"But all these testimonies of the said High-Sherriffe's im-
partialitie, and integritie in his proceedings, did in noe way
mitigate the passion and indignation of the said Sir Roger
North and some others, who now beganne to give the cause
upp as conclamated1 and lost; and therefore, though the
said High-Sherriffe afterwardes in his numbering the votes
of the said Poll did proceed with it in publike view, which hee
might have done privately with his own clerkes, yet all the
time after hee was often interrupted by most unjust and out-
rageous accusations and criminations; and by that meanes
was almost as long, within an houre or two, in numbering the
names of the said Poll, as hee was in taking the Poll itselfe.
partialitie, and integritie in his proceedings, did in noe way
mitigate the passion and indignation of the said Sir Roger
North and some others, who now beganne to give the cause
upp as conclamated1 and lost; and therefore, though the
said High-Sherriffe afterwardes in his numbering the votes
of the said Poll did proceed with it in publike view, which hee
might have done privately with his own clerkes, yet all the
time after hee was often interrupted by most unjust and out-
rageous accusations and criminations; and by that meanes
was almost as long, within an houre or two, in numbering the
names of the said Poll, as hee was in taking the Poll itselfe.
Thomas Carlyle
Farran,
you see there wants a clerke at the other end of the table t*
write for Sir Nathaniel;' and then Mr. Farran gave me the
Paper Booke in his hands, and sayd to mee, ' Write you, for
Sir Nathaniel at that end of the table,' where Mr. Clerke did
write for Sir Philip. And then I, having the Booke, did
write for Sir Nathaniel till the evening. And at that end of
the table where [' table where,' not ' end where'] Mr. Robert
Dowe did write at one end, and Mr. Clerke and myselfe at
the other end, there were present two or three knightes or
gentlemen, all the whole time, of Mr. North's partie: some-
times Sir Robert Crane, and Mr. -- Waldegrave, and Mr. '
John Smith,1 and Mr. Henry North sen. [This is the Candi-
date's Uncle, come over from Laxfield, I think, to see fair play. ]
No man, all that time, made any observation against mee;
and yet they stoode, some of these and sometimes some others
1Smith is undecipherable; being " very frequent" in Suffolk, as
elsewhere. Of Waldegrave, the Monitor says, " There being no Chris-
tian name mentioned, it is hard to say what individual is meant.
Doubtless he was one of the Waldegraves of Smallbridge. Wm. Walde-
grave, Esq. , son of Sir Wm. Waldegrave, Knight, of Smallbridge in
Bures, Suffolk, would be about forty years of ag? about this time: "--
let us fancy it was he.
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? An Election to the Long Parliament 111
of that side, all the afternoone, and did supravise all the
clerkes. Also, at night, when wee were breaking up, Mr.
Clerke demanded of Mr. Clinch [Clinch of Creting,--whom
we saw above] if he could find any fault with us in doing any
wrong? To which he answered,' He could not as yet, if there
were no other carriage than there had yet beene,' or to that
^effect. Neither was there any, that day, who did find fault
with the clerkes, in my hearing; but sometimes some mutter-
ing and complaining about some particular questions in the
oaths, which (as soon as they came to the High-Sherriffe
his intelligence) were rectified and settled.
"And at night, when wee broke up, I gave my Booke that
I wrott in, unto the Under-Sheriffe, Mr. Farran, before I
stirred from the table where I wrott; and then wee came
home with the High-Sheriffe to Mrs. Penning's howse [Did
she keep the King's Head ? ]; and there did the High-Sheriffe
call for all the Bookes from the Under-Sheriffe, and in the
presence of Sir Roger North, and Mr. North his brother, and
more other gentlemen, locke up all the Bookes in a little
truncke; and sett that truncke in his owne lodging-chamber;
and gave the key thereof to his Under-Sheriffe, who lodged
iTiot in that howse where the Bookes were.
"Tuesday, the 20th of October 1640
"In the morning Mr. High-Sheriffe came into the Corne
Hill at Ipswich and the Knights, to make an end of polling.
Whereupon the clerkes who wrot the day before appeared,
and wrot againe as before. But Mr. High-Sheriffe com-
manded that wee should all of us make new Bookes to write
in; for he would not stirr those that were wrot-in the day
before: and so wee did, and wrot in new Bookes.
"And all that day also while wee wrot, there were divers
supra visors; but they found no fault with the clerkes in my
hearing; and at noone, when wee brake upp, I gave my
Booke againe into Mr. Farran, before I stirred from the table
. where I wrot. And in the afternoone, wee came together
againe, and made an end of polling; and towards the end of
polling, before wee had done polling at the table where I sat
to write, Sir Roger with the rest of the knights and gentle-
men went about the Corne Hill, swinging their caps and hats
crying, ' A North! A North! ' [Questionable]; which caused
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? i i 2 Carlyle's Essays
me to admire; because I knew the Bookes were not cast up
[And nobody could yet tell who was to win].
"Then after that, Mr. High-Sheriffe went to Mrs. Penn-
ing's, and the Knights followed him, and the clerkes to
summe up the Bookes. But the night grew on so fast, that
they could not be ended that night: then Mr. High-Sheriffe
did againe locke up the Bookes in the same truncke they were
in before, and gave the key to Mr. -- North, and sett the
truncke into his chamber, and appointed to meete the next
day upon [Means, in it, not on the roof of it; the figure of
fustice stands on the roof] the Townhall. "
[Samuel Duncon still testifieth]
"Memorandum, That on Tuesday October 20, in the
afternoone, this present year 1640, the High-Sherriffe of the
county of Suffolk, sitting in the Markett Crosse [Note him I],
in Ipswich, where hee kept his County Court, and had that
afternoone taken the poll of divers that came to give then-
voices for Mr. Henry North, sonne of Sir Roger North
[Grammar fails a little]. And when it appeared, after some
stay, that noe more weere likely to come, and Mr. Gardeneo
Webb1 speaking concerning the said election averred That
the said High-Sherriffe had been damnably base in all his
carriage. Whereupon I, Samuel Duncon, hearing the same,
did [As an enemy of blasphemy, and Constable of this Borough]
enforme the said High-Sheriffe of that outrageous and scan-
dalous speeche; who thereupon asking the said Webb,
Whether hee had spoken the said wordes or not? he answered,
with much impudence and earnestness, That he had said soe,
and would maintain it. And did thereupon in the presence of
the said High-Sherriffe call mee, the said Samuel Duncon/
base rascall and rogue [He shall answer it f] because I had
acquainted the said High-Sherriffe with his said injurious
speeches. Samuel Duncon. "
1 " Gardiner Webb was the son of William Webb of Ixworth in
Suffolk, attorney-at-law. He became heir, in right of his mother (who
was one of the Gardiners of Elmswell), to considerable landed property"
(Dryasdust MSS. ); and seems to have been a hot-tempered loose-
spoken individual.
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? An Election to the Long Parliament 113
No. Ill
[Samuel Duncon still lestifieth, though without signature]
"Wednesday the 21st October 1640
"The truncke was brought up into the Townhall, and the
'High-Sherriffe and the rest of the knights and gentlemen came
up together to make end of their Bookes: and they passed
quietly untill my Booke was produced; and then Mr. North
protested against my Booke, and Sir Roger came up and
exclaimed at mee, and said I was no fitt clerke, neyther
authorised to write. Then was Mr. Farran called, and asked
How I came to write? Which he answered, ' He never saw
mee before Monday in all his life, but wanting one to write,
and I standing by, he requested mee to write. ' The High-
Sherriffe told Sir Roger, 'He could not but accept of my
Booke, and would doe so if I had wrot for his own sonne;'
and for myselfe, as I then testified, so am I ready to make
oath, being lawfully called, That my Booke was just and
right, and that I did not write one name that was not sworne
for Sir Nathaniel; and notwithstanding Sir Roger and other
knights did speake their large pleasures of mee and charged
me with direct and manifest outrage [Maltreating the honest
Town-constable: shameful /].
"In conclusion, the High-Sherriffe finished the Bookes,
and soe we brake up that night, and the next day we pro-
claymed Sir Nathaniel Barnardiston and Sir Philip Parker
Knights of the Shire for the ensuing Parliament. "
[Samuel Duncon: signature not given. ]
, "To all these Three Pages I am ready to give testimony;
and to the whole substance thereof. Edw. Bestwall. " 1
No. IV
[Samuel Duncon still testifieth]
"Memorandum, Upon Tuesday morning some women
[Puritan women; zealous beyond discretion f] came to be
1 Bestwall is not known to Dryasdust. An impartial onlooker, and
presumably nothing more. The " Three Pages " he vouches for are all
these testimonies of Duncon's from beginning to end,--nearly eight
pages as printed here.
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? 114 Carlyle's Essays
sworne for the two foresaid Knights; and Mr. Robert Clerke
did suddenly take some of them; but as soone as Mr. High-
Sherriffe had intelligence of it, wee had worde brought to the
table where Mr. Clerke and myselfe wrot, that Mr. Sheriffe
would have us take no women's oaths; and both the Knights
desired that those that were taken might be put out, and that
we should take no more: and so we refused the rest of the
women after that notice from Mr. High-Sherriffe; and when
Mr. High-Sherriffe cast up the Bookes, he cast out the
women out of the generall summe. "
[Samuel Duncon: signature not given. ]
These transactions are of " so high a nature," it is prob-
able a Parliamentary Committee will have to sit upon them:
justice between the vociferous irrational Sir Roger and the
discreet unspotted Sir Simonds will then be done. Duncon
backed by Bestwall, in writing, and by the Under-Sheriffs
Farran and Choppin viva voce if needful, and indeed by the
whole town of Ipswich if needful,--may sufficiently evince
that Mr. High-Sheriff's carriage in the business was per-
fection or nearly so. The accurate Magistrate meanwhile
thinks good to subjoin a succinct Narrative of his own, which
he is ready to sign when required; every word of which Gan
be proved by the oath of witnesses. No. V. is clearly by
D'Ewes himself; there are even some directions to his clerk
about writing it fair.
No. V
A short and true relation of the carriage of the Election of the
Knights for the Countie of Suffolke at Ipswich, which
beganne there upon Monday morning, October 19, this .
present Year 1640, and ended upon the Thursday morning
then next ensuing. 1
"The Under-Sherriffe having had order from the High-
Sheriffe of the same Countie to provide honest and able men
to take the Poll, and to looke to gett ready materialls for the
Election, went to Ipswich on Friday night: and the said
High-Sherriffe was purposed to have gone thither the next
day, but that hee understood the small-pox [Nota bene] was
1 From Harleian MSS. British Museum, collected by Sir S. D'Ewes,
No. 158, p. 275.
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? An Election to the Long Parliament 115
exceeding spread in the said towne. Sir Nathaniel Barnardis-
ton and Sir Philip Parker joined together, and Henry North
stood singlie, for the place of Knights of the Shire.
"The said High-Sherriffe came to Ipswich about eight of
the clocke of the said Monday morning. 1 To whom Sir
Roger North, father of the said Mr. Henry North, and divers
? other gentlemen repairing, hee yeilded to them to have the
Poll taken in a feild neare the towne; and soe, after a little
discourse without further stay, went to the Markett Crosse,
and caused the King's Majestie's Writt to bee published; by
which meanes the said Mr. North was carried about a good
while before the other Knights [Yes f] had notice that the
said Writt was published. And this the said High-Sherriffe
did about an houre and halfe sooner than he was by law com-
pelled to; that there might be noe just ground of cavill, as
if he had delaied the business [Sir Simonds is himself known to
be a Puritan; already elected, or about to be elected, for the town
of Sudbury. So high stood Sudbury then; sunk now so low /].
"After the publication of which, the said High-Sherriffe
withdrew himselfe to make haste into the said feild [Mr.
Hambie's field; with the Conduit-head and big Elms in it] to
take the Poll. But before hee got thither, or any place was
made readie for the clerkes to write, the said Mr. North was
brought into the feild [Triumphantly in his chair]; and many
of the gentrie as well as others that were of his partie pressed
soe upon the place where the planks and boards were setting
upp, as they could not be fastened or finished. All this time
the other two Knights knew yett nothing that the said Poll
was begunn in the said feild: soe as [So that] the said High-
Sherriffe begann Mr. North's poll alone, and admitted a
clerke. The said Sir Roger North proffered to write the
names, with the clerke his [The High-Sheriff's] Under-
Sherriffe had before appointed, which hee [The High-Sheriff]
conceived hee was not in law bound unto.
"Having then taken the Poll a while, in the said Sir Roger
North's presence and his said sonne's, the companie did
tread upon the said planks with such extreme violence, as
having divers times borne them downe upon the said High-
'Sherriffe; and hee having used all meanes of entreatie and
perswasion to desire them to beare off, as did the said Sir
1 He lived at Stow Hall (Autobiography of D'Ewes); he must have
started early.
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? 116 Carlyle's Essays
Roger North also,--the said High-Sherriffe was at the last
forced to give over; and soe gave speedie order, by the
advice of the said Sir Roger North and others, To have three
severall tables [' Three:' Duncon notices only two of them;
one under the Elm, one at the Conduit-head, where the Puritan
Knights were polling; Sir Simonds himself superintends the
Norths' table :--' three several tables '] sett upp against trees
or other places wheere they might not bee borne downe by
violence. Which being verie speedilie performed, the said
High-Sherriffe went in person and assisted at the said table
wheere Mr. North's poll was taking, leaving his Under-
Sherriffe and sworne deputies to attend the other tables, and
to administer the oath, where the said Sir Roger and his
sonne did appoint their kindred and friends to overview all
that was done.
"The said High-Sherriffe did there, without eating or
drinking, assist the said Mr. North, from about nine of the
clocke in the morning till it grew just upon night, notwith-
standing it was in the open feild, and a verie cold and windie
day: and did in his owne person take much paines to dispatch
the said Poll; which had been much better advanced, if such
as came to the same had not treaded with such extreme'
violence one upon another. And whereas the said Sir
Nathaniel Barnardiston came, about twelve of the clocke
that forenoone, to the said High-Sherriffe, desiring him that
all the companie might dissolve to goe to dinner, and that in
respect of the great winde, the Poll in the afternoone might
be taken in the said towne of Ipswich [A very reasonable
motion]: The said High-Sherriffe, upon the said Mr. North's
request to the contrarie, staide in the said feild till the
shutting upp of the said day, as is aforesaid.
"What was done at the other tables the said High-
Sherriffe knew not; but twice, upon complaint to him made,
repaired thither, and certified and reconciled all matters.
And during the same day alsoe the said High-Sherriffe did
desire the said Sir Roger North to sende for another table
to the place wheere he sate, being willing by all meanes to
expedite the said Poll. And though there were not one man
sworne for the other two Knights at the said Mr. North's
table,--yet were there divers sworne at one of the other two
tables for the said Mr. North; soe as, by this and the early
beginning of the said Mr. North's poll, he had neare upon
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? An Election to the Long Parliament 117
Two-hundred voices advantage of the other two Knights,
had they come single; but they having manie hundreds that
gave voices for them jointly, did before night outstrippe his
votes by about Fowre-hundred apiece.
"At the said High-Sherriffe's rising from the said Poll on
the said Monday night, hee tooke the Bookes from the said
clerkes; and though by lawe he was tied to call noe partie to
* assist him in the laying them upp, yet to take away all
possible cause of cavill, and to showe his integritie in the
whole proceedings, hee called the said Sir Roger North to
him, and desired him to accompanie him not only to the
places wheere he received all the other Bookes or Papers from
1 his said Under-Sherriffe, or the other clarkes that wrote
them, but to his lodging also [Mrs. Penning's]; wheere hee
bound and sealed upp the said Bookes and Papers, in the
presence of the said Sir Roger North and the said Under-
Sherriffe; then locking them upp, gave the key to his said
Under-Sherriffe to keepe; having first asked the said Sir
Roger, If hee were not a person fitte to be trusted with it?
And soe the said Sir Roger North departed, in a verie friendly
and amicable manner, from the said High-Sherriffe, without
so much as moving the least complaint against any of the
said proceedings of that day.
"But it seemes, after his departure, having that night
learned that the other Knights' polls outstripped his said
sonne's by divers hundreds,--he came the next morning to
the said High-Sherriffe's lodging; and beganne, in violent
'and passionate termes, to charge him That hee had dealt un-
justlie and partiallie in taking the Poll the day past [Behold f]:
which at the present caused the said High-Sherriffe to wonder
at that sudden and unexpected change; in respect the same
Sir Roger parted in soe friendlie a manner from him the night
foregoing, and that his indefatigable paines the day past
deserved rather just acknowledgment than such unjust
expostulation [Certainly f\.
'* The said High-Sherriffe therefore, having received the
said key from his said Under-Sherriffe, in the presence of the
said Sir Roger North, departed to the finishing of the said
Poll. And whereas the other two Knights had but each of
them one table allowed at which two clerkes only wrote; the
said High-Sherriffe allowed the said Mr. North two tables
and four clerkes: and at noone when the said Court was
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? 118 Carlyle's Essays
adjourned to two of the clocke of the same afternoone, the
said High-Sherriffe having taken all the Bookes and Papers
touching the same Poll from his Under-Sherriffe, or the clerkes
which wrot them, desired the said Mr. North himselfe to
accompanie him to his said lodging; which he did, and sawe
them sealed and locked upp, and then had himselfe the key
along with him.
"But all these testimonies of the said High-Sherriffe's im-
partialitie, and integritie in his proceedings, did in noe way
mitigate the passion and indignation of the said Sir Roger
North and some others, who now beganne to give the cause
upp as conclamated1 and lost; and therefore, though the
said High-Sherriffe afterwardes in his numbering the votes
of the said Poll did proceed with it in publike view, which hee
might have done privately with his own clerkes, yet all the
time after hee was often interrupted by most unjust and out-
rageous accusations and criminations; and by that meanes
was almost as long, within an houre or two, in numbering the
names of the said Poll, as hee was in taking the Poll itselfe.
And in all differences that emergently fell out in numbering
the said names, wheere there was but any equalitie of
doubt, the said High-Sherriffe prevailed with the other two .
Knights to let the advantage rest on the said Mr. North's
side.
"And though the said Sir Roger North came, on the said
Tuesday in the afternoone, October 20th, into the Countie
Court whilst the said High-Sherriff sate taking the Poll for
his said sonne, and there used most outrageous and violent
speeches against the said High-Sherriffe [Hear Duncon too],
and told him ' Hee would make it good with his bloud;' yet
the said High-Sherriffe, seeing him accompanied with many
young gentlemen and others, all or most of them armed with
their swords and their rapiers [Questionable /], and fearing if
he had made use of his just power to punish such an affront,
much bloudshedd would have ensued, hee rather passed it
over with an invincible patience; and only stoode upp, and
desired silence to cleare himselfe from these unjust assertions
and criminations which had been laid upon him; and re-
solved to expect redresse of his enemies from the High Court
of Parliament [Far the better plan, Mr. High-Sheriff I--which,
1 Conclamatum est;--summoned nine times, and making no answer,
is now to be held for dead.
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? An Election to the Long Parliament 119
among other good effects, has yielded us these present Documents
withal].
"Yet the said Sir Roger, not satisfied herewith, did, a little
after, with the said companie of young gentlemen, and others
that followed him, armed as aforesaid, or the greater part of
them, go about the Corne Hill in Ipswich, where the Crosse
'stands, and cried, ' A North! a North! ' calling the saylers
Water-dogges [Puritan sailors ;--mark it; had voted for the
Gospel Candidates: 'Water-dogs '], and otherwise provok-
ing them: one also of the companie drewe out his sword [Lo,
there I], and brandished it about, nor did they give over till
one of the Constables of Ipswich [Sam Duncon; we saw him
doing it], being a sworne officer, charged them In the King's
name to desist. The other two Knights, then sitting at the
Poll, were fain at the instant to withdraw themselves in at
the next windowe of the house wheere they stoode; having
first besought the people and saylers to bee quiet, and not to
answer violence with violence. For it is too apparent what
was sought for in that dangerous action; and that if the said
High-Sherriffe had, at that present, made use of his power
to vindicate his owne affronts and sufferings, much bloud-
shedde might have ensued. Nor did the said High-Sherriffe
suffer only from the violent language of the said Sir Roger
North and some others of qualitie, but from two of the
Webbes alsoe, whose Christian names were Roger and
Gardiner [The intemperate Webbes of Ixworth], and suchlike
persons of inferiour rank. The said High-Sherriffe having
sate out all Wednesday October 21, from morning till night,
in the West Hall or Court House in Ipswich aforesaid, with-
out dining, did at last, notwithstanding the violent interrup-
tions of the said Sir Roger North and others, finish the
numbring of the said votes that day; and found that the
said Sir Nathaniel Barnardiston had 2140 voices, and Sir
Philip Parker 2240 at the least,--besides the voices of all
such persons as had been admitted without the said High-
Shernffe's knowledge, and were by him, upon numbring the
same, disallowed and cast out. And the said Mr. Henry
North had 1422.
? "The next morning, October 22, the said High-Sherriffe
made open publication of the said votes; and pronounced
the said Sir Nathaniel Barnardiston and Sir Philip Parker
the due elected Knights for the said Countie of Suffolke.
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? 120 Carlylc's Essays
And then caused the indentures witnessing the same election
to be there ensealed and loyallie [Lawfully] executed.
"'Tis true that, by the ignorance of some of the clerkes at
the other tables, the oaths of some single women [We saw it
with Duncon] that were freeholders were taken, without the
knowledge of the said High-Sherriffe; who, as soon as he had
notice thereof, instantlie sent to forbidd the same, conceiv-
ing it a matter verie unworthy of anie gentleman, and most
dishonourable in such an election, to make use of their voices,
although they might in law have been allowed; nor did the
said High-Sherriffe allow of the said votes upon his numbring
the said Poll, but with the allowance and consent of the said
two Knights themselves discount them and cast them out.
"Now, though all the frivolous cavills, exceptions and
protestations which were made against the foresaid Election
by the said Sir Roger North or others did only conceme the
Poll which was taken on the said Monday October 19; and
are sufficiently answered with the verie preceding bare
Narration of the true carriage thereof; and the rather,
because himselfe accompanying the said High-Sherriffe the
same evening when he received all the said Bookes and.
Papers from his said Under-Sherriffe, or such persons who
had written them, did except against noe person, nor noe
booke or paper, but consented to the sealing and locking
them upp as Acts by which the matter in question was to be
decided: Yet to satisfy all the world, such exceptions shall
be heare set down, and clearly elevated or wiped away,
which on the Tuesday and Wednesday following were pressed
at Ipswich upon the said High-Sherriffe, with soe much out-
rageous passion as he could be scarce permitted to make
answer to the same, by reason of the vociferation and
clamours of the other partie.
"It was objected, That the said High-Sherriffe made
delaies on purpose to hinder the said Mr. North. This is so
frivolous as 'tis not worth the answering; for the hindrance
must have been equallie prejudiciale to the other two Knights
as well as to him. Nay, on the contrarie, if any had wrong,
they had; for the said High-Sherriffe soe hastened both the
reading of the Writt, and goeing to the Poll as hee could not
in time give the other two Knights notice of it. Soe as if the
said Mr. North's companie had not by their overpressing
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? An Election to the Long Parliament 121
violence throwne downe the boards and planks, wheere the
said High-Sherriffe begann his the said Mr. North's poll
alone, hee had gained neare upon an houre's advantage of
the other two.
"Another objection, That the said High-Sherriffe refused
such clerkes as the said Sir Roger North offered him; telling
Jiim hee was provided. This is a shamefull objection: as if
the adverse partie were to provide men to take the poll. In
this matter the said High-Sherriffe committed all to the
trust and care of his Under-Sherriffe, who assured him hee
had provided able and sufficient writers; yet did the said
High-Sherriffe admitt a clarke, at the said Mr. North's poll,
to write with the clerke his said Under-Sherriffe had pro-
vided, upon the motion of the said Sir Roger North.
"A third objection, That the said Mr. North lost many
voices that were forced to goe out of towne the same Monday,
because they could not be sworne. And soe doubtless did
the other two likewise. And this was an invincible or
remediless mischief on all sides. And 'tis evident the
extreame pressing of the said Mr. North's votes hindred
some hundreds from being dispatched. Besides, the said
High-Sherriffe, at his entreatie, forebore his dinner [The
high-spirited immaculate man], to sitt it out with him in the
winde and cold till night; which deserved acknowledgment,
and not rage and furie. Besides, he made the said Sir Roger
North once or twice to send for another table to the same
place; which courtesie the said High-Sherriffe afforded the
said Mr. North the next morning, more than was allowed the
other two Knights. And had the said Mr. North lost the
place by one or two hundred voices, there might indeed be
some colour that hee had miscarried because the Poll could
not be finished on the said Monday night; which notwith-
standing that it had been soe, yet the said High-Sherriffe was
noe ways the cause thereof. But it is noe ways probable that
the said Mr. North should be so ill-beloved or lightlie esteemed
by such as appeared for him, that Seven-hundred persons
would all depart and desert his cause, rather than abide
and stay one night in Ipswich to assist him with their votes.
For by so many at the least did either of the other two
Knights carrie it from him.
"Lastly, for conclusion of the whole. There is not a word
or sillible sett down here, which is not notoriously known
n 704 1
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? I 22
Carlyle's Essays
to manie, or which the said High-Sherriffe himself will not
make good by his corporall oath, being loyallie thereunto
called, as also by the Bookes and Papers taken at the said
Poll. Soe as never was innocency oppressed more by violence
and fury; nor did his royall Majestie's Authoritie ever suffer
more in the person of his Minister, than by the outrageous
affronts offered unto, and unjust criminations heaped upon,
the said High-Sherriffe at the said Election. "
Such is the account High-Sheriff D'Ewes has to give of
himself, concerning his carriage in the Election of Knights of
the Shire for Suffolk on this memorable occasion. He has
written it down in an exact manner, to be ready for the
Parliament, or for any and all persons interested; his clerks
can now make copies of it as many as wanted. In the same
Volume, No. 158 of the Harley Collection, there is another
copy of this "short and true relation," with slight changes,
principally in the punctuation; doubtless the immaculate
Magistrate saw good to revise his Narrative more than once,
and bring it still nearer perfection: he adds always this
direction for the amanuenses: "They are desired who take
a coppie of this to compare it with the originall after they
have transcribed it,"--to be sure that they are exact. The
original, which, at any rate, in D'Ewes's hand, few persons
could have read, is happily lost.
No notice in the Commons Journals, or elsewhere, indicates
at all whether this case ever came before the Election Com-
mittee of the Long Parliament. But if it did, as is probable
enough, we put it to the commonest sense of mankind,
whether on Sir Roger North's side it could have a leg to
stand on! No Election Committee can have difficulty here.
Accordingly our Puritan Knights Sir Philip Parker and Sir
Nathaniel Barnardiston sat indisputable as County Members
for Suffolk, Mr. Henry North consoling himself as he could.
Sir Simonds the High-Sheriff had another case before the
Parliament; this namely, that he being High-Sheriff had
returned himself for Sudbury as duly elected there, which
was thought informal by some: but in this too he prospered,
and sat for that Borough. The intemperate Sir Roger, as
we said, was admitted Member for Eye: but in the second
year, mingling with "Commission of Array" and other
Royalist concerns, to small purpose as is likely, he, like
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? An Election to the Long Parliament 123
many others, was "disabled,"--cast forth, to Oxford, to
"malignancy," disaster, and a fate that has not been inquired
into.
Sir Simonds sat spotless for Sudbury; made occasional
fantastic Speeches; and what is far more important for us,
took exact Notes. Several of his Speeches he has preserved
in writing; one, probably the most fantastic and pedantic of
"all, he sent forth in print: it relates to a dispute for seniority
that had arisen between Oxford University and Cambridge;
proves by unheard-of arguments and erudition, obsolete now
to all mortals, that Cambridge, which was his own University,
is by far the older,--older than Alfred himself, old as the
very hills in a manner. Sir Simonds had the happiness to
"shake hands with Mr. Prynne," when he came to the
Parliament Committee on his deliverance from prison, and
to congratulate Mr. Prynne on the changed aspects that
then were. He wrote frequent letters to " Abraham Wheloc"
and many others. Far better, he almost daily dictated to
his secretary, or jotted-down for him on scraps of paper,
Notes of the Proceedings of the Long Parliament; which
Notes still exist, safe in the British Museum; unknown
. seemingly to all the learned. He was a thin high-flown
character, of eminent perfection and exactitude, little fit
for any solid business in this world, yet by no means without
his uses there.
This one use, had there been no other, That he took Notes
of the Long Parliament! Probably there is much light wait-
ing us in these Notes of his, were they once disimprisoned
into general legibility. They extend, in various forms, in
various degrees of completeness, to the year 1645: but in
that year, after the victory of Naseby, the questionable
course things were taking gave offence to our Presbyterian
Grandison; he sat mostly silent, with many thoughts, and
forbore jotting any farther. Two of his written Speeches
relate to the confused negotiations with King Charles in the
Isle of Wight; and are strong in the Royalist-Presbyterian
direction. Colonel Pride, in the end, purged him out alto-
gether, on the memorable 6th December 1648; sent him,
with four or five score others, "over to the Tavern called
Hell, kept by Mr. Duke, near Palaceyard,"--in the most
unheard-of manner! For, on questioning Mr. Hugh Peters,
who had come across to them, By what law? By what
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? 124 Carlyle's Essays
shadow or vestige of any law, common or statutory, humar
or divine, is this unheard-of thing done? --the candid Mr
Peters, a man of good insight and considerable humour 0:
character, answered these much-injured honourable gentle-
men, " By the law of Necessity; truly by the power of the
sword! " And they remained in a nearly rabid state; evi-
dently purged out, without reason and without remedy
and had to retire to their respective countries, and there
rhyme the matter for themselves as they could.
Our poor Knight, Sir Simonds, soon after died; leaving an
unspotted pedant character, and innumerable Manuscripts
behind him. Besides his History of the Parliaments of Queen
Elizabeth, a laborious compilation, which has since been
printed, long ago, and still enjoys a good reputation of its
sort, there are, as we count, some Ninety and odd Volumes
of his Papers still extant in the British Museum: very
worthless some of them, very curious others;--among which
latter, certain portions of his Autobiography, already known
in print,1 are well worth reading; and these his Notes of the
Long Parliament are perhaps, to us English, the most inter-
esting of all the Manuscripts that exist there. Pury's Notes
of the Long Parliament 2 appear to be irretrievably lost;
Varney's, which also have never yet been made accessible,3
extend over only a short early period of the business: it is
on these Notes of D'Ewes's, principally, that some chance
of understanding the procedure and real character of the
1 Bibliothcca Topographica, No. 6.
*" Mr. Robinson asked me this morning," Monday, 12 Jan. ,
1656-7, "before the Speaker came, If I took Notes at Scot's Com-
mittee? I said, Yea. He told me He had much ado to forbear
moving against my taking Notes, for it was expressly against the
Orders of the House. I told him how Mr. Davy took Notes all the
Long Parliament, and that Sir Symons D'Ewes wrote great volumes"
of the like. Burton's Diary (London, 1828), i. 341.
Of Sir Simonds's " great volumes we are here speaking: but who
the " Mr. Davy" is? No person of the name of Davy sat in the Long
Parliament at all; or could by possibility have taken Notes! After
multifarious examination, and bootless trial of various names more or
less resembling Davy, a sight of the original MS. of the thing called
Burton's Diary was procured; and the name " Davy" then straight-
way turned out to be Pury. Pury, or Purry, perhaps now written
Perry, Alderman of Gloucester, and once well known as Member for
that City. But of him or of his Notes, on repeated application there,
no trace could now be found. If, as is possible, they still exist, in the
buried state, in those regions,--to resuscitate and print them were
very meritorious.
* Edited now (London, 1845) by Mr. Bruce.
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? An Election to the Long Parliament 125
Long Parliament appears still to depend for us. At present,
after shiploads of historical printing, it is and remains mere
darkness visible; if in these Notes by an accurate eye-
witness there be no chance of light, then is light anywhere
hopeless, and this remarkablest Parliament that ever sat will
continue an enigma forever. In such circumstances, we
? call these Notes the most interesting of all Manuscripts. To
an English soul who would understand what was really
memorable and godlike in the History of his Country,
distinguishing the same from what was at bottom wwmemor-
able and devil-like; who would bear in everlasting remem-
brance the doings of our noble heroic men, and sink into
, everlasting oblivion the doings of our loud ignoble quacks and
sham-heroes,--what other record can be so precious? If
English History have nothing to afford us concerning the
Puritan Parliament but vague incoherencies, inconceivabili-
ties and darkness visible,--English History, in this Editor's
opinion, must be in a poor way!
It has often been a question, Why none of the Dryasdust
Publishing Societies, the Camden or some other, has gone into
(ihese D'Ewes's MSS. in an efficient spirit, and fished-up
somewhat of them? Surely it is the office of such Publishing
Societies. Now when Booksellers are falling irrecoverably
into the hand-to-mouth system, unable to publish anything
that will not repay them on the morrow morning; and in
Printed Literature, as elsewhere, matters seem hastening
pretty fast towards strange consummations: who else but
the Printing Societies is to do it? They should lay aside
vain Twaddle and Dilettantism, and address themselves to
their function by real Labour and Insight, as above hinted,--
of which, alas, there is at present little hope!
Unhappily the Publishing Societies, generally speaking,
are hitherto "Dryasdust" ones; almost a fresh nuisance
rather than otherwise. They rarely spend labour on a
business, rarely insight; they consider that sham-labour,
and a twilight of ignorance and buzzard stupidity, backed
by prurient desire for distinction, with the subscription
of a guinea a year, will do the turn. It is a fatal mistake!
Accordingly the Books they print, intending them apparently
to be read by some class of human creatures, are wonderful.
Alas, they have not the slightest talent for knowing, first of
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? 126 Carlyle's Essays
all, what not to print; what, as a thing dead, and incapable
of ever interesting or profiting a human creature more, ought
not to be printed again, to steal away the valuable cash, and
the invaluable time and patience of any man again! It is
too bad. How sorrowful to see a mass of printed Publishings
and Republishings, all in clear white paper, bound in cloth
and gold lettered; concerning which you have to acknowledge
that there should another artist be appointed to go in the
rear of them, to fork them swiftly into the oven, and save all
men's resources from one kind of waste at least. Mr. Chad-
wick proposes that sweepers shall go in the rear of all horses
in London, and instantly sweep-up their offal, before it be
trampled abroad over the pavement to general offence.
Yes; but what sweeper shall follow the Dryasdust Printing
Societies, the Authors, Publishers, and other Prurient-
Stupids of this intellectual Metropolis, who are rising to a
great height at present! Horse-offal, say Chadwick and the
Philanthropists very justly, if not at once swept-up, is
trampled abroad over the pavements, into the sewers, into
the atmosphere, into the very lungs and hearts of the citizens:
Good Heavens, and to think of Author-offal, and how it is
trampled into the very souls of men; and how the rains and-
the trunkmakers do not get it abolished for years on years,
in some instances!
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? TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY
YEARS AGO1
DUELLING
[1850]
Duelling, in Queen Elizabeth's reign, was very prevalent;
nor has it abated in King James's. It is one of the sincerities
of Human Life, which bursts through the thickest-quilted
formulas; and in Norse-Pagan, in Christian, New-Christian,
and all manner of ages, will, one way or the other, contnve
to show itself.
you see there wants a clerke at the other end of the table t*
write for Sir Nathaniel;' and then Mr. Farran gave me the
Paper Booke in his hands, and sayd to mee, ' Write you, for
Sir Nathaniel at that end of the table,' where Mr. Clerke did
write for Sir Philip. And then I, having the Booke, did
write for Sir Nathaniel till the evening. And at that end of
the table where [' table where,' not ' end where'] Mr. Robert
Dowe did write at one end, and Mr. Clerke and myselfe at
the other end, there were present two or three knightes or
gentlemen, all the whole time, of Mr. North's partie: some-
times Sir Robert Crane, and Mr. -- Waldegrave, and Mr. '
John Smith,1 and Mr. Henry North sen. [This is the Candi-
date's Uncle, come over from Laxfield, I think, to see fair play. ]
No man, all that time, made any observation against mee;
and yet they stoode, some of these and sometimes some others
1Smith is undecipherable; being " very frequent" in Suffolk, as
elsewhere. Of Waldegrave, the Monitor says, " There being no Chris-
tian name mentioned, it is hard to say what individual is meant.
Doubtless he was one of the Waldegraves of Smallbridge. Wm. Walde-
grave, Esq. , son of Sir Wm. Waldegrave, Knight, of Smallbridge in
Bures, Suffolk, would be about forty years of ag? about this time: "--
let us fancy it was he.
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? An Election to the Long Parliament 111
of that side, all the afternoone, and did supravise all the
clerkes. Also, at night, when wee were breaking up, Mr.
Clerke demanded of Mr. Clinch [Clinch of Creting,--whom
we saw above] if he could find any fault with us in doing any
wrong? To which he answered,' He could not as yet, if there
were no other carriage than there had yet beene,' or to that
^effect. Neither was there any, that day, who did find fault
with the clerkes, in my hearing; but sometimes some mutter-
ing and complaining about some particular questions in the
oaths, which (as soon as they came to the High-Sherriffe
his intelligence) were rectified and settled.
"And at night, when wee broke up, I gave my Booke that
I wrott in, unto the Under-Sheriffe, Mr. Farran, before I
stirred from the table where I wrott; and then wee came
home with the High-Sheriffe to Mrs. Penning's howse [Did
she keep the King's Head ? ]; and there did the High-Sheriffe
call for all the Bookes from the Under-Sheriffe, and in the
presence of Sir Roger North, and Mr. North his brother, and
more other gentlemen, locke up all the Bookes in a little
truncke; and sett that truncke in his owne lodging-chamber;
and gave the key thereof to his Under-Sheriffe, who lodged
iTiot in that howse where the Bookes were.
"Tuesday, the 20th of October 1640
"In the morning Mr. High-Sheriffe came into the Corne
Hill at Ipswich and the Knights, to make an end of polling.
Whereupon the clerkes who wrot the day before appeared,
and wrot againe as before. But Mr. High-Sheriffe com-
manded that wee should all of us make new Bookes to write
in; for he would not stirr those that were wrot-in the day
before: and so wee did, and wrot in new Bookes.
"And all that day also while wee wrot, there were divers
supra visors; but they found no fault with the clerkes in my
hearing; and at noone, when wee brake upp, I gave my
Booke againe into Mr. Farran, before I stirred from the table
. where I wrot. And in the afternoone, wee came together
againe, and made an end of polling; and towards the end of
polling, before wee had done polling at the table where I sat
to write, Sir Roger with the rest of the knights and gentle-
men went about the Corne Hill, swinging their caps and hats
crying, ' A North! A North! ' [Questionable]; which caused
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? i i 2 Carlyle's Essays
me to admire; because I knew the Bookes were not cast up
[And nobody could yet tell who was to win].
"Then after that, Mr. High-Sheriffe went to Mrs. Penn-
ing's, and the Knights followed him, and the clerkes to
summe up the Bookes. But the night grew on so fast, that
they could not be ended that night: then Mr. High-Sheriffe
did againe locke up the Bookes in the same truncke they were
in before, and gave the key to Mr. -- North, and sett the
truncke into his chamber, and appointed to meete the next
day upon [Means, in it, not on the roof of it; the figure of
fustice stands on the roof] the Townhall. "
[Samuel Duncon still testifieth]
"Memorandum, That on Tuesday October 20, in the
afternoone, this present year 1640, the High-Sherriffe of the
county of Suffolk, sitting in the Markett Crosse [Note him I],
in Ipswich, where hee kept his County Court, and had that
afternoone taken the poll of divers that came to give then-
voices for Mr. Henry North, sonne of Sir Roger North
[Grammar fails a little]. And when it appeared, after some
stay, that noe more weere likely to come, and Mr. Gardeneo
Webb1 speaking concerning the said election averred That
the said High-Sherriffe had been damnably base in all his
carriage. Whereupon I, Samuel Duncon, hearing the same,
did [As an enemy of blasphemy, and Constable of this Borough]
enforme the said High-Sheriffe of that outrageous and scan-
dalous speeche; who thereupon asking the said Webb,
Whether hee had spoken the said wordes or not? he answered,
with much impudence and earnestness, That he had said soe,
and would maintain it. And did thereupon in the presence of
the said High-Sherriffe call mee, the said Samuel Duncon/
base rascall and rogue [He shall answer it f] because I had
acquainted the said High-Sherriffe with his said injurious
speeches. Samuel Duncon. "
1 " Gardiner Webb was the son of William Webb of Ixworth in
Suffolk, attorney-at-law. He became heir, in right of his mother (who
was one of the Gardiners of Elmswell), to considerable landed property"
(Dryasdust MSS. ); and seems to have been a hot-tempered loose-
spoken individual.
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? An Election to the Long Parliament 113
No. Ill
[Samuel Duncon still lestifieth, though without signature]
"Wednesday the 21st October 1640
"The truncke was brought up into the Townhall, and the
'High-Sherriffe and the rest of the knights and gentlemen came
up together to make end of their Bookes: and they passed
quietly untill my Booke was produced; and then Mr. North
protested against my Booke, and Sir Roger came up and
exclaimed at mee, and said I was no fitt clerke, neyther
authorised to write. Then was Mr. Farran called, and asked
How I came to write? Which he answered, ' He never saw
mee before Monday in all his life, but wanting one to write,
and I standing by, he requested mee to write. ' The High-
Sherriffe told Sir Roger, 'He could not but accept of my
Booke, and would doe so if I had wrot for his own sonne;'
and for myselfe, as I then testified, so am I ready to make
oath, being lawfully called, That my Booke was just and
right, and that I did not write one name that was not sworne
for Sir Nathaniel; and notwithstanding Sir Roger and other
knights did speake their large pleasures of mee and charged
me with direct and manifest outrage [Maltreating the honest
Town-constable: shameful /].
"In conclusion, the High-Sherriffe finished the Bookes,
and soe we brake up that night, and the next day we pro-
claymed Sir Nathaniel Barnardiston and Sir Philip Parker
Knights of the Shire for the ensuing Parliament. "
[Samuel Duncon: signature not given. ]
, "To all these Three Pages I am ready to give testimony;
and to the whole substance thereof. Edw. Bestwall. " 1
No. IV
[Samuel Duncon still testifieth]
"Memorandum, Upon Tuesday morning some women
[Puritan women; zealous beyond discretion f] came to be
1 Bestwall is not known to Dryasdust. An impartial onlooker, and
presumably nothing more. The " Three Pages " he vouches for are all
these testimonies of Duncon's from beginning to end,--nearly eight
pages as printed here.
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? 114 Carlyle's Essays
sworne for the two foresaid Knights; and Mr. Robert Clerke
did suddenly take some of them; but as soone as Mr. High-
Sherriffe had intelligence of it, wee had worde brought to the
table where Mr. Clerke and myselfe wrot, that Mr. Sheriffe
would have us take no women's oaths; and both the Knights
desired that those that were taken might be put out, and that
we should take no more: and so we refused the rest of the
women after that notice from Mr. High-Sherriffe; and when
Mr. High-Sherriffe cast up the Bookes, he cast out the
women out of the generall summe. "
[Samuel Duncon: signature not given. ]
These transactions are of " so high a nature," it is prob-
able a Parliamentary Committee will have to sit upon them:
justice between the vociferous irrational Sir Roger and the
discreet unspotted Sir Simonds will then be done. Duncon
backed by Bestwall, in writing, and by the Under-Sheriffs
Farran and Choppin viva voce if needful, and indeed by the
whole town of Ipswich if needful,--may sufficiently evince
that Mr. High-Sheriff's carriage in the business was per-
fection or nearly so. The accurate Magistrate meanwhile
thinks good to subjoin a succinct Narrative of his own, which
he is ready to sign when required; every word of which Gan
be proved by the oath of witnesses. No. V. is clearly by
D'Ewes himself; there are even some directions to his clerk
about writing it fair.
No. V
A short and true relation of the carriage of the Election of the
Knights for the Countie of Suffolke at Ipswich, which
beganne there upon Monday morning, October 19, this .
present Year 1640, and ended upon the Thursday morning
then next ensuing. 1
"The Under-Sherriffe having had order from the High-
Sheriffe of the same Countie to provide honest and able men
to take the Poll, and to looke to gett ready materialls for the
Election, went to Ipswich on Friday night: and the said
High-Sherriffe was purposed to have gone thither the next
day, but that hee understood the small-pox [Nota bene] was
1 From Harleian MSS. British Museum, collected by Sir S. D'Ewes,
No. 158, p. 275.
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? An Election to the Long Parliament 115
exceeding spread in the said towne. Sir Nathaniel Barnardis-
ton and Sir Philip Parker joined together, and Henry North
stood singlie, for the place of Knights of the Shire.
"The said High-Sherriffe came to Ipswich about eight of
the clocke of the said Monday morning. 1 To whom Sir
Roger North, father of the said Mr. Henry North, and divers
? other gentlemen repairing, hee yeilded to them to have the
Poll taken in a feild neare the towne; and soe, after a little
discourse without further stay, went to the Markett Crosse,
and caused the King's Majestie's Writt to bee published; by
which meanes the said Mr. North was carried about a good
while before the other Knights [Yes f] had notice that the
said Writt was published. And this the said High-Sherriffe
did about an houre and halfe sooner than he was by law com-
pelled to; that there might be noe just ground of cavill, as
if he had delaied the business [Sir Simonds is himself known to
be a Puritan; already elected, or about to be elected, for the town
of Sudbury. So high stood Sudbury then; sunk now so low /].
"After the publication of which, the said High-Sherriffe
withdrew himselfe to make haste into the said feild [Mr.
Hambie's field; with the Conduit-head and big Elms in it] to
take the Poll. But before hee got thither, or any place was
made readie for the clerkes to write, the said Mr. North was
brought into the feild [Triumphantly in his chair]; and many
of the gentrie as well as others that were of his partie pressed
soe upon the place where the planks and boards were setting
upp, as they could not be fastened or finished. All this time
the other two Knights knew yett nothing that the said Poll
was begunn in the said feild: soe as [So that] the said High-
Sherriffe begann Mr. North's poll alone, and admitted a
clerke. The said Sir Roger North proffered to write the
names, with the clerke his [The High-Sheriff's] Under-
Sherriffe had before appointed, which hee [The High-Sheriff]
conceived hee was not in law bound unto.
"Having then taken the Poll a while, in the said Sir Roger
North's presence and his said sonne's, the companie did
tread upon the said planks with such extreme violence, as
having divers times borne them downe upon the said High-
'Sherriffe; and hee having used all meanes of entreatie and
perswasion to desire them to beare off, as did the said Sir
1 He lived at Stow Hall (Autobiography of D'Ewes); he must have
started early.
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? 116 Carlyle's Essays
Roger North also,--the said High-Sherriffe was at the last
forced to give over; and soe gave speedie order, by the
advice of the said Sir Roger North and others, To have three
severall tables [' Three:' Duncon notices only two of them;
one under the Elm, one at the Conduit-head, where the Puritan
Knights were polling; Sir Simonds himself superintends the
Norths' table :--' three several tables '] sett upp against trees
or other places wheere they might not bee borne downe by
violence. Which being verie speedilie performed, the said
High-Sherriffe went in person and assisted at the said table
wheere Mr. North's poll was taking, leaving his Under-
Sherriffe and sworne deputies to attend the other tables, and
to administer the oath, where the said Sir Roger and his
sonne did appoint their kindred and friends to overview all
that was done.
"The said High-Sherriffe did there, without eating or
drinking, assist the said Mr. North, from about nine of the
clocke in the morning till it grew just upon night, notwith-
standing it was in the open feild, and a verie cold and windie
day: and did in his owne person take much paines to dispatch
the said Poll; which had been much better advanced, if such
as came to the same had not treaded with such extreme'
violence one upon another. And whereas the said Sir
Nathaniel Barnardiston came, about twelve of the clocke
that forenoone, to the said High-Sherriffe, desiring him that
all the companie might dissolve to goe to dinner, and that in
respect of the great winde, the Poll in the afternoone might
be taken in the said towne of Ipswich [A very reasonable
motion]: The said High-Sherriffe, upon the said Mr. North's
request to the contrarie, staide in the said feild till the
shutting upp of the said day, as is aforesaid.
"What was done at the other tables the said High-
Sherriffe knew not; but twice, upon complaint to him made,
repaired thither, and certified and reconciled all matters.
And during the same day alsoe the said High-Sherriffe did
desire the said Sir Roger North to sende for another table
to the place wheere he sate, being willing by all meanes to
expedite the said Poll. And though there were not one man
sworne for the other two Knights at the said Mr. North's
table,--yet were there divers sworne at one of the other two
tables for the said Mr. North; soe as, by this and the early
beginning of the said Mr. North's poll, he had neare upon
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? An Election to the Long Parliament 117
Two-hundred voices advantage of the other two Knights,
had they come single; but they having manie hundreds that
gave voices for them jointly, did before night outstrippe his
votes by about Fowre-hundred apiece.
"At the said High-Sherriffe's rising from the said Poll on
the said Monday night, hee tooke the Bookes from the said
clerkes; and though by lawe he was tied to call noe partie to
* assist him in the laying them upp, yet to take away all
possible cause of cavill, and to showe his integritie in the
whole proceedings, hee called the said Sir Roger North to
him, and desired him to accompanie him not only to the
places wheere he received all the other Bookes or Papers from
1 his said Under-Sherriffe, or the other clarkes that wrote
them, but to his lodging also [Mrs. Penning's]; wheere hee
bound and sealed upp the said Bookes and Papers, in the
presence of the said Sir Roger North and the said Under-
Sherriffe; then locking them upp, gave the key to his said
Under-Sherriffe to keepe; having first asked the said Sir
Roger, If hee were not a person fitte to be trusted with it?
And soe the said Sir Roger North departed, in a verie friendly
and amicable manner, from the said High-Sherriffe, without
so much as moving the least complaint against any of the
said proceedings of that day.
"But it seemes, after his departure, having that night
learned that the other Knights' polls outstripped his said
sonne's by divers hundreds,--he came the next morning to
the said High-Sherriffe's lodging; and beganne, in violent
'and passionate termes, to charge him That hee had dealt un-
justlie and partiallie in taking the Poll the day past [Behold f]:
which at the present caused the said High-Sherriffe to wonder
at that sudden and unexpected change; in respect the same
Sir Roger parted in soe friendlie a manner from him the night
foregoing, and that his indefatigable paines the day past
deserved rather just acknowledgment than such unjust
expostulation [Certainly f\.
'* The said High-Sherriffe therefore, having received the
said key from his said Under-Sherriffe, in the presence of the
said Sir Roger North, departed to the finishing of the said
Poll. And whereas the other two Knights had but each of
them one table allowed at which two clerkes only wrote; the
said High-Sherriffe allowed the said Mr. North two tables
and four clerkes: and at noone when the said Court was
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? 118 Carlyle's Essays
adjourned to two of the clocke of the same afternoone, the
said High-Sherriffe having taken all the Bookes and Papers
touching the same Poll from his Under-Sherriffe, or the clerkes
which wrot them, desired the said Mr. North himselfe to
accompanie him to his said lodging; which he did, and sawe
them sealed and locked upp, and then had himselfe the key
along with him.
"But all these testimonies of the said High-Sherriffe's im-
partialitie, and integritie in his proceedings, did in noe way
mitigate the passion and indignation of the said Sir Roger
North and some others, who now beganne to give the cause
upp as conclamated1 and lost; and therefore, though the
said High-Sherriffe afterwardes in his numbering the votes
of the said Poll did proceed with it in publike view, which hee
might have done privately with his own clerkes, yet all the
time after hee was often interrupted by most unjust and out-
rageous accusations and criminations; and by that meanes
was almost as long, within an houre or two, in numbering the
names of the said Poll, as hee was in taking the Poll itselfe.
And in all differences that emergently fell out in numbering
the said names, wheere there was but any equalitie of
doubt, the said High-Sherriffe prevailed with the other two .
Knights to let the advantage rest on the said Mr. North's
side.
"And though the said Sir Roger North came, on the said
Tuesday in the afternoone, October 20th, into the Countie
Court whilst the said High-Sherriff sate taking the Poll for
his said sonne, and there used most outrageous and violent
speeches against the said High-Sherriffe [Hear Duncon too],
and told him ' Hee would make it good with his bloud;' yet
the said High-Sherriffe, seeing him accompanied with many
young gentlemen and others, all or most of them armed with
their swords and their rapiers [Questionable /], and fearing if
he had made use of his just power to punish such an affront,
much bloudshedd would have ensued, hee rather passed it
over with an invincible patience; and only stoode upp, and
desired silence to cleare himselfe from these unjust assertions
and criminations which had been laid upon him; and re-
solved to expect redresse of his enemies from the High Court
of Parliament [Far the better plan, Mr. High-Sheriff I--which,
1 Conclamatum est;--summoned nine times, and making no answer,
is now to be held for dead.
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? An Election to the Long Parliament 119
among other good effects, has yielded us these present Documents
withal].
"Yet the said Sir Roger, not satisfied herewith, did, a little
after, with the said companie of young gentlemen, and others
that followed him, armed as aforesaid, or the greater part of
them, go about the Corne Hill in Ipswich, where the Crosse
'stands, and cried, ' A North! a North! ' calling the saylers
Water-dogges [Puritan sailors ;--mark it; had voted for the
Gospel Candidates: 'Water-dogs '], and otherwise provok-
ing them: one also of the companie drewe out his sword [Lo,
there I], and brandished it about, nor did they give over till
one of the Constables of Ipswich [Sam Duncon; we saw him
doing it], being a sworne officer, charged them In the King's
name to desist. The other two Knights, then sitting at the
Poll, were fain at the instant to withdraw themselves in at
the next windowe of the house wheere they stoode; having
first besought the people and saylers to bee quiet, and not to
answer violence with violence. For it is too apparent what
was sought for in that dangerous action; and that if the said
High-Sherriffe had, at that present, made use of his power
to vindicate his owne affronts and sufferings, much bloud-
shedde might have ensued. Nor did the said High-Sherriffe
suffer only from the violent language of the said Sir Roger
North and some others of qualitie, but from two of the
Webbes alsoe, whose Christian names were Roger and
Gardiner [The intemperate Webbes of Ixworth], and suchlike
persons of inferiour rank. The said High-Sherriffe having
sate out all Wednesday October 21, from morning till night,
in the West Hall or Court House in Ipswich aforesaid, with-
out dining, did at last, notwithstanding the violent interrup-
tions of the said Sir Roger North and others, finish the
numbring of the said votes that day; and found that the
said Sir Nathaniel Barnardiston had 2140 voices, and Sir
Philip Parker 2240 at the least,--besides the voices of all
such persons as had been admitted without the said High-
Shernffe's knowledge, and were by him, upon numbring the
same, disallowed and cast out. And the said Mr. Henry
North had 1422.
? "The next morning, October 22, the said High-Sherriffe
made open publication of the said votes; and pronounced
the said Sir Nathaniel Barnardiston and Sir Philip Parker
the due elected Knights for the said Countie of Suffolke.
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? 120 Carlylc's Essays
And then caused the indentures witnessing the same election
to be there ensealed and loyallie [Lawfully] executed.
"'Tis true that, by the ignorance of some of the clerkes at
the other tables, the oaths of some single women [We saw it
with Duncon] that were freeholders were taken, without the
knowledge of the said High-Sherriffe; who, as soon as he had
notice thereof, instantlie sent to forbidd the same, conceiv-
ing it a matter verie unworthy of anie gentleman, and most
dishonourable in such an election, to make use of their voices,
although they might in law have been allowed; nor did the
said High-Sherriffe allow of the said votes upon his numbring
the said Poll, but with the allowance and consent of the said
two Knights themselves discount them and cast them out.
"Now, though all the frivolous cavills, exceptions and
protestations which were made against the foresaid Election
by the said Sir Roger North or others did only conceme the
Poll which was taken on the said Monday October 19; and
are sufficiently answered with the verie preceding bare
Narration of the true carriage thereof; and the rather,
because himselfe accompanying the said High-Sherriffe the
same evening when he received all the said Bookes and.
Papers from his said Under-Sherriffe, or such persons who
had written them, did except against noe person, nor noe
booke or paper, but consented to the sealing and locking
them upp as Acts by which the matter in question was to be
decided: Yet to satisfy all the world, such exceptions shall
be heare set down, and clearly elevated or wiped away,
which on the Tuesday and Wednesday following were pressed
at Ipswich upon the said High-Sherriffe, with soe much out-
rageous passion as he could be scarce permitted to make
answer to the same, by reason of the vociferation and
clamours of the other partie.
"It was objected, That the said High-Sherriffe made
delaies on purpose to hinder the said Mr. North. This is so
frivolous as 'tis not worth the answering; for the hindrance
must have been equallie prejudiciale to the other two Knights
as well as to him. Nay, on the contrarie, if any had wrong,
they had; for the said High-Sherriffe soe hastened both the
reading of the Writt, and goeing to the Poll as hee could not
in time give the other two Knights notice of it. Soe as if the
said Mr. North's companie had not by their overpressing
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? An Election to the Long Parliament 121
violence throwne downe the boards and planks, wheere the
said High-Sherriffe begann his the said Mr. North's poll
alone, hee had gained neare upon an houre's advantage of
the other two.
"Another objection, That the said High-Sherriffe refused
such clerkes as the said Sir Roger North offered him; telling
Jiim hee was provided. This is a shamefull objection: as if
the adverse partie were to provide men to take the poll. In
this matter the said High-Sherriffe committed all to the
trust and care of his Under-Sherriffe, who assured him hee
had provided able and sufficient writers; yet did the said
High-Sherriffe admitt a clarke, at the said Mr. North's poll,
to write with the clerke his said Under-Sherriffe had pro-
vided, upon the motion of the said Sir Roger North.
"A third objection, That the said Mr. North lost many
voices that were forced to goe out of towne the same Monday,
because they could not be sworne. And soe doubtless did
the other two likewise. And this was an invincible or
remediless mischief on all sides. And 'tis evident the
extreame pressing of the said Mr. North's votes hindred
some hundreds from being dispatched. Besides, the said
High-Sherriffe, at his entreatie, forebore his dinner [The
high-spirited immaculate man], to sitt it out with him in the
winde and cold till night; which deserved acknowledgment,
and not rage and furie. Besides, he made the said Sir Roger
North once or twice to send for another table to the same
place; which courtesie the said High-Sherriffe afforded the
said Mr. North the next morning, more than was allowed the
other two Knights. And had the said Mr. North lost the
place by one or two hundred voices, there might indeed be
some colour that hee had miscarried because the Poll could
not be finished on the said Monday night; which notwith-
standing that it had been soe, yet the said High-Sherriffe was
noe ways the cause thereof. But it is noe ways probable that
the said Mr. North should be so ill-beloved or lightlie esteemed
by such as appeared for him, that Seven-hundred persons
would all depart and desert his cause, rather than abide
and stay one night in Ipswich to assist him with their votes.
For by so many at the least did either of the other two
Knights carrie it from him.
"Lastly, for conclusion of the whole. There is not a word
or sillible sett down here, which is not notoriously known
n 704 1
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? I 22
Carlyle's Essays
to manie, or which the said High-Sherriffe himself will not
make good by his corporall oath, being loyallie thereunto
called, as also by the Bookes and Papers taken at the said
Poll. Soe as never was innocency oppressed more by violence
and fury; nor did his royall Majestie's Authoritie ever suffer
more in the person of his Minister, than by the outrageous
affronts offered unto, and unjust criminations heaped upon,
the said High-Sherriffe at the said Election. "
Such is the account High-Sheriff D'Ewes has to give of
himself, concerning his carriage in the Election of Knights of
the Shire for Suffolk on this memorable occasion. He has
written it down in an exact manner, to be ready for the
Parliament, or for any and all persons interested; his clerks
can now make copies of it as many as wanted. In the same
Volume, No. 158 of the Harley Collection, there is another
copy of this "short and true relation," with slight changes,
principally in the punctuation; doubtless the immaculate
Magistrate saw good to revise his Narrative more than once,
and bring it still nearer perfection: he adds always this
direction for the amanuenses: "They are desired who take
a coppie of this to compare it with the originall after they
have transcribed it,"--to be sure that they are exact. The
original, which, at any rate, in D'Ewes's hand, few persons
could have read, is happily lost.
No notice in the Commons Journals, or elsewhere, indicates
at all whether this case ever came before the Election Com-
mittee of the Long Parliament. But if it did, as is probable
enough, we put it to the commonest sense of mankind,
whether on Sir Roger North's side it could have a leg to
stand on! No Election Committee can have difficulty here.
Accordingly our Puritan Knights Sir Philip Parker and Sir
Nathaniel Barnardiston sat indisputable as County Members
for Suffolk, Mr. Henry North consoling himself as he could.
Sir Simonds the High-Sheriff had another case before the
Parliament; this namely, that he being High-Sheriff had
returned himself for Sudbury as duly elected there, which
was thought informal by some: but in this too he prospered,
and sat for that Borough. The intemperate Sir Roger, as
we said, was admitted Member for Eye: but in the second
year, mingling with "Commission of Array" and other
Royalist concerns, to small purpose as is likely, he, like
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? An Election to the Long Parliament 123
many others, was "disabled,"--cast forth, to Oxford, to
"malignancy," disaster, and a fate that has not been inquired
into.
Sir Simonds sat spotless for Sudbury; made occasional
fantastic Speeches; and what is far more important for us,
took exact Notes. Several of his Speeches he has preserved
in writing; one, probably the most fantastic and pedantic of
"all, he sent forth in print: it relates to a dispute for seniority
that had arisen between Oxford University and Cambridge;
proves by unheard-of arguments and erudition, obsolete now
to all mortals, that Cambridge, which was his own University,
is by far the older,--older than Alfred himself, old as the
very hills in a manner. Sir Simonds had the happiness to
"shake hands with Mr. Prynne," when he came to the
Parliament Committee on his deliverance from prison, and
to congratulate Mr. Prynne on the changed aspects that
then were. He wrote frequent letters to " Abraham Wheloc"
and many others. Far better, he almost daily dictated to
his secretary, or jotted-down for him on scraps of paper,
Notes of the Proceedings of the Long Parliament; which
Notes still exist, safe in the British Museum; unknown
. seemingly to all the learned. He was a thin high-flown
character, of eminent perfection and exactitude, little fit
for any solid business in this world, yet by no means without
his uses there.
This one use, had there been no other, That he took Notes
of the Long Parliament! Probably there is much light wait-
ing us in these Notes of his, were they once disimprisoned
into general legibility. They extend, in various forms, in
various degrees of completeness, to the year 1645: but in
that year, after the victory of Naseby, the questionable
course things were taking gave offence to our Presbyterian
Grandison; he sat mostly silent, with many thoughts, and
forbore jotting any farther. Two of his written Speeches
relate to the confused negotiations with King Charles in the
Isle of Wight; and are strong in the Royalist-Presbyterian
direction. Colonel Pride, in the end, purged him out alto-
gether, on the memorable 6th December 1648; sent him,
with four or five score others, "over to the Tavern called
Hell, kept by Mr. Duke, near Palaceyard,"--in the most
unheard-of manner! For, on questioning Mr. Hugh Peters,
who had come across to them, By what law? By what
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? 124 Carlyle's Essays
shadow or vestige of any law, common or statutory, humar
or divine, is this unheard-of thing done? --the candid Mr
Peters, a man of good insight and considerable humour 0:
character, answered these much-injured honourable gentle-
men, " By the law of Necessity; truly by the power of the
sword! " And they remained in a nearly rabid state; evi-
dently purged out, without reason and without remedy
and had to retire to their respective countries, and there
rhyme the matter for themselves as they could.
Our poor Knight, Sir Simonds, soon after died; leaving an
unspotted pedant character, and innumerable Manuscripts
behind him. Besides his History of the Parliaments of Queen
Elizabeth, a laborious compilation, which has since been
printed, long ago, and still enjoys a good reputation of its
sort, there are, as we count, some Ninety and odd Volumes
of his Papers still extant in the British Museum: very
worthless some of them, very curious others;--among which
latter, certain portions of his Autobiography, already known
in print,1 are well worth reading; and these his Notes of the
Long Parliament are perhaps, to us English, the most inter-
esting of all the Manuscripts that exist there. Pury's Notes
of the Long Parliament 2 appear to be irretrievably lost;
Varney's, which also have never yet been made accessible,3
extend over only a short early period of the business: it is
on these Notes of D'Ewes's, principally, that some chance
of understanding the procedure and real character of the
1 Bibliothcca Topographica, No. 6.
*" Mr. Robinson asked me this morning," Monday, 12 Jan. ,
1656-7, "before the Speaker came, If I took Notes at Scot's Com-
mittee? I said, Yea. He told me He had much ado to forbear
moving against my taking Notes, for it was expressly against the
Orders of the House. I told him how Mr. Davy took Notes all the
Long Parliament, and that Sir Symons D'Ewes wrote great volumes"
of the like. Burton's Diary (London, 1828), i. 341.
Of Sir Simonds's " great volumes we are here speaking: but who
the " Mr. Davy" is? No person of the name of Davy sat in the Long
Parliament at all; or could by possibility have taken Notes! After
multifarious examination, and bootless trial of various names more or
less resembling Davy, a sight of the original MS. of the thing called
Burton's Diary was procured; and the name " Davy" then straight-
way turned out to be Pury. Pury, or Purry, perhaps now written
Perry, Alderman of Gloucester, and once well known as Member for
that City. But of him or of his Notes, on repeated application there,
no trace could now be found. If, as is possible, they still exist, in the
buried state, in those regions,--to resuscitate and print them were
very meritorious.
* Edited now (London, 1845) by Mr. Bruce.
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? An Election to the Long Parliament 125
Long Parliament appears still to depend for us. At present,
after shiploads of historical printing, it is and remains mere
darkness visible; if in these Notes by an accurate eye-
witness there be no chance of light, then is light anywhere
hopeless, and this remarkablest Parliament that ever sat will
continue an enigma forever. In such circumstances, we
? call these Notes the most interesting of all Manuscripts. To
an English soul who would understand what was really
memorable and godlike in the History of his Country,
distinguishing the same from what was at bottom wwmemor-
able and devil-like; who would bear in everlasting remem-
brance the doings of our noble heroic men, and sink into
, everlasting oblivion the doings of our loud ignoble quacks and
sham-heroes,--what other record can be so precious? If
English History have nothing to afford us concerning the
Puritan Parliament but vague incoherencies, inconceivabili-
ties and darkness visible,--English History, in this Editor's
opinion, must be in a poor way!
It has often been a question, Why none of the Dryasdust
Publishing Societies, the Camden or some other, has gone into
(ihese D'Ewes's MSS. in an efficient spirit, and fished-up
somewhat of them? Surely it is the office of such Publishing
Societies. Now when Booksellers are falling irrecoverably
into the hand-to-mouth system, unable to publish anything
that will not repay them on the morrow morning; and in
Printed Literature, as elsewhere, matters seem hastening
pretty fast towards strange consummations: who else but
the Printing Societies is to do it? They should lay aside
vain Twaddle and Dilettantism, and address themselves to
their function by real Labour and Insight, as above hinted,--
of which, alas, there is at present little hope!
Unhappily the Publishing Societies, generally speaking,
are hitherto "Dryasdust" ones; almost a fresh nuisance
rather than otherwise. They rarely spend labour on a
business, rarely insight; they consider that sham-labour,
and a twilight of ignorance and buzzard stupidity, backed
by prurient desire for distinction, with the subscription
of a guinea a year, will do the turn. It is a fatal mistake!
Accordingly the Books they print, intending them apparently
to be read by some class of human creatures, are wonderful.
Alas, they have not the slightest talent for knowing, first of
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? 126 Carlyle's Essays
all, what not to print; what, as a thing dead, and incapable
of ever interesting or profiting a human creature more, ought
not to be printed again, to steal away the valuable cash, and
the invaluable time and patience of any man again! It is
too bad. How sorrowful to see a mass of printed Publishings
and Republishings, all in clear white paper, bound in cloth
and gold lettered; concerning which you have to acknowledge
that there should another artist be appointed to go in the
rear of them, to fork them swiftly into the oven, and save all
men's resources from one kind of waste at least. Mr. Chad-
wick proposes that sweepers shall go in the rear of all horses
in London, and instantly sweep-up their offal, before it be
trampled abroad over the pavement to general offence.
Yes; but what sweeper shall follow the Dryasdust Printing
Societies, the Authors, Publishers, and other Prurient-
Stupids of this intellectual Metropolis, who are rising to a
great height at present! Horse-offal, say Chadwick and the
Philanthropists very justly, if not at once swept-up, is
trampled abroad over the pavements, into the sewers, into
the atmosphere, into the very lungs and hearts of the citizens:
Good Heavens, and to think of Author-offal, and how it is
trampled into the very souls of men; and how the rains and-
the trunkmakers do not get it abolished for years on years,
in some instances!
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-12-21 07:22 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/mdp. 39015012169135 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY
YEARS AGO1
DUELLING
[1850]
Duelling, in Queen Elizabeth's reign, was very prevalent;
nor has it abated in King James's. It is one of the sincerities
of Human Life, which bursts through the thickest-quilted
formulas; and in Norse-Pagan, in Christian, New-Christian,
and all manner of ages, will, one way or the other, contnve
to show itself.
