signs; but in one of his speeches to his Parliament before-given, he solemnly declares, not only to that assembly, but to the world, that the man lived not that could come to him and charge him, that he had, in those great revolutions, made necessities.

Rapin, at the conclusion of his history of Cromwell's protectorate, observes, that to form a just and rational idea of his character, his conduct and actions in themselves must be examined, and joined to the juncture of the time, independently of the opinions of his enemies.

Cromwell had no want of panegyrists to celebrate his memory; but they meanly and contemptibly turned round with the times, and then, most disgracefully to themselves, equally vilified and

abused it.

No one, after the Restoration, durst come forward to do justice to his character, of the many who, though his enemies, had experienced his lenity and kindness, nor any one of those who owed to him all their consequence: and he was not present to answer for himself. Every circumstance and anecdote of his life, both public and private, has been, without examination of its truth or falsehood, assiduously brought forward, uncontradicted or unexplained, and implicitly received and distorted in every imaginable way, for the purpose of

obloquy under which it has been handed down, in some degree, even to the present times.

But it is hoped and presumed, that the preceding account of him will have placed his character in its just light; and that he will be found to have been a good, as well as a great man, undeserving of the virulent and uncharitable denunciations of Lord Clarendon, and others implicitly following him in his bitter invectives.

Rimer Cromwell

allest son of Cliver Comwell

Drawn and Engraved by W. Bend from a three quarter Portrait, in the Possession of Oliver Cromwell Eng?"

Published by Longman. Hurst. Roes Orme & Brown London. Jan1820.

CHAPTER XV..

RICHARD CROMWELL'S ACCESSION. -A PARLIAMENT CALLED. ·BILL DEBATED FOR THE RECOGNITION OF HIS TITLE.DEBATES UPON THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE HOUSE DISSOLUTION OF THE PARLIAMENT.

OF LORDS.

RESTORATION OF THE LONG PARLIAMENT.

A COMMIT

TEE OF SAFETY APPOINTED. -A NEW GREAT SEAL.RICHARD CROMWELL'S ABDICATION.

HENRY CROM

WELL RELINQUISHES THE GOVERNMENT OF IRELAND, AND A NEW GOVERNMENT APPOINTED. - PROVISION FOR RICHARD CROMWELL, ANd his debts TO BE PAID BY THE PARLIAMENT. —LORD CLARENDON'S, AND LUDlow's, and LORD BROGHILL'S ACCOUNTS OF THOSE TRANSACTIONS. OBSERVATIONS UPON THESE SEVERAL ACCOUNTS IN JUSTIFICATION OF RICHARD CROMWELL'S CONDUCT. SOME OF HIS PRIVATE LETTERS. — HENRY CROMWELL'S PUBLIC AND PRIVATE CHARACTER. HIS LETTERS. HIS SITUATION AFTER THE RESTORATION. LETTERS ΤΟ HIM FROM GENERAL MONCK. CONCLUSION.

In continuation, from the death of Oliver Cromwell to the abdication of Richard Cromwell

Whitelock proceeds. Immediately upon his (Oliver Cromwell's) death the council assembled, and being satisfied that the Protector, in his lifetime, according to the petition and advice, had declared his son (Richard Cromwell) to be his successor, caused the same to be proclaimed, in a solemn manner, in London and Westminster,