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"wronged. (To his honour I fpeak this," continues Sir Philip; "for I think the public ac knowledgments men make of the public evils 46 they have done, to be the most glorious tro"phies that can be affigned to them.) When " he was thus civilized, he joined himself to men "of his own temper, who pretended to transports "and revelations."

Lord Hollis, in his Memoirs, accuses Cromwell of behaving cowardly in two or three actions; and adds, that as he was going in proceffion to the High Court of Juftice in Westminster-hall, to try the King, fome of the foldiers reproached him openly, and in the hearing of the people, with want of courage.

Oliver's speeches to his Parliament appear perplexed and embarraffed. He had, most probably, his reafons for making them unintelligible.

Mr. Spence, in his MS. Anecdotes, fays, that a Dean of Peterborough told him, that he once heard Cromwell, in Council, deliver an opinion upon fome commercial matter with great precifion, and great knowledge of the subject *.

*Anecdotes by the Rev. Mr. Spence," (Author of Polymetis,) in MS. which contain feveral very curious particulars of the great men of the laft and of the present age. The publication of them would afford great inftruction and amufement to the lovers of the history and literature of this country.

In

In his cheerful hours Cromwell appears to have laughed at the fanatics who fupported him and his government. The jeft of the cork-fcrew is well known; and when, on his having dispatched a fleet upon fome fecret expedition, one of the fanatics called upon him, and had the impudence to tell him that the Lord wanted to know the destination of it; "The Lord fhall know," fays Cromwell, for thou fhalt go with the fleet." So ringing his bell, he ordered fome of his foldiers to take him on board one of the ships belonging to it.

Cromwell, like many other reformers of government, was very apt to cenfure grievances in Church and State, though he had not framed to himself any particular or specific plan of amending them. On the fubject of ecclefiaftical affairs he once frankly and ingenuously faid, to some perfons with whom he was difputing, "I can tell "what I would not have, though I cannot tell * what I would have."

power

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Cromwell, like fome other politicians, thought very flightingly of the will and of the the people; for when he was told by Mr. Calamy, the celebrated Diffenting Minister, that it was both unlawful and impracticable that one man fhould affume the government of the country,

he faid to him, "Pray, why is it impracticable ?" And on Mr. Calamy replying, "O, it is the "voice of the Nation; there will be nine in ten

ત against you:"-" Very well," rejoined Cromwell; but what if I fhould difarm the nine, "and put the fword into the tenth man's hand, "would not that do the bufinefs ?" The French proverb fays, "A man never goes fo far as "when he does not know where he is going." This was, moft probably, Cromwell's cafe: he had, indeed, gone fo far, that, with Macbeth, he might have faid,

Returning were as tedious as go o'er.

Marfhal Villeroy, Louis the XIVth's Governor, afked Lockhart, Cromwell's Ambaffador, "Why "his mafter had not taken the title of King?""Monfieur," replied Lockhart, "we know the "extent of the prerogatives of a King, but know not those of a Protector."-D'ARGENSON, P. 347.

Oliver's fears for his perfonal fafety carried him on in his career of wickednefs when once he had begun it, and particularly when he found that he could not truft the affurances of his Sovereign. The latter part of his life was embittered by fear and remorfe, and after the publication of that celebrated work "Killing no "Murder,"

Murder," he appears never to have had a quiet moment.

Oliver was, perhaps, never more accurately described than by Sir William Waller in his "Recollections." Speaking of the beating up of Colonel Long's quarters, as he terms it, in which Cromwell's horfe did good fervice, he fays, "And here I cannot but mention the won

der which I have oft times had to see this "Eagle in his eirey; he att this time had never "fhewn extraordinary partes, nor do I think that " he did himself believe that he had them, for, "although he was blunt, he did not bear himself " with pride or disdaine. As an Officer he was "obedient, and did never difpute my orders, "nor argue upon them. He did indeed feeme

to have great cunning; and whilft he was ❝cautious of his own words, (not putting forth "too many, left they should betray his thoughts,) ❝he made others talk untill he had, as it were, "fifted them, and known their most intimate "defigns. A notable inftance was his discover

ing, in one fhort converfation with one Cap"tain Giles, (a great favourite with the Lord "General, and whome he most confided in,) "that although his words were full of zeal, and "his actions seemingly brave, that his heart was not with the caufe; and, in fine, this man did fhortly

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fhortly after join the enemy at Oxford with "three and twenty ftout fellowes. One other "inftance I will here fett down, being of the "fame fort as to his cunning:

"When I took the Lord Piercy at Andoyer, "having at that time an inconvenient distemper, "I defired Colonel Cromwell to entertaine him "with fome civility; who did afterwards tell me, "that amongst thofe whom we took with him

(being about thirty) there was a youth of so "faire a countenance, that he doubted of his "condition; and, to confirm himself, willed "him to fing; which he did with fuch a dainti"nefs, that Cromwell fcrupled not to say to "Lord Piercy, that being a warriour, he did

wifely to be accompanied by Amazons. On "which that Lord, in fome confufion, did ac"knowledge that she was a damfel."-Recollec tions, by General Sir WILLIAM WALLER, page 124.

The Original of the following Letter is in the Bodleian Library at Oxford. It is without the fignature.

<< SIR,

"In pursuance to my promife, I have fent you the story you defired of me when I faw you laft. Sir, after the late King was beheaded,