--King Escapes
From Hampton Court, And Is Secured In The Isle Of Wight--Mutiny In The
Army--Public Opinion In Favour Of The King--Scots Arm In His Defence--The
Royalists Renew The War--The Presbyterians Assume The Ascendancy--Defeat
Of The Scots--Suppression Of The Royalists--Treaty Of Newport--The King Is
Again Brought To The Army--The House Of Commons Is Purified--The King's
Trial--Judgment--And Execution--Reflections.

The king during his captivity at Holmby divided his time between his
studies and amusements. A considerable part of the day he spent in his
closet, the rest in playing at bowls, or riding in the neighbourhood.[1] He
was strictly watched; and without an order from the parliament no access
could be obtained to the royal presence. The crowds who came to be touched
for the evil were sent back by the guards; the servants who waited on his
person received their appointment from the commissioners; and, when he
refused[a] the spiritual services of the two Presbyterian ministers sent
to him from London, his request[b] for the attendance of any of his twelve
chaplains was equally refused.[c]

[Footnote 1: "He frequently went to Harrowden, a house of the Lord Vaux's,
where there was a good bowling-green with gardens, groves, and walks, and
to Althorp, a fair house, two or three miles from Holmby, belonging to the
Lord Spenser, where there was a green well kept."--Herbert, 18.]

[Sidenote a: A.D. 1647. Feb. 17.]
[Sidenote b: A.D. 1647. March 6.]
[Sidenote c: A.D. 1647. March 8.]

Thus three months passed away without any official communication from the
two houses. The king's patience was exhausted; and he addressed them in
a[a] letter, which, as it must have been the production of his own pen,
furnishes an undoubted and favourable specimen of his abilities. In it
he observed that the want of advisers might, in the estimation of any
reasonable man, excuse him from noticing the important propositions
presented to him at Newcastle; but his wish to restore a good understanding
between himself and his houses of parliament had induced him to make them
the subjects of his daily study; and, if he could not return an answer
satisfactory in every particular, it must be attributed not to want of
will, but to the prohibition of his conscience. Many things he would
cheerfully concede: with respect to the others he was ready to receive
information, and that in person, if such were the pleasure of the Lords
and Commons.