94

SCOTTISH ARMY-CROMWELL'S MARCH FROM WALES.

[1648. following him out of the town, to take their leaves of him, received such professions from him, of a spirit bent to pursue the same just and honest things that they desired, as they went away with great satisfaction, till they heard that a coachful of Presbyterian priests coming after them, went away no less pleased: by which it was apparent he dissembled with one or the other, and by so doing lost his credit with both." * The Presbyterians suppressed their dislike to Cromwell in terror of the Scoto-royalist invasion. The Commonwealth's men were compelled to lay aside their jealousies. Ludlow speaks plainly about this:-"Some of us who had opposed the lieutenant-general's arbitrary proceedings, when we were convinced he acted to promote a selfish and unwarrantable design, now thinking ourselves obliged to strengthen his hands in that necessary work which he was appointed to undertake, writ a letter to him to encourage him, from the consideration of the justice of the cause wherein he was engaged, and the wickedness of those with whom he was to encounter, to proceed with cheerfulness, assuring him, that notwithstanding all our discouragements we would readily give him all the assistance we could."

The Scottish army that entered England could not be regarded as the army of the Scottish nation. The treaty which had been concluded with the king at Carisbrook gave satisfaction only to a portion of the Presbyterians. The Scottish Parliament, influenced by the duke of Hamilton and others, who professed moderate principles of ecclesiastical government, gave the engagements of that treaty their zealous support, especially that clause which provided that a military force should be sent to England to reinstate the king in his authority. They were in consequence called the "Engagers." But the clergy generally proclaimed that Charles had not conceded enough for the establishment of their form of worship in England to warrant a war for his assistance. The marquis of Argyle, and other powerful chiefs who had fought against Montrose, were burning with resentment against the Royalists of their own country, and were strenuously opposed to what was meant as an aid to the Royalists of England. An army was however raised; and the Engagers, with a raw and ill-disciplined force, crossed the Border.

The march of Cromwell, from the extremity of South Wales to the heart of Lancashire, was accomplished with a rapidity which belongs only to the movements of great commanders. He had to gather scattered forces on his way, and to unite himself with Lambert in Yorkshire. He was determined to engage with an enemy whose numbers were held to double his own. Through the whole breadth of South Wales, then a pastoral country, but now presenting all the unpicturesque combinations of mining industry, he advanced to Gloucester. This forced march of some hundred and fifty miles through Wales was an exhausting commencement. "Send me some shoes

for my poor tired soldiers," wrote Cromwell to the Executive Committee in London. At Leicester he received three thousand pairs of shoes. At Nottingham he confers with colonel Hutchinson, and leaves his prisoners with him. His cavalry have pushed on, and have joined Lambert at Barnard Castle. All Cromwell's forces have joined the northern troops by the 12th

1648.]

BATTLE OF PRESTON-CROMWELL IN EDINBURGH.

95

of August. The Scots, who, having passed Kendal, had debated whether they would march direct into Yorkshire, and so on towards London, have decided for the western road. The duke of Hamilton thinks he is sure of Manchester. Sir Marmaduke Langdale is their guide through the unknown ways into Lancashire, and leads the vanguard. There is very imperfect communication between the van and the rear of this army. On the 16th of August the duke is at Preston. The same night Cromwell is at Stonyhurst. Langdale, to the left of Hamilton's main body, has ascertained that the dangerous enemy is close at hand; and sends notice to the duke. "Impossible," exclaims Hamilton; "he has not had time to be here." The next morning Cromwell has fallen upon sir Marmaduke, and utterly routed him, "after a very sharp dispute." Hamilton's army is a disjointed one. His cavalry, in considerable numbers, are at Wigan, under the command of Middleton. When the affair was settled with Langdale, there was a skirmish close by Preston town between Hamilton himself and some of Cromwell's troopers. The duke was separated from his main force of infantry, under Baillie, but rejoined them only to see the bridge of the Ribble won by the enemy in a general battle. Cromwell describes the first four hours' fighting in a country all enclosure and miry ground, as "a hedge dispute." This being ended, the Scots were charged through Preston; and then not only was the bridge of the Ribble won, but the bridge of Darwen. Night was approaching, which put an end to any further fighting on the 17th. The Scottish generals in a council of war determined to march off, as soon as it was dark, without waiting for Middleton and his cavalry. The weather was rainy; the roads heavy; their men were wet, weary, and hungry. They left their ammunition behind; and the next morning were at Wigan Moor, with half their number. No general engagement took place that day; and the Scots held Wigan. Cromwell writes, "We lay that night in the field close by the enemy; being very dirty and weary, and having marched twelve miles of such ground as I never rode in all my life, the day being very wet." The next day the Scots moved towards Warrington; and after some hard fighting, general Baillie surrendered himself, officers, and soldiers, as prisoners of war. The duke, with three thousand horse, was gone towards Nantwich. His course was undetermined. The country people were hostile. His own men were mutinous. He surrenders to Lambert, and is sent prisoner to Nottingham. The Scottish army was now utterly broken and dispersed. The news of Hamilton's complete failure in the invasion of England was the signal for the great Presbyterian party that had opposed the policy of the Engagers to rise in arms. Argyle assembled his Highland clans. In the Western Lowlands large bodies of peasantry, headed by their preachers, marched to Edinburgh. The memory of this insurrection has endured to this hour in the name of Whig. It was called "the Whiggamore Raid," from the word used in the west of Scotland when the carter urges forward his horses with Whig, whig (get on); as the English carter says, Gee, gee (go). Argyle was restored to power. The most zealous Covenanters were again at the head of the executive authority. Cromwell entered Scotland on the 20th September, and was received at Edinburgh, not as the man to whose might their brave countrymen had been compelled to yield; but as the deliverer from a royalist faction that might again have put the national religion in peril.

NOTE ON THE PARTY-SPIRIT DURING THE ROYALIST RE-ACTION.

We have shown the temper of the Presbyterians and Commonwealth's men towards Cromwell when he was fighting in Wales and Lancashire. There was a general confusion of political principles in the dread of individual supremacy. May says that the chief citizens of London, and others called Presbyterians, wished good success to the Scots no less than the Malignants did. Mr. Hallam has observed that "the fugitive sheets of this year, such as the Mercurius Aulicus, bear witness to the exulting and insolent tone of the royalists. They chuckle over Fairfax and Cromwell, as if they had caught a couple of rats in a trap." As a curious specimen of the "fugitive sheets," we give an extract from "The Cuckow's Nest at Westminster; printed at Cuckow-time in a hollow tree, 1648." The chief wit consists in a dialogue between Queen Fairfax and Lady Cromwell. Fairfax had been ill, and was reported to have died :—

"Enter QUEEN FAIRFAX and MADAM CROMWELL.

"Mrs. Cromwell. Cheer up, madam, he is not dead, he is reserved for another end; these wicked malignants reported as much of my Noll, but I hope it is otherwise; yet the profane writ an epitaph, as I think they call it, and abused him most abominably, as they will do me, or you, or any of the faithful saints, if we but thrive by our occupations in our husbands' absence; if we but deck our bodies with the jewels gained from the wicked, they point at us, and say, those are plunder. But the righteous must undergo the scoffs of the wicked; and let them scoff on. I thank my Maker, we lived, before these holy wars were thought on, in the thriving profession of brewing, and could, of my vails of grain and yeast, wear my silk gown, and gold and silver lace too, as well as the proudest minx of them all. I am not ashamed of my profession, madam.

"Qu. Fair. Pray, Mrs. Cromwell, tell not me of gowns or lace, nor no such toys! Tell me of crowns, sceptres, kingdoms, royal robes; and, if my Tom but recovers, and thrives in his enterprise, I will not say, pish, to be queen of England. I misdoubt nothing, if we can but keep the wicked from fetching Nebuchadnezzar's home from grass in the Isle of Wight. Well, well, my Tom is worth a thousand of him, and has a more kingly countenance; he has such an innocent face, and a harmless look, as if he were born to be emperor over the saints.

"Mrs. Cromwell. And is not Noll Cromwell's wife as likely a woman to be queen of England as you? yes, I warrant you, is she; and that you shall know, if my husband were but once come out of Wales. It is he that has done the work, the conquest belongs to him. Besides, your husband is counted a fool, and wants wit to reign; every boy scoffs at him my Noll has a head-piece, a face of brass, full of majesty, and a nose will light the whole kingdom to walk after him. I say he will grace a crown, being naturally adorned with diamonds and rubies already; and, for myself, though I say it, I have a person as fit for a queen as another."

The dialogue is broken off by a servant running in, and exclaiming, “O, madam, cease your contention, and provide for your safeties; both your husbands are killed, and all their forces put to the sword; all the people crying like mad, long live King Charles!"

Treaty of Newport-Concessions of the King-Remonstrance of the Army-Cromwell's Letter to Hammond-The king carried to Hurst Castle-Members ejected from the Commons' House-The king removed to Windsor-Ordinance for the king's trial-The High Court of Justice appointed-The king before the High Court-The king sentenced to death- The king after his condemnation-The king's execution.

WHEN the news of Cromwell's victory at Preston came to the Isle of Wight, "the king said to the governor that it was the worst news that ever came to England." Colonel Hammond replied, that if Hamilton had beaten the English he would have possessed himself of the thrones of England and Scotland. "You are mistaken," said the king; "I could have commanded him back with a wave of my hand." * It was evil news to the king that the last appeal to arms had failed. The Parliament now looked with as much alarm as the king might entertain at the approaching return of that victorious Army of the North. The Lords, especially, saw that their own power was imperilled by the dangers that beset the Crown; and they united with those who now constituted a majority in the Commons, to conclude a treaty with the king. There were violent debates; but it was at length agreed that commissioners should proceed to the Isle of Wight. The discussions were to take place in Newport. The commissioners for the treaty arrived there on the 15th of September. Clarendon says that those who wished ill to the treaty interposed every delay to prevent it being concluded during the

* Ludlow, vol. i. p. 261.

VOL. IV.

H

98

TREATY OF NEWPORT.

[1648.

absence of Cromwell; and that those who wished well to it pressed it forward for the same reason. Yet there were men left behind who had formed as strong resolutions against the restoration of Charles to power as Cromwell himself. Ludlow had been to Fairfax at Colchester whilst the treaty was debated in Parliament, to urge upon him that it was not intended by those who pressed it on most vehemently, that the king should be bound to the performance of it; but that it was designed principally to use his authority to destroy the Army. Fairfax was irresolute. Ireton agreed with Ludlow that it was necessary for the Army to interpose; but did not think that the time was come for such a demonstration. With an Army ready to step in to break through the meshes of any agreement disapproved by them—with a king who in the midst of the negotiation was secretly writing, "my great concession this morning was made only to facilitate my approaching escape "the Treaty of Newport can scarcely be regarded as more than "a piece of Dramaturgy which must be handsomely done." For the opening of the last Act of this tragic history, the scene on the bank of the Medina is as impressive as any pageant, "full of state and woe," that the imagination could devise to precede a solemn catastrophe.

*

A house has been prepared in Newport for the king's reception; and its hall has been fitted up for this great negotiation, which might extend to forty days. The first day was the 18th of September. The king is seated under a canopy at the upper end of the hall. The parliamentary commissioners are placed round a table in advance of the royal chair. These are fifteen in number, five peers, and ten members of the Lower House. Behind the king are ranged many of his most confidential friends and advisers; of whom there are four peers, two bishops and other divines; five civilians; and four of his trusted attendants. Sir Philip Warwick, who was one of the privileged number, says:—′ "But if at any time the king found himself in need to ask a question, or any of his lords thought fit to advise him in his ear to hesitate before he answered, he himself would retire into his own chamber; or one of us penmen, who stood at his chair, prayed him from the lords to do so." The king was in a position favourable to the display of his talent for discussion; and he left upon the assembly during these tedious debates, a deep impression of his abilities, his knowledge, and his presence of mind. Nor could the sympathies of even the most prejudiced of his auditors on this occasion be withheld from his general appearance and deportment. His hair had become gray; his face was care-worn; he was not dejected," writes Clarendon, "but carried himself with the same majesty he had used to do." Certainly

66

if it be held somewhat an unequal trial to place one man to contend alone against fifteen disputants, some of extraordinary ability, such as Vane; on the other hand the rank of him who was thus pleading for what he believed to be his inalienable rights-his misfortunes-his display of mental powers, for which few had given him credit-would produce impressions far deeper than if the advisers around his canopy had been allowed to argue and harangue, each after his own fashion. "One day," says Warwick, "whilst I turned the king's chair when he was about to rise, the earl of Salisbury came suddenly upon me, and said, "The king is wonderfully improved:' to which I as sud

* Carlyle.