E.C.W.N & Q. Issue No.48 p.28. "The Mysterious Major Mole."

I read this article by Ivor Carr with great interest. I have a particular interest in Northamptonshire and I have come across several references to 'Major Mole' in my researches, in addition to those already unearthed by Ivor.

The evidence at hand inevitably leads me to conclude that the man featured in the Newapaper reports below was a Northamptonshire resident, living in Kingsthory (which is now part of Northampton). He rode with the Northamptonshire committeemen and by June 1643 he had been appointed aa Governor of Rockingham Castle in the North of the county. He was still resident in Kingsthorpe when his house was attacked by Royalists from Banbury on 18th March 1645, which is the date of the last reference to him that I have found.

Mention No.1/. Mercurius Rusticus June 24th 1643. This article covers an episode which so upset the Royalists that they were still reprinting stories about it years after it happened on 27th December 1642.

Very late at night on the 26th a detachment was sent from Northampton to arrest Francis Grey the Clerk of the Peace in Wellingborough. Grey was not inclined to submit meekly to captivity but the arrest was eventually effected. About 40 Royalist sympathisers assembled to hinder the troopers and although their efforts were first to no avail, word of the arrest got about and a mob of around 500 gathered in the town. As the angry mob had nowhere to go they fell upon known Parliamentarian sympathisers in the town, broke a few windows and spoiled their goods. One Godly cooper together witha few friends made their way to Wilby nearby and awoke Mr. Perne the person who hearing the news and fearing for the safety of all Godly folk, mounted his steed and rode to Northampton to ask protection from the mob. Mercuriua Ruaticua can take up the story:

M. Perne (changing his black coat for a grey) instantly goes to Northampton, and there represents the injury done to their faction at Wendlingborow and the pretended danger to Wilby so effectually, that by Noon that Tuesday Colonell Norwich commanding in chief. SERGEANT MAJOR MOLE, Captain John Sawyer, Captain Francis Sawyer, Captain Pentlow, Captain Redman, Captain Farmer, Captain Harrold, with 500 but others say 1000 Horses and Dragooners came to Wendlingborow: being come thither, they divide themselves into several Troopes to make severall passages into the Towne."

A vicious fight ensued which Rusticus describes in detail. Damage to the tune of £ 6,000 was wrought, there was murder, there was rape, there was even a vicar forced to ride on the back of a performing bear. I enclose a picture of this unlikely event! The 'Captains' listed in the narrative were all distinctly unmilitary committeemen. Indeed the Captain Farmer mentioned is Edward Farmer who headed the Northampton Committee for many years.

Mention No.2/. Mercurinus Aulicus Monday February 13th 1643.

A few weeks before the Royalists erroneously reported that Mole had changed sides (E.C.W.N. & Q. 48.p.28) they made the even greater gaffe of reporting his death thus: "And so it was alao this day certified, that there was a mutiny among the souldiers of Northampton, about the end of last weeke, for want of pay; which grew at last unto that height, that MOLE, one of their Sergeant Majors, and generally reported to be a man of goode abilities in warre, was barbarously killed, as he indeavoured to appease the storme..

Mention No.3/. Mercurius Aulicus Friday 9th June 1643. Mole is reported to be Governor of Rockingham castle Northamptonshire; second biggest Parliamentarian garrison.

This day we had intelligence that upon Friday last certaine of His Majesties Forces to the number of 500 Horse, or thereabouts, came to Rockingham Castle in the county of Northampton, and undemanding that MAJOR MOLE (the Governour there) was then sitting with a Sub-committee at Weldon two or three miles distant, imposing a new Tax upon the Easterne parts of Northamptonshire, which tax he required should always be paid a month before hand, upon pain of being presently plundered:

His Majesties said Forces placed some about the Castle close under the wall, and marched with the rest towards Weldon, to have taken MOLE as he was working. But he who had often before made himself to be swifter of foot then Vermine of that kinde used to be, betooke himself to his wonted act of running, and recovered the woods; whereupon His Majesties Forces fell to beating up all the Coppices and Quarters, in hope to have found him, but he lay hid as dose as when he last ranne from Banbury;- etc., etc..

Mention No.4/. The Attack upon Major Mole's house, reported in both Mercurius Civicus March 13th to March 20th 1644 (i.e. 1645) and The Kingdomes Weekly Intelligence 18th March to 25th March 1645. As the former of the two is briefer and provides no more information I will ignore that and relate the latter account in full:

"Monday March 17. A party of Banbury Horse [Royalists] came to the house of MAJOR MOLE at Kingsthorp neer Northampton, with an intent to have surprised him in his house, but he having his men and 20 firelocks in his house maintained it for three hours against the enemy, till such time aa a party of horse and foot were drawne out from Northampton, and then the enemy fled; whereupon our horse pursued them, and had some bickering [?], wherein they took and slew divers of the enemy; of the Northampton forces Cap. Lidcot brother to Col. Lidcot was slaine and Captaine Guy wounded..

Despite the fact that I have continued my researches well into the Interregnum this is the last reference to Major Mole that I have found in Northmptonshire. Now, Kingsthorpe where Mole owned a house is less than 13 miles from Naseby, aa the crow flies. A man of his military experience would have been of great value to Sir Thomas Fairfax, and not all of the Naseby dead have been named. Or am I jumping to conclusions?

Hoping to be of assistance, Andy Metcalfe

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