Drainage in Cromwell’s own country, the fen country; the construction of the great Bedford Level, to carry the Ouse River direct into the sea; holding it forcibly aloft in strong embankments, for 20 straight miles or so; not leaving it to meander and stagnate, and in the wet season to drown the country, as heretofore; in 1637 nur apparently ended; Fenregion clamoured f. mehr; Cromwell hierbei Hauptwortführer; opposed the King in Council wishing to do a greatZusatz von Marx. Wahrscheinlich ein Versehen. public injustice in regard to the draining of the Fens; put a stop to the same on a „great meeting at Huntingdon“. (Diess in 1638) Cromwell wird dadurch sehr populär in dem Fen-country “ , erhielt nickname: „Lord of the Fens“ (138, 139) Die disastrous public events which soon followed put a stop to all farther operations in the Fens f. viele Jahre. (139)

Enclosure had been made of great wastes, belonging to the Queenʼs Manor ⦗wahrscheinlich „the Soke of Somersham“ near St. Ives⦘, without the consent of the tenants; the benefit gegeben durch Queen einem servant of near trust, der die enclosed lands sofort an Earl of Manchester, Lord Privy Seal verkaufte; der zusammen mit seinem Sohn Mandevil nun am meisten concerned to maintain the enclosure; against which, as well the inhabitants of other Manors, who claimed Common in those wastes, as the Queen’s tenants of the same, made loud complaints as a great oppression, carried upon them with a very high hand and supported by power. Committee darüber sat in the Queen’s Court; Cromwell being one of them appeared much concerned to countenance the Petitioners, who were numerous together with their Petitiors and witnesses; auch Mandeil Mandevil als party zugegen. ⦗Hyde, später Clarendon, präsidirte als chairman. (Aus seinem „Life“ ist das ganze v. Carlyle citirt)Zusatz von Marx. Cromwell, wie Hyde sagt, führt sich dabei auf „in great fury“ „with so much indecency and rudeness, and in language so contrary and offensive etc⦘ (p. 155, 156) (Diess 1641, beginning of July)

Während des Kriegs 1643, 28 Sept – wo drillings, fightings, enlistments statthaben, schreibt Cromwell an die Committeemen Sir William Spring and Barrow (sein Brief „Holland, Lincolnshire“ unter obigem Datum) mit Bezug auf captain Margery, den sie anklagen Pferde v. Malignants genommen zu haben: „Gentlemen, it may be it provokes some spirits to see such plain men made Captains of Horse. It had been well that men of honour and birth had entered into these employments: – but why do they not appear? Who would have hindered them? But seeing it was necessary the work must go on, better plain men than none; but best to have men patient of wants, faithful and conscientious in their employment. And such, I hope, these will approve themselves to be.“ (232)

Cromwell Brief v. 25 Nov. 1644 (an das House of Commons) gegen den ihn commandirenden General Earl of Manchester; dieser Gegenbeschwerde gegen ihn. General Lieutenant Cromwell is also reported to have said: „There would never be a good time in England till we had done with the Lords.“ (261); sagte auch: „If he met the King in battle, he would fire his pistol at the King, as at another.“ (262)

Vermuyden, Dutch Engineer, drained the fens. (p. 277)

Brief v. Cromwell an Deputy-Lieutenants of Suffolk (Datum: Cambridge, 6 June 1645) sollen ihren Dragons ihre Dragoons u. Horse nach Newmarket schicken: „And to allow both the several Troops of Dragons Dragoons and Horse one week’s pay, to be laid down by the owner; which shall be repaid out of the public money out of the Country; the pay of each Trooper being 14sh. p. week, and of a Dragoon 10sh. 6d.“ (277, 278, 279)

Sir George Ayscough (Lincolnshire man) Während er als Viceadmiral in der irischen See kreuzt, schreibt Cromwell (d. d. 22 August, 1649, Dublin) an den Speaker des (langen) Parliaments, William Lenthall über den Sir George: „It seems, while he is attending your service, a Lease he holds of the Deanery of Windsor had like to be purchased over his head, he not coming to buy it himself by the time admitted limited . He holds a very considerable part of his estate in Church-leases; one or more being in Impropriate Tithes, which he and his ancestors have hold held for a long time: all of which is like … to go from him and his, by your orders.“ Cromwell verlangt Aufschub. Geschieht. (p. 40)

At the first breaking out of the Irish rebellion into an Irish massacre (!)Zusatz von Marx. (1641), the King’s Exchequer being void, an Act was passed engaging the Public Faith, That whoever would „subscribe“ money towards suppressing the said Rebellion in Ireland, and detestable and horrible Massacre of Protestants there, should, with liberal interest, be repaid from the forfeited Estates of the Rebels. Above „a Quarter of a Million“ so raised. (p. 115)

Brief v. Cromwell an Speaker des Parl. Lenthall, Dunbar ⦗während des Kriegs mit Schottland⦘ 4. Sept. 1650: „Be pleased to reform the abuses of all professions ⦗namentlich auch gegen die lawyers⦘Zusatz von Marx.: and if there be any one that make makes many poor to make a few rich, that suits not a Commonwealth.“ (193) ⦗„Many of them ⦗the Independents⦘Zusatz von Marx. had a peek (lisez pique)Zusatz von Marx. at Lawyers generally“, says learned Bulstrode ⦗i. e. Whitlock⦘Zusatz von Marx. in these months⦘. (193. N. 1)

Aus der time des RumpParliament: March 25, 1856 1652 : Zwei Jahre vorher hatte das Rumpparliament beschlossen reforming the Laws of England, appointed a working Committee, Bulstrode one of them. Nach einigen Acts for having Law proceedings transacted in the English tongue u. derartiges, verfiel es in comfortable sleep. Nach Cromwell’s return v. Worcester, it had been poked up again; wachte nun auf, hatte subsidiairy subsidiary Committe Committee ernannt v. 21 Personen ⦗von ausserhalb des Parlaments genommen⦘ to suggest what improvements were really wanted; das working Committee sollte sie dann in form v. specific Acts introduce. 25 März 1652 ⦗Neujahrstag, damals fing das neue Jahr bei den Engländern mit dem 25 März an⦘Bemerkung von Marx. Bulstrode berichtet (reports) im Namen des Committee über verschiedne v. subsidiary Committee angeregte Dinge; u. a. some improvement in the method of transferring Property; so dass John Doe might without die bestehenden zahllosen Schwierigkeiten „sell to Richard Roe, such and such Property, according to the usual human meaning of the word sell (sagt Carlyle)Zusatz von Marx.; ) “ Hierüber will Bulstrode Act einführen; ditto Act for the „Registry of Deeds in each County,“ „Neglect to register your Sale of Land in this promised County-Register within a given time“, enacts the learned Bulstrode, „such Sale shall be void. Be exact in registering it, the Land shall not be subject to any Incumbrance“. Aber nun grübelt das Working Committe, when they actually come to sit upon this Bill of Registry, what is „Incumbrance?“ No mortal can tell. They sit debating it for Three Months, cannot fix it. Are not these a set of men likely to reform English Laws? (315)

July 9. 1652: Offences der Dutch gegen die Engländer accumulating since the death-warrant of Charles First. English Ambassador Dorislaus (selbst Holländer) assassinated in their Country; Charles II entertained by them; antworten evasiv dem neuen Ambassador St. John, der zurück kommt u. passes the Navigation Act (introduced 5 August 1651, passed 9 October 1651), forbidding that any goods should be imported into England except in English ships or in ships of the country where the goods were produced. Dadurch der „carrying trade“ der Dutch raised, ihr maritime interest depressed, das der English raised: sea fightings in consequence, apologising, bickering, endlich Krieg ihnen erklärt 9 July 1652. (Blake (landsoldier) landsoldiers drafted to fight on shipboard; and landofficers (Blake, Monk, Dean (er fiel in diesem business))) während das public mind beschäftigt mit sea-fights u. sea-victories kann Rumpparliament fortvegetiren. Dutch War. Andre Consequenz: renewed severity against Delinquents ⦗stets während der inneren Kriege vor diesem Krieg⦘Bemerkung von Marx. Geldbedürfniss gross: Any remnants of Royal Land, of Dean and Chapter Lands, sell them by vigorousBei Carlyle, S. 317: rigorous auction; the lead of the Cathedrals one is tempted to sell: nay almost the Cathredals Cathedrals themselves, if any one would buy them. Estates of Delinquents, one of the readiest resources from of old, cannot, in these circumstances, be forgotten. Many, in past years, have made light settlements with lax Committee-men; neighbours not without pity for them. Many of minor sort have been overlooked altogether. Bring them up, every Delinquent of them; up hither to the Rhadamantus-bar Rhadamanthus-bar of Goldsmiths’ Hall and Haberdashers’ Hall; sift them, search them; riddle the last due six-pence out of them. The Common Journals of these months have formidable ell-long Lists of Delinquents … Poor unknown Royalist Squires, from various quarters of England; Cromwell sah ihrer 30 bis 40 an einen Morgen crowding about these Haberdashers-Grocer Halls of Doom, soliciting etc. Cromwells feelings thereby affected. Now 3d year of peace in our borders: is this what you call Settlement of the Nation? (Diese Phrasen natürlich alle v. Carlyle.Bemerkung von Marx. p. 316, 317)

20 April 1653 Cromwell sweeps away the Rump Parliament.Zusammenfassend von Marx. (331) Er sagt: „We did not hear a dog bark at their going.“ (331)

Draining of the Fens: resumed under better auspices when the (English war against Charles I) ended. Act for that object of 29. May 1649. A new Company of Adventurers, worunter Oliver himself, are vigorously proceeding with a New Bedford Level, the same that yet continues.

In seiner ersten Rede an das Litte Parliament (Personen, die er selbst zusammenberufen) v. 4 July 1653, sagt Cromwell … mit Bezug auf das Rump Parliament: „I will not say they were come to an utter inability of working Reformation – though I might say so in regard to one thing: the Reformation of the Law, so much groaned under in the posture it now is in. … many months were not enough for the settling of one word: Incumbrances … this was the spirit and complexion of men.“ (344)

Cromwells Second Speech to (seinem) first Parliament. (4 Sept. 1854 1654 ) „What was the face that was upon our affairs as to the Interest of the Nation? As to the Authority in the Nation; to the Magistracy; to the Ranks and Orders of men, whereby England has been known for hundreds of years? A nobleman, a gentleman, a yeoman; the distinction of these: that is a good interest of the Nation, and a great one. The ‚natural‘ Magistracy of the Nation, was it not almost trampled under foot, under despite and contempt, by men of Levelling principles? I beseech you, For the orders of men and ranks of men, did not that Levelling principle tend to the reducing of all to an equality? Did it consciously think to do so: or did it unconsciously practise towards that for property and interest? At all events, what was the purport of it but to make the Tenant as liberal a Fortune as a Landlord? Which, I think, if obtained, would not have lasted long! The men of that principle, after they had served their own turns, would then have cried up property and interest fast enough. And that the thing did and might well extend far, is manifest; because it was a pleasing voice to all Poor Men, and truly not unwelcome to all Bad Men.“ (21)

Sagt mit Bezug auf what he calls „The mistaken notion of the Fifth Monarchy men“ ⦗nämlich: nach den alten ( chrislichen christlichen ) Historians 4 Monarchies: Assyrian of Nebuchadnezzar, Persian (Cyrus), Greek ( (Alexander), Roman (Empire.) Unter den letzteren, still in Germany called Das heilige römische Reich leben wir noch. Aber nun sagt General Harrison et Co, Now shall be a Fifth Monarchy, the Monarchy of Jesus Christ, his Saints reigning on Earth, if not he himself which is probable and possible – for 1000 years etc⦘ Cromwell sagt u. a. „For if these were but notions … they were best let alone. Notions will hurt none but those that have them. But when they come to such practices as telling us „for instance“ That Liberty and Property are not the Badges of the Kingdom of Christ; when they tell us, not that we have to regulate Law, but that Law is to be abrogated and perhaps ⦗hier reproducirt Cromwell nur Verläumdung rising from the Chancery Regions, decriptive descriptive of nothing, but of the humour that prevailed there, wie Carlyle richtig sagt⦘Zusammenfassende Bemerkung von Marx. – Judaical Law … this is worthy of every Magistrates Attention.“ (27)

Fährt fort: Ausser den fortlaufenden Wirren in Schottland (wo Revolts) u. Irland; „Krieg mit Portugal, whereby our Trade ceased; Krieg mit Holland … A War that cost this Nation full as much as the whole Taxes came unto, the Navy being a 160 ships, which cost this Nation above 100,000£ a month; besides the contingencies which would make it 120,000. Zu gleicher Zeit war with France. And besides the sufferings in respect to the Trade of the Nation, it’s most evident that the Purse of the Nation could not have been able much longer to bear it, – by reason of the advantage taken by other States to improve their own, and spoil our Manufacture of Cloth, and hinder the vent thereof; which is the great staple commodity of this Nation.“ (28, 29) Jezt Peace with Holland. Peace also mit Portugal: „It is a Peace which, your Merchants make us believe, is of good government concernment to their trade; the rate of insurance (nennt es assurance)Bemerkung von Marx. to that country having been higher, and so their profit in trade thitter.“ (33) Weiter sagt er, dass seine Regierung inmitten innerer Troubles u. aüsserer Kriege begonnen „120,000£ a month for the very Fleet!Zusatz von Marx. Which sum was the very utmost penny of your Assessments. Ay; and then all our treasure was exhausted and spent when this Government was undertaken; all accidental ways of bringing in treasure were, to a very inconsiderable sum, consumed; – the forfeited Lands sold, the sums on hand spent; Rents, Fee-farms, Delinquent’s Lands, King’s, Queen’s, Bishops’, Dean-and-Chapter Lands sold. These were spent when this Gvt. was undertaken. … that’s the reason why the Taxes do yet lie so heavy upon the People; of which we have abated 30,000l. a month for the next three months.“ (34)

⦗Speech of 12 Sept. 1654 an sein first Parliament wo Cromwell u. die, die bleiben wollen in Parlament, ein Instrument der Treue an Protector u. Commonwealth unterschreiben müssen⦘

Periode des Major Generals (1655–56)

Jamaika taken April 1655.

17 Sept. 1656 Cromwells Eröffnungsrede an sein second Parliament; u. a.: „there is one general Grievance in the Nation: It is the Law. Not that the Laws are a grievance; but there are Laws that are; and the great grievance lies in the execution and administration“ (186) „There are wicked and abominable Laws which it will be in your power to alter. To hang a man for Six-and-eight pence, and I know not what; to hang for a trifle and acquit murder, – is in the ministration of the Law, though the ill framing of it. I have known in my experience abominable murders acquitted. And to see men lose their lives for petty matters: this is a thing God will reckon for.“

Mit Bezug auf die instalments der Major-Generals sagt er: „they have been effectuatedBei Carlyle: effectual for the Preservation of Your Peace … If nothing should ever be done but what is according to Law, the throat of the Nation might be cut while we send for some to make a Law.“ (187) „Therefore certainly it is a beastly notion to think, though it be for ordinary Government to live by law and rule … When matters of Necessity come, then without guilt extraordinary remedies may not be applied? Who can be so pitiful a person!“ (188)

„When the long Parliament sat ⦗i. e. ceased to sit⦘, this Nation owed 700,000£. … They ‘the Long-Parliament people’ had 120,000l. a month; the they had the King’s, Queen’s, Prince’s, Bishops’ Lands, all Delinquents’ Estates, and the Dean-and-Chapter Lands; which was a very rich Treasure. As soon as ever we came to the Government, we abated 30,000£. the first half year, and 60,000 after. We had no benefits of the Etates, at all considerable; I do not think the fiftieth part that they had; and give me leave to tell you, You are not so much in debt as we found you. We know it hath been maliciously dispersed, as if we had set the Nation into 2,500,000l. of debt.“ (189) ⦗Von den 400, zu diesem Parlament gewählt, erhalten nur 300 and odd Certificates from the Chancery Clerk, auf Cromwells Weisung, to sit. The most flagrant violation of the Privileges of Parliament that was ever known.“ (p. 197) ⦗Carlyle charakterisirt diess Parlament durch the unfamothable unfathomable Deep of Dulness which our English Character has in it.Zusammenfassend von Marx. This Parliament, by the by, suppressed the Major Generals, refused to authorise their continued „Decimation“ on Ten-per-Centing of the Royalists⦘; aber sein grösstes feat war interminable debateBei Carlyle, S. 213: debates, for a whole winter, day after day, on James Nayler (a mad Quaker, der sich f. Christus hielt u. als solcher Procession durch Bristol machte) „Who,“ sagt Carlyle, „is there that has the strength of ten oxen, that is able to support these things?“ Schliesslich the honourable Gentlemen set Nayler to ride with his face to the tail, through various streets and cities; to be whipt, to be branded, to be bored through the tongue, and then to do oakum ad libitum upon bread-and-water. Ueber diese willkührliche Parlamentsjurisdiktion, wobei er gar nicht consultirt, schreibt Cromwell 26 Dec. 1656 Brief an das Parlament, addressed to its Speaker „Sir Thomas Widdrington“, verlangt dass das Parlament ⦗da er nicht wisse „how far such Proceeding, entered into wholly without Us, may extend in the consequence of it“⦘ „let Us know the grounds and reasons whereupon they proceeded.“ (p. 214)

Diess giebt zu den Debatten Anlass, die zur Umgestaltung der Verfassung, H. o. Lords (auch Anbietung v. Kingship) an Cromwell führen; die Speeches u. Colloquies on the Kingship extend v. March bis May 1657; were very private at the time, came out 2 years afterwards, when Kingship was once more the question, Charles Stuart’s kingship, and men needed incitements thereunto. (215)

21 April 1657 (Aus Cromwells Speech to Second Parliament) „The Law ought to be regulated! … But I think verily, at the least, the Delays in Suits, and the Excessiveness in Fees, and the Costliness of Suits, and those various things which I do not know what names they bear – I heard talk of ‚Demurrers‘ and such like things, which I scarce know – But I say certainly, the People are greatly suffering in this respect.“ (288). „In this Article ⦗einem der Article die das Parliament f. das new Settlement vorschlug⦘ … there is a desire that ‚no part of‘ the Public Revenve be alienated except by Consent of Parliament.“ I doubt, „Public Revenue“ is like „Custodes Libertatis Angliae“; a notion only; and not to be found that I know of ⦗It is all alienated; Crownlands etc all gone⦘ (291)

⦗Article 16 der parliamentary Petition and advice „provides that no Act or Ordinance already extant, which is not contrary to this Petition and Advice, shall be in the least made void hereby.“ Cromwell findet diess zu unbestimmt; z. B. Church Land Estates were bought with money, but hold only in Virtue of Writs and Ordinances issued by Long Parliament. Neuer Artikel wurde daher zugefügt, specifying, at due breadth, that all is and shall be safe⦘.

Cromwell sagt in seiner Rede:

„You do pass-by the thing, without such a foundation as will keep those people, wo who are now in possession of Estates upon this account, that their titles be not questioned or shaken – if the matter be not explained.“ (292) „But there is another very great consideration. There have been, since the present Government „began“ ⦗i. e. Cromwell’s⦘ several Acts and Ordinances ⦗in der That doubtful Acts etc, nur gemacht durch Cromwell u. seinen Council⦘, which have been made by the exercise of that legislative power that was exercised since we undertook this gvt. And I think your Instrument speaks a little mor more faintly as to these and dubiously, than to the other … two sorts of persons will be merely concerned upon this account: They who exercised that authority, and they who were objects of its exercise. This wholly dissettles them; wholly, if you be not clear in your expressions. (p. 292) „We have settled almost all the whole affairs in Ireland; the rights and interests of the soldiers there, and of the Planters and Adventurers.“ (293)

⦗In article 7 der Petition u. advice „That the Revenue shall be 1,320,000£“.⦘ Er sagt: „The present charge of the Forces both by Sea and Land will be 2,426,989l. The whole present revenue in England, Scotland and Ireland, is about 1,900,000l. … Why, now, towards this you settle, by your Instrument, 1,300,000 f. the government; and out of that „to maintain the Force by Sea and Land“, and „without Land-tax“, I think: and this is short of the Revenue which now can be raised by the „pesent Act of“ Government 600 000£. (295)

Sagt, selbst wenn der Krieg m. Spanien zu Ende ⦗f. den einstweilen das Parlament zusehn müsse wie Geld schaffen⦘ f. Arme Armee 1,100,000£ p. annum nöthig, u. für Government „300 000“, aber einstweilen f. Extrabedürfnisse ⦗abgesehn v. Krieg⦘ mehr, insgesamt: 1,900,000£ nöthig. ⦗Alle seine Parlamente extremely niggardly.⦘Bemerkung von Marx. (296) Was den spanischen Krieg angeht, fügt er hinzu: „as one saith ‚Money is the Cause‘, and certainly whatever the Cause is, if Money be wanting, the business will fall to the ground, all our Labour will be lost. And therefore I hope you will have a care of our undertakings.“ (296)

25 January 1658 (Aus Speech Cromwells an second Parliament) „It is certain, they ⦗the Dutch⦘ have professed a principle which, thanks to God, we never knew. They will sell arms to their enemies, and lend their ships to their enemies.“ (336) Mit Bezug auf den Finanzzustand: „Here is an Army five or six months behind in pay; yea, an Army in Scotland near as much behind; an army in Ireland much more … judge what the State of Ireland is if freequarter come upon the Irish people! You have a company of Scots in the North of Ireland, Forty or Fifty thousand of them settled there; who, I hope, are honest men. In the province of Galway almost all the Irish, transplanted to the West. ⦗Carlyle sagt, diess meine nur die „malignant Irish, the ringleaders of the Popish Rebellion“⦘ You have the Interest of England newly begun to be planted. The people there, in these English settlements, are full of necessities and complaints. They bear to the uttermost. And should the soldiers run upon free quarters there – upon your English Planters, as they must – the English Planters must quit the Country through mere beggary.“ (341, 342)

Was Schottland angehe ⦗Middleton’s Highland Insurrektion, with its Mosstroopery u. Misery, erst seit Febr. 1655 beendigt⦘, so existire da auch „sense of poverty“, sie sieen seien „a ruined nation“ ⦗in Folge v. beinahe 20 J. beständigem Krieg u. innerem Krakehl⦘. Aber fährt er fort: „ And yet in a way (I have spoken with some Gentlemen coming from thence) hopeful enough; it hath pleased God to give that plentiful encouragement to the meaner sort in Scotland – The meaner sort in Scotland live as well and are likely to come into as thriving a condition under your Government, as when they were under their own great Lords, who made them work for their living no better than the Peasants of France. … the middle sort of People do grow up there into such a substance as make makes their lives comfortable, if not better than they were before. (342, 343)

Spricht weiter mit Bezug auf England in Ausfall auf Levellers, Fifth Monarchy men etc u. a.: „I confess I can look for nothing other, I can say no other than what a foolish Book expresseth, of one that having consulted everything, could hold to nothing; neither Fifth Monarchy, Presbytery, nor Independency, nothing; but at length concludes, He is for nothing but an orderly Confusion. (343)