The other day, his Excellence, my Lord Essex, came to the assembly, with the warrant of both Houses to sit as a member; where, after he had given his oath, as the form is, to propone or consent to nothing but what he was persuaded was according to the word of God, he was welcomed by a harangue from the prolocutor. We had so contrived it with my Lord Wharton, that the Lords that day did petition the assembly, they might have one of the divines to attend their House for a week, as it came about, to pray to God with them. Some days thereafter the Lower House petitioned for the same. Both their desires were gladly granted; for by this means the relicks of the service-book, which till then was every day used in both Houses, are at last banished. Paul’s and Westminster are purged of their images, organs, and all which gave offence. My Lord Manchester made two fair bonfires of such trinkets at Cambridge. We had two or three committees for settling orders to have our covenant received universally in all the country, also for sending it, with a large narration of our condition in Latin, to the churches abroad; all which will come abroad in print. Being wearied with the length of their proceedings, and foreseeing an appearance of a breach with the Independents, we used all the means we could, while the weather was fair, to put them to the spurs. After privy conference with the special men, we moved, in publick, to have an answer to our paper, anent the officers of the church, and assemblies thereof, that we might give account to our church of our diligence. We were referred, as we had contrived it, to the grand committee to give in to it what further papers we thought meet, which the assembly should take to their consideration. They were very earnest to have us present at their committees, where all their propositions, which the assembly debated, were framed. This we shifted, as too burdensome, and unfitting our place; but we thought it better to give in our papers to the great committee appointed to treat with us: so we are preparing for them the grounds of our assemblies and presbyteries. Also we wrote a common letter to the commission of our church, desiring a letter from them to us for putting us to more speed, in such terms as we might show it to the assembly. Likewise we pressed the sub-committee to go on in the directory. At that meeting Mr Goodwin brought Mr Nye with him; which we thought an impudent intrusion; but took no notice of it. After that all we had done had been ranversed, we had so contrived it, that it was laid, by all, upon us to present, at the next meeting, the matter of all the prayers of the Sabbath-day. This, with much labour, we drew up, and gave in at the third meeting; whereupon as yet they are considering. By this means, ye may perceive, that though our progress be small, yet our endeavours are to the uttermost of our strength. These things must be more advanced by your prayers, than by our pains; else they will stick, and lets will be insuperable.
* * * *
Great longing is for the news of the Scots. We have got no letters since the 12th of December; so great a care have you of our information. It is reported here, that on Wednesday last, the Scots army entered Newcastle without blood. If that be, it is a great mercy of God, and of huge consequence; but now of a long time we have been beaten with so many divers reports, that we believe nothing, and marvel, that for so long a time we have no certainty at all either of the condition of that army or of our nation. Thursday’s ceremony was performed very solemnly. After Marshall’s sermon, now in print, the procession went a very long way, from Christ’s church to Taylor’s hall. The trained bands in arms on each side of the whole streets; the Common Council in their gowns marching; first the Mayor and Aldermen in their scarlet gowns on horseback; after them the General, Admiral, and the rest of the Lords, and officers of the armies, on foot; next to them the House of Commons, with their Speaker, and his mace before him; after the assembly of divines. It was appointed that we should go betwixt the assembly and the House of Commons; but my Lord Maitland being drawn away with the Lords, and we not loving to take place before all the divines of England, stole away to our coach; and when there was no way for coaches, for throng of people, we went on foot, with great difficulty, through huge crowdings of people. While all passed through Cheapside, there was a great bonfire kindled, where the rich cross wont to stand, of many fine pictures of Christ and the saints, of relicks, beads, and such trinkets. The feast was great, valued at £4000 Sterling; yet had no desert, nor musick, but drums and trumpets. In the great laigh hall were four tables for the Lords and Commons. The Mayor at the head of the chief in an upper room. Two long tables for the divines; at the head of the which we were set, with their prolocutor. All was concluded with a psalm, whereof Dr Burgess read the line. There was no excess in any we heard of. The Speaker of the House of Commons drank to the Lords in name of all the Commons of England. The Lords stood all up, every one with his glass, for they represent none but themselves, and drunk to the Commons. The Mayor drank to both, in name of the city. The sword-bearer, with his strong cap of maintenance still fixed on his head, came to us with the Mayor’s drink. This ceremony was a fair demonstration of the great unanimity of all these whom Oxford plot would have divided. Yet we wish the union in reality had been as great as it was in shew. Within a few days we found, that all plots were not at an end; but the jealousies betwixt the Houses were like to break out more than ever: which God, I hope, now has also composed.
* * * *
Upon Saturday the House of Lords sent to us in the assembly an account of another plot from Oxford, to this purpose. Captain Ogle, some six weeks ago prisoner, propones to his keeper, Devonish, a purpose he had to draw the Independents, and all these who were like to be grieved with the Scots presbytery, to compound with the King. For this effect, the keeper, a subtle knave, colluded with him. By the General’s permission, Ogle got leave to speak with Mr Nye and Mr Goodwin, who were desired to hear his propositions, and seem to consent to them. The design is communicated to Bristol; who heartily embraced it, and, according to Ogle’s desire, sends him £100, and a warrant to his keeper under the King’s hand for his freedom. Being dismissed, and come to Oxford, he is made one of the gentlemen-pensioners; and fills all Oxford with hopes, that the Independents, Brownists, and the like, would all compone. Bristol, under his hand, gives them a full assurance of so full a liberty of their conscience as they could wish, inveighing withal against the Scots cruel invasion, and the tyranny of our Presbytery, equal to the Spanish inquisition. It were longsome to write all the story, wherewith we were acquainted in great secrecy, foot by foot, as it proceeded.
* * * *
So soon as Monday last, Mr Cheesly[306] made his report to the House of Commons, what he had seen in our army, which he had left the Wednesday before. All his relation was put in print, and £100 Ster. appointed him for his good news. The joint declaration of both kingdoms, which he brought, passed presently both Houses. These things were brought in a very important nick of time, by God’s gracious providence. Never a more quick passage, from Holy Island to Yarmouth in thirty hours; they had not cast anchor half an hour before the wind turned contrary. Mr Cheesly had no sooner made his report, when, I think, within few hours, a trumpet from Oxford brought to the General a large parchment, directed only to the Earl of Essex, subscribed by Charles, P. York, and Cumberland, (Prince Rupert is now Duke of Cumberland,) with the hands of some forty Lords more, and a number of Commons, now at Oxford, who have deserted or been expelled the House of Westminster; speaking much to the praise of the King, and danger of our invasion; conjuring Essex to draw these who intrusted him (no word of the houses of parliament) to begin a treaty of peace. This is the upshot of their long plots; and truly, if it had come a little before Mr Cheesly, when none here had great hopes of the Scots army, it might have brangled this weak people, and the strong lurking party might have been able to have begun a treaty without us, which twould have undone all. The certainty of our army’s coming made the Oxford parchment unseasonable. For answer, Essex sent the joint declaration of both kingdoms, which will be a very comfortless morsel at Oxford, being backed with yesternight’s news, whereof the General assured us of the total rout of the Irish army, at Nantwich, by Sir Thomas Fairfax, the killing of many, the taking of 1700 prisoners, five colonels, and Major-General Gibson, with a great number of officers, all their cannon and baggage. This victory is of great consequence many ways. We hope it will encourage a party at Oxford, in their design of purging the court of Cottington, Digby, Bristol, Jermyn, and the like.
Manchester, in our synod, in the name of the Lords, did move to expedite the point of ordination, that so gracious youths who so long have expected, may be admitted. A committee drew up two propositions for that end: 1. That in extraordinary cases something extraordinary might be done, keeping always so near to the rule as may be; 2. That for the present necessity, the ministers of London may be appointed by the houses of parliament to ordain ministers for London. The Independents, do what we are all able, have kept us debating these fourteen days on these two propositions; but little to their advantage; for I hope this day shall conclude the propositions: and now all the world proclaims in their faces, that they, and they only, have been the retarders of the assembly, to the evident hazard of the church’s safety, which will not be much longer suffered. Canterbury every week is before the Lords for his trial; but we have so much to do, and he is a person now so contemptible, that we take no notice of his process.
January 3. The bearer’s much longer stay for a ship than I expected, will make these letters come very late. Since, there has been but small progress in affairs. After our fourteen days debate for a present way of ordination, upon the desire of the Lords in this extraordinary necessity, when we were ready to conclude it, upon my Lord Sey’s harangue and vehement desire, it was laid aside; and upon hope made by him and his followers of the quick dispatch of the ordinary way, we fell on the long-wished-for subject of the presbytery; whereupon we have been skirmishing ever since. The proposition we stick on is. That no particular congregation may be under the government of one classical presbytery. The Independents agree for the negative; but finding, that all they brought yet was but vellications on quiddities, the most was impatient of their ways; so much the more, as this day being pressed to answer to the scriptures, which the committee had given in for the affirmation, they were obstinate to end first their negative. They promised at last to come to their scriptural objections; but would not name their scriptures beforehand. By this the most took them rather to seek vantage and victory, than the truth in so ingenuous a way as they professed. However, the matter cannot take long debate. The heat and clamorous confusion of this assembly is often times greater than with us. The reason, I think, is their way, both in assembly and parliament, to divest the speaker and prolocutor of all authority, and turn them to a very and mere chair, as they call them. We mind yet again to essay the Independents in a privy conference, if we can draw them to a reasonable accommodation; for to that toleration they aim at we cannot consent. In the committee for the directory, we gave in the matter of publick prayer. It was taken well by all the committee, and I hope shall pass. It was laid on __________ to draw up a directory for both sacraments; on Mr Marshall for preaching; on Mr Palmer for catechising; on Mr Young for reading of scriptures, and singing of psalms; on Mr Goodwin and Mr Herle for fasting and thanksgiving. Had not the debate upon the main point of differing, (the presbytery,) withdrawn all our minds, before this these tasks had been ended. However, we expect, by God’s grace, shortly to end these. What is behind in the directory, will all be committed the next time to the forenamed hands; and if it had passed these, we apprehend no great difficulty in its passing the great committee, the assembly, and parliament. We get good help in our assembly-debates of my Lord Wariston; but of none more than of that noble youth Mr Gillespie. I truly admire his faculty, and bless God, as for all my colleagues, so for him in that faculty with the first of the whole assembly. The Anabaptists and Antinomians increase; which yet cannot be helped.
* * * *