House, a fine mansion within six miles of Northampton, and there was at first treated with great honor.  A large household and domestic servants were chosen for him, an excellent stable kept, and the king was allowed a large amount of personal liberty.  The nobles and gentlemen of his court were permitted to see him, and in fact he was apparently restored to his rank and estate.  The Presbyterian party were in power; but while they treated the king with the respect due to his exalted station, they had no more regard to the rights of his conscience than to those of the consciences of the people at large.  He desired to have chaplains of the Episcopal church; but the Parliament refused this, and sent him two Presbyterian ministers, whom the king refused to receive.

While King Charles remained at Holmby Parliament quarreled furiously.  The spirit of the Independents obtained a stronger and stronger hold upon the army.  Cromwell himself, with a host of others, preached daily among them, and this general, although Fairfax was the commander-in-chief, came gradually to be regarded as the leader of the army.  There can be no doubt that Cromwell was thoroughly sincere in his convictions, and the charges of hypocrisy which have been brought against him, are at least proved to be untrue.  He was a man of convictions as earnest as those of the king himself, and as firmly resolved to override the authority of the Parliament, when the Parliament withstood him.

Three days after the king arrived at Holmby House the Commons voted that the army should be disbanded, with the exception of troops required for the suppression of rebellion in Ireland, and for the service of the garrisons.  It was also voted that there should be no officers, except Fairfax, of higher rank than colonel, and that every officer should take the covenant and conform to the Presbyterian Church.  A loan was raised in the city to pay off a portion of the arrears of pay due to the army.  The sum, however, was insufficient, and there were great murmurings among the men and officers.  Fourteen of the latter petitioned Parliament on the subject of arrears, asking that auditors should be appointed to report on what was due to them, and laying down some conditions with regard to their employment in Ireland.  Five days afterward the House, on receipt of this petition, declared that whoever had a hand in promoting it, or any other such petition, was an enemy to the State, and a disturber of the public peace.  The army were furious at this declaration.  Deputations from them went to the House, and from the House to the army.  The Presbyterian members were highly indignant at their pretensions, and Cromwell saw that the time was at hand when the army would take the affair entirely into their hands.  The soldiers organized a council of delegates, called “Adjutators,” to look after their rights.  The Parliament voted eight weeks’ pay, and a committee went to the army to see it disbanded.  The army declined to disband, and said that eight times eight weeks’ pay was due.  The feeling grew hotter and hotter, and the majority in Parliament came to the conclusion that Cromwell should be arrested.  Cromwell, however, obtained word of what was intended, and left London.