This epistle he sent to be read at the meetings of his friends. Not
long after, a certain priest of Wrexham in Wales, whose name was Morgan
Floyd, sent two of his congregation into the north of England, to
inquire what kind of people the Quakers were. These two coming thither,
found the doctrine of the said people such, that they became convinced
of the truth thereof, and so embraced it; and after some stay, they
returned home. One of these was called John ap-John, and continuing
faithful, became a minister of the gospel he had thus received; but the
other afterwards departed from his convincement.
Let us now take a short view of state affairs in England. We have seen
already Cromwell’s power so great, that he ventured to dissolve the
long parliament, and that he called another in its room. But before
the year’s end, this Parliament resigned their power into the hands of
Cromwell, from whom they had received it. Thus he, with his council
of field officers, saw himself again in the possession of the supreme
government: and it was not long before this council declared: ‘that
henceforth the chief rule of the nation should be entrusted to a single
person, and that this person should be Oliver Cromwell, chief general
of all the forces in England, Scotland, and Ireland; that his title
should be Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and
Ireland; and all the dominions belonging thereunto; and he was to have
a council of twenty-one persons to assist him in the government.’
This matter being thus stated, the commissioners of the great seal,
and the lord mayor and aldermen of London, were required, on the 16th
of December, to attend Cromwell, and his council, in Westminster-hall.
Being come thither, the instrument of government was read, whereby
Cromwell was declared Protector, he standing all this while
bare-headed, and major-general Lambert kneeling, presented him with a
sword in the scabbard, representing the civil sword: which Cromwell
accepting, put off his own, to intimate thereby, that he would no
longer rule by the military sword. The said instrument being writ on
parchment, contained, ‘That the Protector was to call a Parliament
every three years; that their first meeting should be on the 13th of
September next ensuing: that he should not be permitted to dissolve a
parliament, before it had set five months; that the bills presented
to him for his consent, if he did not confirm them within twenty
days, should have the force of laws; that he was to have a council,
who were not to exceed the number of twenty-one, and not to be under
thirteen; that forthwith after his death, the council was to choose
another Protector; that no Protector after him, should be capable of
being chief general of the army; and that it should be in the power
of the Protector to make war and peace.’ Whilst this instrument was
reading, Cromwell held his hand on the bible, and afterwards took the
oath, that he would perform all that was contained therein. This being
done, he covered himself, all the others remaining uncovered. Then
the commissioners delivered the seals to him, and the lord mayor of
London the sword; all which he restored again, with an exhortation to
use them well. Afterward general Lambert carried the sword before him
to his coach, in which he went to Whitehall, where he was proclaimed
Protector, which was done also in the city of London. Now he was
attended like a prince, and created knights, as kings used to do. Thus
Cromwell, by a singular, and very strange turn of mundane affairs, saw
himself placed in the palace, from whence he and his adherents had cast
out King Charles the First.