f) Ludlow, vol. i. p. 42,

& feq.

Journals.

more remarkable for their courage, fobriety and regularity. Indeed the whole army

under

guard; amongst whom were Mr. Richard Fiennes, Mr. Charles Fletwood, afterwards lieutenant general, major general Harrison, colonel Nathaniel Rich, colonel Thomlinson, colonel Twifleton, colonel Bofwell, major Whitby, and myfelf, with divers others (o)." Nor was Cromwell behind hand in zeal for this cause, as appears from the following paffages in the journals of the house of commons. Whereas Mr. Cromwell hath • fent down arms into the county of Cambridge, for the • defence of that county; it is this day ordered that Sir Dudley North fhall forthwith pay to Mr. Cromwell one hundred pounds, which he hath received from Mr. Crane late high-fheriff of the county of Cambridge; which faid hundred pounds the faid Mr. Crane had remaining in his hands for coat and conduct money. Ordered that Mr. Cromwell do move the lord lieutenant for the county of Cambridge, to grant his depu⚫tation to fome of the inhabitants of the town of Cam· bridge to train and exercise the inhabitants of that town.' This was July 15, 1642. The exact time of his taking a commiffion I cannot find, though I have looked into many writers for that purpose: it must however have been in the very beginnings of the civil war. For on the 15th of Aug. 1642, Sir Philip Stapelton gave an account in the houfe, from the committee for the defence of the kingdom, that Mr. Cromwell, in Cambridgeshire, had feized the magazine in the caftle at Cambridge; and had hindered the carrying of the plate from that univerfity. And on the 18th of Augul a committee was appointed to prepare an order for the indemnity of Mr. Cromwell, and Mr. Walton, and those that have or fhall affift them in the ftopping of the plate that was going from Cambridge to York (p).' -The first rank he held in the army it is agreed on all hands was that of captain of a troop of horfe, which he rofe and difciplined after fuch a manner as rendered

them,

under his command, merited and obtained the highest character.-The first action that Cromwell

them, as well as their after companions, the objects of wonder, admiration, and applause of writers of all parties, in our divided country. Let us hear their teftimonies. At his firft entrance into the wars, being but captain of horfe, he had a fpecial care to get religious men into his troop: these men were of greater understanding than common foldiers, and therefore were more apprehenfive of the importance and confequence of the war; and making not money, but that which they took for the publick felicity to be their end, they were the more engaged to be valient; for ⚫ he that maketh money his end, doth esteem his life above his pay, and therefore is like enough to fave it by flight, when danger comes, if poffibly he can: but he that maketh the felicity of church and state his end, efteemeth it above his life, and therefore will the fooner lay down his life for it. And men of parts and understanding know how to manage their business, ⚫ and know that flying is the fureft way to death, and that standing to it is the likelieft way to escape; there being many ufually that fall in flight, for one that falls in valient fight. These things, it is probable, Cromwell understood; and that none would be fuch engag⚫ed valient men as the religious. But yet I conjecture, that at his first choofing fuch men into his troop, it was the very esteem and love of religious men that principally moved him; and the avoiding of those 'diforders, mutinies, plunderings and grievances of the country, which deboift men in armies are commonly guilty of: by this means indeed he fped better than he expected. Aires, Desborough, Berry, Evanson, and the rest of that troop, did prove fo valient, that as far as I could learn, they never once ran away before an enemy. Hereupon he got a commiffion to take fome care of the affociated counties, where he brought this troop, into a double regiment, of fourteen full

' troops;

Cromwell undertook was to fecure the town of Cambridge, for the parliament. As the

King

troops; and all these as full of religious men as he (2) Reliqui could get: thefe having more than ordinary wit and

Baxterianæ,

p. 58.

.

refolution, had more than ordinary fuccefs (q).'Cromwell's own account will confirm this. I was a perfon, fays he, that from my first employment was fuddenly preferred, and lifted up from leffer trufts to greater, from my firft being a captain of a troop of horfe, and I did labour (as well as I could) to dif charge my truft, and God bleffed me as it pleased him, and I did truly and plainly, and then in a way • of foolish fimplicity (as it was judged by verie great and wife men, and good men too) defired to make ufe of my inftruments to help me in this work; and I will deal plainly with you, I had a verie worthy friend then, and he was a verie noble person, and I know his memorie was verie grateful to you all.

Mr.

John Hampden, at my firft going out into this engagement, (I faw) their men were beaten at every hand; I did indeed, and I defired him that he would • make fome additions to my Lord Effex's armie, of some regiments, and I told him I would be ferviceable to him, in bringing fuch men in, as I thought had a fpirit, that would do fomething in the work: this is very true that I tell you, God knows that I lie not. Your troops, faid I, are most of them old decayed ferving-men and tapfters, and fuch kind of fellows; and, faid I, their troops are gentlemens fons, younger fons, and perfons of quality, do you think that the fpirits of fuch bafe and mean fellows will be ever able to encounter gentlemen, that have honour and courage and refolution in them? Truly I prefented him in this manner confcienciously, and truly I did tell him, you must get men of a fpirit, and take it not ill what I fay, (I know you will not) of a spirit that is likely to go on as far as gentlemen will go, or elfe I am fure you will be beaten ftill; I told him fo, I did

truly.

King had requested a fupply of money from the

cavaliers.

government,

rence at

between

truly. He was a wife and worthy perfon, and he did think that I talked a good notion, but an imprac⚫ticable one; truly I told him I could do fomewhat in it, I did fo, and truly I muft needs fay that to you (impart it to what you pleafe) I raised fuch men as had the fear of God before them, and made fome conscience of what they did, and from that day forward, "I must say to you, they were never beaten, and where(r) Monat ever they were engaged against the enemy, they beat chy alerted continually (r).'-This religion of Oliver and his to be the troops; whatever it was, gave matter for raillery to the best form of As for Noll Cromwell, faid Marchamont in a confe• Needham, he is gone forth in the might of his spirit, with all his train of difciples; every one of whom is Whitehall as David, a man of war, and a prophet; gifted men Oliver and a all, that refolve to their work better than any of the committee of fons of Levi, and run quite through Wales with their parliament, two-edged fwords, to convert the gentiles (s).' p. 38. Lond. I 8vo. 1660. know not what others may think, but in my opinion (s) Mercuthe character given by Cromwell to his foldiers of religious men, and fuch as had the fear of God, will be at 30, 1648. leaft as much to their honour in the eyes of pofterity, as that which is contained in the following paffage is to the foldiery of in much more modern times. It was remarkable in the late war, that when all the different nations which compofed the confederate army, were performing their daily devotions, the way's Trafoldiers only, feemed to have no sense of the being of vels, vol. i. "a God (t). This gentleman does not fay thefe dar- p. 73. in the ing men, were never beaten, or that they continually note 4to. beat! The following paffage from Whitlock is too remarkable to be neglected. Cramwell had a brave regiment of horfe of his countrymen, most of them free-holders, and free-holders fons, and who upon matter of confcience, engaged in this quarrel, and under Cromwell. And thus being well armed within, by the fatisfaction of their own confciences, and with• out,

G

rius

pragma

ticus, May

() Han

Lond. 1793

the univerfity, and intimated his defire of

their

out, by good iron arms, they would as one man, stand () Memo- firmly, and charge defperately (u).'-Cromwell is rials, p. 72. celebrated for his manner of difciplining his foldiers even by an enemy. Hi autem initio nec arma tractandi nec equos gnari, diligentiâ folertiâque bellatores acerrimi evaferunt; equis etenim curandis, nutriendis ac detergendis indies affuefacti funt, & fi opus foret fimul humicubando; arma infuper polire, nitida & ufui expedita fervare, loricas optimas induere, féque 'cætero armaturæ genere communire condocefecerat eos Cromwellius. Atque hoc exercitii militaris genere, præ reliquis commilitonum omnibus emicuêre virtute bellica, pluréfque ab hofte palmas reportârunt (x).' i.e.

(a) Bates's Elenchi, p. 220. pars 244.

6

His men, who in the beginning were unskilful both in handling their arms, and managing their horfes, by diligence and induftry became excellent foldiers; for Cromwell ufed them daily to look after, feed and drefs their horfes; and, when it was necdful, to le together with them on the ground; and befides, taught them to clean and keep their arms bright, and have them ready for fervice; to chufe the beft armour, and to arm themfelves to the beft advantage. Trained up in this kind of military exercife, they excelled all their fellow foldiers in feats of war, and obtained more victories over their enemies.' The following ftratagem to try the courage of his troopers in the beginning of the war is related by more than one writer. Upon the fift mufter of his troop, having privily placed twelve refolute men in an ambuscado (it being near fome of the King's garrifons) upon a fignal, on the appointed time, and the faid ambush with a trumpet founding, galloped furioufly to the body, out of which fome twenty inftantly fled out of fear and difmay, and were glad the forfeiture was fo cheap and eafy; and afhamed of their childish and difgraceful deferting of their ftation and colours, had not the confidence to requeft their continuance in his fervice, or

*

.

.