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right hand, shall strike through Kings in the day of his 'wrath. He shall judge among the Heathen; he shall fill 'the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries. He shall drink of the brook in the way therefore shall he lift up the head.'

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In such spirit goes Oliver Cromwell to the Wars. ‘A god-intoxicated man,' as Novalis elsewhere phrases it. I have asked myself, If anywhere in Modern European History, or even in Ancient Asiatic, there was found a man practising this mean World's affairs with a heart more filled by the Idea of the Highest? Bathed in the Eternal Splendours,-it is so he walks our dim Earth: this man is one of few. He is projected with a terrible force out of the Eternities, and in the Times and their arenas there is nothing that can withstand him. It is great;-to us it is tragic; a thing that should strike us dumb! My brave one, thy old noble Prophecy is divine; older than Hebrew David;

old as the Origin of Man;

—and shall, though in wider ways than thou supposest, be fulfilled!

LETTERS CXXXIII.-CXXXVIII.

HOOKE and his small business, in rapid public times, will not detain us. Humphrey 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.

LETTER CXXXIII.

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

MR. SPEAKER,

London, 20th June, 1650.

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 Humphrey Hooke, Alderman of that place,-which, for many rea

sons, 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 honourable 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 honour. I leave it to you; and remain,

Sir,

Your most humble servant,

OLIVER CROMWELL.*

On Wednesday, 26th June, 1650, the Act appointing 'That Oliver Cromwell, Esquire, be constituted Captain - General ' and Commander-in-chief of all the Forces raised or to be raised by authority of Parliament within the Commonwealth ' of England'1 was passed. 'Whereupon,' says Whitlocke, 'great ceremonies and congratulations of the new General were made to him from all sorts of people; and he went on * Tanner мss. (in Cary, ii. 222). 1 Commons Journals, in die.

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'roundly with his business.' Roundly, rapidly; for in three days more, on Saturday the 29th, the Lord General Cromwell went out of London towards the North: and the news of him marching northward much startled the Scots.'1

He has Lambert for Major-General, Cousin Whalley for Commissary-General; and among his Colonels are Overton, whom we knew at Hull; Pride, whom we have seen in Westminster Hall; and a taciturn man, much given to chewing tobacco, whom we have transiently seen in various places, Colonel George Monk by name. An excellent officer; listens to what you say, answers often by a splash of brown juice merely, but punctually does what is doable of it. Puddingheaded Hodgson the Yorkshire Captain is also there; from whom perhaps we may glean a rough lucent-point or two. The Army, as my Lord General attracts it gradually from the right and left on his march northward, amounts at Tweedside to some Sixteen-thousand horse and foot.3 Rushworth goes with him as Secretary; historical John; having now done with Fairfax-but, alas, his Papers for this Period are all lost to us it was not safe to print them with the others; and they are lost! The Historical Collections, with their infinite rubbish and their modicum of jewels, cease at the Trial of the King; leaving us, fallen into far worse hands, to repent of our impatience, and regret the useful John!

The following Letters, without commentary, which stingy space will not permit, must note the Lord General's progress for us as they can; and illuminate with here and there a rude gleam of direct light at first-hand, an old scene very obsolete, confused, unexplored and dim for us.

'Whitlocke, pp. 446, 7.

2 Life of Monk, by Gumble, his Chaplain.

3 Train, 690; horse, 5,415; foot, 10,249; in toto, 16,354 (Cromwelliana, p. 85).

LETTER CXXXIV.

DOROTHY CROMWELL, we are happy to find, has a 'little brat;'-but the poor little thing must have died soon: in Noble's inexact lists there is no trace of its ever having lived. The Lord General has got into Northumberland. He has a good excuse for being 'silent this way,'-the way of Letters.

For my very loving Brother, Richard Mayor, Esquire, at his House at Hursley: These.

Dear Brother,

Alnwick, 17th July, 1650.

The exceeding crowd of business I had at London is the best excuse I can make for my silence this way. Indeed, Sir, my heart beareth me witness I want no affection to you or yours; you are all often in my poor prayers.

I should be glad to hear how the little Brat doth. I could chide both Father and Mother for their neglects of me: I know my Son is idle, but I had better thoughts of Doll. I doubt now her Husband hath spoiled her; pray tell her so from me. If I had as good leisure as they, I should write sometimes. If my Daughter be breeding, I will excuse her; but not for her nursery! The Lord bless them. I hope you give my Son good counsel; I believe he needs it. He is in the dangerous time of his age; and it's a very vain world. O how good it is to close with Christ betimes; there is nothing else worth the looking after. I beseech you call upon him,

-I hope you will discharge my duty and your own

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