any of our late bloody contentions, that God might
make you the healer of our breaches, and employ you in that Temple work
which David himself might not be honored with, though it was in his
mind, because he shed blood abundantly and made great wars."

The new Protector was a weak and worthless man; but the bulk of the
nation were content to be ruled by one who was at any rate no soldier,
no Puritan, and no innovator. Richard was known to be lax and worldly in
his conduct, and he was believed to be conservative and even Royalist in
heart. The tide of reaction was felt even in his council. Their first
act was to throw aside one of the greatest of Cromwell's reforms and to
fall back in the summons which they issued for a new Parliament on the
old system of election. It was felt far more keenly in the tone of the
new House of Commons when it met in January, 1659. The republicans under
Vane, backed adroitly by the members who were secretly Royalists, fell
hotly on Cromwell's system. The fiercest attack of all came from Sir
Ashley Cooper, a Dorsetshire gentleman who had changed sides in the
civil war, had fought for the King and then for the Parliament, had been
a member of Cromwell's council, and had of late ceased to be a member of
it. His virulent invective on "his highness of deplorable memory, who
with fraud and force deprived you of your liberty when living and
entailed slavery on you at his death," was followed by an equally
virulent invective against the army. "They have not only subdued their
enemies," said Cooper, "but the masters who raised and maintained them!
They have not only conquered Scotland and Ireland, but rebellious
England too; and there suppressed a malignant party of magistrates and
laws."

The army was quick with its reply. Already in the preceding November it
had shown its suspicion of the new government by demanding the
appointment of a soldier as general in the place of the new Protector,
who had assumed the command. The tone of the council of officers now
became so menacing that the Commons ordered the dismissal of all
officers who refused to engage "not to disturb or interrupt the free
meetings of Parliament." Richard ordered the council of officers to
dissolve. Their reply was a demand for the dissolution of the
Parliament; and with this demand, on April 22d, Richard was forced to
comply. The purpose of the army, however, was still to secure a settled
government; and setting aside the new Pro