The Life of John Milton, Volume 5 (of 7), 1654-1660: Narrated in Connexion with the Political, Ecclesiastical, and Literary History of His TimeMasson, David
History
The Life of John Milton, Volume 5 (of 7), 1654-1660: Narrated in Connexion with the Political, Ecclesiastical, and Literary History of His Time
Masson, David
Milton, John, 1608-1674; Poets, English -- Early modern, 1500-1700 -- Biography
It had occurred to Cromwell, however, that more could be done in
Ireland, and that his son-in-law Fleetwood was perhaps not
sufficiently energetic, or sufficiently Oliverian, for the purpose.
Accordingly, about the same time that Fleetwood had been raised to
the Lord-Deputyship, Cromwell's second son, Henry, had been appointed
Major-General of the Irish Army. The good impression he had made in
his former mission to Ireland (Vol. IV. p. 551) justified the
appointment. Not till the middle of 1655, however, did he arrive in
Ireland. His reception then was enthusiastic, and was followed by the
sudden recall of Fleetwood to London, professedly for a visit only,
but really not to return. The title of Lord-Deputy of Ireland was
still to be Fleetwood's for the full term of his original
appointment; but he was to be occupied by the duties of his English
Major-Generalship and his membership of Oliver's Council at home, and
the actual government of Ireland was thenceforth in the hands of
Henry Cromwell. The young Governor, whose wife had accompanied him,
held a kind of Court in Dublin, with Fleetwood's Councillors about
him, or others in their stead, and a number of new Judges. The
diverse tempers of these advisers, among whom were some Anabaptists
or Anti-Oliverians, and his own doubts as to some of the instructions
that reached him from his father, made his position a very difficult
one; but, though very anxious and sensitive, he managed admirably. In
particular, it was observed that, in matters of religion, he had all
his father's liberality. It was "against his conscience," he said,
"to bear hard upon any merely on account of a different judgment." He
conciliated the Presbyterian clergy in a remarkable manner; the
Royalists liked him; he would not quarrel with the Anabaptists; and
he was as moderate as possible towards the Roman Catholics.[1]
[Footnote 1: Godwin, IV. 449-458; _Milton Papers_ by Nickolls,
187-138; Carlyle, III. 108-109, and 133-140 (Letters from Cromwell to
his son Harry).]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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