and in the mean time "knowledge, we shall represent it; "study to approve ourselves, "Your most humble servants, "PH. SKIPPON. "OLIVER CROMWELL. "H. IRETON." * 2. "Eo the Honourable William Lenthall, Esquire, Speaker of the Commons House: hese.' "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 was of Horse Officers; who, by reason of the 66 great distance of their 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. "After some discourse offered unto them, About the oc"casion of the Meeting, together with the deep sense the Parlia"ment 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 communicate 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 communi66 'cate to their Soldiers the Votes, together with such informa"tions as they received 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 par "A 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). **Friday, yesterday; not "Thursday," as at first proposed. Carlyle, Cromwell. IV. 22 NHAP - Part of them likewise betook themselves to a strong House in Bletchington; where Colonel Windebank kept a Garrison, with near Two-hundred horse and foot therein. Which, after surrounding it, I summoned: but they seemed very dilatory in their answer. At last, they sent out Articles to me of Surrender, which I have sent your Honour enclosed: * and after a large treaty thereupon, the Surrender was agreed upon between us. They left behind them between Two and Three hundred muskets, Seventy horses; besides other arms and ammunition. — I humbly rest, Your honour's humble servant, No. 7. OLIVER CROMWELL.S BATTLE OF NASEBY. BURIAL OF COLONEL PICKERING. [Vol. i. p. 212, 336.] Two (a.) THE following very rough Notes of a studious Tourist will perhaps be acceptable to some readers. Notes dashed down evidently in the most rough-and-ready manner, but with a vigilant eye both on the Old Books and on the actual Ground of Naseby; taken, as appears, in the year 1842. 1 "Battle of Naseby, 14th June 1645: From Sprigge (London, "1647); Rushworth, vi. (London, 1701); Old Pamphlets; and "the Ground. "Fairfax's Stages towards Naseby (Sprigge, p. 30 et seqq.). "Wednesday, 11th June, a rainy day: Marched 'from Stony "Stratford to Wootton,' three miles south of Northampton. "Bad quarters there: 'but the Mayor came,' &c. - Thursday, "12th June: From Wootton to (not 'Guilsborough four miles "west of Northampton,' as Sprigge writes, but evidently) "Kislingbury and the Farmsteads round. The King 'lies encamped on Burrough Hill' (five miles off); has been hunting,' "this day: 'his horses all at grass.' The night again wet; "Fairfax, riding about, all night, on the spy is stopped by one "of his own sentries, &c.; at Flower' (near Weedon), sees the "King's Forces all astir on the Burrough Hill, about four in the "morning; 'firing their huts;' rapidly making off, North* Given in Rushworth, vi. 24. 66 § King's Pamphlets, small 4to, no. 203, § 7. t "ward, as it proved. At six, a Council of War. Cromwell, "greatly to our joy, has just come-in from the Associated "Counties, 'received with shouts.' Major Harrison, with "horse, is sent towards Daventry to explore; Ireton, also with "horse, to the Northward, after the King's main-body. 'We,' "Fairfax's main-body, now set forward towards Harborough,' "flanking the King; and that night, - Friday, 13th June, "arrive (not at Gilling,' as Sprigge has it, - is there such "place? but) at Guilsborough. Which is the last of the "Stages. any "The King's van is now, this Friday night, at Harborough; "his rear is quartered in Naseby, - where Ireton beats them up "(probably about half-past nine), 'taking prisoners,' &c.: and "so the fugitives rouse the King out of his bed at Luben"ham;'** who thereupon drives-off to Prince Rupert at "Harborough; arrives about midnight; calls a Council ('rest"ing himself in a chair in a low room,' till Rupert and the rest "get on their clothes); and there, after debate,*** determines on turning back to beat the Roundheads for this affront. "Ireton lies at Naseby, therefore; 'we' (Fairfax and the Army), at Guilsborough, all this night. "Battle of Naseby. Saturday, 14th June 1645. Starting "at three in the morning, we arrive about five at Naseby. King "reported to be at Harborough,' uncertain whitherward next: "behold, great bodies of his troops are seen coming over the "Hill from Harborough towards us;'- he has turned, and is "for fighting us then! We put our Army in order, 'large "fallow field northwest of Naseby,' 'the brow of the Hill running "east and west' 'for something like a mile:" King has sunk out "of sight in a hollow; but comes up again nearer us,† and "now evidently drawn-out for battle. We fall back, about a "hundred paces, from the brow of the Hill,' to hide ourselves "and our plans: he rushes on the faster, thinking we run "(much of his ordnance left behind'): the Battle joins on the "very brow of the Hill. Their word, Queen Mary; ours, God is our Strength. “About Three-hundred Musketeers of ours on the Left Wing, "are advanced a little, as a forlorn, down the steep of the Hill; *Rushworth, vi. 46 (Despatch from the Parliament Commissioners)." **See Iter Carolinum, too. *** See Clarendon, &c. "At Sibbertoft" (Rushworth). " Part of them likewise betook themselves to a strong House in Bletchington; where Colonel Windebank kept a Garrison, with near Two-hundred horse and foot therein. Which, after surrounding it, I summoned: - but they seemed very dilatory in their answer. At last, they sent out Articles to me of Surrender, which I have sent your Honour enclosed:* and after a large treaty thereupon, the Surrender was agreed upon between us. They left behind them between Two and Three hundred muskets, Seventy horses; besides other arms and ammunition. I humbly rest, Your honour's humble servant, No. 7. BATTLE OF NASEBY. BURIAL OF COLONEL PICKERING. Two LETTERS CONCERNING ELY. [Vol. i. p. 212, 336.] (a.) THE following very rough Notes of a studious Tourist will perhaps be acceptable to some readers. Notes dashed down evidently in the most rough-and-ready manner, but with a vigilant eye both on the Old Books and on the actual Ground of Naseby; taken, as appears, in the year 1842. "Battle of Naseby, 14th June 1645: From Sprigge (London, "1647); Rushworth, vi. (London, 1701); Old Pamphlets; and "the Ground. 66 "Fairfax's Stages towards Naseby (Sprigge, p. 30 et seqq.). "Wednesday, 11th June, a rainy day: Marched 'from Stony "Stratford to Wootton,' three miles south of Northampton. "Bad quarters there: 'but the Mayor came,' &c. - Thursday, "12th June: From Wootton to (not 'Guilsborough four miles "west of Northampton,' as Sprigge writes, but evidently) Kislingbury and the Farmsteads round. The King 'lies encamped on Burrough Hill' (five miles off); has been hunting,' "this day: 'his horses all at grass.' The night again wet; "Fairfax, riding about, all night, on the spy is stopped by one "of his own sentries, &c.; 'at Flower' (near Weedon), sees the King's Forces all astir on the Burrough Hill, about four in the "morning; 'firing their huts;' rapidly making off, - North* Given in Rushworth, vi. 24. § King's Pamphlets, small 4to, no. 203, § 7. 66 "ward, as it proved. At six, a Council of War. Cromwell, greatly to our joy, has just come-in from the Associated "Counties, 'received with shouts.' Major Harrison, with "horse, is sent towards Daventry to explore; Ireton, also with "horse, to the Northward, after the King's main-body. "We,' "Fairfax's main-body, now set forward towards Harborough,' "flanking the King; and that night, - Friday, 13th June, "arrive (not at Gilling,' as Sprigge has it, is there any such "place? but) at Guilsborough.* Which is the last of the "Stages. - "The King's van is now, this Friday night, at Harborough; "his rear is quartered in Naseby, where Ireton beats them up "(probably about half-past nine), 'taking prisoners,' &c.: and "so the fugitives rouse the King out of his bed 'at Luben"ham;" *** who thereupon drives-off to Prince Rupert at "Harborough; arrives about midnight; calls a Council ('rest"ing himself in a chair in a low room,' till Rupert and the rest "get on their clothes); and there, after debate,*** determines on turning back to beat the Roundheads for this affront. "Ireton lies at Naseby, therefore; 'we' (Fairfax and the Army), "at Guilsborough, all this night. "Battle of Naseby. Saturday, 14th June 1645. Starting "at three in the morning, we arrive about five at Naseby. King "reported to be at Harborough,' uncertain whitherward next: "behold, great bodies of his troops are seen coming over the "Hill from Harborough towards us;'- he has turned, and is "for fighting us then! We put our Army in order, 'large "fallow field northwest of Naseby,' 'the brow of the Hill running "east and west' for something like a mile:" King has sunk out "of sight in a hollow; but comes up again nearer us,† and "now evidently drawn-out for battle. We fall back, about a "hundred paces, from the brow of the Hill,' to hide ourselves "and our plans: he rushes on the faster, thinking we run "(much of his ordnance left behind'): the Battle joins on the "very brow of the Hill. Their word, Queen Mary; ours, God "is our Strength. "About Three-hundred Musketeers of ours on the Left Wing, “are advanced a little, as a forlorn, down the steep of the Hill; * Rushworth, vi. 46 (Despatch from the Parliament Commissioners). **See Iter Carolinum, too. *** See Clarendon, &c. "At Sibbertoft" (Rushworth). |