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 Langport; when they ran out of 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,

A couple of months after this battle, Oliver is before Winchester, and makes this Summons:*

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.

That

I have commanded the soldiers, upon pain of death, 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

§ Pamphlet in Lincoln College, Oxford, no. 10: "Battles of Sieges." Letter entitled "The Copy of Lieutenant-General Cromwell's Letter to a worthy Member of the House of Commons, published by Authority, London,

in my power to save you or it. I expect your Answer within

half an hour; and rest

ARMY TROUBLES IN 1647.

[Vol. i. p. 274.]

was

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, 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.

1." To the Honourable William Lenthall, Esquire, Speaker of the Commons House: These.'

"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 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 to allay any Discontents that may be among the

11

"Votes,**

"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

§ History and Antiquities of Winchester (London, 1773), ii. 127. * *Commons Journals, v. 158: see antea, vol. i. p. 273.

**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.

"knowledge, we shall represent it; and in the mean time "study to approve ourselves,

"Your most humble servants,

"PH. SKIPPON.

"OLIVER CROMWELL.

"H. IRETON."*

2.

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 "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 communi"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

*

RNH

ticular 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 next* "to bring us an account of their business, by reason the Regi"ments 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, "Your most humble servants,

3.

26 ( Eo the Honourable William Lenthall, Esquire, Speaker of the Commons House: Chese.'

"Walden, 17th May 1647.

"SIR,- We having made some progress in the Business you "commanded 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 com"parison whereof nothing that ever yet 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 Satur"day last, according to appointment, to give us a return of*** "what they had in 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 น "faithfully and honestly with them 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.

66

This day week; the 15th.

**"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.

*** Means "response to."

66

"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 at "quainted 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 66 '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 66 sense of some sufferings, and the common Soldiers much un"settled; 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 representa"tion of them to you than can be done by letter, and forasmuch "as we were sent down by you to our several 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.

"H. IRETON.

"CHARLES FLEETWOOD."**

Nr. 10.

WELSH DISTURBANCES IN 1648.

[Vol. ii. p. 8.]

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 * Commons Journals, v. 174 (14th May 1647).

** Tanner Mss. (in Cary, i. 205-16.)