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70

INTRODUCTION

a mere jumble of incredibilities, and oblivious human platitudes, distressing to the mind.

But a Letter, one Letter signed Oliver Cromwell and dated St. Ives, does remain, still legible and undubitable to us. What more is to be said on St. Ives and the adjacent matters will best arrange itself round that Document. One or two entries here, and we arrive at that, and bring these imperfect Introductory Chronicles to a close.

1632

In January of this year Oliver’s seventh child was born to him; a boy, James; who died the day after baptism. There remained six children, of whom one other died young; it is not known at what date. Here subjoined is the List of them, and of those subsequently born; in a Note, elaborated, as before, from the imbroglios of Noble.^[1]

↑
OLIVER CROMWELL’s CHILDREN.

(Married to Elizabeth Bourchier, 22d August 1620.)
1. Robert; baptised 13th October 1621. Named for his Grandfather. No farther account of him (except, now, supra, p. 41 n.); he died before ripe years.
2. Oliver; baptised 6th February 1622-3; went to Felsted School. ‘Captain in Harrison’s Regiment,’—no. At Peterborough in 1643 (Noble, i. 133-4). He died, or was killed during the War; date and place not yet discoverable, Noble says it was at Appleby; referring to Whitlocke. Whitlocke (p. 318 of 1st edition, 322 of 2d), on ransacking the old Pamphlets, turns out to be indisputably in error. The Protector on his deathbed alludes to this Oliver’s death: ‘It went to my heart like a dagger, indeed it did.’
3. Bridget; baptised 4th August 1624. Married to Ireton, 15th June 1646 (Noble, i. 134, is twice in error); widow, 26th November 1651. Married to Fleetwood (exact date, after long search, remains undiscovered; Noble, ii. 355 ‘before’ June 1652,—at random seemingly). Died at Stoke Newington, near London, September 1681.
4. Richard; born 4th October 1626. At Felsted School. ‘In Lincoln’s Inn, 27th May 1647’: an error? Married, in 1649, Richard Mayor’s daughter, of Hursley, Hants. First in Parliament, 1654. Protector, 1658. Dies, poor idle Triviality, at Cheshunt, 12th July 1712.
5. Henry; baptised at All-Saints (the rest are at St John’s), Huntingdon, 20th January 1627-8. Felsted School. In the army at sixteen. Captain, under Harrison I think, in 1647. Colonel in 1649, and in Ireland with his Father. Lord Deputy there in 1657. In 1660 retired to Spinney Abbey, ‘near Soham,’

[children-1] 

OLIVER CROMWELL’s CHILDREN.

(Married to Elizabeth Bourchier, 22d August 1620.)

Robert; baptised 13th October 1621. Named for his Grandfather. No farther account of him (except, now, supra, p. 41 n.); he died before ripe years.

Oliver; baptised 6th February 1622-3; went to Felsted School. ‘Captain in Harrison’s Regiment,’—no. At Peterborough in 1643 (Noble, i. 133-4). He died, or was killed during the War; date and place not yet discoverable, Noble says it was at Appleby; referring to Whitlocke. Whitlocke (p. 318 of 1st edition, 322 of 2d), on ransacking the old Pamphlets, turns out to be indisputably in error. The Protector on his deathbed alludes to this Oliver’s death: ‘It went to my heart like a dagger, indeed it did.’

Bridget; baptised 4th August 1624. Married to Ireton, 15th June 1646 (Noble, i. 134, is twice in error); widow, 26th November 1651. Married to Fleetwood (exact date, after long search, remains undiscovered; Noble, ii. 355 ‘before’ June 1652,—at random seemingly). Died at Stoke Newington, near London, September 1681.

Richard; born 4th October 1626. At Felsted School. ‘In Lincoln’s Inn, 27th May 1647’: an error? Married, in 1649, Richard Mayor’s daughter, of Hursley, Hants. First in Parliament, 1654. Protector, 1658. Dies, poor idle Triviality, at Cheshunt, 12th July 1712.

Henry; baptised at All-Saints (the rest are at St John’s), Huntingdon, 20th January 1627-8. Felsted School. In the army at sixteen. Captain, under Harrison I think, in 1647. Colonel in 1649, and in Ireland with his Father. Lord Deputy there in 1657. In 1660 retired to Spinney Abbey, ‘near Soham,’

[2] Robert; baptised 13th October 1621. Named for his Grandfather. No farther account of him (except, now, supra, p. 41 n.); he died before ripe years.

[3] Oliver; baptised 6th February 1622-3; went to Felsted School. ‘Captain in Harrison’s Regiment,’—no. At Peterborough in 1643 (Noble, i. 133-4). He died, or was killed during the War; date and place not yet discoverable, Noble says it was at Appleby; referring to Whitlocke. Whitlocke (p. 318 of 1st edition, 322 of 2d), on ransacking the old Pamphlets, turns out to be indisputably in error. The Protector on his deathbed alludes to this Oliver’s death: ‘It went to my heart like a dagger, indeed it did.’

[4] Bridget; baptised 4th August 1624. Married to Ireton, 15th June 1646 (Noble, i. 134, is twice in error); widow, 26th November 1651. Married to Fleetwood (exact date, after long search, remains undiscovered; Noble, ii. 355 ‘before’ June 1652,—at random seemingly). Died at Stoke Newington, near London, September 1681.

[5] Richard; born 4th October 1626. At Felsted School. ‘In Lincoln’s Inn, 27th May 1647’: an error? Married, in 1649, Richard Mayor’s daughter, of Hursley, Hants. First in Parliament, 1654. Protector, 1658. Dies, poor idle Triviality, at Cheshunt, 12th July 1712.

[6] Henry; baptised at All-Saints (the rest are at St John’s), Huntingdon, 20th January 1627-8. Felsted School. In the army at sixteen. Captain, under Harrison I think, in 1647. Colonel in 1649, and in Ireland with his Father. Lord Deputy there in 1657. In 1660 retired to Spinney Abbey, ‘near Soham,’

[7] Robert; baptised 13th October 1621. Named for his Grandfather. No farther account of him (except, now, supra, p. 41 n.); he died before ripe years.

[8] Oliver; baptised 6th February 1622-3; went to Felsted School. ‘Captain in Harrison’s Regiment,’—no. At Peterborough in 1643 (Noble, i. 133-4). He died, or was killed during the War; date and place not yet discoverable, Noble says it was at Appleby; referring to Whitlocke. Whitlocke (p. 318 of 1st edition, 322 of 2d), on ransacking the old Pamphlets, turns out to be indisputably in error. The Protector on his deathbed alludes to this Oliver’s death: ‘It went to my heart like a dagger, indeed it did.’

[9] Bridget; baptised 4th August 1624. Married to Ireton, 15th June 1646 (Noble, i. 134, is twice in error); widow, 26th November 1651. Married to Fleetwood (exact date, after long search, remains undiscovered; Noble, ii. 355 ‘before’ June 1652,—at random seemingly). Died at Stoke Newington, near London, September 1681.

[10] Richard; born 4th October 1626. At Felsted School. ‘In Lincoln’s Inn, 27th May 1647’: an error? Married, in 1649, Richard Mayor’s daughter, of Hursley, Hants. First in Parliament, 1654. Protector, 1658. Dies, poor idle Triviality, at Cheshunt, 12th July 1712.

[11] Henry; baptised at All-Saints (the rest are at St John’s), Huntingdon, 20th January 1627-8. Felsted School. In the army at sixteen. Captain, under Harrison I think, in 1647. Colonel in 1649, and in Ireland with his Father. Lord Deputy there in 1657. In 1660 retired to Spinney Abbey, ‘near Soham,’

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