of defence as the time would permitt. But it was not long beforethe king chose another way, and went to "Worcester. Cromwell following swiftly after with his armie, and other forces meeting him from several!" other parts, they fought with the king and his Scolls, totally ronted and subdued him, and he, with difficulty, · after concealment in .an oake and many other shifts, stole away into France. ·when the collonell hear'd how Cromwell us'd his troopes, he was confirm'd that he and his associates in the armie, were carrying on designcs of private ambition, and resolv'd that none should share with them in the commands of the army or forts of the nation, but such as would be beasts, and ridden. upon by the proud chiefes. Disdaining, therefore, that what he had preserv'd , for the liberty of his country, should be a curb upon them, and foreseeing.that some· of Cromwell's creatures wo.ulcl at leng th be put in, to exercise him with continual! affronts, and to hinder any man from standing up for the deliverance of the country, if the insolence of the army (which he too sa~lly foresaw) should put them upon it; for this reason, in CromweH's absence, he procur'tl an order for the remoove of the garrison at Nott ingham, which was commanded by his kinsman Maior Poulton, into the ma rching army, and the demollishing of the place; whi ch accordingly was speed ily executed. When Maior Poulton, who had all along bene very faithful! and active in the canse, brought his men to the a rmi e, he was entertain' cl with such affronts and neglects by the general!, that !Je voluntari ly quilted his command, and re tir'd to the rnin'd pl ace, where the castle was which he had bought with his arrears.' When Cromwell r The machinations of Cromwell are spoken of in general terms by Rapin, '~' lli t c ]ock, aOd others; but no where so well detailed as here . Of nil thi ngs the most ne· cessary to Cromwell was to obtain soldiers and subaltern officers perfectly subse rv ien t' to hi s own pmposes, but this he could hope to effect then, and then onl!f, when he
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=