CROMWELL'S HAT.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 162, 11 July 1928, Page 21

CROMWELL'S HAT.

Among the stories fold about Cromwell is one which shows very clearly hi.« attitude toward a conquered foe.

In 1043 Cromwell besieged Hillesden House, near Newport Pagnell, and the Royalist garrison was commanded by Sir William Smyth. This man had at firt fought on the side of Parliament, but had afterwards given his allegi-sn.-e to Charles Stuart. There were doubtless men among the Puritans who called him turncoat and traitor, and few who were willing to think generously of him. Hillesden House was not strong enough to hold out long against Cromwell and the garrison offered to surrender if they might march out with their arms and baggage. Cromwell granted-these term-. Tt must have seemed a good day to him when the Royalist troop-s marched nut between his Ironsides, for he had accomplished his task without shedding English blood. All at once there was a clamour and a, confusion, as if some mishap had befallen. A moment later the Royalist leader stood flushed and before hie conquerer. He complained bitterly about the insolence of a Roundhead soldier who had snatched off his hat. Cromwell immediately doffed the new beaver hat he wag wearing and said, "Sir 4 if I can discover the man who ■took your hat he shall be punished. Meantime, be pleased to accept this." Sir William waa then a young man of 27 and Cromwell was a colonel of 44, but the older man bared his head for the younger, and a shamed silence fell upon the clamorous soldiery who were standing around them. It was a little thing, but it is worth remembering, for it is out of _ small things that we build up our pictures of the great deswL State papers do not jjive us the full measure of a man. V. cannot see him clearly until we know many little things about him ae well as the 'big things. That is why we bless the gossip writers of other days, although we do not usually love those who live in our own.