evidence: Anyway those are the announcements, now we must return to 1651, and the aftermath of Cromwell’s triumph over Charles II at Worcester. And after the battle, London welcomed its conquering hero with open arms. As Oliver came into the city on 12th September, cheering crowds lined the streets, with such enthusiasm, that some republicans worried that he would mount this wave of relief and popularity with his blade, his soft top, and surf into a new role as head of state. But to those who see Cromwell as power hungry or a megalomaniac – well there was no sign of this kind of ambition, in neither public nor private, just a dose of humility [...] So in one of the loonier initiatives of the Commonwealth, in March 1651 Oliver St John led a delegation over to the Netherlands. The delegation included one John Thurloe, a fellow East Anglian, lawyer and, as St John wrote, ‘bred in his service’. John Thurloe was a clever, efficient, straight-talking, devious but basically honest man. We will hear of him again.