served for a time with the Dutch; but came back to England when the army
was levied in 1639 to act against the Scots. He was afterwards employed
against the Irish rebels, but joined the King at Oxford, and when fighting
in the Royalist ranks was taken prisoner, and committed by Parliament to
the Tower. He was afterwards released to serve in Ireland, apparently with
no settled purpose of deserting the Royalist cause. He served there long,
and in 1650 went with Cromwell to Scotland, commanding a new regiment,
which afterwards became the Coldstream Guards. From that time he became
the close friend of Cromwell, and at one time commanded the fleet in some
successful actions against Van Tromp. In the later years of the
Commonwealth the Government of Scotland was virtually in his hands. His
military powers were far greater than his discernment or capacity as a
statesman. His wife was the daughter of John Clarges, a farrier in the
Savoy, and, to a reputation that was none of the most savoury, added the
manners of a kitchen-maid and a slut, and the avarice of a usurer. Her
brother, who was an apothecary, became employed through the influence of
Monk. He carried over to Charles the flattering message from Parliament in
May, 1660, and was then knighted. As Sir John Clarges, he had a long and
active Parliamentary career, and did not die till 1695.] was now supreme
in Scotland, where Cromwell had placed him in command. Parliament looked
to him as the only possible counterpoise to Lambert. Hyde placed no great
reliance upon him, and shrewdly judged that he was one whose actions would
be governed by events rather than one whose foresight and initiative would
direct the progress of those events. He had abundant military experience,
was a competent commander, and not only by family tradition, but by his
own early action in the war, he was judged to be no obstinate enemy to the
royal cause. But long association with Cromwell had committed him, to all
appearance, indissolubly to the opposite cause; and, if he had no
political prescience, he was, nevertheless, eminently cautious, and was
not liable to be led astray by any fervent attachment to special views