172 The HISTORY of the PuRITANs. VoL. II. K.Charles l. ''he) go on in their wicked praClices, and we keep to our principles, we ~ " may as foo n make fire and water to agree; and 1 had a!moll: faid, re– '' cone ile heaven and hell, as their fpirib and ours. They muD: grow "better, or we mull: grow worfe, before 'tis poffible for us to agree." He added further, " that there was a generation of men th at carried blood " and revenge in their hearts, again!l: the well affeCted in the nation, who " hated not only their bodies but their fouls, and in their cups would drink "an health to their damnation." Though there might be fome truth in what the preacher faid, yet thefe expreffions were unbecoming any pri– vate man in fo nice a conjunCture ; he was therefore confined to his houfe Rapin, p. 278. during the treaty, and then difi:harged. It was too evident that neither party came to the treaty with a healing fpirit; the king's cornmiffioners were under fuch re!l:r.lints, that little good was to be expected from them, and th e parliament commiilioners would place no manner of confidence in his rnaje!l:y's promifes, nor abate a tittle of the fulle!l: fecurity for themfelves and the conf'citution. The king therefore in his letter to the queen of Jan. 2 2. af1iues her of the utter improbability that this prefent treaty fhould produce a peace, " confidering '' the great, and !!range difference, if not contrariety of grounds, that " were between the rebels propofitions and his; and that l cannot alter " mine, nor will they ever theirs, but by force." Of the rm'Jj. \Ve fhall only ju!l: mention the propofitions relating to the militia and tia. Ireland, our principal view being to religion. The king's commiffioners propofed to put the militia into the hands qf TRUSTEES for three years, half to be named by the king, and half by tbe parliament, and tben to re– nJert abfo!ute!y to tbe crown on pain of high treqfon. But the parliament commiffioners replied, that by the king's naming half the commif– fioners, the militia would be rendered unaClive, and that after three years, they fhould be in a worfe condition than before the war; they therefore Rapin, p. propof~d, that tbe parliament Jbould name the commif!iimers for.fevm ;•ean, :.~o87. and then to be Jettied as tbe king and parliament.fbould agree, or elfe to limit tbeir nomintion to tbree years, after tbe king and parliament .fbould declare the kingdom to be in a .fettled peace. It had been eafy to form this pro– pofition, fo as both parties might have complied with honour and fafety, if they had been in earne!l: for an accommodation; but his majefiy's comOf Ireland. miilioners could vield no further. As to.Jreland, 'the king's commiffioners ju!l:ified his majel'l:y's proceedings in the celfation, and in fending for the rebels over to fill up his ar– mies; and when the cornmiffioners on the other fide, put them in mind of his maje!l:y's folemn prcmifes to leave that affair to the parliament, and to have thofe rebels punilhed according to law; the others replied, " they wifhed it was in his majefiy's power to punifhall rebellion accord- . 2 " ing
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