THE DEVILS Cabinet-Counſell. DISCOVERED.
THe Independent Faction being become conſiderable, their firſt deſign was to monopolize all power into their hands.
This was effected firſt by daſhing the Earl of Eſſex and Sir William Waller one againſt another; which was eaſily done by taking hold of their ſeverall misfortunes, the one at Liſlethiel in Cornwall, the other at the Deviſes in Wiltſhire. My Lord of2 Mancheſter alſo being a Lord, and therefore not to be confided in, was undermin'd and accus'd by Cromwell of high Crimes, and ſo diſcarded.
Then was the Army new modell'd, and under Sir Thomas Fairfax Cromwell got the ſole command of the Army. He was no ſooner in power, but by his own diligence & the help of his Faction, he endeavours to make himſelf famous and popular, by taking to himſelf the honour of other mens atchievements. To this purpoſe the News books are taught to ſpeak no language but Cromvvell and his party, and to be ſilent in ſuch actions wherein he could claim no ſhare. That the Army might be ſutable to him and his deſigns, carried on without interruption, all pretences of ſcandals and crimes are laid hold of at the Councels of Warre to remove the Presbyterian party, that the Independents and Sectaries might be let into their rooms.
The next ſtudy of Cromwell was how to make this Army become his creatures; which he thus contriv'd: The two Houſes, in a full and free Parliament had ordained the diſbanding of the Army, Cromwell knowing how much this would be againſt3 the Armies will, put the Houſes again upon paſſing this Ordinance,Proteſting in the preſence of Almighty God, before whom he ſtood, that he knew the Army would disband, and lay down their Armes at their dore whenſoever they ſhould command:when at the ſame time he had his Agitators animating the Army againſt the major part of the Houſe, under the notion of men that ſought their ruine, and making traiterous comments upon the Ordinance. He knew the Army hated nothing more then disbanding, and therefore would not be a little enraged againſt the promoters thereof: and thus by cauſing fears and jealouſies in the Army, he eaſily provok'd them to mutiny againſt the Parliament: By this mutiny having made them ſure to his own intereſt, Cromwell leaves the Parliament, not daring to truſt himſelf among them, where now both he and his Son Ireton publickly joyn with the Army at New-Market in trayterous Engagements, Declarations, Remonſtrances and Petitions, pend by Cromwell himſelf, tending altogether to nothing but ſedition, whereby the Army and the Parliament were eaſily rendered odious to one another.
4Having thus debauch'd the Army, he plotted in his own Chamber how to ſecure the Garriſon, Magazine, and train of Artillery at Oxford, and ſurpriſe the Kings perſon at Holmby, which was done by his Inſtrument Cornet Ioyce, with a commanded party of Horſe: by which action Cromwell now thought himſelf ſo ſecure, that when Ioyce, giving him an account of what he had done, told him, that he had now the King in his power; Cromwell repli'd, Then have I the Parliament in my pocket. It was not for him publickly to own ſo impudent an act, therefore he had recourſe to his wonted diſſimulation, proteſting in the ſight of God his ignorance in that buſineſs both to the King and Parliament, adding to his Proteſtation an Execration upon his Wife and Children.
Having ſo farre proſper'd in his deſign, as to get the King into his clutches, the next contrivance was to get the Parliament into his power.
This was to be effected by purging both Houſes, ſo that there might be no Members here, but what ſhould be abſolutely of Cromwels Faction; to which purpoſe they ſend firſt a confuſed impeachment againſt5 eleven of the Members, who thereupon modeſtly withdrew, to free the Parliament from ſuch danger as they ſhould incurre by protecting them.
But while theſe things were acting, Cromwell finding he could not compaſſe what he intended againſt the Parliament, but that he muſt make the City his enemies, caſts about how to cheat the Countrey, it being dangerous to have both City and Countrey his enemies at that time. Agents are therefore imploy'd to ſpread Books and Pamphlets about the Kingdom wherein particular notice is taken of the preſſures and grievances of the Nation, courting them to neglect the King, and the Parliament, as unable to relieve them, and to make their addreſſes to the Army, who had it in their hands onely to reſtore the King, uphold the Parliament, and give them their Freedoms and Liberties, and to take away from them all Taxes and Exciſes: by theſe and the like pretences they deceived the people ſo far, as to make them patiently bear the burthen of free quarter, and to make Addreſſes to the Army for free quarter.
6Having Iull'd the people into a ſleep, they now ſeek how to quarrell with the City. They had withdrawn their quarters ſome thirty miles from London, in a pretended obedience to the Parliament (of which pretended example of their ſubmiſſion, they made ſingular uſe againſt all objections) but finding their deſigns retarded both in City and Parliament, by the remainder of that party which they had left; they muſt therefore find a quarrel to march againſt the City, to give the Houſes a ſtronger purge then they had formerly done. Hereupon the Army demands the City Militia, and had it granted by a packt company of the lower Houſe, when moſt of the Members were abſent. The City petition for their former Militia; and to ſecond their Maſters, many of the Apprentices came down with another of theirs: it was not long ere Cromwell, who watch'd for this opportunity, had his Agents among them, to keep up the Ryot, and increaſe it as much as in them lay, particularly one Highland was obſerved more active then all the reſt. This was cunningly contriv'd to encreaſe the ſdandall upon the City.
7The Army was now upon their march to London, whereupon the ſpeaker and about forty Members more, having left about one hundred and forty ſitting in the Houſe, ſled to the Army. It is thought that what the Speaker did, proceeded from certain ſtrong Threats and Menaces of Cromwell and Ireton, for that he had ſolemnly profeſſed a day or two before to Sir Ralph Aſhton and others,that he ſcorned to do ſuch a baſe unjuſt and dishonourable act, and that he would rather die in his chair.
Hereupon, the remaining Members chooſe a new ſpeaker, and proceed to act one way, while the Army with both the fugitive Speakers, and the ſugitive Members vote another, ſigning engagements to live and die with the Army.
The Army were ſo overleavend with this engagement, that they ſend out Warrants to the Trained Bands to march with them againſt the City. The City hearing of their approch, ſent Commiſſioners ſundry times to mediate an accord; but the Army would give them no better termes then theſe, that they ſhould yield to deſert both Houſes and the impeached Members,8 that they ſhould call in their Declarations, relinquiſh the Militia, deliver up their forts to the Army, with the Tower of London, and the Magazines there; disband all their Forces, and turn the Reformadoes out of the line, receive ſuch guards of horſe and foot as the Army ſhould appoint, demoliſh their works, and ſuffer the Army to march in triumph through the City. All which was ſuddainly and diſhonourably yielded to, ſo great was the undermining ſtrength of Cromwels party to weaken the hands of all his opponents.
This being effected, the fugitive Members were brought agin into the Houſe. And now we muſt look upon the Army and Parliament acting and conſulting together. They put into imployments none but men of their own faction, that they may have all in their own hands; they alter and divide the Militia of London, ſetting up particular Militia's at Weſtminſter, Southwark, and the Hamlets, to make them weaker by ſuch a diviſion, and demoliſh the lines of Communication and fright many more members from the Houſe partly by threats, and partly by falſe impeachments. Then they declare all void which the Parliament had9 done in their abſence; and when many of the Commons were refractory, and denyed to paſs this ordinance, they were either urged to it with threats, or forced to depart the houſe, Sir Arthur Haſlerig telling them ſome heads muſt fly off, and that he feared the Parliament of England could not ſave the Kingdome, but they muſt look another way for ſafety: That they could not ſatisfie the Army but by declaring all void from the beginning. In which words he was ſeconded by Vane, Prideaux, Gourdon, Mildmay, Scott and Holland, whom we muſt henceforward look upon as the Protectors greateſt inſtruments. And becauſe this did not wholly effect the deſign, they produce a ſcandalous letter from the Army, wherein the members that ſate while the two Speakers were abſent, were called pretended Members, and threatned that if they would not give their aſſents topaſs the ordinance, they ſhould ſit in the Houſe at their peril, for the Army would take them as Priſoners of war, and trye them at a Counſel. Thus the Members being frighted away, the next day in a very thin aſſembly of Olivers creatures the ordinance paſſed: and thus had Cromwel and his few conſpirators what ſo10 far they ſought for, (that is to ſay) the whole power of the Parliament and Army.
This being done ſeveral accuſations of high Treaſons were brought againſt the Earles of Suffolk, Lincoln, Middleſex, the Lords Berkley, Willoughby, Hunſdon and Maynard, they were committed to the Tower, that ſo thoſe Lords that had engaged with the Army might have their houſe to themſelves: Several Petitions were likewiſe exhibited to the Houſes, bearing theſe titles, to the Lords and Commons in Parliament aſſembled, diſtinct from the Lords and Commons that ſate in the abſence of the two Speakers, and others which Petitioned againſt divers Members ſittingpretended to be enemies to godlineſs, uſurpers of Parliamentary authority, & ſuch as endeavoured to bring in the King upon his own tearms.Theſe Petitions were all pen'd by the Cromwellian faction, to put the two parties that yet remaind in the Houſe into heights the one againſt the other, to make the leſſer party in the Houſe, viz. the ingaged party of fifty nine, to expel the other conſiſting of 140. that the Houſe might below, and baſe in the opinion of the people, and all things come into the power of the ſword.
11Then were the Lord Mayor, and ſeveral Aldermen, and Citizens impeached alſo of high Treaſon, and ſent likewiſe to the Tower, and their own creatures placed in their ſteads.
And now Cromwel annimated by theſe ſucceſſes, begins to think of contriving that horrid murther which he afterwards brought to paſs. Firſt, that he may not want ſtrength, the Army is dayly recruted without any authority; then is the Parliament put upon it to ſend the four dethroaning bills to the King, of which that of ſetling the Militia in the hands of the Army-party, and the bill for adjourning both Houſes to any other place, were the chief. When the Kings anſwer to the ſaid bills came to be debated, Sir Thomas Wroth had his one to ſpeak high, and feel the pulſe of the Houſe, who did it to this effect. That Bedlam was appointed for madmen, and Tophet for Kings, that our Kings of late had carried themſelves as if they were fit for no place but Bedlam, and that therefore his humble motion ſhould conſiſt of three parts. To ſecure the King and keep him cloſe within ſome inland Garriſon with ſure guards. To draw up Articles12 of impeachment againſt him. And laſtly, to lay by and ſettle the Kingdome without him, for that he cared not what form of Government they ſet up, ſo it were not by Kings and Divels.
Ireton ſeconds this ſpeech, pretending to ſpeak the ſenſe of the Godly party, telling he HouſeThat the King had denied ſafety and protection to his people, by denying the four bills, that ſubjection to him, was in lieu of his protection, which being denied they might well deny any more ſubjection to him, and ſettle the Kingdome without him; that it was now expected after ſo long patience, that they ſhould ſhew their reſolution, and not deſert thoſe valient men that had engaged for them beyond all poſſibility of retreat, and would never forſake the Parliament, unleſs the Parliament forſook them firſt.After ſome debate, Cromwel ſeeing his time brings up the rear, and giving an ample character of the valour and godlineſs of the Army, argued. That 'twas expected that now the Parliament ſhould govern and defend the Parliament by their own power and reſolution, and not teach the people any longer, to expect ſafety and government13 from an obſtinate man, whom God had hardned, and that thoſe men that had defended them hitherto, would defend them in whatever they ſhould do in relation to ſuch a reſolution. Teach them not by neglecting your own and the Kingdomes ſafety, in which their own is involved to think themſelves betrayed and left hereafter to the rage and malice of an irreconciliable enemy, whom they have ſubdued for your ſake; and are therefore likely to find his future government of them inſupportable and fuller of revenge then Juſtice, leſt deſpair teach them to ſeek their ſafety by ſome other means then by adhearing to you who will not ſtick to your ſelves, and how deſtructive ſuch a reſolution will be I tremble to think, and leave you to judge.
Theſe words ſeem to have ſomething of meance in them, and therefore the Houſes paſs the Votes for Non-addreſſes and to ſhew the people the reaſons thereof; the Independant Grandees appoint a Committee to ſearch into the Kings converſation, and the errors of his Government, and to publiſh them in a Declaration to the world. 14Whereupon they form many high crimes againſt him, as the loſs of Rochel his fathes death, and the maſacre and rebellion in Ireland.
Theſe deſperate courſes to diſhonour the King and make him uncapable of Government, to ruine his perſon, Crown and dignity, and to exterpate Monarchy, root and branch, were taken up in order to the uſurping the Kingly power into the hands of the Grandees of the Parliament and Army.
The next thing they do is to compel the Countries to give thanks to the Houſes for their Votes againſt the King; Pine and Prideaux get ſubſcriptions in the Weſt, Mildmay in Eſſex, Purefoy in Warwickſhire, Haſlerig in the parts about Newcaſtle, making the world believe that the ſubſcriptions of a few inconſiderable perſons, or of ſuch as they had put a force upon, had ſpoke the language of the whole Nation. But the City being not ſo fully ſatisfied, a greater force is to be put upon them; and that the Grandees might have the better excuſe to do it, they ſtir up the apprentiſes by their own agents to a tumult, which being eaſily quelled, they preſently order for future ſecurity, that more Souldiers be put into15 the Mews and White-hall, that Barges capable of fifty Musketeres, to conveigh the Souldiers to any place where any Inſurrection might be, and that the chains and poſts be taken out of the ſtreets.
While theſe things were a doing, Cromwell, finding the King to be a great ſtop to his affairs, reſolves to take him privately away, and therefore writes to Hammond to remove him out of the way, either by poyſon or by any other means.
Mr. Osborn informs the Houſes of this by a Letter to the Speaker, wherein he tells them that Rolfe ſhould ſay,That Hammond had received ſeverall Letters from the Army to remove the King, by poyſon, or by any other meanes, out of the way.He further wrote,That Rolfe ſhould tell him, that Hammond had a good allowance for keeping the King, and therefore he would not do it, as being loth to loſe the profit: but ſaid Rolfe, If you will joyn with me, we will endeavour to conveigh the King to ſome private place, and we may then do what we will with him. And further; Mr. Osburn offered in his ſaid Letter, to appear and make it good upon oath, if he might be permitted to16 come and go with freedome and ſafety.The Clerk had no ſooner done this, but with a ſlight neglect, and the laughter of ſome of the Members, the buſineſs was paſs'd over without debate; and Mr. Scowen ſtood up to propound new buſineſs. When preſently another Gentleman interrupting him urged,That ſuch an Information coming to the Houſe ought not to be neglected, whether true or falſe, but to be examined and ſifted to the bottom, and therefore mov'd, that a Committee might be named to examine Rolfe, Osborn, and Hammond:This was ſeconded by Sir Simon D'ewes, Mr. H. Hungerford and Mr. Ed. Stevens; but they received a ſlight anſwer,That Osborn was not to be found, and that he was a Malignant, and had attempted to ſet the King at liberty.To which it was replyed,That a Committee could be named to examine the buſineſs concerning the Foot-boy that ſtruck Sir H. Mildmay, though no man knew where to find the Foot-boy; that it was ſtrange there ſhould be ſuch a difference between beating a Subject and killing a King; that though Mr. Osborn were a Malignant, yet unleſs he were alſo a Nullifidian, convicted17 of perjury, his oath was valid and good.But Scot ſtood up and ſaid,That this preſſing to examine this buſineſs, was but to draw C. Hammond to Town, that the King might the eaſier make an eſcape:and Sir IOhn Evelin of Wilts alledged,That this was an invention of Mr. Osborn, to bring the King to Town with freedom, honour, and ſafety.And though other motions were made for the ſaid Committee, yet either Mr. Scowen, or Skippon, ſtood up and offered to divert the buſineſs by new matter concerning the Army, which bears all buſineſs down before it; and ſo the buſineſs was buried in ſilence for that time. Afterwards the Lords propounded, that he might have forty dayes allowed him, which was with much ado granted: He comes and avouches it: and one Doucet further affirm'd a deſign of Rolfe's to piſtoll the King. Rolfe preſents himſelf at the Commons Barr, with a Letter from Hammond, who denies the deſign, and pleads Rolfe's cauſe for him. Rolfe denyed it at the Barr with a very trembling voice; yet afterwards hid out of the way. Hammond was neither ſent for nor queſtioned. Thus was this buſineſs quite huſht up, which onely18 ſerv'd to ſhew what the Gentlemen at Weſtminſter ſolely aimed at; and indeed their rancour was now at that height againſt the King, that Skippon thought it juſt cauſe of complaint, that ſome perſons had printed a Book, called, A motive to loyall Subjects to endeavour the preſervation of his Majeſties perſon.
Many Petitions now alſo come for a Perſonall Treaty, and among the reſt the Surrey men petition for a Perſonal Treaty: But Scot ſtanding up in the Houſe argued,That it was a deſign to ruine the Godly: That he was of opinion, that there could be no time ſeaſonable for a Perſonall Treaty, or a Peace, with ſo perfidious a Pince, but that it would be alwayes either too ſoon, or too late; that he that draws his ſword againſt the King muſt throw away the ſcabbord, that all peace with him would prove the ſpoil of the Godly.
Thus by him, and by the aſſiſtance of the Worthies, Ven, Miles, Corbet, Hill, and Harvey, Cromwell had his deſign in part, for that the Petition had no ſucceſs.
The King was now a priſoner in the Iſle of Wight, when Cromwell had overthrown19 Duke Hamilton at Preſton, and there by cut off the greateſt hopes which the King had of being releived: The Victory was great, and ſwelled the Grandees, that were then ſitting at Weſtminſter, to ſuch a height of pride, of whom the chief were, Thom. Scot, Cornelius Holland, and Sir. Harry Mildmay, that though before there were fair hopes of a Perſonall Treaty, now began to ſhew an utter diſdain and malice againſt it, and to threaten and inſult over all that had petitioned for it abroad, or ſpoken for it in the Houſe.
But the wiſe ſort, or rather the more crafty to do miſchief, knowing how weary the people were of their Texes and the Army, and how covetous to purchaſe peace, though at the price of a new warr; and further conſidering that the Scots were not wholly reduc'd, that the people were not yet quieted in many parts of England; and finding the Prince with a conſiderable Fleet at Sea, ready to raiſe new tempeſts at Land, thought it better to dally on the Treaty, till Oliver had quite finiſh'd his Northern Expedition, and were marched nearer London, and that all things were quiet in England, and then to break off the Treaty, and20 purge the Houſe of thoſe that ſought to agree with the King, under pretence of being the Kings corrupt Party.
Therefore to blind the peoples eyes, it was debated in the Houſe, whether a Treaty ſhould be had with the King upon the Propoſitions of Hampton-Court; the queſtion being put, the Yeas and Noes were even fifty ſeven to fifty ſeven, inſomuch that the Speakers voice was put to turn the ſcales; who, though at this time he foreman of Oliver's ſhop, gives his voice in the affirmative, following then his conſcience againſt his intereſt; andmy Lord Say openly in the Houſe of Lords ſaid, God forbid that any man ſhould take advantage of this victory to break off the Treaty. However Cromwell having got a full conqueſt over his enemies, marches for London upon his deſign, though the Parliament forbid his approach. And to ſhew his contempt of them, he prints a Declaration, accuſing them of lightneſs, breach of truſt, inconſtancy, and indiſcretion, and threatning preſently to advance towards Weſtminſter, to do what God ſhould enable them: The ſame night he came to Hide-Park corner: The next thing he did was to take poſſeſſion21 of White-hall for his Quarters: He brought to town with him four Regiments of Foot, and ſix of Horſe, which he quartered in the Mews by his own order.
The next news frequent in the Town was that of the Kings being ſeized in his bed-chamber, and hurried away priſoner to Hurſt Caſtle, a Block-houſe in the Iſle of Wight, ſtanding out a mile and a half in the Sea, ſo noiſome, that the Guards could not endure to be there long without often ſhifting their quarters.
This inſolent action ſatisfied onely the Independent and Monarchicall party, but the others, who were yet more numerous, ſeeing ſo hainous a fact committed againſt the life of the King, and the faith and honour of the Parliament, reſolve once more to try their power; whereupon it was moved that it might be declared, That his Majeſty was remov'd by the Generals Warrant, without the conſent or privity of the Houſe.
The Army Members to ſlop this, argue that the word (Declare) would be conſtrued a declaring againſt the Generall and Army, and that the word (Conſent) argued a diſagreement in opinion and practiſe between22 the Parliament and the Houſe, as if the Houſes diſſented from it; hereupon it was barely voted without the privity of the Houſe.
Nevertheleſs the other Members proceed to the Kings Anſwers to the Propoſitions of both Houſes, whether they were ſatisfactions or no; which after a long and tedious debate was carried in the affirmative; and to keep a good correſpondence with the Army, a Committee of ſix Members was appointed to confer with the Generall and his Officers, but could receive no other anſwer from them then this, that the way to correſpond was to comply with the Armies Remonſtrance.
And now the Saints militant being inraged that the Houſe had recovered ſo much courage and honeſty to vote according to their conſciences, after ſome proud conference between Pride, Hewſon, and other Officers, and the Speaker, in Weſtminſter-Hall, with the dores ſhut, Cromwell ſends a paper to the Houſe of Commons, requiring that the impeached Members and M. G. Brown might be ſecured and brought to juſtice, and that the 90. & odd Members that refus'd to vote againſt the Scotch Engagement,23 and voted to recal the Votes for non-addreſſes, and for a treaty, might be ſuſpended the Houſe; and that all faithful Members who were innocent of thoſe Votes would acquit themſelves by proteſtation from any ſuch concurrence, that there might be a diſtinction made between um. The Paper was delivered in, but they ſcorning to ſta for an anſwer, ſent ſeveral guards to the Houſe under the command of Pride, Hewſon and Hardres Waller, and violently ſeized all thoſe Members that they found two honeſt for their purpoſes.
The Houſe being thus purged, and brought to ſo ſmall a number in ſo much that an Officer of the Army having ſecured ſome of the Members in the Lobby as they were going into the Houſe, the Speaker having not enough within to make up a Houſe, was forced to ſend to the ſaid Officer to lend him his priſoners to make up a free Parliament, in comes Cromwel out of the Countrey, and brings Harry Martin that ſanctified Members along with him to make up his numbers, and to awe the City Garriſons, Blackfriers and Pauls.
The ſecluded Members proteſt againſt24 their ſecluſion, but the Cromwellian faction Vote their Proteſtation ſeditious, ſcandalous, and tending to deſtroy the viſible and fundamental Government of the Kingdome. Then like Cromwels good boyes, they vote all the votes of the ſecluded Members for a perſonal treaty null and void; and to try whether all were their truſty friends that voted for them: Gourdon moved that a proteſtation be forthwith drawn up, and that every Member ſet his hand to it in deteſtation of thoſe repealed Votes which was drawn up afterwards, and within a few daies after ſubſcribed by
The Lord Liſle, Colonel Boswel, Lord Grey, Per. Pelham, Colo. Iones, Colonel Temple, Colo. Ven. Sir Thomas Maleverer, Sir Tho. Wroth, Sir Io. Bourchier, Col. Pet. Temple, Tho. Chaloner, Sir, Gregory Norton, Oldſworth, Garland, Sir Io. Danvers, Dove, Smith, Frie, Searle, Nic. Love, Io. Liſle, Col. Rigby, Holland, Ludlow, Greg. Clement, Col. Purefoy, Col. Stapely, Dunch, Cawley, Downs, Io. Carey, Blackstone, Scot. Hutchinſon, Mildmay, Sir Iames Harrington, Col. Harvey, Penington, Atkins, Dan. Blackgrave, Moor, Millington, Prideaux, Roger Hill, Denis Bond, Col. Harrington, Hodges,25 Valentine. The deſign being thus pritty well ripened, the Counſel of War who managed the buſineſs in relation to the King, ordered that all ſtate and ceremony ſhould be forborn, the King and his attendants leſſend, which was done to mortifie him by degrees.
Now was it thought fit to have it moved in the Houſe, to proceed capitally againſt the King.
Cromwel after it was once propoſed ſinding it then his cue to ſpeak, ſtoop up and told them, That if any mov'd this out of deſign he ſhould think him the greateſt Traytor in the World, but ſince providence and neceſſity had caſt them upon it, he ſhould pray to God to bleſs their Counſels, though he were not provided on the ſuddain to give them Counſel. The White Boys thus animated went on furiouſly, and Scot with an unheard of impudence now dares to bring in the ordinance for tryal of the King; it was read & recommitted three ſeveral times, and Commiſſioners names inſerted, conſiſting of divers Lords, Commons, Aldermen, Citizens, Countrey Gentlemen and Souldiers; that the more perſons of all ſorts might be engaged in ſo damnable and treaſonable a deſign,26 and becauſe this Ordinance and the proceedings thereupon had no foundation in Divinity, Law nor Reaſon. The Cromwellian Faction to give it a foundation and ground from the authority of their Votes, declare that by the Lawes of the Land it is treaſon in the King to levy war againſt the Parliament and Kingdome of England. This Vote together with the ordinance was carried up to the Lords by the Lords Grey of Groby. The firſt debate was upon the Vote. The Earl of Mancheſter told them, That the Parliament of England by the fundamenttal lawes of England conſiſted of three Eſtates, King, Lords and Commons. The King is the firſt and chiefeſt eſtate, He calls and diſſolves the Houſe, and confirms all their Acts, and without him there can be no Parliament, and therefore tis abſurd to ſay, The King can be a Traytor againſt the Parliament. The Earl of Northumberland ſaid, That the greateſt part of the people of England were not yet ſatisfied whether the King levied War firſt againſt the Houſes, or the Houſes againſt him; and therefore it was very unreaſonable to declare Treaſon by an Ordinance, when the matter of fact is not yet proved, nor any Law extant to judge it by. 27Whereupon the Lords caſt off the debate, and caſt our the Ordinance.
Hereupon the Zealots of the Houſe, that is to ſay, that Proteſtors, were very angry at the Lords, and therefore intend to rid their hands of them, and the King, both together, and thereupon they preſently paſſed a Vote, ſhould be impowred to act, notwithſtanding the Lords did not concurre with them; and many of the moſt famous hot-ſpurs were ſo high, as to inſiſt, that the Lords, who would not give their concurrence to the Votes and Ordinance, ſhould be impeached for favouring the grand Delinquent.
Having thrown by the Lords, they proceed to make themſelves to have the ſhew of a legall power by paſſing theſe three Votes.
- 1. That the people, that is to ſay, their own Faction, are the original of all juſt power under God.
- 2. That the Commons of England, being choſen by, and repreſenting the people, are the ſupreme Power of this Nation.
- 3. That whatſoever is enacted by Law by29 the Houſe of Commons aſſembled in Parliament, hath the force of a Law.
This was Cromwels Chain-ſhot, whereby he ſwept a King and Lords, putting all the Liberties of this Nation under his own and the power of fifty or ſixty of his own covetous Saints.
By their former contrivances having now brought themſelves to ſuch a height of power, and that power to a boldneſſe that durſt go ſo farre, there was a neceſſity for them now to proceed, and therefore the next thing they did was, to paſſe the Ordinance for tryall of the King, which was carried on without one negative voice.
There was one rub in the way, that they could not uſe his own Great Seal againſt him, and a new one was long a making: But after conſultation, they agreed upon a new way; for what need ceremonies when men are reſolved upon the ſubſtance? They therefore proceed without any Commiſſion under Seal, upon the Ordinance, and every Commiſſioners ſet his own hand and ſeal to the publick inſtrument of their tranſactions.
At the ſame time great endeavours are29 made to ſtop the mouths of the Miniſters, giving them threatning admonitions not to preach againſt the actings of the Parliament and the Army; and the Councill of Warr finding it difficult to ſtop the Miniſters mouths, did ſundry times debate to ſhut up the Church dores, to which purpoſe they impriſoned Mr. Canton for praying for the King, and threatened to try him at the Upper Bench for his life.
And to ſet a greater gloſs upon their actions, Tichbourn their own creature, by their command, preſents a ſchiſmatical Petition, directed to the Supreme Authority the Commons in Parliament, demanding juſtice upon the capital offenders from the higheſt to the loweſt.
The like Petitions were invited by them from the Countries, where a dozen ſchiſmaticks and two or three cloaks repreſented a whole family.
After this Hammond preſents them with a ſcandalous Libell, called, The Agreement of the People, demanding nothing elſe but the totall ſubverſions of the Fundamentall Laws and Government of the Nation, which they ordered to be forthwith printed, as if it had been the generall ſence of the whole Nation.
30When the Commiſſioners come to ſit in the Painted Chamber, the Witneſſes were not farre off, a company of the moſt contemptible perſons in the world, ſuborned for the purpoſe, men rather told what they ſhould ſay, then examined what they knew, for that the Grandees might do things legally, they made the examinations and cauſed the others to put their names to them.
The names of the Witneſſes were as followeth, perſons next to profeſſed beggery, the meaneſt that could be.
- Henry Hartford of Stratford upon Avon.
- Edward Roberts of Biſhop Caſtle, Ironmonger.
- Will. Braines of Wrynxhall, Gent.
- Robert Lacy of Nottingham, Painter.
- Rob. Loade of Cottam in Com. Nottingh. Tyler.
- Samuel Morgan of Wellington in Com. Salop Feltmaker.
- Iames Williams of Roſs in Com. Hartford, Shoomaker.
- 31
- Richard Potts of Shaepreton in Com. Northumb. Vintner.
- Giles Price of Wellington, Gent.
- Will Arnop of
- Iohn Hudſon of
- Iohn Winſton of Dornorham in Com. Wilts.
- George Seely of London, Cordwainer.
- Iohn Moore of Cork in Ireland, Gent.
- Thom. Ives of Boſſet in Com. Northampton, Husbandman.
- Iames Iresby of Dublin, Barber.
- Thom. Rawlins of Hanſlop in Com. Buck. Gent.
- Richard Blomfeild of London, Weaver.
- Iohn Thomas of Kangallan in Com. Denby.
- Will. Lawſon of Nottingham, Malſter.
- Iohn Pinegar of Damer in Com. Darby, Shoomaker.
- Humphrey Brown of Whitſundine in Com. Rutl. Yeoman.
- David Evans of Neathe in Com. Clamorg. Gent.
- Robert Holmes of
- 32
- Robert Williams of Hillary in Com. Glamorgan, Atturney.
- Samuel Worden of Limeham in Com. Wilts, Gent.
- Thomas Read of Maidſtone in Com. Kent, Gent.
- George Cornwall of Aſton in Com. Hereford, Forgeman.
- Will. Iones of Usk in Com. Monmouth, Husbandman.
- Arthur Young Citizen and Barber Chirurgion of London.
- Diogenes Edwards of Caſton in Com. Salop. Butcher.
- Iohn Bennet of Huewood in Com. Ebor, Glover.
- Will. Sutbert of Patrington in Holderneſs in Com. Ebor, Gent.
- Richard Price of London, Scrivener.
- Henry Gracye, ſtil'd of Greys Inne,
Gent. But the Book being examined, the name of no ſuch perſon was there to be found, nor was he ever known there: He ſoon ſpent the reward he had, and lived miſerably afterwards, and was taken in a very low and deſpicable condition; by which it is eaſie to gueſſe at the gentility of the reſt, who ſtile themſelves Gentlemen,33 yet were hired to mix with the baſeſt of Mechanicks to perpetrate ſo great a villany.
Thus inſtead of bringing the King to his Parliament, inſtead of bringing an end to the Treaty, they bring him to a publick Tryall in Weſtminſter-Hall.
The firſt day they urged him to acknowledge the Juriſdiction of the Court: a moſt unheard of piece of tyranny, which had neither law, preſident, rationall debate or argument to prove it. But the King with a magnanimous reſolution denies it: ſo they adjourn for that day. As the King was conducted back, they had ſo contrived it, that divers ſchiſmatical ſouldiers and fellows were placed round about the Court to cry juſtice, juſtice, thinking all the reſt would have bleated to the ſame tune; but they almoſt all cryed, God bleſſe Him, and were ſome of them well cudgelled by the Army, for not ſaying their prayers handſomely after the Army mode, and one of the barbarous Souldiers ſpit in the Kings face; the King onely ſaying, Chriſt ſuffered more for my ſake, and wiped it off with34 his handkerchief: Yet the Court took no notice of this affront, ſo far already had they condemn'd him to ſufferings.
The ſecond day they urge the ſame thing again. The King demands that he may put in his Demurrer. But they overrule his Demurrer without an Argument; a thing never heard of before, and againſt all reaſon: But they did as good as tell him, that reaſon was not to be heard againſt the remaining Faction of the Commons of England.
Being brought the thirdday, Cook preſſes for judgement, telling the Court, among other things, that the Houſe of Commons, the Supreme Authority and Juriſdiction of the Nation, as he named them, had declared, that it was notorious, that the matter of the Charge was true; whereby it appears, that Cromwell and his Faction had fore-judged the King before they erected their new Court to ſentence him, claiming a Juriſdiction as well as a ſupreme Authority.
The fourth and laſt day, Sentence was pronounced againſt him. The King however before Sentence urged to have them hear the reaſons why he could not ſubmit35 to their tyranny, but could not be heard: Which reaſons, becauſe they are not common, we have thought fit to ſet down as they were taken from his own original writing, as followeth.
Having already made my proteſtations not onely againſt the illegallity of this pretended Court, but alſo that no earthly power can juſtly call me (who am your King) in queſtion as a Delinquent; I would not more open my mouth upon this occaſion, more then to referre my ſelf to what I have ſpoken, were I alone in this caſe concerned. But the duty I owe to God, in the preſervation of the true Liberty of my people, will not ſuffer me at this time to be ſilent. For how can any free-born Subject of England, call life or any thing that he profeſſeth his own, if power without right daily make new, and abrogate the old fundamentall Law of the Land, which I now take to be the preſent caſe.
There is no proceeding againſt any man, but what is warranted either by Gods Laws, or by the Municipall Laws of the Countrey where he lives. Now I am moſt36 confident, that this dayes proceeding cannot be warranted by Gods Law; for on the contrary, the Authority of obedience to Kings is clearly warranted by Gods Law, and ſtrictly commanded both in the old and new Teſtament; which if denied, I am ready inſtantly to prove; And for the queſtion now in hand, there it is ſaid, That where the word of a King is there is power, and who may ſay unto him, what doſt thou?
Then for the Laws of the Land, I am no leſſe confident, that no learned Lawyer will affirm, that an Impeachment can lie againſt the King, they all going in his name, and one of their Maximes is That the King can do no wrong. Beſides, the Law upon which you ground your proceedings, muſt be either new or old; if old ſhew it; if new, tell what Authority, warranted by the Fundamental Laws of the Land, hath made it, and when.
But how the Houſe of Commons can erect a Court of Judicature, which was never one it ſelf, as is well known to all Lawyers. I leave God and the world to judge: And it were full as ſtrange, that they ſhould pretend to make Laws without King or37 Lords Houſe, to any that have heard ſpeak of the Laws of England.
And admitting, but not granting, that the people of Englands Commiſſion could grant your pretended power, I ſee nothing you can ſhew for that; for certainly you never asked the queſtion of the tenth man of the Kingdom; and in this way you manifeſtly wrong, even the pooreſt Ploughman, if you demand not his free conſent; nor can you pretend any colour for this your pretended Commiſſion, without the conſent, at leaſt, of the major part of every man in England, of whatſoever quality or condition, which I am ſure you never went about to ſeek, ſo farre are you from having it.
Thus you ſee I ſpeak not for my own right alone; as I am your King, but alſo for the true Liberty of all my Subjects, which conſiſts not in ſharing the power of Government, but in living under ſuch laws ſuch a Government, as may give them the beſt aſſurance of their lives, and the propriety of their goods.
And for the Houſe of Commons, that the major part of them are detain'd or deterr'd from ſitting, ſo as if I had no other,38 this were ſufficient for me to proteſt againſt the lawfulneſs of your pretended Court.
Beſides all this, the peace of the Kingdome is not the leaſt in my thoughts, and what hopes of ſettlement are there, ſo long as power rules without Law, changing the whole frame of that Government, under which this Kingdome hath flouriſhed for many hundred years; and believe it, the Commons of England will not thank you for this change, for they will remember how happy they have been of late years under the reign of Queen Elizabeth, the King my Father, and my ſelf, untill the beginning of theſe unhappy troubles, and will have cauſe to doubt that they ſhall never be ſo happy under any new.
Theſe were the Reaſons which the King intended to have delivered before ſentence, but they were utterly rejected, by thoſe who knew it was not their buſineſs to hear reaſon in a Court that was erected contrary to reaſon; and therefore they haſten to give judgement, which was brief, That the King for ſundry Crimes and Miſdemeanours (which he was never guilty of) ſhould be put to death.
39During the intervall between his Sentence and Execution, the Houſe ordered upon moton, that Doctor Iuxon, Biſhop of London, ſhould be permitted to be private with the King in his chamber, to preach and adminiſter the Sacrament and other ſpiritual comforts to him.
But nevertheleſs the Maſters of the Councill of Warr appointed Iohn Goodwin of Coleman-ſtreet, the Balaam of the Army, to be Superintendent both over the Biſhop and the King, ſo that they could hardly ſpeak a word together without being over-heard by the long ſchiſmaticall eares of black-mouth'd Iohn: And beſides all this, the Guard of Souldiers that was kept within his chamber, what with talking, what with clinking the pots, and opening and ſhutting the dores, and taking Tobacco, a thing very offenſive to the Kings nature, they kept him waking, thereby diſtempering and amazing him with want of ſleep, that they might the more eaſily bring him to their termes.
Upon the twenty eighth of Ianuary, being the laſt Sabbath the King kept in this life, ſome of the Grandees of the Parliament and Army tender'd to the King a40 paper book, with promiſe of life, and ſome ſhadow of regality if he ſubſcrib'd it. It contained many particulars deſtructive to the fundamentall Government, Religion, Laws and property of the People; one among the reſt was this,
(That the King ſhould paſs an Act of Parliament for keeping on foot the Militia of this Army, during the pleaſure of the Grandees, who ſhould be truſted with that Militia, with power to recruit from time to time, and continue them to the number of forty thouſand Horſe and Foot, under the ſame Generall and Officers, with power notwithſtanding in the Councill of Warr to chuſe new Officers and Generals from time to time, as occaſion ſhall happen, and they think fit; and to ſettle a very great Tax upon the people by a Land rate, for an eſtabliſhed pay for the Army, to be levied and collected by the Army themſelves; and a Court-Martiall of an exorbitant extent and latitude.
But his Majeſty having read ſome of the Propoſitions threw them aſide, telling them, He would rather become a Sacrifice for his People, then betray their Lives, Laws, Liberties, and Eſtates, together with the41 Church and Common-wealth, and the honour of his Crown to ſo intolerable a bondage of an armed faction.
Saturday night and Sunday night the King lay in White-hall, ſo neer the place appointed for the ſeparation of his ſoul and body, that he might hear every ſtroak the workmen gave upon the ſcaffold where they wrought all night; this was a new device to mortifie him, but it would not doe.
Tueſday the thirtieth of Ianuary was the day appointed for the Kings death. His Majeſty coming upon the ſcaffold, ſhewed all the while an extraordinary magnanimity and Chriſtian patience. He had his head ſevered from his body at one ſtroke, the Schiſmaticks ſhowting preſently after. His Executioners, though then concealed, are now found to be Ioyce, that bloody inſtrument of Cromwell's deſignes, and Peters, who lay not with a Butchers Wife ſo long, to be ignorant of her Trade. And therefore the Parliament have now ſent for them to receive the condign puniſhment of their villany.
42This is the relation of his Majeſties Tryall by a mix'd Court of Juſtice, erected by fifty or ſixty confederate Members, after all the reſt of the Members, above two hundred and fifty, had been violently ſecluded, ſecured, and frighted. And thus this noble Prince, a Perſon ſanctified by many afflictions, after he had eſcaped Piſtoll, Poyſon, and peſtilent Air, could not eſcape the malice of Cromwell, nor the impudence of Cook, Bradſhaw, Steele, Aske, Doriſtaus. Thus was the Shepheard ſmitten, and the Sheep were ſcattered.
But Heaven not willing longer to endure the wickedneſs of ſuch inſolent Tyrants, nor to ſee the innocent longer in affliction, hath been pleaſed at length to reſtore the King to his Throne, putting his Enemies to ſhame and confuſion; and herein we muſt admire the juſtice of the Parliament, to whom the King, unwilling to be Judge in his own cauſe, hath referred himſelf. What they have done their Acts declare.
The laſt week they excepted eleven of the grand Delinquents from mercy.
- 43
- M. G. Harriſon.
- Mr. Say.
- Mr. Scot.
- Coll. Berkſtead.
- M. Liſle.
- Cornel. Holland.
- Iones.
- Cook.
- Broughton.
- Sar. Dandy.
- M. Hulit.
After this in further proſecution of their intentions, to bring theſe horrid murtherers to condign puniſhment, they made a Proclamation in the Kings Name, that all the Kings Judges ſhould render themſelves within forty dayes, or elſe they ſhould be excepted for life and eſtate, whether they were of the twenty nam'd or no.
Hereupon Alderman Tichborn, Charles Fleetwood, Coll. Temple, Coll. Waite, Peter Temple, Simon Maine, Bourchier, Owen Roe, Coll. Rob. Lilburn, Coll. Downes, Iſaak Penington, Sir Henry Mildmay, Coll. Dixwell, Adrian Scroop, Auguſtine Garland,44 Coll. Harvey, Mr. Smith, Sir Hardreſs Waller, Henry Martin, Heveningham, Iohn Carew, M. G. Ludlow, M. Corbet, did ſurrender themſelves, and are now in cuſtody under the Sergeant at Armes attending the Houſe.
From Ireland were ſent Coll. Hunck, Coll. Pheire, to whom the Warrant for execution was directed, and one Hulet, ſuſpected to be the Executioner, and upon examination excepted out of the Act of Pardon, and Cook Sollicitor to the High Court of Juſtice.
They have alſo ordered, that twenty of the moſt engaged perſons be excepted out of the generall Act of Pardon and Oblivion, not extending to life, to ſuffer ſuch penalties, and forfeitures as ſhall be ſpecified in an Act to that purpoſe.
Whoſe names are;
- Will. Lenthall Speaker.
- Sir Harry Vane.
- Will. Burton Bailiff of Yarmouth.
- Sir Arthur Heſlerig.
- Coll. Sydenham.
- Coll. Desborow.
- Alderm. Ireton.
- 45
- Coll. Axtell.
- Mr. Keeble.
- Capt. Blackwell.
- Maj. Creed.
- Charles Fleetwood Lieut. Generall.
- Coll. Iohn Lambert.
- Alderm. Pack.
- Coll. Pine.
- Coll. Cobbet.
- Capt. Deane.
- Oliver St. Iohn late one of the Juſtices of the Common Pleas.
- Mr. Philip Nye. and Mr. Iohn Goodwin. Miniſters.
Thus we ſee Divine Vengeance proſecuting theſe Sons of Maſſacre, who having by treachery, diſſimulation, and breach of oaths, as we have ſhewn you, gotten into power, by their extravagant tyranny had almoſt ruined the Nation. Let God ariſe, and let his enemies be ſcattered.