secure of his Life from the justice of some avenging hand Here he used to hunt and at the fall of a Deer where he would be sure to be present embrue his hands in the blood of it and therewith asperse and sprinkle the Attendants and sometimes to cokes the neighbouring Rusticks give them a Buck he had hunted and money to drink with it His own Diet was very spare and not so curious except in publique Treatments which were constantly given every Monday in the Week to all the Officers of the Army not below a Captain where he dined with them and shewed a hundred Antick Tricks as throwing of Cushions and putting live Coals into their Pockets and Boots A Table being likewise spread every day of the Week for such Officers as should casually come to Court and this was the greatest expence which and other charges of the Government hâ— levyed as yet by his and his Councils Ordinances which were as duâ—ly and respectfully obeyed as Acts of Parliament With these Officers while he seemed to disport himself taking off his Drink freely and opening himself every way to the most free familiarity He did meerly lye at the Catch of what should incogitantly and with such unsuspected provocation fal from their Mouths which he would be sure to record and lay up against his occasion of reducing them to the Speakers Memory who were never like to forget the prejudice and damage they had incurred by such loose Discoveries of their Minds and Inclinations He was a great Lover of Muhck and entertained the most skilfullest in that Science in his pay and Family in that like wicked Saul who when the evil Spirit was upon him thought to lay and still him with those Harmonious charms but generally he respected or at least pretended a Love to all ingenious and eximious persons in any Arts whom he procured to be sent or brought to him but the niggardliness and incompetence of his reward shewed that this was a personated Act of Greatnesse and that private Cromwell yet governed Prince Oliver Among the rest of those Virtuosi He favoured a Poet too who very elegantly sang his Marston-Moor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but with more misfortune then others who made the Muses Slaves to his Triumphs and Pegasus to draw His Chariot He had twenty other freaks in his head for sometimes before he had half dined he would give order for a Drum to beat and call in his foot Guards like a Kennell of Hounds to snatch off the meat from his Table and see them tear it in pieces the like Joco's and Frisks he would have with other Company even with some few of the Nobility when he would not stick to tell them what Company they had lately kept when and where they had drank the Kings Health and the Royal Families bidding them when they did it again to do it more privately and this without any passion and as festivous and Drol discourse But the sad news of the Defeat at Hispaniola whence he had promised himself Mountains of Gold and Rocâ—s of Gems to the maintenance of his Mamalukes and perpetuating of the Army coming to his ears soon after the Marquiss de Leda Ambassador from the Spaniard had departed dissatisfied with the preparations here and other ill news founding in his ear that the Commonwealth Party were very active in the Army and the Royallists breeding new Designs he began to cast off the Merry Divel and act the Tyrant altogether and not without Cause For The effects of this Parliament rupture encouraged two most opposite parties to conspire against the Protector the Fifth Monarchists and Cavaliers as we must so distinguish the Royal Party upon this difference who longed for their rightful Soveraign Charles the Second the Fifth Monarchy expected King Jesus the Courtiers and those engaged by them or with them with Cromwell himself desired King Oliver and every of these manifested much impatience but none of them could attain their Wishes and when Oliver might afterwards he durst not The Protector was no way ignorant of this and therefore he resolved to deal with the weakest first which yet by underminings vvas more dangerous then the other The Army was corrupted by that Millenary Principle and that was to be purged so that as Harrison and Rich had been laid aside and not long after committed with Carew and Courtâ—ey into several remote Castles so now General Monck had order to seize Major General Overton and the Majors Bramston and Holms and other Officers and Cashier them after Fines and good Security for their Behaviour Overton was sent up to the Tower and his Regiment conferred on Colonel Morgan Colonel Okey's Regiment taken from him and given to a sure Confider and so the danger from the Army was quickly supprest Cornet but now Colonel Joyce was likewise malecontent at this change and signified so much to Cromwell's Face whom he upbraided with his own Service and his faithlessnesse but escap'd any other Censure then a bidding him be gone Cromwell well knowing him to be one of those mad men that would say or do any thing they were bid Now happened occasion or rather Cromwell made it one for him to shew his zeal to the Protestant cause and publish himself to the World the Champion or Hector thereof this was also one secret step and reach to the Crown by invaing the sacred Title of the Defender of the Faith due only to the Hereditary Soveraigns of Englandâ— Herein also he aimed as in the Proverb to hit two Birds with one stone not doubting but to find another Mine in the charitable minds and compassion of this Nation towards the parallel suffering of the old Waldenses in â—iedmont to the Irish Massacres which were set out and drest here with the greater skill of Butchery then the Actors could handâ—omly do it there and it was said the Copy was drawn from that Original Alderman Viner and Pack were made Treasurers for this money which amounted to a very large sum and reaching the full design of the Protector a small parcel whereof was now remitted to Geneva the French King having newly before accommodated the businesse the Duke refusing to admit Cromwell's Mediation There was another Artifice of the Protectors to set this businesse forward and to countenance it which was Addresses from the Army here and abroad offering their Service in this common cause of the Protestant Religion no way doubting but that God in his due time would confound those Enemies of his people as he had shewn his salvation by themselves in the same Controversie to that day A new Plot was now started and most of the Nobility and Gentlemen of England secured Sir Geoffrey Palmer Lord Willoughby of Parham Lord Lovelace Earl of Lindsey Lord Newport and Sir Richard Wingfield Lords Maynard Petre Lucas and Faulkland Sir Frederick Cornwallis c. and this done by Manning whose Villany was not yet discovered though to render a due account of him his
under 9. The chief Officers of Seate as Chancellors Keepers of the Great Seal c. to be approved of by Parliament 10. That his Highnesse would encourage a Godly Ministry in these Nations and that such as do revile or disturb them in the Worship of God may be punished according to Law and where the Laws are defective new ones to be made in that behalf 11. That the Protestant Christian Religion and no other and that a confession of Faith be agreed upon and recommended to the people of these Nations and none be permitted by words or writings to revile or repreach the said Confession of Faith c. Which he having Signed declared his acceptance in there words That he came thither that day not as to a Triumph but with the most serious thoughts that ever he had in all his life being to undertake one of the greatest burthens that ever was laid upon the back of any humane creature so that without the support of the Almighty he must sink under the weight of it to the damage and prejudice of these Nations This being so he must ask help of the Parliament and of those that fear God that by their Prayers he might receive assistance from God for nothing else could enable him to the discharge of so great a duty and trust That seeing this is but an Introduction to the carrying on of the Government of these Nations and there being many things which cannot be supplied without the assistance of the Parliament it was his duty to ask their help in them not that he doubted for the same Spirit that had led the Parliament to this would easily suggest the same to them For his part nothing would have induced him to take this unsupportable burthen to flesh and blood but that he had seen in the Parliament a great care in doing those things which might really answer the ends that were engaged for and make clearly for the Liberty of the Nations and for the Interest and preservation of all such as fear God under various forms And if these Nations be not thankful to them for their care therein it will fall as a sin on their heads Yet there are some things wanting that tend to reformation to the discountenancing vice and encouragement of virtue but he spake not this as in the least doubting their progress but as one that doth heartily desire to the end God may Crown their work that in their own time and with what speed they judge fit these things may be provided for There remained only the Solemnity of the Inauguration or Investiture which being agreed upon by the Committee and the Protector was by the Parliament appointed to be performed in Westminster-hall where at the upper end thereof there was an Ascent raised where a Chair and Canopy of State was set and a Table with another Chair for the Speaker with Seats built Scaffold-wise for the Parliament on both sides and places below for the Aldermen of London and the like All which being in a readiness the Protector came out of a Room adjoyning to the Lords House and in this order proceeded into the Hall First went his Gentlemen then a Herald next the Aldermen another Herald the Attorney General then the Judges of whom Serjeant Hill was one being made a Baron of the Exchequer June 16. then Norroy the Lord Commissioners of the Treasury and the Seal carried by Commissioner Fiennes then Garter and after him the Earl of Warwick with the Sword born before the Protector Bare headed the Lord Mayor Tichborn carrying the City Sword being the special of Coaks of the Protector by his left hand Being seated in his Chair on the left Hand whereof stood the said Titchborn and the Dutch Ambassador the French Ambassador and the Earl of Warwick on the Right next behind him stood his Sons Richard Fleetwood Cleypoole and the Privy Council upon a lower descent stood the Lord Viscount Lisle Lords Montague and Whitlock with drawn Swords Then the Speaker Sir Thomas Widdrington in the name of the Parliament presented to him a Robe of Purple-Velvet a Bible a Sword and a Scepter at the Delivery of these things the Speaker made a short Comment upon them to the Protector which he divided into four parts as followeth 1. The Robe of Purple This is an Emblem of Magistracy and imports Righteousness and Justice When you have put on this Vestment I may say you are a Gown-man This Robe is of a mixt colour to shew the mixture of Justice and Mercy Indeed a Magistrate must have two hands Plectentem amplectentem to cherish and to punish 2. The Bible it is a Book that contains the Holy Scriptures in which you have the happinesse to be well vers'd This Book of Life consists of two Testaments the Old and New the first shews Christum Velatum the second Christum Revelatum Christ vailed and revealed it is a Pook of Books and doth contain both Precepts and Examples for good Government 3. Here is a Scepter not unlike a Staff for you are to be a Staff to the weak and poor it is of ancient use in this kind It 's said in Scripture that The Scepter shall not depart from Judah It was of the like use in other Kingdoms Homer the Greek Poet calls Kings and Princes Scepter-Bearers 4. The last thing is a Sword not a Military but Civil Sword it is a Sword rather of defence then offence not to defend your self only but your people also If I might presume to fix a Motto upon this Sword as the valiant Lord Talbot had upon his it should be this Ego sum domini Protectoris ad protegendum populum meum I am the Protectors to protect my people This Speech being ended the Speaker took the Bible and gave the Protector his Oath afterwards Mr. Manton made a prayer wherein he recommended the Protector Parliament Council the Forces by Land and Sea Government and people of the three Nations to the protection of God Which being ended the Heralds by Trumpets proclaimed his Highness Protector of England Scotland and Ireland and the Dominions thereunto belonging requiring all persons to yeild him due obedience At the end of all the Protector with his Train carried by the Lord Sherrard Warwick's Nephew ahd the Lord Robert's his eldest Son returned in the same posture the Earl of Warwick sitting at one end of the Coach against him Richard his Son and Whitlock in one and the Lords Lisle and Mountague in the other Boot with Swords drawn and the Lord Claypool Master of the Horse led the Horse of Honour in rich Caparisons to White-hall The Members to the Parliament House where they prorogued their sitting to the Twentieth of January He vvas novv setled and established in his first assumed Dignity to the satisfaction of some part of the Army only Lambert vvas gravelled with that clause in it which gave the Protector power to name his Successor Whereby he savv himself deprived and frustrated
Cromwell in this Province which like a peice of the former Heptarchy he himself ruled and governed absolutely and pro imperio His next peice of Service was of the like nature and of the same evil Consequence to the King For divers Gentlemen of the County of Suffolk another of the associated Counties resenting this Curb upon their Allegiance and the sawcy Edicts and Commands of the Committees which were made up of the meanest of the Gentry and Burgesses of the Towns designed together to free themselves and their Country from the yoake of these new Lords the chief of these Gentlemen were Sir John Peâ—tus Sir Edw. Barker c. who having in order to their Conjuncture rendezvouzed at Lowerstofe in that County were by the preventing diligence of Cromwell seized and secured and thereby such a Break-neck given to any future Royal undertakings in those parts the rendition of Lyn Regis which then held for the King soon after following this defeat and disappointment that throughout the whole course of the War there happened not any the least Commotion in favour of His Majesties Arms either by supply assistance or diversion Things being thus quieted thereabouts and disposed to the Interest of the Juncto there remained after the military part a Scholastical labour for this Parliamentary Hercules the zealons cleansing of the University of Cambridge the Parent of this Viper who just before his infectious production into the main Army whither he was now designed did miserably exenterate her leaving her a sad and doleful Skeleton deprived of so many learned and religious persons whose only charge was that they adhered to the Dictates of their Conscience and the Obligations of those Oaths which just Authority had enjoyned against the novel and illegal Commands and Covenants forcibly imposed and obtruded on them In this destructive work his module and method of Ambition Cromwell was mainly and chiefly active as also against the Orthodox and Protestant Ministry and their Churches defacing all the Ornaments and Beauty thereof leaving them the ruinous Spectacle of his Reformation And from this Employment now finished he was Commissioned Lieutenant General to the Earl of Manchester who had the separate command in a distinct Supremacy of these associated Counties and was designed to march Northwards with those Forces and joyn with the Scots newly entred England and the Lord Fairfax against the Marquiss of Newcastle who was General for the King in those parts and yet ballanced the Fortune of War against that potent Scotch Invasion but upon the conjuncture and addition of the Earl of Manchester's fresh and well disciplined and armed forces the said Marquiss was constrained to quit the field and distribute his Army into the Garrisons he himself shutting up the best part of it in the City of York which the Confederates presently besieged and made several venturous attempts wherein Cromwell was none of the backwardest though always repulsed with losse and considerable slaughter The importance of this place and juncture of time which either won or lost the North to the King who had newly had great successe in the West by the defeating of the Earl of Essex at Lestithiel in Cornwall caused him to send away Prince Rupert as Generalissimo with a very potent Army to raise that Siege and fight the Enemy if he found occasion The Prince accordingly advanced and upon his approach the Confederates drew off from their Leagure affording the Garrison liberty to joyn with their friends when it was resolved by the Prince without any delay to give Battel though the Marquiss knowing what hazzard the Kings Interest and his own and all the Loyal parties Estates would thereby be put to did very much diswade the suddennesse of the Encounter which notwithstanding ensued on the Evening of the same day July 2. On Marston-Moor within Three miles of York and lasted till Night It will be tedious and beside our purpose to relate the whole order and manner of the Battell further then this that the Scots and my Lord Fairfaxes Forces were totally routed and perâ—ued some miles out of the field and the day given for lost when Cromwell with his associated Horse most of them Curassiers in the left wing seeing this discomfiture fell on with great resolution and courage and worsted the Prince and his reserves and with the same fury fell upon the Marquisses foot whose Regiment of White-Coats and therefore called his Lambs yet stood and could not be broken till the field being almost cleared the Parliaments Infantry came up and then both horse and foot charged and broke them Cromwell here made a very great Slaughter and Carnage especially in the rout and pursuit purposely to make his name terrible this being his first and grand appearance gaining here the Title of Ironsides from the impenetrable strength of his Troops which could by no means be broken or divided The successe of this day made him indeed highly famous and his Lawrells most verdant and flourishing the Victory being principally ascribed to his courage and conduct His Cunctation and temperate delay were highly magnified and then his Resolution in the desperation of the Event extolled the firmnesse and constant equality of his mind when intrepidly and fixedly he beheld the overthrow of the grosse of their Army and thereby animated his Troops to the more vigorous recovery of the day now that the adverse fury was spent in the chase of their Fellows the Scots whom Cromwell ever afterwards though in Covenant with them most disdainfully despised but not only for this reason The Credit of this Atchievement was industriously cryed up at Westminster and all the Grandezza's of Scriptural Ovation fitted and accommodated thereto He himself with the same conquering Troops as yet in the same quality under the Earl of Manchester was remanded from the North to oppose the King then returning victorious out of the West and because the Earl of Essex had hither to been unfortunate therefore this lucky Cheiftain was added as his better Star at the second Battel of Newberry within font Months after Marston Moor and here again the Fates favoured him though not with a complete Victory yet on that side where he fought with a part of one and so much as endangered the person of the King if the noble and stout Earl of Cleveland had not hazardously interposed and bore off the pursuit This indifference of Fortune begot very great differences among the Parliament Commanders one Taxing the other of Neglect Treachery or Cowardize and by what means it could come to passe that nothing was yet effected against the King whom in the beginning of the War they had thought to have swallowed up presently Not were the divisions lesse at home then in the camp â—or now the younger Brother of the Rebellion the Independant Faction began to appear a preciser and severer sort of Zealots who thought Essex and his Army not righteous enough nor fit instruments in whose hands the work of Reformation should
and sending Lieutenant Generall Monk with 5 or 6000. to Sterling to reduce that place and by it to put your affairs into a good posture in Scotland We marched with all possible expedition back again and have passed our Foot and many of our Horse over the Frith this day resolving to make what speed we can up to the Enemy who in this desperation and fear and out of inevitable necessity is run to try what he can do this way I do apprehend that if he goes for England being some few dayes march before us it will trouble some mens thoughts and may occasion some inconveniences of which I hope we are as deeply sensible and have and I trust shall be as diligent to prevent as any and indeed this is our comfort that in simplicity of heart as to God we have done to the best of our judgements knowing that if some issue were not put to this businesse it would occasion another Winters War to the ruin of your Souldiery for whom the Winter-dissiculties of this Country are too hard and be under the endlesse expence of the Treasure of England in prosecuting this War It may be supposed we might have kept the Enemy from this by interposing between him and England which truely I believe we might but how to remove Him out of this place without doing what vve have done unlesse we had had a commanding Army on both sides of the River of Frith is not clear to us or hovv to ansvver the inconveniences aforementioned vve understand not vve pray therefore that seeing there is a possibility for the Enemy to put you to some trouble you vvould vvith the same courage grounded upon a confidence in God wherein you have been supported to the great things in which God hath used you heretofore improve the best you can such Forces as you have in readinesse or may on the sudden be got together to give the Enemy some check until we shall be able to reach up to him which we trust in the Lord we shall do our utmost endevour in and indeed we have this comfortable experiment from the Lord that this Enemy is heart-smitten by God and when ever the Lord shall bring us up to them we believe the Lord will make the desperateness of this Councel of theirs to appear and the folly of it also when England was much more unsteady then now and when a much more considerable Army of theirs unfoiled invaded you we had but weak force to make resistance at Preston upon deliberate advice we chose-rather to put our selves between their Army and Scotland and how God succeeded that is not well to be forgotten This is not out of choice on our part but by some kind of necessity and it is to be hoped will have the like issue together with a hopeful end of your work in which it 's good to wait upon the Lord upon the earnest of former experiences and hope of his presence which only is the life of your Cause Major General Harrison with the Horse and Dragoons under him and Colonel Rich and the rest in those parts shall attend the motion of the Enemy and endevour the keeping of them together as also to impede his March and will be ready to be in conjunction with what Forces shall get together for this service to whom Orders have been speeded to that purpose as this enclosed to Major General Harrison will shew Major General Lambert this day marched with a very considerable Body of Horse up towards the Enemies Reer With the rest of the Horse and nine Regiments of Foot most of them of your old Foot and Horse I am hasting up and shall by the Lords help use the utmost diligence I hope I have left a commanding force under Lieutenant General Monk in Scotland This account I thought my duty to speed to you and rest Leith 4. August 1651. Your most humble Servant O. Cromwell This shews what sudden troubled apprehension He had of this well designed March of the Kings and made him repent his obstinacy of Honour in reducing St. Johnstons by which the King got 3 days March of him but however he excused this to the Parliament who were almost in despair and terribly affrighted at the News of it yet they did highly taxe him for his negligence and spoke ill words of him which came to his ears and for which he soon after cried quits with them The King departed from Sterling the last of July and came into England by the way of Carlisle and upon his first footing there was Proclaimed rightful Kin ' of Great Brittain and did thereupon publish his Declaration wherein He offered His free Grace and Pardon to be confirmed by an Act thereafter to all His Subjects of England of what ever nature or crime their offences were excepting Cromwell Bradshaw and Cook the more immediate Murtherers of His Father and therewith prosecuted His March being proclaimed in the same manner through all the Towns he passed On the 22 of August the Van of the Kings Army entred Worcester some resistance being attempted to be made by some new raised Forces under one Colonel James and by the influence of Baron Wilde but the Townsmen saved them the labour of driving them out and most joyfully welcomed these weary Guests and such too as in 1645. had been extremely oppressive and intolerably burdensome at the Siege of Hereford but their gladnesse at the Kings presence and hope of his Restitution obliterated all other considerations and remembrances whatsoever The Mayor and his Brethren at the Kings Intradâ— did Him the customary but most chearful obeysances tendring Him the Keys and the Mace upon their Knees and bidding Him and His Forces welcome to this his Majesties Ancient and Loyal City where the same day with great solemnity He was anew Proclaimed and the tired Soldiers most abundantly provided for being in all Scotch and English some 13000. who had marched 300. miles outright in three weeks In the mean time the Parliament had amassed a numerous Militia in all the Counties of England and glad were the Members that the King stayed for them for nothing was more dreaded then his continued march to London which place would have soon ridded their fears upon an approach of the Kings Army but 30. miles further from Worcester but to prevent that as Essex did before at the beginning of the War whose first efforts took this way Cromwell by long Marches through Newcastle Rippou Ferrybrygs Doncaster Mansfield and Coventry had interposed himself and joyned with his Army at Keynton where a General Council of all his Officers was held and a speedy advance to Worcester resolved on Lieutenant General Fleetwood being dispatch'd to bring up his Forces then on their way at Banbury the gross of all the Forces amounting to above 50000. effective Militia and all By this time Cromwell had surrounded the City of Worcester with his spreading Host in as neer a compass as the Rivers
above our own thoughts and desires so we shall and do in that of this great work which is behind put our selves wholly upon the Lord for a blessing professing we look not to stand one day without his support much less to bring to pass one of the things mentioned and desired without his assistance And therefore do solemnly desire and expect That all men as they would not provoke the Lord to their own destruction would wait for such issue as he should bring forth and to follow their businesse with peaceable spirits wherein we promise them protection by his assistance And for those who profess their fear and love to the Name of God that seeing in a great measure for their sakes and for righteousnesse sake we have taken our lives in our hands to do these things they would be instant with the Lord day and night on our behalfs that we may obtain grace from him And seeing we have made so often mention of his Name that we may not do the least dishonour thereunto which indeed would be our confusion and a stain to the whole profession of godliness We beseech them also to live in all humility meekness righteousness and love one towards another and towards all men that so they may put to silence the ignorance of the foolish who falsly accuse them and to know that the late great and glorious dispensations wherein the Lord hath so wonderfully appeared in bringing forth these things by the travel and blood of his Children ought so to oblige them so to walk in the Wisdome and love of Christ as may cause others to honour their holy Profession because they see Christ to be in them of a Truth We do further purpose before it be long more particularly to shew the Grounds of our Proceedings and the Reasons of this late great Action and Change which in this We have but hinted at And we do lastly declare That all Judges Sheriffs Justices of Peace Mayors Bailiffs Committees and all other Civil Officers and Publique Ministers whatsoever within the Common-wealth or any parts thereof do proceed in their respective Places and Offices and all persons whatsoever are to give Obedience to them as fully as when the Parliament was sitting Signed in the Name and by the Appointment of his Excellency the Lord General and his Councel of Officers William Malyn Secret Whitehall the 22. of April 1663. To ingratiate now vvith the Presbyterian vvho yet kept up their form of Church Worship and were the most of one publique persvvasion all disturbances in Churches were prohibited the Phanatick licenciousnesse of the Army vvhich svvarmed with Anabaptists Quakers and Ranters and vvere novv mad to be seizing all the remaining Revenue of Church Lands in Glebe Tythe or Impropriations And to this purpose Addresses vvere eagerly carried on such hopes being underhand given them to strengthen the hands of this Dictator in carrying on the vvork of Sion He vvas also complemented by the French Ambassadour Bourdeaux vvho had made applications to the Parliament but vvas doubtfull of effecting his Errand vvith those highest and Mightiest States vvho vvere grovvn formidable not only to the Dutch but to his Master who willingly courted them to prevent their closing vvith his Rebells of Bourdeaux onely Oliver as vve have seen valued them no more then Scoundrels or Rake Shames nor vvould give ear to any more Enemies of Monarchy Being thus by force possest of the Supreme povver after he had held it some fevv dayes to shew the absur'd and ridiculous State Caprichio's of the Councel of Officers vvho as yet managed the Civil Authority he transmitted it to a new Councel of State made up of the supremest of them and some former Juncto men vvho by Proclamation commanded all Officers to execute their Trusts as formerly and required the same obedience to commute with which they abated the Tax from 120000. to 90000. per mensem It was now remarqued that many great Fires ushered in this Incendiaries Usurpation This Council of State did next give birth to that Monster of the little Parliament which like an abortive Cub was cast by Cromwell and fonâ—ly and vainly lickâ—d by Harrison both which had most different ends on this Convention in the one a Temporal in the other a Spiritual Pride and Covetousness though not altogether purified from the Deceits of the World worked in this mysterious knack of a new and unheard of Legislative Authority who by the Name of men of Integrity and Fidelity to the Cause of God were by a bare summons from Oliver called to the Settlement of the State that was to be Stirrups or Foot-steps to the Throne whereon Cromwell should tread they being abject and mean people being such as were named by the Officers that is by Cromwell's Agents to this Councill and of most destructive Principles to all Community and Society either as Men or Christians It is observable that Cromwell who utterly rejected the Rump-expedient to his instances of a new Representative of filling up the House by foisting in Elections of their own to which their Authority standing they could unquestionably awe the Country made not nice of it for himself According to their Summons on the 4. of July the Members of approved fidelity c. met at the Council Chamber in Whitchal to whom Cromwell in a zealous speech much to the purpose of his Declaration and the occasion of the present Meeting stuft with various citations of Scripture I am loath to nauseate the Reader with any more of his Harangues at large to his but far from the purpose devolved the supreme Trust which they translated into more common English adjourning themselves after a short consultation to Westminster and giving themselves the Title and Authority of the Parliament of England voting Mr. Francis Rouse for their Speaker but with a Collateral Vote that he should continue in the Chair no longer then for a Month They were persons for the most part of such mean and ignote extractions that so far were they from being taken notice of by their Shires each of whom but two or three represented that they were scarce known in the very Towns they were born or afterwards inhabited till the Excise then Committees for Sequestration and the War in the respective Counties made them infamously known The rest were of his Partisans in the Parliament and High Court of Justice On the 12. of Decemb. as it had been directed by the Counsel of State the Parliament being Sate some of the Members stood up one after another and made a motion for a Dissolution thereof for that it would not be for the good of the Nations to continue it longer this Court Ayre almost blasted the men of Fidelity and Committee Blades who had scarce warmed their Fingers ends in the Government and were newly settling themselves and their friends in a thriving way as they had done in their Offices they had passed before and thereupon they began one after another to make
were made Serjeants and Mr. Hales one of the Justices of the Common-Pleas where St. Johns yet sate and of the Cabinet to his Protector besides having preferred his Man Thurloe his Secretary at the Hague to be his Secretary of State the Candle or Light of that Dark-Lanthorn which St. Johns was said to be in these mysterious times of Cromwell in all his attempts and designs of consequence and moment The Dutch Peace was also concluded on by the Ambassadors and the Commissioners of the said â—ouncil for the Protector between whom this private Article was agreed that the Prince of Aurange should never be restored to the Dignities Offices and charge his Ancestors held and enjoyed and this was urged for the better conservation of the Peace which would in his Restitution be endangered because of his Relation to the King The Protector dined in great State upon an Invitation from the Lord Mayor c. at Grocers-Hall the 8. of February being Ashwednesday a very unsuitable day for any Festival but his Entertainment who inverted all things the streets being railed from Temple Bar thither the Liveries in their Gowns in their gradual standings awaiting Him he was met at the said Gate by Alderman Viner the Lord Mayor who delivered him the Sword there and having received it from him back again bore it on Horseback before him all the way through which the same silence was kept as if a Funeral had been en passant and no doubt it was that muteness which Tacitus mentioned in Tiberius quale Magnae Irae vel magni metus est silentium no apprecations or so much as a How do ye being given during the Cavalcade After Dinner he was served with a Banquet in the conclusion whereof he Knighted Alderman Viner and would have done the same to the Recorder Steel for his learned Speech of Government calculated and measured for him but he for good Reasons avoided it My Lord Maior was forced to carry it home and anger his Wife with it who had real Honour both in her Name and Nature Oliver at his return had the second course of a Brick-bat from the top of a House in the Strand by St. Clements which light upon his Coach and almost spoiled his Digestion with the daringness of the affront search was made but in vain the person could not be found and vengeance was not yet from Heaven to rain upon him He published a little after an Ordinance for the Trial and Approbation of Ministers wherein Phillp Nye Goodwin Hugh Peters Mr. Manton and others were named Commissioners the question these men put to the Examinants was not of Abilities or Learning but grace in their hearts and that with to bold and saucy Inquisition that some mens spirits trembled at their Interrogatories they phrasing it so as if as was said of the Council of Trent they had the Holy Ghost in a Cloak Bag or were rather Simon Magus his own Disciples and certainly there were never such Symoniacks in the World not a living of value but what a Friend or the best purchaser was admitted into to which humane learning even where a former right was was a good and sufficient Bar no less to the ruine then scandal of the Church of England and the Protestant Religion and Professors thereof â—everal ignorant bold Laicks being inducted into the best Spiritualities as best consisted with Olivers Interest which depended upon the Sectary and their hideous divisions in Religion To return During those Protectoral Intrigues the King's Interest had got such footing again in England that all or most of the Gentlemen and Counties thereof were engaged for it and therefore while Lambert managed one Province the Affairs of the Parliament wherein Oliver would not descend so low as to be pragmatical and Sceptically busy with their Debates against His power as wrested and usurped from the people He was mainly intent upon the proceedings of the Royallists the particulars whereof he had betrayed to him weekly a constant correspondence being held betwixt Him and one Manning a Retainer and Under-Secretary to the King at Colen his Father being killed in his Service at Alresford in the year 1644. The price of this Treason was no lesse then 6000. l. a year most whereof came to the King by this fellows hands as sent over by his and his friends procurement but on purpose by so notable a service in the Kings necessities to sâ—rue himself into the secrets of His Majesties designs Hence came the Western Association and Attempt of the noble Penruddock in the West to be so suddenly defeated with the like Insurrections in several parts of England in the year 1654. For upon certain notice of the days appointed for their rising Cromwell to be before hand with them gave out supposed and false days and made the like Appearances particularly at Shrewsbury by which means the Confederates came to perceive there was some Treachery among themselves and did then wisely desist from the danger of taking publique Arms against Him For a fuller accompt of all which I must refer the Reader to the Histories of the Times lately published though I should take notice of his cruelty against those unfortunate Gentlemen The Event of this by which he had overreached the King in his own designs and the Hopes of his rich successes in the West-Indies by robbing another Prince whether his Fleet and Army under General Pen and Venables was now arrived which also I shall only mention for the Story is trite and vulgar made Oliver most blith and confident and his Court of Beggars and such like mean people very gay and jocund A great deal of State was now used towards him and the French Cringe and other ceremonious pieces of gallantry and good deportment which were thought unchristian and favouring of Carnality introduced in place of austere and down looks and the silent Mummery of Starch'd and Hypocritical gravity the only becoming Dress forsooth of Piety and Religion He had now a Guard of Halberdiers in Gray Coats welted with black Velvet over whom Walter Strickland was Captain and a Lord Chamberlain Sir Gilbert Pickering Two Masters of Requests Mr. Bacon and Mr. Sad'er a Master of his Horse his Son Claypoolâ— and generally all persons of Honour both to His own person and his Wives who very frugally Huswifed it and would nicely and finically tax the expensive unthriftiness as said she of the Other Woman who lived there before her But I must not engage in her impertinencies though a many pretty stories might be told of this obsolete Princesse It will be requisite to speak something of his manner and course of Life now raised to a very neer fruition of the Soveraignty this being the Solstice of his Fortunes His Custome was now to divert himself frequently at Hampton-Court which he had saved from Sale with other Houses of the Kings for his own greatnesse whether he went and came in post with his Guards behind and before as not yet