Differences between the Presbyterians and Independents--The King at Holmby--Attempt to Disband the Army--Consequent Petitions to Parliament--The Adjutators--Meeting at Newmarket--Seizure of the King--Advance of the Army on London--Stubbornness of the Presbyterians--The Army Marches through London--Its Proposals to Charles--Their Rejection--The King throws away his Best Chances--The Levellers--Cromwell's Efforts on behalf of Charles--Renewed Intrigues of Charles--Flight to Carisbrooke--Attempts to Rescue the King--Charles Treats with the Scots--Consequent Reaction in his Favour--Battle of Preston and Suppression of the Insurrection--Cromwell at Edinburgh--The Prince of Wales in Command of the Fleet--Negotiations at Newport--Growing Impatience of the Army--Petitions for the King's Trial--Charles's Blindness and Duplicity--He is Removed to Hurst Castle--Pride's Purge--Supremacy of the Independents--The Whiggamores--Hugh Peters' Sermon in St. Margaret's, Westminster--Ordinance for the King's Trial--Trial and Execution of Charles I. For a long time the difference of opinion between the Presbyterians and the Independents had been growing more marked and determined. The latter, from a small knot of Dissenters, had grown into a considerable one, and the more influential, because the most able and active, leaders of both Parliament and army were of that sect. Under the head of Independents, however, ranged themselves, so far as politics were concerned, a variety of other Dissenters--Arminians, Millenaries, Baptists and Anabaptists, Familists, Enthusiasts, Seekers, Perfectists, Socinians, Arians, and others--all of whom claimed freedom of worship, according to their peculiar faiths. On the other hand, the Presbyterians, backed by the Scots, were bent on establishing a religious despotism. Their tenets and form of government were alone to be tolerated. They were as resolute sticklers for conformity as the Catholics, or Charles and Laud themselves. They set up the same claims to be superior to the State, and allowed of no appeal from their tribunals to those of the civil magistrate. Having established the Directory for the form of worship, they erected an assembly, with its synods, and divided the whole kingdom into provinces, the provinces into classes, the classes into presbyteries or elderships. They declared that "the keys of the kingdom of heaven were committed to the officers of the Church, by virtue whereof they had power to retain and remit sins, to shut the kingdom of heaven against the impenitent by censures, and to open it to the penitent by absolution." They claimed a right to inquire into the private lives of persons, and of suspending the unworthy from the Sacrament.