orthallerton, receiving addresses and
deputations by the way, and was at York on the 11th. Here he remained
five days, besieged with more addresses and deputations, but having a
conference also with Lord Fairfax, followed by a visit to his
Lordship at his house of Nunappleton. Fairfax had been in arms to
attack Lambert's rear, in accordance with the understanding he had
come to with Monk; and it was part of Monk's business at York to
reform the wreck of Lambert's forces, incorporating some of them with
his own and putting the rest under the command of officers who had
declared for Fairfax. He arranged also for leaving one of his own
regiments at York and for sending Morgan back with two others to take
charge of Scotland. By these changes his army for farther advance was
reduced to 4000 foot and 1800 horse. Hitherto his march had been by
his own sole authority; but at York he received orders from the
Council of State to come on to London. Dreading what might happen
from his conjunction with the great Fairfax, and not daring to order
him back to Scotland, the Rump leaders had assented to what they
could not avoid. From York, accordingly, he resumed his advance on
the 16th, the country before him, like that he had left behind, still
covered thick with snow. On the 18th, at Mansfield in
Nottinghamshire, he met Dr. Gumble, whom he had sent on to London
about ten days before with letters to the Parliament and the Council
of State, and who had returned with valuable information. Next day,
at Nottingham, his brother-in-law De Clarges also met him, bringing
farther information for his guidance. On the 22nd, as he was
approaching Leicester, Messrs. Scott and Robinson, who had been sent
from London as Commissioners from the Rump to attend him in the rest
of his march, made their appearance ceremoniously and were duly
received. They had come really as anxious spies on Monk's conduct,
and were very inquisitive and loquacious; but they relieved him
thenceforth of much of the trouble of answering the deputations and
addresses by which he was still beset on his route. They were with
him at Northampton, where he was on the 24th; at Dunstable, where he
was on the 27th; and at St. Alban's, where he arrived on the 28th.
Here, twenty miles from London, he rested for five days, to see the
issue of a very important message he had been secretly preparing for
the Parliament and which he now sent on by Dr. Clarges. It was a
request to the House