33~ had no care to bring in those glorious things for which they had so many yeares contended in blood and toyle. The· parliament, on the other side, had now, by the blessing of God, restor'd the commonwealth to such a happie, rich, and plentiful! condition, as it was not so flourishing before the warre, and allthough the taxes that were pay'd were greate, yet the people were rich and able to pay them: they (the pa?"!iament) were in a way of paying all the souldiers' arrears, had some hundred thousan'd pounds in their purses, and were free fi·om enemies in armes within and without, except the Dutch, whom they had beaten and brought to seeke peace upon honorable tennes to the English: and now they thought it was time to sweeten the people, and deliver them from their burthens. This could not be but by disbanding the unnecessary officers and souldiers, and when things were thus settled, they had prepar'd a bill to put a period to their own sitting, and provide for new successors. But when the greate officers understood that they were to resigne their honors, and no more triuruph in the burtheus of the people, they easily induc'd the inferior officers and souldiers to sett up for themselves with them; and while these things were passing, Crornwell with an armed force, assisted by Lambert and HarrisoJJ, came into the house and dissolv'cl the parliament, pulling out the members, foaming and raging, and calling them undeserved and base names; and when the speaker refused to come out of his chaire, Harrison pluckt him out. These gentlemen having clone this, tooke to themselves the administration of all things, and a few slaves of the house consulted with them, and would have trucklcd under them, but not many. Meanwhile they and their soulcliers could no way palliate their rebellion, but by making false criminal ions of the parl ianicnt men, as that they meant to perpetuate themselves in honor and office, that they had gotten vast estates, and perverted iustice for gaine, and were imposing upon men for c_onscience, and a thousand such like things, which time manifested to
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=