as the King had the better Cause so it was also asserted with a better Pen however otherwise unfortunate BOOK II. The King attempts Hull in vain Propositions sent to his Majesty to York Most of the Lords and many of the Commons repair to his Majesty He erects his Standard at Nottingham and raises an Army Essex the Rebels General at Worcester at Keynton The famous Battel of Edge-hill Fight at Branford The King fortifies Oxford Some Actions in other Provinces The Queen lands at Burlington Goes to Oxford The Battel of Lansdowne Of Rownday Downe The Siege and Relief of Glocester The great Battel of Newbury The Parliament invite the Scots to their Succour They enter England The Siege of York The fatal Battel of Marston-Moor The Fights at Brandon Heath and Copredy-bridge Essex defeated in the West The second Battel of Newbury Alexander Carew and the Two Hothams beheaded Mac-Mahon and Macquier executed The Archbishop of Canterbury martyr'd The Treaty at Uxbridge Essex discarded and Sir Thomas Fairfax made General in his Place Hotham proclaimed Traytor HIS Majesty upon Hotham's insolent Refusal caused him instantly to be proclaimed Traytor On the other side the Parliament declare they will defend him and complain highly of the Breach of their Privileges therein as if the King had violated his Subjects Immunities by pretending to the Possession of his own Town and the Magazine he had purchased with his own Money They further sent some of their Members to disturb the King's Preparations at York which they did so effectually that he lost the Opportunity of raising an Army in that County Perceiving then the Danger his Person was in by the Enemies forwardness he demanded a Guard of the Gentry and Free-holders of York-shire which was easily assented to Whereupon the Parliament declared That the King seduced by evil Counsellours did design to make War upon his Parliament forgetting that they had done the same being exagitated with their fictitious Terrors Eight Months before The King with his said Guard and the feeble Assistance of the Trained Bands attempted Hull but The King attempts Hull in vain finding it an Enterprise of much Difficulty would not spend that Time which was so precious in so hazardous an Undertaking But the Parliament confident now in their Numbers and Power for the City of London and the neighbouring Counties were at their Devotion sent a Remonstrance with Nineteen Propositions to the King by which they demand in Effect Nineteen Propositions sent to his Majesty that he should surrender all his Regal Power into their Hands tho they disguised as much as they could their Intentions with a Mixture of some Things really to be approved of by every honest man others specious and popular and some already granted by his Majesty All which as the King well observed in his Answer were cunningly twisted and mixed with other Things of their main Design of Ambition and private Interest But the Propositions the Parliament made to the People were of another Nature for they invited them by an Order to bring in Plate and Money to Guild-hall for the Restitution whereof they should have the publick Faith and all under pretence of rescuing the King out of the hands of Papists and Malignants for the preservation of the Protestant Religion and the Privileges of Parliament And never any Contributions were granted with more earnest and mistaken Zeal than those that were thrown into their Corban by the London and Neighbouring Puritans under the pretext of Godliness but to their own Ruine as it happened The Richer Citizens gave their Money and Plate with Joy and the Women offered their Jewels and Ear-Rings to this Calf of Presbytery Nay the Poorer both married and Maidens gave their Wedding Rings their Bodkins and their Thimbles to promote this Holy War They were all hurried into this mad Humour by the fantastick Ardour of their Levites These being the Boutefeus of Rebellion and Tumult who bellowing in their Assemblies that Religion would be overwhelmed with Popery and their Liberties supplanted by the Approaches of Tyranny declared that there was no Deliverance to be expected but from the Parliament With these Arts and Moneys from the City that Nursery of Rebellion The Parliament raise an Army under the Command of Essex a great Army was raised under the Command of the Earl of Essex and sent forth to destroy the Malignants for so they called such who by the Principles of Honour and Duty adher'd to their Prince and to rescue the King as they gloried out of the Hands of his wicked Counsellours The Title of King was as yet held in great Veneration by the People It pleased them therefore to entitle their War to the King and Parliament though nothing more contrary to both They had not as yet separated Kingship from the Person which shortly after happened for distinguishing betwixt the Politick and Private Capacity of the Chief Magistrate they dared impudently to affirm That the King was Virtually in the Parliament though Personally absent at York Nay they went further as there is still a plus ultra in villainous Rebellion contesting That the supreme Power is primarily in the People and in Kings but by a delegate and fiduciary Commission and therefore as being inferiour to the Whole though superiour to every particular to be reclaimed by Force if they should transgress against Religion and Liberty But to omit these seditious Impertinences sufficiently refuted in the repeating of them the King understanding the Progress and Preparations of the Adversaries and how they had seized his Navy Fortresses and Magazines being himself destitute of all Help except such as those Generous and Loyal Lords and Gentlemen who followed his Fortune Essex and his Adherents proclaimed Traytors The King sets up his Standard at Nottingham did contribute he declared Essex and his Adherents to be Traytors and Rebels and appointing the Marquiss of Hartford General of his Forces erected his Royal Standard at Nottingham inviting thereby all his loving Subjects to his Assistance It was observed that a Gust of Wind did at the same Time blow down the Colours which though looked upon as Inauspicious by some did not yet hinder but that several Thousands repaired to them And his Majesty having received Money and Arms from the Queen grew by these Supplies and the Accession of his Friends most of the Lords and very many of the Lower House repairing to him formidable Insomuch that this great Defection of the Members amongst whom was the Lord Keeper with the Great Seal as they added Life and Reputation to the King's Affairs being for the most part Persons of whole Estates and great Abilities so they did a little raise Apprehensions in them that remained which appeared by their Vote and Impeachment of the Fifteenth of June The Queen proclaimed Traytor The Queen in the beginning of the Troubles retired with her own and the Crown-Jewels some whereof she had pawned for these Supplies into
unwilling to leave Bridgewater behind him It was therefore resolved in a Council of War to attack and to loose no time to attempt it by Assault The Town seated on the Banks of Severne and divided into Two by a Branch of it was very strong The Moat though deep was but narrow not exceeding Thirty Foot in Breadth which was filled with the Flood every Tide The Circuit of the Place was not large being defended by Eighteen Hundred Soldiers Forty Guns mounted upon the Walls with great Stores of other Military Provisions But the Rebels fierce with their former Victories and slighting all this cast Lots for the Posts they were to attempt But first they summon the Citizens to a Surrender with Threats of all the Extremities of War in case of Refusal Colonel Edmond Windham the Governour no less brave than Loyal returning the Messenger with Scorn prepared for Defence Which so irritated the Enemy that planting their Cannon they also ran floating Bridges into the Graft which was not difficult by reason of its narrowness and storming the Walls with great Violence notwithstanding their utmost Resistance mounted them and beating the besieged from their Bullwarks seize their Cannon and turn them upon the other Town whilst the rest forcing the Gate and cutting down the Draw-bridge opened a Passage for their Horse to enter at And thus this part of the Town it being as is said divided by a Chanel was taken as also Five Hundred of the Defendants in it Nor did this terrisie the Governour who refusing another Invitation to surrender consumed with Fire from Granadoes and glowing Bullets that Portion of the. Town which the Enemy had possest Fairfax having provided all things for another Assault sent a Trumpet to the Governour and that he might add the Fame of Clemency to that of his Success he signified to him That seeing he was resolved to maintain the Fortress he would notwithstanding making War against Men only and being loath to involve the Innocent with the Guilty permit the Women and Children Liberty to go where they pleased Upon publishing hereof the Governour 's Lady and some other of that Sex accepting this unexpected Gallantry went out Who were no sooner departed but the Enemy thundred upon the Town with their Mortar-pieces Cannon Fireballs and incessant Showers of small Shot that the Buildings were all in a Flame The Citizens and Souldiers astonished with this unusual Tempest sent Mr. Elliot who had formerly carried the Great Seal from London to York by the Governour 's Consent to Fairfax with Conditions of Peace But he rejecting all mention of Treaties with the Governour and Garrison fiercely replied That since they had destroyed so sine a Town by their Obstinacy they should immediately surrender themselves to the pleasure of the Parliament upon Quarter for Life only Which was done Bridgwater taken July 23. the Souldiers remaining Prisoners of War but the Townsmen permitted their former Immunities The City of Bath terrified with the Fate of Bridgewater tamely surrender'd it self to the Colonels Rich and Okey but Sherburne was defended more nobly Sir Lewis Dives a Man of Courage and Honour was Governour of the Castle Who rejecting Fairfax's Summons and Offer of fair Quarter replied That he would sooner lose his Life than his Fame especially in such a Cause And he bravely defended himself and the Place until it was ruined by Approaches by Mines and by a Breach made in the Wall capable of Ten Men abreast with the Rubbage whereof the Moat was filled and levelled so that after much Resistance it was taken by Assault Sherburne taken Many brave Men fell into the Enemies Hands at least Four Hundred Amongst whom were Colonel Thornhill Sir Jo. Wallot and others Nor did they slay Sir Lewis Dives nor Mr. Strangeways who being Members of Parliament were reserved for more exemplary Punishment Sherburne being taken they were at a stand what to undertake next Some advised their March Westward to hinder Goring's recruiting of his Army which was broken at Langport which he might easily do by new Levies in the Provinces of Devonshire and Cornwall being countenanced by the Prince of Wales and by the Addition of Greenville Barkley and the rest of the King's Generals They also demonstrated how the Plague was in Bristol which might endanger the whole Army if they moved that way by the Infection But others perswaded the taking of Bristol lest Prince Rupert who was Governour with Five Thousand brave Souldiers should draw the wavering Club-Men to his Party and having the Severne open invite and obtain Auxiliaries from Ireland and Wales and consequently form a formidable Army a-new in the very Bowels of the Kingdom which would not only render him terrible to the Parliament but troublesome to them also if he should exclude their Forces whilst they were in the remote Counties of the West from all Commerce with London by Land and disturb their Rear whilst they had Goring in the Van. They further remonstrated of what Moment that City was to the Royallists as being their chief Port and great in shipping and Wealth Bristol being preferred for these Reasons Ireton was sent with Two Thousand Horse to hinder the Excursions of the Garrison and to oppose the firing of the Neighbouring Villages and Buildings And yet Bedminster and Clifton and some other houses nearest were burnt The whole Army being advanced all the Avenues were stopped up Bristol besieged and the City entirely closed by the taking of Potsheard Point and the obstructing of the Severne by Seven of their Men of War Nor did the Rebels fix their Quarters and Stations about this great Town without vigorous Interruption being obstructed in their Approaches by the continual Sallies of the besieged though with mutual Slaughter But the Multitude prevailed for the Club-Men of whom the Rebels doubted before now Rebels themselves joined with the other Rebels so that the Defendants being shut up within their Works they were also summoned to a Surrender by a Trumpeter The Prince demanded Permission to send to the King to know his Pleasure which was denied under pretence of Delay The Trumpet sent again was notwithstanding his Orders to return that Evening not dispatch'd till next Morning and then returned with a Draught of Conditions from the Prince above the supposed State of a vanquished Enemy Fairfax perusing them and finding some things doubtful in them and others not to be granted but by the Parliament it self he proposed that Commissioners on both sides should meet with power to conclude sending with all a Scheme of what was in his Power to grant But the Messenger being delayed and bringing but a dilatory Answer he was commanded in Anger suddenly to return and tell the Prince That unless he would immediately accept of what had been offered all that had been hitherto done should pass for nothing The Trumpet returning again later than ordered carried with him an Answer not unlike the former The Prince desired to procrastinate the
been excluded from the Conversation of his Friends and as it were buried alive in his own Palace by the Severity of his Adversaries The King not displeased with this Change desired to go to his own House at New-market which after some time was permitted Fairfax and especially Cromwell in the interim affirming That his Majesty could be no where safer or more eminently honoured than in the Army And to improve their Promises his Chaplains and the usual Forms of Divine Service a thing which he had greatly desired and the only Artifice to beget a Confidence in him of their Reality were permitted him at pleasure His Friends and Servants were likewise admitted to his Presence and Attendance so that the Royallists were dazzl'd with the Lustre of these Concessions Nay more he was indulged the Liberty of writing to the Queen and her Majesty's Messages were in no wise interrupted His Children had free Access to their Royal Father and moreover the sick of the King 's Evil were without Difficulty suffered as formerly to be touched by him But all this was precarious being the Contrivance of those impious Impostors the Father and Son in-law Cromwell and Ireton not out of any Favour to the King but that by his Accession they being paramount might more securely triumph over the Presbyterians Upon the King's Arrival in the Camp Fairfax not a little surprized acquainted the Parliament with it professing That it happened without his or his Officers Knowledge And truly it is not incredible but that this servile General might be ignorant of the Authors of so great an Attempt it being also told him by the Council of War that seeing the thing was done it was advisedly and opportunely enough performed and that this was the Opinion of the Army He therefore had done enough in giving them at Westminster notice of it But the more piercing and quick-sighted found that it was contrived by Cromwell and his Son-in-Law and executed by the Agitators by their Instigation no less insolent in their Licentiousness by confidence of Impunity than the other Two Impostors were famous for their Dissimulation and Sagacity The Pretended Parliament alarmed at the Surprisal of the King The Parliament is alarmed with the Surprisal of the King and the Rumour of the Armies approach stopp'd them at present at St. Albans with Intreaties and Money In the mean time they advise with the City and joining Forces with them prepare for Defence But the Citizens Preparetions were tumultuous and full of Confusion and Distraction as is usual in unexpected Occurrences And now the Dissentions betwixt these Parties growing to a Height they attacked each other with the same Method and Arts wherewith they formerly had tormented the King Petitions were suborned on both sides from the Provinces and City and nothing more frequent than tumultuous Resorts at the Parliament-Doors And 't is observable that none did so much apprehend or more condemn these Seditious Concourses than those who formerly had fomented and stirr'd up the like against the King The Houses were no less agitated with Seditions than the City especially upon publishing a new Declaration from the Army The Army's Declaration The Sum of it was That the Parliament should be dissolv'd upon a set-day another being called to succeed it That they should give an accompt to the Kingdom of the vast Treasures they had received and That they should suspend from sitting in the House Eleven Members they named viz. Hollis Stapleton Lewis Clotworthy Waller Massey Glyn Maynard Long Harley Nicholas being the chief Champions of Presbytery and now accused of High-Treason c. The Houses silent to the rest answered only to the Point of Suspension affirming That it was not lawful to exclude any from the House without first shewing cause Forgetful of what they themselves had formerly done in the case of Strafford and Canterbury which was also seasonably retorted upon them now by the Souldiers Having thus affrighted the Parliament they thought good to terrifie the City also by demanding That the Militia thereof might be put into other Hands This so enraged the Londoners that running tumultuously to Westminster they forced the House by keeping the Speaker in his Chair To confirm their former Grant of the Militia and to invite the King by Votes to London They also made new Levies and giving Massey Waller and others the Chief Commands amongst them made suddenly a considerable force by the Addition of their Reformado's Whilst they are thus busie the Two Speakers with about Fifty Members fly to the Camp and crying out That the Houses were under a Force sate daily and voted with the Chief Officers of the Army in a sham form of Parliament The Soldiery glad of the Occasion march towards London under pretext of reconducting these Tribunes the fugitive Members back and removing all force from the Parliament The City the Parent and Nurse of that nefarious Rebellion against the King now distracted with their own terrors and apprehensions neglecting a generous defence delivered themselves up to the disposal of the menacing Army And surrendring their Tower and Forts into Fairfax's Hands they were forced to give new assurances of Fidelity to their new Masters The chief Citizens and Members of the contrary Faction were imprisoned and banished the Militia was put into trusty hands of their own Party and all the Works raised with so much heat and violence against their King are now to prevent new Rebellions against their Mercenaries demolished by them Nor did this empty obsequiousness suffice A Months stipend was paid to these Janisaries for their good Service and a Donative of Fifty Thousand Pounds bestowed upon their Deliverers Fairfax lest the Senate might seem ingrate was constituted Generalissimo of all their Forces more to his Honour than intrinsick Power he still acting but as Cromwell's Substitute for whilst he seemed satisfied with the Title and Shadow the Independents did in effect possess the Substance and Advantage The Army having triumphed over the City by their pompous marching through it and over the Parliament by modelling it according to their Interest harsher Propositions than the former were sent to the King whereunto the chief Officers had likewise given their Suffrages in the House but take care in the Camp that his Majesty should not consent to them promising that they would obtain or give him better themselves declaiming much against the Presbyterian arrogance and severity And they indeed did produce easier and more equitable Terms with which artifice the King being circumvented seemed to prefer them before the other to the great satisfaction of the Heads of the Army as if now the Camp were more valuable in the King's Esteem than the Parliament And yet these Catifs did not cease to imbitter these Members against him as if despised by him Nay themselves forgetting their former Civilities Risum teneâ—â—is grew more morose and now they delay and pretending a reverence for the Parliament reason and dispute
as appears by his Concessions And now the Hopes of Peace and a Happy Accommodation seemed at â—and which had also been effected if the Parliament had not wretchedly lost too much time in frivolous disputations of no weight Whereby it appeared as formerly at Vxbridge that they never designed that this Treaty should take any effect nor that they would be satisfied with Part who had already devoured the Whole in their thoughts The Army who seemed to acquiesce in the Pleasure of their Superiors whilst engaged in War did dare now the Royallists being every where supprest changing their Principles with their Success plainly to dissent And to declare openly to the whole World That nothing would satisfy but the Destruction of the King and the Subversion of Monarchy In order hereunto a fierce Petition was presented from the City against the Treaty which was also seconded from Oxfordshire New-Castle York c. and in particular Ireton's Regiment insisted upon the same demanding That the same fault may have the same punishment in the Person of King or Lord as in the Person of the meanest Commoner A Prelude to the designed Regicide They had formerly designed the Murther of the King by the Ministry of that Villain Rolfe as is already mentioned but now fierce with their Victories they will themselves destroy him To this purpose they emit a Remonstrance The Armies Remonstrance execrable as it's Authors Cromwell and Ireton which was presented to the Commons House by Col. Eure and Seven other Scelerates like himself In this they furiously declaim against the Restitution of the King or any Accomodation with him requiring That he as the Capital Enemy should be brought to judgment That the Prince and Duke of York should be summoned in by a day That the Parliament should constitute a Government for the future and fixing a Period to their own Session should take care for Annual or Biennial Parliaments and the like stuff which they offered in their own Names and as the Agreement of the People They were grown now to that insolence that their modest General writ to the Committee of the Army for Money or he should be forced to receive that is take it out of the Collectors and the Receivers hands where he could find it if speedy course be not taken to supply him Which however high it appeared or unbeseeming in the General was connived at And now again the Army declare That they can see in the Majority of those trusted with the Affairs of the Kingdom nothing less than a treacherous or corrupt Neglect of and Apostacy from the publick Trust reposed in them and therefore they appeal from them to God and the People In order to this the Army marches towards the City and in contempt of the Parliament's Order who commanded their stay advance sending a Declaration before them wherein They accuse the Members of Folly of Infidelity and Inconstancy threatning They would come to Westminster where they would further act as God should inspire them And thus the Parliament after successes above their desires are agitated and tormented with the Mutinies of their own Army They had indeed declared the seditious and mutinying Souldiers Enemies but now by a desponding Compliance they Vote them their Pay and the Officers their Arrears and also that the Declaration against the Army be rased out of the Journal of the House They further as also the Citizens of London and the Counties began to make all their â—pplications to the General especially Cromwell â—nd the Army The Parliament seemed now â—eglected whilst the Army triumph and all Men are affraid of doing any thing that may â—isplease them The King hurried to Hurst Castle During these traverses and the Treaty at Newport not yet finished the King by command from Fairfax was by Col. Eure hurried to Hurst-Castle a place Infamous for Cold and the Insalubrity of the Air. At parting from the Isle the Parliament-Commissioners coming to take their leave of him he gave them his Answer unsealed and having acquainted them with the Condition of the Times he told them He had parted with All how dear soever to him except wherein his Conscience was dissatisfied And finally added That he had reason to believe that this would be the last time of their enterview But that blessed be God he had made his Peace with him and should without fear undergo what he should be pleased to suffer Men to do unto him As for them they could not but know that in his fall and ruin they saw their own and that also near to them He prayed God to send them better friends than he had found He was fully informed of the whole Plot and Carriage against him and his But that nothing so much afflicted him as the sense and feeling he had of the Sufferings of his Subjects and the Miseries that hung over his Three Kingdoms drawn upon them by those who upon pretences of good violently pursue their own Interests and Ends. Fairfax by so much the more wicked in that he witlesly acted for others brought the Army equally Rebels to the Parliament now as they had been to the King before to London and in Contempt of the Treaty impudently took up his Quarters at White Hall And yet the pretended Parliament that had hitherto rejected as well the King's Concessions as his Demands in contemplation of the Armies Insolence The Parliament Vote his Concessions satisfactory voted His Majesty's Answer to the Propositions of both Houses to be Satisfactory But this was too late for theâ—e double Rebels were so furiously enraged thereat that they immediately demanded by writing from the Parliament That the late accused Members and such other who favoured the Scots the King or the Personal Treaty should be excluded the Houses Nor were they pleased to stay for an Answer but besetting the Senate they seize upon One and Forty of them whom they imprison and seclude a Hundred and Sixty more leaving none to sit but such who were mancipated to Cromwell and the Faction The Common-Council was purged with the same Ingredients from the Army the vacancies being supplied with Plebeian fanaticks whereof any Forty should be a Quorum and Superior to the Mayor These petitioning with the same fury against the King as the Agitators had done involved the City in the Guilt of the Regicide as well as the Rebellion The Government being thus changed from one Tyranny to another the Supream Power which the Presbyterians had so long hunted for was surprized by the Independants Who to shew their Authority dissannul whatever the Presbyterians had voted concerning the Treaty or their secluded Colleagues And some time after divers of the Lords how degenerate did so far compliment Fairfax upon his Proceedings that they let him know They would wave their Titles and Priviledges in case they should be judged burthen-some to the Common-wealth or the Peoples Liberties Things being thus disposed and the Obstacles that might hinder their
them as St. Johns and others were for imposing Conditions upon the King for they no more doubted of his Restitution that might restrain him from acting beyond their pleasure But His Majesty's Rights and Prerogatives were inviolablely restored to him by the Prudence and noble Endeavours of Monk This enraged the Regicides to that height that they began now to condemn their own Precipitation and Folly accusing themselves of Madness in that that they did persecute Lambert so rashly and unseasonably to their own Destruction They now call to mind how ridiculously they had rejected the King's Gracious Letters presented them by Nevil who had accidentally received them wherein they were assured of Indignity for all their monstrous Crimes and Treasons if they yet at length would return to their Duty They therefore like Men in Despair agitated by the Flagitiousness of their Guilt resolved to vindicate their Crimes by attempting greater and to try the Matter once more by the Sword Nor was it long before an occasion presented it self Lambert who had been imprisoned in the Tower because he had refused to give bail for his good Behaviour had escaped thence and appear'd armed about Northampton Some Sectaries and several disbanded Souldiers repaired to him all the Fanaticks of the Army being upon the Wing till stay'd with the News of his Defeat This Sedition was extinguish'd in its Birth And Lambert being taken by Ingolsby without a Blow hâ—s Party was easily dispersed whilst he was returned into a more safe Custody in the Tower During this Interval of Parliaments the Council of State administer'd Affairs with much Prudence and Courage and putting out a Proclomation against all Disturbers of the Peace easily restrained the Seditious Minds of the most dissenting Monk also purging his Army by the Casheering of Fanaticks and living more familiarly with his Officers than usual reconciled the most fierce amongst them to an Acquiescence in the Resolves of the future Parliament The Disturbers of our Peace being thus suppressed or quieted the Loyal Party as if indued with new Spirits put on more chearful Countenances and shaking off their Fears with their Shackles appeared more eminently conspicuous But being traduced by their Adversaries as thirsting after Revenge and Blood they abundantly demonstrated by their Declaration their own Innocence and the Enemies Malice restifying That they would leave Vengeance to God and Justice to the Disposal of Parliament And now the City of London did also publish a Declaration whereby they endeavoured to clear themselves from the Guilt of the Regicide and Vsurpation as being actuated and oppressed by the Counsels of Despair and Violence Nor will we deny but that they contributed by the like Tumults to the Restitution as they had formerly fomented the War We have hitherto made but little mention of the Particular Actions of our King for we would not intermingle the History of the Best of Princes with that of the most Scelerate of Subjects We shall therefore deliver the Series of his Actions by themselves wherein notwithstanding will appear as Extreams do best shine by Contraries not only the Eminency of his Vertues but the Errors Impieties Rebellions Treasons Slaughters Sacriledges Pride Rapine and Infamy of his Enemies For what Mischief did they not commit and were guilty of After the King 's miraculous Escape from Worcester through a thousand Hazards he at length got safe into France being received at Paris as if sent from Heaven A pregnant Example of the Care of Providence for the Persons of Kings That Monarchy was actuated then with well-nigh the same Spirit of Division which had so lately distracted England the Parisians inveighing against the Errors of the Government and Evil Counsellors pointing particularly at Mazarin with the same Rage and Passion as the Londoners did against Strafford The Princes were grieved that a Stranger should be First Minister of State and would have him therefore removed In order to which they raised an Army obtaining Assistance from Spain that Nation being very officious in helping their Neighbours upon such like Accompts Nor did they find King Lewis unprovided but resolved to oppose them with all his Power King Charles perswaded Lewis and the Princes by his own example to peace but could not prevail tho he carried himself with that Equality that both sides were Jealous of his Conduct For the Princes refused to lay down Arms unless the Cardinal were removed And the King with the Queen-Regent his Mother would not have Laws prescribed to them by their Subjects The Princes had called the Duke of Lorrain to their Aid who also entered France with an Army but returned upon the Interposition of King Charles who had discoursed with him about his undertaking the Protection of Ireland This enraged the Princes against Charles who blamed him much and the Parisians did dare to calumniate and affront him to that Height that he was forced to retire to St. Germains Where he also for the most part continued until a League being made betwixt Cromwell and that Crown which he had opposed in vain he was compelled again to go into Exile out of his very Banishment The Duke of York had thus long served in the Armies of France with such Bravery and Fortitude particularly in the Battle of Estampes that he attracted the Eyes of all Men upon him And his behaviour in General in Court and Camp were so signal that the Duke of Longville would have bestowed his Daughter upon him the greatest Fortune in France And Marshal Turene being very Sick recommended him to his King as the fittest Person in that Great Monarchy to command his Armies But he would not stay in France after the King his Brother though he was offered to be Liuetenant-General of their Forces in Italy but leaving that inhospitable Land accepted the Invitation of Don John the Governour of the Spanish Low-Countries where he largely asserted the Glories of his former Actions The King in his passage to Germany was received at Leige with all imaginable Honour and going thence to the Spaw met his Sister the Princoss of Orange there Very many Persons of Quality as is usual at the Season but in unusal Numbers upon this Occasion were come thither out of the Neighbouring Nations as well to see this Royal Congress as to take the Waters And all of them paid His Majesty as much Reverence and Honour as if he had been their own Natural Prince or would have vyed with us who had the Happiness then to attend him in Duty and Obedience and Veneration for him He was afterwards received at Colen by the Magistrates there which the same Testimonies of good-will and Esteem Where he resolved to fix his Court for some Time as a place delectable and convenient for his Designs A while after he accompanied his Sister in her Return to Holland as far as Dusseldorp where he was magnificently received by the Duke of Newburgh and treated during his Stay with Hunting and other Royal Divertisements Being
Holland under pretence of conducting as is already observed her Daughter the Lady Mary to the Prince of Orange her Husband for which pious and just Fact tho they formerly looked upon it as a Scandal when it was rumoured that they had a Design to accuse her she was proclaimed Traytor by these barbarous and worst of Rebels Some were of Opinion that the Faction was not ignorant of the Conveyance of this Treasure but connived at it upon a Supposition that the King upon the Confidence of it might be more refractary to their Demands and consequently engage in a War against them which they mainly desired as the plausiblest way to ruine him His Majesty notwithstanding the Accession of his Friends and Power desired the Ways of Peace not War Earl of Southampton Earl of Dorset But all his Messages and gracious Offers though sent to them by the Principal Nobles about him were rejected with Scorn and Insolence For the impetuous Faction in the House having a great Army on Foot and abundance of Treasure would hearken to no Accommodation This obliged his Majesty to intend his Safety the more so that levying Soldiers in the Counties he passed he daily increased even beyond Expectation For having made a solemn Protestation at the head of his Men at Wellington The King 's solemn Protestation viz. That he would defend the Protestant Religion as by Law established The Laws of the Land and the Liberty and Property of the Subject his Numbers visibly augmented Passing through Chester into Wales having made a Pathetick Speech to the Inhabitants thereof and gained entirely upon their Affections naturally inclined to serve their Prince he went thence to Shrewsbury where the Country being assembled by his Order he at the Head of them made this following Oration which for its Excellency and that it contains the Ground and the Truth of the Quarrel I thought fit to insert here Gentlemen and Speech to the Gentry and Inhabitants near Shrews-bury IT is some Benefit to me from the Insolence and Misfortunes which have driven me about that they have brought me to so good a part of my Kingdom and to so faithful a part of my People I hope neither you nor I shall repent in coming hither I will do my part that you may not and of you I was confident before I came The Residence of an Army is not usually pleasant to any Place and mine may carry more Fear with it since it may be thought robb'd and spoiled of all my own and such Terror used to fright and keep all men from supplying of me I must only live upon the Aid and Relief of my People But be not afraid I would to God my poor Subjects suffered no more by the Insolence and Violence of that Army raised against me though they have made themselves wanton even with Plenty than you shall do by mine and yet I fear I cannot prevent all Disorders I will do my best and this I promise you no man shall be a loser by me if I can help it I have sent hither for a Mint I will melt down all my own Plate and expose all my Lands to Sale or Mortgage that if it be possible I may not bring the least pressure upon you In the mean time I have summoned you hither to do that for me and your selves for the Maintenance of your Religion and the Laws of the Land by which you enjoy all that you have which other men do against us Do not suffer so good a Cause to be lost for want of supplying me with that which will be taken from you by those who pursue me with this violence And whilst these ill men sacrifice their Money Plate and utmost Industry to destroy the Commonwealth be you no less liberal to preserve it Assure your selves if it please God to bless me with Success I shall remember the Assistance that every particular man here gives me to his Advantage However it will hereafter how furiously soever the minds of men are now possest be Honour and Comfort to you that with some Charge and Trouble to your selves you did your part to support the King and preserve the Kingdom With this Speech and the Majesty and Reverence of his Person the People as it were inspired listed themselves by Troops in this Sacred Warfare so that the King being in a little time become Master of considerable and formidable Forces dared to provoke that Enemy whom he had hitherto avoided Essex goes to his Army Essex was waited upon in great State by the Parliament-Members out of Town and with quick Marches hastens to Northampton the Rendezvous of his Army consisting of Fourteen Thousand Men high and confident seeing they were to combat fresh and for the most part undisciplined Soldiers Amongst other Instructions Essex had received a Petition from his Masters to be presented to the King wherein they desire That his Majesty would desert his Followers who were REBELS and TRAYTORS and suffer them to be suppressed by the Earl of Essex But his Majesty abominating so sinful a Thought The King marches towards London leaving Shrewsbury marched with Six Thousand Foot Three Thousand brave Horse and Two Thousand Dragoons towards London This unexpected Motion of the King perplexed the City and Senate not a little before disordered with the Success of Prince Rupert who had broke and destroyed a Wing of their Horse near Worcester and kill'd Sands the Colonel Both Houses therefore to obviate the Danger from the King's Army and lest he should attempt the City where it was supposed the Parliament might easiest be suppress'd exhort the City-Militia to stand upon their Guard to watch to raise such Fortifications as could suddenly be made to make Batteries for their Cannon dig Trenches and set up Courts of Guard for the Souldiers omitting nothing for their Defence against the King's feared Approach They also sent Ten Companies to secure Windsor whilst they Imprison such of their Citizens as were suspected to Favour the King's Party Essex in the mean Time came to Worcester quitted by the Royallists where he continued whilst the King passed by without giving his Majesty any Interruption But the Rebels followed close in his Rear which he perceiving turned short upon them lest he should be enclosed betwixt the Rebels and the Rebellious City of London This occasioned that memorable Battel the first of these Unhappy Wars which was fought in the Vale of Red-Horse not absurdly called so considering the streams of Blood which were spill'd there that Day The Parties fought with equal Courage and Fortune though both pretended to the Victory which had been infallibly the King 's and the Rebellion stifled in its Infancy if the Right Wing of our Horse had not pursued the Enemy farther than they ought to have done But God who was not pleased that our Sins should be expiated at a Common Rate determined otherwise The Battel of Edge-Hill Oct. 23. 1642. The Royallists
for haste by the Bell-Rope and taking Horse ran away with his Troop for which Crime he had been cashier'd had it not been for the powerful Mediation of his Friends I mention this of this so famous Chieftain in the following Wars to shew how the Temperature of Body and Mind may by Use and Ambition be entirely altered The King takes Banbury-Castle c. The King continued his March having the Town and Castle of Banbury surrendred to him in his Way the Two Regiments of Foot and Troop of Horse which Garrisoned there putting themselves under his Majesty's Protection and Pay Broughton the Lord Say's House was also delivered and now the King with many Prisoners and Captive-Colonels entred triumphantly into Oxford Enters triumphantly into Oxford But he did not stay long there for Prince Rupert with a great Body of Horse swiftly moving up and down the Country infested all the Ways and Avenues to London on that Side and the King following with the rest of the Army assaulted and forced Brentford Hollis and Hamden's Regiments with part of the Lord Brookes's routed at Brentford breaking Two of the Enemies best Regiments there taking Eleven Colours and Thirteen Pieces of Ordnance which were sunk by reason of their Encumbrance in the adjoining River Many were slain and drowned and Five Hundred were made Prisoners but the King gave these their Liberty upon their Engagement never to bear Arms again against his Majesty But the Parliament loth to lose so many brave Men ordered Stephen Marshall a fierce Presbyterian Minister to absolve them from the Religion of their Oaths which he did with a more than Pontifical Authority The Consternation this blow occasioned filled the City with Terror They shut their Shops immediately upon the News and mustering their Trained-Bands and Auxiliaries joining with such Forces of their Army as were nearest Essex drew them all up in Battalia upon Turnham-Green Essex at Turnham-Green Three Thousand who lay at Kingston were also sent for for which their General was after blamed for abandoning so considerable a Post which might have distressed the King if made good For his Majesty having Intelligence of the numerous Strength of the Rebels and indeed wanting Bullets for a Skirmish lest he might be surrounded by them retreating over Kingston-Bridge abandoned as is said broke it down after him and having garrisoned Redding in his Way returned triumphantly to Oxford Whilst these Things were a-doing the City and the Two Houses apprehending the King's Advance had sent for Essex to whom they had given Five Thousand Pound as an Acknowledgment for his great Services at Edge-hill to hasten to their Succour But the King being gone the Citizens returned to their Labours and the Essexians to recruit their shatter'd Regiments with new Levies The King being come to Oxford The King returns to Oxford and Fortifies it and finding it a Place very commodious to make his head Quarters of it being in the Heart of the Kingdom and not far from London commanded it to be Fortified which the Rebels had seasonably omitted to do and surrounded with a deep Moat and Bulworks according to the Modern Practice which was done with all imaginable Diligence and Haste In the mean Time the War was carried on in other Provinces of the Kingdom with no less Courage and Vigour Not only the Towns and Counties but most of the best Families divided in their Opinions many engaging according to their Interest but most according as they affected the Parties But the various Battels Fights Velitations Sieges and the like as they deserve no Triumphs happening in a Civil War so they merit a better Description than is yet extant for they were for the most part eminent for Courage famous for Conduct and by so much the more severe in their Actings by how much the Parties were the more excited with the Opinion of doing well I do not therefore design to relate the whole War as being above my Force I will leave that Province to the Writers of Histories and content my self to describe the Chief Actions of it and those Things I my self for the most part saw but with designed Brevity Whilst the Armies were in their Winter-Quarters they were not so idle but that many Horse-Skirmishes Excursions Velitations Beating-up of Quarters and the like Feats of War were daily practised and that with various Success The King's Affairs had hitherto succeeded well considering his Circumstances although he never received any Advantage without Sorrow seeing it was gained from his Subjects And hence it was that as often as his Arms were Successful his Thoughts were intent upon Peace pressing and inviting the obdurate Faction to it by reiterated Letters and Messages though to no purpose for those Puritans relying upon the Assistance of their Brethren the Scots were wholly averse from it They had indeed formerly sent Propositions to the King at York but more severe than any Denunciation of War Several fruitless Attempts for Peace The Chief were That the Chief Officers of State should be of their naming and the Militia by Sea and Land at their disposing That the King should disband his Forces abandon his Friends and not dispose of his Children but by their Consent His Majesty did not refuse an Answer to these Demands although they seemed rather Impositions of Slavery than Peace which he sent by the Marquis of Hartford and the Earl of Southampton Two Eminent Noble-men with Command to deliver it in the House of Lords But being refused Admission they returned without having effected any thing Neither were the Mediation of the French and Dutch though offered by both how sincerely I know not accepted by the Houses who answered That they could not suffer that any Foreign Prince or State especially the French should interpose in their Affairs And to shew how little they valued the Monsieur his Coach was stopped and searched for Letters as he was passing to Oxford his Complaint of that Insolence being slurred over with a faint Excuse The Parliament would admit of the Scots their Brethren in Iniquity whom the King did justly reject as equally Rebels They had indeed formerly after the Battel of Edge-hill upon the King 's Advance with his victorious Army towards London apprehending his Approach sent Two Lords and Three Commoners to stay him under Pretence of treating which when they could not they seemed in Revenge upon his Majesty's Retreat to resolve to treat no more though afterwards upon the Instance of some of the more moderate amongst them they again sent Twelve Delegates to Oxford with Demands rather than Propositions the Chief whereof were Jan. 30. 1642. That his Majesty should Disband his Army Return to the Parliament Abolish Episcopacy Abandon the Militia to their Disposal c. The King on the other Side demanded His Revenues his Magazines his Cities Navies Fortresses c. and that whatever they had done contrary to Law should be Abrogated But nothing was concluded
the City with his Troops whilst he himself followed with the main Army in order to a formal Siege This obliged the King to think of a Retreat He had attempted all ways of Peace and invited those barbarous Tyrants at Westminster to it though neglected by near Twenty Messages They refused a Pass for the Duke of Lenox with Propositions though the King had in vain conjured their Assent they being then as they said themselves upon others to be sent to his Majesty They also flatly refuse the Scots Commissioners who pressed for a Treaty pretending to great interruption in their Affairs by the delays and difficulties the joint Councils of both Kingdoms produced And therefore vote That the King's Answer shall be desired to their Propositions without Treaty And being indeed weary of the Scots they also voted That they do intend to carry on the War of Ireland with the Forces of England and that the Scots Forces should be called away The Parliament design to gratifie their Grandees In their Debate about the Propositions to be sent the King they think it time to gratifie their Grandees and in order to it Vote That Sir Thomas Fairfax be made a Baron with Five Thousand Pound per Annum settled upon him and that his Father be made an Earl Cromwel a Baron and two Thousand five Hundred Pound per Annum Northumberland Essex Warwick Pembroke Dukes Salisbury Manchester Marquesses Roberts Say Willouby of Taram Wharton Howard Earls Sir William Waller a Baron Hazelrigg Stapelton Barons each Two Thousand Pound per An. Vane a Baron Brown fifteen hundred Pounds per An. and Skippon a Thousand Pound Thus they were dividing the spoil whilst the good King offered provided they would suffer his Friends to live securely at home whatever the most nefarious of Criminals could desire to wit An Act of Oblivion for what is past the Fruition of all they had acquired Accession to Offices and Dignities And because they might have no colour or pretence for Jealousies and Suspicions he would immediately disband all his Forces and would not only return to his Parliament but also ratifie whatever they should judge necessary for restoring his afflicted Kingdoms to their former Tranquillity But all this was absolutely refused by these modest Men who at length laying the Veil of Hypocrisie aside did not blush to declare to the whole World That there was nothing less in their thoughts than what they had so often solemnly declared promised protested vowed and sworn to perform which was To rescue the King out of the hands of Evil Counsellors and to bring him back to his Parliament Nay now they take care by Proclamation that he shall not come and command their Militia-Officers in case he attempted it to secure his Person and detain all his followers Prisoners The King perceiving himself in such unusuall streights this potent Monarch of three Kingdoms and sometimes Supream Arbitrator of Peace and War knows not now where to lay his Head Heu faciles dare summa Deos eademque tueri Difficiles He therefore reassumes his Thoughts of a Retreat Being rejected by the Parliament The King leaves Oxford and goes to the Scots Army he had a design to throw himself into the Arms of the Army but being refused by these also he puts himself into disguise And accompanied only with two Attendants Ashburnham of his Bed-Chamber and Hudson a Divine he left Oxford and conveyed himself to the Scots Army then at the Siege of Newark Monsieur Montrueil the French Resident then in the Scotch Camp had stipulated for security and equitable conditions for his Majesty who upon that confidence and the assurance he had entertained of his Countrymen's Loyalty as he wrote to the Marquess of Ormond Lord Lieutenant of Ireland he cast himself into their Protection May 1646. Some thought he was gone into Wales still true however oppressed to his Interests Others that he was withdrawn into Scotland to the renowned Montross and not a few were of opinion that he was conceal'd in the City Which the Parliament so far believed that they declared by beat of Drum and sound of Trumpet That what Person soever shall harbour or conceal or know of the harbouring or concealing of the King's Person and shall not reveal it immediately to the Speakers of both Houses shall be proceeded against as a Traytor to the Commonwealth forfeit his Estate and die without Mercy A while after contrary to the opinion of all Men he was rumoured to be in the Scottish Camp which was also signified to the Grandees at Westminster by the Commander in chief of the Scots Army The pretended Parliament as soon as they were informed of the King's Departure and were assured of his being in the Scotch Army desire and require of the Scotch Commissioners at London and of the Scots General in the Camp That they would deliver his Majesty into their Hands to be secured in Windsor-Castle until the Parliament should otherwise dispose of him Moreover they barbarously Vote That the King by going to the Scots Army He goes with the Army to Newcastle did prolong the War against the Parliament and foment the Discord betwixt the Two Nations But the Scots not ignorant of the value of their purchase gave no Ear to their Dear Brethren but breaking up with their Army a Rumour being spread that Cromwell was advancing towards them with all his Horse marched in haste to Newcastle with the King affirming That as his Majesty came to their Camp of his own Accord so he followed it with the same Liberty the Army neither perswading nor opposing him And this was a place garrisoned with their own Soldiery and near the Confines of their own Country The Royallists being as is related shut up in their Fortresses and languishing with the despair of Relief some of them taking occasion from their adverse Fortune surrender'd upon demand Whilst others defended themselves till they were forced as Col. Stanhop at Shelford or famished out as the Heroick Countess of Darby at Lathome-House which she had kept two Years against all the Insults of the Rebels But the Fate of Hereford was more dismal which having baffled and beat the Scots from her Walls was not able to prevent the surprizal of a less considerable Enemy The Colonels Morgan and Birch with Two Thousand Men drawn out of Gloucester and other neighbouring Garrisons by the favour of an obscure Night and a quick March accomplished the Enterprize For having sent Six choice Souldiers with a Lieutenant who pretended to be a Constable all in Country-Habits Hereford miserably surprized early to the Gate the said fictitious Constable calling to the Guard told them That he was come thither with his Men according to the Governour 's Command to break the Ice in the Moat expecting only till the Bridge was let down Being admitted with their Rural Instruments which they carried for show they immediately making use of the Arms they had under their
The Enemy discovering their number and seeing them so few divided their Forces and followed after them very eagerly not only coming up with them in their Rear and Flank but endeavouring to obstruct their passage to the Mountains The Rebels forlorn of Horse pressed hard upon Montross's Rear but his Foot facing about fired upon them and having slain the three foremost rendred the rest more cautious and the pursuit less hot The darkness of the Night put an end to these Skirmishes By this they were come near Aberbroth where Montross considering that the Enemy might have intercepted the direct way to the Hills with his numerous Horse commanded his Men to turn to the South-westward and march with all imaginable speed by which artifice and incredible toil he deluded his Pursuers slipping by them in the night and wheeling suddenly Northwards he passed the Esk not far from the Castle of Careston And having after some light Skirmishes and a continued March of threescore Miles without Sleep without Meat or any other refreshment gained the foot of the Mountains the Enemy at length left them retiring from their fruitless pursuit Being thus beyond their hopes come into a place of security Montross sent the Lord Gourdon as well to recal those Troops his Brother had debauched as also to augment them by new Levies which he also performed with great industry joining the General in Marr with a Thousand Foot and Two Hundred Horse Being thus inforced the Royallists defeated Hurrey with Three Thousand Foot and Five Hundred Horse at Alderna The Fight at Alderna and Alford where the Lord Gourdon was slain he himself hardly escaping with the Horse Nor was Bayly the most knowing of the Enemies Captains more fortunate at Alford where having left his Foot he also fled with his Horse which the most untimely fall of the noble Lord Gourdon contributed to a loss irreparable to the King and his Party and which cast such a damp upon the Victory that the Soldiers overcome with Sorrow wore the countenance of a baffled not conquering Army But Montross after this strengthened with a numerous recruit of High-landers and by the accession of the Earl of Aboyne who succeeded his Brother Gourdon and Arley who were come up to him with Three Hundred Horse resolved to penetrate into the inmost parts of the Kingdom as well to disturb the Enemies Levies in Fife as to dissipate the Convention of the States at Perth Being come into Fife the richest and most popular Province of the Kingdom he resolved to pass the Forth Which he also did four Miles above Sterling and marching forward encamped at Kilsythe The Rebels fierce with their multitudes thought that Montross's late Marches and his hasty passing of the Forth were the effects of his Fear not Counsel So that they resolve to attack him in that place he had chosen their chief care being to cut off all Retreats especially to the Mountains Montross's Army consisted of Four Thousand Five Hundred Foot and Five Hundred Horse the Rebels of Six Thousand Foot and Eight Hundred Horse But their fortune the same for the Royallists animated by the rare Valour of the old Earl of Arley who being sixty years of age did with his single Troop defeat Three of the Enemy's and dis-engaged a Battalion of Montross's Foot The Battel of Kilsythe too rashly advanced which gave such universal Courage to the whole Army that raising a great Shout they all ran upon the Enemy beat down such as resisted and ruined all scarce One Hundred of the Foot escaping The Arms Baggage and Spoils of the Field were the present reward of the Victors who lost only six Men whereas near Six Thousand of the Enemy fell that day Upon this the Confederate Lords fled out of the Kingdom and such who favour'd the King did no more scruple to discover themselves This Victory having produced a new face of things over the whole Kingdom reconciled the Cities and Provinces thereof to their duty to the King Which he had also maintained if the Horse which His Majesty had sent with the Lord Digby and Sir Marmaduke Langdale had as he hoped come up to him But these being dispersed as is said in England he found other Forces than those he expected thence For the Confederates upon the fame of his Atchievements had sent David Lesley with Six Thousand Horse who by their intelligence with the Earls of Trequair and Rosburg whom the King had unhappily trusted surprized and defeated him at Selkirk The Royallists surprized at Selkirk Montross leaves Scotland Yet did not so far oppress him but that he afterwards became formidable again But the King being in the Scots Army he was by his Majesty's Command forced to dismiss his Soldiers leaving his Country to the disposal of the Confederates It is now high time to return to Holmbey and take a view of His Majesty's Diversions in that wretched Solitude Amongst other things seeing he heard nothing from the Parliament he composed an Answer to the Propositions formerly sent to him Wherein besides many unexpected Concessions he promised To comply with the rest provided he were suffered to come to London But having no Secretary or Clerk to transcribe what he had writ he desired one from the Commissioners attending him otherwise he would himself scrible it over as well as he could This was rejected as soon as sent although he had assented to most and desired a Personal Treaty for the rest they being deaf to his demands and whilst he was thus earnest for Peace Vote him averse to it affirming moreover how falsely The King 's miserable restraint at Holmbey That he had never offer'd them any thing worthy their Acceptation or accepted of any thing they had presented to him In this extremity he turns to God and withdrawing himself writ those Divine Soliloquies which compose his Book spending that leisure time with Heaven which was not permitted him to employ with any he delighted in here below This Book as it surpasseth all other except the Bible in Piety Prudence and Eloquence of Style so it containeth a true and genuine discovery of the state of affairs and consequently fit to be read of all good Men and such who would be satisfied in the reality of our Transactions In the mean time the Pretended Parliament force away the miserable from the unfortunate For seeing the King's unhappiness and restraint had not so far divested Men of that Veneration they owed him but that many sick of that Disease called the Kings-Evil came to him to be healed the Novellists more out of envy than grounded in reason endeavoured tho' to no purpose by Declarations to divert the People from this pretended Superstition as they called it Although all the Kings of England have ever since the time of Edward the Confessor who received this Prerogative from Heaven made use of it with success The Rebels being now Masters of the King and Kingdom having supplanted the true Heir
things interpreting their own Promises in a contrary Sence In the mean time the Parliament Vote That the King should be convoyed to Richmond under the Guard of Colonel Rosseter which was also consented to by Fairfax until the Army required That the King should come no nearer London than the Houses would suffer their Camp to be Cromwell who had obtained his End having the Parliament in his Pocket began now to neglect the King whom he had seemingly adored and courted with the charming Promises of his Restitution He did not wait upon him as usual and nauseating his Conversation wished him gone He had formerly deliberated with his Cabal how to destroy him and had once design'd to have him murthered in the Scotch Camp to satisfie his Revenge and at once to throw the odium of the Fact upon them he equally hated But it now seems sufficient to terrifie him with apparent dangers Designs upon the King's Life reserving his final ruine till they gained more Authority by rendring him more odious to the People as averse from Peace Which having obtained his fall would seem less pitied being also perpetrated by a Parliamentary Judicial Act as most plausible Nor was the King ignorant of these rebellious Scelerates designed Villainies having been not obscurely informed of Cromwell's perfidious dealings with him by some whom the Eminence of his Vertues had gained amongst these black Conspirators Neither were his Friends wanting in their wishes and endeavours for his safety Amongst whom we with gratitude applaud the offers of the Scots Commissioners for the Earls of Lauderdale and Lannerick meeting his Majesty as he was Hunting near Nonsuch and but slenderly guarded they having at that time Fifty Horse of their Train with them told his Majesty That they were come thither on design to deliver him out of his Captivity And therefore humbly desired That he would be pleased not to omit this opportunity to save himself out of their too visible perfidious Hands But His Majesty answered That he had passed his Royal Word not to leave the Army without acquainting the Chief Officers and therefore would not violate his Promise to save his Life Some time after he told the said Commissioners That he was now discharged from his Word and after many Propositions about his retreat he seemed much pleased with that of Barwick as then ungarrisoned and in the Confines of both Kingdoms But that was also waved by reason of the violent motion of the Agitators a rumour being also at the same time spread at Court that they had conspired against his Life which was not only conveyed to him by his Friends as believing it but also by Colonel Whaley his Guardian who told him That moved with duty and affection he could not forbear to beseech his Majesty to save himself by a timely Retreat affirming That this also was the Sense of the Chief Officers of the Army who were very imwilling to be Spectators of what they could not at present help His Majesty withdraws from Hampton-Court With these Artifices this best of Princes being circumvented privately withdrew himself from Hampton-Court which by the removing of the Centinels was not difficult Having passed the River in a Boat he found Ashburnham Legge and Barclay on the other side with Horses He had designed to go to London where he also had a Lodging provided for him but upon a Consideration that the Citizens being obnoxious to the Soldiery were not to be trusted and that Ashburnham perswaded the contrary leaving the City they after much Toil and the Errors incident to travelling in a dark and tempestuous Night came to the Sea-side near Southhampton Where not finding a Ship as they expected to transport them to Jersey the King asked Whither they purposed to carry him Ashburnham replied To the Isle of Wight for he had great confidence in Colonel Hammond the Governour Brother to Doctor Hammond the King's Chaplain The King replied That he would not enter into the Island unless he first had assurance from the Governour both of his Liberty and Security from danger Ashburnham therefore and Barclay were sent to propose these Conditions To whom Hammond dear to Cromwell and sent as is supposed to command the Island for that purpose answered That he would provide for the King's Security from danger but could not dispose of his Liberty but with the Army and Parliaments Knowledge Our Delegates having advanced beyond a Retreat were necessitated through fear to accept of the Condition and so brought Hammond with them to the Countess of Southhampton's House near Tichfield where the King privately lay He was no sooner come and His Majesty acquainted with the Terms but clapping his Hand upon his Heart he said too Prophetically alass I am now undone Whereupon his Attendants bursting out into Tears and Expressions of Violence would instantly have kill'd Hammond But His Majesty absolutely forbad it who would not purchase his own Safety at the clandestine Destruction of a most bitter Enemy And so he delivered himself into his Custody and those Toils which the nefarious Cunning of his Adversaries had long since laid for him BOOK V. The King in the Isle of Wight His Message for Peace The four Dethroning Bills The Votes of Non-address Cap. Burleigh attempts the King's Delivery Rolfe his Life The King appeals to the People They rise in several Parts of the Kingdom Are suppressed Pembroke taken The Scots defeated and Hamilton a Prisoner Colchester surrendered The Treaty in the Isle of Wight broken by the Army They seize upon the King Garble the Parliament The perjur'd Remains of the Commons assume the Supream Power Constitute a pretended Court of High Justice Arraign Condemn and Murther their King His End and Elogy THE King upon his Departure from Hampton-Court had left upon his Table amongst other things a Letter to the Parliament The Contents thereof were That Liberty being desired by all Men and no less necessary for King's than others and that he had long suffered the irkesomness of a Prison under hopes of Peace He now finding the contrary and the inconstancy of the Army had withdrawn himself And yet wherever he should be he would use all his Power for the procuring of it and hinder further effusion of Blood Finally if it should be permitted him to be heard with Honour Liberty and Freedom he would quickly break through this Cloud of Retirement and demonstrate himself truly to be the Father of his Country Being arrived in the Island The King's Message for Peace he again earnestly presses the Parliament for what he had so often desired Peace and having sent them Concessions beyond their Hopes and Desires he yet invites them to a Treaty though with the same Success And yet lest these pious Patriots might seem too averse from that they had pretended to the Peace of the Nation they send the old Propositions to him but accompanied with four preliminary Articles Which how unjust soever they require him to assent
to before any further Proceeding They demand The 4 dethroning Bills 1. The Absolute Power of the Militia 2. That the Parliament be not Adjourned Prorogued c. but by their disposal 3. All Oaths Declarations Proclamations against the Parliament should be revoked and annulled 4. All Honours and Titles conferred by the King since carrying away the Great Seal should be annihilated and supprest By the granting of these the King would not only divest himself and that by his own Suffrage of all Right to Govern but take upon him the Guilt of all the Blood-shed in the late War Moreover they desire contrary to Order and Reason the concession of those Things which were to be treated of before the Treaty should begin The Scots-Commissioners also opposed these Demands by Public Protestation before the Parliament at London and in presence of the King in the Isle of Wight as being repugnant to Religion the Honour of the Crown and the Treaties betwixt both Nations Which when the King had inculcated to them they were so far from being moved thereat that these Sons of Violence railed not only against the King but even Monarchy it self One of them proposed Wroth. To have him closely kept in some inland Garrison until he could be brought to judgment In the mean time they should themselves he being entirely excluded govern It was equal to him what kind of Government they setled provided they admitted neither Kings Ireton nor Devils Another urged That his rejecting of the Propositions was no other than the denial of his Protection and that the People upon that accompt did owe him no Subjection being these were reciprocal But Cromwell who was the Bell-weather of the Faction admonish't the Parliament To rule by their own proper Power and Fortitude and not suffer the People longer to expect their Safety from a Man whose Heart God had hardned or subject those who had served them so faithfully to the Fury of an implacable Enemy lest they should force them clapping his hand upon his sword to endeavour their security by some other means The servile Senate being admonished by these Arguments Vote Votes of Non-address That no further Address should be made to the King and that no further Demands should be sent to him or any received for him To these barbarous Votes they add their no less barbarous Commands to the Governour of the Isle of Wight for the King 's closer Detention in Caresborough Castle which he did by a stricter Confinement in redoubling his Guards and by turning away his Servants saying That he was actuated by ill Counsels to the destruction of the Kingdom The King a close Prisoner And yet at the same time he tampered with his Majesty by courting Ashburrham and Berkely who were still retained with him as also the Earl of Southampton who was at large to make new Proposals whereby to gain his Majesty's nearer owning of the Army that whilst they amused the People with appearances they might the more securely destroy him But seeing this did not take their late monstrous Votes were followed by as monstrous a Declaration to mask in as much as in them lay their unjust Proceedings It was stuft with their old exploded Calumnies and so often repeated pretended Misgovernments to abuse the Peoples credulity though in vain however owned by the impious Army who did dare to profess That they would live and dye with the Parliament in maintaining of those dethroning Votes But this did not hinder a worthy however fruitless attempt of Captain Burleigh Captain Burleigh attempts his release who beat a Drum at New port in the Isle of Wight with Design to raise a Force for the delivery of his injured Sovereign but being suppressed by Hammond he was Murthered by Wilde and Mildmay for levying War against the King And yet these Reverend Judges acquitted Rolfe who had been employed upon apprehension of the following Rising to Poyson the King or otherwise to remove him out of the way as conducing to their Affairs which was proved as well in part by his own confession as the discovery of Osburne some time his Confident This wilful Intention of Parricide was found Ignoramus Nor indeed had this Villain been tried at all had it not been to satisfie the Clamors of the People who began as will suddenly appear to be sensible as well of the Perfidy of the Usurpers as of the miserable Condition of their King His Majesty seeing himself secluded from the Society of reasonable Men and considering the untractableness of the Pretended Parliament appeals to the People and Publishing his most Elegant Apology not only clears himself from the imputed Crimes laid to his Charge but retorts all those wickednesses they were so justly and visibly guilty of upon their own heads He further represents His Majesty's Apology his wretched and disconsolate Condition improved by the continuance and rigidness of an irksome Imprisonment He demonstrates with what earnestness he endeavoured the composing of all things in a desirable Peace and gives just and unanswerable Reasons why he could not yield his Assent to the Four Dethroning Bills And Appeal to the People He therefore appeals to the whole World why or how he had deserved to be thus used Especially by those who were his Subjects being he had Sacrificed all for the Peace of his Kingdoms but what was much more dear to him than Life his Honour and Conscience He further mentioned his compliance with the Army and their Interests as also of what importance that was to them and their often repeated Professions and Engagements for his just Rights and Restitution He finally inferred If it was Peace they would have He shewed them the way to it to which he would contribute his utmost Was it Plenty and Happiness They were the inseparable Effects of Peace Was it security He that did wish that all Men would forgive and forget like him had offered the Militia for his time Was it Liberty of Conscience He who wanted it was most ready to give it Was it the right Administration of Justice Offices of Trust were committed to the Choice of the Two Houses Finally was it the Arrears of the Army Vpon a settlement they would certainly be paid with much Ease which otherwise would be scarce Possible But all this was to no purpose so that the People awaked out of that stupid Lethargy they had been lulled in by these Pretenders of Reformation perceived at length that the Tyrants at Westminster had designed wholly to exclude the King and Usurp the Government themselves Which being evident by their late pernicious Votes and that nothing but Slavery and Oppression was to be expected from these new Masters they resolved to vindicate their Sovereign and their Liberty by the way of Arms. But They rise in several Parts of the Kingdom first they would try the way of Petitioning The Men of Essex began being followed by them of Surrey in greater Numbers
declaring the Pacification null breaks out into Open War The City of London during these Traverses altho they had disapproved the Interruption of the Rump did openly refuse to joyn with the Army daring by Petitions and Tumults to manifest their Desires for a Free Parliament And truly such were the Sentiments of the whole Nation which enraged the Souldiery to that height that a great part of the Army was sent into the City to keep them in their Obedience denouncing Death and Ruine to the obstinate Nor did they thus attain the Ends of their Desires opposed by the contrary Strivings of the People who would be satisfied with nothing but the Restitution of This or the Convocation of a New Parliament Which they at length assented to but with most servile Restrictions There was nothing of moment happened this while upon the Borders Monk was resolved to delay and gain time which he also did by avoiding Battle and amusing his Adversaries with another Treaty at New-Castle But Fleetwood head of the Chymerical Republick unequal for so great a Weight as ignorant of his own Strength a Man neither constant to himself nor bravely perfidious thinks of laying down his Burthen Which he was the more inclined to as believing if Lambert returned with Victory his Reign would be but very short To this his Endeavours to reduce the Fleet had proved but vain and that the Souldiers sent against the Rebels at Portsmouth had revolted to them To all this he wanted Money for the Army he commanded the Souldiers being ready to Mutiny for want of Pay and would infallibly rage with all the Extravagancies of Sedition and Tumult Prest with so many Evils and dreading greater this miserable Holder-Forth wretchedly submits his Grandeur to the Rump which he had so lately routed and Dec. 26. with sordid Assentation permits his old Masters to return to their Assembly as before The Rump being thus restored their first Business was to remove Lambert by whom they had been disturbed from his Command Which was not difficult to effect for the Irish Brigades left him and Desborough's Regiment of Horse by the Example of Fleetwood's Souldiers had abandoned him which the rest of his Army likewise did upon receiving the Parliaments Pleasure and Orders for that purpose So that this General who so lately hoped for Triumphs by a strange Vicissitude of things was forced to search for a Retreat to hide himself not unworthy the Fate that attended him since he suffered himself to be deprived of so great an Army without the Circumstance of a Blow Moreover as most ample Conditions had been formerly presented to Oliver and his Son Richard upon returning to their Duty so no less Honours and Dignities with the same Arguments had been offered by the Lord Hatton in the King's Name to Lambert and not without Threats which proved Prophecies That if he refused this Opportunity the King's Restitution would be worught and that suddainly without him and against his Will He should therefore make use of the Occasion to render himself and Posterity great to after Ages But this Advice was in vain he as the rest being blinded with Ambition and the Frantick Desire of Rule Monk being glad that the Enemy was dispersed without a Blow enters England with his little Army of Five Thousand Men tho the Parliament had assigned him but Five Hundred sending the rest back with Morgan into Scotland All the several Parties and Factions had an eye upon his Motions The Rump presumed by his Means to tame the Contumacious City and the Citizens hoped that he would compel the Rump to admit of the Secluded Members again or fill the Vacancies with new Elections They had sent their Sword-Bearer to Complement him upon his coming into England and he was likewise congratulated by all the Provinces he past thro as also by Deputations from the most remote Counties The desires of all good Men were for a Free Parliament as the only remedy against the impending Evils and the true means to reduce the Common-wealth to its pristine Forms of Government and most holy Laws again Monk tho he was of the same Opinion did not as yet think it convenient to discover himself so far Lest therefore he might displease those for whose sake he had armed his Returns to those many Addresses to him were general and civil intimating that he would acquaint the House with their Petitions and recommend them but exhorts them for the present that they keep themselves quiet and within the Bounds of Modesty permitting the Disposal of Affairs to the Judgment and Prudence of the Parliament And thus he moves forwards with slow Marches forming the Garrisons and Forces in his Way to his own Humour The Rump troubled that he was come with more Forces than they had designed he pretending to secure them from all violence by them solicitous of the many Petitions and Addresses to the General and convinced of the Hate of all Men towards themselves not knowing where to fix send Two of their Members Scot and Robinson cunning Men to him under pretence of congratulating his Arrival in England but in effect to pry into his Actions and to see what was to be expected from him Monk received these Gentlemen with the greatest Observance imaginable very careful least he might betray himself by any Inadvertency to these crafty Discoverers Being come to St. Albans he was again saluted by a Splendid Embassy from the City which he received and dismissed with great Civility covering his Purposes with a profound Dissimulation On the Second of February he entered the City with his Army and took his Lodging at White-Hall against the Opinion of all Men. The Third Day being attended upon by Scot and Robinson into the House he refused the Chair appointed for him But leaning upon it after he had received the Speaker's Thanks and Complements for his great Service in restoring the Parliament by his Council and Arms he replyed in these Terms First having modestly declined so great praises since he had done nothing but what his Duty obliged him to He humbly offered to them That they would be pleased to satisfy the People's Expectations by a Vindication of their Laws and Liberties God having restored them not so much to study their own as the Publick Welfare He then desired them To remove the Jealousies some Men conceived of their Design of perpetuating themselves in the Government and that mindful of future Parliaments they would fix a Period to this Moreover he advised them Not to burthen the Subjects with New Oaths And finally That they should take heed to the Royallists and Fanaticks and commending Scotland and a Free State to their Care he finished There were they in the Assembly who fancied he spake more like a Dictator than an Orator and yet he left them loaden with Thanks and Congratulations to take his place appointed him in the Council of State Here he prudently declined the Oath of Abjuration presented to him
not as absolutely refusing it but as desiring time to consider of it For the Rump compell'd all in Office to a Renunciation of the Right and Title of the King By which means they insured them in their Society and insnared them in the same Bond of Rebellion with themselves The Londoners deceived in their Expectations began to Mutiny They will acknowledge no Authority but that of a Free Parliament and make a Decree in their Common Council that for the future they will pay no Taxes nor Imposts whatever to any but by order of such a Convention full and entirely their own Masters The Rump mad with Anger command Monk to march into the City with his Army and order him to beat down the Gates and Portcullises break their Posts and take away their Chains out of the Streets Several also of the Prime Citizens Assertors of Liberty were put in the Tower Sectaries and Fanaticks being introduced into their Vacancies The People were amazed at these Actions of Monk from whom they had hoped better things Whilst he revolving the Odiousness of what he had done however necessitated to it by the pressing Commands of the Juncto and lest he should imprudently spoil what he had so well begun and not ignorant that these Tasks had been imposed upon him as well to try his Obedience as to break the Friendship and Intelligence which was betwixt him and the City resolved to attempt greater Matters To all this he apprehended a Diminution of his Power with the Souldiers which was likewise effected that very Day the Command of the Army being given to a Septemvirate of their own Confidents he being but one of the Number This highly displeased him nor could he endure Co-Equals in Power which the Rump forgetful that it was Lambert's Case had obtruded upon him And who indeed can endure Sharers in that Power he is solely Master of Monk impatient of so sordid an Indignity complains to his Officers of this Mutilation of his Authority who upon consideration of the Matter of Fact did unanimously declare That the Parliament forgetful of them by whose Merit they did reign had designed and resolved to casheer them and by continuing their Session to perpetuate their Tyranny over the most Noble English Nation Upon these Grounds the Army marches into London resolving to joyn Hands with the Citizens now Assertors of the Publick Liberty and declare together with them for a Free Parliament as the only Remedy for so many Evils Being thus united the Souldiers pathetically testified their Resentments and Sorrow for the Injuries and forced Violence done to that Noble City which was put upon them against their Wills This happy Conjunction fill'd the Town and whole Kingdom with so universal a Joy that the People demonstrated their Satisfaction by their Acclamations Feb. 9. ringing of their Bells and infinite Bonfires besides the roasting of all manner of Rumps in Contempt of the present Juncto resounding in these Transports and glad Ecstasies the Name and Fame of the General The Mock-Parliament troubled at this unexpected Change and forseeing their infallible Ruin if Monk persisted omitted no Arts no Allurements Wiles Flatteries Threats Treasons or any other means whereby they might reclaim Monk or destroy him It is affirmed that the Sectaries who could suffer any Lord but their own whom they had so cruelly offended offered him the Protectorate upon condition he would not change Party Which he Prudently as well as Loyally refused considering that tho the Employment was magnificent yet it was very hazardous the stream of the Peoples Inclinations flowing towards their old Government It was reported that Monsieur Bourdeaux the Embassadour of France offered the same but with the same success though he had also offered the Assistance of France for securing of the Dignity Monk had given the juncto who had usurp'd the Power over their Colleagues they themselves being scarce an eight part of the whole a Day by which they were to fill their Vacancies with new Elections Which being omitted by the Fanaticks the Secluded Members having given him satisfaction in several Conferences why they ought to be readmitted were however mainly opposed by the Rumpers and chief of their Conspiracy freely permitted to return to their Duty again The House being encreased by double the Number and at liberty to act began where they had ended in 1648. Voting the Concessions of Charles the Martyr in the Isle of Wight to be satisfactory and declare That what ever had been done by their Vsurping Colleagues since was null and of no effect But these Gentlemen being Presbyterians and consequently tenacious of their old Principles condemned indeed what was done by the Independants but recall'd none of their own Unjust Decrees nor voted any thing at present in favour of the King On the contrary they declare That Charles I. did first raise up Arms against the Parliament They impose again the Solemn League and Covenant the Root of all our Evils and Vote That none who had born Arms against the Parliament should be admitted in the next Elections But withal they make Monk Captain-General of all their Forces vote the Gates Portcullises Posts Chains c. of the City to be set up again at the Publick Charge release Booth and others out of Prison put the Militia of the Kingdom into good Hands and having fixed a day for their Dissolution as they had been obliged by Monk they appointed a Free Parliament to convene in April next These things being done to the Satisfaction of all Men they further constitute a Council of State who should govern during the Interregnum And recommending the Souldiery to Monk's Care and Prudence they dissolve themselves by their own Act and Decree putting an end to that Long and Bloody Parliament which could not be determined but by their own Consent after they had exercised their Tyranny upon their Fellow-Subjects besides the Horrid Murther of their Sovereign the Space of Nineteen Years except Oliver's Quingquennium Richard's short Empire and Lambert's Ten Weeks domineering And thus ended that unhappy Parliament which gave Life and Being to those viperous Factions of Presbytery and Independency by whose violence and impetuous ambition of ruling they did not only destroy the Hierarchy of the Church but Monarchy out of the Common-wealth involving themselves in the Ruin of that Parent that begot them 'T is scarce credible with what excess of joy the People wearied with the continuance of that Black Parliament and freed from the fear of its Refurrection entertained the News of its Dissolution The Fanaticks only and the Dependants of the Hated Juncto who left nothing unattempted for the perpetuating the Session of the Regicides were averse to it To effect which they solicited Petitions out of the City against their Dissolution they tempted the Tribunes and Chief Officers with the usual Charms of Largesses to their Party they caused fictitious Lists of the Militia to be printed And when all would not prevail some of
the General who by his Courage and Conduct had contributed so mainly to it They then Vote Declare and Decree That the Government of England is Monarchical consisting in a King and Two Houses of Parliament After this King Charles I. his Statues thrown down by the Sectaries were set up again and the New Arms of the Common wealth with extream Contumelies tâ—rn and defaced those of the King being put in their Places A â—â—w Days after the King himself the Members of Bâ—th Houses assisting and an Iâ—fâ—nity of People was with the usual Ceremonies but unusual Transports of Joy proclaimed at Westminster in London and afterwards in the whole Kingdom King of Great Britain and Ireland In these following Terms Although it can no ways be doubted but that his Majesty's Right and Title to these Crowns and Kingdoms is and was every way compleat by the Death of his most Royal Father of glorious Memory without the Ceremony or Solemnity of a Proclamation Yet since Proclamations in such Cases have been always used to the End that all good Subjects might upon this occasion testifie their Duty and Respect And since the armed Violence and other Calamities of many Years last past have hitherto deprived us of any Opportunity wherein we might express our Loyalty and Allegiance to his Majesty We therefore the Lords and Commons now assembled in Parliament together with the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Common Council of the City of London and other Freemen of this Kingdom now present do according to our Duty and Allegiance heartily joyfully and unanimously acknowledge and Proclaim That immediately upon the Decease of our late Sovereign King Charles I. the Imperial Crown of the Realm of England and all the Kingdoms Dominions and Rights belonging to the same did by inherent Birth-right and lawful undoubted Succession descend and come to his most Excellent Majesty King Charles II. as being Lineally Justly and Lawfully next Heir of the Blood Royal of this Realm And that by the Goodness and Providence of Almighty God He is of England Scotland and Ireland the most Potent Mighty and Vndoubted King and thereunto we most humbly and faithfully do submit and oblige our selves our Heirs and Posterities for ever At the Ceremony of this Proclamation the Publick Joy expressed by Shoutings Acclamations of God bless the King Bells and Bonfires were no less extraordinary than infinite the People being at length redeemed out of so long and so wretched a Captivity by the miraculous Restauration of their Beloved Prince Our most August Monarch had hitherto as is already mentioned wandered in Foreign Courts and as usual in the Disgraces of Fortune too much neglected especially where Reason of State seemed more prevalent than all the Tyes of Blood or Hospitality He was at Brussels the Metropolis of the Spanish Netherlands when he first heard of this Change in England from whence he removed to Breda a more secure place under the Circumstances of the present Times And now he hastens Greenvill away again with Letters to the Two Houses of Parliament to the City to Monk and to Montague joynt General at Sea In these Writings He Pardons all Men and all Crimes committed against his Royal Father or himself except such as the Parliament should except against promising further The Souldiers their Arrears tho' they bore Arms against him and That he would from that time receive them into his own Trust and Service upon the same Terms they did now enjoy c. This Declaration being received and read in Parliament with inexpressible Satisfaction and Joy was voted infinitely Satisfactory and a splendid Embassy ordered to the forthwith sent to the King with their humble Thanks for his Gracious Declaration and Letters and to invite and press His Majesty's return to his Parliament and People Six Lords and Twelve Commoners with Twenty Principal Citizens with a noble Train of Attendants were sent upon this happy Occasion Who the Wind favouring them after a quick Passage found His Majesty at the Hague in Holland where he had been treated and defrayed by the States of that Province with all imaginable Demonstrations of Honour and Friendship The Embassadours being admitted to the King's Presence and graciously heard had their Desires crowned with a wisht-for Answer So that nothing now impeded His Majesty's Return to his Dominions but the Wind which in favour to the kind Dutch kept him some little time longer there In the interim the Duke of York visited the Fleet lying at Anchor before Scheveling under the Command of General Montague formerly as is mentioned reconciled to His Majesty After a magnificent Reception his Royal Highness taking the Oaths of Allegiance from the Sea-men and having changed the Names of several of the Prime Ships restored this first Pledge of Empire to our Monarch The King having taken his Leave of the States General and of the States of Holland in their Assemblies the Honour of which visit they acknowledged in a most Elegant Speech with all the Expressions of Gratitude and Satisfaction he imbarked in a Boat prepared for him by the States whose Flag had this memorable Inscription Quo Fas et Fata vocârunt The Ways the Downs the Sand Hills and Shores were crowded with an innumerable Multitude of all Sorts of People ecchoing his Departure with Vows for his good Success By the way upon the Approach of a Brigandine from the Fleet he entered into it And going aboard the Royal Charles formerly the Naesby with his Two Royal Brothers the Dukes of York and Gloucester he was receieved there by Montague with all submissive Veneration who again treated him with a Gracious Testimonial of his Affection The Season was very clear and the Sea so calm that his Majesty mounting upon the Poop did daiâ—n to turn his Eyes to the Shore which he had so lately left and seeing the infinite Crowds of Spectators there he was pleased to say That he thought his own Subjects could scarce have more Tenderness for him than those People on whose Affections he saw he reigned no less than he was going to reign on the Wills of the English After this having kiss'd his Nephew * Prince of Orange and the Queen his Aunt * Queen of Bohemia and bid them farewel he had much aâ—o to be separated from his Sister * Princess Royal. This matchless Princess who had born and slighted so many Vicissitudes of Evil and who had frequently solaced the Calamities of her Brothers by her charming Discourses can scarce now without shaking her Constancy endure the Absence of a few Days being what she had desired with so much Impatience and what was so glorious to both of them The Anchors being at length weighed he left this friendly Shore with the thundering of the Cannon on both sides and sailed towards England now truely his own On the 25th of May he came into Dover Road where upon his landing he was received by Monk with Joy and Observance This best of
BEATAM AETERNAM CLARIOR E TENEBRIS CELI SPECTO ASPERAM AT LEVEM CHRISTI TRACTO In verbo tuo Spes mea MUNDI CALCO SPLENDIDAM AT GRAVEM Alij diutius Imperium tenuerunt nemo tam fortiter reliquit Tacit. Histor Liâ—â— 2. c. 47. p. 417 THE HISTORY OF THE Rebellions IN England Scotland and Ireland WHEREIN The most Material Passages Sieges Battles Policies and Stratagems of WAR are impartially Related on both Sides FROM The YEAR 1640. To the Beheading of the Duke of Monmouth in 1685. In Three Parts By Sir ROGER MANLEY Kt. late Governour of Land-Guard-Fort Quaeque ipse Miserima vidi LONDON Printed for L. Meredith at the Angel in Amen-Corner and T. Newborough at the Golden Ball in St. Paul's Church Yard MDCXCI THE PUBLISHER TO THE READER IN regard the Reputation of Histories is generally raised on the Worth of their Authors I thought it convenient to acquaint the World That the Compiler of This was a Gentleman of known Integrity bred in the Church of England for whose Cause joined with that of the Royal Family he was a valiant and zealous Champion having been Personally engaged in the most considerable Battles which his Royal Master King Charles I. fought against his Rebellious Subjects You are not therefore here to expect the Reversion of other Mens Labors no borrow'd Fragments or Scraps of Records no patch'd or imperfect Collections but an entire uniform History with great Impartiality and for the most Part of his own certain Knowledge Yet to free him from Suspicion of any Mistake in these Memoirs it is sufficient to observe That he collected them in those Troublesome Times whose Iniquity would not admit the Publication of them which he reserv'd till there was a clear Stage for Truth to appear on And having surviv'd this Great Rebellion for many Years he has added to the History of that an Account of all the Remarkable Transactions with the Conspiracies Insurrections and Tumults that happ'ned in the Reign of King Charles II. And concludes with the Invasion and Overthrow of the Duke of Monmouth in the West I shall say no more but that this Gentleman dying soon after he had finished these Commentaries the Publication of them was entrusted with me Which I did very readily undertake since I had the Honour to know the Author so well that his very Name was a sufficient Recommendation of the Work And all honest Men that knew Sir Roger Manley were very desirous of a History from his Hand whose Pen was aâ—â—oyal and Just as his Sword Reader honour the Memory of this brave Man and think not ill of the Publisher who like a faithful Executor presents thee with this his last Legacy And if thou take my Pains in good part 't is all the Acknowledgment I expect from thee Adieu THE CONTENTS PART I. BOOK I. THE Vnion of the Kingdoms of Great Britain The State of Affairs in England The Scots Tumults and their Causes They Rebel and Arm. The King Marches against them but concludes a Peace They break it and enter England with an Army The Little Parliament call'd and dissolved The Treaty at Rippon referred to the Parliament which met in November 1640. The Preludes to their ensuing Rebellion Strafford Impeach'd and Beheaded The Fatal Act of Continuance The Scots dismissed The King follows them into Scotland The Irish Rebellion breaks out The King upon his Return is pompously received by the Londoners The King enters the House of Commons The Bishops accused of High Treason The King forced by Tumults retreats Northward Contests about the Militia His Majesty is repulsed at Hull p. 1. BOOK II. The King attempts Hull in vain Propositions sent to his Majesty to York Most of the Lords and many of the Commons repair to his Majesty He erects his Standard at Nottingham and raises an Army Essex the Rebels General at Worcester at Keynton The famous Battle of Edge-hill Fight at Branford The King fortifies Oxford Some Actions in other Provinces The Queen lands at Burlington Goes to Oxford The Battle of Lansdowne Of Rownday Downe The Siege and Relief of Glocester The great Battle of Newbury The Parliament invite the Scots to their Succour They enter England The Siege of York The fatal Battle of Marston Moor. The Fights at Brandon Heath and Copedry-bridge Essex defeated in the West The second Battle of Newbury Alexander Carew and the Two Hothams beheaded Mac-Mahon and Macquier executed The Archbishop of Canterbury martyr'd The Treaty at Uxbridge Essex discarded and Sir Thomas Fairfax made General in his Place 38. BOOK III. The Continuation of the Irish Rebellion The Lords of the Pale side with the Rebels Their Model of Government The Cruelty of the English in Ireland Ormond makes first a Cessation then a Peace with the Irish Delivers Dublin to the English The King vindicated from any Correspondence with the Irish Rebels Fairfax marches Westward recalled besieges Oxford The King relieves Chester Takes Leicester The Fatal Battel of Naesby described The King's Cabinet taken and published Fairfax relieves Taunton The Fight at Langport He takes Bridgwater Sherburne and Bristol The King's Travels and Labours The Scots besiege Hereford They quit it The Fight at Rowton-Heath Digby and Langdale defeated in the North. Barclay-Castle the Devizes and Tiverton taken Cromwell takes Winchester and Basing-House by Assault The Fight at Torrington The Prince passes into France The Lord Hopton disbands his Army Distructions at Newark The King returns to Oxford The Lord Ashley defeated 84. BOOK IV. The King leaves Oxford and goes to the Scots Army Hereford is surprized and Chester surrender'd Oxford besieged and taken The other Royal Garrisons follow Massey's Forces disbanded Contests with the Scots Their barbarous Vsage of the King They sell him He is imprisoned in Holmbey-House The History of the Scots Rebellion and valorous Actions of Montross Independency triumphant The Army mutinies and seize upon the King at Holmbey They court him but deal treacherously with him He flies to the Isle of Wight 122. BOOK V. The King in the Isle of Wight His Message for Peace The Four Dethroning Bills The Votes of Non-address Cap. Burleigh attempts the King's Delivery Rolfe his Life The King appeals to the People They rise in several Parts of the Kingdom Are suppressed Pembroke taken The Scots defeated and Hamilton a Prisoner Colchester surrendered The Treaty in the Isle of Wight broken by the Army They seize upon the King Garble the Parliament The perjur'd Remains of the Commons assume the Supream Power Constitute a pretended Court of High Justice Arraign Condemn and Murther their King His End and Elogy 169. PART II. BOOK I. The Regicides prohibit the proclaiming of the Prince of Wales They abolish the House of Lords and the Government by Kings Choose a Councel of State Displace and Fine the Lord Mayor for refusing to publish the Act for abolishing of Monarchy Declare they will maintain the Fundamental Laws Erect a High Court of Justice Hamilton Holland and
Capell condemned by it and murthered Several Acts of State The Scots proclaim Charles II. Some Actions of the Levellers The King leaves Holland and goes by Brussels into France The Duke of Gloucester banished Continuance of the History of Ireland The King at Jersey Prince Rupert Sails from Kinsale to Portugal Loseth his Brother Prince Maurice by a Hurrycane The King at Breda Treats and Concludes with the Scots Montrosse's unfortunate End Fairfax routed and Cromwell General His Actions in Scotland The Scots barbarous Vsage of the King They are defeated at Dunbar The King crowned at Schone He enters England The Battle of Worcester The King 's miraculous Escape 109 110. BOOK II. Cromwell enters London Triumphantly Continuation of the Irish Affairs Ormond leaves Ireland and Clanrickard his Deputy there Ireton dyes of the Plague Monk takes Sterling Dundee and Subjugates Scotland The Isles of Scilly Barbadoes Garnsey Jersey and that of Man surrendered to the Regicides Their Greatness They are courted by the Neighbouring Kings and States They send a solemn Embassy into Holland Cromwell Cabals Turns out the Mock-Parliament Chooses another Is chosen Protector The Wars with the United Provinces The various Sea-Fights betwixt the Two States Cromwell makes a Peace with them and a League with France The Expedition of San Domingo and Jamaica Blake's success at Tunis and Santa Cruz. Dunkirk taken The Death of Oliver Cromwell His Character 249. BOOK III. Richard succeeds his Father in the Protectorate He is deposed by the Army The Rump restored Lambert defeats Sir George Booth Montague returns with the Fleet out of Denmark Lambert turns out the Rump Monk dissents and declares for the Rump Lambert marches against him Being deluded by Treaties he is deserted by his Army The Committee of Safety routed and the Rump yet again restored Monk marches to London Readmits the Secluded Members The Parliament dissolv'd by its own Act. An Abstract of the King's Actions and Motions abroad He is proclaimed by the Parliament Returns into England His glorious Reception The End of our Troubles 278. PART III. BOOK I. The REBELLION breaks into new Flames Some Millenaries secur'd Venner's Insurrection and End The Presbyterians stickle for new Elections Several Seditious Tumults detected and punished The Plague consumes the People The Conflagration of the City Tumults in Scotland Oate's Plot. The Parliament insist upon removing the Duke from the King's Presence and Councils It is dissolved Another Parliament call'd The Duke retires from Court A new Council chosen The Parliament refuse the King Money and insist upon the Bill of Exclusion It is also dissolved another being Summon'd A new Rebellion in Scotland The Arch-bishop of St. Andrew's inhumanly butchered The Rebels are defeated at Bothwel-Bridge The King sick He recovers The Duke returns to Court Monmouth Cabals and is outed of his Employments The Lord Stafford beheaded The Parliament dissolv'd and succeeded by another at Oxford which is likewise dismiss'd College is hang'd and Shaftsbury try'd The strange Encrease of the Fanaticks Their Insolence and Power in the City They form a Conspiracy The Council of Six The Plot to Murther the King and Duke The Providential Fire at New-Market Keeling discovers the Conspiracy Russel and Sidney are executed Monmouth absconds but upon his Submission is pardoned He again transgresses and is banished The King dyes of an Apoplexy The Duke succeeds 312. BOOK II. The Rebellion breaks out in Scotland under Argile in England under Monmouth Both are vanquished taken and executed The Final Ruin and End of the Rebellion 336. COMMENTARIES ON THE REBELLION OF England Scotland and Ireland PART I. BOOK I. The Vnion of the Kingdoms of Great Britain The State of Affairs in England The Scots Tumults and their Causes They Rebel and Arm. The King Marches against them but concludes a Peace They break it and enter England with an Army The Little Parliament call'd and dissolved The Treaty at Rippon referred to the Parliament which met in November 1640. The Preludes to their ensuing Rebellion Strafford Impeach'd and Beheaded The Fatal Act of Continuance The Scots dismissed The King follows them into Scotland The Irish Rebellion breaks out The King upon his Return is pompously received by the Londoners The King enters the House of Commons The Bishops accused of High Treason The King forced by Tumults retreats Northward Contests about the Militia His Majesty is repulsed at Hull THE Kingdoms of Great Britain being United under the Dominion of one Prince and the Animosities and Emulations which usually disorder Neighbour-Nations thereby removed gave a sudden Rise to a very great and formidable Power which could not be destroyed but by it self The Moderator of this vast Empire was JAMES VI. King of Scotland and First Monarch of Great Britain undoubted Heir to both as well by Right of Succession from Margaret the only Daughter of Edgar Atheling the last of the Saxon Princes as by that of Force derived to him from the Norman Conqueror This Wise and Learned Prince Charles I. succeeds to the Crown being gathered to his Fathers the loss which his Dominions suffered by it however great was abundantly repaired by the Succession of his Son CHARLES who being truly Heir to his Father's Greatness and Vertues as well as Scepters did excel all his Predecessors in the more severe Disquisition of what was Fit and Just so that our Tragedies will scarce find Credit with Posterity whilst the Ages to come mistrusting the Reports of such enormous Villainies will look upon our unheard-of Vicissitudes but as the Fancies of Poetry and the Decoration of Theatres For how is it possible to believe that the Best of Princes should meet with the Worst of Subjects on whom he had conferred more Graces than the whole Series of his Ancestors and that he who valued his Kingdoms and Life at a lower Rate than the Happiness of his People should by a Judicial Parricide be sacrificed to the ambitious Violence of a prevailing Faction in their Representative and that under the pretence of Usurpation and Tyranny But these things happened an everlasting Reproach to the Nation and not to be atoned for by any Resentment or Hecatombs of Victims King James left a flourishing Kingdom behind him but an empty Treasury and his Successor engaged in a War with Spain and what was worse the Parliament that oblig'd the Father to Arm abandoned the Son when they had exposed him Nor were the succeeding Parliaments more Obsequious or forward in supplying his Necessities how great soever either in recovering the Palatinate or rescuing the French Protestants though undertaken in Defence of the Reformed Religion 'T is true his Third Parliament voted him Five Subsidies but we must own also The Petition of Right that the Petition of Right being a Condescension even to Supererogation deserv'd their best Acknowledgements for raised with that Grant they that very Session questioned the Tribute of Tonnage and Poundage though perpetually enjoyed by his Predecessors Kings of England affirming
Parliament he should call Moreover there were some other Malecontents who by reason of their Disaffection had been denied such Titles and Honours as they pretended to at his Majesties Coronation who all joyned together and because there are no Pretences more specious than those of Religion nor more charming Bates to ensnare the Vulgar it was thought most proper to be insisted on Nor was it long before the Depravedness of the times furnished them with Opportunities to manifest their Resentments The pious King was pleased to send the Liturgy and Book of Common-Prayers signed with the Blood of the first Reformers of our Church The King sends the Liturgy into Scotland to the Kirk of Scotland for he desired to unite in the same Opinion in Spirituals those People who were subject to the same Empire in Temporals King JAMES had formerly proposed the same thing to his Countrymen at Aberdeen who willingly assented to it and having framed it there and adapted it to the Church of Scotland it was sent into England where it lay till by the Advice of the Privy Council at Edenburgh and perswasion of some others nearer him though very unseasonably his Majesty returned it to them with Command to have it used in all the Churches and Chapels of Scotland This Advice however laudable was ill timed for the growing Factions took thence an Occasion to rebel and 't is scarce credible with what contumacious Fury the Presbyterians who would sooner sin against Religion its self than its Rites did oppose it crying out that the King introduced Superstition and prophane Forms of Worship into the Church Rumours were also spread abroad by the dissatisfied Nobles before-mentioned who abhorred nothing equal with the Restitution of what they had usurped as also by others of the Cabal who longed for a Change of reducing Scotland into a Province So that the People thinking their Civil as well as Sacred Liberty were in danger became obnoxious to the Artifices of every Faction And this occasioned the Sedition of Edenburgh and the zealous Madness of the Rabble against the Liturgy The Sedition of Edenburgh Jul. 23. 1637. The Dean that officiated as also the Bishop who should have preached had much to do to escape with their Lives their wild Auditors throwing their Books Stools and whatever else their Fury could seize on at their Heads Nor did they stick here for the prime Conspirators who had thus infatuated the lowest of the People and incensed them against the Liturgy engaged them also the better sort now consorting with them in a Covenant under pretext of vindicating their Religion to abolish it and gaping after the Church-Revenues to extirpate the Hierarchy of Bishops Moreover they took up Arms being instigated thereto by the Puritans of England whom they had cajoled with a Declaration as they call'd it to vindicate their Actions and Intentions and renouncing their Duty and Allegiance they seized upon the King's Castles and Revenues for their Use and Support in the War Having raised an Army but distrusting their own Strength they courted Assistance from the French and writing an humble Letter to Lewis XIII of that Name implored the Assistance of a foreign Prince The Scots implore Assistance from the French King Car. Richlieu against their own whom they had so cruelly offended And thus a great Mystery was discovered teaching the World how to extirpate the Religion of Rome by consulting with a Roman Cardinal and by joining Forces with a Catholick Monarch The King had sent Duke Hamilton to allay these Troubles but he acted so remissly that he seemed rather to encourage than suppress their fury which is no wonder if what is reported of him be true that their first Motions had been secretly directed by his Counsels The King therefore incited by the Insolence of his Subjects resolved Mar. 27-1639 The King marches towards Scotland seeing his clemency was neglected to chastise them by force and raising a great Army marches towards Scotland But there was nothing performed in this Expedition worthy such extraordinary Preparations For many both of the Nobility and Gentry would hardly be perswaded to invade Scotland which likewise cooled the Soldiers Nor is it to be wondered at since their chief Officers as Essex who was Lieutenant-General and Holland General of the Horse with others proved afterwards to be the prime Heads of the Rebellion in England They had forgot the Animosities of old betwixt these Neighbour-Nations fearing as had been suggested to them That Scotland being conquered the Forces that served to subdue it might in process of Time be made use of to enslave England But the remoteness of this Project renders it very Chimerical However the King warned by the Perfidy of his own Men Makes Peace was necessitated to consent to a Peace with the Rebels upon no equal Terms Which he the rather did as being sensible That nothing can happen more pernicious to a Prince than Civil Discord But the Scots quickly violated the Peace they had procured for they did not disband according to the Articles of the Treaty but kept all their Officers in pay Neither did they demolish the Fortifications of Leith as they should have done but adding Infidelity to their Rebellion did also publish a Libel entituled Conditions of his Majesty's Treaty with his Subjects of Scotland which for its Falseness by inserting Articles never assented to was burnt by the hands of the Common Hangman The Scots break it and invade England High with their late Success and looking upon the King's Indulgence as an Argument of his Easiness not his Goodness being also instigated to it by the English Puritans they arm a Second Time and sleighting the Sanctions of the Treaty rush into England and unexpectedly possess the Towns of New-Castle and Durham They had sent their Declaration before them intimating That what they undertook was for the Glory of God and that their Arms were onely Defensive and not intended against England but against the Canterbury Faction and to endeavour to unite both Nations in one as to Religion The King seeing his Clemency abused and his Authority prostituted by the Rebels in Scotland and to repress the Insolency of his Subjects who had by Leagues Oaths and the Seisure of his Castles and Forts and the like conspired against him and also that the Decrees of Parliament might not be rescinded by those of the Assembly nor the Three States be mutilated by the abolishing of Episcopacy seriously resolved to vindicate his offended Majesty and reduce his so often Rebelling Subjects to their Duty again The Little Parliament He therefore summon'd a Parliament to meet at London which he had deferred for some Years past to give those boisterous Spirits leasure to cool And now he acquaints them with the Invasion of the Scots and their Indignities towards him and very earnestly demands Moneys of them to carry on the War assuring them that if they would liberally comply with his
could have had no Aid from abroad France and Spain being engaged in a War and the Pope though he might wish well remote and not over liberal so that they must necessarily have been ruined by the Forces of England and Scotland The Conspiracy being brought to Maturity many of the Gentlemen first The Conspiracy is discovered and afterwards most of the Nobility as also the entire Multitude of the Romish Religion joined in it and with unheard-of Secrecy assaulted suppressed and took most of the Towns and Fortresses of the Kingdom and sparing none these barbarous Traytors massacred without Respect of Sex or Age them of the English Nation and Religion filling all Places where they came with Ruine Rapines Burnings and infinite Slaughters Dublin the chief Seat of the Government and Kingdom was not surprized being saved by the seasonable Infidelity of one O Conall an Irish-man who being convinced by the horridness of the Fact or greatness of the Reward he hoped for from its Discovery lays open the whole Conspiracy acquainting the Chief-Justices with the Design the Night before it was to have been put in Execution London-derry Colrane Tredagh with some other Towns and Fortresses standing upon their Defence escaped the Danger which with the Arrival of some few Forces from England occasioned a very long and very bloody War The Lords Justices having secured the Castle of Dublin where the King's Magazines were Dublin secured and the City as well as they could with armed Men they the next Morning apprehended Hugh Mac-Mahon Grand-child to the late rebellious Earl of Tyrone who by his unwary Confidence or rather divine Providence had occasioned the Discovery by entrusting O Conalli with the Secret Being brought before the Council he boldly avowed the Conspiracy affirming That as it was universal and to be put in execution that instant Morning so it was not humanely possible to be prevented Some of the Conspirators taken He acknowledged himself their Prisoner and being in their Power they might use him as they pleased he was sure to be suddenly revenged The Lord Macquier another of the principal Conspirators was also taken but few more of Quality the rest of the Undertakers as Roger More Plunket Birne and others having escaped The Citizens with such as could be confided in were immediately armed and Proclamation made and sent into all Quarters of the Discovery of this flagitious Rebellion and their Disappointment of their Attempt upon Dublin as also to exhort all good Subjects to betake themselves to their Defence Upon this Proclamation the Lords of the English Pale being of British Extraction and who in all former Rebellions had been true to the Crown pretending Ignorance of any Plot before this publick Notice repaired to the Council with Assurances of their Fidelity and offer of their Service And they were not only entrusted it being dangerous to suspect them in this Juncture but had also Arms delivered to them upon their Desires and Commissions to levy Men for their own Defence and that of their Provinces The standing Forces in Ireland consisting of scarce 1000 Horse and 2000 Foot were dispersed in the several Fortresses of the Kingdom but so remote that it was not possible the ways being intercepted by the Rebels to draw them to a Body besides many of them being Catholicks revolted and others were surprised or intercepted so that few of them could be brought to Dublin The City was in the mean time fortified with all imaginable Industry being also daily filled with Numbers of such who fled from the cruel and inhumane Barbarities of the Rebels Of these and the neighbouring English two Regiments were formed whereof Sir Henry Tichburne had one together with the Government of Tredagh and Sir Charles Coot the other with the Command of Dublin These two Places being the principal Fortresses of the Party The Justices and Council dispatched an Express to the King who was then in Scotland and to the Parliament at Westminster of the Discovery and Progress of the Conspiracy His Majesty highly perplexed as most concerned with this monstrous Rebellion offers all his Assistance for the suppressing of it acquaints the Parliament of Scotland with it and demands their Aid in it conjures the two Houses at Westminster and empowers them to use the utmost of Force and Counsel to prevent the Progress of the Rebellion and deliver his Protestant Subjects from the Calamities that threatned them Nay sometime after he offered to go in Person and raise 10000 Voluntiers for that Service if the Parliament would but pay them all which they refuse under pretence of not exposing his Sacred Person to so eminent Danger but in truth preferring their own Fears to the Solace of so many desolate Sufferers and lest when he had conquered those Rebels he might be sensible of the Injuries done him and being armed become formidable to the Parliament it self The Houses indeed voted a powerful Relief of Men Money and Provisions but they were but slow in Performance retarding the Supplies they had so eagerly ordered with their undutiful Disputes and Quarrels with the Court till the whole was well nigh lost Bleeding Ireland was the Subject of their Discourse not their Care being too much taken up with the Management of their own Designs at Home so that they went no farther besides exclaiming at the Obstacles they themselves created and that by a Calumny black as the Rebellion it self they cast the Odium of those Delays upon the unsulliedst Innocence in the World the King than whom no Prince could be more sensibly affected with the greatness of the Calamity nor desired the Wellfare of his Subjects with more Affection The King returns out of Scotland The King having appeased Scotland returned to London where he was received with the general Acclamations of the People and all the Pomp imaginable being met by the Lord Mayor and Aldermen and royally feasted together with the Queen and Prince at Whitehall But the Parliament being much disturbed with this solemn Entertainment had prepared another reception for his Majesty They had used all their Arts to hinder his going into Scotland lest peradventure he should tamper with his Army by the way of which they had already created to themselves several Jealousies it being as yet but in disbanding or that he should gain too much upon the scots-Scots-Parliament by his Concessions and Favours But what they more openly acted was to press the King to substitute a Lieutenant in his absence who might personate him not obscurely designing the Earl of Essex for this honour by which grant they might have divested him of every thing but his Title before his return which he perceiving wisely refused them so ruinous a Concession And yet he commissioned him General on the South-side of Trent with Power to raise Forces in case of Necessity But the Faction impatient of every Repulse in revenge framed a Remonstrance in his absence wherein whatever was defective in the Government was as
usually attributed to his Counsellours with the usual Reflections upon himself But the Misfortunes and what Errors were committed ought truly to be laid at their Doors which they were not ignorant of seeing the Parliament absolutely denied to supply the Necessities of the Crown both at Home and Abroad whereby things often miscarried The Parliament publish their Remonstrance and Money was sometimes raised by extraordinary Ways But the King informed of their Design and not ignorant of the Force of ingenious Calumny had desired them not to emit the said Remonstrance not that he feared the Truth but that he apprehended the Poison of plausible Malice But these modest Men refused to comply in so small a matter with their King which produced an Answer from his Majesty no less just and reasonable to all Men of Sense than that monstrous Libel was fertile of falsity and imposture The Commons to gain Credit to the Terrors wherewith they had exagitated the People and lest they should have the least Suspicion of hazard to the Service of God 1641. Frame the Protestation had in May framed a Protestation and Oath without acquainting the King or House of Lords with it which rendered it ipso facto illegal which was swallowed by most Men none of the Lower House nor scarce any of the Upper refusing it and afterwards imposed upon the whole Kingdom which generally took it without observing the Poison hid under it This Protestation appeared very plausible at first sight promising to defend Religion according to Law and the King according to Religion if it had not administred occasion to those fictitious Bug-bears of Fears and Jealousies or planed and ushered the way to that rebellious Confederation called the Covenant betwixt these perfidious Wretches and their no less perfidious Brethren the Scots The Faction also in process of time explaining this Protestation affirmed their meaning to be That by the true Reformed Protestant Religion expressed in the Doctrine of the Church of England against all Popery and Popish Innovations contrary to the same Doctrine is meant only the publick Doctrine professed in the Church so far as it is opposite to Popery and Popish Innovation and that the said words are not to extend to the maintaining of any Form of Worship Discipline or Government nor of any Rites or Ceremonies of the said Church of England so that upon the Matter it seems manifest that the Hierarchy of Bishops and the Liturgy were plainly designed for Extirpation The other Arts whereby the Bell-weathers of the Faction daily incensed the People were the feigning and then themselves detecting of Plots and Conspiracies and imaginary Designs wherewith they strangely troubled and afrighted the giddy Rabble who by an implicit Credulity believed all that was told them to the prejudice of the King or his Friends whom they stigmatized with the odious Characters of Papists and Malignants Nor was it an Artifice of less Cunning in them to procure Subscriptions from the unthinking Crowd to occasional Petitions of their own framing pretending Grievances and Dangers and demanding Remedies against them as in publick Calamities On the other side the King hitherto patient seeing his Clemency more and more abused by the Contumacy of his Adversaries resolved to punish these Disturbers of the Publick Peace And being informed that some Members of Parliament had private Meeting and Caballing with the Scots who also had countenanced the late Tumults he gave Warrants to seize their Papers and secure their Persons but they being withdrawn he caused One of the Vpper House and Five of the Lower to be accused of High-Treason His Majesty had had Advertisement of their Caballing when he was in Scotland but had forbore them hitherto upon hope that his Indulgence might have laid the Storms these Men had raised but finding the contrary he caused them to be Impeach'd by his Attorney General Sir Ed. Herbert and sent a Sergeant at Arms to demand them of the House which they were so far from complying with that they immediately voted That no Person whatsoever should offer to Arrest or Detain any Member of that House without Order from the House But they had forgot their own Resolves in Sir George Ratcliff's Case who being a Member of the Parliament in Ireland had it determined against him That no Privilege of Parliament there nor here should reach to Protect him in Case of High-Treason The King therefore entring their House in Person The King enters the House of Commons required they should be delivered to the Law The Crimes objected against them were That amongst other Things they had endeavoured to subvert the Laws had invited Foreigners the Scots to Invade the Kingdom that they had raised Tumults and Seditions and had alienated the Subjects Affections from their King But these Traytors having private Notice of the Design against them by one of the * Countess of Carlisle Court Ladies withdrew themselves into Westminster-Hall where hiding themselves that Night they in the Morning fled into the City from whence they in a few Days returned with no less Pomp than Impudence 'T is scarce credible with what Bitterness the seditious calumniating Spirits in the Commons House traduced this Act of the King 's They cryed out Their Privileges were destroyed and that never such Violence had been offered to so great a Court by any of his Predecessors Not considering That there is no Sanctuary for Rebellion which was the present Case and they themselves will hereafter turn out the whole Body of the House During these Traverses the tumultuous Uproars being encouraged by the Puritans grew daily more licentious insomuch that a Preaching Iron-monger dared to throw a Libel intituled To your Tents O Israel into his Majesty's Coach the Multitude bellowing without ceasing Privileges of Parliament Privileges of Parliament The Parliament hereupon transfer their Session into the City their Adjournment being to keep up the Belief that they did not Sit in Safety and to countenance the Attempt upon the Militia which they now were designing where infusing into the People gave them also a false Alarm by their Emissaries who running through the Streets of the City at dead time of the Night cryed terribly A terrible Alarm in the City That the King was coming with an Army of Papists to destroy them which wrought so effectually that the Inhabitants raised with the Horrour of the imaginary Danger took Arms and in an instant got into a Body of no less than Fourty Thousand Men whilst the Women also filled the Streets with Benches Stools Tubs c. to hinder the Passage of the Horse and provided scalding Water to throw upon them The Non-appearance of these Souldiers in the Air could not undeceive the People being kept warm with successive hourly Discoveries of Plots and Dangers so that the Parliament which was returned guarded by great Numbers from London to Westminster as it were in Triumph importuned the King again for Guards and that under the
save that the Commissioners were forced to confess That the King for The King 's rare Wisdom they were commanded by their Masters to treat with no Body but his Majesty alone did excel in Sharpness of Wit in most accurate Vnderstanding of Things and in Quickness of Judgment That he also heard the contrary Objections and Arguments with unimitable Patience Unhappy only in this That he attributed more to the Advice of others than his own Opinion The Parliament had long since seized upon all the King's Castles Forts Arms Governments Ships Revenues Treasure and Ornament But to shew their Intentions for Peace they Denounce War with an Oath declaring They will not lay down Arms as long as the King had an Army under whose Protection Papists that is Royallists and such who were obnoxious to the Law might find Sanctuary Nay they came to that pitch of Boldness that they presumed by their own Authority to summon a National-Synod Where rejecting the ancient Forms of Councils they impower this composed of Presbyterian and Independant Clero-Layicks to establish Religion and the Forms for Government in the Church They also falsified the Great Seal by making another instead of that which was with the King and use it publickly Thus this Pacifick Tribe seeks for Peace and immolates to injured Majesty by rendering as much as in them lay the Differences irreconcileable But this Counterfeiting of the Great Seal was voted Treason by the Parliament at Oxford some time after The Earl of Newcastle in the North During these Traverses the Earl of New-Castle raised an Army in the North to whom the Earl of Cumberland joined himself On the other Side the Two Fairfaxes Father and Son were for the Parliament The first material Encounter they had was at Tadcaster where the Rebels were beaten the Royallists having forced them out of Town after which they also took Bradford But the Fairfaxes being afterwards recruited they took Leeds and Colonel Cholmley and Boynton routted and took Colonel Slingsby at Gisburg The Younger Fairfax gained also a notable Victory at Wakefield against part of Newcastle's Army but he did not enjoy the Sweets of it long for his Forces were afterwards quite broken by the Marquiss's who over-spreading the Country with his Power Victorious and having received great Stores of Arms Cannon and other Military Utensils with the Colonels Goring and King from Holland drove the Rebels quite out of the Field and shut up the Lord Fairfax Besiegeth Hull and his Remnants in Hull where he besieged him This was a fatal Oversight for if he had carried the War into the associated Eastern Counties humanely spoke he had not only added those Rich Provinces to his Victories but by intercepting the Contributions of Money and Men which those Rich Countries perpetually furnished the Rebels with put an End to the War it self and that without Blood The Queen Lands at Burlington Early in the Spring the Queen landed at Burlington with many Officers and Commanders of Note as also great Stores of Arms and Provisions for War In this Place and in her Quarters her Majesty underwent no less hazard than at Sea for an English Man of War coming then into the Bay fired into the Town with so much Fury that she was forced to abandon her Lodging and seek for shelter behind the Hedges But being received magnificently by Newcastle and with Honours due to so great a Princess she was attended by him to York Goes to York into which City she entered in Triumph her self being the most pompous part of the Show The Earl of Montross eminent for his Youth and Nobility and of high Esteem in his Country having deserted the Covenanters because he found them designing to Ruine the Church and Monarchy came accompanied with the Lord Ogelby and One hundred and Twenty Horse to wait upon the Queen at York where he informed her Majesty of the Covenanters Preparations in Scotland and that they would in a very little Time Invade England with a great Army Hamilton came thither also to salute the Queen and with his known Arts refuting Montross's Assertions prayed her to give no Credit to One so Young and Vain which she unhappily inclined to Sir Hugh Cholmley Governour of Scarborough with Three hundred Men came also in at the same Time returning to his Obedience to his Sovereign Which the Two Hothams seemed also to attempt though unfortunately so dangerous Rebellion is that it often Ruines those who would return to their Duty again The Marquiss of Hartford having Command of the Western Counties and assisted by the Lord Pawlet Sir Ralph Hopton Sir Bevil Greenville Sir John Stowell and others all eminent for Courage and Loyalty performed many great Actions On the other Side Major General Chudley and the Earl of Stamford were very Active But Hopton not to be named without an Epithet of Honour harassed these in several Encounters He routed Chudley at Lanceston beat him at Chafford and defeated both him and Stamford in a great Fight at Stratton Hopton defeats the Rebels at Stratton He took here One thousand and Seven hundred Prisoners besides many slain Thirteen Brass Cannon Seventy Barrels of Powder c. This Victory restored the Neighbouring Provinces to their Duty to the King and Hopton himself for his eminent Services was created Baron of Stratton where he had fought so bravely The Rebel-Chieftains fled to Exeter where they were besieged and forced afterwards to surrender to Prince Maurice Hopton after his Victory marched into Somersetshire encountring Sir William Waller a famed Champion of the Rebellion Fights Waller at Landsdowne at Landsdowne near Bath The Fight was brave contested with equal Valour and Obstinateness and continued till late in the Night The Enemy at length drew off into the Town leaving lighted Matches in the Hedges and Walls to amuse the Royallists behind them The Enemies greatest Loss was in their Foot and ours in that of the Noble Sir Bevil Greenville who with a Stand of Pikes had sustained the reiterated Charges of the Roundheads and repelled them He was a Person of no less Loyalty than Courage which made him equally lamented by the Brave as well as the Good The Rebels Loss was greater than ours as well in Officers as Souldiers though abundantly compensated by the Death of the said Greenville and the blowing up of our Powder fired as was believed by One of the Prisoners The General himself was much endangered being hurt by the Flame of it the which together with the Want it occasioned obliged him to shut himself up in the Devizes until he could be recruited with new Stores Waller intent upon Opportunities followed him close and block'd him up in the said Town where they were forced to use their Bed-cords for want of Match But the Siege lasted not long for the King admonish'd by the Danger these brave Men were in sent the Lord Willmott to whom was joined Prince Maurice the Earl of Carnarven
and the Lord Byron excellent Persons all with Fifteen hundred Horse to their Relief Being advanced near the Town Battel of Roundway-Downe July 13. 1643. the Horse were drawn up upon Roundway-Downe in One entire Line save that a Forlorn-Hope advancing before the Body encountred and beat another of theirs up to their Army which stood in Battalia upon the Hill A Valley divided the Two Armies which by reason the Enemy kept their Ground and the Advantages of the Height they stood upon we were obliged to pass which was done with Resolution notwithstanding the continual Discharges of the adverse Cannon and in very close Order and charging their Horse most of them being Curiassiers we bore them before us broke and entirely routed them We had only Two small Field-Pieces which were also Discharged but once from a high Hill upon our Left Hand being guarded by a few Dragoons to give Notice to the Town of the Approach of their Relief The Enemies Foot notwithstanding the Flight of their Horse stood firm nor would be broken until they perceived our Foot marching out of Town who advanced but slowly for fear of Ambushes and then they threw down their Arms and dispersed but to little purpose being well nigh all kill'd or taken There were Eight hundred slain Two thousand taken Four Brass Pieces of Ordnance with all their Ammunition and great Store of Provisions besides Eight and Twenty Foot Colours and Nine Cornets of Horse The Loss on the King's Side was very small except that about Thirty young Gentlemen most Voluntiers whereof the Relater being sorely wounded in the Head and Right Hand was one being too far engaged in the Pursuit were taken and carried Prisoners to Bristol from whence they in a little time were relieved for that City being ill defended was surrendred by Colonel Fines the Governour to the conquering Army for which Act as savouring of Pusillanimity he was tried by a Court-Marshal But he had approved himself Valorous against the Unfortunate having cruelly hanged and murthered Robert Yeamans Yeaman and Bouchier murthered at Bristol and George Bouchier Two prime Citizens and eminent for their Loyalty upon Pretence of their Designing to deliver the City to Prince Rupert notwithstanding the King 's and the King's General the Earl of Forth 's Letters Admonitions and Menacing to the contrary Waller and Hazlerigg fled to Bristol but apprehending a Siege went thence to London to recruit and the Citizens out of the high Opinion they had of Waller easily consented to supply him At the same time of the Bristol-plot there was another Conspiracy discovered at London Mr. Waller by his ingenious Confession and the rare Eloquence of Ten thousand Pounds Chaloner and Tomkins at London saved his Life Chaloner and Tompkins more loyal and deserving a better Fate were hanged before their own Doors The King's Forces were very successful also in other Places though the Victory gained at Hopton-Heath where Gell and Brereton Hopton-Heath Fight Two of the Rebels Champions lost their Cannon and the Day was very dear for it cost no less than the Life of the most Noble Earl of Northampton who being unhappily fallen from his Horse amongst Concy-Borrows was barbarously murthered After this Prince Rupert joining his Forces with these thus destituted having forced Burmigham a very Receptacle of Sedition though with the Loss of the old Earl of Denbigh took Leichfield-Close The Lord Brookes a fierce Zealot of the Party against Bishops in the attempting of it before upon his Advance to it had inauspiciously implored a Sign from Heaven of the Divine Approbation of his Design for whilst he was ordering his Battery though compleatly armed a Bullet glancing near him The Lord Brooke kill'd at Leichfield shot him into the Eye and Brain upon St. Chad's-Day the Patron of that Cathedral Some time after Essex having recruited his Army besieged Redding and having repelled the Cavaliers designed for its Relief at Causum-Bridge had it surrendred to him by Fielding the Lieutenant Governour Sir Arthur Aston who commanded in hief being sore hurt They were startled at Oxford at this Surrender and there wanted not them who blamed Essex for not moving that way with his Forces now victorious But others again excused him fancying that he designed to put an End to the War by a Peace not a Conquest Taunton and Bridgwater fell likewise into the Rebels Hands On the other side Prince Rupert beat the Round-heads at Chalgrave Field where many of them of Note were kill'd and taken Prisoners Colonel Hambden one of the Five Members who commanded was slain in that very Field where he first rendezvouz'd his Men against his Sovereign Very many other Fights and Skirmishes happened with various Success in thâ— several Counties of the Kingdom which to 〈◊〉 â—rolixness I have designedly omitted or but slightly mentioned contenting my self to be particular in those only which seemed decisive as to the Fate of the Kingdom The Queen having raised an Army in Yorkshire and the neighbouring-Counties leaving a considerable Force with Sir Charles Cavendish for the Defence of Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire marched with the rest consisting of about Four Thousand Men Six Field-pieces and Two Mortars towards the King The Queen meets the King at Edge-hill whom she met at Edge-hill not more famous for the Battel fought there than for this Royal Congress The Joy after so long an Absence was very great as may be justly presumed since the Passions of Affection and Esteem never appeared more eminent than in this Pair-Royal of Lovers And now with joined Forces and Desires they marched towards Oxford After the destroying of Sir William Waller's Army at the Devizes and the taking of Bristol the King was absolute Master of the Field The Marquiss of Newcastle having also ruined Fairfax at Bramham-Moor and subdued the whole North having shut up the Remains of the Enemy in a few Garrisons was likewise at Liberty to act what he pleased But the King contrary to his own Sentiments and Advice being overborn by his Council of War or rather betrayed by his Fate and the Perfidy of some pretended Friends omitting London the Head of the Rebellion miserably squandered that Time which was irrecoverable in the unfortunate Siege of Glocester whilst Newcastle amused himself about Hull Whereas if they had joined their Forces the Rebels having no Army then in the Field to oppose them he might not only have routed the pretended Parliament who were already upon the Point to dissodge but have given Law to that proud City the Source of the Rebellion and his Misfortunes But it seemed otherwise good to Providence and the Two Houses who were in a desponding Condition raised with this unhoped for Opportunity recruited their empty Regiments well nigh ruined with Sickness and Sedition with all imaginable Speed and alluring to their Assistance the City-Forces they not only relieved Glocester but raised their declining Cause to a Balance with the Kings But of these
Colonel Delbier and Colonel Tompson who were wounded Nor did Waller insult long for his Forces being joined to Essex's both were designed to besiege Oxford The King having Notice of the Enemies Intentions sent the Queen toward the West and himself having left a strong Garrison in the City with Three thousand Horse and Four thousand Foot marched towards Worcester The Two Generals follow the King with Two distinct Camps but meeting again at Burford Essex joining Massey to Waller sent them a King-catching as they termed it whilst he himself moves with his Army into the West to subdue those Counties By this means they were both defeated for the King slipping by Waller returned with quick Marches to Burford where he met his Cannon and Ammunition from Oxford and afterwards encountring Waller at Copredy-Bridge Eleven thousand strong overcame him Copredy-Bridge Fight June 20. The Enemy had possessed themselves of a Hill from whence watching the Royallists Motion they bravely attempted them in their Passage of the Bridge but being as bravely recieved by the Earls of Northampton and Cleveland who commanded the Rear they were beaten and routed The Rebels lost their Cannon near a Thousand wounded and slain besides several of their Officers Waller being ruined the King hastens after Essex and came with his Army to Liskard Eight Miles from Lestithiel where the Rebels lay Encamped Essex had taken Taunton and Weymouth in his Way and being advanced near Exeter the Queen who was brought to Bed in that City of the Princess Henrietta sent a Trumpet to him to desire him to forbear from Hostility for some little time till she was recovered but she was denied A while after she sending again to him for a Pass to go to the Bath was brutishly refused with this Answer That Essex his Rudeness to the Queen if she would go to London where she might be furnished with every Thing necessary for her Health he would send her a Convoy adding he knew no other way Whilst Essex was upon his March it was sharply contested at a Council of War Whether he should proceed in his Journey Westward or return and fight the King who was not far off lest if he continued his March he might when he came into the Straits of Cornwall be inclosed betwixt him and Prince Maurice then in those Parts And this was the Opinion of the wisest part of the Council but did not prevail for the Lord Roberts was earnest to advance and relieve Plymouth which had been a long Time besieged which done he sheweth them Cornwall where they might quickly be recruited by means of his Dependants and Friends and obtain an easie Victory of Prince Maurice who would be in no competent Condition to oppose them And this Opinion the worst by the Sequel carried it The Royallists fierce with their late Victory demanded to be brought to the Enemy But the King though not without commending their Ardor thinking to gain a bloodless Victory commanded all the Passages and Avenues to the Camp to be shut up The King himself who joined Prince Maurice near Exeter lay at Boconnock sending Sir Richard Greenville to Bodmin and Sir Jacob Ashly to Hule Goring with Horse and Sir William Basset with Fifteen Hundred Foot were sent Westward with strict Orders to stop and cut off all manner of Provisions from the Besieged so that the Enemy reduced to great Wants and Distress were willing to treat which was no less willingly assented to by his Majesty to whom no Victory was more grateful than when he overcame his Enemies by their own Consent The Horse commanded by Balfore He leaves his Camp to the King's Mercy and flies Essex defeated Sept. 1. under pretence of Skirmishing and drawing out to Fight broke through the Intervals of our Quarters and came safely to Saltash and thence to Plymouth leaving their Foot and Cannon to Mercy The General himself with Roberts and some others secured themselves likewise taking Boat at Foy for Plymouth But yet he could not escape the Obloquy of some who wond'red that so great a General should leave so brave an Army in such certain Danger though others excused him he having thereby conserved himself and his Chief Officers and Souldiers for the Service of the Commonwealth But all Men blamed Waller Manchester and especially Middleton because they seemed to loyter when they should have made all imaginable Haste to his Assistance The Foot being thus abandoned sent Commissioners to the King to treat about the Surrender of the Camp which was easily assented to Quarter being granted to all and their Swords and Pistols to all above the Degree of Corporals There were found in the Camp Forty Brass Pieces of Ordnance Two hundred Barrels of Powder and Arms for Nine thousand Men. Several Hundreds of the Foot took Arms with the Victorious and the rest had Liberty to go where they pleased upon Condition they should serve no more against the King But these as well as they of Brandford broke their Words violating their Promises with the same perfidious Levity for being come to Basing they were again armed And it was observed that none fought so eagerly against the King as those very Fellows An usual Testimony of their Gratitude The King raised with no Success but in order to Peace did now again from Tavestock as he had formerly done from Evesham court the Two Houses by a Message to them earnestly desiring they would appoint some Commissioners to treat but all to no purpose His Majesty had likewise invited Essex when besieged at Lestithiel very graciously to join Forces with him that so they might jointly procure what they both so earnestly contended for the Peace and Happiness of the Kingdom Wherein also he should lay an Eternal Obligation upon his King and if any should oppose their Pious Endeavours they would render them happy whether they would or not But he wretchedly neglected this amicable Summons affirming That his Orders were to fight not to treat Essex being strengthened by the Accession of his old Foot by several City-Regiments by Manchester's Army as also other Forces under the Commands of Waller Browne and other Chiefs of the Party grew suddenly so numerous that he again attempted the King at Newbury He had designed before any more Action to repair to the Parliament and give them an Account of the Misfortune of his Expedition as also to excuse it But they perceiving his Design writ to him that they were satisfied that nothing happened by any Omission of his and therefore being assured of his Fidelity and Courage they desire him not to despond but chearfully to prosecute the War adding further that he should endeavour with all his Power to hinder the King's Return to Oxford and rather hazard a Battel than suffer him to pass thither which he also did and it was fought on both Sides with equal Conduct and Bravery until the Night parted them The second Battel of Newbury The King had possest himself
therefore lay in the Field all Night and forced the advancing Royallists to retreat over the Isca Goring had fallen into the Enemies Quarters near Chard with Success having slain some and taken about Sixty But Tiverton by Fairfax Fairfax closely pursuing them took Tiverton as also the Castle and Church by storm occasioned by a casual Shot which broke the Chain of the Draw-bridge by which Accident the Passage was immediately seized Sir Gilbert Gerard the Governour and the whole Garrison being made Prisoners The Winter being far advanced and the Robels wearied with so many Toils thought it neither fit nor safe to attempt the Royallists further or besiege Exeter well fortified and strengthened with a Garrison of Five Thousand Men. They therefore resolve to block up the City at a Distance and raising some Redoubts and Skonses upon the River Clyssa within Command of each other though Three Miles from the City put Guards into them whereby they might with no great Force extreamly disturb the Communication betwixt the Town and Country They might have done the same on the other side of the Isca and so at once have shut up the Garrison from all Commerce with the adjacent Neighbourhood which they also afterward did Cromwell having possessed himself of the City of Winchester without Opposition Cromwell takes Winchester battered the Castle with Six Cannon and made a Breach in the Walls Which being observed by the Lord Ogle the Governour who thinking every Defence in this declining State of Affairs superfluous beat a Parley And being admitted to treat having compounded for the Security of his Garrison he surrender'd this Fortress however furnished with all kinds of Military Provisions for a long Siege But the Marquis fell by a nobler however more unhappy Destiny for Cromwell having battered his Works assaulted them with Four Battalions and passing the Moat and Ramparts brake down the Gates and so however bravely opposed forced his Passage into the House and became Master of it and Basing House The Marquis Sir Robert Peak with others of Quality with immense Spoils were the Reward of the victorious There were a hundred slain a Girle of a masculine Courage being found amongst the stript And thus this Fortress of Loyalty having baffled very many Attempts of the Rebels for its Reduction hitherto fell now by the uncontrouled Fortune of Cromwell And being first pillaged was afterwards burnt to the Ground out of spite rather than any advantage to the Conquerours Langford fearing the like Fate prevented it by a timely Surrender And now the Passages being cleared betwixt London and the more distant Provinces of the West Cromwell rejoins his Forces to Fairfax's Army The Prince sends to Fairfax about Peace During these Traverses the Prince of Wales had sent to Fairfax his Desires for a safe Conduct for the Lords Hopton and Culpeper to go to the King with design to endeavour to compose the Differences betwixt his Majesty and the Two Houses But Fairfax returned Answer That it not being of his Province to treat of Peace he had sent his Highness's Letters to the Parliament from whom an Answer was to be expected Goring having sent the Colonels Scroop and Philips had attempted the same before proposing That by the united Force of both Armies they should compel both King and Parliament to an Accomodation The like Conjunction of Forces had formerly been motioned to Essex which was then rejected by him as now by his Successor All hopes of Peace being vanished the Prince sollicitous for Exeter draws his Army consisting of about Seven Thousand to Okehampton His Highness had been informed that the Rebels Forces were very much diminished by Death and Diseases which gave him room to hope for some favourable Occasion to attempt upon them But being suddenly after assured that they were daily furnished with new Levies Fairfax surprizes Three of Wentworth's Regiments at Bovey and fresh Supplies which was true he changed his mind and with-drew his Forces to a greater Distance But the Enemy advancing surprized Three of Wentworth's Regiments at Bovey The Troopers except Fifty and a Major who were taken escaped by Favour of the Night but they left near Four Hundred Horses behind them Fairfax was careful to advertise Plymouth of his Advance and the Royallists Retreat which was also relieved by the drawing off of the Besiegers This Place had been very long blocked up by Land and having been often bravely attempted by Sir Richard Greenville did defend it self with no less Bravery For the Sea always open and the Rebels Masters of it they could not be forced Dartmouth was the next Trophy of the Conquerours Dartmouth taken which they took by Assault without the Loss of scarce one single Man though the Town was strengthened with a Hundred pieces of Ordnance Nor was the Slaughter greater on the Defendants side Sir Hugh Pollard the Governour the Earl of Newport Seymour Denham and about Eight Hundred being taken Prisoners .... Carey and his Officers upon the Delivery of a Fort which he guarded was permitted his Liberty and the Souldiers had also leave to retire every Man to his own Home The Cornish-men who they were many had each Two Shillings allowed for their Journey not absurdly bestowed to tempt the rest of their Countrymen who were now the only considerable part of the King's Forces The Rebels marched thence to Totnes and afterwards returned to the Siege of Exeter Sir Hardres Waller had commanded there and now it is resolved to attempt the forcing of the Place it having hitherto been but block'd up with Forts and Redoubts They therefore commanded Ladders to be brought out of the Country for an Assault until upon fresh intelligence of the Prince's Preparations and Design to relieve the Besieged they again leaving Waller with Three Regiments of Foot and one of Horse to continue the Blockade moved with the Rest of the Army to meet the Royallists The Lord Hopton commanded the King's Forces For the Lord Goring being gone for France and having entrusted his own Troops to the Lord Wentworth's Conduct the Government of the whole was devolved upon this excellent Personage Who now had with Three Thousand Horse and Four Thousand Foot possessed himself of Torrington with a Resolution to defend the Town and to hazard there the Extremity of War Fairfax being advertised of all this by his Spies quickens his March and to give the Royallists no time to fortifie themselves made all imaginable haste Hopton had lined the neighbouring Avenues with Musqueteers which he again quitted upon the Enemies Advance who also possessed the said Places Where they fix'd their Station by reason of the Darkness until a Noise in the Town creating an Opinion that the Royallists were dislodging obliged them to send a Party to see what was the matter These Discoverers being received with a Volley of Shot were seconded by a Reserve and they again by a Third and Fourth Party so that Supplies being successively sent
were upon dividing the Inheritance Nay had gratified several of their Grandees with splendid Donatives when dissenting amongst themselves they by their own Discords opened a passage to their deserved ruine The difference and emulation which did arise betwixt the very Conquerors The Presbyterians and Independents jarr who tho' they had ended the War were yet far from Peace troubled all those Twins of Presbytery and Independency which the same Womb lately enclosed striving for Predominancy which was as also the Blessing extorted by the Younger Brother The Presbyterians to comply with their Scots Brethren had abolished the Liturgy and to keep Episcopacy from reviving had confiscated all its Revenues But the Severity of this rigid Discipline was not equally pleasing to all especially to those who pretended New Light These blaming all Tyranical Impositions in Holy Things hold forth a Christian Liberty which permits every one Independent from another to serve God after his own manner This Doctrine was very pleasing to the Common People especially the Souldiery seeing it indulged them with Licentiousness which not only the Vulgar but their Officers did likewise embrace So that the Fold of Presbytery being thrown down the strayed Sheep were gathered under other Shepherds forming thereby the several Sects of Quakers Anabaptists Millenaries and the rest And these were they who under pretence of the Self-denying Ordinance removed Essex and his Chief Officers from the Command of the Army imposing Fairfax who though a Presbyterian was flexile in his Room To this Man being of a melancholy and affected Godliness Cromwell by a particular Dispensation was adjoined who by a feigned Sanctimony should lead him at Pleasure The Colonels and Captains were likewise all Schismaticks or such who were not averse to them These also caused Massey and Cooke to be disbanded as also Poyntz's Forces for Mutinies which they themselves by detaining their Pay had occasioned These and such like Feats being not perceived or neglected by the Presbyterians who were far more numerous in the House had passed But the Faction increasing and growing potent by the Accession of other Sectaries they at length resolved to observe them more narrowly The Enemy now most formidable was the Army fierce and high with their Victories These they fear and therefore desire to dissolve them which they not daring to attempt at once they bethink themselves how to diminish their Power and Pride And a very plausible Occasion presented it self supplies being to be sent into Ireland Eleven Thousand were instantly voted for that Service and another Decree passed for easing of the Common-wealth The Presbyterians endeavour to disband the Army that most of the Army should be disbanded the standing-Forces to consist of Five Thousand Horse a Thousand Curiassiers and Six Thousand Foot under the Command of Fairfax though that last Clause did not pass without much disputing which was wonder'd at by many These Votes however violent were carried by Cromwell's Skill and Arts who ceased not to assure them of the Souldiers Obedience and Submission Not that he desired the Army dissolved the thing in the World he apprehended most but that by that means the Presbyterians as Chief Authors of those odious Decrees might be render'd more hateful to the Souldiers Which happen'd accordingly for the News was no sooner come to the Camp but they began to mutiny especially being made believe they were to be cashier'd without their Arrears They therefore take a Resolution not to stir and to try every Extremity rather than go into Ireland so far distant to be destroyed with Sickness and Hunger or indeed to return to their Trades again In this heat they fly yet higher and choose Agitators The Army mutinies Two private Souldiers out of every Regiment of Foot and Two out of every Troop of Horse who were authorized by their Comrades to consider and determine what was to be done for the publick Utility of them all By these a Declaration was emitted in the Name of the whole Army that the Souldiery would neither be disbanded nor go into Ireland until they had received all their Pay due to so many Victories until the People had their Liberties and just Powers restored to them and until Peace was secured to the Kingdom and Indemnity to the Souldiers This Declaration with a Petition was presented to the Lower House by the Colonels Hammond Rich and Ireton which extreamly offended the Presbyterians whom they will dare to offend yet higher For this impetuous Faction being sure of the Army resolve to get the King likewise into their Power especially being informed That the Parliament had unless prevented the same design This quickened them for laying all delay aside his Majesty was seized upon at Holmbey where his Captivity was Surprizethe King at Holmbey by one Joyce a Cornet sometimes a Godly Taylor and now a Tumultuous Agitator with a Party of a Thousand Horse and carried away against his Will as he sent the Parliament Word by the Earl of Dumferling to the Camp his Character rendring him very considerable to the Party he was with however a Prisoner The Surprisal of the King being known at Westminster the Members there hurried betwixt the Passions of Rage and Terror were ready to despond until raised by Cromwell who seeming to detest the Insolencies of the Souldiers no less than his Colleagues added That if they thought fit to let him go to the Army he promised with much Asseveration that he would not only reduce the Regiments to their Duty but would oblige the Souldiers to lay down their Arms at the Door of the Parliament-House The Fathers revived with these flourishes greatly extol their Author And there were amongst them who proclaiming the Actions which he had gloriously performed for the Parliament judged him worthy a Statue of Gold if he should compose the seditious Disturbances of the Army By this Artifice he got leave to go though others were of another Opinion and not obscurely advised his Seisure whilst he smiles at their Credulity He immediately taking Horse flew with no ordinary Speed to the Camp where he not only approved what the Souldiers had done but chearfully subscribed their Declarations Petitions and Remonstrances And to shew of what Consequence he esteemed steemed the King's Arrivalat the Army he did not blush to bragg That he now had the Parliament in his Pocket The King was not uncivilly received by Fairfax but was entertained by Cromwell with all the Testimonies of Duty and Loyalty We is seemingly civilly received in the Camp who pathetically expressing his Sorrow for his Misfortunes did not cease to profess That the Army doubtful of his Safety had rescued him out of the Captivity of the Parliament and that he would never lay down Arms until his Majesty was restored to his Scepters and his Friends to more equal Conditions And indeed all as well Officers as Soldiers did seem to deplore the Injustice and Extremity of his Fate and particularly that he had
closely pursued by the Enemy with Hopes of strong Assistance from the Inhabitants of Norfolk and Suffolk But these failing and indeed joyning with the Rebels contrary to their solemn Promises the Royallists were besieged in this Town no way tenable but by the rare Fortitude of the Defendants Cromwell the Welch Nor was Cromwell less successful in Wales Laughorn having been beaten at St. Fagons by Col. Horton with scarce half his Number Fifteen Hundred of his Men being killed and near Three Thousand taken Prisoners Cromwell besieged the Fugitives in Pembroke having first taken Tenby Castle and forced that of Chepstow by Col. Eure who slew the Governour in cold Blood The Rumor of the Scots Invasion greatly encreasing animated Cromwell to employ all his skill and force for the Reduction of this important Post The Garrison within was strong and the Place well fortified which he resolved however to attempt by Storm And falling on with great Courage was as bravely received and at length beaten off with great slaughter of his Men. After this not thinking it adviseable to expose his dismayed Souldiers to new hazards he resolves to gain that by famine which he could not effect by force Which being perceived by the Garrison they chose rather to surrender upon Terms than lanquish in the Toyls of a long Siege tho they saw a Prospect of a General Rising in the Kingdom and the certainty of the Scots Invasion But Cromwell knowing how precious time was offering the Souldiery and Inferior Officers very good Conditions he had this strong Place with the Three chief Leaders Laughorn Poyer and Powell delivered into his hands by these faithless Miscreants Nor was Sir John Owen more fortunate in North Wales being defeated and taken Prisoner by Colonel Mitton So that the whole Country being reduced to the Parliaments Obedience again Cromwell was at liberty to march against the Scots with all his Power The Earl of Holland defeated The Earl of Holland the Duke of Buckingham with the L. Francis his Brother the Earl of Peterborough and some others of Quality appeared near Kingston with Five Hundred Horse and some Foot but were instantly suppressed tho not without some bloody Shirmishes in one of which the Young and Generous Lord Francis refusing Quarter was barbarously slain by an unknown Hand Holland was taken in his flight at St. Neots by Col. Scroop where Dalbier sometime a Favourite of Essex's and a great Parliamentarian was killed in his Quarters But the Scots seem now to demand our Attention being advanced with a very numerous and well accoutred Army far into the Kingdom And here may be observed the Vicissitudes of the Times as well as of Affairs For the Scots whom the Parliament had formerly with great Endeavours and Charges allured to their Assistance and whom the War being done they had likewise twice dismissed with vast Rewards as Friends These same Scots the Faction being changed become Enemies and invading England again joyn Forces with the Royallists their now reconciled Friends against their sometimes dear Brethren of the Parliament Duke Hamilton upon the surrender of Pendennis Castle where he had been detained Prisoner by the King's Command being set at liberty was now General of this great Army consisting of Fifteen Thousand fighting Men to whom Langdale and Musgrave brought Three Thousand English which forces if God had not determined otherwise might have effected what they designed As soon as the King was informed that Hamilton commanded the Scots Army he too prophetically foretold the Fatal Issue of the Expedition as fancying him unfortunate or inconstant But Cromwell being come out of Wales with a victorious and disciplined Army and joyning with Lambert who had hitherto attended the Enemies Motion fell upon the main Body of the Scots within Two Miles of Preston in Lancashire and routed them by Skirmishes Cromwell defeats the Scots at Preston and beating up of Quarters without the Formality of a Battle Langdale and his English fought bravely but being neglected and no ways succoured were oppressed by the adverse Multitudes The Scots presumed perhaps upon their own Power and thinking to conquer by themselves and consequently reap the whole Advantage of the Victory as also the entire Honour of restoring the King if they had any such design abandoned them that fought so well and by this foolish precaution or presumption contributed to their own ruin Besides the Scots Forces either by Ignorance or Malice or Discord for Hamilton and Calander who was Lieutenant-General of the Army did not agree well were so untowardly marshalled that they could not all be brought to fight or assist each other by reason of the over great distance of their Wings whereby they were all defeated Bayly after sharp encounters with those who pursued him having recovered Warrington-Bridge delivered up himself and Four Thousand Foot to the Conqueror upon Quarter Major-General Midleton was intercepted with Four Hundred Horse and Hamilton himself General of the Expedition with Three Thousand Horse was taken without a Blow at Vttoxeter by the Lord Gray and Colonel Waite Very few returning by the way they came met with Monroe who followed Hamilton with a Supply of Six Thousand more but hearing of the Defeat returned with the other Fugitives back into Scotland Cromwell following in the Rear of these came to Edinburgh where joyning Forces and Councils with Argile by whom he had been invited they not only obliged the contrary Faction to lay down Arms but having summoned another Parliament condemned the late Expedition as unjust Scotland being pacified Cromwell secure on that side having also concerted with Argile concerning the Ruin of the King and Extirpation of Monarchy it self they also advised and agreed on the Form and Method of the future Regicide And so after sumptuous Treats and many high Expressions of Gratitude and Acknowledgments for his meritorious Services Cromwell returned into England All this while Colchester held out with incredible Courage and Constancy upon hopes of Relief from the Scots and not only content to defend themselves did extreamly annoy the Enemy by their frequent Sallies and Camisadoes They had consumed their Horses Dogs Cats and what else was no less abhorring to Nature but their hopes with the defeat of Hamilton being likewise spent they were forced to surrender Which they did upon no other Terms than Quarter for life to the Souldiery and Mercy to the Officers But Colchester surrendred how cruel the Mercies of these Scelerates were instantly appears for they had no sooner possest the Town but Three most Noble Persons Men of Eminent Valour and Loyalty the Lord Capell Sir Charles Lucas and Sir George Lisle to whom was added Sir Bernard Gascoyn but exempted upon the accompt of being a Stranger were sentenced to be shot to death by the Court-Marshal tho the War was done Sir George and Sir Charles were immediately murthered by Souldiers appointed for the Slaughter The Stone they fell upon being sprinkled with their Blood could
premeditated Parricide removed the King the designed Sacrifice to their hellish Ambition hurried from one Prison to another was brought to Windsor where the usual Ceremonies of the Knee and other Marks of Honour were laid aside Col. Harrison a Butcher's Son had the Impudence to sit with his Majesty in the Coach with his Hat on leading this most innocent and pious Prince like a Lamb to the Slaughter There were yet some amongst these Barbarians Who could not judge the King obnoxious to Law and seeing they had vanquished him by Arms they did not at all esteem him considerable or to be feared But the furious Novellists pronounce with much bitterness That they will have him forthwith removed Nor durst they who had other Sentiments mutter against them for fear of being expelled Yet these States had a mind to delegate this worst of Employments as being unheard of and beyond all Precedents to be perpetrated by these worst of Men the Souldiery This being perceived the Chief Officers however unnaturally desperate yet decline it thinking it might suffice if they remitted the performance of so villainous an Act to those who sate by their Favour and Permission The Commons therefore of the Lower House being scarce the eight Part of the whole whereof many also were Commanders in the Army so that nâ—thing remained of a Parliament but the Name arrogating the Supream Power to themselves that they might seem to avoid the Infamy of Perjury absolved themselves by an Ordinance from the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy The Commons assume the Supreme Power which they had so often taken to the King thinking perhaps to evade what they had done separately by this conjunct Abjuration This done they Vote That it is Treason by the Fundamental Laws of the Realm in the King of England to levy War against the Parliament And send up the same to the Peers by the Lord Gray of Grooby who rejected it with Indignation as inconsistent with Reason and the Laws of the Land This enraged the Commons who slighting the Assent and Power of the Lords unanimously decree That 1. The People under God are the Original of all just Power 2. That the Commons of England in Parliament Assembled have the Supream Power of the Nation 3. That whatever is enacted or declared for Law by the House of Commons in Parliament hath the force of Law Constitute a High Court of Justice This Foundation being laid they constitute a High Court of Justice without any consideration of the Lords or those Thousands who desired to preserve the King from the Destruction he was threatned with and the Nation from the Guilt of his most Innocent Blood The Scots by their Commissioners protested highly against this pretended Tryal The Dutch deprecated it as of most pernicious consequence to the Reformed Religion Some of the Chief Nobility as the Duke of Richmond the Marquess of Hartford and the Earls of Southampton and Linsey endeavoured his Conservation by Prayers and Proffers Offering themselves as being the Chief Ministers of his Will as Hostages for him and by a generous Example of magnanimity in case the Kings pretended Crimes could not be expiated without Blood presented their own to be shed in lieu of his Prince Charles piously endeavoured by all manner of ways to deliver his Father from the impending danger For besides the Dutch Embasladors which his Highness had procured to be sent over to mediate for him he and the Prince of Orange enquired after and sent for such Officers or others in that Country who were of Kindred or related to Cromwell Ireton or any other of the Conspirators and sent them into England with full Power to offer present promise and yield to every thing mingling Thrâ—ats with their Entreaties that might divert them from their designed Parricide or at least retard it The Queen was no less active on her side to save her Royal Consort Endeavors to preserve the King who also writ to Lenthall the Speaker in terms capable to mollify every thing except these Hyrconian Monsters which Letters were also delivered by the French Embassador but laid by without being opened Nor could there any thing in those days be expected from France labouring then with the same Frenzy of Rebellion Amongst others the Presbyterian Preachers who had betrayed the King into these Streights pierced with the Infamy of their Treasons and perhaps apprehending their own turns in case the Independants should persist very earnestly besought and conjured them by monitory Letters Petitions and Remonstrances as also admonished and exhorted them out of their Pulpits to desist from their designed enterpize Lest they should defile the English Nation with so horrid a Guilt as that of Regicide For that execrable fact could not be perpetrated without violating the Obligation of so many Oaths as they had taken without breaking the Publick Faith exhibited by so many Protestations and Declarations without transgressing the Law of Nature and Nations and finally without prostituting the Dictates of the Scripture and our Religion But all this was to no purpose as also the Princes sending of them White Paper to write their own Conditions For nothing seemed enough to them who had swallowed all the Hopes of Empire and were ready to ascend into the Throne They therefore name One Hundred and Fifty of the most Petulant of the Faction and the most adverse to Monarchy to judge the King Some of the Nobility whom they had pitcht upon as also the Judges however raised to that Dignity by them for daring to declare That it was not lawful to bring the King of England to Tryal were expunged out of that black Catalogue others being introduced in their places A suborned Prophetess produced to encourage their Villainy But to encourage the doubtings of the less Perswaded and entitle their Actions to Providence these divine Jugglers produced an Impostor a Virgin they called her out of Hertfordshire who told the Officers of the Army That she had a Message from Heaven to them and being admitted affirmed That God did approve of their Designs Which did exceedingly encourage the most wavering The Contemptibleness of the Judges did in some sort aggravate their Crimes many Petty-foggers Brewers Carr-men Goldsmiths Coblers and other Mechanicks being of the Number who thirsting after the King's Revenues as well as his Blood were forward to perpetrate any mischief how tremendous soever At this Tribunal the King was impleaded baited and condemned unheard unconvict as Guilty of those Crimes of Treason Tyranny and Murther which those incarnate Divels his Judges had committed I had purposed to omit the Particulars of this Black Tragedy as being exactly described already by better Pens But lest these Commentaries might prove imperfect it was thought requisite to present the Curious if this empty Narrative can render any such with an Abridgment of the same Quamquam animus meminisse horret luctuque refugit The pretended Court of High Justice having spent some days in settling
General and Lieutenant General they had their Quarters surprized and beaten up about Mid-night by Reynolds where Four Hundred of them were made Prisoners and Nine Hundred of their Horses taken The Democraticks or Levellers being thus defeated our brave Hero's march to Oxford where both of them Fairfax and Cromwell were made Doctors of Law who had themselves trampled upon all Laws both Divine and Human. After this having visited Portsmouth they return to London in Triumph where after a Thanks-giving for their late Successes they were together with their Servile Senate invited treated and regal'd by the more Servile City who again not to seem ungrateful or rather to intangle them in their Interest bestowed New-Park with all the Deer in it upon the Citizens The Regicides being now secure at home at least in Appearance began to look after Foreign Correspondence and Amities Amongst which the Friendship of the Vnited Netherlands seemed preferable by reason of their Neighbourhood of their Resemblance in Government and the Genius of the Nation Dorislawes and Ascham in their Embassies Doctor Dorislawes a Civilian as also a German by Birth was sent thither with Instructions not only to propose a strict Friendship but also a Coalition of both People But he was prevented in it being assassinated in his Lodging by one Whitford a Scot who with Ten or Twelve more having perpetrated the Fact withdrew without any Pursuit though they were afterwards colourably summon'd in by the States The reason of this Remissness was his presuming to appear as it were in the King's presence having contributed so eminently to the Ruine of his Father And thus God permitted one Injustice to be retaliated with another Nor had Ascham another of their Envoy's at Madrid better Fate being kill'd in his Inn upon his Arrival by one Sparks an English-man who though he took Sanctuary was pulled thence by the Spaniard apprehending the rising Greatness of the new Common-wealth for the Regicides had declared though they much esteemed the Amity of so great a King yet they ought and did require the punishment of so Nefarious a Parricide as they called it adding that unless Justice were immediately satisfied they did not see how the Friendship betwixt both Nations could be sincere and durable The King acknowledged at the Hague The King had continued hitherto at the Hague acknowledged and reverenced by all and though the States that they might not altogether seem to displease their Sister Common-wealth of whom they began to be jealous had dispensed with the Ceremony of Public Congratulation yet the Swede and Danish Embassadors had saluted His Majesty with the usual Testimonies of Condolence and Congratulation He was also King in Possession Scotland having proclaimed him and Ireland being upon the point of being reduced so that his Affairs calling him away he left the Hague and being attended by the Princess Royal his Sister and the Prince of Orange his Brother-in-law to whose generous Friendship he owed all Things through Rotterdam Dort and Breda Treated magnificently by the Arch-Duke being received at these Places with the noise of their Cannon and Bells and all other marks of Honour he came to Antwerpe the principal City of the Spanish Netherlands where he was magnificently entertained and presented with a rich Chariot and Eight brave Horses sent him by Arch-Duke Leopold Governour of the Low-Countries His Majesty was also Royally treated by him at Brussels from whence after some Stay being conveyed on his way to France by the Duke of Lorrain Goes into France and feasted and honoured every where with the same Grandeur as if the King of Spain had been there he came to Compeigne where the French King accompanied with a great Train of his Nobility received him with all the Testimonies of Affection and Honour and brought him thence in State to his Mother the Queen of Great Brittain then at St. Germians Whilst the King was in France the Duke of Gloucester his Brother and the Lady Elizabeth his Sister both Princes of divine Endowments and Hopes were removed from the Earl of Northumberland's Guardianship to Carisbrook Castle infamous for having been the Prison of their Martyred Father to the custody of that impure Villain Anthony Mildmay The Lady Elizabeth dyeth and the D. of Gloucester is banished where the Princess afflicted with the daily Sight of that odious Mansion and consumed with Grief and the Maladies it occasioned breathed her last being denied by those barbarous Parricides the Assistance of such Physicians as she had desired Her Brother the Duke was presently after banished out of England by the Regicides the only agreeable Thing they did in rescuing him out of their Bloody Hands by their own Act. The Kingdom being thus subdued and the Army reduced to Obedience the mock-Mock-Parliament or Rump for Continuation of the History of Ireland it grew famous by that Title of Infamy thought Ireland now worthy their consideration They therefore Vote Eleven Regiments to be sent thither under the conduct of Cromwell with the Title of Lord Governour whereof he was very fond which he could not forbear testifying for all his Dissimulation The Fame of these Preparations immediately flew over which obliged the Irish Rebels however dissenting amongst themselves to think of uniting for their Public Safety and although the Nuntio opposed this Confederation with all his Power excommunicating the Authors of it whilst they declared him and his Party Traytors resolving to force him by Arms which they did The Popes Nuntio expelled driving him into Galloway for his security where they prest him so hard that notwithstanding the Thunder of his Excommunication he was necessitated for his personal safety to abandon his Principality and the Kingdom The Irish-Grandees thus at Liberty invite and obtain the Marquess of Ormond as is mentioned in our former Commentaries with an Assurance of an entire Obedience to his Majesty's Lieutenant He being arrived the Confederates grew formidable by the Accession of the Lord Inchequin President of Munster and the Scots in the Province of Vlster Both these had served the Parliament with much Vigor until the King and Monarchy had been destroyed in England but abhorring the sordid Tyranny of the Regicides they deserted that Party they had so unjustly followed and return to their Duty and Allegiance to their Sovereign Owen-Roe-Oneal refused to be included in the Confederacy upon pretence that sufficient Provisions had not been made for the Security of their Religion but in reality because the Confederate Delegates had foolishly denied the no extravagant Conditions which his Quality seemed to require and he had demanded The Difference was about the Command of Four Thousand Men which they were willing to grant and Six Thousand which he insisted upon which they afterwards tho too late after his conjunction with Monk and Coot and his relieving of London-derry were glad to assent to During these Traverses the Marquess of Ormond entered upon the Government The
the Enemies Progress But Cromwell being abundantly furnished with Recruits and Provisions out of England the Winter drawing to an End takes the Field and having possessed himself of some Neighbouring Garrisons forced Goram betrayed by the Sedition of the Souldiers causing Hammond the Governour with some of his chief Officers to be shot to Death in Cold Blood This done he marched with his victorious Troops to Kilkenny Kilkenny besieged and surrendered This City the Nursery of the late Rebellion and the Residence of the Supream Council was by the Diligence of Castle-haven well provided with Defendants and Provisions Nor were they wanting in a generous Defence having repelled the Enemies Assaults with Slaughter of them But all Hopes of relief vanishing Collonel-Butler the Governour at length surrendered it upon reasonable Conditions Clonmell ran the same Fortune though Hugh Oneal who commanded there having beaten off the reiterated Assaults of the Enemy and slain above Two Thousand of their Men was necessitated through want of Powder to quit the place which he did with so much Secresie that the Enemy ignorant of it gave very good Conditions to the Towns men next Morning The Bishop of Rosse with Four Thousand Foot and Three Hundred Horse attempted to The Bishop of Rosse taken and hanged relieve it but unhappily being routed and taken by the Lord Broghill who without any Respect or Reverence to his Character caused him to be hanged up The Bishop of Cloger runs the same fate Emir Mac Mahon Bishop of Cloger who succeeded Oneal in the Command of the Vlster Army ran the same Fate for being overcome by Coot and Venables who had joyned him with Two Regiments of Foot and one of Horse of Cromwell's Army he was also hanged Coot with the same Facility over-ran Vlster routing both Scots and Irish that opposed them and rendering himself Master of their Garrisons on all sides Cromwell returns into England It is now Time to sail back into England where Cromwell is likewise hastening leaving his Son-in Law Ireton in Ireland to finish what he had so prosperously carried on and put an End to the Reliques of that War whilst he himself is destined to new Empires and new Triumphs Nor was there indeed any thing of moment done by the Mock-Parlâ—ament without his Consent or in his Absence save that the Regalia and the Revenues of the Church were exposed to Sail and a nefaricus Tribunal of Mock-Justice erected as well to terrifie as enslave the People During these Traverses the Scots apprehending the Changes of the Presbyterians in England were glad to look back towards their own King whom they had so cruelly offended They knew it would be no difficult Business to raise an Army by the Influence of his Name and Title Nor were they mistaken tho taking Advantage of his Necessities they would impose upon him The Scots send Windram to the King and therefore demand amongst other Things That he should take the Covenant ratify the Decrees of the late Parliament revoke his Commission to Montrosse drive Papists from his Court and Presence renounce his Negative Voice in Parliament and name a place in the Vnited Provinces where they might further treat of all Things These Propositions were sent by Windram of Liberton to his Majesty who was then at Jersey whither he was retired out of France upon the little Prospect of Relief from that Court as also to be nearer England where the Levellers were stirring and near Ireland now wholly except Dublin and London-derry at his Devotion The Confederates had earnestly desired his Presence amongst them and 't is not doubted if he had gone thither but that he would have been absolute Master of the Kingdom Others were of another Opinion urging that if he miscarried in Ireland he would also loose the Hopes he had conceived of the Protestants in England and Scotland As if a Sovereign Prince were not permitted to make use of his own Subjects of what Religion soever they were for his Service and Defence especially they being willing to assist him and he satisfied in their Loyalty But when the News of the Overthrow at Dublin came the Scots demands were taken into Consideration Some of the Council seemed to reject all kind of Commerce with that People affirming That as they had sold and betrayed the Father so when their Fear and Covetousness prompted them they would serve the Son and therefore there was no Faith to be given to such Perfidious Men. But others more moderate in their Councils advised the King by no means to omit the Opportunity which so fairly offered it self but immediately to close with the Scots for that Kingdom being recovered his Attempts upon the other would be less difficult The Queen-Mother was also of this Opinion He is returned with a satisfactory Answer and so was Montrosse who offered now to go into Banishment as Strafford formerly to Death voluntarily rather than interrupt so Hopeful a Peace The King at length perswaded tho not without Repugnancy dispatcht Windram back into Scotland with no unpleasing Answer and Assurance that he would do every thing for the Good of his People appointing moreover Breda a Town in Brabant for the Place of Treaty commanding and desiring the Committee of Estates to send Commissioners thither to meet him on the 5th of March following year 1649 Windram being sent into Scotland the King left the Island as well upon Accompt of the Regicides Preparations to invade it as of his being at Breda by the Time appointed for the Treaty Whilst the King is in his way it may be proper to say somewhat of the Royal Fleet under the Command of Prince Rupert The Rebels being too strong for him he was necessitated to shelter himself in the Haven of Kinsale where he had long been shut up by them And now Cromwell approaching the City with his victorious Army to besiege it by Land he was forced to adventure to Sea and did break through the Enemies Fleet with the Loss of Three of his Ships and directing his Course for Lisbone he entred the River Tagus with full Sail where he found not only a friendly Reception but Protection also from that Prince The Rigicides irritated with this Civility declare War against the Author of it and sending Blake with a Fleet blockt up the Mouth of the River extreamly interrupting the Traffick of Portugal by seizing their Ships in their Return home He lay long there but not being able to oblige that King by Intreaties or Force to abandon the Prince he at length his Provisions being spent was constrained to go seek for more The Prince taking the Opportunity of his Removal put to Sea and sailing towards Malaga took and burnt several English Vessels but Blake pursuing him mastered and seized the Roe-buck a good Man of War and forced Five more upon the Rocks and Shore The Prince escaped this Misfortune tho reserved for a greater for being forced into the Western Islands
Prince Maurice lost in a Hurricane after many Hazards and Adventures Prince Maurice being separated from his Brother in that Tempestuous Ocean perished in a Hurricane The immature Fate of this Royal Youth was justly lamented by the Good and Brave for being no less eminent for Fortitude Gentleness Greatness of Mind and all other Vertues than Illustrious for his Birth he was snatcht away leaving his Fame to his Posterity and to us his Contemporaries the Desire of him The King being come to Breda met the Scots-Commissioners who attended his Majesty some Miles out of Town The first Congress was fair but the Disceptations and Arguings in the Treaty long and sharp The main Disputes were about the Covenant the Directory and the Catechism And tho the said Covenant did naturally regard the People not the Sovereign yet the Commissioners instigated by the English Presbyters did so obstinately adhere to them The Treaty at Breda that they refused to grant the King that Liberty in Holy Things which they challenged to themselves But to sweeten him they promise if he would consent to their Demands that they would not only restore him to the Scottish Throne but assist him in the Recovery of the rest of his Dominions and to bring to condign punishment the execrable Murtherers of his Royal Father His Majesty readily consented to the Civil Part of their Proposals remitting all Things to the Determinations of Parliament but stuck at the other until overcome by the Perswasions of the Prince of Orange and the greatest part of his Council as also by the Desperateness of his Affairs ruined both by Sea and Land he tho very unwillingly at length yielded And now the Treaty was upon Conclusion when the unfortunate Defeat and Death of Montrosse had like to have quite broke it off Those who were averse to any Agreement with the Scots took Occasion hence to disswade his Majesty from having any Commerce with them daily inculcating to him That this perfidious Nation had no other thoughts but of his Ruine because they had in the very time of Treaty so inhumanly murthered his Lieutenant But no Man did more affectionately bewail the immature and cruel End of this excellent Personage than the King himself who did not cease to expostulate the Injury done him in it by so barbarous an Act of Hostility even then whilst they pretended to Peace But Time and the Necessity of his Affairs did somewhat allay his Resentments so that the Treaty being at length happily concluded Concluded he and the Commissioners embarking at Scheveling with Young Trompe sailed towards Scotland Whilst His Majesty is upon the Ocean it will not be impertinent to be more particular in the sad History of the Illustrious Montrosse Our former Commentaries have noted those Actions of Glory he had performed in Scotland with the Lustre whereof he appeated so eminent in the Courts of Foreign Princes that his Exile seemed rather a Progress than Banishment until the Commands of the King obliged him again to arm and invade his Ungrateful Country The last Scene of Montrosse's Actions This was done by his Majesty with Design that by the known Valour of the General he might force his untractable Country-men to more Equal Terms But the Event proved unsuccessful Scotland was then full of Armed Men and their Forces intire whereas he had scarce Seven Hundred Souldiers with him when he landed Nay the Inhabitants either wearied with the War or terrify'd with the noise of Foreigners came but slowly in to him notwithstanding his known Valour and Conduct but forsaking their Dwellings fled with their Fears about them and filled the Country with the Apprehension of this Pretended Invasion Hereupon Lesley was sent with the Army to suppress this new Enemy who was also defeated by Straugham sent before with a Party of Three Hundred Horse and being betrayed by the Laird of Aston one he had entrusted with his Safety was taken and murthered with all the dire Circumstances of Enraged Malice and his Quarters sent to the Four principal Cities of the Kingdom to be fixt over their Chief Gates It is strange with what Firmness of Soul and unshaken Constancy he heard this dreadful Sentence saying only That he took it for greater Honour to have his Head fixt upon the Prison Gate in such a Cause than to have his Picture in the King's Bed-Chamber And lest his Loyalty should be forgotten they had highly honoured him in designing lasting Monuments to Four of the Chiefest Cities to bear up his Memorial to all Posterity wishing he had had flesh enough to have sent a piece to every City in Christendom to Witness his Loyalty to his King and Country Being ready to mount the Scaffold they put a Rope over his shoulders with his Declaration and History fastned to it which he wore with the same Calmness as formerly affirming That he embraced that with no less Alacrity than he had done the Garter when he was admitted of that most Honourable Order by his present Majesty He further asked these Barbarians Whether they had any more Dishonour to put upon him And thus ended this renowned Marquess not unjustly paralell'd to the great Captains of Antiquity if he had not fallen in the Untimely Prosecution of a most Just Cause The King having escaped the Dangers at Sea and eluded the Snares laid for him by the English landed having been convoy'd by Three Men of War lent him by the Prince of Orange at Spey in the North of Scotland where being received by a Noble Train of Attendants and welcomed by the grateful Acclamations of the People as he passed he came to Edinburgh His reception there from the Parliament and Committees of the Kirk was honourable and with all the Appearance of Affection and Loyalty July 15 1650. the People congratulating his happy arrival with continual and perhaps more sincere Shouts of Joy And now the Second Time he was proclaimed King of Scotland England and Ireland tho his Coronation was deferred as yet by reason of the pressing Difficulties of the War The English Parricides were not ignorant of these Triumphs and Preparations of their Neighbours and were also informed of their promises to restore the King They had Intelligence of what was transacted in Scotland by their Friends there and of what was done at Court by their Spies and Hirelings about the King They therefore to prevent a War at their own Doors resolve to transfer it to the Enemy as well to prevent their Invasion of England as to remove into another Country the Calamities that attend Camps and Armies But Fairfax could not be perswaded to bear Arms against the Scots their Brethren and sworn Confederates his Aversion to it being much fortified by his Wife and the Presbyterian Teachers Nor was the Mock Parliament much concerned at his Refusal for thinking they had done enough in having sent a Committee to perswade him they conferred the Generalate upon Cromwell lately called out
of Ireland to this Purpose Cromwell having at Length obtained what he had so long coveted the Command of the Forces of the Commonwealth high with this Accession of Honour prepares vigorously for War and hastning to the Army he mustered it near Berwick Sixteen Thousand strong brave Men and well accoutred flesht with so many Victories and confident of Success He thus accompanied enters Scotland having sent his Declaration before him July 22.1650 amongst other Things denouncing War against them because they had proclaimed Charles Stuart King who was their Publick Enemy and had promised to support him against the Common-wealth of England Being come to Dunbar without seeing an Enemy the Inhabitants being all fled tho he had invited and courted their staying at Home he refreshed his Army there with Rest and Provisions brought by shipping out of England From thence he marcht to Musselbourg with Design to attempt the Scots who lay encamped not far off But being opposed by the Rains the adverse Tempests and the Toyls of his Men who lay in the open Field he was forced to return to his Camp again The Enemy pursued him close charging and continually disturbing his Rear until they were repressed by Lambert and Whaley who hastned thither with fresh Supplies The following Night Montgomery and Straugham with Fifteen Troops of Horse fell upon the English with so much Violence that having forced their Guards and beaten a Regiment of Horse that seconded them they brought Terror into the rest of the Army But these recollecting themselves the Scots were charged by Parties that hastened to the Danger from all Sides and being way-laid by Okey in their Return they bravely broke through and returned after much Dammage given and received to their own Camp The King was then accidentally in the Army by whose conduct for seeing the danger of the Men he had hastened to their Assistance their Retreat was secured The Chief of the Army and the turbulent Delegates of the Kirk were much vexed at it urging the Kings Departure Nor would they suffer this magnanimous Prince to stay in the Camp pretending the danger of his Person but more truly lest as it appeared in that Encounter he should gain too much upon the Souldiers Favours and thereby render himself Master of that Army which had been raised by the auspicious Influence of his Name There were Three prevalent Factions in Scotland at that Time The First and Greatest was that of the Parliament and Kirk which would indeed have a King but precarious and one who should govern as they directed Another Faction was of the most rigid Presbyterians These dreaming of I know not what Theocracy or Government by the Church equally abhorr'd both King and Commonwealth as profane But this upon the Defeat of Straugham and Kerr by Cromwell quickly vanished The Third was that of the Royalists but unarmed and excluded from Publick Employments to which the King was forced to retire in Expectation of better Times The English in the mean time raised with some small Successes as the taking of Collington and Red-House by storm endeavoured to draw the Scots to Battle They approached their Camp seemed carelesly to wander under their Trenches and with the contumely of Words daily dared them to fight but in vain for the Scots were fixt not to adventure the Hazard of a Battle but to overcome the Enemy without Danger with Hunger Cold Sicknesses and the Rigor of the Climate Cromwell seeing then he could not force the Scots by reason of the Situation of their Camp nor oblige them to fight out of it his Provisions being likewise spent he determined to bring his Army back to Dunbar which he also did tho not without much Difficulty by reason of the close pursuit of the Scots From thence he resolved to return with what haste he could with his sick and weary Forces by Sea or Land for England for he despaired of any Hopes of Success in this inauspicious Expedition Dunbar is a Sea Town seated betwixt Edinburgh and Berwick surrounded on the Land side with Mountains and Precipices which are likewise so steep that there is but one passage at Copperspeith scarce large enough for Ten Men a-brest which was also possessed by the Enemy who now insultingly bragged which they might also have performed if God had not infatuated their Understandings That they had the Army of the Schismaticks in a Pound And thus this so famous a Leader had brought his Army by ill Conduct into such Streights that all his Glory got by so many Victories had vanish'd in Infamy if Fortune and the Follies of his Enemies had not contributed to his Relief For it would have proved a business of extreme Difficulty to have shipt his Men they pressing so near upon him nor would it have been less dangerous to return by Land all the Passages and Avenues being guarded by an Enemy so numerous and much more healthful as being in the Clime they first breathed in They were Twice as many as the English and hovered like a Cloud upon the Hills about them But their Impatience to overcome lost them the Victory for wheeling to the Right they in Confidence of their Strength descended into the Plain as if they designed to deprive them of all Hopes of Retreating Cromwell perceiving this as if he had cooped himself up but with Design to break out with more Lustre sent Lambert with Six Regiments of Horse and Three of Foot to charge them He was bravely received at first but afterwards by the Fatal Valour of Despair routed the adverse Cavalry The Foot seeing their Horse broke without any resistance ran also away in vain seeking that Safety in their Legs which they had had in their Hands And thus a very great Victory was gained by the English in a Moment wherein Three Thousand were slain and near Ten Thousand taken Two Hundred Colours Fifteen Thousand Arms and the whole spoil of the Camp with the Loss of scarce Three Hundred English Nor did this signal Victory which made them Masters of the South side of the Frith cost them any more For it being known at Edenburgh by the Arrival of Lesley who fled with the Horse the Nobility and Souldiery quitted that City as also Leeth a commodious Station for shipping and posted away to Sterling leaving all except the Castle of Edinburgh to the Disposal of the Conquerors This Battle seemed indifferent to the King who could lose none but Enemies whoever vanquished The Presbyterians were no less averse to him than the Independants and the Scots if they had overcome would have used him no better than they did his August Father at New-Castle They had extorted Conditions from him equal to those their English Brethren had forced from his Martyred Predecessor in the Isle of Wight Nor did those Concessions suffice somewhat was still superadded and obtruded upon him And as if that were not enough he himself as also his Friends were excluded from sharing in the Government
Strangers presuming that being annexed to the Kingdom of England they might by that means be one Day together with it restored to the Crown again He therefore upon very honourable Conditions surrenders that Post he could not preserve longer having the King's Permission for it and will in the close of this History grow eminently illustrious for his Services in the Restauration of his Sacred Majesty About that Time the Island of Barbadoes the Richest of our Western Plantations was surrendered to Sir George Ayscue He had for some Months hovered with a Fleet about those Coasts until the Inhabitants destracted with their Intestine Dissensions obliged the Lord Willoughby the Governour to deliver it up which he did upon very good Terms for himself and the Islanders being also followed by the Subjection of the rest of our Occidental Colonies The Rebels had long since been Masters of Garnsey except the Castle situate in the Sea and defended for several Years being relieved by shipping from France and the Neighbouring Isles by Roger Burges the Governour which at length all being lost he likewise quitted stipulating some Months Pay for his Garrison and Permission to depart Col. Haynes a Principal Tribune amongst the Rebels with Two Regiments of Foot and Four Troops of Horse having slain ..... a brave Man at his landing the rest upon the fall of their Leader running away left him the Possession of Jersey There were Two Castles in it almost impregnable but that nothing is so where fear is predominant Mont Orgueil made no Resistance And Castle Elizabeth surrounded with Rocks and the Ocean and consequently inaccessible tho it held out some considerable Time followed the Fate of the Island Sir George Cartaret the Governour having obtained Conditions for himself to pass into France and Impunity for the Islanders that returned to their Houses Finally the Isle of Man hitherto kept by the Noble Countess of Derby who had so bravely defended Lathome House against the Insults of the Rebels closed this Fatal Roll by so much the more illustrious as being the last who fell in Defence of her King and Country After so many Victorious and uninterrupted Successes the Common-wealth grew eminently high enjoying Peace and the quiet Fruition of their Usurped Tyranny The Regicides were not only feared at Home but formidable to their Neighbours And yet one thing seemed still necessary to establish their Government which was to reconcile the King's Party to them But this being not only difficult but impossible with such who preferred their Loyalty and Honour before all things and particularly so sordid a Compliance the Enemy upon consideration of it had several bloody Consults about their Extirpation and Massacre The business was long debated in a Council of War and carried in the Negative as too Cruel but by Two Voices And now what they cannot effect by Severity they will endeavour to compass by fair Means An Amnesty or Act of Oblivion tho with many intricate Exceptions is published which gave hopes to such who lived quietly and peaceably of being in time admitted to Publick Employments in the Common-wealth Nor was it absurd in them to pretend to a continuance of their Usurpation by allaying the Heats and Hate of all Parties But this precaution proved fruitless for an unexpected Adversary of their own hatching starting up amongst themselves did as suddenly suppress them In the mean Time the New Common-wealth as they were great at Home so they were formidable Abroad being acknowledged by all courted by some and looked upon as very considerable by such who affected them least The Spaniard French Portugal Suedes Vnited Provinces and others saluted this Rising State with Embassies being also resaluted in form especially by the Dutch by reason of their Parallel Beginnings and manner of Government St. Johns and Strickland were deputed with great Pomp not only to offer them Peace but to invite them to a Coalition or Incorporating of the Two Nations in One But these Embassadors not having been received with such Warmness as they expected by the States but also used with all manner of Indignities by the Royollists and such who favoured the King they returned home without effecting what they came for fraught with rage and scorn against their Rival-Sister Which afterwards broke out into a most cruel and lasting War as we shall see hereafter Cromwel after the Victory at Worcester as if endued with another Spirit seemed to arrogate the Supreme Power to himself which appeared by his offering to knight Lambert and Fleetwood in the Field of Battle which he had also done if he had not been disswaded by some of his Confidents The War being now ended and he at leisure he reassumed his Thoughts which he had always indulged of his future Greatness He had for as much as in him lay rendered the Parliament odious to the People as the Authors of Bloodshed in Time of Peace and the only Authors of all their Grievances And as he had incited the Agitators to Murther the King he now again stirs them up with the Charms of Promises to persecute this hated Juncto They therefore accuse the Members of it with Covetousness Tyranny and a Design of perpetuating themselves in their Empire They tell how they had arrogated to themselves their Friends and Dependants all the Honours Commands and Lucrative Employments of the Kingdom They therefore whose Arms were not Mercenary but taken up in Defence of their Common Liberty and who would not lay them down till they had obtained the ends they strove for did how ever threatned require That the Parliament should at length put a Period to their Session and let another more equal Representative be chosen in their Place The Commanders hoped perhaps to be elected in their Rooms And some undoubtedly had a regard to Liberty that the People might not still be subjected to the same Masters The Senators were not a little perplexed with these Novelties the Army especially mutinying to that Height that some of the Common Souldiers did impudently dare to draw their Swords upon their Lords with Threats and Insultings Nay the Citizens of London sometimes their best Friends who had so often promised and protested to live and dye with them actuated with the same Spirit of Sedition do now question their Integrity blame their Conduct and disown their Proceedings Things being at this pass Cromwel having convened the Chief Officers of the Army and several of the pretended Members of the Juncto in the Speaker's House declaimed highly against the present State of Affairs demonstrating that there was no Good to be hoped or expected from a Parliament so constituted as being corrupt and designing to perpetuate it self He added somewhat of a mixt and well tempered Monarchy which how ever magnified by the Lawyers who were present as most consonant to the Laws and Genius of the Nation was highly opposed by the Officers who were more than Monarchs in their Commands and Governments Some had proposed to elect
the Duke of Gloucester the King 's Youngest Brother as least obnoxious to the Wiles of the Enemy by reason of his tender Years but this also displeased and nothing was fixed upon In the mean time several Petitions out of the Counties were presented to Cromwell in which after an Enumeration of his Glorious Actions they earnestly desire That God having given him the Power of the Sword they might be eased of their Grievances by his and his Armies mediation Moved with these Supplications and his own Ambition he ceased not to press the Members singly and collectively to put an End to their odious Domination and permit the Election of a new Representative of Men singular for their Integrity and Holiness of Life to whom the Government might be transferred But these Conscript Fathers bewitcht with the Sweets of Empire turned every Stone to prevent their casheering and being vehemently urged to it promised that they would name a day for the ending of this Session But Cromwell raving with the Thoughts of Supremacy and looking upon every Delay as pernicious rushing into the House of Commons having taxed all with their Crimes pointing at several with his Finger accused some of Adultery some of Drunkenness others of Gluttony and not a few of Robbing the Common wealth And his Officers upon his stamping with his Foot which was the Signal crowding in to him he turned out this Hated Juncto putting a Period to that detestable Convention which had thus long abused the Sacred Name of Parliament And here we ought to adore the unsearchable Judgments of God seeing them who violated the Majesty of their own Lord become Slaves by as just Retribution to their own Servants 'T is scarce credible with what universal Applause this Dissolution was effected not that better Times unless the King were restored durst be hoped for but that People were willing to try every Change rather than longer to bear the Yoke of this odious Domination And thus this perfidious Servant subverted his equally perfidious Superiors and constituting a Council of State which should govern at his beck requires by Proclamation the Subjects Obedience and Submission under great Penalties to their Dictates Many eminent Men have acquired Dominion over their Fellows by Fortitude and Vertue and some by flagitious and detestable Crimes but very few by cheating and perhaps scarce another besides Cromwell who ever invaded and obtained the Supreme Power by Tears and Sighs and Lyes and Pretences of Religion And yet it was with these Arts that this Ambitious Trooper and False Prophet having deceived the Army he commanded being Fanaticks and gained the Independants by Benefits durst attempt what ever Power and Ambition could suggest The mock-Mock-Parliament being turned out the Civil Employments in the Kingdom were by Proclamation confirmed in their Hands that enjoyed them whilst the Souldiery by Sea and Land as also the Armies in Scotland and Ireland did not only approve of this Change by their suffrages but by their congratulatory Addresses too protesting their Obedience to their Generalissimo and his Orders in all Things But Cromwell lest he might seem to arrogate the Supreme Power to himself and thereby offend the Dissenting Brethren and the better to delude the Democraticks with the jugglings of Appearances convened another Assembly by advice of his Officers to the number of one Hundred and Four and Twenty To these being Godly Men and chosen by himself out of the Provinces he devolved the Supreme Power who being Sectaries and Enthusiasticks met at Westminster and usurping the Name of a Parliament as most plausible began to manage the Affairs of the Kingdom But they performed nothing of consequence save that they endeavoured to take away Tythes and alienate the Revenues of the Church as Antichristian They attempted also to abrogate our Laws as Badges of the Norman Conquest imposed to enslave us to suppress our Vniversities and Publick Schools as savouring of Paganism and to annihilate Titles and Nobility as contrary to the Law of Nature and Christianity All which they had also effected if they had not been stopt in their Carreer by a suddain Dissolution Cromwell had many Privado's amongst this mad Rabble who seeing they could do no good with them by tempering their Obstinacy and considering that they acted by a precarious Authority and the Will of another the Speaker being likewise of their Cabal they took their time when many of the other were absent declaring that since no good was to be expected from the Common-wealth so constituted it seemed consonant to reason that the Parliament should be dissolved Which by the Speaker's leaving the Chair was done who marching in the Head of the rest of the Party to White-Hall they surrendered to Cromwell the Authority they had received from him opening thereby a Passage to that Supremacy he so eagerly thirsted after year 1653 Being then by a Decree of the Council of War and Consent of the Army Lambert contributing mainly to it for he also hoped to have his Turn in the Government after the Death of his General chosen Protector he was no less vigilant in conserving his Dignity than he had been industrious in acquiring it But first it was thought fit he should be installed in this New Dignity which was done in great state at Westminster-Hall Dec. 18. where he took an Oath according to the Tenor of an Instrument then presented to him To govern the Nations according to the Laws Statutes and Customs to seek their Peace and cause Justice and Law to be equally administred The Heads of the said Instrument were That the Protector should call a Parliament every Three Years which should sit Five Months That their Bills unless he consented to them in Twenty Days should pass without him That his Council should not exceed One and Twenty nor be under Thirteen who immediately upon his Death should choose another Protector but that no Protector after him should be General of the Army That he should have power to make Peace or War and with his Council make Laws in the intervals of Parliament that should be binding to the Subjects c. His Council for the present seemingly appointed by the Chief Officers but allowed by himself were Fourteen in Number Harrison and some others being disgusted with the Change being lest out tho they had hitherto strenuously but blindly contributed to it But the City not content to have testified their Joy by their Bells and Bonfires invited this New Dictator to a magnificent Feast at Grocers Hall where he Knighted Viner the Mayor but in his Return was saluted with a Brick-bat which light upon his Coach nothing else save a profound Silence accompanying this splendid Cavalcade But Cromwell not taken with Appearances in Order to his Settlement sends his Son Henry to Command in Ireland and General Monk into Scotland securing thereby the Three Kingdoms in his Power At home he discountenances Bradshaw the Regicide with Scot Vane and other Enemies to Monarchy and
changed his Battery and will now try to gain them by Civilities and a more gentle Usage But that taking no effect with Men immoveable in their Loyalty and whom nothing could oblige to abandon that Cause they had so religiously maintained he thought of other ways to be rid of these Men so averse to his Tyranny Upon this accompt he permits Foreign Ministers in League with him to make Levies of them for their Wars the Prisons having often times been emptied for that purpose The Colonies in the West Indies consumed many of them by Slavery and others allured into the unfortunate expedition of San Domingo perished in it His Domestick Enemies being thus removed or oppress'd the Vsurper became also formidable to Strangers And now it seemed seasonable for him to think of transmitting his Tyranny to his Posterity As he had usurp'd the Power of a King so he ambition'd the Title which a Parliament he had convened for his Purpose endeavoured to invest him with But he was opposed by the Chiefs of the Army who expected and hoped after his Fate to have their Turns in the Supremacy However he managed his Design so well that he was created Sovereign Protector with Power to name his Successor which was in effect what he desired in rendring his Tyranny Hereditary The Spaniards to repay one War with another seized and confiscated all the English Merchants Goods and Shipping in his Dominions and by a Publick Edict declared War against the Nation But Cromwell acting more Effectually sent Blake and Montague with a Fleet to shut up the Haven of Cadiz where the Rich Ships from the Indies usually arrived Stayner with his Squadron of Seven Frigats 1656. Sep. 1. fell upon Eight of them in the Absence of their Admiral whereof he took Two burnt One with the Marquess of Badaiox the Vice-Roy of Peru and his Lady in it sunk Another forced Two on Shore and the other Two escaped into Port. This was a great Victory wherein they took above Two Millions of Pieces of Eight But that which Blake won at Teneriffe the Year following surpassed all other in Nobleness of Action and Resolution of the Undertakers The West India Fleet consisting of Sixteen Rich Ships 1657. Apr. 20. having Intelligence that the English were cruising upon the Atlantick Ocean put into the Haven of Santa Cruz where by the Advantage of their strong Castle at the Entry and Seven Forts round the Bay they thought themselves secure But Blake perceiving their Order sending Stayner a brave Commander with some nimble Frigats before followed himself with the rest of his Fleet. And plying the Castle and Forts with his great Ships beat the Spaniards from their Guns and after a sharp Fight took the Fleet abandoned by the Sea-men who ran on Shore but not being able to carry it away with them they set in on fire consuming both it and the immense Riches it was fraughted with A Thanksgiving-Day being appointed in England for this so eminent a Victory Blake was honoured by the Parliament with a Present of Five Hundred Pounds But this so famous Admiral did not long survive so many Victories expiring at his Entrance into Plymouth Road by the Malignity of the Dropsy and Scurvy Thus ended this brave and fortunate Warriour worthily to be celebrated if he had not so audaciously resisted his own Prince Nor was it at Sea only that Cromwell plagued the Spaniard for he sent Six Thousand Men under the Command of Collonel Reynolds into Flanders who much facilitated the Successes of the French Montmedy and St. Venant were taken by their Asstance and some time after Mardike which was delivered to the English and by them so strongly fortified that it firmly withstood the Assaults of the Brittish Regiments in the Service of Spain Hereupon Dunkirk was Besieged by the Confederates But Don Juan of Austria Governour of those Low-Countries Solicitous for the conserving of so considerable a Sea-port and to prevent the Excursions of the French into Flanders on that side having drawn his Army together and strengthened it with Veterane Souldiers taken out of their Garrisons and being joyned by the Duke of York with four Batalions of English and Irish then under his Command he marched to the Relief of the Besieged and suddenly possessing the Height of the Sand-Hills opposite to Turin's Camp pitcht his there Marshal Turin having left Guards to Defend Forts and Posts against the Sallies of the Besieged drew the rest of his Army out of his Trenches The English were in the Van who notwithstanding the Showers of shot powered upon them ascended the Hill and after a sharp encounter at push of Pike and Butt-end of Musket forced the Enemy from their Ground This being done the French Horse charged the opposite Cavalry which being long sustained by the Valour and Vertue of the Duke of York and his Brother Gloucester was at last the English advancing upon them obliged to leave the Field There were above a Thousand slain and more then Two Thousand taken Prisoners The Cannon and Spoil of the Field were the present Reward of the Victors and some time after Dunkirk it self Which by the Death of the Governour the Marquess of Lede was surtendered upon Conditions and put into the Possession of the English by Contract Cromwell however heightned by this Victory did not long survive it being oppressed with a Melancholy which he had contracted upon the Death of his beloved Daughter Cleypoole Which accompanied with a Fever and Faintings snatcht him hence deprecating his immature Destiny in vain to that Tribunal where he was to give an Accompt of his Rebellions Sacriledge Perjury Parricide and Tyranny He died indeed like other Men in his Bed but not without some extraordinary Commotions of Spirit Nay the whole Frame of Nature suffer'd violent Concussions by a dreadful Tempest at the Exit of this Impostor which threatn'd by Tumult and Noises loud as his Sins to reduce the World into its pristine Chaos again We cannot with Justice deny this great Artist in Dissimulation and Imposture Courage and Vastness of Mind since he raised himself up from a Private Condition and a simple Gentleman to the Supream Height of Empire not altogether unworthy the Degree he attained to if he had not acquired it by ill Means BOOK III. Richard succeeds his Father in the Protectorate He is deposed by the Army The Rump restored Lambert defeats Sir George Booth Montague returns with the Fleet out of Denmark Lambert turns out the Rump Monk dissents and declares for the Rump Lambert marches against him Being deluded by Treaties he is deserted by his Army The Committee of Safety routed and the Rump yet again restored Monk marches to London Readmits the Secluded Members The Parliament dissolv'd by its own Act. An Abstract of the King's Actions and Motions abroad He is proclaimed by the Parliament Returns into England His glorious Reception The End of our Troubles OLiver having during his Sickness been vainly
began not only to neglect his Equals but to despise his Superiors also But the Army was first to be gained which he endeavoured to do by the usual Charms of Ambition attributing to them the Glories of their Atchievements and the Honour of the late Success He also distributed amongst them the Thousand Pounds which these nefarious Senators had bestowed on him affirming that Presents of that kind were no less due to them by whose Fortitude Great Actions were performed than to him by whose Conduct they were effected With these Arts he rendered the Souldiers not only favourable but subservient to his Designs Whilst he is thus employed he received Letters from the Senate who began to suspect him of ambitious Intreagues but very obligingly writ to invite him to Town which he instantly obeyed being secure in the Souldiers affection and that he might give no Shadow of Distrust by his Delay A Petition from the rest of the Commanders to the Parliament followed the General wherein they required That Fleetwood and Lambert should have the Chief Command and Generalship of the Army The Parliament who had conferred that Province upon their Speaker who had also hitherto commissioned these very Officers startled at so unusual a Demand and fancying if they yielded they were undone Vote That to have any more General-Officers in the Army than are already settled by the Parliament was unnecessary burthensom and dangerous to the Common-wealth But the Souldiers persisting in their arrogant Demands this Vote was followed by another declaring That it should be Treason for any Person or Persons to levy Money without the consent of Parliament By this means these States thought and reasonably enough to render the Souldiers for the future more obedient to them from whom they were to expect their Stipend and Rewards This done they animated perhaps more with Choler than Counsel casheer Lambert as Chief of the Conspiracy and Eight more of the boldest Tribunes of his Party transferring the Chief Command of the Army upon Seven of their own Tribe viz. Fleetwood Monk Hazelrig Ludlow Walton Morley and Overton But the disbanded Officers disdaining to be thus used armed with Revenge and Ambition flew with their Regiments to Westminister filling the Avenues of the Court with their Souldiers resolving to hinder the sitting of the Members The Parliament on the other side loth to dislodge solicited the rest of the Army to their Assistance and had them Being drawn up on both sides they yet past no further than Threats being pacified by the Care and Authority of the Council of State But Lambert gained his desir'd end in hindering the Speaker to go to the House and sending him Home without his Pretorian Troop which had attended him thither and more like a Captive than a General or an Imperial Speaker The Independant Faction being thus divided the Civil Part of it was forced to truckle to the Military and now in Contempt of the Authority of their Senate Fleetwood no great Souldier but a valiant Holder-forth by Suffrage of the Council of Officers was made General and Lambert Lieutenant General to whose Artifice the other was obnoxious They also erected a Council of State or Committee of Safety consisting of Three and Twenty Commissioners most Officers to whom the Supreme Care of the Laws and Government were at present committed with Instructions to introduce a new Form of a Common-wealth The State being thus settled Lambert endeavours by a Declaration to calm the Minds of Men distracted with so many Novelties with the Show and Assurance or their Liberties both Sacred and Civil and sending some of his * Colbet Barrow Confidents into Scotland and Ireland attempts all ways to draw those Armies to his Party But without Success for Ireland being addicted to the Rump continued faithful to them And Monk did dare openly to dissent from the new Modellers Part also of the Fleet under their Vice-Admiral Lawson did sharply demand the Restitution of the Parliament and Portsmouth a strong Sea Town revolted from our Novelists The Committee of Safety being in these Streights provide with their utmost Care Remedies for so many Evils Lambert is sent with a great Army consisting of Twelve Thousand Men against Monk and Forces were likewise sent to reduce Portsmouth the Fleet being invited by Messages and Promises to return to their Obedience But these precautions proved every where fruitless for the Fleet blocking up the Mouth of the Thames persisted in their Obstinacy The Parlamentarians at Portsmouth were grown formidable by the Accession of those that besieged them who had revolted to them and Ireland following the Example of the other Dissenters declared for the Parliament But the greatest Danger that threatned them appeared in the North for Monk in his Letters to Fleetwood did dare to disapprove the Actions of the Army requiring the immediate Restitution of the Parliament And mustering his Army having turn'd out such of his Officers as favoured the contrary Party he marched Southwards and seizes the strong Town of Berwick The Committee of Safety startled with Monk's Proceedings send Embassadors to him to treat of Peace and a mutual Correspondence betwixt them giving out at the same time Commissions and Orders for new Levies being resolved if the Treaty did not succeed to vindicate their Power by Arms. Lambert as is said was marched towards the Confines of the Kingdom with his Army the Committee omitting no Industry whereby they might divert this growing storm in the North. Monk also revolving the Danger and Greatness of his Enterprize will do nothing rashly He apprehended the English Army as brave and numerous and therefore resolves to protract and delay Time His Friends also out of England had assured him that the New Government there was odious to the Nation which would also for want of Money and Council if he delay'd a little fall by its own Weight Moved with these Reasons and the Backwardness of his own Preparations he seems less averse to Peace than formerly and sending Three Delegates to the Committee of Safety magnifies his Desires of an Accomodation These Embassadors met Lambert at York and satisfying him abundantly of the peaceable Inclinations of the Scottish Army wrought so with him that he prohibited the further Advance of his Forces Monk having thus lull'd his Adversaries summons a Convention of the Scots Nobility from whom not obscurely informed or presuming of his Intentions he obtained Contributions for his Army for a Year before-hand allowing them in return Liberty to arm themselves for their Defence In the mean time a Pacification was agreed upon at London betwixt Commissioners of both sides where amongst other things the Name and Family and Royal Title of the Stuarts was wholly excluded a Tyrannous Stratarchy or Club-law being introduced under the Vail of a Free State Monk having received the Articles agreed upon recalls his Commissioners And casting Wilks the principal of them into Prison for exceeding his Orders refuses to ratify the Treaty and
following Nor were their Councils now less violent punishing some of their own Members by expelling them the House and persecuting several of the Judges and others faithful to the King Nor did this suffice For they not only voted but past a Bill which they called An Act to aisable the Duke of York from inheriting the Imperial Crown of England and Ireland and all the Territories thereunto belonging But it went no further for being carried up to the Peers by the Lord Russel after a second reading it was thrown out of the House After this Dec. 17. the Lord Viscount Stafford was brought to his Tryal being prosecuted by the Commons upon the Testimonies of Oates Turberville and Dugdale and condemned by the Suffrages of the Peers was beheaded Not were the Commoners thus satisfied They press the Bill of Exclusion a-new and demand Permission for the Protestants to associate themselves for security of the Protestant Religion They declare all other Remedies in sufficient and obnoxious to Dangers And that therefore they could give the King no Supply without Danger to his Person Hazard to the Protestant Religion and Vnfaithfulness to those by whom they were trusted Nay they required That the Lords Hallifax Worcester Clarendon Rochester and Feversham should be removed from all Offices of Honour and Profit and from his Councils and Presence for ever And with the same Breath with unheard of as well Fury as Arrogance Vote That whosoever shall lend or cause to be lent by way of Advance any Money upon the. Branches of the King's Revenue arising by Custom Excise or Hearth-Money should be adjudged to hinder the sitting of Parliaments and should be responsible for the same And when they perceived that the King wearied with such monstrous Insolence designed to Prorogue their Session they had 〈◊〉 vote and denounce That whosoever advised the King to prorogue that Parliament to any other purpose than in order to the passing the Bill of Exclusion should be lookt upon as a Betrayer of the King the Protestant Religion and the Kingdom of England a Promoter of the French Interest and a Pensioner of France But Mar. 24. the Parliament being however Prorogued and then Dissolved by Proclamation the King intimated his pleasure to call another which should convene in March following at Oxford as a place less Subject to Faction and Tumults Which so stung the Common Council of London and such Peers as were emancipated to the Party that they endeavoured by Petitions to divert his Majesty from thoughts of so remote a Design upon imaginary reason of Danger and Unfitness praying it might therefore sit at Westminster But to no purpose So that the Parliament met at Oxford composed for the most part of the same Delegates The major Part of the Deputies as also the Fanatick Lords depending upon their numerous Attendants and Friends which they were accompanyed with drove on futiously and neglecting the King's Admonitions who had declared That as he had resolved never to use Arbitrary Government himself so he was resolved never to suffer it in others rage with more Fierceness against the Duke and press the Bill of Exclusion with so much Violence that the King putting a stop to their career immediately dissolved them And it was time seeing they designed not only to retrench his Prerogative but also to seize his Person Upon that Accompt Rouse Hains White College and the Earl of Shaftsbury were committed to Prison Of those College and Shaftsbury were brought to their Tryals But in vain being acquitted by their Juries against the Testimonies and Evidences of irreproachable Witnesses Which was no Wonder the very Coâ—rts of Justice being enslaved to the Faction and acted by their Prescripts So that the King who himself was religious in the equal Distribution of Justice to all Men could not obtain Justice for himself But College being brought before another Tribunal less subjected to the Authority of the Faction received such Punishment as his Treason deserved He had no less offended at Oxford than at London and was try'd and executed there The Fellow was of the Lees of the Rabble a Joyner by Trade vain restless inquisitive and perpetually busie in Affairs that least concerned him But Shaftsbury's Fortune was better who eluding the Publick Justice by a Jury addicted to himself and the Faction and retorting the Danger upon his Accusers triumphed whilst they hardly escaped the Fury of the Rabble And 't was no wonder for this destructive Faction was so prevalent in the City that it had infatuated the People and the Companies of Tradesmen with a reverent Opinion of their Sanctity And spreading wider the Contagion had diffused it self into most of the Provinces of the Kingdom And now all such whose Crimes had rendered them Guilty or Indigence bold such whose Zeal made furious or Ambition lofty joyned themselves to them The same Pretences of Liberty Property and Religion and the same Methods wherewith the Reign of Charles the Martyr had been involved in Blood and Confusion were now again made use of mostly by the same Men cunning restless and implacable to seduce weak and irresolute Persons as also to disturb that Peace which we hitherto enjoyed to the Envy of all Europe By such Instruments the mildest of Governments was branded with the Name of Tyranny The Church of England is traduced and the faithfullest Ministers and Servants to the King and Crown calumniated with Male Administration In the mean Time Schism and Sedition are every where promoted Jealousies and vain Terrors are suggested proditorious Discourses and infamous Libels are scattered about and things abhorring from Christianity are dayly exercised under the genuine Veil of Protestantism Finally the old Opinions and Doctrines of the Democraticks so ruinous to Monarchy are now again countenanced and asserted with the same Fierceness and Confidence as they had been in the late Rebellion With these pickeerings of Rebellion they gradually proceeded to Action Parties are distinguished Names and Signs of Separation are distributed Unlawful Conventicles in despite of the Laws are patronised Tumultuous Banquets and factious Clubs are every where set up Clandestine and seditious Assemblies are frequented Unusual Quantities of Arms are bought up by private Men. Insolent Progresses are made through the Country to the End they might shew how numerous they were spread their Terror about as they moved discover their Party and demonstrate their readiness upon all Occasions Nor were these Caballings unknown to the King who when he saw his Clemency so highly abused by those whom he had pardoned yet greater Offences resolved to chastise them and oppose the severity of Law to their Extravagancies In the Two preceding Years Two Favourers of the Faction being Lord Mayors by Turn had promoted turbulent Fellows to the Magistracy and chief Employments in the City Of these the Two Sheriffs were chief who directed the choice of Jury's at pleasure which gave the licentious Liberty to offend For what durst they not attempt who were