The Works of Thomas Carlyle/Volume 6/Letter 43
Before reading these two following Letters, read this Extract from a work still in Manuscript, and not very sure of ever getting printed:
‘The Presbyterian “Platform” of Church Government, as recommended by the Assembly of Divines or “Dry-Vines,” has at length, after unspeakable debatings, passings and re-passings through both Houses, and soul’s-travail not a little, about “ruling-elders,” “power of the keys,” and suchlike,—been got finally passed, though not without some melancholy shades of Erastianism, or “the Voluntary Principle,” as the new phrase runs. The Presbyterian Platform is passed by Law: and London and other places, busy “electing their ruling-elders,” are just about ready to set it actually on foot. And now it is hoped there will be some “uniformity” as to that high matter.
‘Uniformity of free-growing healthy forest-trees is good; uniformity of clipt Dutch-dragons is not so good! The question, Which of the two? is by no means settled,—though the Assembly of Divines, and majorities of both Houses, would fain think it so. The general English mind, which, loving good order in all things, loves regularity even at a high price, could be content with this Presbyterian scheme, which we call the Dutch-dragon one; but a deeper portion of the English mind inclines decisively to growing in the forest-tree way,—and indeed will shoot out into very singular excrescences, Quakerisms and what not, in the coming years. Nay already we have Anabaptists, Brownists, Sectaries and Schismatics springing up very rife: already there is a Paul Best, brought before the House of Commons for Socinianism; nay we hear of another distracted individual who seemed to maintain, in confidential argument, that “God was mere Reason.”[1] There is like to be need of garden-shears, at this rate! The devout House of Commons, viewing these things with a horror inconceivable in our loose days, knows not well what to do. London City cries, “Apply the shears!”—the Army answers, “Apply them gently; cut off nothing that is sound!” The question of garden-shears, and how far you are to apply them, is really difficult;—the settling of it will lead to very unexpected results. London City knows with pain, that there are “many persons in the Army who have never yet taken the Covenant”; the Army begins to consider it unlikely that certain of them will ever take it’!—
These things premised, we have only to remark farther, that the House of Commons meanwhile, struck with devout horror, has, with the world generally, spent Wednesday the 10th of March 1646-7, as a Day of Fasting and Humiliation for Blasphemies and Heresies.[2] Cromwell’s Letter, somewhat remarkable for the grieved mind it indicates, was written next day. Fairfax with the Army is at Saffron Walden in Essex; there is an Order this day[3] that he is to quarter where he 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,[4] 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[5] 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.[6]
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.”[7] I desire my most humble service may be presented to my Lady.— Adjutant Allen desires Colonel Baxter, sometime Governor of Reading, may be remembered. I humbly desire Colonel Overton may not be out of your remembrance. He is a deserving man, and presents his humble services to you.— —Upon the Fast-day, divers soldiers were raised (as I heard), both horse and foot, near 200 in Covent Garden, To prevent us soldiers from cutting the Presbyterians throats! These are fine tricks to mock God with.[8]
This flagrant insult to ‘us soldiers,’ in Covent Garden and doubtless elsewhere, as if the zealous Presbyterian Preacher were not safe from violence in bewailing Schism,—is very significant. The Lieutenant-General himself might have seen as well as ‘heard’ it,—for he lived hard by, in Drury Lane, I think; but was of course at his own Church, bewailing Schism too, though not in so strait-laced a manner.—
Oliver’s Sister Anna, Mrs. Sewster, of Wistow, Huntingdonshire, had died in these months, 1st November 1646.[9] Among her little girls is one, Robina, for whom there is a distinguished Scotch Husband in store; far off as yet, an ‘Ensign in the French Army’ as yet, William Lockhart by name; of whom we may hear more.
This Letter lies contiguous to Letter xxxiv. in the Sloane Volume: Letter xxxiv. is sealed conspicuously with red wax; this Letter, as is fit, with black. The Cromwell crest, ‘lion with ring on his fore-gamb,’—the same big seal,—is on both.
- ↑ Whitlocke.
- ↑ Ibid. p. 243.
- ↑ Commons Journals, v. 110.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ Sloane Mss, 1519, fol. 62.
- ↑ See antea, p. 20; and Noble, i. 89.