An Exact CHARACTER OR, NARRATIVE OF The late right Noble, and magnificent LORD, Oliver Cromwell, The Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland; With the Dominions thereof.  
Together with a brief Recapitulation (or Declaration) of His many Miraculous Victories, Virtues, and Achievements, throughout the three Nations.  
With His Decease on Friday, the 3d of Septemb. 1658, being above 60 years of Age; And the Election of His eldest Son the Lord Richard, to be Lord Protector of England, Scotland, & Ireland, etc. With the Proclaiming of His Highness on Saturday, (the 4th instant) throughout the Cities of London, and Westminster.  
Written by T. l▪ W. of the Middle-Temple, London, for the present perusal of all honest Patriots: And allowed on, by special Authority, to be forthwith Printed and Published.  — Vivet post funera Virtus. 
London, Printed for G. E. & C. 1658.   

An Exact CHARACTER OF The late Right Noble, and magnificent LORD, Oliver Cromwell, The Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland.  
HE was born at Huntingdon, of Honourable Parents, and anciently of the Name and Family of Williams', Gentlemen of Note, in the County of Glamorgan in Southwales; which in the Reign of King Henry the Eighth, was changed into the Name of CROMWELL.  
He had his Education in the University of Cambridge, whence he came to Lincolnes-Inn, where we find him not to have spent over much time in the study of the Laws; but for the bettering of his understanding, rather employed his studies, in reading of men, then to dwell on the book, as being naturally more inclined, and affecting the practic part, than the theoric; though in the Liberal Sciences he was not to seek of a competent share of learning.  
Doubtless he was a great proficient, both in the knowledge of men and books, and a great observer of the General affairs of the World, which appeared not openly, until opportunity gave him the help, where, and how, to show what he was, and would be, in the active part, and Military employment, wherein even from the first beginning, to the last of the late unnatural Wars, on the very first unsheathing of the Sword, he sided with the Parliament, and constantly stood firm and trusty in the upholding the established Religion, the Laws of the Land, and Libertyes of his Country, even to the very period of his days, and in a most devout profession, and defending of them altogether, with the privileges of Parliament, of the breach of which, none was more tender, and fought more Valiantly for their preservation, without the least tergiversation or backsliding from that party to which he adheared.  
At the very beginning of the War, he was no more than a Captain of a Horse Troop, which out of a public spirit, and zeal to the cause, he first raised at his own charge, and by degrees (not by leaps) he deservedly came to higher Commands, having soon attained to the reputation of a most expert, skilful, vigilant, and indifatigable Soldier, even to the wonder & admiration of his assistants, and shortly after came to be (by the Parliaments prudent choice) Commander in chief, his then miraculous achievements considered, both in absolute finishing, and putting an end to the fury of the War in England, and stopping of that wide Orifice of blood, which ran throughout most parts of the Kingdom, during the full term of six years, his then expeditious reducing of Ireland, and South-Wales, with that which is of more remark, the overthrow of Duke Hambletons' Invading Army, the Kirk Arms at Dunbar, together with the reducing of all the Kingdom of Scotland, his there defeating of Charles Stuart's Army at Worcester; and all this done (as we say) in a trice; so that to attribute these wonderful Victories to blind Fortune, would be a derogation to God's great providence, which we may safely believe guided him in all these erterprises.  
Neither must we omit, how then he settled the Natives of the 3 Kingdoms, with those of the Principality, in a firm Peace, contrary to theexpectation of all men, so that, without flattery, it may be said of him, as it is of Caesar, that Venit, Vidit, & Vicit, that is, He came, he saw, and he conquered.  
His next great work was, the Reformation of the Church's affairs, too much diseased and disjointed by the admission thereinto of too many idol, ignorant, and debauched Ministers; but that which is more remarkable, is, that of establishing the Peace of the three Kingdoms, under such an Aristocratical Government, that every man that will, may securely sleep under his own Vine, and enjoy their estates, without fear of farther bloodshed, rapine and plunder.  
He married into the ancient and noble Family of the Bourchers, sometimes Earls of Essex, by whom he had two Sons, the Lord Richard, lately made Protector, in his Father's room, and the Lord Henry, now Lord Deputy of Ireland, Persons, of great honour, hopes, and abilities, and four Daughters, all Ladies of eminent virtues: The Lady Bridget, his eldest, first married to the Lord Ireton, lately, Lord Deputy of Ireland, and since his Decease, to the right noble Lord Charles Fleetwood: the Lady Elizabeth, his 2d Daughter, married to the Lord Claypole, lately deceased: the Lady Mary, his third Daughter, married to the right honourable the Lord Viscount Fauconberg; the Lady Francis his fourth, and youngest, Daughter, married to the right honourable Robert Rich, Grandchild to the right honourable the Earl of Warwick, lately Lord Admiral of England, during most of the time of the War between the late King and Parliament: And all these his Children, married and honourably disposed of in his life-time; so that we may truly say, that he lived, to be an Eye-witness of God's great Mercy & Blessings, poured on himself and whole Family, even to admiration, if we look upon the disasters of other families, wherein we assidually see the Father, and the Children to be disjoined by death, and left to the wide World, to seek their livelihoods, out of the cold Charity of Kindred, and such as take no care either for their Education, or Maintenance.  
Now, as to his Person, he was tall, well set, and well proportioned, throughout the whole Lineaments and Dimensions of his Body, and a most Active, Vigilan, Wary, and Circumspect Commander, in all his Martial Employments, even to the wonder of the Times; and of an high extraordinary Head-piece, yet he dayned not to be counselled, even in most of his lesser Affairs.  
As to his Intel'ectuals, Gifts, and Abilities, of his Mind, they were without compare, suited to that Great Work; whereunto (as we may safely believe) Almighty God in his great providence, had preordained Him to accomplish, in vindicating the Religion, Laws, and Liberties of his Country; wherein he acted the part both of an expert Soldier, a merciful General, a most zealous defender of God's Truth, and freed the three Nations from blood, rapine, and Tyranny, settled and established them all in peace and quietness; which if it be rightly taken into consideration, manifestly shows, That He alone was by God appointed to this most Important work, and Herculean Labour; which we see him to have nobly performed, without vainglory, ostentation, or boasting; but in a fair, quire, deliberate; ●nd modest temper of mind, & toil of body: for we find Him not subject to passion, lordliness, stateliness, or presumption, (the common and inseparable flaws and faults of greatness) but of an even, grave, stayed, patiented and affable comportment towards all men, and of all sorts, whether high or low, especially towards the distressed; yet of a very high, vast, and incomparable Judgement, without the least tincture of pride, rage or fury.  
He was Uxorious, and exceeding loving towards Her, that had the Honour of His bed: and a most Tender and Indulgent Father, towards all those which God had sent Him, by the only dear Consort both of his youth, and old age: a happiness and blessing seldom seen to accompany old and young to their graves: and to see their Issues honourably disposed of in his life-time; which is a visible sign and argument, that God had bestowed this great blessing upon Him, and His.  
He lived to be an eyewitness of the perferment of all his offspring to honour and greatness, and to leave behind him such a pattern of piety, zeal to the public interest, and such an abundant example of Charity, towards all men in distress, as cannot be parralleled in any we have known; And although we have no Monuments of Him left us in Stones, and Structures, yet have we infinite Precedents of his bounty and liberality to poor maimed Soldiers, & distressed people of either Sex, which are the Images of the Creator; on whom it is credibly reported, that out of his innared compassion, he bestowed not so little as 40000l. per annum, out of his own purse, and the allowance conferred on Him by the State for the honour of the Nations, and His Court: so that we find Him not any ways noted of covetousness, yet frugal and sparing all His expenses; so far as suited with Honour and His place.  
He came to be PROTECTOR in a very seasonable time, for the honour and support of his Country, and at a time when as there was no Steersman at the Helm; and 'tis a question, not easily to be resolved, whether then, there could be any One found fit to undergo a place of such Unweildinesse and Trust, other than Himself, which he faithfully underwent, and discharged, with as much Honour, Integrity, and Applause, (even of his Enemies) as possibly could be expected.  
He undertook this Unwieldy and Burdensome Place, on the period of the Wars in all the three Kingdoms, Decemb. 16. 1653. and ended the troublesome course of his life (at the Age of above 60 years) on the third of September; on which Day, he obtained those two Admirable Victories, at Dunbar and Worcester; which same Day, being formerly a day of Trouble to him; God was now graciously pleased to make it a Day of Rest, by taking him to Himself. He was magnified and beloved of all honest hearted men; and we believe as little hated of any, as we have read of, living in the splendour of Command and Greatness; having reduced the Three Kingdoms in a settled Peace, and Quietness, to the wonder of the World, and contrary to the general expectation of the best Judgements.  
The Lord RICHARD his eldest Son being the next day proclaimed LORD PROTECTOR of England, Scotland, and Ireland; A Person, on whom the Hopes of the Nations grow strong, That he (as he succeeds so Illustrious a Father) will not degenerate from the Virtues of such an unparallelled Parent.  
To speak more in his praise, would be a lessening to his Worth and Merits, and happily a means to draw envy on the Author, who hath written this little (much too scanty) for his great and miraculous Achievements, his famous Victories, and everlasting praise; which in times to come will (doubtless) be augmented to a Volume; which happily the Nation shall shortly see.  
God in his great mercy so bless and prosper his Hopeful Successor, that he may be a Religion's Imitator of Him, who is at Rest; and that he may be to these Nations such a Patriot, as preceded him, in the Government. Which is cordially wished by him, who subscribes  
T. L. W. of the Middle-Temple, London.   
FINIS.