"To Matthew, Lord Bishop of Ely,
Willm. Fuller, Deane of Ely, and to
Daniell Wigmore, Archdeacon of Ely.
William March, Esq.
Anthony Page, Esq.
Henry Gooderick, Gent.
Oliver Cromwell, Esq.
Willm. Anger.
Willm. Cranford.
John Hand, and
Willm. Austen."
Whether Cromwell attended the sitting of the commissioners does not
appear.
The letter from Cromwell to Mr. John Hand, published in Cromwell's
_Memoirs of Cromwell_, has not been in the possession of the feoffees
for some years.
There is, however, an item in Mr. Hand's disbursements, which probably
refers to the person mentioned in that letter. It is as follows:--
£ s. d.
"Ffor phisicke and surgery for old Benson, 2 7 4"
Cromwell's letter appears to be at a later date than this item.
John Hand was a feoffee for many years, and during his time executed,
as was usual, the office of collector or treasurer. It may be gathered
from the documents preserved that Cromwell never executed that office.
The office was usually taken by the feoffees in turn then, as at the
present time; but Cromwell most probably was called to a higher sphere
of action before his turn arrived.
It is worthy of note, that Cromwell's fellow-trustees, the Bishop
of Ely (who was the celebrated Matthew Wren), Fuller the Dean,
and Wigmore the Archdeacon, were all severely handled during the
Rebellion.