As Cromwell's treatment of his parliaments was arbitrary, so also were his dealings with the courts of justice. He degraded three judges, and so intimidated the barristers that they feared to uphold clients whose causes were contrary to the Protector's wishes. To give an instance of this oppression—One Cory having refused to pay the heavy tax of ten per cent which was ordered to be levied upon the property of all royalists, sued the collector. Three eminent counsel, Maynard, Twisden, and Wyndham, were employed in his cause; but Cromwell, without suffering them to enter into their argument, sent them to the Tower even for accepting the brief. Sir Peter Wentworth having brought a similar action, was asked by the council if he would give it up. "If you command me," he replied to Cromwell, "I must submit" The Protector did command, and the action was with drawn. Equally tyrannical were the means which were used for the erection of the courts, by which, in 1654, Gerard and Vowel, and, in 1653, Slingsby and limit, were brought to the scaffold. These, and similar acts, rendered Cromwell hateful to a large number of his subjects. He had suppressed some royalist insurrections at Salisbury, and executed the leaders in 1855; but now he entertained fears from the republicans also. Major Wildman, a republican, was arrested for a conspiracy against him ; and such was the ill-will shown to him by the democratic) soldiery as to cause anxiety for his personal safety. One Sindercome, who by an accident alone had been prevented from murdering him, was arrested and condemned; but ho committed suicide before the day appointed for his execution.
The foreign policy of the protector was magnanimous, enterprising, and ultimately successful. Ile interfered more than would be regarded as tolerable now ; but his interferences were generally to protect the oppresses) ; and by his firmness and prudence he made his govern ment respected by foreigu princes as scarcely any English government had ever been before. Many memorable victories were achieved under the parliament and under Cromwell. "It is just to say," observes Mr. Hallam (' Genet. Hist.; vol. ii.), "that the maritime glory of England may first be traced from the era of the Commonwealth in a track of continuous light" A treaty, consequent on the titmouse,' of Blake, was honourably concluded with the Dutch. An expedition, more politic than just, was made against the West India colonies of Spain; it ended in failure and disappointment, although it gained for England the island of Jamaica, a greater and more advantageous pee !session than many triumphs have produced. An alliance was con eluded with France In 1655 to act in coujunotion against the Spanish forces In the Low Countries; :gat-dyke and Dunkirk were taken, and the Spaniards were afterwards wholly defeated at Dunes. Denmark, Portugal, and Sweden eagerly sought the protector. friendship; am bassadors flocked to his court, bearing the most conciliatory and adulatory messages. The anxiety of all princes to be allied with so recent an usurper Is In fact not a little remarkable. The servility of some powers was extreme, as has been proved by several curious Instances which have been collected by Mr. Harris. (' Life of Crom well.' p. 352; and see the Appendix to Ouizot's 'Life of Cromwell.') Towards the cud of his life, Cromwell appears to have become moody and suspicious. Ile knew that he had few personal adherents, that hie life was In danger from the more unscrupuloua of both the partlea whose hopes he had crushed, and all whose machinations he hed hitherto discovered and thwarted. 11e sew too that neither iu
his own family nor among the public servants were there any fitted to carry on the work lie had commenced. That ho waa personally un popular, that his government was hateful to the people, he could have little doubt; end no wonder Is it therefore that as he felt ago rapidly coming on and health failing he should have grown urelaueholy, and looked with gloomy antleipationa to the future. Ills death wee hastened by that of his favourite delight r, Lady Claypole, who died at Ilampton Court, August 6, 1658, aged twenty-nine. A fortnight later he himself was stricken down by fever. By the advice of his physicians, he was removed for better air to Whitehall, and there ho died, on the 3rd of firptetnber 1653, the anniversary of tho victory of Dunbar, and of the 'crowning glory' of Wore. ater. Ilia body was lilt in state at Somerset House, and then buried with the utmost pupal° solemnity In that famous sepulchre of the kings, Henry VIL'a Chapel at Westminster. But after the restoration hi, corpse was disinterred, and having been by the orders of the poor-spirited monarch first hung on the gallows at Tyburn:, the head was fixed upon a pole at West minster Hall, and the red of the poor remains wore thrust into a hole at the foot of the gallows.
The character of Cromwell has formed a fertile subject for historians and essayists. We have no intentiou to add to the number. It may be enough here to remark that the real greatness of the man, whatever be thought of his conduct in seizing on the supreme authority, is now becoming more and more generally understood and acknowledged by thoughtful men of all eludes of opinion. For this better appreciation of Cromwell, much is undoubtedly due to his ' Letters and Speeeheis,' as edited and elucidated' by Carlyle; and to that work we rot r the student who is desirous of coming as near as may be to tho inner workings of Cromwell's mind, and of understanding the real fignifi awe° of this great period In English history. He will do well also to peruse carefully the calm and impartial examination of Cromwell and his times by one of the most distinguished of living French states men, DI. Gulzot, whose position and experience, no less than his attainments and ability, eminently qualify him for such a task.
The resemblance between the fortunes of Cromwell and of him who in more recent times raised himself from insignificance to a throne, is strong enough to strike the generality of readers. Mr. Hallam has stated ('Const. Met') the most striking points In the parallel. But the conolualon of Bonaparte's life was very unlike that of the Pro tector; tho fortunes of one had declined for years before his death, the other retained his authority to the last hour.
Cromwell left six children, two sons and four daughters. Of the daughters, Bridget was twice married, first to 'rams, and afterwards to Fleetwood ; Elizabeth was the wife of John Clayton, Eaq.; Mary married Lord Fauconbcrg; and Frauces was wife first to Mr. Rich and afterwards to Sir John Russell of Chippeuhatn. The sons are noticed below. His widow survived till 1665, when she died in the house of her eon-in-law Claypole, at Norborough in Lincolnshire.
(Clarendon, Kist. of Rebellion ; IIapIam, Cong. Mist.; Noble, Memoirs of Cromwell's Family; Tracts on the Ciril Wars; Harris, Life of Olirer Cromwell ; Carlyle, Oliver Cromwell's Letters and Speeches ; Southey ; Guizot ; Villemain ; and the various Histories of England.)