[301] Journals of the House of Commons, 4th November, 1641.
[302] Copy of the articles, in Forster’s Arrest of the Five Members 114.
[303] Bates, Elenchus motuum 31: ‘Suasu quorundam qui a sacris erant, etiam ipsius parlamenti senatorum.’
[304] Journals of the Commons ii. 317.
[305] D’Ewes in Sanford 465, ‘(These five gentlemen) were sent to this day by the Earl of Essex—that the King intended to come to the House of Commons to seize upon them there.’ According to Verney they had at the opening of the morning sitting ‘information that they should be taken away by force.’
[306] Giustiniani 7/17 Genn. ‘La camera bassa dichiarò le accuse—per libello infamatorio—a disegno di portare all’ altra il decreto per approbatione: di questi atti disobedienti fatto consapevole nello stesso punto, il re sorti improvisamente della propria stanza e portatosi a quelle della guardia disse ad alta voce: Vasalli e soldati miei piu fedeli seguitate mi.’
[307] La Ferté: ‘Comme le parti de ce jour n’étoit pas bien fait pour le parlement j’en avertis mes amis qui y pouveurent, un quart heure devant.’ Probably La Ferté is ‘the noble person who wishes well to this nation,’ by whom, according to D’Ewes, Langres, a Frenchman by origin, was sent: the ambassador’s friend would then be Fiennes, for the tidings came to him, and he informed the Speaker. There is scarcely any room for the treachery often imputed to Lady Carlisle.
[308] I take this account from the detailed letter of Robert Slingsby, 6th January, who adds ‘another bold fellow in the lowest rank stood up against upon a forme and cryed the priviledges of Parliament: another cryed out the observe man.’
[309] Instruction to Nicholas, in Forster’s Arrest of the five members 269. Giustiniano: ‘Il re mostra gran cuore—ma sproveduto di danaro e forse di savio e fedele consiglio lascio dubbioso il fine.’
[310] From D’Ewes, in Forster 276, it seems to follow that the resolution was devised in Coleman Street, whither the five members had fled, and only accepted by the House.