CHAPTER XIII.

TURNING WHEELS OF VICISSITUDE.'

O! what a hurly-burly is there made.

1658-1660.

HENRY CROmwell.

OLIVER CROMWELL is dead and gone, but his Highness Richard, the Lord Protector, rules in his stead. There is a pause of silence and expectation. For a moment it seems as if the good ship of State would hold steadily on her course, even though the strong hand has relaxed its grip of the helm, and left her amidst gathering clouds to a feeble and inexperienced pilot. Dryden, in his heroic stanzas to Oliver's memory, could write with general acceptance—

No civil broils have since his death arose,
But faction now by habit does obey;

And wars have that respect for his repose

As winds for halcyons when they breed at sea.

But there are mutterings of the coming storm when Dr. Denton reports, in October 1658: 'The souldiers are not so quiett as I could wish, they would fayne a generall distinct from the Protector.'

In marked contrast to the preceding years, the

Verney letters are full of references to the state of
the country during Richard Cromwell's protectorate,
and the confusion that followed it, public anxieties
once more taking precedence of private interests.
Sir Ralph was eagerly watching every move on the
board, but he was not too busy to write a charming
letter to the ladies at Croweshall when Doll was
planning a visit to town.
interrupt your London pleasures at your very first
coming but Cozen is it possible you should
take a journey of 4 score miles in this season,
through such wayes & Waters, to visit London, &
then stay but 8 or 10 dayes there? it cannot bee,
for though almost all the World is changed yet
you are still the same D: L: that dwelt at Claydon,
& cañot bee guilty of such a crime soe highly pre-
juditial to all your Friendes, kindred, & acquaint-
ance, & soe absolutly contrary to your owne knowne
Humour, & affections too; this were to forget your
owne People, & your Fathers house indeed, if you
lie under such a vow, tis better broke then kept. I
must confesse when my Lady Gaudy is at Crowes-
hall, the seate is good & pleasant, & that old House
(in my conceit) excells the Louvre, & Escuriall;
were her Ladishipp here, this House would doe soe
too her presence is able to consecrate all places
where she comes; but I presume she is still at
Hewzon, with her beloved sonne & daughter, de-
lighting herselfe in her new acquired Title of a
Grandmother, therefore I doubt not but on second

'Deare Cozen, I would not Nov. 15,

1658

Dec. 2, 1658

Feb. 21,

1659

thoughts you will resolve to keepe your Christmas with my cozen your sister, & thereby allow both time & oppertunities to bee attended often by Deare Cozen Yours etc.'

'I hope well of peace,' the Doctor writes, the next parl' will tell you more which is now the discourse of the towne againe.'

Mr. Butterfield, catching something of the general excitement, is taking voters to the election at Buckingham in January 1659. 'I intend with God's leave if the wether be such as I may safely venture abroade, to see the Knights chosen on Wednesday, & to take such as I can get to goe along with mee; most on this side will be for those two gent: but here is talke as though the Anabaptist party were like to carry it on the other side.' Sir Richard Temple was elected for Buckingham with Francis Ingoldsby, Esquire. Sir Roger Burgoyne did not stand, and his seat for Warwick was filled by Fulke Lucy of Charlecote. Odd little bits of gossip have survived. 'Sir H. Wroath in a drunken fit (as I doubt),' writes the Doctor, 'affronted Packer [M.P. for Wallingford] on the high way soe highly that he complained to the house of it, he is sent for as a delinquent.'

Cromwell, anticipating the reforms of our own day, had made some progress with a redistribution of seats in proportion to the changes of population. A reaction followed his death, and Dr. Denton rejoices

1659

that old Malton, where the influence of the Eures lay, 'after much labour and sweat. . . hath a Joynt March 2, interest of electing Burgesses for Parl with new Malton, & soe the report is to be made to the house.'

1659

1659

'Dick's Parliament,' as it was called, met on January 27, 1659. Doctor Denton writes: 'I can Feb. 17, tell you noe newes but that I graced the Parlt House by makinge a simple speech in it.' In answer to Sir Ralph's expressions of surprise and curiosity he writes again: 'Soft Sir soft. It is not for Plebeians Feb. 21, to know why we made our learned speech in the House. But because you tell me of such good newes of your favorite, I will tell you. At the Comtee of Prividledges sittinge in the House, Mr. Howard having noe Councill there & being at a losse, I was fayne under the pretence of my neeces Interest to say some pretty simple things which was enough for Mons' le Medecin to quack withall. However it was as wise as my La Barkstead, who uppon a sumons from the comtee of Greeviances for a false imprisonment came to the barre (they sittinge in the House) the bar beinge down, with his hatt off, & there was treated by the name of Mr Barkstead with out welt or guard, & made soe pittifull a defence that they have voted the prisoner (whose name I know not) free, the imprisonment illegal, & will take farther time to consider of reparacons & you are welcome. Gent. Coll Tyrrell was in the chair.'

This incident caused much uneasiness to the Pro

tector's party; while Oliver lived his arbitrary acts were submitted to as necessary to the public safety. John Portman, formerly Blake's secretary, was imprisoned, on Cromwell's own warrant, as a Fifth Monarchy man about to take up arms. Barkstead, the Lieutenant of the Tower, a brave soldier who dreaded nothing except having to make a speech, had deferred as long as he dared appearing at the bar of the House. The warrant was pronounced to be illegal, and the prisoner ordered to be discharged, and thus a blow was struck at the existing government by the Republicans, under pretence of redressing a former wrong. Sir Ralph writes in April 1659 to Monsieur Poppin, who played chess with him at Blois : 'I would now very willingly informe you of the state of our affaires heere, which are as bad as bad may be; but all letters are now opened, & such as speake of newes are stopt, therefore at the present it must needes bee forborne by me.' 'I cannot but pray & hope for peace,' sighs good Mr. Butterfield, though I doe not like the present aspect of things, especially as they are represented to us in the country.'

6

On the 22nd of April Richard Cromwell, yielding to the dictation of the council of officers at Wallingford House, dissolved the Parliament that had met in January. But the difficulty of raising money forced the soldiers to have recourse to another, and on the 7th of May, to avoid fresh elections, the fragments of the

1 Guizot, Richard Cromwell, i. p. 89.