CHAPTER IV.

THE COMMONWEALTH.

Establishment Of The Commonwealth--Punishment Of The Royalists--Mutiny And Suppression Of The Levellers--Charles Ii Proclaimed In Scotland--Ascendancy Of His Adherents In Ireland--Their Defeat At Rathmines--Success Of Cromwell In Ireland--Defeat Of Montrose, And Landing Of Charles In Scotland-Cromwell Is Sent Against Him--He Gains A Victory At Dunbar--The King Marches Into England--Loses The Battle Of Worcester--His Subsequent Adventures And Escape.

Abolition of the monarchy. Appointment of a council of state. Other changes. Attempt to fill up the house. Execution of the royalists. Opposition of the Levellers. Their demands. Resisted by the government. The mutineers suppressed. Proceedings in Scotland. Charles II proclaimed in Edinburgh. Answer of the Scots. Their deputies to the king. Murder of Dr. Dorislaus. State of Ireland. Conduct of the nuncio. His flight from Ireland. Articles of peace. Cromwell appointed to the command. Treaty with O'Neil. Cromwell departs for Ireland. Jones gains the victory at Rathmines. Cromwell lands. Massacre at Drogheda. Massacre at Wexford. Cromwell's further progress. Proceedings in Scotland. Charles hesitates to accept the conditions offered by the commissioners. Progress and defeat of Montrose. His condemnation. His death. Charles lands in Scotland. Cromwell is appointed to command in Scotland. He marches to Edinburgh. Proceedings of the Scottish kirk. Expiatory declaration required from Charles. He refuses and then assents. Battle of Dunbar. Progress of Cromwell. The king escapes and is afterwards taken. The godliness of Cromwell. Dissensions among the Scots. Coronation of Charles. Cromwell lands in Fife. Charles marches into England. Defeat of the earl of Derby. Battle of Worcester. Defeat of the royalists. The king escapes. Loss of the royalists. Adventures of the king at Whiteladies. At Madeley. In the royal oak. At Moseley. At Mrs. Norton's. His repeated disappointments. Charles escapes to France.