we have seen good things in this last mercy,—it is not inferior to any we have had ;- -as followeth. We were advanced to Long-Sutton, near a very strong place of the Enemy's, called Langport; far from our Garrisons, without much ammunition, in a place extremely wanting in provisions, the Malignant Clubmen interposing, who are ready to take all advantages against our parties, and would undoubtedly take them against our Army, if they had opportunity.—Goring stood upon the advantage of strong passes, staying until the rest of his recruits came up to his Army, with a resolution not to engage until Grenville and Prince Charles his men were come up to him. We could not well have necessitated him to an Engagement, nor have stayed one day longer without retreating to our ammunition and to conveniency of victual. In the morning, word was brought us, That the Enemy drew out. He did so, with a resolution to send most of his cannon and baggage to Bridgewater,—which he effected,but with a resolution not to fight, but, trusting to his ground, thinking he could make away at pleasure. The pass was strait between him and us; he brought two cannons to secure his, and laid his Musketeers strongly in the hedges. We beat-off his cannon, fell down upon his Musketeers, beat them off from their strength, and, where our Horse could scarcely pass two abreast, I commanded Major Bethel to charge them with two Troops of about one-hundred-and-twenty Horse. Which he performed with the greatest gallantry imaginable;— beat back two bodies of the Enemy's Horse, being Goring's own Brigade; brake them at sword's-point. The Enemy charged him with near 400 fresh Horse; set them all going,—until, oppressed with multitudes, he brake through them, with the loss not of above three or four men. Major Desborow seconded him, with some other of those Troops, which were about three. Bethel faced about; and they both routed, at sword's-point, a great body of the Enemy's Horse. Which gave such an unexpected terror to the Enemy's Army, that it set them all a-running. Our Foot, in the mean time, coming on bravely, and beating the Enemy from their strength, we presently had the chase to Langport and Bridgewater. We took and killed about 2000,-brake all his Foot. We have taken very many Horses, and considerable Prisoners. What are slain we know not. We have the Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance; Colonel Pres ton, Colonel Heveningham, Colonel Slingsby, we know of, besides very many other Officers of quality. All Major-General Massey's party was with him ('Massey'), seven or eight miles from us, and about twelve-hundred of our Foot, and three Regiments of our Horse. So that we had but Seven Regiments with us. Thus you see what the Lord hath wrought for us. Can any creature ascribe anything to itself? Now can we give the glory to God, and desire all may do so, for it is all due unto Him!-Thus you have Long-Sutton mercy added to Naseby mercy. And to see this, is it not to see the face of God! You have heard of Naseby: it was a happy victory. As in this, so in that, God was pleased to use His servants; and if men will be malicious, and swell with envy, we know Who hath said, If they will not see, yet they shall see, and be ashamed for their envy at His people.-I can say this of Naseby, That when I saw the Enemy draw up and march in gallant order towards us, and we a company of poor ignorant men, to seek how to order our battle,—the General having commanded me to order all the Horse,-I could not, riding alone about my business, but smile out to God in praises, in assurance of victory, because God would, by things that are not, bring to naught things that are. Of which I had great assurance; and God did it. O that men would therefore praise the Lord, and declare the wonders that He doth for the children of men ! I cannot write more particulars now. I am going to the rendezvous of all our Horse, three miles from Bridgewater; we march that way.—It is a seasonable mercy. I cannot better tell you than write, That God will go on!-We have taken two guns, three carriages of ammunition. In the chase, the Enemy quitted Langport; when they ran out of one end of the Town, we entered the other. They fired that at which we should chase; which hindered our pursuit: but we overtook many of them. I believe we got near Fifteen-hundred Horse. Sir, I beg your prayers. Believe, and you shall be established. I rest, your servant, 'OLIVER CROMWELL.'* A couple of months after this battle, Oliver is before Winchester, and makes this Summons: *Pamphlet in Lincoln College, Oxford; no. 10, "Battles and Sieges,"-title of it, "The Copy of Lieutenant-General Cromwell's Letter to a worthy Member of the House of Commons; published by Authority, London, 1645.' SIR, To the Mayor of the City of Winchester. 'Before Winchester,' 28th September 1645, 5 o'clock at night. I come not to this City but with a full resolution to save it, and the Inhabitants thereof, from ruin. I have commanded the soldiers, upon pain of death, That no wrong be done :--which I shall strictly observe; only I expect you give me Entrance into the City, without necessitating me to force my way; which if I do, then it will not be in my power to save you or it. I expect your Answer within half an hour; and rest, your humble servant, OLIVER CROMWELL.* No. 10. ARMY TROUBLES IN 1647. [Vol i. p. 244.] THE Vote that Field-Marshal Skippon, Lieutenant-General Cromwell, Commissary-General Ireton and Colonel Fleetwood,' all Members of this House, 'shall proceed to their charges in the Army,' and endeavour to quiet all distempers there,-was passed on the 30th of April: day of the Three Troopers and Army-Letter, and directly on the back of that occurrence.1 They went accordingly, perhaps on the morrow, and proceeded to business; but as nothing specific came of them, or could come, till the 8th of May, that day is taken as the date of the Deputation.-Here are Three Letters from them; one prior and one posterior; which, copied from the Tanner MSSs., have got into print, but cannot throw much light on the affair. I. "To the Honourable William Lenthall, Esquire, Speaker of the Commons House: These.' "Saffron Walden,' 3d May 1647. ་་ 'SIR,-We have sent out orders to summon the Officers of the several Regiments to appear before us on Thursday next; to the end we may "understand from them the true condition and temper of the Soldiers in "relation to the discontents lately represented; and the better to prepare *History and Antiquities of Winchester (London, 1773), ii. 127. "and enable them,-by speaking with them, and acquainting them with your Votes, 2-to allay any Discontents that may be among the Soldiers. We judged this way most likely to be effectual to your service; though it asks some time, by reason of the distance of the quarters. When we "shall have anything worthy of your knowledge, we shall represent it;— "and in the mean time study to approve ourselves, your most humble servants, "PH. SKIPPON. "H. IRETON."S 2. To the Honourable William Lenthall, Esquire, Speaker of the Commons House: These.' "Saffron Walden, 8th May 1647. 'SIR,-According to our orders sent out to the Officers of the Army, many of them appeared at the time appointed. The greatest failing was "of Horse Officers; who, by reason of the great distance of their quarters "from this place (being some of them above three-score miles off), could "not be here: yet there were, accidentally, some of every Regiment except Colonel Whalley's present at our Meeting; --which was upon Friday "morning, about ten of the clock. " "After some discourse offered unto them, About the occasion of the Meeting, together with the deep sense the Parliament had of some Dis" contents which were in the Army, and of our great trouble also that it "should be so, we told them, We were sent down to communicate the "House of Commons' Votes unto them; whereby their, 'the Parliament's,' care of giving the Army satisfaction might appear: desiring them 'fur"thermore' To use their utmost diligence with all good conscience and effect, by improving their interests in the Soldiers, for their satisfaction; "and that they would communicate to their Soldiers the Votes, together "with such informations as they received then from us, to the end their distemper might be allayed.-After this had been said, and a Copy of the "Votes delivered to the Chief Officer of every respective Regiment, to be "communicated as aforesaid, we desired them To give us a speedy account of the success of their endeavours; and if in anything they needed our " advice or assistance for furthering the work, we should be ready here at "Saffron Walden to give it them, upon notice from them. " " We cannot give you a full and punctual account of the particular distempers, with the grounds of them: because the Officers were desirous to "be spared therein by us, until they might make a farther inquiry amongst 2 Votes passed that same 30th of April: That the Soldiers shall have Indemnity; that they shall have Pay,-and in short, Justice (Commons Journals, v. 158). ‘Thursday next' is the 6th of May. 3 A Letter from Major-General' (elsewhere called Field-Marshal) 'Skippon, Lieutenant-General Cromwell and Commissary-General Ireton, was this day read' (Commons Journals, 4th May 1647). 4 Friday, yesterday; not Thursday,' as at first proposed. "the Soldiers, and see what effect your Votes and their endeavours might I have with them. We desire as speedy an account of this business as 'might well be; but, upon the desire of the Officers, thought it necessary "for the service to give them until Saturday next to bring us an account of "their business, by reason the Regiments were so far distant. 44 As anything falls out worthy of your knowledge, we shall represent "it; and in the mean time study to approve ourselves, your most humble "servants, "PH. SKIPPON. "OLIVER CROMWELL. "H. IRETON. "CHARLES FLEETWOOD."6 3. "To the Honourable William Lenthall, Esquire, Speaker of the Commons House: These.' "Walden, 17th May 1647. "SIR,-We having made some progress in the Business you commanded us upon, we are bold to give you this account. Which, although it come "not with that expedition you may expect and your other affairs require, yet we hope you will be pleased to excuse us with the weight of the Affair: in comparison whereof nothing that ever yet we undertook was, at least to our apprehension, equal; and wherein, whatever the issue prove, our greatest comfort is, That our consciences bear us witness we have, according to our abilities, endeavoured faithfully to serve you and the Kingdom. " 'The Officers repaired to us at Saffron Walden upon Saturday last, "according to appointment, to give us a return of what they had in charge "from us at our last Meeting; which was, To read your Votes to the "Soldiers under their respective commands for their satisfaction, and to improve their interest faithfully and honestly with them to that end; and " 'then' to give us a perfect account of the effect of their endeavours, and a true representation of the temper of the Army. " "At this Meeting we received what they had to offer to us. Which they delivered to us in writing, by the hands of some chosen by the rest of the Officers then present, and in the name of the rest of the Officers "and of the Soldiers under their commands. Which was not done till 'Sunday in the evening. At which time, and likewise before upon Saturday, we acquainted them all with a Letter from the Earl of Manchester, 'expressing that an Act of Indemnity, large and full, had passed the "House of Commons ;8 and that two weeks' pay more was voted to those "that were disbanded, as also to them that undertook the service of Ire " 5 This day week; the 15th. 6 'Letter from the General Officers,' 'from Walden, of 8th Maii 1647, was this day read' (Commons Journals, Tuesday 11th May 1647). The Letter seems to be of Cromwell's writing. 7 Means 'response to.' 8 Commons Journals, v. 174 (14th May 1647). |