Mr. Brewster, hardly known to us otherwise, is also proceeding thither; with whom the Lord Protector thinks good to salute his Son-in-law, Fleetwood, the Lord Deputy, Ireton's successor in Ireland. Henry Cromwell was there once before, on a somewhat similar mission, and acquitted himself well. His title, this second time, is Major-General of the Army in Ireland. He is to command the forces in Ireland; one easily believes farther, he is to observe well and report faithfully how affairs are; and do his best to assist in rectifying them. Lord Deputy Fleetwood is by some thought to be of too lax temper for his place: he, with his Ludlows, Axtels and discontented Republicans, not to speak of other businesses, would need energy, if he have it not. Rumour has even arisen that Henry Cromwell is now sent to supersede him; which, however, the Protector expressly contradicts.2

The rumour nevertheless proved, if not true, yet prophetic of the truth. Henry Cromwell acquitted himself well this second time also; being, as we judge, a man of real insight, veracity and resolution; very fit for such a service. Many of his Letters, all creditable to him, are in Thurloe: Petitions' from certain Irish parties come likewise to view there, That he might be appointed Deputy; which Petitions are, for the present, carefully 'suppressed,' yet have in the end to be complied with; they and the nature of the case, we suppose, require compliance. Some fifteen months hence, Henry is appointed Lord Deputy; Fleetwood, in some handsome way, recalled. In which situation Henry continues till the end of the Protectorate, making really an honourable figure; and then, the scene having altogether changed, retires from it into total obscurity, still in a very manful, simple and noble way."

3

'My dear Biddy,' in this Letter, is Bridget Fleetwood, whom

1 March 1653-54 (Thurloe, ii. 149).

2[It was probably understood pretty well that it was to be so, although not by Cromwell's wishes; or yet definitely stated. But Fleetwood, writing to Thurloe on July 11, after Henry Cromwell's arrival, speaks of certain things to be settled before he leaves, as if he did not expect to return. From this letter, it would appear that Oliver's injunction to his daughter to "be cheerful" is partly in allusion to the state of her health. (See Thurloe, iii. 632.) Dr. Gardiner says that this letter testified to the Protector's embarrassment. "Though he had no wish to deprive his son-in-law of his high dignity as Lord Deputy, he would be glad if he would voluntarily abandon the personal fulfilment of its duties." Commonwealth and Protectorate, iii. 338.]

3 21st November 1657 (Thurloe, vi. 632).

4 His Letter to Clarendon, in Thurloe, i. 763; see also Tanner MSS., li. 71, a prior Letter to Speaker Lenthall,

VOL. II.-29

we once saw as Bridget Ireton;1 who, for her religious and other worth, is a joy to my heart.' Of 'Mr. Brewster,' and the other reverend persons, Spiritual Fathers, held in such regard by the Lord Protector as is due to Spiritual Fatherhood, and pious nobleness of Intellect under whatever guise, I can say nothing; they are Spiritual Great-grand-fathers of ours, and we have had to forget them! Some slight notices of Brewster, who I think was a Norfolk man, and more of Cradock, who was Welsh,-zealous Preachers both,-are in the Milton State-Papers: 2 they prove the fervent zeal, faith and fearlessness of these worthies ;—not necessary to extract in this place. Cradock writes to Cromwell in 1652 that his heart overflows with prayers and praise to God for sending such a man; that he has often stept aside to pray for him, in some thicket or ditch by the wayside, while travelling along, and thinking of him ;-which Dryasdust Nicols, the Editor of these Milton State-Papers, considers a very ludicrous proceeding. Godly Mr. Tillinghurst,' so noble a phenomenon to Oliver and Fleetwood, is to us fallen altogether silent:-seemingly some godly Preacher, of very modest nature; who, in his old days, being brought once before the Lord Protector, cried it was a 'shame' to trouble any Lord Protector, or Sovereign Person, with the like of him! The venerable hoary man. And godly Mr. Troughton or 'Throughton,' too, was there. O Tillinghurst, O Troughton, how much lies buried!

3

1 Vol. i. p.

2 pp. 85, 158, etc. [A letter from Brewster to Thurloe, dated Alby, June 18th, is in Thurloe (iii. 559). He asks if the recommendation be yet made to the Deputy of Ireland which his Highness intended," as he means to "hasten after my Lord Henry" before he sails, and therefore the readiness of his "advance money" and the Protector's recommendation would be a great furtherence to him. 'Our troops," he concludes, "are in great forwardness and like to be suddenly in a posture; the contributions for the Protestants have been cheerfully managed in these parts." In the orders of Council on June 6th there is mention of a paper received from Brewster and other "ministers going for Ireland," and also of their certificates. (Cal. S. P. Dom., 1655, p. 199.) On July 18th Brewster announces that he overtook the Lord Henry at Chester and has got safely with him to Dublin.]

3[He does not say so.]

[Mr. Troughton is perhaps the William Troughton, minister at Salisbury, mentioned in Dr. W. A. Shaw's History of the English Church, etc., 1640-1660, ii. 597.]

Buried but indisputable traces of this Tillinghurst, certain authentic, still legible entries concerning him, in one of which Brewster too is named, have been detected by a friendly eye in the Record-Book of the Independent Church at Great Yarmouth; where Tillinghurst, it clearly enough appears, was Minister from 1651 to 1654, and much followed and valued as a Preacher and Spiritual Guide in those parts. Brewster, likewise an Independent, was of Alby in the same neighbourhood. Ms. Excerpts penes me. (Note to the Third Edition).

To the Lord Fleetwood, Lord Deputy of Ireland'

DEAR CHARLES,

'Whitehall,' 22d June 1655.

I write not often: at once I desire thee to know I most dearly love thee, and indeed my heart is plain to thee as thy heart can well desire: let nothing shake thee in this. The wretched jealousies that are amongst us, and the spirit of calumny, turns all into gall and wormwood. My heart is for the people of God: that the Lord knows, and I trust will in due time manifest; yet thence are my wounds; which though it grieves me, yet through the grace of God doth not discourage me totally. Many good men are repining at everything; though indeed very many good are' well satisfied, and satisfying daily. The will of the Lord will bring forth good in due time.

It's reported that you are to be sent for, and Harry to be Deputy, which truly never entered into my heart. The Lord knows, my desire was for him and his brother to have lived private lives in the country: and Harry knows this very well, and how difficultly I was persuaded to give him his commission for his present place. This I say as from a simple and sincere heart. The noise of my being crowned &c. are like1 malicious figments.

Use this bearer, Mr. Brewster, kindly. Let him be near you : indeed he is a very able holy man; trust me you will find him So. He was a bosom-friend of Mr. Tillinghurst; ask him of him; you will thereby know Mr. Tillinghurst's spirit. This gentleman brought him to me a little before he died, and Mr. Cradock ;—Mr. Throughton, a godly minister being by, with Mr. Tillinghurst' himself, who cried "shame!"

Dear Charles, my dear love to thee; 'and' to my dear Biddy, who is a joy to my heart, for what I hear of the Lord in her. Bid her be cheerful, and rejoice in the Lord once and again: if

1[Carlyle altered this to "similar."]

she knows the Covenant thoroughly,' she cannot but do ‘so.' For that transaction is without her; sure and stedfast, between the Father and the Mediator in His blood: therefore, leaning upon the Son, or looking to Him, thirsting after Him, embracing Him, we are His seed; and the Covenant is sure to all the seed. The compact is for the seed: God is bound in faithfulness to Christ, and in Him to us: the Covenant is without us; a transaction between God and Christ. Look up to it. God engageth in it to pardon us; to write His law in our heart; to plant His fear 'so that we shall never depart from Him. We, under all our sins and infirmities, can daily offer a perfect Christ; and thus we have peace and safety, and apprehension of love, from a Father in Covenant, who cannot deny Himself. And truly in this is all my salvation; and this helps me to bear my great burdens.

If you have a mind to come over with your dear wife &c., take the best opportunity for the good of the public and your own convenience. The Lord bless you all. Pray for me, that the Lord will direct, and keep me His servant. I bless the Lord I am not my own; but my condition to flesh and blood is very hard. Pray for me; I do for you all. Commend me to all friends.

Courage, my brave Oliver! Thou hast but some three years more of it, and then the coils and puddles of this Earth, and of its poor unthankful doggery of a population, are all behind thee; and Carrion Heath, and Chancellor Hyde, and Charles Stuart the Christian King, can work their will; for thou hast done with it, thou art above it in the serene azure forevermore!

Fleetwood, I observe, did come over: in January next we find the Lord Deputy' busy here in London with Bulstrode, and

1 Covenant of Grace; much expounded, and insisted on, by Dr. Owen, among others; and ever most fundamental of God's Arrangement, according to the theory of Oliver.

2 The reader who discerns no spiritual meaning in all this, shall try it again, if I may advise him.

*Thurloe, iii. 572.

others of the Treasury, on high matters of State.1

He did not

return to Ireland; got into Major-Generalings, into matters of State, on this side the Channel; and so ended his Deputyship; -dropping without violence, like fruit fully ripe; the management of Ireland having gradually all shifted into Henry Cromwell's hand in the interim.

LETTER CC 2

HERE, fluttering loose on the dim confines of Limbo and the Night-realm, is a small Note of Oliver's, issuing one knows not whence, but recognisable as his, which we must snatch and save.3 A private and thrice-private Note, for Secretary Thurloe; curiously disclosing to us, as one or two other traits elsewhere do, that, with all his natural courtesies, noble simplicities and affabilities, this Lord Protector knew on occasion the word-ofcommand too, and what the meaning of a Lord Protector, King, or Chief Magistrate in the Commonwealth of England was.

'Margery Beacham,' Wife of William Beacham, Mariner, lives, the somnolent Editors do not apprise us where,-probably in London or some of the Out Ports; certainly in considerable indigence at present. Her poor Husband, in the course of 'many services to the Commonwealth by sea and land,' has quite lost the use of his right arm; has a poor Pension of Forty shillings allowed him from Chatham;' has Margery, and one poor Boy Randolph, 'tractable to learn,' but who can get no schooling out of such an income. Wherefore, as seems but reasonable, Margery petitions his Highness that the said Randolph might be admitted a Scholar of Sutton's Hospital, commonly called the Charterhouse,' in London.*

His Highness, who knows the services of William Beacham, and even a secret service' of his not mentioned in the Petition or Certificates, straightway decides that the Boy Beacham is

1 Whitlocke, p. 618 (7th Jan. 1655-6).

2[See also letter to Monck, July 26th (on the reduction of the forces in Scotland) and two other short letters, Supplement, Nos. 108-110.]

3 [It is extremely doubtful whether the letter is Cromwell's. Carlyle evidently could only accept it by cutting out what he calls "impertinent interpolations." He says these are in all the copies "exactly indicated," (see note below), but neither by Howard, Scatcherd or in The Annual Register are they indicated at all. Mr. Firth believes it to be an eighteenth century forgery. See his paper in the Academy, Nov. 12, 1892.]

Her Petition printed, without date, in Scatcherd, &c. ubi infra.