The Works of Thomas Carlyle/Volume 6/By Express
Fairfax, with his New-Model Army, has been beleaguering Oxford for some time past; but in a loose way, and making small progress hitherto. The King, not much apprehensive about Oxford, is in the Midland Counties; has just stormed Leicester (‘last night of May,’ says Clarendon,[1] a terrible night, and still more terrible ‘daybreak’ and day following it), which perhaps may itself relieve Oxford. His Majesty is since at halt, or in loose oscillating movement, ‘hunting’ on the hills, ‘driving large herds of cattle before him,’—nobody, not even himself, yet knows whitherward. Whitherward? This is naturally a very agitating question for the neighbouring populations; but most of all intensely agitating for the Eastern Association,—though Cromwell, in that Huntingdon Letter, occupied with Ely and other Garrisons, seems to take it rather quietly. But two days later, we have trace of him at Cambridge, and of huge alarm round him there. Here is an old Piece of Paper still surviving; still emblematic of old dead days and their extinct agitations, when once we get to decipher it! They are the Cambridge Committee that write; ‘the Army about Oxford,’ we have seen, is Fairfax’s.
“TO THE DEPUTY-LIEUTENANTS OF SUFFOLK: THESE”
Gentlemen,—The cloud of the Enemy’s Army hanging still upon the borders, and drawing towards Harborough, make some supposals that they aim at the Association. In regard whereof, we having information that the Army about Oxford was not yesterday advanced, albeit it was ordered so to do, we thought meet to give you intelligence thereof;—and therewith earnestly to propound to your consideration, That you will have in readiness what Horse and Foot may be had, that so a proportion may be drawn forth for this service, such as may be expedient.
And because we conceive that the exigence may require Horse and Dragoons, we desire That all your Horse and Dragoons may hasten to Newmarket; where they will receive orders for farther advance, according as the motion of the Enemy and of our Army shall require. And To allow both the several Troops of Dragoons and Horse one week’s pay, to be laid down by the owner; which shall be repaid out of the public money out of the County; the pay of each Trooper being 14 shillings per week, and of a Dragoon 10s. 6d. per week. Your servants,
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“P.S.” The Place of Rendezvous for the Horse and Dragoons is to be at Newmarket; and for the Foot Bury.—Since the writing hereof, we received certain intelligence that the Enemy’s Body, with 60 carriages, was upon his march towards the Association, 8 miles on this side Harborough, last night at 4 of the clock.[2]
The Original, a hasty, blotted Paper, with the Signatures in two unequal columns (as imitated here), and with the Postscript crammed hurriedly into the corner, and written from another inkbottle as is still apparent,—represents to us an agitated scene in the old Committee-rooms at Cambridge that Friday. In Rushworth (see vi. 36-8), of the same date, and signed by the same parties, with some absentees (Oliver among them, probably now gone on other business) and more new arrivals,—is a Letter to Fairfax himself, urging him to speed over, and help them in their peril. They say, ‘We had formerly written to the Counties to raise their Horse and Dragoons, and have now written,’ as above for one instance, ‘to quicken them.’—The Suffolk and other Horse, old Ironsides not hindmost, did muster; and in about a week hence there came other news from ‘this side Harborough last night’!