[106] Harris's Cromwell, 429. Cromwell attempted to vindicate himself on the ground that the Episcopal clergy "meant to entail their quarrel, and prevent the means to reconcile posterity" (435).
Amongst the State Papers is a petition to the Protector from Dr. Woolley, a schoolmaster, to be allowed to continue "his painful employment." There is also a certificate by his friends to the following effect:—"We, whose names are underwritten, do most humbly certify that, upon our knowledge, Edward Woolley, of Hammersmith, in the county of Middlesex, Doctor of Divinity, is a religious, learned, and sober person, and hath most quietly submitted to this present authority under his Highness's government, of whom he never speaks but with great honour and reverence, and so inclineth his scholars under his tuition. He hath a very excellent faculty in the education of youth in the Latin, Greek, and French tongues, with many other commendable exercises, beyond any whom we have seen besides in this nation.—Signed by Thomas Coxe, Doctor of Physic; John Hexing, Minister at Bride's, Fleet Street; and other persons."
[107] Derby, November 17th, 1655.—Thurloe, iv. 211.
[108] November 10th, 1655.—Ibid., 184.
[109] December 1st.—Thurloe, iv. 274.
[110] Ibid., 216.
[111] Thurloe, iv. 228.
[112] Ibid., 151.
[113] Thurloe, iv. 273.
[114] Ibid., 37. There is a curious letter from the same writer (p. 49) from which it appears that the policy of Cromwell's government in Scotland was not to interfere with religious peculiarities if they did not threaten any political disturbance.