Sir William Waller and Malmesbary. 



175 



Resolved upon the question ' That the election of Sir William Waller for a 

 Burgess for the Town of Andover is a good election, and that the Bailiff of the 

 said Town do at the Bar mend the return.' " 



" Die Jovis, 12° Maii 1642. 



" Andover return amended by the Bailiff of Andover, who had formerly re- 

 turned Mr. Vernon to serve for Andover, whose Election is since judged void, 

 was by order summoned to appear here with the Clerk of the Crown to amend 

 the Indenture of return, and did at the Bar amend it accordingly, and made it 

 for Sir William Waller." 



So the Court or Government party were defeated by a small 

 majority. We should like to have a report of the debate that 

 preceded it, which must have been somewhat interesting, if it touched 

 on the laws and customs of elections. We may gather that no 

 slight efforts were made to keep out such an avowed enemy of the 

 Court as Sir William Waller. They failed, and then we see the 

 long visage of the Bailiff of Andover at the Bar of the House, and 

 note that his hand appeared fit for the furnace, as he grasped the 

 pen on that memorable occasion. What effect this division had on 

 the rising storm is not clear, but it may have hurried the passing of 

 the ordinance for calling out the militia, which took place two days 

 later. 



On the 4th July, 1 642, Waller was appointed by the Commons 

 to be one of the Committee of Public Safety, which consisted of 

 five peers — Earls Northumberland, Essex, Pembroke, and Holland, 

 and Lord Saye and Sele; and ten Commoners— Pym, Hampden, 

 Holies, Marty n, Piennes, Pierpoint, Glyn, Sir William Waller, Sir 

 Philip Stapleton, and Sir John Meyrick. 



His first military commission for the Parliament was that of Colonel 

 of the 1 5th Troop of Horse. " He was," it is said, " much trusted by 

 Commons."" c: < He was known," says Whitelocke, " to be a man of 

 such honour and courage ; this silenced those envious against him, 

 and made the better way for recruiting for him." 1 He divided 

 popularity with Lord Essex, his Commander-in-Chief, in times before 

 proper discipline, drill, and arms had been discovered by either of 

 them. 



At the battle of Edge Hill his horse once more was shot under 



1 See a letter from Pym to him, which shows that great man's respect for him, 

 given in Warburton's <4 History of Prince Eupert and the Cavaliers." 



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