Page:Works of Thomas Carlyle - Volume 06.djvu/250

216 others what order and disorder really were. The forest-trees are not in ‘order’ because they are all clipt into the same shape of Dutch-dragons, and forced to die or grow in that way but because in each of them there is the same genuine unity of life, from the inmost pith to the outmost leaf, and they do grow according to that!—Cromwell naturally became the head of this Schismatic Party, intent to grow not as Dutch-dragons, but as real trees; a Party which naturally increased with the increasing earnestness of events and of men.—

The King stayed but a few hours in Leicester; he had taken Leicester, as we saw, some days before, and now it was to be re-taken from him some days after:—he stayed but a few hours here; rode on, that same night, to Ashby-de-la-Zouch, which he reached ‘at daybreak,’—poor wearied King!—then again swiftly Westward, to Wales, to Ragland Castle, to this place and that; in the hope of raising some force, and coming to fight again; which, however, he could never do. Some ten months more of roaming, and he, ‘disguised as a groom,’ will be riding with Parson Hudson towards the Scots at Newark.

The New-Model Army marched into the Southwest; very soon ‘relieved Colonel Robert Blake’ (Admiral Blake), and many others;—marched to ever new exploits and victories, which excite the pious admiration of Joshua Sprigge; and very soon swept all its enemies from the field, and brought this War to a close.

The following Letters exhibit part of Cromwell’s share in that business, and may be read with little commentary.