of the illustrious actions of Cromwell: actions ftill • defired again and again to be excufed: telling him, he had ferved King Charles all along, and been of his private council; and that it no ways confifted with his principles, that either the Protector should ask, or he (the marquis) adventure to give him any advice. This notwithstanding would not fatisfy Cromwell, but he preft him ftill, and told him he would receive no • excufes nor denials; but bid the marquifs fpeak freely, • and whatever he said, it should not turn in the least to ⚫ his prejudice. The marquifs feeing himself thus 1 preft, and that he could not avoid giving an answer, faid, Sir, upon this affurance that you have given me, • I will declare to your highness my thoughts, by which you may continue to be great, and establish your ⚫ name and family for ever. Our young mafter that is abroad (that is, my mafter, and the mafter of us all) reftore him to his crowns, and by doing this you may have what you pleafe. The Protector, no way difturbed at this, anfwered very fedately, that he had 'gone fo far, that the young gentleman could not forgive. The marquifs replied, that if his highness pleafed, he would undertake with his mafter, for what he had faid. He replied again, that in his circumstances; he could not truft. Thus they parted, and the ⚫ marquifs had never any prejudice hereby fo long as Preface to (f) Peck's • Cromwell lived (ƒ).". Lord Clarendon fpeaks alfo of his Memoirs Cromwell's making addreffes to fome principal noble- of Oliver men of the kingdom, and fome friendly expoftulations P. 37. with them, why they referved themfelves, and would (g) See vol. ⚫ have no communication or acquaintance with him (g)? vi. p. 593 From thefe facts, we may judge of Cromwell's address, and his knowledge of the human heart, which by flattery is fooneft of all things captivated and enfnared. His method of treating his enemies was many times also very mild and generous. He understood fays Burnet, that one Sir Richard Willis was chan⚫ cellor Hyde's chief confident, to whom he wrote ofFf • tem, Cromwell, (2) Vol. i. P. 101. ftill more remarkable, as his reign was short, and ten, and to whom all the party submitted, looking on him as an able and wife man, in whom they confided abfolutely. So he found a way to talk with him: He faid, he did not intend to hurt any of the party; his defign was rather to fave them from ruin : they were apt after their cups to run into foolish and ill-concerted plots, which fignified nothing but to ruin those who engaged in them: he knew they confulted him in every thing: all he defired of him was to know all their plots, that he might fo difconcert them that none might ever fuffer for them: if he clapt any of them up in prifon, it should only be for a little time and they fhould be interrogated only about fome trifling difcourfe, but never about the business they had been engaged in. He offered Willis whatever he would accept of, and to give it when or as he pleafed. He durft not ask or take above 2000 pounds a year. None was trufted with this but his fecretary Thurle, who was a very dexterous man at getting intelligence. Thus Cromwell had all the King's party in a net. He let them dance in it at pleafure: and upon occafions clapt them up for a fhort while; but nothing was ever discovered that hurt any of them (h).' -What is about to be related, will ftill more dif play the truth of the text. One day, in a gay manC ner, Oliver told Lord Broghill that an old friend of his was just come to town. The Lord Broghill defiring to know, whom his highness meant? Cromwell to his great furprize, anfwered, The marquifs of Ormond. The Lord Broghill protefting he was wholly ignorant of it: I know that well enough (fays the Protector;) however, if you have a mind to preserve your old acquaintance, let him know, that I am not ignorant either where he is, or what he is doing. He then told him the place where the marquifs lodged; and Lord Broghil having received this generous permiffion to fave his friend, went directly to him, and ་ ac and his revenue (Q) fcanty. But his go vern acquainted him with what had paffed; who finding himself difcovered, inftantly left London, and with the • first opportunity returned to the King. Soon after • Cromwell being informed that the Lady Ormond was engaged in feveral practices against the government, and corresponded with her husband, for the better accomplishing of them, had refolved to ufe her with great feverity; and told the Lord Broghill with a frown, the first time he faw him, you have paffed your word for the quiet behaviour of a fine perfon: the Lady Ormond is in a confpiracy with her husband against me, though at your requeft, I permit her to ftay in London, and allow her 2000l. per annum. C I find fhe is an ungrateful woman, and shall use her accordingly. Lord Broghill, who saw the Protector was thoroughly provoked, but knew that a foft answer ufually appeafed him, told him in the most fubmiffivé manner, That he was forry the Lady Ormond had given his highness any occafion to be difpleafed with her, but humbly defired to know, what ground he had for fufpecting her? Enough; (fays Cromwell) I have letters under her own hand, which were taken out of •her cabinet: and then throwing him a letter, bid him • read it. He had no fooner perused it, than he affured the Protector with a fmile, that what he had read, was not the hand of Lady Ormond, but of Lady Ifabella Thyn, between whom and the marquifs of Ormond, there had been fome intrigues. Cromwell haftily afked him, how he could prove that? Lord Budgell's Broghill anfwered very eafily; and fhewed him fome the Boyles, other letters from the Lady Ifabella; of whom he told p. 59. Biotwo or three ftories, fo pleafant, as made Cromwell graphia Bri lofe all his refentment in a hearty laugh (i).' (e) His revenue fcanty.] Whoever confiders what Cromwell did at home and abroad; the greatness of his fleets and armies; his fpies and intelligencers; his ambaffadors and envoys, and the ftate he on fome ocea Memoirs of tannica, p. 899. 1062. (A) Protee 1657. Oliver vernment, however, was far from being free from blame. His edict against the (RRR) epifcopal fions affumed; I fay, whoever confiders his government which made fo great a figure in the eyes of Europe, and is ftill talked of with admiration, will be aftonifhed to find that the whole revenue of England, Scotland and Iretor's Speech, land, amounted to but 1,900,000 l. (k) His enemies April 21, moreover add, that when he affumed the government, • The publick stock was five hundred thousand pounds in ready money, the value of feven hundred thoufand pounds in ftores, and the whole army in advance, • fome four, and none under two months; fo that (D) World's Mistake in though there might be a debt of near five hundred thousand pounds upon the kingdom, he met with Cromwell, above twice the value in lieu of it (1).' Mr. Cowley fays, He found the commonwealth in a ready ftock of about 800,oco pounds, and left it fome two millions courfe conand an half in debt (m).'Allowing all this to be cerning the Government true, Cromwell must have been an excellent economist. of Oliver For what prince almoft, could have done fo much on Cromwell, fo little? We may be fure there could have been no great wafte of the public treasure on favourites, no needlefs parade, or expenfive follies, when the fum to be managed for every purpose was fo contracted. But the force of deconomy is great; its efficacy powerful; and he who spends or gives when 'tis proper, and only when 'tis fo, may do things beyond the imagination of most *. P. 3. P. 92. (RRR) His edict against the epifcopal clergy, was very· cruel.] Cromwell by nature, as I have more than once had an opportunity of fhewing, was generous and humane, kind and compaffionate; but when he was provoked he fhewed his refentment, and made his enemies (n) See Note feel the weight of it. With refpect to religion he was (x). no bigot (n); and yet, exafperated by the conduct of the Turning to Thurloe, I find the following eftimate of the charge of a year, ending the first of November 1657. This eftimate is fome epifcopal clergy was very cruel, as it depriv ed the cavaliers, who had fo foolishly rifen against him under Wagstaff, Penruddock, and Grove in the west, he treated the clergy of that party very rigorously. In a declaration bearing date, October 4, 1655, we find the following prohibitions. His highness, by the advice of his council, doth publish, declare and order, that no perfon or perfons aforefaid [whofe eftates had been sequeftered for delinquency, or who had been in arms againft the parliament] do, from and after the first day • of January 1655, keep in their houses and families, · as chaplains or fchool-mafters, for the education of their children, any fequeftered or ejected minifter, fellow of any college, or fchool-mafter, nor permit any ⚫ of their children to be taught by fuch, upon pain of ⚫ being proceeded against in fuch fort, as the faid orders do direct in fuch cases. And that no person who hath been fequeftered or ejected out of any benefice, college or school for delinquency or fcandal, fhall, from and after the first day of January, keep any school, either public or private, nor any perfon who • after that time shall be ejected for the causes aforefaid. thing beyond what I have given from the protector's speech; but as it has the air of exactness it poffibly may deferve the attention of the public, 437 1. s. d. 1,464,000 4 700,000 0 The other revenue payable into the receipt, eftimated at 198,coo o Sum is N. B. Cromwell had only 400,000 1. from his parliament towards the war with Spain. See Thurloe, Vol. iv. p. 596. 2,362,000 4 Ff 3 • And |
