by the Scots Commissioners first because they were not the same with those formerly sent to Oxford and Vxbridge Secondly Because all the additions omissions and alterations made in them are in those things which concern the joynt interest and union of both Kingdomes And thirdly the danger of wholly excluding the King and his Posterity and so the Crown from their right to the Militia which was an alteration of the Fundamental Laws And fourthly the uncertainty of the Religion the Parliament would establish they refusing to give their Brethren the Scots the particulars thereof Presbytery being then piece-meal offered by the Assembly of Divines to the Parliaments consideration In this point the Scots urged how many promises of UNIFORMITY the Parliament had made at their instances to them throughout the War and that this Uniformity might be extensive and become the Discipline of the Reformed Churches every where and so be the Catholick Rule had ordered the Covenant as a Model or Pattern to be printed in most of the Forrain Languages that it should be a sin and shame to England that all sorts of Heresies Sects and Schisms should be so multiplied Liberty of Conscience not onely pleaded for but in place already and all the kindnesses done them so unhandsomly slighted And as to the Presbyterial Government to be established here Exceptions were taken at the subordination of Church-Assemblies to Parliament in the words prescribed lest it should be interpreted as if the Civil Power were not onely conversant about matters of the Church and Religion but were formally Ecclesiastical and to be exercised Ecclesiastically and be counted such a Supremacy in the Church as in the Pope and the late High-Commission of England Next they scrupled their Provincial Commissioners for judging of Scandal there being no such Warrant for such a mixture of Lay with Spiritual Officers which they suppose may be the laying of a New Foundation of the said High-Commission or Episcopacy Thirdly That admitting the Power of calling and convening a National Assembly be in the Civil Magistrates as positive yet they cannot allow it privative or destructive and that therefore such Assemblies may not be restrained to times of Session the safety of the Church being the supreme Law That therefore it should not be left ad libitum to the pleasure of the Civil Power but that fixed times for their meeting might be appointed From this the English perceived that the Scotch Yoak would not fit their necks and though they could be content with their Spirituals there was no enduring of their Temporals which consideration with those Cavils printed and published produced a Declaration of the House of Commons wherein being now in no need of further assistance having no Enemy left but that Army they come to a point and withal thus gird their gude Brethren we shall repeat onely one Paragraph Concerning Church-Government we having so fully declared for Presbyterian Government having spent so much pains taken up so much time for the settling of it passed most of the particulars brought to us from the Assembly of Divines called onely by us to advise of such things as shall be required of them by the Parliament and having published several Ordinances for putting the same in execution because we cannot consent to the granting of an arbitrary and unlimited Power and Jurisdiction to near TEN THOVSAND IVDICATORIES to be erected within this Kingdom and this demanded in a way INCONSISTENT with the FVNDAMENTALS of GOVERNMENT excluding the POWER of PARLIAMENT in the exercise of that IVRISDICTION nor have we resolved yet how a due regard may be had that TENDER CONSCIENCES which differ not in any Fundamentals of Religion may be so provided for as may stand with the word of God and peace of the Kingdom And let it be OBSERVED that we have had the more reason not to part with the Power out of our hands since all by-past Ages manifest that the Reformation and purity of Religion and the preservation and protection of the people hath been by Parliament and the exercise of this power our endeavours being to settle the Reformation in the Kingdoms of England and Ireland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government according to the Word of God and the example of the best Reformed Churches and according to our COVENANT That 's the burden of the Ditty but how that comes to be set in opposition to the Scotch Model of Presbytery may be left to the distinguishing Expositors between Bell and the Dragon The Poets Fiction concerning Proteus was certainly a meer vaticination and prediction of this variable Monster for the King the Kirk the Parliament the Sectaries for every thing according to its present interest as the Camelion appears in the colours that are neerest it A serious Kirk-fallacy made a Parliament-Riddle Come we now to those long-hammered Propositions sent to the King at Newcastle Iuly 11. as aforesaid which were twenty three in number First That his Majesty would pass an Act for nulling all Declarations and Proclamations against both or either Parliaments of England or Scotland Secondly The King to sign and swear the Covenant and an Act for all persons in the three Kingdoms to do the like Thirdly An Act to take away Bishops c. Fourthly To confirm by Act the Assembly of Divines at Westminster Fifthly To settle Religion as the Parliament shall agree Sixthly In Vnity and Vniformity with Scotland as shall be agreed by both Parliaments Kill Episcopacy point-blank and shoot at Scotch wild-fowl at randome Seventhly An Act to be confirmed against Papists Eighthly Their Children to be educated in the Protestant Religion Ninthly For taking away part of their Estates Tenthly Against saying of Mass in England Eleventhly And the same in Scotland if they please Twelfthly For observation of the Lords day against Pluralities and Non-residents and for Visitations and regulating the Vniversities Thirteenth That the Militia of the three Kingdoms be in the hands of the Parliament for twenty years with power to raise money and suppress all Forces c. Fourteenth That all Honours and Titles and Dignities conferred on any since the great Seal was conveyed from the Parliament May 21 1642. be nulled and that those who hereafter shall be made Peers by the King shall not sit in Parliament without consent of both Houses Fifteenth That an Act be passed to confirm all the Treaties between England and Scotland and a Committee of both Houses to be nominated Conservators of the Peace between both Kingdoms Sixteenth An Act for the establishing the Declaration of both Kingdoms of the THIRTIETH of JANUARY 1643. touching Delinquents with other qualifications added now which were so comprehensive that they seemed accommodated for the fatal prognostick of that days Revolution in 1648. when accumulative treason a word invented by themselves against the Earl of Strafford was extended to other the Kings Friends as to number and in the amassed guilt of all impiety afterwards practised upon
mens Fates did usher out what their devices had introduced as great Events never go unattended the Solemn League and Covenant first invented by Arguile and his Complices which had raised such a Combustion in the three Kingdoms was Sacrificed to the Flames by a Vote in Parliament the common Hang-man in ample manner burning it in several places in London which also was done all the Kingdom over with great Acclamations which being omitted hitherto when so often unwelcome occasion hath been given to recite it take it now in this its Mittimus A Solemn League and Covenant for Reformation and Defence of Religion c. WE Noblemen Barons Knights Gentlemen Citizens Burgesses Ministers of the Gospel and Commons of all sorts in the Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland by the providence of God living under one King and being of one Reformed Religion having before our eyes the Glory of God and the Advancement of the Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ the Honour and Happiness of the Kings Majesty and his Posterity and the true Publick Liberty Safety and Peace of the Kingdoms wherein every ones private Condition is included And calling to minde the Treacherous and Bloody Plots Conspiracies Attempts and Practises of the Enemies of God against the true Religion and Professors thereof in all places especially in these three Kingdoms ever since the Reformation of Religion and how much their Rage Power and Presumption are of late and at this time encreased and exercised whereof the deplorable Estate of the Church and Kingdom of Ireland the distressed estate of the Church and Kingdom of England and the dangerous Estate of the Church and Kingdom of Scotland are present and publick Testimonies We have now at last after other means of Supplication Remonstrance Protestations and Sufferings for the Preservation of our selves and our Religion from utter Ruine and Destruction according to the commendable practice of these Kingdoms in former times and the example of God's People in other Nations after mature deliberation resolved and determined to enter into a Mutual and Solemn League and Covenant wherein we all subscribe and each one of us for himself with our Hands lifted up to the most High God do Swear 1. THat we shall sincerely really and constantly through the Grace of God endeavour in our several Places and Callings the Preservation of the Reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government against our Common Enemies The Reformation of Religion in the Kingdoms of England and Ireland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government according to the Word of God and the Example of the best Reformed Churches and shall endeavour to bring the Churches of God in the three Kingdoms to the neerest Conjunction and Vniformity in Religion Confession of Faith Form of Church-Government Directory of Worship and Catechising That we and our Posterity after us may as Brethren live in Faith and Love and the Lord may delight to dwell in the midst of us 2. That we shall in like manner without respect of persons endeavour the extirpation of Popery Prelacy that is Church-Government by Arch-Bishops Bishops their Chancellors and Commissaries Deans Deans and Chapters Arch-Deacons and all other Ecclesiastical Officers depending on that Hierarchy Superstition Heresie Schism Prophaneness and whatsoever shall be found to be contrary to Godliness and sound Doctrine and the power of Godliness left we partake in other mens sins and thereby be in danger to receive of their plagues And that the Lord may be one and his Name one in the three Kingdoms 3. We shall with the same sincerity reality and constancy in our several Vocations endeavour with our Estates and Lives mutually to preserve the Rights and Priviledges of the Parliaments and the Liberties of the Kingdoms and to preserve and defend the Kings Majesties person and Authority in the preservation and defence of the true Religion and Liberties of the Kingdoms That the World may bear Witness with our Consciences of our Loyalty that we have no thoughts or intentions to diminish his Majesties just Power and Greatness 4. We shall also with all faithfulness endeavour the discovery of all such as have been or shall be Incendiaries Malignants or evil Instruments by hindering the Reformation of Religion dividing the King from his people or one of the Kingdoms from another or making any Faction or parties amongst the people contrary to this League and Covenant that they may be brought to publick Trial and receive condigne punishment as the degree of their offences shall require or deserve or the supreme Iudicatories of both Kingdoms respectively or others having power from them for that effect shall judge convenient 5. And whereas the happiness of a blessed Peace between these Kingdoms denied in former times to our Progenitors is by the good providence of God granted unto us and hath been lately concluded and setled by both Parliaments We shall each one of us according to our place and interest endeavour that they may remain conjoyned in a firm Peace and Vnion to all Posterity and that justice may be done upon the wilful opposers thereof in manner expressed in the precedent Article 6. We shall also according to our Places and Callings in this common Cause of Religion Liberty and Peace of the Kingdoms assist and defend all those that enter into this League and Covenant in the maintaining and pursuing thereof and shall not suffer our selves directly or indirectly by whatsoever Combination Perswasion or Terrour to be divided and withdrawn from this blessed Vnion and Conjunction whether to make defection to the contrary part or to give our selves to a detestible indifferency or neutrality in this Cause which so much concerns the Glory of God the good of the Kingdoms and Honour of the King but shall all the daies of our lives zealously and constantly continue therein against all opposition and promote the same according to our power against all Lets and Impediments whatsoever And what we are not able our selves to suppress or overcome we shall reveal or make known that it may be timely prevented or removed All which we shall doe as in the sight of God And because these Kingdoms are guilty of many sins and provocations against God and his Son Iesus Christ as is too manifest by our present distresses and dangers the fruits thereof We profess and declare before God and the World our unfeigned desire to be humbled for our own sins and for the sins of these Kingdoms especially that we have not as we ought valued the inestimable benefit of the Gospel That we have not laboured for the Purity and Power thereof and that we have not endeavoured to receive Christ in our Hearts nor to walk worthy of him in our Live◠which are the Causes of other sins and transgressions so much abounding amongst 〈◊〉 and our true unfaigned purpose desire and endeavour for our selves and all others under our Power and Charge both in publick and
Bishoprick and Deanery but he was of too great a spirit to relinquish either of them as being places conferred on him by Patent from his bountiful Master King Iames and so chose to pay the aforesaid fine which upon a new score was soon after doubled These harsh proceedings against him so exasperated his mind that in the troubles ensuing he openly sided with the Parliament In effect this whole years revolution as to matters of importance was concerned in Episcopacy But this smoak and smother in England concerning Ceremonies broke out into fire in Scotland these petty and particular discontents here being blown up there into a National dislike and abhorrence of them so that this here was but the forerunner of that conflagration there which afterwards laid waste Three Kingdoms And because of the remarkable and strange eruption and effects of it I think fit to give those Scotish Troubles their particular Narrative connext and intire together Which here follows The Troubles and Tumult in Scotland about the Service-Book Book of Canons High-Commission and Episcopacy THe great and long designed Union of the two Kingdoms of England and Scotland had taken its desired effect by the assumption of King Iames the Sixth to this Crown and the National feud between the two people thereof well allayed if not wholly extinguished being both as one body under one supream Head and Governour That King at his departing from that his Native Kingdom had left it in a very flourishing condition as ever it boasted of the State well provided for by wholsom Laws and the management thereof committed to the prudentest and most honourable of the Nobility the Church-Regiment under a godly and a learned Orthodox Episcopacy reverenced and well accepted by the people All things both in Church and State being well ordered supported and maintained by that accession of power and greatness to their Soveraign in this Kingdom that Nation continued in a firm and unvariable quiet till about the middle of the Reign of King Charles the first of blessed memory by whom as also by his Royal Father several endeavours were used for the better strengthning and perpetuating the Union aâ—oresaid by conforming the Discipline of that Church to the pattern of this Religion being the most sure and indissolvable tie and mutual security In the time of King Iames those memorable Five-Articles were made by the Assembly at Perth whereby the High-Commission the Book of Canons and other Rites and Ceremonies were introduced and established By King Charles the First the Book of Service or Common-Prayer was endeavoured likewise to be brought in it having constantly been used for twenty years before in his Majesties own Royal Chappel in that Kingdom before his Majesties Ministers of State and the Nobility and Gentry attending them And now all things appeared Retro sublapsa referri to precipitate into Confusion and Disorder the period of that peace was come which had so long blest that Kingdom Not that really and singularly that Book was the cause of those Commotions but accidentally ministring the male-contents of that Kingdom an occasion of revolt and disloyalty For the seeds of that Sedition were sown by the Plotters of the Covenant which was afterwards so magnified under the pretence of Religion long before any of the grievances or pretended innovations in Religion complained of by them were ever heard amongst them The true Original of these Tumults was a Revocation made by King Charles the first of such things as had passed away in prejudice of the Crown especially by some of the late Princes in their minorites by this course some of the principal Contrivers of this Covenant found their Estates within the danger of the Laws And though the King to rectifie that proceeding of his had made appear his clemency in waving all the advantages which the Laws afforded him not one of his Subjects being damnified by the said Revocation yet for all this the principal persons laboured a disaffection to the Government laying the envy of procuring that Revocation upon the Prelates who in this were as innocent as the thing it self onely because they hoped that the very name of Church-men or Religious persons should in the point of Faction have that operation with their followers which they conceived the Church or Religion it self might have had if they could have seen how to have perswaded them that by this Revocation either of them had been endangered Other things there were relating to the Ministers themselves the Gentry and their Farmers who paid the Tythes to the Nobility being the burthen of Impropriations This the King thought to remedy by granting out a Commission to a great number of the prime of all estates and degrees to relieve if they should see cause both the Ministers and others who suffered by that grievance This Commission was called The Commission of Superiority and Tythes which effected as to the agrieved its intended effect and for which all possible thanks were rendred to his Majesty Nor were the most of the Nobility unsensible of the advantage by this means to matter of profit but they fretted privately for being robbed of that Lordliness over the Clergy and Laity which by right of Tythe they enjoyed and therefore had recourse to the former fetch of making the Bishops when indeed it was obtained by the importunity of Clergy and Laity the Procurers also of this Commission The last ingredient to this bitter Cup which was prepared in Scotland for the three Nations was matter of Honour and Title For the King going to his Coronation there in 1631. a Parliament being called to honour the same wherein an Act passed that gave his Majesty power to appoint such Vestures for Church-men which he should hold most decent and another for ratifying all Acts heretofore made concerning the established Religion and the liberties and priviledges of the Church his Majesty finding some principal men who were suitors at the same time for the Dignities aforesaid dissenters to the confirmation and allowance of the said Acts did not confer such expected Honours but passed those by and justly advanced more Loyal persons at which they then muttered but mutined not till his Majesties departure Then they with Seditious private Libels taxed this Parliament with prevarication and obliquity in their proceedings as if it had been pack'd and also that the voyces were not truly numbred but that some Acts were past without plurality of Votes This being sifted by the Kings Privy Council there the Author was known who fled but the principal engager the Lord Balmerino was apprehended His Father had been raised by King Iames to his Barony and Fortune but for the most ungrateful of Treasons was condemned by his Peers His Son at his time fell into the same crime and condemnation but both by their Majesties favour and clemency restored to Life Honour Liberty and Estate But all these devices could not serve
Lords and Commons c. That they are not satisfied in the Propositions made by his Majesty in his Letter and that a Letter be sent to the Commissioners in the Isle of Wight to acquaint them that the Houses do well approve of their proceedings and do give them thanks c. requiring them still to proceed punctually according to their Instructions The Sum of His Majesties Propositions was this He expressed his Consent to the Proemial or first Proposition of acknowledging his beginning the War that he might not by denying it be refused Peace but that his Consent not to be valid till all was concluded in the Treaty Concerning the Church he will Consent that the Calling and Sitting of the Assembly of Divines at Westminster be confirmed for three years by Act of Parliament and will by Act of Parliament confirm likewise the Directory for 3 years in England Ireland and Wales and the Form of Government by Presbyters for the same term Provided that his Majesty and those of his judgment and others who cannot in Conscience submit thereunto he not obliged to comply with it And that a free Consultation may be had with the Assembly of Divines in the mean time twenty of his Majesties nomination being added to them whereby it may be determined how after the said term by his Majesty and the Parliament the said Church Government and Publique Worship may be setled and the Articles of Christian Religion now delivered him may then be considered of and care taken for tender Consciences Concerning the Bishops Lands and Revenues and to the Contracts and Purchases of them His Majesty will Consent to an Act or Acts of Parliament for their satisfaction whereby the Legal Estates for Lives or for Years at their choice not exceeding ninety nine years shall be made of those Lands at the old or some more moderate rents which if it will not satisfie his Majesty will propound and consent to some other way Provided that the Propriety and Inheritance of those Lands do still remain in the Church according to the pious intentions of the Donors and the rest that shall be reserved to be for their maintenance His Majesty will give Consent for a Reformation viz. Observation of the Lords-day and such other things in these their Propositions as they have desired as also Consents to those Propositions against Papists But as to the Covenant his Majesty is not therein satisfied that he can either Signe or Swear it or Consent to impose it on the Consciences of others nor conceives it proper or useful at this time to be insisted on Touching the Militia his Majesty conceives that their Propositions demand a far larger Power over the persons of his Subjects than hath ever hitherto been warranted by the Laws and Statutes of the Realm yet considering the present distractions require more and trusting in his two Houses of Parliament that they will not abuse the Power hereby granted his Majesty will consent to an Act of Parliament wherein it shall be declared That for the space of ten years or during his Majesties whole Reign if they shall think it more satisfactory the two Houses shall have the sole disposal of the Militia and raise Mony as in their Propositions And that neither the King his Heirs or Successors or any other but such as shall act by the Authority or Approbation of the Lords and Commons shall during the space of ten years exercise any of the Powers aforesaid nor after that term without the Advice of the Lords and Commons And Consents to the entrusting the Militia into the Cities hands according to their Propositions Provided That all Patents Commissions and other Acts concerning the Premises be made and acted in his Majesties Name by Warrant signified by the Lords and Commons or such other as they shall authorize for that purpose Touching Ireland his Majesty leaves it to the Determination of his two Houses and will give his Consent as is herein hereafter expressed Touching Publick Debts his Majesty will give his Consent to such an Act for raising of Monies by general and equal Taxations for the payment and satisfying the Arrears of the Army and Publique Engagementss of the Kingdom as shall be agreed on by both Houses of Parliament and shall be ordered by them or their appointment within the space of one year after passing an Act for the same His Majesty will give Consent that all the Great Officers of State and Iudges for the said term of ten years be nominated by the Parliament to continue quamdiu se bene gesserint and in the intervals of Parliament to be nominated by such as they shall authorize His Majesty will Consent That the Militia of the City and Liberties thereof during the space of ten years may be in the ordering and Government of the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Common-Council assembled or such as they shall appoint whereof the Lord Major and the Sheriffs for the time being to be three to be employed and directed from time to time by the Parliament And that no Citizen shall be drawn forth into the Field without his own consent And an Act be passed for granting and confirming the Charters Customs c thereof And that during the said ten years the Tower of London may be in the Government of the City of London and the Chief Officers thereof during the said space to be nominated and removeable by the Common-Council as was desired in the Propositions His Majesty having thus far expressed his Consent for the present satisfaction and securing of his two Houses of Parliament and those that have adhered unto them touching the four first Propositions and other the particulars before-specified as to all the rest of the Propositions delivered to him at Hampton-Court not referring to those â—eads and to that of the Court of Wards since delivered as also to the remaining Propositions concerning Ireland His Majesty desires only when he shall come to Westminster personally to advise with his two Houses and to deliver his Opinion and Reasons of it which being done he will leave the whole matter of those remaining Propositions to the determination of his two Houses which shall prevail with him for his Consent accordingly And his Majesty doth for his own particular only propose that he may have liberty to repair forthwith to Westminster and be restored to a condition of absolute Freedom and Safety a thing which he shall never deny to any of his Subjects and to the possession of his Lands and Revenues and that an Act of Oblivion and Indemnity may pass to extend to all persons for all matters relating to the late unhappy differences which being agreed by his two Houses of Parliament his Majesty will be ready to make these his Concessions binding by giving them the force of Laws by his Royal assent Though these Condescentions nor indeed if they had been to the very letter of the
would use his best endeavours with the Parliament to that end About the same time came hither a very splendid Ambassy from the Emperour of Russia delegated to three of his Knez or Princes the one of them came some time before the other to prepare all things suitable to the State of their Reception and had Audience by the King in privatate at Hamton-Court The Principal was Knez Peter Simonewitz formerly Governour of Archangel our Port of Trade in those Dominions he was received in greater State than any former Ambassadours from any Prince whatsoever both in respect He useth the same Honours to our Soveraigns Publick Ministers and the great Immunities and Priviledges the English enjoy again there as also from that particular Affection which is between these Two Monarchs as hath been hinted before At his Receipt the whole Military Force of the City was in Arms Trained Bands Auxiliaries Hamlets Westminster-Regiments several of the Companies and Liveries of the City on Horseback in their Gold Chains with the Aldermen of the City Riding before him who near York-House where he was to be entertained by the King during his stay made a Lane for Him to pass through them thereunto Two of them Rode in the Kings Coach the Principal was at that time sick and came by Water to his House their Retinue according to their Countrey Fashion were Vested in a long Robe girt about the Middle loop-laced on the Breast and caped behind His two Coachmen and Postilions the like though English men there were some Thirty Servants that Rode a Horseback with Hawks on their Fists as Presents On New years-day they were Conducted to White Hall where they delivered their Presents of Furs as black Fox Skins Ermins many Timber or scores of Martins Beavers and the like Persian-Carpets three Persian Horses Argamarick and other Commodities of that Country as Damask Silks and Embroyderies also a Ship Loading of Hemp there were Presents of the like Nature from the Empress to the Queen and from the Prince of Russia likewise they were all received with that affection and kindness which the King on all occasions hath manifested to have for that great Potentate Two of those Embassadors departed hence for France and so to Italy the Chief stayed to to return in Iune with our ships for his own County On the Twenty sixth of December at night in the House of one Mr. â— la Noy an Hamborough Merchant who had lately married Sir Thomas Allâ—â— Daughter of Middlesex being now with Child as the Family were in Bed a suddain fire without breaking out into the Street which was the new Buildings in Loathbury where others stood or being discerned suddenly consumed all that were within goods and all the Chambers and Goods being all burnt from top to bottom and not a shreik or cry heard it being supposed the greenness of the Timber smoking more vehemently at the eruption of the fire instantly smothered them A very sad and much-lamented providence seven being reckoned that were killed in this manner The fire was perceived at last by the heat it caused in the next House but the Bricks and the shutters in the Windows kept it from breaking out Notwithstanding the inhibition to Non-conforming Ministers to Preach or Exercise their Ministry and the penalties thereof yet Mr. Calamy late Pastor of Aldermanbury by reason the Parish was disappointed on Sunday the Twenty eighth of December by a blind old Minister that should have Preached there as he pretended went into the Pulpit and Preached and by his Text and Sermon and Inferences did reflect hardly and strangely upon the state of the Church and beyond his Last if he had been also capacitated to Preach For this Transgression and Contempt he was by Warrant of the Lord Mayor committed to Newgate where many persons came to visit him to his no little advantage but within two or three days was by his Majesties gracious Clemency and his Order discharged from this Imprisonment though it were an Offence done as it were to affront that tenderness held forth in His Majesties Declaration aforesaid The Bishop of Lincoln the famous Casuist Dr. Sanderson died in the middle of Ianuary as many of that Function had preceded him since the King's Restitution and left his See to the Lord Bishop of Peterborough Dr. Laney The Lord Warreston a Committee of Safety-man and infamous for his Treason in Scotland and a Fugitive there being Proclaimed Rebel and Traytor was taken and secured in France and sent over hither where he was Committed by his Majesties Order to the Tower in order to his sending for Scotland from thence Gibs the Brother of the aforesaid Nathanael who fled and was lately retaken was sent to the Sessions at the Old Baily February the Twentieth and with the before-mentioned Baker Condemned for the same former Treason and both Executed at Tyburn in like manner The Nineteenth of February the Parliament met where the King took notice of his said Declaration of the Twenty sixth of December wherein he cleared himself of any mistakes as favouring Popery though he acknowledged the Services of many of that Profession yet he was so far from Tolerating or qualifying them thereby to hold any Office or places of Trust in the Government that he desired Laws might be made to hinder the growth of their Doctrine That his Zeal to the Protestant Religion and Uniformity shall not yield to the Bishops themselves and yet if the Dissenters will demean themselves peaceably and modestly under the Government he could heartily wish He had such a Power of Indulgence to use upon occasions as might not needlesly force them out of the Kingdome or staying here give them Cause to Conspire against the Peace of it In Answer to this His Majesties Explanation of Himself and his Declaration of the Twenty sixth of December the House of Commons distinctly and separately to every particular thereof gave His Majesty their most humble Thanks withal by their Votes and Addresses to him Vindicating their settlement of Religion in the antient Form Discipline and Government thereof from the Calumny and danger of Schism and promised to Assert it with their Lives and Estates as their particular and Parliamentary Honour which Resolutions and Reasons being of so recent Date and the Answer of the King not yet given thereunto which out-measures the time of this Chronicle I do remit to another unwearied and unperplexed Pen. Scotland in a most Peaceful state and condition and the Kingdome of Ireland in a tendency thereunto but through so many variations and vicissitudes of Domination and propriety the Lands thereof had passed that it was not imaginable the total subversion thereof by the Rebellion of both Parties there the Irish and Long Parliament could devolve things into any presumed security it having been the first and last Stage of the War sed Tucro Duce Auspice Tucro But the Eminence and Prudence of this Lord Lieutenant the most noble
room But now to take the charge from-both the Lord Roberts arrives at Dublin Upon the news of this change the Lord Mayor and Aldermen the Provost of the Colledge the Dean of Christ-Church and most of the Clergy attended the Lord Ossory where the one acknowledged the many benefits which the City had received from the Government of his Father and himself the other the many benefits which the Church had enjoy'd as well by their good Examples as by the plentiful provision made them by the Clergy The reception of the new Lord-Deputy was intended to have been made with much State and Solemnity but he waving those publick Honours met the Lord-Deputy and the Council at the Council-Chamber the same Evening after his arrival where after he had taken the usual Oath the Lord-Deputy deliver'd him the Sword He was no fooner enter'd upon his Government but he issu'd out a Proclamation commanding all Governors and Officers to repair to their several Charges and Duties not admitting any dispâ—nsation to the contrary London had long layn in Ashes and the Confluence of all the World had been as long confin'd within the narrow limits of a Colledge-Court but now again the Merchants to their great satisfaction and the lasting Merits of Sir William Turner then Lord Mayor whose indâ—â—aâ—igable paâ—â— and zeal was Eminent in advancing and forwarding so great a Work met in the Royal Exchange a Fabrick equal to the Honour of the Undertakers and holding a true proportion with the rest of the Goodly Buildings of the Reviving City But now men began to listen after things a higher Nature seeing both Houses of Parliament again Assembled upon the 19th of October The King in a Speech acquainted them With his joy to see them at that time and the hopes he had of a happy meeting which he promis'd himself from the great experience he had of their Affection and Loyalty of which he did not doubt the Continuance briefly minding them of his Debts which though pressing he was unwilling to call for their Assistance till this time acquainâ—ing them also that what they last gave was wholly apply'd to the Navy and to the Extraordinary Fleet for which it was intended desiring they would now take his Debts effectually into their Consideration Afterwards hinting to them a Proposal of great Importance concerning the Vniting of England and Scotland which because it requir'd some length he left that and some other things to the Lord Keeper to open more fully which was by him done and then both Houses Adjourn'd At the beginning of November both Houses in pursuance of a Vote which they had made attended the King in the Banqueting House where the Lord Chief Justice Vaughan supplying the Room of the Lord Keeper in the name of both Houses return'd their Humble Thanks to the King for his Care of the Publick in Issuing out his Proclamation for the suppressing of Conventicles Humbly desiring his Majesty to continue the same care for the future In Reply to which his Majesty return'd an Answer to the satisfaction of both Houses But now Christmas drawing near and having sate above a Month without effecting any thing of consequence the Lords sent the Usher of the Black-Rod to the House of Commons to tell them That by Vertue of the King's Commission they desird their Attendance who Attending accordingly with their Speaker the Commission was read and the Parliament Prorogu'd till the 24th of February next ensuing At the same time that the Parliament of England sate at Westminster the Parliament of Scotland sate at Edenburgh where the Earl of Lauderdale having taken the Chair of State as Lord Commissioner of Scotland the Earls Commission was first read and then the doubtful Elections of Members refer'd to Examination That done the Kings Letter to the Parliament was twice read seconded by a shorter from the Lord Chancellor perswading them to a concurrence with the King in his Design of Uniting the Two Kingdoms Then they proceeded to Elect the Lords of the Articles the Bishops choosing Eight Bishops and those Eight Eight of the Nobility and these Sixteen making choice of Eight Knights and as many Burgesses by whom all Affairs were to be prepar'd for the House During this Session they Publish'd an Act for the Naturalization of Strangers within the Kingdom of Scotland Declaring that all Strangers of the Protestant Religion that should think fit to bring their Estates into the said Kingdom or should come to set up new Works and Manufactures therein should be Naturaliz'd as Native-Born Subjects of that Kingdom to all intents and purposes The King farther Declaring That upon application by such Strangers made to him he would grant them the free and publick use of their Religion in their own Language and the Libertie of having Churches of their own However no persons were to have the benefit of the said Act till first by Petition to the Lords of the Privy-Council containing an exact designation of their Names and places of Birth and former residences and that tâ—ey be of the Protâ—stant Religion They also made another Act asserting his Majesty's Supremacy over all persons and in all Causes Ecclesiastical By Sea little was this Year done only Sir Thomas Allen being again sent with a Squadron of Ships about the beginning of August came before Argier and sending in his Boat began to Treat they in Argier seem'd willing to make restitution of such Money as they had taken from an English ship bound for the East-Indies but not agreeing to some other demands the Treaty prov'd ineffectual thereupon he began actual Hostility seizing a Bark laden with Corn which rode in the Bay with eleven Moors and a Brigantine which he took in view of the Town From hence having done little or nothing else considerable he set sail for Tripoly the Bashaw of which place sent him an assurance of his readyness to prâ—serve Peace and a good Correspondence with the King of Great Britain And after a short crusing up and down in those Seas he return'd for Cadiz where this Year leaves him But being now so neer the English Territories at Tangier the King of England's Embassador Mr. Henry Howard must not be forgot who being sent by the King his Embassador Extraordinary to the Emperour of Morocco at that time Taffalette by vertue of his new Conquests was now arriv'd at Tangier but understanding the danger of hazarding his person among those Barbarians stay'd at that place expecting a sufficient strength to convoy and conduct him to his place of Audience In November he receiv'd his Safe-Conduct with an assurance from the Emperour that he should not fail of receiving all satisfaction in order to whatsoever he should desire for his security and that he had already caus'd Justice to be done to such as were found guilty of giving any affronts to his people And true it was that he caus'd all the English which were taken by the
Windsor castle Th. Andrews Anth. Stapely Th. Horton Recruit to the Long Parl. John Fry a Yeoman of Dorsetshire an Arrian Thom. Hammond Bâ—other to Dr. Hammond the Kings Iaylor Isaac Pennington Lord Mayor of London Simon Meyne of Buckinghamshire died in the Tower Sir Hardress Waller a Souldier of Fortune Will Hâ—veningham Esq 〈◊〉 antient Family in Suffolk Henry Marten Owen Row a Silk-man of London Augustine Garland a person relating to the Law Henry Smith one of the Six Clerks in Chancery Robert Titchbourn Lord Mayor of London George Fleetwood James Temple Thomas Wait. Peter Temple a London Linneâ—-draper Bâ—â—gesâ— for Leicester Robert Lilburn Brother to John Lilburn Gilbert Millington a Lawyer Vincent Potter an upstart Member John Downs a Citizen of London and a Colonel Thomas Wogan an obscure person John Lisle a Gentleman and Lawyer President of several High Courts of Iustice. Will. Say Esq. a Lawyer and Deputy-speaker of the House of Commons Valentine Walton Brother in law to Cromwel and Governour of Lyn. Edward Whaley a Wollen-draper his Family of Nottinghamshire a good souldier Edm. Ludlow the son of a Traytor a daring souldier Sir Michael Livesey of Kent John Hewson a Shoo-maker dead in Exile a bold Commander Will. Goffe a Salters Apprentice and a bold Commander Cor. Holland a servant to Sir Hen. Vane Thomas Challoner a great speech-maker against the K. Will. Cawley a Brewer of Chichester Nic. Love son to Dr. Love of Winchester John Dixwel Governour of Dover Castle Daniel Blagrave a recruit for Reading Daniel Broughton a Clerk Edward Dendy Serjeant at Arms. John Hutchison fined Francis Lassels fined Lord Munson Ja Challoner Esq. Sir Hen. Mildmay Ro. Wallop Esq. Sir Ja Harrington and John Phelps their Estates Forfeited drawn to Tyburn and Imprisoned during life The High Court of Iustice sits Jan. 20. A crimson Velvet-chair and Cushion for the President Silence made the Hall-gate set open Col. Thomlinson commanded to bring his prisoner He is brought to the Bar a chair of crimson-Velvet set for him Silence made the Act for the Tryal of Charles Stuart King of England read The Names of the Commissioners read The Presidens speech to the King Cook Solicitor-General offers to speak is forbid by the King He proceeds The Charge read President demands the Kings Answer His Majesty refuseth to Answer and disowns the Authority of the Court. Proves his Title to the Crown by succession not Election Is prevented by the Presidents insolent rebukes Who urgeth for an Answer The King still refuseth demanding their Authority The President answers their Authority is Gods and the Kingdoms The Court riseth The head of the Kings staff falls down â—e stoops and takes it up Some cry God save the King others Iustice and Execution by Axtels directions The Court sits the King comes in the people shout Solicitor moves for the Kings Answer President insists upon it His Majesty still denies the Authority of the Court. Refuseth to plead and offers to shâ—w his Reasons Here the King would have delivered his Reasons but was not suffered His Majesty presseth to shew his Reasons but cannot be permitted He desires to Demur He is over-ruled by the Court and Interrupted The Cleâ—k reâ—d The Guards charged to take away their Prisoner The Court order the default and contempt to be Recorded The King guarded to Sir Ro. Cottons The Court adjourns The Court sits again The King comes The Sollicitor moves the Court for Iudgement The Presidents speech in behalf of the Court he demands a positive answer from the King His Majesty desires to speak for the Liberties of the people but is not permitted till he gives his Answer to Guilty or not Guilty 〈…〉 to give any particular answer desires 〈◊〉 to shew his Reasons is interrupted again and again The Clerk reads His Majesty justifies his proceedings and refuseth to Answer to the Charge The Guards ordered to take charge of their Prisoner The King goes forth and the Court adjourns His Majesties Reasons against the Iurisdiction of the Court which be intended to speak in Court but was hindered No proceeding just but what is warranted by the Laws of God or man No Impeachment can lie against the King The House of Commons cannot erect a Court of Iudicature Nor are the Membeâ—â— of this House Coâ—â—issioned by the people of England The Priviledges oâ—â—aâ—liameâ—t Violated The higher House excluded and the major part of the lower deterred from sitting The frame of Government chaâ—ged The Court sits Silence commanded The King comes the souldiers cry for Iustice. His Majesty desires to be heard but not permitted The Court withdraws Serejant at Arms withdraws the King The Court returns resolving to proceed The King brought into the Court he urgeth to be heard and adviseth the Court against a haâ—ty Iudgement The Presidents speech in defence of the Courts proceedings His Majesty is interrupted Silence commanded the Sentence read The Charge read The King required to give his Answer he refuseth The King guarded awaâ— He is abused by the Souldiers disturbed in his Devotions His admirable patience He desires to see his Children and Doctor Juxon The King tempted with new Proposals from some Grandees of the Army B. Juxon preacheth before him at Saint James ' s. His Maj. giveth his Blessing to the Duke of Gloucester and the Lady Elizabeth His pious advice to them The Duke of Gloucester 's reply The Lady Elizabeths Relation of what passed between his Majesty and her He adviseth her to read Bp. Andrew 's Sermons Hookers Policy and Bp. Laud against Fisher. A Committee appointed to consider of the time and place for Execution They agree upon the open street before White-hall the morrow following The Waâ—raâ—â— for the Kings Exâ—â—utâ—â—â— Sigâ—â—d by Joh. Bradshaw Tho Gray Ol. Cromwel 〈◊〉 to Col. Fâ— Hacker 〈◊〉 Hunks anâ— Liâ—â— Coâ—oâ—el â—hray Factious Ministers appointed to attend the King he refuseth to confer with them Bp. of London readeth prayers to him and administers the Sacrament The King brought to White-hall Mr. Seymor presents his Majesty with a Letter from the Prince The Kings friends â—arbarously uâ—â—d Engines to force the King 〈…〉 had â—â—sâ—ted His Majesty had â—ot spoâ—en bâ—t that â—therwise he might be thought to submit to the guilt Hâ— began not 〈◊〉 War spanâ— Hoâ—sâ—s His Majesâ—y lays not the 〈…〉 the two 〈◊〉 iâ—l â—â—struments the cauâ—e of it 〈…〉 Sentence puâ—â—shed with another His Majesty forgives all the world evâ—â— the caâ—sers 〈◊〉 his death 〈…〉 waâ— to Pâ—ace Conquest an ill way seldom 〈◊〉 To give God his due and the Kâ—ng his 〈◊〉 is the right way Give God his due in setâ—ing the Church As to the King it concerning 〈◊〉 hiâ— Majesty â—aves it Peoples Liberty consiâ—â—s in having Government not sâ—aring in it His Majesty the Martyr of the People His Majestie deâ—â—ares hâ—s Râ—ligioâ— * Afterwards Sir William Clerk The King makes ready for Execution Dr. Juxon comforts him It is known for to give it the Prince His Majesty
uncertainty of the Kings intentions in the matters declared The Marquess Hamilton being arrived at London gave the King an account of the whole business and according to his new instructions returned back again by their appointed time the 15 th of August 1638. and entred presently into a Treaty with them about the manner of calling the General Assembly which they would not hear of but that a General Assembly should be immediately called and of the due Elections thereto when they were met themselves should be the judge For otherwise there would of necessity be some prelimitations which the freedom thereof might not suffer Upon this Emergency all things growing worse and worse the Marquess was forced upon another journey to consult the King the Covenanters concluding that if he returned not before the 21 of September they would of themselves Indict this Convention who concluded of giving that Kingdom the utmost satisfaction and with a Commission to summon this Assembly returned But the day after the Covenanters contrary to promise made an Election in one of the Presbyteries Adjacent of themselves whereas throughout the Kingdom according to the directions of the Tables Lay-Elders and Ministers were chosen together a thing never seen before in that Kingdom This Assembly the Source of those calamities which afterwards embroyl'd and enslaved that Nation was held at the City and University of Glasgow in November 1638. in which they so carried and packt the Elections that there was scarce one Dissenter from those Resolutions they had profest in their Covenant The Bishops were Totally excluded from sitting or voting therein but were cited to compeer as offenders and answer their charge Against these proceedings and the illegality of the constitution of this Assembly they first protested and tendered their reasons but they would not be admitted for such so that the Lord Commissioner seeing no hope of Justice Law or Reason or Loyalty taking place there at seven days end dissolved them by a Proclamation which they took no further notice of then only by opposing another Protestation wherein they declared that the Assembly ought not to be nor was as dissolved until such time as those ends so often before expressed were fully attained and so proceeded in their Session Strange and desperate was the Pride of this Assembly far beyond the Popes infallible Councils taking upon them to be the Supreme Judicatory on earth above all Laws and Parliaments and King himself as Christs Council and that if the Judges and other Ministers of State should not obey their Commandment they might proceed to sentence of Excommunication against them Which was effectually put in practice afterwards against the Bishops and their adherents before they armed themselves otherwise against their Soveraign Yet notwithstanding they did pretend that the King should he be satisfied of the equity and lenity of their proceedings would no doubt comply with them in the matters they Petitioned for which more exasperated his Majesty than all the Violations and Usurpations of his Authority The Earl of Arguile who had hitherto kept fair with the King and was one of his Privy Council there now owned the Covenanters and professed his adherence to their cause It is believed he was one of the first that stirred in this unfortunate business and that therefore the better to satisfie him the King after the first Pacification made him a Marquess More certain it is he was the last that suffered in it as in the conclusion of this Chronicle will appear I have insisted the longer on this story because the general Commotions that followed it ran almost the same parallel in their respective commencements in the three Kingdoms and to shew that neither prudence nor arms both which were seasonably applyed could stop or prevent those judgements of Confusion and Ruine which soon after ensued this Tragical Prologue in a miserable catastrophe For the Scots presently began to arm having first sent to the French King craving his aid and assistance which was readily proffered them by Cardinal Richlieu his chief Minister of State who was supposed to have fomented the quarrel from the very beginning to quit scores with the King of England for siding with the Rochellers in the beginning of his Raign But before any blood was drawn came over the Queen-Mother whom the generality of the people took for a Prognostick or ill Omen of a War or some Rupture approaching Many scandals were raised against the King for her admission hither but all things were gone too far beyond the contribution of her advice to make her guilty of our troubles However she seemed the Comet that did portend and foretel them the like Commotions having happened for some years past in the places of her residence The Scots towards the end of the year 1638 had gotten together a competent Army raised by the Authority and Ordinance of the aforesaid Assembly for the pretended defence of the Kingdom its Religion and Laws Nor did the King neglect the affairs of that Kingdom but was arming here in England with all the speed his Purse would afford which was then in a low ebb Yet by the Loans of the Nobility Gentry and Clergy he had raised a gallant Army with which he marched towards the borders Over this Army the Earl of Arundel was made General the Earl of Essex Lieutenant-General of the Foot and the Earl of Holland Lieutenant-General of the horse A Fleet also was rigged and well manned and set to Sea under the command of the aforesaid Marquess Hamilton which soon after came to an Anchor in the Frith neer Edinburgh The King being thus in readiness Emitted another Declaration wherein he taxed the Scots with several rebellious Libels for their Protestations against his commands for usurping his Authority and for refusing the Oath of Allegiance and Supremacy upon account of their having taken the Covenant reiterates his resolutions of maintaining Episcopacy in that Kingdom and lays the blood if any were spilt in that quarrel upon themselves as Rebels whom he ought not longer to suffer to proceed in those undutiful and destructive courses but hoped to reduce to their former and due Obedience To which the 22 of March the said Assembly reply by an Ordinance wherein after expostulating the Kings Declaration they curse themselves if they intend any harm to England concluding their War to be meerly defensive and grounded upon the natural and Civil Law Anno Dom. 1639. THe King set forward with his Army and in April came to York and in May to Barwick where both Armies came in view one of another When the King was at York the Earls of Roxborough and Traquair two formerly of his Council and Officers of State came to him as Commissioners from the Covenanters under pretence of Treating with the King who wanting their due Commission and being suspected to have been sent on an errand purposely to tamper with the
Council attending him at York and declares that he will not require any obedience from them but by the Laws of the Land charging them not to yeild obedience to any commands illegally imposed by others and that he will defend them and all others from the Votes of Parliament Lastly that he will not engage them in any War against the Parliament except for necessary defence against such as invade him or them Then came out his general Declaration where after he had fully unmasqued the pretences of the Parliament in their project of Liberty and Religion he excites all his loving subjects according to their Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy to contribute their aid and assistance for the opposing and suppressing those Trayterous attempts of such persons as would destroy his Person Honour and Estate and engage the Kingdom in a Civil War Dâ—claring that whoever shall bring unto him Money or Ammunition Horse and Arms for his or the publique defence shall receive 8 l. per centum interest to be assured out of his Forrest-Lands Parks and Houses And then issues out a Proclamation shewing the Legality of his Commissions of Array To all these the Parliament respectively answer justifie their proceedings and promise to use the money advanced for the Irish service according to the first designation of it though herein they failed abundantly converting the most part of it to their own use and necessities Though the Parliament was intent on the business of levying Arms yet several Patriots of both Houses did what they could to perswade to an accommodation amongst whom Sir Benjamin Rudyard was one of the chief who all along warned them of the miseries of a Civil War and what a shame it would be to them in after-times and so consequently to all Parliaments if when the King had condescended so far they should proceed to the effusion of blood upon so unnecessary a quarrel He dyed soon after the first blood was drawn and that speech of his on his death-bed is very remarkable Mr. Pym and Mr. Hambden the Grandees of the then Faction told me saith he That they thought the King so ill beloved by his Subjects that he could never be able to raise an Army to oppose them Which mistake of theirs cost many thousand lives On the contrary also many elaborate vehement Speeches were made by Mr. Pym and other Grandees to encourage the Citizens to stand fast to the interest of the Parliament and the City was not wayward to such councels Isaac Penington was Mayor a busie stickler of the Faction and many of the Court of Aldermen were little better affected the Common Council were generally of the same temper and indeed the greatest number of the people inhabiting the said City were alike disposed Now the Militia was on foot every where the Parliaments Cause had the precedency of affection their Ordinances being obeyed like Acts wherefore the King prohibited by Proclamation any Leviâ—s or Musters of his Subjects any where in England without his command and sets on foot his Commission of Array which the Parliament likewise inhibit to be obeyed any where but neither of them signified any thing to those that were bent and inclined to each Cause so that the preparations for War both of Men Horse Money and Arms went on very fast especially on the Parliaments side at London where all persons of all ages and Sexes contribute so excessively to the furtherance of the War that the sum which it amounted unto is almost incredible This money was borrowed upon the credit of the PVBLIQVE FAITH by an Ordinance of Parliament a name much adored then and as much contemned and hated afterwards The King finding how the pulse of these distracted Kingdoms did beat giving symptoms of some violent disease and distemper approaching redoubled his instances to the Houses for peace adjuring them to prevent that blood-shâ—d now so threatning and imminenâ— and they regâ—st the like entreaties and â—â—â—â—â—stations upon him but not bating an ace or receding a tittle from theâ—r 〈◊〉 Demands so that there was no hopes or likelihood of a Pacification Nor wanted there Artifices to uphold and maintain this Credit and Autho◠〈◊〉 which the Parliament had gained over the City their Purses and Affections they were told and that in solemn Assemblies that the evil Counsellors about the King intended the abrogation of their Cities Charter and if they prevailed would expose their Wives and Children to Rapine Violence and Villany and the wealth and riches of the City a prey to desperate and necessitous persons All which while they continued in the Parliaments protection they should have no cause to fear With these preparatory discourses and incentives the War was presently ushered in nay the Citizens were ready to court it as the certainest way of safety Add we also the encouragements of the Ministers of London to the other incitations who were so violent in their crying up the Cause that even meer Children became Volunteers forsook their Parents and followed the Camp Thither also are we now come For from the Kings leaving his Court at York with an intent to encourage his party in the Commission of Array and stitle the Ordinance of the Militia we cannot call his removes a Progress but Expedition and indeed it was a perfect War levyed though at such distances that the twilight of peace was preserved only by his hovering neer the Solstice of his Kingdom the midland without engaging the confines of their Association which if he had done speedily it is probable we had not seen that night of confusion that followed in his setting and declination His Majesty therefore having again called the Gentry of York together at rendezvous protested his unwillingless as well as unprovidedness for a War desiring if he should be thereunto compelled their assistance in the maintaining his most just Cause and then departed for Lincolnshire to Newark whither he had sent before his Letters Mandatory to my Lord Willoughby of Parham charging him to desist from raising levying or exercising any forces within that County by vertue of his Commission from the Parliament wherein nevertheless he had proceeded Here the King convened the Gentlemen of this County and made to them the like Protestations and having received some small supplies returned back again to York At the same time the Parliament were listing men apace and appointing their General and the Superior Officers of the Army His Majesty about this time meeting with some oppositions from the Earl of Stamford Lord-Lieutenant of Leicestershire for the Parliament was pleased to proclaim the said Earl and his adherents Traytors to the great dissatisfaction of the Parliament On the other side Insurrections happening in Essex the Parliament send down Sir Thomas Barrington and Mr. Grymstone to quell their Tumults where they seize Sir Iohn Lucas and his Lady at Colchester commit them to the Goale send his
hitherto been or how small his hopes considering the high strain of those who deal with his Majesty yet he will not want Fatherly Bowels to his Subjects nor will he forget that God hath appointed him for their King with whom he treats At His Court at Oxford January 17. 1645. This was well resented by the House of Peers but the averse Commons would hear them no more at their Conference than the Kings Messages wherefore the King plies them again with a large Message wherein he shows tha reasonableness and necessity of his desires for a Treaty His Majesty being resolved not to desist though his discouragements be never so many and great from his endeavours after Peace till he see it altogether impossible thinks fit to make this Answer to the Objections of his two Houses in their Answer of the thirteenth instant against his coming to Westminster expecting still a Reply to his Messages of the fifteenth and the seventeenth which he hopes by this time have begotten better thoughts and resolutions in the Members of both Houses And first as to the innocent blood spilt he will not dispute who was the Author of it but rather presseth there should be no more it being no Argument to say There shall be no such Personal Treaty because there have been Wars it being a strong inducement to have such a Treaty to put an end to them As to the next Objection of the assistance he had from some of his Irish Subjects he saith they are Protestants who were formerly sâ—nt thither by the two Houses and impossibilitated to stay there longer by the neglect of those who sent them thither who should have better provided for them And that for Forraign Forces their Armies have swarmed with them when his Majesty had few or none Thirdly to the Princes heading an Army in the West that there are divers Garrisons yet standing for him and Forces likewise in Scotland it must be as much confessed that as yet there is no Peace and therefore is this Treaty required But his Majesty desires it may be remembred how long since he hath pressed the disbanding of all Forces the refusing whereof hath been the Cause of this Objection As to the time of fourty days limited for the Treaty whereupon they infer that he would again return to Hâ—stility his Majesty protesteth the sincerity of those resolutions he bringeth with him for Peace which if they meet with the like inclinations from them will end all these unhappy bloody differences To his requiring those engagements of the City c. for his security whosoever will call to mind the particular occasions that enforced his Majesty to leave his Cities of London and Westminster they will not think his demands unreasonable But he no way conceiveth how the Lord Mayor Aldermen Common Council and Militia of London were either subject or subordinate to their Authority there being neither Law nor practice for it and so not to be parallel'd That the breach of priviledge they mention is more likely to be infringed by hindering his Majesty from this Treaty As for Scotland and their Religion and securing the peace his Majesty conceives it was included in his former Messages particularly that of the fifteenth but his sincere meaning and endeavours are after it as he new expresseth himself for their better satisfaction Lastly he saith that there is but two ways of finally ending these distractions either by Treaty or Conquest The latter of which his Majesty hopes none will have either the impudence or impiety to wish for and for the former no better Expedient can be in the managing thereof than by his Personal assistance in it before which no Propositions can be effectual which will remove all unnecessary delays and make the greatest difficulties easie Wherefore his Majesty who is most concerned in the good of his people doth again desire a speedy Answer Amidst these importunities the King was not less sollicitous and instant at the High Court of Heaven having commanded a general Fast in Oxford upon Fryday weekly according to the laudable example of the Primitive Christians in which devotions another unhappy Cavil was raised against him by the intercepting or discovering of his Commission to the Earl of Glamorgan the Marquess of Worcester's Son impowering him to treat with the Irish for which he was afterwards impeached by the Lord Digby charged on suspicion of high Treason and imprisoned for a while but soon after set at liberty as having concluded a Peace against the Honour and Dignity of his Majesty and to his great scandal with his English Subjects of which said Transactions to wipe off the imputation laid on him thereby he gives this account to his two Houses And the words of this Prince are of such unquâ—stionable credit and veracity that this affair needs no other defencâ— which was this having intermingled therewith and subjoyned his former dâ—sires for a Personal Treaty His Majesty having received infâ—rmation from the Lord-Lieutenant and Council in Ireland that the Earl of Glamorgan hath without his or their directions or privity entred into a Treaty with some Commissioners on the Romane Catholique party there and also agreed unto certain Artiâ—les highly derogatory to his Majesties honour and Royal dignity and prejudicial to the Protestant Religion there whereupon the said Earl is arrested c. hath thought fit to give this relation thereof to shew how contrary it was to his Majesties intention and directions the Earls Commission being onely to raise Forces in that Kingdom and to conduct them into this for his Majesties service and not to treat about any thing else much less about Religion or any propriety belonging to their Church or Laity That what the Earl did there came to his knowledge meerly by accident protesting that until the news of the said Earls restraint he had no notice of any Capitulation with those Rebels so destructive to Church and State and repugnant to his Majesties publique professions That therefore he is so far from considering any of those Articles framed as aforesaid that he doth absolutely disown the said Earl therein having given order to his Lieutenant there the Marquess of Oâ—mond to proceed against the said Earl as one who either out of falseness presumption or folly hath hazarded the blemishing of his Majesties reputation of his own head c. But true it is that for the necessary preservation of his Majesties Protestant Subjects in Ireland whose case was dayly represented unto him to be desperate his Majesty had given a Commission to his Lieutenant to treat and conclude such a Peace there as might be for the safety of that Crown c. And yet if the Houses will admit of a personal Treaty with him at London and will send him a Pass or Safe-Conduct for a Messenger to be sent immediately to Ireland he will dispatch one thither to prevent any accident that may hinder his Majesties Resolution of leaving the Manage of the
Aug. 7. Your Lordships humble servant THO. FAIRFAX To which the Marquess Answered thus SIR ALthough my infirmities might justly claim priviledge in so sudden an Answer yet because you desire it and I not willing to delay your time to your Letter of Summons to deliver up my house and the onely house now in my possession to cover my head in These are to let you know that if you did understand the condition I am in I dare say out of your Judgment you would not think it a reasonable demand I am loth to be the Author of mine own Ruine on both sides and therefore desire to have leave to send to his Majesty to know his pleasure what he will have done with his Garrison As for my house I presume he will command nothing neither know I how either by Law or Conscience I should be forced out of it To this I desire your return and rest Your Excellencies humble Servant H. WORCESTER To which the General replyed that for sending to his Majestie it had been denyed to the most considerable Garrison in England further than an account of the thing done upon the Surrender which he offered that for the destruction of his Lordships house and Garrison he should not have troubled his Lordship were it disgarrisoned And repeats inconveniences upon a refusal To this the Marquess answers that he hath twenty thousand pounds due from the King lent out of his Purse it is believed the Loyal Noble Marquess might have said four times as much being the richest and freest Subject the King had which would be lost if he in this matter should displease him alledges his familiarity with Sir Thomas his Grandfather in Henry Earl of Huntingtons time President of the North for whose sake he supposeth were it known to him the General would do what safe courtesie he could Desires if he might have his Means and be at quiet by the Parliaments approbation and not vexed with the malice of the Committees of that County to be quit of the Garrison and to that purpose expects what Conditions he will give The General returns that he will give such as shall be fit and satisfactory for the Souldiers to his Lordship and Family all security and quiet from any that belongs to him note that the Marquess was then excepted out of Pardon he will interpose betwixt his Lordship and the Committees that they shall do nothing without order from the Parliament to whom he hath liberty to send and from whom upon a present Surrender and submission to their Mercy and Favour he may presume on better Terms than if he stand to extremity Proposeth the sad example of the Marquess of Winchester who lost all by the same resolution For the twenty thousand pounds he may send to the King at the same time with an account of the Surrender The Marquess rejoyns and desires to be satisfied whether if any conclusion shall be made he shall afterwards be left to the mercy of the Parliament for alteration at their Wills and pleasures and cites to that purpose the Earl of Shrewsburies case and divers others whose Conditions were broken He knows that by the Generals Will and Consent it should never be but Souldiers are unruly and the Parliament Vnquestionable and therefore desires Pardon for his just cause of Fear This was Answered by Sir Thomas that what he granted he would undertake to make good And as to the instance of the Lord of Shrewsbury the Actors in that breach who were none of his Army have received their Censure and by this time he believes Execution The first result between them was at the desire of the Marquess a Cessation for six hours but nothing being concluded on the Army proceeded in their Approaches which were cast up within sixty yards of their Works when the Marquess was induced and perswaded by them within to come to a Capitulation which was in effect the same with others And on the 19 of August the Castle was Surrendred according to Agreement into which the General entred and had some speech with the Marquess and so back again to Bath There marched out besides the Marquess who cast himself wholly upon the mercy of the Parliament the Lord Charley his Son the Countess of Glamorgan Sir Philip Iones Doctor Bayly a Commissary 4 Colonels 82 Captains 16 Lieutenants 6 Cornets 4 Ensigns 4 Quarter-masters 52 Esquires and Gentlemen as by the Catalogue of them taken by the Advocate of the Army appeared I do not wonder the gallant Marquess was so loth to part with his house for not long after and 't is presumed from some thought sadness and trouble of minde of being forced from this his Castle and exposed to the fury of his Enemies he departed this life A man of very great Parts and becoming his Honours of great Fortitude of mind either Actively or Passively and to whom the King was much beholden He was nevertheless better at his Pen than the Sword and a great deal happier for he hath used that with rare success as some of his Works in print viz his Apophthegms and Discourses and Disputes with his Majesty concerning Religion do abundantly demonstrate He lived â—o see himself undone and a most plentiful estate spoyled and Ruined but anticipated and fore-ran that of the Kingdom which soon after followed Conway-Castle was taken by storm by Forces under Major-General Mitton to whom Sir Thomas Fairfax would have spared some Forces but he would have no partakers of his Trophies but those men he had raised himself and hitherto kept as a distinct Body pretending he had more men than money to pay them He also took in Carnarvan-Castle seconded by Major-General Laugborn his Country-man being delivered upon good Articles by the Lord Byron who had before so stoutly maintained Chester Ludlow was likewise delivered and Litchfield-Close to Sir William Brereton Borstal-house by Sir Charles Campian slain after at Colchester together with Gothâ—ridge So that the Pen is quite worn out with scribling of Articles and desires to be excused from further particulars Onely we may not omit Pendennis-Castle and Mount Michael in Cornwal taken during the siege of Exeter by Colonel Hammond which stood out still by the resolution and Loyalty of a right Noble Gentleman of that County Iohn Arundel of Treacise Esquire the Governour it had been blockt up by Land by Colonel Richard Fortescue and by Vice-Admiral Batten by Sea ever since the General departed no Summons could prevail without his Majesties special Order to Surrender whom the Governour was very instant to have leave to send to All the deficiency was in Provision and no Relief could enter save two Shallops who got in at the break of day at which time the Parliaments Shallops that in the night-time lay close to the Castle to intercept them drew off for fear of being discovered as they were so neer within the reach of the Cannon The
due to his person the Treasure exhausted and his Revenews eaten up so that there was but one way for his Majesty to turn which he might make hereafter large and convenient enough by a present speedy complyance with his two Houses at Westminster This made the King to look about him and to cast about which way to prevent and eschew this streight in which the baseness of the Scots had thus engaged him A design was therefore thought on of his escape from them but it was presently discovered and the surrender of him the rather expedited for the Scots were such honest dealers that having received their money upon the bargain they would not defeat their Chapmen of their purchase A wretched advantage to either the Scots never thriving after it but being totally at last vassalized and subdued and the Presbyterians in England every day growing less and less till they were swallowed up in the Anarchy and Medly of the following times and benighted in the succeeding confusions and Schisms We will leave the King thus in the Ballance between England and Scotland and cross over to Ireland of which little mention hath been yet made but shall now be remembred in its own series In the first four months of that Rebellion no less than 150000 Men Women and Children were Massacred there by the Irish Rebels an account whereof hath been published taken by the Rebels themselves lest they should have seemed more Cruel and Barbarous than indeed they were Some of these Murders were committed by old English Families Grafted upon Irish stocks and thereby became Roman-Catholicks such as were the Lords of the Pale who openly sided with the Irish and were their Chief Officers and Leaders The Earl of Leicester had been appointed Lord Deputy and he hastned thither but some difficulties intervening he by Commission appointed the Earl afterwards Marquess then Duke of Ormond to be his Lieutenant-General in that service who after many successful Encounters with the Irish whose numbers maintained the War more than their Valour though raised by the greatest incentive imaginable Natural desire of Libertie from the pressing Calamities of the Protestants there and the urgency of his Majesties affairs in England had concluded a Cessation by order of the King in 1643. Notwithstanding the Parliament-party and the Scots still carried on the War And to shew the Irish what they should trust to the Parliament in 1644 had Arraigned Mac Mahon and the Lord Macquire who a little before had broke out of Prison and after a months hiding were taken at the Kings-Bench Bar where Macquire insisted mainly on his Peerage but was over-ruled and both by a Jury of Middlesex-Gentlemen found guilty and sentenced for High-Treason for which soon after they were Executed as Traytors at Tyburn The Lord Inchiquin and the Lord Broughil condescended not likewise to this Treaty but with intermixed success stood out against the whole power of the Rebels and were at last greatly distressed To remedy this the Lord Lisle Son to the Earl of Leicester was now ordered to go for Ireland with an Army of 8000 men the Lord Muskerry was likewise General for the Irish in the Southern parts of the Kingdome who took several places of strength in a short time whereupon the Marquess of Ormond proceeded to make that Cessation a kind of Peace it being judged by the Lords of the Council there not onely an expedient for their safety for the Rebels threatned to besiege Dublin but also to divide them against one another the more moderate of them who had some sence of the Kings condition and had not altogether Renounced their Loyalty being for a composure but the Popes Nuncio and the inveterate Irish such as the Family of Oneal and Masquire and generally the Popish Clergy Opposing themselves thereto Notwithstanding it took some effect for the Marquess perceiving that no good could be done at present with the Parliament of England with whom he had Treated for supplies and assistance and had in lieu of it offered the Surrender of the places he held upon conditions to them and the Forces they should send came to agreement with the Rebels there and though the King had by his Letters from Newcastle ordered him not to proceed farther to any conclusion with them according as the Parliament had desired him yet seeing the necessity of falling into the hands of the Rebels or the Parliament and considering that the King when he writ this was in restraint and so his Commands might be dispensed with and that the Kings intention was to be judged better by them who saw the necessity of it upon the place and so not give way to other mens designs and false representations of it to his Majesty received these Propositions for Peace following being signed in November 1646 from the haughty Irish who thought themselves absolute First That the exercise of the Roman Catholick Religion be in Dublin and Drogheda and in the Kingdom of Ireland as free as in Paris or Brussels Secondly That the Council-Table consist of Members true and faithful to his Majesty and who have been enemies to the Parliament Thirdly That Dublin Drogheda Team Newby Cathirly Carlingford and all Protestant Garrisons be manned by the confederate Catholicks to keep the same for the use of the King and defence of the Kingdom Fourthly That the said Counsellours Generals Commanders and Souldiers do swear and engage to fight against the said Parliament of England and all the Kings Enemies and that they will never come to any agreement with them to the prejudice of his Majesties rights or the Kingdoms Fifthly That both parties according to their Oath of Association shall to the best of their power and cunning defend the Fundamental Laws of the Kingdom the Kings rights and liberties of the Subject These the Irish insisted upon and were held in play that they should be granted with such Provisoes as should become the Kings Honour and Conscience of which if that Loyalty they pretended was any way Real they ought not to be less sollicitous than the Marquess and in the mean while the Peace to be as good as Established which indeed by the said moderate party was thenceforward observed as to his Majesties Interest in that Kingdom The Parliament to stop this Agreement a little before dispatcht away the Lord Lisle who weary of his Journey at his setting out was recalled but part of his Army was Transported with whom was Colonel Monck the after Renowned General who being Tampered with and for his Liberty having endured a long Imprisonment in the Tower for the space of three years undertook an Employment for the Parliament in Ireland The Forces shipped from Chester were neer two thousand accompanied with three Commissioners from the Parliament to the Marquess who having offered Dublin upon some Terms which they were to present to his Majesty for him to signe upon non-performance thereof on their part by keeping the Paper from
of those Tumultuaries before they could be quiet and were scarce returned to their seats before they had notice of the approach of the Army who in scorn of the Parliaments Commands of keeping at 30 miles distance were approached to 10 and had appointed a Rendezvouz on Hounsloe-heath This Alarm begot strange and different passions in the Citizens the wealthier sort began to flinch from those resolutions of adhering to their Engagement to save their bags nothing being more vogued among the people than that the City would be plundered as it was given out by some of the Grandees of the Army but the Militaâ—â—â—â—en and those of meaner fortunes seemed to take courage from the nearness of the danger offering to meet it and if the pusillanimity of the Court of Aldermen had not hindred Massey would have given the Army then quartering part of it on this side Braynford a salute or Camisado by that means to make Rupture wide and past the cure of a reconciliation Nevertheless the defensive part from their own concerns they undertook guarding the Works and Fortifications round the City quartering several reserves in whole Regiments in the fields more particularly those parts nearest the Army out of dread of another Wat Tyler or Iack Cade with his Rebel-rout a judgement this famous City hath been more subject to than any City in the World most of which have often suffered by their own intestine divisions but were in fine glad to seek Peace betrayed at their own doors by one Hardwick Colonel of the Southwark Regiment and who then guarded the Works on that side which were opened to Colonel Hewsin by their Commissioners Fouk Gibs and Estwick acceptable men to the Army for they durst not for fear of a dismission re infecta send others then attending the General at Hounsloe The King hears this and to avoid the Scandal of these Uproars which he in prudence did see primarily concern others though they would right or wrong be Loaded upon him emitted this Paper to clear himself from them THere having been many Rumours spread and Informations given which may have induced many to believe that We intend to make War against Our Parliament We profess before God and declare to all the World That We always have and do abhor all such designes and desire all our Nobility and Commoners who are here upon the place to declare whether they have not been witnesses of as frequent and earnest Declarations and Professions to this purpose whether they see any colour of prâ—parations and Counsels that might reasonably beget a belief of any such designe and whether they be not fully perswaded that We have no such intention but that all Our endeavours according to Our many Professions tend to the firm and constant Settlement of the true Protestant Religion the just Priviledges of Parliament the Liberty of the Subject the Law Peace and Prosperity of this Kingdom This even course of the Kings and constancy to himself so well known to the Army made them speak less to the Kings prejudice in the altercation about the priviledges of Parliament of which they now forsooth were the main assertors so that the King as he got nothing lost as little by this brangle between both Parties neither of them having whereon to fasten any cavil on the King in this matter who without medling with their differences further than his own private descants upon them awaited the Issue of Divine Providence The Army therefore the better to proceed and countenance their Rebellion His Majesty and Parliament being made a meer Cypher invite and engage the two Speakers and Fugitive Members to sit in consultation and pass Votes promiscuously with the Council of War in the nature of a Parliament and to Signe an Engagement dated the 4 of August to live and dye with Sir Thomas Fairfax and the Parliament and Army both under his Command affirming therein that generally throughout their sense agrees with the Declaration of Sir Thomas Fairfax and his Council of War which shewed the grounds of their present advance towards the City of London In this Declaration the Council of the Army took upon them also to be the Supream Judges of the Parliament discriminating whom of the two Houses they held for persons in whom the publike trust of the King remained and by whose advice they meant to govern themselves in managing the weighty affairs of the Kingdom They highly resent the late choice of a new Speaker by those Gentlemâ—n at Westminster and say that as things now stand there is no free nor legal Parliament sitting such being through the violence of the 26 of Iuly suspended That the Orders and Votes c. passed the 29 of Iuly last and all such as shall pass in this Assembly of Lords and Gentlemen at Westminster are void and null and ought not to be submitted unto This Remonstrance was the second to a Letter to the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen upbraiding them with the late Tumult as Enemies to the Peace of the Kingdom Treacherous to the Parliament and uitable to secure that or themselves and therefore demanding the City to be put into their hands to which purpose they were then on their way And to brave the City to a surrender their General sends out Warrants to raise the Trained-Bands of the near Counties to march with him against the City and both Houses although such Bands were not under pay of the Parliament and so not under any Command of the General by any Order or Ordinance But armed violence was not to be stopt with Lawyers niceties A Bumkin in a Leather-doublet must be a Red-coat by the same rule that Foxes have Horns This brought the City to the expected submission by which they obtained and thank you too these most dishonourable Conditions That they should yield to desert the Impeached Members call in their Declaration newly published relinquish their Militia deliver up all their Forts and Line of Communication to the Army together with the Tower of London which they had so clamorously and impudently extorted out of the Kings disposal and all the Magazines and Arms therein disband all their Forces and turn all the Reformadoes out of the Line withdraw ail their guards from the Parliament and receive such guards of Horse and Foot within the Line as the Army should appoint to guard them demolish their Works and suffer the whole Army to maâ—ch through their City all which were suddenly and dishonourably yielded to and insolently executed the Souldiers marching in Triumph with Bays in their Hats through all the principal streets of the City boasting of their civil march as a great courtesy when there was men enough if they had offered to Plunder to have â—aten them This envious disdainful Triumph being over the next work was to reseat the Fugitive Members whom the General himself brought to both Houses with a strong party the two Palaces filled with
actions therein The third was An Act whereby all Titles and Honour of Peerage conferred on any since the 20 of May 1642. being the day that the Lord Keeper Littleton deserted the Parliament and carried away the Seal were Declared Void And it was further to be Enacted that no person that shall hereafter be made a Peer or his Heirs shall sit or Vote in the Parliament of England without the consent of both Houses of Parliament The fourth was An Act concerning the Adjournment of both Houses of Parliament whereby it was Declared that when and wither the two Houses shall think fit to Adjourn themselves the said Adjournments shall at all times be valid and good and shall not be judged or deemed to end or determine the Session of this Parliament The Proposals were 1. That the new Seal be Confirmed and the old Great Seal and all things passed under it since May 1642. be made Void 2. That Acts be Passed for raising moneys to pay publike Debts 3. That Members of both Houses put from their places by the King be restored 4. That the Cessation in Ireland be made Void and the War left to both Houses 5. That An Act of Indempuity be passed 6. That the Court of Wards be taken away and such Tenures turned into common Soccage 7. That the Treaties between England and Scotland be confirmed and Conservators of the Peace and Vnion appointed 8. That â—he Arrears of the Army be paid out of Bishops Lands Forfeited Estates and Forrests 9. That An Act be passed for abolishing Bishops and all appendants to them 10. That the Ordinance of disposing Bishops Lands be confirmed by Act. 11. That An Act be passed for the sale of Church-lands 12. That Delinquents be proceeded against and their Estates disposed of according to their several Qualifications 13. That an Act be passed for discharge of publike Debts 14. That Acts be passed for setâ—ling the Presbyterian Government and Directory Fâ—urteen of the 39 Articles revised by the Assembly of Divines Rules and Directions concerning suspension from the Lords-Supper 15. That the chief Officers in England and Ireland be named by both Houses 16. That an Act be passed for the conviction of Popish Recusants 17. That an Act be passed for the Education of the Children of Papists by Protestants 18. and 19. Against Papists for levying penalties and prohibiting the hearing of Mass. 20. An Act be passed for Observation of the Lords-day 21. A Bill for Suppressing Innovations 22. And Advancement of Preaching 23. And against Pluralities and Non-residencie Withâ—l The Commissioners were to desire His Majesty to give His Royal Assent to those four Bills by His Letters Patents under the Great Seal of England Signed by His Hand and Notified to the Lords and Commons Assembled together in the House of Peers it not standing then with the safety of the Kingdom for His Majesty to do it otherwise to wit at London and a Bill to be drawn for such Letters Patents to be presented Him and then a Warrant to Edward Earl of Manchester c. whereupon a Committee shall be sent to the Isle of Wight to Treat with Him only It was not intended to shew these shapeless abortions of Laws but that they should have been buried in their Chaos yet being the though unprepared matter of this beautiful Form of the Kings Answer the darkness of the one occasioning and preceding the light of the other they are here represented in this unreasonable lump an◠〈◊〉 Nothing indeed shews them better or it may be said worse so that they 〈…〉 Paraphrase or Comment Give me leave only to insert thâ— Scots sense of 〈◊〉 Bills and Proposals The Commissioners of Scotlanâ— having understood the proceeding of the Parliament in the business now 〈◊〉 publikely protested against it here and immediately followed the Commissioâ—ers to the Isle of Wight where they likewise presented His Majesty with this Paper There is nothing which we have more constantly endeavoured and do more earnestly desire than a good Agreement and happy Vnion between Your Majesty and your Parliaments of both Kingdoms neither have we left any means unessayed that by united Councils with the Parliament of England and making joynt applications to Your Majesty there might be a composition of all differences But the new Propositions communicated to us by the two Houses and the Bills therewith presented to Your Majesty are so prejudicial to Religion the Crown the Vnion and Interest of the Kingdoms and so far different from the former proceedings and engagements betwixt the Kingdoms as we cannot concur therein Therefore we do in the name of the Kingdom of Scotland dissent from these Proposals and Bills tendred to Your Majesty Lowden Lauderdale Charles Erskin Kennedy Berclay This was the first equal and good Office meant the King though they had greater concerns of their own but it something served to justifie the King to His people in His refusal to Sign them The Kings Answer was as followeth For the Speaker of the Lords House pro tempore to be Communicated c. CHARLES REX THe necessity of complying with all engaged Interests in these great distempers for a perfect Settlement of Peace His Majesty finds to be none of the least difficulties he hath met with since the time of His afflictions which is too visible when at the same time that the two Houses of the English Parliament do present to His Majesty several Bills and Propositions for His Consent the Commissioners for Scotland do openly protest against them so that were nothing in the case but the consideration of that difference His Majesty cannot imagine how to give such an Answer to what is now proposed as thereby to promise himself his great End A Perfect Peace And when his Majesty further considers how impossible it is in the condition he now stands to fulfil the desires of his two Houses since the onely ancient and known ways of passing Laws are either by his Majesties personal Assent in the House of Peers or by Commission under his Great Seal of England He cannot but wonder at such failings in the manner of Address which is now made unto him unless his two Houses intend that his Majesty shall allow of a Great Seal made without his Authority before there be any consideration had thereupon in a Treaty which as it may hereafter hazard the security it self so for the present it seems very unreasonable to his Majesty And though his Majesty is willing to believe that the intention of very many in both Houses in sending those Bills before a Treaty was onely to obtain a Trust from him and not to take any advantage by passing them to force other things from him which are either against his Conscience or Honour yet his Majesty believes it's clear to all understandings that these Bills contain as they are now Penned not onely the devesting himself of all Soveraignty and that without possibility of recovering it either to him or his
Propositions would they have been satisfactory did not at present sute the high and imperious humour of the Parliament yet by the good temperament and respectful behaviour of the major part of the Commissioners such a mutual confidence was wrought that the King won with their dutiful perswasion did in most of those things besides Religion and Church-lands comply with their demands and then the Parliament upon debate of the whole Treaty Voted his Concessions a ground to settle the Kingdom of which presently But a little before the conclusion of the Treaty which hapned on the 27th of Nov. the Army Cromwel being now come out of Scotland had after a long Consultation how to break it off hammered out a villanous Remonstrance on the 16th of that Month at St. Albans and on the 28th presented it to the House of Commons by Col. Ewers related to the Lord Ewers and seven Officers more the Treasonable and Execrable Heads thereof setting aside that Principle That the Magistery of the People is Supreme were as followeth First That the Capital and Grand Author of our Troubles viz. the Person of the King by whose procurement and for whose Interest of Will and Power all our Wars have been may be brought to Iustice for the Treason Blood and Mischief he is therein guilty of Secondly That a Timely Day may be set for the Prince of Wales and the Duke of York to come in by which time if they do not that then they may immediately be declared incapable of any Trust or Government in this Kingdom or its Dominions and thence to stand exiled for ever as Enemies or Traytors to die without mercy if ever after found or taken therein c. If by the time limited they do render themselves that then the Prince be proceeded with as on appearance he shall give satisfaction or not and then the Duke as he shall give satisfaction may be considered as to future Trust or not But however that the Revenue of the Crown saving necessary allowances for the Children and for Servants and Creditors to the Crown be Sequestred and the costly pomp suspended for a good number of years and that this Revenue be for that time disposed toward Publike Charges Debts and Damages for the easing of the people so as the Estates neither of Friends to publique Interest nor alone of inferior Enemies thereunto may bear the whole burthen of that loss and charge which by and for that Family the Kingdom hath been put unto Thirdly That Capital punishment be speedily Executed upon a competent number of his Chief Instruments also both in former and later Wars and that some of both sorts be pitcht upon as are really in your hands or reach Fourthly That the rest of the Delinquents English may upon rendring themselves to Iustice have mercy for their lives and that only Fines be set upon them and their persons declared incapable of any Publique Trust or having any voice in Elections thereto at least for a good number of years And that a short day may be set by which all such Delinquents may come in and for those who come not in by that day that their Estates be absolutely Confiscated and sold to the Publike use and their Persons stand Exiled as Traytors and to die without mercy if ever after found in the Kingdom or its Dominions Fifthly That the satisfaction of Arrears to the Souldiery with other publike Debts and competent reparations of publique Damages may be put into some orderly way And that therefore the Fines and Compositions of Delinquents be disposed to those uses only as also the Confiscations of such who shall be excluded from Pardon or not come in by the day assigned Now after Publique Iustice thus provided for we proceed in order to the general satisfaction and Settlement of the Kingdom First That you would set some reasonable and certain period to your own Power Secondly That with a period to this Parliament that there may be a Settlement of the Peace and future Government of the Kingdom And in order thereto First That there may be a certain Succession of future Parliaments Annual or Biennial with secure provision 1. For the certainty of their Sitting Meeting and Ending 2. For equal Elections 3. For the Peoples meeting to Elect Provided that none engaged in War against the Kingdom may Elect or be Elected nor any other who oppose this Settlement 4. For clearing the power of Parliaments as Supreme only they may not give away any Foundation of Common Right 5. For liberty of Entring Dissents in the said Representatives that the people may know who are fit for future Trusts but without any penalty for their free Iudgments Thirdly That no King be hereafter admitted but upon Election of and as upon Trust from the people by such their Representatives nor without first disclaiming all pretence to a Negative Voice against the Determinations of the Commons in Parliament and this to be done in some Form more clear than heretofore in the Coronation-Oath These Matters of General Settlement we propound to be provided by the Authority of the Commons in this Parliament and to be further Established by a general Contract or Agreement of the people with their Subscriptions thereunto And that no King be admitted to the Crown nor other person to any Office of publique Trust without express Accord and Subscription to the same This was the Basis Method and Model of Cromwels Tyranny and though he had changed his pretences according to the exigences of time and occasions yet he was fixed here as having learnt from Matchiavel that there is no readier way to an Usurpation than by destroying the Fundamental Laws and Essentials of Government and proposing pleasing Innovations to the Vulgar This he drove at in his possessed Servants the Levellers whom he put on to divulge this new secret of Empire but they thundering of it out and to try its acceptance as the rain in unseasonable weather he was content to abandon them to a shower of Bullets influenced on one of his prime Boâ—tefeus by the Command of the Parliament to the General as beforesaid in 1647 at Ware For observe the trace of his Policie after this Critical Juncture when he had superated all difficulties and removed all obstacles and you shall see how sequaciously he copied these Articles of Agreement as they were called of the people First Destroy the King as a Tyrant then exclude the Royal Progeny then disable its potent Friends and ingratiate with the mean Next Gratifie and engage the Souldiers with promise of Arrears and Establishment Then the next subsequent great work is the dissolution of the Parliament then a Chimaera of Government such as Barebones Convention And lastly A pretended Elective Tyranny under the Style of Protector which his impiety afforded him not only to subscribe but to swear to The ill news of this pestilent Paper flew amain
the antient Glory and Renown of this Nation be not buried in Irreligion and Fanatick Humour and that all Our Subjects to whom We are a Politick Parent may have such sober thoughts as to seek their Peace in the Orthodox Profession of the Christian Religion as it was established since the Reformation in this Kingdom and not in new Revelations and that the antient Laws with the Interpretation according to known Practices may once again be a hedge about them that You may in due time Govern and they be Governed as in the fear of the Lord. The Commissioners are gone the Corn is now on the Ground We expect the Harvest if the Fruit be Peace we hope the God of Peace will in time reduce all to Truth and Order again which that he may do is the Prayer of C. R. With this his Majesties final account of this unconsummated Treaty I will conclude all his State-Missives and Papers the justice and reasonableness whereof no doubt will be so convincing that there needed no other Pen to assert his Quarrel As he was the chief Subject of this History so was he the Life of it affording it the greatest light of Truth towards its composition so that these his happy Labours shall perpetuate his just Renown and make his Moral and intellectual Virtues endure together enshrined in the hearts of pious Posterity To contribute whereto as far as my humble devoir would reach I have made these Collections and so with reverential leave to their blessed Author I proceed in this Chronicle In pursuance of that accursed Remonstrance presented the 20 of November aforesaid Cromwel drew the Army into the Suburbs of London quartering them at the Mews and at York-house and afterwards into London it self the General quartering himself at Whitehall to keep the King out in defiance of the Treaty with a resolution to awe the Parliament into a non-compliance with his Majesty whose great and most reasonable Arguments for a Composure and his un-exampled Condescentions in order thereunto they could neither fairly refel or honestly refuse But notwithstanding such was the justice of God in favour of his Majesties Cause that the Parliament who had so obstinately and dilatorily to the ruine of the Kingdom rejected all his other Accommodations closed with him now For upon the 4th of December the Question being put in the House of Commons Whether the Kings Answer was satisfactory or no though the Army-party argued that they were not satisfactory because the King had not granted all their Propositions in terms contrary to the nature of all Treaties where something must be bated on both parts and so kept the business in question until 8 a Clock at night next day being Tuesday the 5â—h of December the Independents hoping by their usual trick to tire out the moderate Party it was then Resolved That the Answers of the King to the Propositions of both Houses are a Ground for both Houses to proceed upon for the Settlement of the Peace of the Kingdom This being carried Affirmatively and that so clearly that the House was not divided about it to secure this Vote and the earnest of a Peace a Committee of six Members was appointed to attend the General to keep a good Correspondencie c. but we shall now see Hell broke loose in the Armes Insolencies and Violence For these Caitiffs understanding the courage and honesty of the House resolved to play no longer with the weak Reed of Priviledge but with a bold Sword to solve the Oracle of their Villanies in thâ—sâ— ensuing complicated mischiefs To this purpose Pride Hewson and other Officers having had some Conference in Westminster Hall the Doors being shut with the Speaker sent in a Paper to the House of Commons Requiring the Impeached Members and Major-General Brown as guilty of calling in Hamilton to be secured and brought to Iustice and that the ninety and odd Members who refused to Vote against the late Scoâ—ch Engagement and all that Voted for recaling the four Votes of Non-Addresses and Voted for a Treaty and concurred in the Yesterday's acquiescing Vote in his Majesties Answers may be immediately suspended the House and that all such faithful Members who are innocent of those Votes would by Protestation acquit themselves from any concurrence that so they might know their own Goats and so be distinguished To this Paper they admitted no demur not caring for or not daigning them the consideration of an Answer but presently brought three or four Regiments of Horse and Foot and set strong Guards at the Houses-doors the Lobby-stairs and every where about the Palace admitting none but Parliament-men into the Hall where the said two Colonels and Sir Hardress Waller violently seized upon divers Knights and Burgesses of the Parliament and forcibly carried them away Prisoners others were by feigned excuses called out of the House and then pull'd away and committed likewise without any Warrant or cause shewn And though the House remaining sent the Serjeant of Mace to command their attendance when Pride would not suffer him to pass and sent likewise to the General about it declaring they would not proceed in any business without them yet the secured Members were still kept indurance while the Rump or Conventicle became of the Armies Complexion and so prevaricated and deserted their Fellows The Gentlemen thus detained were afterwards listed in a Catalogue by Hugh Peters and carried to a Victualling-place called Hell being number 41. where they were kept without Beds or other fitting accommodation all that night and the next day after a tedious attendance on the Council of Officers were committed Prisoners under Guard to two several Inns in the Strand Besides these the Belial Commanders standing several days with Lists of Names in their hands at the Parliament-door turned back from the House and debarred above 160 other Members besides 40 more who voluntarily withdrew to avoid their violence Most of those 41 Members were after much expostulation and their Protestation of this Force upon them and the Houses released Ireton insolently bidding them to look to themselves and to act nothing against the present Parliament and Army at their peril But Major-General Brown was sent Prisoner to St. Iames's where they would have put a trick upon him by a forged Letter brought thither and delivered him which he understanding their Plot would have publikely read as from the Prince The Messenger seeing his Project would not take threw the Paper into the fire and escaped as was forelaid He was afterwards sent prisoner to Windsor The remaining Juncto having met and conferred at Sommetset-house began to act at Westminster as a Parliament with whom some fawning Lords joyned and Passed an Ordinance Declaring all persons that had any way appeared for the King even by Subscribing to the personal Treaty should be incapable c. whereby the City could not find men to supply those Trusts and Places c. and
but many of the Gentry who had been under his Command before having now engaged with him again were no partakers in this joy For some of his Papers being taken many of them were afterwards discovered and suffered in their Estates The Marquess being now in the Custody of his mortal Enemies from whom he could not expect the least favour yet exprest a singular constancy and in a manner a carelessness of his own condition Coming to his Father-in-laws house the Earl of Southesk where two of his Children were he procured liberty from his Guard to see them but neither at meeting or parting could any change of his former countenance be discerned or the least expression heard which was not suitable to the greatness of his spirit and the same of his former actions 'T is Memorable of the Town of Dundee where he lodged one night though it had suffered more by his Army than any else within that Kingdom yet were they amongst all the rest so far from insulting over him that the whole Town testified a great deal of sorrow for his woful condition and there was he likewise furnished with Cloaths suitable to his Birth and Person Being come to Leith he was received by the Magistrates of the City of Edenburgh and staying a while there to refresh himself he was afterward led towards the City by that way which goes betwixt Leith and the Water-gate of the Abbey and with him all the Prisoners of quality on foot betwixt thirty and fourty but he himself had the favour to be mounted on a Cart-horse Having ended this part of his journey with as much state as in Triumphs is accustomed to be he was met at the end of the Cannon-gate by some other Officers and the Executioner in his Livery-coat into whose hands he was delivered There was framed for him a high seat in fashion of a Chariot upon each side of which were holes through which a Cord being drawn and crossing his Brest and Arms bound him fast down in the Chair The Executioner being commanded so to do took off the Marquess's Hat and put on his own Bonnet and the Chariot being drawn by four Horses he mounted one of the first and very solemnly began to drive along towards the Tol-Booth The people who were assembled in great multitudes and were many of them heretofore very desirous to see this spectacle could not now refrain from tears and those who had heretofore wished him all misfortune began to be shaken with the first Scene of his Tragedy But the implacable Ministry having him now at their mercy could never be satisfied with his Calamities they reviled him with all possible spite objected frequently to him his former condition and his present misery and pronounced heavy judgements against him Being come to the Tol-Booth he was very closely shut up and strong Guards set upon him and access denied to him no not his Father-in-law or any of his friends suffered to come nigh him There he was a considerable time the Ministers never ceasing to exacerbate his misery of whom one being asked why they could not otherwise be satisfied but by so ignominious handling of him He answered They knew no other way to humble him and bring him home to God The Parliament having notice of his approach to Edenburgh fearing his gallant presence might gain favour among the people which the Kirk-Ministers thundred at afterwards appointed a Committee to draw up a Sentence against him on the 17 of May which they did presently The first part about his entrance we have already seen performed the latter part ran thus That he should be hanged on a Gibbet at the Cross in Edenburgh until he died his History and Declaration being tied about his Neck and to hang three hours in publique view of all the people after which he should be Beheaded and Quartered his head to be fixt upon the Prison-house of Edenburgh and his Legs and Arms over the Gates of the Cities of Sterling Glascow Perth alias Saint Johns-town and Aberdeen And in case â—e repented whereby the Sentence of Excommunication may be taken off by the Church the bulk of his Body should be buried in the Gray-Friers if not in the Borrow-moor a place like Tyburn It was seven a Clock at Night before he was entred into the Prison and immediately the Parliament met and sent some of the Members and some Ministers to examine him but he refused to answer any thing to them until he was satisfied upon what terms they stood with the King his Royal Master which being reported unto the Parliament they ceased proceedings against him until Monday and allowed their Commissioners to tell him that the King and they were agreed he then desired to be at rest for he was weary with a long Journey and said The Complement they had put upon him that day was somewhat tedious The next day being Sunday he was constantly attended by Ministers and Parliament-men who still pursued him he told them They thought they had affronted him the day before by carrying him in a Cart but they were much mistaken for he thought it the most honourable and joyfullest Cavalcade that ever he made God having all the while most comfortably manifested his presence to him and furnished him with a resolution to over-look the reproaches of men and to behold Him for whose Cause he suffered Upon Monday in the forenoon he was brought before the Parliament and after the delivery of a long-penned discourse by the Chancellor wherein he was pleased to take notice of his miscarriages against the first Covenant the League and Covenant his Invasion and joyning with the Irish Rebels and blood-guiltiness and that now how God had brought him to just punishment He desired to know if he might be allowed to speak for himself which being granted he said Since you have declared unto me that you have agreed with the King I look upon you as if his Majesty were sitting among you and in that Relation I appear with this Reverence Bare-headed My care hath been always to walk as became a good Christian and a Loyal Subject I engaged in the first Covenant and was faithful to it until I perceived some private persons under colour of Religion intended to wring the Authority from the King and to seize on it for themselves and when it was thought fit for the clearing of honest men that a Bond should be Subscribed wherein the security of Religion was sufficiently provided for I subscribed For the League and Covenant I thank God I was never in it and so could not break it but how far Religion hath been advanced by it and the sad consequences that have followed it these poor distressed Kingdoms can witness for when his late Majesty had by the blessing of God almost subdued those Enemies that rose â—p against him in England and that a Faction of this Kingdom went in to the assistance of them His
Majesty gave Commission to me to come into this Kingdom and to make a diversion of those Forces that were going from hence against him I acknowledged the Command most just and I conceived my self bound in Conscience and Duty to obey it What my carriage was in this Country many of you may bear witness disorders in any Army cannot be Prevented but they were no sooner known than punished never was any Blood spilt but in Battle and even then many thousand lives have I preserved and as I came in upon his Majesties Warrant so upon his Letters did I lay aside all Interests and retreated And for my coming in at this time it was by his Majesties Command in order to the accelerating of the Treaty betwixt Him and you His Majesty knowing that when ever he had ended with you I was ready to retire upon his Call I may justly say that never Subject acted upon more honorable grounds nor by a more Lawful Power than I did in this Service and therefore I desire you to lay aside prejudice and consider me as a Christian in relation to the justice of the Quarrel as a Subject in relation to my Royal Masters Command and as your Neighbour in relation to the many of your lives I have preserved in Battle And be not too rash but let me be judged by the Laws of God the Laws of Nature and Nations and the Laws of this Land if you do otherwise I do here Appeal from you to the righteous Iudge of the World who one day must be both your Iudge and mine and who always gives righteous Iudgment This he delivered with such gravity and without passion as was much admired even of his Enemies After which the Chancellour commanded the Sentence to be read which he heard with a settled and an unmoved Countenance and desiring to be further heard was presently stopt by the Chancellour who Commanded he should be presently removed back again to prison where he was no sooner come but the Ministers assault him afresh aggravating the terrour of the Sentence thereby to affright him He acknowledged himself much beholding to the Parliament for the Honour they had put upon him saying He took it for a greater honour to have his Head stand upon the Prison-gate for this Quarrel than to have his Picture in the Kings 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 His Friends were not suffered to come neer him but a Guard was always in the Chamber with him insomuch as he had neither time nor place for his private Devotions but in their hearing The next day being the 21. cloathed in a Scarlet-cloak richly laced with Gold-lace he was brought to the Scaffold He came along the Streets with so great state and there appeared in his Countenance so much Beauty Majesty and Gravity as amazed the Beholders and many even of his Enemies did acknowledge him to be the gallantest Subject in the World But because all his Friends and Well-willers were debarred from coming near him there was a Boy designed for that purpose on the Scaffold who took his last Speech which was to this effect I Am sorry if this manner of my End be scandalous to any good Christian. Doth it not often happen to the righteous according to the ways of the righteous doth not sometimes a just man perish in his righteousness and a wicked man prosper in his malice They who know me should not disesteem me for this many greater than I have been dealt with in this kind yet I must not say but that all Gods Iudgments are just For my private sins I acknowledge this to be just with God I submit my self to him but in regard of man I may say that they are but Instruments God forgive them I forgive them they have oppressed the poor and vioiently perverted Iudgment and Iustice but he that is higher than they will reward them What I did in this Kingdom was in obedience to the most just Command of my Sovereign for his defence in the day of his distress against those that rose up against him I acknowledge nothing but fear God and Honour the King according to the Commandments of God and the Law of Nature and Nations and I have not sinned against man but against God and with him there is mercy which is the ground of my drawing near unto him It is objected against me by many even good People that I am under the Censure of the Church This is not my fault since it is only for doing my Duty by obeying my Princes most just Command for Religion his Sacred Person and Authority Yet I am sorry they did Excommunicate me and in that which is according to Gods Laws without wronging my Conscience or Allegeance I desire to be relaxed if they will not do it I appeal to God who is the righteous Iudge of the world and who must and will I hope be my Iudge and Saviour It is spoken of me that I should blame the King God forbid for the late King he lived a Saint and died a Martyr I pray God I may so end as he did If ever I should wish my Soul in another mans stead it should be in his For his Majesty now living never people I believe might be more happy in a King His Commands to me were most just in nothing that he promiseth will he fail He deals justly with all men I pray God he be so dealt withal that he be not betrayed under trust as his father was I desire not to be mistaken as if my carriage at this time in relation to your ways were stubborn I do but follow the light of my own Conscience which is seconded by the working of the Spirit of God that is within me I thank him I go to Heavens Throne with joy If he enable me against the fear of Death and furnish me with courage and confidence to embrace it even in its most ugly shape let God be glorified in my end though it were in my damnation Yet I say not this out of any fear or mistrust but out of my Duty to God and Love to his people I have no more to say but that I desire your Charity and Prayers I shall pray for you all I leave my Soul to God my Service to my Prince my Good-will to my Friends and my Name and Charity to you all And thus briefly I have exonerated my Conscience Being desired to pray apart he said I have already poured out my Soul before the Lord who knows my heart and into whose hands I have commended my Spirit and he hath been pleased to return to me a full assurance of peace in Iesus Christ my
Conditions some of thâ—se that did being Imprisoned the Court and Camp being sadly affected with this loss The Provost of Edenburgh Sir James Stuart is in Town but keeps private lest the Wives in the streets should abuse him as they did Straughan and Ker at their coming hither the Lord Warreston who came as he pretended for the Records is not yet returned but stays in Town for he cares not to go back He and the rest of that Remonstrant Tribe are Summoned to come to Parliament Colonel Dundass Straughan and Captain Giffan with Abernethy Swinton and Andrews were else to be Excommunicated and Declared Traytors which was done January 14. Mr. James Guthry and the Earl of Lothian and General Holborn were generally suspected with Sir John Chiefly who are every day expected in our Quarters Rutherford and Gillespy are likewise dissenters from the present manage of affairs Ker saith his wound on his right hand is Gods Justice against him for lifting it up against us in such a cause as he maintained And so I will conclude all those Treasonable practices and fomented divisions of that Nation against their common Interest Having first acquainted the Reader with an occurrence of the like nature from the better mannered and necessity-instructed Kirk who yet would fain have been paramount and were most boldly sollicitous with the King to consent to some other Acts mis-becoming the Majesty of a Soveraign and the Honour of His Crown which the King generously and disdainfully refusing there flew such rumours and whispers as if some disloyal and dishonest Counsels were hatching against his Person whereupon the King privately withdrew himself to his Northern Friends and Forces under General Middleton till such time as a right understanding Hostages being given on both sides as to his party and theirs was setled betwixt them which was firmly and absolutely concluded in an unanimous resolve of his immediate Coronation which was solemnly performed on the first of Ianuary in this manner First the Kings Majesty in a Princes Robe was conducted from his Bedchamber by the Constable on his right hand and the Marshal on his left to the Chamber of Presence and there was placed in a Chair under a Cloath of State by the Lord of Angus Chamberlain appointed by the King for that day and there after a little repose the Noblemen with the Commissioners of Barons and Burroughs entred the Hall and presented themselves before His Majesty Thereafter the Lord Chancellor spoke to the King to this purpose Sir your good Subjects desire You may be Crowned as the righteous and Lawful Heir of the Crown of this Kingdom that You would maintain Religion as it is presently professed and established Also that You would be graciously pleased to receive them under Your Highness's Protection to Govern them by the Laws of the Kingdom and to defend them in their Rights and Liberties by Your Royal Power offering themselves in most humble manner to your Majesty with their Vows to bestow Land Life and what else is in their Power for the maintenance of Religion for the safety of Your Majesties sacred Person and maintenance of Your Crown which they intreat Your Majesty to accept and pray Almighty God that for many years You may happily enjoy the same The King made this Answer I do esteem the affections of my good People more than the Crowns of many Kingdoms and shall be ready by Gods assistance to bestow my Life in their defence wishing to live no longer than I may see Religion and this Kingdom flourish in all happiness Thereafter the Commissioners of Borroughs and Barons and the Noblemen accompanied His Majesty to the Kirk of Scoone in order and rank according to their quality two and two The Spurs being carried by the Earl of Eglington Next the Sword by the Earl of Rothes Then the Scepter by the Earl of Crawford and Lindsey And the Crown by the Marquess of Arguile immediately before the King Then came the King with the great Constable on the right hand and the great Marshal on his left his Train being carried by the Lord Ereskine the Lord Montgomery the Lord Newbottle and the Lord Machlelene four Earls Eldest Sons under a Canopy of Crimson-Velvet supported by six Earls Sons to wit the Lord Drummond the Lord Carnegie the Lord Ramsey the Lord Iohnston the Lord Brâ—chin the Lord Yester and the six Carriers supported by six Noblemens Sons Thus the Kings Majesty entred the Kirk The Kirk being fitted and prepared with a Table whereupon the Honours were laid and a Chair set in a fitting place for His Majesty to hear a Sermon over against the Minister and another Chair on the other side where He received the Crown before which there was a Bench decently covered as also for seats about for Noblemen Barons and Burgesses and there being also a Stage in a fit place erected of 24 foot square about four foot high from the ground covered with Carpets with two stairs one from the West another to the East upon which great Stage there was another little Stage erected some two foot high ascending by two steps on which the Throne or Chair of State was set The Kirk thus fittingly prepared the Kings Majesty entred the same accompanied as aforesaid and first set himself in his Chair for hearing of Sermon which was Preached by Mr. Robert Douglas A la mode the Covenant About this time the young Prince of Aurange was Christened at which celebration the States General of Holland of Amsterdam of Delf were his God-fathers and the Queen of Bohemia and the old Princess of Aurange his God-mothers and was named William Frederick Henry But this being over the King intended to march Northward to hasten the said levies by his presence but the Nobility and Gentry of the High-lands promising to effect that affair with all expedition he went no further than Aberdeen having more occasion to continue in the Southern parts to keep the newly re-cemented friendship betwixt both parties entire and from other new Ruptures and to countenance his friends who now were admitted into the chiefest places of Trust and Offices Duke Hamilton being received into the Army Earl of Crawford made Governour of Sterling Middleton Lieutenant-General and other Loyal Scotch Lords in Offices and Commands befitting their quality and to their seats in Parliament which was to set down the 15 of February the King diverting himself in the mean time at his house of Falkland care being taken to secure the Castle of Fife from any Invasion two attempts that way being already made in the beginning of February upon Brunt Island which nevertheless miscarried with a great loss of men but the want of Provisions the English then laboured under and their having hopes of plenty on that â—ide Fife being the fertilest and most abounding place in all Scotland made them every day contrive and venture a landing thereon and flat-bottomed Boats and Sloops were
were rather Simon Magus his own Disciples and certainly there were never such Simoniacks in the World not a Living of value but what a Friend or the best Purchaser was admitted into to which Humane Learning even where a former Right was was a good and sufficient Bar no less to the Ruine than the Scandal of the Church of England and the Protestant Religion and professors thereof several ignorant bold Laicks being inducted into the best Spiritualities as best consisted with Oliver's Interest which depended upon the Sectaries and their hideous divisions in Religion Anno Dom. 1654. HAving thus described the Foundation of this Stratocracy or Army-power we shall not be obliged to any tedious survey of the superstructure which was onely for shew and of little duration supported with temporary shifting Props in every emergency for this great one rather inhabited a Labyrinth than a Court which shewed much variety of Art but like a House of Cards was ready to be whelmed over his Head with every gust of adverse Fortune a cross Restive Government he had of it and was never able to keep it in the right Road and true way of policy And so we proceed in a brief account of State-Occurrences The 6 of April came forth an Ordinance settling Commissioners for Probation of Wills and Administrations c. by want of which power there having been no settled Judge of the Prerogative-Court whose Name abolished the thing very great and many inconveniencies had happened to the Nation Another Ordinance prohibited Cock-matches and Horse-races and all such confluxes or meetings of people for a Plot was now a hatching at White-hall and this was the first overt-signe of it Next the Commission of the Great Seal was altered and Whitlock Lisle and Sir Thomas Widdrington were made Commissioners A Prohibition by another Ordinance to the Committee at Salters Hall concerning Prisoners which were selling of Estates though never so barred by Law to satisfie the Creditors which would have made a quick confusion of Propriety And the Dutch Peace the charge of the War being now paid by that State according to private agreement of the sum was fully concluded and in April Proclaimed A Quaking Prophetess named Hannah Trapnel a forerunner of Iames Naylor now appeared who reported her Visions and Raptures and was attended by several of the Grandees of the male-contented party as Carew and others the most of her delusions she acted in the Counties of Devonshire and Cornwal till she was with some of her Partizans secured in Prison The Scotch Affairs were reputed finished as to any War though the Bustle yet so held and encreased in the Highlands that the spoils of the Conquest were now set out and made accomptable to the Victor The Lords Estates and Hereditaments of the Scotch Nobility and Gentry who Invaded England under Duke Hamilton and came in with the King to Worcester and were yet in Arms were ordered to be sold and to that purpose were invested in the Trust of Sir William Hope Lockhart Sir Richard Saltonstall Lieutenant-Colonel Wilks and others and were actually seized into their hands and the rest of them were Fined in several sums of Money to be paid within six Months some 2000 l. some 5000 l. some few 10000 l. but none under 1000 l. amounting to a greater mass of silver than Scotland was worth in ready Cash so that those who were compell'd to obey though many complemental and humble applications and addresses as is customary to that Nation were made for mitigation were forced to take up Money at unreasonable Interest which rose at last by the like occasions to 30 in the hundred An Ordinance passed with this for uniting of Scotland into one Commonwealth with England it seems the Act of Parliament to the same purpose was not sufficient and the Arms thereof ordered to be quartered as were the Irish with our Cross and Harp and Oliver's Lion Salâ—ant was placed in the middle which is as good Herauldry as this Escutcheon deserves That Kingdom by vertue thereof to be charged no otherwise in Assessments and Tax than proportionably to England and to pay no greater Excise c. An Ordinance likewise for mending and repairing Highways and Bridges which the War had spoiled and were yet every where unrepaired a very necessary and good work for the benefit of the Nation no Waggon being suffered thereafter to travel with above five Horses nor six Oxen and one Horse and care was taken likewise about the shodding of the Wheels General Monke arrives in Scotland and Proclaims Oliver in great state at Edenburgh and Arguile plainly and openly sides with the English and foments divisions among the Scots his Son the Lord Lorn departing in a discontent and quarrel from the Earl of Glencarn and returning to the old Fox his Father The French King Crowned at Rheims having been declared Major and our Soveraign invited to the Solemnity while the Intrigues of Mazarine were driving a conclusion of peace with Cromwel The Designe now appeared which Oliver had hatched for some while and had laboured by his treacherous Agents to mature to something therefore first of all a general search is made throughout London for Cavaliers and thereupon Colonel Iohn Gerrard as before Mr. Vowel and Somerset Fox were brought before the High Court of Iustice Proclaimed the 13 and sitting the 31 of Iune in which interval they had prepared their business and provided Witnesses and drew up the Charge After twice or thrice Conventing of the aforesaid Gentlemen an Accusation was brought of their intention to assassinate the Protector with one Major Henshaw and others fled to the proof whereof they produced young Mr. Charles Gerrard against his Brother as also one Wiseman and one Mr. Hudson a blinde Minister whose Brother was that eminent person who accompanied and guarded the late King in his flight from Oxford that had been cherished by Mr. Vowel against him who yet retracted from his Examination and could not be brought by the threats of the Court to make it good and yet they made it valid Somerset Fox as he was instructed before by promise of Life confessing the Guilt thereby involving the other two innocent Gentlemen and craving mercy It availed not them to deny this Charge though never so much reason and strength of argument on their side Lisle the President summing up the prejudiced suffrages of the Court gave Sentence of Hanging which was Executed Iuly the 10 on Mr. Vowel at Charing-Cross where with a Roman Spirit tempered with Christian Patience he suffered his Martyrdom off from a Stool â—etcht from the Guard the adjacent Neighbours refusing to lend any thing to his Death the Executioner having his Ladder not in readiness Colonel Gerrard was Beheaded on Tower-hill who expresly denied the intention of the Fact and from this reason because he thought it might be far from the honour and great minde of the King whose injunction this was said
Hunt whom his Sisters coming to visit and take their farewel of him over-night of his Execution he changed Cloaths with one of them pretending before to be indisposed and to keep his Bed and with a Handkerchief as weeping and sobbing before his eyes was let out while a Guard at door watched his Sisters sleep that night who next Morning waking the supposed Major to make ready for Death perceived the Stratagem this incensed Cromwel farther so that he commanded all that were in Prison for that Rising should be forthwith Transported to the Caribbe-Islands and some Argier-Merchants or worse undertook it and sold them to the Barbarous and inhumane Flanters worse than ever were the Natives for Bond-men and Slaves About the same time all Jesuits and Seminaries were anew Exiled and all suspected Catholicks to abjure the Pope Purgatory Transubstantiation and all the Doctrines of that Church or else all their Estates to be seized The Judges Thorp and Nudigate laid down their Commissions in May. During the War in America and for all our Fleet lay in those parts the Spanish Plate-Fleet which was thought the main aim of our preparation and was therefore much feared for desperate was now at Sea and presently the Marquess De Lede who defended Maestricht so bravely some time before against the Prince of Aurange was sent Embassador to the Protector that the honourableness of his Person might gratifie Cromwel's ambition of Courtship and sweeten him to the Friendship and Alliance he had in his Instructions to offer and more easily to insinuate into the mystery of this conjunct designe He was nobly attended besides a numerous train of Lacqueys in silver and Green Livery and had Audience May 5 and continued his Complement and Cabal together the space of five Weeks in which time most of the action had passed in America and returned unsatisfied and re infecta though dismist with more than ordinary respects about the middle of Iune Now happened an occasion or rather Cromwel made it one for him to shew his zeal to the Protestant Cause and to shew himself to the World the Champion or Hector thereof this was also one secret step and reach to the Crown by invading the sacred Title of the Defender of the Faith due onely to the Hereditary Soveraigns of England Herein also he aimed as in the Proverb to hit two Birds with one Stone not doubting but to finde another Mine in the Charitable mindes and compassion of this Nation towards the parallel suffering of the old Waldenses in Piedmont to the Irish Massacres which were set out and drest here with greater skill of Butchery than the actors could handsomely do it there and it was said the Copy was drawn from that Original Most certain it is that they were in Rebellion and that the Duke of Savoy their Soveraign did chastise them to their Obedience though the Marquess Pianella a very zealous Catholick and the Earl of Quince the French Kings Lieutenant-General of his Italian Armies then joyned with that Dukes and stranger-Souldiers have little regard to any Religion where they may ravage without controle might exceed their Commissâ—on in inflicting the extremity of War which they had brought upon themselves and were before also odious more than enough to their Catholick Neighbours Whatever the matter was Cromwel takes the Massacre for granted enjoyns a Fast and at the close of that a Collection not limited and terminated in the liberal contributions in the Church at the Bason but the Collectors and other Officers of the Parish with the Minister were to go from door to door and stir up the Richer sort to a chearful Contribution which indeed was very forwardly and charitably given and intended and forthwith Mr. now Sir Samuel Moreland one of Mr. Thurloe's Secretaries was sent away as Envoy to the Court of Savoy Mr. Pell was dispatcht to the Protestant Cantons of Switzerland upon the same account and Mr. now Sir George Downing was sent after Mr. Moreland by the way of France where he began the complaint and proceeded All those three met together at Geneva to advise with that State how to manage this importance of Religion but Mr. Downing never pursued this Project farther being remanded hence to go Secretary of the Council newly made for Scotland Pell was sâ—nt of his formâ—r errand to the Cantons and Mr. Moreland returned to Turin to the Duke's Court where perceiving this fraud of Cromwel it was no great matter to bring him over soon after to the Kings service in which he continued Alderman Viner and Pack were made Treasurers for this Money which amounted to a very large sum and reaching the designe of the Protector a small parcel whereof was now remitted to Geneva the French King having newly before accommodated the business the Duke refusing to admit Cromwel's Mediation By this conclusion the truth appeared for in the very liminary words they acknowledged the Rebellion in express terms and begged pardon of their gracious Lord his Royal Highness which was here imputed and charged to the prevaâ—ication and collusion of the Cantons Mediation and the three Pastors their Commissioners in that affair There was one Artifice of the Protectors to set this business forward and to countenance it omitted which was Addresses from the Army here and abroad offering their service in this common Cause of the Protestant Religion no way doubting but that God in his due time would confound those Enemies of his People as he had shewn his Salvation by themselves in the same Controversie to that day Several Fires yet burst out in many parts of the Kingdome one in Barnaby-street in Southwark and new diseases were most rife and mortal This Easter-Term one Mr. George Coney a Merchant having been committed by the Commissioners of the Customes to the Serjeant at Arms for refusing to obey their Orders and Fine set for not paying the dues of some Merchandizes brought his Habeas Corpus in the Kings-Bench where he intended to disprove the Authority and Legality of his Commitment and baffle-their Warrant To this purpose Serjeant Maynard Twisden and Mr. Wadham Windham were retained of Counsel by him who pleading such matters for their Client as entrenched upon the Protector 's pretensions and his Publicans Power in that place into which profitable Employment they had scrued themselves by a pretence of serving the publick gratis and without any Salary were instantly committed to the Tower to consider better of Cromwel's Prerogative and to help his Jaylor Berkstead the Lieutenant thereof with the Fees of that chargeable Imprisonment where no Habeas Corpus would be allowed except upon the Knee their enlargement being granted upon their Petition and Submission to the Usurper Those and the like Forces and violences in the Law and the fear of infaming the Bench and his own Credit made Chief-Justice Rolles relinquish his place and sue for a Quietus est just as old Sir Henry Vane deceased
out of policy addressed to the captating their good will and favour towards the easier ascent to his designed Soveraignty Cromwel's other Son Henry was also in Progress in Ireland shewing himself to the Army and People these upon the same account that Kingdom being allotted to him for his Inheritance to hold it or this in Fee Fleetwood was intended for Scotland in the same capacity and Command but Hic labor hoc opus General Monke was not easily removed thence fair means were not effectual nor practicable as things stood and a Rupture or Revolt of that Kingdom was not to be ventured on by any open force or declared War against him His third Daughter Mary was likewise promoted to an honourable Match being Married to the Lord-Viscount Faulconbridge on the 18 of November with a great do of State at Hampton-Court the recess and delight of the Usurper whither he went and came always in an hurry and post nor did he dare to be further off from the City of London This Title was conferred on the Family of Bellasis by the King in the War and was taken for valid upon this Wedding His youngest Daughter Francis was soon after Married to Mr. Rich the Earl of Warwick's Grand-son A new Charter constituting a new East-India-Company which Trade had lain in Common for some years now passed the Seal Cromwel being one of them and putting in a Stock which turned to the account of his Majesty as of due some time afterwards Mr. Downing was sent his Envoy into Holland One Colonel Saxby taken at Gravesend on shipboard of Syndercombe's Counsel being a Leveller died as was supposed of Poyson in the Tower of London which rendered Syndercombe's end more plainly suspected The Festival of Christmass which had been abrogated by several Lawless Ordinances and endeavoured to be suppressed revived its head and began to recover its pristine veneration This greatly offended the Usurper who perceived that notwithstanding all his Edicts and Interminations against the Church and her Protestant-Professors the true Religion prevailed against him and with that infallibly the Kings Interest would joyntly rise the thought of which was most grievous and not endurable Notice being given him now of a private Assembly solemnizing the mercy and memory of that day at Dr. Gunning's at Exeter-house in the Strand he sent a Band of Red-coats to seize them who over-and-above Plundered and Stript many of them and carried some away Prisoners to answer this contempt against his Injunction And so without any Blood which was taken for a wonder in this interval we are arrived to the return of the Parliament after the expiration of the Adjournment when according to the 4th Article of the Petition and Advice which provided for the freedom of Parliaments and another for Another House as 't was called Cromwel giving it that Nick-name or Mid-word as bordering upon an Upper-House of Parliament and of the same new coyning as Protectorship which entrencht upon the Soveraignty ut Canis sit Catuli They met together in two Houses that of the Commons to their full number of Elections that of the What do ye call um's in the House of Lords in and according to the usual customs of the Peers These conscious of their own worthlessness and their inconsistency with the English honour like the basest of Upstarts bewrayed their meanness by all manner of abject compliance and fawning upon the Commons their half-Parent who being rightly constituted disowned the spurious Brat as a by-blow of the former Convention and with such scorn and derision did they receive the notice of their meeting there besides the neglect of it as if they had been the most ridiculous fellows in the World a may-game spleen-moving spectacle with What did they there who sent for them what was their business like intruding Fidlers to serious Company Notwithstanding these Imps of the Usurpers Prerogative as instructed persisted in their Courtships and Blandiments of the Commons as aforesaid It should have been mentioned that Oliver in his Speech to them did highly magnifie the Settlement as beyond all expectation that ever such brave things would have been done for England and hinted much of the establishment of Religion the Neck whereof was just then broken as we may say and that if they persevered in that hopeful beginning the Generations to come should call them Blessed That posterity may be fully informed of the Institution Number and Names of the aforesaid fellows of the other House in brief take this account The Parliament left the choice of them to Cromwel by the Humble Petition and he graced with this Dignity most of his superiour Officers some Grandee-Comnonwealths-men some Presbyterians some of the Nobility as the Earl of Manchester Lord Wharton Lord Mulgrave all of his Privy-Council and Relations and one or two private Gentlemen of which Mr. Hambden was one The Nobility prudentially forbore sitting with that riff-raff the Presbyterians with much scruple but Sir Arthur Haslerig utterly abominated it and kept his station with the Commons as so contra-distinguished The whole number named was 62 of which some ten were the worst of Mechanicks such as Pride Hewson Kelsey Cooper Goffe Berry c. whom we refer to the ensuing Catalogue to which the Names of the Judges and Serjeants are added The Members of the other House alias House of Lords Lord Richard Cromwel Lord Henry Cromwel Deputy of Ireland Nath. Fiennes Commis of the Great Seal Iohn Lisle Commis of the Great Seal Hen. Lawrence President of the Council Charles Fleetwood Lieut. Gen. of the Army Robert Earl of Warwick Edmund Earl of Mulgrave Edward Earl of Manchester Will. Ld. Viscount Say and Seal Philip Lord Viscount Lisle Charles Lord Viscount Howard Philip Lord Wharton Thomas Lord Faulconbridge George Lord Evers Iohn Cleypole Esq. Iohn Desbrow Generals at Sea Edw. Montague Generals at Sea Bulst Whitlock Commis of the Treasury Wil. Sydenham Commis of the Treasury Sir Charles Wolsley Sir Gilbert Pickering Walter Strickland Esq. Philip Skippon Esq. Francis Rous Esq. Iohn Iones Esq. Sir William Strickland Iohn Fiennes Esq. Sir Francis Russel Sir Thomas Honywood Sir Arthur Haslerig Sir Iohn Hobart Sir Richard Onslow Sir Gilbert Gerrard Sir William Roberts Glyn Chief Justices of both Benches Oli. St. Iohn Chief Justices of both Benches William Pierrepoint Esq. Iohn Crew Esq. Alexander Popham Esq. Philip Iones Esq. Sir Christopher Pack Sir Robert Titchborn Edward Whaley Commis Gen. Sir Iohn Berkstead Lieutenant of the Tower Sir Thomas Pride Sir George Fleetwood Sir Iohn Huson Richard Ingoldsby Esq. Iames Berry Esq. William Goff Esq. Thomas Cooper Esq. George Monke Gen. in Scotland David Earl of Cassils Sir William Lockhart Archibald Iohnson of Wareston William Steel Chancellor of Ireland Roger Lord Broghil Sir Matthew Thomlinson William Lenthal Master of the Rolls Richard Hampden Esq. Commissioners of the Great Seal and their Officers Nathaniel Fiennes Iohn Lisle William Lenthal Master of
disaffection to the Government but not many they were that were upon this account outed and discharged By virtue of the Allyance and Treaty with the Crown of Portugal several Forces were sent hence to Assist that Kingdome against the prevailing Power of the Spaniard who just at the Majority of that King and his taking the Government into his own hands had made a formidable Invasion and Progress into those Dominions These Forces most of them immediately set Sayl from Dunkirke some Troops and Companies Landing there from Leith all Commanded in chief by his Excellency the Earl of Inchiqueen the famous Souldier in Ireland Colonel Morgan late Governour of Scotland being his Major-General they arrived well and in good health there on the Twenty ninth of Iune and after a little refreshment and being prohibited to eat the Fruit of the Countrey for fear of Fevours and other Distempers advanced towards the Campania but the Spaniard having notice thereof thought it not advisable to Fight with them in their strength and vigour but to waste them with the usual incommodities of those Climates to us and retreated back again immediately into Spain In Iuly following the Duke of Ormond Lord Lieutenant of Ireland His Majesty having given him a very Honourable and friendly farewel and having received the like civilities from the whole Court set forwards in his Journey and Voyage to that Kingdome where he Arrived three weeks after and was most Magnificently received into the City of Dublin and congratulated and welcomed by the whole Body of that People in Parliament to whom in their Assembly he delivered himself in a most Excellent Speech There was mention made before of the Commissioners for Regulating Corporations for the securing of the peace of the Kingdome by these Gentlemen named for each County City and Borrough it was ordered besides the displacing of Officers that the Walls of the respective Cities and Towns of Gloucester and Coventry Northampton Taunton and Leicester and other places which had Bulworks and Garrisons and maintained them throughout the War against the King and were the Reception of and maintenance the Rebellion should be demolished as Examples and Security to successive times the County-Troops and respective Trained Band-Regiments guarded these places when they were Demolished Dr. Gauden the Bishop of Exeter died about this time September as also William Lenthal the Speaker of the Long Parliament very penitently The Town of Dunkirk taken from the Spaniard in One thousand six hundred fifty eight and kept ever since at a vast and great charge was by advice of the Lords of his Majesties Privy Councel as being never annexed by Act of Parliament to the Crown of England returned to the French King who upon surrender of it in the year aforesaid delivered it unto us Now for the sum of Five hundred Thousand pounds fully paid that Fortress was delivered into the Possession of the French under the Government of the Count d'Eâ—irades and his Deputy the Marquess of Montpear two English Companies with the Governour only Guarding the Gates at their entrance and delivering the Keys of the same Town The Honourable Sir Edward Nicholas having served his Majesty and his Father as Secretary of State for many years obtained his Quietus est from the King who would have dignified his Merit with a Barrony which Sir Edward modestly declined because His Majesty should not increase the Nobility and Sir Henry Bennet late the Kings Resident in Spain a very excellent Person was named to that Preferment Among these and the like Honours conferred by the King upon his Faithful and Loyal Servants and Subjects which the purport of this Chronicle obliged me to take notice off and be their Herauld this time challenged my observance of a Dignity conferred on that eminent and worthy Personage Dr. Iohn Berkenhead Knighted with a Testimony from his Majesty that he had done his Father and himself very signal and great services during the last twenty years Revolution and there is scarce any Honest man in the Three Kingdoms who will not say Amen to this his Majesties EVGE There had been suspition of a Plot and the City Trained Bands had watched and warded every Night for the most part of the Summer ever since the Kings departure to meet the Queen but now the Design appeared the first named was one Captain Baker a New-England-man an acquaintance of Hugh Peters there and preferred to be one of Olivers Band of Pensioners this Fellow acquaints one Hill the Son of a Phanatick or Independant Preacher in the Street and tells him of a Designe and brings him acquainted at several Meetings of divers of the Conspiracy which he having good information of revealed with the names of the Conspirators to Sir Richard Brown Some of those engaged thus only met and heard and reported their discourses of Arms and other preparations to their own gang but approved the Treason so well that they never discovered it This Plot was against the Sacred Life of the King the Duke of York the noble Duke of Albemarle and Sir Richard Brown and generally the Bishops Nobility Gentry and Commonalty that were not of their Opinions and Assisted them not and they had ready prepared a draught of their Government their Councels were carried on by six who never sate twice in a Place nor could be known to any two their Commander in chief was Ludlow Colonel Danvers Mr. Nye Mr. Lockyer and one Lieutenant Strange the Captains Spencer and Taverner were favourable to the Design and would surprize Deal Castle in Kent as Windsor was certain to be theirs and the Word the Night they were to fall on which after several put offs was appointed the last of October was to be given them by George Phillips a Serjeant in the Colonels Company of the White Regiment For this the Eleventh of December the said George Phillips Thomas Tongue a Distiller of Strong Waters Francis Stubs being a Cheesmonger Iames Hind Gunner Iohn Sellers Compass-maker and Nathanael Gibs Felt-maker were Convicted by Evidence of their fellow-Conspirators Edward Rigge Bradley and others only Hind Pleaded Guilty and craved the King's Mercy they alledged they never Acted such Trayterous intentions but the Design was proved to have been communicated and laid open to them after their full Defence they were all found Guilty and on the Twenty second of December Phillips Tongue Gibs and Stubs were Executed according to Sentence but His Majesty was graciouâ—ly pleased to give their Quarters to be buried but their Heads to be set up upon several Poles two on each Tower-Hill the nearest place to the Tower On the Twenty sixth of December his Majesty to satisfie the Kingdome of his intents in reference to the unsatisfiedness of Dissenters to the Established Settlement of the Church expressed his Indulgence to their Consciences so far as such Liberty would not Disturb the Publick Peace nor entrench upon the Orthodox Religion professed and that he
Duke of Ormond who hath so often Governed this Realm hath given the greatest pledges of assurance of an happy Establishment whose beginning I will not trouble with the short-lived rumours of Commotions and Stirs now very frequent and rise by the Arts of our Male-Contents Thus far have I deduced the account of the Three Kingdoms from the most Funest War to a blessed and most promising Peace to us and our Posterity and may there be in the succeeding years of His Majesties and his Royal Progenies Reign which Almighty God derive through innumerable descents no other occasion of our Pens than the gratulatory Records of our undisturbed unalterable Repose Plenty and Tranquillity A BRIEF ACCOUNT Of the most Memorable TRANSACTIONS IN ENGLAND SCOTLAND and IRELAND AND Forein Parts From the Year 1662 to the Year 1675. LONDON Printed by I. C. for T. Basset at the George near Cliffords-Inne in Fleetstreet 1676. A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF TRANSACTIONS IN ENGLAND SCOTLAND and IRELAND c. THere is a justice due to the Memory of Actions as well as the Memory of Men and therefore since the times of Usurpation have had the favour done them as to have the Transactions of those Years publikely recorded though to the shame of those Times that had nothing but Enormity to signalize 'em with more justice may we assay to take a short view of those great and Noble Actions perform'd in the succeeding Years Not that we pretend to a History but in short â—â—â—nals and brief Collections to facilitate the way for those that shall hereafter take a larger and more considerable pains Anno Dom. 1663. THat which the expectations of people were most fix'd upon the beginning of this Year was the Session of Parliament which beginning on the 19 th of February 1662 continued to the 27 th of Iuly 1663. The first thing remarkable was a Petition of both Houses Representing that notwithstanding his Majesties unquestionable zeal and affection to the Protestant Religion manifested by his constant prosession and practice against all temptations whatsoever yet by the great resort of Iesuits and Romish Priests into the Kingdom the Subject was generally much affected with jealousie that the Popish Religion might much encrease and the Church and State be thereby insensibly disturb'd upon which the King set forth a Proclamation Commanding all Iesuits and Irish Scotch and English Priests to depart the Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales before the 14 th of May then next ensuing upon pain of having the penalty of the Laws inflicted upon them But while they are bringing other Consultations to maturity many other things preceding the Conclusion of their deliberations are to be related In April his Majesty kept the Feast of St. George at Windsor where the Duke of Monmouth and the Prince of Denmark by his Deputy Sir George Carteret Vice-chamberlain were install'd Knights of the Garter Toward the later end of May came News from Iamaica that the English under the Command of Capt. Mymms being about 800 men had made an attempt upon the City of Campeach in the Golden Territories of the King of Spain and that they took the Town though defended with four Forts and 3000 men But the Spaniards having intelligence of their coming had sent away their Women and Riches yet though they miss'd their chief aim they took the Governour brought away 50 pieces of Ordnance and 14 Ships which were in Harbor The beginning of Iune brought News of a Conspiracie of several wicked persons in Ireland who were endeavoring to raise a new Rebellion there by surprizing the Castle of Dublin The Designe was to have been put in execution upon the 21 th of May and the Dâ—ke of Ormond first to be seiz'd To which effect divers persons with Petitions in their hands were to wait in the Castle while 80 Foot in the disguise of Handicrafts-men attended without Their business it was to trifle about for an opportunity to surprize the Guards The Plot was discovered and 500 lib. a head set upon five of the Ringleaders to what persons soever should apprehend them About this time his Majesty caus'd the Earl of Middleton's Commission as Commissioner of Scotland to cease and appointed the Earl of Rothes to succeed him in the same Quality On the third of Iune His Majesty by his Commission under the Great Seal of England to the Lord Chancellor Lord Treasurer Lord Privy Seal Duke of Albemarle Marquess of Dorchester and Lord High Chamberlain pass'd ten Bills which were all private ones but three of which the chiefest was for repair of the High-ways of Huntington Hertford and Cambridge-shires About the beginning of December Mr. Paul Rycaut Secretary to the Earl of Winchelsey came from Constantinople bringing with him the Grand Seigniors Ratifications of the several Treaties made with Argier and as a mark of the Kings satisfaction in the management of his Employment and the Message he brought His Majesty was pleas'd to honour him with a fair gold Chain and a Medal No less mindful was he of the Loyalty of his Island of Iersey and as a reward thereof muâ—â—bout the same time he order'd a stately silver Mace richly gilt to be bestowed upon the Bayliff or Chief Magistrate of the Island to be born ever after before him and his Successors as an honourable Badge of his Majesties affection to them for their constant adhering both to his Father and Himself It was received with all imaginable demonstrations of joy and the first that had the honour to have it born before him was Philip Carteret Esq. Brother to Sir George Vice-Chamberlain to his Majesty But now so loud and so hainous were the rebellious Treasons daily discovered in the North that it was thought convenient to give requitals of another nature and in the depth of winter to send a Commission of Oyer and Terminer to York for trial of the most notorious Offenders in that Conspiracie Seventeen were first arraign'd ten of which appeared to have been actually in arms at Farnley-wood The Plot was excellently open'd to have been a Designe which came from the Bishoprick about a year before and that an Intelligence was settled between the disaffected there and in Yorkshire as also in Ipswich in Suffolk and other Counties an Oath of Secresie taken and Agents employ'd at London and in the West of England for assistance In Iune preceding two Agitators were sent into Scotland to reconcile the Sectaries there who were entertained at one Oldroyd's house in Deusbury commonly known by the name of the Devil of Deusbury and afterwards divers meetings were appointed at a place called Stanh-house in York-shire Whereupon Marshden and Palmer were sent to London as Agitators to the Secret Committee there and at their return brought Orders to rise the 12 th of Octob. with assurance that the Insurrection should be general and Whitehal be attempted Nottingham Glocester and Newcastle were to be seized as Passes
agreed upon by the Respective Ministers meeting at the Spanish Embassador's-House at the Hague where they sign'd and exchang'd all acts thereto belonging Anno Dom. 1670. IN the beginning of April the Parliament having prepar'd several Acts ready for the King to signe the King came to the House of Lords and gave his Royal Assent signifying also his consent for an Adjournment till the 24 of October ensuing having only granted the King an Imposition upon all Wines and Vinegar for such a certain time And prepar'd a Bill to Authorize such Commissioners as the King should nominate for treating with the Scotch Commissioners in order to the Union desir'd This Moneth also the Lord Iohn Berkley arriv'd in Dublin to succeed the Lord Roberts as Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland who upon weighty considerations was call'd back again into England And now in this time of leisure the Princess of Orleans comes to Dover to visit her two Brothers his Majesty and the Duke of York her stay in England was short and her stay in this World not much longer for in a short while after her return into France she departed this life the Court of England being not only grieved but astonished at the suddenness of her death Upon some apprehension of private designes a Proclamation was issu'd out commanding all Souldiers and Officers who had serv'd under the late Usurped Powers to depart the City and not to come within twenty miles of the same for a prefix'd time and in the mean while not to wear Arms upon a severe penalty The Parliament of Scotland now sitting and understanding what the Parliament of England had done in that Affair the Act for the Treaty of Union pass'd both Houses at Edenburgh and was touch'd by the Commissioner with the Royal Scepter of which although the designe were of high concernment yet because the Event was not correspondent it will be enough to say that the Commissioners on both sides had often Conferences and great encouragements from the King but it met with so many delays and difficulties that as a thing not to be compass'd it was at length laid aside The King was every year very intent upon the suppression of the Pyrates of Argier which was the only War he now had wherein though his Commanders had prosper'd by taking particular Prizes and single Ships yet never could they meet with a Body of those Rovers to signalize their Courage till now neither was this a Body of above seaven men of War too many for the Algerines to run the Fate they did There were the Hampshire Portsmouth Iersey and Centurion Frigats under the Command of Captain Beach these met the seven Argier Men of War the least of which had 38 Guns and full of Men who after a short dispute were forc'd to run all their Ships ashore where they were all burn'd two by themselves and the rest by the English besides the loss of most of their men and the Redemption of 250 Christian Captives Valour gets Renown but Cowardise Disgrace therefore Captain Iohn Peirce and Andrew Legate for the loss of the Saphire Fregat in the Streights were both about this time which was in September try'd for their Lives at a Court Marshal held upon the River of Thames where it plainly appearing that the said Frigat was basely and shamefully lost through the default and cowardise of the said Captain and Lieutenant they were both Condemn'd to be Shot to Death and soon after both Executed Both Houses of Parliament re-assembl'd according to their Adjournment This Month the Ratification of the Peace between England and Spain beyond the Line was agree'd and Ratifi'd and the Ratifications Exchang'd and Notice given to the Governors in those Parts for the punctual observation thereof on both sides In the mean while the Prince of Orange Arrives to give his Uncle a Visit He came to London upon the 30th of October but his stay here was not long However he visited both the Universities and his entertainmenâ— was in all places answerable to the Dignity of his Person His coming no question had a Mysterie in it but Mysteries of State are not to be div'd into However at the beginning of the Spring he return'd well satisfi'd both as to his Publick Reception and private Concerns In November Sir Thomas Allen return'd home with his Squadron having made many attempts upon the Pyrates of Argier whose Cowardice still shuning the English Force made the Voyage seem the less successful leaving Sir Edward Sprage in his Room December seldom passes without some act of Villany one more remarkable was at this time perform'd for the Duke of Ormond going home in his Coach was between St. Iames'â— and Clarendon-House by six persons Arm'd and Mounted forc'd out of his Coach and set behind one of the Company who was riding away with him but he was at length Rescu'd partly by his own strength partly by others coming to his Assistance A Fact which rendred the performers not so bold as it render'd the Duke Memorable in his Forgiveness Sir Edward Sprage was now the King's Admiral in the Mediterranean Sea of whose Action the next year must give a farther Accompt The Parliament having at this time compleated several Acts the King came to the House and gave his Royal Assent to them being chiefly for Regulation of the Law and for an Additional Excise upon Beer and Ale During this Session the Lords and Commons by their Humble Petition Represented to the King Their fears and apprehensions of the growth and encrease of the Popish Religion whereupon the King in compliance with their desires by His Proclamation commanded all Iesuits and English Irish and Scotch Priests and all others that had taken Orders from the See of Rome except such as were by Contract of Marriage to wait upon the Queen or Forreign Embassadors to depart the Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales upon pain of having the Laws and Statutes of the Realm inflicted upon them Forrein Affairs 1670. The first occurrence of Moment is the Election of the new Pope Cardinal Altieri who at first refus'd the Honour but the perswasion of the Cardinals prevailing he told them they had open'd upon Him the Gates of Hell and so yielded to their importunity He had no Nephews and therefore Adopted Cardinal Paluzzi whose Brother had Married his Neece And now the Grandeur of the House of Orange began to revive again The States Concluding in a full Assembly his admission into the Council of State and setling an honourable Pension upon him Nor was he long without the Title of their Captain General by Sea and Land In Flanders some Alteration happen'd by reason that the Constable of Castile growing sickly could not abide the trouble of business any longer he departed privately to Ostend and so by Sea for Spain in his place the Count de Monterey was soon advanced While Tangier makes us concern'd
plunder'd and burn'd their Houses and Plantations But the Bostoners and they of Plymouth arming a considerable Force soon drove them to their Sculking-holes so that they were soon restrain'd from doing any further damage nor did the English leave hunting them till they could not finde at length so much as an Indian left in all that Promontory In Iuly his Majesty made a Sea-progress he took shipping at Gravesend being attended by several Frigats and Yachts sail'd through the Downs intending for Portsmouth but meeting with bad Weather he Anchor'd on the back of the Isle of Wight He visited the Isle of Wight where he was entertain'd by Sir Robert Holmes the Governour from thence he arriv'd at Portsmouth in the Greyhound where he saw the Royal Iames Launch'd and upon the sixth of Iuly toward Evening returned again by Water to White-hall In August came into England the Count S. Maurice from Savoy to signifie to his Majesty the death of the late Duke In September happen'd a most lamentable Fire in Northampton by which the whole Town was reduc'd to Ashes leaving very little standing except some of the Out-skirts of the same About this time the River Avon running from Salisbury to Christ-church in the County of Southampton was first begun to be open'd in order to the making the said River Navigable from Christ-Church to Salisbury to the great improvement of the Trade of that City Upon the 13 th of October both Houses met again in pursuance of their Prorogation in Iune but they had not sate long before some difference in relation to the Appeal of Shirley to the Lords House brake out again so that upon the 22 of November they were again Prorogâ—'d till the 15 th of February 1676. having only pass'd a Bill for the Rebuilding of Northampton and two other private Bills While the Parliament sate Monsieur Luzaney being converted from the Romish Church to the Protestant Religion and having preached a Sermon expressing the reasons of his Conversion one St. Germane a French Jesuite coming to the Lodging of Luzancy with others by Threats and Terrours of Assassinating the affrighted Luzancy and of carrying him away by force compell'd him to write and subscribe a feigned recantation of what he had preached and published whereupon his Majesty issued out a Proclamation for discovery and apprehension of the said St. Germane and his accomplices Nor was the Barbadoes threatned only by her Slaves who were easily dealt with but with an Enemy against whom there was no resistance For upon the last of August happened so violent a Hurricane in that Island that eight Ships and five Ketches in the Road were cast away and most of the men drowned besides 300 Houses thrown to the ground and above 200 Whites and Negro's kill'd But as the Barbadoes suffers Iamaica encreases by the removal of several Families with their Goods and Servants from Surrinam who for their own and the encouragement of others had a double quantity of Land allotted them by the Lord Vaughan Governour Forrein Affairs 1675. The Confederates and French were now the most considerable Actors upon the Stage of Europe But the Emperour dissatisfied with Bournonvile's Conduct the last Year sends his old General Montecuculi to take the charge of the Army granting him all that he desir'd in relation to the Campagne and giving him full power to act as he should think good for the common Interest of the Allies who thereupon being furnish'd with large supplies of Men and Money repairs to his Charge In Holland the Prince of Orange fell sick of the Small Pox but very speedily and perfectly recovering his Health he kept the Field all the Summer long As for the French they begun the Year with some success for sitting down before Limburgh after a smart but short Siege the springing of some Mines and a general Assault given to the Town the Prince of Nassau seeing the Enemy entered and not willing to expose the City and the Inhabitants to the fury of a Storm beat a Parly a surrender'd upon Articles In the mean time the Hollander declares open War against Sweden Upon which the Swede resolves to make War upon the Dutch both by Sea and Land and seized all Debts owing by the Subjects of that Crown to the Dutch But in an ill time did the Swede appear in the declination of the French Interest the first Effects whereof he felt from the Brandenburgher who falling upon him neer Fehr Berlin defeated a very considerable Body of the Swedish Infantry taking from them six peices of Cannon and great part of their Baggage On the Swedes side were killed above 4000 Men nor did the Brandenburgher buy his Victory cheap having lost neer 2000 of his own Souldiers But a worse Fate befel the French for the two great Armies of the Confederates and Turenne having layn long posted neer one another at length came to Blows which proved very unfortunate to the French for besides the loss of several great Commanders as Du Plessy Vaubrun and others there fell the Famous Turenne himself being shot to death with a Cannon-bullet being the second shot that was made from a Battery of six Cannons by Montecuculi to play upon the French Cavalry About 3000 Men were slain upon the Spot and more in the pursuit and had not the Conde de L'Orge made a Souldier-like Retreat of which he had obliged the good-natur'd English to bear the brunt though to their sad Havock and loss of Colonel Lambert they had suffer'd a greater Ruine The death of Turenne was lamented by the King of France with Tears He was buried at St. Dennis among the Kings of France with his Epitaph Turenne a son Tombeau parmy ceux de nos Roys Cést le fruit glorieus de ses fameux Exploits L'on a par cet Honneur couronné sa vaillance A fin qu' aux â—iecles a venir Il n'ait point de difference De Porter la Couronné ou de la Soûtenir Turenne among our Kings entombed lies The glorious fruit of his great Victories Such fair rewards thus honour his Renown That after-times may learn from hence How little is the difference 'Twixt those that wear and that support a Crown â—onde succeeds but with worse success for he thinking to make all good posts himself at a place call'd Ensheime but Montecuculi being resolved to force him thence or make him fight attacks him in his Intrenchments and with twelve pieces of Cannon which he had advantageously planted he so battered the French Camp that they were forc'd to make a disorderly Retreat in the Night cutting down Trees with which they filled the ways to hinder the Imperial Cannon which was the reason they escaped a second Scowring Montecuculi sent out two Major-Generals with 1000 Horse apiece the one brought in 200 Prisoners and 20 Waggons laden with Baggage the other met with the French Commissaries took their Convoy and a vast quantity of Bread and
which the Rump were now unarmed to dispute his Commission from them as Commissioner for governing the Army being then also expired and the publication of a Petition subscribed by Barebone's and others to abjure the King as afterwards with the Mayor and Court of Aldermen at Guild hall who used their endeavours with him in the business he marched out of the City with his Army to their Quarters and on Saturday sent another Letter to the Parliament wherein he laid open the dangerous designes countenanced by themselves in conniving at Lambert particularly the business of Barebone's Petition setting forth that there had been Oaths too many already and as before in the afternoon he Rendezvoused in Finsbury-fields and from thence marched into London where he and his Army were joyfully entertained declaring himself for the City and a free Parliament Towards evening the City rung every where with the news of it with such Acclamations and shone with so many Bonfires where they burnt and roasted all manner of Rumps in detestation of the Juncto then sitting that it seemed a Theatre of mad extasied people nor is it possible any expressions of it should reach the sense and belief of Posterity Money being thrown among the Souldiers as if now there would be no more occasion for it but that the Golden Age swiftly approached The Speaker at his return from the House being in danger of his life Innumerable the Ballads and Ribaldry made of this Rump The General continued in London and disarmed most of those Phanatick persons who had been listed by the Committee of Safety and notwithstanding the Order of the Rump yet kept their Arms. The aforesaid Conferences were yet held and the General assisted at the debates between some of the Members sitting and those that were excluded in 1648 in order to some composure having promised to stand by the City in the attainment of such a settlement as should secure the Nation These conferences coming to no Issue and the Rump having at last finished their Qualifications so rigid and unreasonable that no good or fair meaning appeared in them as he modestly and fairly told them He came with his Army into Westminster and parts adjacent and having that morning convened the aforesaid secluded Members at White-hall went with them to the House of Commons and see them safely sit in Parliament who presently vacated many Orders made by the aforesaid Remnant in 1648 in reference to the Death of the King and their own forcible seclusion as also all Votes lately made by them touching new Members to be elected to sit and serve in Parliament also all Orders referring to Sir George Booth's business and all Imprisonments and Sequestrations thereupon Next they constituted the General Captain and Commander in chief of all the Forces of England Scotland and Ireland discharged all Prisoners upon the account of a Free Parliament and suspended the Power of the Council of State till they had erected a new one of which the General was made one They likewise ordered the Gates and Portcullises of the City of London to be repaired and set up at the publick charge more especially care was taken by them for securing the Militia into honest and faithful hands both in London and the respective Counties The dispatch of the aforesaid Assessment was also recommended to the Commissioners and a great advance of money lent by the City for the present occasions their promptness now overmatching the Force before Sir Charles Coot declares for a Free-Parliament by the re-admission of the secluded Members and thereupon possessed himself of Dublin-castle having first of all surprized Galloway from Colonel Sadler in this manner He invited him and his Officers all Anabaptists to his house over the water to be merry which doing Sir Charles pretended a desire of drinking a glass of Wine in Galloway privately with Sadler so they two secretly took Boat with each a servant and being on the other shore Sir Charles said Colonel Sadler I am resolved for a Free-Parliament and to have this Garrison you have a Sword about you draw and fight or else engage your honour will make no disturbance in the Town upon our admission and my Declaration to which Sadler amazed and troubled answered He would acquiesce Whereupon he caused the Gate to be opened and Sir Charles having declared himself the Souldiers cried out A Coot a Coot and a Free-Parliament Whereupon nevertheless he secured and kept him prisoner as he did Sir Hardr. Waller at Dublin aforesaid and immediately all Ireland declared themselves satisfied in this most happy Change offering their lives and fortunes in the maintenance and defence of the Parliament to be now assembled Some Phanatick Troops of Rich's Horse rendezvoused at Bury in Suffolk where they began to mutiny but Colonel Ingoldsby and Captain Philip Howard Captain of the Life-guard being sent against them they presently were quieted and received their old Colonel Ingoldsby for their Commander whereupon a Proclamation issued for the better regulating the Army and keeping it in obedience requiring all Officers and Souldiers immediately to depart to their several Quarters and not remove without the Generals order or license in that behalf This made the Army sensible of that duty the Parliament expected from them whereupon they one Regiment after another presented their Addresses to the General owning and congratulating his happy management of the Affairs of the Kingdome Nor indeed was ever any man so deservedly courted but especially the City shewed themselves most affectionate admirers of those great Services he had done his Country most of the Twelve Companies having invited him successively to their Halls where he was feasted with all sumptuous Magnificence love or charge could show and afford The Parliament had no less resentments of his glorious undertakings for besides the Generalate they setled upon him the Stewardship of the Mannor of Hampton-court to preserve not Usurp and possess that Royal Mansion Several Prisoners of the Phanatique-Party nothing being charged against them were freed by the General who was now also constituted one of the Generals at Sea and Col. Montague now Earl of Sandwich the other The Scotch Lords who were taken Prisoners at Worcester and had been long secured in Windsor-Castle were now by order of Parliament released that Nation under Major General Morgan quietly awaiting the issue of the Affairs in England The Presbyterian-party were now very busie to have their Profession Established by Act of Parliament and therefore a Confession of Faith was tendred to the House which having been seven times read was passed and ordered to be Printed and likewise the Solemn League and Covenant was also ordered to be reprinted and read in all Churches once in every year and to be set up in the Parliament-house but it soon after found a different entertainment The Parliament resolved during their Session which should continue no longer than the end of March to proceed only
with matters of Religion the Militia Qualifications and Writs for Elections and in the interim endeavours were used more especially at Hull by Major Gen. Overton to debauch part of the Army at York and the same tricks also at Chester with the Irish Brigades but were Defeated and came to nothing Therefore Col. Lambert refusing to put in security of Twenty thousand pounds was now at last Committed to the Tower to prevent any future danger from the unsatisfied part of the Souldiery About this time died Carolus Gustavus King of Sweden The Engagement made by the remnant of the Parliament Viz. I do declare and promise that I will be true and faithful c. was now ordered to be expunged out of the Journal-book of the House of Commons which made the Phanaticks begin to fear their unjust Possessions Hull was now delivered to Col. Fairfax according to the Generals Order The Inscription under the Statue of King Charles the first in the Exchange London Exit Tyrannus was expunged and blotted out by a private hand According to the Parliament resolves to Dissolve themselves and being pressed by the General whose well-governed impatience of the Kings return permitted not the least delay in that dangerous place Writs were ordered to be issued out for the Election of Members in the ensuing Parliament in the name of The Keepers of the Liberty of England by Authority of Parliament and the Bill of their Dissolution being read and passed leaving a power in the Council of State in the interval of Parliament to govern the Nations they broke up and so this long-lasting Parliament which hath done and suffered so many strange things came with fair expectations to a peaceable conclusion but shall never want the Elegies and the doleful complaints of the three Kingdoms The Parliament being thus Dissolved the first thing the Council of State acted was the emitting of a Proclamation forbidding all Persons whatsoever to make applications to any of the Officers and Souldiers in the Army in the way of Agitating declaring that pernitious course was the ruine of the King and Kingdome in the years 1647 and 48. This actuated with a diligent eye upon some suspected persons and securing of others happily retained the Army in their duty and obedience to the bringing about his Majesties Restitution which was every day more visible The Council of State were hammering a Proclamation requiring such qualifications as were intended by Parliament for the Election of Members to be strictly observed whereby Cavaliers were to be excluded but there were enow Royallists besides to do that great and happy work which was soon after accomplisht and yet in the mean while made Addresses to the King some Letters passing from them to him being unhappily delayed by the death of Mr. Annesley Brother to the now Earl of Anglesey who was drowned as he was taking Boat to proceed in his Voyage for the delivery of them to the King Mr. Barebone and Mr. Scot signed an Engagement wherein they promised to live peaceably but divers others of that Faction for agitating and other misdemeanors were secured and committed to prison the Elections in the interim went hopefully on and the Militia was every where well established A Letter was sent by the Council to the Bassa of Algier for releasing the Lord Inchequeen and his Son who were lately taken by a Turkish Pirate neer the Port of Lisbon and carried to Algier Colonel Massey appeared in Gloucestershire with an intention to stand for an Election there he was ordered to appear before the Council which he did and was afterwards unanimously chosen one of the Burgesses for that City as Major-General Brown who sate with the secluded Members before with the Recorder Sir William Wilde and Sir Iohn Robinson with whom the General constantly conversed in the suspence of his declaring himself but was riddled to the Royallists by the Company he kept were Elected for London both these eminent Captains were very active and instrumental in the King's Restauration The City of London emitted a Declaration wherein they clear themselves of the Guilt of the King's Death and the Crimes of the Usurpation their Counsels being under a force of a desperate Juncto put upon them and as a signet of the Revolution ensuing suffered the same Tumults to the Restitution which it had fomented and cherished in the beginning of the Wars to the ruine and overthrow of the Kingdoms Anno Dom. 1660. WE begin this mirabilis Annus the wonderful year of 1660 which by the old Philosophical Axiome of twenty years revolution was to return all things in statu quo to wit the same condition with an occurrence of no seeming tendencie or aspect to the product thereof viz. The Proclamation from the Council of State against Election of any to this Parliament that had served his Majesty in the late Wars which proceeded from the unreconciled Results of those secluded Members who yet retained some grudge of their first Quarrel and would fain do away the imputation of their unjust Arming themselves and the people against their Soveraign by a Vote passed this last sitting wherein they again declared That the late King began the War with the two Houses and this was now for a subsequent confirmation of that fallacious Maxime of the Rebellion Mr. Saint Iohn that was of this Council of State now opened and discovered himself in the solution of his former actions by his suspicions and fears of the approaching Revolution He stickled first for the Qualifications which the Parliament through the General 's designed importunity had left unestablished and undetermined and that being thus decreed though the Gentry found means to Elude this Paper-scare-crow foreseeing the necessity and absolute combination of all things to the King's Return he laboured to clog that also with limitations and conditions but to less purpose than he had straightned this Free Convention ensuing which was very unlike to prove so if such designes had taken effect For to the Honour and everlasting entire Felicity of this unparallelled Rovolution and the noble General 's Loyal and most generous and obliging Prudence beyond all Parliamentory Engagements and Terms whatsoever his Majesties Rights and undoubted Prerogative were left and returned to him most free and inviolate A Convention was held in Ireland in nature of a Parliament till such time as one might be conveniently and rightly called for to provide for the Peace and Safety of that Kingdom from whence the L. Shannon Sir Iohn Clothworthy and Major Aston were sent as Commissioners to the Council During the Election of Members it was wonderful to see the general chearfulness that possessed the minds and looks of all men and the no less stupid consternation of the Phanatick party which term they likewise obtained from a Letter of the General 's from Scotland a little while before so that it was plainly seen God had disarmed their spirits of that violence that had