~94 ·collonell, for whom nothing could comfort them, but a successor equal to himselfe, which they could not hope to find, so as they . might in the person of Coli. Hutchinson, with whose worth and courage they were well acquainted, and he was now out of employment: the only difficulty was, whether he would accept the command or noe, which they hoped to prevaile in, if he would obliege them by sending to Lord Fairfax, to stop all other wayes that might be thought of for disposing it, till they could know whether Coli. Hutchinson would accept it, for which they had pr~par'd a messenger to send to"his house. Cromwell, with all the assentation imaginable, seem'd to reioyce they had made so worthy a choyce, and promis'd them to take care the regiment should not be dispos'd of, till they receiv'd CoiL Hutchinson's answer; whereupon the captaines severally writt to Coli. Hutchinson, with most earnest entreaties, that he would give them leave to procure a commission for him to conduct them, which the lieft. general had allready promis'd to send for, if he pleas'd to accept it. The collonell, though he had more inclination at that time, by reason of the indisposition of his health, to rest, yet not knowing whether the earnest desires of his countriemen were not from a higher call, writt them word that he preferr'd the satisfaction of their desires before his owne, and if the commission came to him to be their leader, he would not refuse it, though he should not doe aniething himselfe to seeke any command. Meanwhile Cromwell, _ as soone as the Nottinghamshire men had imparted their desires to him, sent for Saunders, and caiolling him, told him, none was so fitt as himselfe to command the regiment, but that the regiment thought not all of them soe, but were designing to procure themselves another collonell, which he advis'd him to prevent, by sending speedily to the generall, to whom Cromwell also writt to further the request, and before the messenger came back from Owthorpe procur'd the commission for Saunders. When it came, he us'd all
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