OLIVER CROMWELL

Fox, the Quaker founder, dispatched Aldam to petition Oliver Cromwell for relief of the persecution of the Quakers. Cromwell at first maintained that he was unaware of these organized governmental persecutions so Aldam and another Quaker, Anthony Pearson, collected the writs of many Quakers who were in Jail. Aldam returned and presented these to Cromwell who, having his own political difficulties choose not to get involved as a substantial part of his political support saw Quakers as heretics. Aldam then removed his hat and rendered it into pieces uttering the quotation which might have been interpreted as a curse. Quakers had a concept of—see {611244} for another—“specific fore-seeing” which others might call prophesy. Shortly thereafter Cromwell was deposed.

See {611241}, {611246}, {611442}. While the issues with Cromwell were essentially political, there were substantial theological and cultural issues between the Quakers and other protestant sects which even extended across to the New World. See {612011}

The Parliament was paralyzed by the issue of wartime leadership when PM Neville Chamberlain failed so miserably in standing up to the Germans at Munich. The speech urging the termination of the Prime Minister’s government reminded all of the famous speech whereby Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell dismissed Parliament in 1655 (see related quote). In this case Amery had no power, but much influence as the Government fell a few days later and Winston Churchill assumed British leadership.

Cromwell was not opposed to monarchy per se as long as it was reasonably checked. He saw Charles II as a terrible monarch. After deposing Charles, he and his associates had to come up with some form of government. As “Lord Protector” he was a de facto monarch without the trappings.

He was being cheered by a large crowd.

The king was found guilty and was decapitated, but not wearing a crown.

Cromwell to the Rump Parliament: These same words were used by Tory insurgent Leopold Amery in 1940 calling for the resignation of British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain.

Ironically, Cromwell himself had eloquently observed that “necessity” is the avowed justification of post politicians to justify their breaking the law or doing something that is immoral and wrong. See {632372}. Also see {57408}, {599566}. But the most eloquent statement was given by Prime Minister William Pitt: {585477}

Cromwell’s motivation for Empire was different from most other English leaders, but defeating the Catholic Spanish in the New World would be another of God’s victories over the Catholics which Cromwell and many of his Puritan followers thought was the desire and will of God.

He dispatched the army to eliminate sin.

Cromwell is often credited with coining the phrase “warts and all.” This is not strictly correct. The phrase that could be extracted from his quotation is “warts and everything”. Over the years writers and editors have, as is not uncommon, “improved” the phraseology and it is the “improved” version with which most people are familiar, even though it is not 100 percent authentic. The meaning is however, and for this Cromwell is the first known originator.