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

Colonel Hughes to General Monck 1 - Sir William Clarke, The Clarke Papers. Selections from the Papers of William Clarke, vol. 4 [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 (London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1901). 4 vols.

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

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Colonel Hughes to General Monck1

Citadell, 16th December, 1659.

Right honourable,

It was your Lordshippes pleasure without any desert of myne that is imaginable not onely to continewe but to renewe your favours unto me;2 it is a wonder and a series of kindenes that you wold looke uppon soe lowe and incapacitated a person for soe high and publique concernments as my selfe, it proceedeth altogether out of kindenes than anythinge there is of worth or fittnes in me, and therefore I neede begge of God an enlarged heart in [his] wayes, and thankefullnes to glorifie him in his providence and your honor for your kindenes and condiscention herein. I wishe I may be enabled to evidence it more then I can expresse it; it is more uppon my thoughts and desires too then I shall be able to acquitt, be pleased therefore to accept of the will for the deede.

Be pleased alsoe to knowe that Capt. Clifton, as I beleeve he will informe your Lordshipp himselfe, that he, out of tendernes to Capt. Collinson, beinge eldest Captaine, is not willinge to prevent him of that which is, as he judgeth, his right, yet he is exceedinge thankfull to your Lordshipp for your care and singular favour towards him, and will submitt to what you shalbe pleased to doe therein.

My Lord, Capt. Newman is a gentleman that hath bene for some yeares very serviceable to the Regiment, I meane sihence I came to be Major, and before too, and a man of a publique spiritt, and hath evidenced himselfe in a highe measure to be your Lordshippes and the Comonwealthes servant, and I am confident if it should come to the test he wold be willinge to quitt his liefe in the service of eyther. Your Lordshippe hath had some experience of him, and that aboundantly, and I dare boldly say there is not he liveinge will exceede him in his faithfulnes, constancy, and resolution in the propogation of the good cause and interrest of the nation, if you’l be pleased to looke uppon him; and as we have cause to judge him, he is capable to doe greate service for the nation, and in case Major Clifton doe not accept of your Lordshippe’s kindenes that this gentleman may taste of your favourr herein. This I must confesse, that I knowe noe thinge of Capt. Collinson1 but that he is an honest, faithfull, and able man too, and doeth deserve to be owned as such. I shall not trouble your honor with tediousenes, but shall referre the whole busines to doe therein as is most due to your consideration; be pleased to add to this that my Leivetenant may have his Commission for my new Company, and myselfe for Capt. Wilkes Company. I am and ever wilbe, my Lord, the Commonwealthes and your Lordshippes servant while my name is

Tho: Hughes.

I desire your Lordshippe wold be pleased to give a Commission for Quartermaster George Selby to be Lievetenant to my brother Robert Forrester. Mr. Robinson hath bene from the first begininge and raiseinge of this Regiment till now, and not preferred; he desireth to succeede him.

[1 ]Phillips MSS. in the Advocates’ Library.

[2 ]Monck was exceedingly dissatisfied with the conduct of Colonel Timothy Wilkes as a negotiator. When the three commissioners returned from London he confined Colonel Wilkes for discovering, or at least not pursuing, some private instructions; but after a while Wilkes was released, upon satisfaction that what he did was out of ignorance and not malice (Baker, p. 696). On December 15, Thomas Hughes, formerly major, was made colonel in his place.

[1 ]Captain William Collinson.