Oliver Cromwell was born at Huntingdon on April 25th 1599. He went to London to study law, but his plans in this direction never materialized. In August 1620, he married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir James Bourchier. In Cromwell's youth, he was wild and drank to excess, a failing which he afterwards conquered completely. He embraced Puritanism and became the bitter opponent of its arch enemy and persecutor, William Law.