OF THE PURITANS. 189 The parliament which met Sept. 17, continued sitting till the next year, having before them an affair of the greatest consequence, which was confirming the government under CROMWELL as LORD PROTECTOR, or changing it for the title of KING. Col. Jephson, one of the members from Ireland, moved, that the protector might have the crown, with the title of KING, and was seconded by alderman Pack, one of the representatives for the city of London; but the republicans in the house opposed it with great vehemence; however, upon putting the question, it was carried for a king ; most of the lawyers, as serjeant Glyn, Maynard, Fountain, St. John, and others, being on that side. April 4, a petition was presented to the protector, recommending the title and office of a KING, as best fitted to the laws and temper of the people of England; and upon his desiring time to consider of it, a committee was appointed to give him sat, was called "a walking library." His manners were most amiable and engaging. He was most exemplarily meek and humble; and beyond all example charitable: of great candor and moderation; judging for himself, but not others; noue more studious of the knowledge of the gospel, or more curious in the search: of the strictest integrity, and sincerely pious. He had a great detestation of an imposing, censorious aud intolerant spirit: and would often say, that "he would renounce the religion of the church of England to-morrow, if it obliged him to believe that any other Christians would be damned: and that nobody would conclude another man to be damned, who did not wish him so. "The force, eloquence, and simplicity, with which he wrote to Abp. Land give a picture of his mind, as well as convey excellent instruction. The pursuit of truth," says he, "has been my only care ever since I understood the meaning of the word. For this I have forsaken all hopes, all friends, all desires, which might bias me, and hinder me from driving right at what I aimed. For this I have spent my money, my means, my youth, my age, and all that I have.-If with all this cost and paius, my purchase is but error, I may safely say, to err has cost me more than it has many to find the truth; and truth shall give me this testimony at last, that if I have missed of her, it is not my fault, but my misfortune." He was buried, according to his desire, in Eton college charchyard, ou the day after his death and a monument was erected over his grave by Mr. Peter Curmen. A complete edition of his works was, for the first time, offered to the public, from the press of the Foulis at Glasgow, 1765, in three volumes 12mo. undertaken with the approbation of Dr. Warburton, the bishop of Gloucester. "The greatness of his character," observes Mr. Granger, "has stamped a value upon some of his compositions, which are thought to have but little merit in themselves." Hist. of England, vol. ii. 8vo. p. 172. British Biography, vol. iv. p. 368-375; and Works, vol. i. Testimonies prefixed, and p. 137-8. : isfaction in any difficulties that might arise, who urged, that "the name of protector was unknown to our English constitution that his highness had already the office and power of a king, and therefore the dispute was only about a name. That his person would never be secure till he assumed it, because the laws did not take notice of him as chief magistrate, and juries were backward to find persons guilty of treason where there was no king.-They urged the advantages of a mixed monarchy, and insisted on the safety and security of himself and his friends-That by the laws of Edw. IV. and Henry VII. whatever was done by a king in possession, with the consent of a house of lords and commons, was valid, and all that served under him were exempt from punishment-That without this title all the grants and sales that had been made were null and void ; and all who had collected the public monies were account. able. In short, that the inclinations of the nation were for a king—That his not accepting the office would occasion the changing many ancient laws, customs, and formalities -That there would be no lasting settlement till things re. verted to this channel-To all which they added, that it was the advice and opinion of the representatives of the three nations; and since the parliament of England, Scotland, and Ireland, advised and desired him to accept the title, he ought not in reason or equity to decline it."* The protector attended to these arguments, and would no doubt have complied, if he could have relied upon the army, but the chief officers remonstrated strongly against it, and many of his old friends, among whom was his own sonin-law Fleetwood, threatened to lay down their commis sions. All the republicans declaimed loudly against his accepting the crown, and presented a petition to the house against it,drawn up by Dr. Owen, and presented by lieutenant-general Mason: They said, "they had pulled down monarchy with the monarch, and should they now build it up? They had appealed to God in the late war, who had answered in their favor, and should they now distrust him? -They had voted to be true the commonwealth, without king or kingship, and should they break their VOWS, and * Whitlocke, p. 646. go back to Egypt for security?-They thought it rather their happiness to be under a legal danger, which might make them more cautious and diligent.-Some said, if they must have a king, why not the legal one ?"*-Upon these grounds they stood out, and rejected with scorn all limitations of the prerogative under monarchy. So that whatever might be the protector's inclination,† he judged it most prudent to decline the crown at present; and accordingly, May 8, he sent for the house, and acquainted them, that as the circumstances of affairs then stood, he could not undertake the government with the title of KING.‡ Some have been of opinion, that the protector's great genius forsook him in this affair; but it is impossible, at this distance of time, to judge of the strength of the reasons that determined him the other way. Had he assumed the title of KING, the army would have revolted; the cavaliers would have joined the republicans to have pulled him down from the throne, the whole nation would in all probability have been thrown into confusion, and himself have been the sacrifice. The protector had made large advances in power already, and he might apprehend it not worth while at present, to risk the whole for the sake of a name; though I make no question, but if he had lived to see his government established, and the spirits of the people calmed, he would in a proper time have accepted of the stile and title, as he had already done the office of king. Nay, Mr. Wel woods says, that a crown was actually made, and brought to Whitehall for that purpose. Upon Cromwell's declining the title of king, the parliament concluded upon an humble petition and advice, which * Burnet, vol. i. p. 98, 12mo. Edinb. edit. The inclinations of Cromwell were strongly in favour of kingship: for he used all possible means to prevail with the officers of the army to concur with his scheme of royalty. With this view he invited himself to dine with colonel Desborough, and carried lieutenant-general Fleetwood with him, as he knew the influence of these officers and their aversion to his wearing the crown. He then even stooped to solicit their indulgence: "It is but a feather in a man's cap." said he, "and therefore he wondered that men would not please children, and permit them to enjoy their rattle." Ludlow's Memoirs, 4to. p. 248. Ed; Whitlocke, p. 646. § Memoirs, p. 111. was presented to the protector May 25, containing, among others, the following articles." That his highness would exercise the office of chief magistrate of this nation under the title of lord protector; and that during life he would declare his successor That for the future he would be pleased to call parliaments, consisting of two houses, to meet once in three years, and oftener, if there be occasion. That the antient liberties of parliament may be preserved; and that none who are chosen may be excluded but by the judgment and consent of the house of which they are members-That no papist, no person that has borne arms against the parliament, unless he has since given proof of his good affection to the commonwealth; no clergyman, no atheist, or openly profane person, be qualified to be chosen member of parliament-That the other house of parliament be not more than seventy, nor less than forty, of which twenty-one to make a house-That they may not vote by proxy-That as any of them die, no new ones be admitted but by consent of the house itself, but the nomination to be in the protector; and that they may not proceed in any criminal causes but by impeachment of the commons-That no laws be abrogated, suspended, or repealed, but by act of parliament; and that no person be compelled to contribute to any gift, loans, benevolences, or taxes, without consent of parliament-That the number of his highness's council be not more than twenty-one, of which seven to be a quorum; and that no privy counsellor be removed but by consent of parliament; though in the intervals of parliament they may be suspended-That the chancellor, or keeper of the great seal, the commissioners of the treasury, and other chief officers of state, may be approved by both houses of parliament-." The article relating to religion was in these words; "That the protestant christian religion contained in the holy scriptures of the Old and New-Testament, and no other, be asserted and held forth, as the public profession of this nation; and that a confession of faith, to be agreed upon by your highness and this present parliament, be asserted, and recommended to the people of the nation; and that none shall be permitted by opprobrious words or writing to revile or reproach the said confession. That such who profess faith in God the Father, and in Jesus Christ his eternal Son, the true God, and in the Holy Ghost, God co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the Son, one God bless. ed for ever, and do acknowledge the holy scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the revealed will and word of God, though in other things they may differ in word and doctrine, or discipline, from the public profession held forth, shall not be compelled by penalties or restraints, from their profession, but shall be protected from all inju ries and molestations in the profession of their faith, and exercise of their religion, while they abuse not this liberty to the civil injury of others, or the disturbance of the pub. lic peace; provided this liberty do not extend to popery or prelacy, or to the countenance of such who publish hor rid blasphemies; or who practise or hold forth licentiousness or profaneness, under the profession of Christ; and those ministers, or public preachers, who agree with the public profession aforesaid in matters of faith, though they differ in matters of worship or discipline, shall not only have protection in the way of their churches or worship, but shall be deemed equally fit and capable (being otherwise qualified) of any trust, promotion, or employment in this nation, with those who agree with the public profession of faith, only they shall not be capable of receiving the public maintenance appointed for the ministry. And all ministers shall remain disqualified from holding any civil employment, according to the act for disabling all persons in holy orders to exercise any temporal jurisdiction and authority, which is hereby confirmed."* The protector having consented to these, and some other articles, to the number of eighteen, an oath was appointed to be taken by all privy counsellors and members of parliament for the future, To maintain the protestant religion; to be faithful to the lord protector; and to preserve the rights and liberties of the people; and a few days after 0. Cromwell was proclaimed a second time lord protector in the cities of London and Westminster; this being esteemed a new, and more parliamentary title; and if the * Whitlocke's Memoirs, p. 678. |