1 the Bond, that Men think would have held our Familys together, yet I defire your Ladyship to beleive, that nothing fhall be wanting in me to ftrengthen this Knott, whereof I was ever ambitious. I hope the Bearer will bring me a good Accompt of the Lord's fupporting your Ladyfhip under this Vifitation; the happy News whereof would be most welcome to, WHEN your Lordship had any Communication to impart unto me, I was always made fenfible of your Liberality therein: wherefore now I must attribute as much to your Lordfhip's prudent Tendernefs of me, in that when the fad News of poor Robin Rich's Death must be written, your Lordship was but fparing in your Mention of that fad Story. My Lord, these Provinces are fingly in themselves no Miracles; yet when they happen fo thick as of late upon Sir John Reynolds, and now upon this Gentleman, I cannot think, but that God intends them for our Inftruction. I defire your Lordship on my Behalf, to condole with my poor Sifter. Your Lordfhip is able to fay whatever is materiall upon this Occafion wherefore, for me to venture upon any Parti Particulars, were to put your Lordship upon a kind of Pennance, in obferving my Impertinencies, and to endanger the End of comforting myself, which cannot mifcarry upon your Lordfhip's fingle Management. I hope your Lordfhip's being called to fuccour my dear Sifter, your Lady, tends but to repair our Family of the late Lofs it hath fuftained; and I hope, that the fad Apprehenfions occafioned by this late Stroke, will not fruftrate our Hopes therein. I beleive your Lordship may by this time repent of the Liberty you have given me, and fee the Inconvenience of Good-nature and Civility. My dear Lord, I will be at prefent more moderate in troubling your, Lordship, begging at this time only the Leave not to omitt declaring myself, My Lord, Your Lordship's, &c. Feb. 20, 1657-8... H. CROMWELL. LETTER LXX. Hen. Cromwell to Lord Broghill. My dear Lord, THE HE Services I have done to my Lord of Carke, and others of your Family, are not yet equall, either to their own Meritts, or to the Obligations your Lordfhip has heaped upon me: wherefore your Lordship's Mention, that I have done fo much, upbraids me having done fo little. The calling of a Parliament fignifys nothing, untill the Army be fufficiently modelled; for that being full of its Humours, makes the honeft Party timorous, and the other infolent in their respective Propofalls; the Mifery of human Affairs being fuch, that the Spring of all Motions of this Nature must be a vifible Force: I fay, the wellframing of the Army would infenfibly temper, and keep fteady the Parliament, which, no doubt, would provide well enough for a Councill. The Policy of thofe, who would keep out honest Montagu, &c. is not to be difallowed. I must fay, I commend them for their Wit; but think withall, that the over-ballancing of these Politicians themselves is to be endeavoured; for where great Things as now are to be done, a bare Ballance or Equilibrium will not ferve. We have ebbed and flowed long enough already. 'Tis now Time, as your Lordfhip fays, that Affairs fhould run one way or other in a quick Current, and, if God fo please, to Settlement. The Intimacy you mention of Fleetwood and Difbrowe with Lambert, I do not like; for when fuch as they dare correfpond with such as hee, it argues their Power to be greater than one would with, though I hope no greater than of all the rationall and intereffed Men of the three Nations, who, I am confident, will not comply with their Defigns. I long to hear what the Meeting of the Officers and the reft will produce. I do not wonder, why my Lord Fauconberg cannot get into the Army, the Difficulty concerning him being the fame with that of Montague; neither can the extraordinary Qualifications of that Gentleman much forward him therein, but rather hinder him; for his Abilitys being formidable against those who oppofe him, it follows, that they muft hate whom they fear. However, tell him the Faults I find with him; and that I fhall honour him, altho' he were thrust as much below his prefent State, as he deserves to be above it. I beleive the Councill here do either not think your Lordship lame, or that you will quickly recover, having cutt you out trotting Work enough to founder fix fure-footed Sollicitors, your Lordship being to negotiate for us in the Bufinefs of Kildare, procuring more Judges, the Admiralty, Probat of Wills, and as many things more, as would foon bankrupt the Endeavours and Intereft of any but your Lordship. We are now about fettling the Adventurers, wherein I fhall take a particular Care (as well by my felf as Inftruments) that all Fairness may be used towards them; which your Lordship may be pleased to acquaint them with upon Occafion, remembring to befpeak the favourable Conftruction of thefe, whom the Juftness of the Rule we intend to proceed by shall caft amifs. I think the Affections of the Army here remain warm enough to carry on any reafonable Representations of their Affairs; wherefore we will only keep them in that good Difpofition, untill we shall be advised how to apply it. I remain March 10, 1657. Yours, &c. LET LETTER LXXI. Secretary Thurloe to Henry Cromwell. May it pleafe your Excellencye, Gave you fome Account by Doctor Worth of his Highneffe Condition, as it then was; but leaft he fhould delay his Journey, or miscarry in it, I thought it neceffary to fend this Expreffe, to the end your Excellencye may fully understand how it is with his Highneffe. This is the 13th Day fince his Ague took him, haveinge beene fick a Fortnight before of a generall Diftemper of Body. It continued a good while to be a Tertian Ague, and the burninge Fitts very violent. Upon Saterday it fell to a double Tertian, haveinge 2 Fitts in 24 Houres, one upon the Heeles of another, which doe extreamely weaken hym, and endaunger his Life. And truly fince Saterday Morninge he hath fcarce beene per fectly out of his Fitts. The Doctors are yet hopefull, that he may ftruggle through it, though their Hopes are mingled with much Feare. But truly wee have Caufe to put our Hope in the Lord, and to expect Mercy from hym in this Cafe, he haveinge stirred up the Saints to pray for hym in all Places. Never was there a greater Stocke of Prayers goinge for any Man then is now goinge for him; and truly there is a generall Confternation upon the Spirits of all Men, good and bad, feareinge what may be the Event of |