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Oliver Cromwell to Valentine Walton, 1644

Writing the day after Marston Moor, Cromwell reports a victory and then tells his brother-in-law that his eldest son is dead.

This letter reports a battle and tells a father, in plain terms, how his son was wounded and died.

TO MY LOVING BROTHER, COLONEL VALENTINE WALTON: THESE

Leaguer before York, 5th July 1644.

Dear Sir,—It's our duty to sympathise in all mercies; and to praise the Lord together in chastisements or trials, that so we may sorrow together.

Truly England and the Church of God hath had a great favour from the Lord, in this great Victory given unto us, such as the like never was since this War began. It had all the evidences of an absolute Victory obtained by the Lord's blessing upon the Godly Party principally. We never charged but we routed the enemy. The Left Wing, which I commanded, being our own horse, saving a few Scots in our rear, beat all the Prince's horse. God made them as stubble to our swords. We charged their regiments of foot with our horse, and routed all we charged. The particulars I cannot relate now; but I believe, of Twenty-thousand the Prince hath not Four-thousand left. Give glory, all the glory, to God.—

Sir, God hath taken away your eldest Son by a cannon-shot. It brake his leg. We were necessitated to have it cut off, whereof he died.

Sir, you know my own trials this way: but the Lord supported me with this, That the Lord took him into the happiness we all pant for and live for. There is your precious child full of glory, never to know sin or sorrow any more. He was a gallant young man, exceedingly gracious. God give you His comfort. Before his death he was so full of comfort that to Frank Russel and myself he could not express it, 'It was so great above his pain.' This he said to us. Indeed it was admirable. A little after, he said, One thing lay upon his spirit. I asked him, What that was? He told me it was, That God had not suffered him to be any more the executioner of His enemies. At his fall, his horse being killed with the bullet, and as I am informed three horses more, I am told he bid them, Open to the right and left, that he might see the rogues run.

Truly he was exceedingly beloved in the Army, of all that knew him. But few knew him; for he was a precious young man, fit for God. You have cause to bless the Lord. He is a glorious Saint in Heaven; wherein you ought exceedingly to rejoice. Let this drink-up your sorrow; seeing these are not feigned words to comfort you, but the thing is so real and undoubted a truth. You may do all things by the strength of Christ. Seek that, and you shall easily bear your trial. Let this public mercy to the Church of God make you to forget your private sorrow. The Lord be your strength: so prays your truly faithful and loving brother,

OLIVER CROMWELL.

My love to your Daughter, and my Cousin Perceval, Sister Desborow and all friends with you.

Why this letter

Valentine Walton was Cromwell's brother-in-law and a fellow officer in the Parliamentary army. On 2 July 1644 the Parliamentary and Scottish armies beat the Royalists at Marston Moor, near York, the largest battle of the English Civil War. Walton's eldest son was hit by a cannon shot in the fighting and died after his leg was amputated. Cromwell, who had lost his own eldest son earlier that year, writes the victory first and the death second, and consoles Walton in the religious language both men shared.

Provenance

Author
Oliver Cromwell (1599–1658)
To
Colonel Valentine Walton
Written
5 July 1644, Before York
Source
Oliver Cromwell's Letters and Speeches, ed. Thomas Carlyle, via Wikisource
Rights
Public domain — Oliver Cromwell died in 1658; the text follows the Centenary Edition of Carlyle's collected Works, Volume 6 (1896).
Formatting
Paragraph breaks added for readability; the wording is unchanged.

First printed in Thomas Carlyle, Oliver Cromwell's Letters and Speeches (1845). This text follows the Wikisource transcription of Carlyle's collected Works, Volume 6, Centenary Edition (1896).

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