Sutton mercy added to Naseby mercy. And to see this, is it not to see the face of God! You have heard of Naseby: it was a happy victory. As in this, so in that, God was pleased to use His servants; and if men will be malicious, and swell with envy, we know Who hath said, If they will not see, yet they shall see, and be ashamed for their envy at His people. I can say this of Naseby, That when I saw the Enemy draw up and march in gallant order towards us, and we a company of poor ignorant men, to seek how to order our battle: the General having commanded me to order all the Horse, I could not (riding alone about my business), but smile out to God in praises, in assurance of victory, because God would, by things that are not, bring to naught things that Of which I had great assurance; and God did it. O that men would therefore praise the Lord, and declare the wonders that He doth for the children of men! are. I cannot write more particulars now. I am going to the rendezvous of all our Horse, three miles from Bridgewater; we march that way. It is a seasonable mercy. I cannot better tell you than write, That God will go on. We have taken two guns, three carriages of ammunition. In the chase, the Enemy quitted Lamport; when they ran out at one end of the Town, we entered the other. They fired that at which we should chase; which hindered our pursuit: but we overtook many of them. I believe we got near Fifteen-hundred Horse. Sir, I beg your prayers. Believe, and you shall be established. I rest, Your servant, OLIVER CROMWELL.* A couple of months after this battle, Oliver is before Winchester, and makes this Summons : * Pamphlet in Lincoln College, Oxford, No. 10: "Battles and Sieges." Letter entitled The Copy of Lieutenant-General Cromwell's Letter to a worthy Member of the House of Commons, published by Authority, London, 1645." [The title page runs "Good newes out of the West, declared in a letter sent from Lieutenant-Generall CROMWELL To a worthy member of the House of Commons. Showing what great things God hath done by small means. Two thousand slain and taken prisoners. Also fifteen hundred Horse taken beside Bag and Baggage. Published by Authority. London, printed by Matthew Simmons, 1645. (E. 293 (18).) Thomason has added "July 23." Sanford printed this letter (from the Lincoln College pamphlet), in his Studies and Illustrations of the Great Rebellion. This Appendix 9 was inserted in the edition of 1857.] SIR, To the Mayor of the City of Winchester 'Before Winchester,' 28th September 1645, 5 o'clock at night. I come not to this City but with a full resolution to save it, and the inhabitants thereof, from ruin. I have commanded the soldiers, upon pain of death, that no wrong be done which I shall strictly observe; only I expect you give me entrance into the City, without necessitating me to force my way; which if I do, then it will not be in my power to save you or it. I expect your answer within half an hour; and rest, Your humble servant, OLIVER CROMWELL. * No. 10. ARMY TROUBLES IN 1647 [Vol. i. p. 262] THE Vote that Field-Marshal Skippon, Lieutenant-General Cromwell, Commissary-General Ireton and Colonel Fleetwood,' all Members of this House, 'shall proceed to their charges in the Army,' and endeavour to quiet all distempers there,- -was passed on the 30th of April: day of the Three Troopers and Army-Letter, and directly on the back of that occurrence. They went accordingly, perhaps on the morrow, and proceeded to business; but as nothing specific came of them, or could come, till the 8th of May, that day is taken as the date of the Deputation.--Here are three letters from them; one prior and one posterior; which, copied from the Tanner MSS., have got into print, but cannot throw much light on the affair. * History and Antiquities of Winchester (London, 1773), ii. 127. [To this the Mayor-William Longland-replied, that the delivery of the city was not in his power, it being under the command of the Lord Ogle, but that he would use his best endeavours with his Lordship. Ogle however refused to be entreated, and declared his resolution of holding out to the last. (Ibid. p. 128.) It was not until a week later that he surrendered the Castle, after a breach had been made by Cromwell's cannon, and it was on the point of being stormed. See vol. i. p. 220.] 1 Commons Journals, v. 158: see antea, vol. i. p. 260. 1. " To the Honourable William Lenthall, Esquire, Speaker of the "Saffron Walden,' 3d May 1647. SIR,-We have sent out orders to summon the officers of the "several Regiments to appear before us on Thursday next; to the end 66 we may understand from them the true condition and temper of the "soldiers in relation to the discontents lately represented; and the "better to prepare and enable them,-by speaking with them, and acquainting them with your votes, to allay any discontents that 66 may be among the soldiers. "We judged this way most likely to be effectual to your service; "though it ask some time, by reason of the distance of the quarters. "When we shall have anything worthy of your knowledge, we shall 66 represent it; and in the mean time study to approve ourselves, "Your most humble servants, "PH. SKIPPON. "OLIVER CROMWELL. "H. IRETON.' "2 2. "To the Honourable William Lenthall, Esquire, Speaker of the Commons House: These' 66 66 "Saffron Walden, 8th May 1647. SIR,-According to our orders sent out to the officers of the Army, many of them appeared at the time appointed. The greatest failing 66 was of Horse officers; who, by reason of the great distance of their 66 quarters from this place (being some of them above three-score miles "off), could not be here: yet there were, accidentally, some of every Regiment except Colonel Whalley's present at our meeting;—which was upon Friday morning, about ten of the clock. 3 "After some discourse offered unto them, about the occasion of the 66 meeting, together with the deep sense the Parliament had of some "discontents which were in the Army, and of our great trouble also "that it should be so, we told them, we were sent down to communi"cate the House of Commons' votes unto them; whereby their, 'the "Parliament's,' care of giving the Army satisfaction might appear: "desiring them furthermore' To use their utmost diligence with all "good conscience and effect, by improving their interests in the soldiers, "for their satisfaction; and that they would communicate to their "soldiers the votes, together with such informations as they received 1 Votes passed that same 30th of April: That the Soldiers shall have Indemnity; that they shall have Pay,—and in short, Justice (Commons Journals, v. 158). ' Thursday next' is the 6th of May. 2A Letter from Major-General' (elsewhere called Field-Marshal) 'Skippon, Lieutenant-General Cromwell and Commissary-General Ireton, was this day read' (Commons Journals, 4th May 1647). ̧ 3 Friday, yesterday; not 'Thursday,' as at first proposed. "then from us, to the end their distemper might be allayed. After "this had been said, and a copy of the votes delivered to the chief "officer of every respective Regiment, to be communicated as aforesaid, we desired them to give us a speedy account of the success of their "endeavours; and if in anything they needed our advice or assistance "for furthering the work, we should be ready here at Saffron Walden "to give it them, upon notice from them. "We cannot give you a full and punctual account of the particular "distempers, with the grounds of them: because the officers were "desirous to be spared therein by us, until they might make a further "inquiry amongst the soldiers, and see what effect your votes and their "endeavours might have with them. We desire as speedy an account "of this business as might well be; but, upon the desire of the officers, thought it necessary for the service to give them until Saturday next1 'to bring us an account of their business, by reason the Regiments were so far distant. "As anything falls out worthy of your knowledge, we shall represent "it; and in the mean time study to approve ourselves, 66 "Your most humble servants, "PH. SKIPPON. "OLIVER CROMWELL. "CHARLES FLEETWOOD."2 "To the Honourable William Lenthall, Esquire, Speaker of the Commons House: These' "Walden, 17th May 1647. "SIR,—We having made some progress in the business you com"manded us upon, we are bold to give you this account, which, although "it come not with that expedition you may expect and your other "affairs require, yet we hope you will be pleased to excuse us with the "weight of the affair: in comparison whereof nothing that ever yet 66 we undertook was, at least to our apprehension, equal; and wherein, "whatever the issue prove, our greatest comfort is, that our consciences "bear us witness we have, according to our abilities, endeavoured faithfully to serve you and the Kingdom. "The officers repaired to us at Saffron Walden upon Saturday last, "according to appointment, to give us a return of what they had in 66 charge from us at our last meeting; which was, to read your votes to "the soldiers under their respective commands for their satisfaction, “and to improve their interest faithfully and honestly with them to 1 This day week; the 15th. 2 Letter from the General Officers,' 'from Walden, of 8th Maii 1647, was this day read' (Commons Journals, Tuesday, 11th May 1647). The Letter seems to be of Cromwell's writing. 3 Means' response to.' "that end; and 'then' to give us a perfect account of the effect of their "endeavours, and a true representation of the temper of the Army. "At this meeting, we received what they had to offer to us, which "they delivered to us in writing, by the hands of some chosen by the "rest of the officers then present, and in the name of the rest of the "officers and of the soldiers under their commands, which was not done "till Sunday in the evening. At which time, and likewise before upon "Saturday, we acquainted them all with a letter from the Earl of "Manchester, expressing that an Act of Indemnity, large and full, had "passed the House of Commons; and that two weeks' pay more was "voted to those that were disbanded, as also to them that undertook "the service of Ireland. And, thinking fit to dismiss the officers to "their several commands,—all but some that were to stay here about "further business,-we gave them in charge to communicate these last "votes to their soldiers, and to improve their utmost diligence and "interest for their best satisfaction. "We must acknowledge, we found the Army under a deep sense of 66 some sufferings, and the common soldiers much unsettled; whereof, "that which we have to represent to you will give you a more perfect "view. Which, because it consists of many papers, and needs some more method in the representation of them to you than can be done 66 by letter, and forasmuch as we were sent down by you to our several 66 charges to do our best to keep the Soldiers in order,--we are not well "satisfied, any of us, to leave the place nor duty you sent us to, until we have the signification of your pleasure to us. To which we shall "most readily conform; and rest, "Your most humble servants, "PH. SKIPPON. "OLIVER CROMWELL. "CHARLES FLEETWOOD." 2 No. 11 WELSH DISTURBANCES IN 1648 [Vol. i. p. 317.] 1. SOME charge of Welsh misbehaviour, perhaps treachery, in the late May revolt; charge which, if founded, ought to be made good against 'Edwards!' Colonel Hughes has been Governor of Chepstow, from the time when it was first taken in autumn 1645; and, we may infer, 1 Commons Journals, v. 174 (14th May 1647). 2 Tanner MSS. (in Cary, i. 205-16). |