to accept the title; and immediately Lambert, Fleetwood, and Desborough made[b] to him, in their own names and those of several others, the unpleasant declaration, that they must resign their commissions, and sever themselves from his councils and service for ever.  His irresolution returned:  he had promised the house to give a final answer the next morning;[c] in the morning he postponed it to five in the evening, and at that hour to

[Footnote 1:  “Every wise man out of doors wonders at the delay,” Thurloe, vi. 243; also Claren.  Papers, iii. 339.]

[Footnote 2:  “In these meetings,” says Whitelock, “laying aside his greatness, he would be exceedingly familiar with us, and, by way of diversion, would make verses with us, and every one must try his fancy.  He commonly called for tobacco, pipes, and a candle, and would now and then take tobacco himself.  Then he would fall again to his serious and great business” (656).]

[Sidenote a:  A.D. 1657.  April 22.] [Sidenote b:  A.D. 1657.  May 6.] [Sidenote c:  A.D. 1657.  May 7.]

the following day.  The officers observed, and resolved to profit by, the impression which they had made; and early in the morning[a] Colonel Mason, with six-and-twenty companions, offered to the parliament a petition, in which they stated that the object of those with whom the measure originated was the ruin of the lord-general and of the best friends of the people, and conjured the house to support the good old cause in defence of which the petitioners were ready to sacrifice their lives.  This bold step subdued the reluctance of the protector.  He abandoned the lofty hopes to which he had so long, so pertinaciously clung, despatched Fleetwood to the house to prevent a debate, and shortly afterwards summoned the members to meet him at Whitehall.  Addressing them with more than his usual embarrassment, he said, that neither his own reflections nor the reasoning of the committee had convinced him that he ought to accept the title of king.  If he were to accept it, it would be doubtingly; if he did it doubtingly, it would not be of faith; and if it were not of faith, it would be a sin.  “Wherefore,” he concluded, “I cannot undertake this government with that title of king, and this is mine answer to this great and weighty business."[1]

Thus ended the mighty farce which for more than two months held in suspense the hopes and fears of three nations.  But the friends of Cromwell resumed the subject in parliament.  It was observed that he had not refused to administer the government under any other title; the name of king was expunged for that of protector; and with this and a few more amendments, the “humble petition and advice"[b] received

[Footnote 1:  Thurloe, vi. 261, 267, 281, 291.  Journals, April 21-May 12.  Parl.  Hist. iii. 1498-1502.  Ludlow, ii. 131.  Clar.  Papers, iii. 342.]

[Sidenote a:  A.D. 1657.  May 8.] [Sidenote b:  A.D. 1657.  May 25.]