army's agent. I replied, I humbly conceived myfelf was the man, and he only my affiftant; and again preffed to have the votes read, to justify my allegation but was denied, and urged for my further anfwer. I faid I was wafted with fickness, so that I was incapacitated to counfel myfelf, much less able to command or direct the army; and that I ftayed above a month after thofe votes before I came away, to fee if I thould recover fo as to be able to discharge the duty of my place, but grew daily worte, till I was at last deprived of my fenfes, and knew not what I did or spoke; and in that condition, by the phyfician's advice, I was carried on thipboard, to try if the fea would (as it had done formerly) top my flux; for if I ftaid at land I was a dead man, and it was but the trial of one experiment, whether the fish or worms must eat me. Befides, I added his. highnelles commiffion, which was indorfed thus: Not to be opened except in cafe of the death, difability, or abfence, of one or both of the generals. the which words alfo running through the body of the commiffion, to impower the commiffioners to chufe a new general, which commiffion was executed accordingly, and major-general Fortefcue chofe into my place a month or near thereabouts before I came away, and executed the fame accordingly. I added, I had much more to say, but except I had time (which I again earnestly begged, but was denied) I could not at prefent add any more, however craved my weaknels of memory might not be made my crime.

I was commanded forth; and presently Mr. Scobell fent to me for the officers votes, which I defired them to give me a copy of, but he did not; but I had a copy before. I waited. At last the council rofe. I met with colonel Sydenham, who told me that he was forry for me, and that the hand of God thould be the caufe of my fuffering; for he faid my fentence was fevere. I fpoke alfo to the lord prefident Lawrence, to know his command, not being in a capacity to attend it. He told me the clerk would acquaint me with their order, and that I must stay; which I did, and the ferjeant at last came to me and acquainted me with the council's order, with a very civil apology for his acting. I moved that he would give me leave (being fafting and very weak) to go home, or at least to some cook's fhop for some refreshment, and time to fend for fome neceffaries to carry with me to the tower: all which, with much compaffion and refpect, he granted; so that I returned home with his fervant, affining him that, if he would truft me, I would that night prefent myself with the council's warrant to the lieutenant of the tower,

for

for I was not able to go, much less fly, and that I was not conscious to myself of any guilt, and fcorned to bring my innocency and former fervice fo much into question as to blemish myself with a thought to escape or fly. When I came home, fome friends came to vifit me, who offered their service to affitt me in any thing they could. Whereupon I writ to the lord prefident Lawrence, and drew up a petition, which my wife and friends prefented, both which follow:

MY LORD,

AFTER your lordship was pleafed to tell me, that the clerk of the council would acquaint me with your refolves, I found Mr. Serjeant Dendy to be the man that brought it, and a very fad one, which affects me more than, I perfuade myself, the news of death; being that my most dear reputation, purchased with the lofs of my blood and limbs, and thirteen years faithful and not unsuccessful fervice, and all called into queftion by this blow. I perceive my plea of his highefles additional inAructions for the choofing a commander-in-chief, in cafe of the death, difability, or abfence, of either of thofe then in commiffion, is wholly waved, it pre-fuppofing all the fe; which must needs induce me to believe my coming away was not fuch a capital offence. Your lordship's piety, and confidence of your favour herein, hath emboldened me to move your lordship to prefent the inclofed petition to his highness, if your lordthip judge it meet, which is fubmitted to your lordship's pleafure by,

My lord, your most humble and afflicted fervant,

RICHARD VENABLES.

TO HIS HIGHNESS THE LORD PROTECTOR OF ENGLAND, SCOTLAND, AND IRELAND.

SHEWETH,

THAT, upon fignification of your highnesses displeasure, in his commitsment to the tower, he humbly by petition made his addrefs to your highness,

that

that a confinement to his chamber might at present be only inftiðed, in regart of his great weakness and many preffing occafions; but that (as he humbly conceives not coming in feafon to your highness, he again humbly imploreth your highneffes favourable confideration of his afflicted condition, and his great weakness yet continuing, and fince that time fome further fear of its increafe arifing, he is neceffitated most humbly to implore your highness, so far to commiferate his fud condition as to grant him fo much enlargement as may afford the benefit of air and phyfic for his recovery; and that he alfo may have opportunity to reprefent to your highness the series of his management of that truft your highnets did commit to him; wherein if he be not able to evidence he hath been faithful, though Providence denied fuccefs, he fhall (with much more quietness of heart) undergo any further mark of your highnesses displeasure, and your highnesses favour herein shall engage your petitioner ever to pray,

RICHARD VENABLES.

I DESIRED that I might be only confined to my chamber, in regard of my extreme weaknefs, that fo I might ufe the help of phyfic for my recovery, and offered ten thousand pounds bond, and perfons to be fecurity with me, who would also be bound, body for body, that they would (if I recovered) bring me in to anfwer any charge that fhould be brought against me, whenever called to; but all was refused, so that I was that night, being the of September, 1655, carried to the tower, and delivered prifoner to the lieutenant of the tower, colonel Barkstead, fince knighted by his highness, and the warrant for my commitment, which followeth:

OLIVER, PROTECTOR.

WHEREAS general Richard Venables, being general of the English forces fent into America, hath without licenfe deferted the army committed to his charge, contrary to his truft, thefe are, therefore, to will und require you to receive and take into your cuftody in our tower of London the body of the faid general Richard Venables, herewith tent unto you, and him to keep in fafe custody until you shall receive order from us to the contrary. Hereof you are not to fail, as you will answer the contrary, and this fhall be your warrant in that behalf. Given at Whitehall, this twentieth of Sept. 1655. TO JOHN BARKSTEAD, efq. lieutenant of our tower of London.

1 HAS

I HAD not continued many days in the tower, but feveral friends came to vifit me, fome perfuading me to fubmit myself to his highness; for if I came to a trial I fhould be fentenced; but I ftill defired a hearing. Some others told me, that fome godly men were told that it would not be well taken if they went to vifit me, for that the vifits of godly men did make me ftubborn, and kept me from fubmiffion; and thus it was fought to fet godly men againft me as my enemies, and to deprive me of the comfort of their company, counfel, and prayers. My friends were not idle, but moved for enlargement, for air, in order to phyfic and health; and at laft the lady Melton (to whom general Lambert was ever refpective) had this return from him, that the muft perfuade me to fubmit, and I fhould be enlarged. She fent me word of it, and alfo of her anfwer, which was, that the next day I must be cried about the streets, if they had any fault to charge me with, the defired them to proceed against me, or to fet me at liberty if innocent. Prefently after the lord Fleetwood, lord deputy of Ireland, was pleafed to honour me with his perfon; to whom, after other difcourfe, I faid that I looked upon myself as a prifoner for form only, and not for offence; it being fit that a private perfon fhould rather bear the blemish of any miscarriage than the public, and that I was content fo to do; but defired him not to let me be too much a fufferer, for, before I would die like a dog, I would speak like a man. He defired me to give him an account of the state of those parts, for his own private fatisfaction, and that he would not impart them to any other; which I did. He promited me too his utmost friendship, which did much fatisfy me that there was not any thing of concernment or moment charged against me; otherwise, I fuppofed, he would not have made me fo large a promise.

About the 10th of October, 1655, Mr. Eaton, paftor of the church of Stockport, came to fee me; and within a few days brought me a mesfage from my lord Fleetwood, which was, that he defired me to fend him anfwers to fix queries, for his own private fatisfaction. The feveral queries with my antwers here follow:

MY LORD,

MR. EATON told me you defired fatisfaction to fome particulars, he mentioned them, to which I befecch you receive the answers :

Ift.-Was there a contention betwixt general Penn and me about place? Truly I know not that ever we ftroye, fave to give precedency each to other, though ufually he had it at fea and I at land; only Mr. Winflow told me at Barbadoes, that general Penn having feen the commiffion and inftructions at Portsmouth (which I did not) he excepted against my being named firft; upon which (all being ftill unknown to me) he was named first in the inftructions and I in the commiffion, which the erafures (as Mr. Winslow bade me obferve) caufed me to believe.

2nd. That I took too much ftate upon me at Barbadoes.

My lord, I confefs that I remember not any thing of that nature, neither doth my heart accufe me of any act; but conceive the grounds of this report (and have heard it) arifes from the governor of Barbadoes, his marfhall going before him and me bareheaded to church; which I could not avoid, lodging at his house; and it hath been and yet is the practice of that island, that whither the governor goeth or rideth his marshall eth with him and bareheaded; and I think twice my marthall, without order from me, went in that pofture before us to church; but if any can prove that my marshall did ever ride or go with me at all, much lefs bareheaded, as the other's did, I confefs the fault.

3d.-The factions in the army were occafioned by bad conduct.

go

I anfwer, that before I went I confeffed my unfitnefs for fuch a command, and do believe that true; yet I can prove they fell out thus: that major-general Haynes expected the command in chief, and went out of England in the confidence that I would not come, and before we left Barbadoes I had many ftrong prefumptions that he hoped to gain the fame.

4th. As for our long ftay at Barbadoes.

I answer that a perfon of honour charged it as a fault upon me, that I left that place before our ftores came, and indeed, my lord, all the officers grudged at it; neither did we ftay longer than to provide neceffaries for the fleet and army, which were exceedingly retarded by fome of the inhabitants.

5th.-Landing too much to leeward.

My lord, myfelf and officers did vote for the River Hine, except beaten off, and general Penn's inftructions were that he fhould tranfport us from

place