Page:The Leveller movement; a study in the history and political theory of the English Great Civil War (IA levellermovement01peas).djvu/120

 were above using them for party purposes. In June of 1645, James Cranford, a zealous Presbyterian, got into trouble by accusing Crewe, Vane, Pierrepont, and St. John of such dealings with the enemy. In the same month Parliament investigated similar rumors touching Denzil Holles, notably an assertion by Lord Savile that Holles had been in correspondence with Lord Digby. The investigation brought to light the fact that Holles had received a letter from Savile, written with “white ink,” while that gentleman had been an ardent Royalist. On July 19, the House by a division of ninety-five to fifty-five voted that this did not amount to treasonable correspondence.

Through this seemingly irrelevant incident, Lilburne’s enemies brought him into collision with the House of Commons. July 18, he had brought a witness to testify against Holles. While at Westminster the next day, he met three friends who had preferred to a committee of the Commons charges of improper conduct by Speaker Lenthall. The three men retailed their charges to Lilburne, and he brought Colonel Roe to hear also. Colonel King and John Bastwick at once laid an information with the House of Commons to the effect that a certain Captain Hawkins, after having talked with Lilburne and Colonel Ireton, had come to the in-