| |
In October he
assisted in the capture of Newport Pagnell, and became
Governor of that town when it became a permanent garrison.
From Newport Luke co-operated with Cromwell in the capture
of Hillesden House in Buckinghamshire on 4th March 1644, and
on 26th May 1644 surprised Fortiscue`s regiment of Royalist
horse at Islip. The victory at Naseby, however, saved
Newport Pagnell from attack, and Luke`s command was finally
ended on 26th June 1645 by the operation of the self-denying
ordinance. As a staunch Presbyterian, he was distrusted by
the Independent party in the army. His later career was
undistinguished, and was twice arrested once in August 1647
and again during Pride`s purge. During the Commonwealth and
Protectorate
Luke took no part in public affairs: at the Restoration he
sat in the Convention Parliament of 1661. He died in 1670.
During the Civil War, in addition to his services as a
captain of a troop of horse and governor of Newport Pagnell,
Luke acted as Scoutmaster General to the Earl of Essex, and
in this capacity appears to have acquired a great reputation
for efficiency, at least among his parliamentarian
contemporaries, as we may see from the glowing tribute paid
to him by Mercurius Britannicus " This noble commander
watches the enemy so industriously that they eat, sleep,
drink not, whisper not, but he can give us an account of
their darkest proceedings".
Go Back One Page
|
|
