[b] Hence it happened that men, who had so clamorously and
successfully appealed to the privileges of parliament, when the king
demanded the five members, now submitted tamely to a similar demand, when
it was made by twelve thousand men in arms. Skippon, their oracle, was one
of the first deserters. He resigned the several commands which he held,
and exhorted the Presbyterians to fast and pray, and submit to the will of
God.[c] From that time it became their chief solicitude to propitiate the
army. They granted very ingeniously leave of absence to the eleven accused
members; they ordered the new levies for the defence of the city to be
disbanded, and the
[Footnote 1: "From the time they declared their usurped authority at
Triploe Heath (June 10th), I never gave my free consent to any thing they
did; but being yet undischarged of my place, they set my name in way of
course to all their papers, whether I consented or not."--Somers's Tracts,
v. 396. This can only mean that he reluctantly allowed them to make use
of his name; for he was certainly at liberty to resign his command, or to
protest against the measures which he disapproved.]
[Sidenote a: A.D. 1647. June 12.]
[Sidenote b: A.D. 1647. June 25.]
[Sidenote c: A.D. 1647.
Pages:
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263