A HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX 



it on the morning of the 4th at Isleworth, whither he had removed on 

 the previous day. 3 * 1 On the 5th the whole army moved nearer to 

 London, the General taking up his quarters at Hammersmith in the 

 house of Sir Nicholas Crispe, who had fled to France. 842 He met the 

 commissioners from the City at the end of the town that morning, and 

 they announced the surrender of the forts along the river. On 6 August 

 the fugitive members met Fairfax at the earl of Holland's house at 

 Kensington, where they subscribed to a declaration expressing their 

 agreement with the army in its late proceedings. 843 The whole army 

 then marched in triumphal procession into London ; Fairfax, with the 

 Lords and Commons, was surrounded by a guard three deep, and every 

 soldier in the force was crowned with laurels. 8 * 4 



Meanwhile the king had been taken to Stoke Abbey when the 

 army entered Middlesex, but as soon as Fairfax had come to an agree- 

 ment with the City, Charles was removed to Hampton Court. 846 Except 

 that he must remain at the Palace, Charles was allowed absolute freedom. 

 His friends and servants had free access to his person, and the citizens 

 of London rode out frequently to Hampton as they had been used to 

 do at the end of a progress. 846 Lord Capel came with news of the 

 Royalists in Jersey, 847 and the marquis of Ormond with news from 

 Ireland. 848 Charles was allowed also to see his children whom Parlia- 

 ment had placed under the care of the earl of Northumberland. They 

 had been removed from Whitehall to Northumberland's house at Syon 

 on account of the plague, and were within easy riding distance of 

 Hampton Court. 849 



The months which followed were passed in negotiations with the 

 army and with the Scots. At first Cromwell came often from his 

 quarters at Putney to see the king, but after the latter's refusal of 

 the Heads of Proposals, the feeling of the army rose hotly against 

 Charles, and the Scots grew proportionately more pressing in their 

 demands that he should throw himself into their hands. On 

 22 October Loudoun, Lauderdale and Lanark presented themselves at 

 Hampton Court with a written assurance that the Scots were prepared 

 to assist Charles in the recovery of his throne. 860 They came again on 

 the following day, accompanied by fifty horse, and urged the king to 

 escape under their escort. 361 Charles, however, would not take so 

 decided a step, and when at length he decided on escape, only Ash- 

 burnham, Berkeley and Legge were in the secret. 852 His first prepara- 

 tions aroused the suspicions of Colonel Whalley, who was in command 

 of the guard at the palace. At the end of October, therefore, he posted 

 guards within as well as without, and on i November Ashburnham 



141 Perfect Diumall, 2-9 Aug. "' Ibid. " Whitclocke, Mem. 263-4. 



"' Perfect Diurnall, 2-9 Aug. "' Clarendon, op. cit. iv, 244. 



116 Ibid. 247-50. > Ashburnham, Narrative, i, 104. 



" Warwick, Memoirs, 302-3. " Whitelocke, Mem. 260. 



150 Clarendon State Papers, ii, 380. 



111 Burner, Hist, of his own Time, v, 123. 



151 Ashburnham, Narrative, ii, 100 ; Berkeley, Memoirs, 47. 



46 



