POLITICAL HISTORY 



a troop of horse was to join Fleetwood and Rainsborough (at Woodstock 

 apparently) from Bedford on 3 April.*** On 6 August Parliament ordered 

 the ' slighting ' and ' demolishing ' of the fortifications and the disbanding of 

 the garrisons at Newport Pagnell, Cambridge, Huntingdon, and Bedford. 

 The Eastern Association was, however, to continue, and money was to be 

 provided for transporting men from there for service in Ireland.'*' The war 

 was now virtually over, and Bedfordshire was relieved of the stress of garrisons 

 and plundering raids ; but Charles was to pay another visit to Woburn. 



In the course of the controversy between the army and Parliament as 

 to the settlement of the kingdom, the army head quarters were moved from 

 Reading to Bedford on 22 July 1647,'" and this necessitated 'his Majesty's 

 remove with his wonted guard from Causum (Caversham) to Woborn.'*" 

 He was accompanied by Sir John Berkeley, afterwards Lord Berkeley of 

 Stratton, who took an active part in endeavouring to bring about a settle- 

 ment, and who in his Memoirs gives a detailed account of the negotiations 

 between Charles and Cromwell, Ireton, and other leaders of the army. 

 Berkeley used his influence with them to procure a copy of the army's 

 ' Proposals,' which Ireton, ' the wise penman,' had at length completed, that 

 the king might consider them ' some six or eight days ' before they were 

 formally presented to him. The substance of the Proposals was : — (i) No 

 coercive jurisdiction in ecclesiastical matters, but provisions against Catholics. 

 (2) The election of a new House of Commons ; biennial elections ; redis- 

 tribution of seats, with disfranchisement of villages and hamlets. (3) A 

 Counfcil of State to exercise royal prerogatives in foreign and military affairs, 

 under control of Parliament ; this system to last for ten years. (4) Royal 

 officials to be appointed by Parliament for ten years ; then to be chosen by 

 the king from three Parliamentary nominees. (5) Not more than five 

 Royalists to be left to the judgement of Parliament. No Royalist to hold 

 ofEce without consent of Parliament or Council."' 



The king's comment was that ' if they had a mind to close with him 

 they could never impose so hard terms upon him,' to which Berkeley rejoined 

 that 'it was not likely that men who had through so great dangers and 

 difficulties acquired so great advantages should ever sit down with less than 

 was contained in the Proposals ; and never was a crown so near lost, so 

 cheaply recovered, as his Majesty's would be if they agreed upon such terms.' 

 But ' his Majesty was of another advice, and returned that they could not 

 subsist without him.' He objected to the Proposals on three points : — The 

 exception of any of his followers from a general amnesty, the exclusion of 

 Royalists from the ensuing Parliament, and the absence of any direct assertion 

 of the establishment of the Episcopal Church. When Berkeley suggested 

 arguments in favour of his acceptance, the king ' broke from him with this 

 expression : " Well ! I shall see them glad ere long to accept more equal 

 terms." ' A few days after this John Ashburnham arrived from France, and 

 he was evidently a more congenial adviser, ' as he was so far from crossing 

 him that he abounded in his Majesty's sense.' His instructions were that he 

 and Berkeley should act jointly, but he urged that 'he was always bred in 

 the best company, and therefore could not converse with such senseless 



"' Cal. S.P. Dom. 1645-7, p. 398. "' Ibid. 463. "• Gardiner, op. cit. iii, 157. 



"" Berkeley, Memoirs (1699), 30. "' The full text is given in Gardiner, Const. Doc. 232. 



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