House of Commons; and those gentlemen being delivered, I am commanded to arrest them, in his majesty's name, of high treason: their names are Denzil Hollis, Arthur Hazlerig, John Pym, Johu Hampden, and William Strode." When he had delivered this message the house commanded him to withdraw, and sent Lord Falkland, and three other members, to acquaint his majesty that the matter was of great consequence, and that the House of Commons would take it into their serious consideration, holding the members ready to answer any legal charge made against them.

All this was on the 3d of January. "The next day after that the king had answered the

the 4th of January, 1642," says May, "he gave, unhappily, a just occasion for all men to think that their fears and jealousies were not causeless." He spent the preceding evening in making pre

affirmed "that they have traitorously conspired to levy, and actually have levied war against the king." Lord Kimbolton, who was in his seat, stood up, and expressed his readiness to meet the charge, offering to obey whatever the house should order. None of the courtiers had courage to move his arrest as a traitor. The lords wavered, stood still, and then appointed a committee, consisting of the lord-steward, and the Earls of Essex, Bath, Southampton, Warwick, Bristol, and Holland, to consider precedents and records touching the regularity of this accusation, and to discover whether such an accusation might be brought by the king's attorney into their house against a peer, &c. Thus they avoided commit-petition of the house (about the guard), being ting themselves, gained time, and no doubt made sure that the commons, whom they warned by message, would take the affair upon themselves.' And nearly at the same moment that their message was delivered in the lower house, informa-parations. Arms were removed from the Tower tion was also carried thither that several officers were sealing up the doors, trunks, and papers of Hampden, Pym, and the other accused members. Upon which the commons instantly voted, "That if any person whatsoever shall come to the lodgings of any member of this house, and offer to seal the trunks, doors, or papers of any of them, or seize upon their persons, such member shall require the aid of the constable to keep such persons in safe custody till this house do give further order; and that if any person whatsoever shall offer to arrest or detain the person of any member without first acquainting this house, it is lawful for such member, or any person, to assist him, and to stand upon his or their guard of defence, and to make a resistance, according to the protestation taken to defend the privileges of parliament." They also ordered that the serjeant-at-arms attending their house should proceed and break open the seals set upon the doors, papers, &c., of Mr. Hampden and the rest; and that the speaker should sign a warrant for the apprehension of those who had done the deed. The house then desired an immediate conference with the lords; but before they could receive an answer, they were told that a serjeant-at-arms was at their door, with a message to deliver from his majesty to their speaker. Forthwith they called in the said serjeant to the bar, making him, however, leave his mace behind him. "I am commanded by the king's majesty, my master," said the serjeant, "upon my allegiance, to require of Mr. Speaker five gentlemen, members of the

Rushworth; Parl. Hist. Clarendon says, "The House of Peers was somewhat appalled at this alarum, but took time to consider of it till the next day, that they might see how their masters, the commons, would behave themselves; the Lord Kimbolton being present in the house, and making great pro

fessions of his innocence; and no lord being so hardy to press

for his commitment on the behalf of the king." 2 Whitelock.

to Whitehall, where a table was spread in the palace for a band of rash young men, who were ready to proceed to extremities for the re-establishment of royalty in its pristine state. Charles had determined to charge the five members with private meetings and treasonable correspondence with the Scots (a case met and provided for by the amnesty which had been procured both in Scotland and England), and with countenancing the late tumults from the city of London; and he now resolved to go in person to seize the five members of the House of Commons. On the morning of the 4th the five accused members attended in their places, as they had been ordered. Lord Falkland stated, that he was desired to inform the house that the serjeant-at-arms had done nothing the preceding day but what he had it in command to do. Then Hampden rose, and powerfully repelled the vague accusations which had been brought against them by the king. If to be resolute in the defence of parliament, the liberties of the subject, the Reformed religion, was to be a traitor, then he acknowledged he might be guilty of treason, but not otherwise. Hazlerig followed Hampden. The house being informed that it was Sir William Fleming and Sir William Killigrew, with others, who had sealed up the studies and papers of the five members, ordered that they should be forthwith apprehended, and kept in the custody of the serjeant-at-arms till further notice. They also voted that a conference should be desired with the lords, to acquaint them of a scandalous paper, published with articles of high treason, against their five members, and the Lord Kimbolton, a peer. The house rose at the usual dinner-hour, but met again immediately after. They had scarcely taken their seats when intelligence was brought by Captain Langrish, who had passed

the party in the streets, that the king was ad- | the door and in the hall, he entered the house, vancing towards Westminster Hall, guarded by with his nephew Charles, the Prince-palatine his gentlemen pensioners, and followed by some of the Rhine, at his side. He glanced his eyes hundreds of courtiers, officers, and soldiers of towards the place where Pym usually sat, and fortune, most of them armed with swords and then walked directly to the chair, saying, "By pistols. The house was bound by its recent and your leave, Mr. Speaker, I must borrow your solemn protestation to protect its privileges and chair a little." Lenthall, the speaker, dropped the persons of its members: there were halberts upon his knee, and Charles took his seat; the and probably other arms at hand; but could they mace was removed; the whole house stood up defend their members against this array, led on uncovered. Charles cast searching glances among by the king in person? Would it be wise, on them, but he could nowhere see any of the five any grounds, to make the sacred inclosures of members. He then sat down and addressed them parliament a scene of war and bloodshed? They with much agitation:-"Gentlemen," said he, "I ordered the five members to withdraw; "to the am sorry for this occasion of coming unto you: end," says Rushworth, "to avoid combustion in yesterday I sent a serjeant-at-arms upon a very the house, if the said soldiers should use violence important occasion, to apprehend some that upon to pull any of them out." Four of the members my commandment were accused of high treason, yielded ready obedience to this prudent order, whereunto I did expect obedience, and not a but Mr. Strode insisted upon staying and facing message; and I must declare unto you here, that, the king, and was obstinate till his old friend albeit no king that ever was in England shall be Sir Walter Earle pulled him out by force, the more careful of your privileges, to maintain them king being at that time entering into New Palace- to the utmost of his power, than I shall be; yet yard, and almost at the door of the house. As you must know, that in cases of treason no perCharles passed through Westminster Hall to the son hath a privilege, and therefore I am come to know if any of those persons that I have accused, for no slight crime, but for treason, are here. I cannot expect that this house can be in the right way that I do heartily wish it, therefore I am come to tell you, that I must have them wheresoever I find them." Then he again looked round the house, and said to the speaker, now standing below the chair, "Are any of those persons in the house? Do you see any of them? Where are they?" Lenthall fell on his knees, and told his majesty that he had neither eyes to see, nor tongue to speak in that place, but as the house was pleased to direct him. Then again casting his eyes round about the house, Charles said, "Well, since I see all the birds are flown, I do expect from you, that you do send them to me, as soon as they return hither. But I assure you, on the word of a king, I never did intend any force, but shall proceed against them in a legal and fair way, for I never meant any other. And now, since I see I cannot do what I came for, I think this no unfit occasion to repeat what I have said formerly; that whatsoever I have done in favour, and to the good of my subjects, I do mean to maintain it. I will trouble you no more, but tell you I do expect, as soon as they come to the house, you will send them to me; otherwise I must take my own course to find them." With these words the disappointed king rose and retired amidst loud cries of "Privilege! privilege!"-and the house instantly adjourned.

PASSAGE FROM WESTMINSTER HALL TO THE HOUSE OF
COMMONS.

entrance of the House of Commons, the officers,
reformados, &c., that attended him made a lane
on both sides the hall, reaching to the door of
the commons. He knocked hastily, and the door
was opened to him. Leaving his armed band at

1 From a sketch by J. W. Archer, taken immediately after the burning of the Houses of Parliament.

That night the city was a gayer place than the court. Early on the following morning the com

2 Rushworth: Whitelock.

building almost alone. Concealing his ill-hu- | majesty's intrusive visit to their house; and this mour, and his irritation against the citizens, occupied them till the 9th of January, many witnesses being examined to prove the words, actions,

and gestures of that array of men who had fol- left Whitehall and went to Hampton Court. He lowed his majesty and stood near the door of the never entered London again until he came as a House of Commons. Papers and records were also helpless prisoner, whose destinies were in the sent for. It was reported to them, that on the 4th iron hand of Oliver Cromwell. On the morrow of January the lieutenant of the Tower had per- afternoon the committee, together with the Lord mitted 100 stand of arms, two barrels of powder, Kimbolton and the five accused members, took and match and shot proportionate, to go out of water at the Three Cranes, attended by thirty or the Tower to Whitehall; and the committee, upon forty long boats with guns and flags, and by a examination, found this report to be true. The vast number of citizens and seamen in other common council, who went hand in hand with boats and barges; and thus they proceeded trithe committee, drew up a petition to the king, umphantly to their old port at Westminster, some representing the great dangers, fears, and dis- of the train-bands marching at the same time by tractions of the city, by reason of the prevailing land, to be a guard to the two Houses of Parliaprogress of the bloody rebels in Ireland; the ment. The next day they received a very humble dangerous putting out of persons of honour and message from Hampton Court-" His majesty, trust from being constable and lieutenant of the taking notice that some conceive it disputable Tower; the fortifying of Whitehall; the wound- whether his proceedings against the Lord Kiming of unarmed citizens in Westminster Hall; bolton, Mr. Hollis, Sir Arthur Hazlerig, Mr. Pym, the strange visit paid to the House of Commons Mr. Hampden, and Mr. Strode, be legal and by his majesty, &c.; and in the end, the peti- agreeable to the privileges of parliament, and tioners prayed his sacred majesty to give up his being very desirous to give satisfaction to all men intention of arresting the Lord Kimbolton and in all matters that may seem to have relation to the five members, and not to proceed against privilege, is pleased to waive his former proceedthem otherwise than according to the privileges ings; and all doubts by this means being settled, of parliament. Charles, in his answer to this when the minds of men are composed, his mapetition, justified his late proceedings. At the jesty will proceed thereupon in an unquestionable same time he published a proclamation, charg- way, and assures his parliament that upon all ing the Lord Kimbolton and the five members occasions he will be as careful of their privileges with high treason, and commanding the magis- as of his life or his crown." On the same day trates to apprehend them, and carry them to the "divers knights, gentlemen, and freeholders of Tower. Forthwith many mariners and seamen the county of Bucks, to the number of about 4000, went to the committee with a petition signed by as they were computed, came to London, riding 1000 hands, tendering their services, and offer- every one with a printed copy of the protestation ing to escort the committee by water to West- lately taken in his hat." These countrymen of minster on the appointed day. The committee Hampden presented a petition, not to the House accepted their offer, and ordered them to provide of Commons, but to the House of Peers, praying such artillery as was necessary, and to take care them to co-operate with the lower house in perthat all great guns and muskets in their vessels fecting the great work of reformation. At the should be cleared before hand, to the end that same time, these Buckinghamshire petitioners, there might be no shooting that day, except in case who received the thanks of both houses, acquainof great necessity. When the sailors were gone, ted the commons that they had another petithe London apprentices flocked in great num- tion which they wished to present to his majesty bers to the committee, and offered their services on behalf of their loyal countryman, neighbour, as guards for the journey from the city back to and member, Mr. John Hampden, in whom they Westminster. Serjeant Wild gave the appren- had ever found good cause to confide. They asked tices thanks for their affection and willingness the commons which would be the best way of to serve the parliament, but told them that they delivering this petition; and the commons selecwere already provided with a sufficient guard. ted six or eight of their members to wait upon On the Monday following the committee declared his majesty with it. These members accordingly that the proclamation of treason was a great went to Hampton Court; but Charles was not scandal to his majesty and his government-a there, having gone on to Windsor Castle. The seditious act, manifestly tending to the subver- members followed him to Windsor, and presented sion of the peace of the kingdom, and to the the paper, which told him that the malice which injury and dishonour of the accused members, Hampden's zeal for his majesty's service and the against whom there was no legal charge or ac-service of the state had excited in the enemies of cusation whatever.'

On the afternoon of the same day, Charles, with the queen, his children, and the whole court,

Rushworth.

king, church, and commonwealth, had occasioned this foul accusation of their friend. Charles instantly repeated his determination of waiving

2 Rushworth.

the accusation. And yet this was not done very | cating their intentions to him in private. He clearly or very graciously.

On the 12th of January, the day after Charles's departure from Whitehall, information was brought to the House of Commons that the Lord Digby and Colonel Lunsford, with other disbanded officers and reformados, were gathering some troops of horse at Kingston-upon-Thames. The alarm was the greater, because the magazine of arms for that part of Surrey was at Kingston. The lords and commons ordered the sheriffs and justices of peace to suppress the gathering with the train-bands and secure the magazine. The like orders were soon sent into every part of the kingdom; and nearly everywhere they were readily obeyed. Lord Digby escaped and fled beyond sea; Colonel Lunsford was taken and safely lodged in the Tower. On the same day (the 12th of January) the lord-steward reported to the lords that his majesty would command the lord-mayor to appoint 200 men out of the train-bands of the city to wait on the two houses, under the command of the Earl of Lindsay. The House of Commons, without regarding this message, called up two companies of the train-bands of the city and suburbs, and placed them under the command of Sergeant-major Skippon. They also ordered, in conjunction with the lords, that the Earl of Newport, master of the ordnance, and the lieutenant of the Tower, should not suffer any arms or ammunition to be removed without their express orders; and that, for the better safeguard of the Tower, the sheriffs of London and Middlesex should appoint a sufficient guard to watch that fortress both by land and water. Their minds, indeed, were now almost wholly occupied by the thoughts of arsenals, arms, and ammunition. A committee was appointed to attend especially to the best means of putting the kingdom in a posture of defence. The members of this committee were Mr. Pierpoint, Sir Richard Carr, Mr. Hollis, Mr. Glynne, Sir Philip Stapleton, Sir Henry Vane, the chancellor of the exchequer, and the Solicitor-general St. John.

also wrote to the Earl of Lanark, now secretary for Scotland, to whom he bitterly complained of the course pursued by the commissioners in meddling and offering to mediate betwixt him and his English parliament. The House of Commons, of course, received the offer of mediation in a very different manner. On the day after it was presented they ordered Sir Philip Stapleton to return thanks to the Scottish commissioners, assuring them that what they had done was very acceptable to the house, who would continue their care to remove the present distractions, as also to confirm and preserve the union between the two nations. A few days after this the commissioners concluded an arrangement for the sending of 2500 men of the Scotch army into Ireland, to make head against the rebellion, which now threatened the entire loss of that country.

The lords joined the commons in petitioning the king to proceed with the impeachment of Lord Kimbolton and the five members. Charles again offered a free pardon. With this the two houses would not rest satisfied; and they both demanded justice against the informers on whose testimony his majesty had acted. On the 20th of January, the king, by message, desired the parliament to digest and condense into one body all the grievances of the kingdom, promising his favourable assent to those means which should be found most effectual for redress; but the commons scarcely heeded this message, knowing at the moment that Charles had already sent Lord Digby abroad in search of foreign assistance. Charles's conduct with regard to the Irish rebels also excited their discontent and vehement suspicions. When the rebellion broke out, he had delayed his royal proclamation against the insurgents for three months, and when it was issued at last, only forty copies were printed.

The Irish insurgents, or rebels, had styled themselves the queen's army, and professed that the cause of their rising was to maintain the king's prerogative and the queen's religion against the Puritan parliament of England. There was also observed on the part of Charles a backwardness to send over assistance to the Protestant

It was now apparent to most men that the kingdom was about to blaze with the long-conceived flame of civil war.' The Scottish commissioners, raised into vast importance by their skil-party in Ireland, who were as much Puritans as ful management of affairs, chose this moment to offer their mediation between the king and his English parliament. On the 19th of January, Charles, in a letter from Windsor, let the Scottish commissioners know that he had expected, before they should have intermeddled, that they would have acquainted him with their resolution in private; and that he trusted that, for the time coming, they would no way engage themselves in these private differences, without first communi

Mrs. Hutchinson's Memoirs.

1

his English subjects, and a forwardness to expedite men who were notorious for their attachment to the old Roman church. Great numbers of Papists, both English and Irish, some of whom had served the king in his unlucky campaigns against the Scottish Covenanters, went out of England immediately before or shortly after the insurrection and joined their co-religionists in arms; others remaining in England prepared, or were said to be preparing arms, ammunition, money, corn, and other victual for the assistance