of the jurisdictions which he had taken away, and granted a free pardon to the nation, with the exception of numerous individuals whom he subjected to different degrees of punishment.  Thus the whole frame of the Scottish constitution was subverted:  yet no one ventured to remonstrate or oppose.  The spirit of the nation had been broken.  The experience of the past, and the presence of the military, convinced the people that resistance was fruitless:  of the nobility, many languished within the walls of their prisons in England; and the others were ground to the dust by the demands of their creditors, or the exactions of the sequestrators; and even the kirk, which had so often bearded kings on their thrones, was taught to feel that its authority, however it might boast of its celestial origin, was no match for the earthly power of the English commonwealth.[2] Soon after Cromwell had called his little parliament, the general assembly of the kirk met[b]

[Footnote 1:  See the ratification of the surrenders of Tullibardine, Glencairn, Heriot, Forrester, Kenmure, Montrose, and Seaforth, dated at different times between Aug. 24 and Jan. 10, in the Council Book, 1655, Feb. 7.]

[Footnote 2:  Scobell, 289, 293-295.  Whitelock, 583,597, 599.  Burnet, i. 58-61.  Baillie, ii. 377, 381.  Milton, State Papers, 130, 131.]

[Sidenote a:  A.D. 1654.  April 1.] [Sidenote a:  A.D. 1654.  July 20.]

at the usual place in Edinburgh; and Dickson, the moderator, had begun his prayer, when Colonel Cotterel, leaving two troops of horse and two companies of foot at the door, entered[a] the house, and inquired by what authority they sat there; Was it by authority of the parliament, or of the commander of the forces, or of the English judges in Scotland?  The moderator meekly but firmly replied, that they formed a spiritual court, established by God, recognized by law, and supported by the solemn league and covenant.  But this was a language which the soldier did not, or would not, understand.  Mounting a bench, he declared that there existed no authority in Scotland which was not derived from the parliament of England; that it was his duty to put down every illegal assumption of power; and that they must immediately depart or suffer themselves to be dragged out by the military under his command.  No one offered to resist:  a protestation was hastily entered on the minutes; and the whole body was marched between two files of soldiers through the streets, to the surprise, and grief, and horror of the inhabitants.  At the distance of a mile from the city, Cotterel discharged them with an admonition, that, if any of them were found in the capital after eight o’clock on the following morning, or should subsequently presume to meet in greater numbers than three persons at one time, they would be punished with imprisonment, as disturbers of the public peace.  “Thus,” exclaims Baillie, “our general assembly, the glory and strength of our church upon earth, is by your soldiery crushed and trode under foot.  For this our hearts are sad, and our eyes run down with water."[1]