rtant session of parliament to its conclusion, we
may now revert to the miscellaneous occurrences of the year, 1. Had much
credit been given to the tales of spies and informers, neither Cromwell nor
his adversary, Charles Stuart, would have passed a day without the dread
of assassination. But they knew that such persons are wont to invent and
exaggerate, in order to enhance the value of their services; and each
had, therefore, contented, himself with taking no other than ordinary
precautions for his security.[2] Cromwell, however, was aware of the
fierce, unrelenting disposition of the Levellers; the moment he learned
that they were negotiating with the exiled king and the Spaniards, he
concluded that they had sworn his destruction; and to oppose their attempts
on his life, he selected[a] one hundred and sixty brave and trusty men from
the different regiments of cavalry, whom he divided into eight

[Footnote 1: Whitelock, 657, 663. Parl. Hist. iii. 1502-1511. In a
catalogue printed at the time, the names were given of one hundred and
eighty-two members of this parliament, who, it was pretended, "were sons,
kinsmen, servants, and otherwise engaged unto, and had places of profit,
offices, salaries, and advantages, under the protector," sharing annually
among them out of the public money the incredible sum of one million
sixteen thousand three hundred and seventeen pounds, sixteen shillings, and
eightpence.]

[Footnote 2: Thurloe's voluminous papers abound with offers and warnings
connected with this subject.]

[Sidenote a: A.D. 1657. Feb. 28.]

troops, directing that two of these troops in rotation should be always on
duty near his person.[1] Before the end of the year, he learned[a] that a
plot had actually been organized, that assassins had been engaged, and that
his death was to be the signal for a simultaneous rising of the Levellers
and royalists, and the sailing of a hostile expedition from the coast of
Flanders. The author of this plan was Sexby; nor will it be too much to
assert that it was not only known, but approved by the advisers of
Charles at Bruges. They appointed an agent to accompany the chief of the
conspirators; they prepared to take every advantage of the murder; they
expressed an unfeigned sorrow for the failure of the attempt. Indeed,
Clarendon, the chief minister (he had lately been made lord chancellor),
was known to hold, that the assassination of a successful rebel or usurper
was an act of jus