ENGLAND., 681 
drel, a poor farrrihr, who was fuicerely attached to his 
caufe. In this attempt, however, he was difappointed, 
every pafs being vigilahtly guarded to prevent his efcape. 
Being obliged to feturn, he accidentally met with colonel 
Caretefs, who, like himfelf, had efcaped the carnage at 
Worcefler; and in his company he climbed thefpreading 
oak at Bofcobel in Shropfhire, among the thick branches 
"of which they palFed the day together, while they per¬ 
ceived the foldiers of the enemy in purfuit of them below. 
From thence he palled, with imminent danger, under all 
the extremities of famine, fatigue, and pain, till he ar¬ 
rived at the houfe of colonel Lane, a zealous royalifl in 
Staffordfliire. There he deliberated about the means of 
efcaping into France ; and Briltol being fuppofed the 
propereft port, it was agreed that he Ihould ride thither, 
before this gentleman’s filler, on a vifit to Mrs. Norton* 
who lived in the neighbourhood of that city. During 
this journey he every day met with faces he knew ; and 
at one -time palled through a whole regiment of Crom¬ 
well’s army. 
When they arrived at Briltol, no Ihip being found that 
would for a month fet fail, either for prance or Spain, 
the king was obliged to leek elfewhere for a paffage. He 
therefore repaired to the houfe of colonel Wyndham, in 
Dorfetfhire, where he was cordially received. Purfuing 
from thence his journey to the fea-lide, he once more had 
a very providential efcape from a little inn, where he had 
meant to fitly the night. At length he reached Shoreham 
in Suffex, where a veffel was at laft found, in which he 
embarked. He was known to fo many perfons, that if he 
had not fet fail in that critical moment, it had been im- 
poffible for him to efcape. After one and forty days’ 
concealment, he arrived lately at Fefchamp in Normandy. 
No lefs than forty men and women had, at different times, 
been affiftants to his efcape. 
In the mean time, Cromwell returned in triumph to 
London, where he was met by the fpeaker of the houfe, 
accompanied by the lord mayor of London, and the magif- 
trates, in all their formalities. An act was. now palled 
for abolilhing royalty in Scotland, and annexing that 
kingdom, as a conquered province, to the Englilh com¬ 
monwealth. It was impowered, however, to fend fome 
members to the Englilh parliament. Judges were ap¬ 
pointed over the different diftrifts ; and the people of that 
country, now freed from the tyranny of the ecclefiaftics, 
were not much diffatisfied with their new government. 
The prudent conduft of general Monk, who was left by 
Cromwell to complete their fubjugation, ferved much 
to reconcile the minds of the people, haraffed with dif- 
fenfions, of which they never well underflood the caufe. 
In this manner Cromwell eventually fpread uncon- 
trouled authority over all the Britilh dominions. Ire¬ 
land was fubdued by Ireton and Ludlow. All the fettle- 
ments in America, that had declared for the royal caufe, 
were obliged to fubmit; Jerfey, Guernfey, Scilly, and the 
ifie of Man, were brought under fubjection. Thus man¬ 
kind faw, with allonilhment, a parliament, compofed of 
fixty or feventy obfeure and illiterate members, with 
Cromwell at their head, governing a powerful empire, 
with unanimity and fuccefs. 
The parliament, having thus reduced the Britifh do¬ 
minions to obedience, A. D. 1652, refolved to chaflife the 
Dutch, w’ho had given them but a flight offence. It 
happened that doftor Doriflaus, who was of the number 
of the late king’s judges, being fent by the parliament 
as their envoy to Holland, was affaflinated by one of the 
royal party who had taken refuge there; and Mr. St. 
John, another ambaffador to that court, was infulted by 
the friends of the prince of Orange. Thefe were caufes 
fufficient to induce the commonwealth of England to de¬ 
clare war. The parliament’s chief dependance lay in the 
aftivity and courage of admiral Blake, who furpafled all 
that went before him in courage and dexterity. The 
Dutch oppofed to him their famous admiral, Van Tromp, 
to whom they have never flnee produced an equal. 
Vol. VI. No. 382. 
Many were the defperate engagements between thefe ce¬ 
lebrated admirals, and various were their fucceffes ; the 
principal of which are recorded under Blake, vol. iii. 
p. 85. The Dutch, who felt great difadvantages by the 
lofs of their trade, and by the total ftifpenfion of their 
fiflieries, were foon anxious to treat for a peace. 
In the mean time, the difputes between the parliament 
and the army had arifen to an alarming height. The ar¬ 
my prefented a petition for the payment of arrears, and 
a redrefs of grievances; in which the officers admonifhed 
the parliament to confider how many years they had fat, 
and what profeflions they had formerly made of their in¬ 
tentions to new-model the houfe, and eltablilh freedom 
on a broader bafis. They alleged that it was now full 
time to give place to others ; and, however meritorious 
their labours might have been, yet the reft of the nation 
had fome right in turn to (hew their patriotifm in the 
fervice of their country. The houfe was highly offended 
at this' prefumption of the army. They appointed a 
committee to prepare an aft, declaring all perfons who 
fliould prefent fuch petitions in future, guilty of high 
treafon. To this the officers made a fpirited remon. 
flrance ; and the parliament an angry reply ; while the 
breach between them every moment grew wider. This 
was all under the deep management of Cromwell. He 
was fitting in council with his officers, when informed of 
the violent debates in parliament concerning the army ; 
upon which he rofe up in a feeming fury, and turning to 
major Vernon, cried out, “ That he was compelled to do 
a thing which made the very hair of his head ftand on 
end.” Then haftening to the houfe with three hundred 
foldiers, with the moll indignant countenance he took 
his place; and, when the queftion was about to be put, 
he fuddenly darted up, and branded the parliament with 
the viled reproaches for their tyranny, ambition, and 
oppreflion of the public. Upon which, damping with 
his foot, the fignal for the foldiers'to enter, the houfe 
was immediately filled with armed men. Then addref- 
fing himfelf to the members, “ It is you (continued 
he) that have forced me upon this.” Then pointing to 
the mace, “Take away (cried he) that bauble.” Alter 
which, turning out all the members, and clearing the 
hall, he ordered the doors to be locked ; and, putting the 
keys in his pocket, returned to Whitehall. 
Thus, by one bold exertion, the new republic was 
aboliflied, and the whole government, civil and military, 
centered in Cromwell only. The people, who were 
fpeftators in filent wonder of all thefe precipitate tranf- 
aftions, expreffed no difapprobation at the diffolution of 
a parliament that had overturned the conflitution, and 
deflroyed the king. On the contrary, the ufurper re¬ 
ceived congratulatory addreffes from the fleet, the corpo¬ 
rations, and the army, for having difmiffed a parliament 
that had fubjefted the nation to the moft cruel impofi- 
tions. But Cromwell was too cautious to be feduced by 
their praife, or driven on by their exhortations. Unwil¬ 
ling to put forth all his power at once, he refolved flill 
to amufe the people with the form of a commonwealth, 
which it was the delufion of the times to admire, and to 
give them a parliament that would be entirely fubfer- 
vient to his own commands. For this purpofe, confult- 
ing with fome of his principal officers, it was decreed, 
that the fovereign power fhould be vefled in one hundred 
and forty-four perfons, under the denomination of a par¬ 
liament; and he undertook himfelf to make the choice. 
The perfons chofen for exercifing this important trufl, 
were the lovveft, meaneft, and moft ignorant, among the 
citizens, and the very dregs of the fanatics. He was well 
apprifed, that during the adminiflration of fuch a group, 
he alone mud govern ; or, that they mufl foon throw up 
the reins of a government, which they were unqualified 
to guide. Accordingly, their praftice juflified his ex¬ 
pectations. To go further than others into the ablurdi- 
ties of fanaticifm was the chief qualification which each 
of thefe legiflators valued himfelf upon. One of them 
S L particularly,. 
