they had when they were in open arms, and notori. ously manifested it to the consciences of all men who will consider it, but they do retain their old principles, and still adhere to their former interest, (what that is I have spoken before,) and have been all along hatching new disturbances to trouble the peace of the state. And although the testimonies do not extend to such a proof as is necessary to a legal conviction, yet so much is known of the actions and conversation of the whole party as may satisfy any indifferent man, (especially a state who ought rather be too jealous than too secure,) that they were generally involved in the late design, and ought in reason to have the charge laid upon them.

To evince that, take a view of this party ever since the battle of Worcester. There you know their hopes were broken, and the lives and estates of that whole party in the three nations subjected to your power. What! doth the parliament apply themselves to heal and cement, and to take away the seeds of division? Hence it is, that not only justice is done them all, but an act of grace is granted to them, and that by the government! What do they meditate? The overthrow of those whose favour they were by the providence of God compelled to seek; for from that very day, until the late insurrection broke forth, they have been in agitation of ill designs.

MR. LENTHALL.

The Speaker (Lenthall's) Speech on the Inauguration of Cromwell.

May it please your Highness,

You are now upon a great theatre, in a large choir of people; you have the parliament of England, Scotland,

and Ireland, before you; on your right hand, my lords the judges; and on your left hand, the lord mayor, aldermen, and sheriffs of London, the most noble and populous city of England. The parliament, with the interposition of you suffrage, makes laws; and the judges and governors of London, are the great dispensers of those laws to the people.

The occasion of this great convention and intercourse is to give an investiture to your highness in that eminent place of lord protector. A name you had before, but it is now settled by the full and unanimous consent, of the people of these three nations, assembled in parliament, You have no new name, but a new date added to the old name; the 16th of December, is now changed to the 26th of June.

I am commanded by the parliament to make oblation to your highness of four things, in order to this inauguration.

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The first is, a robe of purple, an emblem of magistracy, and imports righteousness and justice. When you put on this vestment, I may say, (and I hope without This robe is, of a offence,) that you are a gown man. mixed colour, to shew the mixture of justice and mercy, which are then most excellent when they are well tempered together. Justice without mercy, is wormwood and bitterness; and mercy without justice, is of too soft a temper for government; for a magistrate must have two hands, plectentem et amplectentem.

The next thing is a bible, a book that contains the holy scriptures, in which you have the honour and happiness to be well versed. This is the book of life, consisting of two testaments, the old and new.. In the first we have Christum velatum, Christ in types, shadows, and figures; in the latter we have Christian revelation, Christ revealed. This book carries in it the grounds of the true Christian protestant religion; it is a book of books; it contains in it both precepts and examples for good government.

Alexander so highly valued the books of his master, Aristotle, and other great princes other books, that they have laid them every night under their pillows. These are but legends and romances to this one book; a book to be had always in remembrance. I find it is said in a part of this book, which I shall desire to read, and it is this:

Deut. 17. "And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write a copy of this law in a book, out of that which is before the priests and levites. And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord God, and to keep all the words of his law, and those statutes to do them.

"That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand or to the left; to the end he may prolong his days in this kingdom, he and his children in the midst of Israel."

The next thing I am to offer to your highness, is a sceptre not unlike a staff; for you are to be a staff to the weak and poor. 'Tis of ancient use in this kind; 'tis said in scripture, in reference to Judah, the royal tribe, that the sceptre shall not depart from Judah. It was of like use in other kingdoms and governments: Homer, the prince of the Greek poets, calls kings and princes, sceptre-bearers.

The last thing is a sword, not a military, but a civil sword; a sword rather for defence than offence; not to defend yourself only, but others also. This sword is an emblem of justice. The noble lord Talbot, in Henry the Sixth's time, wrote upon his sword, Ego sum Talboti propter occidendum inimicos meos. This gallant lord was a better soldier than a critic. If I might presume to fix a motto upon this sword, it should be this: Ego sum domini proteotoris, ad protegendum populum meum.

I say this sword is an emblem of justice, and it is to be used as king Solomon used his; for the discovery of

the truth in point of justice. I may say of this sword, as king David said of Goliah's sword, there is none like this. Justice is the proper virtue of the imperial throne, and by justice the thrones of kings and princes are established. Justice is a royal virtue, which, as one saith of it, doth employ the three cardinal virtues in her service. 1. Wisdom, to discern the nocent from the innocent. 2. Fortitude, to prosecute and execute.

3. Temperance, so to carry justice, that passion be no ingredient, and that it be without confusion or precipitation.

You have given ample testimony in all these particu lars; so that this sword in your hand will be a right sword of justice, attended with wisdom, fortitude, and temperance.

When you have all these together, what a comely and glorious sight it is to behold a lord protector, in a purple robe, with a sceptre in his hand, a sword of justice girt about him, and his eyes fixed upon the bible! Long may you prosperously enjoy them all, to your own comfort, and the comfort of the people of these three nations.

OLIVER CROMWELL.

I HAD

HAD very comfortable expectations that God would make the meeting of this parliament a blessing; and the Lord be my witness I desired the carrying on the affairs of the nation to these ends. The blessing which I mean, and which we ever climbed at, was mercy, truth, righteousness, and peace; and which I desire may be improved.

That which brought me into the capacity I now stand in, was the petition and advice given me by you; who,

in reference to the ancient constitution, did draw me to accept the place of protector. There is not a man living can say I sought it; no, not a man nor woman treading upon English ground; but contemplating the sad condition of these nations, relieved from an intestine war, into a six or seven years' peace, I did think the nation happy therein. But to be petitioned thereunto, and advised by you to undertake such a government, a burden too heavy for any creature, and this to be done by the house that then had the legislative capacity ;* I did look that the same men that made the frame, should make it good unto me. I can say, in the presence of God, in comparison with whom we are but like poor creep. ing ants upon the earth, I would have been glad to have lived under my wood side, to have kept a flock of sheep, rather than undertook such a government as this is; but, undertaking it by the advice and petition of you, I did look that you that had offered it unto me, should make it good.

I did tell you, at a conference concerning it, that I would not undertake it, unless there might be some other persons that might interpose between me and the house of commons, who then had the power to prevent tumultuary and popular spirits, and it was granted I should name another house. I named it of men that shall meet you wheresoever you go, and shake hands with you, and tell you it is not titles, nor lords, nor party, that they value, but a christian and an English interest; men of your own rank and quality, who will not only be a balance unto you, but to themselves, while you love England and religion.

Having proceeded upon these terms, and finding such a spirit as is too much predominant, every thing being too high or too low, when virtue, honesty, piety, and justice, are omitted, I thought I had been doing that which was my duty, and I thought it would have satisfied you; but if every thing must be too high or too low, you are not to be satisfied.

*How beautiful and eloquent!