A short view of the life and reign of King Charles (the second monarch of Great Britain) from his birth to his burial.

1640.

To welcome this young Prince into the world, the Scots put themselves in∣to Armes again, and backt by a strong faction here, thought that they could not do enough by standing on their de∣fence at home, unlesse they entred Eng∣land also, as they did accordingly. But they took not his Majesty unprovided, who had raised another gallant Army under the command of the Earl of Nor∣thumberland, as chief Generall, and the Earl of Strafford as the chief Comman∣der under him; himself with all speed posting towards the North, as soon as the News of this invasion had been brought unto him. But scarce was he well setled in the head of his Army, but he was followed by a Petition from some Lords of England, confor∣mable in the main points of it to a

Declaration of the Scots, which they called the Intention of their Army. So that the Cloud which gathered behind him in the South, threatned more danger to him then the Northern Tempest, which blew directly in his teeth.

Sailing thus between Scylla and Cha∣rybdis, it concerned him to steer as even a course as he could, and thereupon he summoned the great Councel of his Peers to attend him at York, that do∣ing nothing in this great businesse with∣out their advice, he might give himself the better hopes of their assistance, as his occasions should require. By their advice Commissioners are appointed to treat with the Scots, to understand their Grievances, the reasonablenesse or unreasonablenesse of their Demands, and finally to make up the breach by such an Accommodation as might con∣duce to the peace and happinesse of both Kingdomes, and his Majesties honour.

In the mean time he calls a Parlia∣ment, to begin at Westminster the third

day of November then next following, which if it had been held at York, as lying nearest to the danger and Scene of action, might not have proved so fatall and destructive to him as it after did.

In the beginning of this Parliament, he cast himself on the love and loyal∣ty of his English Subjects, in which he found himself deceived of his expectati∣on. For the first thing they did, was to deprive him of the Counsels of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and the Archbi∣shop of Canterbury, and thereby to ter∣rifie all others from adhering to him in the times of his greatest need. These they impeacht of High Treason, remo∣ved them from the House of Peers, and committed them to the Tower of London, where the Archbishop staid four years before any particular charge, or any pro∣secution upon that charge, was brought against him. But with the Lord Lieu∣tenant of Ireland they made quicker work, inviting the People of all the three Kingdomes to bring them in such

matter as they had or could devise a∣gainst him; and having made all things ready for a publick Tryal, they brought him to the Bar before the Peers, sitting in VVestminster-Hall on the sixth of April then next following; but he so rational∣ly pleaded in his own behalf, and so fully satisfyed all objections which were made against him, that the Commons were fain to desist from the Course which they had begun, and to pro∣ceed against him in a Bill of Attain∣der.

For the better passing whereof the Commons framed a Protestation on the third of May, in many things not un∣like the Scotish Covenant before menti∣oned, by which they bound themselves among other things, to maintain and de∣fend the Power and Priviledges of Parlia∣ment, the lawfull Rights and Liberties of the Subject, to endeavour to bring to con∣digne punishment all such as shall either by Force, Practice, Plots, Counsels and Conspiracies, or otherwise, do any thing to the contrary; (amongst which

they reckon the Earl of Strafford to be one) and finally to stand unto one another, and to every other person whatsoever in any thing he shall do in pursuance of the said Protestation. Which Protestation being first taken by themselves, was the next day taken also by the House of Peers, and not long after obtruded on all the rest of the Kingdom.

But not finding this sufficient to effect their purpose, they first forced the Lords by Tumults, and afterwards the King by their importunities to passe that unhappy Bill of Attainder; which having obtained, they brought him to the Scaffold on Tower-Hill on the thir∣teenth of May, where with as much Christian confidence and magnanimity as could be exprest by flesh and blood, he delivered up his neck to the Executio∣ner.

In order to this great work which they knew the Scots much laboured for, and had declared so much in a Pamph∣let called The intentions of their Army, at their first coming into England, the lea∣ding

men in the house of Commons held a strict correspondency with the Scots Commissioners then residing in London, and voted no lesse then three hundred thousand pounds (by the name of a bro∣therly Assistance) to be given to the Scots in generall, under colour of repairing such damages as they had sustained in the time of this breach, but in plain truth to bind them fast unto themselves. And having made sure work with them, they deprived the King by little and little of almost all the ancient and undoubted prerogatives which of right belonged unto his Crown.

The power of calling Parliaments, in case of his neglect or refusall, is put into the hands of Sheriffs and Consta∣bles; his right to Tonnage and Poundage must be disclaimed by Act of Parlia∣ment; the Bill of the Attainder of the Earl of Strafford, and that for the con∣tinuance of this Parliament during the pleasure of the Houses, are extorted by tumults. And by the terrour of the

like, the Act for Knighthood is repealed, and the imposition for ship-money con∣demned as an illegall Tax, and abolished also. The like Acts passed against the of∣fice of the Clerk of the Market, the Court of Stanneries, his propriety in the ma∣king of Gun-powder, the authority of the Council-Table, the Courts of Star-Chamber and High Commission, the ju∣risdiction of the Ecclesiasticall Courts, as also the Presidiall Courts held for a long time in York and the Marches of VVales. And finally, that he might lose both his strength in Parliament, and his power with the People, they extor∣ted the passing of two Acts, the one for taking away the Bishops Votes and place in the House of Peers, the other for dis∣claiming of his power in pressing Soul∣diers (enjoyed by all his Predecessors) for defence of his Person and the Realm.

And that they might the better awe the King to their Concessions, the Ar∣my of the Scots must be maintained

with pay and plunder, till there was al∣most nothing left for them to crave, or the King to grant. But being at the last sent home, his Majesty followed not long after to settle his affairs in that bro∣ken kingdom; where to oblige that Na∣tion to him, he confirmed not onely all his former concessions by Act of Parlia∣ment, but all such things also as had been acted by them in their Assembly held at Glasco. And more then so, he parted with so much of his Eoyall Prerogative (invaded & usurped by them in the late Confusions) that he had allmost nothing left remaining to him, but the empty title, the having of a Sword carried be∣fore him, and some other outward pomps of Court, which signifie just no∣thing when the power is gone.

This good successe of the Scots encou∣raged the Irish Papists to attempt the like, and to attempt it in the same way as the Scots had gone; that is to say, by seizing his Towns, Forts, and Castles, putting themselves into the body of

an Army, banishing or imprisoning all such as oppose their practises, and then petitioning the King for a publick Ex∣ercise of their Religion. The 23. of O∣ctober Anno 1641. was the day designed for the seizing of the City and Castle of Dublin, and many places of great im∣portance in the Kingdom. But failing in the main design which had been dis∣covered the night before by one Oca∣nelle, they break out into open arms, dealing no better with the Protestants there then the Covenanters had done with the Royall party in Scotland,

Of this Rebellion (for it must be cal∣led a Rebellion in the Irish, though not in the Scots) the King gives present no∣tice to his Houses of Parliament, requi∣ring their counsel and assistance for the extinguishing of that flame before it had wasted and consumed that King∣dome. But neither the necessity of the Protestants there, nor the Kings impor∣tunity here, could perswade them to le∣vie one man towards the suppression

of those Rebels, till the King had dis∣claimed his power of pressing souldiers in an Act of Parliament, and thereby laid himself open to such acts of vio∣lence as were then hammering against him. Which having done, they put an army of Scots (their most assured Friends) into the Northern parts of Ire∣land, delivering up into their hands the strong Town and Port of Carickfergus, one of the chief keys of that Kingdom; and afterwards sent a small body of English to preserve the South, which English forces having done notable ser∣vice there against the Rebels, were kept so short both in respect of pay and o∣ther necessaries by the Houses of Parlia∣ment, (who had made use of the mony raised for the relief of Ireland to main∣tain a War against their King) that they were forced to come to a Cessation, and cheerefully returned home again to as∣sist the King in that just War which he had undertaken for his own defence. The ground and occasion of which War we are next to shew.

At such time as he was in Scotland and expostulated with some of the chiefs a∣mong them, touching their coming into England in an hostile manner, he found that some who were now leading men in the Houses of Parliament had invited them to it. And having furnished him∣self with some proofs for it, he com∣manded his Attorney Generall to im∣peach some of them of high Treason; that is to say, the L. Kimbolton, a Mem∣ber of the House of Peers, Mr. Hollis, Sir Arthur Haslerig, Mr. Hambden, Mr. Pym, and Mr. Strode, of the House of Commons. But sending his Serjeant at Arms to arrest their persons, there came a countermand from the House of Com∣mons, by which the Serjeant was deter∣red from doing his office, and the Mem∣bers had the opportunity of putting themselves into the Sanctuary of the Ci∣ty. The next day, being the 4. of January, his Majesty being no otherwise attended then with his ordinary Guard, went to the House of Commons to demand the five Members of that House, that he

might proceed against them in a way of justice; but his intention was discovered, and the birds flown before his coming.

This was voted by the Commons for such an inexpiable breach of priviledge, that neither the Kings qualifying of that Action, nor his desisting from the prosecution of that impeachment, nor any thing that he could either say or do, would give satisfaction. Nothing must satisfie their jealousies and secure their fears, but the putting of the tower of London into their hands, together with the command of the Royal Navie, as al∣so all the Forts, Castles, and the Train∣bands of the Kingdome, all compre∣hended under the name of the Militia; which if his Majesty would fling after all the rest, they would continue his most loyall subjects. On this the King demurs a while, but having shipt the Queen for Holland, and got the Prince in∣to his own power, he becomes more re∣solute, and stoutly holds on the denyal.

Finding the Members too strong for him, and London, by reason of the

continuall Tumults, to be a dangerous neighbour to him, he withdraws to York, that being in a place of safety, he might the better find a way to com∣pose those differences which now be∣gan to embroil the kingdome. At Hull he had a Magazine of arms and ammu∣nition provided for the late intended war against the Scots, and laid up there when the occasion of that War was ta∣ken away. Of this Town he intended to possesse himself, and to make use of his own Arms and Ammunition for his own preservation; but coming before the gates of the Towne, he was denyed entrance by Sir John Hotham, who by the appointment of the House of Com∣mons had took charge of that place.

The Gentry of York-shire who had pe∣titioned the King to secure that Maga∣zin, became hereby more firmly united to him. The like had been done also by the Yeomandry, and those of the in∣feriour sort, if his proceedings had not been undermined by the Com∣mittee of four Gentlemen, all Mem∣bers

of the House, and all of them Na∣tives of that Countrey, sent thither purposely (in a new and unprecedent, way) to lie as Spies upon his Counsels, and as controllers to his actions.

Some Messages there were betwixt him and the Houses of Parliament, con∣cerning the attoning of these differences, whilst he was at York. But the XIX Propositions sent thither to him, did de∣clare sufficiently that there was no peace to be expected on his part, unlesse he had made himself a cypher, a thing of no signification in the Arithmetick of State.

And now the War begins to open. The Parliament had their Guards alrea∣dy, and the Affront which Hotham had put upon his Majesty at Hull, prompted the Gentlemen of York-shire to tender themselves for a Guard to his Person. This presently voted by both Houses to be a leavying of War against the Parlia∣ment, for whose defence, not onely the Train-bands of London must be in readinesse, and the good people of

the countrey required to put themselves into a posture of armes; but Regiments of Horse and Foot are listed, a Generall appointed, great summes of Money rai∣sed, and all this under pretence of taking the King out of the hands of his evil Counsellours.

The noise of these preparations hastens the King from Yorke to Notingham, where he sets up his Standard, inviting all his good Subjects to repair unto him, for defence of their King, the Lawes and Religion of their Countrey. He increa∣sed his Forces as he marched, which could not come unto the reputation of an Army, till he came into Shropshire, where great bodies of the loyall and stout-hearted Welch resorted to him.

Strengthened with these, and furnisht sufficiently with Field Pieces, Armes and Ammunition, which the Queen had sent to him out of Holland, he resolves upon his march towards London; but

on Sunday the twenty third of October was encountred in the way, at a place called Edge-Hill, by the Parliament Forces. The Fight very terrible for the time, no fewer then five thousand men slain upon the place; the Prologue to a greater slaughter, if the dark night had not put an end unto that dispute.

Each part pretended to the victory, but it went clearly on the Kings side, who though he lost his Generall, yet he kept the Field, and possessed himself of the dead bodies; and not so onely, but he made his way open unto London, and ••n his way forced Banbury Castle, in the very sight as it were of the Earl of Essex, who with his flying Army made all the haste he could towards the City (that ••e might be there before the King) to ••ecure the Parliament. More certain ••gns there could not be of an absolute ••ictory.

In the Battel of Taro, between the Con∣••derates of Italy and Charles the eight ••f France, it hapned so that the Con∣federates

kept the Field, possest them∣selves of the Camp, Baggage and Ar∣tillery, which the French in their brea∣king through had left behind them. Hereupon a dispute was raised, to whom the Honour of that day did of right be∣long; which all knowing and imparti∣all men gave unto the French For though they lost the Field, their Camp, Artillery and Baggage, yet they obtain∣ed what they fought for, which was the opening of their way to France, and which the Confederates did intend to de∣prive them of. Which resolution in that case may be a ruling case to this; the Ki••g having not only kept the Field, posse•••• himself of the dead bodies, pil∣laged the car••iages of the enemy, but forci••••y op••••e•• his way towards Lon∣don, which the enemy endeavoured to hinder, and finally entred triumphant∣ly into Oxford, with no fewer then a•• hundred and twenty Colours taken in th•• Fig••••.

Having assured himself of Oxford fo•• his Winter Quarters, he resolved on hi••

Advance towards London, but had made so many halts in the way, that Essex was got thither before him; who had disposed of his Forces at Kingston, Brent∣ford, Acton, and some other places there abouts, not onely to stop his march, but to fall upon him in the Rear, as oc∣casion served. Yet he goes forward not∣withstanding as far as Brentford, out of which he beats two of their best Re∣giments, takes five hundred Prisoners, sinks their Ordnance, with an intent to march forwards on the morrow after being Sunday, and the thirteenth of No∣vember. But understanding that the Earl of Essex had drawn his Forces out of Kingston, and joyning with the Lon∣don Auxiliaries, lay in the way before him at a place called Turnham-Green neer Cheswick, it was thought safer to retreat towards Oxford while the way was open, then to venture his Army to the fortune of a second Battel, which if it were lost ••t would be utterly impossible for him ••o raise another.

At Oxford he receives Propositions of peace from the Houses of Parliament, but such as rather did beseem a conquer∣ing then a losing side. But being resolved to treat upon them howsoever, he found the Commissioners so straitned in time, and so tied to such particular instructions as the Houses had given them, that no∣thing could be yielded to which might conduce to the composing of the present Distempers.

At the opening of the Spring, the Queen came to him, who had landed at a place in York-shire called Burlington-Bay in the end of February, and now brought with her unto Oxford some supplies of men with a considerable stock of Pow∣der, Arms, and Ammunition.