Authors, English -- Early modern, 1500-1700 -- Biography; Marvell, Andrew, 1621-1678
The Lord Richard Cromwell was exactly the sort of eldest son a great
soldier like Oliver, who had put his foot on fortune's neck, was likely
to have. Richard (1626-1712) was not, indeed, born in the purple, but
his early manhood was nurtured in it. Religion, as represented by long
sermons, tiresome treatises, and prayerful exercises, bored him to
death. Of enthusiasm he had not a trace, nor was he bred to arms. He
delighted in hunting, in the open air, and the company of sportsmen.
Whatever came his way easily, and as a matter of right, he was well
content to take. He bore himself well on State occasions, and could make
a better speech than ever his father was able to do. But he was not a
"restless" Cromwell, and had no faith in his destiny. I do not know
whether he had ever read _Don Quixote_, in Shelton's translation, a very
popular book of the time; probably not, for, though Chancellor of the
University of Oxford, Richard was not a reading man, but if he had, he
must have sympathised with Sancho Panza's attitude of mind towards the
famous island.
"If your highness has no mind that the government you promised should
be given me, God made me of less, and perhaps it may be easier for
Sancho, the Squire, to get to Heaven than for Sancho, the Governor.
_In the dark all cats are gray._"
The new Protector took up the reins of power with proper forms and
ceremonies, and at once proceeded to summon a Parliament, an Imperial
Cromwellian Parliament, containing representatives both from Scotland
and Ireland. In this Parliament Andrew Marvell sat for the first time as
one of the two members for Kingston-upon-Hull. His election took place
on the 10th of January 1659, being the first county day after the
sheriff had received the writ. Five candidates were nominated: Thomas
Strickland, Andrew Marvell, John Ramsden, Henry Smyth, and Sir Henry
Vane, and a vote being taken in the presence of the mayor, aldermen, and
many of the burgesses, John Ramsden and Andrew Marvell were declared
duly elected.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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