concerning Church Government, VIII. An A&t for the Education of the Children of Papifts by Proteftants. which lay upon his Confcience; which to effect, Mr. Alexander Henderfon, a Minifter, the Oracle of the Kirk, was employed to converfe with him. But his Majefty's Parts were fo great, and Caufe fo good, that made all Mr. Henderfon's Attempts fuccefslefs. See the printed Papers of their Difputations. Whilft thefe Things were acting at Newcastle, the Bargain was ftruck at London betwixt the Parliament and Scotch Commiffioners, and for 200,000 /. the Scots delivered the King up to the English Parliament. Yet to mafk their Perfidy, the Scots added this Caution, That there fhould be no Attempt made upon the King's Perfon, but being entertained at one of his own Palaces, he should be there treated with upon Propofitions from both Nations, which shall be speedily fent unto him. July 24, were Nineteen Propofitions prefented to his Majefty from the Parliament for a fafe and wellgrounded Peace; the Heads of which Propofitions were as followeth. I. That his Majefty call in his Declarations and Proclamations against the Parliaments of both Kingdoms. II. That his Majefty fwear and fign the Covenant. III. That he pafs a Bill for abolifhing Bishops. IV. To confirm the fitting of the Affembly of Divines (which Affembly the Parliament had called to meet together, July 6th, 1643.) V. That Religion be Reformed as the Parliament agree. VI. That fuch Uniformity be paffed into Act. VII. To pafs an A& against Popila Recufants. IX. An Act for laying Penalties on Papifts. X. An A&t for Prevention of Popifh Practices. XI. And the like for the Kingdom of Scotland. XII. An A&t for the due Obfervance of the Lord's Day, for preaching againft Pluralities, &c. XIII. For fettling the Militia and Navy in the Parliament's Hands. XIV. For nulling all Honours conferred fince 1642. XV. For confirming the Treaties, &c. paffed betwixt the two Kingdoms. XVI. For exempting certain Perfons from Pardon, &c. XVII. For making void the Ceffation of Ireland. XVIII. For fettling the London Militia. XIX. The Great Seal to be with the Commiffioners of Parliament, and all Acts by it to be made good. These were fent to his Majefty to Newcastle. February the 6th, the Scots left Newcastle, and marched homeward; and two Days after the King fet forward with the Parliament's Commiffioners for Holmby, attended with 900 Horfe. And now the Parliament, because they wanted others to quarrel withal, fell to quarrel amongst themselves, dividing into two Parties, Presbyteri ans and Independents, with Anabaptifts and the other Sectarists; for the Independents comprehended all the feveral Sects. The Presbyterians were then powerful in the Houfe, but the other in the Army, and were a fubtil and refolute People. The former of thefe Parties 1646. 1646. feeing themfelves in Danger of be- be speedily prefented him. Here In September the Members at W minter fent Propofitions to his Al jefty then at Hampton-Court, whic were the fame in Subftance with thofe formerly offered, as, for the abolishing Epifcopacy; the Parliament to have the Difpofal of all great Offices of Truft, and Militia &c. About this Time the Parliament voted, That 6,000 Foot, and 2,400 Horfe and Dragoons should be fent into Ireland, and 18,000 Foot and 7,200 Horse, and 1,000 Dragoons, fhould be kept up as a ftanding Army for England, the reft of the Soldiers to be disbanded. The Army alfo, for the better carrying on of their Designs, about the fame time ~ elected out of every Regiment a certain Number of Soldiers to meet and confult, by the Name of Adju tators; which were a Military Common-Council, being two Commiffion Officers and two private Soldiers out of every Regiment, to confult for the Army's Good, to draw up their Grievances and prefent them to the General, and he to the Parliament, Thefe Oliver and his Affiftant Ireton encouraged as long as fuited their Defigns, and then laid them afide. November the 6th, the Scotch Commiffioners fent a Letter to the Speaker of the Lower House, that the King might be admitted to a perfonal Treaty, at least that the Army might not remove him from Hamp ton-Court; but fome of the Army Otficers having informed his Majefty (on Defign to have him the furer at their Difpofe) that his Perfon was in fome hazard from the Adjutators and Levellers, he therefore with three of his most trufty Attendants, Sir Jobin Berkley, Mr. Afhburnham, and Colonel Legg, in the dark and tempetuous Night of November the 11th, efcaped from Hampton-Court, and after fome wandring, committed himself to Colonel Hammond, Governour of the Isle of Wight; who conveyed him to Carisbrooke- 1646. Whilt his Majefty was at Hamp From Carisbrooke-Cafile, his Majefty wrote a Letter to the Parliament, wherein he profefled he could not either; as a King or Chriftian, confent to the abolifhing of Epifcopacy, because he esteemed it to be Apoftolical, and at his Coronation was fworn to maintain it; yet he was willing Prefbytery fhould be fettled for Three Years, and that a free Debate fhould be had by fuch a Number of Divines, about the Settlement of ChurchGovernment for the future. And was willing alío that the Parliament fhould difpofe of the Militia, and fhould have the Choice of his PrivyCouncil by Grant of Patent from him during his Reign: Withal earneftly foliciting them to pity the languishing Condition of the Kingdom, and to come to a perfonal Treaty with him. After Three Days Debate, the Parliament fent Four Bills to his Majefty to be figned by him; but fo derogating they were from his Royalty, that the Scotch 1648. Scotch Commiffioners declared against them, and the King refufed the figning of them. The Parliament thereupon voted, That no more Addreffes fhould be made to the King. In the mean while Colonel Hammond had difmiffed the King's Servants, and used him more feverely than formerly, which occafioned Captain Burleigh to beat up the Drum for the King's Service and Freedom in the Ifle of Wight; but he was foon apprehended, and after ward executed. A. D. 1648, the Parliament voted, That all they who would, not fubmit to the Power (meaning their ufurped Authority) fhould be expelled the Univerfity, and that all the College Rents fhould be payed to the Visitors by them appointed. April the 9th and 10th, the London Boys made an Infurrection, feized the Magazine at Leadenhall, crying out for God and King Charles, but were quieted by Fairfax. Poyer, Langhorn, Powel, and Sir John Owen, took up Arms for the King in Wales, but Colonel Langhorn and Powel were defeated by Colonel Horton, and Sir John Owen by Major-General Mitton, and Pembroke. Caftle, kept by Colonel Poyer, was yielded to that Arch-Traytor Cromwell July the 13th, Powel, Poyer, and Langhorn, afterwards caft Lots for their Lives; and the Lot falling upon Poyer, he was fhot to Death. April the 20th, the Duke of York, difguifed in Woman's Apparel, efcaped from St. James's, and pafs'd into Holland. Many were the Petitions that were now prefented to the Parliament for a perfonal Treaty, and for disbanding the Army; but the Surrey Petitioners, by Command of the Army Officers, and Parliament Men, were aflaulted at the Parliament-Doors, and fome of them were killed, fome wounded, and moft of them plundered by the Soldiers. And now the Kentif Men, to the Number of 10,000, took up Arms for the King, and embodied themselves at Maidfont, where they made a gallant Refi ftance against General Fairfax for the Space of fix Hours; but his Veteran Soldiers at laft prevailed, taking many of them, and eight Pieces of Ordnance. June the zd, the old Lord Goring, Earl of Norvich, with 500 Men, croffed into Effex, and got into Colchester, whi ther the Country People flock'd unto him, alfo a Party from Londen, and the Lord Capel and Longborough out of Hertfordshire. Some of the Navy alfo fall of from the Rulers at Westminfler, and fetting the levelling Admiral Rain borough on Shore, 17 Ships deliver ed themselves to the Prince of Wales. The Earl of Holland alfo headed a Royal Party at Kingston upon Thames; but after a fhort, yet fmart Fight, his Party was difperfed, the Lord Francis Villers was flain, and many Prifoners of Note were taken July the 7th, and fhortly after the Earl of Holland himself was appre hended. The Parliament of Scotland fent into England an Army under Duke Hamilton, in order to recover the King's Liberty, and to re-establ him on his Throne; but Anga the 17th, at Prefton in Lancajiri. the Scots Army of near 21,000, W2 totally routed by Oliver Cromw "Tis faid in this Day's Fight and the Purfuit, the English took more Pr foners than their own Army & mounted unto, and that was about 12,000. The Parliament lost here that daring Martialift Colonel Fran cis Thornhaigh. Shortly after the Battle, Battle, Duke Hamilton was taken Prifoner; and Cromwell, to improve this Succefs, followed the fcattered Parties into Scotland, where when he was come, there repaired to him the Earls of Argyl, Lowden, Leven, and other of the Scotch Covenanting Nobility, who contracted with him for fubduing the common Enemy, meaning the Loyal Party. Colbefter, that had endured a tedious Siege, and was now brought to fuch Scarcity of Provifion, that they had not Horse-Flesh enough to ferve them one Day longer, and on it they had lived almost a Fortnight, Auguft the 27th yielded upon Articles; the private Soldiers to depart with Life, the Commanders to remain at the General's Difpofe, and the City to raise 14,000 7. to fave it from Plunder. Prisoners of Quality taken here, were the Lords Garing, Capel, and Loughborough, eleven Knights, twelve Colonels, eight Lieutenant-Colonels, nine Majors, thirty Captains, and fixty-five Gentlemen. Three of the Knights were presently condemned by a Council of War, two of whom, namely, Sir Charles Lucas and Sir George Lifle, were fhot to Death, dying as they had lived, with great Courage. But whilst these Things were managed by the Army, the Parlianent was bufied with Petitions tom London and other Places for a 'erfonal Treaty. The Parliament herefore, contrary to the Humours of fome of their factious Members, repealed thofe Votes they formerly made for no more Addreffes to the King, and both Houfes voted a Treaty to be with the King in Homour, Freedom, and Safety. And September the 18th the Treaty began at Newport in the Ile of Wight, where his Majefty condeCended fo far unto the Parliament's Demands, (as, that Presbytery 1648. fhould be fettled for three Years, the Parliament fhould difpofe of the Militia, and fhould have the Choice of his Privy-Counsellors and great Officers of State, during the Term of his Life, &c.) that both Houses came to this Refolve, That the King's Conceffions were a fufficient Ground for Peace, But this did exceedingly inrage the factious Members and Commanders of the Army, who refolved to feize the King into their own Hands and Difpofe, which they did, removing him out of the Isle of Wight, and making him Prifoner in Hurft-Cafle. November the 30th, the Army then fell to purging the Parliament, apprehending forty Members thereof that were Perfons of the most known Integrity and highest Refolution, denying Admiffion to 150 more; and fuffering none to enter the Houfe, fave fuch whom they knew would ferve their Designs. Which Army Members revived thofe Votes, of no more Addreffes: to the King; the Votes for a Treaty with the King, and of the Satiffactoriness of his Conceffions, they rafed out of the Journal-Book. And then proceeded to vote, That the fupreme Authority of the Nation refided in themselves; That to raise Arms against the Peoples Reprefentatives or the Parliament, was High-Treafon; That the King himself took Arms against the Parliament, and fo was guilty of the Bloodfhed throughout the Civil War. And therefore this Fag-end of a Parliament are refolved to have his Majefty brought to his Tryal; in order thereto, giving their Commands for bringing him up to London and Jannary the 19th he was accordingly brought to St. James's. When the factious Members, whom the Army had P 3 licenfed |