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with all the names appended ;* prints it, privately circulates it, in boxes sent by carriers, a thousand copies in a box:'-and there it rests; his Highness saying nothing to it; the Honorable House and the Nation saying nothing. In this Parliament, different from the last, we trace a real desire for Settlement.

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As the power of the Major-Generals, in about two months hence,'t or three months hence, was, on hint of his Highness him. self, to the joy of Constitutional England, withdrawn, we may here close Part Ninth. Note first, however, as contemporary with this event, the glorious news we have from Blake and Montague at sea; who, in good hour, have at last got hold of a Spanish Fleet, and in a tragic manner burnt it, and taken endless silver therein. News of the fact comes in the beginning of October in the beginning of November comes, as it were, the fact itself,— some Eight-and-thirty wagonloads of real silver; triumphantly jingling up from Portsmouth, across London pavements to the Tower, to be coined into current English money there. The Antichrist King of Spain has lost Lima by an earthquake, and infinite silver there also. Heaven's vengeance seems awakening 'Never,' say the old Newspapers,§ never was there a more terrible visible Hand of God in judgment upon any People, since the time of Sodom and Gomorrah! Great is the Lord; marvellous are His doings, and to be had in reverence of all the Nations. England holds universal Thanksgiving Day; sees Eight-andthirty wagonloads of silver, sees hope of Settlement, sees MajorGenerals abolished; and piously blesses Heaven.

* Copy of it and them in Whitlocke, p. 641-3; see also Thurloe, v., 490.

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† Kimber, p. 211. The real date and circumstances may be seen in Burton's Diary, i., 310 (7 Jan., 1656–7), Commons Journals, vii., 483 (29 Jan.); compared with Ludlow, ii., 581, 2. See Godwin, iv., 328.

Captain Stayner's Letter (9 Sept., 1656, Thurloe, v., 399); Genera Montague's Letter (Ib., p. 433); Whitlocke, p. 643; &c. § 6 October (in Cromwelliana, p. 160).

CROMWELL'S LETTERS AND SPEECHES.

PART X.

SECOND PROTECTORATE PARLIAMENT.

1657-1658.

LETTERS CXLIX., CL.

Two Letters near each other in date, and now by accident brought contiguous in place; which offer a rather singular contrast; the one pointing as towards the Eternal Heights, the other as towards the Tartarean Deeps! Between which two Extremes the Life of men and Lord Protectors has to pass itself in this world, as wisely as it can. Let us read them, and hasten over to the new Year Fifty-Seven, and last Department of our subject.

LETTER CXLIX.

NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, or the Municipal Authorities there, as we may perceive, are rather of the Independent judgment; and have a little dread of some encouragement his Highness has been giving to certain of the Presbyterian sect in those parts. This Letter ought to be sufficient reassurance.

To the Mayor of Newcastle: To be communicated to the Aldermen and others whom it doth concern.

Whitehall, 18th December, 1656.

GRNTLEMEN AND MY VERY GOOD FRIENDS,

My Lord Strickland, who is one of our Council, did impart to us a Letter written from yourselves to him, according to your desire therein expressed; which occasions this return from us to you.

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As nothing that may reflect to the prejudice of your outward Good, either Personal or as you are a Civil Government, shall easily pass with us: so, much less what shall tend to your discouragement, as you are Saints, to your Congregations, gathered in that way of fellowship commonly known by the name of Independents, whether of one judgment or other :-'this' shall be far from being actually discountenanced, or passively 'left to' suffer damage, by any applying themselves to me. I

do, once for all, give you to understand, that I should thereby destroy and disappoint one of the main ends for which God hath planted me in the station I am in.

Wherefore I desire you in that matter to rest secure. True it is that two Ministers, one Mr. Cole and one Mr. Pye, did present to me a Letter in the name of divers Ministers of Newcastle, the Bishoprick of Durham and Northumberland; of an honest and Christian purpose: the sum whereof I extracted, and returned an Answer thereunto;—a true Copy whereof I send you here enclosed. By which I think it will easily appear, that the consideration of my kindness is well deserved by them; provided they observe the condition 'there' expressed: which in charity I am bound to believe they will: and without which their own consciences and the world will know how to judge of them.

Having said this, I, or rather the Lord, require of you, That you walk in all peaceableness and gentleness, inoffensiveness, truth and love towards them, as becomes the Servants and Churches of Christ. Knowing well that Jesus Christ, of whose diocese both they and you are, expects it. Who, when He comes to gather His People, and to make Himself " a name and praise amongst all the people of the earth,”— He "will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out, and will get them praise and fame in every land, where they have been put to shame."* And such "lame ones" and "driven out ones were not the Independents only, and Presbyterians, a few years since, by the Popish and Prelatical Party in these Nations; but such are and have been the Protestants in all lands,-persecuted, and faring alike with you, in all the Reformed Churches. And therefore, knowing your charity to be as large as all the Flock of Christ who are of the same Hope and Faith of the Gospel with you; I thought fit to commend these few words to you ;-being well assured it is written in your heart, So to do with this that I shall stand by you in the maintaining of all your just privileges to the uttermost.

And committing you to the blessing of the Lord, I rest,

Your loving friend,

OLIVER P.t

LETTER CL.

CARDINAL MAZARIN, the governing Minister of France in those days, is full of compliance for the Lord Protector; whom, both

Zephaniah, iii., 19, 20. †Thurloe, v., 714: in Secretary Thurloe's hand

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