and Gentlemen inhabited none at all of note stood for the Parliament but Sir JOHN GELL and his brother of whose actions it will be seasonable to speak in another place Staffordshire and Nottinghamshire were in no lesse combustion In Leicestershire the troubles were far greater and early begun by Master HENRY HASTINGS second son to the Earl of Huntingdon whom the King had made Sheriff of that County and put into the Commission of Array who raised great Forces to seize upon the Magazine of that County Against whom the Earl of Stamford was sent by the Parliament as Lord Lieutenant with a considerable strength who arriving there did much curb the proceedings of Master HASTINGS and took possession of the Town of Leicester Great was the Contention about that time in Warwick-shire between the Earl of Northampton for the King and the Lord BROOK for the Parliament not without sharp encounters and slaughter on either side The Earl having seized the Ordnance at Banbury marched with great fury into Warwick-shire spoiling the Countrey as he went though not without opposition of the people and the Lord BROOK'S Forces against whom he could not at all prevail The Earl of Pembrook had setled the Militia in Wilâ—shire with small ado though it continued not long so And the Earl of Holland in Berk-shire being but saintly resisted by the Earl of Berk-shire the Lord LOVELACE and others For soon after the Earl of Berk-shire together with Sir JOHN CURSON Sir ROBERT DORMER and others for the Commission of Array who came to Watlington in Oxfordshire to seize the Magazine of that part of the County which was laid up in that Town were there taken prisoners and sent up to the Parliament by Colonel HAMDEN and Colonel GOODWIN two Members of the House of Commons and Knights of the Shire for Buckingham But the further that this Discourse travels Westward the greater and more remarkable you shall finde such contestations especially considering the number of Lords and Gentlemen of great rank and many of them Members of Parliament who sided with the King against the Parliament and were therefore afterward voted out of the House One great Head there was of all those Western Counties WILLIAM Marquesse of Hartford whom the King by his Commission of Array had appointed Chief and made him Lord Lieutenant-General of Devon Cornwal Somerset Dorset Wilts Southampton Gloucester Berks Oxford Hereford and seven Counties within the Principality of Wales who notwithstanding his high Command was never able to atchieve any great matter for the King's side so much were the common people of the West at that time inclined to the Parliament and so active were those Gentlemen who stood for it such as were the sons of Sir FRANCIS POPHAM Master ALEXANDER POPHAM HUGH and EDWARD who were more animated by the example of their aged father Master STRODE a Deputy-Lieutenant and others against all those frequent attempts which the Marquesse made Great was the number of considerable men in those Countries which took part with the Marquesse against the Parliament and very industrious in their several Stations to put in execution the Commission of Array as the Lord PAWLET Sir RALPH HOPTON and Sir JOHN STOWEL both Members of the House of Commons and for that reason put out of the House Sir RICHARD SLANY in Cornwal another Member put out also for the same cause as likwise were Sir EDWARD RODNEY and Master COVENTRY both Parliament-men who followed the Marquesse in some of his actions Sir BEVILE GREENVILE an active man another Member of Parliament was very industrious for the Array both in Cornwal and Devon joyning himself with the Earl of Bath who came for that purpose to his house at Tastock in Devonshire and assisted by many Gentlemen as Master CULINS Sheriff of that County M. BAMFIELD M. ASHFORD M. GIFFORD M. SAINTHIL Baronet SEYMOUR and M. COURTNEY to whose assistance Squire ROGERS came with Forces out of Dorsetshire Various were the Successes which Marquesse Hartford assisted by so many of the Gentry found in his several Enterprises sometimes prevailing but more often distressed In one Skirmish which about the beginning of August himself the Lord PAWLET Sir RALPH HOPTON Sir JOHN STOWEL and M. SMITH another Member of the House of Commons made against the Deputy-Lieutenants in Somersetshire he prevailed against them and possessed himself of the Town of Shepton-Mallet Ten men were slain and many wounded Going afterwards to Wells he had been besieged by many thousands of the People who arose against him but that having timely notice of their coming he escaped a back-way out of the Town About which time the Earl of Bedford was sent down by the Parliament against him with three hundred Horse by whom the Lord Marquesse the Lord PAWLET Sir RALPH HOPTON Colonel LUNSFORD and many other considerable men were besieged in Sherburn For great numbers out of the Country came daily to the assistance of the Earl of Bedford Many weeks did that Siege continue many Sallies were made out and sharp encounters on both sides performed with great courage the Parliament side being in firm hope to have taken them at last which was conceived a thing of great moment and advantage to their affairs if they could have possessed the persons of so many men considerable both in their Fortunes and Valour and who proved afterwards very strong and cruel enemies Yet that hope was frustrate for about the beginning of October they all escaped out of Sherburn the Earl neverthelesse pursued after them and in the Chase took M. PALLART Sir HENRY Sir JOHN and Sir CHARLES BARCLAY prisoners Within a week after the Earl of Bath was apprehended and brought up a prisoner to the Parliament It cannot be much wondered at that Division was found in Countrey-Towns and Villages so far remote from the Parliament where the people were variously wrought upon by perswasions or fears from either side when London it self the Seat of that great Councel and chiefest Bulwark of their defence was not without some taste of these Distractions Which besides the actions of some private Citizens too petty to be here rehearsed may appear to the Reader in one thing which cannot be omitted The Lord Major of London was at this time a prisoner in the Tower committed by the Parliament Sir RICHARD GURNEY Lord Maior of London for that yeer was charged by the House of Commons on the seventh of Iuly for being a mover of Sedition in the Kingdom in causing the King's Proclamation concerning the Commission of Array which was declared by both Houses to be illegal to be proclaimed in the City And the Charge being perfected was sent up to the Lords desiring that he might forthwith be called to his Answer which was accordingly granted Four days after while the Lord Maior was attending the Lords House upon this Charge and additional Impeachment was read against him in the House of Commons brought in by the Common-Councel of London for divers breaches of
Forces I Having been informed that lately at a Councell of Warre you have condemned to death Robert Yeomans late Sheriffe of Bristoll who hath His Majesties Commission for raising a Regiment for his Service William Yeomans his brothers George Bourchier and Edward Dacres all for expressing their Loyalty to His Majesty and indeavouring his Service according to their Allegiance and that you intend to proceed speedily against divers others in the like manner Do therefore signifie to you that I intend speedily to put Master George Master Stevens Captaine Huntley and others taken in Rebellion against His Majesty at Cicester into the same condition I do further advise you that if you offer by that unjust Iudgement to execute any of them you have so condemned that those here in custody Master George Master Stevens and Captaine Huntley must expect no favour or mercy Given under my hand at Oxford this 16. of May. 1643. To the Commander in FORTH Chiefe of the Councell of Warre in Bristoll The Answer to this Letter was as followeth NATHANIEL FIENNES Governour and the Councell of War in the City of Bristoll HAving received a Writing from your Lordship wherein it is declared that upon information of our late proceedings against Robert Yeomans William Yeomans and others you intend speedily to put Master George Master Stevens Captaine Huntley and others into the same condition We care well assured that neither your Lordship nor any other mortall man can put them into the same condition for whether they live or dye they will alwaies be accounted true and honest men faithfull to their King and Country and such as in a faire and open way have alwaies prosecuted that Cause which in their judgement guided by the judgement of the highest Court they held the justest whereas the Conspirators of this City must both in life and death carry perpetually with them the brand of Treachery and Conspiracy And if Robert Yeomans had made use of his Commission in an open way he should be put into no worse condition then others in the like kinde had been but the Law of nature among all men and the law of Armes among Souldiers make a difference betweene open Enemies and secret Spyes and Conspirators And if you shall not make the like distinction we do signifie unto you that we will not onely proceed to the execution of the persons already condemned but also of divers others of the Conspirators unto whom we had some thoughts of extending mercy And do further advertise you that if by any inhumane and un-Souldier-like sentence you shall proceed to the execution of the persons by you named or any other of our friends in your custody that have been taken in a faire and open way of War then Sir Walter Pye Sir William Crofts and Colonell Connebey with divers others taken in open Rebellion and actuall War against the King and Kingdom whom we have here in custody must expect no favour or mercy And by Gods blessing upon our most just Cause we have powers enough for our friends security without taking in any that have gotten out of our reach and power although divers of yours of no mean quality and condition have bin released by us Given under our hand the 18 of May 1643. To patrick Earle of Forth Lord Lieut. Generall Nathaniel Fiennes President Clement Walker c. The King also at that time writ a very sharpe command to the Mayor and Citizens of Bristoll to raise what power they could to hinder the execution of those men which he termes the murder of his loyall Subjects But nothing availed to save their lives for the forenamed ROBERT YEOMANS and GEORGE BOURCHIER according to the sentence were both executed The losse of Bristoll from the Parliament a place of great import was thus by the detection and prevention of this Conspiracy respited for a while onely For not long after it was surrendred to Prince RUPERT and happier it was for the Prince himselfe to gaine that City in a more honourable way and lesse effusion of English blood At the same time that these Conspirators against Bristoll were by sentence of a Councell of Warre put to death another Plot of higher nature and more full of horrour was detected at London a Plot which if not discovered had quite ruined the Parliament it selfe and strooke at the very head and chiefe residence of it the Cities of London and Westminster which cannot be omitted in this Relation though with as much brevity as can be possible it shall be touched The scope of it was to have put in execution the Commission of Array within London and Westminster and so to have raised a sufficient force for the Kings side to ruine the Parliament Many Citizens of London were in the Plot together with some Gentlemen besides who had taken an Oath of secrecy among themselves and were the more animated in it upon promises which Master WALLER the chiefe man in eminence among them a Member of the House of Commons had made to some of the rest that many Members of both Houses of Parliament were ingaged in the Plot and would in due time be assistants to it Though it proved in conclusion that Master WALLER was not able to make good so much as he had promised The Plot was horrid and could not possibly have been put in execution without great effusion of blood as must needs appeare by the particular branches of it which were confessed upon the Examinations of Master WALLER Master TOMKINS Master CHALLENOR Master HASELL Master BLINKHORNE Master WHITE and others the chiefe Actors in it That which appeared by the Narrative Declaration published by Authority of Parliament was to this effect That 1. They should seize into their custody the Kings Children 2. To seize upon severall Members of both Houses of Parliament upon the Lord Mayor of London and the Committee of the Militia there under pretence of bringing them to legall tryall 3. To seize upon all the Cities out-Works and Forts upon the Tower of London and all the Magazines Gates and other places of importance in the City 4. To let in the Kings Forces to surprize the City with their assistance and to destroy all those who should by Authority of Parliament be their opposers and by force of Armes to resist all payments imposed by the Authority of both Houses for support of those Armies imployed in their defence Many other particulars there were too tedious to relate at large as what signals should have been given to the Kings Forces of Horse to invade the City what Colours for difference those of the Plot should weare to be knowne to their fellowes and such like Much heartened they were in this businesse by a Commission of Array sent from Oxford at that time from the King to them and brought secretly to London by a Lady the Lady AUBIGNY Daughter to the Earle of Suffolke a Widow ever since the Battell of Keynton where the Lord AUBIGNY her husband was
his Oath in execution of his Office for proclaiming divers illegal Proclamations and contemning the Orders of Parliament This Impeachment was forthwith sent up and read in the Lords House Upon the reading of which it was ordered that he should be sent to the Tower from thence to be brought to a legal Trial upon his Impeachment Many days during the space of a whole month was this Lord Maior brought from the Tower to Westminster to attend the Lords of Parliament and many times returned back without being heard by reason of so great a multiplicity of Businesses as the Houses were then in At last after some hearings he was brought on the twelfth of August to the House of Lords to receive his Censure The effect whereof was that he should be put from his Majorality never bear Office in the City or Common-wealth be uncapable of all Honour or Dignity to be conferred on him by the King and stand committed prisoner to the Tower during the pleasure of both Houses During the time of these contentions between the Ordinance of the Militia and Commission of Array which is briefly touched by it self it will not be amisse to return to the King's proceedings in his own Person by what degrees he came to encrease in strength and what contestations happened betwixt Himself and the Parliament wherein that which concerned the Pen shall be first briefly touched and then his other actions But those Declarations Petitions and Proclamations which upon all occasions were then published are too many and too long to be recited in a Story in the Records and printed Books of Ordinances they may be read I shall onely mention some of the chief and excerp the most material contents of them The Parliament about the end of Iuly had petitioned the King to forbear all preparations of War and remove his Garisons To which he gave Answer and upbraided them with their preparations of War for appointing the Earl of Essex to be their General and the Earl of Warwick Admiral In that Answer he descants at large upon particulars commanding his said Answer and their Petition to be read in all Churches To which the Parliament reply as they had done before that they cannot lay down Arms nor rejourn the Parliament to any other place as he would have them unlesse he leave off those Warlike preparations and comply with that Councel to which onely he ought to adhere by the Constitution of this Government They likewise command the Petition Answer and Reply to be read in all Churches But things proceeding still higher the King being returned to the City of York from thence sent forth a Proclamation to suppresse as he there stileth it the present Rebellion under command of ROBERT Earl of Essex offering withal free pardon to him and all such as shall within six days after the date thereof being the ninth of August lay down their Arms. In which Proclamation also he commanded the Marquesse Hartford to raise speedily what Forces he could within all those Counties whereof he had made him Lieutenant-General in the Commission of Array of which before was spoken and to march against destroy or apprehend the said Earl of Essex The Parliament upon this Proclamation make a Declaration wherein they briefly recount all the King 's former proceedings against them and the Kingdom All which they attribute after their usual manner to his wicked Councel and promise still to make him great and happie if he will return to his great Councel But the next day after his former Proclamation the King continuing still at York sent forth another declaring that no Papist should serve him in his Army and that his Souldiers should commit no rapine upon the people And within two days after that he published a Discourse called A Declaration to all his loving Subjects concerning the proceedings of this present Parliament This Declaration was of a great length containing fifty pages in a large Quarto In which was comprised a kinde of History touching all former passages betwixt himself and them from the beginning of these divisions which is to be read in the printed Book of Parliament-Ordinances Toward the end of that Declaration he protesteth a wonderful love to Parliaments and to the peace and happinesse of the Kingdom but he requires that some persons as disturbers of the publike peace may be delivered into the hands of Justice to be tried by their Peers naming the Lord of Kymbolton and those five Members of the House of Commons whom before he came to surprise in that House Master HOLLIS Sir ARTHUR HASLERIG M. PYM M. HAMBDEN and M. STRODE as likewise M. HENRY MARTIN and Sir HENRY LUDLOW two Members also of the House of Commons for speaking some bold Speeches in that House He also desires to have delivered up to him Alderman PENINGTON who succeeded in the Majorality to the fore-named Sir KICHARD GURNEY and Captain VENN one of the City-Captains those two last he accuses of bringing tumults from the City to terrifie the Parliament at Westminster Another desire of the King 's is that Inditements of high Treason upon the Statute of the 23 yeer of King EDWARD the third may be drawn against the Earls of Essex Warwick and Stamford the Lord BROOK Sir JOHN HOTHAM and Serjeant-Major-General SKIPPON an expert and religious Souldier a man of high action in the succeeding War whom the City had employed in exercising of their Militia as likewise against all those who shall hereafter exercise the Militia by vertue of the Ordinance of Parliament The Pen was very quick upon all occasions and the King the next day after the publication of this long fore-mentioned Declaration sent a Message to the Parliament upbraiding both Houses with an Order which they had then made for the borrowing of an hundred thousand pounds out of that money which the Adventurers had raised for reducing of Ireland and subduing the Rebels there affirming that out of his Princely care and piety toward distressed Ireland he cannot but take notice of it commanding them immediately to retract that mischievous and unjust Order for so he calls it as they would answer the contrary to Almighty God himself and those that have trusted them Wherein he expecteth their speedie Answer and Obedience and the rather that he may thereby be secured that such part of the four hundred thousand pounds as is or shall be collected from his good Subjects of England by vertue of the late Act of Parliament whereby the same is granted may not likewise under false pretences be diverted from the proper use to which it was intended and misemployed to the disturbance of the Kingdoms peace in a War against him The Lords and Commons in Parliament make Answer to this Message expressing what caution there was in the very Order which upon that very occasion was printed for speedie repayment of that Sum and disposing of it to the right use But first they tell the King that this very Message of