told me, that, coming one day to Cromwell, during those heats, and telling him he had been in the city all that day, Cromwell asked him what news he had heard there: the other answered, that he was told he was in treaty with the king, who was to be restored, and to marry his daughter. Cromwell expressing no indignation at this, lord Orrery said, in the state to which things were brought, he saw not a better expedient: they might bring him in on what terms they pleased: and Cromwell might retain the same authority he then had, with less trouble. Cromwell answered, the king can never forgive his father's blood. Orrery said, he was one of many that were concerned in that, but he would be alone in the merit of restoring him. Cromwell replied, he is so damnably debauched, he would undo us all; and so turned to another discourse without any emotion, which made Orrery conclude he had often 70 thought of that expedient.

Before the day in which he refused the offer of the kingship that was made to him by the parliament, he had kept himself on such a reserve, that no man knew what answer he would give. It was thought more likely he would accept of it: but that which determined him to the contrary was, that, when he went down in the morning to walk in St. James's park, Fleetwood and Desborough were waiting for him the one had married his daughter, and the other his sister. With these he entered into much discourse on the subject, and argued for it: he said, it was a tempting of God to expose so many worthy men to death and poverty, when there was a certain way to secure them. The others insisted still on the oaths they had taken. He said, these

oaths were against the power and tyranny of kings, but not against the four letters that made the word king. In conclusion, they, believing from his discourse that he intended to accept of it, told him, they saw great confusions would follow on it: and as they could not serve him to set up the idol they had put down, and had sworn to keep down, so they would not engage in any thing against him, but would retire and look on. So they offered him their commissions, since they were resolved not to serve a king: he desired they would stay till they heard his answer. It was believed, that he, seeing two persons so near him ready to abandon him, concluded that many others would follow their example; and therefore thought it was too bold a venture. So he refused it, but accepted of the continuance of his protectorship. Yet, if he had lived out the next winter, as the debates were to have been brought on again, so it was generally thought he would have accepted of the offer. And it is yet a question what the effect of that would have been. Some have thought it would have brought on a general settlement, since the law and the ancient government were again to take place: others have fancied just the contrary, that it would have engaged (enraged) the army, so that they would either have deserted the service, or have revolted from him, and perhaps have killed him in the first fray of the tumult k I will not determine which of these would have most probably happened. In these debates some of the cavalier party, or rather their children,

k It has been said, that Pride told him, if he took the crown, he would (if nobody else would)

shoot him through the head, the first opportunity he had for it. O.

came to bear some share. They were then all zealous commonwealth's men, according to the directions sent them from those about the king. Their business was to oppose Cromwell on all his demands, and so to weaken him at home, and expose him abroad. When some of the other party took notice of this great change, from being the abettors of pre-71 rogative to become the patrons of liberty, they pretended their education in the court and their obligation to it had engaged them that way; but now since that was out of doors, they had the common principles of human nature and the love of liberty in them. By this mean, as the old republicans assisted and protected them, so [they secured themselves,] at the same time they strengthened the faction against Cromwell. But these very men at the restoration shook off this disguise, and reverted to their old principles for a high prerogative and absolute power. They said they were for liberty, when it was a mean to distress one who they thought had no right to govern; but when the government returned to its old channel, they were still as firm to all prerogative notions, and as great enemies to liberty, as ever 1.

I suppose he means the liberty of plundering, which the other party ever were, and always will be, much inclined to, as acting altogether upon a principle of self-interest; which is the true reason why they constantly set themselves in opposition to the established religion, it being a thing apt to interfere with their pickpocket designs. But the establishment upon the restoration in 1660,

and the revolution in 1688, sufficiently prove that the people he would asperse, and their children after them, were no friends to arbitrary government, but enemies to what the bishop and his friends have ever had most at heart, and which they have never failed to put in practice, whenever they have had an opportunity; which licentiousness they are pleased to call liberty. D.

Cromwell's

engage

France.

I go next to give an account of Cromwell's transment with actions with relation to foreign affairs. He laid it down for a maxim, to spare no cost or charge in order to procure him intelligence. When he understood what dealers the Jews were every where in that trade that depends on news, the advancing money upon high or low interests in proportion to the risk they run, or the gain to be made as the times might turn, and in the buying and selling of the actions of money so advanced, he, more upon that account than in compliance with the principle of toleration, brought a company of them over to England, and gave them leave to build a synagogue. All the while that he was negotiating this, they were sure and good spies for him, especially with relation to Spain and Portugal. The earl of Orrery told me, he was once walking with him in one of the galleries of Whitehall, and a man almost in rags came in view he presently dismissed lord Orrery, and carried that man into his closet; who brought him an account of a great sum of money that the Spaniards were sending over to pay their army in Flanders, but in a Dutch man of war: and he told him the places of the ship in which the money was lodged. Cromwell sent an express immediately to Smith, afterwards sir Jeremy Smith, who lay in the Downs, telling him that within a day or two such a Dutch ship would pass the channel, whom he must visit for the Spanish money, which was conterband goods, we being then in war with Spain. So when the ship passed by Dover, Smith sent, and demanded leave to search him. The Dutch captain answered, none but his masters might search him. Smith sent him word, he had set up an hour glass, and if before

that was run out he did not submit to the search, he would force it. The captain saw it was in vain to struggle, and so all the money was found. Next time that Cromwell saw Orrery, he told him he had his intelligence from that contemptible man he saw 72 him go to some days before. He had on all occasions very good intelligence: he knew every thing that passed in the king's little court: and yet none of his spies were discovered, but one only.

The greatest difficulty on him in his foreign affairs was, what side to choose, France or Spain. The prince of Conde was then in the Netherlands with a great many protestants about him. He set the Spaniards on making great steps towards the gaining Cromwell into their interests. Spain ordered their ambassador to compliment him: he was esteemed one of their ablest men: his name was Don Alonso de Cardenas: he offered, that if Cromwell would join with them, they would engage themselves to make no peace till he should recover Calais again to England. This was very agreeable to Cromwell, who thought it would recommend him much to the nation, if he could restore that town again to the English empire, after it had been a hundred years in the hands of the French. Mazarin hearing of this, sent one over to negotiate with him, but at first without a character: and, to outbid the Spaniard, he offered to assist Cromwell to take Dunkirk, which was a place of much more importance. The prince of Conde sent over likewise to offer Cromwell to turn protestant: and, if he would give him a fleet with good troops, he would make a descent in Guienne, where he did not doubt but that he should be assisted by the protestants; and that