Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1834-01-09
BIoaRAPH1oAL sxrrcHns.
OLIVER CROMWELL.


Cromwell, next TO Bonapsrte, the
most extraordinary character Of mod
ern times, was born al Huntington.
Ens.) April e5th, 1899, ofs respecta
ole and ancient family-his mother
being remotely connected with Charles
L., whose execution the son subsequent.
~ brought about lie is said To have
had some narrow escapes from death
among which II IL mentioned that n
monkey once seized him from his era.
die. and bolting with him from the
window, ran with him for som4 minute,
along the lead Of the roof. This peril
and acme Others. however, he escaped
The author of his "Life and Times
tells a well.authenticated story Of
his meeting Charles, when a boy Of
nearly his own age, n: the house Of
his uncle Sir Oliver. in IGO4, when the
Prince was on his way from Scotland
10 London: the two boys had not been
long together before Charles and his
companion disagreed; and as the for.
mer was then as weakly a. the other
wac strong. il was no wonder that the
royal NisItant was worsted. Oliver,
even at this age, so little regarded
dignity, that he made the ROYAL blood
now in eopious streams from the
Princes nose. This story 10 cited by
Russell in his life Of Cromwell, repub.
iished by the Harpers.
At seventeen be entered Sidney
Sussex College az Cambridge. bet his
father dying two years after. and leav.
ing the family not very sffluent, he
returned home. He then went TO
London, as is supposed, to study Law,
but sustained an indifferent character
Tor application. He continued 10 be a
Wild fellow after his second return TO
Huntington, till At about twenty one
he married the daughter Of nsighbor.
ing knight. received an accession Of
property and became steady in his
Cromwell became q member of Par.
lament in 1923. Ia 1850 he accented
. Commission IS JuStiee, from King
Charles, and about the same time he
removed tn 81. Ives; and devoted him.
sell. Tor several years, tn farming aud
preaching. A barn which he built is
said to be Still standing. and the iron
with which he marked his sheep 10 be
still used. marked o. C.-In 1867 he
undertook to emigrate 10 this country
with his cousin, the celebrated Hamp
den and Others. They had actually
got OIL board their vessels in the
Thames. when they were stopped by
the Kings order-mOst unfortunately
for himself as il afterwards proVed.--
Tie now bscame prev to melancholy,
itll he gradually interested himself in
politics. He became popular with the
CommoDalty, wss returned again 10
Parliament ia 1910, and commenced
and carried on. from that time. as is
we'll known, growing opposition to-
the royal interest. An old writer
speaks thus Of his appearance in Par.
lament:
81 came one morning into the House
we'll clad, and perceived . gentleman
speaking whom know not, very ordi.
nariiy apparelled, for IL vas . plain
cloth suit. which seemed to have been
made by an III country tailor; his linen
was PLAN and not very clean, and I
remembered q speck or two Of blood
upon bis little baud, which was not
much larger than the collar; his hat
was without haiband. his stature was
Of good size, his sword stuck close
to his eide. his eOuOtenanee swollen
and reddish, HE voice sharp snd untu.
nable, and his eloquenes full Of fervOur,
Tor the subject matter would not bear
much Of reason; it beipg in behalf Of a
servant Of Mr.. Pfynn's, who had dis
persed hbsls against the Queen for her
dancing. and such like innoeent and
csurtly sports; and he sgzravsted tho
imprisonment Of this man BY the Coun
eil Table unto lhst height that one
would have believed the very govern.
ment Itself had been in great danger
By u. sincerely profess u letsensd
much nv reverence unto that great
council, for he Wss very much heafk en-.
ell unto. And yet lived to see this
very gentleman, whom cot of no iil
will thus describe, by multiplied good
successes, and by rsAland yet 1surped
Powef-hsvihg had q better tailor and
more converse among good eOmpsay-
J IN ny own eve, when for six weeks