XIV. dispirited, and gave their commissioners at London BOOK order to prosecute the peace upon any conditions, so Cromwell, being by this time become protector, f 1654. was weary enough of so chargeable a war, and knew he had much to do to settle the government at home, and that he might choose more convenient enemies abroad, who would neither be able to defend themselves as well, or to do him so much harm, as the Hollanders had done, and could do. And therefore when he had drawn the Dutch to accept of such conditions as he thought fit to give them; among which one was, "that they should not suffer any of the king's party, or any enemy to the com"monwealth of England, to reside within their do"minions:" and another, which was contained in a secret article, to which the great seal of the States was affixed, by which they obliged themselves "ne 66 ver to admit the prince of Orange to be their "stateholder, general, or admiral; and likewise to "deliver up the island of Polerone in the East In"dies" (which they had taken from the English in the time of king James, and usurped it ever since) "into the hands of the East India English company 66 again;" and to pay a good sum of money for the old barbarous violence exercised so many years since at Amboyna; for which the two last kings could never obtain satisfaction and reparation : about the middle of April 1654, he made a peace with the Cromwell States General, with all the advantages he could desire, having indeed all the persons of power and in-the Dutch Apr. 1654. terest there, fast bound to him upon their joint in terest. makes peace with f being by this time become protector,] Not in MS. BOOK XIV. 1654. He makes send an am. peace. cutes the And having now rendered himself terrible abroad, he forced Portugal to send an ambassador to beg peace, and to submit to expiate the offence they had Portugal committed in receiving prince Rupert, by the paybassador for ment of a great sum of money; and brought the two crowns of France and Spain to sue for his alliance. He suspended for a time to choose a new enemy, that he might make himself as much obeyed at home, as he was feared abroad; and, in order to He prose that, he prosecuted all those who had been of the king's party with the utmost rigour; laid new impositions upon them, and, upon every light rumour of a conspiracy, clapped up all those whom he thought fit to suspect into close prisons; enjoined others not to stir from their own houses, and banished all who had ever been in arms for the king, from the cities of London and Westminster; and laid other penalties upon them, contrary to the articles granted to them when they gave up their arms, and to the indemnity upon making their compositions. king's party. discontents The general The discontents were general over the whole in the na- kingdom, and among all sorts of people, of what tion. party soever. The presbyterians preached boldly against the liberty of conscience, and the monstrous licence that sprung from thence; and they who enjoyed that licence were as unsatisfied with the government as any of the rest, talked more loudly, and threatened the person of Cromwell more than any. But into these distempers Cromwell was not inquisitive; nor would give those men an opportunity to talk, by calling them in question, who, he knew, would say more than he was willing any body should hear; but intended to mortify those XIV. unruly spirits at the charge of the king's party, and BOOK with the spectacle of their suffering upon any the. most trivial occasion. And if, in this general li- 1654. cence of discourse, any man, who was suspected to wish well to the king, let fall any light word against the government, he was sure to be cast in prison, and to be pursued with all possible severity and cruelty and he could not want frequent opportunities of revenge this way. It was the greatest consolation to miserable men, who had, in themselves or their friends, been undone by their loyalty, to meet together, and lament their conditions: and this brought on invectives against the person of Cromwell; wine, and good fellowship, and the continuance of the discourse, disposing them to take notice of the universal hatred that the whole nation had of him, and to fancy how easy it would be to destroy him. And commonly there was, in all those meetings, some corrupted person of the party, who fomented most the discourse, and, for a vile recompense, betrayed his companions, and informed of all, and more than had been said. Whereupon a new plot was discovered against the commonwealth and the person of the protector, and a high court of justice was presently erected to try the criminals; which rarely absolved any man who was brought before them. But to this kind of trial they never exposed any man but those of the king's party; the other, of whom they were more afraid, had too many friends to suffer them to be brought before such a tribunal; which had been first erected to murder the king himself, and continued to root out s and good fellowship,] Not in MS. XIV. BOOK all who adhered to him. No man who had ever been against the king (except he became afterwards 1654. for him) was ever brought before that extravagant power; but such were remitted to the trial of the law by juries, which seldom condemned any. A high court of justice erected a the peace land. The very next month after the peace was made, for the better establishment of Cromwell's empire, a month after high court of justice was erected for the trial of perwith Hol- sons accused of "holding correspondence with Charles "Stuart," (which was the style they allowed the king,)" and for having a design against the life of "the protector, to seize upon the Tower, and to "proclaim the king." The chief persons they acMr. Gerard cused of this were, Mr. Gerard, a young gentleman Vowel tried of a good family, who had been an ensign in the king's army, but was not at present above twentytwo years of age h: the other, one Mr. Vowel; who kept a school, and taught many boys about Islington. Mr. Gerard was charged with "having been "at Paris, and having there spoken with the king;" which he confessed; and declared, "that he went "to Paris upon a business that concerned himself," (which he named,) " and when he had despatched and Mr. before them. it, and was to return for England, he desired the "lord Gerard, his kinsman, to present him to the 66 king, that he might kiss his hand; which he did "in a large room, where were many present; and "that, when he asked his majesty, whether he "would command him any service into England? "his majesty bid him to commend him to his friends "there, and to charge them that they should be h twenty-two years of age] MS. adds: without any interest or fortune Islington] Originally, Knightsbridge XIV. quiet, and not engage themselves in any plots; BOOK "which must prove ruinous to them, and could do. "the king no good:" which was very true: for his 1654. majesty had observed so much of the temper of the people at his being at Worcester, and his concealment after, the fear they were under, and how fruitless any insurrection must be, that he endeavoured nothing more than to divert and suppress all inclinations that way. However, this high court of justice received proof, that Mr. Gerard and Mr. Vowel had been present with some other gentlemen in a tavern, where discourse had been held, "how easy a thing it was to kill the protector, and at the same “time to seize upon the Tower of London, and that, "if at the same time the king were proclaimed, the city of London would presently declare for his majesty, and nobody would oppose him." 66 66 executed at cross: his viour. Upon this evidence, these two gentlemen were They are condemned to be hanged; and upon the tenth of condemned. July, about two months after they had been in prison, a gallows was erected at Charing-cross; whither Mr. Vowel was brought; who was a person ut- Mr.Vowel terly unknown to the king, and to any person in-Charingtrusted by him, but very worthy to have his name magnaniand memory preserved in the list of those who mous behashewed most magnanimity and courage in sacrificing their lives for the crown. He expressed a marvellous contempt of death; "which," he said, "he "suffered without having committed any fault." He professed his duty to the king, and his reverence for the church; and earnestly and pathetically advised the people to return to their fidelity to both; which," he told them, they would at last be compelled to do after all their sufferings." He 66 66 |