secluded members, and determined to keep them out, not even to
Fairfax had he committed himself by a definite promise on that point.
To the deputations he would reply only in curt generalities, or
indeed, after Scott and Robinson had joined him, in generalities
which would have been thought crusty and uncivil, had not Gumble, or
Price, or the physician Dr. Barrow, been always at hand to explain
privately to disappointed persons that the General's way was
peculiar. Only in one matter was he explicit himself. He would not
permit the least insinuation that he designed to bring in Charles. At
York he had caned one of his officers for having said something
imprudent to that effect.[1]

[Footnote 1: Skinner and Phillips _ut supra_; Letter of M. de
Bordeaux to Mazarin, of date Jan. 21, in Guizot, II. 336-340.]

On the 30th of January, with whatever reluctance, the House did
comply with Monk's request, by issuing orders for the removal of
Fleetwood's regiments from London; and on the 1st of February the way
was farther cleared by the appointment of Clarges to be
commissary-general of the musters for England and Scotland. There was
a mutiny among Fleetwood's soldiers on account of the disgrace put
upon them, and also on account of their dislike of country quarters
after the pleasures of London; but the mutiny only quickened the
desire to get rid of them. They were marched out by their officers;
and on Friday the 3rd of February, Monk, who had come on to Barnet
the day before, marched in with his army, by Gray's Inn Lane,
Chancery Lane, and the Strand. They appeared to the citizens a very
rough and battered soldiery indeed after their month's march through
the English snows, the horses especially lean and ragged. That night,
and all Saturday and Sunday, Monk was in quarters at Whitehall,
receiving distinguished visitors. Though asked to take his seat in
the Council of State on Saturday, he declined to do so till he should
see his way more clearly on the disputed question of the abjuration
oath.[1]

[Footnote 1: Commons Journals of dates; Skinner, 199-206; Phillips,
680-682.]

On Monday, Feb. 6, the House was assembled in state to see Monk
introduced into it by Messrs. Scott and Robinson. His designation
among them was only "Commissioner Monk"; for, though he had been
appointed Commander-in-Chief of all the Forces of England, Scotland,
and Ireland, by a secret commission sent him by Hasilrig and a few
other members of the