first of that noble race of sailors of whom NELSON is the type, whose one watchword is DUTY, and whose aim is not so much to bring their ships safe home as to inflict all possible damage on the enemy. England was now restored to more than the foreign power of Elizabeth, for Cromwell knew nothing of Elizabeth's vacillation between parties. "The cause of God and his country" was his single motto; and even the persecuted Vaudois of the Piedmontese valleys found protection in his remonstrances with the duke of Savoy and the king of France. James I. had stipulated for "moderation" in the treatment of English subjects by the inquisition; but under Cromwell they might repeat the calm boast, "Civis Romanus sum," and find the name of their country a safeguard from insult. He proved his desire for universal toleration by attempting to readmit the Jews into England. The last act of his foreign policy was the campaign of 1658, in combination with the French under Turenne, against the Spanish Netherlands, which gave England a compensation for Calais in DUNKIRK (June 25, 1658), till it was sold to France by Charles II. (See p. 231).

The protector's domestic government was equally energetic, but on this field his foes were his own countrymen. His first parliament met (Sept. 4, 1654) only to question the very foundation of his power, and he dismissed them in anger (Jan. 31, 1655). Plots were formed both by the royalists and the republicans, and most inflammatory pamphlets appeared against the protector. There were royalist risings in several counties, and an open insurrection in Scotland under Middleton. The latter was kept in check by Monk, while Cromwell put down the former, dealing severely with the royalists, but trying to gain over the republicans. England was divided into eleven military districts, under as many major-generals, with parliamentary commissioners who levied taxes and imprisoned suspected persons. The government of Ireland was intrusted to Henry Cromwell, the protector's second son, whose amiable character was allied with vigour and ability.

A second parliament met on Sept. 17, 1656, about 100 members being excluded by warrants of the council. The majority thus secured offered Cromwell the title of KING (March 25, 1657), which the opposition of his generals induced him to decline, after long hesitation (May 8). The house then presented to him a second "humble petition and advice," renewing the title of Lord Protector, and authorising him to name his successor and to create a House of Peers (May 26). He was inaugurated anew with great pomp in Westminster Hall (June 26), and he appointed 60 peers. The parliament reassembled Jan. 20, 1658, but was dissolved in consequence of the opposition of the commons to the new peers (Feb. 4).

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Meanwhile Spain was busy, as in the time of Elizabeth, with her old arts of assassination. In 1656 she employed Colonel Sexby, a Leveller, to get up an insurrection. Syndercombe, an agent of Sexby, made an attempt on Cromwell's life (Jan. 19, 1657); and similar acts were invited by a pamphlet with the title of 'Killing no Murder,' which was written by Colonel Titus, a royalist, and widely disseminated by Sexby. At last Sexby was seized (Dec. 1657), and, like Syndercombe, escaped execution only by dying in the Tower. more formidable royalist plot was organized by the marquis of Ormond, in conjunction with a projected invasion by Spain from Flanders; and the plan was favoured by lord Fairfax and other leading presbyterians (Jan. and Feb. 1658). The conspiracy was detected, and two leading royalists were executed. But these repeated dangers destroyed Cromwell's peace, and at last broke down his health. He was seized with a slow fever, which settled into a tertian ague, and he died on the anniversary of his victories at Dunbar and Worcester (Sept. 3, 1658), in the 60th year of his age and the 4th of his protectorate. We have attempted to record his acts without discussing those features of his character which have long been treated with passion and prejudice. It only remains to add that he was a liberal patron of art and literature, and a great lover of music. He saved from destruction the cartoons of Raffaelle, and other noble works of art; he fostered the genius of Milton; he projected a revised translation of the Bible; and the magnificentPolyglot Bible' of Brian Walton was published under his auspices.

Cromwell's private life was safe from the reproach of his bitterest enemies. His wife, Elizabeth Bourchier, bore him three sonsOliver (who fell in battle in 1648), Richard, and Henry-and four daughters: Elizabeth, Mrs. Claypole (d. 1658); Bridget, married successively to Ireton and Fleetwood (d. 1681); Mary, viscountess Fauconbridge (d. 1712); and Frances, lady Russell (d. 1721). His descendants are still numerous, especially in Cambridgeshire and Herts. He was always conspicuous for duty and affection to his mother, a most pious and virtuous lady named Stuart,* who died at an advanced age during his protectorate.

On the death of Cromwell his son RICHARD was named protector by the council, and universally acknowledged. A new parliament (Jan. 29, 1659) confirmed the basis of government as settled in the "humble petition and advice." But Richard's temper was too mild for the times. The army became threatening, and he was forced by his uncle Desborough and his brother-in-law Fleetwood to dissolve the parliament (April 22, 1659), leaving the government to the

* Her alleged relationship to the royal family rests on no good evidence.

council of officers, who recalled the remnant of the Long Parliament (May 7), and appointed a committee of safety (May 9) and a new council of 31 members of the old presbyterian party (May 13). The army and fleet adhered to this revolution, and Fleetwood was appointed lieutenant-general. Richard Cromwell made a formal demission of his office (May 25) and retired to the continent. Some years after he returned to England, and lived quietly at Cheshunt till 1712. Henry Cromwell resigned his command in Ireland (June 15) and retired to Cambridgeshire, where he died in 1674.

Dissensions soon arose between the army and the parliament, who were expelled by Lambert (Oct. 13, 1659), and a military "Committee of Safety" administered the government. Lambert had meanwhile suppressed an insurrection of the royalists and pres byterians (Aug. 19). But the balance of England's destinies was held by Monk and his army. Monk commenced his march from Scotland, nominally to restore the parliament. Lambert advanced to meet him as far as Newcastle, but found his soldiers falling away. The garrison of Portsmouth and the army round London declared for the parliament, which reassembled on Dec. 26; and on the 3rd of February, 1660, Monk, who had been joined at York by lord Fairfax, entered London without opposition. On the 13th the "Engagement" to the Commonwealth was again agreed to, and on the 25th Monk was appointed captain-general. Monk now entered into secret negociations with Charles, and persuaded him to escape from Brussels to Breda, lest the Spaniards should detain him as a pledge for Dunkirk; and the advice came only just in time. Meanwhile the reinstatement of the excluded members by Monk (Feb. 21) had given the moderate party a majority in the parliament, which repudiated the Engagement (March 13), and dissolved itself (March 16), after appointing a new parliament to meet on April 25. Thus at last the "Long Parliament" came to an end.

The presbyterians united with the old royalists in the elections for the "Convention Parliament," in which the ancient peers returned to their house. On the 1st of May sir John Grenville appeared with a letter from the king to both houses, accompanied by a declaration promising liberty of conscience and a general amnesty, with no exceptions but such as parliament should itself make. The soldiers were assured of the continuance of their present pay, with all arrears. An answer was at once prepared, and both houses attended the proclamation of king CHARLES II. (May 8), who landed at Dover (May 25), and entered London on his 30th birthday, May 29, 1660. So enthusiastic was his welcome that he pleasantly said it must have been his fault only which had kept him so long from a people so devoted to him.

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VHLIHDYV-JIH TINYIWWAS NOLIA WOD NVI

Medal exhibiting a first-rate Ship of War: struck to commemorate the
appointment of James Duke of York, Lord High Admiral.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

THE HOUSE OF STUART-continued.

CHARLES II. A.D. 1660-1685

CHARLES II., the first Englishman of the Stuart dynasty, was born at St. James's, May 30, 1630. He became " king de jure," by his father's death, on Jan. 30, 1649, from which day the years of his reign are legally computed, so that the first year of his actual reign (1660-1661) is numbered in the statutes as his twelfth. During the Commonwealth he was for a short period "king de facto" in Scotland (1650-1651); but the battle of Worcester made him an exile in France, Germany, and Holland, till his restoration, May 29, 1660.

He was possessed of many external advantages--a fine person, a ready wit, graceful manners, and the greatest affability-but his face, the complexion of which was extremely dark, was cast in a harsh and forbidding mould. He was faithless, selfish, and utterly unprincipled; indolent in business, and given up to sensual pleasures. Even adversity seemed to have taught him no lesson, except meanness in revenging and unscrupulousness in enjoying himself; together with a selfish prudence which kept his arbitrary ideas in check, and which he once expressed to the duke of York by saying, 'Brother, I have no wish to go on my travels again." His character was summed up in a mock epitaph by his boon companion Rochester :

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"Here lies our sovereign lord the king,

Whose word no man relies on;
Who never said a foolish thing,

And never did a wise one."

Quite true!" rejoined the king, "for my words are my own, and my acts are my ministers'."

The convention parliament, which continued to sit after the Restoration, settled on the king an income of 1,200,000l.; abolished the feudal revenues of the crown, granting hereditary excise duties in lieu of them; and voted duties of tonnage and poundage for the king's life. They passed an act of pardon and indemnity, from which the regicides and some others, including Vane and Lambert, were excepted by name. The regicides, both living and dead, were attainted. Twenty-nine of them were tried before a special commission (Oct. 9-13), and ten were executed, the others having surrendered on the promise of their lives by a royal proclamation. The remains of Cromwell, Ireton, and Bradshaw were disinterred by order of parliament, and on the anniversary of the late king's death they were hanged on the gibbet at Tyburn, under which the bodies were buried, the heads being struck off and exposed on Westminster Hall (Jan. 30, 1661). Vane and Lambert were brought to trial later. The former sealed his fate by his bold defence, and was executed June 14, 1662; the latter saved his life by his submissive demeanour, and lived thirty years as an exile in Guernsey, where he died a Roman Catholic.

The king dissolved the convention parliament Dec. 29, 1660. The army was next disbanded, except a force of 1000 horse and 4000 foot, which formed the first nucleus of our standing army. In Scotland the royal authority was entirely restored by a parliament which met Jan. 1, 1661. The marquis of Argyle and a preacher named Guthrie were brought to trial, convicted on the feeblest evidence, and executed the former on May 27, the latter on June 1.