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Cleveland him. Comparatively few of his political poems have come down to us. That on 'The King's Disguise,' and the prose answer which he drew up to the summons of the besiegers of Newark, are specimens of his skill. He concludes the letter: 'When I received my commission for the government of this place, I annexed my life as a label to my trust.' His loyalty never decayed, nor did he despond in evil days. He avowed his readiness to resist to the last, but he found that 'the king's especial command, when first he surrendered himself into the hands of the Scots, made such stubborn loyalty a crime.' We are assured that Cleveland foresaw, and declared beforehand, that shameful sale of his sovereign's blood three days before the king reached the Scottish army. He expressed his loyal indignation in that memorable outburst entitled 'The Rebel Scot,' which has never been forgiven in the north, and which expressed his disgust and loathing for the treachery and arrogance of the Scots. He says of them, with biting sarcasm, in memorable words, 'praying with curst intent'—

He asserts that it is only their ravenous hunger which makes 'the Scots errant fight, and fight to eat.' He shows how even their scrupulosity in religion springs from their empty stomachs. His final couplet aroused the utmost anger : —

Answers were attempted by Barlow and others. The best are some manuscript lines by Andrew Marvell on Douglas, the 'loyal Scot,' during the Dutch war, only part of which appears in his printed works. Many poems were attributed to Cleveland which he would have disdained to write, but also many of the best occasional satires of the day came from him, and these still lack careful editing and identification. The surrender of Newark threw him out of employment, and although left at liberty, except during one brief interval, he was almost destitute. He found hospitality among the impoverished cavaliers. He gave in requital his services as tutor and the delight of his companionship. He was obliged to be circumspect, and cautiously limit the exercise of his wit so as not to gall the dominant powers. His brother William was in equal difficulties, but lived to find reward and brief preferment after the Restoration, becoming rector of Oldbury and Quatt, near Bridgnorth, Shropshire. He died in 1666, and left a son who was great-grandfather of Dr. Thomas Percy, bishop of Dromore and editor of the 'Reliques.' Aubrey relates that 'after the king was beaten out of the field, he (John Cleveland) came to London, where he and Samuel Butler of the same society had a club every night' (manuscript in Museo Ashmol. cit.) That any such regular club was maintained is improbable, but there was certainly friendship between the men. In November 1655 Cleveland was seized at Norwich. He had been reported by one Major-general Haines. The charges are five in number: '1. Gives no account of his reason for being at Norwich, "only he pretends that Edward Cooke, Esq., maketh use of him to help him in his studies." 2. Confesses that he hath lived in strict privacy at Mr. Cooke's. 3. At Cooke's house, "a family of notorious disorder," royalists and papists resort. 4. That Mr. Cleaveland liveth in a genteel garb, yet he confesseth that he hath no estate but 20l. per annum allowed by two gentlemen, and 30l. per annum paid by Mr. Cooke. 5. Mr. Cleaveland is a person of great abilities, and so able to do the greater disservice.' The charge is dated 10 Nov. 1655. Cleveland was sent to Yarmouth, and there imprisoned for three months, until he obtained release at the order of Cromwell, to whom he had written a manly and characteristic letter devoid of servility or arrogance. He obtained freedom without sacrifice of principle and independence.

Having obtained release he continued to live retired from the world. Apparently he never pursued the practice of physic, but depended chiefly on teaching for his support. Next he tried successfully to publish his early writings. Before 1656 the small volume of 'Poems by J. C.' was extensively circulated. In that year they were reissued by 'W. S.,' probably William Sheares, who next year printed the 'Petition.' This edition claims to have 'additions never before printed' (108 pp. with eight separately numbered, 'The Character of a Diurnall-Maker'). There are thirty-six poems; a few are loyal elegies on Charles I, Strafford, and Laud, and there are some sharp satires on 'The Mixt Assembly,' 'Smectymnuus, or the Club Divine,' the 'Scots Apostasie,' and the 'Hue and Cry after Sir John Presbyter,' such as had so galled his political foes. One of the elegies was written 'on the memory of Mr. Edward King, drowned in the Irish seas,' whom Milton also mourned in his 'Lycidas.' Probably nearly all the amatory poems had been of similarly early date, written while at Christ's College and St. John's. He went to live at Gray's Inn, 'after many intermediate stages (which