FORMIDABLE CHARGE AGAINST CROMWELL CONSIDERED, of the REMOVAL HE HAD NO CONCERN IN HIS GOING TO THE ISLE OF SUPPOSED DESERTION OF THE KING'S INTEREST. - MODERATE TERMS OF THE INDEPENDENTS' PROPOSITIONS TO THE KING. THEM. PROBABLE CAUSE OF THE KING'S REJECTION OF - LORD CLARENDON'S OBSERVATIONS UPON THE REMOVAL OF THE KING FROM THE ISLE OF WIGHT TO HURST CASTLE BY THE ARMY. OBSERVATIONS UPON COLONEL PRIDE'S EXCLUSION OF THE MEMBERS, ΤΟ SHOW IT TO BE THE ACT OF THE REPUBLICANS TO BRING FORWARD THE TRIAL OF THE KING, AND CROMWELL NOT CONCERNED IN IT. WELL'S SUPPOSED THE IMPROBABILITY OF CROMINFLUENCE OVER FAIRFAX, FROM WHITELOCK'S AND OTHERS' ACCOUNT OF HIS TEMPER - LUDLOW'S ACCOUNT AND JUSTIFICA AND DISPOSITION. TION OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE REPUBLICANS IN THEIR BRINGING THE KING TO TRIAL. THE next charge against Cromwell is, his supposed concern in the removal of the King from Holmby House, by Cornet Joyce. Rushworth gives a paper published by the army, entitled "A true impartial Narrative concerning the Army's Preservation of the King, to show that the Army did thereby intend the Good, Life, Property, and Liberty, of all the Commons of England." It states the grounds of this their undertaking to remove the King, to be chiefly an intimation to them of a design of some to surprise and carry him off; and which design they were able to prove, and was justly suspected to be intended by some that were with His Majesty; the execution whereof was to be followed by the raising another army to suppress them, the present army. It proceeds to state that Cornet Joyce, an appointed agent by the army, observing some circumstances in the conduct of the King and of those about him, affording ground of suspicion of the determined immediate execution of such intention, proceeded to remove the King in the manner related in this narrative. Mr. Denzil Holles, referring to the same transaction, says, at first it must seem only an act of Mr. Joyce, Cromwell protesting he knew nothing of it, though, adds Mr. Holles, he was the man who appointed it to be done, as appears, he says, by some passages taken out of some of their own authors, as one that calls him Sirrah Niho, and others. He (Mr. Holles) proceeds, that Sir Thomas Fairfax also, in a letter to the House, professes the same for himself as in the presence of God, with a large undertaking for the rest of his officers and the body of the army. And perhaps, says he, he said true; I would fain be so charitable as to believe it; nor indeed do I think the good man is privy to all their plots; he must have no more than what they are pleased to carve and chew for him, but must swallow all, and own them when they come abroad. Here then, says he, they have the King; Joyce drives away the guards; forces Colonel Greaves to fly, whom else they threatened to kill, for no man's life must stand in their way (murder being no crime in the visible saints); carries away His Majesty and the commissioners that attend him prisoners, and immediately sends up a letter to certify what he had done, with directions it should be delivered to Cromwell, and, he absent, to Sir Arthur Haslerig or Colonel Fleetwood, which was given to Colonel Fleetwood as one Lieutenant Markham informed the House, saying, the messenger that brought it told him so; nor did Sir Arthur Haslerig make a clear answer when he was asked concerning it in the House, Colonel Fleetwood being at that time gone to the army, so as he could not be examined. Whitelock, mentioning this transaction, says, that a party of horse, sent from the committee of troopers of the army, came to Holmby, where, after they had secured the guards, they demanded His Majesty; the commissioners, amazed at it, demanded of them what warrant they had for what they did; but they would give no other account but that it was the pleasure of the army. He then proceeds to give a similar account of the rest of that affair to that before given. He says, that the General sent to the Parliament the grounds of the soldiers' undertaking of themselves the business of Holmby; which were, that they had intimation of a design which they were able to make good, of some to surprise the King. Also, that he refused to return to Holmby, when offered to be conducted back by the General. Lord Clarendon, after describing the manner of the King's removal from Holmby, says, that the committee with the King quickly gave notice to the Parliament of what had passed, with all the circumstances; and that it was received with all imaginable consternation, nor could any body imagine what the purpose and resolution was. Nor were they, proceeds His Lordship, at the more ease, nor in any degree pleased with the account they received from the General himself; who, by his letter, informed them that the soldiers at Holmby had brought the King from thence, and that His Majesty lay the next night at Colonel Montague's house, and would be the next day at Newmarket that the ground thereof was, from an apprehension of some strength gathered to force the King from thence; whereupon he had sent Colonel Whalley's regiment to meet the King: that he (the General) protested that his remove was without his consent, or of the officers about him, and without their desire or privity: that he would take care for the security of His Majesty's person from danger; and assured the Parliament that the whole army endeavoured peace; and were far from opposing presbytery, or affecting independency, or from any purpose to obtain a licentious freedom in religion, or the interest of any particular party; but were resolved to leave the absolute determination of all to the Parliament. Mrs. Hutchinson, mentioning this removal of the King from Holmby, only says, the soldiers, led on by one Cornet Joyce, took the King from |