- Article of the Government, That the Chancellor, Keeper or Commissioners of the Great Seal, the Treasurer, Admiral, Chief Governors of Ireland and Scotland, and the Chief Justices of both the Benches, shall be chosen by the approbation of Parliament, and in the intervals of Parliament by the approbation of the major part of the Council, - to be afterwards approved by the Parliament; and several Persons of integrity and ability having been appointed by Me (with the Council's approbation) for some of those Services before the meeting of the Parliament; - I have thought it necessary to transmit unto you, in the enclosed Schedule, the names of those Persons, to the end that the resolution of the Parliament may be known concerning them: which I desire may be with such speed as the other public occasions of the Commonwealth will admit. And so I bid you heartily farewell. Given at Whitehall, this Fifth day of October 1654.§ Knt. Deputy of Ireland. of the Commissioners Great Seal of England. Enclosure is endorsed: "The Schedule inclosed in his Highnes Letter of ye 5th of October 1654.". "Read October 5th, 1654; and again, 6th Oct." CHARLES FLEETWOOD, Esquire... BULSTRODE WHITLOCKE, Esquire SIR THOMAS WIDDRINGTON, JOHN LISLE, Esquire. The Three Commissioners of the Great Seal above-named THE LORD CHIEF JUSTICE ROLLE THE LORD CHIEF JUSTICE ST. JOHN EDWARD MONTAGUE, Esquire WILLIAM SYDENHAM, Esquire. HENRY ROLLE. OLIVER ST. JOHN Commissioners of the Chief Justice of the Court 5 and 6. The following Two Letters, one of which is clearly of Thurloe's composition, have an evident reference to Penruddock's affair; they find their place here. § Original, with the Great Seal attached, in Tanner Mss., lii. 135. See Commons Journals, vii. 378 (24th October 1654). -- Sergeant Wilde, now more properly Lord Chief Baron Wilde is a Worcester man; sat in the Long Parliament for that City, very prominent all along in Law difficulties and officialities, in particular, directly on the heel of the Second Civil War, Autumn 1648, he rode circuit, and did justice on offenders, without asking his Majesty's opinion on the subjecs; which was thought a great feat on his part. Shortly after which he was made Chief Baron, and so continues, — holding even now the Spring Assizes at Worcester, I think. Thurloe, as we said, appears to have shaped this Letter into words; only the signature and meaning can be taken as Oliver's. Unluckily too, either Mrs. Warner the Editress must have misread the date "25th" for 24th, or else Thurlue himself in his haste have miswritten, forgetting that it was New Year's Day overnight, that it is not now 1654 but 1655. We will take the former hypothesis; and correct Mrs. Warner's "25th," which in this case makes a whole year of difference. For Sir John Wilde, Sergeant-at-Law, and the rest of the Justices of Peace for the County of Worcester, or any of them, to be communicated to the rest; or, in his absence, to Nicholas Lechmere, Esq., Worcester. GENTLEMEN, Whitehall, 24th March 1654. We doubt not but you have heard before this time of the hand of God going along with us, in defeating the late rebellions Insurrection. And we hope that, through His blessing upon our labours, an effectual course will be taken for the total disappointment of the whole Design. Yet knowing the resolution of the common Enemy to involve this Nation in new calamities, we conceive ourselves, and all others entrusted with preserving the peace of the Nation, obliged to endeavour in their places to prevent and defeat the Enemy's intentions: and therefore, as a measure especially conducing to that end, We do earnestly recommend to you To take order that diligent Watches (such as the Law hath appointed) be daily kept, for taking a strict account of all strangers in the Country. Which will not only be a means to suppress all loose and idle persons; but may probably cause some of those who come from abroad to kindle fires here, to be apprehended and *Thanked by the Parliament (Commons Journals, vi. 49, 10th October seized-upon, especially if care be taken to secure all them that ́cannot give a good account of their business; and may also break all dangerous meetings and assemblings together. Herein we do require, and shall expect, your effectual endeavours; knowing that, if what by Law ought to be done were done with diligence in this respect, the contrivance of such dangerous Designs as these would be frustrated in their bud, or kept from growing to a maturity. Irest, Your affectionate friend, OLIVER P.S This second Letter, to the Gloucester Authorities, on the same subject, we judge by the style of it to be mostly or altogether the Protector's own. For Major Wade, Major Creed, and the Mayor and Aldermen of the City of Gloucester. GENTLEMEN, Whitehall, 24th March 1654. We doubt not but you have heard before this time of the good hand of God going along with us in defeating the late rebellious Insurrection; so that, as we have certain intelligence from all parts, the Risings are everywhere suppressed and dissolved, and some hundreds of prisoners in custody, and daily more are discovered and secured. And we hope that, through the blessing of God upon our labours, an effectual course will be taken for the total disappointment of the whole Design. The readiness of the Honest People to appear hath been a great encouragement to us, and of no less discouragement to the Enemy; who, had he prevailed, would, without doubt, have made us the most miserable and harassed Nation in the world. And therefore we hold ourselves obliged to return you our hearty thanks for your zeal and forwardness in so readily appearing and contributing your assistance; wherein, although your Country and your own particular as to outward and in § Rebecca Warner's Epistolary Carlosities: First Series (Bath, 1818). pp. 51-3. ward happiness were concerned, yet we are fully persuaded that a more general Principle respecting the glory of God, and the good of all these Nations, hath been the motive to incite you: and therefore your account* goes upon the higher and more noble account.* ** You have desired that we would consider of 'ways how to find money to carry-on this work. If the Business had not been allayed, we must have found out a way and means to allay that want. But otherwise indeed we make it, as we hope we ever shall, our design to ease this Nation, and not to burden it; and are tender, as we conceive yourselves have been, ― of putting the good people thereof to any unnecessary charge. And therefore, as you shall have fitting opportunity, you may recommend our thankfulness to your honest willing Countrymen, as we hereby do to yourselves, for this their forwardness; and let them know That when any danger shall approach, as we shall be watchful to observe the Enemy's stirrings, we will give you timely notice thereof: and we trust those good hearts will be ready, 'on' being called out by you, to appear upon all such occasions. In the mean time, they may continue at their homes, blessing God for His mercy, and enjoying the fruit and comfort of this happy deliverance, and the other benefits of Peace. And I do hereby let you know that Letters are directed to the Justices of Peace of several Counties,** That Watches be kept, such as the Law hath appointed for taking a strict account of all strangers, especially near the Coast. Which will not only be a means to suppress all loose and idle persons, but may probably cause some of those that come from abroad 'in order' to kindle fires here, to be apprehended and seized, especially if care be taken to secure all them that cannot give a good account; and may also break all dangerous meetings and assemblings together. And indeed if what by Law ought to be done were done with diligence in this respect, the continuance of such dangerous Designs as these would be frustrated in the birth, or kept from growing to maturity. Sic. ** Foregoing Letter, To Wilde, for one. Having said this, — with remembrance of my hearty love I rest, to you, Your very affectionate friend, OLIVER P. § Of the same date, the same Letter (with insignificant variations), bearing the address, For Colonel Humphrey Brewster and the rest of the Commissioners for the Militia for the County of Suffolk, and dated as well as signed in Oliver's hand, is now in the possession of Charles Meadows, Esq., Great Bealings, Woodbridge, a kinsman or representative of this Humphrey Brewster. The one considerable variation is as follows. Paragraph second, of the Copy given here, and the first two sentences of paragraph third, are suppressed in Brewster's Copy, and there stands instead, after "Design:" "And now forasmuch as it "hath pleased God thus to allay this Business; and making it, "as we hope we soon (sic) shall, our design to ease this Na"tion:" &c. after and before which the two Copies almost exactly correspond. (Ms. penes me.) 66 By the City Records just cited from, it appears that, on the eve of the Battle of Worcester, in 1651, "Eighteen Gloucester "Bakers had sent to Tewkesbury for the Lord General Crom"well's Army, Thirteen-hundred and odd Dozens of Bread at a Shilling the dozen, amounting to £66. 5 s.; and that the Mayor "and others, on the 1st September 1651, sent Forty barrels of "strong Beer to the Lord General, 'praying your favourable ac"ceptance thereof, as an argument of the good affection of this "Corporation, who doth congratulate your seasonable coming "into these parts, for the relief thereof against the violence of "the common Enemy, and wish prosperous success to you and "your Army.""* Furthermore, that on the 11th October 1651, directly after the said Battle, Gloucester did itself the honour of appointing the Lord General Oliver Cromwell, "in consideration of the singular favour and benevolence which his Excellency hath manifested to us and to this City," High Steward of the same, "with an annual rent of 100 shillings, issuing out of our Manors;" § Bibliotheca Gloucestrensis (Gloucester, 1825; -see antea, vol. i. p. 163), p. 412:- from the City Records of Gloucester. * Ib. p. 406. |