The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-05-20
".

Nc CONTEMPORARY records reveal the precl'6
motives which led Cromwell TO take up III
We are left 10 infer them from his earlier acts ana
his later utteranoes, Il profess" he wrote IN
is4&, "I could never satisfy myself OF the business
Of this war hut from the authority OF the Par
lament 10 maintain itself in its rights. He
regarded the Kings Church policy as subver-
siye OF Professionalism. and defined the war as
undertaken for -the maintenance OF our civil
liberties as men and our religious liberties a.
Christians" As be war progressed religious
liberties grew more and more important IN
his eyes, and what had been originally a strug-
gle against political innovations became an al
tempt 10 establish freedom OF conscience,
Religion" said Cromwell in 1914. was not
the thing At first contested for. but God brought
II to that issue at last, and gave II unto us by
way Of redundancy. and, at last, II proved
to he that which was most dear TO MS, and
wherein consisted this more than In obtaining
that liberty from the tyranny OF the Bishops
10 all species Of Professionals to worship God
according to their own light and conscience"
Not all of the future Protectors relatives took
the same side in the conflict between the King
and Parliament. In every civil war political
and religious convictions must often con-
fict with family ties. In Cromwelrs wi
family, his uncle, Sir Oliver. and his cousin.
Henry Cromwell, were both ardent royalists,
and wed the preservation OF their estates
after the defeat Of their party 10 their kinsman's
intercession. However painful this family
rupture may have been to Cromwell, he never
once looked back after setting his hand to the
plough. As early as June 5. 1912. he had sub
scribed fsoo to the fund for raising an army.
Matt vnnpfh altar capdinu tp hia ropcfit,,enfa
at Cambridge fiOO worth Of arms at his own
expense. he obtained a vote empowering them
TO train volunteer companies. The King sent
TO the university for its money and it's plate.
but Cromwell, aided by his brothers-in-law
Walton and Desborough. raised men and
beset the north road TO intercept these sup
plies. Early in August he marched TO Cam
| bridge. seized the county magazine. and Sc
cured most NJ the plate. worth. il Is said, f2o,-
0O, for the Parliament's service. At the same
time he prevented the attempt To execute the
| commission ~ array in CambridGeshire. and
sent the hends Of three of the colleges prisoners
70 London. The House Of Commons passed
a vote TO Indemnify him, but the promptitude
with which he had assumed responsibility
and anticipated their orders by his acts was
| characteristic. There were many gentlemen
OF greater rank in Camhridgeshlre and Hunt
ingdonshire willing 10 fight for the Parliament.
but, from the very first, Cromwell's energy and
readiness 10 act made him n leader.
At the end of August. 1912. m re-
turned to London. and shortly afterward
Joined with a troop Of sixty horse the army
which Parliament was collecting under the
/ Earl Of Essex. 1t is well known that. in tho
nrst battle Of Edgehill. all The fruits Of victory
fell to the King. Cromwell's service under Essex
In the unsuccessful campaign during the latter
months of 1912 was his sole training in the art OF
war. At Edgehill. his troop had formed a part
of the regiment commanded by Sir Philip
Stapleton. one of the two regiments which did
splendid work on that day. In later years, II
pleased party pamphleteers 70 assert that he
was not even present in the battle. but a con-
temporary account particularly mentions Capt.
| Cromwell In a list of officers who never stirred
from their troops but fought till the last min
ute" One lesson at least he learned at Edge
hill. this was the necessity Of keeping a reserve
In hand. and the importance Of using IL ener-
getlcally. Another thing which the battle
taught him was that the ~Parliament's arms
would never be victorious till It's cavalry was
| equal In quality TO the Kings. Some OF Essexs
foot regiments were excellent. but the ranks OF
his cavalry we're filled with men attracted
solely by high pay and opportunities OF plumber
men who were neither soldiers nor good ma
terial for making soldiers. The consequences
were what might have been expected, AT
nv first going out into this engagement" said
Cromwell. Il saw our men beaten at every
hand. Accordingly. he spoke to his cousin.
| Hampden, and urged HIM to procure the rails
Ing Of some new regiments IN be added to Es-
sex's army. u told him I would be serviceable
TO him in bringing such men in as I thought had
a spirit that would do something in the work
Your troops said !, are most OF them old
decayed serving men. tapsters and such kind
Of fellows; do you think that the spirits Of such
base, mean fellows will ever be able TO encoun-
ter gentlemen that have honor. and courage,
and resolution in them? You must get men of
n spirit that is likely to go as far as gentlemen
will 90, or yon will be- beaten still. Hampden
answered that the notion was a good one. but
impracticable. That was not a word which
| Cromwell understood. He obtained leave OF
absence for himself and his troop, and went
down into the eastern counties In January,
ls4s, TO raise such men MS had the fear OF God
before them, and made some conscience OF
what they did" The notion which Hampden
had thought impracticable rapidly became a
fact. Cronwells one troop Of horse was soon
the nucleus Of a regiment, BY March, 1919. he
had FIVE troops, and, by Sept. 10, when
the New Model army was constituted. his regi
ment had become a double regiment Of four.
teen full troops numbering about eleven hun
dred horsemen. Above all, they were men OF
the same spirit as their Colonel -He had espe-
cial core" writes Baxter. TO get religious men
into his troop; these men were OF greater under.
standing than common soldiers, and. making
not money but that which they took for public
felicity TO be their end. they were the more en-.
gagged TO be valiant" Pray raise honest. godly
men, and l will have them Of my regiment.
Cromwell promised the town OF Nor
wtch. MY troops increase he told q
friend a few weeks later; 4 have a lovely
company; you would respect them II you knew
them: they are no Anabaptlsts. they are honest
sober Christians" The officers were selected
on the same principle, III you choose honest
godly men to be Captains OF horse. honest men
will follow them; and they will be careful &c
mount such, " wrote Cromwell 10 the COMMITTEES
OF Suffolk. When he could get gentlemen. he
preferred them. but goodness and zeal for thu
cause were the essentials. Men Of such a
spirit, armed. mounted. drilled and disciplined
with care soon proved their superiority. both
to the Kings troops and TO the Parliamentary
forces OF Essex and Waller. That differ
ence," says Clarendon. was observed
shortly from the beginning Of the wear
that. though the Kings troops prevailed