CHAP. I. SECTION III. Oliver and the First Session of his Second Parliament: Sept. 17, 1656-June 26, 1657.--Second Parliament of the Protectorate called: Vane's _Healing Question_ and another Anti-Oliverian Pamphlet: Precautions and Arrests: Meeting of the Parliament: Its Composition: Summary of Cromwell's Opening Speech: Exclusion of Ninety-three Anti-Oliverian Members: Decidedly Oliverian Temper of the rest: Question of the Excluded Members: Their Protest: Summary of the Proceedings of the Parliament for Five Months (Sept. 1656-Feb. 1656-7): Administration of Cromwell and his Council during those Months: Approaches to Disagreement between Cromwell and the Parliament in the _Case of James Nayler_ and on the Question of Continuation of the Militia by Major-Generals: No Rupture.--The Soxby-Sindercombe Plot.--Sir Christopher Pack's Motion for a New Constitution (Feb. 23, 1656-7): Its Issue in the _Petition and Advice_ and Offer of the Crown to Cromwell: Division of Public Opinion on the Kingship Question: Opposition among the Army Officers: Cromwell's Neutral Attitude: His Reception of the Offer: His long Hesitations and several Speeches over the Affair: His Final Refusal (May 8, 1657): Ludlow's Story of the Cause.--Harrison and the Fifth Monarchy Men: Venner's Outbreak at Mile-End-Green.--Proposed New Constitution of the _Petition and Advice_ retained in the form of a Continued Protectorate: Supplements to the _Petition and Advice_: Bills assented to by the Protector, June 9: Votes for the Spanish War.--Treaty Offensive and Defensive with France against Spain: Dispatch of English Auxiliary Army, under Reynolds, for Service in Flanders: Blake's Action in Santa Cruz Bay.--"_Killing no Murder_": _Additional and Explanatory Petition and Advice_: Abstract of the Articles of the New Constitution as arranged by the two Documents: Cromwell's completed Assent to the New Constitution, and his Assent to other Bills. June 26, 1657: Inauguration of the Second Protectorate that day: Close of the First Session of the Second Parliament. CHAP. II. Milton's Life and Secretaryship through the First Protectorate continued: September 1654-June 1657.--SECTION I.: From September 1654 to January 1654-5, or Through Oliver's First Parliament.--Ulac's Hague Edition of Milton's _Defensio Secunda_, with the _Fides Publica_ of Morus annexed: Preface by Dr. Crantzius to the Reprint: Ulac's own Preface of Self-Defence: Account of Morus's _Fides Publica_, with Extracts: His Citation of Testimonies to his Character: Testimony of Diodati of Geneva: Abrupt Ending of the Book at this Point, with Ulac's Explanation of the Cause.--Particulars of the Arrest and Imprisonment of Milton's Friend Overton.--Three more Latin State-Letters by Milton for Oliver (Nos. XLIX.-LI.): No State-Letters by Milton for the next Three Months: Milton then busy on a Reply to the _Fides Publica_ of Morus.