e
mountains and they reel; God hath a high hill, too, and his hill is as the
hill of Bashan; and the chariots of God are twenty thousand of angels; and
God will dwell upon this hill for ever." At the conclusion "of this grave,
Christian, and seasonable speech," he placed on the table an instrument
under his own hand and seal, intrusting to them the supreme authority for
the space of fifteen months from that day, then to be transmitted by them
to another assembly, the members of which they should previously have
chosen.[1]

The next day[a] was devoted by the new representatives to exercises of
religion, not in any of the churches of the capital, but in the room where
the late parliament was accustomed to sit. Thirteen of the most gifted
among them successively prayed and preached, from eight in the morning till
six in the evening; and several affirmed "that they had never enjoyed so
much of the spirit and presence of Christ in any of the meetings

[Footnote 1: Proceedings, No. 197. Parl. Hist. xx. 153. Milton's State
Papers, 106. This last appears to me a more faithful copy than that printed
by authority.]

[Sidenote a: A.D. 1653. July 5.]

and exercises of religion in all their lives, as they did on that day." As
it was solely to their reputation for superior godliness that the majority
of the members owed their election, the lord-general probably expected
from them little opposition to his measures; but they no sooner applied to
business than he saw reason to be alarmed at the promptitude and resolution
which they displayed. Though not distinguished by their opulence, they
were men of independent fortunes;[1] during the late revolutions they had
learned to think for themselves on the momentous questions which divided
the nation; and their fanaticism, by converting their opinions into matters
of conscience, had superadded an obstinacy of character not easily to be
subdued. To Cromwell himself they always behaved with respect. They invited
him with four of his officers to sit as a member among them; and they made
him the offer of the palace of Hampton Court in exchange for his house of
Newhall. But they believed and showed that they were the masters. They
scorned to submit to the dictation of their servants; and, if they often
followed the advice, they as often rejected the recommendations and amended
the resolutions of the council of state.

One of the first subjects which engaged their attention was a contest, in