flye theither. Soe foone as ever my Lord and "the foote fett me loofe, there fhall bee noe want "in mee to haften what I cann to that feruice; "for indeed, all other confiderations are to bee layed afide, and to give place to itt, as beinge "of farr more importance. I hope the kingdom "fhall fee, that in the middeft of our neceffities "wee fhall ferue them without difpute. Wee hope "to forgett our wants, which are exceedinge "great, and ill cared for, and defier to referr the many flaunders heaped upon us by falfe tongues "to God, whoe will in due tyme make it apeare "to the world, that we studye the glory of God, "the honor and libertye of the Parliament, for "wch wee vnannimously fight, without seekinge "our owne interefts. Indeed, wee finde our men "never foe cheerfull as when there is worke to "doe. I truft you will alwaies heere foe of them. "The Lord is our ftrength, and in him all our hope. Pray for us. Prefent my loue to my "freinds. I begg their prayers. The Lord ftill "bleffe you. Wee have some amongst us much "flow in action. If wee could all intend our "owne ends leffe, and our eafe too, our bufineffes "in this armie would goe onn wheeles for expe"dition. Because fome of vs are enimies to rapine, and other wickedneffes, wee are fayd to "be factious, to feeke to maintain our opinions in religion by force, wh wee deteft and abhorr. I profeffe "profeffe I could never fatisfie my felfe of the " iufteneffe of this warr, but from the authoritye " of the Parliament to maintain itt in itts rights, "and in this caufe I hope to approue my felfe an "honeft man and fingle harted. Pardon mee " that I am thus troublefom. I write but fel"dom; itt giues me a little eafe to poure my minde, in the middeft of callumnies, into the "bofom of a freind: S', noe man more truly "loues you than, "Your Brother and Seruant, " Sept. 6 or 5th. 66 "For Colonel WALTON, "theife in London." "OLIVER CROMWELL." "Deere S', It is our duty to fympathise in all "mercyes, that wee may praise the Lord toge"there in chastisements or tryalls, that foe wee may forrowe together. Truly England, and "the Church of God, hath had a great fauor "from the Lord in this great victorie given unto "us, fuch as the like neuer was fince this warr begunn: itt had all the euidences of an absolute "victorie, obtained by the Lord's bleffinge upon "the godly partye principally. Wee neuer " charged but wee routed the enimie: the left winge weh I comanded beinge our owne horse, "fauinge a few Scotts in our reere, beat all the "Prince's "Prince's horfe. God made them as stubble to "our fwords; wee charged their regiments of foote wh our horfe, and routed all wee charged. "The perticulars I cannott relate now, but I be leive, of 20,000, the Prince hath not 4000 left. "Give glory, all the glory, to God. S, God "hath taken away your eldest fonn by a cannon "fhott: it brake his legg; wee were neceffitated «to have it cutt off, wherof he died. S', you know my tryalls this way, but the Lord fup ported me wth this, that the Lord tooke him "into the happineffe wee all pant after and liue ❝ for. There is your precious child, full of glory, to know neither finn nor forrow; and "more, hee was a gallant younge man, exceed " inge gracious. God give you his comfort. "Before his death, he was foe full of comfort, "that to Franke Ruffel and my felfe hee could "not expreffe itt, itt was foe great aboue his paine; "this he fayd to us; indeed, it was admirable. "Little after, hee fayd one thinge lay upon his fpirit. I asked him what that was: he told me, that it was, that God had not fuffered him to "bee noe more the executioner of his enimies. "Att his fall, his horfe beinge killed with the bul lett, and, as I am enformed, 3 horfes more, I " am told, hee bid them open to the right and left, that hee might fee the rogues runn. Truly "hée was exceedingly beloved in the armie of all " that "that knew him; but few knew him, for he was "a precious younge man fitt for God. You "have cause to bleffe the Lord; hee is a glorious "fainct in heauen, wherein you ought exceed ingly to reioyce. Lett this drinke up your "forrowe, feinge theife are not fayned words to "comfort you, but the thinge is foe real and un" doubted a truth. You may doe all thinges by "the strength of Chrift. Seeke that, and you "shall easily beare your tryall. Lett this publike "mercy to the Church of God make you to forgett your priuate forrowe. The Lord bee your ftrength, foe prayes "Your truly faythfull and louinge Brother, "July 5th, 1644." сс My loue to your daughter, and to my cozen Perceual, fifter Defbrowe, and all freinds wh you." "Oliver Cromwell, the Protector," fays Anthony Wood, "loved a good voice and inftrumen"tal mufic well. Mr. James Quin, a student of " C. C. Oxon, a good finger, was introduced to " him: he heard him fing with very great delight, " liquored him with fack, and in' conclufion faid " to him;." Mr. Quin, you have done very "well: What fhall I do for you?" To which "Quin made answer with great compliments (of "which he had command) with a great grace, "that your Highness would be pleased to restore "me to my student's place:" which the Protector "did accordingly, and fo he kept it to his dying "day." It is mentioned in Spence's MS. Anecdotes, that a few nights after the execution of King Charles the First, a man covered with a cloak, and with his face muffled up, fupposed to have been Oliver Cromwell, marched flowly round the coffin, covered with a pall, which contained the body of Charles, and exclaimed, loudly enough to be heard by the attendants on the remains of that unfortunate Monarch, "Dreadful ༤ neceffity!" Having done this two or three times, he marched out of the room, in the fame flow and folemn manner in which he came into it. Cromwell and Ireton faw the execution of Charles from a fmall window of the Banqueting House of Whitehall. Provost Baillie, who was in London at the time of Oliver's death, fays: "The Protector, Oliver, endeavoured to fettle "all in his family, but was prevented by death "before he could make a teftament. He had "not fupplied the blank with his fon Richard's "name by his hand; and scarce with his "could he declare that much of his will. mouth There were |