This
cast, as we thought, an odium upon our whole nation, being some of
those very wretches who had dipped their hands in the innocent blood
of the Protestants, and, with unheard-of butcheries, had massacred so
many thousands of English in cool blood.
Abundance of gentlemen forsook the king upon this score; and seeing
they could not brook the fighting in conjunction with this wicked
generation, came into the declaration of the Parliament, and making
composition for their estates, lived retired lives all the rest of
war, or went abroad.
But as exigences and necessities oblige us to do things which at other
times we would not do, and is, as to man, some excuse for such things;
so I cannot but think the guilt and dishonour of such an action must
lie, very much of it, at least, at their doors, who drove the king
to these necessities and distresses, by calling in an army of his
own subjects whom he had not injured, but had complied with them in
everything, to make war upon him without any provocation.
As to the quarrel between the king and his Parliament, there may
something be said on both sides; and the king saw cause himself to
disown and dislike some things he had done, which the Parliament
objected against, such as levying money without consent of Parliament,
infractions on their privileges, and the like.
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