonable Plot was discovered there against the lives of some of the greatest Peers in the Kingdom upon which the standing Committee fearing some mischief from the same spring placed strong guards in divers parts of the City of London However the mischiefs might fall out by chance or by design the Kings journey into Scotland was sure to hinder the English business and to retard the cure of all their Grievances which was little less then a plain destruction For after the tenth of August the day of his departure little was done in the Parliament until the recess On the 23 of October whilst the King remained in Scotland broke forth that cursed conspiracy of the Irish Rebels and the inhumane butchery of Protestants through the whole Island more tragical then any effect of a calamitous War in which was put in execution whatsoever could be imagined from the licentious cruelty of a barbarous people so long kept under the English yoke or whatever the dire dictates of superstition or wicked exhortations of Priests could infuse into them It was wonderful that so devilish a design could so long be kept close whereby 200000 Protestants in two months space were murdered and many by exquisite torments and many more despoiled of all their wordly fortunes This divelish design was to be put in execution on the 23 of October upon which day not only the Castle of Dublin the Kingdoms chief Magazine a storehouse of ten thousand Arms at that time but all other Forts and Magazines in that Kingdom were to be surprised and all the English or Protestants that joyned not with them to be murdered The seizure of Dublin Castle to which purpose many of the chief Rebels came to the City the day before was prevented by timely discovery of the Plot to the two Lords Justices by one Owen O Conally a Servant to Sir John Clotworthy which discovery was but the very night before that fatal day and the occasion of it very accidental or rather a strange providence of God by Mac-Mahons unadvised trusting this Owen with some relations concerning it at a Tavern Upon which discovery Mac-Mahon and the Lord Maguire were presently apprehended by the Lords Justices and many Conspirators of great note escaped that night out of Dublin So was Dublin saved that all Ireland might not be lost in one day But the horrid design was past prevention as to the general for the Conspirators were up at the day in all Counties round about and poor English Protestants arrived at Dublin every day robbed and spoiled of all they had relating how their houses were seized how Towns and Villages in all parts were fired and cruel outrages
disorderly fellows came into them they remained all night in a whole body filling the City with fears so that the Lord Major a man cordial to the Parliament was enforced to escape privily out of his House and flye into the Tower In the morning General Fairfax to crush this mischief in the beginning before the wound were grown incurable by the concourse of wicked men sent a part of his Army into the City who vanquishing the Seditious and driving them into Leaden Hall of whom some they carried away Prisoners with great valour and no less prudence quieted the Tumult For delivering the City from so horrid a danger thanks were given to the General both by the Parliament and the honest sober Citizens and a thousand pounds in money given as a gratuity to the Souldiers In the very Petitions also at that Malignant time nothing but sedition War was contained as appeared in those of Surrey and Kent From Surrey about three hundred came to Westminster on the twenty sixth of May bringing a Petition to the Parliament in which they did not so much entreat as command in high words That the King should presently be restored to his former dignity and come to Westminster with Honour Freedom and safety to treat personally there about all Controversies that the Army should presently be disbanded and the free people of England be governed by their known Laws and Statutes with other things of this nature Nor would these Surrey-men that brought the Petition endure any delay no not so much as till the Parliament could debate about it but being extream insolent cursing and railing openly at the Parliament they set upon the Souldiers who were their guard of whom some they hurt and one they killed Upon which a troop of Horse from the Mews and some Foot were sent to help their Fellows who soon vanquished and scattered those Country Fellows and slew some of them This was the end of that seditious Petition of Surrey At that time the Kentish-men were coming with a Petition of that nature who being in number of a good Army seemed afar off to threaten the Parliament They had been the more stirred by reason of a severe punishment of some of their Country-men who had lately raised a sedition about Canterbury against these Kentish-men the Parliament provided no smaller defence then the General Fairfax himself who with seven Regiments marched away to Black Heath neer Greenwich of whose success we shall speak afterwards The Parliament had before designed that General Fairfax should march into the North to defend those parts but nearer dangers detained him in the South For at this time scarce any part of England was quiet in every place tumults insurrections and Wars were threatned To quell all these which was wonderful one onely Army sufficed by the great blessing of God upon it Which Army as when it was conjoyned in one year Anno Dom. 1646. it quite vanquished and broke all the Kings flourishing strength and reduced the Kingdom to the obedience of Parliament so at this time with no less fortitude and felicity being divided into parts in all corners of the Kingdom it continued Victorious so that fortitude and fortune might seeme in that Army as the soul in an humane body to be all in the whole and all in every part For besides those light and soon-suppressed insurrections of Suffolke in the East and of Stamford in the mid-land part by Col. Wait and others and of Cornwal in the West by Sir Hardresse Waller more great and formidable insurrections happened in the Northern parts and in Wales In the beginning of May the North was infested by some of the Kings Commanders Sir Thomas Glenham who had before governed so many Garisons of the Kings as Carlisle York and Oxford and lost them all had now with no better success seized upon Carlisle And at the same time Sir Marmaduke Langdale of whom we spake before had seized upon Berwick and fortified it The strong Castle also of Pomfret was then taken by the Royalists who by treachery had slain the Governour thereof To manage these Wars in the North Lambert a stout Commander and Major-General of those Counties was left with some Regiments of the Fairfaxian Army But dangers of a more horrid degree seemed to threaten the Parliament in Wales not onely from ancient and formerly-vanquished Enemies but those who had before been Parliament-Commanders and had now forsaken their side and cause namely the Colonels Poyer and Powel and him that had so often so well deserved of the Parliament Laughorn himself Poyer who had hitherto kept the Town and strong Castle of Pembrook for the Parliament now strengthned by the concourse of malignant people with great animosity maintained it against them Laughorn a Commander of great esteem in those parts had raised a gallant Army under whom Colonel Powel served In a small time the Welch coming in apace to him Laughorns Army was so increased that he mustered 8000. Both Laughorn Poyer as it afterward appeared entred into this War by a Commission received from Prince Charles whose Auspicy proved no better then his Fathers Colonel Horton with a small part of the Fairfaxian Army and some other raised forces went against them with three thousand men But it pleased God the giver of all Victories that the success was not according to the number for Horton on the eighth day of May between the two Towns of Fagans and. Peterstone encountring with Laughorn totally routed and put to flight his whole Army consisting of eight thousand Horse and Foot A great slaughter was made upon the place and the number of Prisoners being three thousand equalled the number of the Victorious Army among whom were taken about an hundred and fifty Officers a great number of Colours and quantity of Arms with all their Ordnance There was scarce a more happy Victory as the condition of things then stood to the Parliament then this of Hortons for which by order of Parliament a publike thanksgiving to God was celebrated Laughorn and Powel escaping by flight got to Poyer into Pembrook Castle Cromwell himself about the beginning of May was sent into Wales with some Regiments who on the eleventh day of that moneth came to Chepstow Castle which he resolved to besiege but hastening to Pembrook he left Colonel Ewer at Chepstow who within fifteen days took that Castle and killed Kemish to whom before the place had been betrayed and Cromwel on the twentieth of May came to Pembrook Poyer relying on the strength of the place refused all conditions knowing besides that time was now pretious to the Parliament being then entangled in so many difficulties at once But Cromwel not being accustomed to despair of any thing prepared for the Siege being much furthered in his work from the Sea by the great industry of Sir George Ayscough who commanded there a squadron of the Navy Sir George Ayscough with much care and diligence from time to time
furnished Leiutenant General Cromwel with great Guns with provisions of all sorts from Bristol and other places and every thing necessary for a Siege While these things were acting in Wales General Fairfax sent as before was said with seven Regiments to suppress the Kenrish Risers pursued them towards Rochester A great number of Kentish men not far from Gravesend were gotten together into an Army with whom were above twenty Knights Esquires and Gentlemen of the County and among them divers commanders formerly of the King Armies though they were more in number they durst not give the General battel but some marched away to Maidstone a few kept together about Rochester another part of them went to Dover and besieged that Castle to raise that Siege the General sent Colonel Rich and Sir Michael Levesy who very happily performed that work The General himself marched with his Army to Maidstone Into that Town about two thousand of the Risers were gotten and resolved to make good the place The General likewise prepared to besiege them In no chance of War before was the vertue of Fairfax and his Souldiers more tryed nor a Victory bought with greater danger For after that the Souldiers had broke into the Town which was done with great difficulty they found a War in every street and Ordnance planted against them and were put to fight for every corner of it At last the General with the loss of forty of his men took the Town two hundred of the Enemies being slain and about fourteen hundred taken prisoners four hundred Horse and two thousand Arms were taken One thing was wonderful that an Army of many thousand Kentish men more in number then the Generals Army coming from Rochester to the aid of their friends yet notwithstanding when they came neer durst not venture to assist them but stood in sight while the General took the Town Publike thanks were given to God by order of Parliament for this great victory Now all Kent seemed to be quieted except some Castles which also within a short time were taken or yielded to the Parliament when suddenly a new head of this Hydra sprung up the Lord Goring gathering together a remnant of the Kentish Army with about two thousand men had marched as far as Greenwich from whence he sent some to see how the Citizens of London stood affected to the business but whilst he staid expecting an answer some Troops of the Army came in sight upon which Goring and all his company fled the Horsemen pursuing took some Booty and divers prisoners the Kentish men for the most part fled to their own Houses The Lord Goring with about five hundred horse flying from Greenwich and getting Boats crossed the Thames into Essex where as if the Fates sought out new Victories for Fairfax every where the Lord Capel with Forces out of Hartfortshire and Sir Charles Lucas with a body of Horse at Chensford in Essex joyned themselves to Goring to whom within a short time divers that formerly had been the King Souldiers and many Londoners with others flocked Some also of higher rank as Mr. Hastings brother to Huntingdon and Compton brother to the Earl of Northampton The General Fairfax crossing the Thames at Gravesend passed with a part of his Army into Essex and sending for the rest of his Forces out of Kent and London pursued the Enemies whom at last he drove into Colchester and in that Town besieged them where because it proved a long siege we leave him for a time and pass to other actions The greatest of all dangers which threatned the Parliament was from the North not contained within the bounds of England onely but from the Kingdom of Scotland Major General Lambert the chief Commander in the North labouring to suppress Glenham and Langdale wrought so much that he kept them within the bounds of Cumberland and Westmerland but they expected the march of the Scotish Army to which they intended to joyn themselves Lambert too weak to oppose so great a Force omitted no diligence in strengthening himself from the neighbour-Counties who were very forward to his assistance especially Lancashire who raised two Regiments of Horse and four of Foot to be conducted by Major General Ashton and joyn with Lambert in Yorkeshire The English Malignants alone were not very formidable in the North but that the Kingdome of Scotland joyned with them against the Parliament Wars were made from another Kingdome that Cromwel might be victorious as well against Forraigners as Englishmen The faction of Duke Hamliton was then prevalent in the Parliament of Scotland by whom Designs were hatched dangerous to both Kingdoms contrary to peace and contrary for so it was judged by the Church of Scotland even to the Covenant it self England was to be invaded and a great Army raised under the Command of Duke Hamliton a man ambitious and subtle The English Malignants for it was given out that they took Arms for the King were invited to joyn with them and pay promised to those that would serve all this was done though Arguile Louden and the honester Lords protested against their proceedings and the Kirk of Scotland cursed that War as impious But the greater part prevailed who therefore stiled themselves the Parliament of Scotland by a kinde of right and to curb men of the adverse faction a Commitee was made with power given to them to punish all those who should attempt any thing against the Decrees of the Parliament and a penalty set down to be inflicted upon all Ministers who should from their Pulpits teach the people otherwise by which means it was brought to pass that many Ministers were silenced others punished and some Lords of the other faction retired themselves to their own strengths yet could they not stop the mouths of all the Ministers some with a constant Zeal denounced the wrath of God against that Army of Hamilton and by the wretched success of that unfortuneate Army the curses of the Kirk seemed not in vain no more then of old the Tribunes curse upon the Parthian Expedition of Marcus Crassin Conspiracies by Land though over the whole Iland against the Parliament of England seemed not enough unless the Sea also had rebelled against them Divers of the chief Ships in the Royal Fleet revolted from the Parliament about the beginning of June and set the Vice-Admiral Rainsborough ashore affirming they were for the King and would serve Prince Charles sailing towards Holland where the Prince then was and with him his brother the Duke of York who not long before fled privately being perswaded thereto by Letters from the King his Father out of London where he had been kept with great observance and state by the Parliament The Parliament were much troubled at the revolt of these Ships as a thing of extream danger and sent to the Earl of Warwick to take the Command of their remaining Navy and reduce the rest if he could Warwick cheerfully accepted the employment and was