concerning the Government of his Estates and touching the interests of other Princes as without the entring into their Cabinets or partaking of their Counsels he discoursed very pertinently of their Affairs and foretold their several issues and events He likewise was an excellent Phisionomer and having once seriously considered any one he was seldome deceived in the opinion he conceived of him He married into the ancient and noble family of the Bourchers whence the Earls of Essex were descended his marriage bed was blessed with many Children none of which did ever degenerate from the eminent vertues of their most Illustrious Father His eldest son named Ricard hath succeeded him in the Protectorship his younger son named Henry being at this time Lord Lieutenant of Ireland both of them capable to follow their Fathers glorious footsteps and to perfect and crown such hopeful promising though difficult beginnings their Father having as it were divided shared and left by inheritance unto their youth swelling with marvellous hopes that most exquisite Quintessence of two great Talents which he had acquired by his age and by his experience so that the one of his sons may be stiled the Jupiter and the other the Mars of England He had four Daughters all of them Ladies of a most eminent and vertuous disposition The Lady Bridget first married unto the Lord Ireton in his life time Lord Deputy of Ireland a Personage of sublime worth and afterwards espoused unto the Lord Fleetwood sometimes Lord Deputy of Ireland and at present Lieutenant General of all his Highness Forces The Lady Elizabeth his second Daughter married unto the Lord Cleypoll and dyed a little before her Father of whom we shall speak hereafter The third the Lady Mary espoused unto the Lord Viscount Faulconbridge And the youngest the Lady Frances at present widow of the Lord Robert Rich Grandchilde to the late Earl of Warwick Nor did the change of his late Highness Fortunes in the least decline or diminish the tenderness and affection which he ever bare towards the worthy Mother of so numerous and hopeful an issue and that absolute power which he had over all his Dominions never gave him the least desire to captivate any heart save that which God had given him in marriage And that which is the most to be admired at and seems to be the summe of all bliss is that the Almighty lent his late Highness so much life as to see all his Children disposed to the most gallant personages and allied to the most Illustrious Families of England which are as so many props of his Fortune and Fences against the enviers of his Vertue He was an enemy to vain gloriousness ostentation and although he was all as it were fire that is of a passionate constitution yet he had so overcome his passions that he was seldome or never moved but when there was a great cause given so likewise was he more subject to repress and keep in then to give way to his passion The actions of his body denoted those of his minde his actions were in a manner without motion and without any forcings of the body in like manner his minde was not at all agitated nor his expressions precipitated sweetness and tranquillity accompanied his thoughts and his words but when there was occasion to carry a business he expressed himself with so much vigour as gave to understand that he was not easily to be disswaded from the thing he had once resolved In like manner during the whole course of the War he never harboured the least thought of changing of parties And as for Ambition which is the onely passion whereof envy it self seems to accuse him the effects thereof were so inconfiderable and unnecessary unto him nay so unpleasing and unwelcome and which is more he so often refused the pomps delights and grandours which were profered him that all the world must needs confess that where Nature could claim so small an interest the master and directer of Nature must needs have had a great share Wherefore we may aver with a great deal of reason That in case he hath hoorded and laid up Treasures it hath been in the Intrals of the Poor of all Sexes and of all Nations of all Professions and Religions both at home and abroad insomuch that it hath been computed that out of his own private instinct particular Motions and pious Compassion he distributed at least forty thousand pounds a year in Charitable Uses out of his own purse out of such Moneys as the Commonwealth did allow him for his Domestique Expences and for the maintenance of his State and the Dignity of his Person Family and the keeping up the splendour of his Court. And the better to illustrate this matter we shall insert an Essay of two examples of Generosity and Gratitude which are not to be parallel'd save in the persons of Thomas Lord Cromwell his late Highness's predecessor in Henry the Eighth's Reign and in the person of his late Highness Oliver Lord Protector In those glorious dayes when the English young Gentry endeavored to out-vie their elder Brothers by undertaking far and dangerous journies into Forreign parts to acquire glory by feats of Arms and experiencing themselves in the Military Discipline Thomas Cromwel a younger Brother to better his knowledge in Warlike Affairs passed into France and there trailed a Pike accompanying the French Forces into Italy where they were defeated at Gattellion whereupon our English Volantier betook himself to Florence designing to pass thence home again into England but having loft all his equipage and being in a necessitated condition he was enforced to address himself to one Signior Francisco Frescobald an Italian Merchant who corresponded at London and making his case known unto him Frescobald observing something remarkable and a certain promising greatness in the Features Actions and Deportment of Thomas Cromwel who gave an account of himself with so candid an ingenuity and in such terms as beseemed his Birth and the Profession he then was of whereby he gained so much upon Frescobald as inviting him home to his house he caused him to be accommodated with new Linnen and Clothes and other sutable necessaries kindly entertaining him till such time as he testified a desire to return for England when as to compleat his Generosity and Kindeness he gave Mr. Thomas Cromwell a Horse and sixteen Duccats in gold to prosecute his journey homewards In process of time several disasters and Bankrupts befalling Signior Frescobald his Trading and Credit was not a little thereby impaired and reflecting on the Moneys which were due unto him by his Correspondents in England to the value of 15000. Duccats he resolved to pass thither and try whether he could happily procure payment During which interval of time Mr. Thomas Cromwell being a person endowed with a great deal of Courage of a transcendent Wit hardy in his undertakings and a great Politician had by these his good qualities gotten himself
strong but whilst he was weaker being alone fell upon Colonel Lilborne and each side for the space of four hours fight did behave themselves very well till at length the Earls Forces being worsted he was constrained to save himself and to gain Worcester almost all alone amongst Prisoners of note which were taken in this Encounter were Colonel Legg Robinson Baines Gerrard four Livetenant Colonels one Major four Captains two Livetenants twenty Gentlemen and five hundred Soldiers There were killed the Lord Withrinton Sir Thomas Fieldsley Colonel Boynton Sir William Throgmorton Sir Gamuell and sixty Soldiers On the Parliaments side there were but ten men slain but abundance were hurt which defeat although it was but a small one yet it was very ominous and served not a little to discourage those who were on the Brink of declining themselves and ready to rise in Armes so that it may be said without vanity that the defeating of those 1500 men hindred above 10000 to joyn with the Scots at Worcester and indeed Colonel Lilborne received those Honours and that recompense from the Parliament which was due to his Valour And the Lord General Cromwell whose prudence did at all times equallize his Valour nay far surpass it being conscious that diligence and expedition was more then requisite in this Conjuncture which was like unto a Gangren continually gaining ground and therefore immediatly to be cut off least it should endanger the whole arived with his Army at Worcester sooner then he was expected with a resolution to make his Enemies either perish within the place or constrain them to give Battel Here War-like stratagems or wiles were not necessary for there was no delaying of the business neither was there any retreat to be made or flight to be taken It matters not for one Town more or less This is the upshot Blow where the best Swords were to decide the Interest of three Crowns The Royallists were backed by dispaire and the others were animated with the continuall and accustomed defeating of their Enemies Now both must either fight or die and resolve to be a Cast or nothing and the Town of Worcester this very day must be the bloody Theater of the fairest chance of Fortune which ever happened in the Isles of great Britain The first thing therefore which the Parliaments Forces endeavoured was to gain a pass over the River of Severne which was immediatly performed by Major General Lambert at a place called Vpton and which passage was made good by Liveten at General Fleetwcods Brigade which advancing towards Tame River a Bridge of Boats was laid over the same and likewise another Birdge was made over Severn on the Generals side which being perceived by the Royallists they caused a Body both of Horse and Foot to advance to oppose the Livetenant Generals passage who was backed by two Regiments of Foot of Colonel Inglesbies and Colonel Fairfax's by the Generals Troops of Guard and Clonel Hackers Regiment of Horse all which were animated and encouraged by the Generals prerence who marched at the Head of them after which Colonel Goff's and Major General Deans Regiments were passed over the River who began to scoure the Hedges which were lined by the Enemy and whence they drave them away beating them from Hedge to Hedge being supplyed with fresh men but after this kind of Skirmish had lasted well nigh a good hour very smartly the Royallists were constrained to give ground and to retire to Powick Bridge which they made good for an hour longer but quitting it at length they retired toward the Town except those which were made Prisoners and within a little while afterwards having assembled all their Forces and all their Courage to boot they issued forth of the Town in a Body towards the Generals side believing that the best part of his Army had been on the other side as in effect it was seperated in two by the afore specified River and the Royallists at their first charge were so furious and resolute as that the Generals Troops were constrained to give way but that only served to augment their courage and make them more covetous of Glory Insomuch that renewing their Fight with a fresh vigour they charged the Enemy so impetuously as that the Scotch Army both Horse and Foot were on a suddain over borne and quite brought into disorder all their Works and Lynes together with their Royall Fort and their Cannon were immediatly taken and turned upon and against themselves the Town was given in Pillage and all their Foot were either slain or taken Prisoners a Body of 3000 Horse brake through and made their escape and one thousand of them were taken by Colonel Barton who lay about Bewdly only with a few Horse and Dragoons and Colonel Lilborne with the Generals Regiments of Foot accidentally met with the Earl of Darby who a little before had escaped him whom he seized together with the Earl of Landerdale and above a hundred persons of quality severall others were likewise taken by the other parties which were abroad as Duke Hamilton General of the Scotch Army who afterwards died of his Wounds the Earl of Rothe the Earl of Cornwarth the Earle of Shrewsbury Packington Cunningham and Clare Knights the Lords Spine and Sinclere the Earle of Cleaveland of Kelley and Colonel Greaves six Colonels of Horse thirteen of Foot nine Livetenant Colonels of Horse eight of Foot six Majors of Horse thirteen of Foot thrity seven Captains of Horse seventy three of Foot fifty five Quarter-masters eighty nine Livetenants of Foot Major Generall Biscotty Major General Montgomery the Livetenant General of the Ordnance the adjutant General of the Foot the Martiall General the Quarter-master General the Conductor General of the Baggage seventy six Standards ninety nine Ensigns nine Ministers nine Chirurgions one hundred fifty eight Colours and all the Cannon and Baggage generally the Royall Standard the Kings Coach and Horses the Royall Robe the Collar of the Order of the Garter thirty of his domestick Servants and his Secretary Faâ—shams as for the King his own person he made and escape strangely and in a disguise he saved himself at length into France not without many difficulties and dangers Notwithstanding the Parliament had promised five hundred pounds to any one that could discover his Person Several other persons were also afterwards taken in the remotest Countries as Major General Massey who afterwards made an escape Major General Middleton Livetenant General David Lesly and severall others insomuch as that it may be said the Gleanings of this Victory were as considerable as the whole Harvest it self But let us return to our CONQUEROR and observe with what a moderation he enjoyed this his victory he desires no triumphall preparations He would not that thanks should be returned to him for the same but only to God alone who helped him with his mighty Arme to advance his own Glory and to establish the peace and repose of England upon
entrance and credit at Court and highly ingratiated himself with King Henry the Eighth having advanced himself to almost as high a pitch of Honour in as short a time in a manner as his late Highness did The Lord Thomas Cromwell therefore riding one day with a great train of Noble Men towards the Kings Palace chanced to espy on foot in the streets Signior Frescobald the Italian Merchant in an ill plight however he immediately alighting from his Horse embraced him before all the world to the great astonishment of the beholders and chid him that at his very arrival he came not to visit him Frescobald being astonished at so unexpected an encounter and receiving so signal a favor from a personage he could not call to minde he had ever known was quite surprized and my Lord Cromwells pressing affairs at Court not permitting him the while to acquaint him further who he was onely engaged him to come and dine with him that day Frescobald full of amazement enquired of the attendants who that great personage might be And hearing his name he began to call the Feature of his Face and the Idea of his Person to mind and so by degrees conceiving with himself it might happily be the same Mr. Thomas Cromwell whom he had harboured at Florence he enquired out his Lordships habitation and attended his coming at Noon-tide walking in his Court-yard No sooner was the Lord Thomas Cromwel entred the same attended by several persons of quality and officers of the Crown but speedily alighting from his Horse he embraced his friend Frescobald in the same manner he had done in the morning and perceiving that the Lords which accompanied him were amazed at such a disproportioned familiarity he told them that he was more obliged to Frescobald then to all the men in the world owing unto him the making of his Fortune and so proceeded to relate unto them the whole story which had befallen him at Florence So great a delight do generous mindes take to recount their foregoing Misfortunes when their Grandor hath elevated them to such a pitch as that they triumph over Shame and are incapable of Ingratitude Frescobald was treated at Dinner with all the tenderness he could expect from so great a personage and so good a friend after which being carried up by the Lord T. Cromwel into his Closet he was there presented with four bags of Gold each containing four hundred Duccats in return of his former civilities which Frescobald being of a gallant spirit at first refused but after several contestations was constrained to accept as an acknowledgement from the Lord Cromwell who moreover enquiring of him concerning his coming over and affairs in England and understanding his Losses and that there were Moneys due to him caused him to write down his Debters names and by his Secretary summoned the several Merchants which were indebted to Frescobald upon pain of his displeasure to clear their Accounts with him and to pay him within the space of fifteen days which was accordingly performed onely Frescobald freely forgave them the Use Over and above all which the Lord Thomas Cromwell endeavoured to perswade his friend Frescobald to have remained in England the rest of his Dayes profering to lend him a stock of 60000. Duccats to trade withall But Frescobald being over-charged with all those grand obligations which the Lord Cromwell had conferred on him having by his Lordships Generosity acquired enough to keep him from being necessitated all his life time and deeming that the trading in good Works was incomparably more sure and gainful then in the richest Wares and Merchandizes being resolved to quit Trading and to end the rest of his dayes peaceably and quietly he obtained leave of the Lord Thomas Cromwell to depart towards his own Countrey freighted with so great obligations as caused in him a generous shame But the Almighty doth not alwayes recompense the fruits of good Works here on Earth often repaying the greatest with the least rewards and Heaven delights in the exercising of its great Vertues by the Vices which are thereunto opposite and as the most noblest Creatures are the slowest in the attaining to their perfections so the Almighty doth not immediately cause those Fruits to ripen which are sowed here below by Christian Charity Wherefore to return to the Lord Thomas Cromwell who had made the Match between Anne of Cleve and King Henry the Eighth you shall see how he was rewarded for his Generosity and good Services for this Princess Anne of Cleve conceiving a certain womanish Jealousie she knew not why nor wherefore against the Lord Thomas Cromwell save onely that she apprehended he had too great a power and sway with the King never left off solliciting and importuning of him till he caused the Lord Thomas Cromwell to be beheaded by which sad compliance the King lost the best Supporter of his Crown and the faithfullest of his Servants and Subjects The Lord Thomas Cromwell dyed without Heir Males leavingone onely Daughter espoused to one Mr. Williams a Gentleman of Glamorganshire of a good Family who as we have before said inherited little of his Father save his Vertues besides what his own Deserts had procured him and what he might promise himself by the Match with this Heiress the Lord Thomas Cromwels Daughter from whence our Lord Protectors are lineally descended and who was the lively representative of her Father and the very pourtraiture of his great soul as the Lady Cleypool was of his late Highness the Lord Protector Now that you may know on what occasion the Name of Williams came to be changed into that of Cromwell it happened when as King Henry the Eighth was in the midst of his Splendor Pomp and Magnificence wallowing in the pleasures of a sumptuous Entertainment at Court Mr. Williams who had been a retainer to the late Lord Thomas Cromwell made his appearance before the King in deep Mourning like a dark Cloud eclipsing the Sun at Noon-tide The King casting his eye upon so unexpected and dismal an Object which seemed to reproach his rash fault was surprized and offended at the interrupting of his Pleasures by Williams so unseasonable apparition wherefore the King asked him how he durst appear at Court in that garb whereunto Williams replied with a sad but assured countenance That not onely himself but the King and all the Court had reason to mourn for the loss of the greatest and faithfullest of his Subjects and Servants whose Death himself might one day chance to regret when he should stand in need of his Councels and Fidelity But the King whose thoughts were at that time taken up with his Pastimes wished Williams to be gone and to get himself cured of his Frenetick Mallady Some while after troubles arising and the King finding himself in a strait for want of so faithful a Minister of State as the late Lord Thomas Cromwel was whose life he had so inconsiderately taken away began to
reflect on the loss he had sustained and how requisite it was for Princes and great Potentates to retain near their Persons Men of Knowledge Worth and Fidelity and calling to minde the action and discourse of Williams conceiving that it could not proceed but from a great soul endowed with extraordinary vertues and such a one as might be useful and serviceable to him he sent for him up to Court and commanding him to take the name of Cromwel upon himself unto whom he had testified so much Fidelity and Gratitude he invested him with all the Offices and Charges the late Lord Thomas Cromwel enjoyed near his person and re-instated him again in all his Goods and Lands which had been confiscated so that the Lord Williams assisted in the Kings Councel as his Father in Law the Lord Thomas Cromwel before had done From this Noble Lord Williams alias Cromwel and the Illustrious Daughter of the renowned Lord Thomas Cromwel his late Highness and our present Lord Protector are lineally descended in whom the Almighty hath raised up and ripened those generous vertues of their predecessors and hath elevated and spread their branches as high as their deep roots had taken profound and vigorous Foundations So that to compleat our parallel we may observe by the fruits of this Illustrious Stock from whence his late Highness is descended whether they retained their accustomed Generosity and Clemency which we will not go about to prove by the Military Acts in which they have outvied their Predecessors nor by their Politick and prudent Government of the State in which they have at least equalized them but by their private and domestick actions since the resemblance of Children to their Parents may be more observed by the Features of the Face then by the course of their lives which are subject to vary either by the inconstancy of Fortune or the Communication of other men To come therefore to his late Highness the Lord Protector and signalize his gratitude we shall instance in the person of one Duret a French attendant of his Highness during his General-ship who served him with so much Fidelity and Zeal as that he intrusted him with the managing and conduct of the greatest part of his domestick Affairs alwayes retaining him nigh his person bearing so great an affection towards him and reposing so entire a confidence in him as during his late Highness's great sickness which he had in Scotland and whereof it was thought he would have dyed he would not be served by any one nor receive any nourishment or any thing else that was administred unto him save from the hands of Duret who both day and night continued to watch by his Master tending him with a special care and assiduity not giving himself a Moments rest untill his late Highness had recovered his perfect health which long and continual watches of Duret and the pains he had taken in the administring unto his Master plunged him into a sad fit of sickness during which this faithful servant received all the acknowledgements which his good and zealous services had demerited his late Highness applying all the possible cures he could not onely by his commands but by his personal visits so oft as his urgent Affairs would permit him to comfort Duret and to see all things applyed that might conduce to his recovery but Durets hour being come he was content to lay down his life in his Masters service and the Physicians having quite given him over his late Highness would needs render him his last good offices by comforting him at his death by his sensibleness of his good services and the extream zeal and affection he had born to his person which although he could not requite unto him yet his Highness assured him he would manifest his acknowledgements thereof unto his Parents and Kindred Whereunto Duret replyed That the honour he had received in having served so good and great a Master and the glory he reaped in having laid down his life for the preservation of his Highness and of so good and glorious a Cause was extream satisfactory unto him in his death That he had a Mother and a Sister with some Kindred in France who were unworthy his Highness thoughts or reflecting on them however that he remitted them to his Highness gracious consideration And so Duret his good and faithful servant breathed his last In which contract of grief and resolution of acknowledgement his late Highness may be said to have harboured the same thoughts as Henry the Eighth did perswading himself that he had been the Author of Durets death though in a far innocenter way However his late Highness retained all the resentments and sensibleness of the acknowledgements and gratitude expressed by his generous predecessor the Lord Thomas Cromwel towards his dear Friend Frescobald For his late Highness immediately sent over For Durets Mother Sister and two Nephews out of France and would have the whole Family of the Durets to come and establish themselves here in England that he might the better manifest his Love and Gratitude in their persons towards his deceased faithful servant And whereas by reason of the continuance of the Scotch Wars his late Highness was at that time as it were confined to the North he wrote unto her Highness the now Lady Protectoress Dowager his wife that she should receive and use Durets Mother Sister and Allies accordingly as she praised the good offices of his deceased faithful servant to whose cares pains and watchings he owed the preservation of his own life and that she should proportion that kindnes which during his absence she should show unto them unto the love which she bore unto him insomuch that Durets Mother was by her Highness admitted into her own Family and seated at her own Table his Sister was placed in the rank and quality of a Maid of Honour to her Highness and his two Nephews were admitted to be her Highnesses Pages whereby the Almighty Crowned Durets good and faithful services towards his Master and his piety and observance towards his Mother and Sister whose onely support he was in his life time with the rich Flowers of Prosperity and with the Fruits of Fortune advancing them as fast as the sad destiny did his precipitated death And no sooner was his late Highness returned into England after the conquest of Scotland and the glorious Victory he had obtained at Worcester full freighted with the resplendency of his noble atchievements but he desired to see Durets Mother Sister and Nephews enquiring how they had been received and treated and whether they were well pleased to be in England and as soon as they appeared in his presence he could not retain his generous tears for the loss of Duret nor could he cease to testifie his inward grief for him comforting the good old Gentlewoman Mrs. Duret by the mouth of his Children who spake French telling her She had not lost her son although dead