afterwards to lieutenant-general Fleetwood. 2. Elizabeth, wife to John Cleypole, Esq. 3. Mary, married to lord Fauconberg. 4. Frances,

wife to Mr. Rich, grandson of the earl of War

others. Intermixed with these were men who had risen by their own valour and interest from very small beginnings and mean employments; of which sort were Jones, Pride, Hewson, Barkstead, Whalley, Goff, Berry and Cooper. To these were added the protector's two sons, his sons-in-law Cleypole and Fleetwood, the commissioners of the great seal, and of the treasury, with others of near relation to the court. All the old nobility, lord Eure excepted, refused to sit in this new assembly, on account, I suppose, of the mean original of some of the company, or of the authority by which they were convened.-However, they did nothing of any importance. The secluded members being admitted into the house of commons, as before observed, turned all things against the court; refused any intercourse with the new house of lords, and behaved so ill in the eye of the protector, that, in great heat, he dissolved them. This was the last parliament that sat during Cromwell's life, "he being compelled to wrestle with the difficulties of his place, says Mr. Maidstone, so well as he could, without parliamentary assistance, and in it met with so great a burden, as (I doubt not to say it, drank up his spirits, of which his natural constitution yielded a vast stocke,) and brought him to his grave." This seems to confirm what Burnet says, " that it was generally believed that his life and all his arts were exhausted at once, and that if he had lived much longer, he could not have held things together." Mr. Cowley observes, " that he seemed evidently to be near the end of his deceitful glories, and his own army grew at last

a Walkly's New Catalogue of Lords, &c. and Second Narrative of the late Parliament, &c. printed in the 5th year of England's slavery under its new monarchy. 4to. 1658. • Thurloe, vol. I. p. 766.

Vol. I. p. 68.

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wick, and afterwards to Sir John Russel, of Chippenham, in Cambridgeshire.

In his death he displayed his wonted 74 firmness and enthusiasm. His body was buried

as weary of him as the rest of the people." In another place he tells us, "it was believed Cromwell died with grief and discontent, because he could not attain to the honest name of a king, and the old formality of a crown, though he had before exceeded the power by a wicked usurpation." --That care, anxiety, disappointment and vexation prey on the spirits, and waste the constitution, is known to all; that these were the lot of Cromwell, as they are of most of those who are placed on the pinnacle of glory, and attentive to their duty and their fame, may very easily be conceived by such as have read the foregoing notes; that the government of Cromwell was greatly embarrassed by the madness of parties, the estrangement of friends, and the want of money to pay the armies which it was necessary to keep on foot: I say that this was so, is too evident to be denied.But had the life of the protector been prolonged, it is not impossible he might have got the better of his difficulties, and maintained his post in spite of all opposition. For we are to remember it was Cromwell who had dared to seize the government; to raise money by his own authority; to create and dissolve parliaments; to combat with kings, and to scatter terror through the nations. --By what means he would have done this, whether by securing Fleetwood and Desbrowe, to whom he owed his disappointment, in assuming the crown, and calling another parliament, must be left to the conjecture of the reader. The latter he certainly had tnoughts of before his sickness b.

:

a

with more than regal magnificence in Westminster-Abbey, from whence, after the Restoration, it was removed and treated with all pos

Ludlow, "were apparent upon him, and many ministers and others assembled in a chamber at Whitehall, praying for him, whilst he manifested so little remorse of conscience for his betraying the publick cause, and sacrificing it to the idol of his own ambition, that some of his last words were rather becoming a mediator than a sinner, recommending to God the condition of the nation that he had so infamously cheated, and expressing a great care of the people whom he had so manifestly despised. But he seemed, above all, concerned for the reproaches he said men would cast upon his name, in trampling on his ashes when dead. In this temper of mind he departed this life ."-I fancy Mr. Ludlow had in his eye the following expressions which Cromwell is said to have made use of in his sickness, în a prayer addressed to the Supreme Being. "Lord, although I am a miserable and wretched creature, I am in covenant with thee, through grace, and I may, I will come to thee for thy people, thou hast made me (though very unworthy) a mean instrument to do them some good, and thee service: and many of them have set too high a value upon mee, though others wish, and would be glad of my death; but Lord, however thou dost dispose of mee, continue and go on to do good for them. Give them consistency of judgment, one heart, and mutual love, and go on to deliver them, and with the work of reformation, and make the name of Christ glorious in the world. Teach those, who look too much upon thy instruments, to depend more upon thyself; pardon such as desire to trample upon the dust of a poor worm, for they are thy people too ."--This was all in character.--Two or three more of his expressions, when death was in his

a

The expences of his funeral are said to have amounted to 60,0001. Ludlow, vol. II. p. 612. Collection of several passages concerning his late Highnesse, in the time of his sickness, by one that was groom of his bedchamber. 4to. Lond. p. 12. 1659.

1

sible indignity. His character has been very differently represented by different persons; though his memory was celebrated by the finest

"I

view, will shew us in what temper he left the world. " Lord, thou knowest, if I do desire to live, it is to shew forth thy praise, and declare thy works*."-Again he said, would be willing to live to be further serviceable to God and his people, but my work is done, yet God will be with his people." These sayings seem to evince the greatness of his mind; the main thing he had in view to have been the public good; and strongly confirm what is said to have been the avowed opinion of the most excellent Tillotson, "That at last Cromwell's enthusiasm got the better of his hypocrisy." - The night before his death, and not before, lord Fauconberg says, he declared his son Richard his successor, in presence of four or five of his council b.

75 His character has been very differently represented.] Mr. Thurloe, in a letter to H. Cromwell, the day after his father's decease, tells him, it " is not to be said, what affection the army and all people shew to his late Highness; his name is already precious. Never was there any man soe prayed for as he was duringe his sickness; solemne assemblies meetinge every day, to beseech the Lord for the continuance of his life; soe that he is gone to heaven, embalmed with the tears of his people, and upon the wings of the prayers of the saints. He lived desired, and dyed lamented, every body bemoaning themselves, and saying, a great man is fallen in Israel." Lord Fauconberg styles him " the greatest personage and instrument of happiness, not only our own, but indeed any age else ever produced d." -" I do believe, says Mr. Maidstone, if his story were impartially transmitted, and the unprejudiced world well

* Collection of several passages concerning his late Highnesse, in the time of his sickness, by one that was groom of his bed-chamber. 4to. Lond. p. 6. 1659. See the quotation from Bates in note 6. p. 373.

Id. p. 375.

Thurloe, vol. VII. p. 375.

Id.

66

possest with it, she would add him to her nine worthies, and make up that number a Decemviri. He lived and died in comfortable communion with God, as judicious persons near him well observed. He was that Mordecai that sought the welfare of his people 2." These are high eulogiums from his friends, and, doubtless, proceeded from the affection and gratitude of those who uttered them. Mr. Voltaire styles Cromwell "an usurper worthy to reign";" and tells us, " he died in the midst of the projects he was forming to strengthen his own power, and increase the glory of his nation." -And " that he left behind him the réputation of a dextrous villain, an intrepid commander, a bloody usurper, and a sovereign that knew the art of governing." Mazarine, who had abjectly courted Cromwell during life, and received the law in almost all things from him, after his death, is said to have characterized him as a fortunate foold." Lord Clarendon does him less injustice, I am persuaded, most readers will think, when he describes him " as a brave wicked man." I will add no more but the following description of this extraordihary man, drawn by a celebrated and illustrious pen. "Europe," says he, "had granted the surname of Great to three sovereigns, who reigned almost at the same time, namely, Cromwell, Lewis XIV. and Frederick William. To Cromwell, for having sacrificed every civil duty to the desire of reigning; for having prostituted his talents, which, instead of being useful to his country, were subservient only to his ambition; for having concealed his impostures under the mask of fanaticism; for having enslaved his country under a pretence of fighting for her liberties; for becoming the executioner of his king, whom he sacrificed to his fury: to Cromwell, a bold, cunning, and ambitious man, but unjust, violent, and void of virtue; a man in fine, who had great qualities, but never a good one. Cromwell, therefore, did not deserve the surname of Great, which is due only to virtue; and it would be degrading Lewis XIV. and Frederick William, to comAge of Lewis XIV. vol. 1. 12mo. p. 70 d Vol. VI. p. 653.