sitting at the door, amusing himself with seeing people play at bowls. The king, after having taken proper care of his horse in the stable, was shown to an apartment, which Mrs. Lane had provided for him, as it was said he had the ague. The butler, however, being sent to him with some refreshment, no sooner beheld his face, which was very pale with anxiety and fatigue, than he recollected his king and master, and falling upon his knees, while the tears streamed down his cheeks, cried out, "I am rejoiced to see your majesty." The king was alarmed, but made the butler promise that he would keep the secret from every mortal, even from his master; and the honest servant punctually obeyed him.

No ship being found that would for a month set sail from Bristol, either for France or Spain, the king was obliged to go elsewhere for a passage. He therefore repaired to the house of colonel Wyndham, in Dorsetshire, where he was cordially received; that gentleman's family having ever been royal. His mother, a venerable matron, seemed to think the end of her life nobly rewarded, in having it in her power to give protection to her king. She expressed no dissatisfaction at having lost three sons, and one grandchild, in the defence of his cause, since she was honoured in being instrumental to his own pre

servation.

Pursuing from thence his journey to the sea-side, he once more had a very providential escape from a little inn, where he set up for the night. The day had been appointed by parliament for a solemn fast; and a fanatical weaver, who had been a soldier in the parliament army, was preaching against the king in a little. chapel

chapel fronting the house. Charles, to avoid suspicion, was himself among the audience. It happened that a smith, of the same principles with the weaver, had been examining the horses belonging to the passengers, and came to assure the preacher that he knew, by the fashion of the shoes, that one of the strangers' horses came from the North. The preacher immediately affirmed that this horse could belong to no other than Charles Stuart, and instantly went with a constable to search the inn. But Charles had taken timely precautions, and had left the inn before the constable's arrival.

At Shoreham, in Sussex, a vessel was at last found, in which he embarked. He was known to so many, that if he had not set sail in that critical moment, it had been impossible for him to escape. After one and forty days' concealment he arrived safely at Feschamp in Normandy. No less than forty men and women had, at dif ferent times, been privy to his escape.

In the mean time Cromwell, crowned with success, returned in triumph to London, where he was met by the speaker of the house, accompanied by the mayor of London, and the magistrates, in all their formalities. His first care was to take advantage of his late successes, by depressing the Scots, who had so lately withstood the work of the Gospel, as he called it. An act was passed for abolishing royalty in Scotland, and annexing that kingdom, as a conquered province, to the English commonwealth. It was impowered, however, to send some members to the English parliament. Judges were appointed to distribute justice; and the people of that country, now freed from the tyranny of the ec

clesiastics,

1

clesiastics, were not much dissatisfied with their present government. The prudent conduct of Monck, who was left by Cromwell to complete their subjection, served much to reconcile the minds of the people, harassed with dissensions, of which they never well understood the cause.

In this manner the English parliament, by the means of Cromwell, spread their uncontested authority over all the British dominions. Ireland was totally subdued by Ireton and Ludlow. All the settlements in America, that had declared for the royal cause, were obliged to submit ; Jersey, Guernsey, Scilly, and the Isle of Man, were brought easily under subjection. Thus mankind saw, with astonishment, a parliament, composed of sixty or seventy obscure and illiterate members, governing a great empire with unanimity and success. Without any acknowledged subordination, except a council of state consisting of thirty-eight, to whom all addresses were made, they levied armies, maintained fleets, and gave laws to the neighbouring powers of Europe. The finances were managed with œconomy and exactness. Few private persons became rich by the plunder of the public; the revenues of the crown, the lands of the bishops, and a tax of a hundred and twenty thousand pounds each month, supplied the wants of the government, and gave vigour to all their proceedings.

The parliament, having thus reduced their native dominions to perfect obedience, next resolved to chastise the Dutch, who had given but very slight causes of complaint. It happened that one doctor Dorislaus, who was of the number of the late king's judges, being sent by the parliament

parliament as their envoy to Holland, was assas
sinated by one of the royal party, who had taken
refuge there.
there. Some time after also, Mr. St.
John, appointed their ambassador to that court,
was insulted by the friends of the prince of
Orange. These were thought motives sufficient
to induce the commonwealth of England to de-
clare war against them. The parliament's chief
dependence lay in the activity and courage of
Blake, their admiral; who, though he had not
embarked in naval command till late in life, yet
surpassed all that went before him in courage
and dexterity. On the other side, the Dutch
opposed to him their famous admiral Van
Tromp, to whom they never since produced an
equal. Many were the engagements between
these celebrated admirals, and various were their
success. Sea-fights, in general, seldom prove
decisive; and the vanquished are soon seen to
make head against the victors. Several dreadful
encounters, therefore, rather served to show the
excellence of the admirals, than to determine
their superiority. The Dutch, however, who felt
many great disadvantages by the loss of their
trade, and by the total suspension of their fishe
ries, were willing to treat for a peace; but the
parliament gave them a very unfavourable an-
swer. It was the policy of that body, to keep
their navy on foot as long as they could; right-
ly judging, that while the force of the nation
was exerted by sea, it would diminish the power
of general Cromwell by land, which was now be-
come very formidable to them.

This great aspirer quickly perceived their designs; and from the first saw that they dreaded his growing power, and wished its diminution. All

his measures were conducted with an intrepidity that marked his character; and he now saw, that it was not necessary to wear the mask of subordination any longer. Secure in the attachment of the army, he resolved to make another daring effort; and persuaded the officers to present a petition for payment of arrears and redress of grievances, which he knew would be rejected with disdain. The petition was soon drawn up and presented, in which the officers, after demanding their arrears, desired the parliament to consider how many years they had sat, and what professions they had formerly made of their intentions to new-model the house, and establish freedom on the broadest basis. They alleged that it was now full time to give place to others; and however meritorious their actions might have been, yet the rest of the nation had some right in turn to show their patriotism in the service of their country.

The house was highly offended at the presumption of the army, although they had seen, but too lately, that their own power was wholly founded on that very presumption. They appointed a committee to prepare an act, ordaining all persons who presented such petitions, for the future, should be deemed guilty of hightreason. To this the officers made a very warm remonstrance, and the parliament as angry a reply; while the breach between them every moment grew wider. This was what Cromwell had long wished, and had well foreseen. He was sitting in council with his officers when informed of the subject on which the house was deliberating; upon which he rose up in the most seeming fury, and turning to major Vernon, cried

out,