On Tuesday night last, a few hours after the King's Execution, Marquis Hamilton had escaped from Windsor, and been retaken in Southwark next morning, Wednesday morning. 'Knocking at a door,' he was noticed by three troopers; who questioned him, detected him ;* and bringing him to the Parliament Authorities, made 407. a-piece by him. He will be tried speedily, by a new High Court of Justice; he and others. PASS. To all Officers and Soldiers, and all Persons whom these may concern. WHEREAS John Stanley of Dalegarth, in the County of Cumberland, Esquire, hath subscribed to his Composition, and paid and secured his Fine, according to the direction of Parliament: These are to require you to permit and suffer him and his servants quietly to pass into Dalegarth above-said, with their horses and swords, and to forbear to molest or trouble him or any of his Family there: without seizing or taking away any of his horses, or other goods or estate whatsoever; and to permit and suffer him or any of his Family, at any time, to pass to any place, about his or their occasions; without offering any injury to him or any of his Family, either at Dalegarth, or in his or their travels: As you will answer your contempt at your utmost perils. Given under my hand and seal this 2d of February, 1648. Of course Oliver's seal of six quarterings' is at the top. only the seal and signature are specially his but this one Pass may stand here as the sample of many that were then circulating,-emblem of a time of war, distress, uncertainty and danger, which then was. The 2d of February is Friday. Yesterday, Thursday, there was question in the House of many Gentlemen from the Northern Counties, who do attend about Town to make their composi * Cromwelliana, p. 51. Jefferson's History and Antiquities of Allerdale Ward, Cumberland (Carlisle, 1842), p. 284. The late business tions,' and of what is to be done with them.* that ended in Preston Fight had made many new delinquents in those parts; whom now we see painfully with pale faces dancing attendance in Goldsmiths' Hall,-not to say knocking importunately at doors in the grey of the morning, in danger of their life! Stanley of Dalegarth has happily got his composition finished, his Pass signed by the Lieutenant-General; and may go home with subdued thankfulness in a whole skin. Dalegarth Hall is still an estate or farm, in the southern extremity of Cumberland; on the Esk river, in the Ravenglass district; not far from that small Lake which Tourists go to see under the name of Devock Water. Quiet life to Stanley there! LETTER LVII. For my very worthy Friend, Richard Mayor, Esq.: These. SIR, 'London,' 12th February, 1648.. I received some intimations formerly, and by the last return from Southampton a Letter from Mr. Robinson, concerning the reviving of the last year's motion touching my Son and your Daughter. Mr. Robinson was also pleased to send enclosed in his a Letter from you, bearing date the 5th of this instant February, wherein I find your willingness to entertain any good means for the completing of that business. From whence I take encouragement to send my Son to wait upon you; and by him to let you know, That my desires are, if Providence so dispose, very full and free to the thing,-if, upon an interview, there prove also a freedom in the young persons thereunto. What liberty you will give herein, I wholly submit to you. I thought fit, in my Letter to Mr. Robinson, to mention somewhat of expedition; because indeed I know not how soon I may be called into the field, or other occasions may remove me from hence; having for the present some liberty of stay in London. The Lord direct all to His glory. I rest, Commons Journals, in die. Sir, † Harris, p. 505; one of the Pusey seventeen. OLIVER CROMWELL.† Thomas Scott is big with a Council of State at present; he produces it in the House to-morrow morning, 13th February; and the List of actual Councillors, as we said, is voted the next day. There is also frequent debate about Ireland* in these days, and what is to be done for relief of it: the Marquis of Ormond, furnished with a commission from the Prince, who now calls himself Charles II., reappeared there last year; has, with endless patience and difficulty, patched up some kind of alliance with the Papists, Nuncio Papists and Papists of the Pale; and so far as numbers go, looks very formidable. One does not know how However, there will se soon one may be called into the field.' veral things turn up to be settled first. ORDER. ON the Saturday 17th February 1648-9, more properly on Monday 19th, the Council of State first met, to constitute itself and begin despatch of business.† Cromwell seems to have been their first President. At first it had been decided that they should have no constant President; but after a time, the inconveniences of such a method were seen into, and Bradshaw was appointed to the office. The Minute-book of this Council of State, written in the clear old hand of Walter Frost, still lies complete in the State-Paper Office: as do the whole Records of the Committee of Both Kingdoms, of the Committee of Sequestrations in Goldsmiths' Hall, and many other Committees and officialities of the Period. By the long labor of Mr. Lemon, these waste Documents, now gathered into volumes, classed, indexed, methodised, have become singularly accessible. Well read, the thousandth or perhaps tenthousandth part of them well excerpted, and the nine hundred and ninety-nine parts well forgotten, much light for what is really English History might still be gathered there. Alas, if the 30,0007. wasted in mere stupidities upon the old-parchment Re * Cromwelliana, 14th February, &c. † Commons Journals, vi., 146. cord Commission, had been expended upon wise labors here!— But to our 'Order.' Sir Oliver Fleming, a most gaseous but indisputable historical Figure, of uncertain genesis, uncertain habitat, glides through the old Books as 'Master of the Ceremonies,'-master of one knows not well what. In the end of 1643 he clearly is nominated 'Master of the Ceremonies' by Parliament itself;* and glides out and in ever after, presiding over 'Dutch Ambassadors,' 'Swedish Ambassadors' and such like, to the very end of the Protectorate. A Blessed Restoration, of course, relieved him from his labors. He, for the present, wants to see some Books in the late Royal Library of St. James's. This scrap of paper still lies in the British Museum. To the Keeper of the Library of St. James's. 22d February, 1648. THESE are to will and require you, upon sight hereof, to deliver unto Sir Oliver Fleming, or to whom he shall appoint, two or three such Books as he shall choose, of which there is a double copy in the Library; to be by him disposed of' as there shall be direction given him by the Council. Of which you are not to fail, and for which this shall be your warrant. Given at the Council of State, this 22d day of February, 1648. of Parliament, OLIVER CROMWELL, (Prases pro tempore.)† There is already question of selling the late King's goods, crown-jewels, plate, and hangings,' under which latter title, we suppose, are included his Pictures, much regretted by the British connoisseur at present. They did not come actually to market till July next.‡ * 2 November, 1643, Commons Journals, iii., 299. † Additional Ayscough Mss., 12,098. Scobell, Part ii., 46, the immense Act of Parliament for sale of them. REVEREND Mr. Stapylton, of whom we heard once before in Edinburgh, has been down at Hursley with Mr. Richard; Miss Dorothy received them with her blushes, with her smiles; the elder Mayors' with many civilities:' and the Marriage-treaty, as Mr. Stapylton reports, promises well. For my very worthy Friend, Richard Mayor, Esq.: These. SIR, 'London,' 28th February, 1648. I received yours by Mr. Stapylton; together with an account of the kind reception and the many civilities afforded ' to ' them,*-especially to my Son, in the liberty given him to wait upon your worthy Daughter. The report of whose virtue and godliness has so great a place in my heart, that I think fit not to neglect anything, on my part, which may consummate a close of the business, if God please to dispose the young ones' hearts thereunto, and other suitable ordering of affairs towards mutual satisfaction appear in the dispensation of Providence. For which purpose, and to the end matters may be brought to as near an issue as they are capable of,—not being at liberty, by reason of public occasions, to wait upon you, nor your health, as I understand, permitting it, I thought fit to send this Gentleman, Mr. Stapylton, instructed with my mind, to see how near we may come to an understanding one of another therein. And although I could have wished the consideration of things had been between us two, it being of so near concernment,—yet Providence for the present not allowing, I desire you to give him credence on my behalf. Sir, all things which yourself and I had in conference, at Farnham, do not occur to my memory, thorough multiplicity of business intervening. I hope I shall with a very free heart testify my readiness to that which may be expected from me. I have no more at present: but desiring the Lord to order this affair to His glory and the comfort of His servants, I rest, Sir, Your humble Servant, OLIVER CROMWELL.† *To Richard Cromwell and him. † Harris, p. 505; one of the Pusey seventeen: Signature only is in Cromwell's hand. |