.

p. 363 _Pryn._ William Prynne (1600-69) had been sentenced to severe
punishment in February, 1634, for the scandals and libels contained
in his dull diatribe, _Histriomastix._ He lost both his ears in the
pillory.

p. 365 _Needham._ Marchamont Nedham, 'the Commonwealth's Didaper',
was a graduate of All Souls, Oxon, and sometime an usher at Merchant
Taylors' school. He also seems to have been connected with the legal
profession. 'The skip-jack of all fortunes', neither side has a good
word for this notorious pamphleteer, the very scum of our early
journalism. When _Mercurius Britannicus_ temporarily ceased
publication with No. 50, 9 September, 1644, Nedham recommenced it on
the 30th of the same month with No. 51 (not No. 52 as is sometimes
stated). No. 92, 28 July-4 August, 1645, and the number 11-18 May,
1646, revile the King in such scurrilous terms that Nedham was haled
to the bar of the House of Lords and imprisoned. Later he turned
Royalist, but in 1650 published _The Case of the Commonwealth
Stated_, a defence of the regicides, for which he received a pension
of L100 a year. He fled to Holland, April, 1660, but being pardoned,
returned to England. He died in Devereux Court, Temple Bar,
November, 1678, and is buried in St. Clement Danes. Wood
characterizes him as 'a most seditious, mutable and railing author,'
whilst Cleveland terms him 'that impudent and incorrigible reviler'.

p. 365 _Ireton, my best of Sons._ Noble, in his _Memoirs of the
Cromwell Family_, says that the fact Fleetwood had not the abilities
of her first husband gave his wife much concern, as she saw with
great regret the ruin his conduct must bring on herself and her
children.

p. 366 _Richard's Wife._ Richard Cromwell at the age of 23 married
Dorothy, daughter of Richard Major, of Hursley, Hampshire.

p. 366 _glorious Titles._ Cromwell's wife was, as a matter of fact,
very averse to all grandeur and state. The satires of the time laugh
at her homeliness and parsimony.

p. 369 _Ormond._ James Butler, Duke of Ormond, was lord-lieutenant
of Ireland, 1643-47.

p. 370 _Exercise._ A common term amongst the Puritans for worship; a
sermon or extemporary prayer. As early as 1574. Archbishop Whitgift
speaks of the exercises of 'praying, singing of psalms, interpreting
and prophesying', cf. Davenant, _The Wits_ (4to 1636):--

I am a new man, Luce; thou shalt find me