have no power to try him as a delinquent, nor acknowledging them any other than a surreptitious and arbitrary authority: which was a thing so well and rationally penned, that the gallant spirit of the yet living Judge Jenkins is evidently seen to act, maugre all their malice and endeavours to the contrary. The very same course took resolute John Lilburne, who, in the same manner, scattering his papers about the Hall, was suddenly accompanied by divers gentlemen and strangers to the bar, where he obtained (against all opposition) an Habeas Corpus, and is now, with others of his crew, in the army, prosecuting our Great Cromwell as an unjust usurper and murderer of the free people of England.

Besides the business in Wales, other parts are in great suspicion; so that you see upon what threads the affairs of this kingdom depend, the issue whereof none can conjecture, other than strange and dangerous on all sides; for I am verily persuaded that the Grandees * here will push it to the uttermost, and make a bloody catastrophe of it if the Scots be but resolute; for they are so affrighted with what they have done, that they can neither look back nor advance, but with a strange despair or extraordinary hazard; and they would certainly run where their treasure is, had they not engaged so many men of fortune, whom they have fooled to believe themselves as desperate as they, which I fear will gain them a strong party, being already masters of the City by a mere plot of their own, in pursuance of others in hand. But God is above all, and I hope will convert all to the best. On Monday next is the general call, and then we shall be full of news: this being all at present.

Sir, I do herein enclose other letters, which I shall request you to convey. In the meantime, having (by much diligence) recovered the box, I delivered it the same day unto the lady, who returns you many great acknowledgments for the favour. My brother is in town; and I think I shall suddenly dispose of some monies in very good hands, to my best advantage, being now quite off from purchasing, till the times be better, and the lands more supportable, which are now coming on us afresh. My

* By the Grandees, he means the men in power on the Parliament side.

uncle John came yesterday to see me, my nephew William failing of his promise, which was to have prevented the visit with my first addresses. He still holds his resolutions for France; which I do very much approve; and, when i this term is done, I shall make bold to air myself at Deptford, till these broils be over. I desire to hear news of the Prince, and likewise whether the Marquis of Ormond have taken his leave of France. It is reported here that the States retain his Highness, and will not let him You must rectify all, and so I conclude,

move.

SIR,

Yours, as I ever was, to honour and serve,

APLANOS.

London, 4th May, 1648.

Yours of the 6th and 9th of May received, challenges this account from me. And first I perceive you are fully satisfied in the particular of my L. Mon.,* whom I shall soon inform touching the diamonds, as likewise perform your other commands to the C. of Clare. My uncle resolves to visit you about fifteen days hence, with whom Mr. L., who, in the meantime, shall be advised how th' affair concerns him with Mr. L. G. I do remember also your advertisement touching the gold. As to the point of Mr. F., I do much incline to your opinion; so that, if you can procure the money, I am willing to relinquish all; yet I presume the favour which I did him (being wholly unknown to him) was worth a reply to my last letter. And now for news: first, I acknowledge the obligation of yours of the 6th and the 9th, and in exchange assure you that things are in an extraordinary fair overture here. Monday, late, came one Colonel Marshall with the Scots' demands, which were-for a personal treaty; a full vindication touching his disposalt without their privity; the pressing of the covenant, establishment of presbytery, and speedy disbanding of the army of schismatics and sectaries under the command of Thomas Lord Fairfax (for so are the terms); and a positive answer to be expedited within fifteen days, which is their utter

* Lord Montague.

+ The King's.

most limitation. Upon this, the opinion of the wise is divers: some apprehending that if our brethren see presbytery and the covenant put into speedy advancement, they will agree both together in desertion of the rest; for that the loyal party are beginning to appear so formidable, both amongst them and in every corner of England, as puts them in fear that when they are once engaged, it will not be in their power to make good their propositions, which are only made use of to drive along their own interest (for without doubt the Parliament are now in such a condition that the Scots cannot demand what they shall be denied); so these will be quiet and proceed no further. Thus some; others are of a quite contrary sense, because of that bitter mixture in their ink touching the army, which will, I believe, extremely gravel their resolutions. The surprise of Berwick and Carlisle in my judgment should signify that their intentions are more than nominal. But as yet there hath been no faith in the sons of men. Hope we do, and indeed there is good reason so to do, since that gallant and unanimous appearance of your Essex men, who (contrary to all expectations until the very nick) came in a body of about 15,000 men, whereof 2000 horse and foot rode quite through London; the rest stayed at Stratford-Langton, bearing their petitions before each hundred of the county; and were so well and so advantageously marshalled even unto the very Parliament doors, that nothing was nor is like to be of greater consequence than this very day's appearances. And that you may know what an extraordinary cortège it was, there were thirty knights, 500 gentlemen, gallantly attended, and the rest all freeholders without exception, as it appeared upon debate of those who strove all that they could to suppress it. For this they were constrained (though highly against their stomachs) to give them thanks; and for the present, in the name of the Houses, they promised them that the first thing which they took in hand, should be the contents of their petition, containing a personal treaty, disbanding of the army, and other things of the like concernment, tending altogether to the wished-for settling these distractions. This petition-to-morrow it will be in print, so that yet particulars are not generally known-was presented by Sir

William Hicks; and if you had but heard the bells of every church ring as they passed the streets, with those strange and cordial acclamations of the people as they marched, I am sure it would have more cheered your heart than this imperfect relation can possibly imagine to do. But this cold answer which they received, hath, it seems, appeared to them so unsatisfactory, that they are resolute not to leave it until matters be in better posture; and in pursuance of their steps, our county of Surrey are in a very great forwardness to do the like. Divers other counties likewise resolved to follow them, which strange alterations (after all this security of theirs, and subornation of mock counterfeit petitions to take them for their votes of non-address) shows plainly that it is only the finger and power of God, who can unravel all this bottom of confusion, by beginning their destruction, where they began our miseries.

This day's work has struck such a damp in them* that they all concurred in the House this morning, that either they must accommodate with his Majesty, or resolve to despatch with monarchy, and run a most desperate course, which I tremble to consider. In the mean time Cromwell is not in such grace with his soldiers as to make that force he believed he should to accompany him into Wales, where (if Lahornet be not treacherous) he may yet find a difficult employment. It was whispered that he is not to be found, upon which it is imagined that he is again tampering with the King, or else hatching some cockatrice' egg, which will suddenly break forth. I assure you this day's example is like to be such a shoeing-horn to the good expectations on foot, that no conjuncture could be more lucky; and I augur much satisfaction in the rest of my expresses to you hereafter. By the next we shall see more clearly, for it cannot be long now but we shall see what we have to trust to. God in his mercy put a conclusion to this tragedy, and so I end.

The "Grandees" of Parliament.

† Major-General Langhern is here meant. He resisted at Pembroke in company with Poyer, was sentenced to death, and escaped at the throw of the dice by which Poyer suffered.

[Postscript.]

Extraordinary haste, occasioned by visitants, just at the writing hereof, with the lateness, before I was well informed of the truth, makes me write thus confusedly.-If you approve it, my sister and brother Grandville (who are truly persons not unworthy of friendship), hearing that I intend to spend the heats of this summer at Deptford, at my request will bear me company, which will be an ease to my expenses, (they being but frugal,) and no little satisfaction; else they go to a stranger's, and I shall be alone but till we have your approbation, nothing is resolved.

:

London, May 12th, 1648.

SIR, I come now (with a great deal of regret, God knows) to relate you the catastrophe of the Kentish design and engagement, they having, as it were, universally abandoned themselves to no better conditions then the mercies of the men of Westminster. For indemnity is no more granted them, than if they had still persisted in their loyalty; so that many of them being imprisoned (as Sir Payton Brockman, &c.), the rest are become slaves, and the whole county at their devotion. Behold the fruits of your wise consultations in France; from whence it was stedfastly hoped and confidently believed some person of conduct and quality would have been sent unto them, with such a commission as might have determined all disputes of precedency in a conjuncture of so much advantage and opportunity, the like whereof we henceforth altogether despair of. When I reflect upon the strange miscarriage of that poor county (not for want of hands but heads), I cannot but accuse you abroad, as well as lay the blame upon our proceedings at home. When Maydeston * might have been relieved during the fatal conflict there, by one thousand men, which waited on my Lord Norwich and others, not a commander would stir for want of orders, or (to say truly) obedience to some person that had a more proper delegation than any there pretended. The people were numerous; the country was full of arms and

* Maidstone.