The Works of Thomas Carlyle/Volume 6/Letter 42
The intricate Scotch negotiations have at last ended. The paying of the Scots their first instalment, and getting them to march away in peace, and leave the King to our disposal, is the great affair that has occupied Parliament ever since his Majesty refused the Propositions. Not till Monday the 21st December could it be got ‘perfected,’ or ‘almost perfected.’ After a busy day spent in the Commons House on that affair,[1] Oliver writes the following Letter to Fairfax. The ‘Major-General’ is Skippon. Fairfax, ‘since he left Town, is most likely about Nottingham, the head-quarters of his Army, which had been drawing rather Northward, ever since the King appeared among the Scots. Fairfax came to Town 12th November, with great splendour of reception; left it again ‘18th December.’
On the morrow after that, 19th December 1646, the Londoners presented their Petition, not without tumult; complaining of heavy expenses and other great grievances from the Army; and craving that the same might be, so soon as possible, disbanded, and a good peace with his Majesty made.[2] The first note of a very loud controversy which arose between the City and the Army, between the Presbyterians and the Independents, on that matter. Indeed, the humour of the City seems to be getting high; impatient for ‘a just peace,’ now that the King is reduced. On Saturday 5th December, it was ordered that the Lord Mayor be apprised of tumultuous assemblages which there are, ‘to the disturbance of the peace’; and be desired to quench them,—if he can.
FOR HIS EXCELLENCY SIR THOMAS FAIRFAX, GENERAL OF THE PARLIAMENT’S ARMIES: THESE
Sir,—Having this opportunity by the Major General to present a few lines unto you, I take the boldness to let you know how our affairs go on since you left Town.
We have had a very long Petition from the City: how it strikes at the Army, and what other aims it has, you will see by the contents of it; as also what is the prevailing temper at this present, and what is to be expected from men. But this is our comfort, God is in Heaven, and He doth what pleaseth Him; His and only His counsel shall stand, whatsoever the designs of men, and the fury of the people be.
We have now, I believe, almost[3] perfected all our business for Scotland. I believe Commissioners will speedily be sent down to see agreements performed: it’s intended that Major-General Skippon have authority and instructions from your Excellency to command the Northern Forces, as occasion shall be, and that he have a Commission of Martial Law. Truly I hope that the having the Major-General to command[4] this Party will appear to be a good thing, every day more and more.
Here has been a design to steal away the Duke of York from my Lord of Northumberland: one of his own servants, whom he preferred to wait on the Duke, is guilty of it; the Duke himself confessed so. I believe you will suddenly hear more of it.
I have no more to trouble you “with”; but praying for you, rest, your Excellency’s most humble servant,
Skippon, as is well known, carried up the cash, 200,000l., to Newcastle successfully, in a proper number of wagons; got it all counted there, ‘bags of 100l., chests of 1,000l.’ (5th-16th January 1646-7); after which the Scots marched peaceably away.
The little Duke of York, entertained in a pet-captive fashion at St. James’s, did not get away at this time; but managed it by and by, with help of a certain diligent intriguer and turncoat called Colonel Bamfield;[6] of whom we may hear farther.
On Thursday 11th February 1646-7, on the road between Mansfield and Nottingham,—road between Newcastle and Holmby House,—‘Sir Thomas Fairfax went and met the King; who stopped his horse: Sir Thomas alighted, and kissed the King’s hand; and afterwards mounted, and discoursed with the King as they passed towards Nottingham.’[7] The King had left Newcastle on the 8rd of the month; got to Holmby, or Holdenby, on the 13th:—and ‘there,’ says the poor Iter Carolinum, ‘during pleasure.’
- ↑ Commons Journals, v. 22-3.
- ↑ King’s Pamphlets, small 4to, no. 290 (cited by Godwin, ii. 269).
- ↑ ‘almost’ is inserted with a caret.
- ↑ At this point, the bottom of the page being reached, Oliver takes to the broad margin, and writes the remainder there lengthwise, continuing till there is barely room for his signature, on the outmost verge of the sheet; which, as we remarked already, is a common practice with him in writing Letters:—he is always loath to turn the page;—having no blotting-paper at that epoch; having only sand to dry his ink with, and a natural indisposition to pause till he finish!
- ↑ Sloane MSS. 1519, fol. 78, p. 147.
- ↑ Clarendon, iii. 188.
- ↑ Whitlocke, p. 242; Iter Carolinum (in Somers Tracts, vi. 274): Whittocke’s date, as usual, is inexact.