they behave more despotically than those whom they had displaced. It was not so with Oliver. He permitted the cause which he defended to be attacked from the pulpit, and that too in the presence of his troops.

Towards the end of April 1651, the English and the presbyterians of Scotland, the former with Cromwell and Major-general Lambert at their head, and the latter with Mr James Guthrie and Mr Patrick Gillespie, had a friendly meeting, to endeavour to remove, if possible, all misunderstanding between them. "There was no bitterness nor "passion vented on either side, with all moderation and "tenderness," says a contemporary writer.*

Charles, seeing that his cause was ruined in Scotland, resolved to march into England, in the hope that all the royalists in the north would rise at his approach. Cromwell overtook the royal forces at Worcester, and, advantageous as that position was to the enemy, he rushed upon them immediately, as a lion on his prey; and not troubling himself with the formality of a siege, ordered his troops to fall on in all places at once. The loss on his side did not exceed 200 men; yet it was, he said, "a stiff business,66 as stiff a contest for four or five hours as he had ever seen." Stuart was thoroughly defeated on the 3d of September 1651, on which day, twelve months before, Cromwell had gained the battle of Dunbar. At last the standard of the Stuarts was thrown down, and England was free.

The expedition being thus ended, Charles fled to France, and sought to forget his discomfiture in debauchery and dissipation.

Cromwell's despatch to parliament of this new victory terminates with the following passage :—

"The dimensions of this mercy are above my thoughts. "It is, for ought I know, a crowning mercy. Surely, if "it be not, such a one we shall have, if this provoke those "that are concerned in it to thankfulness; and the Parlia“ment to do the will of Him who hath done His will for "it and for the nation :-whose good pleasure it is to * Cromwelliana, p. 102.

Ibid., 113. Carlyle, ii. 339.

“establish the nation and the change of the government, "by making the people so willing to the defence thereof, " and so signally blessing the endeavours of your servants "in this late great work. I am bold humbly to beg, that "all thoughts may tend to the promoting of His honour "who hath wrought so great salvation; and that the fatness "of these continued mercies may not occasion pride and "wantonness, as formerly the like hath done to a chosen "nation. [Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: and thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness: then he forsook God which made him, and lightly "esteemed the Rock of his salvation. Deut. xxxii. 15.] But “that the fear of the Lord, even for His mercies, may keep "an authority and a people so prospered, and blessed, and "witnessed unto, humble and faithful; and that justice "and righteousness, mercy and truth, may flow from you, as a thankful return to our gracious God. This shall be "the prayer of,

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❝ Sir,

"Your most humble and obedient servant,
"OLIVER CROMWELL."

Cromwell commissioned a number of the most godly men (Gillespie and some of his brethren) to arrange the affairs of the Scottish Church; and it was his desire that, in the election of pastors, they should have regard to the choice of the most religious portion of the flock, although these should not constitute the majority.

Dr Hetherington, the historian of the Scottish Church, bears the following testimony to Oliver's policy: "Through" out the whole of Scotland, during the period of Cromwell's "domination, there prevailed a degree of civil peace "beyond what had almost ever before been experienced." Bishop Burnet says: "The country was kept in great "order during Cromwell's government; good justice was "done, and vice suppressed and punished; so that it was "always reckoned a time of great peace and prosperity. Another historian, Kirkton, speaks thus of the religious condition of Scotland :-"I verily believe there were more * Hist. Church of Scotland, 120.,

"souls converted to Christ in that short period of time, "than in any season since the Reformation, though of "triple its duration."-Such are the testimonies of three native writers.

Thus the result of Cromwell's campaigns both in Ireland and in Scotland was the peace and prosperity of those two countries. There are few wars recorded in history which have produced such beneficial consequences.

Here, properly speaking, terminates Oliver's military life. Before bidding it farewell, let us call to mind the testimony which Cromwell more than once has borne to his army. "I hope," wrote he to Colonel Walton, in September 1644, "I hope the kingdom shall see that, in the "midst of our necessities, we shall serve them without "disputes. We hope to forget our wants, which are exceeding great, and ill cared for; and desire to refer "the many slanders heaped upon us by false tongues to แ God, who will, in due time, make it appear to the world "that we study the glory of God, and the honour and "liberty of the parliament. For which we unanimously แ fight; without seeking our own interests. Indeed we never find our men so cheerful as when there is work to "do. I trust you will always hear so of them. The "Lord is our strength, and in Him is all our hope." With these soldiers he performed wonders. Before the battle of Worcester, the alarm in London was very great. "Both

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"the city and the country," says Mrs Hutchinson, "all amazed, and doubtful of their own and the common"wealth's safety. Some could not hide very pale and unmanly fears, and were in such distraction of spirit, "that it much disturbed their councils." Even Bradshaw, "stout-hearted as he was," trembled for his neck. In one of his letters, Cromwell has preserved an anecdote characteristic of the times, and which relates to one of his early battles. A poor godly man," he says, "died "in Preston the day before the fight; and being sick near the hour of his death, he desired the woman that "cooked to him to fetch him a handful of grass. She did so; and when he received it, he asked whether it would * Memoirs of Colonel Hutchinson, 356. London, 1846.

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"wither or not, now it was cut? The woman said, 'yea.' "He replied, so should this army of the Scots do, and แ come to nothing, so soon as ours did but appear,' or "words to this effect; and so immediately died!"*

In this symbolical language there is a something reminding us of the Old Testament. The war of Scotland was ended, and its results were prosperity and peace. Oliver, who had had to contend against royalist England, Ireland, and Scotland, and against the Stuarts and their allies, had gained the victory with those sons of the pious farmers of the eastern counties whom he had recruited. And now, employing also the symbolical language of Scripture, it might be said: "There shall be a handful of corn "in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit "thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city "shall flourish like grass of the earth.” (Psalm lxxii. 16.)

*Letter to St. John, 1st September 1648. Carlyle, i. 385.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE PROTECTORATE.

The Commonwealth proclaimed-L'état, c'est moi-The Two French Invasions-Revival of English Liberty-Blake-Love and FearThe Rump Parliament-Dissolved by Cromwell-The Little Pafliament-Speech-Cromwell's Integrity-Reforms-Cromwell's Longing for Peace-Whitelocke Ambassador to Sweden--Conversations with Queen Christina-The End-The Protectorate-Cromwell's Piety and Humility-Social Disposition - Constitution - New Parliament-Cromwell's Apology-Death of his Mother-Obstructions to Religious Liberty-Cromwell dissolves the Parliament--His Plans.

On the 19th of May 1649, the Commonwealth was proclaimed in England by an act to the following effect: "Be "it declared and enacted by this present Parliament, and by the authority of the same, that the People of Eng"land, and of all the dominions and territories thereunto belonging, are and shall be, and are hereby constituted, made, established, and confirmed to be, a Commonwealth or Free State; and shall from henceforth be governed as a Commonwealth and Free State,-by the Supreme Authority of this Nation, the Representatives of the "People in Parliament, and by such as they shall appoint

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and constitute officers and ministers under them for the "good of the People; and that without any King or "House of Lords."

Great Britain is certainly not fitted for a republic; and the establishment of this form of government in England has at all times excited great opposition. We are by no means inclined to be its apologist; but did not this form really proceed from the developments of history? Will any one venture to assert that at the era of its existence it really an evil?

was