'A Marching Song of the New Model Army' - English Civil War Song

'A Marching Song of the New Model Army' is a song that refers to the roundhead cause during the 1st English Civil War (1642–1651). The New Model Army was a parliamentary force composed mainly of Roundheads, who were supporters of the Parliamentarians led by Oliver Cromwell. The song reflects the spirit and ideals of the New Model Army during the period in English history.

The Roundheads, in contrast to the Cavaliers and the Royalists, were known for their discipline, dedication, and strict military organization. The marching song conveys a sense of unity and purpose among the soldiers as they fought for Parliament against the monarchy.

The historical origin of the song is not known to me, it absolutely could have been from the actual 1640s, or just a modern composition. The New Model Army played a crucial role in the eventual victory of Parliament, leading to the establishment of the Commonwealth of England and the short lived abolition of the monarchy.

[margaretthatcherisdead.]

Love the heartiness and spirit in this song.

[ExtremelyTriggered-tlnv]

I’ve been reading about him, so I wanted to give my case rebutting the common claim that Cromwell was essentially just another monarch or that he was even a proto-fascist.

Cromwell explicitly rejected an offer from parliament to become king stating that God had already destroyed the monarchy and that he would not “build Jericho again”. He tried a variety of different systems from constitutional monarchism, to the parliamentary oligarchy, to a theocratic council, to a land owning democracy, to military rule, before finally essentially making himself a dictator. So, while his authoritarianism in some respects cannot be denied, it is clear that he did not do what he did out of personal ambition or a desire to become king.

Similarly the fact that Cromwell’s successor was his son is often used to paint Cromwell as having held no real beliefs, but in reality we really don’t have the historical information to know if Cromwell even wanted his son to take power after him. He had the power to choose his successor to the office of Lord Protector, but up until his death there was no real evidence he favored his son as a successor.

Finally, yes, Cromwell did some bad stuff in Ireland, but he invaded after they violently purged many English settlers and Irish Protestants, and sided with the English Royalists who had fled there. While there he did commit warcrimes but it was nothing super extraordinary for the time, the main actual harm he did was his reforms afterwards which marginalized Irish Catholics and empowered further settlement. However, generally Cromwell was actually quite religiously tolerant despite his radical puritan beliefs, as he attempted to create a new tolerant and loose church, he allowed Jewish people harbor in Britian for the first time in centuries, and he even intervened on the behalf of the Catholics he so hated when some Protestants in the English colonies tried to usurp their right to freedom of conscience.

[dehavillandvampire]

This song is clearly not from the 1640s because it refers to the New Model by name. 'In its lifetime the New Model was not called the New Model; in official documentation it was always described as the "army under Sir Thomas Fairfax"' Diane Purkiss The English Civil War: A People's History, (London:Harper Perennial, 2007), p.423. This plus the Levellers reference (they preferred the name Agitators at the time and adopted the Leveller name only gradually) all clearly show that this song is a later invention. Something substantiated by other comments, I would recommend altering your description. (Also its rhymes are not consistent with Original Pronounciation which is what the song would have been written in were it contemporary).

[franekzaj]

I'm Catholic and a royalist, but this song still touches something in me.

[pulchralutetia]

Cromwell has been unjustly calumnied. His actions in Ireland were fairly standard for the time. Wars are brutal, not fun, and many atrocities are committed. War is itself an atrocity and an abomination. Irish Royalist troops massacred innocents after Montrose's victory at Aberdeen in 1644. Tilly's Catholic forces massacred 20, 000 Protestants (mainly non-combatants) at Magdeburg in 1631. Drogheda and Wexford were tragedies but must be seen in the context of their time, particularly the Thirty Years War, and in the context of war itself.

[flyingsquirrell]

Cromwell has to be history’s best example of the redeemable villain.

[mcovrur]

This is adapted from a much later folk song, and is from a prog rock album of the 1970s. It has nothing to do with the NMA.

[hippieneck]

I love how insanely egalitarian this interpretation of Englishness is. City apprentice and Anglian Yokel. And the reference to the Levellers. Just makes you appreciate the cause these men fought for.

[strigonshitposting]

There never was as great and courageous an Englishman as he.

[nathanhook]

This is a modern song, from an album called Strawhead by a band called New Model Army.

[arabiannights]

Quite an interesting phrase in the song is, " . . . conscience of Parliament" . So the army seemed to think when Parliament did something it didn't like, it could tap Parliament on the shoulder and say, "No, don't do that." So the army that Parliament raised turned around and started bossing Parliament around.

Interesting aside here. My wife and I visited England in 2018 and one of the places we visited was the City of York. We did the tour of the Cathedral and at one point we got to the back of the Cathedral and there was an eight-sided room (marble walls, if I recall). The guide told us how the church wardens would meet there to discuss church business. However, under the Commonwealth, everything in the area was being run by a military general. So there was no more meetings of the church wardens. So one fellow applied to be allowed to tear this building down and reuse the materials for another building. And since it was no longer being used, he was given permission to do so. However, a few weeks later, the man died. And so, the building was never torn down.

So under Cromwell, England was divided up into military districts.

[disdage]

If y'all wanted to have the lyrics to copy paste elsewhere, here you go:

March, march, army of saints
March in good order where Culverins rattle
March, march, conscience of Parliament
Hold your great vast in the height of the battle
Scourging deperacy poperous foeman
Roughman at arm, it’s in God’s name shall fight
Puritan tradesman and leveller yeoman
Sustain me, my fervor by righteousness armour
March, march, blessed ragamuffins
Sing as ye go, the hymns of rejoicing
March, march, justified ruffians
Chosen of heaven to glory arising
Humbled, implacable, strong in your faith
Marching invincible into God’s grace
Red coated prophets, you New Model come
With the fire and the right to bring England to order
March, march, army of saints
Onward with sound to the push of the pike now
March, march, host of the righteousness
Triumph or martyrdom, so ‘tis your right now
Rustic philosophers become theologians
Mine questing pamphleteers to the ranks come
City apprentice and Anglian yokel
Unite with intention, Gomorrah to ‘devour
March, march, sharp-sworded midwives
For God’s new millenium, born in it’s glory
March, march, pike-staffed agents
To purge England fils and then to our glory
Marching in ranks to the gospels command
Marching for commonwealth, God an the land
Red coated prophets, you New Model come
With the fire and the right to bring England to order

[OnCydig]

Might need a newer model army here soon.

[foundationofBritain]

The New Model Army was not led by Oliver Cromwell until the third Civil War/the Anglo-Scotch War after Sir Thomas Fairfax, who was general and Parliamentary commander-in-chief during the first and second Civil War, resigned his commission in opposition to the war with Charles II.

Parliament was not against the monarchy... how could it be when the Crown is part of Parliament just as the House of Commons and the House of Lords are. They fought for Parliament against the arbitrary prerogative of the Crown, not the institution itself... they wanted to restore Parliamentary Monarchy by bringing the King and his royal government back under the control of Parliamentary procedure... until the Army became dominated by radicals.

Also when they say "Marching for commonwealth, God, and the land!" they don't mean "the Commonwealth of England" as in the structure of government from 1649-1653 and again from 1659-1660... they mean "public welfare, general good or advantage", its was a phrase popular at that time dating from around the 15th century and was an early translation of the Latin word res publica... also the old meaning of "wealth", meant "well-being" so, said term literally meant "common well-being"... which is also what is implied by the name "Commonwealth of England"... but like with other states today that have the word "Democratic" in its name, the opposite is true... and as we Englishmen found out, the establishment of our English Parliamentary Monarchy was itself for the commonwealth of England... and both James I and Charles I did their upmost to undermine that great commonwealth that England had... and it took until 1688/89 to properly restore it.

[carolinetarrant]

Back here again just like my ancestors.
Get your pikes boys, the king and parliament has betrayed the people.

[jakethegloriousleader]

why didn't you show Nasby instead of Edgehill

[arthurmosel]

Too bad this group became a totalitarian religious faith. Cromwell basically outlawed other forms of Christianity. (Especially Catholicism) and music and dancing. He made parts of I relsnd a wzsteland when attacked Stuart supporters and Catholics there.