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THE

LIFE

O F

OLIVER CROMWELL.

LIVER Cromwell, fon of Robert Cromwell, and Elizabeth Stuart, his wife, was born at Huntington, on the twenty fourth of April, one thousand five hundred ninety nine. His family, which was confiderable, I shall give fome account of in the note (A).

He

(A) I fhall give fome account of his family.] We are naturally inquifitive about the defcents and alliances of those who have figured in the world. Whether they fprung from new or old families? whether their fathers were men of renown? or they themselves first gave luftre to their name? are queftions usually asked by fuch as read or hear concerning them. To gratify the curiofity of the reader then, the following account B has

He was educated in grammar learning in the Free-fchool at Huntington, under Dr. Thomas

has been collected.

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That his (Oliver's) extraction by the father's fide, was from Sir Richard Williams, Knight, a gentleman of eminent note (fays Sir William Dugdale) in the court of king Henry VIII. and fon to Morgan ap Williams (a Welchman) by fifter to Thomas lord Cromwell earl of Effex, is not to be doubted. Who being by his uncle preferred to the fervice of king Henry, was for that 'cause (and no other) called Cromwell, as is apparent enough from teftimonies of credit (a).' If I have troubles in not been misinformed, many gentlemen of the name England, P. 48. Ox of Williams, in Wales, value themfelves on this defcent rd, 1681. of Oliver Cromwell. Dugdale's account has been lately contefted by a gentleman who thinks it more proba

(4) Short

View of the

Folio.

() Big phia Eritan

Biogra

nica, vol.

iii. Article Cromwell, note (A).

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ble that this family defcended by the females from Ralph lord Cromwell of Tattenhall in Lincolnshire, the laft heir male of which was lord High Treasurer in the reign of Henry VI. and one of his coheirefles mar⚫ried Sir William Williams, whofe descendents might afterwards take the name of Cromwell, in hopes of attaining that title which Humphry Bouchier, a younger fon of the then earl of Effex, who married the eldest of the coheireffes, actually had, and was killed at Barnet field, fighting on the fide of king Edward IV. (b)-Which of these accounts is most probable must be left to the judgment of the reader.--However, this is certain, that Sir Richard Cromwell above mentioned was fheriff of Cambridgeshire and Huntingtonfire in the time of Henry VIII. was a great fa•vourite and commander in the wars, and had grants

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• of abbey lands in Huntingtonfire to the amount, as they were then rated, of three thoufand pounds a year. His fon, Sir Henry, was four times fheriff of the county. Sir Oliver, uncle to the Protector, gave king James I. the greatest feaft that had been given

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