Chapter 4

AUGUST 1646--JANUARY 1648-9.

_HISTORY_:--THE LAST TWO YEARS AND A HALF OF THE REIGN OF CHARLES I.:--

I. HIS CONTINUED CAPTIVITY WITH THE SCOTS AT NEWCASTLE, AND FAILURE OF HIS NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE PRESBYTERIANS;

II. HIS CAPTIVITY AT HOLMBY HOUSE, AND THE QUARREL BETWEEN THE ENGLISH PARLIAMENT AND THE ENGLISH ARMY;

III. HIS CAPTIVITY WITH THE ENGLISH ARMY, AND THEIR PROPOSALS TO HIM;

IV. HIS CAPTIVITY IN THE ISLE OF WIGHT, AND THE SECOND CIVIL WAR;

V. HIS TRIAL AND DOOM.

_BIOGRAPHY_:--MILTON IN BARBICAN AND IN HIGH HOLBORN.--PRIVATE AND PUBLIC ANXIETIES: ODE TO ROUS, TWO MORE SONNETS, AND TRANSLATION OF NINE PSALMS: OTHER WORKS IN PROGRESS: LETTERS TO AND FROM CARLO DATI.

CHAP.

I. Charles in his Captivity First Stage of the Captivity: Still with the Scots at Newcastle: Aug. 1646--Jan. 1646-7.--Balancings of Charles between the Presbyterians and the Independents--His Negotiations in the Presbyterian direction: The Hamiltons his Agents among the Scots--His Attempt to negotiate with the Independents: Will Murray in London-- Interferences of the Queen from France: Davenant's Mission to Newcastle-- The Nineteen Propositions unanswered: A Personal Treaty offered-- Difficulties between the Scots and the English Parliament--Their Adjustment: Departure of the Scots from England, and Cession of Charles to the English--Westminster Assembly Business, and Progress of the Presbyterian Settlement

Second Stage of the Captivity: At Holmby House: Feb. 1646-7--June 1647.-- The King's Manner of Life at Holmby--New Omens in his favour from the Relations of Parliament to its own Army--Proposals to disband the Army and reconstruct part of it for service in Ireland--Summary of Irish Affairs since 1641--Army's Anger at the Proposal to disband it--View of the State of the Army: Medley of Religious Opinions in it. Passion for Toleration: Prevalence of Democratic Tendencies: The Levellers-- Determination of the Presbyterians for the Policy of Disbandment, and Votes in Parliament to that effect--Resistance of the Army: Petitions and Remonstrances from the Officers and Men: Regimental Agitators--Cromwell's Efforts at Accommodation: Fairfax's Order for a General Rendezvous-- Cromwell's Adhesion to the Army--The Rendezvous at Newmarket, and Joyce's Abduction of the King from Holmby--Westminster Assembly Business: First Provincial Synod of London: Proceedings for the Purgation of Oxford University

Third Stage of the Captivity: The King with the Army: June-Nov. 1647.-- Effects of Joyce's Abduction of the King--Movements of the Army: their Denunciation of Eleven of the Presbyterian Leaders: Parliamentary Alarms and Concessions--Presbyterian Phrenzy of the London Populace: Parliament mobbed, and Presbyterian Votes carried by Mob-law: Flight of the two Speakers and their Adherents: Restoration of the Eleven--March of the Army upon London: Military Occupation of the City: The Mob quelled, Parliament reinstated, and the Eleven expelled--Generous Treatment of the King by the Army: His Conferences with Fairfax, Cromwell, and Ireton--The Army's _Heads of Proposals_, and Comparison of the same with the _Nineteen Propositions_ of the Parliament--The King at Hampton Court, still demurring privately over the _Heads of Proposals_, but playing them off publicly against the _Nineteen Propositions:_ Army at Putney-- Cromwell's Motion for a Recast of the _Nineteen Propositions_ and Re- application to the King on that Basis: Consequences of the Compromise-- Intrigues at Hampton Court: Influence of the Scottish Commissioners there: King immoveable--Impatience of the Army at Putney: Cromwell under Suspicion: New Activity of the Agitatorships: Growth of Levelling Doctrines among the Soldiers: _Agreement of the People_--Cromwell breaks utterly with the King: Meetings of the Army Officers at Putney: Proposed Concordat between the Army and Parliament--The King's Escape to the Isle of Wight

Fourth Stage of the Captivity: In the Isle of Wight: Nov. 1647-Nov. 1648.--Carisbrooke Castle, and the King's Letters thence--Parliament's New Method of the _Four Bills_--Indignation of the Scots: their Complaints of Breach of the Covenant--Army Rendezvous at Ware: Suppression of a Mutiny of Levellers by Cromwell, and Establishment of the Concordat with Parliament--Parliamentary Commissioners in the Isle of Wight: Scottish Commissioners also there: the King's Rejection of the Four Bills--Firmness of Parliament: their Resolutions of No Farther Addresses to the King: Severance of the Scottish Alliance--_The Engagement_, or Secret Treaty between Charles and the Scots in the Isle of Wight--Stricter guard of the King in Carisbrooke Castle: His Habits in his Imprisonment--First Rumours of _The Scottish Engagement_: Royalist Programme of a SECOND CIVIL WAR--Beginnings of THE SECOND CIVIL WAR: Royalist Risings: Cromwell in Wales: Fairfax in the Southeast: Siege of Colchester--Revolt of the Fleet: Commotion among the Royalist Exiles abroad: Holland's attempted Rising in Surrey--Invasion of England by Hamilton's Scottish Army: Arrival of the Prince of Wales off the Southeast Coast: Blockade of the Thames--Consternation of the Londoners: Faintheartedness of Parliament: New Hopes of the Presbyterians: their Ordinance against Heresies and Blasphemies: their Leanings to the King: Independents in a struggling minority: Charge of Treason against Cromwell in his absence--The Three Days' Battle of Preston and utter Defeat of the Scots by Cromwell: Surrender of Colchester to Fairfax: Return of the Prince of Wales to Holland: Virtual End of THE SECOND CIVIL WAR-- Parliamentary Treaty with the King at Newport: Unsatisfactory Results-- Protests against the Treaty by the Independents--Disgust of the Army with the Treaty: Revocation of their Concordat with Parliament, and Resolution to seize the Political Mastery: Formation of a Republican Party-- Petitions for Justice on the King: The _Grand Army Remonstrance_-- Cromwell in Scotland: Restoration of the Argyle Government there: Cromwell at Pontefract: His Letter to Hammond--The King removed from the Isle of Wight to Hurst Castle--The Army again in possession of London

II. Troubles in the Barbican Household: Christopher Milton's Composition Suit: Mr. Powell's Composition Suit: Death of Mr. Powell: His Will: Death of Milton's Father--Sonnet XIV. and Ode to John Rous--Italian Reminiscences: Lost Letters from Carlo Dati of Florence: Milton's Reply to the last of them--Pedagogy in the Barbican: List of Milton's known Pupils: Lady Ranelagh--Educational Reform still a Question: Hartlib again: The Invisible College: Young Robert Boyle and William Petty-- Removal from Barbican to High Holborn--Meditations and Occupations in the House in High Holborn: Milton's Sympathies with the Army Chiefs and the Expectant Republicans--Still under the Ban of the Presbyterians: Testimony of the London Ministers against Heresies and Blasphemies: Milton in the Black List--Another Letter from Carlo Dati: Translation of Nine Psalms from the Hebrew--Milton through the Second Civil War: His personal Interest in it, and Delight in the Army's Triumph: His Sonnet to Fairfax--Birth of Milton's Second Child: Another Letter from Carlo Dati

III. The Two Houses in the Grasp of the Army: Final Efforts for the King: Pride's Purge and its Consequences--The King brought from Hurst Castle to Windsor: Ordinance for his Trial passed by the Commons alone: Constitution of the Court--The Trial in Westminster Hall: Incidents of the Seven successive Days: The Sentence--Last Three Days of Charles's Life: His Execution and Burial