tugging and wriggling, in a most unseemly manner, on the open streets, and likely to enlist the population generally, had not Cromwell's soldiers charitably scattered it asunder before they went.* In three days they were in Edinburgh again.

When a luminous body, such as Oliver Cromwell, happens to be crossing a dark Country, a dark Century, who knows what he will not disclose to us! For example: On the Western edge of Lanarkshire, in the desolate uplands of the Kirk of Shotts, there dwelt at that time a worshipful Family of Scotch Lairds, of the name of Stewart, at a House called Allertoun,—a lean‍ turreted angry-looking old Stone House, I take it; standing in some green place, in the alluvial hollows of the Aughter Burn or its tributaries: most obscure; standing lean and grim, like a thousand such; entirely unnoticeable by History,-had not Oliver chanced to pass in that direction, and make a call there! Here is an account of that event: unfortunately very vague, not written till the second generation after: indeed, palpably incorrect in some of its details; but indubitable as to the main fact; and too curious to be omitted here. The date, not given or hinted at in the original, seems to fix itself as Thursday, 1st May, 1651. On that day Auchter Burn rushing idly on as usual, the grim old turreted Stone House, and rigorous Presbyterian inmates, and desolate uplands of the Kirk of Shotts in general, saw Cromwell's face, and have become memorable to us. Here is the record given as we find it.t

'There was a fifth Son' of Sir Walter Stewart, Laird of Allertoun: James; who in his younger years was called "the Captain of Allertoun," from this incident: Oliver Cromwell, Captain-General of the English Sectarian Army, after taking Edinburgh Castle, was making a Progress through the West of Scotland; and came down towards the River Clyde near Lanark, and was on his march back, against King Charles the Second's Army, then with the King at Stirling. Being informed of a near way through Auchtermuir, he came with some General

* Ane Information concerning the late Tumult in Glasgow, Wednesday April 30, at the very time of Cromwell's Removal (in Baillie, iii., 161). † Coltness Collections, Published by the Maitland Club (Glasgow, 1842),

p. 9.

Officers to reconnoitre; and had a Guide along. Sir Walter, being a Royalist and Covenanter, had absconded. As he' Cromwell 'passed, he called-in at Allertoun for a further Guide; but no men were to be found, save one valetudinary Gentleman, Sir Walter's Son,'-properly a poor valetudinary Boy, as appears, who of course could do nothing for him.

'He found the road not practicable for carriages; and upon his return he called-in at Sir Walter's House. There was none to entertain him but the Lady and Sir Walter's sickly Son. The good Woman was as much for the King and Royal Family as her Husband: but she offered the General the civilities of her House; and a glass of canary was presented. The General observed the forms of these times (I have it from good authority), and he asked a blessing in a long pathetic grace before the cup went round; he drank his good wishes* for the family, and asked for Sir Walter; and was pleased to say, His Mother was a Stewart's Daughter, and he had a relation to the name. All passed easy; and our James, being a lad of ten years, came so near as to handle the hilt of one of the swords: upon which Oliver stroked his head, saying, "You are my little Captain ;" and this was all the Commission our Captain of Allertoun ever had.

'The General called for some of his own wines for himself and other Officers,† and would have the Lady try his wine; and was so humane, when he saw the young Gentleman so maigre and indisposed, he said, Changing the Climate might do good, and the South of France, Montpellier, was the place.

'Amidst all this humanity and politeness he omitted not, in person, to return thanks to God in a pointed grace after his repast; and after this hasted on his return to join the Army. The Lady had been a strenuous Royalist, and her Son a Captain in command at Dunbar; yet upon this interview with the General she abated much of her zeal. She said she was sure Cromwell was one who feared God, and had that fear in him, and the true interest of Religion at heart. A story of this kind is no id digression; it has some small connexion with the Family

concerns, and shows some little of the genius of these distracted times.' And so we leave it; vague, but indubitable; standing on such basis as it has.

LETTER CXVI.

For

my beloved Wife, Elizabeth Cromwell, at the Cockpit: These.'

MY DEAREST,

Edinburgh, 3d May, 1651.

I could not satisfy myself to omit this post, although I have not much to write; yet indeed I love to write to my Dear, who is very much in my heart. It joys me to hear thy soul prospereth: the Lord increase His favors to thee more and more. The great good thy soul can wish is, That the Lord lift upon thee the light of His countenance, which is better than life. The Lord bless all thy good counsel and example to all those about thee, and hear all thy prayers, and accept thee always.

I am glad to hear thy Son and Daughter are with thee. I hope thou wilt have some good opportunity of good advice to him. Present my duty to my Mother, my love to all the Family. Still pray for

Thine,

OLIVER CROMWELL.*

Written the day after his return to Edinburgh. Thy Son and Daughter,' are, to all appearance, Richard and his Wife, who prolong their visit at the Cockpit. The good old Mother' is still spared with us, to have my duty' presented to her. A pale venerable Figure; who has lived to see strange things in this world; can piously, in her good old tremulous heart, rejoice in such a Son.

Precisely in these days, a small ship driven by stress of weather into Ayr Harbor, and seized and searched by Cromwell's Garrison there, discloses a matter highly interesting to the Commonwealth. A Plot, namely, on the part of the English Presbyterian-Royalists, English Royalists Proper, and all manner of Malignant Interests in England, to unite with the Scots and their

Harris, p. 517

King in which certain of the London Presbyterian Clergy, Christopher Love among others, are deeply involved. The little ship was bound for the Isle of Man, with tidings to the Earl of Derby concerning the affair; and now we have caught her within the Bars of Ayr; and the whole matter is made manifest !* Reverend Christopher Love is laid hold of, 7th May; he and others: and the Council of State is busy. It is the same Christopher who preached at Uxbridge Treaty. long since, That Heaven might as well think of uniting with Hell.' Were a new High Court of Justice once constituted, it will go hard with Christopher.

As for the Lord General, this march to Glasgow has thrown him into a new relapse, which his Doctor counts as the third since March last. The disease is now ague; comes and goes, till, in the end of this month, the Parliament requests him to return to England for milder air ;† and then, this kind offer being declined, despatches two London Doctors to him; whom the Lord Fairfax is kind enough to send in his own coach;' who arrive in Edinburgh on the 30th of May, 'and are affectionately entertained by my Lord.' The two Doctors are Bates and Wright. Bates, in his loose-tongued History of the Troubles, redacted in after times, observes strict silence as to this Visit. The Lord General's case seems somewhat grave; hopeless for this summer. is not sensible that he is grown an old man.' proceed without him; directed by him from the distance. However, on the 5th of June he is seen abroad in his coach again; shakes his ailments and infirmities of age away, and takes the field in person once more. The Campaign is now vigorously begun; though as yet no great result follows from it.

'My Lord The Officers are to

On the 25th of June, the Army from all quarters reassembled ' in its old Camp on the Pentland Hills;' marched westward; left Linlithgow, July 2d, ever westward, with a view to force the Enemy from his strong ground about Stirling. Much pickeering, vaporing, and transient skirmishing ensues; but the Enemy, * Bates: History of the late Troubles in England (Translation of the Elenshus Motuum; London, 1685), Part ii., 115.

Whitlocke, p. 476

Newspapers (in Cromwelliana, p. 103).

strongly entrenched at Torwood, secured by bogs and brooks, cannot be forced out. We take Calendar House, and do other insults, before their eyes; they will not come out. Cannonadings there are, from opposite Hills ;' but not till it please the Enemy can there be any battle. David Lesley, second in rank, but real leader of the operations, is at his old trade again. The Problem is becoming difficult. We decide to get across into Fife; to take them in flank, and at least cut off an important part of their supplies.

Here is the Lord General's Letter on the result of that enterprise. Farther details of the Battle which is briefly spoken of here,—still remembered in those parts as the Battle of Inverkeithing, may be found in Lambert's own Letter concerning it.* 'Sir John Brown, their Major-General,' was once a zealous Parliamenteer; 'Governor of Abingdon,' and much else; but the King gained him, growls Ludlow, by the gift of a pair of silk stockings,'-poor wretch! Besides Brown, there are Massey, and various Englishmen of mark with this Malignant Army. Massey's Brother, a subaltern person in London, is one of the conspirators with Christopher Love.-The Lord General has in the interim made his Third Visit to Glasgow; concerning which there are no details worth giving here.† Christopher Love, on the 5th of this month, was condemned to die.‡

LETTER CXVII.

For the Honorable William Lenthall, Speaker of the Parliament of England: These.

SIR,

Linlithgow, 21st July, 1651.

After our waiting upon the Lord, and not knowing what course to take, for indeed we know nothing but what God pleaseth to

*North Ferry, 22 July, 1651 (Whitlocke, p. 472): the Battle was on Sunday, the 20th. See also Balfour, iv., 313.

† Whitlocke, p. 471; Milton State-Papers, p. 84 (11 July, 1651). Wood, iii., 278, &c.