But kept the title of their caufe Until, in fpite of force and treason, Did Oliver give up his reign, 210 215 And was believ'd, as well by Saints Το Ver. 215, 216.] At Oliver's death was a moft furious tempeft, fuch as had not been known in the memory of man, or hardly ever recorded to have been in this nation. It is obferved, in a tract intituled, No Fool to the old Fool, L'Eftrange's Apology, p. 93, "That Oliver, after a long courfe of treafon, murder, facrilege, perjury, rapine, &c. finished his accurfed life in agony and fury, and without any mark of "true repentance." Though most of our historians mention the hurricane at his death, yet few take notice of the ftorm in the northern counties, that day the House of Peers ordered the digging up his carcafe, with other regicides. The author of the Parley between the Ghoft of the late Protector and the King of Sweden in Hell, 1660, p. 19. merrily obferves, "That " he was even fo turbulent and feditious there, that he "was chain'd, by way of punishment, in the general "piffing-place, next the court-door, with a ftrict charge that nobody that made water thereabouts "fhould pifs any where but against his body." Ver. 220.] The news of Oliver's death being brought to those who were met to pray for him, Mr. Peter Sterry food up, and defired them not to be troubled; "For (faid he) this is good news, because "if he was of ufe to the people of God when he was "amongst us, he will be much more fo now, being af "cended into heaven, at the right hand of Jefus Chrift, there to intercede for us, and to be mindful of us .66 upon all occafions." Dr. South makes mention of an Independent divine, (Sermons, Vol. I. fermon iii. p. 102.) who, when Oliver was fick, of which fickness he died, declared, "That God revealed to him that "he fhould recover, and live thirty years longer; for that God had raised him up for a work which could "not be done in a lefs time but Oliver's death being published two days after, the faid divine publicly, " in his prayers, expoftulated with God the defeat of his prophecy in thefe words, "Thou haft lied unto "us; yea, thou haft lied unto us." So familiar were thofe wretches with God Almighty, that Dr. Echard obferves of one of them, "That he pretended to have got fuch an interest in Chrift, and "fuch an exact knowledge of affairs above, that he "could tell the people that he had just before received "an exprefs from Jefus upon fuch a business, and that "the ink was fcarce dry upon the paper" Ver. 224.] After the Restoration Oliver's body was dug up, and his head fet up at the farther end of West 3 minster-hall; Whither it was decreed by. Fate 225 He ftole the Pagan revelation.. 230 Next him his fon and heir apparent Succeeded, though a lame vicegerent, Who minster-hall; near which place there is an houfe of entertainment, which is commonly known by the name of Heaven. Ver. 231, 232.] Oliver's eldest fon, Richard, was by him, before his death, declared his fucceffor; and, by order of the Privy Council, proclaimed Lord Protector, and received the compliments of congratulation and condolence, at the fame time, from the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen; and addreffes were prefented to him from all parts of the nation, promifing to ftand by him with their lives and fortunes. He fummoned a parliament to meet at Westminster, which recognized him Lord Protector; yet, notwithstanding, Fleetwood, Desborough, and their partifans, managed affairs fo, that he was obliged to refign. What opinion the world had of him, we learn from Lord Clarendon's account of his vifit incog. to the Prince of Conti at Pezenas; who received him civily, as he did all ftrangers, and particularly the English; and, after a few words (not knowing who he was) the Prince began to difcourfe of the affairs of England, and afked many questions concerning the King, and whether all men were quiet, and fubmitted obediently. to him? which the other anfwered according to the truth. "Well, faid the Prince, Oliver, though he 'For which they 'ad yearn'd fo long in vain, And felt fuch bowel-hankerings, To fee an empire, all of kings, 240 Deliver'd 66 was a traitor and a villain, was a brave fellow, had 16 great parts, great courage, and was worthy to com"mand: but for that Richard, that coxcomb, coquin, poltroon, he was furely the bafeft fellow alive. What "is become of that fool? How is it poffible he could "be fuch a fot?" He anfwered, "That he was be66 trayed by thofe he most trufted, and had been most "obliged to his father." So being weary of his vifit, he quickly took his leave, and next morning left the town, out of fear that the Prince might know that he was that very fool and coxcomb he had mentioned fo kindly; and two days after the Prince did come to know who he was that he had treated fo well. Clarendon's Hiftory of the Rebellion, Vol. III. p. 519. See a curious anecdote of Richard Cromwell in Dr. Maty's Memoirs of Lord Chesterfield. Ver. 237.] A fneer upon the Committee of Safety, amongst whom was Sir Henry Vane, who (as Lord Clarendon obferves)" was a perfect enthufiaft, and "without doubt did believe himself infpired; which "fo far corrupted his reafon and understanding, that "he did at the fame time believe he was the perfon de"puted to reign over the faints upon earth for a thou"fand years." Deliver'd from th' Egyptian awe Of justice, government, and law, And free t' erect what fpiritual cantons Of John of Leyden's old outgoings,' Who, for a weather-cock hung up Upon their mother-church's top, 245 Was made a type by Providence, 250 And now fulfill'd by his fucceffors, Who equally mistook their measures : For, when they came to fhape the model, Ver. 241, 242.] Dr. James Young obferves, "That "two Jefuitical prognofticators, Lilly and Culpeper, "were fo confident, anno 1652, of the total fubverfion "of the law and gofpel-miniftry, that in their fcurri"lous prognoftications they predicted the downfall of "both; and, in 1654, they foretold that the law should "be pulled down to the ground,—the Great Charter, "and all our liberties, deftroyed, as not fuiting with "Englishmen in thefe bleffed times; that the crab"tree of the law fhould be pulled up by the roots, and grow no more, there being no reafon now we fhould be governed by them." 66 |