{38} In the seventeenth century Lancashire enjoyed an unhappy pre-eminence in the annals of superstition, and it was regarded especially as a land of witches. This fame appears to have originated partly in the execution of a number of persons in 1612, who were pretended to have been associated together in the crime of witchcraft, and who held their unearthly meetings at the Malkin Tower, in the forest of Pendle. In 1613 was published an account of the trials, in a thick pamphlet, entitled “The Wonderful Discoverie of Witches in the Countie of Lancaster. With the Arraignment and Triall of nineteene notorious Witches, at the Assizes and general Goale Deliverie, holden in the Castle of Lancaster, on Monday, the seventeenth of August last, 1612. Published and set forth by commandment of his Majesties Justices of Assize in the North Parts, by Thomas Potts, Esquier.” “The famous History of the Lancashire Witches” continued to be popular as a chap-book up to the beginning of the nineteenth century.—T. WRIGHT. {39} An allusion to the Dutch War of 1651 and 1652. {40} Oliver Cromwell. {41} The Welsh were frequently the subject of satirical allusions during the civil wars and the Commonwealth. {42} Speaker of the Long Parliament. {43} Cromwell’s wife. {44} Cromwell’s two sons, Richard and Henry. {45} Cromwell’s daughter. {46} Col. Pride, originally a brewer’s drayman. {47} Walter Strickland, M.P. for a Cornish borough. {48} Monk was with his troops in Scotland, but had declared himself an approver of the proceedings of the Parliament. {49} Dr John Owen, Joseph Caryl, and Philip Nye, were three of the most eminent divines of this eventful age. Caryl, who was a moderate independent, was the author of the well-known “Commentary on Job.” Dr Owen enjoyed the especial favour of Cromwell, who made him Dean of Christchurch, Oxford; in his youth he had shown an inclination to Presbyterianism, but early in the war he embraced the party of the Independents. He was a most prolific writer. Nye was also an eminent writer: previous to 1647 he had been a zealous Presbyterian, but on the rise of Cromwell’s influence he joined the Independents, and was employed on several occasions by that party.—T. W. {50} Col. John Ireton was the brother of the more celebrated Henry Ireton, and was an alderman of London. He appears to have been clerk of the Council of Officers at Wallingford House.