Short Meditations on, with a brief Description of the Life and Death of Oliver Cromwell.  Written by J. D. Durnovariae. 
Setlements in a Kingdom whose Foundations are out of order, is as truly desirable, as a Propitious Harbour to the Mariners that have been long wearied with the furious Rage of Tempestuous winds, and the proud swelling waves of a troubled Sea. To none [except it be to him qui vivitur ex raptu] arguments needs be used, when the land of his nativity groans under the burden of unnatural war, and the heavy loads of Tyrannical oppression, to make use of this short prayer, Da pacem Domine, pacem te poscimus omnes. Whence that general fire of Contention which lately broke forth in these, before that time, most happy & glorious kingdoms took its first fuel: I shall forbear now to inquire into, the flames thereof being kindled e'er I hardly attained add etate● virilem; but this is evident, that the force thereof was no sooner blown up, but it found sufficient matter to feed on, and its violence could not be stopped until the wise disposer of all things heard the Cry of the Captives, and let the oppressed go free; causing the wrath of man to turn to his praise, but restraining the remainder thereof.  
Prosperity and Success in unwarrantable actions, naturally heightens up the depraved Spirits of men to more unlawful attempts; yet still there is a guilt that stings the Conscience, and a fear that possesseth the spirits of those, who are thus animated to make a progress, à malo ad pejus, lest one time or other vindictive justice should draw them before the bar of its Tribunal, which to prevent, they consult with Gateline, and make this their Oracle. The ills that we have done cannot be safe without attempting greater.  
Simulatae Sanctitas duplex iniquitas. To make religion a Cloak for Villainy, hath been a practice, that hath had too long footing in the world, and it is too usual, Quod bonum pretenditur cum malum intenditur. Ahab proclaims a Fast before he kills, enters and takes possession. Absalon when he aspires the Crown, pretends the good of the people. Judas that betrayed his Master, and was a Thief, repines at the costly Ointment bestowed on our Saviour, under colour of taking care for the poor. But the dogs lick the blood of Ahab: Absolom in his Rebellion is stayed under an Oak, by the beautiful Ornament of his Head, till by the hands of Joab he receives a just recompense of his Rebellion: Judas hangs himself. And divine Justice that not often suffers such vildness to go unpunished, will at length bring every secret thing to light, and heap vengeance on such painted sepulchres according to the evil of their do.  
To establish iniquity by a law, is to make Justice the mother of Injustice, and Violence the daughter of that which should be sacred: Legu● quaedam veneranda potestas! Words may well be wanting to express the horrid impiety of those who having broken the laws, make a law for their own impunity in their most detestable actions, allowing themselves to give to other reason for their enormities but this, Sic volo sic jubeo scat pro ratione volantas. when there was no king in Israel, every man did what was right in his own eyes, and the legality of every man's action was by him judged according to the prompt of his own will, and then as Tota homines tot sententiae, so many men as there were, so many laws there wore for every man to govern himself by, which jarring against the common utility and peace, what confusion it brought forth, what strange and unheard of impieties it fostered, Sacred Writ hath left us a sufficient Record; Lust then was taken for law, non hospes ab hospite tutus, and men were grown to that impudence, as without the least remorse in public view to commit these very acts which nature abhors, yea, to justify the offenders, and so far to engage for their immunity as to hazard the perpetual ruin of a famous tribe.  
The Devil oft transforms himself into an Angel of light, Christians had need be wise as Serpents, Latet anguis in herba; the biting Serpent lieth under the sweetest herbs, and the most prevailing temptations under the most seeming appearances of piety, whereby Dovelike innocency may be for a time misled, Humanum esterrare be●●uinum immo diaboli●um perseverare. Mists may for a time darken the sight, but when they are once removed, there is none so blind as he that can but will not see.  
Justice may seem to have slow feet, but yet it hath leaden hands, and because vengeance is not speedily executed on the evil doer, he thinks he may still go on and prosper, judging his actions by the present event, yet sooner or later vengeance will overtake him, Licet pede lenta, sed pede certa, and my prayer is involved in that of the Poet. 
— careat successibus opto  
Quisquis ab eventu facta notanda putat.   
Ambition carrieth men beyond all bounds, yet no man ordinarily steps but by degrees into the height he desires, and that he may in time accomplish his intended end, for a time, he conceals his intentioned purposes, till an opportune season proffer, that he may safely land himself on that Harbour, towards which he hath been long sailing in the ship of his affectation; he that used policy with his Ambition, is not much unlike the Waterman that looks one way, but rows another. Sometimes that is actived by subtlety, which could never have been obtained by force, and very oft it is seen, that he that is undermined in policy will make use of force to procure what he desires, not caring how he attain it, so as he have it per fas aut nefas: What though kingdoms be subverted, Commonwealths confounded, Cities be destroyed, and Countries wasted, this sticks not on the Ambitious man's heart, the Crown is that this Nimrod is hunting after.  
He that Hunts but for Recreation, is so intent on his sport, that he cares not, he fears not; though he break down the fences, it troubles him not, though his poor neighbour's corn be trodden down with the swift motion of his pranderfed galopers, he is no way moved at it, though the turn and wind of his yelping kennel make a threshing in the corn ere it come to be cut, what is that to him? Gates, Bars, or Stiles keeps him not in, he leaps them all over, and he accounts both hills and ditches to be as level ground, and venter's to leap, where at another time he scarce dust to crawl. The course ended or the game gotten, his carreres are stopped; and after some short pause had, he bethinks himself of the injury he hath done, and finds more trouble for that than content in the purchase obtained; what are the hideous Correres of an ambitious spirit: when once he hath seated himself in that to which God and Nature never designed him, but he stepped into by Violence and Rapine! Then he cries out a Kingdom for a quiet spirit, Oh the Crown for a good Conscience; the one I have parted with all, but I shall never enjoy it again: the other I would part withal, it is aburden to me now; It is not honos but Onus; I have it indeed, but it vexeth me, it torments me, horrors in the night affright me; but hinc illae lachrymae, to those that are under his tyranny, than he arms himself with fury, and more fierce Resolutions, taking the Council of Reaboams wild ones, concluding to make his little finger, heavier than the loins of any of his Predecessors.  
Not to rake up the ashes of the late extinguished flame, and by Chemistry or other art, to find out their original to our intended purpose, it shall suffice to give you this short account; that the fiery-headed & fiery faced Oliver, whose face was the Index of his mind, before these unhappy distractions, having as to the generality of the kingdom lived obscurely, in the sadly to be lamented late Domestic Wars, got into some command, and by degrees obtained to be Lieutenant General of the Parliaments Army; at which time his ambitious spirit put him upon consultation, how he having but one step to be head of the Army, might in short time become head of the Kingdom, to which afterwards he arrives, though with the casting of the whole kingdom into confusion; being animated to make his progress therein by his often prosperous successes in the wars, endearing himself into the hearts of his soldiers, pretending to them Religion and Reformation, when nothing less was intended, whereby he so far ingratiated himself into their affections, that being backed with their power, none scarce durst say to him what dost thou.  
The first apparent essay he makes to his reign was when an happy conclusion of all misunderstandings between the King and his Parliament, was very likely to have been, Then did his Ambition by the assistance of Pride, discard the Members, whose real intentions, and endeavours than were for obtaining a firm and lasting peace; having removed them, as the first obstacle that stood in his way, and left none other, but such as were of his own faction, or fanatics, or low spirited persons; he beats on them for Justice against our most Gracious Sovereign [whose sacred memory must be Glorious to eternity, maugre the malice of his most in placable adversaries] making then Justice the mother of Injustice, and these that had no power to administer an Oath, contrary to their own Oaths of Allegiance, to make an Act for trial of their dread Lord, O Scelus infandum! oh that blood thirsty ambition! here the bounds were broken; here was Iniquity established by a law: Oh the cursed effect of that pernicious act. It brought an Innocent Prince to the Butcherly block. It extinguished his life, and darkened the glory of England. Oh where were then our spirits, what became of the English valour, that we could endure that miscreant with the assistance of his guards thus to violate the faith of Subjects: and not to rescue so pious a Prince from such bloody villains, surely a spirit of Cowardice or slumber did then overwhelm us.  
This unparallelled Regicidium being acted, he than forceth an Act for taking away Kingly Government, thereby intending the perpetual disinhersion of his most gracious Majesty that now is (whom God long preserve;) yet one obstacle more stood in his way to be removed, he must uncommissionate his General, this was not long effecting, but the Generalissimo ship soon procured to be conferred on him, than had he liberty and opportunity, like Caesar, from a General to be made an Emperor, which by taking all Authority from them, that gave him Commission, he thought the best way to accomplish; yet acts politicly, not willing his design should be forthwith publicly known. But after their Dissolution conveens a few to sit as a Parliament, who in a few months resign, and gratify him for their short command, with the Title of a Protector; and now he reigns as Dominus fac totum. But had Zimrie peace who slew his master; his hasty motions, his furious and sometime ghastly looks, well shown the horror of his affrighted Conscience, whilst he tyrannised, the three Kingdoms satisfied not his humour, but he aspires after others, as if he would have given this for his motto, non sufficit Orbis. To tell of his inhumanity in his rule would ask a Volume, and it is conceived that at his death, his most execrable treasons so affrighted his spirits, that his heart within him died first, when in others, the heart is Primum moriens & ultimum vivens. And in his deathbed, certainly Saul was amongst the Prophets, for than he foretells, that in few months, his ashes should be trampled upon. It might have fared better with him, had he understood the intent of that omen, which befell him upon his first marching in arms out of Cambridge, wherein his Horse threw him directly under the Gallows. But the Corpse of him whose aspiring mind, could never be satisfied, hath now no other Tomb but a Turf under Tyburn, and no other Trophy but the Situation of the common place of Execution circumfering him. So let all the King's Enemies perish O God.  
After his death, what labours were there for a Settlement, his way, that way was tried, and every stone was turned, England groaning under more Changes of Governments, than there are changes of the Moon in one year, but could find no rest.  
The Needle toutcht with the loadstone, turn it to what point you will, yet will it never be at rest till it come to the North point; England having for above five hundred years enjoyed the happy blessings of the prudent and gracious Government of our most Sacred Kings most Royal Progenitors, in all those Changes it lately suffered could never be settled, until God out of his infinite goodness miraculously restored our most Gracious Sovereign to the peaceable possession of his lawful and undoubted Right in his Imperial Crown and Dignities, Giving him to fit upon the Throne of his Fathers, where God grant he may ever be established in Peace and Happiness, and that his Subjects may render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, Tribute to whom Tribute is due, Honour to whom Honour is due; Obedience, Loyalty and Allegiance to him that of right it appertaineth, that they may still fear God and the King, and not meddle with them that are subject to change: Let shame cover the heads and faces of all his Adversaries, but let his Crown flourish; Let the Girdle of Righteousness be about his Loins, let Prosperity be in all his Palaces, let Divine Mercy compass him about, let Angels be his Guard, let him be clothed with Salvation, and let all his Subjects continually pray, GOD SAVE THE KING.   

London, Printed by T. M. for Robert Clavel at the Stags-head in St. Paul's Church Yard, 1661.