THE IDEA of His Highness OLIVER,  
LATE LORD PROTECTOR, &c.  
With certain brief reflections on His Life.  
By RICHARD FLECKNO, Esq.  
LONDON, Printed Anno MDCLIX.   

TO HIS HIGHNESS RICHARD, Lord Protector, &c.  
My Lord,  
THose who write Books ought to have more regard to their leisures who read them, then to their own in writing them; this makes me so short in writing this unto your highness, which so declares (in passing) the life and actions of your highness' Father (of glorious memory) as there is scarce any remarkable passage in his life, which if it touches not, it points not at, at least; a subject which I am so far from elevating above its height, as all my forces can scarcely sustain its weight; nor did this deice me from undertaking it, muchless the enemies I undertook war against in writing it.  
For the war of Pens continues longer than the war of Swords, and grows commonly more sharp and cruel after death, until time gives the deciding blow at last, and fame always determines it for the conquering side: Mean time his Fame has two Enemies to provide against; the Enemies of his party, & the Enemies of his person. The first so noble, it honours virtue even in an Enemy; the last so base, as it calumniates it in all, and against these chiefly I undertake this war; neither is the Age, than virtue, less concerned in it; for whilst every one judges according to their own affections and inclinations; and the young interpret all to viciousness, as the old all to Interest, Policy, and Ambition: we shall (in time) need a Dictionary for Actions as well as Words, or else the Language of Truth will be wholly lost, and Posterity well may doubt whenever there ever were any such thing as virtue and Honesty in the Age. To vindicate and clear it from which aspersion, I have writ this Treatise, to let Posterity know, that as there wanted not some in this Age to do brave and noble things, so there wanted not others to celebrate and honour them.  
And this Fame 'tis which is the better life of all heroic persons; for short is the space they live in their Bodies here, but immense that they live hereafter in their Fames; which life, only writers can bestow; nor can Time hang more plummets on their feet to weigh them down unto oblivion, than writers pens add wings unto their Fames to raise them up again; to which, if mine may add any thing amongst the rest, it will be rather my glory, than any addition unto his:  
But I forget, and destroy with one hand what I would build up with t'other, in being so long in the Epistle whilst I intend brevity in the work. I end then my Lord, with the profession and protestation of being always  
Your Highness Most humble Servant, and most obedient Subject. Rich. Fleckno.   

PROEMIUM TO THE IDEA.  
AN Idea is a Creature of the mind. In the Artificer it regards the future; but in the Writer, both the present and passed time. It is not the matter, but the form; nor the body, but the spirit and quintessence. It is more in substance then in bulk; and gives you flowers, not simply, but alembicked and distilled; and Gold, not in the Or, but purified and refined. Such an Abstract Essence I give you of his Highness, Oliver late Lord Protector▪ on whose life I make no other Reflections, then as we do on Pictures excellent well designed, remarking only the Proportions in general, without examining each Lineament in particular. Expect of me than no circumstances of time, place, nor persons▪ that is for those who write the annals and History of his life. I only write his eulogiums, they show you the things he did; I, the man who did those things.  
Mean time, I undertake a work (I know) displeasing and ungrateful to the multitude, naturally envious and malicious; and more taken with one satire then twenty eulogiums; pleased rather with the imperfections than perfections of men. Like Flies, leaving sound places to light on sores; and such venomous ones, as they even render sound places soar with their fly-blowing them. Yet this in spite of envy and malice I'll say of him, That a Greater and more Excellent personage has nowhere been produced by this latter Age; nor (perhaps) in our Nation by any former ones. And if men anciently have been judged fit for Empire only for the greatness of their bodies; He certainly was most fit for it, for the Greatness of his mind.  
But Great men, like Great Saints, must die ere they are canonised. Living, men are busied with considering their faults: but dead, they have leisure to sum their virtues up. As for his (for the present) I'll say no more, but only if we may judge of Hercules force by the massiveness of his club, we may well judge how mighty a man he was, by his wielding three kingdoms so easily as he did. In alteration of whose Government, this we may truly say, all that was ill and blameable in the beginning and heat of prosecution, was done by others; all that was good and laudable, performed and achieved by him.  
But of this Strangers and Posterity best can judge. For if none can judge well in cases whereof themselves are parties, none are competent judges of those who govern them. And this I'm sure will be the judgement of Posterity, that those are rather Envious who praise him not, than Flatterers who do.   

THE IDEA Of his Highness OLIVER late Lord PROTECTOR.  
AS we look on the heads of great Rivers with Reverence, whilst we scarce regard the sources of shallow Brooks; so we look on the births of Great Persons, scarcely regarding the Origin of lesser ones.  
To begin then with his 
OF HIS BIRTH & PARENTAGE.  Birth and Parentage. He was born of the Ancient Family of the Williams', and Adopted into the noble Family of the Cromwel's.  
But whilst others derive him from Principalities, I will derive his Principality from him, and only say he was born a Gentleman. A name so fully comprehending all that's great and noble, as whosoever would make him more, should make him less.  
A Gentleman, is one who takes his denomination from his Gentility and Descent, lying level in birth to the highest degree of Nobility. And as his Descent differences him from the vulgar; so by their Ascents he only differs from the Nobility, who are rather higher, than better than he. Whence Princes are rather the Fountaneers than Fountains of honour, and rather Artificers of the Channel, than Authors of the source; since without violencing Nature, they cannot derive▪ men higher than their first Origin, or fountainhead. Nobility then adds but little to the Gentleman, but the Gentleman much unto the man. Nor do titles of honour, and degrees of Nobility, more advantage a worthy Gentleman, than degrees of the University do an excellent scholar; they rather declaring what he is, then making of him so. Whilst he rather honours his degrees, than his degrees honour him.  
But since Birth and Parentage without Education are like land without culture, but barren & infructuous, the force & virtue of Education being such, as man who is a mixed creature of Angel and Beast, may be exalted by Education to the Nobility of the one, or depressed to the ignobility of the other for want of it. It follows, we speak of 
OF HIS EDUCATION.  his Education next.  
He was bred a scholar in the University, where, during his youth, he gave the first Essay of that Admirable vivacity of spirit, profoundness of judgement, and indefatigable industry, which afterwards informed all the Actions of his life.  
Learning is (as 'twere) another soul, animating our minds just as our souls do our bodies. It is a second Nobility, purifying the mind as Nobility does the blood. 'Tis the only purge of vice & ignorance, without which none are wise nor virtuous but by chance; and of all knowledges the most excellent, as teaching us the knowledge of all other things.  
But ne quid nimis is the motto of a Gentleman, whom it becomes to know every thing, but make a Trade of nothing. Whence 'tis as great an error never to apply them to Learning, as always to apply the 〈◊〉 to 't. The University is a nob●●Seminary, where young plants receive their first growth and nouriture; but they must be transplanted ere they produce their fruit. It is an excellent seasoning of youth: but as in vain we season vessels unless we infuse some better and more prof●table liquours into them afterwards, so 'twere an idle action to imbue youth with Letters, unless they afterwards receive the Tincture of some better and more profitable Literature, and pass from studying books, to study men. Letters are but like pastimes, the business of youth, but the idleness of Age; and application to books as barren and infructuous in those who learn only to learn: as idle Gallants application to their Mistresses, who make Love only to make Love. This wisely considered, he made them his business, and applied himself no longer to them then till he had attained to riper years. When he retired home from the University just as men do from plenteous feasts, the better to digest the nourishment they have received, before they apply themselves to action: when he soon declared by the effect, that as there is none more unfit for action then a crude scholar, so there is none fitter than a well digested one.  
But fortune or better providence was long in providing that Action they intended to employ him in. Nor is it probable they had provided it so soon, had they not found so fit an Agent to be employed. 
OF HIS PRIVATE FORTUNES.   
Mean time for his private Fortunes, they were but justly competent and suitable to what the Royal Prophet prayed for when he said Divitias nec paupertatem dederis mihi, Give me neither too great riches nor poverty; but only a mediocrity betwixt both; most consistant with virtue; and where virtue doth most consist, too great Riches but exalting a mind too much, as too great Poverty but too much depresses it. th'ne blunting the edge of wit and industry, t'other by its hardship whetting it quite away.  
But as too strait and narrow minds miserably contract themselves within their Fortunes, as too vast and large as far dilate themselves beyond it. So his mind was too great and high to be contained within the narrow limits of his Estate; but it was still breaking forth, till the same Fortune or better providence provided him with an Estate (at last) proportionable to the greatness of his mind; when he might well glory that he had learned that Art, which the Apostle glories in so much, Scio abundare & penuriam pati, to know both how to want & to abound. The wise wisely accounting those miserablest of all, who never knew what belonged to misery.  
During this Time he married 
OF HIS marriage.  into an honourable Family, and had hopeful and numerous issue by his Wife.  
And now fortune began to dispose him for Regiment (the Government of a Family having a certain Analogy with the Government of a commonwealth) and now she began to make him a member of that body of which he was afterwards to be the Head.  
The unmarried are no more members of a Commonwealth, than our accidental parts are members of our bodies: they are but Lay-worldlings, only the married take orders in the world; and who have Wife and children, give pledges to their Country of their fidelity, whilst it hath no security of the rest. With good reason then the Romans gave Ius trium Liberorum, or particular honours and privileges to those who were married & had children, esteeming them only born for the Commonwealth, whilst the others seemed only born unto themselves; and accounting the married only Citizens, whilst those who lived in wild Celebat were but as strangers and passengers in the world.  
In all which capacities and relations of Father, good Patriot, and member of the Commonwealth, he looked upon himself, and shortly after was looked upon by his Country, when in one of the celebrous 't Elections of the Land, he was chosen member of Parliament 
OF HIS BEING CHOSEN MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT.  (a place of highest trust and confidence) only in regard of his great abilities of mind, whilst many of greater Fortunes, stood for the Election and were refused.  
'Tis a great happiness for the Commonwealth, when men of public spirits are employed in public businesses. Those who are of any particular faction, interest, or opinion, endeavouring (still) to draw all to the same interest, faction, and opinion with themselves: Whence consequently the Kingdom becomes miserably torn and dismemberd: And you know who says, Omne Regnum in se divisum desolabitur, Every Kingdom divided in itself shall be destroyed. So important and necessary for the conserving a State entire, is the concord and unity of its parts among themselves.  
In this Parliament that fire at length burst forth, which had been long secretly a kindling, and now was as impossible to be quenched, as that of Rome was in former times, when those who should have quenched it, were the chief Incenters of the Flame, and now they concured on all hands to that fatal division, which wholly separated King and Parliament, when he, as a member of the House, took part with that body of which he was a member.  
What other motives he had of siding with the Parliament, I know not. Whether he counted it more Noble and Generous to take part with the weaker side, and more charitable to assist those he imagined most oppressed; or 'twas purely his piety and godliness, the public sins of t'other side (in outward show at least) appearing more great and numerous than those of theirs; and qui putant se obsequium praestare Deo, who imagine they fight for God, never scruple to fight against their King.  
However, it had been happy for the King had he filled his Court rather with such men as he, neither hopes could persuade to the deserting of their side, nor fear of danger nor death itself affright, then with such as most of his Courtiers were; men who durst hazard nothing for an honest cause, who at first sight of danger, compounded with it, persuaded by their fears, and rather than venture their lives, betrayed their honesties; verifying that vulgar saying, that he who is not valiant can never be an honest man.  
But 'tis their common Fates and Errors to employ none but such who thrust themselves upon them, commonly the unworthiest of all (impudent forwardness only supplying the place of worth in them) whilst the more worthy are neglected and unemployed, only because they are modester than the rest. This the late King dearly experiened, who, whilst he was abandoned and betrayed by those whom he most trusted & obliged, found many standing for him in time of need, whom he had never obliged by any Favours; but many more against him, whom he had disobliged by his disfavouring them.  
What other obligations or disobligations he had to either side, I know not: but this I know, never any more obliged a Side, nor better served the Parliaments than he; nor will I determine who took the better side, but I'm sure he took the more fortunate, or made it so.  
For speaking in the House, he had a strong and masculine Eloquence, more able to persuade more he was persuaded of what he said. His Expressions hardy, Opinions resolute, Asseverations grave and vehement, his Sentences weighty, always intermixed with sentences of Scripture, to give them the greater weight; with which he so governed & swayed the House, as he had always the leading voice: compared to which, the following ones were only as cyphers, in comparison of numbers.  
Those who find no such wonders in his Speeches, may find it in the effect. I have read speeches that have worked strange effects, and you would wonder at their plainness, whilst others you would wonder at their eloquence, have produced no effect at all. 'Tis not the spirit of the thing that's spoke, that gives it its force and energy, but of him who speaks it; as 'tis not the sword but arm gives force unto the blow. The people were enemies to book-learning, and whosoever should endeavour with an Eloquent Oration to reconcile them, and make them friends, should make them their enemies too. And they were great Adorers of the Scripture phrase, which m●de him usurp it so frequently as he did. Mean time Cicero, nor Demosthenes, with all their Tropes and Figures, could never have so persuaded and moved the people, as he with one Text of Scripture aptly applied to purpose of what he said.  
But talking in time of Action, being but an inferior kind of maintaining a side; he, who always aspired to the most 
HOW HE BETOOK himself TO THE MILITIAE.  sublime, the Wars once declared, soon quitted the House, and betook him to the Field, to manifest his courage as well as eloquence, and maintain by deeds what by words he had persuaded them.  
Neither showed he his courage more than wisdom in't; for though the reward of those who guard the camp, be equal unto theirs who fight i'th' field, yet the honour is not so; which usually follows the greatest danger, neither is that followed with Envy as tother's is. Men imagining that Honour we venture for in the field, with hazard of our lives, bought at the highest price, whilst those who purchase it without danger at home, have it at too cheap a rate.  
Besides, 'tis an Authority of a higher kind, the commanding in the Field, then voting in the House; and begets far other spirits and greater thoughts. These only imagining they command both Army and General, when in effect the General who commands the Army, commands both it and them; and they find at last that they give but iron to make shackles for their feet, whosoever gives weapons to arm the soldiers hands.  
This your politicians, men wiser than the Truth, who are all lynxes, looking into passed times, and moles looking into the future, would have him to have foreseen from the beginning, never considering how all things in this world being in perpetual revolution, 'tis impossible from the beginning to see the end of things; besides, that which is one's end, is but another's means to the attaining his: only there are certain periods of things, and who has the carrying of them on when they are next that period, is always accounted most happy and fortunate.  
But to declare how he passed through all degrees of the Militiae.  
Resolved to build his Fortunes on the Wars, he would not raise the building without foundation, nor make himself Colonel without being Soldier first, as many did (and consequently in short time their honours in the wars fell to all ground) but the higher he intended to raise the Edifice, the deeper he diggd for the foundation, beginning not only with simple Captain, but to perfect his experiences descending 
HOW HE WAS CAPTAIN FIRST.  even to the duty and condition of common soldier, none lodging, nor faring harder, nor going plainer nor meaner clad than he; indefatigable in labour, exemplar in discipline, humble and obedient to command; first on all occasions of exercising his valour, yet valiant not rash, the Army being no place for single bravery, farther than the bravery of one might encourage all the rest. By this means gaining the love and affections of all, whilst he yielded to none in doing praiseworthy things, but unto all the praise of doing them, whilst he was modest and patient, and sought not the meanest honours nor preferments, he was esteemed by all worthy of the highest ones.  
These were his Arts whilst 
HOW HE WAS MADE COLONEL.  under Officer, till advanced higher unto Colonel, he differed in nothing from private Captain still, but only in his greater care and diligence, and greater occasions he had to serve the side, which in short time conceived that opinion of him, as it believed it could be served by none better than by him. When never any occasion there was but He and his Regiment were commanded forth, whilst managing all those occasions to the greatest advantage of his Honour, he always performed his Actions in the public eye of all, whence he had always the public approbation of all he did, for want of which many brave Actions had been lost. For painted battles in nothing more resemble real ones, then that in either a few heads appear, the rest darkly shadowed and undistinguished, remain undiscerned in the confused crowd.  
The Fame of his Actions arriving at the House, they imagined they could not go less in recompensing them, than first to bestow on him the Generalship of the Horse, and afterwards the Lieutenant-Generalship of all the Militiae. 
HOW HE WAS MADE lieutenant GENERAL OF THE ARMY.   
This only encouraged him to do more bravely, not to go more bravely, as it would have many others. Honours in this resembling Viands, that as one is the aliment of the body, so the other is of gallant minds, rendering them still more active and vigorous: And as th'ne in sickly bodies turns only to diseases and crudities, so t'other in unworthy minds are converted only to pride & vanity, whilst to grow healthier and humbler with either, shows the excellency of their Tempers and Constitutions.  
But now the more he endeavoured to serve his Side, he hazarded his person less, considering it thereafter more the public's than his own, and more detriment to the public than himself, the loss of it.  
'Tis a great error in those who command in chief, to hazard their persons, and expose their lives on every slight occasion; as if 'twere more glorious to fight then to command, whereas that is only the virtue of a Common soldier, this of the Leader, whose principal talon lies more in direction then execution; more in the brain, than hand. It goes ill with an Army when the General is enforced to fight, in whose person not only the safety of the Army, but often the safety of the State itself lies all at stake.  
Mean time not only all the hopes, but even certainties of Victory (the battle once joined) depended on him and his Brigade; so ●●r from ever losing battle, as he often gained and recovered it when it was lost. So as that might well be said of him, what was anciently said of another, that he had done many brave things without others, but others never any without him.  
One thing that made his Brigade so invincible, was his arming them so well; as whilst they assured themselves they could not be overcome, it assured them to overcome the enemy.  
The well armed have the same advantage of the ill armed in fight, as the warm clothed have in winter of those but coldly clad; and th'ne goes altogether as disheartened to expose himself to danger, as t'other to expose himself to the bleak winter air.  
But the main cause of all was his excellent Conduct. For having experienced how others spirits, furious at first onset, dissolved in sweat, and tired and languished by degrees, he always kept a fresh Reserve until the last, to give a turn to the fortune of the day, that being the precise minute on which Victory as on hinges did depend, which depainted hovering betwixt the Armies when first the battles join, is 
Amat victoria curam.  always alured unto that general's side, who garnishes his Lure with greatest diligence.  
This made a certain modern Leader say, that Fortune did nothing in the wars, only the general's skill and diligence did all. But he should have rather said that it was the providence of Almighty God.  
In confidence of whose providence he never entered battle but by the port of Prayer Prayer has this resemblance 
THE EFFICACY OF PRAYER:  with rain, that just as that first ascends from Earth to Heaven, and afterwards comes showering down from Heaven to Earth again; so those prayers which by God's grace we send up to him, he ever pours down again in blessings on our head. 'Tis the great Artillery that violences Heaven, which must be rendered exorable by prayer, ere Armies can be rendered happy by victory: And in vain the Israelites lift up their hands in fight, if Moses first lift not up his hands in prayer.  
Thus entering battle in confidence of the God of battle, he always came off with victory, his soldiers always imagining a certain Divinity in him, who never did any thing without first imploring the aid of the Divinity.  
It has been the policy of divers, falsely to persuade the people that they had a certain familiarity with Almighty God, and consequently a kind of omnipotency in all they did; But it has been the Religion of more, really to seek a familiarity with him by prayer, and unite all their Actions with his omnipotence. Neither does this their dependency on Heaven, any ways slacken their obligations to their duties here on Earth; but rather renders the tye more firm and strong, and themselves more active and diligent.  
To do all things himself, as if he had expected nothing from God, and then expect all from God, as if he had done nothing himself, was the way a certain holy person took to arrive to perfection. So after the Apostle had said he could do nothing of himself, he presently adds, Omnia possum in eo qui me confortat, that he could do all things in God who strengthened him. In imitation of whom, another holy person was wont to say, God and I can do all things; and if it seem presumption in him to name himself with God, certainty a greater presumption 'tis for man even to name himself without him.  
This gained him a high reputation with the godly party in the House; and to maintain a fair correspondency with all, never any place was taken, nor battle won, but He was first who gave intelligence of it to the House, by which he gained at once the good opinion both of the Parliament and General; attributing in His Letters more honour to the one than he with modesty could do unto himself, and writing his own Actions in such modest terms to t'other, as they always imagined him more worthy honour, the less he attributed unto himself.  
These were his Arts whilst Lieutenant General, by which he purchased so great a name in war as Essex, and all those great and glorious names were swallowed up in his; just as great Rivers are swallowed up by the Ocean.  
I pass over in silence those dangerous passages of State, (about this time) because he past them over so lightly as he scarce left the print of his footsteps behind, whilst in all the rest none ever left more glorious marks than he.  
Whatsoever they were they go rather on the times account then his; for a wise statesman may often opine the best, and yet follow the worst opinion; nor is this weakness, but judgement and necessity, there being no greater weakness then to follow one's private opinion against the public vote; or in a generality to be particular.  
How he came afterwards to 
HOW HE WAS MADE GENERAL.  be General, all circumstances considered, is most remarkable, there having past a vote i'th' House that no member of it should bear Office or Command i'th' Army, he notwithstanding by common vote of all, was presently chosen general, so useful, or rather necessary he was esteemed for that high charge, and the service of the Common wealth.  
Useful instruments are often laid aside, but necessary we still retain in hand, and can as little be without them as our hands themselves. Whosoever then would be always employed i'th' State, must render themselves necessary for the service of the State; else such is their desire of change and variety as they will often change them only for the pleasure which they take in change, although for others no more useful them themselves.  
Some will say, If no Member of the House was to command the Army, why was not he included amongst the rest? if any, why was he excluded who commanded it, for fortune, valour, diligence and fidelity assuredly inferior unto none?  
But beside the foresaid Reason, this answer may be easily made; by this Act they intended only to exclude the Lords, who now they were resolved to cast aside as unnecessary utencils of State; as superstitious relics of a Religion they had abolished, and superfluous Pillars of a Royal palace they had overthrown, mean while they by conspiring against the King, did just as if the stars should conspire against the Sun who gives them light, or streams to dry up the fountain whecne they flowed; whence consequently every Glow-worm out shined them now, and their swollen greatness which every one feared before, was now at so low an ebb as all fearlessly strid over them.  
This I speak not with reflection on them all, for many did what their honours obliged them to, and many what in conscience they imagined the best; but though all were not equally in fault, all were equally involved i'th' punishment; and 'tis a kind of original sin in the Nobility, whose stain will never out of their posterity.  
Now General, he was not like those Images which lessen 
OF HIS ACTIONS WHILST HE WAS GENERA●.  with their height, but the higher he was advanced, the greater still he showed; and honours were to him but as fuel is to fire, the more you cast on it you inflame it, but the more, and more vigorous and bravely active it becomes.  
Expect not from me, here the narration of all his military Actions, as his conquering Ireland, his subduing Scotland, nor the many battles he fought and won till his finishing the war in England, a field so great, as travelling it o'er might well weary the longest wound History, much more so short a breathed Pamphlet as mine. I'll only briefly touch his Military virtues, the soul that informed all those actions of his.  
Every common Sergeant can set his men in rank and file, and every Sergeant of Battalia can order a Battalion, but every one who knows to set the men knows not to play the Mate; to know his advantages and disadvantages in War; how to improve his own and enervate the enemy's force; how dexterously to prevail himself of their weakness, and to elude their strengths; to know when they find them yielding, how to press them to an overthrow, and then never permit them to rise again, nor unite in one body, having once routed them, but scatter them as the wind does dust before its face. These are the Arts of an expert General, and all these he had unto perfection.  
Now overcoming his enemies with celerity when there was danger in delay; and now delaying again when there was danger in celerity.  
Who have always one manner of making war, like Fencers, who have always one ward or play, give main advantage to their enemies, and teach them as well to offend them as defend themselves; but who intervary the manner of their conduct still, always amuse, perplex and dismay the enemy, and put them quite beyond their skill and prevention.  
Some times again he would set upon the foe and overcome them with half the numbers they brought to field, and at other times bring double their numbers to overpower them.  
When presumption renders an enemy negligent, he with few forces may be overcome; but when despair makes them valiant, than greater forces are requisite to gain the victory. Mean time this is a general rule in war, to enterprise easy things as difficult, and difficult as easy; better to avoid too much despair or negligence in themselves.  
It is the prudent observation of a modern Writer, that the balancing our forces just with the enemies, has been the loss of many battles they might have gained, only by putting more into the scale; occasions and difficulties in war still growing like our bodies; and children's coats will soon become too little for them, unless we make them bigger than their measures are at first.  
But let us pass from the field unto the town, and take the prospect of the Parliament, on which the eyes and attentions of all were fixed and attent, the war now finished.  
They fancying a prescription perhaps as well against the Kingdom as the King, thought of nothing but perpetuating their reign, and were become by this time so imperious, as one might sadly say of them what pleasantly was said of them in former times, that England now had four hundred Kings in lieu of one.  
As there is no greater Liberty for the Subject than the 
OF THE DISSOLVING THE PARLIAMENT.  moderate Government of one, so there is no greater tyranny than the immoderate Government of many; none knowing whom to obey where every one commands, nor who to please when every one is displeased with what he commands not (they always disagreeing amongst themselves) to free us from which tyranny the Army was as necessary now as were Parliaments to free us from the tyranny of Kings before.  
In brief, thus stood the case, that citadel and fortress of the people's Liberty, being in manner fortified against them now, by those whom they had entrusted with its custody, what should he the people's General do? but take it in, and eject and cast them out, far from any intention to demolish it, but only to man it with others more faithfully to the people's trust.  
When straight with joyful acclamations of all he was proclaimed their Protector and governor, not to leave the Commonwealth as monstrous now without a head, as 't've been with so many heads before.  
And who indeed could better deserve that title than he, 
HOW HE WAS MADE PROTECTOR.  who not only protected us from our foreign and domestic enemies, but also from ourselves, the greatest and dangeroust enemies of all; when passion rises in rebellion against Reason, the multitude (whose liberty is madness) never imagining that they are free so long as reason rules and governs them; in which case even their dearest friends use constraint and force to hinder them from mischieving others and themselves; and for this end chiefly the Army was still kept on foot.  
Though there wanted not other Reasons, the war still 
OF THE HOLLAND WAR.  continuing which the Parliament had engaged us in against the Hollander, which he so happily concluded and brought to end: as 'tis hard to say whether the war or peace he made was more honourable or advantageous to the English Nation; our maritine forces rendered by it formidable unto all, we absolute and sole masters of the Sea, and everywhere sovereign Arbiters of peace and war.  
For the Spanish war, which 
OF THE SPANISH WAR.  next succeeded this, (on what motives so ever underta'n) the enterprise certainly was great and glorious, though the event everywhere answered not our expectation.  
When Princes (through distance of place) are forced to hear and see with others ears and eyes, and act with others hands and fortunes, they never can be so truly informed of things, nor carry on the war so vigorously and fortunately, as when they see and hear and fight themselves.  
However, though in the Spanish Indies we failed of that success was hoped for, yet if that Artificer was highly praised for the greatness of his mind, who would have contrived mount Athos (reaching from Earth to Heaven) into one entire Statue of Alexander the Great, to show the mightiness of his actions; what praises does he deserve of England who intended the erecting of the whole Indies into one entire trophy of our victory, to show the mightiness of the English Nation! And that this had been the success of it, had it been nigher hand, or he had had the managing of the war, we may well conjecture by the success our Army had in Flanders, whether he could even intend his own eyes and hands, and by Auspice of his own Fortune carry on the war, until by taking Dunkirk and Mardike (by our shipping as by a Bridge) he had joined our Isle unto the continent, and Britain was no longer divided from the world, but the world was now joined unto Brittainy, and we to our greater honour and advantages might make or peace or war.  
Peace and War (as one wittily said) beget each other in an Incestuous in, only peace is the Legitimate chield of war, but war oftentimes the Illegitimate one of peace: States become rather Great then Rich by war, as they become rather Rich than Great by peace; the best policy (then) is to intermix them so, as neither the State fall into a pleurisy by peace, nor hectic fever or Consumption by war.  
But wars abroad are like our natural heat, only an argument of our health and strength, whilst Civil dissensions are like the heat of fevers, betokening sickness and infirmity; 
OF THE CONSPIRACIES AGAINST HIM.  under which notion I know not whether I should comprehend the private conspiracies against his life and state, which he prevented and suppressed with such temper and moderation, as whilst the punishment extended but to few, the fear of it extended unto all: so far (the whilst) from Crueol and Sanguinair (even when cruelty might have been accounted necessity) as he never cut off one member but for preservation of all the rest; nor let blood in one vein, but to hinder all the rest from corruption.  
The Conspiracies of a known discontented party are easily prevented, because they are always looked upon with jealous eyes; they are rather ulcers than sicknesses of State; they have more of the will then ability to do harm, and are rather troublesome than dangerous; nor are the Conspirators considerable, but only for their inconsiderableness. Men of Estates and Fortunes always comply with the present times and seek not (with hazard to make them worse) to better their conditions; but men of no fortunes still wish for the future, and having no Estates themselves, are still longing for the Estates of other men, and still striving to better their conditions, when (whatsoever change happens) they can't be worse; and for such as these 'tis with injustice they complain of others not observing the Articles of War, nor Act of Oblivion, whilst they on their fides observe not their Articles of living peaceably under the present Government, nor casting into oblivion all former enmities.  
But the Conspiracies of those who have no other cause of discontent, but only their own unquiet dispositions, are far more dangerous, like pestilentious fevers, hard to be seen at first, when easily prevented, and hard to be prevented at last, when easily seen; and such were the Conspiracies 
OF THE CONSPIRACIES AGAINST HIS GOVERNMENT  of some unquiet spirits in Parliament against his Government.  
It ordinarily happens that when two parties join in opposition against a third, the third removed and tan' away, the other sub-divide, but when 'tis to the advantage of their common enemy, if they understand their own interest, they remain united still, and if any for their own particular interests seek to disunite them, they look upon them as their enemy too.  
Such was the case of the Army and Parliament, and such were those men who opposed his Government, neglecting the public safety and business, only to attend to their private Animosities, complaining they were injured because they were suffered to do no injury; and who had rather have no Government at all, than not to be the men themselves to govern us: yet had these their Fautors amongst the multitude, and were accounted Good Patriots by those, who if they were wise would as much detest them now, for opposing one another; as they had them in veneration for opposing Kings in former times, never considering that 'twas envy not zeal in them, that they would change the Government only to have the Government; that they would introduce themselves in place of others far more worthy than themselves; and (finally) that whoever should be instruments of their Ambition, should but be instruments of their own destruction.  
But see the strange fates of those who govern us! before, whilst he did nothing for popularity, every thing was popular that he did; now (on the contrary) nothing was popular, though he did every thing for popularity. The same Actions are variously interpreted; the same faces diversely looked upon: such prestigiousness there is in Government, it makes the same persons hateful when Princes once, who 
THE REASON WHY PRINCES ARE NOT beloved.  seemed most lovely when Subjects and private men; and the reason's clear, for none look on those above them with equal eyes, envy fascinates them, and the people naturally Lovers of Liberty, naturally hate all who have any Dominion over them: Whence Oderint dum metuant, let them hate so they fear me, was the saying of a Tyrant; but Oderint dum sine causa oderint, let them hate me, so they hate me without a cause: this both he and every good Prince might say.  
But he soon prevented their machinations, and discipated their plots by dissolving the Parliament.  
'Tis the best cure of malignant fevers to dissipate the humours, and great wisdom in those who contend to know their own Forces, and theirs they contend withal; the Parliament are enough to do their business by gentleness, but too few to do it by force violence; and in vain they imagine by number to carry it against those who can lessen their numbers when they please. Yielding is the best weapon of the weak against the strong, obliging them to lay aside their force: and indeed the best weapon too of the strong against the weak, obliging them to lay their obstinacy aside, and either to contend in friendly courtesy: In a word, a little condescendency on both sides is the best way to make both parts agree; as hot and cold though opposite in themselves, agree together in Tepidity. Neither was there any other way of contending with him but only by gentleness, resolved rather to lose his life then reputation; as (indeed) it is the better life of Princes, since without that, their Authority is dead and gone, by which they only live and reign. But whether the Stars command us, or we command the Stars, may be a problem, as well as whether the sun's motion or earth's occasions our daily revolutions. Certain it is, he had such a commanding Genius as by gentle force made every one obey; nor did he ever find difficulty or opposition, that by avoiding or encountering he did not overcome.  
In a calm every common Mariner can sit at Helm; but in a storm when the billows swell big and high, when horror incompasses them on every side, when they have nothing but death before their eyes, and every wave appears their Sepulchre, then only such an expert Pilot as he can to sit at the Helm of government, who perfectly knows his guard and Compass, and now by a direct course can cut through those waves, he safely may encounter, and now by an oblique again avoid the more dangerous, till in despite of seas and winds, conspiring against him, he safely conducts his barque to the port at last.  
And without wrestling with these difficulties and oppositions, it might have been doubted whether Fortune or virtue had had the greatest share in all his Actions, but now of necessity we must confess that virtute duce, comitante Fortuna, he had virtue for guide, and fortune for companion in all he did. 'Twas Fortune that presented him the occasions of combatting, but virtue, that he always came off with victory.  
That he should find the wheel of things in so vehement commotion was Fortune ('tis true) but that (once mounted to the top) he should stop, and fix it so suddenly as he did, appears the work of some more than human hand; so that he should find the Body and Frame o'th' State all shattered in pieces, and those pieces all scattered about, was Fortune too, but to recollect all those scattered pieces, and compose them all into one entire body and frame, was such a masterpiece as none but so great a Master could ever have performed. And if we count it so great a happiness when bones are broke and splintered, to light on such an excellent Surgeon as could set them right again, and apt every splinter to its proper place; how much more happiness must it needs be for States, when all disjointed and out of frame, to light on so excellent a Statesman as he, who could without maim or scar set all things right again.  
Now if we examine what had so disjointed it, we shall find it chiefly to have been this Reformation they talk so magnificently of, and consequently that (though it seem a Paradox) nothing needs more 
OF REFORMATION.  Reformation than it.  
There is nothing more spetious than the name of Reformation, and nothing less than the thing itself; 'tis the itch of good times, and ulcer of ill, always enemy to present Government; it has done great things, but undone greater; seeing (perhaps) some one abuse 'twould take away, but not hundreds it introduces in the place; your busy Reformers, (whether in Religion or in State) more zealous than discreet, recurring always to the contrary extremities; and finding things bent one ways, still bend them as far the other, and leave them so, till some more discreet and moderate, take up where they left them, and rectify all again.  
But let us pass from discoursing of things without him, and come to what he was within himself; so shall we be ignorant of nothing, for to know him, is to know every thing.  
It becomes the statesman's as physician's care, to know the causes of all distempers; the cures of all maladies, and nature and disposition of all bodies they have in cure, and 
OF HIS CIVIL GOVERNMENT  all this, touching the politic body he was most perfect in.  
So expert in the management of affairs, as he knew the best ways of arriving to his ends, and the best means to faciliate those ways. In foreseeing harm and danger so vigilant and circumspect, he was above all circumvention and surprise; so quick and sudden in preventing them, as taking all occasion from danger and opportunity from harm, if a day would suffice, he allowed them not an hour; if an hour, not a moment; then of so deep inspection, he saw into the very interior of men and businesses, and could trace design and interest to its very den, notwithstanding all its turnings, windings, and doublings, and if he met with a body strong and robustous, such as the Army, he knew presently how by justly proportioning their Exercise and Regiment to preserve them in perfect health and vigour still: If with such as the States, weak, crazy and infirm, newly recovered from a dangerous malady, and without much care in danger of relapse, no physician was ever carefuller nor tenderer of his patient's health than he; now with gentle purges weakening its sickness force, and now with cordials strengthening its health again, until he perfectly restored it unto health, as he had done it long ere this, would it either have believed that it was sick, or not believed a sort of Mountebanks vainly promising to make it well.  
Then for the people, none ever knew their natures and dispositions better than he.  
Men impatient of entire servitude, and as incapable 
OF THE COMMON PEOPLE.  of entire Liberty; frighted with sight o'th' rod, but mutinous in feeling it; none talking more of Liberty, nor understanding it less than they; more troubling themselves, than heads, with their grievance, considering nothing, but repining at every thing; bold talkers, and contented so you suffer them but to talk; above all, most tenacious of their Liberty of Conscience, rather to follow every new fangled opinion, then remain constant to the old.  
This considered, he framed a Militiae, more to quiet, then molest and trouble them; warlike in appearance, but peaceable in behaviour, nowhere entrenching on their Liberties, but where they entrenched on the privileges of Government, allowing them their dear liberty (or licence rather) of their tongues, & for their chiefest darling of all, the liberty to err in their opinions; he permitted them to follow and embrace what sect they pleased, so they all concured in obedience to Civil Government.  
This point of Policy many have wondered at, not knowing it seems, or not remembering that Parable in the gospel of the good Corn and Tares; and but weak politicians, not to understand that who intends any great Reformation, must not amuse themselves with lesser things till that performed once; then the greater of those, which in comparison seemed less before, becomes the object of their Reformation, and so by degrees, till they have reformed all; for want of which Method, the ignorant and rash bring all things to ruin and confusion, by plucking down more than they can build up again; and vainly imagining the best way of reforming any part, to be by the total destruction of the whole.  
This was his method, mean time men's reasons could so little comprehend, as they needed their own experience to believe, how he, Atlas-like, could support so mighty a frame and machine, all composed of so many different and disjointed parts, and hinder them from slipping and falling all in pieces, which yet he did, riveting them so fast together, and making them all so firm cohere amongst themselves, as so many pieces of soft wax melted and moulded all in one, could not cleave faster in one Ball or Globe; and this was the great work he had to do, and which, had not death prevented him, he was on point of finishing: when indifatigable in body and mind, Assidual in council, perpetually in employ, all care and diligence, all labour and industry; he died more through care and 
OF HIS DEATH.  solicitude of the Common wealth, than either age or sickness; untimely for us, but timely for himself; (in height of all his fortunes and prosperities, having never known misfortune nor adversity) After he had refused the Crown, and acquird more glory by't then ever any did by accepting it; in which, as in all his other Actions, he might well be compared to Caesar, both alike fortunate and victorious in war; both prudent alike in ordering the Civil Government; as many prodigies devancing tuns; as to theirs death, only their ends were different, Caesar dying a violent death, he a natural; Caesar satiate with living, he desirous only to prolong his life, until he had finished the great work he had in hand (extending in manner beyond death itself, his care and solicitude of the public good) Caesar finally leaving the Commonwealth all imbroyled in Civil wars through multiplicity of Competitors to the Government; he to prevent it, leaving the Government to his Son, out of the way of all competition, for who else could he have left it to? but some ambitious or other might straight have start up and said, And why not I as well as he? now 'tis answer sufficient to say, He is his Son, so are not you; and sufficient to say of him, that he is the worthy Son of such a Father, and more worthy the Government the less he sought and courted it.  
One capable of all the honours of peace and war, born with the seeds in him both of civil and military Government, as time and occasion will soon produce to light, for that only 'tis, and the office, which shows the man, and many had never been thought so fit for Government had they never governed: For example, who would ever have imagined our Henry the fifth, who seemed only to mind his pleasures all his youth, would afterwards have proved so brave a man? yet we see how great a soldier he became, and how occasion was rather wanting unto him, than he unto occasion, during his father's life. Or that Spinola, coming from a City that had more commence with gold than steel, should the first day of his going to Field become an accomplished General, and ever afterwards one of the renownedst soldiers of his Age. To say nothing of Card. Mazzarin, nor his predecessor Card. Richelieu, both superintendents of the Arms of France; both by their diligence gaining more victories, than their greatest Generals with all their experience. A man of courage as easily becomes a soldier, as a wise man a politic; and 'tis not the man, but the Country makes the war, and rather the Treasurer then General; let them not be wanting to supply the Armies wants, and they'll ne'er be wanting to bring them home victories.  
And this in vindication of his Fathers leaving him the Government, which yet was rather others seeking then his own, and rather his obedience then command, putting no natural affection in the scale, in weighing the interest of the Commonwealth; and so far from partial for any interest of his own, as we may well say of him, nature itself was not more natural to him then his affection to the public good.  
Neither did he this without the example of other elective States, the Polander still continuing the Government in the house of jagalonii, the Germans in that of Austria, and Hollander in the Family of Nassan (though no less jealous of their liberties then we of ours) wisely imagining a certain Omen in that name (as we may well in that of Cromwell) to preserve that Liberty which it had purchased them; they well foreseeing the harms and mischiefs still follow all changes of Families, when new Officers and new Houses are introduced, new interests, new factions, (to the destruction of the old) new humours to comply with, new avarices' to satisfy, so as if the people but rightly understood, how dangerous and pernicious all change and alteration is to States, they would not change although 'twere offered them, to be well, if they were but tolerably ill; nor to be better, if they were well.  
To conclude with his Character: he was of stature rather well 
HIS CHARACTER.  set then tall; strong and robustous of constitution; of visage Leonin, the true physiognomy all great and martial men, yet as much Lamb in the Chamber as Lion in the Field, courteous, affable, and obliging to all; nor can any Records show a better Child unto his Parents, Parent to his Children, nor Husband to his Wife, and no less a Friend to all, but those who would needs make themselves his Enemies. Bounteous of himself, but frugal for the Commonwealth; avoiding all superfluity in a State, where superfluity is counted manificence: living in the condition of a Prince with the moderation of a private man; and free from all vice, even in an Age, when he is counted a good Prince who is not altogether vicious.  
These were his virtues when living, and who would find any fault with him now he's dead, assuredly shall find no other (when the'ave sought all they can) but only his leaving so many ill tongues in England, which yet he could not remedy, leaving them the liberty (as he did) of free born English men.  
Thus have we brought his life 
THE CONCLUSION.  (in its Idea) all under one prospect of the eye, and by brief glimpses & reflections given light to see how great a person he was, no human body being scarcely capable of a greater soul; how fortune and virtue, never more concured to the advancement of a man; how never any past to the temple of honour by more directer ways, through that of his own virtue and heroic deeds; how much he merited of England by his serving & conserving it, in its most dangerous times; & finally how both at home and abroad he was the honour of our Nation, wherefore our Nation should be most unworthy and ungrateful should it not always honour him.  
FINIS.