By W. W. Ravenhill, Esq. 



41 



would intercede his highnesse for their lives — Sir, I shall presse it to you with 

 importunitie, that you will move it to his highnesse, that soe if any may be 

 thought worthy of pitty as to have their lives, that his favour may extend to 

 those men, though not for their owne sakes, yet in regard of my reputation, 

 because I lye under a promise to them — Sir, hereby you will infinitely oblidge 



Sir, your most humble servant, 

 Exon, March 20, 1655. TJnton Croke."* 



On the 12th of April following he writes to Thurloe again from 



Salisbury, on the same subject 



11 Honorable Sir, 



I received yours at Exceter on Saturday last, and accordingly repayred 

 to Sarum to attend the judges, where I at present am. You were pleased to 

 putt mee in hopes, that his highness might bee intreated for the sparing of these 

 6 persons I wrote about, and promised me your assistance in promoting my 

 request. Sir, I doe agayne intreate your intercession, and that if it be possible, 

 by the very next post I may be ascertained, whether there is a possibility of 

 their reprievall. One of them is Wake, 2 brothers, whose names are Colliers. 

 I profess I have forgot the others names, but they are all 5 contemptible persons ; 

 yet by reason of my engagement, I cannot but continue my importunitie, that 

 they might be spared. Sir, I am very tedious with you, but I hope you will 

 pardon, 



Honourable Sir, 



Sarum, April 12 th , Your very humble servant, 



1655. Unton Croke." 



Apparently this appeal was not without effect, for those of them 

 who were placed at the bar, were not tried but pleaded guilty on 

 the assurance of his Highnesses mercy. 1 



Of William Wake, we have the following account, written by his 

 son and namesake who became Bishop of Lincoln 1705, and Arch- 

 bishop of Canterbury 1715. 2 



" Mr. "William Wake, father to the Archbishop, born April 28, 1628, was 

 carried very young into the king's army, and suffered much for the royal cause, 

 more than most of his quality ; being imprisoned above twenty times, and once 



*3 Th., 281. The first portion of this letter which relates to Penruddock and Jones being sent to 

 London, will be found vol. xiii., p. 150, Wilts Mag. 



1 See 3 Th., 398, and Attorney General's letter, sup , p. 273. 

 2 Hutchins's Dorset (ed. 2nd), vol. i., p. 140 ; where it is also stated that he 

 was the son of William Wake, Rector of the Holy Trinity at Wareham, a 

 noted royalist, whose sufferings in connection with the royal cause, are narrated 

 by Mr. Hutchins, vol. ii., p. 518, on the authority of the former. Perchance 

 the latter may be the Mr. Wake mentioned by Rushworth as being brought 

 under the notice of the House of Commons, March 25th, 1647. " A pretended 

 Pastor who gathered Cavaliers even as far as from Exeter to Brainstone near 

 Blandford. Rush., part iv., vol. ii., p. 1037. 



