Life of Oliver Cromwell (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1882 Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XVIII.. satter Dunbar. CROMWELL meanwhile pursued his glorious march to Edinburgh, which with its harbour, Leith, surrendered. The castle still held out under its Governor, Dundas, son-in-law of Leven. Cromwell ordered the head of Montrose to be taken down from the Tolbooth and honourably buried--a courtesy ill-requited in 1660 by Montrose's King. The Scotch commanders tried to rally at Stirling. It was not easy; for their army was destroyed, and their cause was becoming discredited. No nation will long submit to be ruled by its clergy. The "Kirk Commission" and the Puritan Government had "done their do," and the young King did not disguise his amusement and satisfaction at the event. He was now at St. Johnston's (Perth), for the present keeping to Argyle and his party (the moderate Presbyterians), who were the Government so far as government existed, and the army leaders so far as an army existed. 1650 THE "START." 253 Not even the beating they got at Dunbar could cure the Scots of their inveterate habit of splitting up into three factions. Besides the Kirk or Government party, the other two parties were the Malignants, Cavaliers, Engagers, Eesolutioners, Charles's natural allies, gathering force in the Highlands under Middleton, Huntly, Athol, and Hamilton; and the extreme Covenanters of the genuine Scotch Puritan type, who thought that all dealing with Charles Stuart was of the nature of sin, and yet would not join with the invaders. These were called the Western Whigs, and their range of action was in the Lowlands, south of Glasgow. The Western Whigs were at first courted by the Kirk at Stirling, and Charles was given to understand that strictness was expected of him. His Court must be purified; he must part with his "ungodly" followers, "Malign...