XV

The Cromwell country.  Colchester.

A distinguished observer, Prof.  Goldwin Smith, expressed it forcibly when he said that the epitaph of nearly every ruined castle in Britain might be written, “Destroyed by Cromwell.”  It takes a tour such as ours to gain something of a correct conception of the gigantic figure of Oliver Cromwell in English history.  The magnitude and the far-reaching results of his work are coming to be more and more appreciated by the English people.  For a time he was considered a traitor and regicide, but with increasing enlightenment and toleration, his real work for human liberty is being recognized by the great majority of his countrymen.  It was only as far back as 1890 that Parliament voted down a proposition to place a statue of Cromwell on the grounds of the House of Commons; but two years later sentiment had advanced so much that justice was done to the memory of the great Protector and a colossal bronze figure was authorized and erected.  I know of no more impressive sight in all England than this great statue, standing in solitary grandeur near the Houses of Parliament, representing Cromwell with sword and bible, and with an enormous lion crouching at his feet.  It divides honor with no other monument in its vicinity and it seems to stand as a warning to kingcraft that it must observe well defined limitations if it continues in Britain.  I saw several other statues of Cromwell, notably at Manchester, Warrington and at St. Ives.

An incident illustrating the sentiment with which the Protector is now regarded by the common people came under my own observation.  With a number of other sightseers, we were visiting Warwick Castle and were being shown some of the portraits and relics relating to Cromwell, when the question was raised by someone in the party as to his position in English history.  A young fellow, apparently an aspirant for church honors, expressed the opinion that Cromwell was a traitor and the murderer of his king.  He was promptly taken to task by the old soldier who was acting as our guide through the castle.  He said, “Sir, I can not agree with you.  I think we are all better off today that there was such a man as Cromwell.”

That appears to be the general sentiment of the people of Great Britain, and the feeling is rapidly growing that he was distinctly the defender of the people’s rights.  True, he destroyed many of the historic castles, but such destruction was a military necessity.  These fortresses, almost without exception, were held by supporters of King Charles, who used them as bases of operation against the Parliamentary Army.  If not destroyed when captured, they were re-occupied by the Royalists and the work had to be done over again.  Therefore Cromwell wisely dismantled the strongholds when they came into his possession, and generally he did his work so well that restoration