100 A SKETCH OF OLD NEWCASTLE. 



in weight, by one end, and holding both his hands 

 behind him, lifted up the other end the whole height of 

 the room, which the doctor says, by computation according 

 to the centre of gravity, shows that he lifted with his 

 teeth about IGOlbs. weight. 



Passing from this hero of Newcastle to others of a , 

 different character, I may just mention before concluding 

 that the town gave birth to two men of some renown 

 in their day, and who exercised considerable influence 

 during the civil wars in the time of Cromwell, one a 

 soldier, the other a divine. The former of these, General 

 Harrison, was one of Cromwell's major-generals, a body 

 of men said to have been appointed by Oliver to keep a 

 look-out against all parties whose influence he was anxi- 

 ous to hold in check, not only Cavaliers, but also Presby- 

 terians, Independents, and Republicans. Thomas Harrison 

 was the son, some say of an attorney, but, I believe, 

 more correctly, of a butcher of respectable position, and 

 an alderman of the borough. He was born in the 

 house now occupied by Mr. Harrison, carver and gilder, 

 in the High-street. It is said that he deserted Oliver 

 (but not "the cause") when he found that he aspired 

 to absolute authority. Harrison was among the regicides 

 who were tried after the Restoration, and was condemned as 

 a traitor. His head was set up at Westminster, and 

 his body quartered. He died peacefully, protesting that 

 the cause for which he suffered was still dear to his 

 heart. 



The other individual to whom I referred was John 

 Goodwin, whose character as a theologian ranked high 

 among the Puritans, though he was opposed to many of 

 them in his theology. It has been said that "he made 



