the king himself, having given many proofs of perfonal valour, was obliged to fly.

Imagination can fcarce conceive adventures more romantic, or diftreffes more fevere, than those which attended the young king's escape from the scene of flaughter. After various efcapes, and one and forty days concealment, he landed fafely at Fefchamp in Normandy; no less than forty men and women having at different times been privy to his efcape.

In the mean time, Cromwell, crowned with fuccefs, returned in triumph to London, where he was met by the fpeaker of the house, accompained by the mayor of London, and the magiftrates, in all their formalities. His first care was to take advantage of his late fucceffes, by depreffing the Scotch, who had fo lately withstood the work of the Gospel, as he called it. An act was paffed for abolishing royalty in Scotland, and annexing that kingdom, as a conquered province, to the English commonwealth. It -was empowered, however, to fend fome members to the English parliament. Judges were appointed to diftribute juftice; and the people of that country, now freed from the tyranny of the ecclefiaftics, were not much diffatisfied with their prefent government. The prudent conduct of Monk, who was left by Cromwell to complete their fubjection, ferved much to reconcile the minds of the people, harrassed with diffenfions, of which they never well underftood the cause.

In this manner the English parliament, by the means of Cromwell, fpread their uncontested authority over all the British dominions. Ireland was totally fubdued by Ireton and Ludlow. All the fettlements in America, that had declared for the royal caufe, were obliged to fubmit: Jersey, Guernsey, Scilly, and the Ile of Man, were brought easily under fubjection. Thus mankind faw, with afto

nishment,

nishment, a parliament composed of fixty or seventy obfcure and illiterate members, governing a great empire with unanimity and fuccefs. Without any acknowledged fubordination, except a council of ftate confifting of thirty-eight, to whom all addresses were made, they levied armies, maintained fleets, and gave laws to the neighbouring powers of Europe. The finances were managed with economy and exactnefs. Few private perfons became rich by the plunder of the public; the revenues of the crown, the lands of the bishops, and a tax of an hundred and twenty thousand pounds each month, fupplied the wants of the government, and gave vigour to all their proceedings.

The parliament, having thus reduced their native dominions to perfect obedience, next refolved to chaftife the Dutch, who had given but very flight caufes of complaint. It happened that one doctor Doriflaus, who was of the number of the late king's judges, being fent by the parliament as their envoy to Holland, was affaffinated by one of the royal party, who had taken refuge there. Some time after alfo, Mr St John, appointed their ambaffador to that court, was infulted by the friends of the prince of Orange. These were thought motives fufficient to induce the commonwealth of England to declare war against them. The parliament's chief dependence lay in the activity and courage of Blake, their admiral, who, though he had not embarked in naval command till late in life, yet furpaffed all that went before him in courage and dexterity. On the other fide, the Dutch oppofed to him their famous admiral Van Tromp, to whom they never fince produced an equal. Many were the engagements between these celebrated admirals, and various was their fuccefs. Sea-fights, in general, feldom prove decifive; and the vanquished are foon feen to make head against the victors. Several dreadful encoun

ters,

ters, therefore, rather ferved to fhew the excellence of the admirals than to determine their fuperiority. The Dutch, however, who felt many great difadvantages by the lofs of their trade, and by the total fufpenfion of their fifheries, were willing to treat for a peace; but the parliament gave them a very unfavourable anfwer. It was the policy of that body to keep their navy on foot as long as they could; rightly judging, that while the force of the nation was exerted by fea, it would diminish the power of general Cromwell by land, which was now become very formidable to them.

This great afpirer, however, quickly perceived their defigns; and from the first faw that they dreaded his growing power, and wifhed its diminu tion. All his meafures were conducted with a bold intrepidity that marked his character; and he now faw that it was not neceffary to wear the mask of fubordination any longer. Secure, therefore, in the attachment of the army, he refolved to make another daring effort; and perfuaded the officers to prefent a petition for payment of arrears and redrefs of grievances, which he knew would be rejected by the commons with difdain. The petition was foon drawn up and prefented, in which the officers, after demanding their arrears, defired the parliament to confider how many years they had fat, and

what profeffions they had formerly made A. D. of their intentions to new model the houfe, 1653. and establish freedom on the broadeft

bafis.

The house was highly offended at the prefumption of the army, although they had feen, but too lately, that their own power was wholly founded on that very prefumption. They appointed a committee to prepare an act, ordaining that all perfons who prefented fuch petitions for the future fhould be deemed guilty of high treafon. To this the officers

made a very warm remonftrance, and the parliament as angry a reply; while the breach between them every moment grew wider. This was what Cromwell had long withed, and had long foreseen. He was fitting in council with his officers, when informed of the fubject on which the house was deliberating; upon which he rose up in the moft feeming fury, and turning to Major Vernon, cried out, "That he was compelled to do a thing that made "the very hair of his head ftand on end." Then haftening to the houfe with three hundred foldiers, and with the marks of violent indignation on his countenance he entered. Stamping with his foot, which was the fignal for the foldiers to enter, the place was immediately filled with armed men. Then addrefling himself to the members: "For fhame, "faid he, get you gone. Give place to honefter "men; to thofe who will more faithfully discharge "their truft. You are no longer a parliament; I "tell you, you are no longer a parliament; the Lord "has done with you." Sir Harry Vane exclaming against this conduct: "Sir Harry, cried Cromwell

with a loud voice, O Sir Harry Vane, the Lord deliver me from Sir Harry Vane." Taking hold of Martin by the cloak, thou art a whore-mafter; to another, thou art an adulterer; to a third, thou art a drunkard; and to a fourth, thou art a glutton. "It is you, continued he to the members, that have "forced me upon this. I have fought the Lord “night and day, that he would rather flay me than "put me upon this work." Then pointing to the mace, "Take away, cried he, that bauble." After which, turning out all the members, and clearing the hall, he ordered the doors to be locked, and putting the key in his pocket, returned to Whitehall.

The perfons he pitched upon for his next parlia. ment, were the lowest, meaneft, and the most igno

rant

rant among the citizens, and the very dregs of the fanatics. He was well apprized that during the administration of fuch a groupe of characters he alone muft govern, or that they muft foon throw up the reigns of government, which they were unqualified to guide. Accordingly, their practice juftified his fagacity. One of them particularly, who was called Praife God Barebone, a canting leather-feller, gave his name to this odd affembly, and it was called Barebone's parliament.

The very vulgar began now to exclaim against fo foolish a legiflature; and they themselves feeined not infenfible of the ridicule which every day was thrown out against them. Accordingly, by concert, they met earlier than the reft of their fraternity; and obferving to each other that this parliament had fat long enough, they haftened to Cromwell, with Roufe their fpeaker at their head, and into his hands they refigned the authority with which he had invefted them.

Cromwell accepted their refignation with pleasure; but being told that fome of the number were refractory, he fent Colonel White to clear the house of fuch as ventured to remain there. They had placed one Moyer in the chair by the time that the colonel had arrived; and he being afked by the colonel, "What they did there?" Moyer replied very gravely that they were feeking the Lord. "Then "you may go elsewhere, cried White; for to my "certain knowledge the Lord has not been here "these many years."

This fhadow of a parliament being diffolved, the officers, by their own authority, declared Cromwell protector of the commonwealth of England. He was to be addreffed by the title of highnefs; and his power was proclaimed in London, and other parts of the kingdom. Thus an obfcure and vulgar man, at the age of fifty-three, rofe to unbounded power, first