[559] King James's College, at Chelsea, was founded by Dr. Matthew Sutcliffe, Dean of Exeter, "to this intent, that learned men might there have maintenance to answer all the adversaries of religion."—Alleyn's Life, quoted in Cunningham's Hand-Book of London.
[560] The Public Intelligencer, of December 10th-17th, 1655, speaks of "a conference held concerning the Jews in a withdrawing-room, in the presence of his Highness, between the Committee of the Council and the ministers and other persons approved by his Highness. Among these present Mr. Bridge was one." There is a letter on the subject of the Jews in Thurloe, iv. 321.
[561] Even Burnet thought Cromwell meant to employ the Jews as spies.
[562] Samuel Brett has left "a Narrative (dated 1655) of the proceedings of a great council of Jews assembled in the plain of Ageda, in Hungaria, about thirty leagues distant from Breda, to examine the Scriptures concerning the Messiah." The narrative is in the British Museum.
[563] In addition to what has been stated before on this subject, notice may be taken of a conversation which Cromwell had with a minister named John Rogers (see Brook's Lives, iii. 328), who spoke against a National Church—calling it anti-Christian—applying what he said to the Commonwealth. Cromwell answered that the Commonwealth Church was not a National Church, "for a National Church endeavoured to force all into one form."—See also Wood's Ath. Ox., ii. 594.
[564] Yet Bates, the physician, who says this, also says she often mentioned the blood her father spilt. How did he know this, if nobody was near enough to hear what was said? We cannot help thinking that imagination has been very busy with the latter part of Cromwell's life. Elizabeth Claypole has been represented as having pleaded with her father to spare Dr. Hewit's life. However that might be, certainly this very lady, in her own handwriting, within two months of her death, expressed her satisfaction at the discovery of the plot, as of one which, had it taken effect, would have ruined her family and the whole nation.—Thurloe, vii. 173.
[565] Thurloe, vii. 320; Ludlow's Memoirs, i. 609.
[566] The account which follows is taken from "A Collection of Several Passages concerning his Late Highness Oliver Cromwell in the Time of his Sickness, written by one that was then groom of his bedchamber." The gentlemen of the bedchamber were Mr. Charles Harvey and Mr. Underwood. This pamphlet is in the British Museum. There is also another copy of it, with a somewhat different title, as follows: "An Account of the Last Hours of the Late Renowned Oliver, Lord Protector—drawn up and published by one who was an eye and ear witness of the most part of it."
"The Portraiture of his Royal Highness Oliver in his Life and Death," contains no information respecting his sickness. It has a curious frontispiece, exhibiting Cromwell's effigy crowned, and clothed in royal robes.
[567] "As near as I can remember them," says the writer of the Collection, &c.