On Ludgate-hill there
was one turning of the spit that had a rump tied to it, and another basting
of it. Indeed it was past imagination."--Ibid. 28.]
[Sidenote a: A.D. 1660. Feb. 11.]
They solicited the general to return to Whitehall; they completed the bill
for the qualifications of candidates and electors; and, on the day fixed by
the letter of the officers, ordered[a] writs to be issued for the filling
up of the vacancies in the representation. This measure had been forced
upon them; yet they had the ingenuity to make it subservient to their own
interest, by inserting a provision in the act, that no man should choose or
be chosen, who had not already bound himself to support a republican form
of government. But immediately the members excluded in 1648 brought forward
their claim to sit, and Monk assumed the appearance of the most perfect
indifference between the parties. At his invitation, nine of the leaders on
each side argued the question before him and his officers; and the result
was, that the latter expressed their willingness to support the secluded
members, on condition that they should pledge themselves to settle the
government of the army, to raise money to pay the arrears, to issue
writs for a new parliament to sit on the 20th of April, and to dissolve
themselves before that period.
Pages:
841
842
843
844
845
846
847
848
849
850
851
852
853
854
855
856
857
858
859
860
861
862
863
864
865