334 RICHARD CROMWELL PROCLAIMED PROTECTOR.-1658.

12. It is not surprising that Cromwell's bodily frame sunk under the weight of cares and anxieties. He died September 3d, 1658, in the fifty-ninth year of his age; and his body was deposited with great pomp in Westminster Abbey. It was a long time before anything like justice was done to the character of Cromwell by his own countrymen. The zealous royalists could see nothing good or great in any person who denied that kings have a natural right to rule, whatever may be their capacity, or however much they may oppress their subjects.

13. Others thought to curry favor with the monarch who succeeded to the throne, by heaping abuse upon the memory of one whom they called a usurper. But the great mass of the English people have now adopted the opinion which foreigners held from the beginning, that Cromwell was one of the greatest men that England has produced, taking the world's estimate of greatness. He was, indeed, a great general, statesman, and sovereign.

CHAPTER CLXXVIII.

Richard Cromwell proclaimed Protector.-He finds himself unable to maintain himself in office, and resigns.- General Monk marches with his Army to London, and proclaims Charles II. King, who returns to England, and everything is restored to its ancient footing.

1. RICHARD CROMWELL was proclaimed protector upon his father's death. But the nation soon found the difference between the strong hand of Oliver Cromwell, and the weakness and indecision of his son, and showed a disposition to cast off his authority. But Richard quietly resigned a dignity which he had neither the power nor the inclination to keep; thus wisely saving himself from being dispossessed by violence. He held the protectorship only a few months.

2. Henry Cromwell also resigned his command in Ireland, though his popularity in that country was very great, and he might have retained his power there if he had chosen to do so; but he preferred the tranquillity of a private station to the dangerous and uncertain enjoyments of ambition. He well describes his own character in a letter which he wrote to his brother when he resigned his power. "I would rather," he says, "submit to any suffering with a good name, than be the greatest man on earth without it.'

3. The country was now left without any government, and each party was full of hopes of establishing its own favorite form. Those members of parliament who had been so unceremoniously expelled by Cromwell in 1653, met and assumed the control of affairs.

10. What of his daughters? 11. What of his sons? 12. When did Cromwell die? 13. What led to a false estimate of his character?

CLXXVIII.-1. What of Richard Cromwell? 2. What of Henry Cromwell? 3. What

CONTENTIONS OF THE RIVAL PARTIES.--1660.

335

But they found no support from any party, and were once more put to flight by General Lambert, who commanded the army, and who hoped by its assistance to obtain the vacant protectorship.

4. In the mean time, Charles, on hearing what was passing in England, came to Calais, that he might be at hand to take advantage of any circumstance favorable to his cause. For some time there seemed to be little chance for him; but at last, what the efforts of his friends could not do, the rivalry of his enemies brought about. Lambert and Monk had long hated each other; and Monk, partly to disappoint Lambert in his ambitious hopes, and partly to please his wife, who was a zealous royalist, formed the design of restoring Charles, and entered into correspondence with him.

5. But so well did Monk conceal his design, that it was thought he was acting for the parliament, so that he was able to march from Scotland to London, not only without opposition, but he was even joined on the way by Lambert's troops, who arrested their general and put him in the Tower. On the 1st of May, 1660, Monk ventured to propose to a new parliament, which he had assembled, the restoration of the king. The proposition was received with joy

by the people, who were tired of the anarchy which had prevailed since the death of Oliver Cromwell, and which his good government made the more striking.

body assumed the government? 4. What did Charles do? What aided his canse? 5.

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RESTORATION OF CHARLES II-1660.

6. The peers hastened to assemble and to assume their old rights as one of the houses of parliament. On the 8th of May, Charles was formally proclaimed king, and a committee sent to invite him to return and take possession of the throne. He was met at Dover by General Monk, who conducted him to London, which he entered May 29th, 1660. As a reward for these great services, Monk was created Duke of Albemarle, and received a large sum of morey to support his new dignity.

7. Everything about the court was now restored to its former condition. Old courtiers returned to their old places; even the statue of Charles I. resumed its ancient pedestal; for it seems the brazier to whom it was sold, thought he might make a better speculation by saving it whole, than melting it down; so he disobeyed the orders of the parliament to break it in pieces, and buried it in the ground, from which it now made its reappearance.

8. Having thus seated Charles upon the throne, we must dispose of the Cromwell family, and then give an account of some of the other great men who flourished during the Commonwealth. Though Charles showed no disposition to molest Richard Cromwell, still he thought it safest to leave the country for a time. In the course of his travels he was introduced, under a borrowed name, to the French Prince of Conti, who, talking of English affairs, broke out into admiration of Cromwell's courage and capacity. "But what," said the prince, "has become of that pitiful fellow Richard?"

9. He returned to England, and, taking the name of Clark, lived

Who proposed the calling of Charles II. to the throne? 6. When was he proclaimed? When did he arrive in London? 7. What followed the restoration of the monarchy? 8. What became of Richard Cromwell? What of Henry?

DISTINGUISHED MEN OF THE TIMES.

337

to be a very old man. Henry became a highly respected country gentleman. King Charles was out hunting one day, and seeing a gentleman's house, rode up to it to obtain some refreshment. When Henry Cromwell, whose residence it was, saw the king, he was somewhat embarrassed; but Charles, by his gracious manner, soon set him at ease, and the visit went off very agreeably. The king was as much pleased with the kindness and simplicity of Mr. Cromwell's manners and appearance, as the latter was with the good humor and pleasantry of the king.

CHAPTER CLXXIX.

Account of Milton.-Andrew Marvell.-Algernon Sydney.-James Harrington.

1. WHITELOCKE, one of the officers of state during the commonwealth, wrote an account of what happened at that period; and, amongst other things, he tells us that one Milton, a blind man, was employed to translate into Latin a treaty which he had himself negotiated with Sweden.

2. "Sir Bulstrode Whitelocke, one of our Lords of the Treasury,' would have thought the assertion too ridiculous to be a matter for anger, if any one had said that long after his name should be forgotten by all but learned antiquaries, the name of this same Milton would be familiar to all, from the palace to the cottage. But so it is. A person must be very ignorant indeed, who does not know that John Milton wrote the Paradise Lost, a poem which, for sublimity and purity, has never been equalled.

3. Milton, in his youth, had light-brown hair, regular and handsome features, and he was so fair, that at the University of Cambridge he was called "the lady of Christ College." He was about the middle size, well proportioned and active, but never very healthy. Being a puritan, and very learned, he was appointed Latin Secretary to the council in the early days of the commonwealth, and was retained in that office by Cromwell, for whom he had the greatest admiration and respect. In those times the Latin language was used in the intercourse between nations.

4. Intense application to study gradually destroyed his sight, but this did not destroy his usefulness; for others wrote down what he dictated. His two youngest daughters used to read to him, and in eight different languages, though they themselves understood only the English; one tongue," their father was wont to say, enough for a woman." He had also a kind quaker friend, named Thomas Ellwood, who paid him a daily visit, and acted as his scribe. He wrote an answer to the "Icon Basilike," and many other political works, which made him very obnoxious to the royalists.

was

CLXXIX.-3. What of Milton in his youth? What appointment did he hold during the commonwealth? 4. What personal misfortune did he meet with? What of his

338

DISTINGUISHED MEN OF THE TIMES.

5. At the restoration he was obliged to conceal himself for a time and afterwards lived in poverty in London. There were, however, some men of rank and distinction, who delighted to converse with the blind bard, as he sat before his door, clad in a coarse gray coat, enjoying the refreshing breezes of a summer evening. It was now that he composed his great poem of Paradise Lost, which he modestly submitted to the judgment of his friend Ellwood. The latter read it, and, on returning it to him, expressed his approbation, adding, "Thou hast said much here of Paradise Lost, but what hast thou to say of Paradise Found?"

6. The hint was not lost; Milton composed the "Paradise Regained," and when it was finished, putting it into the hands of Ellwood, he said, "This is owing to you; for you put it into my head by the question you put to me." For the Paradise Lost, Milton received from the publishers only fifteen pounds, (less than seventyfive dollars,) a smaller sum than is sometimes paid for a single article in a modern magazine. Milton was born December 9th, 1608, and died in November, 1674.

7. Milton's assistant in the office of secretary was Andrew Marvell, who was a man of great wit, as well as learning. After the restoration, he wrote many pamphlets against arbitrary government, which contained so much humor that they were exceedingly popular, and much dreaded by the court party. It was thought advisable to try to buy him over to their side. So the king sent his minister, Danby, to make a bargain with him. Danby with some difficulty found his way to his mean lodgings, in an obscure court.

8. Marvell supposed his visitor had lost his way, but when informed that Danby came from the king, who wished to know what he would do to serve him, he answered that it was not in his majesty's power to serve him. When pressed to accept any office the court could give, Marvell replied, that he could not take any, for in such case he must either be ungrateful to the king by opposing him, or false to his country by supporting his measures. Danby then said that he was the bearer of £1000 from the king as a mark of his respect; but the inflexible patriot rejected it, though he had to borrow money to pay for his dinner.

9. There were many eloquent speakers and writers on government and law in Cromwell's time; the most distinguished were Algernon Sydney and James Harrington. The former was the son of the Earl of Leicester. He was a violent republican, and took the old Roman Marcus Brutus as his pattern. Harrington wrote a book called Oceana," which is a description of an imaginary republic, such as he thought one ought to be.

daughters? What of his friend Ellwood? 5. What befell him at the restoration! When did he die? 7. What of Andrew Marvell? 8. Relate the anecdote of his integ rity. 9. What of other distinguished speakers and writers?