royalty restored-第3部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


hought；　religion　shall　then　be　restored；　liberty　asserted；　and　Parliaments　have　those　privileges　they　have　sought　for。　　All　this　we　hope　from　your　Highness's　happy　expiration。　　To　hasten　this　great　good　is　the　chief　end　of　my　writing　this　paper；　and　if　it　have　the　effects　I　hope　it　will；　your　Highness　will　quickly　be　out　of　the　reach　of　men's　malice；　and　your　enemies　will　only　be　able　to　wound　you　in　your　memory；　which　strokes　you　will　not　feel。〃

The　possession　of　life　becomes　dearest　when　its　forfeiture　is　threatened；　and　therefore　Cromwell　took　all　possible　means　to　guard　against　treacherythe　only　foe　he　feared；　and　feared　exceedingly。　　〃His　sleeps　were　disturbed　with　the　apprehensions　of　those　dangers　the　day　presented　unto　him　in　the　approaches　of　any　strange　face；　whose　motion　he　would　most　fixedly　attend；〃　writes　James　Heath；　gentleman；　in　his　〃Chronicles；〃　published　in　1675。　　〃Above　all；　he　very　carefully　observed　such　whose　mind　or　aspect　were　featured　with　any　chearful　and　debonair　lineaments；　for　such　he　boded　were　they　that　would　despatch　him；　to　that　purpose　he　always　went　secretly　armed；　both　offensive　and　defensive；　and　never　stirred　without　a　great　guard。　　In　his　usual　journey　between　Whitehall　and　Hampton　Court；　by　several　roads；　he　drove　full　speed　in　the　summer　time；　making　such　a　dust　with　his　life…guard；　part　before　and　part　behinde；　at　a　convenient　distance；　for　fear　of　choaking　him　with　it；　that　one　could　hardly　see　for　a　quarter　of　an　hour　together；　and　always　came　in　some　private　way　or　other。〃　　The　same　authority；　in　his　〃Life　of　Cromwell；〃　states　of　him；　〃It　was　his　constant　custom　to　shift　and　change　his　lodging；　to　which　he　passed　through　twenty　several　locks；　and　out　of　which　he　had　four　or　five　ways　to　avoid　pursuit。〃　　Welwood；　in　his　〃Memoirs；〃　adds　the　Protector　wore　a　coat　of　mail　beneath　his　dress；　and　carried　a　poniard　under　his　cloak。

Nor　was　this　all。　　According　to　the　〃Chronicle　of　the　late　Intestine　War；〃　Cromwell　〃would　sometimes　pretend　to　be　merry；　and　invite　persons；　of　whom　he　had　some　suspicion；　to　his　cups；　and　then　drill　out　of　their　open　hearts　such　secrets　as　he　wisht　for。　　He　had　freaks　also　to　divert　the　vexations　of　his　misgiving　thoughts；　calling　on　by　the　beat　of　drum　his　footguards；　like　a　kennel　of　hounds　to　snatch　away　the　scraps　and　reliques　of　his　table。　　He　said　every　man's　hand　was　against　him；　and　that　he　ran　daily　into　further　perplexities；　out　of　which　it　was　impossible　to　extricate；　or　secure　himself　therein；　without　running　into　further　danger；　so　that　he　began　to　alter　much　in　the　tenour　of　his　former　converse；　and　to　run　and　transform　into　the　manners　of　the　ancient　tyrants；　thinking　to　please　and　mitigate　his　own　tortures　with　the　sufferings　of　others。〃

But　now　the　fate　his　vigilance　had　hitherto　combated　at　last　overtook　him　in　a　manner　impossible　to　evade。　　He　was　attacked　by　divers　infirmities；　but　for　some　time　made　no　outward　sign　of　his　suffering；　until　one　day　five　physicians　came　and　waited　on　him；　as　Dr。　George　Bate　states　in　his　ELENCHUS　MOTUUM　NUPERORUM。　　And　one　of　them；　feeling　his　pulse；　declared　his　Highness　suffered　from　an　intermittent　fever；　hearing　which　〃he　looked　pale；　fell　into　a　cold　sweat；　almost　fainted　away；　and　orders　himself　to　be　carried　to　bed。〃　　His　fright；　however；　was　but　momentary。　　He　was　resolved　to　live。　　He　had　succeeded　in　raising　himself　to　a　position　of　vast　power；　but　had　failed　in　attaining　the　great　object　of　his　ambitionthe　crowned　sovereignty　of　the　nation　he　had　stirred　to　its　centre；　and　conquered　to　its　furthest　limits。　Brought　face　to　face　with　death；　his　indomitable　will；　which　had　shaped　untoward　circumstances　to　his　accord　with　a　force　like　unto　fate　itself；　now　determined　to　conquer　his　shadowy　enemy　which　alone　intercepted　his　path　to　the　throne。　　Therefore　as　he　lay　in　bed　he　said　to　those　around　him　with　that　sanctity　of　speech　which　had　cloaked　his　cruellest　deeds　and　dissembled　his　most　ambitious　designs；　〃I　would　be　willing　to　live　to　be　further　serviceable　to　God　and　his　people。〃

As　desires　of　waking　hours　are　answered　in　sleep；　so　in　response　to　his　nervous　craving　for　life　he　had　delusive　assurances　of　health　through　the　special　bounty　of　Providence。　　He　was　therefore　presently　able　to　announce　he　〃had　very　great　discoveries　of　the　Lord　to　him　in　his　sickness；　and　hath　some　certainty　of　being　restored；〃　as　Fleetwood；　his　son…in…law；　wrote　on　the　24th　of　August　in　this　same　year。

Accordingly；　when　one　of　the　physicians　came　to　him　next　morning；　the　High　Protector　said；　〃Why　do　you　look　sad？〃　　To　which　the　man　of　lore　replied　evasively；　〃So　it　becomes　anyone　who　had　the　weighty　care　of　his　life　and　health　upon　him。〃　　Then　Cromwell　to　this　purpose　spoke：　　〃You　think　I　shall　die；　I　tell　you　I　shall　not　die　this　bout；　I　am　sure　on't。　　Don't　think　I　am　mad。　　I　speak　the　words　of　truth　upon　surer　grounds　than　Galen　or　your　Hippocrates　furnish　you　with。　　God　Almighty　himself　hath　given　that　answer；　not　to　my　prayers　alone；　but　also　to　the　prayers　of　those　who　entertain　a　stricter　commerce　and　greater　intimacy　with　him。　　Ye　may　have　skill　in　the　nature　of　things；　yet　nature　can　do　more　than　all　physicians　put　together；　and　God　is　far　above　nature。〃　　The　doctor　besought　him　to　rest；　and　left　the　room。　Outside　he　met　one　of　his　colleagues；　to　whom　he　gave　it　as　his　opinion　their　patient　had　grown　light…headed；　and　he　repeated　the　words　which　Cromwell　had　spoken。　　〃Then；〃　said　his　brother…　physician；　〃you　are　certainly　a　stranger　in　this　house；　don't　you　know　what　was　done　last　night？　　The　chaplain　and　all　their　friends　being　dispersed　into　several　parts　of　the　palace　have　prayed　to　God　for　his　health；　and　they　all　heard　the　voice　of　God　saying；　'He　will　recover；'　and　so　they　are　all　certain　of　it。〃

〃Never；　indeed；　was　there　a　greater　stock　of　prayers　going　on　for　any　man；〃　as　Thurlow；　his　secretary；　writes。　　So　sure　were　those　around　him　that　Providence　must　hearken　to　and　grant　the　fulfilment　of　such　desires　as　they　thought　well　to　express；　that；　as　Thomas　Goodwin；　one　of　Cromwell's　chaplains；　said；　〃We　asked　not　for　the　Protector's　life；　for　we　were　assured　He　had　too　great　things　for　this　man　to　do；　to　remove　him　yet；　but　we　prayed　for　his　speedy　recovery；　because　his　life　and　presence　were　so　necessary　to　divers　things　then　of　great　moment　to　be　despatched。〃　　When　this　Puritanical　fanatic　was　presently　disappointed；　Bishop　Burnet　narrates　〃he　had　the　impudence　to　say　to　God；　'Thou　hast　deceived　us。'〃

Meanwhile　the　Protector　lay　writhing　in　pain　and　terror。　　His　mind　was　sorely　troubled　at　remembrance　of　the　last　words　spoken　by　his　daughter　Elizabeth；　who　had　threatened　judgments　upon　him　because　of　his　refusal　to　save　the　King；　whilst　his　body　was　grievously　racked　with　a　tertian　fever；　and　a　foul　humour　which；　beginning　in　his　foot；　worked　its　way　steadily　to　his　heart。　Moreover；　some　insight　regarding　his　future　seemed　given　to　him　in　his　last　days；　for　he　appeared；　as　Ludlow；　his　contemporary；　states；　〃above　all　concerned　for　the　reproaches　he　saw　men　would　cast　upon　his　name；　in　tramping　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　beneat