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jected. Finally, however, upon its again passing through the Commons, on the 3d of April ensuing, it obtained their concurrence also; but not till such of the military commanders as formed a part of their House-viz. the General-in-chief, (the Earl of Essex), and the Earls of Manchester and Denbigh—had voluntarily resigned their commissions. Meanwhile, another ordinance had been prepared, and also passed both Houses, for new modelling the army; by which, Sir Thomas Fairfax was appointed General-inchief of all the forces, with power to nominate his officers, and to execute martial law.*

* Sir Thomas, it is plausibly supposed, owed this elevation (in great part) to the courage and conduct he had evinced in keeping in play the very superior forces of the Earl of Newcastle in the north, soon after the commencement of hostilities; at a time when the Parliament's troops were literally beaten at every hand,' those under this commander and his father, the Lord Fairfax, alone excepted. It cannot be imagined, however, that Sir Thomas would have been preferred to Cromwell for the chief command, had he not possessed the additional recommendation of not being a member of either House-the precise recommendation at which the Self-denying Ordinance had been aimed. Hume's endeavour to detract from Cromwell's military reputation, by noticing at his expence the superior rise of Fairfax, might therefore have been spared. Could the House, on acceding to Cromwell's own motion for divesting the members of all military command, have nominated him to be their new Commander-inchief, who, simply as a member, was among the number of those directly purposed to be excluded?

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His commission, it is observable, was made out in the name of the Parliament alone, and not in that of the King and Parliament,' as all previous commissions had been worded: neither was any mention made of the King's authority in the ordinance; nor any clause for the preservation of his person, as had been wished by the Lords, inserted. That the Upper House did not obtain their desire in this respect, sufficiently evinced the decline, and perhaps predicted the approaching fall, of their influence. It is not probable, however, as Hume appears to think, they could as yet suspect the increasing popular ebullition would subside only in the destruction both of monarchy and their parliamentary privileges; for, if they had, they would hardly have concurred at last in passing the Self-denying Ordinance;' and it has been seen that without their consent, (since without it, it had been once formally rejected,) it would not, as yet at least, have passed at all.

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Be this as it may, the ordinance took effect; and Cromwell, not less than the rest of his compeers, prepared to take a final leave of the Army. To suppose otherwise than this, is to suppose that both Houses of Parliament were either the dupes or the accomplices of a single man a supposition, by the way, which has been shown to be extremely unnecessary; since it was the part only of a man of ordinary

prudence, to sacrifice a military post, in order to secure such a similar sacrifice from his enemies, as should circumvent their plots against his life, and prevent their achieving his and the common destruction of his party, by the King's restoration to power. Numbers of the House, it is likely, were less sincere than Cromwell in this business; and some, doubtless, more so. Among the former might be all those, who, from envy of the military reputation of Cromwell, and the other officers, members of Parliament, might not be sorry to have an opportunity of reducing them to their former level with themselves; and with these, a pretended self-denying' act, accompanied with much shew of religious feeling, was in reality a mere political intrigue. Among the latter, were those few, who, led alone by their zeal and enthusiasm, cheerfully relinquished their lucrative employments, for the conceived good of their cause, without the apparent possibility of their receiving any compensatory advantages. But the conduct of the entire majority will very probably be considered disingenuous, at the least; since its object was to rid themselves of their army leaders by what was aptly termed 'a side-wind,' instead of openly exhibiting their charges against them, and making such the grounds of their dismissal; and it being evident that, throughout the whole affair, much

more was understood as to their common motive than was expressed. But, on the other hand again, it must be admitted, that as to produce a general charge against the leaders of the Army, (since it might have endangered the fidelity of the soldiers, who were much attached to several of them,) would have been highly inexpedient;-so, upon the whole, it may be questioned, whether in any thing but grave religious farce, the mere duplicity of the Parlia ment on this occasion, far outwent the statecraft employed by politicians in ordinary times.

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CHAPTER V.

66

FROM THE SUSPENSION OF THE SELF-DENYING

ORDINANCE" IN CROMWELL'S FAVOUR, TO HIS JUNCTION WITH, AND AFTER SECESSION FROM, THE KING'S PARTY.

Cromwell appointed to the chief command of the Horse under Sir Thomas Fairfax-Battle of Naseby-Moral Characteristics of the opposed Armies-Discovery of the King's Insincerity-Continued Successes of Cromwell-His remarkable Escape at the Siege of Bristol-Farther SuccessesCharacter of Fairfax, and the Parliament's liberality to him and Cromwell-Gloomy prospects of the King at the opening of the Year 1646-He surrenders himself to the Scotch Army-Divisions between the Parliament and the ScotsThe latter deliver up the King to the Parliament-Situation of the Country-Desiderata of the Times-Cromwell's supposed Views-Consideration of some Charges brought against him-Seizure of the King by the Army-Cromwell's (and the Independents') Treaty with Charles-Altered tone, and increased violences, of the Army-Cromwell's danger, from his continued efforts in the King's favour-Perseverance in the same efforts, and intrepid conduct at WareAnecdote The King's flight from Hampton Court-He arrives in the Isle of Wight-Reluctant change in Cromwell's Policy.

AND now arrived the crisis, on which, though unforeseen by him, the whole future fortunes of Cromwell were to turn. On coming to Windsor, from Salisbury, to bid farewell to Sir Tho

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