The Cambridge History of English and American Literature in 18 Volumes (1907–21).
Volume VII. Cavalier and Puritan.

IX. Historical and Political Writings.

§ 4. Sir Edward Walker.


By way of contrast with the official historian of the Long Parliament may be mentioned a faithful, though by no means uncomplaining, follower of Charles I and Charles II, to whom, indeed, he successively acted as a kind of historiographer in the campaigns of 1644, 1645 and 1650. Sir Edward Walker, garter king-at-arms, held the posts of secretary at war and secretary extraordinary to the privy council both before and during the siege of Oxford, and was allowed to assist Charles I in the illfated negotiations at Newport; he afterwards accompanied Charles II to Scotland in 1650 and formed part of his court in exile till the restoration. Thereafter, he held sway at the Heralds’ college for the rest of his days. He had many grievances to urge, and many controversies to conduct; so that there was much to include in the Historical Discourses upon several Occasions, published posthumously in 1705.   9