Oliver Cromwell

1
Oliver Cromwell

• A chronology

2
1599

• Oliver Cromwell born in Huntingdon
• I was by birth a gentleman, living neither in
  any considerable height, nor yet in obscurity. I
  have been called to several employments in the
  nation-to serve in parliaments,-and ( because i
  would not be over tedious ) i did endeavour to
  discharge the duty of an honest man in those
  services, to god, and his peoples interest, and
  of the commonwealth having, when time was, a
  competent acceptation in the hearts of men, and
  some evidence thereof. 
• (Speech to the first protectorate parliament,
  Sept, 1654)
• Cromwell emerged from humble beginnings by
  unsurpassed wickedness and a great spirit
• (Edward Hyde, Earl of Clarendon)

3
1616-7

• Attended Sidney Sussex College, University of
  Cambridge
• During his short residence there (Cambridge
  University)... he was more famous for his
  exercises in the fields than in the schools ( in
  which he never had the honour of, because no
  worth merit to, a degree)being one of the chief
  matchmakers and players of football, cudgels, or
  any other boysterous sport or game.James
  Heath, Flagellum, or the Life and Death, Birth
  and Burial of Oliver Cromell.

4
1628-9

• MP for Huntingdon

5
1630

• Huntingdon town charter
• Cromwell was reprimanded by the privy council
  for making disgraceful and unseemly speeches
  against the towns mayor.

6
1640-2

• MP for Cambridge in short and long parliaments
• Involved in numerous committees on matters of
  religion
• Involved in campaigns against bishops and the
  Book of Common Prayer
• if the remonstrance had been rejected i would
  have sold all I had the next morning and never
  have seen England more, and I know there are many
  other modest men of the same resolution.(Oliver
  Cromwell on parliaments passing of the
  revolutionary grand remonstrance, see Clarendon,
  A history of the Great Rebellion)
• his political connections and loyalties had
  been formed long before parliament met in 1640.
  When it did meet, he at once assumed a prominent
  role in its deliberation not in the very first
  rank, but far from the backbenchesHe was the
  trusted collegue of John Pym and John Hampden,
  the leaders of the Commons.
• (Christopher Hill, Gods Englishman)

7

• He wore... a plain cloth-suit, which seemed to
  have been made by a poor tailor his shirt was
  plain, and not very clean and I remember a speck
  or two of blood upon his collar... his face was
  swollen and red, his voice sharp and untunable,
  and his speech full of passion.
• (Sir Philip Warwick, a Royalist, made these
  comments on Oliver Cromwell in 1640)

8
1642

• Musters a troop of cavalry for parliament at
  Huntingdon - Aug
• Battle of Edgehill Oct
• Sir Philip Stapleton gave an account, from the
  committee for the defence of the Kingdom, how the
  troops and forces of the Parliament are disposed
  of...Mr Cromwell in Cambridgeshire, has seized
  the magazine in the castle at Cambridge and hath
  hindered the carrying of plate from that
  University which, as some report, was to the
  value of twenty thousand pounds, or
  thereabouts.(Account by Sir Philip Stapleton
  in, The Journal of the House of Commons. July
  1642)

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10
1643

• Colonel in the Eastern Association Feb
• Military successes involved in recovery of
  Grantham, the victory at Belton, the relief of
  Gainsborough and the Battle of Winceby
• i had rather have a plain russet-coated captain
  that knows what he fights for, and loves what he
  knows, than that which you call a gentleman and
  is nothing else.(Letter from Cromwell to Sir
  William Spring. Sept. 1643)

11
1644

• Lieutenant-General of the Eastern Association
  Jan
• Signs the Solemn League and Covenant and
  appointed to Committee of Both Kingdoms Feb
• Battle of Marston Moor 2 July
• Attacks Manchesters war management Nov
• truly England and the church of god hath had a
  great favour from the lord, in this great victory
  given us.(Oliver Cromwell on the battle of
  Marston Moor)
• Colonel Cromwell (chooses for) his officers not
  such as were soldiers or men of estate, but such
  as were common men, poor and of mean parentage,
  only he would give them the title of godly,
  precious men yet his common practise was to
  cashier honest gentlemen and soldiers that were
  stout in the cause... I have heard him often say
  that it must not be soldiers nor the Scots that
  must do this work, but it must be the godly to
  this purpose.(Opponent of Cromwell, involved in
  The quarrel between the Earl of Manchester and
  Oliver Cromwell)

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13
1645

• Appointed Lieutenant General of the New Model
  Army
• Battle of Naseby 14 June

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15
1647

• Supports army in clashes with parliament
• Joyce seizes the king 4 June
• Debates the Heads of the Proposals at Reading
  July
• Putney debates/mutiny at Ware Oct/Nov
• The next morning I sent Colonel Cook to
  Cromwell, to let him know that I had letters and
  instructions to him from the King. He sent me
  word by the same messenger, that he dared not see
  me, it being very dangerous to us both, and bid
  me be assured that he would serve his Majesty as
  long as he could do it without his own ruin but
  desired that I should not expect that he should
  perish for his sake.(Memoirs of Sir John
  Berkley, London 29 November 1647)

16
1648

• Supports Vote of No Addresses - Jan
• Commands NMA cavalry in Second Civil War
  May-Nov
• we declared our intentions to preserve
  monarchy, and they still are so, unless necessity
  enforce an alteration. Its granted the king has
  broken his trust, yet you are fearful to declare
  you will make no further addresses. .....look on
  the people you represent, and break not your
  trust, and expose not the honest party of your
  kingdom, who have bled for you, and suffer not
  misery to fall upon them for want of courage and
  resolution in you, else the honest people may
  take such courses as nature dictates to
  them.(Cromwells speech in the commons during
  the debate which preceeded the vote of no
  addresses)
• I tell you we will cut off his head with the
  crown upon it .(Cromwell to one of the judges
  at the trial of King Charles I.1648)

17
1649

• Supports trial and execution of the king Jan
• Commands Irish expedition - Aug
• cruel necessity
• (Cromwell on the execution of Charles I, Jan
  1649)
• this is a righteous judgement of god upon
  thesebarbarous wretches, who have imbrued their
  hands in so much innocent blood....(Oliver
  Cromwell after the storming of Drogheda.1649)
• Is it an arm of flesh that doth these things?
  Is it wisdom, and counsel, or strength of men?
  It is the Lord only. God will curse that man and
  his house that dares to think otherwise.
• (Cromwell writing to speaker of the Rump,
  explaining his success in Ireland)

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19
1650

• Appointed Captain-General of army sent to crush
  Scots June
• Battle of Dunbar 3 Sept
• i beseech you in the bowels of christ think it
  possible you may be mistaken.(letter to the
  general assembly of the Church of Scotland. 1650)
• Sir it is in your hands, and by these eminent
  mercies God hath put it more into your hands, to
  give glory to Him Disown yourselves, but own
  your authority, and improve it to curb the proud
  and insolentrelieve the oppressed, hear the
  groans of poor prisoners in England be pleased
  to reform the abuses of all professions and if
  there be any one that makes many poor to make a
  few rich, that suits not a Commonwealth
• (Cromwells letter to the speaker of the Rump, 4
  Sept 1650)

20
1651

• Battle of Worcester 3 Sept
• Date for dissolution of the Rump set for 3 Nov
  1654 - Nov
• the dimensions of this mercy are above my
  thoughts. It is for aught i know, a crowning
  mercy.
• (Letter. 1651)

21
1652

• Fourteen-point reform petition of officers 13
  Aug

22
1653

• Dissolves Rump parliament Apr
• Opens Nominated Assembly - July
• Becomes Lord Protector 16 Dec
• take away that fools bauble, the mace(Oliver
  Cromwell speech dismissing the rump parliament.
  Apr. 1653)
• you are as like the forming of god as ever
  people were...you are at the edge of promises and
  prophecies.Cromwell addressing the barebones
  parliament. July 1653

23

• ..the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and
  Ireland and of the Dominions thereunto belonging,
  shall be and reside in one person, and the people
  assembled in parliament the style of which
  person shall be The Lord Protector of the
  Commonwealth ..... That Oliver Cromwell, Captain
  General of the forces of England, Scotland and
  Ireland, shall be, and is hereby declared to be,
  Lord Protector....for his life.(Decree by the
  Instrument of Government. 16 December 1653)

24
Ordinance passed without parliamentary approval.
The ban on cock-fighting was more to do with
stopping unruly gatherings than any consideration
of animal cruelty.
25
1654

• Commission of Triers established by Protectoral
  ordinance 18 Mar
• Commission of Ejectors established by Protectoral
  ordinance Aug
• Meets First Protectorate Parliament - Sept
• there are some things in this establishment
  that are fundamental....about which i shall deal
  plainly with you...the government by a single
  person and a parliament is a fundamental...and..th
  ough i may seem to plead for myself,yet i do
  notno, nor can any reasonable man say it..i
  plead for this nation, and all the honest men
  therin..(Cromwell to the first protectorate
  parliament, 12 September 1654)
• weeds and nettles, briars and thorns, have
  thriven under your shadow, dissettlement and
  division, discontentment and dissatisfaction,
  together with real dangers to the
  whole.(Cromwells speech dissolving the 1st
  protectoral parliament)
• necessity hath no law.(Speech to parliament,
  Sept. 1654)

26
1655

• First Protectorate Parliament dissolved 22 Jan
• Defeat at Hispaniola/ Western design - Apr
• Major Generals appointed 9 Aug
• Trial of John Biddle for blasphemy Sept
• Day of Fasting and Humiliation 6 Dec
• i desire not to keep my place in this
  government an hour longer than i may preserve
  england in its just rights, and may protect the
  people of god in such a just liberty of their
  consciences....Cromwell to the first
  protectorate parliament, 22 January 1655

27
1656

• Opening of the second Protectorate Parliament
  12 Sept
• James Nayler case 31 Sept
• Men that believe in Jesus Christ men that
  believe in the remission of sins through the
  blood of Christ and free justification by the
  blood of Christ, and live upon the grace of
  Godthose men are members of Jesus Christ and are
  the apple of His eye. Whoever has this faith,
  let his form be what it will, if he is
  walking peaceably, without the prejudicing of
  others under another form, it is a debt due to
  God and Christ that that Christian may enjoy
  this liberty.
• (Cromwells speech to parliament, 17 Sept 1656)

28
1657

• Humble Petition and Advice rejects crown
• Second installation as Lord Protector 26 June
• If your arguments come upon me to enforce upon
  me the ground of necessity, why then I have no
  room to answer, for what must be must be. Truly
  the Providence of God hath laid aside this title
  of king providentially de facto God hath seemed
  providentially, seemed to appear as a Providence,
  not only to strike at the Family but at he Name
  I will not seek to set up that which Providence
  hath destroyed and laid in the dust, and I would
  not build Jericho again.
• (Cromwells speech to a committee of MPs, 13 Apr
  1657)

29
1658

• Dissolution of second Protectorate Parliament 4
  Feb
• Dies at Whitehall 3 Sept

30
1661

• Cromwells body exhumed 26 Jan
• Corpse displayed and mutilated at Tyburn 30 Jan

31

• no one rises so high as he who knows not
  whither he is going.(Cromwell on personal
  fortunes)
• That slovenly fellow which you see before us,
  who hath no ornament in his speech I say that
  sloven, if we should ever come to have a breech
  with the King (which God forbid) in such case
  will be one of the greatest men of
  England.John Hampden, Speaking to Lord Digby
  in the house of commons, overheard by Sir Richard
  Bulstrode.
• ...In a word, as he was guilty of many crimes
  against which Damnation is denounced, and for
  which hell-fire is prepared, so he had some good
  qualities which have caused the memory of some
  men in all Ages to be celebrated and he will be
  lookd upon by posterity as a brave badd
  man.Edward Hyde, Earl of Clarendon, History of
  the Rebellion.