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In other letters to lord Broghil, afterwards earl of Orrery, with whom he maintained an intimate correspondence," he complains of his being forbid to come over into England; and that the clause in his new commission was left out; namely, the power of appointing a deputy, or juries, in order to prevent his coming over to England, which he hopes his highness will permit, their being much more cause to press it now than ever." "I find (says he in a letter to the protector) that my enemies have sentenced me to an honorable banishment; I am not conscious of any crime which might deserve it; but if they can denounce judgment upon my innocence they will easily be able to make me criminal. They have already begot a doubt among my friends, whether all be right; but I will rather submit to any sufferings with a good name, than be the greatest man upon earth without it."-In a letter to secretary Thurloe, he writes, "that since he was not allowed to leave Ireland, he could do no more than sit still and look on. The elections for parliament are like to be good here, (says he) though I could wish the writs had come so timely that the members might have been there before they had been excluded by a vote, which, it is said, will be the first thing brought upon the stage." From these, and some other of his letters, it is natural to conclude, that lieutenant-general Fleetwood was at the head of the councils which deposed Richard, which might be owing either to his republican principles, or to his disap pointment of the protectorship. However, when he found he could not keep the army within bounds, who were for new changes, he retired from public business, and spent the remainder of his life privately among his friends at Stoke-Newington, where he died soon after the revolution, being more remarkable for piety and devotion than for courage and deep penetration in polities.+

"He thought that prayers superseded the use of "carnal wea. pons," and that it was sufficient to trust in the hand of Providence without exerting the arm of flesh." "He would fall on his knees and pray when he heard of a mutiny among the soldiers; and was with the utmost difficulty roused to action on several emergencies." Granger's Hist. of England, vol. iii. 8vo. p. 17. Ed.

To return:-After the rump parliament had sat about a week, the officers petitioned "1. That the laws might have their free course. 2. That all public debts unsatisfied might be paid. 3. That all who profess faith in the holy trinity, and acknowledge the holy scriptures to be the revealed will of God, may have protection and encouragement in the profession of their religion, while they give no disturbance to the state, except papists, prelatists, and persons who teach licentious doctrines. 4. That the two universities, and all schools of learning, may be countenanced. 5. That those who took part with the king in the late wars, or are notoriously disaffected to the parliament's cause, may be removed from all places of trust. 6. That the protector's debts be paid, and an allowance of ten thousand pounds per ann. be allowed to Richard and his beirs for ever. 7. That there may be a representative of the people, consisting of one house successively chosen by the people; and that the government of the nation may be placed in such a representative body, with a select senate co-ordinate in power; and that the administration of all executive power of government may be in a council of state, consisting of a convenient number of persons eminent for godliness, and who are in principle for the present cause."

The parliament thanked the officers for their petition, but postponed the affair relating to Richard, till he should acquiesce in the change of government. The protector, having parted with the parliament who were his chief support, had not the resolution to strike a bold stroke for three kingdoms, but tamely submitted to resign his high dignity,§ by

Richard Cromwell has been reproached as "extremely pusillanimous," as "a fool and a sot," and "a titmouse prince," because he yielded to the times, and relinquished power and royalty." "But, in the name of common sense," says Dr. Harris, with virtuous animation, "what was there weak and foolish in laying down a burthen too heavy for the shoulders? What in preferring the peace and welfare of men, to blood and confusion, the necessary consequences of retaining the gov ernment? Or what, in a word, in resigning the power to such as. by experience, had been found fully equal to it, and intent on promoting the common welfare? Ambition, glory, fame, sound well in the ears of the vulgar; and men, excited by them, have seldom failed to figure in

a writing under his hand, after he had enjoyed it eight months. How little the soul of OLIVER survived in his son Richard may be seen by this conduct! His brother Henry, who was at the head of an army in Ireland, offered to come immediately to his assistance, but was forbid, and the timorous young gentleman returned to a private life, with more seeming satisfaction than he bad accepted the sovereignty. Upon his quitting Whitehall, and the other royal palaces, the parliament voted him a maintenance, but refused to concern themselves with his father's debts, the payment whereof swept away the greatest part of his estate, which was far from being large, considering the high preferments his father had enjoyed for several years. This was a further contempt thrown upon the protector's memory; former obligations were forgotten, and a new council of state being chosen, the nation seemed to slide peaceably into a commonwealth government.

The presbyterians would have been content with Richard's government; but seeing no likelihood of restoring the covenant, or coming into power, by the rump parlia

the eyes of the world: but the man who can divest himself of empire for the sake of his fellow-men, must, in the eye of reason, be entitled to a much higher renown, than the purpled hero who I ads them on to slaughter, though provinces or kingdoms are gained to him thereby." • Ambition, cease: the idle contest end :

Tis but a kingdom thou canst win or lose.
And why must murder'd myriads lose their all,
(If life be all) why desolation lower,

With famish'd frown on this affrighted ball,
That thou may'st flame the meteor of an hour.'

Harris's Life of Charles II. vol. i. p. 214. Ed.

MASON.

The parliament instituted, however, an enquiry into the debts of Richard Cromwell, and a schedule of them was given in: by which it appeared, that Richard, even after having reduced his father's debts from 28.000l. to 23,550l. owed 29,6401. It was resolved to acquit Richard Cromwell from this debt, and to provide for the payment of it by the sale of the plate, hangings, goods, and furniture, in Whitehall and Hampton-Court, belonging to the state, which could be conveniently spared. It was also resolved to settle on him an annuity of 87001. so as to make to him with his own fortune a yearly income of 10,000l. But, through the changes that followed, Richard Cromwell derived no benefit from these resolutions. Grey's Examination, vol. iii. p. 241. Dr. Harris's Life of Charles II. vol. i. p. 209, &c. Ed.

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ment, which was chiefly made up of enthusiasts, and declared enemies to monarchy, they entered into a kind of confederacy with the royalists, to restore the king and the old constitution. The particulars of this union (says Rapin) are not known, because the historians who write of it being all royalists, have not thought fit to do so much honor to the presbyterians. But it is generally agreed, that from this time the presbyterians appeared no longer among the king's enemies, but very much promoted his restoration. Upon the foundation of this union, an insurrection was formed in several parts of the country, which was discovered by sir Richard Willis, a correspondent of secretary Thurloe's,so that sir George Booth,a presbyterian, had an opportunity of appearing about Chester, at the head of five or six hundred men, declaring for a free parliament, without mentioning the king; but he and sir Thomas Middleton, who joined him, were defeated by Lambert, and made prisoners. The king and duke of York came to Calais, to be in readiness to embark in case it succeeded, but upon the news of its miscarriage they retired, and his majesty, in despair, determined to rely upon the Roman catholic powers for the future. Several of the presbyterian ministers appeared in this insurrection, as the reverend Mr. Newcomb, of Manchester, Mr. Eaton of Walton, and Mr. Finch, chaplain to sir George Booth, all afterwards ejected by the act of uniformity.

The parliament, to secure the republican government, first appointed an oath of abjuration, whereby they renounc ed allegiance to Charles Stuart, and the whole race of king James, and promised fidelity to the commonwealth, without a single person or the house of peers. They then attempted the reduction of the army, which had set them up, depending upon the assurances general Monk had given them from Scotland, of his army's entire submission to their orders; but the English officers, instead of submitting, stood in their own defence, and presented another petition to the house, desiring their former address from WallingfordHouse might not lie asleep, but that Fleetwood, whom they had chosen for their general, might be confirmed in his

The parliament so much resented this insurrection.that they disfran chised the city of Chester. Dr. Grey's Examination, vol. iii. p. 242. Ed.

high station. The house demurred upon the petition, and seeing there was like to be a new contest for dominion, endeavored to divide the officers, by cashiering some, and paying others their arrears. Upon this the officers presented a third petition to the same purpose; but the parliament, being out of all patience, told them their complaints were without just grounds, and cashiered nine of the chiefs, among whom were lieutenant-general Fleetwood, Lumbert, Desborough, Berry, Kelsey, Cobbet, and others of the first rank by means whereof things were brought to this crisis, that the army must submit to the parliament, or instantly dissolve them. The discarded officers resolved on the latter, for which purpose, October 13, Lambert with his forces secured all the avenues to the parliament house, and as the speaker passed by Whitehall he rode up to his coach, and having told him there was nothing to be done at Westminster, commanded major Creed to conduct him back to his house. At the same time all the members were stopped in their passage, and prevented from taking their seats in parliament; Fleetwood having placed a strong guard at the door of the parliament-house for that purpose. Thus the remains of the long parliament, after they had sat five months and six days, having no army to support them, were turned out of their house a second time, by a company of headstrong officers, who knew how to pull down, but could not agree upon any form of government to set up in its place.

There being now a perfect anarchy, the officers, who were masters of the nation, first appointed a council of ten of their own body to take care of the public, and having restored their general officers, they concluded upon a select number of men to assume the administration, under the title of a Committee of safety, which consisted of twenty-three persons, who had the same authority and power that the late council of state had, to manage all public affairs, till they could agree upon a new settlement. The people of England were highly disgusted with these changes, but there was no parliament nor king to fly to; many of the gentry therefore from several parts, sent letters to general Monk in Scotland, inviting him to march his army into England to obtain a free parliament, and promising him all necessa ry assistance.

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