What further concerns his Majesty, will more fully be evident about 1672 or 1674, or, at farthest, in 1676.  And now unto my own actions in 1660.

In the first place, my fee-farm rents, being of the yearly value of one hundred and twenty pounds, were all lost by his Majesty’s coming to his restoration:  but I do say truly, the loss thereof did never trouble me, or did I repine thereat.

In June of that year, a new Parliament was called, whereunto I was unwillingly invited by two messengers of the Serjeant at Arms.  The matter whereupon I was taken into custody was, to examine me concerning the person who cut off the King’s head, viz. the late King’s.

Sir Daniel Harvey, of Surry, got the business moved against me in great displeasure, because, at the election of new knights for Surrey, I procured the whole town of Walton to stand, and give their voices for Sir Richard Onslow.  The Committee to examine me, were Mr. Prinn, one Colonel King, and Mr. Richard Weston of Gray’s-Inn.

God’s providence appeared very much for me that day, for walking in Westminster-Hall, Mr. Richard Pennington, son to my old friend Mr. William Pennington, met me, and enquiring the cause of my being there, said no more, but walked up and down the hall, and related my kindness to his father unto very many Parliament men of Cheshire and Lancashire, Yorkshire, Cumberland, and those northern countries, who numerously came up into the Speaker’s chamber, and bade me be of good comfort:  at last he meets Mr. Weston, one of the three unto whom my matter was referred for examination, who told Mr. Pennington, that he came purposely to punish me; and would be bitter against me; but hearing it related, viz. my singular kindness and preservation of old Mr. Pennington’s estate to the value of six or seven thousand pounds, ’I will do him all the good I can,’ says he.  ’I thought he had never done any good; let me see him, and let him stand behind me where I sit:’  I did so.  At my first appearance, many of the young members affronted me highly, and demanded several scurrilous questions.  Mr. Weston held a paper before his mouth; bade me answer nobody but Mr. Prinn; I obeyed his command, and saved myself much trouble thereby; and when Mr. Prinn put any difficult or doubtful query unto me, Mr. Weston prompted me with a fit answer.  At last, after almost one hour’s tugging, I desired to be fully heard what I could say as to the person who cut Charles the First’s head off.  Liberty being given me to speak, I related what follows, viz.

That the next Sunday but one after Charles the First was beheaded, Robert Spavin, Secretary unto Lieutenant-General Cromwell at that time, invited himself to dine with me, and brought Anthony Peirson, and several others, along with him to dinner:  that their principal discourse all dinner-time was only, who it was that beheaded the King; one said it was the common hangman; another, Hugh Peters; others also were nominated,