'ness almost all men in such times as ours.] That is what 'I mean by true answers. 'I did hope that when I had heard you, so far as it might 'be your pleasure to speak on this head, I should then, having taken some short note of it as I do [Glancing at his Note paper], have been in a condition, this afternoon [Would still fain be off!]-if it had not been a trouble to you, to return my answer, upon a little advisement • with myself. But seeing you have not thought it convenient to proceed that way,-truly I think I may very 'well say, I shall need to have a little thought about the thing before returning answer to it: lest our Debate should end on my part with a very vain discourse, and with lightness; as it is very like to do. [4 Drama COMPOSING itself as it gets ACTED, this; very different from the blank-verse Dramas.] 'I say therefore, if you had found good to proceed farther in speaking of these things, I should have made my own 'short animadversions on the whole, this afternoon, and have 'made some short reply. And this would have ushered me in not only to give the best answer I could, but to make my own objections "too." [An interrogative look; evidently some of us must speak! Glynn steps forward.] LORD CHIEF-JUSTICE GLYNN steps forward, speaks largely; then SIR CHARLES WOLSELEY steps forward; and NATHANIEL FIENNES steps forward; and LORD BROGHIL (Earl of Orrery that is to be) steps forward; and all speak largely whom, not to treat with the indignity poor Lenthall got from us, we shall abridge down to absolute nothing. Good speaking too; but without interest for us. In fact it is but repetition, under new forms, of the old considerations offered by heavy Bulstrode and the Master of the Rolls. The only idea of the slightest novelty is this brought forward by Lord Broghil in the rear of all.1 6 LORD BROGHIL. By an Act already existing (the 11th of 1 Somers, p. 363. Henry vii.), all persons that obey a "King de facto" are to be held guiltless; not so if they serve a Protector de facto. Think of this.-And then "in the 7th and last place," I observe: The Imperial Crown of this country and the Pretended King are indeed divorced; nevertheless persons divorced may come together again; but if the person divorced be married to another, there is no chance left of that!' Having listened attentively to perhaps some three hours of this, his Highness, giving up the present afternoon as now hopeless, makes brief answer. THE LORD PROTECTOR. I have very little to say to you at 'this time. I confess I shall never be willing to deny or 'defer those things that come from the Parliament to the 'Supreme Magistrate [He accepts, then?], if they come in the 'bare and naked authority of such an Assembly as is known 'by that name, and is the Representative of so many people as a Parliament of England, Scotland, and Ireland is. I say, 'this ought to have its weight; and it hath so, and ever will ' have with me. In all things a man is free to grant desires coming from 'Parliament. I may say, inasmuch as the Parliament hath 'condescended so far as to do me this honour (a very great one added to the rest) of giving me the privilege of counsel 'from so many members of theirs, so able, so intelligent of 'the grounds of things-[Sentence breaks down]-This is, I say, a very singular honour and favour to me; and I wish I may do, and I hope I shall do, what becomes an honest 'man in giving an answer to these things,-according to such insight 2 either as I have, or as God shall give me, or as I 'may be helped into by reasoning with you. But indeed I 'did not in vain allege conscience in the first answer I gave 'you. [Well!] For I must say, I should be a person very unworthy of such favour if I should prevaricate in saying 1 Means 'anything,-the Kingship for one thing.' 'things did stick upon my conscience. Which I must still 'say they do! Only, I must "also" say, I am in the best way I could be "in" for information; and I shall gladly ' receive it. 6 6 'Here have been divers things spoken by you today, with a great deal of judgment and ability and knowledge. I think the arguments and reasonings that have been used 'were upon these three heads: First, Speaking to the thing simply, to the abstract notion of the Title, and to the posi⚫tive reasons upon which it stands. Then "secondly, Speaking 'comparatively of it, and of the foundation of it; in order to show the goodness of it comparatively, "in comparison 'with our present title and foundation." It is alleged to be 'so much better than what we now have; and that it will do 'the work which this other fails in. And thirdly, Some things • have been said by way of precaution; which are not argu'ments from the thing itself, but are considerations drawn from the temper of the English People, what will gratify them, "and so on ";-which is surely considerable. As also ""some things were said " by way of anticipation of me in my answer; speaking to some objections which others have 'made against this proposal. These are things, in themselves, ' each of them considerable. [The "objections?" or the "Three heads" in general? Uncertain; nay it is perhaps uncertain to Oliver himself! He mainly means the objections, but the other also is hovering in his head, as is sometimes the way with him.] "To answer objections, I know, is a very weighty business; ' and to make objections is very easy; and that will fall to my part. And I am sure I shall make them to men who 'know somewhat how to answer them," to whom they are 'not strange," having already in part been suggested to them by the Debates already had. But upon the whole matter, I having as well as I could • taken those things [Looking at his Notes] that have been 1 'accounts' in orig. 'spoken,-which truly are to be acknowledged as very learnedly spoken,-I hope you will give me a little time to 'consider of them. As to when it may be the best time for 'me to return hither and meet you again, I shall leave that 'to your consideration.' LORD WHITLOCKE. appoint your own time.' THE LORD PROTECTOR. "Your Highness will be pleased to 'On Monday at nine of the clock 'I will be ready to wait upon you.' * And so, with many bows, exeunt. Thus they, doing their epic feat, not in the hexameter measure, on that old Saturday forenoon, 11th April 1657; old London, old England, sounding manifoldly round them ;—the Fifth-Monarchy just locked in the Tower. Our learned friend Bulstrode says: The Protector often advised about this' of the Kingship' and other great businesses with the Lord Broghil, Pierpoint' (Earl of Kingston's Brother, an old Long-Parliament man, of whom we have heard before), with Whitlocke, Sir Charles Wolseley, and Thurloe; and would be shut up three or four hours together in private discourse, and none were admitted to come in to him. He would sometimes be very cheerful with them; and laying aside his greatness, he would be exceedingly familiar; and by way of diversion would make verses with them,' play at crambo with them, and every one must try his fancy. He commonly called for tobacco, pipes and a candle, and would now and then take tobacco himself;' which was a very high attempt. Then he would fall again to his serious and great business' of the Kingship; and advise with them in those affairs. And this he did often with them; and their counsel was accepted, and' in part 'followed by him in most of his greatest affairs, as well as it deserved to be.1 6 * Somers Tracts, vi. 351-365. VOL. IV. 1 Whitlocke, p. 647. D SPEECHES XI-XIV ON Monday April 13th, at Whitehall, at nine in the morning,1 according to agreement on Saturday last, the Committee of Ninety-nine attend his Highness, and his Highness there speaks :-addressing Whitlocke as reporter of the said Committee. SPEECH XI 'MY LORD,-I think I have a very hard task on my hand. 'Though it be but to give an account of myself, yet I see I am beset on all hands here. I say, but to give an account ' of 'myself': yet that is a business very comprehensive of "others;-" comprehending" us all in some sense, and, as the • Parliament have been pleased to shape it, comprehending all the interests of these Three Nations! 6 6 I confess I have two things in view. The first is, To ' return some answer to what was so well and ably said the ' other day on behalf of the Parliament's putting that Title ' in the Instrument of Settlement. [This is the First thing; "what the Second is, does not yet for a long while appear.] I I hope it will not be expected I should answer everything that was then said: because I suppose the main things that 'were spoken were arguments from ancient Constitutions and 'Settlements by the Laws; in which I am sure I could never 'be well skilled, and therefore must the more ask pardon 'for what I have already transgressed "in speaking of such ' matters," or shall now transgress, through my ignorance of them, in my "present" answer to you. 'Your arguments, which I say were chiefly upon the Law, 'seem to carry with them a great deal of necessary conclusiveness, to inforce that one thing of Kingship. And if your 'arguments come upon me to inforce upon me the ground of 1 at 'eight,' say the Journals, vii. 522. |