Mecurius Aulicus for March 26th to April 1st 1643 carried a report that a Sergeant Major Mole had riden out of Northampton with 80 horse and come over to the Royalists. The following week Aulicus was forced to withdraw the report, claiming that no evidence could be found to confirm it. [1]

Given this uncharacteristic correction by the Royalist Newspaper it would be understandable to dismiss the original report. However a Major Mole did appear in the Royalist army at about this time and there is evidence to suggest that he may formerly have served the Parliament.

Firstly it can be established that an officer called Mole served in the Northampton Garrison, as he was noted as commanding the Horse of that garrison in a skirmish with the Earl of Northampton a month or so after the reported defection. [2]

This may in fact help to explain Aulicus's confusion as it is possible that the Northampton cavalry commander was the brother of the Royalist officer. The Royalist Major Mole joined one of the newly raised regiments of Thomas Leveson, possibly to provied some professional stiffening as few if any of the other officers seem to have had previous military experiance

In the composition proceedings against John Gough of Wolverhampton, [3] several of the witnesses refer to events involving the garrisoning of Wolverhampton church. No date is given, but it is probable that it took place towards the end of 1643 when Leveson and his men were establishing a string of minor garrisions in the area. John Richardson an apothecarie of Wolverhampton stated that when the citizens of the town requested of Leveson that the garrison be removed, "the said coll returned answere by one major Mole in these words, (God damme we will have a garrison for our owne ends and not yours in dispyte of all your harts)".

At some point before May 1644 Mole was captured. Instead of being held at Stafford or Coventry as was usual for prisoners captured in the area he was sent to London and held in The Tower. This could point to him being a deserter from the Parliaments service. Mole promptly escaped and made his way back to Oxford as Mecurius Aulicus reported. "one thing we must mention for their sakes at London that because Sergeant Major Mole deputy governour of Dudley Castle (an honester man than his brother) escaped last week out of the tower they have sought long for him in the tower ditch, and put up Bills to desire the well-affected to make discovery of him. But they may please to take notice that he is come as safe to Oxford." [4]

There is no evidence that Mole returned to his old regiment, and in the only one other reference to him I have so far discovered he is commanding men belonging to Prince Maurice's regiment. In one of the letter books of Sir William Brereton [5] there is a letter concerning the activities of the Stafford forces which contains the following, "They found the enemy gone from Kinver to Stourbridge, whither our troop followed and found them in the town altogether unready. So that without any bloodshed they took about 100 horse and 80 prisoners. They are men of Lt. Col. Mole, who commands Maurice's regt and made an escape out of the Tower. What officers are taken we can not give you account not having distinguished them. Those we have examined tell us this party was about 200. They carne to assist Leveson to gather contribution and were returning back to Worcester."

Dore identifies this Lt. Col. as being Guy Molesworth, but notes that no record of his being a prisoner in the Tower exists. However as a Mole existed who both escaped from the tower and would be well known to the local Parliamentarian commanders I believe that this is our man.

It is possible that Mole did continue to serve in the Dudley Garrison between his escape and the defeat at Naseby. After that battle Charles drew troops out of Leveson's regiments to strengthen his existing field forces. [6] The commander of Maurice's Horse, Guy Molesworth had been injured at Naseby and upon his recovery served for a while in the west Country at the end of 1645. It is possible that Mole was drawn out of Leveson's regiment after Naseby and took acting command of Maurice's regiment in the absence of Molesworth.

If anyone has uncovered any other information on this officer or indeed his brother I would be delighted to hear it.

Notes