Historical and Political Notes on the Life of Oliver Cromwell

the human race in turn, so that it rescues no one from danger unless it pursues the oppressor with envy. Nor is the cause of justice and equity itself so powerful that it compels anyone to bring aid to the oppressed, and removes them from the lot of the wretched, unless envy accompanies the invader, or he is taken into a share of the spoils. Certainly, later histories testify that no deed is so dire that its nature or atrocity exposes any mortal to public hatred for the sake of vengeance. He became more audacious, seeing that not only kings—whose name he had nevertheless profaned with such brutality—did not burn with anger, but that they even hastened of their own accord toward treaties and friendships, forgiving the greatest crimes for the sake of utility and rivalry.

Free from the care and fear of outsiders, he applied his concern to where, secure from his subjects, he might stabilize the foundations of a Dominance original: "Dominatus" not yet complete in all its aspects. And since he was taught by experience that men do not conduct themselves correctly unless compelled by some necessity, and being persuaded that he needed a standing army, he exerted all his efforts to see how he could impose this upon his Britons without annoyance. He found no more convenient means than an external war. For he flattered himself that not only would they become more patient toward the payment of taxes due to the fear of outsiders, but also that those whose spirits were inflated with pride and ferocity would have a field of virtue outside the fatherland. Or finally, that the Republic original: "Respubl." would be purged of the insolent, those impatient of laws, the idle, and the turbulent, as if they were dregs and waste.

From this source—whatever causes may be gathered from everywhere, among which I include principles, occasions, and pretexts—the war with the federated Belgium original: "Belgio" flowed. For the English had long looked into the trade of Belgium with a sideways glance, as it were, and had been rivals in the dominion of the sea; having seized this occasion, he set his Britons against the Belgians, who were not unwilling. And since things did not proceed quite as desired, and there was an underlying fear that both, being imbued with the same religion and lured by the appearance of liberty, might associate their counsels in a sweet conspiracy, he concluded it with a glorious peace. Then, toward France, from which there was the greatest fear due to proximity and the affinity of the murdered King original: "trucidati Regis", he connected arms through treaties and friendships under any condition against the Spaniard, who had deserved no such thing, by showing his Britons the hope of profit and mountains of gold (though situated in another world), not without the brand of broken faith.