And thus far they were not to be so much blamed, and we did
not on our own part blame them, when they had obtained the power, for
parting with it on good terms.
But when I have thus far advocated for the enemies, I must be very
free to state the crimes of this bloody war by the events of it. 'Tis
manifest there were among them from the beginning a party who aimed
at the very root of the government, and at the very thing which they
brought to pass, viz., the deposing and murdering of their sovereign;
and, as the devil is always master where mischief is the work, this
party prevailed, turned the other out of doors, and overturned all
that little honesty that might be in the first beginning of this
unhappy strife.
The consequence of this was, the Presbyterians saw their error when
it was too late, and then would gladly have joined the royal party to
have suppressed this new leaven which had infected the lump; and this
is very remarkable, that most of the first champions of this war who
bore the brunt of it, when the king was powerful and prosperous, and
when there was nothing to be got by it but blows, first or last, were
so ill used by this independent, powerful party, who tripped up
the heels of all their honesty, that they were either forced by ill
treatment to take up arms on our side, or suppressed and reduced by
them.
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