Historical and Political Notes on the Life of Oliver Cromwell

continues from previous page: ...study of the sciences, the precepts of the arts, and self-contemplation. This ought to be the labor within Academies; experience should be reserved for the courts. However, the first Parliament, convened in London, taught him with great detriment to himself that he was not entirely ignorant of the law. It is the custom and law throughout all of England that the word month, in all contracts, charters, and rescripts, precisely contains 28 days, or four weeks. Yet it was inserted into the Instrument of Government original: "instrumento Protectorio" that the convened Parliament should not last beyond 5 months, but that all consultations should be finished within that term. The Protector, therefore, sensing that certain things concerning the restriction of his power, the disbanding of the military, and the governance of the kingdom were under deliberation and soon to be put into execution, attacks them while they feel secure. After rebuking their delay, he announces that the term of the assembly had already passed (for by a strict calculation, the time of five times 28 days had elapsed), although they were persuaded that by the calculation of natural months, at least ten days remained for them to submit all that had been consulted for signature and execution. The Parliament was therefore immediately dissolved in the presence of the army, and such fear was cast upon everyone by the soldiers distributed throughout the streets that they did not dare to mutter. Nothing was accomplished by that deliberation; however, with the acts sealed, all consultations were laid open, from which he would measure his future strategies. By this act, he gained three years (for by the force of the Instrument of Government, he was prohibited from convening Parliament for such a length of time), and in the meantime, he stabilized his rule significantly.

To §. III.

It is poor practice to join the knowledge of books and the scrutiny of souls, or as it is commonly called, the humors. The former relates to theory, from which the author says he abhorred, although it is no small refuge and relief as often as memory fails us or time fails us for cultivating it. The latter, if anything else, is a most suitable and highly necessary instrument for practical life. For just as it must be numbered among the most important articles of human happiness if one is destined by parents to that kind of life to which nature and temperament themselves incline, and as food is adapted to the hungry and drink to the thirsty, so those things toward which nature leans are what most delight and nourish. Nor can anyone emerge in theory if nature disagrees, having been born for practice; if one is quick of hand and mind, he will rarely grow old with praise while teaching the people; nor will the people bring forth flavorful fruit from a grafted fig. I would rather say they are condemned to a prison if the judgment of ill-counseling men detains those whom nature produced as Kings in a meager estate, or in settling the disputes of private individuals, or in the lowliest craft. If, therefore, such a Scrutiny befalls any of those who rule, let him store it among the most secret arcana of the Kingdom. For by its benefit, he will most successfully expedite any business of the kingdom. Indeed, for war, he will designate those who are ferocious and naturally strong; for councils, those gifted with sharp judgment; he will distribute offices to those whom nature has established as a medium between obeying and commanding; and he will allow those whom nature produced as servants, or those abusing their liberty, to be the subjects. He will never lack those to set over the highest or the lowest, nor will obedience be denied to those in command, nor, with ministers so arranged, will any weariness arise among the subjects. But whether that is to be attributed to Cromwell, I do not see, especially at that age of which the author speaks, when he lived in the schools. This supreme prudence and labor elaborated by long use requires a genius for which a few years spent in the Academy do not seem in any way sufficient. The rest concerning the judgment and constancy of arms in the wars above, not natural as the author calls them, will give matter for speaking below.