Charles: It is my hope, devoutly.

Cromwell: Parliament bends a little to my persuasion.  If I could but induce Your Majesty to treat no longer directly with them, but to leave all to me.

Charles: It is our Parliament still.  We cannot slight them.

Cromwell: But, sir, you confuse things daily.  If the army were no longer intact, it would be another matter.  But now it is the army that must be satisfied—­in the end there is the real authority.  Remember, sir, that these men are not merely soldiers.  They are the heart and the conscience of the nation in arms.  By their arms thay have prevailed, how bloodily Your Majesty knows.  They stand now to see that the settlement is not against that conscience that armed them.

Charles: But we must consider ourselves.  It would be folly to anger the House.

Cromwell: The House can do nothing without us.  And I have considered you, sir.  I have persuaded the army that the monarchy is the aptest form of government for this country.  It was difficult, but my belief has prevailed.  I have even won respect for Your Majesty’s person.  Do but give us our guarantees, and you will mount a securer throne, I think, than any king has yet held in England.

Charles: But Parliament—­

Ireton: No, sir.  Parliament’s demands are not our demands.  To give them what they ask will be to lose all opinion in the army.  That would be fatal.

Cromwell: Parliament and the army are at one in asking for constitutional safeguards.  All are agreed on that.  But after that we are in dispute, irreconcileably.  They want a Presbyterian despotism.  This land, sir, has had enough of despotism, and we will not exchange one despotism for another.  We, the army, demand liberty of opinion.  We respect law, we stand, above all, for order and right behaviour, for an observance of the rights of others.  But we demand that a man’s thought shall be his own, that his faith shall be directed by none.  We stand for Bible freedom.  And we, sir, are strong enough to make Parliament accept that, but Parliament can never make us accept the tyranny of the Presbyters.  We are the new Independents, sir, the Independents of the spirit.  We are determined that henceforth in England no man shall suffer for his faith.

Charles: I respect these ambitions.

Ireton: Do but let us go to the army with that respect, and not a trooper but will renew your power for you.

Charles: A power a little cropped, eh, Mr. Ireton?

Cromwell: No, sir, enlarged.  You have ruled by interest and fear.  You can go back to rule by the affection of a free people.  You have the qualities, sir—­why waste them?

Charles: You persuade well.  Honestly, I am sure.

Cromwell: I could take all.  I do not want it.  I want to restore your fortune, to give you back a regenerate kingship.  Will you take it, sir?  It is of love I offer it, love of England, of your great office.  And you should adorn that inheritance.  Men should be proud to call you King, sir.