expected to poffefs a fufficient fhare of authority for its own prefervation, without endangering the people from the encroachments of prerogative. How far England was in these circumstances at the period in question, I fhall not pretend to determine.

But, even fuppofing a republic to have been in itself, at that period, a preferable form of government, it could not, in England, be expected to produce beneficial confequences; because it was not supported by the general voice of the community. The death of the king, the preliminary steps to the establishment of that fyftem, was neither authorized by the nation at large, nor by its representatives. It had no other authority than the determination of a house of commons, from which a great proportion of the members had been expelled by a military force. The peers refufed their concurrence with indignation. Cromwell, and his affociates, the leaders of the army, who had obtained the direction of the Independ ents, were in reality the authors of this tranfaction, which, we may fafely affirm, was diametrically oppofite to the opinions

and fentiments of by far the greater part of

the nation,

In these peculiar circumstances, the execution of Charles cannot be approved of even by the warmeft admirers of a republican conftitution. The authority of every government is founded in opinion; and no fyftem, be it ever so perfect in itself, can be expected to acquire ftability, or to produce. good order and fubmiffion, unless it coincides with the general voice of the community. He who frames a political constitution upon a model of ideal perfection, and attempts to introduce it into any country, without confulting the inclinations of the inhabitants, is a moft pernicious projector, who, instead of being applauded as a Lycurgus, ought to be chained and confined as a madman.

Though, from these confiderations, an impartial and candid obferver will be dif posed, upon the whole, to disapprove of the rigorous punishment of Charles, it feems impoffible to deny, that it was productive of fome incidental advantages. As a conspicuous example of the refentment incurred

by

by the exertions of arbitrary power, it contributed to intimidate the fucceeding princes, and to render them lefs refolute in their violent measures. It was, probably, the memory of this event, which made James II. fhrink from his attempts, and facilitated the acceffion of William III.

It is no less evident, however, that the unfortunate iffue of the conteft between the king and parliament, brought for some time a difcredit upon the laudable efforts of that affembly to fupport the conftitution, and fupplied the partizans of despotism with an argument in favour of their doctrine of paffive obedience, by fhewing the diforders which may arife from all refistance to the will of the monarch.

4

CHAPTER

CHAPTER V.

Of Oliver Cromwell, and the Protectorate.

THE

'HE boldness, the dexterity, and the diffimulation of Cromwell, had been eminently fuccefsful in conducting those measures which had ended in the death of the king, and in bringing the whole kingdom under the power of the independents. But the talents of this profound politician, his enterprising spirit, and the extent of his defigns, were yet far from being completely unfolded. He had hitherto only set himself at the head of his own party; and, by their affistance, at the head of the military force of the nation. But a more difficult and hazardous task yet remained-to deceive this party; to render them fubfervient to his private ambition; and, after they had flattered themselves with the near prospect of that political establishment with which they were so much intoxicated, to employ a great

part

part of them, together with the army which was devoted to their intereft, in feating him on the throne of England, with greater power than had ever been enjoyed either by James or by Charles.

To have a proper conception of the means by which he was enabled to execute this master-piece of dexterity and villainy, we muft, in the first place, confider his popularity in the army, whofe power at that time, was unbounded. The weakness and the undefigning integrity of Fairfax, rendered him a mere tool in the hands of Cromwell, who made use of the name and credit of that general to accomplish his own views, while he avoided the odium and fufpicion which their avowal must have drawn upon himself. The great body of the troops were devoted to Fairfax, with a blind venration produced by an opinion of his military talents, and by a confidence in the fincerity of his profeffions. Poffeffed of little capacity or inclination, to fcrutinize the conduct and motives of those who acted the chief parts on the political theatre, they were jealous of the intereft and rights of the

foldiery,