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

Captain Newman 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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Captain Newman to General Monck1

May it please your Lordshipp,

I am bold to tender these few lines to your honour, relatting to a buisnesse that happened last night, which I could not in conscience omit, judging it part of my dutty to discouer false frends as well as to oposse open enemies. And truly, my Lord, I should not have taken this boldnesse but that I was soe neerly concerned in it. The occassion, I suppose, arisses from this: I being on the gaurd, I got a paper intittuled an ‘Information of some souldiers in Scotland to those in England,’ which I read (as some thought with more then ordnary zeall); but soe it is that affter I had done the Lieutenant Colonel was pleassed to show his dislike, and I did defend it. What was spake by him I have accquainted my Coll. with it, as alsoe seuerall other officers have done the like; but I shall not say more to it, judging it will come better from my superriours. Afterwards he desiered it home: I told him I had many to read it to, and then when that was done he should haue it; soe I read it to severall, and had it read to the souldiers, and after sent it to his house. His wiffe got it, and was, as I heare, in a great raige, and within an hower after ther was found throwne in at my doore a booke printed: Intitteled ‘A discourse or conference between a souldier in England and one off Scotland,’ of a very ill consequence. My man finds it, and brings it to me to the guard. I looked on the tittle page, and immeadiatly went to my Collonel, who was in bed, and told him we had some trayttors amoung us, for it could be none else, the gatts being shut: the[y] was within the walls, and soe told him that which I have told your Lordshipp, and further said I was confident it came out of the Lieutenant-Colonel [his] house. He risse, and raised a Commission officer of each company, and serched every man in the quarters and one the gaurds; but nothing is found that way. I hope we are all honester, unlesse in on or two houses; but as I judged soe it proues, for Mrs. Read hath now confest that she made her maid doe it, to through the booke in. I have given my Collonel it to send your Lordshipp, that you may judge of it. And indeed but the very morning a souldier goeing to the house with a Scotsman to se him saffe out again (according to our orders), she abused the souldier, and sayd it was a signe that we had a wicked and bad cause in hand, that we durst not trust men to come to them without garding them, and such like language as this in discoraging the souldier. I shall ad noe morr but the tender of my most obeydient seruice to your Lordshipp, and in all humillitie tak leaue to subscrib my selfe,

My Lord,
Your Lordshipps most faithfull and
constant seruant whilst

Will: Newman.

The last of Decr.
1659, Cittadell,
Leith.

My Ld., I cannot but tell your Lordshipp that I feare that Company of his in towne hath to much dealling in these things. I could wish they was in the Army 2 or 3 in a company disperst, and another in the roome of it might seeme needfull to your Lordshipp.

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