Brief Review of Parliamentary Proceedings, Collection of documents

Brief Review of Parliamentary Proceedings · Collection of documents

p. 1The ſeverall ſpeeches of Duke Hamilton Earl of Cambridge, Henry Earl of Holland, and Arthur Lord Capel.

Spoken upon the Scaffold immediately before their Execution, on Friday the ninth of March, 1649.

I Think it is truly not very neceſſary for me to ſpeak much, there are many Gentlemen and Souldiers there that ſee me, but my voice truely is ſo weake, ſo low, that they connot heare me, neither truly was I ever at any time ſo much in love with ſpeaking, or with any thing I had to expreſſe, that I tooke delight in it; yet this being the laſt time that I am to doe ſo, by a Divine Providence of Almighty God, who hath brought me to this end juſtly for my ſins; I ſhall to you Sir, Maſter Sheriffe, declare thus much, as to the matter that I am now to ſuffer for, which is as being a Traytor to the Kingdome of England: Truly Sir, It was a Country that I equally loved with my owne, I made no difference, I never intended either the generality of its prejudice, or any particular mans in it; what I did was by the command of the Parliament of the Country where I was borne, whoſe command I could not diſobey, without running into the ſame hazard there, of that condition that I now am in.

It pleaſed God ſo to diſpoſe that Army under my command, as it was ruined; and I, as their Generall, cloathed with a commiſſion, ſtand here, now ready to dye; I ſhall not trouble you with repeating of my plea, what I ſaid in my owne Defence at the Court of JƲSTICE, my ſelfe being ſatisfied with the commands that is laid upon me, and they ſatisfied with the juſtneſs of their Procedure, according to the Laws of this Land. God is juſt, and howſoever I ſhall not ſay any thing as to the matter of the ſentence, but that I doe willingly ſubmit to his Divine Providence, and acknowledge that very many wayes I deſerve even a worldly puniſhment, as well as hereafter, for p. 2we are all ſinfull, Sir, and I a great one; yet for my comfort, I know there is a God in Heaven that is exceeding mercifull; I know my Redeemer fits at his right hand, and am confident (clapping his hand on his breaſt) is mediating for me at this inſtant, I am hopefull through his free grace and all-ſufficient merits, to be pardoned of my ſins, and to be received into his mercy, upon that I rely, truſting to nothing but the free grace of God through Jeſus Chriſt, I have not been tainted in my Religion I thank God for it▪ ſince my Infancy it hath been ſuch as hath been profeſt in the Land, and eſtabliſhed, and now it is not this Religion, or that Religion, nor this or that fancie of men that is to be built upon, it is but one that's right, one that's ſure, and that comes from God, Sir, and in the free grace of our Saviour. Sir, there is truly ſomewhat that (he then obſerving the Writers ſaid,) had I thought my ſpeech would have been thus taken, I would have digeſted it into ſome better method then now I can, and ſhall deſire theſe Gentlemen that doe write it, that they will not wrong me in it, and that it may not in this manner be publiſhed to my diſadvantage, for truly I did not intend to have ſpoken thus when I came here.

There are, Sirs, terrible aſperſions that has been laid upon my ſelf; truly ſuch as, I thank God, I am very free from; as if my actions and intentions had not been ſuch as they were pretended for; but that notwithſtanding what I pretended it was for the King, there was nothing leſſe intended then to ſerve him in it. I was bred with him for many years, I was his domeſtique ſervant, and there was nothing declar'd by the Parliament that was not really intended by me; and truly, in it I ventured my life one way, and now I loſe it another way: and that was one of the ends, as to the King; I ſpeake onelyonly of that, becauſe the reſt has many particulars; and to clear my ſelf from ſo horrid an aſperſion as is laid upon me: neither was there any other deſigne known to me by the in coming of that Army, then what is really in the Declaration publiſhed. His perſon, I doe profeſſe, I had reaſon to love, as he was my King, and as he had been my Maſter: It hath pleaſed God now to diſpoſe of him, ſo as it cannot be thought flattery to have ſaid this, or any end in me for the ſaying of it, but to free my ſelf from that Calumny which lay upon me: I cannot gain by it, yet Truth is that which we ſhall gaine by for ever.

There hath been much ſpoken, Sir, of an invitation into this Kingdome: it's mentioned in that Declaration, and truly to that I did and doe remit my ſelf: and I have been very much laboured for diſcoveries of theſe inviters, 'Tis no time to diſſemble, How willing I was to have ſerved this Nation in any thing that was in my power, is known to very many honeſt, pious and religious men; and how ready I would have been to have done what I could to have ſerved them, if it had pleaſed them to have preſerved my life, in whoſe hands there was a power: They have not thought it fit, and ſo I am become unuſefull in that which willingly I would have done. As I ſaid at firſt (Sir) ſo I ſay now concerning that point; I wiſh the Kingdome happineſs, I wiſh it peace; and truly Sir, I wiſh that this bloud of mine may be the laſt that is drawn: and howſoever I may perhaps have ſome reluctancie with my p. 3ſelf as to the matter of my ſuffering, for my fact, yet I freely forgive all; Sir, I carry no ranc… along with me to my grave: His will be done that has created both …and earth, and me a poor miſerable ſinfull creature now ſpeaking before … ▪ For me to ſpeak, Sir, to you of State-buſineſſe, and the Government of … Kingdome, or my opinion in that, or for any thing in that nature, Truly it is … no end, it contributes nothing: My owne inclination hath been to peace, from the beginning; and it is known to many, that I never was an ill inſtrument betwixt the King and his people; I never acted to the prejudice of the Parliament; I bore no Arms, I medled not with it; I was not wanting by my Prayers to God Almighty for the happineſſe of the King; and truly I ſhall pray ſtill, that God may ſo direct him as that may be done which ſhall tend to his glory, and the peace and happineſſe of the Kingdome.

For my Religion, that which I ſaid was the eſtabliſhed Religion, and that which I have practiſed in my owne Kingdome where I was borne and bred; my Tenets they need not to be expreſt, they are known to all, and I am not of a rigid opinion; many godly men there are that may have ſcruples which do not concerne me at all at no time; they may differ in opinion, and more now then at any time; differing in opinion does not move me (nor any mans) my owne is clear: Sir, the Lord forgive me my ſinnes, and I forgive freely all thoſe that even I might as a worldly man, have the greateſt animoſity againſt; Wee are bidden to forgive; Sir, tis a command laid upon us (and there mentioned) Forgive us our treſpaſſes, as we forgive them that treſpaſſe againſt us.

Then the Earl turning to the Executioner, ſaid, ſhall I put on another cap, muſt this hair be turn'd up from my neck, there are three of my ſervants to give ſatisfaction; he alſo asked him which way he would have him lye.

The Executioner pointing to the front of the Scaffold, the Earl replyed, What, my head this way?

After a little diſcourſe in private with ſome of his ſervants, he kneeled downe by the ſide of the Scaffold and prayed a while to himſelf.

Then with a cheerfull and ſmiling countenance, (embracing Dr. Sibbalds,) he ſaid, Truly Sir, I doe take you in mine arms, and truly I bleſſe God for it, I do not fear, I have an aſſurance that is grounded here (laying his hand upon his heart) now that gives me more true joy then ever I had, I paſſe out of a miſerable world to go into an eternall and glorious Kingdom; and Sir, though I have bin a moſt ſinfull creature, yet Gods mercy I know is infinite, and I bleſſe my God for it, I go with ſo clear a conſcience, that I know not the man that I have perſonally injured.

Then imbracing thoſe his ſervants which were there preſent, ſaid to each of them, You have been very faithfull to me and the Lord bleſſe you.

And ſo turning himſelfe to the Executioner, he ſaid, I ſhall ſay a very ſhort prayer unto my God, while I lye downe there; and when I ſtretch out my hand, (my right hand) then ſir, do your duty; and I doe freely forgive you, and ſo I doe all the world.

Then the E. of Cambridge ſaid to the Executioner, Muſt I lye all along? he anſwered, Yes, and't pleaſe your Lordſhip. Then he ſaid, When I ſtretch p. 4out my hands—but I will fit my head, firſt tell me if I be right, and how you would have me lye. And being told he muſt lye a little lower; he ſaid:

Well, ſtay then till I give you the ſigne. And ſo having laine a ſhort ſpace devoutly praying to himſelfe, he ſtretch'd out his right hand, whereupon the Executioner at one blow ſevered his head from his body, which was received by two of his ſervants then kneeling by him, into a Crimſon Taffery Scarfe, and that with the body immediately put into a Coffin brought upon the Scaffold for that purpoſe: and from thence conveyed to the houſe that was Sir John Hamiltons at the Mews, where it now remains.

D^k. Hambleton, E: of Cambridg, E: of Holland, and Lord Capell be headed mar: 9. 1649 And their ſpeeches on the ſcaffold

The ſpeech of the Earl of Holland upon the Scaffold.

IT is to no purpoſe (I thinke) to ſpeake any thing here, Which way muſt I ſpeak? And then being directed to the front of the Scaffold, he (leaning over the raile.) ſaid, I thinke it is fit to ſay ſomething, ſince God hath called me to this place. The firſt thing which I muſt profeſſe, is, what concerns my Religion, and my breeding, which hath been in a good Family, that hath been ever faithfull to the true Proteſtant Religion, in the which I have been bred, in the which I have lived, and in the which by Gods grace and mercy I ſhall dye. I have not lived according to that education I had in that Family p. 5where I was borne and bred: I hope God will forgive me my ſins, ſince I conceive that it is very much his pleaſure to bring me to this place for the ſins that I have committed. The cauſe that hath brought me hither, I beleive by many hath been much miſtaken, They have conceived that I have had ill deſigns to the State, and to the Kingdom: Truly I look upon it as a Judgement, and a juſt judgement of God; not but I have offended ſo much the State and the Kingdome, and the Parliament, as that I have had an extream vanity in ſerving them very extraordinarily. For thoſe actions that I have done, I think it is knowne they have been ever very faithfull to the publique, and very particularly to Parliaments, My affections have been ever expreſt truly and clearly to them. The diſpoſitions of affairs now have put things in another poſture then they were when I was ingaged with the Parliament: I have never gone off from thoſe Principles that ever I have profeſſed: I have lived in them, and by Gods grace wi…l dye in them▪ There may be alterations and changes that may carry them further then I thought reaſonable, and there I left them: But there hath been nothing that I have ſaid, or done, or profeſſed either by Covenant, or Declaration, which hath not bin very conſtant, and very clear upon the principles that I ever have gone upon, which was to ſerve the King the Parliament, Religion (I ſhould have ſaid in the firſt place) the Common-wealth, and to ſeek the peace of the Kingdome: That made me thinke it no improper time, being preſt out by accidents and circumſtances, to ſeek the Peace of the Kingdome, which I thought was proper, ſince there was ſomething then in agitation, but nothing agreed on for ſending Propoſitions to the King; that was the furtheſt aime that I had, and truly beyond that I had no intention, none at all▪ And God be praiſed, although my blood comes to be ſhed here, there was I think ſcarcely a drop of blood ſhed in that action that I was ingaged in. For the preſent affairs, as they are, I cannot tell how to judge of them: and truly they are in ſuch a condition, as (I conceive) no body can make a judgement of them: and therefore I muſt make uſe of my prayers, rather then of my opinion, which are, that God would bleſſe this Kingdome, this Nation, this State; that he would ſettle it in a way agreeable to what this Kingdome hath been happily governed under; by a King, by the Lords, by the Commons, a Government that (I conceive) it hath flouriſhed much under, and I pray God the change of it bring not rather a prejudice, a diſorder, and a confuſion then the contrary. I look upon the Poſterity of the King▪ and truly my conſcience directs me to it, to deſire, that if God be pleaſed that theſe people may look upon them with that affection that they owe, that they may be called in again, and they may be, not through blood, nor through diſorder, admitted again into that power, and to that glory that God hath in their birth intended to them I ſhall pray with all my Soul for the happineſſe of this State, of this Nation, that the blood which is here ſpilt, may be even the laſt which may fall among us, and truly I ſhould lay down my life with as much cheerfulneſſe as ever perſon did, if I conceived that there would no more blood follow us; for a State, or affairs that are built upon blood, is a foundation for the moſt part that doth not proſper.

After the bleſſing that I give to the Nation, to the Kingdom, and truly to p. 6the Parliament, I doe wiſh with all my heart, happineſſe, and a bleſſing to all thoſe that have been authors in this buſineſſe; and truly that have been authors in this very work that bringeth us hither: I doe not only forgive them, but I pray heartily and really for them; as God will forgive my ſins, ſo I deſire God may forgive them.

I have a particular relation, as I am Chancellor of Cambridge, and truly I muſt here, ſince it is the laſt of my prayers, pray to God that that Univerſity may goe on in that happy way which it is in, that God may make it a Nurſery to plant thoſe perſons that may be diſtributed to the Kingdome, that the ſouls of the people may receive a great benefit, and a great advantage by them, and (I hope) God will reward them for their kindneſſe, and their affections that I have found from them. (Looking towards Mr. Bolton) I have ſaid what Religion I have been bred in, what Religion I have been born in, what Religion I have practiſed; I began with it, and I muſt end with it. I told you that my actions and my life have not been agreeable to my breeding, I have told you likewiſe that the Family where I was bred hath been an exemplary Family (I may ſay ſo I hope without vanity) of much affection to Religion, and of much faithfulneſſe to this Kingdom, and to this State. I have endeavoured to doe thoſe actions that have become an honeſt man, and which became a good Engliſhman, and which became a good Chriſtian. I have been willing to oblige thoſe that have been in trouble, thoſe that have been in perſecution, and truly I find a great reward of it, for I have found their prayers and their kindneſſe now in this diſtreſſe, and in this condition I am in, and I thinke it a great reward, and I pray God reward them for it.

I am a great ſinner, and I hope God will be pleaſed to hear my prayers, to give me faith to truſt in him, that as he hath called me to death at this place, he will make it but a paſſage to an eternall life through Jeſus Chriſt, which I truſt to; which I rely upon, and which I expect by the mercy of God. And ſo I pray God bleſſe you all, and ſend that you may ſee this to be the laſt execution, and the laſt blood that is likely to be ſpilt among you. And then turning to the ſide raile, he prayed for a god ſpace of time.

God hath given me (ſpeaking to M. Bolton) long time in this world; he hath carryed me through many great accidents of Fortune; hee hath at laſt brought me down into a condition, where I find my ſelf brought to an end, for a diſ-affection to this State, to this Parliament, (that as I ſaid before) I did believe no body in the world more unlikely to have expected to ſuffer for that Cauſe. I look upon it as a great judgement of God for my ſins. And truly Sir, ſince that the death is violent, I am the leſſe troubled with it, becauſe of thoſe violent deaths that I have ſeen before; Principally my Saviour that hath ſhewed us the way, how and in what manner he hath done it, and for what cauſe, I am the more comforted, I am the more rejoyced. It is not long ſince the King my Maſter paſſed in the ſame manner; and truely I hope that his purpoſes and intentions were ſuch, as a man may not be aſhamed not onelyonly to follow him in the way that was taken with him, but likewiſe not aſhamed of his purpoſes, if God had given him life. I have often diſputed with p. 7him concerning many things of this kind, and I conceive his ſufferings, and his better knowledge and better underſtanding, (if God had ſpared him life) might have made him a Prince very happy towards himſelf, and very happy towards this Kingdome. I have ſeen and known that thoſe bleſſed ſouls in heaven have paſſed thither by the gate of ſorrow, and many by the gate of violence: And ſince it is Gods pleaſure to diſpoſe me this way, I ſubmit my ſoul to him, with all comfort, and with all hope, that he hath made this my end, and this my concluſion, that though I be low in death, yet nevertheleſſe this lowneſſe ſhall raiſe me to the higheſt glory for ever.

Truly, I have not ſaid much in publike to the people concerning the particular actions that I conceive I have done by my Counſels in this Kingdom; I conceive they are well known, it were ſomething of vanity (me thinks) to take notice of them here; Ile rather dye with them, with the comfort of them in mine own boſom; and that I never intended in this action, or any action that ever I did in my life, either malice, or bloodſhed, or prejudice to any creature that lives. For that which concerns my Religion, I made my profeſſion before of it, how I was bred, and in what manner I was bred, in a Family that was looked upon to be no little notorious in oppoſition to ſome liberties, that they conceived, then to be taken; and truly there was ſome marke upon me, as if I had ſome taint of it, even throughout the whole ways that I have taken: every body knows what my affections have been to many that have ſuffered, to many that have been in troubles in this Kingdom, I endeavoured to oblige them, I thought I was tyed ſo by my conſcience, I thought it by my charity, and truly very much by my breeding; God hath now brought me to the laſt inſtant of my time, all that I can ſay, and all that I can adhere unto is this; That as I am a great ſinner ſo I have a great Saviour, that as he hath given me here a fortune to come publikely in a ſhew of ſhame in the way of this ſuffering, (truly I underſtand it not to be ſo) I underſtand it to be glory, a glory, when I conſider who hath gone before me, and a glory when I conſider I had no end in it, but what I conceive to be the ſervice of God, the King and the Kingdom, and therefore my heart is not charged much with any thing in that particular, ſince I conceive God will accept of the intention, whatſoever the action ſeem to be. I am going to dye, and the Lord receive my ſoul; I have no reliance but upon Chriſt, for my ſelf, I doe acknowledge that I am the unworthieſt of ſinners, my life hath been a vanity, and a continued ſin, and God may juſtly bring me to this end, for the ſins I have committed againſt him, and were there nothing elſe but the iniquities that I have committed in the way of my life, I look upon this as a great juſtice of God to bring me to this ſuffering, and to bring me to this puniſhment, and thoſe hands that have been moſt active in it, if any ſuch there have been, I pray God forgive them, I pray God that there may not be many ſuch Trophies of their Victory, but that this may be as I ſaid before, the laſt ſhew that this people ſhall ſee, of the blood of perſons of Condition, of perſons of honour. I might ſay ſomthing of the way of our Tryal, which I think hath been as extraordinary, as any thing I think hath ever been ſeen in this Kingdom, but becauſe I would not ſeem as if I made ſome complaint, I will not ſo much as mention it, becauſe no body ſhall believe I p. 8rep…ne at their actions or my owne fortune; it is the will of God, it is the hand of God under whom I fall, I take it intirely from him, I ſubmit my ſelf to him, I ſhall deſire to roul my ſelfe into the Armes of my bleſſed Saviour, and when I come to this place, (Pointing to the block.) when I bow downe my ſelfe there, I hope God will raiſe me up, and when I bid farewell, as I muſt now to Hope and to Faith, that Love will abide, I know nothing to accompany the Soul out of this World but Love, and I hope that Love will bring me to the fountain of glory in Heaven, through the Arms, Mediation, and the Mercy of my Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, in whom I beleeve, O Lord helpe my unbelief.

I ſhall make as much haſt as I can to come to that glory, and the Lord of Heaven and Earth take my ſoul: I look upon my ſelfe intirely in him, and hope to find mercy through him, I expect it, and through that fountaine that is opened for ſin, and for uncleanneſſe my ſoul muſt receive it, for did I reſt in any thing elſe, I have nothing but ſin and corruption in me; I have nothing but that, which inſtead of being carryed up into the arms of God and Glory, I have nothing but may throw me downe into Hell.

And here is the place where I lye downe before him, from whence I hope he will raiſe me to an eternall Glory through my Saviour, upon whom I rely, from whom onelyonly I can expect mercy: into his arms I commend my ſpirit, into his bleeding armes, that when I leave this bleeding body that muſt lye upon this place, he will receive that ſoul that ariſeth out of it, and receive it into his eternall mercy, through the merits, through the worthineſſe, through the mediation of Chriſt that hath purchaſed it with his owne moſt precious blood.

Chriſt Jeſus receive my ſoul, my ſoul hungers and thirſts after him; clouds are gathering, and I truſt in God through all my heavineſſ: and I hope through all impediments, he will ſettle my intereſt in him, and throw off all the claim that Sathan can make unto it, and that he will carry my ſoule in deſpight of all the calumnies, and all that the Devill, and Sathan can invent, will carry it into eternall mercy, there to receive the bleſſedneſſe of his preſence to all Eternity.

That Lamb of God, into his hands I commit my ſoule: and that Lamb of God that ſits upon the Throne to Judge thoſe 24 that fall down before him, I hope he will be pleaſed to look downeward, and Judge me with mercy that fall down before him, and that worſhip him, and that adore him, that onelyonly truſts upon his mercy for his compaſſion, and that as he hath purchaſed me, he would lay his claime unto me now, and receive me.

Indeed if Chriſt juſtifie, no body can condemne, and I truſt in God, in his juſtification, though there is confuſion here without us, and though there are wonders and ſtaring that now diſquiet, yet I truſt that I ſhall be carried into that mercy, that God will receive my ſoule.

Then the Earl of Holland looking over among the people, pointing to a Souldier, ſaid, This honeſt man took me priſoner, you little thought I ſhould have been brought to this, when I delivered my ſelf to you upon conditions, and eſpying Capt. Watſon on horſe-back putting off his hat ſaid to him, God be with you Sir, God reward you Sir.

p. 9Here muſt now be my Anchor, a great Storm make the findes my anchor and but in ſtorms no body truſt to their anchor, and therefore I muſt truſt upon my anchor (Ʋpon that God, ſaid Mr. Bolton, upon whom your Anchor truſts) yea, God, I hope, will anchor my Soul faſt upon Chriſt Jeſus: and if I dye not with that clearneſſe and heartineſſe that you ſpeak of, truly, I will truſt in God, though he kill me, I will relye upon him, and the mercy of my Saviour.

Then the Earl of Holland imbraced Lieut. Col. Beecher, and took his leave of him: After which, he came to Mr. Bolton, and having embraced him, and returned him many thanks for his great pains and affections to his ſoul, deſiring God to reward him, and returne his love into his boſome. Mr. Bolton ſaid to him, The Lord God ſupport you, and be ſeen in this great extremity, The Lord reveal and diſcover himſelfe to you, and make your death the paſſage unto eternall life. Then the Earl turning to the Executioner, ſaid, Here my friend, let my clothes and my body alone, there is ten pounds for thee, that is better then my clothes, I am ſure of it. Executioner, Will your Lordſhip pleaſe to give me a ſign when I ſhall ſtrike? And his Lordſhip ſaid, you have room enough here, have you not? and the Executioner ſaid, Yes.

Then the Earl of Holland turning to the Exeuctioner, ſaid, Friend, doe you hear me, if you take up my head, do not take off my Cap. Then turning to his ſervants he ſaid to one, Fare you well, thou art an honeſt fellow, and to another, God be with thee, thou art an honeſt man, and then ſaid, Stay, I will kneel down and ask God forgiveneſſe, and then prayed for a pretty ſpace, with ſeeming earneſtneſſes. Then ſpeaking to the Executioner, he ſaid,

Which is the way of lying? (which they ſhewed him) And then going to the Front of the Scaffold, he ſaid to the People, God bleſſe you all, and God deliver you from any ſuch accident as may bring you to any ſuch death as is violent, either by war or by theſe accidents, but that there may be peace among you, and you may finde that theſe accidents, that have hapned to us, may be the laſt that may happen in this Kingdome; It is that I deſire, it is that I beg of God, next the ſaving of my Soul: I pray God give all happineſſe to this Kingdom, to this people, and this Nation: and then turning to the Executioner, ſaid, How muſt I lye? I know not.

Executioner, Lie down flat upon your belly: and then having laid himſelfe down, he ſaid, Muſt I lie cloſer? Executioner, yes, and backwarder.

I will tell you when you ſhall ſtrike; and then as he lay, ſeemed to pray with much affection for a ſhort ſpace, and then lifting up his head, ſaid, Where is the man? and ſeeing the Executioner by him, he ſaid, Stay while I give the Sign; and preſently after ſtretching out his hand, and the Executioner being not fully ready, he ſaid; Now, now, and juſt as the words were comming out of his mouth, the Executioner at one blow ſevered his head from his body.

The Speech of the Lord Capel.

THe concluſion that I made with thoſe that ſent me hither, and are the cauſe of this violent death of mine, ſhalll be the beginning of what I ſhall p. 10ſay to you: When I made an Addreſs to them (which was the laſt) I told them with much ſincerity, That I would pray to the God of all mercies, that they might be partakers of his ineſtimable & boundles mercy in Jeſus Chriſt, and truly, I ſtill pray that prayer; and I beſeech the God of Heaven, forgive any injury they have done to me, from my ſoul I wiſh it. And truly, this I tell you, as a Chriſtian, to let you ſee I am a Chriſtian; but it is neceſſary I ſhould tell you ſomwhat more, That I am a Proteſtant, and truly I am a Proteſtant, and very much in love with the proſſifeon of it, after the manner as it was eſtabliſhed in England by the thirty nine Articles; a bleſſed way of profeſſion, and ſuch a one, as truly, I never knew none ſo good: I am ſo far from being a Papiſt, which ſome body have (truly) very unworthily at ſome time charged me withall, that truly I profes to you, that though I love good Works, and commend good Works, yet I hold, They have nothing at all to doe in the matter of Salvation; my Anchor hold is this, That Chriſt loved me, and gave himſelfe for me, that is that, that I reſt upon And truly, ſomething I ſhall ſay, to you, as a Citizen of the whole World, and in that conſideration I am here condemned to dye: truly, contrary to the Law that governs all the World, that is, The Law of the Sword, I had the protection of that for my life, and the honour of it; but truly, I will not trouble you much with that, becauſe in another place I have ſpoken very largely and liberally about it, I believe you wil hear by other means what Arguments I uſed in that caſe: But truly, that that is ſtranger, you that are Engliſh men, behold here an Engliſh man now before you, and acknowledged a Peer, not condemned to dye by any Law of England, not by any Law of England; Nay ſhall I tell you more (which is ſtrangeſt of all) contrary to all the Laws of England that I know of. And truly I will tel you, in the matter of the civil part of my death, and the Cauſe I have maintained, I dy (I take it) for maintaining the fifth Commandment, enjoyned by God himſelf, which enjoyns reverence and obedience to Parents: All Divines on all hands, though they contradict one another in many ſeverall Opinions, yet all Divines on all hands, do acknowledge that here is intended Magiſtracy and Order, & certainly I have obeyed that Magiſtracy & the Order under which I have lived, which I was bound to obey; and truly, I do ſay very confidently, that I do dye here for keeping, for obeying that fift Commandment given by God himſelf, and written with his own finger. And now Gentlemen, I will take this opportunity to tell you, That I cannot imitate a better nor a greater ingenuity then his, that ſaid of himſelf, For ſuffering an unjuſt judgement upon another, himſelf was brought to ſuffer by an unjuſt judgement. Truly Gentlemen, that God may be glorified, that all men that are concerned in it may take the occaſion of it, of humble repentance to God Almighty for it, I doe here profes to you, that truly I did give my Vote to that Bill of the E. of Strafford, I doubt not but God Almighty hath waſhed that away with a more precious blood, and that is, with the blood of his own Son, and my dear Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, and I hope he will waſh it away from all thoſe that are guilty of it: truly this I may ſay, I had not the leaſt part nor the leaſt degree of malice in the doing of it: but I muſt confes again to Gods glory, and the accuſation of mine own frailty, and the frailty of my Nature, that truly it was an unworthy p. 11Cowardize, not to reſiſt ſo great a torrent as carried that buſines at that time. And truly, this I think I am moſt guilty of, of not courage enough in it, but malice I had none; but whatſoever it was, God I am ſure hath pardoned it, hath given me the aſſurance of it, that Chriſt Jeſus his blood hath waſhed it away; and truly, I do from my ſoul wiſh, that all men that have any ſtain by it, may ſeriouſly repent and receive a remiſſion and pardon from God for it. And now Gentlemen, we have had an occaſion by this intimation to remember his Majeſty, our King that laſt was, and I cannot ſpeak of him, nor think of it, but truly I muſt needs ſay, that in my opinion that have had time to conſider all the Images of all the greateſt and vertuouſeſt Princes in the world; and truly, in my opinion there was not a more vertuous, and more ſufficient Prince known in the world, then our gracious King Charls that dyed laſt: God Almighty preſerve our King that now is, his Son, God ſend him more fortunate, and longer days; God Almighty ſo aſſiſt him, that he may exceed both the vertues and ſufficiencies of his Father: For certainly, I that have been a Councellour to him, and have lived long with him, and in a time when diſcovery is eaſily enough made, for he was young (he was about thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, or ſixteen years of age) thoſe years I was with him, truly I never ſaw greater hopes of vertue in any young perſon, then in him; great Judgement, great Underſtanding, great Apprehenſion, much Honour in his Nature, and truly, a very perfect Engliſhman in his inclination; and I pray God reſtore him to this Kingdome, and unite the Kingdoms one unto another, and ſend a happineſſe both to you and to him, that he may long live and Reign among you, and that that Family may Reign till thy Kingdome come, that is, while all Temporall Power is conſummated: I beſeech God of his mercy, give much happines to this your King, and to you that in it ſhall be his Subjects by the grace of Jeſus Chriſt.

Truly, I like my beginning ſo well, that I will make my concluſion with it, that is, That God Almighty would confer of his infinite and ineſtimable grace and mercy, to thoſe that are the cauſers of my comming hither, I pray God give them as much mercy as their own hearts can wiſh; and truly for my part, I will not accuſe any of them of malice, truly I will not, nay, I will not think there was any malice in them; what other ends there is, I know not, nor I will not examine, but let it be what it will, from my very ſoul I forgive them every one: And ſo, the Lord of Heaven bleſſe you all, God Almighty be infinite in goodneſſe and mercy to you, and direct you in thoſe wayes of obedience to his commands to his Majeſty, that this Kingdome may be a happy and glorious Nation again, and that your King may be a happy King in ſo good and ſo obedient people. God Almighty keep you all, God Almighty preſerve this Kingdome, God Almighty preſerve you all.

Then turning about, and looking for the Executioner (who was gone off the Scaffold) ſaid, Which is the Gentleman? which is the man? Anſwer was made, he is a coming, he then ſaid, ſtay, I muſt pull off my Doublet firſt, and my Waſtcoat: And then the Executioner being come upon the Scaffold, the Lord Capel ſaid, O friend, prethee come hither: Then the Executioner kneeling down, the Lord Capel ſaid, I forgive thee from my ſoul, and not only forgive thee, but I ſhall pray to God to give thee all grace for a better life: p. 12There is five pounds for thee; and truly for my clothes and thoſe things, if there be any thing due to you for it, you ſhall be very fully recompenced; but I deſire my body may not be ſtripped here, and no body to take notice of my body but my own ſervants: Look you friend, this I ſhall deſire of you, that when I lye down, that you would give me a time for a particular ſhort prayer.

Then Lieut. Col. Beecher. Said, Make your own ſigne, my Lord.

Capel. Stay a little, Which ſide doe you ſtand upon? (ſpeaking to the Executioner) Stay, I think I ſhould lay my hands forward that way (pointing foreright) and anſwer being made, Yes, he ſtood ſtill a little while, and then ſaid, God Almighty bleſſe all this people. God Almighty ſtench this blood, God Almighty, ſtench, ſtench, ſtench, this iſſue of blood; this will not do the buſineſſe, God Almighty find out another way to do it. And then turning to one of his ſervants, ſaid, Baldwin, I cannot ſee any thing that belongs to my wife: but I muſt deſire thee to beſeech her to reſt wholly upon Jeſus Chriſt, and be contented and fully ſatisfied: and then ſpeaking to his ſervants, he ſaid, God keep you; and Gentlemen, let me now doe a buſineſſe quickly, privately, and pray let me have your prayers at the moment of death, that God would receive my ſoul.

Capel. Pray at the moment of ſtriking, joyn your prayers, but make no noiſe (turning to his ſervants) that is inconvenient at this time.

Servant, My Lord, put on your Cap.

Capel. Shoul I, What will that doe me good? Stay a little, is it well as it is now? And then turning to the Executioner, he ſaid, Honeſt man, I have forgiven thee, therefore ſtrike boldly; from my ſoul I do it.

Then a Gentleman ſpeaking to him, he ſaid, Nay, prethee be contented, be quiet good M—be quiet.

Then turning to the Executioner, he ſaid, Well, you are ready when I am ready, are you not? and ſtretching out his hands, he ſaid, Then pray ſtand off Gentlemen, then going to the front of the Scaffold, he ſaid to the People, Gentlemen, though I doubt not of it, yet I thinke it convenient to ask it of you, That you would all joyn in prayers with me, That God would mercifully receive my ſoul, and that for his alone mercies in Chriſt Jeſus, God Almighty keep you all.

Executioner, My Lord, Shall I put up your hair?

Capel. I, I, prethee do; and then as he ſtood, lifting up his hands and eyes, he ſaid, O God, I doe with a perfect and a willing heart ſubmit to thy will: O God, I doe moſt willingly humble my ſelf: then kneeling down, ſaid, I will try firſt how I can lye; and laying his head over the block, ſaid, Am I well now?

Execu. Yes.

And then as he lay with both his hands ſtretched out, he ſaid to the Executioner, Here lye both my hands out, when I lift up my hand thus, then you may ſtrike.

And then after he had ſaid a ſhort prayer, he lifted up his right hand, and the Executioner at one blow ſevered his head from his body, which was taken up by his ſervants and put (with his body) into a Coffin, as the former.

p. 13March 19. 1648.

An Act for aboliſhing of the Houſe of Peers.

THe Commons of England aſſembled in Parliament, finding by too long experience that the Houſe of Lords is uſeleſſe and dangerous to the People of England to be continued, have thought fit to Ordain and Enact, and be it Ordained and Enacted by the preſent Parliament, and by the Authority of the ſame, That from henceforth the Houſe of Lords in Parliament, ſhall be, and is hereby wholly aboliſhed and taken away; and that the Lords ſhall not from henceforth meet or ſit in the ſaid Houſe of Lords; nor ſhall Sit, Vote, Adviſe, Adjudge or Determine of any matter or thing whatſoever, as a Houſe of Lords in Parliament: Nevertheleſſe it is hereby declared, That neither ſuch Lords as have demeaned themſelves with Honour, Courage and Fidelity to the Common-wealth, their Poſterities who ſhal continue ſo, ſhall not be excluded from the Publike Councels of the Nation, but ſhall be admitted thereunto, and have their free Vote in Parliament, if they ſhall be thereunto elected, as other perſons of Intereſt elected and qualified thereunto ought to have: And be it further Ordained and Enacted by the Authority aforeſaid, That no Peer of this Land, not being Elected, Qualified, and fitting in Parliament as aforeſaid, ſhall claim, have, or make uſe of any Priviledge of Parliament, either in relation to his Perſon, Quality, or Eſtate, any Law, Uſage, or Cuſtom to the contrary notwithſtanding.

Hen. Scobel Cler. Parliamenti.

ON Thurſday July 25. the Generall and Army marched from Mordington to Copperſmith, Col. Hackers Regiment being drawn up in the way; His Excellency made a ſpeech to ſatisfie them concerning Cap. Ogles Troope, being ſent back into Northumberland, in regard of his intereſt in that County: and that Capt. Greenwoods Troop appointed for Berwick ſhould march with the Regiment in the ſtead thereof, which gave great ſatisfaction. Col. Brights Regiment being drawn up, Maj. Gen. Lambert appointed Colonel thereof, coming to the head of the Regiment, was received with great acclamations.

A Liſt of the Regiments of Horſe and Foot Randezvouzed and marched with the L. Gen. Cromwell into Scotland.

Eight Regiments of Horſe.

THe L. Generals in number 663

Maj. Gen. in number 663

Col. Fleetwoods in number 663

Col. Whalies in number 663

Col. Twiſden in number 663

Col, Lilburne in number 663

Col. Hackers in number 663

Col. Okey in number 774

Conſiſting with Officers, in all 5450

Ten Regiments of Foot.

THe L. Generals in number 1307

Col. Pride 1307

Col. Bright 1307

Col. Maliveryr 1307

Col. Ch. Fairfax 1307

Col. Cocks 1307

Col. Dunell 1307

Col. Sir Ar. Haſterigs 5. Comp. 550

Col. Fenwicks five Companies 550

Conſiſting with Officers in all 10249

p. 14The Train, ſix hundred and ninety.

The whole thus, The Train ſix hundred and ninety.

The Horſe five thouſand four hundred and fifteen.

The Foot ten thouſand two hundred forty nine.

The Total, Sixteen thouſand three hundred fifty four.

A Letter from Lieut. Gen. David Leſly, to the L. G. Cromwel.

My Lord.

I Am Commanded by the Committee of Eſtates of this Kingdom, and deſired by the Commiſſioners of the Generall Aſſembly, to ſend unto your Excellency this incloſed Declaration, as that which containeth the ſtate of the Quarrel; wherein we are reſolved, by the Lords aſſiſtance, to fight your Army, when the Lord ſhall pleaſe to call us thereunto. And as you have profeſſed you will not conceal any of our Papers, I do deſire that this Declaration may be made known to all the Officers of your Army; and ſo I reſt,

Bruchton, 13. Aug. 1650. Your Excellency's moſt humble Servant, DAVID LESLEY.

For his Excellency the Lord Generall Cromwel.

The Declaration of the Commiſſioners of the Generall Aſſembly of Scotland, as followeth.

THe Commiſſion of the Generall-Aſſembly conſidering, That there may be juſt ground of ſtumbling, from the Kings Majeſties refuſing to ſubſcribe and emit the Declaration offered unto him by the Committee of Eſtates, and Commiſſioners of the Generall Aſſembly, concerning his former carriage, and Reſolutions for the future, in reference to the Cauſe of God, and the enemies and friends thereof; Doth therefore Declare, That this Kirk and Kingdome do not owne nor eſpouſe any Malignant Party, or Quarrell, or Intereſt, but that they fight meerly upon their former Grounds and Principles, and in defence of the Cauſe of God, and of the Kingdome, as they have done theſe twelve years paſt And therefore as they doe diſclaime all the ſin and guilt of the King and of his Houſe; ſo they will not owne him, nor his Intereſt, otherwiſe then with a ſubordination to God, and ſo far as he ownes and proſecutes the cauſe of God, and diſclaims his, and his Fathers oppoſition to the work of God, and to the Covenant, and likewiſe all the enemies thereof. And that they will with convenient ſpeed take in conſideration the Papers lately ſent unto them from Oliver Cromwel, and vindicate themſelves from all the falſhoods contained therein, eſpecially in theſe things, wherein the quarrell betwixt us and that party is miſ-ſtated, as if we owned the late Kings proceedings, and were reſolved to proſecute and maintaine his preſent Majeſties Intereſt, before and without acknowledgement of the ſins of his houſe and former wayes, and ſatisfaction to Gods people in both Kingdomes.

Weſt Kirk, 13. Auguſt, 1650. A. Ker. Tho: Henderſon.

13. Auguſt, 1650.

THe Committee of Eſtates having ſeen and conſidered a Declaration of the Commiſſion of the Generall Aſſembly, anent the ſtating of the Quarrell, whereon the Army is to fight, Do approve the ſame, and heartily concur therein.

p. 15The Lord Generals Anſwer to the former, as followeth.

I Received yours of the thirteenth inſtant, with the paper you mentioned therein incloſed, which I cauſed to be read in the preſence of ſo many Officers as could well be gotten together, to which your Trumpet can witneſs, we returne you this Anſwer, by which I hope in the Lord it will appear, That we continue the ſame we have profeſt our ſelves to the honeſt people of Scotland, wiſhing to them as to our own ſouls, it being no part of our buſines to hinder any of them from worſhipping God in that way they are ſatisfied in their Conſciences by the Word of God they ought (though different from us) but ſhall therein be ready to perform what obligations lie upon us by the Covenant; but that under the pretence of the Covenant miſtaken, and wreſted from the moſt native intent and equity thereof, a King ſhould be taken in by you, to be impoſed upon us, and this called The Cauſe of God and the Kingdome, and this done upon the ſatisfaction of Gods people in both Nations, as is alleged, together with a diſowning of Malignants, although he who is the head of them, in whom all their hope of comfort lies, be received; who at this very inſtant hath a Popiſh party fighting for and under him in Ireland, hath P. Rupert (a man who hath had his hand deep in the blood of many innocent men of England) now in the head of our Ships ſtoln from us upon a Malignant accompt; hath the French and Iriſh ſhips daily making Depredations upon our Coaſts: ſtrong combinations by the Malignants in England, to raiſe Arms in our Bowels, by vertue of his Commiſſions, who having of late iſſued out very many to that purpoſe, and how the intereſt you pretend you have received him upon, and the Malignant intereſt in the ends and conſequences entring in this man, can be ſecured, we cannot diſcern; and how we ſhould believe, that whilſt known and notorious Malignants, fighting and plotting againſt us on the one hand, and the declaring for him on the other, ſhould not be an eſpouſing of a Malignant party, quarrell, or intereſt, but be a meer fighting upon former Grounds and Principles, and in defence of the Cauſe of God, and of the Kingdome, as hath been theſe 12. years laſt paſt (as ye ſay) for the ſecurity and ſatisfaction of Gods people in both Nations, or the oppoſing of which ſhould render us enemies to the godly with you, we cannot well underſtand, eſpecially conſidering, That all theſe Malignants take their confidence and encouragement from the late Tranſactions of your Kirk and State with your King; for as we have already ſaid, ſo we tell you again, it is but ſatisfying ſecurity to thoſe that employ us, and are concerned in that we ſeek, which we conceive will not be by a few formall and feigned ſubmiſſions from a perſon who could not tell otherwiſe how to accompliſh his Malignant ends, and therefore councel'd to this complyance, by them who aſſiſted his Father, and have hitherto acted him in his moſt evill and deſperate Deſignes, and are now again by them ſet on foot; againſt which, how you will be able in the way you are in, to ſecure us or your ſelves, is (foraſmuch as concerns our ſelves) our duty to look after.

If the ſtate of your quarrell be thus, upon which, as you ſay, you reſolve to fight our Army, you will have opportunity to do that, elſe what means our abode here? And if our hope be not in the Lord, it will be ill with us. We commit both you and our ſelves to him, who knows the heart and tries the Reins, p. 16with whom are all our ways, who is able to doe for us and you, above what we know, which we deſire may be in much mercy to his poor people, and to the glory of his own great Name: and having performed your deſire in making your papers ſo publique, as is before expreſt, I deſire you to doe the like, by letting the State, Kirk and Army have the knowledge hereof. To which end I have ſent you incloſed two Copies, and reſt

From the Camp at Pencland Hills, 14. Auguſt. 1654. Your humble ſervant, O. CROMWEL.

THe Victory at Gladſmore in Scotland, 30, and 31. of July 1650. M. G. Montgomery ſlaine, 200 armes taken of the Scots, 80. Troopers, 400. or 500. wounded, 4 Colours, 15. Troops totally routed, 500. Foot routed at Muſcleburrough.

The Victory at Danbar, 30 Auguſt 1650. 400. killed upon the place, 10000 priſoners, 2000 Horſe, 290 Commiſſion Officers, 15000 Arms, 200 Colours, 32. peices of Ordnance.

Of ours that ingaged in the Battail, 5000 Horſe and Foot, Their Word, The Covenant; Our Word, The Lord of Hoſts, who manifeſted him ſelfe to be with us.

Novemb. 1650. Inſurrections in Norfolk, for which 24 were condemned, and 20 executed, the other left to mercy.

Col. Ker routed and taken, and the Towne of Ayre.

Decemb. 25. The ſtrong Caſtle of Edenburgh delivered up, with 53 pieces of Ordnance, whereof 15 Iron, the reſt Braſſe; about 8000 Arms, ſtore of Ammunition and Proviſion; It was the hand of the Lord alone that wrought out and extended ſuch great ſalvations to us.

Novemb. 21. A ſquadron of Ships commanded by Gen. Blague, ſurpriſed a conſiderable part of the Portugal Braſil fleet fraughted with Sugar, and ſent them to England, and after purſued the revolted ſhips, and followed them beyond Alligant, where they have taken 7 of P. Ruperts fleet, and purſued him to Thoulon one of the furtheſt Havens of France, having but two ſhips left him; which hath ſounded forth in the ears of Forreigne Princes and States, who began to acknowledge that God hath been with the Parliament and Common-wealth of England, and both Spain and Portugall have ſent their Embaſſadors to treat with us. For all which ſignall ſalvations, the 30. of Jan. 1650. was ſet apart and obſerved as a day of publike Thankſ-giving and holy rejoycing, in England, Wales and Town of Berwick.

Jan. 1. 1650. The Scots King was crowned at Schone, He is Generall of the Army, Duke Hamilton Lieut. Gen. of the Scotch Army, David Leſley M. Gen. Middleton L. G. of the Scotch Horſe, and Maſſey M. G. of the Engliſh.

p. 17A Speech made by K. Charles y^e-2^d-at his Coronation▪ 1. January. 1650 I will by gods aſsiſtance beſtow my life for your defence wiſhing to live no longer then that I may ſee this Kingdome flouriſh in happineſs.

The Oath, I doe promiſe & vow in y^e preſence of y^e eternall god y^t I will maintaine y^e true Kirk of god religion right preaching & adminiſtration of y^e Sacraments now received & preached within this Realme in purity; And ſhall aboliſh & gain-ſtand all falce Religions & ſects contrary to y^e ſame. And ſhall rule y^e people com̄ited to my charge, according to y^e will of god, and laudable laws & conſti…tions of y^e Realme; cauſing juſtice & equity to be miniſtred without partiality.

January 4. 1650. The King of Spaine ſent his Embaſſadour for the acknowledging of this State, whoſe Authority and ſoveraignty reſides in this Parliament of the Common-wealth of England, and to ſtabliſh and cloſe up a good friendſhip with this Common-wealth.

The Portugall ſent his Agent alſo to the like effect.

March 6. 1650. Sir Henry Hide beheaded at the Exchange p. 18for receiving and acting by vertue of a Commiſſion from Charls Stuart the Second, and King of Great Britaine, France, and Ireland, as his Agent to the Great Turk, with an intent to deſtroy the Trade of the Turkie Company, and the Parliaments intereſt, not onelyonly in Conſtantinople, but in Mitylene, Anatolia, and Smyrna, in which conſpiracies he had a Commiſſion to be a Commiſſioner, and he was likewiſe to ſeize upon our Merchants goods, for the uſe of the King of Scotland; and procured Audience of the grand Viſier, and raiſed great fears and uproars among the Merchants.

Browne Buſhell, Beheaded under the Scaffold on Tower-Hill, March 29. 1651. for delivering up Scarborough.

June 2. 1651. The ſurrender of Silly Iſlands.

Inſurrection in Cardiganſhire, 24 June 1651. 40 ſlain, 60 priſoners taken.

Burnt Iſland ſurrendred, 29 July, 1651.

The Scotch King invaded England with 16000 Horſe and Foot, and a light train of Artillery, and cauſed himſelfe to be proclaimed King of England, Scotland, and Ireland, in Lancaſhire.

Auguſt 22. Charles the Firſt erected his Standard at Notingham, and Charles the ſecond erected his Standard the 22 of Aug. at Worceſter, 1651.

September 3. 1651. Old Leſly, Crawford, Linſey, Ogleby, with divers of quality, beſides 300 taken that were making Levies to raiſe the Siege at Dundee.

Auguſt 2. 1651. St. Johnſton ſurrendred.

Auguſt 19. 1651. The Caſtle of Sterling ſurrendred, 40 pieces of Ordnance, 27. faire braſſe pieces, 2 great iron guns, 11 leather guns, proviſion of meal to ſerve 500 men about twelve months, 40 or 50 Barrels of Beef, about five hundred Armes, new Muskets and Pikes, twenty ſix Barrels of Powder, 20 or 30 veſſels of Claret wine & ſtrong-waters, great ſtore of match and other ammunition, Lances, Guns, a thouſand Flattes and other inſtruments of war of that nature, all the Records of Scotland, the Chaire and Cloth of State, the Sword, and other … furniture of the Kings.

Auguſt 25. 1651. The totall rout and overthrow of the Earl of Darby in Lancaſhire, by Colonel Robert Lilburne.

p. 19A Full Narrative of the late dangerous deſigne againſt the State, written with Maſter Love's owne hand, and by him ſent to the Parliament; whereby he ſetteth down the ſeverall meetings, and ſecret actings, with Major Alford, Major Adams, Colonel Barton, Maſter Blackmore, M. Caſe, M. Cauton, Dr. Drake, M. Drake, Captain Far, M. Gibbons, M. Haviland, Maj. Huntington, M. Jenkins, M. Jaquel, M. Jackson, Liev. Jackson, Captain Maſſey, M. Nalton, Captain Potter, M. Robinſon, M. Sterks, Col. Sowton, Col Vaughan, and others.

COnſidering how a clear and full Narrative may ſatisfie the State (although it may prejudice my ſelfe) I am willing with an ingenuous freedome, and openneſſe of heart to make knowne the whole matter, ſo far as I diſtinctly know, and well remember, humbly hoping that this large acknowledgement of mine (which is more then any in the world can prove againſt me) ſhall not be taken as an Aggravation of my fault, but as a Demonſtration of my ingenuity. Before I mention the matters of Fact, I humbly crave leave to ſignifie the time when, and manner how I came to be intangled in this unhappy buſineſſe.

As for the time, it was after the breaking off the Treaty between the King and the Scots at Jerſey; for before that time (to the beſt of my remembrance) I was not privie too, or acquainted with any meetings about the ſending of Captain Titus (whoſe face I never ſaw) to Jerſey, or ſending Letters to him, or receiving Letters from him, while he was there; or about ſending any Letters too, or receiving any Letters from the King, Queen, Jermyn, Piercy, or any other perſon in p. 20forreign parts during the Treaty at Jerſey, but after that Treaty was ended, M. W. Drake came to me, told me he had Newes to impart, and to that end, he deſired to know (if he could get friends together) whether I was willing that they ſhould meet at my houſe (it being conveniently ſcituate in the midſt of the City) that ſo he might communicate what he heard of Affairs abroad. To ſatisfie my curioſity to hear New…s, I was content to let him, with thoſe he ſhould bring to meet at my houſe. Thus for the time when, and manner how I came to be preſent at any meetings about Intelligence.

I now come humbly and truly to relate the matter of Fact, which is as followeth: It appeared to me by the teſtimony of the Witneſſes, that there were frequent meetings by Mr. Drake, Alford, Titus, Adams, and others, ſoon after the death of the late King, and applications made to the King of Scots, the Queen his Mother, to Jermyn, and Piercy, both before and during the Treaty at Ierſey, of which I know nothing, nor was I preſent: But the firſt meeting I was at, was at my houſe, and was (as I remember) at the reading of a Letter which came from Captain Titus, after the Treaty was ended at Jerſey; the Contents of that Letter were (if I miſtake not) to this effect: That the Treaty at Jerſey was broken off through the violent and evill Counſels of deſperate Malignants; and that he had ſomething of concernment to communicate, which he durſt not doe in perſon, being not ſafe for him to come over into England, nor could he well do it by writing, he judging it not fit nor ſafe to ſend by the Common Poſt, fearing a miſcarriage; wherefore he deſired ſome body to be ſent over to him to Calice, to whom he might give an account of all proceedings. Ʋpon the reading of this Letter, Mr. Drake moved that ſome perſon ſhould be deſired to goe to Calice; for ſaid he, We ſhall hear the whole relation of the buſineſſe at Jerſey: Whereupon Major Adams or Captain Farr were moved by Mr. Drake to goe. There was mention of Major Alford to goe, though he was not then preſent that I know of, nor was he ever within my houſe, as I remember, untill after he returned from Calice: ſo that there was none that I know of was gone, Mr. Drake told me, Major Alford was the fitteſt man to goe over to Calice, having buſineſſe of his owne to goe into France, to look after his Prodigall Son, ſo that it was (ſaid he) a plauſible pretence to conceale his going over to meet with Titus. There were preſent at this firſt meeting, M. Drake, M. Ienkins, Maj. Adams, D. Drake, Cap. Farr, Cap. Potter, and my ſelfe, with ſome others, but who more, I cannot remember.

p. 21About two or three dayes after Major Alfords returne from Calice, Mr. Drake told me he was come to London, and told me he would goe to ſeverall Miniſters and Citizens, to deſire them to meet at my houſe, that ſo we might hear what Newes Major Alford brought with him from Calice; accordingly the next day in the evening they met at my houſe, Mr. Drake brought Major Alford with him; Major Alford at that meeting gave an account of his conference with Titus, and of his receiving a copy of the Kings Letter from him, as alſo a Narrative of the proceedings at the Treaty at Jerſey: But he ſaid (if I miſtake not) that he brought not over the Letters himſelf, but delivered them to a Paſſenger that came over in the Ship, to carry them, leſt that himſelfe ſhould be ſearched; but after he came into England, he received the Letter and Narrative from the Paſſenger (but who he was I know not) and ſo brought them to London; whether the Copy of the Kings Letter was read at my houſe, in my hearing, I remember not; yet I deny not but it was read there, I am ſure I heard that the Contents of it were to this effect, That he tooke in good part the affections and loyalty of thoſe who formerly had made applications by way of Petition to him (of which Petition I know nothing) and if ever God reſtored him, or put him in a condition, he ſhould remember them: The Narrative which Alford brought from Titus, was read in my houſe, in my hearing, which was to this effect, He made a large deſcription of the Scots, commending his prudent carriage and good inclinations to an Agreement with the Scots, but that his bad Councell about him hindred it; Alſo he made a rehearſall of his ſufferings from the Cavaliers at Ierſey, how he was impriſoned in a cloſe Room: Many things elſe was in the Narrative, which I have forgotten. There were preſent at this meeting, Major Alford, M. Drake, M. Caſe, Major Adams, M. Iaquel, M. Iackſon, M. Ienkins, D. Drake, Cap. Potter, M. Sterks, Cap. Farr, and my ſelf, with ſome others, but who more, I doe not remember.

A little before or about the Treaty, between the King and the Scots at Breda. there was a meeting at my houſe, M. Drake propoſed, that we ſhould think of ſome way to promote the Agreement betweene the King and the Scots; where by the way, I deſire humbly to give notice, That this was the firſt and onelyonly meeting of this nature, and for this end, at my houſe, that I know of. At this meeting, M. Drake tooke cut ſome papers out of his pocket, written in Characters, which he read in my ſtudy; what he read, went under the name of a Commiſſion p. 22and Inſtructions (as he termed it) to be ſent to the Lord Willoughby, Alderman Bunce, Maſſey, Graves, and Titus, to appoint them to adviſe with, and uſe their intereſts in perſons of Honour, about the King, to provoke him to agree with the Scots, and to take the Covenant; as alſo to adviſe with the Scots Commiſſioners, and perſwade them, That in their agreement with their King, they would have ſpeciall reſpect to the intereſt of Religion, and terms of the Covenant; the Commiſſion ran in this form, as if it were in the names of all the Presbyteriall party in England: After I heard it read, I expreſſed my ſelfe againſt it, alledging ſeverall Reaſons, chiefly, That it was an Act of high preſumption for private perſons to ſend a Commiſſion with inſtructions, and an act of notorious falſhood, to ſay, this was in the name of the Presbyteriall party of England, when none but a few perſons knew thereof, that I know of: Many in the company did expreſſe a diſlike thereof, as well as my ſelfe. M. Drake did alſo read a Letter in this meeting, but to whom it was, I know not, neither know I the Contents of it, I was at leaſt a dozen times called out of the Room, whiles the Company were there met, ſo that I am not able to give ſo full and particular an accompt of the Contents of the Letter, and of the Commiſſion and Inſtructions: What M. Drake did about the Commiſſion and Inſtructions after he was gone from my houſe, I know not; what he ſent away, I know not, nor did I know by whom it was ſent away, untill Maj. Alford declared before the High Court, That he received the Papers from M. Drake, carried them to Graveſend, and delivered them to one Maſon (whoſe face I never ſaw) and he carried them to Holland. There was preſent at this meeting, Major Huntington (who was never at my houſe before nor ſince, whoſe face I never ſaw before nor ſince, but at my Tryall) M. Drake, D. Drake, M. Jackſon, M. Jenkins, M. Cauton, Maj. Alford, M. Gibbons, Maj. Adams, Cap. Farr, and my ſelfe, with ſome others, whom I cannot remember.

There is one thing more I make bold to mention, That there are other perſons, beſides thoſe I have named, who did now and then come to theſe meetings at my houſe, as M. Robinſon, M. Nalton, M. Haviland, M. Blackmore, Col. Vaughan, Col. Sowton, theſe were alſo preſent at one time or another, but at what particular meeting, I cannot poſitively ſay.

Thus I have clearly laid open the whole matter of Fact, ſo far as I well remember, and diſtinctly know of Paſſages about p. 23theſe Meetings and Tranſactions at my houſe.

From the Tower of London, July 22. 1651. I atteſt the truth of this Narrative under my hand, Chriſtopher Love.

Mr. Love's Speech made on the Scaffold on Towerhill, August 22. 1651.

BEloved Chriſtians, I am this day made a Spectacle unto God, Angels, and Men; and among them I am made a grief to the godly, a laughing-ſtock to the wicked, and a gazing ſtock to all; yet bleſſed be my God, not a terror to my ſelf; although there be but a little between me and death, yet this bears up my heart, there is but a little between me and Heaven: It comforted D^r Taylor, the Martyr, when he was going to Execution, That there were but two ſtiles between him and his Fathers Houſe; there is a leſſer way between me and my Fathers houſe, but two ſteps between me and glory; it is but lying downe upon the block, and I ſhall aſcend upon a Throne: I am this day ſailing towards the Ocean of Eternity, through a rough paſſage, to my Haven of reſt; through a red Sea, to the promiſed Land. Methinks I hear God ſay to me as he did to Moſes, Goe up to Mount Nebo, and die there, ſo goe thou up to Tower-hill, and dye there. Iſaac ſaid of himſelf, That he was old, and yet he knew not the day of his death; but I cannot ſay thus, I am young, and yet I know the day of my death, and I know the kind of my death alſo, and the place of my death alſo; it is ſuch a kind of death as two famous Preachers of the Goſpel were put to before me, John the Baptiſt, and Paul the Apoſtle, they were both beheaded: yee have mention of the one in Scripture ſtory, and of the other in Eccleſiaſticall Hiſtory: And I read in the 20 of the Revelations, and the 4. The Saints were beheaded for the word of God, and for the teſtimony of Jeſus. But herein is the diſadvantage, which I am in in the thoughts of many, who judge that I ſuffer not for the word, or for Conſcience, but for medling with State-matters. To this I ſhall briefly ſay, That it is an old guiſe of the Devil, to impute the cauſe of Gods peoples ſufferings, to be Contrivements againſt the State, when in truth it is their Religion and Conſcience they are perſecuted for. p. 24The Rulers of Iſrael they would put Jeremiah to death, upon a Civill account, though indeed it was onelyonly the truth of his Propheſie made the Rulers angry with him: yet upon a Civill account they did pretend he muſt dye, becauſe he fell away to the Chaldeans, and would have brought in forreign forces to invade them: The ſame thing is laid to my charge, of which I am as innocent, as Ieremiah was. I find other inſtances in the Scripture, wherein the main cauſes of their ſufferings were ſtill imputed to meddling with State-matters: Paul, though he did but preach Jeſus Chriſt, yet he muſt dye, if the people might have their will, under the pretence that he was a mover of ſedition. Upon a civill account my life is pretended to be taken away, whereas indeed it is, becauſe I purſue my Covenant, and will not proſtitute my Principles and Conſcience to the ambition and luſts of men. Beloved, I am this day to make a double exchange, I am changing a Pulpit for a Scaffold, and a Scaffold for a Throne; and I might add a third, I am changing this numerous multitude, the preſence of this numerous multitude upon Tower-hill, for the innumerable company of Angels in the holy hill of Zion; and I am changing a guard of Souldiers, for a guard of Angels, which will receive me, and carry me into Abrahams boſome. This Scaffold is the beſt Pulpit I ever preached in, for in the Church Pulpit God through his grace made me an inſtrument to bring others to Heaven, but in this Pulpit he will bring me to Heaven. Theſe are the laſt words that I ſhall ſpeak in this world, and it may be this laſt ſpeech upon a Scaffold my bring God more glory, then many Sermons in a Pulpit.

Before I lay downe my neck upon the block, I ſhall lay open my caſe unto the people that hear me this day: and in doing it, I ſhall avoid all rancour, all bitternes of ſpirit, animoſity, and revenge; God is my record, whom I ſerve in the ſpirit, I ſpeak the truth, and lye not, I doe not bring a revengefull heart unto the Scaffold this day; before I came here, upon my bended knees, I have beg'd mercy for them that denied mercy to me, and I have prayed God to forgive them who would not forgive me: I have forgiven from my heart, the worſt enemy I have in all the world, and this is the worſt that I wiſh to my Accuſers and Proſecutors, who have purſued my blood, that I might meet their ſouls in Heaven.

p. 25I have now done, I have no more to ſay, but to deſire the help of all your Prayers, that God would give me the continuance and ſupply of divine grace to carry me through this great work I am now to doe; That I, who am to doe a work I never did, I may have a ſtrength that I never had; that I may put off this body with as much quietneſſe and comfort of mind, as ever I put off my cloaths to goe to bed. And now I am to commend my ſoul to God, and to receive my fatall blow, I am comforted in this, though men kill me they cannot damne me, and though they thruſt me out of the world, yet they canſhut me out of Heaven. I am now going to my long home, and you are going to your ſhort homes, but I tell you I ſhall be at home before you, I ſhall be at Heaven, my Fathers Houſe, before you will be at your owne Houſes. Now I am going to the Heavenly Jeruſalem, to the innumerable company of Angels, to Jeſus Chriſt the Mediator of the New Covenant, to the ſpirits of juſt men made perfect, to God the Judge of all, in whoſe preſence there is fulneſſe of joy, and at whoſe right hand there are pleaſures for evermore. I ſhall conclude.

Then he kneeled downe and made a ſhort Prayer privately.

Then after riſing up, he ſaid, Bleſſed be God I am full of joy and peace in believing, I lye downe with a world of comfort, as if I were to lye downe in my bed. My bed is but a ſhort ſleep, and this death is a long ſleep, where I ſhall reſt in Abrahams boſome, and in the embraces of the Lord Jeſus.

And then ſaying, The Lord bleſſe you, he laid himſelfe downe upon the Scaffold, with his head over the block, and when he ſtretched forth his hands, the Executioner cut off his head at one blow.

The humble Petition of William Jenkins, Priſoner.

Moſt humbly ſheweth:

THat your Petitioner is unfeignedly ſorrowfull for all his late miſcarriages, whether teſtified againſt him, or acknowledged by him, and for the great and ſinfull unſutableneſſe of them to his calling and condition.

That upon earneſt ſeeking of God, and diligent enquiry into his will, your Petitioner is convinced, that the alterations of Civill Governments p. 26are ordered by, and founded upon the wiſe and righteous providences of God, who removeth Kings, and ſetteth up Kings, ruleth in the Kingdomes of men, and giveth them to whomſoever he will.

That the providences of this God, have in the judgement of your Petitioner, as evidently appeared in the removing of others from, and the inveſting your Honours with the Government of this Nation, as ever they appeared in the taking away, or beſtowing of any Government, in any Hiſtory of any age of the World.

That he apprehends, that a refuſall to be ſubject to this preſent Authority, under the pretence of upholding the Title of any one upon earth, is a refuſall to acquieſce in the wiſe and righteous pleaſure of God, ſuch an oppoſing of the Government ſet up by the ſoveraigne Lord of Heaven and Earth, as none can have peace, either in acting in, or ſuffering for, and that your Petitioner looks upon it as his duty, to yeeld to this Authority, all active and cheerfull obedience in the Lord, even for couſcience ſake, to promiſe (he being required) truth and fidelity to it, and to hold forth the grounds of his ſo doing, to any, as God ſhall call him thereunto.

That though an impriſonment, accompanied with the loſſe of eſtate, and to be followed (without your gracious prevention) with a ſpeedy Arraignment before a high and eminent Iudicatory, are far from being pleaſant to fleſh and blood, and though the injoyment of your grace and favour, be a bleſſing moſt deſerving to be reckoned among the beſt of temporals, yet that neither the feeling, and fearing of the former, nor the expectation of the latter, could have induced your Petitioner againſt the light of his owne judgement, and the prepondering part of his owne conſcience to have made, or preſenting this acknowledgement, he ſadly forecaſting, that a whole skin is but a contemptible recompence for a wounded conſcience.

WIL. JENKIN.

Aug. 22. 1651. A glorious Victory obtained through Gods mercy, by the Forces of the Common-wealth, over the Scotch Army at Worceſter, 3 Sep. 1651. This day twelve months was glorious at Dunbar, but this day hath been very glorious before Worceſter, the Word was, The Lord of Hoſts, and ſo it was now; The Lord of Hoſts having been wonderfully with us: the ſame ſignall we had now as then, which was to have no white about us, yet the Lord hath cloathed us with white Garments, tho p. 27to the Enemy they have been bloody, onelyonly here lyeth the difference, that at Dunbar our work was at break of day, and done ere the morning was over, but now it began towards the cloſe of the evening, and ended not till the night came, that in the end it became an abſolute Victory, determined by an immediate poſſeſſion of the Town, with a totall Routing and Defeat of the Scotch Army, the number of perſons taken is neer 10000. neer 3000 were ſlain of the Enemy, but of all our ſide not above 200. which adds much to the mercy. My Lord Generall did exceedingly hazard himſelfe, riding up and down in the midſt of their ſhot, and riding himſelf in perſon to the Enemies Forts, offering them Quarter, whereto they returned no anſwer, but ſhot. Let us conclude therefore in the words of our renowned Generall, The dimentions of this mercy are above all our thoughts, it is for ought I know, a crowning mercy, ſure if it be not ſuch a one we ſhall have, if this provoke not thoſe that are concerned in it to thankfulneſſe, and the Parliament to doe the will of him, who hath done his will for it, and for the Nation.

Sept. 1. 1651. Dundee taken by ſtorme, ſixty Ships in the Harbour, forty Guns.

The Scots King beaten at Worceſter, gets into a hollow tree, remaines there a night, the next day in a Wood, cuts his hair ſhort, ſhipt for Havre de Grace, and ſo to Paris.

Sir, The Scottiſh King came hither on Munday the laſt of October, new ſtyle, and being demanded by his Mother and the Duke of Orleans how he eſcaped the Fight of Worceſter, gave them this account.

That about ſix a clock in the evening, his Army being in all likelihood beaten, he quitted Worceſter Towne, with a party of Horſe, and marched toward Lancaſhire, but being fearfull of p. 28being purſued, and likewiſe of ſome of the Scotiſh Officers that might deliver him up, he with my Lord Wilmot quitted their Horſes, ſent the party of Horſe upon their march, and betook themſelves the ſecond dayes march from Worceſter, into a Tree, where they remained untill night, and then marched on foot that night; the third day they took ſanctuary in a wood, and night approaching marched on towards Lancaſhire, where they were received by a Lady who furniſhed them with Cloaths for a Diſguiſe, and cut off their haire very ſhort. Having repoſed two or three dayes, the Lady reſolved to endeavour to ſhip them out of England, to which purpoſe, ſhe riding behind the King, and Wilmot as another ſervant by, they went to Briſtoll, but finding a narrow and hot inquiry there, reſolved to go for London, where they ſtayed three weeks. The King one day went into Weſtminſter-Hall, where he ſaith he ſaw the States-Arms, and Scots Colours; my Lord Wilmot procured a Merchant to hire a ſhip of forty Tuns to tranſport them, which coſt them a hundred and twenty pounds, but where they took ſhipping is not yet knowne: but as ſoon as my Lord was entred the Barque, and the King as his ſervant, the Maſter of the Veſſel came to my Lord, and told him, That he knew the King, and told him, that in caſe it ſhould be knowne, he could expect no mercy: which ſaying troubled them, but at length, what with money and promiſes, they prevailed, and ſo ſet faile for Havre de Grace, where they landed, and from thence to Roven, where they cloathed themſelves, and writ to Paris. His arrivall there will put them to new Counſels, ſince now they cannot ſend their Embaſſadors, which was concluded on before his coming. The Duke of Orleans fetched him into Towne, and expreſſed much as to ſerve him. Yeſterday he, with Thurenne, Beaufort, the Duke of Guiſe, came to him to the Louvre, where the King told them, that they ſhould endeavour to reconcile the breach between the Prince and the King of France, for, ſaid he, to my knowledge the Engliſh will viſit you with an Army in the Spring.

The Executing of the Earl of Darby at Bolton in Lancaſhire, Octob. 15. 1651. The Iſle of Jerſey taken, Octob. 30.

Nov. 16. The Iſle of Man taken.

Reſol. That the time for the continuance of this Parliament, beyond which they reſolve not to ſit, ſhall be Nov. 3. 1654.

p. 33The Parliament of the Common-wealth of England Declare.

1 THat no Power, Jurisdictions or Authority derived from, by or under Charles Stewart, who pretended himſelfe King of Scotland, or any of his Predeceſſors, or any otherwiſe then from the Parliament of the Common-wealth of England be uſed, exerciſed or enjoyned within Scotland or the Iſles or any of their Territories thereof.

2 That they doe forbid, annull and make void the uſe and exerciſe of any Power, Juriſdiction and Authority whatſoever within Scotland or the Iſles, or any of the Territories thereof, other then ſuch as ſhall be derived from the Parliament of the Common-wealth of England.

February 24. 1651.

An Act of generall Pardon and Oblivion.

THe Parliament of England having had good experience of the affections of the people to this preſent Government, by their ready aſſiſtance in the defence thereof, againſt Charls Stuart Son of the late Tyrant, and the forces lately Invading this Nation under his command, and being much afflicted with the miſerable and ſad effects which the late unnaturall War hath produced, and reſolved p. 34(next to the glory of God, and the advancement of the Kingdome of Jeſus Chriſt) to make no other uſe of the many victories the Lord hath in mercy vouch ſafed unto them, then a juſt ſettling of the peace and freedome of this Common-wealth; and being moſt deſirous that the minds, perſons and eſtates of all the people of this Nation might be compoſed, ſetled and ſecured, and that all rancor and evill will occaſioned by the late differences, may be buryed in perpetuall Oblivion. Be it enacted by this preſent Parliament, and by authority of the ſame, That all and every perſon or perſons of or within the Common-wealth of England, the Iſles of Jerſey and Gernſey, and the Towne of Barwick upon Tweed, and the heires, executors, and adminiſtrators of them and every of them, and all and ſingular bodies in any manner incorporated, Cities, Burroughs, Shires, Ridings, Hundreds, Lathes, Rapes, Wapentakes, Townes, Villages, Hamblets and Tithings, and every of them, are and ſhall be, and are by the Authority of this Parliament, acquitted, Pardoned, releaſed and diſcharged (as againſt the Parliament the keepers of the liberties of England by Authority of Parliament, or any or other of them) of all manner of Treaſons, Fellonies, Offences, Contempts, Treſpaſſes, Entries, Miſdemeanors, Forfeitures, Sequeſtrations, Penalties, and ſums of moneys, pains of Death, pains corporall, or pecuniary, and generally of all other things, cauſes, quarrels, fines, judgements, and executions had, made, committed, ſuffered or done before the third day of September 1651. not in this preſent Act hereafter not excepted nor foreprized. And the ſaid Keepers of the Liberties of England by the Authority of this preſent Parliament, granteth and freely giveth, acquitteth, pardoneth, releaſeth and diſchargeth to every of the perſons, and to every of the ſaid Bodies corporate, and others before rehearſed, and to every of them, all goods, debts, chattels, fines, iſſues, profits, Amercements, forfeitures, which to the ſaid keepers of the liberties of England do, or ſhal belong or appertain, by reaſon of any offence contempt, treſpaſſe, entery, miſdeameanors, matter, cauſe, ſequeſtration or quarrell had, ſuffered, done, or committed by them, or any of them, before the ſaid third day of September, and which be not hereafter in this Act foreprized and excepted. And it is further Enacted, that this pardon by theſe generall words, clauſes and ſentences before rehearſed, ſhall be reputed, deemed, adjudged, expounded, allowed, and taken in manner of Courts of Juſtice, or elſe-where moſt beneficiall and available to all and ſingular the perſons, bodies corporate, p. 35and others before rehearſed, and to every of them. And if any perſon or perſons, &c. ſhall be in any wiſe arreſted, attached, diſtrained, ſummoned, or otherwiſe vexed, &c. for, or becauſe any thing acquitted, pardoned, releaſed, or diſcharged by vertue of this Act, that every perſon ſo offending, and being thereof lawfully convicted by ſufficient Teſtimony, ſhall yeeld and pay for recompence to the party ſo grieved or offended thereby, his or their reble dammages, and forfeit ten pounds to the keepers of the Liberties of England.

Excepted, and always foreprized out of this general free pardon, all and all manner of High-treaſons, (other then for words only) and all Levying of war, rebellions, inſurrections, and all Conſpiracies and Confederacies, Traiterouſly had, committed, and done againſt the Parliament, or the keepers of the Liberties of England, either within or without the limits of this Common-wealth, ſince the thirtieth day of January in the year of our Lord, 1648. And all miſpriſions and concealements of the ſaid offences or any of them, or the abettimg, ayding, procuring of them, or any of them. And alſo excepted all manner of voluntary murthers, petty treaſons, and wilfull poyſoning; all piracies, and robberies upon the Seas, and the Abettors thereof; All buggeries, rapes, and raviſhments, and wilfull taking away and marrying of any maid, widow, or daughter againſt her will. And alſo except all perſons now attainted or outlawed, of or for petty treaſon, Murther, or wilfull poyſoning, conjurations, witchcrafts, charmes, wrongfull detainments of any the cuſtomes, and all Sequeſtrations and ſums of money due upon compoſitions exciſe or new-impoſt. And alſo excepted all conditions and covenants, and all penalties and forfeitures due to the Parliament or the late King, ſince the 30. of January 1648. And alſo all firſt fruits, and tythes, and all offences and miſdemeanours whereof any ſentence or judgement hath been given in Parliament▪ ſince the 30 of January 1648. And all offences of Bribery, perjuries and ſubordination of witneſſes, counterfeiting deeds, debenters, bils of publick faith, eſcripts, or writings whatſoever: aud all offences touching the carrying, ſending or conveying over the Seas any gold, ſilver, Jewels, or any coyne. And all other offences in the unlawfull buying, ſelling, exchanging or melting downe of any Gold, ſilver or Bullion, or the tranſporting beyond the Seas of auy Guns, ſhot, or Gun-mettle: And all offences in detaining or imbezling any the goods, moneys, or chattels of the late King and Queen: And except all fines and amercements loſt, impoſed, or aſſeſſed: p. 36And all offences committed by any Jeſuite or Seminary prieſt, contrary to the Statuts in that caſe: Provided and except any outlawries upon any writ of Capias ad ſatisfaciendum, and all except perſons as were the 28…h of January 1651 in priſon, or otherwiſe conſtrained of liberty by immediate commandement, warrant, or direction of Parliament or Councell of State: And alſo excepted all informations and proceedings concerning common high wayes, and all forfeitures of any goods or merchandize prohibited to be exported or imported: All-Fee-farme Rents, Rents ſervice, Rents charge, and Rents ſeck: and all arrerages due ſince the 24th of June 1647. And all moneys impreſted ſince the third of November 1638. Provided that all acts of Hoſtility and injuries, whether between the late King and the Lords and Commons in Parliament, or between any of the people of this Nation which did ariſe upon any Action, Attempt, Aſſiſtance, Councel, or Advice having relation to, or falling out by reaſon of the late troubles, that the ſame, and whatſoever hath enſued thereon, whether trenching upon the Lawes and Liberty of this Nation, or upon the Honour and Authority of Parliament, or to any particular perſon, ſhall in no time after the 18th of June 1651 be called in queſtion.

FINIS.

End of the text · John Vicars, Brief Review of Parliamentary Proceedings (1653)