While the crowd that had witnessed the execution of Charles I was
leaving the spot (S448), the remnant of the House of Commons met.
This "Rump Parliament" (S447), composed of only about fifty members,
claimed the right to act for the whole nation. A few days later it
abolished the House of Lords as "useless and dangerous." Next, for
similar reasons, it abolished the office of king, and declared that
"The People are, under God, the origin of all just power."
England was now a commonwealth or republic, governed, in name at
least, by a Council of State. Of this Council John Bradshaw (S448)
was president, and the poet Milton was foreign secretary, while
General Fairfax with Oliver Cromwell had command of the army. The
real power was in the army, and the true head of the army was
Cromwell. Without him the so-called republic could not have stood a
day.