XII

Cromwell and Dane

August 1658

[Cromwell's daughter, Lady Elizabeth Claypole, died on August 6, 1658. Vane was imprisoned in 1656, for his tract entitled "A Cromwell died on Sep

Healing Question."

tember 3, 1658.]

XII

CROMWELL. How still the house seems now she's

dead! God, God!

Bore I so light a burden then already

That this, too great for man, was added?

Oh,

Such pain! Could no one comfort? None allieve? Must all sit by and watch it? Oh, no, no,

Too much, too much! Never to recognize me,

But speak of blood and vengeance! Alas! my child
Were there not foes enough to hate thy father
But thou must learn their language? Yet were it

curses

Speak but once more, once! Never, never, never!

Where are these papers? Pamphlets, always pamphlets!

Arch-traitor Judas," "Cain "—how glib it runs! "In godliness there is great gain, and preaching and praying well managed will obtain other kingdoms as well as those of heaven." "A deep dissembling hypocrite, as barren of all charity as hell is of honesty," and so forth and so forth. These abortions spawned

in the dark! baptists, Seekers, Familists, Antinomians, AntiTrinitarians "the Presbyterian note!" all these do grow and flourish under the shadow of his apostasy. While the one true church, the model ordained of Christ Himself, set up by His apostles, and without change maintained through the best and purest times, till Constantine So, so, so, and now for his peroration!" Darkness is hid in his secret places; a fire not blown shall consume him; it shall go ill with him that is left in his tabernacle. Though his excelling mount up to the heavens and his hand reacheth unto the clouds, yet he shall perish forever like his own dung. They that have seen him shall say where is he!" Here's more and more of them! The Millenarian with his talk of anti-Christ and the immediate coming of the Lord-I would it were so! These are foolish men, less wicked than lunatic. The Leveller with his annual Parliaments, and every man his vote. And still it's Oliver the usurper," "Oliver the oppressor of the poor," till there comes one with admonishment to kill me outright, since "in the black catalogue of high malefactors few can be found that have lived more to the affliction and disturbance of mankind."

Here's another with his cry Ana