made himself master of his person, by means of Cornet Joyce, and thus, by declaring himself the arbiter of his fate, he was courted and flattered, both by the unfortunate Charles, who wished for his own release, and by the Parliament, who labored for his destruction. The trial of the devoted monarch soon after followed. Cromwell acted openly as one of his judges, and he signed the warrant for his execution. Having restored tranquility, he was received every where with marks of respect, and satisfied that the spirit of insubordination was subdued in England and Scotland, he embarked with an army for Ireland, 1649. He quickly here routed the enemies of the republic, and his very name became a terror to the Irish. In 1650, he returned to London, and was publicly thanked for his services by the submissive commons, who invested him with the chief command of the army in Scotland, where Charles II had been acknowledged king. He marched to the north with his usual rapidity, and on the 3d September, 1650, he defeated the Scotch army in a dreadful battle, at Dunbar, and the next year, on the same auspicious day, he completed the ruin of Charles' fortunes by the crowning victory at Worcester. His success was regarded as so important that a general thanksgiving was appointed, and the 3d of September declared an anniversary state holiday. Though Commander-in-chief of the whole island, and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, he found that his power depended on the will of the Parliament, and therefore he determined to dismiss them. While the commons and the council of the officers were distracted by opposite opinions on subjects of government, Cromwell, filling the room with armed soldiers, turned the whole assembly out, and locking up the doors, he retired to Whitehall. The dismissal of the Parliament was followed by that of the Council of State, and the appointment of a body of officers, subordinate to his authority. Though he permitted an assembly to be called, under the name of council of state, he was soon displeased with their conduct, and by the voice of his general officers, he assumed the title of Protector of the commonwealth of England, and was invested with the new office, 16th December, 1653, in the chancery court, Westminster-hall. Thus absolute in the government, he appointed a council of state, consisting of men of superior wisdom and sagacity, and adopted such measures as could give stability to his power, and add to the security and independence of the kingdom. Peace was made with Sweden, Holland, Portugal, and France, the most upright judges filled the courts of Westminster-hall, and liberty of conscience was tolerated with the most magnanimous moderation. In 1655, though threatened with conspiracies, he supported with a vigorous hand the honor of the nation. Blake conquered Jamaica, and humbled the native powers on the Mediterranean shores, who had plundered the British commerce, and a treaty of offensive alliance was formed with France against the Spaniards in the Netherlands, and Dunkirk was taken possession of by the English. In 1657, Cromwell was the second time inaugurated Protector in Westminster-hall, with all the ceremony of a coronation. His health now began to fail, and his disorder proved fatal, 3d of September, 1658. He was carried with great funeral pomp from Somerset-house, and buried in the chapel of Henry II, in Westminster-abbey, but after the restoration, his body was taken up and hung on the gallows. Slepe Hall, St. Ives, the Residence of Oliver Cromwell. The above is a representation of Slepe Hall, the house which Cromwell occupied during his residence at St. Ives. It was taken down a year or two since.* Cromwell, at this period of his life, it is well known, professed to meet with a remarkable change in his views on the subject of religion. He adopted those professed by the Puritans of that age, and which he ever afterwards retained. It appears that he first commenced his outward course of dissent from the established church at this house, and that he had religious prayer meetings in the back part of the house, or kitchen, seen on the right of the engraving. This change in his views would appear from the following record in the iron parish chest of St. Ives: "OLIVER CROMWELL resided in this parish of St. Ives, Hunts, from the year 1631, to the end of 1636. He rented a large farm. He seems to have been on bad terms with the clergy, as he sequestered the Rev. Henry Downet from this vicarage, and also from the Rectory of Toft, in Cambridgeshire, and silenced Mr. Reynolds, the Curate. Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector, died September the 3d, 1658, buried in Westminster Abbey. His hand-writing is preserved in the iron chest beneath this portrait," * ST. IVES is a village of about 500 hundred houses, and is about five miles eastward from Huntingdon. As we entered the village we found it full of people who had come to attend the fair, which continues for four days. It is said that more cattle are brought to the fair in this place than in any other, London excepted. The cattle, booths, &c., filled most of the street. We were in somewhat of a dilemma about getting accommodations for the night, as we presumed all the Inns were full; and even if they were not, we judged that there could be but little sleep in the vicinity of the noise, drinking, &c., generally attendant on these assemblages. As we were passing along the street, desirous of finding some person who would direct us to a suitable place, my eye rested on a shop-keeper, whom I saw through a window. I was not mistaken in my man, for, on my making known my wishes, he instantly left his business and set himself about procuring us a place. After a number of unsuccessful attempts, he finally prevailed upon his mother, a widow, to take us in. We found her accommodations rather limited, but the appearance of a well-used Bible and Prayer-book Private Seal of Oliver Cromwell. Oromwell O. Cromwell's Signature. The annexed is a copy of the private seal of Oliver Cromwell. The original is preserved in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, England. Two impressions of this seal are now in possession of Yale College, N. Haven, Conn., probably the only ones in America. They were quite recently procured from one of the Curators of the Museum, by an American gentleman on a visit to Oxford. Perhaps no person who ever exercised sovereign power, has been more slandered than Oliver Cromwell. He has been called an usurper, and tyrant, a fanatic, and hypocrite. If bringing order out of confusion, tranquility to a distracted country, security to personal rights, and property, toleration and religious freedom to all, be usurpation and tyranny, then he is amenable to this charge. As to the charge of fanaticism and hypocrisy, it confutes itself, as these two characteristics cannot be united in one person. His private character, as a son, a father, and husband, was all that is praiseworthy, and there is no proof that he was ever guilty of a single unjust or immoral action, as an individual, throughout his whole public career. After a lapse of two centuries, the character of Oliver Cromwell is beginning to be appreciated. Distinguished and able writers are now beginning to vindicate the fame of perhaps the most invincible general, the most consummate statesman, and wisest ruler ever placed at the head of his countrymen. His army, composed of the sons of independent freeholders, and farmers, men of sober habits and regular lives, his officers, men who feared God, but no other removed all apprehensions which we, as strangers, might have, and I felt safe and contented in lying on a bed on the floor of her habitation. Next morning, October 11th, 1853, when we arose, the main street of the town was literally filled up, even the side-walks, with cattle and sheep, so that it was not safe for women and children to be in the street. We also saw a large number of horses for sale in various parts of the town. being, formed the bravest and most efficient army that England has ever seen, and, with Cromwell at their head, was never defeated in a pitched battle. "His court was the purest in Europe, a purer the world has rarely seen." their supposed piety, rather than the usual qualifications deemed necessary for that office. One of the leaders of the Parliament, in 1654, was named Praise God Barebone. From this circumstance that body received the name "Barebone's Parliament." When the vicious Charles II, came on the throne, his courtiers and partizans, in order to ingratiate themselves into the public favor, made it a point to ridicule the Puritans. The annexed engraving is copied from a rude and antiquated cut, placed at the head of a ballad printed at this time, entitled "A word to Fanatics, Puritans, and Sectaries, or New Preacher's new. It is stated to represent a scene where "Mr. Barebone, a reverend unlearned leather seller, who with Mr. Green the felt maker, were both taken preaching or prating, in a conventicle, among a hundred persons, on Sunday the 19th of December." During the times of Cromwell the titles of many religious works were quite singular; one is entitled "A most delectable sweet-perfumed Nosegay, for God's Saints to smell at ;" another is "High-heeled Shoes for Dwarfs in Holiness;" a third is entitled-" Salvation's vantage ground, or a Leaping Stand for heavy Believers;" one of a martial character is entitled, "A Shot aimed at the Devil's Head-quarters, through the tube of a cannono f the Covenant;" one of a plaintive description is-" A Sigh of Sorrow for the Sinners of Zion; breathed in a Hole in the wall, in an Earthern vessel, known among men by the name of Samuel Fish." Another is entitled-" A Reaping Hook well tempered for the stubborn Ears of the coming crop; or Biscuits baked in the oven of Charity; carefully conserved for the Chickens of the Church, the Sparrows of the Spirit, and the sweet Swallows of Salvation." In the time of Cromwell, Scripture phrases were very frequently adopted as Christian names. Praise God Barebone was an instance, and he is said to have had two brothers, one called "Christ came into the world to save Barebone;" the other “If Christ had not died, thou hadst been Damned Barebone." This latter name the wits of the day abbreviated to the two last words. A list is recorded of a jury impaneled in the county of Sussex about these times, with the following names : Accepted, Trevor of Norsham. Redeemed, Compton of Battle. Faint not, Hewitt of Heathfield. Make peace, Heaton of Hare. God Reward, Smart of Fivehurst. Standfast on High, Stringer of Cow hurst. Earth, Adams of Warbleton. Return, Spelman of Watling. More Fruit, Fowler of Hadley. Singularities of this nature do not appear to have been confined to any particular age. In Queen Elizabeth's time, many books and pamphlets were published with curious titles. In some old books it was attempted to combine title, preface and contents all in one, one reads thus, “Pasquil's Apology, in the first part whereof he renders a reason for his long silence, and gallops the field with the treatise on Reformation. Printed where I was, and where I shall be ready by the help of God and my muse, to send you a May game of Martinism." Another work has four titles, namely," Pappe with a Hatchet; alias, a Fig for my Godson; or Crack me this Nut; that is a sound Box of the Ear for the ideot martin to hold his peace. Written by one that dares call a dog, a dog." WILLIAM PENN. 6 WM LOVING Fac-simile William Penn's Signature. WILLIAM PENN, the celebrated founder of Pennsylvania, was born at London, October 14th, 1644, during a temporary residence of his mother on Towerhill. His father was Admiral Penn, whose family were originally of Buckinghamshire, England, resided at Wanstead in Essex, four or five miles eastward of London, on the border of Epping Forest. From a private school at Chigwell, in this vicinity, he entered as a gentleman commoner in Christ's Church, Oxford. His genius was bright and his imagination lively. Being impressed with the preaching of the itinerant Friends, or Quakers, as they are usually called, he, with a number of other students, withdrew from the established worship, and held meetings by themselves. |