insinuate themselves with the common people, regarded him with an evill eie, and so disconrag'cl him, that being offer'cl much better preferment, and invited by Coll. Cromwell into other parts, he acquainted the governor with it, offering withall t hat, if he might yet be protected from affronts in his employment, he would stay and serve the governor for halfe the salary offcr'd elcewhere. But the governor, although he were very sorry to part with him, and the service would much misse him, yet being so much iniur'd himselfe, could not undertake the protection of any of his officers, and there- ·fore would not hinder his preferment, but suffer'd him to goe to Cromwell. Such was the envie of the committee to him, that iust as he was going, that very day, they not willing to let him depart in peace, although they knew he had iustly expended all the mony he had receiv'cl of tliem, yet they call'd for an account, from the beginning of his employment, which they had often seene in parcells, but believing he could not so readily give it them al ltogether, they then clemanclecl it. I-Ie immediately brought it fortb, and gott by it twelve shillings clue to him upon the foote thereof, which he intended not to have ask'cl them, but receiving it upon the exhibition of his account, went away smiling at their mallice; which yett would not let him go soe, for then Henry vVandall came with a petition to the governor, that he would vindicate the honour of the Earle of Essex against Mr. Hooper, whom he accus'cl to have spoken words against him, and clone actions to his dishonor. The governor knowing this was but mallice, accepted security for him, •which was offer'd by Mr. Pigott and Maior Watson, that he should answer what could be obiected against him at any councell of warre he should be call'd to.' b This Mr. Hooper was undoubtedly a person of singular abil ities. Mr. Sprigge, in his Anglia Rediviva, mentions him as serving Sir Thomas Fairfax at the siege of Oxford !lOd other places as engineer extraordinary, and greatly expediting all his
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