ter mine, that of the parliament. Have you any written commission
from Sir Thomas Fairfax?

JOYCE.--I have the authority of the army, and the general is included in
the army.

KING.--That is no answer. The general is the head of the army. Have you any
written commission?

JOYCE.--I beseech your majesty to ask me no more questions. There is my
commission, pointing to the troopers behind him.

KING, with a smile--I never before read such a commission; but it is
written in characters fair and legible enough; a company of as handsome
proper gentlemen as I have seen a long while. But to remove me hence,
you must use absolute force, unless you give me satisfaction as to these
reasonable and just demands which I make: that I may be used with honour
and respect, and that I may not be forced in any thing against my
conscience or honour, though I hope that my resolution is so fixed that no
force can cause me to do a base thing. You are masters of my body, my soul
is above your reach.

The troopers signified their assent by acclamation; and Joyce rejoined,
that their principle was not to force any man's conscience, much less that
of their sovereign. Charles proceeded to demand the attendance of his own
servants, and, when this had been granted, asked whither they meant to
conduct him. Some mentioned Oxford, others Cambridge, but, at his
own request, Newmarket was preferred. As soon as he had retired, the
commissioners protested against the removal of the royal person, and called
on the troopers present to come over to them, and maintain the authority
of parliament. But they replied with one voice "None, none;" and the king,
trusting himself to Joyce and his companions, rode that day as far as
Hinchinbrook House, and afterwards proceeded to Childersley, not far from
Cambridge.[1]

[Footnote 1: Compare the narrative published by the army (Rushw. vi. 53),
with the letters sent by the commissioners to the House of Lords, Journals,
237, 240, 248, 250, 273, and Herbert's Memoirs, 26-33. Fairfax met the king
at Childersley, near Cambridge, and advised him to return to Holmby. "The
next day I waited on his majesty, it being also my business to persuade his
return to Holmby; but he was otherwise resolved.... So having spent the
whole day about this business, I returned to my quarters; and as I took
leave of the king, he said to me, Sir, I have as good interest in the army
as you.... I called for a council of war to proceed against Jo