firm in appearance Voted with them and gave his Voice for setling of the Militia by Ordinance of Parliament But about the end of June one Master Eliot a Courtier was sent closely from York to him who having gotten privacy with the Lord Keeper so far prevailed at last that he got the Great Seal into his hands and rid away with it to the King at York The Lord Keeper Littleton after some serious thoughts with himself not being able to answer it to the Parliament rode away himself next day to the King also The reason which he gave to some friends of his afterwards for so parting with the Seal was this The King when he made him Lord Keeper gave him an Oath in private which he took That whensoever the King should send to him for the Great Seal he should forthwith deliver it This Oath he said he could not dispence with in Conscience but was sorry he had taken the Office with such an Oath The Seal was given him since this Parliament sate which made it appear what intentions the King even then had to the Parliament The King having now gotten the Great Seal issued forth many Proclamations and among other one That no man should obey the Parliaments Warrants about setling the Militia and they on the other side by Ordinances forbad any man to raise Arms by Warrant from the King without the authority of Parliament The Parliament being then intent upon setling the Militia by Land they took care also to seize the Navy into their hands for security of the Kingdom against forreign invasions To that purpose the Earl of Warwick a Nobleman of good experience in Sea-affairs and undoubted fidelity to his Countrey was by an Ordinance of both Houses chosen to be Lord Admiral But the King had chosen Sir John Penington to that place in the room of the Earl of Northumberland and sent a Command to the Earl of Warwick to resign the place to him But the Earl-chose rather to obey the Ordinance of Parliament and with great courage and policy got the Fleet into his hands though many of the Captains stood out against him alleaging they had the Kings Command to obey Sir John Penington but the Earl deprived them of their Commands and possessed himself of the Ships taking shortly after another Ship called the Lion of great import coming out of Holland and laden with Gunpowder which proved a great addition to his strength All men at this time began to despair of the Kings return to his Parliament and therefore on the 10 of June was an Order made in Parliament for bringing in money and plate to raise Arms for the Cause the publick Faith for repayment to them that brought it in was engaged by the Parliament and interest of eight in the hundred Which was accordingly brought in in great abundance by well-affected people as also Horses and Arms for that service The King at that time had received Money and Arms with Ammunition out of Holland upon the pawning of the Crown-Jewels which the Queen had carried over in February before He then sent out his Commissions of Array to Arm the people into all Counties wherein he used the Parliaments own words as in a Jeer of them For the Parliament professed that their receiving of plate and money and levying of Forces was To maintain the Protestant Religion the Kings Person dignity and authority the Laws of the Land the peace of the Kingdom and priviledge of Parliament The Kings words were the same namely To maintain the Protestant Religion his own person and authority the Laws Kingdoms Peace and priviledge of Parliament And whereas the Parliament in their Declarations both then and afterward used to say That they did arm against a malignant party by whom the Kings person was in danger he in his said the like and that for the safety of his own person and people there was an inevitable necessity of putting the Kingdom into a posture of defence using those very words in his Commission of Array which they did in their Ordinance for the Militia And invited people to bring plate and money to him in that language which the Parliament did nor did it prove less effectual for many Lords Gentlemen and others very freely brought in Money and plate to serve the King within a short space In all this heat of preparations the King before those Lords that were with him in the North made a solemn Protestation as before God that he would not engage them in any War against the Parliament but only for his necessary defence that his desire was to maintain the Protestant Religion the liberties of the Subject and priviledge of Parliament Upon which those Lords made a solemn Protestation as before God and subscribed their Names to it That they did believe the Kings intention to be as he said namely That he had no purpose to Levy War against the Parliament and that he endeavored only to maintain the Protestant Religion the Laws Liberties of the Subject and just priviledge of Parliament The King immediately after this took a progress about the Countries adjacent and at divers places made speeches to the Gentlemen and inhabitants full of gracious promises and declaring his intentions to preserve the peoples Liberties and priviledge of Parliament after which he returned to York and having raised an Army of three thousand Foot and one thousand Horse went to Beverly with an intention to besiege Hull making Proclamation beforehand That no man should presume to assist Hull against him or bring any force thither The Parliament on the other side published a Declaration for the preservation and safety of the Kingdom and of the town of Hull with assurance of satisfaction to all those who sustained any loss by their service for the safety of that Town or by overflowing of water upon the grounds there The King was within two hours march of Hull when Sir John Hotham calling a Councel of War by whom it was thought so fit drowned the Countrey about Hull drawing up the Sluce giving the Owners time to remove their Cattel and Goods the Parliament being to satisfie their damages upon the publick Faith Sir John Meldrum an old Souldier was assistant to Hotham who sallying bravely out of the Town with five hundred Townsmen made the Kings party retreat to Beverly some being slain and taken in the Chase Within a short time after when five hundred men sent from London arrived at Hull Sir John Meldrum made a fiercer Sally and forced most of the Leaguer to retire disorderly one and twenty of them being slain and fifteen taken prisoners and following his good success came to Aulby where the Kings Magazine of Arms Ammunition and Fire-balls were kept in a Barn all which he took and fired the Barn Upon which the King calling a Councel of War upon their advice broke up the siege before Hull On the twelfth of July the Parliament Voted that an Army should be raised for the
safety of the Kings person and defence of the Parliament Of which the Earl of Essex a man of eminent fidelity and worth was by an unanimous consent of both Houses chosen General Some Lords and Members of the Commons were sent down into the Counties to settle the Militia and raise Forces for defence of several Towns and places And divers Members of the Houses Listed themselves in the Lord General Essex his Army and took Commissions from him as Colonels But immediately after this time the Kings Commissions of Array were sent down into every County though often declared by the Parliament to be illegal and were obeyed in many places more than the Parliaments Ordinances for the Militia by reason that so many Lords and Gentlemen adhered to him now against the Parliament But there were scarce any Counties free from contention betwixt the Commissioners of the one and the Ordinances of the other which strugled together with great Nobility and Gentry on both sides Neither had the Kings Proclamations nor the Parliaments Ordinances obedience from all only as far as the now-drawing swords enforced it During these Divisions in several Counties London it self was not free for the Lord Major of London Sir Richard Gurney was by the Parliament committed prisoner to the Tower of London for moving sedition in the Kingdom by causing the Kings Commission of Array a thing declared illegal by both Houses to be proclaimed in the City and afterwards an additional impeachment was brought in against him by the Common-Councel of London for divers breaches of his Oath in that Office and contemning the Orders of Parliament After many days attendance concerning these Accusations on the twelfth day of August he received his Censure at the House of Lords which was That he should be turned out of his Majoralty That he should never bear any Office in the City or Common-wealth That he should be incapable of any Honor or Dignity to be conferred on him by the King and Committed Prisoner to the Tower during the pleasure of both Houses Many Proclamations about that time passed from the King and Declarations from the Parliament one from the King against the Earl of Essex as a Rebel and all that adhered unto him and a Declaration from the Parliament recounting all that the Kings evil counsel for so they call it had done illegally against them the Parliament likewise published what in particular had been done by his party against Ireland and how that unhappy Kingdome had been of late robbed of many Reliefes of Cloathes Victuals and Arms which the Parliament had sent them by the King and his party While these writings on both sides lasted the King removed often to gather strength and in several places made Speeches to the Countries with many Protestations of his affection to the people At last he came to Nottingham where about the middle of August he set up his Standard-Royal Very few People came to it nor had the King at that time any considerable strength nor if the Parliament would then have seized upon his person could he have kept himself out of their hands From Notingham on the twenty fifth of that Month he sent a Message to the Parliament by the Earls of Southampton and Dorset and Sir John Culpeper In that Message he signifieth a desire to compose the difference by a Treaty that a certain number of Persons sent and enabled by the Parliament may treat in some indifferent place with the like number authorized by him The Parliament answer That until he put them in a condition to treat that is until he take down his Standard and recall those Proclamations wherein he calleth a thing unheard of before both Houses of Parliament Traytors and Rebels they cannot by the Fundamental Priviledges of Parliament or by the publick trust reposed in them or with the general good of the Realm admit of any such Treaty The KING denied that he advanced his Standard against the Parliament or that he called them Rebels but within few dayes in his Instructions to his Commissioners of Array Marquess Harford the Earl of Cumberland and the Lord Strange he again called the Earl of Essex Rebel and Traytor Thus did they contend for some time by Declarations and Proclamations which proved all fruitless as to satisfying of the people nor could this lamentable War be averted Prince Rupert and Prince Maurice the the second and third Sons of the late King of Bohemia were now come into England the beginning of September to offer their service to the King their Uncle whom presently he put into Commands Prince Rupert the Elder and Fiercer by nature Commanding a Body of Horse flew with great fury through divers Counties raising men for the King's service in a rigorous way Committing outrages to those who favoured the Parliament upon which the Houses fell into a debate agreeing that a Charge of Treason should be drawn up against him for endeavouring the Destruction of this State and abusing that Court which represented it The King marched another way and passing through Derbyshire Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire he commanded the Trained Bands of those Counties to attend and Guard his Person and when they were met he disarmed the greatest part of them taking as many Arms as served for two thousand men besides good summs of Money which he borrowed by constraint protesting still as usually he did to maintain the Protestant Religion the Laws and Liberties of the Subject and the priviledges of Parliament The Parliament-Army raised under the Conduct of the General Essex was now grown into a considerable Bulk consisting of about fourteen thousand Horse and Foot their general Rendezvouz was at Northampton where many of the chief Commanders stayed with them expecting the presence of the General himself The Lord General Essex on the ninth of September taking his leave of the Parliament and City of London went towards Northampton and was waited on by the trained Bands and a great number of armed Gentlemen from Essex-house to the end of the City with great solemnity The Parliament sent a Petition to the General at Northampton to be by him presented to the King in a safe and honourable way the effect of which was humbly to entreat his Majesty to withdraw his presence from those wicked persons about him and not to mix his danger with theirs but that he would return to his Parliament and such-like things The King intending to seize upon Worcester sent Prince Rupert thither with some Horse which Essex fearing to prevent the King commanded part of his forces to march thither speedily himself following with his Army Some Skirmishes happened between that party of Parliamentarians and Prince Rupert before the coming of General Essex but Prince Rupert when the forerunners of Essex his Army were in sight with great speed fled out of Worcester General Essex leaving a Garison at Northampton marched to Coventry which Town he also garisoned as likewise Warwick and marched from thence with his
and after he had plundered the country thereabouts retired safely to his Winter-Quarters at Oxford The Parliament considering this action of the King began to hope little upon any Treaty resolving That the General should speedily pursue the King's Forces and fall upon them and the City of London to encourage the Parliament made a Petition to them wherein they entreated That they would proceed no further in the business of Accommodation because evil counsel was so prevalent with the King that he would but delude them that they had heard his Forces are weak and entreat that his Excellency would follow and fall upon them the City as heretofore being ready to spend with all willingness their lives and fortunes to assist the Parliament For which Petition and Protestation the Parliament returned thanks to the City and according as they desired it was decreed in Parliament FINIS Book II. A Short mention of the Progress of this Civil War THe beginnings of the Civil war together with the Series of causes from whence it sprung as likewise the degrees by which it grew have been already breifly and clearly shewed The things which remain to be unfolded are of so great a weight of so various a nature and of so many peices that scarce any Historian I might say History it self is sufficient to weave fully together so many particulars my intention therefore is to make onely a short mention not a full Narration of that Variety For the War went on with horrid rage in many places at one time and the fire once kindled cast forth through every corner of the land not onely sparks but devouring flames insomuch as the kingdom of England was divided into more Wars than Counties nor had she more fields than skirmishes nor Cities than Sieges and almost all the Palaces of Lords and great Houses were turned every where into Garrisons of War they fought at once by Sea and Land and through all England who could but lament the miseries of his Country sad spectacles were of plundering and firing Villages and the fields otherwise wast and desolate were rich onely and terribly glorious in Camps and Armies The following Summer namely in the year one thousand six hundred forty three proved for a long time fatal to the Parliament and Fortune seemed to have condemned the cause of liberty so exceedingly did the Kings party flourish in successes and Victories and the Parliaments condition every where low so that they were neer to ruine who in the end prevailed In the West Sir William Waller a Parliament-chieftain who had gotten divers Victories and then almost quite vanquished Sir Ralph Hopton was at last namely in July utterly defeated by the Lord Wilmot who came from Oxford with an Army of the Kings and having lost all his Army returned to London and such as the fortune of the Field was was the condition of Towns and Garrisons for immediately after Wallers defeat the two greatest Cities of all the West were yeilded up Bristol to Prince Rupert and Excester to Prince Maurice At the same time in the North of England was the like success where the Lord Fairfax who with his valiant Son had long and prosperously maintained the cause of the Parliament being now over-powred by a puissant Enemy the Earl of Newcastle and almost all his Forces scattered was driven into Hull and there besieged Essex himself the great General at the same time his Army decreasing suddainly some dying of sickness others for want forsaking their colours was constrained to leave the field and return to London quartering the sick and weak remnant of his Army at Kingston and other adjacent places until a Recruit could be made for him The Parliamentarians were now in a desperate condition and their strengths every where broken on the other side the Royalists strong and dreadful in Arms Men and Horses conquerours of all the West of Wales and the North of England as far as the very borders of Scotland One onely Town of Note in the Midland Country Glocester stood out yet faithful and constant to the Parliament and much desired by the King who in great disdain that this Town after Bristol and Excester were yeilded should stand out came in person to besiedge it with a great Army The Queen was now arrived in England and had brought with her great store of Armes bought in Holland with the money which she had raised by pawning the Crown-Jewels there whose coming at this time seemed rather to a Triumph than a War Glocester not onely staid the career of the Kings Victories but made a great change in the Conditions of the sides The City was gallantly defended against a great and flourishing Army wherein Massey the Governour justly gained a wonderful renown so long did he defend the City until General Essex could be recruited with an Army great enough to raise the Siege and march thither from London eighty miles Famous and honourable in the judement of all men was that expedition of General Essex who by solong a March fighting often with great bodies of the Kings Horse by the way brought notwithstanding his whole Army safe to Glocester raised the Siege relieved that Town and in his retreat from thence encountered and vanquished the Kings Army in that memorable Battel of Newberry After this time the parliament revived of whose condition Wise men might justly have doubted if the King leaving Glocester had marched directly with his Victorious Army to London which was then not at all fortified and miserably distracted with factions within it Or besides if the Earl of Newcastle letting alone the besiegâ—ng of Hull which likewise proved fruitless had powred out his numerous forces upon the Eastern associated Counties but it otherwise pleased God who is the onely Lord of Hoasts and by whose providence all things are guided Both sides now by this Victory of Essex seemed to be put into an equal ballance both of strength and reputation and this sad War not onely likely to be continued but extended to a greater latitude on one side the Parliament inviting to their assistance their brethren of Scotland on the other side the King calling in his Irish The Scots by a Covenant to be taken by both Nations for conservation of Religion Laws and Liberties the Irish by a cessation of Armes granted by the King a peace being also promised were drawn in The Scots promised to the Parliament from whom Commissioners were sent to Edinburgh about that business that they would bring into England to their assistance an Army consisting of one and twenty thousand Horse and Foot the Parliament engaged themselves to pay the Scots one hundred thousand pounds toward the charge of raising that Army But the King dealt not so openly with those bloudy Irish in bargaining for their assistance but by a pretence of cessation of Arms for the behoof of the English Protestants in that Kingdom which cessation notwithstanding was for the benefit of the Irish Rebels in lieu of
the happie cause which necessitated the King to call a Parliament in England whereby their just Liberties might by the blessing of God be vindicated and more ascertained for the future Great was the expectation of this English Parliament on which the hopes of the people were wholly fixed as a certain cure of all their long sufferings to which they thought the King having so much transgressed could not deny any thing or make the least opposition That was the cause for which they extremely loved the Scots as the instruments of that happiness to them who by resisting the Kings intrusions upon themselves had enforced him to this visible means of a cure for England which made the King more hate the Scots as the stoppers of his general design which hatred he could not conceal in his first Speech that he made in this Parliament in which promising all favour and concurrence to any thing that might procure the happiness of England and promising to put himself freely and wholly upon the love and affections of his English Subjects in this Parliament he inveighed against the Scots as Rebels and desired that by force of Arms they might be chased out of England but the English Parliament was of another affection towards the Scots as will appear more hereafter The Parliament shewed a great and wonderful respect to the King and in many expressions gave him humble thanks for Calling them together without any reflection upon his Person for what had passed in former misgovernment but since no cure could be made without searching wounds and that grievances must be recited they resolved so to name them as to cast the envy of them upon evil Counsel and still mention the King with all honour reverence possible as will appear to any that read the printed Speeches which at the beginning of that Session were made in the House by men of Eminency Great was the business and of various natures were the crimes which this Parliament were to examine and finde out Delinquents whom so long a misgovernment had made so Many Committees were made by the House to ease them in this business they began with matters of Religion Divers Ministers who had been of good lives and conversations conscientious in their wayes and diligent in Preaching and had by the Bishops and those in authority been molested deprived or imprisoned for not conforming to some ceremonies which were imposed on them were now by the Parliament relieved and recompensed for their sufferings Others on the Contrary that had been scandalous either for loose and wicked living or else offenders in way of superstition both which to discountenance the Puritains had been frequently preferred were censured and removed The Earl of Strafford Leiutenant of Ireland was impeached of high Treason and sent prisoner to the Tower of London and on the eighteenth day of December William Laud Archbishop of Canterbury impeached of the same crime was committed to the same custody The next day after the Archbishop was impeached Dr. Wren Bishop of Norwich was accused of many misdemeanors in matter of superstition in his Ecclesiastical Government which tending to the detriment of the Civil State he was also accused of Treason and entred into a recognizance of thirty thousand pounds to appear with three sureties bound each of them in obligations of ten thousand pounds Sir Francis Windebank Principal Secretary of State a man neerly in friendship with Laud the Archbishop who was thought to be a means of his preferment was about that time accused of extraordinary connivence toward Popish Priests or rather of favor to them and that contrary to the Laws in force against them he had bailed and released a great number a Committee was appointed to examine his offence but he conscious of the crime objected and fearing the consequence about the begining of December fled in a disguise and went into France Immediately after his flight the Lord Keeper Finch was constrained to take the same course and fled out of the Kingdom into Holland the crimes objected against him were of a various nature The first committed when he was Speaker of Parliament in the House of Commons in the fourth year of King Charles which was for that he disobeyed the House in refusing to speak when he was commanded by them 2. The second was for giving illegal and cruel judgements in the Forrest-business when he was Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas. 3. The third was for threatning of some of the Judges at that time to give their extrajudicial opinions for Ship-mony The last was for drawing an injurious Declaration after the dissolution of the last Parliament for which Offences he was Voted by the House of Commons guilty of high Treason a Charge drawn up against him and carried up to the Lords upon the 14 of January three weeks after his flight Upon the 15 of February 1640. a Bill for the Triennial Parliament was presented to the King and by him signed which Act being of such great importance to the security of the peoples Liberties by Parliaments Take the substance thereof as followeth BE it Enacted That in case there be not a Parliament summoned by Writ under the Great Seal of England and assembled and held before the tenth day of September which shall be in the third yeer next after the last day of the last meetting and sitting in this present Parliament the beginning of the first year to be accompted from the said last day of the last meeting and sitting in Parliament and so from time to time and in all times hereafter if there shall not be a Parliament assembled and held before the tenth day of September which shall be in the third year next after the last day of the last meeting and sitting in Parliament before that time assembled and held the beginning of the first year to be accounted from the said last day of the last meeting and sitting in Parliament That then in every such case as aforesaid the Parliament shall assemble and be held in the usual place at VVestminster in such manner and by such means only as is hereafter in this present Act declared and enacted and not otherwise on the second Monday which shall be in the month of November then next ensuing And the Lord Chancellor of England the Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England and every Commissioner and Commissioners for the keeping of the Great Seal of England for the time being shall within six dayes after the said tenth day of September in every such third year as aforesaid in due form of Law and without any further Warrant or Direction from his Majesty His Heirs or Successors Seal issue forth and send abroad several and respective Writs to the several and respective Sheriffs of the several and respective Counties Cities and Boroughs of England and Wales and to the Constable of the Castle of Dover Lord Warden of the Cinque-ports or his Lieutenant for the time being and to the Major
fit to let their Persons go Whereupon the King sent and sealed up the Closets and Trunks of those five Members He made also a Proclamation against them for their apprehending and imprisonment as men guilty of high Treason This great breach of Parliament-Priviledge happened in a strange time to divert the Kingdom from relieving of Ireland and so the people every where complained and called to minde what they had heard by some of those poor Protestants who fled out of Ireland who reported that those Irish Rebels did confidently say It was for no purpose to sly for safety into England for that Kingdom would be as much distressed as theirs and that the King intended to forsake his Parliament in England and War against it which when he did they would come over having done their work in Ireland and help the King against the English Parliament Those things were sadly remembred On this occasion the Parliament voted that These things were an high breach of the Priviledge of Parliament a great scandal to the King and his Government a seditious act manifestly tending to the subversion of the peace and an injury and dishonor to the said Members there being no legal Charge or accusation against them And that there could be no vindication of those Priviledges unless his Majesty would discover the Names of those who advised him to such unlawful courses They therefore desired him to satisfie their legal desire in that to let them know their informers which by two Statutes then in force upon such occasions the King is bound to do but he refused to grant their request Upon which they committed his Atturney Sir Edward Herbert having been examined about it but confessing nothing for breaking the Priviledges of Parliament in prefering the Articles c. The King the next day after this entering into the House of Commons went through the City of London where the Citizens in many places flocking about his Coach humbly entreated him to agree with his Parliament and not to break the Priviledges thereof To which purpose they afterwards presented him with a Petition beseeching him for poor Irelands sake to accord with his Parliament to allow them a Guard and do right to the accused Members with other things of that nature expressed at large in that Petition The people about that time discontented with the Kings actions and those obstructions which they found in all businesses of Parliament used to flock to Westminster in great throngs though unarmed by way of Petitioning and many times to utter rude speeches against some Lords whom they conceived to be evil advisers of the King which howsoever it were meant proved of ill consequence to the Common-wealth and did not so much move the King to be sensible of his grieving the people as arm him with an excuse for leaving the Parliament and City for fear of what might ensue upon such tumultuous concourse of men Upon this ground twelve Bishops at that time absenting themselves entred a Protestation against all Laws Votes and Orders as Null which in their absence should pass by reason that they durst not for fear of their lives come to perform their duties in the House having been rudely menaced and affronted Whereupon it was agreed both by the Lords and Commons that this Protestation of the Bishops was of dangerous Consequence and deeply entrenched upon the Priviledge and Being of Parliaments They were therefore accused of high Treason apprehended and committed prisoners to the Tower Thus was the Parliament daily troubled with ill work whereby the relief of Ireland was hindered but other particular hinderances of Irelands relief then fell out which we shall express briefly When the Parliament were considering of Forces to be sent out of Scotland being a short cut many things happened to divert or delay it There was a Bill for Pressing of Souldiers to that purpose depending in the House of Peers which the King took exceptions at as to the putting of it into that way being as he said a diminution of his Prerogative but because he desired Ireland might be relieved he was content that a Bill should pass for that time with a Salvo Jure both to King and people This speech offended the Parliament who declared in a Petition that the King by taking notice of the debate in the House of Lords concerning the Bill for pressing of Souldiers had broken the fundamental priviledge of Parliament which he ought not to do concerning any Bill till it be presented to him in due course of Parliament for every Member hath free liberty of speech in propounding or debating and the King ought not to be displeased at him for such opinions or propositions For this great breach of Priviledge they desired reparation and that the King would make known who they were by whose evil Counsel he had done it that they might receive condign punishment It was then also desired that an Army of Scots should be sent into Ireland first but the Scotish Commissioners answered That they had no Commission from their State to send over a less number thither than 10000. The House of Commons consented out of Zeal to the Cause and Voted the sending over of ten thousand Scots But the Lords would not yield unto it unless the House of Commons would give assurance that ten thousand English should be sent over as speedily which was impossible to be done And no other reason given for this Opposition but that it was dishonorable for England that Ireland should be reduced by the Scots and that the Scots would make too great an advantage by it But this reason was not thought by honest men of weight enough to hinder so good a work when the cause of Religion and the deplorable estate of so many thousand poor Christians groaned for assistance A third Obstruction of Irelands Relief was thus Two thousand five hundred Scots were in readiness to be transported into the North of Ireland Concerning the condition of their going the Commissioners of Scotland delivered to the English Parliament eight Propositions Both Houses consented to all the Propositions but the King excepted against one of those Propositions which was the third in order That the Scots would have the keeping of the Town and Castle of Carrickfergus with power to remain there or enlarge their Quarters at discretion and if any Regiments or Troops in that Province should joyn with them that they receive Orders from the chief Commanders of the Scotish Forces This Article the King said that he doubted might be to the damage of England and therefore would have the Parliament think upon it again Nevertheless if they would have it so he would confer with the Scotish Commissioners about it The Scots answered the King That they were sorry that his Majesty being their native King should shew less trust in them then their neighbor Nation had freely done and should think that Article too much for them which both Houses of Parliament were pleased with The King
for then Fairfax was ordered to besiege Oxford but the design was not good and the Commmittee of both Kingdoms though too late repented it For in the mean time the King securely marched Northward with his Army and took the considerable Town of Leicester Fairfax recalled from the siege of Oxford while Cromwell was sent away to strengthen the Eastern Counties with all his forces followed the King nor was the famous battel long deserred in which all men conjectured what the liberties and Laws of England and what the Kings power should he must be tried by the sword Naseby fields not far from Northampton were the place where the fate of England was to be determined The fourteenth of June was the memorable day nor was the number of the Armies very unequal the Royalists onely were strongest in Horse nor the ordering of their Battaliaes much unlike The Kings Front was filled with brave Troops of Horse the Foot stood in the second Body The right wing was commanded by the Princes Rupert and Maurice the left by Sir Jacob Ashley other Commanders of great quality susteining their parts The Parliamentarian Foot made a firm Body in the midst The wings were guarded by the Horse the right wing was commanded by Cromwell who to the exceeding joy of the whole Army that very night before the battel was fought arrived there the left wing by Ireton Colonel Rossiter a brave Commander but a little before the battel began came with his Horse and took his place with Cromwell on the right wing the Foot was commanded by Major Generall Skippon and divided into two Bodies The Parliamentarians word was God with us The Roialists God and Queen Mary Fortune at the first as in some other battels seemed a while to slatter the Kings side for the left wing of the Parliament was worsted and the Commander Ireton receiving two wounds was taken Prisoner and kept so during the fight Prince Rupert with great fury fell in and pursued that routed wing insomuch that the day had been lost if Cromwell who came on with as great force had not in like manner routed and overthrown the Kings left wing the business now seemed in an equal ballance and the wings on both sides being thus scattered they fought some time upon dubious hopes magnanimous Skippon was grievously wounded yet would not forsake the battel but with all possible endeavours discharged his part till the Victory was obtained the Fairfaxians at last charged so fiercely upon the Roialists that they no longer could endure the brunt the Horse in all disordered hast fled toward Leicester and forsook the whole body of their Foot with their Artillery and carriages who being surrounded by the Fairfaxians threw down their Arms crying for Quarter and were all taken Prisoners This battel was the happiest of all other to the Parliament the Victory absolute and undoubted and almost five thousand prisoners carried to London the Kings Standard and one hundred other colours were taken with all their Ordnance and a very rich booty a great quantity of gold and silver and all the secret Letters of the King came by this meanes into the Conquerous hands but so few were slain in this battel that a reader may justly wonder how so many prisoners should be taken and so much wealth purchased with the loss of so little bloud for on the Kings side scarce four hundred were slain on the Parliaments scarce an hundred Cromwell with his Horse pursued the vanquished Roialists who fled apace and betook themselves to divers of their own Garrisons and bringing back a great number of Prisoners returned to the General who now marched with his Victorious Army to Leicester which was soon rendred to him Fairfax leaving a Garrison in Leicester that he might make use of his Victory to the good of the Common-wealth and hinder the King from recruiting himself to protract this sad War resolved to follow him close he therefore marched Westward that he might both pursue the King and raise the Siege of Taunton The Kings letters taken at Naseby were publikely read in London before a great Assembly of Citizens where many of both Houses of Parliament were present and leave was given to as many as pleased or knew the Kings hand to refute the calumny of those who said the Letters were counterfeit to peruse them all out of which a selected bundle were printed by command of the Parliament From the reading of these Letters many discourses of the people arose for there appeared his transactions with the Irish Rebels and with the Queen for assistance from France and the Duke of Lorraign of which before is spoken Many good men were sorry that the Kings actions agreed no better with his words that he openly protested before God with horrid imprecations that he endeavoured nothing so much as the preservation of Protestant Religion and rooting out of Popery yet in the mean time under hand he promised to the Irish Rebels an abrogation of those Laws against them which was contrary to his late expressed promises in these words I will never abrogate the Law against the Papists and again I abhor to think of bringing forraign Souldiers into the Kingdom and yet he solicited the Duke of Lorraign the French the Danes and the very Irish for assistance they were vexed also that the King was so much ruled by the will of his wife as to do every thing by her prescript that Peace War Religion and Parliament should be at her disposal It appeared besides out of those Letters with what mind the King treated with the Parliament at Vxbridge and what could be hoped by that Treaty when writing to the Queen he affirms that if he could have had but two more donsenting to his Vote he would not have given the name of Parliament to them at Westminster at last he agreed to it in this sense That it was not all one to call them a Parliament and to acknowledge them so to be and upon that reason which might have displeased his own side he calls those with him at Oxford a mungrel Parliament The King after his overthrow at Naseby fled to Lichfield and from thence he went to Hereford to raise forces especially Foot for he had still store of brave Horse that came to him after that Battel in Wales in Cornwall and in other places but nothing at all that following year prospered with the King Fortune enclining wholly to the Parliaments side whose cause it appeared that God approved by the grant of so many strange and signal Victories to them the valour of the Roialists availed not and all their endeavours fell to nothing General Fairfax after the Battel of Naseby by long Marches passed into the West Taunton was releived onely by the fame of his approach for Goring raised his Siege and went away That constant Town had been reduced to great extremities it had suffered much and done great things against strong Enemies and could not at this time in
their Army had not satisfied the expectation of the English but had lyen idle in the best time of the year if they were so precise in observation of the Covenant why then contrary to the Covenant did the Scots put Garrisons into Newcastle Tinmouth and Carlisle neither was it just in the Scots to object any thing in the case of Religion seeing the Parliament are now labouring in it being a business which requires time and mature deliberation From these jarrs the King hoped for some advantage to himself and now Oxford began to be blocked up by Ireton and Fleetwood and every day the coming of Fairfax himself and a straiter Siege of that City was expected therefore before this should happen the King resolved to go out of Oxford and communicating his mind to some inward Councellors above all other places he pitched upon the Scottish Camp to the Scots therefore as they lay before Newark the King sent Montruel the French Ambassador and himself soon after as Ashburnhams man with a Cloak-back behind him escaped unknown out of Oxford and came to Newark From this enterprise the King was disswaded by some who loved the safety of their Country and entreated rather to deliver himself to Fairfax which might in prohability put an end to the War but the King was obstinate in his design not doubting but that dissentions daily growing between the two Nations he should be the more welcome to the Scots safe from harm and be able by this means either to make a peace upon his own conditions or kindle a new war The King came first to Montruels house and from thence to Southwell into the Scottish Camp the besieged Newarkers understanding of the Kings coming and being brought into great straits harkned to conditions and surrendred the Town The Scots seemed to be amazed at the Kings unexpected coming to them and so signified the matter to the English Commissioners then present with them upon the place Letters were immediately written of it to London and to Edinburgh the English Parliament required the Scots to detain the King at Southwell but they contrary to that Order carried him away to Kelham where a greater part of their Army lay and soon after without expecting any further Orders from the Parliament of England removed their Camp marched Northward and carried away the King with them to Newcastle The Scots excused their departure because Newark being yeilded no work was left for them but alleadged That as the King came to them of his own accord unexpected so he followed their Army neither being entreated nor fobidden by them but they seemed to hasten their departure by reason of a rumor whether true or falsly pretended that Cromwell with all his Horse was marching toward them But the English upon this complained much both against the Scots and the King To the Scots they objected the breach of Covenant and Treaty To the King they imputed it As a great obstinacy and despight toward the English Nation whom he had so long injured that now in his low ebb he should in England leaving the Parliament of England go to the Scots their Mercenaries if he desired peace why did he not embrace it being offered upon such conditions as besides his necessities the common safety of his People invited him to rather than go about to kindle new fire between the two confederate Nations In the beginning of May General Fairfax with his whole Army came within sight of Oxford and disposing his quarters round about the City summoned the Governour Glenham to surrender it Glenham answered that he would first send to the King and when he knew his mind would do what was fitting this answer was not allowed Nevertheless Fairfax considering with himself which was also the opinion of all his Commanders that it was likely to prove a long Siege being a City excellent well fortified and a strong Garrison in it consisting of at least five thousand most of them old souldiers stored with provisions arms and ammunition for a great while yet was put into hope of sooner obtaining it by intelligence which he had gotten out of Letters and by some Spies that within they were much divided in their opinions and the greater part especially those of the Nobility desired it should be surrendred that they might have while time was honorable conditions Therefore they began to Treat and not onely between the Army and the City but in Parliament at London it was debated and at last decreed That the besieged should rather have the best conditions than that their precious Army should be consumed before so strong a place whilst in the mean time many things might fall out ill to the Common-wealth But the chief reason of granting such large conditions was that the conquering Army it being now Mid-summer might be transported into Ireland to vindicate that afflicted Country against the barbarous and bloudy Rebels but that so pious an intention of the Parliament was quite frustrated by the Kings going to the Scots of whom at that time there were some jealousies and that the King went to the Scots for that very purpose it was believed by Letters which were intercepted afterward written to Ormund before he went out of Oxford We hope that this design of ours though it may seem dangerous to our person will prove advantagious for Ireland in hindering the Rebels meaning the Parliament from transporting any forces into that Kingdom Thus Oxford was surrendred and at the appointed day all the souldiers of that Garrison marched away by Fairfax his Army with great quiet and modesty on both sides The Duke of York was honorably conducted to London where two of the Kings children remained thither also went all the Noble men nor was it denied to any of the Besieged to go to London but the Princes Rupert and Maurice being commanded to go out of England prepared for their departure The great Seal of England with other Ensigns of Majesty were layed up in the Library which afterward carried to London was by the command of Parliament for the Parliament when the great Seal three years before was carried away to the King had made a new one broken in pieces together with the other smaller Seals Prince Charles about that time distrusting the condition of his side fled from Silly with a few of his inward Counsellors and went to Jersey that from thence he might pass into France to the Queen his Mother While the Prince remained in Jersey the Commissioners both of England and Scotland intreated the King that the Prince his Son might continue within his Dominions lest if he should go into France it might be inconvenient at this time and an obstruction to the desired peace but the King promising them that he would think of it wrote in the mean time this short letter to the Prince CHarles I write to you onely that you should know where I am and that I am in health not to direct you at this time
in any thing for what I would have you do I have already written to your mother to whom I would have you obedient in all things except Religion about which I know she will not trouble you and go no whither without her or my Command write often to me God bless you Your loving Father C. R. This Letter was intercepted going from Newcastte to Jersey in a small Vessel and read in Parliament to their great grief Soon after the surrender of Oxford followed the end of this fierce War for Worcester Wallingford Pendennis and Ragland yeilded also to the Conquerors Peace now seemed to be restored to England but they had no security for the Parliament having vanquished the common Enemy were grievously troubled with Factions among themselves and divided under the unhappy names of Presbyterians and Independents nor was it onely in those things which concerned Church-government but in the transaction of almost all other businesses they debate fiercely and were divided in their Votes The same difference namely of Presbyterian and Independent troubled not onely the Parliament House but the City the Country and some of the Camps seeming a thing that threatned danger and the Parliament feared that Massey's forces which had deserved very well of the Common-wealth being quartered about the Devizes might under that name make a Mutiny wherefore Generall Fairfax was sent from Oxford into the West to disband the War being ended those forces of Massey being two thousand five hundred horse which thing was quietly done within eight dayes and all those Souldiers with ready obedience left their Colours although they were not fully paid at that time for which Massey as for other things was much commended in being careful by advising his souldiers that this business without any difficulty should be so ended The War being now quite finished Fairfax the Victorious Preserver of the English Parliament returned to London about the midst of November All good men longed to see that great Souldier whom they could not but admire by whose valour they were delivered from the worst of evils and were now in expectation of an happy peace The next day after he came to London That he might see the gratitude of the Parliament the House of Peers sent their Speaker Manchester whom the Earls of Northumberland Pembrook and many other Nobles accompanied who congratulated his return and gave him great thanks for his most faithful and happy services to the Common-wealth When the Lords were gone Lenthal the Speaker of the House of Commons with almost 300. Members of that House came to congratulate the General to whom Lenthal made a speech wherein he discoursed of the greatness of his actions extolling them by examples of the most great and famous Heroes of ancient times You said he noble General shall all posterity admire and honour and the people of England since they can give you no thanks equal to your merits do freely confess themselves for ever indebted to you as the happy instrument of God and finisher of our Wars with incredible suceess To which the modest Fairfax made a short reply Acknowledging himself unworthy of so great an honour and giving most humble thanks to the Parliament accounting it his greatest happiness in this world to be made by God instrumental for the good of his Country But the General staid not long at London being presently after sent to carry the money for the Scots into the North of which we shall speak afterwards in the mean time we will return to the King and Scots On the sixth of May 1646. long before the surrender of Oxford when the Parliament of England understood that the King was with the Scots when the Scots also had disobeyed their Orders which were That they should detain the King at Southwel and that Ashburnham with the rest of his followers should be sent to London of which the Scots obeyed neither letting Ashburnham and the rest escape and carrying the King into the North the Parliament after a long debate of both Houses at last Voted That the person of the King should be disposed of by the authority of both Houses of the Parliament of England But the Scots excusing themselves and defying to deliver up the King a great dissention hapned between the two Nations which did much animate the Royalists and seemed dangerous to the two Kingdoms Many complaints were made upon this occasion and many sharp invective Writings on both sides for the space of divers moneths The Scots alleaged that he was no less King of Scotland than of England and that therefore their Kingdom had some right to the disposing of him the English affirmed that his person was to be disposed by the authority of that Kingdom in which he then was but that they set forth as a very strange thing that a Scottish Army paid by the Parliament of England and which by the Compact of both Kingdoms was to be governed by Commissioners of both Kingdoms upon the place should notwithstanding receive the King of England without the consent or knowledge of the English Commissioners and carry him away to Newcastle a Town of England and there keep him without the consent of the Parliament of England In the midst of these great dissentions which notwithstanding the prudence of some men did so well moderate whilest the common enemy and factious spirits sought to aggravate them that they proved not pernitious to the Kingdoms the main business and things necessary for the Common good were unanimously and friendly transacted by the two Nations and among other things concerning the sending of propositions to the King for a firm and well grounded peace it was debated and at last agreed that nineteen Propositions so many therewere should be sent to Newcastle to the King which because they are long and fully recited in a larger History I will not relate in this Epitome These Propositions were sent away to the King upon the fifteenth day of July one thousand six hundred forty six and presented to his hands at Newcastle by the Commissioners of both Houses of Parliament namely the Earl of Pembrooke Earl of Denbigh and the Lord Mountague of the Peers and six of the House of Commons the Commissioners of the Parliament of Scotland being present and consenting to them And that the King might conceive himself dealt withal like a King not a vanquished man and a captive this preface by the consent of Parliaments of both Kingdoms was set before the Propositions May it please your Majesty WE the Lords and Commons assembled in the Parliament of England in the name and on the behalf of the Kingdom of England and Ireland and the Commissioners of the Parliament of Scotland in the name and on the behalf of the Kingdom of Scotland do humbly present unto your Majesty the humble desires and propositions for a safe and well grounded Peace agreed upon by the Parliaments of both Kingdomes respectively unto which we do pray your Majesties assent and
about of that Fleet was committed to the care of Sir George Ayscough nor did the Lord Admiral Warwick know certainly what was become of that Porchmouth-Fleet whether that also were revolted for so the rumonrs were every day in London And certain it is that the Mariners being so ill-affected in general and daily corrupted by the Townsmen in Porchmouth that Fleet had been lost from the Parliament by which means the other could not have subsisted if the discretion of Sir George Ayscough his estimation among the Sea-men and their love to him had not happily for the Parliament then appeared He wisely sounding the affections of them cashiering the worst to prevent the spreading of that contagion did with many endeavours and great difficulty so well prevail at last that he confirmed the whole Fleet in the Parliaments obedience And very successfully sailing by Prince Charles in the night brought all his Ships safe to the Earl of Warwick Who now strengthened by Ayscoughs coming with the Porchmouth Fleet resolved to make toward his Enemies But finding that the Prince for want of Victual was gone back into Holland he followed him not long after with the whole Fleet to Gore upon the Coast Cromwel after he had given that great defeat to Hamilton following his Victory entered into Scotland to help Arguile and Leven against the Forces of Monroe and â—â—nerike Which he effected with great felicity and reduced those Garisons which the Scots and English Malignants had before seized namely Berwick and Carlisle into the Parliaments power Then going into Scotland to consult about the safety of both Kingdoms he was most honourably entertained in the Castle of Edinburgh Many of the Scotish Nobility and Gentry were sent from the Commitee of Estate to meet Cromwel who after congratulatory Orations made conducted him to Edinburgh where Arguile Leven and other Lords entertained him and the rest of the English Commanders with a most magnificent banquet in the Castle Thanks were given by the Ministers to Cromwel who was by them styled the preserver of Scotland under God Such also is the testimony of the Committee of Estate written to the English Parliament concerning Cromwel presently after the forces of Monroe and Lanerike were disbanded and all other forces except fifteen hundred Horse and Foot which were to stand under the Command of Leven untill the Kingdome were setled It was also decreed both by the Committee of Estate and Assembly of the Kirk For preservation of Religion and brotherly amity with the English Nation That no man which had joyned with Hamilton in the late invasion of England should be chosen into the new Parliament which was then called or into the Assembly of the Kirk For the Faction of Hamilton were judged Enemies to Religion and both the Kingdoms It was worthy of noting that that English Army which were by the religious Party of Scotland called A bundle of Sectariés and reviled by all opprobrious names should now be acknowledged by the same Scots to be the Instruments of God and Vindicators both of the Church and Kingdom of Scotland The greatest Peers of Scotland also did ingenuously confess their Rashness and Errour the year before for accusing this Army as Rebellious for acting the very same things in England which now themselves were enforced to act in Scotland for preservation of that Kingdom This great change in the Council of Scotland had been to be wondred at if the change that then happened in the English Parliament had not been a greater Miracle Who would not be amazed at this That Cromwel for vanquishing a Scotish Army by which he delivered England from the worst of Miseries should be acknowledged there the Preserver of Scotland and not here allowed the Preserver of England and that the same Victory of his against Scots should please the Presbyterian Scots for Religions sake and for Religions sake displease the Presbyterians of England Oedipus himself cannot unriddle this especially if he judge according to Reason not according to what Envie Hate and embittering Faction can work The face of the English Parliament was now suddenly changed and the Votes which passed the year before namely of making no more Addresses to the King were annulled and made void those Votes upon which the Parliament as before is said had published a Declaration to inform the World concerning the reason and necessity of their proceedings Their Counsels were now quite changed and new Addresses to the King the formerly impeached members being again restored to their Seats with more submissive earnestness then ever before were resolved on The Houses then fell into a Debate about propositions to be framed and a Treaty to be had with the King before he had given any satisfaction or security to the people personally at London with Honour Freedom and safety But that was not carried Onely a Treaty was Voted to be in the I le of VVight and that the King should choose the place within that Iland Therefore on the fourth of August the Earl of Middlesex with two of the House of CoÌ„mons were sent to the King Who made answer that he was very ready to treat of Peace and named Newport in that Iland to be the place For that business Commissioners were presently chosen out of both Houses Five Peers Northumberland Pembrook Salisbury Middlesex and Say Ten of the Commons Lord VVainman Hollis Perpoint Vane junior Grimstone Pots Brown Crew Glyn and Buckley The King during this treaty found not onely great reverence and observance from the Commissioners of Parliament but was attended with a Prince-like retinue and was allowed what servans he should choose to make up the Splendor of a Court The Duke of Richmond the Marquess of Hartford the Earls Southampton and Lindsey with other Gentlemen of note and a competent number of them waited in his train his own Chaplains and divers of his Lawyers to advise him in the Treaty were allowed there But while this Treaty proceeded and some months were spent in debates concessions and denyals behold another strange alteration happened which threw the King from the heighth of honour into the lowest condition So strangely did one contrary provoke another Whilst some laboured to advance the King into his Throne again upon slender conditions or none at all others weighing what the King had done what the Commonwealth and especially what the Parliaments friends might suffer if he should come to raign again with unchanged affections desired to take him quite away From hence divers and frequent Petitions were presented to the Parliament and some to the General Fairfax That whosoever had offended against the Commonwealth no persons excepted might come to Judgement The first Petition of that kinde was presented to the Parliament upon the eleventh day of September The Title of the Petition was To the most honourable the Commons of England assembled in Parliament The humble Petition of many Thousands of well-affected men in the Cities of London and Westminster in the Borough of Southwark and the neighbouring Villages Inhabitants This Petition which broke the Ice was followed in the space of one month by many other Petitions of the same kinde from divers Counties of England and several Regiments of the Army namely from the County of Oxford on the 30 of September from the County of Leicester on the second of October from many Commanders in the Army on the 4 of October Three other Petitions brought upon one day namely the 10 of October another from Ireton's Regiment on the 18 of October and another from Inglesbies Regiment on the 21 day of the same month The scope of all these Petitions was the same That Justice might be done and that the Chief Authors of so much bloodshed in England and so many calamities to the Nation namely those who had been the raisers of this Second War and were now in the Parliaments custody Hamilton Holland Capel Goring and the rest might be punished But especially they intreat that the King himself the Chief offender the raiser of the whole War and author of Englands calamity might be called to Judgement That the Parliament would give them leave to remember what the Parliament it self had the yeer before decreed and declared against the King and what the Kirk of Scotland in 1646 had declared against the same King That he was guilty besides other horrid Crimes of shedding the blood of many thousands of his best Subjects Which things if they were true and not at all punished nor any satisfaction made it might be feared would provoke by so much injustice the wrath of God who had delivered that King after so bloody a War into their hands They therefore humbly intreat the Parliament that they would not ungratefully throw away so many miraculous deliverances of Almighty God nor betray themselves and their faithful friends by deceitful Treaties to an implacable Enemy This was the sense of all those Petitions which during the Treaty were daily presented to the Parliament and by them laid aside But at last these Desires prevailed especially after that the Remonstrance of the Lord General and the General Council of Officers held at St. Albans the 16 of November 1648. was presented to the Parliament on the 20 of the same November But by what means or what degrees it came at last so far as that the King was brought to trial condemned and beheaded because the full search and enarration of so great a business would make an History by it self it cannot well be brought into this BREVIARY which having passed over so long a time shall here conclude FINIS