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mand peace.

What were the dangers that threatend us, and upon what principles the factious and dis. obedient attempted to interrupt the public tranquillity, it may not be at this time improper to explain.

The parliament, which had so vigorously with tood the encroachments of the regal power, became themselves too desirous of absolute authority; and not only engrofs'd the legislative, bat ufurp'd the executive power. All caules civil and criminal, all questions of property and right, were determind by committees, who, being themselves the legislature, were accountable to no law; and for that reason their decrees were arbitrary, and their proceedings violent; oppression was without redress, and unjust sentence without appeal. All the business of all the courts of Westmin. Iter was transacted in this manner; and the hardthips were still more lamented, because there was no prospect of either end or intermission. For the parliament was so far from intending to resign this unlimited authority, that they had formed a resolution of perpetuating their tyranny; and, apprehending no posibility of a diffolu. tion by any other power, determin'd never to dissolve themselves

Such and so oppressive was the government plann'd out to us, and for our posterity; and under these calamities must we still have languish'd, had not the same army which repreísid the infolence of monarchy, re. lieved us with the same spirit from the tyranny of a perpetual parliament, a tyranny which was equally.il. legal and oppressive.

When, after their dangers and labours, their battles and their wounds, they had leisure to observe the government which they had established at so much expence, they soon perceived, that unless they made one regulation more, and crush'd this many-headed tyranny, they had hitherto ventured their lives to little purpose, and had, instead of asserting their own and the people's liberty, only changed one kind of Lavery for another. They therefore diffolved the parliament, which

would

would never have disfoly'd jtfelf; and that the nation might not fall into its former state of confusion, intreated me to assume the supreme authority, under the title of protector; a title which implies not any legal power of governing in my own right, but a truft confign'd to me for the advantage of another : this truft I have faithfully discharged, and, whenever the means of settling the public shall be found, am ready to give an account of it, and resign it.

The necesity which compelled me to accept it, was, indeed, not wholly produced by the illegal resolutions of the parliament, but was much heighten'd by the ungovernable fury of wild fanatics, and tumultuous factions, who, to establish their new schemes, would have spread flaughter and desolation thro' the kingdom, and spared nothing, however cruel or unjust, that might have propagated their own opinions.

Of these, some were for abrogating all our statutes, and abolishing all our customs, and introducing the judicial law of Moses as the only rule of judgment, and kandard of equity. Of this law every man was to be his own interpreter, and consequently was allowed to judge according to his passions, prejudices, or ignorance, without appeal. Every man was then to commence legislator : for to make laws, and to interpret them for his own use, is nearly the same.

Another set of men there was, who were yet more professedly for investing every man with the power of determining his own claims, and judging of his own actions; for, it was among them a principle fix'd and ụncontrovertible, that all magistracy was forbidden by God, and therefore unlawful and deteftable.

It is unnecessary to say what must have been the state of a nation, in which either of these parties had exalted themselves to power, and how usefully that man was employed, who, stepping on a sudden into the state of dominion, had spirit to controul, and power to suppress them.

The reproaches thrown upon my conduct by the ignorant or ill-affected, I sometimes hear, but with the

neglect negle&t and scorn which they deserve ; I am acquitted by my own conscience, and I hope by the best and wisest men. I am convinc'd, that I was called by Providence to the power which I poffefs, and know that I desire it no longer than is necessary for the preservation of peace, and the security of liberty, that liberty which I have never violated, and that peace, which amidst murmurs and discontents, threats and complaints, I have yet never suffer'd to be broken. That I aspire to unlimited authority, and therefore afsume a title unknown to the nation, is a reproach eafily cast, and as easily contemned: my power has been the offspring of necesity, and its extent has been bounded only by the occasions of exerting it. If a settlement is now proposed, and previously to it, a legal establishment of my authority, it may be limited by you. Under whatever title it shall be conferred upon me, that title will then be valid, and those limi. tations cannot be transgress'd.

May 11.] With regard to the particular title which you have so warmly recommended to cannot yet prevail upon myself to abt it, When I consider your arguments, I cannot sed them inevitably conclusive : and when I examine my owik.conscience in solitude, I find it yet unsatisfied. The defire of parliament is indeed a powerful motive: but the desire of parliament cannot alter the nature of things : it may determine me, in things indifferent; to chuse one rather than another ; but it cannot make those actions lawful which God has forbidden, nor oblige me to do what, though perhaps lawful in itself, is not lawful in my private judgment.

Upon the calmeft reflection, I am convinced, that I cannot without a crime comply with their demand ; and therefore, as I am far from believing, that those who fit for no other end than to preserve the liberty of the nation, can design any infraction of mine, I declare that I cannot undertake the adminiftration of the government under the title of King.

me, I

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No.

No. VI.

POEMS on OLIVER CROMWELL, by Mr.

Waller, Mr. Dryden, Mr. Sprat, Mr.
Locke, &c.

I. A PANEGYRIC to OLIVER CROMWELL, lord

protector.. Of the present greatness, and joint-ina
terest of his highness, and this nation.

By Edmund Waller, Esq; in the year 1654.
7HILE with a strong, and yet à gentle hand,

3
Protect us from ourselves, and from the foe;
Make us unite, and make us conquer too ;
Let partial spirits still aloud complain ;
Think themselves injur'd, that they cannot reign;
And own no liberty, but where they may,
Without controul, upon their fellows prey.

Above the waves as Neptune shęwd his face,
To chide the winds, and save the Trojan race ;
So has your highness (rais'd above the rest)
Storms of ambition tosling us represt.
Your drooping country, torn by civil hate,
Restor'd by you, is made a glorious state ;
The seat of empire, where the Irish come,
And the unwilling Scot, to fetch his doom.
The fea's our own, and now all nations greet,
With bending fails, each vessel of our fleet.
Your pow'r resounds, as far as winds can blow,
Or swelling fails upon the globe may go.

Heav'n, that has plac'd this island to give law,
To balance Europe, and her states to awe,
In this conjunction does on Britain smile,
The greatest leader to the greatest ifle,

Whether

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Whether this portion of the world were rent
By the wide ocean from the continent,
Or thus created; it was sure design'd
To be the sacred refuge of mankind.
Hither th' oppressed fall henceforth resort,
Juftice to crave, and succour, of your court;
And shew your highness, not for ours alone,
But for the world's protector shall be known.
Fame swifter than your winged navy

flies
Thro' ev'ry land that near the ocean lies,
Sounding your name, and telling dreadful news
To all that piracy and rapine use.
With such a chief the meanest nation bleft,
Might hope to lift her head above the rest :
What may be thought impossible to do
For us embraced by the sea and you?

Lords of the world's great waste, the ocean, we Whole forests send to reign upon the sea; And ev'ry coast may trouble and relieve, But none can visit us without your leave. Angels and we have this prerogative, That none can at our happy feat arrive ; While we descend at pleasure, to invade The bad with vengeance, or the good to aid.

Our little world, the image of the great, Like that, amidst the boundless ocean set, Of her own growth has all that nature craves, And all that's rare, as tribute from the waves. As Egypt does not on the clouds rely, But to the Nile owes more than to the sky : So what our heav'n, or what our earth denies, Our ever constant friend the fea supplies. The taste of hot Arabia's spice we know, Free from the scorching sun that makes it grow : without the worm in Persian filks we shine, And without planting, drink of ev'ry vine. To dig for wealth we weary not our limbs ; Gold, tho' the heaviest metal, hither swims. Ours is the harvest where the Indians mow; We plough the deep, and reap what others fow.

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