Chap. Il. The HIS T 0 R y -of tbe PuRITANS. 42-l! others were drunkards, and fome corrupt and unjull men, who had not Common... I bl . d b 1 c · h · wealth. at heart t 1e pu 1c goo , ut were on y 1or perpetuatmg t e1r own power. L 653 • Upon the whole, he thought they had fat long enough, and therefore de-~fired them to retire and go away. When fome of the members began to reply, he llept into the middle of the houfe, and faid, come, come, I 'wilt put an end to your prating; you are no parliammt; I jay you are no parliament; and llamping with his foot, a file of mufqucteers entered the houfe; one of whom be commanded to take awa y that fool's bauble the mace; And major Harrifon taking the fpeaker by the arm, conduCled him out of the chair. Crom7ve/l then feizing upon their papers obliged them to walk oJt of the houfe; and having caufed the doors to be locked after them, returned to Whitehall. In the afternoon the general went to the council qfjlate, attended by And difmijfls•. major-general Lambert and 1-larrifon, and as he entered the room, faid, j(' cotm<tLof " gentlemen if you are met here as private perfons you !hall not be difate. " tUI·bed, but if as a council of llate this is no place for you; and fince '' you cannot but know what was done in the morning, (o take notice the '' parliament is dilfolved," Serjeant Bradjbaw repli~d,. " fir, we have heard " what you did in the morning, but you are millaken to think the par- " liament is dilfolved, for no power can dilfolve them but themfelves ;. " therefore take you notice of that._" But the general not being terrified with big words, the council thought it their wifeft way to rife up and goIJOme. Thus ended the commonwealth of England, after it had continued four. Cbaraller of' }Cars, two months, and twenty days, which though no better than an the com~non- ,r; · h d ·r d h d' f '-- · h' h · h f 1 w caltb•. 7':;,trpat101z, a ra11e t e ere tt o t..e nat1on to a very tg p1tc o gory and renown; and with the commonwealth ended the remains of the long· parrament for the prefent; an alfembly famous tbroughotlt all-the world. for its undertakings, aCliom, and fuccelfes: "tbe aCts of this parliament (fays· DeteCl-,_p,, " Mr. Coke) will hardly find belief in future ages; and to fay the truth, 363, " they were a race of men moll indefatigable and indullrious in builnefs, " always feeking men fit for it, and never preferring any for favour or. " importunity : you hardly ever heard of any revolt from them ; no fol~ " diers or feamen being ever prelfed. And as they excelled in civil affairs•. " fo it mull be confeifed, .they exercifed in matters ecclefia.llical no fuch fl:-· " veri ties as others before them did upon fuch as dilfented from them." But theiu foundation was bad, and many of their aClions highly crimi- Remarks ow nal ; they were a packed alfembly, many of their members being ex--tbe cbange •! I d d b fi b c h ld b r. f h I I . government, _ c u e y orce, e1ore t ey cou e 1ecure o a vote to putt e ate {111g ro d~at~-the~ fubverted the conllitution, by fetting up themfelves, a.-ndt ~~~tln~mg thm_feilions after his majefiy's demife-by ereB.ing high courts . of JUfhce of thw own nomination fru capital offences-b.y raifing taxes,, and.
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