A LETTER From the RIGHT HONOURABLE Ed. Lord Montagu, one of the Commissioners attending His MAJESTY.
With a perfect Narration of all the passages betwixt his MAJESTY and those Forces that brought him from Holdenby, being Resident now at New-market.
Both read in the House of Peeres on the tenth of June. 1647.
ORdered by the Lords assembled in Parliament, That this Letter, with the Narration be forthwith printed and published.
London printed for John Wright at the Kings Head in the old Bayley.. 1647.
To the Right Honourable the Earl of Manchester, Speaker of the House of Peeres pro tempore, these.
VPon Saterday as we were upon the way betweene Huntingdon and Cambridge, in our journey, as we supposed towards Newmarket, we were met by Colonell Whaley, who acquainted us with the first Orders he had received from the Generall to attend the King with his Regiment at Holdenby, in the roome of Col. Graves, and also with such other Orders as he received from his Excellency after it was knowne unto him that his Majesty was upon his march towards Newmarket, whereby he was directed at his meeting of the King upon the way, to entreat his Majesty to take up his Quarters at the next convenient house, which he had assigned to be at Childersly, the late dwelling house of Sir Iohn Cates, wherewith his Majesty was contented. At the same time we also received two Letters from the Generall, wherein he acquainted us that the changing of the Guards at Holdenby, and the removall of the King had been without his privity; and that he had sent Colonell [...] with his Regiment to attend his Majesty backe to Holdenby: But those Orders which Colonell [...] last received for waiting upon the King to such convenient Quarters as should be ne [...]t to the place where he [Page 2]met him in the way (were given as it seemes after the date of those Letters he directed to us) and upon his knowledge of the Kings being advanced as farre as Huntingdon: Upon Satterday in the after-noone the King came accordingly to this place, and we returned answer to his Excellencies two Letters, wherein we acquainted him with our condition, and that we had sent to the Parliament for directions, which we speedily expected. Upon Satterday late in the night, Sir Hardres Waller, and Colonell L [...]m [...]t came unto us from the Generall, and desired our advice what was fittest to be done upon this accident, which had befallen by the disorder of the Souldiers without his Excellencies knowledge, and withall propounded unto us the Kings returne to Holdenby: wherein his Majesty had declared his utter aversnesse to Colonell Whaley, insisting that he would not be posted from place to place, but since they had removed him against his will from Holdenby, he would now goe to Newmarket. To this we durst not, in the condition we were, presume to give any advice at all before we received new directions from you, and that was all the answer we returned. Upon Munday the Generall himselfe, the Lievtenant Generall, and other chiefe Officers of the Army came hither, and were much pressed by the King, that for his conveniency he might remove to his owne House at Newmarket, professing that he would not returne to Holdenby. Herein though much desired, we could not take upon us to advise, or act any thing conceiving that no new Guards could be but into the capacity of the former, who by Ordinance of Parliament were immediatly to receive and observe our Orders, and could not be countermanded by any other authority then of both Houses. His Excellency after much discourse returned back to his Quarters at Cambridge, having promised the King that he should have their resolution before morning, and accordingly Collonell Whaley hath now received Orders to attend the King to Newmarket, whether we also wait upon him, [Page 3]expecting hourely to receive your directions, which are hereby earnestly intreated, and will be extreamely welcome unto
IN regard I was straightned in time when my last Letter was written, I have here inclosed sent you a perfect relation of what passed upon the fourth of this instant June, when the King spake publiquely with the Souldiers at Holdenby.
The Narration betwixt his Majesty and Cornet George Joyce, &c.
THe Party being drawne up in the first Court before the House, His Majesty came downe, and standing upon the top of the steps, directed his Speech to Cornet Joyce, who representing the Commander of the Party, stood before the Horse at the foot of the Staires.
The King said that Cornet Joyce having, though at an unseasonable houre in the night, acquainted him that he was come to convey his Majesty to the Army; His Majesty, according to his promise, was there to give his answer in presence of them all: But first he desired to know by whom he was authorized to propound this to His Majesty. Master Joyce answered that he was sent by authority from the Army. The King replyed, That he knew no lawfull authority of England but his owne, and next under him the Parliment. But withall asked, whether he had any authority from Sir Thomas Fairfax, and whether in writing: It being replyed, [Page 4]That Sir Thomas Fairfax was a Member of the Army. The King insisted that he was not answered; Sir Thomas Fairfax being their Generall, was not properly a Member, but head of the Army. Joyce said, That at least he was included in the Army; and that the Souldiers present were his Commission, being a commanded Party out of every Regiment. The King replyed, That they might be good witnesses; but he had not seene such a Commission before: And if they were his Commission, It was an Authority very well written, all handsome young men. The King proceeded to say, That he came to H [...]d [...]nby not by constraint (though not so willingly as he might have done) to the intent he might send Messages to his two Houses of Parliament, and receive answers from them: That accordingly he had sent severall Messages to them, and thought himselfe in a sort obliged to stay for their answers which were not come; yet if they gave him such reasons as might convince his judgement he would goe with them: nay, the Commissioners should not stop him. He desired therefore to know the reasons they could give him for this journey. Joy [...] replyed, That a plot for this fou [...]e yeares last contrived by some Members of both Houses, to overthrow the Lawes of the Kingdome: That a designe to convey his Person to an Army newly to be raised for that purpose, were the causes of their undertaking this imployment, and hoped would prevaile with his Majesty to go willingly with them, thereby to defeat the purposes of those that would otherwise by the countenance of his Person, perturbe the peace of the Kingdome: And that his being with the Army was the readiest expedient he could thinke upon to procure him a speedy and sati [...]f [...]ctory Answer to his former Messages. The King returned that he knew no fillable of any such designe or intended Army: And that to seeke an Answer with so many gallant men at his back, w [...]re to e [...]tort it which were very unhandsome & besides that, their proposall looked like an [...]pposition to [Page 5]the Parliament, which he desired not, or would ever infringe their just Priviledges of the Lawes of the Land: That these Re [...]sons induced him not to go willingly; and therefore desired to know what they intended, it he would not go with them. It was answered, That they hoped his Majesty would not put them to use those meanes which otherwise they should be necessitated to, if he refused. For the Commissioners, or any else that refused, they knew well what course to take with them. The King protested; That unlesse they gave him satisfaction to the reasonable and just demands he should make, he would not go with them, unlesse they carried him by absolute force; and he thought they would well thinke upon it before they would lay violent hands upon their King: That the Commissioners had never put any constraint upon him; they were more civill. Then he propounded, that he might be used with honour and respect; That they would not force him in any thing contrary to his conscience, or his Honour; though he hoped he had long ago so fixed his resolutions, that no force could cause him to do a base thing: Though they were Masters of his body, yet his minde was above their reach. But to those Propofitions they consented with a generall Acclamation; Master Joyce adding, That their Principles were not to force any mans conscience, much lesse the King. Then His Majesty desired that those which attended him, and some other of his servants, against whom they had no just Exceptions, might be permitted to wait upon him. This being agreed, the King asked whether they would have him go: Oxford was first nominated, then Cambridge: The King named Newmarket, which accepted, he desired care might be taken to carry his stuffe, wherein Master Joyce said something was done already.
The other expressions of their respect to the King, of the Armies desire to see him with them, and of their fidelity towards him, were intermixed in the discourse, together with complaints of the proceeding of the Parliament [Page 6]towards them; which the King said, He would not ad udge, unlesse he heard both sides.
The King having ended, at the desire of the Commissioners, he gave them leave to speak to the Troops; who having repeated the summe of their Instructions from both Houses, whereby they were appointed to attend his Ma [...]esty at Holdenby till further Orders; did publikely protest against his removall, and against this act of the Souldiers, as unlawfull in it selfe, and dangerous to them; requiriug so many of them as would stand by the Commissioners in opposition thereof, to declare themselves accordingly. But it being with a generall voyce answered, That not a man of them would do so. The Commissioners added, That as honest men they theld themselves obliged to discharge the trust reposed in them, to the utmost of their power: And agreeable thereunto, if they had force for the Service, they would withstand them to the losse of their lives. But since they were not in a capacity at present, they must acquiesse.
As the King turned back to go into the House Major Tomlins declared to his Majesty, in the presence of the Commissioners, That according to the Orders they gave him, he had indeavoured what he could to induce the Troops assigned for the ordinary Guards, which he commanded in the absence of Colonell Greaves, to dr w up and make resistance, but without effect, they all refusing to obey him therein.