Memoirs of the Protectorate-house of Cromwell

liberty; nor can there be any just reasons urged, why perfons living in the last century should not have equal justice and impartiality fhewn to them as those of any other æra of our hiftory, but which (defirable as it might be) was not to be expected till within these few years; love, fear, or refentment, the great fwayers of human actions, often led the writer to deceive the public, by palliating a bad, or giving an ill reafon for a good action; yet it must be allowed, that it is very neceflary that feveral characters that lived during the middle of the last century fhould be well known, as from them (especially those of the Cromwells and their alliances) fome of the causes that led to the most momentous occurrences can be traced; so that it is hoped both the biographer and hiftorian will not think these pages unworthy his notice.

The greatest attention has been paid in examining the works of our most approved historic writers, and many distant

A 4

parts of

the

the kingdom have been vifited by the author to infpect authentic memorials; yet it is an unhappiness that accompanies researches of this kind, that they cannot be complete ; nor is it poffible, fcarce, to prevent mistakes occurring; those, who know the fatigue of collecting materials, and claffing them for books of this fort, can only form a proper judgment of such a laborious undertaking.

It would be unpardonable not to mention, with the greatest gratitude and refpect, the obligations due to those who have contributed to the improvement of these memoirs, by permitting an infpection of records and other curious papers, as the right honorable lord viscount Hampden, fir Thomas Heathcote, bart. commodore fir Richard Bickerton, bart. Lucy Knightley, of Fausley, efq. late member of parlement for Northamptonshire; col. John Neale, of Allesley; mr. Smith, alderman, and mr. Hunt, chamberTain of Huntingdon; to the following reverend gentlemen, for fending or giving permiffion

miffion to the author to take extracts from the registers of their parishes, copying füneral monuments, &c. John Moffe, L. L.D. rector of Great-Hampden; mr. Hodson, rector of the confolidated parishes of Huntingdon; the late mr. Wefton, of Ramsey; mr. Turner, rector of Burwell, near Newmarket; mr. Smith, vicar of St. Ives; mr. Tookey, vicar of Chippenham; mr. Carter, rector of Little-Wittenham, near Wallingford; meff. Benthams, and other clergymen, in Ely (whose names it is a shame to have forgotten); mr. Bree, rector of Allefley; S. Gauntlet. of Hurfley; mr. Copeland, of Marston, in Northamptonshire; mr. Panchen, of Godmanchefter; obligations, and great ones, are owing to lady Bickerton, mifs Cromwell, mrs. and mifs Waller, of Beaconsfield; of mrs. Cunningham, of Checkers; mrs. Woodhoufe, of Lichfield; mifs Trollop, of Huntingdon; fir John Talbot Dillon, baron of the facred roman empire; John-Ruffell Greenhill, D. D. rector of Cotisford; Richard-Sutton Yates, D. D.

rector

rector of Solihull;

Raite, M. D. of
Huntingdon; Richard Moland, of Solihull,
efq. the curious mr. Green, of Lichfield,
mr. Henry Carter, of Little-Wittenham ;
rev. R. Davies, and mr. Couchman, of
Temple-Balfall, for communicating infor-
mation or materials; the libraries of mr.
Knightley, mr. Moland, dr. Parrott, of Bir-
mingham, mr. Barker, of the fame place,
the rev. Samuel Pearfon, of Barkefwell, and
fome others, have been thrown open to the
author; fincere thanks are alfo due to Wil-
liam Hutchinson, of Barnard-caftle, in the
bifhopric of Durham, efq. the rev. R. Lo-
vett, rector of Barkefwell; the late rev..
John Blair, of Whitchurch; the former
for contributing engravings, and the latter
for introductory letters; befides feveral
friends for fome trifling information; nor
muft the kind intentions of the rev. E. Brad-
ford, rector of Baberham, be forgotten.