C R O 



361 



Cromlech, ascribe both these purposes to it. Nor is this at all im- 



GromwUI. probable; for we know that, in many parts of the 



V ""Y""'~*' world, victims have been offered at the grave of one 



deceased, either at the moment of interment, or long 



subsequent to it. 



We shall omit making any observations on the senti- 

 ments of those whose imagination has led them to con- 

 ceive that the cromlech was erected for astronomical 

 purposes ; and who have conjectured, that one at Drew- 

 eteignton, in Devonshire, in particular, has subsisted 

 above 2200 years. General conclusions are not to be 

 drawn from a single example, more especially when it is 

 altogether unsupported by the most remote semblance 

 of evidence. Too much has possibly been said con- 

 cerning the astronomical purposes of the rude monu- 

 ments of antiquity extant in this country. 



The erection of the cromlech, considering it as an al- 

 tar of sacrifice, is, by common consent, ascribed to the 

 Druids. But here also there is as little evidence of the 

 fact. All that we know of the history of that singular 

 race of priests or augurs is to be collected from meagre 

 materials, in which no mention is made of huge altars 

 of stone for the immolation of human victims. 



On maturely weighing all that has been written on 

 the subject of cromlechs, and taking into view their va- 

 rieties in site and structure, it seems rather more proba- 

 ble that they have been designed as memorials of per- 

 sons deceased, than for any other purpose ; and that, 

 after all remembrance of their original use was lost, or 

 even while it was preserved, superstitious practices may 

 have been performed upon them. See Wormius Monu~ 

 menta Danica, p. 4. 7. 8. ; Keysler Antiquitntes Septen- 

 trionales, p. 5, 6, 7 ; King Muminenta Antiqua, v. i. p. 

 210; Torfaeus Hisloria Orcadum, p. ig ; Camden's 

 Britannia, by Gough ; Borlase's Antiquities of Corn- 

 mail, p. 223; "Polwheles's History of Cornwall;' Grose's 

 Antiquities of Ireland, v. 1. introd. p. II, 12; Row- 

 land Monn Antiqua, p. 93 — 206; Wright's Louih/ana, 

 b. iii. p. 12, 13; Archceologia, v. 2. and 4; Maundrell's 

 Travels, p. 20; Pennant's Tour in Wales, vol. ii.; and 

 Smith's Natural and Civil History of Cork, (c) 



CROMWELL, Oliver, protector of the common- 

 wealth of England, was born in the parish of St John 

 Huntingdon, on the 25th of April 1599. There is 

 some obscurity, and consequent difference of opinion, 

 respecting the condition and rank of his ancestors ; but 

 it is generally believed that his parents were in a re- 

 spectable situation in life, and that he was remotely 

 allied, on his mother's side, to the Stuart family, and 

 descended, on the side of his father, from a sister of the 

 favourite of the prime minister, and afterwards the vic- 

 tim of Henry VIII. It is certain, at least, that Oliver 

 Cromwell, his mother, wife, and uncle, subscribed Wil- 

 liams, alias Cromwell, in the sale of the paternal estate, 

 the former of which names they are supposed to have 

 derived from Sir Richard Williams, Lord Cromwell's 

 nephew, and the great-grandfather of Oliver Cromwell. 

 This circumstance would place the paternal descent of 

 Oliver from Thomas Cromwell beyond a doubt, were 

 it not that he positively denied it ; for when Goodman, 

 bishop of Gloucester, who was desirous of obtaining 

 the favour of the protector, dedicated a book to him, 

 in which he claimed kindred to him, as being himself 

 allied to Thomas Lord Cromwell, the protector replied, 

 with a considerable degree of warmth, that " that Lord 

 was not related to his family in any degree." 



Of the character, disposition, talents, and behaviour 

 of Oliver Cromwell while he was- at school, there are 

 v«-y various and contradictory accounts. The proba- 

 iol. ru. PART i. 



C R O 



bihty is, that lie was not marked, at this time, by any Cromwet!, 

 peculiarity to distinguish him from other boys, except "-" T"— 

 by an uneasy and turbulent temper, which frequently 

 led him into difficulties, and which kept him aloof, in 

 a great degree, from the confidence and friendship of 

 his school-fellows : this circumstance is well attested 

 by authors of unsuspected veracity. He was distin- 

 guished also, according to some, in the very early 

 periods of his life, by the same species of enthusiasm 

 which entered so largely into his character, and contri- 

 buted so materially to his success, when he engaged in 

 public concerns. One effect and instance of this enthu- 

 siasm is very striking, and if it could be so well attest- 

 ed as to deserve implicit belief, it would prove that am- 

 bition as well as enthusiasm distinguished him in his 

 youth : As he was lying, in a thoughtful and melancholy 

 mood, on his bed, in the day time, he fancied he saw a 

 spectre, which informed him, that he should be the 

 greatest man in the kingdom. In the reality of this 

 apparition, and of its prediction and promise, Cromwell 

 persisted, notwithstanding he thus incurred the anger of 

 his father and the chastisement of his master. It is 

 probable that his natural temperament produced and 

 led him to indulge, in these fits of fancy, and that after- 

 wards, when he perceived how greatly they miebt 

 conduce to the high and difficult objects he had in con- 

 templation and in hope, he pretended to be subject to 

 them even after the strength of his mind and of his 

 constitution had thrown them off. 



On the 23d of April 1616, he was admitted a felloW 

 commoner of Sidney College, Cambridge, where hfc 

 paid more attention, and gave up more of his time, to 

 football, cricket, and other manly and vigorous exer- 

 cises, in which he was wonderfully skilful and expert 

 than to his studies. When he had been about two 

 years at college, he was recalled home by the death of 

 his father. At home he became excessively dissolute 

 and licentious, which gave so much uneasiness to his 

 mother, that she sent him to London, where he was 

 entered at Lincoln's Inn. As he had discovered no pre- 

 dilection for the law, and his habits of idleness and ir- 

 regularity were rather increased than diminished, by 

 the temptations to which he was exposed in the metro- 

 polis, this scheme for reforming him seems to have been 

 ill-advised. His licentiousness was iioav very gross, as 

 well as constant. Almost the whole of his time was 

 spent in the company of women of the most low and aban- 

 doned characters, in drunkenness and infamy. In con- 

 sequence of this mode of life, the property which his 

 father had left him, was speedily dissipated. Notwith- 

 standing the profligacy of his character, and the des- 

 perate state of his affairs, he paid his addresses to Eliza- 

 beth, daughter of Sir James Bouchier of Essex, and by 

 the interest of his relations Hampden, Harrington and 

 Stewart, he obtained her in marriage, when he was 

 scarcely twenty-one years of age. 



Soon after his marriage, he returned to Huntingdon 

 and passed suddenly, and at once, from a dissolute and 

 licentious, to a grave and sober life. This change so 

 striking, complete, and sudden, has not been satisfac- 

 torily accounted tor; had it been to the extreme of en- 

 thusiastic devotion, it could not have appeared uncom- 

 mon, but there is good reason for believing, that when 

 it took place, he was not connected with the Puritans 

 but retained his belief in the doctrines and discipline 

 of the church of England. Not long after his return 

 to his native place, an estate of about jT400 a year si- 

 tuated in the Isle of Ely, which devolved to him by 

 tl* death of his uncle. Sir Thomas Stewart, induced 

 2 z 



