POLITICAL HISTORY 



fear of a raid from the Royalist Scotch army, and Colonel Assheton marched 

 into Westmorland to be ready for it.''' The Scots, in fact, penetrated as 

 far as Preston, where they were joined by Sir Marmaduke Langdale and a 

 force of English Royalists, and overthrown on 1 7 August by the vigorous 

 onslaught of Cromwell himself, who, pursuing the defeated Scots south- 

 ward, overtook and killed or captured most of them at Winwick and 

 Warrington."' 



In August the Lancashire Committee and deputy lieutenants were 

 advised to look to the defences of Liverpool, of which the garrison was weak, 

 since it would be ' a public disaster ' if it should be taken by the enemy.**" 

 The Lancashire Committee were apparently growing weary of the burden of 

 the war, and wished to disband their forces. In 1645 the men and officers 

 had grumbled of want of pay,'" and the county was in a wretched state of 

 destitution from the prolongation of the struggle. To smooth their ruffled 

 feelings the Parliament wrote referring to the Lancashire forces which ' served 

 with so much distinction under Colonel Assheton,' urging them to join 

 Cromwell in the pursuit of the Scots, and promising to undertake that 

 ' this shall not be your burden singly.' In conclusion the London Com- 

 mittee added that ' In recognition of your great forwardness both in 

 this and the former war the Houses yesterday passed an ordinance for 

 ^3,000 to be paid to you.'"' In November the order for the disband- 

 ing of the Lancashire forces was issued, and ^4,000 appointed to be paid 

 to them.'*' On the other hand some of the regiments were not disposed 

 to be easily dealt with, and to find them employment, or get them out of 

 the way, it was suggested they should be sent on to Ireland to support 

 General Monk."* 



In 1649 inany roving disbanded soldiers troubled the country, and it 

 was necessary to provide three troops to keep order in the county.'** ' Riots 

 and contempts,' and ' the seditious preaching of ministers ' are spoken of in 

 1650 as greatly prevailing in Lancashire, The Council of State, writing to 

 the Lancashire justices of assize, remark that 



In no place have their boldness come to that height ... as in your county, a place that 

 through all the heat of the war and in the greatest power of the enemy did and suffered so 

 much for their own liberty and for the cause maintained by Parliament against that tyranny 

 under which the labours of these seducers is to make them willingly return."^ 



In this year a new militia was enrolled consisting at first of two regiments of 

 foot and three of horse.'*^ The county was now governed by a major- 

 general in place of the former lord-lieutenant. 



After the execution of the king in 1 649, the Royalist leaders had at 

 once transferred their allegiance to his son Charles, with whom Lord Derby 

 communicated, with the result that Charles attempted to try his fortune in 

 the kingdom. 



The young king's passage from Scotland through Lancashire is related 

 in the Mercury of that day under the date 21 August, 1651. In a letter 



'" Ca/. S.P. Dom. 1648-9, p. 203. 

 "" Cal. S.P. Dom. 1648-9, p. 237. 

 "' Ibid. 1648-9, pp. 263, 264. 

 "* Ibid. 298. 

 '« Cal. S.P. Dom. 1650, p. 78. 



™ Carlyle, CromweWs Letfers, No. 63-6. 



"• Ibid. 1644-S, p. 568. 



•" Ibid. 331. 



"' Ibid. 1650, p. 44. 



"' Ibid. pp. i"]-"] 2, passim. 



239 



