The Works of Thomas Carlyle/Volume 6/Letter 61

by Thomas Carlyle

Layout 4

LETTER LXI

Since Cromwell quitted London, there have arisen wide commotions in that central region too; the hope of the Scotch Army and the certainty of this War in Wales excite all unruly things and persons. At Pembroke lately we heard the cannons fire, both from Leaguer and Ships, for a ‘victory in Kent’: concerning which and its origins and issues, take the following indications.

May 16th, Came a celebrated ‘Surrey Petition’: highflying armed cavalcade of Freeholders from Surrey, with a Petition craving in very high language that Peace be made with his Majesty: they quarrelled with the Parliament’s Guard in Westminster Hall, drew swords, had swords drawn upon them; ‘the Miller of Wandsworth was run through with a halbert,’ he and others; and the Petitioners went home in a slashed and highly indignant condition. Thereupon, May 24th, armed meeting of Kentish-men on Blackheath; armed meeting of Essex-men; several armed meetings, all in communication with the City Presbyterians: Fairfax, ill of the gout, has to mount,—in extremity of haste, as a man that will quench fire among smoking flax.

June 1st. Fairfax, at his utmost speed, smites fiercely against the centre of this Insurrection; drives it from post to post; drives it into Maidstone ‘about 7 in the evening,’ ‘with as hard fighting as I ever saw’; tramples it out there. The centre-flame once trampled out, the other flames, or armed meetings, hover hither and thither; gather at length, in few days, all at Colchester in Essex; where Fairfax is now besieging them, with a very obstinate and fierce resistance from them. This is the victory in Kent, these are the ‘glorious successes God has vouchsafed you,’ which Oliver alludes to in this Letter.

We are only to notice farther that Lambert is in the North; waiting, in very inadequate strength, to see the Scots arrive. Oliver in this Letter signifies that he has reinforced him with some ‘horse and dragoons,’ sent by ‘West Chester,’ which we now call Chester, where ‘Colonel Dukinfield’ is Governor. The Scots are indubitably coming: Sir Marmaduke Langdale (whom Oliver, we may remark, encountered in the King’s left wing at Naseby Fight) has raised new Yorkshiremen, has seized Berwick, seized Carlisle, and joined the Scots; it is becoming an openly Royalist affair. In Lancashire a certain Sir Richard Tempest, very forward in his Royalism, goes suddenly blazing abroad ‘with 1,000 horse and many knights and gentlemen,’ threatening huge peril; but is, in those very hours, courageously set upon by Colonel Robert Lilburn with what little compact force there is, and at once extinguished —an acceptable service on the part of Colonel Robert; for which let him have thanks from Parliament, and reward of 1,000l.^[1]

Very desirable, of course, that Oliver had done with Pembroke, and were fairly joined with Lambert. But Pembroke is strong; Poyer is stubborn, hopes to surrender ‘on conditions’; Oliver, equally stubborn, though sadly short of artillery and means, will have him ‘at mercy of the Parliament,’ so signal a rebel as him. Fairfax’s Father, the Lord Ferdinando, died in March last;^[2] so that the General’s title is now changed

 

TO HIS EXCELLENCY THE LORD FAIRFAX, GENERAL OF THE PARLIAMENTS ARMY: THESE

Before Pembroke, 28th June 1648.

Sir,—I have some few days since despatched horse and dragoons for the North. I sent them by the way of West Chester; thinking it fit to do so in regard of this enclosed Letter which I received from Colonel Dukinfield—requiring them to give him assistance in the way. And if it should prove that a present help would not serve the turn, then I ordered Captain Pennyfeather’s troop to remain with the Governor “Dukinfield”; and the rest immediately to march towards Leeds,—and to send to the Committee of York, or to him that commands the forces in those parts, for directions whither they should come, and how they shall be disposed of.

The number I sent are six troops: four of horse, and two of dragoons; whereof three are Colonel Scroop’s,—and Captain Pennyfeather’s troop, and the other two dragoons. I could not, by the judgment of the Colonels here, spare more, nor send them sooner, without manifest hazard to these parts. Here is, as I have formerly acquainted your Excellency, a very desperate Enemy; who, being put out of all hope of mercy, are resolved to endure to the uttermost extremity; being very many “of them” gentlemen of quality, and men thoroughly resolved. They have made some notable sales upon Lieutenant-Colonel Reade’s quarter,^[3] to his loss. We are forced to keep divers posts, or else they would have relief, or their horse break away. Our foot about them are Four-and-twenty hundred; we always necessitated to have some in garrisons.

The Country, since we sat down before this place, have made two or three insurrections; and are ready to do it every day. so that,—what with looking to them, and disposing our horse to that end, and to get us in provisions, without which we should starve, this country being so miserably exhausted and so poor, and we no money to buy victuals,—indeed, whatever may be thought, it’s a mercy we have been able to keep our men together in the midst of such necessity, the sustenance of the foot for most part being but bread and water. Our guns, through the unhappy accident at Berkley, not yet come to us;—and indeed it was a very unhappy thing they were brought thither; the wind having been always so cross, that since they were recovered from sinking, they could not “come to us”; and this place not being to be had without fit instruments for battering, except by starving.^[4] And truly I believe the Enemy’s straits do increase upon them very fast, and that within a few days an end will be put to this business;—which surely might have been before, if we had received things wherewith to have done it. But it will be done in the best time.^[5]

I rejoice much to hear of the blessing of God upon your Excellency’s endeavours. I pray God that this Nation, and those that are over us, and your Excellency and all we that are under you, “may discern” what the mind of God may be in all this, and what our duty is. Surely it is not that the poor Godly People of this Kingdom should still be made the object of wrath and anger; nor that our God would have our necks under a yoke of bondage. For these things that have lately come to pass have been the wonderful works of God; breaking the rod of the oppressor, as in the day of Midian,—not with garments much rolled in blood, but by the terror of the Lord; who will yet save His people and confound His enemies, as on that day. The Lord multiply His grace upon you, and bless you, and keep your heart upright; and then, though you be not conformable to the men of this world nor to their wisdom, yet you shall be precious in the eyes of God, and He will be to you a horn and a shield.

My Lord, I do not know that I have had a Letter from any of your Army, of the glorious successes God has vouchsafed you. I pray pardon the complaint made. I long to “be” with you. I take leave; and rest, my Lord, your most humble and faithful servant,

OLIVER CROMWELL.

“P.S.” Sir, I desire you that Colonel Lehunt may have a Commission to command a Troop of Horse, the greatest part whereof came from the Enemy to us; and that you would be pleased to send blank Commissions for his inferior officers,—with what speed may be.^[6]

 

In Rushworth, under date March 24th, is announced that ‘Sir W. Constable has taken care to send ordnance and ammunition from Gloucester, for the service before Pembroke.’^[7] ‘The unhappy accident at Berkley,’ I believe, is the stranding of the ‘Frigate,’ or Shallop, that carried them. Guns are not to be had of due quality for battering Pembroke. In the meantime, several bodies of ‘horse’ mentioned as deserting, or taking quarter and service on the Parliament side.^[8] It is over these that Lehunt is to be appointed Colonel; and to Fairfax as General-in-chief ‘of all the Parliament’s Forces raised or to be raised, it belongs to give him and his subordinates the due commissions.

July 5th. Young Villiers Duke of Buckingham, son of the assassinated Duke; he with his Brother Francis, with the Earl of Holland, and others who will pay dear for it, started up about Kingston-on-Thames with another open Insurrectionary Armament; guided chiefly by Dutch Dalbier, once Cromwell’s instructor, but now gone over to the other side. Fairfax and the Army being all about Colchester in busy Siege, there seemed a good opportunity here. They rode towards Reigate, these Kingston Insurgents, several hundreds strong: but a Parliament Party ‘under Major Gibbons’ drives them back: following close, comes to action with them between ‘Nonsuch Park and Kingston,’ where the poor Lord Francis, Brother of the Duke, fell mortally wounded;—drives them across the river ‘into Hertfordshire’; into the lion’s jaws. For Fairfax sent a Party out from Colchester; overtook them at St. Neot’s; and captured, killed, or entirely dissipated them.^[9] Dutch Dalbier was hacked in pieces, ‘so angry were the soldiers at him.’ The Earl of Holland stood his trial afterwards; and lost his head. The Duke of Buckingham got off;—might almost as well have died with poor Brother Francis here, for any good he afterwards did. Two pretty youths, as their Vandyke Portraits in Hampton Court still testify; one of whom lived to become much uglier!

July 8th. Duke Hamilton, with the actual Scotch Army, is ‘at Annan’ on the Western Border, ready to step across to England. Not quite Forty-thousand: yet really about half that number, tolerably effective. Langdale, with a vanguard of Three-thousand Yorkshiremen, is to be guide; Monro, with a body of horse that had long served in Ulster, is to bring-up the rear. The great Duke dates from Annan, 8th July 1648.^[10] Poor old Annan;—never saw such an Army gathered, since the Scotch James went to wreck in Solway Moss, above a hundred years ago!^[11] Scotland is in a disastrous, distracted condition; overridden by a Hamilton majority in Parliament. Poor Scotland will, with exertion, deliver its ‘King from the power of Sectaries’; and is dreadfully uncertain what it will do with him when delivered! Perhaps Oliver will save it the trouble.

July 11th. Oliver at last is loose from Pembroke; as the following brief Letter will witness.

1. Whitlocke, pp. 312, 313; Commons Journals (5th July 1648), v. 624; etc.
2. 13th March 1647-8 (Rushworth, vii. 1030).
3. Reade had been intrusted with the Siege of Tenby: that had ended June 2d (Commons Journals, v. 588); and Reade is now assisting at Pembroke.
4. ‘Without either fit instruments for battering except by starving.’ Great haste, and considerable stumbling in the grammar in this last sentence! After ‘starving,’ a mere comma; and so on.
5. God’s time is the best.
6. Sloane Mss. 1519, f. 90.
7. vii, 1036.
8. Rushworth, Cromwelliana.
9. Rushworth, vii. 1178, 82.
10. Rushworth, vii. 1184.
11. James V. A.D. 1542.