the dores shut Cromwell sends a paper to the House of Commons requiring that the impeached Members and M. G. Brown might be secured and brought to justice and that the 90. odd Members that refus'd to vote against the Scotch Engagement and voted to recal the Votes for non-addresses and for a treaty might be suspended the House and that all faithful Members who were innocent of those Votes would acquit themselves by protestation from any such concurrence that there might be a distinction made between um The Paper was delivered in but they scorning to sta for an answer sent several guards to the House under the command of Pride Hewson and Hardres Waller and violently seized all those Members that they found two honest for their purposes The House being thus purged and brought to so small a number in so much that an Officer of the Army having secured some of the Members in the Lobby as they were going into the House the Speaker having not enough within to make up a House was forced to send to the said Officer to lend him his prisoners to make up a free Parliament in comes Cromwel out of the Countrey and brings Harry Martin that sanctified Members along with him to make up his numbers and to awe the City Garrisons Blackfriers and Pauls The secluded Members protest against their seclusion but the Cromwellian faction Vote their Protestation seditious scandalous and tending to destroy the visible and fundamental Government of the Kingdome Then like Cromwels good boyes they vote all the votes of the secluded Members for a personal treaty null and void and to try whether all were their trusty friends that voted for them Gourdon moved that a protestation be forthwith drawn up and that every Member set his hand to it in detestation of those repealed Votes which was drawn up afterwards and within a few daies after subscribed by The Lord Lisle Colonel Boswel Lord Grey Per. Pelham Colo. Iones Colonel Temple Colo. Ven. Sir Thomas Maleverer Sir Tho. Wroth Sir Io. Bourchier Col. Pet. Temple Tho. Chaloner Sir Gregory Norton Oldsworth Garland Sir Io. Danvers Dove Smith Frie Searle Nic. Love Io. Lisle Col. Rigby Holland Ludlow Greg. Clement Col. Purefoy Col. Stapely Dunch Cawley Downs Io. Carey Blackstone Scot. Hutchinson Mildmay Sir Iames Harrington Col. Harvey Penington Atkins Dan. Blackgrave Moor Millington Prideaux Roger Hill Denis Bond Col. Harrington Hodges Valentine The design being thus pritty well ripened the Counsel of War who managed the business in relation to the King ordered that all state and ceremony should be forborn the King and his attendants lessend which was done to mortifie him by degrees Now was it thought fit to have it moved in the House to proceed capitally against the King Cromwel after it was once proposed sinding it then his cue to speak stoop up and told them That if any mov'd this out of design he should think him the greatest Traytor in the World but since providence and necessity had cast them upon it he should pray to God to bless their Counsels though he were not provided on the suddain to give them Counsel The White Boys thus animated went on furiously and Scot with an unheard of impudence now dares to bring in the ordinance for tryal of the King it was read recommitted three several times and Commissioners names inserted consisting of divers Lords Commons Aldermen Citizens Countrey Gentlemen and Souldiers that the more persons of all sorts might be engaged in so damnable and treasonable a design and because this Ordinance and the proceedings thereupon had no foundation in Divinity Law nor Reason The Cromwellian Faction to give it a foundation and ground from the authority of their Votes declare that by the Lawes of the Land it is treason in the King to levy war against the Parliament and Kingdome of England This Vote together with the ordinance was carried up to the Lords by the Lords Grey of Groby The first debate was upon the Vote The Earl of Manchester told them That the Parliament of England by the fundamenttal lawes of England consisted of three Estates King Lords and Commons The King is the first and chiefest estate He calls and dissolves the House and confirms all their Acts and without him there can be no Parliament and therefore t is absurd to say The King can be a Traytor against the Parliament The Earl of Northumberland said That the greatest part of the people of England were not yet satisfied whether the King levied War first against the Houses or the Houses against him and therefore it was very unreasonable to declare Treason by an Ordinance when the matter of fact is not yet proved nor any Law extant to judge it by Whereupon the Lords cast off the debate and cast our the Ordinance Hereupon the Zealots of the House that is to say that Protestors were very angry at the Lords and therefore intend to rid their hands of them and the King both together and thereupon they presently passed a Vote should be impowred to act notwithstanding the Lords did not concurre with them and many of the most famous hot-spurs were so high as to insist that the Lords who would not give their concurrence to the Votes and Ordinance should be impeached for favouring the grand Delinquent Having thrown by the Lords they proceed to make themselves to have the shew of a legall power by passing these three Votes 1. That the people that is to say their own Faction are the original of all just power under God 2. That the Commons of England being chosen by and representing the people are the supreme Power of this Nation 3. That whatsoever is enacted by Law by the House of Commons assembled in Parliament hath the force of a Law This was Cromwels Chain-shot whereby he swept a King and Lords putting all the Liberties of this Nation under his own and the power of fifty or sixty of his own covetous Saints By their former contrivances having now brought themselves to such a height of power and that power to a boldnesse that durst go so farre there was a necessity for them now to proceed and therefore the next thing they did was to passe the Ordinance for tryall of the King which was carried on without one negative voice There was one rub in the way that they could not use his own Great Seal against him and a new one was long a making But after consultation they agreed upon a new way for what need ceremonies when men are resolved upon the substance They therefore proceed without any Commission under Seal upon the Ordinance and every Commissioners set his own hand and seal to the publick instrument of their transactions At the same time great endeavours are made to stop the mouths of the Ministers giving them threatning admonitions not to preach against the actings of the Parliament and the Army and the Councill of Warr finding it difficult to stop the Ministers mouths did
horrid murtherers to condign punishment they made a Proclamation in the Kings Name that all the Kings Judges should render themselves within forty dayes or else they should be excepted for life and estate whether they were of the twenty nam'd or no. Hereupon Alderman Tichborn Charles Fleetwood Coll. Temple Coll. Waite Peter Temple Simon Maine Bourchier Owen Roe Coll. Rob. Lilburn Coll. Downes Isaak Penington Sir Henry Mildmay Coll. Dixwell Adrian Scroop Augustine Garland Coll. Harvey Mr. Smith Sir Hardress Waller Henry Martin Heveningham Iohn Carew M. G. Ludlow M. Corbet did surrender themselves and are now in custody under the Sergeant at Armes attending the House From Ireland were sent Coll. Hunck Coll. Pheire to whom the Warrant for execution was directed and one Hulet suspected to be the Executioner and upon examination excepted out of the Act of Pardon and Cook Sollicitor to the High Court of Justice They have also ordered that twenty of the most engaged persons be excepted out of the generall Act of Pardon and Oblivion not extending to life to suffer such penalties and forfeitures as shall be specified in an Act to that purpose Whose names are Will. Lenthall Speaker Sir Harry Vane Will. Burton Bailiff of Yarmouth Sir Arthur Heslerig Coll. Sydenham Coll. Desborow Alderm Ireton Coll. Axtell Mr. Keeble Capt. Blackwell Maj. Creed Charles Fleetwood Lieut. Generall Coll. Iohn Lambert Alderm Pack Coll. Pine Coll. Cobbet Capt. Deane Oliver St. Iohn late one of the Justices of the Common Pleas. Mr. Philip Nye and Mr. Iohn Goodwin Ministers Thus we see Divine Vengeance prosecuting these Sons of Massacre who having by treachery dissimulation and breach of oaths as we have shewn you gotten into power by their extravagant tyranny had almost ruined the Nation Let God arise and let his enemies be scattered FINIS A Catalogue of some Books lately printed and in the Presse a printing for Henry Marsh at the Princes Armes in Chancery-lane neer Fleet-street 1. THe Soveraignes Prerogative and Subjects Priviledge comprised in several Speeches Cases and Arguments Historicall and Politicall discussed between the Kings sacred Majesty and the most eminent Persons of both Houses of Parliament together with the grand Mysteries of State then in agitation faithfully collected by Thomas Fuller B. D. in folio second edition 1660. 2 A compleat History of the Warres of the Greeks written by the learned Polibüis and translated by Edward Grimston Esquire Sergeant at Armes to his late Majesty in folio 3 The faithfull Lapidary or the nature and qualities of all pretious Stones very usefull for Merchants and others to avoid deceit by Thomas Nichols in quarto 4 A Treple Reconciler stating the Controversies 1 whether Ministers have an Exclusive power of Communicants from the Sacrament 2 if any person unordained may lawfully preach 3 if the Lords Prayer ought not to be used by all Christians to which is added a Sermon preached at his late Majesties Inauguration by Thomas Fuller B. D. in octavo at 1 s. 6 d. 5 A description of the several Counties and Shires of England by Ed. Leigh Esq Mr. of Arts of both Universities very useful for Travellers 6 The Compleat Attorney fifth and last Edition in octavo 7 The baptised Turk shewing his happy conversion from the delusion of that great Imposter Mahomet unto the Christian Religion by Mr. Gunning at Exeter House Chappell the fifth of November published by Tho. Warmstrey D. D. in octavo 8 John quarls's last Poems in octavo 9 The Crafty Whore or the mystery and iniquity of Bawdy houses laid open with dehorracions from Lust drawn from the sad and lamentable consequences it produceth published for the good of young Men by R. H. Esq in Octavo 10 That excellent piece Scutum Regale the Royall Buckler or Vox Legis A Lecture to Traytors who most wickedly murthered Charles the I. and contrary to all Law and Religion banished Charles the II. third Monarch of Great Britain by Giles Duncomb of the Middle Temple Gent. 11 The compleat History of the Wars in Scotland under the conduct of the illustrious and truly valiant James Marquess of Montross General for his Majesty Charles the I. in that Kingdome as also a true relation of his forreign Negotiations Landing Defeat Apprehension Tryall and deplorable Death for being faithfull to his Sacred Majesty Charles the II. 1660. 12 Shimei's Curses on King David lighting on himself or Experimentall Observations of Gods severe and just Judgements upon Murtherers and Traytors being comparative meditations of the sufferings of King David and his late Sacred Majesty by R. H. Esq in octavo 13 The Fathers Blessing and last Legacy to his Son containing many excellent Instructions for Age and Youth first written for the instruction of his Son and now made publick for the benefit of others by Edward Burton Esq in twelves 14 The High Court of Justice erected and detected by Tho. Baker Parson sequestred in twelves 15 The RUMP or a Collection of such Songs and Ballads as were made upon those who would be a Parliament and were but the Rump of a House of Commons five times dissolved and now published bp J. B. 1660. in octavo 16 A short View of the Life and Actions of the most Illustrious James Duke of York together with his Character 17 History compleated or the Life of his Sacred Majesty Charles the II. in three Books wherein is interwoven a short view of the Life and Actions of the Illustrious Dukes of York and Glocester in large octavo price 1 s. 6 d.
THE DEVILS Cabinet-Councell DISCOVERED OR THE MISTERY and INIQUITY OF THE Good old Cause Laying open all the Plots and Contrivances of O. CROMWELL and the Long PARLIAMENT In order to the taking avvay the Life of his late Sacred MAIESTY of Blessed Memory LONDON Printed by H. Brugis for Hen. Marsh at the Princes Armes in Chancery-lane neer Fleet-street 1660. THE DEVILS Cabinet-Counsell DISCOVERED THe Lord Lisle a very godly Person yet led away now and then by the Spirit to cool his Reins in Bloomsbury where he was twice discovered to be very civilly used in regard of his Authority he had given the Masterships of St. Crosses valued at 800 l. per annum I Gourdon a Lunatick and bitter-tongu'd Schismatick Lord Gray of Grooby a Saint who had nothing but Holmby Mannor-house and Parks for his share Humphrey Edwards one that waited on the King when he demanded the five Members and whose election was voted void by a Committee Nich. Love one of the six Clerks in Mr. Penruddock's place Ben. Valentine five thousand pound the better for the times Gil. Millington the Church Snuffers one that desires no better trade then scandalous Ministers Sir Hardress Waller once a Cavalier then a Presbyterian and afterwards any thing Temperate Mr. Chaloner Skippon once a poor Waggoner now in a better condition Saloway a smart prating Grocer's Apprentice newly set up for himself Okey a good sturdy Dray-man Ludlow a Leveller Smiling Sir James Harrington Waite one that thriv'd so well while he was Governour of Burleigh that he bought 500 l. per annum that was not able to buy 5 l. before Sir Henry Mildmay the Mirrour of Gratitude once the Kings Ieweller afterwards his Iudge Heveningham a slabbering Epicure Scot a Brewers Clerk Master Pursuivant to the Commom-wealth Martin a beastly profuse and extravagant Whoremaster Disborow a Clown without fear or wit Coll. Downes a meer cipher Coll. Moore Coll. of the Parliaments Guards he had the benefit of the passes out of London Will Say a famous Lawyer Isaak Penington twice broke and therefore the Parliament gave him 7000 l. to recruit him Lord Mounson a pitiful drivelling henpeckt Lord. Philip Lord Lisle famous for his silence men wonder what he did among them unless it were because his Father kept him short Blackston a poor Shopkeeper in Newcastle made Executor to Sir John Fenner trusted with 6000 l. for charitable uses and was sued in Chancery to perform the Will but got himself return'd Burges for Newcastle had 3000 l. given out of another Gentlemans estate and as much as made it up 12000 l. out of the estate of another Gentleman Dixwell once better known in Kent then trusted Greg. Clements rich in Bishops Lands once poor enough Sir Will. Brereton a good Trencher-man and Bishop of Croyden Coll. Berkstead the merciful Lieutenant of the Tower Coll. Hewson the Committee of Safety 's Apprentice killer Cornel. Holland once a Link-boy preferred by the King to the Green-cloth a great Knave Tichborn a man well known in the City Coll. Will. Purefoy he hid himself in a barley field when he should have been fighting for which a Water-man that had been his Souldier refus'd to carry him Sir Will. Constable he sold his Lands to Sir Marmaduke Langdale for 15000 l. but the Parliament gave them him again Sir Miles Levesey Plunder Master General of Kent Henry Smith made one of the six Clerks Frantick Sir Harry Vane Hair-brain'd Hesllerig Dan. Blagrave well known at Reading Miles Corbet once 3000 l. in debt more then he was worth he got well by scandalous Ministers Harvey Bishop of Fulham though not so by inheritance Illegally elected by colour of the Nevv Seal Coll. Norton Rowl Wilson Coll. I. Hutchinson Coll. Rigby Governour of Bolton Anthony Stapely Valentine Walton a Knave and a Cuckold or a Cuckoldly Knave which you please Coll. Boswell Sir Arthur Hesllerig's Friend by his Daughters meanes Augustine Garland Peters's Pot-companion Bradshaw the impudent brazen-fac'd President Cromwell Bell-wether to the Flock Ireton his bosome fellow worker in iniquity Maj. Gen. Harison chief Holder forth to the fift Monarchy-men Ven the broken Silk-man that govern'd Windsor Castle Coll. Hammond he had a thousand pounds and five hundred pounds per annum given him for his good service THE DEVILS Cabinet-Counsell DISCOVERED THe Independent Faction being become considerable their first design was to monopolize all power into their hands This was effected first by dashing the Earl of Essex and Sir William Waller one against another which was easily done by taking hold of their severall misfortunes the one at Lislethiel in Cornwall the other at the Devises in Wiltshire My Lord of Manchester also being a Lord and therefore not to be confided in was undermin'd and accus'd by Cromwell of high Crimes and so discarded Then was the Army new modell'd and under Sir Thomas Fairfax Cromwell got the sole command of the Army He was no sooner in power but by his own diligence the help of his Faction he endeavours to make himself famous and popular by taking to himself the honour of other mens atchievements To this purpose the News books are taught to speak no language but Cromvvell and his party and to be silent in such actions wherein he could claim no share That the Army might be sutable to him and his designs carried on without interruption all pretences of scandals and crimes are laid hold of at the Councels of Warre to remove the Presbyterian party that the Independents and Sectaries might be let into their rooms The next study of Cromwell was how to make this Army become his creatures which he thus contriv'd The two Houses in a full and free Parliament had ordained the disbanding of the Army Cromwell knowing how much this would be against the Armies will put the Houses again upon passing this Ordinance Protesting in the presence of Almighty God before whom he stood that he knew the Army would disband and lay down their Armes at their dore whensoever they should command when at the same time he had his Agitators animating the Army against the major part of the House under the notion of men that sought their ruine and making traiterous comments upon the Ordinance He knew the Army hated nothing more then disbanding and therefore would not be a little enraged against the promoters thereof and thus by causing fears and jealousies in the Army he easily provok'd them to mutiny against the Parliament By this mutiny having made them sure to his own interest Cromwell leaves the Parliament not daring to trust himself among them where now both he and his Son Ireton publickly joyn with the Army at New-Market in trayterous Engagements Declarations Remonstrances and Petitions pend by Cromwell himself tending altogether to nothing but sedition whereby the Army and the Parliament were easily rendered odious to one another Having thus debauch'd the Army he plotted in his own Chamber how to secure the Garrison Magazine and train of Artillery
at Oxford and surprise the Kings person at Holmby which was done by his Instrument Cornet Ioyce with a commanded party of Horse by which action Cromwell now thought himself so secure that when Ioyce giving him an account of what he had done told him that he had now the King in his power Cromwell repli'd Then have I the Parliament in my pocket It was not for him publickly to own so impudent an act therefore he had recourse to his wonted dissimulation protesting in the sight of God his ignorance in that business both to the King and Parliament adding to his Protestation an Execration upon his Wife and Children Having so farre prosper'd in his design as to get the King into his clutches the next contrivance was to get the Parliament into his power This was to be effected by purging both Houses so that there might be no Members here but what should be absolutely of Cromwels Faction to which purpose they send first a confused impeachment against eleven of the Members who thereupon modestly withdrew to free the Parliament from such danger as they should incurre by protecting them But while these things were acting Cromwell finding he could not compasse what he intended against the Parliament but that he must make the City his enemies casts about how to cheat the Countrey it being dangerous to have both City and Countrey his enemies at that time Agents are therefore imploy'd to spread Books and Pamphlets about the Kingdom wherein particular notice is taken of the pressures and grievances of the Nation courting them to neglect the King and the Parliament as unable to relieve them and to make their addresses to the Army who had it in their hands onely to restore the King uphold the Parliament and give them their Freedoms and Liberties and to take away from them all Taxes and Excises by these and the like pretences they deceived the people so far as to make them patiently bear the burthen of free quarter and to make Addresses to the Army for free quarter Having Iull'd the people into a sleep they now seek how to quarrell with the City They had withdrawn their quarters some thirty miles from London in a pretended obedience to the Parliament of which pretended example of their submission they made singular use against all objections but finding their designs retarded both in City and Parliament by the remainder of that party which they had left they must therefore find a quarrel to march against the City to give the Houses a stronger purge then they had formerly done Hereupon the Army demands the City Militia and had it granted by a packt company of the lower House when most of the Members were absent The City petition for their former Militia and to second their Masters many of the Apprentices came down with another of theirs it was not long ere Cromwell who watch'd for this opportunity had his Agents among them to keep up the Ryot and increase it as much as in them lay particularly one Highland was observed more active then all the rest This was cunningly contriv'd to encrease the sdandall upon the City The Army was now upon their march to London whereupon the speaker and about forty Members more having left about one hundred and forty sitting in the House sled to the Army It is thought that what the Speaker did proceeded from certain strong Threats and Menaces of Cromwell and Ireton for that he had solemnly professed a day or two before to Sir Ralph Ashton and others that he scorned to do such a base unjust and dishonourable act and that he would rather die in his chair Hereupon the remaining Members choose a new speaker and proceed to act one way while the Army with both the fugitive Speakers and the sugitive Members vote another signing engagements to live and die with the Army The Army were so overleavend with this engagement that they send out Warrants to the Trained Bands to march with them against the City The City hearing of their approch sent Commissioners sundry times to mediate an accord but the Army would give them no better termes then these that they should yield to desert both Houses and the impeached Members that they should call in their Declarations relinquish the Militia deliver up their forts to the Army with the Tower of London and the Magazines there disband all their Forces and turn the Reformadoes out of the line receive such guards of horse and foot as the Army should appoint demolish their works and suffer the Army to march in triumph through the City All which was suddainly and dishonourably yielded to so great was the undermining strength of Cromwels party to weaken the hands of all his opponents This being effected the fugitive Members were brought agin into the House And now we must look upon the Army and Parliament acting and consulting together They put into imployments none but men of their own faction that they may have all in their own hands they alter and divide the Militia of London setting up particular Militia's at Westminster Southwark and the Hamlets to make them weaker by such a division and demolish the lines of Communication and fright many more members from the House partly by threats and partly by false impeachments Then they declare all void which the Parliament had done in their absence and when many of the Commons were refractory and denyed to pass this ordinance they were either urged to it with threats or forced to depart the house Sir Arthur Haslerig telling them some heads must fly off and that he feared the Parliament of England could not save the Kingdome but they must look another way for safety That they could not satisfie the Army but by declaring all void from the beginning In which words he was seconded by Vane Prideaux Gourdon Mildmay Scott and Holland whom we must henceforward look upon as the Protectors greatest instruments And because this did not wholly effect the design they produce a scandalous letter from the Army wherein the members that sate while the two Speakers were absent were called pretended Members and threatned that if they would not give their assents topass the ordinance they should sit in the House at their peril for the Army would take them as Prisoners of war and trye them at a Counsel Thus the Members being frighted away the next day in a very thin assembly of Olivers creatures the ordinance passed and thus had Cromwel and his few conspirators what so far they sought for that is to say the whole power of the Parliament and Army This being done several accusations of high Treasons were brought against the Earles of Suffolk Lincoln Middlesex the Lords Berkley Willoughby Hunsdon and Maynard they were committed to the Tower that so those Lords that had engaged with the Army might have their house to themselves Several Petitions were likewise exhibited to the Houses bearing these titles to the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled distinct
not to be found and that he was a Malignant and had attempted to set the King at liberty To which it was replyed That a Committee could be named to examine the business concerning the Foot-boy that struck Sir H. Mildmay though no man knew where to find the Foot-boy that it was strange there should be such a difference between beating a Subject and killing a King that though Mr. Osborn were a Malignant yet unless he were also a Nullifidian convicted of perjury his oath was valid and good But Scot stood up and said That this pressing to examine this business was but to draw C. Hammond to Town that the King might the easier make an escape and Sir IOhn Evelin of Wilts alledged That this was an invention of Mr. Osborn to bring the King to Town with freedom honour and safety And though other motions were made for the said Committee yet either Mr. Scowen or Skippon stood up and offered to divert the business by new matter concerning the Army which bears all business down before it and so the business was buried in silence for that time Afterwards the Lords propounded that he might have forty dayes allowed him which was with much ado granted He comes and avouches it and one Doucet further affirm'd a design of Rolfe's to pistoll the King Rolfe presents himself at the Commons Barr with a Letter from Hammond who denies the design and pleads Rolfe's cause for him Rolfe denyed it at the Barr with a very trembling voice yet afterwards hid out of the way Hammond was neither sent for nor questioned Thus was this business quite husht up which onely serv'd to shew what the Gentlemen at Westminster solely aimed at and indeed their rancour was now at that height against the King that Skippon thought it just cause of complaint that some persons had printed a Book called A motive to loyall Subjects to endeavour the preservation of his Majesties person Many Petitions now also come for a Personall Treaty and among the rest the Surrey men petition for a Personal Treaty But Scot standing up in the House argued That it was a design to ruine the Godly That he was of opinion that there could be no time seasonable for a Personall Treaty or a Peace with so perfidious a Pince but that it would be alwayes either too soon or too late that he that draws his sword against the King must throw away the scabbord that all peace with him would prove the spoil of the Godly Thus by him and by the assistance of the Worthies Ven Miles Corbet Hill and Harvey Cromwell had his design in part for that the Petition had no success The King was now a prisoner in the Isle of Wight when Cromwell had overthrown Duke Hamilton at Preston and there by cut off the greatest hopes which the King had of being releived The Victory was great and swelled the Grandees that were then sitting at Westminster to such a height of pride of whom the chief were Thom. Scot Cornelius Holland and Sir Harry Mildmay that though before there were fair hopes of a Personall Treaty now began to shew an utter disdain and malice against it and to threaten and insult over all that had petitioned for it abroad or spoken for it in the House But the wise sort or rather the more crafty to do mischief knowing how weary the people were of their Texes and the Army and how covetous to purchase peace though at the price of a new warr and further considering that the Scots were not wholly reduc'd that the people were not yet quieted in many parts of England and finding the Prince with a considerable Fleet at Sea ready to raise new tempests at Land thought it better to dally on the Treaty till Oliver had quite finish'd his Northern Expedition and were marched nearer London and that all things were quiet in England and then to break off the Treaty and purge the House of those that sought to agree with the King under pretence of being the Kings corrupt Party Therefore to blind the peoples eyes it was debated in the House whether a Treaty should be had with the King upon the Propositions of Hampton-Court the question being put the Yeas and Noes were even fifty seven to fifty seven insomuch that the Speakers voice was put to turn the scales who though at this time he foreman of Oliver's shop gives his voice in the affirmative following then his conscience against his interest andmy Lord Say openly in the House of Lords said God forbid that any man should take advantage of this victory to break off the Treaty However Cromwell having got a full conquest over his enemies marches for London upon his design though the Parliament forbid his approach And to shew his contempt of them he prints a Declaration accusing them of lightness breach of trust inconstancy and indiscretion and threatning presently to advance towards Westminster to do what God should enable them The same night he came to Hide-Park corner The next thing he did was to take possession of White-hall for his Quarters He brought to town with him four Regiments of Foot and six of Horse which he quartered in the Mews by his own order The next news frequent in the Town was that of the Kings being seized in his bed-chamber and hurried away prisoner to Hurst Castle a Block-house in the Isle of Wight standing out a mile and a half in the Sea so noisome that the Guards could not endure to be there long without often shifting their quarters This insolent action satisfied onely the Independent and Monarchicall party but the others who were yet more numerous seeing so hainous a fact committed against the life of the King and the faith and honour of the Parliament resolve once more to try their power whereupon it was moved that it might be declared That his Majesty was remov'd by the Generals Warrant without the consent or privity of the House The Army Members to slop this argue that the word Declare would be construed a declaring against the Generall and Army and that the word Consent argued a disagreement in opinion and practise between the Parliament and the House as if the Houses dissented from it hereupon it was barely voted without the privity of the House Nevertheless the other Members proceed to the Kings Answers to the Propositions of both Houses whether they were satisfactions or no which after a long and tedious debate was carried in the affirmative and to keep a good correspondence with the Army a Committee of six Members was appointed to confer with the Generall and his Officers but could receive no other answer from them then this that the way to correspond was to comply with the Armies Remonstrance And now the Saints militant being inraged that the House had recovered so much courage and honesty to vote according to their consciences after some proud conference between Pride Hewson and other Officers and the Speaker in Westminster-Hall with
proceedings must be either new or old if old shew it if new tell what Authority warranted by the Fundamental Laws of the Land hath made it and when But how the House of Commons can erect a Court of Judicature which was never one it self as is well known to all Lawyers I leave God and the world to judge And it were full as strange that they should pretend to make Laws without King or Lords House to any that have heard speak of the Laws of England And admitting but not granting that the people of Englands Commission could grant your pretended power I see nothing you can shew for that for certainly you never asked the question of the tenth man of the Kingdom and in this way you manifestly wrong even the poorest Ploughman if you demand not his free consent nor can you pretend any colour for this your pretended Commission without the consent at least of the major part of every man in England of whatsoever quality or condition which I am sure you never went about to seek so farre are you from having it Thus you see I speak not for my own right alone as I am your King but also for the true Liberty of all my Subjects which consists not in sharing the power of Government but in living under such laws such a Government as may give them the best assurance of their lives and the propriety of their goods And for the House of Commons that the major part of them are detain'd or deterr'd from sitting so as if I had no other this were sufficient for me to protest against the lawfulness of your pretended Court. Besides all this the peace of the Kingdome is not the least in my thoughts and what hopes of settlement are there so long as power rules without Law changing the whole frame of that Government under which this Kingdome hath flourished for many hundred years and believe it the Commons of England will not thank you for this change for they will remember how happy they have been of late years under the reign of Queen Elizabeth the King my Father and my self untill the beginning of these unhappy troubles and will have cause to doubt that they shall never be so happy under any new These were the Reasons which the King intended to have delivered before sentence but they were utterly rejected by those who knew it was not their business to hear reason in a Court that was erected contrary to reason and therefore they hasten to give judgement which was brief That the King for sundry Crimes and Misdemeanours which he was never guilty of should be put to death During the intervall between his Sentence and Execution the House ordered upon moton that Doctor Iuxon Bishop of London should be permitted to be private with the King in his chamber to preach and administer the Sacrament and other spiritual comforts to him But nevertheless the Masters of the Councill of Warr appointed Iohn Goodwin of Coleman-street the Balaam of the Army to be Superintendent both over the Bishop and the King so that they could hardly speak a word together without being over-heard by the long schismaticall eares of black-mouth'd Iohn And besides all this the Guard of Souldiers that was kept within his chamber what with talking what with clinking the pots and opening and shutting the dores and taking Tobacco a thing very offensive to the Kings nature they kept him waking thereby distempering and amazing him with want of sleep that they might the more easily bring him to their termes Upon the twenty eighth of Ianuary being the last Sabbath the King kept in this life some of the Grandees of the Parliament and Army tender'd to the King a paper book with promise of life and some shadow of regality if he subscrib'd it It contained many particulars destructive to the fundamentall Government Religion Laws and property of the People one among the rest was this That the King should pass an Act of Parliament for keeping on foot the Militia of this Army during the pleasure of the Grandees who should be trusted with that Militia with power to recruit from time to time and continue them to the number of forty thousand Horse and Foot under the same Generall and Officers with power notwithstanding in the Councill of Warr to chuse new Officers and Generals from time to time as occasion shall happen and they think fit and to settle a very great Tax upon the people by a Land rate for an established pay for the Army to be levied and collected by the Army themselves and a Court-Martiall of an exorbitant extent and latitude But his Majesty having read some of the Propositions threw them aside telling them He would rather become a Sacrifice for his People then betray their Lives Laws Liberties and Estates together with the Church and Common-wealth and the honour of his Crown to so intolerable a bondage of an armed faction Saturday night and Sunday night the King lay in White-hall so neer the place appointed for the separation of his soul and body that he might hear every stroak the workmen gave upon the scaffold where they wrought all night this was a new device to mortifie him but it would not doe Tuesday the thirtieth of Ianuary was the day appointed for the Kings death His Majesty coming upon the scaffold shewed all the while an extraordinary magnanimity and Christian patience He had his head severed from his body at one stroke the Schismaticks showting presently after His Executioners though then concealed are now found to be Ioyce that bloody instrument of Cromwell's designes and Peters who lay not with a Butchers Wife so long to be ignorant of her Trade And therefore the Parliament have now sent for them to receive the condign punishment of their villany This is the relation of his Majesties Tryall by a mix'd Court of Justice erected by fifty or sixty confederate Members after all the rest of the Members above two hundred and fifty had been violently secluded secured and frighted And thus this noble Prince a Person sanctified by many afflictions after he had escaped Pistoll Poyson and pestilent Air could not escape the malice of Cromwell nor the impudence of Cook Bradshaw Steele Aske Doristaus Thus was the Shepheard smitten and the Sheep were scattered But Heaven not willing longer to endure the wickedness of such insolent Tyrants nor to see the innocent longer in affliction hath been pleased at length to restore the King to his Throne putting his Enemies to shame and confusion and herein we must admire the justice of the Parliament to whom the King unwilling to be Judge in his own cause hath referred himself What they have done their Acts declare The last week they excepted eleven of the grand Delinquents from mercy M. G. Harrison Mr. Say Mr. Scot. Coll. Berkstead M. Lisle Cornel. Holland Iones Cook Broughton Sar. Dandy M. Hulit After this in further prosecution of their intentions to bring these