Nor was this diftruft entirely without fome appearance of foundation. It is certain that the king entertained good hopes of him, and to that purpose wrote to him from Colen on the twelfth of Auguft, 1655. However, the general made no fcruple of discovering every step taken by the Cavaliers which came to his knowledge, even to the fending the protector this letter, and joined in promoting addreffes to him from the army in Scotland; one of which was moft graciously received by the protector on the nineteenth of March, 1657; and the fame year he received a fummons to Oliver's house of lords.

About this time George, fecond fon of general Monk died in his infancy, which was a great affliction to his father, who was doatingly fond of him. From this period, to the death of Oliver, the general maintained Scotland in fubjection, and lived free from all difturbance, not intermeddling further with the mad politicks of thofe times, than to put what orders he received from England punctually into execution; in purfuance of which plan he proclaimed Richard Cromwell protector there after his father's death, Richard having dif patched Dr. (afterwards Sir Thomas) Clarges then commiffioner of the Scotch and Irifh forces, whofe fifter the general had some time before owned for his wife, with letters to him; to which he returned a fuitable and respect. ful, answer, aiming only at fecuring his own command; at the fame time joining with the B 6

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more abfolute than any of their princes had dared to practife.

The war in Scotland being put an end to thus fpeedily and happily for the protector, he appointed a council of ftate for that part of his government; confifting of the lord Broghill; general Monk; colonel Howard, created earl of Carlisle after the restoration; colonel William Lockhart; colonel Adrian Scroop; colonel John Whetham; and majorgeneral Defborough; who came to Scotland in September, 1655, and began to exercise their authority, which was very extensive.

The majority of thefe commiffioners (three of whom, lord Broghill, colonel Howard, and colonel Whetham, were afterwards very inftrumental in the restoration) concurred with general Monk in almost every thing he propofed; by which means the government of Scotland till remained chiefly in his hands; which, together with his affable behaviour towards the better fort of all parties, made Cromwell begin to entertain fome fufpicions of him; and, in order to prevent his influence from growing too powerful, the protector ufed to make frequent changes in the forces under his. command, by recalling fuch regiments as were most trusted by the general, and fending in their room thofe who were moft violent and refractory at home; who gave him much trouble to bring them into order, and make them fubmit to that difcipline which he obliged all under him ftrictly to obferve..

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Nor was this diftruft entirely without fome appearance of foundation. It is certain that the king entertained good hopes of him, and to that purpose wrote to him from Colen on the twelfth of Auguft, 1655. However, the general made no fcruple of difcovering every step taken by the Cavaliers which came to his knowledge, even to the fending the protector this letter, and joined in promoting addreffes to him from the army in Scotland; one of which was moft graciously received by the protector on the nineteenth of March, 1657; and the fame year he received a fummons to Oliver's house of lords.

About this time George, fecond fon of general Monk died in his infancy, which was a great affliction to his father, who was doatingly fond of him. From this period, to the death of Oliver, the general maintained Scotland in fubjection, and lived free from all disturbance, not intermeddling further with the mad politicks of thofe times, than to put what orders he received from England punctually into execution; in pursuance of which plan he proclaimed Richard Cromwell protector there after his father's death, Richard having difpatched Dr. (afterwards Sir Thomas) Clarges then commiffioner of the Scotch and Irish forces, whofe fifter the general had fome time before owned for his wife, with letters to him; to which he returned a fuitable and respect. ful, anfwer, aiming only at fecuring his own command; at the fame time joining with the B 6

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reft of the officers and army under his command, in an addrefs to the new protector, whofe power he might eafily forefee would have but a fhort date, it having been his opinion that Oliver, had he lived much longer, would fcarce have been able to preferve himfelf in his ftation. And indeed Cromwell began to be apprehenfive of that great alteration which happened in the government, and fearful that the general was deeply engaged in thofe measures which procured it; if we may judge from a letter wrote by him to general Monk but a little before his death, to which was added the following remarkable poftfcript:

There be that tell me, that there is a certain cunning fellow in Scotland, called George Monk, who is faid to lie in wait there to introduce. Charles Stuart. I pray you to ufe your diligence to apprehend him and fend. him to me."

However, as Clarges had informed him, by Richard's order, that his late father had exprefly charged him to do nothing without his advice, the general recommended to him to encourage a learned, pious, moderate miniftry in the church; to permit no councils of officers, a liberty they had too often abused; to call a parliament, and to endeavour to be mafter of the army.

It is well known a parliament was called by Richard Cromwell; and, alfo, that, by the divifions arifing in the upper-house there

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of, which spread their influence over the army, He was foon obliged to diffolve it.

The general receiving advice of thefe tranfactions, and of the depofitions of Ri chard, readily abandoned him he had fo lately proclaimed; and his brother in law being again fent to him from the rump-parliament, on their restoration, he acquiefced in all they' had done, as the fureft way to preferve his own command, only by recommending Richard to their favour; and, with his officers, figned the engagement againft Charles Stuart, or any other fingle perfon, being admitted to the government. But, when their committee, confifting of ten perfons, began, on the information of Peirfon and Mason, two republican colonels in his army, to make confiderable alterations therein, by cafhiering of thofe officers in whom he moft confided; of which his brother-in-law, Clarges, gave him information; he wrote a letter to the house, complaining of this treatment in fo warm a ftile, at the fame time engaging for the fidelity of his officers, that they ordered their committee not to proceed further therein till the general himfelf was confulted.

The Royalifts were far from being idle in this juncture; there had been a kind of fecret committee of that party, for managing affairs in behalf of the crown, ever fince the death of Charles I. among whom was the fon of Sir John Greenvile, our general's kinfman,

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