vice, but a professor of religion even to a degree of enthusiasm, to which through the

Cromwell's physician, from whom he learned maný particulars but he is totally silent on this head, and thereforevery probably there is no truth in what is above related.

"I

Since writing the above, I find Cromwell speaking concerning his situation in life in the following manner: was by birth a gentleman, living neither in any considerable height, nor yet in obscurity." Words spoken to his parliament Sept. 12, 1654, and abundantly sufficient to confute the idle stories in this note recited. Milton also, speaking concerning him, says, "Is matura jam atque firmata ætate, quàm & privatus traduxit, nulla re magis quam religionis cultu purioris, & integritate vitæ cognitus, domi in occulto creverat"Being now arrived to a mature and ripe age, which he spent as a private person, noted for nothing more than the cultivation of pure religion, and integrity of life, he was grown rich at home."-After this, I hope, we shall hear no more of Oliver's extreme poverty.

6

i. e. 66

He was a professor of religion even to a degree of enthusiasm.] The reader who has seen nothing but modern manners, may wonder to hear religion made part of a great man's character. He who should now even but make the least public pretence to it, would go near to be ridiculed for a fool or a fanatic. The Brutes, the Wrongheads, the Fribbles have figured so long, that they are become very familiar, and deemed top characters. But in the last century things were otherwise: a man's being religious was thought one qualification even for a post in the army, and mentioned as such by lord Strafforde', and we well know that the appearance of religion was kept up by gentlemen of the most distinguished rank. So that Oliver's re

Milton's Prose Works, vol. II. p. 395. 4to. Lond. 1753. See also the quotation from Clarendon in note 15. b Strafforde's Letters and Dispatches,

vol. I. p. 17. fol. Lond. 1739.

remaining part of his life he seemed greatly inclined.

ligion was meritorious in the eyes of those around him, and tended much to advance his character.

And that he was really religious, seems to appear from the following letter most generously permitted to be transcribed for me, by the trustees of the British Museum. It is written to Mr. Storie, and dated St. Ives, Jan. 11, 1635.

"MR. STORIE, amongst the catalogue of those good workes which your fellowe citycenes and our cuntrie men have donn, this will not be reckoned for the least that they have provided for the feedinge of soules: buildinge of hospitalls provides for mens bodyes, to build materiall temples is judged a worke of pietye, but they that procure spirituall food, they that builde up spirituall temples, they are the men truly charitable, trulye pious. Such a work as this was your erectinge the lecture in our cuntrie, in the which you placed Dr. Welles, a man of goodnesse and industrie and abilitie to doe good every way: not short of any I knowe in England, and I am perswaded that sithence his cominge, the Lord by him hath wrought much good amongst us. It only remains now that he whoe first moved you to this, put you forward to the continewance thereof, it was the Lord, and therefore to him lift we up our harts that he would perfect itt. And surely Mr. Storie it were a piteous thinge to see a lecture fall in the hands of soe manie able and godly men as I am perswaded the founders of this are, in theise times wherin wee see they are suppressed with too much hast, and violence by the enemies of God, his truth, far be it that soe much guilt should sticke to your hands, who live in a citye so renowned for the clere shininge light of the gospell. You knowe Mr. Storie to withdrawe the pay is to lett fall the lecture, for whoe goeth to warfare at his owne cost. I beseech you therefore in the bowells of Christ Jesus putt it forward and let the good man have his

pay. The soules of God his children will bless you for its and soe shall I, and ever rest

"Your lovinge friend in the Lord,

66 OLIVER CROMWELL.

"Commende my hearty love to Mr. Busse, Mr. Beadly, and my other good friends. I would have. written to Mr. Busse, but I was loath to trouble" him with a longe letter, and I feared I should not receive an answer from him, from you I expect one soe soon as conveniently you may. Vale, To my very lovinge friend Mr. Storie, at the sign of the Dogg in the Royal Exchange London, d'e theise."

The importance of this letter to Cromwell's character will excuse the length of it, especially as it is an original, and now first published.

But he not only practised the external duties of religion (real inward religion appears not to men, but by its fruits) but he was carried away into enthusiasm. He fancied himself favoured and distinguished by heaven; that God in answer to his prayers afforded him supernatural illumination and assistance.- "I had occasion to converse with Mr. Cromwell's physician, Dr. Simcott, who assured me, that for many years his patient was a most splenetick man, and had phansyes about the cross in that town; and that he had been called up to him at midnight and such unseasonable hours very many times, upon a strong phancy, which made him believe he was then dying; and there went a story of him, that in the day-time lying melancholy in his bed, he believed that a spirit appeared to him, and told him he should be the greatest man (not mentioning the word king) in this kingdom. Which his uncle Sir Thomas Steward, who left him all the little estate Cromwell had, told him was traiterous to relate. The first years of his manhood were spent in a dissolute course of life-but-when he was civiliz'd he joined himself to men of his own temper, who pretended

unto transports and revelations" ". -The following extracts from some of Oliver's letters will, perhaps, better than any thing else illustrate this part of his character. "Truly noe poore creature hath more cause to putt forth himselfe in the cause of his God, then I. I have had plentiful wadges before hand; and I am sure I shall never earn the least mite. The Lord accept mee in his Sonn, and give me to walk in the light, and give us to walk in the light, as hee is in the light. He it is that inlighteneth our blacknesse, our darknesse. I dare not say, hee hideth his face from mee; hee giveth me to see light in his light; one beame in a darke place hath exceedinge much refreshment in it; blessed be his name for shininge upon soe darke a hart as mine." This was written in 1638. -In a letter to

the lord Wharton, dated Sept. 2, 1648, we have the following passages. "I beseech the Lord make us sensible of this great mercye heere [the victory over the Scots under duke Hamilton, I suppose] which surelye was much more then ***** the house expresseth. I trust ****** the goodnesse of our God, time and opportunitye to speak of itt with you face to face. When we think of our God, what are wee! oh! his mercye to the whole societye of saincts, despised, jeered saincts. Let them mocke onn. Would we were all saincts; the best of us are (God knows) poore weake saincts, yet saincts; if not sheepe, yet lambs, and must bee fed. We have daily bread and shall have itt, in despite of all enimies. There's enough in our fathers house, and he dispenseth itt as our eyes **** bekind, then wee can **** we for him. I thinke thorough these outward mercyes (as we call them) faith, patience, love, hope, all are exercised and perfected, yea Christ formed, and growes to a perfect man within us. I knowe not how well to distinguish the difference is only in the subject: to a worldly man they are outward to a sainct, christian : but I dispute not. My lord I rejoice in your perticular mercye. I hope that is soe to you; if soe it shall not hurt

you, nor make you plott or shift for the younge baron to make him great. You will say he is Gods to dispose off, and guide for, and there you will leave him?

In a letter to the governor of the castle of Edinburgh, dated Sept. 9, 1650, he thus writes: "We have said in our papers with what hearts and upon what accompt we came; [into Scotland] and the Lord hath heard us, though you would not, upon as solemn an appeal as any experience can parallel. And although they [the Scots] seem to comfort themselves with being the sons of Jacob, from whom (they say) God hath hid his face for a time; yet it's no wonder, when the Lord hath lift up his hand so eminently against a family, as he hath done so often against this [the Stuart] and men will not see his hand, if the Lord hide his face from such, putting them to shame, both for it and their hatred at his people, as it is this day. When they purely trust to the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God, which is powerful to bring down strong holds, and every imagination that exalts itself, which alone is able to square and fitt the stones for the new Jerusalem; then, and not before, and by that means, and no other, shall Jerusalem (which is to be the praise of the whole earth) the city of the Lord be built, the Sion of the holy one of Israel "." The governor in his reply telling Cromwell the Scots ministers said, "that they had not so learned Christ as to hang the equity of their cause upon events:" he reassumed his pen on the same subject, and writes as follows: "In answer to the witnesse of God upon our solemn appeal; you say, you have not so learned Christ, to hang the equity of your cause upon events. We could wish blindnesse hath not been upon your eyes to all those marvellous dispensations, which God hath wrought lately in England. But did not you solemnly appeal and pray? Did not we do so too? And ought not you and we to think with fear and trembling of the hand of the great God in this mighty and strange appearance of his? But can slightly call it an event.

b