[Footnote 1:  Thurloe, III. 75-77, and 110-112; Council Order Book, July 3, 1656.  Godwin, whose accuracy can very seldom be impeached, had not turned to the last-cited pages of Thurloe; and hence he leaves the doggrel lines as indubitably Overton’s own (Hist. of Commonwealth, IV. 163).  Guizot and others simply follow Godwin in this, as in most things else.—­That Overton’s disaffection was very serious indeed, and that Cromwell had had good reason for his suspicions of him even on the former occasion, appears from the fact that among the Clarendon Papers in the Bodleian there is a draft, in Hyde’s hand, of a letter, dated April 1654, either actually sent, or meant to be sent, by Charles II. to Overton.  The substance of the letter, as in Mr. Macray’s abstract of it for the Calendar of the Clarendon Papers (II. 344), is as follows:—­“The King to Col.  Ov[erton]. Has received such information of his affection that he does not doubt it, and believes that he abhors those who, after all their pretences for the public, do now manifest that they have wholly intended to satisfy their own ambition.  He has it in his power to redeem what he has heretofore done amiss; and the King is very willing to receive such a service as may make him a principal instrument of his restoration, for which whatsoever he or his family shall wish they shall receive, and what he shall promise to any of his friends who may concur with him shall be made good.”  If this letter was among those found among Overton’s papers at Leith (which is not very likely), little wonder that Cromwell would not trust him at large a second time.]

At the date of Overton’s imprisonment the Protector was making up his mind to dismiss his troublesome First Parliament after his four months and a half of experience of its temper; and six days after that date he did dismiss it, to its own surprise, before it had sent him up a single Bill.  How many Latin letters had Overton’s friend Milton written for the Protector in his official capacity during the four months and a half of that troublesome Parliament?  So far as the records show, only three.  They were as follows:—­

(XLIX.) “To THE MOST ILLUSTRIOUS LORD, LUIS MENDEZ DE HARO,” Sept. 4, 1654:[1]—­The Spanish Prime Minister, Luis de Haro, had recently, in the Protector’s apparent indecision between the Spanish alliance and the French alliance, resolved to try to secure him for Spain by sending over a new Ambassador, to supersede Cardenas, or to co-operate with him.  He had announced the same in letters to Cromwell; who now thanks him, professes his desire to be in friendship with Spain, and promises every attention to the new Ambassador when he may arrive, Cromwell pays a compliment to the minister himself.  “To have your affection and approbation,” he says, “who by your worth and prudence have acquired such authority with the King of Spain that you preside, with a mind to match, over the greatest affairs of that kingdom, ought truly to be a pleasure to me corresponding with my apprehension of the honour I shall have from the good opinion of a man of excellence.”  Milton is dexterous in wording his documents.

[Footnote 1:  No. 29 in Skinner Transcript (where exact date is given); No. 47 in Printed Collection and in Phillips (where month only is given).]