682 . ENGLAND. 
particularly, who was called u Praife God Barebone,” a 
canting leather-feller, gave his name to this odd affem- 
bly, aud it ivas called Barebone’s parliament. To this 
hopeful alFembly was committed the treaty of peace with 
the Dutch ; but the ambaffadors from that nation, 
though themfelves prefbyterians, were quite carnal mind¬ 
ed to thefe. They were regarded by the new parliament 
as worldly men, intent on commerce and worldly gain, 
and therefore not to be treated with. They infilled that 
the man ot fin fhould be put away, and a new birth obtain¬ 
ed by prayer and meditation. The ambalfadors, finding 
themfelves unable to converfe witli them, gave up the 
treaty as hopelefs. The moft vulgar of the populace 
now began to exclaim againft this mock legiflature, and 
it was diliblved. 
The officers of the army now came forward, and de¬ 
clared Cromwell “ Protestor of the Commonwealth of Eng¬ 
land.'’ The lord mayor and aldermen of London were 
fent for to give folemnity to his appointment; and he 
was inftituted into this high office at Weftminfter, in the 
fifty-third year of his age, Dec. 16, 1653; and was im¬ 
mediately put in poffeffion of Whitehall, the palace of 
the kings of England. A council was appointed, which 
was not to exceed twenty-one, nor to be under thirteen 
perfons. Thefe were to enjoy their offices for life, or 
during good behaviour; and, in cafe of a vacancy, the 
remaining members named three, of whom the protestor 
chofe one. The protector was appointed the fupreme 
magiflrate of the commonwealth, with fuch privileges as 
the kings formerly poffeffed. The power of the fword 
was veiled in him jointly with the parliament when fit¬ 
ting, or with the council during its recefs. He was 
obliged to fummon a parliament every three years, and to 
allow them to fit five months without adjournment. A 
ftanding army was eflablifhed of twenty thoufand foo,t, 
and ten thoufand horfe, and funds were affigned for their 
fupport. The proteCtor enjoyed his office during life ; 
and on his death the place was immediately to be luppli- 
ed by the council. Of all thefe provifions the Handing 
army was alone fufficient for Cromwell’s purpofe ; for 
while poffeffed of that infirument, he could mould the 
conllitution at all times to his will and pleafure. 
His management of foreign affairs generally correfpond- 
ed with his determined character, and were attended 
with fuccefs. The Dutch having been humbled by re¬ 
peated defeats, and totally abridged in their commercial 
concerns, were made to lue for peace, which he gave 
them upon his own terms. He infilled upon their pay¬ 
ing obedience to the Britifh flag. He compelled them 
to abandon the interefts of the king, and to pay eighty- 
five thoufand pounds as an indemnification for former 
expences; and to reftore the Englifh Eaft-India company 
a part of thole dominions of which they had been dif- 
poffelTed by the Dutch during the former reign. He 
was not lefs fuccefsful in his negociations with France. 
Cardinal Mazarine, by whom the affairs of that kingdom 
were condu&ed, deemed it necclfary to pay deference to 
the proteCior; anddefirous rather to prevail by dexte¬ 
rity than violence, fubmitted to Cromwell’s imperious 
character, and thus procured ends equally beneficial to 
both. The court of Spain was not lefs affiduous in its 
endeavours to gain his friendihip, but was not fo fucceff- 
ful. This haughty monarchy, which but a few years 
before had threatened the liberties of Europe, was now 
hardly able to defend itfelf. Cromwell, however, who 
knew nothing of foreign politics, Hill continued to regard 
its power with a jealous eye, and came into confederacy 
with France to deprefs it more. He lent that court a 
body of fix thoufand men to attack the Spanilh dominions 
in the Netherlands; and, upon their obtaining a fignal 
victory by his afiiftance at Dunes, the French put Dun¬ 
kirk, which they had juft taken from the Spaniards ; into 
his hands, as a reward for his attachment. But it was 
by fea that he humbled the power of Spain with the mod 
effectual fuccefs; as Hated under the article Blake, 
above referred to. 
At the fame time that Blake’s expeditions were going 
forward, there was another carried on under the com¬ 
mand ot Penn and Venables, with about four thoufand 
land forces, dellined to attack the illand of Hifpaniola. 
Failing, however, in this enterprife, and being driven off 
the place by the Spaniards, they fleered to Jamaica, 
which was furrendered to them at diferetion, May ir, 
1654; ever fince which time it has continued under the 
dominion of England. But fo little was the importance 
of this conqueft then conftdered, that, upon the return of 
the expedition, Penn and Venables were fent to the 
Tower, for their failure in the principal objeCt of their 
expedition againft: St. Domingo. 
All thefe fucceffes might rather be aferibed to the fpi- 
rit of the times, than to the fuperior policy of Cromwell. 
He was pofleffed of but two arts in p'erfeCtion, that of 
managing the army, by which he ruled ; and difcovering 
the fecrets of his enemies, by which lie defeated all their 
fchemes againft him. For the firft, his valour and diffi- 
mulation were fufficient; for the latter, it is faid, he paid 
fixty thoufand pounds a-year to his fpies. But he took 
care to make the nation refund thofe extraordinary ex¬ 
pences. Thefe confpiracies, entered into by the royalifts, 
ferved him as a pretext to lay a heavy tax upon that par¬ 
ty, of a tenth penny on all their polfedions. In order to 
fecure the payment, ten major-generals were inftituted, 
who divided the kingdom into fo many military jurif- 
diCtions. Thefe men had power to fubjeCt whom they 
pleafed to a payment of this tax, and to imprifon thofe 
who refufed. Under colour of thefe powers, they exer- 
cifed the mod arbitrary authority; the people had no 
protedlion againft their exactions ; the very mafk of liber¬ 
ty was thrown off, and all property was at the difpofal of 
a military tribunal. It was in vain that the nation cried 
out for a free parliament; Cromwell affembled one, in 
confequence of their clamours ; but as fpeedily diffolved 
it, when he found it refractory to his commands. 
The‘whole nation now began filently to deteft his ad- 
minillration ; and all domellic confolations forfook him. 
Fleetwood, his fon-in-law, detefted a character which 
could barter religious zeal for the purpofes of temporal 
advancement. His eldeft daughter, who married Fleet- 
wood, had adopteii*republican principles fo vehemently, 
that (lie could not bear to fee even her own father invefied 
with uncontroulable power. His other daughters were 
fanguine in favour of the royal caufe; but, above all, Mrs. 
Claypole, his favourite daughter, who, upon her death¬ 
bed, upbraided him with all thofe wicked and abominable 
projects which had led him to trample on the crown. 
Every hour added fome new difquietude to his mind. 
Lord Fairfax, fir William Waller, and many leaders of 
the prefbyterians, had fecretly entered into an engage¬ 
ment to deftroy him. Flis adminiftration, fo expenfive 
both at home and abroad, had exhaufted his revenue, 
and he was left confiderably in debt. One confpiracy fol¬ 
lowed upon the ruins of another; and, to increafe his 
calamity, he was now taught, upon reafoning principles, 
that his death was not only defirable, but his affaffinarion 
would be meritorious. A book was publifhed by colonel 
Titus, a man who had formerly been attached to his 
caufe, entitled, Killing no Murder. Of all the pamphlets 
that-came forth at that time, or perhaps of thofe that 
have fince appeared, this was the moft eloquent and maf- 
terly. “ Shall we (faid this popular declaimer) who 
would not fuffer the lion to invade 11s, tamely ftand to be 
devoured by the wolf ?” Cromwell read this fpirited per¬ 
formance, and was never feen to fmile more. 
All confolation appeared now banifhed from his mind. 
He found that the grandeur to which he had afpired was 
only an inlet to dangers and inquietudes. The fears of 
affaffination haunted him in all his walks, and was ever 
prefent to his imagination. His afpeCt was clouded by a 
fettled 
