The Comprehensive History of England, Vol. 6 : Civil and Military, Religious, Intellectual, and Social, From the Earliest Period to the Close of the Russian War, With Numerous Annotations From the Writings of Regent Distinguished Historians

Excerpt from The Comprehensive History of England, Vol. 6: Civil and Military, Religious, Intellectual, and Social, From the Earliest Period to the Close of the Russian War, With Numerous Annotations From the Writings of Regent Distinguished Historians

Pressed by want of money, the Rump proposed selling the three royal palaces of Whitehall, Somerset House, and Hampton Court; but they were sold themselves, or were interrupted and dismissed, before thev could carry into effect this project in finance. They had scarcely warmed their seats ere they were alarmed by numerous plots and riots raised by the royalists. These troubles grew worse and worse, and in the be ginning of August insurrections broke out at the same moment in several parts of the country, the most important being one in Cheshire and Lancashire, headed by Sir George Booth, who was daily expecting to be joined by Charles II. And his brother the Duke of York. But Lambert gave a total rout to Sir George Booth's force. Charles, who had got everything ready, deferred his voyage. Booth and the young Earl of Derby, with many others, were arrested and thrown into the Tower; and by the end of August this for midable insurrection was completely subdued. But the Rump which sat in the house, and the army which had placed them there, presently quarrelled with each other. The Rump claimed an entire control over the forces by land or by sea; the army, charging the Rump with base in gratitude, claimed to be independent and supreme. An act was passed to dismiss Lambert, Des borough, Fleetwood, and seven or eight other principal officers. Hazlerig, who was the chief mover in these bold parliamentary transactions, was encouraged by letters from Monk, assuring him that he and the army in Scotland would stand by the parliament, and by the like promises from Ludlow, who had succeeded Henry Crom well ih the command of the forces in Ireland. But Monk and Ludlow were far away, and the English army was close at hand. On the 13th of October, Lambert collected his troops in West minster Hall, Palace-yard, and the avenues lead ing to the house; and when the speaker came up in his coach they stopped him, and made him turn back; and they treated most part of the members in the same way, so that the house could not sit. The council of state sat, and there the hostile parties, the army men and the Rump men, came into fierce collision. The civilians accused the army of being destroyers of liberty; the officers retorted, saying that the Rump would not have left them any liberty to destroy; and Colonel Sydenham protested that the army had been obliged to apply this last remedy by a special commission from Divine Providence. Desborough, Cromwell's brother-ia-l'aw, said with more blunt ness, Because the parliament intended to dis miss as, we had a right to dismiss the parlia ment. On the next day, the officers of the army debated about a settlement, or new constitution; and declared F leetwood Richard's brother-in-law.

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