Page:Works of Thomas Carlyle - Volume 06.djvu/157

 offer: or else Mr. Rushworth, who uses the arithmetical cipher in this place, having misprinted. Hampden’s subscription there is 1,000l. In Mr. Cromwell it is clear there is no backwardness, far from that; his activity in these months notably increases. In the D’Ewes he appears and reappears; suggesting this and the other practical step, on behalf of Ireland oftenest; in all ways zealously urging the work.

July 15th. ‘Mr. Cromwell moved that we might make an order to allow the Townsmen of Cambridge to raise two Companies of Volunteers, and to appoint Captains over them.’ On which same day, 15th July, the Commons Clerk writes these words: ‘Whereas Mr. Cromwell hath sent down arms into the County of Cambridge, for the defence of that County, it is this day ordered,’ —that he shall have the ‘100l.’ expended on that service repaid him by and by. Is Mr. Cromwell aware that there lies a colour of high treason in all this; risk not of one’s purse only, but of one’s head? Mr. Cromwell is aware of it, and pauses not. The next entry is still stranger.

August 15th. ‘Mr. Cromwell in Cambridgeshire has seized the Magazine in the Castle at Cambridge; and hath hindered the carrying of the Plate from that University; which, as some report, was to the value of 20,000l. or thereabouts.’ So does Sir Philip Stapleton, member for Aldborough, member also of our new ‘Committee for Defence of the Kingdom,’ report this day. For which let Mr. Cromwell have indemnity. —Mr. Cromwell has gone down into Cambridgeshire in person, since they began to train there, and assumed the chief management,—to some effect, it would appear.

The like was going on in all shires of England; wherever