Short memorials of Thomas Lord Fairfax written by himself.

TO THE Right Honourable THOMAS Lord FAIRFAX.

MY LORD,

IT is with Your Lordship's leave, that this short Manuscript of my Lord Fairfax, Your Noble Predecessor, is now Print∣ed from the Original, written in

his own Hand, and left in Your Study at Denton in Yorkshire; for it was never intended by him, to be Published, but to remain for the Satisfaction of his own Relations.

But of late something has hapned, which in the judgment of Your Lordship, and many o∣ther Persons of Condition, makes it necessary that these Papers should be sent to the Press; which is now done, without any Material Alterations from the Original, but only by placing them in the natural order of Time.

Tho' no Copy was ever taken by Your Lordship's Consent, yet I know not how, some imperfect Ones are got into other Hands. And this being an Age, wherein every Man presumes to Print what he pleases, of his own, or other Mens, we are plainly told, That my Lord Fairfax's Memo∣rials are ready to be Published; and by the very same Person, who has lately set forth some Memoirs, wherein his Lordship is scarce ever nam'd but with Re∣proach; not to be excused by what the Editor himself confesses,

That the Author was much out of humour when he writ the Book.

My Lord Fairfax's True Cha∣racter is better known to many Wise and Good Men, than to be blemished by such envious Detra∣ctions. Nor can his Reputation thereby suffer with any who were acquainted with his Person, and the true Intentions of his Actions, and knew him in the latter part of his Life.

His great Misfortune, and so he accounted it, was to be enga∣ged in the Unhappy Wars, where∣of he desired no other Memorial

than the Act of Oblivion; which few that ever needed, better de∣served.

It cannot be denied, but as a Soldier, his Life would furnish as Noble a Memoir as the Age has produced, from the time that he began with a Troop of Horse, and a few undisciplined Forces in the North, to his being General of a Victorious Army in the South; which he Governed, not as a Cypher, but with great Pru∣dence and Conduct, in Councils of War, as well as animated by his Personal Courage in the Field, as long as they had any Enemy to op∣pose them.

But after that, they broke into Factions, and were over-run with Enthusiasm, and became Vngo∣vernable by their General, when they chose their own Agitators, and were managed by Men of the deepest Dissimulation and Hypo∣crisie: by whose fair but treache∣rous Promises, some Greater than Himself, were deceived to their own Ruin.

That most Tragical and Deplora∣ble part of the Civil War, the Death of the King, he utterly from his Soul abhorred, and lamented to his dying day; and never mentioned it but with Tears in his Eyes.

The retired part of his Life gave him greater Satisfaction than all his former Victories, when he li∣ved quietly at his own House at Nun-Appleton in Yorkshire; always earnestly wishing and praying for the Restitution of the Royal Family, and fully resolved to lay hold on the first good Opportunity to contribute his part towards it; which made him always lookt upon with a jea∣lous eye by the Usurpers of that time.

As soon as he was invited by Ge∣neral Monk to assist him against Lambert's Army, he cheerfully embraced the Occasion, and appear∣ed

at the Head of a brave Body of Gentlemen of Yorkshire; and up∣on the Reputation and Authority of his Name, the Irish Brigade of Twelve Thousand Horse forsook Lambert's Army, and joyned with him; the Consequence was the im∣mediate breaking of all Lam∣bert's Forces, which gave General Monk an easy March into Eng∣land.

This was always acknowledged, not only by General Monk, but by the King himself, as a signal Testimony of his Zeal to make a∣mends for what was past, and of the very considerable Assistance he

gave towards the restoring the Roy∣al Family.

After he had waited on his Ma∣jesty in Holland, as one of the Commissioners sent to invite him home, and had seen the King esta∣blish'd on his Throne, he retired a∣gain into his own Country, where he died in Peace, in the 60th Year of his Age, Anno 1671. leaving be∣hind him his only Daughter, the Lady Mary Dutchess of Buck∣ingham.

I shall now say no more of him, but, That so long as Unfeigned Piety towards God, Invincible Cou∣rage, joyned with wonderful Mo∣desty,

and exceeding Good Na∣ture: Justice and Charity to all men in his private Life; and an Ingenuous Acknowledgment of his Publick Error, with hearty Endeavours to make Reparation, as soon as he was convinced of it, shall be esteemed in the World: So long shall the Name of my Lord Fairfax be honoured by good Men, and be had in perpetual Remem∣brance.

Your Lordship had the good for∣tune to be born after the Storms and Tempests of that Age: But you have had the Honour to appear eminently in defence of our Reli∣gion,

and Civil Rights, in this last happy Revolution, as your Noble Predecessor did at the Restora∣tion.

My LORD,

Apr. 22. 1699. I am Your most affectionate Uncle, and humble Servant,

Brian Fairfax.