BEFORE THE RESTORATION.

135

down and punished. The fear inspired by the power of the chap.

sword in so strong, steady, and expert a hand, quelled the-

spirit both of Cavaliers and Levellers. The loyal gentrydeclared that they were still as ready as ever to risk their livesfor the old government and the old dynasty, if there were theslightest hope of success: but to rush at the head of theirserving men and tenants on the pikes of brigades victorious ina hundred battles and sieges, would be a frantic waste ofinnocent and honourable blood. Both Royalists and Repub-licans, having no hope in open resistance, began to revolvedark schemes of assassination: but the Protector’s intel-ligence was good: his vigilance was unremitting; and, when-ever he moved beyond the walls of his palace, the drawnswords and cuirasses of his trusty bodyguards encompassedhim thick on every side.

Had he been a cruel, licentious, and rapacious prince, thenation might have found courage in despair, and might havemade a convulsive effort to free itself from military domina-tion. But the grievances which the country suffered, thoughsuch as excited serious discontent, were by no means such asimpel great masses of men to stake their lives, their fortunes,and the welfare of their families against fearful odds. Thetaxation, though heavier than it had been under the Stuarts,was not heavy when compared with that of the neighbouringstates and with the resources of England. Property wassecure. Even the Cavalier, who refrained from giving distur-bance to the new settlement, enjoyed in peace whatever thecivil troubles had left him. The laws were violated only incases where the safety of the Protector’s person and govern-ment was concerned. Justice was administered between manand man with an exactness and purity not before known.Under no English government, since the Reformation, hadthere been so little religious persecution. The unfortunateRoman Catholics, indeed, were held to be scarcely within the