[Sidenote e: A.D. 1652. Aug. 1.]
[Sidenote f: A.D. 1652. January.]
[Sidenote g: A.D. 1652. May 18.]

3. Here, to prevent subsequent interruption, I may be allowed to describe
the state of this unhappy country, while it remained under the sway of the
commonwealth.

On the death of Ireton, Lambert had been appointed lord deputy; but by
means of a female intrigue he was set aside in favour of Fleetwood, who had
married Ireton's widow.[1] To Fleetwood was assigned the command of the
forces without a colleague; but in the civil administration were joined
with him four other commissioners, Ludlow, Corbett, Jones, and Weaver. By
their instructions they were commanded[a] and authorized to observe, as far
as it was possible, the laws of England in the exercise of the government
and the administration of justice; to "endeavour the promulgation of the
gospel, and the power of true religion, and holiness;" to remove all
disaffected or suspected persons from office; to allow no papist or
delinquent to hold any place of trust, to practise as barrister or
solicitor, or to keep school for

[Footnote 1: Journals, Jan. 30, June 15, July 9. Lambert's wife and
Ireton's widow met in the park. The first, as her husband was in
possession, claimed the precedency, and the latter complained of the
grievance to Cromwell, her father, whose patent of lord lieutenant was on
the point of expiring. He refused to have it renewed; and, as there could
be no deputy where there was no principal, Lambert's appointment of deputy
was in consequence revoked. But Mrs. Ireton was not content with this
triumph over her rival. She married Fleetwood, obtained for him, through
her father's interest, the chief command in place of Lambert, and returned
with him to her former station in Ireland. Cromwell, however, paid for
the gratification of his daughter's vanity. That he might not forfeit the
friendship of Lambert, whose aid was necessary for his ulterior designs,
he presented him with a considerable sum to defray the charges of the
preparations which he had made for his intended voyage to Ireland,--Ludlow,
i. 355, 360. Hutchinson, 196. Lambert, however, afterwards discovered that
Cromwell had secretly instigated Vane and Hazlerig to oppose his going to
Ireland, and, in revenge, joined with them to depose Richard Cromwell for
the sin of his father.--Thurloe, vii. 660.]

[Sidenote a: A.D. 1652. August 24.]

the education of youth; to impose monthly assessment