The First Book 9 



early in the morning he arrived at Hull, in the quality of a 

 private gentleman, which place was distant from his house 

 forty miles : and none of his family that were at home knew 

 what was become of him, till he sent an express to his lady to 

 inform her where he was. 



Thus being admitted into the town, he fell upon his intended 

 design, and brought it to so hopeful an issue for his Majesty's 

 service, that he wanted nothing but his Majesty's further 

 commission and pleasure to have secured both the town and 

 magazine for his Majesty's use : and to that end by a speedy 

 express * gave his Majesty, who was then at Windsor, an 

 account of all his transactions therein, together with his 

 opinion of them, hoping his Majesty would have been pleased 

 either to come thither in person, which he might have done 

 with much security, or at least have sent him a commission 

 and orders how he should do his Majesty further service. 



But instead thereof he received orders from his Majesty to 

 observe such directions as he should receive from the Parlia- 

 ment then sitting : whereupon he was summoned personally 

 to appear at the House of Lords, and a committee chosen to 

 examine the grounds and reasons of his undertaking that 

 design ; but my Lord showed them his commission, and that 

 it was done in obedience to his Majesty's commands, and so 

 was cleared of that action 2 . 



1 Captain Mazine. 



2 The warrant to Newcastle is dated Hampton Court, January n, 1642 (Lords' 

 Journals, iv, 585). Captain Legg was despatched to Hull to prepare the citizens to 

 receive Lord Newcastle as their governor. The Parliament obtained information of 

 the King's purpose, and sent off Captain Hotham with orders to his father, Sir John 

 Hotham, to secure Hull by means of the Yorkshire Trained Bands, and not to deliver 

 it up till he was ordered to do so by ' the King's authority, signified unto him by the 

 Lords and Commons now assembled in Parliament '. Newcastle was despatched by 

 the King in person as soon as Captain Hotham's journey was known. The King's 

 object was not only to secure the munitions stored up at Hull, but to obtain possession 

 of a port where the Danish soldiers he was then purposing to hire might be safely landed. 

 (Gardiner, History of England, vol. x, pp. 152,159.) A letter from Legg toSir E.Nicholas 

 states that Newcastle arrived at Hull on January 14 ; Newcastle himself announced 

 his arrival to the King in a letter dated Januarv 15, which is given in the Appendix. 

 (Domestic State Papers, Charles I, vol. 488, Nos. 55 and 62.) According to Rushworth 

 (IHi.i, 564), the Earl 'desired to pass unknown, calling himself Sir John Savage, and 

 at his first coming was brought before the Mayor under that name, till being known 

 by some bystanders he was forced to own both his name and his errand.' The Mayor 

 refused to admit either Hotham's or Newcastle's troops, and humbly desired the King 

 and Parliament to join in appointing a garrison. ' A strong party bestirred themselves 

 for the Earl with great expectations of the King's royal favour to the town therebv ', 

 continues Rushworth, and he might possibly have secured the town if the King's ill 

 success elsewhere had not obliged him to yield and recall Newcastle. On January 20, 

 the House of Lords passed a resolution ordering him to attend the House. He made 

 no haste to return upon the summons of the House, but sent to the King to know his 

 pleasure ; who, not thinking matters yet ripe enough to make any such declaration, 

 appointed him to come away (Clarendon, Rebellion, iv, 215). ' But the same day that 



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