were? They affected to deny it. "I will not "believe you," replied Charles, "unless you "hang up Joyce immediately."

SIR HENRY SLINGSBY, BART.

THIS Gentleman, who was a most decided Royalift, wrote "Commentaries of the Civil "Wars, from 1638 to 1648.' They are still in MS. and by the kindness of a learned and ingenious friend, JAMES PETIT ANDREWS, Efq. a few curious éxtracts from them are permitted to have a place in thefe Volumes,

The beginning of the Civil Wars is thus pathetically defcribed by Sir Henry:

"The third of January 1639, I went to Bram"ham Houfe, out of curiofity, to fee the training "of the Light Horfe, for which service I had fent "two horfes by commandment of the Lieute"nant and Sir Jacob Afhley, who is lately come

down, with special commiffion from the King, "to train and exercise them. These are strange

* Sir Henry was one of the Deputy Lieutenants of the County of York, and Member of Parliament for Knaref borough.

*fpectacles to this Nation in this age, that has lived thus long peaceably, without noise of

drum or of fhot, and after we have ftood "neuter, and in peace, when all the world be"fides hath been in arms. Our fears proceed

from the Scots, who at this time are become "moft warlike, being long experienced in the Swedish and German wars. The caufe of "grievance they pretend is matter of religion,

.

"I had but a fhort time," adds Sir Henry,

of being a foldier; it did not last above fix "weeks. I like it, as a commendable way of "breeding for a Gentleman, if they confort "themfelves with fuch as are civil, and if the ❝quarrel is lawfull. For as idleness is the nurse "of all evil, enfeebling the parts both of body "and mind, this employment of a foldier is

contrary unto it, and fhall greatly improve "them, by enabling the body for labour, and "the mind for watchfulness; and fo by a con"tempt of all things, (but that employment "they are in,) they fhall not much care how hard they lie, or how hardly they fare."

At the defeat of the King's troops near Chester, which Charles faw from one of the towers of that city, Sir Henry exclaims:

"Here I do wonder at the admirable temper of the King, whose conftancy was such, that no

"perils

"perils ever fo unavoidable could move him to "aftonishment, but that still he fet the fame face.

and fettled countenance upon whatsoever ad"verse fortune befell him, and neither was he "exalted by profperity, nor dejected by adver"fity; which was the more admirable in him, "feeing he had no other to have recourse unto, "but muft bear the whole burthen upon his 66 own fhoulders."

"On the eleventh of May 1646," continues Sir Henry, "I was commanded by the King "to return home. After taking leave of his Majefty, I went to Newborough, where my • daughter was in the house with my brother Belafyfe; and, after a few days rest, came "home to Red Houfe. But fince, from York,

they have laid wait for me, to take me, and I "have escaped them, I take myself to one room "in my house, scarce known of by my fervants, "where I spend many days in great filence, "fcarce daring to fpeak, or to walk, but with "great heed, left I be difcovered.

"Why I fhould thus be aimed at, I know not, «<if my neighbourhood to York makes them not more quarrelfome. My difpofition is to love quietnefs; and fince the King willed me to go

re

"home,.

"home, I refolved indeed to keep home, if the "Lord Mayor of York, Alderman Watson, "would have permitted me quietly to live there; "but they will not suffer me to have the benefit of the Articles of Newarke, which gives us "liberty of three months to live undisturbed. "But they fend from York to take me rather the "first month, and all this is to try me with the "negative Oath and national Covenant: the one "makes me renounce my allegiance, the other "my religion.

"For the oath, why it should be imposed upon us not to affift the King, (when all "means are taken from us whereby we might

affift him,) and not to bear arms in this war,

"which is now come to an end, and nothing in "all England held for the King, I fee no rea"fon, unless they would have us do a wicked "act, and they, the authors of it, out of a "greater fpite, to wound both foul and body. "For now the not taking of the oath cannot "much prejudice them, and the taking of it will "much prejudice us, being contrary to former "oaths which we have taken, and against civil

justice, which, as it abhors neutrality, will not “admit that a man should falfify that truth which " he hath given."

"As

As for the Covenant which they would "have me take, there is first reason that I "fhould be convinced of the lawfullnefs of it "before I take it, and not urged, as the Maho"metans do their difcipline, by force, and not

by reafon. For by this new religion which is "imposed upon us, they make every man that "takes it guilty either of having no religion, "and fo becoming an atheift, or else a religion. 66 put on and put off, as he doth his hat to 66 every one he meets.

"Meantime, to keep out of their hands, I am "deprived of my health, as wanting liberty to

66

enjoy the fresh air; for keeping clofe in one "room, without air, did stifle the vital spirits, "and meeting with a crazy body, did very "much diftemper me."

Sir Henry thus concludes his Commentaries:

"Whilft I remained concealed in my own houfe, I hear the Parliament began to treat "with the Scots, to have the King return "back unto them, making show that they "would give him an honourable reception. "I could hear of the King's going to Holmby, to Hampton-court, the Isle of Wight, "to Whitehall, and at length, upon his last

day,