to be wondered that this action was looked

.

upon

on the boldest things. Hence the danger of continuing a general long in fupream command, in free ftates. Immediately after this important event, Cromwell feemed determined to give the law. He used, however, great precaution. Though he had all poffible honours paid him by the parliament and the city of London, yet he carried himself with much affability and feeming humility, and in all his difcourfes about the bufinefs of Worcester, would feldom mention any thing of himfelf, but of the gallantry of the officers and foldiers, and gave (as was due) all the glory of the action un(n) Whitto God (n).'But, if we may believe Ludlow, this lock, p. 59. was meer affectation. He was, in reality, 'fo much elevated with that fuccefs, that Mr. Hugh Peters, as "he fince told me, took fo much notice of it, as to fay in confidence to a friend upon the road, in his return from Worcester, that Cromwell would make him(0) Vol. ii. • self king (o).' Indeed, very foon after his return to London, he defired a meeting with divers members of parliament, and fome chief officers of the army, at the fpeaker's houfe; and a great many being there, he propofed to them, that now the old King being dead, and his fon being defeated, he held it neceflary to come to a fettlement of the nation. And, in order thereunto, he had requested this meeting, that they toge⚫ther might confider and advise what was fit to be done,

P. 447.

and to be prefented to the parliament.' The queftions at this meeting were, in what way this fettlement was defired, whether of an abfolute republick, or with any mixture of monarchy? and, if the latter, in whom that power fhould be placed? In this conference the lawyers were generally for a mix'd monarchical government, and many were for the Duke of Gloucefter to be made King; but Cromwell ftill put off that ' debate, and came off to fome other point; and, in conclufion, after a long debate, the company parted without coming to any refult at all, only Cromwell • dif

.

6

upon by the friends of the parliament as

bafe

discovered by this meeting the inclinations of the per• fons that fpake, for which he fished, and made use of what he then difcerned (p). In November, 1652, (1) Whit lock, p. 516. Cromwell met Whitlock in St. James's Park, and entered into a conference with him concerning the dangerous condition they were then in, and how to make good their ftation, as he expreffed it.After taking notice of the factions and murmurings of the army, their dif taste against the parliament, whofe actions he greatly cenfured, as well as many of their perfons, and the impoffibility of keeping them within the bounds of juftice, law, or reafon, as they were the fupream power of the nation, and liable to no account or controul; he added, that, unless there be fome authority and power fo full and high, as to restrain and keep things in bet• ter order, and that may be a check to thefe exorbi

tances, it will be impoffible in human reason to pre'vent our ruin.' Whitlock fpoke in vindication of the parliament, as much, I fuppofe, as he thought he might do with fafety, and Oliver refting unfatisfied, he faid, We ourselves have acknowledged them the fupream power, and taken our commiffions and authority in the highest concernments from them, and how to re• ftrain and curb them after this, it will be hard to find out a way for it.' Hereupon Cromwell plainly afked, What if a man fhould take upon him to be a king?" One may, I think, fairly conclude from hence, that he had, for fome time, thought of fuch a thing, and was determined to be mafter. Whitlock gave him honeftly his advice against carrying such a project into execution, and proposed his treating with the King of Sects as the fureft means to provide for his own and the nation's fafety. Cromwell was not well pleased with the expedient, as Whitlock judged from his countenance and carriage, and therefore broke off, and went to other company (q). Poffibly he was not wrong in rejecting the (2) Id. p. propotal.The next month the scene began to open. • The

548.

(r) White

base and ingrateful, though Oliver attempted

to

The parliament were very bufy in debate of feveral acts of parliament under confideration, but very little being brought to effect by them, the foldiers grumbled at their delays, and there began to be ill blood between them; the general and his officers preffed the putting a period to their fitting, which they promised to do, but were flow in that bufinefs (r).' And lock, p. 551 Cromwell, with the other grandees, now began to affume to themselves all the honour of the past actions, and of the conquefts by them atchieved; scarce owning the parliament and their affiftance and provifion for them; but taxing and cenfuring the members of ⚫ parliament for injuftice, and delay of bufinefs, and for feeking to prolong their power, and promote their private intereft, and to fatisfy their own ambition. With thefe and many others the like cenfures (continues my author) they endeavoured to calumniate the parlia ment, and judge them guilty of thofe crimes whereof themfelves were faulty, not looking into their own actions, nor perceiving their own defaults; yet cenfuring the actions and proceedings of the parliament very opprobriously.The drift of Cromwell and his ⚫ officers was to put an end to this parliament, which many wondered at, and fought to diffuade him from it upon all opportunities as far as it was thought convenient, and that they might not appear defirous to continue their own power, and fitting in parliament, whereof they had caufe to be fufficiently weary. Neither could it be clearly foreseen, that their defign was to rout the prefent power, and to fet up themselves; against the which they were advifed, as pulling down the foundation of their own intereft and power, and the way to weaken themfelves, and hazard both their cause and perfons. Yet ftill they feemed zealous upon their common pretences of right and juftice and publick liberty, to put a period to this parliament, and that, if the parliament would not shortly do it them• felves,

felves, that then the foldiers muft do it (s).'-Ac- (s) Whitcordingly, on the 20th of April, 1653, the parliament lock, P. 5524 not having put a period to themselves immediately, as Cromwell had defired, he was fo enraged thereat, that he • commanded fome of the officers of the army to fetch a party of foldiers, with whom he marched to the houfe, and led a file of mufqueteers in with him; the reft he placed at the door of the houfe, and in the lobby before it. In this manner entering the house, he, in a furious manner, bid the fpeaker leave his chair, told the houfe, that they had fat long enough, unless they had done more good; that fome of them were whore-mafters, looking then towards Mr. Henry Martyn and Sir Peter Wentworth. That others of them • were drunkards, and fome corrupt and unjust men, and fcandalous to the profeffion of the Gofpel, and that it was not fit they fhould fit as a parliament any longer, and defired them to go away. The speaker not stirring from his feat, colonel Harrison, who fat near the chair, rofe up and took him by the arm to remove him from his feat, which, when the fpeaker faw, he left the chair. Some of the members rose up to anfwer Cromwell's fpeech, but he would fuffer none to speak but himself, which he did with so much arrogance in himself, and reproach to his fellow• members, that fome of his privadoes were afhamed of it; but he and his officers and party would have it fo: and, among all the parliament men, of whom many wore fwords, and would fometimes brag high, not one man offered to draw his fword against Gromwell, or to make the leaft refiftance against him; but • all of them tamely departed the houfe. He bid one of the foldiers to take away that fool's bauble, the C mace; and ftaid himself to fee all the members out of the houfe, himself the laft of them, and then caused the doors of the houfe to be fhut up. Thus was this great parliament, which had done fo great things, wholly at this time routed by those whom they had fet up, and that took their commiffions and authority from them; nor could they, in the least, juftify any action they had done, or one drop of ⚫ blood

Y

(1) Whit

lock, p. 554. and Ludlow, vol. ii. p. 455.

blood they had fpilt, but by this authority. Yet now the fervants rofe against the mafters, and most ingratefully, and difingenuously, as well as rafhly and imprudently, they diffolved that power by which themfelves were created officers and foldiers; and now they took what they defigned, all power into their own hands. All honeft and prudent indifferent men were highly diftafted at this unworthy action.Thus it pleafed God, that this affembly, famous through the world for its undertakings, actions and fucceffes, having fubdued all their enemies, were themselves overthrown and ruined by their fervants; and those whom they had raised, now pulled down their mafters. An example never to be forgotten, and fcarce to be paralleled in any ftory, by which all perfons may be inftructed how uncertain and fubject to change all worldly affairs are, how apt to fall when we think them higheft (t). To the above account from Mr. Whitlock, who is univerfally allowed to write impartially, we must add that Cromwell, having interrupted the parliament in the morning, came in the afternoon to the council of ftate (who were affembled to do their duty at the ufual place) accompanied with major-general Lambert and colonel Harrison, and told them at his entrance, Gentlemen, if you are met here as private perfons, you fhall not be difturbed; but if as a council of ftate, this is no place for you; and fince you can't but know what was done at the houfe in the morning, fo take notice, that the parliament is diffolved. To this ferjeant Bradshaw anfwered; Sir, we have heard what you did at the houfe in the morning, and before many hours all England will hear it but, Sir, you are miftaken to think that the parliament is diffolved; for no power • under heaven can diffolve them but themselves; therefore take you notice of that. Something more was faid to the fame purpose by Sir Arthur Hafelrig, Mr. Love, and Mr. Scot; and then the council of ftate, perceiving themfelves to be under the fame violence, departed (u). here is no account of this remarkable day's tranfactions in the Journals. There was

() Ludlow, departed (a).

vol. ii. p. 451.

an