, a committee was chosen to frame what
was called the "self-denying ordinance," by which the members of both
houses were excluded from all civil and military employments, except
a few offices which were specified. This ordinance was the subject of
great debate, and for a long time rent the parliament and city into
factions. But at last, by the prevalence of envy with some; with others,
of false modesty; with a great many, of the republican and Independent
views; it passed the house of commons, and was sent to the upper house.
The peers, though the scheme was in part levelled against their order;
though all of them were at bottom extremely averse to it; though they
even ventured once to reject it; yet possessed so little authority, that
they durst not persevere in opposing the resolution of the commons; and
they thought it better policy, by an unlimited compliance, to ward
off that ruin which they saw approaching.[*] The ordinance, therefore,
having passed both houses, Essex, Warwick, Manchester, Denbigh, Waller,
Brereton, and many others, resigned their commands, and received the
thanks of parliament for their good services. A pension of ten thousand
pounds a year was settled on Essex.

{1645.} It was agreed to recruit the army to twenty-two thousand men;
and Sir Thomas Fairfax was appointed general.[**] It is remarkable that
his commission did not run, like that of Essex, in the name of the king
and parliament, but in that of the parliament alone; and the article
concerning the safety of the king's person was omitted: so much had
animosities increased between the parties.[***] Cromwell, being a member
of the lower house, should have been discarded with the others; but
this impartiality would have disappointed all the views of those who had
introduced the self-denying ordinance. He was saved by a subtlety, and
by that political craft in which he was so eminent. At the time when the
other officers resigned their commissions, care was taken that he
should be sent with a body of horse to relieve Taunton besieged by the
royalists. His absence being remarked orders were despatched for his
immediate attendance in parliament; and the new general was directed
to employ some other officer in that service. A ready compliance was
feigned; and the very day was named on which, it was averred, he would
take his place in the house. But Fairfax, having appointed a rendezvous
of the army, wrote to the parliament, and desired leave to ret