1646, the foldiery, inftigated by Cromwell,

refused

⚫ and safety of the parliament and kingdom, from whom they derive their authority. The particulars whereof (being a breviat of my fad obfervations) will appear in the following narrative.

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First, that upon the orders of parliament for disbanding this army, lieutenant general Cromwell and com'miffary-general Ireton, were fent commiffioners to Walden, to reduce the army to their obedience, but 'more especially, in order to the present supply of forces for the fervice of Ireland. But they, contrary to the truft repofed in them, very much hindered that fer'vice, not only by discountenancing those that were ⚫ obedient and willing, but alfo by giving encourage'ment to the unwilling and disobedient, declaring that there had lately been much cruelty and injuftice in the parliament's proceedings against them, meaning the 'army. And commiffary-general Ireton, in further purfuance thereof, framed thofe papers and writings then 'fent from the army to the parliament and kingdom, faying alfo to the agitators, that it was then lawful ' and fit for us to deny difbanding, 'till we had received equal and full fatisfaction for our paft fervice: lieutenant-general Cromwell further adding, that we were in a double capacity, as foldiers, and as commoners. "And when upon the rendezvous at Triplow-heath, the commiffioners of parliament, according to their orders, acquainted every regiment with what the par⚫liament had already done, and would further do, in ' order to the defires of the army, the foldiers being be'fore prepared, and notwithstanding any thing could

6

be faid or offered to them by the commiffioners, they 'ftill cried out for Juftice, Juftice. And for the ef fecting of their further purposes, advice was given by lieutenant-general Cromwell and commiflary-general Ireton, to remove the King's perfon from Holdenby, or to fecure him there by other guards than those appointed by the commiffioners of parliament; which

"

< was

refufed to disband, or be fent into Ireland,

though

. was thought moft fit to be carried on by the private foldiery of the army, and promoted by the agitators ' of each regiment, whofe first bufinefs was to fecure the garrifon of Oxford, with the guns and ammunition there; from thence to march to Holdenby, in profecution of the former advice; which was accordingly acted by cornet Joyce, who when he had done the bufinefs, fent a letter to the general then at Keinton, acquainting his excellency, that the King was on his march towards Newmarket. The general being troubled thereat, told commiffary-general Ireton, that he did not like it, demanding withall who gave thofe orders. He replied, that he gave orders only for fecuring the King there, and not for taking him away from thence. Lieutenant-general Cromwell coming then from London, faid, if this had not been done, the King would have been fetched away by order of parliament; or elfe colonel Graves by the advice of the commiffioners would have carried him to London, throwing themselves upon the favour of parliaThe fame day cornet Joyee · ment for that fervice. being told the general was displeased with him for bringing the King from Holdenby, he anfwered that lieutenant-general Cromwell gave him orders at London, to do what he had done both there and at Oxford. The perfon of the King being now in the power of the army, the bufinefs of lieutenant-general Cromwell was to court his Majesty (both by members of the army, ⚫ and feveral gentlemen formerly in the King's fervice) into a good opinion and belief of the proceedings of the army, as alfo into a difaffection and diflike of the proceedings of parliament; pretending to fhew that his Majefties interefts would far better fuit with the principles of Independency, than of Prefbytery. And when the King did alledge, (as many times he did) ⚫ that the power of parliament was the power, by which we fought, lieutenant-general Cromwell would

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reply,

though commanded by the parliament;

erected

reply, that we were not only foldiers, but commoners; promifing that the army would be for the King in the ⚫ fettlement of his whole bufinefs, if the King and his party would fit ftill, and not declare nor act against the army, but give them leave only to manage the prefent business in hand.

That when the King was at Newmarket, the par<liament thought fit to fend to his Majesty, humbly defiring, that, in order to his fafety and their addreffes for a speedy fettlement, he would be pleased to come to Richmond. Contrary hereunto, refolution was taken by the aforefaid officers of the army, that if the King would not be diverted by perswasion (to which his Majefty was very oppofite) that then they would ftop him by force at Rofton, where his Majefty was to lodge the firft night, keeping accordingly continual guard upon him, against any power that fhould be fent by order of parliament to take him from us: and to this purpose out-guards were alfo kept to prevent his efcape from us with the commiffioners, of whom we had fpecial orders given to be careful, for that they did daily fhew a diflike to the prefent proceedings of the army against the parliament, and that the King 6 was most converfant and private in difcourfe with • them, his Majefty faying, that if any man fhould hinder his going (now his houfes had defired him upon his late meffage of 12 May, 1647) it fhould be done by force, and laying hold on his bridle; which if any were fo bold to do, he would endeavour to make it his laft. But contrary to his Majefties expectation, the next morning when the King and the officers of the 6 army were putting this to an iffue, came the votes of both houses to the King of their compliance with that which the army formerly defired. After which his Majefty did incline to hearken to the defires of the army, and not before.

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6

• Where

erected a council of officers and agitators,

to

Whereupon at Caversham, the King was continually follicited by meffengers from lieutenant general Cromwell and commiffary-general Ireton, proffering any thing his Majefty fhould defire, as revenues, chaplains, wife, children, fervants of his own, vifitation • of friends, accefs of letters, and (by commiffary-ge

•

neral Iret:n) that his negative voice fhould not be meddled withal, and that he had convinced those that. reafoned againft it at a general council of the army; and all this they would do, that his Majefty might the better fee into all our actions, and know our principles, which lead us to give him all these things out of confcience; for that we were not a people hating his Majefties perfon or monarchical government, but that we liked it as the beft, and that by this King; faying alfo, that they did hold it a very unreasonable thing for the parliament to abridge him of them; often promifing, that if his Majefty would fit ftill, and not act against them, they would in the first place reftore him to all these, and upon the fettlement of our own just rights and liberties, make him the moft glorious prince in Christendom. That to this purpose, for a fettlement they were making feveral propofals, to be offered to the commiffioners of parliament then fent down to the army, which should be as bounds for our party as to the King's bufinefs; and that his Majesty should have liberty to get as much of these abated as he could, for that many things therein were propofed only to give fatisfaction to others, who were our friends; promifing the King, that at the fame ⚫ time the commiffioners of parliament fhould fee thefe propofals, his Majelly should have a copy of them alfo, pretending to carry a very equal hand between King and parliament, in order to the fettlement of the kingdom by him; which befides their own judgments and confcience, they did fee a neceffity of it as

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" • ta

C

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to

to confult of and manage their affairs;

talked

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6

The head quarters being removed from Reading to Bedford, his Majefty to Woburne, the propofals were given to me by commiffary general Ireton, to present to the King; which his Majesty having read, told me, that he would never treat with army or parliament upon thefe proposals, as he was then minded. But the next day his Majefty understanding, that a 'force was put on his houfes of parliament, by a tu'mult, fent for me again, and faid unto me: Go along

"

with Sir Jo. Berkely to your general and lieutenant'general, and tell them, that to avoid a new war, I will now treat with them upon their proposals, or any thing else, in order to a peace: only let me be faved in honor and confcience. Sir fo. Berkely falling fick ་ by the way, I delivered this meffage to the lieutenantgeneral and to commiffary general Ireton, who ad'vised me not to acquaint the general with it, till ten " or twelve officers of the army were met together at the general's quarters, and then they would bethink themfelves of fome perfons to be fent to the King about it. And accordingly commiffary-general Ireton, 'colonel Rainfborew, colonel Hammond, and colonel

"

Rich, attended the King at Woburne for three hours together, debating the whole bufinefs with the King, upon the propofals; upon which debate, many of the 'moft material things the King difliked, were afterwards 'ftruck out, and many other things much abated by promifes; whereupon his Majefty was pretty well fa⚫tisfied. Within a day or two after this, his Majefty • removed to Stoke, and there calling for me, told me, he feared an engagement between the city and the

I 21

army,

to the people; commiffary-general Leton further fay-
ing, that what was offered in thefe proposals fhould
be so just and reasonable, that if there were but fix
men in the kingdom that would fight to make them
good, he would make the feventh against any power,
that thould oppofe them.

1