[391] Noble's Mem. of Cromwell, vol. ii. p. 502.
[392] Walker's Hist. of Independency, part i. p. 167.
[393] Ellis's Original Letters illustrative of English History, third series, vol. iv. p. 219, Lond. 1846.
[394] Parl. Hist. vol. iii. p. 1407; Rose's Biog. Dict. vol. iii. p. 172; Clarendon's Rebellion, p. 794.
[395] ‘A poor child bred upon charity.’ Harris's Stuarts, vol. v. p. 281. ‘A man of an obscure birth, and more obscure education.’ Clarendon's Life of Himself, p. 1116.
[396] See Vaughan's Cromwell, vol. i. pp. 227, 228, vol. ii. pp. 299, 302, 433; Lister's Life and Corresp. of Clarendon, vol. ii. p. 231, vol. iii. p. 134. The common opinion is, that he was the son of a clergyman at Hackney; but if so, he was probably illegitimate, considering the way he was brought up. However, his Hackney origin is very doubtful, and no one appears to know who his father was. See Notes and Queries, vol. iii. pp. 69, 213.
[397] Noble's Regicides, vol. i. p. 362. Cromwell had a great regard for this remarkable man, who not only distinguished himself as a soldier, but, judging from a letter of his recently published, appears to have repaired the deficiencies of his early education. See Fairfax Correspond. vol. iv. pp. 22–25, 108. There never has been a period in the history of England in which so many men of natural ability were employed in the public service as during the Commonwealth.
[398] Noble's House of Cromwell, vol. ii. p. 507.
[399] Noble's Cromwell, vol. ii. p. 518; Bates's Troubles, vol. ii. p. 222.
[400] Bates's Late Troubles, vol. i. p. 87; Ludlow's Mem. vol. i. p. 220.