150%. per annum,-which if you should think fit to increase, I should not stand upon it. Your own Estate is best known to you: but surely your personal Estate, being free for you to dispose, will, with some small matter of addition, beget a nearness of equality,-if I hear well from others. And if the difference were not very considerable, I should not insist upon it. What you demand of me is very high in all points. I am willing to settle as you desire in everything; saving for maintenance 400l. per annum, 3001. per annum.1 I would have somewhat free, to be thanked by them for. The 3001. per annum of my old land for a jointure, after my Wife's decease, I shall settle; and in the mean time "a like sum "out of other lands at your election: and truly, Sir, if that be not good, neither will any lands, I doubt. I do not much distrust, your principles in other things have acted3 you towards confidence. You demand in case my Son have none issue male but only daughters, then the "Cromwell" Lands in Hantshire, Monmouthand Gloucestershire to descend to these daughters, or else 3,000l. apiece. The first would be most unequal; the latter "also" is too high. They will be well provided for by being inheritrixes of their Mother; and I am willing "that" 2,000l. apiece be charged upon those lands "for them." Sir, I cannot but with very many thanks acknowledge your good opinion of me and of my Son; as also your great civilities towards him; and your Daughter's good respects,—whose goodness, though known to me only at a distance and by the report of others, I much value. And indeed that causeth me so cheerfully to deny myself as I do in the point of moneys, and so willingly to comply in other things. But if I should n insist as above, I should in a greater measure than were meer 1 Means, in its desperate haste: 'except that instead of 400l. per annum for maintenance, we must say 300l.' Better than Parliament-land, thinks Mayor! Oliver too prefers it for his Wife; but thinks all land will have a chance to go, if that go. • actuated or impelled. deny both my own reason and the advice of my friends; which I may not do. Indeed, Sir, I have not closed with a far greater Offer of estate; but chose rather to fix here: I hope I have not been wanting to Providence in this. I have made myself plain to you. Desiring you will make my Son the messenger of your pleasure and resolution herein as speedily as with conveniency you may, I take leave, and rest, your affectionate servant, OLIVER CROMWELL. I desire my service may be presented to your Lady and Daughters.* On the morrow, which is Thursday the 15th, day also of John Milton's nomination to be Secretary, Lieutenant-General Cromwell was nominated Commander for Ireland; satisfactory appointments both. LETTER XCIII THE Lieutenant-General is in hot haste today; sends a brief Letter by your Kinsman,' consenting to almost everything.-Mayor, as we saw before, decidedly prefers 'my ould land' to uncertain Parliamentary land. Oliver (see last Letter) offered to settle the 3001. of jointure upon his old land, after his Wife's decease; he now agrees that half of it, 150%., shall be settled directly out of the old land, and the other half out of what Parliamentary land Mayor may like best.-The Letter breathes haste in every line; but hits, with a firm knock, in Cromwell's way, the essential nails on their head, as it hurries on. 'Your Kinsman,' who carries this Letter, turns out by and by to be a Mr Barton; a man somewhat particular in his ways of viewing matters; unknown otherwise to all men. The Lieutenant-General getting his Irish Appointment con* Harris, p. 507; Dunch's Pusey seventeen. VOL. II. B firmed in Parliament, and the conditions of it settled,1 is naturally very busy. FOR MY WORTHY FRIEND RICHARD MAYOR, ESQUIRE, AT HURSLEY: THESE "London," 25th March 1649. Sir,-You will pardon the brevity of these lines; the haste I am in, by reason of business, occasions it. To testify the earnest desire I have to see a happy period to this Treaty between us, I give you to understand, That I agree to 150l. per annum out of the 300l. per annum of my old land for your Daughter's jointure, and the other 150l. where you please. "Also" 400l. for present maintenance where you shall choose; either in Hantshire, Gloucester- or Monmouthshire. Those lands "to be" settled upon my Son and his heirs male by your Daughter; and in case of daughters, only 2,000l. a-piece to be charged upon those lands. "On the other hand," 400l. per annum free, to raise portions for my two daughters. I expect the Manor of Hursley to be settled upon your Daughter and her heirs, the heirs of her body. Your Lady a jointure of 150l. per annum out of it. For compensation to your younger Daughter, I agree to leave it in your power, after your decease, to charge it with as much as will buy-in the Lease of the Farm at Allington by a just computation. I expect, so long as they "the young couple" live with you, their diet, as you expressed; or in case of voluntary parting "from you," 150l. per annum. are to give" 3,000l. in case you have a Son; to be paid in 1 Cromwelliana, p. 54; Commons Journals, etc. 8 "You 2 Means, 'shall be settled on Richard and his Wife, that I may be left free.' 3 'Ludlow's Lease,' I fancy. Anne Mayor, 'your younger Daughter,' married Dunch of Pusey; John Dunch, to whom we owe these seventeen Letters. See also Letter 27th August 1657. Grandson, i.e.: in the next sentence 'die' means more properly live. I should two years next following. In case your Daughter die without issue,-1,000l. within six months "of the marriage." Sir, if this satisfy, I desire a speedy resolution. the rather desire so because of what your Kinsman can satisfy you in. The Lord bless you and your Family, to whom I desire my affections and service may be presented. I rest, your humble servant, OLIVER CROMWELL.* Your Kinsman can in part satisfy you what a multiplicity of business we are in modelling the Army for Ireland ;which indeed is a most delicate dangerous operation, full of difficulties perhaps but partly known to your Kinsman ! For, in these days, John Lilburn is again growing very noisy; bringing out Pamphlets, England's New Chains Discovered, in several Parts. As likewise The Hunting of the Foxes from Triploe Heath to Whitehall by Five Small Beagles, the tracking out of Oliver Cromwell and his Grandees, onward from their rendezvous at Royston or Triploe, all the way to their present lodgment in Whitehall and the seat of authority. Five small Beagles,' Five vociferous petitionary Troopers, of the Levelling species, who for their high carriage and mutinous ways have been set to 'ride the wooden horse' lately. Do military men of these times understand the wooden horse? He is a mere triangular ridge or roof of wood, set on four sticks, with absurd head and tail superadded; and you ride him bare-backed, in face of the world, frequently with muskets tied to your feet,-in a very uneasy manner! To Lieutenant-Colonel Lilburn and these small Beagles it is manifest we are getting into New Chains, not a jot better than the old; and certainly Foxes ought to be hunted and tracked. Three of the Beagles, the bestnosed and loudest-toned, by names Richard Overton, William Walwyn, Thomas Prince, these, with Lieutenant-Colonel Lilburn, huntsman of the pack, are shortly after this lodged * Harris, p. 508; one of the seventeen. in the Tower; committed to the Lieutenant,' to be in mild but safe keeping with that officer. There is, in fact, a very dangerous leaven in the Army, and in the Levelling Public at present, which thinks with itself: God's enemies having been fought down, chief Delinquents all punished, and the Godly Party made triumphant, why does not some Millennium arrive? LETTER XCIV 'COMPENSATION,' here touched upon, is the 'compensation to your younger Daughter' mentioned in last Letter; burden settled on Hursley Manor, after your decease,' 'to buy-in the Lease of Allington Farm.' Mayor wants it another way; which seems truly inconvenient,' and in brief cannot be. FOR MY WORTHY FRIEND RICHARD MAYOR, ESQUIRE, AT HURSLEY : THESE "London," 30th March 1649. Sir, I received yours of the 28th instant. I desire the matter of compensation may be as in my last to you. You propose another way; which seems to me truly inconvenient. I have agreed to all other things, as you take me, and that rightly, repeating particulars in your Paper. The Lord dispose this great Business (great between you and me) for good. You mention to send by the Post on Tuesday. I shall speed things here as I may. I am designed for Ireland, which will be speedy. I should be very glad to see things settled before I go, if the Lord will. My service to all your Family. I rest, Sir, your affectionate servant, "OLIVER CROMWELL.” 1 27th March, 11th April 1649 (Commons Journals, in diebus). |