Chap. VIH. The HISTOR-Y ojthe PuRITANS, 271 and that he ihould not be forced to any thing againfi his confcience ; the K. Charles I. ch ief office rs of the army met his maje fl y at Chi/derly, four miles from ~' Cambridge, and were admitted to kifs his hand ; from thence he was re- ' moved to Ne'w-market, where he took the dive rfio n of the Heath, had the liberty of fou r of his own chaplains to wait upon him, and was attended with all due ceremony and refpeCl ; (}romwell being heard to fay among his friends, that now he had got the king into his hands he bad the parliament in his pocket. The two houfes received the news of the king's being carried off to the Whichjlrikes army with the utmo!l fm·prize and a!lonifhment ; the whole city was in tbe two hou – confufion, and all perfons within .the lines of communication ordered to f"w,tbfurarms; the lobby at Wijf.minfter was thronged with the difbanded officer/nu . . of the earl of Elfex's army cffering their fervice to the parliament ; for every one imagi ned the army would be at the gates of the city in a few hours; when their pannick was a little abated, commifiioners were fent Rufhw. p. to the general, not to advance within forty mil es of London, but being 5~6, 5~1 •· alre2.dy at St. Alban's, the general promifed not to march his at my nearer 5~9, &c. without due notice; and aifured the two houfts, that they would not oppqfi! tbe prejbyterial gover-nment, nor Jet up tbe independent; but only infifled, Rapin, p. th at feme eifech~JI courfe might be taken, that fuch who upon confcien.. 375• 379• · tious grounds differed from the eflablifhment, might not be debarred from the common rights liberties or bel'efits belonging egually to all, while they lived fober!y and inoffenlively towards others, and peaceably and faithfu lly towards the fl:ate. June 1 o. another letter was fent to the lord-mayor, aldermen, and common council of L ondon, figoed by Fairjmc, Crotmvell, and twdve other officers, aifuring them, " they in- Rnfhw. P· · " ttodcd no alteration of the civil government; nor to i11terrupt thejettle- 554· " mrnt rf prejb)'tery; nor to introduce a licentious liberty, under colour ' ' of<v b1aini ng ea(c for tender confcicnces, but that wbm the f1ate had made "a fe ttlemcnt they would fubmit or fuffer. They wifhed that every " peaceable fubjtft might have liberty and encouragement, for the ob- · "taining which (fay they) we are drawing near the city--- We " fcek the good of all, and fhall wait for a ti me to fee if thde " things may be fettlcd without us, and then we will embark for l ri!- ,., laud-- " The commons took no notice of thefe remon£1: rances, but declared in D ·l . 1 • , • . . . tt ma z~;r prmt, tbat bzs maJI:flJ ~~·C?s a prifiner, and barbarou.Jly l!{ed, bc:cau[<;: the of the army, . commifiioners could have no acce(s to him, but in prefence of fome ofri- Rull!w. ctrs; the army replitd, " that all fuggdlions of th~t nature were 2.bio- l' 5°9• 59oi " lutely falCe, and contrary to their princip1es, which are rnoit clearly fiJr «·a ge;;eral right, and jt:ft freedom to all mm, and t!,creio:·e upon this ! - " OCG1--
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