The Works of Thomas Carlyle/Volume 6/Letter 4
The reader recollects Mr. Robert Barnard, how, in 1630, he got a Commission of the Peace for Huntingdon, along with ‘Dr. Beard and Mr. Oliver Cromwell,’ to be fellow Justices there. Probably they never sat much together, as Oliver went to St. Ives soon after, and the two men were of opposite politics, which in those times meant opposite religions. But here in twelve-years space is a change of many things!
To my assured friend Robert Barnard, Esquire.
Present these
Mr. Barnard,—It’s most true, my Lieutenant with some other soldiers of my troop were at your House. I dealt “so” freely “as” to inquire after you; the reason was, I had heard you reported active against the proceedings of Parliament, and for those that disturb the peace of this Country and the Kingdom,—with those of this Country who have had meetings not a few, to intents and purposes too-too full of suspect.[1]
It’s true, Sir, I know you have been wary in your carriages: be not too confident thereof. Subtlety may deceive you; integrity never will. With my heart I shall desire that your judgment may alter, and your practice. I come only to hinder men from increasing the rent,—from doing hurt; but not to hurt any man: nor shall I you; I hope you will give me no cause. If you do, I must be pardoned what my relation to the Public calls for.
If your good parts be disposed that way, know me for your servant, OLIVER CROMWELL.
Be assured fair words from me shall neither deceive you of your houses nor of your liberty.[2]
My Copy, two Copies, of this Letter I owe to kind friends, who have carefully transcribed it from the Original at Lord Gosford’s. The present Lady Gosford is ‘granddaughter of Sir Robert Barnard,’ to whose lineal ancestor the Letter is addressed. The date of time is given; there never was any date or address of place,—which probably means that it was written in Huntingdon and addressed to Huntingdon, where Robert Barnard, who became Recorder of the place, is known to have resided. Oliver, in the month of January 1642-3, is present in the Fen-country, and all over the Eastern Association, with his troop or troops; looking after disaffected persons; ready to disperse royalist assemblages, to seize royalist plate, to keep down disturbance, and care in every way that the Parliament Cause suffer no damage.[3] A Lieutenant and party have gone to take some survey of Robert Barnard, Esquire; Robert Barnard, standing on the right of injured innocence, innocent till he be proved guilty, protests: Oliver responds as here, in a very characteristic way.
It was precisely in these weeks, that Oliver from Captain became Colonel: Colonel of a regiment of horse, raised on his own principles so far as might be, in that ‘Eastern Association’; and is henceforth known in the Newspapers as Colonel Cromwell. Whether on this 23d of January, he was still Captain, or had ceased to be so, no extant accessible record apprises us. On the 2d March 1642-3, I have found him named as ‘Col. Cromwell,’[4] and hitherto not earlier. He is getting ‘men of religion’ to serve in this Cause—or at least would fain get such if he might.