Ontario High School History of England . son, wan-ted nothing that resembled the oldsystem of king and Parliament, andclamoured for a fifth monarchy tosucceed the four ancient monarchies;in this fifth monarchy Jesus Christwas to be king, and Harrison andother saints were to carry on thegovernment. The Levellers, ledby John Lilburne, wanted a completedemocracy with no distinctions ofrank. Sir Harry Vane led a partyof republicans, who now turnedagainst Cromwell, because he seemedtoo much like a monarch; they did not favour governmentby a single person. The rule of the major-generals—Strife ripen
Ontario High School History of England . son, wan-ted nothing that resembled the oldsystem of king and Parliament, andclamoured for a fifth monarchy tosucceed the four ancient monarchies;in this fifth monarchy Jesus Christwas to be king, and Harrison andother saints were to carry on thegovernment. The Levellers, ledby John Lilburne, wanted a completedemocracy with no distinctions ofrank. Sir Harry Vane led a partyof republicans, who now turnedagainst Cromwell, because he seemedtoo much like a monarch; they did not favour governmentby a single person. The rule of the major-generals—Strife ripened whenCromwells first Parliament met in September, 1654. Itdeclared that since the Instrument of Government hadbeen drawn up by private persons, Parliament should pre-pare a new constitution. This claim Cromwell would notadmit. He knew not what wild ideas might be proposed,what chances for a Stuart restoration might be given. Heaccordingly declared that the fundamentals, alreadylaid down, must not be touched, and he excluded from the. Sir Harry Vane(1613-1662) THE COMMONWEALTH AND THE PROTECTORATE 305 House those who would not accept this principle. Nonethe less did the members who remained go on preparing anew constitution. When, therefore, the House had sat forits allotted five months, Cromwell dismissed it, and thuschecked its plans. The danger from the royalists, whichCromwell feared, was real. In March, 1655, there was anarmed rising. Cromwell soon suppressed it. But now, tokeep the royalists well in hand, he divided England into tendistricts, under as many major-generals, who preservedorder with Spartan severity. They kept a close watch onwhat was printed, punished profane language and disregardof the Puritan Sabbath, and stopped cock-fighting andhorse-racing. They forced the royalists to pay a specialtax to support the military force which held them incheck. Every one could see that this hated rule of themajor-generals was the undisguised rule of force, The Humble Pet
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Keywords: ., bookauthorwronggeo, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookyear1912
