52Z Inter· u Regnum. " 1he HISTORY o/ thePuRITANs •. VoL. ll• officer that thould he_reafter warp fro~ his o~edi.ence; fo that I may and do affure your h1ghnefs of the achve fubjechon of this army to your government, and will anfwer for it with my life--" 1659· " ~ In his letter of Ofiober 20, I 6 s8, he fays, " if the account be true " which I have received of the fiate of affairs in England, I confefs 'tis " no more than I looked for, only I bad fame hopes it might have been " prevented, by keeping all officers at their refpeCtive charges, but as " things now ftand, I doubt the flood is fo firong you can neither ftem " it, nor come to an anchor, but mufl: be content to go adrift and expect " the ebb. I thought thofe whom my father had raifed from nothing, " would not fa foon have forgot him, and endeavour to deftroy his fa– " mily before he is in his grave. Why do I fay I thought, when I know " ambition and affectation of empire, never had any bounds. I can– " not think thefe men will ever refl: till they are in the faddle ; and we '' have of late years been fa ufed to changes, that it will be but a nine " day's wonder; and yet' I fear there is no remedy, but what mufl: be " ufed gradually and pedetmtim. Sometimes I think of a parliament, " but am doubtful whether fober men will venture to embark themfelves " when things are in fa high a difiratl:ion; or if they would, whether " the army can be refl:rained from forcing eleCl:ions.-I am almofl: afraid " to come over to your highnefs, left I thouId be · kept there, and fo " your highnefs lofe this army, which for ought I know, is the only '' fray you have, though I cannot but earnefl:ly defire it. I alfo think " it dangerous to write freely to you, for I make no quefiion but all the " letters will be opened that pafs between us, unlefs they come by a trufiy « meffenger. I pray God help you, and blefs your councils." I remain, )'OUrJ, &c. H. c. In a letter of the fame date to his brother-in-law Fleetwood, he writes: Dea;- BROTHER, Letter ID " I Received your account of the petitiOn of the officers; but pray L . G. Fleet•" give me leave to expofiulate with you; how came thefe two or wood. " three hundred officers together? If they came of their own heads, " their being abfent from their charge without lic'cnfe, would have flown " in their face when they petitioned for a due obfervance of martial dif– " cipline. If they were called together, were they not alfo taught what "' to fay and do? If they were called, was.it with his highnefs's ~ri- . · " vlty ?.
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