́ing, to the Commissioners authorised by a late Ordinance for Approbation of Public Preachers, or 'to' any five of them, greeting. We present John Pointer to the Rectory of Houghton Conquest in the county of Bedford, void by the death of the late Incumbent, and to our presentation belonging; to the end he may be approved-of by them, and admitted thereunto, with all its rights, members and appurtenances whatsoever, according to the tenor of the aforesaid Ordinance. Given at Whitehall, the 29th of September 1654.* 3. DESIGN AGAINST THE SPANish West Indies. [Vol. iv. pp. 74, 119.] Our great Design against the Spaniards in the West Indies is still called only 'a Design by Sea,' and kept very secret. Proper, however, as the rumours probably are loud, to give the Parliament, now sitting, some hint of it. Hence this Letter; of no moment otherwise. Unluckily the righthand border of the Paper is now much worn away;' so that several words are wanting,-conjecturally supplied here, in italics. To Our right trusty and well-beloved William Lenthall, MR. SPEAKER, Whitehall, 22d September 1654. I have, by advice of the Council, undertaken a Design by Sea, very much (as we hope and judge) for the honour and advantage of the Commonwealth; and have already made the preparations requisite for such an undertaking. But before I proceed to the execution thereof, the Parliament being now convened, I thought it agreeable to my trust to communicate to them the aforesaid resolution, and not to desire the delay thereof any longer (although I suppose you may be engaged, at the present, in matters of greater weight); because many miscarriages will fall out in this Business through delay, as well in providing of the charge as otherwise; the well-timing of such a Design being as considerable as anything about it. And therefore I desire you to take your first opportunity to acquaint the House with the contents of this * Harl, MSS. no. 7053, f. 153. VOL. V. Letter, wherein I have foreborne to be more particular, because there are severed persons in Parliament who know this whole Business, and can inform the House of all particulars, if the House do judge it to be consistent with the nature of the Design to have it offered to them particularly:—which I refer to their consideration; and rest, your assured friend, OLIVER P.* 4. NEW APPOINTMENTS; ANNOUNCEMENT OF THEM TO THE PARLIAMENT. OLIVER P. To Our right trusty and right well-beloved William Lenthall, Esquire, Speaker of the Parliament. RIGHT TRUSTY AND RIGHT WELL-BELOVED, We greet you well. It being expressed in the Thirty-fourth 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.† Enclosure is endorsed: "The Schedule inclosed in his *Autograph Letter throughout.' Copy penes me; reference (Tanner Mss. n doubt) is unfortunately lost. See Commons Journals, vii. 369 (22d September 1654), for the Return made. + Original, with the Great Seal attached, in Tanner мss., Jii. 135. See Commons Journals, vii. 378 (24th October 1654). Highness Letter of yo 5th of October 1654."—"Read October 5th, 1654; and again, 6th Oct." CHARLES FLEETWOOD, Esquire The Three Commissioners of the Great Deputy of Ireland. the Great Seal of OLIVER ST. JOHN Commissioners of the Treasury. Chief Justice of the Chief Justice of the 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. 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 subject; which was thought a great feat on his part.2 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 Thurloe 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, 2 Thanked by the Parliament (Commons Journals, vi. 49, 10th October 1648). 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 rebellious 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 intrusted 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 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. I rest, your affectionate friend, OLIVER P.* 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 * Rebecca Warner's Epistolary Curiosities, First Series (Bath, 1818), pp. 51-3. 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 inward 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 action 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,3 That Watches be 3 Foregoing Letter, To Wilde, for one. |