1. Lenthall sent TC a copy of Notes and Queries, vol. 5, 24 April, which had queries from Lenthall about William Lenthall (1591–1662), speaker of the House of Commons in the Long Parliament, 1640, and in the restored Long Parliament, 1659 (393).
2. TC's letter is written below his answers given on a sheet attached parallel to the printed queries. Lenthall asked first:
“In a biographical notice (MS.) of Speaker Lenthall by the Rev. Mark Noble, I find the following passage: / ‘His (Lenthall's)
ancestor is mentioned in the will of Sir Richard Williams alias Cromwell … the great-grandfather of Oliver Lord Protector. There was always a friendship between the family of Cromwell and
that of Lenthall.’ / Can any one versed in Cromwellian lore kindly inform me if any such will is in existence; and … its date?”
Mark Noble (1754–1827), Memoirs of the Protectorate-House of Cromwell, 2 vols. (Birmingham, 1784); see 19:3. Replying to Lenthall, TC underlined the word “date” in the printed query and wrote to the side: “Will proved, ‘28 Novr 1546’ (Noble's Cromwell I.18); was seen by Noble, ‘in the Prerogative Office, Allan 20.’ (lp. note), where probably it still is.” Lenthall asked secondly whether
“there was always a friendship between the Cromwells and Lenthalls.” TC replied: “Probably none whatever.” Lenthall's third question was: “It
is stated by Wood (Athen. Oxon., article Lenthall), and repeated in substance by Noble … , that ‘two or more’” of the speeches by the speaker's son, Sir John Lenthall, “‘spoken
in the time of usurpation,’ are in print. … I should greatly value any clue that may direct me to them. … On Noble's authority,
when unsupported, … little reliance can be placed; but in any matter of detail … related by Wood, I have considerable … faith.”
TC responded: “There is little doubt Wood is correct; one seldom or never finds him wrong in regard to such points. Probably also the speeches are in the Museum;—but to ascertain there, and get at them there, will be a task! Mr Thomas Watts, if anybody in that Establisht, could be of any help to you.” For Anthony à Wood's Athenae Oxonienses, see 20:112. Lenthall finally asked: “In a brief and singularly inaccurate memoir of Lenthall, in the Lives of the Speakers [by J. A. Manning], lately published by Churton [1850], the following passage occurs: / ‘We omitted to state in reference to Mr. Lenthall's strenuous exertions in favour of the
gallant Earl of Derby, that Mrs. Cromwell, in one of her letters to the Protector, urges him to endeavour to effect a reconciliation
with the Speaker,’ &c. &c. / As no authority is cited, I should be glad to learn where the letters … referred to are to be
found.” TC replied: “Nonsense, and baseless balderdash, nearly altogether. There exists one ‘Letter’ from Mrs Cromwell in
which there is mention of the ‘Speaker’: it is to this probably … that the Author refers.” See Works 7:276.
