The Lion's Whelp

On Thursday night, the second of September, being the ninth day of his hard fight, he bade his wife and children "a good-bye"; but into this sacred scene not even the tenderest imagination may intrude. Afterward he appeared to withdraw himself entirely within the shadow of the Almighty, waiting the signal for his release in a peaceful, even a happy, mood, and saying in a more and more laboured voice, "Truly God is good – indeed He is – He will not – leave. My work is done – but God will be – with His people." Some one offered him a drink to ease his restlessness and give him sleep, but he refused it. "It is not my design to drink or to sleep," he said; "my design is to make what haste I can to be gone." The last extremity indeed! but one full of that longing desire of the great Apostle "to depart and be with Christ, which is far better."

The next morning, the third of September, his Fortunate Day, "the day of Dunbar Field and Worcester's laureate wreath," he became speechless as the sun rose, and so he lay quiet until between three and four in the afternoon, when he was heard to give a deep sigh. The physician in attendance said softly, "He is gone!" And some knelt to pray, and all wept, but unmindful of his tears, Israel Swaffham cried in a tone of triumph —

"Thou good Soldier of God, Farewell! Thou hast fought a good fight, thou hast kept the faith, and there is laid up for thee a crown greater than England's crown, a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give thee."

But Doctor Verity went slowly to the beloved Dead; he put tenderly back his long gray hair, damp with the dew of death, and closed the eyelids over his darkened eyes, and kissed him on his brow, and on his lips; and as he turned sorrowfully away forever, whispered only two words: —

"Vale Cromwell!"

1

This house is still standing.

2

See Knight's History of England, Vol. 3, p. 464; Clarendon (royalist historian) says 50,000; Paxton Hood, Life of Cromwell, p. 141, says as high as 200,000; Church (American edition) from 50,000 to 200,000 with mutilations and torture; Imgard, the Catholic historian, in Vol. X, p. 177, admits the atrocity of the massacre. Many other authorities, notably Hickson's "Ireland in the 17th Century," which contains the depositions before Parliament relating to the massacre. These documents, printed for the first time in 1884, will cause simple wonder that a terrible massacre on a large scale could ever be questioned, nor in the 17th century was it ever questioned, nor in the face of these documents can it ever be questioned, except by those who put their personal prejudice or interest before the truth.

3

Popular and patriotic songs having the same vogue then as Moore's Melodies in our era.

4

One hundred and sixty years after Blake's punishment, England and America united to finally put an end to the pirates of the Mediterranean.

5

Wisdom of Solomon, Chap. 4, vs. 10-13.

6

Tobit, Chap. 5, v. 16.

7

Matilda's desire was granted her.

She died childless, and the lands

of de Wick reverted to the Crown.

As for Swaffham, Cymlin, at his

death, left it to the eldest son of his brother

Tonbert; but the young man

longed for America, and soon sold it.

During the eighteenth century it

changed hands often; but in the early years

of the nineteenth century the

old house was replaced by a modern structure,

less storied but of extensive

proportions and very handsome design.

8

Nahum 2:4.

9

Amos 2: 2.