CHAP. XLVII. 1647 No effort to meet the of the peti Skippon summoned. dislike of that petition, their approbation and esteem Not only did the Houses refrain from giving in complaints this Declaration the slightest hint of a desire to tioners. meet the complaints of the petitioners, but in passing a resolution to borrow 200,000l., the Commons expressly announced that the money was to be used for the service of England and Ireland.' Not a penny, it seemed, was to be spent in satisfying the arrears of the soldiers' pay. At the same time Skippon was to be summoned from the North to resume his duties as major-general in Fairfax's army, where, as was hoped, the influence of that sturdy and honest soldier would be put forth on the side of Parliament. The Presbyterian leaders were as lacking in imagination as Charles himself. They had no conception of the effect which their stinging words would produce on an already discontented soldiery. 1 Declaration, March 30, L.J. ix. 115. CHAPTER XLVIII. THE AGITATORS. CHAP. XLVIII. 1647 March 30. A letter from Fairfax. April 1. Pride himself. BEFORE the Declaration of the Houses had time to work mischief, a letter from Fairfax1 informed the Commons that in one respect at least they had been deceived. The report of a general rendezvous at Saffron Walden, it appeared, was without foundation. On April 1, the day on which this letter was read, the incriminated officers appeared at Westminster fully prepared to justify themselves. Pride, who was the first to be called to the bar of the House of clears Commons, declared that the special charge brought against him of having obtained signatures to the petition by threats was also without foundation. After this there was nothing to be done but to send The the officers back to their posts, with directions to do sent back. everything in their power to suppress the obnoxious petition; 2 but so hot was the temper of the members that Ireton, having justified the petition, was bitterly Quarrel attacked by Holles, and a challenge passed between Holles and the two. Other members, however, intervened in time to prevent the duel from taking place, and ultimately the House itself ordered the disputants to lay aside their quarrel.3 1 Fairfax to Lenthall, March 30, Kushw. vi. 445. 2 C.J. v. 132; Rushw. vi. 444. 3 C.J. v. 133. "Mr. Holles and Major (sic) Ireton going over the water to fight, were hindered by Sir William Waller and some others who observed Mr. Holles to deride Ireton's arguments in justification of the army's petition, which was the occasion of the quarrel." Letter of Intelligence, Clarendon MSS. 2748. A later news-letter gives a story that Holles went out prepared to fight, but that Ireton came officers between Ireton. CHAP. XLVIII. 1647 Arrange ments for At Westminster there was no conception of the gravity of the situation created by the refusal of the Commons to listen to the complaints of the soldiers. The House lightly turned to the consideration of the future government of Ireland, as if the troops now in England would without difficulty be available for the Lord Lisle summer campaign. In 1646 Parliament had apLord Lieu- pointed Lord Lisle, the eldest son of the Earl of the government of Ireland. 1646 tenant. .1647 Jan. Leicester, Lord Lieutenant for a single year.1 Ireland, however, offered few attractions, and it was not till the end of January 1647, that Lisle set forth. He had scarcely landed at Cork before he gave deep offence to Inchiquin, the Lord President of Munster, with Inchi- by taking out of his hands the command of the He March quarrels quin. Michael Jones to command in Dublin, quin in Munster. troops in his own province.2 After this Parliament was not disposed to prolong Lisle's term of office. The retirement of Ormond 3 had by this time given hope of access to Dublin, and the Houses accordingly appointed Colonel Michael Jones, who had distinguished himself at Rowton Heath and in the siege of Chester, to take the command in Dublin, though he could not leave and Inchi England till Ormond had actually surrendered the sword of office. At the same time, Lisle's recall restored Inchiquin's supremacy in Munster. Parliament was resolved that in future the civil and military authority should no longer be combined in one person, and, with the intention of entrusting the former to commissioners of its own, it appointed Skippon to without a sword, pretending that it was against his conscience to take part in a duel, which, according to the writer, confirmed the general opinion that the Independents are deadly cowards,' Ib. 2495. On this, with some further embellishment, is built Clarendon's statement that Holles pulled Ireton's nose, Clarendon, x. 104. 1 L.J. viii. 127, 261. 2 Inchiquin to Manchester, March 10; Lisle to Manchester, March 13, L.J. ix. 108; x. 94. 3 See p. 31. 4 See vol. ii. 323. IRISH APPOINTMENTS. 47 CHAP. XLVIII. and 1647 command the army with the title of Field Marshal, and Massey to serve under him as his lieutenantgeneral. Both these officers had done good service skippon in the war, but their military careers had not been Massey sufficiently distinguished to rouse enthusiasm in the to com army, especially as they were both disposed to whole force support the policy of the Presbyterians. mand the in Ireland. the army. The soldiers, indeed, were in no complying mood. Temper of Though they do not seem as yet to have thought of resistance, they were working themselves up into a temper which might ultimately lead to it. Why, they asked, when all other men were allowed to petition Parliament itself, were they forbidden to make their complaints known even to their own general?2 April 15. Parlia commis Saffron For such mutterings the Houses had no ear. In their anxiety to hasten the formation of the mentary new army destined for Ireland, they despatched sioners at to Saffron Walden a new body of commissioners, Walden. amongst whom were Warwick, Waller, and Massey, to persuade as many as possible to volunteer for the service. On April 15, soon after their arrival at head-quarters, the commissioners urged Fairfax to threaten with penal consequences all who attempted to obstruct their proceedings. Fairfax briefly answered that, as the men were asked to volunteer, it would be unreasonable to prohibit freedom of discussion amongst them. Fairfax undoubtedly resented the harsh language of the recent Declaration, but he was not the man openly to resist the authority of Parliament, and he contented himself with refusing to co-operate with the commissioners whenever he thought it prudent to hold aloof.3 CHAP. XLVIII. 1647 meeting. In the afternoon the commissioners, after an address to a meeting of two hundred officers in the An officers' church, were at once met with a demand for an answer to the four queries put to the former deputation. On their refusal to comply with this request, the conversation turned on the names of the new commanders. There was a general impression that Skippon would refuse to serve in Ireland, and he had in fact already sent a letter of excuse to the House of Lords." Why, called out one of the officers, might they not go under their old generals? This suggestion was at once caught up. Cries of "All! All! Fairfax and Cromwell and we all go!" rang round the church. The commissioners, finding that no better answer was to be got, hereupon dissolved the meeting, inviting such as were inclined to volunteer to give in their names. personally. A representation to Parlia prepared. With this invitation a few complied. The larger number appointed a committee to draw up a reprement to be sentation to Parliament asking for an answer to the four queries, and urging that if the old generals were named, ‘it would conduce much to their encouragement and personal engagement.' This proposal was supported by the signatures of about a hundred April 16. infantry officers, and most of the cavalry officers added their signatures on the following day. April 17. The com appeal to Fairfax, The commissioners were not slow in taking steps missioners to counteract this alarming demonstration. They extracted from Fairfax a letter requesting the officers to forward the Irish service, though they failed to and try to induce him to put his request in the form of a command. They also appealed to the interests of the officers, offering certificates of arrears to those who 2 L.J. ix. 138. gain the volunteers by their interests. 1 See p. 37. |