170 Assoone as Mr. Ailsop came to London, he was immediately dispatcht againe to Nottingham, with an order of parliament, dated November 20, 1643, for Coll. Hutchinson to be governor both of the towne and castle of Nottingham, with an acknowledgement of the good service he had clone, in preserving the place, and Mr. Millington saycl he should likewise have a commission from the Em·le of Essex. At Leicester, Mr. Allsop mett letters, directed to the governor, from Sr. Thomas Fairfax, wherein was a commission enclosed from his father, then generall of all the north, for the government of both the towne and castle. These comming both together, although the genera!! and the parliament had added the government of the towne to that of the castle, as more honour to him, Collonell Hutchinson was fol' many reasons much troubled at it, among which these were some of his considerations.-First, it was allmost all malignants, there being scarce a man left that was to be confided in, except those who were allreacly listed into the castle. Secondly, they were not so much open profess'd enemies, as close, hipocriticall, false-hearted people, amongst whom were some leading eminent men, so subtile in their malignity, that though their actions were most preiucliciall to the pnblick service, yet did they cast such cunning specious pr~tences over them of publick good, that even the most upright men of the garrison were often seduc'd by their faire colours. Thirdly, the religiousest and best people were so pragmaticall, that no act, nor scarcely word, could passe without being strictly arraign'd and iudg'd at the barre of every common souldier's discretion, and thereafter censur'd and exclaim'd at. Fourthly, the townsmen, being such as had liv'd free and plentifully of themselves, could not subiect themselves to government, but were so sawcy, so negligent, and so mutinous, that the most honorable person in the world, could expect nothing but scandall, reproach, and ingratitude, for the payment of his greatest meritt; and this the worthy governor found sufficiently from them. Lastly, the
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=