Thomas Beard, a minifter of that town; from whence he was fent to Cambridge, entered into Sydney-Suffex College, April 23, 1616, and placed under the tuition of Mr. Richard Howlett (c).

(c) Peck's Defiderata

curiofa, vol, of, 66. Wood's had i. c. 88.

ii. b. 7. P.

What progrefs in learning he made in the univerfity we have no particular account but as he understood fome Latin, and a tafte for polite literature, probably

his

Fafti, vol.

to a king by a fubject, had a great eftate, and was a (d) Biog. zealous royalift (d),' but had his compofition re- Brit. ib. mitted by the parliament for his kinfman's fake (e).' 'Tis no wonder then to find a family of fuch a rank (e) White allied to the Hampdens, the St. Johns, and the Bar-morials, 2d. ringtons, names of fome of our most antient and emi- edit. p. 300. nent families.Mr. Goke tells us, his father being

lock's Me

afked whether he knew the Protector, he faid, Yes, ⚫ and his father too, when he kept his brew-houfe in Huntington (f). Dugdale will explain this. Robert Cromwell, fays he, though he was by the coun- (ƒ) Detec tion, vol. ⚫tenance of his elder brother, (Sit Oliver) made a juf- ii. p. 57. tice of peace in Huntingtonshire, had but a flender Lond. 1694. eftate; much of his fupport being a brew-houfe, in Huntington, chiefly managed by his wife, who was

fifter to Sir Robert Stewart of the city of Ely, knight,

and by her had iffue this our famous Oliver (g) (g) Short This every reasonable and confiderate person will think View, p. no difcredit to the family. For in England trade is not 459. difgraceful to a gentleman. The younger brothers of our beit families engage in it, and thereby raife themfelves to fortune and independency, and advance the riches and power of their country. A much more honourable method of procuring a maintenance than following the levees of minifters and favourites, and engaging to execute their mifchievous and fatal fchemes!

(b) Hiftory

of his own times,

time was not wholly mifemployed there (B).

During his continuance at Cambridge, his father dying, he returned home to his mo

(B) He underflood fome Latin, and had a tafte for polite literature.] Here are my authorities. Burnet says, he had no foreign language, but the little Latin that ftuck to him from his education, which he spoke very vitiously and fcantily (b).' Another writer obferves that The ufurper loved, or affected to love, men of wit Dutch edit. Mr. Waller frequently waited on him, being his kinfman; and as he often declared, obferved him to be very well read in the Greek and Roman ftory (i).' The (i) Waller's following paffage I give at length, not doubting the to his Po- reader will be pleased with it.

12mo. p.

100. 1725.

Life prefix'd

ems, p. 30.

Lond. 1722.

12mo.

When Cromwell took on him the protectorfhip, in the year 1653, the very morning the ceremony was to be perform'd, a meffenger came to Dr. Manton, to acquaint him that he muft immediately come to Whitehall: the Doctor afked him the occafion; he told him he should know that when he came there. The Protector himself, without any previous notice, told him what he was to do, i. e. to pray upon that occafion: the Doctor laboured all he could to be excufed, and told him it was a work of that nature which required fome time to confider and prepare for it. The Protector replied, That he knew he was not at a lofs to perform the fervice he expected from him; and opening his ftudydoor, he put him in with his hand, and bid him confider there; which was not above half an hour: the Doctor employed that time in looking over his books, which he faid was a noble collection (k).' Manton ton, p. 2o. was a judge.

(4) Life of

Dr. Man

8vo. Lond.

1725.

.

Thefe paffages do not indeed prove Oliver's application in the univerfity; but as a tafte for books and learning is generally acquired in the early part of life, 'tis no way improbable that he form'd it there.

ther,

ther, who after fome time fent him to Lincolns Inn, where, inftead of applying himfelf to the study of the law, he learn'd the follies and vices of the town (c).

This

highness

(c) Infead of studying the law, he learn'd the vices and follies of the town.] His fmall proficiency at Lincolns Inn, we may, I think, fairly enough conclude from the following paffage of a profefs'd panegyrift. He came to Lincolns Inn, where he affociated himself with those of the best rank and quality, and the most ingenuous perfons; for though he were of a nature not averse 6 to ftudy and contemplation; yet he feemed rather addicted to converfation and the reading of men, and ⚫ their several tempers, than to a continual poring up- (1) Pour< on authors (1).' But this is by no means fufficient to traiture of his royal give us an idea of Oliver in his younger years. We are by one writer furthermore told, that the firft Oliver, p. 8. years of his manhood were spent in a diffolute course 12mo. of life, in good fellowship and gaming (m).' Dugdale 1659. is more large. In his youth, fays he, he was for (m) Warfome time bred up in Cambridge; [he omits his be- wick's Meing at one of the inns of court] where he made no 249. 8vo. • great proficiency in any kind of learning; but then Lond. 1702. and afterwards forting himself with drinking companions, and the ruder fort of people (being of a rough and bluftering difpofition) he had the name of a Roy<fter amongst most that knew him; and by his exorbitances so wafted his patrimony; that, having attempted his uncle Stewart for a fupply of his wants, and finding that by a fmooth way of application to him he could not prevail, he endeavoured by colour of law to lay hold of his eftate, reprefenting him as a 'perfon not able to govern it. But therein he fail• ed (n).' Wood obferves, that his father dying whilst he was 459. at Cambridge, he was taken home and fent to Lincolns

B 3

6

· Inn

moirs, p.

(n) Short View, P.

(0) Fafti,

This involved him in expences which his fortune would ill bear, and reduced him to fome difficulties. But his vices were of no long continuance. He foon recovered himfelf, and at the age of twenty one years, married Elizabeth (D) daughter of Sir James Bouchier,

Inn to study the common law, but making nothing of it, he was fent for home by his mother, became a debauchee, and a boyfterous and rude fellow (0).' vol. ii. c. 88. Thus, according to thefe writers, Oliver mifpent his time, and fell into vice; and tho' very probably his faults are heightened by the authors here quoted, yet I make no doubt but there is fome foundation for the charge For in a letter to Mrs. St. John, his cozen, dated Ely, 13th Oct. 1639, he has the following expreffions. You know what my manner of life hath been. O, I lived in, and loved darknefs, and hated the light; I was a chief, the chief of finners. This is true, I hated god inefs, yet God had mercy on 'me (p).' Which words undoubtedly imply fome perPapers, vol. fonal vice or other to which he had been addicted, i. p. 1. Fol. though we cannot, at this diftance, well tell what it Lond. 1742. was with certainty.

(p) Thurloe's State

(D) He married Elizabeth Bouchier who fhewed due fubmiffion to him.] The Bouchiers were antient as a family; from hence probably arofe the fpirit and pride of Mrs. Cromwell. Whether thefe led her into any indecencies with refpect to her neighbours, appears not even from the foes of the family. With regard to her husband she had merit, i. e. fhe was affectionate, obedient, fubmiffive, and delirous to pleafe: qualities vaftly beyond any which refult from birth, beauty, parts or wealth. What led me to confider her in this light, is the following letter to Oliver, which will be read I dare fay with pleasure, efpecially as it is the only one of hers which has been handed down to pofterity.

De

Bouchier, of Effex, knight, faid to be a woman of spirit and parts, and not wanting in pride (9), tho' fhe fhewed all due fubmiffion to her husband. Soon after his marriage he fettled at Huntington, his native P. 4. the death of his uncle,

country; but upon

6

I

My Dearift,

Sir

Defember the 27th, 1650.

Wonder you should blame me for writing nowe oftnir, when I have fent thre for one: I canenot but thenk they ar mifcarid. Truly if I knog my one hart I should afe foune neglect myself afe to the leaft thought towards you, hoe in douing of it I muft doe it to myfelf; but when I doe writ, my dear, I feldome have any fatisfactore anfer, wich makse me thenk my writing is flited, as well it mae; but I cannot but thenk your love covene my weknifis and infirmetis. I fhould rejoys to hear your defire in feeing me, but I defire to fubmit to the providens of 'God, howping the Lord, houe hath feperated us, and heth oftune brought us together agane, wil in 'heis good time breng us agane, to the prafe of heis name. Truly my lif is but half a lif in your abseinse, deid not the Lord make it up in heimself, which I 'must acknoleg to the prafe of heis grace. I would you 'would thenk to writ fometims to your deare frend me

(7) See Heath's Flagellum,

Lord Chef Juftes, of hom I have oftune put you in 'mind: and truly, my deare, if you would thenk of what I put you in mind of fume, it might be of as much purpos afe others, writting fumetims a letter. C to the Prefedent, and fometims to the Speiker. Indeid, my deare, you cannot thenk the rong you doe yourself in the whant of a letter, though it wer but () Milton's feldome. I pray think of, and foe rest yours in all • faithfulnife,

ELIZ. CROMWELL (r).'

State Pa

pers, by Nickolls, p. 40. Fol.

Lond. 1743.