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 run quite through Wales with their two edged swords, to convert the gentilesa." 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

packed up the same, but were prevented from

insuper polire, nitida & usui expedita servare, loricas optimas induere, séque cætero armaturæ genere communire condocefecerat eos Cromwellius. Atque hoc exercitii militaris genere, præ reliquis commilitonum omnibus emicuêre virtute bellica, plurésque ab hoste palmas repórtârunt." i. e. "His men, who in the beginning were unskilful both in handling their arms, and managing their horses, by diligence and industry became excellent soldiers; for Cromwell used them daily to look after, feed and dress their horses; and, when it was needful, to lie together with them on the ground; and besides, taught them to clean and keep their arms bright, and have them ready for service; to chuse the best armour, and to arm themselves to the best advantage. Trained up in this kind of military exercise, they excelled all their fellow soldiers in feats of war, and obtained more victories over their enemies." The following stratagem to try the courage of his troopers in the beginning of the war is related by more than one writer. "Upon the first muster of his troop, having privily placed twelve resolute men in an ambuscado (it being near some of the king's garrisons) upon a signal, on the appointed time, and the said ambush with a trumpet sounding, galloped furiously to the body, out of which some twenty instantly fled out of fear and dismay, and were glad the forfeiture was so cheap and easy; and ashamed of their childish and disgraceful deserting of their station and colours, had not the confidence to request their continuance in his service, or deny or scruple the rendring their horses to them who should fight the Lord's battle in their stead." I am no judge of military affairs: but I think it is a maxim "that good discipline makes good soldiers." Cromwell was quite exact in this, and the behaviour of his army was such as merited the greatest praise, even abstracted from its valour. Let us

* Bates's Elenchi, p. 220. pars 2da. Flagellum, or the Life, &c. of Oliver Cromwell, p. 24. 12mo. Lond. 1663. Perfect Politician, or a full View of the Life of Oliver Cromwell, p. 4. 8vo. Lond. 1680.

sending it, by the diligence of Oliver, who

hear an eye witness: a panegyrist he is; but on this occasion seems to have adhered pretty much to the truth "Quicquid effuciunt in te dementes Olivari, nauci non facio, religiosissimum imperatorem, religionis mediis in exercitibus defensorem, protectorem, propagatorem, nemo nisi laudum tuarum supra modum invidus hic reperitur, qui te non suspexerit, admiratus fuerit, observantia summâ non coluerit. Enim vero, ubinam terrarum tàm religiosus visus est imperator, tamquè religiosus exercitus? Miratus ego sum, varias Angliæ provincias tunc pro negotiorum meorum, vel principis mei Serenissimi Ducis Gueldriæ Comitis Hæcmundæ necessitate peragrans, easquè militibus tuis refertas, ita quietas, tranquillas, pacatas, quasi ne unus quidem in illis miles esset, sic addictas pietati, quasi monachorum non militum legiones in pagis ipsarum dispersæ degerent. Ita certa singulis diebus tùm fundendis Deo precibus, tùm audiendis Dei præconiis, erant assignata tempora, milites ipsos adeo modestos, nihilque nişi Deum, pietatem, religionem, virtutem respirantes, ut ingenuè fatear cum stupore non mediocri sæpè suspexi. Atque ne putet hie aliquis velle me blandiri, oleum Olivario divendere, vel in illius aures instillare, testem Deum adhibeo, quod sæpissime præsidiarios Olivarii, modô supra dictó milites adiens, ne vel inverecundum verbulum unquam ab ullius ex illis ore perceperim, jusjurandumque nullum, sed meram humanitatem, urbanitatem, pietatem, verecundiam, modestiam animadverterim. Unde nequaquam in Olivarii militibus locum habere potest quod de omnibus aliis jampridem decantatum est,

"Nulla fides pietasquè viris qui castra sequuntur,

"Sed de illis dicendum potius est,

"Multa fides pietasquè viris qui castra sequuntura." Warwick, speaking of his army, says, "they had all either naturally the phanatick humour, or soon imbibed it: a

on this, as well as other occasions, shewed

herd of this sort of men being by him drawn together, he -made use of the zeal and credulity of those persons, teaching them, as they too readily taught themselves, that they engaged for God, when he led them against his vicegerent the king: and where this opinion met with a natural courage, it made them the bolder, and too oftner the crueller: for it was such a sort of men, as killed brave young Cavendish and many others, after quarter given, in cold blood. And these men, habited more to spiritual pride than carnal riot or intemperance, so consequently having been industrious and active in their former callings, and professions, where natural courage wanted, zeal supplied its place; and at first they chose rather to dye than fly; and custom removed fear of danger: and afterwards finding the sweet of good pay, and of opulent plunder, and of preferment, suitable to activity and merit; the lucrative part made gain seem to them a natural member of godliness *." Though many shades are thrown into Warwick's picture, it is still beautiful in comparison of " a dissolute, undisciplined, wicked beaten army," which Clarendon tells us the king's was, when lord Hopton took its command: "an army, whose horse," he says, " their friends feared, and their enemies laughed at; being terrible only in plunder, and resolute in running away 6." Such would not have been entertained by Cromwell. I shall close this note with the last writer's character of Cromwell's army, given before both houses of parliament, Sept. 13, 1660: I say Cromwell's army, for it is well known they were the same men, for the most part, who had been formed by him, and fought under his banners. "No other prince," says the chancellor, " in Europe, would be willing to disband such an army; an army to which victory is entailed, and which, humanly speaking, could hardly fail of conquest whithersoever he should lead it.-An army whose order and discipline, whose

• Warwick's Memoirs, p. 252.

▸ Clarendon, vol. IV. p. 729.

himself an active partisan". In the course

sobriety and manners, whose courage and success hath made it famous and terrible over the world. His majesty knows they are too good Englishmen to wish that a standing army should be kept up in the bowels of their own country; that they who did but in Bello pacis gerere negotium, and who whilst an army lived like good husbandmen in the country, and good citizens in the city, will now become really such, and take delight in the benefit of that peace, they have so honestly and so wonderfully brought to passa." What an elogium, before those who were best of all able to judge of its truth and propriety! Nothing after this can be added.

17

They were prevented by the diligence of Oliver, who shewed himself an active partisan.] I intend not to particularize the military exploits of Cromwell, they are sufficiently known. Europe sounded with them; and they will be long talked of. However, as this was his first exploit, it may merit some attention, as well as rectify some mistakes. Great complaint is made of him in the Querela Cantabrigiensis, in the following words: "Master Cromwell, burgess for the town of Cambridge, and then newly turned a man of war, was sent down by his masters above, at the invitation of his masters below (as himself confessed) to gather what strength he could to stop all passages that no plate might be sent: but his designs being frustrated, and his opinion as of an active subtile man, thereby somewhat shaken and endangered, he hath ever since bent himself to work what revenge and mischief he could against us. In pursuit whereof, before that month was expired, down he comes again in a terrible manner with what forces he could draw together, and surrounds divers colleges, while we were at our devotion in our several chappels, taking away prisoners, several doctors of divinity, heads of colleges,