LXI. 1658.

CHAP. which the managed to good advantage. Hence Cromwel, in the invectives of that age, is often ftigmatized with the name of the brewer. Ludlow, by way of infult, mentions the great acceffion, which he would receive to his royal revenues upon his mother's death, who poffeffed a jointure of fixty pounds a year upon his estate. She was of a good family, of the name of Stuart; remotely allied, as is by fome fuppofed, to the royal family.

CHAP. LXII

Richard acknowledged protector A parliament · Cabal of Wallingford Houfe - Richard depofed - Long parliament or Rump restored - Confpiracy of the royalifts Infurrection Suppressed — Parliament expelled — Committee of Safety Foreign affairs - General Monk - Monk declares for the parliament Parliament reftored Monk enters London, declares for a free parliament Secluded members restored Long par

liament diffolved - New parliament - The Restoration

Manners and arts.

ALL the arts of Cromwel's policy had been so c H A P.

often practifed, that they began to lose their effect; and his power, inftead of being confirmed by time and fuccefs, feemed every day to become more uncertain and precarious. His friends the most closely connected with him, and his counfellors the most trusted, were entering into cabals against his authority; and with all his penetration into the characters of men, he could not find any ministers, on whom he could rely. Men of probity and honor, he knew, would not fubmit to be the inftruments of an ufurpation, violent and illegal: Thofe, who were free from the restraint of principle, might betray, from intereft, that cause, in which, from no better motives, they

LXII.

1658.

LXII. 1658.

CHA P. had inlifted themselves. Even those, on whom he conferred any favor, never deemed the recompence an equivalent for the facrifices, which they made to obtain it: Whoever was refused any demand, justified his anger by the fpecious colors of confcience and of duty. Such difficulties furrounded the protector, that his dying at fo critical a time, is esteemed by many the most fortunate circumftance that ever attended him; and it was thought, that all his courage and dexterity could not much longer have extended his ufurped administration.

BUT when that potent hand was removed, which conducted the government, every one expected a fudden diffolution of the unwieldy and ill-jointed fabric. Richard, a young man of no experience, educated in the country, accustomed to a retired life, unacquainted with the officers and unknown to them, recommended by no military exploits, endeared by no familiarities, could not long, it was thought, maintain that authority, which his father had acquired by fo many valorous atchievements, and fuch fignal fucceffes. And when it was obferved, that he poffeffed only the virtues of private life, which in his fituation were fo many vices; that indolence, incapacity, irrefolution attended his facility and good nature; the various hopes of men were excited by the expectation of fome great event or revolution. For fome time, however, the public was disapRichard ac- pointed in this opinion. The council recognized knowledged the fucceffion of Richard: Fleetwood, in whose

protector.

LXII.

favor, it was fuppofed, Cromwel had formerly c A P. made a will, renounced all claim or pretenfion to the protectorship: Henry, Richard's brother, who governed Ireland with popularity, enfured him the obedience of that kingdom: Monk whofe authority was well established in Scotland, being much attached to the family of Cromwel, immediately proclaimed the new protector: The army, every where, the fleet, acknowledged his title: Above ninety addreffes, from the counties and moft confiderable corporations, congratulated him on his acceffion, in all the terms of dutiful allegiance Foreign minifters were forward in paying him the ufual compliments And Richard, whofe moderate, unambitious character, never would have led him to contend for empire, was tempted to accept of fo rich an inheritance, which feemed to be tendered to him, by the confent of all mankind.

:

ment.

It was found neceffary to call a parliament, in A parlinorder to furnish fupplies, both for the ordinary administration, and for fulfilling thofe engagements with foreign princes, particularly Sweden, into which the late protector had entered. In hopes of obtaining greater influence in elections, the ancient right was restored to all the fmall boroughs; and the counties were allowed no more than their ufual members. The house of 1659. peers or the other house confifted of the fame perfons, that had been appointed by Oliver.

nuary.

ALL the commons, at firft, figned without 7th of Jahesitation an engagement not to alter the present

1659.

CHAP. government. They next proceeded to examine LXII. the humble petition and advice; and after great oppofition and many vehement debates, it was, at length, with much difficulty, carried by the court-party to confirm it. An acknowledgment too of the authority of the other house was extorted from them; though it was refolved not to treat this house of peers with any greater respect than they should return to the commons. A declaration was alfo made, that the establishment of the other house should nowife prejudice the right of fuch of the ancient peers as had, from the beginning of the war, adhered to the parliament. But in all these proceedings, the oppofition among the commons was fo confiderable and the debates were fo much prolonged, that all bufinefs was retarded, and great alarm given to the partifans of the young protector.

9

BUT there was another quarter from which greater dangers were juftly apprehended. The moft confiderable officers of the army, and even Fleetwood, brother-in-law to the protector, were entering into cabals against him. No character in human fociety is more dangerous than that of the fanatic; becaufe, if attended with weak judgment, he is expofed to the fuggeftions of others; if fupported by more difcernment, he is entirely governed by his own illufions, which fanctify his moft selfish views and paffions. Fleetwood was of the former fpecies; and as he was extremely addicted to a republic, and even to the fifth monarchy or dominion of the faints, it