sees best. There are many Officers about Town; soliciting payments, attending private businesses: their tendency to Schism, to Anabaptistry and Heresy, or at least to undue tolerance for all that, is well known. This Fast-day, it would seem, is regarded as a kind of covert rebuke to them. Fast-day was Wednesday; this is Thursday evening:
FOR HIS EXCELLENCY SIR THOMAS FAIRFAX, GENERAL OF THE PARLIAMENT’S ARMY, “AT SAFFRON WALDEN”; THESE
Sir,—Your Letters about your head-quarters, directed to the Houses,[1] came seasonably, and were to very good purpose. There want not, in all places, men who have so much malice against the Army as besots them: the late Petition, which suggested a dangerous design upon the Parliament in “your” coming to those quarters[2] doth sufficiently evidence the same: but they got nothing by it, for the Houses did assoil the Army from all suspicion, and have left you to quarter where you please.[3]
Never were the spirits of men more embittered than now. Surely the Devil hath but a short time. Sir, it’s good the heart be fixed against all this. The naked simplicity of Christ, with that wisdom He is pleased to give, and patience, will overcome all this. That God would keep your heart as He has done hitherto, is the prayer of your Excellency’s most humble servant,
“P.S.”[4] I desire my most humble service may be presented
- ↑ Commons Journals, v. 110, 11th March 1646 (Letter is dated Saffron Walden, 9th March).
- ↑ Saffron Walden, in the Eastern Association: ‘Not to quarter in the Eastern Association,’ had the Lords, through Manchester their Speaker, lately written (Commons Journals, infra); but without effect.
- ↑ Commons Journals, v. 110, 11th March 1646.
- ↑ Written across on the margin, according to custom.
