vanced, there seemed a prospect of success; the destruction of his army
extinguished their hopes. The king, by a private message, suggested that
before their departure from the coast, they should free him from his
captivity. But the mariners proved that they were the masters. They
demanded to fight the hostile fleet under the earl of

[Footnote 1: Journals, x. 477. Rushworth, vii. 1242, 1244. Clarendon, iii,
177. Fairfax says in his vindication that they surrendered "at _mercy_,
which means that some are to suffer, some to be spared."--Memoirs, p. 540.]

[Sidenote a: A.D. 1648. July 20.]

Warwick, who studiously avoided an engagement, that he might be joined by
a squadron from Portsmouth. During two days the royalists offered[a] him
battle; by different manoeuvres he eluded their attempts; and on the third
day the want of provisions compelled the prince to steer for the coast
of Holland, without paying attention to the request of his royal father.
Warwick, who had received his reinforcements, followed at a considerable
distance; but, though he defended his conduct on motives of prudence, he
did not escape the severe censure of the Independents and Levellers, who
maintained that the cause had always been betrayed when it was intrusted to
the cowardice or disaffection of noble commanders.[1]

It is now time to revert to the contest between the two houses respecting
the proposed treaty with the king. Towards the end of July the Commons had
yielded[b] to the obstinacy of the Lords; the preliminary conditions on
which they had insisted were abandoned,[c] and the vote of non-addresses
was repealed. Hitherto these proceedings had been marked with the
characteristic slowness of every parliamentary measure; but the victory of
Cromwell over Hamilton, and the danger of interference on the part of the
army, alarmed the Presbyterian leaders; and fifteen commissioners, five
lords and ten commoners, were appointed[d] to conduct the negotiation.[2]
At length they arrived;[e] Charles repaired[f] from his prison in
Carisbrook Castle to the neighbouring town of Newport;

[Footnote 1: Lords' Journals, x. 399, 414, 417, 426, 444, 483, 488, 494.
Clarendon Papers, ii. 412, 414.]

[Footnote 2: They were the earls of Northumberland, Salisbury, Pembroke,
and Middlesex, the lords Say and Seale, Lord Wenman, Sir Henry Vane,
junior, Sir Harbottle Grimstone, and Holles, Pierrepoint, Brown, Crew,
Glyn, Potts, and Bulkely.]

[Sidenote a: A.D. 16