1849.] Formation of the Puritan Army. 139 it arrived was landed not far from Hull, and began the body of an army under the name of a guard, for his person at York; sets up his standard at Nottingham, and declared open war against his parlia ment. 'Blood had already dyed The king's stained sword, and God did well provide That there the mischief should begin, and we First suffer wrong. Let no man call our arms, Our country's just revenging ire.'" These lines the reader acquainted with the Latin poets of the first century of the Christian era, will recognize as a free translation of a portion of Lucan's Pharsalia. The original is, "Jam tetigit sanguis pollutos Caesaris enses: Dii melius, belli tulimus Quod dama priores; Cœperit inde nefas Nec dicier arma Senatus Bella superba decet, Patriæ Sed vindicis iram." The concluding part of the first chapter also gives an interesting account of The Formation of the New Model Army. Having given a brief account of the former armies under the command of Essex, Waller and Manchester, and their want of success, he remarks, "The cause hereof the parliament was tender of ravelling into, only men could not be hindered from venting their opinions privately, and their fears, which were various and variously expressed, whereof I determine nothing, but this I would only say, God's time to deliver England was not yet come. The parliament in prudence (says Carlyle "with Roman dignity") waving a strict inquiry into the cause of these things, applied themselves to seek out the remedy which was most necessary. There being not only no other comparable, but scarce any other means at all that presented itself to them, this New Model was propounded, a design that carried danger enough in the front of it, both in respect to disobliging those at home, and giving advantage to the enemy abroad while we were without an army, or at least whilst our army was all in pieces. As desperate cures requires desperate remedies, so do they often prove very successful, as this has done beyond all expectation, God having in most fair and great characters written upon it 'that it was his design,' and thereby owned both the counsel and counsellors. "The New Model thus resolved on, is gone in hand withal; and now where to find a general puts them all to a stand, till by a strange Providence, without any premeditation or design, Sir Thomas Fairfax was nominated." Chapter second of part first is full of interest, but our limits allow us only to transcribe with abridgment. Fairfax and Cromwell. "Sir Thomas Fairfax, eldest son of Lord Fairfax, of Denton, in the county of York, martially disposed from his youth, not finding action suitable to him in his own country, and there being employment in Holland, went over thither." Having returned and married, "he was entrusted by his country to prefer a petition to his majesty, the scope of which was to beseech him to hearken to his parliament. Which petition the king refusing, he pressed with that instance and intention, following the king so close, till at last he tendered the same upon the pommel of his saddle. But finding no propitiatory here, and seeing a war could not be avoided, he early paid the vows of his martial dedication, and so soon as these unhappy troubles broke forth, took a commission under his father, Ferdinando L. Fairfax. Now how delightfully remarkable is it, if God shall make him, who was by the king rejected in his mild endeavors to prevent the troubles of the land by a petition, a most powerful instrument of restoring peace by the sword. It was the first of April, 1645, ere parliament granted his commission, and the third of April he went from London to Windsor to see, and personally assist in the framing of a new army. He went in a private manner, purposely avoiding that pomp which usually accompanies a general into the field. His excellency continued until the last of April in that work. While the army lay about Windsor forming and fitting for the field, prince Rupert with the king's main force lay about Worcester and the frontiers of Wales. The king's person with most of the train and some of the foot being in Oxford, a convoy of horse reputed about ten thousand, was ordered from Worcester to fetch them off from Oxford. Upon advertisement whereof, the committee of both kingdoms wrote to the general to intercept the convoy. The charge of this service they recommended particularly to Cromwell. "Cromwell looking on himself as now discharged of military employment, by the new ordinance which was to take effect within few 1849.] Progress of the War. 141 days,' was the night before come to Windsor from his service in the west, to kiss the general's hand and take leave of him, when in the morning ere he was out of his chamber, those commands than which he thought of nothing less in all the world came to him from the committee of both kingdoms. "This gentleman, a member of the house of commons, long famous for godliness and zeal to his country, of great note for his service in the house, accepted of a commission at the very beginning of this war. He served his country faithfully, and it was observed God was with him, and he began to be renowned, insomuch that men found that the narrow room whereunto his first employments had confined their thoughts, must be enlarged to an expectation of greater things and higher employments, whereunto Divine providence had designed him for the good of this kingdom. When the time therefore drew near that he as the rest had done, should lay down his commission, upon a new ordinance; the house considering how God had blessed their affairs under his hand, thought fit to dispense with his absence from the house." Carlyle commenting upon Sprigge, remarks, "His words are no doubt veracious; yet there is trace of evidence that Cromwell's continuance in the army had, even by the framers of the self-denying ordinance, been considered a thing possible, a thing desirable." (Preface to letter twelfth.) The Taking of Bletchington House, April 24, 1645. The governor here was Colonel Windebank. Cromwell faced the house "with horse and dragoons, and summoned the governor with a sharp message (our soldiers casting out words for the foot to fall on, as if there had been foot in readiness). The answer was required to be instantly given, or else he must expect the greatest severity. The governor doubting relief from Oxford, rendered the house with all the arms and amunition. Thus God was with our New Model, or rather a branch of it. Which was by the enemy esteemed of such evil consequence to their affairs, and so great an affront, since it was done by the New Model, as they scornfully termed this army, that they could not tell which way to redeem their honors, but by calling the governor to a council of war, whom they condemned to be shot to death. Much means was used for the sparing of his life; but notwithstanding the great interest secretary Windebank, his father, had The Self-Denying Ordinance, see Carlyle's Cromwell.-E. D. N. at court, for the service he had done the church of Rome, he could not prevail for a pardon." The first of May the New Model army began its march under Fairfax, and under severe discipline, as the result of a council of war near Andover fully shows. "The general, to lay an early foundation of good success, in the punishment of former disorders, and prevention of future misdemeanors, caused a council of war to be called the morning they marched from Andover, a mile from the town. The several regiments were drawn up, and the council tried several offenders for their lives. A renegado, and four more officers of the mutiny in Kent were cast, one of which with the renegado, were executed upon a tree at Wallop, in the way of the army's march, in terrorem. And the next day was proclamation made through the army, that it should be death for any man to plunder."1 By the fourteenth of May the main army arrived at Newbury. "In their march, besides exemplary justice done to a rude soldier (as upon two before), and other things of particular note, there was one passage of great wisdom and condescension in the general. When the duty became so hard to some of the regiments as, each other day to bring up the rear, the general's own regiment claiming a privilege to march always in the van, which was convenient now to be waved for the relief; but they being unwilling thereunto, the general instead of severe discipline, alighted himself, and marched on foot at the head of his regiment about two miles, and so brought up the rear. To this day his regiment takes the turn upon all duties, a thing if rightly considered, nothing to their dishonor, and redounding much to the good of the army; there being not any one thing that more frequently and certainly breeds distempers and causes mutinies, than claiming of privileges, and insisting thereon in time of service." Reflections at the close of the account of Naseby Battle. "That it may the better appear of how great consequence this victory was to the whole kingdom, let us take a view of it. Suppose we behold it through the counter prospective of the contrary event, as if the enemy had had the victory, and we been beaten. Then methinks I see not only this army, the guardian of the kingdom, lying on a heap, furnishing the enemy with insulting trophies, but also our party in the West ruined, and the enemy there like a violent torrent carrying all before him. Methinks I see the king and Goring united, making In the French revolution of June, 1848, the citizens made a similar proclamation. In the suburbs of Paris was written, "Death to Robbers."-—E. D. N. 1849.] Reflections on the Battle of Naseby. 143 a formidable army and marching up to the walls of London, encouraging their soldiers, as formerly, with the promise of the spoil of that famous city. And if this success had been indulged them, and London not denied, what could have ensued worse or more? When once that city, by such a fate, had restored an emblem of undone Rome, when Caesar came against it, 'The Senate shook, the affrighted Fathers leave All this did God mercifully prevent by the success of that battle, and turned over this condition to the enemy, and thereby laid the happy foundation of all the blessed success we have had since. He that shall not, in this victory, look beyond the instrument, will injuriously withhold from God his due. He that doth not behold God in the instruments, will not know how to give him his due; for when he doth actions by instruments, his glory is to be seen in the instruments. Now had I only to deal with actions, I might possibly give an account of them; but who may undertake to represent the lively frame of an heightened soul, and the working of the affections in such heroic actions. The general, a man subject to the like infirmities of body as well as passions of mind with other men, especially to some infirmities contracted by former wounds, which however at other times they may hinder that illustrious and puissant soul that dwells within, from giving a character of itself in his countenance; yet, when he hath come upon action, or been near an engagement, it hath been observed another spirit hath come upon him, another soul hath looked out at his eyes. I mean, he hath been so raised, elevated, and transported, as that he hath been not only unlike himself, but indeed more like an angel than a man." It is hardly necessary to remind the "gentle reader," that our good friend Joshua is now excited. "And this was observed of him at this time: now with what triumphs of faith, with what exultation of spirit, and with what a joint shout of all the affections God is received into that heart, whose eye he uses as an optick to look through, itself is only privy to! What high transactions, what deep and endearing engagements pass mutually between God and such a soul! "One passage relating to Lieut. Gen. Cromwell's service in this bat |