The Works of Thomas Carlyle/Volume 6/Letter 38
August 10th. The Parliamentary Commissioners have returned, and three of the leading Scots with them,—to see what is now to be done. ‘The ‘Chancellor’ who comes with Argyle is Loudon, the Scotch Chancellor, a busy man in those years. Fairfax is at Bath; and ‘the Solicitor,’ St. John the Shipmoney Lawyer, is there with him.
FOR HIS EXCELLENCY SIR THOMAS FAIRFAX, THE GENERAL: THESE
Sir,—Hearing you were returned from Ragland to the Bath, I take the boldness to make this address to you.
Our Commissioners sent to the King came this night to London.[1] I have spoken with two of them, and can only learn these generals, That there appears a good inclination in the Scots to the rendition of our Towns, and to their march out of the Kingdom. When they bring-in their Papers, we shall know more. Argyle, and the Chancellor, and Dunfermline are come up. Duke of Hamilton is gone from the King into Scotland. I hear that Montrose’s men are not disbanded. The King gave a very general answer. Things are not well in Scotland;—would they were in England! We are full of Faction and worse.
I hear for certain that Ormond has concluded a Peace with the Rebels. Sir, I beseech you command the Solicitor to come away to us. His help would be welcome.—Sir, I hope you have not cast me off. Truly I may say, none more affectionately honours nor loves you. You and yours are in my daily prayers. You have done enough to command the uttermost of, your faithful and most obedient servant,
‘P.S.’ I beseech you, my humble service may be presented to your Lady.
‘P.S. 2d’[3]The money for disbanding Massey’s men is gotten, and you will speedily have directions about them from the Commons House.
‘Our Commissioners’ to Charles at Newcastle, who have returned ‘this night,’ were: Earls Pembroke and Suffolk, from the Peers; from the Commons, Sir Walter Earle (Weymouth), Sir John Hippesley (Cockermouth), Robert Goodwin (East Grinstead, Sussex), Luke Robinson (Scarborough).[4]
‘Duke of Hamilton:’ the Parliamentary Army found him in Pendennis Castle,—no, in St. Michael’s Mount Castle,—when they took these places in Cornwall lately. The Parliament has let him loose again;—he has begun a course of new diplomacies, which will end still more tragically for him.
Ormond is, on application from the Parliament, ostensibly ordered by his Majesty not to make peace with the outlaw Irish rebels; detestable to all men:—but he of course follows his own judgment of the necessities of the case, being now nearly over with it himself, and the King under restraint unable to give any real ‘orders.’ The truth was, Ormond’s Peace, odious to all English Protestants, had been signed and finished in March last; with this condition among others, That an Army of 10,000 Irish were to come over and help his Majesty; which truth is now beginning to ooze out. A new Ormond Peace:—not materially different I think from the late very sad Glamorgan one; which had been made in secret, through the Earl of Glamorgan, in Autumn last; and then, when by ill chance it came to light, had needed to be solemnly denied in Winter following, and the Earl of Glamorgan to be thrown into prison to save appearances! On the word of an unfortunate King ![5]—It would be a comfort to understand farther, what the fact soon proves, that this new Peace also will not hold; the Irish Priests and Pope’s Nuncios disapproving of it. Even while Oliver writes, an Excommunication or some such Document is coming out, signed ‘Frater O’Farrel, ‘Abbas O’Teague,’ and the like names: poor Ormond going to Kilkenny, to join forces with the Irish Of Fleming’s present ‘business’ with Fairfax, whether it were to solicit promotion here, or continued employment in Ireland, nothing can be known. The War, which proved to be but the ‘First War, is now, as we said, to all real intents, ended: Ragland Castle, the last that held-out for Charles, has been under siege for some weeks; and Fairfax, who had been at ‘the Bath for his health, was now come or coming into those parts for the peremptory reduction of it.[6] There have begun now to be discussions and speculations about sending men to Ireland,[7] about sending Massey (famed Governor of Gloucester) to Ireland with men, and then also about disbanding Massey’s men.
Exactly a week before, 24th July 1646, the united Scots and Parliamentary Commissioners have presented their ‘Propositions’ to his Majesty at Newcastle: Yes or No, is all the answer they can take. They are most zealous that he should say Yes. Chancellor Loudon implores and prophesies in a very remarkable manner: ‘All England will rise against you; they,’ these Sectarian Parties, ‘will process and depose you, and set-up another Government,’ unless you close with the Propositions. His Majesty, on the 1st of August (writing at Newcastle, in the same hours whilst Cromwell writes this in London), answers in a haughty way, No.[8]
- ↑ Commons Journals, 11th Aug. 1646.
- ↑ Sloane Mss. 1519, fol. 63.
- ↑ This second Postscript has been squeezed-in above the other, and is evidently written after it.
- ↑ Rushworth, vi. 309, where the proposals are also given.
- ↑ Ibid. 242, 239-247; Birch’s Inquiry concerning Glamorgan; Carte’s Ormond; etc. Correct details in Godwin, ii. 102-124.
- ↑ Rushworth, vi. 293;—Fairfax’s first Letter from Ragland is of 7th August; 14th August he dates from Usk; and Ragland is surrendered on the 17th.
- ↑ Cromwelliana, April 1646, p. 31.
- ↑ Rushworth, vi. 319-21.