Survey of the Annals of King Charles, Part 8 – Part 11
Anno 1643.
72. A notable plot againſt the City of London, immediately upon the Cities preferring a petition to the King, by the hands of two truſty Aldermen, and foure Commoners of the ſaid City, in reply to which petition, the King ſending as his meſſenger, one Captain Hern to the City, and the whole body of the City aſſembling at a Common-Hall, (as they terme it) in their Guild-Hall, this Hern deſires Faire-play above-board of them; But the buſineſſe being found to be a notable deſigne of the malignant-Citizens againſt the Parliament and the (then) Lord Mayor of London, and the Government of their City, the honeſt, and farre major party, cry out in the hearing of Hern, they would live and dye with the Parliament, and ſo ſent Hern away with a flea in his eare.
73. Another plot immediately after, contrived by the King and his agents at Oxford, by a Letter ſent by his Majeſty to all the Freemen, Journeymen and Apprentices, of the ſaid City to aſſemble at their ſeverall Halls; and there the Maſters and Wardens of all Companies to read the Kings Letter to them, and to perſwade them to yeeld to all the Kings commands againſt the Parliament and City; but this letter was nipt and croſt alſo in the neck and nick of it, and voted by the Parliament to be evill and ſcandalous.
74. A plot alſo to betray Briſtol into the Royalliſts hands by one Yeomous and Bowcher, and divers other their aſſociates; but by Gods mercy the plot being timely diſcovered, and the danger avoyded, thoſe two principall conſpirators were by Martiall Law condemned, and hanged, and ſo the plot utterly fruſtrated.
75. Cheapeſide croſſe, Chaering-croſſe, and all other croſſes, in and about London, utterly demoliſhed and pulled down, and that abominable and blaſphemous book of tolerating ſports and paſtimes on the Lords daies, voted to be burnt, and ſhortly after accordingly burnt, together with many crucifixes and popiſh trinckets and trumperies, in the very ſame place where Cheapeſide-croſſe ſtood.
76. M. Prynne ſent by the Parliament to the Towre of London, to ſearch the Arch prelate of Canterburies chamber and Study there, where he was priſoner, who accordingly ſearching his Study, and his pockets of his wearing cloathes (a juſt requitall of his dealing with Mr. Pryn…e and others) found the originall Scotch Service-book, with the Arch Biſhops owne hand-writings in it, the cauſe of all the Scots warres; and his Diary, Devotions, and diſcoveries under his owne hands of matters of high concernment.
77. The City of London to have been betrayed into the hands of the Royaliſts, under a pretence of a petition for peace, plotted by Mr. Waller, a member of the H…ſe of Commons, M. Tompkins, Mr. Challenor, and others; and this wicked plot, termed by King Charles in his letter to the Queen, one of his Fine Deſignes; But God manifeſted them to be wicked and accurſed Deſignes; and Waller one of the prime complotters, was by the ſentence of the Parliament fined 10000 li. in his eſtate, and ſent out of the kingdom into perpetuall baniſhment, and Tompkins and Challenor hanged in London.
78. The breaking out of Sir John Hothams rotten-heart and infidelity to the Parliament, in his intended and attempted plot for the betraying of that mighty ſtrong Town of Hull into the Queens hands, which treachery was plotted and contrived between Sir John the father, Captain Hotham his ſon, and Sir Edward Roades, and began to be ſuſpected, by Sir John Hothams deſerting of the moſt noble Lord Fairfax, by an intercepeed letter of the Queens to the King, and divers other ſumptomes of it, but eſpecially by Captain Moyers letter to Mr. Ripley, and Mr. Ripley's faithfull acquainting the Mayor of Hull therewith, and their firſt ſeizing on the Block-houſes, Caſtles, and Commanders of them, and at length their apprehending of the perſons of Sir John Hotham and Captain Hotham his Son was alſo apprehended, and both of them beheaded at the Tower of London.
79. A deſperate plot for the betraying of the City or Town of Lincolne, by the two Purfries, two Captains of Hull, who let in 60 Cavaliers by night in diſguiſed habits, and who iſſuing out about 12 of the clock that night, to act their deſign, where a plain fellow of the Town diſcharging a piece of Canon upon them, ſlew 10 of them at one ſhot, the reſt ſlain and taken by the centinels and Souldiers of the town, and ſo by Gods mercy the City preſerved.
80. The Queen wrote a dangerous letter to the King, to come with all his forces to ſurprize London; but by Gods over-powring wiſedome and good providence, the King refuſing that counſell reſolved to take Glouceſter firſt, which he ſiercely aſſaulted, but was as bravely repulſed, and by Gods bleſſing on Major Generall Maſſies fidelity, & magnanimity of ſpirit, timely aide comming to relieve the town, it was admirably freed, and by the Lord Generalls Army, and the City of Londons Regiments, delivered.
81. A deſperate rebellion raiſed by the Kentiſh malignants, but by Gods mercy timely ſuppreſſed about Tunbridge, by the valour of Colonell Brown, & the wel-affected Gentry of the County of Kent.
82. A Ship bound from Denmark to the King, of about 300 tun, richly laden with armes and ammunition; another Ship bound from Newcaſtle to Holland, laden with Sea-coale, but in the midſt thereof was found between 3 & 4000 li, hid in the coales, ſent to buy arms for the King; and a third great ſhip called the Fellowſhip, of at leaſt 400 tun, carrying 24 pieces of Ordnance, all theſe 3 ſhips taken by the Parlia: ſhips, & made prize of.
83. The comming in of our brethren of Scotl. with an army of at leaſt 20000 horſe and foot, invited thereunto by the Parl: in the bitter depth of winter, when they marched up to the middle in ſnow, and were forced to bring their Artillery over the ice of the frozen river of Tyne, and the Citizens of London lent the Parliament a 100000 li. for the Scots firſt pay, ro encourage their advance to help us againſt the Kings forces.
84. A deſperate plot of the Rovaliſts to ſtarve up the City of London, by breaking into Surrey, Suſſex, Kent, & the other aſſociated Counties, but diſappointed by the Parl: Victories at Au…ton & Alſford, fought by Sir Will: Waller, with the help of the City of Londons regiments; and the Royaliſts plots to hinder our brethren of Scotl: comming in to our help, by letters and Embaſſadors ſent from France, and meſſengers from King Charles to inveagle them to keep from us; but all in vain by Gods good providence and mercy to us.
85. The King granted a ceſſation of arms with the bloody rebels of Ireland, and afterward juſtified it by a Declaration of his, printed and publiſhed at Oxford; but it was remarkably obſerved, that he never proſpered in any of his great deſigns after it.
86. A Solemn League and Covenant taken by the Lords and Commons in Parl: & by the City of London, and all parts of the kingdom, in the Parliaments power, for a pure reformation of Religion and Church-Government, and a mutuall defence betwixt us and our brethren of Scotland.
87. A notable plot by the Royaliſts to have Nottingham town & Caſtle, betrayed unto them, the Officers therein being proffered above 10000 li. to c…nſent to it; but prevented by Gods mercy in the fidelity of Colonell Hutchinſon, who was then the Governour thereof.
88. A Generall plot againſt the Proteſtant Religion over all Chriſtendom, and the Danes and Hollanders alſo, contribute to helpe King Charles therein; but God wrought a mighty overture therein by the ſudden breaking out of the Danes plot againſt the Swedes, and their over-running almoſt all Denmark thereupon.
89. A deſperate plot againſt the City of London, under a pretence of petitioning for peace, acted by Sir Baſil Brook, Colonell Read, and one Mr. Riley, & Vilet, 2 Citizens of London, & others, but by Gods providence diſcovered and prevented.
1645.
90. Two deſperate plots for the betraying of Ailsbury into the Royaliſts hands; and another againſt Southampton, but all three by Gods mercy timely diſcovered alſo and prevented.
91. One Mr. Edward Stanford, a Papiſt, plotted with Captain Backhouſe a Capt. of Horſe, under Colonell Maſſie for the betraying of the City of Glouceſter into the Enemies hands, and proffered 5000 li. for a reward thereof, 200 li. whereof was paid in hand to the ſaid Captain, but by Gods providence the plot fruſtrated, and Glouceſter ſafely preſerved.
92. Englands great wonder to Gods glory, there being (about May 30. 1644.) ſix brave armies in the kingdome, on the Parliaments ſide, and other forces for defence of the City of London, beſides.
93. A plot to have betrayed our whole Army in Cornwall in the VVeſt, but by Gods bleſſing moſt of the Souldiers lives were preſerved, though with the loſſe of our Artillery.
94. Sir Alexander Carew, Sir John Hot…am Captain Hotham, and the Arch-prelate of Canterbury beheaded on Tower-Hill for treaſon againſt the Parliament.
95. A peace onelyonly pretended by the royaliſts at Uxbridge, and a treacherous petition framed by the malignants of Buckingham ſhire, wherein one Sir John Lawrence of that County was a great ſtickler, but the miſchief of both was fruſtrated.
96. A deſperate aſſault on Melcomb-Regis, to have betrayed it into the royaliſts hands, wherein divers of the malignant Townſmen had a principall hand, and Colonell Goring, and Sir Lewis Dives, were agents therein, but by Gods bleſſing the plot was fruſtrated, the Town and Forts recovered, and two ſhips with rich prize from Rhoan in France, were ſeized on to make amends for their trouble.
1645.
97. Divers Earles and Lords diſaffecting the Kings courſes, forſook Oxford, and came in and ſubmitted themſelves to the Parliament.
98. The King in great diſtreſſe after our famous Victory at Nazeby, is forced to fly up and down from Leiceſter, not knowing where to ſtay in ſafety.
99. A deſperate plot in the Weſt againſt the Parliament, by the Clubmen, but by Gods providence turned to the Enemies greateſt hurt in the iſſue.
100. A devilliſh ſudden plot upon Scotland, which was almoſt over run, by traiterous Montroſſe; but as ſuddenly recovered again, by Gods bleſſing on Generall David Leſley, and Montroſſe diſcomfitted and beaten away into the mountaines.
1646.
101. A Diſcovery of groſſe impiety in the King and his Oxonians, the King pretending a deſired & perſonall treaty with the Parliament, for a wel-grounded peace and yet at that time granted a Commiſſion to the Earle of Glamorgan, to the ruine of all the proteſtants in Ireland, and ſo conſequently of us in England alſo.
102. The King before his departure out of Oxford, ſends a Commiſſion or Letter to the Marquis of Ormond, to make an abſolute peace with thoſe bloody rebels, granting them full profeſſion of their Romiſh religion, by his voluntary authority, to the ſhame of himſelf, and his religion; notwithſtanding which Commiſſion or Letter, the King ſent a letter to the Parliament, & another to the City of London, proteſting in them, that nothing in the world was more deſired by him, than that in religion and peace, with all the comfortable fruits of both, they might thenceforth live under him, in all godlineſſe and honeſty; that foreſaid Commiſſion or Letter being diſcovered to the Parliament, after the ſending of thoſe Letters, and thereby the notorious unfaithfulneſſe of the King manifeſted to us.
102. The King (after that diſloyall peace with the bloody Iriſh) was now at laſt inforced out of abſolute neceſſity to get out of Oxford in a moſt diſgracefull diſguiſe, as a Servingman to Aſhburnham, and by this ignoble eſcape, to put himſelf into the hands of our loyall brethren of Scotland for ſafeguard. Yet he perſiſts and continues at Newcaſtle in as much obduracy and hardneſſe of heart as at the firſt, and the Lord onelyonly knowes what will become of him, if he return not to God, his people, and Parliament, which the Lord in mercy, worke his heart unto, Amen.
104. The great Seale broken before the Lords and Commons, on Tueſday the 11, of Auguſt, 1646.