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

Lettre from Derby House to the Generall. - 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.

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Lettre from Derby House to the Generall.

There is 7,000l appointed to be sent to Chelmesford towards the Disbanding of your Army, which is to be there on Monday night next; wee desire you to take care that the said monies may be there in safety, and therefore to give Order to your Life Guard, or such other or more forces as you thinke fitt to be at Chelmesford by Munday at noone, and that they goe forth to meet the money upon the way from London to Chelmsford,

Soe we rest,

Your very affectionate freinds and Servants,

WARWICK. THOMAS WILLOUGHBY.
E. MANCHESTER.
SUFFOLKE. PH. STAPYLTON.
DENZILL HOLLIS. GILBERT GERRARD.
WM. LEWIS. WM. JEPHSON.
JOHN CLOTWORTHY.
JOHN TEMPLE.

Postcript.

Wee send you also herewith inclosed a copie of the Votes of the Houses whereby you may see their results concerning the time and manner of Disbanding your Army.

His Excellencie this day communicated to his Councill of Warr the Vote of the House of Commons of the 25th of May,a and also a Petition lately presented to himselfe in the name of the Souldiers of 8 Regiments of Horse and five of Foote,b and left the same to their consideration, desireing their advice thereupon for the preventing of any inconvenience that might arise.

The said Votes and Petition were read and thereupon these severall Questions being debated, were propos’d to every officer, and resolv’d as followeth.

1st Question.

Whether upon the Reports come to the Army concerning the Votes of the House of Comons on Fryday sennight last and the Resolutions on Tuesday last you find such satisfaction in the Army in relation to the late greivances as that there be noe danger of any disturbances and inconveniences in the proceedings upon these Resolutions.

Resolved Negatively.

Vizt. Negatively 86 votes, affirmitively by 3: and 4 Votes were suspended upon their owne desires.c

2d Question.

Whether upon the satisfaction and danger implied in the last vote you thinke it needfull for preventing of inconveniencies, that the Quarters of the Army not fixed upon duty be imediatly contracted.

Resolved Affirmitively.

Vizt. 82 Votes Affirmitively. 5 voted Negatively, and 6 were absent at this vote.

Ordered By this Councill, That Commissary General Ireton, Collonell Whalley, Collonell Rich; Collonell Lilburne, Collonell Okey, Collonell Hewson, Lt. Collonell Jackson, Major Desbrow, or any 5 of them, shall drawe up a Representation of the effect of the precedent votes to the Generall, with the grounds and intention thereof according to the Debates past, and also of their humble desires to the Parliament for suspending the present proceeding upon their Resolutions on Tuesday last and the resumeing the consideration thereof, and this to be presented to the Councill of Warre at the next meeting for their approbation.

The Councill adjourned till 6 a clock afternoone.

The Councill accordingly mett at 6 a clock and there were present this afternoone which were not present in the morning

Col. Sir Hardresse Waller.Capt. Leigh.
Major Rogers.Ensigne Perth.
Major Saunders.Ens: Nicholls
Capt. Rainborrow.

And upon Debate this Question was first putt.

3d Question.

Whether upon the dissatisfaction and danger implyed in the first vote at the meeting this morning you thinke it necessarie for preventing of inconveniencies That the Quarters of the Army being contracted as in the 2d vote there be a generall Randezvouz of that part of the Army whose Quarters shall be soe contracted.

Resolved Affirmatively.

Vizt. 84 voted for the Affirmative, 7 voted for the Negative, and 9 were absent.

After the passing this last vote the Officers appointed in the morning according to the last and precedent votes in the morning deliver’d in a Paper and upon reading and debating thereof into parts this Question was put, vizt.

4th Question.

Whether this paper drawne upp and brought in by the Officers appointed thereunto by this Councill, and now read and debated in parts, shall passe with the Amendments now made as the opinion and advice of the Councill of Warre to be presented to the Generall.a

Resolved Affirmatively.

Vizt. Voted Affirmatively by 82: Negatively by 4. 13 were absent, and one was suspended, Vizt. Sir Hardresse Waller’s Vote upon his own desire, in regard of his long absence from the Army and Kingdome.

Here a Letter from the Earle of Manchester, Speaker of the House of Peeres, to his Excellencie together with the former Votes of Parliament, passed both Houses and signed by the Clerke of the Parliament,b were read, after which the Question was moved by the President to this effect, vizt. Whereas by the Votes of Parliament now read severall Regiments of Foote are appointed to be disbanded at severall times and places, That upon the drawing out of those Regiments for the contracting of Quarters the said Votes may be communicated to them by their respective Officers at the head of every Regiment, to the end that if any of them appeare satisfied soe as to stay to be disbanded without disturbance or inconvenience those that shall be soe satisfied may continue at their present Quarters untill they shall be drawne out to be disbanded; and after some debate thereof this Question was put, vizt.

5th Question.

Whether the stating and determining of the Question last moved since the precedent Vote shall be laid aside for the present or noe?

Resolved Affirmatively. Nemine contradicente.

Jo. Mills, Advocate.

Letter of Intelligence,a

The Generall is at St. Edmunsbury. About 200 Officers have mett this day at a full debate. Upon reading the Votes of Parliament on Friday was sennight and Tuesday last, it was resolved by all except Lieutennant Collonell Jackson, Major Gooday, and two Officers more of the Generall’s regiment, that they were all unsatisfied with those Votes; and that it would be as unsatisfactory to the Army to heare there were dayes of Randezvous appointed to disband, and yet their greivances to be unredressed. I assure you, Sir, the more they stirre to disunite us, the more wee are cemented. God shews their actions to be but foolish in what they attempt against us, for what ever they propose for their Ends does our’s while we are at a stand. A Committee is appointed (Lords and Commons) to come down on Tuesday next to disband the Generall’s Regiment; they may as well send them among soe many Beares to take away their whelps. I wish your good Lord R—a be not one, hee will hardly returne with content. The Officers now owne the Souldiers and all that’s done and doe beginne to bestirre themselves. I beleive before they depart this day they will agree to move the Generall for a Randezvouz, and if hee scruple itt, itt will be done however. All the honest People in the Citty and Country send to us to stand to them or they are undone; you will shortly heare of severall Counties Petitioning the Parliament that the Army may not be disbanded till things are settled, and that they may have their dearely earned wages, and not [be] scornefully cast off with 8 weekes pay as both Houses have now voted to be paid.b The House of Commons pass’d all Tuesday Votes unanimously (our freinds withdrawing). The Lords were divided 12 against us, 11 protested for us against every vote. Wharton was absent or else all had been equall. I hope in the Lord, if wee baffle these Maligoe [maligne?] Grandees in this their maine designe to divide us by disbanding Regiment after Regiment they will be put to new Councells, and court us to accept of Arrears (which they can easily pay us had they but will) if wee will demand noe further and accept of the Irish Service. The Citty Petitioned for 20,000 for to be imployed about the Lyne of the Communication in order to make warre against us as we apprehend. Our drawing unto a Randezvouz upon it will undoubtedly put them into a military posture and great distractions. Oxford, where our Magazine is, wee have well secured. I wish things at Holdenby were as secure. Itt is incredible the Unitie of Officers and Souldiers except some few Officers who have put themselves in print in opposition to the Army, and now the Souldiers are Petitioning to cast them out or else they will doe it themselves. Sheffeild’s Regiment hath begunne it already, dismounted their dissenting Officers, and seized their Horses and Armes.

Saith Lieutennant Collonell Jackson to mee will the Foot do soe, I told him they would, for eight of his Companies had subscribed to stand with the Army and were resolved to cashier their Officers: the poore man sighed at it, but Mr. Edwards his Parishoner and Ghostly Father soe awes him hee dares not comply with the Army. Major Generall Skippon is quite lost in the Army by endeavouring to please both sides: hee will not gett any men with him, and I much feare if hee stay hee will be at a nonplus. Pye’s Regiment and Graves’ are all engaged with the Army. Sir Robert Pye drew his sword and another Captaine; the Souldiers hem’d them round, made them putt up and give present satisfaction, dismounted the Captaine, and beat him out of their Quarters. Graves look’d on and said never a word. All the Dragoones at Holdenby are come in upon Engagement to the Army; soe now they are all of a peice. I pray God the Souldiers gett not too much head; the officers must instantly close with them, or else there will be disorder.

[a ]These votes for disbanding were passed by the House of Commons on 25 May, on the report of the Derby House Committee, brought in by Hollis. They were agreed to by the Lords on May 28.

[b ]The humble petition of the souldiers of the army” is printed with the names of the agitators appended in the book of Army Declarations, published in 1647, p. 16, and without the names in Rushworth, vi., 498.

[c ]A list of the names of the officers present is given in the book of Army Declarations, p. 15. A short account of the Councils in Rushworth, vi., 497.

[a ]“The opinion and humble advise of the Councell of Warre, convened at Bury, Saturday, 29 May, 1647.” Army Declarations, p. 12; Lords’ Journals, ix., 226; Old Parliamentary History, xv., 385.

[b ]On May 28, Parliament ordered the votes to be sent to the General with a joint-letter from the Speakers of the two Houses. The letter is printed in the Lords’ Journals, ix., 217; Old Parliamentary History, xv., 380. Fairfax’s answer to Manchester, Lords’ Journals, 226; Old Parliamentary History, 384; his reply to Lenthall, Rushworth, vi., 499; Old Parliamentary History, 390.

[a ]The mention of the council of war gives the date of this letter to 29 May.

[a ]Robartes.

[b ]According to the Lords Journals, ix., 207, only three Lords protested.