Of late, however, Vane had been detaching himself from the group of more intense Parliamentarians and seeing prospects for his ideas from conjunction, rather with the Army-men.

So with Salway, Ludlow had been nominated on the new body at a venture.

Thinking he might be wanted to help the Rump in their struggle with the Army, he had returned from Ireland, leaving Colonel John Jones as his _locum tenens_ there; and he had not heard the astonishing news of Lambert's action till his landing on the Welsh coast.

He had then wavered for a while between going back to Ireland and coming on to London, but had decided for the latter.

Before his arrival in town he had heard of his nomination to the Committee of Safety and resolved not to accept it.