Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume V.djvu/512

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508 CROMWELL capacity, and was pleased to see him remain in the country. When the protectorate was es- tablished, Eichard was elected to parliament for various places, on different occasions, and Oliver endeavored to train him to the art of government. He succeeded his father as chan- cellor of Oxford university, and was made a colonel and a lord of trade and navigation. When the protector sought to create a house of peers, his eldest son was placed at its head, with the title of the Right Hon. Lord Richard, &c. On Oliver's death, Richard succeeded to the place of lord protector. A parliament was called, which met Jan. 27, 1659, to which he made a sensible speech, and for a short time things went on well. In parliament, however, he was not strong, and the army was not at- tached to one who was at heart a royalist. A meeting of the officers was held, at which it was resolved that the army should be com- manded by some one person. The protector applied to parliament for advice, at the sugges- tion of the council ; and that body condemned the Action of the army, and declared that the officers should hold no more meetings without the protector's permission. This brought mat- ters to a crisis. The officers compelled Richard to dissolve parliament, which event was soon followed by his own resignation. He was not equal to the place in which circumstances had placed him. To the remonstrances his deter- mination excited he replied that his resolution was fixed, that violent counsels did not suit him, and the like. His retirement drew upon him reproaches from all sides, which have been re- peated for two centuries. Macaulay speaks of him as "that foolish Ishbosheth," who could not preserve " an authority which any man of ordinary firmness and prudence would have retained." Just before the restoration the Oromwellians wished to replace Richard at the head of the nation ; but it was too late for such an act to be attempted, even if he had himself been willing to return to Whitehall. He retired to Hursley, his wife's estate. In July, 1660, he left England for the continent, but less on account of political than for per- sonal reasons. His debts amounted to 30,- 000. He resided at Paris, under the name of Wallis, for 20 years, making two visits to Geneva. He was little known, and sometimes had his feelings wounded by expressions of contempt for his poltroonery from strangers. He returned to England in 1680, his debts hav- ing been paid, took the name of Clarke, and resided at Cheshunt. His life was retired. One of his few friends was Dr. Watts, who never heard him mention his former greatness more than once, and then indirectly. A lawsuit with his daughters, in his extreme old age, brought him before the public in the reign of Queen Anne. The judge treated him with much consideration, and his conduct was ap- proved by the queen. Richard won his cause, lie lived to be nearly 86, dying at Cheshunt, in the house of Sergeant Pengelley, who was supposed to be his natural son, and who rose to eminence in the law. He was buried in the chancel of Hursley church, where one of his daughters erected a monument to his mem- ory. He left no legitimate son. His son Oli- ver was active in the revolution of 1688-'9, and offered to raise a regiment to serve in Ireland, provided he were allowed to nomi- nate his captains; but the name was yet too formidable to warrant government in accepting the offer. He died May 11, 1705. III. Henry, second surviving son of the first lord protector, born at Huntingdon, Jan 20, 1628, died March, 23, 1673. He was educated at Felstead, but as he entered the parliamen- tary army at the age of 16, he could not have known much of schools. Before he was 20 he had a troop in the lord general Fairfax's life guards. He was made a colonel in 1649, and went with his father to Ireland, where he served throughout those fierce wars that sub- jugated the country, distinguishing himself on several occasions. In the first parliament that his father called, the " Barebone's parliament," he sat as one of the six Irish members. He was married in 1653 to Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Francis Russell. The university of Cambridge elected him to parliament in ] 654. In 1655 he was sent to Ireland as a major general, and eventually he was made lord dep- uty. He was well received in that country, and he justified the reception by the admira- ble manner in which he governed it. Men of all parties united in praising his wise and benevolent action ; and Ireland rose rapidly to prosperity under his rule. He is said to have inclined in politics to royalist principles, which was not uncommon with members of Crom- well's family. When Oliver died, Henry ex- erted himself to have his brother's authority acknowledged in Ireland, and with entire suc- cess. The troubles that befell Richard in England, however, soon had a prejudicial effect on Irish affairs. Henry was annoyed in va- rious ways by his brother's enemies, and he sought to throw up the government of Ire- land, in order that he might reply to attacks that had been made on him in England, and to assist the protector. His request was re- fused, probably because the republicans feared him, well knowing that he was a very differ- ent man from Richard. When the protector retired, Henry resolved to place the Irish government in the hands of Charles II. ; but parliament recalled him, and placed the gov- ernment in the hands of commissioners. He obeyed the summons, and parliament express- ed approbation of his conduct. So poor was he that he had not money enough of his own to pay his expenses from Dublin to Lon- don. The readiness with which he surren- dered his government does not confirm the common impression that if he had been ap- pointed his father's successor, he would have maintained the place. He resided for some years with his father-in-law, Sir F. Russell, at