_Born 1612. Died 1671_.
By RICHARD BAXTER.
And these things made the new modelling of the Army to be resolved
on. But all the Question was how to effect it, without stirring up
the Forces against them which they intended to disband: And all this
was notably dispatcht at once, by One Vote, which was called the
_Self-denying Vote_, viz. That because Commands in the Army had much
pay, and Parliament Men should keep to the Service of the House,
therefore no Parliament Men should be Members of the Army....
When this was done, the next Question was, Who should be Lord General,
and what new Officers should be put in, or old ones continued? And
here the Policy of _Vane_ and _Cromwell_ did its best: For General
they chose Sir _Thomas Fairfax_, Son of the Lord _Ferdinando Fairfax_,
who had been in the Wars beyond Sea, and had fought valiantly in
_Yorkshire_ for the Parliament, though he was over-powered by the Earl
of _Newcastle's_, Numbers. This Man was chosen because they supposed
to find him a Man of no quickness of Parts, of no Elocution, of no
suspicious plotting Wit, and therefore One that _Cromwell_ could make
use of at his pleasure. And he was acceptable to sober Men, because
he was Religious, Faithful, Valiant, and of a grave, sober, resolved
Disposition; very fit for Execution, and neither too Great nor too
Cunning to be Commanded by the Parliament.
41.