Page:Works of Thomas Carlyle - Volume 06.djvu/410

376 ''advance to the Borders, the last Lord’s Day, a very disorderly carriage by some horse; who, without order, did steal over the Tweed, and plundered some places in the Kingdom of Scotland. and since that, some stragglers have been alike faulty; to the wrong of the inhabitants, and to our very great grief of heart.''

I have been as diligent as I can to find out the men that have done the wrong, and I am still in the discovery thereof; and I trust there shall be nothing wanting on my part that may testify how much we abhor such things: and to the best of my information I cannot find the least guilt of the fact to lie upon the regiments of this Army, but upon some of the Northern horse, who have not been under our discipline and government, until just that we came into these parts.

''I have commanded those forces away back again into England; and I hope the exemplarity of justice will testify for us our great detestation of the fact. For the remaining regiments, which are of our old forces, we may engage for them their officers will keep them from doing any such things: and we are confident that, saving victual, they shall not take anything from the inhabitants; and in that also they shall be so far from being their own carvers, as that they shall submit to have provisions ordered and proportioned by the consent, and with the direction, of the Committees and Gentlemen of the Country, and not otherwise, if they please to be assisting to us therein.''

I thought fit, for the preventing of misunderstanding, to give your Lordships this account; and rest, my Lords, your most humble servant, OLIVER CROMWELL.

‘Upon our entrance into Scotland, a regiment lately raised in the Bishopric of Durham, under Colonel Wren, behaved themselves rudely; which as soon as the Lieutenant-General