CHAP. XXXIL

CHARLES I. (Continued.)

THE king being delivered over by the Scotch to the parliamentary commissioners, he was conducted under a guard to Holmby Castle, in Northamptonshire. They treated him in confine. ment with the most rigorous severity, dismissing all his antient servants, debarring him from all visits, and cutting off all communication with his friends and family.

The civil war was now over, the king had absolved his followers from their allegiance, and the parliament had now no enemy to fear,except those very troops by which they had extended their overgrown authority. But in proportion as the terror of the king's power diniinished, the divisions between the independents and the presbyterians became more apparent. The majority in the house were of the presbyterian sect; but the majority of the army were staunch independents. At the head of this sect was Cromwell, who secretly directed its operations, and invigorated all their measures.

Oliver Cromwell, whose talents now began to appear in full lustre, was the son of a private gentleman of Huntingdon; but being the son of a second brother, he inherited a very small paternal fortune. He had been sent to Cambridge; but his inclinations not at that time turning to the calm occupations of elegant literature, he was remarkable only for the profligacy of his conduct, and the wasting his paternal fortune. It was, perhaps, his poverty that induced him to fall into the opposite extreme shortly after; for, from being one of the most debauched men in the kingdom,

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he became the most rigid and abstemious. The same vehemence of temper, which had transported him into the extreme of pleasure, now distinguished his religious habits. He endeavoured to improve his shattered fortune by agriculture; but this expedient served only to plunge him in further difficulties. He was even determined to go over and settle in New-England; but was hindered by the king's ordinance to the contrary. From accident or intrigue, he was chosen member for the town of Cambridge, in the long parliament; but he seemed at first to possess no talents for oratory, his person being ungraceful, his dress slovenly, his elocution homely, tedious, obscure and embarrassed. He made up, however, by zeal and perseverance, what he wanted in natural powers; and being endowed with unshaken intrepidity, much dissimulation, and a thorough conviction of the rectitude of his cause, he rose, through the gradations of preferment, to the post of lieutenant-general under Fairfax; but in reality, possessing the supreme command over the whole army.

Soon after the retreat of the Scotch, the presbyterian party, seeing every thing reduced to obedience, began to talk of dismissing a considerable part of the army, and to send the rest to Ireland. It may easily be supposed, that for every reason the army were as unwilling to disband, as to be led over into a country as yet uncivilized, uncultivat-. ed, and barbarous. Cromwell took care to inspire them with a horror of either; they loved him “ for his bravery and religious zeal, and still more for his seeming affection for them. Instead, therefore of preparing to disband, they resolved to petition; and they began by desiring an indemnity, ratified by the king, for any illegal actions which they might have committed during the war. This

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the commons, in turn, treated with great severity; they voted that this petition tended to introduce mutiny, to put conditions upon the parliament, to obstruct the relief of the kingdom of Ireland; and they threatened to proceed against the promoters of it as enemies to the state and disturbers of the public peace.

The army now began to consider themselves as a body distinct from the commonwealth; and complained, that they had secured the general tranquillity, while they were, at the same time, deprived of the privileges of Euglishmen. In opposition, therefore, to the parliament at Westminster, a military parliament was formed, composed of the officers and common soldiers of each regiment. The principal efficcis forined a countil to represent the body of peers; the goldiers elected two men out of cachrom pany to represent the house of commons, and these were called the agitators of the army. Cromwell took care to be one of the number, and thus contrived an easy method under-hand of conducting and promoting the sedition of the army.

This fierce assembly having debated for a very short time, declared, that they found many grievances to be redressed; and began by specifying such as they desired to be most speedily removed. The very same conduct which had formerly been used with success by the parliament against their sovereign, was now put in practice by the army against the parlianient. As the commons granted every request, the agitators rose in their demands;' these accused the army of mutiny and sedition; the army retorted the charge, and alleged, that the king had been deposed only to make way for their usurpation.

The unhappy king, in the mean time, continued a prisoner at Holmby castle; and as his coun

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tenance might add some authority to that side which should obtain it, Cromwell, who secretl conducted all the measures of the army, while 1 apparently exclaimed against their violence,resolv ed to seize the king's person. Accordingly a party of five hundred horse appeared at Holmby castle, under the command of one Joyce, who had been originally a taylor; but who, in the present confusion of all ranks and orders, was advanced to the rank of a cornet. Without any opposition he entered the king's apartment, armed with pistols, and told him,that he must prepare to go with him. Whither said the king. To the army, replied Joyce. By what warrant? Asked the king. Joyce pointed to his followers. "Your warrant repli"ed Charles, is wrote in fair characters." And then without further delay he went into his coach, and was safely conducted to the army who were hastening to their rendezvous at Triplo-heath,near Cambridge. The next day Cromwell arrived among them, where he was received with acclamations of joy, and was instantly invested with the supreme command.

It was now that the commons perceived a settled design in the army to prescribe laws to their employers; and they did not fail to spread the alarm through the city. But it was too late to resist; the army, with Cromwell at their head, advanced with precipitation, and arrived in a few days at St. Alban's; so that the commons now began to think of temporizing. The declaration, by which they had voted the military petitioners enemies to the state, was recalled, and erazed from their journal book. But all submission was become vain; the army still rose in their demands in proportion as these demands were gratified, until at last they entirely threw off the mask, and claimed

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claimed a right of modelling the whole government, and settling the nation.

But as too precipitate an assumption ofauthority might appear invidious, Cromwell began by accusing eleven members of the house as guilty of high treason, and enemies to the army. The members accused were the very leaders of the Presbyterian party, the very men who had prescribed such rigorous measures to the king, and. now, in their turn, were threatened with popular resentment. As they were the leading men in the house, the commons were willing to protect them; but the army insisting on their dismission, they voluntarily left the house, rather than be compelled to withdraw.

At last, the citizens of London, who had been ever foremost in sedition, began to open their eyes, and to perceive that the constitution was totally overturned. They saw an oppressive parlia ment now subjected to a more oppressive army; they found their religion abolished, their king a captive, and no hopes of redress. but from another scene of slaughter. In this exigence, therefore, .the common council assembled the militia of the city; the works were manned, and a manifesto publihsed,aggravating the hostile intentions of the army. Finding that the house of commons, in compliance with the request of the army, had voted that the city militia should be disbanded, the multitude rose, besieged the door of the house, and obliged them to reverse that vote, which they had passed so lately.

In this manner was this wretched house intimidated on either side, obliged at one time to obey the army, at another, to comply with the clamours of the city rabble. This assembly, was in consequence, divided into parties, as usual, one part siding with the seditious citizens; while the

minority,