Inter-regnum. February. The General fent this Letter to the Houfe by 1659. two Colonels, Clobery and Lidcot, and, not ftaying for an Answer to it, puts himself at the Head of his Army, marched into Finfbury-Fields, and from thence fends to the Lord Mayor of London, defiring that Quarters might presently be fet out for his Men within the City. Our Quarter-Mafters had no Orders to intimate the Breach that was made between our Army and the Parliament; and fo they found the Lord Mayor of London fomewhat aftonished at this Meffage; but he foon after understood the End of his Coming; for fome of the Citizens were earlier informed of it. As foon as the General left Whitehall, I went into the City, and not knowing where he would quarter that Night, I came to the Three Tuns before Guildhall, where the General had quartered two Nights before. I entered the Tavern with a Servant, and a Portmanteau, and asked for a Room, which I had scarce got into, but Wine followed me as a Present from fome Citizens, defiring Leave to drink their Morning's Draught with me. I accepted of the Civility; but, in Requital of their Wine and Company, was afked What News, and what might be the Meaning of my fo returning hither: I freely told them that we were not now the fame Men that we were two Days ago; and that this they fhould find before Night, to the full Satisfaction of the Injuries done them. The good Men were tranfported into Joy, and most of them left me and their Wine, and ran to communicate this hopeful News. A Citizen of good Quality, Mr. William Stanly, ftaid longer, and invited me to his Houfe to Dinner, and moft courteously lodged me there, during the General's Stay in the City; for it happened not to be far from his Quarters. This I mention out of a grateful Remembrance of his Hofpitality. The General came late into the City, and his Army later, ftaying for the Lord Mayor's Return to his Meffengers for quartering his Men 61. when they entered, they were welcomed as the Reftorers of their Country's Freedom; Bells, Bon 1659. February. fires, Wine, and feveral Largeffes of Money a- Inter-regnum. mong our Soldiers, being the Atteftations of the Citizens Joy. This was Saturday, February 11, renowned for the Night of burning the Rump; (for thus the young Men, who were Haters of this long-ufurped Power, called the Parliament) Butchers had quick trading for their Rumps, and many Cooks loft their Fees. • The Parliament closely debated upon the Letter fent them; and wifely diffembling the Infolency of Monke and his Officers, in prefcribing Rules to them, gave them Thanks for their joint Care with them of the Commonwealth; affuring them, over and above, that they were confidering of Qualifications for the next Parliament. With this Meffage came Scott and Robinson, with fome others, that Evening into the City to the General: Adding, that his Return to Whitehall was required by the Council of State, it being for their Safety; and that if he and his Army kept their old Quarters, they would be better fatisfied with their Proceeding, being near them; but if his Army continued in the City, they were afraid, they faid, that it would be debauched from its Obedience to the Parliament, they looking upon the Citizens as Enemies to the Government. The General gave them no other Reply, but that, If the Parliament will do as they' are defired in my Letter, they need not fear but all Things will go well. The Noife of Scott and Robinson's coming to the General fo alarmed the 'Prentices in the Streets, that they were fearched for as ftrictly as were the Spies that came to Jericho. The General was now at the Bull's Head Tavern in Cheapfide. The Streets were thronged; Mr. Gumble and I were in a Coach, that was becalm'd in a Croud, coming from Guildhall, where the General had been to expound the End of his coming: Now the 'Prentices went, it seems, from Coach to Coach in Quest of Scott and Robinson; and when they looked into ours, they cried out, Here they are. Plenty of Dirt was brought against us in Shovels from the Kennel, 1659. Inter-regnum. we defending ourfelves with the Curtains of the Coach as well as we could, till the Miftake was over, which foon was by the Means of our Officers, February. But the young Men's Fury was much longer liv'd; for, in roafting the Rump, it was fcarce cool till Sunday Morning. Dr. Gumble. "There was now a Report that the Parliament had taken away the General's Commiffion: And there was something of Truth in it too; for, upon the Letter fent them, which fo much threatened their very Being, they called for the Names of their, Commiffioners for governing of their Army, retrenched two of them, and conftituted, only five, of which Monke was one, and of which Number three were a Quorum. But it being unhappily moved, Whether Monke fhould be of it, it was carried in the Negative: So tho' his Commiffion was not formally voted from him, (for that they durft not do) yet virtually it was; and Monke and Morley were left to ftem the Tide againft Hafilrigge, Alured, and Walton. The General that Night removed from Cheapfide, after he had difpofed his Men into Quarters, and took up his own at the Glass-Houfe, where there was one large Room fet apart for him to receive the grateful Vifits of the Citizens, who had already forgot their Yesterday's Injuries; and having long before this repented that their Treasure and their Arms had been fuccessfully employed against their Prince, and their Country, they now promifed them to Monke, hoping for a better Iffue of both; and in this he did not deceive them.' Dr. Gumble, our other Reverend Writer of Monke's and his Officers' Actings in these Affairs, tells us, That, after they had done the late dirty Work for the Parliament, and the General was returned to Whitehall, a Conference was held, the Refult of which was, That fome Method must be taken for immediate Recovery from this politic Diftemper. After which the General retired to reft, but that four of his Officers fat up all Night in order to 1659. February. to draw up, what the Doctor calls, a brifk and Inter-regnum. fmart Letter to be sent to the House, and which was read and figned by the General the next Morning, with feveral other Officers who were convened for that Purpose; and it was fent to the Parliament by Col. Clobery and Col. Lidcot. Our Author remarks, That it was a refined Piece of Policy in the General, to feem to be perfuaded in this, to what he himself had contrived; and before the Letter could be read in the House, he marches back with his whole Forces into the City, and drew them up in Finfbury-Fields, to the great Confternation of the Citizens, who knew not yet what to expect from this ftrange Conduct. 2 A Copy of this Letter here mentioned, is already given at p. 98. But now, to fhift the Scene from the late-quoted Reverend Authors, who fome Readers may think were more inclined to write Panegyrics on their Mafter's Conduct in thefe Affairs than ftrict Truth, we shall turn to their Oppofite, Ludlow, and learn what this Memorialift and ftiff Republican has left us concerning this Period: Which also we shall give, as near as poffible, in his own Words. Speaking of the Scots Army's March up to Town, he adds, In the mean Time Monke was come to Barnet, and being expected at London the next Day, Orders Mr. Ludlow were iffued out for the old Regiments of the Army to march from the Town; which fo difgufted them, that many refused to march till their Arrears were paid. This Mutiny began at Somerset-Houfe, where a whole Regiment was quartered, who were joined by divers Parties of the reft. The Cavaliers and Prefbyterians of the City hoping to improve this Opportunity, invited them to join with the City, as they term'd their Party there, promifing them their whole Arrears, conftant Pay, and a prefent Gratuity, giving them fome Money in Hand as an Earneft of the reft. The Soldiers took their Money; but, withall, threatened them, that, unless they departed immediately, H 3 a Life of General Monke, p. 244, & Ga they 1659. February. Inter-regnum, they would fire upon them, declaring their Refolution to continue faithful to the Parliament. Hereupon the Council of State, that they alfo might cut the Grass from under their own Feet, fent Orders to Monke to haften his March, and with all Diligence to come to their Relief. These Malecontents were very numerous, amounting to more than 2000 Foot, and about the fame Number of Horse were ready to join with them. But no confiderable Perfon appearing at the Head of them, their new Offcers, who laboured the whole Night to fatisfy them, prevailed with them to march the next Morning, upon Promise that their Arrears fhould be paid at their next Quarters. The following Day Monke marched to London at the Head of his Party, which, for the most Part, were quartered about Whitehall, where Lodgings had been provided for him; and immediately fome Members of Parliament were fent to congratulate his Arrival. The fame Evening I met Vice-Admiral Lawson at Sir Henry Mildmay's Lodgings at Whitehall, and knowing him to be familiarly acquainted with Monke, I defired that we might make him a Vifit together, which he readily confented to. We found him alone in the Prince's Lodgings; where, having congratulated the Success of his Attempt to reftore the Parliament to the Exercise of their Authority, I took the Freedom to tell him, That, having an Opportunity put into his Hands to free thefe Nations from the Danger of being oppreffed, as they had lately been, by the Power of the Sword, I hoped he would improve it to the public Advantage, by giving his Affiftance to the Parliament, in fettling the Government upon fo juft a Foundation, that it might be fupported for the future by the Love and Affections of the People. He answered, That as God had owned him in his Work, fo he defired, that he alone might have the Glory: That it was true Factions had been carried on; but that he was fully refolved to promote the Intereft of a Commonwealth. Which RefoJution when I had commended, and encouraged him as well as I could to continue, he faid, We must |