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

Colonels Bethell and Fairfax to General Monck - 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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Colonels Bethell and Fairfax to General Monck

May it please your Excellency,

lii. f. 75.Wee have heere such tampering by Emissaryes sent out by the fanatique party from all parts, that we cannot but conjecture there is a designe for some shortly to appeare. What rumours wee have of any to head them (nott having any proofe considerable to impart) shall have only this effect, to double our diligence and make farther enquiry. Wee have sent yow the letter from the Governour of Hull,1 as likewise the informacion of a weake witted Gentleman of 18 yeares old, who att present is dismissed upon 100 li. bond (a citizen heere being cautioner for him). Intelligences and meetings are more frequent att the Mannour than will be safe for us; therfore wee desire Coll. Lilburne may be removed into the Southerne parts (being his owne desire) rather than remaine in his house in this County. Coll. Bethell’s regiment (well pleased with their change) will yett need encouragement by a speedy receipt of their pay, which though it wilbe acceptable to the rest of these forces, yett to them most necessary. Wee remain

Your Excellencyes most obedient servants,

Hu: Bethell, [C.] Fairfax.

Yorke, 2o Marty, 1659.

Postcript:

Notwithstanding these mutations and underminings, our souldiers continue their fidelity to the Parliament and your Excellency.

The letter from Hull [is] to your Excellency, and signed by those officers; copyes therof were dispersed by some of their agents only to private souldiers, but none to the officers.2

[1 ]The letter from Hull is given in an abridged form in Baker’s Chronicle, p. 713, and in the Report on Mr. Leyborne-Popham’s MSS., p. 163. Overton’s explanatory letter, dated March 6, is in the same report, p. 170.

[2 ]On receipt of this account of Overton’s proceedings, Monck sent Major Jeremiah Smith and Colonel Alured to Overton to explain the state of affairs, with letters from himself and from the Council of State. ‘The General having a design to remove Overton,’ Smith was instructed ‘privately to deal with some officers and soldiers under him who loved him not, to bring him to reason, if upon orders for his remove he should be disobedient to them’ (Baker, p. 713). They arrived at Hull on March 7, and found Overton more amenable to reason than they expected. An extract from the letter of the two emissaries to General Monck, and copies of Overton’s letters to Monck and to the Council of State, are printed in Mercurius Politicus, March 8-15, pp. 1163-65.

Monck simultaneously appointed Colonel Fairfax Governor of Hull, and sent him to Beverley with a small force, giving him also a letter to Overton, in which Overton was ordered to repair to London within twenty-four hours after its receipt. This letter is printed at length in Baker’s Chronicle (p. 712). Overton obeyed: Fairfax was in possession of Hull by March 12, and its late Governor arrived in London on the 18th or 19th of March (Mercurius Politicus, pp. 1174, 1190; see also Price, p. 778; Gumble, p. 267; Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1659-60, pp. 381, 388).