Page:Life of Sir William Petty 1623 – 1687.djvu/110

 be permitted to proceed with my Vindicacion at Dublin, if this be a time for any particular busines lesse then the preservacion of the whole.

'I remain

'May it please your Excellency

'Your Excellency's most obedient

and faithful servant

'Wm. Petty.

Dr. Petty brought with him to Dublin a message from General Fleetwood, urging the Lord Deputy to come over at once for consultation on the perilous situation of their affairs. Henry Cromwell, however, thought it was impossible to desert the helm of Government in Ireland, though conscious that they both might at any moment be swept away by the rising storm, and he resolved to send over Dr. Petty again to state his views.

In May the restored Rump Parliament met, and on the 26th of the month the Republican party obtained the resignation of Richard Cromwell. They also passed a resolution calling on Henry Cromwell to come over to London at once to report. Dr. Petty had meanwhile left for England, the bearer of a confidential letter to Richard Cromwell, containing the Lord Deputy's views on the situation, and of the following letter to General Fleetwood, evidently written under a great sense of discouragement:—

'I received yours of the 7th instant, whereby and by divers other letters, I take notice of the votes in Parliament concerning my coming to England. That news has so many odd circumstances, and such animadversions are made upon it, as I think it much concerns me to know the meaning with all the