I knowe nothinge of doubt in that which I am to doe but doe agree itt all to your kindfman his fatisfaction, nor is there much materiall difference fave in this, wherein both my paper fent by you to your councell and yours of the 28th doe in all litterall and all equitable conftruction agree, viz. to fettle an estate in fee fimple upon your daughter after your deceafe, which Mr Barton affirmes not to be your meaninge, although hee has not (as to mee) formerlye made this any objection nor can the words beare itt, nor have I any thinge more confiderable in lewe of what I part with then this. And I have appealed to yours or any counfel in England whether it bee not juft and equal that I infift thereupon. And this misunderstandinge (if it bee yours as it is your kindfman's) putt a ftop to the bufineffe, fo that our counsel could not proceede untill your pleasure herein were known, wherefore itt was thought fitt to defier Mr. Barton to have recourfe to you to knowe your minde, hee alledginge hee had noe authoritye to understand that expreffion foe, but the contrarie, which was thought not a little ftrange even by your owne councell. I confeffe I did apprehend wee fhould bee incident to mistakes treatinge att fuch a diftance, although I may take the boldneffe to fay there is nothinge expected from mee, but I agree itt to your kindfman's fenfe to a tittle. Sr. Í defired to knowe what commiffion your kindfman had to helpe this doubt by an expedient who denied to have any, but did think it were better for you to part with fome monie, and keepe the power in your owne handes, as to the land, to difpofe thereof as you fhould fee caufe, whereupon an overture was made and himselfe & your councell defired to drawe itt up; the effect whereof this enclosed paper conteynes, and although I fhould not like change of agreements, yet to fhew how much I defier the perfecting of this bufineffe, if you like thereof (though this bee farr the worle bargaine, I shall submitt thereunto your councell thinkinge that thinges may bee fettled this way with more clearneffe & leffe intricafie. There is mention made of 900. pr. annum to bee referved, but itt comes to but about 800. my landes in Glamorgan fheire being but little above 400. pr. annum, and the 400 £. p. annum out my manour in Gloucester & Munmouth fheire. I with a cleere understandinge may bee betweene us. Truly I would not willinglye miftake, defiringe to waite upon providence in this bufineffe. I reft Ap. 15th 1649. Sr. Your affectionate friend & fervant I defier my service may bee pre- O. CROMWELL. fented to your lady & daughters. For my very loving Brother Richard Major, Esq; Lovinge Brother, (Recd 27 July, 1649. p. Messenger expreffe from Newbery.) Receaved your letter by major Longe, and doe in anfware thereunto accordinge to my beft understandinge, with a due confideration of thofe gentlemen whoe have abid the brunt of the service. I am very glad to heere of your welfare, & that our children have fo good leifure to make a journie to eate cherries, it's very excufeable in my daughter, I hope the may have a very good pretence for it. I affure you Sr. I wish her very well & I beleive shee knowes itt. I pray you tell her from mee, I expect thee writes often to mee, by which I fhall understand how all your familye doth, & fhee will be kept in fome exercife. I have delivered my fonn up to you, & I hope you will councell him, he will neede itt and indeed I beleive he likes well what you fay, & will be advised by you, I wish he may be serious the tymes requier itt. I hope my fifter is in health, to whome I defier my very hartye affections and service may bee prefented, as alfo to my cozen Ann to whom I wish a good hufband. I defire my affections may be presented to all your familye, to which I with a bleffinge from the Lorde. I hope I fhall have your prayers in the bufineffe to which I am called. My wife I trust wil be with you before itt bee longe in her way towards Briftoll. Sr. difcompofe not your thoughts nor eftate for what you are to pay mee. Lett me knowe wherein I may complye with your occafions and minde, and be confident you will finde mee to you as your owne heart wishinge your your profperitye & contentment very fynceerlye with the remembrance of my love. I reft Briftall, July 19th 1649. Your affectionate brother & fervant O. CROMWELL. (On the back of the foregoing letter, befides short hand, there is an account in Mr. Major's hand, of his fheep and other cattle.) For my beloved Brother Richard Major, Eq; at Hurflye in the County of Hampton. Theife. Deere Brother, Am not often at leifure, nor nowe to falute my freindes, yet unwillinglye to loofe this opportunitye, I take itt only to lett you knowe that you and your familye are often in my prayers. I with the younge ones well, though they vouchsafe not to write to mee. As for Dick I doe not much expect itt from him, knowinge his idleneffe, but I am angrie with my daughter as a promise breaker, pray you tell her foe, but I hope fhee will redeeme herfelfe. It has pleased the Lord to give us (fince the taking of Wexford & Roffe) a good intereft in Murfter by the accefs of Corke and Youghall, which are both fubmitted, their commiffioners are nowe with mee. Diverse other leffer guarrifons are come in alfoe. The Lord is wonderfull in theife thinges, it's his hand aloane does them; O that all the praife might be afcribed to him. I have beene crazie in my health, but the Lord is pleafed to fuftaine mee. I begg your prayers. I defier you to call upon my fonn to minde the thinges of God more & more, alas what profitt is their in the thinges of this world, except they bee enjoyed in Chrift they are fnares. I wifh he may enjoy his wife foe and fhee him, I wish I may enjoy them both foe. My fervice to my deere fifter cozen Ann, my blesfinge to my children, and love to my cozen Barton and the rest. Sr. I am Roffe, No. 13th 1649. Your affectionate brother & fervant Recd 12° Dec. 49. O. CROMWELL. For For my very lovinge Brother Richard Major, Efq; att (This direction is in a Woman's hand: underneath are wrote in Mr. Major's hand thefe words; 15° May I wrote in behalfe of Mr. Bonny, &c. of Dorfett.) Deere Brother, FOR mee to write unto you the ftate of our affaires heere were more then indeed I have leisure well to doe, and therefore I hope you doe not expect itt from me seeinge when I write to the parint I ufually am (as becomes mee) very particular with them, and ufually from thence the knowledge thereof is fpread. Only this lett mee fay (which is the beft intelligence to friendes that are trulye chriftian) the Lord is pleafed fill to vouchfafe us his prefence, & to profper his owne worke in our handes which to us is the more eminent because trulye wee are a companie of poore weake and worthleffe creatures. Trulye our worke is neither from our braines, nor from our courage and ftrength, but wee followe the Lord whoe goeth before and gather what hee skattereth, that foe all may appeare to bee from him. The takinge of the cittye of Kilkenny hath beene one of our laft workes, which indeed I beleive hath beene a grate difcompofeinge the enemie, its foe much in their bowells, wee have taken many confiderable places latelye without much loffe. What can wee fay to theife thinges, If God bee for us, whoe can be against us, whoe can fight against the Lord & profper? Whoe can refift his will? The Lord keepe us in his love. I defier your prayers, your familye is often in mine, I rejoyced to heere how it hath pleased the Lord to deale with my daughter, the Lord bleffe her and fanctifie all his difpenfations to them and us, I have committed my fonn to you, I pray councell him. Some letters I have lately had from him, have a good favor, the Lord treafure up grace there, that out of that treafurie hee may bringe forth good thinges. Sr. I defier my very entyer affection may be prefented to my deere fifter, my cozen Ann, and the rest of my cozens, and to idle Dick Norton when you fee him. Sr. I reft Ap. ye 2d 1650. Your moft loving brother O. CROMWELL. For my very lovinge Brother Richard Major, Efq; att his Deere Brother, THE HE exceedinge croude of bufineffe I had att London is the beft excufe I can make for my filence this way. Indeed Sr. my heart beareth me witneffe, I want noe affection to you or yours, you are all often in my poore prayers. I fhould be glad to heere how the little bratt doth. I could chide both father and the mother for theire neglects of mee, I knowe my fonn is idle, butt I had better thoughts of Doll, I doubt now her husband hath spoyled her, I pray tell her foe from mee. If I had as good leifure as they, I fhould write fometimes. If my daughter bee breedinge I will excufe her, but not for her nurferie, the Lord bleffe them. I hope you give my fonn good councell, I beleive he needes itt. Hee is in the dangerous time of his age, and its a very vaine world, O how good itt is to clofe with Chrift betimes, there is nothinge else worth the lookinge after. I befeech you call upon him, I hope you will discharge my dutye and your owne love : you fee how I am imployed, I neede pittye, I knowe what I feele, great place and businesse in the world is not worth the lookinge after, I fhould have no comfort in mine, but that my hope is in the Lord's prefence, I have not fought theife thinges, truly I have beene called to them by the Lord, and therefore am not without fome good affureance that hee will inable his poore worme, and weake fervant to doe his will, & to fullfill my generation. In this I begg your prayers, defiringe to be lovinglye remembred to my deere fifter, to our fonn & daughter, my cozen Ann and the good family. I reft Your very affectionate brother Alnwick, July 17, 1650. O. CROMWELL. |