In addition, an ordinance was
published that "all who had ever borne arms for the king, or declared
themselves to be of the royal party, should be decimated, that is, pay a
tenth part of all the estate which they had left, to support the charge
which the commonwealth was put to by the unquietness of their temper, and
the just cause of jealousy which they had administered." It is difficult
to conceive a more iniquitous imposition. It was subversive of the act of
oblivion formerly procured by Cromwell himself, which pretended to abolish
the memory of all past offences; contrary to natural justice, because it
involved the innocent and guilty in the same punishment; and productive
[Footnote 1: State Trials, v. 767-790.]
[Sidenote a: A.D. 1655. May 16.]
of the most extensive extortions, because the commissioners included among
the enemies of the commonwealth those who had remained neutral between
the parties, or had not given satisfaction by the promptitude of their
services, or the amount of their contributions. To put the climax to these
tyrannical proceedings, he divided the country into eleven, and, at one
period, into fourteen, military governments, under so many officers, with
the name and rank of major-generals, giving them authority to raise a
force within their respective jurisdictions, which should serve only on
particular occasions; to levy the decimation and other public taxes; to
suppress tumults and insurrections; to disarm all papists and Cavaliers;
to inquire into the conduct of ministers and schoolmasters; and to arrest,
imprison, and bind over, all dangerous and suspected persons.
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