FIGHTING FO^ THS CROWS^ 191 



Never indeed was triumph more complete. But a blow, 

 far greater even than the destruction of his army, was 

 the capture of the king's cabinet, and the subsequent 

 publication of the letters it contained. With bitter 

 wrath men learned how the Duke of Lorraine had 

 promised to lend the king a thousand mercenaries ; how 

 the Papists were to be bribed to take arms against the 

 Parliament. " I give thee power," so ran one of the 

 letters to the queen, " in my name, that I will take away 

 all the Penal Laws against the Roman Catholics in 

 England .... so as by their Means .... I may 

 have so powerful Assistance as may deserve so great a 

 Favour." 



The first despatch was dated from the field : " Our 

 horse are still in pursuit, and have taken many officers ; 

 their standard is ours, the King's Waggon and many 

 ladyes. God Almighty give us thankful hearts for this 

 great victory, the most absolute yet obtayned. The 

 General, Lieut. Gen. Cromwell, and Major Gen. Skippon 

 did, beyond expression, gallantly \ so did all the other 

 commanders and soldiers ; we have lost but two captains. 

 Naezby, where this fight was, this Saturday, 14 Junii, 

 1645." Cromwell's despatch to Lenthall was sent from 

 Harborough, Fairfax adding an ominous postscript : 

 " Some Irish are among the prisoners .... I desire 

 they may be proceeded against according to ordinance of 

 Parliament." What that ordinance was we learn from 

 the records. No quarter was to be given to any Irish 

 who might be taken with arms in their hands. The 

 Speaker received the news the same night, and two days 



