A few of the Councillors were more closely in his confidence than the rest; Whitlocke, though not of the Council, was often consulted about special affairs; and the man-of-all-work, closeted with his Highness daily, was Mr.Secretary Thurloe.

His Highness had, moreover, a private secretary, Mr.William Malyn, who had been with him already for several years.[1] [Footnote 1: Council Order Books from Feb.

1857-8 onwards; Thurloe, II.

224.] As Cromwell had intimated in his Dissolution Speech, his first labour after the dissolution was to attack that vast complication of dangers of which he had already sure knowledge, and which he declared to have been caused, or brought to a head, by the wretched conduct of the Commons through their sixteen days of session, and by the positive treason of some of their number.

He had described the dangers as gathering from two quarters, though they were already interrelated and would run together at last.