orgive his
self-seeking." His fellow-delinquent Ireton followed in the same repentant
strain; both poured forth their souls before God in fervent and extemporary
prayer; and "never," so we are assured, "did more harmonious music ascend
to the ear of the Almighty."[1]

The king had yet no reason to repent of his confidence in Hammond; but
that governor, while he granted every indulgence to his captive, had no
intention of separating his own lot from that of the army. He consulted the
officers at the head-quarters, and secretly resolved to adhere to their
instructions. Charles recommenced his former intrigues. Through the agency
of Dr. Gough, one of the queen's chaplains, he sought to prevail on the
Scottish commissioners to recede from their demand that he should confirm
the covenant: he sent Sir John Berkeley to Cromwell and his friends, to
remind them of their promises, and to solicit their aid towards a personal
treaty; and by a message[a] to the parliament he proposed, in addition to
his former offers, to surrender the command of the army during his life,
to exchange the profits of the Court of Wards for a yearly income, and to
provide funds for the discharge of the moneys due to the military and to
the public creditors. The neglect with which this message was received,
and the discouraging answer[b] returned by the officers, awakened his
apprehensions; they were confirmed by the Scottish

[Footnote 1: Clarendon Papers, ii. App. xliv. Berkeley, 385. Whitelock,
284.]

[Sidenote a: A.D. 1647. Nov. 16.]
[Sidenote b: A.D. 1647. Dec. 8.]

commissioners, who while they complained of his late offer as a violation
of his previous engagement, assured him that many of his enemies sought to
make him a close prisoner, and that others openly talked of removing him
either by a legal trial, or by assassination. These warnings induced him to
arrange a plan of escape: application was made to the queen for a ship[a]
of war to convey him from the island; and Berwick was selected as the place
of his retreat.[1] He had, however, but little time to spare. As their
ultimatum, and the only condition on which they would consent to a personal
treaty, the houses demanded the royal assent to four bills which they had
prepared. The first of these, after vesting the command of the army in the
parliament for twenty years, enacted, that after that period it might be
restored to the crown, but not without the previous consent of the Lords
and Co