taries of the Army, 'Lieutenant-General Hammond, Colonel Hammond, Lieutenant-Colonel Pride,' and two others, have been summoned to the bar ;* some subalterns given into custody; Ireton himself 'ordered to be examined ;'-and no satisfaction to the just desires of the Army;' on the contrary, the 'blot of ignominy' fixed deeper on it than before. We can conceive a universal sorrow and anger, and all manner of dim schemes and consultations going on at Saffron Walden, and the other Army-quarters, in those days. Here is a scene from Whitlocke, worth looking at, which takes place in the Honorable House itself; date 30th April, 1647:†

'Debate upon the Petition and Vindication of the Army. Major-General Skippon, in the House, produced a Letter presented to him the day before by some troopers, in behalf of Eight Regiments of the Army of Horse. Wherein they expressed some reasons, Why they could not engage in the service of Ireland under the present Conduct,' under the proposed Commandership, by Skippon and Massey; and complained, Of the many scandals and false suggestions which were of late raised against the Army and their proceedings; That they were taken as enemies; That they saw designs upon them, and upon many of the Godly Party in the Kingdom; That they could not engage for Ireland till they were satisfied in their expectations, and their just desires granted.-Three Troopers, Edward Sexby, William Allen, Thomas Sheppard, who brought this Letter, were examined in the House, touching the drawing and subscribing of it; and, Whether their Officers were engaged in it or not? They affirmed, That it was drawn up at a Rendezvous of several of those Eight Regiments; and afterwards at several meetings by Agents or Agitators, for each Regiment; and that few of their Officers knew or took notice of it.

Those Troopers being demanded, Whether they had not been Cavaliers ?-it was attested by Skippon, that they had constantly served the Parliament, and some of them from the beginning of the War. Being asked concerning the meaning of some ex

* Commons Journals, v., 129.

Whitlocke, p. 249; Commons Journals in die; and a fuller account in Rushworth, vi., 474.

pressions in the Petition,' especially concerning "certain men aiming at a Sovereignty," they answered, that the Letter being a joint act of those Regiments, they could not give a punctual answer, being only Agents; but if they might have the queries in writing, they would send or carry them to those Regiments, and return their own and their answers.-They were ordered to attend the House upon summons.

Three sturdy fellows, fit for management of business; let the reader note them. They are 'Agents' to the Army: a class of functionaries called likewise 'Adjutators' and misspelt Agitators;' elected by the common men of the Army, to keep the ranks in unison with the Officers in the present crisis of their affairs. This is their first distinct appearance in the eye of History; in which, during these months, they play a great part. Evidently the settlement with the Army will be a harder task than was supposed.

During these same months some languid negotiation with the King is going on; Scots Commissioners come up to help in treating with him; but as he will not hear of Covenant or Presbytery, there can no result follow. It was an ugly aggravation of the blot of ignominy which the Army smarts under,—the report raised against it, That some of the Leaders had said, "If the King would come to them, they would put the crown on his head again."-Cromwell, from his place in Parliament, earnestly watches these occurrences; waits what the great 'birth of Providence' in them may be ;-'carries himself with much wariness;' is more and more looked up to by the Independent Party for his interest with the Soldiers. One day, noticing the high carriages' of Holles and Company, he whispers Edmund Ludlow who sat by him, "These men will never leave till the Army pull them out by the ears!"* Holles and Company, who at present rule in Parliament, pass a New Militia-Ordinance for London; put the Armed Force of London into hands more strictly Presbyterian.† There have been two London Petitions against the

* Ludlow, i., 189; see Whitlocke, p. 252.

†4 May, 1647, Commons Journals, v., 160,- Thirty-one Persons,' their names given.

Army, and two London Petitions covertly in favor of it; the Managers of the latter, we observe, have been put in prison.

May 8th. A new and more promising Deputation, Cromwell at the head of it. Cromwell, Ireton, Fleetwood, Skippon,' proceed again to Saffron Walden; investigate the claims and grievances of the Army: engage, as they had authority to do, that real justice shall be done them; and in a fortnight return with what seems an agreement and settlement; for which Lieutenant-General Cromwell receives the thanks of the House.* The House votes what it conceives to be justice, 'eight weeks of pay' in ready money, bonds for the rest, and so forth. Congratulations hereupon; a Committee of Lords and Commons are ordered down to Saffron Walden to see the Army disbanded.

to

go

May 28th. On arriving at Saffron Walden, they find that their notions of what is justice and the Army's notions differ widely. "Eight weeks of pay," say the Army; "6 we want nearer eight times eight!" Disturbances in several of the quarters :—at Oxford the men seize the disbanding-money as part of payment, and will not disband till they get the whole. A meeting of Adjutators, by authority of Fairfax, convenes at Bury St. Edmund's, —a regular Parliament of soldiers, each common man paying fourpence to meet the expense:' it is agreed that the Army's quarters shall be 'contracted,' brought closer together; that on Friday next, 4th of June, there shall be a Rendezvous, or General Assembly of all the Soldiers, there to decide on what they will do.†

June 4th and 5th. The Newmarket Rendezvous, 'on Kentforth Heath,' a little east of Newmarket, is held; a kind of Covenant is entered into and other important things are done :-but elsewhere in the interim a thing still more important had been done. On Wednesday, June 2d, Cornet Joyce,-once a London tailor they say, evidently a very handy active man,-he, and Five hundred common troopers, a volunteer Party, not expressly commanded by anybody, but doing what they know the whole Army wishes to be done, sally out of Oxford, where things are still somewhat disturbed; proceed to Holmby House; and, after two

* May 21, Commons Journals, v., 181.

VOL. I.

11

† Rushworth, pp. 496-510,

days of talking, bring 'the King's Person' off with them. To the horror and despair of the Parliament Commissioners in attendance there; but clearly to the satisfaction of his Majesty,-who hopes, in this new shuffle and deal, some good card will turn up for him; hopes, with some ground, 'the Presbyterians and Independents may now be got to extirpate one another.' His Majesty rides willingly; the Parliament Commissioners accompany, wringing their hands-to Hinchinbrook, that same Friday night; where Colonel Montague receives them with all hospitality, entertains them for two days. Colonel Whalley with a strong party, deputed by Fairfax, had met his Majesty; offered to deliver him from Joyce, back to Holmby and the Parliament; but his Majesty positively declined.—Captain Titus, quasi Tighthose, very well known afterwards, arrives at St. Stephen's with the news; has 507. voted him 'to buy a horse,' for his great service; and fills all men with terror and amazement. The Honorable Houses agree to sit on the Lord's day;' have Stephen Marshall to pray for them; never were in such a plight before. The Controversy, at this point, has risen from Economical into Political: Army Parliament in the Eastern Counties, against Civil Parliament in Westminster; and, How 'the Nation shall be settled' between them; whether its growth shall be in the forest-tree fashion, or in the clipt Dutch-dragon fashion?

Monday, June 7th. All Officers in the House are ordered forthwith to go down to their regiments. Cromwell, without order, not without danger of detention, say some, has already gone this same day, 'General Fairfax, Lieutenant-General Cromwell and the chief men of the Army,' have an interview with the King, 'at Childerly House between Huntingdon and Cambridge:' his Majesty will not go back to Holmby; much prefers 'the air' of these parts, the air of Newmarket for instance; and will continue with the Army.* Parliament Commissioners, with new Votes of Parliament, are coming down; the Army must have a new Rendezvous, to meet them. New Rendezvous at Royston, more properly on Triploe Heath near Cambridge, is appointed for Thursday; and in the interim a 'Day of Fasting and Humiliation'

* Rushworth, vi., 549.

is held, a real Day of Prayer (very inconceivable in these days), For God's enlightenment as to what should now be done.

Here is Whitlocke's account of the celebrated Rendezvous itself, somewhat abridged from Rushworth, and dim enough; wherein, however, by good eyes a strange old Historical Scene may be discerned. The new Votes of Parliament do not appear still to meet 'the just' desires of the Army; meanwhile, let all things be done decently and in order.

6

'The General had ordered a Rendezvous at Royston ;' properly on Triploe Heath, as we said; on Thursday, 10th June, 1647: the Force assembled was about Twenty-one thousand men, the remarkablest Army that ever wore steel in this world. The General and the Commissioners rode to each Regiment. They first acquainted the General's Regiment with the Votes of the Parliament; and Skippon,' one of the Commissioners, spake to them to persuade a compliance. An Officer of the Regiment made answer, That the Regiment did desire that their answer might be returned after perusal of the Votes by some select Officers and Agitators, whom the Regiment had chosen; and said, This was the motion of the Regiment.

'He desired the General and Commissioners to give him leave to ask the whole Regiment if this was their answer. Leave being given, they cried, "All." Then he put the question, if any man were of a contrary opinion he should say, No;-and not one man gave his "No."-The Agitators in behalf of the soldiers pressed to have the question put' at once, whether the Regiment did acquiesce and were satisfied with the votes?' The Agitators knew well what the answer would have been!' But in regard the other way was more orderly, and they might after perusal proceed more deliberately, that question was laid aside.

'The like was done in the other Regiments; and all were very unanimous; and' always after the Commissioners had done reading the Votes, and speaking to each Regiment, and had received their answer, all of them cried out, "Justice, Justice!" -not a very musical sound to the Commissioners.

'A Petition was delivered in the field to the General, in the name of "many well-affected people in Essex ;" desiring, That the Army might not be disbanded; in regard the Commonwealth