Pagina-afbeeldingen
PDF
ePub

to the reader. We assure them no small labour has been thrown away upon the inquiry; and all we have been able to arrive to of discovery in this affair is, that a memorandum was found with this manuscript in these words, but not signed by any name, only the two letters of a name, which gives us no light into the matter; which memoir was as follows:

MEMORANDUM.-I found this manuscript among my father's writings, and I understand that he got them as plunder at, or after, the fight at Worcester, where he served as Major of's regiment of horse on the side of the parliament. I.K.

N. B.-The manuscript contains an account of the Restoration.

As this has been of no use but to terminate the inquiry after the person, so, however, it seems most naturally to give an authority to the original of the work, viz. That it was born of a soldier; and indeed it is, through every part, related with so soldierly a style, and in the very language of the field, that it seems impossible anything but the very person who was present in every action here related, could be the relator

of them.

The accounts of battles, the sieges, and the several actions of which this work is so full, are all recorded in the histories of those times; such as the great battle of Leipsick, the sacking of Magdeburg, the siege of Nuremberg, the passing the river Leck in Bavaria; such also as the battles of Keynton, or Edge-Hill; the battles of Newbury, Marston-Moor, and Naseby, and the like. They are all, we say, recorded in other histories, and written by those who lived in those times; and, perhaps, had good authority for what they wrote. But do those relations give any of the beautiful ideas of things formed in this account? Have they one half of the circumstances and incidents of the actions themselves that this man's eyes were witness to, and which his memory has thus preserved? He that has read the best accounts of those battles will be surprised to see the particulars of the story so preserved, so nicely, and so agreeably described; and will confess what we allege, that the story is inimitably told; and even the great actions of the glorious King Gustavus Adolphus receive a lustre from this man's relations, which the world was never made sensible of before, and which the present age has much wanted of late, in order to give their affections a turn in favour of his late glorious successor.

In the story of our own country's unnatural wars he carries on the same spirit. How effectually does he record the virtues and glorious actions of King Charles I, at the same time that he frequently enters upon the mistakes of his Majesty's conduct, and of his friends, which gave his enemies all those fatal advantages against him; which ended in the overthrow of his armies, the loss of his crown and life, and the ruin of the constitution.

In all his accounts he does justice to his enemies, and honours the merits of those whose cause he fought against; and many accounts recorded in his story are not to be found even in the best histories of those times.

What applause does he give to the gallantry of Sir Thomas Fairfax, to his modesty, to his conduct, under which he himself was subdued, and to the justice he did the King's troops when they laid down their arms.

His description of the Scots troops in the beginning of the war, and the beha

viour of the party under the Earl of Holland, who went over against them, are admirable; and his censure of their conduct, who pushed the King upon the quarrel, and then would not let him fight, is no more than what many of the King's friends (though less knowing as soldiers) have often complained of.

In a word, this work is a confutation of many errors in all the writers upon the subject of our wars in England, and even in that extraordinary history written by the Earl of Clarendon; but the editors were so just, that when, near twenty years ago, a person who had written a whole volume in folio, by way of answer to, and confutation of, Clarendon's history of the rebellion, would have borrowed the clauses in this account, which clash with that history, and confront it, we say, the editors were so just as to refuse them.

There can be nothing objected against the general credit of this work, seeing its truth is established upon universal history; and almost all the facts, especially those of moment, are confirmed for their general part by all the writers of those times. If they are here embellished with particulars, which are nowhere else to be found, that is the beauty we boast of; and that it is that must recommend this work to all the men of sense and judgment that read.

The only objection we find possible to make against this work is, that it is not carried on farther; or, as we may say, finished with the finishing the war of the time; and this we complain of also. But then we complain of it as a misfortune to the world, not as a fault in the author; for how do we know but that this author might carry it on, and have another part finished which might not fall into the same hands, or may still remain with some of his family, and which they cannot indeed publish to make it seem anything perfect, for want of the other parts which we have, and which we have now made public. Nor is it very improbable but that, if any such farther part is in being, the publishing these two parts may occasion the proprietors of the third to let the world see it; and that, by such a discovery, the name of the person may also come to be known, which would, no doubt, be a great satisfaction to the reader as well as to us. This, however, must be said, that if the same author should have written another part of this work, and carried it on to the end of those times; yes, as the residue of those melancholy days, to the Restoration, were filled with the intrigues of government, the political management of illegal power, and the dissensions and factions of a people, who were then even in themselves but a faction, and that there was very little action in the field, it is more than probable that our author, who was a man of arms, had little share in those things, and might not care to trouble himself with looking at them.

But, besides all this, it might happen that he might go abroad again at that time, as most of the gentlemen of quality, and who had an abhorrence for the power that then governed here, did. Nor are we certain that he might live to the end of that time, so we can give no account whether he had any share in the subsequent actions of that time.

It is enough that we have the authorities above to recommend this part to us that is now published; the relation, we are persuaded, will recommend itself, and nothing more can be needful, because nothing more can invite than the story itself, which, when the reader enters into, he will find it very hard to get out of, until he has gone through it.

THE SECOND EDITION

TO THE READER.*

THE following historical memoirs are writ with so much spirit and good sense, that there is no doubt of their pleasing all such as can form any just pretensions to either. However, as, upon reading of a book, it is a question that naturally occurs, "Who is the author ?" and as it is too much the custom in these days to form our sentiments of a performance, not from its intrinsic merit, but from the sentiments we form of the writer, the present re-publication of these memoirs will renew an inquiry which has been often made-" Who wrote them?" Some have imagined the whole to be a romance; if it be, it is a romance the likest to truth that I ever read. It has all the features of truth, it is clothed with her simplicity, and adorned wtth her charms. Without hazard I may venture to say, were all romance writers to follow this author's example, their works would yield entertainment to philosophers, as well as serve for the amusement of beaux-esprits. But I am fully persuaded our author, whoever he was, had been early concerned in the actions he relates. It is certain, no man could have given a description of his retreat from Marston-Moor to Rochdale, and from thence over the moors to the north, in so apt and proper terms, and in so exact a manner, unless he had really travelled over the very ground he describes. I could point out many other instances in the course of the memoirs, which evidence that the author must have been well acquainted with the towns, battles, sieges, &c., and a party in the actions he relates. But, as it is needless to do this, all that remains is, to trace our author to his name.

He says he was second son to a Shropshire gentleman, who was made a peer in the reign of King Charles I, whose seat lay eight miles from Shrewsbury. This account suits no one so well as Andrew Newport, Esq., second son to Richard Newport, of High Ercoll, Esq.; which Richard was created Lord Newport, October 14, 1642. This Andrew Newport, Esq., whom we suppose our author to be, was, after the Restoration, made a commissioner of the customs, probably in reward of his zeal and good services for the royal cause.†

The several illustrations these memoirs furnish to the history of those times they refer to, the variety of adventures they contain, and the elegant account given herein of the wars in Germany and England, will abundantly recommend them to the curious.

* Printed at Leeds, by James Lister, without date.

+ The original title-page of these memoirs runs thus:

"Memoirs of a Cavalier; or, a Military Journal of the Wars in Germany and the Wars in England; from the year 1632 to the year 1648.

Written above four-score years ago by an English gentleman who served first in the army of Gustavus Adolphus, the glorious King of Sweden, till his death; and, after that, in the royal army of King Charles I, from the beginning of the rebellion to the end of that war.

[blocks in formation]
[ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

Ir may suffice the reader, without being very inquisitive after my name, that I was born in the county of Salop, in the year 1608, under the government of what star I was never astrologer enough to examine; but the consequences of my life may allow me to suppose some extraordinary influence affected my birth.

If there be anything in dreams also, my mother, who was mighty observant that way, took minutes, which I have since seen in the first leaf of her prayer-book, of several strange dreams she had while she was with child of her second son, which was myself.

Once she noted that she dreamed she was carried away by a regiment of horse, and delivered in the fields of a son that, as soon as it was born, had two wings came out of its back, and in half an hour's time flew away from her; and the very evening before I was born she dreamed she was brought to-bed of a son, and that all the while she was in labour a man stood under her window beating on a kettle-drum, which very much discomposed her.

My father was a gentleman of a very plentiful fortune, having an estate of above 5,000l. per annum, of a family nearly allied to several of the principal nobility, and lived about six miles from the town of High Ercol; and my mother being on some particular occasion, was surprised there at a friend's house, and brought me very safe into the world.

at

I was my father's second son, and therefore was not altogether so much slighted as younger sons of good families generally are; but my father saw something in my genius also which particularly pleased him, and so made him take extraordinary care of my education.

I was taught, therefore, by the best masters that could be had, everything that was needful to accomplish a young gentleman for the world; and at seventeen years old my tutor told my father an academic education was very proper for a person of quality, and he thought me very fit for it; so my father entered me of Wadham College, in Oxford, where I continued three

years.

A collegiate life did not suit me at all, though I loved books well enough. It was never designed that I should be either a lawyer, physician, or divine; and I wrote to my father that I thought I had stayed there long enough for a gentleman, and with his leave I desired to give him a visit.

During my stay at Oxford, though I passed through the proper exercises of the house, yet my chief reading was upon history and geography, as those pleased my mind best, and supplied me with ideas most suitable to my genius; by the former I understood what great actions had been done in the world; and by the latter I understood where they had been done.

My father readily complied with my desire of coming home; for, besides that he thought, as I did, that three years at the university was enough; he also most passionately loved me, and began to think of my settling near him.

At my arrival I found myself extraordinarily caressed by my father, and he seemed to take a particular delight in my conversation. My mother, who lived in perfect union with him both in desires and affection, received me very passionately; apartments were provided for me by myself, and horses and servants allowed me in particular.

My father never went a-hunting, an exercise he was exceedingly fond of, but he would have me with him; and it pleased him when he found I liked the sport. I lived thus, in all the pleasures it was possible for me to enjoy, for about a year more; when going out one morning with him to hunt a stag, and having had a very hard chase, and gotten a great way off from home, we had leisure enough to ride gently back; and as we returned took occasion to enter into a discourse with me concerning my manner of settling in the world.

He told me, with a great deal of tenderness, that he loved me above all the rest of his children, and that therefore he intended to do well for me; that my eldest brother being already married and settled, he had designed the same for me, and proposed a very advantageous match with a young lady of very extraordinary fortune and merit, and offered to make me a settlement of two thousand pounds per annum, which he said he could purchase for me without diminishing his paternal estate.

There was too much kindness and affection in this discourse not to affect me exceedingly; I told him I would perfectly resign myself to his will. But as my father had, together with his love for me, a very nice judgment in his discourse, he fixed his eyes very attentively on min and though my answers were without the least reserve, yet he thought he saw some uneasiness in me at the proposal, and from thence concluded

that my compliance was rather an act of discretion than inclination; and though I seemed so absolutely given up to what he had proposed, yet my answers were really an effect of my obedience, rather than my choice; so he returned very quick upon me—

"Look you, son; though I give you my own thoughts on the matter, yet I would have you be very plain with me; for if your sentiments do not agree with mine, I will be your adviser, but will never impose upon you; and therefore let me know your mind freely."

"I don't reckon myseif capable, sir," said I, with a great deal of respect, "to make so good a choice for myself as you can for me; and though my opinion differed from yours, its being your opinion would reform mine, and my judgment would as readily comply as my duty.'

"I gather, at least, from thence," said my father, "that your designs lay another way before, however they may now comply with mine; and therefore I would know what it was you would have asked of me, if I had not offered this to you; and you must not deny me your obedience in this, if you expect I should believe your readiness in the other."

[ocr errors]

brother; and who had indeed instilled into me the first desire of going abroad, and who I knew passionately longed to travel, but had not sufficient allowance to defray his expenses as a gen- [' tleman.

We had contracted a very close friendship, and our tempers being very agreeable to one another, we daily enjoyed the conversation of letters. He was of a generous, free disposition, without the least affectation or deceit, a handsome proper person, strong body, very good mien, and brave to the last dégrée.

His name was Fielding, and we called him captain, though a very unusual title in a college; but fate had some hand in the appellation, for he had certainly the lines of a soldier drawn in his countenance.

I imparted to him the resolutions I had taken, and that I had my father's consent to go abroad; and would gladly know his mind whether he would accompany me. He wrote me word he would with all his heart.

My father, when he saw him (for I sent for him immediately to come to me) very much approved my choice; so we got our equipage ready, and came away for London.

It was on the 22d of April, 1630, when we embarked at Dover, landed in a few hours at Calais, and immediately took post for Paris.

"Sir," said I, "it was impossible I should lay out for myself just what you have proposed; but if my inclinations were never so contrary, at your command they shall be made known, yet I de- I shall not trouble the reader with a journal of clare them to be wholly subject to your order. I my travels, nor with the description of places, confess my thoughts did not tend towards mar- which every geographer can do better than I; riage, or a settlement; for though I had no reason but these memoirs being only a relation of what to question your care of me, yet I thought a gen-happened to ourselves, or in our own knowledge, tleman ought always to see something of the I shall confine myself to that part only. world before he confined himself to any particular part of it; and if I had asked your consent to anything, it should have been to give me leave to travel for a short time, in order to qualify myself that I may appear at home like a son to so good a father."

"In what capacity would you travel?" replied my father: "you must go abroad either as a private gentleman, as a scholar, or as a soldier."

"If it were in the latter capacity, sir," said I, returning pretty quick, "I hope I should not dishonour myself; but I am not so determined as not to be ruled by your judgment."

"Truly," replied my father, "I see no war abroad at this time worth a man's appearing in, whether we talk of the cause or the encouragement; and indeed, son, I am afraid you need not go far for adventures of that nature, for things seem to look as if this part of Europe would find us work enough.'

[ocr errors]

My father then spoke relating to the quarrel likely to happen between the King of England and the Spaniard,* for I believe he had no notion of a civil war in his head.

In short, my father, perceiving my inclinations very forward for travelling, gave me leave, upon condition I would promise to return in two years at furthest, or sooner, if he sent for me.

While I was at Oxford I happened to fall into the society of a young gentleman of a good family, but of low fortune, being a younger

Upon the breach of the match between the King of England and the Infanta of Spain, and particularly upon the old quarrel betwixt the King of Bohemia and the Palatinate

We had indeed some diverting passages in our journey to Paris; first, the horse my comrade rode upon fell so very lame with a slip, that he could not go, and hardly stand; and the fellow that rode with us express pretended to ride away to a town five miles distant to get a fresh horse, and so left us on the road with one horse betwixt

us.

We followed as well as we could, but being strangers, missed the way, and wandered much out of the road. Whether the man performed in reasonable time, or not, we could not be sure; but if it had not been for an old priest, we had never found him.

We met this good man by accident, near a little village whereof he was curate: we spoke Latin enough just to make him understand us, and he did not speak it much better himself; but he took us into the village to his house, gave us wine and bread, and entertained us with won derful courtesy. After this he sent into the village, hired a peasant, and a horse for my captain, and sent him to guide us into the road.

At parting, he made a great many compliments to us in French, which we could just understand; but the sum was, to excuse him for a question he was inclined to ask. After leave to interrogate what he pleased, it was, if we wanted any money for the pursuance of our journey, and pulled out two pistoles, which he offered either to give or lend us.

I mention this exceeding courtesy of the curate, France, and especially to strangers, yet 'tis a because, though civility is very much in force in very unusual thing to have them part with their

money

1

« VorigeDoorgaan »