nine to Eighty-three—it is at Five o’clock on Tuesday morning decided, Yea, they are a ground of settlement. The Army Chiefs and the Minority consult together, in deep and deepest deliberation, through that day and night; not, I suppose, without Prayer; and on the morrow morning this is what we see:
Wednesday 6th December 1648, ‘Colonel Rich’s regiment of horse and Colonel Pride’s regiment of foot were a guard to the Parliament; and the City Trainbands were discharged’ from that employment.[1] Yes, they were! Colonel Rich’s horse stand ranked in Palaceyard, Colonel Pride’s foot in Westminster Hall and at all entrances to the Commons House, this day: and in Colonel Pride’s hand is a written list of names, names of the chief among the Hundred and twenty-nine; and at his side is my Lord Grey of Groby, who, as this Member after that comes up, whispers or beckons, ‘he is one of them: he cannot enter!’ and Pride gives the word, ‘To the Queen’s Court’; and Member after Member is marched thither, Forty-one of them this day; and kept there in a state bordering on rabidity, asking, By what Law? and ever again, By what Law? Is there a colour or faintest shadow of Law, to be found in any of the Books, Yearbooks, Rolls of Parliament, Bractons, Fletas, Cokes upon Lyttleton, for this? Hugh Peters visits them; has little comfort, no light as to the Law; confesses, ‘It is by the Law of Necessity; truly, by the Power of the Sword.’
It must be owned the Constable’s baton is fairly down, this day; overborne by the Power of the Sword, and a Law not to be found in any of the Books. At evening the distracted Forty-one are marched to Mr. Duke’s Tavern hard-by, a ‘Tavern called Hell’; and very imperfectly accommodated for the night. Sir Symonds D’Ewes, who has ceased taking notes long since; Mr. William Prynne, louder than any in the question of Law; Waller, Massey, Harley, and other remnants of the old Eleven, are of this unlucky Forty-one; among whom
- ↑ Rushworth, vii. 1353:—see Whitlocke (2d edition, p. 360), Walker’s Independency, etc.
