... whither do these things tend?  Surely God hath a controversy with us.  What a hurly-burly is there made!  A hundred Independent ministers called together” [the Savoy Synod of the Congregationalists, with Owen, Thomas Goodwin, Nye, Caryl, and others, at their head, convoked Sept. 29, 1658, for framing a Confession of Faith, by permission from the late Protector:  see ante p. 844]. “a Council, as you call it, of 200 or 300 officers of a judgment!  Remember what has always befallen imposing spirits.  Will not the loins of an imposing Independent or Anabaptist be as heavy as the loins of an imposing Prelate or Presbyter?  And is it a dangerous error that dominion is founded on grace when it is held by the Church of Rome, and a sound principle when it is held by the Fifth Monarchy? ...  O dear brother, my spirit is sorely oppressed with the consideration of the miserable estate of the innocent people of these three poor nations.  What have these sheep done that their blood should be the price of our lust and ambition?  Let me beg of you to remember how his late Highness loved you, how he honoured you with the highest trust in the world by leaving the sword in your hand which must defend or destroy us; and his declaring his Highness his successor shows that he left it there to preserve him and his reputation.  O brother, use it to curb extravagant spirits and busybodies; but let not the nations be governed by it.  Let us take heed of arbitrary power.  Let us be governed by the known laws of the land, and let all things be kept in their proper channels; and let the Army be so governed that the world may never hear of them unless there be occasion to fight.  And truly, brother, you must pardon me if I say God and man may require this duty at your hand, and lay all miscarriages in the Army, in point of discipline, at your door.”  Fleetwood could answer this (Nov. 9) but very lamely:  “I do wonder what I have done to deserve such a severe letter from you,” &c.  Fleetwood was really a good-hearted gentleman, meaning no desperate harm to Richard or his Protectorate, though desiring the Commandership-in-chief for himself, and perhaps (who knows domestic secrets?) a co-equality of public status for his wife, Lady Bridget, with the Lady-Protectress Dorothy.  In fact, however, Lieutenant-General Fleetwood and Major-General Desborough between them had let loose forces that were to defy their own management.  Meanwhile, the phenomenon observable in the weeks preceding the meeting of the Parliament which Richard had called was that of a violent division already among the councillors and assessors of the Protectorate.  There was the Court Party or Dynastic Party, taking their stand on the Petition and Advice, and advocating a strictly conservative and constitutional procedure, in the terms of that document, on the lines laid down by Oliver.  There was also the Army Party or Wallingford-House Party, led by Fleetwood and Desborough, with an immediate retinue of Cromwellian ex-Major-Generals and Colonels purposely in London, and a more shadowy tail of majors, captains, and inferior officers, coiled away among the regiments.[1]