Don't think I am mad. I
speak the words of truth upon surer grounds than Galen or your
Hippocrates furnish you with. God Almighty himself hath given
that answer, not to my prayers alone, but also to the prayers of
those who entertain a stricter commerce and greater intimacy with
him. Ye may have skill in the nature of things, yet nature can
do more than all physicians put together, and God is far above
nature." The doctor besought him to rest, and left the room.
Outside he met one of his colleagues, to whom he gave it as his
opinion their patient had grown light-headed, and he repeated the
words which Cromwell had spoken. "Then," said his brother-
physician, "you are certainly a stranger in this house; don't you
know what was done last night? The chaplain and all their
friends being dispersed into several parts of the palace have
prayed to God for his health, and they all heard the voice of God
saying, 'He will recover,' and so they are all certain of it."
"Never, indeed, was there a greater stock of prayers going on for
any man," as Thurlow, his secretary, writes. So sure were those
around him that Providence must hearken to and grant the
fulfilment of such desires as they thought well to express, that,
as Thomas Goodwin, one of Cromwell's chaplains, said, "We asked
not for the Protector's life, for we were assured He had too
great things for this man to do, to remove him yet; but we prayed
for his speedy recovery, because his life and presence were so
necessary to divers things then of great moment to be
despatched.
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