bring their Armes to New-Colledge to joyn with them, should depart away, or stay
at their perrill, which so soon as we understood we gave what intimation we possibly
Could, that all those that would leave them and repaire to Wallingford should
have provision and subsistance made for them, which (I conceive) did carry many
from them that night.
The next morning being Monday (about six a clock) my Major with five or six of
us went out of our chamber to take the ayre in the Court, and perceiving by divers
of the Guard that there was somewhat a sensiblenesse upon them of their condition,
by their readinesse to discourse with us, it Pleased God to put into our hearts (though
naked men) to go up to the gate and to command our enlargement. And getting to
the Souldiers Close to the gate, we required our liberty, telling them that a submission
to us was the onely means to bring them off of this businesse, and to that end we
would go up to our Colonell, but many of them cryed, no; yet we holding the hands
of the Centinels forced open the doore, and being forth told them at their perils resist
us not, and so we passed up the street towards our Colonel; but understanding an
Inne where some Agents lay, we got to a Cutlers shop, and there (being five or six of
us) got every one a sword, and demanded them to surrender themselves to us; but
they being an equall number, comming out of their Chambers with their Pistols and
Swords, forced us out of the yard to the gate, which we made good against them;
one of us in the interim run to my Colonels Inne, to let him know how it was with
us, and fidding Radman commanding that guard upon him, he refused to let him
speak with him; whereupon casling out to my Colonell, so soon as he heard us, and
understood how it was with us, he with his two men, having their Arms not taken
away, came through his Guard, and commanded the Souldiers to march with him,
which they did, and comming to the Officers, one of the Agents had forced through
on horseback, but his horse received a wound that he sell under him in the street,
who being pursued he left his horse, and a Souldier offering to stop him was Killed
by him, who was not taken being in the Town when I came away; and that guard
which my Colonell brought, with us took the residue of the Agents prisoners: And
some few souldiers accidentally walking in the streets we commanded them to us,
and they readily obeyed, and so my Colonell carried those Agents to the main guard,
and commanded the submission of that guard to him, to which they readily obeyed;
so he took forth some of them with him, after the Agents were secured, and marched
to the East port and sent for a party of horse from Whearly, set Centinels on the
line that none might escape, and marched up to New-Colledge (having all this time
severall Souldiers come into him) where he commanded the Colours with a Guard
there to come forth to him, which accordingly they did; and then he marched them
up to the City, the Souldiers generally manifesting great joy that they were thus disengaged.
It was also debated concerning the triall of the persons taken at Oxford by Justices
of Oyer and Terminer, &C. and after a full debate it was unanimously agreed that they
should be proceeded against, and instructions passed therein. And they passed these
Votes following viz.
I. Ordered, That it be referred to the Councell of State to give directions to Master
Attorney Generall touching the persons to be prosecuted on the Act of Treason, and