Historical and Political Notes on the Life of Oliver Cromwell

§ ...to postpone deliberations beyond months. Therefore, he decided it would be a sin to lead any part of the consultation—religion, as being the more important cause—into deliberation before it was decided, except for the matter of taxes (which would admit no procrastination). Hence it happened that so many dissenting on religion, especially with the license of believing whatever they pleased, which had become inveterate among the English, could never agree peacefully among themselves on this apple of Eris A classical reference to the Apple of Discord, source of strife.. The time was then drawn out in futile altercations and finally passed by completely: the affairs of the kingdom (because he had forbidden them to treat those before agreeing on religion) were interrupted, and those who were rebuked by the Protector for treating the cause of GOD languidly, recognized that all deliberation was in vain. Meanwhile, he himself, exercising majestic rights most freely and seizing the right of sacred things to himself, ruled over the free Britons, indeed, more than most absolutely. And this is the restitution of religion—or rather of license—sung of with such great praise.

The second member contains enormous hyperbolas regarding the Aristocratic state of Britain and the restored liberty. I truly wonder that the author trifles so seriously about such great matters. For the state was Aristocratic either by its laws or by its administration. If he says by its laws, let him look, I pray, with more equitable eyes at the Instrument of Government, the contents of which I have taken care to annex at the end for that purpose. The right of war and peace, the right of treaties, the right of making laws, the right of conferring titles and dignities, the right of choosing counselors of state at will, whose life and honor were placed in the hand of one alone, that his own person was sacrosanct and inviolable, and that he was held guilty of treason who even dared to murmur against him, the right of ordinary collections (he reserved for himself a certain appearance of liberty regarding extraordinary ones, but only a shadow, since he who has the right of war and peace will undoubtedly also have the taxes connected to it), what else but a Monarchical state do these argue? I truly assert that no nation has transferred dominion to any King more licentiously; certainly, it can be said with less loss of truth than was said of old, that the English people transferred all right and power to him and into him. O rustic simplicity! Where, I ask, are your Aristi best men and Optimates aristocracy?