Here is a sour morsel for Jenner and Ashe; different from what they were expecting! It is to be hoped they will digest this piece of admonition, and come forth on the morrow two sadder and two wiser men. For Colonel Owen, at all events, there is clearly no outlook, at present, but sitting reflective in the strong-room of Nottingham Castle, whither his bad Genius has led him. May escape beheading on this occasion; but very narrowly. He was taken with Sir Marmaduke in their flight together' one of the confused Welshmen discomfited in June and July last, who had fled to join Hamilton, and be worse discomfited a second time. The House some days ago had voted that 'Sir John Owen,' our Colonel Owen,' should get off with 'banishment;' likewise that Lord Capel, the Earl of Holland, and other capital Delinquents should be 'banished;" and even that James Earl of Cambridge (James Duke of Hamilton) should be fined 100,000l.' Such votes are not unlikely to produce a sense amongst the Officers,' who had to grapple with these men, as with devouring dragons lately, life to life. Such votes-will need to be rescinded. Such, and some others! For indeed the Presbyterian Party has rallied in the House during the late high blaze of Royalism; and got a Treaty set on foot as we saw, and even got the Eleven brought back again. · Jenner and Ashe are old stagers, having entered Parliament at the beginning. They are frequently seen in public business; assiduous subalterns. Ashe sat afterwards in Oliver's Parliaments.2 Of this Ashe I will remember another thing: once, some years ago, when the House was about thanking some Monthly-fast Preacher, Ashe said pertinently, "What "is the use of thanking a Preacher who spoke so low that 'nobody could hear him ?"’3 66 1 Passed, 10 November, 1648 (Commons Journals, vi. 3); repealed, 13 December (with a Declaration; Somers Tracts, v. 167). 2 Parliamentary History, xxi. 3. 3 D'Ewes MSS. p. 414. · Colonel Humphrey Mathews, we are glad to discover,1 was one of the persons taken in Pembroke Castle by Oliver himself in July last brought along with him, on the march towards Preston, and left, as the other Welsh Prisoners were, at Nottingham ;-out of which most just durance some pragmatical official, Ashe, Jenner, or another, by what order I know not,' has seen good to deliver him; him, the desperatest promoter of the Welsh Rebellion amongst them all.' Such is red-tape even in a Heroic Puritanic Age! No wonder the Officers have a sense of it,' amounting even to amazement.' Our blood that we have shed in the Quarrel, this you shall account as nothing, since you so please; but these manifest witnessings of God, so terrible and so just,' —are they not witnessings of God; are they mere sports of chance? Ye wretched infidel red-tape mortals, what will or can become of you? By and by, if this course hold, it will appear that 'You are no Parliament;' that you are a nameless unbelieving rabble, with the mere title of Parliament, who must go about your business elsewhither, with soldiers' pikes in your rearward! This Lieutenant-General is not without temper, says Mr. Maidston temper exceeding fiery, as I have known; yet the 'flame of it kept down for most part, or soon allayed;—and naturally compassionate towards objects in distress, even to an effeminate measure. Though God had made him a heart 'wherein was left little room for any fear but what was due 'to God Himself, yet did he exceed in tenderness towards 'sufferers,2-yes, and in rigour against infidel quacks and godless detestable persons, which is the opposite phasis of that, he was by no means wanting! 1 Cromwelliana, pp. 41, 42. 2 Maidston's Letter to Winthrop (Thurloe, i. 766). : LETTER LXXXIII. 'ALL the Regiments here have petitioned my Lord General against the Treaty' at Newport, and for Justice and a Settlement of the Kingdom. They desired the Lieutenant'General to recommend their Petition; which he hath done in the Letter following;' - which is of the same date, and goes in the same bag with that to Jenner and Ashe, just given. For his Excellency the Lord General Fairfax,' at St. Albans: These.' MY LORD, Knottingley, 20th November, 1648. I find in the Officers of the Regiments a very great sense of the sufferings of this poor Kingdom; and in them all a very great zeal to have impartial Justice done upon Offenders. And I must confess, I do in all, from my heart, concur with them; and I verily think and am persuaded they are things which God puts into cur hearts. I shall not need to offer anything to your Excellency: I know, God teaches you; and that He hath manifested His presence so to you as that you will give glory to Him in the eyes of all the world. I held it my duty, having received these Petitions and Letters, and being so' desired by the framers thereof,-to present them to you. The good Lord work His will upon your heart, enabling you to it; and the presence of Almighty God go along with you. prays, My Lord, Thus Your most humble and faithful servant, This same day, Monday 20th November, 1648, the Army from St. Albans, by Colonel Ewer and a Deputation, presents its humble unanimous Remonstrance' to the House; craving that the same be taken into speedy and serious consideration.' It is indeed a most serious Document; tending to the dread Unknown! Whereupon ensue 'high debates,' Whether we shall take it into consideration? Debates to be resumed this day week. The Army, before this day week, moves up to Windsor; will see a little what consideration there is. Newport Treaty is just expiring; Presbyterian Royalism, on the brink of desperate crisis, adds still two days of life to it. LETTER LXXXIV. THE Army came to Windsor on Saturday the 25th; on which same day Oliver, from Knottingley, is writing a remarkable Letter, the last of the series, to Hammond in the Isle of Wight, who seems to be in much strait about that Person' and futile Treaty now under his keeping there. First, however, read this Note, of like date, on a local matter: one of many Notes which a vigilant Lieutenant-General, be where he may, has to importune the Governing Powers with. Hull Garrison and Governor Overton, like most garri*Rushworth, vii. 1339. ■ Commons Journals, vi. 81; Remonstrance itself in Rushworth, vii. sons and persons, are short of pay. Grocers' Hall, Haberdashers' Hall, or some section of the Finance Department, ought absolutely to take thought of it. For my noble Friend, Thomas St. Nicholas, Esquire: I suppose it's not unknown to you how much the Country is in arrear to the Garrison of Hull; -as likewise how probable it is that the Garrison will break, unless some speedy course be taken to get them money; the soldiers at the present being ready to mutiny, as not having money to buy them bread; and without money the stubborn Townspeople will not trust them for the worth of a penny. Sir, I must beg of you that, as you tender the good of the Country, so far as the security of that Garrison is motioned, you would give your assistance to the helping of them to their money which the Country owes them. The Governor will apply himself to you, either in person or by letter. I pray you do for him herein as in a business of very high consequence. I am the more earnest with you, as having a very deep sense how dangerous the event may be, of their being neglected in the matter of their pay. I rest upon your favour herein;and subscribe myself, Sir, Your very humble servant, OLIVER CROMWELL.* * Kimber's (anonymous) Life of Cromwell (4th edition, London, 1741), p. 92: Not given in the 1st edition; no notice whence. |