We have beaten the King's forces in the north; if we should do so
in the west, his Majesty is then undone: he hath many sons living; if
any of them come to the Crown, as they well may, they will never forget
us.' This Major Hammond, a man of honour, will justify as well as
myself. After which he marched not at all, until he had order from the
Committee to hasten westward, by reason of Essex's being lost in
Cornwall, which then he did; and at Newbury fight, it is true, I refused
to obey his directions and order: for this it was; his Majesty's horse
being betwixt four and five thousand in a large common, in good order,
he commands me, Mr. Speaker, to charge them; we having no way to come at
them but through a narrow lane, where not above three horse could march
abreast; whereby had I followed his order, we had been all cut off ere
we could have got into any order. Mr. Speaker, (and then he wept; which
he could do _toties quoties_) I, considering that all the visible army
you then had, was by this counsel in danger to be lost, refused thus to
endanger the main strength, which now most of all consisted of those
horse under my command, &c.
Pages:
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132