earance to protest against them,
but with a more important object in view. They now relaxed from their
former obstinacy; they no longer insisted on the positive confirmation of
the covenant, but were content with a promise that Charles should make
every concession in point of religion which his conscience would allow.
The treaty which had been so long in agitation between them was privately
signed; and the king returned[c] this answer to the two houses, that
neither his present sufferings, nor the apprehension of worse treatment,
should ever induce him to give his assent to any bills

[Sidenote a: A.D. 1647. Dec. 18.]
[Sidenote b: A.D. 1647. Dec. 24.]
[Sidenote c: A.D. 1647. Dec. 28.]

as a part of the agreement, before the whole was concluded.[1]

Aware of the consequences of his refusal, Charles had resolved to
anticipate the vengeance of the parliament by making his escape the same
evening to a ship which had been sent by the queen, and had been waiting
for him several days in Southampton Water; but he was prevented by the
vigilance of Hammond, who closed the gates on the departure of the
commissioners, doubled the guards, confined the royal captive to his
chamber, and dismissed Ashburnham, Berkeley, Legge, and the greater part of
his attendants.[2] An attempt to raise in his favour the inhabitants of the
island was instantly suppressed, and its author, Burley, formerly a captain
in the royal army, suffered the punishment of a traitor. The houses
resolved[a] (and the army promised to live and die with them in defence of
the resolution)[3] that they would receive no additional message from the
king; that they would send no address or application to him; that if any
other person did so without leave, he should be subject to the penalties of
high treason; and that the committee of public safety should be renewed to
sit and act alone, without the aid of foreign coadjutors. This last hint
was understood by the Scots: they made a demand[b] of the hundred thousand
pounds due to them by the

[Footnote 1: Journals, ix. 575, 578, 582, 591, 604, 615, 621. Charles's
Works, 594. Memoirs of Hamiltons, 334.]

[Footnote 2: Ashburnham, ii. 121. Berkeley, 387, 393.]

[Footnote 3: On Jan 11, before the vote passed, an address was presented
from the general and the council of war by seven colonels and other
officers to the House of Commons, expressive of the resolution of the army
to stand by the parliament: and another to the Hou