was wont to say, that he would not drink high or freely with
any one with whom he would not trust his life.

Marvel lived among friends at Highgate; exactly opposite to his door was
the residence of General Ireton and his wife Bridget, the eldest
daughter of Oliver Cromwell; and which house still bears his name, and
is described in 'Prickett's History of Highgate,' one of those local
topographical works which deserve encouragement:--'Cromwell House is
supposed to have been built by the Protector, whose name it bears, about
the year 1630, as a residence for General Ireton, who married his
daughter and was one of the commanders of his army; it is, however, said
to have been the residence of Oliver Cromwell himself, but no mention is
made, either in history or in his biography, of his having ever lived at
Highgate. Tradition states, there was a subterraneous passage from this
house to the mansion house which stood where the New Church now stands,
but of its reality no proof has hitherto been adduced. Cromwell House
was evidently built and internally ornamented in accordance with the
taste of its military occupant. The staircase, which is of handsome
proportions, is richly decorated with oaken carved figures, supposed to
have been of persons in the general's army, in their costume; and the
balustrades filled in with devices emblematical of warfare. On the
ceilings of the drawing-room are the arms of General Ireton; this and
the ceilings of the other principal apartments are enriched in
conformity with the fashion of those days. The proportion of the noble
rooms, as well as the brick-work in front, well deserves the notice and
study of the antiquarian and the architect. From the platform on the top
of the mansion may be seen a perfect panorama of the surrounding
country.'

The staircase above described is here engraved. It is a remarkably
striking and elegant specimen of internal decoration, of broad and noble
proportion, and of a solid and grand construction suitable to the time
of its erection; the wood-work of the house is every where equally bold
and massive; the door-cases of simple but good design. There are some
ceilings in the first story which are in rich plaster work, ornamented
with the arms of Ireton; and mouldings of fruit and flowers, of a
sumptuous and bold enrichment.

The series of figures which stand upon the newels of the staircase are
all engraved below. There are ten remaining out of twelve, the origin