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autumn 1645;* and, we may infer, has returned to his post since Ewers (25th May 1648) retook the Castle. Of Edwards, and his misdeeds, and his accusers, no other clear trace has occurred to me. But in Moyne's Court, Monmouthshire, the seat of this Colonel Thomas Hughes, the following old Note had turned up, and was printed in 1791.

'Eo Colonel Hughes, Chepstow Castle.'

COLONEL HUGHES,

'Before Pembroke,' 26th June 1648. It's of absolute necessity that Collington and Ashe do attend the Council of War, to make good what they say of Edwards. Let it be your especial care to get them into Monmouthshire thereunto. What Mr. Herbert and Mrs. Cradock hath (sic) promised to them in point of indemnity, I will endeavour to have it performed; and I desire you to certify as much to them for their encouragement. I pray do this speedily after receipt hereof, and I shall remain

Your servant,

OLIVER CROMWELL.S

The

2. A short Letter to the Committee of Carmarthen. ancient "Iron-furnaces" at Carmarthen, the "Committee" sitting there, the "Paper" or Proclamation from the Leaguer: these, and the other points of this Letter, will be intelligible to the reader.

For my noble Friends the Committee of Carmarthen: Chese.

GENTLEMEN,

The Leaguer before Pembroke, 9th June 1648.

I have sent this Bearer to you to desire we may have your furtherance and assistance in procuring some necessaries to be cast in the Iron-furnaces in your county of Carmarthen, which will the better enable us to reduce the Town and Castle of Pembroke.

The principal things are: Shells for our Mortarpiece; the depth of them we desire may be of fourteen inches and threequarters of an inch. That which I desire at your hands is, To cause the service to be performed, and that with all possible

* Commons Journals, iv. 321 and v. 115.

The Topographer, edited by Sir E. Brydges (London, March 1791), iv. 125-9.

expedition; that so, if it be the will of God, the service being done, these poor wasted countries may be freed from the burden of the Army.

In the next place, we desire some D cannon-shot, and some culverin-shot, may with all possible speed be cast for us, and hasted to us also.

We give you thanks for your care in helping us with bread and [word lost]. You do herein a very special service to the State; and I do most earnestly desire you to continue herein, according to our desire in the late Letters. I desire that copies of this Paper* may be published throughout your county, and the effects thereof observed; for the ease of the county, and to avoid the wronging of the country men.

Not doubting the continuance of your care to give assistance to the Public in the services we have in hand, I rest, Your affectionate servant,

O. CROMWELL. §

3. In the Town Archives of Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, are the following three Papers; footmarks, still visible, of Oliver's transit through those parts. Twelfth July, date of the first Paper, is the morrow after Pembroke surrendered.

(a.) "o the Mayor and Aldermen of Haverfordwest.

"We being authorised by Parliament to view and consider "what Garrisons and Places of Strength are fit to be de"molished; and we finding that the Castle of Haverford is not "tenable for the services of the State, and yet that it may be "possessed by ill-affected persons, to the prejudice of the peace "of these parts: These are to authorise you to summon-in the "Hundred of Roose and the inhabitants of the Town and "County of Haverfordwest; and that they forthwith demolish "the several walls and towers of the said Castle; so as that the "said Castle may not be possessed by the Enemy, to the enแ 'dangering of the peace of these parts.

"Given under our hands, this 12th of July 1648.

"ROGER LORT.
"SAMSON LORT.

* Some Proclamation seemingly,

JOHN LORT.
THOMAS BARLOWE.

of the conceivable sort.

§ Brayley's Graphic and Historical Illustrator (London, 1834), p. 355. "Original in the hands of Richard Williams, Esq., Stapleton Hall, Hornsey."

"We expect an account of your proceedings, with effect, in "this business, by Saturday being the 15th of July instant.” To which Oliver appends:

If a speedy course be not taken to fulfil the commands of this Warrant, I shall be necessitated to consider of settling a Garrison. OLIVER CROMWELL.

(b.) "For the Honourable Lieutenant-General Cromwell at Pembroke. "Haverfordwest, 13th July 1648.

"HONOURED SIR, We received an Order from your "Honour and the Committee, for the demolishing of the Castle "of Haverfordwest. According to which we have this day set "some workmen about it: but we find the work so difficult to "be brought about without powder to blow it by, that it will "exhaust an "huge' sum of money, and will not in a long time "be effected.

"Wherefore we become suitors of your Honour that there "may a competent quantity of Powder be spared out of the "Ships, for the speedy effecting the work, and the County "paying for the same. And we likewise desire that your "Honour and the Committee be pleased that the whole County "may join with us in the work; and that an Order be con"sidered for the levying of a competent sum of money on the "several Hundreds of the County, for the paying for the Powder, "and defraying the rest of the charge.

"Thus being over-bold to be troublesome to your Honour; "desiring to know your Honour's resolves,

we rest,

"Your Honour's humble servants,

"JOHN PRYNNE, Mayor.

"JENKIN HOWwell.

WILLIAM WILLIAMS.

"WILLIAM BOWEN. JOB DAVIES.

"ROGER BEvans.

ETHELDRED DAVIES."

Gunpowder cannot be spared on light occasion; and "levying of competent sums" have had their difficulties before now: here is the handier method:

(c.) o the Mayor and Aldermen of Haverfordwest.

Whereas upon view and consideration with Mr. Roger Lort, Mr. Samson Lort, and the Mayor and Aldermen of Haverfordwest, it is thought fit, for the preserving of the

peace of this County, that the Castle of Haverfordwest should be speedily demolished:

These are to authorise you to call unto your assistance, in the performance of this exercise (?), the Inhabitants of the Hundreds of Dungleddy, Dewisland, Kemis, Roose and Kilgerran; who are hereby required to give you assistance. Given under our hands this 14th of July 1648.

OLIVER CROMWELL

['and the two Lorts in a corner of the Paper'].§

No. 11.

LETTER TO THE DERBY-HOUSE COMMITTEE AFTER PRESTON

BATTLE.

[Vol. ii. p. 40.]

SIMULTANEOUSLY with the Letter in the Text to the York Committee to help in pursuit of Duke Hamilton, Oliver writes home for fresh Supplies.

Ho the Right Honourable the Committee of Lords and Commons at Derby House: hese. Haste, haste.

MY LORDS AND Gentlemen,

Wigan, 23d August 1648. I did not (being straitened with time) send you an account of the great blessing of God upon your Army: I trust it is satisfactory to your Lordships that the House had it so fully presented to them.

My Lords, it cannot be imagined that so great a business as this could be without some Loss; although I confess' very little compared with the weightiness of the Engagement; there being on our part not an Hundred Slain, yet many Wounded. And to our little it is a real weakening, for indeed we are but a handful. I submit to your Lordships, whether you will think fit or no To recruit our Loss; we haying but Five poor Regiments of foot, and our horse so exceedingly battered as I never saw them in all my life. It is not to be doubted but your Enemy's designs are deep: this Blow will make them very angry: the principles they went on were such as should a little awaken Englishmen; for I have

§ Printed in Welshman Newspaper (Carmathen, 29th Dec. 1848).

heard it from very good hands of their own party, that the Duke made this the argument to his Army, That the Lands of the Country and — [illegible the next line or two, from ruin of the paper; the words lost mean clearly, "That the Scots were to share our lands among them, and come to inhabit the conquered country:" a very high figure of rumour indeed!] which accordingly is done in part, there being a Transplantation of many women and children and of whole families in Westmoreland and Cumberland, as I am credibly informed [for the moment!]

Much more might be said; but I forbear. I offer it to your Lordships that Money may be 'sent' to pay the foot and horse to some equality. Some of those that are here seventy days before I marched from Windsor into Wales have not had any pay; and amongst the horse, my own Regiment and some others are much behind. I wish your Lordships may manage it for the best advantage, and not be wanting to yourselves in what is necessary: which is the end of my offering these things to you. My Lords, Money is not for Contingencies so as were to be wished; we have very many things to do which might be better done if we had wherewithal. Our Foot want Clothes, Shoes and Stockings; these ways and weather have shattered them all to pieces: that wich was the great blow to our Horse was (beside the weather and incessant marches) our March ten miles to fight with the Enemy, and a Fight continuing four hours in as dirty a place as ever I saw horse stand in; and, upon the matter, the continuance of this Fight two days more together in our following the Enemy, and lying close by him in the mire - [moths again and mildew ...... until at length we broke him at a near....... a great party of our horse having ..... miles towards Lancaster; who came up to us, and were with us in all the Action]. These things I thought fit to intimate, not knowing what is fit to ask, because I know not how your Affairs stand, nor what you can supply.

I have sent Major-General Lambert, upon the day I received the Enclosed, with above Two Thousand horse and dragoons and about Fourteen-Thousand foot in prosecution

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