lf at the top of them, with Vane, Harrison,
Barebone, and the leading Quakers.

Nevertheless, here was Monk, such as he was, the armed constable of
the crisis, the one man who could keep the peace and let the Rumpers
proceed in doing their best. That "best" as they had agreed
specifically on the 4th of February, the day after Monk's arrival,
was to be the recruiting of their own House up to a total of 400
members for England and Wales, such recruiting to be effected by the
issue of a certain number of new writs, together with a scheme of
qualifications calculated to bring in only sound Republicans, or
persons likely to cooperate in farther measures with the present
Rumpers. This being what was promised by the conjunction of Monk and
the Rump, what could Milton do but acquiesce, be glad it was no
worse, and contribute what advice he could? This, accordingly, is
what he did. Pamphlets on the crisis, as we know, had been coming out
abundantly--pamphlets for the good old cause of the Republic,
pamphlets from Rota-men, pamphlets from Prynne and other haters of
the Rump, pamphlets from crypto-Royalists, and pamphlets openly
Royalist; and many of these had taken, and others were still to take,
the form of letters addressed to Monk. It need be no surprise that
Milton had _his_ pamphlet in preparation. He had begun it just
after Monk's arrival in London and the resolution, of the Rump to
recruit itself; he had written it hurriedly and yet with some earnest
care; and it seems to have been ready for the press about or not long
after the middle of February. Before it could go to press, however,
there had been another revolution, obliging him to hold it back.
There had been the rebellion of the Londoners because of the
resolution of the Rump to perpetuate itself by recruiting, instead of
either readmitting the secluded members or calling a new free and
full Parliament; there had been Monk's notorious two days in the
City, by order of the Rump, quashing the rebellion, and breaking the
gates and portcullises (Feb. 9-10); there had been his extraordinary
return the third day, with his profession of regret before the Lord
Mayor and the Aldermen and Common Council, and his announcement that
he had dissolved his connexion with the Rump,--that third day wound
up with yells of delight through all the City, the smashing of
Barebone's windows, and the universal Roasting of the Rump in
street-bonfires (Feb. 11); there had been the ten more da