however, were declared capable of being elected representatives of the people: but of this privilege only three noblemen availed themselves, the Earls of Pembroke and Salisbury, and Lord Howard of Escrick. The rest entered upon their Journals, and published, a protestation in the name of all the Peers of the realm, against all acts, votes, and orders of parlia ment, which should be made during their exclusion. The parliament likewise issued a proclamation, and afterward passed an act, declaring it high-treason to acknowledge or declare Charles Stuart, commonly called the Prince of Wales, or any other person, King of England;' and such members, as had voted for accepting the concessions of the late King for a peace, were excluded from the House. This vote reduced the remainder to less than one hundred; and these being considered by the Cavaliers' (so the friends of Charles II. were denominated) as the dregs of the Long Parliament, they called them in derision • The Rump.'

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The next act of the new government was to nominate a Council of State, consisting of forty persons, Cromwell being one, in whom they vested the executive authority; and from this time all writs, formerly running in the King's name, were issued in the names of The Keepers of the Liberty of England:' the old Great Seal was broken, and a new one substituted, having on one side a red cross and a harp `quartered as the arms of England and Ireland, with this inscription, The Great Seal of England;' and, on the reverse, a representation of the House of Commons assembled, with this legend, In the first year of Freedom by God's grace restored, 1649.' Instead of a head, the same arms were impressed on the coin

with this device, God with us.' A new oath was, likewise, administered to all persons in office, 'To be true and faithful to the government established, without King or House of Peers.'

But as the existence of this new government depended upon the principal military officers, it was declared high-treason to contrive the death of the General or Lieutenant General; and Cromwell, thus provided with a security to his person, abolished the Council of Agitators,' and caused two soldiers of his own regiment of infantry to be shot by two of their brother-mutineers, in the front of the line, for their misconduct upon this occasion.

The army now implicitly obeying his orders, no person was judged so competent to compose the troubles of Ireland, where three parties, the native Catholics, the Royalists, and the Parliamentarians, were in arms against each other. Accordingly, he was appointed Lord Governor of that island, in all affairs civil and military, for three years: and in August, 1649, he embarked to take possession of his new command. The Marquis of Ormond, at the head of the Royalists, had so strenuously supported the cause of the late King, that Londonderry and Dublin alone held out for the parliament, and these were in danger of being lost. Before the arrival of Cromwell, however, Colonel Jones had compelled Ormond to raise the siege of the latter place. In this city the new Governor was received with every demonstration of joy ; and the republican forces thenceforward began to act upon the offensive. The fortified towns being chiefly in the hands of the enemy and well-garrisoned, Cromwell with his usual intrepidity resolved upon a military exploit, which by exciting a general dread of

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his arms, might spare him much subsequent trouble in completing his conquests. He marched to Drogheda, a strong place defended by the flower of the royal army under the command of Sir Arthur Aston, an experienced officer; and upon his refusing to surrender hung out the red flag, announcing that no quarter was to be expected.' He then stormed the town, and put all who bore arms to the sword. For this inhumanity he was severely censured; but he alleged, in his vindication, that they had taken an active part in the massacre of the Protestants in 1641, and that it was the only way to prevent in future sieges an unnecessary effusion of blood.' He was obliged, however, to repeat the same tragedy at Wexford; after which all the towns and forts along the coast, as far as Dublin, quietly surrendered upon his approach. In about nine months, seconded by Ireton, he had compelled the whole kingdom to submit to the new government.

His return to England was hastened by the conduct of the Scots, who had despatched Commissioners to the Hague to treat with Charles II., and having at length prevailed upon him to comply with their demands, had signed a treaty acknowledging him for their Sovereign, in consequence of which he had been proclaimed in that kingdom. This being considered by the Commonwealth as a declaration of war, preparations for the commencement of hostilities were made with great vigour; but when it was proposed by the English Council to carry the war into Scotland, Fairfax, who was a strict Presbyterian and had taken the Covenant, conscientiously declined accepting the command of the expedition; upon which, Cromwell was ordered home. On his approach to

the capital, he was met by a prodigious concourse of people.*

His entry into London was triumphal. Attended by Lord Fairfax, and the principal citizens and members of parliament, and escorted by a troop of horse and a regiment of foot, at Hyde Park he was saluted with cannon, and had lodgings assigned in the palace at Whitehall. The day after his arrival was a day of public rejoicings; and, on his resuming his seat in parliament, the Speaker returned him the thanks of the House, for his great and faithful services in Ireland.

On the sixteenth of June, 1650, Charles II. arrived in Scotland, and Fairfax persisting in his declaration, that his conscience was not satisfied as to the justice of the intended war,' was allowed to lay down his commission; † after which Cromwell was

* At Tyburn in particular, where a great crowd had assembled, one of his flatterers pointing to the multitude exclaimed, "Good God, Sir! what a number of people are come hither to welcome you home!" to which he replied with a smile, "But how many more do you think would flock to the same place to see me hanged?

+ Henceford Lord Fairfax appeared no more in his military capacity, but withdrew to his seat in Yorkshire, where in the leisure of retirement he discovered, too late, that he had been made the tool of Cromwell's ambition. In consequence of this, he took every opportunity to promote the Restoration, and joining General Monk at the head of a body of Yorkshire gentlemen, facilitated his march into England. In 1660, he was elected one of the representatives for the county of York, in what was called the Healing Parliament.' He was, also, appointed a member of the Committee delegated to wait on Charles II. at the Hague, and desire him to resume the regal authority. Upon the dissolution of that parliament, he returned again to his seat in the country, where he lived in the most private manner till his death in November 1671, in the sixtieth year of his age.

appointed Captain General in Chief of all the Forces raised, and to be raised, by authority of parliament within the Commonwealth of England.

The new Commander was as successful in Scotland, whither he immediately marched at the head of 20,000 chosen troops, as he had been in Ireland. It even seemed, as if his very name struck a panic wherever he appeared: the Scots fled at his approach, though he incurred some risk from the Fabian caution of General Leslie, and when at length the enemy's army was by stratagem drawn into an engagement on the third of September at Dunbar, they were totally defeated, though their number more than doubled that of the forces opposed to them. These signal successes determined Charles to march his army into England. Accordingly he entered by Carlisle, and encountering little opposition, except from Major General Lambert at Warrington Bridge, advanced to Worcester, where he resolved to wait the approach of the enemy. That enemy was not long behind him: on the third of September, 1651, Cromwell gained what he himself called (in his letter to the parliament)" his crowning victory" over the Royalists; and their illustrious leader was obliged to wander about in hazardous disguise, till he found an opportunity of escaping to France.

His Majesty's hopes of restoration being thus crushed for the present, and his friends throughout the three kingdoms completely disheartened, every circumstance concurred to favour the ambition of Cromwell, who having now convinced the army of their importance, and the indivisibility of their common interests, enjoyed a power and state nearly equal to that of royalty. Such, indeed, was his joy, upon the winning of the last battle, that he was