OLIVER CROMWELL AND HIS DEALINGS WITH THE DEVIL.

(Vol. iii., p. 207.)

Among the papers of an old personal friend and correspondent of the "Sylvanus Urban" of his day,—a clergyman of the good old school, who died a quarter of a century ago, aged eighty-six, I find the inclosed. It may possibly lead to the further elucidation of one of the Notes of B. B. It is unfortunate that no date is attached to it, nor any intimation of its history. Its owner was the intimate friend of Bennet, Bishop of Cloyne, of Dr. Farmer, of Burgess, Bishop of St. David's (afterwards Salisbury), and other eminent divines of his time.

With this MS. was inclosed another, in more modern writing; but, from the orthography, copied from an older paper, headed "Private Amours of Oliver Cromwell." It is very short, and also without date. It is at your service if desired.

S. H. H.

A NARRATIVE CONCERNING CROMWELL'S DEALINGS WITH THE D——L

"On y^e 3d of Sept., in y^e morning, Cromwell took Colonel Lindsey, his intimate friend, and first Capt. of his regiment, to a wood side not far from y^e army, and bid him alight and follow him into that wood, & take particular notice of what he saw & heard.

"After they had both alighted & secured their horses, & walked some small way into the wood, Lindsey began to turn pale, & to be seiz'd with horrour, from some unknown cause; upon wch Cromwell askt him how he did, or how he felt himself. He answered, that he was in such a trembling & consternation that he never felt y^e like in all y^e conflicts and battles he had been engaged in: But wether it proceeded from the gloomyness of y^e place, or y^e temperament of his body, he knew not. 'How now?' said Cromwell. 'What! trowbled with vapours? Come forward, man.' They had not gon above 20 yards before Lindsey on a sudden stood still and cry'd out, by all that's good he was seized with such unaccountable terrours & astonishment that it was impossible for him to stir one step further. Upon which Cromwell call'd him faint-hearted fool, & bid him stand there & observe or be witness: and then advancing to some distance from him, he met with a grave elderly man, with a roll of parchment in his hand, who deliver'd it to Cromwell, who eagerly perused it. Lindsey, a little recover'd from his fear, heard severall loud words betwixt them: particularly Cromwell said, 'This is but for seven year. I was to have it for 21, and it must and shall be so.' The other told him positively it could not be for above seven; upon which Cromwell cry'd with a great fierceness, it shd be, however, for 14 year; but the other person plorily declared it could not possibly be for any longer time: and if he woud not take it so, there was others that woud accept of it: Upon which Cromwell at last took y^e parchment, and returning to Lindsey with great joy in his countenance, he cry'd, 'Now, Lindsey, the battle's our own: I long to be engag'd.' Returning out of the wood, they rode to y^e army. Cromwell with a resolution to engage as soon as possible, & y^e other with a design of leaving y^e army as soon. After y^e first charge Lindsey deserted his post, and rode away with all possible speed, day and night, till he came into y^e county of Norfolk, to y^e house of an intimate friend, and minister of that parish: Cromwell, as soon as he mist him, sent all ways after him, with a promise of a great reward to any that w'd bring him alive or dead.

"Thus far y^e narrative of Lindsey himself; but something further is to be remembered to complete & confirm y^e story.

"When Mr. Thorowgood saw his friend Lindsey come into his yard, his horse and himself just tired, in a sort of amaze he said, 'How, now, Colonel; we hear there is like to be a battle shortly. What! fled from your colours?' 'A battle!' said y^e other; 'yes, there has bin a battle, and I am sure y^e King is beaten. If ever I strike a stroke for Cromwell again, may I perish eternally, for I am sure he has made a league with y^e Devil, and he will have him in due time.' Then, desiring his protection from Cromwell's inquisitors, he went in & related y^e whole story, and all the circumstances, concluding with these remarkable words, That Cromwell w'd certainly die that day seven year that the battle was fought.

"The strangeness of his relation caused Mr. Thorowgood to order his son John, then about 12 years of age, to write it in full length in his common place book, & to take it from Lindsey's own mouth. This common place book, and likewise y^e same story writen in other books, I am sure is still preserv'd in y^e family of y^e Thorowgoods: But how far Lindsey is to be believed, & how far y^e story is to be accounted incredible, is left to y^e reader's faith and judgment, & not to any determination of our own."