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IV. Cromwell's Narrative
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 24 December 2009
Extract
Being commanded by the House to give an accompt concerning the many opportunityes lost and advantages given to the enemy since the late conjunction of our armyes (which seemed to be by some miscarriage or neglect in the conduct of the armyes), and especially of our not prosecuteing the victory at Newbery in time to prevent the King's rallying, of our suffering him (after he had recollected and gott to an heade againe) to relieve Dennington Castle and fetch off his ordnance (with all hee had left there) in the face of our armyes, and to goe off without fighting; of our quiting of Newberry afterwards, and withdrawing the siege from Basing. I did in my narrative of the story freely declare that I thought the Earle of Manchester was most in fault for most of those miscarriages and the ill consequences of them.
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- Camden New Series , Volume 12: The Quarrel Between the Earl of Manchester and Oliver Cromwell: An Episode of the English Civil War , December 1875 , pp. 78 - 95
- Copyright
- Copyright © Royal Historical Society 1875
References
page 078 note a The marks of this parenthesis inserted by another hand.
page 078 note b All the King's baggage waggons were left at Donnington Castle; also his papers (which his enemies would gladly have seized to turn to good account, as they did afterwards at Naseby). There was, besides, some treasure.—G.C.
page 079 note a Originally written “fighting,” but altered by another hand into “engagement.”
page 079 note b A word struck out here—perhaps “great.”
page 079 note c “a” has been struck out here.
page 079 note d Altered from “the.”
page 079 note e Altered from, perhaps, “pretenced.”
page 079 note f This and many other similar passages look like an attempt to excite a prejudice against the accused.
page 081 note a Originally written “Bolsover.”
page 082 note a “from” originally written.
page 062 note b “by themselves “is an insertion.
page 083 note a “of force “is an insertion.
page 084 note a ? Cromwell himself. See deposition before the Committee.—G.C.
page 084 note b “directly” inserted afterwards.
page 084 note c “thither” subsequently inserted.
page 084 note d “Winchester Custle” subsequently inserted.
page 085 note a The words in parenthesis subsequently inserted.
page 085 note b “thereby” subsequently inserted.
page 085 note c A deep river, the Kennett, however, flows through the town of Newberry, so that if some of the King's forces had possessed it the capture of the town would not have been easy.—G.C.
page 085 note d “these” subsequently inserted.
page 085 note e “the other way” subsequently inserted.
page 086 note a “dayes” subsequently inserted.
page 086 note b “Oct. 26” subsequently inserted.
page 086 note c The Lamborn.—G.C.
page 086 note d This differs, as far as I am aware, from the other accounts of the battle whether Royalist or Parliamentarian, which state that the Earl “fell on not later than 4 P.M.” —G.C.
page 086 note e Shaw House was protected by a broad rampart faced with stone (which now exists), a ha-ha, and a paling. The defence under Astley, Lisle, Page, and Thelwall, was desperate. The “open side” here spoken of seems to be that next Newberry, and would have necessitated a circuit of the of seems to be that next of it —G.C.
page 087 note a “to gett away” subsequently inserted.
page 087 note b “him” subsequently inserted.
page 087 note c But Cromwell himself appears to haye been equally to blame. The rest of the King's array went close past him with their own and captured ordnance, which was also placed in safety at Donnington Castle.—G.C.
page 088 note a “thereto” subsequently inserted.
page 088 note b “Novemb. 2” subsequently inserted.
page 088 note c Originally written “made this serve.”
page 088 note d “off” subsequently inserted.
page 089 note a “as followes” subsequently inserted.
page 089 note b “on Tuesday, Nov. 5,” subsequently inserted.
page 089 note c “at the randezvous” subsequently inserted.
page 090 note a “by noone at or” inserted in place of “then.”
page 090 note b “come“inserted.
page 090 note c “to” instead of “and.”
page 090 note d “mayne” iiiserled.
page 091 note a “or” inserted instead of “and.”
page 091 note b “as yett” a correction of the first writing.
page 091 note c “there” as first written altered to “till the King came on.”
page 091 note d “Nov. 8” inserted.
page 091 note e “certain” inserted.
page 092 note a About two miles from Donnington Castle in a northerly direction. I have somewhere read that the King halted here for Divine Service, this being Sunday, 10th November.—G.C.
page 092 note b “not got out” an alteration.
page 093 note a “(the while)” inserted.
page 093 note b “from Harwell” inserted.
page 093 note c Clarendon says,” that after the failure of the last assault on Donnington Castle the commanders could not agree about anything, but remained at Newberry quarrelling amongst themselves.—G.C.
page 094 note a “on” inserted.
page 094 note b “excuses” an alteration ; originally written “promises.”
page 095 note a The words “and withdrewe the seige from Basing,” with which the paper concluded, have been struck out.
page 095 note b This narrative may or may not correspond exactly with the charge of Cromwell in the House. Probably it differs in many particulars. It is quite unlike the usual style of Cromwell. This document is compiled with great care and skill, and is remarkable for terseness and perspicuity; and is also notable for the absence of scriptural language and allusions common to most of Cromwell's speeches and letters. It may be the work of several hands. Probably Waller and Hasilrigg had something to do with it. A question might arise as to whether Vane, who was no doubt very active in the “Independent Plot,” may not have had a chief hand in its compilation. It is to be regretted that there appears to be no answer on the part of the Earl of Manchester extant. It does not, however, appear by any means certain that the Earl of Manchester was ever permitted to see this particular document. It is worthy of note that no allusion is made to the failure of the attempt to take Donnington Castle by assault as described by Clarendon.—(Clar. Hist. vol. iv. p. 589, et seq.)