January. borne down by this Torrent. Sir Arthur Hafilrigge Inter-regnum. 1659. himself having parted with Sir Henry Vane and Major Salway, his moft able and beft Friends, began to lofe Ground, and all that he had faid in the House or elsewhere to go for nothing. And though they could find no Colour to remove him as they had done the other two, yet, having already rendered him infignificant in the Parliament, they refolved he should have as little Power in the Army. To that End it was contrived that Menke fhould write to the Parliament, that, for their greater Security, the Forces that were in and about London, amounting to about 7 or 8000 Horfe and Foot might be removed to a farther Distance, to make Room for thofe that he had with him, prefuming to name to the Parliament fome particular Regiments which he principally infifted to have removed, amongft which Sir Arthur Hafilrigge's Regiment of Horfe was one. And fo tame was the Parliament grown, that tho' it was moft vifible he defigned their Ruin, yet, on his bare Word and empty Proteftations, they not only trufted him, but obeyed him as their Superior, and ordered all that he defired to be put in Execution. • Notwithstanding this unhappy Posture of Affairs, thinking it my Duty to clear myself of the Afperfions caft upon me, and to improve the fmall Intereft I had left for the Service of the Public Cause, I resolved to take my Place in Parliament: And in order thereunto, being accompanied by Mr. Henry Nevill, I attended Sir Arthur Hafilrigge at Whitehall, where I gave him a fhort Account of my Actions fince I had laft feen him, of my Endeavours in Ireland to ferve the Public, of the State of Affairs there, of the Principles and Practices of those that had affumed the Power in that Country, and of the Readiness of the Soldiers, and moft of the Officers in that Army, to have ferved the Parliament faithfully and ufefully, if they had been true to themfelves and their own Intereft. I alfo acquainted him with the Senfe I had of the late fevere, if I might not fay unjust, Proceedings against me, which feemed to me to be fuch a Requital of my faithful Services 1659. January. But Inter-regnum. Services, that if I expected my Reward from Men, I fhould rather chufe to ferve the Great Turk. that I might not be wanting to myself, and in order to juftify my own Innocence, if I could do no further Good, I had refolved to go to the ParliamentHouse the next Morning, defiring, his Advice and that of Mr. Nevill for my Government when I fhould come hither. Sir Arthur was unwilling to enter into any Difcourfe concerning what had lately paffed, faying, It was was too late to recall Things now; and then told us how his Enemies thought to enfnare him, by Monke's Motion to the Parliament for removing his Regiment from London, thinking thereby to create a Difference between him and Monke, wherein he had disappointed them by defiring their Removal himself, contrary to their Expectation; entering into a prolix Commendation of Monke; and affuring us, that he was a Perfon on whofe Fidelity they might fafely rely. If I may be permitted to deliver my Senfe touching this Difcourfe of Sir Arthur Hafilrigge, I conjecture it proceeded partly from an Apprehenfion that Things were already gone fo far, that he doubted whether he fhould put any Stop to them, and partly from fome Sparks of Hope that Monke could not be fuch a Devil to betray a Truft fo freely repòfed in him; for he kept a conftant Correfpondence with Sir Arthur, and in all his Letters repeated the Engagements of his Fidelity to the Parlia ment, with Expreffions of the greatest Zeal for a Commonwealth Government. In the Conclufion it was agreed between us, that when I came into the House I should fit as privately as I could, and obferve the Temper of the Members, before I fhould put them upon the Confidera tion of my Affair. Accordingly I went to the Houfe, 1 ough they had used me in the Manner I have related, yet they treated me very civilly, fome of telling me, in a jefting Way, that it was not ufual for Men, accufed of High Treafon, to be fo well received in that Place. Having taken out a Copy of the Charge exhibited against the Commif fioners 1659. January. fioners and me, I found the Commiffioners to be Inter-regnum. charged with altering their Title, during the late Interruption, from Commiffioners of Parliament to Commiffioners of the Commonwealth; and that they had fent a Ship of War to prevent any Relief to, or Correspondence with the Garrison of Ayr, in Scot→ land, who dad declared for the Parliament: Befides which, Col. John Jones was accused for taking part with the Army against the Parliament, not only in the Particulars aforefaid, but also in his Answer to the Letter written by Monke to me, on Suppofition that I was then in Ireland, to invite me to a a Conjunction with him for the Reftitution of the Parliament; and likewife for promoting a Subfcription to the Government of the Army amongst the Officers in Ireland. As for me, I was charged with affifting the Army in England and doing Acts of Hoftility by Sea and Land against thofe in Ireland, who had declared for the Parliament. Whereupon I moved the House that they would be pleafed, according to their Order, to hear me touching their Affairs in Ireland, and to permit me to juftify myself, which I did the rather that I might have an Opportunity to procure that mischievous Order for the Surrender of Duncannon to be recalled, hoping that it had not yet been put in Execution. But all that I could obtain was, to have a Day appointed when I should be heard. Mr. Miles Corbet, who arrived in England fome Days before me, was fo terrified with the Proceedings of the Parliament against Sir Henry Vane and Major Salway, together with the Name of a Charge of High Treafon against himself, that he had never appeared publickly fince his Arrival, till, upon fome Difcourfe with me, he took Courage, and went with me to the Houfe.' But we now leave these political Hiftorians and go on with the Journals. February 1. The Parliament, ever-fince it was reinftated in its Power and Authority, had given out new Commiffions, by the Hands of their Speaker, almost every Day, to the Officers of the Army; 1659. February. Inter-regnum. Army, and was continued this Month, in order to make them, in fome Measure, acknowledge the Parliament as the Source from whence they deduced their Maintenance and Support. But knowing very well that alone would not keep these reftlefs Spirits quiet, and being alarmed at fome Difturbance made by the Troops that were removed from London to make Way for Monke and his Army to take up their Quarters, they this Day ordered the Committee for the Army to iffue out Warrants for one Month's additional Pay to be given to those Regiments of Horse and Foot who marched out on this Occafion. The fame Day they received another Letter from General Monke, dated St. Albans, Jan. 30, 1659, the Purport of it not entered; but, after the reading of it, it was ordered, That the Cuftody of St. James's Park be, and is hereby, granted and committed unto Commiffioner-General George Monke, to hold and enjoy the Cuftody of the said Park during the Pleasure of the Parliament. The Serjeant at Arms was ordered forthwith to take Sir Henry Vane into Cuftody, and to take Care that he be conveyed to his House at Bellew, in order to his going to his House at Raby, according to the former Order of Parliament. A Committee appointed to inspect the public Treafuries of the Commonwealth, to fee what Monies are there, and give a speedy Account thereof to Parliament. Lieut. Gen. Ludlow was ordered to give an Account to the House of the Affairs in Ireland, on this Day Se❜nnight; the Petition from the Company of Foot in Duncannon Fort to be then read. Lafly, the Bill for approving and juftifying the Actions of General George Monke, was read a fecond Time, and, upon the Queftion, ordered to be ingroffed. February 2. The Act for conftituting a Committee for the Army and Treasurers at War, was this Day read a third Time, and paffed, and was ordered to be printed and published. |