notice of, that you may make such use of it for prevention, as you shall see cause. · Darby House 18 Novemb. 1648. P. S, Wee desire you to communicate this to the commission's there; and also if you shall finde the Kinge hath escaped to give us notice with all possible speed. For Collonel Robert Hammond Gover, no' of the isle of Wight. DEERE NORTON, The three following letters are in the possession of Robert Symmer, Esq; of Mount Street, Grosvenor Square. I have sent my sonn over to thee, beinge willinge to answere providence, and although I confesse I have had an offer of a very great proposition from a father of his daughter, yett truly I rather encline to this in my thoughts, because though the other bee very farr greater, yett I see different tyes, and not that assurance of godlynesse, yett indeed fairness. I confesse that which is tould mee concerning estate of Mr. M. is more then I can looke for as thinges now stand. If God please to bring itt about, the consideration of pietye in the parents, and such hopes of the gentlewoeman in that respect, make the businesse to mee a great mercy, concerninge wh I desier to waite upon God, I am confident of thy love, and desier thinges may be carried with privacie. The Lord doe his will, thats best, to wh submittinge I rest your humble servant, Feb. 25, 1647. For my noble friend Col. Richard Norton, theise. DEERE DICK, O. CROMWELL. Itt had beene a favour indeed to have mett you heere at Farnham, but I heere you are a man of great businesse. Therefore I say noe more, if it be a favor to the house of commons to enioy you, what is itt to mee? But in good earnest when wi... you and your brother Russel be a lit.... honest and attend your charge suerly so.. [some] expect itt, especially the good fellowes wh... chose you. I have mett wth M Maior, wee spent two or 3 howers together last night. I perceave the gentleman is very wise and honest, and indeed much to be vallewed, some thinges of comon fame did a little sticke, I glad.... heard his doubts, and gave such answare as was next att hand, I beleive to some satisfaction, never the lesse exceedingly liked the gentlemans plainnesse, and free dealinge w mee. I knowe God has beene above all ill reports, and will in his owne tyme vindicate mee, I have noe cause to cumplaine. I see nothinge but that this particular businesse betweene him and mee may go onn, The Lords will be donn. For newes out of the north there is little, only the Mal. partye is prevailinge in the part of S. They are earnest for a warr, the ministers oppose, as yett. Mr. Marshall is returned, whoe sayis soe. And soe doe many of our letters, their great committee of dangers have 2 malig. for one right. Its sayd they have voted an armie of 40000 in part soe some of yesterdayes letters, but I account my newes ill bestowed, because upon an idle person. I shall take speedy course in the business concerninge my tenants, for wh thankes, my service to your lady, I am really Your affectionate servant March 28, 1648. Farnham. For my noble friend Col. Richard Norton, theise. DEERE NORTON, Q. CROMWELL. I could not in my last give you a perfect account of what passed betweene mee and Mr. M. because wee were to have a conclusion of our speed that morninge after I wrote my letter to you, which wee had, and havinge had a full enterview of one anothers mindes, wee parted with this, that both would consider with our relations, and accordinge to satisfactions given there, acquaint each other with our mindes. I cannot tell how better to doe itt, to receave or give satisfaction then by you, whoe (as I remember) in your last, sayd that if thinges did stick betweene us, you would use your endeavor towards a close. The thinges insisted upon were theise, (as I take itt) Mr. Maior desired 400 p. annum of inheritance lyinge in Cambridge sheire, and Norfolke, to bee præsently settled, and to be for maintenance, wherein I desired to bee advised by my wife. I offered the land in Hampshire, for present maintenance, wch I dare say with copses and ordinarie fells will be communibus annis 500 p. annum, besides 500a per annum, in tennants handes houldinge but for one life, and about 300" p. ann. some for two lives, some for three lives. But as to this if the latter bee not liked off I shall bec willing a farther conference bee had in the first. In point of jouncture I shall give satisfaction. And as to the settlement of landes given mee by the part satisfaction to be given in like manner, accordinge as wee discoursed. In what else was demanded of mee I am willing (soe farr as I remember any demand was) to give satisfaction. Only I havinge beene enformed by Mr. Robinson that Mr. Maior did upon a former match offer to settle the mannor wherein hee lived, and to give 2000" in monie, I did insist upon that, and doe desire itt may not bee with difficultye, the monie I shall neede for my two little wenches, and therby I shall free my sønn from beinge charged with them. Mr. Maior parts wth nothing in præsent but that monie, savinge their board, weh I shoulde not bee unwillinge to give them to enioy the comfort of their societye, wch itts reason hee smarte for, if hee will robb mee altogether of them. Truly the land to bee settled both what the part gives mee, and my owne, is very little lesse then 3000" per annum all thinges considered, if I bee rightly informed. And a lawyer of Lincoln's Inn haveinge searched all the marques of Worcester's writinges, wch were taken at Ragland and sent for by the part and this gentleman appointed by the committee to search the sayd writinges, assures mee, there is noe scruple concerninge the title, and itt soe fell out that this gentleman whoe searched was my owne lawyer, a very godly able man, and my deere friend, weh I reckon noe smale mercy, hee is also possest of the writinges for mee. I thought fitt to give you this account, desiringe you to make such use of itt as God shall direct you, and I doubt not but you will doe the part of a friend betweene two friendes, I account myselfe one, and I have heard you say Mr. Maior was entirely soe to you. What the good pleasure of God is I shall waite, there is only rest, præsent my service to your lady, to Mr. Maior, et. April the 3a 1648. I rest Your affectionate servant, O. CROMWELL. I desier you to carrie this business with all privacie, I beseech you to doe soe as you love mee, lett me entreat you not to loose a day herein, that I may knowe Mr. Maior's minde for I thinke I may be att leizure for a weeke to attende this businesse to give and take satisfaction, from weh perhaps I may bee shutt up afterwards by imployment. I know thou art an idle fellowe, but prethee neglect mee not now, delay may bee very inconvenient to mee, I much rely upon you. Lett me here from you in two or 3 days. I confesse the principall consideration as to mee is the absolute settlement of the mannor where he lives, wch he would doe but conditionally in case he prove to have noe sonn, and but 3000" in case he have a sonn. But as to this I hope farther reason may work him to more. N. B. In a sheet list "of the names of the members yet living of both houses of parliament forceably secluded by the army in 1648, &c." appears Southampton, col. Richard Norton, Esq; Knight, &c. He was chosen Knight of the Shire for Southampton, in the room of Sir Henry Wallop, Knt. who deceased in 1644, in virtue of writs issued Oct. 24, and Nov. 10, 1645. Parliamentary History, vol. IX. p. 40. "In another list intitled "A more exact and necessary catalogue of pensioners in the long parliament than is extant," appears Richard Norton, colonel, governor of Southampton. And in a third intitled "A perfect list of the lords of the other house, and of the knights, citizens and burgesses, and barons of the Cinque Ports, how assembled in this present parliament holden at Westminster, for the commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland, Jan. 27, 1658," appears county of Southampton, Richard Norton of Southwicke, Esq. Sir Gregory Norton, one of Charles I. judges, was of Sussex or Kent, and, as I apprehend, of a different family from the colonel. The following seventeen letters were transcribed from the For my very lovinge Friend Mr. Robinson, Preacher at Southampton. Theise. SR. I thanke you for your kinde letter, as to the businesse you mention I desire to use this playennesse with you. When the last overture was betweene mee and Mr. Major, by the mediation of coll. Norton, after the meetinge I had with Mr. Major att Farnham, I desired the coll. (findinge as I thought some scruples and hesitation in Mr. Major) to knowe of him whether his minde was free to the thinge or not. Coll. Norton gave me this account, that Mr. Major, by reason of some matters as they then stood, was not very free thereunto, whereupon I did acquiesce submittinge to the providence of God. Upon your revivinge of the businesse to mee, & your letter, I thinke fitt to returne you this answare, & to say in plainnesse of spirit to you, That upon your testimonie of the gentlewoeman's worth & the common report of the pyetye of the familye I shall be willinge to entertayne the renewinge of the motion upon such considerations as may bee to mutuall satisfaction, only I thinke that a speedye resolution will be very convenient to both partes. The Lord direct all to his glory. I desier your prayers therein, and rest Your very affectionate friend, Feb. 1st 1648. O. CROMWELL, For my very worthye Friend Richard Major, Esq; Theise. SR. I receaved some intimations formerly & by the last returne from Southampton a letter from Mr. Robinson concernynge the reviveinge *John Dunch of Pusey, in Berks, son of Sam. Dunch of North Baddisley in Hampshire, Esq; married Aune, daughter and coheiress of Richard Major, of Hursley, Esq;-Wood's Fasti, vol. ii. c. 120. the last yeare's motion touchinge my sonne & your daughter. Mr. Robinson was alsoe pleased to send inclosed in his a letter from you to him, bearing date the 5th of this instant February, wherin I finde your willingenesse to entertaine any good meanes for the compleatinge of that businesse. From whence I take encoragment to send my sonn to wayte upon you & by him to lett you knowe that my desires are (if providence soe dispose) very full & free to the thinge, if upon an enterview theire prove alsoe a freedom in the younge persons thereunto. What liberty you will give heerein I wholly submit to you. I thought fitt in my letter to Mr. Robinson to mention somewhat of expedition, because indeed I knowe not how soone I may be called into the feild, or other occasions may remove mee from hence, havinge for the present some liberty of stay in London. The Lord direct all to his glorye. I rest Feb. 12th 1648. For my very worthye Friend Richard Major, Esq; Theise. SR. I receaved yours by Mr. Stapleton together with an account of the kinde reception & the many civilityes afforded them, especilly to my sonn in the libertye given him to waite upon your worthye daughter, the report of whose vertue and godlynesse has soe great a place in my hart that I thinke fitt not to neglect any thinge on my part which may conduce to consummate a close of the businesse, if God please to dispose the younge ones harts thereunto & other suiteable orderinge affaires towards mutuall satisfaction appeare in the dispensation of providence, for which purpose and to the end matters may be brought to as neere an issue as they are capable off (not beinge at libertye by reason of publicke occasions to waite upon you, nor, as I understand your health permittinge) I thought fitt to send this gentleman Mr. Stapleton instructed with my minde to see how neere wee may come to an understandinge one of another therein, & although I could have wished the consideration of thinges had beene betweene us two itt beinge of so neere concernmente, yet providence for the present not allowinge, I desier you to give him credence on my behalfe. S all thinges which yourselfe & I had in conference att Farnham doe not occurr to my memorie thorough multiplicitye of businesse interveninge, I hope 1 shall with a very free hart testifie my readynesse to that which may bee expected from mee. I have noe more at present but desiringe the Lord to order this affair to his glory & the comfort of his servants. I rest Feb. 26, 1648. Sr Your humble servant O. CROMWELL (No Direction.) (In another hand but signed by himself.) |
