powder was consumed, and how resolved to goe, but afterwards they changed that resolution, and stayed, and so lieutenant-colonel Courtney marched away safely with the horse and dragoones, without any opposition, for aught I know, and without the gentlemen, who, upon debate, did noe way disapprove of his going. When wee came to Wigmor'sgate, wee found that the canon (wherewithall they had severall times shotte through the gate) did scoure the streete; two other passages, one upon, and another beneath the castle, (both before-named) were open for their entry, for which they were prepared, the one with boates, the other by land, nor were they less provided for at Eyne gate. Whereupon a parley presently began, which took up a greate deale of time, before hostages were sent and returned; those on our side were sir Walter Pye, and serjeant-major Slaughter; theirs were lieutenant. colonel Adams, and serjeant-major Carre. The treaters on our side were colonel Herbert Price, and serjeant-major Dalton; theirs were colonel Carey, and (as I remember) a sonne of sir Robert Cooks, an officer. The conditions proposed by us were, that if we were not relieved in four dayes, wee should deliver up the towne, upon condition that we should march away with flying colours, &c. and that the church and churchmen, together with the towne and townesmen, should be free from all violence in their persons and goods; but theire reply was very peremptory and shorte, demanding the towne to be presently rendered to theire commander in chiefe, for the king and parliament, and all ensignes and ammunition of warre, only upon quarter to be given to the of ficers and soldiers: upon the delivery of which it was received with much indignation; and, for my own particular, I declared I thought wee ought every man to die in the place, rather than yield to such conditions. Whereupon colonel James Morgan came from the place where he stood, and, taking me by the hand, swore a greate oath he would die at my foote. I perceaved not any man of another opinion; but then it was moved that it might be debated, what was fitt to bee done; and it was concluded that the treaters should goe back, to know if these were the best conditions they would give us. Upon theire second returne, nothing was brought in writing, but the treaters told us much of their rigour would be abated, and thereupon drew up in writing, such other articles as they perceaved would be agreed to, which, what they were in particular, I cannot possibly remember, only that they were much more reasonable than the former; but, when they went backe with these, the enemy, saveing the freedom of the church and town in persons and goods, stoode upon as high terms in respect of the souldiers as before, which was again generally disliked of. But then, it being againe resumed into debate, severall queres were made (but none by me) if these demands should not be yielded to, how wee should be able to make our defence, and preserve the towne; whereunto every man severally replied, not one excepted, that in his opinion the towne, as things then stoode, could not be defended or saved; and I, for my owne part, was of that opinion, though I was none of the first to declare it. Secondly, it was demanded, since this was the opinion of us all, to what end should wee sacrifice the soldiers, together with the cittizens, his majesty's good subjects, to the fury of the prevailing enemy? Whereunto it was answered and agreed, that rather than doe soe, we ought to accept of such conditions as were offered, if wee could obtaine no better. Thereupon the treaters went backe, and the souldiers and officers, having a hint of this treaty, conveyed themselves out of the towne with all their colours, and left not fifty armes behinde them, for aught I could learn before my coming away from thence; and then the treaters returned with such articles as engaged us to purchase the lives of the souldiers, and the freedom of the towne, with the losse of our own liberty; which articles were first signed by sir Willam Waller, and afterwards by the governor the towne, who desired and had of us an acknowledgment, under our hands, of our consent to what he had signed. of Thereupon the enemy enters the towne; and forthwith the lord Scudamore, and the rest of the gentlemen, were confined to their lodgings, from whence, the third night, by the helpe of the alderman's sonne, in whose house I lay, I made my escape over the towne wall, and through the mote, which was not over my bootes, intending, as soon as I could, to make my repaire to Oxford; whither I came the day after, to give an account to his majestie of the unfortunate event of this action; and it may bee I have suffered in the opinion of the world for my open and ingenuous expres sions of myself. I must not omitte one passage concerning the behaviour of some of the townesmen, towards the 3 M 4 end end of the treaty; for, though the mayor, with the chief magistrates and cittizens of the towne, together with the clergy, were very well satisfied with the treaty, so farre as they were concerned in it, yet, after it had continued twelve or fourteen hours, some few of them (being of Mr. Koningsby company) gathered together about Eyne gate, (I will not say by any man's instigation, though I have been told so) and endeavoured to hinder and disturb it; yet, soe unreasonably, and soe contrary to the judgment of the rest of the city, that the governor and mayor went to the gate, and reproveing them, made them desist from soe doing. And now, for the truth of this narrative, appeal to the testimonies of the lord Scudamore, sir William Crofts, sir Walter Pye, and colonel Herbert Price, who were privy to every thing that was done or advised by me; and certainly, if I had advised any thing to the prejudice of his majesties service, or of the city and country, men of their qualitie, and known integritie, and soe much interested in the good of the place, would have been soe farre from following my advice, that they would soone have checked and comptrolled me, well knowing I was there upon theire importunity, as an assistant only, without any authority to oblige them to obey me, as, before I was persuaded to stay with them, I often professed. & præcipus in exemptos à jurisdictione diocesana, jam tantum Regia Majestati et ejus jurisdictioni subditos & subjectus, ac hujus inelyti sui regni statutis & legibus, nullisque aliis penitus, obnoxios, et as trictos. Instructions for the General Visitation of Monasteries. Cott. Lib. Cleop. E. 4. 1. In primis; Whether divine service be solemnly sung, said. ob served, and kept in this monastery, according to the number and the abilities thereof, by night and by day, in due time and hours? and how many be present commonly at matins, and other service, and who be absent, and so accustomed to be without cause or sickness. 2. Item; How many monks, canons, regulars, or nuns, be within this monastery, and how many there ought to be, and whether the number be complete according to the founder's will, or the statutes, ordinances, and laudable custom of this house; and whether the number be augmented or diminished now of late? 3. Item; Who were the first founders of this house? Fundationem primam, secundam, tertiam et quotquot habent, exhibeant, 4. Item; Whether this house hath had any increase of lands given to it since the first foundation thereof? by whom? by how many? and when? 5. Item; To what sum of money Records relating to the Suppression of those revenues and rents of this Monasteries. Articuli regia inquisitiones, in Monasticum vitam agentes exponendi, house do extend and amount unto yearly? 6. Item; Whether this house was ever translated from one habit and order order to another? by whose autho- custom of this house, voices in the rity? and for what cause? Translationem exhibeant. 7. Item; What evidence have you to shew, for all and singular your lands, manors, tenements, and other your possessions, &c. given unto you and this your monastery? 8. Item; How the lands and pos sessions appertaining unto this monastery, given by the first founder, and all other lands given since the first foundation, were granted, given, and established, and so first brought to morte main? whether by the only authority of the giver, or by the authorization of the prince for that time reigning? and by what tenor and form ye hold them? Donationem & confirmationem exhibeant. 9. Item; Wherefore, for what causes and considerations ye were exempt from your diocesan? and what was your suggestion and motive at the obtaining of your said exemption? Exemptionem exhibeant. 10. Item; Whether ye have any private, peculiar, or local statutes, confirmations, ordinances, or rules, made only for the behoof, good order, and singular weal of this house, besides the rules of your profession? and whether they were made either by your founders before your exemption, or by the good fathers of this house, with the whole consent of the brethren, being sithen your exemption: to what use they were made, and how ye observe them? Statuta illa localia, et alia quotquot habent, exhibeant. 11. Item; By what way and form the master of this house was elected and chosen? and whether all the brethren having, or ought to have, by the law, statutes, or laudable election, were present in the same election, or lawfully called or cited to it? 12. Item; Whether any persons excommunicate, suspended, or interdicted, did give voices in the same election? 13. Item; Within what time after the election was made and done, the master of this house was confirmed? and by whom? 14. Item; Whether unto the confirmation, all that had interest, or that would object against the same, were lawfully cited, monished, or called? Exhibeant electionem, confirmationem, & titulum sua incumbentiæ. 15. Item; What rule the master of the house and other the brethren do profess? 16. Item; How many be professed, and how many be novices? and whether the novices have like habit, or use to wear an habit distinct from the habit of the brethren professed? 17. Item; Whether ye do use to profess your novices in due time; and within what time and space after they have taken the habit upon them? 18. Item; Whether the brethren of this house do know the rule that they have professed; and whether they keep their profession according to that their rule, and custom of this house, and in especial the three substantial and principal vows; that is to say, poverty, chastity, and obedience? 19. Item; Whether any of the brethren use any propriety of money, or of plate, in their chambers; or of any other manner thing unware of the master, and without his knowledge or licence, or by his suf ferance ferance and knowledge? and for what cause? 20. Item; Whether ye do keep chastity,not using the company ofany single woman within this monastery, or without? and whether the master, or any other brother of this house be suspected upon incontinency, or defamed for that he is much conversant with women? 21. Item; Whether women useth and resorteth much to this monastery by back-ways, or otherwise? and whether they be accustomably, or at any time, lodged within the precinct thereof? 22. Item; Whether the master, or any brother of this house, useth to have any boys or young men laying with him? 23. Item; Whether the brethren of this house keep their obedience, being ready at their master's commandment, in all things honest, lawful, and reasonable? 24. Item; Whether ye do keep silence in the church, cloister, refectory, and dormitorie, at the hours and time specified in your rule? 25. Item; Whether ye do keep fasting and abstinence, according to your rules, statutes, ordinances, and laudable customs of this house? 26. Item; Whether ye abstain from flesh in time of advent, and other times declared and specified by the law, rules, and laudable customs of this house? 27. Item; Whether ye wear shirts and sheets of woollen; or that ye have any constitution, ordinance, or dispensation, granted or made to the contrary, by sufficient and lawful authority? Profitentes regulum Bencdicti quam arctissime tenentur ad prædicta cœremonialia observanda. 28. Item; Whether ye do sleep together in the dormitorie under one roof or not? 29. Item; Whether ye have all separate beds, or any one of you doth lay with another? 30. Item; Whether ye do keep the refectory at meals, so that two parts, at the least, of the whole convent be always there, unless the master at every one time dispense with you to the contrary? 31. Item; Whether ye do wear your religious habit continually, and never leave it off but when ye go to bed? 32. Item; Whether any brethren of this house have lightly departed hence, and have gone to any other house of like order and profession, without special letters and licence of their master? 33. Item; Whether the master and brethren of this house have received and admitted any brother of another house without special li cence and letters of his master and head? 34. Item; Whether any of you, since the time of your profession, hath gone out of this house to his friends, or otherwise? 35. Item; How often he did so, and how long at every time ye tar ried forth? 36. Item; Whether ye had special licence of your master so to go forth, or not? 37. Item; Whether at any time of your being forth, ye changed or left off your habit, or any part thereof? 38. Item; Whether ye, or any of you be, or hath been, in manifest apostasy; that is to say, fugitives or vagabonds? 39. Item; For what cause or oc casion ye have so gone forth, and been in apostasy? and whether the cause |