ared to give you my advice."[1]

The lord general, on the contrary, began to assume a more open and a bolder
tone. Hitherto, instead of leading, he had been led. That he disapproved of
much that had been done, we may readily believe; but he only records his
own weakness, where he alleges in excuse of his conduct that his name had
been subscribed to the resolves of the council, whether he consented or
not. He had lately shed the blood of two gallant officers at Colchester,
but no solicitations could induce him to concur in shedding the blood of
the king. His name stood at the head of the commissioners: he attended at
the first meeting, in which no business was transacted, but he constantly
refused to be present at their subsequent sittings, or to subscribe his
name to their resolutions.[A] This conduct surprised and mortified the
Independents: it probably arose from the influence of his wife, whose
desperate

[Footnote 1: For Cromwell's conduct see the letters in the Appendix to the
second volume of the Clarendon Papers, 1. li. The authenticity of this
speech has been questioned, as resting solely on the treacherous credit of
Perrinchiefe; but it occurs in a letter written on the 11th of January,
which describes the proceedings of the 9th, and therefore cannot, I think,
be questioned. By turning to the Journals, it will be found that on that
day the house had divided on a question whether any more messages should
be received from the Lords, which was carried, in opposition to Ludlow and
Marten. "Then," says the letter, "they fell on the business of the king's
trial." On this head nothing is mentioned in the Journals; but a motion
which would cause frequent allusions to it, was made and carried. It was
for a new great seal, on which should be engraven the House of Commons,
with this inscription:--"In the first year of freedom, by God's blessing
restored, 1648." Such a motion would naturally introduce Cromwell's speech
respecting the deposition of the king and the disherison of his posterity.]

[Sidenote a: A.D. 1649. Jan. 3.]

loyalty will soon challenge the attention of the reader.[1]

Before this the king, in anticipation of his subsequent trial, had
been removed to the palace of St.[a] James's. In the third week of his
confinement in Hurst Castle, he was suddenly roused out of his sleep at
midnight by the fall of the drawbridge and the trampling of horses. A
thousand frightful ideas rushed on his mind, and at an ear