History of England by John Oldmixon

That vile Insult of Æchard, on the Corpse of the late Proteétor, They were oblig’d to bury it suddenly by Reason of the uncommon Stench, puts me in Mind of a Story, which I had forty Years ago, from a Gentlewoman who attended Cromwel in his last Sickness. She was a religious Woman, and her Authority at least as good as John Thorougood, the Boy from whom, at the third and fourth Hand, Echard took the Fable of the Bargain between the Devil and Oliver. She told me, that the Day after Cromwel’s Death, it was consulted how to dispofe of his Corpse. They cou’d not pretend to keep it for the Pomp of a publick Burial. Among other Proposals this was one, that considering the Malice, Rage and Cruelty of the Cavaliers it was most certain, they who never spar’d either Living or Dead, in the Lust of their Revenge, would, insult the Body of this their most dreadful Enemy, if ever it was in their Power; and to prevent its falling into such barbarous Hands, it was resolv’d to wrap it up in Lead, to put it aboard a Barge, and sink it in the deepest Part of the Thames, which was done the Night following: Two of his near Relations, with some trusty Soldiers, undertaking to do it. There is as much Reason to believe this Story, as any thing told us from Hear-say, by either of the two Historians, who we have Cause to object against.