"tercepted accordingly, and it determined his "fate. This letter Lord Oxford faid he had "offered 500l. for." Charles, according to Sir Philip Warwick, never appeared to fo much advantage as in the Conference in the Ifle of Wight. "He fhewed," fays Sir Philip," that he was converfant in di"vinity, law, and good reafon; infomuch as one day, whilst I turned the King's chair "when he was about to rise, the Earl of Salif"bury came fuddenly upon me, and called me "by my name, and faid, The King is wonder"fully improved; to which I as fuddenly re"plied, No, my Lord, he was always fo, but your Lordship too late discerned it.” When Charles was preffed by the Parliament Ministers to give way to a fmall Catechifm for Children which they had composed; "I will "not," faid he, "take upon me to determine "that all thofe texts which you quote are rightly "applied, and have their true sense given them; " and I affure you, Gentlemen, I would license a Catechism, at a venture, fooner for men "than I would for children, because they can judge for themselves, and I make a great con"fcience to permit that children fhould be cor"rupted in their first principles." Speaking Speaking one day of fome propofitions made to him by the two Houfes refpecting the government of England, he prophetically faid, “Well, "they will ask fo much, and use it fo ill, that "the People of England will be glad to replace "the power they have taken from the Crown " where it is due; and I have offended against "them more in the things which I have granted "them, than in any thing which I ever defigned "against them.” The Parliament affected to be outrageous that Charles employed Catholics in his army; the following paffage from Salmoneto will fhew that the Parliament were not more fcrupulous in this respect : "That which did y° moft furprise every body, was, that they found amongst the dead, of "those which were flain on the Parliament fide, "feveral Popish priests. For, although in their "Declarations they called the King's army a 66 Popish army, thereby to render it odious to "the People, yet they had in their army two "companies of Walloons and other Roman "Catholicks. Befides, they omitted no endea"vours to engage to their party Sir A' Aston, K'. "an eminent Roman Catholic Commander. "True it is, that the King had permitted to "ferve him in his army fome Roman Catholick "Officers, "Officers, perfons of great abilities, and not "factiously inclined, as his Majesty expreffeth "in that manifefto which he published after the "battail." From "A Short View of the Late Troubles in The following Letters of this accomplished Prince are copied from the Originals in the British Museum. "NEWCASTLE, "This is to tell you, that this rebellion is • growen to that heigth, that I must not look "what opinion men ar at this tyme who ar will. ❝ing and able to ferve me. Therfor, I do not "only permitt but comand to make use of all 66 my loving fubjects fervices, without examining "their contienfes (more then their loyalty to me), as you fhall fynde moft to conduce to "the uphoulding of my just Regal Power. So "I reft "Your most affured faitfull frend, દ Shrewbery, 23 Sep. "1642." "STEENIE, "I send you herewith letters to my fifter " and brother (I place them fo becaus I think "the "the gray meare is the better horfe). As for હ. news I can fay but little yet, Ireland being the "onlie egg we have yet fitten upon, and having "a thicke fhell, wee have not yet hatched it. "This is all I have to fay to thee at this time, "but that I fhall ever fay, and thinke that I am, ❝ and ever will be, "Your faithful, loving, constant "GLAMORGAN, "I have no time, nor doe you expect that "I fhould make unneceffary repititions to you. "Wherefor (referring you to Digby for business) "this is only to give you affurance of my constant "friendship to you, which, confidering the gene"rall defection of common honesty, is in a fort "requifite. Howbeit, I know you cannot but "be confident of my making good all inftructions " and promises to you and Nuntio*. "Your most affured constant frend, *The words printed in Italic are in cypher in the Original, and have not been long decyphered. VOL. I. X In In the MS. Memoirs of Lady Fanshawe, that excellent woman gives the following affecting account of fome interviews fhe had with this unfortunate Monarch whilft he was prifoner at Hampton Court. "During the King's stay at Hampton Court, "I went three times to pay my duty to him, "both as I was the daughter of his fervant, and "the wife of his fervant. The laft time I ever faw him, I could not refrain from weeping. "When I took my leave of the King, he faluted 46 me, and I prayed God to preferve his Majefty "with long life and happy years. The King "ftroked me on the cheek, and faid, Child, if "God pleaseth, it fhall be fo; but both you and "I muft fubmit to God's will, and you know "what hands I am in. Then turning to my "hufband, he faid, Be fure, Dick, to tell my "fon all that I have faid, and deliver these let"ters to my wife. Pray God bless her, and I hope I fhall do well. Then taking my husband "in his arms, he faid, Thou haft ever been an "honeft man; I hope God will blefs thee, and make thee a happy fervant to my son, whom "I have charged in my letter to continue his "love and truft to you: adding, And I do pro"mise you, if I am ever restored to my dignity, "I will bountifully reward you both for your "fervices and fufferings. Thus did we part " from |