Raising Sir John Byron’s regiment of Horse, the first completed 5,000 -------- Representing a total of £122,500 ======== Annexed to the record of this vast outlay, Lord Herbert has left us a short piece of autobiography. “Things being thus set in order, (he says) between his Majesty and me, I fairly took leave of the Parliament, to go down to my father; where I no sooner arrived but there came directed unto me from his Majesty a Commission of Array; whereof I presently, by a servant of my own, sent word to the Parliament, with a letter to the House of Lords, which I directed to my Lord of Holland, and to the House of Commons, to Mr. Pym; in both which I offered to intercede to his Majesty, and conceived I should prevail to suspend the Commission of Array, if they should make an Act that their Militia should not come into my country. But they with civil compliments and thanks replied that his Majesty’s [proceedings] was so illegal, and theirs for the good of the kingdom so just and necessary, that by no means would they waive the one for the other. At which I declared myself irritated, to see that they durst tell me that anything commanded by my master was illegal, and professed I would obey his Majesty’s commands, and let them send at their perils. So immediately, and in eight days’ time, I raised six regiments, fortified Monmouth, Chepstow, and Raglan, fetching away the magazine [of powder and ammunition] from the Earl of Pembroke’s town, Carlyon, and placed it in Raglan Castle, leaving a garrison in lieu thereof. Garrisoned likewise Cardiff, Brecknock, Hereford, Goodrich Castle and the Forest of Dean, after I had taken them from the enemy.” We have here a striking instance of his unflinching loyalty, of his first public expression of his political sentiments, with a brief sketch of the course he adopted in his first decisive military measures. In the month of September several horses, the property of Lord Herbert, being seized in Gloucestershire, the same was formally reported, as appears first from the Journals of the House of Commons,[B] as follows: “Diè Martis, 13º Septembris, 1642. “A letter, from the city of Gloucester, from Mr. Perry, &c. concerning the Lord Herbert, son of the Earl of Worcester, seven horses of war stayed there; and concerning some provisions they desire for the safety of the city; was this day read: And “It is ordered, that Sergeant Wilde do prepare an Order concerning both these particulars. “That Mr. Speaker shall write his letter to the Lord Herbert, son of the Earl of Worcester, to appear here, and attend the House. “Mr Glyn to prepare this letter. “That the Lords be moved to send for the Earl of Worcester, to attend the Parliament.” And further, afterwards, from the particulars afforded by the annexed document:--