The Works of Thomas Carlyle/Volume 6/Letter 80

by Thomas Carlyle

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LETTERS LXXX—LXXXVI

The Governor of Pontefract Castle is one Morris, once the Earl of Strafford’s servant; a desperate man: this is the Lieutenant-General’s summons to him.

LETTER LXXX

FOR THE GOVERNOR OF PONTEFRACT CASTLE

“Pontefract,” 9th Nov. 1648.

Sir,— Being come hither for the reduction of this place, I thought fit to summon you to deliver your Garrison to me, for the use of the Parliament. Those gentlemen and soldiers with you may have better terms than if you should hold it to extremity. I expect your answer this day, and rest, your servant,

OLIVER CROMWELL.^[1]

 

Governor Morris stiffly refuses; holds-out yet a good while,—and at last loses his head at York assizes by the business.^[2] Royalism is getting desperate; has taken to highway robbery; is assassinating, and extensively attempting to assassinate.^[3] Two weeks ago, Sunday 29th October, a Party sallied from this very Castle of Pontefract; rode into Doncaster in disguise, and there, about five in the afternoon, getting into Colonel Rainsborough’s lodging, stabbed him dead:—murder, or a very questionable kind of homicide!

1. Newspapers (Cromwelliana, p. 48); Rushworth, vii. 1325.
2. State Trials.
3. Rushworth, vii. 1279 etc., 1315.