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HISTORY OP ENGLAND,

chap, times, had made themselves conspicuous. This was the least—happy of his contrivances, and displeased all parties. TheLevellers were angry with him for instituting a privilegedclass. The multitude, which felt respect and fondness forthe great historical names of the land, laughed without re-straint at a House of Lords, in which lucky draymen andshoemakers were seated, to which few of the old nobles wereinvited, and from which almost all those old nobles who wereinvited turned disdainfully away.

How Oliver’s Parliaments were constituted, however, waspractically of little moment: for he possessed the means ofconducting the administration without their support, and indefiance of their opposition. His wish seems to have been togovern constitutionally, and to substitute the empire of thelaws for that of the sword. But he soon found that, hated ashe was, both by Koyalists and Presbyterians, he could be safeonly by being absolute. The first House of Commons whichthe people elected by his command, questioned his authority,and was dissolved without having passed a single act. Hissecond House of Commons, though it recognised him asProtector, and would gladly have made him King, obstinatelyrefused to acknowledge his new Lords. He had no courseleft but to dissolve the Parliament. “God,” he exclaimed,at parting, “be judge between you and me! ”

Yet was the energy of the Protector’s administration innowise relaxed by these dissensions. Those soldiers whowould not suffer him to assume the kingly title stood by himwhen he ventured on acts of power, as high as any EnglishKing has ever attempted. The government, therefore, thoughin form a republic, was in truth a despotism, moderated onlyby the wisdom, the sobriety, and the magnanimity of thedespot. The country was divided into military districts.Those districts were placed under the command of Major Ge-nerals. Every insurrectionary movement was promptly put