121 against 78, it was refolved, by 124 against 88, Inter-regnum. that the fame be rejected.

The Writer of the Letters from whence we have extracted our Account of the foregoing Debate, and who was himself a Member of this Parliament, informs us, That the rejecting of this Bill, which feems to have been effected principally by the Oppofition made to it by fome of the Protector's own Family, gave great Difguft to the Major-Generals, and the Behaviour of Col. Cromwell more particularly fo.' Harry Cromwell, fays he, being threatened, by the Major-Generals Party, that the Protector would and did take ill what he had spoke in the Houfe, went directly to his Highness, and flood to what he had faid manfully and wifely: And, to make it appear that he spoke not without Book, had his black Book and Papers ready to make good what he had afferted. His Highness answered him in Raillery, took a rich Scarlet Cloak from his Back, and Gloves from his Hands, and gave them to Harry, who ftrutted with his new Cloak and Gloves in the House, the next Day; to the great Satisfaction and Delight of fome, and Trouble of others.'

This public Affront thus put upon the MajorGenerals, contributed, perhaps, not a little to their Oppofition, foon after, to the Proposal for making of Cromwell King; and probably was an equal Inducement to fome of the Cavalier Party in the House, to vote for his Advancement to the Crown.

But not to anticipate Matters too much, we shall return to the Journals.

1656. February.

February. This Month began with Debates upon Ways and Means to raife Money for the Spanish A Grant of War; which were carried on, de Die in Diem, in 400,000l. for carrying on the a Grand Committee of the whole Houfe, till the war with 7th, when the Report being made, it was refolved, Spain That, towards raifing 400,000 l. voted by the House, there be an Affeffment, for three Months,

through

Mr. Vincent Gockin, one of the Members for Ireland.

Thurle, Vol. VI, p. 20; 37, 8,

1656. February.

6

Inter-regnum, throughout England, to commence the 25th of March next, after the Rate of 60,000l. per Menfem: That 15,000l. be raifed, by Affeffment, in "Scotland, and 20,000 l. in Ireland, to be paid in before the 24th of June next.' Then it was farther refolved, That it be referred to the Grand Committee appointed to prepare a Bill in pursuance of the foregoing Votes, to confider of a Clause in the Preamble, or other Part thereof, for afferting the Rights of the People, That no Monies ought to be levied without common Confent in Parliament.'

Mr. Whitlocke

receives the

Houfe.

The last Resolution feems to have been distasteful to the Protector and his Council; for we find that, on the 10th of this Month, the faid Refolution being read again in the Houfe, and the Queftion put, That Leave be given to the Members to fpeak again concerning this Vote, the House divided, when it was carried in the Affirmative, by 82 against 53. The Serjeant at Arms was then fent to fummon all the Members in Westminster-Hall, to attend the Service of the Houfe; and, after Debate, the Question being again put, That the Grand Committee appointed to prepare the Bill for the Affeffment of 60,000l. for three Months, and other Sums, towards the railing of 400,000/. for carrying on the Spanish War, do prepare and bring in the fame without inferting the Claufe directed by the Vote of the 7th Inftant in that Bill, it paffed in the Affirmative, by 132 against 46. But, at the fame Time, it was agreed that that Clause be put in a Bill for the Settlement of the ordinary Revenue: So that the Matter was not made much more pleafing to the Protector and his Council by this Alte

ration.

Mr. Whitlocke having acted as Speaker, for fome Time, during the Indifpofition of Sir Thomas WidThanks of the drington, on the 18th of this Month the Houfe voted him their Thanks for his great Services in that Station, and alfo in the Capacity of Ambaffador to Sweden: They likewife ordered the Commiffioners

of

of the Treasury to pay him 500l. due on account Inter-regnum. of that Embaffy, and 2000/. more as a Gratuity for 1656. his faithful Conduct therein.

February.

at Whitehall.

Hitherto there is nothing else particular in the Af- The Parliament fairs of this Month; but that, on the 19th, the dine with the Speaker acquainted the Houfe, That the Lord Pro- Lord Protector tector had invited all the Members to dine with him,' at the Banquetting-Houfe in Whitehall, the next Day, being the public Thanksgiving for the happy Deliverance of his Highnefs's Perfon from the late dangerous and bloody Defign of Affaffination, by the Discovery of Syndercombe's Plot. The Parliament accepted the Invitation; when, as our Authority expreffes it ", The Lord Protector gave them a moft Princely Entertainment, attended with rare Mufic, both of Inftruments and Voices.' This Compliment was fo well relifhed by the Houfe, that they were determined not to be behind-hand with his Highness in point of Complaifance. Accordingly,

Feb. 23. Alderman Pack, one of the Reprefen- Alderman Pack tatives of the City of London, after taking Notice to propoies to make the House of the unfettled State of the Nation at Cromweli King. this Time, and the Difcompofure of Men's Minds, with the ill Afpect thefe had upon foreign Princes, Trade and Commerce, moved that the Lord Protector might be defired to affume the Title of King, as the best known and most agreeable Kind of Government to the English People: He then prefented to the Speaker a Paper, declaring it to be fomewhat come to his Hand, tending to the Settlement of the Nation, and of Liberty and Property, which he defired might be received and read. This Motion occafioned

u The Public Intelligencer, No. 71, in which may be found a particular Narrative of Syndercombe's Plot

This Alderman Pack was Lord Mayor of the City of London, in 1655, and was then knighted by Cromwell. He is charged, by Hittorians, with embezzling the Charity-Money collected for the Relief of the poor Proteftants in Piedmont; and alfo with being feveral Thoufand Pounds in Arrear to the Excife, in which Office he was a Commiffioner. It is added, That all thefe Sins were forgiven him by Crom

1656. January.

Jater-regnum, drawn up and publish'd; wherein the Minifters were enjoined, on all Occafions for the future, to pray for the Lord Protector, and all that are in Authority in this Commonwealth. The Parliament alfo voted their Thanks to Secretary Thurloe, for his great Diligence in tracing out this Plot; and refolved to congratulate the Lord Protector upon his happy Efcape. This was done by the whole House, with the Speaker at their Head; who, in his Harangue upon the Occafion, fet forth the terrible Confequences which might have enfued, had it not pleased Almighty God to defeat this Confpiracy; as, 1, The Danger and Ruin of the Reformed Churches abroad, and three Nations at home, who were all ftruck at by this intended Blow. 2dly, The cunning Secrecy of it, no more than two knowing the whole Defign. 3dly, The Extenfiveness of it, for, if they failed in one Place, they refolved to do it in another. He concluded with faying, That, if Cicero were living, he would want Expreffion to fet out the Danger, or the Mercy; fo unparallel'd, fo unprecedented a Mercy, that the Parliament's Hymn was, O cantemus Canticum novum, Q come let us fing a new Song unto the Lord!

Secretary Thur loe's Speech for

The Discovery of this Confpiracy furnished the Protector and his Council with a fresh Pretence for oppreffing the Royalifts; for, in confequence thereof, we find a Bill was ordered to be brought in For continuing and affeffing a Tax for the Payment of the Militia Forces in England and Wales, raised for the Security and Prefervation of the Commonwealth; the Debate upon which was opened to the Houfe, by Secretary Thurloe, in a Speech to this Effect;

Mr. Speaker,

TH

HE Scope of this Bill is to fet an extraordinary Tax upon the old Delinquent Party, laying an extra with a Retrofpect by way of Approbation of what

ordinary Tax up

on the Royalists.

hath

From the 5th Volume of Thurloe's State Papers; in which there being fome Hiatus', we have endeavoured to fupply them, and to clear up a few Paffages which feem to have escaped the Care of the Tranfcriber.

hath been done of this Kind by his Highnefs and Inter-num. the Council; fo that we are to confider,

1. What Reasons his Highness and Council had

to lay the Charge.

2. Upon what Grounds it fhall be continued by Act of Parliament.

• What moves me to speak in it is, the Place I have the Honour to bear.

The Occafion was, the laft Infurrection made by the old Delinquent Party. Who thefe old Delinquents are, I fuppofe Nobody needs any Information; they are described in the Bill, to be thofe who were in Arms for the late King against the Parliament, or for Charles Stuart the Son; or have adhered to, affifted, or abetted the Forces raifed against the Parliament; or whofe Estates have been fequeftered for Delinquency.

You know, Sir, much better than I, and fo do most Men here, what the Defign was before the Long Parliament. It was to alter our Religion, and to fubvert the Fundamental Laws.

The Bishops, fo they might enflave our Confciences, and have us at their Will to impofe their Ceremonies, which were but Inlets to Popery, were content we should be at the King's Will for our Perfons and Eftates. I remember myfelf, and many here remember much better, how many were banished into foreign Parts, that they might serve God without Fear, which they could not do here. Many good Minifters were imprisoned, others filenced: If two or three Chriftians met together to pray, this was a Conventicle, and they were haled before the then Powers.

'I fear thefe Things are forgotten, and we value not the Liberty we have in thefe Cafes. I know what Thoughts we had then; that that was the Design.

And fo in the State, the Prerogative was very high, but the People's Liberty was very low. We have not forgot the German Horse that were to be brought over, and the Army in Ireland that was to be raised to enslave them firft, and then to do the VOL. XXI. fa ue

D

1656.

January.