The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1904-12-09
battle but the road into England

battle-but the road into England
was clear. III 81: ]95 iSe
Cromwell himself had gone north.
ward to Perth, and on the second Of
August he took possession of that
city. but while entered It was told
that Charles Stuart, with fourteen
thousand men, had suddenly left
Stirling and was marching towards.
England. Charles had taken the west
ern road by Carlisle, and it was
thought he would make for London.
He went at flying speed past York,
Nottingham, Coventry, until he reached
the borders of Shropshire. At Shrews-
bury he found the gates shut against
him and his men were, SO dfsheartened
that the king turned westward to
Worcester, a city reported to be loyal.
where he was received with every
show of honor and affection. e
Meanwhile Cromwell was following
Charles with steady swiftness that
had something fateful in 1t. This was
to be the last battle Of the civil war,
and Cromwell knew it. There was in
his soul, even at, Perth. the assurance
of victory, and as he passed through
the towns and villages of England.
men would not be restrained. They
threw down the sickle and the spade
in the field, the hammer in the forge,
the plane at the bench, and catching
hold of the stirrups of the riders, ran
with them to the hating place. So,
with his ten thousand troops aug
mented to thirty thousand, he reached
Warwick, and making his headquar.
ters at the pretty village of Keynton
near by, he gave his men time to
draw breath and called a council of
war.
Cromwell sat at the upper end of a
long table. A rough map Of the coun-
try around Worcester lay before him,
and Harrison, Lambert, Israel Swat.
ham and Lord Evesham were his com.
panions. There were two tallow can
dies on the table, and their light
shone on the face of Cromwell At
that moment it was full of melan.
choly, but he saw in an instant the
entrance of Neville, and with an al.
most imperceptible movement com.
manded his approach.
Neville laid the letters of which he
was the bearer before Cromwell, and
his large hand Immediately covered
them. .'Is all well?" he asked-and
reading the. answer in the youths
face, added, II thank God! What then
of the city,"
Its panic is beyond describing" an
swered Neville. Parliament is beside
itself. But London is manifestly with
the Commonwealth, and every man in
it is looking to you and to the army
for protection. Some, indeed, I met
who had lost heart, and who thought
it better that Charles Stuart should
come back than that England should
become a graveyard fighting him."
"Such men are sucked Slaves" said
Lambert. Il would hang them with.
out word or warrant for it,"
YEA" said Cromwell, 'for Freedom.
is dead in them. From here there are
two courses open to us, a right one
and wrong one. What say you,
LAMBERT"
Il say it were well to turn our noses
to London, and to let the rogues know
we are coming"
What is your thought, Harrison?
Worcester is we'll defended" he an
swered musingly. 1T has Wales be.
hind it. We cannot fight Charles
Stuart till we compass the city, and to
do that we must be on both sides OF
the river"
Fight him." said Lord Evesham,
better now than later"
Flight him! That, tell you, is my
mind also," said Cromwell striking the
table with his clinched hand. Some
may Judge otherwise, but think while
we hold Charles Stuart safe, London
is safe also. God has chosen this
battlefield for US, as He chose Dunbar.
But there must be no slackness. The
work is to be thorough, and not to
do over again. The nation wishes it
so, know lit. The plain truth is
we will march straight, ON Worcester;
we will cut off Charles Stuart from
AT hope OF London; VIC will fight him
from both sides of the river, and
bring this matter Of the Stuarts to an
end"
(To be continued.)
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