Page:Works of Thomas Carlyle - Volume 06.djvu/360

326 the cannons fire, both from Leaguer and Ships, for a ‘victory in Kent’: concerning which and its origins and issues, take the following indications.

May 16th, Came a celebrated ‘Surrey Petition’: highflying armed cavalcade of Freeholders from Surrey, with a Petition craving in very high language that Peace be made with his Majesty: they quarrelled with the Parliament’s Guard in Westminster Hall, drew swords, had swords drawn upon them; ‘the Miller of Wandsworth was run through with a halbert,’ he and others; and the Petitioners went home in a slashed and highly indignant condition. Thereupon, May 24th, armed meeting of Kentish-men on Blackheath; armed meeting of Essex-men; several armed meetings, all in communication with the City Presbyterians: Fairfax, ill of the gout, has to mount,—in extremity of haste, as a man that will quench fire among smoking flax.

June 1st. Fairfax, at his utmost speed, smites fiercely against the centre of this Insurrection; drives it from post to post; drives it into Maidstone ‘about 7 in the evening,’ ‘with as hard fighting as I ever saw’; tramples it out there. The centre-flame once trampled out, the other flames, or armed meetings, hover hither and thither; gather at length, in few days, all at Colchester in Essex; where Fairfax is now besieging them, with a very obstinate and fierce resistance from them. This is the victory in Kent, these are the ‘glorious successes God has vouchsafed you,’ which Oliver alludes to in this Letter.

We are only to notice farther that Lambert is in the North; waiting, in very inadequate strength, to see the Scots arrive. Oliver in this Letter signifies that he has reinforced him with some ‘horse and dragoons,’ sent by ‘West Chester,’ which we now call Chester, where ‘Colonel Dukinfield’ is Governor. The Scots are indubitably coming: Sir Marmaduke Langdale (whom Oliver, we may remark, encountered in the King’s left wing at Naseby Fight) has raised new Yorkshiremen, has seized Berwick, seized Carlisle, and joined the Scots;