ich he gave no other explanation than
that it had been placed in his hands, and "tended to the settlement of the
country." Its purport, however, was already known, or conjectured; several
officers instantly started from their seats, and

[Footnote 1: Burton's Diary, 362-366.]

[Sidenote a: A.D. 1657. Jan. 19.]
[Sidenote b: A.D. 1657. Feb. 20.]
[Sidenote c: A.D. 1657. Feb. 23.]

Pack was violently borne down to the bar. But, on the restoration of order,
he found himself supported by Broghill, Whitelock, and Glynn, and, with
them, by the whole body of the lawyers, and the dependants of the court.
The paper was read; it was entitled, "An humble Address and Remonstrance,"
protesting against the existing form of government, which depended for
security on the odious institution of majors-general, and providing that
the protector should assume a higher title, and govern, as had been done in
times past, with the advice of two houses of parliament. The opposition (it
consisted of the chief officers, the leading members in the council, and
a few representatives of counties) threw every obstacle in the way of its
supporters; but they were overpowered by numbers: the house debated each
article in succession, and the whole project was finally adopted,[a] but
with the omission of the remonstrance, and under the amended title of the
"Humble Petition and Advice."[1]

As long as the question was before parliament, Cromwell bore himself in
public as if he were unconcerned in the result; but his mind was secretly
harassed by the reproaches of his friends and by the misgivings of his
conscience. He saw for the first time marshalled against him the men who
had stood by him in his different fortunes, and whom he had bound to his
interest by marriages and preferment. At their head was Lambert, the
commander of the army in England, the idol of the military, and second only
to himself in authority. Then came Desborough, his brother-in-law, the
major-general in five counties, and Fleetwood, the husband of his daughter
Bridget, and

[Footnote 1: Journals, Jan. 19, Feb. 21, 23, 24, 25. Thurloe, vi. 74, 78.
Whitelock, 665, 666. Ludlow, ii. 128. Burton's Diary, iii. 160.]

[Sidenote a: A.D. 1657. March 25.] lord-deputy of Ireland.[1] Lambert, at
a private meeting of officers, proposed to bring up five regiments of
cavalry, and compel the house to confirm both the "instrument," and the
establishment of majors-general. This bold counsel was appr