BOOK said, "he could not doubt, but the same spirit that XV. "had led the parliament to this, would easily sug1657. "gest the rest to them; and that nothing should "have induced him to have undertaken this intole"rable burden to flesh and blood, but that he saw "it was the parliament's care to answer those ends "for which they were engaged;" calling God to witness," that he would not have undergone it, but "that the parliament had determined that it made "clearly for the liberty and interest of the nation, "and preservation of such as fear God; and if the "nation were not thankful to them for their care, it "would fall as a sin on their heads." He concluded with recommending some things to them, "which,” he said, "would tend to reformation, by discounte"nancing vice and encouraging virtue;" and so dismissed them to return to their house. But now that they had performed all he could expect from them, he resolved that he would do somewhat for himself; and that all the discourses which had passed of kingship should not pass away in the silence of this address, but that this exaltation should be attended with such a noise and solemnity, as should make it very little inferior to the other. Therefore, within few days after, he sent a message to the parliament, "that they would adjourn “until such a time as the solemnity of his inaugu"ration should be performed;" for the formality whereof they had not provided, nor indeed considered it; as if enough had been done already. For this he appointed the six and twentieth of June; and in the mean time assigned the care to several persons, that all things should be made ready for the magnificence of such a work. The solem inaugura On the day appointed, Westminster hall was pre- BOOK pared, and adorned as sumptuously as it could be XV. for a day of coronation. A throne was erected with 1657. a pavilion, and a chair of state under it, to which nity of his Cromwell was conducted in an entry, and attend-tion. ance of his officers, military and civil, with as much state (and the sword carried before him) as can be imagined. When he was sat in his chair of state, and after a short speech, which was but the prologue of that by the speaker of the parliament Withrington, that this promotion might not seem to be without the nobility's having any share in it, the speaker, with the earl of Warwick, and Whitlock, vested him with a rich purple velvet robe lined with ermines; the speaker enlarging upon the majesty and the integrity of that robe. Then the speaker presented him with a fair Bible of the largest edition, richly bound; then he, in the name of all the people, girded a sword about him; and lastly presented him a sceptre of gold, which he put into his hand, and made him a large discourse of those emblems of government and authority. Upon the close of which, there being little wanting to a perfect formal coronation, but a crown and an archbishop, he took his oath, administered to him by the speaker, in these words, (which amongst other things had been settled by an explanatory petition and advice:)" "I do, in the presence, and by the name of Almighty God, promise and swear, that, "to the utmost of my power, I will uphold and 66 XV. 1657. 66 66 66 BOOK "maintain the true reformed protestant Christian religion in the purity thereof, as it is contained in "the holy scriptures of the Old and New Testa"ment; and to the utmost of my power, and understanding, encourage the profession and profes"sors of the same; and that, to the utmost of my power, I will endeavour, as chief magistrate of "these three nations, the maintenance and preserving of the peace and safety, and just rights and privileges of the people thereof; and shall in all things, according to the best of my knowledge "and power, govern the people of these three na"tions according to law." 66 66 66 After this there remained nothing but festivals, and proclamations of his power and authority to be made in the city of London, and with all imaginable haste throughout the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland; which was done accordingly. And that he might entirely enjoy the sovereignty they had conferred upon him, without any new blasts and disputes, and might be vacant to the despatch of his domestic affairs, which he had modelled, and might have time to consider how to fill his other house with members fit for his purpose, he adjourned his parliament till January next, parliament as having done as much as was necessary for one the 20th. session. In this vacancy, his greatness seemed to be His actions so much established both at home and abroad, as if cancy of it could never be shaken. He caused all the officers of his army, and all commanders at sea, to subscribe and approve all that the parliament had done, and to promise to observe and defend it. He ad journs his to January in the va parliament. He sent now for his eldest son Richard; who, till this time, had lived privately in the country upon XV. the fortune his wife had brought him, in an ordinary BOOK village in Hampshire; and brought him now to the. court, and made him a privy counsellor, and caused 1657. him to be chosen chancellor of the university of Oxford. Notwithstanding all which, few people then believed that he intended to name him for his successor; he by his discourses often implying, "that "he would name such a successor, as was in all re"spects equal to the office:" and so men guessed this or that man, as they thought most like to be so esteemed by him. His second son Harry, who had the reputation of more vigour, he had sent into Ireland, and made him his lieutenant of that kingdom, that he might be sure to have no disturbance from thence. ters dis He had only two daughters unmarried: one of His daughthose he gave to the grandson and heir of the earl posed of in of Warwick, a man of a great estate, and throughly marriage. engaged in the cause from the beginning; the other was married to the lord viscount Falconbridge, the owner likewise of a very fair estate in Yorkshire, and descended of a family eminently loyal. There were many reasons to believe, that this young gentleman, being then of about three or four and twenty years of age, of great vigour and ambition, had many good purposes, which he thought that alliance might qualify and enable him to perform. These marriages were celebrated at Whitehall with all imaginable pomp and lustre; and it was observed, that though the marriages were performed in public view according to the rites and ceremonies then in use, they were presently afterwards in private married by mi x in the cause] in the war BOOK nisters ordained by bishops, and according to the XV. form in the Book of Common Prayer; and this with 1657. the privity of Cromwell; who pretended to yield to it in compliance with the importunity and folly of his daughters. The success of his arms abroad. The victory of his fleet over the Spaniard. These domestic triumphs were confirmed and improved by the success of his arms abroad. Though the French had no mind to apply those forces upon Dunkirk, which they were obliged, when taken, to put into Cromwell's hands, and so march to other places, which they were to conquer to their own use; in which the six thousand English under the command of Raynolds attended them, and behaved themselves eminently well, and in good discipline; yet his ambassador Lockhart made such lively instances with the cardinal, with complaints of their breach of faith, and some menaces, "that his master “knew where to find a more punctual friend;" that as soon as they had taken Montmedy, and St. Venant, the army marched into Flanders; and though the season of the year was too far spent to engage in a siege before Dunkirk, they sat down before Mardike; which was looked upon as the most difficult part of the work; which being reduced, would fa cilitate the other very much and that fort they took, and delivered it into the hands of Raynolds, with an obligation, "that they would besiege Dun+ "kirk the next year, and make it their first at"tempt." But that which made a noise indeed, and crowned his successes, was the victory his fleet, under the command of Blake, had obtained over the Span y and St. Venant,] Not in MS. * Blake] Montague and Blake |