in the house pretended to take fire at this
answer; and openly inveighed, in violent terms, against the person
and government of the king; whose name, hitherto, had commonly, in all
debates, been mentioned with some degree of reverence. Ireton, seeming
to speak the sense of the army, under the appellation of many thousand
godly men, who had ventured their lives in defence of the parliament,
said, that the king, by denying the four bills, had refused safety
and protection to his people; that their obedience to him was but a
reciprocal duty for his protection of them; and that, as he had failed
on his part, they were freed from all obligations to allegiance, and
must settle the nation, without consulting any longer so misguided a
prince.[**]

* Clarendon, vol. v. p. 88

** Cl. Walker, p. 70.

Cromwell, after giving an ample character of the valor, good affections,
and godliness of the army, subjoined, that it was expected the
parliament should guide and defend the kingdom by their own power and
resolutions, and not accustom the people any longer to expect safety
and government from an obstinate man, whose heart God had hardened;
that those who, at the expense of their blood, had hitherto defended the
parliament from so many dangers, would still continue, with fidelity
and courage, to protect them against all opposition in this vigorous
measure. "Teach them not," added he, "by your neglecting your own safety
and that of the kingdom, (in which theirs too is involved,) to imagine
themselves betrayed, and their interests abandoned to the rage and
malice of an irreconcilable enemy, whom, for your sake, they have dared
to provoke. Beware," and at these words he laid his hand on his sword,
"beware, lest despair cause them to seek safety by some other means than
by adhering to you, who know not how to consult your own safety."[*]
Such arguments prevailed; though ninety-one members had still the
courage to oppose. It was voted, that no more addresses be made to the
king, nor any letters or messages be received from him; and that it
be treason for any one, without leave of the two houses, to have any
intercourse with him. The lords concurred in the same ordinance.[**]

By this vote of non-addresses,--so it was called,--the king was in
reality dethroned, and the whole constitution formally overthrown. So
violent a measure was supported by a declaration of the commons no less
violent. The blackest calumnies were there