303 attempt, which some of the discerning and honest members having a iealonsie , of, sent him down to discover. vVhen he came; going first to commissary Ireton's quarters, he found him and some of the soberer officers of the armie in greate discontent, for that the lieftenant-generall had given order for a sudden advance of the armie to London, upon the intelligence they had had of the viol~nt proceedings of the other party, whereupon Cromwell was then in the mind to have come and broken them up; but Coli. Hutchinson, with others, at that time perswaded him that, notwithstanding the prevalency of the presbiterian faction, yet there were many who had upright and honest hearts to the publick interest, who had not deserv'd to be so us'd by them, and who could not ioyne with them in any such irregular wayfs, although in all iust and equitable things they would be their protectors. Whereupon at that time he was stay'd;' but having now drawne the armie neerer London, they put this insolent force upon the house. Those who were suffer'd to remaine, not at all approov ing thereof, ' sent out their mace to demai)d their members, but the souldiers would not obey, Yet the parliament thought it better to sitt still an,d goe on in their duty then give r Mrs. Hutchinson does lreton that justice which Whitelock refuses him, who seems to consider him in the light of an instigator; but this is clearly decided by Ludlow, who declares that u he himself, being sensible that the presbyterian party were deteru mined to sacrifice the common cause to the pleasure of triumphing over the ·indeu pendents and the army) by agreeing with the king, or by any means, went down to "f!pprize Fairfax and Ireton, then at t~1e siege of Colchester, of this design, and to er court the interposition of the army. Fairfax readily agreed, but Ireton demurred C( to interfering till the king and presbyterians should have actua1ly agreed, and the u body of the nation been convinced of the iniquity of their coalition." Additional provocations and imperious circumstances afterwa1·ds constrained him, but he acted no conspicuous part in the business.- In this difference of opinion respecting the inter-. terence of the army we may see the source of the dissention which more openly took . place afterwards between Col. Hutchinson and Ludlow, and caused the latter to calumniate Col. Hutchinson as he did. 'l T
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