Bridget: Father—­father.

Cromwell:
There—­no—­no. 
(To BASSETT.)
Take him, good fellow.  Care for him as you can.  Get a surgeon for him. 
Here’s money.  No, no, old man.

(BASSETT goes with SETH.)

Amos: A bloody T. And dumb.  God blast the King!

Cromwell: Take him to our lodging, daughter.  Go with them, Ireton.  I’ll follow.

(BRIDGET, AMOS, and IRETON go.)

Cromwell: John, you are my best-beloved friend.

Hampden: I praise myself in that more than in most.

Cromwell: I call you to witness.  That is a symbol.  Before God, I will not rest until all that it stands for in this unhappy England is less than the dust.  Amen.

Hampden: Amen.

(A linkman is heard calling in the street.  CROMWELL and HAMPDEN go out.)

THE SCENE CLOSES

    SCENE III

CROMWELL’S house at Ely.  A year later, 1642.  It is afternoon in winter.  MRS. CROMWELL is sitting by the fire, reading.  She looks a little more her eighty-odd years than she did in the first scene.  After a few moments BRIDGET comes in.  She is opening a letter.

Bridget: Father has written, grandmother.  Shall I read it to you?

Mrs. Cromwell: Yes, child.

Bridget
(sits by the fire, and reads): 
  My dear daughter, I am lately arrived in London, from Edgehill in
  the county of Warwickshire, where for the first time our men met the
  King’s army in set dispute.  It was late on the Sabbath afternoon, so
  that, as we lay for the attack, the sound of church bells came to us
  from three or four places.  The King had the better ground, also they
  exceeded us in numbers, both horse and foot, and in cannon.  It is
  hard to say which way the battle went, the advantage at one time
  being here, at another there.  Their horsemen behaved very well,
  being commanded by Prince Rupert, a soldier of great courage in the
  field.  Your Cousin Hampden managed a regiment with much honour, and
  twice or thrice delivered our cause.  We were engaged until night
  stayed us.  Some four thousand were slain, their loss, I hear, being
  the greater.  Of the sixty in my own troop, eighteen fell.  We had
  commendation from the general, and indeed I think we did not fail in
  resolution.  But this matter will not be accomplished save we build,
  as it were, again from the foundation.  This is God’s service, and
  all must be given.  To which end I am now coming home, to call out
  all such men as have the love of England in their hearts, and fear
  God.  I shall labour with them.  It seems to me that I shall be called
  to great trust in this, and I will set such example as I can.  Expect
  me as soon as you receive this, for indeed