advanced his own reputation. None perhaps were ever more remarkable for their courage,

the nation, would be either such enemies to themselves, or so ungrateful to those they had trusted, as not to stand by them to the utmost of their power: at least (though some might not have so much resolution and courage as to venture all with them, yet) that they would not be so treacherous and unworthy, to strengthen the hands of the enemy against those who had the laws of God, nature and reason, as well as those of the land, of their side. Soon after my engagement in this cause, I met with Mr. Richard Fiennes, son to the lord Say, and Mr. Charles Fleetwood, son to Sir Miles Fleetwood, then a member of the house of commons; with whom consulting, it was resolved by us to assemble as many young gentlemen of the inns of court, of which we then were, and others, as should be found disposed to this service, in order to be instructed together in the use of arms, to render ourselves fit and capable of acting in case there should be occasion to make use of us. To this end we procured a person experienced in military affairs to instruct us in the use of arms; and for some time we frequently met to exercise at the Artillery-Ground in London. And being informed that the parliament had resolved to raise a life guard for the earl of Essex, to consist of an hundred gentlemen, under the command of Sir Philip Stapelton a member of parliament, most of our company entered themselves therein, and made up the greatest part of the said guard; amongst whom were Mr. Richard Fiennes, Mr. Charles Fleetwood, afterwards lieutenant general, major general Harrison, colonel Nathaniel Rich, colonel Thomlinson, colonel Twisleton, colonel Boswell, major Whitby, and myself, with divers others."-Nor was Cromwell behind hand in zeal for this cause, as appears from the following passages in the journals of the house of commons. "Whereas Mr. Cromwell hath sent down arms into the county of Cambridge, for the defence of that

a Ludlow, vol. I. p. 42, & seq.

sobriety and regularity. Indeed the whole army under his command, merited and ob

This was

county; it is this day ordered that Sir Dudley North shall forthwith pay to Mr. Cromwell one hundred pounds, which he hath received from Mr. Crane late high-sheriff of the county of Cambridge; which said hundred pounds the said 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 deputation to some of the inhabitants of the town of Cambridge to train and exercise the inhabitants of that town." July 15, 1642. The exact time of his taking a commission 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 house, from the committee for the defence of the kingdom, that "Mr. Cromwell, in Cambridgeshire, had seized the magazine in the castle at Cambridge; and had hindered the carrying of the plate from that university. And on the 18th of August a committee was appointed to prepare an order for the indemnity of Mr. Cromwell, and Mr. Walton, and those that have or shall assist them in the stopping of the plate that was going from Cambridge to York ."-The first rank he held in the army it is agreed on all hands was that of captain of a troop of horse, which he rose and disciplined after such a manner as rendered 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 testimonies. "At his first entrance into the wars, being but captain of horse, he had a special care to get religious men into his troop: these men were of greater understanding than common soldiers, and therefore were more apprehensive of the importance and consequence of the war; and making not money, but that which they took for

■ Journals.

a

tained the highest character.-The first action that Cromwell undertook was to secure the

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 save it by flight, when danger comes, if possibly he can but he that maketh the felicity of church and state his end, esteemeth it above his life, and therefore will the sooner lay down his life for it. And men of parts and understanding know how to manage their business, and know that flying is the surest way to death, and that standing to it is the likeliest way to escape; there being many usually that fall in flight, for one that falls in valient fight. These things, it is probable, Cromwell understood; and that none would be such engaged valient men as the religious. But yet I conjecture, that at his first choosing such men into his troop, it was the very esteem and love of religious men that principally moved him; and the avoiding of those disorders, mutinies, plunderings and grievances of the country, which deboist men in armies are commonly guilty of: by this means indeed he sped better than he expected. Aires, Desborough, Berry, Evanson, and the rest of that troop, did prove so valient, that as far as I could learn, they never once ran away before an enemy. Hereupon he got a commission to take some care of the associated counties, where he brought this troop, into a double regiment, of fourteen full troops; and all these as full of religious men as he could get these having more than ordinary wit and resolution, had more than ordinary success Cromwell's own account will confirm this. "I was a person," says he, "that from my first employment was suddenly preferred, and lifted up from lesser trusts to greater, from my first being a captain of a troop of horse, and I did labour (as well as I could) to discharge my trust, and God blessed me as it pleased him, and I did truly and plainly, and then in a way of foolish simplicity (as it was judged by Reliquiæ Baxterianæ, p. 58.

3

a "

town of Cambridge, for the parliament. As the king had requested a supply of money.

verie great and wise men, and good men too) desired to make use of my instruments 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 first going out into this engagement, (I saw) their men were beaten at every hand; I did indeed, and I desired him that he would make some additions to my lord Essex's armie, of some regiments, and I told him I would be serviceable to him, in bringing such men in, as I thought had a spirit, that would do something in the work: this is very true that I tell you, God knows that I lie not. Your troops, said I, are most of them old decayed serving-men and tapsters, and such kind of fellows; and, said I, their troops. are gentlemens sons, younger sons, and persons of quality, do you think that the spirits of such base and mean fellows will be ever able to encounter gentlemen, that have honour and courage and resolution in them? Truly I presented him in this manner conscienciously, and truly I did tell him, you must get men of a spirit, and take it not ill what say, (I know you will not) of a spirit that is likely to go on as far as gentlemen will go, or else I am sure you will be beaten still; I told him so, I did truly. He was a wise and worthy person, and he did think that I talked a good notion, but an impracticable one; truly I told him I could do somewhat in it, I did so, and truly I must needs say that to you (impart it to what you please) I raised such men as had the fear of God before them, and made some conscience of what they did, and from that day forward, I must say to you, they were never beaten, and wherever they were engaged against the enemy, they beat continually *"

I

2

Monarchy asserted to be the best form of government, in a conference at Whitehall between Oliver and a committee of parliament, p. 38. Lond. 8vo. 1660.

from the University, and intimated his desire of their plate; for its better security, they

This religion of Oliver and his troops, whatever it was, gave matter for raillery to the cavaliers. "As for Noll Cromwell," said Marchamont Needham, "he is

gone forth in the might of his spirit, with all his train of disciples; every one of whom is as David, a man of war, and a prophet; gifted men all, that resolve to their work better than any of the sons of Levi, and rún quite through Wales with their two edged swords, to convert the gentiles." I know not what others may think, but in my opinion the character given by Cromwell to his soldiers of religious men, and such as had the fear of God, will be at least as much to their honour in the eyes of posterity, as that which is contained in the following passage is to the soldiery of—in much more modern times. "It was remarkable in the late war, that when all the different nations which composed the confederate army, were performing their daily devotions, the

-soldiers only, seemed to have no sense of the being of a God." This gentleman does not say these daring men were never beaten, or that they continually beat! The following passage from Whitlock is too remarkable to be neglected. "Cromwell-had a brave regiment of horse of his countrymen, most of them free-holders, and freeholders sons, and who upon matter of conscience, engaged in this quarrel, and under Cromwell. And thus being well armed within, by the satisfaction of their own consciences, and without, by good iron arms, they would, as one man, stand firmly, and charge desperately."-Cromwell is celebrated for his manner of disciplining his soldiers even by an enemy. "Hi autem initio nec arma tractandi nec equos gnari, diligentiâ solertiâque bellatores acerrimi evaserunt; equis etenim curandis, nutriendis ac detergendis indies assuefacti sunt, & si opus foret simul humicubando; arma

"Mercurius pragmaticus, May 30, 1648. p. 73, in the note. 4to. Lond. 1753.

Hanway's Travels, vol. I. Whitlock's Memorials, p. 72.