Page:Works of Thomas Carlyle - Volume 06.djvu/387

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
1648]
LETTER LXV. PRESTON BATTLE
353

—did we not once see him in another character? One of Three Troopers with a Letter, in the Honourable House, in the time of the Army Troubles?[1] He will again turn up, little to his advantage, by and by. A Day of universal Thanksgiving for this wonderful great Success is likewise ordered; and a printed schedule of items to be thankful for is despatched, ‘to the number of 10,000,‘ into all places.[2]

LETTER LXV

Let the following hasty Letter, of the same date with that more deliberate one to Lenthall, followed by another as hasty, terminate the Preston Business. Letters of hot Haste, of Hue-and-Cry; two remaining out of many such, written ‘to all the Countries,‘ in that posture of affairs;—the fruit of which we shall soon see. Colonels ‘Cholmely, White, Hatcher, Rhodes,‘ Country Colonels of more or less celebrity, need not detain us at present.

FOR THE HONOURABLE THE COMMITTEE AT YORK: THESE

Warrington, 20th Aug. 1648.

“Gentlemen,”—We have quite tired our horses in pursuit of the Enemy: we have killed, taken and disabled all their Foot; and left them only some Horse, with whom the Duke is fled into Delamere Forest, having neither Foot nor Dragooners. They have taken Five-hundred of them,—I mean the Country Forces “have,” as they send me word this day.

They[3] are so tired, and in such confusion, that if my Horse could but trot after them, I could take them all. But we are so weary, we can scarce be able to do more than walk after them. I beseech you therefore, let Sir Henry Cholmely, Sir Edward Rhodes, Colonel Hatcher, and Colonel White, and all the Countries about you, be sent to, to rise with you and follow

  1. Vol. i. p. 268; and Ludlow, i. 189.
  2. Commons Journals, v. 685.
  3. The Scots.