357 angrie with them, thinking they rather came to see how he stood affected, then really to aske his councell. When Lambert had broken the house, the collonell made a short voyage to London to informe himselfe how things were, and found some of the members exceedingly sensible of the sad estate the kingdome was reduc'd unto by the rash ambition of these men, and resolving that there was no way but for every man that abhorr'd it to improovc their interest in their countries, and to suppresse these usurpers and rebells. Hereupon the collonell tooke order to have some armes bought and sent him, and had prepar'd a thousand honest men, whenever he should call for their assistance; intending to improove his posse comitatus when occasion should be offer'd. To provoke · him more particularly to this, several! accidents fell out. Among the rest, six of Lambert's troopers came to gather mony, lay'd upon the country by an assessment of parliament, whom the collonell telling that in regard it was leavied by that authority, he had pay'd it, but otherwise would not; two of them, who only were in the roome with the collonell, the rest being on horseback in the court, gave him such insolent termes, with such unsufferable reproaches of the pm·!iament, that the collonell drew a sword which was in the roome to have chastis'd them. While a minister that was by held. the collonell's arme, his wife, not willing to have them kill'd in her presence, open'd the doore and let them out, who presently run and fetcht in their companions in the yard with c.ockt pistolls. Upon the bustle, while the collonell having disengag'd himselfe from those that held him, was run after them with the sword drawne, his brother came ont of another roome, upon whom, the souldiers pressing against a doore that went into the greate hall, the doore flew open, and about 50 or 60 men appear'd in the hall,' who were there q The description of the house contained in a former uote will give a just idea of lbe position of all the parties, and of the striking sceue here described.
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