INTRODIICTION. xi to do, though not able to enlarge in prayer, because of weakness, he prayed for the ruin of Anti-Christ, and for the churches of God beyond the sea, naming Savoy, Switzerland and Germany. The persecution of the Protestants of Piedmont had recently elicited the sympathy of Cromwell himself; who, receiving the sad news on the day on which the French treaty was to have been sealed,a " 3 June 1655. Cromwell's refused to sign it until the King and Cardinal undertook to Letters, &c. by assist him in getting right done to them. He had nobly sent Carlyle 1s46. g .y Neal's Hist. of 2,0001. from his own purse, and appointed a day of solemn humilia- the Puritans, vol. iv. p. 140; tion and a general collection, on which immense sums were contra- Toulmin's buted, for their relief. On this occasion Milton wrote his sonnet : Edition. " Avenge, O Lord, thy slaughtered saints, whose bones Lie scattered on the Alpine mountains cold," &c. &c. and Mr. Morland (afterwards Sir Samuel Morland) was sent ambas- sador to remonstrate with the Duke of Savoy, and on his return published " The History of the Evangelical Churches of the Valleys of Piedmont, 1658." Sir Robert had ever been the friend and patron of learning and reli- gion, both of which he sincerely loved; and many able ministers were settled in his neighbourhood through his influence, and found a shelter from trouble and persecution under his roof. To him were many works dedicated; among others there is " a 'Treatise on Simeon's Song; or Instructions advertising how to live holily and dye happily :" (Lond. 1659), composed for his use, when weakness and old age con- fined him to his chamber, by Timothy Woodroffe.' Woodroffe had b Wood's been tutor to Hobbs of MVlalmesbury, and had suffered himself much P this. vol. ill. in the beginning of the civil wars, from both parties; through Sir Robert's kindness he had been preferred to the rectory of Kings- land, in his own gift, and through his influence made one of the parliamentary preachers in the cathedral of Hereford. Sir Robert died at Brampton Bryan 6th Nov. 1656, and was there buried 10th Dec." on which occasion the church at Brampton, c B.Bryan,Reg.
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