moreover, which grows and has to grow by the very handling "of it! I would not be misunderstood in this.”]

I am a man standing in the Place I am in [Clearly, your Highness]; which Place I undertook not so much out of hope of doing any good, as out of a desire to prevent mischief and evil [Note this],—which I did see was imminent on the Nation. I say, we were running headlong into confusion and disorder, and would necessarily 'have' run into blood; and I was passive to those that desired me to undertake the Place which I now have. [With tones, with a look of sorrow, solemnity and nobleness; the brave Oliver!] A Place,

say, not so much of doing good,-which a man lawfully may, if he deal deliberately with God and his own conscience, a man may (I say) lawfully, if he deal deliberately with God and his own conscience; a man may lawfully, as the case may be (though it is a very tickle case), desire a Place to do good in! [Window once more into his Highness! "Tickle" is the old form of TICKLISH: 66 a tickle case indeed,"

his Highness candidly allows; yet a case which does occur,shame and woe to him, the poor cowardly Pedant, tied up in cobwebs and tape-thrums, that neglects it when it does!] I profess I had not that apprehension, when I undertook the Place, that I could so much do good; but I did think I might prevent imminent evil.—And therefore I am not contending for one "name" compared with another; and therefore have nothing to answer to any arguments that were used for preferring 'the name' Kingship to Protectorship. For I should almost think any "name" were better than my Name; and I should altogether think any person fitter than I am for such business [Your Highness?—But St. Paul too professed himself "the chief of sinners,”—and has not been altogether thought to "cant" in doing so!];-and I compliment not, God knows it! But this I should say, That I do think, you, in the settling of the peace and liberties of this Nation,

which cries as loud upon you as ever Nation did for somewhat that may beget a consistence, 'ought to attend to that;' otherwise the Nation will fall in pieces! And in that, so far as I can, I am ready to serve not as a King, but as a Constable 'if you like'! For truly I have, as before God, often thought that I could not tell what my business was, nor what I was in the place I stood in, save comparing myself to a good Constable set to keep the peace of the Parish. [Hear his Highness!] And truly this hath been my content and satisfaction in the troubles I have undergone, That you yet

have peace.

Why now, truly,-if I may advise,-I wish to God you may but be so happy as to keep the peace still 19 If you cannot attain to such perfection as to accomplish this 'that we are now upon,' I wish to God we may still have peace, ---that I do! But the "fruits of righteousness" are shown in "meekness;" a better thing than we are aware of!-- I say therefore, I do judge for myself there is no such necessity of this Name of King; for the other Names may do as well. I judge for myself. I must say a little (I think I have somewhat of conscience to answer as to the matter), why I cannot undertake this Name. [We are now fairly entered upon the Second head of method.] And truly I must needs go a little out of the way, to come to my reasons. And you will be able to judge of them when I have told you them. And I shall deal seriously, as before God.

If you do not all of you, I am sure some of you do, and it behoves me to say that I do, "know my calling from the first to this day." I was a person who, from my first employment, was suddenly preferred and lifted up from lesser trusts to greater; from my first being a Captain of a Troop of Horse; and did labour as well as I could to discharge

9 If I may advise, I should say the purport and soul of our whole inquiry at present ought to be that of keeping the peace.

my trust; and God blessed me 'therein' as it pleased Him. And I did truly and plainly,—and in a way of foolish simplicity, as it was judged by very great and wise men, and good men too,-desire to make my instruments help me in that work. And I will deal plainly with you: I had a very worthy Friend then; and he was a very noble person, and I know his memory is very grateful to all,-Mr. John Hampden. [Hear, hear;—a notable piece of History!] At my first going out into this engagement,10 I saw our men were beaten at every hand. I did indeed; and desired him that he would make some additions to my Lord Essex's Army, of some new regiments; and I told him I would be serviceable to him in bringing such men in as I thought had a spirit that would do something in the work. This is very true that I tell you; God knows I lie not.11 "Your troops," said I, "are most of them old decayed serving-men, and tapsters, "and such kind of fellows; and," said I, "their troops are

gentlemen's sons, younger sons and persons of quality : "do you think that the spirits of such base and mean fel"lows will ever be able to encounter gentlemen, that have "honour and courage and resolution in them?" Truly I did represent to him in this manner conscientiously; and truly I did tell him: "You must get men of a spirit: and "take it not ill what I say,-I know you will not,-of "a spirit that is likely to go on as far as gentlemen will go:—or else you will be beaten still." I told him so; I did truly. He was a wise and worthy person; and he did think that I talked a good notion, but an impracticable one. [Very natural in Mr. Hampden, if I recollect him well, your Highness! With his close thin lips, and very vigilant eyes; with his clear official understanding; lively sensibilities to “un

10 enterprise.

11 A notable clause of a sentence, this latter too; physiognomic enough;-and perhaps very liable to be misunderstood by a modern reader. The old phrase, still current in remote quarters, "It's no lie," which signifies an emphatic and even cour teous assent and affirmation, must be borne in mind.

spotted character," "safe courses," &c. &c. A very brave man; but formidably thick-quilted, and with pincer-lips, and eyes very vigilant. Alas, there is no possibility for poor Columbus at any of the Public Offices, till once he become an Actuality, and say, "Here is the America I was telling you of!"] Truly I told him I could do somewhat in it. I did so,-'did this somewhat:' and truly I must needs say this to you, 'The result was,'-impute it to what you please,I raised such men as had the fear of God before them, as made some conscience of what they did [The Ironsides; yea!]; and from that day forward, I must say to you, they were never beaten, and wherever they were engaged against the enemy, they beat continually. [Yea!] And truly this is matter of praise to God :—and it hath some instruction in it, To own men who are religious and godly. And so many of them as are peaceably and honestly and quietly disposed to live within 'rules of' Government, and will be subject to those Gospel rules of obeying Magistrates and living under Authority [Sentence catches fire abruptly, and explodes here] -I reckon no Godliness without that circle! Without that spirit, let it pretend what it will, it is diabolical, it is devilish, it is from diabolical spirits, from the depth of Satan's wickedness12-[Checks himself]-Why truly I need not say more than to apply all this13 to the business we have in hand.'

I will be bold to apply this to our present purpose, because it is my all! I could say as all the world says, and run headily upon anything; but I must tender this 'my present answer' to you as a thing that sways upon my conscience; or else I were a knave and a deceiver. 'Well;' I

12 Not 'height of Jotham's wickedness,' as the lazy Reporter has it. Jotham was not 'wicked' at all (Judges, c. 9). Nay the lazy Reporter corrects himself elsewhere, if he had not been asleep! Compare p. 369 line 16 of Somers with p. 385 line 2.

13 'this' of my old proposal to Mr. Hampden; and how good it is to 'own men who are religious and godly.'

tell you there are such men in this Nation; godly men of the same spirit, men that will not be beaten down by a worldly or carnal spirit while they keep their integrity. And I deal plainly and faithfully with you, 'when I say?' I cannot think that God would bless an undertaking of anything, 'Kingship or whatever else,' which would, justly and with cause, grieve them. True, they may be troubled without cause; and I must be a slave if I should comply with any such humour as that. [Leaves the matter open still!] But I say there are honest men and faithful men, true to the great things of the Government, namely the Liberty of the People, giving them what is due to them, and protecting this Interest (and I think verily God will bless you for what you have done in that)-[Sentence broken; try it another way]— But if I know, as indeed I do, that very generally good men do not swallow this Title,-though really it is no part of their goodness to be unwilling to submit to what a Parliament shall settle over them, yet I must say, it is my duty and my conscience to beg of you that there may be no hard things put upon me; things, I mean, hard to them, which they cannot swallow. [The Young Lady will and she will not] If the Nation may be as well provided-for without these things we have been speaking of [Kingships, &c.], as, according to my apprehension, it may,-'then' truly I think it will be no sin in you, it will be to you as it was to David in another case,14" no grief of heart in time coming," that you have a tenderness even possibly (if it be their weakness) to the weakness of those who have integrity and honesty and uprightness, and who are not carried away with the hurries I see some taken with—[“A Standard lifted up," the other day! We have had to turn the key upon them, in Chepstow, in the Tower and elsewhere],-that think their virtue lies in despising Authority, in opposing it! I think 14 Nabal's and Abigail's case (1 Samuel, xxv. 31).