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

[ News-letter from London. ] a - 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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[News-letter from London.]a

The Members came into the House this day, which some expected. The charge not touched upon, because our freinds expected that some of the members should begin to them. This afternoon the papers sent up from the Army prevented their debate upon the charge, and the House thus farr proceeded, and they have fully declared, that for the Reformadoes, or such as pretend to be such, that they shall be gone out of Town by the 15th of this instant upon penalty of loosing their Arrears, and 3 months imprisonment.

For Members of the House it’s so prepared, that it’s likely to pass to morrow morning the first business, with a sound penalty.

For the discharging the Soldiers assigned for Ireland, it’s referred to Derby House to dispatch it, and those of that Committee withdraw this afternoon on purpose.

The charge to be taken into debate to morrow morning.

The Lords sent down a Letter to the Commons for their concurrence for removing the Chaplains, and to certify the reasons of the obstructions. This is sent to the Commissioners attending the King. Wee do believe that it’s a design to sett us altogether by the ears, which honest men, out of passion are too apt to swallow; and your Letter to that business of the Chaplains &c. being not come to our hand, our freinds (tho’ prepared by us according to the directions in Collonell Fleetwood’s letter) did not think good to speak against it; some freinds that are temperate and most considerable do allow of the thing, but to be done without your Letter to the House.a

Wee can not but think that such is the influence of some persons in the Lords and Commons House, as they will never cease till they have brought you to declare, and so to break you upon one rock or another. Tis a good resolution must carry you through this and other difficultys, and in this our own principles give us a full encouragement.

We received your particulars this day and have consulted with your best freinds; if the Commons upon the full debate fall not upon suspition[?] the officers will move it in the name of the Army to morrow

You must be more speedy in your business, and all men say, that if your dispatch be noe better you will run into infinite hazards.

Your trusty and good freind Lilburne is printing his [letter] against Rich and the Abbott and me, and saith in so many words (to Captaine White of the Tower) that he had rather cutt Sir Harry Vane’s throate than Hollis’s. It was in some bodys power to have quench’d this fire (we speak not as to our own particulars) while it was a spark, which perhaps in time may grow too great to be quenched.

London, Thursday night late [July 8]a

[a ]Commons’ Journals, v., 237-8.

[a ]Fairfax’s letter of July 8, Old Parliamentary History, xvi., 101; Lords’ Journals, ix.

[a ]Probably written by Scout-Master Leonard Watson. See Lilburne’s Jonah’s Cry out of the Whale’s Belly, 1647, p. 8. In a letter to Cromwell Lilburne says: “Your scoutmaster-general Watson will never uprightly adventure the shaking of his finger either for God, his countrey, or for the Army, further than he may be thereby of the stronger side. As for Dr Stanes, whatever you may think of him, I averre he is a juggling knave . . . . . And as for Nat. Rich, you yourselfe knowe him to be a juggling paltry base fellow: remember what you told him to his face in his own chamber in Fleet Street before me and my wife and two more, at the time Manchester’s treason was upon examination.” Concerning Vane, Lilburne wrote to Cromwell on March 25, 1647, “O Cromwell thou art led by the nose by two unworthy covetous earthworms, Vane and St. John.” Ibid., p. 3.