[1] But the
moment that Monk heard of the expulsion of the members,[a] and of the
superior rank conferred on Lambert, he determined to appear openly as the
patron of the vanquished, under the alluring, though ambiguous, title of
"asserter of the ancient laws and liberties of the country." Accordingly,
he secured with trusty garrisons the castle of Edinburgh and the citadel
of Leith,[b] sent a strong detachment to occupy Berwick, and took the
necessary measures to raise and discipline a numerous force of cavalry. At
Leith was held a general council of officers; they approved of his object,
engaged to stand by him, and announced their determination, by letters
directed to Lenthall, the speaker, to the council at Wallingford House, and
to the commanders of the fleet in the Downs, and of the army in Ireland.
It excited, however, no small surprise, that the general, while he thus
professed to espouse the defence of the parliament, cashiered all the
officers introduced by the parliament into his army, and restored all
those who had been expelled. The more discerning began to suspect his real
intentions;[2] but Hazlerig and his party were too
[Footnote 1: All that Grenville could learn from the messenger was, that
his brother regretted the failure of Booth, and would oppose the arbitrary
attempts of the military in England; an answer which, though favourable
as far as it went, still left the king in uncertainty as to his real
intentions.
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