HAving seen our Cause betrayed, and the most solemn Promises that could be made to the Asserters of it, openly violated, I departed from my Native Country. And hoping that my Retirement may protect me from the Rage and Malice of my E­nemies, I cannot think it a mispending of some part of my leisure, to employ it in setting down the most remarkable Counsels and Actions of the Parties engaged in the late Civil War, which spread it self through the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland; wherein I shall not strict­ly confine my self to a relation of such things on­ly in which I was personally concerned, but also give the best Account I can of such other memo­rable Occurrences of those Times as I have learn'd from Persons well inform'd, and of un­suspected Fidelity.

Those who make any Enquiry into the His­tory of K. James's Reign, will find, that tho his Inclinations were strongly bent to render himself Absolute, yet he chose rather to carry on that Design by Fraud than Violence. But K. Charles having taken a nearer view of De­spotick [Page 2] Government in his Journey to France and Spain, tempted with the ghttering Shew and imaginary Pleasures of that empty Pagean­try, immediately after his Ascent to the Throne pulled off the Masque, and openly discovered his Intentions to make the Crown absolute and independent.

In the beginning of his Reign he marry'd a Daughter of France, who was not wanting on her part to press him, upon all occasions, to pursue the Design of enlarging his Power, not omitting to solicite him also to mould the Church of England to a nearer Compliance with the See of Rome: Wherein she was but too well seconded by corrupt Ministers of State, of whom some were professed Papists; and an ambitious Clergy, whose Influence up­on the King was always greater than could well consist with the Peace and Happiness of Eng­land. 'Tis true, he called some Parliaments in the first Years of his Reign; but the People soon became sensible he did it rather to empty their Purses than to redress their Grievances. The Petition of Right, as it was called, passed in one of them; yet by the manner of passing it, and more by the way of keeping, or rather breaking it in almost every Particular, they clearly saw what they were to expect from him. And the by the Votes passed in the House of Commons, (after a Message from the King to require their Attendance in order to a Dissolution, thereby to prevent their En­quiry [Page 3] into his Father's Death) complaining of the Grievances of the Nation, and asserting the Liberties thereof, declaring it Treason for any to pay Custom or other Taxes without the Authority of Parliament, locking the Door of the House of Commons, and compelling the Speaker to continue in the Chair till it pass'd, He might have observed the Pulse of the Na­tion beating high towards Liberty; yet contra­ry to his Promise to preserve the Privileges of Parliament, he caused the Studies of their Mem­bers to be searched, their Papers to be seized, and their Persons to be imprisoned in the Tower, where Sir John Elliot, who was one of them, lost his Life. Divers others suffered in their Health and Estates, being prosecuted with all Severity at the Common Law, for discharging their Duty in Parliament. After the Dissolution of which, a Proclamation was published, where­by it was made criminal in the People to speak any more of Parliaments.

The King having assumed this extraordinary Power, resolved to make War against France, not upon the account of those of the Reformed Religion, as was pretended, but grounded up­on personal Discontents, and to gratify the Re­venge and Lust of his Favourite.

The Rochellers, who once before, upon Encouragement from England, had endea­voured to desend their just Rights against the Encroachments of the French King, till be­ing deserted by the King of England, they were [Page 4] necessitated to accept Terms from their King very disadvantageous to their Affairs, were again by frequent Importunities and fair Pro­mises prevailed with (tho very unwillingly) to assist the English with Provisions, and such other things as they wanted, in their Expedi­tion against the Isle of Rhee: From whence our Forces being repulsed, the French King sent his Army against the Protestants of Rochel, whose Provisions being before exhausted by the English, they applied to the King of Eng­land for Succours, according to his Promise: Who, as if he intended to assist them effectu­ally, caused a certain Number of Ships to be fitted out, under the Conduct of Sir John Pen­nington. But private Differences being soon after composed, Sir John receiv'd a Letter from the King, signed Charles Rex, which was af­terwards found by the Parliament amongst his Papers, requiring him to dispose of those Ships as he should be directed by the French King; and if any should refuse to obey those Orders, to sink or fire them. The King's Command was put in execution accordingly, and by the help of those Ships the French became Masters of the Sea, and thereby inabled to raise a Work composed of Earth, Stones and Piles, with which they entirely shut up the Mouth of the Harbour, and so prevented them from any Re­Lef that way. Being thus straitned on all sides, they were forced to yield to the Pleasure of their King; and that strong Town of [...], [Page 5] wherein the Security of the Protestants of France chiefly consisted, by this horrible Trea­chery was delivered up to the Papists, and those of the Reform'd Religion in all Parts of that Kingdom exposed to the Rage of their bloody and cruel Enemies.

About this time the most profitable Prefer­ments in the English Church were given to those of the Clergy who were most forward to promote the Imposition of new Ceremonies and Superstitions: An Oath was enjoined by them with an &c. several new Holy Days in­troduced, and required to be observed by the People with all possible Solemnity, at the same time that they were encouraged to profane the Lord's Day, by a Book commonly called, The Book of Sports, printed and published by the King's especial Command.

But this was not the only Work of which the Clergy were judged capable, and therefore divers of them entered the Lists as Champions of the Prerogative, asserting that the Possessi­ons and Estates of the Subject did of Right be­long to the King, and that he might dispose of them at his pleasure; thereby vacating and an­nulling, as much as in them lay, all the Laws of England that secure a Propriety to the Peo­ple. Arbitrary Courts were erected, and the Power of others enlarged; such were the High Commission Court, the Star-Chamber, the Court of Honour, the Court of Wards, the Court of R [...]s, &c. Patents and Monopolies of al­most [Page 6] every thing were granted to private Men, to the great Damage of the Publick. Knight­hood, Coat and Conduct-Money, and many other illegal Methods were revived and put in execu­tion, to rob the People, in order to support the Profusion of the Court. And that our Liber­ties might be extirpated at once, and we be­come Tenants at will to the King, that rare In­vention of Ship-Money was found out by Finch, whose Solicitation and Importunities prevailed with the major part of the Judges of Westmin­ster-Hall to declare for Law, That for the Sup­ply of Shipping to defend the Nation, the King might impose a Tax upon the People: That he was to be Judg of the Necessity of such Supply, and of the Quantity to be imposed for it; and that he might Imprison as well as Destrain in case of Re­fusal. Some there were who out of a hearty Affection to the Service of their Country, and a true English Spirit, opposed these illegal Pro­ceedings: Amongst whom Mr. John Hampden of Buckingham-shire, Judge Croke, and Judge Hutton, were of the most eminent.

Prerogative being wound up to this height in England, and the Affairs of the Church tending to a Conjunction with the See of Rome; before any farther Progress should be made therein here, it was thought expedient, that the Pulse of Scotland should be felt, and they perswaded or compelled to the like Conformity. To this end a Form of Publick Prayer was sent to Scotland, more nearly approaching the Roman [Page 7] Office than that used in England. The reading of this New Service-Book at Edinburgh was first interrupted by a poor Woman; but the People were so generally discontented with the Book it self, as well as the manner of imposing it, that she was soon seconded by the Genera­lity of them; those who officiated hardly esca­ping with their Lives. This produced divers Meetings of many of the Nobility, Clergy and Gentry, who entred into an Agreement or Co­venant to root out Episcopacy, Heresy, and Superstition.

Those of the Clergy of England, who had been the chief Advisers and Promoters of this Violence, prevailed with the King to cause all such as should persist in their Opposition after a certain time, to be proclaimed Traitors. But the Scots not at all afrighted with these Menaces, resolved to make good their former Under­taking. Which the King perceiving, and that this violent way took not effect, began to in­cline to more moderate Counsels; and by Com­mission empowered the Marquiss of Hamilton to treat them into a Submission, consenting to the Suppression of the Liturgy, High Commissi­on Court, and Articles of Perth. But the Scots insisting upon the Abolition of Episcopacy, and the King refusing his Consent to it, they did it themselves in an Assembly held at Glasco: and being informed that the King was preparing an Army to compel them to Obedience, agreed upon the raising of [Page 8] some Forces to defend themselves.

The Clergy in England were not wanting to promote the New Levies against the Scots, contributing largely thereunto; which was but reasonable, it being manifest to all that they were the principal Authors and Fomentors of these Troubles. The Nobility and Gentry were likewise required to further this Expedi­tion; in which, tho divers of them did appear, yet was it rather out of Compliment than Af­fection to the Design, being sensible of the Op­pressions they themselves lay under; and how dangerous to the People of England a thorow Success against the Scots might prove.

The King perceiving an Universal Dislike to this War, as well in the People as in the Officers and Souldiers of his Army, concluded an Agree­ment with the Scots at Berwick, the 17 th of June, 1639. But upon his Return to London, under colour that many false Copies of the said Articles were published and dispersed by the Scots, to the great Dishonour of the King, the said Agreement was disowned, and order'd to be burnt by the Hands of the Hangman.

Thereupon hoping that a Parliament would espouse his Quarrel, and furnish him with Money for the carrying on of his Design, he sammoned one to meet at Westminster on the 3 a of April, 1640. which, sitting but a little time, thereby obtained the Name of the short Parlia­ment. The King by his Agents earnestly pressed them to grant him present Supplies for the Use [Page 9] of his Army; but they sensible of former Usage after they had gratified him in that Particular, and of the insupportable Burdens and Oppressi­ons they lay under, refused to grant any Sub­sidies till their Grievances should be redressed: Whereupon the King put a Period to their sit­ting the fifth of May following; the Earl of Strafford, and others of his Council, advising him so to do, and to make use of other Means for his Supply; as appeared to the ensuing Par­liament, by the Minutes of the Secretary of State, taken at that Cabal, and produced at the Trial of the said Earl: The Sum of whose Advice was to this effect. Sir, You have now tried your People, and are denied by them, there­fore you are clear before God and Man, if you make use of other Means for your Supply: You have an Army in Ireland, &c. This Counsel was pro­secuted, and new Preparations made for the carrying on of the War against the Scots; all imaginable ways used to raise Supplies, Privy Seals sent throughout the Nation for the Loan of Money, Ship-Money, Coat and Conduct-Mo­ney pressed to the height; Commodities taken up on Credit, and sold for ready Money; War­rants also were delivered out to press Men to serve in the Army; Brass-Money was pro­pounded, and some prepared, but that Project took no effect. The Clergy being permitted and encouraged by the King to sit in Convoca­tion after the Dissolution of the Parliament, took upon them not only to frame Canons and [Page 10] Oaths, but also to impose four Shillings in the Pound upon Ecclesiastical Benefices throughout the Kingdom. The King, to give life to the Advance of his Army, marched with them in Person; the Earl of Northumberland, as most popular, wearing the name of General, whilst Strafford with the Title of Lieutenant General had the principal Management of all.

The City of London had refused to pay some of the illegal Taxes before-mentioned; where­upon divers of their chief Officers were impri­soned, and an Order issued forth to take away the Sword from the Lord Mayor. Whereupon the People rise, and beset the House of the Arch­Bishop of Canterbury, who in conjunction with the Earl of Strafford, was supposed to put the King upon these violent and unwarrantable Courses; but he made his Escape by Water for that time; and one of the most active of the People was seized and executed, which served only to exasperate the rest.

Upon the near Approach of the English and Scots Army, a considerable Party of each side encountred; and the English, contrary to their wonted Custom, retired in Disorder, not with­out Shame and some Loss. Of such Force and Consequence is a Belief and full Perswasion of the Justice of an Undertaking, tho managed by an Enemy, in other respects inconsiderable.

The King, startled at the Unsuccessfulness of his first Attempt, upon the Petition of a consi­derable number of the well-affected Nobility, [Page 11] requesting him, that to avoid the Effusion of more Blood, he would call an Assembly of the Nobility, consented thereunto. This Council accordingly met at York, and advised the King to a Cessation of Arms, and the Calling of a Par­liament to compose Differences; which, to the great trouble of the Clergy and other Incen­diaries, he promised to do; assuring the Scots of the Paiment of twenty thousand Pounds a Month to maintain their Army, till the Plea­sure of the Parliament should be known. In order to which, Writs were issued out for the Meeting of a Parliament on the 3 d of No­vember, 1640.

The time prefix'd for their assembling being come, they met accordingly: and as they were very sensible that nothing but an absolute Ne­cessity permitted their coming together, so they resolved to improve this happy Opportunity to free the People from their Burdens, and to pu­nish the Authors of the late Disorders. To this end they declared against Monopolies, and expelled the Authors of them out of the House. The Opinions of the Judges concerning Ship­Money they voted unjust and illegal, fining and imprisoning those that had warranted the Law­fulness thereof. And that the Offenders against the Publick might not escape, they ordered the Sea-Ports to be diligently guarded, and all Pas­sengers to be strictly examined.

This being done, they impeached the Lord Keeper Finch, the Earl of Strafford, and the [Page 12] Arch-bishop of Canterbury, of High Treason, in endeavouring to subvert the Laws, and to erect an Arbitrary and Tyrannical Power. They declared, that they would pay the Eng­lish and Scots Armies to the end of May, 1641. and assist the Prince Palatine with Men and Money to recover his Country. And now ha­ving the Charge of two Armies to pay, and all Men suspecting they might be abruptly dis­solved, as had often hapned before, and there­fore refusing to credit them with such Sums as were necessary, unless an Act might pass to se­cure their sitting till they should think fit to dis­solve themselves by Act of Parliament; the King gave his Assent to one drawn up and passed to that purpose. Another Act likewise passed to assert, that according to the antient Fundamental Laws of England, a Parliament ought to be held every Year, and directing, that in case one was not called in three Years, the Lord Chancellor or Keeper of the Great Seal should issue out Writs, as is therein expressed; and if he fail in his Duty, he is declared guilty of High Treason, and a certain number of Lords impowered to summon the said Parlia­ment: and is they should neglect so to do, the Sheriffs and Constables are vested with the same Authority. But if it should happen that all the forementioned Powers should be wanting in their Duty the People of England are thereby authorized to put the said Act in execution, by meeting and electing Members to serve in Par­liament, [Page 13] tho not summoned by any Officers ap­pointed to that end.

The Parliament then proceeded to correct the Abuses that had been introduced in the pre­ceding Years: Whereupon the Star-Chamber, the High Commission Court, the Court of Honour, with some others, were taken away by Act of Parliament; and the Power of the Coun­cil-Table restrained. The Commissioners of the Custom-House, who had collected Cus­toms contrary to Law, were fined; and such as had been imprisoned by any of the above-mentioned Arbitrary Courts, were set at liberty.

A Protestation was also agreed upon by the Lords and Commons, which they took, and presented to others to take; whereby all those that took it, obliged themselves to defend and maintain the Power and Privileges of Parlia­ment, the Rights and Liberties of the People, to use their utmost Endeavours to bring to con­dign Punishment all those who should by Force, or otherwise, do any thing to the contrary, and to stand by and justify all such as should do any thing in prosecution of the said Pro­testation.

The Day prefix'd for the Earl of Strafford's Trial being come, he was brought before the House of Peers; where the Charge against him was managed by Members of the House of Commons appointed to that end. The chief Heads of the Accusation were; That he had [Page 14] governed the Kingdom of Ireland in an Arbi­trary manner: That he had retained the Re­venues of the Crown without rendring a due Account of them: That he had encouraged and promoted the Romish Religion: That he had endeavoured to create Feuds and Quarrels be­tween England and Scotland: That he had la­boured to render the Parliament suspected and odious to the King: That he was the Author of that Advice, That since the Parliament had denied to grant the King such Supplies as he de­manded, he was at liberty to raise them by such Means as he thought fit; and that he had an Irish Army that would assist him to that end. It being the Custom that a Lord High Steward should be made to preside at the Trial of a Peer, that Honour was conferred upon the Earl of Arun­del. The King, the Queen, the House of Commons, the Deputies of Scotland and Ire­land, with many other Persons of Quality of both Sexes, were there present. I remember the Earl of Strafford in his Defence objected against the Evidence of the Earl of Cork, deny­ing him to be a competent Witness, because his Enemy. To which George Lord Digby, who was appointed one of the Managers of the Charge against him, replied; That if that Ob­jection should be of any weight with the Court, the Earl of Strafford had found out a certain way to secure himself from any sarther Prosecution. Yet this Man who then spoke with so much Vigour, soon after altered his Language, and [Page 15] made a Speech to the House in his favour, which he caused to be printed; and also sur­reptitiously withdrew a Paper from the Com­mittee, containing the principal Evidence against the said Earl. The Parliament resenting this Prevarication, ordered his Speech to be burnt by the Hands of the Common Hangman.

The House of Commons having passed a Bill for the Condemnation of the Earl, it was carried to the Lords for their Concurrence, which they gave. The King not satisfied therewith, con­sulted with the Privy Council, some Judges, and four Bishops. And all of them, except one, advise the throwing of Jonas over-board for the appeasing of the Storm. Upon which the Earl of Arundel, the Lord Privy Seal, and two more were commissionated by the King to sign the Warrant for his Execution: Which they did upon the twelfth of May following; and the 22 d of the same Month the Earl of Straf­ford was beheaded accordingly.

At this time a treacherous Design was set on foot, not without the Participation of the King, as appear'd under his own Hand, to bring up the English Army, and by Force to dissolve the Parliament; the Plunder of Lon­don being promised to the Officers and Souldi­ers as a Reward for that Service: This was confessed by the Lord Goring, Mr. Piercy, and others. The Scots Army was also tried, and the sour Northern Counties offered to be given to them in case they will undertake the same [Page 16] Design. And tho neither of these Attempts did succeed, yet the King pleased himself with hopes, that a seasonable time for dissolving the Parliament would come; and then all Power re­verting into his own Hands, he would deal with their new enacted Laws as he had done be­sore with the Petition of Right, and with their Members as he had done with those of the former Parliaments. And that he might not long languish in this Expectation, he sent to the House, desiring that at once they would make their full Demands, and pre­pare Bills accordingly for his Assent, assuring them of his Readiness to comply with their Desires. But they perceiving the Design, re­turn'd for answer: That they could not sud­denly resolve on so weighty a Work, but would do it with all possible speed. In the mean time, to improve the present Opportunity, they prevail with the King to pass an Act for the Exclusion of the Bishops out of the House of Lords; for tho he was unwilling to grant the Parliament any thing, yet the State of his Affairs was such, that he durst deny them no reasonable thing. And now having paid to the Scots and English Armies what was due to them, they dismissed them to their respective homes.

The King having laid his Designs in Ireland, as will afterwards appear, was, not without great Difficulty, prevailed with by the Parlia­ment, to consent to the disbanding of those eight thousand Irish Papists that had been raised [Page 17] there by the Earl of Strafford. Soon after which he resolved upon a Journey to Scotland; and tho the Parliament endeavoured to disswade him from it, or at least to defer it to a fitter Op­portunity, he refused to hearken to them, un­der pretence that the Affairs of that Kingdom necessarily required his Presence: but in truth his great business was, to leave no means unat­tempted to take off that Nation from their Ad­herence to the Parliament of England. Before his Departure he signed a Commission to cer­tain Persons, impowering them to pass the Bills that should be tender'd in his Absence.

Whilst he was about this Work in Scotland, the News of the Irish Rebellion was brought to him; that the Papists throughout that King­dom were in Arms; that their Design to sur­prize and seize the Castle of Dublin had not succeeded, being discovered by one O Connelly, a Servant of Sir John Clotworthy's; and that the Lord Macquire and Mac-mahon, who were ap­pointed to that end, were taken, and sent into England, where they were soon after executed for the same. The News of this Rrebellion (as I have heard from Persons of undoubted Credit) was not displcasing to the King, tho it was attended with the Massacre of many thou­sands of the Protestants there.

Having made what Progress he could in Scotland, confirming by Act of Parliament not only what he had formerly granted them, but also what they had done in their Assembly at [Page 18] Glascow, and in effect whatsoever they desired of him, he returned to London; where being received with Acclamations, and treated at the Expence of the City, he became elevated to that degree, that in his first Speech to the Commons he sharply reproved them, for that instead of thanking him for what he had done, they con­tinued to multiply their Demands and Dissatis­factions: Whereupon the Parliament were con­firmed in their Suspicions, that he design'd to break what he had already granted, so soon as he had Opportunity and Power in his hands, to plead that he was under a Force, as some of his Predecessors had done, and so reverse what had been enacted for the Good of the People; revenge himself on those who had been Instru­ments in compelling him thereto, and fortify himself against the like for the future. These Apprehensions made them carnestly insist upon settling the Militia of the Nation in such Hands as both Houses of Parliament should recommend to him, particularly representing the great Dis­satisfaction of the City of London that Sir William B [...]lfeur, for refusing to permit the Earl of Strafford to escape, was dismissed from his Charge of Lieutenant of the Tower, and the Government of it put into the hands of one Lunsford, a Souldier of Fortune, of a profli­gate Conversation, and fit for any wicked De­sign. With much difficulty this Lunsford was removed, and Sir John Conyers put into his place: but the Parliament and City not satisfi­ed [Page 19] with this Choice, and having discovered that Sir John Suckling, under pretence of raising a Regiment for Portugal, was bringing toge­ther a number of Mento seize the Tower for the King, it was at last entrusted to the Custody of the Lord Mayor of London.

About this time great Numbers of English Protestants flying from the bloody Hands of the Irish Rebels, arrived in England, filling all Places with sad complaints of their Cruelties to the Protestants of that Kingdom. Where­upon, the Parliament earnestly pressed the King to proclaim them Rebels, but could not obtain it to be done till after many Weeks; and then but forty of those Proclamations were printed, and not above half of them published: which was the more observed and resented, by reason of the different Treatment that the Scots had met with, who no sooner appeared in a much better Cause, but they were forth with declared Rebels in every Parish-Church within the Kingdom of England. The Rebels in Ireland pretended a Commission from the King for what they did, which so alarm'd the People of England, that the King thought himself ne­cessitated to do something therein; and there­fore to carry on his Design, he acquainted the Parliament, that when an Army was raised, he would go in Person to reduce them: but they apprehending this pretended Resolution to be only in order to put himself at the Head of an Army, that he might reduce the Parliament [Page 20] to his Will, refused to consent; and procured an Act to pass, for the leaving of that War to the management of the two Houses; the King obliging himself not to give Terms to any of the Rebels, or to make Peace with them with­out the Parliament's Consent. In this Act Provision was made for the satisfying of such as should advance Money for the reduction of Ire­land, out of the Rebels Lands, in several Pro­vinces, according to the Rates therein men­tioned: Upon which considerable Sums of Mo­ney were s [...]on brought in. The Parliament neglecting no Opportunity to carry on this ne­cessary Work, procured some Forces to be sent from Scotland into the North of Ireland, and put into their hands the Town and Castle of Carrickfergus: They also dispatched several Re­giments of English thither, who were blessed with wonderful Success against the Rebels, particularly about Dublin, where the Earl of Ormond commanded. Those of the English Pale by fair Pretences procured Arms to be de­livered to them, yet basely cut off a Party of five or six hundred Men sent to relieve Sir Richard Titchburn, then besieged at Droghedah, who finding no hopes of Relief, made his Re­treat to Dublin by Sea. The Lord Forbes, a Scots-man, was sent with a Party into Mun­ster, where he greatly annoyed the Enemy; and being furnished with some Ships, sailed up the Shannon, and secured several Places upon that River, particularly Bonratte, the Residence [Page 21] of the Earl of Thomond, where he found about threescore Horse fit for Service. Major Adams was made Governour of that House: But the Enemy frequently resorting to a Place called Six-Miles-Bridg, about two or three Miles from thence, the English pressed the Earl to assist them to fall upon the Irish; who unwilling to oppose the English Interest, and no less to make the Rebels his Enemies, endeavoured to excuse himself; yet upon second thoughts resolved to comply, if some care might be taken to spare his Kindred: Whereupon some of the English Officers proposing to him that his Re­lations should distinguish themselves by some Mark, and he concluding it to be in order to secure them to the English Interest, chose ra­ther to withdraw himself into England, and to leave his House to the Souldiers, where (tho he pretended he had no Money to lend them to supply their wants) they found two thousand Pounds buried in the Walls, which they made use of for the paiment of their Forces.

The King finding that nothing less would sa­tisfy the Parliament than a thorow Correction of what was amiss, and full Security of their Rights from any Violation for the suture, con­sidered how to put a stop to their Proceedings; and to that end encouraged a great number of loose debauch'd Fellows about the Town to re­pair to Whitehall, where a constant Table was provided for their Entertainment. Many Gen­tlemen of the Inns of Court were tamper'd [Page 22] with to assist him in his Design, and things brought to that pass, that one of them said pub­lickly in my hearing; What! shall we suffer these Fellows at Westminster to domineer thus? Let us go into the Country, and bring up our Te­nants to pull them out. Which Words not being able to bear, I questioned him for them; and he either out of fear of the publick Justice, or of my Resentment, came to me the next Morn­ing, and asked pardon for the same; which by reason of his Youth, and want of Experience, I passed by. By these Actions of the King the Suspicions of the Parliament were justly in­creased, and therefore they desired leave to pro­vide a Guard to secure themselves from Vio­lence; which the King refused to grant, unless it might be of his own Appointment, alledging that their Fears were groundless: But they thought otherwise, being convinced that nei­ther what had been already done was suffici­ently secured, unless the Militia might be placed in such hands as they could trust; nor them­selves safe, unless attended by a Guard of their own Nomination.

The King's violent ways not succeeding, he fell upon other Measures in appearance more moderate, yet continued his Resolution to sub­due the Parliament: and to colour his Proceed­ings with a Form of Law, he lent Sir Edward Herbert his Attorny General, and a Member of the House of Commons, to accuse of High Treason, in the Name of his Majesty, Mr. [Page 23] William Stroud, Mr. John Pym, Mr. John Hampden, Sir Arthur Haslerig, and Mr. Den­zil Hollis, Members of that House; and the Lord Kimbolton of the House of Lords: ac­quainting them, that he intended to proceed against them according to Law, upon the fol­lowing Articles:

1. That they intended to change the Go­vernment of the State, and to dispossess the King of his Sovereign and Lawful Power, and to attribute to Subjects an Arbitrary and Ty­rannical Power.

2. That by false Reports and Calumnies sown against his Majesty, they had endeavour­ed to alienate from him the Affections of his People.

3. That they had done their utmost to de­bauch the Troops of his Majesty, and to en­gage them in their persidious Designs.

4. That they had traitorously sought to overthrow the Rights and true Form of Par­liaments.

5. That they had used Force and Terror to constrain the Parliament to engage in their per­nicious Designs; and to that end had stirred up Tumults against the King and Parliament.

6. That they had by a great Treason re­solved to raise Arms, and had actually raised Arms against the King.

7. That they had endeavoured to procure a Foreign Power to invade England.

Upon this the House made answer to the Attorney General, that they were the proper Judges of their own Members: That upon his producing the Articles that he had to accuse their Members with, and the consideration of them, if they found cause, they would leave them to be proceeded against according to Law; but commanded him at his Peril not to proceed any farther against them, or any other Mem­ber, without their Consent. After which they published a Declaration, forbidding the seizing of any of their Members without their Order; authorizing them to stand upon their Guard; and requiring all Justices of the Peace, Consta­bles, and other Officers and People, to be assist­ing to them; and sent the Attorny General to Prison, for his Proceedings in this matter.

The King finding his Instruments thus dis­couraged, and being resolved to remove all Ob­structions in his way, went in Person to the House of Commons, attended not only with his ordinary Guard of Pensioners, but also with those Desperadoes that for some time he had entertained at Whitehall, to the number of three or four hundred, armed with Partizans, Sword and Pistol. At the door of the House he left his Guard commanded by the Lord Roxberry, entring, accompanied only by the Prince Pala­tine; where taking possession of the Speaker's Chair, and not seeing those that he looked for, he said, The Birds are flown. For upon notice given by a Lady of the Court of the King's [Page 25] Intention, they were retired into the City. The King then demanded of the Speaker where such and such were, naming the five Members: to which he answered in these Words; I have neither Eyes to see, Ears to hear, nor Tongue to speak in this place, save what this House gives me. The King replied, I think you are in the right: and then addressing himself to the House, said; That he was sorry he had been necessitated to come thither: That no King of England had been more careful to preserve the Privileges of Parliament than he desired to be; but that those five Members being dangerous Persons, he had been obliged to pursue them, not by Force, but by the ordinary Forms of Justice: That he hoped the Parliament would send them to him, to justify themselves, if they could; if not, he knew how to find them: Which said, he retired. The Parliament sensible of this violation of their Privileges, and fearing they might be further intrenched upon, ordered a Committee of the House to sit in the City of London, whither their five Members were gone before for Protection. The King followed them thither with a slender, or rather no Guard, (so far was he from fearing either Parliament or City) designing to engage the Citizens to deli­ver up the five Members to him, and to stand by him in this horrid Enterprize; but they would not be perswaded to comply with his De­sires in that matter. This violent Attempt pro­ving unsuccessful, the Parliament, to assert their [Page 26] just Rights, voted it to be a Breach of their Privileges; and that the like might be prevented for the future, after the Committee had sat a few days in the City, they returned to West­minster, accompanied with Guards from the City both by Land and Water. Which the King being informed of, and finding that the Design which he had laid had highly provoked the Parliament and People, he retired to Hamp­ton-Court, whither those that he had formerly entertained at Whitehall soon repaired; and at Kingston upon Thames appeared in a military Posture, with the Lord Digby and Colonel Lunsford at the head of them. The two Houses having notice thereof, desired the King to dis­perse the said Troops, and to return to the Par­liament. The Lord Digby was also required to attend his Duty in the House: but he being conscious of his own Guilt, and knowing that the King's Affairs were not yet in a posture to bid open defiance to the Parliament, chose ra­ther to betake himself to flight; as the Queen did soon after, upon notice that the two Houses were about to accuse her of High Treason: both of them designing not only to withdraw themselves from the Prosecution of the Parlia­ment, but also to make what Preparations they could for the raising of an Army against them: In order to which the Queen carried with her the Jewels of the Crown, and pawned them in Holland for Arms and Money. The Parliament having discovered that the Lord Digby had by a [Page 27] Letter advised the King to retire to some Place of Strength, and there to declare against them, they caused him to be proclaimed a Traitor: Notwithstanding which, the King, instead of returning to London at the earnest Desire of both Houses, in prosecution of the Lord Dig­by's Counsel, went farther from them. During his Absence many Papers passed between him and the Parliament. The chief Aim of those of the latter was to perswade the King to re­turn to London, and to settle the Militia in such hands as the Parliament should advise; that so all Jealousies between him and his Peo­ple might be removed. Those from the King were to let them know, that he could not part with the Militia, esteeming it to be the best Jewel of his Crown; nor return to London with Safety to his Person. The Declarations on both sides proving ineffectual, and the King's Designs both at home and abroad being grown ripe, he expressed his Dissatisfactions more openly, and withdrew to York, where several Lords and others affected to his Interest, re­sorted to him with Plate, Money, Men, Horses and Arms: Amongst whom were many Pa­pists; who, tho to cover the King's Designs from the People, they were forbidden to come in­to the Court, were yet privately encouraged, and daily listed and armed. And as the distance of York from the Parliament was one reason why the King went thither, so its Nearness to Hull was another. This Town he endeavoured to [Page 28] possess himself of, being a Place of Strength, where great Quantities of Arms and Ammuni­tion had been laid up, upon disbanding the Ar­my which was lately on foot in those Parts, and very convenient for the landing of Men from Holland. But the Parliament suspecting the De­sign, had sent Sir John Hotham thither to keep and defend it for their use. Notwithstanding which the King persisted in his Resolution, and endeavoured, by sending divers Persons of Qua­lity into the Town, to surprise it; but that way not taking effect, he appeared in Person before it, demanding Entrance of Sir John Ho­tham, which he absolutely refused to permit; alledging, that he was entrusted with the Place by the Parliament for the Service of his Ma­jesty and the Nation, and that he could not surrender it without their Order. The King finding that he could not prevail either by Pro­mises or Threatnings, caused Sir John Hotham to be proclaimed a Traitor, and returned to York; from whence he complained to the Par­liament of the Affront he had received at Hull; who, to manifest their Approbation of Sir John Hotham's Conduct, declared that he had done his Duty in denying the King admittance into the Town, asserting that the Command of the Militia was entrusted with the King to be em­ployed for the Good of the Nation; of which the two Houses of Parliament sitting are the proper Judges.

The Parliament began now to provide for [Page 29] the Security of all Places, and sent a Committee of four of their Members to invite the King to return to Westminster, and to endeavour to pro­mote their Interest in the Northern Parts: and being informed that there was laid up in the Town of Leicester a considerable Quantity of Arms and Ammunition provided for the Coun­ty; and that Mr. Hastings, then Sheriff, under pretence of bringing with him a Guard to at­tend the Judges at the Assizes, resolved to se­cure the said Magazine for the King's Use; they made choice of Officers for three Compa­nies of Foot, impowering them to raise the said Companies for the defence of the said Ma­gazine. The Captains nominated to this Em­ployment were one Major Grey, Dr. Bastwick, and one of my Brothers, who having been for some time in the Service of the States of Hol­land, was newly returned to England. These three having received their Commissions from the Parliament, went to Leicester, in order to raise their Companies; which they had not fully effected, when the King with all his Ca­valry, consisting of about two thousand Horse, arrived at Leicester; against whom three Com­panies being no way sufficient to defend the Town, they resolved only to secure that Place where the Magazine lay: but that not being large enough to receive more than one Compa­ny, the three Captains cast Lots whose part it should be to defend it; which falling upon Ma­jor Grey, the other two dispersed their Men, [Page 30] and set forwards for London, but had not rode many Miles when they were seized by a Party of Horse, which the King commanded the Sheriff to send after them, who brought them back to Leicester, from whence they were re­moved to York, where they were kept in the Common Goal, and very cruelly treated. These were the first Prisoners taken on either side. The Magazine by Capitulation was dis­persed into several parts of the County, as pro­perly belonging to them.

The Parliament, that they might leave no means unattempted to perswade the King to return to them, sent down Propositions, di­recting their Commissioners at York to deliver them to him: And because much of the Inten­tions of the Parliament appear in the said Pro­posals, and for that they were in effect the principal Foundation of the ensuing War, I conceive it will not be amiss to recite them in this place, as they were agreed on by both Houses the Second of June, 1642. with the Title of their Humble Petition and Advice in Nineteen Propositions sent to the King.

The most Humble and most Faithful Subjects of Your Majesty, the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament,

‘HAving nothing in their Thoughts and Desires more precious, and of higher Esteem, after the Honour and immediate Service of God, than the just and faithful discharge of their Duty towards Your Ma­jesty and this Kingdom; and being most sensible of the Destruction and Disorders, and of the imminent Dangers and Miseries which threaten your Majesty and Subjects, the which have proceeded from the subtle In­formations, malicious Practices, and wicked Counsels of Persons ill-affected to the true Religion of God, to the Peace and Honour of your Majesty, and to the Good of the Commonwealth; after a serious Considera­tion of the Causes of these Mischiefs, in all Humility and Sincerity they present to Your Majesty this Petition and Advice, full of Duty; to the end that by Your Royal Pru­dence, for the Establishment of your Ho­nour and Safety, and by a tender Sense of the Good and Safety of your Subjects, and your Estates, you may please to consent and agree unto these humble Desires and Proposi­tions, as the most necessary and most effectu­al means, by the Blessing of the Lord, to re­move [Page 32] the Jealousies and Differences that are unhappily begot between You and your Peo­ple, and to procure to You and them a con­stant Current of Honour, Peace and Happi­ness.’

Proposition 1. ‘That the Lords and all others of your Majesty's Privy Council, and such other Chief Officers of State, as well with­in the Kingdom as on the other side of the Sea, be put out of all Offices and Employ­ments, except such as the two Houses of Parliament shall approve; and that those who shall be put into their Places shall be ap­proved by Parliament; and that those of the Council shall take an Oath for the due execu­tion of their Charge in such Form as the Par­liament shall agree.’

2. ‘That the great Affairs of the Kingdom shall not be concluded nor passed by the Ad­vice of private Persons, nor by any Coun­sellors unknown, or that shall not have taken Oath; but that such Matters as concern the Publick, and are proper for the High Court of Parliament, that is your Majesty's Great and Supreme Council, shall be debated, resolved, and passed in Parliament, and there only; and those who shall persume to do any thing to the contrary, shall be subject to the Censure and Judgment of the Parlia­ment: And other Matters of State that are proper for the Privy Council of your Ma­jesty, shall be debated and concluded by the [Page 33] Nobles, and others who shall be chosen for that end, from time to time, by the two Houses of Parliament; and that every pub­lick Act that concerns the Affairs of the Kingdom, and shall be agreed by the Coun­cil, shall be esteemed of no force, and as not proceeding from the Royal Authority, if at least the greatest part of your Council have not consented thereunto, and signed the same; and that your Council shall be brought to a certain Number that shall not exceed twenty five, nor be under fifteen; and if it happen that any Counsellor's Place becomes void during the Intervals of Parlia­ment, it shall be supplied by the Plurality of Voices of those of your Council, which shall be either confirmed or voided at the first Sessions of Parliament.’

3. ‘That the Lord High Steward of Eng­land, the Great Constable, the Chancellor, the Keepers of the Seals, the Great Trea­surer, the Keeper of the Privy Seal, the Earl Marshal, the Admiral, the Governour of the Cinque-Ports, the Lieutenant of Ire­land, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Master of the Court of Wards, the Secreta­ries of State, the two Chief Justices, and the Chief Baron, shall be chosen with the Approbation of the two Houses of Par­liament, and in the Intervals of Parlia­ment by the major part of the Privy Council, with the Condition above men­tioned [Page 34] in the Choice of the Counsellors of State.’

‘4. That the Governour of the Children of the King shall be chosen with the Approba­tion of Parliament; and in the Intervals of Parliament in the manner before-mentioned; and of the Servants that are already about them, the Parliament shall change such as they think fit.’

‘5. That the Children of the King shall not marry without the Advice of the Parlia­ment; and those who shall be employed therein without their knowledg, shall be punished by the Parliament.’

‘6. That the Laws against Popish Recu­sants shall be put in effectual execution, and that those of them who are Prisoners, shall not be set at liberty without giving good Se­curity.’

‘7. That Papists shall have no Vote in Councils, and that their Children shall be brought up in the Protestant Religion.’

‘8. That the Parliament shall reform the Liturgy and the Government of the Church, as they shall think fit, with the Advice of Divines: That your Majesty shall assist to put a stop to Innovations, to expel suspici­ous and scandalous Ministers, and for the countenancing of a godly and preaching Mi­nistry throughout the Nation.’

‘9. That it will please your Majesty to con­tent your self with the Order that the Parlia­ment [Page 35] hath established in the Militia, until an Act be agreed on for that purpose; and that your Majesty will recal the Declarations and Proclamations against the Orders given there­in by the Parliament.’

‘10. That every Member of Parliament that hath been put out of his Employment or Office, shall be re-established, or Satis­faction given him.’

‘11. That the Privy Counsellors and Judges shall take such Oath as shall be agreed on by Parliament, for the doing of Justice, and observing the Statutes that shall be agreed on by this Parliament; and that Report be made every Session of Parliament, of the evil Ad­ministration of Justice.’

‘12. That all Officers shall enjoy their Places so long, and no longer than they be­have themselves well therein.’

‘13. That all Persons shall be subject to the Justice of the Parliament, even altho they remove themselves beyond the Seas.’

‘14. That the Amnesty accorded by your Majesty shall have such Exceptions therein as the Parliament shall think fit.’

‘15. That the Fortresses of the Kingdom shall have Governours of the Choice of your Majesty, yet of the Approbation of the Par­liament, and in the Intervals of Parliament as is afore said.’

‘16. That the extraordinary Guard that your Majesty hath at present about you, may [Page 36] be discharged, and that for the time to come you will raise no such extraordinary Guards, but according to Law, in case of actual Re­bellion or Invasion.’

‘17. That it will please your Majesty to confirm your Leagues with the United Pro­vinces, and other Princes of the Protestant Religion, that you may be the more capable to defend it against Popish Attempts; which will bring much Reputation to your Majesty, and encourage your Subjects to endeavour in a Parliamentary way to re-establish your Sif­ter and her Children, and other Princes, op­pressed for the same Cause.’

‘18. That it will please your Majesty to clear, by an Act of Parliament, the Lord Kimbolton, and the five Members of the House of Commons, so that future Parlia­ments may be secured against the Conse­quence of such ill Examples.’

‘19. That it will please your Majesty of your Grace to pass an Act, That the Peers created hereafter shall have no Place nor Voice in Parliament, at least unless they are admitted thereunto by the Parliament.’

‘These humble Requests being granted un­to us by your Majesty, we shall endeavour, as we ought, to regulate the Revenue of your Majesty, and to increase it more and more, in such sort, that it shall support the Dignity Royal with Honour and Abundance, beyond whatever the Subjects of this Kingdom have [Page 37] allowed to their Kings your Majesty's Pre­decessors. We will put also the Town of Hull into such Hands as your Majesty shall please, with the Approbation of the Parlia­ment, and will give a good Account of the Munitions of War, and of the Magazine. And to conclude, we shall chearfully do our Endeavours to give unto your Majesty Tes­timony of our Affection, Duty and Faith­fulness, to preserve and maintain your Royal Honour, the Greatness and Safety of your Majesty, and of your Posterity.’

These Propositions were delivered to the King by the Commissioners of the Parliament, but without Success, he being resolved to steer another Course, presuming he might obtain as good Terms as these, if reduced to the last Ex­tremity; and that if his Arms succeeded ac­cording to his Hopes, his Will might pass for a Law, pursuant to the Opinion of those who thought no way so likely to render his Authori­ty absolute, as the making of a War upon his People. And now the Fire began to break out in the West; Sir John Stawell and others draw­ing a Party together in Somersetshire for the King, where Captain Preston and others op­posed them; and about Martials Elm on Polden­Hill, some of those who declared for the Parlia­ment were killed. Whereupon the Parliament ordered some Horse to be raised, which they sent down under the Command of the Earl of [Page 38] Bedford, to protect their Friends in those Parts. By which means the Enemy being forced to quit the Field, betook themselves to the Castle of Sherburn in Dorsetshire, which after a short Siege was surrendred to the Parliament. Ports­mouth was also secured for the Parliament by the young Lord Goring, then Governour there­of; but he afterwards declaring for the King, it was besieged and reduced by their Forces, and the Government of it entrusted to Sir Wil­liam Lewis.

The King having set up his Standard at Not­tingham the 24 th of August, 1642. the Parlia­ment thought themselves obliged to make some Preparations to defend themselves, having dis­covered that he had sent abroad to procure what Assistance he could against his People, particularly applying himself to the King of Denmark, acquainting him, that the two Houses, to make their Work sure against him, were en­deavouring to prove Queen Ann a Whore, and thereby illegitimate all her Issue; earnestly pressing him in vindication of his injured Sister, as well as in consideration of his own relation to him, to send him Succours. This Letter was intercepted and brought to the Parliament, who by a Declaration protested that no such thing had ever entred into their Thoughts. The King also endeavoured, under pretence of Law, to take away the Lives of Dr. Bastwick and Captain Robert Ludlow, for acting in obe­dience to the Commands of the Parliament; [Page 39] and had proceeded to their Execution, had not the Parliament by a Message sent to Judg Heath, and delivered to him on the Bench, threatned a Retaliation, by executing two for one in case they went on, which put a stop to that De­sign.

The Parliament having passed the following Votes,

• 1. That the King seduced by evil Counsel, intends to levy War against the Parlia­ment;
• 2. That when the King doth levy War against the Parliament, he breaks his Trust, and doth that which tends to the Dissolution of the Parliament;
• 3. That whosoever shall assist him in such a War, are Traitors, and shall be proceed­ed against accordingly;

prepared for the raising of an Army, and pub­lished several Declarations, inviting the good People of England to assist them with their Prayers, Persons, and Purses, to carry on this War, which they were necessitated to enter into for the Defence of the Religion, Laws, Liberties, and Parliament of England. The Protestation taken by both Houses, and by them proposed to the People, to stand by each other in their just and necessary Undertaking, was readily and chearfully taken by many in Lon­don and elsewhere; and divers hundreds on Horseback from the Counties of Buckingham, [Page 40] Hartford and Essex, came up with their several Petitions, acknowledging the Care and Faith­fulness of the Parliament in the discharge of their Trust, and promising to stand by them in the carrying on of what they had declared for.

Declarations were also set forth by the two Houses, encouraging the People to provide Horses and Arms, and to bring in Plate and Money for their necessary Defence, engaging the Credit of the Publick for the Reimburse­ment of what should be so advanced. Which Contributions arising to the Value of a great Sum, they declared their Intentions of raising a certain Number of Horse and Foot, with a proportionable Train of Artillery, and voted the Earl of Essex to be their General; whom the King (to take him off from the Publick In­terest) had lately made Chamberlain of his Houshold. Upon the same account he had al­so preferred the Lord Say to be Master of the Court of Wards, and Mr. Oliver St. Johns to be his Solicitor General. But this could not corrupt the Earl of Essex, nor hinder him from discharging vigorously that Trust which the Parliament had reposed in him. Divers of the Lords and Commons engaged their Lives with him, and under him: Of the Lords, the Earl of Bedford, who was General of the Horse, the Lord Peterborough, the Lord Willoughby of Parham, the Lord Denbigh, the Lord St. John, the Lord Rochford; and of the Commons, Mr. Hampden and Mr. Hollis, who raised Re­giments; [Page 41] Sir Philip Stapylton, who commanded the Earl of Essex's Guard, and Mr. Oliver Cromwell, who commanded a Troop of Horse, and divers others. The Earl of Northumber­land, who was High Admiral, staid with the Parliament. The Earl of Warwick, whom they made Vice-Admiral, kept the greatest part of the Fleet in obedience to them.

Things being brought to this Extremity, the Nation was driven to a necessity of Arming in defence of the Laws, openly and frequently violated by the King; who had made it the chief business of his Reign to invade the Rights and Privileges of the People, raising Taxes by various Arts without their Consent in Parlia­ment; encouraging and preferring a formal and superstitious Clergy, discouraging the sober and vertuous amongst them; imposing upon all the Inventions of Men in the room of the In­stitutions of God: And knowing that Parlia­ments were the most likely means to rectify what was amiss, to give a check to his Ambi­tion, and to punish the principal Instruments of that illegal Power which he had assumed, had endeavoured either to prevent their Meet­ing, or to render them fruitless to the People, and only serviceable to his corrupt ends, by granting him Money to carry on his pernicious Designs: A Parliament being now called, and an Act passed, authorizing them to fit till they should think fit to dissolve themselves: And it being manifest to them, and to all those who [Page 42] had any Concern for the Happiness of the Na­tion, that the King would do nothing effectual­ly to redress the present, or to secure the Peo­ple from future Mischiefs; chusing rather to contend with them by Arms, than for their sa­tisfaction to entrust the Militia in faithful Hands; resolving to impose that by the Force of his Arms which he could not do by the Strength of his Arguments: I thought it my Duty, upon consi­deration of my Age and vigorous Constitution, as an English-man, and an Invitation to that purpose from my Father, to enter into the Ser­vice of my Country, in the Army commanded by the Earl of Essex under the Authority of the Parliament. I thought the Justice of that Cause I had engaged in to be so evident, that I could not imagine it to be attended with much Difficulty. For tho I supposed that many of the Clergy, who had been the principal Au­thors of our Miseries, together with some of the Courtiers, and such as absolutely depended upon the King for their Subsistence, as also some Foreigners, would adhere to him; yet I could not think that many of the People, who had been long oppressed with heavy Burdens, and now with great difficulty had obtained a Parliament, composed of such Persons as were willing to run all Hazards to procure a lasting Settlement for the Nation, would be either such Enemies to themselves, or so ungrateful to those they had trusted, as not to stand by them to the utmost of their Power: at least [Page 43] (tho some might not have so much Resolution and Courage as to venture All with them, yet) that they would not be so treacherous and un­worthy, to strengthen the Hands of the Enemy against those who had the Laws of God, Na­ture and Reason, as well as those of the Land on their side. Soon after my Engagement in this Cause, I met with Mr. Richard Fynes, Son to the Lord Say, and Mr. Charles Fleetwood, Son to Sir Miles Eleetwood, then a Member of the House of Commons; with whom consulting, it was resolved by us to assemble as many young Gentlemen of the Inns of Court, of which we then were, and others, as should be found disposed to this Service, in order to be instructed together in the use of Arms, to render our selves fit and capable of acting in case there should be occasion to make use of us. To this end we procured a Person experienced in military Affairs to instruct us in the use of Arms; and for some time we frequently met to exercise at the Artillery-Ground in London. And being informed that the Parliament had resolved to raise a Life-Guard for the Earl of Essex, to consist of a hundred Gentlemen, un­der the Command of Sir Philip Stapylton, a Member of Parliament, most of our Compa­ny entred themselves therein, and made up the greatest part of the said Guard; amongst whom were Mr. Richard Fynes, Mr. Charles Fleetwood, afterwards Lieutenant General, Ma­jor General Harrison, Colonel Nathanael Rich, [Page 44] Colonel Thomlinson, Colonel Twisleton, Colo­nel Bosewell, Major Whitby, and my self, with divers others. It was not long before the Ar­my under the Command of the Earl of Essex was raised, and ready to march; so cheerfully did the People, hoping that the time of their Deliverance was come, offer their Persons and all that was necessary for the carrying on of that Work. The appearance for the King was not very considerable whilst he continued at York; but when he removed to Shrewsbery, great Numbers out of Wales and the adjacent Parts resorted to him. The Earl of Essex ha­ving notice that the King directed his March that way, advanced with his Army towards Worcester; and upon his approach to that Town received Advice, that a Detachment command­ed by Prince Rupert had possessed themselves of it for the King; and that a Party of ours impa­tient of Delay, had engaged the Enemy before our General could come up, with great Disad­vantage, as I after wards observed upon view of the Place. Ours consisted of about a thou­sand Horse and Dragoons, the Enemy being more in number, and drawn up in a body, within Musquet-shot of a Bridg between Par­shot and Worcester, over which our Men re­solved to march and attack them; but before half their number was got over, not being able to advance above eight or ten abreast by reason of a narrow Lane through which they were to pass, till they came within Pistol-shot of the [Page 45] Enemy, they were engaged, and forced to re­treat in Disorder, tho they did as much as could well be expected from them upon so disadvan­tageous a Ground. Some were killed upon the place; amongst whom was Major Gunter, a very gallant Man, who, as I have heard, had endeavoured to disswade them from that At­tempt; others were drowned, and divers taken Prisoners; of the last was Colonel Sands, who commanded the Party, and was carried to Worcester, where, being mortally wounded, he soon died, with all possible Expressions of his hearty Affection to the Publick Cause. The Body of our routed Party returned in great Disorder to Parshot, at which place our Life­Guard was appointed to quarter that Night; where, as we were marching into the Town, we discovered Horsemen riding very hard to­wards us with drawn Swords, and many of them without Hats, from whom we under­stood the Particulars of our Loss, not without Improvement, by reason of the Fear with which they were possessed, telling us, that the Enemy was hard by in pursuit of them: where­as it afterwards appeared, they came not with­in four Miles of that place. Our Life-Guard being for the most part Strangers to things of this nature, were much alarm'd with this Re­port; yet some of us unwilling to give credit to it till we were better informed, offered our selves to go out upon a surther Discovery of the matter. But our Captain Sir Philip Stapyl­ton [Page 46] not being then with us, his Lieutenant one Bainham, an old Souldier (a Generation of Men much cried up at that time) drawing us into a Field, where he pretended we might more ad­vantageously charge if there should be occasion, commanded us to wheel about; but our Gen­tlemen not yet well understanding the diffe­rence between wheeling about, and shifting for themselves, their Backs being now towards the Enemy, whom they thought to be close in the Rear, retired to the Army in a very dishonou­rable manner, and the next Morning rallied at the Head-quarters, where we received but cold Welcome from the General, as we well de­served. The Night following the Enemy left Worcester, and retreated to Shrewsbery, where the King was; upon which the Earl of Essex advanced to Worcester, where he continued with the Army for some time, expecting an Answer to a Message sent by him to the King from the Parliament, inviting him to return to London. This Time the King improved to compleat and arm his Men; which when he had effected, he began his March, the Earl of Essex attend­ing him to observe his Motions: and after a day or two, on Sunday Morning, the 23d of October, 1642. our Scouts brought advice that the Enemy appeared, and about nine a Clock some of their Troops were discovered upon Edge-hill in Warwickshire. Upon this our Forces who had been order'd that Morning to their Quarters to refresh themselves, having had but [Page 47] little Rest for eight and forty Hours, were im­mediately countermanded. The Enemy drew down the Hill, and we into the Field near Keinton. The best of our Field-pieces were planted upon our right Wing, guarded by two Regiments of Foot, and some Horse. Our Ge­neral having commanded to fire upon the Ene­my, it was done twice upon that part of the Army, wherein, as it was reported, the King was. The great Shot was exchanged on both sides for the space of an hour or thereabouts. By this time the Foot began to engage, and a Party of the Enemy being sent to line some Hedges on our right Wing, thereby to beat us from our Ground, were repulsed by our Dra­goons without any Loss on our side. The E­nemy's Body of Foot, wherein the King's Stan­dard was, came on within Musquet-shot of us; upon which we observing no Horse to encoun­ter withal, charged them with some Loss from their Pikes, tho very little from their Shot; but not being able to break them, we retreated to our former Station, whither we were no sooner come, but we perceived that those who were appointed to guard the Artillery were marched off: and Sir Philip Stapylton our Cap­tain wishing for a Regiment of Foot to secure the Cannon, we promised to stand by him in defence of them, causing one of our Servants to load and level one of them, which he had scarce done, when a Body of Horse appeared advancing towards us from that side where the [Page 48] Enemy was. We fired at them with Case­shot, but did no other Mischief save only wounding one Man through the Hand, our Gun being overloaded, and planted on high Ground; which sell out very happily, this Bo­dy of Horse being of our own Army, and commanded by Sir William Balfour, who with great Resolution had charged into the Enemy's Quarters, where he had nailed several pieces of their Cannon, and was then retreating to his own Party, of which the Man who was shot in the Hand was giving us notice by holding it up; but we did not discern it. The Earl of Essex order'd two Regiments of Foot to attack that Body which we had charged before, where the King's Standard was, which they did, but could not break them till Sir William Balfour at the head of a Party of Horse charging them in the Rear, and we marching down to take them in Flank, they brake and ran away towards the Hill. Many of them were killed upon the place, amongst whom was Sir Edward Varney the King's Standard-bearer, who, as I have heard from a Person of Honour, engaged on that side, not out of any good opinion of the Cause, but from the Sense of a Duty which he thought lay upon him, in respect of his Rela­tion to the King. Mr. Herbert of Glamorgan­shire, Lieutenant Colonel to Sir Edward Strad­ling's Regiment, was also killed, with many others that fell in the Pursuit. Many Colours were taken, and I saw Lieutenant Colonel Mid­dleton, [Page 49] then a Resormade in our Army, dis­playing the King's Standard which he had ta­ken: but a Party of Horse coming upon us, we were obliged to retire with our Standard; and having brought it to the Earl of Essex, he deli­vered it to the Custody of one Mr. Chambers his Secretary, from whom it was taken by one Captain Smith, who, with two more, dis­guising themselves with Orange-colour'd Scarfs, (the Earl of Essex's Colour) and pretending it unfit that a Penman should have the Honour to carry the Standard, took it from him, and rode with it to the King, for which Action he was knighted. Retreating towards our Army, I fell in with a body of the King's Foot, as I soon perceived; but having passed by them un­discovered, I met with Sir William Balfour's Troop, some of whom who knew me not would have fired upon me, supposing me to be an Enemy, had they not been prevented, and assured of the contrary by Mr. Francis Russell, who with ten Men well mounted and armed, which he maintained, rode in the Life-Guard, and in the heat of the pursuit had lost sight of them, as I my self had also done.

I now perceived no other Engagement on either side, only a few great Guns continued to fire upon us from the Enemy: but towards the close of the Day we discovered a body of Horse marching from our Rear on the left of us under the Hedges, which the Life Guard (whom I had then found) having discovered to be the [Page 50] Enemy, and resolving to charge them, sent to some of our Troops that stood within Musquet­shot of us to second them; which tho they re­fused to do, and we had no way to come at them but through a Gap in the Hedg, we ad­vanced towards them, and falling upon their Rear, killed divers of them, and brought off some Arms. In which Attempt being dis­mounted. I could not without great difficulty recover on Horse-back again, being loaded with Cuirassiers Arms, as the rest of the Guard also were. This was the Right Wing of the King's Horse commanded by Prince Rupert, who ta­king advantage of the Disorder that our own Horse had put our Foot into, who had opened their Ranks to secure them in their Retreat, pressed upon them with such Fury, that he put them to flight. And if the time which he spent in pursuing them too far, and in plunder­ing the Wagons, had been employed in taking such Advantages as offered themselves in the place where the Fight was, it might have proved more serviceable to the carrying on of the Ene­my's Designs. The Night after the Battle our Army quartered upon the same Ground that the Enemy sought on the day before. No Man nor Horse got any Meat that Night, and I had touched none since the Saturday before, neither could I find my Servant who had my Cloak, so that having nothing to keep me warm but a Sute of Iron, I was obliged to walk about all Night, which proved very cold by reason of a sharp Frost.

Towards Morning our Army having re­ceived a Reinforcement of Colonel Hampden's and several other Regiments, to the number of about four thousand Men, who had not been able to join us sooner, was drawn up; and about Day-light we saw the Enemy upon the top of the Hill: so that we had time to bury our Dead, and theirs too if we thought fit. That Day was spent in sending Trumpeters to enquire whether such as were missing on both sides were killed, or Prisoners. Those of ours taken by the Enemy were the Lord St. Johns, who was mortally wounded, and declared at his Death a full Satisfaction and Cheerfulness to lay down his Life in so good a Cause; Colonel Walton a Member of Parliament, and Captain Austin an eminent Merchant in London; of whom the last died through the hard Usage he received in the Goal at Oxford, to which he was committed. It was observed that the greatest Slaughter on our side was of such as ran away, and on the Enemy's side of those that stood; of whom I saw about threescore lie within the compass of threescore Yards upon the Ground whereon that Brigade fought in which the King's Standard was. We took Prisoners the Earl of Lindsey, General of the King's Army, who died of his Wounds; Sir Edward Stradling, and Colonel Lunsford, who were sent to Warwick-Castle. That Night the Country brought in some Provisions; but when I got Meat I could scarce eat it, my Jaws [Page 52] for want of use having almost lost their natu­ral Faculty.

Our Army was now refreshed, and Masters of the Field; and having received such a con­siderable Addition of Strength as I mentioned before, we hoped that we should have pursued the Enemy, who were marching off as fast as they could, leaving only some Troops to face us upon the top of the Hill: but instead of that, for what reason I know not, we marched to Warwick; of which the Enemy having no­tice, sent out a Party of Horse under Prince Rupert, who on Tuesday Night fell into the Town of Keinton, where our sick and wound­ed Souldiers lay, and after they had cruelly murdered many of them, returned to their Army. The King, as if Master of the Field, marched to Banbury, and summoned it; and tho about a thousand of our Men were in the Town, yet pretending it not to be sufficiently provided for a Siege, they surrendred it to him. From thence the King went to Oxford, and our Army after some Refreshment at Warwick re­turned to London, not like Men that had ob­tained a Victory, but as if they had been beaten. The Parliament ordered them to be recruited; and about the same time sent to the King, who was advanced with part of his Army to Mai­denhead, or thereabouts, to assure him of their earnest Desire to prevent the effusion of more Blood, and to procure a right Understanding between his Majesty and Them. The King in [Page 53] his Answer, which was brought by Sir Peter Killegrew, professed to desire nothing more, and that he would leave no means unattempred for the effecting thereof. Upon which Answer the Parliament thought themselves secure, at least against any sudden Attempt: But the ve­ry next day the King taking the advantage of a very thick Mist, marched his Army within half a Mile of Brentford before he was discover­ed, designing to surprize our Train of Artille­ry, (which was then at Hammersmith) the Par­liament and City; which he had certainly done, if two Regiments of Foot and a small Party of Horse that lay at Brentford had not with unspeakable Courage opposed his Passage, and stopt the March of his Army most part of the Afternoon: During which time the Army that lay quarter'd in and about London drew together; which some of them, and particu­larly the Life-Guard, had opportunity the sooner to do, being at that very time drawn into Chelsey-Fields to muster, where they heard the Vollies of Shot that passed between the Enemy and our little Party; the Dispute con­tinued for some Hours, till our Men were en­compassed quite round with Horse and Foot; and then being over-power'd with Numbers on every side, many brave and gallant Men having lost their Lives upon the Place, the rest chusing rather to commit themselves to the Mercy of the Water, than to those who were engaged in so treacherous a Design, leap'd into [Page 54] the River, where many Officers and private Souldiers were drowned, and some taken Pri­soners. However the Enemies Design was by this means defeated, and they discouraged from any farther Attempt that Night. The Parlia­ment also were alarm'd in such a manner with the Danger and Treachery of this Enterprize, that they used all possible Diligence to bring their Forces together, so that by eight of the Clock the next Morning we had a Body of twenty thousand Horse and Foot drawn up up­on Turnham-green, a Mile on this side Brent­ford: Those of ours also that lay at Kingston were marching to us by the way of London. The Enemy drew out a Party of theirs towards the Hill at Acton, which we attacked, and forced to retire in Disorder to their main Body. And here again, in the opinion of many judici­ous Persons, we lost, as at Edge-hill before, a favourable opportunity of engaging the Enemy with great Advantage, our Numbers exceeding theirs, and their Reputation being utterly lost in the last Attempt. But the Earl of Holland and others, pretending to encourage our Army by their Presence, made use of their time to dis­swade the Earl of Essex from fighting till the rest of our Forces arrived; magnifying the Power of the Enemy to him, and thereby gi­ving them an opportunity to draw off their Forces and Artillery towards Kingston, which they did as sast as they could, leaving only a body of Horse to face us between the two [Page 55] Brentfords, the rest having secured themselves by a timely Retreat: Upon this Party some of our great Guns, guarded by a Regiment of Foot, were, towards the Evening, ordered to be fired. The like Guard was drawn up in the High-ways to secure our Foot from any Attempt of Horse that might be made upon them; which some Great Men, who pretend­ed a Resolution to fight in that Troop, blamed, charging the Advisers thereof with Rashness, in hazarding them in such a Pound, where they must inevitably be cut off, if the Enemy should advance upon them. But I fear this great care was only counterfeit, and that those Persons well knew the Enemy to be in a flying, and not in a charging Condition, as it quickly appeared; for our Cannon no sooner began to play upon them, but they retired to the main Body of their Army, the Rear of which had by that time recovered Hounslow-heath. The Enemy took up their Head-quarters at Kingston, where, by the advantage of the Bridg over the Thames, they hoped to be able, tho inferiour in Num­ber, to defend themselves against a more nu­merous Army, if they should be attacked, and to put in execution any Design they might have upon the City or Places adjacent. To prevent which our General caused a Bridg of Boats to be laid over the River between Putney and Bat­tersey, which was no sooner finished but the Enemy retired to Oxford by the way of Read­ing, which Place they fortified, and placed a [Page 56] Garison therein, a Party of ours having quit­ted it upon their Approach. Garisons were al­so placed by them in the Towns of Newcastle upon Tyne, Chester, Worcester, and several others, as they had done before in York and Shrewsbery. Some of ours likewise had possessed themselves of Glocester, Bristol, Exeter, Southampton, Do­ver, and divers other Places. The Enemy be­ing retired, our Army advanced to Windsor, and made it our Head-quarters for the most part of that Winter: and so desirous was the Par­liament to prevent any further Effusion of Blood, that notwithstanding the treacherous Design of the late Expedition, they again sent Propositions of Peace to the King at Oxford, being the same in effect with those delivered to him before at York; but they sound no better Reception than the others had done. I do not remember any thing remarkable perform'd by either Party this Winter, save only an Attempt of the Enemy upon one of our Quarters at Henly, where two Regiments of Foot, one of which was Major General Skippon's, then were, who being tired with a long March, and dis­persed to their respective Quarters, were fallen upon by a great body of the Enemy that had advanced to the Town's end undiscovered; but a small Party of our Men getting together, one of our Gunners hastned to the Artillery which was planted upon the Avenue, fired once or twice upon them, and made so great a Slaughter, especially of those Officers who were [Page 57] at the head of their Party, that they retreated in great Disorder without any farther Attempt.

Our General having notice that the Enemy had a Design upon Bristol, sent a Party com­manded by Colonel Nathanael Fines to reinforce that Garison; by which means it was pre­vented, and some of their Correspondents in the Town thereupon executed.

About this time Sir Edward Hungerford ha­ving obtained the Command of the Forces in the County of Wilts for the Parliament, invited me to raise a Troop of Horse in his Regiment: in order to which I attended him at the Devizes, and from thence went with him to Salisbury, where he seized some quantity of Horse and Arms from Persons disafsected, and with them mounted and armed part of his Men. And I having done what was convenient at that time for the raising of my Troop, returned to the Head-quarters at Windsor, where I gave them an account of the good Condition of Colonel Fines and Sir Edward Hungerford, at which they were not a little surprized, having been made to believe that they and their Troops were routed and cut in pieces by the Enemy. Sir Ralph Hopton, Sir Bevil Greenvil, and others, were very active in raising Forces for the King in Cornwall, and the remote parts of Devon­shire, and had possessed themselves of Penden­nis, Dartmouth, and Barnstaple, as Colonel Ash­burnham and others had done of Weymouth in Dorsetshire. And the Parliament had ordered [Page 58] Garisons to be put into Plymouth, Lyme, and Pool. In the Spring our Army was Master of the Field, the King making it his business to be only upon the defensive till the Queen should arrive in England with an Army to his Assist­ance, hoping to exhaust the Treasure of the City of London by Delays, and thereby to cause them to abate their Zeal for the Publick, omitting no opportunity by his Emissaries to create and foment Differences amongst them, endeavouring by all means to procure an Insur­rection for him, to compel the Parliament to submit to such terms as he pleased to impose. The Earl of Essex marched with the Army to besiege Reading, a Frontier Town of the King's, which he had strongly fortify'd and garison'd. The General himself sat down on the North­west side, and the Lord Grey of Wark on the South-east side of the Town: the great Shot did some Damage to the Houses; from one of which a Tile salling upon the Head of Sir Arthur Ashton, a Papist, and Governour there­of, disabled him from executing that Charge during the rest of the Siege, and Colonel Fielding was made Governour in his room. The King thinking this Place to be of great Im­portance to him, brought together all the Forces he could; and marching on Cansam-side in or­der to relieve it, was opposed by a small Party of ours, who taking the advantage of some Ditches and Pales to shelter themselves, re­pulsed his Men, and forced him to retreat to [Page 59] Oxsord. Upon this the Town was surrendred upon Articles to the Earl of Essex, Colonel Fielding the Governour retiring to Oxford, where he was tried, and condemned to die, but not executed.

At my coming into Wiltshire with three more of the Life-Guard, two whereof were to be Officers in my Troop, and the third in ano­ther Troop of the same Regiment, I found Sir Edward Hungerford with the Forces of Wilts, and Colonel Stroud with part of those of So­mersetshire, besieging Warder-Castle, before which they had been about a week, battering it with two small Pieces, whereby they had done little other hurt save only to a Chimney­piece, by a Shot entring at a Window: But there being a Vault on each side of the Castle, for the conveying away of Filth, two or three Barrels of Powder were put into one of them, and being fired, blew up some part of it; which with the grazing of a Bullet upon the Face of one of the Servants, and the threatning of the Besiegers to spring the other Mine, and then to storm it, if it was not surrendrcd before an Hour-glass, which they had turn'd up, was run out, so terrified the Ladies therein, where­of there was a great Number, that they agreed to surrender it. The Government of this Castle was entrusted to my care by Sir Edward Hun­gerford, who left with me a Company of Foot commanded by Captain Bean, and my own Troop, to defend it. The Earl of Marlborough [Page 60] with some Horse possessed himself of a House in our Neighbourhood called Fount-hill, with a Design to block us up; but Sir Edward sent a party of Horse who fell upon him there, and obliged him to quit it. I levelled the Works that had been raised during the Siegc, sunk a Well, broke down the Vaults about the Castle, and furnished it with Provisions, expecting to be besieged, as I was soon after. For within a Fortnight after I was possessed of it, the Lord Arundel, to whom it belonged, and whose Fa­ther died soon after he had received News that it was taken, supposing to find me unprovided, came with a Party of Horse, and summoned me to deliver the Place for his Majesty's Use. Some who were with me advised me so to do; yet I return'd the Enemy answer, That I was en­trusted to keep the Castle for the Service of the Parliament, and could not surrender it without their Command. The Enemy not being at that time ready to make any Attempt upon us, retreated to their main Body; of which tho the Marquiss of Hertford carried the name of Ge­neral, that thereby the Country might be en­couraged to come in, yet Prince Maurice, as he had then the principal Influence over them, so he was soon after placed in the head of them, as more likely to promote that Arbitrary and boundless [...] which the King endea­voured to set up over the People.

Having notice that some of the King's Forces were at Salisbury, I went out with six of my [Page 61] Troop to procure Intelligence, and to do what Service I could upon the Enemies Straglers: When I came to Sutton, I was informed that six of them were gone up the Town just before. Whereupon we made after them, and by their Horses, which we saw tied in a Yard, sup­posed them to be in the House to which it be­longed: upon which I went in, and was no sooner within the door but two of them shut it upon me; but my Party rushing in, they ran out at another, and escaped; a third mounted one of my Mens Horses, and rid away; the other three who were in a Room of the House, upon promise of quarter for Life, surrendred themselves, with whom and six Horses we re­turned to the Castle.

Our Army after they had possest themselves of Reading, did nothing remarkable that Summer, only there hapned some Skirmishes, in one of which that most eminent Patriot Col. Hampden lost his Life by a Shot in the Shoulder. Sir Wil­liam Waller commanded a Party in the West, with which he did considerable Service, tho it was so small that he marched for the most part in the Night to conceal his Weakness. He re­duced Higham-house, a place of Strength, ga­risoned by the Enemy, and protected the Gen­tlemen of the Country whilst they were raising Forces for the Parliament. And being joined by Sir Arthur Hasterig's Regiment of Horse, and the Forces of Wilts, Somerset and Dorset, with as many as could be spared from Bristol; [Page 62] he was become so considerable, as to put a stop to the March of the King's Western Army; which coming to the Town where my Father's House was, wholly ruined it, and destroyed his Park. But upon their Removal from thence, conceiving I might take some Straglers, or some way or other annoy the Enemy, I went thither the Night after with about forty Horse, where tho I could hear of no Men, yet I found much Provision, which a Gentlewoman had obliged the People of the Town to bring toge­ther, and which she was preparing to send to the King's Army, with Horses and Carts ready to carry it; amongst which there was half a dozen Pasties of my Father's Venison ready baked, which, with as much of the other Pro­visions as we could, we carried away with us. The two Armies before-mentioned engaged about Lansdown, where the Success was doubt­ful a good while, but at last ours obtained the Victory. The Cornish-men commanded by Sir Bevil Greenvil stood their Ground till they came to push of Pike, but were then routed, and Sir Bevil killed. The Enemy retreated to the Devizes, and ours pursued them. The News of this Action being brought to us, I marched out with my Horse towards War­mister; and in the way searching the Houses of some Persons disaffected to the Publick, we found two of our most active Enemies, whom we carried away Prisoners. But the great Hopes we had conceived of enjoying some Qui­et [Page 63] in the West by the means of this Victory were soon blasted; for a body of Horse sent from Oxford not being attended by any from our Army, (tho as I have heard commanded so to do) engaged our Horse on Roundway-hill, where the Over-forwardness of some of our Party to charge the Enemy upon disadvantage­ous Ground was the principal Cause of their Defeat. The Horse being routed, our Foot also quitted their Ground, and shifted for them­selves; many of whom were taken, and many killed, the rest retreated to Bristol, where they made the best Preparation they could to defend themselves, expecting suddenly to be besieged, as it fell out. Sir William Waller with what Horse he had left marched to London, where no means were omitted to recruit them. Exeter was surrendred to the Enemy upon terms, and Bristol besieged, which being stormed on one side, and ours not doing their Duty, part of the Enemy being entred, the Governour desired to capitulate, and delivered up the Town upon Articles, which were not well kept, in retalia­tion, as they pretended, for the like breach by ours at the taking of Reading. The Governour of Bristol was hereupon tried and condemned by a Court Martial, how justly I know not; but the Parliament ordered the execution of the Sentence to be suspended. About this time a Gentleman of the Country, related to the Lord Cottington, desired a Conference with me, wherein he endeavoured to perswade me to [Page 64] surrender the Castle of Warder, promising me any Terms I would desire, and assuring me that several of the Western Gentlemen finding our Affairs desperate, had made their Peace with the King, and that the Kentish Men who were risen for him would be sufficient to ac­complish his Work, tho he had no other Ar­my. Also Colonel Robert Philips, my Friend and Kinsman, coming before the Castle some time after with a Party of Horse, and desiring to speak with me, was earnest with me to the same effect: my Answers to both were, that I had resolved to run all Hazards in the discharge of that Trust which I had undertaken.

The two Houses of Parliament, notwith­standing the many Difficulties they met with at home, having sent over Forces to subdue the Rebels in Ireland, thought it also their Duty to send Recruits thither, and at the same time pre­sented the Earl of Ormond with a Jewel, as a Testimony of their acceptance of his Service at the Battle of Rosse, where there was above for­ty of his own Name and Kindred killed upon the place, and the Enemy totally routed, tho for a long time they had much the better of the day.

The Earl of Leicester having been voted Lieutenant of Ireland by the Parliament, and approved by the King, wanted nothing but his Commission to begin his Journey for that King­dom, which after several Delays he received from the King; but being at Chester in order to [Page 65] take Shipping, the Carriages and Draught­Horses which lay there for that Service, as also the Clothes and other Provisions designed by the Parliament for the Souldiers in Ireland, were seized by the King's Order, and made use of for his Service here; whilst his Agents there en­deavoured to perswade the English Souldiers in that Country, that they were neglected by the Parliament: Upon which false Suggestion he prevailed with them to serve him in England against the Parliament; and, contrary to his Engagement to both Houses not to treat with the Rebels without their Concurrence, made a Cessation with them, and brought over many of them to serve in his Army against the Parlia­ment: who being encompassed with Difficul­ties on all hands, and understanding that the Queen was landing with a considerable Strength at Bridlington-Bay in the County of York, sent Commissioners to treat with their Friends in Scotland to march into England to their Assist­ance.

In the mean timethe King's Army besieged the City of Glocester, the King being there in Person to countenance the Siege. The Besieged made a vigorous Defence for about a Month, during which the Parliament took care to re­cruit their Army in order to relieve them. Their Rendezvouz was appointed on Hounslow-heath, whither some Members of Parliament (of which my Father was one) were sent, to inspect their Condition, that their Wants being known, [Page 66] might be the better supplied; who found them a very shatter'd and broken Body: but the Ci­ty being then very affectionate to the Publick, soon recruited them, and drew forth so many of their Trained Bands and Auxiliary Regi­ments, as made them up a gallant Army. In their March towards Glocester some of ours fell upon a Party of the Enemy at Cirencester, of whom they took many Prisoners, and seized a great quantity of Provisions which they found prepared for the Enemy, who upon our Ap­proach raised the Siege. The Earl of Essex having relieved the Town, was marching back again, when he perceived the Enemy endea­vouring to get between him and London; and to that end falling upon his Rear with a strong Party of Horse, they so disordered his Men, and retarded the March of his Army, that he sound himself obliged to engage them at New­bury. The Dispute was very hot on both sides, and the Enemy had the better at the first; but our Men resolving to carry their point, and the City-Regiments behaving themselves with great Bravery, gave them before Night so little cause to boast, that the next Morning they were willing to permit the Earl of Essex to march to London without interruption. Few Prisoners were taken on either side: The Ene­my had several Persons of Quality killed; the principal of whom were the Earl of Carnarvan, the Earl of Sunderland, the Lord Falkland, and a French Marquiss. We lost a Colonel of one [Page 67] of the City-Regiments, together with some in­feriour Officers.

Some of the Lords and Commons, contrary to their Duty, withdrew themselves from the Parliament at Westminster, and went to the King at Oxford, where they met together, but never did any thing considerable for the King's Service, and shewed themselves so little willing to assume the name of a Parliament, that the King in a Letter to the Queen (a Copy where­of was afterwards found amongst his Papers) called them his Mongrel Parliament.

In the mean time the Earl of Manchester re­ceived a Commission from the Parliament to raise Forces in the associated Counties of Suf­folk, Norfolk, Essex, Cambridg, Huntington, &c. which was very necessary: for the King was Master of all Places of Strength from Berwick to Boston, except Hull and two small Castles in Lincolnshire; and Ferdinando Lord Fairfax not able to keep the Field against the Earl of New­castle, was retired with his Horse and Foot to Hull: the Enemies Strength in the North no way inferiour to what it was in the West, and none considerable enough to oppose their March into the South.

The Earl of Newcastle, upon advice that the Lord Willoughby of Parham had possessed him­self of the Town of Gainsborough for the Par­liament, sent his Brother Col. Cavendish, Lieu­tenant General of his Army, with a great Party of Horse and Dragoons to summon it, him­self [Page 68] marching after with the Foot. Col. Oliver Cromwell having notice thereof, and understand­ing by fresh Experience that Victory is not al­ways obtained by the greater Number, having lately defeated near Grantham twenty four Troops of the Enemies Horse and Dragoons, with seven Troops only which he had with him, resolved to endeavour the Relief of Gains­borough; and with twelve Troops of Horse and Dragoons marched thither, where he found the Enemy, who were drawn up near the Town, to be more than thrice his Number, and no way to attack them but through a Gate, and up-hill; notwithstanding which Disadvan­tages he adventured to fall upon them, and af­ter some Dispute totally routed them, killing many of their Officers, and amongst them Lieutenant General Cavendish. Thus was Gains­borough relieved; but the Conquerors had little time to rejoice, for within two or three hours the routed Enemy rallying, and joining with the rest of Newcastle's Army, marched against them: Upon which they retreated to Lincoln that night in good order, and without any Loss, facing the Enemy with three Troops at a time as they drew off the rest. Lincoln not being defensible, Col. Cromwell marched the next day to Boston, that he might join the Earl of Manchester, who with his new-rais'd Forces had very seasonably reduced Lynn, a Town in Norfolk not far from the Sea, naturally strong, and might have proved impregnable, if Time [Page 69] had favoured Art and Industry to have fortified and furnished it with Provisions. But Sir Ham­mond Lestrange, who had before surprized it for the King, was soon surprized himself; and be­ing suddenly summoned by the Earl of Man­chester, and threatned with a Storm, after he had fired a few great Shot against the Besiegers, thought fit to surrender it upon Articles. From thence the Earl of Manchester marched to Boston, where being joined by Col. Cromwell, appoint­ed by the Parliament to command under him, and a Party of Horse brought by Sir Thomas Fairfax by Sea from Hull, he mustered about six thousand Foot, and thirty seven Troops of Horse and Dragoons. To prevent any further addition to his Forces, the Earl of Newcastle advanced with his Army, and sent a strong De­tachment of Horse and Dragoons towards Bos­ton, appearing by their Standards to be eighty seven Troops, commanded by Sir John Hender­son an old Souldier, who hearing that Col. Cromwell was drawn out towards him with the Horse and Dragoons, made haste to engage him before the Earl of Manchester with the Foot could march up, as accordingly it fell out at a place called Winsby-field near Horn-castle. In the first shock Col. Cromwell had his Horse kill'd under him; yet the Encounter was but short, tho very sharp, for there being Field-room enough, the Fight lasted but a quarter of an hour before the Earl of Newcastle's Forces were totally routed, and many of them killed: [Page 70] amongst them the Lord Widdrington, Sir In­gram Hopton, and other Persons of Quality. The Enemy had no time to rally, being pursu­ed by ours almost as far as Lincoln, which was fourteen Miles off; in which Pursuit divers of them were killed and made Prisoners, and ma­ny Horse and Arms taken. Neither were they suffered to rest at Lincoln, the Earl of Man­chester marching thither the day following, where the Enemies broken Troops had endea­voured to fortisy the higher part of the City called the Close, but had not quite finished their Works when the Earl arrived, and summoned them to surrender; which they resusing, our Foot and Horse fell on and took it by storm, with little loss on our side.

About this time a considerable Party in Kent rose and declared for the King, which was dis­persed by some Forces sent from London, under the Command of Col. Brown; whereby the Committee of Kent were encouraged and ena­bled to raise a good Body of Horse and Foot for the Service of the Parliament.

My Father apprehending that I was not like­ly to be relieved in three or four Months, in case I were besieged; and knowing that the E­nemies were Masters of the Field in those Parts, and that I was about twenty Miles from any of our Garisons, procured an Order from the Par­liament, impowering me to slight the Castle of Warder, and to draw off the Garison, if I saw cause: which Care of theirs quickned my Zeal [Page 71] to their Service, and put me upon endeavour­ing, as well as I could, to prepare for the worst. To that end being in want of Ammunition, I went to Southampton, where I bought what they could spare, and returned to the Castle; where being in great want of Money, having always paid the Country People for whatsoever I had from them, I made a seasonable Discovery of Money, Plate and Jewels, to the value of about twelve hundred Pounds, walled up by the Enemy: Part of this Sum I expended upon the Garison, and gave an account thereof to the Parliament. The Enemy was now begin­ning to draw about us, yet would not actually besiege us before they had endeavoured to re­duce us by Treachery. To this end one Capt. White a Papist, of Dorsetshire, having found a Boy at Shaftsbury fit for the purpose, gave him such Instructions as he thought fit: He was not above twelve Years of Age, and yet, as I was afterwards informed, had already attempted to poison his Grandfather. This Boy he sent to the Castle to desire of me to be admitted to turn the Spit, or perform any other servile Employ­ment; to which I consented, his Youth freeing him, as I thought, from any Suspicion. About three or four days after a Party of the Enemies Horse appeared before the Castle, and making a great shout, the Cattle belonging to the Ga­rison, consisting of about forty Cows and one Bull, which they all followed, ran away at the Noise: Some of us endeavouring to turn them, [Page 72] the Enemy fired so thick upon us, that one of my Souldiers and my self were forced to betake our selves to a Tree for shelter; where my Soul­dier levelling his Musquet through a hole of the Tree, which was about a Foot in diameter, a Ball from the Enemy grazing upon the upper part of the Hole, and thereby forced down­wards, shot the young Man through the Hand, and me into the Leg, which obliged me to keep my bed for two days. A great Wall-gun called a Harquebuz de Croq being fired from the top of the Castle, burst in the middle. At night as this Boy was sitting with the Guard by the fire, some of them conceived a Jealousy of him; and strictly examining him about the cause of his coming, he affirmed it to be be­cause the Master whom he served had used him cruelly for speaking some Words in favour of the Parliament. With which Answer they not being satisfied, threatned that unless he would confess the truth, they would hang him imme­diately; and to afright him, tied a piece of Match about his Neck, and began to pull him up on a Halbert. Upon this he promised to confess all, if they would spare his Life; and thereupon acknowledged that Capt. White had hired him to number the Men and Arms in the Castle, to poison the Arms, the Well, and the Beer, to blow up the Ammunition, to steal away one of my best Horses, to carry him back to them; for which Service he was to re­ceive half a Crown: confessing that he had ac­cordingly [Page 73] poisoned two Cannon and the Har­quebuz that was broken, but pretended that his Conscience would not give him leave to poison the Water and the Beer. The great Guns were made serviceable again by oiling, and making a fire in them. The Poison he used was of a red Colour, and made up in the shape of a Candle, with part of which he had rubbed three of our Guns. After this Deliverance we got in some Cattle for our Provision, but the Enemy draw­ing into the Villages about us, soon prevented us from bringing in any more: Yet we ven­tured one Morning, knowing it to be Market­day, to draw out between forty and fifty Pikes and Firelocks, with which we went about a quarter of a Mile from the Castle upon the Road that leads to Shaftsbury. According to our expectation the Market-people came with Carts and Horses loaded with Corn and other Provisions, which we seized and sent to the Castle, paying for it the Market-price, at which they were not a little surprized. By this means we furnished our selves with three Months more Provision than we had before; which we had no sooner taken in, when the Enemy drew round the Castle, and from that time blocked us up more closely, raising a Breastwork by casting up of Earth about a Tree which we had cut down on the side of a Hill; from whence they commanded the Gate of the Castle, the only way that we had to sally out upon occasion, and shot several of our Men, amongst the rest [Page 74] my Gunner, as they fetched in Wood. The Person that commanded the Party which lay before us was one Capt. Christopher Bowyer of Dorsetshire, who, to get us out of the Castle, proposed to grant us what terms we desired; to which we replied, that we designed to dis­charge our Duty by keeping it as long as we could. Upon this he threatned us with great Numbers of Horse and Foot, attended with several pieces of Cannon, which he said were drawing towards us, boasting of the Justice of his Cause, and representing to us the Greatness of our Danger, and the inevitable Ruin that must ensue upon our Obstinacy: But Capt. Bean, who at that time served as Cannoneer, ours being shot, as I mentioned before, told him, that we were not at all afrighted with his Menaces; but upon confidence of the Jus­tice of our Cause, were resolved to defend the Place to the utmost; and warning him to look to himself, fired a Gun, with which he wound­ed him in the Heel; and it being unsafe for any to carry him off by day, his Wound gangreen­ed before night, and he died about two days after. In the room of Capt. Bowyer one Col. Barnes was sent by the King to command the Forces that lay before us: he was Brother to an honest Gentleman who was Chaplain to my Father, for whose sake, and because he had the Reputation of being an old Souldier, a thing much valued by the Parliament at that time, my Father had procured him a considerable Em­ployment [Page 75] in their Service, in which he continu­ed as long as their constant Pay lasted, but that failing, he ran away to the King. Upon his coming he raised a Fort within Musquet-shot of us, on the Hill that surrounded the Castle, ex­cept only on the West-side, where was a Pond of about six Acres. The Enemy possessed themselves of all the Out-houses, but used them only by night, not thinking it safe to come at them by day; which we observing, one Evening conveyed forty Men through a Vault leading to those Houses, ordering them to lie private, and endeavour to surprize them when they came; which had been effected, if one of ours, contrary to order, upon the entrance of the first of the Enemy, had not fired his Pistol, and thereby given warning to the rest to shift for themselves. The Man who was the occa­sion of this Disappointment was deprived of the use of his Arms till he should attempt some­thing for the redeeming of his Reputation; which soon after, upon a Sally we made on the Enemy, he did, in which we took two of the Enemies Horses, and made some Prisoners. How many of them were killed we could not learn: On our side some were wounded, of whom one died soon after.

A Kinsman of mine, who was related to the Lord Cottington, was sent from Oxford to offer me what Terms I would desire. I permitted him to come in, that seeing our Strength and Provision, he might make his Report to the [Page 76] Enemy to our Advantage: For things were fo ordered by removing our Guards from place to place, filling up our Hogsheads with empty Barrels, and covering them with Beef and Pork, and in like manner ordering our Corn, that eve­ry thing appeared double, to what it was, to them. The Substance of the Conditions I pro­posed was: That if I understood from the Earl of Essex that he could not relieve us within six Months, we would then deliver the Castle, upon condition, that it should not be made a Garison: That the Parliament should have two thousand Pounds for what they had expended in the taking and keeping of it; with some other Particulars, which the Gentleman carried to Oxford with him: but we never had any Re­turn from him about them, neither indeed did we expect any. Our Beer was now spent, our Corn much diminished, and we had no other Drink but the Water of our Well, which tho we drunk dry by day, yet it was sufficiently supplied every night. But being resolved to keep the Castle as long as we could, we short­ned our Allowance, so that three Pecks and a half of Wheat one day, and a Bushel of Bar­ley another, served near a hundred Men, which was all our Force, my Troop being sent away before for want of Conveniency for Horse: This Allowance was so short, that I caused one of the Horses we had taken to be killed, which the Souldiers eat up in two days, be­sides their Ordinary.

The Forces that had been sent by the Parlia­ment to the Assistance of the distressed Pro­testants in Ireland, being, under pretence that they were neglected, as hath been before men­tioned, brought into England to serve against those who raised them; and the Rebels, by the Pacification made with them by the King's Or­der, contrary to his Promise to the Parliament, left in the full Enjoyment of what they had gotten from the English by Rapine and Mur­der; part of those who came out of Ireland landed at Chester, and drew before Nantwich: they were commanded by one Capt. Sandford, Brother to Sir William Sandford, a worthy Per­son of Grays-Inn, to whom he had solemnly promised never to engage against the Parlia­ment: Yet did he send in a very threatning Summons to the Town, and seconded it with a most furious Assault, whilst the Works were but slenderly defended, the Guard consisting for the most part of Townsmen, who were then gone to dinner: But it so happened, that a Boy of the Age of fifteen firing a Musquet from the Town, shot him dead in the place, which dis­couraged his Souldiers from any farther At­tempt.

Col. George Monk, who had been sent by the Parliament into Ireland against the Rebels, for some time scrupled to quit that Service, and to engage in this, being upon that account se­cured on Ship-board by the Earl of Ormond, whilst he sent those Forces into England, lest [Page 78] he should have obstructed their going over; yet having afterwards his liberty to wait on the King, was prevailed with to join with them, and soon after taken Prisoner by a Party from Yorkshire, commanded by Sir Thomas Fairfax, who sent him Prisoner to Hull, from whence some time after he was conveyed to the Tower of London. Another Party of the Forces from Ireland landed in the West, and marched as far as Hinden towards Warder-Castle, in order to besiege it; but being informed that the Person whom they were to dispossess was a Protestant, and he into whose hands they were to put it was a Papist, they mutinied against their Off­cers, and refused to be employed against us.

The Queen landed with an Army of French, Walloons, and other Foreigners, and brought with her great store of Ammunition and Mo­ney, procured by pawning the Crown-Jewels in Holland. With these and other Forces the Earl of Newcastle marched to besiege Hull, of which Place the Lord Ferdinando Fairfax was Governour, who with the Assistance of the Sea­men belonging to some Ships that lay in the Harbour, made so fierce a Sally upon the Ene­my, that they were forced to quit some of their Guns, and withdraw to a greater distance, leaving many of their Men behind them, of whom some were killed, and others taken Pri­soners. Col. Overton carried himself, as I am well informed, with much Honour and Gallan­try in this Action. This bad Success so dispi­rited [Page 79] the Enemy, that they abandoned the Siege, and retired to York; to which also the approach of Winter, and the Preparations of the Scots to march into England, did not a little contribute: For the Parliaments of both King­doms had at length agreed upon Terms, and removed the last and greatest Difficulty, con­sisting in some doubtful Words in the Cove­nant, which was to be taken by both Nations, concerning the preservation of the King's Person, and reducing the Doctrine and Discipline of both Churches to the Pattern of the best Reformed: For which Sir Henry Vane, one of the Com­missioners of the Parliament, found out an Ex­pedient, by adding to the first Clause these or the like words, In preservation of the Laws of the Land, and Liberty of the Subject; and to the Second, according to the Word of God. Which being an Explanation that could not be refused, prevented any farther Contestation about that Matter.

About this time the Enemy by cruel Usage put a period to the Life of my Brother Capt. Robert Ludlow, who was their Prisoner, as I before related. The News of this, and of the Danger I was in, so afflicted my Father, toge­ther with his constant Labours in the publick Service, and possibly his Dissatisfaction about the Imprisonment of his good Friend Mr. Hen­ry Martin, for Words spoken in the House, as he conceived, in discharge of his Duty, that he died, expressing himself deeply sensible of the [Page 80] Condition of the bleeding Nation, and heartily praying for the Prosperity of the Publick Cause. The Words spoken by Mr. Martin in the Par­liament were to this purpose, That it was better one Family should perish, than that the People should be destroyed: And being required to explain himself, he ingenuously confessed that he meant the Family of the King; for which he was committed to the Tower, but afterwards released, and re-admitted to his Place in the Parliament. About the same time Mr. John Pym also died, who had been very instrumental in promoting the Interest of the Nation: His Body was for several days exposed to publick view in Derby-house before it was interred, in confutation of those who reported it to be eaten with Lice.

The Enemy before Warder-Castle kept their Guards within Pistol-shot of it day and night, so that we could not expect any more Intelli­gence from abroad; yet one of ours sent by us into the Country a Week before, to informs us of the state of Affairs, met, at an honest Man's House not far from the Castle, a Souldier, whom the Enemy had pressed to serve them; whose Heart being with us, these two agreed, that when Relief should be coming, he who was without should appear with a white Cap on his Head, and blow his Nose with his Hand­kerchief. In the mean time the Besiegers raised a Battery, and by a shot from thence cut off the Chain of our Portcullis, which rendring [Page 81] our Gate unserviceable to us, we made it so to them, by barricading it up on the inside: so that now we had no way out but through a Window, our other Doors being walled up before. But the Battery not answering their expectation, they resolved to try other Experi­ments, either by digging a Hole in the Castle­wall, and putting a sufficient quantity of Pow­der therein to blow it up, or by undermining the said Wall, and supporting it with Timber, and then setting it on fire: whereby they sup­posed to destroy that also on which the Wall rested, and so to bring down the Wall. In or­der to this they prepared Materials to defend them whilst they were about the Work, and brought together about two dozen of Oaken Plants three Inches thick, which they endea­voured in a dark Night to set up against the Castle-wall, half of them on one side, and half on the other. Our Sentinels discovered them on one side, and beat them off, forcing them to leave their Boards behind them. On the other side they set them up, and in the Morning were hard at work under their Shelter. We heard a noise of digging, but for some time could not perceive where: at length we disco­vered the place, and endeavoured to remove them, by throwing down hot Water and melt­ed Lead, tho to little purpose. At last with Hand-granadoes we obliged them to quit their Work, and to leave their Tools behind them, with their Provisions for three or four days; [Page 82] and tho we had no way out of the Castle but by a narrow Window, yet we brought in their Materials and Provisions: for that Morning having shot the Officer that commanded their Guard in the Head, their Trenches not being finished to secure their Approaches to the Out­houses, under the shelter of which they kept their Guard; and being admonished by what befel Capt. Bowyer, of the danger of delaying to dress a Wound, they desired leave to carry off their wounded Man, which I granted on condition that they would commit no Act of Hostility in the mean time: And when five or six of them who carried him off were about Pistol-shot from the Wall, I appeared with forty Musqueteers ready to fire on the top of the Castle, and ordered three or four Men out of the Window mentioned before, who brought in their Materials.

A Relation of mine, one Capt. Henry Willi­ams, who commanded a Company in Colonel Barns his Regiment, desiring to be admitted to speak with me, and I consenting, he endea­voured to perswade me to a Surrender, offering me any Conditions I would ask; but his Argu­ments made no Impression upon me.

In the mean time the King, to encourage his Friends in the City to rise for him, sent them a Commisiion to that purpose by the Lady Au­bogny, which she brought made up in the Hair of her Head; but the Design being discovered, she sled for Resuge to the House of the French [Page 83] Ambassador; who refusing to deliver her to Sir Henry Vane and Mr. John Lisle, sent by the Parliament with a Guard to seize her, pretend­ing his Privilege, the House, being informed by Sir Francis Knowles, that at the time of the bloody Massacre at Paris, one of the French King's Secretaries who was of the Reformed Religion flying to the English Ambassador's House for Protection, and disguizing himself amongst the Grooms, was forced [...] thence by the King's Command, ordered this Lady to be treated in the like manner, which was done accordingly. Hereupon an Order was passed for the Trial of those who were engaged in this Conspiracy, and Mr. Thomson and Mr. Challoner were found guilty, and executed for it. Sir John Hotham and his Son were also condemned to lose their Heads for endeavour­ing to betray the Garison of Hull to the Ene­my; which Sentence was put in execution upon the Son the 1 st of January, 1643. and on the Father the day following. Sir Alexander Ca­rew was also beheaded for endeavouring to be­tray Plimouth, with the Government of which he was entrusted by the Parliament.

About the 16 th of the same January the Scots marched into England, and having Berwick se­cured for them, the first thing they attempted was the taking of Newcastle, which they did by storm: The Lords and Commons for their Encouragement having sentenced, and caused execution to be done upon William Laud Arch­bishop [Page 84] of Canterbury, their Capital Enemy, o [...] the 10 th of the same Month.

Sir William Waller being reinforced with some City-Regiments, thought himself strong enough to take the field: and because the Western Clothiers were often obstructed in their Passage to London by the Garison of Basinghouse, which was kept for the King, he attempted to reduce it, but was repulsed with loss. After which he marched to Arundel in Sussex, where he soon beat the King's Garison out of the Town into the Castle, which after some time, and the loss of some Men, was surrendred to him, with several Persons of Quality therein, at Mercy.

About the middle of January Sir William as­sured us, that if we held out a Fortnight long­er, he would relieve us, or lay his Bones under our Walls. We had also some hopes given us from Southampton and Pool, the latter of which Places about this time some of the Inhabitants endeavoured to betray to the Lord Crawford; but the Design being discovered, as the Enemy was entring the Outworks, and expecting to be admitted into the Town, some great Guns loaded with small Shot were fired upon his Men, and made a great Slaughter amongst them. Between these two Garisons of South­ampton and Pool lay my Troop of Horse, to do what Service they could against the Enemy, and to favour our Relief: where my Cornet, afterwards known by the name of Major Wil­liam Ludlow, was shot through the Body, and [Page 85] into the Thigh, and his Horse in two places, by some of the Enemy from an Ambuscade; being brought to Southampton, and his Wounds searched, the Bullet that went in at his Belly was found at the Chine of his Back, with a piece of the Wastband of his Breeches, which being cut out, he wonderfully recovered to be in some measure serviceable to the Publick.

To encourage the Forces of Pool and South­ampton to come to our Relief, I sent them word, that they should have seven or eight hundred Pounds to gratify them, which I was able to make good with what I had remaining of the Plate which I had found in one of the Closets of the Castle, as I mentioned before.

Towards the end of the Winter Sir Ralph Hopton, who commanded the King's Forces in the West, being informed that the Battery which had fired against us for two Months had done no great execution, and that Col. Barns was more employed in plundering the Country than in advancing the King's Service, sent Sir Francis Doddington with a further Supply of Men to reduce us; and with him an Engineer to undermine the Castle. To this end they forced the Miners of Meinshup to assist them. As soon as we heard the noise of their Digging, we endeavoured to countermine them; but the Castle Walls being joined with an entire Wall at the Foundation, the Morter whereof was so well tempered, that it was harder than the Stones themselves, we could by no means break [Page 86] through it. Our Medicines were now spent, and our Chirurgeon, who with eight of his Brothers served at that time in my Troop, shot through the Body and disabled, tho the Bullet gl [...]ncing missed the Vitals. One of his Bro­thers, with another Souldier, adventured out of the Window in order to procure some means for his Recovery, whilst some of ours by Dis­courses, firing, and much Noise, drew the Ene­my to the other side of the Castle; so that they safely passed their Guards, and went to the ho­nest Man's House before mentioned, where they met again that Friend of ours, who being pressed by the Enemy to serve them, remained with them to serve us; and received from him a Letter directed to us from some of our Friends, encouraging us to hold out, and promising us Relief within ten days: of whose Approach this our Friend undertook to give us notice, by the signs before agreed on. Our Messengers having furnished themselves with what they went for, returned to us with this good News, this poor honest Man having drawn off the Sentinel by whom they were to pass.

The ten days being expired, and ten more after them, without any tidings of Relief, our Provisions wasting, I observed a great Silence amongst the Enemy; and being desirous to know whether our Friend were upon the Guard, that we might learn of him what he knew, we took occasion from their Silence to desire of them, that if they were alive they [Page 87] would make some Noise, tho they might not be permitted to speak: which one of them do­ing by blowing his Nose, we were willing to make a further Discovery; and having told him he did it in his Sleeve for want of a Hand­kerchief, he by this time understanding our meaning, appeared in sight, and with his Hand­kerchief blew his Nose again, endeavouring by Signs and Words to inform us of our Condition, digging in the Wall of the Stable, and laying the Stones in order; then discoursing with two of his Fellows, he challenged them to play at Football with one of them the next, and with the other the day after; saying to them aloud, that we might hear, If I beat the first, I fear not the second. Tho we supposed that the first Danger he designed to admonish us of was the Mine; yet for the more clear discovery thereof, we laid a train of Powder upon the Castle-wall, which he by signs signified to us to be what he intended. But we were mistaken in the Interpretation of his second Action, by which we concluded he designed to represent to us a speedy Relief, if we could hold out against the first; tho it was indeed another Mine pre­pared to spring immediately after the first, as we afterwards found, tho we never had the happiness to see or speak with the poor Man more. I received a Letter from Sir Francis Doddington, who commanded in Chief before us, wherein taking notice of the Relation be­tween our Families, he expressed himself ready [Page 88] to do me any friendly Office, and advised me to a timely Delivery of the Castle, lest by re­fusing so to do I should bring my Blood upon my own head. In my Answer I acknowledg­ed his Civility, assuring him, that being en­trusted with the Custody of it by the Authority of the Parliament for the Service of the Coun­try, I could cheerfully lay down my Lise in discharge of the Trust reposed in me; for that it would not be only in my Defence, but in Defence of the Laws and Liberties of the Na­tion; and therefore cautioned him how he pro­ceeded any farther in assaulting us, left he should thereby contract the Guilt of more innocent Blood. His Letter with my Answer he sent to Oxford, as appeared by the weekly News-paper of London, wherein they were printed from that of Oxford, which Aulicus published to shew my Opiniatreté, Britannicus my Fidelity to the Publick Cause.

The two Nights following we all continued upon the Guard; and upon the Thursday Morning, being very weary, I lay down and slept till between ten or eleven of the Clock, at which time one of my great Guns firing up­on the Enemy, shook the Match which they had left burning for the springing of the Mine into the Powder, so that the Mine springing I was lifted up with it from the Floor, with much Dust suddenly about me; which was no sooner laid, but I found both the Doors of my Chamber blown open, and my Window to­wards [Page 89] the Enemy blown down, so that a Cart might have entred at the Breach. The Party which they had prepared to storm us lay at some distance, to secure themselves from any hurt by the springing of the Mine: but that being done, they made haste to storm, which they might easily do at my Window, the Rub­bish of the Castle having made them a way al­most to it. Those who stormed on my side were the Irish yellow Coats, commanded by Capt. Leicester. My Pistols being Wheel-locks, and wound up all night, I could not get to fire, so that I was forced to trust to my Sword for the keeping down of the Enemy, being alone in the Chamber, and all Relief excluded from me, except such as came in by one of my Win­dows that looked into the Court of the Castle, through which I called to my Men there, ac­quainting them with my condition, and requir­ing them to hasten to my Relief. Mr. Gabriel Ludlow my Kinsman not only came himself, but ordered others to my Assistance, and to that end placed a Ladder under the Window be­fore-mentioned, which being too short by near two Yards, I was obliged to leave the Breach where the Enemy was ready to enter, five or six times, to take his Arms and himself in; which being done, he helped in five or six more, whom I ordered to fill up the Breach and the Doors with the Bed, Chairs, Table, and such things as were next at hand. This place being in some measure secured, I went to see what [Page 90] other Breaches had been made, and to provide for their Defence, and found one in the Room under me well defended, but that in the Ground-room on the other side not at all; there I placed a Guard, and ran to the upper Rooms, which had many Doors and Windows blown open, at every one of which I appointed a Guard in some measure proportionable to the Danger. From thence I went to the top of the Castle, which was leaded, and of a sex-angular Figure, with a Turret upon each Angle. Two of these were blown down, with part of the Leads, behind which the Enemy sheltered themselves, so that we could not remove them by our shot; but by throwing down some great Stones, with which the Mine had plenti­fully furnished us, we killed one of theirs, and wounded some others. Capt. Leicester was one of those who sheltered themselves behind this Rubbish, and desired leave to carry off the wounded Men that were with him; which I readily granted, letting them know, that we sought not their Blood, but our own Defence. Soon after we also had occasion to make trial of their Humanity; for one of our Souldiers be­ing buried in the outward Rubbish of the Cas­tle, and yet alive, sent to acquaint me with his Condition, and to desire my Help: Upon which I desired of the Enemy that they would dig him out, and make him Prisoner; or suffer us to do it, and we would deliver him to them: but they would consent to neither; and when [Page 91] I told them that I had not used them so, but had permitted them to carry off their wounded Men, they replied, That tho it was my Fa­vour to suffer that, yet their chief Officer would not permit this, The poor Man lived in this condition near three days, and then through most barbarous Usage, being denied any Relief, he died. We lost three of our Men by the springing of the Mine, but the rest were most wonderfully preserved. Our Provision of Corn, which at the rate we liv'd would have lasted three Weeks longer, was blown up, with part of our Ammunition; but our Provision of Flesh being for about four days, was preserved. Whilst this lasted, I thought it advisable, having repulsed the Enemy, to put the best countenance we could upon our Affairs, hoping by so doing we might bring the Enemy to give us the better Conditions. But Mr. Balsum our Minister, with two or three more religious Men, who till that time had carried themselves without discovering any Fear, pressed me very earnestly to propose a Treaty to the Enemy. I told them that it was a very unseasonable time to do any thing of that nature, having beat off the Enemy, and three or four days Provisions left: That I did not doubt before that was spent, by a good Im­provement of our time, to bring the Enemy to reasonable terms: Whereas if we should now desire a Treaty with them, they would con­clude our Spirits low, our Condition desperate, [Page 92] and so hold us to harder terms, or it may be give us none at all. They replied, that if I re­fused to hearken to their Proposal, they judged that all the Blood that should be spilt in further Opposition would be charged upon my account. This being a very heavy Charge laid on me by Men of Age and Experience, of whose Inte­grity I had a very good Opinion, I durst not resist any longer, by balancing my Youth and little Experience against their Years and Judg­ment, and therefore left it to them to do what they should think fit; but they assuring me they would rather lose their Lives than do any thing without me, I promised that if they would call to the Enemy for a Parley, I would answer. Whereupon they moved it to the Enemy, who took time to acquaint their Com­mander in Chief with it. His Answer was; That since we had refused to treat with him whilst the Castle was whole, he would not now treat with us. I could not forbear letting the Besiegers know, that the Return was no other than I expected: That the Motion did not arise from me, but was consented to by me for the satisfaction of some about me, who were now resolved to expose themselves with me to the utmost Hazards in defence of the Place, without demanding any Terms again; not doubting, if we were necessitated to lay down our Lives in this Service, to sell them at a good rate. My Friends having found their Advice to produce no other effect than I had [Page 93] foretold, resolved for the future to be wholly disposed of by me; so that both Officers and Souldiers began to prepare against the utmost Extremity. None of ours had been killed by the Shot during the Storm, but some slightly wounded, and their Clothes shot through, a Bullet from the Enemy having pierced my Hat close by my Head. The Besiegers had ten killed by Shot and Stones in the Storm, and di­vers wounded: Amongst the former was one Hillsdeane, who a little before he expired said, he saw his Brother fire that Musquet by which he received his mortal Wound; which might probably be, his Brother being one of those who defended that Breach where he, attempt­ing to enter, was shot: but if it were so, he might justly do it by the Laws of God and Man, it being done in the discharge of his Du­ty, and in his own Defence. The Silver Plate belonging to the House, found soon after we were close besieged, I buried in the Cellar, with the help of one of my Servants. On Sa­turday the Enemy began to converse friendly with us, and a Cessation of Acts of Hostility being agreed upon, a Son of Col. Barnes, Capt. Farmer, Mr. Plott, the Gentleman whom I formerly mentioned to be related to the Lord Cottington, and to have endeavoured to per­swade me to surrender the Castle before the Siege, with several other Officers, came up close to the Breaches, where we conferred to­gether: and they earnestly pressing me to sur­render, [Page 94] I told them I would not be averse to it upon fitting Terms; for had not those who owned the Castle made use of it to the preju­dice of the Country, I presumed it had not been taken from them, and possessed by us, in order to prevent the like Inconveniences for the future; against which conceiving sufficient pro­vision made by the springing of the late Mine, I was willing to quit the same, if we might have liberty to march to the next Garison be­longing to the Parliament, with our Arms, and what else we had in the Castle. They replied, They could not answer to his Majesty the giv­ing of such Conditions to us, Sir William Waller having lately refused to receive Arundel-Castle from some of the King's Party upon any other Terms than at Mercy, who they knew to have been in a much better state of Defence than we were; and therefore pressed us to deliver our selves upon the same Condition, promising us much Favour. To this I answered, That some related to us had already experienced the Fa­vours they extended to their Prisoners: That the Compliance of those at Arundel ought to be no Precedent to us; and that unless we might march off, we would not surrender. They told me, the longer I held out the worse it would be for me; and Mr. Plott, who, as he since informed me, had prevailed with them to propose this Treaty, earnestly pressed me to lay hold on the Opportunity, intimating by his Words and Gestures, that if I refused it, I [Page 95] should not have another: but I resolving to de­fend the Place as long as I could, our Treaty came to nothing. I had some thoughts of charging through the Enemy in the beginning of the Night, in order to force our way to the nearest of our Garisons, which I presumed might have been effected by the Morning; but the desperate Condition in which we must have left our sick and wounded Men, diverted me from putting that Design in execution. And now the Spirits of my Souldiers began to flag; my Gunsmith desiring leave to go home, and several others making choice of one amongst them to speak for them, were very importu­nate with me to surrender; with which ex­pressing my self displeased, I acquainted them that I would take the best time to do it for their Advantage, and thereby quieted them, so that they resolved to move me no more about it; yet ceasing not to complain to each other of their Wants and Hardships, the Enemy be­came acquainted therewith, as they afterwards told me. On the Lord's-day in the Afternoon the Besiegers discoursed with some of our Men who were upon the Leads, endeavouring to draw as many of them as they could thither, that the Breaches being left unguarded, they might have an opportunity to take us by storm; which I perceiving, made use of it to animate our Men afresh, and succeeded so well therein, that the Enemy by our Cheerfulness began to suspect that we had some notice of Relief ap­proaching. [Page 96] This Suspicion caused them to con­tinue discoursing with my Souldiers most part of the Night, to get the Truth out of them, promising them liberty to march away, if they would deliver Mr. Balsum our Minister, or my self to them. The next Morning many of them came up to one of the Breaches, to per­swade us to surrender; which Opportunity be­ing willing to improve, having ten Doors blown open by the first Mine, our Walls that stood being cracked in several places, and ano­ther Mine ready to spring, that would proba­bly level the most part of the Castle with the Ground, not having Provision sufficient for one day left, nor any hopes of Relief, I propound­ed to them to yield my self their Prisoner, if they would consent that those with me might march off. To which they answering, That tho my good Nature led me to make that Offer, yet they could not accept of it: I told them, that unless I might have four things granted, I would not deliver the Castle. 1 st. Quarter without distinction for the Lives of every one. 2 dly. Civil Usage for all my Party. 3 dly. Not to be carried to Oxford. 4 thly. A speedy Ex­change. They promised me I should have all these made good to the full; and Col. Barns said, that if I pleased to come out to them, I should find more Friends than I expected: whereupon requiring my Men to be upon their Guard, and not to suffer any to come near them till my Return, I went out to them, and they [Page 97] brought me to the Lord Arundel and Sir Francis Doddington, who were without the Garden­wall, where my Lord Arundel assured me, that what was agreed should be made good to me; and was pleased further to add, that tho he pre­ferred my Conversion before the Enjoyment of his own Children, yet if I thought fit to persist in the way I had begun, he would do his ut­most to endeavour that I might be exchanged for his two Sons, who were then Prisoners with Sir William Waller. To this I answered, that if I were convinced that the Cause I had engaged in was not good, I should soon recede from it; but till then I could not but persist in the prosecution thereof. Sir Francis Dodding­ton told me, he was glad to see me alive, but sorry to find so much Resolution employed in so bad a Cause. I let him know, that my Ap­prehensions concerning the Cause were very dif­ferent from his, else I had not hazarded my self as I had done. He also promised the per­formance of the Articles to the utmost of his Power; and for my self, that whilst I was in his Custody I should have no other Prison but his own Lodgings. Thus all things being agreed upon, I returned to the Castle, and ordered my Souldiers to lay down their Arms; which being done, the Enemy directed them to draw together into a certain Room in the Castle, where they set a Guard upon them; but gave me the liberty of the Place upon my Parole, offering me one or two of my own Company [Page 98] to associate with me: whereupon I desired that my Cousin Gabriel Ludlow, Mr. Balsum, and a Servant, might be permitted to come to me, which was granted. Their Civility to me was such, especially that of the Lord Arundel, that I discovered to him the Plate and other things that I had hid in the Castle: but I cannot say that they performed their Articles with me in relation to my Men; for the second day after their entrance, they threatned to take away the Lives of two of them, who having been formerly pressed by them, and their Consciences not giving them leave to serve them, chose ra­ther to come to us, and be besieged with us, than to have liberty to range and oppress the Country with them. The poor Men made their Condition known to me; and I went to the chief Officers of the Enemy, and charged them with it as a breach of that Article by which we were to have all our Lives secured to us, in virtue of these words, Quarter with­out distinction. Capt. Leicester, to whom I principally applied my self, because he pretend­ed to most Experience in things of this nature, told me, that I only conditioned for my Soul­diers, and that these who ran from them were not mine, but theirs: I replied, that they were never theirs, tho they had forced them to be with them, having pressed them into their Ser­vice, which they had no Power to do; but tho it should be granted that they had been theirs, yet they were now ours, and the words of the [Page 99] Article were, Quarter without distinction. He answered, that if I had intended to have these included, I should have particularly named them. I told him, that it was needless, every Particular being included in the Vniversal; and that if I had suspected such Usage, I would have died before I would have delivered the Castle them. He said, that if I disliked the Conditions, they would withdraw, and leave me as they found me. I replied, that seeing they were now acquainted with my Necessities, that Proposition was as unworthy and disinge­nuous as their Interpretation of the Articles; and that if they proceeded to Extremities a­gainst the two Souldiers, because the Power was at present in their hands, I did not doubt that God would give me an opportunity to re­sent it; and if not, I was fully assured that He would do it himself. In the Afternoon I was desired to go to Sir Francis Doddington's Quar­ters, which were at a Gentleman's House about half a Mile from the Castle; to which place I was accompanied by one Lieutenant Elsing, Brother to the Clerk of the Parliament of that name, with whom I had a free Debate concern­ing the Justice of our Cause, and the Evil of their Undertaking, especially of those amongst them, who, having been sent by the Parlia­ment against the Rebels in Ireland, had return­ed and drawn their Swords against those that had raised them; which was his case. He was so convinced of the truth of what I said, that [Page 100] he took the first opportunity he could find to re­turn to us; and to that end went to the Gari­son of Glocester, where he was employed, and behaved himself so well, that he was advanced to the Command of a Lieutenant Colonel in a Regiment of Foot; in which Capacity he went afterwards into Ireland, where he lost his Life against the Rebels. Having received notice that a Council of War was sitting upon the two Souldiers before-mentioned, and also that they endeavoured to find some Pretext to take away the Life of Mr. Balsum our Minister, I sent to admonish them to be careful to preserve them­selves from the Guilt of innocent Blood; put­ting them in mind, that if they proceeded to such a breach of their Faith, they must expect to account for it at another time. Upon this Message one Capt. Bishop observing them to persist in their bloody Intentions, withdrew from the Council, and soon after from the Par­ty. But Sir Francis' Doddington and Capt. Lei­cester so ordered the matter at the Council, that the two Souldiers were condemned, and most persidiously executed. They also discovered all imaginable Malice against Mr. Balsum, but finding no colour to proceed against him in this publick way, they sell upon a more secret and baser Method to take away his Life; to that end sending three Men, who broke in upon him whilst he was at Prayer; but he rising up, and looking steddily upon them, observing them to stand still, demanded of them the cause of [Page 101] their coming, who standing some time with Horror and Confusion in their Faces, after some Conference with each other, confessed to him, that they were sent to destroy him, but that they found a Superiour Power restraining them, and convincing them of the Wickedness of their Intentions, offering to convey him out of the hands of his Enemies, or to do any thing else for him that he should desire. He thanked them for their Kindness, and being unwilling they should hazard themselves for his sake, de­sired only some sew Necessaries, the Weather being cold, and he in great want, which they readily furnished him with. Soon after he was carried away to Salisbury, and the rest of the Officers and Souldiers of our Garison sent to Ox­ford, contrary to the express Words of the third Article of our Capitulation, the Enemy pretend­ing to a positive Order of the King for so doing. Sir Francis Doddington having dispatched some Affairs in the Country, took me with him to Winchester, and in our way thither shewed me a Letter from Sir Ralph Hopton, desiring him to use all means possible to draw me to their Party, which he endeavoured by making use of the best Arguments he could, to prove the Jus­tice of their Cause, the Probability of their Suc­cess, and the Inconsiderableness of our Strength in all Parts, accompanying them with all the Incouragements imaginable. The first Night of our Journey we lay at one Mr. Awbery's of Chalk, where we met with Dr. Earl and young [Page 102] Mr. Gataker, whom he desired to assist him in his design to convert me. Mr. Gataker rather chid than argued with me: Dr. Earl accused the Parliament of endeavouring the Destruction of Learning, which I desiring him to make ap­pear, he told me, that by abolishing Episcopa­cy we took away all Encouragement to it; for that Men would not send their Sons to the Uni­versity, had they not some hopes that they might attain to that Preferment. To this I re­plied, that it would be much more honest for such Men to train up their Children at the Plow, whereby they might be certainly pro­vided with a Livelihood, than to spend their Time and Money to advance them to an Office, pretended to be spiritual, and instituted for spi­ritual Ends, upon such a sordid Principle and Consideration. Sir Francis, as I conceived, ashamed of the Doctor's Discourse, put an end to the Conversation. The next day we went to Salisbury, where, tho multitudes of People were in the Streets, and in the Inn where I was lodged, no Person offered me the least Incivili­ty, tho I took the liberty in my Chamber to maintain the Justice of our Cause in the Presence of forty or fifty of the Town. Mr. John Pen­ruddock, High Sheriff of the County, having confined Mr. Balsum to the County-Goal, and sent to him to prepare himself to die, assuring him that he was to be executed in a short time, came to me, and with many other Expressions of Kindness desired me, that in case of any [Page 103] Extremity I would send to him, assuring me, that he wished me as well as his own Children, and promising that he would ride Night and Day to serve me. This poor Gentleman was so unhappy, during his Shrievalty, to have two of his Nephews, presuming upon their Uncle's Interest, and pressing through his Guards, kil­led by them, he having given Order that none should be permitted to pass without a strict Examination. In our way to Winchester one Mr. Fisher, an Acquaintance of mine, then an Officer of the King's, saluted me, and enquir­ing how I did, I answered him, As well as one could be in my condition; he thereupon reply­ing, Why, I hope they use you civilly, do they not? Yes, said I, very civilly. Sir Francis Doddington over-hearing him, took it so ill, that he caused him to be immediately disarmed, telling him, that he was too bold, to call in question the Usage of his Prisoner. Being ar­rived at Winchester, I staid at an Inn till a pri­vate Lodging was provided for Sir Francis, at whose Quarters, according to his Promise, I lodged, whilst in his Custody. Most of the Officers about the Town came to me at the Inn, several of them pressing me to discourse, and particularly concerning the Justice of our Cause: I excused my self, by reason of my present Circumstances; but they still persisting, I thought my self obliged to maintain the necessi­ty of our taking up Arms in defence of our Re­ligion and Liberties; but some of them being [Page 104] wholly biassed to their Interest, as they went from me, met a Relation of mine, one Col. Richard Manning, who, tho a Papist, com­manded a Regiment of Horse in the King's Ser­vice, and told him, that they came from one of the boldest Rebels that they had ever seen. The Colonel coming to visit me, informed me of this Discourse, advising me, whatsoever I thought, not to be so free with them, lest they should do me some Mischief. The next Morn­ing, before our Departure for Oxford, Sir Fran­cis Doddington brought me to Sir Ralph Hopton's Lodgings, which being the Head-quarters, we found there most of the Principal Officers of that Army; where the General, after he had saluted me, demanded how I, being a Gentle­man, could satisfy my self to bear Arms against my King: I told him, that, as I conceived, the Laws both of God and Man did justify me in what I had done. Well, said he, I understand you are so fixed in your Principles, that I am like to do little good upon you by my Perswasi­ons; but shall desire the Archbishop of Armagh to take the pains to speak with you, when you come to Oxford; and if he cannot work on you, I know not who can. This Bishop was very learned, and of great Reputation for Piety; yet I was assured by one who had his Informa­tion from Mr. Bernard of Batcomb, that when the said Mr. Bernard earnestly pressed him to deal faithfully with the King in the Controver­sy which was between him and the Parliament [Page 105] concerning Episcopacy, according to his own Judgment in that matter, which he knew to be against it, representing to him the great and important Service he would thereby do to the Church of God, the Archbishop answered, that if he should do as Mr. Bernard proposed, he should ruin himself and Family, having a Child and many Debts. For this reason those Arguments which could not prevail with me, when used by others, were not likely to be of more Efficacy from him, who in a business of such Concernment had been diverted from the discharge of his Duty by such low and sordid Considerations.

The next day I came to Oxford, conducted by a Party of Horse commanded by one who was Captain Lieutenant to Sir Francis Dodding­ton, where reposing a while at a House near Christ-Church, till the Pleasure of the King might be known concerning me, there came to me two Persons very zealous to justify the King's Cause, and to condemn that of the Par­liament. These Men were Irish Papists, sent over by the Rebels in Ireland to treat with the King on their part, about assisting him against the Parliament. This I afterwards understood from one of them, whose Name was Callaghan O Callaghan, when, together with the Brigade commanded by the Lord Musquerry, he laid down his Arms to me in Ireland. The King looking upon such Men as most fit to be con­fided in, gives the Presidentship of Munster, [Page 106] vacant by the Death of Sir William St. Leger, to the Lord Musquerry, an Irish Rebel; which the Lord Inchequin, Son-in-law to Sir William, soliciting for, and claiming a Right to it, took so ill, that the Lord Broghill, as he since in­formed me, found no great difficulty to pre­vail with him to declare for the Parliament, who thereupon made him their President of Munster. In this Capacity he performed many considerable Services against the Irish, taking great store of Plunder from them, and not sparing even his own Kindred, but if he found them faulty, hanging them up without distincti­on. Having brought together an Army, he marched into the County of Tipperary, and hearing that many Priests and Gentry about Cashell had retired with their Goods into the Church, he stormed it, and being entred, put three thousand of them to the Sword, taking the Priests even from under the Altar: Of such Force is Ambition when it seizes upon the Minds of Men.

About this time Sir Edward Deering came from the King's Quarters at Oxford, and sur­rendred himself at Westminster; where being examined in the House of Commons, he said, that since the Cessation made with the Rebels in Ireland, seeing so many Papists and Irish in the King's Army, and his Councils wholly govern­ed by them, his Conscience would not permit him to remain longer with the King, and there­fore he was come to throw himself upon the [Page 107] Mercy of the Parliament, and in conformity to their Declaration, to compound for his Delin­quency. Accordingly he was admitted to Composition, and an Order made to proceed in like manner towards such as should come in after him. Whereupon the Earl of Westmor­land, and divers others, came in to the Parlia­ment, and desired the Benefit of their Declara­tion for Composition.

Whilst I was attending the King's Pleasure at Oxford, the Captain that conveyed me thi­ther brought me word, that he was ordered to deliver me to Mr. Thorpe the Keeper of the Castle; and pretending much Affection to me, told me, that the said Keeper would take from me my upper Garment, my Money, and all that was loose about me, advising me therefore to leave such things with him, and promising to bring them to me in the Morning: I not suspecting his Design, delivered him my Cloke, with my Money, and some other things, all which he carried away with him the next day; neither could I have any Redress, tho I wrote to Sir Francis Doddington, complaining of this Treachery, the Keeper of the Castle not laying the least Claim to any such thing. Our sick and wounded Men, after they had been kept for some time Prisoners in the Hall of Warder­Castle, where a Popish Priest very solemnly, with his Hands spread over them, cursed them three times, were carried from thence to Bristol. In the Castle at Oxford I met with Mr. Balsum, [Page 108] and other Friends, who had been with me in Warder-Castle, with many more who were de­tained there for their Affection to the Parlia­ment, amongst whom were Col. Shilborn of Buckinghamshire, Col. Henly of Dorsetshire, Capt. Haley of Glocestershire, and Capt. Abercromy a Scots-man. I had a Friend in the Town who furnished me with what I wanted: those who had not any such means of Relief, were suppli­ed from London by a Collection of the Sum of three hundred Pounds, made for them by some Citizens, and conveyed down to them. Nei­ther was Oxford it self destitute of some who contributed to their Relief; one Dr. Hobbs in particular, who preached then at Carfax, an honest Man of the Episcopal Party, usually putting them in mind of it after his Sermon. The Prisoners taken by the King's Party had been treated very cruelly, especially at Oxford, by Smith the Marshal there; but the Members of Parliament that deserted their Trust at West­minster coming thither, and sitting in Council there, having not quite lost the Affections of English-men, took the examination of that Af­fair into their hands, and suspended Smith from the execution of his Office, till he should give Satisfaction concerning those things of which he was accused. They committed the Manage­ment of the Place to one Thorp, and sent some of their own Number to enquire concerning our Usage. In the mean time Smith came to me by Order, and offered me the liberty of the [Page 109] Town, and to lodg where I pleased therein, upon my Parole to be a true Prisoner: but de­manding of him, whether, in case I accepted his Offer, I might have the liberty to visit my Friends in the Castle when I thought fit; and he answering, that it would not be allowed, I chose rather to be confined with my Friends than at liberty with my Enemies. The Lord Arundel endeavouring to make good his Pro­mise of procuring my Exchange for his two Sons, earnestly solicited the King to it; but tho he had been a great Sufferer for his Service, the King positively refused to grant his Request, telling him, he had no use of Children. The Lady Byron came to me, and desired me to pro­cure her Husband, who was Prisoner in the Tower, to be exchanged for me, and carried a Letter from me to my Mother then at London, about it; who soliciting the Earl of Essex our General to that effect, was desired by him not to trouble her self any more therein, assuring her that he would be as careful of me, as if I were his own Son. A Person from Sir Edward Stradling came also to me, in order to an Ex­change between us, telling me, that the King had promised that nothing of that nature should be done before Sir Edward Stradling and Col. Lunsford were exchanged. The Lord Willmot sent a Gentleman to acquaint me that he had procured a Grant from the King, that I should be exchanged for Sir Hugh Pollard; and that if I would write a Letter to the Earl of Essex [Page 110] with the Proposal, he would send it by a Trum­peter; but I judging this Exchange to be very unequal, Sir Hugh being a Person much esteem­ed for his Interest and Experience, proposed in my Letter to the Lord General, that he would put some other Person with me into the Balance against him. Whilst I was in expectation of the General's Answer, we received Advice that most of our Foot that lay before Newark, com­manded by Sir John Meldrum, a worthy Scots­man, were defeated and made Prisoners by Prince Rupert: But this Loss was in some mea­sure recompensed by a Victory obtained at Che­rington in Hampshire, by our Forces, command­ed by Sir William Waller, against those of the King commanded by Sir Ralph Hopton. The Numbers on each side were very near equal, and the Success had been doubtful for the most part of the day, but at last the Enemy was totally routed, and put to flight: And had good use been made of this Victory, the Controversy had soon been decided in the West; but we were not yet so happy to improve our Advan­tages: by which Negligence we got little more than the Field, and the Reputation of the Victo­ry, tho the Enemy lost some of their principal Officers in the Fight, amongst whom were the Lord John, Brother to the Duke of Lennox, Sir Edward Stawell, Col. Richard Manning, for­merly mentioned, and that Smith who had been knighted by the King for rescuing his Standard out of the hands of Mr. Chambers, [Page 111] Secretary to the Earl of Essex. This Fight at Cherington happened on the 29 th of March, 1644. about a Fortnight after the Surrender of Warder-Castle, till which time had I been able to keep it, I should have been relieved. The Enemies Officers came to the Castle at Oxford to solicit the Prisoners to take Arms under them; but finding their Endeavours to prove ineffectu­al, they soon desisted from that Attempt. Af­ter three Weeks Confinement here, my Ex­change was agreed, the Lord General Essex expressing much Generosity and Readiness in it, as he had promised to my Mother: for lest the King should be reminded of his Promise to Sir Edward Stradling and Col. Lunsford, or of that to my Lord Willmot in favour of Sir Hugh Pollard, and so on either hand the design of my Liberty come to be obstructed, he consented to the Exchange of all the three for Col. Houghton, Sir John Savil, Capt. Abercromy, and my self. Col. Henley went off also with us, being ex­changed for Lieutenant Colonel Robert Sandys. I was led blindfold through the City of Ox­ford till I had passed their Works, and the next day arrived at London, where I found the Earl of Essex disposed to an Exchange for my Offi­cers and Souldiers, which was soon after made, and with them for Mr. Balsum, whom he en­tertained as his Chaplain to the time of his Death. He expressed a great Desire to provide me with a Command in his Army: but the Par­liament, upon the Instances of the Gentlemen [Page 112] that served for the County of Wilts, having appointed me Sheriff thereof, upon an Invitati­on of Sir Arthur Haslerig to be Major of his Regiment of Horse in Sir William Waller's Ar­my, which was designed for the Service of the West, I accepted of it, and mounted the choicest of my old Souldiers with me, Sir Arthur buying a hundred Horse in Smithfield for that purpose: the rest of my Men the Lord General took into his own Company. As soon as my Troop was compleated, and furnished with all things ne­cessary, I repaired to the Regiment then with Sir William Waller near Abingdon, who was directed by the Parliament with his Army to block up the King at Oxford on one side, whilst the Earl of Essex should do the same on the other. Which Storm the Queen foreseeing, withdrew to Exeter, where she was delivered of a Daughter, which she leaving in the Custo­dy of the Lady Dalkeith, returned to France, as well to secure her self, as to solicit for Sup­plies. In the mean time the King breaking out from Oxford, marched towards Worcestershire; upon which the Earl of Essex commanded Sir William Waller to march after him, whilst he himself with his Army marched westward. This Order seemed very strange to the Parlia­ment, and to most of us, being likely to break Sir William Waller's Army, which consisted for the most part of Western Gentlemen, who hop'd thereby to have been enabled to secure the Country, and to promote the Publick Service. [Page 113] The Parliament sent to the Lord General to ob­serve his former Orders, and to attend the King's Motions; but he sending them a short Answer, continued his March West, in which he took Weymouth, and relieved Lyme, that had endured a long Siege, and with the Assistance of the Seamen, tho their Works were inconsi­derable, had often repulsed the Enemy, and killed great numbers of them in several Sallies that they made upon them. A Party com­manded by Sir Robert Pye was ordered to Taun­ton, which he reduced to the Obedience of the Parliament. Upon the Advance of the Earl of Essex, the Army of the Enemy commanded by Prince Maurice retreated farther Westward. Sir William Waller, according to his Orders from the General, followed the King, but could not find an opportunity to engage him; so that the Summer being almost spent, and the Western Gentlemen observing little done for the Security of those Parts to which they were related, pre­vailed with him to permit Col. Alexander Pop­ham, Col. Edward Popham his Brother, my self, and some others, to return into the West, in order to provide Recruits for his Army, and to secure the Country. To this end I received a Commission from him to raise and command a Regiment of Horse, with a Permission to take my own Troop with me. As soon as we came into Wiltshire we were earnestly solicited to go to the Relief of Major Wansey, who was be­sieged by the Enemy in Woodhouse, formerly [Page 114] purchased of my Father by Mr. Arundet, Bro­ther to the Lord Arundel of Warder. Upon our Approach we understanding that their Forces were drawn off, staid a day or two at the Devizes; where notice being brought to us of the Enemies Return before that Place, we immediately advanced, and came that Night to Warmister, from whence we sent a Party of about forty Horse, with order to bring us cer­tain Intelligence of the Enemies Condition: This Party meeting upon Warmister-heath with about the like Number of theirs, fought them, and having taken some Prisoners, returned to us, with an account, that the Enemy only drew off from Woodhouse to reinforce themselves for the better carrying on of their Work; in order to which Sir Ralph Hopton with a thousand Horse was come from Bristol. The next Morn­ing a Party of the Enemies Horse faced us on the Heath, thereby to provoke us to charge them, and then by retreating from us, to have drawn us within their Body of Horse, who were marching on our left amongst the Hedges, endeavouring to get into our Rear; which we suspecting, forbore making any Attempt upon them; and about noon finding that we were not in a condition of performing what we came about, marched off towards Salisbury. We were no sooner got upon the Downs, but we discovered their Body of Horse marching into the Town; yet we continued our March, ob­serving the Enemy as well as we could, to [Page 115] which end I kept in the Rear; and discovering them climbing the Hills not far from us, I in­formed Col. Alexander Popham thereof, telling him, that they appearing to be at least four times our Number, I thought it not at all ad­visable to engage them. But he saying, that since they were so near, we could not in Ho­nour avoid it, I promised him that I would not desert him. Whereupon he drew up his Party into one Body, which with reformed Officers and others consisted of near a hundred; and I drew up my Troop, consisting of the like Num­ber, into another Body: but having before sent away my Sumpter and led Horses, upon suspicion of the Event, I was obliged to ride after them to take my Sute of Arms which was with them, having ordered my Men not to stir from their Ground till I came back, in which they were very punctual. As I was returning, I met Col. Popham and all his Party flying, of whom demanding the Cause of this Alteration of his Resolution, he answered, that it was by no means advisable to fight them. I found my Men standing their Ground, and the Enemy advancing towards them in twelve Bodies, each of which seemed to be as big as ours. I thank­ed them for obeying my Orders, and told them, that if they continued to do so, I doubted not by the Blessing of God to bring them off. In order to which I sent my Standard before with half a score chosen Horse, and then began to march off with the rest; but finding some of [Page 116] my Men beginning to ride for it, I put my self at the head of them, to let them see, that I could ride as fast as they; withal telling them. that if they would stand by me, I would bring up the Rear. By this means I got my Men to keep close together, which contribtued much to their Safety. The greatest part of the other Company followed Col. Edward Popham to Sa­lisbury; but his Brother Col. Alexander, with about six Horse, struck out of the way, and re­tired to Pool. After we had made about three Miles of our way, one of my Troopers fell from his Horse, and the Beast running from him, he was in great danger of being destroyed by the Enemy, who was in pursuit of us; which being willing to prevent, I took him up behind me, and his Horse running along with the Company, was taken soon after on the top of the Hill very seasonably; for my Horse was by that time so far spent with the extraordinary Weight, that he could not gallop any longer; but the Souldier mounting his own Horse, mine soon recovered his Wind and Strength again. Twice or thrice the Enemy came up to us, demanding the Word, and were as often repulsed to their Body: the last time we shot one of their Officers, which made them more cautious of approaching us. Many of our Horses being spent, I commanded the Souldiers to quit them, and to run them through, that they might not fall into the hands of the Ene­my, advising the Men to shift for themselves, [Page 117] either amongst the Corn, or in the Villages through which we passed, whereby most of them secured themselves; but some were taken by the Enemy, and killed in cold Blood by one of their Officers after Quarter given, and their Lives promised to them. At last I came to Sa­lisbury with about thirty Horse, where divers Persons disaffected to the Parliament made a great shout at our coming into the Town, re­ioicing at our Defeat, which they had heard of by some of our Company, who had passed through the Town about an hour before. From thence I continued my way to a place called Mutton-bridg, on one side of which there is a Causway about three foot broad, where I made a halt; and ordering my Party to continue their Retreat towards Southampton, I kept some of those who were the best mounted with me, and made good that Pass for some time against the Enemy, who tho they followed us as far as White Parish, twenty Miles from the place where they first began their pursuit, they took no more of our Men after this Halt which we put them to; so that with the rest I arrived safe at Southampton. Two days after my coming to Southampton Col. Norton received Advice, that the Enemy was preparing to send some Forces, in order to beat off those of ours that blocked up Basing-house. He being then before Winchester, and resolving to march with his Troop to reinforce the Besiegers, desired me with my Troop to supply his place at Winchester [Page 118] till his Return. Being unwilling to re­fuse any publick Service, tho my Men were al­ready very much harassed, I marched thither; and that those in the Castle might see they were not at liberty to ravage the Country, I drew out my Troop and faced them: upon which they sent out what Horse they had to skirmish with us; amongst whom observing one Mr. William Neale, who was of my Acquaintance, and formerly my School-fellow, I called to him, telling him, that I was sorry to see him there; but since it was so, I offered to exchange a shot with him, and riding up to that purpose, he retreated towards his Party, where making a stand, he called to me to come on, which I did; but he retreated again till he came within the shelter of their Foot, and one with him dismounting, fired a Musquet at me loaded with a brace of Bullets, of which one went in­to the Belly of my Horse, the other struck upon my Breast-plate, within half an Inch of the bottom of it: my Horse carried me off, but died that Night. The Necessities of my Men being great, and this Service not immediately belonging to me, I thought it my Duty to re­turn into Wiltshire, where I might expect to be better supplied than in Hampshire, to which County I had no relation: therefore sending to Col. Norton to make provision for the Service at Winchester, I marched with fourscore Horse to Salisbury; which Town having triumphed upon our Defeat, I thought most proper to sup­ply [Page 119] us with what we wanted: And to that end having procured a List of the disaffected in the Town, I required them, without delay, to collect amongst themselves five hundred Pounds for the recruiting and paying of my Troop, who had not received any Pay since they came out. The Town made many Excuses, and at last prevailed with me to take two hundred Pounds, with which I paid and recruited my Troop; and having disposed them in the best manner I could for the Service of the Country, I went to London to compleat my Regiment, and to furnish it with Arms, and all such things as were necessary.

In the mean time Sir Francis Doddington had caused the two Men that he had taken at War­der to be hanged, upon pretence that they ran away from him; and having brought some Pieces of Cannon before Woodhouse, made a Breach so considerable in the Wall, that the Besieged were necessitated to surrender at Mer­cy, but they found very little, for they were presently stripp'd of all that was good about them: and Sir Francis Doddington being inform­ed by one Bacon, who was Parson of the Parish, that one of the Prisoners had threatned to stick in his skirts, as he call'd it, for reading the Common-Prayer, struck the Man so many Blows upon the Head, and with such Force, that he broke his Skull, and caused him to fall into a Swound; from which he was no sooner recovered, but he was picked out to be one of [Page 120] the twelve which Sir Francis had granted to Sir William St. Leger to be hanged, in lieu of six Irish Rebels who had been executed at Warum by Col. Sydenham, in pursuance of an Order from the Parliament to give them no Quarter. These twelve being most of them Clothiers, were hanged upon the same Tree; but one of them breaking his Halter, desired that what he had suffered might be accepted, or else that he might fight against any two for his Life; not­withstanding which they caused him to be hanged up again, and had proceeded much far­ther, had not Sir Ralph Hopton sent Orders to put a stop to their Butcheries.

The King having ranged about for some time, thought fit to return towards Oxford; and being joined by some Foot from thence, skirmished with Sir William Waller's Army at Cropredy-bridg, wherein little hurt being done on either side, the King marched into the West, in order to a conjunction with his Forces in those Parts, commanded by Prince Maurice.

When I first took Arms under the Parliament in Defence of the Rights and Liberties of my Country, I did not think that a Work so good and so necessary would have been attended with so great Difficulties: but finding by Ex­perience the strong Combination of Interests at home and abroad against them, the close Con­junction of the Popish and Prelatical Parties in opposition to them; what vast Numbers de­pended upon the King for Preferments or Sub­sistence; [Page 121] how many of the Nobility and Gen­try were contented to serve his Arbitrary De­signs, if they might have leave to insult over such as were of a lower Order; and adding to all this the great Corruption of the Nation, I became convinced of my former Error, and be­gan now more to wonder that they found so many Friends to assist them in their just and lawful Undertaking, than I had done before at the Opposition they met with. In these Thoughts I was every day more confirmed by observing the strange Divisions amongst our own Party, every one striving to enlarge his own Power in a factious and ambitious way, not caring tho thereby they obstructed and ru­ined the Cause it self. Of this I had some Ex­perience in my own Particular, as well as others of a much greater Figure than my self: for tho my Country-men had in my Absence prevailed with the Parliament to make me Sheriff of the County of Wilts, and engaged themselves to raise a Regiment for me; yet because I refused to deliver up my former Commission received from Sir William Waller, and to take a new one from the Earl of Essex, tho that I had from Sir William obliged me to obey the said Earl as much as one given me immediately from him­self, those of my Country-men who were of the Faction of the Earl of Essex, obstructed me in the raising of my Regiment, keeping from me those Arms that were bought to that end, countenancing my Major, for whom I had pro­cured [Page 122] that Employment, against me, and de­taining our Pay from us; so that I and my Men had nothing to keep us faithful to the Cause but our Affection to it. Yet were we not wanting to improve every Opportunity in the best man­ner we could, to the Service of the Country; for having notice that a Garison was put into the Lord Sturton's House, and another into that of Sir Ralph Hopton at Witham, I marched in the Night first to Sturton-house, which was defended against us, till each of us carrying a Fagot to one of the Gates, wherewith we set them on fire, together with one of the Rooms of the Castle, those that kept it slipped out at a back-door through the Garden into the Park, which they did undiscovered, by reason of the Darkness of the Night. Having rendred that Place untenable, we hastned to Witham, where we found in the Park near a hundred Cattle be­longing to Sir Ralph Hopton, which served for the Paiment of my Souldiers: Those who were within desired to treat, and demanded liberty to return home; which was granted, upon condition to deliver up their Arms, and to en­gage to keep no Garison in that Place for the time to come. Being upon my Return, I took with me my Hangings, Pictures, best Beds, and other things, which my Father's Servants had so well conceal'd at the first breaking out of the War in a private part of my House, that they escaped the Search of the Enemy, who had plundered all they could find, broken all the [Page 123] Windows, taken away the Leads, and pulled up the Boards in most parts of the House. Whilst I was at London, that Party which I left in the Country had taken some Wool and other things from the Lord Cottington, the Lord A­rundel, and others, which they sold, and di­vided the Money amongst themselves. From the Lord Cottington's they brought, amongst other things, a Horse that had been taken from me before at Warder-Castle.

The Lord Fairfax, the Earl of Manchester, and the Scots, besieged York, of which the Earl of Newcastle was Governour, having with him a Garison consisting of six or seven thousand Foot, besides Horse. After some time spent in the Siege, Prince Rupert arrived with about eighteen thousand Men, and caused the Besiegers to raise the Siege, who joining their Forces, resolved to observe his Motions, and to fight him if they found an occasion; but that they might be a little refreshed and furnished with Provisions, which they wanted, they marched towards Tadcaster. If Prince Rupert, who had acquired Honour enough by the Re­lief of York in the view of three Generals, could have contented himself with it, and re­treated, as he might have done, without fight­ing, the Reputation he had gained would have caused his Army to increase like the rolling of a Snowball; but he thinking this nothing unless he might have all, forced his Enemies to a Battel against the Advice of many of those [Page 124] that were with him; in which the Lest Wing of the Enemy charging the Right Wing of ours, consisting of English and Scots, so totally routed them, that the three Generals of the Parliament quitted the Field, and fled towards Cawood Castle: The Left Wing of our Army commanded by Col. Cromwell, knowing nothing of this Rout, engaged the Right Wing of the Enemy commanded by Prince Rupert, who had gained an advantageous piece of Ground upon Marston-Moor, and caused a Battery to be erected upon it, from which Capt. Walton, Cromwell's Sister's Son, was wounded by a shot in the Knee. Whereupon Col. Cromwell com­manded two Field-pieces to be brought in or­der to annoy the Enemy, appointing two Re­giments of Foot to guard them; who march­ing to that purpose, were attacked by the Foot of the Enemies right Wing, that fired thick up­on them from the Ditches. Upon this both Parties seconding their Foot, were wholly en­gaged, who before had stood only facing each other. The Horse on both sides behaved them­selves with the utmost Bravery; for having dis­charged their Pistols, and flung them at each others Heads, they sell to it with their Swords. The King's Party were encouraged in this En­counter, by seeing the Success of their Left Wing; and the Parliament's Forces that re­mained in the Field were not discouraged, be­cause they knew it not, both sides eagerly con­tending for Victory; which, after an obstinate [Page 125] Dispute, was obtained by Cromwell's Brigade, the Enemies Right Wing being totally routed and flying, as the Parliament's had done before, our Horse pursuing and killing many of them in their Flight. And now the Enemies Left Wing, who had been Conquerors, returned to their former Ground, presuming upon an entire Victory, and utterly ignorant of what had be­fallen Prince Rupert; but before they could put themselves into any order, they were charged and entirely defeated by the Reserves of Crom­well's Brigade. Prince Rupert, upon the rout­ing of the Parliament's Right Wing, concluding all to be his own, had sent Letters to the King, to acquaint him with the Victory, upon which the Bells were rung, and Bonfires made at Ox­ford. Sir Charles Lucas, Major General Porter, Major General Tilyard, with above a hundred Officers more, were taken Prisoners by the Par­liament's Forces: All the Enemies Artillery, great Numbers of Arms, and a good quantity of Ammunition and Baggage fell also into their hands. The Prince's own Standard, with the Arms of the Palatinate, was likewise taken, with many others both of Horse and Foot. Fifteen days after this Fight, being the 16 th of July, 1644. the City of York was surrendred to the Parliament's Forces upon Articles; and the Earl of Newcastle having had some Dispute with Prince Rupert before the Engagement, wherein some Words had passed which the Earl could not well digest, soon after left [Page 126] England, and the Prince retired to Bristol.

The Earl of Essex was marched with his Ar­my into Cornwall; yet to what publick end I could never understand, for the Enemy there had already dispersed themselves. Some said that he was perswaded to march thither by the Lord Roberts, to give him an opportunity to collect his Rents in those Parts. Upon this the King drew out what Forces he could from Ox­ford, designing to join them with some others in the West; by which Conjunction the Par­liament apprehending their Army under Essex to be in danger, ordered Sir William Waller to observe the King's Motions: But whether the Neglect of relieving him at the Devizes, or the Affront put upon him, by commanding him to follow the King after he had been ordered to at­tend the Service of the West, or what else it was that had sower'd him, I cannot say; yet visible it was, that so much Care and Expediti­on was not used in attending the King in his Marches as was requisite. However Lieute­nant General Middleton, then under Sir William Waller, was sent with a Party of Horse to the Assistance of the Earl of Essex; but he kept at such a distance from him, that he afforded him little Help. Neither was there that Diligence as should have been then used by the Earl of Essex himself, to engage the King before his Conjunction with the Western Forces, or to fight them when they were united, they not much, if at all, exceeding ours in Number, [Page 127] and in Courage and Affection to the Cause en­gaged in much inferiour. But the Earl of Es­sex and the Lord Roberts having led the Army into a Corner of Cornwall, betook themselves to the Ships with which the Earl of Warwick attended the Motion of the Army. Being thus deserted, the Horse broke through the Enemy under the Conduct of Sir William Balfour, the Foot and Train of Artillery being left with Major General Skippon about Bodmin, who was forced, about the latter end of September, 1644. to make the best Terms he could with the Ene­my for them, agreeing to leave their Arms and Cannon behind them, and to be conducted in­to the Parliament's Quarters, with whatsoever belonged to them; but before the Convoy had done with them, they lost most of their Clothes, and in that condition arrived at Portsmouth, where they found their General the Earl of Essex.

The Parliament soon caused them to be arm­ed and clothed again; and the Horse having forced their way, as before mentioned, the Ar­my was speedily recruited, scarce a Man having taken Arms on the other side. The Earl of Manchester and Sir William Waller were ordered with their Forces to draw Westward of Lon­don, as well to favour the Earl of Essex upon occasion, as to put a stop to the Enemies Ap­proach, if he should attempt it. The King marched, as was expected, in great Triumph out of the West, Sir William Waller lying a­bout [Page 128] Basingstoke; from whom I received a Let­ter, inviting me to come to their Assistance: in order to which I began my March with some Horse and Dragoons raised by Major Wansey, who had been commanded by the Earl of Essex to continue with me; and on the way received an Order from the Committee of both King­doms, to advance towards them with what Force I had. We were very well received by them, having with us about five hundred Horse, and particularly because they had been under some apprehensions that the Enemy had inter­cepted us, who were indeed posted on our way; yet we passed by them in the Night without disturbance, and came safely to our Friends. Within a day or two our Army ad­vanced towards Newbury, of which Place the Enemies had possessed themselves. The Earl of Essex being indisposed, could not attend that Service, and therefore the Committee of both Kingdoms sent some Members of their own to take care that all possible Advantages might be taken against the Enemy, and to prevent any Contention amongst our Friends concerning the Command, or any other Matters. The River that ran through the Town defended the Ene­my on the South-side of it, so that we could not come at them: And on the North-west part of it, within Cannon-shot, lay Denning­ton-Castle, in which they had placed a Garison; so that we had no other way to the Town, but on the North-East of it, where they had raised [Page 129] a Breast-work, and furnished some Houses that were without it with Foot, the Ground be­tween that and the River being marshy, full of Ditches, and not passable. On the North-side of this High-way was a strong Stone House belonging to one Mr. Doleman, having a Ram­part of Earth about it, which was also possessed by the Enemy; so that little could be done up­on them the first day, save skirmishing in small Parties, as they thought fit to come out to us. On our side we had the Advantage of a Hill, which served in some measure to cover our Men: Here we planted some of our Field­pieces, and fired upon the Enemy, who an­swered us in the like manner from the Town. In the Afternoon they drew two of their Guns to the other side of the River, and with them fired upon that part of ours that lay on the side of the Hill, who were much exposed to that place where their Guns were planted: My Re­giment being that day on the Guard, received the greatest Damage; amongst others my Cousin Gabriel Ludlow, who was a Cornet there­in, and who had behaved himself so well in the Defence of Warder-Castle, was killed: He died not immediately after he was shot; so that having caused him to be removed out of the reach of their Guns, and procured a Chi­rurgeon to search his Wounds, he found his Belly broken, and Bowels torn, his Hip-bone broken all to shivers, and the Bullet lodged in it; notwithstanding which he recovered some [Page 130] Sense, tho the Chirurgeon refused to dress him, looking on him as a dead Man. This Accident troubled me exceedingly, he being one who had expressed great Affection to me, and of whom I had great hopes that he would be use­ful to the Publick. In this condition he desired me to kiss him, and I not presently doing it, thinking he had talked lightly, he pressed me again to do him that favour; whereby ob­serving him to be sensible, I kissed him; and soon after having recommended his Mother, Brothers and Sisters to my Care, he died. Our Enemies having secured themselves, as I men­tioned before, we were necessitated to divide our Army, in order to attack them on the North-west side of the Town by Dennington­Cassle; where most of our Foot who engaged the Enemy were of those who had been lately stripp'd by them in Cornwall: Which Usage being fresh in their Memory, caused them to charge with such Vigour, that some of them ran up to their Cannon, and clapped their Hats upon the Touch-holes of them, falling so furi­oully upon the Enemy, that they were not able to stand before them, but were forced to quit their Ground, and run under the shelter of Den­nington-Castle, leaving behind them several Pieces of Cannon, besides many of their Men killed and taken Prisoners. Those on our side commanded by the Earl of Manchester observ­ing the Enemy to retreat in that disorderly manner on the other side, thought it their Du­ty [Page 131] to endeavour to force their Passage on this; and to that end our Horse and Foot, with some Cannon, were drawn into a bottom, between Doleman's House and the Hill, where our Guns were first planted: Those at the little Houses, and at the Breast-work, fired thick upon us; but our Foot ran up to the Houses, and attack­ed the Enemy so vigorously, that they were forced to retire to their Breast-work; between which and Doleman's House our Men continued firing about an hour and half. But finding ma­ny to fall, and that there was no probability of doing any good, they retreated, leaving two Drakes behind them. Our Horse had stood drawn up within a little more than Pistol-shot of the Enemies Works all the while our Foot were engaged, for their Encouragement and Protection against any Horse that should attack them, as also to second them in case they had made way. I had divers Men and Horse shot, and amongst the rest my own. The Night coming on separated us, when drawing off I perceived that my Major had secured his Troop in the Rear of all, having taken care that all the Regiment might not be lost in one Engagement. In the Night the Enemies removed their Can­non and other Carriages to Dennington-Castle, where having lodged them, they marched be­tween our two Parties towards Oxford. The next Morning we drew together, and followed the Enemy with our Horse, which was the greatest Body that I saw together during the [Page 132] whole Course of the War, amounting to at least seven thousand Horse and Dragoons; but they had got so much Ground of us, that we could never recover sight of them, and did not expect to see them any more in a Body that Year: neither had we, as I suppose, if Encou­ragement had not been given them privately by some of our own Party. Col. Norton's Regi­ment of Horse, with some Foot, being left to block up Basinghouse, he desired to have more Force assigned him for the more effectual carry­ing on that Work, and particularly my Regi­ment of Horse. I was not ignorant of the Hardship of that Service, it not being properly my Work, who was raised by and for the County of Wilts; yet having received an Or­der to that purpose from the General, and sent my Major with part of the Regiment into Wiltshire for the Defence of that County, I resolved to obey, especially considering that the Entercourse between London and the West was much interrupted by that Carison.

The Enemy, contrary to all expectation, ap­peared again in a Body near Newbury, where our Army lay, who drew out to oppose them. Some small Skirmishes happened between them, but a general Engagement was opposed in a Council of War by some of the greatest amongst us. Whereupon the King, in the face of our Army, twice as numerous as his, had time to send his Artillery from Dennington­Castle towards Oxford, without any oppositi­on, [Page 133] to the Astonishment of all those who wish­ed well to the Publick. But by this time it was clearly manifest that the Nobility had no fur­ther Quarrel with the King, than till they could make their Terms with him, having, for the most part, grounded their Dissatisfactions upon some particular Affront, or the prevalency of a Faction about him. But tho it should be grant­ed, that their Intentions in taking Arms were to oblige the King to consent to redress the Grievances of the Nation; yet if a War of this nature must be determined by Treaty, and the King left in the Exercise of the Royal Au­thority after the utmost violation of the Laws, and the greatest Calamities brought upon the People, it doth not appear to me what Security can be given them for the future Enjoyment of their Rights and Privileges; nor with what Prudence wise men can engage with the Par­liament, who being, by Practice at least, liable to be dissolved at pleasure, are thereby rendred unable to protect themselves, or such as take up Arms under their Authority, if after infinite Hardships and Hazards of their Lives and Estates, they must fall under the Power of a provoked Enemy, who being once re-establish­ed in his former Authority, will never want means to revenge himself upon all those who, in Desence of the Rights and Liberties of the Nation, adventure to resist him in his illegal and arbitrary Proceedings.

In the Council of War before-mentioned, [Page 134] things were managed with such heat as created great Differences between the principal Officers of the Army, by which this favourable Con­juncture was lost; and the Season being far ad­vanced, the Army was dispersed into Winter­quarters. The Blockade of Basinghouse was al­so ordered to be broken up, after which I re­turned with those under my Command into the County of Wilts. In the Winter the Parlia­ment caused Abingdon to be fortified, of which Place Col. Brown was Governour, who holding Correspondence with the Lord Digby, then Se­cretary to the King, promised him that so soon as he had finished the Fortifications, and re­ceived all things necessary from the Parliament to defend it, he would deliver it to the King; by which means he kept the King's Forces from interrupting him till he had perfected the Work. But then, as is probable by his Carriage since, observing the Affairs of the Parliament in a bet­ter posture than those of the King, he altered his Resolution, and in desiance of the Lord Digby, published the Correspondence that had been between them about that matter. The Dissatisfaction that arose upon the permission given the King to carry off his Artillery, rested [...] [...] all the House of Commons was made ac­quainted with it by Col. Cromwell, who com­manded under the Earl of Manchester, whom he charged with the breach of his Trust; but he and his Friends endeavoured to lay the blame on others, the Earl of Essex and his Party ad­hering [Page 135] to the Earl of Manchester. Whilst I was before Basing, some of the Enemies under the Conduct of Col. Coke came to Salisbury, and were sortifying the Close for the King; of which Major Wansey having advice, marched thither with the Forces which I had sent into Wiltshire, and falling upon them, caused them to retire in haste: but finding the Gates fortifi­ed against him, he set fire to them, and seizing upon all their Horse, took the Colonel and four­score more Prisoners, and sent them to South­ampton.

At my Return into Wiltshire I received Or­ders from the Committee of both Kingdoms to send what Men I could spare out of my Regi­ment to reinforce a Party commanded by Major General Holborn, who was ordered to march into the West to the Relief of Col. Blake, be­sieged by the Enemy in Tauntoa. I drew out two hundred Horse for that Service, and was necessitated to march with them my self, my Major who had got possession of good Quarters at Deane, a House belonging to Sir John Eve­lyn, being not willing to remove. Col. Ed­ward Popham, Col. Starr, Col. Brewin, and Sir Anthony Ashley, came from London with this Party. In our March we were joined by the Forces of Dorsetshire. When we were advanced near the Enemy, my Troop was ordered to a Quarter of which they were in possession, but quitted it upon our Approach, as they did also the Siege soon after, contrary to our expectati­on. [Page 136] We made use of the Opportunity, and furnished the Town with Provisions and all things necessary; which being done, the Forces of Wilts and Dorsetshire marched back to the said Counties. Being returned to Salisbury, I was informed that the Enemy had put a Gari­son into Langford-house, two Miles from thence, whereupon I resolved to fortify the Belfrey in the Close, where I might keep a small Guard to secure it for a Horse-Quarter, and to that end had summoned Workmen to perform that Work. At Night having drawn up my Regi­ment in order to acquaint them with the ne­cessity that lay upon them to be more than ordi­narily diligent in their Duty at that juncture, as also to divide their Watches between them, and to appoint the Guard for that Night, I received an Alarm of the Enemies Approach, and that they were advanced as far as Amesbury: Of which desiring to have certain Information, I sent threescore Horse under the Command of Capt. Sadler, the only Captain of my Regiment then with me, some of them being absent with leave, and others without, to advance towards the Enemy, till by taking of Prisoners, or some other way, he might get some certain Intelli­gence concerning them, and then to come back to me. With the rest of my Men I marched slowly after him, being unwilling to retire into our Quarters till I had made a further Discovery concerning the Enemy. Capt. Sadler, accord­ing to his Instructions, marched to Amesbury, [Page 137] and sent me word from thence, that he had advice the Enemy was not far off. I sent to him to continue his March, with the same Or­ders as before, my self with the rest of the Re­giment following; and being come to Nether­Haven, as I think it is called, I received notice from Capt. Sadler, that he had engaged an ad­vanced Party of the Enemy, and could not get off; which unexpected News, and contrary to my Orders, caused me to advance with all Dili­gence to his Relief, who had approached so near their main Guard, as to give them an Alarm to draw together, and yet had not pursued his Charge, which if he had done, he might easily have dispersed the Guard, and prevented the rest from coming together; but he having on­ly alarm'd them, stood looking upon them whilst they drew up their Body, which, when I came up, I perceived to be more numerous than all ours: However thinking it unfit to shew any Backwardness at such a time, I ad­vanced with that Party that was with me, which was not above one half, the rest follow­ing as fast as they could, in order to charge the Enemies Body; but they, before we came within Pistol-shot, faced about and ran away. Thereupon I divided my Men into two Parties, giving the Command of one of them to one Marshall, my Major's Lieutenant, the chief Officer then with me, except Capt. Sadler, with whose Conduct the Troopers were so far dissa­tisfied, that they refused to follow him. The [Page 138] other Party I headed my self, and gave Orders to both not to pursue farther than the Town, where we agreed to rally, falling into it by se­veral ways. My Party halted according to Or­der, after having killed and taken Prisoners a­bout thirty of the Enemy, with several of their Horses: But that Party commanded by Lieute­nant Marshall not observing his Orders, having pursued the Enemy at least two Miles, met with other Bodies of the Enemies Horse drawn together upon the Alarm, who killed and took some of ours Prisoners, the rest retreating in a disorderly manner. At my Return to Salisbury I commanded all my Men to be upon the Guard till the Morning, without unbridling or unsad­ling their Horses; after which I disposed my Prisoners into the Belfrey, and placed a Guard upon them; and having set our Sentinels, I re­ceived a Letter from Col. Norton, desiring me to send some Horse to his Assistance against some of the King's Forces, which as I was read­ing, one of my Sentinels brought me word that the Enemy appeared at the Town's-end. Whereupon I immediately mounted with six more, ordering the rest to make ready; and riding up by the three Swans, heard a great noise of Horses in the Street that leads into the City from Old Sarum, which caused me to re­turn to the Market-place, where finding many of the Enemies Horse, I went by the back-side of the Town-house through a Street called the Ditch, to my Guard, which was drawn up in [Page 139] the Close, but very short of the Number I ex­pected; for some, contrary to Orders, were gone to bed, and others taking the advantage of the Night had stoln away, so that those remain­ing were not much above thirty Horse. Of these I sent ten under a Cornet to charge them, my self following after with the rest, and or­dering a Trumpet to sound in our Rear, as if more were coming on. Passing by the chief Cross, where we were forced to march one by one, and entring the Market-place, I found the Cornet pickeering with the Enemy, whom I with five or six of mine charged on the Left Flank, so that they gave ground, and thereby pressed so hard upon their own Men on the Right, and they on their File-leaders, that the whole Party was soon routed, and ran before us. We followed them close in the Rear, and tho they made many shot at me, yet I received no Wound in the whole Action. About a hun­dred of them ran through Winchester-Gate to their main Body, and about twice that Num­ber fled up a Street called Endless-street, whom I pursuing, my Horse fell backwards with me. by a Check I gave him; but my own Men be­ing in my Rear, I soon recovered on Horse­back, and continued the Pursuit, till I found the Enemy to make a stand, the Street, accord­ing to its name, being walled up at the farther end, and one of them breaking back upon me, and leaping the Brook, but his Horse losing his Fect, threw him down; and he perceiving [Page 140] himself to be at my Mercy, desired his Life. His Horse I gave to one of my Men who had been dismounted; and having examined him, I found that he was a Lieutenant Colonel, his name Middleton, and a Papist. He assured me, that there were three hundred Men in that Par­ty which we had routed, three hundred ap­pointed to second them, and three hundred more attending at the Town's-end as a Reserve, and that the whole Body was commanded by Sir Marmaduke Langdale. I acquainted him that my Party being not so considerable, he might probably be rescued, and therefore I could not give him Quarter, unless he would engage himself to be a true Prisoner, which he did, upon condition that he might be my Priso­ner, which I promised him. And now most of my Men being dispersed, I lodged my Co­lours at an honest Man's House of the Town, delivering my Prisoner and wounded Men to the Guard in the Belfrey, and with five or siz made my Retreat through the Close by one Mrs. Sadler's, at whose House I quartered, where I found a Boy standing at the door with my Sute of Arms, which I put on. Upon Harnham-hill I found a Cornet with about twelve of our Men, with whom I resolved to return and march after the Enemy; but when we came to the Belfrey, and were encouraging our little Guard to oppose the Enemy, we dis­covered three of their Troops marching into the Close from the North-Gate, their whole Body [Page 141] following them. Whereupon having com­manded the Guard to fire upon them, I charged the Enemy with as many of my Party as were willing to follow me, exchanging several shot with them. Their first Squadron soon began to give ground; but my Guard not firing upon the Enemy according to my Orders, and it be­ing now grown light, they soon perceived the Smalness of our Number, and refused to run as before; so that I was forced to retire as fast as I could with my Men, one of whom carried away a Sword of the Enemy which was run through his Arm. Before they came to Harnham-bridg they overtook one of my Servants whose Name was Stent, who after he had long defended himself, delivered up his Sword upon promise of Quarter; after which, contrary to their Word, they gave him several Cuts on the Head, so that above threescore Splinters of Bones were afterwards taken out of his Scull. Being come to the other side of the Bridg, I turned and faced the Enemy, with one of my Pistols in my hand, upon which they halted a little, whereby my Men had time to recover almost to the top of Harnham-hill. In this posture I stood till the Enemies were come within half Pistol-shot of me, and then made my Retreat. Another of my Servants, called Henry Coles, who entred into my Father's Ser­vice two days after I was born, fell also into the Enemies hands, being mortally wounded, and died two or three days after. My Groom [Page 142] also was taken by them. Upon the descent of the Hill beyond Odstock I missed the Road by reason of the Snow, which lying upon the Ground, had covered the beaten way, so that I was obliged to cross some plow'd Lands to get into it again; which while I was doing, one of the Enemy came up within shot of me, and calling me by my Name, asked if I would take Quarter; but as he rid directly upon me, armed with Back and Breast, I fired a Pistol at him, and shot him into the Belly; by which Wound he fell from his Horse, and was carried to the next Town, where he died two days af­ter, as one of my Troopers afterwards told me, who was taken Prisoner near the same place. In Odstock-lane another of the Enemies being advanced within Musquet-shot of me, called me also by Name, and desired me to stay and take honourable Quarter. I hearing him give good Words, thought he had proposed to ren­der himself to me, and therefore stopped my Horse, that I might hear him more distinctly; but he instead of that made ready his Carabine to fire at me, which I perceiving, and sensible of my Danger, by reason of the Greatness of the Enemies Number, made the best of my way towards Fording-bridg, where having rested a little, and rallied a Party of my Horse, I marched with them to Southampton. At that Place I endeavoured to procure some Force for the Relief of those poor Men that were left in the Belfrey at Salisbury; which as I was doing, [Page 143] I received Advice, that after a vigorous Re­sistance for the most part of that day, the Ene­mies had forced a Collier to drive his Cart, loaden with Charcoal, to the door of the Bel­srey, (where he lost his Life) and with it burnt down the door, which in a day's time we should have secured by a Breast-work; but for want thereof Lieutenant Colonel Read was forced to yield the Place to the Enemy upon such Terms as he could get, which were, to have their Lives, and be Prisoners of War. The Enemy took here, and in the Town, as also of those who pursued them in the Night, contrary to my Orders, fourscore Prisoners; and had taken more if they had not received a Check upon their first Arrival in the Town by a handful of Men: For they had placed Guards at the Gates of most of the greatest Inns in the City; but their Party flying, those Guards also quitted their Posts, whereby many of our Men had an opportunity to get off. I was slightly wound­ed on the Breast with a Sword: my Horse was hurt with a shot, and died of it soon after. We had about threescore of the Enemy Priso­ners at Southampton, taken with Col. Coke; these we exchanged for our Men, having en­gaged to procure elsewhere the Discharge of as many as we wanted of the Number they had of ours, which I made good to them. The most serviceable of my Horse I sent towards Portsmouth, to take Advantages against the Enemy as there should be occasion, remaining [Page 144] with the rest about Limington and Hurst-Castle, resolving as soon as I could to mount my Men again. The Enemy hoping to surprize me in this Corner marched towards me, but failed in their Design. I being gone into the Isle of Wight to confer with our Friends there, whom I found very well disposed to the Publick Ser­vice; and being informed that the Enemy de­signed to attempt the Garison of Christ-Church, we imbarked some Men to reinforce them, who being ready to put to Sea, News was brought that the Enemies were beaten off, and so saved our Men that trouble. The Lord Go­ring having left a considerable Force in the County of Wilts, marched with his Army into Somersetshire, where being joined by those who had besieged Taunton, they sat down before it again: Col. Massey was sent by the Parliament to relieve the Place, but finding his Forces not sufficient to that purpose, he durst not attempt it.

The Committee of both Kingdoms ordered my Regiment to lie at Odium to prevent the Excursions of the Garison at Basinghouse; but after we had been there a few days, my Major, who had more Wit than Courage or Honesty, prevailed with the Council of Officers to vote our lying there unsafe and unadvisable. I be­ing unwilling to stay contrary to their Advice, without an especial Order, acquainted the Com­mittee of both Kingdoms with the Result of the Council of Officers, who approving their Rea­sons, [Page 145] sent me Orders to draw off: In obedience to which I marched into Surrey, and the first Night arrived at a place called, as I think, Godliman near Guilford. Sir John Evelyn en­deavoured to perswade me to join Lieutenant General Cromwell, who was ordered into the West; but being engaged to attend our Com­mittee about the recruiting of my Regiment, I was not willing to stir till that Business was effected, that I might not leave so many honest Men who had lost their Horses in the Service, before I had procured some provision to be made for them. The Disputes in the mean time continued in the two Houses concerning the Conduct of the Army; and tho what was objected touching the late Miscarriages at the Fight of Newbury, and elsewhere, amounted not to a formal Charge, yet it so far prevailed with the House of Commons, as to convince them of the necessity of making an Alteration in the Conduct of the Army, in order to bring the War to a conclusion; which Resolution was taken by the House upon a Report made to them by Mr. Zouch Tate, Chairman of the Committee appointed for the reforming of the Army, wherein he represented that they had been endeavouring to obey their Orders, but found the Condition of the Army as the Physi­cian did the Blood of his Patient, that consulted him about the Cure of a slight Tumour, when the whole Mass of his Blood was entirely cor­rupted; that therefore the Committee had or­dered [Page 146] him to acquaint the House, That the whole Body of their Army being infected, no­thing would serve for their Recovery less than the entire renewing of their Constitution. The House, that they might do it without giving occasion to any sinister Reflections upon them­selves, agreed upon a self-denying Ordinance, the Grounds whereof were expressed to be, the clearing of the Parliament from the Aspersions cast on them, of prolonging the War on pur­pose to gratify each other with Places, and neg­lecting their Duty in the House by holding Employments in the Army: They therefore enacted, that all Members of Parliament should surrender the Offices they held from them, that they might the better attend their Duty in Par­liament. By this means the Earl of Essex, the Earl of Manchester, and Sir William Waller, were laid aside, the latter rather to shew their Im­partiality, than from any Distrust of him, he having never discovered to that time any Incli­nation to favour the King's Cause. Upon this Change Sir Thomas Fairfax was voted General, and Philip Skippon Major General of the Foot. A Committee was also appointed to consider what Number of Horse and Foot this Army should consist of, and who under the General should command them. They agreed also up­on the Colonels, some whereof were Scots, as Middleton, Holborn, and others, who disliking the Design, refused to accept of Employments. Pointz was commissionated to command the [Page 147] Forces in the North, and Massey those in the West, consisting chiefly of such as had served under Sir William Waller. The Committee would have named me for the Command of a Regiment; but the Gentlemen who served in Parliament for the County of Wilts, pretended then that they could not spare me; yet soon af­ter, observing me not fit to promote a Faction, and solely applying my self to advance the Cause of the Publick, they combined against me, and procured me to be laid aside, under colour that they stood not in need of more than four Troops for the Service of the County, of which they offered me the Command; and I should not have declined it, had I found my Endeavours answered with sutable Acceptance, or that they whom I served had been willing the Publick Cause, for which I was ready to sacrifice my Life, should prosper: but the con­trary being most evident; and tho some of the Gentlemen continued to manifest their Fidelity to the Publick, and their Affection to me, yet most of them having now espoused another Interest, and rejoicing at any Loss that fell up­on ours, I chose rather to desist and wait for a better Opportunity to improve my Talent for the Service of the Publick. My Major, not­withstanding his Artifices, being disappointed in his Expectation to command these Troops, openly pulled off the Mask, and with about thirty of his Troop, and some Strangers, un­der pretence of beating up a Quarter of the [Page 148] Enemy, went over to them, having sent his Wife before to give them notice of his Design. But his Lieutenant continuing faithful to the Publick, hindred most part of his Troop from following him. Soon after he undertook to raise a Regiment in the North Parts of Wilt­shire for the King; but whilst he was attempt­ing to effect it, an Encounter happened between him and some Forces of the Parliament, where­in being worsted, and endeavouring to save himself by leaping over a Ditch, he fell with his Horse into it, and was so bruised with his Fall, that he never spoke more, thereby re­ceiving such a Recompence as was due to his Treachery.

About the same time that the Parliament made Sir Thomas Fairfax General of their Forces, the King made Prince Rupert General of his, notwithstanding his late ill Success at Marston-Moor, to the great Dissatisfaction of many of his Council.

The Committee of Wilts divided themselves, one part of them to sit at Malmsbury, and the other to reside about Salisbury; but wanting a Place for their Security, they put a Garison in­to Falston-house; and Capt. Edward Doyly con­tending with Major William Ludlow for the Government thereof, the Committee at London gave it to the latter, who with his Troop some­what restrained the Excursions of the King's Party from their Garison thereabouts. That part of the Committee which sat at Malmsbury [Page 149] having some Affairs to dispatch at Marlborough, went thither accompanied by Col. Devereux, Governour of the Place. The first Night after their Arrival a Party of the King's surprized them there, and took some of the Committee, with the said Governour, and most of the Forces they had with them, Prisoners.

The Parliament, tho they were not wanting to make all fitting Preparations for War, yet neglected no honest Endeavours to procure Peace, assuring themselves that they should be the better enabled to bear whatsoever might be the Event of the War, if they took care to dis­charge their Consciences in that Particular, and to manifest, that as they had been compelled to it by mere Necessity, so, if it must be continu­ed, it should not be through their Choice or Obstinacy. To this end it was agreed, that Commissioners should be sent from the Parlia­ment, to treat with others to be sent from the King about Conditions of Peace. The Place of their Meeting was at Vxbridg, where after the King had owned the two Houses as a Par­liament, to which he was not without difficul­ty perswaded, tho he had by an Act engaged that they should continue to be a Parliament till they dissolved themselves, which they had not done; and consented that his Commissio­ners should treat in the same Quality they were in before the War, the Commissioners of Par­liament declining to give them the Titles con­ferred upon them since; they made some Pro­gress [Page 150] in the Treaty, which began the 13 th of January, 1645. but the Proposition concerning the Bishops being rejected, it came to nothing. During the Treaty Mr. Love, one of the Chap­lains attending the Commissioners of Parlia­ment, preaching before them, averred, That the King was a Man of Blood, and that it was a vain thing to hope for the Blessing of God upon any Peace to be made with him, till Satisfacti­on should be made for the Blood that had been shed. For these Words the King's Commissio­ners demanded Satisfaction; but the Treaty breaking up, nothing was done in order there­unto. And now both Parties renewed the War, Weymouth being seized for the King, and some Advantage obtained against the Parlia­ment near Pomfret. On the other side, the Forces of the Parliament surprized the impor­tant Town of Shrewsbury, whereby the King's Correspondence with Wales became much in­terrupted. They also recovered Weymouth by the help of the Garison of Melcolm-Regis, which is separated from the said Town by a small Arm of the Sea, with a Bridg over it, and which was preserved by the Industry of the Governour Col. Sydenham.

Col. Cromwell, notwithstanding the Self-de­nying Ordinance, was dispensed with by the Parliament; and being impower'd to command the Horse under Sir Thomas Fairfax, he march­ed with a Party of Horse and Dragoons from Windsar, and at Islip-Bridg met, fought, and [Page 151] defeated the Queen's Regiment of Horse, toge­ther with the Regiments of the Earl of North­ampton, the Lord Wilmot, and Col. Palmer, taking five hundred Horse and two hundred Foot Prisoners, whereof many were Officers and Persons of Quality. After which he sum­moned Blechington-house, which was surren­dred to him by Col. Windebank, Son to the late Secretary of State, who coming to Oxford, was shot to death for so doing. He forced Sir Wil­liam Vaughan, and Lieutenant Colonel Little­ton, with three hundred and fifty Men, into Bampton-bush, where he took them both, and two hundred of their Men Prisoners, with their Arms; sending Col. Fiennes after another Par­ty, who took a hundred and fisty Horse, three Colonels, and forty private Souldiers Prisoners, with their Arms: and being reinforced by about five hundred Foot from Col. Brown, he at­tempted Faringdon-house, but without Success.

General Fairfax leaving Lieutenant General Cromwell to block up the King at Oxford, with the Body of the Army marched Westward, with a design to relieve Taunton; but being ordered by the Committee of both Kingdoms to besiege Oxford, he appointed Col. Welden to relieve that Town, which he easily effected, the Enemy marching off at his Approach, ap­prehending them to be the whole Army march­ing against them, as they before had been in­formed. The King sent the Prince of Wales, accompanied with Hyde and Culpeper, into the [Page 152] West, to raise Forces; and despising the New Model, as it was called, because most of the old Officers were either omitted by the Parlia­ment, or had quitted their Commands in the Army, judging himself Master of the Field, marched towards Leicester, and by this time was grown so considerable, that the Commit­tee of both Kingdoms thought it high time to look after him, and to that end commanded the General with the Army to march and observe his Motions; but before he could overtake him, the King had made himself Master of Leicester by storm, and plundered it, with the loss of about seven hundred Men on his side, and about one hundred of the Town. Being encouraged with this Success, and with the consideration that he was to encounter with an unexperienced Enemy, upon advice that our Army was in search of him, he advanced towards them, and both Armies met in the Field of Naseby on the 14 th of June, 1645. Some days before one Col. Vermuyden, an old Souldier, who com­manded a Regiment of Horse, had laid down his Commission, whether through diffidence of Success, or what other Consideration, I know not: and in the beginning of the Engagement Major General Skippon, the only old Souldier remaining amongst the chief Officers of the Army, received a shot in the Body from one of our own Party, as was supposed unwillingly, whereby he was in a great measure disabled to perform the Duty of his Place that day, tho [Page 153] extreamly desirous to do it. Under these Dis­couragements the Horse upon our Left Wing were attacked by those of the Enemies Right, and beaten back to our Cannon, which were in danger of being taken, our Foot giving ground also. But our Right Wing being strengthned by those of our Left that were rallied by their Officers, fell upon the Enemies Left Wing, and having broken and repulsed them, resolving to improve the Opportunity, charged the main Body of the King's Army, and with the As­sistance of two or three Regiments of our In­fantry, entirely encompassed the Enemies Body of Foot, who finding themselves deserted by their Horse, threw down their Arms, and yielded themselves Prisoners. By this means our Horse were at leisure to pursue the King, and such as fled with him towards Leicester, taking many Prisoners in the pursuit, who with those taken in the Field amounted in all to about six thousand, and amongst them six Colonels, eight Lieutenant Colonels, eighteen Majors, seventy Captains, eighty Lieutenants, eighty Ensigns, two hundred inferiour Officers, about one hundred and forty Standards of Horse and Foot, the King's Footmen and Servants, and the whole Train of Artillery and Baggage. This Victory was obtained with the Loss of a very few on our side, and not above three or four hundred of the Enemy.

In the Pursuit the King's Cabinet was taken, and in it many Letters of Consequence, parti­cularly [Page 154] one from the Lord Digby, advising the King, before any Act of Hostility on either side, to betake himself to some Place of Strength, and there to declare against the Parliament; by which Men perceived that the Design of making War upon the Parliament was resolved upon early, the King having followed this Council exactly.

The Parliament had impeached Finch of High Treason, for advising the illegal Tax of Ship-money, soliciting the Judges to declare it lawful, and threatning those who refused so to do, for which good Service the King had pre­ferred him to be Keeper of the Great Seal; but the Place being vacant upon his Flight, the King would not entrust it with Littleton before he had obliged him by an Oath to promise to send the Seal to the King whensoever he should by any Messenger require it of him; which I am inclined to believe to have been the Cause why Littleton left the Parliament, not daring to stay, after he had, according to his Oath, sent the Seal to the King by one Mr. Elliot, dispatched to him by the King for that purpose. The Seal being thus carried away, the Parlia­ment finding Justice obstructed through the want of it, declared, that the Seal ought to at­tend them during their Sitting, and therefore that all that was or should be done since it was carried to the King, was null and void. Upon which a new Seal was ordered to be made, and Commissioners nominated for the keeping of it, [Page 155] and putting it in execution to all Intents and Purposes, the Parliament thereby exercising the Supreme Authority in virtue of their fre­quent Declarations; That the King doth nothing in his personal Capacity as King, but in his poli­tick Capacity according to Law; of which the Judges of Westminster-hall are Judges in the In­tervals of Parliament; and during the sitting of Parliament the Two Houses being the Great Coun­cil both of King and People, are the sole Judges thereof.

In the King's Cabinet were also found Let­ters from the Queen, blaming him for owning those at Westminster to be a Parliament, and warning him not to do any thing to the preju­dice of the Roman Catholicks; with a Copy of his Answer, wherein he promised his Care of the Papists, and excused his owning the two Houses at Westminster to be a Parliament; as­suring her, that if he could have found two of his Mongrel Parliament at Oxford, as he called them, of his mind therein, he would never have done it; and that tho he had done it pub­lickly, the Parliament refusing to treat with him otherwise, yet he had given Order to have it entred in the Journal of his Council, that this, notwithstanding, should not be of any Validity for the enabling them to be a Parliament. Ano­ther Paper was found with them, giving some Account of the Troubles in Ireland, wherein the Papists who had taken Arms being qualified Rebels, that term was struck out, and the word [Page 156] Irish added by the King himself. There was likewise a Letter to the French King, com­plaining of the Unkindness and Ingratitude of the Queen, and of the Reasons of the Removal of her Servants that she brought over with her; of which it had been Discretion in the King to have kept no Memorials, such Mat­ters, when buried in Oblivion, being next best to the not having any Differences between so near Relations. Many more Letters there were relating to the Publick, which were printed with Observations, by Order of the Parliament; and others of no less Consequence suppressed, as I have been credibly informed, by some of those that were instructed with them, who since the King's Return have been rewarded for it. One Paper I must not omit which was here found, being that very Paper which contained the principal Evidence against the Earl of Straf­ford, and had been, as before mentioned, pur­loined from the Committee appointed by the House of Commons to manage the Charge a­gainst him, having these Words written upon it with the King's own Hand, This Paper was delivered to me by George Digby, tho he, as well as the rest of that Committee, had solemnly protested, that he had neither taken that Paper away, nor knew what was become of it. The Prisoners and Standards taken in the Fight were brought through London to Westminster. The Standards were ordered to be hung up in Westminster-Hall, and the Prisoners were secured [Page 157] in the Artillery-Ground near Tuttle-fields; a Committee being appointed to consider how to dispose of them, who permitted those to re­turn home that would give Security for their living peaceably for the future; but such as did not, which was much the greater Number, were shipped off to serve in Foreign Parts upon Conditions. This Success was astonishing, be­ing obtained by Men of little Experience in Af­fairs of this nature, and upon that account de­spised by their Enemies; yet it proved the de­ciding Battel, the King's Party after this time never making any considerable Opposition. Lei­cester capitulated two days after, and was surren­dred; and some of our Forces besieged Chester, whilst the Scots did the like to Hereford. The General Sir Thomas Fairfax marched with the Army to relieve our Friends at Taunton, where Col. Welden was besieged, took Highworth in his March, and dissipated the Club-men, de­feated Goring's Forces at Lamport, possessed himself of the Towns of Bridgwater and Bath by Capitulation, and of Sherburn-Castle by storm. Bristol also was surrendred after the Outworks and Fort had been taken by Assault, with divers other Successes of less importance, and therefore unnecessary to be mentioned here. Lieutenant General Cromwell being sent to re­duce such Garisons as were in the way to Lon­don, began with the Castle of Winchester, which was delivered to him upon Articles; after which he marched to Basinghouse, and erected [Page 158] a Battery on the East-side of it; by which hav­ing made a Breach, he stormed and entered it, putting many of the Garison to the Sword, and taking the rest with the Marquiss of Win­chester, whose House it was, Prisoners. Col. Robert Hammond had been before made Priso­ner by the Marquiss, and was kept here by him in order to secure his own Life, which he did by putting himself under the Colonel's Protecti­on, when ours entred the Place. It was sus­pected that Col. Hammond', being related to the Earl of Essex, whose half-Sister was mar­ried to the Marquiss of Winchester, had suffered himself to be taken Prisoner on design to serve the said Marquiss. The next Place he attempt­ed was Langford-house near Salisbury, which was yielded in a day or two upon Articles. The Works about Basing were levelled, Sher­born-Castle slighted, as also Falston-house, of which Major Ludlow was Governour, who was removed to undertake the same Charge at Lang­ford-house, wherein the Parliament thought fit to keep a Garison by reason of its nearness to the Enemy.

The King, as well to secure himself by get­ting as far from our Forces as he could, as to raise a new Army if possible, marched with the Horse that he had left towards North-Wales, hoping in his way to relieve Chester besieged by Sir William Brereton, and by his Presence in Wales to prevail with them to furnish him with a Body of Foot: but he found himself frustra­ted [Page 159] in both these Designs: For being worst­ed near Routen Heath by Major General Pointz, who commanded a Brigade of the Parliament's in those Parts, he saw the Face of Affairs much altered both in North and South-Wales: In the last of which, tho he was entertained civilly by some particular Persons, yet the generality of the Country, that during his Successes had subjected themselves even slavishly to his Instruments, now fearing he might draw the Army of the Parliament after him, and make their Country the Seat of War, began to mur­mur against him, and drew together a nume­rous Body in the nature of a Club-Army, whis­pering amongst themselves as if they intended to seize his Person, and deliver him to the Parlia­ment to make their Peace. Which being report­ed to the King, he thought fit to retire from thence with his Forces, only leaving a small Ga­rison in the Castle of Cardiff, which, together with the County, was soon after reduced to the Obedience of the Parliament by Col. Pritchard, where Sir John Strangwaies was amongst others taken Prisoner, who by order of the Parlia­ment was sent up to London, and committed to the Tower. The Isle of Anglesey, and such Places of North-Wales as had been held for the King, were surrendred to the Parliament; but Glamorganshire and the parts adjacent continued not long in their Duty, but revolted at the In­stigation of one Mr. Kerne of Winny, who pretending great Fidelity to the Parliament, [Page 160] was intrusted by them as their Sheriff for that County, and made use of that Authority to raise the Country against them, and to besiege Colonel Pritchard, and the rest of their Friends in the Castle of Cardiff; who being reduced to some necessity, had been probably constrain­ed to surrender it, had not speedy relief been procured from the Parliament under the Con­duct of Colonel Kirle of Glocestershire; who falling suddenly upon the Enemy, routed and killed many of them.

The King's Affairs being in this low condi­tion in England and Wales, he resolved to try what might be done in Scotland; in order to which, he commands the Lord Digby to march thither with a Party of sixteen hundred Horse, and to join the Marquiss of Montross then in Arms for him in that Kingdom. In o­bedience to the King's Order, the Lord Digby marched from Newark, and in his way surpri­zed about eight hundred of ours near Sherbon; but was afterwards routed by Col. Copley, who recovered the Men and Arms taken from ours, killed forty of the Enemy upon the spot, took four hundred of them Prisoners, and about six hundred Horses: The Lord Digby's Coach and Papers were also taken. This Party was defeated a second time by Sir John Brown, and a third by Col. Bright, who took two hundred of them Prisoners; the Lord Digby with a­bout twenty more hardly escaping to the Isle of Man, and from thence to Ireland.

At the approach of Sir Thomas Fairfax's Ar­my, the Enemy raised the Siege of Taunton; from thence the General marched to Honyton, and the next day to Colompton, from whence the Enemy retired in great disorder. On October 20. the Army, tho much weakned by hard Du­ty and the Rigour of the Season, resolved up­on the Blockade of Exeter. Carmarthen Castle, Monmouth, and divers other Places were sur­rendred to the Parliament: so that the King looking upon the Rebels in Ireland as his last Refuge, sends Orders to the Earl of Ormond not only to continue the Cessation, but to con­clude a Peace with them, upon condition they would oblige themselves to send over an Army to his Assistance against the Parliament of Eng­land. The Supreme Council of Ireland, as they called themselves, having notice of it, invited the Earl of Ormond to Kilkenny to treat about the same; who being willing to see his Relati­ons and his Estate in those Parts, as also to ex­pedite that Service, accepted their Invitation, and marched thither with about three or 4000 Horse and Foot for his Guard, which by the advice of the Lord Mountgarret and the Su­preme Council, were dispersed into Quarters in the Villages thereabouts; the Earl of Ormond suspecting nothing, having sent Orders to Sir Francis Willoughby, who commanded that Party under him, to that purpose: but he being an old and experienced Commander, well ac­quainted with the Treachery of that Nation, [Page 162] and particularly of those of the Popish Religi­on, knowing how easy it would be for the Irish to cut them off in the Quarters assigned for them, resolved not to consent to the dispersing of his Men; and therefore desired of the Earl of Ormond, that he might quarter with them in the Field, or where his Lordship should ap­point, desiring if this would not satisfy, he might have Liberty to return home; advising him not to trust his Person with them, notwith­standing their fair Words. My Lord here­upon leaves the Care of quartering his Men to Sir Francis Willoughby; but resolves himself to stay at Kilkenny. Sir Francis draws the Troops into Goran, a Town five Miles from Kilkenny, where he kept his Guards with as much Cau­tion as if he had been in an Enemies Country. The Enemy being by this means disappointed of their Design to cut off the Party by surprize, resolved to attempt it by open Force; and all the favour that the Earl of Ormond could get a­mongst his Relations, was to have notice to shift for himself, which with much difficulty he did, sending Orders to his Forces to march towards Dublin, in which he was very readi­ly obeyed by them, having had advice that the Country was rising upon them; which they did in such numbers, that if Col. Bagnal Governour of Loughlyn had not permitted them to pass the Bridg there, they had in all appear­ance been cut off. When they had recovered their own Quarters, they discovered a piece of [Page 163] Treachery, as Sir Francis Willoughby, who gave me this account, judged it to be, tho he knew not on whom to charge it: for they found that they had not been in a condition to make any Opposition, if the Enemy had fallen upon them, the Powder with which they were furnished having no force in it; which came to be dis­covered upon the trial of a Musquet at a Mark, by the small report it gave, and the fall of the Bullet half way from it: Whereupon search­ing further into the matter, they found all their Store to be of the same sort. The Irish seized upon all the Earl of Ormond's Plate, and whatsoever he had with him at Kilkenny, his Haste not permitting him to save any thing. By this Usage his Zeal for the prosecution of the Treaty with the Rebels became much a­bated. The King's Commission to the Earl of Ormond was not of so large an extent as he was willing to allow, in case the Treaty with the Irish came to any effect; and therefore the Earl of Glamorgan, afterwards Earl of Worcester, was impowered by private Instructions from him, to promise them the Liberty of the Romish Re­ligion, with divers other Advantages to the Irish Rebels, upon which he treated with them. But because this, when it came to be publickly known in England, was highly resented by many even of the King's Party, the Lord Dig­by, who was ordered by the King to assist in that Affair, finding that the Treaty was not like to take effect, to give a specious Colour to the [Page 164] matter, as if Glamorgan had in that particular exceeded his Commission, accused him of High Treason, and procured him to be imprison'd by the Earl of Ormond: but in Letters intercepted from the Lord Glamorgan to his Lady, he de­sired that she would not entertain any Fears concerning him; for that he doubted not, if he could be admitted to be heard, that he should be able to justify his Proceedings, to the Confusion of those who had caused his Impri­sonment.

The English Officers and Souldiers provoked by the late Treachery of the Irish, and appre­hending that without Assistance from England they might fall into their hands, would not be sa­tisfied unless a Message were sent to the Parlia­ment to treat about Conditions for the putting of Dublin, and the Protestant Forces of Ireland, into their Hands: In order to which the Parliament sent over Commissioners to treat with the Earl of Ormond and the Council. But tho the Earl was not willing that any thing should be con­cluded at that time; yet Sir Francis Willoughby was, as I have heard him say, so far convinced of the Necessity and Duty that lay upon them so to do, that he promised our Commissioners to preserve the Castle of Dublin, of which he was then Governour, for the Service of the Parliament, whensoever they should command it.

Montross having obtained a Victory against those whom the Scots had left to preserve the [Page 165] Peace of Scotland, by the means of which he was become Master of a great part of that Kingdom, David Lesley was sent thither from Hereford with most of the Scotish Horse, where he defeated the Army of Montross, and reduced that Nation to its former Obedience.

After the Surrender of Bristol to the Forces of the Parliament, Prince Rupert who had been Governour thereof returned to Oxford, where he found so cool a Reception from the King by reason of the Loss of that Place, that Col. Leg then Governour of Oxford was turned out of that Command for being of his Faction, and the Government of that City put into the Hands of Sir Thomas Glenham. The Prince was for some time forbidden to wear a Sword; and tho he was soon after restored to that Li­berty; yet he was never more intrusted with any Command. The House of Commons finding their Business to increase, and their numbers to diminish by the Death of some, and Desertion of others to the King at Oxford, ordered the Commissioners of the Seal to issue out Writs to such Counties, Cities, and Bo­roughs, as the House by their particular Order should direct, for the Election of Members to serve in Parliament. They ordered also a Jew­el to be prepared of the Value of about seven hundred Pounds, to be presented to Sir Thomas Fairfax; it had the House of Commons repre­sented on one side, and the Battel of Naseby on the other: three Members of Parliament were [Page 166] deputed to carry the Present to him; the Op­portunity of whose Guard I took to go into the West without disturbance, which was difficult to do at that time, many of the King's Party hovering about the Downs, from whence they were called Col. Downs his Men; who ren­dring the Rode unsafe, I procured a Guard of twenty or thirty of the County Horse to ac­company me during my stay in those Parts. So small a Number not being sufficient either to defend me, or to make any Attempt, I betook my self to Col. Massey's Party, commanded at that time by Col. Edward Cook, where I had not been long before an Alarm was given, that a Party of Horse from Oxford had marched by, with a design to relieve Corse-Castle, besieged at that time by our Forces: But before we could get our Men together, they had sur­prized part of ours in Warham, and beaten off the Guard between that Place and the Castle, which they relieved with what they could, and were returned back again. In this Action a Brother of my Father's was mortally wounded, taken Prisoner by the Enemy, and died the next day. Col. Cook was forced to content himself to reinforce the Besiegers, and to re­turn to his former Station.

The Army commanded by Sir Thomas Fair­fax having left a strong Party to block up Exe­ter, advanced Westward towards the Enemy; and at Bovey Tracy fought the Brigade com­manded by the Lord Wentworth, took four hun­dred [Page 167] Horse, and about a hundred Foot, Pri­soners, with six Standards, one of which was the King's. Two Regiments of ours appeared before Dartmouth, and summoned it; but the Garison being numerous, and furnished with all things necessary, refused to surrender: upon which the Army advancing, possessed them­selves of their Outworks, and having turned their Cannon upon them, two Forts, distant about a Mile from the Town, wherein were thirty four Pieces of Cannon, and two Ships of War that were in the Harbour, surrendred; which the Governour understanding, capitulated, and delivered the Town upon Articles, being permitted to march off himself; but Sir Hugh Pollard, the Earl of Newport, Col. Seymour, four Colonels, with divers others, were to re­main Prisoners: and a French Vessel coming into the Harbour, not knowing what had passed, was seized, and Letters of Consequence found in her from the Queen. The Prince of Wales, who to countenance their Affairs had the name of General in the Western Parts, finding their Affairs desperate, shipped himself for Scilly, leaving the Command of their Forces to Sir Ralph Hopton, who was soon after summoned by General Fairfax to lay down his Arms; and after several Messages, four Commissioners on each side met at Tresilian-Bridg, and came to an Agreement; the Substance of which was, to deliver up all their Arms, Artillery, and Ammunition, except what was excepted by the [Page 168] Articles; to be admitted to compound accord­ing to the Rates fixed by the Parliament, and to have Liberty granted for such as desired it to go beyond Sea, which Sir Ralph Hopton and some others did. The People of Padstow seized a Ship coming from Ireland, and perceiving a Letter floating in the Sea, took it up, and open­ing it, found it to be from the Earl of Glamor­gan, therein acquainting the King's Party, that six thousand Irish were ready to be embarked for their Assistance, and that four thousand more should follow them in a short time. Up­on the dispersion of Sir Ralph Hopton's Army, most of the Forts and tenable Places in the West procured the best Conditions they could for themselves. Hereford was surprized on the 18 th of December, by Col. Birch and Col. Mor­gan, after it had been besieged for about two Months ineffectually by the Scots: In this Place was taken that inveterate Enemy to the Parliament Serjeant Jenkins, with some others. In February following Byron the Governour of Chester surrendred that Place upon Terms.

The best Friends of the Parliament were not without fears what the Issue of their new E­lections might be: for tho the People durst not chuse such as were open Enemies to them, yet probably they would such as were most likely to be for a Peace upon any Terms, corruptly preferring the Fruition of their Estates and sen­sual Enjoyments before the Publick Interest; which fort of Men were no less dangerous than [Page 169] the other: and therefore honest Men in all Parts did what they could to promote the E­lection of such as were most hearty for the Ac­complishment of our Deliverance; judging it to be of the highest Importance so to wind up things, that we might not be over-reach'd by our Enemies in a Treaty, that had not been able to contend with us in open War. To this end I endeavoured that my Uncle Mr. Edmund Ludlow might be chosen for the Borough of Hinden, where tho he was elected and returned by the principal Burgesses and Bailiff, yet the Rabble of the Town, many of whom lived upon the Alms of one Mr. George How, pre­tending that they had chosen the latter, the Sheriff returned them both. By this means Mr. How got first into the House; but they be­ing informed of the matter of Fact, command­ed him to withdraw till the Case should be de­cided by the Committee of Privileges. Shortly after a Writ being issued out for the Election of two Knights to serve for the County of Wilts, in the room of my Father, who died in their Service, and of Sir James Thynne, who contra­ry to his Trust had deserted to the King at Ox­ford, the Earl of Pembroke sent to me, and ac­quainted me, that he understood that the Coun­try was inclined to chuse me to serve for one of their Knights in Parliament, desiring me to en­deavour that his second Son Mr. James Herbert might be chosen for the other, promising that tho he was young, yet he would undertake he [Page 170] should vote honestly for the Commonwealth. I inform'd him, that I knew nothing of the In­tentions of the County to elect me, but hoped that if they elected his Son, he would make good his Promise. His Son, also entred into the like Engagement for himself. At the Day appoint­ed for the Election, having had several Invitati­ons so to do, I attended according to Custom, and the Words of the Writ, which require the Candidates to be present at the Place of Electi­on. The Earl of Pembroke's Friends desired me to consent that his Son might have the first Voice, which I did, tho many of the Country Gentlemen were unwilling to permit it: which done, the County was pleased to confer the Trust upon me without any Opposition. Some who were not present, took it ill that I sent not to them to desire their Company, which I ex­cused, assuring them that I had not sent to any Person, having forborn so to do, not out of any Disrespect to them, or Confidence in my own Interest, but out of a Sense of my own Inabi­lity to undertake so great a Charge, as well as out of a Desire to have a clear and unquestiona­ble Right to an Employment of such Impor­tance. When I came to the House of Com­mons, I met with Col. Robert Blake, attending to be admitted, being chosen for Taunton; where having taken the usual Oaths, we went into the House together, which I chose to do, as­suring my self, he having been faithful and ac­tive in the Publick Service abroad, that we [Page 171] should be as unanimous in the carrying it on within those Doors.

The Parliament being sensible that the King had corrupted those Forces that they had sent over to suppress the Rebellion in Ireland, and that they had no great Assurance of the Lord Inchequin, nominated the Lord Viscount Lisle, Son to the Earl of Leicester, and a Member of the House of Commons, to be Lieutenant for Ireland, looking upon him as the most conside­rable Person of Integrity they could think upon. He procured the Liberty of Col. Monk, then Prisoner in the Tower, upon information that he had good Experience in that War, and an Interest in the Souldiers there; to which Mr. William Cawley gave his single Negative. On the 13 th of April, 1646. Exeter was delivered to ours upon Articles, by which all such as were in the Town and Garison were admitted to compound for their Estates, paying two Years Value for the same. Barnstable, Dunstar-Castle, and Michael's-Mount in Cornwall, were also sur­rendred: in the last of which Places the Mar­quiss of Hamilton was Prisoner by the King's Order, and restored to his Liberty upon the Surrender of it, which Favour he acknowledg­ed to the Members of the House of Commons, attending in Person at their door to that end. The most considerable Body of Men remaining in the Field for the King was commanded by Sir Jacob Ashley, who being on his March to­wards Oxford, was attacked by Col. Morgan [Page 172] and Sir William Brereton at Stow in the Woald, where, after a sharp Dispute on both sides, Sir Jacob Ashley's Forces were entirely defeated, many of them killed and wounded, and him­self taken Prisoner. During his Confinement he was heard to say, That now they had no hopes to prevail but by our Divisions. Which deserves the more Reflection, because he being well ac­quainted with the King's Secrets, was not igno­rant, that many amongst us, who at the be­ginning appeared most forward to engage them­selves, and to invite others to the War against the King, finding themselves disappointed of those Preferments which they expected, or out of some particular Disgusts taken, had made Conditions with the King not only for their In­demnity, but for Places and Advancements un­der him; endcavouring by a Treaty, or rather by Treachery, to betray what had cost so much Blood to obtain. These Men, to strengthen their Interest, applied themselves to the Presby­terian Party, who jealous of the Increase of Sectaries, of which the Army was reported chiefly to consist, readily joined with them. By which Conjunction most of the new elected Members were either Men of a neutral Spirit, and willing to have Peace upon any Terms, or such, who tho they had engaged against the King, yet finding things tending to a Composi­tion with him, resolved to have the Benefit of it, and his Favour, tho with the Guilt of all the Blood that had been shed in the War upon [Page 173] their Heads, in not requiring Satisfaction for the same, nor endeavouring to prevent the like for the future; designing at the most only to punish some inferiour Instruments, whilst the Capital Offender should not only go free, but his Authority be still acknowledged and adored, and so the Nation more enslaved than ever to a Power, which tho it destroys the People by Thousands, must be accountable to none but God for so doing; whom some Persons, as it is apparent by their Usage of Mankind, either think not to be, or not at all superiour to them. Another sort of Men there was amongst us, who having acquired Estates in the Service of the Parliament, now adhered to the King's Par­ty for the preserving of what they had got; who, together with such as had been dis­charged from their Employments by the Reform of the Army, or envied their Success, combined together against the Commonwealth. This Party was encouraged and supported upon all occasions by the Scots and the City of London: The first of them, tho they began the War, and tho their Assembly of Ministers had de­clared the King guilty of the Blood of Thou­sands of his best Subjects, their Covenant en­gaging them in the preservation of his Person so far only as might consist with the Laws of the Land, and Liberty of the Subject; yet hav­ing had many good Opportunities in England, and hoping for more, supposing it to be in their Power to awe the King to whatsoever they [Page 174] should think fit, they were contented to swal­low that Ocean of Blood that had been shed, pressing the Parliament by their Commissioners to conclude upon such Terms with the King, as shewed them rather Advocates, than such as had been Enemies to him. The latter having had their Treasure much exhausted by the War, and their Trade long interrupted, besides the Influence the Scots had upon them by the means of their Ministers, the Common Council be­ing also debauched by Serjeant Glyn, and others of that Party in the House of Commons; it was not so much to be wondred at if they ear­nestly solicited for a speedy Determination of the Difference by a Treaty. The King also perceiving Judgment to be given against him by that Power to which both Parties had made their solemn Appeal, thought it advisable to make use of the Foxes Skin, and for a time to lay aside that of the Lion, sending Messages to the Parliament to desire of them a safe Conduct for his coming to London in Honour, Freedom and Safety, there personally to treat with the Two Houses about the means of settling a firm and lasting Peace; the Scots in the mean time repeating their Instances with the Parliament, to enter into the Consideration of the Articles of Religion contained in the Covenant, to give a speedy Peace to his Majesty, to pay them near two hundred thousand Pounds, which they pretended to be due to them for their Arrcars, and to make a just Estimate of the Losses they [Page 175] had sustained by Sea and Land since the begin­ning of the War, for want of such Supplies as were promised them, which they computed at more than the former Sum. The Parliament, for divers Reasons, thought it not convenient to comply with the King's Propositions; and in answer to the Scots, demanded of them an ex­act Account of what was due to them, re­quiring them to withdraw their Garisons from such Places as they possessed in England. Some Differences they had also with the Scots Com­missioners concerning the Exclusion of the King from having any thing to do with the Militia, and touching the Scots intermedling with the Government of England, about the Education of the King's Children, the disbanding of Ar­mies, and an Act of Oblivion; in which Mat­ters the Parliament of England would not per­mit the Scots to interpose; and therefore their Commissioners acquainted them that they had not Power to consent to any Demands of that nature: whereupon the Deputies of Scotland applied themselves to the Two Houses, de­manding that they would enlarge the Powers of their Commissioners to that end. But there being found in these Demands of the Scots some Expressions highly reflecting upon the Parliament, the Two Houses declared them to be injurious and scandalous, and ordered them to be burnt by the Hands of the Common Hangman. After which they commanded the Army to besiege Oxford, who in order to that [Page 176] Design blocked up Farringdon, Wallingford, and Woodstock; but before they could form the Siege of Oxford, the King escaped from thence on the 27 th of April, 1646. of which notice being given to the Parliament by Col. Rainsbo­rough, who lay before Woodstock; they sus­pecting that he designed to come to London to raise a Party against them, published an Ordi­nance, declaring, That whosoever should har­bour or conceal the King's Person, should be proceeded against as a Traitor to the Common­wealth. Within three or four days they re­ceived a Message from the Scots Army, in­forming the Parliament of the King's coming to them, and pretending to be much surprized at it; but it appeared afterwards that this Re­solution had been communicated to them be­fore. The King was accompanied in this Ex­pedition by one Hudson, and Mr. Ashburnham, passing as a Servant to the latter. Upon this notice, the House of Commons sent an Order to their Commissioners in the Scots Army to de­mand the Person of the King, judging it unrea­sonable, that the Scots Army being in their Pay, should assume the Authority to dispose of the King otherwise than by their Order; re­solving further that the King should be con­ducted to the Castle of Warwick, and that those who came out of Oxford with him should be brought to London. The next day they commanded their Army to advance, in order to hinder the Conjunction of the King's Forces [Page 177] with the Scots. The King soon after his Ar­rival at the Scots Quarters, gave order for the Delivery of Newark into their Hands; which having received, they surrendred to the English, and marched with the King to Newcastle; whereof the House of Commons being inform­ed, and that the Earl of Leven, General of the Scots Army, had by Proclamation forbidden his Forces to have any Communication with the King's Party, they desisted from their Resolu­tion of advancing their Army, and of conduct­ing the King to Warwick, ordering the Scots to keep him for the Parliament of England. Mr. Ashburnham was permitted by the Scots to make his Escape, but Mr. Hudson was brought to London, and upon Examination at the Bar of the House of Commons, confessed some things about the King's Journey from Oxford. Com­missioners being appointed by the Parliament to be sent down to the Scots Army in this Con­juncture, they made choice of two Lords, of whom the Earl of Pembroke was one, and four of the Commons; in which number Col. Brown the Woodmonger being nominated to that Im­ployment, he turned about to me, who sat be­hind him in the House, assuring me that he would be ever true to us: And truly I then be­lieved him, having met him at the beginning of the War in Smithfield buying Horses for the Service of the Parliament, where he spoke ve­ry affectionately concerning their Undertaking, and served them afterwards very successfully, [Page 178] especially at Abingdon, as I mentioned before; but this wretched Man soon discovered the Cor­ruption of his Nature, and Malignity that lay concealed in his Heart: for no sooner had the King found out his ambitious Temper, and cast some slight Favours upon him, giving him a Pair of Silk Stockings with his own Hand, but his low and abject Original and Education became so prevalent in him, as to transform him into an Agent and Spy for the King, proving, as will be hereaster related, one of the bloodiest Butchers of the Parliament's Friends.

The Scots having the King in their Power, pressed him to write to the Earl of Ormond his Lieutenant in Ireland, and to the Governours and Commanders of Places that remained in Arms for him, to lay down their Arms, and to deliver the said Places to such as the Parliament of England should appoint to receive them, ac­quainting him, that otherwise they could not protect him. Submitting to this Necessiry, he sent Orders to that effect, which some obeyed, and others resused to comply with, looking up­on him to be under a Force. Amongst those who yielded Obedience to the King's Orders, was Montross, who disbanded the Forces he had left, and went beyond Sea. The City of Oxford having been blocked up for some time, began to capitulate, lest their farther Obstinacy should prove prejudicial to them, particularly in the matter of Compositions for their Estates, the most considerable of the King's Party being [Page 179] there. Commissioners were appointed on both sides to treat, and came to an Agreement on the 22 d of June, 1646. upon such Terms as the Parliament were unwilling to confirm; but whilst they were in Debate concerning the Ar­ticles, they understood that Prince Rupert and others of the King's Party were marched out of the Town in pursuance of them; and that the Garison would be entirely evacuated before they could signify their Pleasure to the Army. Wherefore tho they did not approve the Con­ditions, yet they thought not fit to do any thing in order to break them. The principal Reason given by the Army of their proceeding so hasti­ly to a Conclusion of the Treaty, was, lest the King should make Terms with the Scots, and bring their Army to the Relief of Oxford. Far­ringdon-house, Wallingford-Castle, and Wood­stock, were surrendred to the Parliament; Wor­cester and Litchfield soon after, as also Pendennis and Ragland-Castle.

The Scots by their Commissioners pressed the Parliament to send Propositions of Peace to the King, wherein they were seconded by an inso­lent Address from the Mayor and Common­Council of the City of London; in which after some Acknowledgments of the Care and Cou­rage of the Parliament in the Refermation of the Church, and Preservation of the Laws, they desired of them, that such Assemblies as were privately held to introduce new Sects might be suppressed, lest they should breed [Page 180] Disturbances in Church and State; that they would hasten the Establishment of Peace in the three Kingdoms; that they would consider the great Services of the Scots, and dismiss those who were distinguished by the name of Inde­pendents from all Imployments Civil and Mili­tary, esteeming them to be Firebrands that might endanger the Publick Peace, with other Particulars of the same nature. The Answer of the Parliament to the said Address was not much to the Satisfaction of the Petitioners, be­ing a positive Declaration that they resolved to preserve their Authority entire to themselves. There was a Party in the House of the same Temper with the Addressers, who earnestly endeavoured to break the Army, as the princi­pal Obstacle to their Designs, pretending the necessity of relieving Ireland, the Loss of which they said would be infinitely prejudicial to Eng­land; and that the way to prevent it was to send thither some part of the Army, who being united in Affection, and of great Reputation both for Courage and Conduct, would strike a Terror into the Enemy, and undoubtedly ac­complish that important Work; not forgetting to urge that the People of England were not able to bear their present Burdens, and there­fore must be eased. To these Pretences it was replied, That it could not consist with the Ho­nour or Safety of the Parliament to lessen their Forces, whilst they had an Army of another Nation in their Bowels; who tho they were [Page 181] united in the same Cause and Interest with us, yet the best way to continue them so, was to be in such a Posture as might secure us from any fear of their breaking with us; and that the more Reputation the Army had, the fitter they were to be kept together for that end. After a long Debate, the Question was put; Whether two Regiments of the Army should be sent to the Relief of Ireland? and it was carried in the Negative by one Voice only.

The Commonwealth-Party taking Advan­tage of the Arguments used in the House for the Relief of Ireland, and Ease of the People of England, procured an Order for the disband­ing of Col. Massey's Brigade, and Money to be sent to the Devizes in the County of Wiles, where they were ordered to be drawn toge­ther for that purpose. Alderman Allen and my self, who served sor that County, were com­missionated to see it put in execution: In order to which we repaired to the Lord General, who lay then at Cornbury, and prevailed with him and Commissary General Ireton, with two Re­giments of Horse, to draw to the Devizes, which we found to be very necessary: for tho many of that Brigade were glad of the Oppor­tunity to return home to their several Callings, having taken up Arms, and hazarded their Lives purely to serve the Publick; yet divers idle and debauched Persons, especially the Fo­reigners, amongst them, not knowing how to betake themselves to any honest Employment, [Page 182] endeavoured to stir up the Brigade to a Muti­ny; but not being able to effect that, some of them listed themselves to serve against the Re­bels in Ireland under Sir William Fenton, and others there present to receive them, for which we had Instructions from the Parliament; the rest dispersed themselves, and returned home. The Forces also that served in the North under Major General Pointz were soon after dis­banded.

The City of London had made it their Re­quest in the Petition before-mentioned, that some Commissioners from them might accom­pany those from the Parliament to the King; but their own Party in the House fearing per­haps to be outbid by them, or it may be not having quite lost all Sense of Honour, rejected that Motion with Contempt, alledging that they had their Representatives in Parliament, and were concluded by what they acted as well as other Men: upon which Mr. Martin said, That tho he could not but agree with what had been affirmed touching their being involved in what their Representatives did, and their not sending Commissioners as desired; yet as to the Substance of what they proposed, he could not so much blame them as others had done, they therein shewing themselves in the end of the War no less prudent than they had expressed themselves honest in the beginning: for as when the Parliament invited them to stand by them in the War against the King, in Defence of [Page 183] their Religion, Lives, Liberties and Estates, they did it heartily, and therein shewed them­selves good Christians and true English-men; so now the War being ended, and the Parlia­ment upon making Terms with the King, and thinking fit to sue to him, now their Prisoner, for Peace, whom they had all incensed by their Resistance, the Citizens having considerable Estates to lose, shewed themselves prudent Men, in endeavouring to procure their Pardons as well as others: And tho, said he, you will not permit them to send as they desire, they have expressed their good Will, which without doubt will be well accepted. The Commissio­ners of Parliament joining with those who were before with the King, endeavoured to perswade him to agree to the Propositions of the Parlia­ment; but he disliking several things in them, and most of all the abolition of Episcopacy, to which Interest he continued obstinately sted­fast, refused his Consent, upon private Encou­ragement from some of the Scots and English, to expect more easy Terms, or to be received without any at all. The Parliament willing to bring this Matter to a Conclusion, sent the same Propositions a second time to the King, and desired the Scots to use their utmost Endea­vours to procure his Consent to them. The Scots Commissioners, especially the Lord Lou­don, pressed the King very earnestly to comply with them, telling him, that tho the Propositi­ons were higher in some Particulars than they [Page 184] could have wished, notwithstanding their En­deavours to bring them as low as they could, according to their Promises; yet if he continued to reject them, he must not expect to be re­ceived in Scotland, whither they must return; and upon his resusal of the Conditions offered, deliver him up to the Parliament of England. But whatsoever they or the English could say, making no Impression upon the King, the Par­liament's Commissioners returned with a Nega­tive from him.

The Interposition of the Scots in this Affair proving ineffectual, the War being at an end, and such considerable Forces altogether unne­cessary, the Parliament appointed Commissio­ners to conser with those of Scotland concerning such things as remained to be performed by the Treaty between them; that the fraternal Uni­on might continue, and the Scots depart to­wards their own Country. In order to which the Accounts of their Army were adjusted, and a great Sum of Money agreed to be paid to them at the present, and other Sums upon cer­tain days, to their full Satisfaction. Major Ge­neral Skippon, with a considerable Body of Men, carried down the Money in specie for the Pai­ment of the Scots Army; which being received by them, they delivered the King into the hands of the Parliament's Commissioners that attended him there, and began their March for Scotland, having delivered Newcastle to the English, and drawn their Men out of Berwick [Page 185] and Carlisle, which two Places were agreed not to be garisoned without the Consent of both Kingdoms.

About this time the Earl of Essex having over­heated himself in the Chace of a Stag in Wind­sor Forest, departed this Lise: His Death was a great Loss to those of his Party, who to keep up their Spirits and Credit procured his Funeral to be celebrated with great Magnificence at the Charge of the Publick, the Lords and Com­mons with a great number of Officers and Gen­tlemen accompanying him to the Grave. In the mean time I observed that another Party was not idle; for walking one Morning with Lieutenant General Cromwell in Sir Robert Cot­ton's Garden, he inveighed bitterly against them, saying in a familiar way to me; If thy Father were alive, he would let some of them hear what they deserve: adding farther, That it was a mise­rable thing to serve a Parliament, to whom let a Man be never so faithful, if one pragmatical Fel­low amongst them rise up and asperse him, he shall never wipe it off. Whereas, said he, when one serves under a General, he may do as much Service, and yet be free from all Blame and Envy. This Text, together with the Comment that his af­ter-Actions put upon it, hath since perswaded me, that he had already conceived the Design of destroying the Civil Authority, and setting up of himself; and that he took that Opportu­nity to feel my Pulse, whether I were a fit In­strument to be employed by him to those ends. [Page 186] But having replied to his Discourse, that we ought to perform the Duty of our Stations, and trust God with our Honour, Power, and all that is dear to us, not permitting any such Con­siderations to discourage us from the prosecution of our Duty, I never heard any more from him upon that point.

Whilst the King was at Newcastle, the Presi­dent de Bellievre came over into England in the Quality of an Ambassador from the French King, with Orders to endeavour a Reconcilia­tion between the King and the Parliament. He had a favourable Audience from the Two Houses, and their Permission to apply himself to the King; but being on his way towards him, upon farther Debate, they judged it not fit to subject that Affair to the Cognizance of any Foreign Prince, resolving to determine it themselves without the Interposition of any, having experienced, that most of the neigh­bouring States, especially the Monarchical, were at the bottom their Enemies, and their Am­bassadors and Residents so many Spies upon them, as appeared more particularly by Letters taken in the King's Cabinet after the Battel of Naseby, which discovered that the Emperor's Resident in London held a private Correspon­dence with the King, and there was ground to believe that the Ambassador of Portugal did the like, from Letters therein found from that King. These Applications to the King, together with the Permission granted by the Parliament to the [Page 187] Turky Company, to address themselves to him, for the commissionating of one whom they had nominated to be their Agent with the Grand Signior, under pretence that he would not otherwise be received: To which may be added the frequent Overtures of Peace made by the Parliament to the King, tho he had not a Sword left wherewith to oppose them; and the great Expectations of the People of his Return to the Parliament, being informed that the Heads of the Presbyterian Party had promised the Scots, upon the Delivery of the King, that as soon as they had disbanded the Army, they would bring him to London in Honour and Safety: these things, I say, made the People ready to conclude, that tho his Designs had been wonder­fully defeated, his Armies beaten out of the Field, and himself delivered into the Hands of the Parliament, against whom he had made a long and bloody War; yet certainly he must be in the right; and that tho he was guilty of the Blood of many thousands, yet was still un­accountable, in a condition to give Pardon, and not in need of receiving any: which made them flock from all Parts to see him as he was brought from Newcastle to Holmby, falling down before him, bringing their Sick to be touched by him, and courting him as only able to restore to them their Peace and Settlement.

The Party in the House that were betraying the Cause of their Country, became Encou­ragers of such Petitioners as came to them from [Page 188] the City of London, and other Places, to that effect; very many of whom had been always for the King's Interest, but their Estates lying in the Parliament's Quarters, they secured them by their Presence in the House, and at the same time promoted his Designs by their Votes. There was another sort of Men who were con­tented to sacrifice all Civil Liberties to the Am­bition of the Presbyterian Clergy, and to vest them with a Power as great or greater than that which had been declared intolerable in the Bi­shops before. To this end they encouraged the reduced Officers of the Earl of Essex, such as Massey, Waller, Pointz, and others, to press the Parliament for their Arrears in a peremptory and seditious manner, that being furnished with Money they might be enabled to stand by these their Patrons in whatsoever Design they had to carry on. And the better to facilitate the dis­banding of the Army, which they so much de­sired, they resolved to draw off a considerable part of them for the Service of Ireland; and to render the Work more acceptable, voted Ma­jor General Skippon to command them; joining the Earl of Warwick and Sir William Waller in Commission with Sir Thomas Fairfax, to draw out such Forces as were willing to go, to conti­nue such as should be thought necessary for the Security of this Nation, and to disband the rest. The Army being well informed of the Design, begun to consult how to prevent it; and tho many of the Officers were prevailed with to [Page 189] engage by Advancements to higher Commands, yet the major part absolutely resused. The Commissioners of the Parliament having done what they could in prosecution of their Instruc­tions, ordered those who had engaged in the Irish Service to draw off from the Army, which then lay at Saffron Walden, and about New­market, and to be quartered in the way to Ire­land; which done, they returned to London with an Account of their Proceedings.

The Parliament being informed of what passed, were highly displeased with the Car­riage of the Army; but the Prudence and Mo­deration of Major General Skippon, in his Re­port of that Matter to the House, much abated the heat of their Resentment: Yet some me­nacing Expressions falling from some of them, Lieutenant General Cromwell took the occasion to whisper me in the Ear, saying, These Men will never leave till the Army pull them out by the Ears: Which Expression I should have resent­ed, if the state of our Affairs would have per­mitted. In this Conjuncture five Regiments of Horse chose their Agitators, who agreed up­on a Petition to the Parliament, to desire of them to proceed to settle the Affairs of the Kingdom, to provide for the Arrears of the Army, and to declare that they would not dis­band any of them till these things were done; deputing William Allen, afterwards known by the addition of Adjutant General, Edward Sex­by, afterwards Col. Sexby, and one Philips, to [Page 190] present it, which they did accordingly at the Bar of the House of Commons. After the reading of the Petition, some of the Members moved that the Messengers might be committed to the Tower, and the Petition declared sediti­ous; but the House after a long Debate satisfied themselves to declare, That it did not belong to the Souldiery to meddle with Civil Affairs, nor to prepare or present any Petition to the Parlia­ment without the Advice and Consent of their General, to whom they ordered a Letter to be sent to desire for the future his Care therein; with which acquainting the three Agents, and requiring their Conformity thereunto, they dis­missed them. But this not satisfying, another Petition was carried on throughout the Army much to the same effect, only they observed the Order of the Parliament in directing it to their General, desiring him to present it. The House having notice of this Combination against them from Col. Edward Harley, one of their Members, who had a Regiment in the Army, expressed themselves highly dissatisfied there­with, and some of them moved that the Peti­tioners might be declared Traitors, alledging that they were Servants, who ought to obey, not capitulate. Others were not wanting, who resolved the securing of Lieutenant General Cromwell, suspecting that he had under-hand given countenance to this Design; but he being advertised of it, went that Afternoon towards the Army, so that they missed of him, and [Page 191] were not willing to shew their Teeth since they could do no more. The Debate continued till late in the Night, and the Sense of the House was, that they should be required to forbear the prosecution of the said Petition; but when the House, wearied with long sitting, was grown thin, Mr. Denzil Hollis, taking that op­portunity, drew up a Resolution upon his Knee, declaring the Petition to be seditious, and those Traitors who should endeavour to promote it after such a day, and promising Par­don to all that were concerned therein, if they should desist by the time limited. Some of us fearing the Consequence of these Divisions, ex­pressed our Dissatisfaction to it, and went out; which gave them occasion to pass two or three very sharp Votes against the Proceedings of the Army. The Agitators of the Army sensible of their Condition, and knowing that they must fall under the Mercy of the Parliament, unless they could secure themselves from their Power by prosecuting what they had begun; and fear­ing that those who had shewed themselves so forward to close with the King, out of Princi­ple, upon any Terms, would now for their own Preservation receive him without any, or rather put themselves under his Protection, that they might the better subdue the Army, and reduce them to Obedience by Force, sent a Par­ty of Horse under the Command of Cornet Joyce, on the 4 th of June, 1647. with an Or­der in Writing to take the King out of the [Page 192] Hands of the Commissioners of Parliament. The Cornet having placed Guards about Holm­by-house, sent to acquaint the King with the occasion of his Coming, and was admitted into his Bed-chamber, where upon Promise that the King should be used civilly, and have his Ser­vants and other Conveniences continued to him, he obtained his Consent to go with him. But whilst Cornet Joyce was giving Orders con­cerning the King's Removal, the Parliament's Commissioners took that occasion to discourse with the King, and perswaded him to alter his Resolution: which Joyce perceiving at his Re­turn, put the King in mind of his Promise, ac­quainting him, that he was obliged to execute his Orders; whereupon the King told him, that since he had passed his Word, he would go with him; and to that end descending the Stairs to take Horse, the Commissioners of the Par­liament being with him, Col. Brown and Mr. Crew, who were two of them, publickly de­clared, that the King was forced out of their hands; and so returned, with an account of what had been done, to the Parliament.

The King's Officers who waited on him were continued; and the chief Officers of the Army began publickly to own the Design, pretending thereby to keep the private Souldiers, for they would no longer be called Common Souldiers, from running into greater Extravagancies and Disorders. Col. Francis Russell and others, at­tending on the King, became soon converted by [Page 193] the Splendor of his Majesty; and Sir Robert Pye, a Colonel in the Army, supplied the Place of a Querry, riding bare before him when he rode abroad: so that the King began to pro­mise to himself that his Condition was alatered for the better, and to look upon the Indepen­dent Interest as more consisting with Episcopacy than the Presbyterian, for that it could subsist under any Form, which the other could not do, and therefore largely promised Liberty to the Independent Party, being fully perswaded how naturally his Power would revive upon his Restitution to the Throne, and how easy it would be for him to break through all such Promises and Engagements upon pretence that he was under a Force. The principal Officers of the Army made it so much their business to get the good Opinion of the King, that Whalley being sent from them with Orders to use all means but Constraint to cause him to return to Holmby; and the King refusing, Whalley was contented to bring him to the Army. Yet in the mean time a Charge of High Treason was drawn up by the Army against eleven Mem­bers of the House of Commons, who were Mr. Denzil Hollis, Sir Philip Stapylton, Sir John Clotworthy, Serjeant Glyn, Mr. Anthony Nichols, Mr. Walter Long, Sir William Lewis, Col. Ed­ward Harly, Commissary Copley, Col. Massey, and Sir John Maynard, for betraying the Cause of the Parliament, endeavouring to break and destroy the Army, with other Particulars. [Page 194] This Charge they accompanied with a Decla­ration, shewing the Reasons of what they had done, affirming that they were obliged by their Duty so to do, as they tendred the preservation of the publick Cause, and securing the good People of England from being a Prey to their Enemies. The great end of this Charge of Treason being rather to keep these Members from using their Power with the Parliament in opposition to the Proccedings of the Army, than from any Design to proceed capitally against them, they resolved rather to withdraw themselves voluntarily, than to put the Parlia­ment or Army to any farther Trouble, or their Persons to any more Hazard. By these means the Army, in which there were too many who had no other Design but the Advancement of themselves, having made the Parliament, the Scots, and the City of London their Enemies, thought it convenient to enlarge their Concessi­ons to the King, giving his Chaplains leave to come to him, and to officiate in their way, which had been denied before. Whilst this Design was on foot, I went down to their Quarters at Maidenhead, to visit the Officers; where Commissary General Ireton suspecting that these things might occasion Jealousies of them in me and others of their Friends in Par­liament, desired me to be assured of their sted­fast Adherence to the Publick Interest, and that they intended only to dispense with such things as were not material, in order to quiet the rest­less [Page 195] Spirits of the Cavaliers, till they could put themselves into a condition of serving the Peo­ple effectually. I could not approve of their Practices; but many of the chief of them pro­ceeding in the way they had begun, gave out, that the Intentions of the Officers and Souldiers in the Army, were to establish his Majesty in his just Rights. The News of this being brought to the Queen and Prince of Wales, who were in France, they dispatched Sir Edward Ford, Bro­ther-in-law to Commissary General Ireton, into England, to found the Designs of the Army, and to promote an Agreement between the King and them. Soon after which Mr. John Denham was sent over on the like Errand. Sir John Barkley also upon his Return to the Queen from Holland, where he had been ordered to condole the Death of the Prince of Orange, came into England by the same Order, and to the same Purpose. It was in his Instructions to endeavour to procure a Pass for Mr. John Ashburnham, to come over to assist him in his Negotiation; which, with many other Particu­lars relating to this Business, I have seen in a Manuscript written by Sir John Barkley himself, and left in the Hands of a Merchant at Geneva. Being at Diepe in order to embark for England, he met with Mr. William Leg, who was of the Bed-chamber to the King; and they two came over together into England. They landed at Hastings, and being on their way towards Lon­don, were met by Sir Allen Appesley, who had [Page 196] been Lieutenant Governour to Sir John Barkley at Exeter, by whom he understood that he was sent to him from Cromwell and some other Offi­cers of the Army, with Letters and a Cypher, as also particular Instructions to desire Sir John Barkley to remember his own Discourse at a Conference with Col. Lambert and other Offi­cers upon the Surrender of Exeter, wherein he had taken notice of the bitter Invectives of those of the Army against the King's Person; and presuming that such Discourses were encou­raged in order to prepare Mens Minds to receive an Alteration of the Government, had said, that it was not only a most wicked but difficult Undertaking, if not impossible, for a few Men, not of the greatest Quality, to introduce a Po­pular Government against the King, the Pres­byterians, the Nobility, Gentry, and the Ge­nius of the Nation, accustomed for so many Ages to a Monarchical Government; advising, that since the Presbyterians, who had begun the War upon divers specious Pretences, were discovered to have sought their own Advan­tages, by which means they had lost almost all their Power and Credit; the Independent Par­ty, who had no particular Obligations to the Crown, as many of the Presbyterians had, would make good what the Presbytery had on­ly pretended to, and restore the King and Peo­ple to their just and antient Rights; to which they were obliged both by Prudence and In­terest, there being no means under Heaven [Page 197] more likely to establish themselves, and to ob­tain as much Trust and Power as Subjects are capable of: whereas if they aimed at more, it would be accompanied with a general Hatred, and their own Destruction. He had Orders al­so to let him know, that tho to this Discourse of his they then gave only the hearing, yet they had since found by Experience, that all, or the most part of it was reasonable, and that they were resolved to act accordingly, as might be perceived by what had already passed: desiring that he would present them humbly to the Queen and Prince, and be a Suitor to them in their Names, not to condemn them absolute­ly, but to suspend their Opinions of them, and their Intentions, till their future Behaviour had made full Proof of their Innocence, whereof they had already given some Testimonies to the World; and that when he had done this Office, he would return to England, and be an Eye­witness of their Proceedings. Thus did the Army-Party endeavour to fortify their Interest against the Presbyterians, who tho they were very much weakened by the Absence of the ele­ven Members, yet not to be altogether want­ing to themselves, passed a Vote, that the King should be brought to Richmond, whither he was inclined to go, having conceived a Distrust of the Army, grounded chiefly upon the Re­fusal of the Officers to receive any Honours or Advantages from him; and would not be dis­swaded from this Resolution, till the Army had [Page 198] obliged the Parliament to recal their Vote. After which he insisted upon going to Windsor, much against the Sense of the Army, and could not be prevailed with to pass by the Army in his way thither. This caused them to suspect that he hearkned to some secret Propositions from the Presbyterians, and designed to make an absolute Breach between the Parliament and the Army, which Commissary General Ireton discerning, said these Words to him; Sir, you have an Intention to be Arbitrator between the Parliament and us, and we mean to be so between You and the Parliament. But the King finding himself courted on all hands, became so confi­dent of his own Interest, as to think himself able to turn the Scale to what side soever he pleased. In this Temper Sir John Barkley found him when he delivered the Queen's Letters to him, which he did, after leave obtained from Cromwell, and a Confirmation received from his own Mouth of what had been communi­cated before to him by Sir Allen Appesley, with this Addition, that he thought no Man could enjoy his Life and Estate quietly, unless the King had his Rights, which he said they had already declared to the World in general Terms, and would more particularly very spee­dily, wherin they would comprize the several Interests of the Royalists, Presbyterians, and Independents, as far as they were consistent with one another. Sir John Barkley endeavour­ed to perswade the King, that it was necessary [Page 199] for him, who was now in the Power of the Army, to dissemble with them, and proposed that Mr. Peters might preach before him, that he would converse freely with others of the Army, and gain the good Opinion of the Agi­tators, whose Interest he perceived to be very great amongst them. But this Advice made no Impression upon the King. He gave him also a relation of what had formerly passed between himself and Cromwell, whom he met near Cau­sum, when the Head-quarters were at Reading, where Cromwell told him, that he had lately seen the tenderest Sight that ever his Eyes be­held, which was the Interview between the King and his Children; that he wept plentifully at the Remembrance thereof, saying, that ne­ver Man was so abused as he in his sinister Opi­nion of the King, who, he thought, was the most upright and conscientious of his Kingdom: that they of the Independent Party had infinite Obligations to him, for not consenting to the Propositions sent to him at Newcastle, which would have totally ruined them, and which his Majesty's Interest seemed to invite him to; concluding with this Wish, that God would be pleased to look upon him according to the Sincerity of his Heart towards the King. With this rela­tion the King was no more moved than with the rest, firmly believing such Expressions to proceed from a necessity that Cromwell and the Army had of him, without whom, he said, they could do nothing. And indeed the King [Page 200] was not without reason of that Opinion; for some of the principal Agitators, with whom Sir John Barkley conversed at Reading, ex­pressing to him their Jealousy that Cromwell was not sincere for the King, desired of him, that if he found him false, to acquaint them with it, promising that they would endeavour to set him right, either with or against his Will. Ma­jor Huntington, a Creature of Cromwell, and therefore entrusted by him to command the Guard about the King, either believing him to be in earnest in his Pretensions to serve the King, or else finding the King's Affairs in a ri­sing Condition, became one of his Confidents, and by Order of the King brought two General Officers to Sir John Barkley, recommending them to him as Persons upon whom he might rely: these two had frequent Conferences with Sir John Barkley, and assured him, that a Con­junction with the King was universally desired by the Officers and Agitators, and that Crom­well and Ireton were great Dissemblers if they were not real in it; but that the Army was so bent upon it at present, that they durst not shew themselves otherwise; protesting that however things might happen to change, and whatsoever others might do, they would for ever continue faithful to the King. They ac­quainted him also, that Proposals were drawn up by Ireton, wherein Episcopacy was not re­quired to be abolished, nor any of the King's Party wholly ruined, nor the Militia to be taken [Page 201] away from the Crown; advising that the King would with all Expedition agree to them, there being no Assurance of the Army, which they had observed already to have changed more than once. To this end they brought him to Commissary General Ireton, with whom he continued all Night debating upon the Propo­sals before-mentioned, altering two of the Ar­ticles, as he saith himself in the Manuscript, in the most material Points; but upon his en­deavouring to alter a third, touching the Ex­clusion of seven Persons, not mentioned in the Papers, from Pardon, and the admission of the King's Party to sit in the next Parliament, Ire­ton told him, that there must be a Distinction made between the Conquerors and those that had been beaten, and that he himself should be afraid of a Parliament where the King's Party had the major Vote: In Conclusion, conjuring Sir John Barkley, as he tendred the King's Wel­fare, to endeavour to procure his Consent to the Proposals, that they might with more Con­fidence be offered to the Parliament, and all Differences accommodated. Cromwell appeared in all his Conferences with Sir John Barkley most zealous for a speedy Agreement with the King, insomuch that he sometimes complained of his Son Ireton's Slowness in perfecting the Proposals, and his Unwillingness to come up to his Majesty's Sense: at other times he would wish that Sir John Barkley would act more frankly, and not tie himself up by narrow Prin­ciples; [Page 202] always affirming, that he doubted the Army would not persist in their good Intenti­ons towards the King.

During these Transactions the Army march­ed from about Reading to Bedford, and the King with his usual Guard to Woburn, a House be­longing to the Earl of Bedford, where the Pro­posals of the Army were brought to him to peruse before they were offered to him in pub­lick. He was much displeased with them in general, saying, That if they had any Intention to come to an Accommodation, they would not impose such Conditions on him: to which Sir John Barkley, who brought them to him, an­swered, That he should rather suspect they de­signed to abuse him, if they had demanded less, there being no appearance that Men, who had through so many Dangers and Difficulties acquired such Advantages, would content themselves with less than was contained in the said Proposals; and that a Crown so near lost was never recovered so easily as this would be, if things were adjusted upon these Terms. But the King being of another Opinion, re­plied, that they could not subsist without him, and that therefore he did not doubt to find them shortly willing to condescend farther, making his chief Objections against the three following Points: 1. The Exclusion of seven Persons from Pardon. 2. The incapacitating any of his Party from being elected Members of the next ensuing Parliament. 3. That there [Page 203] was nothing mentioned concerning Church­Government. To the first it was answered, That when the King and the Army were agreed, it would not be impossible to make them remit in that point; but if that could not be obtain­ed, yet when the King was restored to his Power, he might easily supply seven Persons living beyond the Seas in such a manner as to make their Banishment supportable. To the second, That the next Parliament would be ne­cessitated to lay great Burdens upon the People, and that it would be a Happiness to the King's Party to have no hand therein. To the third, That the Law was Security enough for the Church, and that it was a great point gained, to reduce Men who had fought against it, to be wholly silent in the matter. But the King breaking away from them, said, Well, I shall see them glad e're long to accept of more equal Terms.

About this time Mr. Ashburnham arrived, to the King's great Contentment, and his Instruc­tions referring to Sir John Barkley's, which they were to prosecute jointly, Sir John gave him what light he could into the state of Affairs: but he soon departed from the Methods pro­posed by Sir John Barkley, and entirely com­plying with the King's Humour, declared open­ly, that having always used the best Company, he could not converse with such sensless Fel­lows as the Agitators; that if the Officers could be gained, there was no doubt but they would [Page 204] be able to command their own Army, and that he was resolved to apply himself wholly to them. Upon this there grew a great Fami­liarity between him and Whalley, who com­manded the Guard that waited on the King, and not long after a close Correspondence with Cromwell and Ireton, Messages daily passing from the King to the Head-quarters. With these Encouragements and others from the Pres­byterian Party, the Lord Lauderdale and divers of the City of London assuring the King, that they would oppose the Army to the Death, he seemed so much elevated, that when the Proposals were sent to him, and his Concur­rence humbly desired, he, to the great Asto­nishment not only of Ireton and the Army, but even of his own Party, entertained them with very sharp and bitter Language, saying, That no Man should suffer for his sake; and that he repented him of nothing so much as that he passed the Bill against the Earl of Strafford: which tho it must be confessed to have been an unworthy Act in him, all things considered, yet was it no less imprudent in that manner, and at that time, to mention it; and that he would have the Church established according to Law by the Proposals. To which those of the Army replied, that it was not their Work to do it, and that they thought it sufficient for them to wave the point; and they hoped for the King too, he having already consented to the abolition of the Episcopal Government in Scot­land. [Page 205] The King said, that he hoped God had forgiven him that Sin, repeating frequently these or the like words; You cannot be without me; You will fall to Ruin if I do not sustain you. This manner of Carriage from the King being observed with the utmost Amazement by many Officers of the Army who were present, and at least in appearance were Promoters of the Agreement, Sir John Barkley taking notice of it, looked with much wonder upon the King, and stepping to him, said in his Ear, Sir, you speak as if you had some secret Strength and Power which I do not know of; and since you have con­cealed it from me, I wish you had done it from these Men also. Whereupon the King began to re­collect himself, and to soften his former Dis­course; but it was too late, for Col. Rainsbo­rough, who of all the Army seemed the least to desire an Agreement, having observed these Passages, went out from the Conference, and hastned to the Army, informing them what En­tertainment their Commissioners and Proposals had found with the King. Sir John Barkley being desirous to allay this heat, demanded of Ireton and the rest of the Officers what they would do if the King should consent: By whom it was answered, that they would offer them to the Parliament for their Approbation. The King having thus bid defiance to the Army, thought it necessary to bend all his Force against them, and especially to strengthen their Ene­mies in the Parliament. To this end a Petition [Page 206] was contrived to press them to a speedy Agree­ment with the King, and presented in a most tumultuous manner by great numbers of Ap­prentices and Rabble, back'd and encouraged by many dismissed and disaffected Officers who joined with them. Whilst the Two Houses were in Debate what Answer to give to this in­solent Multitude, some of them getting to the Windows of the House of Lords, threw Stones in upon them, and threatned them with worse Usage, unless they gave them an Answer to their liking: Others knocked at the door of the House of Commons, requiring to be admitted; but some of us with our Swords forced them to retire for the present; and the House re­solved to rise without giving any Answer, judg­ing it below them to do any thing by compul­sion. Whereupon the Speaker went out of the House, but being in the Lobby, was forced back into the Chair by the Violence of the in­solent Rabble; whereof above a thousand at­tended without doors, and about sorty or fifty were got into the House. So that it was thought convenient to give way to their Rage, and the Speaker demanding what Question they desired to be put, they answered, That the King should be desired to come to London forth with: which Question being put, they were asked again what further they would have; they said, That he should be invited to come with Honour, Freedom and Sasety: to both which I gave a loud Negative, and some of the Members as [Page 207] loud an Affirmative, rather out of a prudential Compliance than any Affection to the Design on foot. By these Votes, and the coming down of divers well-affected Citizens to ap­pease them, the Tumult was somewhat allayed, and the Members of Parliament with their Speaker passed through the Multitude safely. The next Morning I advised with Sir Arthur Haslerig and others, what was fittest to be done in this Conjuncture; and it was concluded, that we could not sit in Parliament without appa­rent Hazard of our Lives, till we had a Guard for our Defence, it being manifestly the Design of the other Party either to drive us away, or to destroy us. Therefore we resolved to be­take our selves to the Army for Protection, Sir Arthur Haslerig undertaking to perswade the Speaker to go thither, to which he consented with some Difficulty; and having caused a thousand Pounds to be thrown into his Coach, went down to the Army, which lay then at Windsor, Maidenhead, Colebrook, and the adja­cent Places. Having acquainted as many of our Friends as I could, with our Resolution to repair to the Army, I went down; and the next day, being the same to which the Parliament had adjourned themselves, the Army rendez­vouzed upon Hownslow-heath, where those Members of Parliament, as well Lords as Commons, who could not with Safety stay at Westminster, appeared in the Head of them, at which the Army expressed great Joy, declaring [Page 208] themselves resolved to live and die with them. At night the Earl of Northumberland, the Lord Say, the Lord Wharton, and other Lords; the Speaker and Members of the House of Com­mons aforesaid, with Sir Thomas Fairfax, and many principal Officers of the Army, met at Sion-house to consult what was most advisable to do in that Juncture; which whilst they were doing, an Account was brought of the Proceedings of those at Westminster that day, by the Serjeant of the House, who came with his Mace, to the no little Satisfaction of the Speaker. He acquainted them, that the re­maining Members being met in the House of Commons, had for some time attended the coming of their Speaker; but being informed that he was gone to the Army, they had made choice of one Mr. Pelham a Lawyer, and Mem­ber of the House, to be their Speaker: After which they had appointed a Committee of Lords and Commons to join with the Directors of the Militia of London, in order to raise Forces for the Defence of the Parliament; the Success of which Attempt they desired to see before they would declare against the Army. To this end Massey, Pointz, Brown, and Sir William Waller, encouraged by the Common Council, and others, who by various Artifices had been corrupted, used all possible Diligence to list Men, and prepare a Force to oppose the Army; but their Proceedings therein were much obstructed by divers honest Citizens, [Page 209] who importunately solicited them to treat with the Army, and also by the News of the Gene­ral Rendezvouz upon Hounslow-heath.

Tho the Lords had been removed from the Command of the Army, yet it was manifest that their Influence there still continued; partly from a desire of some great Officers to oblige them, and partly from the Ambition of others to be of their Number, who to shew their earnest Desires to serve the King, being morally assured the Parliament and City were likely to be shortly in the Power of the Army, who might be in­duced to take other Counsels in relation to the King, upon such Success, especially considering his late Carriage towards them; they sent an Express to Sir John Barkley and Mr. Ashburn­ham, advising, that since the King would not yield to their Proposals, that he would send a kind Letter to the Army, before it were known that London would submit. Whereupon a Letter was prepared immediately; but the King would not sign it, till after three or four Debates, which lost one whole day's time: At last Mr. Ashburn­ham and Sir John Barkley going with it, met with Messengers from the Officers to hasten it. But before they could come to Sion-house the Com­missioners from London were arrived, and the Letter out of season. For coming after it was known with what Difficulty it had been obtain­ed, and that Matters were like to be adjusted be­tween the Parliament and Army, it lost both its Grace and Efficacy. Notwithstanding all which [Page 210] the Officers being resolved to do what they could, proposed, whilst the Army was in the very Act of giving Thanks for their Success, that they should not be too much elevated therewith, but keep still to their former Engagement to the King, and once more solemnly vote the Propo­sals, which was done accordingly.

The face of Affairs in the City was at this time very various, according to the different Advices they received; for upon the Report of the Advance of the Army, and the taking of some of their Scouts, they cried out, Treat, Treat: And at another time being informed that Men listed in great numbers, the word was, Live and die, Live and die: but when Southwark had let in part of the Army, and joined with them, they returned to the former Cry of Treat, Treat: to which the Lord May­or, Aldermen, and Common Council consent­ing, were ready to admit the Army as Friends, being not able to oppose them as Enemies, and afterwards to attend those Members who had retired to the Army, being in all about a hun­dred, to the Parliament. Having resumed our Places in the House, as many of the eleven Members as had returned to act, immediately withdrew; and Pointz with other reduced Of­ficers, who had endeavoured to form a Body against the Army, fled. But we had other Difficulties to encounter: for tho that Vote by which the Petition of the Army was declared seditious, and those guilty of Treason, who [Page 211] should prosecute the same after such a day, was razed out of the Journal; yet by reason that the bulk of the opposite Party was left still in the House, the Militia of London could not be changed without much Difficulty, and some other Votes of great Consequence could not be altered at all. However the Parliament ap­pointed a Committee to inquire into the late Force that was put upon them; who having made their Report, Sir John Maynard was im­peached, and Recorder Glyn, with Mr. Cle­ment Walker and others, imprisoned.

A day or two after the Restitution of the Parliament, the Army marched through the City without offering the least Violence, pro­mising to shew themselves faithful to the Pub­lick Interest; but their Actions furnished occa­sion to suspect them, particularly their discoun­tenancing the Adjutators, who had endured the Heat of the day: the free Access of all Ca­valiers to the King at Hampton-Court, and the publick Speeches made for the King by the great Officers of the Army in a Council of War held at Putney, some of that Party taking the same liberty in the House of Commons, where one of them publickly said, That he thought God had hitherto blasted our Counsels, because we had dealt so severely with the Ca­valiers. These things caused many in the Ar­my who thought themselves abused and cheat­ed, to complain to the Council of Adjutators, against the Intimacy of Sir John Barkley and [Page 212] Mr. Ashburnham with the chief Officers of the Army, affirming, that the doors of Cromwell and Ireton were open to them when they were shut to those of the Army. Cromwell was much offended with these Discourses, and acquainted the King's Party with them, telling Mr. Ash­burnham and Sir John Barkley, that if he were an honest Man, he had said enough of the Sin­cerity of his Intentions; and if he were not, that nothing was enough; and therefore con­jured them, as they tendred the King's Service, not to come so frequently to his Quarters, but to send privately to him, the Suspicion of him being grown so great, that he was afraid to lie in them himself. This had no effect upon Mr. Ashburnham, who said, that he must shew them the necessity of complying with the King, from their own Disorders. About three Weeks after the Army entred London, the Scots pre­vailed with the Parliament to address them­selves again to the King, which was performed in the old Propositions of Newcastle, some Par­ticulars relating to the Scots only excepted. The King advising with some about him concerning this Matter, it was concluded to be unsafe for him to close with the Enemies of the Army whilst he was in it. Whereupon the King re­fused the Articles, and desired a Personal Trea­ty. The Officers of the Army having seen his Answer before it was sent, seemed much satisfi­ed with it, and promised to use their utmost Endeavours to procure a Personal Treaty, [Page 213] Cromwell, Ireton, and many of their Party in the House pressing the King's Desires with great Earnestness; wherein, contrary to their Expectations, they found a vigorous Oppositi­on from such as had already conceived a Jealou­sy of their private Agreement with the King, and were now confirmed in that Opinion; and the Suspicions of them grew to be so strong, that they were accounted Betrayers of the Cause, and lost almost all their Friends in the Parliament. The Army that lay then about Putney were no less dissatisfied with their Con­duct, of which they were daily informed by those that came to them from London; so that the Adjutators began to change their Discourse, and to complain openly in Council, both of the King and the Malignants about him, say­ing, that since the King had rejected their Pro­posals, they were not engaged any further to him, and that they were now to consult their own Safety and the Publick Good: that having the Power devolved upon them by the Decision of the Sword, to which both Parties had ap­pealed, and being convinced that Monarchy was inconsistent with the Prosperity of the Na­tion, they resolved to use their Endeavours to reduce the Government of England to the Form of a Commonwealth. These Proceedings strook so great a Terror into Cromwell and Ireton, that they thought it necessary to draw the Army to a general Rendezvouz, pretending to engage them to adhere to their former Proposals to the [Page 214] King; but indeed to bring the Army into sub­jection to them and their Party, that so they might make their bargain by them; designing, if they could carry this point at the Rendez­vouz, to dismiss the Council of Adjutators, to divide the Army, and to send those to the most remote Places who were most opposite to them, retaining near them such only as were fit for their purpose. This Design being discovered by the Adjutators, amongst whom Col. Rains­borough had the principal Interest, they used all possible Industry to prevent the general Muster which was appointed to be at Ware; supposing the Separation thereupon intended to be contra­ry to the Agreement made upon taking the King out of the hands of the Parliament, and destructive to the Ends which they thought it their Duty to promote.

In the mean time Cromwell having acquainted the King with his Danger, protesting to him, that it was not in his Power to undertake for his Security in the Place where he was, assuring him of his real Service, and desiring the Lord to deal with him and his according to the Sin­cerity of his Heart towards the King, prepared himself to act his part at the General Rendez­vouz. The King being doubtful what to do in this Conjuncture, was advised by some to go privately to London, and appear in the House of Lords: to which it was answered, That the Army being Masters of the City and Parlia­ment, would undoubtedly seize the King there; [Page 215] and if there should be any Blood shed in his Defence, he would be accused of beginning a new War. Others counselled him to secure his Person by quitting the Kingdom. Against which the King objected, that the Rendezvouz being appointed for the next Week, he was not willing to quit the Army till that was passed; because if the superiour Officers prevailed, they would be able to make good their Engage­ment; if not, they must apply themselves to him for their own Security. The Scots Com­missioners also who had been long tampering with him, took hold of this Opportunity to perswade him to come to their Terms, by aug­menting his Fears as much as they could. It was also proposed, that he should conceal him­self in England; but that was thought unsafe, if not impossible. Some there were who pro­posed his going to Jersey, which was then kept for him; but the King being told by the Earl of Lanerick, that the Ships provided by Sir John Barkley for that purpose had been discovered and seized, tho Sir John affirms in his Papers that none were provided, that Design was laid aside. At last the King resolved to go to the Isle of Wight, being, as is most probable, re­commended thither by Cromwell, who, as well as the King, had a good Opinion of Col. Ham­mond the Governour there. To this end the King sent Mr. William Leg to Sir John Barkley and Mr. Ashburnham, requiring them to assist him in his Escape; and Horses were laid at Sut­ton [Page 216] in Hampshire to that purpose. On the day following Sir John Barkley and Mr. Ashburn­ham waiting with Horses, the King with Mr. Leg came out towards the Evening, and being mounted they designed to ride through the Fo­rest, having the King for their Guide; but they lost the way; so that the Night proving dark and stormy, and the Ways very bad, they could not reach Sutton before break of day, tho they hoped to have been there three hours before. At Sutton they were informed that a Committee of the County was there sitting by Order of the Parliament; which when the King heard, he passed by that Place, and con­tinued his way towards Southampton, attended only by Mr. Leg, and went to a House of the Earl of Southampton at Titchfield, having sent Sir John Barkley and Mr. Ashburnham to Col. Hammond, Governour of the Isle of Wight, with a Copy of the Letter left upon the Table in his Chamber at Hampton-Court, and two other Letters which he had lately received, one of them without a Name, expressing great Fears and Apprehensions of the ill Intentions of the Commonwealth-Party against the King. The other from Cromwell, much to the same pur­pose, with this Addition, that in prosecution thereof, a new Guard was designed the next day to be placed about the King, consisting of Men of that Party. He also sent by them a Letter to Col. Hammond, wherein after he had expressed his Distrust of the Levelling Part of [Page 217] the Army, as he termed it, and the necessity lying upon him to provide for his own Safety, he assured him, that he did not intend to desert the Interest of the Army, ordering his two Messengers to acquaint him, that of all the Ar­my the King had chosen to put himself upon him, whom he knew to be a Person of a good Extraction, and tho engaged against him in the War, yet without any Animosity to his Per­son, to which he was informed he had no A­version: that he did not think it fit to surprize him, and therefore had sent the two Persons before-mentioned to advertise him of his Inten­tions, and to desire his Promise to protect the King and his Servants to the best of his Power; and if it should happen that he was not able to do it, then to oblige himself to leave them in as good a Condition as he found them. Being ready to depart with these Instructions, Sir John Barkley said to the King, that having no know­ledg of the Governour, he could not tell whe­ther he might not detain them in the Island, and therefore advised, if they returned not the next day, that he would think no more of them, but secure his own Escape. Towards Evening they arrived at Limmington, but could not pass by reason of a violent Storm. The next Morn­ing they got over to the Island, and went di­rectly to Carisbrook-Castle, the Residence of the Governour, where they were told that he was gone towards Newport. Upon this notice they rode after, and having overtaken and acquaint­ed [Page 218] him with their Message, he grew pale, and fell into such a trembling, that it was thought he would have fallen from his Horse. In this Consternation he continued about an hour, breaking out sometimes into passionate and dis­tracted Expressions, saying, O Gentlemen, you have undone me in bringing the King into the Island, if at least you have brought him; and if you have not, I pray let him not come: for what between my Duty to the King, and Gra­titude to him upon this fresh Obligation of Con­fidence, and the Discharge of my Trust to the Army, I shall be confounded. Upon this they took occasion to tell him, that the King intend­ed a Favour to him and his Posterity, in giving him this Opportunity to lay a great Obligation upon him, and such as was very consistent with his relation to the Army, who had solemnly engaged themselves to the King; but if he thought otherwise, the King would be far from imposing his Person upon him: but, said the Governour, if the King should come to any Mischance, what would the Army and the King say to him that had refused to receive him? To which they answered, that he had not re­fused him who was not come to him. Then beginning to speak more calmly, he desired to know where the King was, and wished that he had absolutely thrown himself upon him, which made the two Gentlemen suspect that the Go­vernour was not for their turn; but Mr. Ash­burnham fearing what would become of the [Page 219] King if he should be discovered before he had gained this point, took the Governour aside, and after some Conference prevailed with him to declare, That he did believe the King relied on him as a Person of Honour and Honesty, and therefore he did engage himself to perform whatsoever could be expected from a Person so qualified. Mr. Ashburnham replied, I will ask no more: Then said the Governour, Let us all go to the King, and acquaint him with it. When they came to Cowes-Castle, where a Boat lay to carry them over, Col. Hammond took Capt. Basket the Governour of that Castle with him, and gave order for a File or two of Mus­queteers to follow them in another Boat. When they came to the Earl of Southampton's House, Mr. Ashburnham leaving Sir John Barkley below with Col. Hammond and Capt. Basket, went up to the King, and having given an Account of what had passed between the Governour and them, and that he was come with them to make good what he had promised; the King striking his Hand upon his Breast, said, What have you brought Hammond with you? O you have undone me; for I am by this means made fast from stirring. Mr. Ashburnham then told him, that if he mistrusted Hammond, he would un­dertake to secure him. To which the King replied, I understand you well enough; but if I should follow that Counsel, it would be said and be­lieved, that he ventured his Life for me, and that I had unworthily taken it from him: Telling him [Page 220] further, That it was now too late to think upon any thing but going through the way he had forced him upon, wondering how he could make so great an Oversight: At which Expression Mr. Ashburn­ham having no more to say, wept bitterly. In the mean time Col. Hammond and Capt. Basket beginning to be impatient of their long Atten­dance below in the Court, Sir John Barkley sent a Gentleman of the Earl of Southampton's, to desire that the King and Mr. Ashburnham would remember that they were below. About half an hour after the King sent for them up, and before Col. Hammond and Capt. Basket had kissed the King's Hand, he took Sir John Barkley aside, and said to him; Sir John, I hope you are not so passionate as Jack Ashburnham: Do you think you have followed my Directions? He answered, No indeed; but it is not my Fault, as Mr. Ashburnham can tell you, if he please. The King perceiving that it was now too late to take other measures, received Col. Hammond cheerfully, who having repeated to him what he had promised before, conducted them over to Cowes. The next Morning the King went with the Governour to Carisbrook, and on the way thither was met by divers Gentlemen of the Island, by whom he understood that the whole Island was unanimously for him, except the Governours of the Castles, and Col. Ham­mond's Captains; that Hammond might be easily gained, if not more easily forced, the Castle being day and night full of the King's Party; [Page 221] and that the King might chuse his own time of quitting the Island, having liberty to ride abroad daily: So that not only the King and those that were with him, but also his whole Party, ap­proved of the Choice which he had made. The King and Mr. Ashburnham applied themselves to the Governour with so good Success, that he and those with him seemed to desire nothing more of the King than to send a civil Message to both Houses, signifying his Propensity to Peace, which was done accordingly.

No sooner was the King's Escape taken no­tice of by the Guards, but Col. Whalley hastened to the Parliament with the Letter which the King had left upon his Table, shewing the Reasons of his withdrawing, and his Resoluti­on not to desert the Interest of the Army; and tho it was visible that the King made his Escape by the Advice of Cromwell, and therefore in all appearance with the Consent of Whalley, yet he pretended for his Excuse to the Parliament, that Mr. Ashburnham had broken his Engage­ment to him at his first coming to Woburn, whereby he had undertaken that the King should not leave the Army without his Know­ledg and Consent. Upon this Advice the Par­liament declared it Treason for any Person to conceal the King; but the manner of his Escape being soon after discovered, and that he had put himself into the hands of the Governour of the Isle of Wight, they sent a Messenger to the Island for Mr. Ashburnham, Sir John Bark­ley, [Page 222] and Mr. Leg, but the Governour refused to deliver them.

The time for the General Rendezvouz of the Army being now come, the Commonwealth Party amongst them declared to stand to their Engagement, not to be dispersed till the things they had demanded were effected, and the Go­vernment of the Nation established: to make good which Resolution several Regiments ap­peared in the Field with distinguishing Marks in their Hats: But Lieutenant General Crom­well not contenting himself with his part in an equal Government, puffed up by his Successes to an expectation of greater things, and having driven a bargain with the Grandees in the House, either to comply with the King, or to settle things in a factious way without him, procured a Party to stand by him in the seizing some of those who appeared at the Rendez­vouz in opposition to his Designs. To this end, being accompanied with divers Officers whom he had preferred, and by that means made his Creatures, he rode up to one of the Regiments which had the distinguishing Marks, requiring them to take them out, which they not doing, he caused several of them to be seized; and then their Hearts failing, they yielded Obedi­ence to his Commands. He ordered one of them to be shot dead upon the place, delivering the rest of those whom he had seized, being eleven in number, into the hands of the Mar­shal; and having dispersed the Army to their [Page 223] Quarters, went to give an account of his Pro­ceedings to the Parliament: and tho when an Agreement with the King was carried on by other hands, he could countenance the Army in opposition to the Parliament; yet now the bargain for the Peoples Liberty being driven on by himself, he opposed those who laboured to obstruct it, pretending his so doing to be only in order to keep the Army in subjection to the Parliament; who being very desirous to have this Spirit suppressed in the Army by any means, not only approved what he had done, but gave him the Thanks of the House for the same: Whereunto, tho singly, I gave as loud a No as I could, being fully convinced that he had acted in this manner for no other end but to advance his own Passion and Power into the room of Right and Reason; and took the first opportu­nity to tell him, that the Army having taken the Power into their hands, as in effect they had done, every drop of Blood shed in that ex­traordinary way would be required of them, unless the Rectitude of their Intentions and Ac­tions did justify them, of which they had need to be very careful.

Whilst these things were doing, the Earl of Ormond finding that the Irish used him treache­rously, and that the Inclinations of his Army tended towards a Submission to the Parliament of England, invited them to send Commissio­ners to treat about the Surrender of Dublin, and the Forces commanded by him, into their [Page 224] hands. Which was done, and Articles agreed upon, indemnifying all Protestants in Ireland for what they had done there, unless they had been in the Rebellion during the first Year; and admitting them to compound for their Estates in England at two Years Value. A cer­tain Sum was also promised to be paid to the Earl of Ormond, in consideration of what he had disbursed for the Army. This Agreement being concluded, the City of Dublin and the Forces before-mentioned were delivered to Col. Michael Jones, who was ordered by the Parlia­ment to receive the same; and the Earl of Or­mond came to London, where his Money was paid him, and he soon after retired into France.

The chief Officers of the Army having sub­dued those of their Body, who upon just Sus­picion had opposed their Treaty with the King, thought themselves obliged by their former Engagement to press for a Personal Treaty with him, which they procured to be offered, in case he would grant four preliminary Bills: The first of which contained the Revocation of all Proclamations against the Parliament: The second, to make void all such Titles of Honour as had been granted by the King since he had left the Parliament; and that for the future none should be conferred upon any Person with­out the Consent of Parliament: The third was a Bill to except some Persons from Pardon: And the fourth for investing the Militia in the Two Houses. All which those who thought it rea­sonable [Page 225] and necessary to proceed judicially with him, were afraid he would grant; it being vi­sible, that had he been restored to the Throne upon any Terms, he might easily have gratifi­ed his Friends, and revenged himself upon all his Enemies. Col. Hammond and Mr. Ash­burnham had frequent Conferences with the King, who had made such Promises to the Co­lonel, that he declared himself extremely desi­rous that the Army might resume their Power, and clear themselves of the Adjutators, whose Authority he said he had never approved. To this end he sent one Mr. Traughton his Chap­lain to the Army, to perswade them to make use of their Success against the Adjutators; and two or three days after earnestly moved the King to send some of those about him to the Army, with Letters of Compliment to the Ge­neral, and others of greater Confidence to Crom­well and Ireton, promising to write to them himself, which he did; conjuring them by their Engagements, their Honour and Consci­ence, to come to a speedy Agreement with the King, and not to expose themselves to the Fan­tastick Giddiness of the Adjutators. Sir John Barkley was made choice of for this Employ­ment, who taking Mr. Henry Barkley his Cou­sin German with him, departed from the Island with a Pass from the Governour of Cowes; and being on his way met Mr. Traughton on his Return between Bagshot and Windsor, who ac­quainted him that he had no good News to [Page 226] carry back to the King, the Army having ta­ken new Resolutions touching his Person. Be­ing gone a little farther he was met by Cornet Joyce, who told him, that he was astonished at his Design of going to the Army, acquainting him, that it had been debated amongst the Ad­jutators, whether, in justification of themselves, the King should be brought to a Trial; of which Opinion he declared himself to be, not out of any ill Will, as he said, to the King's Person, but that the Guilt of the War might be charged upon those that had caused it. A­bout an hour after his Arrival at Windsor, Sir John Barkley went to the General's Quarters, where he found the Officers of the Army as­sembled; and being admitted, delivered his Letters to the General, who having received them, ordered him to withdraw. After he had attended about half an hour, he was called in again, and told by the General, with some Severity on his Face, that they were the Par­liament's Army, and therefore could say no­thing to the King's Motion about Peace, but must refer those Matters, and the King's Let­ters, to their Consideration. Then Sir John looked upon Cromwell, Ireton, and the rest of his Acquaintance, who saluted him very cold­ly, shewing him Hammond's Letter to them, and smiling with disdain upon it. Being thus disappointed, he went to his Lodging, and staid there from four till six of the Clock, with­out any Company, to his great Dissatisfaction. [Page 227] At last he sent out his Servant with Orders to find out if possible some of his Acquaintance, who met with one that was a General Officer, by whom he was ordered to tell his Master, that he would meet him at Midnight in a Close behind the Garter-Inn. At the Time and Place appointed they met, where the Officer ac­quainted him in general, that he had no good News to communicate to him; and then de­scending to Particulars, said, You know that I and my Friends engaged our selves to you; that we were zealous for an Agreement, and if the rest were not so, we were abused: That since the Tumults in the Army, we did mis­trust Cromwell and Ireton, whereof I informed you. I come now to tell you, that we mistrust neither, and that we are resolved, notwith­standing our Engagement, to destroy the King and his Posterity, to which end Ireton has made two Propositions this Afternoon: One, that you should be sent Prisoner to London: The other, that none should speak with you upon pain of Death, and I do now hazard my Life by doing it. The way designed to ruin the King is to send eight hundred of the most disaffected in the Army to secure his Person, and then to bring him to a Trial, and I dare think no farther. This will be done in ten days, and therefore if the King can escape, let him do it, as he loves his Life. Sir John then asking the reason of this Change, seeing the King had done all things in compliance with [Page 228] the Army, and that the Officers were become superiour since the last Rendezvouz: he repli­ed, that he could not certainly tell; but con­ceived the ground of it to be, that tho one of the Mutineers, as he call'd him, was shot to Death, eleven more made Prisoners, and the rest in appearance over-aw'd, yet they were so far from being so indeed, that two thirds of the Army had been since with Cromwell and Ireton, to tell them, that tho they were certain to perish in the Enterprize, they would leave nothing unattempted to bring the whole Army to their Sense; and that if all failed, they would make a Division in the Army, and join with any who would assist them in the De­struction of those that should oppose them. That Cromwell and Ireton argued thus: If the Army divide, the greatest part will join with the Presbyters, and will in all likelihood pre­vail, to our Ruin, by forcing us to make our Applications to the King, wherein we shall ra­ther beg than offer any Assistance; which if the King shall give, and afterwards have the good Fortune to prevail, if he shall then par­don us, it will be all we can pretend, and more than we can certainly promise to our selves: thereupon concluding, that if they could not bring the Army to their Sense, that it was best to comply with them, a Schism being utterly destructive to both. In pursuance of this Re­solution Cromwell bent all his Thoughts to make his Peace with the Party that was most oppo­site [Page 229] to the King; acknowledging, as he knew well how to do on such occasions, that the Glory of this World had so dazled his Eyes, that he could not discern clearly the great Works that the Lord was doing. He sent also comfortable Messages to the Prisoners that he had seiz'd at the general Rendezvouz, with As­surances that nothing should be done to their Prejudice; and by these and the like Arts he perfected his Reconciliation. For my own part, I am inclined to believe that his Son Ireton never intended to close with the King, but on­ly to lay his Party asleep, whilst they were contesting with the Presbyterian Interest in Parliament. And now having secured them­selves of the City, and perswaded the King to deny the Propositions of the Parliament, sub­dued the Army, and freed themselves from the Importunity of the King and his Party, they became willing to quit their hands of him, since their Transactions with him had procured them so much Opposition, and to leave the Breach with him upon the Parliament; where they found the Presbyterian Party averse to an Agreement with him upon any Proposals of the Army, and the Commonwealth Party re­solved not to treat with him upon any at all.

Sir John Barkley being return'd to his Lodging, dispatch'd his Cousin Henry Barkley to the Isle of Wight with two Letters; one to the Go­vernour, containing a general Relation, and doubtful Judgment of things in the Army; a­nother [Page 230] in Cypher, with a particular account of the foresaid Conference, and a most passionate Supplication to the King to meditate nothing but his immediate Escape. The next Morning he sent Col. Cooke to Cromwell, to let him know that he had Letters and Instructions to him from the King, who returned in Answer by the Messenger, that he durst not see him, it being very dangerous to them both; bidding him be assured, that he would serve the King as long as he could do it without his own Ruin; but desired that it might not be expected that he should perish for his sake. Having received this Answer, Sir John took Horse for London, resolving not to acquaint any with the Inclina­tions of the Army, or with the King's pretend­ed Escape, which he presumed would be in a few days, the Queen having sent a Ship to that purpose, and pressed it earnestly in her Letters. The next day after his Arrival at London he re­ceived a Message from the Scots Lords Lanerick and Lauderdale, desiring a Meeting with him, presuming he had a Commission from the King to treat: but he acquainting them that the King had said at his parting from him, that he would make good whatsoever he should under­take to any Person in his Name; the Lord Lanerick replied, he would ask no other Com­mission from him. At their second Meeting they came near to an Agreement, and resolved to conclude on the Monday following; but the next day Sir John Barkley receiving a Letter from [Page 231] Mr. Ashburnham, requiring him in the King's Name to lay aside all other business, and to re­turn immediately to the King, was constrained to go out of Town that Night, and to leave the Treaty unfinished, to the great Dissatisfaction of both Parties. At his return to the Island he found the King determined not to attempt his Escape till he had concluded with the Scots, who, he said, being very desirous to have him out of the hands of the Army, would on that account come to an Accommodation upon rea­sonable Conditions; whereas if he should leave the Army before any Agreement with the Scots, they would never treat with him but upon their own Terms. To this end the King ordered Sir John Barkley, Mr. Ashburnham, Dr. Hammond, and Mr. Leg to review the Papers relating to the Treaty with the Scots, which had been managed in London chiefly by Dr. Gough a Popish Priest, who in the Queen's Name had conjur'd the King to make his speedy Escape, and in his own beseeched him not to insist too nicely upon Terms in the present Exigency of his Affairs: but Mr. Ash­burnham hesitated much upon many Expressions in the Articles relating to the Covenant and Church of England, of which he was a zealous Professor, making many Replies and Alterati­ons; and at last insisted that the King would send for the Scots Commissioners to come to him. Accordingly Sir William Flemming was sent to that purpose; and the next day after an [Page 232] Express came from the said Commissioners to the King, desiring that two Papers might be drawn, the one to contain the least he would be contented with, and the other the utmost that he would grant to the Scots; which last they desired he would sign, promising to do the like to the first, and to deliver it to Dr. Gough upon the reception of his Paper so signed. But this matter was delay'd so long, that they con­cluded the Scots Commissioners would be on their way before another Express could be gone out of the Island. At the same time that the Scots were coming to the King, Commissioners were also sent to him by the Parliament with offers of a Personal Treaty, on condition that the King in testimony of his future Sincerity, would grant the four Preliminary Bills formerly mentioned. Whilst these two sorts of Com­missioners were one day attending the King as he walked about the Castle, they observed him to throw a Bone before two Spaniels that fol­lowed him, and to take great delight in seeing them contesting for it; which some of them thought to be intended by him to represent that Bone of Contention he had cast between the two Parties. It was proposed by some of his Party that the King should give a dilatory An­swer to the Scots, that he might have the bet­ter opportunity to escape; and at the same time it was moved that he should offer the four fol­lowing Bills to the Parliament, upon presump­tion that they could not well refuse them, nor [Page 233] durst grant them: The first was for the Pay­ment of the Army, and for their disbanding as soon as paid: The second to put a Period to the present Parliament: The third to restore the King and Queen to the Possession of their Revenues: The fourth to settle a Church-Go­vernment without any coercive Power; and till such a Government were agreed on, the present to continue without any coercive Au­thority. This they advised upon apprehensions, if the King should give a positive Denial, that the Commissioners might have Orders to en­join the Governour to keep a stricter Guard over his Person, and thereby his designed Escape be prevented. To this Advice the King replied, that he had found out a Remedy against their Fears; which was to deliver his Answer to the Commissioners sealed up. The next day after the English Commissioners had de­livered their Message, and desired the King's Answer within three or four days; the Com­missioners of Scotland, Lowden, Lanerick, Lau­derdale, and others, delivered a Protestation to the King, subscribed by them, against the Par­liament's Message, affirming it to be contrary to the Covenant, being sent without their Par­ticipation or Consent; and from this time be­gan seriously to treat with the King, conclu­ding at last upon such Terms as they could ob­tain rather than such as they desired from him. When the time to receive the King's Answer was come, he sent for the English Commissio­ners, [Page 234] and before he delivered his Answer, de­manded of the Earl of Denbigh, who was the Principal Commissioner, whether they had power to alter any of the substantial or cir­cumstantial Parts of the Message; and they replying that they had not, he delivered his Answer sealed up into the hands of the Earl of Denbigh. Having received the King's Answer, the Commissioners withdrew for a little time, and being returned, the Earl of Denbigh seem'd to be offended, that the King had delivered his Message sealed, alledging that they were re­quired by their Instructions to bring his An­swer, which whether his Letter were or no, they could not know, unless they might see it, saying that he had been his Ambassador, and in that Employment would never have deli­vered any Letter without a preceding sight of it: The King told him that he had employ'd twenty Ambassadors, and that none of them had ever dared to open his Letters; but having demanded whether what the Earl of Denbigh had said were the sense of them all, and find­ing it so to be: Well then, said the King, I will shew it to you on condition you will pro­mise not to acquaint any one with the Sub­stance of it, before you have delivered it to the Parliament; which they consenting to, he desired the Company might withdraw. The Commissioners proposed that the Governour Col. Hammond might be permitted to stay; which the King being unwilling to allow, yet [Page 235] not thinking it convenient to refuse, gave way to, and by this means the Governour as well as the Commissioners, came to understand that the King had waved the Interests both of the Parliament and Army, to close with the Scots, the Substance of his Letter being an ab­solute refusal of his Consent to the four Bills presented to Him. The Impression which the discovery of these things made upon the Go­vernour was so great, that before he departed from Carisbrook to accompany the Farliament's Commissioners to Newport, he gave Orders for a strict Guard to be kept in his Absence; and at his return commanded the Gates to be lock'd up, and the Guards to be doubled, sitting up himself with them all Night; whereby the King's intended Escape was obstructed. The next Morning he ordered the King's Servants to remove, not excepting Dr. Hammond his own Kinsman, who taking leave of the King, acquainted him that they had left the Captain of the Frigat and two trusty Gentlemen of the Island to assist him in his Escape, assuring him that they would have all things in readiness on the other side of the Water to receive him. At their Departure the King commanded them to draw up a Declaration, and send it to him the next Morning to sign, which they did, and it was afterwards published in the King's Name. When they came to Newport one Capt. Burleigh caused a Drum to beat to draw People together in order to rescue the King; but there were [Page 236] few, besides Women and Children, that fol­lowed him, having but one Musquet amongst them all, so that the King's Servants thought not fit to join with or encourage them; but went over to the other side, where they con­tinued about three Weeks expecting the King's Arrival; leaving Capt. Burleigh, who with di­vers of his Followers was committed to Jail. Upon the return of the King's Negative to the four previous Bills before mentioned, the Par­liament voted, That no farther Addresses should be made to the King by themselves, or any other Person, without the leave of both Houses; and that if any presumed so to do, they should incur the Guilt of High-Treason. They also publish'd a Declaration, prepared by Colonel Nathanael Fiennes, shewing the Reasons of their said Re­solutions; wherein, amongst other Miscarriages of the King's Reign, was represented his break­ing of Parliaments, the betraying of Rochel, his refusal to suffer any Inquiry to be made into the Death of his Father, his levying War a­gainst the People of England, and his rejecting all reasonable Offers of Accommodation after six several Applications to him on their part. Col. Rainsborough was appointed Admiral of the Fleet; and Mr. Holland, my self, and ano­ther Member of the House of Commons, sent down to the head Quarters at Windsor with Orders to discharge from Custody Capt. Rey­nolds, and some others called in derision Level­lers, who had been imprisoned by the Army [Page 237] for attempting to bring about that which they themselves were now doing, and to exhort the Officers to contribute the best of their Endea­vours towards a speedy Settlement.

The Scots in pursuance of their Treaty with the King, made what Preparations they could to raise an Army, wherein the Presbyterians and Cavaliers join'd, tho with different Designs. The same Spirit began to appear also in England, ma­ny of our Ships revolting to the King at the Insti­gation of one Capt. Batten, who had been Vice­Admiral to the Parliament, and others, encou­raged by the City and the Presbyterian Party. The Seamen on board the Ship commanded by Col. Rainsborough refused to receive him, ha­ving before-hand secured one of my Brothers, with others whom they suspected to be faith­ful to their Commander. The Earl of War­wick, as most acceptable to them, was appointed to go down to reduce them to Obedience, by which means part of the Fleet was preserved to the Parliament, who immediately issued out Orders for the fitting out of more Ships to re­inforce them. With the revolted Ships Prince Charles block'd up the Mouth of the River; and about the same time his Brother the Duke of York, who upon the Surrender of Oxford had been brought by Order of the Parliament to St. James's, and Provision made for him there, escaped from thence to serve the King's Designs. The Castles of Deal and Sandwich declar'd also for the King, and Col. Rich was [Page 238] sent with a Party of the Army to reduce them. In the mean time Lieutenant General Cromwell not forgetting himself, procured a meeting of divers leading Men amongst the Presbyterians and Independents, both Members of Parlia­ment and Ministers, at a Dinner in Westminster, under pretence of endeavouring a Reconcilia­tion between the two Parties: but he found it a Work too difficult for him to compose the Differences between these two Ecclesiastical In­terests; one of which would endure no Supe­rior, the other no Equal; so that this Meeting produced no Effect. Another Conference he contrived to be held in King-street between those called the Grandees of the House and Army, and the Commonwealths-Men; in which the Grandees, of whom Lieutenant Ge­neral Cromwell was the Head, kept themselves in the Clouds, and would not declare their Judgments either for a Monarchical, Aristocra­tical or Democratical Government; maintaining that any of them might be good in themselves, or for us, according as Providence should direct us. The Commonwealths-Men declared that Monarchy was neither good in self, nor for us. That it was not desirable in it self, they urged from the 8 th Chapter and 8 th Verse of the first Book of Samuel, where the rejecting of the Judges, and the choice of a King, was charged upon the Israelites by God himself as a Re­jection of him; and from another Passage in the same Book, where Samuel declares it to be [Page 239] a great Wickedness; with divers more Texts of Scripture to the same effect. And that it was no way conducing to the Interest of this Nation, was endeavoured to be proved by the infinite Mischiefs and Oppressions we had suf­fered under it, and by it: that indeed our An­cestors had consented to be governed by a single Person, but with this Proviso, that he should govern according to the Direction of the Law, which he always bound himself by Oath to perform: that the King had broken this Oath, and thereby dissolved our Allegiance; Protecti­on and Obedience being reciprocal: that having appealed to the Sword for the Decision of the things in dispute, and thereby caused the Effu­sion of a Deluge of the Peoples Blood, it seem­ed to be a Duty incumbent upon the Represen­tatives of the People to call him to an account for the same; more especially since the Con­troversy was determined by the same means which he had chosen; and then to proceed to the Establishment of an equal Commonwealth founded upon the Consent of the People, and providing for the Rights and Liberties of all Men, that we might have the Hearts and Hands of the Nation to support it, as being most just, and in all respects most conducing to the Happiness and Prosperity thereof. Not­withstanding what was said, Lieutenant Gene­ral Cromwell, not for want of Conviction, but in hopes to make a better Bargain with another Party, professed himself unresolved, and having [Page 240] learn'd what he could of the Principles and In­clinations of those present at the Conference, took up a Cushion and flung it at my Head, and then ran down the Stairs; but I overtook him with another, which made him hasten down faster than he desired. The next day passing by me in the House, he told me he was convinced of the Desirableness of what was proposed, but not of the Feasibleness of it; thereby, as I suppose, designing to encourage me to hope that he was inclined to join with us, tho unwilling to publish his Opinion, lest the Grandees should be informed of it, to whom I presume he professed himself to be of another Judgment.

Much time being spent since the Parliament had voted no more Addresses to be made to the King, nor any Messages received from him, and yet nothing done towards bringing the King to a Trial, or the settling of Affairs with­out him; many of the People who had waited patiently hitherto, finding themselves as far from a Settlement as ever, concluded that they should never have it, nor any Ease from their Burdens and Taxes, without an Accommodati­on with the King; and therefore entred into a Combination through England, Scotland, and Ireland, to restore him to his Authority. To this end Petitions were promoted throughout all Countries, the King by his Agents foment­ing and encouraging this Spirit by all means possible, as appeared by his intercepted Let­ters: [Page 241] so that Lieutenant General Cromwell, who had made it his usual Practice to gratify Ene­mies even with the Oppression of those who were by Principle his Friends, began again to court the Commonwealth-Party, inviting some of them to confer with him at his Chamber: with which acquainting me the next time he came to the House of Commons, I took the Freedom to tell him, that he knew how to ca­jole and give them good Words when he had occasion to make use of them; whereat break­ing out into a Rage, he said, they were a proud sort of People, and only considerable in their own Conceits. I told him, it was no new thing to hear Truth calumniated, and that tho the Commonwealths-men were fallen under his Displeasure, I would take the liberty to say, that they had always been and ever would be considerable where there was not a total De­fection from Honesty, Generosity, and all true Vertue, which I hoped was not yet our Case.

The Earl of Warwick, with the Fleet equip­ped for him by the Parliament, sell down the River towards the Ships commanded by Prince Charles, who presuming either that he would not fight him, or perhaps come over to him, lay some time in expectation; but finding by the manner of his Approach that he was de­ceived in that Particular, he thought it conve­nient to make all the sail he could for the Coast of Holland. Our Fleet followed him as far as the Texel; but according to the defensive Prin­ciple [Page 242] of the Nobility, our Admiral thinking he had sufficiently discharged his Duty by clearing the Downs, and driving the other Fleet from our Coast, declined to fight tho he had an op­portunity to engage. Deal and Sandown Castles were reduced by Col. Rich, and many of our revolted Ships not finding things according to their Expectation, being constrained to serve under Prince Rupert instead of the Lord Wil­loughby, who they desired might command them, returned to the Obedience of the Parlia­ment.

The Scots making all possible Preparations to raise an Army for the Restitution of the King, Sir Thomas Glenham and Sir Marmaduke Lang­dale went to Scotland to join with them in that Enterprize, and to draw what English they could to promote the Design. The first of these seized upon Carlisle by order of the Scots, tho contrary to their Articles; whereupon the Parliament thinking it necessary to provide for the Security of Berwick, placed a good Garison therein, and resolving to reinforce the Militia of each County, sent down some of their Mem­bers to give Life to the Preparations. Amongst others I was appointed to go down to the County for which I served, where we agreed to raise two Regiments of Foot and one of Horse. In the mean time the Enemy was not idle, and taking advantage of the Discontents of Capt. Poyer Governour of Pembroke, they prevailed with him to revolt, and declare for [Page 243] the King. Other disaffected Parts of the Na­tion, not yet ready for open Opposition, acted with more Caution, preparing and encouraging Petitions to the Parliament for a Personal Trea­ty with the King, of which the Principal were Surrey, Essex, and Kent. In Essex they met at Chelmsford in a tumultuous manner, and seized Sir William Masham and other Members of Parliament; who being ready to use all gentle Methods to prevent farther Inconveniences, sent down Mr. Charles Rich, second Son to the Earl of Warwick, and Sir Harbottle Grimston, two of their Members, to endeavour to quiet that tumultuous Spirit, with Instructions and Power to promise Indemnity to all that should desist from the prosecution of what they desired in this violent way: which Commission they managed so well, that upon their Promise to present the Requests of the Petitioners, which were drawn up in writing, to the Parliament, and to return them an Answer, the People of the Country dispersed themselves to their own Houses. But the Sedition of the Surrey-men was not terminated so easily, of whom many hundreds came to the doors of the Parliament; and not being satisfied with the Answer the Par­liament thought fit to give to their Petition, after they had been heated with Drink, and animated by the Cavalier Party, they resolved to force from them another Answer, and with intolerable Insolence pressed upon their Guard, beating the Sentinels to the main Guard, which [Page 244] was drawn up at the upper end of Westminster­Hall, where they wounded the Officer who commanded them; and being intreated to de­sist, became more violent; so that the Souldiers were necessitated, in their own Defence, and discharge of their Duty, to fire upon them, whereby two or three of the Country-men were killed: neither did this quiet them, till some Horse and Foot arrived to strengthen the Guard, and dispersed them. Lieutenant Co­lonel Cobbet who commanded the Guard, being called into the House to give an account of what had passed, went to the Bar bleeding from the Wounds which he had received, and related the Passages before-mentioned: but some Friends of the Petitioners within doors informing the House that the matter of Fact was otherwise than had been represented by the Lieutenant Colonel, the Parliament appointed a Committee to examine the Truth of it.

Those of the secluded Members who were in England being returned to the House, divers hard Words passed between them and others of the Parliament; and one day Commissary Ge­neral Ireton speaking something concerning them, Mr. Hollis thinking it to be injurious to them, passing by him in the House, whispered him in the ear, telling him it was false, and he would justify it to be so if he would follow him, and thereupon immediately went out of the House, with the other following him. Some Members who had observed their passio­nate [Page 245] Carriage to each other, and seen them hastily leaving the House, acquainted the Par­liament with their Apprehensions; whereupon they sent their Serjeant at Arms to command their Attendance, which he letting them un­derstand as they were taking Boat to go to the other side of the Water, they returned; and the House taking notice of what they were inform­ed concerning them, enjoined them to forbear all Words or Actions of Enmity towards each other, and to carry themselves for the future as Fellow-members of the same Body, which they promised to do.

Lieutenant General Cromwell perceiving the Clouds to gather on every side, complained to me, as we were walking in the Palace-Yard, of the Unhappiness of his Condition, having made the greatest part of the Nation his Ene­mies, by adhering to a just Cause: But that which he pretended to be his greatest Trouble was, that many who were engaged in the same Cause with him had entertained a Jealousy and Suspicion of him; which he assured me was a great Discouragement to him, asking my Ad­vice, what Method was best for him to take. I could not but acknowledg that he had many Enemies for the sake of the Cause in which he stood engaged, and also that many who were Friends to that Cause had conceived Suspicions of him: but I observed to him, that he could never oblige the former, without betraying that Cause wherein he was engaged; which if he [Page 246] should do upon the account of an empty Title, Riches, or any other Advantages, how those Contracts would be kept with him, was un­certain; but most certain it was, that his Name would be abominated by all good Men, and his Memory be abhorred by Posterity. On the other side, if he persisted in the prosecution of our just Intentions, it was the most probable way to subdue his Enemies, to rectisy the Mis­takes of those that had conceived a Jealousy of him, and to convince his Friends of his Inte­grity: that if he should fall in the Attempt, yet his Loss would be lamented by all good Men, and his Name be transmitted to future Ages with Honour. He seemed to take well what I said, and it might have been no Dis­service to him if he had acted accordingly: but his Design was rather to perswade me, for the present, of the Rectitude of his Intenti­ons, than to receive Counsel from me concern­ing his Conduct.

About this time we obtained some Advan­tages in Ireland, where Col. Michael Jones, who had been order'd by the Parliament to command at Dublin when the Earl of Ormond delivered it up; with the Forces he had, fought the Re­bels, tho double his Number, at Dungon-hill, killed some thousands of them, and totally routed the rest: Of which when the Parlia­ment had received Information, they ordered five hundred Pounds by Year of the forseited Lands in Ireland to be settled upon Col. Jones [Page 247] as a Reward for his good Service. In England the Defection began to increase; Capt. Henry Lilburn who commanded for the Parliament in Tinmouth-Castle, which lies at the Mouth of the Harbour, and is a Key to Newcastle, de­claring for the King; but notice thereof being brought to Sir Arthur Haslerig at Newcastle, of which Town he was Governour, he with great Expedition drew down a Party before the Place, and attacking it unexpectedly, took it by As­sault, before the Men had been throughly con­firmed in their Revolt by the Governour, whom he put to the Sword, and placed another Garison therein.

Many of those who had been for the Parlia­ment in South-wales now joining with the King's Party, they grew to be a considerable Body; whereby Major General Laughern, who upon some Suspicion had been under Confinement, was encouraged to get away and join himself to them; Major General John Stradling, Sir Henry Stradling, Col. Thomas Stradling, and several other Gentlemen of those Parts falling in with them. Col. Horton, with about two thousand five hundred Horse, Foot, and Dra­goons, was sent into Wales to engage them; Lieutenant General Cromwell following with as many more Forces as could be spared from the Army; who being within three or four days March of Col. Horton, received Advice that the Enemy, to the number of about seven thou­sand, had engaged the Colonel at St. Faggons [Page 248] in Glamorganshire; that upon the first Attack our Forces gave ground, but well considering the Danger they were in, the Country being full of Enemies, and encouraged by their Af­fection to the Cause wherein they were en­gaged, they charged the Enemies Van, con­sisting of the best of their Men, with so great Bravery and Resolution, that they forced them to give way; which those that were in their Rear, who were for the most part new-raised Men, perceiving, began to shift for themselves. Upon this ours followed their Charge with so much Vigour and Success, that the whole Bo­dy of the Enemy was soon routed and dis­persed; many of them were killed in the Pur­suit, and many taken Prisoners: amongst the latter was Major General Stradling, and divers other Officers. The News of this Success was very welcome to all those that wished well to the Publick, and proved a great Discourage­ment to the contrary Party.

The Petitioners of Surrey drew into a Body, and in conjunction with the Kentish-men of the King's Party, appointed their Rendezvouz upon Black heath: But Sir Thomas Fairfax with that part of the Army which he had with him, disappointed that Design, by possessing himself of that Ground before them. However the Enemy had brought together a considerable Bo­dy of Men, many of whom were induced to come in, upon Assurances given that they should be commanded by Mr. Hales, a Gentleman of [Page 249] a great Estate in Kent; tho afterwards the Lord Goring appeared at the Head of them, as had been designed from the beginning. Upon the Advance of Sir Thomas Fairfax his Army, the Enemy, who exceeded him in Number by one half at least, divided their Body, sending one part to possess themselves of Maidstone and the adjacent Places, and another Party to block up Dover and other Forts upon the Coast, whilst Goring remained with the rest about Rochester. Sir Thomas Fairfax resolving first to attack those about Maidstone, fell upon them, and beat them into the Town, which they had fortified be­fore; whereupon tho the Numbers within the Town being at least equal to those without, made it a Work of great Hazard and Difficul­ty, yet considering that those with the Lord Goring exceeded either, and might march to the Enemies Relief, ours resolved to storm the Place, which they did the Night following; the General by his own Example encouraging the Men to fall on, who for a good while were not able to make any considerable Progress, till Col. Hewson with his Regiment opened a Pas­sage into one of the Streets, where the Dispute growing hot, he was knocked down with a Musquet; but recovering himself, he pressed the Enemy so hard, that they were forced to retreat to their main Guard, and falling in with them at the same time, so disordered them, that they all began to shift for themselves; wherein they were favoured by the Advantage [Page 250] of the Night: yet many of them were made Prisoners, and many killed; many Horses and all their Artillery fell into the hands of ours. The General, as soon as he had refreshed his Men, advanced towards that Body command­ed by the Lord Goring, which was much in­creased in Number by the Addition of those who escaped from Maidstone, but not in Reso­lution, being so discouraged with their Relation of what had passed there, that immediately upon our Approach they began to retreat, ma­ny of them running away to their own Habi­tations. Notwithstanding this, a considerable Body continuing with the Lord Goring, he sent to the City of London, desiring leave to march through the City into Essex, designing to re­cruit his Men with such of that County as had lately expressed so much Affection to the King's Interest. The City, tho much inclined to have the King received upon Terms, yet not willing absolutely to espouse the Cavalier Party, espe­cially in a flying Posture; and considering that there was a great Number still amongst them who retained their Affection to the Publick Cause, returned a positive Denial to Goring: so that he was necessitated to make use of Boats or other means to transport his Men over the River into the County of Essex. A Party of Horse was sent from the Army to keep a Guard at Bow-bridg, as well to prevent the disaflected in the City from running to the Enemy, as to hinder them from doing any thing to the preju­dice of London.

Lieutenant General Cromwell, with that part of the Army which was with him, besieged the Castle and Town of Pembroke, whither the principal of that Body which fled from St. Fag­gons had made their Retreat. In the mean time the Presbyterian Party prevailing in the House, by reason of the Absence of divers Members who belonged to the Army, and were employed in all parts of the Nation, dis­charged from Prison those who had been com­mitted upon the account of that Force which was put upon the House by the late Tumults, and the Parliament left to the Mercy of their Enemies with a very slender Guard. The Lord Lisle's Commission to be Lord Lieutenant of Ireland expiring at the same time, they refused to renew it; by which means the Province of Munster fell into the hands of the Lord Inche­quin as President, who made use of the oppor­tunity to displace those Officers that had been put in by the Lord Lisle, preferring his own Creatures to their Employments, to the great prejudice of the English Interest in that Coun­try: many others who were acquainted with his Temper and Principles quitted voluntarily; and tho he still pretended Fidelity to the State of England, yet he expressed himself dissatisfied with the Proceedings of the Army-Party to­wards him. Some Overtures also he had re­ceived from the Irish touching an Accommo­dation; but being straitned by them in his Quarters, and therefore advancing with his [Page 252] Army towards them, Col. Temple and some others yet remaining in his Army being willing to improve the occasion, pressed him so hard to resolve to fight, that he could not well avoid it. At the beginning of the Battel the Success seemed to be very doubtful, but in the end ours obtained the Victory, some thousands of the Enemy being killed, many made Prisoners, and all their Baggage taken. Not long after this he declared against the Parliament, and joined with the Irish Rebels: Some of the English Officers concurred with him in his Declaration; many left him and came to the Parliament, who made provision for them, as they had done for those that came away before. Tho this Conjunction of Inchequin was not concluded without the King's Consent, yet it was not a proper season for him to condescend so far as they desired: whereby great Divisions arose amongst them; for there was a Party of Old Irish, as they were called, headed principally by Owen Roe O Neal, of whom several were in the Supreme Council, who, out of an innate Hatred to the English Government, joined with those who would be satisfied with nothing less than to have the Pope acknowledged to be their only Supreme Lord: so that not being able to agree, their Differences proved very serviceable to the English Interest. The like Spirit of Division appeared amongst our Enemies in Scotland, where tho the Number was great of those that professed their constant Adherence to their En­gagements [Page 253] contained in the Covenant, yet when it came to a Trial in their Convention, the Anti-Covenanters, who were for restoring the King without any Terms, carried all before them: So that instead of the Marquiss of Ar­gile, the Marquiss of Hamilton was appointed General of their Army; all the inferiour Offi­cers being of the same Mold and Principle; in­somuch that the Pulpits who before had pro­claimed this War, now accompanied the Army that was preparing to march with their Curses: for tho they could have been contented that the Sectarian Party, as they called it, should be ruined, provided they could find Strength e­nough to bring in the King themselves; yet they feared their old Enemy more than their new one, because the latter would only restrain them from lording it over them and others, af­fording them equal Liberty with themselves; whereas the former was so far from that, as hardly to suffer them to be Hewers of Wood and Drawers of Water: for those who would have all Power both Civil and Ecclesiastical put into one Hand, could not possibly agree with such as would have it divided into many.

These Affairs necessitated the Parliament to raise the Militia, in order to oppose this male­volent Spirit which threatned them from the North, and also prevailed with them to dis­countenance a Charge of High Treason, framed by Major Huntington, an Officer of the Army, with the Advice of some Members of both [Page 254] Houses, against Lieutenant General Cromivell, for endeavouring, by betraying the King, Par­liament, and Army, to advance himself; it be­ing manifest that the preferring this Accusation at that time, was principally designed to take him off from his Command, and thereby to weaken the Army, that their Enemies might be the better enabled to prevail against them.

The Design of the King's Escape was still carried on; but by the Vigilance of the Gover­nour of the Isle of Wight and his Officers it was discovered and prevented. The next Morning after the Discovery they found the Iron Bars of the King's Chamber-window eaten through by something applied to them: Whereupon those who were to have been instrumental in his Escape, not knowing otherwise how to revenge themselves on those who had defeated their En­terprize, accused Major Rolfe, a Captain in that Garison very active and vigilant in his Charge, of a Design to kill the King, raising such a Clamour about it, that the Parliament thought not sit to decline the putting him upon his Trial; but the Accusation appearing to the Grand Jury to be grounded upon Malice, they refused to find the Bill. About the same time Capt. Burleigh, who had beat a Drum at Newport for the rescuing of the King, was brought to his Trial; and the Jury having found him guilty of High Treason, he was executed according to the Sentence.

Those of the Enemies commanded by the Lord Goring, who had fled into Essex, grew to a considerable Number; but being new-raised Men, and not well acquainted one with ano­ther, upon the Advance of our Army retreated to Colchester with a Body so much exceeding ours, which pursued and besieged them in that Place, that Commissary General Ireton com­pared the Town and those therein to a great Bee-hive, and our Army to a small Swarm of Bees sticking on one side of it; but the number of ours was soon increased by the Forces which the well-affected in the Counties of Essex, Suf­folk, Norfolk, and Cambridg, sent to their As­sistance.

The Earl of Holland, who at the beginning of the Parliament had appeared active for them, and afterwards leaving them, had gone to the King at Oxford, when he supposed him to grow strong; then again returning to the Par­liament upon the declining of the King's Af­fairs, publishing a Declaration at his coming to London, that he left the King because he saw the Irish Rebels so eminently favoured by him; in this low Condition of the Parliament, re­volted again, and formed a Party of about a thousand Horse, with which he marched from London, and declared against them, accompani­ed by the Duke of Buckingham, (whose Se­questration upon the account of his Minority when he first engaged with the King, the Par­liament had freely remitted) and the Lord [Page 256] Francis his Brother, prevailing also with Dal­beir, formerly Quarter-Master-General to the Earl of Essex, to join with them. Their Ren­dezvouz was appointed to be upon Bansted­Downs; but the Vigilance of the Parliament was such, that a Party of Horse and Foot was soon sent after them, commanded by Sir Mi­chael Lewesey, who without much Dispute put those Courtly Gentlemen to the rout. The Lord Francis presuming perhaps that his Beauty would have charmed the Souldiers, as it had done Mrs. Kirke, for whom he made a splendid Entertainment the Night before he left the Town, and made her a Present of Plate to the Value of a thousand Pounds, stayed behind his Company, where unseasonably daring the Troopers, and refusing to take Quarter, he was killed, and after his Death there was found up­on him some of the Hair of Mrs. Kirk sew'd in a piece of Ribbon that hung next his Skin. The rest fled towards St. Neots in the County of Huntington, where being fallen upon again, they were routed a second time: in which Action the Parliament's Souldiers, to express their Detestation of Dalbeir's Treachery, hew­ed him in pieces. The Earl of Holland was taken, and sent Prisoner to Warwick-Castle; but the Duke of Buckingham escaped, and went over to France.

Pomfret-Castle being seized by some of the King's Party, was besieged by the Country, assisted by some of the Army, Sir Hugh Cholme­ly [Page 257] commanding at the Siege; but the Army finding little Progress made therein, ordered Col. Rainsborough with more Forces thither, appointing him to command in the room of Sir Hugh Cholmely. Whilst he was preparing for that Service, being at Doncaster, ten or twelve Miles from Pomfret, with a considera­ble Force in the Town, a Party of Horse dis­mounting at his Quarters, and going up as Friends to his Chamber, under pretence of having business with him, seized him first, and upon his Refusal to go silently with them, mur­dered him. After his Death another Com­mander being appointed in his place to carry on the Siege, those in the Castle were reduced to such Extremities, that some of the most despe­rate of them resolved, together with their Go­vernour one Morris, who had been Page to the Earl of Strassord, to endeavour the breaking through our Forces on Horseback; which they attempted, and tho most of them were beaten back to the Castle by the Besiegers, yet this Morris made his way through; but was after­wards taken as he passed through the Country in the Disguise of a Beggar, and carried to York, where he was arraigned before Justice Thorpe, and being found guilty of Treason, was executed for the same.

Lieutenant General Cromwell, with that part of the Army which was with him, besieged the Town and Castle of Pembroke, whither the chief of that Party that fled from St. Faggons [Page 258] had made their Retreat, as I said before; but wanting great Guns, he was obliged to send for some to Glocester, which with much diffi­culty were brought to him. This Place de­tained the greatest part of our Army about six Weeks; but it was remarkable, that about the time the Scots were entring into England, the Garison, for want of Provisions, was forced to capitulate and surrender upon Articles, by which some of them were to remain Prisoners, and others to be banished into Ireland for three Years; amongst the latter were Col. Thomas Stradling, Sir Henry Stradling, Col. Button and Major Butler; of the first were Col. Laughern, Col. Poyer, and Col. Powell.

Twenty Thousand Scots being upon their March into England under the Conduct of Duke Hamilton, with about five Thousand English, commanded by Sir Marmaduke Langdale, some of us who had opposed the Lieutenant Gene­ral's Arbitrary Proceedings, when we were con­vinced he acted to promote a selfish and unwar­rantable Design, now thinking our selves ob­liged to strengthen his Hands in that necessary Work, which he was appointed to undertake, writ a Letter to him to encourage him, from the Consideration of the Justice of the Cause wherein he was engaged, and the Wickedness of those with whom he was to encounter, to proceed with Chearfulness, assuring him, that not withstanding all our Discouragements we would readily give him all the Assistance we [Page 259] could. The House of Commons declared the Scots who had invaded England to be Enemies, and ordered the Lieutenant General to advance towards them, and fight them: But the Lords in this doubtful Posture of Affairs declined to concur with them in the same: Yet both of them, with the City of London, joined in dri­ving on a Personal Treaty with the King in the Isle of Wight, and to that end the Lords and Commons revoked the Votes for Non-Ad­dresses; whereby the King seemed to be on sure ground, for that if the Scots Army failed, he might still make Terms with the Parliament. The King's Party in Colchester were also much encouraged with hopes of Relief from the Scots Army, who were very numerous, and well furnished with all things but a good Cause. To fight this formidable Army the Lieutenant General could not make up much above seven thousand Horse and Foot, and those so extreme­ly harassed with hard Service and long Marches, that they seemed rather fit for a Hospital than a Battel. With this handful of Men he ad­vanced towards the Enemy, and about Preston in Lancashire both Armies met on the 17 th of August, 1648. The English who were in the Scots Army had the Honour of the Van, and for a time entertained ours with some Opposi­tion; but being vigorously pressed by our Men, they were forced to retreat to a Pass, which they maintained against us, whilst they sent to their General for Succours; which he not send­ing, [Page 260] on purpose, as was said, that the English might be cut off, and his Party kept intire to enable him to set up for himself, and give Law to both Nations, they began to shift for them­selves: which made such an Impression upon the Scots, that they soon followed their Exam­ple, retreating in a disorderly manner. Ours followed them so close, that most of their Foot threw down their Arms, and yielded them­selves Prisoners. Many of the principal Offi­cers of their Foot were taken, with all their Artillery, Ammunition and Baggage; Hamil­ton, with four or five thousand Horse in a Body, left the Field, and was pursued by Col. Thor­ney a Member of Parliament, and Colonel of a Regiment of Horse, a worthy and a valiant Man, who following them too close, and unad­visedly run himself upon one of their Lances, wherewith he was mortally wounded, which he perceiving by the wasting of his Spirits, to express his Affection to his Country, and Joy for the Defeat of the Enemy, desired his Men to open to the right and left, that he might have the Satisfaction to see them run before he died. The Enemies Body of Horse kept them­selves together for some days roving up and down the Country about Leicestershire, which County the Lord Grey of Grooby had raised, and brought together about three thousand Horse and Foot to preserve the Country from Plunder, and to take all possible Advantages against the Enemy: and tho a Body of Horse [Page 261] from the Army was in pursuit of the Scots, yet the Leicestershire Party came up first to them at Uttoxeter in Staffordshire, where the Body of the Enemies Horse was; and whilst the Scots were treating with the other Party from the Army, the Lord Grey's Men observing no Guards kept, entred upon them, before any Conditions were made; whereupon Hamilton surrendred himself to Col. Wayte, an Officer of the Leicestershire-Party, delivering to him his Scarf, his George, and his Sword, which last he desired him to keep carefully, because it had be­longed to his Ancestors. By the two Parties the Scots were all made Prisoners, and all their Horses seized: the Duke of Hamilton was car­ried Prisoner to Windsor-Castle, and all their Standards of Horse and Foot were taken and sent up to London, where the Parliament order­ed them to be hung up in Westminster-Hall. The House of Lords who had avoided to de­clare the Scots Enemies whilst their Army was entire, now after their Defeat prevented the House of Commons, and moved that a Day might be appointed to give God Thanks for this Success. The News of this Victory being carried to the Isle of Wight, the King said to the Governour, that it was the worst News that ever came to England; to which he an­swered, That he thought the King had no cause to be of that Opinion, since if Hamilton had beaten the English, he would certainly have possessed himself of the Thrones of Eng­land [Page 262] and Scotland: The King presently replied, You are mistaken, I could have commanded him back with the motion of my Hand. Which whe­ther he could do or no, was doubtful; but whatever Reasons he had for this Opinion, it seemed very unseasonable to own it openly in that Conjuncture. Lieutenant General Crom­well marched with part of his Army to Edin­burgh, where he dispossessed the Hamiltonian Party of their Authority, and put the Power into the hands of the Presbyterians; by whom he was received with great Demonstrations of Joy: and tho lately they looked upon the In­dependent Party as the worst of their Enemies, yet now they owned and embraced them as their best Friends and Deliverers; and having notice given them that the English Army was about to return into England, they prevailed with the Lieutenant General to leave Major General Lambert with a Body of Horse, till they could raise more Forces to provide for their own Safety.

The Treaty with the King being pressed with more heat than ever, and a Design visibly appearing to render all our Victories useless thereby; by the Advice of some Friends I went down to the Army, which lay at that time before Colchester; where attending upon the General Sir Thomas Fairfax, to acquaint him with the state of Affairs at London, I told him, that a Design was driving on to betray the Cause in which so much of the Peoples [Page 263] Blood had been shed: that the King being un­der a Restraint, would not account himself ob­liged by any thing he should promise under such Circumstances; assuring him, that most of those who pushed on the Treaty with the greatest Vehemency, intended not that he should be bound to the performance of it, but designed principally to use his Authority and Favour in order to destroy the Army; who, as they had assumed the Power, ought to make the best use of it, and to prevent the Ruin of Themselves and the Nation. He acknowledged what I said to be true, and declared himself re­solved to use the Power he had, to maintain the Cause of the Publick, upon a clear and evident Call, looking upon himself to be obliged to pursue the Work which he was about. Per­ceiving by such a general Answer that he was irresolute, I went to Commissary General Ire­ton, who had a great Influence upon him, and having found him, we discoursed together up­on the same Subject, wherein we both agreed that it was necessary for the Army to interpose in this matter, but differed about the time; he being of opinion, that it was best to permit the King and the Parliament to make an Agree­ment, and to wait till they had made a full Discovery of their Intentions, whereby the People becoming sensible of their own Danger, would willingly join to oppose them. My Opinion was, that it would be much easier for the Army to keep them from a Conjunction, [Page 264] than to oppose them when united; it being highly probable that the first things they would fall upon after their Union, would be such as were most taking with the People, in order to oblige them to assist in the disbanding of the Army, under pretence of lesiening their Taxes: and then if the Army should in any manner sig­nify a Dislike of their Proceedings, they would be esteemed by the Majority of the People, to be Disturbers of the publick Peace, and accused of designing nothing save their own particular Advantages.

The King's Party in Colchester expecting to be included in the Peace which was treating be­tween him and the Parliament, held out to the utmost; but being in extreme want of Provisi­ons, and destitute of all hopes of Relief since the Defeat of the Scots, they were sorced to surrender on the 28 th of August, 1648. upon Articles, whereby some of the principal of them being Prisoners at Discretion, the Court Mar­tial assembled and condemned Sir Charles Lucas, Sir George Lisle, and Sir Barnard Gascoin, to die; the last of whom being a Foreigner, was pardoned, and the other two were shot to death according to the Sentence. The Lord Goring and the Lord Capel were sent Prisoners to London, and committed to the Tower by an Order of the Parliament.

The Two Houses finding things in this posture, hastened the Departure of their Com­missioners to the Isle of Wight, with Powers [Page 265] and Instructions to treat with the King, who principally insisted on that Article concerning Bishops, whom he accounted to be by Divine Right, or rather essentially necessary to the Sup­port of Arbitrary Power; whereupon Ministers of each side were appointed to dispute touching that Subject, in order to satisfy the King's Con­science. But the Army having now wonder­fully dispersed their Enemies on every part, be­gan to consider how to secure themselves and the Common Cause against those Counsels that were carried on in opposition to them, under pretext of making Peace with the King, and to that end drew up a Declaration at St. Albans, dated the 16 th of November, 1648. shewing, that the Grounds of their first Engagement was to bring Delinquents to Justice; that the King was guilty of the Blood shed in the first and second War, and that therefore they could not trust him with the Government. This Remonstrance they presented to the Parliament on the 20 th of November, 1648. The King and Parliament seeing this Cloud beginning to gather, endeavoured by all means possible to hasten their Treaty to a Conclusion. The Ar­my also were not wanting to fortify themselves against that Shock, sending some of their own Number to those Members of Parliament, whom they esteemed most faithful to the Com­mon Cause, to invite them down to the Army, after they should in a publick manner have ex­pressed their Dissatisfaction to the Proceedings [Page 266] of those who had betrayed the Trust reposed in them by the good People of England, and de­clared, that finding it impossible to be any far­ther serviceable in Parliament, they had resolved to repair to the Army in order toprocure their Assistance in settling the Government of the Nation upon a just Foundation. At a Meeting of some Members of Parliament with the said Officers from the Army, it was resolved, That tho the way proposed by them might be taken in case all other means failed, yet seeing there was more than a sufficient Number of Mem­bers in the Parliament to make a House, who were most affectionate to the Publick Cause, it would be more proper for the Army to relieve them from those who rendred them'useless to the Publick Service, thereby preserving the Name and Place of the Parliament, than for the Members thereof to quit their Stations wherein they were appointed to serve, and to leave the Civil Authority in the hands of those who would be ready to fall in with any Power that would attempt to frustrate what should be agreed on by them and the Army. In prosecu­tion of this Result the Army drew to Colebrook, from whence Commissary General Ireton sent me word, that now he hoped they should please me, which I must acknowledg they did by the way which they were taking; not from any particular Advantages that I expected from it, except an equal share of Security with other Men; but that the People of England might [Page 267] be preserved in their just Rights, from the Oppres­sions of violent Men; the Question in dispute be­tween the King's Party and us being, as I appre­hended, Whether the King should govern as a God by his Will, and the Nation be governed by Force like Beasts: or whether the People should be governed by Laws made by themselves, and live under a Govern­ment derived from their own Consent. Being fully perswaded that an Accommodation with the King was unsafe to the People of England, and unjust and wicked in the nature of it. The former, be­sides that it was obvious to all Men, the King him­self had proved, by the Duplicity of his dealing with the Parliament, which manifestly appeared in his own Papers taken at the Battel of Naseby, and elsewhere. Of the latter I was convinced by the express Words of God's Law; That Blood de­sileth the Land, and the Land cannot be cleansed of the Blood that is shed therein, but by the Blood of him that shed it. Numbers, Chap. 35. v. 33. And therefore I could not consent to the Counsels of those who were contented to leave the Guilt of so much Blood upon the Nation, and thereby to draw down the just Vengeance of God upon us all; when it was most evident that the War had been occasioned by the Invasion of our Rights, and open Breach of our Laws and Constitution on the King's part.

The Commissioners that were appointed to manage the Treaty with the King, returned with the King's Answer, containing neither a positive Grant, nor an absolute Denial. As to the Bi­shops, [Page 268] he still retained his Principle of their Divine Right, and therefore declared that he could not dispense with the Abolition of them; but for present Satisfaction, hoping by giving ground to gain a better opportunity to serve them, he consented that those who had bought their Lands should have a Lease of them for some Years: and for satisfaction for the Blood that had been shed, he was willing that six should be excepted; but withal Care was taken, that they should be such as were far enough from the reach of Justice. By another Article, the Militia was to remain in the Parliament for ten Years: thereby implying, if I mistake not, that the Right of granting it was in the King, and consequently that we had done him wrong in contending with him for it. By such ways and means did some Men endeavour to abuse the Nation.

Some of our Commissioners who had been with the King, pleaded in the House for a Concurrence with him, as if they had been imployed by him; tho others with more Ingenuity acknowledged that they would not advise an Agreement upon those Terms, were it not to prevent a greater Evil that was like to ensue upon the Refusal of them. But Sir Henry Vane so truly stated the matter of Fact relating to the Treaty, and so evidently disco­vered the Design and Deceit of the King's Answer, that he made it clear to us, that by it the Justice of our Cause was not asserted, nor our Rights secured for the future; concluding, that if they should ac­cept of these Terms without the Concurrence of the [Page 269] Army, it would prove but a Feather in their Caps: Notwithstanding which the corrupt Party in the House having bargain'd for their own and the Nation's Liberty, resolved to break through all Hazards and Inconveniences to make good their Contract, and after twenty four hours Debate, resolved by the Plurality of Votes, That the King's Concessions were Ground for a future Settlement. At which some of us expressing our Dissatisfaction, desired that our Protestation might be entred; but that being denied, as against the Orders of the House, I contented my self to declare publickly, that be­ing convinced that they had deserted the Com­mon Cause and Interest of the Nation, I could no longer join with them; the rest of those who dissented also expressing themselves much to the same purpose. The day following some of the principal Officers of the Army came to London, with expectation that things would be brought to this issue; and consulting with some Members of Parliament and others, it was con­cluded after a full and free Debate, that the Measures taken by the Parliament were contra­ry to the Trust reposed in them, and tending to contract the Guilt of the Blood that had been shed upon themselves, and the Nation: that it was therefore the Duty of the Army to endea­vour to put a stop to such Proceedings; having engaged in the War, not simply as Mercena­ries, but out of Judgment and Conscience, be­ing convinced that the Cause in which they [Page 270] were engaged was just, and that the Good of the People was involved in it. Being come to this Resolution, three of the Members of the House, and three of the Officers of the Army withdrew into a private Room, to consider of the best means to attain the ends of our said Re­solution, where we agreed that the Army should be drawn up the next Morning, and Guards placed in Westminster-Hall, the Court of Requests, and the Lobby; that none might be permitted to pass into the House but such as had continued faithful to the Publick Interest. To this end we went over the Names of all the Members one by one, giving the truest Cha­racters we could of their Inclinations, wherein I presume we were not mistaken in many; for the Parliament was fallen into such Factions and Divisions, that any one who usually at­tended and observed the business of the House, could, after a Debate upon any Question, easi­ly number the Votes that would be on each side, before the Question was put. Commissary General Ireton went to Sir Thomas Fairfax, and acquainted him with the necessity of this extraordinary way of proceeding, having taken care to have the Army drawn up the next Morning by seven of the Clock. Col. Pride commanded the Guard that attended at the Par­liament-doors, having a List of those Members who were to be excluded, preventing them from entring into the House, and securing some of the most suspected under a Guard provided [Page 271] for that end; in which he was assisted by the Lord Grey of Grooby and others, who knew the Members. To justify these Proceedings the Army sent a Message to the House, repre­senting, That whereas divers Members had been expelled the House upon account of the Violence done to the Parliament by the City of London, and others, in 1647. yet upon the Absence of many well-affected Members, by reason of their Employments in the Army and elsewhere against the Enemy, the said Per­sons were re-admitted without any Trial or Satisfaction in the things whereof they were accused; whereby the Scots had been drawn to invade this Kingdom, and the House pre­vented by the Intruders and their Accomplices from declaring against the Invaders, who had made up the Number of ninety odd Votes to that purpose: And whereas by the prevalency of the same corrupt Counsels, Justice had been obstructed, and a Settlement of Affairs hin­dred: and lastly, the King's Concessions de­clared to be a Ground for the Settlement of Peace, notwithstanding the Insufficiency and Defects of them; they therefore most humbly desired that all those Members who are inno­cent in these things, would by a publick Decla­ration acquit themselves from any Guilt there­of, or Concurrence therein; and that those who shall not so acquit themselves, may be ex­cluded or suspended the House till they have given clear Satisfaction therein; that those [Page 272] who have faithfully performed their Trust, may proceed without interruption to the execu­tion of Justice, and to make speedy provision for an equal Succession of Representatives, wherein Differences may be composed, and all Men comfortably acquiesce, as they for their parts thereby engaged and assured them they would. The House, wherein there was about six score, was moved to send for those Mem­bers who were thus excluded by the Army; which they did, as I presume, rather upon the account of Decency, than from any desire they had that their Message should be obeyed; and that it might clearly appear that this Interrup­tion proceeded from the Army, and not from any Advice of the Parliament, to the end that what they should act separately, might be esteemed to be only in order to prevent such In­conveniences as might otherwise fall upon the Nation, if the whole Power should be left in the hands of an Army; and that their Actions appearing to be founded upon this Necessity, they might the better secure the Respect and Obedience of the People. Upon such Conside­rations, when the Serjeant returned and ac­quainted them that the excluded Members were detained by the Army, the House pro­ceeded in the business before them.

Lieutenant General Cromwell the Night after the Interruption of the House arrived from Scotland, and lay at Whitehall, where, and at other Places, he declared that he had not been [Page 273] acquainted with this Design; yet since it was done, he was glad of it, and would endeavour to maintain it.

Major General Harrison being sent by the Ar­my with a Party of Horse to bring the King from the Isle of Wight, Col. Hammond, who was entrusted with the Custody of him by the Parliament, disputed to deliver him; but find­ing that those about him inclined to comply, he thought it not convenient to make any far­ther Opposition: So that the King was con­ducted from the Island to Hurst-Castle, and from thence to Windsor, by Major General Har­rison. Being on his way, he dined at Mr. Le­viston's in Bagshot-Park, who had provided a Horse for him to make his Escape; but this Design also was discovered, and prevented. The King being at Windsor, it was debated what should be done with him: The Army were for bringing him to a Trial, for levying War against the Parliament and People of Eng­land, and the Common Council of the City of London presented a Petition to the Parliament by the hands of Col. Titchborn to that effect; but some of the Commonwealths-men desired that before they consented to that Method, it might be resolved what Government to esta­blish, fearing a Design in the Army to set up some one of themselves in his room: others en­deavoured to perswade them that the execution of Justice ought to be their first Work, in re­spect of their Duty to God and the People [Page 274] that the failure therein had been already the oc­casion of a second War, which was justly to be charged on the Parliament for neglecting that Duty; that those who were truly Common­wealths-men, ought to be of that Opinion, as the most probable means to attain their Desires in the establishment of an equal and just Go­vernment; and that the Officers of the Army, who were chiefly to be suspected, could not be guilty of so much Impudence and Folly, to erect an Arbitrary Power in any one of them­selves, after they had in so publick a manner de­clared their Detestation of it in another.

In order to the accomplishment of the impor­tant Work which the House of Commons had now before them, they voted, That by the Fun­damental Laws of the Land, it is Treason for the King of England, for the time being, to levy War against the Parliament and Kingdom. To which the Lords not concurring, they passed it the next day without their Consent; and the day after declared, That the People are, under God, the Original of all just Power: That the House of Commons being chosen by, and represent­ing the People, are the Supreme Power in the Na­tion: That whatsoever is enacted or declared for Law by the Commons in Parliament, hath the Force of a Law, and the People are concluded thereby, tho the Consent of King or Peers be not had thereto.

This Obstruction being removed, several Petitions were brought to the Parliament, for [Page 275] so the House of Commons now stiled them­selves, from the City of London, Borough of Southwark, and most of the Counties in Eng­land, requesting that the King might be brought to Justice; in order to which they passed an Act, authorizing the Persons therein named, or any thirty of them, to proceed to the Ar­raignment, Condemnation or Acquittal of the King; with full Power, in case of Condemna­tion, to proceed to Sentence, and to cause the said Sentence to be put in Execution.

This High Court of Justice met on the 8 th of January 1648 in the Painted Chamber, to the number of about fourscore, consisting chief­ly of Members of Parliament, Officers of the Army, and Gentlemen of the Country; where they chose Serjeant Aske, Serjeant Steel, and Dr. Dorrislaus to be their Counsel; Mr. John Coke of Grays-Inn to be their Solicitor, and Mr. Andrew Broughton their Secretary; and sent out a Precept under their Hands and Seals for proclaiming the Court to be held in West­minster-Hall on the tenth of the said Month; which was performed accordingly by Serjeant Dendy, attended by a Party of Horse, in Cheap­side, before the old Exchange, and in Westmin­ster-Hall. On the the tenth they chose Serjeant Bradshaw to be their President, with Mr. Lisle and Mr. Say to be his Assistants; and a Charge of High Treason being drawn up against the King, the Court appointed a convenient Place to be prepared at the upper end of Westminster­Hall [Page 276] for his Publick Trial, directing it to be covered with Scarlet Cloth, and ordered twen­ty Halberdiers to attend the President, and thirty the King.

All things being thus prepared for the Trial, the King was conducted from Windsor to St. James's: from whence on the 20 th of January he was brought to the Bar of the High Court of Justice, where the President acquainted the King with the Causes of his being brought to that Place: For that He contrary to the Trust reposed in him by the People, to see the Laws put in execution for their Good, had made use of his Power to subvert those Laws, and to set up his Will and Pleasure as a Law over them: that in order to effect that Design, he had en­deavoured the Suppression of Parliaments, the best Defence of the Peoples Liberties: That he had levied War against the Parliament and People of England, wherein great numbers of the good People had been slain, of which Blood the Parliament presuming him guilty, had ap­pointed this High Court of Justice for the Tri­al of him for the same. Then turning to Mr. Broughton Clerk of the Court, he com­manded him to read the Charge against the King; who as the Clerk was reading the Charge, interrupted him, saying, I am not intrusted by the People, they are mine by Inhe­ritance; demanding by what Authority they brought him thither. The President answered, that they derived their Authority from an Act [Page 277] made by the Commons of England assembled in Parliament: The King said the Commons could not give an Oath; that they were no Court, and therefore could make no Act for the Trial of any Man, much less of him their Soveraign. It was replied, that the Commons assembled in Parliament could acknowledg no other Sove­raign but God, for that upon his and the Peo­ples Appeal to the Sword for the Decision of their respective Pretensions, Judgment had been given for the People; who conceiving it to be their Duty not to bear the Sword in vain, had appointed the Court to make Inquisition for the Blood that had been shed in that Dispute. Whereupon the President being moved by Mr. Solicitor Coke in the Name, and on the Behalf of the good People of England, com­manded the Clerk of the Court to proceed in the reading of the Charge against him: which being done, the King was required to give his Anser to it, and to plead guilty, or not guilty. The King demurred to the Jurisdiction of the Court, affirming that no Man, nor Body of Men had Power to call him to an account, be­ing not intrusted by Man; and therefore ac­countable only to God for his Actions; entring upon a large Discourse of his being in Treaty with the Parliament's Commissioners at the Isle of Wight, and his being taken from thence he knew not how, when he thought he was come to a Conclusion with them. This Discourse seeming not to the purpose, the President told [Page 278] him, that as to his Plea of not being account­able to Man, seeing God by his Providence had over-ruled it, the Court had resolved to do so also; and that if he would give no other An­swer, that which he had given should be re­gistred, and they would proceed as if he had confessed the Charge: In order to which the President commanded his Answer to be entred, directing Serjeant Dendy, who attended the Court, to withdraw the Prisoner; which as he was doing, many Persons cried out in the Hall, Justice, Justice. The King being with­drawn, the Court adjourned into the Painted Chamber to consider what farther was fit to be done; and being desirous to prevent all Objec­tions tending to accuse them of Haste or Sur­prize, they resolved to convene him before them publickly twice more; after which if he persisted in his Demurrer to the Jurisdiction of the Court, then to give Judgment against him. And that nothing might be wanting, in case he should resolve to plead, they appointed Wit­nesses to be examined to every Article of the Charge. At the King's second Appearance be­fore the Court, which was on the 22 d of Ja­nuary, he carried himself in the same manner as before; whereupon his Refusal being again entred, and he withdrawn, the Court adjourn­ed to the Painted Chamber. On the twenty third of January the King was brought a third time before the Commissioners, where refusing to plead, as he had done before, his Refusal [Page 279] was entered, and Witnesses examined publickly to prove the Charge of his levying War a­gainst the Parliament: After which Solicitor General Coke demanded of the Court that they would proceed to the pronouncing of Sentence against the Prisoner at the Bar: whereupon the Court adjourned into the Painted Chamber, and upon serious consideration declared the King to be a Tyrant, Traitor, Murderer, and a publick Enemy to the Commonwealth: that his Condemnation extend unto Death, by severing his Head from his Body, and that a Sentence grounded upon those Votes be pre­pared; which being agreed upon, the King should be ordered on the next day following to receive it. The Sentence being engrossed, was read on the 27 th of January; and there­upon the Court resolved, that the same should be the Sentence, which should be read and pub­lished in Westminster-Hall the same Day; that the President should not permit the King to speak after the Sentence pronounced; that he should openly declare it to be the Sense and Judgment of the Court, and that the Com­missioners should signify their Consent by standing up. In the Afternoon the King was brought to the Bar, and desired that he might be permitted to make one Proposition before they proceeded to Sentence; which he earnest­ly pressing, as that which he thought would tend to the reconciling of all Parties, and to the Peace of the three Kingdoms, they permit­ted [Page 280] him to offer it: The effect of which was, that he might meet the two Houses in the Painted Chamber, to whom he doubted not to offer that which should satisfy and secure all Interests; designing, as I have been since in­formed, to propose his own Resignation, and the admission of his Son to the Throne upon such Terms as should have been agreed upon. This Motion being new and unexpected to the Court, who were not willing to deny or grant any thing without serious Deliberation, they withdrew to consider of it into the Inner Court of Wards; and being satisfied upon de­bate, that nothing but loss of time would be the consequence of it, they returned into the Court with a Negative to his Demand, telling him that they met there as a Court of Justice commissionated by the Parliament, of whose Authority they were fully satisfied: that by their Commission they were not authorized to receive any Proposals from him, but to proceed to the Trial of him; that in order thereto, his Charge had been read to him, to which if he would have pleaded, the Counsel for the Com­monwealth were ready to have proved it a­gainst him: that he had thrice demurred to the Jurisdiction of the Court, which Demurrer the Court had overruled and registred, order­ing to proceed against him, as if he had con­fessed the Charge; and that if he had any Pro­position to make, it was proper for him to ad­dress it to the Parliament, and not to them. [Page 281] Then the Presideut enlarged upon the horrid Nature of those Crimes, of which he had been accused, and was now convicted; declaring that the only just Power of Kings was derived from the Consent of the People: That where­as the People had intrusted him to see their Laws put in Execution, he had endeavoured throughout the whole Course of his Reign to subvert those good Laws, and to introduce an Arbitrary and Tyrannical Government in the room of them: That to cut off all hopes of re­dress he had attempted from the beginning of his Reign, either wholly to destroy Parliaments, or to render them only subservient to his own corrupt Designs: That tho he had consented, the publick Necessities so requiring, that this Parliament should not be dissolved but by an Act of themselves, he had levied War against them, that he might not only dissolve them, but by the Terrour of his Power for ever dis­courage such Assemblies from doing their Duty: That in this War many thousands of the good People of England had lost their Lives: That in obedience to what God commanded, and the Nation expected, the Parliament had ap­pointed this Court to make Inquisition for this Blood, and to try him for the same: That his Charge had been read to him, and he required to give an Answer to it; which he having thrice refused to do, he acquainted him that the Court had resolved to pronounce Sentence against him, and thereupon commanded the [Page 282] Clerk to read it, which he did, being to this effect: That the King for the Crimes contain­ed in the Charge, should be carried back to the Place from whence he came, and thence to the Place of Execution, where his Head should be severed from his Body: which Sentence being read, the Commissioners testified their unani­mous Assent by their standing up. The King would have spoken something before he was withdrawn; but being accounted dead in Law immediately after Sentence pronounced, it was not permitted. The Court withdrew also, and agreed that the Sentence should be put in Exe­cution on the Tuesday following, which would be the 30 th of January 1648. The King ha­ving refused such Ministers as the Court ap­pointed to attend him, desired that Dr. Juxton late Bishop of London might be permitted to come to him; which being granted, and Ad­jutant General Allen sent to acquaint the Doc­tor with the King's Condition and Desires, he being altogether unprepared for such a Work, broke out into these Expressions, God save me, what a Trick is this, that I should have no more Warning, and I have nothing ready! but recol­lecting himself a little, he put on his Scarf and his other Furniture, and went with him to the King, where having read the Common Prayer and one of his old Sermons, he administred the Sacrament to him; not forgetting to use the Words of the Confession set down in the Liturgy, inviting all those that truly repent to [Page 283] make their Confession before the Congregation then gathered together; tho there was none present but the King and himself.

The High Court of Justice appointed a Committee to inspect the Parts about White­hall for a convenient place for the Execution of the King, who having made their Report, it was agreed that a Scaffold should be erected to that purpose near the Banqueting-House, and order given to cover it with black: The same day, being the 29 th of January, they signed a Warrant for his Execution, to which about threescore of the Commissioners set their Hands and Seals, directing it to Col. Hacker, Col. Hunks, and Col. Phaier, or either of them. The Duke of Glocester and the Lady Elizabeth waited on the King the same day to take their leave of him. An Extraordinary Ambassador from the United Provinces had his Audience in the Parliament; his business was to intercede with them for the Life of the King, and to preserve a fair Correspondence between England and the States. The next day about eight in the Morning the King, attended by a Guard, was brought from St. James's through the Park to Whitehall, where having drunk a Glass or two of red Wine, and stayed about two hours in a private Room, he was conducted to the Scaffold out of a Window of the Banqueting-house; and having made a Speech, and taken off his George, he kneeled down at the Block, and the Executioner persormed his Office. The Body [Page 284] was ordered to be interred at Windsor: The Duke of Lenox, the Marquiss of Hertford, the Earls of Southampton and Lindsey, with some others having Leave from the Parliament, attended it to the Grave.

A Report of the Proceedings of the High Court of Justice being made to the Parliament, they declared, That the Persons imployed in that important Service had discharged their Trust with Courage and Fidelity; that the Parliament was well satisfied with the Account of their Proceedings, ordering them to be en­grossed, and recorded amongst the Parliament­Rolls, in order to transmit the Memory thereof to Posterity; and resolved that the Commissi­oners of the Great Seal should issue a Certio­rari to their Clerk to record those Proceedings in the Chancery, and that the same should be sent to the other Courts at Westminster, and to the Custos Rotulorum of each County. Judg Jenkins, Sir John Stowel, and divers other Persons, who were Prisoners, and had carried themselves very insolently, now finding the Parliament to be in earnest, began to come to a better Temper. Colonel Middleton, who was al­so a Prisoner at Newcastle upon Parole, ran away to Scotland; and being required to return, answered, That his Life was dearer to him than his Honour. Sir Marmaduke Lang­dale made his escape also; and Sir Lewis Dives through a House of Office in Whitehall. The Lord Capel got out of the Tower; but being [Page 285] discovered by a Waterman as he crossed the Thames, he was seized in a House at Lambeth. Duke Hamilton also escaped out of Windsor­Castle, and came to Southwark; where knock­ing at the Door of an Inn, he was seized by a Souldier, who knew him, and was passing by that way; whereupon he was committed to the Tower. The House of Lords becoming now the Subject of the Consideration and De­bate of the Parliament, Lieutenant General Cromwell appeared for them, having already had a close Correspondence with many of them; and, it may be, presuming he might have far­ther use of them in those Designs he had re­solved to carry on: but they not meeting in their House at the time to which they had ad­journed, much facilitated their Removal; so that the Question being put, Whether the House of Commons should take Advice of the House of Lords in the Exercise of the Legislative Power, it was carried in the Negative, and thereupon resolved, That the House of Peers was useless and dangerous, and ought to be abolished; and an Act was soon after passed to that effect. After this they proceeded to declare, That the Office of a King in this Nation is unnecessary, burdensome and dangerous to the Liberty, Safety, and publick Interest of the People, and therefore ought to be abolioshed; and that they will settle the Government of the Nation in the way of a Commonwealth. To this end they ordered a Declaration to be published, whereby it was declared Treason [Page 286] for any Person to endeavour to promote Charles Stuart to be King of England, or any other single Person to be chief Governour thereof: They also ordered the Great Seal, and other Seals, which had the Image of the late King on them, to be defaced; and appointed new ones to be made with the Stamp of the House of Commons on one side, accompanied with this Inscription, The Great Seal of the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England: On the other side was engraven the Cross and the Harp, being the Arms of England and Ireland, with this Inscription, God with us: Ordering all Writs formerly running in the King's Name, to be issued out in the Name of the Keepers of the Liberty of England. A High Court of Justice was constituted by Act of Parliament for the trying of Duke Hamilton, the Earl of Holland, the Lord Goring, the Lord Capel, and Sir John Owen. Duke Hamilton pleaded that he entred into England as an Enemy, being of another Nation, and born before the Act of Union, and consequently not to be tried by the Laws of this; besides he had surrendred himself upon Conditions. The rest of the Lords pleaded Articles also, and so did Sir John Owen: But that Allegation appeared to be of no weight by the Testimony of the General, in relation to the Lords Goring and Capel, and by the Evidence of Col. Wayte touching Duke Hamilton; the like being affirmed by other Witnesses against the Earl of Holland and Sir John Owen: for if there [Page 287] had been any Promise made to any of them, either implicitely or by word of Mouth, it could only extend to protect them from the Military, not the Civil Sword: And as to the Plea for Duke Hamilton, that he was born be­fore the two Nations were united, it was an­swered that they tried him not as Duke Hamil­ton, but as Earl of Cambridg, in which Capa­city he had sate as a Peer of England, and therefore a Subject thereof: So that upon full Evidence they were all sentenced by the Court, to have their Heads struck off for High Trea­son, in levying War against the Parliament of England. Earnest Solicitations and Petitions were made for them to the Parliament; but they thought not fit to reprieve the Duke, the Earl of Holland, or the Lord Capel. Touching the Lord Goring the House was equally divided, and the Speaker having upon such Occasions the determining Voice, gave it for his Reprieve. Commissary General Ireton observing no Mo­tion consider that he was a Commoner, and therefore more properly to have been tried in another way by a Jury: whereupon the House reprieved him also. The other three were exe­cuted a day or two after in the New Palace­Yard before Westminster-Hall, in pursuance of a Warrant signed by the Court to that pur­pose, the Parliament refusing to hearken to the Earl of Denbigh, who proposed on the behalf of Duke Hamilton his Brother-in-law, to give [Page 288] them a Blank signed by the said Duke, to an­swer faithfully to such Questions as should be there inserted. The Parliament having resol­ved to constitute a Council of State, the bet­ter to carry on the executive part of the Go­vernment, authorized five of their Members to agree upon the Number and Persons of such as they thought fit to be proposed to the Par­liament for their Approbation. The five im­powered to this end by the Parliament, were Mr. John Lisle, Mr. Cornelius Holland, Mr. Luke Robinson, Mr. Thomas Scot, and Me, who tho sensible of my Unfitness for so great a Work, and of the Envy it would be attended with, yet being required by my Country to assist in this Service, I resolved to use the best of my Endeavours therein. The Number agreed up­on was thirty five, which we filled up with such Persons as we thought best qualified with Integrity and Abilities sutable to so important a Station. Four of them were Lords, and the rest Commoners. The House agreed to our Report, only they were pleased to add us five to the number proposed by us. The Parliament being desirous to exclude from their Places those who were likely to undo what they had done, and yet unwilling to lose the Assistance of many honest Men, who had been in the Coun­try during the late Transactions, passed an Or­der, that such Members as had not sate since the Trial of the King, should not be admitted to fit, till the House should be particularly sa­tisfied [Page 289] concerning them; appointing the former five, or any three of them, to be a Committee to receive Satisfaction touching the Affections to the Publick Interest, of every Member who had not sate since the time aforesaid, and the Reasons of his Absence; and to make their Report to the Parliament concerning them.

Prince Charles finding his Affairs in England to be in a desperate Condition, concluded an Agreement with the Irish Rebels, granting them full Indemnity for what they had hither­to acted, and encouraging them to carry on their Cruelties against the English by his Com­mission. The Lord Inchequin had already de­clared for him, and joined with the Irish Re­bels. The Earl of Ormond was dispatched to Ireland for the same purpose; and as a Pledg that Prince Charles would follow, his Baggage and Horses were sent thither before.

The Scots fearing their Clergy would not be permitted long to insult over the People, expressed themselves highly dissatisfied with our Proceed­ings in England, and chose rather to espouse the Interest of Prince Charles, than to enjoy the Fruit of what they had contended for a­gainst his Father, publickly declaring that they were obliged by the Covenant to promote the Government of a King, Lords and Commons, which Government the Parliament of England had thought fit to alter. We endeavoured to satisfy their Commissioners, by shewing them the Reasons of our late Resolutions; but they [Page 290] refusing to hear them, returned home to their own Country, where they found things dis­posed to an Accommodation with Prince Charles, upon presumption that when by his Assistance they had destroyed the Sectarian Par­ty, as they called them, they should be able to govern him well enough: but he supposing he had an easier part to act with the Irish, whose Principles were more sutable to his Inclinations, refused to hearken to them at that time.

Col. Edward Popham, Col. Richard Dean, and Col. Robert Blake, were appointed by the Parliament to command the Fleet; the latter being designed with a Squadron to cruise upon the Irish Coast, in order to meet and fight the Ships commanded by Prince Rupert. Col. Pop­ham was sent towards Lisbon to intercept the Portugal Fleet coming home from their Islands, because they had protected some Ships that had revolted from us, and sheltred them from our Fleet that was in pursuit of them, and had offered some Affronts to our Agent Mr. Vane, who was sent thither to endeavour a right Un­derstanding between the two Nations. Gene­ral Dean with another Squadron was ordered to remain for the Service of the Channel. This they did, well understanding how great Repu­tation a considerable Fleet would give to their Affairs, and of what Importance it is to this Nation always to guard the Seas, and more par­ticularly in that Conjuncture.

The Parliament much inclining to preserve a [Page 291] good Correspondence with the States General of the United Provinces, sent Dr. Dorislaus in­to Holland to be their Agent there, who, a little after his Arrival at the Hague, was assaulted by about ten Assassins, English and Scots, who broke into his Lodgings and murdered him: and tho this Action was so infamous, and con­trary to the Right of Nations, yet the Dutch were not very forward to find out the Crimi­nals in order to bring them to Justice.

Mr. Ascham who was sent into Spain with a Publick Character also, was used in the like manner, by three Persons coming to his House at Madrid, where pretending to be English Merchants, they were admitted; and as he saluted the first of them, was struck into the Head by him with a Poniard; and his Secretary endeavouring to make his Escape, was killed with him. The Murderers took Sanctuary in a Church; but by an Order of State they were forced from thence, and committed to Prison; of which the Church-men loudly complained, after their usual manner, as an injurious viola­tion of their Immunities. The Squadron com­manded by Col. Blake being first ready, set fail for the Irish Coast, where Prince Rupert thinking himself not in a condition to fight him, retired with his Ships into the Harbour of King­sale, under the Protection of the Fort. Col. Popham was next dispatched with his Squadron for Portugal, and was pleased to employ a Bro­ther of mine as Lieutenant of that Ship, which [Page 292] was commanded by himself. The Spanish Ambassador was the first that made application to us from any Foreign State. But the Parlia­ment not being satisfied with the Address of his Credentials, refused to receive them till it should be directed to the Parliament of the Com­monwealth of England: declaring, that tho they did not affect any slattering Titles, yet they re­solved to have their Authority owned by all these who made their Addresses to them. With which the Court of Spain being made ac­quainted, the Ambassador received Instructions from the King his Master to that end, and framed the Direction according to our Desires.

Our Affairs beginning to acquire Reputation, and to carry a fair Probability of Success, di­vers Members of Parliament who had been long absent, addressed themselves to the Com­mittee before mentioned, in order to their ad­mission to sit in Parliament, and some of them would not scruple to give any Satisfaction that was desired to the Questions proposed unto them; which were, Whether they joined in, or approved that I'ote, declaring the King's Concessi­ons a Ground for a future Settlement? Whether they approved of the Proceedings against the King? and whether they would engage to be true to a Com­monwealth Government? But we apprehending such extraordinary Expulsions as had been lately used, to be extremely hazardous to the Publick Safety, made it our Endeavour to keep those from a Re-admission, who might necessitate [Page 293] another occasion of using the like Remedy. And therefore, tho all possible Satisfaction were given in Words, we did, by weighing the for­mer Deportment of every particular Member who presented himself, desire to be in some measure assured, that they would be true to what they promised, in case the Common­wealth Interest should come to be disputed, be­fore we would report their Condition to the House. Some of the House of Lords having procured themselves to be chosen by the Peo­ple, sat in Parliament upon the Foot of their Election: in which Number was Philip Earl of Pembroke, who being chosen by the Freeholders of the County of Berks, upon his admission to the House, signed the Engagement, as the rest of the Members who sat there had done; the Contents of which was, To be true and faithful to the Commonwealth, as it was established without a King or House of Lords. The same Engage­ment was taken by the Earl of Salisbury and the Lord Edward Howard, when they took their Places in Parliament, after they had been elect­ed to serve there.

Whilst we were thus providing for our Secu­rity in England, our Affairs in Ireland had not the same Success, the Earl of Ormond having reconciled the English in Munster to the Su­preme Council of the Irish Rebels, the Scots also in the North falling in with them against us: with whom some Gentlemen of those Parts joined, tho they had engaged themselves to the [Page 294] contrary. Yet one thing happened tending ve­ry much to the preservation of Dublin, and those few Places that were kept for the Parlia­ment, which was, that Owen Roe O Neal who was General of the Old Irish, as they were termed, could by no means be brought to a Conjunction with the English. Sir Charles Coote being besieged in London-derry, agreed to supply the Besiegers with Powder, upon their engaging to furnish him with such Provisions as he wanted, which was performed on both sides: and the Lord Inchequin who was be­sieging Dundalk promised to do the like for Co­lonel Monk, who then commanded in that Place, upon the same Conditions; which was performed on Monk's part; but as his Men were carrying off the Ammunition, they were fallen upon by a Party of Inchequin's Horse, the Ammunition taken away, and many of them killed. The Scots drawing about Dun­dalk, most of the Garison revolted to them; whereupon Monk delivered up the Place, upon condition that he should be permitted to return into England: where being arrived, he met with a cold Reception from the Parliament, upon suggestion, that he had corresponded with the Irish Rebels.

About this time an Agent from Owen Roe O Neal came privately to London, and found out a way to acquaint the Council of State, that if they thought sit a grant him a safe Conduct, he would make some Propositions to them that [Page 295] would be for their Service. The Council, to avoid any Misconstruction of their Actions, re­fused to hear him; but appointed a Committee to speak with him, of which I was one, order­ing us to report to them what he should pro­pose. His Proposition was, that the Party commanded by O Neal should submit to, and act for the Parliament, if they might obtain Indemnity for what was passed, and Assurance of the Enjoyment of their Religion and Estates for the time to come. We asked him why they made application to us, after they had re­fused to join with those who had been in Trea­ty with the King? He answered, that the King had broken his Word with them; for tho they had deserved well of him, and he had made them many fair Promises, yet when he could make better Terms with any other Party, he had been always ready to sacrifice them. We asked him farther, Why they had not made their Application sooner? he told us, because such Men had been possessed of the Power, who had sworn their Extirpation; but that now it was believed to be the Interest of those in Authority to grant Liberty of Conscience; promising, that if such Liberty might be ex­tended to them, they would be as zealous for a Commonwealth as any other Party, instancing in many Countries where they were so. We informed him, that it was our Opinion that the Council would not promise Indemnity to all that Party, they being esteemed to have been [Page 296] the principal Actors in the bloody Massacre at the beginning of the Rebellion: Neither did we think that they would grant them the Li­berty of their Religion, believing it might prove dangerous to the Publick Peace. The Council upon our Report of what had passed at the Conference, concurred with our Opinion; so that having no more to do with the Agent, he was required to depart within a limited time. The Farl of Ormond, General Preston, and the Lord Inchequin beginning to draw their Forces towards Dublin, resolved first to reduce Tre­dah: in order to which they sent Col. Worden thither with a strong Detachment of Horse and Foot, who attempting to take it by Assault, entred with most of his Men, but was beat out again by an inconsiderable Number of ours. Notwithstanding which the Garison wanting Men to desend their Works, their Provisions also being almost consumed, was obliged to ca­pitulate, and surrender upon condition that the Souldiers should have liberty to march to Duk­lin, the rest to return home, and to enjoy Protection there.

Dundalk and Tredagh being surrendred to the Enemy, and Dublin threatned with a speedy Siege by the Forces of the Royalists and Irish, combined together for the destruction of the English, the Parliament taking into their seri­ous Consideration the deplorable State of their distressed Friends, resolved to send them Relief with all Expedition. In the mean time the E­nemy [Page 297] marched towards Dublin, having sent a Party of Horse before to invest the Place, and to prevent any Relief from Meath-side; upon whose Approach Col. Jones, with the Forces he had with him, was obliged to retire to Jones. A Party of Horse from the Town made a Sally upon the Enemy, and were re­pulsed with some Loss; but being reinforced from England by a Regiment of Horse com­manded by Col. Reynolds, and two Regiments of Foot, Col. Jones being also come into the Town, they resolved upon a vigorous Defence. Immediately after the landing of these Supplies, Dublin was formally besieged by the Enemy, who had a great Army provided with all Ne­cessaries for the carrying on of the Siege, and furnished by the Country with Provisions in great abundance, their Head-quarters being at Rathmims, a Mile from Dublin towards Wick­lom. They took Rathfarnham by storm, and sent fifteen hundred Men to fortify Baggatrath, in order to hinder our Army from landing at Ringsend, being within a quarter of a Mile of it, and lying triangular with it and Dublin. Baggatrath had a Rampart of Earth about it, and the Enemy had wrought upon it, to aug­ment its Strength, a whole Night before they were discovered. But the next Morning Col. Jones perceiving their Design, concluded it ab­solutely necessary to endeavour to remove them from thence before their Works were finished. To that end he drew all his Forces both Horse [Page 298] and Foot to the Works that faced the Enemy; and leaving as many as he thought necessary for the Defence of the Town, sallied out with the rest, being between four and five thousand, and falling upon them, beat them from their Works, killing Sir William Vaughan who commanded them, and most of the Men that were with him, closely pursuing the rest who fled towards their main Army, where the Earl of Ormond thought fit at last to throw down his Cards, which he had before refused to do, in contempt of our Forces; and with his Royal Army, as it was called, retreated in great Disorder towards Rathmims: Col. Jones pursued him close, find­ing little Opposition, except from a Party of the Lord Inchequin's Horse that had formerly served the Parliament, who defended a Pass for some time, but were after some Dispute broken and forced to fly. Having routed these, he marched with all Diligence up to the Walls of Rath­mims, which were about sixteen Foot high, and contained about ten Acres of Ground, where many of the Enemies Foot had shut up themselves; but perceiving their Army to be entirely routed, and their General fled, they yielded themselves Prisoners. After this our Men continuing their Pursuit, found a Party of about two thousand Foot of the Lord Inche­quin's, in a Grove belonging to Rathgar, who after some Defence obtained Conditions for their Lives, and the next day most of them took up Arms in our Service. This Success was the [Page 299] more remarkable, because unexpected on both sides, our handful of Men being led step by step to an absolute Victory, whereas their ut­most Design at the beginning of the Action was only to beat the Enemy from Baggatrath: and so surprizing to our Enemies, that they had not time to carry off their Money, which lay at Rathfarnham for the paying of their Army, where Col. Jones seized four thousand Pounds very seasonably for the paiment of his Men.

The Parliament having an Army ready to send to Ireland, a sormidable Fleet to put to Sea, another Army to keep at home for their own Defence, and a considerable Force to guard the North against the Scots, who had declared themselves Enemies, and waited only an Op­portunity of shewing it with Advantage, thought themselves obliged to expose to sale such Lands as had been formerly possessed by Deans and Chapters, that they might be ena­bled thereby to desray some part of that great Charge that lay upon the Nation. To this end they authorized Trustees to sell the said Lands, provided they could do it at ten Years Purchase, at the least; but such was the good Opinion that the People had conceived of the Parliament, that most of those Lands were sold at the clear Income of fifteen, sixteen, and seventeen Years; one half of the Sums con­tracted for being paid down in ready Money: besides which the Woods were valued distinct­ly, and to be paid for according to the Valua­tion. [Page 300] All Impropriations belonging to the said Deans and Chapters, as well as those of the Bishops, either in Possession or Reversion, were reserved from sale to enlarge the Maintenance of poor Ministers. Yet this was not sufficient to restrain that Generation of Men from inveigh­ing against the Parliament, and conspiring with their Enemies both at home and abroad, to weaken their hands, and if possible to render them unable to carry on the Publick Service. The Fee-farm Rents formerly belonging to the Crown, were also sold; and yet such was the necessity of Affairs, that notwithstanding all this the Parliament found themselves obliged to lay a Tax of a hundred and twenty thou­sand Pounds a Month upon the Nation; which Burden they bore for the most part without re­gret, being convinced that it was wholly ap­plied to the Use of the Publick, and especially because those who imposed it paid an equal Pro­portion with the rest. The Crown-Lands were assigned to pay the Arrears of those Souldiers who were in Arms in the Year 1647. which was done by the Influence of the Officers of the Army that was in present Service, whereby they made Provision for themselves, and neg­lected those who had appeared for the Parlia­ment at the first, and had endured the Heat and Burden of the day.

In the Month of September, 1649, the Army embarked and set sail for Ireland; Commissary General Ireton with one part of them designing [Page 301] for Munster, and Lieutenant General Cromwell, being appointed Lieutenant of Ireland, with the rest, for Dublin: But the Wind blowing a strong Gale from the South, they were both put into the Bay of Dublin, where they were received with great Joy: for tho the Enemies Army had been beaten from the Siege of that Place, and Col. Jones with the small Forces he had with him had made the best Improvement he could of that Advantage, by reducing some Garisons that lay nearest to him; yet the Ene­mies were still in possession of nine Parts in ten of that Nation, and had fortified the most con­siderable Places therein. After our Army had refreshed themselves, and were joined by the Forces of Col. Jones, they mustered in all be­tween sixteen and seventeen thousand Horse and Foot. Upon their Arrival the Enemies with­drew, and put most of their Army into their Garisons, having placed three or four thousand of the best of their Men, being most English, in the Town of Tredah, and made Sir Arthur Ashton Governour thereof. A Resolution be­ing taken to besiege that Place, our Army sat down before it, and the Lieutenant General caused a Battery to be erected against an Angle of the Wall, near to a Fort, which was with­in, called the Windmill-Fort, by which he made a Breach in the Wall; but the Enemy having a Half-moon on the Out-side, which was design­ed to flank the Angle of the Wall, he thought fit to endeavour to possess himself of it, which he [Page 302] did by storm, putting most of those that were in it to the Sword. The Enemy defended the Breach against ours from behind an Earth-work, which they had cast up within, and where they had drawn up two or three Troops of Horse which they had within the Town, for the Encouragement and Support of their Foot: The Fort also was not unserviceable to them in the defence of the Breach. The Lieutenant General well knowing the Importance of this Action, resolved to put all upon it; and having commanded some Guns to be loaded with Bul­lets of half a Pound, and fired upon the Ene­mies Horse, who were drawn up somewhat in view; himself with a Reserve of Foot marched up to the Breach, which giving fresh Courage to our Men, they made a second Attack with more Vigour than before: Whereupon the Ene­mies Foot being abandoned by their Horse, whom our Shot had forced to retire, began to break and shift for themselves; which ours perceiving, followed them so close, that they overtook them at the Bridg that lay cross the River, and separated that part where the Acti­on was from the principal part of the Town; and preventing them from drawing up the Bridg, entred pell-mell with them into the Place, where they put all they met with to the Sword, having positive Orders from the Lieu­tenant General to give no quarter to any Soul­dier. Their Works and Fort were also storm­ed and taken, and those that defended them [Page 303] put to the Sword also, and amongst them Sir Arthur Ashton, Governour of the Place. A great Dispute there was amongst the Souldiers for his Artificial Leg, which was reported to be of Gold, but it proved to be but of Wood, his Girdle being found to be the better Booty, wherein two hundred Pieces of Gold were found quilted. The Slaughter was continued all that day and the next; which extraordinary Severity I presume was used, to discourage others from making Opposition. After that the Army besieged Wexford, and having erected a Battery against the Castle, which stood near the Wall of the Town, and fired from it most part of the day, whereby a small Breach was made; Commissioners were sent in the Even­ing from the Enemy to treat about the Surren­der of it. In the mean time our Guns continu­ed firing, there being no Cessation agreed, whereby the Breach in the Castle being made wider, the Guard that was appointed to defend it quitted their Post, and thereupon some of our Men entred the Castle, and set up their Colours at the top of it, which the Enemy having observed, left their Stations in all parts: so that ours getting over the Walls, possessed themselves of the Town without Opposition, and opened the Gates that the Horse might en­ter, tho they could do but little Service, all the Streets being barred with Cables: But our Foot pressed the Enemy so close, that crowding to escape over the Water, they so over-loaded [Page 304] the Boats with their Numbers, that many of them were drowned. Great Riches were taken in this Town, it being accounted by the Enemy a Place of Strength; and some Ships were seized in the Harbour, which had much interrupted the Commerce of that Coast. Com­missioners were appointed by the Lieutenant General to take care of the Goods that were found in the Town belonging to the Rebels, that they might be improved to the best Ad­vantage of the Publick. After these Successes the Army grew sickly, many dying of the Flux, which they contracted by hard Service, and such Provisions as they were not accustom­ed to. The Plague also which had been for some time amongst the Inhabitants of the Coun­try, and the Irish Army, now began to seize upon ours. Of one or both these Distempers Col. Michael Jones, who by his Courage and Conduct in the Service of his Country, had justly deserved the Applause of all, and had been lately made Lieutenant General of the Horse by the Parliament, feel so desperately sick, that being no longer able to continue in the Army, he was carried, not without Re­luctancy, to Wexford, where in a few days he died, much lamented by the Army, and by all that desired the Prosperity of the English In­terest. In the mean time the Parliament was careful to send Money, Recruits, and all man­ner of Supplies necessary to Ireland; which they were the better enabled to do by those [Page 305] great Sums of Money daily brought in by the Purchasers of the Lands of Deans and Chapters, which they thought fit for the Reasons before­mentioned to expose to sale; which as it was an Advantage to the Nation in general, by easing them of some part of their Contributi­ons, so was it no Detriment to any of those Purchasers who were heartily engaged in the Publick Service; since if the Tide should turn, and our Enemies become prevalent, such Per­sons were likely to have no better Security for the Enjoyment of their own Paternal Estates. Upon this Consideration I contracted with the Trustees commissionated by the Parliament, for the Mannors of Eastknoel and Vpton in the County of Wilts, wherein I employed that Portion which I had received with my Wife, and a greater Sum arising from the Sale of a part of my Patrimonial Estate.

The Winter approaching, and the Season being very tempestuous, General Blake was obliged to enter into Harbour, by which means Prince Rupert with the Ships that were with him having an Opportunity to escape, set sail for Lisbon, where they were received and pro­tected; but General Popham who had waited some time for the Portugal Fleet bound thither from the Islands, took eighteen of them loaden with Sugars and other valuable Merchandizes, which he sent to England under a Convoy, en­trusting the Conduct thereof to my Brother, who, as I said before, was his Lieutenant, and [Page 306] died in his Voyage homewards. With the rest he continued cruizing on the Coast of Portugal, attending Prince Rupert's Fleet, which being drawn up under the Protection of their Guns, and most of the Men on shore, ours took that occasion to seize one of their Frigats, by sur­prizing the Watch, and keeping the rest of the Men under Deck; by which means they brought her off safe to the Fleet.

Our Army in Ireland, tho much diminished by Sickness and harassed by hard Duty, conti­nued their Resolution to march into the Ene­mies Quarters, where they reduced Rosse with little Opposition: Goran also was sur­rendred to them, together with the Officers of that Place, by the Souldiers of the Garison, upon promise of Quarter for themselves; their Officers being delivered at Discretion, were shot to death. The next Town they besieged was Kilkenny, where there was a strong Castle, and the Walls of the Town were indifferent good: Having erected a Battery on the East-side of the Wall, our Artillery fired upon it for a whole Day without making any considerable Breach; on the other side our Men were much annoyed by the Enemies shot from the Walls and Castle. But the Garison being admonished by the Ex­amples made of their Friends at Tredah and Wexford, thought fit to surrender the Town timely, upon such Conditions as they could ob­tain, which was done accordingly. Youghall, Cork and Kinsale were delivered to the Forces of the [Page 307] Parliament by the Contrivance and Diligence of some Officers and well-affected Persons in those Places; and thereupon the Lieutenant General sent a Detachment under the Com­mand of the Lord Broghil to their Assistance, in case any thing should be attempted by Inche­quin, or any other, to their Disturbance; whilst he with the rest of the Army marched towards Clonmel. Being upon his March thither, he was met by the Corporation of Feather, with a Tender of their Submission, wherewith the Lieutenant General was so satisfied, the Army being far advanced into the Enemies Quarters, and having no place of Refreshment, that he promised to maintain them in the Enjoyment of their Privileges. Having left our sick Men here, he marched and sat down before Clonmel, one side of which was secured by a River, and the rest of the Town encompassed with a Wall that was well furnished with Men to defend it. Our Guns having made a Breach in the Wall, a Detachment of our Men was ordered to storm; but the Enemy by the means of some Houses that stood near, and Earth-works cast up within the Wall, made good their Breach till Night parted the Dispute, when the Ene­my perceiving ours resolved to reduce the Place, beat a Parley, and sent out Commissioners to treat. Articles were agreed and signed on both sides, whereby it was concluded, that the Town with all the Arms and ammunition therein, should be delivered up the next Morn­ing [Page 308] to such of our Forces as should be appointed to receive the same. After this Agreement was made and signed, the General was informed that Col. Hugh O Neal Governour of the Place, with all the Garison, had marched out at the beginning of the Night towards Waterford, be­fore the Commissioners came out to treat. It something troubled the Commanders to be thus over-reach'd; but Conditions being granted, they thought it their Duty to keep them with the Town. Dungarvan and Carrick were next reduced, where Col. Reynolds being left with his Regiment of Horse, the Lieutenant General with the Army marched towards the County of Waterford. The Enemy having observed ours marching on the other side of the River, took that Advantage to draw together a considerable Body of Horse and Foot, with which they marched with all diligence to Carrick, and stormed it, not at all doubting to carry the Place, wherein there was nothing but Horse, armed only with Swords and Pistols, to defend a Wall of great compass. Yet did our Men manage their Defence so well, making use of Stones and whatsoever might be serviceable to them, that the Enemy was beaten off with loss; so that tho Forces were sent from the Ar­my to relieve their Friends upon the first notice of their Danger, yet they found the Work done at their Arrival.

The Army began now to prepare for the Siege of Waterford, but by the hard Service of [Page 309] this Winter, and other Accidents, being much diminished, and those that remained being but in a sickly Condition, it was thought fit to send Orders to Dublin, requiring the Forces there who were in better Health to march towards Wexford in order to reinforce the Army before Waterford. The Lord Inchequin, who had no­tice of their March, having formed a Body of two thousand five hundred Horse, and some Foot, resolved to fall upon them, which he did between Arclo and Wexford, our Forces not amounting to more than fifteen hundred Foot, and five hundred Horse. The Enemies charged our Horse with such Fury and Numbers, that they were forced to retreat to their Foot; after which falling upon our Foot, they obliged them to retire to the Rocks that were on the Shore in great Disorder: but some of our Horse, with a part of our Foot, rallying again, charged a Body of their Horse with such Vigour, that they broke them, and killed many of them, amongst whom were divers considerable Per­sons; which so discouraged the rest, that tho they were the choicest of the Enemies Men, and many of ours so distempered with the Flux, that they were forced to fight with their Breeches down, yet durst they not make any farther Attempt against them, but drew off and permitted ours to march to their designed Rendezvouz without any more Interruption. By which it eminently appeared of what Im­portance it is towards the obtaining Success, to [Page 310] fight in the Cause of our Country; for these very Men, as long as they were engaged with us, performed Wonders against the Rebels; and now being engaged with them, were al­most as easily overcome as they had beaten the Irish before: and this was so visible even to the Irish themselves, that some time after at a Con­sultation of the Chief Officers of Leinster, where it was debated what Course to take in order to destroy our Army, some advising to draw into a Body and fight us, others to be­take themselves to the Woods and Bogs, and from thence to break our Forces by Parties; the Lord of Glanmaleiro assured them of a way, which, if taken, would certainly effect it, and that was to induce us to make Peace with them; for, said he, they are a successful Army, and our Men are dispirited, and not likely to get any thing by fighting with them; and to wea­ry them out by our Surprizes and Depredations is impossible, as long as the way from England is open for their Supplies; but the other way proposed will infallibly ruin them: for did not our Ancestors by the same means render the Conquests of Queen Elizabeth fruitless to Eng­land? and have we not thereby ruined the Earl of Ormond and Inchequin already, who having been always successful when against us, have been famous for nothing since their Conjuncti­on with us, but the Losses and Repulses which they have sustained? so that if we can per­swade this Army to make a Truce or League [Page 311] with us, they will become as unfortunate as the fornier.

Whilst the Lieutenant General was making Preparations for the Siege of Waterford, a Let­ter was brought to him from the Parliament, requiring his Attendance in England: In order to which he left the Command of the Army with Commissary General Ireton, to carry on the remaining part of the Work; going him­self to visit those Places in Munster which had lately submitted to the Parliament, with inten­tion to settle the Civil as well as Military Af­fairs of that Province. To this end he impow­ered John Coke Esq to be Chief Justice of Mun­ster; and having accomplished such things as he designed, embarked for England, and soon after landed at Bristol. In the mean time the Treaty between Prince Charles and the Presby­terian Party in Scotland hastening towards a Conclusion, the Forces which they had raised by the Encouragement of our Army, after they had rescued them from the Power of the Hamiltonian Party, fell upon Montrose, killed many of his Men, and took him with divers other Officers Prisoners, and amongst them Major General Hurry and Capt. Spotiswood, who was said to have been concerned in the Assassi­nation of Dr. Dorislaus our Agent in Holland. They were all three condemned to death, and hanged; Montrose being carried to the Place of Execution in an ignominious manner, with the Declarations issued out by him for the King [Page 312] tied about his Neck, where he was executed on a Gibbet of thirty Foot high. His Quarters were placed upon the Gate through which their King was to pass at his coming to Edinburgh, which could not but move his Indignation, if he had the least Sense of Honour, because he had acted by his Commission, and in order to vest him with that absolute and uncontrolable Power which Kings think to be most for their Advantage: but the King being instructed with other Maxims, struck up the bargain with the Presbyterians, and engaged to take the Covenant, whereupon they cried him up for a great Convert.

Some Sycophants in the English Parliament, a Race of Men never wanting in great Coun­cils, pressed earnestly for settling two thousand five hundred Pounds a Year upon the Lieute­nant General, according to a Vote formerly passed in the House; or that it might at least be read once or twice before his Arrival at West­minster, he being then upon his way from Bris­tol. Upon this Motion I took the liberty to ac­quaint the House, that tho I would not oppose that Motion, yet it was but reasonable to make good their Promises also to Persons that had served them usefully in former occasions, de­siring them to remember the past Services of those that they knew continued still to be faith­ful to them, tho not then in actual Employ­ment; and particularly not to forget the im­portant Services of Major General Skippon, nor [Page 313] the Vote they had passed to settle one thousand Pounds a Year upon him, which hitherto had been insignificant to him. Upon this Motion the Parliament ordered that the said Sum should be paid yearly to him out of the Receipt at Goldsmiths-Hall, till so much should be settled upon him out of the forseited Lands in Ireland by Act of Parliament. In consideration of this piece of Justice, the Major General did me ever after the Honour to call me his Real Friend.

And now the Parliament being desirous to let the People see that they designed not to per­petuate themselves after they should be able to make a compleat Settlement of Affairs, and provide for the Security of the Nation from Enemies both abroad and at home, whom they had yet in great Numbers to contend with, resolved that the House would upon every Wednesday turn themselves into a Grand Com­mittee, to debate concerning the manner of Assembling, and Power of future successive Parliaments; the Number of Persons to be ap­pointed to serve for each County, that the Na­tion might be more equally represented than hi­therto had been practised; and touching the Qualifications of the Electors as well as those to be elected: which Order was constantly ob­served, and considerable Progress from time to time made therein.

The Lieutenant General being arrived, and having resumed his Place in the House, the Parliament ordered their Speaker to give him [Page 314] Thanks in their Name for the Services he had done for the Commonwealth in the Nation of Ireland. And now the Council of State con­cluding it highly necessary to make some Pre­parations against the Storm which threatned us from the North, and knowing that the Satis­faction of their General was of great Impor­tance to that Service, desired the Lord Fairfax to declare his Resolution concerning the same, who after a day or two's Consideration, at the Instigation chiefly (as was thought) of his Wife, upon whom the Presbyterian Clergy had no small Influence, seemed unwilling to march into Scotland; but declared, that in case the Scots should attempt to invade England, he would be ready to lay down his Life in op­posing them. We laboured to perswade him of the Reasonableness and Justice of our Reso­lution to march into Scotland, they having al­ready declared themselves our Enemies, and by publick Protestation bound themselves to im­pose that Government upon us, which we had found necessary to abolish; and to that end had made their Terms with Prince Charles, waiting only an Opportunity, as soon as they had strengthned themselves by foreign Assistance, which they expected, to put their Design in execution, after we should be reduced to great Difficulties incident to the keeping up of an Army in expectation of being invaded by them; [...] him, that we thought our selves indis­peusably obliged in Duty to our Country, and [Page 315] as we tendred the Peace and Prosperity of it, as well as to prevent the effusion of the Blood of those who had been, and we hoped upon better Information would be our Friends, to march into Scotland, and either to understand from them that they are our Friends, or to endeavour to make them so; chusing rather to make that Country the Seat of the War than our own. But the Lord Fairfax was unwilling to alter his Resolution in consideration of any thing that could be said. Upon this Lieutenant General Cromwell pressed, that notwithstanding the Un­willingness of the Lord Fairfax to command upon this occasion, they would yet continue him to be General of the Army; prosessing for himself, that he would rather chuse to serve under him in his Post, than to command the greatest Army in Europe. But the Council of State not approving that Advice, appointed a Committee of some of themselves to confer far­ther with the General in order to his Satisfacti­on. This Committee was appointed upon the Motion of the Lieutenant General, who acted his part so to the Life, that I really thought him in earnest; which obliged me to step to him as he was withdrawing with the rest of the Com­mittee out of the Council-Chamber, and to desire him, that he would not in Compliment and Humility obstruct the Service of the Nati­on by his Refusal; but the Consequence made it sufficiently evident that he had no such Inten­tion. The Committee having spent some time [Page 316] in Debate with the Lord Fairfax without any Success, returned to the Council of State, whereupon they ordered the Report of this Affair to be made to the Parliament. Which being done, and some of the General's Friends informing them, that tho he had shewed some Unwillingness to be employed in this Expediti­on himself, yet being more unwilling to hinder the undertaking of it by another, he had sent his Secretary, who attended at the door, to surrender his Commission, if they thought fit to receive it; the Secretary was called in, and delivered the Commission, which the Parlia­ment having received, they proceeded to settle an annual Revenue of five thousand Pounds up­on the Lord Fairfax, in consideration of his former Services, and then voted Lieutenant General Cromwell to be Captain General of all their Land Forces, ordering a Commission forthwith to be drawn up to that effect, and referred to the Council of State to hasten the Preparations for the Northern Expedition. A little after, as I sat in the House near General Cromwell, he told me, that having observed an Alteration in my Looks and Carriage towards him, he apprehended that I had entertained some Suspicions of him; and that being per­swaded of the Tendency of the Designs of us both to the Advancement of the Publick Ser­vice, he desired that a Meeting might be ap­pointed, wherein we might with freedom dis­cover the Grounds of our Mistakes and Misap­prehensions, [Page 317] and create a good Understanding between us for the future. I answered, that he had discovered in me what I had never per­ceived in my self; and that if I troubled him not so frequently as formerly, it was either be­cause I was conscious of that weight of Busi­ness that lay upon him, or that I had nothing to importune him withal upon my own or any other account; yet since he was pleased to do me the Honour to desire a free Conversation with me, I assured him of my Readiness there­in. Whereupon we resolved to meet that Af­ternoon in the Council of State, and from thence to withdraw to a private Room, which we did accordingly in the Queen's Guard­Chamber, where he endeavoured to perswade me of the Necessity incumbent upon him to do several things that appeared extraordinary in the Judgment of some Men, who in opposition to him took such Courses as would bring Ruin upon themselves, as well as him and the Pub­lick Cause, affirming his Intentions to be di­rected entirely to the Good of the People, and professing his Readiness to sacrifice his Life in their Service. I freely acknowledged my for­mer Dissatisfaction with him and the rest of the Army, when they were in Treaty with the King, whom I looked upon as the only Ob­struction to the Settlement of the Nation; and with their Actions at the Rendezvouz at Ware, where they shot a Souldier to Death, and im­prisoned divers others upon the account of that [Page 318] Treaty, which I conceived to have been done without Authority, and for sinister ends: yet since they had manifested themselves convinced of those Errors, and declared their Adherence to the Commonwealth, tho too partial a hand was carried both by the Parliament and them­selves in the distribution of Preferments and Gratuities, and too much Severity exercised against some who had formerly been their Friends, and as I hoped would be so still, with other things that I could not entirely approve, I was contented patiently to wait for the accom­plishment of those good things which I expect­ed, till they had overcome the Difficulties they now laboured under, and suppressed their Ene­mies that appeared both at home and abroad against them; hoping that then their Princi­ples and Interest would lead them to do what was most agreeable to the Constitution of a Commonwealth, and the Good of Mankind. He owned my Dissatisfaction with the Army whilst they were in Treaty with the King, to be founded upon good Reasons, and excused the execution done upon the Souldier at the Ren­dezvouz, as absolutely necessary to keep things from falling into Confusion; which must have ensued upon that Division, if it had not been timely prevented. He professed to desire no­thing more than that the Government of the Nation might be settled in a free and equal Commonwealth, acknowledging that there was no other probable means to keep out the [Page 319] Old Family and Government from returning upon us; declaring, that he looked upon the Design of the Lord in this day to be the freeing of his People from every Burden, and that he was now accomplishing what was prophesied in the 110 th Psalm; from the consideration of which he was often encouraged to attend the effecting those Ends, spending at least an hour in the Exposition of that Psalm, adding to this, that it was his Intention to contribute the ut­most of his Endeavours to make a thorow Re­formation of the Clergy and Law: but, said he, the Sons of Zerrviah are yet too strong for us; and we cannot mention the Reformation of the Law, but they presently cry out, We de­sign to destroy Propriety: Whereas the Law, as it is now constituted, serves only to maintain the Lawyers, and to encourage the Rich to op­press the Poor; affirming that Mr. Coke, then Justice in Ireland, by proceeding in a summary and expeditious way, determined more Causes in a Week, than Westminster-Hall in a Year; saying farther, that Ireland was as a clean Paper in that Particular, and capable of being go­verned by such Laws as should be found most agreeable to Justice; which may be so impar­tially administred, as to be a good Precedent even to England it self; where when they once perceive Propriety preserved at an easy and cheap rate in Ireland, they will never permit themselves to be so cheated and abused as now they are. At last he fell into the Consideration [Page 320] of the Military Government of Ireland, com­plaining that the whole Weight of it lay upon Major General Ireton; and that if he should by Death or any other Accident be removed from that Station, the Conduct of that Part would probably fall into the hands of such Men as either by Principle or Interest were not proper for that Trust, and of whom he had no certain Assurance. He therefore proposed that some Person of Reputation and known Fidelity might be sent over to command the Horse there, and to assist the Major General in the Service of the Publick, that Employment being next in order to his own, desiring me to propose one whom I thought sufficiently qualified for that Station. I told him, that in my Opinion a fit­ter Man could not be found than Col. Algernon Sidney; but he excepted against him by reason of his Relation to some who were in the King's Interest, proposing Col. Norton and Col. Ham­mond, yet making Objections against them at the same time: That against Col. Hammond I remember was, that by his late Deportment with relation to the King, he had so disobliged the Army, that he apprehended he would not be acceptable to them. After this he entred upon a large Commendation of the Country, and pressed me earnestly to think of some Per­son capable of that Employment. By this time I perceived something of his Intentions concern­ing me; but the Condition of my Affairs was such, having lately married, and by purchasing [Page 321] some Lands contracted a great Debt, that I re­solved not to accept of it.

The time for the General's Departure for the Expedition of Scotland drawing near, he moved the Council of State, that since they had em­ployed him about a Work which would require all his Care, they would be pleased to ease him of the Affairs of Ireland; which they refusing to do, he then moved, that they would at least send over some Commissioners for the Manage­ment of the Civil Affairs, assuring them also that the Military being more than Major Gene­ral Ireton could possibly carry on, without the Assistance of some General Officer to command the Horse, which Employment was become va­cant by the Death of the brave Lieutenant Ge­neral Jones, it was absolutely necessary to com­missionate some Person of Worth to that Em­ployment, and to authorize him to be one of their Commissioners for the Civil Government; telling them, that he had endeavoured to find out a Person proper for that Service, and to that end had consulted with one there present, desiring him to recommend one fit for the same; but that neither of them had proposed any that he could approve so well as the Person himself, and therefore moved that he might be appoint­ed to that Employment; acquainting them, that tho he himself was impowered by virtue of his Commission from the Parliament, to no­minate the Lieutenant General of the Horse, yet because the Gentleman he proposed, upon [Page 322] which he named me, was a Member of Parlia­ment, and of the Council of State, he desired for the better securing the Obedience of the Army to me, that the Parliament might be moved to nominate and appoint me to that Charge. I endeavoured as well as I could to make the Council sensible of my Unfitness for an Employment of so great Importance, ac­quainting them, that upon the General's Desire I had recommended one to him of such Abili­ties, as I doubted not they would judg better qualified for it than my self, who besides my want of Experience sufficient for that Service, was so incumbred with Debts and Engage­ments at that time, that I could not possibly undertake it without hazarding the Ruin of my Family and Estate. But the Council refused to allow my Excuse, which indeed was real and unseigned; telling me, that it would be more proper to represent those things to the Parliament, when the Report should be made to them from the Council: which was agreed upon to this effect; That the House should be moved to appoint me Lieutenant General of the Horse in Ireland; and that General Cromwell, Major General Ireton, my self, Col. John Jones, and Major Richard Salloway, or any three of us, should be authorized by Act of Parliament to be Commissioners for the Administration of the Ci­vil Affairs in that Nation. The News of this Transaction was unwelcome to some of my nearest Relations and best Friends, not only for [Page 323] the Reasons above-mentioned, but upon suspi­cion that this Opportunity was taken by the General to remove me out of the way, lest I should prove an Obstruction to his Designs. But I could not think my self so considerable, and therefore could not concur with them in that Opinion. Yet I endeavoured to clear my self of this Employment, and knowing that this Affair was carried on chiefly by the Gene­ral's Influence, I applied my self to him, ac­quainting him with my present Circumstances, and assuring him that it was altogether incon­venient, and might prove very prejudicial to me. He replied, that Mens private Affairs must give place to those of the Publick; that he had seriously considered the Matter, and that he could not find a Person so fit for those Employments as my self, desiring me therefore to acquiesce. It was not many days before the Council of State made their Report of this Affair to the Parliament, where I again pressed the Reasons I had used before to the Council with as much Earnestness as I could: But they would not hearken to me, and without any De­bate, presently concurred with the Council therein, with the addition only of Mr. John Weaver, a Member of the House, to be one of the Commissioners appointed to manage the Civil Government.

In the mean time our Army proceeded suc­cessfully in Ireland, where they reduced Wa­terford after a Siege of some Weeks; which [Page 324] Place the Enemy had considerably fortified: but their Provisions failing, they were forced to surrender it upon Articles. During this Siege the Army was supplied with all Necessa­ries by some of our Ships that came into the Harbour to that end. After the reduction of Waterford a Detachment was made from our Army to besiege Duncannon, a Place of consi­derable Strength, having seven hundred Men within to desend it, tho one third of their Num­ber had been sufficient for that purpose. This or some other Cause produced the Plague a­mongst them, which lessened their Number, and made their Provisions to hold out the lon­ger: yet at last they were constrained to deli­ver up the Place with all the Arms and Ammu­nition to our Men. The Lord of Esmond had been Governour of this Place for the English at the beginning of the War, and held it out for the space of six or seven Months against the Rebels, of whom he killed great Numbers before it during the Siege that he sustained; but being driven to great Extremities, he was ob­liged to surrender it to them; which went so near the gallant old Gentleman's Heart, that he soon after departed this Life.

The next Place our Army attempted was Carlo, an inland Garison, distant from Dublin about thirty Miles, and lying upon the River Barrow. The Place was esteemed by the Ene­my to be of great Importance, and therefore fortified by them with divers Works; besides, [Page 325] it had a small Castle at the foot of the Bridg, and a River running under the Walls of the Castle. The Country beyond it were also their Friends, and furnished them with Provi­sions in great abundance. To prevent which, Major General Ireton found it necessary to em­ploy the principal part of his Forces on the other side of the River Barrow; yet by what means to secure a Communication between the two parts of his Army, was a great Difficulty, they having neither Boats nor Casks sufficient for that purpose. In the end they sell upon this Expedient, to bring together great Quantities of the biggest Reeds, and tying them up in many little Bundles with small Cords, they fastned them to two Cables that were fixed in the Ground on each side of the River, at the dis­tance of about eight or ten Yards from each other: These being covered with Wattles, bore Troops of Horse and Companies of Foot as well as Bridg arched with Stone.

Whilst these things were doing, most of the Earl of Ormona's Forces retired into Connaught, and those of the Lord Muskerry into Kerry: the Lord Castlehaven also after he had fired most of the small Castles in Leinster and Munster, marched out of those Parts.

But the Enemy which most threatned the Disturbance of the Parliament, was that of Scotland, where all Interests were united in op­position to the present Authority in England. They had also many who favoured their Design [Page 326] in our Nation, as well Presbyterians as Cava­liers: the former of these were most bold and active, upon presumption of more Favour in case of ill Success. The Parliament being sen­sible of these things, published a Declaration, shewing, that they had no Design to impose upon the Nation of Scotland any thing contrary to their Inclinations: That they would leave them to chuse what Government they thought most convenient for themselves, provided they would suffer the English Nation to live under that Establishment which they had chosen: That it evidently appeared that the Scots were acted by a Spirit of Domination and Rule; and that nothing might be wanting to compel us to submit to their Impositions, they had espoused the Interests of that Family, which they themselves had declared guilty of much precious Blood, and resolved to force the same upon England: That these and other things there mentioned had obliged them to send an Army into Scotland for their own Preservation, and to keep the Scots from destroying them­selves, which they were about to do; resolving notwithstanding to extend all possible Favour to such as were seduced through Weakness, and misled by the Malice of others. After this Ge­neral Cromwell hastned to the Army, which consisted of about twenty thousand Horse and Foot, where having removed a Colonel or two, with some inferiour Officers, who were unwil­ling to be employed in that Service, and made [Page 327] up a Regiment for Col. Monk, with six Com­panies out of Sir Arthur Haslerig's, and six out of Col. Fenwick's Regiment, he marched into Scotland without any Opposition, most of the People being fled from their Habitations to­wards Edinburgh, whither all the Enemies Strength was drawn together. The English Army drew up within sight of the Town, but the Scots would not hazard all by the decision of a Battel, hoping to tire us out with frequent Skirmishes and harassing our Men, relying much upon the Unsutableness of the Climate to our Constitutions, especially if they should detain us in the Field till Winter. Their Coun­sels succeeded according to their Desires, and our Army through hard Duty, scarcity of Pro­visions, and the Rigour of the Season, grew very sickly, and diminished daily, so that they were necessitated to draw off to receive Sup­plies from our Shipping, which could not come nearer to them than Dunbar, distant from Edin­burgh about twenty Miles. The Enemy ob­serving our Army to retire, followed them close; and falling upon our Rear-Guard of Horse in the Night, having the Advantage of a clear Moon, beat them up to our Rear-Guard of Foot. Which Alarm coming suddenly up­on our Men, put them into some Disorder; but a thick Cloud interposing in that very Mo­ment, and intercepting the Light of the Moon for about an Hour, our Army took that Oppor­tunity to secure themselves, and arrived with­out [Page 328] any further disturbance at Dunbar, where having shipped their heavy Baggage and sick Men, they designed to return into England. But the Enemies, upon Confidence of Success, had possessed themselves of all the Passes, hav­ing in their Army about thirty thousand Horse and Foot, and ours being reduced to ten Thou­sand at the most. There was now no way left, but to yield themselves Prisoners, or to fight upon these unequal Terms. In this Ex­tremity a Council of War was called, and after some Dispute it was agreed to fall upon the E­nemy the next Morning, about an Hour before Day, and accordingly the several 'Regiments were ordered to their respective Posts. Upon the first shock our Forlorn of Horse was some­what disordered by their Lanciers; but two of our Regiments of Foot that were in the Van behaved themselves so well, that they not only sustained the Charge of the Enemies Horse, but beat them back upon their own Foot, and following them close, forced both Horse and Foot to retreat up the Hill from whence they had attacked us. The Body of the Enemies Army finding their Van-Guard, which consist­ed of their choicest Men, thus driven back upon them, began to shift for themselves, which they did with such Precipitation and Disorder, that few of them ventured to look behind them till they arrived at Edinburgh, taking no care of their King, who made use of the same means to secure himself as his new Subjects had [Page 329] done. One Party of their Horse made a stand till some of ours came up to them, and then ran away after the rest of their Companions. Many were killed upon the Place, and many more in the Pursuit: All their Baggage, Arms, Artillery and Ammunition fell into the hands of our Army: Many also were taken and sent Prisoners into England. When the first News of this great Victory was brought to London by Sir John Hipsley, it was my Fortune, with others of the Parliament, to be with the Lord Fairfax at Hampton-Court, who seemed much to rejoice at it. But the Victory it self was not more welcome to me than the Contents of the General's Letter to the Parliament; wherein amongst many other Expressions savouring of a publick Spirit, there was one to this effect; That seeing the Lord, upon this solemn Ap­peal made to him by the Scots and us, had so signally given Judgment on our side, when all hopes of Deliverance seemed to be cut off, it became us not to do his Work negligently; and from thence took occasion to put us in mind, not to content our selves with the Name of a Commonwealth, but to do real things for the Common Good, and not to permit any Interest for their particular Advantage to prevail with us to the contrary. Our Army in Scotland hav­ing received some Recruits, advanced toward Edinburgh; but the Enemy being informed of their March, withdrew out of the Town, and leaving a strong Garison in the Castle, retreated [Page 330] towards Sterling. The Parliament being very careful to supply their Armies with all things necessary, caused great Quantities of Hay to be bought up in Norfolk and Suffolk, which they sent by Sea to Scotland, where it was absolute­ly necessary, for the Scots Army had so strong­ly intrenched themselves by the Advantage of a Wood, that ours could not possibly attack them without great Hazard; and they were furnished with Provisions from Fife and the ad­jacent Parts, which are the most fruitful in that Nation, by means of the Bridg at Sterling: whereas our Army, which lay encamped near them, had no other Country from whence they might draw Provisions, but such as had been already in the Possession of the Enemy: Be­sides that, Hay is generally scarce in Scotland; and that a great part of our Forces consisted of Horse.

Owen Roe O Neal, who commanded the Old Northern Irish in vlster, that had been princi­pally concerned in the Massacre of the Pro­testants, being dead, the Popish Bishop of Cloghar undertook the Conduct of them, and being grown considerably strong, necessitated Sir Charles Coote to draw his Forces together to defend his Quarters, which they designed to in­vade, desperately resolving to put it to the issue of a Battel. Their Foot was more numerous than ours, but Sir Charles exceeded them in Horse. The Dispute was hot for some time; but at last the Irish were beaten, tho not with­out [Page 331] Loss on our side: Amongst others Col. Fen­wick, a brave and gallant Man, was mortally wounded. The Enemies Baggage and Train of Artillery was taken, tho not many made Prisoners, being for the most part put to the Sword, with the Bishop of Cloghar their General, whose Head was cut off and set upon one of the Gates of London derry. The News of this Defeat being brought to those in Carlo, who had held out in hopes of Relief from their Friends in vlster, together with a great scarcity of Provisions in the Place, besides the beating down of the little Castle that stood at the foot of the Bridg on the other side of the River, which happened about the same time, so dis­couraged those within, that they surrendred the Place to the Lord Deputy Ireton upon Arti­cles; which he caused punctually to be exe­cuted, as his constant manner was.

Pursuant to the Order of Parliament, ap­pointing me Lieutenant General of the Horse in Ireland, the General, as he was directed by the said Order, sent me a Commission to that end; which I received, and gave him an Account of the Reception, acquainting him also how sensi­ble I was of my want of Experience to manage so weighty an Employment; but that on the other hand I would not fail to endeavour to dis­charge my Duty with the utmost Fidelity. He replied, that I might rely upon that God to car­ry me through the Work, who had called me to it; and in the Close of his Letter recom­mended [Page 332] the procuring from the Parliament a Settlement upon Sir Hardress Waller of the Inhe­ritance of some Lands which he then held by Lease from the Earl of Ormond, and for which he paid two hundred Pounds annual Rent, as a thing that might be proper for me to do before my Departure for Ireland. I was afterwards informed that Sir Hardress Waller had earnestly solicited for this Employment of Lieutenant Ge­neral of the Horse in Ireland, and that the Ge­neral not thinking it convenient to entrust him with it, yet unwilling he should know so much, perswaded him to believe that the Par­liament had over-ruled him therein.

The Parliament then passed an Act, consti­tuting Commissioners for the Administration of Civil Affairs in Ireland, and agreed upon In­structions of sufficient Latitude for them to act by, in particular to lay a Tax on that Nation not exceeding the Sum of thirty thousand Pounds: To give order for the distribution of Justice, as near to the Rules of the Law, as the nencessity of the Times would permit; and to consider of a Method of Proceeding in the Courts of Justice there, to be offered to the Parliament for their Approbation. The Com­missioners were those that I mentioned before, only Major Salloway desiring to be excused from that Service, Mr. Miles Corbet, a Member of Parliament, was inserted in his room.

Some Suspicions there were at this time that the Presbyterian Party in England, especially [Page 333] those about London, entertained a private Cor­respondence with their Brethren in Scotland: where tho that Nation had received a great Blow at Dunbar, yet it was resolved that their King should be crowned upon his taking the Solemn League and Covenant, and obliging himself thereby to endeavour the extirpation of Popery and Episcopacy. This Action was per­formed with all the Circumstances and Solem­nities that could be used in the Condition of their Affairs. The Nobility swore Fidelity to him, and the Marquiss of Argile put the Crown upon his Head with his own Hands. And now having a King like other Nations, and a Cove­nanting King too, they doubted not of Success under his Conduct, presuming by this means most certainly to retrieve all their Losses and Reputation. But the Parliament who had re­moved one King, was not frighted with the set­ting up of another, and therefore proceeded in the Settlement of their Affairs both Military and Civil; and to that end ordered a thousand Pounds to be advanced to the Commissioners of the Civil Affairs in Ireland, directing them to receive also a thousand Pounds yearly. They like wise gave Orders for the payment of a thousand Pounds to me by way of Advance up­on my Pay as Lieutenant General of the Horse, that I might be enabled to furnish my self with Tents, Horses, and other things necessary for that Service. The Committee of Irish Affairs raised also a Troop consisting of a hundred [Page 334] Horse to accompany me, and armed them with Back, Breast, Head-pieces, Pistols, and Mus­quetoons, with two Months Pay advanced. The Lord Deputy Ireton's Lady, Daughter to General Cromwell, prepared to go over with us to her Husband, who had removed his Head­quarters to Waterford, partly because he thought that Place most convenient for the Service, as the Enemy then lay; and partly from some Disgust conceived against Dublin, where the Inhabitants had extorted unreasonable Rates for their Provisions and other Necessaries sold to our Army at their Arrival there for the Relief of Ireland. Therefore resolving to pass through South Wales, I hastned out of Town before the rest of my Company, in order to take leave of my Friends in the West; and from thence go­ing to Glamorganshire, I stayed there with some Relations of my Wife, till the rest of the Com­pany came down.

Before I left the Parliament, some Difference happening between the Countess of Rutland and the Lord Edward Howard of Escrick, Col. Gell, who was a great Servant of the Countess, informed Major General Harison that the Lord Edward Howard being a Member of Parliament, and one of the Committee at Haberdashers­Hall, had taken divers Bribes for the excusing Delinquents from Sequestration, and easing them in their Compositions; and that in parti­cular he had received a Diamond Hatband va­lued at eight hundred Pounds, from one Mr. [Page 335] Compton of Sussex; concerning which he could not prevail with any to inform the Parliament. Major General Harrison being a Man of severe Principles, and zealous for Justice, especially against such as betrayed the Publick Trust re­posed in them, assured him, that if he could sa­tisfy him that the Fact was as he affirmed, he would not fail to inform the Parliament of it: and upon Satisfaction received from the Colonel touching that Matter, said in Parliament, That tho the Honour of every Member was dear to him, and of that Gentleman in particular, na­ming the Lord Howard, because he had so open­ly owned the Interest of the Commonwealth, as to decline his Peerage, and to sit upon the foot of his Election by the People; yet he loved Justice before all other things, looking upon it to be Honour of the Parliament, and the Image of God upon them; that therefore he durst not refuse to lay this Matter before them, tho he was very desirous that the said Lord might clear himself of the Accusation. The Parliament having received his Information, referred the Consideration of the Matter to a Committee, where it was fully examined; and notwithstanding all the Art of Counsel learned in the Law, who are very skilful at putting a good Appearance upon a bad Cause, and all the Friends the Lord Howard could make, so just and equitable a Spirit then governed, that the Committee having represented the Matter to the Parliament as they found it to be, they dis­charged [Page 336] him from being a Member of Parlia­ment, sent him to the Tower, and fined him ten thousand Pounds.

About the beginning of January the Com­missioners of Parliament, the Lady Ireton, and my self, met at Milford, in order to embark for Ireland, three Men of War lying ready for us in the Harbour, with several Ships for the Transportation of my Troop, with our Goods and Horses. We came to Milford on Saturday, and on Monday following the Lady Ireton and the Commissioners set sail with fair Wind, leaving the Guinea-Frigat for me, and to be Convoy to those Vessels that were appointed to transport the Horse and other things, of which but one could be ready time enough to set sail with them, my Troop being not yet mustered. The next day Mr. Lort, by order of the Com­mittee of Parliament, mustered my Troop, so that I began to ship them on Wednesday in the Afternoon; and on Thursday Morning they be­ing all embarked, we set sail, and tho the Wea­ther proved very calm, we arrived the next day under the Fort of Duncannon near Waterford; where I understood that the Lady Ireton and the Commissioners had landed there the day before, and were gone to the Lord Deputy at Waterford.

Immediately after my Arrival I went to wait on the Lord Deputy Ireton, who was much sur­prized at my landing so soon after the rest of the Company, and ordered good Quarters to be [Page 337] assigned to my Troop, that they might be re­freshed before they entred upon Duty: for it was observed, that the English Horses were not so fit for Service, till they had been seasoned for some time with the Air and Provisions of that Country. Having received Advice that the Enemy was marched out of Connaught and Limerick towards our Quarters in Munster, he drew a Party of Horse and Foot out of their Winter-quarters, to which they had been late­ly sent, and with them endeavoured to find out the Enemy; who upon his Advance, retreated into their own Quarters. The Deputy being returned, was very careful to prepare all things that were necessary for the Army, that they might be ready to march into the Field early the next Spring; making Provision of Tents, Arms, Clothes and Bread for the Souldiers; sending Cannon and Ammunition of all sorts up the Shannon towards Limerick by Vessels provided to that end; that being the first Place which he designed to attack the following Year, having in his last March, by putting Garisons into Castle-Conel, Kilmallock, and other Places, blocked them up in some measure.

The Commissioners of Parliament, of whom the Deputy was one, spent a considerable time in debating and resolving in what manner Justice should be administred for the present in each Precinct, till the State of Affairs could be reduced into a more exact Order; and account­ing it most just, that those who had the most [Page 338] immediate Advantage by the War, should bear the principal Burden of it, they laid upon the Nation of Ireland a Tax proportionable to their Ability; for the raising of which, together with the Excise and Customs that by our Au­thority from the Parliament we were impower­ed to impose, we appointed Commissioners for the Precincts of Dublin, Waterford, Cork, Clon­mel, Kilkenny and Vlster, who were to proceed according to such Rules as they should receive from time to time from the Parliament's Com­missioners. The Governour of each Precinct was appointed one of the Commissioners of that Precinct, Col. Hewetson being for Dublin, Sir Charles Coote and Col. Venables for Vlster, Col. Daniel Axtel for Kilkenny, Col. Zanchey for Clonmel, Col. Phaier for the County of Cork, and Col. Laurence for the County of Waterford: They appointed Col. Thomas Her­bert and Col. Markham to be Inspectors over the rest, and to go from place to place to see that their Instructions were put in execution. Com­missioners were also appointed in the several Precincts for the more equal Distribution of Justice; and a Proclamation was published, forbidding the killing of Lambs or Calves for the Year next ensuing, that the Country might recover a Stock again, which had been so ex­hausted by the Wars, that many of the Natives who had committed all manner of waste upon the Possessions of the English, were driven to such Extremities that they starved with Hun­ger; [Page 339] and I have been informed by Persons de­serving Credit, that the same Calamity fell up­on them even in the first Year of the Rebellion, through the Depredations of the Irish; and that they roasted Men, and eat them, to sup­ply their Necessities. In conjunction with this Evil they were also afflicted with the Plague, which was supposed to have been brought amongst them by a Ship from Spain, and bound to Galway, from whence the Infection spread it self through most Parts of the Country, and amongst others had reached Waterford, where several died of it, and particularly a Kinswo­man of mine, who having been driven out of Ireland with her Husband and Children at the breaking out of the Rebellion, took the Oppor­tunity to return thither with me, and died there, with one of her Children, very suddenly, hav­ing dined with me the day before. The Spring approaching, we removed to Kilkenny, that Place lying most convenient for the distribution of Tents, Clothes, and all other things necessa­ry for the use of the Army: It was also near the Enemies Quarters, and thereby thought most proper to favour any Attempt against them from thence. Col. Reynolds, who returned from England with us, being made Commissary General of the Horse in Ireland, was sent with a Party into the King and Queen's County, and put a Garison into Marriborough, appointing Major Owen to be Governour of the Place. At his Return it was agreed that a Detachment [Page 340] from Nenagh, where Col. Abbot commanded, another from Cashil and those Parts, and a third from Kilkenny, should march from their re­spective Garisons, and contrive it so as to sall upon the Quarters of Col. Fitzpatrick at the same time, which were advantageously situated, encompassed with Woods and Bogs, and inac­cessible, except by three very narrow and diffi­cult ways, by which they were ordered to at­tack him separatcly. This Enterprize was so well effected, that the Place was taken, with many of the Enemies Horse, besides a great number of Men killed or made Prisoners. At this time it happened that Col. Axtell, than whom no Man was better acquainted with the Country of Ireland, was accused for not per­forming some Conditions said to have been pro­mised to the Enemy, who pretended that after they had surrendred upon assurance of Mercy, they were all put to the Sword, except a few who made their Escape. The Colonel endea­voured to prove, that no Conditions had been granted; that they were taken by Force, and that they who had shewed no Mercy, could not deserve to receive any. Tho the Proof was not clear that he had promised them their Lives, yet because it appeared that some of the Soul­diers had thrown out some Expressions tending that way to the Enemy, the Deputy was so great a Friend to Justice, even where an Enemy was concerned, that tho Col. Axtell was a Per­son extraordinarily qualified for the Service of [Page 341] that Conjuncture; he, together with the Coun­cil of War, at which the Commissioners of the Parliament were also present, suspended him from his Employment.

The Lord Broghil, who had conceived great hopes of obtaining the Command of the Horse, or at least to be made a General Officer, well knowing his own Merit, and thereupon think­ing himself neglected, made his Complaint to the Deputy in a Letter directed to him, and sent unsealed in another to Adjutant General Allen; wherein enumerating the Services he had done, the Losses he had sustained, and the slen­der Encouragements he had received, he de­clared his Resolution not to obey the Com­mands of any other but of General Cromwell and him. In answer to this the Deputy by another Letter acquainted him, that he was sorry to find such a Spirit in him; and particu­larly that he should discover it at such a time when the Season for Action was drawing on, desiring him to come to the Head-quarters, that they might confer together touching this Mat­ter. At his coming the Deputy consulted with the Commissioners what Course to take in this Affair. I excused my self to them from giving my Advice, (his principal Objection being against me) telling them, I was convinced that he had some Ground for his Dissatisfaction, by reason of his Interest and Experience in the Country; I being in those respects much infe­riour to him, and should not have had the [Page 342] Confidence to have undertaken the Employ­ment I possessed, but in pure Obedience to those who were in Authority. The Deputy assured me, that they were abundantly satisfied with the Clearness of my Proceeding, and no less of my Abilities to discharge the Trust reposed in me, and to perform the Duties of my Employ­ments, of which he was pleased to say, I had given sufficient Demonstration, as well as of a constant and hearty Affection to the Publick Interest. In conclusion, the Debate concerning the Lord Broghill was brought to this Question; Whether he should be wholly laid aside, or whether something should be done in order to content him for the present, by conferring upon him some Office of Profit, and the Title of a General Officer. The latter was agreed upon, and he declared Lieutenant General of the Ordi­nance in Ireland.

The Commissioners having settled Affairs as well as they could, and finding the Deputy to be employed in making all necessary Preparati­ons for the ensuing Service, took that Opportu­nity to go to regulate Affairs at Dublin, where after they had dispatched the Publick Business, in which they spent about a Week, and pro­vided Houses to receive their Families when they should arrive from England, they re­turned to Kilkenny. The Enemy, who had a Party of Horse in those Parts, had designed to surprize them in their way to Dublin, and again in their Return to us; but finding them attend­ed [Page 343] by a strong Guard, they durst not venture to attempt it.

The Enemies Forces being retreated into Con­naught, which Province was covered by the Shannon, and keeping strong Guards upon the Bridges and Fords of that River, the Reduction of Limerick could not well be expected till we had blocked them up on both sides. In order to which it was resolved, that Sir Charles Coote, who had with him between four and five thou­sand Horse and Foot, should march into Con­naught by the way of Ballyshannon, a Passage on the side of Ulster, not far distant from the Sea; and Commissary General Reynolds was sent with his Regiment of Horse to his Assist­ance.

Col. Axtell and some others about this time going for England, were taken by a Pirate be­longing to Scilly, whither they were all carried Prisoners: The Irish who were many in the Island, against whom Col. Axtell had been ve­ry active, and who had heard of the Charge lately exhibited against him, pressed hard for the taking away his Life. But upon considera­tion of the Preparations making by the Parlia­ment to send a Fleet with Souldiers to reduce that Island, it was not thought convenient to attempt any thing against him, tho they had a strong Inclination to it, for fear of an exem­plary Retaliation.

In the mean time the Parliament sent a Fleet with some Land-Forces to reduce the Isle of [Page 344] Jersey, with the Castle which was kept by Sir Philip Carteret for Prince Charles. Col. Haines who commanded them, met with some Opposi­tion at his landing; but having brought his Men ashore, the Island generally submitted to the Parliament. The Castle having made some Resistance, was soon after surrendred also.

The Affairs of the Commonwealth being thus successful, and their Authority acknow­ledged by the Applications of Agents and Am­bassadors from Foreign Nations to them, it was resolved to send some Ministers abroad to entertain a good Correspondence with our Neighbours, and to preserve the Interests of the Subjects of this Nation in those Parts. To that effect the Lord Chief Justice St. Johns was dispatched with the Character of Ambassador Extraordinary to the States of the United Ne­therlands, with whom Mr. Walter Strickland, our Resident there, was joined in Commission; and to prevent such another Attempt as had been made upon our former Agent, forty Gen­tlemen were appointed to attend him for his Security and Honour, ten thousand Pounds be­ing delivered to the Lord Ambassador's Steward for the Expence of the Embassy. Yet this great Equipage was not sufficient to prevent a publick Affront which was offered him by Prince Edward, one of the Palatine Family, as he was passing the Streets. But the Prince im­mediately retiring to some Place out of the Ju­risdiction [Page 345] of the States, secured himself from any Prosecution, tho they pretended upon the Complaint of our Ambassadors, that they were ready to do them what Right they could. The Negotiation of our Ministers, which was de­signed to procure a nearer Conjunction and Coa­lition between the two States, proved also in­effectual, the Province of Holland being not so much inclined to consent to it as was expected, and Frizeland, with most of the rest of the Pro­vinces, entirely against it; presuming that such a Conjunction as was demanded would be no less than rendring those Countries a Province to England: So that our Ambassadors having used all possible means to succeed in their Business, and finding the Dutch unwilling to conclude with us whilst the King had an Army in the Field, returned to England without effecting any thing but the Expence of a great Sum of Money. This Disappointment sat so heavy upon the haughty Spirit of the Lord Chief Justice St. Johns, that he reported these Trans­actions with the highest Aggravations against the States, and thereby was a principal Instru­ment to prevail with the Council of State to move the Parliament to pass an Act prohibiting foreign Ships from bringing any Merchandizes into England, except such as should be of the Growth or Manufacture of that Country to which the said Ships did belong. This Law, tho just in it self, and very advantageous to the English Nation, was so highly resented by the [Page 346] Dutch, who had for a long time driven the Trade of Europe by the great Number of their Ships, that it soon proved to be the Ball of Con­tention between the two Nations.

During these Transactions, the Deputy of Ireland labouring with all diligence to carry on the Publick Service, ordered the Army to ren­dezvouz at Cashil; from whence he marched by the way of Nenagh to that part of the River Shannon which lies over against Killalo, where the Earl of Castle-haven lay with about two thousand Horse and Foot, disposed along the side of the River, and defended by Breast-works cast up for their Security, resolving to endea­vour to obstruct our Passage into Connaught. The Deputy, as if he had intended to divert the Course of the River, set the Souldiers and Pioneers at work to take the Ground lower on our side, that the Water venting it self into the Passage, the River might become fordable; which so alarmed the Enemy, that they drew out most of their Men to oppose us. Whilst they were thus amused, the Deputy taking me with him, and a Guard of Horse, marched pri­vately by the side of the Shannon, in order to find a convenient place to pass that River. The ways were almost impassable by reason of the Bogs, tho Col. Reeves and others who com­manded in those Parts had repaired them with Hurdles as well as they could. Being advanced about half way from Killalo to Castle-Conel, we found a place that answered our Desires, where [Page 347] a Bridg had formerly been, with an old Castle still standing at the foot of it on the other side of the River. We took only a short view of the Place, lest we should give occasion to the Enemy to suspect our Design. The way hi­ther from our Camp was so full of Bogs, that neither Horse nor Man could pass without great Danger, so that we were necessitated to mend them, by laying Hurdles and great pieces of Timber a-cross in order to bear our Carriages: which we did under pretence of making a passa­ble way between our Camp and Castle-Conel, a Garison of ours, where Provisions were laid up for the Army. It was about ten days before all things necessary to this Design could be pre­pared, and then Col. Reeves was commanded to bring three Boats which he had to a place appointed for that purpose, by one a Clock in the Morning. At the beginning of the Night three Regiments of Foot, and one of Horse, with four Pieces of Cannon, marched silently towards the place where the Boats were order­ed to lie, and arrived there an hour before day. They found but two Boats waiting for them, yet they served to carry over three Files of Mus­queteers and six Troopers, who having unsad­dled their Horses, caused them to swim by the Boat, and were safely landed on the other side. Two Sentinels of the Enemy were in the Castle, of whom one was killed by our Men, and the other made his Escape. Our Boats had trans­ported about sixty Foot and twenty Horse be­fore [Page 348] any Enemy appeared; but then some of their Horse coming up skirmished with ours, wherein one Mr. How, a hopeful daring young Gentleman, who had accompanied me into Ire­land, distinguished himself. About a thousand of the Enemies Foot advancing, our Horse was commanded to retire, which they did, not without some Reluctancy; but the hasty March of their Foot was retarded by our Guns which we had planted on a Hill on our side of the Ri­ver, from whence we fired so thick upon them, that they were forced to retreat under the shel­ter of a rising Ground; where after they had been a while, and considered what to do, find­ing ours coming over apace to them, instead of attacking us, they began to think it high time to provide against our falling upon them; and having sent to all their Guards upon the River to draw off, they retreated farther through the Woods into their own Quarters. We were no sooner got over the River, but we received ad­vice that Sir Charles Coote and Commissary Ge­neral Reynolds were entred into Connaught, and advanced as far as Athenree. Our Ships were also come up the River of Limerick with our Artillery, Ammunition, Provisions, and all things necessary for the Siege of Limerick. And now the Deputy thinking himself abundantly provided for the Reduction of that important Place, and not knowing what Necessities the Party with Sir Charles Coote might be driven to, the chief of the Enemies Strength being drawn [Page 349] that way, he resolved to send a Party of Horse to him. But not being able to spare above a thousand Horse for that Service, he was unwil­ling to desire me to command them, tho he had no Person with him that he could conveniently make use of therein, most of the Colonels of Horse being employed in their respective Pre­cincts to secure them from the Incursions of the Enemies. This I perceived, and offered to match with them: whereupon the Deputy fur­nished me with three Majors, who were Majors Warden of my own Regiment of Horse, Major Owen of the Regiment of Commissary General Reynolds, and Major Bol [...]n of a Regi­ment of Dragoons, a brave and diligent Offi­cer. We began our March about five in the Afternoon, and by twelve at Night having marched between sixteen and seventeen Miles, we dismounted to forage our Horses, and rest our selves. Before day we mounted and con­tinued our March through a desolate Country, the People being fled, and no Provisions to be had but what we carried with us. About ten in the Morning our Forlorn perceived a Creaght, as the Country People call it, where half a dozen Families with their Cattle were got to­gether. Some of those who saw them first, presuming all the Irish in that Country to be Enemies, began to kill them; of which having notice, I put a stop to it, and took a share with them of a Pot of sowr Milk, which seemed to me the most pleasant Liquor that ever I drank. [Page 350] In the Afternoon we found the ways exceeding bad, and almost impassable, many of the Hur­dles which had been laid upon them being drawn away, as we supposed, by the Enemy: yet in a little more than twenty four hours we had marched about forty Miles, and were in­formed that Sir Charles Coote was besieging Por­tumna, a House of the Earl of Clanrickard, and that the Enemies were about Athenree. Upon this notice, leaving my Party advantageously posted in a Place furnished with Provisions for themselves and Horses, I took with me sixty Horse, and went to Portumna, to be informed more particularly concerning the State of Af­fairs. At my Arrival I understood that an At­tempt had been made upon the Place, wherein our Men had been repulsed; but that the Ene­my, having a large Line to keep, and many poor People within, fearing to hazard another Assault, had agreed to surrender upon Articles next Morning, which was done accordingly. And now having found Sir Charles Coote's Party in good condition, and able to deal with the Enemies on that side, I returned to my Body of Horse, with which and five hundred more that joined me, commanded by Commissary General Reynolds, I followed and endeavoured to find out the Enemy; but they removed from one Place to another with such Expedition, that we could not overtake them, having left their Carriages, in order to march the lighter, at a Castle belonging to one Mr. Brabston, situated [Page 351] upon a considerable Pass. This Place I endea­voured to reduce; and tho it was indifferently strong, and we very ill provided for such an Attempt, yet after some Resistance the Ene­mies delivered it upon Articles, whereby they were permitted to carry off whatsoever be­longed properly to them; the Tents and Draught-Oxen remaining in our possession, with several other things belonging to the Earl of Clanrickard, whom the Earl of Ormond had constituted his Deputy in those Parts. Having put a Garison into this Place, and sent back Commissary General Reynolds with his Party to Portumna, I marched with my Horse towards Limerick, and came to Gourtenshegore, a Castle belonging to Sir Dermot O Shortness, who was then gone to Galway, but had left his Tenants with some Souldiers, and one Foliot an English Man to command them, in the Castle. At my coming before it I summoned them to submit, offering them, that in case they would dismiss their Souldiers, and promise to live quietly in the obedience of the Parliament, I would leave no Garison in the Place, nor suffer any Preju­dice to be done to them. They pretending they had already submitted to Sir Charles Coote, re­fused to deliver the Castle to any other. Tho I took this to be only a pretence, yet to leave them without excuse, and to prevent all Ex­ceptions, I sent to Sir Charles Coote to desire him to let me know how the Matter stood, and to direct them to deliver the Place to me. Hav­ing [Page 352] received an Answer to my Letter from Sir Charles Coote, I sent it to them, telling them, that now I expected their Obedience; but in­stead of that they sent me a Defiance, and sounded their Bagpipes in contempt of us; to which they were chiefly encouraged by one of the Country, whom I had sent to bring in to me some Iron Bars, Sledges, and Pickaxes, and who under colour of going to setch them, ran away to the Enemy, and acquainted them with our want of Artillery and Instruments to force them. I gave Orders to take up all the Horses from Grass, to bridle and saddle them, and to tie them to the Tents of their respective Troops, commanding two Troops to mount the Guard, and to send out Scouts to discover if any Ene­my were near. The rest of the Men I drew into several Parties, and assigned them their particular Attacks: Every Souldier carried a Fagot before him, as well to defend himself, as to fill up the Enemies Trenches, or to fire the Gates, as there should be occasion. On one side of the Wall there was an Earth-work about eleven Foot high, with a Trench of equal breadth without. The Wall of the Court was about twelve Foot high, well flanked. On the other side the Place was secured by a River. Upon our first Approach the Enemy shot very thick upon us, and killed two of our Men, which so enraged the rest, that they ran up to the Works, and helping one another to the top of them, beat off the Enemy, following them [Page 353] so close, that by means of some Ladders which those within had made use of, they got into the Court, and put to the Sword most of those they found there, the Enemy not daring to open the Gate to receive their Friends. Those of ours who had entred the Court, having no In­struments to force the House, made use of a wooden Bar which they found, and with which they wrested out the Iron Bars of a strong stone Window about six Foot from the Ground, and forced the Enemy by their Shot out of that Room, where being entred, they put to the Sword those that were there. Lieutenant Fo­liot finding his Case desperate, resolved to sell his Life at as dear a rate as he could, and charged our Men, who were nine or ten in number, with a Tuck in one hand, and a Stilletto in the other, defending himself so well with the one, and pressing them so hard with the other, that they all gave ground; but he closing with one of them whom he had wounded, and probably might have killed, gave an opportunity to ano­ther to run him through the Body, by which Wound he fell, and the House was quickly cleared of the rest. Most of the Principal of the Enemies being got into the Castle, our Men fired a great number of Fagots at the Gates, which burned so furiously, that the Flame took hold of the Floors and other Timber within, through the Iron Grate, which being perceived by those in the Castle, they hung out a white Flag, begging earnestly for Mercy, and that [Page 354] we would take away the Fire. I commanded my Men to leave shooting, and acquainted the Besieged, that if they expected any Favour from us, they must throw down their Arms, which they presently did: Whereupon I or­dered the Fire to be taken away, and gave a Souldier twenty Shillings to fetch out two Bar­rels of Powder that was near the Fire, which continued to burn so fiercely, that we could not put it out, but were obliged to throw up Skains of Match into the Chambers, by which those in the Castle descended to us, being about fourscore in number, besides many Women and Children. We secured the Men till the next Morning, when I called a Council of War; and being pressed by the Officers, that some of the Principal of them might be punished with Death for their Obstinacy, I consented to their Demand, provided it might not extend to such as had been drawn in by the Malice of others. Those who were Tenants to Sir Dermot O Shortness, and Country-men, I dismissed to their Habitations, upon promise to behave themselves peaceably, and to engage against us no more: the rest of them we carried away with us. Whilst we were spending our time in sending to Sir Charles Coote, and expecting his Answer, I had sent a Party of Horse to find out some of the Enemies that were marched towards the Barony of Burren; and tho they could not overtake them, yet they met with sour or five hundred Head of Cattle, and seized [Page 355] them, which proved a great Refreshment to our Party, and to the Army that was besieging Limerick, whither we returned, and gave an Account of our Proceedings to the Deputy, who expressed himself well satisfied with the same.

At my Return I found that our Army had possessed themselves of one of the Enemies Forts that stood in the midst of the Shannon upon the Fishing Ware, in this manner. A small Battery of two Guns being erected against it, one of them was fired into a Room, and breaking the Leg of a Souldier there, so frighted the rest, that betaking themselves to their Boats, they abandoned the Place; which ours perceiving, sired so thick upon them with their Shot, that all those who were in one of the Boats, whe­ther moved by Fear or Promise of Life I know not, surrendred to our Men; yet some of them were put to the Sword, at which the Deputy was much troubled, judging that they would not have quitted the means they had in their hands for their Preservation, but upon Terms of Advantage, and therefore referred the Mat­ter to be examined by a Court Martial.

Those in the Town having considered of the Summons sent to them by the Deputy for the Surrender of the Place, agreed to treat con­cerning Articles, supposing that they might obtain more favourable Conditions than when they should be driven to Extremities. Accord­ingly six Commissioners were appointed on [Page 356] each side. Those for the Enemy were Major General Purcel, Mr. Stockdale Recorder of the Town, Col. Butler, Jeffrey Barrow, who had been one of their Supreme Council, Mr. Baggot, and one more, whose Name I do not remem­ber. The Commissioners nominated by the Deputy were Major General Waller, Col. Crom­well, Major Smith, Adjutant General Allen, my self, and one more, whom I have also forgot. We met them in a Tent placed between the Town and our Camp, where we dined toge­ther, and treated of Conditions for several days; but they having great Expectations of Relief, either by the King's Success against us in Scotland, or by the drawing together of their own Parties in Ireland, who were able to form an Army more numerous than ours, insisted upon such excessive Terms, that the Treaty was broken up without coming to any Con­clusion. The Fort which we were preparing in order to block them up on one side of the Town being almost finished, and Materials ready for building a Bridg to be laid over the Shannon to preserve a Communication between our Forces on each side, we resolved to endea­vour the Reduction of a Castle possessed by the Enemy, and standing beyond their Bridg. To that end a Battery was erected, and a Breach being made, the Deputy remembring the Vi­gour of the Troopers in the Action at Gourten­shegore, desired that one might be drawn out of each Troop to be an Example to the Foot that [Page 357] were to storm: which being done, they were armed with Back, Breast, and Head-piece, and furnished with Hand-Granadoes. One Mr. Hacket, a stout Gentleman of the Guard, was made choice of to lead them on, who were in all not above twenty. This Design succeeded beyond Expectation; for our Men having thrown in their Granadoes, marched up to the Breach, and entred with Mr. Hacket at the Head of them, being followed by those who were ordered to sustain them. The Enemy not being able to stand before them, quitted the Place, and retired by the Bridg into the Town. The Castle was immediately searched, and four or five Barrels of Powder were sound in a Vault ready to take fire by a lighted Match left there by the Enemy on purpose to blow up our Men. The Deputy gave Mr. Hacket and the rest of the Troopers a Gratuity for their good Service, and upon the Encouragement of this Success, formed a Design to possess himself of an Island that lay near the Town, containing about forty or fifty Acres of Ground, and encompassed by the River: In order to which Boats were pre­pared, and Floats sufficient to transport three hundred Men at once, and Orders given to fall down the River about Midnight. Three Re­giments of Foot and one of Horse were ap­pointed to be wasted over. The first three hundred, being all Foot, were commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Walker, who being landed on the Island with his Men, marched up to the [Page 358] Enemies Breast-work, which they had cast up quite round the Place; but they having disco­vered our Men before their Landing, had drawn most of their Forces together to oppose them; so that being oppressed by the Enemies Num­bers, they were most of them forced into the Water, and all either killed or drowned, ex­cept two or three only who came back to the Camp. Our Bridge being finished, and a small Fort to defend it erected at the foot of it, the Deputy, with most part of the Army, march­ed over to the other side of the River, where he marked out Ground for three Bodies of Men to encamp separately, each to consist of about two thousand, giving Orders for the fortifying of those Places, assigning to each Regiment their Proportion, and quartering them by Bri­gades in the most convenient manner he could, either to defend themselves, to relieve each other, or to annoy the Enemy: and as soon as the great Fort on which our Men had been long working was rendred defensible, he drew off all our Forces from this side of the River, ex­cept a thousand Foot, and about three hundred Horse.

In the mean time the Enemy was endeavour­ing to draw their Forces together to relieve the Place, well knowing of what Importance it was to their Affairs. To that end the Lord Muskerry had brought together about five thou­sand Horse and Foot in the Counties of Cork and Kerry, and David Rock between two or [Page 359] three thousand more in the County of Clare. The Lord Broghil and Major Wallis were sent to oppose the Lord Muskerry, whilst I with another Detachment was ordered to look after the other. The Lord Broghil soon met with the Lord Muskerry, and after some Dispute en­tirely defeated him, killing many of the Irish, and taking others Prisoners, with little loss on our side. I passed the River at Inchecroghnan, of which the Enemy having advice, drew off their Forces from Caricgoholt, a Garison of ours, which they were besieging, whereby Capt. Lu­cas, who was Governour of the Place, want­ing Provisions, took that opportunity to quit it; and being joined by Capt. Taff's Dragoons, came safe to us. Whilst I was endeavouring to find out the Enemy, Advice was brought to me, that they, to the number of three thou­sand Horse and Foot, were marching with all diligence to possess themselves of the Pass at In­checrohgnan, thereby designing to obstruct our Return to the Army before Limerick: which being confirmed by a Letter we intercepted, I drew out two hundred and fifty Horse with sixty Dragoons, and sent them before, with Orders to take possession of the Pass, marching after them with the rest of my Party. When I was almost come to the Pass, I was informed by those sent before, that they had found a small number of the Enemies Horse there, who immediately retreated upon the advance of our Men, some of whom were in pursuit of them. [Page 360] Presently after Advice was brought, that the Enemy made good a Pass leading to some Woods and Bogs which they used sor a Re­treat; whereupon I went to take a view of their Posture, that if it were necessary I might order a greater Force to succour our Men. Be­ing come up to the Place where the Dispute was, I found that Connor O Brian, deputed by the Lord Inchequin to command in the County of Clare, had been shot from his Horse, and carried away by his Party. The Enemy re­treated to a Pass, and fired thick upon us; but we advancing within Pistol-shot of them, they quitted their Ground, and betook themselves to their Woods and Bogs. Divers of them were killed in the Pursuit; yet the Ground was so advantagious to them, and their Heels so good, that tho we pursued them with all possi­ble diligence, and sent out Parties several ways, yet we could not take above two or three of them Prisoners. Having dispersed this Party, and relieved the Garison of Caricogoholt, I re­turned to the Army before Limerick, where I found a considerable Progress made in our Works on the other side of the Town, and a Reinforcement from England of between three and four thousand Foot, whose Arrival was ve­ry seasonable and welcome to us, having lost many Men by hard Service, change of Food, and alteration of the Climate. The Deputy fearing that the Plague, which raged fiercely in Limerick, might reach our Army; and to [Page 361] the end that care might be taken of our sick and wounded Men, caused an Hospital to be pre­pared, and furnished with all things necessary; and whilst the Works were finishing against the Town, he went to visit the Garison of Killalo, and to order a Bridg to be made over the River at that Place, for the better Commu­nication of the Counties of Tipperary and Clare. I accompanied him in this Journey, and having passed all Places of Danger, he left his Guard to refresh themselves, and rode so hard that he spoiled many Horses, and hazarded some of the Men; but he was so diligent in the Pub­lick Service, and so careless of every thing that belonged to himself, that he never re­garded what Clothes or Food he used, what Hour he went to rest, or what Horse he mounted.

In the mean time our Army in Scotland lying near the Enemies Camp at Torwood, who were plentifully furnished with Provi­sions from the County of Fife, it was re­solved that a Party of ours, commanded by Colonel Overton, should be sent in Boats from Leith and Edinburgh into that County, to contrive some way to prevent the Enemies Supplies from thence. This Party was fol­lowed by four Regiments of Horse and Foot commanded by Major General Lambert. Of which the Enemy having notice, sent Sir John Brown, who was esteemed to be a Person of Courage and Conduct, with part of their Ar­my [Page 362] to oppose them. It was not long before the two Parties came to an Engagement, wherein the Enemy was totally routed; Sir John Brown who commanded them, with about two thou­sand of his Men killed, many made Prisoners, and all their Baggage taken. The Scots being deprived of their usual Supplies from Fife, and not expecting any from foreign Parts, by rea­son of the number of our Ships cruizing on their Coast, resolved to march into England, having received Encouragement so to do from their old and new Friends there. They passed the River Tweed near Carlisle, there being a strong Garison in Berwick for the Parliament, and were considerably advanced on their March before our Army in Scotland were acquainted with their Design. Major General Harrison, with about four thousand Horse and Foot, somewhat obstructed their March, tho he was not considerable enough to fight them; and be­ing joined by Major General Lambert with a Party of Horse from the Army, they observed the Enemy so closely as to keep them from Ex­cursions, and to prevent others from joining with them. The Scots who were in great ex­pectation of Assistance from Wales, and relied much upon Col. Massey's Interest in Glocester­shire, advanced that way. Few of the Coun­try came in to them; but on the other side, so affectionate were the People to the Common­wealth, that they brought in Horse and Foot from all Parts to assist the Parliament: Inso­much [Page 363] that their Number was by many thought sufficient to have beaten the Enemy without the Assistance of the Army; some even of the excluded Members appearing in Arms, and leading Regiments against the Common Ene­my.

At the same time, upon notice that the Earl of Derby was at the Head of fifteen hundred Horse and Foot in Lancashire, Col. Liburn was sent that way with about eight hundred Men, who meeting with the Earl's Forces near Wi­gan, after a sharp Dispute for about an hour, totally routed them. The Number of the Slain was considerable on the Enemies side: The Lord Widdrington, with other Persons of Quality, were killed. All their Baggage was taken, and three or four hundred made Priso­ners, with the Loss only of one Officer, and about ten private Souldiers of Col. Lilburn's. The Earl of Derby himself was wounded, and escaped to Worcester; but bringing not above thirty tired Horse with him, the Townsmen began to repent their Revolt from the Parlia­ment.

The Scots having possessed themselves of the City of Worcester, and fortified it as well as they could in so short a time, resolved to attack our Army, which was now advanced to that Place, and posted on each side of the Severn, ready to receive them, with General Cromwell at their Head. Their first Attack was made upon Lieutenant General Fleetwood's Quarters [Page 364] that were on the other side of the River, who with some Forces of the Army, and a Rein­forcement of the Militia made a vigorous Re­sistance. The General fearing he might be overpower'd, dispatch'd some Troops to his Assistance by a Bridg laid over the River, com­manding Major General Lambert to send ano­ther Detachment to the same purpose; but he desired to be excused, alledging, that if the E­nemy should alter their Course, and fall upon those on this side, they might probably cut off all that remained: which was not unlikely, for soon after most of the Enemies Strength fell up­on that part of the Army where the General and Major General Lambert were. The Battel was sought with various Success for a conside­rable time; but at length the Scots Army was broken, and quitting their Ground, retreated in great Disorder to the Town, where they en­deavoured to defend themselves. Major Gene­ral Harrison, Col. Croxton, and the Forces of Cheshire, entred the Place at their heels; and being followed by the rest of the Army, soon finished the Dispute, and totally defeated the Enemy. Three English Earls, seven Scots Lords, and above six hundred Officers, besides ten thousand private Souldiers, were made Pri­soners. The King's Standard, and a hundred fifty eight Colours, with all their Artillery, Ammunition and Baggage, was also taken. On our side, Quarter-master General Mosely, and Capt. Jones, with about a hundred private [Page 365] Souldiers, were killed, and Capt. Howard, with one Captain more, and about three hundred Souldiers wounded. This Victory was ob­tained by the Parliament's Forces on the 3 d of September, being the same Day of the same Month that the Scots had been defeated at Dun­bar the preceding Year. Col. Massey escaped into Leicestershire, but being dangerously wound­ed, found himself not able to continue his way, and fearing to be knock'd on the head by the Country, delivered himself to the Countess of Stamford, Mother to the Lord Grey of Grooby, who caused his Wounds to be carefully dressed, and sent notice of his Surrender to the Army. Whereupon a Party was dispatched with Orders to conduct him from thence to London, as soon as he should be fit to travel, which was done, and he committed Prisoner to the Tower. The Scots King with the Lord Wilmot were concealed by three Country-men, till they could furnish him with a Horse, with which he crossed the Country to one Mr. Gun­ter's near Shoreham in Sussex, carrying one Mrs. Lane behind him, from whence in a small Bark he escaped to France.

The General after this Action, which he called the Crowning Victory, took upon him a more stately Behaviour, and chose new Friends; neither must it be omitted, that instead of ac­knowledging the Services of those who came from all Parts to assist against the Common Enemy, tho he knew they had deserved as [Page 366] much Honour as himself and the standing Ar­my, he srowned upon them, and the very next day after the Fight dismissed and sent them home, well knowing, that a useful and expe­rienced Militia was more likely to obstruct than to second him in his ambitious Designs. Being on his way to London, many Members of the Parliament, attended by the City, and great numbers of Persons of all Orders and Conditi­ons, went some Miles out of the Town to meet him, which tended not a little to heighten the Spirit of this haughty Gentleman.

Lieutenant General Monk, whom the Gene­ral had raised to that Employment, and ordered to command in Scotland during his Absence, took Sterling-Castle; and then marched with about four thousand Horse and Foot before Dundee. But being advised that General Lesley, the Earl of Crawford, and others, were met at Elliot to consult of means to relieve that Town, he sent a Party of Horse and Dragoons com­manded by Col. Alured and Col. Morgan, to surprize them, which they did; and the princi­pal of them being taken, were sent Prisoners to London, where they were committed to the Tower. After this he summoned the Town of Dundee; but the Place being well fortified, and provided with a numerous Garison, refused to surrender; whereupon he storm'd it, and being entred, put five or six hundred to the Sword, and commanded the Governour, with divers others, to be killed in cold Blood.

Tho the News of these Successes much dis­couraged our Enemies in Ireland, yet those in Limerick were not without some hopes, that either the Plague, or Scarcity of Provisions, to­gether with the badness of the Weather, might constrain us to raise the Siege; and therefore resused to accept such Conditions as we were willing to grant. The Line which we had made about the Town, and the Forts being in a condition of Defence, the Deputy resolved to look after the Enemy in the County of Clare, and if possible to get some Provisions from thence for the Relief of the Army. He took me with him, knowing I had been in those Parts before, and between three and four thou­sand Horse and Foot. At our Approach to the Places where the Enemies usually were, we divided our Body, the Deputy being at the Head of one, and I at the Head of the other Party; hoping by this means so to encompass the Enemy, that they should not escape us: but tho we sometimes came within sight of them, and used our utmost Endeavours to en­gage them, yet by reason of the Advantages they made of the Woods, Rocks, Hills, and Bogs, for their Retreat, we could do them lit­tle hurt, save by seizing their Horses and Cattel. In the absence of this Party from the Army, the Enemy with two thousand Foot made a Sally out of Limerick so unexpectedly upon our Men, that they had almost surprized our Guard of Horse; but ours immediately mounting, [Page 368] and being not accustomed to be beaten, charged them, and notwithstanding the Inequality of the Forces, they being much superiour to us in Number, put them to a stand, till a Party of Horse and Foot came to their Relief, and forced the Enemies to retreat under the Walls of the Town, from whence their Men fired so thick upon ours, that their own Men had time to get into the Town.

When this Account was brought from Sir Hardress Waller to the Deputy, he was upon his Return to the Army before Limerick, having left me with about two thousand Horse and Foot, as well to ease our Quarters about the Town, not knowing how long we might lie before it, as to endeavour to perswade the Ga­rison of Clare-Castle, a strong Place, and situ­ated upon the River, to surrender. To that end being arrived in the Army, he sent one Lieutenant Colonel White, who had served the Enemy, and now had a Commission to raise Forces for the King of Spain, with an Order to me, to permit him to go to the said Garison, that he might inform them of the Impossibility of their receiving any Relief, and of the Ne­cessities to which Limerick was already reduced, and thereby prevail with them to make speedy provision for themselves, and to list under him: but his Design proving ineffectual, I found my self obliged to return to the Camp before Lime­rick, where we made provision for a Winter­Siege.

Great Numbers of People endeavoured to get out of the Town, sent out by the Garison either as useless Persons, or to spread the Con­tagion amongst us. The Deputy commanded them to return, and threatned to shoot any that should attempt to come out for the future: But this not being sufficient to make them de­sist, he caused two or three to be taken out in order to be executed, and the rest to be whip­ped back into the Town. One of those that were to be hanged was the Daughter of an old Man, who was in that number which was to be sent back: He desired that he might be hanged in the room of his Daughter, but that was refused, and he with the rest driven back into the Town. After which a Gibbet was erected in the sight of the Town-Walls, and one or two Persons hanged up, who had been condemned for other Crimes, that those within might suppose that Execution to be for coming out; and by this means they were so terrified, that we were no farther disturbed on that ac­count.

The Deputy, upon Information received that some in the Town were desirous to sur­render, and that others did violently oppose them, endeavoured by Letters and Messages to foment the Division, declaring against several Persons by name that were most active and ob­stinate for holding out, that they should have no Benefit by the Articles to be agreed upon, severely inveighing against a Generation of Men [Page 370] whom he called Souldiers of Fortune, that made a trade of the War, and valued not the Lives or Happiness of the People. This wrought the desired effect, and so encouraged the com­plying Party, that it was carried for a Treaty, and Commissioners again appointed on each side. We insisted that about seventeen of the principal Persons in the Place should be ex­cepted out of the Articles, of which number were Col. Hugh O Neal the Governour, the Mayor of the City, the Bishops of Limerick and Emmene, Major General Purcel, Sir Geoffrey Galloway, Sir Jeffrey Barrow, one Wolf a Priest, Sir Richard Everard and others. But these made so strong a Party that the Treaty was broke up without any Agreement, and no other way left to reduce them but by Force. In or­der to which the Deputy caused the great Guns to be landed from the Ships, and others to be brought from the adjacent Garisons. With these he erected a Battery against the Town in the most convenient Place that could possibly have been found, being against a part of the Wall, which tho it was of the same Height and Thickness with the rest of it, and also as well flanked; yet it proved not to be lined with Earth within, as all the other Parts were, nor had any Counterscarp without.

In the mean time the Parliament seeing a Pe­riod put to the War in England and Scotland, and that of Ireland drawing towards a Conclusion, resolved to gratify such Officers as the General [Page 371] recommended to their Favour; and thereupon settled a thousand Pounds yearly on Major Ge­neral Lambert, three hundred on Major Gene­ral Overton, the same on Col. Pride and Col. Whalley; five hundred Pounds annually on Commissary General Reynolds, a thousand Pounds per annum on the Lord Broghil. They also settled four thousand Pounds a Year on the Lord General himself, out of the Estates of the Duke of Buckingham and Marquiss of Wor­cester, besides the two thousand five hundred Pounds a Year formerly granted. This they did to oblige him by all means possible to the performance of his Duty, or to leave him with­out excuse if he should depart from it. They ordered also an Act to be brought in for settling two thousand Pounds per annum on the Lord Deputy Ireton; the News of which being brought over, was so unacceptable to him, that he said, They had many just Debts, which he de­sired they would pay before they made any such Pre­sents; that he had no need of their Land, and therefore would not have it; and that he should be more contented to see them doing the Service of the Nation, than so liberal in disposing of the Publick Treasure. And truly I believe he was in ear­nest; for as he was always careful to husband those things that belonged to the State to the best Advantage, so was he most liberal in em­ploying his own Purse and Person in the Pub­lick Service.

Our Battery being now in order, and the Re­giments that were appointed to storm disposed to their several Posts, we began to fire; direct­ing all our Shot to one particular part of the Wall, wherein we made such a Breach, that the Enemy not daring to run any farther Ha­zard, beat a Parley, and soon came to a Reso­lution to surrender upon the Articles we had offered before, delivering up the East-gate of the out-Town, which was separated by a Ri­ver, having a Draw-bridg over it from the other Town. The Deputy ordered all the Arms and Ammunition to be carefully preserved, and the Souldiers who were not of the Town, to be drawn up between the Place and our Army, that such as desired it might have Convoys to conduct them to their respective Parties; and that those who would return to their Habitati­ous, might have Passes granted to that effect. The Governour Col. Hugh O Neal met the De­puty at the Gate; where he presented him with the Keys of the City, and gave order for the marching out of the Souldiers, who were not Townsmen, according to the Articles. They were in number about two thousand five hundred Men. As they were marching out, two or three of them fell down dead of the Plague. Several of them also lay unburied in the Church-yard. The Governour waited on the Deputy to shew him the Stores of Arms, Ammunition and Provisions, which were suffi­cient to have lasted near three Months longer. [Page 373] He shewed him also the Fortifications, and whatsoever else he desired of him, withal ac­quainting him, that nine or ten of those who were excepted from the Benefit of the Articles had surrendred themselves to his Mercy, and were waiting his Orders in a certain House which he named: Upon which the Deputy commanded a Guard to be set upon them, and committed the Governour also to their Custo­dy. The Bishop of Emmene and Major Gene­ral Purcel, with Wolf the Priest, were taken in the Pest-house, where they had hid them­selves. Jeffery Barrow and Sir Geoffrey Galloway surrendred themselves. Two days after the Delivery of the Town the Mayor came to the Place of Worship, where our Court of Guard was met; and whether by his Words or Actions he gave cause of Suspicion I cannot tell, but they seized him, and upon Examination found who he was; whereupon they committed him to Prison. The Bishop of Limerick was the only Person excepted that was yet undiscover­ed; but we afterwards understood him to be one of a more peaceable Spirit than the rest. A Court Martial was assembled, and the Bishop of Emmene, with Major General Purcel, re­quired to acquaint them, if they had any thing to say why they should not die according to the Sentence passed upon them. The Bishop said, that having many Sins to confess, he de­sired time to prepare himself to that purpose, which was granted. Major General Purcel fell [Page 374] upon his Knees, and begged earnestly for his Life, but that was denied. This poor Man was of so low a Spirit, that wanting Courage at the time of his Execution, he stood in need of two Musqueteers to support him. The Bishop died with more Resolution, and Wolf the Priest was also executed. The Governour and Jeffrey Barrow were also condemned to die; but the Deputy resolving to hear them, de­manded of the Governour what he had to say for himself: who answered, that the War had been long on foot before he came over; that he came upon the Invitation of his Country-men; that he had always demeaned himself as a fair Enemy; and that the ground of his Exception from the Articles, being his encouraging to hold out, tho there was no hope of Relief, was not applicable to him, who had always moved them to a timely Surrender, as indeed he made it appear; and therefore hoped, that he should enjoy the Benefit of the Articles, in confidence of which he had faithfully delivered up the Keys of the Town, with all the Arms, Am­munition and Provisions, without Embezle­ment, and his own Person also to the Deputy. But the Blood formerly shed at Clonmel, where this Col. O Neal was Governour, had made such an Impression on the Deputy, that his Judgment, which was of great weight with the Court, moved them a second time to vote him to die, tho some of us earnestly opposed it, for the Reasons before mentioned by himself; [Page 375] and because whatsoever he had been guilty of before, had no relation to these Articles, which did not at all exempt him from being called to an account by the Civil Magistrate for the same. The Court having passed Sentence of Death a second time against him, the Deputy, who was now entirely freed from his former manner of adhering to his own Opinion, which had been observed to be his greatest Infirmity, observing some of the Officers to be unsatisfied with this Judgment, referred it again to the Consideration of the Court, who by their third Vote consented to save his Lise. Jeffrey Barrow having the same Question put to him with the rest, answered, that it was not just to exclude him from Mercy, because he had been engaged in the same Cause as we pretended to sight for, which was for the Liberty and Reli­gion of his Country. The Deputy replied, That Ireland being a Conquered Country, the English Nation might with Justice assert their Right of Conquest: That they had been treat­ed by the late Government far beyond their Me­rits, or the Rules of Reason; notwithstanding which they had barbarously murdered all the English that fell into their hands, robbed them of their Goods which they had gained by their Industry, and taken away the Lands which they had purchased with their Money: That touching the Point of Religion, there was a wide Difference also between us, we only con­tending to preserve our natural Right therein, [Page 376] without imposing our Opinions upon other Men; whereas they would not be contented unless they might have Power to compel all others to submit to their Impositions upon pain of Death. The Council of War looking upon what he had said for himself to be hereby fully refuted, adjudged him to die, as they did the Mayor also; and the Sentence was executed accordingly.

Limerick being taken, it was debated in a Council of War, whether we should march to Galway in order to reduce that Place, which had been besieged for some time by Sir Charles Coote and Commissary General Reynolds. I concurred with the Deputy, that the Garison being under a great Consternation by the Loss of Limerick, would probably be soon brought to Reason; but most of the Officers complain­ing of the ill Condition of their Men through Sickness and hard Service, representing also the near Approach of Winter, we being already entred into the Month of November, the De­puty contented himself to send only a Sum­mons to General Preston Governour of Galway, with Offers of such Conditions as were first tendred to those of Limerick, assuring him at the same time, that if he refused them, he should have no better than they had been lately obliged to submit to. This Proposition he re­jected; but being unwilling to hazard the Event, took Shipping soon after, and went be­yond Sea.

Whilst the Deputy was settling Affairs at Limerick, he ordered me with a Party to march into the County of Clare to reduce some Places in those Parts. Accordingly I marched with about two thousand Foot and fifteen hundred Horse to Inchecroghnan, fifteen Miles from Li­merick; but it being late before we began our March, and Night overtaking us before we could reach that Place, as we were passing the Bridg, one of my Horses that carried my Wa­ters and Medicines fell into the River, which proved a great Loss to me, as things sell out afterwards. The next day I came before Clare­Castle, and summoned it, whereupon they sent out Commissioners to treat, tho the Place was of very great Strength; and after three or four hours Debate, we came to an Agreement, by which the Castle was to be delivered to me the next Morning, the Enemy leaving Hostages with us for the performance of their part. That Night I lay in my Tent upon a Hill, where the Weather being very tempestuous, and the Season far advanced, I took a very dan­gerous Cold. The next Morning the Enemy marched out of the Castle, and received Passes from me to return home, according to the Ar­ticles. After which having appointed Col. Foulk and a Garison to defend it, I marched to­wards Carickgoholt. That Night my Cold in­creased, and the next Morning I found my self so much discomposed, that Adjutant General Allen, who was then with us, earnestly pressed [Page 378] me to go aboard one of the Vessels that attend­ed our Party with Ammunition, Artillery and Provisions, and to appoint a Person to command them in my Absence. But being unwilling to quit the Charge committed to my Care, I clothed my self as warm as I could, putting on a Fur Coat over my Buff, and an oiled one over that; by which means I prevented the farther Increase of my Distemper, and so ordered our Quarters that Night, that I lay in my own Bed set up in an Irish Cabin, where about break of day I fell into so violent a Sweat, that I was obliged to keep with me two Troops of Horse for my Guard, after I had given Orders for the rest of the Men to march. In this Con­dition I continued about two hours, and tho my Sweating had not ceased, I mounted in or­der to overtake my Party, who had a bitter day to march in, the Wind and the Hail beating so violently in our Faces, that the Horses being not able to endure it, often turned about. Yet in this Extremity of Weather the poor Foot were necessitated to wade through a Branch of the Sea, near a quarter of a Mile over, up to the Waste in water. At Night we arrived within view of Carickgoholt, my Distemper being but little abated, and my Body in a con­tinual Sweat. The next day I summoned the Garison to surrender the Castle: In answer to which they sent out Commissioners to treat, who at first insisted upon very high Terms; but finding us resolved not to grant their Pro­positions, [Page 379] they complied with ours, and the next day surrendred the Place. Liberty was given by the Articles to such as desired it, to go and join the Lord Muskerry's Party in the Coun­ty of Kerry: the rest to return home, with promise of Protection as long as they behaved themselves peaceably, excepting only such who should appear to have been guilty of Murder in the first Year of the War, or afterwards. Having placed a Garison in Carickgoholt, I re­turned towards Limerick, and being on my March thither, I was met by an Officer of the Guard, with Orders from the Deputy for my Return; who thinking it impossible to reduce this Garison by Force in such a Season, was un­willing that the Souldiers should remain longer in the Field, exposed to such cruel and sharp Weather. The Messenger also acquainted me, that the Deputy was coming towards us, which he did, as well to view the Country, in order to the more equal distribution of Winter-quar­ters and Garisons, as to let us see that he would not command any Service, but such as he was willing to take a share of himself. Upon this advice I hastned with a Party to meet him, giving Orders for the rest to follow as fast as they could conveniently. At our Meeting I gave him an account of what I had done, with which he was very well satisfied. After two days March, without any thing remarkable but bad Quarters, we entred into the Barony of Burren, of which it is said, that it is a [Page 380] Country where there is not Water enough to drown a Man, Wood enough to hang one, nor Earth enough to bury him; which last is so scarce, that the Inhabitants steal it from one another, and yet their Cattle are very fat; for the Grass growing in Turfs of Earth, of two or three Foot square, that lie between the Rocks, which are of Limestone, is very sweet and nourishing. Being in these Parts we went to Lemmene, a House of that Connor O Bryan whom we had killed near Inchecroghuan; and finding it indifferent strong, being built with Stone, and having a good Wall about it, we put a Garison into it, and furnished it with all things necessary. The next day the Deputy with a Party of Horse went to view some other Places where he designed to appoint Garisons, in order to prevent the sending of Provisions in­to Galway, to which this Country lies conti­guous. I was very desirous to attend him ac­cording to my Duty, but he having observed my Distemper to continue upon me, would not permit it; and when I pressed it more ear­nestly, he positively commanded me to stay. That day there fell abundance of Rain and Snow, which was accompanied with a very high Wind, whereby the Deputy took a very great Cold that discovered it self immediately upon his Return; but we could not perswade him to go to bed, till he had determined a Cause that was before him and the Court Mar­tial, touching an Officer of the Army, who was [Page 381] accused of some Violence done to the Irish; and as in all Cases he carried himself with the utmost impartiality, so he did in this, dismis­sing the Officer, tho otherwise an useful Man, from his Command for the same. The next day we marched towards Clare-Castle, and found the way so rocky, that we rode near three Miles together upon one of them, where­by most of our Horses cast their Shoes; so that though every Troop came provided with Horse­shoes, which were delivered to them out of the Stores, yet before that day's March was over, a Horse-shoe was sold sor five shillings.

The next morning the Lady Honoria Obryan, Daughter to the late Earl of Thomond, being ac­cused of protecting the Goods and Cattle of the [...]emy, under pretence that they belonged to [...] and thereby abusing the favour of the Deputy's Safeguard, which he had granted to her, came to him; and being charged by him with it, and told, that he expected a more in­genuous Carriage from her; she burst out in­to Tears, and assured him, if he would forgive her, that she would never do the like again, desiring me, after the Deputy was withdrawn, to intercede with him for the continuance of his favour to her: which when I acquainted him with, he said, As much a Cynick as I am, the Tears of this Woman moved me; and there­upon gave order that his Protection should be continued to her. From hence I would have attended him to Limerick; but so much more [Page 382] care did he take of me than of himself, that he would not suffer it; desiring me to go that day, being Saturday, and quarter at Bonratto, a House of the Earl of Thomond's, in order to recover my health, and to come to him on Monday morning at Limerick. Accordingly I came, and found the Deputy grown worse, having been let blood, and sweating exceedingly, with a burning Fever at the same time. Yet for all this he ceased not to apply himself to the Pub­lick business, settling Garisons and distributing Winter-quarters, which was all that remained to be done of the Military Service for that year. I endeavoured to perswade him, as I had often done before, that his immoderate Labours for his Country would much impair, if not utter­ly destroy him; but he had so totally neglect­ed himself during the Siege of Limerick, not putting off his Clothes all that time, except to change his Linen, that the malignant Humours which he had contracted, wanting room to perspire, became confined to his Body, and ren­dred him more liable to be infected by the Contagion. I was unwilling to leave him till I saw the event of his Distemper; but he sup­posing my Family was by this time come to Dublin, would not permit me to stay, and I finding I could in no way be serviceable to him, submitted to his desires. I found the Com­missioners of Parliament at Dublin, and ac­quainted them with the State of Affairs in those Parts from whence I came, and with the Reso­lutions [Page 383] taken by the Deputy at Limerick; but soon after my arrival, the sad news of his Death was brought to us, which was universally la­mented by all good Men, more especially be­cause the Publick was thereby deprived of a most faithful, able and useful Servant.

The Commissioners of Parliament taking in­to their consideration what method to observe in that Conjuncture, and presuming that my Command in the Army was next to that of the Deputy, resolved by a Letter to acquaint the Officers of our Forces in Ireland with their judgment, and to require them to yield Obe­dience to me accordingly. I earnestly desired them to forbear sending any such Letter, which I did, not out of a feigned modesty, but from a real sense of the weight of such an Under­taking, and my own inability to perform the duty of that important Station: For tho the Work seemed to be almost finished, yet there remained great Difficulties behind, the Enemy possessing some strong Places and Islands, and having many thousands yet in the Field; there being also in the Parliament's Pay be­tween seven and eight thousand Horse and Dragoons, with above two and twenty thou­sand Foot. For these and other Reasons I de­sired them that they would reserve the Power to themselves, till the Parliament should send over some Person to undertake that Employ­ment, which they might do soon enough; the season of Action being already past, the [Page 384] Troops dispersed into their Winter-quarters, and nothing of importance likely to be done before the next Spring; acquainting them, that being one of their number, I could be as ser­viceable in their Deliberations and Resolutions, as if I were entrusted with the sole Power. But all that I could say was not sufficient to disswade them from sending the Letter before mentioned; and tho it met with a general submission, yet I resolved not to undertake any thing without their Advice and Consent, which they readily promised to afford me.

Some of General Cromwell's Relations, who were not ignorant of his vast Designs now on foot, caused the Body of the Lord Deputy Ire­ton to be transported into England, and so­lemnly interred at Westminster in a magnificent Monument at the Publick Charge: Who if he could have foreseen what was done by them, would certainly have made it his desire that his Body might have found a Grave where his Soul left it, so much did he despise those pom­pous and expensive Vanities; having erected for himself a more glorious Monument in the hearts of good Men, by his affection to his Country, his abilities of Mind, his impartial Justice, his diligence in the Publick Service, and his other Vertues, which were a far greater Ho­nour to his Memory, than a Dormitory amongst the Ashes of Kings, who, for the most part, as they had governed others by their Passions, so were they themselves as much governed by them.

The Isles of Scilly and Man were reduced to the Obedience of the Commonwealth; but no­thing extraordinary happening at their reduc­tion, at least not coming to my knowledg, I purposely omit the relation of those Actions.

About this time we were informed that Sir George Ayscue, who had been sent by the Parliament to the Western Islands, which still continued in Arms against them, arrived at the Barbadoes on the 26 th of October, 1651. and having opened a Passage into the Harbour by firing some great Shot, seized upon twelve of their Ships without opposition. The next morning he sent a Summons to the Lord Wil­loughby to submit to the Authority of the Par­liament of England; but he not acknowledging any such Power, declared his Resolution to keep the Island for the King's Service. But the News of the Defeat of the Scots and their King at Worcester being brought to Sir George Ayscue, together with an intercepted Letter from the Lady Willoughby, containing the same Account; he summoned him a second time, and accompanied his Summons with his Lady's Let­ter to assure him of the truth of that report. But the Lord Willoughby relying upon his Num­bers, and the fewness of those that were sent to reduce him, being in all but fifteen Sail, re­turned an Answer of the like substance with the former. Whereupon Sir George Ayscue sent two hundred Men on shore, commanded by Captain Morrice, to attack a Quarter of the Enemies that [Page 386] lay by the Harbour, which they executed Suc­cessfully by taking the Fort and about forty Prisoners, with four Pieces of Cannon, which they nailed up, and returned on board again. At this time the Virginia Fleet arriving at the Barbadoes, it was thought fit to send a third Summons to the Lord Willoughby; but finding that neither this, nor the Declaration sent to them by the Commissioners of Parliament to the same purpose, produced any effect, Sir George Ayscue landed seven hundred Men from his own and the Virginia Fleet, giving the Command of them to the same Captain Morrice, who fell upon thirteen hundred of the Enemies Foot and three Troops of their Horse, and beat them from their Works, killing many of their Men, and taking about a hundred Prisoners, with all their Guns. The Loss on our side was inconsi­derable, few of ours being killed upon the place, and not above thirty wounded. Yet these Suc­cesses were not sufficient to accomplish the Work, there being above five thousand Horse and Foot in the Island, and our Virginia Fleet preparing to depart for want of Provisions. In this conjuncture Colonel Muddiford, who com­manded a Regiment in the Island, by the means of a Friend that he had in our Fleet, made his Terms, and declared for the Parliament. Many of his Friends following his Example, did the like, and in conjunction with him encamped under the protection of our Fleet. Upon this the most part of the Island were inclined to join [Page 387] us; but the Lord Willoughby prevented them by placing Guards on all the Avenues to our Camp, and designed to charge our Men with his Body of Horse, wherein he was much su­perior to them, had not a Cannon-Ball that was fired at random, beat open the door of a Room, where he and his Council of War were sitting; which taking off the Head of the Sentinel who was placed at the door, so alarmed them all, that he changed his design, and retreated to a Place two Miles distant from the Harbour. Our Party, consisting of two thousand Foot and one hundred Horse, advancing towards him, he desired to treat; which being accepted, Co­lonel Muddiford, Colonel Collyton, Mr. Searl and Captain Pack, were appointed Commissio­ners by Sir George Ayscue; and by the Lord Wil­loughby, Sir Richard Pierce, Mr. Charles Pym, Colonel Ellis and Major Byham. By these it was concluded, that the Islands of Barbadoes, Mevis, Antego and St. Christophers should be sur­rendered to the Parliament of England: That the Lord Willoughby, Colonel Walrond, and some others, should be restored to their Estates; and that the Inhabitants of the said Isles should be maintained in the quiet enjoyment of what they possessed, on condition to do nothing to the prejudice of the Commonwealth. This News being brought to Virginia, they submit­ted also, where one Mr. George Ludlow, a Re­lation of mine, served the Parliament in the like manner, as Col. Muddiford had done at the Barbadoes.

The Parliament of England being desirous after all these Successes, to convince even their Enemies, that their principal design was to pro­cure the happiness and prosperity of all that were under their Government, sent Commissio­ners to Scotland to treat concerning an Union of that Nation with England in one Common­wealth; directing them to take care, till that could be effected, that Obedience should be given to the Authority of the Parliament of the Com­mon wealth of England. The Commissioners appointed to this end on the part of the Parlia­ment, were Sir Henry Vane, the Chief Justice St. Johns, Mr. Fenwick, Major Salloway, Major General Lambert, Colonel Titchborn, Major General Dean and Colonel Monk. This Pro­position of Union was chearfully accepted by the most iudicious amongst the Scots, who well understood how great a condescension it was in the Parliament of England, to permit a Peo­ple they had conquered, to have a part in the Legislative Power.

The States-General being highly displeased with the late Act of Navigation passed by the Parliament, which they accounted to be a great obstruction to their Trade, resolved to leave no means unattempted to procure it to be re­pealed. To this end they sent three Ambassa­dors to England, who pretending a desire to finish the Treaty begun formerly between the Two States, requested that things might be as they were at the time of our Ambassador's de­parture [Page 389] from Holland, designing thereby that the Act lately passed for the Encouragement of our Seamen should be suspended, and all such Merchandizes restored as had been seized from the Dutch by virtue of the said Act. The Parliament refusing to consent to this Proposal, the States-General gave Orders for the equip­ping a considerable Fleet, consisting of about a hundred Ships of War, giving notice to the Parliament by their Ambassadors of these Pre­parations, and assuring them that they were not design'd to offend the English Nation, with whom they desired to maintain a friendly Cor­respondence, and that they were provided to no other end, than to protect their own Sub­jects in their Trade and Navigation. But the Parliament being unwilling to rely upon the Promises of those, who by their past and pre­sent Actions had manifested little Friendship to us, resolved to make what Preparations they could to defend themselves.

This Alarm awakened us to a diligent per­formance of our duty in Ireland, fearing that the Hollanders might transport some foreign Forces by their Fleet, to the Assistance of the Irish, who were not only still numerous in the Field, but had also divers Places of Strength to retreat to. Our Suspicions were farther in­creased by the Advices we received of a Treaty on foot between the Duke of Lorain and Theo­bald Viscount Taff, with other Irish, to bring the Forces of that Duke into Ireland against us, [Page 390] in order to extirpate all Hereticks out of that Nation, to re-establish the Romish Religion in all Parts of it, and to restore the Irish to their Possessions; all which being performed, he should deliver up the Authority to the King of Great Britain, and assist him against his Re­bellious Subjects in England: That all Ireland should be ingaged for his Re-imbursement: That Galway, Limerick, Athenree, Athlone, Wa­terford, and the Fort of Duncannon, should be put into his hands as Cautionary Places, with other things of the same nature. The Report of this Agreement being spread amongst the Irish, encouraged them to make all possible Op­position against us, in expectation of the pro­mised Succours. The Commissioners of the Parliament on the other hand, laboured with all diligence to dispose their Affairs in the best manner they could for the Publick Service; in order to which they sent to the several Com­manders of our Army to excite them to the discharge of their Duty, making provision of Arms, Ammunition, Clothes, Tents, and all things necessary to the carrying on the War in the ensuing Spring. A general Meeting of Officers was also appointed to be held at Kil­kenay to consult about the best Method of em­ploying our Arms against the Enemy: And because the Propositions offered by the late Lord Deputy to those of Galway, had been no farther prosecuted by reason of his Death, Or­ders were dispatched to Sir Charles Coote, autho­rizing [Page 391] him to conclude with them, in case they should accept the Conditions at, or before the ninth of the next January. According to their Orders the Officers met at Kilkenny, by whom being informed of what they thought necessary for the ensuing Service, we acquainted the Par­liament and Council of State with the Particu­lars of such things as were requisite, desiring them to send them over with all convenient speed, that no time might be lost, when the Season of the Year should permit us to take the Field. We published two Proclamations to prevent the Country from supplying the Ene­my with Arms and other Necessaries; where­in drawing a Line as it were about the Irish Quarters, we required all Persons to withdraw themselves and their Goods from the places of their resort within a limited time; which if they refused to do, we declared them Enemies, and ordered all Officers and Souldiers to treat them accordingly: commanding also all Smiths, Armourers and Sadlers that lived in the Coun­try to retire in twenty days with all their Fa­milies, Forges and Instruments, into some Gari­son of the Parliament, on pain of forfeiture of their Goods and Tools, besides six months Im­prisonment for the first Offence, and of Death for the second. We ordered also that all those who had withdrawn themselves out of our Pro­tection, and joined with the Enemy, since the coming over of General Cromwell, should be de­prived of the benefit of Quarter. Having pub­lished [Page 392] these and other Orders of the like tenour, we appointed the Lord Broghil, Commissary General Reynolds, Sir Hardress Waller, Colonel Axtel, and the rest of the Officers, to cause them to be put in execution, as occasion should require.

Having finished our Affairs at Kilkenny, and dismissed the Officers to their respective Quar­ters, I resolved to go to Portumna to make all things ready for the Siege of Galway. Being on my March on the other side of Nenagh, an advanced Party found two of the Rebels, one of whom was killed by the Guard before I came up to them, the other was saved; and being brought before me at Portumna, and I asking him if he had a mind to be hanged? he only answered, If you please; so insensibly stupid were many of these poor Creatures. The Com­missioners having done their business in this Place, and given Directions for the carrying on the Siege of Galway, with Power to treat, as be­fore mentioned, to Sir Charles Coote, we returned to Dublin, and at our arrival were informed, that the Barony of B [...]rren relying upon the security of their places of Retreat, had refused to pay the Contributions which they had promised; upon which Sir Hardress Waller had been obliged to lay the Country waste, and to seize what he could find, that it might be no longer useful to the Enemy. We had advice also from Vlster, that some of our Troops had killed and drown­ed about a hundred and forty Tories who in­fested that Province with their Robberies.

The time limited by the Proclamation, requi­ring the Irish to withdraw from the places men­tioned therein, being expired, I marched with a Party of Horse and Foot into the Fastnesses of Wicklo, as well to make Examples of such as had not obeyed the Proclamation, as to place a Garison there, to prevent the Excursions of the Enemy. Talbot's Town was the Place I thought fittest for that end; which having ren­dred defensible against any sudden attempt, and furnished with all things necessary, I marched farther into the Country. The next morning I divided my Men into three Parties, sending away Colonel Pretty with one of them to his own Quarters, lest the Enemy should fall upon them in his absence; with the other two we scoured by different ways, the Passes and Re­treats of the Irish, but met not with many of them; our Parties being so big, that the Irish, who had Sentinels placed upon every Hill, gave notice of our March to their Friends: so that upon our Approach, they still fled to their Bogs and Woods. When I came to Dundrum, a Place lying in the heart of the Enemy's Quar­ters, I perceived the Walls and Roof of an old Church standing, wherein I placed Captain Ja­cob with his Company; who was afterwards very serviceable against the Enemy. The like Methods being taken by the Lord Broghil, Co­lonel Zanchey, Colonel Abbot and other Officers, the Irish were reduced to great Extremities.

About fourscore of the Inhabitants of Galway went privately out of the Town, and seizing a hundred Head of Cattel, designed to drive them thither; but being upon their Return, they were met by a Party of ours, who killed threescore of them, and recovered all the Cat­tel. This Disappointment was attended with another much greater; for two Vessels loaden with Corn endeavouring to get into the Har­bour of Galway, being pursued by two of our Frigats, one of them was taken, and the other forced upon the Rocks near the Isle of Arran, where she was lost.

The Parliament having received an Account of the hopeful Condition of their Affairs in Ire­land, and of the great Appearance there was of a speedy Determination of that War, appoint­ed a Committee to summon before them those Adventurers, who in the Year 1641 had ad­vanced Monies upon the Lands in Ireland. The said Persons being met at Grocers-Hall, chose twenty eight Deputies to manage the Business with the Committee in the Names of all the rest. In conformity to this Proceeding the Commissioners of Parliament in Ireland began to consider of Qualifications and Heads under which the Irish should be brought, that the In­nocent might be freed from their Fears and Ap­prehensions; that Justice might be done, and the Guilty punished according to the different nature of their Crimes: Of which the Irish having notice, and considering the declining [Page 395] Condition of their Affairs in all Parts, sent a Letter directed to the Commissioners of the Parliament of England from the Principal, as they called themselves, of the Kingdom of Ire­land, and subscribed by Gerald Fitz-Gerald, on the behalf of their Assembly held at Glanma­liero in the Province of Leinster; representing, That being advised that the Commonwealth of England is in a condition to give honourable and sure Terms to them, they are in an entire Disposition to receive them; and to that effect desire in the Name of that and the rest of the Provinces, a safe Conduct for every one of them, with Blanks subscribed to that end, that they may impower and send some of their Members to present Propositions to the Com­missioners that are or should be authorized to that purpose. To this the Commissioners an­swered in substance, That tho the Letter was subscribed by one, under the pretext of an Au­thority which they could not own without prejudice to that of the Parliament; yet for the satisfaction of those concerned, they thought fit to declare, That the Establishment of this Nation doth of Right belong only to the Par­liament of England, who will distinguish those who have always lived peaceably, or have al­ready submitted to their Authority, and put themselves under their Protection, from such as have committed and countenanced the Murders and Massacres of the Protestants during the first Year of the Rebellion, as well as from those [Page 396] who continue still in Arms to oppose their Au­thority: That they cannot in Justice consent to an Act so prejudicial to the Peace of the Country, as would involve quiet and peaceable People in the same Prosecution with those who are in open Hostility: That they cannot grant safe Conducts to such as persist in their Opposi­tion to the Parliament, to assemble from all Pro­vinces, and to communicate their Designs to each other: But that all those who will lay down their Arms, and submit to the Common­wealth, shall have as favourable Conditions as they can justly expect.

This Resolution of the Commissioners being made publick, the Irish fell upon another Ex­pedient: in pursuance of which the Earl of Clanrickard, who had been left Deputy by the Earl of Ormond, sent a Letter directed to me, then Commander in Chief of the Forces of the Parliament in Ireland, in the Words fol­lowing.

That Passage in my Answer touching their Readiness to accept such Terms as they had formerly rejected, was grounded upon notice sent by Sir Charles Coote; that the Town of Galway, since the time limited by the Com­missioners for their Submission was expired, desired a Treaty: whereupon I had acquainted him, that seeing the Besieged had refused the Conditions formerly offered, they ought not now to expect the like, after such an addition of Trouble and Charge as they had lately put us upon; yet for all this Caution Sir Charles Coote concluded a Treaty with them, immedi­ately after the Return of my Answer to the Earl of Clanrickard; upon Conditions much more advantagious to them than those formerly proposed, and very prejudicial to the Publick, undertaking to get them ratified by the Com­missioners of Parliament within twenty days, and in the mean time promising that they should be inviolably observed. The Commissi­oners of Parliament having received the Arti­cles, and conceiving it to be unjust as well as [Page 400] imprudent to give the best Terms to those who made the longest Opposition, and of what dan­gerous Consequence it might be, if that Place were not fully secured to the English Interest, spent the whole Night in Consultation with the Officers of the Army, and in the end re­solved, That they could not consent that any should receive the Benefit of those Articles who had been any way concerned in the murdering of the English in the first Year of the War: That they would not oblige themselves to per­mit any to live in Galway, whom they should hereafter think fit to remove from thence for the Security of the Place: That they cannot consent that the Burgesses shall enjoy any more than two thirds of their Estates lying near the Town: That they will not suffer the Habitati­ons of such as have been forced to quit the Place upon the account of their Affection to the Par­liament, to be detained from them. With these and some other Alterations they declared their Consent to the rest of the Articles before­mentioned; which if those of the Town re­fused, they ordered that our Men should not enter; and if entred, that they should restore the Possession of it to the Garison: but not­withstanding this Expedition, the Messenger that was dispatched with the Resolutions of the Commissioners, came too late, and all that could be obtained was a Promise from Sir Charles Coote, to endeavour to perswade those of Galway to accept of the Articles, with [Page 401] the Amendments made by the Commissio­ners.

The Parliament having resolved upon the Incorporation of Scotland with the Nation of England into one Free State or Commonwealth, and to reimburse themselves some part of that Treasure they had expended in their own De­fence against the Invasions of the Scots, de­clared the Goods and Lands formerly belonging to the Crown of Scotland to be confiscated, and also those that were possessed by such Persons as had assisted in the Invasion of England by Duke Hamilton in the Year 1648, or had ap­peared in Arms since, under the King of Scots, in order to subvert the present Government; excepting those who since the Battel of Dunbar had abandoned the said King of Scots, and by their Merits and Services had rendred them­selves worthy of Favour: That all such who are not comprehended under the said Qualifica­tions, and shall concur with them in their just Enterprize, shall receive the Benefit of their Protection, and enjoy their Liberties and Goods equally with the free People of England. In pursuance of this Declaration of the Parliament, their Commissioners in Scotland published ano­ther, wherein they discharge from Confiscati­on all Merchants and Tradesmen, who possess not in Lands or Goods above the Value of five hundred Pounds, and are not Prisoners of War, Souldiers of Fortune, Moss Troopers, or such as have killed or committed Outrages against [Page 402] the English Souldiers, contrary to the Laws and Customs of War. They also emitted a Procla­mation, abolishing in the name of the Parlia­ment all manner of Authority and Jurisdiction derived from any other Power but that of the Commonwealth of England, as well in Scot­land as in all the Isles belonging to it. After this they summoned the Counties, Cities and Boroughs, to agree to the Incorporation before mentioned; of which eighteen of one and thirty Counties, and twenty four of fifty six Cities and Boroughs consented to send their Deputies to the Parliament of England, most of the rest excusing themselves for want of Money to defray the Expences of their Representa­tives.

This Business being accomplished, and an Act passed for the Incorporation of England and Scotland into one Commonwealth, the Parlia­ment were prevailed with by the Importunities of some of their own Members, and in parti­cular of General Cromwell, that so he might fortify himself by the Addition of new Friends for the carrying on his Designs, to pass an Act of General Pardon and Amnesty: whereby tho it had thirty eight several Exceptions, many Per­sons who deserved to pay towards the Reim­bursement of the Publick, no less than those who had been already fined, escaped the Pu­nishment due to their Misdemeanours, and the Commonwealth was defrauded of great Sums of Money, by which means they were rendred [Page 403] unable to discharge many just Debts owing to such as had served them with Diligence and Fi­delity.

In Ireland the Rebels were so pressed by our Forces in all Parts, that they began to think it necessary to treat about Conditions of Submissi­on, and many of them obtained Liberty to be transported into foreign Service; wherein the Commissioners of Parliament assisted them with Ships: so that the Irish Officers were in many Places deserted by their own Souldiers. Col. Fitzpatrick was the first who submitted, on condition to be transported with his Regiment into the Service of the King of Spain, which was a great blow to the Irish Confederacy, who were very desirous to treat in conjunction, ho­ping to obtain more favourable Terms, in con­sideration of their Numbers; insomuch that they published Declarations against him, and the Irish Clergy excommunicated him, and all those who joined with him. Notwithstand­ing which Col. Odowyer, Commander in Chief of the Irish in the Counties of Waterford and Tipperary, followed his Example, and proposed a Treaty to Col. Zanchey, who having received Instructions from the Commissioners, concluded an Agreement with him; the principal Articles whereof were to this effect: That the Arms and Horses belonging to the Brigade of Col. Edmund Odowyer shall be delivered up at a cer­tain price: That he and his Party shall enjoy their personal Estates, and such a proportion [Page 404] of their real Estates as others under their Quali­fication shall be permitted to do: That the Be­nefit of the Articles shall not extend to such as had murdered any of the English, or had been engaged in the Rebellion during the first Year; or to any Romish Priests, or to those who had been of the first General Assembly; those also who had taken away the Life of any of ours after Quarter given, and those who had desert­ed us and joined themselves to the Enemy, were excepted out of the Treaty: All others to have Liberty to live in our Quarters, or to transport themselves into the Service of any foreign State in Friendship with the Commonwealth of Eng­land.

Whilst the Ambassadors from Holland were in Treaty with the Commissioners appointed by the Parliament to that end, the Dutch Fleet consisting of forty three Ships of War, com­manded by the Heer Van Tromp, came into the Downs. Major Bourn having with him a Squa­dron of eight Men of War, perceiving two of the Dutch Ships making sail towards him, sent to them to demand the Reason of their Ap­proach; and an Answer being returned, that they had a Message to deliver from Admiral Van Tromp to the English Commander of that Squadron, they were permitted to come up to that purpose. The Captains of the two Dutch Ships, after they had saluted Major Bourn by striking the Flag, went on board him, and ac­quainted him, that they were sent by their Ad­miral [Page 405] to let him know, that riding with his Fleet near Dunkirk, he had lost many Cables and Anchors by bad Weather, and was now brought by a North Wind more Southward than he designed, of which he thought himself obliged to give him notice to prevent any Mis­understanding. Major Bourn told them he was willing to believe what was said, and that the Truth of it would best appear by their speedy Retreat. With this Answer the two Captains returned to their Fleet; which coming within Cannon-shot of Dover-Castle with their Sails up, and Flag at the Top-mast, not saluting the Fort according to Custom, the Garison was constrained to fire three Guns at the Hollanders, to put them in mind of their Duty: But their Admiral made no Answer, and still keeping up his Flag, lay in the Road till the next day about Noon, at which time he weighed Anchor, and set sail towards Calais. The rest of the Eng­lish Fleet consisting only of thirteen Men of War commanded by General Blake, who had been upon the Coast of Sussex, returning into the Downs soon after the Departure of the Dutch, was joined by Major Bourn, and those eight Ships he had with him. But Admiral Van Tromp being obliged to take care of some rich Merchant Ships bound home to Holland from the Straits, returned towards the Downs; and being come within Cannon-shot of our Fleet without striking their Flag, General Blake commanded three several Guns one after the [Page 406] other to be fired at him. Whereupon he an­swered with one Gun, which shot through the English Flag, and followed it with a whole Broad-side, setting up a red Standard on his Topmast, as a Signal to the whole Fleet to pre­pare to fight. The Engagement began about four in the Afternoon, and lasted till nine at Night, with great Loss to the Enemy, and lit­tle Damage on our side, tho their Fleet was double our Number. We took two of their Men of War in the Fight, one of which was brought away, and the other being very much shatter'd, sunk down as our Men were carry­ing her off. The Council of State having re­ceived an Account of this Action, made their Report of it to the Parliament, who passed a Vote for the justification of General Blake; and resolving to have Satisfaction for this Assault, placed a Guard upon the Dutch Ambassadors, at their Lodgings in Chelsey, and sent General Cromwell and Mr. Denis Bond, a Member of Parliament, down to the Fleet, with Assurances that nothing should be wanting for their En­couragement.

The Event of this Undertaking not answer­ing the Expectations of the Hollanders, serving only to provoke the English Nation, and to publish their own Dishonour, they endeavour­ed to make the World as well as the Parliament believe, that the Quarrel was begun by General Blake, or at least that what had been done was not by their Orders; and therefore desired that [Page 407] the Treaty might go on, and that the Prisoners taken in the late Fight might be restored. To this end they sent over the Heer Paw of Heem­sted to carry on the Treaty in conjunction with the Ambassadors they had sent before into Eng­land. This Minister was received with all the usual Demonstrations of Honour, and being ad­mitted to Audience, pressed for an Accommo­dation of all Differences, and a Cessation of all Acts of Hostility between the two Nations; assuring the Parliament that his Masters had given Orders to their Ships to strike to the Eng­lish Flag, in the same manner as had been practised in former times: But being demanded to shew his Powers, he produced nothing save Letters of Credence and Passports, referring himself to the other Ambassadors in that Point, with whom he made some General Propositions to the Parliament, and desired them to declare their Demands. By these Proceedings of the Dutch, the Parliament perceiving that this Difference was not like to be decided by a Treaty, contented themselves to require Satisfaction for the Injuries received, and Assurance that no­thing of that nature should be attempted for the future; which if the Ambassadors would con­sent to, they declared themselves ready to pro­ceed in the Treaty, and to grant a Cessation of Arms. But so little were they disposed to give the Satisfaction demanded, that they made no farther mention of the Cessation which they had so earnestly pressed; and having taken their [Page 408] Audience of Leave, they broke off the Treaty abruptly, and returned home.

In Ireland, tho the Number of those that submitted on condition to be transported into foreign Service, was so great, that they became a great Burden to us before we could procure Shipping for their Transportation; and tho the Enemy had received several Defeats by our Forces during the Winter, wherein many of them had been killed and taken; yet they con­tinued to make Incursions into our Quarters, carrying away Cattel and other Booty: and having lately seized upon the Horses belonging to two Troops of Dragoons, they were so en­couraged, that Sir Walter Dungan, Commissary General of the Enemies Horse, and Capt. Scur­lock a forward Officer, and one who had done us much Mischief, with five hundred Foot and two hundred and fifty Horse, marched into Wexford, with a Design to plunder that Coun­ty. Lieutenant Colonel Throgmorton, who com­manded in those Parts, having informed us of their March, we sent two Troops of Horse to his Assistance, who with them and about four hundred Foot charged the Enemy upon their Return, and after some Dispute routed them, killing two hundred of them upon the Place, and many more, with divers Officers, in the Pursuit; besides several of the Irish taken Prisoners, with the Loss of about twenty killed, and a hundred wounded on our side. The Booty which the Enemy had gotten [Page 409] consisting chiefly in five hundred Cows, was all recovered.

The Season of Action advancing, the Com­missioners of Parliament went to Kilkenny, as well to confer with the Officers from all Parts of Ireland, as to make the necessary Preparati­ons for the ensuing Service; of which the Earl of Westmeath, who commanded the Enemies Forces in Leinster, having notice, sent to desire a safe Conduct for Commissioners to be named by them to treat with us at Kilkenny on their behalf; which being granted, they appointed Commissary General Dungan, Lewis Viscount of Glanmaliere, Sir Robert Talbot, Sir Richard Barnwel, Col. Walter Bagnol, Col. Lewis Moor, and Col. Thomas Tyrrell, to be their Commissi­oners. And on our part, Commissary General Reynolds, Col. Hewetson, Col. Lawrence, Col. Axtel, Adjutant General Allen, Major Henry Owen, and Mr. James Standish, Deputy-Trea­surer of the Army, were commissionated to treat and conclude with them, in conformity to such Instructions as they received from a Ge­neral Council; and after several days Confe­rence the Commissioners on each part came to an Agreement upon Terms that were the same in substance with those formerly granted to Col. Edmund Odonryer and his Party, with li­berty left for the Lord Muskerry, Major Gene­ral Taaf, and other Commanders of the Irish in the Provinces of M [...]nster, Connaught, and Vl­ster, yet in Arms, to come in and accept of the [Page 410] same Conditions within a limited time. The Articles were approved by the Earl of West­meath on the behalf of the Irish, and on the part of the Commonwealth of England by Me, as Commander in chief of their Forces in Ire­land.

In the mean time the Committee appointed by the Parliament for the Reformation of the Law in England, made a considerable progress in that matter: Judges were also sent into Scotland for the Administration of Justice there, which they performed to the great satisfaction of that People. The Parliament also appoint­ed a Committee to consider of means to set at work all the Poor throughout the Nation, and to make Provision for such as were not able to work, that there might be no Beggar in Eng­land.

In Scotland our Forces having reduced the Castle of Dunotter, which was the last Garison of that Nation that held out against the Parlia­ment of England, it was resolved to make four considerable Forts, one at Inverness, another at Leith, a third at Ayre, and a fourth at St. John­sto [...]n: and because the Enemy being entirely beaten out of the Field, was retired to the mountainous Parts, which to that time had been accounted inaccessible by the English; it was agreed to endeavour to clear those Places of them also, being perswaded that where any went before, others might follow after. To this end our Men were divided into three Par­ties: [Page 411] the first consisted of Colonel Overcon's Regiment of Foot, and a Regiment of Horse, commanded by Major Blackmore: The second of Colonel Hacker's Regiment of Horse, and one of Foot commanded by Colonel Lilburn; and the third was composed of the Regiment of Horse of Major General Dean, and of a Re­giment of Foot belonging to Lieutenant General Monk. Each of these having a Party of Dra­goons to attend them, rendezvouzed at Lough­aber, and from thence fell separately into the Enemy's Quarters, where they killed many of them, and burned their Provisions, pursuing them so close, that as they fled from one Party, they fell into the hands of another; by which means they were in a short time entirely dis­persed.

The Irish that submitted according to the Articles, and delivered up their Arms and Horses to the Commissioners appointed by me to re­ceive them, were in all about three thousand. But many of them finding themselves within that exception concerning the Murders of the English, or hoping to obtain better Conditi­ons, or, it may be, taking pleasure in their predatory Life, continued still in Arms. Of this number was the Lord Muskerry, who com­manded the Irish in Munster, and at the time of our Treaty with those of Leinster, had sent one Colonel Poor to Kilkenny, to acquaint us that he designed to come in upon the same Con­ditions; but we suspecting his sincerity, by the [Page 412] means of some Letters which we intercepted, were not wanting to prepare what was necessa­ry in order to reduce him and his Party by force; and having finished our Affairs at Kil­kenny, I removed with the Commissioners to Clonmel, and from thence to Youghal, and so to Cork.

The Rebels in Connaught and Vlster, instead of submitting, as was expected, got together a Body of about five thousand Men under the Conduct of the Earl of Clanrickard and Sir Phe­lim O Neal, with which they besieged and took the Fort of Ballishannon. Whereupon Sir Charles Coot and Colonel Venables drew out what Forces they could, and advanced towards them with such expedition, that they were near the Place before the Enemy had notice of their March; who finding themselves surprized, re­treated to the Bogs, leaving a small Garison in Ballishannon: but being pursued by our Men, who killed and wounded about three hundred of them, in which number were thirty Officers, and took from them seven or eight thousand Cows, upon whose Milk they chiefly subsisted, twelve hundred of them came in and laid down their Arms: upon which the Garison they had placed in Ballishannon, surrendred upon Arti­cles.

Major General Lambert making great Prepa­rations to come over to us in the quality of De­puty to General Cromwell, the Commission of the said General to be Lieutenant of Ireland ex­pired. [Page 413] Whereupon the Parliament took that Affair into their Consideration; and tho there were not wanting many amongst them, who affirmed the Title and Office of Lieutenant to be more sutable to a Monarchy than a Free Commonwealth, yet it was likely to have been carried for the renewing his Commission un­der the same Title. But he, having at that time another Part to act, stood up, and decla­red his satisfaction with what had been said against constituting a Lieutenant in Ireland, de­siring that they would not continue him with that Character. Upon which the Question be­ing put, the Parliament willing to believe him in earnest, ordered it according to his Mo­tion. He farther moved, that tho they had not thought fit to continue a Lieutenant of Ireland, they would be pleased, in consideration of the worthy Person whom they had formerly approved to go over with the Title of Deputy, to continue that Character to him. But the Parliament having suppressed the Title and Of­fice of a Lieutenant in Ireland, thought it alto­gether improper to constitute a Deputy, who was no more than the Substitute of a Lieute­nant; and therefore refused to consent to that Proposal, ordering that he should be inserted one of the Commissioners for Civil Affairs, and con­stituted Commander in chief of their Forces in Ireland. In the management of this Affair, Mr. Weaver, who was one of the Commissio­ners of Ireland, but then at London, and sitting [Page 414] in Parliament, was very active, to the great discontent of General Cromwell, who endeavour­ing to perswade the Parliament that the Army in Ireland would not be satisfied, unless their Commander in chief came over qualified as De­puty, Mr. Weaver assured them that upon his knowledg, all the sober People of Ireland, and the whole Army there, except a few factious Persons, were not only well satisfied with the present Government both Civil and Military of that Nation, but also with the Governours who managed the same; and therefore moved that they would make no alteration in either, and renew their Commissions for a longer time. This discourse of Mr. Weaver tending to per­swade the Parliament to continue me in the Mi­litary Command, increased the Jealousie which General Cromwell had conceived of me, that I might prove an obstruction to the Design he was carrying on to advance himself by the ruin of the Commonwealth. And therefore, since Major General Lambert refused to go over with any Character less than that of Deputy, he re­solved by any means to place Lieutenant General Fleetwood at the head of Affairs in Ireland. By which Conduct he procured two great Advan­tages to himself, thereby putting the Army in Ireland into the hands of a person secured to his Interest by the Marriage of his Daughter; and drawing Major General Lambert into an enmity towards the Parliament, prepared him to join with him in opposition to them, when he should [Page 415] find it convenient to put his Design in execution.

In the mean time I was not wanting in my endeavours to reduce the Enemy in Ireland, and to that end marched with about 4000 Foot and 2000 Horse towards Ross in Kerry; where the Lord Muskerry made his principal Rendezvouz, and which was the only place of Strength the Irish had left, except the Woods, Bogs and Mountains; being a kind of an Island, encompas­sed on every part by Water, except on one side, upon which there was a Bog not passable but by a Causway which the Enemy had fortified. In this Expedition I was accompanied by the Lord Broghil, and Sir Hardress Waller, Major General of the Foot. Being arrived at this Place, I was in­formed that the Enemy received continual Sup­plies from those parts that lay on the other side, and were covered with Woods and Mountains; whereupon I sent a Party of two thousand Foot to clear those Woods, and to find out some con­venient place for the erecting a Fort, if there should be occasion. These Forces met with some opposition; but at last they routed the Enemy, killing some, and taking others Priso­ners; the rest saved themselves by their good Footmanship. Whilst this was doing, I em­ployed that Part of the Army which was with me in fortifying a Neck of Land, where I de­signed to leave a Party to keep in the Irish on this side, that I might be at liberty with the greatest part of the Horse and Foot to look after the Enemy abroad, and to receive and convoy [Page 416] such Boats and other things necessary as the Commissioners sent to us by Sea. When we had received our Boats, each of which was ca­pable of containing a hundred and twenty Men, I ordered one of them to be rowed about the Water in order to find out the most conve­nient Place for Landing upon the Enemy: which they perceiving, thought fit, by a time­ly Submission, to prevent the Danger that threatned them; and having expressed their Desires to that purpose, Commissioners were appointed on both Parts to treat. The Articles were the same in effect with those granted to the Irish in Leinster and other Places. But much time was spent in the discussion of some Particulars, especially that concerning the Mur­der of the English, which was an Exception we never failed to make; so that the Irish Commissioners seeming doubtful whether by the wording that Article they were not all in­cluded, desired that it might be explained; to which we consented, and it was accordingly done. They also made it their Request, that instead of that Article relating to their real Estates, whereby they were to enjoy such a part as should be allotted to them by the Quali­fications to be agreed upon, it might be ex­pressed, that they wholly submitted to the Mercy of the Parliament therein. The Exer­cise also of their Religion was earnestly insisted upon by them; but we refused to oblige our selves to any thing in that Particular, declaring [Page 417] only, that it was neither the Principle or Prac­tice of the Authority which we served, to impose their way of Worship upon any by violent means. With these Explanations the Com­missioners, after a Fortnight's Debate, con­cluded the Agreement, the Lord Muskerry and my self confirming it; his Son with Sir Daniel Obryan were delivered to me as Hostages for the performance of the Articles: in consequence of which about five thousand Horse and Foot laid down their Arms, and surrendred their Horses.

Whilst this was doing in Munster, Col. Grace with some Forces that had not submitted, passed the Shannon, and being joined by many of the Irish of Connaught and Galway, began to grow considerable, being about three thou­sand, most of them Foot. Col. Ingoldsby having notice of them, drew together a Party about Limerick, and marching with them to find out the Enemy, attacked them at a Pass, which they disputed for some time; but our Horse breaking in upon some of their Foot, and en­couraging the rest to fall on, the Irish quitted their Post, and shifted for themselves. In this Action many of them were killed and taken Prisoners, the rest escaping to the Bogs and Woods. After this Defeat Col. Grace and his Party was forced to submit, and to that end treated with Col. Zanchey, but found that his obstinate Resistance so long had done him no Service; for Col. Zanchey upon the Surrender of [Page 418] Inch to him, and the Submission of Col. Grace's Forces, caused a Captain, a Lieutenant, and a Serjeant, with other Officers, to be shot to death, for revolting at Carrick to the Enemy, according to the Liberty he had reserved to himself in that case by the Capitulation. In the North of Ireland Col. Theophilus Jones be­ing sent out with seven Troops of Horse, one of Dragoons, and three hundred Foot, to get Provisions for the Relief of those Parts, met with a Party of the Enemy, consisting of six­teen hundred Foot and three hundred Horse, whom he charged, and after a sharp Dis­pute routed, and put to flight, killing ma­ny of their Officers, and three hundred Soul­diers upon the Place. All the Arms of their Foot were taken, and a hundred and fifty Horse, with the Loss only of six of our Men killed, and about twenty wounded. The Earl of Clanrickard finding the Irish Affairs in a despe­rate Condition, with what Forces he had left retired into the Isle of Carrick, where being en­compassed by our Men on all sides, he submit­ted, and obtained Liberty to transport himself with three thousand Men to any foreign Coun­try in Friendship with the Commonwealth, within the space of three Months.

The Parliament having already sent over to us five Companies of Foot under the Command of Licutenant Colonel Finch, who had done very good Service at the Battel of Worcester, resolved to send eight hundred more out of the [Page 419] Regiment of Major Gen. Lambert, and an intire Regiment commanded by Col. Clark; which Forces were procured rather to promote the Designs of General Cromvel, than from any need we had of them; our military Service in Ireland, by the Blessing of God, drawing to­wards a Conclusion, most of the Irish Forces having submitted and laid down their Arms, no Garison of any Strength holding out against us, and many Thousand of the Enemy sent into foreign Service. The Souldiers of Lam­bert's Regiment were countermanded upon his refusal to go to Ireland without the Character of Deputy; but the Regiment of Col. Clark being throughly principled for Cromvel's De­sign, continued their March by order of the Parliament, who were perswaded to constitute Lieutenant General Fleetwood Commander in Chief of their Forces in Ireland, and one of their Commissioners for the Civil Affairs in that Nation.

The States General, upon the Return of their Ambassadors from England, dispatched Orders to their Admiral to take all Advantages against the English, and solicited the King of Denmark to break with us also, encouraging him to de­tain twenty two English Merchant Ships which he had formerly seized coming through the Sound. The Parliament, to prevent the Dan­gers that might ensue by farther Delay, gave Orders to General Blake to fall upon the Sub­jects of Holland wheresoever he should meet [Page 420] them, and particularly to interrupt their Fishe­ry upon the Northern Coast, sending the Re­giments of Col. Ingoldsby and Col. Goff on board the Fleet. General Blake having received these Instructions, set sail for the North, where meeting with about six hundred Herring-Busses, under a Convoy of twelve Men of War, he took and sunk the whole Convoy; and having seized the Fish that the Busses had taken, he re­leased all the Vessels with the Seamen belong­ing to them. Which Action was blamed by some, who thought that by the help of those Ships we might have been enabled to erect a Fishery, and thereby have made some Repara­tion to the English Nation for the Damages which they had sustained from the Dutch; and that by detaining their Mariners we might have weakned and distressed them considerably, they wanting Men for the management of their Shipping. In the mean time Sir George Ayscue, who was lately returned from the Reduction of Barbadoes, and had convoyed into the River five Merchant Ships richly laden from the East Indies, fell upon a Fleet of Hollanders consisting of sorty Merchant-men under the Convoy of four Men of War. Of this Fleet he took se­ven, forced divers on shore, and the rest nar­rowly escaped. About the same time a Ship from Guiny, valued at forty thousand Pounds, was by some of ours taken srom the Dutch, with many other rich Ships, to the great Preju­dice and Interruption of their Trade. To ap­ply [Page 421] some Remedy to this, the Dutch Admiral with his Fleet came into the Downs, and an­chored by Sir George Ayscue, who was retired under Dover-Castle, being much inferiour in Number to the Enemy; but the Hollanders af­ter a short stay left our Fleet, and set sail, without attempting any thing against us. At Leghorn some of their Men of War preparing to seize such English Merchants Ships as lay in that Port, the Grand Duke sent a Message to the Dutch, to let them know, that if they committed any Acts of Hostility against the English Nation in that Harbour, their Goods in the Town should be responsible for it. Ad­miral Blake returned to the Downs, and being informed that a French Fleet was going to re­lieve Dunkirk, then besieged by the Spaniards, called a Council of War, and by their Advice sent a Squadron after them, which coming up with the French, took divers of their Ships, and dispersed the rest; by which means chiefly the Town was soon after surrendred.

The Irish being reduced to Extremity, and most of the Country in the hands of the Eng­lish, the Parliament resolved to give the Ad­venturers Possession of Lands proportionable to the several Sums they had advanced, and also to satisfy the Arrears of the Army out of the same, as they had formerly promised: which that they might be enabled to perform, they passed an Act, confiscating so much of the Estates of those who had acted against the [Page 422] English, as they judged the Quality of their Crimes to require, and extending their Clemen­cy to those who had carried themselves peace­ably. In the mean time that I might bring such as remained yet in Arms against us to a necessity of submitting, I marched with a Party of about four thousand Horse and Foot; and having scoured the Counties of Wexford and Wicklo, placing Garisons where I thought con­venient, I went to Tredagh, where I met the rest of the Parliament's Commissioners; and having staid eight days in that Place to settle Affairs, I continued my March into the Coun­ty of Meath, and coming to Carrick Mac Ross, a House belonging to the Earl of Essex, where the Rebels had barbarously murdered one Mr. Blany a Justice of Peace in that Country, I caused it to be fortified, and put a Garison in it, being advantageously situated to restrain the Enemies Excursions. From hence I went to visit the Garison of Dundalk, and being upon my Return, I found a Party of the Enemy re­tired within a hollow Rock, which was disco­vered by one of ours, who saw five or six of them standing before a narrow Passage at the Mouth of the Cave. The Rock was so thick, that we thought it impossible to dig it down upon them, and therefore resolved to try to re­duce them by Smoak. After some of our Men had spent most part of the day in endeavour­ing to smother those within by Fire placed at the Mouth of the Cave, they withdrew the [Page 423] Fire, and the next Morning supposing the Irish to be made uncapable of Resistance by the Smoak, some of them with a Candle besore them crawled into the Rock. One of the Ene­my who lay in the middle of the Entrance fired his Pistol, and shot the first of our Men into the Head, by whose Loss we found that the Smoak had not taken the designed effect. But seeing no other way to reduce them, I caused the Trial to be repeated, and upon examination found that tho a great Smoak went into the Ca­vity of the Rock, yet it came out again at other Crevices; upon which I ordered those Places to be closely stopped, and another Smother made. About an hour and half after this, one of them was heard to groan very strongly, and afterwards more weakly, where­by we presumed that the Work was done; yet the Fire was continued till about Midnight, and then taken away, that the Place might be cool enough for ours to enter the next Morn­ing. At which time some went in armed with Back, Breast, and Head-piece, to prevent such another Accident as fell out at their first At­tempt; but they had not gone above six Yards before they found the Man that had been heard to groan, who was the same that had killed one of our Men with his Pistol, and who resolving not to quit his Post, had been, upon stopping the holes of the Rock, choaked by the Smoak. Our Souldiers put a Rope about his Neck, and drew him out. The Passage being [Page 424] cleared, they entred, and having put about fif­teen to the Sword, brought four or five out alive, with the Priest's Robes, a Crucifix, Cha­lice, and other Furniture of that kind. Those within preserved themselves by laying their Heads close to a Water that ran through the Rock. We found two Rooms in the Place, one of which was large enough to turn a Pike; and having filled the Mouth of it with large Stones, we quitted it, and marched to Castle­Blany, where I left a Party of Foot, and some Horse, as I had done before at Carrick and New­ry, whereby that part of the County of Mo­naghan was pretty well secured. We continu­ed our March to Monaghan, and so to Aghur, where we cast up some Works, and left a Ga­rison to defend it. Near this Place lay the Creaght of Lieutenant General O Neal, Son to that O Neal who after several Years Imprison­ment in the Tower of London died there: He came over from the Service of the King of Spain to be Lieutenant General to the Army of Owen Roe O Neal; but upon some Jealousy or particular Discontent was laid aside. This Man with his Wife, who he said was Niece to the Dutchess of Artois, and some Children, remov­ed, as the Irish do generally in those Parts, with their Tenants and Cattel, from one Place to another, where there is Conveniency of Grass, Water and Wood; and there having built a House, which they do compleatly in an hour or two, they stay till they want Grass, [Page 425] and then dislodg to another Station. This way of living is accompanied with many In­conveniences to the Publick Service; for they not only give shelter to the Enemy, but take all Advantages themselves both to plunder and kill, none knowing whence they come, or whi­ther they go, and so can neither easily be pre­vented nor found out. From hence I marched to Inniskillin in the County of Fermagnah, that I might take a view of the Place, and likewise provide Materials to fortify Lesneskey, other­wise Bally Balfoar, and to reduce an Island kept by the Irish in Loughern, with another Fort they possessed near Bulturbet. Being at Lesnes­key, I was met by Commissary General Rey­nolds, who with a Party of Horse and Foot had dispersed the Enemy in Letrim. Having fortified this Place, and made some Preparati­ons for the Reduction of the Island before­mentioned, I received Advice from the Com­missioners of Parliament at Dublin, that Lieu­tenant General Fleetwood had landed at Water­ford, and was gone to Kilkenny, where they designed to attend him. The News of his Ar­rival was very welcome to me, having found my Care and Fatigues recompensed only with Envy and Hatred; and therefore having given Orders where I was for the carrying on the Publick Service, I hastned after the Commissi­oners; and being come to Kilkenny, I saluted the Commander in Chief, and congratulated his safe Arrival; after which I gave him an Ac­count [Page 426] of the Affairs of the Army, with Assu­rances of my Resolution to obey his Orders. In this place Col. Walter Bagnal, who had been one of the Hostages delivered to us for the performance of the Treaty concluded with those of the Province of Leinster, was by the Marshal detained Prisoner upon an Accusation brought against him for the Murder of an Eng­lish-Man; which Crime being excepted out of those Articles, and all others at any time grant­ed to the Irish, the Commissioners thought themselves obliged in duty to put him upon his Trial, and to that end caused him to be brought before them, where upon full Proof they con­demned him to be shot to death; which Sen­tence was executed accordingly. The Lieute­nant General remained some time at Kilkenny; but the Commissioners having dispatched their Affairs in those Parts, returned to Dublin, and I accompanied them thither.

The Holland Fleet appearing off the Goodwin Sands, Admiral Blake hastned the Foot Souldi­ers aboard, and set sail after them; but they tacked about, and made away towards the French Coast; where being joined by the Ships commanded by Vice Admiral De Ruyter, they returned towards our Fleet, and came within six Leagues of the North Foreland. Capt. Mildmay in the Nonpareille, about four in the Afternoon, exchanged some Shot with them; and soon after the English Admiral, with a few more, came up also, the rest of the Fleet by [Page 427] reason of bad Weather being yet far behind. The Dutch kept themselves close together, firing several single Shot at ours, which our Admiral thought not fit to answer, till the rest of his Fleet was come up to him, and then he began to fire on the Admiral of Holland. The Fight lasted from five till seven, when Night parted them, the Reer-Admiral of the Enemy having lost all his Masts, and two more of their Ships most part of their Rigging. Capt. Mild­may followed them close, and being come up with them, commanded his small Shot to be fired into that Ship that made most sail, imme­diately after which he boarded and took her. This done, he pursued another, and in half an hour overtook her, and forced her to yield also. In one of these Ships was the Dutch Reer-Ad­miral, whom Capt. Mildmay took out, with the rest of the Men, and then let her sink, she being so disabled, that he despaired of bring­ing her off. The next Morning our Fleet pur­sued the Dutch, who made away with all possi­ble speed, and about four in the Afternoon bore up with them; but none of our great Ships ex­cept the Admiral being able to reach them, the Night separated them again. The next day the Dutch recovered Goree and others of their Harbours, so that our Fleet thought fit to de­sist any sarther Pursuit of them. On our side we had but three of our Men and Capt. Jarvis killed, with about twenty wounded. The E­nemies Loss was considerable, many of their [Page 428] Men being killed and wounded, besides several taken Prisoners; and three of their Ships sunk and taken. Fourteen more were also brought into their Ports much damaged in the En­gagement, with great Numbers of wounded Men on board. Their Fleet coming to Goree, the Captains were forbidden to come a shore till Enquiry should be made touching those who had refused to fight in the first Encounter with the English. Hereupon the Enmity of the Dutch against the English Nation grew to such a height, that to render them odious, and to encourage their own Subjects to come in to serve against them, they caused the Execution of the late King to be represented on the Stage in a most tragical manner: Insomuch that those of the Prince of Orange's Party were not with­out hopes that the States of Holland would ra­ther surrender their Liberties to the Prince, than quietly suffer England to live under the Govern­ment of a Commonweath. Some Prejudice we received in two Encounters with the Dutch in the Mediterranean Sea; but those slight Successes were wholly owing to their Number, and not at all to their Courage or Conduct.

The Parliament gave Audience to Ambassa­dors from Venice and Portugal, referring the Consideration of their Instructions to the Coun­cil of State, who were required to report their Opinions touching them to the Parliament. They also ordered a Letter to be drawn up and dispatched to the Grand Duke of Tuscany, to [Page 429] give him Thanks for the good Usage received from him by the English Merchants at Leghorn. About the same time thirty Frigats were appointed to be built, as well to increase the Fleet, as to secure the Trade of the Nation by Cruising. Eighteen Men of War were like­wise sent into the Sound under the Conduct of Capt. Hall, who at his Arrival before Elsenore, delivered a Letter to the Governour of that Place for the King of Denmark, with Assurances that he was come thither for no other end than to convoy home two and twenty English Mer­chant Ships formerly seized by the said King at Copenhagen. The King of Denmark seemed much offended that Capt. Hall had entred the Sound without his leave, and sent four thou­sand Men to Cronenburg and Elsenore, to rein­force those Places, giving Orders to his Fleet to join with the Hollanders, who were not far off, and to fight the English in case they at­tacked the Dutch. These great Preparations obliged Capt. Hall to retire from thence, and to return to Newcastle. Hereupon the Danish Ambassador at London had his Audience of Leave from the Parliament, and his Master be­gan to prepare twenty Ships of War for the Assistance of the Dutch, alledging himself bound so to do by a Treaty with them: In or­der to which he caused the Goods belonging to the English to be taken out of the two and twenty Ships before-mentioned, and to be sold, declaring openly for the Hollanders.

In the mean time the Reformation of the Law went on but slowly, it being the Interest of the Lawyers to preserve the Lives, Liber­ties and Estates of the whole Nation in their own hands. So that upon the Debate of Re­gistring Deeds in each County, for want of which, within a certain time fixed after the Sale, such Sales should be void, and being so registred, that Land should not be subject to any Incumbrance: This word Incumbrance was so managed by the Lawyers, that it took up three Months time before it could be ascertained by the Committee.