219 Chap. VH. 'Ihe HIS T 0 RY of the PuRITANS. and Oxford, while the unfortunate king (pent his time muling over his K. Charles I. papers in a mo!l:. difconfolate manner, forfaken by fame of his be!l:. friends, ~and rudely treated by others. Mr. Locke fays, the ufage the king met with · from his followers at Oxford made it an hard, but almo!l:. an even choice, to be the parliament's prifoner, or their f1ave. In his majef1y's letter to the queen he writes, " If thou knew what a life I lead in point of con- " verfation, I dare fay thou wouldfl: pity me." The chief officers quarrelled, and became infupportably infolent in the royal prefence; nor was the king himfelf without blame; for being deprived of his oracle the Q.YEEN, he was like a fbip in a fiorm without fail s or rudder. Lord Clarendon therefore draws a vail aver his majefiy's conduct in thefe words: '' It is not poffible to difcourfe of particulars with the clearnefs that is ne- Vol. l V. p. " ceffary to fnbject them to common undedlandings, without opening a 626. " door for fuch reflections upon the king himfelf, as feem to call both " his wifdom and fieadinefs in queftion ; as if he wanted the one to ap- " prebend and difcover, and the other to prevent the mifchiefs that were '' evident and impending." And yet nothing could prevail with him to fubmit to the times, or deal frankly with thofe who alone were capable of retrieving his affairs. The king having neither money nor forces, and the queen's refources King fur-. from abroad failing, his majefly could not take the field in the fpring, rendm lnsh · 1 1 1' r. fl h' . . f perfon to 1 e whtc 1 gave t 1e par tament army an ea1y conque" over IS remammg orts feats, and garrifons. All the Wefl was reduced before Mic!fommer, by the victorious army of Sir 'I'ho. Fairjax; the city of Exeter furrendered April 9· in which one of the king's daughters, princefs Henrietta, was made prifoner, but her governefs the countefs of Dalkeith, found means afterwards to convey her privately into France. Dennington-Caflle ftp-rendered April I . Barnflaple the I zth, and Woocfftock the 26th; upon which it was refolved to !l:.rike the finilhing blow, by befieging the king in his head quarters at Oxford ; upon the news of which, like a man in a· fright, Rapin, p. he left the city by night Apri/27. and travelled as a fervant to Dr. Hud- 337• 338. fon and Mr. Ajhburnham, with his hair cut round to his ears, and a cloke vn~,r.~~w. bag behind him to the}cots army before Newark: His majefl:y furrender~ p. 268, 27 3, ed himfelf to general Leven, Moy 5· who received him with refpect., 2 74> 303, but fent an exprefs immediately to the two honfes, who were difpleafed 3° 4 · at his majefly's conduct, apprehending it calculated to prolong the war, and occafion a difference between the two nations; which was certainly intended, as appears by the king's letter from Oxford to the duke of Ormond, in which he fays, he had good fecurity, that he and all his adherents fbould be fafe in their perfons honours and confciences in the fi:ots army, ~nd that they would join 'l£itb him, and employ their forces to obtain a happy and well grounded peace ; whereas the Ji:ots commiffioners, in F f 2 their
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