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66 was sure could not be the King's hand.' Ashburnham was treated as little better than an impostor, whilst Lord Deincourt despatched a letter to Lord Falkland, who was his wife's' nephew, to tell him "that one Ashburnham was with him, who brought "him a letter, which he said was from the King; but "he knew that could not be, and therefore he desired "to know who this man was, whom he kept in his "house till the messenger should return." The man arrived at midnight, after Lord Falkland was in bed, but in spite of the laughter, which, as Lord Clarendon says, was not to be foreborne," Lord Falkland immediately returned an answer, explaining the authority of Mr. Ashburnham's mission. This produced so striking a change of manner towards his suspected guest, that the latter flattered himself his mission was about to be successful; but he was soon undeceived by Lord Deincourt telling him, "with as cheerful a countenance as "his could be, for he had a very unusual and unpleasant "face, that though he had no money himself, but was "in extreme want of it, he would tell him where he

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might have money enough; that he had a neighbour "who lived within four or five miles (Earl of Kingston), "that never did good to anybody, and loved nobody "but himself, who had a world of money, and could "furnish the King with as much as he had need of; "and if he should deny that he had money when the King sent to him, he knew where he had one trunk

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Anne, daughter of Sir Edw. Carey, of Berkhampstead, co. Herts, sister of Henry Viscount Falkland.

Hist. of the Reb., vol. iii. p. 249.

VOL. I.

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full, and would discover it; and that he was so ill "beloved, and had so few friends, that nobody would 66 care how the King used him."

Lord Capell and Mr. Ashburnham returned from their separate missions so near the same time, to render an account of their unsuccessful though humorous adventure," that he who came first had not given his "account to the King before the other entered into his "presence."

The remainder of the year furnishes no other anecdotes or events in which the name of Lord Capell appears.2

The diminished power of the Court to serve its adherents in no way diminished the claims of those who sought for advancement; and the unanimity which both honour and policy should have dictated was frequently disturbed by the desire for personal promotion outstepping all zeal to the cause in which they were engaged. The following letter from Charles to the Queen is curiously illustrative of his dependence on her wishes and advice, the too great eagerness of some for place, and the contrast afforded by the more modest and disinterested conduct of Lord Capell :

"Oxford, January 23, 1642-3. "I hope shortly to have the happiness of thy company, yet I must tell thee of some particulars in which I desire both

'Clarendon's Hist. Reb.,' vol. iii. p. 250.

2 The following entry serves to mark Lady Capell's movements and occupation at this time :

"Jan. 26, 1642-3.-That the Lady Capell shall have a pass to come to London, with her coaches and horses and servants, to see her grandmother sick in London.”—Lords' Journals, vol. iv. p. 570.

thy opinion and assistance. I am persecuted concerning places, and all desire to be put upon thee, for the which I cannot blame them; and yet thou knowest I have no reason to do it. Newark desireth Savil's place upon condition to leave it when his father dieth; Caunworth the same, being contented to pay for it, or give the profit to whom or how I please : Digby and Dunsmore for to be captain of the pensioners; Hartford once looked after it, but now I believe he expects either to be treasurer or of my bedchamber; I incline rather to the latter if thou like it, for I absolutely hold Cottington the fittest man for the other. There is one that doth not yet pretend that doth deserve as well as any-I mean Capel; therefore I desire thy assistance to find somewhat for him before he ask. One place I must fill before I can have thy opinion; it is the Master of the Wards. I have thought upon Nicholas, being confident that thou wilt not mistake my choice; and if he cannot perform both, Ned Hyde must be Secretary, for indeed I can trust no other. Now I have no more time to speak of more, but to desire thee not to engage thyself for any; so I rest eternally thine,

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“C. R.1

It would seem that either the Queen was unfavourable to Lord Capell being placed about herself or about the King, or that no such office as would have suited him fell vacant at Court, but he received no appointment, and in the following spring, 1642-3, he commenced his career as a military commander.

Lord Strange, eldest son of the Earl of Derby, had been made by the King Lord-Lieutenant of Lancashire and Cheshire, and on him therefore had devolved the putting the King's Commission of Array into exeKing Charles's works.

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cution. This had roused against him no small hostility on the part of the gentry, and his influence was completely overpowered in both these counties by the adherents of Parliament. He was repulsed first at Manchester, July 15, 1642, and again, after a siege of two months, was successfully resisted and prevented by Sir William Bruerton from seizing on the county magazine. Lord Clarendon represents the conduct of Lord Strange as deficient in skill and vigour, though of "blameless fidelity" to the King; and to mitigate the evils that arose from the ill success and mismanagement of Lord Strange's (now Lord Derby's) command, Lord Capell was sent to Shrewsbury with a commission of Lieutenant-General for Shropshire and other counties.* On the 3rd of April, 1643, his proclamation was issued, as Lieutenant-General," to the counties of Worcester, Salop, and Chester, and the six northern counties of Wales. His high character and great fortune availed

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'May's' Parl. Hist.,' p. 147.

Hist. of the Reb., vol. iii. p. 451.

3 William, sixth Earl of Derby, died Sept. 29, 1642.-Collins' Peerage. If the information from the opposite side is to be relied on respecting the movements of the Royalists, it would seem that Lord Capell had been designed in March to go into Cambridgeshire, but that this plan was abandoned. Vide Appendix F.

Addressed to all commanding officers and soldiers, and to all other subjects, by Arthur Lord Capell. Printed at Shrewsbury.

• On the day before this proclamation was issued the House of Lords was informed that "The Lady Capell hath had her horses and four hun"dred pounds taken from her by some soldiers, under pretence of a war"rant from the Committee of the Safety, wherein the parties have "exceeded their commission and injured the Committee:" whereupon it was the resolution of the House, that the said Committee should make inquiry thereof. And it is ordered that the said "lady shall have a "protection for her houses of Hadham Hall and Cassioberry, in the county

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him much on this occasion, and justified the wisdom of his appointment, inasmuch as Lord Clarendon says, "he quickly engaged those parts in a cheerful asso"ciation, and raised a body of horse and foot that gave "Sir William Bruerton so much trouble at Nantwich, "that the garrison at Chester had breath to enlarge its quarters and to provide for its own security, though "the enemy omitted no opportunity of infesting them, "and gave them as much trouble as was possible." The success of Lord Capell's forces in these parts appears indeed to have been chequered with reverses. Lord Clarendon admits that "Sir William Bruerton and the "other gentlemen of that party executed their com"mands with notable sobriety and indefatigable industry

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(virtues not so well practised in the King's quarters), "insomuch as the best soldiers who encountered with "them had no cause to despise them." Lord Capell's forces gave sufficient occupation to the Parliamentary troops in those counties to which he was appointed Lieutenant-General, to prevent their sending assistance either to the Earl of Essex or to Lord Fairfax in Yorkshire; but, on the other hand, the Parliamentary writers have to boast of various successes in those parts. Whitelock states in his Memorials that on the 29th of August, 1643, Sir William Bruerton took Eccleshall Castle, and defeated a party of the Lord Capell's forces under Colonel Hastings; and the historian May de"of Harteford, for her goods and chattels thereunto belonging; and that "the Earl of Manchester, Speaker, should write to the Lord Grey in her "behalf." Vide Journals of the House of Lords, vol. v. p. 685. 'Clarendon's' Hist. Reb.,' vol. iii. p. 451.

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