to my Lady.— Adjutant Allen desires Colonel Baxter, sometime Governor of Reading, may be remembered. I humbly desire Colonel Overton may not be out of your remembrance. He is a deserving man, and presents his humble services to you.— —Upon the Fast-day, divers soldiers were raised (as I heard), both horse and foot, near 200 in Covent Garden, To prevent us soldiers from cutting the Presbyterians throats! These are fine tricks to mock God with.[1]
This flagrant insult to ‘us soldiers,’ in Covent Garden and doubtless elsewhere, as if the zealous Presbyterian Preacher were not safe from violence in bewailing Schism,—is very significant. The Lieutenant-General himself might have seen as well as ‘heard’ it,—for he lived hard by, in Drury Lane, I think; but was of course at his own Church, bewailing Schism too, though not in so strait-laced a manner.—
Oliver’s Sister Anna, Mrs. Sewster, of Wistow, Huntingdonshire, had died in these months, 1st November 1646.[2] Among her little girls is one, Robina, for whom there is a distinguished Scotch Husband in store; far off as yet, an ‘Ensign in the French Army’ as yet, William Lockhart by name; of whom we may hear more.
This Letter lies contiguous to Letter xxxiv. in the Sloane Volume: Letter xxxiv. is sealed conspicuously with red wax; this Letter, as is fit, with black. The Cromwell crest, ‘lion with ring on his fore-gamb,’—the same big seal,—is on both.
Commons Journals, 17th March 1646: ‘Ordered, That the Committee of the Army do write unto the General, and acquaint him that this House takes notice of his care in ordering that none of the Forces under his Command should quarter nearer than Five-and-Twenty Miles of this City:
