ence
in wine, to open to him the most secret recesses of their bosom.
Great regularity, however, and even austerity of manners, were always
maintained in his court; and he was careful never by any liberties to
give offence to the most rigid of the godly. Some state was upheld;
but with little expense, and without any splendor. The nobility, though
courted by him, kept at a distance, and disdained to intermix with
those mean persons who were the instruments of his government. Without
departing from economy, he was generous to those who served him; and he
knew how to find out and engage in his interests every man possessed of
those talents which any particular employment demanded. His generals,
his admirals, his judges, his ambassadors, were persons who contributed,
all of them, in their several spheres, to the security of the protector,
and to the honor and interest of the nation.

Under pretence of uniting Scotland and Ireland in one commonwealth with
England, Cromwell had reduced those kingdoms to a total subjection;
and he treated them entirely as conquered provinces. The civil
administration of Scotland was placed in a council, consisting mostly of
English, of which Lord Broghile was president. Justice was administered
by seven judges, four of whom were English. In order to cure the
tyrannical nobility, he both abolished all vassalage,[*] and revived the
office of justice of peace, which King James had introduced, but was not
able to support.[**] A long line of forts and garrisons was maintained
throughout the kingdom. An army of ten thousand men[***] kept everything
in peace and obedience; and neither the banditti of the mountains nor
the bigots of the Low Countries could indulge their inclination to
turbulence and disorder. He courted the Presbyterian clergy though
he nourished that intestine enmity which prevailed between the
resolutioners and protesters; and he found that very little policy was
requisite to foment quarrels among theologians. He permitted no church
assemblies; being sensible that from thence had proceeded many of the
past disorders. And in the main, the Scots were obliged to acknowledge,
that never before, while they enjoyed their irregular, factious liberty,
had they attained so much happiness as at present, when reduced to
subjection under a foreign nation.

* Whitlocke, p. 570.

** Thurloe, vol. iv. p. 57.

*** Thurloe, vol. vi. p. 557.

The protector's administration of Ir