few declar'd, or were active on his Majefty's behalf, that they who were not corrupted, in their inward Fidelity, were fo Terrified, that they durft not appear in any Office that might' provoke Those who folely had the power and will to deitroy them.

THE last and most confounding Error was the removing the Treaty to London, and upon any terms confenting that the Scotifh Commiffioners fhould refide there before a Peace concluded. By which means, they had not only opportunity to publish all their Counfels and Directions in their Sermons to the People (who reforted thither in incredible numbers) and to give their Advice, from time to time, to Thofe of the English who knew not fo well yet to compass their Own ends, but were ready (when any business was too big and unweildy to be manag'd by the few who were yet throughly engag'd) to interpofe in the name of Their Nation, and with reference to Things or Perfons to make fuch demands from and on the behalf of the Kingdom of Scotland, as under no other style would have receiv'd any Countenance; and this brought that univerfal Terror with it (as will appear to the life in the procefs of this Hiftory) upon Thofe of nearest relation to the King's Service, as well as Thofe at a greater diftance, who clearly discern'd and detefted the Villany and Wickedness of thofe Tranfactions, that their wariness and wisdom could not be great enough to preserve them, if they did not ftupidly look on without feeming to understand what they could în no degree controul or prevent.

IN all Confpiracies there must be great fecrecy, confent, and union; yet it can hardly be conceiv'd, with what entire Confidence in each other, the numerous and not very rich Nobility of Scotland (for of the Common People, who are naturally very dependent on the other, there can be no wonder ) concurr'd in the carrying on this Rebellion: their strange Condefcenfion and Submiffion to their ignorant and infolent Clergy, who were to have great Authority because they were to inflame all forts of Men upon the obligations of Confcience; and in order thereunto, and to revenge a little Indifcretion and ill Manners of fome of the Bishops, had liberty to erect a Tribunal the most Tyrannical over all forts of Men, and in all the Families of the Kingdom: fo that the Preacher reprehended the Husband, govern'd the Wife, chaftis'd the Children, and infulted over the Servants, in the Houses of the Greatest Men. They referr'd the management and conduct of the whole Affair to a Committee of a few, who had never before exercis'd any Office or Authority in the Publick, with that perfect refignation and obedience, that no body prefum'd to enquire what was to be done, or to murmur at, or cenfure

L 3

any

any thing that was done; and the General himself, and the Martial Affairs, were fubject to this Regimen and Difcipline as well as the Civil: yet They who were intrufted with this Superiority, paid all the outward refpect and reverence to the person of the General, as if all the power and disposal had been in Him alone.

THE few English (for there were yet but very few who were intrufted from the beginning of the Enterprize, and with all that was then projected) were Men of referv'd and dark natures, of great industry and addrefs, and of much reputation for probity and integrity of Life, and who trusted none but those who were contented to be trusted to that degree as they were willing to truft them without being inquifitive into more than they were ready to Communicate, and for the rest depended upon their discretion and judgement; and fo prepar'd and difpos'd, by fecond and third hands, many to concur and contribute to feveral preparatory Actions, who would never have confented to the conclufions which naturally refulted from those premises.

THIS united strength, and humble and active temper, was not encounter'd by an equal providence and circumfpection in the King's Councils, or an equal temper and dutiful dispofition in the Court; nor did they who refolv'd honestly and ftoutly to discharge the Offices of good Servants and good Subjects to the utmost oppofition of all unlawful attempts, communicate their purposes to Men of the fame Integrity, that fo they might unite their Counsels as well in the manner and way, as their refolutions in the end. But every one thought it enough to preferve his own Innocence, and to leave the Reft to those who should have Authority to direct. The King was perplex'd and irrefolute, and according to his natural conftitution (which never difpos'd him to jealoufy of any Man of whom he had once thought well) was full of hope, that his condition was not fo bad as it feem'd to be. The Queen wifl'd much better to the Earl of Holland, than to the ArchBishop or the Earl of Strafford, neither of Them being in any degree acceptable to Her; fo that she was little concern'd for the danger that threatned them: but when the faw the King's Honour and Dignity invaded in the profecution, fhe withdrew her favour from the Earl of Holland: but then she was perfwaded, by those who had moft credit with her, to believe, that by the removal of the great Minifters, Her Power and Authority would be encreas'd, and that the prevailing Party would be willing to depend upon Her; and that by gratifying the principal Perfons of them with fuch Preferments as they affected, the fhould quickly reconcile all ill-humours: and fo fhe hearkned to any Overtures of that kind; which were

always

always carried on without the confent or privity of those who were concern'd, who in truth more difliked Her abfolute Power with the King, than any other Excess of the Court, and look'd upon it as the greatest Grievance. Every Man There confider'd only what application would be most like to raise his Own Fortune, or to do Thofe harm with whom he was angry, and gave himself wholely up to those Artifices which might promote either. To preferve themselves from the displeasure and cenfure of the Parliament, and to render themselves gracious to Those who were like to be powerful in it, was all Men's business and follicitude. And in this very unequal and difproportion'd condition and temper, was the King's and the Scotish Army, the Court and the Country, when the Parliament met.

THE END OF THE SECOND BOOK.

THE

History of the Rebellion, &c.

BOOK III.

Deut. XII. 3.

Take heed to thy Self, that thou be not fnared by fol lowing them, and that thou enquire not after their Gods, faying, How did thefe Nations ferve their "Gods? even fo will I do likewise,

Judg. 11.3.3

But they shall be as Thorns in your Sides, and their Gods fhall be a Snare unto you.

T

the Third

HE Parliament met upon the Third of November The Parlia1640, with a fuller appearance than could be rea- ment meet fonably expected, from the fhort time for Ele-November ctions after the ifluing out the Writs; infomuch 1640. as at the first not many Members were abfent. It had a fad and melancholick Afpect upon the first entrance, which prefag'd fome unusual and unnatural events. The King himself did not Ride with his accuftom'd Equipage nor in his ufual Majefty to Westminster, but went privately in his Barge to the Parliament Stairs, and after to the Church, as if it had been to a return of a Prorogued or Adjourn'd Parliament. And there was likewife an untoward, and in truth an unheard of accident, which broke many of the King's measures, and infinitely disorder'd his Service beyond a capacity of reparation. From the time the calling a Parliament was refolv'd upon, the King defign'd St Thomas Gardiner, who was Recorder of London, to be Speaker in the Houfe of Commons; a Man of gravity and quickness, that had fomewhat of authority and gracefulness in his Perfon and Prefence, and in all refpects equal to the Service. There was little doubt but that he would be chofen to ferve in one of the four places for the City of London,