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Mary. And what became of them after all?

Mrs. M. Sir Hugh Cartwright retired abroad, and died at Antwerp. Of the fate of the other I know nothing.

Richard. I must just ask you, mamma, about one thing that has all along puzzled me very much. What was the house of lords about all this time, that they let the house of commons govern the country, and have their own way in every thing?

Mrs. M. Some of the peers joined the house of commons, and the rest were too few to make any stand against the numbers and violence of the other house. They did now and then send up a remonstrance to the commons; but finding themselves not treated by them with much respect, most of them gave up their attendance in parliament.

JOHN LILBOURN.

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THE first act of the commons, or rather of that small body of men who chose to call themselves a parliament, was to abolish the house of peers as being useless and dangerous. A new great seal of England was made, the legend round which was, "The first year of freedom by God's blessing restored 1648." A bronze statue of the late king, the same which now stands at Charing Cross, was ordered to be broken in pieces. All loyalists were

treated with great severity, and it was made high treason to call the prince of Wales by any name but that of Charles Stuart. The forms of all public business were altered, and the new legislators gave to their government the name of The Commonwealth of England. Cromwell, meanwhile, suffered the parliament to establish itself, and kept his own ambitious designs concealed. Yet his influence extended through the whole country; he was the secret instigator of all the measures of the parliament; and exerted a most extraordinary control over the wills of all those whom he had to deal with. He went in 1649 as lord lieutenant to Ireland, where he found every thing in a very distracted state: but his activity and ability overcame all difficulties, and in a few months he restored some degree of order in the island. He then left his son-in-law, general Ireton, as his deputy, the affairs of Scotland calling for his presence in that country.

The Scotish Presbyterians had refused to acknowledge the English republic; and, resolving to adhere to the monarchy, had proclaimed prince Charles their king; and sent to invite him to come and take possession of the throne; but on such hard conditions, that those who were his best friends counselled him not to make such sacrifices for the empty title of king. But Charles, who entertained, probably, the dishonest intention of breaking through these conditions whenever he should

be able, agreed to them, and returned with the commissioners. He was not suffered to set his foot on Scotish ground till he had signed the covenant and the moment he was on shore he was beset by the Covenanters, who by dint of sermons and exhortations strove to convert him to their own opinions.

He now found himself in a very comfortless situation. The Presbyterians kept the entire administration both of church and state in their own hands, and though they mocked him with the name of king, they did not treat him even with the respect due to a superior. And they paid so little regard to his feelings, that they obliged him to pass under the gates of Aberdeen, over which was hung one of the limbs of his faithful friend and servant, the gallant marquess of Montrose, who had a little before been barbarously put to death for appearing in arms in his master's cause. In short, Charles was now little better than a helpless prisoner in the hands of merciless tormentors. All his English friends were driven from him, except the duke of Buckingham, who alone was suffered to remain. He was not allowed to enter into any kind of amusements, and was harassed by theological discussions, which to him, who had been accustomed to drive away all serious thoughts, and delighted only in gaiety and dissipation, must have been particularly irksome. Under these circumstances, he secretly rejoiced on finding that Cromwell was on

his march to Scotland with a powerful army for the purpose of driving him from his uneasy throne.

The Scotish army, commanded by general Leslie, attacked Cromwell near Dunbar, and was completely beaten, with great loss; and Cromwell would soon have been entire master of the kingdom, had he not been attacked with a violent fit of illness, and been obliged soon after to return to England.

In 1651 Cromwell again entered Scotland, and marched so far into the country as to get behind the army of the Covenanters. Charles, who was with the army, which consisted of 14,000 men, seeing the road to the English border thus open to him, formed the bold resolution of marching forwards into England, believing that all who were discontented with the Commonwealth would flock to his standard. But he was greatly deceived in this hope. The movement was so sudden and unexpected, that even those who wished him well were taken by surprise, and had no time to make the necessary preparations for a renewal of the civil war.

Charles still marched forwards, in hopes at last to gather strength; but he arrived at Worcester with only his 14,000 Scots. Here he halted, and had a few days' rest after his long and fatiguing march. In the meantime, Cromwell, when he found that the king had slipped by him, left the command of the Scotish war to general Monk, and

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