PLOWDEN’S HISTORICAL REVIEW OF IRELAND. 
forges accusation, and the innocent are 
made to suffer together with the guilty ; 
it should pass on as in case of a natura 
demise. 3 
. Anexcellent dissertation is that which 
respects the administration of the Earl 
of Strafford, and the conduct of the 
Trish catholics towards Charles I. The 
following anecdote of Cromwell has 
escaped many English historians : 
«¢ The account of this Lord Broghill’s 
devoting himself to the service of Cromwell; 
taken from his panegyrist rather than bio- 
grapher (Mem. of the Boyle family, 1737, p. 
42.) is submitted to the reader, as a specimen 
6f the affection and loyalty of the Irish Pro- 
testants of that day, to the cause of the un- 
fortunate Charles I. ‘ [ have heard a certain 
great man, who knew the world perfectly 
well, assert, that a secret was never kept by 
three persons. His lordship had intrusted 
his secret to more than three ; and the Com- 
mittee of State, who spared for no money to 
get proper intelligence, being soon made ac- 
quainted with his who'edesign, determined to 
proceed against him with the utmost severity. 
Cromwell was at that time general of the 
parliament forces, and a member of the com- 
mittee. It is allowed by his enemies, that 
this wonderful man knew every person of 
great abilities in the three kingdoms: he was 
consequently no stranger to Lord Broghill’s 
merit; and reflecting that this young noble- 
man might be of great use to him in reducing 
Ireland, he earnestly entreated the com- 
mittee, that he might have leave to talk with 
him, and endeavour to gain him, before they 
proceeded to extremities. Having with great 
difficulty obtained this permission, he imme- 
diately dispatched a gentleman to the Lord 
Broghill, who let him know that the general, 
his master, intended to wait upon him, if he 
Knew at what hour he would he at leisure. 
The Lord Broghiil was infinitely surprised at 
this message, having never had the least ac- 
uaintance, or exchanged a single word with 
sromwell. He cherefore told the gentleman, 
that he presumed he was mistaken ; and that 
he was not the person to whom the general 
had sent him. The gentleman readily re- 
plied, that he was sent tothe Lord Broghill ;- 
and therefore if he was that lord, that he was 
sent to him. His lordship finding there 
was no mistake in the delivery of the mes- 
sage, confessed that he was the Lord Brog- 
hill : he desired the gentleman to present his 
humble duty to the general, and to let him 
know, that he would not give him the trou- 
ble to come to him, but that he himself would 
wait upon his excellency, if he knew at what 
hour it would be most proper for him to do 
so; and that in the mean time he would 
stay at home, to receive his further com- 
mands. he gentleman replied, that he 
would return directly and acquaint his gene- 
ral with what his lordship said.: The Lord 
- 
251 
Broghill, in'the mean time, was under a good 
deal of concern, at what should be the mean- 
ing of this message. He never once suspect- 
ed that his design was discovered ; but while 
he was musing in his chamber upon what 
had passed, and expecting the return of the 
gentleman, he saw Cromwell himself, to his 
great surprise, enter the room. When some 
mutual civilities had passed between them, 
and they were left alone, Cromwell told him 
in few words, that the committee of state 
were apprized of his design of- going over, 
and applying to Charles Stuart for a commis- 
sion to raise forces in Ireland ; and that they 
were determined to make an example of him, 
if he himself had not diverted them from that 
resolution. The Lord Broghill interrupted 
him here, and assured him, that the intelli- 
gence the committee had received was false : 
that he was neither in a capacity, nor had 
any inclination to raise disturbances in Ire- 
land ; and concluded with entreating his ex- 
cellency to have a kinder opinion of him— 
Cromwell, instead of making any reply, drew 
some papers out of his pocket, which were 
the copies of several letters the Lord Broghill 
had sent to those persons in whom he most 
confided, and put them into his hands. The 
Lord Broghill, upon the perusal of these pa- 
pers, finding it was to no a2 tah to dissem~ 
ble any longer, asked his excellency’s pardon 
for what he had said, returned him his hum- 
ble thanks for his protection against th: ” 
commitiee, and intreated his directions how 
he ought to behave in so delicate a conjunc- 
ture. Cromwell told him, that though tiil 
this time he had been a stranger to his per- 
son, he was not so to his merit and charac- 
ter; that he had heard how gallantly his 
lordship had already behaved in the IJiish 
wars; and therefore, since he was named 
lord lieutenant of Ireland, and the reducing 
that kingdom was now become his province, 
he had obtained leave of the committee to 
offer his lordship the command of a general 
officer, if he would serve in that war ; that 
he should have no oaths or engagements 
imposed upon him, nor be ecbliged to draw 
his sword against any but the Irish rebels. 
The Lord Broghill was infinitely surprised at 
so generous and unexpected an offer. He 
saw himself at liberty by all the rules of ho- 
nour, to serve against the Irish, whose re- 
bellion and barbarities were equally detested 
by the royal party and the parliament. He 
desired, however, the general to give him 
some time to consider Fe had been pro- 
posed to him. Cromwell briskly told him, 
that he must come to some resolution that 
very instant; that he himself was returning 
to the committee, who were still sitting, and, 
if his lordship rejected their offer, had deter- 
mined to send him immediately to the Tower. 
The Lord Broghill finding that his liberty 
and life were in the utmost danger, and 
charmed with the frankness and generosity 
of Cromwell’s behaviour, gave him his word 
and honor, that he would faithfally serve 
