Towards the latter end of July last, when the King lay at Woburne, the Lord Louderdale came one morn­ing about foure five of the Clock to the Court, lost no time, but presently made a repaire to His Majesty with whom hee had much private communication. It was commonly reported and generally beleived that he had come post all the night before. But whether so or not, I know not, but this I know, that his early comming and hasty speaking with His Majesty at that Conjuncture of time, when that unparalled vi­olence was committed upon the Parliament, and that treasonable engagement for fetching the King to Lon­don, and preparations for a new Warre, were so vi­olently prosecuted in the City, drove the Court into feares, and Souldiers into jealousies, that his Lord­ship came to indeavour the perfecting at Court that designe, which was begun and prosecuted in the City and that which made them (as I conceive the more jea­lous of his intentions, was a common report, that his Lordship was a fomenter of the Cities Tumults, or corresponding with the Authours of them. And in­deed I finde, that the Souldiers had long entertained harsh toughts of the Lord louderdale ever since his Relation, concerning His Majesties going from Hol­denby, made in the Painted Chamber so much to the prejudice and disadvantage of the Army; and his un­dertaking there to ingage the whole Kingdom of Scot­land, as one man against the Army; they were playn with him at New-Market, then minding him of it, and told him he had publikely declared himselfe their e­nemy; therefore they could not but think he came to doe them, and the Kingdome ill Offices.

And had not my selfe and other Officers interpo­sed, [Page 3]they had then at least perswaded him away from the Court, but at that time the Souldiers indured his stay, though with some regret; But his Lordships second appearance at that time and manner as before relared, so kightened, (it seems their former jealousies and exasperated them into such resolutions, as that divers of them whose names I protest I know not, not so much as one for present) being of severall Regia­ments came about five of the Clock, next morning, to his Lordships Chamber doore, desired to speake with him, upon notice whereof, I hastened to the Earl of Louderdales Lodgings, and the Earle of Denby with me: We found the Souldiers and the Lord Lou­derdale reasoning very calmly together, his Lordship telling them he was a publike person, and they could offer him no affront, but it would reflect upon the Kingdome of Scotland, and tend to devide the two Nations, the Souldiers told him, they found he ma­ny times acted as a private person, as when in the painted Chamber hee undertooke for all Scotland to engage as one man against the Army, (which as they heard) he had no Commission for from the State of Scotland, what they did was in Reference to the Lord Louderdale and not to the Scotish Nation: and had his Lordship shewed any Commission, Passe, or War­rant, testifying his being sent or imployed thither as a publique person from the States of Scotland, or their Commissioners, I conceive it might have satisfi­ed.

The Earle of Denbigh endeavoured with all the Reasons and arguments he could to perswade them to let the Earle of Louderdale stay, and not meddle with [Page 4]him, and my selfe commanded some of them to their Guard, and the rest to be gone.

But from commanding, (the discontent being very high) I was inforced, for the present to fall to per­swading, I confirmed what the Earle of Denbigh before had said to them, that it might bee construed as an injury to the State of Scotland, that it would be an offence to the Parliament of Englaad, and ad­ded that it was a contemning of the Generalls pow­er, when they would not obey Commands, and would expose both themselves, and me to danger, but all in vaine; for indeed that horrid violence, so late­ly done to the Parliament, and the forced flight of the Members of both Houses (whereby that highest Authority of the kingdome seemed to be at a stand) as it put both the City and most parts of the King­dome into a monstrous vein of confusion, and of di­stracted and licentious workings, and weakned (for present) the hands of all men in Authority under the Parliament, so it wanted not its influence of like na­ture upon the Army and Souldiery throughout the Kingdome, so as Officers could not (at that time) have the like command of their Souldiers, as for­merly, nor as now again, since the Authority of the Parliament hath been vindicated, and both Houses (through Gods blessing) restored to their Honour and Freedome:

For my owne part (as affaires then stood) I am confident the Lord Denbigh will witnesse it for me? I did my utmost endeavours to have gotten the Soul­diers away, I commanded, I perswaded, but neither commands nor perswasions would prevaile, the Soul­diers [Page 5]being unanimously resolved his Lordship should not stay at Court, nor speak again with the King for that time.

And therefore they would not depart till his Lord­ship was ready and willing to take Coach.

When I saw I could not exercise my commanding power for the present in that matter, nor by it, nor by perswasion divert them from their Resolutions: I desired them at least to be civill towards his Lord­ship, which they performed, not giving his Lordship an ill word, nor laying any hands upon him, Mr. Cheesly his Lordships Secretary likewise seconded me, desiring the Souldiers to be civill, and to give his Lordship leave to say his Prayers, the Souldiers an­swered with all their hearts, they would joyne with him; but his Lordship told them he had not the gift of prayer, he would not pray publikely, and present­ly after went quietly to his Coach, the Souldiers at­tending him.

Thus have I given a true relation of the demea­nour, and Carriage of that towards the Lord Lou­therdale at VVoburne, for the confirmation whereof I referre my self to the Earle of Denbigh, who was present all the while, and in testimony of the truth hereof, I have hereunto set my hand.