124 Records of the Rising in the West } A.D. 1655. 



Highnesses own day," (September 3rd, 1654,) and sat till it was 

 dismissed with scolding on the 22nd of January following. The 

 Protector then told them that he had certain information that the 

 Levellers and Cavaliers were plotting against himself and govern- 

 ment, and his information, being derived from the best authorities, 

 amongst others a spy at the King's elbow, proved correct. There 

 was coquetting between these two very different parties. 1 It is 

 therefore not surprising that John Wildman, the most rampant of 

 Levellers, was arrested at Easton near Marlborough, about the time 

 the latter place was intended to be attacked by the Wiltshire Cava- 

 liers. 2 He was sent to Chepstow Castle, and afterwards brought up 

 to the Tower of London. Overton and others, including Eyres 3 had 

 been secured some weeks before, and Saxty had escaped abroad. The 

 Levellers ranted, plotted, and were crushed, without the Cavaliers 

 striking a single blow. But though these last were troubled, they 

 were not utterly cast down, and a general rising throughout England 

 was arranged. 



I have been able to find no direct written communication from 

 the King — who now left Cologne where he had been residing for 

 Middleburg, just opposite the East Coast of England — to the Wilt- 

 shire Cavaliers. Richard Pyle was the chief agent for these parts ; 

 there was also a Mr. Kitson, and most important too were the 

 services of Lady Phillips (Phelips of Montacute ? ) The clergy, Dr. 

 Henchman, of Salisbury, the Marquis of Hertford's chaplain, and 

 others, also acted in this capacity. Wilmot, Earl of Rochester, 

 passed disguised into England on one of the most adventurous of all 

 his travels, and set his face for Yorkshire. Others had gone to 

 other parts of the country, to stir up the Royalists, and it was 

 thought that many of the Army would join, bitterly disappointed as 

 they were in Cromwell, for taking so much power to himself. To 



1 See Francis Jones's Statement infra. 



2 Wildman's manifesto (which many authorities say he was interrupted in 

 writing) is given at length by Whitelocke. 



3 Eyres was secured in Dublin, Jan. 26th, 1655. He found London too hot 

 for him, and fled to Ireland perhaps to join Ludlow. Mr. Waylen has given 

 an account of his former mutiny in Wilts ; this was the reason of his arrest. 

 3 Th., 124. 



