He styled himself the servant
of the Commonwealth, and the assured friend of Lord Bellingham; but
nothing was further from Cromwell's heart than an intention of realizing
these promises. His only aim was to pacify and amuse his opponents till
he gained leisure to play his own game. He loaded Lady Bellingham with
flattering expressions, selected her to stand by his side, when, as he
called it, he rose in the congregation of the saints to give the word of
exhortation, and appealed to her as the judge and expounder of his
spiritual gifts. These, he observed, were all the refreshing attentions
which the necessity of pursuing the host of Sisera allowed him to pay to
the Deborah of the English Israel, except permitting her to reside in
Bellingham-Castle, and to plead his friendship and protection.
The victory at Worcester was of that decided nature, which enabled
Cromwell to throw off the mask, to dissolve that pantomime of a
Parliament in whose name he had hitherto governed, and to assume the
title of "Protector of the liberties of England.
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