Econlib

The Library

Other Sites

 Front Page arrow Titles (by Subject) arrow The proceedings of the Army under the command of his Excellencie Sir Thomas Fairfax, commencing May 1st, 1647. - The Clarke Papers. Selections from the Papers of William Clarke, vol. 1

Return to Title Page for The Clarke Papers. Selections from the Papers of William Clarke, vol. 1

Search this Title:

Also in the Library:

Subject Area: Political Theory
Subject Area: History
Topic: The English Revolution

The proceedings of the Army under the command of his Excellencie Sir Thomas Fairfax, commencing May 1st, 1647. - Sir William Clarke, The Clarke Papers. Selections from the Papers of William Clarke, vol. 1 [1901]

Edition used:

The Clarke Papers. Selections from the Papers of William Clarke, Secretary to the Council of the Army, 1647-1649, and to General Monck and the Commanders of the Army in Scotland, 1651-1660, ed. C.H. Firth (Camden Society, 1901). 4 vols.

Part of: The Clarke Papers. Selections from the Papers of William Clarke, 4 vols.

About Liberty Fund:

Liberty Fund, Inc. is a private, educational foundation established to encourage the study of the ideal of a society of free and responsible individuals.


The proceedings of the Army under the command of his Excellencie Sir Thomas Fairfax, commencing May 1st, 1647.

[A circular Letter to the Commanders of the different Regiments.]

Major Saunders,b

The Generall was pleased during his absence, or untill the Major Generallc came, to give Colonell Hammond, Colonell Rich, Major Watson,d and us whose names are hereunder written, or any three of us, full power and authority to give orders upon all usuall occasions to the Army, as also for the calling of the severall Regiments of Horse and Foote to a Randezvouz, to the end that such Officers and Souldiers as intend for the service of Ireland may be drawne out of the severall Regiments and Companies; and for their better encouragment according to our Instructions wee have here sent you inclosed the Generall’s Lettera and Votes of both Houses, desireing that you will cause them to be read to the Officers and Souldiers in your Regiment at their Randezvouz; and if any of your Companies shall march intire for that service wee thinke fitt to certifie you, that it is the Generall’s pleasure and order that they march with their Collours; but if only some few shall dispose themselves for the service, then that the Colours remaine still with the Company. If you please to encourage all who incline thereto, wee shall certifie your good service therein to the Generall who will very well resent it, and wee shall rest

Your etc.

Walden, May 3, 1647.

Letter sent to the Collonells or cheife officers of the respective Regiments.

Sir,

Wee desire you upon receipt hereof forthwith to repaire hither your selfe, with some Commission Officer of every Troope in your Regiment, to give unto us the best accompt you can concerning the present temper and disposition of the Regiment, in relation to some late discontents reported to have been amongst the Souldiers; and to receive from us an accompt of such things as wee are appointed by the honourable House of Commons to impart to the Army, concerning the care of that House for their Indempnity and Arrears; you are with the said Officers to be here with as much speed as possibly you may, but at farthest faile not to be here on Thursday next.a

We remaine
Your assured freinds

P. Skippon.

Oliver Cromwell.

H. Ireton.

Walden, May 3d, 1647.

[News-letter from Saffron Walden.]

Walden, 3 May, 1647.b

Yesterday the Major Generall, Lieutennant Generall, and Commissary Generall came to Walden, and about halfe an houre after the afternoone sermon was ended there came Lievtennant Colonell Tubbsc to my Quarters, and informed mee that there was Intelligence given to him that morning that there was private orders sent by Collonell Middleton, Collonell of the Auxillaries to the severall Captaines that commanded under his command for the being in a posture ready to rise against the Army, which he was informed should be that night; whereupon he raised his Regiment for their better securitie, and drew them to a Randezvouz; but after hee had spoke with the Major Generall, Lievtennant Generall, and Commissary Generall and informed them of the bussinesse, they came together to the Major Generall’s Quarters, and satt very late about it. In the meane time Captaine Reynoldsa came in and informed them that the horse kept guards, feareing they should be surpriz’d; the Souldiers in the Towne were much nettled at the news of Collonell Hewson’s Regiment,b and every man provided powder and bullett and kept guards with their swords drawne at the street corners, and durst not be knowne what was the reason they stood there; the other promised not to goe to bed that night, but this day all is very still and quiett. The examination of the Souldiers concerning this buissnesse was taken this day by Mr. Margetts,c who I knowe hath given you a full accompt. Orders are sent out for the Officers to meete here at Walden on Thursday next.

Walden, May 4o 1647.

Advertisements for the managing of the Councells of the Army.d

1. Appoint a Councell for the ordering the undertakings of the Army.

2. Keepe a partie of able penn men at Oxford and the Army, where their presses be imployed to satisfie and undeceive the people.

3. Hold correspondence with the Soldiers and well affected freinds in the severall Counties of the Kingdome, for prevention of uproars, interposition of parties, for disarming the disaffected, and secureing the persons of projecting partes, namely Presbiterians.

4. Doe all things upon publique grounds for the good of the People, and with expedition to avoid devisions and for the prevention of Blood-shed.

5. Bee vigilent to keepe yourselves from supplanting, secrett, open, or undermining Enemies, especially prevent the removall or surprizall of the King’s person.

6. Present the generall Officers with the heads of your demaunds in writing, and subscribed, and soe agreed to by your appointed trustees in behalfe of yourselves and other Souldiers.

7. Desire redresse of all arbitrary and exorbitant proceedings throughout the Kingdome, and, according to the Covenant, call for publique justice and due punnishment to be inflicted upon all offenders whomesoever.

8. Crave [give?] some reasons for desireing Reformation in civill justice, and query how the pretended and respective ends of our taking up Armes hath been performed or comported with, according to the mutuall provocations and Declarations of Parliament put forth to engage us in bloud, and for ought wee yett find to entangle us in stronger chains, and to clapp upon our necks heavier yoakes or servitude.

9. Permitt not the Army to be long delayed, or tampered with too much, least Resolution languish and courage grow cold.

10. Persuade the Generall Officers not to depart from the Army untill these stormes be overblowne, the Subiects libertie confirmed, the Kingdome settled, delinquents detected and punished, the Souldiers and Sufferers satisfied and rewarded; in all which respects their conduct was never of more consequence, nor their interest in the Army more usefull, the present Imployment being most important, tending to the consummation of all our cares, and the good concluding by the Establishment (in peace and truth) of the worke of the whole Warre.

11. That according to the premisses wee may bee speedily and respectively performed with, after which the Army may be reduced and [to?] such a number of Horsemen as is not inconsistant with the Kingdomes safety; the rest, being justly dealt with in point of due and deserved pay, with honourable rewards for their severall services, may be disbanded, after an Act of Indempnity be made, and satisfaction be given as aforesaid not only to this Army, but to all the well-affected souldiers and subjects throughout this Kingdome.

Letter froma

I pray you tell Lievtenant Generall Cromwell that all our freinds doe hope the Army will be well united by this meeting (Horse and Foote), and for this time lett them demaund nothing but what is relating to them as Souldiers. It is much wondred that my Lord Pembrockb should soe rayle against the Army at a Common Councell the other day that 4,000 Cavaleers were in it (it is noe time to disband us) the King and all his party did wholly rely upon the Army; and spoke to the Citty as if it had been true the Army had sent to the Kingc Be carefull to whome you speake, but doe what you can to unite the Officers to the Army in demaunding things just and honourable relateing to them as Souldiers; if wee fall [on too] softly I perceive wee shall loose by it.

London, May 5th, 1647.

Upon debate yesterday of the Citty Militia,a the Lord Mayor and Aldermen Addams had like to have been seized of; hee had better never been named hee came of with such disgrace.

Relation from Walden.

Your desire in yours (which I communicated to Mr. Sparrow and other freinds) was granted before you came. I never found the Officers more unanimous. I was this afternoone with Captaine Goffe, Captain Grigson, Mr. Butler, Lieutenant Lloyd,b and other officers, and their resolutions at present are to drawe upp something in writing to expresse the Reasons why they cannot engage for Ireland; as, that they will see things settled here in relation to their priviledges and liberties before they engage abroad; that they will rather suffer with the godly party heere than goe away and leave them to the mercy of their Adversaries, &c. Collonell Sheffeild’s Regiment continue their Red Collours, and say they are England’s Collours, and that they will not goe for Ireland. Some of the Foote about Cambridgshire give out that they will goe for Holdenby and fetch the king, which gives much offence and scandall. The inclosed was printed at Cambridge, and sent to the High Constable’s to gett subscribed and then presented.c

Walden, 5 May, 1647.

Letter from London.

Heere is little of moment since your departure worth the noteing, but the continued clamours of the Citty against the Army, and which are now more high and generall then ever, occasioned by a latea speach of the Earle of Pembrock’s at the Common Councill in London Monday last, telling the Cittizens that did they knowe soe much as hee, coming from the Fountaine’s head of the Army, they would not scruple the lending of the 200,000ɫ;i., to be ridd of the Army and to have them disbanded, for that all the hopes (hee told them) of the King and malignant party depended upon that Army, and that more he said they had sent to the King, delivered him a Petition and had received an answeare of it, and that all this put together hee conceived it were high time they were disbanded. This and more was spoken and which hath raised such a clamour in the Citty will not easily be taken off. This businesse truly I conceive concernes the Army in a high manner to consider of, both for vindication and reparation. The honest Petition of the well-affected Cittizens was on Tuesday last turned out of the House of Commons, with this answeare, that they approved not of the Petition nor manner of the representation.b Noe grievances are to be represented to the House, you may perceive, though in a way of Petition, but what they shall approve off. Alasse! poor England! when will be a remedy for thy malladies? or when will thy Egiptian Bondage end? Our good God sett us free in Jesus Christ, and make us denisons not of an earthly but of a heavenly habbition, for there is noe peace to be expected amongst the sonnes of men. The House of Commons on Wednesday called for the Ordinance for conferring the 2,000ɫ;i. per annum on Lievtenant Generall Cromwell, which was read and committed; they likewise ordered the ordinance for the Generall’s 5,000ɫ;i. to be read on Tuesday next.c

London: May 6th, 1647.

[A Letter from London.]

Sir,

The rumour of the Armies holding intelligence with the King spreads a pace in the Kingdome, nay as farr as France, as lettres Thursday testifie, and it gives some cause to suspect that report was first framed there. It’s talked of in the Citty further, [that] now your Army beginne to keepe strict guards and fortifie the head Quarters, nay say some further Major Generall Skippon will be deteyned untill the Army be satisfied in their demaunds; theis are London stories, and another I would be satisfied in, that a part of your Army should have been surprized by the Trayned Bands of Essex.

Sir,

On Thursday Sir John Sidley of Kent was three times called to the Barre in the House of Commons about Colonell Kenrick’s Indictment mentioned in the Occurrances, for taking away of Horses &c. And upon full debate, though Mr. Hollis and Sir William Waller pleaded hard on his behalfe, hee was voted to be put out of Commission of Justice of Peace, out of the Militia, and made uncapable of bearing office in State and Comonwealth.a

[Narrative of the Proceedings of Skippon and the Commissioners at Saffron Walden, May 6, 7, 1647b ].

Yesterdayc many of the Officers of the Army came to this Towne, but by reason that few of the officers of Horse came, the meeting was deferr’d till this day. The examination was yesterday taken of Lievtennant Wheeler a Lievtennant in Colonell Hammond’s Regiment, to this effect: that being the other day at Royston the Postmaster there shewed him the Coppy of a Paper which was given him the day before by one Mr. Seely, who tooke post for the North there and gave himselfe out to be the Duke of Buckingham’s Chaplaine; the paper was the same verbatim with that which goes abroad concerning the Army and his Majestie, which (it seemes) the Earle of Pembrooke declared to be true. The Postmaster further said that the Chaplaine told him that hee needed not to feare the truth of it, for that Sir William Armin had a Copie of it at Huntington, and yesterday Sir William sent a Copie of it to the Lievtennant Generall. The Officers, being acquainted with this designe and the Earle of Pembrook’s relation are very sencible of the dishonour of the Army therein, and will desire repairation, as will appeare by the inclosed, which yesterday was resolved upon to have been offered to the Major Generall and the rest; but by reason it was apprehended the Officers could not give their sence without the Souldiers, it was not mentioned at all, therefore I was charged not to communicate it to any, and soe I have sent it in short hand for your owne use.

This day the Officers mett in the Church, not above 30 Officers of Horse and about 150 of Foote. The Feild Marshall Generall first made a Narration of the occasion of their comming downe to quiet the distempers of the army, that they should make it appeare that they were faithfull hearted for the publique good, that it would be conscience, justice, reason, and faithfullnesse in them that were Commanders to contribute their utmost endeavours for the alleying of all distempers. After the ending of this Speach the votes of the House were read, and Copies of them given to the severall Officers of each Regiment there present to be communicated to their Regiments. Upon this, the Commissioners (for soe I may call them) withdrawing, the Major Generall returned and expressed himselfe concerninge the service of Ireland, how just and necessary the worke was, and how that service was altogether unthought of or unsought for by him; I shall at present give you what he said in this particular at large, and leave the full accompt of the rest till the next: his words were,

Gentlemen,

I shall now desire you to heare mee a few words in relation to the bussinesse of Ireland; I believe it is not unknowne or unapprehended by your selves how just, and honourable, how necessary that worke is. Altogether unthought of, unsought for, it hath pleased God to call mee to be imployed there if he please, a service truly that my exceeding unfittnesse for made mee exceeding unwilling to (to speake in relation to myselfe, for concerning the service you have heard what I have exprest). If I should have been excused, as I did most humbly and earnestly desire (I speake still in relation to my selfe), I would rather have been content to have laid downe all my other Imployments at the Parliament’s foote, by their command, then to have undertaken this, for which I am soe unfitt. It is not a title, or preferment, or any selfe advantage that moves mee in this at all, but singly this, which I desire you to lay to heart, that it should not be said such a man was the delayer, was the obstructour, or the prejudicer of such a service singly. This consideration made mee in conscience to God to undertake that worke, with this expression, though it shall please God I perish in the undertaking of it, God’s will be done. It was said on all hands, as I have many times heard, that if I would engage, a considerable parte of the Army, Officers, and Souldiers would engage; if I did not engage they would not engage. Truly, as farr as still relates to myself, I have a great deale of reason to looke upon this as a testimony of love and respect from the Army. Now since that obstruction is taken away be pleased to take notice of it, and if my engagement may be any furtherance to the bussinesse I pray lett it appeare; and accordingly you may please to make knowne to your severall Regiments that, for those reasons I have partly mentioned, I was exceedingly desireious to decline it, upon that single consideration I was moved to entertaine it, that if my going may be any furtherance (God in mercy goe with us), I should improve it to the furtherance of that service. I thought good to communicate [this] to you; though it was not in our commission, yet it was not without advice and consent of those Gentlemen.

To this Colonell Hammond replied,a that at the meeting of the late Commissioners at Walden there was something offered by him in relation to himselfe and many officers of the Army, that they had that knowledge of the Major Generall’s great honour, gallantry, and honestie, that they should as freely goe with him as any, except the Generall and Lieutennant Generall; not that his going would be an occasion of drawing the Army; and that if the Commissisoners or others had given him information otherwise, they have not done that which is right.

To this the Major Generall thus exprest himselfe: You will be pleased iudiciously, Christianly, seasonably, cordially, dilligently, and faithfully to take into consideration all those things I have propounded to you, and againe I beseech you, as men of integritie and honesty, improve your utmost interest for the service of the Parliament and of Ireland. Then Colonell Butlerb desired to be satisfied concerning the considerable part of Arreares, whether the Parliament would doe any thing more then they had already voted vizt. 6 weekes pay, in regard the Souldiers would be desireous to knowe of them. The Commissioners replyed that they could not assure any further satisfaction, and that it did not lye in their powers to interperett the votes of the Parliament. Then some Officers desired to knowe the meaning of the House concerning distempers. To this the Commissioners answeared, that the cheife occasion of their coming downe was upon the letter of the 8 Regiments of Horse; yet the House had been informed of some other proceedings which they conceiv’d illegal and out of discontents, and they were to receive the distempers of the severall Regiments, and for such as could give an accompt that their Regiments were free from distempers, they doubted not but it would be acceptable to the Parliament and to them. After this there was some debate whether the Officers then present should deliver in any thing of what they apprehended was occassions of discontents, and resolved that till they had consulted with their Souldiers it would be but halfe worke, and therefore nothing of their greivances should be then offered; hereupon the Officers were appointed to their severall charges to take the accompts, and to meete the Commissioners at Walden to-morrow sennight; and in the meane time, if they should be provided to give a full accompt the Commissioners declared that they should stay here, unlesse they had a command to the contrary, and receive the same from such as should be prepared before that time. The Officers are generally very unanimous, and I believe what will be proposed will be much according to the sence of the inclosed.

At the meeting Captaine Clarke of Sir Hardresse Wallers Regiment presented the inclosed Petition to Major Generall Skippon, desireing it might be publicly read, for the satisfaction of the Officers present and cleareinge of himselfe and the rest; but in regard it concerned themselves only it was not thought fitt to be communicated.

Walden 7 May, 1647.

[For the whole proceedings at this meeting, it is in shorthand, in the bundle upon Mr. Wragges Lettre, May 6th 1647.]a

[Petition enclosed in the preceding Narrative].

To the right honourable Major Generall Skippon, Lieutenant Generall Cromwell with the rest of the honourable Commissioners of Parliament at Saffron Walden.

Wee whose names are subscribed, being Officers in Colonell Sir Hardresse Waller’s Regiment,

Humbly present,

That whereas wee with diverse other Officers are exprest in print and otherwise as ingagers of the present service of Ireland upon the termes lately proposed, contrary to our intentions and resolutions, wee having formerly declared that wee were not neither as yet are resolved for that service upon those propositions, wee cannot but with griefe and sadnesse of heart sencibly apprehend it to be a strange designe of some who through false reports have endeavoured to vaile the eyes of those in publique authority to the grosse abuse of Parliament and Kingdome, who by false informers are much deceived and the releife of Ireland obstructed and retarded through such apparant delusions; which likewise may possibly render us unfaithfull and dishonourable, if it shall be conceived wee have engaged and yet declyne the present imployment, which indeed was not by us undertaken.

All which wee humbly pray may be considered.

John Clarke, Capt.

Ralph Wilson, Lt.

John Trailkins, Lt. (Filkins?)

Nath Chase, Lt.

Edward Allen, Ens.a

Copie of the Letter from the Officers to the 8 Regiments.

Sir,

When wee were in London there were three Letters delivered (the one to the Generall, the other two to us, all of the same effect) in the name of the 8 Regiments of Horse, whereof yours is one; which importing matter of dangerous consequence were imparted to the House of Commons, wee desire you to use your best endeavours to enquire where they had their rise, and to bring with you when you come on Satturday nexta the best accompt thereof you can, and soe wee rest

Your very assured friends

Phillipp Skippon.

Oliver Cromwell.

Walden, May 9.

The 8 Regiments are

The Generall’s Regiment of Horse.Colonell Okey’s.
Lieutennant Generall’s.Colonell Butler’s.
Commissary Generall’s.Colonell Sheffeild’s.
Colonell Fleetwood’s.Colonell Rich’s.

[b ]Major of Colonel Robert Hammond’s regiment; probably the Thomas Saunders mentioned in the Life of Colonel Hutchinson, ii., 134.

[c ]Skippon, arrived in London about April 27, took his seat in the Commons on April 29, and was sent down to the Army by order of April 30. Rushworth, vi., 463, 472, 474.

[d ]Robert Hammond, Nathaniel Rich, and Leonard Watson.

[a ]The letter of April 18. Rushworth, vi., 461.

[a ]Compare the letter of May 3, addressed by these three officers to the Speaker. Cary, Memorials of the Civil Wars, i. 205. On April 30, Skippon communicated to the Commons a letter addressed to himself, Fairfax, and Cromwell by the agents of eight regiments of Horse. Rushworth, vi., 474; Hollis, Memoirs, p. 89. The letter is printed in Cary’s Memorials of the Civil War, i., 201, and in the Lords’ Journals, ix., 164. Skippon, Cromwell, Ireton, and Fleetwood were ordered forthwith to go down to their charges in the army and employ their endeavours to quiet all disturbances in the Army, Commons’ Journals, v., 158.

[b ]In the MS., the date assigned to this letter is April 3. The references to Skippon and the mention of the meeting of the officers render this date impossible, and a second news-letter written the same day supplies the correct date.

[c ]Should be Jubbes. John Jubbes entered the Army in April 1643, and after serving in Manchester’s Army, became a member of the New Model. He was now Lieutenant-Colonel of Hewson’s regiment. He left the army in April, 1648, for reasons stated at length in his Apology touching his proceeding in a paper called Proposals for Peace and Freedom, 1648.

[a ]Captain John Reynolds, of Cromwell’s own regiment of horse, knighted by Cromwell, June 11, 1655. See his life in Noble’s House of Cromwell, ed. 1787, ii., 418.

[b ]Rushworth, vi., 480.

[c ]Thomas Margetts, a clerk of the Judge-Advocate of the New Model, Dr. John Mills. For a sketch of his life see Calendar of State Papers, Domestic, 1658-9, p. 378.

[d ]No indication is given of the authorship of this paper. It was probably however the work of Edward Sexby, for it closely resembles his subsequent letters in the policy it advocates.

[a ]No name is given, but simply an unintelligible cypher. It is probably by the author of the previous paper.

[b ]Rushworth vi., 476. With reference to Pembroke’s statement about the number of cavaliers in Fairfax’s army see Memoirs of Sir P. Warwick, p. 253.

[c ]See the Tanner MSS. in the Bodleian Library, vol. lviii., f. 46.

[a ]On this debate see Commons’ Journals, v., 161; Rushworth, vi., 472, 478.

[b ]William Goffe, and George Gregson, captains in Colonel Harley’s regiment, and Lieutenant Griffith Lloyd. Rushworth, vi., 471.

[c ]A petition for the disbanding of the army purporting to come from the inhabitants of the Eastern Association.

[a ]May 3.

[b ]Rushworth, vi., 478; Commons’ Journals, May 4, v., 162.

[c ]Commons’ Journals, v., 167.

[a ]Rushworth, vi., 479; Commons’ Journals, v., 163-4, May 6, 1647. Sir John Sedley is the person meant.

[b ]Rushworth, vi., 480.

[c ]Friday, May 7. The Commissioners give an account of their first meeting in a letter to Lenthal, dated May 8. Cary, Memorials, i. 207.

[a ]See Rushworth, vi., 458. Colonel Robert Hammond.

[b ]Colonel John Butler.

[a ]This note was probably written in 1662, when the letter was copied into the book from which it is now printed. Thomas Wragge was one of the two clerks to Rushworth, the Secretary of the Army. I take this letter to have been written to Rushworth by either William Clarke or Wragge, but probably by the former. Rushworth, as his letters in the Fairfax Correspondence seem to show, was in London most of the month, with Sir Thomas Fairfax.

[a ]The names appended are corrected from Rushworth, vi., 466.

[a ]15 May. The letter referred to is that mentioned on p. 21, note a, the letter read in the House of Commons on April 30.