Memorials of the English affairs, or, An historical account of what passed from the beginning of the reign of King Charles the First, to King Charles the Second his happy restauration containing the publick transactions, civil and military : together with the private consultations and secrets of the cabinet.

February, 1654.

[Feb.] The Protector who was usually positive in his own Judgment and Resolutions having Dissolved the Parliament, because he found them not so pli∣able to his purposes as he expected; this caused much discontent in the Parliament, and others, but he valued it not; esteeming himself above those things. And now he Sate close with his Council, to frame some Ordinances whereby he might sweeten the generality of the People, particularly, by ta∣king off some Burdens and inconveniencies (as they held them) in the proceedings of Law, and in other matters. * 1.1

He was also busie with his Council in the Exa∣mination of a Plot discovered, wherein several of the Kings Party, and some of the Levelling Party were Engaged against him, and his Government; whereof having formerly had some inkeling, he affirmed that to have been a chief Motive to him for Dissolving the late Parliament. Divers of the Kings Party who were in the Conspiracy were Ap∣prehended, and Committed to Prison, and enough was proved against them.

[13] The Lord Mayor, Aldermen, Recorder, and Sixty of the Common-Council of London by the Protectors Order came to him to White-hall, where he acquainted them with the danger of the Conspiracy, the Conspirators and what they had Discovered; wished them to be careful to preserve the Peace of the City, gave them a Commission for a Committee of Militia in London, and to raise for∣ces to be under the Command of their old faithful Major General Skippon.

The Conspiracy was generally laid to bring in the King; and the Design so far took Effect, that in several Counties small Armed Parties began to gather into a Body. In Shropshire, Sir Thomas Har∣ris with a Party Endeavoured to surprize Shrewsbu∣ry Castle, but was prevented, and taken Prisoner: Others were prevented at Chirke Castle, endeavour∣ing to Surprize it; and the like was in other Places, This Design, the Protector had a jealousie was coun∣tenanced by the Parliament, and he gave out that to be a cause of the Dissolving of them.

In Scotland, Middleton and others of his Party the principal Men sent Proposals to the Parliaments Commander there, upon which they offered to lay down Armes.

The Kings Party were very Active, and had ma∣ny meetings about New Castle, some of their Let∣ters were intercepted, and sent to the Protector.

Some Quakers at Hasington in Northumberland, coming to the Minister on the Sabbath day, and speaking to him, the Country People fell upon the Quakers, and almost killed one or two of them; who going out fell on their Knees, and prayed God to Pardon the People, who knew not what they did; and afterwards, speaking to the People, so convinc∣ed them of the evil they had done in beating of them, that the Country People fell a Quarrelling among themselves with those who occasioned it and beat one another more than they had before beaten the Quakers.

The Brest Men of War did much damage to the English Merchants in the Western Seas, which were not well guarded by the States Ships, whereof Com∣plaint was made, yet two of them were taken.

A great Fire happened in Fleet-street next door to the Red Lyon Inn, and both Houses were burnt.

Letters of several Scots Commanders of the Kings Party taken by the English Forces in Scotland.

Major John Wildman was seized upon by a Party of Mr. Butlers Horse, and carryed Prisoner from Exton near Marlborough where he was taken, unto Chepstow-Castle. They found him in his Chamber (the Door being open) leaning upon his Elbow, and dictating to his Man, who sat Writing by him. They seized the Papers, that which the Man was writing, was sent up to the Protector, it was thus Entituled, and Written.

The DECLARATION of the free and well-affected People of England now in Armes against the Tyrant Oliver Crom∣wel Esq.

BEing satisfied in our Judgment and Consciences of the present necessity to take up Armes for the De∣fence of our Native Rights and Freedoms, which are wholly invaded and swallowed up in the Pride and Am∣bition of Oliver Cromwell who calls himself Lord Protector of England, and hath rendred all English-men no better than his Vassals, we expect to be branded with the infamous Name of Rebells and Traitors, or to be mis-represented both to the Army, City, and Country as common Enemics, disturbers of the publick Peace, arbitrary Cavaliers, Levellers, or under some other odi∣ous Notion, that may provoke the Army and People to endeavour our Destruction; but if we may prevail to be heard before we be Condimned and Executed, we shall submit our cause and righteous End we seek, to the judgment of the Army and every honest English-man; and if the Army it self according to their many Engagements will undertake (and their strength be suffi∣cient) to Redeem us from our present Slavery, and settle that Right and Freedom, unto which our Birth gave us Title, we shall readily lay down our present Arms.

The whole Christian World knows, that our English Earth hath been Drunk with Blood these Twelve years through the great Contest for Right and Freedom, and the whole Treasure of the Nation exhausted in that quarrel; how then can any Man, whose hand or heart hath been ingaged in that bloody Contest, either acquit himself to God, his Conscience, or his Country, in yield∣ing up tamely and silently, all the Laws, Rights, and Liberties of England into an Ʋsurpers hand. We have for many years pattently born all kinds of Oppressi∣on, Arbitrariness and Tyranny, and suffered under such heavy burdens of Exercise and Taxes, as England ne∣ver knew in former Ages, having been fed by him that now calls himself Lord Protector, and his Army, with specious pretences, and most alluring Promises (second∣ed with many appeals to God for their Integrity of heart in them) that true English Liberty should be set∣led and secured, impartial Justice provided for, Arbi∣trary Powers Abolished, and every Yoak of Oppression broken, and every Burden eased: And we did believe (as they told us.) That our present sufferings were only like a rough stormy Passage to the Haven of Justice, Right, and Freedom; we could not suspect these Ambi∣tious Designs in Cromwell and his Confederates, that are now Proclaimed to the World: we could not think it possible, that a Man of such a mean Quality and Estate, as he, should Aspire to make himself an absolute Lord and Tyrant over Three Potent Nations; but above all, his pretended Zeal for God and his People, his high pro∣fessions of Godliness, Simplicity, and Integrity; his hypocritical Prayers and days of Fasting to seek the Lord; his dissembled humility and meekness, and his frequent compassionate Tears, upon every occasion: we say, these things, together with his Engagements pub∣lick and private; his most solemn Protestations, with Imprecations of Vengeance upon Himself and Family, if he Dissembled, and his most frequent Appeals to God for the truth of his Professions and Declarations; that he design'd nothing but securing the Liberties of Gods People, and Administration of Impartial Justice, and sought no Power, Honour, Riches or Greatness to him∣self or any particular Party or Interest: we say, these things rocked us so asleep with the pleasant Dreams of Liberty and Justice, until he hath made a Sacrifice of all our Laws, Liberties and Properties unto his own Ambition, and now is not afraid to own what he before disclaimed and declared against: He that formerly Protested before the dreadful God, and to the long Par∣liament, That He and his Army should be wholly Sub∣ject to their Civil Authority, and that whosoever should attempt any violence against them, should make his way through his Blood; he now owns the breaking them in pieces with scorn and contempt: He that declared so much Humility and Self-denial, claims and owns a Power Supream to Parliaments, and exerciseth an Ab∣solute Dominion over the Laws and Estates of Three Nations: He that seemed so Zealous for Liberty, now dares own every private English-man his Vassal, and their Parliaments his Slaves: He Publisheth in his Printed Speeches to his Parliament, That the benefit all English-men have in the Execution of any Laws amongst them, is from him; and the Authority that their Parliaments have, and shall have, is wholly derived from him; He hath Published to the whole World, that he hath dissolved all Civil Government, and that he had in himself an Absolute, Ʋnlimited, Arbitrary Power, with∣out check or controul, until he put some limits upon him∣self; if he may be believed in his paper of Government. Now what Patroon in Argeire ever claimed more Ma∣stery over his Slaves bought in the Market, than this Claim of Cromwells extends unto over us? If we have the benefit of the Execution of no Laws but from him, then all the Right, Priviledges, and Estates we have, are enjoyed by his Mercy only: without the Ex∣ecution of Laws, no man hath more right to Lands or Goods than another; nor is any mans Life under any security, if another be stronger than he. So that Cromwel owns and professes, that the Bread that every man eats, is by his mercy: and if his Power was with∣out limit (as he says) until he had put some bounds, then 'tis of his grace and favour only that all English-men have now a seeming Right in their Wives, Chil∣dren, Servants, Lives and Estates, if his own limits of his Power gives any such right, and if he please to throw away, (or burn by the hand of the Hang-man) his limit in his Paper of Government, who can con∣troll him? he may do what he list with things of his own making, 'tis the old English Proverb, He that can bind, can loose: and he may do what he list also with the Authority of Parliaments, if it be as he says, of his own giving: Now wherein doth a Patroons Power over his purchased Slave exceed this, which Cromwel owns over us? The Patroon can but give the Slave his Laws, his Cloathes, his Meat, his Life; and all those Crom∣wel owns to have given to us, only he speaks it in such Language as sounds not so harshly.

Now after the Expence of so much precious Christi∣an Blood, for the setling the Rights and Liberties due unto us as Men and Christians, when he that was trusted with an Army for that purpose, hath so unworthily be∣trayed his Trust, spilt innocent Blood like Water, fal∣cified all his Declarations, Promises, Protestations and Oathes; and assumed to himself such a Dominion over our Country, as is Destructive unto all Right and Li∣berty, and renders us and our Posteritys Slaves to him and his Successors, with the Payment of a Fifth or there abouts of our Estates certain in Taxes, to be In∣tailed upon our Posterities, besides other burthens, we appeal to the conscience of every honest Man, whether a present necessity and an incumbent duty be not upon us to Arm our selves in defence of our Ancient Laws, and dearest Birth-rights against the present Imposter and Ʋsurper; and we hope most of the present Army have not extinguished their love to their Countrys free∣dom

(although Cromwells hypocritical Professions, Prayers and Tears, have much deluded them) but that they will readily concur with us, and other honest En∣glish-men in our present attempt by Force of Armes to Redeem our Country out of the Ʋsurpers bonds, and to seek those righteous ends, which we do hereby De∣clare to be those, for which we now hazard our Lives, and with which we shall rest satisfied, and return to our homes in Peace; and they are those following, viz.

1. That all assumed and Ʋsurped Powers and Au∣thorities over our Countrey may be utterly Abolish∣ed.

2. That the Government may be setled upon a just Basis, with due bounds and limits to every Magi∣strate.

3. That the ancient Liberties of England, setled by Magna Charta, the Petition of Right, and other Laws, may be secured inviolably: That no Mans Person may be Molested, Imprisoned, Restrained, or touched, with∣out a Legal Cause shewn in the Warrant, whereby he is molested or restrained, and that also in a due Course of the Laws, known Proceedings, without Conntermands from the will of any man; whereas now mens Persons are troubled and restrained at will, and destroyed by long Imprisonments, no man knows for what. And al∣so, that no Mans Estate may be liable to any disposal or prejudice, but by the known Laws of the Land, and the lawful Judgment of his equals.

4. That free Successive Parliaments may be setled, with times of their beginning and ending, and with their ancient Power and Priviledges.

And that the Jurisdictive Power which Parliaments have taken upon them to Exercise in these times of War Distraction, by taking upon them the Judgment of par∣ticular Causes concerning Mens Persons and Estates, sometimes by their Committees, and sometimes by them∣selves, contrary to the known Proceedings of the Law, that such Power (we say) may be Declared against, and Provision made against the same, that thereby Par∣liaments may be free from the temptations of Profit, Friendship, and all private Interests, by which only they can be corrupted.

5. That the Militia of the Nation may be so dispo∣sed, that no man may be able to be Master of Parlia∣ments: and also, that secure Provision may be made, that no Parliament shall make it self perpetual, and in∣slave the people to them.

And that such a settlement may be made of Right and Freedom, and these our ends obtained, and a peace firmly established, we know no means under God but a truly free Parliament.

Now for the Defence of these our Rights and Liber∣ties we are resolved to expose our Lives to the utmost hazards, and we shall neither wrong nor oppose any man, who doth not joyn himself to the present Ʋsurper, to destroy or prevent these our Righteous ends; and though we have reason to believe, that no person fearing God, or of Conscience, Honour, or Reason, can satisfie himself to shed our innocent blood for seeking these things; yet however we shall commit our selves and our just Caus to the tu••tion of the rightcous God, and hope in his mer∣cy, that our endeavours may procure Justice, Freedome, Peace, and Settlement unto this distracted Nation.

Many who viewed this Declaration, knew there was too much of Truth in it, and had not the De∣sign been nipt in the Bud, and timely Discovered, and Prevented, it might have caused some distur∣bance to the Protector, and to the Peace of the New-Government; but by the Commitment of the Chief Conspirators, their Plot was crushed, and the Peace not interrupted. Divers wondred most, that Wild∣man, and others of his Party who had served the * 2.1 Parliament, should now joyn in this Design with those of the Kings Party; but they alledged the strengthening of themselves, and their Power af∣terwards, to suppress the Cavaliers, or any other who should oppose their Ends: but divers suspected their Designs, at the bottom of it, to intend the bringing in of the King; because they conclude in their Declaration for a truly free Parliament; which was the way for the Kings Restauration, and that began now to be held fit, and requisite by many so∣ber and faithful Patriots, who were distasted at the private Ambition of some, and their Domineering; and feared the Faction daily increasing, that would prevent a firm Settlement of our Peace.

The Protector was jealous of many of his former Friends to be this way inclin'd, and of Whitelock in particular; which was thought one main reason of his sending him out of the way to Swedland, and of his not taking him in to be of his Council.

Notes

• * 1.1

  February
• * 2.1

  March