360 
the High-ftreet, with a good many young 
lads, and a fhoemaker, who was well 
known to us all, by his drollery, and by 
the name of London Willie. As we were 
filently admiring the order of the troops, 
Cromwell happened to caft his eye upon 
us, and cried ont, “* Hah! Willie! come, 
hither, Willie! If we were furprized at 
this, we were more furprized to fee Willie 
retire into Bell’s-Wynd, and one of 
Cromwell’s attendants go after him, who 
brought him to the general, at whofe ftir- 
rup he not only walked, but went in with 
him to his lodging for fome minutes., My 
companions and I waited till Willie came 
ont, anxious to know why one of his fta- 
tion was taken notice of by the famous 
Cromwell, Willie focn fatisned our cu- 
riofity, by informing us, that his father 
had been a footman to James the Sixth, 
and accompanied him to London, at the 
union of the crowns: that he himfelf was 
bred a fhoemaker, and wrought in a lane 
through which Cromwell often pafled to 
2{chool, as he fuppofed: that Cromwell 
ufed to ftop at the workfhop to get his 
ball, and play-things mended, and to be 
amufed with his jokes, and Scotch pro- 
nunciation: that they had not met from 
that time till now: that he had retired 
into Bell’s-Wynd, left it fhould be re- 
membered that his father had belonged to 
the royal family; that he had no reaion, 
however, to be afraid, for the general had 
only put him in mind of his boyihh tricks ; 
had fpoken to him in the kindeft manner ; 
and had given him fome money to drink 
his health, which he was going to do with 
all expedition. 
Next Sunday (faid Danziel), Cromwell 
went to the inner church in Glafgow, St. 
Mungo’s, and placed himielf, with his 
attendants, inthe king’s feat, which was 
always unoccupied, except by ftrangers. 
The minifter of the church was Mr. Dur- 
ham, the author of fome religious books, 
which are ftill very popular. He was a 
great Prefbyterian, and as great an enemy 
to Cromweli, becaufe he thought, and 
early faid, that Cromwell and hts friends 
would be forced, by the convuliion of par- 
fies, to erect an abfolute government, the 
very evil they meant to remedy, The 
text was taken from Jeremiah, and the 
c¢ommentary upon it, by allufion, was 
‘invective againft Cromwell and his friends, 
under icriptural language and hiftory. 
During this fatire, they faw a young man, 
ene of Cromvell’s attendants, ftep to the 
back of his chair, and with an angry face, 
whifper fomething to him, which after 
feme words was anfwered by a frown; 
Snecilotes of Cromwell. 
and the young man retired behind the 
chair, feemingly very much difconcerted. 
The caufe of this was unknown to the 
congregation. It was fuppofed to be 
owing to fome intelligence of importance, 
which had been juft then received. But 
it was aiterwards known, and generally 
known, that the following werds had 
pafied between them. ‘* Shall I thoot the 
fellow ?”? «© What fellow?” “ ‘The par- 
fon.”? ¢* What parfon?’” *¢ "That par- 
fon.” ‘* Begone, fir, he is one fool and 
you 2re another,” Danziel added, that 
Cromwell fent for Mr, Durham the very 
next morning, and afked him, why-he was 
fuch an enemy to him and his friends? 
declared that they were not enemies to 
Mr. Durham; drank his health ina glafs 
of wine; and ‘afterwards, it was faid, 
prayed with him for the guidance of the 
Lord in all their doings. 
When Charles the Firft was in Scot- 
land, in 1633, a fubfcription was fet on 
foot, for building a new hail and library 
to the univerfity of Glaigcw; and the 
king's nam gp recat: at the head of the 
fubscribers for two hundred pounds fter- 
ling. The king, however, was not able, 
I {uppofe, to pay that fum; and he con- 
tracted fome debts at Perth, which are 
unpaid at this moment, When Cromwell 
arrived at the fummit.of his power, he 
fent two hundred pounds to the univerfity, 
and there is beicw the king’s fubicription, 
“¢ Solvit Dominus Proteétor.”’ One of the 
maciltrates of Edinburgh hearing of this, 
thought it intitled him to afk payment of 
the {um which the king had borrowed, 
when in town. But Cromwell did not 
liften to his petition; and when it was 
urged 2gain and-again, faid with vehe- 
mence, ‘* Have done, fir; Iam not the 
heir of Charles Stuart.”? To which the 
other replied with equal warmth, ‘* I wot 
well then you are his zw‘romitter; fhall I 
fay a vicious intromitter 2° In the law ef 
Scotland, imiremutter fienifies one who 
takes upon himielf to manage the eitate 
of adeceafed perion, and who, by that 
act, renders himfelf liablete all his debts ; 
and wiccus 1s, when it is done without 
any right, and, therefore, is a vice, or 
iniquity. Cromwell, thcugh abfolute, 
did not even chide him for this freedom ; 
but declared that he would never pay that 
money ; ** becaufe,” faid he, « I wili do 
things for a learned fociety, which I will 
not do for other focieties ; and I weuld 
have you know this.” 
Such ta&ts mark the temper and genius 
of celebrated men more diftin&tly, per- 
haps, than the laboured characters of 
many 
