the Steward or an appeal may take a way the inconvenience of it A way of government worse then to be subject to the rule of so many fools for they might perchance doe that would be just or so many Knaves who but in playing the Knaves one with another or for reward might sometimes do that which was right or Mad-men which at intervals might do something which was reasonable worse then for every subject of England to be put to play at dice for his life or estate or any thing else he should crave a Justice to get or keep for then he might by skill or chance obtain something In fine worse then any example or way of Government the world hath as yet produced and can have nothing worse but Hell it self The Parliament and priviledges of it are destroyed and every mans life and estate in no better a condition then at the pleasure of the next pretenders to it All the Charters and Liberties of Cities and Corporate Towns Corporations of Trade and Companies of Merchants made void all the Merchandise Trade and Manufacture of the Kingdom laid open and in common to every one that will intrude upon it all that is in the Law concerning our Lives Estates Liberties and Religion made void and dependant upon the Arbitrary Independent power all that is in the Law concerning Navigation the Kings Protection of his people certainty of Customes Trade and Entercourse Leagues and Correspondencies with Forrain Princes expired or annihilated and all that our Fore-fathers have obtained by way of Lawes and Settlement and certainty of Estate are now at dispose of our vote-mongers who in stead of a most pious and gracious King governing by known Lawes have set us up 43. or 50. Kings and ten times as many more Knaves and Fools who will govern by no Law but such as they shall call Lawes and make themselves can be accusers witnesses and Judges at one and the same time and if need be condemn and take away mens Estates first and try them after two or three yeares Petitioning for it a bondage slavery in the general more then ever any of our Ancestors tasted of For the Romans whose Justice and Morality at home and Vertue and Temperance abroad made them free enough from Tyranny did but make them as Tributaries The Picts made but temporary incursions and a wall could be made against them The Saxons and Danes brought us good Lawes and William the Conquerour was content to restore them And all that succeeded him since understood a government by Lawes to be their own as well as the peoples security but this which they have now brought upon us and would keep us under is a misery beyond that was suffered under the 30. Tyrants of Athens Spartan Ephori or Romes Decemvirat for there were something of Lawes and Rules to govern by The Children of Israel in the Egyptian slavery had a property in their goods and cattel and were at liberty to serve a better God then that of their Masters and though they had their burdens doubled upon them were not kill'd imprisoned or sequestred for petitioning against the sense of Pharaoh The Jewes in Captivity had so much liberty of Conscience allowed to them as to play upon their Harps and sing the Songs of Sion in a strange Land The frozen Russians though so dull and ignorant as when they are asked any matter of State or difficulty make answer God and the great Duke knoweth breath not under so Arbitrary lawlesse a government The Grecians had not their Lawes Religion and Liberties as we have all at once taken from them nor can the sufferings of them or any other vassals of the Ottoman Port or those that live under the Crim Tartar equal the one half of our English slavery Into which we had never fallen or come at all or so long groaned under had we but served God and the King as we ought to have done and not wrâ—sted the sense as well as the plain words of the Scripture and the Lawes of the Land to enable the sons of Zerviah to be too hard for us and bring all manner of mischief confusion and wickednesse upon us more then Romes and Constantinoples Antichrist ever brought upon a people and from which the King had delivered us if we had not Cursed Reviled Prayed Contributed and Fought against him for endeavouring to Protect us How gracious then was he who endured the heat of the day and cold of the night to preserve a great deal more for us then Nabals sheep could amount unto yet being worse used then ever David was for it could not tell how so much as to threaten to doe that which David had so great a mind to doe but fought as long as he could to Protect them would not so much as defend themselves but did all they could to ruine those that defended him And how much was he beyond Codrus the Athenian King the Roman Curtius or Decii if all that the Ancients wrote of them were true who sacrificed themselves but not their Estates and Posterity to preserve the Publique and how good beyond example or the credit of any History who made himself a Martyr for his peoples lives and liberties and endured so many deaths and suffered more indignities then all the Kings of England put together have ever endured to preserve a people have for a great part of them either by Rebellion or an accursed Newtrality helped to ruine him and when he knew whatsoever Conditions or Propositions he should be forced to yield unto would by the Law of God as well as the Civil and Common Law the Lawes of Nature and Nations and the dictates of every common mans reason and apprehension have been void in the very making of them and could not have reached to his Posterity and that if he would but have surrendred up his people and gone along with their new Masters in their Arbitrary and Tyrannical government as some of his last words upon the Scaffold plainly intimate and sided with 20. or 30. of the Faction and delivered up the sheep to the Wolves he might no doubt have had a good part of the Fleece to his own share or but wirh Sampson have pleased himself with revenge and delivered up a people to Slavery were at so much expence of Treasure and Blood and their own Soules to bring their Soveraign to it might have worn the Title of a King and played the wanton with Sardanapalus in the company and delight of women pleased his palat with Vitellius his pride if he had any with Bassianus his cruelty if he could ever have been guilty of it with Commodus and with Childerick the lazy King of France in a Chariot deck't with garlands whilst others governed for him been at certain times of the year onely exhibited to the people and like the Minotaure of Creete wallowed in the labyrinth of Parliament Priviledges and devoured his people did notwithstanding refuse to
Religion and take away the Laws and Liberties of the People and many other the like seditious delusions the People so much as their misery will give them leave have now found out the way to laugh at either came from the Parlament party or were cherished and turned into advantages by them For they had found the way and lost nothing by it to be ever jealous of the King And whil'st he did all he could to shew them that there was no cause for it they who were jealous without a cause could be so cunning as to make all the hast they could to weaken him and strengthen themselvs by such kind of artifices But he that could not choose but take notice that there were secret ties and combinations betwixt his English and Scortish Subjects the latter of whom the Earl of Essex and Sir Thomas Fairfax themselves understood to be no better then Rebells and therefore served in places of Command in his Majesties Army against them That Sir Arthur Haselrig had brought in a Bill in Parlament to take the Militia by Sea and Land away from him saw himselfe not long after by a printed Remonstrance or Declaration made to the People of all they could but imagine to be errors in his Government arraigned and little less then deposed The Bishops and divers great Lords driven from the Parlament by tumults Was inforced to keep his gates at Whitehall shut and procure divers Captains and Commanders to lodge there and to allow them a Table to be a guard for him and had been fully informed of many Traiterous Speeches used by some seditious Mechanicks of London as that it was pity he should Raign and that The Prince would make a better King was yet so far from being jealous or solicitous to defend himselfe by the Sword and power which God had intrusted him with as when he had need and reason enough to do it he still granted them that he might not seem to deny what might but seem to be for the good of his people every thing they could reasonably ask of him or he could but reasonably tell how to part with though he could not be ignorant but an ill use might be made of them against himself As the putting down of the Star-Chamber and high Commission Court the Courts of Honour and of the North and Welch Marches Commissions for the making of Gun-powder allowing them approbation or nomination of the Lievtenant of the Tower and did all and more then all his predecessors put together to remove their jealousies And when that would not do it He stood still and saw the game plaid on further many Tumults raised many Libells and scandalous Pamphlets publickly printed against his person and Government and when he complained of it in Parlament so little care was taken to redress it as that the peoples coming to Westminster in a Tumultuous manner set on and invited by Pennington and Ven two of the most active Mechanick Sectaries of the House of Commons it was excused and called a liberty of Petitioning And as for the Libells and Pamphlets the Licensing of Books before they should be printed and all other restraint of the Printing Press were taken away and complaints being made against Pamphlets and seditious Books some of the Members of the house of Commons were heard to say the work would not be done without them and complaints being also made to Mr. Pym against some wicked men which were ill affected to the Government He answered It was not now a time to discourage their friends but to make use of them And here being as many Jealousies and fears as could possibly be raised or fancied without a ground on the one side against all the endeavours could be used on the other side to remove them We shall in the next place take a view of the matter of Fact that followed upon them and bring before you CHAP. II. The Proceedings betwixt the King and the Parlament from the Tumultuous and Seditious coming of the People to the Parlament and White-Hall till the 13. of September 1642. being 18. days after the King had set up his Standard at Nottingham WHen all the King could do to bring the Parlament to a better understanding of him did as they were pleased to make their advantage of it but make them seem to be the more unsatisfied that they might the better mis-represent him to the People and petition out of his hands as much power as they could tell how to perswade him to grant them and that he had proofs enough of what hath been since written in the blood and hearts of his People that the five Members and Kimbolton intended to root out Him and His Posterity subvert the Laws and alter the Religion and Covernment of the Kingdom and had therefore sent his Serjeant at Arms to demand their persons and Justice to be done upon them instead of obedience to it an order was made That every man might rescue them and apprehend the Serjeant at Arms for doing it which Parlament Records would blush at And Queen Elizabeth who was wont to answer her better composed Parlaments upon lesser occasions with a Cavete ne patientiam Principis laedatis and caused Parry a Doctor of the Civill Laws and a Member of the house of Commons by the judgement and advice of as sage and learned a privy Councill and Judges as any Prince in Christendom ever had to be hang'd drawn and quartered for Treason in the old Palace of Westminster when the Parlament was sitting would have wondred at And 4. of January 1641. desiring onely to bring them to a Legall tryall and examination went in person to demand them and found that his own peaceable behaviour and fewer attendants then the two Speakers of the Parlament had afterwards when they brought a whole Army at their heels to charge and fright away eleven of their fellow members had all manner of evil constructions put upon it and that the Houses of Parlament had adjourned into London and occasioned such a sedition amongst the people as all the train bands of London must guard them by Land when there was no need of it and many Boats and Lighters armed with Sea-men and murdering pieces by water and that unless he should have adventured the mischief and murder hath been since committed upon him by those which at that time intended as much as they have done since it was high time to think of his own safety and of so many others were concerned in it having left London but the day before upon a greater cause of fear then the Speakers of both Houses of Parlament in July 1647. to go to the Army retires with the Prince his Son whom the Parlament laboured to seize and take into their custody in his company towards York 8. January 1641. A Committee of the House of Commons sitting in London resolved upon the question That the Actions of the City of London for the
Ordinance out of the Tower of London to fortifie the Castle of Warwick And 9. July 1642. Order That in case the Earl of Northampton should come into that County with a Commission of Array they should raise the Militia to suppress him And that the Common Counsell of London should consider of a way for the speedy raising of the 10000 Foot and that they should be listed and put in pay within four days after 11. July 1642. The King sends to the Parlament to cause the Town of Hull to be delivered unto him and desires to have their answer by the 15 of that month and as then had used no force against it But the morrow after before that message could come unto them they resolve upon the Question That an Army shall be forthwith raised for the defence of the Kings person and both houses of Parlament and those who have obeyed their Orders and Commands in preserving the true Religion the Laws Liberties and the Peace of the Kingdom and that they would live and dye with the Earl of Essex whom they nominate Generall in that cause And 12. July 1642. Declare that they will protect all that shal be imployed in their assistance and Militia And 16 July 1642. Petition the King to forbear any preparations or actiōs of War and to dismiss his extraordinary guards to come nearer to them and hearken to their advice but before the Petition could be answered wherein the King offered when the Town of Hull should bee delivered to Him he would no longer have an Army before it and should be assured that the some pretence which took Hull from him may not put a Garison into Newcastle into which after the Parlaments surprise of Hull He was inforced to place a Governour and a small Garrison He would also remove that Garrison and so as his Magazine and Navy might be delivered unto him all Armies and Levies made by the Parlament laid down the pretended Ordinance for the Militia disavowed and the Parlament adjourned to a secure place he would lay down Arms and repair to them and desired all differences might be freely debated in a Parlamentary way whereby the Law might recover its due reverence the Subject his just Liberty Parlaments their ful vigour and estimation and the whole Kingdom a blessed Peace and Prosperity and requiring their answer by the 27. of that July promised til then not to make any attempt of force upon Hull had armed their General with power against him given him a Commission to kill and slay all that should oppose him in the execution of it and chosen their General of the Horse 8. August 1642. Upon information that some of the Town of Portsmouth had revolted to Colonell Goring being but sent thither with a message from the King and Declared for his Majestie Order forces to be sent thither speedily to beleaguer it by Land and the Earle of Warwick to send thither 5. Ships of the Navy to prevent any forraign forces coming to their assistance and upon Intelligence that the Earle of Northampton appeared with great strength at Banbury to hinder the Lo. Brooks for carrying the picces of Ordnance to Warwick Ordered 5000 Horse and Foot to be sent to assist him 9. August 1642. Upon information that the Marquis of Hartford and divers others were in Somerset-shire demanding obedience to the Kings Commission of Array to have the Magazine of the Connty to be delivered unto them Gave power to the Earl of Essex their Lord Generall the Lord Brook and others to apprehend the Marquis of Hartford and Earl of Northampton and their complices and to kill and slay all that should oppose them And the day following gave the Earle of Stamford a Commission to raise forces for the Suppressing of any should attempt for the King in Leicester-shire or the adjacent Counties And on the eleventh of August 1642. Upon the Kings Proclamation two days before declaring the Earl of Essex and all that should adhere unto him in the levying of Forces and not come in and yield to His Majesty within six days to be Travtors◠vote the said Proclamation to be against the fundamental Laws of the Kingdom Declare their resolutions to maintain and assist the Earl of Essex and resolve to spend no more time in Declarations and Petitions but to endeavour by raising of Forces to suppress the Kings Party though all that the Kings loyal Subjects did at that time for Him was but to execute the Commission of Array in the old legal way of the Militia and within a day or two after ordered the Earl of Essex their Lord General to set forth with his Army of Horse upon the Monday following but not so much as an Answer would be afforded to the Kings Message sent from Hull where whilst He with patience and hope forbore any action or attempt of force according to His promise Sir John Hotham sallied out in the night and murdered many of his fellow-subjects 12 Angust 1642. The King though He might well understand the great leavies of Men and Arms ready to march against Him by a Declaration published to all his Subjects assures them as in the presence of God That all the Acts passed by Him in this parliament should be as equally observed as those which most of all concerned His own interest and rights and that his quarrel was not against the Parliament but particular men and therefore desired That the Lord Kimbolton Mr. Hollis Sir Hen Ludlow Sir Arthur Hasilrig Mr. Strode Mr. Martin Mr. Hampden Alderman Pennington and Captain Venne might be delivered into the hands of Justice to be tried by their Peers according to the known Laws of the Land and against the Earls of Essex Warwick Stamford Lord Brooks Sir John Hotham Major General Skippon and those who should exercise the Militia by vertue of the Ordinance he would cause Indictments to be drawn of high Treason upon the Statute of 25 Edw. 3. and if they submit to trial and plead the Ordinance would rest satisfied if they should be acquitted But when this produced as little effect as all other endeavours He had used for peace He that saw the Hydra in the mud and slime of Sedition in its Embrio birth and growth and finds him now erected ready to devour him must now though very unwilling to cast off His beloved Robe of Peace forsake an abused patience and believe no more in the hopes of other remedies had so often deceived Him but if He will give any account to the Watchman of Israel of the People committed to his charge or to the people of his protection of them or any manner of satisfaction to his own judgment and discretion betake Himself to the Sword which God had intrusted Him with and therefore makes the best use He could of those few friends were about Him and with the money which the Queen had not long before borrowed and the small supplies He had obtained of His
Servants and Friends about Him who pawned and engaged their Plate Jewels and Lands for Him with those Lords and Gentlemen that willingly offered to bear Him company in His Troubles provides what Men and Armâ— He could in His way towards Notting ham where He intended to set up his Standard But the Parliament about the 23 of August 1642. having received some information that He intended to set up his Standard at Nottingham Declare That now it appearâ— to all the world that there is good ground of their fears and jealousies which if ever there had been any as there was no cause at all of any more than that meaning to murder and ruine Him they were often affraid He should take notice of it and seek to defend Himself there was by their own confession till this time no manifest or certain ground appearing that He intended to defend Himself against the Parliament and therefore order That all that shall suffer in their Estates by any force raised by the King without consent of Parliament shall have full reparation of their damages out of the Estates of the actors and out of the Estates of all such persons in any part of the Kingdome who should persist to serve the King in this War against the Parliament and That it should be lawfull for any number of persons to joyn and defend themselves and That the Earl of Essex their Generall should grant out Commissions for Levying and conducting forces into the Northern parts And Sir John Hotham the Governour of Hull assist them and command also the Sheriffs of the County of York and the adjacent Counties with the power of the Counties and Trained Bands to aid them and to seize upon all that shall execute the Commission of Array for his Majestie who was thus sufficiently beset by those that intended what since they have brought to pass against Him 25. August 1642. being some days after the Earle of Bedford had marched with great forces into the West that His Subjects might be informed of His danger and repair to his Succour setting up his Standard at Nottingham being a thing of meer legall necessity if He would have any at all to come to help Him and not forfeit and surprise those that by tenure of their Lands or by reason of Offices Fees or Annuities enjoyed under Him were more immediately bound to assist Him And yet here He must weep over Jerusalem and once again intreat the Parlament and His Rebellious Subjects to prevent their own miseries and therefore sends the Earls of Sonthampton and Dorset to the Parlament to desire a Treaty â—ffering to do all on His own part which might advance the Protestant Religion oppose Popery and Superstition and secure the Laws and Liberties of His Subjects and just pâ—iviledges of Parlament Which after severall scorns put upon those noble Messengers as denying the Earle of Southampton to come and sit in the House of Peers as a right by birth and inheritance due to him and causing the Serjeant at Arms of the House of Commons to go before him with the Macê as they use to do before Delinquents They refuse to accept of unless the King would first take down His Standard and recall his Declarations and Proclamations against them To which the King the 5. September 1642. notwithstanding the Earl of Bedford had with great forces in the mean time besieged the Marquis of Hartford in the Castle of Sherborn in Dorset shire replying That he never did Declare or intended for to Declare both his houses of Parlament to be Traitors or set up his Standard against them much less to put them and the Kingdom out of his protection And utterly protesting against it before God and the World offered to recall his Declarations and Proclamations with all cheerfullness the same day that they should revoke their Declarations against those that had assisted him and desiring a Treaty and conjuring them to consider the bleeding condition of Ireland and the danger of England undertakes to bee ready to grant any thing shall be really good for his Subjects which being brought by the Lord Falkland one of his Majesties Secretaries of State and a Member of the House of Commons and not long before in a very great esteem with them all the respect could be afforded him being to stand at the Bar of the House of Commons and deliver his Message to them had onely an answer in a printed Declaration of the Lords and Commons returned unto him That it was Ordered and Declared by the Lords and Commons in Parliament That the Armes which they have been forced to take up or shall be forced to take up for the preservation of the Parliament Religion and the Lawes and Liberties of the Kingdome shall not be laid down until his Majesty shall withdraw his protection from such Persons as have been voted by both Houses of Parliament to be Delinquents or that shall by both Houses of Parliament be voted to be Delinquents which after their mad way of voting might have been himself his Queen or his Heir apparent and leave them to the Justice of Parliament according to their demerits to the end that those great charges and damages wherewithal the Commonwealth hath been burthened since his Majesty departed from the Parliament might be born by the Delinquents and other malignant and dis-affected persons and that those who by Loans of money or otherwise at their charges have assisted the Commonwealth or shall in like manner hereafter assist the Commonwealth in times of extream danger and here they would also provide for future friends and quarrels may be re-paid all summs of money lent for those purposes and satisfied their charges sustained as out of the estates of the said Delinquents and of the Malignant and dis-affected Party in this Kingdome And to make good their words of 8. September 1642. Before their answer could come unto the Kings hands Ordered certain numbers of horse and foot to be sent to Garrison and secure Oxford and the morrow after before the King could possibly reply unto it their Lord General the Earl of Essex marched out of London against him with 20000 men horse and foot gallantly armed and a great train of Artiâ—lery to attend him notwithstanding all which and thosâ— huge impossibilities every day more and more appeared of obtaining a Peace witâ— those who were so much afraid to be loserâ— by it as they never at all intended it The King must needs send one messagâ— more unto them to try if that might noâ— give them some occasion to send Him gentleâ— conditions and therefore 13. September 1642. Being the same day they had impeached the Lord Strange of High-treason for executing the Kings Commission of Array and Ordered the propositions for furnishing of horse plate and money to be tendred from house to house in the Cities of London and Westminster and to be sent into all the Shires and Counties of England to be tendred for the same purpose
lâ—st the English land in the Island of Hispanola without any opposition and seeing no enemy near them think themselves sole Masters of the Indies They having marched a many miles through the woods are ready to perish with faintness and for want of water and now the Spanish Negros fall upon them and miserably kill them with little resistance drive them out of the Iland the remainder of those that escaped this Buchery possess themselves of Jamaica now G. Blake with a little better success being come before Tunis demands reparation for the losses sustained from Turkish Pyrates but being answer'd in scorn by the Dye of Tunis fired 9. Ships and came off with little loss but much glory to himself notwithstanding the former ill successes of the Royal party are sent to the Tower upon suspition of Treason The Lord Willonby of Parham and the Lord Newport The Illustrious Duke of Glocester having staid for some times with his sister the Princess Royall â—â— at Hague was now resolved to go to his Brother Our most gracious King then at Cullen being come thither with his Sister they stay till after the Fair at Franckfort to which place they made a progresse of State and pleasure being attended with the Marquesse of Ormond Lord Goring Lord Newburrough and Lady Stanhop c. As they passed through every Princes Country they were complemented by their Chief Officers of state and saluted by all the great Guns from all their Towers and Castles in an especiall manner The Prince Elector of Ments sent his grand Marshall to invite them to his Court whereupon the Lord Newburrough was sent back to desire to excuse them at present promising to wait upon them at his return being arrived at Franckfort and hearing that Queen Christiana of Swedn was coming that was in her journy to Italy his sacred Majesty sent one of his Lords to her signifying his desire to wait upon her at what place her Majesty should be pleased to Nominate the place appointed for this Interview was Collingsteen a Village near Frankfort where his Royall Majesty was received by her with much respect he had Private conference with her about half an hour then the Duke of Glocester and then the Lords that attended his Majesty Lord Jermyn and other English Lords Takes his Journey to Flaunders where at that time our dread Soveraign did reside at the Kind invitation of Don John of Austria then Governour of the Low-Countries let us now leave our King a little and look a while into his dominions where Cromwell notwithstanding his ill success in the last Parliament through his necessities is compelled to call another to meet at Westminster 17 September where the Navy Commanded by General Mountague lying to intercept the Spanish plate coming from the West Indies obtained a great victory over the Spaniard near Cadize six hundred thousand pieces of eight taken besides many ships fired and many other rich prizes taken This Parliament being met on the day appointed petition and advise Cromwell to take upon him the name and Title of King which his tender conscience could not swallow because he was affraid of some of his aspiring Officers and now a desperate attempt against the life of Oliver is found out and one Miles Sindercomb is apprehended and presently after tried and condemned to be hanged drawn sty As they came from Frankfort the Elector of Mentz renewed his civilities provided all manner of Accommodations for them as they passed thorow his Territories meeting them himselfe a great part of the way he brought them to one of his Pallaces where he entertained them after a sumptuous and splendid manner for two or three days after which they returned to Collen four Burgo Masters being appointed to wait on them and welcome them homâ— About the beginning of November 1656. A peace is concluded by Cromwell with the French the principall condition of this Treaty was the exclusion of our Royall Soveraign with all his relations and adherents out of the King of France his Dominions The thrice Noble Heroick and truly Valiant Duke of Yorke notwithstanding his great Command in the King of France his Army which was Lievetenant Generall is now advertized to depart the Kingdome by a prefixed time which act the French may perhaps hereafter have cause enough to rue which now being come he takes his leave of the King and Court of France being attended by the and quartered but he on the day appointed for his execution saves them that labour by making away himself by snuffing up some poysonous powder into his head whereupon it was ordered that he should be dragged naked at a Horses heels from the Tower to the scaffold on Tower hill and there buried having an Iron stake thrust into his belly c. In April 1657. several fifth Monarchy-men are apprehended for having a design to subvert this grand Tyrant and his Government Major General Harrinson Lawson and others are apprehended but nothing could positively be proved against them Now according to conditions of agreement betwixt England and France the French King desires Auxiliary forces from England to help him in his Wars against the Spaniard in Flanders which was readily granted by Cromwel 6000. Foot are accordingly sent over under the command of Col. Reynolds who are no sooner landed but suddenly they take the strong Fort of Mardike After Cromwel had given his final answer that he could not accept of the Title of King he was by the Parliament instated Lord Protector in a most solemne manner June 26. Cromwel having now as he thought setled his Throne bethinks himself of advancing his nearest friends and relations to that end he sends for his eldest Son Richard out of the Country to enure him to a Court life and that he might have some insight into State affairs designing him for succession in the Protectorship which the University of Oxford fore-seeing send their Proctors to elect him their Chancellor in which honour he was solemnly installed at Whitehall His Second Son Henry he created Lord Lieutenant of Ireland his two youngest Daughters he matched the eldest to Mr. Robert Rich Grand-child to the then Earl of Warwick The younger to the Lord Faulconbridge the Nuptials of them both was celebrated with much Splendor at Whitehal Hampton Court scarse was the mirth of these solemnities over but the Court is allarmed with the death of Gen. Blake Vice-Admiral Badiley and Lieutenant General Brain presently after Col. Reynolds and his Company were cast away by Goodwin Sands coming from Flanders The Parliament so called having adjourned themselves from the 6 th of June untill the 20 th of January following and now those other Members were admitted who formerly were excluded There is also another House of Parliament so called chosen by Cromwel consisting most part of Officers of the Army with some of the old Nobility this latter being as it were a House of Peers But this other House would not down with the House
of Commons whereupon in a great rage perceiving his right as he supposed to be infringed notwithstanding all diswasions to the contrary he leaving his Council hasts to the Parliament-House swearing by the Living God he would dissolve them which accordingly was done about the latter end of the year dyed his Son in Law Mr. Robert Rich and not long after his Grand-father the Earl of Warwick And now about the 12 th of March a terrible plot is discovered the City of London was to be fired and the Tower and Mows fiered and all the Souldiers about the City sacrifized to the fury of the Royal interest and therefore he presently sends for the Lord Major Aldermen and common Council of the City of London to warne them of the approaching danger tells them how the Marquess of Ormond had lately been in London for 3. weeks together promoting the affairs of his Master that our most dread Soveraign lay ready with 8000. men quartered on the Sea Coasts of Flanders and 22. hyred Ships to transport them thereupon he recommended unto their care the setling of the Militia upon the many persons were apprehended an high Court of Justice erected Dr. Hewet Sir Henry Slingsby and Mr. Mordant were brought to tryal Sir Henry and the Doctor were both condemned to loose their heads on Tower-Hill and 6. others of meaner sort were adjudged to be hanged drawn and quartered great endeavours were used the Ministers of London Petition for the Doctors life and many great persons for the Knight but all avail nothing About the month of June 1658. arrived an ominous Whale in the River of Thames which was taken at Greenwich and found to be 58. foot in length and every way proportionable In Flanders successes came in with a full Garriâ—â— presently after the taking of Mardike Fort Dunkirk was straitly besieged by the joynt Forces of the English and French and after a sharp battle the Marquis of Leda Governour of Dunkirk being now more streitly then ever environed both by Land and Seas resolved upon a desperate sally in which he was mortally wounded and shortly after dyed the Governours death wrought so upon the besieged that on the 25 th day of June Dunkirk was surrendered into the hands of the French and afterwards consigned to the English August 6. Dyed Mrs. Elizabeth Claypoole a Daughter to Oliver Cromwel not long after her dyed the Earl of Mulgrave one of the privy Counsellors to his Highnes so called And now cometh death it self to act his part on this our noble Tyrant Cromwel himself must also dye who by force and fraud had from a mean beginning raised himself to the arbitrary Government of these 3. Kingdomes And that which is very remarkable on the same day on which he had gained two such signal victories against his Majesties forces viz. at Dunbar and Worcester viz. September 3. the night that ushered in the day of his death there arose such a horrible tempest the like hath hardly been seen in our age Trees both of a large and smaller size are torn out of the earth by the roots Having as he thought certainly secured the government of these three Kingdomes to himself being at the point of death he nominates for his successor his eldest son Richard who the next day after his Fathers death was in the presence of old Olivers privy Councill and the chief Officers of the Army Proclaimed Lord Protector of England Scotland and Ireland and had addresses unto him from most parts of the 3. Nations professing their zeal and affection to his government which how little they availed him time hath since sufficiently shewed us And now after the Advancement of Richard to the supream power and dignity of these Nations Principall care is taken for the enterment of his Fathers Corps with all the solemnity and state accustomed at Kings and Princes Funeralls and to this end search is made into old Records to see what was expended at the Funeral of King James of happy memory that the same nay much more cost might be bestowed on this his Corps being now enbalmed and wrapt in Lead was conveyed from Whitehal to Somerset-House there tolye in regal pompe and State a Spectacle for all Commers and now his Funeral pompe being ended great preparations there are for the sending out of naval supplyes to the King of Sweden But now want of moneys and other necessities of State enforce Richard and his Councel to summon a Parliament which accordingly meet Jan. 27. This Parliament consisted as the other in his Fathers time did of two Houses the Commons and the other House which now was called the Upper-house and now the great thing under debate was the Recognition of the Government and now the Protectorians and the Commonwealths-men for so the House was devided spend there time in large Speeches till on a sudden Behold A Remarkable and an unexpected change which was occasioned through some ambitious Spirits of some in the Army and particularly Major General Lambert who thought to make himself Lord Protector of the 3 Nations as his Master Cromwel had done before him joynes with his silly kindred Fleetwood Disborow and others and partly out of fear enforce Richard to dissolve the Parliament then sitting And so suffered himself to be devested of that power and authority which he was invested in returning to the condition of a private Person was now honest Dick again And now all men were in a maze wondring into what hands the chief power would next be devolved the generality of the people did now again according to their bounden duty not only desire but endeavour that his Sacred Majesty our most dread Soveraign might be introduced into his own Kingdoms full well knowing there could be no settlement without his Royal person But now the Members of the old Parliament and the Counsel of Officers of the Army meet and it was agreed that those Members of the old Parliament who sat in 1653. and were interrupted by their late aspiring General from sitting should be invited to their freedome and right of sitting and the exercise of their trust by a Declaration presented from the Army to the old Speaker William Lenthal and several of the Members at the Rolls in Chancery-lane This Juncto being thus Re-called from the grave of Ignominy and reproach for they were the very scorne of the people Being the Men that Murthered our Royal Soveraign and basely enslaved the people for so many years on the 7. of May they began to set again and first they appoint a Committee to attend Richard Cromwel to know his mind concerning his acquiescence in the present Government they receive from him a writing to this effect that he could freely acquiesce in the present Government that he held himself obliged as he expected from it so to demean himself peaceably under it Not long after they send for his Brother Henry who had ruled in Ireland under the title of Lord Lieutenant who
miseries of a civil War but all endeavours proved in effectuall for the French King persisted in his resolutions not to give way to the banishment of the Cardinal hereupon the Duke of Lorraine was sent for with his Army to come and joyn with the Princes the Duke having been tampered with by the contrary party and having advantageous termes desisted hereupon aâ— generall report was spread that his Majesty of England had drawn over the Duke to the Kings party because they were often together this coming to the peoples ears so incensed them not onely against the Duke for his perfidiousness But also against his Majesty and the Queen his mother the fury of the people increased so much that the King was forced for his own preservation to retire from the Louver to St Jermans the Queen his mother received many affronts as she passedin her Coach from the Louver to the Nunnery at Chaliot where she kept her Refidence his Majesty now treateth with Lorraine for the recovery of his kingdom of Ireland out of the hand of the English Republick to this end several Articles are agreed unto by the Lord Taffe agent for the King and the Duke amongst other things it was concluded that the Duke should be vested with the power and title of Protector Royall of Ireland But the Duke having not strength enough for this great enterprise this businesse takes no effect his Majesty having stayed at Saint Jermans till the heat of the popular fury was over returned again to the Louvre During his abode there his ilustrious Brother the Duke of Glocester who for a long time had bin under the custody of the English Juncto and at length dismissed and sent into Holland to his sister was from thence attended into France by Sir Marmaduke Langdale and Sir Richard Grenvile and he was honorably received at Paris by the French King Queen-Mother and the rest of the Grandee during his Majesties abode here arrived Mrs. Jane Lane who had so miraculously preserved the King after the fight at Worcester he being exceedingly glad to hear this news immediately sends some persons of quality with Coaches to conduct her to Paris where being come they rejoyce in each others presence let us now a little cast our eyes into England where Cromwell and the Council at White-Hall having usurped the Regall authority carry all by force before them about the latter end of February several persons of quality are carried to the Tower for being Loyal to his Majesty but because nothing of moment could be proved against them they are set at liberty Cromwell being desirous to strengthen himself in the Tyrannical Reigning over his Majesties subjects bethinks himself of making peace with forein States and Princes to that end presently patches up a very disadvantageous peace with the Dutch presently after concludes a peace also with Christina Queen of Sweden a a little before the resignation of her Crown to her Couzen Carolus Gustavus In May following several persons are charged with high Treason for endeavouring to take away the Protectors life seize upon the Tower and proclaim his Majesty King of Great Brittain a High Court of Justice is erected Col. Gerard Peter Vowel School-master and Somerset Fox are condemned to die the last is reprieved for his ample confessions Col. Gerrard was beheaded at Tower hill and Vowel hanged at Charing-Cross on the same day Don Pantalaon Sa Brother to the Portugal Ambassadour was beheaded for engaging in a quarrel on the New Exchange where one Mr. Greneway was slain His Sacred Majesty having now remained in the Court of France about two or three years sometimes being lifted up high with hopes of regaining his three kingdoms other times being cast down with fears sollicitates the States of Holland again to own his Royall interest but they having made a peace with Oliver onely complement him with a letter full of civility and now that which troubled his Majesty most was this the French Court notwithstanding all means used to the contrary by the King of England his mother and other friends prepare to send over an Ambassadour into England hereupon his sacred yet still suffering Majesty leaves that kingdom having taken his farewell of the King and other great ones from whom he received many Complements and Apologies being accompanied with his brother the Duke of York his Couzens Prince Rubert and Prince Edward Palatine to Chatilion a house belonging to the Prince of Conde where they stayed a while to confider how to dispose of themselves to th' best advantage his Majesty with Prince Rupert resolves for Germany having before sent the Lord Wilmot before Ambassadour to the Emperor to negotiate in his behalf Prince Edward took his journey to Burbone the Duke of York remaining in France till after the peace with England is concluded being Lieutenant General of the French Army the young Duke of Glooester after his Brother was gone into Germany by reason of the Queen his Mother and some others of the Catholique Religion was placed in the Colledge of the Jesuits there to have been bred up in the Romish Religion Intelligence thereof being soon brought to his Majesty he being not a little displeased soon takes order for his remove which was exactly performed Oliver according to one Article in his Government called a Parliament to meet at Westminster Sept. 3. 1654. William Lenthal master of the Roll being chosen Speaker at their first sitting they begin to question the lawfulness of the power by which they were called this highly Offended Oliver Protector and made him resolve to put a Period to their sitting so when they had sat about 5 mouths he dissolved them soon after the dissolution of the Parliament the Court was allarmed with news of a great rising in Shropshire Montgomryshire Wiltshire Nottinghamshire Northumberland and Yorkshire in the behalf of his Royal Majesty Sir Henry Littleton Sir John Packington and Major Wildman are secured and sent Prisoners to the Tower Sunday 11. March a Party about 200. enter Salisbury seize upon Horses take away Commissions from the Judges as they were going there circuit and march towards Cornwal they are met with by Captain Vnton Crook and after a sharp dispute totally routed their chief Captains were taken viz. Penruddock Jones and Grove Sir Joseph Wagstaffe made a shift to escape shortly after Penruddock and Grove were beheaded at Exon and Jones was repreived several other risings in other parts of this Kingdom but were all suppressed and now Cromwel prepares a very great Fleet but for what end none knew but some principal Commanders In the mean time the King of Spain sends over as Extraordinary Ambassador the Marquis of Leda who was here conplemented by our new Court but finding which way things went after a short stay returns to his own Country presently after his departure this great Fleet steer there course towards Hispaniola one of the fairest Islands belonging to the American Dominions of the King of Spain at