No More Learning

The king was no sooner settled in his winter
quarters, after his retreat from Brentford to Oxford,

much exalted, and thought of weary of the service, and dis-

nothing but of forming new ar- engaged themselves, and gave

mirs, which might subdue the up their commands ; so that the

other parts of the kingdom ; motions were again renewed for



yet when they had better col-
lected themselves, the principal



sending to the king for a peace :
and at last a message was sent



persons of the parliament, and to the king, that he would send

those of the city, who had for- a safe conduct for four lords

merly very importunately press- and eight commoners to attend

ed the message to the king for his majesty with an humble pe-

a treaty, returned to the same tition from both houses, which

temper. The parliament was they hoped might produce a

full of faction, and they who good accommodation ; which

had concurred too much in the safe conduct was immediately

entering into the war, were granted, with which the mes-

now most solicitous to get out senger returned ; and within

of it ; they said the expense few days after, the earls of
already



was already unsupportable ; Northumberland, Pembroke, Sa-
their army was wasted, so that lisbury, and Holland, together
they were upon the matter to
begin again. They had spent
very much of the money which
had been raised for Ireland, and
employed great numbers of those
soldiers which were levied for
that kingdom, which did not
only redound to the great ha-
zard of losing that kingdom,
but would exceedingly turn to his majesty would permit them
their reproach with the people to send a committee of both
of England, as soon as it should
be taken notice of, and it could



with Pierrepoint, lord Wenman,
Whitlocke, Waller, and other
members of the house of com-
mons, came to Oxford with a
petition to the king ; which
contained no more than a de-
sire from the parliament, in
terms more modest than they
had been accustomed to, that



not be long concealed. They



houses to attend him, that they
might treat about a happy peace,
and, in the first place, of a ces-

foresaw likewise that the vast sation of all acts of hostility,
sum of money, which must be There was a pleasant observa-
got for the carrying on the war,
must all be raised out of the
city, which appeared discon-
tented enough. There was like-
wise no union in the army ;
many officers gave up their



commissions ; and those who
were members of both houses,
and had carried regiments and



tion at that time, which made
the artifices appear by which
they imposed upon their friends
at London. The people there
did generally believe that the
king, and the little army he had
with him, were in so great
straits for want of provision in
Oxford, that they were corn-



troops into the field, were pelled to eat horseflesh ; and



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 165



but the parliament sent to him for a safe-conduct, PART
for commissioners to be sent from them to treat nf



that they would in a short time
be forced to return to the par-
liament, that they might avoid
the being starved ; and either
to keep up this imagination, or



place, for the better understand-
ing the unhappy temper of the
court and of the king's affairs,
to remember, that, as soon as
the commissioners were gone



1643.



that they did themselves believe out of the. town, there appeared

the scarcity to be very great, a general indisposition in court,

these commissioners brought in army, and amongst the per-

with them a great quantity of sons of quality which filled the



provisions, even of bread and
beer, as well as of beef and
mutton and fowl, sufficient to
feed the whole company that



town, to the peace, and a won-
derful apprehension that it would
be brought to pass, and there-
fore there were many cabals



came with them, during such and meetings to consult how
time as they believed they should the treaty might be prevented,
stay there; of which they were or at least made ineffectual,
ashamed as soon as they en- Though the king was in plea-
tered Oxford, and saw the great sant and plentiful quarters,
plenty in the markets, not only where he wanted no provision
of the usual common fare, but
of those choice fowl, of phea-
sants, partridge, cocks, snipes,
in that abundance, as they were
not so well furnished in Lon-
don ; besides the best fish and
wild fowl, which was brought
in every day, from the western
part, in such plenty, that it can
hardly be imagined. So that
they were quickly converted
from giving credit to that ru-
mour, and it may be by it judged

the better of the want of inte- try would long endure free-
grity in many other reports, quarters, and submit likewise
The commissioners, after three
or four days, returned with a
gracious answer from the king,
and with a safe conduct for
such persons as the two houses
should send to treat with the
king ; and men began to en-



of victuals, and out of which
(for he was possessed of most
of the countries between Oxford
and Chester, and of the greatest
part of Wales) he might rea-
sonably hope to recruit his ar-
my ; yet there was no hope of
procuring money to pay them ;.
and though the soldiers yet be-
haved themselves modestly in
their quarters, so that there
were no complaints, it could
not be imagined that the coun-



tertain good hope of a peace,
and fair accommodation of all
differences.

It may not be unfit in this



to pay contributions in money,
which was assigned to the horse.
The battle of Edge-hill, and
the supplying the few garrisons
which were made with very
slender proportions of ammu-
nition, had already so exhausted
the stores, that there were not
left at this time in Oxford above
forty barrels of powder, and
match and bullet proportion-

M 3



166



THE LIFE OF



1643.



PART peace; which was sent to them. And at this time
there was a change in Mr. Hyde's fortune, by a pre-
ferment the king conferred upon him. Every body
knew that he was trusted by the king in his most
secret transactions ; but he was under no character
in his service. When the commissioners who were
sent for the safe-conduct came to Oxford, some who
came in their company, amongst other matters of
intelligence, brought the king a letter of his own to
the queen, printed, that had been intercepted, and
printed by the license, if not order, of the parlia-



able ; and though there was set
up there a mill to make pow-
der, newly erected, yet the un-
dertakers in it would not pro-
mise to provide above twenty
barrels in a week, which could
produce no provision suitable
to the necessity. It is true
there was a reasonable supply
of arms and ammunition ar-
rived at Newcastle, the only
port in the king's obedience ;
but, besides the great use there
was to be of it in those parts,
where the earl of Newcastle
had been left to raise an army,
and had now Yorkshire added
to his commission, which stood
in great need of his protection,
the distance was so great be-
tween that and Oxford, that
there was little hope of getting
any of it with a less convoy
than an army. Above all this,
it was apparent to all men, who
could discern at any distance,
that the good humour of the
lords and persons of quality,
which kept up the humour every
where else, would decay, and
turn into murmuring and dis-



content, as soon as that money
should be spent which they had
brought with them from Lon-
don, and which alone had made
some show of plenty in the
court ; and therefore it was
looked upon by wise men as a
judgment from Heaven, that
now, when that seemed to be
in view which men of all con-
ditions had prayed for since the
setting up the standard at Not-
tingham, there should be even
a conspiracy amongst those very
persons to drive that blessing
from them. And it was the
more wonderful, that even the
king himself was not without
apprehension that he might suf-
fer by making peace, and coun-
tenanced those who spake most
against it, and laboured to pre-
vent it ; of which there will be
occasion anon to speak more at
large, and in that place to men-
tion the true reason which pro-
duced that aversion. At this
time there was a change in Mr.
Hyde's fortune, &c. as in page
1C6, line 1.



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 167

ment. In this letter, of the safe conveyance whereof PART
his majesty had no apprehension, the king had la-



mented the uneasiness of his own condition, in re-
spect of the daily importunity which was made to
him by the lords and others, for honours, offices,
and preferments ; and named several lords, who were
solicitous by themselves, or their friends, for this
and that place ; in all which he desired to receive
the queen's advice, being resolved to do nothing
with reference to those pretences, till he should re-
ceive it. But he said there were some places which
he must dispose of without staying for her answer,
the necessity of his service requiring it ; which were
the mastership of the wards ; applications being still
made to the lord Say in those affairs, and so that
revenue was diverted from him : and therefore, as
he had revoked his patent, so he was resolved to
make secretary Nicholas master of the wards ; " and
" then," (these were his majesty's own words,) " I
" must make Ned Hyde secretary of state, for the
" truth is, I can trust nobody else. " Which was a
very envious expression, and extended by the ill in-
terpretation of some men, to a more general corn-
prehension than could be intended. This was quick-
ly made public, for there were several prints of it
in many hands ; and some men had reason to be
troubled to find their names mentioned in that man-
ner, and others were glad that theirs were there, as
having the pretence to pursue their importunities
the more vehemently, being, as the phrase was,
brought upon the stage, and should suffer much in
their honour, if they should be now rejected ; which
kind of argumentation was very unagreeable and
grievous to the king.

M 4



168 THE LIFE OF

PART One morning, when the king was walking in the
! garden, as he used to do, Mr. Hyde being then in



. , '^ 3 ,' his view, his majesty called him, and discoursed of

Mr. Hyde J J

declines the the trouble he was in at the intercepting that letter ;

office of se- i / i i j

cretaryof and finding by his countenance that he understood
not the meaning, he asked him, " whether he had
" not heard a letter of his, which he writ to the
" queen, had been intercepted and printed. " And
he answering, " that he had not heard of it," as in
truth he had not, the king gave him the printed
letter to read, and then said, that "he wished it
" were as much in his power to make every body
" else amends as he could him ; for," he said, " he
" was resolved that afternoon to swear him secretary
" of state, in the place of Nicholas, whom he would
" likewise then make master of the wards. " Mr.
Hyde told him, " he was indeed much surprised
" with the sight of the letter ; which he wished had
" not been communicated in that manner : but that
" he was much more surprised to find his own name
" in it, and his majesty's resolution upon it, which
" he besought him to change ; for as he never had
" the ambition to hope or wish for that place, so he
" knew he was very unfit for it, and unable to dis-
" charge it. " To which the king with a little anger
replied, that " he did the greatest part of the busi-
" ness now :" and he answered, that " what he did
" now would be no part of the business, if the rebel-
" lion were ended ; and that his unskilfulness in lan-
" guages, and his not understanding foreign affairs,
" rendered him very incapable of that trust. " The
king said, " he would learn as much as was neces-
" sary of that kind very quickly. " He continued
his desire, that his majesty would lay aside that



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 169

thought; and said, "that he had great friendship PART
" for secretary Nicholas, who would be undone by.



" the change ; for he would find that his majesty J 643 *
" would receive very little, and he nothing, by that
" office, till the troubles were composed. " The king
said, " Nicholas was an honest man, and that his
" change was by his desire ;" and bade him speak
with him of it ; which he went presently to do, leav-
ing his majesty unsatisfied with the scruples he had
made.

When he came to the secretary's lodging, he
found him with a cheerful countenance, and em-
bracing him, called him his son. Mr. Hyde an-
swered him, that " it was not the part of a good son
" to undo his father, or to become his son that he
" might undo him :" and so they entered upon the
discourse; the one telling him what the king had
resolved, and how grateful the resolution was to
him ; and the other informing him of the conference
he had then had with the king, and that for his
sake, as well as his own, he would not submit to
the king's pleasure in it. And so he debated the
whole matter with him, and made it evident to him,
that he would be disappointed in any expectation
he should entertain of profit from the wards, as the
state of affairs then stood : so that he should relin-
quish an honourable employment, which he was well
acquainted with, for an empty title, with which he
would have nothing to do : and so advised him to
consider well of it, and of all the consequences of it,
before he exposed himself to such an inconvenience.

Whilst this was in suspense, sir Charles Caesar,
who, with great prejudice to the king, and more re-
proach to the archbishop of Canterbury, Laud, had



170 THE LIFE OF

PART been made master of the rolls, died: and sir John
. Colepepper had long had a promise from the king



of that place, when it should become void, and now
pressed the performance of it : which was violently
opposed by many, partly out of ill-will to him, (for
he had not the faculty of getting himself much
loved,) and as much out of good husbandry, and to
supply the king's necessities with a good sum of
money, which Dr. Duck was ready to lay down for
the office. And the king was so far wrought upon,
that he paid down three thousand pounds in part of
what he was to give ; but his majesty caused the
money to be repaid, and resolved to make good his
promise to sir John Colepepper, who would by no
means release him. This was no sooner declared,
than the lord Falkland (who was much more soli-
citous to have Mr. Hyde of the council, than he was
himself for the honour) took an opportunity to tell
the king, that he had now a good opportunity to
prefer Mr. Hyde, by making him chancellor of the
exchequer, in the place of sir John Colepepper;
which the king said he had resolved to do, and bid
him take no notice of it, until he had told him so'
himself: and shortly after sent for him, and said,
But accepts that he had now found an office for him, which

that of

chancellor " he hoped he would not refuse : that the chancel-
" " lorship of the exchequer was void by the promo-
" tion of Colepepper, and that he resolved to confer
" it upon him ;" with many gracious expressions of
the satisfaction he had in his service. The other
answered, " that though it was an office much above
" his merit, yet he did not despair of enabling hiin-
" self by industry to execute it, which he would do
" with all fidelity. "



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 171

As soon as this was known, no man was so much PART
troubled at it as sir John Colepepper, who had in



truth an intention to have kept both places, until 1643 '
he should get into the quiet possession of the rolls.
And though he professed much friendship to the
other, he had no mind he should be upon the same
level with him ; and believed he would have too
much credit in the council. And so delayed, after
his patent for the rolls was passed, to surrender that
of the chancellorship of the exchequer, until the
lord Falkland and the lord Digby expostulated very
warmly with him upon it, and until the king took
notice of it ; and then, seeming very much troubled
that any body should doubt the integrity of his
friendship to Mr. Hyde, to whom he made all the
professions imaginable, he surrendered his office of
chancellor of the exchequer : and the next day Mr. He 5s swom

TT J X-. LU -1 J 1 ' 1. J fthe P rh 7-

Hyde was sworn 01 the privy-council, and knighted, council, and
and had his patents sealed for that office. And the kmg **
king, after he rose from the council, and after many
expressions of the content he took himself in the
obligation he had laid upon him, with much grace,
that was not natural in him upon such occasions,
told him, that " he was very fortunate, because he
" verily believed nobody was angry at his prefer-
" ment; for besides that the earl of Dorset and
" others, who he knew loved him, had expressed
" much satisfaction in the king's purpose," he said,
" the lord Maltrevers, and the lord Dunsmore, who
" he did not think had any acquaintance with him,
" seemed very much pleased with him ; and there-
" fore he thought nobody would envy him ; which
" was a rare felicity. " But his majesty was therein
mistaken ; for he had great enviers, of many who



172 THE LIFE OF

PART thought he had run too fast; especially of those of
his own profession, who looked upon themselves as



1643. his superiors in all respects, and did not think that
his age, (which was not then above thirty-three,) or
his other parts, did entitle him to such a preference
before them. And the news of it at Westminster
exceedingly offended those who governed in the par-
liament; to see the man whom they most hated,
and whom they had voted to be incapable of pardon,
to be now preferred to an office the chief of them
looked for. Besides, there was another unusual cir-
cumstance accompanied his preferment, that it was
without the interposition or privity of the queen,
which was not like to make it the more easy and
advantageous ; and it was not the more unwelcome
to him from that circumstance.

Notwithstanding all the discourse of, and inclina-
tion to a treaty, the armies were not quiet on either
side. The king's quarters were enlarged by the
taking of Marlborough in Wiltshire, and of Ciren-
cester in Gloucestershire; which, though untenable
by their situation and weak fortifications, were gar-
risoned by the parliament with great numbers of
men ; who were all killed, or taken prisoners. And
the parliament forces were not without success too ;
and, after the loss of Marlborough, surprised the re-
giment of horse, that was commanded by the lord
Grandison, a gallant gentleman, who, if not be-
trayed, was unhappily invited to Winchester, with
promise of forces ready to defend the place ; which
being in no degree performed, he was, the next day
after he came, enclosed in the castle of Winchester,
and compelled to become, all, officers and soldiers,
prisoners of war : though he and some other of the



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 173

f

principal officers, by the negligence or corruption of PART
their guard, made their escape in the night, and re-.



turned to Oxford. 1643 -

This was the state of the kingdom, of the king,
and of the parliament, in the beginning of the year
1643, at the time when Mr. Hyde was made of the
privy-council, and chancellor of the exchequer :
which was between the return of the commissioners,
who had been sent to the king to propose a treaty,
and the coming of those commissioners to Oxford,
who were afterwards sent from the parliament to
treat with the king ; which being about the end of
the year 1642, this part shall be closed here,

) the %4ith of July ^ 1669.



THE LIFE



OF



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON;

FROM HIS BIRTH TO THE RESTORATION OF THE
ROYAL FAMILY IN THE YEAR 1660.



PART III.



J. T was about the beginning of March (which by PART
that account was about the end of the year 1642,.



and about the beginning of the year 1643) that the 1643 -
commissioners of the parliament came to Oxford, to
treat with his majesty; and were received graciously
by him ; and by his order lodged conveniently, and
well accommodated in all respects.

The parliament had bound up their commissioners 11

a The parliament had bound treat with his majesty himself,
up their commissioners] Thus and not with any other persons;
in the MS. : The persons were whereupon his majesty gave
the earl of Northumberland, them admission whenever they
(the rest appointed by the house desired it, and received what
of peers were dispensed with,) they had to propose in writing,
and of the commons the lord and then consulted and debated
Wenman, Mr. Pierrepoint, Mr. it at his council, and delivered
Whitlocke, and the his answer again in writing, the
king intended to have appointed chancellor of the exchequer be-
some of his council to have ing always appointed to prepare
treated with them ; but they those answers. The commis-
discovered at their first audience, sioners had very sincere desires
that they had authority only to to have made a peace, none of



176



THE LIFE OF



1643.



P nJ lT ^ ^ e IBti " c * est tetter of their propositions ; nor did
their instructions at this time (which they presented
to the king) admit the least latitude to them, to
interpret a word or expression, that admitted a
doubtful interpretation. Insomuch as the king told
them, " that he was sorry that they had no more
" trust reposed in them ; and that the parliament
" might as well have sent their demands to him by
" the common carrier, as by commissioners so re-
" strained. " They had only twenty days allowed



them having ever had inclina-
tion to alter the government,
and the short experience they
had, made it manifest to them
that others were possessed with
contrary resolutions ; but their
instructions were very strict, and
nothing left to their own discre-
tions ; they who sent them well
knowing how their affections
stood, and though they had not
power to hinder a treaty, which
all the kingdom called for, and
to refuse it had been to declare
that they would continue the
war that was universally abo-
minated ; yet they knew well
how to elude it, which they
were the less suspected to in-
cline to, because they were still
willing that such persons should
be employed to treat who were
known to be most solicitous for
peace. When the propositions
were formed in the house, upon
the debate of them, when ob-
jections were made of their un-
reasonableness : that the king
had already refused those very
overtures when his condition
was much lower, and therefore
that it was not probable he
would yield to the same when



he was in the head of a good
army: it was answered by those
who resolved it should come to
nothing, that it was. the course
and rule in all treaties iniquum
peter e ut cequum feras ; that they
did not expect that the king
would yield to all they desired,
or indeed that a peace would
ever be made upon what they
did or could propose ; but that
thereupon the king would be
wrought upon to make his pro-
positions, which must be the
ground of the peace; and that
theyjnust first know what the
king would grant before they
abated any thing of their de-
mands ; and hereby (which
seemed to have somewhat of
-eason) they still prevailed to
keep up their propositions to
the utmost they had insisted
upon, in their proudest and
most insolent conjuncture, but
still implied that they would be
glad to depart from any thing
of it, when they should see any
approach made towards peace
by any concessions from the
king that would, make it safe
and valid: yet they bound up
their commissioners, &c.



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 177

them to finish the whole treaty: whereof they might PART
employ six days 'in adjusting a cessation, if they -
found it probable to effect it in that time; other- 1643t
wise they were to decline the cessation, and enter
upon the conditions of the peace ; which, if not con-
cluded before the end of the twenty days, they were
to give it over, and to return to the parliament.

These propositions and restrictions much abated
the hopes of a good issue of the treaty. Yet every
body believed, and the commissioners themselves
did not doubt, that if such a progress should be
made in the treaty, that a peace was like to ensue,
there would be no difficulty in the enlargement of
the time ; and therefore the articles for a cessation
were the sooner declined, that they might proceed
in the main business. For though what was pro-
posed by them in order to it was agreeable enough
to the nature of such an affair; yet the time allowed
for it was so short, that it was impossible to make
it practicable : nor could notice be timely given to
all the quarters on either side to observe it.

Besides that, there were many particulars in it,
which the officers on the king's side (who had no
mind to a cessation) formalized much upon ; and (I
know not from what unhappy root, but) there was
sprung up a wonderful aversion in the town against
a cessation. Insomuch as many persons of quality
of several counties, whereof the town was full, ap-
plied themselves in a body to the king, not to con-
sent to a cessation till a peace might be concluded ;
alleging, that they had several agitations in their
countries, for his majesty's and their own conveni-
ences, which would be interrupted by the cessation ;
and if a peace should not afterwards ensue, would

VOL. I. N



178 THE LIFE OF

PART be very mischievous. Which suggestion, if it had
. been well weighed, would not have been found to



1643. k e o f importance. But the truth is, the king him-
self had no mind to the cessation, for a reason which
shall be mentioned anon, though it was never owned:
and so they waved all further mention of the cessa-
tion, and betook themselves to the treaty ; it being
reasonable enough to believe, that if both sides were
heartily disposed to it; a peace might as soon have
been agreed upon as a cessation could be. All the
transactions of that treaty having been long since
published, and being fit only to be digested into the
The secret history of that time, are to be omitted here. Only

transactions

in the treaty what passed in secret, and was never communicated,

of Oxford. -I'll

nor can otherwise be known, since at this time no
man else is living who was privy to that negociation
but the chancellor of the exchequer, will have a
proper place in this discourse.

The propositions brought by the commissioners b
in the treaty were so unreasonable, that they well
knew that the king would never consent to them :
but some persons amongst them, who were known to

b The propositions brought by to that, and that guilt was in

the commissioners] The follow- truth the foundation of their

ing portion is here omitted : the union. On the other side, if

commissioners, who had all good the parliament insisted on all

fortunes and estates, had all a that they had demanded, all the

great desire of peaee, but knew power of the crown and inonar-

well that there must be a reced- cby itself would be thrown off

ing mutually on both sides from the hinges, which as they could

what they demanded ; for if the never imagine the king would

king insisted on justice, and on ever consent to, so they saw

the satisfaction and reparation well enough their own concern-

the law would give him, the ment in it, and that themselves

lives and the fortunes of all should be as much involved in

who had opposed him would be the confusion as those they call-

at his mercy ; and there were ed their enemies,
too many concerned to submit



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 179

wish well to the king, endeavoured underhand to PART

in

bring it to pass. And they did therefore, whilst,



they publicly pursued their instructions, and deli- 164 3.
vered and received papers upon their propositions,
privately use all the means they could, especially in
conferences with the lord Falkland and the chancel-
lor of the exchequer, that the king might be pre-
vailed with in some degree to comply with their
unreasonable demands.

In all matters which related to the church, they
did not only despair of the king's concurrence, but
did not ~in their own judgments wish it; and be-
lieved, that the strength of the party which desired
the continuance of the war, was made up of those
who were very indifferent in that point ; and that,
if they might return with satisfaction in other parti-
culars, they should have power enough in the two
houses, to oblige the more violent people to accept
or submit to the conditions. They wished therefore
that the king would make some condescensions in
tne point of the militia ; which they looked upon as
the only substantial security they could have, not to
be called in question for what they had done amiss.
And when they saw nothing could be digested of
that kind, which would not reflect both upon the
king's authority and his honour, they gave over in-
sisting upon the general ; and then Mr. Pierrepoint Mr.
(who was of the best parts, and most intimate with posit
the earl of Northumberland) rather desired than
proposed, that the king would offer to grant his
commission to the earl of Northumberland, to be
lord high admiral of England. By which conde-
scension he would be restored to his office, which he
had lost for their sakes ; and so their honour would

N 2



180 THE LIFE OF

PART be likewise repaired, without any signal prejudice to
. the king; since he should hold it only by his ma-



1643. jesty's commission, and not by any ordinance of
parliament : and he said, if the king would be in-
duced to gratify them in this particular, he could
not be confident that they should be able to prevail
with both houses to be satisfied therewith, so Jhat a
peace might suddenly be concluded ; but, as he did
not despair even of that, he did believe, that so
many would be satisfied with it, that they would
from thence take the occasion to separate themselves
from them, as men who would rather destroy their
country than restore it to peace.

And the earl of Northumberland himself took so
much notice of this discourse to secretary Nicholas,
(with whom he had as much freedom as his reserved
nature was capable of,) as to protest to him, that he
desired only to receive that honour and trust from
the king, that he might be able to do him service ;
and thereby to recover the credit he had unhappily
lost with him. In which he used very decent ex-
pressions towards his majesty ; not without such re-
flections upon his own behaviour, as implied that he
was not proud of it : and concluded, that if his ma-
jesty would do him that honour, as to make that
offer to the houses, upon the proposition of the
militia, he would do all he could that it might be
effectual towards a peace ; and if it had not success,
he would pass his word and honour to the king,
that as soon, or whensoever his majesty would please
to require it, he would deliver up his commission
again into his hands ; he having no other ambition
or desire, than by this means to redeliyer up the
royal navy to his majesty's as absolute disposal, as



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 181

it was when his majesty first put it into his hands; PART
and which he doubted would hardly be done by any _



other expedient, at least not so soon. ]G43.

When this proposition (which, from the interest
and persons who proposed it, seemed to carry with
it some probability of success, if it should be ac-
cepted) was communicated with those who were
like with most secrecy to consult it ; secretary Ni-
cholas having already made some approach towards
the king upon the subject, and found his majesty
without inclination to hear more of it ; it was agreed
and resolved by them, that the chancellor of the ex-
chequer should presume to make the proposition
plainly to the king, and to persuade his majesty to
hear it debated in his presence ; at least, if that
might not be, to enlarge upon it himself as much
as the argument required : and he was not unwill-
ing to embark himself in the affair.

When he found a fit opportunity for the repre- Which the
sentation, and his majesty at good leisure, in



morning's walk, when he was always most willing chequer

vises the

to be entertained ; the chancellor related ingenu- king to
ously to him the whole discourse, which had been^j y
made by Mr. Pierrepoint, and to whom ; and what
the earl himself had said to secretary Nicholas ; and
what conference they, to whom his majesty gave
leave to consult together upon his affairs, had be-
tween themselves upon the argument, and what
occurred to them upon it : in which he mentioned
the earl's demerit towards his majesty with severity
enough, and what reason he had not to be willing
to restore a man to his favour, who had forfeited it
so unworthily. Yet he desired him to consider his
own ill condition ; and how unlike it was that it

N 3



182 THE LIFE OF

PART should be improved by the continuance of the war;

! and whether he could ever imagine a possibility of

643 ' getting out of it upon more easy conditions than
what was now proposed ; the offer of which to the
parliament could do him no signal prejudice, and
could -not but bring him very notable advantages :
for if the peace did not ensue upon it, such a rup-
' ture infallibly would, as might in a little time facili-
tate the other. And then he said as much to lessen
the malignity of the earl as he could, by remember-
ing, how dutifully he had resigned his commission
of admiral upon his majesty's demand, and his re-
fusal to accept the commission the parliament would
have given him ; and observed some vices in his na-
ture, which would stand in the place of virtues, to-
wards the support of his fidelity to his majesty, and
his animosity against the parliament, if he were
once reingratiated to his majesty's trust.

The king heard him very quietly without the
least interruption, which he used not to do upon
subjects which were not grateful to him ; for he
knew well that he was not swayed by any affection
to the man, to whom he was more a stranger than
he was to most of that condition ; and he, upon oc-
casions, had often made sharp reflections upon his
ingratitude to the king. His majesty seemed at the
first to insist upon the improbability that any such
concession by him would be attended with any suc-
cess ; that not only the earl had not interest in the
houses to lead them into a resolution that was only
for his particular benefit, but that the parliament
itself was not able to make a peace, without such
conditions as the army would require ; and then he
should suffer exceedingly in his honour, for having



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 183

shewn an inclination to a person who had requited PART

his former graces so unworthily : and this led him

into more warmth than he used to be affected with. 4t> *
He said, " indeed he had been very unfortunate in Thekin s' s

answer.

" conferring his favours upon many very ungrateful
" persons ; but no man was so inexcusable as the
'* earl of Northumberland. " He said, " he knew that
" the earl of Holland was generally looked lipon
" as the man of the greatest ingratitude ; but," he
said, " he could better excuse him than the other :
" that it was true, he owed all he had to his
" father's and his bounties, and that himself had
" conferred great favours upon him ; but that it was
" as true, he had frequently given him many mor-
" tifications, which, though he had deserved, he knew
" had troubled him very much ; that he had oftener
" denied him, than any other man of his condition ;
" and that he had but lately refused to gratify him
" in a suit he had made to him, of which he had been
" very confident ; and so might have some excuse
" (how ill soever) for being out of humour, which
" led him from one ill to another : but that he had
"lived always without intermission with the earl
" of Northumberland as his friend, and courted him
" as his mistress ; that he had never denied any
" thing he had ever asked ; and therefore his carriage
" -to him was never to be forgotten. "

And this discourse he continued with more com-
motion, and in a more pathetical style than ever he
used upon any other argument. And though at
that time it was not fit to press the niatter further,
it was afterwards resumed by the same person more
than once ; but without any other effect, than that
his majesty was contented that the earl should not

N 4



184 THE LIFE OF

PART despair of being restored to that office, when the



peace should be made; or upon any eminent service
performed by him, when the peace should be de-
spaired of. The king was very willing and desirous
that the treaty should be drawn out in length ; to
which purpose a proposition was made to the com-
missioners for an addition of ten days, which they
sent to the parliament, without the least apprehen-
sion that it would be denied. But they were de-
ceived ; and for answer, received an order upon the
last day but one of the time before limited, by which
they were expressly required to leave Oxford the
next day. From that time all intercourse and com-
merce between Oxford and London, which had
been permitted before, was absolutely interdicted
under the highest penalties by the parliament.

If this secret underhand proposition had succeed-
ed, and received that encouragement from the king
that was desired, and more application of the same
remedies had been then made to other persons, (for
alone it could never have proved effectual,) it is pro-
bable, that those violent and abominable counsels,
which were but then in projection between very few
men of any interest, and which were afterwards mi-
serably put in practice, had been prevented. And
it was exceedingly wondered at, by those who were
then privy to this overture, and by all who after-
wards came to hear of it, that the king should in
that conjuncture decline so advantageous a propo-
sition ; since he did already discern many ill humours
and factions. , growing and nourished, both in his court
and army, which would every day be uneasy to him;
and did with all his soul desire an end of the war.
And there was nothing more suitable and agreeable



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 185

to his magnanimous nature, than to forgive those, PART
who had in the highest degree offended him : which



temper was notorious throughout his whole life. It
will not be therefore amiss, in this discourse, to en-
large upon this fatal rejection, and the true cause
and ground thereof.

The king's affection to the queen was of a very The true
extraordinary alloy; a composition of conscience, and the king's
love, and generosity, and gratitude, and all those re J ectu) s '*
noble affections which raise the passion to the great-
est height ; insomuch as he saw with her eyes, and
determined by her judgment ; and did not only pay
her this adoration, but desired that all men should
know that he was swayed by her : which was not good
for either of them. ,,The queen was a lady of great
beauty, excellent wit and humour, and made him a
just return of noblest affections ; so that they were
the true idea of conjugal affection, in the age in
which they lived. When she was admitted to the
knowledge and participation of the most secret af-
fairs, (from which she had been carefully restrained
by the duke of Buckingham whilst he lived,) she
took delight in the examining and discussing them,
and from thence in making judgment of them; in
which her passions were always strong.

She had felt so much pain in knowing nothing,
and meddling with nothing, during the time of that
great favourite, that now she took pleasure in no-
thing but knowing all things, and disposing all
things ; and thought it but just, that she should dis-
pose of all favours and preferments, as he had done ;
at least, that nothing of that kind might be done

c this discourse,] MS. adds : so can reflect upon nobody's
which is never to see light, and character with prejudice,



186 THE LIFE OF

PART without her privity: not considering that the uni-
. versal prejudice that great man had undergone, was



1643. no t w jth reference to his person, but his power; and
that the same power would be equally obnoxious to
murmur and complaint, if it resided in any other
person than the king himself. And she so far con-
curred with the king's inclination, that she did not
more desire to be possessed of this unlimited power,
than that all the world should take notice that she
' was the entire mistress of it : which in truth (what
other unhappy circumstances soever concurred in
the mischief) was the foundation upon which the
first and the utmost prejudices to the king and his
government were raised and prosecuted. And it
was her majesty's and the kingdom's misfortune,
that she had not any person about her, who had
either ability or affection, to inform and advise lir
of the temper of the kingdom, or humour of the
people ; or who thought either worth the caring
for.

When the disturbances grew so rude as to inter-
rupt this harmony, and the queen's fears, and indis-
position, which proceeded from those fears, disposed
her to leave the kingdom, which the king, to comply
with her, consented to ; (and if that fear had not
been predominant in her, her jealousy and appre-
hension, that the king would at some time be pre-
vailed with to yield to some unreasonable conditions,
would have dissuaded her from that voyage ;) to
make all things therefore as sure as might be, that
her absence should not be attended with any such
inconvenience, his majesty made a solemn promise
to her at parting, that he would receive no person
into any favour or trust, who had disserved him,



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 187

without her privity and consent; and that, as she PART
had undergone so many reproaches and calumnies at



the entrance into the war, so he would never make
any peace, but by her interposition and mediation,
that the kingdom might receive that blessing only
from her.

This promise (of which his majesty was too reli-
gious an observer) was the cause of his majesty's re-
jection, or not entertaining this last overture ; and
this was the reason that he had that aversion to the
cessation, which he thought would inevitably oblige
him to consent to the peace, as it should be pro-
posed; and therefore he had countenanced an ad-
dress, that had been made to him against it, by the
gentlemen of several counties attending the court :
and in truth they were put upon that address by
the king's own private direction. Upon which the
chancellor of the exchequer told him, when the bu-
siness was over, that he had raised a spirit he would
not be able to conjure down ; and that those peti-
tioners had now appeared in a business that pleased
him, but would be as ready to appear, at another
time, to cross what he desired ; which proved true.
For he was afterwards more troubled with applica-
tion and importunity of that kind, and the mur-
murs that arose from that liberty, when all men
would be counsellors, and censure all that the coun-
cil did, than with the power of the enemy.

About the time that the treaty began, the queen
landed in the north d ; and she resolved, with a good

d the queen landed in the after her landing, that she was

north] MS. adds: having been glad to resort for shelter to

chased by the parliament ships some banks in the field, where

into Burlington bay, their ships she spent most part of the

discharging all their cannon upon night, and was the next day re-

a small village where she lodged ceived by the earl of Newcastle,



188 THE LIFE OF

PART quantity of ammunition and arms, to make what
. haste she could to the king; having at her first



1643. landing expressed, by a letter to his majesty, her
apprehension of an ill peace by that treaty ; and de-
clared, that she would never live in England, if she
might not have a guard for the security of her per-
son : which letter came accidentally afterwards into
the hands of the parliament ; of which they made
use to the queen's disadvantage. And the expecta-
tion of her majesty's arrival at Oxford, was the rea-
son that the king so much desired the prolongation
of the treaty. And if it had pleased God that she
had come thither time enough, as she did shortly
after, she would have probably condescended to many
propositions for the gratifying particular persons, as
appeared afterwards, if thereby a reasonable peace
might have been obtained.



The Scot- e^y nen ^he Scottish commissioners attended the

tish com-

missioners king at Oxford, and desired . his leave that there
the king might be a parliament called in Scotland, which his
quest "for majesty denied them, (well knowing that they
i- wou ld, against all the protestations and oaths they
na( j made to him at his being in that country, join
with those at Westminster,) they presented a long
paper to the king 6 , containing a bitter invective

with some troops of his army, parliament came to Oxford to

and was by him conveyed to treat, that some commissioners

York. Her majesty had brought from Scotland came likewise to

with her a good supply of arms the king ; and, having taken

and ammunition, which was ex- London in their way, had con-

ceedingly wanted in the king's certed with their old friends

quarters ; and she resolved, &c. how to behave themselves, and

e When the Scottish commis- how they might be able, by be-

sioners they presented a long ing present there, to advance

paper to the king] This is their pretences. They were sent

stated more at large in the MS. : by the council and kingdom of

It was some few days before Scotland, and they pretended

the commissioners from the to desire his majesty to issue



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 189



against bishops, and the whole government of the PART
church ; as being contrary to the word of God, and



1643.



out his letters of summons for
the convening a parliament in
that kingdom, which they said
the affairs of that nation re-
quired ; the rather, because of
the present distractions in Eng-
land. The earl of Loudon, so
often mentioned before, who
had been so deeply engaged in
the beginning, and throughout
the rebellion of Scotland, and
had been gratified upon the
pacification, (in treaty whereof
he had been a principal com-
missioner,) at the king's late
being in Edinburgh, with being
made an earl and chancellor
of Scotland, was the principal
commissioner now sent to Ox-
ford, together with Alexander
Henderson, their high priest,
who had modelled the church
government there, after he had
inflamed the people against the
bishops there. In that parlia-
ment, when his majesty had
been lately present, and they
had obtained all those conces-
sions from his majesty which
gave them power to keep all
they had got, and left the
empty name of king to his ma-
jesty, there was an act passed
for the dissolving that parlia-
ment, with a provision in it,
that if the king should not call
another parliament within three
years after the dissolution of
that, that then, upon such day,
in such a year, summons should
be sent out by the several offi-
cers, so that infallibly, on such
a Tuesday, in such a year, an-
other parliament should meet at
Edinburgh according to such a
model as they had carried with



them from London. Now when
these commissioners came to
Oxford to demand a parlia-
ment, there were above two
years to come to the day upon
which that act of parliament
would authorize them to meet ;
but it is true the king might,
if he thought fit, convene one
sooner. His majesty knew well,
that, with reference to Scotland
itself, there was no occasion for
a parliament to meet, and knew
as well, that it was desired only
in order the better to support
the rebellion in England ; and,
without a parliament, he did
not believe that the disaffected
party in that kingdom would
have power enough to do him
any notable disservice ; his ma-
jesty always unhappily overva-
luing the authority of those
there, who he believed true to
him ; and therefore he gave for
answer to those commissioners,
that he would send out his sum-
mons time enough for a parlia-
ment to meet before that time :
nor could all the importunity
they could use, which was very
great, nor the professions and
promises which they could
make, which were very many,
how great benefit and service
his majesty should receive by
speedily calling a parliament,
prevail with him to give them
any other answer. "

\Vhen they despaired of hav-
ing his majesty's leave to have
a parliament, which would have
served their turn, and suspended
all other propositions, they dealt
more ingenuously and openly ;
and taking notice of the present



190 THE LIFE OF

PART to the advancement of true religion: and con-
iii

. eluded with a very passionate desire for the altera-



1643. tj on of that government, as the only means to settle
peace throughout his majesty's dominions. In all
their other demands, concerning the kingdom of
Scotland, and calling a parliament there, the king
had only conferred with two or three of those he
most trusted, whereof the chancellor of the exche-
quer was always one, and drew the answers he
gave : but this last paper, which only concerned
England, he brought to the council-board, and re-
quired their advice, what answer he should give to
it. The king himself was very desirous to take this
occasion, to shew his affection and zeal for the
church ; and that other men's mouths might be
hereafter stopped in that argument, and that no-
body might ever make the same proposition to him
again, he had a great mind to have made an answer
to every expression in their paper, and to have set
out the divine right of episcopacy ; and how impos-
sible it was ever for him in conscience to consent to
any thing, to the prejudice of that order and func-
tion, or to the alienating their lands ; enlarging
himself more in the debate, than he used to do
upon any other argument; mentioning those rea-
sons which the ablest prelate could do upon that oc-
casion ; and wished that all those, and such others
as might occur, should be contained in his answer.

Many of the lords were of opinion that a short
answer would be best, that should contain nothing
but -a rejection of the proposition, without giving
any reason ; no man seeming to concur with his

treaty, and desiring such an nient of the true religion, they

end thereof as might establish presented a long paper to the

peace and quiet to the nation, king, &c. as in p. 188. I. 25.
to the glory of God, and settle-



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 191

majesty; with which he was not satisfied; and re- PART
plied with some sharpness upon what had been said. .



Upon which the lord Falkland replied, having been
before of that mind, desiring that no reasons might
be given ; and upon that occasion answered many
of those reasons the king had urged, as not valid to
support the subject, with a little quickness of wit,
(as his notions were always sharp, and expressed
with notable vivacity,) which made the king warmer
than he used to be; reproaching all who were of
that mind with, want of affection, for the church ;
and declaring, that he would have the substance of
what he had said, or of the like nature, digested
into his answer : with which reprehension all sat
very silent, having never undergone the like before.
Whereupon the king recollecting himself, and ob- The king
serving that the chancellor of the exchequer had
not yet spoke, called upon him to deliver his opinion, iJj
adding, that he was sure he was of his majesty's q er to de

i f i iii liver his

mmd, with reference to religion and the church. opinion

The chancellor stood up, and said, that he would
have been glad to have said nothing that day, hav-
ing observed more warmth than had ever been at
that board, since he had the honour to sit here,
(which was not many days before ;) that in truth
he was not of the opinion of any one who had
spoken ; he did not think that the answer ought to
be very short, or without any reasons ; and he did
as little think that the reasons mentioned by his
majesty ought to be applied to the paper, which the
Scots had been so bold as to present to the king.
He said, all those reasons were fit to be offered in a
synod, or in any other place, where that subject
could be lawfully ventilated ; and he believed them
all to be of that weight, that Mr. Henderson and all



192 THE LIFE OF

PART his assembly of divines could never answer; but he
' should be very sorry that his majesty should so far
6 "* 3 - condescend to their presumption, as to give those
reasons ; as if he admitted the matter to be dis-
puted. He asked his majesty, what answer he would
give to the king of France, if he should send to him
to alter the government of the city of London, or
any other city, and that he would substitute other
magistrates in the place of those who are ; which,
as a king, he might more reasonably demand, than
these gentlemen of Scotland could do what they
propose ; whether his majesty would think it more
agreeable to his honour, to make a reasonable dis-
course of the antiquity of the lord mayor of London,
and of the dependence the present magistrates had
upon the law, and the frame of the government ; or
whether he would only send him word, that he
should meddle with what he had to do. He did
think, that it was very fit that his majesty's answer
to this paper should contain a very severe and sharp
reprehension for their presumption ; and take no-
tice, how solicitous they were for the preservation
of what they called the right and privilege of their
country, that his majesty might not bring any thing
into debate at his council-board here, that concerned
the kingdom of Scotland ; though it had often too
much relation to the affairs and government of Eng-
land : yet that they would take upon them to de-
mand from his majesty, at least to advise him to
make, an alteration in the government of England,
which would quite alter the frame of it, and make
such a confusion in the laws, which they could no
more comprehend than they could any f of the same
kind that related to any other foreign kingdom ;

f any] any thing



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 193

and therefore, that for the future they should not PART
practise the like presumption.
The king discovered himself to be very well ,J ^ 43 t : ,

* With which

pleased all the time he was speaking ; and when he the king is

. x . f well satisfi-

had done, his majesty said again, he was sure theed.
chancellor was entirely of his mind, with reference
to the church ; and that he had satisfied him that
this was not the season, nor the occasion, in which
those arguments which he had used were to be in-
sisted on ; and that he was willing to depart from
his own sense; and was in truth so well pleased,
that he vouchsafed to make some kind of excuse for
the passion he had spoken with : and all the lords
were very well satisfied with the expedient proposed;
and all commended the chancellor : and the answer
was given to the Scottish commissioners accordingly ;
who had too good intelligence not to know all that
had passed : and upon their long discourses with the
king, (who was always forward to enlarge upon that
subject, in which he was so well versed,) expected
such an answer as might give them opportunity to
bring the whole matter of episcopacy upon the stage,
and into public disputation. And so they returned
to London, with manifest dissatisfaction, before the
commissioners of the parliament ; and with avowed
detestation of a person, against whom they were
known always to have an inveterate and an impla-
cable displeasure. B

s an implacable displeasure. ] day was expired that was as-

Thus continued in the MS. : It signed for the treaty. They

appeared quickly that the parlia- who intended nothing but the

ment had refused to enlarge the carrying on of the war, and be-

time of the treaty, and so posi- lieved there could be no security

tively commanded the commis- for them but by an entire vic-

sioners to return before the List tory of the king, and a total

VOL. I. O



194 THE LIFE OF

PART The king was much troubled at the disunion be-
in.

-tween the princes Rupert and Maurice, and the

marquis of Hertford h , after the taking of Bristol;
which he knew must exceedingly disorder and di-
vide that army : for composing whereof, his majesty
resolved, the next day after the news, to go himself
to Bristol ; which was very necessary in many re-
spects. The settlement of the port, which was of
infinite importance to the king in point of trade,
and his customs, and with reference to Ireland, and
the applying the army to some new enterprise, with-
out loss of time, could not be done without his ma-
jesty's presence. But there was nothing more dis-
posed his majesty to that resolution, than to be
absent from his council at Oxford, when he should
settle the differences between the princes * and the
marquis ; for as he was always swayed by his affec-
tion to his nephews k , which he did not think par-
subduing his party, had not made such wonderful haste in
power enough to hinder and recruiting the army, (to which
prevent the treaty, and there- the earl of Essex had contri-
fore satisfied themselves with buted all his endeavours, be-
limiting the commissioners to lieving that he had yet per-
such propositions and by such formed less than had been ex-
instructions as are mentioned pected from him,) that the very
before. But from that time day that the commissioners left
they met with little opposition Oxford, the earl of Essex had a
in the houses ; they who desir- rendezvous of his whole army,
ed peace, and had raised their and marched towards Reading,
hopes upon the treaty, thinking which was about the beginning
it reasonable that all prepara- of April.

tions should be made for the ll at the disunion between
"war, and they who abhorred the princes Rupert and Mau-
the thought of peace, and all rice, and the marquis of Hert-
those who affected it, using all ford] The account of this dis-
imaginable diligence in advanc- union is inserted in Appendix D
ing those preparations ; inso- of the ^. th volume of the History
much as, having by- ordinances of the Rebellion.
and seizures drawn in great ' princes] prince
supplies of money, they had k nephews] nephew



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 195



1643.



tiality; so the lords, towards whom the princes 1 did PART
not" live with any condescension, were very solicitous
that the marquis might receive no injustice or dis-
obligation. And the king, to avoid all counsel in
this particular, resolved to declare no resolution till
he should come himself to Bristol; and so went
from Oxford thither : taking with him, of the coun-
cil, the duke of Richmond, the lord Falkland, the
master of the rolls, and the chancellor of the exche-
quer. The king lodging the first night at Malms-
bury; and the lord Falkland, the master of the rolls,
and some other gentlemen lodging that night with
the chancellor of the exchequer, at his house at Pir-
ton, which lay in the way to Bristol ; where they
were the next day within an hour after the king. m



1 princes] prince

m within an hour after the
king. ] ThuscontinuedintheMS. :
The disorders at Bristol were
greater than could have been
imagined ; the factions and jea-
lousies ran through all kinds
and degrees of men, of the ar-
my, of the city, of the country;
and the loss of many officers
and common men upon the as-
saults had weakened the army
beyond imagination, and the
number of the sick and wound-
ed was very great. The natural
murmurs of the Cornish were
now turned into direct mutiny,
and they declared positively that
they would not march further
southward, but would return to
their own country to look to
their houses, their wives, and
their children, which they said
were infested by the garrison at
Plymouth. There was no mo-
ney to give them, nor were



there any officers left, who had
credit and authority over them ;
and now all men saw the infi-
nite loss the king had sustained
in the death of Greenvil, Slan-
ning, and Trevannion, who go-
verned that people absolutely.
It was evident, that if they were
compelled to march further,many
of them would run away, and
the rest be full of discontent ;
and therefore it was resolved,
that they, and all the rest who
had been officers or soldiers
formerly designed for the west-
ern services under the marquis
and prince Maurice, should re-
turn again to the west, upon a
presumption that they would
be able, with the reputation they
would carry back upon the tak-
ing of Bristol, in a short time
to subdue those maritime places,
which were possessed by small
garrisorts for the parliament; and
being recruited by good winter

o 21



196



THE LIFE OF



PART
III.



The chancellor of the exchequer had undergone
some mortification during the short abode at Bristol,



Ashburn
ham



1643.

The chan- . . . .

ceilor of the quarters, an army would be ready
exchequer's by the next spring to attend his
office invad- majesty; and all the Cornish
ed by Mr. ma( i e so lenin promises that, as
soon as Plymouth should be
reduced, they would with great
alacrity return to any service
they should be required. The
expectation was very reasonable,
and the counsel much advanced
by prince Rupert, that his bro-
ther Maurice might be in the
head of an army; for he had
prevailed with the king to re-
solve that the marquis of Hertz
ford should be no more em-
ployed as general, though it
was not discovered to him, nor
his commission taken from him.
Besides the king's inclination
to his nephew, he found that
work not so difficult, nor the
marquis so popular, as it ap-
peared in the first consultation
at Oxford. The marquis's unac-
tivity in all things relating to
the war, and his too much re-
tirement to his ease, had lost
all the reverence and devotion
of the soldiers ; and prince
Maurice's living with them so-
ciably and familiarly, and going
with them upon all parties and
in all actions, in which he had
received some hurts, had made
both his person and his com-
mand very acceptable to them.
Then the marquis's leaning too
much to the advice of his do-
mestic officers and the stewards
of his lands,. and people of that
condition, (many whereof were
thought very disaffected to the
king's service, as most of his
tenants were,) made the chief



persons of the country less so-
licitous for his command over
them than they had been, where-
of the lord Paulet was the chief,
who was then at Bristol, and
spake with great freedom to the
king of the marquis's unfitness
to exercise that command; which
advice, besides that it was very
grateful, made the more im-
pression, because he was thought
to have good affection for the
marquis, and had little know-
ledge of the prince.

This matter being thus set-
tled in the king's own thoughts
and resolutions, he discovered
it no further than by appoint-
ing those troops to be ready for
their march, and prince Maurice
to conduct them, whilst the
marquis of Hertford attended
his majesty till the business of
Bristol should be settled, and
some other affairs of the coun-
try; the marquis intending, when
those should be settled, (in do-
ing whereof he was willing to
be present,) to make haste to
the army, and his majesty, ac-
cording to his natural custom
of discovering any disobliging
resolution as late as was possi-
ble, did not at all impart his
purpose to him, and being first
to resolve what obligation to
confer upon him at the same
time, to make the other the
better digested ; and to that pur-
pose he was pleased to confer
with freedom and without re-
servation with the chancellor of
the exchequer, and bidding him
inform himself of the opinion
both the army and the country



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 197



which was the only port of trade within the king's PART
which was like to yield a considerable



quarters ;



had of the marquis, and asking
him, whether the lord Paulet
and others had not spoken to
him of the laziness of the mar-
quis, and of the credit and power
Hirton had with him; and of
some actions done by his secre-
tary, who was a fellow of an ill
reputation; and wished him to
think of it, and to dispose the
marquis to decline that employ-
ment, as less agreeable to his
nature and constitution, and to
remain about the person of the
king, in order to which he would
think upon some place, for he
knew he was weary of being
governor to the prince. The
chancellor had great reverence
for the marquis, and knew the
benefit his fidelity had brought
to the king, and the insupport-
able damage that would accrue
from his declared discontent,
and had no other esteem of the
prince's parts and conduct and
discretion, than good manners
obliged him -to ; and yet he had
with much trouble heard the
little credit the marquis had in
the army, and more of his unac-
tivity than he believed he could
have been guilty of; for though
he knew he was naturally lazy,
and did so much love his ease,
he knew too that he had a clear
courage and a very good under-
standing ; and if he had a friend
by him to put him in mind of
any thing that concerned his
honour, he would be very coun-
sellable. Whereupon he told
the king, that though he had
heard many discourses which
he had not expected, and found



1643.



that some persons had changed
their opinions of the marquis,
yet he was so apprehensive of
the ill consequence that might
probably attend his majesty's
inclination to remove him from
the command, and giving the
entire trust to his nephew, that
he could not give his counsel
for the putting it in execution ;
but that when his majesty upon
full thoughts had fixed himself,
he would use the credit he had
with the marquis to dispose him
to conform himself to his ma-
jesty's determination, and that
he could with a much better
conscience dissuade the marquis
from affecting that command,
than he could persuade his ma-
jesty to take it from him.

The other matter concerning
the government of Bristol was
of as nice a nature, but not like
to give the king so much trou-
ble; for sir Ralph Hopton had
neither set his heart upon the
command, nor would embrace
any title that might give any
umbrage to his majesty, but
laid all his pretences at the
king's feet, and himself to be
disposed of by him. By which
unconcernedness and ingenuity
the marquis was sensibly dis-
obliged, having chosen him as
a subject fit to support his au-
thority against the pretences of
the prince; and therefore this un-
warm condescension was look-
ed upon as a forsaking the mar-
quis, who was never thoroughly
reconciled to him afterwards.
But that which gave the king
trouble was, the clear and un-

o 3



198



THE LIFE OF



PART benefit to the king, if it were well managed; and
. the direction thereof belonged entirely to his office :



1643.



questionable credit and reputa-
tion of sir Ralph Hopton, who
was now the only man left, who
had out of nothing, and when
the marquis had given over all
hopes of the west and abandon-
ed it, and fled into Wales, (which
was now remembered with many
reproaches,) raised that force,
and upon the matter reduced
that part of the kingdom to his
majesty's obedience. He was
a person of one of the best
families, and one of the fairest
fortunes, of all the gentlemen
in that large, rich, and populous
county of Somerset, and inferior
to none in the love and affection
of that people. He was of a
very generous nature, a pious
and devout man, and an exact
observer of justice, which made
the city infinitely desire that he
might be their govemor, who
would not suffer them to be
made a prey to the soldier. On
the other side, by being himself
ungrievous to them by any ex-
actions, it was very probable he
would be able to persuade and
induce them cheerfully to sub-
mit to such impositions as were
necessary for their own defence ;
and that such a man should be
rejected by the king upon the
prince's pretence, who could
not reside there himself, and
must leave it to a deputy who
would never be grateful, seemed
unreasonable to the king him-
self in reference to his own
service, and to the envy which
would be increased by it towards
his nephew, prince Rupert, who
was already become very un-



popular ; but on the other side,
the granting it to him would be
generally looked upon as the
triumph of the marquis of Hert-
ford over prince Rupert, which
his majesty could not think of
with any patience. The easy
temper and disposition of sir
Ralph Hopton, and prince Ru-
pert's being willing to come off
from this matter with his honour,
gave the king an expedient to
compose this difficult affair to
his own satisfaction : prince Ru-
pert should have the name of
governor of Bristol, according to
his pretence, by a grant from
the king, and sir Ralph Hopton
should be his lieutenant gover-
nor, which he without scruple
accepted : but the prince pro-
mised to the king that he would
never in the least degree meddle
in the government, but leave it
entirely to sir Ralph Hopton ;
which being all concluded, two
were only satisfied, the king
and sir Ralph Hopton ; the
other two, the prince and the
marquis, were both offended,
the latter thinking himself in-
jured by sir Ralph's declining
his commission to be governor,
and submitting to be lieutenant
under prince Rupert, though he
had it by commission from the
king himself; and prince Ru-
pert being as angry that he had
only the title, and could not
make his own lieutenant ; and
that the same man's having the
place, who was designed to it
by the marquis, as was generally
known, would be believed to be
put in by his authority; and



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 199

but when he sent to the officers of the customs, to PART

be informed of the present state of trade, he found "

that some treaty was made, and order given in it by
Mr. Ashburnham, a groom of the bedchamber; who,
with the assistance and advice of sir John Cole-
pepper, had prevailed with the king to assign that
province to him, as a means to raise a present sum
of money for the supply of the army : which the
chancellor took very heavily; and the lord Falkland,
out of his friendship to him, more tenderly ; and ex-
postulated it with the king with some warmth ; and
more passionately with sir John Colepepper and Mr.
Ashburnham, as a violation of the friendship they
professed to the chancellor, and an invasion of his
office; which no man bears easily.

They were both ashamed of it, and made some
weak excuses, of incogitance and inadvertence ; and
the king himself, who discerned the mischief that
would ensue, if there should be an apparent schism
amongst those he so entirely trusted, was pleased to
take notice of it to the chancellor, with many gra-
cious expressions ; and said, " that Mr. Ashburnham The king
" being treasurer and paymaster of the army, he did
" believe some money might have been raised for the
" present occasion ; and only intended it for the

from that time he never favour- upon several occasions,

ed sir Ralph Hopton, but al- When the king had settled

ways discountenanced him all these particulars, which had very

he could. But the king, to much disquieted him, he consi-

publish to all the world the es- dered what he was to do now

teem he had of him, made him this success at Bristol gave him

at the same time a baron, and great reputation every where ;

created him lord Hopton of and the possessing the second

Witham, a noble seat of his city of the kingdom for trade

own in the county of Somerset, and wealth of the inhabitants

of whom there will be more much enlarged his quarters,
occasion of discourse hereafter

o 4



THE LIFE OF

PART " present, without considering it would be an inva-
" sion of his right ; and therefore directed, that an



1643. account should be given to him of all that had
" been done, and he should do n as he thought fit. "
But when he understood all that had been done, he
would make no alteration in it, that his majesty
might be convinced that his service was not looked
after in the design. And it was discernible enough,
that Mr. Ashburnham, who usually looked very far
before him, had not so much intended to disoblige the
chancellor, as, by introducing himself this way into
the customs, to continue one of the farmers of the
customs, when the war should be at an end; of
which he got a promise from the king at the same
time ; who had great affection for him, and an ex-
traordinary opinion of his managery. If there re-
mained after this any jealousy or coldness between
the chancellor of the exchequer and the other two,
as the disparity between their natures and humours
made some believe there did, it never brake out or
appeared, to the disturbance or prejudice of the
king's service ; but all possible concurrence in the
carrying it on was observed between them.

The march of the earl of Essex from London to

n do] do in it. earl of Essex march out of Lon-
The march of the earl of don with a much better army,
Essex] This part is thus intro- and better provided for, than he
duced in the MS. : They who had yet commanded since the
had judged only of the impro- beginning of the troubles. The
bability of relieving Gloucester, city had supplied him with five
by the slow progress that seem- thousand foot of their train-
ed to be made in the parliament bands, consisting all of citizens
towards it, and the small in- of good account, who were coin-
crease that was made in the manded by their own officers ;
army by new levies, found them- and made it appear, that their
selves deceived ; and, before it city order and discipline very
was imagined possible, saw the well prepared and disposed men



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 201

Gloucester, over as large a campania as any in Eng- PART

land, when the king had an army of above eight !

thousand horse, reputed victorious, without being 16 ^ 3 *
put to strike one stroke ; the circumstances of that
siege, and the raising it ; the earl's march after he
had performed that great work, and when the king's
army watched only to engage him in a battle, and
passing over a large and open campania three days
before the king had notice that he was come out of
Gloucester ; the overtaking the army P, and the
battle by Newbury ; and his retreat afterwards to
London ; contained so many particular actions of
courage and conduct, that they all deserve a very
punctual and just relation ; and are much above the
level of this plain and foreign discourse.

In this battle of Newbury, the chancellor of the
exchequer lost the joy and comfort of his life; which
he lamented so passionately, that he could not in
many days compose himself to any thoughts of bu-
siness. His dear friend the lord Falkland, hurried The death

i 1_ / "i r> i i i f t' le l r d

by nis rate, in the morning of the battle, as he was Falkland.
naturally inquisitive after danger, put himself into
the head of sir John Byron's regiment, which he be-
lieved was like to be in the hottest service, and was
then appointed to charge a body of foot ; and in that
charge was shot with a musket bullet, so that he
fell dead from his horse. The same day that the
news came to Oxford of his death, which was the
next after he was killed, the chancellor received
a letter from him, written at the time when the army
rose from Gloucester ; but the messenger had been
employed in other service, so that he came not to

for the boldest service and en- of Essex, &c.

terprise. The march of the earl P the army] his army



202 THE LIFE OF

PART Oxford till that day. The letter was an answer to
in

. one the chancellor had then sent to him ; in which



1643. h e had told him, how much he suffered in his repu-
tation with all discreet men, by engaging himself
unnecessarily in all places of danger ; and that it
was not the office of a privy counsellor, and a secre-
tary of state, to visit the trenches, as he usually did ;
and conjured~him, out of the conscience of his duty
to the king, and to free his friends from those con-
tinual uneasy apprehensions, not to engage his per-
son to those dangers which were not incumbent to
him. His answer was, that the trenches were now
at an end ; there would be no more danger there :
that his case was different from other men's ; that
he was so much taken notice of for an impatient de-
sire of peace, that it was necessary that he should
likewise make it appear, that it was not out of fear
of the utmost hazard of war : he said some melan-
cholic things of the time ; and concluded, that in
few days they should come to a battle, the issue
whereof, he hoped, would put an end to the misery
of the kingdom.

Much hath been said of this excellent person be-
fore ; but not so much, or so well, as his wonderful
parts and virtues deserved. He died as much of the
time as of the bullet : for, from the very beginning
of the war, he contracted so deep a sadness and me-
lancholy, that his life was not pleasant to him ; and
sure he was too weary of it. Those who did not
know him very well imputed, very unjustly, much
of it to a violent passion he had for a noble lady ;
and it was the more spoken of, because she died the
same day, and, as some computed it, in the same
hour that he was killed : but they who knew either



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 203
the lord or the lady, knew well that neither of them PART



was capable of an ill imagination. She was of the-
most unspotted, unblemished virtue ; never married ;
of an extraordinary talent of mind, but of no alluring
beauty ; nor of a constitution of tolerable health, be-
ing in a deep consumption, and not like to have lived
so long by many months. It is very true, the lord
Falkland had an extraordinary esteem of her, and
exceedingly loved her conversation, as most of the
persons of eminent parts of that time did ; for she
was in her understanding, and discretion, and wit,
and modesty, above most women ; the best of which
had always a friendship with her. But he was
withal so kind to his wife, whom he knew to be an
excellent person, that, though he loved his children
with more affection and fondness than most fathers
used to do, he left by his will all he had to his wife ;
and committed his three sons, who were all the chil-
dren he had, to her sole care and bounty.

He was little more than thirty years of age when
he was killed ; in which time he was very accom-
plished in all those parts of learning and knowledge,
which most men labour to attain till they are very
old ; and in wisdom, and the practice of virtue, to a
wonderful perfection. From his age of twenty years,
he had lived in an entire friendship with the chan-
cellor, who was about six months elder; and who
never spake of him afterwards, but with a love, and
a grief, which still raised some commotion in him.
And he very often used to lament him in the words
of Cicero concerning Hortensius, " Quod magna sa-
" pientium et civium bonorum penuria, vir egregius,
" conjunctissimusque mecum consiliorum omnium
" societate, alienissimo reipublicae tempore extinctus,



FART " et auctoritatis, et prudentia? suae, triste nobis desi-
derium reliquerat. " And without doubt, it was in



1 643. a conjuncture of time, when the death of every honest
and discreet person was a very sensible and terrible
loss in the judgment of all good men.

After the unhappy death of the lord Falkland,
the king much desired that the chancellor of the
exchequer should be secretary of state in his place ;
which the queen did not oppose, though she rather
wished that the lord Digby might have it ; who had
so much kindness and friendship for the chancellor,
(which was at that time, and long after, as sincere as
could receive harbour in his breast,) that he pro-
fessed, he would not have it, if the other would re-
Tbeciian- ceive it: but the chancellor gratified his civilitv,

cellorofthe

exchequer and refused the office the second time, as he had

refuses the in AI-III i

office of once before. And he had so much more reason now,
stat? * f ^ v tne coming of a very specious embassy from
time. France, in the person of the count of Harcourt, who
was already arrived in London ; in which the chan-
cellor knew his own want of ability to act that part
the office of secretary would have obliged him to ;
and for which, as far as the perfection of the French
tongue could qualify him, the Lord Digby was very
proper ; and so he was made secretary of state ; pro-
fessing to every body, that, as he had the office by
the chancellor's refusal of it, so he would wholly ad-
vise with him in all things pertaining to it, which
he always did ; and the confidence and friendship
between them was mutual, and very notorious, until
that lord changed his religion. And he was no
sooner admitted and sworn secretary of state, and
privy counsellor, and consequently made of the junto,
which the king at that time created, consisting of



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 205

the duke of Richmond, the lord Cottington, the two PART
secretaries of state, and sir John Colepepper, but '
the chancellor of the exchequer was likewise added; 1463 -

He is add-
tO the trouble, at least the surprise, of the master of d to the

the rolls; who could have been contented that he
should have been excluded from that near trust,
where all matters were to be consulted before they
should be brought to the council-board. And this
committee was appointed to treat with the count of
Harcourt ; whom the king believed to be sent from
France, to demand any thing from the parliament
in that king's name, as his majesty should direct ;
and therefore they were appointed to consider well
what he should be directed to propose.

But the ambassador no sooner came to the town
in great state and lustre, but he quickly saved them
any further labour, by declaring, that he would treat
with nobody but the king himself; his business be-
ing only to serve the king, with reference to the dif-
ferences between his majesty and the parliament ;
and pretended, that, in his short stay at London, he
had already discovered that his majesty was betray-
ed; and that his most secret counsels were disco-
vered : and so there was never any communication
between him and the king's council ; but all matters
were transacted with the king himself, and queen,
and lord Jermyn, who was not of the council, and
the lord Digby ; the queen promising herself very
much from his negociation ; the ambassador being
then of great reputation, having been general of the
French army in two or three great actions, in which
his success had been very notable ; and the queen
looked upon him as a person particularly devoted to
her service ; and being of the house of Lorrain, (the



206 THE LIFE OF

PART younger son of the duke d'Elboeuf,) he was not
without some alliance to the king : and so he re-



* turned to London with such instructions and advice
as they thought fit to intrust him with, which were
too particular ; and with the privity only of the two
other persons mentioned before.

But it quickly appeared after, that he was not
sent with any purpose to do the king service ; but
that cardinal Mazarin (who was newly entered upon
the ministry, after the death of cardinal Richelieu)
might take such a view of the affairs of England,
as the better to judge what he was to do ; and that
an accommodation there might not break his mea-
sures, with reference to his other designs ; which the
ambassador was easily satisfied it was not like to
do. And so, after three or four months spent be-
tween Oxford and London, he returned to France ;
leaving the king's affairs so much worse than he
found them, by having communicated some instruc-
tions which had been given him at Oxford, with
overmuch confidence, and which less disposed some
persons to peace than they had been at London.
The king The king called the chancellor one day to him,
Suitor and told him, that he thought there was too much
of the ex- honour done to those rebels at Westminster in all

chequer to

prepare a hi s declarations, by his mentioning them as part of

proclama-
tion for d. s- " the parliament ; which as long as they should be

parliament 8 " thought to be, they would have more authority,
SiMtST " by their continuing their sitting in the place whi-
" ther they were first called, than all the other mem-
" bers, though so much more numerous, would have,
" when they should be convened any where else ;
" (there being a thought of convening them to Ox-
" ford :) therefore he knew no reason why he should



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 207

" not positively declare them to be dissolved ; and PART
" so forbid them to sit or meet any more there. " '



He said, " that he knew learned men of an opinion,
" that that act for the continuance of the parliament
" was void from the beginning ; and that it is not
" in the power of the king to bar himself from the
" power of dissolving it ; which is to be deprived of
" an essential part of his sovereignty : but if the act
" were good and valid in law, they had dissolved
" themselves by their force, in driving so many
" members, and even his majesty himself, who was
" their head, from the parliament ; and had forfeited
" their right of sitting there, and all that the act
" had given them, by their treason and rebellion ;
" which the very being a parliament could not sup-
" port : and therefore he wished, that a proclamation
" might be prepared, to declare them actually dis-
" solved ; and expressly forbidding them to meet, or
" any body to own them, or submit to them as a
" parliament. "

The chancellor told him, that " he perceived by His advice

* to the king

" his majesty's discourse, that he had very much n that
" considered the argument, and was well prepared *
" in it ; which for his part he was not. But he be-
" sought him to think it worth a very strict reflec-
" tion ; and to hear the opinion of learned men be-
" fore he resolved upon it. That it was of a very
" nice and delicate nature, at which ^ not only the
" people in general, but those of his own party,
" and even of his council, would take more umbrage,
" than upon any one particular that had happened
" since the beginning of the war. That he could

i at which] in which



208 THE LIFE OF

PART " not imagine that his forbidding them to meet any
_ " more at Westminster would make one man the less



1 G43. to mee t there ; but he might forbid them upon such
" grounds and reasons as might bring more to them :
" and that they who had severed themselves from
" them, upon the guilt of their actions, might return
" and be reconciled to them, upon their unity of
" opinion. That it had been the first powerful re-
" proach they had corrupted the people with to-
" wards his majesty, that he intended to dissolve
" this parliament, notwithstanding the act for con-
" tinuance thereof; and if he had power to do that,
" he might likewise, by the same power, repeal all
" the other acts made this parliament, whereof some
" were very precious to the people : and as his
" majesty had always disclaimed any such thought,
" so such a proclamation, as he now mentioned,
" would confirm all the fears and jealousies which
" had been infused into them, and would trouble
" many of his own true subjects.

" That for the invalidity of the act from the be-
" ginning, he was in his own opinion inclined to hope
" that it might be originally void, for the reasons
" and grounds his majesty had mentioned ; and
'* that the parliament itself, if this rebellion was
" suppressed, might be of the same judgment, and
" declare it accordingly ; which would enable him
" quickly to dissolve it. But till then, he thought
" all the judges together, even those who were in
" his own quarters, and of unquestionable affection
" to his majesty, would not declare any such inva-
" lidity ; and much less, that any private man, how
" learned soever, would avow that judgment : in
" which his majesty might easily satisfy himself, hav-



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 209

" ing so many of the judges, and many other excel- PART

" lent men of the robe then at Oxford. For their '

" having dissolved themselves, or forfeited their right 16 ^ 3 -

" of sitting there, by their treason and rebellion," he

said, " he could less understand it than the other

" argument of invalidity ; for that the treason and

" rebellion could only concern and be penal to the

" persons who committed them : it was possible

" many might sit there, he was sure many had a

" right to sit there, who had always opposed every

" illegal, and every rebellious act ; and therefore the

" faults of the others could never forfeit any right of

" theirs, who had committed no fault : and, upon the

" whole matter, concluded as he had begun, that his

" majesty would very throughly consult it, before

" he did so much as incline in his own wishes. "

His majesty said, he had spoken more reason
against it, than he had thought could have been
alleged : however, he bade him confer with his at-
torney general, who, he believed, was of another
opinion. The chancellor moved his majesty, that
since the ground of what should be resolved on in
this point must be expressed in the proclamation,
the attorney might put his own conceptions in writ-
ing, and then his majesty would the better judge of
them. The king said, it seemed reasonable to him,
and he had proposed it to him, but he had declined
it, and commended the pen his majesty had used to
employ, as very clear and significant; and said, if
he had an hour's conference with that person, the
business would be done. Whereupon the chancellor
went immediately to his lodging, choosing rather to
use that civility towards him, than to send for him ;
VOL. i. p



210 THE LIFE OF

PART who did not love him so well as he had done before
he was his superior officer.



After a long conference together, and many cir-
rcnces with cumlocutions, (which was his natural way of dis-
ncy g"nerai course ) an< l asking questions, Why not this? and,
thereon. \Vhy no t that ? without expressing his own opinion ;
at last he confessed, that there must be no attempt to
dissolve them, " though it might be even that might
" be lawful in many respects," but that it would be
sufficient to declare the force which had been, and
still was upon them, that rendered them not free ;
arid so they ought not to be looked upon as a parlia-
ment ; and that they might be required to adjourn
from time to time, till all the members might with
safety repair to, and sit with them : in all which the
other agreed with him, and so they parted ; the
chancellor promising, that, against the next morn-
ing, he would prepare a proclamation agreeable to
that, which he thought to be their joint meaning ;
for he did not observe any difference to be between
them. The next morning the attorney came to his
lodging, where he found the draught prepared ;
which, as soon as he had read, he said did in no de-
gree express or comprehend the sense that had been
agreed between them : and thereupon he entered
again into the same discourse he had made before,
and more perplexed than before ; being most offend-
ed with the preamble, wherein it was declared, that
the king neither could or . intended to break the par-
liament : which was so contrary to what he had in-
fused into the king, and which the chancellor thought
most necessary, to contradict that reproach which
naturally would be cast upon his majesty. In the



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 211

end, when he had wearied himself with the debate, PART
they came both again to mean the same thing ;
which was no other than was agreed before, though, 1643
as the attorney said, it was not expressed in the
draught before them : whereupon it was agreed be-
tween them, that, against the next morning, either
of them should make a draught apart; and then,
when they came together, it would easily be ad-
justed.

But the next morning they were as far asunder
as before, and the attorney had prepared no paper,
and said, it needed not, the difference being very
small, and would be rectified with changing or leav-
ing out a word or two ; which the chancellor desired
him to do, and to leave out or put in what he
pleased : which when he went about to do, twenty
other things occurred to him ; and so he entered
upon new discourses, without concluding any thing ;
and every day entertained the king with an account,
as if all were agreed ; but upon conference with the
chancellor, his majesty wondered at the delay, and
told him, he wondered at it, for the attorney spake
still as clearly to him as it was possible for any man
to do, and therefore the putting it in writing could
not be hard. The other answered him, that it would
never be done any other way, than that which he
had first proposed to him ; and therefore besought
his majesty, that he would oblige the attorney to
put his own conceptions, which he made so clear to
him, into writing; and then, his majesty having
likewise what the chancellor prepared in his hands,
he would easily conclude which should stand ; and
otherwise there would never be any conclusion.

About two days after, the chancellor came into
? 2



212 THE LIFE OF

PART the garden where the king was walking; and call-
. ing him shortly to him, in some disorder, his majesty



1643. told him, " he was never in that amazement in his
draught of " life ; that he had at last, not without a very posi-
tiontbe ma " ti ve command, obliged the attorney to bring him
king shews tt such a draught in writing, as was agreeable to his

to the chan-
cellor ot the" own sense; and that he had now done it ; but in

exchequer.

" such a manner, that he no more understood what
" the meaning of it was, than if it were in Welch,
" which was the language of the attorney's coun-
" try ; only," he said, " he was very sure it con-
" tained nothing of the sense he had ever expressed to
" him :" and so bade him follow him into a little room
at the end of the garden ; where, as soon as he was
entered, he shut the door, because there were many
people in the garden ; and then pulled a paper out
of his pocket, and bade him read it; which when
he had done, it being all in the attorney's own hand,
he said, " it deserved wonder indeed ;" and it was
so rough, perplexed, and insignificant, that no man
could judge by it, or out of it, what the writer pro-
posed to himself. And it made so great an impres-
sion upon the king, (who had before thought him a
man of a master reason, and that no man had so
clear notions,) that he never after had any esteem of
him.

character The truth is, he was a man very unlike any other
tomey^e- man ' f a verv good natural wit, improved by con-
versation with learned men, but not at all by study
and industry : and then his conversation was most
with men, though much superior to him in parts,
who rather admired than informed him ; of which
his nature (being the proudest man living) made
him not capable, because not desirous. His greatest



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 213

faculty was, and in which he was a master, to make PART
difficult matters more intricate and perplexed ; and



very easy things to seem more hard than they were. I643 -
The king considered the matter and subject of that
proclamation at the council ; where that draught the
chancellor had provided was agreed to ; and the at-
torney seemed to be satisfied in it, and was content
to have it believed that it had been consulted with
him ; though he never forgave the chancellor for
exposing him in that manner ; by which he found
he had lost much ground.

After the treaty of Uxbridge, most of the com- 1645.
missioners had given so good a testimony of the
chancellor's diligence and industry, that the fcing,
shortly after his return, very graciously took notice exchequer's
of it to him; and, above all, of his affection to the in the treaty
church, of which, he said, Dr. Steward had so fully of Uxbridge '
informed him, that he looked upon him as one of
the few who was to be relied upon in that particular :
at which, he said, himself was not at all surprised,
having long known his affection and judgment in
that point ; but confessed he was surprised with the
carriage of some others, from whom he had expected
another kind of behaviour in matters of the church ;
and named sir Orlando Bridgman, upon whom, he
said, he had always looked, being the son of a bishop,
as so firm, that he could not be shaken ; and there-
fore he was the more amazed, to hear what conde-
scensions he had been willing to have made, in what
concerned religion ; and pressed the chancellor to
answer some questions he asked him about that
transaction : to the particulars whereof he excused
himself from answering, by the protestation they had
all taken before the treaty, wfth his majesty's appro-

P 3



214 THE LIFE OF

PART bation : though indeed himself had been very much

surprised with the first discovery of that temper in

1645 * that gentleman, which he had never before suspect-
ed : and ever after said, that " he was a man of ex-
" cellent parts, and honestly inclined ; and would
" choose much rather to do well than ill ; but if it
" were not safe for him to be steady in those reso-
" lutions, he was so much given to find out expedi-
" ents to satisfy unreasonable men, that he would
. " at last be drawn to yield to any thing he should
" be powerfully pressed to do. "

The king at that time having resolved to separate
the prince his son from himself, by sending him into
the west, the chancellor had a great desire to excuse
himself from attending upon the prince in that jour-
ney ; and represented to his majesty, that his office
made it more proper for him to be near his majesty's
person ; and therefore renewed his suit again to him,
that his service might be spared in that employment;
which he was the less inclined to, because he had
discovered, that neither the duke of Richmond or
the earl of Southampton did intend to wait upon
his highness in that expedition : but the king told
him positively, and with some warmth, that if he
would not go, he would not send his son : where-
upon he submitted to do any thing which his majesty
should judge fit for his service.

The chancellor speaking one day with the duke
of Richmond, who was exceedingly kind to him, of
the ill state of the king's affairs, and of the prince's
journey into the west ; the duke asked him, whether
he was well resolved to carry the prince into France,
when he should be required. He answered, that
there had been no such thing mentioned to him, nor



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 215

could he ever be made instrumental in it, but in one PART
case, which was, to prevent his falling into the



hands of the parliament ; and in that case, he did be-
lieve every honest man would rather advise his going
any whither, than being taken r by them : yet even
in that case, he should prefer many places before
France. The duke wished he might stay till then,
implying, that he doubted it was the present design ;
but there was never any thing discovered to make
it believed, that there was a design at that time
formed to such a purpose : yet the lord Digby, who
had all familiarity and confidence with the chan-
cellor, shortly after gave him occasion to apprehend
that there might even then be some such intention.

After a long discourse of the great satisfaction Lord pig-
the king had in his (the chancellor's) service, and coJrse^wit
how much he was pleased with his behaviour in the ce



treaty at Uxbridge. and that he had not a greater ce in F the

prince s

confidence in any man's affection and fidelity : he & oin g to

. . France.

said, his majesty had a great mind to confer with
him upon a point of the last importance ; but that
he was kept from it by an apprehension that he was
of a different judgment from his majesty in that
particular. The other answered, that he was very
sorry . that the king was reserved for such a reason ;
for though he knew the chancellor did never pretend
to think one thing when he did think another, and
so might take the boldness to differ from his majesty
in his judgment ; yet the king could not believe that
he would discover the secret, or refuse to do any
thing that became an honest man, upon his com-
mand, though he did not believe it counsellable.

r being taken] to be taken
p 4



16 THE LIFE OF

PART Whereupon he entered upon a very reasonable con-
sideration of the low condition of the king ; of the



1645. discontent and murmur of the court, and of the
camp ; how very difficult a thing it was like to be,
to raise such an army as would be fit to take the
field ; and how much more unfit it would be for the
king to suffer himself to be enclosed in any garrison ;
which he must be, if there were no army for him to
be in. If the first difficulty should be mastered,
and an army made ready to march, there could be
little doubt, how great soever their distractions were
at London, but that the parliament would be able
to send another more numerous, and much better
supplied than the king's could be ; and then, if the
king's army was beaten, he could have no hope ever
to raise another, his quarters already being very
strait ; and after a defeat, the victorious army would
find no opposition ; nor was there any garrison that
could oppose them any considerable time ; London
would pour out more forces ; that all the west would
be swallowed up in an instant ; and in such a case
he asked him, whether he would not think it fit,
and assist to the carrying the prince out of the
kingdom.
The chan- The chancellor told him, he would deliver his

cellor's

reply. opinion freely to him, and was willing he should let
the king know it. That such a prospect as he had
supposed, might and ought to be prudently con-
sidered ; but that it must be with great secrecy, for
that there were already, to his knowledge, some
whispers of such a purpose ; and that it was the true
end of sending the prince into the west ; which, if it
should be believed, it would never be in their power
to execute, though the occasion should be most



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 217

pressing: therefore desired there might not be the PART

least whisper of any contingency that might make 1_

it fit. For the matter itself, it must never be done 1 645 -
upon any supposition of a necessity; but when the
necessity should be real, and in view, it ought to be
resolved and executed at once ; and he would make
no scruple of carrying him rather into Turkey, than
suffering him to be made a prisoner to the par-
liament.

The lord Digby replied, that though the king
would be very well pleased with this opinion of his,
yet he would not be surprised with it ; since he knew
his affection and wisdom to be such, that in such an
extremity he could not but have that resolution :
therefore that was not the point that the king
doubted he would differ with him in. Then he con-
tinued the discourse, that he hoped there would not
such an occasion fall out, and that the divisions at
London would yet open some door for a good peace
to enter at ; but if they should unite, and should
send out a strong army, and likewise appoint the
Scots to march towards them ; how the king would
do between two such armies, was a terrible prospect :
and then the least blow would raise so general a
consternation, that the king would be more dis-
quieted by his friends and servants, than by the
enemy; that his council was so constituted, that they
would look upon the prince's leaving the kingdom,
as less advisable than giving himself up to the par-
liament ; and that many men were yet so weak a
to believe, that the best way the king could take
for his security, and preservation of his posterity,
was to deliver up both himself and all his children
into the hands of the parliament ; and that they



218 THE LIFE OF

PART would then give him better conditions than they
. had offered in their treaties, having it then in their



1645. power to keep all such persons from him as they
were dissatisfied with.

If this opinion should once spread itself, as upon
any signal defeat it would undoubtedly do, it must
be expected, that the council, and most of the lords,
who looked upon themselves as ruined for their loy-
alty, out of their natural apprehension, would ima-
gine, that the prince being then in the west, and at
liberty to do what should be thought fit, would be
directed by the king to transport himself into parts
beyond the sea ; and the queen his mother being
then in France, most probably thither ; which was
a circumstance that would likewise make his trans-
portation more universally odious. So that upon
this reflection and erroneous animadversion, the
king would be, in the first unfortunate conjuncture,
importuned by all about him to send for the prince ;
or at least to send such orders to those to whose
care he was intrusted, that they should not presume
to transport him beyond the seas, in what exigent
soever. Most men would believe, that they should
merit of the parliament by this advice, and would
prosecute it with the more earnestness and impor-
tunity ; whilst those few who discerned the mischief
and ruin that must flow from it, would not have
the courage to deliver their opinions in public, for
fear of being accused of the counsel ; and by this
means the king might be so wearied and tired with
importunity, that, against his judgment, he might
be prevailed with to sign such a direction and order
as is before mentioned; though his majesty was
clearly satisfied in his understanding, that if both



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 219

himself and the prince were in their hands together, PART
the best that could happen would be murdering him
and crowning his son ; whereas if his son were at
liberty, and out of their reach, they would get no-
thing by his death, and consequently would not at-
tempt it.

This, he said, was the fatal conjuncture the king
apprehended ; and he then asked the chancellor,
what he would do. To which he answered, without
pausing, that he hoped the king had made up a firm
resolution never to depart from his own virtue, upon
which his fate depended; and that if he forsook
himself, he had no reason to depend upon the con-
stancy of any other man, who had nothing to sup-
port that confidence but the conscience of doing
what was just : that no man could doubt the law-
fulness of obeying him, in carrying the prince out
of the kingdom, to avoid his being taken by the re-
bels ; and he was not only ready to obey in that
case, but would confidently advise it, as a thing in
policy and prudence necessary to be done. But if
the king, being at liberty, and with his own coun-
sellors and servants, should under his hand forbid
the prince to transport himself, and forbid all about
him to suffer it to be done, he would never be guilty
of disobeying that express command; though he
should be very sorry to receive it. He wished the
king would speak with him of it, that he might take
the boldness to conjure him never to put an honest
and a faithful servant to that unjust strait, to do
any thing expressly contrary to his plain and posi-
tive command, upon pretence of knowing his secret
pleasure; which is exposing him to public justice
and reproach, which can never be wiped out by the



220 THE LIFE OF

PART conscience of the other; and that the artifice was
not worthy the royal breast of a great monarch.



1645. This, he said, was still Upon the supposition of the
king's liberty; but if he were a prisoner in the
hands of his enemies, (though that should not shake
his resolution, or make him say things he doth not
intend, upon imagination that others will know his -
meaning,) the case would be different; and honest
men would pursue former resolutions, though they
should be countermanded, according to circum-
stances.

The conference ended ; and was never after re-
sumed : nor did the king ever, in the least degree,
enter upon the argument with the chancellor, though
he had many private conferences with him upon all
that occurred to him, with reference to what the
prince should do in the west ; and of all the melan-
cholic contingencies which might fall out in his own
fortune. And it was generally believed, that his ma-
jesty had a much greater confidence in the chancel-
lor than in the other, whose judgment he had no
reverence for ; and this made the chancellor after-
wards believe, that all the other discourse from the
lord Digby proceeded rather from some communi-
cation of counsels he had with the queen, than any
directions from the king. And he did upon concur-
rent circumstances ever think, that the queen did,
from the first minute of the separation of the prince
from the king, intend to draw his highness into
France, that he might be near her, and under her
tuition, before any thing in the declension of the
king's fortune required it, or made it counsellable ;
and therefore had appointed the lord Digby, her
creature, who she knew had great friendship with



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON.

the chancellor, to feel his pulse, and discover, whe- PART

Hi-
ther he (in whom she had never confidence) might



be applicable to her purposes. But he often declared, l645 *
that the king himself never intimated the least
thought of the prince's leaving the kingdom, till
after the battle of Naseby ; and when Fairfax was
marched with his army into the west, and himself
was in despair of being able to raise another army ;
and even then, when he signified his pleasure to that
purpose, he left the time, and the manner, and the
place to them, who were especially trusted by him
about the prince ; as will appear by the particular
papers which are preserved of that affair; and
wherein it will likewise appear, that his majesty re-
ceived infinite satisfaction and content in the whole
management of that affair, and the happy and se-
cure transportation of the prince, in the just and
proper season, and when all the kingdom was right
glad that it was done.

As his majesty was more particularly gracious to
the chancellor from the time of the treaty at Ux-
bridge ; so there was no day passed without his con-
ferring with him in private upon his most secret
considerations and apprehensions, before his depar-
ture with the prince for the west. One day he told
him, he was very glad of what the duke of Rich-
mond had done the day before ; and indeed he had
done somewhat the day before which very much
surprised the chancellor. When his majesty arose
from council, the duke of Richmond whispered
somewhat privately to him, upon which the king
went into his bedchamber ; and the duke called the
chancellor, and told him, the king would speak with
him, and so took him by the hand, and led him into



222 THE LIFE OF

PART the bedchamber ; the privilege and dignity of which
. room was then so punctually preserved, that the



16-45. ting very rarely called any privy counsellor to con-
fer with him there, who was not of the bedcham-
ber : which maintained a just reverence to the place,
and an esteem of those who were admitted to attend
there. ^

The cimn- As soon as he came into the room, before he said
the king's any thing to the king, who was there alone, the
duke spake to the chancellor, and told him, that he
p had been brought up from his childhood by the
duke of crown, and had always paid it the obedience of a

Richmond.

child ; that as he had taken a wife with the appro-
bation and advice of the crown, so he had never
made a friendship, which he took to be a kind of
marriage, without the king's privity and particular
approbation ; that he had long had a kindness for
him, but had taken time to know him well, which
he thought he now did; and therefore had asked
his majesty's consent, that he might make a friend-
ship with him : and then said to the king, " Sir,
" have I not your approbation to this conjunction ? "
to which his majesty said, " Yes, my lord, I am
" very glad of it ; and I will pass my word to you
" for the chancellor, that you will not repent it ;"
with many gracious expressions to them both : and
so the duke led him out of the room again, saying,
f ' Now, Mr. Chancellor, it is in your power to de-
" ceive me. " And to this it was, that his majesty's
discourse related the next day, when he told him he
was glad of what had passed, &c. and said, he hoped
he would give him good counsel ; for he had not of
late lived towards him in the manner he was used
to do ; that he knew well the duke was a very ho-



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 223

nest and worthy man, and had all the kindness, as PART
well as duty for his majesty ; but that he was grown '



sullen, or discontented, and had not the same coun-
tenance he used to have ; for which he could ima-
gine no other reason, but that his man Webb gave
him ill counsel : he said, he was well contented that
he should take notice, that his majesty was not well
satisfied ; and asked him suddenly, when the duke
was at Oriel college with them ; (Oriel college was
the lodging of the lord treasurer, where that com-
mittee for secret affairs, of which the duke was one,
used to meet. ) The chancellor answered, that in-
deed the duke had not been there lately, which he
thought had proceeded from his attendance upon
his majesty, or some other necessary divertisement.
The king said, it proceeded not from thence ; and
that he might take occasion from his absence from
thence, to let himself into that discourse, and after-
wards proceed as he thought fit.