The achievements, as thus recorded, are sufficiently high sounding, but no contemporary historian seems to have considered them of sufficient importance to put on record. Neither his own letters, nor those of his numerous family and connexions, neither political nor religious partizans nor opponents give us a glimpse of our general's skill, bravery, and final successes; while the few particulars actually recorded leave but a faint impression as regards facts, and a most unfavourable one as regards results. In short, in his military capacity he bears a most mythical character. We have his own statement* that, through the means supplied by his father and himself, the Marquis of Hertford, after his defeat in the West, was supplied with recruits to attend his Majesty at Oxford, at a cost of £8000. They also raised Sir John Byron's regiment of horse, at an expense of £5000. He further expressly alludes to having rendered his Majesty's army considerable service before Edge-hill, by the men he furnished. And he was likewise at the charge, if not personally engaged in the reducing of Abergavenny and Carlyon to the service of the Crown. His own troop of Life Guards, consisted of one hundred and twenty noblemen and gentlemen, whose estates amounted to above sixty thousand pounds per annum, most of whom he supplied with arms and horses. This troop he acknowledges to have raised without consulting his father, who reproving him said: "The consequence would be that the love and power he had in the country would be perspicuous, although he should have thanks from the King, yet others, though his Majesty's well-wishers, through envy, would hate him for it." His Lordship adds:-" which I confess I have found too true, my services having been more * See Chapter XIX. giving the entire statement. retarded by those who called themselves the King's friends, than obstructed by his enemies." It is certain that Lord Herbert acquired no military celebrity. He was bold, determined, and energetic when acting on the defensive, but he was not remarkable for any adventurous or brilliant aggressive successes. His troops were formidable in number, well paid, and abundantly supplied with every requisite ; but in all his reputed sieges, in all his encounters with the foe, we seek in vain for any return of the slain, the wounded, the prisoners taken, the disasters surmounted and inflicted, and the splendid store of spoil acquired. The red hand and unpitying slaughter of war are only shadowed forth to us like shapeless forms, creations of the imagination rather than even faint pictures of reality. His Lordship's naturally studious habits would seem to have incapacitated him from entering ardently into the wanton destruction of human life and the infliction of severe injuries on multitudes, regarded by him more as deluded neighbours than cruel adversaries. Above forty years having passed over his head in the experience only of plenteous, peaceful times, and scholarly pursuits, he was no longer like the pliant sapling, but partook more of the stability of the sturdy oak. In perfect agreement with his own noble and generous spirit, he no doubt expected, as he desired, an early and complete compromise of the political differences which were then spreading their baleful contagion over the land. Nevertheless, it is rather remarkable that operations on so extensive a scale, prosecuted at a large cost by a single family, should have obtained comparatively so little renown in the annals of the civil war: among which we search in vain for details characterising the martial deeds of Edward Somerset, Lord Herbert of Raglan. CHAPTER VI. LORD HERBERT CREATED EARL OF GLAMORGAN. ALTHOUGH many successes had early attended the Royalists' arms, the chances of war in 1643 were interminably perplexing to all parties. The royal cause was becoming desperate, and the King, never overscrupulous, then endeavoured to obtain speedy assistance at all hazards. After taking the sacrament at Oxford, in sacred repudiation of employing papists, yet was he privately urging his generals to engage all who would serve. The fact of the Marquis of Worcester being of the proscribed religion was no obstacle to his maintaining correspondence with him, personally communicating with his son, and constantly draining their fortunes and other resources. The impoverished monarch was at least liberal in promises and niggardly in fulfilling even those referring to mere dignities in acknowledgment of immense services, so long as farther demands might thereby possibly be the better secured; such was his insincerity in all social relations, and such his intriguing policy in all his acts of sovereign power. At home the battle of Edge-hill had just been fought, and in Ireland a rebellion had to be suppressed, and troops to be raised to swell the royal army. The King must have been much confounded how best to conciliate friends and enemies, protestants and papists, until he could fearlessly assert his claims in accordance with his own construction of regal rights. แ In the early part of the year 1644, the King conferred on Lord Herbert, during his father's lifetime, the dignity of Earl of Glamorgan. "But," But," says Sir Harris Nicolas,* " great doubt exists whether the patent ever passed the great seal." And Mr. Nichols states that, on reference to the original Docquet Book of grants made by the King at Oxford, commencing in December 1642, and ending in June 1646, nothing of the kind occurs among the numerous grants of Dignities there recorded." Yet the title was constantly employed by Charles the First in his several letters and commissions, and later in a message to the Houses of Parliament; and the following is a copy of the PATENT he privily granted to his Lordship on the 1st April, 1644." 13 "Charles, by the Grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, defender of the faith, &c. to our right trusty and right well-beloved cousin, Edward Somerset, alias Plantagenet, Lord Herbert, Baron Beaufort of Caldicote, Grismond, Chepstow, Ragland, and Gower, Earl of Glamorgan, son and heir apparent of our entirely beloved cousin, Henry Earl and Marquis of Worcester, greeting. Having had good and long experience of your prowess, prudence, and fidelity, do make choice, and by these nominate and appoint you, our right trusty and right well-beloved cousin, Edward Somerset, &c. to be our Generalissimo of three armies, English, Irish, and foreign, and Admiral of a fleet at sea, with power to recommend your lieutenant-general for our approbation, leaving all other officers to your own election and denomination, and accordingly to receive their commission from you; willing and commanding them, and every of them, you * Synopsis of the Peerage. 74 Nichols. 13 Birch and others. to obey, as their general, and you to receive immediate orders from ourself only. And lest through distance of place we may be misinformed, we will and command you to reply unto us, if any of our orders should thwart or hinder any of your designs for our service. And there being necessarily great sums of money to the carrying on so chargeable an employment, which we have not to furnish you withal; we do by these empower you to contract with any of our loving subjects of England, Ireland, and dominion of Wales, for wardships, customs, woods, or any our rights and prerogatives; we by these obliging ourselves, our heirs and successors, to confirm and make good the same accordingly. And for persons of generosity, for whom titles of honour are most desirable, we have intrusted you with several patents under our Great Seal of England, from a Marquis to a Baronet; which we give you full power and authority to date and dispose of, without knowing our further pleasure, so great is our trust and confidence in you, as that, whatsoever you do contract for or promise, we will make good the same accordingly, from the date of this our commission forwards; which for the better satisfaction, we give you leave to give them, or any of them, copies thereof, attested under our hand and seal of arms. And for your encouragement, and in token of our gratitude, we give and allow you henceforward such fees, titles, preheminences, and privileges, as do and may belong unto your place and command abovementioned, with promise of our dear daughter Elizabeth to your son Plantagenet, in marriage, with three hundred thousand pounds in dower or portion, most part whereof we acknowledge spent and disbursed by your father and you in our service; and the title of Duke of Somerset to you and your heirs male for ever; and |