274 The H 1ST 0 R Y of the PuRITANS. VoL. II. K, Charles I.val the earl of Manchejler fpeaker of the houfe of lords, with eight peers, ~and the fpeal~cr of the houfeof.commo.n~, with about a hundre~ ~embers*, wtthdrew pnvately from the cJty, andJO!I1ed the army; a furpnzmg event in their favour! the qfftcers received them with the utmoft fatisfaCl:ion and tranf– port, paying them all imaginable honours, and afiuring them, that they would re -efbblifh them in their full power, or die in the attempt. There muO: furely have been fome very preffing reafons for this conduct, other– wife fo many zealous prdbyterians, as were mofi: of the members who quitted the parliament boufe, wou ld not have had recourfe to the protec– tion of the army. Lord Clarendon believes, that they apprehended the army ddigned to reftore the king to all his righ ts at this time, and that they were willing to avoid his majefty's vengeance, by concurring with them in his refi:oration, which is not unlikely, if they could have brought him to their terms. Procudings if tbe re– mainder. Rapin, p. 399· 400. Ru!hw. p. 377· However the prefbyterian members that remained in London, afiembled on Friday according to adjournment, and having chafe a new fpeaker, voted-- the king 010uld come to London ; --that the eleven im– peached members 0Jould be reftored ; -- that a committee of fafety fhould join the city militia; -and that forces fhould be immediately raifed under the command of Wailer, Majfey, and Poyntz ; in all which they appeared fo refolute, that no man could imagine but either that they had tbe king at their difpofal, or intended a brave and valiant defence of the'ci– ty. The commEin-council gave orders for the trained bands to repair to the works, and for all capable of bearing arms to appear at the places of ren– dezvous. Ma./Jey, lP'al!er, and Poyntz, were alfo bufy in forming regi– ments and companies; and the committee of the militia were empowered to puni(h fuch as did not repair to their colours. At the fame time they writ to their brethren in Scotland, to return with their army immediately to their affifl:ance; but alas! they were at too great a diftance ; however they publifhed a declaration in the name of the kirk and whole kingdom Aug. 13· wherein they engage by a folemn oath, to efiablifh the preiby– terian government in England; --to redeem his rnajefty out of the hands of fchifmatics, and place him at the head of his parliament wit9 honour ; -- to vindicate the honour of the eleven impeached members, and to fettle the privileges of, parliament againft the over-awing power of .llrmy rifolve the army. A little after they declared againfi: toleration and liberty of £ma;ch 10 conjcience, refolving to the lafl: man to !land by the covenant whatever the R~~:~· p. eng!ijh parliament might fubmit to. 745, 756. Purfuant to the order of the two houfes, the general had removed his head quarters above forty miles from the city, till upon the reprefentation · of ·'*· Dr. Zach. Grey r.,ys there were but 59, ·but l don't know his authority.
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