anxious to exclude the influential republicans; and he summoned Ludlow before his council. "I am not ignorant," he said, "of the many plots that are on foot to disturb the present power; yet I would have you to know that what I do proceeds not from a motive of fear, but from a timely prudence to foresee and prevent danger. Had I done as I should, I ought to have secured you immediately upon your coming into England; and therefore I now require you to give assurance not to act against the Government." LUDLOW."I must beg to be excused in that particular, and to remind you of the reasons I formerly gave you for my refusal. I am, however, in your power, and you may use me as you think fit." CROMWELL." Pray, then, what is it that you would have? May not every man be as good as he will? What can you more than you have?" LUDLOW." It were easy to tell what we would have." desire LUDLOW." That which we fought for-that the nation might be governed by its own consent." CROMWELL."I am as much for a government by consent as any man; but where shall we find that consent? Among the prelatical, Presbyterian, independent, anabaptist, or levelling parties?" LUDLOW.-" Amongst those of all sorts who have acted with fidelity and affection to the public." CROMWELL.The people enjoy protection and quiet under my government; and I am resolved to keep the nation from being again imbrued in blood." LUDLOW." I am of opinion too much blood has been already shed, unless there be a better account of it." : are CROMWELL."You do well to charge us with the guilt of blood; but we think there has been a good return for what hath been shed and we understand what clandestine correspondences carrying on at this time between the Spaniard and those of your party, who make use of your name, and affirm that will own them and assist them." you LUDLOW —“ I know not what you mean by my party, and I can truly say that, if any men have entered into an engagement with Spain, they have had no advice from me so to do, and that, if they will use my name, I cannot help it." CROMWELL.- "I desire not to put any more hardships on you than on myself. I have always been ready to do you all the good offices that lay in my power; and I aim at nothing by this proceeding but the public quiet and security." LUDLOW.- 66 -- Truly, sir, I know not why you should be an enemy to me, who have been faithful to you in all your difficulties.' CROMWELL." I understand not what you mean by my difficulties. I am sure they were not so properly mine as those of the public; for, in respect to my outward condition, I have not much improved it, as these gentlemen well know.' The members of the council, thus appealed to, rose from their seats in token of assent to what he said. LUDLOW." It is from that duty which I owe to the public, whereof you express such a peculiar regard, that I dare not give the security, because I conceive it to be against the liberty of the people and contrary to the known law of England. Here is an Act of Parliament for restraining the Council from imprisoning any of the free-born people of England; and in case they should do so, requiring the Justices of the Upper Bench, upon the application of the aggrieved party, to grant nis habeas corpus, and to give him considerable damages. To this act I suppose you gave your free vote, and I assure you that, for my own part, I dare not do anything that may tend to the violation of it." CROMWELL." But did not the army and Council of State commit persons to prison?" LUDLOW." The Council of State did so, but it was by virtue of an authority granted to them by the Parliament; and if the army have sometimes acted in that manner, it has been in time of war, and then only in order to bring the persons secured to a legal trial. Whereas, it is now pretended that we live in a time of peace, and are to be governed by the known laws of the land." "A justice of peace may commit, and shall not I?" LUDLOW.- "A justice of peace is a legal officer, and authorised by the law to do so, which you could not be, though you were king; because if you do wrong therein, no remedy can be had against you." CROMWELL. The discussion, on both sides, was evidently vain; Cromwell carried it no further, but dismissed Ludlow without ordering his arrest. He was less surprised than he was willing to appear at this resistance and this language. He himself thought, in his inmost heart, that England could be governed neither tranquilly nor long, without the fulfilment of certain conditions of legality, and the cooperation of a Parliament; and experience, more powerful than Ludlow's arguments, confirmed him every day in these convictions. 1 Ludlow's Memoirs, pp. 233–235, 240–242; Guizot's Etudes Biographiques sur la Révolution d'Angleterre, pp. 68-77. He had succeeded in all his undertakings; he had overcome ali his enemies, and surmounted all obstacles; and yet obstacles reappeared, and enemies rose once more against him; though uni versally and invariably victorious, his government had obtained no stability; neither the defeat of all factious, nor the re-establishment of order, nor the salutary activity of his home administration, could suffice to secure him what he sought-the right of present, and the prospect of future rule. Great successes abroad, brilliant and useful alliances, the wide diffusion of the power of England and the glory of his own name; would they be more likely to accomplish this twofold object? By gaining more influence and celebrity throughout the world, would he strengthen his position in his own country? He hoped to do so; and, in his foreign policy, he dis played, with greater confidence than in his home government, his bold spirit of enterprise, and the absolute power which he had at his command. |