350 Particularly Sr. George Booth utter'd some threa ts, and immediately · they went into their severall counties, and had laid a designe all over England, wherein all the royallists were engag'd, and many of the old parliament officers; and this was so dexterously, secretly, and unanimously carried on; that before the parliament had the least intimation of it, the flame was everywhere kindled, and small parties attempting insurrections in all places; but their maine strength was with Sr. George Booth in Cheshire, who there appear'd the chiefe head of the rebellion. The citie, at that time, were very wavering and f11lse to the parliament, yett the usual! presence of God, that was with t hem in former times, never appear'cl so emi~ nent as now, miraculously' bringi ng to light all the plotts against them, and scattering their enemies before the wind, making them flie when there was none to persue them: although even in the parliament house there w_anted not many close traytors and abettors of this conspiracy., It was presen tly voted to send an armic downe into Cheshire; but then it fell into debate who should lead. Fleetewood, upon the deposing his brother Richard (wherein he was niost unworthily assistant), was made generall, but not thought a person of courage enough for this enterprize, · whereupon many of Lambert's friends propounded him to the house, and undertooke for his integrity and hearty repentance for having bene former ly assistant to the protector. Col!. Hutchinson was utterly aga inst r€ceiving him againe into employment; but it was the generall vote of the hous€, and accordingly he was brought in to receive his commission from the speaker; who intending to accept an humble submission, he then falsely made, with high professions of fidelitie, and to returne him an encouragement, in declaring the confidence the house had in him, through mistake, made such a speech to him, as after prov'cl a true prophesie of his perficliousnesse. Many of the house tooke notice of it then only to laugh, but afterward thought some hidden impul se, the man was not sensible of, led his tongue into those mistakes. However Lambert went for th, and through the
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