power, any fettled defign against the king's life. However, as all authorities agree in charging him with the fact, it will not perhaps be irrelevant to relate how his majesty was feized at Holmby houfe, contrary to the fenfe, and without the knowledge of parliament: but this was done with no other view than to get the king into the hands of the army, who were jealous of the parliament, as they were of the military: for on this occafion it was imagined that they who could fecure the king's perfon, might play him off against the other party, and restore him on their own terms, without any provifion for the others. But Cromwell, who was a member of parliament, was the chief adviser, as appears from the teftimony of Joyce, who was the chief actor in this affair.

The king had been for fome time in the hands of the parliament commiffioners, when on the 4th of June, Cromwell fent Cornet Joyce, with a party of horse, to bring him to the army. This officer arrived at the house about midnight, with his troop, demanding entrance. Colonel Greaves, and major-general Brown, who being alarmed, had doubled the guards, enquiring his name and bufinefs, he said his name was Joyce, a cornet in colonel Whalley's regiment, and his bufinefs was to speak with the king. Being asked from whom, he faid, "From myfelf: my errand is to the king, I muft and I will speak with him." Greaves and Brown commanded their men within to ftand to their arms; but they, feeing them to be their fellow-foldiers of the fame army, opened the gates, and fhook hands with them as old friends. The cornet placed his centinels at the commiffioners chamber doors, and went himself, by the back-stairs, directly to the king's bed chamber. The grooms being much surprised, defired him to lay afide his arms, and affured him, that in the morning he should speak with the king: but he, with

fword

fword and pistol, infifted to have the door opened, and made so much noife that it awaked his majesty, who sent him out word, "that he would not rife nor speak with him till the morning :" upon which the cornet retired in a huff.

The king getting up early in the morning, sent for him, who with great boldnefs told his majefty, he was commanded to remove him. Whereupon the king desired the commiffioners might be called; but Joyce faid, “they had nothing to do, but to return back to the parliament." Being asked for a fight of his inftructions, he told his majefty, "he fhould fee them prefently;" fo drawing up his troop in the inner court, "Thefe, Sir," faid he, "are my instructions." The king having took a good view of them, and finding them to be proper men, well mounted and armed, told the cornet with a fmile, "his inftructions were in fair characters, legible without fpelling." Joyce then preffing the king to go along with him, his majefty refused, unless the commiffioners might attend him; to which the cornet replied, " he was very indifferent, they might go if they would." So the king, being attended by the commiffioners of the parliament, went along with Joyce, and was that night conducted by him to colonel Montague's house at Hinchingbrook, and the next night to Sir John Cut's at Childerfley near Cambridge. Here Fairfax, Cromwell, Ireton, Skippon, and many other officers came to wait upon the king, and fome of them kissed his hand. 'Tis faid, that Joyce, being told that the general was displeased with him, for taking the king from Holmby, he answered, "that lieutenant-general Cromwell had given him orders at London to do all that he had done;" and indeed Fairfax now refigned himself entirely to Cromwell's judgment, who led and governed him as he pleased. And though he was at firft diffatisfied with this proceeding of Joyce, yet Cromwell foon appeafed him, by representing

to

to him, "that nothing could have been done of greater advantage to the army and their generals, to the church and state, than what Joyce had been doing: that the king was on the point of making an accommodation with the parliament, who had determined to fend colonel Greaves to fetch him; and if Joyce had not fetched him, there would have been an end of both officers and army, and all the pains they had taken for the public good, would not only have been useless, but criminal."

Thus Cromwell's grand defign went fwimmingly on; he even treated the king with much civility, perfuading him he did it to forward his restoration to power, and his majefty began to think his condition altered for the better with the army, though he was but a prifoner as before. Cromwell managed artfully with the king's foible, allowing him his chaplain, and to appear in ftate and command, with his nobility around him, and his fervants in their proper places, yet artfully dealing with the parliament all the time he was cajoling the king with promises of making him the greatest prince in Christendom. Though in private, among his friends, he boafted, "that now he had got the king into his hands, he had got the parliament in his pocket." His majesty knew that Cromwell bore the greatest sway in the army, and finding him not averse to his interest, was fo indiscreet as to say to general Fairfax, upon his offering him his fervice, "Sir, I have as good interest in the army as you." Which expreffion was taken very ill by the general, and did the king no fervice.

But notwithstanding the king's indifcretion to his people, Cromwell was certainly too diffimulous to him. His hypocrify was too notorious to be hid. One day, while the king was at Caversham, Cromwell told the speaker of the house, and fir John Berkeley, "That he had lately feen the tendereft fight that ever his eyes beheld, which was the interview between the king and his children." He even

wept

wept while he mentioned it, and added, "that never was man fo abused as himself in the finifter opinion he had of the king, whom he now thought the most upright and confcientious man of the three kingdoms:" Concluding with this with," that God would be pleafed to look upon him, according to the fincerity of his heart towards the king." Indeed the army in general, as well as Cromwell, appeared at this time very zealous for the king's intereft; and yet they seemed to fufpect the reality of one another's intentions. Some of the principal agitators whispered their fufpicions of the lieutenant-general to Berkeley, but they appeared to be fufpicious only; every one confeffing, that if Cromwell and Ireton were not hearty for the king, they were complete diffemblers.

Thefe proceedings agitated the country to the most remote corners. Serious infurrections in London from Cromwell's influence with the parliament's voting the command of the city militia into other hands than their own, began to wear an awful afpect; but Cromwell negociated with all parties, restored a temporary peace, which was foon broke on the army's coming to London.

For the citizens were much difcouraged by the news of the general rendezvous of the army on Hounflow heath, where the two fpeakers appeared with their maces, and fuch members as accompanied them, viz. the earls of Northumberland, Salisbury, and Kent, the lord Grey of Werke, the lord Howard, the lord Wharton, the earl of Mulgrave, and the lord Say, and fix lords more, with the earl of Manchefter, their fpeaker; and about a hundred members of the houfe of commons, with their speaker Mr. Lenthall. Befides, the borough of Southwark was generally for the army, which marching towards London, part of the army feized upon the block-houfe at Gravefend, and blocked up the city by water towards the east, and the general with the reft of the army towards the weft. Upon

this, the aldermen and common-council of the city fent to Fairfax for a pacification; which he granted them upon thefe conditions:

"First, that they should defert the parliament then fitting, and the eleven members. Secondly, that they should recall their late declaration. Thirdly, that they should relinquith their prefent militia. Fourthly, that they should deliver up to the general all their forts, and the Tower of London. Fifthly, that they fhould difband all the forces they had lately raised, and do all things elfe, which were neceffary for the public tranquillity.”

The next day, Cromwell marched to Weftminster, and placed guards in the court, in the hall, and even at the doors of the two houses; and a little after, general Fairfax conducted the feveral members who had fled to the army, to their feats in parliament; where they annulled all the acts and orders, which had paffed fince the 26th of July. Two days after, the army marched, as it were, in triumph through the city, the general leading the avantguard, major-general Skippon the main body, and Cromwell the rear-guard: and all the foldiers having laurel branches in their hats. After this pompous march, the army was diftributed into quarters, in Kent, Surrey, and Effex; and thus they furrounded the city, awing it from all points.

To poffefs the king's perfon was the principal object of every party; but Cromwell was too hard for them all: for finding how matters were likely to go, he acquainted the king with his danger, and affuring him of his real fervice, advised him to efcape where he might be more fecure. This majesty took the general's counfel, and leaving Hampton-court, where he then refided, repaired to the lile of Wight, accompanied by Berkeley, Athburnham, and some others. They were well received by colonel Hammond, VOL. VI. No. 69.

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the