ion of his mind" at the very thought of the burden;
requested time "to ask counsel of God and his own heart;" and, after a
pause of three days,[c] replied that, inasmuch as the new constitution
provided the best securities for

[Footnote 1: Whitelock, 655. Thurloe, vi. 163, 184-188.]

[Sidenote c: A.D. 1657. April 3.]
[Sidenote a: A.D. 1657. April 9.]
[Sidenote b: A.D. 1657. March 31.]

the civil and religious liberties of the people, it had his unqualified
approbation; but, as far as regarded himself, "he did not find it in his
duty to God and the country to undertake the charge under the new title
which was given him."[1] His friends refused to be satisfied with this
answer: the former vote was renewed,[a] and the house, waiting on him in a
body, begged to remind him, that it was his duty to listen to the advice of
the great council of the three nations. He meekly replied, that he still
had his doubts on one point; and that, till such doubts were removed, his
conscience forbade him to assent; but that he was willing to explain his
reasons, and to hear theirs, and to hope that in a friendly conference the
means might be discovered of reconciling their opposite opinions, and of
determining on that which might be most beneficial to the country.[2]

In obedience to this intimation, a committee of the house was appointed to
receive and solve the scruples of the protector. To their surprise,
they found him in no haste to enter on the discussion. Sometimes he was
indisposed, and could not admit them; often he was occupied with important
business; on three occasions they obtained an interview. He wished to argue
the question on the ground of expedience. If the power were the same under
a protector, where, he asked, could be the use of a king? The title would
offend men, who, by their former services, had earned the right to
have even their prejudices respected. Neither was he sure that the
re-establishment of royalty might not be a falling off from that cause in

[Footnote 1: Merc. Pol. No. 355. Mr. Rutt has discovered and inserted both
speeches at length in Burton's Diary, i. 397-416.]

[Footnote 2: Thurloe, i. 751, 756. Parl. Hist. iii. 1493-1495. Burton's
Diary, i. 417.]

[Sidenote a: A.D. 1657. April 8.]

which they had engaged, and from that Providence by which they had been
so marvellously supported. It was true, that the Scripture sanctioned the
dignity of king; but to the testimony of Scripture might be oppose