[Footnote 1: Thurloe, i. 668, 681, 685. Whitelock, 607. Journals, Nov. 30.
Though the house was daily occupied with the important question of the
government, it found leisure to inquire into the theological opinions of
John Biddle, who may be styled the father of the English Unitarians. He had
been thrice imprisoned by the long parliament, and was at last liberated by
the act of oblivion in 1652. The republication of his opinions attracted
the notice of the present parliament: to the questions put to him by the
speaker, he replied, that he could nowhere find in Scripture that Christ
or the Holy Ghost is called God; and it was resolved that he should be
committed to the Gatehouse, and that a bill to punish him should be
prepared. The dissolution saved his life; and by application to the Upper
Bench, he recovered his liberty; but was again arrested in 1655, and sent
to the isle of Scilly, to remain for life in the castle of St. Mary.
Cromwell discharged him in 1658; but he was again sent to Newgate in
1662, where he died the same year.--See Vita Bidelli, the short account;
Journals, Dec. 12, 13, 1654; Wood, iii. 594; and Biog. Brit.]

to break the designs of his adversaries. They proceeded with the revision
of "the instrument;" their labours were embodied in a bill,[a] and the bill
was read a third time. During two days the courtiers prolonged the debate
by moving a variety of amendments; on the third Cromwell summoned[b] the
house to meet him in the Painted Chamber. Displeasure and contempt were
marked on his countenance; and the high and criminatory tone which he
assumed taught them to feel how inferior the representatives of the people
were to the representative of the army.

They appeared there, he observed, with the speaker at their head, as a
house of parliament. Yet, what had they done as a parliament? He never had
played, he never would play, the orator; and therefore he would tell them
frankly, they had done nothing. For five months they had passed no bill,
had made no address, had held no communication with him. As far as
concerned them, he had nothing to do but to pray that God would enlighten
their minds and give a blessing to their labours. But had they then done
nothing? Yes: they had encouraged the Cavaliers to plot against the
commonwealth, and the Levellers to intrigue with the Cavaliers. By their
dissension they had aided the fanatics to throw the nation into confusion,
and by the slowness of their proce