Page:Works of Thomas Carlyle - Volume 06.djvu/306

272 these days), For God’s enlightenment as to what should now be done.

Here is Whitlocke’s account of the celebrated Rendezvous itself,—somewhat abridged from Rushworth, and dim enough; wherein, however, by good eyes a strange old Historical Scene may be discerned. The new Votes of Parliament do not appear still to meet ‘the just desires’ of the Army; meanwhile let all things be done decently and in order.

‘The General had ordered a Rendezvous at Royston’; properly on Triploe Heath, as we said; on Thursday 10th June 1647: the Force assembled was about Twenty-one thousand men, the remarkablest Army that ever wore steel in this world. ‘The General and the Commissioners rode to each Regiment. They first acquainted the General’s Regiment with the Votes of the Parliament; and Skippon,’ one of the Commissioners, ‘spake to them to persuade a compliance. An Officer of the Regiment made answer that the Regiment did desire that their answer might be returned after perusal of the Votes by some select Officers and Agitators, whom the Regiment had chosen; and said, This was the motion of the Regiment.

‘He desired the General and Commissioners to give him leave to ask the whole Regiment if this was their answer. Leave being given, they cried “All.” Then he put the question, If any man were of a contrary opinion he should say, No;—and not one man gave his “No.”—The Agitators, in behalf of the soldiers, pressed to have the question put at once, Whether the Regiment did acquiesce and were satisfied with the votes?’ The Agitators knew well what the answer would have been!—‘But in regard the other way was more orderly, and they might after perusal proceed more deliberately, that question was laid aside.

‘The like was done in the other Regiments; and all were very unanimous; and always after the Commissioners had done reading the Votes, and speaking to each Regiment, and had received their answer, all of them cried out, “Justice, Justice!”’—not a very musical sound to the Commissioners.