21 APRIL 1923, Page 12

LINKS WITH THE PAST.

[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] Sue,—Lord Lovelace's link with the past is supported by the following statements written down as well as related to me by word of mouth by the late Mr. William Woodman, of Morpeth3 a solicitor of standing in his day, afterwards County Treasurer for Northumberland :—

" My grandfather, ob. 1821, remembered the Forty-Five. My grandfather, when the Duke of Cumberland passed through Morpeth, was pursued by one of the troopers to seize his horse, but escaped. My grandfather Mew a man at Longhorsley who saw Cromwell's troops march through that village."

In another place he wrote : " I may mention as interesting that my grandfather knew and conversed with a man who saw Cromwell's troops from Scotland march through Longhorsley to Netherwilton when Cromwell gave Thornton a written peotection which the family still have." Mr. William Wood- man died September 19th, 1895, aged 89.—I am, Sir, &c.,