A copy of the letter from His Excellency the Lord Generall Cromwell, sent to the members of Parliament called to take upon them the trust of the government of this common-vvealth : which began on Munday the fourth of June, 1653, the day appointed by the letters of summons from his Excellency the Lord Gen. Cromwell for the meeting of these gentlemen : with severall transactions since that time.

Aprill 25. 1654. Four Ordinances were published touching Scotland.

[illustration] coat of arms of the Commonwealth

••••••ting Scoctland into one Common-wealth with England S^t Andrews ••••••osse y^e Scots Arms be born in the Arms of this Common-w••••t••

THirty persons to be called from Scotland in every Parlia∣ment. That Charls Stewart, and all of the late Kings posterity, be disabled to enjoy the Crown of Scotland, or Name, Title, Stile, Dignity, Honors, or any Possessions of any Hereditaments thereto belonging; As also the Convo∣cation of the three Estates of Scotland to be abolished. That Custom and Excise of Goods, be no otherwise between Eng∣land and Scotland, then from one place of England to another. That Taxes be proportionable to England. And that all Pos∣sessors of Lands after Apr. 12. 1654. shall hold their Lands of the Lords, by Deed, Patent, or Enfeoffment, to be renewed upon the death of every Heritor to his Heirs, under such Rents, and Services as are due by Deeds now in being, without rendring any other duty, service, vassalage or demand whatsoever, ex∣cept Heritors where the same are due. A Court Barron eve∣ry three weeks, to Judge all Contracts, Debts, Promises, and Trespasses not exceeding 40 s. sterling.

July 1. 1654. The High Court of Justice met in Westmin∣ster-hall, the Lord Com. Lisle sate as President, their Com∣mission was read, and the Court called over by their names; Mr. Atturney Gen. Prideaux, Mr. Sollicitor Gen. Ellis, and Mr. Serjeant Glin, were Counsell for his Highnesse the Lord Protector. The Lieut. of the Tower, first brought Mr. Somer∣set Fox, one of the Conspirators in the late Treason, to the Bar, and Mr. Atturney Gen. then presented a Charge of High Treason against him ingrossed in parchment to the Court, which was read: The Prisoner said very little to it, but made a Confession to the Court of so much as (he said) he was guilty of, having some few dayes before made the like confession, and given it under his hand as the tru h, and ac∣cordingly owned it in Court, his confession under his own hand was also read, which did discover what was his part to act as an Agent in this bloody designe. The Court having satisfied th••mselves concerning Mr. Fox, the Lievt. of the Tower brought Mr. John Gerrard, and Mr. Peter Vowell, to the Bar, where F••x also stood, and the like Charge of High Treason was read against them also; which Charge consist∣ed of these heads, viz. The murdering of his Highness the Lord Protector as he should go to Hampton Court on a Saterday pre∣fixt: The seizing of all the Guards about Whitehall, the Mews, & St. Jameses, & the making of themselves masters of the City of London, and the Tower with all the Magazines within the same: The proclaiming of Charls Stuart King, & chief Magi∣strate of England, Scotland, and Ireland, and the Dominions thereunto belonging, and other high Treasons tending to involve the Common-wealth in a new bloody war. To which charge of High Treason the said Gerard and Vowel pleaded Not guilty, pretending much ignorance, and that they were innocent of the knowledge of any such designe; and did very much presse the Court to grant them Counsell to advise withall, and that they might be tried by a Jury, which being not to be granted unto them, and waved, severall Witnesses were produced upon their Oaths to make appear what they were charged with, as John Wiseman, Dr. Hudson, a blind man, Mr. Charls Gerhard Brother to the Prisoner, Capt. Dale, one

Mr. Wharton, and others, who did sufficiently prove, That Mr. Gerrard was to command the party who were to mur∣der his Highnesse the L. Protector as he was going to Hamp∣ton Court with thirty Horse; and that the said Gerrard had engaged to bring 25 of the 30, and Maj. T: Henshaw was to bring 5 more: and it was also proved against him, that he, with Maj. Henshaw, and the Witnesse J. Wiseman, did view the severall Guards at Whitehall, the Mewes, and St. Jameses, and had computed and designed 600 Horse as sufficient to seize and secure those Guards, appointing also a party of Horse to march into Tuttle-fields, as friends, and so to fall upon the forces then mustering, and cut them off: It was also proved against him by his Brother Mr. Charles Gerrard, that he was at severall meetings at his own Chamber near Essex house, and at other places with Maj. Henshaw, and Finch, and others, about this designe, and particularly at Mr. Jones his House in Rose street in Covent Garden where in a Chamber Henshaw and Finch gave an account that they had each of them listed 800 men to be ready at a dayes war∣ning; severall other things were proved, which he obsti∣nately denied; but confest his name was much used there∣in, but was no intent Actor. And for Mr. Vowell, severall Witnesses upon their Oaths did testifie, that he was at many meetings with Henshaw, Finch, Gerhard, and other of the Plotters to contrive the management of this businesse, be∣ing a person thought more fit to be a Councellor, then an Actor, and his reward should have been to be Master of Sut∣tons Hospitall; and it was also proved against him, though he could not act himselfe, yet he promised to procure those that should act, and did engage one Capt. Billingsley, who undertook to provide Riders for the Horses who should be taken out of Islington fields; it was also proved his buying of Pistols, and many other things sufficient to prove his hand deep in the businesse. And for Somerset Fox, he confessed so much as saved the Court much trouble in examining witnes∣ses: His part was, to engage as many Apprentices and Citi∣zens of London as he could in the businesse, that so when the falling on was upon the Guards at White hall, the Mewes and

St. Jameses, and Col. Ingeldsbies Regiment in Southwark and the rest of the Plot was in agitation, there might be a rising and tumult made purposely in the City, to imploy what force was there, that no help might come elsewhere; and the Lord Mayor was to have been seized and carried to proclaim Charls Stuart King at the Exchange, and Dr. Wharton was to see him proclaimed: yet notwithstanding all these witnesses, Gerhard and Vowell denyed they knew of any thing of such a designe; but they were not so satisfied, but that a base design was intended, too unworthy for a Gentleman to have his hand in, as did further appear by the testimony of John Wise∣man, who did relate his going over into France with his bro∣ther in Law Maj. Henshaw, where they met the said Mr. Ger∣hard at Paris, and there had free accesse to the pretended King of Scots, about this designe, and received great encourage∣ment in the businesse from Prince Rupert; whereupon Hen∣shaw and Wiseman returned into England, and Mr. Gerhard came over about 3 weeks after to put the businesse in agitati∣on, immediately upon his arrivall, the said Henshaw, Finch, &c. repaired to his lodging near Essex house, and received an account of the busines, and so proceeded to act, as the said Wiseman testified. The Witnesses being all examined, and the Prisoners heard what they could say for themselves, the At∣torney Gen. Solicitor Gen. and the Councell for the Com∣monwealth summ'd up all the Evidences, and drew them in∣to severall heads, which they presented to the Court with the Prisoners at the Bar, as objects of their Justice, the said Ger∣hard and Vowell still remaining obstinate. The Prisoners were commanded back to the Tower.

July 6. The Portugall Ambassadors Brother, and the rest, we••e againe brought to their Tryall at the Ʋpper Bench at Westminster and a Jury of 12 men, whereof 6 Denizes and 6 Aliens Impannel'd and swore: The Ambass: Brother plead∣ed very hard his ignorance in the Lawes of England, and de∣sired Councell, but that was denied, and he told, That the Court were of Councell equall, and alike to him, as to the Common-wealth, and would doe according to Law and the Justice of the Cause; Hereupon many Witnesses were

sworn and examined, and upon full hearing of the Evidence, and what the Prisoners could say, the Jury withdrew, and in a short time returned, and delivered their Verdict by their Foreman (all agreeing) finding them all 5 guilty of the mur∣ther and Felony for which they stood indicted; whereupon Judgement was afterwards pronounced, after a short speech made by the L: Chief Justice Rolls in the name of the Court, That they should return from whence they came and from thence be carried to the place of Execution, & there seveally to be han∣ged by the neck till they are dead. The day appointed Saturday, but the Prisoners moved for respite till Monday, which was granted.

This afternoon also the High Court of Justice sat in West∣minster-hall, and there was brought before them Mr. Gerard, Mr. Vowel, and Mr. Fox, who were demanded what they had more to say for themselves, Gerhard and Vowell spake much to excuse themselves, notwithstanding what had been proved against them; after which the L. President Lisle made a lear∣ned speech, to convince them of the desperate wickednesse of their designe, and how fully the Charge had been proved, and what punishments the Law had provided in such cases, after which the Sentence of the Court was read severally to all three, to this effect, That upon mature consideration of the Treasons and Murthers plotted, and contrived, by them against his Highnesse the Lord Protector, and the Common-wealth, and raising a bloody war in the same, the Court did adjudge them to be hanged by the neck untill they be dead. Mr. Gerhard desi∣red the Execution might be altered, that he might be be∣headed or shot to death, and therefore petitioned to the Lord Protector.

About 4 in the afternoon, Mr. John Gerhard was brought to the Scaffold on Tower-hill, his behaviour was sprightly, the substance of his discourse Cavalier-like, boasting himselfe of the profession of Religion which was established by Queen Elizabeth, K. James, and Charls, to which family he declared his affection. He acknowledged himself guilty of former sins (but named them not) for which he had deserved death heretofore; but as touching the Crime for which he was to

die, he spent not many words, onely he confessed that he knew of the plot. At length he submitted his neck to the Exe∣cutioner, who at once severed the Head from the Body.