French Treaty signed or signable till this thing be managed. At length the French were obliged to manage it; 9th September of this same year the thing was got managed ;*—and by and by was got improved and still better managed, the Protector continuing all his days to watch over it, and over other similar things as they occurred, and to insist on seeing justice done respecting them. LETTER CXXXVII. THE Scheme of Major-Generals for England is not yet come to maturity; but it is coming: new occasional arrests and barbadoesings continue, as the threads of old Plots are traced farther and farther. Monk keeps Scotland quiet; the hydra is for the present well under foot. Meanwhile Henry Cromwell is despatched for Ireland, to see with his own eyes how matters stand there. A reverend godly 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. Rumor has even risen that Henry Cromwell is now sent to supersede him; which, however, the Protector expressly contradicts. The rumor 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 re. solution; very fit for such a service. Many of his Letters, al' See Thurloe, iii., 549, 623, 745, &c † March, 1653-4 (Thurloe, ii., 149). creditable to him, are in Thurloe: 'Petitions' from certain frish 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 honorable figure; and then, the scene having altogether changed, retires from it into total obscurity. still in a very manful, simple and noble way.t 6 'My dear Biddy,' in this Letter, is Bridget Fleetwood, whom we once saw as Bridget Ireton ; 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-grandfathers 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 :§ 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 of * 21 November, 1657 (Thurloe, vi., 632) † His Letter to Clarendon, in Thurloe. Antea, vol. i., p. 201. § Pp. 85, 158, &c. Throughton,' too, was there. O Tillinghurst, O Troughton, how much lies buried! '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 ▲ 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 turn all into gall and wormwood. My heart is for the People of God: that the Lord knows, and 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 similar* malicious figments. will 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 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 she knows the Covenant, she cannot but do so.' For that Transaction is without her; sure and steadfast, between the Father and the Mediator in His blood: therefore, leaning upon the Son, or looking to Him, thirsting * 'like' in orig. † Covenant of Grace; much expounded, and insisted on, by Dr. Owen, among others; and ever a most fundamental point of God's Arrangement, according to the theory of Oliver. t Independent of her after Him, and 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 would 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. I rest, Your loving father, OLIVER P.t 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 others of the Treasury, on high matters of State. 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. * The reader who discerns no spiritual meaning in all this, shall try i again, if I may advise him. Thurloe, iii., 572. Whitlocke, p. 618 (7 Jan., 1655-6) LETTER CXXXVIII. WE fear there is little chance of the Plate Fleet this year; bad rumors come from the West Indies too, of our grand Armament and Expedition thither. The Puritan Sea-king meanwhile keeps the waters; watches the coasts of Spain ;-which, however, are growing formidable at present. The Person bound for Lisbon' is Mr. Meadows, one of Secretary Thurloe's Under-secretaries; concerning whom and whose business there will be farther speech by and by. Of the 'Commissioners of the Admiralty' we name only Colonel Montague of Hinchinbrook, who is getting very deep in these matters, and himself be Admiral one day. To the General of the Fleet, General Blake, at Sea.' may Whitehall, 30th July, 1655 SIR, We have received yours of the 4th, as also that of the 6th instant, both at once; the latter signifying the great preparations which are making against you. Some intelligence of that nature is also come to us from another hand. Which hath occasioned us to send away this Despatch unto you, immediately upon the receipt of yours, to let you know That we do not judge it safe for you, whilst things are in this condition, to send away any part of the Fleet, as you were directed by our Instructions of the 13th of June;* and therefore, notwithstanding those Orders, you are to keep the whole Fleet with you, until you have executed the Secret Instructions, or find the opportunity is over for the doing thereof. We think it likewise requisite that you keep with you the two Frigates which conveyed the victuals to you, as also the Nantwich, which was sent to you with a Person bound for Lisbon with our instructions to that King. And for the defects of the Fleet, the Commissioners of the Admiralty will take care thereof; and be you confident that nothing shall be omitted which can be done here for your supply and encourage ment. I beseech the Lord to be present with you. I rest, OLIVER P.t * Antea, Letter CXXXVI. Ibid., in Blake's Letter;-they concern the Silver Fleet,' most likely |