tude did not bind him; for his success and

:

Lord Holles in very sharp terms speaks of his antagonists, the independent party, promoting and rewarding their friends and adherents: "Which," says he, "was easy for them, having both sword and purse, and withall an impudence and boldness to reward all those who would sell their consciences. For all such members of the house, and others, were sure to be preferred, have large gifts given them out of the commonwealths money, arrears paid, offices confered upon them, countenanced and protected against all complaints and prosecutions, had they done never so unworthy, unjust, horrid actions, to the oppression of the subject, and dishonour of the parliament. All others discountenanced, opposed, inquisitions set upon them, questioned, imprisoned upon the least occasion, colours of crimes many times for doing real good service, and no favour nor justice for them only that the world might see which was the way to rise, and which to be sure to meet with contrary winds and storms, and so make all men at least to hold candles to these visible saints.". In another place his lordship vindicates himself and friends from the charge of enriching themselves by disposing of the public money, and retorts it on his adversaries, setting forth in a very particular manner what sums of money they had received under various pretences, and what salaries they enjoyed. But after all these warm declamations, for both these writers were very warm, when they exercised their pens on these subjects, what was there done in these times that has not, that will not be done at all times? Friends and favourites are countenanced and preferred, enemies are overlooked, neglected, or disappointed. Was it ever otherwise? If men perform great and eminent services, it is grateful, it is politic to reward them. To complain of the givers or receivers, seems not very consistent with good sense and impartiality. Cromwell we have seen make a figure in the war: he had

'Holles's Memoirs, p. 36.

Id. p. 132-138.

A

influence on the army, inspired him with con

ventured his life many times in the public service, and had brought reputation and victory back with him. Was he unworthy of notice, or did he not highly merit it? When the house of commons was far enough from being wholly at his devotion, we find it ordered, "that five hundred pounds be forthwith provided and advanced, to be bestowed on lieutenant general Cromwell, as a respect from the house. Ordered that all the lands of the earl of Worcester, lord Herbert, and Sir John Somersett, his sons, in the county of Southampton, be settled upon lieutenant general Cromwell, and his heirs, to be accounted as part of the two thousand five hundred pounds per annum, formerly appointed him by this house and that Mr. Samuel Browne, Mr. Sollicitor, Mr. Lisle, and Mr. Wallop, do bring in an ordinance accordingly. Ordered, that it be referred to the committee of the army, to consider how the residue of the two thousand five hundred pounds, land of inheritance formerly assigned lieutenant general Cromwell by this house, may be speedily settled upon him, and his heirs, for ever, and he put in the present possession of it; and likewise to consider of an entertainment for his present subsistence; and to bring in an ordinance to this purpose"." And it was moreover ordered a few days afterwards, "that Mr. Lisle do bring in an ordinance for the full granting unto, and settling upon lieutenant general Cromwell, and his heirs, the manors of Abberston and Itchell, with the rights, members and appurtenances thereof, in the county of Southampton; being the lands of John lord marquis of Winchester, a delinquent, that hath been in arms against the parliament, and a Papist." What the event of this last order was I cannot find; but by the following letter of Oliver St. John to Cromwell, it appears that the house of commons had liberally rewarded him for his services.

3 * Journal, Jan. 23, 1645.

b Journal, Jan. 31, 1645.

fidence and ambition, and excited in him

DEARE SIR,

"I have herewithall sente you the order of the house of commons for settling 2500l. per annum upon you and your heires, and the ordinance of parliament in pursuance thereof in part, whereby the lands therein mentioned, being all the lands of the earle of Worcester in that county, are settled upon you. I have likewise sent you a rent-roll of the quitThe manors consist most of old rents. There are three advowsons. I am told by Col. Norton and Mr. Wheeler, whoe know the lands, that they are accounted 100l. p. ann.

rents.

"I endeavoured to passe this for the present, rather than to have stayed longer to make up the whole. Your patent was speedily prepared, and is this day passed the great seal. I have not sente it downe, but will keepe it for you, until I receive your direction to whom to deliver it. The charges of passing the ordinances to the clerkes, and of the scale, my clerke of the patents hath satisfied; you shall hereafter know what they come to. I delivered a copy of the ordinance to Mr. Lisle to send it to the committee of sequestrations, whoe hath, together with a letter to them, desyred, that the sequestrators take care that no wrong be done to the lands. That which principally moved me to it was, because I heard, there weare goodly woods, and that much had been formerly cut, that for the future a stop might be made. By the ordinance sent you, you will be auctorized to send some bayliffe of your owne to husband the lands to your best advantage, which would be done speedilie. There is another order of the house for preparinge an ordinance for a goodly house and other lands in Hampshire, of the marquisse of Winchesters. Wee had thought to have had them in the ordinance, already passed, but by absence of some, when I brought in the other, that fayled. Perhaps it is better as it is, and that the addition might have stayed this. You know to whome the marquise hath relation, and in regard

The marquis of Winchester married the half-sister of the earl of Essex. Ludlow, vol. I. p. 158.

views" prejudicial to the authority from whence

that our commission for the seale ends with this month, I desyred rather for the presente to passe this, than to hazard the delay. Mr. Lisle was ordered to bring in the other ordinance; it is not yet done. Sir, Mr. Wallop, Mr. Lisle, Sir Thomas Germayne, have been real friends to you in this business, and heartily desire to have you seated, if possible, in their country. Remember by the next to take notice hereof by letter unto them? -I know not what the patent mentioned in this letter means, unless the following resolution of the house of commons, Dec. 1, 1645, will explain it. "Resolved that the title and dignity of a baron of the kingdom of England, with all rights, priviledges, preeminences, and precedencies, to the said title and dignity belonging or appertaining, be conferred and settled on lieutenant general Oliver Cromwell, and the heirs males of his body and that his majesty be desired, in these propositions, [for a peace] to grant and confer the said title and dignity upon him, and the heirs males of his body accordingly and that it be referred to the former committee, to consider of a fit way and manner for the perfecting hereof." -Here are proofs sufficient of the bounty of Oliver's masters.

25 His success and his interest in the army, inspired him with ambition, &c.] Sir Thomas Fairfax, we have seen, was constituted general and commander in chief of the new modelled army; and he behaved, as it is well known, with great bravery and conduct. But his talents were chiefly of the military kind. He had no inclination for intrigues; no ambitious views; and therefore stood not in need of those arts which are requisite to obtain confidence and power. He contented himself with discharging the duties of a good general, and troubled not himself with any thing beyond it. Cromwell had other things in his head. He fought not merely for his masters, or out of zeal for the cause; though zeal he undoubtedly had; but that he might one time or other take the lead, and gratify his own boundless ambition.

he derived his

power.

For the war being ended

He therefore made his court to all the officers and soldiers, and became at length so popular, as to be looked on by friends and foes as the chief actor in the interesting scenes exhibited by the army. "Fairfax was viewed as a gentleman of an irrational and brutish valour, fitter to follow another man's counsel than his own, and obnoxious to Cromwell and the independant faction (upon whose bottom he stands) for his preferment, it being no dishonour to him to become the property of a powerful faction." But Cromwell was described (6 as a head schoolmaster, in the parliament, (represented as a free-school when subjected to the will of the army) Ireton usher, and (that cypher) Fairfax prepositor "." And Holles says, " From the beginning of the new modelling the army, it was intended, by his party, that Cromwell should have the power, Sir Thomas Fairfax only the name of general." And he further characterizes him," as one fit for their turns, to do whatever they will have him, without considering or being able to judge whether honourable or honest." These characters of Fairfax seem very severe, and one would be apt to think, ought to be read with some allowances, as coming from men heated with resentment, and foes to the general and his army. But the following passages from his own Memoirs, will shew us that there is much truth in what is above written, though couched in a sharp and adversary-like style. His little influence and authority in the army over which he had the name of general, he thus describes. "From the time they [the army] declared their usurped authority at Triplow-Heath, I never gave my free consent to any thing they did: but being yet undischarged of my place, they set my name in way of course to all their papers, whether I consented or not: and to such failings are all authorities subject. Under parliamentary authority many injuries have been done; so here hath a general's power been broken and crumbled into a a Walker's History of Independency, part 1. p. 30. b Id. part II. p. 30. Holles's Memoirs, p. 34.