were enabled
to import naval stores on the same terms, while before, on account of
the heavy duties, they bought them at second hand of the Dutch.--See the
treaties in Dumont. v. part ii. p. 80, 92.]

back to the onions and flesh-pots of Egypt. He spoke not as their lord, but
their fellow-servant, a labourer with them in the same good work; and would
therefore detain them no longer, but desire them to repair to their own
house, and to choose their speaker.[1]

To procure a parliament favourable to his designs, all the power of the
government had been employed to influence the elections; the returns had
been examined by a committee of the council, under the pretext of seeing
that the provisions of the "instrument" were observed; and the consequence
was, that the Lord Grey of Groby, Major Wildman, and some other noted
republicans, had been excluded by command of the protector. Still he found
himself unable to mould the house to his wishes. By the court, Lenthall was
put in nomination for the office of speaker; by the opposition, Bradshaw,
the boldest and most able of the opposite party. After a short debate,
Lenthall was chosen, by the one, because they knew him to be a timid and a
time-serving character; by the other, because they thought that, to place
him in the chair, was one step towards the revival of the long parliament,
of which he had been speaker. But no one ventured to propose that he should
be offered, according to ancient custom, to the acceptance of the supreme
magistrate. This was thought to savour too much of royalty.[2]

[Footnote 1: Compare the official copy printed by G. Sawbridge, 1654, with
the abstract by Whitelock (599, 600), and by Bordeaux (Thurloe, ii. 518).
See also Journals, Sept. 3, 4.]

[Footnote 2: It appears from the Council Book (1654, Aug. 21), that, on
that day, letters were despatched to the sheriffs, containing the names of
the members who had been approved by the council, with orders to give them
notice to attend. The letters to the more distant places were sent first,
that they might all be received about the same time.]

It was not long before the relative strength of the parties was
ascertained. After a sharp debate,[a] in which it was repeatedly asked
why the members of the long parliament then present should not resume the
authority of which they had been illegally deprived by force, and by what
right, but that of the sword, one man presumed to "command his commanders,"
the