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of

Cromwell invests them with authority. [B. XIV.

the noble actions of the army in the famous "victory of Worcester, of the applications they had "made to the parliament, for a good settlement of "all the affairs of the commonwealth, the neglect "whereof made it absolutely necessary to dissolve "it." He assured them by many arguments, some of which were urged out of scripture, that they "had a very lawful call to take upon them the supreme authority of the nation;" and concluded with a very earnest desire, that great tenderness might be used towards all conscientious persons, "of what judgment soever they appeared to be."

"

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When he had finished his discourse, he delivered to them an instrument, engrossed in parchment under his hand and seal, whereby, with the advice of his council of officers, he did devolve and intrust the supreme authority of this commonwealth into the hands of those persons therein mentioned; and declared, that they, or any forty of them, were to "be held and acknowledged the supreme authority "of the nation, to which all persons within the "same, and the territories thereunto belonging,

were to yield obedience and subjection to the "third day of the month of November, which "should be in the year 1654," which was about a year and three months from the time that he spoke to them; and three months before the time prescribed should expire, they were to make choice of other persons to succeed them, whose power and authority should not exceed one year, and then they were likewise to provide and take care for a like succession in the government. Being thus invested with this authority, they repaired to the parliament house, and made choice of one Rouse to

1653.]

Rouse chosen speaker.

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be their speaker, an old gentleman of Devonshire, who had been a member of the former parliament, and in that time been preferred and made provost of the college of Eton, which office he then enjoyed, with an opinion of having some knowledge in the Latin and Greek tongues, but of a very mean understanding, but throughly engaged in the guilt of the times.

At their first coming together, some of them had the modesty to doubt, that they were not in many respects so well qualified as to take upon them the style and title of a parliament. But that modesty was quickly subdued, and they were easily persuaded to assume that title, and to consider themselves as the supreme authority in the nation. These men thus brought together continued in this capacity near six months, to the amazement and even mirth of the people. In which time they never entered upon any grave and serious debate, that might tend to any settlement, but generally expressed great sharpness and animosity against the clergy, and against all learning, out of which they thought the clergy had grown, and still would grow.

There were now no bishops for them to be angry with; they had already reduced all that order to the lowest beggary. But their quarrel was against all who had called themselves ministers, and who, by being called so, received tithes, and respect from their neighbours. They resolved the function itself to be Antichristian, and the persons to be burdensome to the people, and the requiring and payment of tithes to be absolute Judaism, and they thought fit that they should be abolished altogether;

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Cromwell made lord protector

[B. XIV. and that there might not for the time to come be any race of people who might revive those pretences, they thought fit," that all lands belonging "to the universities, and colleges in those universities, might be sold, and the monies that should arise thereby, be disposed for the public service, " and to ease the people from the payment of taxes " and contributions.'

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When they had tired and perplexed themselves so long in such debates, as soon as they were met in the morning upon the twelfth of December, and before many of them were come who were like to dissent from the motion, one of them stood up and declared, that he did believe, they were not equal "to the burden that was laid upon them, and "therefore that they might dissolve themselves, " and deliver back their authority into their hands "from whom they had received it;" which being presently consented to, their speaker, with those who were of that mind, went to Whitehall, and redelivered to Cromwell the instrument they had received from him, acknowledged their own impotency, and besought him to take care of the commonwealth.

By this frank donation he and his council of officers were once more possessed of the supreme sovereign power of the nation. And in few days after, his council were too modest to share with him in this royal authority, but declared, "that the government of the commonwealth should reside "in a single person; that that person should be "Oliver Cromwell, captain general of all the forces " in England, Scotland, and Ireland, and that his 'title should be lord protector of the common

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1653.] and installed in Westminster hall.

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"wealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland, and "of the dominions and territories thereunto belonging; and that he should have a council of one and twenty persons to be assistant to him in "the government."

Most men did now conclude, that the folly and sottishness of this last assembly was so much foreseen, that, from their very first coming together, it was determined what should follow their dissolution. For the method that succeeded could hardly have been composed in so short a time after, by persons who had not consulted upon the contingency some time before. It was upon the twelfth of December, that the small parliament was dissolved, when many of the members, who came to the house as to their usual consultations, found that they who came before, were gone to Whitehall to be dissolved; which the other never thought of: and upon the sixteenth day, the commissioners of the great seal, with the lord mayor and aldermen, were sent for to attend Cromwell and his council to Westminster-hall; it being then vacation-time ; and being come thither, the commissioners sitting upon their usual seat, and not knowing why they were sent for, the declaration of the council of officers was read, whereby Cromwell was made protector; who stood in the court uncovered, whilst what was contained in a piece of parchment was read, which was called the instrument of government; whereby it was ordained, "that the pro"tector should call a parliament once in every three years; that the first parliament should be con"vened upon the third day of September following, which would be in the year 1654; and that

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76

Cromwell proclaimed protector. [B. XIV.

"he should not dissolve any parliament once met, "till they had sat five months; that such bills as "should be presented to him by the parliament, if

they should not be confirmed by him within twenty days, should pass without him, and be "looked upon as laws that he should have a "select council to assist him, which should not "exceed the number of one and twenty, nor be

:

less than thirteen: that immediately after his "death the council should choose another pro"tector before they rose: that no protector after him should be general of the army: that the "protector should have power to make peace and war: that, with the consent of his council, he "should make laws, which should be binding to "the subjects during the intervals of parliament."

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Whilst this was reading, Cromwell had his hand upon the Bible; and it being read, he took his oath, that he would not violate any thing that was contained in that instrument of government; “but would observe, and cause the same to be observed; and in all things, according to the best " of his understanding, govern the nation according "to the laws, statutes, and customs, seeking peace, "and causing justice and law to be equally administered."

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This new invented ceremony being in this manner performed, he himself was covered, and all the rest bare; and Lambert, who was then the second person in the army, carried the sword before his highness (which was the style he took from thenceforth) to his coach, all they whom he called into it sitting bare; and so he returned to Whitehall; and immediately proclamation was made by a herald,