royalty restored-第4部分

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ing　upon　his　ashes　when　dead。〃

On　the　30th　of　August　his　danger　became　evident　even　to　himself；　and　all　hope　of　life　left　him。　　For　hours　after　the　certain　approach　of　death　became　undeniably　certain；　he　remained　quiet　and　speechless；　seemingly　heedless　of　the　exhortation　and　prayers　of　his　chaplains；　till　suddenly　turning　to　one　of　them；　he　whispered；　〃Tell　me；　is　it　possible　to　fall　from　grace？〃　　The　preacher　had　a　soothing　reply　ready：　　〃It　is　not；〃　he　answered。　〃Then；〃　exclaimed　this　unhappy　man；　whose　soul　was　red　with　the　blood　of　thousands　of　his　countrymen；　〃I　am　safe；　for　I　know　I　was　once　in　grace。〃　　Anon　he　cries　out；　whilst　tossing　wildly　on　his　bed；　〃Lord；　although　I　am　a　miserable　and　a　wretched　creature；　I　am　in　covenant　with　Thee　through　grace；　and　I　may　and　will　come　to　Thee　for　Thy　people。　　Pardon　such　as　desire　to　trample　upon　the　dust　of　a　poor　worm。　　And　give　us　a　good　night　if　it　be　Thy　pleasure。　　Amen。〃

It　was　now　the　2nd　of　September。　　As　the　evening　of　that　day　approached　he　fell　into　a　stupor；　and　those　who　watched　him　thought　the　end　had　come。

Within　the　darkened　chamber　in　Whitehall　all　was　silence　and　gloom；　without　all　was　tumult　and　fear。　　Before　the　gates　of　the　palace　a　turbulent　crowd　of　soldiers　and　citizens　had　gathered　in　impatient　anxiety。　　Those　he　had　raised　to　power；　those　whose　fortunes　depended　on　his　life；　were　steeped　in　gloom；　those　whose　principles　he　had　outraged　by　his　usurpation；　those　whose　position　he　had　crushed　by　his　sway；　rejoiced　at　heart。　　Not　only　the　capital；　but　the　whole　nation；　was　divided　into　factions　which　one　strong　hand　alone　had　been　able　to　control；　and　terror；　begotten　by　dire　remembrances　of　civil　war　and　bloodshed；　abode　with　all　lovers　of　peace。

As　evening　closed　in；　the　elements　appeared　in　unison　with　the　distracted　condition　of　the　kingdom。　　Dark　clouds；　seeming　of　ominous　import　to　men's　minds；　gathered　in　the　heavens；　to　be　presently　torn　asunder　and　hurried　in　wild　flight　by　tempestuous　winds　across　the　troubled　sky。　　As　night　deepened；　the　gale　steadily　increased；　until　it　raged　in　boundless　fury　above　the　whole　island　and　the　seas　that　rolled　around　its　shores。　　In　town　houses　rocked　on　their　foundations；　turrets　and　steeples　were　flung　from　their　places；　in　the　country　great　trees　were　uprooted；　corn…stacks　levelled　to　the　ground；　and　winter　fruits　destroyed；　whilst　at　sea　ships　sank　to　rise　no　more。　　This　memorable　storm　lasted　all　night；　and　continued　until　three　o'clock　next　afternoon；　when　Cromwell　expired。

His　body　was　immediately　embalmed；　but　was　of　necessity　interred　in　great　haste。　　Westminster　Abbey；　the　last　home　of　kings　and　princes；　was　selected　as　the　fittest　resting…place　for　the　regicide。　　Though　it　was　impossible　to　honour　his　remains　by　stately　ceremonials；　his　followers　were　not　content　to　let　the　occasion　of　his　death　pass　with…out　commemoration。　　They　therefore　had　a　waxen　image　of　him　made；　which　they　resolved　to　surround　with　all　the　pomp　and　circumstances　of　royalty。　　For　this　purpose　they　carried　it　to　Somerset　Houseone　of　the　late　King's　palacesand　placed　it　on　a　couch　of　crimson　velvet　beneath　a　canopy　of　state。　　Upon　its　shoulders　they　hung　a　purple　mantle；　in　its　right　hand　they　placed　a　golden　sceptre；　and　by　its　side　they　laid　an　imperial　crown；　probably　the　same　which；　according　to　Welwood；　the　Protector　had　secretly　caused　to　be　made　and　conveyed　to　Whitehall　with　a　view　to　his　coronation。　The　walls　and　ceiling　of　the　room　in　which　the　effigy　lay　were　covered　by　sable　velvet；　the　passages　leading　to　it　crowded　with　soldiery。　　After　a　few　weeks　the　town　grew　tired　of　this　sight；　when　the　waxen　image　was　taken　to　another　apartment；　hung　with　rich　velvets　and　golden　tissue；　and　otherwise　adorned　to　symbolize　heaven；　when　it　was　placed　upon　a　throne；　clad　〃in　a　shirt　of　fine　Holland　lace；　doublet　and　breeches　of　Spanish　fashion　with　great　skirts；　silk　stockings；　shoe…strings　and　gaiters　suitable；　and　black　Spanish　leather　shoes。〃　　Over　this　attire　was　flung　a　cloak　of　purple　velvet；　and　on　his　head　was　placed　a　crown　with　many　precious　stones。　　The　room　was　then　lit；　as　Ludlow　narrates；　〃by　four　or　five　hundred　candles　set　in　flat　shining　candlesticks；　so　placed　round　near　the　roof　that　the　light　they　gave　seemed　like　the　rays　of　the　sun；　by　all　which　he　was　represented　to　be　now　in　a　state　of　glory。〃　　Lest；　indeed；　there　should　be　any　doubt　as　to　the　place　where　his　soul　abode；　Sterry；　the　Puritan　preacher；　imparted　the　information　to　all；　that　the　Protector　〃now　sat　with　Christ　at　the　right　hand　of　the　Father。〃

But　this　pomp　and　state　in　no　may　overawed　the　people；　who；　by　pelting　with　mire　Cromwell's　escutcheon　placed　above　the　great　gate　of　Somerset　House　gave　evidence　of　the　contempt　in　which　they　held　his　memory。　　After　a　lapse　of　over　two　months　from　the　day　of　his　death；　the　effigy　was　carried　to　Westminster　Abbey　with　more　than　regal　ceremony；　the　expenses　of　his　lying…in…state　and　of　his　funeral　procession　amounting；　as　stated　by　Walker　and　Noble；　to　upwards　of　L29；000。　　〃It　was　the　joyfullest　funeral　I　ever　saw；〃　writes　Evelyn；　〃for　there　were　none　that　cried　but　dogs；　which　the　soldiers　hooted　away　with　a　barbarous　noise；　drinking　and　taking　tobacco　as　they　went。〃

A　little　while　before　his　death　Cromwell　had　named　his　eldest　surviving　son；　Richard；　as　his　successor；　and　he　was　accordingly　declared　Protector；　with　the　apparent　consent　of　the　council；　soldiers；　and　citizens。　　Nor　did　the　declaration　cause　any　excitement；　〃There　is　not　a　dog　who　wags　his　tongue；　so　profound　is　the　calm　which　we　are　in；〃　writes　Thurlow　to　Oliver's　second　son；　Henry；　then　Lord　Lieutenant　of　Ireland。　　But　if　the　nation　in　its　dejection　made　no　signs　of　resistance；　neither　did　it　give　any　indications　of　satisfaction；　and　Richard　was　proclaimed　〃with　as　few　expressions　of　joy　as　had　ever　been　observed　on　a　like　occasion。〃　　For　a　brief　while　a　stupor　seemed　to　lull　the　factious　party　spirit　which　was　shortly　to　plunge　the　country　into　fresh　difficulties。　　The　Cromwellians　and　Republicans　foresaw　resistless　strife；　and　the　Royalists　quietly　and　hopefully　abided　results。

Nor　had　they　long　to　wait。　　In　the　new　Parliament　assembled　in　January；　1659；　the　Republicans　showed　themselves　numerous　and　bold　beyond　measure；　and　hesitated　to　recognise　Richard　Cromwell　as　successor　to　the　Protectorate。　　However；　on　the　14th　of　the　following　month　the　Cromwellians　gained　the　upper　hand；　when　Richard　was　confirmed　in　his　title　of　〃Lord　Protector；　and　First　Magistrate　of　England；　Scotland；　and　Ireland；　with　all　the　territories　depending　thereon。〃　　Further　discussion　quickly　followed。　　〃One　party　thinks　the　Protectorate　cannot　last；　the　other　that　the　Republican　cannot　raise　itself　again；　the　indifferent　hope　that　both　will　be　right。　　It　is　easy　to　foretell　the　upshot；〃　writes　Hyde。　　The　disunion　spread　rapidly　and　widely；　not　only　was　the　Parliament　divided　against　itself；　but　so　likewise　was　the　army；　and　the　new　Protector　had　neither　the　courage　nor　the　ability　to　put　down　strife　with　a　strong　hand。　Richard　Cromwell　was　a　man　of　peaceful　disposition；　gentle　manners　and　unambitious　mind；　whom　fate　had　forced　into　a　position　for　which　he　was　in　no　way　fitted。　　By　one　of　those　strange　contradictions　which　nature　sometimes　produces；　he　differed　in　all　things　from　his　father；　for　not　only　was　he　pleasure…loving；　joyous；　and　humane；　but　he　was；　moreover；　a　Royalist　at　heart；　and　continued　in　friendship　with　the　Cavaliers　up　to　the　period　of　his　proclamation　as　Protector。　　It　has　been　stated　that；　falling　on　his　knees；　he　entreated　his　father　to　spare　the　life　of　Charles　I。；　it　is　certain　he　remained　inactive　whilst　the　civil　wars　devastated　the　land；　and　there　is　evidence　to　show　that；　during　the　seven　months　and　twenty…eight　days　of　his　Protectorship；　he　shrank　from　the　perpetration　of　cruelty　and　crime。　　Accordingly；　when　those　who　had　at　first　supported　his　authority　eventually　conspired　against　him；　he　refrained　from　using　his　power　to　crush　them。　　At　this　his　friends　were　wrath。　〃It　is　time　to　look　about　you；〃　said　Lord　Howard；　speaking　with　the　bluntness　of　a　friend。　　〃Empire　and　command　are　not　now　the　question。　　Your　person；　your　life　are　in　peril。　　You　are　the　son　of　Cromwell；　show　yourself　worthy　to　be　his　son。　　This　business　requires　a　bold　stroke；　and　must　be　supported　by　a　good　head。　　Do　not　suffer　yourself　to　be　daunted。　　I　will　rid　you　of　your　enemies：　　do　you　stand　by　me；　and　only　back　my　zeal　for　your　honour　with　your　name；　my　head　shall　answer　for　the　consequences。〃

Colonel　Ingoldsby　seconded　the　advice　Lord　Howard　gave；　but　Richard　Cromwell　hearkened　to　neither。　　〃I　have　never　done　anybody　any　harm；　and　never　will；〃　said　he。　　〃will　not　have　a　drop　of　blood　spilt　for　the　preservation　of　my　greatness；　which　is　a　burden　to　me。〃　　At　this　Lord　Howard　was　indignant。　　〃Do　you　think；〃　he　asked；　〃this　moderation　of　yours　will　repair　the　wrong　your　family　has　committed　by　its　elevation？　　Everybody　knows　that　by　violence　your　father　procured　the　death　of　the　late　king；　and　kept　his　sons　in　banishment：　　mercy　in　the　present　state　of　affairs　is　unreasonable。　　Lay　aside　this　pussillanimity；　every　moment　is　precious；　your　enemies　sp