binding upon both the King and themselves; and they would not stir without that acknowledgment. The King, to obviate this difficulty, which he found was an indispensable preliminary to the commencement of the treaty, with evidently great reluctance, (which was sufficient of itself to alarm the Parliament, and to determine them to insist upon it as the basis of the treaty,) consents to the acknowledgment; but secretly reserves to himself, and records, a power of withdrawing it for the purpose, there can be no doubt, of affording him an opportunity of annulling his engagements with the Parliament when he should find himself sufficiently strong so to do, upon the ground and pretext of their not being a legal body, with whom to make any binding engagement. This Mr. Hume must surely have seen to be the object of this secret reservation, and as such incapable of defence.

The King does not expect to bring the Parliament to terms but by a force, which he hopes to receive from the Queen. He tells her that his commissioners will not recede from his instructions; and he declares his intention of putting an end to the then, as he calls it, perpetual Parliament, so soon as it should be in his power. He authorises the Queen to call in the assistance of the Catholics; and promises, in recompense of their assistance, the repeal of all the penal laws against them.

After these disclosures the Parliament could

not, with any confidence, treat with the King; the motives on both sides for engaging in the subsequent treaties must have been to give to the nation the appearance of moderation, but secretly without hope of a successful termination.

Rushworth observes, that there were about this time, the latter end of the year 1646, warm debates between the Parliament and the Scots commissioners, respecting the possession of the King's person, the Parliament claiming the sole power thereof, the Scots the joint power with the Parliament.

28th December (1646). Both Houses, says Whitelock, agreed that there should be no further treaty with the King; and the Commons voted, That the King coming to Holmby House, and the Scots army gone out of the kingdom, the two Houses would then join with the Scots in using all possible means to persuade the King to pass the propositions, and if he refused, that then the Houses would do nothing that might break the union and affection of the two kingdoms. Whereupon a declaration was sent up to the Lords, and with it the ordinances for sale of the bishops' lands, and for taking away the court of wards, to be sent to the King as additional propositions; to which the Lords agreed.

CHAP. VI.

PARLIAMENT'S RESOLUTION TO DISBAND THE ARMY.-THE ARMY CLAIM A RIGHT OF PETITIONING.-APPOINTMENT AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE AGITATORS.

REMOVAL OF

THE KING FROM HOLMBY HOUSE. THE ARMY REFUSE TO DISBAND BUT UPON CERTAIN CONDITIONS.THEIR

DECLARATIONS AND REMONSTRANCES.

AGAINST ELEVEN MEMBERS.

OF COMMONS.

THEIR CHARGE

FORCE UPON THE HOUSE

-MANY OF THE MEMBERS QUIT THE HOUSE, AND RETIRE TO THE ARMY.-THE ARMY BRING THEM

BACK TO THE HOUSE.

PROPOSITIONS OF BOTH HOUSES

SENT TO THE KING AT HAMPTON COURT.- -COMMITMENT AND IMPEACHMENT OF MEMBERS CONCERNED IN THE FORCE UPON THE HOUSE. THE KING'S ANSWER TO THE

PROPOSITIONS.

THE KING'S ESCAPE TO THE ISLE OF

WIGHT FROM HAMPTON COURT.- CUSTODY OF THE GREAT

SEAL. DUKE OF YORK'S ESCAPE.

--

THE KINGDOM. -DEFEATED.

REMOVAL OF THE KING TO HURST CASTLE.-EXCLUSION FROM THE HOUSE, BY THE ARMY, OF MANY MEMBERS. NEW GREAT SEAL.-TRIAL OF THE KING. -HIS DEATH.

APRIL 1. (1647.) The Commons, says Rushworth, voted that the civil government of Ireland should be thenceforth distinct from the military, and should be by two Lords-Justices as formerly : that the military should be by a commander-in

chief, who should be directed by commissioners on the place.

Lieutenant-general Hammond, Colonel Hammond, Lieutenant-colonel Pride, and other officers, attended the House, in obedience to a letter from the House to the General, when the Speaker acquainted Colonel Pride that the House had been informed that he had read a petition, of which the House had an ill sense, at the head of Colonel Harley's regiment; and that threatening speeches had been given out, that those who would not subscribe it should be cashiered the army. Colonel Pride denied the reading the petition at the head of that regiment, and the threatening speeches used, and the whole charge, as did the others; with which the House was satisfied, and desired them to be careful to suppress it, and that they should go down to the army to their several commands. Sir Thomas Fairfax, in answer to the above letter from the House, informed the Speaker, that, in consequence, he had ordered the officers quartered in those parts (Walden, in Essex,) to meet at his quarters, where, having communicated the Speaker's letter, they did generally express a very deep sense of their unhappiness in being so misunderstood in their intentions, which were no other than by way of petition to represent those inconveniences which would necessarily befall most of the army after disbanding; desiring that as much as the General should judge fit and reason

able might be submissively made known to the House of Commons, assuring him that they would wholly acquiesce in whatsoever he should judge reasonable to offer the House, or to grant on their behalf: that he trusted the army would ever manifest their affection to the public by their constant perseverance in their accustomed obedience to all their commands.

April 2. The House voted that the commander of the forces in Ireland should be styled Fieldmarshal, and be allowed 61. per diem, and appointed Major-general Skippon such field-marshal, and Colonel Massey lieutenant-general of the horse under him.

A petition against the army from Essex was complained of as having been read in several churches, on the preceding day, by the ministers, to get hands to it. The soldiers, especially the horse, appeared to have been much troubled, and complain why they should not be heard in petitioning, when they saw petitions in their own quarters subscribed in an indirect manner against them; and the horse thereabout talked of drawing to a ren dezvous, to compose something for vindication.

The House, upon information of this petition, and that it was contrived and first promoted in London, and sent privately into Essex, to get hands to it, to show its dislike to such petitioning, and the great discontent it might occasion in the army in that juncture of time, ordered that the