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Jesus my Lord. For whom I have suffered the loss of all things; and do count them but dung That I may win Christ, and be found in Him,not having mine own righteousness which is of the Law, but that which is through the Faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by Faith; that I may know Him, and the power of His Resurrection, and the fellowship of His Sufferings; being made conformable unto His Death.'* How little of this knowledge is among us! My weak prayers shall be for you.

Take heed of an unactive vain spirit! Recreate yourself with Sir Walter Raleigh's History: it's a Body of History; and will add much more to your understanding than fragments of Story.-Intend to understand the Estate I have settled: it's your concernment to know it all, and how it stands. I have heretofore suffered much by too much trusting others. I know my Brother Mayor will be helpful to you in all this. You will think, perhaps, I need not advise you To love your Wife! The Lord teach you how to do it ;-or else it will be done ill-favoredly. Though Marriage be no instituted Sacrament, yet where the undefiled bed is, and love, this union aptly resembles that of Christ and His Church. If you can truly love your Wife, what 'love' doth Christ bear to His Church and every poor soul therein,-who "gave Himself" for it and to it!--Commend me to your Wife; tell her I entirely love her, and rejoice in the goodness of the Lord to her. I wish her every way fruitful. I thank her for her loving Letter.

I have presented my love to my Sister and Cousin Ann, &c., in my Letter to my Brother Mayor. I would not have him alter his affairs because of my debt. My purse is as his: my present thoughts are but To lodge such a sum for my two little Girls;—it's in his hand as well as anywhere. I shall not be wanting to accommodate him to his mind; I would not have him solicitous.-Dick, the Lord bless you every way. I rest,

Your loving Father,

OLIVER CROMWELL.

* These sentences,-well known to Oliver; familiar to him in their phraseology, and in their sense too; and never to be finally forgotten by tho earnest-hearted of the Sons of Men,-are not quoted in the Original, but merely indicated. t Old word for 'endeavor.'

Memoirs of the Protector Oliver Cromwell, by Oliver Cromwell, Esquire, a Descendant of the Family (London, 1822), i., 369. An incorrect, dull, insignificant Book; contains this Letter, and one or two others, ' in possession of the Cromwell Family.' Another Descendant, Thomas Cromwell, Esquire's Oliver Cromwell and his Times (London, 1821), is of a vaporous, gesticulative, dull-aërial, still more insignificant character; and contains nothing that is not common elsewhere.

No. XXXI.

[Vol. i., p. 438: 'Though in wider ways thau thou supposest, be fulfilled !-]

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LETTER XXXV.

HOOKE and his small business, in rapid public times, will not detain us. Humphry Hooke, Alderman of Bristol, was elected to the Long Parliament for that City in 1640; but being found to have had concern in Monopolies,' was, like a number of others, expelled, and sent home again under a cloud. The service' he did at Bristol Storm, though somewhat needing 'concealment,' ought to rehabilitate him a little in the charity, at least in the pity, of the Well-affected mind. At all events, the conditions made with him must be kept ;-and we doubt not, were.

To the Honorable. William Lenthall, Esquire, Speaker of the House of Commons: These.'

London, 20th June, 1650.

MR. SPEAKER, When we lay before Bristol in the Year 1645, we considered the season of the year, the strength of the place, and of what importance the reducement thereof would be to the good of the Commonwealth, and accordingly applied ourselves to all possible means for the accomplishment of the same; which received its answerable effect. At which time, for something considerable done in order to that end, by Humphry Hooke, Alderman of that place,-which, for many reasons, is desired to be concealed,-his Excellency the Lord General Fairfax and myself gave him an Engagement under our hands and seals, That he should be secured and protected, by the authority of the Parliament, in the enjoyment of his life, liberty, and estate, as freely as in former times, and as any other person under the obedience of the Parliament; notwithstanding any past acts of hostility, or other thing done by him, in opposition to the Parliament or assistance of the Enemy. Which Engagement, with a Certificate of divers godly persons of that City, concerning the performance of his part thereof, is ready to be produced.

I understand, that lately an Order is issued out to sequester him, whereby he is called to Composition. I thought it meet therefore to give

the honorable Parliament this account, that he may be preserved from anything of that nature. For the performance of which, in order to the good of the Commonwealth, we stand engaged in our faith and honor. I leave it to you; and remain,

Sir,

Your most humblé servant,

OLIVER CROMWELL.*

No. XXXII.

[Vol. i., p. 467: Will now be intelligible to the reader.']

First, however, take the following

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FORASMUCH as I understand there are several Soldiers of the Enemy's Army yet abiding in the Field, who by reason of their wounds could not march from thence :

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These are therefore to give notice to the Inhabitants of this Nation That they may have,' and hereby have, free liberty to repair to the Field aforesaid, and, with their carts or 'in' any other peaceable way, to carry away the said Soldiers to such places as they shall think fit :-provided they meddle not with, or take away, any the Arms there. And all Officers and Soldiers are to take notice that the same is permitted. Given under my hand, at Dunbar, 4th September, 1650.

To be proclaimed by beat of drum.†

OLIVER CROMWELL

No. XXXIII.

[Vol. i., p. 475: Your most obedient servant, Oliver Cromwell.']

LETTER XXXVI.

LETTER XCI., for Sir Arthur, did not go on Monday night; and finds now an unexpected conveyance! Brand, Historian of Newcastle, got sight of that Letter, and of this new one enclosing it,

Tanner Mss. (in Cary, ii., 222).

+ Old Newspaper, Several Proceedings in Parliament, No. 50 (5–12 Sept.. 1650): in Burney Newspapers (British Museum), vol. xxxiv.

in the hands of an old Steward of the Haselrigs, some half century ago; and happily took copies. Letter XCI. was autograph, 'folded" up hastily before the ink was quite dry;-sealed with red wax' of this there is nothing autograph but the signature; and the sealing-wax is black.

For the Honorable Sir Arthur Haselrig, at Newcastle or elsewhere: These. Haste, haste.

SIR,

Dunbar, 4th September, 1650.

You will see by my Enclosed, of the 2d of this month, which was the evening before the Fight, the condition we were in at that time. Which I thought fit on purpose to send you, that you might see how great and how seasonable our deliverance and mercy is, by such aggravation.

Having said my thoughts thereupon to the Parliament, I shall only give you the narrative of this exceeding mercy ;* believing the Lord will enlarge your heart to a thankful consideration thereupon. The least of this mercy lies not in the advantageous consequences which I hope it may produce; of glory to God and good to His People, in the prosecution of that which remains; unto which this great work hath opened so fair a way. We have no cause to doubt but, if it shall please the Lord to prosper our endeavors, we may find opportunities both upon Edinburgh and Leith,-Stirling Bridge, and other such places as the Lord shall lead unto. Even far above our thoughts; as this late and other experiences gives good encouragement.

Wherefore, that we may not be wanting, I desire you, with such forces as you have, Immediately to march to me to Dunbar; leaving behind you such of your new Levies as will prevent lesser incursions :-for surely their rout and ruin is so total that they will not be provided for any thing that is very considerable.--Or rather, which I more incline unto, That you would send Thomlinson with the Forces you have ready, and this with all possible expedition; and that you will go on with the remainder of the Reserve,-which, upon better thoughts, I do not think can well be done without you.

Sir, let no time nor opportunity be lost. Surely it's probable the Kirk has done their do.t I believe their King will set up upon his own score now; wherein he will find many friends. Taking opportunity offered,― it's our great advantage, through God. I need say no more to you on this behalf; but rest,

Your humble servant,

OLIVER CROMWELL.

Means the bare statement. In the next sentence, 'The least lies not,' is t'doo' in orig.

for The not least lies.

My service to your Lady.-I think it will be very fit that you should bake Hard bread again, considering you increase our numbers. I pray you do so. Sir, I desire you to procure about Three or Four score Masons, and ship them to us with all speed: for we expect that God will suddenly put some places into our hands, which we shall have occasion to fortify.*

No. XXXIV.

[Vol. i., p. 476: But indeed they are both idle, and worthy of

blame.']

LETTER XXXVII.

A PIOUS Word, shot off to Ireland, for Son Ireton and the 'dear Friends' fighting for the same Cause there. That they may rejoice with us, as we have done with them: none knows but they may have 'need' again of mutual experiences for refreshment.'

To Lieutenant-General Ireton, Deputy-Lieutenant of Ireland: These.' Dunbar, 4th September, 1650

SIR, Though I hear not often from you, yet I know you forget me not Think so of me too;' for I often remember you at the Throne of Grace. -I heard of the Lord's good hand with you in reducing Waterford, Duncannon, and Catherlogh:† His Name be praised.

We have been engaged upon a Service the fullest of trial ever poor creatures were upon. We made great professions of love; knowing we

* Brand's History of Newcastle (London, 1789), ii., 489. In Brand's Book there follow Excerpts from two other Letters to Sir Arthur; of which, on inquiry, the present Baronet of Nosely Hall unluckily knows nothing farther. They run thus: 'Dunbar, 5 Sept., 1650.— After much deliberation, we can find no way how to dispose of these Prisoners that will be consisting with these two ends,-to wit, the not losing them and the not starving them, neither of which would we willingly incur,-but by sending them into England.' (Brand, ii., 481).—— ' Edinburgh, 9 Sept., 1650.

I hope your Northern Guests are come to you by this time. I pray you let humanity be exercised towards them: I am persuaded it will be comely. Let the Officers be kept at Newcastle, some sent to Lynn, some to Chester.' (lb., p. 480.)

+ 'Catherlogh' is Carlow: Narrative of these captures (10 August, 1650), in a Letter from Ireton to the Speaker (Parliamentary History, xix., 334-7)

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