army. There was likewise offered a paper to this effect, as he was then told, that if the king would send Colonell Goring to be lieutenant-generall, they would accept of him; which paper he, this examinat, refused to read, or set his hand to it, but heard that divers others signed it. He further saith, that there was no other paper propounded to him to be signed, nor to any other to his knowledge. He further saith, that this was not delivered to the officers in publique, but severally.

He likewise saith, that presently after, Colonell Vavasor said publicly, that hee never consented to these propositions in his heart, and desired that there might be a meeting immediately, whereupon they agreed upon a meeting at York the Wednesday following; at which meeting they generally concluded not to interesse themselves in any of those designes that had been propounded to them by Captaine Chidley; and they presently writ by the post to Captaine Chidley to London, that if hee had not delivered the paper, he should prepare to deliver it. THOMAS BALLARD.

The Examination of Captain Legg, taken May the 18th, 1641.

To the nineteenth Interrogatory.-He saith, that hee heard of a meeting at Burrowbridge, but was not there present, but was present at another meeting at York, not long after, where he was told that the king was not well satisfied with the affections of the officers to his service; and therefore it was thought fit to make a declaration of their readinesse to serve his majestie; which declaration was accordingly drawn, but not finding any great cause for it, it was after torne. He further saith, that the night before the meeting at Burrowbridge, he spoke with Captain Chidley at York, who perswaded him to go to Burrowbridge, where he had propositions to impart to the army; but this examinat, refusing to goe, he would not acquaint him with them at that time; but told them that divers lords and officers of the army were fallen off from the king, namely, the Earle of Essex, the Earle of Newport, Commissary Willmott, Colonell Ashburton, and others, which this examinate so much disliked, that they forbore any further discourse.

WILL. LEGG.

VOL. III.

2Q

The Examination of Colonell Vavasor, taken 29th of May, 1641.

That at the meeting at Burrowbridge, Serjeant-major Willis and Captaine Chidley, or one of them, told the officers there, that the parliament had taken great offence at the letter which they had written up to my Lord of Northumberland; and that those who had subscribed it should be questioned, and that there was small hopes of money from the parliament for the present.

That the king would take it very well if he might receive assurance from them that they would accept of Colonell Goring for their lieutenant-generall, and wished that the army were united.

When the king had this assurance from them, there should come a generall that would bring them money: this they said they had good commission to deliver unto them, having received it from Mr. Henry Jermyn, and Sir John Suckling: He likewise saith, Captaine Chidley spake it with more confidence, and Serjeant-major Willis rather as having heard it from others: He further saith, there was a letter written to Colonell Goring, for to let him know if the kinge would send him downe with a commission to be lieutenant-generall, they would willingly receive him, and this letter was proposed unto them by Captaine Chidley and Serjeant-major Willis. There was another letter written to Master Endimion Porter, which, as he remembers, was to let him know, that though the army was now commanded by Sir Jacob Ashley, yet if that it were his majestie's pleasure to appoint Colonell Goring to be lieutenant-generall, they were confident the army would receive him the better, being only subscribed by Colonell Fielding and himselfe. And further saith, that he heares this letter was never delivered, for that Sir John Suckling told Master Chidley that Master Porter was a stranger to the businesse.

This examination taken before us,

COLONELL Vavasor.

MANDEVILLE, HOWARD, PH. WHARTON.

CHARLES R.

COLONELL GORING-These are to command you to provide with all speed a ship for this bearer, to carry him to Diepe or Calais, or any other port of France, that the winde may be good for; and if there be any of my ships or pinnances ready to goe forth, you shall com

mand the captain or master of such ship or pinnance to receive him and his servants, and carry him into France, for which this shall be a warrant to the captain or master you may employ, and hereof they are not to faile, as you or they will answer the contrary, at your perills.

you nor

Given at Whitehall, this 14th of May, 1641. To our trusty and well beloved Servant, GEORGE GORING, Governour of Portsmouth.

The Examination of Captain William Legg, taken upon oath before the Lords Committees, upon Saturday the 30th of October, 1641.

To the First Interrogatory.—Saith, that hee doth know Master Daniel Oneale, who was serjeant-major to Sir John Coniers; but doth not certainly remember the precise time of his going from the army to London, nor of his return back, but beleeves he returned about June and July.

To the Ninth-That he was at Yorke when the said Master Oneale returned thither from London, and can say no more to this ninth interrogatory.

To the Tenth.-That there was a petition prepared to be delivered to the parliament from the army, which consisted of many particulars, as to show how much they suffered for want of martiall law, and for want of pay, and because their principal officers were not amongst them; and they did likewise set forth in it, that, as the wisdome of the king did cooperate with the parliament, so they did hope the parliament would doe something concerning the king's revenue; but saith hee doth not remember what the particular was which was desired; and further, that they heard of great tumults about London, and therefore offered themselves to serve the king and parliament with the last drop of their bloods. Hee saith that this petition was approved of by all the officers that saw it, but was laid aside till further consideration should be had of the manner of the delivery; that himself was afterwards sent for to London, by order of the House of Com

mons, and was examined; and, after his examination, when he saw there was no further use to bee made of that petition he burnt it.

He further saith, that he staid in this town some five or six days, and was with the king, and had some speech with his majesty about a petition to come from the army, and gave him an accompt of the petition that was formerly burnt, and there he received another petition to the same effect with the other, but handsomelier written, upon which there was a direction indorsed, to this purpose: This petition will not offend; yet let it not be shown to any but Sir Jacob Ashley.

He further saith, there was no name to this direction, but only two letters; but what those letters were he will not say, nor cannot sweare who writ those two letters, because he did not see them written.

He saith that he did deliver the same paper with a direction to Sir Jacob Ashley, and told him withall, here is a paper with a direction, you know the hand, keepe it secret, I have shewed it to nobody; if there be no occasion to use it, you may burne it ;-and saith he spake no more of it to him till after my Lord of Holland's coming down to be generall, and then he spake to him to burne it.

WILLIAM LEGG.

·The Examination of Sir Jacob Ashley, taken before the Lords Committees, this twenty-ninth of October, 1641.

To the First Interrogatory.—He saith that he hath knowne Serjeantmajor Daniel Oneale very long, and that he was long absent from the army the last summer, but knows not at what time he did returne, nor knowes not how long it was that he stayed in the army before his going to the Low Countries, but thinks it to be about three weekes.

To the Second. He saith, That Mr. Oneale told him, after his coming downe last, that things being not so well betwixt the king and parliament, hee thought a petition from the army might doe very much good, and asked him, if a draught of such a petition were brought unto him, whether he would set his hand unto it, the particulars which he desired to have the army received in, were the want of martial law, want of pay, and for words spoken in the house of parliament against the army, as that the city was disaffected to the king's army, and would rather pay the Scots than them.

To the Third-He cannot answer.

To the Fourth-He cannot answer.

To the Fifth-He saith that he received a letter by the hands of Captain Legg, the tenour whereof, as farre as he remembers, was to this effect, the letter being written in two sides of paper, and somewhat more: First, That divers things were pressed by parties to infuse into the parliament things to the king's disadvantage, and that divers tumults and disorders were neere the parliament, to the disservice of the king. Divers other particulars were contained in this letter; and, in the close of this letter, it was recommended to this examinate that he should get the hands of the officers of the army to such a declaration, to be sent to the parliament, and that this would be acceptable to the king. Hee further saith, he knowes not of whose hand-writing it was, nor who delivered it to Captain Legg.

To the Seventh-He saith that Mr. Oneale telling him of the dislikes which were betweene the king and the parliament, and of those things which were done to the disadvantage of the king, they must fight with the Scots first, and beat them, before they could move southward; and that done, they must spoyle the country all along as they goe; and when they doe come to London, they would find resistance by the parliament, and the Scots might rally and follow them; to which Oneale replyed, what if the Scots would be made neutrall? This examinate then said, that the Scots would lay him by the heeles, if he should come to move such a thing; for that they would never break with the parliament.

Presently replyed, I wondred that counsells should be so laid as had been spoken of, of the marching of the army to the south.

To the Eighth Interrogatory.—He further sayes, that there was, at the end of the letter, a direction to this effect: Captain William Legg, I command you that you show this letter to none but Jacob Ashley, Above this direction were set these two letters, C. R.

JACOB ASHLEY,

The Examination of Sir John Coniers, taken upon oath before the Lords Committees, upon Friday the 29th of October, 1641.

To the First Interrogatory.-He saith, that he knowes very well Master Daniel Oneale, who was Serjeant-major to his regiment; that the