A More full Relation of the manner and circumstances of His Majesty's departure from HAMPTON-Court. Written By Colonel WHALEY, At the Demand of the SPEAKER of the House of COMMONS, To whom it was lately sent, for the better satisfaction of the PARLIAMENT and KINGDOM.  
LONDON, Printed for Giles Calvert at the black spread-Eagle, near the West-end of Paul's. 1647.   

Mr. Speaker,  
WHat I spoke in the House (according to your command) I present you in writing, as followeth, to my best remembrance.  

Mr Speaker,  
IT is not (I suppose) unknown to you, that I have faithfully, and through God's mercy successfully served the Parliament from my first undertake, which was, from your first engagement. You have been pleased so much to honour me, as to let me share in your favour; and I desire to let you know, that I highly esteem it, and shall endeavour further to deserve it. I shall therefore (according to your command) deal clearly and candidly in giving you (as in the presence of God) a true Relation of my service, and the Kings going a way.  
The place, the guards, and commands that lay upon me considered, makes it not wonder the King should be gone. The King was never declared to me to be a Prisoner. I was not to restrain him from his liberty of walking, so that he might have gone whither he had pleased; neither was I to hinder him from his privacy in his Chamber, or any other part of the House; which gave him an absolute freedom to go away at pleasure. The House is vast, hath 1500 rooms, as I am informed, in it, and would require a Troop of Horse upon perpetual Duty to guardall the Outgoings. So that all that could be expected from me, was to be as vigilant over the King as I could in the day time; and when after Supper he was retired into his Bedchamber, to set Sentinels about him, which I constantly performed, as is well known to the Commissioners and others. But for some fifteen weeks I had M. Ashburnham's engagement for the King's safe abiding with me: and truly I must do him so much right as to declare, that he dealt honestly, and like a Gentleman with me: For about three weeks ago he came to me, and minded me of his Engagement, which was to continue no longer than he gave me warning: He told me he now did, and would stand engaged no longer. I demanded of him the reason. He replied, The Court was so much Scottified, that he feared there would be workings to get the King away. Whereupon I presently sent away a dispatch to his Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax, acquainting him, with it; no long after went myself to the Head-quarter at Putney, at what time his Excellency and the Officers sat in Council. I there again, before the whole Council, acquainted his Excellency with M. ashburnham's disengaging himself, and withal, both myself and friends earnestly solicited for a dismission from that great charge, that had been long imposed upon me; which was not the first time that openly I had desired it: I gave divers reasons for it; One was, that I had been two or three and twenty weeks upon that careful and hazardous duty, and I thought it was but reasonable now to have some relaxation, and that some others should be put upon it. Another, That if they did look upon the King's safe abiding with us as a concernment to the good of the Kingdom, it was impossible for me, the King having that liberty, and such Bedchamber men about him (as were) so keep him. One of them was Colonel Legg, once Governor of Oxford under the King: the other, though they were Gentlemen of honour and quality, put in by the Parliament; yet they were his ancient servants; and though perhaps they would not put him upon any design of going away; yet probably would not cross him, nor disclose any. Therefore I conceive, if the Parliament did expect the General should safeguard his Majesty's Person, that the General should desire leave of the Parliament to put such Bedchamber men about the King as the himself would be responsible for, and might confide in. And indeed, I did there declare, I was very jealous of M. Mawle. The third reason that I gave to be discharged was this; Should the King go away (for I cannot term it an escape, because he never was in custody as a prisoner) I should not only run the hazard of losing some reputation myself, but divers of my near related friends eminent Officers in the Army, would have jealousy cast upon them, being by some already suspected upon less grounds then that would be. But say what I could, or my friends for me I must not go off. It was long debated, and by all concluded, that I could no more keep the King, if he had a mind to go, than a bird in a Pound: yet I must continue my charge. But truly, I conceive both the General, Officers, and I am sure myself did much rely upon his Majesty's Engagement. His Majesty was pleased freely to promise me when I waited upon him at Newmarket, That he would not go from me, till he first gave me warning When he came to Wooburn, observing my guards, he told me, Colonel Whaley, your guards are strong: but do you think you could keep me if I had a mind to go away? I answered, with these commands I had I could not: No, saith the King, though you had five times as many more, or to that purpose. I replied, Your Majesty's engagement was a greater force upon you, than all the guards I could put, or to the same purpose. His Majesty answered, his engagement was in case he might go to one of his own Houses: But however, I do now freely and absolutely engage myself to you, That I will not stir from you till I give you warning: and if I do, I will give you leave to say I am an infamous fellow.  
And whereas (Mr. Speaker) you do demand of me, to know whether the King did take himself off from his engagement, I can tell you not otherwise then thus: About a fortnight ago the King's Children came to him, stayed with him three or four days. The Princess Elizabeth was lodged in a chamber opening to the long Gallery, in which two Sentinels stood for the safeguard of the King: the Princess complained to his Majesty that the soldiers disquieted her: The King spoke to me that it might be remedied. I told the King, if the soldiers made any noise, it was contrary to my desire & commands; I should double my commands upon them, and give them as strict a Charge as I could, not to disquiet her Highness: which I did: Notwithstanding a second complaint was made: I told his Majesty, stricter commands I could not give; and the Soldiers insured me, they came so easily through the gallery, and made so little noise, That they conceived it was impossible for the Princess to hear them. However, I told his Majesty, if he would be pleased to renew his Engagements, I should place the sentinels at a more remote distance. The King answered, To renew his Engagements, was a point of Honour; you had my Engagement; I will not renew it, keep your guards.  
And as for the manner (Mr. Speaker) of the Kings going away, it was thus. Mondays and Thurdayes were the Kings set days for his writing Letters to be sent into Foreign Parts: his usual time of coming out of his Bedchamber on those days, was betwixt five and six of the Clock: presently after he went to prayers, and about half an hour after that, to supper; at which times I set guards about his Bedchamber, because he made no long stay after supper before he treired himself thither: About five of the clock I came into the room next his Bedchamber, where I found the Commissioners, and Bed chamber men: I asked them for the King: They told me he was writing letters in his Bedchamber. I waited there without mistrust till six of the clock, I then began to doubt, and told the Bed chambermen, Mr. Mawle, and Mr. Murry, I wondered the King was so long a writing: They told me, he had (they thought) some extraordinary occasion. Within half an hour after I went into the next Room to Mr. Oudart, told him I marvelled the King was so long a writing: he answered, he wondered too, but withal said, the King told him, he was to writ letters both to the Queen, and Princess of Orange; which gave me some satisfaction for the present. But my fears with the time increased: so that when it was seven of the clock, I again told Mr. Mawle, I exceedingly wondered the King was so long before he came out. He told me he was writing: I replied, posibly be might be ill: therefore I thought he should do well to see, and to satisfy both myself and the House, that were in fear of him. He replied, the King had given him strict commands, not to molest him, therefore durst, not: besides he had bolted the door to him. I was then extreme restless in my thoughts, looked oft in at the keyhole to see whither I could perceive his Majesty, but could not: Prest Mr. Mawle to knock, very oft: that I might know whether his Majesty were there or not; But all to no purpose: he still plainly told me, he durst not disobey his Majesty's commands. When it drew towards 8 of the clock; I went to Mr. Smithsby keeper of the privy lodgings, desiring him to go along with me the back way through the garden, where I had sentinels, and we went up the stairs, and from chamber to chamber till we came to the next chamber to his Majesty's Bedchamber, where we saw his Majesty's cloak lying on the midst of the floor, which much amazed me: I went presently back to the Commissioners and Bed-chambermen, acquainting them with it, and therefore desired Mr. Mawle again, to see whether his Majesty was in his Bedchamber or not, he again told me, he durst not. I replied, that I would then command him and that in the name of the Parliament, and therefore desired him to go along with me. He desired I would speak to the Commissjoiners to go along with us: I did, we all went. When we came into the room next the King's Bedchamber; I moved Mr. Mawle to go in: he said he would not, except I would stand at the door: I promised I would, and did. Mr. Mawle immediately came out, and said, the King was gone. We all than went in, and one of the Commissioners said, It may be the King is in his Closet: Mr. Mawle presently replied, and said he was gone. I then being in a passion, told Mr. Mawle, I thought he was accessary to his going: For that afternoon he was come from London; it being a rare thing for him to be from Court: I know not that he hath been two nights away since I came to wait upon His Majesty.  
I presently sent out parties of Horse and Foot to search the Lodge in the Park, I sent dispatches immediately away to the General, and Lieutenant-General, who sent me Orders presently to send out parties of Horse every way both from my guard & Regiment: but I had done it before. I sent to search M. ashburnham's house at Ditton (a mile from Hampton) but my soldiers, when they came thither found the house empty. Mr. Ashburnham was gone three or four days before, his household goods too days, and four horses the night before. I set guards round the house, and searched that, which was as much as I could do.  
And whereas (Mr. Speaker) you demand of me, what that Letter was that I shown the King the day he went away. The Letter I shall show you; but with your leave, I shall first acquaint you with the Author, and the ground of my showing it to the King. The Author is Lieutenant-General Cromwell: the ground of my showing it was this; The Letter intimates some murderous design, or at least some fear of it, against his Majesty. When I read the Letter I was much astonished, abhorring that such a thing should be done, or so much as thought by any that bear the name of Christians. When I had shown the Letter to his Majesty, I told him I was sent to safeguard, and not to murder him: I wished him to be confident, no such thing should be done, I would first die at his foot in his defence: And I therefore shown it him, that he might be assured, though menacing speeches came frequently to his ear, our general Officers abhorred so bloody and villainous a fact. Another reason was, That I might get a nearer admittance to his Majesty, that so I might the better secure him.  
And last of all, (Mr. Speaker) whereas you desire to know who were with the King two or three days before his going: I know very few, but them that were appointed to wait no him. The Lord Lanerick was with him on Monday morning, but stayed not: On Tueday all the Scots Commissioners, who went away likewise that night. On Wednesday night the Earl of Southampton, and the Earl of Chichester: On Thursday morning Colonel Legge went away.  
Mr. Speaker, I have delivered to you a true Narrative of what you desired, and I hope satisfactory; In testimony whereof I have subscribed my name.  
Edw. Whaley.   
FINIS.