nothing but the ruin of those who were engaged in it; whereof many in the beginning of the next year were by a High Court of Justice imprisoned, and some executed.
This year also was Major-General Lambert put out of all employment, a man second to none but Oliver in the favour of the army. But because he expected by that favour, or by promise from the Protector, to be his successor in the supreme power, it would have been dangerous to let him have command in the army; the Protector having designed for his successor his eldest son Richard.
In the year 1658, September the 3rd, the Protector died at Whitehall; having ever since his last establishment been perplexed with fears of being killed by some desperate attempt of the royalists.
Being importuned in his sickness by his privy-council to name his successor, he named his son Richard; who, encouraged thereunto, not by his own ambition, but by Fleetwood, Desborough, Thurlow, and other of his council, was content to take it upon him; and presently addresses were made to him from the armies in England, Scotland, and Ireland. His first business was the chargeable and splendid funeral of his father.
Thus was Richard Cromwell seated on the imperial throne of England, Ireland, and Scotland, successor to his father; lifted up to it by the officers of the army then in town, and congratulated by all the parts of the army throughout the three nations; scarce any garrison omitting their particular flattering addresses to him.
B. Seeing the army approved of him, how came he so soon cast off?
A. The army was inconstant; he himself irresolute, and without any military glory. And though the two principal officers had a near relation to him; yet neither of them, but Lambert, was the great favourite of the army; and by courting Fleetwood to take upon him the Protectorship, and by tampering with the soldiers, had gotten again to be a colonel. He and the rest of the officers had a council at Wallingford
