The English works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury, Volume 06 (of 11)
Thomas Hobbes · en
_A._ Night coming on, before the city was quite taken he left it; it
being dark and none of the enemy’s horse within the town to follow him,
the plundering foot having kept the gates shut, lest the horse should
enter and have a share of the booty. The King before morning got into
Warwickshire, twenty-five miles from Worcester, and there lay disguised
awhile, and afterwards went up and down in great danger of being
discovered, till at last he got over into France, from Brighthelmstone
in Sussex.
_B._ When Cromwell was gone, what was further done in Scotland?
_A._ Lieutenant-General Monk, whom Cromwell left there with 7,000, took
Stirling August 14th by surrender, and Dundee the 3rd of September, by
storm, because it resisted. This the soldiers plundered, and had good
booty, because the Scots for safety had sent thither their most precious
goods from Edinburgh and St. Johnstone’s. He took likewise by surrender
Aberdeen, and the place where the Scottish ministers first learned to
play the fool, St. Andrew’s. Also in the Highlands, Colonel Alured took
a knot of lords and gentlemen, viz. four earls and four lords and above
twenty knights and gentlemen, whom he sent prisoners into England. So
that there was nothing more to be feared from Scotland: all the trouble
of the Rump being to resolve what they should do with it. At last they
resolved to unite and incorporate it into one commonwealth with England
and Ireland. And to that end sent thither St. John, Vane, and other
commissioners, to offer them this union by public declaration, and to
warn them to choose their deputies of shires and burgesses of towns, and
send them to Westminster.
_B._ This was a very great favour.
_A._ I think so: and yet it was by many of the Scots, especially by the
ministers and other Presbyterians, refused. The ministers had given way
to the levying of money for the payment of the English soldiers; but to
comply with the declaration of the English commissioners they absolutely
forbad.
_B._ Methinks this contributing to the pay of their conquerors was some
mark of servitude; whereas entering into the union made them free, and
gave them equal privilege with the English.
_A._ The cause why they refused the union, rendered by the Presbyterians
themselves, was this: that it drew with it a subordination of the Church
to the civil state in the things of Christ.