old remedy, his army. He again erected another council of officers, who, under the form, first of petitions and then of remonstrances, interposed in whatsoever had any relation to the army, used great importunities for the arrears of their pay, "which "they were well assured would be abundantly pro"vided for, from the great contributions and taxes "that were paid, if well managed." The sharp reprehensions with which their addresses were answered, for their presumption in meddling with matters above them, gave occasion to the army to send a new remonstrance, by which they desired the parliament that they would remember how long they had protracted their session, contrary to their former professions, and thus excluded the rest of the nation from bearing any part in the service of their country; and thereupon besought them that they would summon a new parliament, and settle a council for the administration of the government during the interval of their dissolution, "which," they told them, "would be the most popular act they could perform."

This remonstrance being subscribed by many officers, and supported by some members of the house, it was thought necessary to submit it to a solemn debate, expecting that when the parliament had declared its resolution, all persons might be obliged to acquiesce. The result of the debate was, that they would not, yet think of dissolving; and they appointed a committee speedily to prepare an act for the filling up of their house, and by which it should be declared to be high treason for any man to propose or contrive the changing of the present government. The army, still more incensed at this determination, insisted again on their remon

strance.

The bill being prepared by the committee, the parliament resolved to pass it with all possible ex

pedition. In the mean, time, Cromwell, finding matters ripe for his purpose, called a council of officers to determine what was to be done with respect to the public settlement. During the debate they were informed that the parliament was sitting, and debating upon an act not to dissolve themselves, and fill up the house by new elections. Cromwell, in a rage, hastened to the house, attended by three hundred soldiers: some of them he placed at the door, some in the lobby, and the rest on the stairs. He sat next to his friend St. John, and told him that he had come with a purpose of doing what grieved him to the very soul, and what he had earnestly, with tears, besought the Lord not to impose upon him; but there was a necessity to execute it, for the greatest glory of God and good of the nation; and when the question on passing the act was ready to be put, he, suddenly starting up, loaded the parliament with the vilest reproaches for their tyranny, ambition, oppression, and robbery of the public; then stamping with his foot, which was a signal for the soldiers to enter, " for shame," said he to the parliament; "get you gone; give "place to honester men, to those who will more "faithfully discharge their trust: you are no longer “a parliament, I tell you; you are no longer a par"liament; the Lord has done with you; he has "chosen other instruments for carrying on his “work.”. As they went out of the house, he reproached many of them nominally, in the grossest terms, with their vices and corruptions; and, among the rest, taking hold of Martin by the cloak, "thou

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art a whore-master," said he; to another," thou "art an adulterer;" to a third, "thou art a drunk"ard and a glutton;" and to a fourth," thou art "an extortioner." He commanded a soldier to seize the mace. "What shall we do with this “bauble? here, take it away.. It is you," said he

to the retreating members, " that have forced me upon this: I have sought the Lord night and day "that he would rather slay me, than put me upon "this work." Having commanded the soldiers to clear the hall, he himself went out the last, and, or dering the doors to be locked, returned to his lodgings in Whitehall.

Thus, by the energy of a single man, was annihi❤ lated in an instant, April 20, without the least opposition, that famous assembly, that mock par. liament, which had filled all Europe with astonishment at its crimes, and under whose name Cromwell had wrought so much mischief, and reduced three kingdoms to his entire obedience and subjection. Having so prosperously passed this rubicon, he lost no time in publishing a declaration of the motives of his last proceeding, for the satisfaction of the people, to whom he represented all the enormities of the revolution as many miracles of the Almighty, and himself as ever acting through the inspiration and under the immediate direction of the Lord; and the more easily persuaded them that the dissolution of the parliament was a godly deed, that they generally wished for it.

Congratulatory addresses were made to Cromwell by the fleet, by the army, and even by many of the chief corporations and counties of England. The presbyterians were pleased to see the men, by whom they had been expelled, now in their turn expelled by their own servant; and they applauded him for this last act of violence against the parliament. The royalists, though irreconcileable for ever with a man who had imbrued his hands in the blood of their king, expected more lenity from him than from the furious republicans who had hitherto governed. The generality of the people, harassed with wars and factions, were glad to see the prospect of a settlement, and deemed it less ignominious to submit to

a man of extraordinary talents and capacity, than to a few ignoble enthusiastic hypocrites, who, under the names of republic and liberty, exercised upon them the most oppressive tyranny.

Cromwell had nothing to apprehend, but from the resentment of the republicans, who were then divided into two sets of men; the millenarians, who expected every day the second coming of Christ upon earth, and the deists, who denied entirely the truth of revelation, and had no other object than political liberty. The latter were particularly hated by Cromwell, who usually called them heathens. As to the former, he could not expect to gain them but by re-establishing some appearance of a commonwealth. A parliament was still a name of more veneration than any other assembly of men was likely to be. However, Cromwell thought it not safe to trust the election of the members to the humour and inclination of the people. He resolved, therefore, to choose them himself, that he might more easily dissolve them when he should think fit. He fixed their number to one hundred and forty four, and selected the major part of them, among inferior persons of no quality or name; artificers of the meanest trades, known only by their gifts in praying and preaching, which was now practised by men of all descriptions, but scholars, throughout the kingdom. One of

them, called Praise God Barebones, a leather seller in Fleet Street, being one of their most eminent speakers; the whole set went by the name of Praise God Barebones' Parliament. Cromwell, in his warrants, directed to every one of them, after expatiating on the necessity of dissolving the late parliament, and of providing for the peace, safety, and good government of the commonwealth, by entrusting it to persons fearing God, and of approved fidelity and honesty, concluded in these terms: "I,

"Oliver Cromwell, captain-general and commander "in chief of all the forces raised, or to be raised "in this commonwealth, by the advice of his "council of officers, do hereby summon and re"quire you personally to be and appear at the "council chamber of Whitehall, upon the fourth

day of July next, then and there to take upon ແ you the said trust. And you are hereby called " and appointed to serve as a member for the counડ ty of," &c. &c.

On the day of the first meeting of this assembly, Cromwell addressed them with a speech full of texts from scripture, in which he urged many arguments to prove that they had a very lawful call to take upon them the supreme authority of the nation, and earnestly exhorted them to use great tenderness towards all conscientious persons, of whatsoever opinion they appeared to be. He afterwards delivered to them an instrument engrossed in parchment under his hand and seal, whereby, "With the advice of his council of officers, he de"volved and entrusted the supreme authority of "the commonwealth into the hands of those per

sons therein mentioned, and declared that they "or any forty of them, were to be acknowledged "the supreme authority of the nation, to which "all persons were to yield obedience to the 3rd day "of November, 1654; and three months before that "time, 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 for a like succession in the "government." Being thus invested with this authority, they repaired to the parliament-house and made choice of the speaker.

These men continued to assemble nearly six months, to the great amazement, and even mirth of the people; they never interfered, however,