(m) Me

moirs, p.

201.

(*) Hiftory of Great Britain, vol. i.

P. 306.

་

troop of horse, whom he chofe and (Q) difciplined in fuch manner as rendered them

terrible

den, by a fhort fpeech prevented it, and led us to defer our angry debate until the next morning (m).' This paffage does honor to Hampden's abilities. Mr. Hume fays, Hume fays, there are many grofs falfhoods in this remonftrance (n):' he ought to have pointed them out, instead of inventing reafons, and fuggesting them to have been offered for and against it.

(Q) He raifed a troop of horse, whom he chofe and difciplined in fuch a manner as rendered them terrible to their enemies, &c.] Cromwell adhered to the parliament out of principle and inclination. When therefore they found themselves in danger, and that a war was unavoidable, they put themselves in the beft pofture of defence, and gave commiffions to fuch members as well as others, as feemed moft hearty in the caufe. The Earl of Effex, the Earl of Bedford, the Earl of Stamford, Lord Willoughby of Parham, the Earl of Denbigh, Lord St. John, with others of the nobility accepted commiffions, and fet themfelves with zeal to levy forces to fupport their cause. Hampden and Holles refufed not to bear arms, but raised regiments, placed themselves at their head, and encountered the enemy in the field. As did Sir Philip Stapylton and many others of that brave body. To these joined themselves fome young gentlemen of rank and fortune, from a sense of duty and fidelity to their country. Mr. Ludlow, who was undoubtedly an honeft man, delivers his own sense of it at that time in the following manner. I thought it my duty, upon confideration of my age and vigorous conftitution, as an Englishman, and an invitation to that purpose from my father, to enter into the fervice of my country, in the army commanded by the Earl of Effex, under the authority of the parliament. I thought the juftice of that caufe I had engaged in to be fo evident, that I could not imagine it to be attended with much difficulty. For though I supposed that many of the clergy, who had

• been

terrible to their enemies, and advanced his own reputation. None perhaps were ever

more

been the principal authors of our miferies, together <with fome of the courtiers, and fuch as abfolutely de•pended on the King for their subsistence, as also some foreigners would adhere to him; yet I could not think that many of the people, who had been long oppreffed < with heavy burdens, and now with great difficulty had obtained a parliament, compofed of fuch perfons as were willing to run all hazards to procure a lafting • fettlement for the nation, would be either fuch ene• mies to themselves, or fo ungrateful to those they had • trufted, as not to ftand by them to the utmost of their

power at leaft (though fome might not have fo much • refolution and courage as to venture all with them, yet) that they would not be so treacherous and unworthy, to ftrengthen the hands of the enemy against those who had the laws of God, nature and reason, as well as those of the land, of their fide. Soon after 6 my engagement in this caufe, I met with Mr. Richard • Fiennes, fon to the Lord Say, and Mr. Charles Fleet• wood, fon to Sir Miles Fleetwood, then a member of the house of commons; with whom confulting, it < was refolved by us to affemble as many young gentlemen of the inns of court, of which we then were, ⚫ and others, as should be found disposed to this fervice, • in order to be inftructed together in the use of arms, to render ourselves fit and capable of acting in cafe ⚫ there fhould be occafion to make use of us. To this < end we procured a perfon experienced in military affairs to inftruct us in the use of arms; and for fome time we frequently met to exercife at the Artillery• Ground in London. And being informed that the par⚫liament had refolved to raise a life guard for the Earl of Effex, to confift of an hundred gentlemen, under the command of Sir Philip Stapelton a member of parliament, most of our company entered themselves therein, and made up the greatest part of the said

< guard;

77

(0) Ludlow, vol. i. p. 42,

& feq.

(p) Journals.

more remarkable for their courage, fobriety and regularity. Indeed the whole army

under

guard; amongst whom were Mr. Richard Fiennes, Mr. Charles Fleetwood, afterwards lieutenant general, major general Harrifon, colonel Nathaniel Rich, colonel Thomlinfon, colonel Twifleton, colonel Bofwell, major Whitby, and myfelf, with divers others ()." Nor was Cromwell behind hand in zeal for this cause, as appears from the following paffages in the journals of the house of commons. • Whereas Mr. Cromwell hath • fent down arms into the county of Cambridge, for the • defence of that county; it is this day ordered that Sir Dudley North fhall forthwith pay to Mr. Cromwell one hundred pounds, which he hath received from Mr. Crane late high-fheriff of the county of Cambridge; which faid hundred pounds the faid Mr. Crane had remaining in his hands for coat and conduct money. • Ordered that Mr. Cromwell do move the lord lieute⚫nant for the county of Cambridge, to grant his depu⚫tation to fome of the inhabitants of the town of Cambridge to train and exércife the inhabitants of that town.' This was July 15, 1642. The exact time of his taking a commiffion I cannot find, though I have looked into many writers for that purpose: it must however have been in the very beginnings of the civil war. For on the 15th of Aug. 1642, Sir Philip Stapelton gave an account in the house, from the committee for the defence of the kingdom, that Mr. Cromwell, in Cambridgeshire, had feized the magazine in the castle at Cambridge; and had hindered the carrying of the plate from that univerfity. And on the 18th of Au"guft a committee was appointed to prepare an order for the indemnity of Mr. Cromwell, and Mr. Walton, and thofe that have or fhall affift them in the ftopping of the plate that was going from Cambridge to York (p).' -The firft rank he held in the army it is agreed on all hands was that of captain of a troop of horse, which he rofe and difciplined after fuch a manner as rendered

them,

under his command, merited and obtained. the highest character.-The firft action that Cromwell

them, as well as their after companions, the objects of wonder, admiration, and applause of writers of all parties, in our divided country. Let us hear their teftimonies. At his firft entrance into the wars, being ⚫ but captain of horfe, he had a special care to get religious men into his troop: these men were of greater understanding than common foldiers, and therefore were more apprehenfive of the importance and confequence of the war; and making not money, but that which they took for the publick felicity to be their end, they were the more engaged to be valient; for • he that maketh money his end, doth efteem his life. above his pay, and therefore is like enough to save it by flight, when danger comes, if poffibly he can: but he that maketh the felicity of church and state his end, efteemeth it above his life, and therefore will the fooner lay down his life for it. And men of parts ⚫ and understanding know how to manage their bufinefs, ⚫ and know that flying is the fureft way to death, and that standing to it is the likelieft way to escape; there being many ufually that fall in flight, for one that falls in valient fight. Thefe things, it is probable, Crom'well understood; and that none would be fuch engag⚫ed valient men as the religious. But yet I conjecture, that at his first choofing fuch men into his troop, it was the very esteem and love of religious men that principally moved him; and the avoiding of thofe diforders, mutinies, plunderings and grievances of the country, which deboift men in armies are commonly guilty of: by this means indeed he fped better than ⚫he expected. Aires, Desborough, Berry, Evanson, and the rest of that troop, did prove fo valient, that as far as I could learn, they never once ran away before an enemy. Hereupon he got a commiffion to take • fome care of the affociated counties, where he brought this troop, into a double regiment, of fourteen full

' troops;

Baxterianæ, p. 58.

Cromwell undertook was to fecure the town of Cambridge, for the parliament. As the

King

C troops; and all these as full of religious men as he (2) Reliquia could get: these having more than ordinary wit and ' refolution, had more than ordinary fuccefs (q).'— Cromwell's own account will confirm this. I was a perfon, fays he, that from my firft employment was fuddenly preferred, and lifted up from leffer trufts to greater, from my first being a captain of a troop of horfe, and I did labour (as well as I could) to difcharge my truft, and God bleffed me as it pleased him, and I did truly and plainly, and then in a way of foolish fimplicity (as it was judged by verie great and wife men, and good men too) defired to make ufe of my inftruments to help me in this work; and I will deal plainly with you, I had a verie worthy friend then, and he was a verie noble perfon, and I know his memorie was verie grateful to you all.

Mr.

John Hampden, at my firft going cut into this engagement, (I faw) their men were beaten at every hand; I did indeed, and I defired him that he would make fome additions to my Lord Effex's armie, of fome regiments, and I told him I would be ferviceable to him, in bringing fuch men in, as I thought had a fpirit, that would do fomething in the work: this is very true that I tell you, God knows that I lie not. Your troops, faid I, are most of them old decayed ferving-men and tapfters, and fuch kind of fellows; and, faid I, their troops are gentlemens fons, younger fons, and perfons of quality, do you think that the fpirits of fuch base and mean fellows will be ever able to encounter gentlemen, that have honour and courage and refolution in them? Truly I prefented him in this manner confciencioufly, and truly I did tell him, you muft get men of a spirit, and take it not ill what I fay, (I know you will not) of a spirit that is likely to go on as far as gentlemen will go, or elfe I am fure you will be beaten ftill; I told him fo, I did

• truly.