He was very restless most part of the night, speaking often to
himself. And, there being something to drink offered him, he was
desired to take the same, and endeavour to sleep; unto which he
answered, 'It is not my design to drink or to sleep, but my design is
to make what haste I can to be gone.' Afterwards, towards morning,
using divers holy expressions, implying much inward consolation and
peace, among the rest he spake some exceeding self-debasing words,
annihilating and judging himself." This is the last. The next day,
Friday, was his twice victorious Third of September, the anniversary
of Dunbar and Worcester. That morning he was speechless; and, though
the prayers in Whitehall, and in all London and the suburbs, did not
cease for him, people in the houses and passers in the streets knew
that hope was over and Oliver at the point of death. For several days
there had been cautious approaches to him on the subject of the
nomination of his successor, and either on the stormy Monday or later
that matter had been settled somehow.[1]

[Footnote 1: Council Order Books from July 8 to Sept. 2, 1658,
giving minutes of fifteen meetings at Whitehall or Hampton Court,
Cromwell present at the two first, viz. July 8 (Whitehall), July 15
(Hampton Court), and at the sixth, viz. July 29 (Hampton Court), but
at no other; Thurloe, VII. 309, 320, 323, 340, 344, 354-356,
362-364, 366-367, 369-370; _A Collection of Several Passages
concerning his late Highness, Oliver Cromwell, in the Time of his
Sickness_ (June 9, 1659, "London, Printed for Robert Ibbetson,
dwelling in Smithfield, near Hosier Lane"); _Cromwelliana_,
174-178 (including an abridgment of the last tract); Whitlocke, IV.
334-335; Markham's Life of Fairfax, 373-374; Ludlow, 610; Godwin, IV.
564-575; Carlyle, III. 367-376 (which may well be read again and
again); Sewel's History of the Quakers, 1. 242-245; Life of Newton by
Sir David Brewster (1860), I. 14.]

CHAPTER II.

MILTON'S LIFE AND SECRETARYSHIP THROUGH THE SECOND PROTECTORATE.

MILTON STILL IN OFFICE: LETTER TO MR. HENRY DE BRASS, WITH MILTON'S
OPINION OF SALLUST: LETTERS TO YOUNG RANELAGH AND HENRY OLDENBURG AT
SAUMUR: MORUS IN NEW CIRCUMSTANCES: ELEVEN MOBE STATE-LETTERS OF
MILTON FOR THE PROTECTOR (NOS. CI.-CXI.): ANDREW MARVELL BROUGHT IN
AS ASSISTANT FOREIGN SECRETARY AT LAST (SEPT. 1657): JOHN DRYDEN NOW
ALSO IN THE PROTECTOR'S EMPLOYMENT: BIRTH OF MILTON'S DAUGHTER BY HIS
SECOND WIFE: SIX MORE ST