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HISTORY OF ENGLAHD.

chap, cruelty of his enemies, betray any of his friends. On the last- 168 ' 5 ; -morning of his life he wrote these words: “ I have named noneto their disadvantage. I thank God he hath supported mewonderfully.”

He composed his own epitaph, a short poem, full ofmeaning and spirit, simple and forcible in style, and notcontemptible in versification. In this little piece he com-plained that, though his enemies had repeatedly decreed hisdeath, his friends had been still more cruel. A comment onthese expressions is to be found in a letter which he addressedto a lady residing in Holland. She had furnished him with alarge sum of money for his expedition, and he thought herentitled to a full explanation of the causes which had led to hisfailure. He acquitted his coadjutors of treachery, but de-scribed their folly, their ignorance, and their factious per-verseness, in terms which their own testimony has sinceproved to have been richly deserved. He afterwards doubtedwhether he had not used language too severe to become adying Christian, and, in a separate paper, begged his friendto suppress what he had said of these men. “ Only this I mustacknowledge,” he mildly added; “they were not governable.”

Most of his few remaining hours were passed in devotion,and in affectionate intercourse with some members of hisfamily. He professed no repentance on account of his lastenterprise, but bewailed, with great emotion, his formercompliance in spiritual things with the pleasure of the govern-ment. He had, he said, been justly punished. One whohad so long been guilty of cowardice and dissimulation wasnot worthy to be the instrument of salvation to the State andChurch. Yet the cause, he frequently repeated, was thecause of God, and would assuredly triumph. “I do not,” hesaid, “take on myself to be a prophet. But I have a strongimpression on my spirit, that deliverance will come verysuddenly.” It is not strange that some zealous Presbyterians