EconlibThe LibraryOther Sites |
Front Page Titles (by Subject) Att the Committee of Officers appointed by the Generall Councill. - 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. 1The Online Library of LibertyA project of Liberty Fund, Inc.Search this Title:Also in the Library:
Att the Committee of Officers appointed by the Generall Councill. - 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. Copyright information:The text is in the public domain. Fair use statement:This material is put online to further the educational goals of Liberty Fund, Inc. Unless otherwise stated in the Copyright Information section above, this material may be used freely for educational and academic purposes. It may not be used in any way for profit.
Att the Committee of Officers appointed by the Generall Councill.A story about the Generall wearing the Kinge’s Colours. The souldiers saying, Lett my Collonell bee for the Devill an hee will, I will bee for the Kinge.a 400 of Col. Lilburne’s Regiment declar’d for the Kinge, uppon their coming back to Dunstable offer’d the Countrymen their armes, and they would take clubs, and bringe the Kinge to Whitehall. They would see what their Officers would doe, and then they would carry the Kinge away. Debate concerning the Militia.a That the Terme bee ten yeares, and the Declaratorie lawes to take place from thence. Tythes nott to bee paid, but either a Land-rate to bee made in lieu of them, or sold att 14 yeares purchase for the use of the State, and they to make provision for the Ministers.b Putney, 8 November,c 1647. The Lieut. Generall.Spoke much to expresse the danger of their principles who had sought to devide the Army. That the first particular of that which they call’d The Agreement of the People did tend very much to Anarchy, that all those who are in the Kingedome should have a voice in electing Representatives. Capt. Bray.Made a longe speech to take off what the Lieut. General said, and that what hee call’d Anarchy was for propriety.d Lieut. Generall.Moved to putt itt to the Question, Whether that the Officers and Agitators bee sent to their Quarters, yea, or noe. Resolved uppon the Question, That the Generall Council doth humbly advise his Excellency, that in regard the Generall shortly intends a Randezvous of the Army, and forasmuch as many distempers are reported to bee in the severall Regiments whereby much dissatisfaccion is given both to the Parliament and Kingdome through some misrepresentacions; to the end a right understanding may bee had, and the souldiers quieted, in order to their obedience to his Excellency for the service of the Parliament and Kingedome, itt is thought fitt to desire his Excellency that for a time the said Officers and Agitators resort to their severall commands and Regiments, to the ends aforesaid, there to reside untill the said Randezvouz bee over, and untill his Excellency shall see cause to call them together againe according to the Engagement.a
This Committee to drawe uppe instructions for what shall bee offer’d to the Regiments att the Randezvouz, to consider of the late lettre sent to the Parliament, and what shall bee thought fitt further to bee propos’d to them.b [a ]A newsletter in the Clarendon Papers (vol. ii., Appendix, xlix.) says under Nov. 15: “On Thursday last Sir Thomas Fairfax’s regiment of foot were drawn to a rendezvous: and one White, the Major of the regiment, told the soldiers that the kingdom must be under another government (which he said, to see how they would like it). Whereupon the whole regiment threw up their hats and cried, ‘A King, a King.’ And thereupon White got to his horse and made some haste out of the field.” [a ]Rushworth gives the result of the debate concerning the Militia. [b ]Compare Rushworth, vii., 862. [c ]On the proceedings of the Council of the Army between Nov. 3 and Monday, Nov. 8, see Appendix E. [d ]William Bray, Capt.-Lieutenant in Col. Robert Lilburne’s regiment of foot, was a personage of some importance amongst the Levellers. In the mutiny of that regiment at Ware on Nov. 15, 1647. Bray was the only officer above the rank of a lieutenant who stayed with the soldiers. He was arrested on the charge of having led the regiment to rendezvous contrary to orders (Rushworth, vii., 875; Old Parliamentary History, xvi., 434). Bray’s own account of his conduct, as delivered to the council of war which tried him, is printed in a pamphlet called The Discoverer, pt. 2, p. 52, 1649. He was tried by court martial at Windsor, Dec. 1647, and finally on submitting and acknowledging his error dismissed, and sent back to his regiment (Rushworth, vii., 922, 937, 940, 943). Owing, as he states, to the hostility of his lieut-col., Henry Lilburne, he was again suspended from his command. In the summer of 1648 he raised a troop of volunteers in Kent to serve against the royalists, and attached it to the regiment of Col. John Reynolds. In March, 1649, he was expelled from the General Council of the Army and deprived of his command. On March 19 he presented to the House of Commons a printed statement of his grievances, entitled. “An Appeal in the humble claim of justice against Thomas Lord Fairfax,” etc., which was voted scandalous and seditions, and Bray committed to Windsor Castle, during the pleasure of the House (Commons’ Journals, vi., 167; “Appeal,” pp. 11-15). He remained a prisoner at Windsor and Wallingford till Oct. 9, 1651 (Commons’ Journals, vii., 31; Cal. State Papers, Dom., 1651, p. 353). Two letters from Bray to Lenthal, petitioning for his release, are amongst the Tanner MSS., lvi., 62; liii., 82; see also Cary’s Memorials of the Civil War, ii., 141. and The Englishman’s Fundamental Appeal; or the Third humble petition and address of Capt. William Bray, 1659. The first use Bray made of his freedom was to interrupt the proceedings of the Commissioners of Berkshire for underletting the estates of delinquents (Tanner MSS., lv., 110). In 1659 he published a pamphlet entitled, “A plea for the people’s Good Old Cause,” and was recommended for employment as a sufferer for the true interest of the Commonwealth (Cal. State Papers, Dom., p. 249). [a ]This resolution is given in Rushworth, vi., 866. [b ]See “A remonstrance from his Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax and his Council of War concerning the late discontent and distraction in the Army, etc., November 14, 1647” (Old Parliamentary History, xvi., 340.) The engagement given at the end was evidently drawn up by this Committee. |

Titles (by Subject)