62 Proposed dissolution of parliament. [B. XIV

"them, that they would settle a council for the administration of the government during the interval, and then dissolve themselves, and summon a new parliament; which," they told them, "would be the most popular action they could perform."

These addresses in the name of the army, being confidently delivered by some officers of it, and as confidently seconded by others who were members of the house, it was thought necessary, that they should receive a solemn debate, to the end that when the parliament had declared its resolution and determination, all persons might be obliged to acquiesce therein, and so there would be an end put to all addresses of that kind.

There were many members of the house, who, either from the justice and reason of the request, or seasonably to comply with the sense of the army, to which they foresaw they should be at last compelled to submit, seemed to think it necessary, for abating the great envy, which was confessedly against the parliament throughout the kingdom, that they should be dissolved, to the end the people might make a new election of such persons as they thought fit to trust with their liberty and property, and whatsoever was dearest to them. But Mr. Martyn told them, "that he thought they might "find the best advice from the scripture, what they were to do in this particular: that when Moses was found upon the river, and brought "to Pharaoh's daughter, she took care that the "mother might be found out, to whose care he I might be committed to be nursed; which suc"ceeded very happily." He said, "their common

1653.] Cromwell dissolves the parliament.

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"wealth was yet an infant, of a weak growth, and a very tender constitution; and therefore his opinion was, that nobody could be so fit to nurse "it, as the mother who brought it forth; and that they should not think of putting it under any "other hands, until it had obtained more years "and vigour." To which he added, "that they

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“had another infant too under their hands, the war with Holland, which had thrived wonder"fully under their conduct; but he much doubted "that it would be quickly strangled, if it were "taken out of their care who had hitherto go"verned it."

These reasons prevailed so far, that, whatsoever was said to the contrary, it was determined, that the parliament would not yet think of dissolving, nor would take it well, that any persons should take the presumption any more to make overtures to them of that nature, which was not fit for private and particular persons to meddle with: and, to put a seasonable stop to any farther presumption of that kind, they appointed a committee "speedily "to prepare an act of parliament by which it should "be declared to be high treason, for any man to propose or contrive the dissolution of this parliament, or to change the present government set"tled and established."

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This bill being prepared by the committee, they resolved to pass it with all possible expedition. So Cromwell clearly discerned, that by this means they would never be persuaded to part with that authority and power, which was so profitable, and so pleasant to them: yet the army declared they were not satisfied with the determination, and con

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Cromwell dissolves the parliament, [B. XIV.

tinued their applications to the same purpose, or to others as unagreeable to the sense of the house; and did all they could to infuse the same spirit into all the parts of the kingdom, to make the parliament odious, as it was already very abundantly; and Cromwell was well pleased that the parliament should express as much prejudice against the army.

All things being thus prepared, Cromwell thought this a good season to expose these enemies of peace to the indignation of the nation; which, he well knew, was generally weary of the war, and hoped, if that were at an end, that they should be eased of the greatest part of their contributions, and other impositions thereupon, having adjusted all things with the chief officers of the army, who were at his devotion, in the month of April, that was in the year 1653, he came into the house of parliament in a morning when it was sitting, attended with the officers, who were likewise members of the house, and told them, “that he came thither "to put an end to their power and authority; "which they had managed so ill, that the nation "could be no otherwise preserved than by their dissolution; which he advised them, without "farther debate, quietly to submit unto."

Thereupon another officer, with some files of musketeers, entered into the house, and stayed there till all the members walked out; Cromwell reproaching many of the members by name, as they went out of the house, with their vices and corruptions; and amongst the rest, sir Harry Vane with his breach of faith and corruption; and having given the mace to an officer to be safely

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and publishes a declaration.

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kept, he caused the doors to be locked up; and so dissolved that assembly, which had sat almost thirteen years, and under whose name he had wrought so much mischief, and reduced three kingdoms to his own entire obedience and subjection, without any example or precedent in the Christian world that could raise his ambition to such a presumptuous undertaking, and without any rational dependence upon the friendship of one man, who had any other interest to advance his designs, but .what he had given him by preferring him in the war.

When he had thus prosperously passed this Rubicon, he lost no time in publishing a declaration of the grounds and reasons of his proceeding, for the satisfaction of the people: in which he put them in mind, "how miraculously God had appeared for them in reducing Ireland and Scot"land to so great a degree of peace, and England "to a perfect quiet; whereby the parliament had "opportunity to give the people the harvest of "all their labour, blood, and treasure, and to settle a due liberty in reference to civil and spiritual things, whereunto they were obliged by their duty, engagements, and those great and wonder"ful things God had wrought for them. But that they had made so little progress towards this "good end, that it was matter of much grief to the "good people of the land, who had thereupon applied themselves to the army, expecting redress by their means; who, being very unwilling to "meddle with the civil authority, thought fit that some officers, who were members of the parliament, should move and desire the parliament to

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Cromwell's declaration after [B. XIV. "proceed vigorously in reforming what was amiss "in the commonwealth, and in settling it upon a "foundation of justice and righteousness: that they "found this, and some other endeavours they had used, produced no good effect, but rather an averseness to the things themselves, with much "bitterness and aversion to the people of God, and his Spirit acting in them: insomuch as the godly party in the army was now become of no other use, than to countenance the ends of a corrupt party, that desired to perpetuate themselves in "the supreme government of the nation: that, for "the obviating those evils, the officers of the army had obtained several meetings with some mem"bers of the parliament, to consider what remedies might properly be applied; but that it appeared very evident unto them, that the parliament, by "want of attendance of many of their members,

and want of integrity in others who did attend, "would never answer those ends, which God, his "people, and the whole nation, expected from "them; but that this cause, which God had so greatly blessed, must needs languish under their hands, and by degrees be lost, and the lives, liberties, and comforts of his people, be delivered "into their enemies' hands. All which being seriously and sadly considered by the honest people of the nation, as well as by the army, it "seemed a duty incumbent upon them, who had seen so much of the power and presence of God, "to consider of some effectual means, whereby to " establish righteousness and peace in these nations: that, after much debate, it had been judged necessary, that the supreme government should be,

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