The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-05-20
some X BOOKS.
Cromwcli's Early Life.

sEOtuWVhs AS&tsy s''
The latest addition TO the Heroes OF the
Nations" series IL n life Of Olrer 'rornr'H py
CHARLES FIRTH (putnamsl. This book ~
based to some extent on an article contributed
by the author to the Dictionary OF Natloha'
biography" In isss, but II embodies the OUT
come OF later researches and the supeVaioe
of recently discovered documents, such as 'he
Clarke Papers. Fortunately for those VINO
And It difficult to wade through Carlyles WORK
the quotations from Cromwens letters or
speeches are here freely abridged We shouiu
add that the battle pLns have been drawn
.or this volume by NJ. V. DarbishIre. and. In
two cases. differ considerably from those gen
orally accepted az correct, The scheme oi this
series does not permit a discussion Of the reasons
why these alterations have been made bnt inc
author assure. us In his preface that the evil
dence concerning the battles In question mas
been carefully slfted. and any divergence from
The account. commonly received is intentional.
Those readers who desire to see thu sub)ec'
examined at length are referred 20 a study
OF the Battle Of Marston Moor. printed In Vol
ume XII OF the Transactions OF the Royal
Historical Society new ~series,. and to a similar
paper on the Battle of Dunbar. which. we are
told. will appear in Volume XIV.
II IL certain that Cromwell's forefathers
did not inherit the name Of Cromwell. but
acquired it by marriage. According to the
current account. which Ia accepted by the author
Of his volume. their original name WAS williams.
About sixty years ago. however. the
Hon. william O.. Williamson. who was
the second Governor OF Mains embodied
In a pamphlet the result OF careful re-
searches which had lad him 10 the belief that
the inheritsd patronymic OF Cromwells fore
fathers was not williams. but williamson.
Be that as IL may, there IL no doubt that the
family to which Oliver Cromwell belonged
owed the name by which II Ia known In history
TO Thomas Cromwell. Earl n Essex. the Min
lister OF Henry VIII, and the destroyer OF the
mopasteries. In i4o4 Thomas Cromwelrs Sis
ter. Katherine. had married Morgan Williams.
or williamson, a rich brewer. who had moved To
putney from Glamorganshire. Her eldest son.
Richard, took the surname OF Cromwell, en-
tered the service Of Henry VIII. and assisted
his uncle In his dealings with refractory
Churchmen. Grants Of land flowed in upon
the lucky kInsman Of the Kings vice gerent-
In 1888 he obtained the Benediotins Priory Of
Hinchinbrook near Huntingdon. In 1910 the
site Of the rich Benedictine abbey OF Ramsey
and some OF its most valuable manors we're
added TO his possessions. Honors as well as
wealth fell to his lot.
At a tournament held at Westminster on May
Day, i54o, Richard Cromwell was ~knighted by
King Henry VIII. Six weeks later fortune
turned against the Earl Of Essex. and on July
~. in the same year. he passed from the Tower
to the scaffold. According to tradition. his
nephew, Sir Richard Cromwell. did not shrink
from appearing at the Court in mourning raj
ment, and King Henry, respecting his fidelity
10 the executed man. pardoned his holiness.
He retained the Kings favor during the rest OF
his life, was made a gentleman Of the Privy Cham
Der and Constable OF Berkeley Castle, obtained
additional grants OF lands and died in l54s.
Sir Richards eldest son. Henry. built Hlnchin-
brook House. was knighted by Queen Elizabeth.
whom he entertained during one OF her prog
resses, and was four times Sheriff Of Hunting
donshire. As Marshal OF the county he or
ganized its forces at the tims OF the Spanish
Armada. People called him the Golden
knight" because OF his wealth and liberality,
and he matched his children with the best
blood Of the eastern counties. One daughter
was the mother OF Major-0enerd Edward
whallsy. one Of the Rssicides. another married
William Hampden. and her son was John Hamp-
den. or Sir Hsnry's sons. Oliver. his heir.
wa man who. from love Of ostentation,
pushed his fathers llberality to extravaganza.
When James |. came to England he was re-
celved at Hinchinhrook with such entertain
nent as had not been seen In any place before
since his first setting onward out Of Scotland
James made this Oliver Cromwell a knight Of
the Bath at the coronation. and paid him three
other visits during his reign. Robert Crom-
well, Sir Henry's second son, inherited from
his father an estate at Huntingdon. worth in
tboaa dave about rann N ,aar aqua 80 .h1,t rs..
times as much now. He sat for Huntingdon
In the Parliament Of 1893. filed the ONCE Of
bailiY for the borough. and was one Of the
Justices OF the Peace for the county. Robert
Cromwell married Elizabeth. daughter OF William
Steward Of Ely. Her family were we'll Of,
and she brought a ~jointure OF eco a year.