On the contrary, from most indifputable
autho-

⚫tion that I mentioned at Whitehall, at the time when ⚫ he lived there, was too notorious to be called in queftion; and that not a little pains was taken to cultivate and support it; and that he once heard a fermon there, (from a person of note) the avow'd defign of which was to maintain and defend it. He faid he was fo fully convinced of the ill tendency of fuch a principle, that after the hearing this fermon, he thought himself bound in confcience, when it came next to his turn to preach before Cromwell, to set himself induftriously to oppofe it, and to beat down that fpiritual pride and confidence, which fuch fancied impulfes and impreffions were apt to produce and cherish. He told me, he obferved that while he was in the pulpit, Cromwell heard him with great attention, but would fometimes knit his brows, and discover great uneafinefs., When the fermon was over, he told me a perfon of diftinction came to him, and afk'd him if he knew what he had done? and fignifyed it to him as his apprehenfion, that Cromwell would be fo incens'd upon that difcourfe, that he • would find it very difficult ever to make his peace with him, or fecure his favour for the future. Mr. Howe replyed, that he had but difcharged his conscience, and could leave the event with God. He told • me he afterwards obferved, Cromwell was cooler in his carriage to him than before; and fometimes he thought he would have spoken to him of the matter, • but he never did, and rather chose to forbear (0).' 4. His difcourfe in his last fickness to his wife, plain- p. 21. 8vo. ly manifefts the enthusiasm of his temper. Take it as Lond. 1724. related by his physician Bates. Sed nec animo folum ægrotat; [he had been juft fpeaking of his domeftic vexations] febre fiquidem brevi poft laticâ & lentâ corripitur, quæ tandem puriam in tertianam dege• neravit. Provecto per feptimanam morbo, abfque

C 3

• ullis

(2) Calamy's life of Howe,

authorities, we are affured, that he was

6

Cour

ullis periculi indiciis, (utpote nunc iftam mali speciem, nunc aliam præ fe ferente ;) ut ne prohiberet fecundò die ab ambulando forás. Poft prandium autem ' accedentibus ad eum quinque quos habebat medicis, quidam ex tactu pulfum intermififfe pronunciat: quo audito ille fubito confternatus ore pallet fudatiunculas patitur, & ferè deliquium, jubétque fe ad lectulum · deportari; atque ibi cardiacis refocíllatus, fupremum ⚫ condidit teftamentum, fed de rebus privatis & domefticis. Manè fummo, cùm unus è cæteris vifitatum veniret, percontatur, quare vultus ei adeo triftis. Cúmque refponderet, ità oportere, fi cui vitæ ac falutis ejus pondus incumberet; Vos (inquit) medici me creditis intermoriturum: dein cæteris amotis (uxo< rem manu complectens) ita hunc affatur, Tibi pro'nuncio, non effe mihi hoc morbo moriendum; hujus • enim certus fum, Et quia intentiori afpectantem oculo ad ifta verba cerneret, Tu me (inquit) nè credas infanire; verba veritatis eloquor, certioribus innixus quàm vobis Galenus aut Hippocrates vefter fuppeditat rationibus. Deus ipfe hoc refponfum precibus dedit non meis unius, verùm & eorum quibus • arctius cum illo commercium & major familiaritas. Pergite alacres, excuffâ penitùs à vultu triftitia, méque inftar fervuli tractate. Pollere vobis licet pru'dentia rerum; plus tamen valet natura quàm medici (p) Elenchi, fimul omnes; Deus autem naturam longiori fuperat 'intervallo (p). i. e. But all his diftemper was 'not in his mind alone; for shortly after he was taken with a flow fever, that at length degenerated into a • bastard tertian ague. For a weeks time the disease fo continued without any dangerous fymptoms, (as • appearing fometimes one, and fometimes another kind of diftemper) that every other day he walked abroad: but after dinner his five phyficians coming to wait upon him, one of them having felt his pulse,

pars 2da.

p. 215.

.

courteous and obliging, affable and condescending,

faid that it intermitted: at which fuddenly startled, he looked pale, fell into a cold sweat, almost fainted away, and orders himself to be carried to bed, where being refreshed with cordials, he made his will, but only about his private and domeftic affairs. Next morning early, when one of his phyficians came to vifit him, he afked him, why he look'd fo fad? and when he made answer, that fo it becomes any one, who had the weighty care of his life and health upon him: Ye phyficians, faid he, think I fhall die. Then the company being removed, holding his wife by the hand, to this purpofe he fpoke to him, I tell you I 'fhall not die of this disorder,-I am fure of it. And because he obferved him to look more attentively upon him at thefe words, Don't think, faid he, that • I am mad; I fpeak the words of truth, upon furer grounds than your Galen or Hippocrates furnish you with. God Almighty himself hath given that anfwer, not to my prayers alone, but also to the pray⚫ers of those who entertain a ftricter commerce, and greater intimacy with him. Go on chearfully, banishing all fadnefs from your looks, and deal with me as you would with a ferving-man. Ye may have fkill in the nature of things, yet nature can do more 'than all phyficians put together; and God is far more above nature.'

.

.

of his own times, vol. i.

Burnet confirms this account of the affurance of the divines concerning Cromwell's recovery (q). I(7) Hiftory will reft the evidence of the enthusiasm of Oliver here (though many more proofs can be brought of it) not p. 133. doubting but it will appear ftrong and convincing;' and account, in fome degree, for those actions and expreffions which we fhall meet with in the following fheets: account in fome degree, I fay; for whoever thinks him wholly under the power of this principle, will be greatly mistaken. Cromwell ranks in this re

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Spect

fcending, and even ftrongly, at times (G), inclin'd

fpect with Mahome', and Aurengzebe, who were great mafters of themfelves, though, by nature, ftrongly tinctured with enthusiasm.

(G) He was courteous and affable, and inclin'd to buffaonery.] Here are the authorities. Sir Philip Warwick does honor to this part of his character in the following paragraph. In his converfation towards me he was ever friendly; tho' at the latter end of the day finding me ever incorrigible, and having fome inducements to fufpect me a tamperer, he was fuf'ficiently rigid (r).' Whitlock, even under a fenfe of an injury done him by Cromwell, owns he was good(s) Memoals, p. 627. natured (s). His affability and condefcenfion will appear alfo from the fame writer. As they [Crom

(r) Me

moirs, p. 247.

(t) Id. p. 384.

well and Ireton] went home from my houfe, their
coach was stopped and they examined by the guards,
to whom they told their names; but the captain of
the guards would not believe them, and threatned to
carry thefe two great
officers to the court of guard.
Ireton grew a little angry, but Cromwell was chearful
with the foldiers, gave them twenty fhillings, and
commended them and their captain for doing their
duty (t).' In another place he writes as follows:
The Protector often advis'd about this [The petition
and advice] and other great bufineffes with the Lord
Broghill, Pierpoint, myfelf, Sir Charles Wolfely and
Thurloe, and would be fhut up three or four hours
together in private difcourfe, and none were admit-
ted to come in to him; he would fometimes be very
chearful with us, and laying afide his greatnels he
would be exceeding familiar with us, and by way
of diverfion, would make verfes with us, and every
one must try his fancy; he commonly call'd for to-
bacco, pipes, and a candle, and would now and
then take tobacco himself; then he would fall again
to his ferious and great bufinefs, and advife with us

inclin'd to practise fome little arts of buffoonery.

But

in those affairs; and this he did often with us, and ' our counsel was accepted and followed by him, in () Memomost of his greatest affairs (u).' Thefe paffages, rials, p. 656. fimply and artlefly told, ftrongly indicate the chearfulness and pleafantry of Cromwell, and fhew how well qualified he was to conciliate the affection and regard of those whom he thought it worth his while to court (x).

(x) See note

[PPT].

Let us now proceed to the buffoonery which is mentioned in the text. Mr. Waller lived moftly at Beaconsfield, where his mother dwelt in her widowhood, and often entertained Oliver Cromwell there, during his ufurpation, he being related to her. But notwithstanding her relation to the ufurper, and Colonel Hampden, he was a royalift in her principles; and when Oliver vifited her at Beaconsfield, the would frankly tell him how his pretenfions would end. The ufurper us'd merrily to throw a napkin at her in C return, and faid he would not enter into further dif< putes with his aunt; for fo he us'd to call her, though not quite fo nearly related (). Mr. Cowley fpeaks (2) Waller's Life, p. 4. of his flinging of cushions, and playing at fnowballs

P. 95.

with his fervants (2).'- And Mr. Ludlow relates (2) Difthat Cromwell contriv'd a conference to be held in courfe concerning the Kingfireet, between thofe call'd the Grandees of the government house and army, and the Commonwealths-men, in of Oliver Cromwell, which the Grandees, of whom Lieutenant-general • Cromwell was the head, kept themfelves in the clouds, and would not declare their judgments either for a • monarchical, aristocratical, or democratical government; maintaining that any of them might be good in themselves, or for us, according as Providence fhould direct us. The Commonwealths-men declared that monarchy was neither good in itself, nor for • us. Notwithstanding what was faid, Cromwell -pro